Waking up in an alternate universe in which you are a supervillain can be hard.

Finding out your friends are rebels trying to kill or overthrow you isn't very easy to deal with either.

But trying to solve the situation? That's a real horn cracker.

Reader, in ancient days, the old lords of the world numbered in thousands. Then hundreds. Then even less.
Now, they are found only in tapestries and fanciful ballads.
The creatures are all vanished. All but one.

Rumors say there are more of him, somewhere far away. A young and supposedly gifted mage called Star Swirl, and Heartstrings, a gentle spinster, have joined him on a journey to find the rest.

Featured in The Royal Guard's Fic Spotlight #5
TV Tropes page (that could use more love)

The mares of Ponyville lead such eventful lives, but what about the stallions? Spike the dragon is about to get an inside look at the secret workings of Equestria's silent minority...

Twilight reads about a way to view a pony's soul, to see everything about them laid bare. When she tries it on her friends, will she be able to look at them the same way again? Or will the secrets hidden in their hearts drive her away?

(Yes, I borrowed the idea of a "soulgaze" from The Dresden Files, because it's something that really fascinates me. It's not a crossover, just an idea.)

Now has a sequel!

In the dark,six voices dwindle. They drift, forgetting life and love and hope, eaten away by time and void.

And then, suddenly, there was colour.

The star system Omega Centauri was just another oddity on a map to scientists in the not too distant future. However when they found the star was orbiting an earth-sized, earth-like planet instead of a black hole as its motion had suggested, a mission was scrambled to investigate this most unusual of celestial behaviors.

Hamstrung by politics, and nearly crippled before it began, the 'Lone Ranger' mission was reduced to just one crew member and left to his own devices.

These are the logs of Arrow 18 and its lone commander. This information is classified TOP SECRET by the Global Space Agency.

Do NOT tell the princess.

The history of war may be written by the winner, but the Royal Historian is the one who provides the notes and background to the writer. The recent events that some have called ‘Mare Wars’ or ‘The Invasion of the Barracks’ are no exception. The Royal Historian has painstakingly compiled this folder of notes and background material on what should more accurately be called, ‘The Opening of the Guard.’

Please remember to return the folder back to the Royal Historian when you have completed reading, in the event we gather more material that needs to be included.

Musty Pages, Royal Historian

Source for inside photo
Featured on Equestria Daily and the Royal Canterlot Library
With sequel, The Night Guard - Night Mares
And an interview by Benman

This story is a sequel to My Little Alicorn

After the events of "My Little Alicorn," everything seemed to be back to normal...except for one pony. Prince Blueblood is now trapped as a colt, his title, possessions and birthright stripped for his crimes. Before Princess Celestia will return him to normal, however, he must prove himself by attending Magic Kindergarten. Even worse, his current situation has attracted the vengeful gaze of two ponies he has offended in the past: the Captain of the Royal Guard and the Moon Princess.

Will Blueblood rise above his past self and emerge a better pony? Or will he sink back into his old depravity, and be stuck a colt for the long term?

Note: This is a sequel to "My Little Alicorn," so you might want to check that out first.

The business of government never stops, and paperwork never rests, even on Hearthwarming. But this particular Hearthwarming, Cabinet Secretary and tea enthusiast Dotted Line plans to do his level best to see it, at least, take a break. His ponies need to go home to their families, and he, well, he has plans this Hearthwarming.

Daring Do seeks a favor from her sister in Ponyville. Due to buried grudges, things quickly get out of hoof. She soon finds herself on her most perilous mission yet... with her biggest fan in the world. In the midst of truth and lies, loyalty and treachery, love and hate, one thing is clear ― some family situations are stranger than fiction.

The story extends in Through the Looking-glass and What Pinkie Found There and The Daughter Doo: Honorary Cutie Mark Crusader.

Many thanks to Honey Mead and statoose for their watchful and helpful pre-reading.

Ckat_Myla and statoose (CatNStat) have started an excellent reading of TSD.