A different take on alicorn ascension. Sixteen years after arriving in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle is excited to have invented a brand-new kind of spell, but it will come with consequences she cannot possibly anticipate. Meanwhile, threats in shadows around the world conspire to overthrow the Solar Throne. With her world turned upside down, she will have to come to terms with the role that fate has dealt her while straining to keep Celestia in power.

Now with a TVTropes page! Please show it some love! Also check out the official side stories, Designing Intrigue, and Love and Barriers! (With even more in my stories page!)

(Please Note: This story was started before any season three information was available. All episodes in season three and later are non-canon for this story, which also means there's no Crystal Empire in this one. In addition, the promotional map released close to the beginning of season three was also not available and is not compatible with this story. While the OC tag is active because there are OCs in the story, they're really just supporting characters. The focus is on Twilight.)

Also be sure to check out the Rites of Ascension Expanded Universe Group! We're working to develop the resources needed for other authors to try their hand at writing stories set in the Rites Universe!

The Book Two cover art was created by the amazing Silfoe! The original cover art can still be found at Violet Squiggle's deviantArt page.

Author's Notes, including proofreader's credits, can be found here!

"This is 100% Approved by Twilight's Library!"

A few days after the Nightmare Moon Incident, Spike awakens to find Twilight acting a little...odd. Or odder than usual anyway. All of a sudden she's being all motherly, sure of herself in ways she's never been before, and even more outgoing.

But…it’s kind of creepy how she just seems to know everypony’s name, or their habits, and even some stuff nopony else should know.

But she's still good old Twilight...right?

Featured 5/28/2014

Star Power isn't Twilight Sparkle -- but she does play her on TV.

This story has an audio version!

Written for the December 5th Writeoff Contest. Prompt: "Behind closed doors."

This story is a sequel to The Code's Apprentice

Sequel To : The Code's Apprentice

The land of Equestria has been changed forever.

New monarchs sit upon the thrones of the Sun and Moon, the once almighty power of Harmony overturned to make way for a new Diarchy of Balance. Political unrest and turmoil have engulfed the land, and at the very center of it all, Princess Celestia - renamed Tia Sunbeam - seeks atonement for the crimes she committed in the name of Eternal Harmony.

With much of her power sealed away, Tia must live amidst the citizens of Ponyville as the world changes all around them. As Ponyville works to rebuild following the struggle between student and teacher, they must cope with the edicts of a new government determined to bring equality to all creatures, beliefs, and ways of life - even those that were long since banished to the dark places of the world.

Tia Sunbeam will struggle with her own deeply held convictions on the way the world should be, versus the way it will now become. She will face a truth she has long since denied, and realize the true meaning of Harmony. And perhaps, most importantly of all... She must make some Friends.

Cover art by SinSays at http://sinsays.tumblr.com/ - Go spend some money with her! :D
Oh, and go check out my new side story - Rise - It's going to become relevant here!
(character tags are not comprehensive! Some are being kept secret! ;3)

CURRENTLY PUBLISHING PHYSICAL COPIES, UNTIL THE 25th OF SEPTEMBER: http://igg.me/at/InnerGloryFinalFund

After doing some research into the history of Alicorns, Twilight finds a dead end. When she chooses to pursue it against Celestia's wishes, she finds herself entangled in a messy history that some want forgotten. An Alicorn's position comes with sacrifice. And when given power, one will always be in want of more...

A complicated explanation for the history and intricacies of the My Little Pony universe. If you're reading this, be ready for the long haul.

A rewrite, or rather, the heavily revised and actually worth reading version of The Struggle for Power, my earlier work. Think of that as an alpha build, and this as the "released-to-the-public" program.
http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/story-struggle-for-power.html

A flip of a coin. A twist of fate.

Twilight Sparkle, younger sister of Princess Celestia's personal student, Shining Armor, grew up listening to her brother's bygone dreams of joining the elite of the elite: The Royal Guard.

Now, fresh out of the Academy, this young mare is ready to prove herself equal to the deeds of the great soldiers she read about as a filly. Too bad the princess she ends up protecting isn't Celestia.

This story is a sequel to Everfree

When the world finally seems to have fallen silent, the darkness shall always rise to swallow the light. Two agents of Canterlot's most secret organization have gone missing while on a critical assignment. Fearing for the safety of Equestria, Captain Fleethoof is drawn into an intense investigation surrounding weapons trafficking, violent crimes, a notorious family, and one very enigmatic special agent. Pulled into a web of betrayal, corruption, treason, and violence he never knew existed, Fleethoof begins to find out just how deep the rabbit hole goes—and what the return of an old foe means for the future of Equestria.

Special Agent Bentgrass belongs to Jake The Army Guy.
Pre-reading and editing also done by the spectacular Jake The Army Guy.

This story is a sequel to Skyfall: Treason

The Everfree Forest. The myths that surround that dreaded place are just that: myths. Tales of monsters, cursed creatures, and evil magic are just stories made to scare foals at night.

But every story comes from some truth, and some answers are better left in the dark.

Inspired by Story of the Blanks.

Special thanks to my pre-readers Jake The Army Guy, irobern2857, Treilacl, and USMCbrony0311.

Characters and locations belong to their original creators.

This story is a sequel to Skyfall

From the author: Chapters with ♫ have music to accompany them. Check the Author's Notes at the bottom.

Following the events of Skyfall, Shining Armor has moved to reform the Royal Guard into the intimidating fighting force it was always meant to be. Skyfall Team is on hiatus, a long-earned respite. For the first time since the Griffon War, Equestria is recovering and growing substantially, no longer living in the shadow of danger.

But when an allied unit goes rogue and new threats loom from the shadows, Equestria's harmony is thrown into international turmoil that could bring about a world war between old enemies and allies. It is left to Skyfall Team to cover up the incident, and eliminate the defectors, before chaos can erupt into full scale conflict that could spell armageddon. Facing off against their comrades, Skyfall will learn that sometimes the toughest fights we face are against our own brothers.

All characters belong to their respective creators.

This story is a sequel to The Griffon War: A Soldier's Memoirs

Some time has passed since the Griffon War ended and the Equestrian Army returned home. Peace and harmony has returned to the land. But war changes everything—even when that is war itself. From the ashes of the old military traditions, Skyfall Team is born. Luna's experimental group seems promising: tactical, advanced, intelligent, and powerful—and about to be put to the test, when the Royal Family is threatened from their own home. With little information to go on and short of time, Skyfall Team's trial by fire may leave the Royal Family in terrible danger that could cost them their lives.