Sunset Shimmer has been keeping a secret from her friends for a long time: When she was turned back from a she-demon, not all of her power was extinguished. It laid dormant, waiting for a moment to re-emerge and take control once more. For months, Sunset Shimmer has remained strong, holding it at bay and keeping it locked deep within herself.

Yet, no cage or lock is unbreakable and some locks can't be so easily fixed once broken...

Cover Art

Proofread by 7th Outpost, RQK and Dusty Old Qrow

Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle explore what it means to understand the metaphysics of magic and each other.

Slow burn. Shipping ahoy.

Twilight Sparkle is many things, as Princess Celestia is about to learn. Will her newest Faithful Student finally serve a higher purpose?

The original version won 2nd place in the 11th Bi-Monthly Twilestia 'Burning Bright' contest. Cover art is by Evehly (link). Buy this story! Contribute to the TVTropes page!

One weekend, Sunset Shimmer decides to spend her free time just relaxing and thinking about the significant events that have happened before.

Cover art from here

Bored due to there being nothing for her to do, as no Friendship Problems have arisen that have needed her help, Twilight decides to visit her Canterlot High friends and see what's going on.

However, something goes wrong and the portal closes, leaving Twilight stuck on the other side. That's fine though. She can just hang out with her friends and wait it out.

However, it won't be that simple. Though she turned into a human like normal when she arrived, Twilight is now about 6 to 7-years-old and it seems she has access to her magic as if she were still an Alicorn. The human world isn't prepared for this.

AU universe where Friendship Games happened before the Season 5 finale, so Twilight's human self is already transferred into CHS, but pony Twilight has yet to go with Fluttershy on their Friendship Mission.

Rated Everyone for now, but may change it to teen depending on future chapters

Note: Twilight didn't see Sunset's messages in this AU due to them coming whilst she and the girls being away dealing with Starlight, followed by how much she'd been avoiding her castle in the following episode.

Spike is the reason the messages never got answered though, due to Big Mac accidentally knocking the book of it's place on the machine whilst he and Spike were in the library, Spike not being there in time to see it glowing to indicate messages being received, so he just placed it back on there without a thought.

In Popular Stories 22-23/1/2016. A good start to the Year, I feel

Whoa. Featured 3-4/3/2017. Okay, honestly, I really did not see that coming. What?

In a freak storm, the abandoned building Sunset had been calling home for almost four years was destroyed, lightning and fire leaving naught but memories and ash. Her friends rally around her, offering support and a sofa to sleep on.

But this won't do - not for Generosity.

But even with a roof over her head, Sunset can't help but feel out of place. It's up to Rarity to look after her friend, and maybe even help Sunset find herself a home?

Edited by EternityFlame
& Scribe Scribbles

This story is a sequel to Shadowbolts Adventures: Ask Sugarcoat

Discord just wants a vacation from his friends in Equestria, and decides to take a sabbatical in the alternate universe Princess Twilight told him about. But things begin to go awry in both universes as Chaos erupts in one and World Peace erupts in the other. Can the girls convince him to go home before the human world falls apart? And will Princess Twilight allow him to come home and lose the serenity that has overcome Equestria?

Rated T for adult language

Losing a child is the most terrifying thing that can happen to a parent.

Sunset Shimmer had been gone for years. Celestia had never really given up hope that she would see her again, but the doubt had always been in the back of her mind: what if she never returns? The echoes of their last fight followed her all those years.

And now that Sunset Shimmer has returned, Celestia wants to see her again. She has an offer to make, to a filly she raised as a daughter.

This story is a sequel to The Smartphone

Rainbow Dash from Equestria has decided that she would like to have a smartphone. The Rainbow Dash from the human world has one. When Equestrian Rainbow Dash steals the human Rainbow Dash's phone, the two hold a competition to decide who keeps it. But, more importantly, the contest will determine which of them is better!

Sunset does not approve.

This story is a sequel to The Alchemy of Chemistry

  Somepony has raided the border of the desolate Badlands, abducting every musician, singer and bard in the realm. Now, four brave adventurers will journey to the depths of this forsaken land to seek the meaning behind these strange disappearances.
  ...assuming Sunset doesn't strangle Minuette, Lemon Hearts or Twinkleshine in the real world first.

Featured on FimFiction multiple times in January and February of 2017!
Featured as a sequel on EquestriaDaily!

Historian’s Note:
Set in the Wavelengths timeline where the Sonic Rainboom didn’t happen, Bards of the Badlands occur about two months after the events in The Alchemy of Chemistry during the summer after Sunset’s first term as an aide at Gifted Unicorns.

Cast: Sunset Shimmer, Minuette, Lemon Hearts & Twinkleshine.

Stories set in the Wavelengths Timeline in chronological order:

Origins Arc
The Alchemy of Chemistry
Bards of the Badlands
Grading on a Bell Curve
Habits of the Equestrian Phoenix
How Not To Use Your Royal Prerogative

Applications Arc
The Application of Unified Harmony Magics
Princess Celestia: A Brief History
The Cloudsdale Report

Dreamers Arc
Tactics of Snowbound Unicorns
A Study in Chaos Theory
Teahouses of Saddle Arabia
As the Raven Flies

Cover Design by Amber Spark
Sunset Shimmer Cutie Mark By Millennial Dan
Dawn Break component of Garnet’s Cutie Mark by Sankam
Garnet Gem component of Garnet’s Cutie Mark by zutheskunk
Epic Hydra Artwork by Zilvart

Special Thanks
Roll For Initiative by Prak - A big part of the inspiration for this tale. Go read it. It's hysterical.

Beta Reader & Editor Credits
Ebon Quill - Quest Designer & Worldbuilding Writer on The Manehattan Project
Little Tinker - Master of Systems at Poniverse & Scripting Engineer on The Manehattan Project
Beltorn - Commenter-at-Large on FimFiction
Painted Heart

Word Count: 28,500
Version: 7.0