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!

Misunderstandings abound as a simple letter from Princess Celestia to Twilight Sparkle creates chaos.

This story has a prequel.

Featured on Equestria Daily.
Original "Sad Celestia" draft

What would you do, if you met a pony who was at once your brother, and yet not? Applebuck wishes to reunite with his 'Cousin JayJay', and braves the dimensional divide to reach his goal. But being a small foal, how will he deal with a world in which everything is flipped? His friends, his family, and even... himself?

Octavia is a high-class pony. Fine alcohol is her wont, and uncouthness her intense chagrin. Such is her surprise to find herself lumbered with an insufferable oaf of a DJ pony. However, sometimes these situations work themselves into a satisfactory ultimatum all the same.

Twilight is an intelligent mare, and always has something to say. But when a group of bizarre creatures shows up at her library offering life long service and devotion, for once she's at a loss for words. Which is too bad, because she'd really love to ask: what's a human and why are they so weird?

Story Image by: Megan Lara

What if Rainbow Dash had been present when Discord gave the Mane Cast their first shot at him? How could things have gone different? How could this have changed things?How could this have changed Twilight?

Update Schedule Below the Break.
Now with the super editor FredMSloniker!
Now with a wonderful cover image by Conicer!
Also - Awesome Fanart - http://nyuuchandiannepie.deviantart.com/art/Discolight-273099814

Update Plans
December 11 - Edited versions of first four chapters
December 14 - Chapter 5
Future updates at least 1 time per week.
Total Planned Chapters - 12

When Jack Skellington is tired of Halloween, of which he is king, he looks to a strange new world for answers. Unfortunately, not all goes according to plan.

Luna finds out about Pip's life, and decides to adopt him. This leads to her going to Ponyville much more often, and seeing more familiar faces. Feelings that she can't explain begins to develop in her.

Part 1 of what may or may not turn out to be a series of short fics where the Mane 6 take turns dealing with Experiment 626, a.k.a. Stitch. round one: Fluttershy.

A side-story to Andrew Joshua Talon's 'Progress' series, exploring Celestia's own troubles in keeping up with the times. While Luna has had to catch up with a thousand years of change, spare a thought for those who've had to live through it. It's not easy trying to remember everything, and Princess Celestia has had her own share of mishaps over the years...