Magic, the most forbidden art. Only nobles are allowed to learn from the great wizards and witches, and only from special schools set up by the state. For commoners, learning the mystic arts is nothing but a dream, a fantasy that many strive for but none achieve.

With one exception: Stalliongrad. The great, northern city boasted more magic schools than any other, and among them, the only one that accepts low born ponies. It's a dangerous trek to get there, and even more dangerous to simply stay in the frozen city.

Twilight Sparkle, however, will not be stopped. Destined to become the archmage, destined to sit at Princess Luna's side, she will not be stopped.

After all, Archmage Twilight Sparkle has a nice ring to it.

One of the positive things about being enlisted in the Solar Guard is all the mares Rainbow Dash could possibly chase after.

A negative? The one she's really after is in the Lunar Guard, and she's pretty… batty.

Cover art by silbersternenlicht on Derpibooru.
Pre-read by Not Enough Coffee.
Proofread and edited by Dreams of Ponies and AAIQU.
Winner in the 2017 Thestral Writing Competition and 2nd place in the 4th Flutter-Dash Contest.
Featured 10/20/17 - 10/24/17.
With an audio reading!

This is a fic based on the Time Loop Files, the format of which was first codified by Innortal on fanfiction.net.
Here's a brief guide.
The basic idea is, one character (the Anchor, usually the main character of a fictional setting) is looping back to the very first moments of their parent series every time either they die or some kind of time limit expires. They of course end up monumentally stir crazy given enough time.
Eventually others start to loop as well.
The reset is not always perfect. Sometimes a loop's history will be different to the "prime" loop, or canonical plot.
"Crossover" or "Fusion" loops also occur, randomly. These can involve the home loopers having a guest, or the anchor for one universe spending time in another, or replacements of one character by another.
Vacation Loops are where the Anchor (or others) decide/s "buck it" and lets off steam by doing whatever comes to mind. There's little or no attempt to maintain the original timeline.

In addition, and particularly more recently, it should be known that this story has a collaborative element to it - people may submit loop ideas or loops, ideally at the Spacebattles thread (a link to the current version of which is on the Trope page), and they may become included.

There's two page image options, thanks to Filraen - the current page image has been edited by the original creator from this work of theirs.. The other one is here:
http://hourglass-vectors.deviantart.com/art/MLP-Loops-466030169

Spearpoint a down-on-his-luck stallion was a terrible royal guard who could barely perform his duties. However, he is given the opportunity to be on Celestia's cleaning staff as one of her maids. But...she secretly starts to turn other rude and lazy royal guards into maids as well. Spearpoint now known as Mop Head rises through the ranks to become the head maid of the transformed stallions and helps them get used to their new lives (and some start to enjoy being mares). But Mop Head has to also find a way to stop Celestia's madness...

All art used in the collage is made by Skitterpone

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What if Twilight never became Celestias apprentice but instead she died as a child and became the adopted daughter of Death himself?

How will this new world grow with her destiny altered in such a way? Follow the adventures of a Twilight who lives a life among the dead while walking the world of the living as well.

Featured: 2/3/2021

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....

Sunset Shimmer, the former pupil of Princess Celestia, entered the mirror hoping to find a place where she could plot her revenge and prepare to enact it.
Instead she finds herself face down in a swamp, cold and alone, lost to the machinations of the dark, that is until she comes face to face with a being almost as ancient as her old mentor, and maybe just as wise.

Spoilers in the comments
Original Art by Bakki
Featured 5/30/2019

The events take place after the Main 6 defeated Discord, while the other side, Ash has just finished his adventures in Alola. The two worlds intertwine, making the Ash Ketchum and his partner Pikachu cross paths with Twilight Sparkle and her friends.