"The Night is not as forgiving as the Day."
When Twilight agrees to become Princess Luna's personal student, she discovers the hard way what Luna's Night and her Lunar Court are really all about.

This story is thematically a darker flip-side to "My Little Student", but is written so that it can read on its own. Also, while for the most part this is arguably compatible with show canon, I've turned on the AU tag anyway, just to allow myself a little elbow-room for world-building.

Everypony knows Luna returned on the day of the Summer Sun Celebration. But she actually returned years before, one cold, snowy Hearth's Warming Eve at Canterlot castle... when Twilight unexpectedly came for a visit.

A somewhat unconventional Hearth's Warming tale: no pony lost in the snow, no Santa Hooves, no struggles to find the perfect present, no humbugs... just a look at how the celebration, by bringing us together, helps us find things we thought we'd lost long ago.

Also serves as a follow-on of a sort for the events of My Little Student, which was always as much about Celestia as it was about Twilight...

On her first day of classes at Celestia's School, Twilight learns that even a thoroughly conscientious student sometimes needs the space to just be herself. And that her closest of friends might just be able to help her find it.

After a thousand years of exile, Princess Luna has returned!

As part of events to mark the occasion, for one night the palace has turned Canterlot into an open-air festival of art, music, performances and vendors, with the city's various galleries, studios, and museums offering free admittance to all who would join in the celebration of Equestria's beautiful night.

Octavia isn't normally a pony for such events, and at first would rather just stay home and practice her cello. Thankfully she has a friend who knows better, who drags her out in spite of herself, allowing Octavia to experience the many marvels the night may hold.

A Scratchtavia meet-n-greet story.
Rated Teen for events towards the end.

Story was inspired in large part by personal experiences had during Winnipeg's Nuit Blanche 2016.
Events and locations have been ponified for purposes of this story.

Reviewed as Recommended by The Pleasant Commentator and Review Group.

Pre-reading thanks to:
• Stitchwolf
• An-Twan Star
• Wave Blaster
• A M Shark

Adagio has lost all direction and ambition in her life and is constantly sliding in and out of depression. After yet another sleepless night, she visits her favorite coffee shop to think about what she really wants.

Celestia has one mission and one alone: finding out if Twilight Sparkle knows if Rarity is single or not.
____

Content warning: Explicit Language

Part of the monthly ficlets I write based on Patreon submitted and voted on prompts.

Starting over isn’t easy. Trixie knows that way too well. After wandering into barren plains full of rocks, she wonders meets somepony who could do with some magic in her life, and finds herself needing some rock solid support.

Entry for Bike’s StarTrixMaud contest featuring Mauxie :)

Trixie The Great And Powerful is now Trixie The Great And Apologetic. She's been away from Ponyville for a whole year, and she's had time to ruminate on her past actions. With Starlight Glimmer's help, she's making apologies for all of the unkind things she said, including an offhoofed comment to Maud Pie in the wake of her breakup. To apologize, she gives her tickets to her next magic show. But when the magic show is preceded by a psychic musician who lays all of Maud's innermost thoughts bare, especially her innermost thoughts about a certain apologetic magician, what will Maud do?

This is a songfic, a classic throwback to a genre that fell out of favor, with the song heavily tied into the narrative. Words have been changed to fit the setting, and set the scene for a lovely MauXie romance! SFW Maud Pie Trixie shipping, written for the StarTrixMaud shipping contest!

Contest: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/957718/startrixmaud-shipping-contest-24-july-31-august-2021

Celestia agrees to allow Twilight to spend the night at the palace per Luna's request. But as it turns out, the two ponies have other things in mind other than a sleep-over...

This story is a sequel to The Visiting Team -- Part II

Princess Luna wants to return her nightmare guards to the dark realm from whence they were summoned. And there's just one pony who can help her with that: Trixie Luna Moon. With her Advanced Projects team, of course...

Since it's been a while, here's a quick recap for those new to the Advanced Projects series:

On an alternate branch of the G4 timeline, Twilight Sparkle never left Canterlot and is now an Acting Princess, with a very different group of close friends: Tempest Shadow, Starlight Glimmer, Trixie Luna Moon, Sunset Shimmer, and Moondancer -- plus Cheese Sandwich as their on-call party pony. And each of these has had a very different past, as a result of meeting Twilight Sparkle so early.

In particular, Trixie was once the Great and Powerful student and protégé of Princess Luna... while she was Nightmare Moon. Which has its consequences...

For more of this series, start with: A Canterlot Engagement.

Also, check out the entire series, beginning with Not Exactly Friends.