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.

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.

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.

Sunset Shimmer and her friends receive remarkable news: Princess Twilight is poised to become the queen of all Equestria! As the girls celebrate the invitation to their friend's upcoming coronation, Sunset's horrified to find that she's not just selflessly happy for her best friend. If not princesshood, what's she meant to do with her life anyway? What's her destiny in the human world?

As Equestrian Magic grows more powerful due to an ominous, inter-dimensional rip in space-time above Canterlot High, Sunset's friends are affected by a dangerous, new magic and she's left to wonder if she's done more harm here than good.

This story is a sequel to The Exes Club. Helpful, but not required reading. Themes and ideas introduced there are developed further here.

Story development, visual direction, and illustrations by the badass Bevin Brand.
Editing and support by the lovely Space Jazz and LordJanitor.
Special thanks to one of my best friends, Bookish Delight, for her immeasurable support, guidance, and all around awesomeness.

Featured on June 2nd, 2020
Featured as a Scouted Fanfic on Equestria Daily June 5th, 2020

Print Editions:
Colour Edition (Novel)
Black & White Edition (Novel)
Behind the Zines (Art Book)

Tagged with Sex for sexual discussion, no graphic depictions. Tagged with Profanity because teenagers.

After losing her sister, Rarity buries herself in her work.

Just as lost, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, armed with a personal Ogres & Oubliette's module, try to help the seamstress open more than just her boutique.

❄ Trigger Warnings: death, homophobia (implicit, explicit, slurs)
❄ An intimate epic written for FanOfMostEverything's Imposing Sovereigns II.
❄ Loosely inspired by the stage play of the same name by Qui Nguyen.
❄New adventurers beware! Spoilers lurk in the comments.
❄ Story is complete and is the silver medalist.
❄ Royal Canterlot Library featured. Highly Recommended by Present Perfect. Review by cleverpun. WHYRTY - PaulAsaran

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

Flash Sentry knows his friends are superheroes. He loves that about them. But when he gets the call that they've gotten hurt fighting the forces of evil magic, he doesn't know how to cope. He doesn't know how to help. He probably would've gotten a speeding ticket if his dad wasn't the chief of police.

To make matters worse, Timber Spruce shows up.

Art by the magical and maniacal Bevin Brand, who this story is dedicated to along with the appropriately delightful and bookish Bookish Delight. I did it to see you scream.

Featured on Equestria Daily as of November 12th, 2019!
Recommendsday Shoutout from the Completely Lovely TCC56

Starlight Glimmer has gone back in time. Each time Twilight tries to stop Starlight, she fails and is flung back through the portal and into a broken, twisted Equestria, ravaged by wars or monsters, each version worse than the one before, barreling toward the destruction of the world. Until she lands in a version of Equestria that ... isn't worse. It seems unchanged, happy, normal. The only real difference she can find on the cutie map is that her castle isn't there ...

... but the library still is.

Editing by Formerly Committed and JetstreamGW.

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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