Twilight Sparkle wakes up to an unexpected thought, and now she just wants it to go away. The idea is embarrassing enough: an erotic liaison between herself and Princess Luna. But Twilight's problem runs deeper. She can't ignore this idea, however much she tries. She decides to write it out as a story, to clear the thing from her mind. Now she needs to finish her story quickly – because if she falls asleep before it's done, the Princess of Dreams will get to see that idea for herself.
— Featured on Equestria Daily and Equestria After Dark

[Featured on EQD 21/4/2014] [Now on TVTropes]

When Luna gifts Twilight the town of Ponyville and its surrounding countryside as her demesne she's initially confused. Then, after double checking her dictionary, more than a little concerned.

All her friends are, legally, her possessions. The town that took her in is her plaything, if she so wishes. She has been given responsibility.

Can Twilight's vision for a modern renaissance outrun the harsh realities of the shadowy figures pulling strings behind the scenes, nobles jockeying for her attention, and an irritatingly metaphorical love triangle?

Special thanks to the insatiable Blue_Paladin42, the incorrigible Maskedferret, the intuitive Southpaw and the indestructible newbiedoodle for all their hard work, past, present and future.

Princess Celestia, Regent of the Sun, has long guided the ponies of Equestria with a gentle and caring hoof. Never once did she allow herself to be swayed by thoughts of power, nor did she turn away from her subjects in their times of need. A ruler rightfully adored, she has helped an uncountable amount of ponies with their lives, finding their dreams, and fulfilling their destinies.

But comes the day she had long dreaded, but never feared.

Twilight Sparkle, her dutiful and precious student, has fulfilled her destiny and has become a new princess for Equestria. With her new role comes many responsibilities, but for a curious mare such as herself, so to come the questions. What does it mean to be an alicorn? What does it meant to be a princess? But more importantly than anything else, why is Princess Celestia an immortal, but Twilight Sparkle not?

It is a question the Princess of the Sun must now answer. Her last secret to be told to her greatest student.

Twilight Sparkle is seen as a hero to all the ponies of Equestria. She not only stopped Nightmare Moon, but she also aided in sealing Discord and helped in preventing a changeling invasion. She however doesn't see herself as a hero, for all of her achievement she had to depend on the powers of others. Just once she would like to know that she can protect her friends herself, and not be the one that always needs saving.

During the first day of her one year leave to return to Canterlot, a strange meeting with Princess Luna opens the door to a great mystery, and a chance to gain the strength she desires. There's only one catch. This strength she can only attain with the help of Princess Luna, who also requires her help in protecting Equestria.

Twilight just has one question. Why does Luna keep calling her "Master"?

Celestia had a problem. Somepony wrote a novel about Nightmare Moon's rebellion. This made Luna quite unhappy, and unfortunately for her sister, Luna has not yet gotten the hang of modern traditions like freedom of speech, the abolition of the death penalty, and not bothering Princess Celestia when she's trying to sleep.

Fortunately, Celestia also had a faithful student, one who is now a Princess with an ill-defined portfolio and perfectly capable of dispensing justice by the laws of both today and one thousand years ago.

Now Twilight Sparkle has a problem.

(Title image hacked together from vectors by Martinnus1, Hawk9mm, and Paulie15.)

The common household Sweetie Belle has many uses and applications. Here are a few of them.

It is Twilight Sparkle's first night as a princess of Equestria, and she cannot sleep. As the excitement she felt during coronation fades away, it gives way to a deeper anxiety. The young alicorn lies awake, her thoughts dwelling on her new destiny, her responsibilities, her fears, and her own mortality.

Or, as the case may be, her lack of it.

As morning draws nearer, Twilight leaves her bed haunted by a question, and so she decides to seek out the one pony who can answer it.

Now has a dramatic reading on Youtube! Major props to Goombasa.

Something is causing the pegasi to follow an irresistible urge to hug their ground-bound cousins, leaving Ponyville foundering in a mildly annoying emergency. Twilight Sparkle ventures into the no-more-dangerous-than-usual town in a desperate attempt to solve the cutesy crisis and finally get her study time back.

Inspired by shortskirtsandexplosions' story Herald.

Inexperience is a foreign concept to Celestia. At least she thinks it is. Right up until the moment a rash decision leaves her with a student who is a dozen years younger than what she's used to.

Enjoy.

Celestia hasn't taken one day off since she banished Nightmare Moon all those years ago. Its hard to believe, but when you had to rule a kingdom by yourself for a thousand years, it becomes second nature to never stop working.

But Luna thinks she would benefit from spending the day with her as sisters, the same way they did when they were fillies. It would nice to get out of the castle for a day, letting their manes hang loose. And so Celestia takes her up on the idea.

At the same time, Celestia has been experiencing nightmares about a certain day of her life. It continues to haunt her, but she doesn't know why for sure. Maybe today, she can get past it...

Cover image by Dragk.

WARNING: There is no clop in this story. I just used that image because it matches a scene at the end. Its more like snuggling your favorite pet. And this has an Everyone rating anyways, silly filly.