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?

============

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!

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

Inspiration is Rarity's Element, and Sweetie Belle her greatest achievement. But the filly has questions, ones that Rarity might not be able to answer on her own. What makes a pony? How can somepony know if they really are alive? Are they alive if they laugh and cry? Are they alive if they think, if they make mistakes and have ideas?

If Sweetie Belle is nothing more than a collection of wires, is she truly alive?

Spanish Translation now available through this elegantly crafted link!

Twilight Sparkle and her friends have been model Equestrian citizens for years. After finally reuniting with Twilight, their lives were given real meaning. They’d become heroes; Equestria’s protectors, but the girls have always had bigger plans for the kingdom. Now the wedding of Shining Armor draws near, everything is about to come out into the open. Of course, there will always be those whom resist.

Cover image rearranged to show up better. Proof-reader Tatsurou

After years of trying, Scootaloo finally discovers her special talent.
It's the worst thing that ever happened to her. She'll have to leave Rainbow Dash and all her friends behind as she's forced to go off and learn about her new talent... and then it gets worse.

The sequel, Choices Legacy, is now available.

As always, I adore getting comments about the story; the more specific and prolific the better -- negative comments included. Your comments help make my future stories better.
Featured on Equestria Daily.

Many thanks to my team. I couldn't have done it without them.
Pre-readers:
MailboxBomber
Kyaksa
tosety
IceBeerG

Dialog Consultants:
Jacob Ellinger
kidmurkury
markey58

Editors:
IRpony

Proofreaders:
OkemosBrony
Unimpressive Vagaries

Artwork:
Scootaloo Vector by MoongazePonies
Background and cutie mark by author
In-Chapter art by author

One foggy morning in Ponyville, the residents wake up to find their deepest darkest secrets sloppily written in red paint on their homes. No one knows who the culprit was, the only thing that the town knows is that it will not come off, no matter how hard you scrub. The town is baffled, humiliated, and in shambles. But no more than Twilight and her friends.

In a time where everything you fought to keep hidden is out into the open, will you embrace your faults or sins, or will you let them consume just who you really are?

Time to fess up, Ponyville.

Thanks to ThePristineEye for the coverart!

Also thanks to Kleora for editing!

Oh, and Skeeter The Lurker for proofreading.

In 2185, during his campaign against the Collectors, Commander Shepard discovered a previously unknown species whose origins predated any other race in the modern galaxy. Following a daring rescue from their ancient sanctuary, the Equestrian Herd was brought back into the galaxy where, for the first time in eons, they must walk their own path.

Knowing full well the terrible threat that lingers on the edge of the galaxy, the leader of this newly freed race fights to secure her people’s future while attempting to prepare for the storm on the horizon.

This is her story.
------------------------------------

The long awaited Sequel to Mass Effect 2: The Equestrian Equation This is a reader directed story. Your choices will shape events.
If you favorite, also like! It's one little button click that makes all the difference.

Also, this series has its own TVTropes page now! (Special thanks to user CrowMagnon for setting it up).

Brought to you by Loyal2Luna, this new Downloadable Content for Mass Effect 2 brings the fight to Equestria.

Just about ready to embark on their mission to stop the Collectors from further abducting human colonies, Commander Shepard and the crew of the Normandy SR-2 are given a new priority, when the Illusive Man tasks them with investigating the mysterious disappearance of a Cerberus science team.

Soon, what begins as a simple search-and-rescue unveils a mystery millions of years in the making, and the Commander finds himself thrust into a situation he couldn't possibly have prepared himself for.

Join the Hero of the Citadel as he uncovers the secrets, combats the demons, and ultimately decides the fate of the impossible world known as "Equestria."

The discovery of a tiny extraterrestrial object within our own solar system makes a strangely equine alien race aware that the Earth is inhabited by an intelligent species, and they're on their way to come visit.

But since space is a really, really, really big place, they aren't going to get here for about a thousand years. They do have FTL communication, though, so while we wait maybe we'd like to be pen pals...

You could win a free one shot commission! Check the associated blog post for details.

Princess Celestia goes out on a whim for an ice cream cone and discovers just how shaky her own personal finances are, leading to a fiscal catastrophe that could threaten the status of the entire nation.
Featured on Equestria Daily with two stories by Bad Horse called Sisters

Now with readings from the Living Library Players and joehighlord.

Editing assistance by Bad Horse
And a review by Paul Asaran
And a Spanish translation by Kiwi.
And a Chinese translation by way of Nova Twinkle.