Everypony has one 'Longest Night', a night that just never seems to end, whether they want it to end or not. For Celestia, her Longest Night began on the first night she had to raise her sister's moon.

Heartbroken and filled with despair that she may never see her sister again, Celestia makes a wish upon a falling star to see her sister one more time. Little did she realise that the stars listen.

A one-shot story of two sisters, and one Faithful Student.

Side-quel: Myths and Birthrights

Partially inspired by Ponyphonics amazing song 'Lullaby for a Princess'.
Cover art used with permission by InuHoshi-to-DarkPen.
Special thanks to Honey Mead and Iroh for helping iron out some details.

The Tears of Gaia. An artifact of unmeasurable magical power from the Ancient Days, when the Others ruled the land. If found, they would be the discovery of the century!
At least, those are Twilight Sparkle's thoughts. But something is stirring in lands to the south. Soon she will find that she and her friends are not the only ones who are after the legendary Tears. And so what starts as a simple research trip is soon to escalate into the greatest journey of the young ponies' lives, filled with new friends and foes, incredible danger and great adventure!

Accolades:
EqD featured- 21/09/2012
Now with its own TVTropes page right here!

NOTE: While I do appreciate all comments I get on this story, I would personally prefer if they could say a little more than the typical "Awesome chapter, I love it!" or whatever. What do you love about it? What struck you in this chapter? What would you like to see explored or expanded? Are there things you don't think are working and if so, how could they improve?? I have a pretty determined vision for this story, but it wouldn't hurt to know for the future!

After Chrysalis failed to conquer Equestria, she was shamefully stripped of her title of "Queen of the Changelings".

Their people now leaderless, the Changeling race now finds itself in a unique situation. In the struggle for power, one Changeling seizes the attention of his people. Can he overcome his nature, and the nature of his people, to lead them into a better future?

You've heard by now of an Underground... an Underground where those ponies born with Bright Eyes and a gift for music can hide and live in safety from the laws of Equestria and its Princesses.

But how did it begin? How did it even start?

A single journal holds some if not all these answers... do you wish to read on? And if you do... what will you choose to do with this knowledge?

A/N: This is a prequel to Artsofallkinds Eyes of a Musician story which he has given me permission to write up and put out for all of you to enjoy and read. NOTE! This is NOT a choose your adventure style story despite how it may sound in the description.

Ponyville has stopped communicating with the other cities, and rumours that a battle has broken out within the town. To add, Celestia hasn't received word from Twilight in months. Unfortunately, she, her sister and the Captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, are too weighed down by duties to head to Ponyville.

The only pony left for the job, Princess Cadence, is ordered by Celestia to find out why Twilight has stopped writing to Celestia, but plans change when she finds out what's really going on, as well as unexpected companions.

After repeatedly being excluded and left behind from the Mane 6's adventures, only to do his chores at the library, Spike begins to feel bitter about his role as Twilight's assistant.

But upon seeing a shooting star one fateful night, he makes a wish that turns his life upside down.

The results of this wish will force Spike to discover the true meaning of purposes in life, friendship and most importantly, being wary of what you wish for.

Cover art made by SStwins! http://sstwins.deviantart.com/

Look at this fan art done by X9ss! http://x9ss.deviantart.com/#/d52r1xi

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?

============

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!

In a bout of boredom, Twilight Sparkle decides to make a clockwork automaton. When she tries to give it limited sentience, enough to follow basic instructions, she is more than a little shocked to discover that she has inadvertently put the soul of a living being within...

Now, Twilight has to cope with a living machine.

A silly little thing, not meant to be taken too seriously.

When a mishap occurs with Celestia's bathroom scale, an ancient protocol that may just doom Equestria is set into motion. With the entire palace staff now conspiring against her, the sun goddess must not only contend mountains of paper work, dancing celery sticks, and steroid pumped stallions, but a sister who will take this chance to torture Celestia any way she can as payback for her banishment. Lock the cupboards and barricade the fridge! It's the Royal Diet!

Now with TVTropes page! :http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/ASliceOfLife

There really is no excuse for forgetting something as important as a hoof-written law. But Celestia forgot. And now, a thousand years after she wrote it, a law comes into play mandating that Celestia take a two-month sabbatical from her duties as Princess of Equestria.

So what happens when she has to step down for a couple months and leave Luna by herself in the bloody gladiator ring that is Equestrian politics? What happens when Celestia has to disguise herself and mingle with the populace of Ponyville without them knowing?

The short answer to that would be "a string of hilarious chance encounters, sisterly banter, romantic mishaps, and a political coup that was decades in the making."

The long answer, of course, is this story.

=-=-=

Rated Teen for swearing and sexual humor.

Cover image is by enma-darei