Princess Celestia has spent 1000 years waiting for Luna's return. During the years Celestia has changed. She became depressed and sank into guilt over what she had done to her younger sister. Now that she is back she will do her best to fix things....except....Luna is different. Sure her coat is a bit different and she looks a bit younger than she was before but it's the way she acts and reacts that's so...unsettling for the older Princess. It's almost like she's a new mare.

Meanwhile, Luna is left to explore a new world while doing her best to avoid her sister and her overbearing nature, while also trying to find happiness again after someone dear was taken from her.

And then there is Twilight Sparkle, she got unintentionally dragged into the whole mess and then dragged herself even further by accident. Now she has to deal with a sad overprotective desperate version of her mentor AND a living mystery of an Alicorn who might be the definition of opportunistic and selfish....for the most part.

To Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia, it is a simple surprise visit to Canterlot. To the ponies of the Equestrian Civil Service, it is twenty-four hours of chaos, politics, weaponized dessert, politics, underhooved manipulation of media, politics, and things batrachian and tentacular. Who said bureaucracy isn't exciting?

The time comes for all students to step out from under the shadow of their teacher and choose their own path.

On that path, knowledge is power, but if it all goes wrong... if that power is put into the wrong hooves... how far might somepony who is trying to reconcile the position of teacher with the duties of ruler be forced to go to fix these mistakes? What level of personal involvement in being responsible does she owe herself and her people?

...And how much is it going to hurt?

Gold medal winner in the The Brightest Days writeoff event. Thanks to the participants there for their feedback, as always!

Luna's descent into Nightmare Moon could have been stopped by the ponies around her, if only they had not been so embroiled in their own petty squabbles and selfish desires.

'Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.'
~ Oscar Wilde

It’s been a long millennium, and the Princess of the Night is picking herself up off the ground. She’s been getting closer with Celestia, and she’s finally learning to rely on her emotional support. They are able to talk more openly than they have in centuries.
But a feeling of sadness remains that Luna hasn’t mentioned, one that’s haunted her since her foalhood. She denies its existence as best she can, and certainly won’t talk to Celestia about it. She doesn’t know what it is or why it’s there. Perhaps the time has come to find out.
A transgender narrative. Contains depictions of dysphoria; I tried to be as true as possible to my own experience, but some may find it upsetting.
It has been a long time since I have creatively written like this. So, I'm rusty. Please criticize my work if there is something about my writing that you don't like, and don't worry about sparing my feelings. I want to improve and, if you'll pardon the pun, get back on the horse.

Twilight Sparkle wants to reestablish her old rapport with Princess Celestia - the close relationship they had when Twilight was the Princess’s personal student. But life moves ever onward and the connections they had in the past will not be enough for the alicorns to overcome the challenges that lie ahead. To make it through their shared trials and revelations, Twilight and Celestia will need to grow beyond their existing bonds and become much more than faithful student and immortal mentor.

Cover art by Ghost!

After an awesome Spring Break, Twilight catches a horrible cold. She's lacking on sleep, and has a fever. It feels like someone scratched the back of her throat with a rake, and she's all plugged up.

Twilight Velvet sees this and suggests that she stay home. But after leaving to go to work, leaving Night Light to look after her, Twilight has other plans.

We all wear a mask called composure, beneath which hides a heart that twists with guilt and hidden feelings. Regal as she is, Princess Celestia is no exception. What might be revealed should circumstances cause this mask to slip - or break?

Set several years after the potential conclusion to the series.

Featured!

Note: Story takes place between seasons 4 and 5 (and was drafted prior to knowledge of "Make New Friends but Keep Discord".)

Discord’s miffed that Princess Celestia doesn’t seem to have extended him a ticket to the Gala—he thought they were friends! (Though maybe he understands a little, considering his recent betrayal, even if he did make things right in the end). However, when she shows up to not only give him his ticket in person but to ask him to be her personal escort for the evening, Discord is surprised (and then smugly satisfied) to say the least…that is until Rarity decides that Celestia’s invitation was clearly her asking Discord out on a date.

Discord dismisses the idea however as he has plenty of other things on his mind at the moment—ponies at the Gala will certainly be talking about Tirek, and how can he face their questions when guilt about what he did is bothering him so much that he can’t even talk about his mistake with his friends? And what is he supposed to do now with his life since he’s finally fully reformed?

Pretty soon Discord’s worries spill over into his dreams—many random dreams…and many random dreams specifically about Celestia. What is his subconscious trying to tell him? And why does Celestia keep trying to get closer to him? It’s all leading up to the most chaotic night ever when Discord will show up at the Gala arm in arm with Celestia and ready to face the world as the ‘REFORMED reformed’ Discord!

(Featured fall 2015, and spring & summer 2016 )

Celestia travels to a far corner of her kingdom to investigate a rumor about a colt with strange, illicit cutie marks. She meets Radish Root, a boy whose marks make him an anomaly in the fabric of Equestria, a mystery to himself, and an outcast among society.
When Radish joins the Royal Guard just prior to the return of Nightmare Moon, he finds his life being complicated by all the changes coming to Equestria. His marks will lead him into adventure, intrigue, and trouble... but will they ever lead him to answers?

Proofreader: Slavenger Karl
Cover Art Gallery
Table of original characters
A reader is translating this story into Spanish. Check it out here.