This story is a sequel to Past Sins

Hearth's Warming is a time for friends and family to come together, celebrate harmony, and welcome the new year. Nyx is looking forward to just this as she rides the train to Canterlot with Spike and Twilight. She's going to meet her extended family for the first time and wants nothing more than to make a good impression. Yet, the sheen of the holidays can't hide the trouble caused by meddling grandparents, relentless reporters, and a paranoid uncle.

Twilight Sparkle's friends have lived long and happy lives. Now their time is coming to an end, but Rainbow Dash, at least, will not go gently. Twilight has the power to save her friend's life. Is it worth violating the natural order?

"The things that pull at your heart—the memorial in the prologue, the wedding in Chapter 1, the births and deaths and relationships to come—are not the point of the story: they are the stakes, and the story is at its heart about a decision that must be made."
—horizon

Orphaned as a filly, a young pegasus named Kaviyayu is raised by an adoptive Earth pony family in a secluded, peaceful village. When a strange unicorn drops by the village, Kaviyayu and the other foals are captivated by her tales of the world, as well as her various spells and illusions for their amusement. But there's something about the way she doesn't speak of her own family... how she never removes her traveller's cloak... how she seems to take a very strong interest in Kaviyayu...

Who is this mysterious mare, what does she seek, and just what is so special about that pendant she wears?

This is the tale of how a seemingly ordinary filly rose to become both a princess and a beacon of love to ponies all over Equestria. Based on the back-story of Princess Cadance, as given by G. M. Berrow's pony novella, Twilight Sparkle and the Crystal Heart Spell. Also loosely inspired by symphonic metal band Nightwish's sixth studio album, Dark Passion Play.

Cover art by the lovely Ayemel.

Now with its own musical accompaniment courtesy of The L-Train!

Pre-reading by Noble Thought, Prak, The Albinocorn, ThatOneWriter, JustAnotherTimeLord, vren55, Majin Syeekoh, Foals Errand, Comet Burst, and Chris. Edited by ChromeMyriad, Titanium Dragon, Noble Thought, Prak, NightWolf289, PresentPerfect, and Chris.

Now featured by:
Fimfiction.net (Feature Box, 01/01/15)
Equestria Daily (01/19/15)
The Royal Canterlot Library (Off-site) (07/13/18) (Onsite) (07/20/18)

Approved by Tag-a-long's Book Club!
Approved by Nonpareil Fiction!
Highly Recommended by PresentPerfect!
Recommended by the Pleasant Commentator and Review Group!

Set in the far future after Celestia and Luna mysteriously vanished and the sun and moon froze in the sky, Antipodes is the story of two ponies thrust out into the harsh new world on an adventure to uncover what happened to the world so long ago.

(I wrote this when I was 17. it's pretty rough in places, but i think the basic ideas i had here were pretty cool. it's got a good skeleton)

Spanish translation here: https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Antipodas-1-3-953524835

Many years after sending her beloved protege to Ponyville, unease sits heavily on Princess Celestia's heart as her relationship with Twilight Sparkle seems to have cooled despite all they've accomplished together. On the advice of her sister, Celestia sets out to investigate and resolve the lost connection with her most faithful student. What does it mean to be a Faithful Student...or a Princess of the Sun?

Earned a six-star rating on Equestria Daily and featured on its very own TVTropes page!.

It is the year 3070, and Mankind is once again at war. The battlefields of the future are dominated by fierce, robotic war machines known as BattleMechs, and under their auspice empires have risen and fell. Now with the worlds of the Inner Sphere once again facing the drums of war, two mercenary units have set off on their respective missions, their only tie a common ride upon the back of a JumpShip.

Yet when a cosmic accident causes a misjump, they find themselves thrown into a world that they cannot fathom: a world where magic is a force of nature, where mythical creatures live and thrive, and colorful ponies live protected under the aegis of their monarchs. New choices lie ahead, decisions must be made, and the inner character of Humankind will be put to the test when the question is asked: to conquer, or protect?

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It is the year 1023 after the ascension of Celestia and Luna to the dual thrones of Equestria, and Ponykind is at peace. With Luna cleansed and Discord sealed away even more thoroughly than before, all looks bright for the future of the colorful equines. With friendship and optimism, they face each day with hope and vigor.

Yet, when the heavens scream as a foreign object tears its way into their reality, the princesses and their subjects face a new threat that they cannot fathom: creatures and machines from a world of death and darkness, where magic is unheard of and the avarice of powerful men drive the engines of war to crush the innocent under their bootheels. Can they survive the coming of these coarse beings, and can they maintain the magic of friendship in the face of Man's Inhumanity?

With Russian Translation provided by Undermind.

A crossover with the Battletech universe, though this is an alternate BT timeline of my own devising. [WARNING: Fandom related material and fanboy rant to follow. Non-Battletech fans won't care, read at your own risk.]

Because **** the Word of Blake and their munch-tastic "armies from thin air" BS. Yes, I know the Clans were almost as bad, but at least they had some sort of justification in-universe. Wobbies? No. Just no. I don't care that it was 15 years, you don't go from "fringe group of mutually-antagonistic and argumentative sub-groups following various degrees of religious mania" to "WE ARE THE SPACE NAZIS ALL WILL BOW BEFORE US" like that.

So for BT fans, this is a 'verse where the Second Star League is still around, the Wobbies still had their temper tantrum though it was smaller and more in line with a bunch of religious fanatics. No stupid "knock everything down for ClickyTech" Wizkids/Fanpro approach, nor any "hey let's shove a bunch of cheesy Level 3 stuff at the players to make the game even more complicated" Catalyst Games stuff. This is just good ol' fashioned 'Mechs wailing on each other, only with ponies. Who will also be wailing on 'Mechs. GLORIOUS.

Cover image by Icaron of DeviantArt.

This story is a sequel to Past Sins

Touch, Smell, Taste, Hearing, Sight

This is the order the five senses develop in for foals as they rest, cradled in the warm safety of a mother’s womb. But for one, her womb was a thorn bush in the dark of night. For one, the safety and warmth that should have carried her into the world was replaced with pain and cold.

These are Nyx's first hours.

Princess Celestia, tired of the constant pressure that ruling a nation puts on her, decides to take a day off and let Luna take her responsibilities for a day, something the younger alicorn is more than happy to do. She disguises herself as a pink maned pegasus pony named Sunny Skies and decides to go walking around Canterlot without any supervision. Unfortunately for her, not all parts of Canterlot are as safe as the palace, and she finds herself at the wrong end of a gang of muggers, who decide to kidnap her for a ransom when they see how much money she has on her.

Luna freaks out.

Celestia thinks it's hilarious.

Find this story and more in a print copy! Just click these words here!

Featured on Equestria Daily 8/15/13

Go here for the French translation!

[img]http://i.imgur.com/CUBPvKI.png[/img]

Edited wonderfully by sqarishoctagon and Cloud Hop

Updated cover art by Dominatore

Twilight is invited to Canterlot to compete with some of the greatest magicians in the world for the Moonstone Cup, a prestigious award for the most powerful and skillful magicians, unicorn and otherwise. Can she win? What sort of competition will she face?

Awesome cover image was taken from NoOneBahtim

The Shaper is a smith of unparalleled skill, her creations the most sought after in the fallen world. When a pony named Lyra comes to her with a unique commission she has to put all her skill to the test to craft a weapon of great power. For Lyra's goal is not an easy one, and it is not just any weapon that can kill a Dragon.

A story inspired by this and this image, as well as this challenge by CDRW (whose fic A Still More Glorious Dawn Awaits is quite good).