A different take on alicorn ascension. Sixteen years after arriving in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle is excited to have invented a brand-new kind of spell, but it will come with consequences she cannot possibly anticipate. Meanwhile, threats in shadows around the world conspire to overthrow the Solar Throne. With her world turned upside down, she will have to come to terms with the role that fate has dealt her while straining to keep Celestia in power.

Now with a TVTropes page! Please show it some love! Also check out the official side stories, Designing Intrigue, and Love and Barriers! (With even more in my stories page!)

(Please Note: This story was started before any season three information was available. All episodes in season three and later are non-canon for this story, which also means there's no Crystal Empire in this one. In addition, the promotional map released close to the beginning of season three was also not available and is not compatible with this story. While the OC tag is active because there are OCs in the story, they're really just supporting characters. The focus is on Twilight.)

Also be sure to check out the Rites of Ascension Expanded Universe Group! We're working to develop the resources needed for other authors to try their hand at writing stories set in the Rites Universe!

The Book Two cover art was created by the amazing Silfoe! The original cover art can still be found at Violet Squiggle's deviantArt page.

Author's Notes, including proofreader's credits, can be found here!

"This is 100% Approved by Twilight's Library!"

In her youth, Twilight Sparkle discovered a way to infuse technology and magic. 20 years after her breakthrough, she is now the CEO and founder of Sparkle Industries, and one of the wealthiest ponies in Equestria. Her relatively perfect life goes sour, however, when she is captured by a group of griffons who want to steal her technology.

It's strange how a short few years can seem like such a long time ago, Twilight remembers the moment she was told the truth about her, and how she would outlive all her friends.

How do you cope when all your friends are dying of old age around you, but you seem not to be growing older at all? Twilight Sparkle tackles this problem for herself the only way she's ever known how: research, and then contacting Princess Celestia for advice. The explanation she gets is nothing like what she could have expected, and it will change Twilight's life forever.

A sequel to The Little Red Colt, another story of mine. After twenty-something years, Big Macintosh's father has come home, and Big Mac wants nothing more than to the teach the monster that is his pa a few manners.

But who's the real monster?

Part 2 of 3

Twilight Sparkle thinks that Cheerilee would provide a very interesting partner... to talk to... about literature. Nothing else. Right?

After a mishap with a falling star, Princess Luna crashes into Ponyville, only to be saved by Big Macintosh. Overly grateful, Luna calls upon an ancient contract which binds her to the draft pony as his personal servant. Can Big Macintosh co-exist with an overzealous moon goddess, her creepy assistant, and an army of evil looking guards long enough for Twilight to find a loophole to get him out of the pact?

Featured on 9/5/2012

An object of unknown origins crash lands in the no-pony's land between Equestria and Gryphon territory. Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle race to beat the Gryphons to the crash site, but discover more to the crash than they originally thought.

Sometimes, all we need are a few stats to shed some light on a subject.

Sometimes, all it takes is a letter to let them know...