Each of the Bearers of Harmony came to that first Grand Galloping Gala with a dream in her heart and dreadfully few relevant facts in her mind. Rarity dreamt of finding her Prince Charming. She knew his name, appearance, and not much else.

But in this timeline, one of her friends has her back.

When you spend your entire life with one person, it can become difficult and even frightening to imagine what things might be like without them. For the ponies of Equestria however, they have the benefit of mortal existence to ease such worries.

This is not the case for a young Princess Celestia. She has lived nearly every waking moment with her sister Luna until tonight. Now, she must face the reality of going on without her by her side, and come to terms with the part she had to play in her sibling's fall from grace.

Luna's return and Twilight's ascension to rulership of Equestria helped usher in an age of scientific and magical innovation. She and her slow-aging and long-lived friends lived through tumultous times of discovery and progress, and now Equestria is beginning its first true forays into deep space.

But someone has to be out there, representing Twilight and speaking on her behalf. She can't go herself--FTL travel is still primitive and time consuming. She needs someone out there trekking the stars, keeping up with the growing network of colonies. Someone with diplomatic chops, a vivid imagination, impeccable manners, and a lot of charisma. Rarity is eager to help her wife out in a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the worlds, literally.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, but it doesn't make you any less broken.

Starlight Glimmer is that kind of girl: strong, but broken at the same time, her edges jagged and sharp enough to cut anyone that dares to get too close to her.

But Sunburst can't help but be drawn to her, like a moth to a flame, trying to gather all her pieces and put her back together, even if he cuts his hands and bleeds in the process.

_{There might be some triggering issues such as the emotional aspects of mental and physical abuse, child neglect, alcoholism (not done by any of the main characters), bullying set in a high school, and a fair amount of drama and angst to go along the way. But this story is—at its core—a romance between a human Starlight and Sunburst.}

The Long Patrol is an extension of the crown. It brings the rule of law and the princess's banner to the far reaches of the kingdom, the places where harmony fades and the wild chaos of nature still reigns.

In times past, all the tribes took part in the patrol. Today, it is mostly pegasi and a few gryphons. The distances they travel are simply too vast for anyone without wings.

Like most gryphons who join, I wanted to get away from my kind. I dreamed of the adventures I would have and the friends I would make. I certainly got those.

I just wish the price weren't so high.

[My entry for the EqD Summer "Outsider Insight" contest.]

It's almost midnight, and Sunset Shimmer opens an old envelope that's been lying in her room. It won't be the first or last mistake she ever makes.

After a brief talk with Fluttershy and Applejack, Pinkie Pie suddenly comes to a startling conclusion! One of her friends is hiding something, and it's up to Pinkie to get her to admit it!

When a mysterious figure steals the Element of Magic from the Tree of Harmony, Twilight chases him into a strange realm she does not understand.

Beset on all sides by strange creatures and unusual magics, if she is to track down her enigmatic foe and reclaim her lost Element, she must earn the trust of a thorny local scholar, and learn of the dark, tragic truth that lies buried in the world’s heart.

A crossover between MLP and Final Fantasy XIV.

Cowritten by Skijarama and Tom117z.

Edited by Chromio.

Cover art drawn by Skijarama.

Featured on: 25/02/2021.

This story is a sequel to Empty Horizons

For the first time in a thousand years, the old magic has returned to Equestria.

The Elements of Harmony have been torn asunder by the careless Equestria they found themselves in just one month ago. Twilight Sparkle fled into the ocean, pleading for her friends not to follow her after only barely stopping the destructive rampage caused by The Other. Rainbow Dash and Applejack, with nothing but their knowledge of Twilight's nature and a crew of seasoned adventurers, leave Altalusia hoping to find their lost friend and bring her back. Meanwhile, Countess Rarity finds herself trapped among the machinations of Duke Titus, but perhaps she can yet use her new position for good.

But the new Equestria remains as treacherous as ever for six mares lost in time, and the sunken ruins of their old home still holds fresh and terrifying dangers. Mysteries a thousand years old demand solving, and even those born on the floating islands of the new Equestria may find themselves torn between two paths.

The world changed in the absence of Twilight Sparkle and her friends, and with their return it braces for change once more.

Audiobook updates Thursdays and Fridays!

Edited by Noc, Dominus Alicorn, and PsyonicG.

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Sunset Shimmer has always been a hot-headed, impetuous girl. She's always been prone to making snap decisions, and later finding herself regretting them. It was exactly this temperament that had brought her to the human world, penniless and alone. When the opportunity to get back on her feet presented itself in the form of a stranger's outstretched hand, she leaped at the chance.

This is the story of a woman who has made many bad choices, and the life those choices have made for her.

Tags, and even rating, may change as the story goes on.

Thanks as usual to Magello for the cover art!