Twilight wants to know. She wants knowledge. What scholar doesn't? So in order to gain some she starts looking into changeling magic. Which slowly leads her to the powers of dark magic.

There are many axioms in Equestria. "Go with the grain." "Count your blessings." "Strive to be happy with what you have."

And, though left unsaid, the most important one of all: "Know your place."

Although Flash Sentry loves Twilight, she can never know of his love. She can never return the feelings. It wouldn't be proper. After all, social order is more important than fulfilling one's own wishes.

Alternate Universe tag is due to the existence of a caste system in this story. Please keep that in mind as you read.

Thanks to Sir Rustbucket, Draconian Soul, Regidar, and Loopy Legend for editing.

Now Featured on Equestria Daily!

Now with a poem by Fiend from the Darkness!

Now with a YouTube reading by BlackIrisBalloon (and multiple voice actors)!

Now with a Korean translation by Kianoke!

Followed by What Hath Joined Together.

Rated Teen for mild violence and thematic elements.

Shadow was once the alicorn of fear but one terrible day something bad happened. Shadow drove his brother to insanity and had to suffer for his actions, Shadow may have died but his soul still roams looking for someone who can house him so he can go through with his plans.

Fire Spirit is a young pegasus who is a bit weird. He wears an eye patch, talks to himself, and has this odd habit of bleeding at random moments. Fire Spirit wants nothing more than to be normal, yet even he knows that him and normalcy will never happen.

Fire Spirit has a secret. A life threatening secret. He has been chosen by Shadow to be his container, but Fire Spirit doesn't want to. What will Fire Spirit do? Well he succeed in living a normal life or will he lose his own life in favors to Shadow's? How will he cope with all this on top of all the regular stuff that comes with being well...Fire Spirit?

You know the story of Nightmare Moon. Or so you think. What many do not know is that before she was banished, she had a foal of her own. Many people do not know, not even the Princess. Which is good otherwise she would have seen right through my disguise. My name is Shadow Moon but everypony over the past thousand years have called me Twilight Sparkle and this is my story.

Covert art by Giulia Beck

Shadow is Twilight's younger brother, but he is mostly ignored because all the events that both Twilight and Shiny Armor has done over the past. Now its his turn to be notice, as Luna notice him as a student, but he does not have much power or magic for all the challenges ahead or does he.
Cover Made by: LeapingEquine
Editor: Firestreak2018

After Twilight gets her Castle, she tries a spell that she had come across paths with. While in Canterlot, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna found the same spell. Once they all cast the spell at the same time, a strange thing happens; They all swapped bodies! Princess Luna was now Twilight Sparkle, Princess Twilight was now Celestia, Celestia was Luna. How long are they going to last this way? Will any of the Mane 6 or Spike notice that Twilight isn't acting as herself? Will the guards notice that Princess Celestia is not acting as herself? And Princess Luna was flying around when it was day time!?!? Everything would have been going well, if Trixie didn't come back to Ponyvile for a another match, and if Princess Cadance didn't need help at the Crystal Empire or That Applejack needed help at the barn and Princess Luna said she would help. Not knowing that Discord used his magic to spice up the spell.

(For The Body Swap Contest late on coming in .)

Edited by: MagicPegasus123
Written by: SonofThePoppyman
Story Idea By: Poppyman65

It's been a thousand years since anypony has seen the sun.

A thousand years since Celestia's name has been spoken, and all memory of her warmth and light has faded away into the night. The sun goddess of old had been killed during a coup by her sister, Nightmare Moon.

In this world of unrelenting darkness, three ponies find a ray of light. Hope.