Be it ancient menace or new threat, diplomatic snafu or domestic concern, monster attack or friendship problem, Twilight Sparkle and her friends have always risen to the challenge.

That's a bit of an issue this time around, when the challenge is a marked absence of Twilight Sparkle.

In a separate universe, Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle were born into the world as alicorn princesses, twin daughters of Empress Celestia. One day, they were sent away to Ponyville, where they were destined to meet 5 special ponies. The story is as we know it; with loyalty, kindness, honesty, generosity, laughter, magic... betrayal, distrust, danger... and so much more.

shortdesc

The simulation ends.

info

thank you to The Sleepless Beholder and EileenSaysHi for prereading.

an entry for the Imposing Sovereigns IV contest under Midnight Sparkle/Unorthodoxy

This story is a sequel to Long Road to Friendship

Once upon a time, Sunset Shimmer was a terrible person. Then a pretty purple princess punched her with a rainbow.

She didn't get better.

Now she's stuck in a redemption story. Only she doesn't want to be redeemed. And it's barely a story. Can Sunset survive this satirical retelling of her rise from the ashes?

Well, she doesn't really have a choice.

This is a parody. If you haven't read the original, read that first. It's marginally better than this.

Cover art customized by Amber Spark

I regret nothing!

Ever since the first vessels managed to reach beyond the planet's atmosphere, Equis has experienced a golden age. United in their desire to learn and explore, the people of this world have reached higher and higher, becoming one of the most promising new players in the great galactic world stage. Into this new era comes Sunset Shimmer, newly-appointed Captain of Equis' latest vessel. With her is her loyal crew, and together, they will go forth and see what wonders, curiosities and dangers the vast reaches of the cosmos has to offer.

Cover art made using Bing.

Forsaken to these frozen mountains, her life is dwindling.
She is happily bitter, content to die alone.
Until they found her.
And cared for her more than anyone could.

An entry composed far too late to properly enter the Sunset X Villain AU competition.

Addendum: Featured on 11/6/2023.
Thank you, reading my story. I hope you find it enjoyable.

It's been a few weeks since the Fall formal and Halloween is right around the corner, while she is still not well liked around the school; Sunset Shimmer still makes an effort to help prepare for the schools Halloween party and Trick or Treat contest. Of course a certain 'great and powerful' magician wants to make things difficult not to mention her literal inner demon that still lingered from the Fall Formal trying to push her into doing something regrettable.

But she was a changed girl and she would prove it by making this the best Halloween night ever...hopefully.

In the wake of Camp Everfree and the latest in a long line of raging she-demons, Sunset’s dreams lead her down a familiar path of memories. She’s never been one to pass up an opportunity; it’s high time to ask a question that’s been bothering her since the Friendship Games.

That’s the plan, anyway. One of the many problems with seeking wisdom from demons is that you get far more than what you wanted to know.

Winner of Bicyclette's SciSet Contest and Reactception's Sunset x Midnight contest, graciously beta-read by MarvelandPonder. Rated Teen for suggestive content well north of what the Dazzlings got away with.

At the end of Cruising, we saw the human version of Sunset getting into a cab while on the phone.

But who was she talking to?

Very Homecoming canon-adjacent.

Thanks to Dave Bryant for his use of Cookie Pusher

Ancient Greece: A land of gods, heroes, monsters... and very few roles for women beyond wife and housekeeper.

In other words, it's a pretty terrible place and time for a renegade student of Princess Celestia to find herself. But Sunset Shimmer is nothing if not determined and resourceful. She will bend this world to her will.

That's the plan, anyway. Given how the heliocentric model is still a few millennia away from wide acceptance, maybe she can settle for finding happiness.

Winner of the Sunset x Villain Period Piece contest.