After a training exercise goes wrong, a certain pegasus contemplates the situation after finding her dreams potentially shattered, and comes to terms with a childhood tragedy in the process. (A one-shot set directly after the events of "Wonderbolt Academy," and told from Lightning Dust's perspective.)
[originally posted to Fanfiction.net on 11/20/2013]

While helping with the harvest for the Ponyville Founding Feast, the Cutie Mark Crusaders stumble upon one of the most terrifying creatures in all of Equestria:

A Turducken.

They soon find themselves running for their lives from this nightmarish, nigh-unstoppable behemoth...

Lightning Dust's and Rainbow Dash's Wonderbolt training continues, but something is wrong. Lightning Dust hasn't been the same since she was forced to give up her lead-pony badge and both Spitfire and Rainbow Dash have taken note.

Can they turn her around?

Or will Lightning Dust's reckless behavior finally get the better of her?

An alternate ending to the episode ‘Wonderbolts Academy’ where things play out differently as an intense confrontation develops between the three greatest fliers to ever come out of Cloudsdale.

Image by VladimirMacHolraum at deviantart.

(Used with permission)

Twilight Sparkle loves being a librarian. She gets to spend all day surrounded by her favorite things in the world—books—and best of all, nopony ruins it by trying to talk to her (or at least if they do, they have to be quiet about it).

But when the new head of the Equestrian Library Association gives her an ultimatum, Twilight's future as Ponyville's librarian will hinge on her ability to face the most horrifying creatures she's ever had to deal with:

No, not her new boss (who's clearly up to no good). Not the cult of the Dark God Cacophonon. Not even the strange book that won't. Stop. Staring. Worse than all that.

Library Patrons.

Lightning Dust has dreamed her whole life of becoming a Wonderbolt just like her father. Ever since she learned how to fly, she has strived to become the greatest flier in Equestria. She'll do anything it takes to become the best, but at what cost? Has she lost her only chance at fulfilling her dreams because of her disregard for other ponies, or will Spitfire grant her a second chance.

Seven months since she quit the academy, Lightning Dust has hit rock bottom. Her dreams are gone. Her heroes hate her. She's got no job and spends her days drinking. Yet sometimes, life always gives us another shot...

Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash awake to find themselves in a mysterious, compromising position. It's up to the brilliant mind of Twilight to deduce what series of events led them to this.

This story has sequels entitled Twilight Holmes: Sabotage After Sunset followed by Salting Snails.

Written for the Annual Twidash Contest.

Dramatic reading Part One and Part Two!

Let's Read blog by bookplayer here!

Remaster edited by Formerly Committed and Shellsh0cker.

Twilight gets a feeder to study birds.

She also bought a ton of seeds for it.

While she's frustrated at the fact her supply seems to be disappearing into thin air, she's about to realize that she has a much bigger problem on hoof.

The events of the Wonderbolt Academy have played out and Rainbow Dash is in the stretch to achieving her dream but still has a hard time getting a certain erstwhile friend out of her mind. After taking a few minutes to contemplate things, she decides that she's been given enough second chances in her life to see to it that somepony else gets one as well.

Rated Teen for some language later on, though nothing extremely vulgar.