Twilight Sparkle gets a surprise phone call from Sunset Shimmer out of nowhere. It's nothing to worry about... right?

Life is a garden, beautiful when it blooms. More than time and more than labor, it requires devotion. Rarity and Fluttershy have been growing a garden for years, even if only one of them knows it.

Twilight can't sleep. She has an ancient and unfinished magic spell running circles in her mind. It's only when her friends visit that she begins to relax.

A pony returns to Ponyville on Hearth's Warming Eve. Amidst the snow and festivities, he runs into a curious mare wallowing by her lonesome, and he does his best to cheer her up. Together, both ponies learn that no chance meeting is ever an accident, for there is love beyond what lingers.

After a long night of partying with her old friends at the Castle Courtyard, Moondancer once again heads back home.

But despite all the good that has transpired that night... and unbeknownst to anypony else... there are still some inner demons left for her to confront when she arrives.

...

Based around the events of the episode Amending Fences. Rated for sad and dark themes.

Featured On Equestria Daily!

This story is a sequel to The Application of Unified Harmony Magics

  After the incredibly awkward reunion last night, Sunset is less than eager about her promise to introduce Twilight Sparkle to Princess Celestia. Maybe it would help if Twilight could go more than five minutes without a panic-driven ramble.
  Despite her doubts, Sunset decides to do her best. But between a bowl of ice water, Philomena’s antics and Celestia’s sly smile, Sunset knows this isn’t going to be easy.
  Still, Twilight probably could have handled it better.

Featured as a Sequel on Equestria Daily on October 8, 2016!
Appeared in the FimFiction Featured Box on September 27, 2016!

Historian’s Note: Set in the Wavelengths timeline where the Sonic Rainboom didn’t happen, the events of Princess Celestia: A Brief History occur the day after the story The Applications of Unified Harmony Magics.

Cast: Sunset Shimmer, Twilight Sparkle, Princess Celestia, Minuette & Philomena

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 Credits
Cover Design by Amber Spark using Pixelmator
Princess Celestia Vector by Wrathx79
Princess Celestia's Room by tamalesyatole
Sunset Shimmer Cutie Mark by MillennialDan
MLP Book Vector by SnowedEarth
MLP Magic Aura Vector by AimeeLovesU

Beta Reader Credits
Ebon Quill - Worldbuilding Writer on The Manehattan Project
Little Tinker - Master of Systems at Ponyville Live & Scripting Engineer on The Manehattan Project

Special Thanks
Fahrenheit - For wonderful advice on creating an epic and entertaining synopsis!

This story is a sequel to Bards of the Badlands

  Sunset hates dealing with chaos surges, no matter how amusing Moon Dancer finds them. After a particularly annoying surge while tutoring Moon Dancer in her advanced telekinetic studies, Sunset takes refuge in the teacher’s lounge. Though she was only looking for a cup of scalding hot tea, Sunset finds a pony walking down the same path she once walked, giving her an opportunity she’s never had before…
  To help somepony not out of guilt, but just because it’s the right thing to do.

Featured on Equestria Daily on September 19, 2016!

Historian’s Note: Set in a timeline where the Sonic Rainboom never happened, Bell Curve occurs in Sunset’s second year as an aide for Professor Apple Polish at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and several years before the events in The Application of Unified Harmony Magics.

Cast: Sunset Shimmer, Cheerilee, Moon Dancer & Professor Crystal Clear with Philomena as herself.

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 Credits
Cover Design by Amber Spark using Pixelmator
Sunset Shimmer Vector by Midnight-St4r
Cheerilee Vector by J-Brony
Sunset Shimmer Cutie Mark by MillennialDan

Editor & Beta Reader Credits
Ebon Quill - Worldbuilding Writer on The Manehattan Project
Little Tinker - Sysadmin at Poniverse
Painted Heart

Special Thanks:
Orbiting Kettle - For some sorely-needed advice on getting something approaching a good synopsis for this tale!

  Stuck as an aide to a bunch of second-year students at Gifted Unicorns, Sunset Shimmer thought picking one to tutor might be entertaining… and maybe advance her plans for the mirror and her eventual ascension.
  This 'Moon Dancer' filly is just a means to an end, after all.
  So why can’t Sunset sleep after Moon Dancer storms out on her? Why are Princess Celestia and Professor Polish so concerned about her?
  But most importantly, why is Sunset starting to doubt herself?
  This was all part of the plan. Right?

Featured on FimFiction multiple times in November of 2016!
Featured on Equestria Daily!

Historian’s Note:
Set in the Wavelengths timeline where the Sonic Rainboom didn’t happen, the events of The Alchemy of Chemistry occur at the end of Sunset’s first term as the aide for Professor Apple Polish at Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns.

Cast: Sunset Shimmer, Moon Dancer & Princess Celestia with a cameo by Twilight Sparkle
Co-Starring: Professor Apple Polish, Cinnamon Tart & Dean Silver Slate with Professor Crystal Clear

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
Potion Bottles by DervonneBenaan
Sunset Shimmer Cutie Mark By Millennial Dan
Moon Dancer Cutie Mark by Allycatblu
Classroom Background By Roxy-Cream

Editor/Cohort in Scheming
Ebon Quill - Quest Designer on The Manehattan Project

Beta Reader Credits
Little Tinker - Master of Systems at Poniverse & Scripting Engineer on The Manehattan Project
Beltorn - Commenter-at-Large on FimFiction
Painted Heart

Special Guest Beta Reader
Tchernobog - Rabid AppleDash Fanatic. His price was shipping AJ and Dash together in one of my stories. Steep price, but worth it. He was also instrumental in creating that awesome elevator pitch!

Word Count: 33,000 words
Version: 3.7

This story is a sequel to How Not To Use Your Royal Prerogative

  In an Equestria where the Sonic Rainboom never happened, Sunset Shimmer is the prized pupil of the Princess of the Sun. As Sunset struggles to make up for her past misdeeds and come to terms with the pony she wants to be, Celestia sends her to find the classic work The Application of Unified Harmony Magic from the Royal Canterlot Archives.
  Right after lunch, some meddling by her friends and meeting somepony with firsthoof experience of the Sunset she used to be.

Featured on Equestria Daily on August 18, 2016!
Appeared in the FimFiction Featured Box!

Cast: Sunset Shimmer, Moon Dancer, Minuette, Twilight Sparkle & Princess Celestia

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 Credits
Cover Design by Amber Spark
Sunset Shimmer Vector by TigerBeetle
Pony SciTwi Vector by Osipush
Canterlot Bookshelves Vector by FavoriteArtMan
Sunset Shimmer Cutie Mark by MillennialDan

Beta Reader Credits
Ebon Quill - Worldbuilding Writer on The Manehattan Project
Quantum State - Technical Director of The Manehattan Project
The Albinocorn - Master of Sunset Shimmer Stories

Strongly Recommended Stories:
The Brightest and the Best by Pineta - The events in this story are considered to be completely canon to this timeline and explain Twilight's entrance exam to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns. I cannot recommend this story enough.
MLP Annual 2013 - "The Fall of Sunset Shimmer" - As above, the 8-page short comic in the beginning of the Annual is also considered to be canon, though with some major variations.

Version 3.0 Edit: Extensive grammatical and mechanics changes. Adjustment to timeline of Sunset's second mirror experience.

Everypony enjoys myths and ponytales, even if they know such things aren't real. Alicorns fighting against a spirit of chaos? An ancient princess trapped in a library under a tree, waiting to be found? Quite enchanting and fantastic tales yes, but nonetheless as fictional as Daring Do and other such stories. At least, that's what Rarity used to think.

She doesn't anymore.

Dedicated to Annuska for being as amazing a writer as she is a friend.

Now a physical book!!!
Patreon!
Based on an old oneshot.
Chapter Art by Arctic Waters // Graphic Design and Typography by Swan Song.