Twilight Sparkle has always cared more about studying than friendships, but what is it about her past that made her so immersed in her studies, to the detriment of her social life?
And why would her mentor, the great Princess Celestia, choose to wait so long before interceding?
After all, her cutie mark represents her talent at magic, not studying.

Based on scenes from the show about Twilight Sparkle's past. If anyone has a better suggestion for her parents names, I'd love to hear them, because I just took the suggestion from the MLP wiki.

Twilight gets a feeder to study birds.

She also bought a ton of seeds for it.

While she's frustrated at the fact her supply seems to be disappearing into thin air, she's about to realize that she has a much bigger problem on hoof.

Now with an amazing YouTube reading by the equally amazing AShadowOfCygnus!

During its two year search for Shepard, the lone Geth traveled across the galaxy, exploring worlds both known and unknown. After a blind FTL jump to escape from an Alliance patrol, it found itself in a previously undiscovered system, a system without a mass relay and completely cut off from the rest of the galaxy. It touched down on one of the worlds, a garden-like planet, with the intention of gathering data on any flora and fauna that may have been present.

Instead, it made a remarkable discovery.

Edit at 8:10 AM on 8/17/2014: Scanning...Featured Box Achieved! This unit humbly thanks all organics and fellow synthetics for their support!

A big thanks to my bloody brilliant proofreader AShadowOfCygnus. Don't stop being classy, buddy.
NOTE: This story takes place years before the Return, back when Twilight was just a filly.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro.
Mass Effect belongs to BioWare and Electronic Arts.

Lapis-Lazuli proudly presents....

Once, long ago, the four nations of ponykind were wracked by an endless war that nearly destroyed themselves and the world they lived in. Today, united by the power of the Avatars - Special ponies imbued with the power and magic of all four great tribes - they live together in harmony as the Nations of Equestria.

But with war and chaos looming on the horizon, the light of hope remains. For the strange spell that first wove the power of the Avatars into existence has chosen another to protect the peace and prosperity of Equestria. A young Unicornian heiress by the name of Twilight Sparkle, who is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime.

Cover Art by Ambris

Twilight and Spike shut themselves up in their castle for ten years where they play a magic board game against a malevolent spirit to prevent global thermonuclear war.

A turn-by-turn account of an actual game of ‘Twilight Struggle,’ in which every single action is noted, mixed in with tangential arguments and commentaries on everything from fandom content producers to religion to the game itself, straight from the lips of the Beavis and Butthead of boardgaming!
Great for any Twilight Struggle fans, or (alternate) history buffs in general, although the commentary is rather scathing.

DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE EASILY BUTTHURT.

Dedicated to Kkat for not preventing me from taking a glorious crap on her magnum opus.
Narrated by ‘Ron Bon’ Perlmare, the same pony who narrated the intro of Fallout: Equestria and all of its spinoffs.

====Update!=====================
The Official Map has been released! Now you can follow the action and actually understand what the characters are talking about!
===================================================
This story is old and was rushed out. I'm thinking of rewriting it at some point.

Nightmare Moon has won, and the world has been shrouded in eternal night. But hope still lives. The land of Equestria is currently divided between the armies of the usurper and those of the Dawn Militia. However, the greatest danger to the rebellion may not be the dreaded Mare of the Moon, but her lieutenant, Eclipse–formerly known as Twilight Sparkle.

Five years ago, I screwed up. When I learned my daughter and Princess Luna were together, I tried to stop them. I ended up hurting my daughter, losing the love and respect of my family, and even driven out of Canterlot.

For five years, I have become a broken stallion, living in regret of my actions. With only a small shine of hope, I keep moving forward, hoping I can one day earn my redemption. And now I have a chance to make everything right again. Yet, the cost for doing this is high.

But that's alright. I'll do anything for Twilight.

Because I'm her father.

***
Note: It's not required to read the original story for this fic.

This is an Alternate Universe sequel of the fanfic To Love a Mare by Mayhem Darkshadow, the story follows on the premise that Night Light, Twilight's father, was exiled for his crimes against Twilight and Luna.

This story is a sequel to Rise of the Phoenix Empress

It has been nearly nine hundred years since Sunbeam Sparkle claimed the throne of Equestria after Celestia’s abdication. In that time, she has forged Equestria into a powerful centralized empire that spans most of the known world. Even the distant griffons and zebras pay reluctant homage to the Phoenix Empress.

In this series of connected one-shots, we’ll be taking a look at life the new Equestria Sunbeam Sparkle has forged, through the eyes of its inhabitants.

Study Buddies: Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle are the Empress’ co-students. They also rather dislike each other, mostly due to Sunset’s less than friendly attitude. Can they find a way to work together to fulfill the Empress’ high expectations, or will they just end up trying to kill each other?

After Twilight returns from the Human World, Celestia is desperate to know of her former student, Sunset Shimmer, and what happened to her. Upon learning of the horrible things her former student has done, Celestia breaks down in tears as Twilight asks why she was so important to Celestia and why she never told anypony. Celestia tells the story of her and Sunset. How they were so close, and how one secret ruined everything between them.

Spoilers in comments.

Thanks to Biker_Dash, ugugg93, and The Abyss for edit and Pre-reading

Thanks to SilFoe for letting use the art

Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies,
Yet stranger still is,
Lost Carcosa.
Song of my soul, my voice is dead,
Die thou unsung as tears unshed,
Must dry and die in,
Lost Carcosa.