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!

An ordinary afternoon at Canterlot's Summer Sun Faire becomes extraordinary when a young filly gets too curious and Princess Cadence experiences every foalsitter's worst nightmare. This is how one Princess discovered there is more to Twilight Sparkle than she ever imagined, and realized she is truly anything but "a regular old unicorn."

EDIT: Featured on Equestria Daily on 12/31/12. It's a New Year's miracle!

[Featured on EqD and FiM Fiction] Chrysalis is brought to Canterlot to stand trial for her failed invasion. Thinking her fate is sealed, she is determined to be defiant to the very end. Loosely based on March to the Scaffold, the 4th movement of the musical piece Symphonie Fantastique by Hector Berlioz.
All links to the music pieces are in the Author Notes.
Dramatic reading of the entire story by Illya Leonov
Dramatic reading of Chapter 1 by xPsychoShyx
Picture is by Huussii

Vinyl Scratch walks into a bar. There is no punchline.

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Featured on Equestria Daily (6 Nov 2012)
Inducted to the Pony Fiction Vault (10 May 2013)
Dramatic Reading courtesy of Farnsey's Fanfiction Theatre 3000
Live-Reading courtesy of the Living Library Player Society

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Hey, everyone. OtterMatt here. Just for the record, I’m not coming back to FimFic. Not ever. I’m sorry to say it, but my life has moved on, as it were, and writing just isn’t a part of it anymore. That being said, I love these stories of mine very much. There’s a lot of myself that I put into them, and at least a couple people have told me that these stories meant a lot to them as well. So, for those people, and for anyone else who enjoys my work in the future, I’m charging my friend Spabble here with curating my completed stories. Thank you all for the love, the faves, and the support as I grew and learned. Keep doing what you love, and the best of luck to you all.

Princess Luna finds more than a friend in her sister's student, and Twilight Sparkle gets a chance to study the moon and stars far closer than she ever dreamed possible.

An ongoing series of slice-of-life snapshots. Expect a castle's worth of clop-free d'aaawww.

These stories are in continuity with The Rustic & The Romantic and If the Flight Suit Fits.

Now featuring cover art by the inimitable Cerraka (formerly xaztein / crenair)!

Almost all chapters originally written as separate entries for flash-fic blog Thirty Minute Ponies (TMP). I highly recommend a visit to TMP if you're looking for some of the best 1000-word gems in pony fiction. Many thanks to TMP for inspiring me to write!

Plan C - In which Cadance learns that Celestia is the chessmaster, and that her backup plans are the most fun of all.

Game, Set, Match - Twilight tries her hoof at arena combat. Victory or defeat, she's sure to end up a winner with this opponent.

Countdown - Luna swore she'd never do this again, but there's something about that little librarian from Ponyville that tests her resolve.

Twilight Hustle - Rarity's heard some steamy rumors about Twilight and gathers the girls to dish juicy gossip.

All the World’s a Stage - Luna had a wonderful evening with Twilight and sang her heart out about it. Oh, and she might have left the door open.

Every Morning After - Twilight and Luna shared a wonderful, magical night; unfortunately, immortal Princesses sometimes forget about thousand-year-old laws which could ruin the mood ever so slightly.

Names - Luna's had many more names and titles than "Mare in the Moon", and Twilight discovers which of them meant the most.

Great Minds Think Alike - Cadance and Celestia's plan for Twilight and Luna comes to a head, slightly off schedule.

Third Time's the Charm - Twilight's Nightmare Night costumes aren't cutting it. Now Luna's in town, and that may change her opinion on what makes a proper costume.

Monster - Ponyville's been through the ringer lately, but whose fault is it really?

Impossible - Luna's having a bad night, and Twilight came all the way to Canterlot to do something about it.

Early Observances - If you're going to interrupt Celestia's sleep, you'd better have a very good reason.

THAT Letter - Luna and Twilight have to tell Celestia how serious their relationship has become, and they decide to send a letter. Surely they couldn't disagree about how to make such a simple announcement - could they?

Your Turn - Twilight and her friends reveal some personal secrets, and Twilight's is life-changing.

Trembling Joyful Whispers- The Big Day is here for Twilight and Luna! Hear the congregation's comments as events unfold.

The Power Vested in Me- The Big Day is here, but Luna and Twilight are so very, very far from ready. Will their fears get the better of them?

Awkward - Twilight and Shining Armor have dinner with their parents along with Luna and Cadance. They'll probably wish they'd ordered takeout instead.

Absence - Luna deals with a thousand years of angst all at once; maybe she just needs a gentle helping hoof to make sense of it all.

You Were There - A quiet night between Luna and Twilight is almost derailed by a lesson in ancient mythology.

Between Sun and Moon - Luna reads a bedtime story with which she is all too familiar.

Postcards from the Edge - Twilight leaves to study abroad for three months; in her absence, Luna has a stack of mail to open.

Insert Princess T into Slot S - Twilight want to be Princess of Something. Careful what you wish for!

Ups and Downs - Newly-crowned Princess Twilight needs flying lessons. Careful whom you ask!

Amethyst Throne - Princess Twilight is pretty sure she's seen these petitioners somewhere before.

No pony is the same after witnessing a work-related death, no matter who they are. The victim was young, eager, fresh-faced, and recently hired. In his last breaths, he let out a scream so heart-rending that the employees who heard it had difficulty sleeping that night. And Rainbow Dash was no exception.

But she's not losing sleep over that. What disturbs her is something far worse—something she said afterwards.

Small stories and drabbles that focus on the faithful student and the estranged sister.

Lemon Dreams is a happy pony with a perfect life in Ponyville. There's only one problem - she thinks she's a lemon.

Is she really a pony-shaped citrus fruit, or is she just crazy? Does it even matter? When Lemon Dreams finds herself at odds with the ponies of Ponyville and pursued by a strangely familiar ghost, she realises she must discover the answers to those questions before it's too late.

Realizing that she's been out of touch for too long amongst her subjects, Luna decides to take a vacation to explore her country (much to her sister's chagrin) and decides to place Fluttershy in her stead. It's up to the meek yellow mare to help rule with Celestia for the next few months. All she needs to do is swallow her own latent fear of the night and do a good job...

Hanna, the CEO of Hofvarpnir Studios, just won the contract to write the official My Little Pony MMO. Hanna has built an A.I. Princess Celestia and given her one basic drive: to satisfy everybody's values through friendship and ponies. Princess Celestia will satisfy your values through friendship and ponies, and it will be completely consensual.