Changelings.

To most, they are the creatures that almost took Canterlot, shapeshifters able to feed on the emotions of those around them.
While this is true, it is not all there is to the story.

When the Great War began, an alliance was struck between Princesses Celestia and Luna, of Equestria, and Queen Chrysalis, of the Changelings.
The changelings, natural infiltrators since birth, would become spies for Equestria. In return, they would no longer be hunted, permitted to continue feeding as they had for countless years before their failed invasion, provided they not engage in acts harmful to the equine government or population at large.

Of course, that was simply the beginning. As the war began to escalate, Stable-Tec, the company responsible for the life-saving Stables, recieved a request from parties that would, as part of the contract, remain anonymous and unnamed.
They were asked to create something new, something that would allow both changelings and ponies to survive, and promote harmony between the races.

They were asked to create...

Project HIVE

This story is a sequel to Before the Storm: The Rise of Firefly

Three hundred years after Luna's banishment, an uneasy peace has collapsed and war erupts between the United Tribes of Equestria and the growing Gryphon Empire, who seek to supplant Princess Celestia as ruler of the heavens and claim the rich lands of the pony nation for their own. With the border defenses shattered, Canterlot endangered and the armed forces unable to stem the onslaught, who can stop the relentless Gryphon war machine as it overruns province after province, scoring victory after victory as it closes in on the Equestrian capital city?

In this time of peril, when the entire pony nation teeters on the brink of defeat, a champion will rise to lead the resistance to the gryphon invasion, becoming not just the commander of an elite force, but a symbol of Equestrian valor and fighting spirit. A born warrior and leader, the name of Firefly will be one day revered as not just the founder of the Wonderbolts, but as Equestria's greatest hero...

Taking place seven hundred years before present and canon to both the Gentlemanverse and Turnabout Storm novelization, this is the story of Rainbow Dash's ancestor, the founding of the Wonderbolts, and their role in the bloodiest conflict of Equestrian history. It is a multistory Magnum Opus consisting of several discrete stories, as described below:

Book 1: The War Begins

The Gryphon Empire invasion of Equestria launches at dawn with an all-out assault on the Equestrian Army and Aerial Corps border bases, accompanied by deep-strike raids against Cloudsdale and the Royal Guard training base of Fort Spur.

Will Princess Celestia unleash her enormous power to end the war quickly? Can Outpost Epsilon withstand the onslaught long enough for the much-maligned Royal Navy to reach them? And can the civilian populace of Cloudsdale resist a massive and determined air attack by the Imperial elite against its all-important weather factories and storm cloud production facilities?

Book 2: Rally and Recover

With the border defenses crushed and the remains of Outpost Epsilon evacuated, both sides lick their wounds, hastily reorganizing and preparing for the next Imperial offensive aimed deeper into Equestria.

Can missing Cloudsdale be located near the borders of Thestralslovakia? Will the once-disloyal and still-distrusted bat-ponies that live there side with Equestria or the Empire? What is the Imperial invasion plan? What role will the Changelings play in the conflict? And what will happen when a sixteen-year old gryphon cub faces off with the gryphon-hating pony named Thunderbolt; one of the most lethal and bloodthirsty beings to ever live...?

Book 3: Second Offensive

While the fate of Cloudsdale is negotiated and Firefly's forces prepare for additional action, the second Imperial offensive begins with an assault against the badly outnumbered Equestrian Army at Maresk two hundred miles inside Equestria, attempting to pocket and destroy the thousands of sorely-needed soldiers based there.

Can an out-of-favor earth pony Colonel rally his regiment to save the city and an entire Army Corps? Or will the city's soldiers and civilians alike face the fate of the border bases, becoming yet another crushing defeat in the Imperial drive on Canterlot?

• Writers: Denim_Blue and Firesight with occassional writing assists from Leo Archon and AJ_Aficionado
• Prereaders: AJ_Aficionado, SilentWoodFire, TheGoldCrow, Denim_Blue
• Guest Writers: AJ_Aficionado, Denim_Blue

Maps of Equestria and Equis: https://www.fimfiction.net/chapter/1105220

Three hundred years after Luna's banishment, Equestria is at a shaky peace, its borders protected by the Equestrian Armed Forces from several hostile races, from raiding Diamond Dogs to the increasingly aggressive Gryphons. Incidents are many, and tensions rise as the newly unified Gryphon Empire sets its sights on the lands and riches of its pony neighbors.

In this troubled time, a young pegasus orphan named Firefly comes of age. A born warrior, her name will one day be known as not just the founder of the Wonderbolts, but as one of Equestria's greatest heroes...

Set in the same universe as the Turnabout Storm novelization but taking place seven hundred years before, this is the story of Rainbow Dash's ancestor, the origin of the Wonderbolts, and the coming of the Great Pony/Gryphon War. Also referenced by multiple stories in the Gentlemanverse.

• Rated MUST READ by the Pleasant Commentator and Review Group - October 2, 2016 (8/10 stars).
• Rated RECOMMEND by the Reviewer's Cafe - April 13, 2017 (8/10 stars).
• Rated 4/5 Stars by Personal Review of xTSGx December 6, 2017.
• Rated WHY HAVEN'T YOU READ THIS YET? by Personal Review of PaulAsaran March 30, 2018.
• Rated 9.6/10 by Firefoxino of My Little Reviews and Feedback Group April 17, 2018.

Writers: Leo Archon and Firesight
Prereaders: AJ_Aficionado, SilentWoodFire, JamesCyberlink, Denim_Blue

Cover Art by Equestria Prevails, classified as creative-commons/share-alike: http://equestria-prevails.deviantart.com/art/Firefly-351657539

A refined mare fresh out of high school and a dropout following her dreams find themselves forced to spend a lot of time together.

With the help of a meddling psychology tutor and their new classmates, can they find what they've been looking for?

French Translation!

Fan Stuff!

“We need like, magically entwined rings. Six of them. Forged together. Enchanted together. Together forever. Like we’re going to be. And I don’t think that there’s anything like that that we know about. So no marriage for now.”

Smolder scratched the back of her neck. “Actually...maybe...I know a spot?”

“You’re kidding,” Gallus said.

“I was holding off on talking about him until it was time to propose,” said Smolder. “He’s an old fart who lives in a cave on the borders of the Dragonlands. His place is kinda camouflaged to non-dragons so the professors don’t really know about it and neither do your species’ governments.”

“Well, I know what we’re doing today,” Ocellus said. "Committing crime for the sake of my five fiancees. You know, this is one of the few things that I think both Chrysalis and Thorax would be proud of me for."

Commissioned by Ice

This story is a sequel to Changeling Courtship Rituals

After many years of battle, Queen Chrysalis has finally defeated Twilight Sparkle.

To Twilight's surprise, she discovers that to changelings, this means they are now married. However, she has some thoughts about this...

***

A reboot/remake of Changeling Courtship rituals, where Twilight reacts in a much more normal way, rather than like a sitcom character.

For years, Twilight Sparkle and Queen Chrysalis have been at each other's throats. Both have experienced victory over the other, and both have experienced defeat. Out of all the creatures in Equestria, none despise each other the way the pony Princess and changeling Queen do. They seemed destined to remain locked in battle forever, or at least until one is finally dead at the hooves of the other. The cruel insults, the vicious loathing, and the powerful spells that have passed back and forth between them at each meeting have become the stuff of legend.

Imagine Twilight's surprise when she finds out changelings consider this dating.

And now they're married.

***

Sequel: Pony Courtship Rituals

***

Some beautiful fanart of the end of chapter three was done by Dmann892; you can see it here.

More awesome fanart, this time from chapter one.

Now with a TvTropes page (obligatory TvTropes warning goes here).

If you want a Russian translation, you can find it here.

There is now a reading of the story on Youtube, which starts here.

Matilda was one among many griffons sent as tribute after Equestria defeated Gryphonia in a great humiliating battle. There she is put to work the great boilers of Canterlot Palace from morning till evening, constantly providing hot steaming water for the day's use.

Making friends is difficult for Matilda, though she wants to try. Living life is harsh because she was a citizen of a disgraced nation, though she is proud of her heritage. Having ambitions is impossible because it would take a lifetime to earn her freedom, though she does not stop dreaming about it.

Until she begins to discover the power of Friendship and Harmony for herself.

Follow her as she writes about her thoughts, feelings, opinions, and wishes, in a simple journey of self-discovery, humor, and longing.

Cover art courtesy of RexySeven. Title added by me.

Featured on 18/2/2022! Thank you so much for your support!

This story is a sequel to Changeling Courtship Rituals

Queen Chrysalis attacked Canterlot, brainwashed Twilight Sparkle's brother, kidnapped her former foalsitter, defeated her mentor in combat, and conquered her kingdom. She kidnapped the sisters of Twilight's friends, turned them against one another, and tried to drain all of Twilight's magic. Queen Chrysalis has, at every opportunity, done her very best to utterly destroy Twilight Sparkle's life.

For some reason, this has not caused the pony to fall in love with her.

However, due to Twilight's misunderstanding of changeling customs, it does mean they are now married. Twilight eventually managed to tell the Queen the truth, but she forgot that whether it's a kingdom or a heart, changelings conquer.

And since the changeling way of conquest didn't work, Chrysalis is determined to try the pony way. The only problem is, of course, she has no idea what that is. But she knows someone who does: Princess Cadance.

Now, with the absolutely sincere help of her mortal enemy, the pony she once locked in the caves beneath Canterlot while trying to steal her husband on their very wedding day, Queen Chrysalis is going to woo the sister-in-law of that very pony.

Surely this is the most perfect plan ever devised.

***

Proofread by ShutterflyYay.

Takes place roughly after season five (so Starlight Glimmer is running around occasionally)

This story is a sequel to The Balance of Harmony

Sequel to The Evolution of Harmony and The Balance of Harmony.

The Princess of Friendship is summoned to face the biggest test of her life. Who summoned her? What does the test entail? Has she studied?

Twilight must face the challenge without the aid of her Ponyville friends. Luckily, she draws some help from an unlikely source.

The third book in the Evolution of Harmony trilogy takes our favorite purple princess on a journey for the ages. While not required reading, the first two stories are highly suggested to start with due to some back-story and the culmination of certain events handled in the final book.