This story is a sequel to Reformation Buddies

After the Friendship Games, a cold war of academic ideologies has sparked at Crystal Prep Academy. While Dean Cadence pushes for a new student exchange program and a more friendly environment, Principal Cinch is instituting stricter rules and more drastic measures to keep her students in line. There are even rumors of a No Magic rule being enforced, though the details are sketchy. With so many mixed signals being thrown around, no one really knows what's in store for the prestigious institution.

Over at Canterlot High, meanwhile, the Sirens have their own problem. Sunset Shimmer's research has shown that music isn't the only way to tap into the magic of friendship. It comes out when those that wield it are true to themselves. Only problem is none of the Sirens know what that means. This is especially disheartening for Adagio Dazzle, who hasn't even regained her powers at all.

After hearing about Dean Cadence's student-exchange program, Sunset decides that she can help the Sirens and the Shadowbolts in one fell swoop by signing them all up for the program. For one week, she and the Sirens will be attending Crystal Prep, discovering their true selves while unraveling Principal Cinch's draconian schemes. Sounds simple, right?

Well, now add Discord into the mix, along with a dash of distrust from Adagio and just a pinch of the Shadowbolts not exactly being a united force. Yeah, Sunset really has her work cut out for her.

Takes place before Legend of Everfree.

Special thanks to Bookish Delight for inspiration and help with conceptualization.

Cover art provided by the amazingly talented GemiNiah.

On the day of the Friendship Games, the veil between two worlds is pierced. The magic of Equestria seeps through the barrier to permeate the world of humanity. Entities begin to come into existence. Lore and legend are gaining flesh, bone, and blood, yielding things both wondrous and horrible. Magic is powerful, but a limited resource. If the world at large discovers its existence, Equestria will become a target.

Thus, seven friends agree to keep the secret, but some things will not be hidden away.

"Every normal pony must be tempted, at times, to spit on her hooves, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.”

Over brunch, Twilight Sparkle lines out her plans to turn to a life of villainy. For the most part, her friends are all for it.

It makes sense in context, honest.

There's a man who works at my job in the basement.

He says his name is Derek. Not many people like Derek. People say he's weird and tends to lie. Derek says he was tricked and isn't supposed to be here at all.

He also says he used to be the Chaos King back home.

And here I just wish he'd stop screwing around with the coffee in the breakroom.

Twilight isn't having a very good day. An experimental spell blew up in her face, an army of changelings is attacking Canterlot, and she just died. Yet somehow, it looks like it's going to keep going downhill from here.

Given the chance to correct what's gone wrong, Twilight swears she's going to fix all this even if it kills her. Which it will. Frequently.

Cover art by Pixel Prism
Spanish Translation
Series TV Tropes page

Hello, friends! My name is Lemony Cutewhistle.

I am probably a normal pony.

-

Editing thanks to Aquaman and Masked Ferret.

It's been a few weeks since Luna's returned from the moon, and all is not well. She's become more introverted than ever, rarely leaving her room and obsessing over work. Celestia hopes that studying Twilight Sparkle's Friendship Reports will at least help her get out of her shell, though an unusually talkative servant may just help in that regard...and is anypony else getting strange feelings from that statue out in the gardens?

As of May 4th, now featured on Equestria Daily. *Squee*

When facing Twilight Sparkle, Nightmare Moon was given a choice: redemption or revenge. What if she had chosen the latter? A grim fate awaits Equestria, but in a time of greater strife and conflict, Discord's return is accelerated. While he expected to bring chaos, he did not anticipate that he would end the Longest Night and bring hope and joy back to the land.

Discord struggles to reconcile his nature with his desire for admiration. While Twilight's friends strive to carve a new life in the ever-shifting Equestria, she searches for Celestia, the only one who can bring harmony back to her lands. But Nightmare Moon also seeks her sister in a desperate attempt to find her place in the world. New dangers lurk in the wild and more threaten to fall over Equestria. Nightmare Moon's decision broke the balance of the world. Will Equestria ever turn to peace, or will the spiral of chaos and destruction be the end of everything?

(An alternate history, this story takes the universe established by the canon and explores one possible outcome if Princess Luna had not been redeemed.)

Comments contain huge spoilers. Walk softly.

Special thanks to my pre-readers, MmmandarinOrange and DarkmatterButterflies for keeping my head on, taking the journey of the story, and making it so much better than it would have been if I wrote it alone.

Does the Pinkie Pie on the left look like an unfeeling automaton? A magical construct with no capacity for thought or action beyond a simple phrase, like 'FUN'? Well, only the latter's incorrect.

She thought it was all over when her resolve broke and she was flashed back to the mirror pool. Emerging from it for the second time in a lifetime, the first Pinkie Pie clone only knows one thing; she's alive and well, unlike every single one of her reflections. Is she just a lucky reflection? A copy?

In the middle of the Everfree, confused, forlorn, and lost; where will she go, what in Equestria will she do?

And why are these six ponies, including the pony she herself is a reflection of, trying so hard to find her? They were saying something about "splitting the Element of Laughter" . . .

Can't let them catch me. No matter what it takes.

Imperaxum's entry to The Most Dangerous Game contest. Will be submitted when complete, and must be completed before June 27th.

Ever been bested by a sickeningly sweet pony, specifically one who wields the Elements of Harmony? Are you just tired of love and hope and kindness filling your world? I know I am. Come to the next meeting of Villains Anonymous, where no unjust deed of cruelty goes unrewarded. Discuss your beliefs of disaster and anarchy with your like-minded colleagues, speak of plans for your next big scheme for world domination, or just be a stuck-up jerk. Here at Villains Anonymous, all evil is welcome.

-Discord, The Spirit of Disharmony

P.S., Chrysalis, it's your turn to bring snacks.

---

Updated 11/11/12

Seeing as how some of you want me to write more, I'll get on it soon.