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!

A refined mare fresh out of high school and a dropout following her dreams find themselves forced to spend a lot of time together.

With the help of a meddling psychology tutor and their new classmates, can they find what they've been looking for?

French Translation!

Fan Stuff!

After rising to stardom following Rarity's first, poorly received fashion show, Vinyl Scratch struggles to adapt to the higher class of life celebrity status bestows. Her personality and own moral values do not mix with the fake, corporate ideals of her agent, and her sponsors are only interested in her as long as she conforms to their expectations. Her life is barely her own and soon she will have to decide what's more important; her existing relationships, her fame and fortune, or perhaps something unexpected in the form of a refreshingly grounded Canterlot Elite who just invited her to breakfast during the Canterlot Music Convention.

A Vinyl Scratch x Octavia story where the two Ponies involved don't instantly form a romantic relationship the moment they meet, and instead allows it to grow over time with good old character development.

All criticism is welcome, and of course some spoilers follow in the comments below so please read cautiously.
Mega thanks go to Cruel September for her fantastic cover art for the story. Go show her lots of love, she's an amazing artist. http://cruelseptember.deviantart.com/

When Vinyl and Octavia first meet on the streets of Manehattan it seems that they have little in common. Octavia is a part of a prestigious String Quartet and a graduate of Canterlot's most acclaimed music school. Vinyl, on the other hand, is a young street musician, playing and living on the dirty streets of the low-end part of the city, trying to survive harsh winters without shelter. But there is a one thing they share that binds them together in spite of everything: music. And thus their story unfolds. But with all of the struggles they face and the secrets they keep, can two ponies who are so different ever find peace with each other and, more importantly, with themselves?

There was only one explanation. For all of it. All of the strange, erratic behavior. Her irrational fear of the sun. Her nocturnal habits of locking herself in in the dark and closing all the blinds. Wearing her sunglasses everywhere, even inside! It was time to invest in some silver, garlic, and a wooden stake.

Octavia is a high-class pony. Fine alcohol is her wont, and uncouthness her intense chagrin. Such is her surprise to find herself lumbered with an insufferable oaf of a DJ pony. However, sometimes these situations work themselves into a satisfactory ultimatum all the same.