Sunset Shimmer isn't like the other Freshman in Canterlot High School. While so many others explain away the strange things that happen in their town, she knows better. There's an entire world out there, a world of magic and incredible creatures, one that she's determined to reach.

Careful study and preparation brings her to the portal in front of her school, at the last moment of its opening. Sunset doesn't have a clue what might be waiting on the other side, but she's sure it will lead her to the magic she's always wanted.

No matter what it costs.

Updates Tuesdays.

This story was sponsored by my glorious enablers Bitera and Sparktail, who also did the editing. I know I don't deserve it. Want one of your own? Drop me a PM. Cover by Zutcha.

The Elements of Harmony didn't work. Nightmare Moon won. Her beautiful night has been unending for over two years now, and her reign over Equestria is total.

Twilight and Pinkie Pie never gave up, even after everyone else did.

An infinity of praise be to Harwick for the cover art.

Sunset Shimmer had everything. Personal protégé of the Sun Princess herself, top marks in the School for Gifted Unicorns, and the honor of being dubbed the greatest arcanist since Starswirl the Bearded.

Until she threw it all away.

In the last moments before leaving Equestria forever, her destiny is snatched away right before her eyes. Once upon a time the story of the lives of herself, Twilight Sparkle, and the path of Equestrian History went one way, a story that we all know well. But in every stand of woods there is a path untrotted, one with a different story and new experiences.

About the deleted comments.

Discussion of this and other works can be found on my Private Discord Server

New cover by DVixie. If someone knows how to contact them I'd be appreciative. It more accurately portrays the current evolution of the story.

Arc One, Filly Steps: Complete.
Arc Two, What Twilight Learned Today: In Progress.

As Celestia's personal student, there was no doubt in Sunset Shimmer's mind that she was the most powerful Unicorn in Equestria. There was no spell she couldn't master, no lesson she couldn't learn...save for one.

Hoping to rectify the situation, Princess Celestia broke one of her own rules and unearthed Starswirl's Mirror, hoping that, by gazing into it, Sunset would see what she always wanted. Unfortunately, the plan worked a little TOO well, but not in the manner she hoped.

Cast out and believing herself betrayed by Celestia, a desperate Sunset decides to seek out her 'Hearts Desire' on the other side of the Mirror...to a place where she will learn the lessons Celestia so desperately wished for her to learn: that Friendship is Magic.

This story is a sequel to Sunset's Crowning Achievement

The last time Twilight saw Starlight Glimmer, she threatened to kill Rainbow Dash when she was just a filly and ruin Twilight's life by going back in time. Only, when she failed to find Starlight in the past and returned home, Equestria wasn't a ruined wasteland, Ponyville was a lot bigger than she remembered, and all these new ponies in the castle were talking about some big pony they call Empress.

Humanity is finally reaching out beyond the solar system in search of habitable planets. A disaster aboard the SSC Quasar causes the crew to abandon it, fleeing in the escape ships. Now, after years in stasis, the escape ships crash on an unknown world.

Lieutenant Cassandra Campbell's plans were simple: find the other crashed ships, search for survivors, and try to find a way to get a distress signal back to Earth in hopes of a rescue. Not long after her arrival, one of the consoles in her ship starts flashing ‘Protocol D’ in large, red letters. Now she has to figure out what it means, while trying to cooperate with the local citizens.

****** Extremely long hiatus, possibly permanently. ******

----------------------------------------
Editing: Level Dasher : Chapters 1 - 14
Pre-reading/Editing: Admiral Biscuit : Chapter 12 - 14
Pre-reading Busstop : Chapters 10 - 13

(R1) = Updated April 07, 2015. A Slight revision and re-editing of previously posted chapters. See blog for details. (A re-read is not required)

Thank you so very much to all who have helped me with my story.

Old Coverart by xxMarkingxx

There are 100 billion stars in the Milky Way, and humanity is determined to explore every one. We send probes, probes with the blueprints to reproduce human explorers upon arrival. Uninhabited worlds the galaxy over can be colonized and populated, until after many years they too can join the vast throng of interstellar civilization. But if a probe is very, very lucky, it will land on a populated world instead. Equestria is one such world.

Even so, it's far from perfect for colonization, not with an environment lethal to human life. But each probe is resourceful and armed with the greatest machine intelligence mankind has devised. If placing a human mind into a newly manufactured human body won't work, it will just have to get a little more creative.

This book has a Hardcover! If you want to pick it up, you can grab it here: https://starscribe.net/

This story was written at the behest of Canary In The Coal Mine, who is sponsoring it on my Patreon. As usual, cover by Zutcha. Editing by Two Bit and Sparktail.

Fantastic prereading help from: Chyre, Danger Noodle, Doctor Disco, and Doggyshakespeare (who also did the Esperanto translation). Thank you all for helping to make this story more readable and more consistent for everyone.

Sunset Shimmer, twice savior of Canterlot High who earned her wings by using the combined magic of the Earth elements of harmony to save the world from Twilight Sparkle (you know... the one with the glasses). She's offered to help Twilight's (you know.. the alicorn Princess of Friendship) new student learn about friendship while the whole crew embarks on a trip to the Crystal Empire. This should be a fairly relaxing and stress free trip. Right? RIGHT?!

It should go without saying, but MAJOR spoilers to the season 6 premier.

Sunset vector by mighty355. Other cover art stuff by Novel Idea!

Nightmare Moon's escape from the Moon could not have gone better for her. Celestia herself was unable to face her, and Celestia's trainee was woefully underprepared for the assault. It did not take long to shake out the remaining pockets of resistance, and then she took the throne for herself.

Ten years of darkness have passed, and Celestia has finally managed to break Nightmare Moon's spell and return to Equestria. The exile and the difficulty of the escape took a serious toll on the solar Princess, and she returns to a land very different from the Equestria she loved.

Weak and very nearly alone, she needs to rebuild her strength, and put things right again. But can she even be sure what right is, anymore?

Google Docs link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1I1UxgjF5VdpCmAJ85ir84lWTk2BKGCainy_VICPo6yM/edit?usp=sharing

Lulu Print Link:
https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/tursilion-/night-reigns-mlp/paperback/product-12qjj92p.html

EBook Link (mobi format):
https://harmlesslion.com/text/Night%20Reigns%20-%20Tursilion.mobi

Since the recovery of her crown, Twilight has become obsessed with rediscovering the lost magic which created the 'Portal Mirror': a gateway to another world. On top of that, a former enemy has arrived in Ponyville, looking to make amends.

With her help, Twilight ends up with more than she bargained for when an accident occurs during her studies, touching off an adventure spanning across multiple realities. With a new gateway linked to a myriad of new worlds, what will they find as each expedition brings them one more step removed from the universe they call home?

Editing by SpaceCommie and Prak
Pre-Reading and Contributions by Minifig.
Special Thanks to InsertCoolUserNameHere, who inspired me to start writing!