The Equestrian Northwest is a strange place. Sixty miles northeast of Vanhoover, two towns lay in almost complete isolation. Cascade Hills is a logging town populated primarily by Earth Ponies. Hornloft is a cult colony dedicated to getting away from Equestrian society, populated by unicorns exclusively.

Both of these towns do not like outsiders.

Thirty-three humans find themselves in the midst of these two towns. Outnumbered and limited by a language barrier, they become involved in several cultural misunderstandings, culminating in an incident that leaves at least one pony dead. All of a sudden, it seems like all of Equestria is after them as they make the trek to the southeast in search of safer territory. Some of them have not given up hope on returning home, but they have only one main goal at the moment: get out of Equestria.

With a country to cross, and a military, six national heroes, and a diarchy after them, it may not be so easy. They may seem doomed, but the humans have yet to play their own trump card.

Something is returning to Equestria something that hasn't been seen or heard of for a very long time. A darkness is coming and it has set its gaze on twilight and her friends will they defeat this unknown creature or will they be crushed with in the creatures dark shadows.

This is my first attempt at writing a story so sorry if my grammar isn't the best. And this is also my first attempt at writing a Dark themed story.

(ps- don't pay mind to the cover art its only temporary until i can find something that suits this story)

Ten years ago, the Griffon Empire opened a portal to a strange new world and tried to annex it. In the peace settlement that followed they lost control of the province containing the portal. Since then, the Griffonian Democratic Republic had been completely isolated, surrounded on all sides by a hostile empire. Now, for the first time, a visitor had been allowed.

(This takes place after Equestria Girls but before Rainbow Rocks)
You've always been the odd one out, the nerd that got bullied a lot and had few friends, the guy with glasses that only his family cared about. But what could you do about it in a city like hoofington where the stronger people picked on the weaker?

To make it worse your two parents, while supportive of you, are overprotective, and after a fight after school that nearly costs you your life they've decided to move the family to a new town!

Now you leave what few friends you have to go to a new place that might be just as bad, or worse, than Hoofington. Will Canterlot be just like it? Will you fit in or be the same old odd nerd out that sat alone at lunch and got bullied almost daily?

Or perhaps...this town will be better and you might find some peace for once in your life?

Special thanks to DecPrincess for making the art, all I did was find it and use it. Here's the Link to the picture for proof.

Three weeks after the events of Rainbow Rocks, the sirens are desperate. Without their hearts—the jewels that hold their magic—they have no power. They can't sing, can't manipulate people, and worst of all, can't feed. Their only hope is to restore their hearts, and they need to do it soon, before all three of them starve.

The problem is, they're not sure how to fix the hearts. All they've managed to figure out is that they'll need magic to do it, and magic is exactly what they don't have. Scared, starving, and completely out of options, the sirens turn to the last people who would ever want to help them, and the only ones who actually can: the Rainbooms.

Twilight read a book, and the book told her a tale,
There once was a caterpillar, it had started so frail,
It searched for food, for it was in the mood,
For some juicy, juicy leaves, or so it believed.
It ate and ate, until it got full,
And then one night, it felt a strange pull,
Wrapped in a cocoon so tight,
It came out, what a sight!
A beautiful butterfly, oh my!
It stretched it wings, and began to fly...

Twilight is up late one night, reading a pleasant old children's book. Then she hears a sound and investigates. There was a caterpillar, and it was very, very hungry.

Imagine being one of the most powerful and most acclaimed martial organisations in the known world. Imagine knowing that five hundred people like you turned an army of twenty six thousand, taking only a few losses and destroying the enemy utterly.

Imagine going each day to the God who gave you such a privilege, and swearing to serve Him anew each day. Imagine knowing that each day, you are living the life you have been called to.

Imagine knowing that by fell treachery, torture, and lies, your order was now under threat by those whom it had aided in the past, and that now you were hunted for that help.

This is the tale of Johann von Saxony, and the struggle that this places on his life.

UPDATE:

Due to an unfortunate lack of time and attention, this story has been placed on hiatus. I cannot currently devote the time required to rewrite it and continue it as it deserves. I will continue it, have no fear - but not now.

UPDATE UPDATE:

Due to being asked multiple times to update it and in the end flipping a coin, I have recommenced the continuation of the story. The end will be reached sooooonishly. (like about 100 000 words or so)

Warning: Silliness inbound.

By order of the high lords of Terra themselves, a lone soldier from the Death Korps of Krieg has been sent to the planet Epona to wipe out its Xeno population. Starting with Equestria, the Korpsman has sworn not to leave the planet until he falls or completes his mission.

However, no Korpsman should fight without setting up a proper trench first, and so the Korpsman must dig...and dig...and dig.

Destroying Equestria is going to take a while.

'Have you heard about a new major expedition into the Zone? Technically, they're environmental researchers from the U.N., but that's just on paper. Sure, they've got a couple four-eyed scientists, but one look at all the others tells you they're seasoned fighters. Oh, and dig this; They're not using guides.' - Hog the Mercenary

The Tourist, a veteran stalker hired by the United Nations as an escort, finds himself working with the International Scientific Group, a collective ranging from hardened experts to frail researchers. After gaining clearance from the Ukrainian government for another expedition, the United Nations arms and readies their best field operators, the ISG.

Deployed into the Zone, these interlopers reach their destination, a large Space Bubble with an unknown exit. Quickly, the group enters the Bubble before a large emission and arrive within a forest, where they set up their mobile lab and temporary base of operations to make the best opportunity of an new anomalous area inside of what they assume to be Zone. However, as time passes and new encounters are made, it becomes more and more obvious that they aren't in the Disaster Zone anymore. Pressure begins to mount as the Zone's influence begins to leak into the forest, along with old dangers.

Without a doubt, the group as well as the Tourist will have to struggle to survive against the dangerous flora and fauna that sees fit to consume them. Of course, those become less attention-worthy once sentient, small horses come to investigate the stalkers and scientists, who are easily seen as a threat. The Zone is cruel, but new encounters can be crueler.

NOTE: This is a S.T.A.L.K.E.R. crossover that relies heavily on lore. The ISG faction was only mentioned, mostly cut from the series, but is still canon. Takes place roughly during the end of ShoC.

The sequel to this story: Sweetie Belle and the Quest for Knowledge is now available!

When Sweetie Belle finds a mysterious artifact of a now lost civilization, how will she come to terms with the wealth of knowledge it provides? It says it can be ignored, it says it will never try to influence her, but can an artifact of such power really be so harmless?

Book I of III

Prologue and Chapter 1: Thanks to TheOtherSideOfFluttershy for pre-reading and editing.
The whole story: Thanks to RaylanKrios for editing.
Chapter 4: Thanks to AuthorGenesis for editing.
Epilogue:
Thanks to Malefactory for editing.