It shouldn't have been a big deal. Celestia was kidnapped or knocked out or just generally made to seem powerless by whatever idiot with ill intent decided to show up on a nearly weekly basis. As the mighty and immortal Sun Princess, she could escape at any time, but she was happy to play these little games. The daring rescues and bloodless battles gave her ponies such a sense of confidence and purpose!
But this one didn't go as planned. One small, stupid mistake got her thrown to the twisted reaches of the world-prison, Tartarus. Now alone, unarmed, and barely more than mortal, Celestia wakes in a living landscape where everything has every reason to hate her.
And, far worse, she has accidentally picked up a passenger.

Sidenote: This a repost (I tried to go through official channels, I promise!) of a story I wrote long, long ago on an account I foolishly deleted. Back in those days, Tartarus hadn't shown up in an actual episode yet. It's not exactly an alternate universe situation, but it has nothing to do with the canon portrayal of the place.

Super amazing cover art by Cold In Gardez.

One day you were living an ordinary, dreary life. The next, you were in a magical world of friendship and ponies. Your new life took a lot of getting used to, but you eventually found happiness in your new friends, particularly the ruler of Equestria herself, Princess Celestia. Then one day, you found yourself somehow saving the world, and Celestia wanted to thank you by offering you one request. Feeling content with your life, you decide to make the best use of the request that you can think of by helping Celestia with whatever seems to be bothering her. But getting Celestia to open up to you about her troubles may be more difficult than you first imagined. Tea for two it is, then.

Celestia didn't want very much. She was happy to spend her youth learning how to farm with her adoptive father. She was happy learning how to cook from her adoptive mother. She was happy to play hide and seek with her little sister Luna, and stare at the stars with her on those warm summer nights. But when the world began to freeze with unnatural snow and ice, and the pony tribes began to go for each other's throats, Celestia's world is undone, and all she wants is to protect her little sister, no matter what.

But between ravenous snow spirits, superstitious ponies, and the machinations of those who would use them for their own ends, Celestia will struggle at every corner. Matters only become that much harder when her little sister begins to hear a voice in her dreams, calling her across the frozen wilderness with the only words Celestia remembers her true mother saying.

"Rise and shine."

A special thank you goes out to my editor, Chromio.

It is best to read this story with Night Mode turned on.

Chapter and cover art were all made by me.

Orphaned as a filly, a young pegasus named Kaviyayu is raised by an adoptive Earth pony family in a secluded, peaceful village. When a strange unicorn drops by the village, Kaviyayu and the other foals are captivated by her tales of the world, as well as her various spells and illusions for their amusement. But there's something about the way she doesn't speak of her own family... how she never removes her traveller's cloak... how she seems to take a very strong interest in Kaviyayu...

Who is this mysterious mare, what does she seek, and just what is so special about that pendant she wears?

This is the tale of how a seemingly ordinary filly rose to become both a princess and a beacon of love to ponies all over Equestria. Based on the back-story of Princess Cadance, as given by G. M. Berrow's pony novella, Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell. Also loosely inspired by symphonic metal band Nightwish's sixth studio album, Dark Passion Play.

Cover art by the lovely Ayemel.

Now with its own musical accompaniment courtesy of The L-Train!

Pre-reading by Noble Thought, Prak, The Albinocorn, ThatOneWriter, JustAnotherTimeLord, vren55, Majin Syeekoh, Foals Errand, Comet Burst, and Chris. Edited by ChromeMyriad, Titanium Dragon, Noble Thought, Prak, NightWolf289, PresentPerfect, and Chris.

Now featured by:
Fimfiction.net (Feature Box, 01/01/15)
Equestria Daily (01/19/15)
The Royal Canterlot Library (Off-site) (07/13/18) (Onsite) (07/20/18)

Approved by Tag-a-long's Book Club!
Approved by Nonpareil Fiction!
Highly Recommended by PresentPerfect!
Recommended by the Pleasant Commentator and Review Group!

It's been many a year since Twilight took the throne of Equestria, and even though she's retired and is living happily in Silver Shoals, Celestia can't shake the feeling that something is off. That something is missing from her life. Facing conflicted feelings, she travels back to Canterlot to see how her former student is doing ruling Equestria in her and Luna's stead.

Little does she realize that this visit will be one that leads to much change in both her life, and that of Twilight Sparkle.

My entry in the The Twelfth Bimonthly Twilestia Contest

Sombra's takeover took everyone in the Crystal Empire by surprise. No one saw it coming, none were prepared for it, and almost no one got away. Almost.

A few hooffuls of daring souls managed to break out of the city and flee southwards, towards Equestria. Some ran to beg the Princesses for aid, others - just to save themselves and their families from the mad tyrant.

But as the refugees are about to learn, it's the dead of winter outside the Empire's shield, and the crystal ponies are far too used to their warm life in the city. One filly that gets separated from her parents while trying to get away learns that fact all too painfully...

Cover art by Marbo, Allfather of the Snowponies.

Additional tag:snowpony

I thought it was just a particularly hot summer. When my friends and the rest of the town started acting weird, I thought it was just the heat. After all, we've had heatwaves before, and those always drive ponies a little crazy. That's what I told myself, anyway.

And then I did some digging and realized I was right... and also very, very wrong.

Twilight Sparkle, diligent protégée of Princess Luna, has been tasked with supervising the Lunar Moon Celebration in Ponyville.

However, as it comes to a close, Daybreaker returns from her millennium-long imprisonment. Now, with Princess Luna at death's door by Daybreaker, Twilight plans to find the Elements of Harmony to use against her, and stop Daybreaker's wrath against the entire kingdom.

Thanks to Lord Regulus, Arkadios and the fellow writers at discord for proofreading my fic for me and giving me advice!

Cover art by DarkFlame75, unfortunately artist hasn’t been online in recent years, at least where I’m aware.

Support me on Kofi if you’d like!

Decades after Twilight Sparkle inherited the land of Equestria, she began to face her first real problems, the passing of her friends and family. As her mental state deteriorates she begins to make questionable decisions. When one final tragedy sends her over the edge, Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Flurry Heart are the only ones who can bring her back from the clutches of despair.

Inspired by 'Shouldnt have enslaved humanity', written by NoobMaster69, as well as a Hearts of Iron 4 mod called 'Beyond Earth'.

Special thanks to karnazom for proofreading.

"Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plain of dignity and discipline." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Humanity is surprising in many ways. When most expected it to die out from infighting and chaos, it somehow survived, and now, it thrives. Global conflicts, economic and ecological disasters, near-extinction level events and collapses, all of them overcome, all thanks to the undying spirit and will of Humanity. Every challenge thrown their way has been overcome, and they have endured.

However, when a cataclysmic event of immense proportions approaches Earth, Humanity must find a way to preserve their race. And when they re-emerge from the remains of the old world, they find a world not just foreign and unknown, but hostile to them. But like the legendary Phoenix, through it's ingenuity and unity....

Humanity shall once again rise from the ashes.