‘Twas the Night before Hearth’s Warming, and all through the castle…

On Hearth’s Warming eve, Princess Celestia has always spent the night alone in her private study, allowing the castle staff and most of the guards time to spend with their loved ones on this night of friendship and family. But tonight she has a present of her own to give to her faithful student, a gift that has been needing to be given for years.

The beautiful cover art was done by Earthsong9405 on Deviantart
Editing assistance by Peter, Shaleclaw, Sarcasmo, Tek, and Themaskedferret
Featured on Equestria Daily in 2014

Ever since the Sisterhooves Social, Sweetie Belle and Rarity's relationship has improved drastically. There are still days when Rarity is a bit busy, of course, and certain times when Sweetie doesn't quite get the hint.

During one particularly stressful day, Sweetie Belle gets into Rarity's makeup. Rarity demands an explanation. The answer isn't quite as simple as one sister playing dress-up.

Thanks to my good friend Loopy Legend for the prompt and link to the coverart.

Thanks to Holo, Sir Rustbucket, Loopy Legend, Sage Runner, ValorlordV5, and Midnight Legend for editing.

Now with a YouTube reading by Arwhale. Show him some love!

Now Featured on Equestria Daily!

Rated Everyone.

Debriefing: 4th Month, 22nd Day, Second Year of Luna's Return

Agent Stone Reporting...

Agent Ember Reporting...

Senior Agent Sharp-Eye conducting this debriefing.

This is the debriefing of mission 07251974, codename Operation Rock and Awe...

You may begin when ready...

She is the sun. The day, the light, the waking, the Alpha.

She is the moon. The night, the dark, the sleep, the Omega.

In another time they would have been enemies. So sometimes it's hard to remember that they're sisters.

Based on a Wikipedia article by the same name

After an incident known by both species as "The Rift", Human and Pony kind took their first steps in establishing relations with another civilization separated by both time and space. But five years later, when free travel between worlds is finally permitted, the questions are still asked: What's going to happen now? Will our beliefs be changed? Our politics? How do we deal with ponies in a legal sense? And what of our scientific and ecological status?

... Who are we now?

All Princess Celestia wanted was to open a window. A simple window into another world, for no reason other than to prove their existence. She never wanted it to become a door. And she certainly never wanted anything to come through. But, as is proven so often, we don't always get what we want.

It's not all bad. What comes through is a perfectly ordinary pony. So ordinary that its very presence risks the destruction of magic itself.

Ordinary, after all, is highly relative.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash have competed against each other for months in an attempt to claim the role of Ponyville's Iron Mare. However, try as they might, neither can grasp the elusive title, and the resulting arguments have achieved a new level of annoying. In a fit of desperate irritation, Twilight Sparkle decides that one last contest is in order to resolve the conflict once and for all.

Can our heroes survive the deadly hurdles designed for them by their irate friend? Will either Rainbow or Applejack finally realize her dream of becoming the Iron Mare? And, most importantly of all, who is truly the best pony? Two of these three questions will be answered, in... The Great Equestrian Staring Contest!

Please, check out the description at the bottom for context, please.

The Apple family and their tried and true traditions have always been the envy of Ponyville as far as families go. Applejack is one of the humblest ponies around, but can always openly pride herself in having a loving and nurturing family that she helps keep civilized.

Just recently, Applebloom and her friends just found out how all her friends got their cutie marks and how they were connected to each other all her lives. Great story, right?

Well, Spike has always been a careful listener. He needs to be when trying to keep a neurotic unicorn able to cause mayhem on a small country stable on a daily basis. So, when Twilight recalls the stories of her friends to the letter (quite literally since she made him write it down), he finds a discrepancy. It really couldn't be what he thinks, right? There's no way...right?

Well, that's why he is going to go check in on Applejack.
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Takes place after the "The Cutie Mark Chronicles" and inspired by "Somepony to Watch Over Me"

Warning: Feels and a bit of humor.
Also, no AJ is not Ab's mother. I know that cuts off suspense and intrigue, but I don't want to give people expectations I am not gonna meet.

Applejack always knew Winona was the dog for her. Even before she met her, and Winona was just another puppy in a box, Applejack knew.

Thanks to my editor Jake The Army Guy for all the help!

Art from mactavish1996.

During her studies in the Canterlot archives, Twilight Sparkle makes a startling discovery - Star Swirl the Bearded, the most famous unicorn in Equestrian history, had a son! Tracing the family line down the centuries, Twilight is ecstatic to discover a direct descendant of Star Swirl is still living today. She sets out to meet this "Beatrix Lulamoon", who surely is a great and powerful unicorn worthy of her heritage with a wealth of ancestral knowledge to share... isn't she?

Dramatic reading by Goombasa - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bECfAkLDoSM