Nightmare Moon always had a backup plan if she ever were defeated; she would slowly regenerate herself and regain her power. The problem is she never expected to come back as a defenseless filly, or to return directly in front of the princesses. As punishment for her past crimes, Luna has given her a sentence far worse than being sent to the moon again. Nightmare Moon must move in with Twilight and report to Luna on the magic of friendship. She's not very happy about it.

By the way I am not trying to rip off Past Sins in any way. Nyx is NOT in this story, this will go in a completely different direction.

In a world full of magic, mere words can pose a deadly threat. When simply reading a sign can instantly infect the unwary, and cases start to turn up all around Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle casts the only spell she can find that can give her the time she needs to find the cause of the plague. But then she has to figure out how to stop the epidemic... without being able to read.

Editing provided by Spabble
If you like this, try Rainbow Typhoon
Audiobook on YouTube and for download on SoundCloud
Spanish version translated by MIkimoco
Russian version

We all wear a mask called composure, beneath which hides a heart that twists with guilt and hidden feelings. Regal as she is, Princess Celestia is no exception. What might be revealed should circumstances cause this mask to slip - or break?

Set several years after the potential conclusion to the series.

Twilight isn't feeling well, and unfortunately, that's all anypony knows. Her best friends try to understand, but even they are at a loss. That is, until a petty theft of Twilight's personal diary leads them on the track they least expected.

Art by: up1ter

Featured on: Equestria Daily

On secret assignment from Princess Celestia herself, Twilight investigates a powerful magical artifact for clues to the mystery of Luna's transformation in the evil Nightmare Moon. Incautious use of the artifact sends Twilight hurtling back in time. Can Twilight discover what caused Luna's transformation? And will she ever make it home again?

Kickass cover art used with permission from Bitz.
http://allthebitz.tumblr.com/

My name is Gilda. I used to be a Griffon warrior, until I got banished.

When you're banished, you've got nothing. No clan, no funding, no gold watch and friendly job reference. You're stuck wherever the Griffon clans aren't.

You do whatever work comes your way. You rely on anyone still talking to you. A speed-freak ex-marefriend. A megalomaniac illusionist working as a middlemare for the EIS.

Family too, if you're desperate.

Bottom line is, as long as you're banished, you're not going anywhere

Because sometimes, just because you're immortal doesn't make you invulnerable. Sometimes, the one you're more proud of than anything else is the one that respects you the most, and sometimes respect goes deeper than either of you had ever realised.

Additionally, because sometimes an author wants to try and write something that doesn't end in horse sex, but instead adorable hugging and stuff. If this doesn't work out I'll probably go on and add some horse sex later, because people always like to see that, but I hope people enjoy it. My first foray into a full sized shipping fic, so please tell me what I screwed up.

EDIT: Updated with grammar improvements/education courtesy of the incredibly helpful kits.

Twilight becomes alicorn of the stars. This is sort of a problem, because Luna kind of already was alicorn of the stars. Oops!

TV Tropes

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!

Twilight Sparkle may believe in Pinkie Pie's myriad abilities, but when an opportunity to study them from a perspective she never thought possible arises, how can she resist the chance at the understanding she's always truly wanted? More importantly, can Ponyville survive the trade-off necessary for this opportunity?