All Private Shadow Heart wanted was to protect others, so she joined the Solar Guard in an effort to fulfill that dream. However, it seems as if her dreams are crushed when her first assignment is to babysit some self-important, arrogant Night Tribe noble.

However, events quickly disabuse her of that notion as she is thrust into a world of political intrigue, espionage, and piracy.

Oh, and to top it all off, the princesses themselves have charged her with taking down an international sapient trafficking ring.

It must be a Monday...

The Dark tag is there for some more mature themes and a grittier depiction of the evil being confronted by our heroes. (namely the pirates and the slavery ring.) I don't subscribe to describing gruesome scenes of death and destruction, but the fact that there is a slavery ring automatically earns this story the dark tag in my book.

Also, the alternate universe tag is there because this is a far more seedier and troubled Equestria. All characters and events from the show still happened and are depicted as such, but there is also a distinct presence of pirates, griffin warbands and slavers, which have never appeared in the show.

The setting is just after the Canterlot wedding episode, but before Discord is set free again.

MLP:FIM and related characters are owned by Hasbro and Faust.

I only own my name.

Coverart by Esuka, on Deviantart at: http://esuka.deviantart.com/art/Cumulus-331391259

Octavia has questioned many times about why Vinyl enjoys being a DJ and how she could stand the music she plays. But never once had it ever crossed her mind to ask Vinyl a very important question, of all the instruments that were available, why did she choose the turntable?

A recurring nightmare convinces Luna that, since her return, she has never regained her sister's complete trust. And at the forthcoming Festival of the Eclipse, she decides to make amends with a bold gesture.

But Luna's solution causes consequences she never anticipated. Consequences the whole world will feel. Now, Celestia and Luna must set forth on an adventure that will take them even into Tartarus itself, and set everything right before it's too late.

And if they're lucky, they'll rediscover the trust they once had a thousand years ago.

Okay let's just go over everything that's happened so far. Dragged into a road trip, check. Dragged to a convention, check. Dragged through dimension. Wait what? Okay, universe. Stop! Seriously what did I do to deserve that last one! Stop throwing me into impossibly horrible situations! It was bad enough being world thrown, but public enemy number 1!? What did I ever do to you!?

Evidently, I must have done a lot. I have been trapped here with nothing but my wit and ingenuity, but I'm still alive and have at least one friend. I decided that it would be better make the most out of my new life, and see if I can live at all in this crazed world of Magic and Myths. Hopefully I won't screw up too badly. I fear what may come if I do. Though.... this is all starting to feel familiar. I'm having some difficulty remembering from where though.
Co-authored from chapter 22 and on with Shinigamisparda

Alt Cover Art
Story inspired by "F**k it, I'm having fun" by JimmytheGrape and everything else in the League of Humans acting Villainous.
Props to them! Cover art is not mine.
Edit*2/13/2014*FEATUREBOXYES!
Edit**4/28/14**Technopathic is amazing and you should thank her greatly for working on new cover art for me. It's not done, but as she does it, I will continue to update my cover.
Edit***5/23/14*** NEW cover art is COMPLETE!
Edit****6/28/14**** Old cover art is back by popular demand

[img]http://s33.postimg.org/7bfqvgx33/Butler.png[/img]

"My lady once wrote in her very personal and very secret diary that I have problems appreciating personal space. I beg to differ on that sentiment." - A Butler commenting on Professional Discretion -

I'm a Butler. My friends, the imaginary ones at least, call me Butler. My job, looking after my lady, can be...challenging at times, but rewarding. Lately the job's become a little more difficult, especially after my lady's sister returned from the moon and the parliament decided to try and pass an entire bill just to be able to legally get rid of me. But managing the chaos is part of the job description, even if it means I must secretly become my lady's knight captain of her personal bodyguards in order to keep my job. Though even I could never have anticipated having to train knights cunningly disguised as maids to stay one step ahead of the nobles. Ah, the things I do for my princess.

Featured 9 - 12 August 2014. Many many thanks to everyone who kindly made this possible! You guys have doubled the fun!

Now featuring the editing talents of our resident editor Dumbgamer99. Be sure to thank him by checking out his page and giving him a follow!

Butler tag kindly made by undead003. Many thanks! (You'll find it actually works if you click on it.)

Cover Art: This picture totally contains ninjas. You just can't see them, cause they're that good.

Loyalty; Generosity; Laughter; Honesty; Kindness; Magic;
These are the pillars upon which Equestrian society stands. Upon these principles, Harmony is maintained, and civilization flourishes.

But there are other magics in this world. Intelligent life requires three things:
Wisdom, to decide upon an action.
Courage, to go through with the action.
Power, to carry out the action.

An individual with Wisdom, Courage, and Power... can change the world.

Evil unlike any Equestria has ever seen has come to the Everfree, and through proximity, Ponyville. The Mane 6 must attempt to overcome the darkness they are faced with; it will not be easy.

But they will not face such evil alone.

The Hero has come.

A Legend of Zelda Twilight Princess and MLP crossover.

For years, Sweetie Belle has secretly been turning to video games for relief from her insecurities. Now a talented member of an elite team of gamers from around the world, she has come to rely on her new friends for companionship and support as she bears the rising pressures of her coming-of-age.

But when a sudden gaming cutie mark reveals her secret to everyone she knows, she's forced to contend with her uncertainties over what it means for her future, along with a fresh wave of bullying at school, jealousy from her childhood friends, and mounting expectations from her family.

As she takes her first unsteady steps into adulthood, she may learn she's not the only one hiding a secret, and that her journey to self-discovery isn't one she walks alone.

A story about how kids raised in the age of the Internet have come to rely on online communities to escape from society's expectations for them and achieve the best, most authentic versions of themselves.

Diplomacy has failed. Six years have passed Equestria's crowning of the princess of friendship, ushering in a supposed unprecedented age of peace and harmony. The concept of warfare is, to most ponies, nothing more than an unfathomable legend. They have let their guard down.

An unknown enemy has seized the opportunity to attack Equestria with terrifying new weapons of war, bent on taking the fertile land and restoring an ancient order. The valiant efforts of the Royal Guard have given Princess Twilight and her arcane scientists time to research and develop a response to their attackers, and the time has come for that response to be implemented. Utilizing weapons and tactics borrowed from another world, five squads under the command of Princess Luna will infiltrate the forests of the Equestrian Northwest to destroy a revolutionary magical matrix that Twilight refers to as the "radio" - a tool that allows enemy ponies to communicate across vast distances instantly.

Nightmare Two is comprised of three foalhood friends who, rather than be separated from each other in the draft, volunteer to become one of the five Nightmare squads. With their bodies forever altered to suit the needs of their mission, the three young mares join legions of ponies armed with powerful weapons to partake in a horrifying new breed of warfare - Equestria's first in over one thousand years.

--

Heads up, folks. If you wouldn't mind leaving a comment alongside the thumbs-down, I'd appreciate it. This is my first foray into fan fiction and although it's a hobby I nonetheless wish to get better. :)

Got some FAQ's for you guys as well!

- Alternate universe in which the events of "Crusaders of the Lost Mark" did not occur. (As much as I loved it! :D)

- Numerical age tends to vary with headcanon, but the CMC here were just getting started with their adult lives when the draft went into effect.

- The war is pony v. pony, utilizing firearms and the Equestrian equivalent of a tank. The underlying headcanon is that ponies used firearms similar to muskets and tracked armored vehicles akin to our tanks in times of old, and what the enemy currently employs is essentially the natural progression of these technologies.

- There are no real-world weapons or equipment i.e. "Panzer IV," or "M16 assault rifle." Particularly acute details such as the caliber of weapons are also absent.

- Technology is based on that of WWI with some WWII elements. Firearms are primarily bolt-action.

- The "radio" spell matrix functions as what we know to be a radio, but is not identical.

- All four of a Night Mare's legs are permanently replaced by the augments.

- Night Mares are female. Stallions proved unable to properly animate the limbs.

--

Hold up, now - fanart? You guys rock. Like, for real. Thanks a lot!

1. A great YouTube video coming from The_Pegasus_Box. Thanks, bud!
Check it out!

2. Click here for the collection on DArt.

3. https://derpibooru.org/740375?scope=scpeac921b191f688d04521575f31608785cbc3bbaa1
[img]https://derpicdn.net/img/view/2014/10/10/740375__safe_anthro_apple+bloom_gun_artist-colon-pusspuss_night+mares.png[/img]

The land of ponies is as everyone knows is a land of magic, happiness and kindness. It's all of the Ponyville ponies and Equestria, but what about those in Everfree? What if there is another Pony there, but using powers that nopony dare uses? Everyone knows of Manticores, a rhyming Zebra, Cockatrice, Hydras, and other such creatures, but what if there is something more then that? What if deeper in the Everfree is a stallion that no one dares cross or even try to harm unless they want to get cursed, hexed or even had a spell placed on them that won't come off until a lesson is learned.

One such pony lives in the woods as very few speak to him and vice versa. Though what happens when the said stallion comes to town every now and then for supplies? A few herbs, some food and of course what if they come to him for special needs? A hex on a bully or a potion for help in courage? Only if they can pay the price.

To the stallion, it's just another day for a voodoo Pony. Though what if one day, some ponies need to rely on such forbidden magic to save the day now and again? Well then, he maybe in business for something more then potions and voodoo spells. Or perhaps the Forest holds secrets, like deals that were made within their confines or some of the ponies are not what they seem?

Rated T for effects from curses and bad language mostly. Also all the ponies do have tech just so you know. Also there are going to be more characters encountered then just the five character's tagged, just so everyone knows. Also Tags maybe updated as time goes on, just be patient with me.

Pinkie doesn't tell ponies about Pinkamena and Surprise. The doctors said that they were bad for her, that they were a disease, but she disagrees. Sure, Pinkamena's a bit of a grumpy-pants, but she's still a great friend! She's often the voice of reason to counter-act some of the other two's crazier ideas, after all. Surprise, on the other hand, is a great prank-player, and always up for some fun. She's more like Pinkie, only more hyper. Both are great fun to be around, and they get on well.

Thing is, she knows that if she told ponies about them, then they would be dragged back to the hospital. And then be 'treated' again. None of them want that. Because of this, not even her best not-in-head friends know about them. The three of them have, for years now, been careful enough to keep the existence of Pinkamena and Surprise secret.

This has, of course, gone out the window now that Twilight is hammering on the door after overhearing one third of a conversation, with no sign of anyone else talking.

Hints of F/F shipping inside. Nothing will actually come of it here, though. Maybe in a future story.

Cover art can be found here: http://killryde.deviantart.com/art/Smile-338206490