Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns is famous across Equestria as a center of academic excellence. Only the best and brightest unicorns are offered places, selected by their academic merit, magical ability and passion for study. To make the admissions process as fair and reliable as possible, all candidates are given three exams by different teams of examiners, who then meet in private to decide which students are most deserving of a place.

Winner of the December 2014 Writeoff competition: Behind Closed Doors.

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

Twilight Sparkle was annoyed to say the least, when her mentor Princess Celestia dismissed her warning of the Mare in the Moon and assigned her to go to Ponyville to supervise the Summer Sun Celebration. 'Make some friends' she says.

The thing is, Twilight already had friends. Friends she's had ever since she got into Celestia's school for gifted unicorns, friends she's taken for granted for many years, friends who she just happens to bump into before leaving Canterlot and invite themselves along to the celebration.

Between the crazy ponies in this little town and the crazy ponies who call themselves her friends, she finds herself at her wit's end while being constantly sidetracked in trying to prepare for the fabled Nightmare Moon's return. After all, it's not like these old schoolmates of hers are going to be able to help prevent eternal night and the end of Equestria as they know it, right?

Twilight Sparkle is not in a good place. Shunned and abandoned by her friends, her mentor and even her family for a thoughtless outburst at the wedding rehearsal. But she still has friends in Canterlot, even if she forgot about them.

Oh yeah, and somepony should probably do something about that whole changeling issue.

Written under the prompt "Warrior Twilight" for FOME's Imposing Sovereigns Contest.

Haycartes was one of the greatest equine intellectuals of all time, having made outstanding contributions to geometry, algebra, optics, as well as magic. He is regarded as the Father of Modern Philosophy. Yet, these days, many ponies do not even recognise his name.

Twilight Sparkle and Moondancer set out to educate their friends. Using the Haycartes Method of course.

A crossover with Descartes' Discourse on the Method.

This story is a sequel to Princess Twilight Sparkle's School for Fantastic Foals

The Gift of Gab is recommended reading.

School may be out, but lessons continue for Sumac Apple. Life in Ponyville slows down as the snow grows deeper, and with winter comes a much needed respite for everypony. With two families joining together to double the fun, Sumac Apple will have an almost perfect holiday.

Of course, families of any sort tend to have their own moments of excitement, and then there is the matter of Megara...

An entry in the Weedverse.

This story is a sequel to The New Blood

Years have passed since the Crystal War ended. Twilight Sparkle visits an old haunt to spend some time catching up with her friends. Then comes the question of who picks up the tab.

This story follows the alternate universe canon wherein Equestria fought in a state of Total War against Sombra's Crystal Empire. The New Blood is set in the same universe during the war, with some character overlap.

As a Memorial Day Tribute, this story is dedicated to all those who have served, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice. For any veterans living with trauma, I've placed a link here for the veteran helpline. There is no shame in needing to talk to someone.

Folks were kind enough to submit this to the Royal Canterlot Library. Thank you to everyone responsible for adding it. I'm grateful that you found in it something meaningful.

My Little Pony and its contents are the property of Hasbro, Inc. and its affiliates. Please support the official release.

This story is a sequel to Princess Twilight Sparkle's School for Fantastic Foals

Recovering from the traumatic events that were the end of Princess Twilight Sparkle's School for Fantastic Foals, Sumac Apple does his best to enjoy the winter as it settles in. Though he doesn't know it, Sumac is about to give Vinyl Scratch her Hearth's Warming gift a little early, but that's okay.

An entry in the Weedverse.

Twinkleshine had barely started kindergarten when she first met the universe. Like most first meetings, it had been awkward, not under the best of circumstances, and a single instant that ignited a lifelong passion, which would inevitably end with late nights and concerned parents.

New student Lemon Hearts has come to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns to begin again. Thanks to a kind stallion named Green Fields and the careful tutelage of Sunset Shimmer, Lemon Hearts is going to do what no first-year student has done before.

She’s going to be a Princess.
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Historian’s Note:
Set in Novel Idea’s Wavelengths timeline, wherein the Sonic Rainboom didn’t happen, the events of Little Truths occur eighteen months before The Alchemy of Chemistry, during Sunset Shimmer’s third year.
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Cast: Lemon Hearts, Sunset Shimmer, Green Fields
Guest Stars: Raspberry Tart, Dean Silver Slate, Minuette, and Twinkleshine
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Third-Place Finisher for FanOfMostEverything’s Imposing Sovereigns contest!
Featured on EQD on April 11th, 2017!

Cover art by Novel Idea
Sunset Shimmer art by Karzahnii
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Beta Reader Credits
Novel Idea, who inspired both entry and submission
Beltorn, who waited patiently
Little Tinker, who could give ninja lessons