Cutie Marks are an everyday, but extremely important aspect of pony life. They showed a pony’s greatest skills and talents, interests and aspirations, some would go so far as to say that they allowed a glimpse at a pony’s very soul itself.

If you could interpret the darned things, that is. Something that, more often than not, was easier said than done, especially when one considers the myriad of ways even the simplest of symbols can be interpreted and analyzed, and the many, many meanings even the most basic of marks could have.

As such, upon making three strange new friends with very similar and unique-looking Cutie Marks, young Singing Blossom couldn’t help but wonder: What did their Cutie Marks mean?

This is a Canon-Compliant Omake for my story The Power of Freedom, meaning that basically what happens here happened off-screen in the main story.

In this, we see Singing finally getting her answer to the question she first tried to ask Ganondorf during chapter V, about what his Cutie Mark means.

Timeline wise this tale took place around chapters XI to XII of the main story.

Beta Reader: The Amazing Emtu!

Featured! 05/28/2021;05/29/2021; 05/30/2021

Ganondorf, King of Thieves, Lord of Darkness, Master of Evil and Wielder of the Triforce of Power, had long since grown thoroughly and completely bored with the path the gods had decreed for his destiny.

Time after time it was always the same, try and unite the Triforce, plunge the world into darkness for a time, search out and then kidnap Princess Zelda, watch his minions be defeated one after another and then finally battle Link for supremacy. Rinse and repeat.

All the while knowing that regardless of winning or losing, that no matter what he did or didn’t do, that in the end everything would end up repeating itself in another time and place afterwards, again, and again and again, in an utterly pointless never ending cycle.

Having decided that enough was finally enough, and refusing to continue to be a simple pawn at the hands of the gods, he vowed he would find a way to escape from his cumbersome destiny, a way to start anew far beyond the meddling grasp of the gods, a way to reach a realm upon which he could be the master of his own fate.

And after years of careful planning he had finally succeeded.

Sure, the fact he had to drag the know-it-all Princess and the green obsessed Hero along for the ride for his plan to work was a minor inconvenience, but he knew that sometimes sacrifices had to be made. And the fact that this new realm apparently decided to turn him and his two unwilling companions into miniature pastel colored ponies upon arrival also wasn’t exactly part of the plan, but he could cope.

After all, that was a negligible price to pay in achieving his deepest wish: freedom.

In this story Ganondorf, having grown sick of following through the motions his destiny placed before him as the eternal bad guy to be defeated time after time, seeks out to escape from his fate by breaking through the void between dimensions and running away from Hyrule to another realm entirely, Equestria, all the while dragging both Link and Zelda along for the ride.

Arriving long before the founding of the country, back before the events of Heart’s Warming Eve and at the highest point of the conflict between the Three Tribes, he and his two new companions will have to deal with a whole new world and it’s wonders and dangers. All the while this new magical world will have to learn to deal with its three new strange inhabitants in kind.

Just a warning: This is NOT a Displaced fic. All three main characters are the actual characters from the Zelda series that have been taken to Equestria due to Ganondorf’s master plan, and not humans turned into them.

Beta Reader: The Amazing Emtu!
Cover Art: The Incredible swagmu!
Proofreader: The relentless TranquilClaws! (From chp I - XXV)

Featured for the first time! 07/06/2018 to 07/11/2018

Now with a TvTropes page!

Edit: Crossposting at Royalroad where I have the same username.

Anon had a bad feeling when he saw the ice cream machine outside Firmly Asked Questions. Not only was the world softer and fluffier than he had anticipated, but he would also have to watch his weight.
{This story has two versions, the last chapter is the first person version.}
(RGRE)

Nightmare Moon's return was cause for a lot a fear and panic. A lot of Chaos. Isn't it possible, nay probable, that all of that might have reached a certain draconequus statue? A certain draconequus that, once free, is a bit confused about what happened, and decides to investigate into who alicorn-napped Celestia and stole his shtick. When he realizes its Luna as what he dubs "The Eternal Prom Night Queen" (among other things) that's when things get interesting.

Watch how things unhold for the Mane 6, the Princesses, and all of Equestria when Discord not only gets free during Nightmare Moon's return, but also playing a major role in stopping her and saving the day. And seriously, what now, princess? Going to stone the hero while pardoning the villain?

This will be a Rewrite of the series. Don't worry though, Discord may seem nicer than he should be, but he is more curious than anything.

PS I'm honestly not sure if I'm using the correct tags, so they may or may not change in later chapters.
PSS Not sure how important this is, but I've seen other authors list it:
Featured December 26-31, 2015

Discord never betrayed Equestria for Tirek, aiding in returning the magic to all the drained unicorns. As a result, Celestia deems him ready of a "small" gift: The Archduchy of the Everfree, technically making him the highest noble under the princesses.

Naturally, this shocks everypony, including Discord himself. Now of course his lands will some have some chaotic magic and strange laws in effect, but that doesn't mean he doesn't take the noble thing a little seriously. Why is anypony's guess, but it'll be entertaining to watch.

Just for Harmony and the Sisters, Discord decided to take things a bit seriously the second time around.

Now seemingly unopposable on his Chaos Throne, King Discord has all of Equestria at his clawtips.

His very first decree? The very first royal act of chaos? The moment that may define his reign?

Pardoning Mane Six.

Wait, what?

Discord's reign will be filled with surprises, chief being how the draconequus is far from malevolent to those in his lands, despite what the ponies have been told. It seems that while Equestria belongs to Discord now, but he does play(mostly) responsibly.

And as time goes on, the appeal of Chaos can worm its way into most any heart.

NOTE: Not a tyrantlestia fic.

Searching for any records King Sombra may have left behind, Twilight learned of the shadowy king's tragic past. However, she also discovered his horn, in which his mind and remaining power were contained. Determined to learn how to use his Dark Magic for Good, Twilight brought Sombra back to Ponyville with her. After all, what could he possibly do as a horn? ...Or will he stay that way?

Edited by Darth Vendar and Myrkur
Inspired by Issue #1 of FIENDship is Magic
Gore tag just to be safe.

Edit 06/15/23: Now in the top 2K stories on the site, by rating! Thank you all!

Following the return of the Crystal Empire, Twilight begins some intensive research into the history of the Empire and its late king. Modern historians know next to nothing about the enigmatic dark mage. Who was he? Did he have family? Loved ones?

The answers to those questions changes everything the Element of Magic knows about herself, and in doing so catches the attention of a shadow that yet clings to the frailty of life...

Cover art made by Skijarama!
Reading can be found here.
Edited by RC2101_Copey.
Featured on 20/10/2018.
Russian Translation: Here

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!

"Ponykind must have run out of colours when they finally got to this pony. Everything from his mane to his ass was all seven colours of gloom and doom. He was so dark and brooding he probably ate glittery emos and shat vampire bats.” - Quote of the Week

1000 years the ponies have prayed for a saviour to deliver them, whether it was their long lost sun goddess Celestia, or even Nightmare Moon, maybe even the chaos lord Discord, anypony! After suffering under the yoke of a tyrant god for so long, they decided any saviour will do, even a dark demonic overlord. One unicorn sorceress finally decides to take matters into her own hooves. She sets out to the frozen ruins of a long lost Empire in the Crystal Mountains bearing a grand sacrifice of 1000 ponies in an attempt to summon the dark demonic overlord of the Crystal Empire.

When the dark ritual turned up a blank, the universe decides to shuffle in the next best thing. Will he rise up to the expectations of his newfound flock? He'd better, and quickly, for the tyrant god's inquisition is out to get him and the 1000 'blasphemers' involved in his summoning. With a nation to build and an evil tyrant god to fight, never has there been a taller order to fill. But it's alright, he's a dark demonic overlord, right? He quickly finds that with some smokes and mirrors and the help of 1000 very magical ponies, anyone can look the part, even an entirely magic-inert pizza delivery dude.

Now a long-haul fic! Many thanks to everyone who convinced me to make this a reality!

Many many thanks to the Editing team, Dumbgamer99, Not A Hat, and Brad The Brony. Be sure to thank them by checking out their pages!

Our lovable number one overdude assistant, Crystal Heart, now has a musical theme, aptly titled 'Dual Core A.I.', kindly provided by AdmiralTigerclaw! Epic now comes in an entirely new flavour! Many thanks!

Somebody kindly messaged me and told me I should announce here that the story was featured from 27 - 30th of April. I completely missed that but many thanks for making that possible, everyone!

Cover Art: Placeholder drawn by me. Will be a background for a full cover at some point.