Twilight Sparkle has retired from her role as ruler of Equestria after a two hundred year reign. Expecting to enter a peaceful retirement, she is instead confronted by the return of King Sombra, who once again seeks to enslave the ponies of Equestria and bring darkness to the land. Her friends having grown old and passed away long ago, Twilight must face Sombra alone.

Art by Adreamera, http://derpibooru.org/images/2600332

She'd lost her home. She'd lost her family. She'd lost her hope. As Chrysalis nears the end, she makes one final gambit that could cost a princess her life. But as days pass and the future of Equestria grows dim, the former changeling queen finds herself wondering if this is what she really wants.

*Warning: This story is in the process of major rewrites. These rewrites will be released on a separate story when they are finished and marked as Version 2. The rewrites do shift a great deal of the story, leaving only the rough frame of the chapters intact. Because of this, this story is to be considered non-canon to the sequels, but will be kept around for those who wish to compare the two or want to see an alternate take on the story. I apologize for any inconvenience, and hope all you perspective readers out there will continue to enjoy this work for what it is.*

Thank you to Applezombi for their review, which can be found here: https://www.fimfiction.net/group/213901/my-little-reviews-feedback/thread/448400/review-of-death-of-a-queen-by-arkane12

For those seeking a bit more persuasion, there is another review by flutterJackdash here: https://www.fimfiction.net/blog/924077/fjd-review-death-of-a-queen-by-arkane12

And another from Azure Drache:
https://www.fimfiction.net/group/213901/my-little-reviews-feedback/thread/455357/review-death-of-a-queen-by-arkane12

And last but certainly not least, one from the Queen herself, QueenChrysalisForever:
https://www.fimfiction.net/group/215274/reviewers-mansion/thread/460664/a-review-death-of-a-queen

Also, credit for the cover art goes to: The Sleepless Beholder. Thank you so much for your help. (https://www.fimfiction.net/user/249246/The+Sleepless+Beholder)

Thank you to all the reviewers, artists, and readers that made this story what it is today.

~~~You asked, you receive. Bonus chapter up~~~

Twilight has successfully created fake government jobs to help her terminally broke friends be less, uh, terminally broke. All they have to do is pass a simple little background check, just an easy little formality really. Should be no problem for these national heroes, right?

Right?

Well....

I guess the constituent parts of the cover art might be property of the federal gubbermint, but, honestly, I feel like I've spent enough on ATF tax stamps to make me stealing their crisp PNGs an equal exchange.

Changelings and ponies had always been natural enemies of each other, especially with the crystal ponies when they were around. Why wouldn't they be? Changelings were like parasites, feeding off the love that ponies gave off and driving them to illness.

However, Changelings had begun to decline. What started out with as seven hives have diminished down into three, all of which had gone into hiding so well that most ponies didn't know what changelings even were. Even Celestia had not seen one for quite a while, a long feat for an immortal pony.

Until she found a nymph. A new Changeling Queen.

Unable to find it within herself to abandon the changeling, Celestia ends up taking the nymph back to Canterlot under guise as Twilight Sparkle. The plan was simple; find the hive that Twilight belonged to and return her back to be raised with her race.

Of course, despite everything she learned through her long life, she had forgotten that things were never that simple.

For starters, she did not anticipate herself to grow fond of Twilight as time began to pass, or to beam in happiness when Twilight began to refer to her as mom.

Many Many Thanks to my Pre-Readers: Rewrite and Doctor Disco (Welcome to the Team Doctor!)

Princess Luna is certain, in her final moments on the moon as the last of her strength dies, that she deserves it.

A thousand years later, Princess Celestia prepares for her sister’s return.

Cover art by BlitsAzalisDash.

Time after time, through chaos and through wars, Princess Celestia prevailed.

Of all the terrible forces she could have fallen to, Flim Flam Industry was the last one anypony had expected.

With thanks to gardrek for editing (3-6) and PinkieDP, Ice Star, and Odd_Sarge for prereading help.

This isn't how she planned it, but things have gone awry. Surely there is some solution to this flood of Lunas.

Done for Moonwing.

Russian translation provided by Shaddar!

A suicide right by the school of friendship.
Why would someone do that when there was help so close?
Twilight can't let this go as just a tragic incident. There has to be a reason.
*UPDATED*
I just added some detail and fixed a couple small problems. The story itself is unchanged.

Twilight is drawing, and Celestia is her canvas.

This story is a sequel to Cocktails

Twilight has ruled Equestria for three centuries, spreading harmony throughout the lands both inside and outside of her country.

Now, her job is done. She is ready to let everything go. But before she does, she delivers one last speech.

Expanded from my entry to KrazyTheFox's 10th Anniversary Panic Write(alternatively 62nd Panic Write) at Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Group, where it placed 5th. Participants were given 30 minutes to write and 10 minutes to edit. The prompt was Friendship is Magic.

Tone inspired by A Final Twilight. Story Concept inspired by Zontan's The Last Decree.

Preread by Holtinater, Vis-a-Viscera, Shaslan, Scoping Landscape, Atom Smash, Nailah, Cara, Emotion Nexus, Speccer, The Red Parade, and finally KrazyTheFox.

Edited by AuroraDawn, Speccer, and Cara.

Cover art by Speccer.

Featured 1 hour and 30 minutes after publication from November 13th to 14th. You guys are amazing!

Now with a voice reading done by the lovely Nailah!

Edit, 06.13.2021: Even though this story is a sequel to Cocktails, no knowledge of the prequel is required as the story was meant to be a standalone fic.