It's been almost two years since the Order-naries left Equestria to return to their own universe, and the world has moved on without them.  Twilight, now an alicorn princess of Equestria, continues to live in Ponyville and tries to carry on a normal life in between her self-guided research into new magic and the occasional problems in the neighborhood.  As she has done from time to time over the past couple of years, she has started to search for a way to see the world of the Order-naries as a prelude to reestablishing contact with them.

After a fruitless attempt to scry across the dimensions, a strange sequence of events takes place that gives Twilight a bad case of deja vu:  a dimensional portal tears open near Fluttershy's house, a large magical gemstone crashes into Rarity's house, and three familiar-looking ponies appear and plunge deep into the Everfree Forest without a word to anypony.

Mysteries abound, and nopony seems to have an answer.

The Great and Powerful Trixie's Traveling Thespians each have a story to tell, something that led them to make the choices that ultimately brought them together.  Princess Luna is interested in hearing these stories, both as a diversion from the rigors of royal life and to hopefully solve a small mystery that has arisen regarding the troupe's shyest member.

When Fluttershy wakes up to find Discord making breakfast in her kitchen, she knows it's going to be an interesting day, but then she discovers why he's come to see her: Discord wants a pet.

This can only end well.

When Star Swirl the Bearded's wicked apprentices Cirrus and Archeon had ended their campaign of looting, murder, and destruction across the worlds Linked to Aitran Island, there were more intact books than were uncovered by Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash.  One of those books is I'strukun, the link to the first in a network of worlds intended to instruct Star Swirl's apprentices and daughter in the principles behind Writing links to other worlds.  When Nyx insists she be allowed to take the lessons and Star Swirl admits his fear that Cirrus and Archeon may have caused great destruction to the worlds, Twilight and Spike accompany Nyx and take a look around.

Sequel to Aitran and Sohndar

[This is a direct sequel to Aitran.  It is highly recommended that you read that first: http://www.fimfiction.net/story/4051/Aitran ]

Twilight and Rainbow are asked by Star Swirl the Bearded to take on the challenge of finding his lost wife and daughter in the decaying world of Sohndar, which is ruled by an old enemy of Star Swirl's family who has been trapped there for uncounted years.  Although their adventures in the worlds of Aitran have given our heroes the confidence to succeed, they'll soon find that Sohndar is an entirely different bale of hay.

Image by LaurenMagpie