This story is a sequel to Will of The Shadow Monarch

Following the birth of Flurry Heart and the acquisition of King Sombra's journal, Twilight Sparkle sets out on a new quest to bring the insane king's followers to justice. Her quest leads her and Fluttershy to the very edge of Equestria, to the mythical forest known as "the Ulvenweald", a place filled with deadly beasts and vegetation alike.

Can a bookworm like Twilight and a pegasus with crippling anxiety like Fluttershy overcome such a place and hunt down the mad king's loyalist? Or are they, in fact, not the hunters but the prey?

This story is a free-standing continuation of my story: Will of the Shadow Monarch. Reading that story is recommended, but not at all necessary.

This story will contain words and images. If you are allergic to such things you might want to find another story. The pictures come from Magic the Gathering and are repurposed to fit with what is written.

This is the story of how two con artists became the rulers of the world. This is the story of how the virtues of laughter, honesty, kindness, generosity, loyalty and magic were replaced by profit margins, tax evasions, shell companies, bribes, corruption and ambition.

It all began with a simple bet…

It has been a little over a year since the Crystal Empire returned. The darkness left behind the insane king is slowly starting to fade away into the past, leaving a bright future ahead; a future gilded by the promise of the princess’s own foal. Rest assured, the feeling of joy in the empire is all but palpable.

Still, where there is light, there must also be a shadow, and the brighter the light, the darker the shadow. While King Sombra might be gone, he was never a pony to disappear quietly. Last time he left the empire with a curse. This time…

He left them with a piece of history the crystal ponies would rather forget.

Suddenly, the foal’s birth goes from being the most anticipated moment the empire’s history to the most dreaded one. So begins a race against the clock, with the life of Cadence’s unborn daughter hanging in the balance.

[This story draws inspiration from the game Darkest Dungeon, but not as much as to be considered a crossover. No knowledge about that game is needed to understand this story, but those who do know that game might recognize some things.]

There is now a sequel: Brave the Ulvenweald

This story is a sequel to The Canterlot Caper

After the (relative) success of The Canterlot Caper, the professional crime group known as The Circus has regrouped to Ponyville and are now pondering their next step. They need somepony to cover their tracks. Somepony who can stop investigation, bribe officials, or bury evidence while still remaining above suspect.

Somepony like… Twilight Sparkle.

After all, everypony has a price. Now Flim, Flam, Trixie, Suri Polomare, Filthy Rich, Ditzy Doo and Topsy Twitchy just have to figure out hers and steal it.

How about the Idol of Boreas, for example?

Sure, it’s lost in time and space, but with the help a certain friend of Ditzy’s and an energy source from another world, such minor inconveniences can surely be taken care of…

This story is a sequel to The Canterlot Caper, which is recommended (if not necessary) to read first. There will be some references to it here but only details.

Proofread by Rosebug

In Spiketopia, Big Mac is a unicorn. When he created his character, he choose to be a unicorn, rather than an Earth Pony.

In his dreams, he is also a unicorn, or sometimes even an alicorn. When he got the choice to be anything or anyone he wanted, he choose to become an alicorn.

Now alone in the evening, walking home from guy’s night, he has ample of time to reflect on these choices and the secret wish they stem from.

Scootaloo has a crush on Rumble. This is not exactly anything new for Cheerilie’s class. In fact, the only pony who does not seem to know this is Rumble. But with the Ponyville Harvest Ball drawing closer, maybe that is about to change?

Diamond Tiara has a crush on Rumble. This is something only one other pony knows so far; her best friend Silver Spoon. But with the Ponyville Harvest Ball drawing closer, maybe that is about to change?

But does Diamond truly want to win Rumble? How would scootaloo react to it, that the former bully now steals her love away from her? Would their still fragile friendship survive such a thing?

The ball is coming closer, and as with all triangle dramas, somepony is going to get hurt.

[Please don't hate me for the ship I pick!]
[I'm really a fan of both Rumble X Scootaloo and Rumble X Diamond Tiara!]

Diamond Tiara has been worried lately, but she managed to push it away. After all, it was far away in the future. It was easier to let it dwell.

However, as Diamond have begun to learn the hard way, one can not outrun time. Her worries have begun to catch up, and she can feel the time run out. It is getting harder and harder to ignore.

Perhaps it is time she confronted the worries about her future?

[Other tag is for Filthy Rich].

Circus.

To most it means a traveling fair with fun and games for fillies and colts, mares and stallions alike. A place to marvel at fantastic feats of balance, strength and wit. A time to be enraptured by cascading light shows, dazzling illusions and hilarious clowns. Whenever a circus is in town, each and every pony will want to be there.

However, there are a few to which ”The Circus” means something else entirely. After all, not everypony can be as virtuous as the princesses. Sometimes, you just have to accept that dirty tricks are necessary in order to have your way. For ponies who are willing to act upon such urges, there is The Circus. A rival needs to be taken down a notch? Call The Circus. Missing a painting for your collection? The Circus is on it.

Questions are rising. Why did they strike against Coco Pommel? Who would want to steal from Celestia? Just what is The Circus after? And, most important, who are they?

Don’t stop, don’t hesitate. The Canterlot Caper has begun.

Can you figure out who is hiding behind the "other" tag?

Proofread by Rosebug

Flim and Flam returns to Ponyville, this time with a very different approach than last time. Rarity and Applejack both find themselves roped into the sly brother's next scheme, and Rarity is not too happy about it. While the twins are no threat to Applejack's business anymore, Rarity might instead find herself under attack. And the weapon is called "The Splendidly Swift Snipping Cybernetic Sewingmachine 700".

And what about Applejack? Well...

But why are Flim and Flam back? Are they still just after a quick bit, and gullible Ponyville just so happens to be their target once again? Or have the two salesponies really turned over a new leaf, as they claim?

No... why would they? They are skilled enough con artist to sell flight lessons to Rainbow Dash or Apples to Applejack, so why would they ever want to go honest?

Surely not because of... love... right...?

While listening to a song called "The Industrial Revolution" by Voltaire, I felt inspired to write something regarding the conflict between mass produced and hand made. But not in the way one might think. Today hand made stuff tend to be held in higher regard than mass produced, but was it always like that?

This also let me incorporate Flim and Flam, some of my favorite characters, so this story happened...

A couple of chapters might deserve a "Comedy" or "Sad" tag, but not the story as a whole. Also, Blueblood's appearance is only brief. There will be shipping in this story, but that is not the mane focus.

This is the first story I publish, so comments and constructive criticism will be highly appreciated.

Proofread by rosebug

Here is the song that inspired me!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRce8HzHuoM&index=10&list=PL1t43c45qeXa78nT-XsD2Iks78wJWCjW3