Revised Edition

Twilight wakes up on the edge of a forest in the middle of the night. She seems to have lost her memory of what happened before waking up. She can't remember how or why she is there. While there, however, she finds an old and mysterious bridge. The bridge looks normal, but with some digging around, as Twilight does a lot, she finds secrets that threaten Equestria. On thing is for sure: Something wants Equestria...

I am Shining Armor, captain of the Royal Guard, older brother of Princess Twilight Sparkle. I am prince to the Crystal Empire's Princess Cadance, my wife. At her Royal Highness Princess Celestia's word, I command legions of soldiers that stand ready to defend Equestria and it's citizens. I am strong, I am respected, I am looked up to as a paragon of accomplishment. Today, a new recruit asked me; What did I do right? how did I get to where I am today? This is my answer, this is my story.

This story is a sequel to Rise of the Phoenix Empress

It has been nearly nine hundred years since Sunbeam Sparkle claimed the throne of Equestria after Celestia’s abdication. In that time, she has forged Equestria into a powerful centralized empire that spans most of the known world. Even the distant griffons and zebras pay reluctant homage to the Phoenix Empress.

In this series of connected one-shots, we’ll be taking a look at life the new Equestria Sunbeam Sparkle has forged, through the eyes of its inhabitants.

Study Buddies: Sunset Shimmer and Twilight Sparkle are the Empress’ co-students. They also rather dislike each other, mostly due to Sunset’s less than friendly attitude. Can they find a way to work together to fulfill the Empress’ high expectations, or will they just end up trying to kill each other?

When the Gates of Tartarus open and the demon armies assault Equestria and her ponies, Princess Celestia will respond quickly and efficiently. This causes Twilight to wonder if Celestia already knew that the demons were going to come. Why would Celestia keep this hidden from everypony and why would she keep it hidden from 'her faithful student'. As Celestia initiates a martial law and a draft that seems to only pick specific ponies, Twilight's 'wonder' quickly turns to horror as she herself is drafted and sent to training. She soon learns that that Tartarus is so much more then just a prison for evil beings and that it's purpose is far more nefarious then she previously conceived.

It's late. So late, in fact, that it's early. The clock in the room reads well past one in the morning. There's also a storm hammering against this girl's home, trying to lull her to sleep. Stubbornly, she remains awake, drawing, surfing the internet, and basically procrastinating another night away.

So, what is it that makes this night any different from another one that she has lived through? What strange occurrence occurs that makes it stand out? That changes her life forever? That changes the course of- Oh you get the idea.

Have a look through "A Twilight Landing" and find out. Follow Twilight through her journey on Earth, her quest to return home, and the people that help her along the way.

Time. They say with time that good things come. Whether it be days, weeks, months. But, time works differently in all the different places you go. But a forest, time cannot be told. Time does not work.

Twilight wakes up in a mysterious forest, not knowing how she had gotten there. She does not know anything before she had woken up, all except one thing, studying a spell for Princess Celestia. Could this last memory have anything to do with how she got to the forest? It is up to Twilight to survive in order to solve what happened.

Princess. Alicorn. The pillar of all ponykind, against which so many ponies often judged themselves. Celestia hates having to constantly be these things, and it's past time for a break. Luna will watch over Equestria while her sister is gone, but taking a break from your duties and taking a break from how the world sees you are two very different matters. Enter Prominence, a quiet pony who nopony really pays much mind to. Perhaps because she doesn't exist.

Aided by this disguise, Celestia will find her peace and relaxation in the home of one of the few ponies who know Prominence's true identity: Princess Twilight Sparkle. But when Twilight begins to see Celestia as a pony, and not a princess, can she deal with the feelings that arise? And are the feelings for Celestia, or for a pony she knows is not actually real?

EDIT: I've been featured, July 19th, 2014. I have no words to express how terrified and humbled and terrified and proud and happy and terrified this makes me.

The Mane Six disappear from Equestria without a trace in the process of successfully saving Ponyville from a magical storm. They are presumed deceased after some time passes, and the Elements return to the Tree of Harmony.

They wake up, not as the ponies they were, in another world.

A world known as Azeroth.

Faced with a new set of challenges, can they hold onto the values they embody and the code they lived by, or will they be forced to adapt to the ways of this strange new world? A world of bloodshed and hate, of light and dark, of alien races, of undead and demons. A World of Warcraft.

(Historical note)
On recent events:

I've found the recent reports of harassment and workplace issues at Activision-Blizzard to be extremely troubling. They also come at a time when I've been playing much less of the game as it is, as a result of disengagement and disillusionment with various aspects of WoW's current gameplay and storytelling.

For these reasons, in addition to my own failure to upload regularly, I've contemplated putting Azeroth's Skies on hiatus again... or just cancelling it entirely. 

However... while I may not be playing WoW at the moment, and may never do so again, I feel like fan work is something we could do with more of right now. I also don't feel like I'm finished in this world just yet. So for now, I'm going to do my best to continue the story.

I hope this makes sense, but I understand if anyone else feels differently as a result of what has happened. Thank you all for your support for this story so far.

Author's Notes:

- On the MLP side of things, this is set before Season 4 kicks off, albeit with minor references to elements from the season opener.
- On the Warcraft side, this is set shortly after the formation of the Shattered Sun Offensive, but I will be taking liberties with certain events that were placed somewhat loosely into the timeline.

Inspired by Rebirth of the Damned, by Borsuq. If somehow you've seen this and missed his excellent story, go check it out!

Now with some awesome cover art, which I commissioned from Mario Teodosio!

XCOM Record: Operation: Rising Star
11:52 am, 18th Febuary, 2016
Northwestern Territories, Canada.

Summary: Witness reports contact with extra-terrestrial creature. X-ray is unconcious and unresponsive. X-ray does not match description of previously observed species.

Response: Strike-One dispatched on high alert, orders are to recover X-ray alive. Alien Containment prepared for the new arrival.

***

The war ended. They were beaten back, their mothership destroyed, their command structure in ruins. Lost ships and soldiers continued in vain, but thanks to XCOM, humanity won, and the world was saved. The Volunteer saw to that - everything changed because of one man.

And then suddenly, everything changed again. Only this time, it's not a man's doing - it's a mare's.

Proofreading by the aweome Setokaiva, entirely without me asking!
Tagged Dark and rated Teen: Gore, because there is going to be some blood shed by the end of this.

Twilight Sparkle, scholar and adventurer extraordinaire, has journeyed to the ends of the earth in search of the single most significant find in the history of academia. What she discovers is something else entirely...