A filly by the name of high hopes growing up in Ponyville finds herself caught up in the rise of a home town heroine, but when her hero is reveled to be only a ruse she takes it to heart. She finally copes with her loss by doing a little heroics of her own, but after she get's an idea to take it to the next level and take up the mask herself.

As far as Fashionably Late is concerned, the Azdariz Diamond is just another jewel her husband Filthy Rich has bought for her. So when she loses it, she confides in Rarity that she'll be putting an announcement in the paper: whoever finds the diamond can keep it.

To Rarity, however, the Azdariz is the finest gemstone ever produced in Equestria, and she's determined to keep it from falling into less appreciative hoofs. Donning the Mare-Do-Well suit, Rarity slips into Ponyville's midnight shadows to track the diamond down before the announcement gets published.

Then Rainbow Dash gets involved. Then things get complicated.

This story was awarded 6th place in the April 2015 Writeoff Association contest, "Great Expectations," and the cover art was commissioned from marking.

Failing once in her attempt to take Canterlot and failing again in her attempt to take down Twilight, one would think Chrysalis would have cut her losses and let things be, but the queen has once again appeared, this time in broad daylight with no disguise and no army. Her weapon of choice? Diplomacy.

Now Twilight is having to deal with the changeling queen, but surely putting up with her antics will be worth the knowledge she's willing to provide about her mysterious race and the potential undiscovered agents still within their midst...right?

Takes place before Magical Mystery Cure and diverges from there.

With thanks to MisterGunpowder for proofreading and editing.

Revision History:

05/09/2015: Chapter 1 updated with millions of little corrections.
05/20/2015: Chapter 2 revised and edited with another million small and large corrections.
06/12/2015: Chapter 3 given a thorough editing and revision.
06/23/2015: Chapter 4 taken to the gutter and edited twice to be sure.
07/14/2015: Chapter 5 thoroughly brutalized with the editing stick.
08/03/2016: Chapter 6 finally edited. Yes, I'm still alive, dammit.
09/29/2016: Chapter 7 fell out of the editing tree and hit every editing branch on the way down.
10/26/2016: Chapter 8 has emerged from the editing emergency room.
11/17/2016: Chapter 9 found and edited. No casualties reported.
11/30/2016: Chapter 10 treated for whiplash after lightning fast editing.
12/22/2016: Chapter 11 edited. Chrysalis shot first.
01/17/2017: Epilogue edited. Time to hit the cider.

This story is a sequel to Clean Slates

Twilight Sparkle: Brilliant, Powerful, Sociable, the very model of the modern major unicorn. She, however, has a poorly kept secret. Her memory for everything non academic is terrible!

Caution: Contains adorable young twilight.

Shoutouts and mad props to Georg's "The monster in the twilight" and Commander x5's "Twiny" series for inspiring this.

I need a Smart Pants tag.

Sunset Shimmer, the protege of Princess Twilight, originally planned to wear her mentor's old Mare-Do-Well costume to a Nightmare Night party. A near-disaster that evening drove her to keep it, taking up the role of Equestria's newest hero.

Takes place after Season 4 in an alternate timeline where the Equestria Girls series and The Cutie Map, and as a result the map episodes of Season 5, never happened.

My first attempt at fan fiction. Any constructive feedback is appreciated!

Special thanks to my proofreader (Chapters 22 & 23), professorsawyer!

Due to a conversation ending in a bet that Octavia had to have a night of fun, she now has to go out to a 'gig' as Vinyl says and have fun or well, not.

A celebratory story for reaching seventy-five followers.

Cold Star is a Crusader: a Bat-Pony sworn to defend the Sacred Night. Adopting the guise of the Mysterious Mare-Do-Well to hide her forbidden ancestry, she came to Manehattan with a single purpose - to bring justice to those who would do evil under the cover of darkness. The last thing she expected to discover was a group of cape-wearing young ponies also claiming to be Crusaders.

{Originally written for EqD's October 2013 Bat-Pony Write-Off Event.}

Update: The Sequel to this story is now underway! If you liked this story, check it out here:
The Crusaders - A Shadow Over Manehattan

This story is a sequel to Capes and Crusaders

Cold Star is a Crusader: a Bat Pony sworn to defend the Sacred Night. Adopting a disguise to hide her forbidden ancestry, she came to Manehattan with a single purpose - to bring justice to those who would do evil under the cover of darkness. The last thing she expected to discover was a group of cape-wearing young ponies also claiming to be Crusaders...

Babs Seed, Misty Morning and Summer Squall are the Cutie Mark Crusaders Manehattan Branch, and they are working hard to discover their hidden talents and earn their Cutie Marks. But when they meet a mysterious Bat-Mare, she offers them a chance to learn what being a Crusader really means. Will this be their chance to earn Cutie Marks in crime-fighting?

The story that began in Capes and Crusaders continues!

{Artists! This story needs cover art! If you are inspired to create a piece of Cold Star / CMC-Manehattan art, please link it to me so I can fan-boy about it, and it might get featured as a cover art for this story! }

[Warning: Spoilers in the comments]
The world around Roseluck is slipping away piece by piece. Color drains away, fear creeps in, and an empty town hides a secret she is afraid to face.

When all that remains are memories of family, friends, and fleeting moments, a friend tries to help her hold onto them before they fade away.

Before she fades away.

Cover art by secret-pony used with permission.

This story wouldn't be where it is today without the help of Minds Eye. Editor, pre-reader, idea wall, friend.

I also had a ton of help and encouragement from these fine folks acting as pre-readers and/or editors:
Between Lines, Evilhumour, Smaug the Golden, CogWing,Cerulean Voice, Adda le Blue, SirTruffles, wYvern, Syeekoh

[The Gore tag is for the end of Act I and onward. Beware of possible spoilers in the comments.]

Within every one of us, even the best of us, there is an essence of Goodness, and an essence of Evil.

After a freak accident resulting in her mother falling into a coma, Twilight Sparkle put her magic studies aside to pursue medical science in an effort to save her. Eight years have passed, and Doctor Sparkle has successfully concocted the TS8 Formula, a potion that can separate the natures of goodness and evil that lurk within the hearts of us all.

All that remains is a small test to prove that both the Formula and such a separation are conclusive. Everything will be certainly fine . . . right?

(AN: Takes place shortly after "Too Many Pinkie Pies", but before the "Twilicorn era".)

Based on Jekyll and Hyde: The Musical

Act I pre-read/proofread by TechnoFlare, Sixkiller5, and Crystalatrix