Sunbeam Sparkle is not a good pony. She might not be pure evil, but she is ruthless, ambitious, and so power-hungry that she would even aspire to usurp Celestia's throne. Worse, she succeeds in manipulating Celestia into not only surrendering rule over Equestria, but her immortality as well.

It is often said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. In most cases that’s true. Many good ponies have begun with good intentions, but slowly lost their way. However, this is not always the case. A rare few virtuous ponies have the character and strength of will to resist temptation, and are never corrupted by their authority.

Even rarer, there comes a time when gaining power makes a pony better than they were before. This is one such story.

  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

Ponyville is getting ready to host a Dodgeball Tournament when Gilda shows up, challenging them against her own team. As they prepare themselves, Twilight and her friends learn a surprising secret about a certain crossed-eyed mailpony. Will Ponyville be able to beat Gilda and her team? Or will they taste rubbery defeat?

Rainbow Dash has loved speed ever since that fateful day that gave her and her friends their cutie marks. But, after a while of being able to perform one practically on command, a Sonic Rainboom just isn't as awesome as it used to be. At least, not according to her. However, after a freak occurrence during her newest, 'most amazing feat ever', she finds herself in an eerily familiar place.

Special thanks to LightningDust for assistance, and Conicer for the cover art!

Princess Celestia: Goddess of the Sun, ruler of Equestria, beloved Princess of ponies. She is loved by all, and loves all in return. A calm and wise ruler, she sits on the throne in Canterlot, maintaining peace and harmony throughout the land.

What most don't know is that her past is much darker: She was once a commander of legions, a warrior and scientist of unmatched skill. Thousands of monsters and abominations fell to her forces, slain in the name of an old leader, one entombed within his own throne. Free of her old form, free of the powers of Chaos, she was cast into a new realm, in a new form, with a new lease on life.

She is the God Emperor, Eternal Ruler of Equestria and Lord of the Imperium of Man.

Has a TvTropes Page. Please contribute.

Comments contain spoilers. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Hopes. Dreams. Aspirations. They're what everyone survives, and even thrives, on. What happens, then, when hopes and dreams are dashed? When something so monumentally destructive and life-changing occurs, and dreams, hopes, even ponies' lives are thrown into turmoil, where can solace be found? When somepony's entire world comes crumbling around them, who can they turn to for support? What can they do when everything they once had is shattered?

An Inky Jay Story

Twilight is selected as Ponyville's ambassador after a massive flying capital ship descends over the settlement. She finds herself attempting come to an agreement with the ship's creator, a mysterious allicorn named Aurora Streak, while simultaneously trying to uncover the secrets of the mare's past along with the motives for her scientific endeavors.

Meanwhile, the rest of the Mane 6 resort to their own methods to decode the intentions of Aurora.

All will come to a head with the arrival of Equestria's rulers, as Aurora enacts her final plan.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Credit to the wondrous Lapis-Lazuli for the chapter names.

Lapis-Lazuli bizarrely presents...
A story based on plot holes in Equestria Girls and Rainbow Rocks.
In 1968, in a world not unlike our own, the residents of a sleepy Ohio town witnessed an explosion of light and power in the sky, and three mysterious creatures fleeing into the wilderness. Forty-five years later, the top-secret bureau founded to investigate these events is but a shadow in a world of great threats. Their government has disavowed them. The public has all but forgotten them. They are pressed at every turn to keep the world safe.

Until tonight, when a vortex of rainbows and power surged into the skies and changed the world - and the lives of the two agents sent to investigate - forever.

Absolutely ZERO Relationship in any way, shape, or form to another story with the initials TCB.

Fluttershy's father is captured by the villianous Discord, Phantom of the Opera! Can she save him while being pursued by the handsome and charming Prince Blueblood? What if she were to take her fathers place? Ponies meet Phantom of the Opera with a splash of Beauty and the Beast!

Plese check out a BRAND NEW 37 minute animated episode of The Phantom Opera Discord by SisterStories, it is AMAZING! - DEC 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2NVTOcuIc4&feature=youtu.be

Please check out this fully illustrated video of the first chapter! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjDAbUQhqPc

HEAVY EDIT TIME: BE PREPARED FOR SOME POSSIBLE CONFUSION
Edited chapters have notes in the authors comment section with a date.
FOR ALL READERS: Celestia is now Fleur De Lis in early chapters but I haven't gotten to later chapters to change it.

Everything you need to know about this Universe:
http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/378914/have-questions-about-the-world-of-the-opera-phantom-discord

Beautiful Fanart: http://ameliacostanza.deviantart.com/art/Opera-Phantom-Discord-494273039

More Amazing Fanart: http://scribblescrabblesdabble.tumblr.com/image/87770244131
Fanart!: http://pre03.deviantart.net/17f4/th/pre/f/2015/123/0/7/mlp_fluttercord_ofd_by_nightmarederpy-d8s2ysd.png

More Fanart!: http://pre01.deviantart.net/f184/th/pre/i/2015/146/8/2/opera_phantom_discord__lovers_quarrel_by_ameliacostanza-d8uuvre.jpg

Fanart! 4/11/2021
https://www.deviantart.com/gemy123/art/Dance-with-me-875910176
https://www.deviantart.com/sisterstories/art/Opera-Phantom-Discord-Poster-2-644957982

Follow its Tumblr at operaphantomdiscord.tumblr.com

After her complete defeat at the royal wedding, Celestia's ego is shattered. Luna promises to whip her sister back into shape, because it'll take far more than a few laps around the palace to put a grown alicorn at the top of her game. But, with Celestia coming home each day with a new set of bruises and a slightly more forward royal attitude, her subjects begin to fear her more than love her. Is Luna's

special training turning her into a monster, or is it all according to some greater plan? It's time for some tough love!

(Warning: Dark tag for some Celestia abuse.)
(Featured 6/19/2012! :D)