Twilight is a normal unicorn who lives deep in the Everfree Forest, along with some of her friends. Together, they are happy and enjoy each other's company, until Twilight's past resourfaces, along with the reason of her actually living in the forest and faces she doesn't want to remember at all.
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Picture: http://emlan.deviantart.com/art/Everfree-Forest-260818280

Canterlot has been liberated after the changeling invasion, but Twilight cannot let go of the heartache from being disowned by her brother.

Celestia, attempted conqueror of Earth stands atop a roof with nothing but herself for company. One year ago she failed to bring harmony to earth by way of the the Conversion Bureaus, and humanity has begun to reclaim what it lost. She has been punished for her genocide, though she wonders if her sentence was too lenient.

Written as a speed-writing exercise. Completed in about an hour, and it's unedited. It's just a concept I've had for a while and wanted to see what others thought of it.

After decades of brutal warfare, humanity has finally breached the defenses of Equestria, and now strikes at Canterlot itself. High above the walls of the city, Celestia watches the world she built burn around her. Her gambit has failed. Humanity has endured her assault. Now all she can do is wait and watch as the war she started comes to an end.

Nearly all of humanity has been converted and all that remains is a small, but well armed resistance. They are mounting an assault on Equestria to, one way or another, send Celestia a message.

"We will not go quietly into the night!
We will not vanish without a fight!"
President Thomas J. Whitmore, Independence Day

Twilight is on a mission. There are twelve missing ponies to find, whether they be dead or alive. But what she finds will destroy everything she believes in. The Equestria she knows is not all that it seems. But there is one who will set everything straight.
"It is said that history is written by the victors! And the victims' bodies are lain in a bloody heap, left to be forgotten. Well, I have seen through the victims' eyes and seen the lies you have spoken! No more... No more will your lies infect me! "

Cover art done by Sonadow2865
https://www.deviantart.com/sonadow2865/art/The-Seventh-Light-873458878?ga_changes=1&ga_submit_new=10%3A1615945338&ga_type=edit

Editor/ beta reader Gboyd
Coauthor/editor/beta reader Sonadow2865

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

Princess Twilight, for all of her knowledge, didn't particularly know that much about Celestia or Luna's past. In an attempt to figure out more about her peers she digs up the infamous time travel spell. Jumping at the chance to gather first-hoof about the only other immortal ponies she dives head first into the past!

Finding that she has stumbled into helping the Princesses on a mighty quest she isn't hesitant to lend a helping hoof but her resolve is quickly tested when not all is what it seems and the past, and present, of Equestria is put at stake!

Follow Twilight, and the would-be Princesses, across the world as they track down dangerous artefacts, delve into dilapidated dungeons and avoid disaster in a race against time itself!

• Romance will, eventually, be between Luna, Celestia and Twilight.
• This story will include gratuitous amounts of cuteness at times.
• There will be action and a little dark here and there, but only because it's the past and fighting does occur. It won't be a regular thing, trust me.
• There is time travel and Twilight will be jumping around the timeline. But don't think about it too much!
• The AU tag is only there due to the Princesses still being there, as well as the whole world existing before Equestria thing.
• The world this story takes place in is: Equestria and Beyond. I absolutely love the detail which was put into this. Obviously there's parts not included, such as the Crystal Empire, etc.

I'm thankful to Dusk Melody for reading through and helping me realise the direction I wanted the story to go in.

Spelling, grammar and general thoughts have been provided by TheGreatEater

The source of the image used is: Magnaluna - Eye contact

->19/10/2019
Thanks for featuring! <3 Love you peeps!

Twilight Sparkle, Element of Magic and Hero of Equestria was thought lost in the event known as the Canterlot Catastrophe. But when a recon unit lead by Princess Celestia and Luna to see is anything can be salvaged from the castle finds traces of a survivor that leads them to her everything changes. However no one can live through what she has and truly survive intact, what will she do when she is saved? Will she even be the same pony, or something... else?

Even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can't imagine.

The battle with Lord Tirek did not end the way it was supposed to. The centaur was still sent back to Tartarus as he should have been and Equestria and all of its' ponies were saved, but thanks to one final act of defiance, Twilight vanished without a trace not long afterwards.

One month after her disappearance, Twilight has returned to Equestria, but not in a state anypony was expecting her to. Now they're all filled with questions about what has happened to her, but what tale does she have to share with them? What is she willing and unwilling to tell them?

Can a battered phoenix still rise from the ashes?