Following the return of the Crystal Empire, Twilight begins some intensive research into the history of the Empire and its late king. Modern historians know next to nothing about the enigmatic dark mage. Who was he? Did he have family? Loved ones?

The answers to those questions changes everything the Element of Magic knows about herself, and in doing so catches the attention of a shadow that yet clings to the frailty of life...

Cover art made by Skijarama!
Reading can be found here.
Edited by RC2101_Copey.
Featured on 20/10/2018.
Russian Translation: Here

Sunset Shimmer, the most talented student of Princess Celestia of all times, is sent on a mission to the frozen north. Almost a thousand years ago, in a war of dark magic, the legendary Crystal Empire has vanished from the face of Equestria. Now, Princess Celestia sends her best student to explore the remains of the long forgotten Empire.

Sunset Shimmer takes on this new mission to prove herself worthy of becoming an alicorn princess herself. However, what she discovers at the remains of the Crystal Empire might change everything.

In the comic "The fall of Sunset Shimmer", there is no indication how much time passed between Sunset Shimmer's first contact with the mirror and her escape into the human world. This story takes place is this period of time and moves on from that.

This story is a sequel to The Unchosen One

Trixie has wings and a horn, but she isn't a princess yet. With Equestria's political situation fragile following the events of Tirek's attack and subsequent defeat, she has to hide her status from everypony. At the same time she has to learn how to control these new powers and try to earn the respect she desires.

Of course this would all be easier if there wasn't someone working against her from the shadows.

You don't need to read The Unchosen One before you read this, but since this is a direct sequel it would be good so you know how and why Trixie got those wings. It would also be good to have seen the ending of season 4. If you haven't yet, don't read the bit above where I mention Tirek. Don't read that last sentence either.

Trixie has returned to the only life she hasn't failed at, rock farming. When her old rival comes to help her make amends, she's thrust into an adventure she doesn't want to be on, but it may be what she needs to reclaim her confidence as the Great and Powerful Trixie she once was.

When Nightmare Moon’s rebellion tore across Equestria, leaving a trail of blood and horror in its wake, Princess Celestia knew that merely banishing her sister wouldn’t be enough. Her army was too powerful, and too bloodthirsty, to be left behind without a leader. When she finally turned the Elements of Harmony against her, she didn’t just banish Nightmare Moon. She banished thousands.

Now they’re in a race against time, to find a way to survive in an environment so alien that every aspect of it is trying to kill them. They face suffocation, freezing, boiling, starvation, radiation, meteorite impacts, low gravity… the list goes on.

Nightmare Moon thought she should be the ruler of all Equestria. Now, in a world nopony was ever meant to survive, her abilities will be put to the ultimate test.

This story now has a hardcover! If you'd like one of your own, you can grab it here: https://starscribe.net/

Editing by the indulgent and patient Two Bit and Sparktail. Coverart by Zutcha.

Note: I intend this story to be as faithful to our current scientific understanding of the moon, and I’ve consulted for help with the aspects outside my technical purview. That said, I fully expect to make decisions that some may see as mistakes, based on their own independent interpretations.

I am a storyteller first, and I realize it’s likely I’ll eventually make a mistake, or an arbitrary decision to simplify the storytelling over accuracy. I’m doing my best here, but this isn’t a NASA white paper. Set your expectations accordingly.

This story was commissioned by Canary in the Coal Mine on my Patreon, feel free to contact me if you’d like one of your own!

Surrounded by the Everfree Forest, filled with delinquents, devoid of morals and any real sources of magic, Ponyville is the worst place to live in all of Equestria. But it also has the cheapest rent and Twilight's life just collapsed to the point where she can't afford to live anywhere else.

Perhaps the only thing Twilight has going for her now is that Rarity, the most powerful pony in town, has taken a liking to her. Rarity is eloquent, but the leader of a gang. She's beautiful and intriguing, but the most irreverent and delinquent pony Twilight has ever met. Rumors swirl around her. Some ponies even say she and her entire gang are all vampires.

But Twilight is smart enough to not give in to temptations. Or join a gang. Or become a vampire.

Now with an audio reading by Skijarama!

Now with a print version available for order!

A purple Alicorn shows up one night and then vanishes into thin air. Many wouldn't think anything of it besides how strange it was.

Not Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash has met that Alicorn before.

The implication it brings and the guilt that follows leaves Rainbow Dash with questions weighing on her mind.

Luckily, in the crushing pain of reality, she still has friends.

***

Cover art created by the extremely talented invertigo and paid for by the amazingly awesome Shipmun. Oh my gosh it's just so cool.

Equestria: The shining beacon of peace and harmony in a world torn by war. The citizens are safe and secure within the borders.

However, a darkness is coming. Sunset Shimmer, daughter of Celestia, fears the return of the goddess of the night herself: Nightmare Moon. A mare who wishes nothing more than the destruction of everything good. Sunset will do anything to stop her.....
...Even if that means hanging out with other ponies.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
I know you all have seen your fair shair of Alt-universes, starring a different main six. I know this, but I couldn't get the thought of trying my own hand in the concept.
{I'm also hoping I live up to the standard set by my predecessors.}
I shall call my 'verse, "The Shimmerverse"....Genius!

(Edited by The Albinocorn. Thanks for the assistance.)
Coverart by F-NAR
I hope I did well and you enjoy it.
Please leave a comment.

For Sunset Shimmer, letting a group of impressionable high school students in the know about another dimension where magic reigns and talking ponies are the norm is not the easiest thing to handle. It does not help that the portal to this dimension is right in front of the school.

Sooner or later, though, she has to deal with more than mere questions about Equestria. Twilight becomes curious enough that words won't cut it for her anymore. She wants to see this dimension for herself.

So, Sunset begins by offering to bring her camera through the portal to take pictures and videos of her next trip there in Equestria.

Alternate ending to "Forgotten Friendship". The Memory Stone has been destroyed and everyone's memories have been restored. Except for Sunset Shimmer's.

Now, teams on both sides of the portal must work together to discover what happened to Sunset's memories, where they went, and how to get them back.

Other character tags include: Moondancer, Princess Celestia, Sunburst, Trixie (EqG).