Shining Armor went on a secret mission without alerting Celestia and Luna to this act. Now he's come back, and what he brought with him is beyond Cadance's comprehension. Desperate to save her ill husband but terrified of how her aunts will react, Cadance calls upon the one individual whose magic might be able to fix this.

But when dealing with the latent power of Grogar, even Discord may be hesitant.

The first in a new collection of Them tales. This one will be different from its predecessors due to my very different intentions with it.

The Them Series
Chronologically from Top to Bottom:
Origin of Them
Feed Them
Entertain Them
Hunt Them
Becoming Them
Guide Them

Cover art by Glukoloff.

This story is a sequel to If You Came to Conquer

Princess Nightmare Moon had tried to keep it secret. She had suppressed her power, feigned ignorance, played the outdated fool at every opportunity. She should have known that something like this would happen. A threat that would reveal her, whether she played dumb or not.

If she had to reveal herself, then at least she could protect Equestria in the process. She nocked the arrow. The bow felt so flimsy, but she could not risk him absorbing a spell. She laced magic across the arrow and the string and the air, enough to make it fly faster and aim smoother. She sighted him easily; Tirek was a large target. Now he only had to turn around. An arrow to the spine would kill him simply and instantly, no matter how much magic he had absorbed.

Once he was dead, the hard part would come: explaining herself to Celestia.

Prereading thanks; Meta Four, Blank!, Yami Vizzini, and especially Craine

Russian translation by Doof
Chinese Translation by Dreams Set Free

Comments contain spoilers.

Nightmare Moon won. She defeated Celestia, broke the Elements, banished the sun. This all happened a very long time ago. So long ago, that she has had plenty of time to change her mind.

Of course, fixing our mistakes is never so simple, and never without consequences. Even with particularly potent help.

"If you came to conquer, you'll be king for a day. / But you too will deteriorate and quickly fade away."
— "No Control" by Bad Religion

A big thanks to Craine, Sorren, and Idylia for prereading and editing. If you enjoyed the story, don't forget to check out their pages.

Equestria Daily
Royal Canterlot Library (FIMfic version)
Russian translation by Doof
Chinese translation by Dreams Set Free

Kitsune Heart has done a dramatic reading of this story! Find it over here.
ObabScribbler has done a dramatic reading of this story! It includes a full cast of voice actors. Find it over here.

Comments contain spoilers.

In the wake of Chrysalis' failed invasion, a different hive breaks tradition and steps into the light to open relations with Equestria. The ever eager scholar, Twilight Sparkle, uses this truce as the perfect opportunity to learn more about this enigmatic race. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, she will learn all there is to know about what it means to be a changeling.

But will Twilight lose herself in the hive, or will she regain what she has lost? Only time will tell.

Featured on 9/24/13

My first featured story! You guys are awesome.

Story readings and cover art by Luminescent Skies: Click here for some audio novel treatment

My Editor in Chief: Cloud Hop

Time is a neutral party. It takes no sides, only proceeding without a care for those caught in its trap. That is how it should be...
But not all traps are foolproof.

When a pony seeking the Night Princess's counsel intervenes during an assassination attempt, Luna knew there was more to this stallion than met the eye.
However, even her expectations had limits. That, Luna discovered, was a mistake.

One question troubles her thoughts as a new problem presents itself in the form of this stallion; how does a heart and mind cope when one escapes the trap of time? What happens to a good heart when it is worn away, year after year, all stemming from a single mistake, no matter how good the intentions?

Equestria Daily seal of approval: https://www.equestriadaily.com/2019/11/fanfiction-timeless.html

Takes place during/after Season 9.
Sequel: Sunspots

Celestia is not invincible. Strong, yes. Ageless, assuredly. Magical, undoubtedly. But not invincible.

The Princess of the Day has been attacked, and she did not escape unscathed.

While Luna fights against the mortal fear gripping her subjects in the wake of the assassination attempt, the enemy runs free. Twilight Sparkle must assemble a team to bring the pony to justice. Few ponies can be trusted, and fewer still can be expected to succeed.

But the kingdom has heroes: The Knights of Harmony. Ponies who have stood against evil and won, who fight to make Equestria a safer place. Each is an expert in their particular field, masters of their trades, but they have yet to work together.

An adventurer past her prime.

A tinkerer with too much time on his hooves.

A spy whose primary instinct is to lie.

A dishonored soldier with an axe to grind.

As they delve into the origins of the assassin, they find that Equestrian history still has secrets long buried. Can the knights come together as a team before she finds her next mark?

This story is a sequel to Princess Celestia The Changeling Queen: Stories Behind the Mask

At the Royal Wedding, Chrysalis and the Changelings were revealed to all of Equestria.

But another mask was torn away that day. A mask born for a thousand years. A mask created on one promise. A mask, that has become synonymous, fused, to its bearer.

A mask that when ripped off, causes Twilight, her friends and Luna to question everything they ever knew about the one pony, one very important pony.

At the Royal Wedding, the meaning of the phrase 'Princess Celestia' changes forever.

NOTE: Chrysalis is NOT Celestia!!! That'd be impossible to pull off.

Credits to: Plainoasis for the design of the cover art
Note 2: Original cover art here: https://angelea-phoenix.deviantart.com/art/Contest-entry-Changeling-Celestia-337023552

Pre-read/edited by Zervziel,
Blankscape,
FinalFan,
Courage Fire
Aurora Borealis

Side Stories to this can be found: here.

An audio-reading on youtube up to Chapter 21 is up by StraightToThePoint Studios. I'm aware there are others but this is the nearest complete one: [embed]https://youtu.be/X3eMW673CSY[/embed]

There are also 2 print versions of Princess Celestia:The Changeling Queen. Nonexistent Publications run and Ministry of Image's run.

Contribute to the TV Tropes Page (thanks to Babs_Seed72 for getting it up)

Twilight did her duty. She saved everypony she could, except herself. Now trapped by an evil cult, in more pain than she has even been in before, and dying on a sacrificial altar, she calls for help. The Nightmare answers.

Will Twilight become the next evil to threaten the world or will the Nightmare simply be glad to have some freedom? One thing is for certain, Twilight's life will never be the same again.

The Editors
Cander (CH 1-Current)
Yutah123 (CH 8-9)

Now with an excellent reading by StraightToThePointStudio (Currently only up to CH 30)

And we even have art!
[Warning Spoilers] Twilight's Nightmare Art