Once upon a time, ponies lived in Paradise. At least, that's what the stories say.

Expanded from the second-place finalist entry in the 2023 Iron Author competition at Everfree Northwest.

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

Applejack has a secret, for years now she has snuck out into the woods with a pig in tow, in order to indulge in her secretive food fantasy: truffles. Knowing that she would never hear the end of it for the supposedly country-pony enjoying such a fancy food, she has done her best to keep her secret hidden. That is until Fluttershy begins to grow suspicious of her friend’s actions, and quickly jumps to the most logical conclusion upon investigation...

A huge thank you to the incredibly talented Alsey for creating the cover art and for providing proof-reading and advice. They are incredibly talented, and I highly suggest you check out their work. Thank you also to Aremna for proof-reading and editing, they are also incredibly talented. Check out both of their incredible stories!

Twilight becomes alicorn of the stars. This is sort of a problem, because Luna kind of already was alicorn of the stars. Oops!

TV Tropes

"Between the time when the oceans drank Marelantis and the rise of the Elements of Harmony there was an age undreamed of.  And unto this Celestia!  Destined to bear the jewelled crown of Equestria upon a troubled brow.  It is I, her chronicler, who alone can tell thee of her saga. Let me tell you of the days of high adventure!"

Celestia is many things to her little ponies: princess, leader, and teacher, to name a few.  Yet her past is unknown to her subjects, lost to the depths of time.  After she passes her crown to her student she descends into a place unvisited for over a thousand years, and there remembers a time before the Magic of Friendship, before Equestria, and before the Elements of Harmony -- the Hyponian Age.

It was an era of cruelty, violence, and hope.  Into this harsh world, Celestia the Cimmareian ventured out alone in search of gold, glory, and adventure.  The Tower of the Fallen Star and the horrors within await.

Cover art by EZTP, commissioned by Yours Truly.

Pre-read by SockPuppet, Steel Quill, and Sledge115. Thank you to all in the site's Discord who helped bring this idea to life.

We have many tales of Celestia the Princess, Celestia the Ruler, Celestia the Lover. This is a Celestia who can keep the pages turning all day long.

-Steel Quill

The relationship between Celestia and Hydia, the Queen of the Lamias, goes back quite a ways: Hydia was the first of Equestria's enemies that Celestia consigned to Tartarus instead of killing, after all.

But as the centuries roll on, their relationship changes somewhat.

This was going to be my entry in the 193rd Writeoff competition, "How the Mighty Have Fallen," but I didn't get it finished before the deadline. Then along came the My Little Pony Renaissance Contest with its theme of "Change," and, well, here we are!

Love is one feeling that can never be taken from someone's heart. No matter how many years of separation, no matter what wrongs were done in the past, no matter how much enmity exists between two ponies, love will always stand; at least that's what Nightmare Moon is hoping for. 700 years ago was the last time she had seen her sister Celestia, and her departing words had simply been 'I love you'. Now, after so long, Nightmare Moon's heart longs for its other half; and thus, she has brought Celestia back from the far away, magically void lands she cast her to so long ago. Now, she wonders if her sister will ever find it in her heart to forgive her for what she's done, and if their lives together can ever resume as they once had.

Takes place 300 years before when Luna would have returned from her banishment to the moon, and takes place in a universe where Nightmare Moon was never banished in the first place.

TVTropes Page!
Thanks everyone for getting the story to the feature box! (12/10/16)
This is now my 1st story to have broken 200 likes! Thank you all so much!
SPOILERS IN THE COMMENTS

Rarity's exploits in "Sweet and Elite" set in motion a chain of events that will find the unicorn dressmaker taking part in the greatest airship race in the world, the Alicorn's Cup. Excitement will give way to terror, as Rarity soon finds herself the victim of a plot against Equestria, and shipwrecked far from home with her least favorite stallion, the boorish Prince Blueblood. Rarity will learn of treachery in Canterlot and abroad, and will have search for something of substance beneath the prince's obnoxious veneer as she struggles to not only save herself, but her entire nation.

Part One of Three
The Adamant Triskelion - Book One: The Flight of the Alicorn
The Adamant Triskelion - Book Two: The Abyssal Forge
The Adamant Triskelion - Book Three: ???

On secret assignment from Princess Celestia herself, Twilight investigates a powerful magical artifact for clues to the mystery of Luna's transformation in the evil Nightmare Moon. Incautious use of the artifact sends Twilight hurtling back in time. Can Twilight discover what caused Luna's transformation? And will she ever make it home again?

Kickass cover art used with permission from Bitz.
http://allthebitz.tumblr.com/

In the wake of the events of "Infernal Machines" and the Nightmare's most pathetic assault on Ponyville yet, Applejack is thrown into an existential crisis, despite her not knowing what the word "existential" means. So when a stranger named Stranger arrives in town, teaching a new way of coupling talent to power using complex machinery, she is quickly suckered in, along with everypony else. Now, it falls to the Most Dependable of Ponies to bring the resulting ruckus down to earth, but can even Applejack's legendary pragmatism stand up to the brain-fizzing horror that is... CONTRAPTIONOLOGY?

Now with a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi!