Everything got so much worse for batponies after Nightmare Moon was banished. Even those with no involvement in the war, Equestria turned hostile. Instead of a loving home, Mira grew up as an orphan, cowering in terror from the advance of Princess Celestia's Golden Army.

In the shadowy caverns of Understory, the ancient arts were still taught: Dreamwalking, and all the 'dark' practices that were once fundamental to the bats' reverence of Princess Luna.

After the death of somepony close to her, Mira finally resolved to do something. She didn't have the power to fight against Equestria, but maybe she could do something else.

With the forbidden knowledge of the sleeping world, she could rescue Nightmare Moon, and save batponies everywhere from extinction. That, or die trying.

Updates Wednesdays.

Originally written as a Patreon reward for TyrannisUmbra on my Patreon.
Editing by Two Bit and Sparktail. Cover by Skydreams.

Once upon a time, there were two friends who ran a farrier shop in Canterlot. The oldest fed the forge and used his earth pony magic to produce strong steel shoes, which the younger enchanted with his powerful unicorn magic. They worked together in harmony, creating beautiful shoes for all who visited until one day they met a young mare in their local bar. She was a mysterious creature, overstressed by her job in the palace and needing the company of two friends far more than she realized.

Until one night, when her sister returned during the Summer Sun Festival…

Created as a Collaborative work between Georg and Tek, who made all the good parts.
Editor: Snaproll

Cover art Horseshoe and Rose by public domain clipart, edited in Paint3D
Now featured on Equestria Daily

An anthology of stories pertaining to Government in Equestria and beyond, especially the ponies that work in it. Each story will be tagged separately, but general tags will always apply.

None of these will be related. Most of them will be silly. All of it will be stupid.

Same goes for the stories. ba-dum, tish!

Short Descriptions for each story:

• The Star Court [Dark][Profanity][Comedy] - Celestia finds out where all the bodies are buried. Well, incinerated, if you want to be technical. Plus, a discussion about corporeal punishment, jurisdiction, and court-procedure.
• Civics Lesson [Comedy][Slice of Life] - Applejack briefly considers Nepotism before getting a lesson in government she won’t soon forget.
• The Royal Advisor [Comedy][Random][Slice of Life][Profanity] - Spike takes a tour of his new job location, and solves a financial crisis. With special guest, Raven Inkwell!
• Ponies, Please [Comedy][Random][Slice of Life] - Have your papers, ID, and Visa ready at the checkpoint. GLORY TO EQUESTRIA!
• Proscription [Comedy][Dark][Random][Violence] - Octavia and Bonbon have some business to discuss.
• Chaos, CHAOOOOS! [Comedy] - The worst thing in this world, next to anarchy, is government.
• A Question of Succession [Comedy][Alcohol] - Never ask Celestia for advice, or storytime. At least not while she still has the keys to the liquor cabinet.

When Nightmare Moon’s rebellion tore across Equestria, leaving a trail of blood and horror in its wake, Princess Celestia knew that merely banishing her sister wouldn’t be enough. Her army was too powerful, and too bloodthirsty, to be left behind without a leader. When she finally turned the Elements of Harmony against her, she didn’t just banish Nightmare Moon. She banished thousands.

Now they’re in a race against time, to find a way to survive in an environment so alien that every aspect of it is trying to kill them. They face suffocation, freezing, boiling, starvation, radiation, meteorite impacts, low gravity… the list goes on.

Nightmare Moon thought she should be the ruler of all Equestria. Now, in a world nopony was ever meant to survive, her abilities will be put to the ultimate test.

This story now has a hardcover! If you'd like one of your own, you can grab it here: https://starscribe.net/

Editing by the indulgent and patient Two Bit and Sparktail. Coverart by Zutcha.

Note: I intend this story to be as faithful to our current scientific understanding of the moon, and I’ve consulted for help with the aspects outside my technical purview. That said, I fully expect to make decisions that some may see as mistakes, based on their own independent interpretations.

I am a storyteller first, and I realize it’s likely I’ll eventually make a mistake, or an arbitrary decision to simplify the storytelling over accuracy. I’m doing my best here, but this isn’t a NASA white paper. Set your expectations accordingly.

This story was commissioned by Canary in the Coal Mine on my Patreon, feel free to contact me if you’d like one of your own!

Clover the Clever never asked for his life to get so complicated.  It was bad enough tricking a drunk Imperatrix Celestia, war goddess of the Three Tribes, out of her accidental coup against Queen Platinum.  But now the most dangerous pony in Equestria has returned to trade her claim on the sun for a chance to woo him.

On top of that, his erstwhile mentor Star Swirl the Bearded has saddled him with a mysterious magical necklace and a uniquely bleak and pointless prophecy: If he's brave enough, and if he's clever enough, he just might survive Celestia for long enough to break her heart.

Now with an audio reading by ScarlettBlade!

Recommended by PresentPerfect! "horizon gave me the story I needed rather than the one I wanted ... along the way we get some very strong lessons about love, and meditations on the value of a lifetime and what one pony can achieve on their own."

Featured on Equestria Daily!

First place, "Out of Time" Writeoff! (11/2015) At long last, expanded to novella size! The world-spanning, centuries-spanning romance as it was always meant to be told!

PRAISE FOR THE WRITEOFF VERSION:
"One of my favorite depictions of Celestia in a long time." –billymorph
"To the top of the ballot with it." –AugieDog
"There’s going to be a lot of tears shed when this one hits publish." –Georg
"You need to read Time Enough For Love. I literally swore out loud when my computer crashed when I was halfway through, and then I immediately whipped out my smartphone to finish it. And now I'm reading it again in a desperate attempt to figure out how it does its job so damn well." –Bachiavellian
"I can get behind some historical revisionism for such a brilliant story. The writing is second-to-none … I laughed, I cried, and I felt other things too." –Trick Question

Cover art by Nadnerb.

Five hundred years after the Discord's first defeat, a lone unicorn scientist makes an interesting discovery. Across Canterlot, over the last few centuries, accident rates have increased in the area around the Royal Palace. His work is ridiculed by his peers, but comes to the attention of the Princesses, who know exactly what is happening: Discord is waking up. With Luna and Celestia, he concocts a plan to stop the Lord of Chaos forever.

===
Cover art butchered from UnderwoodART's render of the stained glass in S02E01.
This story is based on S1/S2 (Discord was never released and reformed) and sits within my Soot-Covered World canon, but is stand-alone. No knowledge of the other books is required.

All thanks to ascendant, NoeCarrier, turol, KMCA, Caliaponia and billymorph for their prereading and editing over the life of this story.

It's Equestria's first, foremost, and simplest rule: Nightmare Moon comes first in your heart. Always. To betray one's devotion to Her Majesty with love for another is unthinkable. It is an act of high treason: a Heartcrime.

Night Chamberlain Rarity is not perfect. She's had the occasional liaison with her favorite Night Guard, a couple of incorrect feelings here and there, but she is certainly not a criminal. She is sure of it.

But then, Rarity's been wrong before.

An entry Winner of the Raridash doodles contest

This story is a sequel to Rainbooms and Royalty

An alternate universe re-imagining of "Friendship is Magic." Rainbow Dash is the personal protege of Celestia, ruler of all Equestria. Follow her through the events of the 1,000th Summer Sun Celebration and the return of Nightmare Moon! (A significant rewrite of the "Rainbooms and Royalty")

Cover art by InuHoshi-to-DarkPen

Steady Hoof, like most ponies, has a cutie mark. However, unlike most ponies, her cutie mark represents something... not quite on the right side of the law. Given her circumstances, she has been hired on as a personal assassin for Princess Luna.

She's not happy about it.

She thinks?

This story is a sequel to Cheer Princess

Princess Celestia followed Sunset Shimmer through the mirror portal and became stranded in another world. Without her, Princess Cadance was the only pony left capable of moving the sun and the moon.

With the help of Zecora, Cadance learned to move the heavens, but as she brought about night for the first time, she accidentally released Nightmare Moon from her prison.

Now, with the assistance of Princess Cadance, Nightmare Moon rules Equestria. As the search for Princess Celestia continues, Cadance strives to reach the heart of Princess Luna, to restore her to the gentle and kind mare she once was, while Nightmare Moon learns what it truly means to rule a kingdom.