I was just hoping to get this last job done, always getting sent to this dimension or that, always doing the interests of others. Unfortunately, everyone's luck eventually runs out, and it looks like mine has ran out as well. Now somehow I got stuck in this place, in a foreign body, and things just keeps getting worse for me. What did I do to deserve this?
Note: This is not a HiE story.
Editors: Discord Kantus (Chapters I-XLII), Hyari (Chapters XXXIV and onward), Fourpony
Art: AlicornParty

Today is Princess Twilight Sparkle’s 500th birthday, and her most faithful student, an earth pony with a familiar name, can’t wait to celebrate!

Notes:
- Cover art by ErinKarsath, used with permission. Check out her DeviantArt page.
- This is a story in the Birthdayverse, and you can find the sequel here.
- Many thanks to my faithful Pre-Reader and all around super-duper best pony, Blood Lord. Go read his story, too!
- This was written during the season 3 hiatus of MLP:FiM.

This story is a sequel to Princess Twilight Sparkle's 500th Birthday

Five years have passed since the events of that fateful morning. Smarty Pants and her friends set off on an adventure of a lifetime to discover the secrets of the past when they awaken a… oh wait, that would be spoiling it!

Many questions from the first story will be answered! New questions will arise. Lunch will be had, pies will be thrown, blood will be kept inside bodies because seriously, ew blood, you guys.

Notes:
- Cover art commissioned by HAK2. Check out his other stuff, too.
- This is a story in the Birthdayverse.
- This story was written and completed (except for the epilogue) before Season 4 of MLP:FiM aired.
- Many thanks to my faithful Pre-Reader and all around super-duper best pony, Blood Lord go read his story, too!

After Minuette receives her hourglass cutie mark, she must join Equestria's mysterious and secretive Order of Timekeepers, the worshipers of the Titan Chronos doomed to count the hours, minutes, and seconds of every day to ensure the princesses raise the sun and moon on time. But when Queen Chrysalis begins snatching chronomasters from across Equestria, it's up to Minuette and the last remnant of the Order to stop her. With changelings at every turn, there is nopony they can trust, yet only trust can save them.

Now with its own TVTropes page!

Featured by Seattle's Angels.

Translated into Polish by Korodzik.

Thanks to adamscage for the cover art.

Part of the SALT September 2012 writing contest.

Love and Family come in all shapes and sizes.

Sometimes, they're nothing like what you ever expected.

This is the story of how a little white rabbit found his.

The only currency in war is life. It is a simple creed meant for an era that most believe has long since passed. With princesses, elements, and friendship, what could dare shatter the dream sewn by Equestria’s holy lights? What could ever throw us into a state of complete, utter darkness? Well, they always forget. They always forget that Tartarus exists for a reason – that something trapped by once upon a time spawned their beloved guards. They always forget that even the Sun casts a shadow, and it is in this shadow where we sit – to serve as a bolting line of defense against all threats that slither beneath the pedestal of our magical world.

Cover art by the awesome Baron Engel.

More Background Stuff!
Somehow featured on: 2015/05/10, 2015/08/16, 2015/09/02, 2015/09/06, 2015/09/21, 2015/10/05, 2015/10/08 & 2015/12/03.
A State of Darkness builds upon the alternate universe established by the backstory of my surprisingly named OC, Wing. Since I have a doctorate in physics, I really wanted this world to have an expanded structure regarding education. I also wished to portray an Equestria in which violence yielded consequences that stretched beyond the discovery of good morals. Before touching this tale, I had envisioned a flight school curriculum that included training analogous to graduate level education, and I had fabricated a history in which the demonstration of new combat-applicable techniques during this training brought about the creation of the Wonderbolt DarkOps. There is also a heavy influence from the adventures I have had roleplaying with my closest friends -- who have shaped my characters and worldviews in ways absolutely immeasurable.

This particular group of ponies has shown an ability to handle the somewhat shadier sides of the realm. While this organization relies heavily upon pegasi and their flying skills, it is not limited to one race, which I think is just fine and dandy - especially with regards to variety. All of these historical bits that swarmed in my mind served as the nucleus for what would become A State of Darkness.

One night, I was inspired by the image of a pony soldier awaiting execution. It touched that desire I held to dive into the grittier elements of the universe brewing in my brain. That picture sealed the deal for me. I started writing, and when my fingers stopped moving, there was something present that I wanted to share with the community and continue. I am a busy physicist without a lot of writing time, but I will try my best to keep updating regularly.

Arc Overview:
Arc 1: A State of Darkness The unicorn supremacist group Einhorn Vormacht emerges and jeopardizes the harmony upon which Equestria stands. [Installments 0-9]
Arc 2: A State of History One of the characters delves into his past for the sake of a curious, by-the-book guard. [Installments 10-14]
Arc 3: A Game of Darkness [Installments 15-29] An old colleague of Wing's reappears with plans to to hurl the world into a state of chaos that not even Discord is down for experiencing.

Life is looking up for Sunset Shimmer.

With her grandstanding at the Battle of the Bands, Canterlot High has taken a new approach to her. Amends have been made, friendships have been restored, and Sunset is on the fast track to becoming a better person.

But even now, there are still apologies that have to be said.

For her Spring Break, Sunset returns to Equestria to make up with her estranged family: the parents that raised and provided for her, and the sister she left behind. But a lot has changed since then, and some wounds won't heal by just saying 'I'm sorry.'

Fixing friendships is one thing. Sunset will be put through her hardest test yet when she tries to bring her family back together.

Another one edited by Cerulean Voice.

Stunningly amazing cover art drawn by Ayemel!

Featured on Equestria Daily.

Listen to the audio book here!

This story is a sequel to Memoirs of a Royal Guard

From the outside looking in, life has never been better for Silent Knight. He is the first pony in a long line of Royal Guard ancestry to earn a commission, he has a loving mare by his side, and he bears the kingdom’s highest honor for bravely risking it all to protect Princess Luna. The future shines bright with potential, but the shadows of the past lurk at every twist and turn that lies ahead.

Guilt, anger, and regret are constantly at war in the depths of Silent Knight’s mind. Despite his best efforts to enjoy the life he has, he finds himself trapped in the past, reliving the moment when his unit was ambushed and his ponies were killed. He refuses to show any weakness, instead hiding everything behind a tough face to protect himself and those he loves. But his true feelings—and what he plans to do with them—shackle everything he holds dear with chains forged in secret.

Secrets of a Royal Guard is a comedy series with romantic, dramatic, and adventure elements. It features an original character cast and their interactions with the princesses they protect. It is recommended that readers be familiar with Memoirs of a Royal Guard.

Quill & Blade Universe

Everypony has a story. Some tell of heroic feats and grand adventure. Others tell of villainy against the forces of Harmony. The story of an average guard, however, is one of obscurity. They live in the background, unnoticed but ever-present.

Silent Knight assumed his tale would be like that of his father's: join the Royal Guard and serve Equestria. He would be just another helmet and spear, part of the rank and file. And that was all he ever wanted.

However, when Captain Shining Armor asked for volunteers to form a House Guard for the recently returned Princess Luna, it was Silent's hooves that stepped forwards to set his new life in motion.

A head full of romance is what many Canterlot ponies would call a frivolous waste of time. Everypony was meant to play by the rules of high society: keep your nose in the air, laugh at important ponies' jokes, and attend all of the right parties. Upper Crust and Jet Set had been diligent in raising their daughter Crystal Wishes to be a pony everypony would know, but she wanted more out of life than that. She hoped she would someday meet a handsome prince and fall in love, just like in the stories she wrote.

Crystal knew life wasn't as easy as a foal's tale, but that didn't stop her from dreaming. All of the wishes, hopes, and dreams inside her heart escaped into her precious notebook as she wrote about princesses in power and dashing knights. So long as nopony found out her secret, she could continue to play the part of a dutiful daughter while waiting for her own love story to begin.