Princess Luna still feels alone, nineteen years after her return to Equestria . But when she finds a friend in an online game, everything seems better. She can be herself without worrying about what others think, and she can finally talk to another pony, even if he never knows who she really is.
Celestia is worried about her sister, especially right now. Upcoming peace talks with a powerful new nation mean that all the Princesses need to be completely ready. With her Luna so absorbed in a fantasy world, she wonders how she'll make it through the harrowing weeks to come.
Button Mash feels like a failure. He's still living at home, he still can't find work that can use his degree from the university, and he still feels alone. His friends are getting married, starting families, and thriving in their careers. On the plus side, he plays games regularly, and his best friend is a mare, even if she doesn't know his name. He hopes that his upcoming vacation to Canterlot might help his mindset.
But, unbeknownst to all of them, a sinister web within a dark plot threatens to ensnare Equestria... And Luna may be the only one able to stop it.
She may face it alone, or maybe she'll have some help from her knight in faded armor...
Cover art credit to yamashta. Link here.
Preread by -TGM- and Goldenwing
Edited by m1ntf4n, PheonixStarr, Wing, and the_Doc, and Swan Song, and Orion Caelum.
Follows canon up to about season 4 or so. I'm not sure when everything went off the rails, but it was originally as true as possible when initially written.
42 Chapters:
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Act I: Prologue [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
6,352
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PUGs, Scones, and Talons [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
6,671
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Songs, Shame, and Raiders [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
4,722
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Interlude I: Blood [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
2,207
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Stars, Fears, and Lies [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
3,687
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Vegetables, In-laws, and Crafting [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
6,363
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Interlude II: Regrets [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
1,815
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Act II: Dresses, Stairwells, and Thunder [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Oct 24th, 2015
4,365
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Guards, Tea, and Cloaks [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
4,020
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Interlude III Part I: Moves [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
3,411
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Interlude III Part II: Counter-Moves [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Feb 13th, 2016
3,802
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Motivations, Collisions, and Briefcases [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
3,664
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Paperwork, Waffles, and Tapestries [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
4,051
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Rogues, Laptops, and Scotch [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
9,847
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Flight, Love, and Buttons [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
5,864
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Greetings, Labyrinths, and Truth [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
4,767
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Poison, Blackout, and Dancing [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
7,282
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Cake, Memories, and Bullets [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
4,119
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Barriers, Meetings, and Schemes [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
6,322
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Heroism, Confessions, and Discoveries [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 30th, 2015
5,158
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Morals, Reasoning, and Advice [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 30th, 2015
5,173
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Machinations, Revelations, and Faded Armor [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
4,415
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Detectives, Heartbeats, and Perfume [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 24th, 2015
4,343
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Picnics, Milkshakes, and Shademechs [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Oct 6th, 2015
3,642
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Interlude IV: Power [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 29th, 2015
1,018
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Friends, Pets, and Coins [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Sep 30th, 2015
5,553
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Act III: Names, Speeches, and Insults [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Oct 5th, 2015
6,693
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Insight, Explanations, and Whispers [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Oct 6th, 2015
4,597
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Recollections, Dreams, and Nightmares [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Oct 13th, 2015
7,052
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Payments, Meltdowns, and Journals [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Oct 26th, 2015
7,886
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Silence, Hiding, and Endings [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Nov 2nd, 2015
6,358
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Interlude V: Sanity [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Dec 2nd, 2015
1,308
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Mistrust, Science, and Recoveries [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Nov 12th, 2015
6,985
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Panic, Shadows, and Love [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Nov 18th, 2015
5,410
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Lines, Traitors, and Discord [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Dec 5th, 2015
13,585
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Honesty, Guilt, and the Beginning of the End [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Dec 9th, 2015
4,368
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Interlude VI: Button's Flight [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Dec 15th, 2015
1,813
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Desperation, Promises, and Eternity [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Jan 23rd, 2016
5,490
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Euphoria, Trials, and Nightmare Moon [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Feb 15th, 2016
4,703
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Peace, Princes, Masters, and Chrysalis [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Mar 27th, 2016
4,854
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Expendables, Impacts, and Red [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
Aug 19th, 2016
4,221
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Distractions, Hatches, and Mercy [Fimfiction.net] [Cache]
May 23rd, 2018
2,439