Inspired by Eakin's Time Loop series.

In an alternate timeline where Star Swirl's Chronomantic works were never published and time magic was hushed into non-existence, the stallion learns a bitter reality about his Princesses, and the nature of the truth they guard.

One thousand years later ponies go about their daily lives, and Twilight Sparkle has never questioned the standards set by her mentor. When an unknown entity begins to stalk her from the shadows, attempting to manipulate her to their own ends, forcing that same truth onto her, will that faith stand?

--

Cover Art is AI generated.

Twilight Sparkle always found comfort in schedules and routines. Her daily life was so by the book, even when she'd need to see to official princess business, one could say it was almost written before she even woke up.

But when that routine is changed, interrupted, alternated and suspended, Twilight finds she will have a lot more on her plate than simply running Equestria.

Today marks the beginning of Twilight's really bad day.

===

If you like this story and would like to support me, click here: Tip Jar!

The Friendship Games are over, magic in the human world is once again under control (sort of), and Sunset Shimmer is looking forward to a nice, relaxing celebration with all her friends, both old and new.

Too bad she ends up stuck on repeat; living the same night over and over with no idea why and even less idea how to make it stop.

Forced to watch her closest friends live out the same mistakes again and again, Sunset must find a way to break the cycle before she herself breaks down... but is the solution as simple as it first appears, or is the wild Equestrian magic stirring in her soul a sign of something more?

Coverart compiled by my actual waifu (hands off, Sentry!) MelloReflections.

When Twilight Sparkle learns that her assignment to make friends is the most essential one, she has a panic attack that results in a magic surge, one that puts her in a time loop.

After the timeline goes awry for the eighth time, Twilight Sparkle convinces Starlight Glimmer to journey with her through the most recent world she created, using her alicorn magic potion to safely view one of the tragic timelines. As the world spirals farther and farther out of control, Twilight fears the vision may be doing more to strengthen Starlight's resolve than to bring her to an understanding of her mistakes.

Starlight Glimmer vector by itv-canterlot on Deviantart

A good portion of chapters 1-3 debuted in the Writeoff event "Forbidden Knowledge"

Red tags for mild gore and fantasy violence.

Twilight Sparkle has cast loose the magic of Equestria and has been corrupted into a being that craves knowledge, no matter the cost. So, it’s up to Sunset Shimmer to save the day, right?

Yeah, about that…

Thanks to Tired Old Man, Nova Quill/Firimil, and
Steel Resolvefor their edits and suggestions!

Wonderful cover art by shonuff44!

This story takes place during the Season Five finale, "The Cutie Re-Mark". As such, there are spoilers ahead.

Starlight Glimmer's plan is working. All she has to do is upset Rainbow Dash's rainboom-creating race in the past, and Twilight Sparkle's connection with her friends will be severed. And she's done it. Repeatedly. Sure, Twilight can go back in time to try and stop her, but Starlight will always be brought back as well. No matter what Twilight tries, no matter how many times she returns, she can't stop Starlight. They're evenly-matched, and it's much easier to disrupt events than it is to preserve them.

That means Starlight wins, right?

When ponies start appearing all across Equestria claiming to have traveled from the future, Twilight Sparkle and her friends must uncover what is going on. Why do the time-travelling ponies all die after only a few moments? How did they travel through time at all? Just what has happened to the future they are coming from?

Meanwhile there is growing turmoil in the Crystal Empire as there are increasing reports of attacks made by ponies formed of strange black crystal. As the ponies of Equestria grow more nervous about the events surrounding them, Twilight is faced with the most important question of all: Can the future even be changed?

Act I of Fragmentation of Harmony

Practice makes perfect. And Princess Twilight wants everything to be perfect. Especially the end of the world.

How would things be different if Twilight had never made it to Ponyville? Twilight Sparkle finds out just how different things could be when she is forced to travel to her own past while chasing down a mystery; a plot to erase Princess Twilight Sparkle from history.

Landing in a time just weeks after the one thousandth Summer Sun Celebration, she finds a world shrouded in an eternal night, where the Elements of Harmony were never recovered. Can she fix the things that should have, but didn't happen? Or is this Equestria destined to head down a different path?

Chinese Translation by Hell Organist