Paladin Commander John Maxon unexpectedly arrives in orbit above Equestria. Following a 90 year interstellar journey to Proxima Centauri in Cryostasis, John must learn to survive and inspire in a strange new world.

This story is a sequel to Stardust

Twilight has finally returned home from the harrowing challenge that Discord set upon her, and the residents of Ponyville and the Elements especially look forward to having their dear friend returned to them.

Twilight, however, has changed. Still suffering from her injuries, almost incapable of using magic and haunted by the memories of her time on Earth, she becomes increasingly withdrawn from those who were closest to her. Will her frustration at her current state and her friends inability to understand her experiences cost her what she valued most before Discord's bet?

(Sequel to Stardust, familiarity with this is recommended!)
(Proofread by Arzoo!)
(Coverart commission drawn by the amazing KairaAnix!)
(Crossover with XCOM: Enemy Within, though the crossover and human elements are minimal)
(Featured 4/28/2014, thanks folks!)

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!)

Moulded by the harsh environment of a post-apocalyptic Moscow, Artyom was always the man to do what it took to get the job done; anything to protect the Metro and all of those that would rebuild humanity. He destroyed the Dark Ones to protect mankind and the final stand at D6 was no different. Faced between letting the Communists control the entire Metro and destroying the easiest method of sustaining thousands of people, Artyom took the route of sacrifice by killing himself and destroying D6.

So was the end of his journey ... in Moscow. Lost in a new world, Artyom is faced with surviving in a foreign environment. How can a man born in war and violence survive in a land where such are nearly alien concepts? One thing is certain, he must survive for he won't get another chance.

A Metro/FiM crossover following the ending of Metro: Last Light. If you haven't played the game than you will be in for some spoilers.

*Note* There is Russian used in the words, they will be roughly translated at the end of each chapter. The Russian is used as flare, all important things will be in English. If the Russian is used in an important part, it will be reiterated in English.

Edited by AuthorGenesis, Word Worthy as well as Toothless the Night Fury . Many thanks to them.

Pre-read by VasQwibQwib
Russian help fromSnorting Gentleman, The Boorywooch
Additional Russian help and Pre-read by Andrey_159

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.

TVTropes page yay!A human arrives with a house in Ponyville. The Mane Six, and Princess Luna must deal with this new arrival. But not everyone agrees how it should be handled, not everyone agrees on what danger it represents, or the benefit it can be to Equestria.

The inhabitant must also deal with the new rules and conventions of this new world it knows nothing about, as well as the mystery of its appearance, and the incongruities of its arrival.
TVTropes page yay!

Featured on May 14, 2013. And again on November 29, 2014 more times than I can count thanks to you guys.

Now with our own TVtropes page! Help us catalog the awesomeness.

Holy crap we've got a trailer too!
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIguvceYEiY]

MLP:FIM is the property of Lauren Faust
Bleach is the property of Tite Kubo

Plot aspects for chapter thirty six onward contributed and improved by Ketvirtas and Alondro
Chapters 0-88 proofread by xbox432
Chapters 89-onward proofread by LyonAzakura
Partially inspired by Dirty Bit's story Cuatro
Further inspired by Christopher28's story A Different Viewpoint of Equestria
Further inspired by Trinary story Friendship is Empathy
Random plot elements inspired by SwimmingDalek98 and Phoenix Archangel
Story structure and pacing inspired by Tite Kubo

Ulquiorra Cifer was defeated at the hands of a mere human and died in Las Noches. Or at least that's what he thought. In the boundary that separates life and death for all Hollows, he's found by one that finds him interesting enough to give a second chance at life free from Aizen's control, and free to do as he pleases; he was just never told that his second chance of life would take him to an alternate world he never could've imagined even if he tried.

The land of Equestria is a magical place full of hope, and second chances. In this land where friendship is considered the most powerful magic in existence, can the Cuatro Espada find something that's been missing and learn how to live? Or will his presence be the downfall of the peaceful world and all of its inhabitants?