My name is Twilight Sparkle.
I am three hundred and seventy five years old.
Except for Spike, all my friends are dead...But not for long

Betrayed by Celestia, and isolated in her castle with only Spike for support, Twilight Sparkle enacts a powerful spell to reincarnate the element bearers through her own body.
Her friends will be reborn, and, with the trials of being a mother to her friends ahead of her, an unraveling secret from the past following her at every turn, and the possibility of a brand new life so close in reach, Twilight just might be reborn too.

Credit for both the inspiration for this story and cover picture go to
Crystal Leviathan

Red Team had been given an assignment. It wasn't the usual sort of assignment. They were assigned to defend their base 'until further notice'...and then never received notice. All announcements sounded pre-recorded, and enemy assaults were few and far between. The enforced inactivity was slowly fraying the bonds of the team...

...until something unexpected arrived. A tiny creature appears one day in their fortress, in need of compassion and care. Somehow, she finds that in this group of strange individuals, as she becomes their baby.

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Crossover with Team Fortress 2.
Part of the PWNY-verse.

Edit: Since I get these comments a lot, I will say here, I've never played the game and don't intend to include much in the way of game mechanics, so please don't suggest such things.

Edit 2: FAN ART! for chapter 9 by G_Haze. Makes me so happy.
Edit 3: More fan art from G_Haze, This guy's amazing!
Edit 4: New fan art! by The Pyromanecer. Thanks so much!
Edit 5: More fan art by shiningkord98.
Edit 6: New Fan Art by The Pyromancer
Edit 6: More awesome fan art from G_Haze! So awesome!
Edit 7: New fan art by Pioneering Author

Both Link and Epona race to fight evil once again, however once they make it to the thing that is behind all the monsters that roam Hyrule, they get a big surprise. Once again, Equestria is threatened by evil and Link is once again called to the line of duty. Isn't he?
~~~
[NOTES]
I will add tags as I go along.
Cover image was made by Aeroflyte on DeviantArt, which can be found here, go check him out.
Now edited by these people: m2pt5 and Crescent Quills!
Based off of the Ocarina of Time timeline (which includes Majora's Mask), but takes a few aspects from Twilight Princess.
~~~

Nightmare Moon won. She defeated Celestia, broke the Elements, banished the sun. This all happened a very long time ago. So long ago, that she has had plenty of time to change her mind.

Of course, fixing our mistakes is never so simple, and never without consequences. Even with particularly potent help.

"If you came to conquer, you'll be king for a day. / But you too will deteriorate and quickly fade away."
— "No Control" by Bad Religion

A big thanks to Craine, Sorren, and Idylia for prereading and editing. If you enjoyed the story, don't forget to check out their pages.

Equestria Daily
Royal Canterlot Library (FIMfic version)
Russian translation by Doof
Chinese translation by Dreams Set Free

Kitsune Heart has done a dramatic reading of this story! Find it over here.
ObabScribbler has done a dramatic reading of this story! It includes a full cast of voice actors. Find it over here.

Comments contain spoilers.

After the defeat of Tirek, Equestria is safe once more, but Luna can sense that her sister is troubled. When Celestia retreats to the starry realm of ascension in order to look upon the past, Luna joins her to discover what is bothering her.

There is now a Spanish translation of this story, courtesy of Spaniard Kiwi

One year after her coronation, Princess Twilight Sparkle is dead, killed by her own subjects out of fear and jealously. After the funeral, Princess Celestia isolated herself from the world, mourning the loss of her brightest student and daughter figure.

But she cannot weep forever. She must take control of her duties once more. Haunted by the memories of the assassination, and its aftermath, Celestia slowly makes her way to Twilight's resting place to find some closure.

Now With its own TV Tropes Page!

Sequel is up

This story is a sequel to Past Sins

Hearth's Warming is a time for friends and family to come together, celebrate harmony, and welcome the new year. Nyx is looking forward to just this as she rides the train to Canterlot with Spike and Twilight. She's going to meet her extended family for the first time and wants nothing more than to make a good impression. Yet, the sheen of the holidays can't hide the trouble caused by meddling grandparents, relentless reporters, and a paranoid uncle.

On a dark night filled with even darker magics, an insane cult attempts to give Nightmare Moon a body and life of her own, utterly separate from Princess Luna. But, when the spell is interrupted by Celestia, something unexpected is created.

Now, a little black alicorn filly named Nyx finds herself living under the care of Twilight Sparkle, only to be haunted by memories and emotions from her past. Is she Nightmare Moon reborn or is she simply a doppelganger with a soul and mind of her own? Can Twilight Sparkle protect Nyx from those who refuse to see past her dragon eyes and black coat?

Or, will Nyx be forced to inherit the sins that may not even be hers and become the greatest evil Equestria has ever known?

Twilight has discovered a new spell to use in tandem with the Elements of Harmony. Its intent is to reveal more of the mysteries behind the artifacts. Yet once the spell is cast will the mane six be able to deal with the consequences? What will they learn when they come face to face with the very virtues they claim to embody? The Mane six will have to face their greatest challenge yet. The Elements of Harmony themselves.

(Cover art done by CSIMadmax)

(Featured on 1/6/2014)

(Also big thanks to Coppercore for help editing my ramblings!)

When your life is as dull a gray as the world that surrounds you, the mundanities can make it all seem meaningless. Sometimes all we need is a little color -- or six -- to reintroduce us to what truly makes life worth living.

*6-16-2017 Edit, added Rainbow Dash tag because it triggered knighty.*