This story is a sequel to Princess Twilight Sparkle's 505th Birthday

Smarty Pants, Honeycrisp, and Sandy find themselves stuck in the salad days of Equestria, four hundred and eighty years in the past. Can they get back without screwing up everything?

Probably not.

This story is a direct continuation of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s 505th Birthday, which is itself a continuation of Princess Twilight Sparkle’s 500th Birthday. To really get a grasp on what’s going on you should give both of those a read in the right order. You can skip them if you'd like but... Oh boy, will you have questions.

Notes:
- Cover art commissioned by HAK2. Check out his other stuff, too.
- This is a story in the Birthdayverse.
- Many thanks to my faithful Pre-Reader and all around super-duper best pony, Blood Lord go read his story, too!
- And thanks to the newest pre-reader to join in the craziness, Razalon The Lizardman. Keeper of the mighty Em dash! Go read his stuff, too!
- Dedicated to my wife. Her love keeps me going and her snark keeps me smiling.

As always, please leave comments and critiques.

This story is a sequel to The Sword Coast

The shadows of the past plague the present.

Twilight Sparkle stands on a precipice, one false step from a dark destiny. Months ago, she set out to find her foster father’s murderer. After she defeated the Black Knight, she was hailed as a hero, but what she remembers most is the lives she took. On the path of strife, she discovered more about herself than she ever expected.

With her friends by her side, Twilight sets out for Canterlot, seeking the villain responsible for the death of her father and the crises that plagued the Sword Coast. On the way, a sadistic spellcaster interested only in power intercepts her and promises to unlock her potential. In the aftermath, Pinkie Pie is taken captive by the secretive wizarding order that rules Canterlot.

Twilight’s journey takes her through the doors of a prison and into the depths of a forgotten place. She encounters horrors made from nightmares and soul-stealing beasts raised from the black of the Abyss, but what she fears most is the monster within. How far will she go to save her closest friend?

Featured on Equestria Daily
Cover by Bluest Ayemel
"I love this fic. Keep it up!" – Sethisto (on the EQD page)

Side stories: Tales of the Sword Coast

Warning: Comments contain spoilers. Proceed at your own risk.

This story is a sequel to The Best Night Ever

Final Arc - The Black Wedding
CH63 - If I Had a Heart
- The ponies of the Fourth Tribe are ascendant. Shining Armor hunts down his changeling "daughters," and even Lady Antimony won't get in his way. Meanwhile, high above the burning city of Canterlot, a long awaited reunion occurs, and Twilight confronts Alpha Brass and makes a final decision.

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It began with a mare from Ponyville and a time-looping Prince from Canterlot. This most unlikely union now stands at a crossroads: a ruthless changeling invasion; a conspiracy within the highest circles of the Equestrian aristocracy; a half dozen power hungry noblemares looking to become a Princess in all but name. With the prize of Canterlot and its Platinum Crown at stake, it falls to six Elements of Harmony to once again save not just Ponyville, but all of Equestria.

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TVtropes page is here: link

The prequel to TPC, "The Best Night Ever" is here. link
The side-story crossover with "Sweetie Belle Chronicles" is here. link

Someone out there made a playlist for Platinum Crown: Rarity, Blueblood and Chrysalis. Pretty sweet!
Wish I knew who, or even when they did it, though. I especially like the Chrysy playlist.
https://8tracks.com/explore/this_platinum_crown/hot/1

I've gotten some cool TPC related art done, too.
So Sweet and Tasty's TPC Cover Art
link
Thanks to Madmax for these two:
Rarity, Blueblood and Antimony
link
Dash and Ritterkreuz
link
The Terre Rare Founder - Lady Arsenic
link
Twilight and Alpha Brass Battle Duet
link

Obiter dicta -- things said in passing.

A collection of short stories, vignettes, and delete scenes, mostly based in the Civil Serviceverse and tending to be either slice of life or comedy. Also contains contest entries including FanOfMostEverything's Imposing Sovereigns.

Currently contains:

1. An Afternoon For Dotted Line [slice of life] [comedy]
2. The Game The Princesses Play [comedy]
3. On the Inaccuracy of Proverbs [slice of life] [comedy][sad]
4. The Nature of War [history]
5. On Forensic Accounting & Choral Singing [comedy]
6. Hoofprints [human][sad]
7. Dr. Spinning Top—Specimen Annotated Daily Schedule [slice of life]
8. Love and Other Acquired Tastes [comedy][sad]
9. Any Other Business? [comedy]
10. Songs Like Snow [romance]
11. Civics [comedy]
12. The Other Princess [slice of life] [comedy]

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!

This story is a sequel to You Can Fight Fate

Time loops? The end of existence as we know it? Fate itself conspiring against you? Who has the energy to deal with that kind of thing?

Not Cloud Kicker, that's for sure. She's a mare who knows what she wants out of life. An easy job, a nice house, and an endless supply of potential banging partners. Then one day a simple little flower vendor moves in down the street and everything starts to change.

As a side story to the main Time Loop Trilogy, you can expect massive spoilers in the comments for both the original stories and unwritten chapters of this one.

Once upon a time, Spike went for a walk.

While on his walk, he was judged by an ancient alicorn, lodged with griffons, parlayed with air pirates, charmed a maiden of a mystical race, and dealt with the scourges of hate, fear, and racism while deliberately drawing the armies of myriad nations to the brink of global war.

Once upon a time, Spike went for a walk, and did all of this so that he could keep a promise to the one that meant the most to him... Twilight Sparkle.

In the first of three books, Pillars of the Sun (Chapters 1-15), Spike is devastated by Twilight's fate and grows more and more despondent as he attempts to understand what has happened to his dearest friend. A gentle nudge from a pony he trusts sends him looking for answers. When that nudge becomes a push he unravels ancient secrets... and risks losing himself before his attempt to rescue Twilight can even begin.

A living meteor has fallen, bringing the threat of Equestria's destruction. The Elements of Harmony have broken, following Rainbow Dash's ultimate sacrifice to protect her friends, and they scramble to solve the mystery while the world prepares for war. Moving forward is hard with Rainbow Dash dead.

But peace in the world beyond proves elusive to Rainbow, and she'll never let her friends down when they need her. Not even death will stop her from coming back.

Currently undergoing rewrites on a semi-regular basis, please check recent blogs or the 'current projects' module on my user page for details.

Editing for remastered version by Formerly Committed and Shellsh0cker.

Spike figures out that Cheerilee is making up reasons to visit Twilight at the library, and Rarity further figures out that it's because she must have a crush on Twilight.

When Ponyville's dedicated fashionista combines forces with Ponyville's only dragon to bring two adorably awkward book loving mares together, nothing can go wrong! Except perhaps, everything!

Oh yeah, and some pony ordered 20 trampolines and a bunch of other stuff that keeps getting delivered to one wrong address after another because of the world's worst delivery pony, Blue Bonnet.. More on that later.

Re-tagged to reflect that it's a Twi/Cheerilee, Mane 6, CMC and Blue Bonnet (Background pony) story.

Also, it's fair to say this is also a AppleDash and Fluttershy / Background pony shipping story. Also ScootaBelle? .
ARTWORK BY WACKEDOUTPET

Chapters 3-10 have been edited by the amazing TheLastBrunnenG

Chapter 9-10, attention must also be paid to pre-readers Guy Incognito, Cola Bubble Gum, and SpaceCommie

Chapters 9-10 also edited by SpaceCommie

Featured May 2013! ADDED TO TWILIGHT'S LIBRARY NOVEMBER 2013! FAN-ART ADDED MARCH 2014!

Mort, also known as the Pale Pony (of Death), has been tasked to take time off from his rigorous duties of reaping souls. Seeking guidance, he is directed towards the town of Ponyville, to learn about the magic of friendship from Twilight Sparkle and her friends. All he needs to do is keep his true nature a secret. That shouldn't be too difficult...right?

Special thanks to Specter-Von-Baren and Pyrite Foolsgold for their help in proofreading and editing this story, as I really needed it. Additional thanks to Pilate, Chuckle5, Unimpressive Vagaries and Admiral Biscuit as well! Couldn't have done it without all their help!

Credit for the title card goes to Siansaar, AKA Carnifex.

For another excellent take on Mort, check out Sip's version!