As day ends and night begins, there is a brief window of time in which the two royal sisters meet on equal terms, neither one firmly in complete control.

In these times of quiet reflection with one another, their minds and their hearts can truly meet most closely. This is when they see each other the most clearly, here in the trading and in the game they play.

Note: The game in this story can actually be replayed if you're interested! Get the text of the .pgn (portable game notation) file at http://pastebin.com/NY258GJx, copy it to your clipboard, and paste into the PGN text box at http://chesstempo.com/pgn-viewer.html for a JavaScript based replay right in your web browser, or save it as your own .pgn text file and replay with the game viewer software of your choice (you can find one by Googling for "pgn viewer" - not to be confused with "png viewer", though, which is completely different).

It's not terribly important, however. Alternately, you can ignore the game replay and just read the story without it, which most people probably will. Other options for replay are in the notes at the bottom of the story.

Wings. A title. Responsibilities. A relationship with Luna.

Twilight Sparkle has gotten used to a lot of things since becoming a princess. But there is still more out there for her to learn. Most especially in regards to her marefriend.

Originally published as "A Mere Tiff" for the January 2015 writeoff, "All In", where it placed 47th out of 93 entries. Featured by You Might Like this!

Reading by Scribbler and Animelodie!

Featured in the Royal Canterlot Library!

Once every month, a mare appears on a remote beach, far from her home. She plays, she reads, she sleeps, and she wastes precious, precious time.

Untold luxury and wealth. A place in high society. A life full of the finer things. All this and more await Fleur, but at what cost?

Now, Fleur must decide: Is love worth nothing, or is it a secret worthy of sacrifice? Can she be the mare she is and the mare she has to be?

A cipher, after all, can be anything— Or nothing at all.

Edited/Preread by Xepher, Winston, Noble Thought, and Jade Ring
Featured by The Royal Canterlot Library, EQD, The Royal Guard, & The Pleasant Commentator-Review Group
Cover art commissioned from Raikoh-illust

With a live reading by ABagOVicodin!
Also read by CrunchyMonkey!

Wait! So Rarity's being impersonated by a changeling? And Twilight too? And... the rest of the Elements of Harmony?

Okay. So what's the big deal again?

UPDATE: labeled as complete. I really can't think of anything else to add to this story. The second chapter will remain as a bonus.

Twilight Sparkle never seemed to notice Lyra Heartstrings. She didn't even remember Lyra's name.

They were friends back in Canterlot and even went to school together. Yet Twilight didn't notice that Lyra just happened to move to Ponyville the same day she did. She didn't even notice when Lyra appeared at her welcoming party. Nor did she ever seem to spot her old classmate passing by in the background on any other day during her stay in Ponyville. Some days she could look right at Lyra and never realize that they knew each other.

Lyra isn't a very noticeable pony. She has put a lot of effort into that.

Set in late season 5, after Amending Fences.
Note: Lots of spoilers in the comments.

This story takes place during the Season Five finale, "The Cutie Re-Mark". As such, there are spoilers ahead.

Starlight Glimmer's plan is working. All she has to do is upset Rainbow Dash's rainboom-creating race in the past, and Twilight Sparkle's connection with her friends will be severed. And she's done it. Repeatedly. Sure, Twilight can go back in time to try and stop her, but Starlight will always be brought back as well. No matter what Twilight tries, no matter how many times she returns, she can't stop Starlight. They're evenly-matched, and it's much easier to disrupt events than it is to preserve them.

That means Starlight wins, right?

The Mane-iac has a reason, a method to her madness, and one that will shock the Mane Si-er, the Power Ponies to their core.

Because it's not exactly evil, and aren't we all crazy when we're in love?

Ponyville is shaken to its core when a body is discovered in the Everfree Forest. As the townsponies grieve, the mysterious Special Agent Bentgrass from Their Majesties' Royal Investigative Service arrives at the Books and Branches library and drags Twilight into a world she's only read about: lies, corruption, suspicion, and murder.

Faced with an indifferent police force, and Agent Bentgrass's infuriating methods, Twilight must put the pieces together and catch the killer. But as blood continues to spill and questions pile up, one thing is terrifyingly clear: in the dark of the Everfree, much more is at play than mere murder.

Rainbow Dash's life is pretty sweet right now. She's a full-fledged Wonderbolt, she has a hot coltfriend, and all the fame, fortune, and glory that she could dream of. Yes, Dash is living the dream, all thanks to her being the most awesome mare in Equestria.

However, while on a date with said hot coltfriend, Rainbow Dash learns that there are drawbacks to being so awesome.

My part of a shipping trade between myself and The Fantabulous Mr. Lemur. Eternal thanks go to Marshal Twilight, Captain Unstoppable, and Bad_Seed_72, whose help made this possible.

Cover art graciously done by the insanely awesome KarmaDash!