A different take on alicorn ascension. Sixteen years after arriving in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle is excited to have invented a brand-new kind of spell, but it will come with consequences she cannot possibly anticipate. Meanwhile, threats in shadows around the world conspire to overthrow the Solar Throne. With her world turned upside down, she will have to come to terms with the role that fate has dealt her while straining to keep Celestia in power.

Now with a TVTropes page! Please show it some love! Also check out the official side stories, Designing Intrigue, and Love and Barriers! (With even more in my stories page!)

(Please Note: This story was started before any season three information was available. All episodes in season three and later are non-canon for this story, which also means there's no Crystal Empire in this one. In addition, the promotional map released close to the beginning of season three was also not available and is not compatible with this story. While the OC tag is active because there are OCs in the story, they're really just supporting characters. The focus is on Twilight.)

Also be sure to check out the Rites of Ascension Expanded Universe Group! We're working to develop the resources needed for other authors to try their hand at writing stories set in the Rites Universe!

The Book Two cover art was created by the amazing Silfoe! The original cover art can still be found at Violet Squiggle's deviantArt page.

Author's Notes, including proofreader's credits, can be found here!

"This is 100% Approved by Twilight's Library!"

There are many duties and obligations a Princess of Equestria must carry out and Twilight is in the midst of learning them. Over the past few days Princess Celestia has been tutoring Twilight in a series of strange, seemingly nonsensical rituals and incantations. Could this all be as vital to the survival of Equestria as Celestia insists, or has Twilight simply found herself caught in an elaborate prank courtesy of the wily white alicorn?

Main Course is a successful chef and restaurant owner. Or he was, anyway, until a fire tore up his life's work and left him adrift. When he visits his sister in the rural backwater town of Ponyville, he discovers an abandoned building that's perfect for a quick fix-up so he can flip it for a profit. But the building comes with an unforeseen tenant, and when he lets her stick around he discovers that maybe, just maybe, there's something out there more important than wealth and fame.

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?

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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!

As the centuries pass, cutie marks come and go. Some are common: the healing cross, the basic compass rose, the courier bag. Others are extinct: no more mercenary companies, no more mercenary marks. A few are incredibly scarce, coming along once a generation or less: the mark for luck falls into that category. A number only manifest when the call for them arrives: train tracks didn't appear until it was railroading time. But for the most part, ponies take their mark with its associated talent and magic as a blessing in their lives -- no matter what that mark turns out to be. And they accept it as they accept themselves.

Luna, in her first truly open palace session dealing with the public, is about to meet the exception: Joyous Release, a pony who wants nothing more than to be rid of her mark forever -- and every bit of the talent which comes with it.

But marks are permanent...

(This story takes place shortly after A Total Eclipse Of The Fun.)

Cover art by Harwick.

Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group. New members and trope edits welcome.

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

(Now with Fanart!)

Scootaloo's rather embarrassed by her Mom. Not because she isn't cool, arguably she's both the hottest and the coolest mom in Ponyville. It's not about the fact that her mom serves on the royal court either, though that doesn't help. Maybe it's got more to do with the fact that the reason her mom is almost never seen after sunrise or before sunset, or because before the Mare in the Moon returned to Equestria, she knew her name.

Or, you know, that her mother is a chocoholic, an embarrassing know it all that's actually lived it all, owes personal favors to Princess Luna, and has the unfortunate job description of 'ruler of the land and day'. Sure, having Celestia as your mom is cool and all, but at the same time nopony can know who she really is. Nopony gets to 'know' her, and every moment is guarded against snooping visitors. And yet, there's still hope for a better day to come. Even when all your mom's enemies and rivals finally come home to roost and ruin your day. It can't be all bad, right?

Now with a Trope Page: Scootamom on TVTropes

And Fanart:
[img]http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/266/8/9/scootamom_by_familywing-d5fnnov.jpg[/img]

Scootaloo has a secret, and she's not telling anypony; not even her best friends. But as suspicion arises over the days following their last cutie mark attempt, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle make it their business to figure out what's going on.

When Sombra, ex-ruler of the Crystal Empire, is discovered alive and well, Twilight has her hooves full keeping the tyrannical king in check. Instead of the original plan of throwing him in a dungeon or banishing him to Tartarus, Celestia decides to go with the plan that worked out well enough for Discord.

To reform Sombra.

Pinkie takes the job, and gets right to work in helping Sombra become a better pony. Will Sombra finally change from his old, wicked ways and reform? Or will he instead strangle the annoying, pink menace known as Pinkie Pie?

Thanks to the awesomely talented Mickeymonster for letting me use his art! Check him out for even more spectacular artwork!

Tonight, on a very special episode of My Little Pony…

Spike may have finally found someone who can reveal the identity of his parents. But when that someone is Discord, has our little dragon bitten off more than he can chew?

~-Spike jumped up from the couch in excitement. "Then you've actually met them!?"

Somehow, Discord's grin managed to stretch even wider. "Ohhhhhh yes. In fact, I've known your father since the day we were born! And your mother… well let's just say she and I are intimately acquainted…"-~

It has been a thousand years since Celestia last saw her beloved sister after her banishment. Ever since then, she has counted the days to her sister's return. When the night finally befell upon Equestria, and Nightmare Moon liberated, it was suppose to be a joyous reunion. But fate has something else in mind...

Collab done with TailsFox88 (Chapters 1-17)
Chapter 18 (Solo)
Collab done with Foals Errand (Chapters 19 onwards)
Artwork done by pridark