Princess Twilight Sparkle has a problem: she's possessed by a question. It came from a silly little book. Now, after a week of poor sleep, Twilight relents. She has to answer this question, even if it kills her.

Okay, so it won't kill her, but Twilight is going to have to violate one of the biggest pony taboos in existence to do so. That's okay. It's for science!

original author wille179

Twilight Sparkle has too much magic, and it will take her decades to learn to control it. Her spectacular loss of control during her entrance exam only proves that fact. She is a danger to herself and others.

After Sunset Shimmer’s disappearance, Princess Celestia needs a new student to bear The Element of Magic to defeat Nightmare Moon. With all of Equestria at stake, Twilight Sparkle…is not the pony she needs.

Princess Celestia seals Twilight Sparkle’s magic with the distant promise of one day teaching her.

But there are two diarchs of Equestria. Amidst a lucid dream, an offer is made.

“Hello, Twilight. Would you like to be my student?”

Cover art provided by Lafiir.

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!

Rainbow Dash, best pony, fastest flier in Equestria, all around awesome mare, was called upon to help with the wedding of her friend's big brother. And hey, she never leaves her friends hanging! Of course, when it turned out some kind of bug thing had replaced the bride, Rainbow was more then ready to fight. Heck, even after it seemed all hope was lost, the pegasus refused to give up.

So when she saw Shining Armor charge up a final spell, she smirked.

But when that spell reached her and flung her against the wall, her smirk devolved into shock...

Cover art is a combination of Deception is Magic vector by Helios and Sonic Rainboom Version One by SkyRings.

For the longest time, Epona has served as the loyal mount of Link, hero of Hyrule. But one day, she finds out that she's actually from a world inhabited by intelligent, colorful equines. And not only that: Her daughter is one of the six main heroes from that world. But that is only the beginning.

When the worlds of Equestria and Hyrule get into contact after a millennium, lots of hidden conspiracies are revealed. Evil fiends from a time long forgotten emerge and some ponies begin to understand their powers as sages. But the one important question will be: What will Epona choose? Her friends from Hyrule? Or her family from Equestria?

This story is a sequel to Lines and Webs

For four long years, Celestia's apprentice Twilight Sparkle, once a model pony and a hero among heroes, has waged a bitter and secret struggle with her onetime mentor. Though she works from the shadows, directing her forces from the Old Capitol in the Everfree Forest, Twilight Sparkle is unable to gain any advantage,

Likewise, Princess Celestia finds her once-faithful student far more cunning and elusive than she had anticipated, and even now searches for a way to bring Twilight Sparkle's rebellion to its knees.

It is a game of greys, of knives in the dark and of poisoned wine, where pawns are moved and traded and exchanged for greater advantage, all the while drawing both sides nearer to the conflict which shall tear Equestria in two.

At the center of this conflict is a new pawn, one who only wished to see the truth for herself. Drawn into a deadly game whose rules she does not understand, Sweetie Belle must learn to survive in a world where all is darkened, and nopony can be completely trusted.

Because when gods play chess, all pieces are expendable.

A nation will crumble, old enemies shall return in the most unexpected ways, and regardless of who is victorious, only one thing can be certain.

Nothing shall ever be the same.

Followed by Stormsinger.

"The nine most terrifying words in this language are: ‘I'm from the government and I'm here to help.’”

Veggie Vee is the model bureaucrat: enthusiastic, motivated, and absolutely enamoured with setting the world to rights from the safety of her desk in Canterlot. Being assigned to Ponyville to save her job, therefore, wasn't exactly on her to-do list.

The local citizens aren't too happy about it, either. What should have been a simple poster campaign against unhealthy eating swiftly becomes a war of attrition. An incompetent underground resistance attempts to foil her every move and Veggie's latent megalomania isn't helping. Princess Twilight is nowhere to be seen, and an explosion-happy, candy-loving sugar freedom fighter is on the loose.

Everything is about to spiral out of control...

I've never really had any imaginary friends when I was a foal. I guess I didn't really have time for them. I mean, I had my books and my BBBFF, so I didn't really feel like I needed to create one.

I guess that's why I found it so strange when Rarity came to me, asking for help with Sweetie Belle. Seems she had managed to pick up one of her own, and it was starting to cause some problems. Well, of course I'd be willing to help Rarity in any way I could. What are friends for?

In the distant future of Equestria, Luna is recalled to Canterlot against her will to participate in a court case that will decide the future for sentient machines.

In his search for someone dear to him, the Hero of Time is tricked by a fairy spirit and drawn to Equestria, where he soon finds that both realms share not only long lost connections, but also enemies both thought gone. With the alliance of Hyrule's greatest nemesis with the thousand-year-old menace of Equestria set on permanently ridding themselves of those who foiled their plans, it'll be up to the Elements and a boy to once again take on their roles as heroes and unearth a history few even know of.

Artwork:
Legend in the Making (CMC): http://fav.me/d5u6mgh
Olivia: http://fav.me/d5th7n2
They're after you (Poeny and AB): http://fav.me/d5moavt
Applebloom: http://fav.me/d5em3dv

MLPxLegend of Zelda crossover (if that wasn't obvious ahah)
Though not much prior knowledge of the Legend of Zelda series is required, you may not recognize some names if you're a stranger to the franchise. Takes place after Ocarina of Time, but before Majora's Mask.

(20-12-12) Chapter 1 has finally been rewritten!
Chapter 2 has also been corrected and updated!