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!"

Chrysalis is dying, and with her, the last of the Changeling race... but there might be a way to avoid extinction.

Twilight's relentless study of Pinkie's strange abilities leads to a horrifying revelation.

This site really needs an existential horror tag.

Shining Armor and Cadence's spell reveals something completely unexpected as it expels Chrysalis and her changelings out of Canterlot: A secret kept from everypony for several years...

Now with a TV Tropes page! Warning: Will Contain spoilers.

In a world full of magic, mere words can pose a deadly threat. When simply reading a sign can instantly infect the unwary, and cases start to turn up all around Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle casts the only spell she can find that can give her the time she needs to find the cause of the plague. But then she has to figure out how to stop the epidemic... without being able to read.

Editing provided by Spabble
If you like this, try Rainbow Typhoon
Audiobook on YouTube and for download on SoundCloud
Spanish version translated by MIkimoco
Russian version

Twilight becomes alicorn of the stars. This is sort of a problem, because Luna kind of already was alicorn of the stars. Oops!

TV Tropes

Rainbow Dash is a headstrong, athletic pony who is utterly faithful to her friends and doesn't keep any secrets from them. Or so she pretends. Yet a surprise visit from Twilight Sparkle is about to blow the secret wide open, and the multi-hued pegasus will find out just how strong their friendship is.

Note: This story was written in the week following the airing of "May The Best Pet Win", and well before "Read It and Weep" was even known about. As such it haws since been overtaken by canon, but most folk tend to like it still so I will upload it here so I have a bit of a presence on FIMfiction beyond "lurker #347,921".

This story also includes "The Unrelated Epilogue" which is a mini-story based on a loose bit in the main one that I felt did not stand on its own, but that I wanted up nonetheless. It has Luna, but not RD or TS.
Cover image is a screencap from the show.

Short story inspired from an amazing picture by Harwick.

Long years have passed, and Twilight Sparkle has outlived most of her close friends. As Twilight's time in Equestria draws to a close, Princess Celestia teaches her student a final lesson filled with cosmic revelations. (And yes, it does actually have a happy ending.)