Misunderstandings abound as a simple letter from Princess Celestia to Twilight Sparkle creates chaos.

This story has a prequel.

Featured on Equestria Daily.
Original "Sad Celestia" draft

It's springtime in Equestria and Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia find themselves out of sorts despite the gorgeous weather. Luna and Rarity both think they know the reason behind their moodiness and set out to make sure that true love blossoms - but will an unfortunate misunderstanding keep the two star-crossed lovers apart forever?

Illustration courtesy of nightmaremoonluna, adapted from a sketch by bri-sta.

There is a world where Life and Death govern all imaginable realms. A world where Watchers guard over their planets and the creatures that roam them. In this world, a young soul goes on a journey to a place he never thought existed, after cutting an untold deal with Death.

Equestria, a place of magical creatures and mysteries, offers him a new chance at life. A chance he will have to pay dearly for. This is the written story of his adventures, some of the sorrows and victories of his life as he goes through great challenges and fights his inner darkness.

At the end of this journey, one begs the question: What is better? To be born good, or to overcome your evil side through great effort and sacrifice?

Tagged with Human for the prologue.

Follows show's cannon up until end of Season 2.

Now a published book!
And it's own TvTopes page!

Spanish translation: Here

First chapter published January 2012
Marked as Complete on 31st August 2014
Published (printed) on 25th November 2014

PM me for the full digital version of the now-printed book! (includes text PDF, full cover and fan art)

Many years after sending her beloved protege to Ponyville, unease sits heavily on Princess Celestia's heart as her relationship with Twilight Sparkle seems to have cooled despite all they've accomplished together. On the advice of her sister, Celestia sets out to investigate and resolve the lost connection with her most faithful student. What does it mean to be a Faithful Student...or a Princess of the Sun?

Earned a six-star rating on Equestria Daily and featured on its very own TVTropes page!.

We all wear a mask called composure, beneath which hides a heart that twists with guilt and hidden feelings. Regal as she is, Princess Celestia is no exception. What might be revealed should circumstances cause this mask to slip - or break?

Set several years after the potential conclusion to the series.

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!

The Princesses find an alien creature barely clinging to life at the scene of a terrifying crash. Can the Combined Power of the Elements of Harmony save it, or more importantly, should they save it? Will the arrival of this strange creature tear Equestria apart?

TV Tropes
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FanFic/Article2

Finding herself with wings and unusually powerful magic, Twilight Sparkle proceeds to have breakdown after breakdown, until with the help of her friends, she confronts Celestia and Luna about it... And learns that she's a far more important little pony than she ever imagined - for all the wrong reasons.

Awesome painting by Drezzer can be found here!

20 megapixel version is here (10MB JPEG, 210dpi strangely, 24"x20")!

Thanks, man!

Every rising star must eventually fall. Rainbow Dash is locked in a struggle against her own past, and with the help of Twilight is about to make a discovery that will change the way she flies forever. But what will she lose in the process?

Massive thanks to Furor1 and Nyuuchandiannepie for the ridiculously awesome artwork, you should really check them out on DeviantArt if you've not already.

Dedicated to Donald Campbell and his Bluebird, for chasing his horizons for no other reason than the fact that they were there. Also to Steve Hogarth and Marillion for writing Out Of This World, the song that inspired this story.

How far does a sister's love extend? How far would one go, to bring the other back?

Cover image is Bitter Sea of Regrets, by Karnella.