Everypony knows the Hearth’s Warming Eve tale of tribal unity and the shared rule which followed. Everypony also knows that alicorns - singular or dual - have sat on Equestria’s throne for well over a thousand years.

Very few have really looked in to what actually happened between those points.

Even Twilight Sparkle, until a chance encounter leads her to an alarming discovery: Neither she, nor any other alicorn, has actually held any legal right to Equestria’s throne. They are technically usurpers, autocrats - even tyrants.

Still struggling with her own personal rule, having the fundamental basis for her authority swept from beneath her leaves Twilight with one simple, yet impossible question: 

Now what?

Many thanks to Commawriter and Kirtai for pre-reading!

Cover image was edited by Vinylshadow. They deserve all credit for it!

For Celestia, life had rarely been better than it was now. Her sister had been returned to her, Discord was freed and subsequently defeated in record time, much to her private amusement, and her niece and her coltfriend had ideas of marriage in the not too distant future.

An event that would no doubt be yet another historical day in the rapid series as of late.

Yet, history is made even earlier than expected as Princess Celestia finds a strange letter in her room one night. Someone claiming to be the prince of an unheard of species is asking for Equestria's help. Making the dire situation described in the letter even more urgent is the warning it held.

Celestia and her fellow princesses are eager to meet the strange colt who has revealed his own mother's invasion plan of their kingdom to them in a bid to gain trust. Of all the ponies to meet this strange colt, however, it's one Raven Inkwell who will find her life turned the most upside down.

And by the end, she wouldn't have had it any other way as she comes to know Prince Anonymous of the Changelings.

This is an RGRE story starring (what should be) everyone's favorite mare, Raven Inkwell and a friendly changeling prince as they work to navigate politics and establish peace between two kingdoms.

In Manehattan there is a strange ape-like creature that is being held in a lab. Its injuries bear the distinctive marks of illegal sport hunting by exotic game poachers.

What's strange is that there's an entire section in books on natural life about this creature designating its kind maned apes. What's even stranger is that there are accounts throughout Equestria's history about maned apes turning up.

The maned ape, given the moniker Big Red by the scientists holding it, is given over to the crown and transferred to Ponyville for safe keeping. The Mane 6 comb through Equestria's historical texts and oral account to try and find where the maned apes come from.

This is an HiE story that starts in Season 1 shortly after Apple Buck Season.

EDIT: 6-8-2022 Featured! Woo-hoo!
18-202023 Featured! Woo-hoo!

In an alternate universe, Empress Celestia is the sole ruler of Equestria - later to be surpassed by her daughters; her heirs. Princesses Sunset and Twilight had had a cozy life, until one day when their mother decided to reveal just how much truth an old pony's tale may hold - a tale that may be the beginning of a new one.

This story is a sequel to Pregnant Noses Know

Princess Celestia and Baked Bean, after a nearly year-long wait, are now the proud parents of a healthy unicorn colt. Naturally, little Apollo Bean will receive nothing but the finest as he begins his own princely journey, but babies always have their own set of unique issues, and Celestia will find another new life waiting for her as she integrates motherhood into her already busy schedule.

Elsewhere, the Kingdom of Equestria moves on as well. Chrysalis continues to be Chrysalis—much to Sergeant Hokey Pokey's chagrin—Trixie continues in her new role as Baked Bean's secretary while Miss Wysteria and Sergeant Quillpoint take time to work on their relationship and to take care of their brand-new twins, Twilight Sparkle begins teaching Starlight Glimmer about the magic of friendship after several world-ending events, and even Prince Blueblood finds much to accomplish upon returning from Yakyakistan.

But while forgotten friends and new adventures await, Baked Bean and Celestia know that, come what may, they will enjoy all of the ups and downs together...

As a family.

Edited by Georg, Double R Forrest, Tek, and Sipioc

Discord is wanting to settle down with Fluttershy and stay with her full time, but as the god of Chaos he'll cease to be if he acts to normal and it becomes clear that no normal creature can stand chaos 24/7 and he seeks a replacement, he ends up landing on Spike for the job.
Spike is missing all the time he and Twilight use to spend together, even if it was mostly work, and ends up using his powers so he can earn her respect as an equal instead of being seen as a lowly assistant.
While planning his first move he ends up enlisting the Cutie Mark Crusaders aid so none of the other mane 6 feel left out of the fun.
Featured (Apparently) - 8,28,21 - 11,19,22 - 02,19,23
- This Story takes place after Season 8 but before Season 9 -

To ascend the throne, an Alicorn must take it by force. Twilight has been raised by her Aunt, a horrific dictator, vowing one day to steal the throne from her. Twilight wants revenge for events that happened 1500 years ago. Her wings, her power; all of it was taken from her along with something she thought lost forever.

Upon moving to Ponyville, Twilight pretends to play by her Aunt's rules while secretly plotting her downfall. She meets a few mares that she 'convinces' to help with her devious plans. Celestia is always watching, and to make matters worse, Luna is returning from the moon soon.

The question is: Of the moon, the sun, and the void...Who is the real monster?

This story is a sequel to Beyond Infinity

Ever since Marcus first arrived in Equestria, he didn’t think things could get any weirder. However spending time with a certain pink party pony and her friends may change that as he goes day to day in the chaotic town of Ponyville.

A series of side stories that are connected to Beyond Infinity. I hope you all enjoy it!

Cover art done by: MCShelster
Editor: Darthball

Lunch time is one of the more normal times at CHS. All the students come together at about the same time to do the same thing, and the odd breaking into song notwithstanding, not much really changes about that. It is, after all, lunch time. It’s when you eat lunch. Then you carry on with your day. Kinda hard to mess up.

So, one day, Aria Blaze decides to eat some lunch.

Anon, after a seminar out in Manehattan, is due back home at eight. When he's over an hour late, Twilight starts to overthink things - right up until she hears snow boots crunching outside her front door.

Originally found here: https://ponepaste.org/8826
Cover image credits to Hierozaki