The princess's fanatical student. A startlingly honest bootlegger. A prissy high-class escort. A traitor caught between two loyalties. A hyperactive pyromaniac. A quiet assassin who can kill with a word.

The night that has covered Equestria for a thousand years might just be coming to an end. And all of these familiar faces will be engulfed in the war between a victorious Nightmare Moon and her sister, returned from a millennium of exile.

Even as the sun rises, the situation has never seemed so dark.

This story was edited, preread, and otherwise improved by Einhander, Comrade Sparkle, CartsBeforeHorses, Spigo, and IR Pony.

Twilight Sparkle, scholar and adventurer extraordinaire, has journeyed to the ends of the earth in search of the single most significant find in the history of academia. What she discovers is something else entirely...

This story is a sequel to Letters From a Friend at the End of the World

Her travels having brought her and her friends to the far-north city of Frostvale, Trixie finds herself caught up in a looming war and a dangerous plot. Still just trying to recover, she decides to lay low for a bit and wait for an opening to continue her journey.

Meanwhile, Twilight and friends continue following the trail Trixie left behind on her way north. By a combination of her letters, and the ponies they meet, they follow in her hoofsteps, discovering a number of surprising secrets along the way.

Thanks to both Belligerent Sock and Themaskedferret for pre-reading and editing.

Side Story to The Demesne of the Reluctant Twilight Sparkle

When Doctor Princess Twilight Sparkle got Ponyville and the surrounding lands as her exclusive demesne, she knew it meant changes and stuff. Glittering opportunities. Dire crises. Friendships gained and imperiled. The dawn of a new age for Ponyville. A renaissance of the arts and sciences. A great test of her abilities as a leader and as a friend.

The brewing civil war took her by surprise, on the other claw.

The Princesses and their allies in Canterlot are working to change the laws, disband the new militias and ensure a lasting peace, but they need time. Soon, this cold war of arms and intimidation will heat up, and all the laws and decrees in the world ain't stopping it.

Doctor Princess Twilight Sparkle will buy them time. She will do what it takes to keep her friends, her family, and yes, her demesne safe.

With the help of a handsome griffon security professional—that's me, by the way—a devious illusionist, a ruthless athlete, a bored noble, and a pair of boater-clad con-ponies, she'll stop the damn war herself if she has to.

Touch wood I'll live to tell about it...

Bereft of his allowance, Button Mash journeys into Ponyville with the burden of Finding Things To Do. He finds a single penny.

Bereft of her allowance, Diamond Tiara finds Button and his penny.

This should end well.

(Thanks for nothing, Obs.)

It has been weeks since the defeat of the Dazzlings, and Sunset Shimmer's friendships have only gotten stronger. Whilst finally relaxing in the times of peace, Sunset discovers an old enemy: Sonata Dusk. Strangely alone and apparently homeless, Sonata's luck seems to be at its all time low.
Seeing a little of herself in the former siren, Sunset embarks on a mission to help Sonata find friendship.

(For anyone who liked the old cover art, here's a side-by-side comparison of the old and new: http://daniel-gleebits.deviantart.com/art/Go-Compare-Twiddles-moustache-581352606 )

TV Tropes page: Feel free to add whatever tropes you find
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheEveningSonata

Most ponies assume that something is wrong with Ditzy Do's eyes. Theories range from a head injury to a genetic disorder to muscle damage behind her eye. The crueler folk suggest she's just retarded. Nicer ponies say it's just a party trick she never got tired of.

They're all wrong. They're all very, very wrong.

I discovered the truth one day in conversation with her. One eye would always look at me, and the other would wander. At least, I thought it was wandering. So while we were talking, I followed it. Goddess in heaven I wish I had not. Never follow the other eye. Ever. Because Ditzy Do's eyes work fine.

She's just watching something. That... thing that's always in the corner of our eyes. And if she looks at you with both eyes?

Goddess save you.

----

Preread by BrastaAAura17, Chase Cosmicwing and dreamingnoctis. Cover art also by dreamingnoctis. Guy's a bro.

This story is a sequel to Cafeteria Control

After witnessing abuse at the hands of Adagio and Aria, Pinkie Pie comes to the aid of Sonata. The two quickly hit it off and a friendship is born… much to the dismay of everyone around them.

Cover art used with permission from siansaar.

Cadance isn't Sombra. But Sombra's leadership is all the crystal ponies remember, a ruler they had to love at all costs, with the final payment being their own lives. And as they gradually come to see their new Princess as leader instead of savior, too much of that residual fear is being transferred to her. They praise her, adore her, refuse to correct her no matter what she does -- because they live in terror of the consequences for doing anything else. They have yet to find their own voices, and may go on repeating hers until Celestia and Luna switch shifts. So how can she make them tell her when she's wrong, see that there's nothing to be afraid of, and take the next step in coming back to themselves once and for all?

Forbidding them to do anything other than criticize her should do the trick, right?

...right?

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group -- but can be read as a stand-alone, and no knowledge of the other stories is required. New members and trope edits are welcome.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

Mis-communication has started many a war, but in this case maybe calling it a war was too generous.

The "war" is over, Twilight has successfully orchestrated a bloodless end to the Griffons' aggression, but only now does she realize that there is more to winning than she had first assumed, especially against a nation that holds war as a central part of their culture...

Now Twilight must deal with the aftermath while facing a challenge she never anticipated: being seen as a conqueror.

This can be read alone, but I recommend reading the letter that started it all for a chuckle and a little exposition. This series of expositional one-shots can also give some additional world-building.