As the Princess of Canterlot, the Mistress of the Sun, and the most beloved ruler of Equestria, it could be assumed that Princess Celestia was the pony who ran Equestria. Few people know that she actually doesn't.

Her assistant, Raven Inkwell, does. And Equestria would be nothing without her.

This story is a sequel to The Adventures of Schadenfreude

Schadenfreude goes to get a pizza for Blueblood. It goes about as regularly as a fiberless diet.

(With a special guest! Kind of. It gets weird. You've been warned.)

Twilight Sparkle accomplished something incredible, something not even the great Starswirl could manage. But ascension into the ranks of Equestria's princesses is not without its difficulties. Before she can take her place as princess of Friendship, Twilight must travel to the underworld and make a ceremonial offering to Death in exchange for her immortality. Twilight is more than a little surprised to discover the identity of the pony under the hood.

After years living in Ponyville and getting to know her friends, Twilight always assumed they were exactly what they seemed: a group of friendly and ambitious ponies. But as it turns out, the sort of pony who saves Equestria and decodes the ancient mysteries of Starswirl is likely to attract ponies a tad more interesting.

Updates on the 3rd or 4th Friday of every month, then daily until that section is complete.

Editing by Two Bit and Sparktail. Cover by Zutcha.

When the sky over the Crystal Empire is split open by a dark tear, Celestia, Cadance, Luna and Twilight must figure out a way to stop it. But in order to defeat darkness, sometimes you NEED darkness. And that leaves only one option; Sombra.

With his powers under lock down, and a growing connection to the strange darkness, can Sombra learn what it really takes to earn an empires respect, or will he abandon them to the darkness from another world?

UPDATED: Chapter one re-formatted, extra bits added, general tidying.

Edited by Dream Seeker!
Further helped into readableness by Hail King Sombra!

Sombra, or whatever it is the Crystal Heart left behind, has ventured forth and conquered his new domain behind the till at a McTrotnald's joint in Manehattan. As he seeks to consolidate and expand his newfound kingdom he quickly finds a host of potential new subjects to subjugate befriend. If only they weren't mostly mafia, bat gangs, changeling yakuza and bicycle ponies complete wackos after his hot sexy plot power and might....

Coco Pommel, a decent definitely-not-thestral, lives a decent life, works a decent job, earns a decent living. She is certain the fashion house she works for, Mane Event, is going places, even if it's currently stuck on the second floor above a McTrotnald's joint. She is oblivious to the fact that she is the much-coveted object of adoration of many stallions. She is oblivious to many things. But she finds it hard to be oblivious to the ruckus that comes from that fast food restaurant downstairs, harder still to resist getting dragged in...

Neither expected to ever end up stuck together, at least not this way. But as they quickly learn, there's no living on expectations in the poor but lively Manehattan slums of the Four Hooves District. Together with the band of misfits and social outcasts that make up their lives they must go out and seize it - their Midnight Empire.

Contains the following strong themes underneath: struggling against oppression, discrimination and biggotry, poverty and desperation,. This is a story of unity in diversity, of love and friendship that transcends differences, and the pursuit of freedom.

Now exponentially more epic thanks to our favourite editor Dumbgamer99 who has kindly returned to do another of my works. Be sure to thank him by checking out his page!

Featured 4/7/14 - 6/7/14! Many thanks to everyone who made this possible!

Written to the tune of The Manehattan Smile by Matthew Mosier which I think nicely captures the feel of this story.

Cover Art: Oh hey, my ponies actually resemble ponies now. I mean, look, you don't have to turn the pic upside down, close your eyes and imagine the ponies anymore. Previous cover art here.

Given the successful befriending of Discord, Princess Celestia deems that no longer will villains be defeated but instead reformed. While most have the chance to submit willingly or continue to fight, King Sombra is given little option. Brought back from the dead and stripped of all his powers and strength, it's all become a game of futility. Now Sombra only wishes he could have stayed dead all along.

Edited by spigo.

This story is a sequel to A Process of Elimination

Twilight Sparkle had a secret.

It was a secret that plagued her for years. It was a secret that isolated her. It was a secret that brought her pain, misery, and joy all at once.

It was a secret that gained her the best and only real friend she had ever known.

It was a secret that caused her downfall.

No important political meetings to attend? Check! No letters to answer? Check! A magical and child-safe gift for Flurry Heart that she's sure to love? Check!

Her schedule was clear. Shining and Cadence were off on vacation. She'd prepared all her materials. Twilight Sparkle was more than ready to spend a fun-filled weekend babysitting her favorite niece.

But she wasn't prepared for King Sombra's return. Nopony could prepare to be trapped with him inside a storybook of fairy tales.

And nopony's ever ready for an unhappy ending...

Proofread by: Alicornpriest

Winner of November 2017 NaPoWriMo: Goal of 50k smashed!

Now Featured on Equestria Daily - First hit the Featured Box on April 28th!

To restore their family heritage. Pitch and Sabre have one mission in mind. To rehabilitate their forefather. The master of darks arts, Sombra.

However, they doubt that they only can make him good again as there’s more to him then they hoped. Namely, his first act upon freedom is to ensure the Crystal Empire with fear and kidnap Princess Twilight Sparkle.

While Canterlot watches the Crystal Empire intensively. Surely the famed Princess of Friendship can help Pitch and Sabre reform Sombra?

Velvet Sparkle and her family are relaxing away from the hustle and intrigue of Canterlot, when her foster grand-foal falls ill. To help pass the time and comfort the filly, Velvet recounts the story of her younger years. It is a tale filled with loss and heart-ache, vengeance and redemption, hatred and love, and a small filly, lost in a land vastly different from Equestria, that just wanted to go home. A tale whose origins were formed before the founding of Equestria itself, and the struggle that birthed the great nation.

It is the story of how Velvet Sparkle met the Queen in Stone.

A Myths and Birthrights side story.

Edited by Honey Mead
Art by Companda