This story is a sequel to Winds of the Past

Before moving to Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle's life was anything but eventful... her usual days chocked full of meticulous planning and rigorous studying.

That was until three years ago, when the ever faithful pupil of Princess Celestia teamed up with five other unique mares to stop the tyrannical Nightmare Moon from bringing about everlasting night. She and her newfound friends had many adventures in the years that ensued, learning all about the magic of friendship: its ups, downs... but most importantly, how it could grow into so much more.

Life is seemingly perfect for the group of six friends, and yet for Twilight... why does everything feel so wrong...? After glimpsing potential memories of herself and her friend Rainbow Dash—that otherwise shouldn't exist—she begins to question whether the life she's known is a lie. Some of her friends start acting strangely whenever she tries to question them, while others downplay her concern or outright deny it. What's more, unfamiliar, yet warm feelings begin emerging for her pegasus friend... painting her longtime friend in a whole new light.

Despite it all, after the Friendship Map pairs both herself and Rainbow Dash up to solve yet another friendship problem, Twilight tries her best to focus on the task at hand. So what if her memories aren't what she thought they were, or... or if Rainbow doesn't reciprocate her feelings? Solving another pony's friendship troubles should come before one's own needs as Princess of Friendship.

Only... why is there another pony who reminds her so much of herself? Not to mention a "negative" her, with a grudge against all of alicornkind and a plot to unify all worlds under her control? And how exactly is Starlight Glimmer involved in all of this? Just what in the world did she forget!?

What was supposed to be a simple friendship problem soon turns into a fight for the fate of all realities. Faces old and new, strange and familiar join Rainbow and Twilight in their struggle to reclaim their lost past, and overcome insurmountable threats in a battle for their very future.

In an ongoing war against the ever-persisting changeling threat, Twilight Sparkle grows ever desperate to rid herself, her closest friends, and Equestria of Chrysalis and her army for good. Confiding in her friend Rainbow Dash that she feels as though all of their efforts have been for naught, begins to consider more drastic measures.

Rainbow, out of concern, and love her longtime friend, persuades her out of it, but after a day of fun between the two ends in tragedy, and after receiving a threatening visit from Chrysalis herself in the dead of night, Twilight finds herself with seemingly no other options but to open herself up to dark magic.

From there, things only get worse.

Edits provided by xgfhj

(A spin-off of Winds of the Past. Reading that isn't necessary to understand this one, and operates almost entirely separately from the aforementioned.)

A lot happened to Twilight Sparkle the year before she made the transition to Ponyville, before she realized the value of a friend, and before she saved all of Equestria...

After a chance encounter with "Rainbow:" an enigmatic, amnesiac pegasus mare with a rainbow-striped mane and a knack for mischief, Twilight begrudgingly finds herself overseeing her recovery, all while questions keep surfacing. Like who is she? Where did she come from? And more importantly... why can't she get her off of her mind?

As days turn to weeks, and weeks turn to months, destinies are revealed and the past is dug up as Rainbow's memories begin to resurface; and as sinister forces set their sights on Equestria, Twilight and Rainbow find they must overcome themselves in order to become the heroes they are meant to be.

Edits for the story provided by xgfhj.

Sequel officially now in progress exclusively (for the time being anyway) over on my patreon.
Check out the sneak preview here.

After befriending the other ponies and dealing with Nightmare Moon, Twilight's finally getting used to life in Ponyville, but there's still one thing she's curious about: why does Rainbow Dash have a rainbow-colored mane? Unable to come up with a logical reason as to why, but figuring the other ponies might know something, she embarks on a journey to learn the origins of Dash's rainbow hair.