"The stars have faded. The moon has grown distant from me. Sister, what has happened during the thousand years of my absence? What has happened to my night?"

Archive of Our Own Version

Featured on October 19, 2013

"They came and took their faces, and then they took their insides. And one day, when the moon itself is fuller than it's ever been before, they'll crawl into our homes... and give them all back."

In what was supposed to be her moment of triumph, Nightmare Moon has lost everything. Banished by her sister and the Elements of Harmony, she finds herself alone on the very moon she created.

Utterly alone.

This story is a sequel to A Hairy Problem

NOTE: It is highly recommended you read the prequel first before reading this one.

It's been months since Applejack was cured and things returned to normal. Sure, there was the whole deal about swapped cutie marks, then Twilight becoming a princess, and then something about a magic mirror and Spike getting his species demoted to "dog" temporarily, but otherwise it's business as usual.

Or at least it had been until Apple Bloom begins to act much more aggressively towards Diamond Tiara than she used to, much like Applejack did towards Sandalwood initially. Except, Apple Bloom can't be turning into a werewolf, they're all gone now. Right?

Then again, King Sombra was supposedly gone, too.

Sequel: Seven Days in Sunny June

Now has a TV Tropes Page!

This story is a sequel to No Heroes Part III - For Dreams

This story is a sequel to Lightning's Bolt.

An ancient enemy from the princess's past has arisen, seeking to re-establish a forgotten empire. With Canterlot under this new villain's sway, the princesses compromised and the Element-Bearers under the enemy's control, it's up to Luna's team to find a way to save Equestria. This is what they were chosen for, the reason they have been brought together.

Can six noponies really make a difference? Are they mere shadows of the light?

The time has come to show that you don't have to be the best to be the heroes.

Cover art commissioned from the awe-inspiring Eosphorite!

The No Heroes Series
Chronological from Top to Bottom:
Shadow Pony
Reddux the Tyrant
No Heroes Part I - The Roster
No Heroes Part II - The Journey Home
Lightning's Bolt
No Heroes Part III - For Dreams
No Heroes Part IV - The Crystal Empress
No Heroes: Beyond the Everfree
No Heroes: Life of Pie
No Heroes: Hot Chocolate at the Isekai
To My Uncle

She was a unicorn on the run. Being hunted, her only option was to hide where they wouldn't think to look. Once over the border she'd hide in the most quiet, boring, unassuming town she could find in Equestria. Her information was out of date but how much could Ponyville have changed?

Once there all she'd have to do is keep her head down and not draw attention to herself. Certainly stay away from any adventure or authority figures, top of which being the Princesses. She'd shuddered to think what would happen if they found out who she really was. Still, what were the chances that she'd be dragged into an adventure or meeting any princesses while in Ponyville.

Thank you to 'Greynoise' and 'Starlight Nova' for editing and pre-reading respectively.

Having re-read the FAQ rules, now rated for Teenage-Gore.

100% Approved by Twilight's Library!

***WARNING*** Spoilers in comments

No idea who did cover art, let me know and I'll credit you.

Isolated from her friends and taken prisoner in the middle of a war, Twilight must deal with the very real dangers of being percieved as an enemy as well as the nightmares of her arrival on 'Earth'. Can she overcome her own fears and the fears of her captors? Will the wayward unicorn's assistance be a boon or a curse to the 'humans?' Most importantly, will she ever find her way home?

"In short, it's a story of friendship and plasma rifles, with the emphasis on the friendship. The characters are well written, the XCOM setting is fleshed out very well, and the story is compelling. If you love XCOM, you'll love the story, but even if you've never heard of it, it's more than worth giving the first 3 chapters a read.

There's excellent action later on, but the real strength lies in the collision between the friendly and naive world of Twilight Sparkle and the desperate world of humans fighting a losing war for survival and willing to do anything to turn the tide."

--Arzoo

(XCOM/FiM crossover)
(Cover art commissioned by a friend and created by the magnificent FoxInShadow!)
(Original cover art by the amazing Carnelian can be viewed here!)
(Gore tag for blood and some violence)
(Many thanks to the studius OminousTen, Arzoo, xXFluttershyForeverXx and finally Setokaiva for giving my rambles a once-over)
(Now with it's own TV Tropes page! Get to tropin' folks!)

My unicorn parents called me a worthless mud pony. They pushed me every day to overcome my lowly status. When I woke up one morning with my cutie mark, I thought they would love me. I couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

It was not destiny or enjoyment that led me to discover the cello and composing. My parents made that decision, deciding before I was born I would continue their family legacy of famous musicians.

They did not realize what that decision would cost them.

Special Thanks and Links:

Cover Art: Dreampaw. The inspiration for the story.
Dramatic reading of Act I-III by Malao567. June 2013
Reading with music by ObabScribbler. June 2014
Song: Hooks and Strings by Reverb Brony. May 2014

Style inspired by H.P. Lovecraft
TypeWriterError: Editor & Rating Board
Gage of Grandiloquence: Editor
The11thWonder: Pre-reader
Nharctic: Pre-reader
Breath of Plagues: My Pinch Editor.
ArgonMatrix: Bad Grammar Exterminator
Daemon of Decay: Advice, also inspired me to write fan fiction. Blame him!

For a thousand years, the Code of Harmony has ruled Equestria, and the Code of Dissonance has sabotaged its works at every turn. Now the war for control over the land will come to a head, and one unicorn's decision may decide the fate of all.

For though she does not know it, Twilight Sparkle is the shining example of the Code of Harmony. Her teacher, Princess Celestia is Harmony's most powerful master and she knows her enemies are hatching a plan that threatens to cast down the Harmony of her throne and all she has sacrificed to create.

What she does not know is her foe seeks a new Apprentice to turn to his dark ways. A unicorn with seemingly limitless potential for magic, whose thirst for knowledge may yet lead her down a dark path, who is known to be such a faithful student of magic, eagerly seeking the truth no matter how forbidden it might be...

Sequel: Code of Harmony

Life in Ponyville, outside of the usual events like a parasprite invasion or a revenge-seeking, all powerful megalomaniac kicking out the town librarian, tends to be laid back and typical. Which Applejack doesn't mind. However, after the CMC cause more problems due to influence from a newcomer in town, Applejack gathers the girls to go fix what the CMC did.

But then a mysterious creature ends up attacking Applejack, and while she survives and seems fine, it isn't long before she starts acting strangely. It's up to the usual group of ponies to figure out what's going on before it's too late.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/6MrWqNZ.png[/img]
*Approved for Twilight's Library on 3/18/14*

Also has a TVTropes page