Three days since something terrible happened.

Three days since a Pony was declared dead.

Three days since everything changed.

What happened?

A very short story written to get the idea out of my head.

This is an alternate timeline set in the same universe as The Ties that Bind -- a "what if?" scenario, or "sister story" if you will. Reading The Ties that Bind is not required, but it is recommended.

On a cold winter night, tragedy befalls Twilight's family and she barely manages to escape with her life. Now she's lost and alone in a place she doesn't recognize.

She's left to wander aimlessly with nothing but the dark memory of that night to keep her company, but that's about to change.

Something awoke in the lavender filly that night -- a new kind of magic she's never had a chance to study before, and she soon finds she's not the only filly with dark memories and something new to learn.

Thankfully they both come across a strange town with a pony that just might be able to cultivate their new talents.

Tragedy strikes the Sparkle estate one winter evening and Twilight finds herself cold, alone, and far from home.

Fortunately she stumbles across two fillies who may have more in common with her than she realizes. With no place else to go, nopony else to turn to, and no clear way back home, Twilight decides to stay with the fillies and their caretaker while she tries to piece together the mysteries of what happened to her family and why.

Bonds will be forged.

Secrets will be unraveled.

And a great journey will be undertaken.

Additional tags: Sad, Slice of Life (I don't care if it contradicts the Adventure tag, things are gonna get Slice-of-Life-y)

I have been branded a criminal for a crime I have no recollection of committing. The transgression of which I'm accused is evidently heinous enough that my friends, my family, and the rest of Equestria have turned against me. I want to say that I didn't do it, that it wasn't my fault, but I can't. The only thing I can say in my defense is that if the deed was truly done by my hoof, then it was done due to circumstances beyond my control.

I say this because I can't remember. I say this because I'm not allowed to remember. I say this because my mind is no longer my own. It belongs to the voice, you see. It crawled into my head one day—poured cruel and malicious words into my brain. I tried to fight it but it grew and grew and grew until was powerful enough to seep into my memories, my limbs, my magic. Now it won't let me go. It's taken my mind and body away from me. It does terrible things and hides the truth from me.

I am not mad, but under these circumstances what else can I do but plead insanity?

The events described take place before Season 1.

This story is a sequel to Iron Hearts: Book 5 - Suffer Not the Alien to Live

Personnel log C-921825

Designation... Gear Works
Detachment... 38th Company, Dark Mechanicus sub-division
Rank... [ERROR]
Tacticae Specialization... [ERROR]
Planet Origin... Centaur III
Personnel Status... Active
Current Deployment... [LOADING]

(An Age of Iron side-story/mini-series.)
(Dark humor warning. Some grimdark themes.)
(Cover art by Underpable.)

This story is a sequel to Iron Hearts: Book 5 - Suffer Not the Alien to Live

An Age of Iron story.

Months have passed since the destruction of the Ork Space Hulk and the end of the war against the Waaagh that threatened to swallow the Centaur system and all its inhabitants.
The Iron Warriors' 38th Company is the absolute military power on the planet, and the survivors of the Lamman Sept and the ponies of Equestria stand with this mighty army of Chaos as they claim Centaur III as their own. Although the other nations of their world may not fully recognize the Company's dominance, it is no matter; the Iron Warriors make plans to return their cargo to the Eye of Terror and return to their eternal trade of piracy. The planet is secure, and can be shrouded by Warp storms at their whim. The natives are divided, weak, and anyway occupied fighting off the scattered Ork warbands. The military supremacy of Chaos is unchallenged, and bolstered by Equestria's reluctant, but hard-earned support.
As Ferrous Dominus expands its operations and the fleet performs its long-suffered duty, it seems nothing can stop the Iron Warriors and their equine allies. The denizens of this conflicted world start to hope that at last peace - if not a distinctly unstable and militaristic peace - has come, and they might start constructing a new, better future from the ruins of war.
But hope... is the first step on the road to disappointment.

(Dark humor warning; limited grimdark themes)
(Cover art by EZTP)
(Featured on 9/19/2015)

This story is a sequel to Iron Hearts: Book 1 - Planetfall

An MLP/Warhammer 40K Crossover, part 2.

Celestia has handed down her order. The Iron Warriors must be defeated and driven from the planet, lest the corrosive grip of Chaos infect their world. With great reluctance, Twilight and Company depart for the Iron Warriors fortress-factory in order to confront the Chaos Warsmith. However, in this mission it is not the might of the enemy that will be their greatest challenge, but their own burgeoning friendships with the admittedly less-than-saintly members of the 38th Company.
At least until the Iron Warriors actually consider them a threat. Then it's totally their military might that will prove to be their greatest challenge.
All the while, the Tau forces lick their wounds and plot their next move. They are far from defeated, and the Iron Warriors have little inkling as to the aliens' true purpose.

MORE EXPLOSIONS!!

(Dark humor warning; minor grimdark)
(Cover art by Nicholas Kay)
(This series now has its own TVtropes page!)
(This series is a contestant in the Tournament of Canterlot, a charity event to raise money for Syrian refugees! Go here for details and donations!)

An MLP/Warhammer 40K Crossover

The Iron Warriors 38th Company has landed in Equestria, entrenching themselves like a barbed hook. They hunt the aliens of the Tau Empire, intent on destruction and pillage.
A small squad is dispatched on a reconnaissance mission, only to find that there is intelligent life on this world besides the feuding space-farers.
Will these improbably adorable and friendly equine aliens turn the damned warriors of Chaos from their blood-soaked path, cleansing them of their dark legacy with the magic of friendship and harmony?

No.
No, that isn't happening.
EXPLOSIONS!!

(Dark humor warning; limited grimdark themes)
(Cover art by Nicholas Kay)
(This series now has its own TVtropes page!)
(This story is a contestant in the Tournament of Canterlot, a charity event to raise money for Syrian refugees! Go here for details and donations!)
(Featured on Equestria Daily 8/20/15 )

This story is a sequel to Iron Hearts: Book 4 - Emerald Dawn

An MLP/Warhammer 40K crossover, part 5.

With their plan established and put into motion, the 38th Company begins the long and unwieldy task of planetary defense, fueling the arcane energies that may yet unsteady the Empyrean and spare their fleet from an enemy without number or mercy. The inhabitants of Centaur III and even the abandoned aggressors help where they are able, but as their foes grow in number and destruction spreads across the planet, the war for the Centaur system has become a bloody race against time.
All the while, the grim culture of the Chaos marauders continues to mingle with the enlightened benevolence of their equine allies. Tempers fray and allegiances blur. But the die has been cast: Equestria and the Company will survive together, or be snuffed out together.
And even should they succeed, what future awaits these unlikeliest of friends?
For there is no peace among the stars. Only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods.

ALL THE EXPLOSIONS. JUST, ALL OF THEM.

(Cover art by Ahrimatt)
(This series now has its own TVtropes page!)
(This series is a contestant in the Tournament of Canterlot, a charity event to raise money for Syrian refugees! Go here for details and donations!)

This story is a sequel to Iron Hearts: Book 3 - The Sept Lamman

An MLP/Warhammer 40K crossover, part 4.

The Tau threat has passed. The fleet that once thought to sweep aside the tainted pirates of the 38th Company has fled the system. The Lamman Sept is broken, demoralized, leaderless...
... And victorious.

With Lamman's plan put into motion, an alien horde hurtles through the Warp toward the Centaur system, its soldiers without number and thirsting for violence. Equestria's heroes must find a way to stop them, or the entire planet will be overrun with ease and its inhabitants butchered. While they could afford some pretense of neutrality and disinterest in the fight between the Iron Warriors and the Tau, now it is their world that lay in the crosshairs of the foe. Ponykind will need help to survive, and they look to the forces of Chaos for aid. But is there any hope to be found in the darkness?

EXPLOSIONS ARE IMMINENT.

(Dark humor warning; mild grimdark)
(Cover Art by Ahrimatt)
(This series now has its own TVtropes page!)
(This series is a contestant in the Tournament of Canterlot, a charity event to raise money for Syrian refugees! Go here for details and donations!)