Twilight reads a book about literature and, analysing her world, decides that everything she does is planned by someone other than her.

She does not take it very well.

Rated Everyone for adult humour.

now with a reading

Days after Tirek's near-takeover of Equestria, The Great And Powerful Trixie travels to Ponyville, intent on settling her rivalry with Twilight Sparkle once and for all. No trinkets to fudge her abilities, no megalomania to apologize for -- just pure and simple magician's honor!

Upon her arrival, however, she quickly learns that the information she has on Ponyville -- and Twilight -- is more than a little dated.

Edits (as well as a bit of scene inspiration) courtesy of nanashi_jones.

Donut Joe keeps his store open on Hearth’s Warming Eve. And why not? He doesn’t have anywhere else to be, and neither do the tired, bitter ponies who find their way inside.

But the Eve is young, and strange things lie ahead. Who knows what might happen on a night like tonight?

(Inspired by the song "Old City Bar," by Trans-Siberian Orchestra)

Reviewed by TheifofZ here.

Sunset Shimmer is having the worst day of her life. She used to be important. She was the personal student of Princess Celestia. She was a future leader of Equestria. She was the kind of mare that everypony envied.

Today, it's all crashing down around her.

Alternate Universe: What if Sunset Shimmer hadn't gone through the mirror?

Twilight isn't having a very good day. An experimental spell blew up in her face, an army of changelings is attacking Canterlot, and she just died. Yet somehow, it looks like it's going to keep going downhill from here.

Given the chance to correct what's gone wrong, Twilight swears she's going to fix all this even if it kills her. Which it will. Frequently.

Cover art by Pixel Prism
Spanish Translation
Series TV Tropes page

“What would you say if I told you, that there was another race of ponies that lived upon the face of these lands? A kind that feeds itself on the blood of others and is said to live for a near eternity. One would declare me crazy of course, others would just walk away without a word said. But what was thought to be just myths and legends, have become a surprising reality. A reality I’m forced to live in. A curse of blood is rushing through my veins and a monster lurks beneath the lady I once was.” -Rarity

What can one simple and humble unicorn tailor do when her life suddenly gets turned upside down? That she finds herself as a being that was by many believed to be nothing but folklore of the dark ages and ghost stories to scare the foals? How would the world react to her when she tells that what she has become?

Only one simple answer could be found on the question and that is to live her life in secret for the rest of time. Never reveal that what she has become to anypony, not even to her own family. If things were only ever that simple. For Rarity, the mare of beauty and fashion, is suffering a curse of blood. A curse she had gained without her even wanting it. But two things are more than sure. Neither Rarity nor her boutique will never be the same again.

Can the graceful unicorn withstand the temptations of the night long enough to keep her sanity in one piece, or will she fall from her stand and crumble into the darkness that is her own madness and new nature? Is she strong enough to fight off her the mental demons that haunt her mind? Blood will be spilled and drunk, that is the third certainty that can be given.

=============================================================================
Donations are welcome.
*featured on 09-16-2013* Thank you all so much!
Rated Teen for suggestive themes and spilling of blood as well as minor gore.
Others tag is for all the other characters that are used within the story, including OC's.
Cover image was created specifically for the story by the ever so wonderful and talented Pokefan271.
Listen to the song made for the trailer by nobody else then then the equally wonderful and talented RaRa Leaire.

Don't like the FIM fiction format? Try these then,
Google Docs index
Fanfiction prologue
Pony fiction archive prologue
Fan wiki page