Celestia: a filly of twelve. A cynical, hungry pauper, with a young sister to protect and feed.

But the food has run out. Winter has gripped the land for too long, and now the pair face starvation.

The cynic in Celestia knows she can't move the sun. But the child in her wonders... and so she tries.

(Inspired by the Donovan song of the same name.)

(Now with a dramatic reading here, by Crafty Arts, and here, by KeyframeProductions.)

(Now with a Spanish translation here.)

Celestia receives a letter from Twilight, the first in a long time.

A letter about the Cutie Mark Crusaders and how Twilight has changed since her arrival in Ponyville.

It makes a seemingly solitary Celestia think...

Edited by the fantastic GaleSinger

Art belongs Nadnerbd

Inspiration is Rarity's Element, and Sweetie Belle her greatest achievement. But the filly has questions, ones that Rarity might not be able to answer on her own. What makes a pony? How can somepony know if they really are alive? Are they alive if they laugh and cry? Are they alive if they think, if they make mistakes and have ideas?

If Sweetie Belle is nothing more than a collection of wires, is she truly alive?

Spanish Translation now available through this elegantly crafted link!

Princess Twilight Sparkle lay there in anguished silence for almost a minute until she decided to let Scootaloo, Apple Bloom, and me help her. It came out as a whisper: "My special talent isn't magic." Of all the ponies we might help, I had never imagined our first might be Twilight, or that it would essential for Equestria that we got it right.

Featured (as high as #2) from Oct 18th through Oct 22nd 2015 for 100 hours.
Thank you everypony!

Princess Celestia sends Twilight Sparkle a letter, asking the same question she always does. Maybe a visit from Spike will prompt her to give an answer at last.

Lengthened version of the 6th-place finisher in the /fic/ mini write-off "One Little Mistake."

Thanks to The Descendant for reading over this for me and making sure it had something useful to say.

Featured on Equestria Daily!

After the defeat of Tirek, Equestria is safe once more, but Luna can sense that her sister is troubled. When Celestia retreats to the starry realm of ascension in order to look upon the past, Luna joins her to discover what is bothering her.

There is now a Spanish translation of this story, courtesy of Spaniard Kiwi

Twilight begins to learn more about her alicorn nature, and winds up discovering something about Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy that catches her off guard.
Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy have always been especially close. Few ponies can come up with a reasonable explanation for this. On the outside, it would be hard to imagine them being any more different.
However, on the inside, they couldn't be more alike.
They've always been the perfect match. Always.

Twilight continues to doubt her role as a princess. But a simple conversation could help with that.

Since The Friendship Games, Sunset and Twilight now have something in common: Magical transformations, an experience unlike any other that they both endured. Twilight now feels inclined to share her feelings about the matter. Though the circumstances were different and their reasons even more so, they can agree on one thing....

Featured 9/27/15

The past always comes back to haunt the present, there is no escaping the inevitable. For decades, Celestia has kept a secret from her student. A secret she made out of pain, and through pain will be revealed for all to see; for Twilight Sparkle is the secret daughter of the Sun.

Now, there will be consequences.

Consequences, they come in all shapes and sizes for every decision. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. These words are lessons that Princess Celestia should know, bits of wisdom she practices in her rule of Equestria. How is it then, that when faced with a decision, she chooses the one that would inevitably bring the most pain? How is it that she couldn’t bear being recognized as the mother of her child? And why? Twilight Sparkle is about to find out.

Disclaimer: (I do not own the picture; Title Picture owned and designed by KitsuneHino; Source: http://mel-rosey.deviantart.com/art/By-my-side-364777307) (I do not own any of the characters, places, events, etc. outlined in this fanfiction, MLP FiM does under Hasbro, give them the credit.)