It shouldn't have been a big deal. Celestia was kidnapped or knocked out or just generally made to seem powerless by whatever idiot with ill intent decided to show up on a nearly weekly basis. As the mighty and immortal Sun Princess, she could escape at any time, but she was happy to play these little games. The daring rescues and bloodless battles gave her ponies such a sense of confidence and purpose!
But this one didn't go as planned. One small, stupid mistake got her thrown to the twisted reaches of the world-prison, Tartarus. Now alone, unarmed, and barely more than mortal, Celestia wakes in a living landscape where everything has every reason to hate her.
And, far worse, she has accidentally picked up a passenger.

Sidenote: This a repost (I tried to go through official channels, I promise!) of a story I wrote long, long ago on an account I foolishly deleted. Back in those days, Tartarus hadn't shown up in an actual episode yet. It's not exactly an alternate universe situation, but it has nothing to do with the canon portrayal of the place.

Super amazing cover art by Cold In Gardez.

Twilight learns what comes after life ends.

Winner of the Happy Stories Speedwriting Contest, written in 60 minutes.

Do you want to learn to sharpen your skills as a writer? Then join the speedwriting Discord channel!

What began as a studious endeavor into the origins of tribal magic quickly becomes rife with bedraggled exhaustion as a strange message invades Twilight's dreams, forcing her research to take a drastic new course that leads her on an adventure all across Equestria. For every answer she finds, yet more mysteries arise. What is the source of the daunting dreams which plague her at every moment's rest? Will she see with eyes unclouded... or lose sight of what's truly important?

Written by PsychicKid
Edited by Ember Heartshine
Cover art by Prince-Lionel (http://Prince-Lionel.deviantart.com)
Cover text, insert music, & special thanks: Cadenza Heartsong (https://www.youtube.com/c/Heartsong)
Pre-reader chapter 31: Floral Spring

Links to my story's music can be found below. They are intended to be paired with certain chapters/sections of the story, and emphasize a specific location, so give them a listen for extra ambience! Their paired chapters are indicated by the link URL. All songs produced by Cadenza Heartsong.

Amethyst Hollow - Chapters 7-9

Peacegrove Village - Chapters 12-19

Cloudsbane - Chapters 25-27

Takes place after S7/The Movie, but before S8. Story was drafted when S8 was brand new, so it does not take anything from S8 and later into account.

Just before her crowning moment, Twilight Sparkle's life is derailed by a message from Star Swirl with excerpts from his journal that he swears he's never written... at least, not yet.

Commissioned by Archangel of the Silent.

WARNING: Contains Shenanigans!

It's time for Twilight to learn how to raise the sun too.

Written for the Writeoff's Keep Pretending prompt.

Twilight Sparkle's long journey had been aimless. Formless. A search for something she could not, or would not name. Her living, singing ship had plied the void for so long with no destination in sight.

But everything is different now. This is a mission of mercy.

Thank you to TheMaskedFerret for her help, and for being a friend when I needed one. And for ScarletWeather, who also read this and is also very good.
Cover Art from the animated "Echoes of the Past". Watch.

I'd do just about anything to help my faithful assistant and dearest friend with his problems, but this time I may be out of my depth. Something's wrong with Spike... very wrong, and I'm not sure I can fix it on my own. I don't know what's going on, but I'm worried about him. Some of the things he's been saying lately... they scare me.

I'm afraid for him... and I think I might be afraid of him.

Why do ponies dream? Why do we all seem to dream the same dreams?

What if we started to dream new things?

Discord said he wanted to make our dreams more interesting. Add some spice to our boring nocturnal lives. Nothing dangerous – just a bit of excitement to talk about in the mornings.

"Stop worrying so much, Twilight Sparkle," he said. "After all, dreams never hurt anypony."

How I wish he’d been right.

Gold Medalist in the Under the Sun Writeoff Event.

Now with Russian translation, courtesy of Cloud Ring! https://darkpony.space/the-archetypist-1/

Words and actions can sometimes hurt more than we know, sowing betrayal and hatred where friendship and innocence lies. A single thoughtless action can be a tipping point, one fallen domino setting off hundreds. Look back, and answer me.

(Brand-spanken new) TvTropes page here
Story theme is Chronophobia

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.