Two passengers on a train ride toward an uncertain future. One is a pony. The other only pretends to be.

Sex is tame and non-explicit. Don't be afraid to read.

Written expressly for Equestria Daily's Outside Insight Summer Fanfiction Contest.

Now with a dramatic reading by Illya Leonov!

Russian translation courtesy of Arsus.
Chinese translation courtesy of viczhn.
French translation courtesy of BroNie.

Inspired by the artwork of RubleGun and Raddjuret. Musical accompaniment by Patrick Poe.

Featured at Equestria Daily and the Royal Canterlot Library.

Reader Testimonials

"Vinyl + Octavia is one of the fandom's most cliché and mismatched pairs, and yet this is a real romance with genuine depth and emotion." - horizon
"Holy shit this is impressive. Like... Holy shit, man." - Skeeter The Lurker
"You have crafted something wonderful here, a true gem. You should be proud." - Illya Leonov
"Note that I hate this ship when I say this is far and away the best ScratchTavia I've ever read." - PresentPerfect
"Fuuuuck it's so good!" - Luminary

(Set a month after the events of the season 4 finale)

Chrysalis has returned to Canterlot, but this time under a flag of truce, instead of a banner of war. She has come because her race is dying, and much to everponies surprise, the last hope for her race is in Equestria.

However, nopony is prepared for the news of who is carrying this last hope, nor the ramifications of what this last hope is likely to bring.

Rating: Rated teen for some sexual scenes and violence in later chapters.

Warning Number 1: Later chapters may contain scenes of graphic violence, viewer discretion is advised.
Warning Number 2: Despite the similar title, this is not a ponyfied version of the movie Enemy Mine.
Warning Number 3: I know Twilight is a unicorn in the cover, but she will be an alicorn in the story, just so no-one is confused.
Warning Number 4: Twilight's brother Shining Armor will me getting a major change to his character portrayal throughout the course of this fic, a change that will involve some dark undertones, which is one of the reasons for the dark tag.
Final Warning: This fic will delve deep into a fannon portrayal of changeling hive structure, hierarchy, and culture, so those who already have head cannon's behind those and are unwilling to accept or tolerate new ones should probably steer clear of this fic.

[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.

On a warm, rainy afternoon, two young ponies take shelter in a gazebo. One is hoping to find a job at a bakery nearby, and just wants the rain to go away so she can make it to her interview. The other isn't really a pony, and just wants the rain to go away so he isn't caught.

Life tends to work that way, I suppose.

——————
Written for the Outside Insight Fanfiction Contest.
Featured 8-10-14!

As I sit on this branch, looking at the town through the mangled, black branches, I began thinking about why I came here. About everything I left behind on Earth.

I wish I'd never have come here...

Consider joining the Ending-verse if you liked it!

This story has been redone. Also, A brilliant lad called Vlad decided to write a sequel. I seriously recommend reading that and following him.

Also, there's a prequel in the works!

Vinyl Scratch and Lyra Heartstrings are vampires, creatures of the night whose civilization has lived in humanity's shadow for thousands of years. They are self-sufficient and prideful, only venturing out of their hidden cities to replenish their stock of blood. But ties to past lives are not so easily severed.

When Lyra catches wind of supernatural happenings in her hometown of Canterlot, she and Vinyl take it upon themselves to investigate the cause.

Most folks in town know about Longbow, even if not many really know her. She's somepony parents teach their foals to avoid. Everypony understands that she's dangerous.

Everypony except Twilight, who just moved to town.

Supplier of trashy romances... RainbowBob
Sounding board... buckweiser
Free idea fountain... Maskedferret
Veteran who understands... Biker_Dash

Spike always thought that his love life was simple: chase Rarity, eventually win Rarity. But a surprise confession from a friend complicates matters in a way he never could have expected.

Cover art by the very talented Magello!
Further thanks to Setokaiva for lending his discerning eye.

Twilight, after decades of near isolation finds a way to rid herself of the curse put on her by her closest friend. Unbeknownst to her she is stepping into the realms of the unknown and into a fate far worse than death. Will her once friends save her from herself or will Twilight condemn herself to her own personal hell for all eternity?

The Royal Guard has intensified their training regimen after countless attacks on Canterlot. They’re tougher, better, faster, stronger – and, after months of hard training, they only accept the best of the best. The Night Guard, the elite soldiers trained to protect Princess Luna during the evening, are similar to the Royal Guard, only ten times tougher.

Undeterred by the challenges that await him, Pipsqueak (now a full grown stallion) signs up to join the most elite soldiers in all of Equestria... The Night Guard.

He isn’t doing it for the fame or glory. Pip is motivated by one goal and one goal only: to fulfill a promise he made as a foal. He will become the guardian of the night.

This story is technically a sequel to The Dream Stalker, but it is not necessary to read that story first in order to understand this one.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/6MrWqNZ.png[/img]
(Featured on Equestria Daily!)
(Artwork from stupidyou3 on Deviantart)