In Heaven a spirit doth dwell
"Whose heart-strings are a lute";
None sing so wildly well
As the angel Israfel,
And the giddy stars (so legends tell)
Ceasing their hymns, attend the spell
Of his voice, all mute...

If I could dwell
Where Israfel
Hath dwelt, and he where I,
He might not sing so wildly well
A mortal melody,
While a bolder note than this might swell
From my lyre within the sky.
- Edgar Allan Poe, "Israfel"

Octavia Melody has performed for hundreds of audiences across Equestria, and left every one breathless. She has come so far, become one of the most celebrated musicians in the kingdom, and this concert will be her crowning achievement. Tonight, she will play before the Princesses themselves.

This is not her story.

Cover art by the amazing TheAuthorGl1m0.

Thanks to Belligerent Sock for their critique.

Featured by Equestria Daily on February 24th, 2014.

Featured by The Royal Guard on March 20th, 2014.

[img]http://24.media.tumblr.com/a257ad5165644b1f79354634dfdee284/tumblr_mqo61uYbwk1rj6vd5o1_400.png[/img]

[img]http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o282/Abramus5250/badge_zpseaf496af.gif[/img]

[Please read the author's notes after the expansion before reading. Thank you]

Welcome to the new Equestria, Twilight Sparkle. See your friends at each other's throats? You have to choose between them now, to stop the heartache of war with decisive victory. For the nation lies bleeding, its harmony shattered into a million pieces. Black and white and right and wrong have blurred together.

You must choose wisely, or all shall die.

~Image by JohnJoseco~ If anyone can find a fitting, unique image for this story, please do not hesitate to link in the comments.

[Author's Note]

The following stories should be read in order to get a good grasp on references to previous works.

- Sunset (Mandatory)*
- My Little Muffin (Optional)
- Clash of the Heavenly Titans (Optional)*
- Blood is Thicker / The Reluctant Reunion of the Redoubtable Rabble-Rouser (Strongly Recommended)

All can be found on my Deviant Art account: http://ciroton.deviantart.com/
Those with * can be found here on FIMFiction.

Some things in this world happen by chance. Others do not. Twilight Sparkle is about to learn a disturbing truth that will turn her world upside down.

- Originally written May 2011 for Deviant Art

Reading this story first is strongly recommended:
(Blood is Thicker) http://ciroton.deviantart.com/gallery/26378692#/d3e1ndq

Credits:
~Image by JohnJoseco~ ~Edited by BrotherPrickle on Deviant Art~

After her students release the spirit of Discord on an official field trip, Cheerilee finds herself out of a job. With no opportunities in Ponyville, the schoolmare takes a job offer in the inner city area of Canterlot's old mining town. Can even she overcome the insanities of her colleagues and apathy of her students in time to pass her next annual review? And who is the mysterious backwards-talking filly following Cheerilee around? Luna's School for Disadvantaged Youngsters will never be the same!

Tv Tropes page can be found here.
Cover art based on work by blackgryph0n, used with permissiom.

Twilight Sparkle was quite positive she could handle the job of teaching young unicorn students in Ponyville how to handle their new magic, but when the school’s traveling magic teacher returns to town as scheduled, a series of miscommunications and accidents nearly drive the two of them crazy. Only the power of friendship (and a certain amount of tinkering from the townsponies) can save the day for them and their students before complete disaster strikes, but maybe there is a little more than friendship in store for the two young teachers.
[Comedy][Education][Slice of Cake] Featured on Equestria Daily. With a TV Tropes page and two sequels, The Traveling Tutor and the Diplomat's Daughter and The Traveling Tutor and The Royal Exam.

A lighthearted look at education, young love, dating and buckets of water in the face in that most normal of all small towns, Ponyville.

Caution: Contains bananas, marble chips, jogging, matrimonial planning, romantic interference, intrigue, lesson plans and lots of nuts. A whole town full of them.

Rated I for Innuendo, some drinking, some sleeping together (Just sleeping! Really! Why won’t you believe me?) and a great deal of dunking in the town fountain.

No cupcakes were harmed in the production of this fic. However, a great number were eaten. And they were yummy.

Cover art by Tamalesyotole on DeviantArt
Available in paperback at Lulu.com at cost

This story is a sequel to The Monster in the Twilight

Now that Luna has returned to the throne, and the aftermath of her brief appearance as Nightmare Moon is being cleaned up, the story is over. Right?

Not quite.

Twilight Sparkle had nearly been destroyed in the chaos of Nightmare Moon’s return, but now with the assistance of her five friends, she is facing a fascinating new world filled with wonderful things. No longer the scarred monster who nearly destroyed Canterlot and raged through the Everfree Forest for over a decade, now she has been healed by the Elements of Harmony and is living at the edge of town with her adoptive mother Zecora. Not all the fears of her past can be left behind that easily though, and now she must face the consequences of her actions as she faces the most daunting challenge of her life.

Ponyville.

Letters is a sequel to the alternate universe story The Monster in the Twilight. In this story, Twilight Sparkle exchanges letters with Princess Luna, two ponies with a common problem of fitting in and making friends after the destruction of Nightmare Moon.

Normally I would try to talk you into reading the sequel even if you haven’t read the original story, but in this case, you’ll probably be more confused than entertained. But go ahead. I don’t mind if you don’t read the first story. You’ll never find out what an Urlock is, but that’s fine. It’s your funeral.

Editing Assistance by Alicorn Priest, Peter and Tek

Credit for the incredible picture All Night Study Group goes to Bibliodragon at Deviantart

Physical books are available on Lulu.com (up to Chapter 82)
Letters From a Little Princess Monster (Paperback) 726 pages
Letters From a Little Princess Monster (Massive Hardback) 780 pages

When Twilight Sparkle slipped beneath the covers last night, everything had been fine. She had friends whom she loved, a teacher she adored, and a bright future ahead of her. But when she woke up, her blankets and quilts had been replaced by hospital gowns and padded restraints.

Everything is wrong and nothing makes sense; even her friends have changed. The doctors keep telling her that she is sick, that none of it was real and that it was all in her head. Yet she remembers a life far beyond the hospital walls. She couldn't have made it all up on her own. They must be lying… right?

Ask Asylum Twilight - Still updating regularly!
Equestria Daily
TVTropes
Asylum Fan Group
The Tartarus Project
Russian Translation
The Asylum 20,000 View Spectacular Stage Show!

Art:
Asylum Cover by conicer
Twilight and Twilight Smiles by dreamingnoctis
Mirror Twilight and Plague Doctor by Jaestring / BloodGoldWings
Twilight Smiles and Doctor AJ by conicer
Nurse Ratchet and Silas and What's in the mirror? by Archonix
Doctor AJ Sketch by Archonix | Colored and vectored version by ReFro82
Twilight's Asylum by Khan the Cake Lover
Smilight by HappySwitch
Twilight Waking Up by Dombrus
Fan Art by toxicdemon10
Asylum Twilight by Madness-With-Reason
Asylum Fluttershy and Asylum Ch 26 by Downburst-Backspace
Twilight and her Twin by v747
Birdgirl by sirValter

Readings and Videos:
Asylum Animated Trailer Video by formuladash
Reading by Gammarobot (SugarCubeRadio): All Chapters Here
Reading by Ender Brony: All Chapters Here
Reading by VisualPony: All Chapters Here
Reading by MelancholyIguana: All Chapters Here
Fan Trailer by Kaidan: Asylum FanFic Trailer Cuckoo's Nest

Sanctuary by Kaidan
Broadhoof Files: Dr. Humors by TypewriterError
Broadhoof Files: Corporal Phalanx Spear (Ret.) by Phalanx Spear
A Hearth's Warming Tragedy by Seven Fates

A special thanks to Breath of Plagues, Rex Ivan,
ChudoJogurt, Cynewulf, Death the Kid, Selbi, PrinceDolph, Blahman2816, Queue, and Gage!

Axan Zenith - Dr. Dreamer
Dratini4 - Way Finder
psychicscubadiver - Bright Mind
Velkaden - Dream Chaser
Reese - Silver Glow
Viola Heartstrings - Clover
Archonix - Spinney Whiteacre

Princess Celestia always knew that Twilight Sparkle was destined for great things, but she never revealed the source of that knowledge, not even to those closest to her. When the day of Twilight's true destiny finally arrives, can Celestia fulfill an ancient promise to save Equestia's past, present, and future, even it means saying goodbye to Twilight forever? How can Celestia refuse her mother's last wish?

Art by the inimitable Harwick

We all know the story of how the Princess’ young student and five friends defeated Nightmare Moon and brought Princess Luna back to our lands. But what if the tale were false? What if the young Twilight Sparkle on the event of her entrance exam had not been rescued by Princess Celestia, but instead lost her mind among the power of her youthful surge and had to be sent away, far away before she could destroy all of Canterlot with her newfound power. Now the feral unicorn prowling the Everfree Forest only vaguely remembers her past, slipping away from constant terrifying attempts to capture her.

And she is beginning to remember what true power felt like.

Editors include: Peter, Justin, Featherprop, Mitch H, and Bad Horse
Featured on Equestria Daily
Reviewed by Chris on One Man's Pony Ramblings and by Paul Asaran on his review blog
Now with a TV Tropes page

Physical books are available on Lulu.com
Monster in the Twilight (Paperback) 272 pages
Monster in the Twilight (Hardback)

Princess Celestia had a good day. Luna had been going out more often and was becoming quite fond of nightclubs, her dear niece Cadance had formally announced her pregnancy—though, privately, Celestia felt she was too young to be a great aunt—and, of course, Twilight, her beloved former student, had taken on her first student and Celestia couldn't be prouder! Yes, it had been a good day.

Celestia Sol woke up much like she did every day the morning: sun waking her as it danced upon her eye lids. Wait, the sun? Celestia's eyes snapped open to reveal she was in Twilight's old room in the observatory. On the other side of the room was a smaller bed where a small dusky unicorn was drooling on her pillow.

Clearly, it must be Tuesday.

Preread and edited by Stahl, Kinsley, and Jumbled