Twilight never cared much for romance, but after falling for Rainbow Dash, she's ready to make her move. But what happens if those feelings are unrequited? Should she hold onto hope? Is it even possible to let go and move on?

I've read a bunch of shipfics that are all happy resolutions after the confession so I wanted to try an alternative. So here is a slightly darker TwiDash fic because I am a terrible person who must make ponies suffer. Oh God Why?!

Edit: Now with addition of new cover pic used with permissions from aeroytechyon_x
Reformatted with less walls of texts and less Lavender Unicorn Syndrome as of 03/20/2015

Sequel here.

Twilight is ecstatic with her new journal and the prospect of writing her life's adventures, eager to begin. However, one unfortunate event leads to a spiral of terrible luck and decisions, culminating in a horrific tragedy. Twilight fails to cope with her changed life, and as she loses her grip on reality, the journal records it all. Her pain, her fall into madness, and the horrible lengths she will go to in an effort to reclaim what has been lost.

Cover image by MidoriFlygon

The princess's fanatical student. A startlingly honest bootlegger. A prissy high-class escort. A traitor caught between two loyalties. A hyperactive pyromaniac. A quiet assassin who can kill with a word.

The night that has covered Equestria for a thousand years might just be coming to an end. And all of these familiar faces will be engulfed in the war between a victorious Nightmare Moon and her sister, returned from a millennium of exile.

Even as the sun rises, the situation has never seemed so dark.

This story was edited, preread, and otherwise improved by Einhander, Comrade Sparkle, CartsBeforeHorses, Spigo, and IR Pony.