This story is a sequel to Feedback

A terrible loss has been averted, but even that has a price.

Between the disappearance of several hundred ponies from around the world, strange portals leading to alternate versions of Equestria, an unknown alicorn frequenting Ponyville for secretive reasons, and the arrival of a new race of ponies bringing some ulterior motives, the pieces sowed by Twilight’s fight with the Nameless are set to crash back down.

What happens when friendship fails? Who will take Twilight’s place within the grave?

The Crystal Ball Trilogy is a series of stories which deal with time travel, parallel universes, and other manipulations of time and space. Substitute is the middle story; it is preceded by Feedback and is succeeded by Divergence.

Digital pdf version here
Print book version here

Featured on 7/19/2016!
Goodreads entry~

Ask Me Anything 10/22/16
Ask Me Anything 1/18/17

Edited (with varying degress of contribution) by
sourichan, Kuairu, Thought Prism, Orion Caelum, Corejo, and AlicornPriest

The storm is breaking on the Horizon.

It's been two months since the battle against Nightmare Moon. Luna is recovering, Celestia is busy turning the government back into a diarchy, and the Mane Six have returned to their lives. All seems well, but when Celestia discovers that half of the power of the Elements of Harmony have been transferred to each of the Bearers, she decides to send thirteen mysterious members of the Royal Guard to monitor them as they manifest and develop their new abilities.

The sins of a forgotten war still linger, and an ancient evil lurks in the shadows, just waiting for the right time to strike. The Mane Six suddenly find themselves once again at the heart of a conspiracy to bring about Eternal Night, and only by awakening their powers and realizing their full potential can they do anything to stop it. Friends both old and new will help them along the way, and an unseen force will guide them as it seeks to right a wrong made thousands of years ago. The Bearer's journeys will take them outside the borders of Equestria and into the world beyond, and when they return, they'll have the power and experience necessary to save the world and bring about balance in all things.

The Powers of Harmony TV Tropes Page (SPOILERS)
The Powers of Harmony Art

Thanks to Wildy71090 for the cover pic.

Two decades after the banishment of Nightmare Moon, her shadow still lingers. Princess Celestia has been left to tend the Twin Thrones alone and protect us all from those who would see Equestria crumble. Our enemies take many forms: some would tear the world down with their claws, others with their smiles. They are monsters all the same.

I have had many names, and I have been many things. Today I am Swift Sweep, and I work for the Equestrian Bureau for State Security.

Special thanks:
NCMares (DeviantArt) for the gorgeous cover art.
Octavia Harmony: primary beta reader and editor throughout the many months of production.
PaulAsaran: for great help with and feedback on plot development and initial story drafting.
Kleora, Cerulean Voice, Nonagon: for further help with editing and story development.

One fateful morning, Princess Luna finds Celestia has turned into a megalomaniacal tyrant with one clear goal in mind: to be sent to the moon. She even has her bags packed and everything.

So what about this seems off?

Now with a youtube reading! HERE!

Featured on Equestria Daily 11/03/15!

Celestia sends Twilight her last, greatest assignment. The lost masterpiece of Star Swirl the Bearded!

The spell that the greatest mage of all time couldn't figure out.

The spell given to her by the mare who thought releasing Discord was a good idea.

The spell that, upon closer inspection, seems about as stable as Rarity's emotional state and as safe as Rainbow Dash's usual workout.

... Maybe Twilight should double check with the princess first.

Winner of the Rage Reviews F*CK THIS PROMPT 6 contest. Prompt: "Equestria is getting a new Alicorn Princess."

This story is a sequel to Past Sins

In the wake of the battle with Tirek, Twilight Sparkle becomes fixated on restoring Golden Oaks Library. After all, it was home for her little family of three. But as her attempts to repair the books and tree continuously fail, her friends must take matters into their own hooves. Discord, as the good friend he is, tosses Twilight and her extended family into an unexpected adventure while Twilight's other friends get to work on the new crystal palace.

All together, they'll do everything to ensure Twilight and her family have a place to call home when they reach the end of the road.

The nightmare of that evening haunts my every waking moment.

A flash of light.

Her powerful form with wings spread wide before me…

She was not just my mentor.

She was also my best friend and for that I will always be grateful for knowing her not as a Princess of Equestria, but as Celestia… The only one who really understood me...

But now? Now I can never tell her how much I truly loved her and how much she meant to me.

They took her away from me.

So I will take everything away from them.

There is a sequel! D=S-M2 and side story! D=S-M: Emerald Mirror

((Somehow Featured on: 12/03/2014 and again on the 06/07/14... mad.

Much love and all credit to the artist: Ventious who owns that picture and is all kinds of awesome. While I have yet to get permission (working on that one at some point), I will remove the picture if the artist demands it so.

And much thanks to these guys for helping me edit/proof and generally bounce ideas about this monstrosity: Grammar Nazi Tach, Discorded Discord,Curify, Lord Inquisitor
TheAccidentalBrony))

Applejack mourns the loss of one of the last 67,986 links she had to her dead father.

(Contains spoilers for "Made in Manehattan.")

Audiobook versions:
Scarlett Blade
L1ghtningRunn3r

Now with a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi!

After storming into Princess Celestia's personal study unannounced, Twilight Sparkle soon learns her yearly battles against the forces of evil are a little more scripted than she'd thought.

And this year, Princess Celestia might've just outdone herself.

Now with a youtube reading! Here!

A few hours after saving the Friendship Games, Sunset Shimmer and her good friend Twilight Sparkle are relaxing on the CHS lawn. The two are so close that Sunset finally feels like she can ask a question that's been on her mind for a while.

"Can I go home?"