Twilight becomes alicorn of the stars. This is sort of a problem, because Luna kind of already was alicorn of the stars. Oops!

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When unforeseen weather disrupts the Winter Wrap Up effort, Twilight is left to fend for herself. She stumbles upon a once in a lifetime experience, but everything has a price to pay.

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Equestria Daily

Note that writing started on this story prior to the start of season 2. As of the season 3 finale, it is no longer compatible with canon.

After rediscovering the jewel used in creation of Nightmare Moon, Twilight does whatever she can to protect it for Princess Celestia, until everything turns oh so very wrong. After all, Twilight always was something of a hothead, now wasn't she?

During the daily ritual to lower the sun to raise the moon, Princesses Celestia and Luna have their abilities locked. At the same time, a new, yet familiar, alicorn crashes into the throne room of the castle.

This is the second Friendship is Magic fic I've written, though I've tried some new things this time around. In my head, it does come after my first fic and my as-of-now unwritten second fic, though I think it can be stand-alone just fine. It doesn't really refer to the events of "The Party's Loyalty," and while it does make one offhand comment in regards to the second one I originally planned, I think it can be safely read without knowing much.

Cover image is from http://ztoonlinkz.deviantart.com/art/Comic-A-Look-To-The-Future-289305977

Twilight Sparkle wakes up one morning to find she's undergone some changes. She shortly discovers she wasn't the only one. (New cover art by Jamey4 on deviantart http://jamey4.deviantart.com/)

Warning, this work of fiction contains multiple fourth wall breaks, massive silliness, and more than a trace amount of alicorns.
The author may or may not have snapped at times in the writing of this work, and it shows. Bring a towel, you may get wet.

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.

After failing to stop Nightmare Moon in the ancient castle of the pony sisters, Twilight Sparkle is left with a scar that will permanently change the rest of her natural born life. As Twilight recovers from her ordeal, she finds that she is left with a difficult choice. Either live her life as a lie or sacrifice her innocence to protect the ones she loves. The path before her is set and she must now walk it alone. The sands of time continues ever onward, with everyone already trapped in its muddy depths. The sun will rise and the sun will fall. Waiting for its call, Death awaits for all.

Tags, rating, and characters can change.

Art created by:
http://cuteskitty.deviantart.com (top)
http://ventious.deviantart.com (bottom)

I just put the two together

The residents of Ponyville are unaccustomed to violence, but recent attacks are shaking up the normally peaceful town. On top of this, Twilight Sparkle has been experiencing short bouts of memory loss and is getting concerned with her own health. The truth in the situation may be harder to bear, however.

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!

Finding herself with wings and unusually powerful magic, Twilight Sparkle proceeds to have breakdown after breakdown, until with the help of her friends, she confronts Celestia and Luna about it... And learns that she's a far more important little pony than she ever imagined - for all the wrong reasons.

Awesome painting by Drezzer can be found here!

20 megapixel version is here (10MB JPEG, 210dpi strangely, 24"x20")!

Thanks, man!