After attempting to impress the judges during her entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, something transpires that alters Twilight's life irrevocably, as well as the destiny of all Equestria. In a very literal manner, Twilight metamorphoses into the embodiment of magic, much akin to how Discord embodies chaos. How will this unprecedented transformation shape forthcoming events? And how will Twilight grapple with mastering the newfound god-like abilities that have been unexpectedly thrust upon her?

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.

AU in where Twilight is a dragon but still is Princess Celestia's student. Twilight has a more logical head on her shoulders and takes her job as a caretaker to Spike more seriously than canon.

motherly!Twilight, manipulative!Celestia

Idea sparked from Winter Quill's stories Growing Up With Scales and Sparkles and Scales

Cover art courtesy of Majestickfire9

Not Beta'ed, all mistakes my own. Don't like? Don't read. Cross-posted on ff.net under PlutoMilo

Now being rewritten: https://www.fimfiction.net/story/533926/the-element-of-magic

Twilight Sparkle was banished from Equestria a long time ago for a crime she didn't commit. The rest of the Mane 6 have been searching for her to tell her that she can return. When they do find Twilight, they realize that the trials of surviving outside Equestria have changed their old friend. Not all the changes are necessarily good.

As they return to Equestria, they must figure out who is opposing them. Shadows lurk in every corner, enemies watching for a single misstep. Not to mention, Twilight's shadows are creeping up on her. But even if they do manage to face the trials and troubles, do they have what it takes to face what awaits them back home?

If you want to chat to me, we have a discord server here!

Editing team: Stinium_Ruide
People who've helped me before:
Ex-coauthor: computerneek
Ex-editor: Holtinater

Coming back from a hectic job, the crew of Serenity experience a ship-wide malfunction as a bizarre incident occurs in space around them. Eventually all of the ship's systems clear and they think nothing of it, that is until they discover they've taken on a rather interesting hitchhiker.

An MLP/ Firefly crossover story, if that wasn't obvious.
I appreciate the story being shared around, commented on, liked, enjoyed, all that jazz.

Princess Nightmare Moon has it all. Socially awkward shut-in Twilight Sparkle has nothing of worth. Princess Nightmare Moon can acquire anything she desires. Twilight Sparkle can't seem to catch a break. Two polar opposites from completely different worlds. Yet amidst her dominant rule, Princess Nightmare Moon feels she's missing something. A certain day from her memory has been wiped... and none of her common materialistic desires can sate her quench for answers. That is until she encounters a certain young unicorn mare, who she can't seem to get off her mind.

Twilight Sparkle's dull and downtrodden life is about to get much more interesting.

[Inspired by S5 - Nightmare Moon AU: Thank you for your support!]

This story is a sequel to Returning Home

With the defeat of the Changeling Queen Chrysalis and the Swarm, Twilight departs for the long forgotten Harmony Empire however when they arrive not everything is as it seems. Darkness is rising and the wind whispers of a great evil that is soon to come, the clock ticks down to the final hour as old wounds cut deeper. Their only hope lies in a long buried secret that will change the course of the future and reveal the dark past of how Equestria came to be.

Featured 5/27/2020

Nightmare Moon has returned. Princess Celestia lied and betrayed her star pupil, Twilight Sparkle, leaving her woefully unprepared to fight the Queen of the Night.

But when she fails, rather than disposing of her and the ponies that tried to help her, Nightmare Moon sees an opportunity and a necessity. Having been locked away for one thousand years, who better to help her solidify her rule and keep Equestria from collapsing, all while rubbing it in her sister's face, than her own betrayed pupil?

Sunset Shimmer has lived in the human world for over ten years now. Some of the best and worst days of her life have happened there. When she finds herself no longer having a place in the world she's grown accustomed to she travels back to her homeland of Equestria to figure out who she is and where she belongs. What she finds is a land and people irreversibly changed by time.

Twilight Sparkle now rules over this new Equestria. It is a time of peace and prosperity for the entire world, so why does the Princess seem so sad?
Figuring out her own problems, an entirely different home than the one she grew up in, and her increasingly complicated relationship with Princess Twilight could be the most difficult thing Sunset Shimmer has ever done.
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Story takes place post FIM and EG

Twilight Sparkle has been abandoned.

After an expedition into the badlands is torn to tatters by an unprecedented monster attack, Twilight finds herself stranded in a hostile environment with no safe way back home. With no supplies and no survival training, It all seems hopeless for the scholarly unicorn until she is discovered by a type of creature she has never seen before. A changeling named Thorax, a native of the badlands.

With Thorax's knowledge of the environment, he is Twilight's best chance of getting home safely. And by that same token, perhaps Twilight is the best chance the timid, pacifistic drone has of discovering something he has lived his entire life without.

Set well before the Season 2 Finale.

Cover art was drawn by me.

This is a spiritual successor to The Bug in The Herd, and The Bug in The Basement.

Edited by Mister Hypothetical.