Being an alicorn is wonderful... except when it isn't. There are plenty of things that put a damper on limitless vistas of possibility afforded by such a long life: Court, mortal needs and expectations, the occasional decade of ennui.

And the dreams, of course. Agelessness comes with its own special kind of dreaming. Celestia finds that her own "Inner Court" is a bit too literal, and it--and she--are troubled at the prospect of a near-immortal Twilight Sparkle.

If only she could articulate exactly why that was.

art by spectralunicorn

Part of the Monophysite Quartet, which also includes Celestia Isn't Real, Have You Considered My Servant, Twilight?, and The Esoteric Rites of Darkness. All four stories have a common origin point in an old story idea I called "Monophysite" and touch on who or what Celestia really is in some way. They are otherwise unrelated.

It's been said in prophecies that nopony will know the time or date the magic of Equestria that empowers its citizens would leave. I thought it was just superstitious nonsense written by ancient witch doctors. In a sense, they were right. But I would have never expected it to come like this. —Princess Twilight Sparkle, 05/05/1268

AU tag added due to the Cutie Mark Crusaders getting Cutie Marked.

There is a hidden village deep within the untamed forest surrounding Neighagara Falls. Should one ever journey to this village, those who live there will welcome them for a simple price: love.

When the village accepts a new family from Cloudsdale, a not-quite-altruistic pair of changeling siblings offer a young filly friendship and a chance to find her place in the strange village she hopes to call home.

New cover art done by Arcticwaters.

In the space of two days, Princess Twilight Sparkle completely overthrew Sunset Shimmer's dominance as the queen of Canterlot High. That Sunset's rule of several years folded quickly to a culturally-ignorant person of another species entirely is suspect, along with her decision to invade Equestria, and her immediate redemption at the hands of the Elements.

What if all this inconsistency was deliberate, to hide Sunset's real master plan?

NOT Rainbow Rocks compliant.

A head full of romance is what many Canterlot ponies would call a frivolous waste of time. Everypony was meant to play by the rules of high society: keep your nose in the air, laugh at important ponies' jokes, and attend all of the right parties. Upper Crust and Jet Set had been diligent in raising their daughter Crystal Wishes to be a pony everypony would know, but she wanted more out of life than that. She hoped she would someday meet a handsome prince and fall in love, just like in the stories she wrote.

Crystal knew life wasn't as easy as a foal's tale, but that didn't stop her from dreaming. All of the wishes, hopes, and dreams inside her heart escaped into her precious notebook as she wrote about princesses in power and dashing knights. So long as nopony found out her secret, she could continue to play the part of a dutiful daughter while waiting for her own love story to begin.

What makes a victim and what makes a villain?

After their defeat at the Battle of the Bands, the Dazzlings retreat into self-confinement to lick their wounds whilst they reassess their entire strange and fated lives from their beginnings in Equestria, up to the present. However, learning how to cope with the world and each other—living an immortal life in a powerless body—might just be more than any of them can bear.

Lines are blurred in this dark, historical, novelesque sirens origin story of innocence lost, heartache, betrayal, hope, and of course, beautiful music.
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(Featured on Equestria Daily: 7/11/15)
(Featured on FIMFiction front page: 9/23/16)

Everypony has a story. Some tell of heroic feats and grand adventure. Others tell of villainy against the forces of Harmony. The story of an average guard, however, is one of obscurity. They live in the background, unnoticed but ever-present.

Silent Knight assumed his tale would be like that of his father's: join the Royal Guard and serve Equestria. He would be just another helmet and spear, part of the rank and file. And that was all he ever wanted.

However, when Captain Shining Armor asked for volunteers to form a House Guard for the recently returned Princess Luna, it was Silent's hooves that stepped forwards to set his new life in motion.

This story is a sequel to There's No Place Like Home

Since she was born, Trixie believed she would achieve greatness, but life had always conspired against her with setbacks. First, she was forced to drop out of school. Then her reputation was ruined, and next she fell under the influence of a dark magical artifact. Finally, her father was killed in a tragic incident.

Years later, the taint of the Alicorn Amulet is gone, but having felt the power of Princesses once before, Trixie hungers for it yet again, and she takes to exploring Equestria. With her will renewed, Trixie is ready to let the dice roll, knowing there will be no third chance if she fails. In Phantasia, a mare shall defy destiny.

Begins in media res. Absolutely no knowledge required out of the prequel, but one small plot point will be spoiled by Chapter 2 (Midsummer). Ignores post-Season 4. Cover Art by Malifikyse