To better herself, Luna has studied Twilight's actions and friendship reports almost religiously. However, she never expected to find the tables turned and be under the microscope herself, nor did she realize that a pony would go so far for one they called friend.

Pre-reading/editing by auramane, Habanc, Foals Errand, Meridian Prime, and Timaeus

Cover art commissioned by me and done by Silfoe and can be found here. Thanks a bunch!

Sunset Shimmer has just graduated from Canterlot High School, and while that would normally be cause for celebration, it fills her only with a nameless dread as her friends begin to scatter to the winds to pursue their futures. With the latent magic of the human world contained and categorized and the Rainboom's idyllic days of schoolwork over, she finds herself without aim and listless, as though something important is missing from her life.

Fortunately for her, Princess Twilight Sparkle might know what ails her.
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So. First time posting on the site after a VERY long period of lurking and reading and enjoying the tales this fandom can produce. To my surprise, I found a dearth of a certain subset of story that I wanted to read, and so I have done this, to put my thoughts to words. After all, it is said that one should write the story they want to read, yes? I've been inspired by a variety of stories like it that came before, and I hope to equal their quality.

I'll try to update roughly once every couple of weeks; please be patient with me and I hope you give this tale a once-over. Pre-emptively tagging with AU, that I might diverge freely from what may come if needed.

After transferring to Canterlot High, Twilight Sparkle realizes she has a crush on Sunset Shimmer. Being the analytical type, she develops a plan to capture Sunset's heart...using the scientific method.

Sex tag for mild sexual references.
Edited by fourths.

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!

For years, Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chrysalis have been at each other's throats. Both have experienced victory over the other, and both have experienced defeat. Out of all the creatures in Equestria, none despise each other the way the pony Princess and changeling Queen do. They seemed destined to remain locked in battle forever, or at least until one is finally dead at the hooves of the other. The cruel insults, the vicious loathing, and the powerful spells that have passed back and forth between them at each meeting have become the stuff of legend.

Imagine Twilight's surprise when she finds out changelings consider this dating.

And now they're married.

***

Sequel: Pony Courtship Rituals

***

Some beautiful fanart of the end of chapter three was done by Dmann892; you can see it here.

More awesome fanart, this time from chapter one.

Now with a TvTropes page (obligatory TvTropes warning goes here).

If you want a Russian translation, you can find it here.

There is now a reading of the story on Youtube, which starts here.

Twilight Sparkle accidentally leaves her class with the wrong backpack. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, except that the backpack belongs to the one girl she's had the biggest crush on since moving to Canterlot High.

[Complete! With TVTropes apparently!]
Also, apparently, an animated trailer.

In a world of brass and steam, Twilight Sparkle had thought she had made a life-changing discovery with the invention of the telescope. For better or worse, she was correct.

Now her discovery has not only changed her life, but the lives of those she seeks out in her desperate attempt to contact the only other creature as lonely as Twilight herself.

It all would have been much simpler, but it had to be the one Twilight could only call The Mare on the Moon.

Decidedly not within walking distance, then.

[Featured on EQD before story was meant to be submitted. 4/03/2015]

[Editing team: Southpaw, Wolfvenom, Maskedferret, SwanSong and BluePaladin42, without whom this story would be a fraction of its current state.]
[Special thanks to Novel-Idea for the updated cover]

When Midnight Sparkle opens rifts in the world around her, Sugarcoat falls through one of them. She lands in a strange new world, finding herself in a new, equine body, having also managed to fall back through time. How will she get back to her own time and place?

That doesn't matter right now. Right now, it's funnier if she ends up getting caught up in major events in the lives of the ponies around her. So come and read as Sugarcoat leaves her own mark on pony history in the most blunt way possible.

Quiet mornings before school starts can be lonely, but peaceful. For some people, they're a good time to just breathe and prepare themselves for the day ahead. Fluttershy and Adagio Dazzle find themselves doing this in the same place at the same time, in their own ways.

Based on a picture that was a little too big to be the cover art, but cute enough to inspire some shipping anyway.

Now comes with actual cover art courtesy of SkycatcherEquestria!

Comments may contain spoilers!

Now comes with Trope page!

A story about Minuette "Colgate" Romana putting her life and livelihood back together in a new home in Ponyville with the help of friends she meets along the way, and some old ones she left behind in Canterlot. Colgate is a clock maker and carpenter (hourglass cutie mark, what was I supposed to do?) Berry Punch owns the local bar and has a daughter (Ruby Pinch) whom she adores. Toss in Cheerilee as Berry's frazzled but dedicated sister, Big Macintosh and everyone's favorite Mailmare Ditzy Doo, plus my freaky knowledge of Football, that is "Hoofball" and hopefully the resulting brew will come out tasting nice.

For those of us who can't get enough Berry Punch, Minuette recommends this blog: http://berrypunchreplies.tumblr.com/

(The story is going to be pretty straightforward, classic cast with as few OC ponies as possible and mostly situational humor and themes like forgiveness and reconciliation, working through problems and building relationships, and relying on your friends when you're in a jam. Probably some romantic themes later on, but nothing over the top or in bad taste. There will be some sad bits too of course, but that's not what the story is about, or what drives the plot. This is a story about beginning again in a new place, and all the hardships and triumphs, laughter and love therein.)