This story is a sequel to Rise of the Phoenix Empress

It has been nearly nine hundred years since Sunbeam Sparkle claimed the throne of Equestria after Celestia’s abdication. In that time, she has forged Equestria into a powerful centralized empire that spans most of the known world. Even the distant griffons and zebras pay reluctant homage to the Phoenix Empress.

In this series of connected one-shots, we’ll be taking a look at life the new Equestria Sunbeam Sparkle has forged, through the eyes of its inhabitants.

Study Buddies: Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle are the Empress’ co-students. They also rather dislike each other, mostly due to Sunset’s less than friendly attitude. Can they find a way to work together to fulfill the Empress’ high expectations, or will they just end up trying to kill each other?

Princess Celestia tires of constantly being surrounded by decorum, deference, and formality, and decides to take a day off from being Princess. But visiting Ponyville incognito is harder than she expects. Will she be able to fit in and make friends without blowing her cover?

In response to threats of a griffon attack on Equestria, Twilight responds with a letter detailing just why such actions would prove unfavorable for them.

Twilight Sparkle is called away to tend to Luna when she falls ill. As Luna grows sicker and Twilight more determined to help the younger princess, she begins to uncover dark secrets about the elements, the alicorns, and her own past.

After the invention of radio, DJ-P0n3 (aka Vinyl Scratch) holds the first Equestrian talk show with her co-host Octavia. Octavia quickly finds out her superior is very eccentric, leading their broadcast to be constantly derailed, yet somehow remain popular. These episodes were recorded for historical significance and transcribed. These are the Vinyl Scratch Tapes.

[Update 1/25/13]: Fully updated to contain all of season 1 and 2, correcting a vast oversight on the part of the author. Sorry it took so long to update it fully on Fimfiction, guys.

Inkie Pie was, without any kind of doubt, the most influential musician that ever lived. Born on a rock farm, her strange life would serve as both inspiration and cause for her songs.

This is her story.

Featured on Equestria Daily

Now with a fan sidestory! My True Body

Partially inspired by PonykillerX's art. The cover art was made by him.

Proofread by:

• Neko Majin C
• Octavia Harmony

To Selbi.

Distance can drive us apart. It can also bring us closer together.

After all is said and done, and the ponies have gone their separate ways, the only way they have to keep in touch is through letters.

Original Equestria Daily post is here
Russian translation
Chinese translation
Polish translation
Spanish translation

Now with music and audiobook

Sunbeam Sparkle is not a good pony. She might not be pure evil, but she is ruthless, ambitious, and so power-hungry that she would even aspire to usurp Celestia's throne. Worse, she succeeds in manipulating Celestia into not only surrendering rule over Equestria, but her immortality as well.

It is often said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. In most cases that’s true. Many good ponies have begun with good intentions, but slowly lost their way. However, this is not always the case. A rare few virtuous ponies have the character and strength of will to resist temptation, and are never corrupted by their authority.

Even rarer, there comes a time when gaining power makes a pony better than they were before. This is one such story.

‘Nothing acts that cute without some ulterior motive.’ — Lord Nibbler of the Nibblonians.

Dinky Doo melts ponies hearts and hugs everything wherever she goes. Normally this is limited to scamming sweets from adults and convincing ponies to lose at battleclouds, but It’s only a matter of time before she uses her adorableness to achieve her true destiny: Enslaving Equestria to fulfill her every desire.

By mere chance, Octavia has resisted the filly’s siren song. Together with her old friend Vinyl, they must survive as the only sane ponies in a world gone mad.

Prereaders Include: Chengar Qordath, Luminary, Ponibus, and Web of Hope
Cover Art acquired from Flausch-Katzerl's 'Fitting In'
While peripherally related to the Winningverse, and part of their AU month, this is primarily a standalone story. All you need to know is that Dinky is cute like a baby harp seal.

I'm also pleased to say that this story has been approved by Twilight's Library. I'm quite proud of that.

When Twilight went back home, she left Sunset Shimmer to the care of her friends. Thirty moons later, she returns to Equestria, seeking judgment for her crimes from her former mentor, hoping that some form of punishment - a stint in the royal dungeons, perhaps - will help her come to terms with the past. If only it were that easy.

Can a rift like the one that has grown between Sunset Shimmer and Princess Celestia even be closed at all?

A story of past mistakes, resentment, the possibility of forgiveness, and hope.

A rather terrific dramatic reading of this story performed by Goombasa is available here!