This story is a sequel to As Hard As Velvet

It’d been a moon since Twilight and AJ’s visit to Canterlot where Twilight had learned things from her mother’s past and where she’d proposed to Applejack.

Now Twilight's parents and a surprise are coming for a visit. Twilight and AJ are hopping that questions that were unanswered before will be answered.

^[1]Apologies to Babylon 5 and the Ψ Corps.

Twilight Sparkle, even after discovering friendship and being elevated to The Princess of Friendship has still maintained her love and affinity toward books. At every opportunity she gets, when not interacting with friends or family, she has her muzzle in a book. It’s her comfort zone, she feels secure and happy.

But truly happy?

Fluttershy had friends before Twilight Sparkle came to Ponyville to oversee the Summer Sun Festival. In spite of these friends, she’d rather have stayed in her cottage surrounded by a plethora of woodland creatures than actually interact with her fellow ponies, even her friends, sometimes. Now after several years of the group becoming closer, Fluttershy had come out of her shell, at least most of the way. But she could still be insecure and to herself quite easily.

But does she really want to maintain that shield of isolation?

Now something happens to open their hearts to the next stage of friendship. And discovering that a close friend may be the answer to making their lives complete. Filling a void that neither acknowledged that was there. And they’ll have to admit to feelings they never let themselves acknowledge.

If these feelings are admitted, then there is an issue to overcome:

This story is a sequel to The Derpy I Know and Love

It’s theorized that our universe is just one of an infinite number of universes. Some parallel and some not quite parallel, some identical (I am frightened at the prospect that there’s someone out there as screwed up as I am) and some completely alien.
This story is not in the ‘Equestria Girls’ universe. It is MLP:FIM set in a parallel universe that is slightly different. In this universe, the mane 6 were always human. There are no half-pony forms nor is there any contact with the MLP:FIM universe. Magic is not known to this world other than the stage type like Trixie performs.

Also, not everyone’s family situations are the same, as you will see.

This is perhaps how ‘The Derpy I Know And Love’ would have turned out in this universe.
It was inspired by the above art work.

Illustration created for me by: A Dash of Delight
https://adashofdelight.tumblr.com

During a trip to visit with her family in Canterlot, Princess Twilight Sparkle sees a picture on the wall at the Royal Guard Headquarters. The picture and the caption blows her mind.

Twilight Velvet tells her daughter about a past that she hadn’t hidden but never had brought up before.

The things about her mother, Twilight never expected. Including who she is really married to and how her father fits into this. Since everypony is coming clean about themselves, Twilight introduces her marefriend of 3 years… Applejack.

The Sex and Gore labels are for mild implied sex and brief gore.

Applejack is afraid to love. After what she went through when she lost her parents, she had decided not to get in a situation that would set her up for that pain again.

Rainbow Dash has always tried to be cool about her feelings. But she finds out that the old saying: Those who hesitate are lost is painfully true. Plus she will have to live with the ultimate shame; That of Rarity telling her "I told you so" for the rest of her life.

This is like the first story of my series  Bookends  in that it is a short (yes and rushed) story to see how it is received. That way I know if any sequels are to be attempted.

Applejack has had a secret crush. Not only that, she has another secret know to only her family. When Twilight was nearly raped because an old classmate was acting on false rumors from school, Applejack comes to comfort her friend. In doing so, the apple brandy (not AJ’s cousin) AJ brought to calm Twilight down allows Twilight to confess her deepest secret to Starlight Glimmer. But Starlight Glimmer is a lavender Unicorn, not the orange Earth Pony there with her.

A comedy of errors will fulfill four pony’s dreams.

Secrets can not always be kept secret.

Oh, and can you believe Princess Twilight Sparkle knew those words?

The sex label if for implied, not actual graphic. However, the attempted rape scene could be disturbing to some.

It appears to be the mission of their dreams. Princess Twilight and Applejack, alone together, are to settle an issue in the buffalo lands.
But the mission is easy and Applejack and Twilight enjoy the time they spent together.
However, something happens on the trip home to change their lives.
Applejack and Twilight have to deal with their feelings, survival and life and death.

This story has religious overtones.
Just like most fanfic, it is a ‘what if’ and a parallel universe. As such it is a possible outcome if circumstances were different.

We’ve seen the signs. The look in her direction, the concern for her abilities. Hints of wanting to accompany her.
Luna, from the time of Luna Eclipsed has shown interest in Twilight Sparkle. It has been very low key and well-guarded. But it has been glimpsed.
Twilight has wanted to be with Luna also. The hints were there as well, perhaps as low key as Luna’s, but it’s there none the less.
The wanting to rush to her on Nightmare Night, the look of hope as she was leaving the briefing on the Crystal Empire.
Now what if, just after Twilight’s elevation to princess, Luna found herself in a position which allowed her to let her feelings be known? And in doing so, allowed Twilight to do the same?
This is an alternate history to examine what might have happened if those choices were made.
Would it be a case of immortal lust? Or could it be the beginning of a new dynasty?

This story is a sequel to Night Mares

It was more than either Luna or Twilight ever expected. To be wed to the pony of their dreams.

But amidst the bliss, word comes of a threat to something dear to Luna’s heart. Something only she and Celestia know. It had been what started the cause of the division between she and her sister, the one that lead to Nightmare Moon.

But with a joined destiny, Twilight and friends will be called upon to heal a broken past. But at what cost?

This threat will be met by Luna, Twilight and her friends. But will something happen to lead to, not only the return of Nightmare Moon, but also the rise of Daybreaker and Dark Star?

And will the Elements of Harmony have any power over what is to come?

Note: This part of the story was inspired by music video by Siritto and Lionheartcartoon. Including the lyrics taken from Edgar Allen Poe’s Children of the Night

This story is a sequel to Bookends Part 3: Or Family Values

Life in Ponyville goes on as normal for the next eight years. The dangers and trials for the Mane 6 appear to be something of the past. The ponies of Ponyville have all but forgot the hazards of the past.
The group of friends continue growing as close as ever. With the inclusion of Pinkie’s wife Trixie, and the now accepted fact that Pinkie is a Changeling, there seems to be nothing the group couldn’t handle.
But with the responsibility of three growing and precocious foals; Celestia and Luna Sparkle and Zap Apple, Twilight, Cheerilee and Rainbow have their hooves full.

But when a warning of another threat against Equestria from Princess Celestia comes to Twilight, the mothers fear what could happen when they have children to consider.
If the safety of Equestria is to be maintained, a different view of harmony may have to be accepted.

As is normal with life, things happen that we don’t expect. And a hidden past almost never stays hidden…