Luna takes a personal day at the request of her sister and Twilight Sparkle, but whilst visiting they each find something hidden in their hearts they didn't know was there....

Come, my friends, 'tis not too late to seek a newer world...

Princess Luna feels stifled in the nation crafted by her sister in her absence. After much debate, and over the strenuous objections of Princess Celestia, she decides to leave Equestria and find her own land, to rule as she sees fit. She asks her friends, the bearers of the Elements of Harmony, to join her in her quest as she travels into a wide world full of indescribable wonders, unspeakable horrors, and magics long-forgotten to ponykind.

On the night of her return from exile Nightmare Moon comes across resistance as she had expected. However she had a backup plan on hoof for just such a predicament, tearing off a small fraction of her soul and attaching it to the bearer of the element of magic. Now she must play the long game to ensure that she can obtain the loyalty of her new host and once more rise to power over Equestria.

Cover art thanks to Tonto the trotter.

It's been seventeen years since the largest wedding in the history of Equestria, a leader and a hero steps out of the past to be reunited with her family and friends past. Luna is up to her old tricks again, encouraging relationships as she and the other protectors of Equestria prepare for an uncertain future that may cost them everything they hold dear.

New to the story, don't know what the heck is going on, then start the story right by going all the way back to the beginning with And Tootsie Flute Makes Three

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!"

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!

The supernatural: Ghosts, zombies, werewolves, spirits... vampires...

Twilight Sparkle always thought that the supernatural was just a bunch of superstitious nonsense, just some scary stories to tell around a campfire. She couldn't have been more wrong.

After an occult ritual gone horribly right, Twilight finds herself among the ranks of these so called 'myths', whether she likes it or not. Due to the same force that changed her, dark shadows have begun to spread across Equestria, bringing to life these ancient fairy tales. And Twilight might just be the only one that can stop them...

For better or for worse, Twilight has been changed. Will she embrace this dark gift and become the hero Equestria needs, or will she eventually succumb to temptation and become the very thing she fights?

The next Nightmare Night is approaching fast, and this time Luna's going to come to scare everypony as Nightmare Moon the first time intentionally. A few days before she leaves for Ponyville though, she discovers the friendship reports Twilight has been sending to Celestia. Interested in these, she reads them and realizes she has a crush on Twilight Sparkle.

How will she react to this revelation, and will Twilight return those feelings?

Cover image is by RyuRedwings. Editing done by Destinae Spring on chapters 1 and 2.

AU. Based on the first season. Twilight and Celestia begin to drift apart due to a misunderstanding. Will Luna speak up and repair the breach, or will she remain silent to keep her new friend, Twilight, all to herself? What other challenges will face everypony involved because of this new relationship?

It's a simple little love story. Unfortunately, love's not simple.

It's springtime in Equestria and Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia find themselves out of sorts despite the gorgeous weather. Luna and Rarity both think they know the reason behind their moodiness and set out to make sure that true love blossoms - but will an unfortunate misunderstanding keep the two star-crossed lovers apart forever?

Illustration courtesy of nightmaremoonluna, adapted from a sketch by bri-sta.