This story is a sequel to Stardust

Times are changing for Equestria as Twilight’s return brings with it news of people and cultures from beyond the peaceful world everypony knows. Aid and volunteers are freely offered to help the besieged humans of Earth because every Equestrian knows that’s what good friends do. Unfortunately, making friends can also have the unintended consequence of making enemies.

When the monsters besieging the humans strike at Equestria with a level of brutality not seen in over a thousand years, the cry for help is sent to all the kingdoms of the world. Honored allies step forth to fulfill ancient treaties and oaths. Enemies, old and new, bury their grievances. An alliance never before seen in Equestria will be created to combat the monsters from the void.

And because of these events, a grim but welcome sibling to the XCOM project is born.

(XCOM/FiM Crossover)
(Sequel to Stardust, which I recommend reading before starting this. Fortitude Amicitia and Broken aren't required reading but are supplemental to the storyline)
(Gore tag for blood and violence)
(Alternate Universe tag because of the divergence from canon that Stardust has caused)
(Uses elements of Season 4)
(Coverart produced by the amazing Carnelian!)
(Many thanks to Arzoo, BradTheBrony, Vandenbz and Setokaiva for prereading!)
(As of 03/07/2016, the prereading team consists of Arzoo, BradTheBrony, Noble Cause and Metallusionsismagic!)
(Complete with it's own TVTropes page as part of the Stardust continuity. Could use some updating!)
(Character tags will be added as chapters are added!)
(Featured 5/12/2014! Thanks folks!)
(Possible spoilers in the comments! BEWARE!)

Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer are the only two living ponies in the world that can lay claim to one of Equestria's most prestigious titles: the protege of Princess Celestia, ruler of the land of Equestria and perhaps one of the most powerful magic users to ever walk the face of the planet.

However, they are not the first: since Equestria's medieval ages, Celestia has held pupils under her tutelage. Some of these pupils went on to do great things, while others fell prey to their own ambition and power, but even though those students have been dead for years, Celestia still remembers every name that came before.

Her reminiscing becomes more than memories, however, when her very first pupil shows up on the castle steps. One by one, Celestia's former students begin to appear in the prime of their youth, their minds seemingly leaving off right after their deaths. It's up to Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer to find out why these ponies have risen from the dead, and what they're being drawn to...

Rated T for sexual references, profanity and violence.

Featured on 4/14! Thanks everyone!

This is the moment that she has been waiting years for.

After all this time, Equestria's new ruler pays a visit to her most valuable prisoner to fully map out her failure. Years of deception, manipulation, and betrayals have led to this one moment, and she intends to savor every look that crosses the Princess of Friendship's face.

And after, when the alicorn truly understands how perfectly she was played, there will still be one final bit of business that needs to be settled...

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My first new story since October 2017, and Day One of the Seventh Anniversary Story Bomb.

Why do ponies dream? Why do we all seem to dream the same dreams?

What if we started to dream new things?

Discord said he wanted to make our dreams more interesting. Add some spice to our boring nocturnal lives. Nothing dangerous – just a bit of excitement to talk about in the mornings.

"Stop worrying so much, Twilight Sparkle," he said. "After all, dreams never hurt anypony."

How I wish he’d been right.

Gold Medalist in the Under the Sun Writeoff Event.

Now with Russian translation, courtesy of Cloud Ring! https://darkpony.space/the-archetypist-1/

Queen Chrysalis planned for months to finally take Canterlot for herself. Months of reconnaissance, bribery, and maneuvering to finally lower the defenses of the Equestrian capital at just the right moment. But while her stated goal was always to have enough love to feed the desperate Swarm, the reality of the invasion was something else.

The queen spawned thousands of drones, filling the sky with untrained warriors in order to marshal the greatest forces when the day of battle arrived. But then that day came, and they won. Now what? Most of those drones didn't even matter enough to earn a name, and so they will probably die unremembered. But at least one is determined to make something of herself in her queen's new world. She's determined to understand these strange creatures called ponies, and to survive the invasion no matter what.

Begins during a reimagined Canterlot Wedding. Updates every Wednesday.

Sponsored by TyrannisUmbra on my Patreon. Edited by Two Bit and Sparktail. Cover by Zutcha.

Twilight Sparkle failed her entrance exam, and the consequences were far more deadly than anypony could've predicted.

Where many ponies would see this as a terrible tragedy, a creature only spoken of in the darkest of legends sees the poor filly's fate as an opportunity...

This story is a sequel to I Don't Want to Grow Up

Celestia was a filly living on an isolated farm with her sister and harboring dreams of greatness. Chrysalis was a black goo poured out from a screaming wound in the walls of reality, with a weak grasp on the appropriate amount of fangs one should have. Friendship was inevitable.

Image used with permission from miszasta

Editing by the wonderful Carabas and FanOfMostEverything

Pre-reading and suggestions by bloons3

Vinyl remembers the doll. It's unmistakably hers, right down to the peanut butter stain on the left foot. Except it's in Octavia's closet, and Octavia insists it's always been hers. Why do they have the same doll – and the same memory?

Thanks to Solstice Shimmer, BaeroRemedy, Oliver, Mitch H, Cursed Quill and Admiral Biscuit for editing, feedback, writing assistance, fact checking and extraordinary patience.

“These otherworldly phenomenons are surprisingly interesting.”

— MrWolfeyes2

“This has been one hell of a ride. I would go so far as to call this a minor masterpiece. It is quite unlike anything I have read up to this point (and I have read, approximately, a metric shit ton,) and it has left a real impression on me. So many try for the psychological mystery and fail horribly, but this was incredible. The reinterpretation of classic characters, concepts, and scenes from the show were amazing. With so many, I expected a few to fall flat, but you nailed every one.”

— FallenFromGlory

“So intriguing...
I can't stop reading it!”

— artofwar77

“I like that this story is bringing up topics now that are incredibly complicated from both a moral and existential standpoint. [...]
Ok, ok, tldr; I like this a lot, because it’s making me and others think about the possibilities.”

— Moosetasm

I never thought i'd die. I was kind of hoping i'd live forever. But here I am, a very dead ghost.

Oh, and all those stories you hear about ghost? Made up. I can do next to none of all the cool ghost things you hear about. Flying? Nope. Moving stuff? Nah. Walking through walls? Are you nuts?

So here I am, trapped where i died, and not even able to do any cool ghost stuff to have fun. But i'm going to find a way to have fun. I'm going to find an adventure, even if it kills me again.

AN: So I just wrote this on a whim. I don't know where i'm going with it, but hopefully somewhere fun.

Years ago, the world went up in flames. No-one wanted to die, and ponies would have done anything to survive. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that one pony with a lot of money and influence decided that he was too good to die. He decided that he should be the one to outlive the end of the world. He created a secret lab, and hired many scientist in secret to create a cloning process. One that would activate centuries later. But of course, as with all under the table deals, corners were cut, money was saved, and the process was rushed. So what happens when that clone, the product of an incomplete process wakes up in hell with no conscious memories having made it through the process. Will he remember? And what if he does, What then? Will he try to redeem himself, or will he use his knowledge to become another monster in a world already full of them?