On the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternal... if she has the strength.

But how can the Bearers of the Elements be gathered without a villain to fight or challenges to face? How can they see the need for harmony and friendship? And without them, what will happen to them, to all Equestria - and to Luna?

Feeling broken and defeated, Trixie Lulamoon leaves behind the Country of Equestria, and all of the ponies within it that don't want her there, in search of a new land that she may either call her home, or her final resting place.

She discovers the Crystal Empire, and to her shock, the ponies there aren't nasty, hateful creatures, but are actually kind, and welcoming to this new Unicorn stranger in their land. Appletini and Azure Eminence offer to help Trixie in rebuilding her career, and promise that she doesn't have to go back home if she doesn't want to, and the broken Unicorn slowly begins to feel right at home in this new land.

Rainbow Dash flies east.

Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns is the center of magical research in Equestria. Since Apple Bloom developed a love of potion making and an interest in the theory behind magic, she recognizes what an honor it would be to study there. But that would also mean being the only non-unicorn student to ever attend, leaving her friends and family, and moving to a strange city... and that's if she can pass an entrance exam designed to select the most magically gifted unicorns.

Spike has never wanted more than to be Twilight's number one assistant. But when Twilight points out that there's a pony right in front of him who needs an experienced assistant even more than she does, it means considering a life where he's making the most of his talents... but one without Twilight by his side.

For both of them, facing hard decisions are just part of growing up.

Second place winner for the April Writeoff Association prompt "Great Expectations."

Nightmare Moon won. She defeated Celestia, broke the Elements, banished the sun. This all happened a very long time ago. So long ago, that she has had plenty of time to change her mind.

Of course, fixing our mistakes is never so simple, and never without consequences. Even with particularly potent help.

"If you came to conquer, you'll be king for a day. / But you too will deteriorate and quickly fade away."
— "No Control" by Bad Religion

A big thanks to Craine, Sorren, and Idylia for prereading and editing. If you enjoyed the story, don't forget to check out their pages.

Equestria Daily
Royal Canterlot Library (FIMfic version)
Russian translation by Doof
Chinese translation by Dreams Set Free

Kitsune Heart has done a dramatic reading of this story! Find it over here.
ObabScribbler has done a dramatic reading of this story! It includes a full cast of voice actors. Find it over here.

Comments contain spoilers.

Sunset Shimmer gets a surprise visit from Twilight Sparkle, but Twilight gives her a even more surprising news, she has a chance to study under a Princess again.......but its not Princess Celestia.

Read the sequel to this story called A Chance at Self Forgiveness.

AU. When Shining Armor and Cadence's love shockwave vanquishes the Changelings, before being sent away Queen Chrysalis fires a poisonous beam at Twilight's chest that leaves her in a comatose state she might never wake up from. As the doctors fail to find a cure, and everypony starts losing hope, Shining Armor is determined to help Twilight return to them, but on the inside he is conflicted by the cruelty he mustered at her the night before and his failure to ask for her forgiveness before being shot. Shining won't be able to live in once until Twilight says she forgives him, but how can that be when she can't probably even hear him?
Will Twilight wake up and go back to her old life, or will Shining Armor's tortured memory forever haunt him?

After her subjects completely ignore her glorious night, Luna becomes distraught.

When she returns from her banishment, she still remembers how her subjects refused to acknowledge her creation. She comes up with a plan to prove that her night is just as good as her sister's daytime.

Celestia was having a perfectly normal day until her most faithful student teleported into her room requesting a belly rub.

Dreams are such delicate things, and Scootaloo’s are more fragile than most.

But in Equestria, dreams are protected. Sometimes a filly just needs a helping hoof to learn how to hope again.

Edited by Knight of Cerebus

Cover art by Joemasterpencil. Go check him out!

This story has a reading! Slightly older version of the story, but the reading is very well done. It can be found here.