There is a reason why Twilight used the phrase ‘works every time’ to describe the want it, need it spell. Her data says it has an approximately 99% success rate, but it used to be 100%.

Previous Episode: Twin Twilights
Current Episode: Season Zero — Episode Three
Next Episode: Episode Four: Twilight Frankenstein

Twilight Sparkle has never had much appreciation for the softer works of literature. ‘There were books, and then there were books,’ is what she would say when presented with a book of poetry.

One night not long before Nightmare Night, Princess Celestia figured out exactly how to bridge the two worlds together for Twilight: a reading assignment on one of the very first science fiction books ever written, entitled simply Frankenstein.

It was the perfect plan.

Previous Episode: Works Every Time
Current Episode: Season Zero – Episode Four
Next Episode: (Upcoming)

This, this is why I spend so much time in the archives, Twilight thought, holding a dusty old book close in her magic. Inside the book were a number of advanced spells, each one more interesting than the last in some sort of circular logic that Twilight could only assume went to infinity

Twilight galloped through the doors to her tower and leaped onto her favorite reading pillow on the balcony. She opened the book to the table of contents.

Oh my gosh! They’re all so interesting! Ooh, an age spell! That…might be a bit beyond me. But here right below it – a duplication spell!

Previous Episode: The Brief Reign of Princess Twily
Current Episode: Season Zero – Episode Two
Next Episode: Works Every Time

This story is a sequel to Starswirl and the Purple Terror

After the events in the past, Twilight can't help feeling dejected. She would never see Starswirl again. Or at least, that's what she thought right before he came knocking at her door. Meanwhile, in the past, a still somewhat immature Celestia is desperately trying to find a way to deal with the unfolding catastrophe. Luckily, her spymaster is always there, ready to lend a helping hoof.

Author's Note:
See what you made me do! I hope you are all happy... because this can't end well.
Also, you can't really read this without reading the previous story.
Full credits to Sorrowfulwinds for the title name.

Cadance isn't Sombra. But Sombra's leadership is all the crystal ponies remember, a ruler they had to love at all costs, with the final payment being their own lives. And as they gradually come to see their new Princess as leader instead of savior, too much of that residual fear is being transferred to her. They praise her, adore her, refuse to correct her no matter what she does -- because they live in terror of the consequences for doing anything else. They have yet to find their own voices, and may go on repeating hers until Celestia and Luna switch shifts. So how can she make them tell her when she's wrong, see that there's nothing to be afraid of, and take the next step in coming back to themselves once and for all?

Forbidding them to do anything other than criticize her should do the trick, right?

...right?

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group -- but can be read as a stand-alone, and no knowledge of the other stories is required. New members and trope edits are welcome.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

This story is a sequel to Twilight's Escort Service

Ratchette runs a one-pony fix-it shop for enchanted conveniences and devices, the only such facility in Ponyville. Some of her services are limited ones, and there are things she has to refer elsewhere -- but on the whole, she puts the majority of the repair traffic in order and in the two years since she first moved to the settled zone, Ponyville's become used to her. But strangers in town can still have a little trouble with her qualifications. Because her mark says she's perfectly suited for her occupation --

-- while her body claims exactly the opposite.

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group: new members and trope edits are welcome. While this story is technically a sequel, the earlier one just has the main character's first appearance, and this piece can be read as a stand-alone.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

Cover art by EquesTRON.

In response to threats of a griffon attack on Equestria, Twilight responds with a letter detailing just why such actions would prove unfavorable for them.

My name is Kadie, and when I was eight years old, my people, the griffins, went to war with the ponies of Equestria. My mother never wanted me to think about that, so she never talked about it. The Emperor told my father that he had to go off and fight the ponies, though, so I know that she thought about it a lot.

A few months after I turned ten, a messenger came into our town and told us that our emperor didn't want to fight anymore, so the ponies won, and we lost. Mother said that since we lived so close to our capital, we needed to go see the pony army meet our emperor.

I did not like that.

Edited wonderfully by Prak

Mis-communication has started many a war, but in this case maybe calling it a war was too generous.

The "war" is over, Twilight has successfully orchestrated a bloodless end to the Griffons' aggression, but only now does she realize that there is more to winning than she had first assumed, especially against a nation that holds war as a central part of their culture...

Now Twilight must deal with the aftermath while facing a challenge she never anticipated: being seen as a conqueror.

This can be read alone, but I recommend reading the letter that started it all for a chuckle and a little exposition. This series of expositional one-shots can also give some additional world-building.

Non-canon prequel to The Enchanted Library

As a filly, Rarity's favorite bedtime story was about three princesses trapped throughout Equestria by a wicked spirit of chaos. How she dreamed of finding them all when she was older, especially the princess trapped in a library under a tree. She knew, however, that fairy tales weren't real.

Only when she grew up would she find out how very wrong she was.

Based on an AU a friend came up with in which Rarity stumbles across an enchanted library where Twilight is its spiritual guardian, and both form an unlikely friendship as she helps Twilight be restored to normal.