When Twilight Sparkle was just a kid, her best friend was a girl named Sunset Shimmer. Though their friendship had a bit of a rocky start, they quickly became inseparable, no matter how much everyone thought of them as ‘weird’. They were there for each other.

Were.

Years after the tragic accident that tore them apart, Twilight is determined to move on from her loss, and she sets off on an independent research project to investigate the strange happenings at Canterlot High. Little does she know that she will soon come face to face with what appears to be a literal ghost from her past.

Coverart by Kare-Valgon. Chapter illustrations by Zorbitas.

Edited and Pre-read by Dubs Rewatcher, r5h, and Kalan.

Takes place after Rainbow Rocks, but was written before Friendship Games and does not take it into account.

Chinese translation

Print copies now available.

It started off simply enough, Applejack's embarrassing childhood nickname. Everyone had one, Sunset's was Little Firestarter. The group ignored it, even when students take it a step forward and start teasing the farmer about it.

However the next day, after a sleepover at Rarity's involved all of them dressing up in silly costumes the fashionista had made, things got worse. Those pictures were posted online, and the poster, Anon-A-Miss, also left derogatory comments.

Those pictures came from Sunset's phone, but she doesn't remember posting them. What's going on?

Speed, power, passion. The roar of the engine. Sunset knew that was what she wanted out of life. The lure of the street is a powerful one. The thrill of it all, and the adrenaline rush of racing between the lights and outrunning the cops. The lure of the street is an easy one. But getting out of it... well, that's the hard part, isn't it?

"I live my life a quarter-mile at a time. Nothing else ... For those ten seconds or less, I'm free." -Dominic Toretto.

"Ask any racer, any real racer. It doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile, winning's winning." -Also Dominic Toretto. NOT a Fast and the Furious crossover, though it does take a few cues from the films. Help provided by Seriff Pilcrow. Give him a shout, eh?

Alt/rejected cover art.

Featured on 5/5/20 and on 5/6/20

The newest and hottest game on the market is Sword Art Online, or SAO. A VRMMORPG, Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game, Sword Art Online takes the player into a virtual reality world of swords and shields. Only 10,000 copies were sold online or in stores. But quickly, things go wrong and the fight goes from fun, to survival.

To escape the game of death, the game must be cleared. All 100 floors of the floating iron castle, known as Aincrad, must be conquered. If you die in game, you die in real life. The NerveGear will fry your brain. The same goes if the NerveGear is removed while you are in the game, you die.

Sword Art Online is a game of swords and shields with no magic. The game isn't designed to handle their Equestrian Magic. Sunset Shimmer must make sure that her friends and guildmates escape the game, or at least survive long enough until the game is defeated.

This story is a Serial Novel Society story: Updates will be at least on a weekly, Tuesday, basis.

*Pre-knowledge of Sword Art Online is not required. The Pilot Episode covers all you need to know.
**First Featured Tuesday, November 12, 2019. Also on 12/3/19, 12/10/19, 01/14/20, 2/11/20, 2/18/20, 2/25/20, 3/3/20, 3/10/20, 3/17/20, 3/24/20, 3/31/20, 4/14/20, 4/21/20, 4/28/20, 5/5/20, 5/19/20, 5/26/20, 6/2/20, 6/9/20, 6/23/2020, 6/30/2020, 7/28/20, 8/4/20, 8/18/20, 8/25/20, 8/27/20, 9/1/20, 9/8/20, 9/15/20, 9/22/20, 9/29/20, 10/20/20, 10/27/20, 11/3/2020, 11/10/20, 11/17/20, 12/1/20, 12/8/20, 12/15/20, 12/22/20, 12/29/20, 1/5/21, 1/19/21, 2/2/21, ICE, 2/23/21, 3/2/21, 3/9/21, 3/16/21, 3/23/21, & 3/30/21.

Want to know what is happening outside the SAO in the real world? There is a story for them! Link to the Asides.

A big thank you to my editor, Void Runner.
A special thanks to SuperSonicHeroes and Wildfiretiremile. Each helped a lot with Beta Reading!
Also, a special Thanks to Badwolf231. He helped me as this project got started.

- Sword Art Online is owned and created by Reki Kawahara.
* Cover Art created with art elements from Orin331, Frye-Medi, and flutterdashrarijack.

Reports of magic being used in Canterlot High School has caught the attention of a secret organisation. Not too much attention, as it’s probably nothing to worry about, but enough to require some kind of investigation.

The agent assigned to the area is a junior recruit named Sweetie Drops, codename Bon-Bon, who is about to find this mission to be her most challenging yet. Challenging for a number of reasons.

Proofread by the wonderful docontra and Soren Mercer

It was just a simple walk home for one Indigo Zap, from a really bad action flick. That is, till she nearly got killed Christine style by a rogue Lamborghini Diablo with one really wild driver. A little research from a certain former Crystal Prep student and her illusionist girlfriend, and the Shadowbolts find themselves and their whole lives transforming and changing in ways they couldn't possibly imagine as they find themselves dealing with intergalactic robot criminals and the team sent to hunt them down and bring them to justice.

Lemon/Indigo and Twixie pairings. Breakdown/Knock Out present as well.

An unknown force is lurking in the shadows of the city of Canterlot, granting it's residents supernatural powers. These powers are like nothing Sunset Shimmer and her friends have ever seen before as they use a bizarre type of magic, simply know as a "Stand".

The only way to fight these magical apparitions is by obtaining one of your own. The girls must find and learn how to use these Stand powers in order to defend themselves and their home, but just who is responsible for the sudden appearance of these powers and for what purpose?

Compared to their past heists, this one was going rather badly. It takes an armored truck being driven by their "handler" to get the crew out of this one. But before they could celebrate yet another pile of money in their possession, one of the strangest things happens...

While all of the politicians, scientists, and the military are worrying about the portals that opened up to some kind of alternate dimension, the crew blends in with the crowds of people coming to this world full of "ponies".
But of course, the allure of more heists presents itself even here...
So it's time to load up and grab your mask. It's payday.

Ignores the season 3 finale, and as such the entirety of season 4

Twilight Sparkle has come across the impossible. A book she's never read before, with an odd plus-like shape emblazoned on the cover. What is this book, and what does it mean for Equestria?

Meanwhile, Isaac has been stuck in the basement for a long time - centuries? Millenia? But when he finally finds a way out, will he be able to adapt to the planet that's moved on without him?

Crossover with 'the Binding of Isaac : Rebirth', a game by Edmund McMillen.

Rated Teen, because somebody can't keep it polite.

Featured on 5/31/18!

Check out another great tBoI crossover, Binding of Isaac: Beyond by IAmNotSmartest!

Anon-a-Miss has invaded Canterlot High and the girls think that Sunset did it! How can she ever regain her honor?

Mortal Kombat, of course. Equestrian Tradition dictates that challenges are to be issued and duels are to be performed. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack are all well aware of these facts.

The CMCs, however, haven't had that particular Social Studies class, and now they have started to realize what they have unleashed.

Reading by StraightToThePointStudio