Twilight Sparkle, Arcane Mage, knows that there is some truth to the story of Nightmare Moon, but her mentor, Princess Celestia, dismisses the matter in a heartbeat. She sends Twilight to the town of Magiville to oversee preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, much to Twilight's distaste.
Unbeknownst to her, the darkness is gathering in Mystica. Assassins lurk in the shadows, Undead gather in the forest, werewolves sharpen their claws, and criminals and mercenaries prepare themselves.
To win the coming battle, Twilight will have to rely on her wits, her magic, and the five mages she's been saddled with. No matter how much they annoy her.
Rated teen for violence and language. Humanized, action-y. Based on the first two episodes, with some large changes made.

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.

This story is a sequel to Pan Flash

First Take isn't Rarity -- but she does play her on TV.

Friendship is magic, but it doesn't always win the day.

Twilight Sparkle knows this...

Queen Chrysalis knows this as well.

Edits by Scarheart, MaddiePink5, Kildeez

FEATURED IN EQD!!! http://www.equestriadaily.com/2016/04/story-friendship-lost.html?m=1
WE GOT A GOOD AUDIO READING! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av4qrFmvkFs&t=87s

A collection of (mostly) unconnected one-shots all based around pairings as chosen by the Wheel of Shipping. Each day throughout March, I will spin the wheel to produce a pairing and then write a one-shot about that couple. Some stories will be long, some short, some comedy, some drama, some tragedy, some serious, some not etc.

Wheel of Shipping, turn, turn, turn, show us the pairing that we should burn ...

[Note: Not all tags are in all stories. They represent an overview of what the stories as a whole include. Check description for brief notes on the genre of each day's ficlet.]

Day the Twenty-Fifth: Derpy Hooves/Nightmare Moon
Day the Twenty-Fourth: Rainbow Dash/Princess Luna
Day the Twenty-Third: Trixie/Pinkie Pie
Day the Twenty-Second: Apple Bloom/Apple Bloom (grimdark)
Day the Twenty-First: King Sombra/Gilda (comedy)
Day the Twentieth: Trixie/Starlight Glimmer (comedy/romance)
Day the Nineteenth: Discord/Sunset Shimmer (comedy/action)
Day the Eighteenth: Fluttershy/Spitfire (romance/uplifting)
Day the Seventeeth: Cadence/Nightmare Moon (slice-of-life/darkfic)
Day the Sixteenth: Photo Finish/Princess Celestia (darkfic)
Day the Fifteeth: Princess Luna/Gilda (sadfic/drama/uplifting)
Day the Fourteenth: Golden Harvest/Braeburn (sadfic)
Day the Thirteenth: Sunset Shimmer/Fluttershy (fluff)
Day the Twelfth: Noteworthy/Fleur De Lis (sadfic)
Day the Eleventh: Princess Luna/Nightmare Moon (darkfic)
Day the Tenth: Limestone Pie/Starlight Glimmer (comedy/slice-of-life)
Day the Ninth: Sapphire Shores/Countess Coloratura (fluff)
Day the Eighth: Rainbow Dash/Celestia (comedy)
Day the Seventh: Cadence/Tirek (grimdark)
Day the Sixth: Flash Sentry/Spitfire (sadfic)
Day the Fifth: Fleur De Lis/Big Macintosh (slice-of-life/uplifting/drama)
Day the Fourth: Marble Pie/Prince Blueblood (slice-of-life/uplifting)
Day the Third: Fancy Pants/Svengallop (fluff)
Day the Seconde: Rarity/Shining Armour (drama)
Day the Firste: Queen Chrysalis/Noteworthy (tragedy)

If you wish to spin for your own random pairing, the Wheel of Shipping can be found here.

Cover art of the author drawn by Tranzmute in lieu of something more appropriate.

Applejack realizes one morning that Rainbow Dash has apparently moved in with her. This discovery surprises Dash more than a little, too, and sets off a chain of events neither could have imagined.

The original minific version of this story came in fifth in the Dec. 2015 Writeoff Association contest, "Things Left Unsaid." And the full, three-chapter-and-an-epilogue version won 3rd place in The Fourth AppleDash Contest: A Little Twist of Lemon using the categories "A Life-Changing Event" and "An Important or Memorable Date."

Marriage is the hardest thing Carrot Cake has ever done, second only to being a father to his two foals.

Woken by a chill and finding himself quite bereft of blankets, he finds himself pondering the canyon that has appeared between he and his wife.

Twilight's transfer from Crystal Prep hasn't exactly gone over that smoothly. She's terribly closeted and hates branching out to other things. Her interests lie in pen, paper, and books. So what is it that can bring all of those things together into one sociable, friendship-buidling (or destroying) activity?

Caverns and Critters, a fantasy tabletop game.

Sunset Shimmer has her reservations, but Twilight seems to enjoy building these fantasy worlds for them, and all of the other girls are enjoying themselves as well (even Fluttershy and Rarity, surprisingly enough.) Far be it from her to deny her friends their indulgence, and if she's being perfectly honest with herself, all the talk of magic and kingdoms and fantasy errata has her pining for Equestria and her old life.

----------

Rated Teen for mild language, violence, and thematic elements.

----------

I'm sure Gygax is rolling in his grave, but I felt a Dungeons and Dragons analog in Equestria Girls needed to be done. Because let's face it, what else do high school juniors do with their free time?

Maud did not love Rainbow Dash.

Maud did not understand love.

Maud understood war. Maud understood battle. Maud understood loss.

Those are the things Maud understood.

[Maud/RD - Season 5 finale AU]

Moondancer conned her neighbor, Trixie, into giving her some solitude when she was a filly, and now she tries to make amends by applying Friendship Theory.

Editor:
Minds Eye
Prereaders:
Reneigh Haycart, Not_A_Hat, ZodiacSpear

Featured on Equestria Daily