Derpy Hooves and Raindrops. One is a wall-eyed mailmare with a heart of gold; the other is a klutzy Wonderbolt Cadet with a passion for weather. They are the best of friends, and today, they're here to make you laugh with a comedy routine that they threw together! Why did they do this, you ask? Heck if I know. They were probably just bored.

Told in the style of the Touhou M-1 Grand Prix.

After getting a taste of his own medicine from Lord Tirek, Discord has decided to take his reformation a bit more seriously. Sure, he has magic and friendship again, but it's clearly not enough to warrant his own throne in Twilight's fancy new castle. In order to earn the coveted throne, he figures that he has to be the best friend he can be.

While scrolling through the Friendship Journal for inspiration and pointers, an epiphany hits him. Since he was reformed, he has never made an honest attempt to make new friends by himself. As the first step on this new journey, he decides to rectify that. And who better to befriend than the other ponies that provided the keys to the chest? It's the perfect plan!

Too bad he doesn't really know what he's doing. Yeah, despite understanding empathy, Discord still has a lot to learn about friendship.

This story is a sequel to My Little Investigations: The Gemstone Godfather

My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am the Princess of Friendship; one of the rulers of Equestria. There was once a time when I was called the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well. I used this identity briefly to teach my friend Rainbow Dash a lesson in humility. Several moons after that incident, somepony else has taken up the mantle, using it to protect ponies who are in peril. Very few ponies know the true nature of this enigmatic mare; I among them. The only thing known for certain is that she is a true hero.

But now, she has gone mad. Or at least, that's what we're supposed to believe after she allegedly crashed this year's Grand Galloping Gala. Personally, I'm not buying it. Like I said, I know this Mare-Do-Well. She would never do something like this. And as if to confirm my suspicions, there was a note left at the crime scene stating that an impostor is on the loose in one of four locations. Thankfully, I'm not alone in thinking this. My friends support me, and three ponies who have worked with Mare-Do-Well in the past agree that something is amiss.

This is their story as much as it is my own. Mare-Do-Well is our friend, and we have to be there for her just as she's been there for us. Whether she's in the Griffon Kingdom, Manehattan, the Mewlun Mountains, or here in Canterlot, we will find her and unmask her doppelgänger. Come along, Spike! The game is afoot!

The story we're about to tell you is real, although some details are ambiguous in nature. To emphasize this point, no names have been changed. It is also my duty to inform you that this tale contains subject matter that may be inappropriate for younger audiences. Viewer's discretion is strongly advised.

((Case 4 of the Mare-Do-Well Files. It's highly recommended that you read the other cases first; otherwise you will get confused.))

POV Codex:

T: Twilight Sparkle
S: Spitfire
O: Octavia
A: Amethyst Star
M: Multiple POVs in the same chapter

Cerberus has one job, and that job is to guard the Gates of Tartarus so that no evil creatures can escape. He's had this job for a long time, and not once did he defy his duty. Sure, he left his post that one time, but he never intentionally set someone free. Not that he ever wanted to.

But what if somepony was cast into Tartarus through no fault of their own? And what if that somepony is a pony that Cerberus really cares about? Is there a protocol for this scenario? Alas, no. It's never happened before. So, the big question remains:

What now?

Dramatic Reading by CrazedRambling

Korean Translation

Hondo "Magnum" Flanks and Cookie Crumbles's anniversary is coming up, and Rarity has the perfect gift in mind for her parents. She and the Ponytones are going to give them a surprise performance at their anniversary dinner. And when she discovers that poor Sweetie Belle completely forgot about this momentous occasion, she offers her the opportunity to perform alongside the Ponytones as part of her present.

Unfortunately, Sweetie Belle doesn't seem to be too keen on the idea. She loves to sing, sure, but not in front of large crowds. Plus, she thinks that Rarity's singing voice is much better than hers will ever be. Rarity has a suspicion that there's something being left unsaid, but Sweetie Belle isn't willing to open up to her sister.

Luckily, Rarity has a close friend who was in a very similar situation not too long ago. And who better to confide in than somepony that knows exactly what you're going through?

After bonding with Pinkie's friends, Maud Pie is almost ready to leave the rock farm and pursue a higher education. However, there is one member of the Pie family who won't be able to see her off: Her beloved grandmother, Nana Pinkie. Marble and Limestone agree that this simply won't do, and as such, there's only one solution. That's right, it's time for a good ole fashioned trek to Grandmother's house!

Little do they know that one of Discord's creations from way back when has spontaneously attained consciousness, psychic powers, and a burning desire to take over the rock farm and make Maud his queen. Yeah, that's the tricky thing about chaos: It can sometimes do things you didn't tell it to do when you least expect it. Not that Discord cares, of course. After all, he has an airtight alibi. As such, Tom is free to torment the Pie sisters as much as he wants without any negative repercussions.

Or so he thinks.

Cover art provided by the amazingly talented Jayesixx.

The phrase "I'm your wing" and variations thereof has been used by pegasi since pre-unification times; particularly those that serve in the military. It means: "I've got your back no matter what." Nowadays, few pegasi rally that cry around like the Wonderbolts do. And no Wonderbolt rallies that cry around quite like Misty Fly does.

Whether she's guiding her partner through a difficult maneuver or helping her comrades overcome personal anxieties, Misty Fly is a pony who puts her team first. Her dedication to being a team player above and beyond the call of duty has earned her nicknames such as "The Ideal Wingpony" and "The Wonderbolts' Unofficial Shrink." She considers these nicknames to be badges of honor, and she does her best to live up to them.

But when a stray thunderbolt puts her out of commission, her self-confidence is shaken. She feels as though she let her team (and by extension, Spitfire) down. And while the pony she admires most is going through a rough patch, she's confined to a bed and unable to do anything about it. For once, she feels weak. For once, she feels useless. For once, she needs somepony to be her wing.

Takes place during the events of My Little Investigations: Wonderbolts Under Fire, but has no major spoilers. Rated Teen for some language and suggestive imagery.

Being the ever-helpful assistant that he is, Spike has made reservations at the Far-Afield Tavern for himself and his friends. Unbeknownst to him, however, fate had other ideas. So while Rarity is busy turning her hotel room into a sweatshop, Spike is sitting around in the tavern wondering where everypony is.

It eventually gets to the point when the restaurant cannot hold onto his reservations anymore. But just when he's about to head back to the hotel and write this off as a crummy day, he receives an invitation to join some famous ponies for dinner. Even more bizarre, the pony extending this invitation is someone he hasn't spoken to in ages (in fact, they barely talked at all). Normally, he'd be skeptical about this, but after a long day of hauling luggage and chasing birds, he figures it's best not to look this gift horse in the mouth. After all, business partners can be friends too, right? Right.

Inspired in part by xjuggernaughtx's fantastic fic, The Carrot Dog Fight.

The Wonderbolts are many things. They're defenders; athletes; weatherponies; role models. But one thing they don't typically do is interact with the breezies. Even though the pegasi and the breezies have had a long-standing symbiotic relationship since the founding of Equestria, entomology simply isn't in a Wonderbolt's job description.

So you can imagine Lightning Dust's annoyance when she's signed up for a voluntary expedition to the breezies' home in the far east in order to collect their nectar. You can also imagine her surprise when she discovers that she's not only working alongside a cadet from the Academy, but also an actual Wonderbolt. Seeing this as her opportunity to get back in the Wonderbolts' good graces, Lightning decides to make the best of the situation and impress Fleetfoot with her skills. After all, gathering nectar from a bunch of bugs (read: fairies) should be a cinch for a future Wonderbolt.

...

And if you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you.

Being a Wonderbolt doesn't mean you're infallible. It doesn't mean you always have to win no matter what. It does mean, however, that you have to set an example for other ponies to follow.

Spitfire doesn't feel like she did that at the Equestria Games tryouts. Even though her intentions weren't as callous as they appeared, she still feels awful about doing wrong by Rainbow Dash and Soarin'. Luckily, she has a great team that will hear her out even when she screws up.

My mini-epilogue to the episode Rainbow Falls.