For almost a thousand years, the immortal Nightmare Moon has reigned over Equestria as Empress. To the average pony, Nightmare Moon is an overarching enigma whose rule is absolute and whose wrath is terrible. But to Twilight Sparkle, who as an orphan has never known her parents, the Empress is something else entirely. When the young unicorn is brought under the royal wing as an apprentice, she learns a great deal more about the supposed tyrant than she ever knew. But as Twilight is introduced to life with her new mentor, she is thrust into a world of political intrigue, conspiracies and secrets. Secrets that were never meant to be revealed. As allies and enemies plot against the very peace of the nation, will Twilight fall prey to the perils of her new position? Or will she prosper and find in Nightmare Moon the mother she never had?

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My eternal gratitude to my editor, LordOfTheWrongs, without whom Night's Favoured Child would not be the story it is today.

Now with added TVtropes!

Windfall takes place seven years after FiM's main timeline. The Elements of Harmony have gone their separate ways, but are still close, and all the girls come running to be there on the eve of Fluttershy bringing her first foal with Big Macintosh into the world.

If you enjoyed this story and this fanfiction future extrapolation, please consider reading the sequel Earth & Sky

After a long day of flight practice with Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash discovers the filly knows next to nothing about preening and takes it upon herself to teach her.

Warning: May Contain Feels and/or D'aww moments.

Featured on FIMFiction on 7/20/2013. Yay!
Featured on EQDaily on 09/12/2013 Double Yay!
Reading by TheLostNarrator (excellent!): Here
Reading by DRWolf: Here
Reading by Joehighlord: Here
Riffed by Draklox: Here
Korean Translation: Here
Spanish Translation: Here
French Translation: Here
Chinese Translation: Here

After the most important night of her career is ruined and its saboteurs not even so much as punished, Octavia's life changes. She begins to pursue a path that has never been seen before in Canterlot, where concertos and rhapsodies give way to controversy and rebellion.

A path where symphonies are composed with cans of spray paint.

Cover art used with permission by LuGiAdriel14

Queen Chrysalis has only one grub that has survived into fillyhood; her daughter, the physically lame and mentally impaired Crown Princess Pupa. Chrysalis has never been what many would call the 'maternal type', even towards Pupa, whose adoration of her mother has no bounds. Preferring to swamp herself in the dire affairs of state, Chrysalis lets her crippled daughter be raised by her affectionate nanny.

But one day, as the Changeling Kingdom's problems reach boiling point, the Queen's already short temper erupts and she must deal with the heartbreaking consequences...

Edited and pre-read by Chaodiurn
Pre-read by Scarheart

Now with a TvTropes Page. Feel free to contribute.

Celestia has a secret: She hates her job. It's not like she can quit, though. After all, what would her little ponies do without her? But then Luna returns from the moon and provides a whole new perspective on modern Equestria, and Celestia starts to reconsider everything. Does Equestria really even need her anymore? Only one way to find out!

[Note: This story takes place after The Best Night Ever. Seasons 2 and 3 are not considered canon unless otherwise noted.]

Lyra and Bon Bon: foster parents? It'll happen, if they can only get past their sardonic caseworker, nerve-wracking inspections, and each others' neuroses. That's assuming things work out with any one of the children that passes through their home. After all of that, there's just the matter of the adoption and the birth relatives. Hugs, heartbreak, and humor will follow in droves.

Also, Lyra tries to cook soup.

Cover made by the wonderful Whipstitch.

Lycan RD belongs to Muffinsforever. I do not own anything except this fic.

What do you do when you get bitten by a potentially dangerous animal?

Simple. Do what Rainbow Dash did.

Disregard medical attention and turn into a Lycan.

Special thanks to my proofreader, Moldyshishkabob

Scootaloo is a young pony who has endured quite a bit of hardships, but has made the best of her life, even if it hasn't always been so easy. The little filly from Port Mane shares, in her own words, the ups and downs of her life, and just what it means to endure.

Find out how Scootaloo has endured through love and loss. See her thoughts on Rainbow Dash, her family, the crusaders, Featherweight, Pipsqueak, Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Princess Luna and more.

Thanks to user sqarishoctagon for helping me edit. Soundtrack added via YouTube.

[Image is deceptive, it's not always as sad as the image implies, there's all kinds of moods, but this is a pic I'm proud of, and it's relevant in parts. Also check this description for more pics as the story unfolds.]

THIS IS A SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT UNIVERSE. I wrote this, starting during late Season 2, so I had to make judgment calls based on the information I had. As such, certain episodes thereafter do not match up, or fit in different places. Consequently, it is a very similar alternate universe. Many events happen in both this and the show timeline, but do not always match. I tried to stay consistent when possible, but certain things were lost to disagreements in interpretation. I like how I wrote my story and will not force it to match what came after I started writing. I've also decided to consider this fluidly finished. I still seem to make updates, but I no longer guarantee them.

[Please, if you read this, let me know what you think. PM me, comment, whatever. I just really want to hear people's thoughts!]

Pictures of the OCs:

Auntie Raincloud: http://fav.me/d57lxyk
Rosy Fields: http://fav.me/d57lxsb
Thunderclap: http://fav.me/d57lxv5
Miss Golden Posey: http://fav.me/d57m7on
Shooting Star: http://fav.me/d57mfah
Lucky Buck: http://fav.me/d57mf6t
Shutter Speed: http://fav.me/d57vow5
Ocean Breeze: http://fav.me/d57ly1b
Maple Woods: http://fav.me/d57m5dq
Sandy Shores: http://fav.me/d57m5gl
Cherry Tart: http://fav.me/d5mb5ch
Blazemane: http://fav.me/d57wlua
Thunderbolt: http://fav.me/d57wm42
Winter Winds: http://fav.me/d57wlwl
Wild Wisp: http://fav.me/d57wm2h
Jasmine Tea: http://fav.me/d6hb1kx
Golden Manchet: http://fav.me/d6hazp7 (Turned out greener than I intended.)

*THANKS TO EVERYONE who has given this a 95+% positive rating after over 3000 views 800 comments and 550 votes! I'm so thankful for your enjoyment of the story!*

Story events/characters that could spoil things:

http://fav.me/d8upn3c - My own art
http://fav.me/d8upn2w - My own art
http://fav.me/d8upf61 - My own art
http://fav.me/d8un0gx - My own art
http://fav.me/d8uqb91 - My own art
http://fav.me/d8urrbn - My own art
http://fav.me/d8uwzxl - My own art -- SPOILERS
http://fav.me/d6h2xa6 - Commissioned
http://fav.me/d6fvi4w - Commissioned
http://fav.me/d6fspin - Commissioned
http://fav.me/d6fp5eb - Commissioned
http://fav.me/d6h7t30 - The photograph from Entry 35. Faded as found.
http://fav.me/d6gcugr - Scootaloo's Family Portrait ca. Entry 43. Commissioned and lovely.
http://fav.me/d8y4c5t - Commissioned art portraying an event from the final two chapters. (Spoilers.)
http://fav.me/d53luw1 - Legitimate fanart. GREATLY appreciated.

http://fav.me/d8wy111 - a picture of Lucky Buck created from an art prompt "Starstruck"

COMPLETE! NOW WITH SEQUEL!Diamond Tiara has moved away to Manehattan leaving behind a lonely and friendless Silver Spoon. Depression slowly sets in, but one Cutie Mark Crusader extends the hoof of friendship. The sequel The Spoon That Refused Polish