This story is a sequel to To Try For the Sun

The young alicorn Celestia leads and ponies follow, fleeing south from their frozen lands.

Luna is not respected, not mighty like her sister. She can only watch Celestia slowly crumble from ceaseless labor, and the caravan rot with animosity and fear.

She needs to help, yet no one will listen.

She needs power.

(Same universe as To Try for the Sun, reading one is not necessary for the other.)

(Now with a Spanish translation here, courtesy of SPANIARD KIWI)

Celestia: a filly of twelve. A cynical, hungry pauper, with a young sister to protect and feed.

But the food has run out. Winter has gripped the land for too long, and now the pair face starvation.

The cynic in Celestia knows she can't move the sun. But the child in her wonders... and so she tries.

(Inspired by the Donovan song of the same name.)

(Now with a dramatic reading here, by Crafty Arts, and here, by KeyframeProductions.)

(Now with a Spanish translation here.)

A lone urban explorer has found the body of a deceased woman. Her name: Sunset Shimmer. She rests upon a book that glows as it beckons to be read.

Though her body is cold, something stirs. The explorer will find out the hard way that some bodies are better left undisturbed.

---You might like this story if you also like---
Sunset Shimmer
Twilight Sparkle
The Human World
Humans Solving Problems
Messages of Forgiveness
Stories of Isolation
Nightmare Scenarios
Perfect Story for an Audio-Book Reading

--Update: Slot 32 in Popular Column as of 7:05PM CST Oct 4th, 2016 Tues
--Update: Slot 7 in Featured Box Between 7:05PM-7:56PM CST Oct 4, 2016 Tues
--Update: Slot 5 in Featured Box 2:29PM CST Oct 5, 2016 Wed
--Update: Slot 4 in Featured Box 2:33PM CST Oct 5, 2016
--Update: Slot 3 in Featured Box 3:01PM CST Oct 5, 2016 - Hot Status
--Update: Slot 2 in Featured Box 3:10 PM CST Oct 5, 2016 - Hot Status
--UPDATE: SLOT 1 in FEATURED BOX 5:33PM CST Oct 5, 2016! FINALLY!
Thank you everypony! ;_;
(I'm just really excited it's stayed in the Featured Box this long. I haven't had this happen in four years /)(^0^)(\ )
(Thank you, Doctor-Disco for sending me the Slot 7 Screenshot!)

It was not that long ago that Sunset Shimmer was crowned a new princess of Equestria. Her mentor, Princess Celestia believes she is ready to be a leader and has proven on multiple occasions she is the true Princess of Friendship. Sunset is quite unsure herself but with her friends alongside her, she's sure she will prevail.

"Doesn't this story sound familiar?..I know it does to me.."

Entry for the Swapped Roles contest.

Cover art done by Noodlezss

Wow, I got featured again! Featured 6/27/2021

My story has now been judged for the contest and ranked so I’ve turned off comments now. I’m not interested in having to listen to more drama. This story will be continued with better explanation to it then this one-shot because I see it’s problems and I think it deserves better but that’s about it. Please respect my decision.

Twilight Sparkle's wildest dreams have just been met, and exceeded. Due to an unexpected magical outburst during her entrance exam to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, the Solar Princess herself took an interest and took Twilight on as her personal student.

This was a pleasant shock for Twilight and her family. However, a few months later, a less pleasant shock would reach Twilight in the form of Celestia returning to Canterlot with a new daughter, a freshly adopted pegasus filly named Rainbow Dash. As the two get to know each other, Twilight can clearly see something eating at the self absorbed and competitive filly's mind.

To make matters even more confusing, Princess Celestia is now hiding something. Twilight dares not question it, but it is quite clear that Celestia isn't being wholly open with anypony about her decision to adopt some random orphan.

Could the answers have something to do with the cryptic dream Twilight had the night before she met Rainbow Dash?

**Apparently, this was featured on August 12th, but I slept through that brief window. All the same, I am flabbergasted and humbled!**

Cover Art by the wonderfully skilled Novaintellus

Now with a TV Tropes Page.

After putting on the Element of Magic, Sunset Shimmer was shown just how much of a monster she really is. But that wasn't all the Elements did to her.

Sunset has now been forced to serve penance by answering any question truthfully and by doing anything asked of her, whether she wants to or not.

And she really doesn't want to.

Until all of the hatred in her heart is gone, Sunset is at the whim of her peers, unbeknownst to them of course. Can her new "friends" help her down the road to redemption?

If not, there's always that other Twilight Sparkle she keeps running into.

Current editor: Nomad_Sigma
Guest editors: Cerulean Voice, Flint Sparks, Starlight Nova, and Sholan
Extra thanks to Icarus_Gizmo, JustAnotherTimeLord, and HenryAnthonyCourtler

Cover art customized by Amber Spark!

Now with it's own TV Tropes page!
Posted on EQD June 25, 2014
Wanna read it in French?
Or, read the E-Pub version here or the online version here
Now available in print format!

Twilight Sparkle has always respected the laws of science and magic. It's a respect that got her a scholarship to SGU, where she formed a small but comfortable group of friends and has received top grades in her two years there. It's a life that makes sense.

With her final year beginning and a special instruction from the Princess to bond with a fellow pupil, Twilight has enough to fill her life and her mind. It doesn't make sense that she should have recurring dreams about a mysterious mare, that this mare seems eerily familiar despite being a total stranger, or that she can recall the dreams with unusual clarity.

Twilight has questions about Equestria and about herself, and the answers could reshape her perception of both. She begins her research with a central question:

What lies beyond the edge of a dream?

Featured on Equestria Daily

For years, Sunset Shimmer has happily held her place at Celestia's side. She was her prized student, her number one prodigy. In return, Celestia was Sunset's world, her passion and drive. However, with time and age come change, and Sunset cannot take it any more.

She doesn't understand why Celestia won't look at her any more, why she is so enthralled by the talent and simple nature of her newest discovery. All she knows is that as much as she may aspire and hope, she'll never again be the object of Celestia's interest.

Sunset Shimmer intends to leave, and she has no plans of returning.

Written for Oroboro's Sunset Shipping Contest: Changing Seasons

Special thanks to Ceffyl Dwr for pre-reading as well as helping me to iron out the creases in my original idea.

She's dead...that's all I admit....true...I did horrible things in the past...sometimes I wonder if I even deserved to teach such a innocent and open-minded child...

She almost seemed invincible when she defeated the many enemies of mine...every time Equestria or I is threatened she would come...

She was so powerful....so wise...so faithful....

Now she's gone....and all I have left of her is her Letters...

I'm Princess Celestia.....and I mourn for Twilight Sparkle...

The Sparkles are a very old Canterlot family. Like any old family they have traditions. One of these traditions is that a Sparkle must do noble deeds to win their love-a tradition going as far back as Sir Prancealot. These are the noble deeds Lady Twilight Sparkle did to win the hoof and heart of Princess Celestia.

Now has a sequel! (https://www.fimfiction.net/story/362471/seasons-of-the-heart)