[Featured on EQD 21/4/2014] [Now on TVTropes]

When Luna gifts Twilight the town of Ponyville and its surrounding countryside as her demesne she's initially confused. Then, after double checking her dictionary, more than a little concerned.

All her friends are, legally, her possessions. The town that took her in is her plaything, if she so wishes. She has been given responsibility.

Can Twilight's vision for a modern renaissance outrun the harsh realities of the shadowy figures pulling strings behind the scenes, nobles jockeying for her attention, and an irritatingly metaphorical love triangle?

Special thanks to the insatiable Blue_Paladin42, the incorrigible Maskedferret, the intuitive Southpaw and the indestructible newbiedoodle for all their hard work, past, present and future.

For almost a thousand years, the immortal Nightmare Moon has reigned over Equestria as Empress. To the average pony, Nightmare Moon is an overarching enigma whose rule is absolute and whose wrath is terrible. But to Twilight Sparkle, who as an orphan has never known her parents, the Empress is something else entirely. When the young unicorn is brought under the royal wing as an apprentice, she learns a great deal more about the supposed tyrant than she ever knew. But as Twilight is introduced to life with her new mentor, she is thrust into a world of political intrigue, conspiracies and secrets. Secrets that were never meant to be revealed. As allies and enemies plot against the very peace of the nation, will Twilight fall prey to the perils of her new position? Or will she prosper and find in Nightmare Moon the mother she never had?

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My eternal gratitude to my editor, LordOfTheWrongs, without whom Night's Favoured Child would not be the story it is today.

Now with added TVtropes!

At what should have been a routine doctor's visit, Applejack learns that she can never bear foals of her own. After an emotional breakdown, her friends do their best to calm her.

However, as the discussion develops, nopony is prepared for Twilight's revelation: the grand event which brought them together has left a hidden scar within each of them.

Tempers flare, relationships are strained, and the strength of their friendship is tested as each must come to terms with her newfound sterility.

Now on Equestria Daily
and Twilight's Library

Thanks to these wonderful people for all their help

Cover artist
MuffinExplosion

Editors:
NotMurphy
Georg
Ping111
ocalhoun

Prereadering and suggestions from:
Eakin
Distaff Pope
John Perry
Cartsbeforehorses
JaketheArmyGuy

It's over. She's been with Celestia for years. She's absolved Luna of her crimes. She's been instrumental in defeating Sombra, and has revealed a Changeling invasion. She's even helped in reforming Discord. And now, her time is over. In the time that she's had, she's tried to do her best. She's tried so hard to live up to what other ponies expect of her.

And they were happy with how she was shaping up.

They wanted her to succeed.

Now all they want is to see her dead.

Story has been pre-read or otherwise edited by these fantastic ponies people:
Blood Lord
Ecstatic
seeker9709
PsyonicG

This follows the events described in the Cutie Mark Chronicles, with one small change: The Sonic Rainboom doesn't happen like it was supposed to. Six destinies fail to start. But when one door closes, another one opens.

Cover Art by Inspired_Light

This is supposed to be close to Canon, but since history is altered and the characters don't experience many of the events that make them who they are in the show I'm listing this as alternate universe (does that make sense?)
For the same reason I'm listing the OC tag, even though the OCs are the mane 6 living different lives.

Nopony dies, nopony suffers permanent psychological scarring, and no irrational whirlwind romances happen.
If I have inadvertently included somepony's OC I apologize.

Warning: contents may contain Existentialism. The facility used also handles peanut based products and wheat gluten.