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.

This story is a sequel to Empty Horizons

For the first time in a thousand years, the old magic has returned to Equestria.

The Elements of Harmony have been torn asunder by the careless Equestria they found themselves in just one month ago. Twilight Sparkle fled into the ocean, pleading for her friends not to follow her after only barely stopping the destructive rampage caused by The Other. Rainbow Dash and Applejack, with nothing but their knowledge of Twilight's nature and a crew of seasoned adventurers, leave Altalusia hoping to find their lost friend and bring her back. Meanwhile, Countess Rarity finds herself trapped among the machinations of Duke Titus, but perhaps she can yet use her new position for good.

But the new Equestria remains as treacherous as ever for six mares lost in time, and the sunken ruins of their old home still holds fresh and terrifying dangers. Mysteries a thousand years old demand solving, and even those born on the floating islands of the new Equestria may find themselves torn between two paths.

The world changed in the absence of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, and with their return it braces for change once more.

Audiobook updates Thursdays and Fridays!

Edited by Noc, Dominus Alicorn, and PsyonicG.

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This story is a sequel to Partner

Longdesc

Rarity has always dreamed of three things. Being at the top of the fashion game, having a full social calendar in great demand, and catching the eye of a royal. She now has all of these things, in the best way. She’s the special somepony of the most royal royal of all. Her longtime friend and Sovereign of Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle.

So she's happy, right?

It’s so much better than what she would have had with Applejack all those years ago.

Right?

Tags

• Sex: Rarity’s recollections just got a little too spicy for me to not want to play it safe, but it’s pretty close to not needing the warning.
• There are some Unhealthy Relationship Dynamics

Continuity

A companion piece to Partner, which expands on the past of the AppleDash relationship mentioned here, though that relationship is much healthier.

Author’s Note

Interesting that Twilight Sparkle and Rarity are the only unpaired members of the Mane Six at the end of the show.

Right?

Also in my Equestria there is a magic-based way for mare-mare couples to have biological children. The mechanism isn’t important, and it’s not commented upon because it’s very normalized. Just so you know, in case such things confuse you.

Pinkie Pie had a big secret. Twilight wishes it had stayed one.

The original version of this story was an entry to a writeoff round with the prompt Rot.

Thanks to Undome Tinwe, Seer, and LunaTheFox for editing.

Cover art cropped from a piece by LambiBelle, and it is used with permission. DB: 2273080

Pinkie Pie regularly goes out of her way to make her friends feel good. Every one of them thanks her in their own way, but she wasn't expecting Twilight's simple little gesture to leave her so utterly and thoroughly confused.

Written for the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Publish-A-Story Contest with the prompt 'It was only a kiss'.

Thank you to applezombi, AuroraDawn, Exodd and Holtinater for reading over this fic in the contest.

Thanks to StraightToThePointStudio for the audio reading!

Thanks to Rainbow Infinity for another audio reading.

The Elements of Harmony didn't work. Nightmare Moon won. Her beautiful night has been unending for over two years now, and her reign over Equestria is total.

Twilight and Pinkie Pie never gave up, even after everyone else did.

An infinity of praise be to Harwick for the cover art.

Twilight Sparkle enjoys her friends' visits. They only want to help, after all. But when the line between dream and reality blurs, she must decide whom to believe, the ones she's known for so long, or the one she mistrusts the most.

"Are you afraid of the good you might do?"
Anonymous old peasant woman to Madeleine, Les Miserables.

Second-place winner in the /fic/ write-off "Sweet Music."

Featured on Equestria Daily!

The guards are scared to say it.

Sunset Shimmer has returned to Canterlot.

And the Princess is furious...

Not in continuity with my other stories. Just something that popped into my head one day.

Spell Nexus (mentioned only) is from Past Sins, by Pen Stroke

This story is a sequel to A Foreign Education

Twilight was sixteen when she became an alicorn. She hasn't aged a day since. Some ponies ask her what it's like, not being able to grow up.

Twilight can't really say. She's never known anything else.

This story is a sequel to The Third Wheel

Double Time is a changeling. Years ago, she fought the Crystal Empire in the war in the north. Now she's Cadence's prisoner.

Together, they'll learn something new about life, and rulership, and what it means to love.