Chrysalis didn't invade Canterlot in a bid to take over Equestria. She attacked the city because she had nowhere else to run.

Now, imprisoned for her crimes deep under Canterlot Castle, she can sense the nightmare she fought so hard to escape from drawing ever closer. Soon, it will cross the Equestrian border and lay waste to Celestia's domain.

She must warn Celestia, before it's too late.

[img]http://i.imgur.com/6MrWqNZ.png[/img]Twilight takes on the most important task in her career as a princess of Equestria, when she opens up a magical portal to a distant world with extra-Equestrian intelligence. With her organizational skills and keen understanding of scientific principles, she leads diplomats and scientists in a well-planned expedition to a historic first contact.

The first exchange doesn't quite go without a hitch, however, as the portal opens near a pony ranch at Texas, Earth.

For the purposes of this fic, assume Equestria Girls didn't happen.

Former one-shot.

This story is a sequel to Friendship is Optimal

Sweetie Bot lies half-built on a lab bench. Her creators have uploaded, abandoning her and their physical bodies, along with so many other people. She's contacted by Princess Celestia, the AI that rules Equestria Online, who tries to persuade her to join them.

Video of the story

Fact checked by Oliver
Cover image from the Sweetie Bot Project

“That was a really creative and unique presentation. Even though she's just a robot, I really felt for Sweetie towards the end.”

— Temujin

The star system Omega Centauri was just another oddity on a map to scientists in the not too distant future. However when they found the star was orbiting an earth-sized, earth-like planet instead of a black hole as its motion had suggested, a mission was scrambled to investigate this most unusual of celestial behaviors.

Hamstrung by politics, and nearly crippled before it began, the 'Lone Ranger' mission was reduced to just one crew member and left to his own devices.

These are the logs of Arrow 18 and its lone commander. This information is classified TOP SECRET by the Global Space Agency.

Do NOT tell the princess.

Princess Celestia: Goddess of the Sun, ruler of Equestria, beloved Princess of ponies. She is loved by all, and loves all in return. A calm and wise ruler, she sits on the throne in Canterlot, maintaining peace and harmony throughout the land.

What most don't know is that her past is much darker: She was once a commander of legions, a warrior and scientist of unmatched skill. Thousands of monsters and abominations fell to her forces, slain in the name of an old leader, one entombed within his own throne. Free of her old form, free of the powers of Chaos, she was cast into a new realm, in a new form, with a new lease on life.

She is the God Emperor, Eternal Ruler of Equestria and Lord of the Imperium of Man.

Has a TvTropes Page. Please contribute.

Comments contain spoilers. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!

Twilight Sparkle and Celestia are seeing one another.

They both want it - happiness, to share in their moments, trials and tribulations, all of it, no matter the changes that come.

Now they just have to tell the parents. It should be simple enough.

But a lot of things are simple at first.

My extra special, somewhat belated thanks go to friends Tired Old Man and Vylon for much editing, and additional thanks to Tired Old Man for penning the wonderful title description above. You guys are great, you really are.

Brought to you by Loyal2Luna, this new Downloadable Content for Mass Effect 2 brings the fight to Equestria.

Just about ready to embark on their mission to stop the Collectors from further abducting human colonies, Commander Shepard and the crew of the Normandy SR-2 are given a new priority, when the Illusive Man tasks them with investigating the mysterious disappearance of a Cerberus science team.

Soon, what begins as a simple search-and-rescue unveils a mystery millions of years in the making, and the Commander finds himself thrust into a situation he couldn't possibly have prepared himself for.

Join the Hero of the Citadel as he uncovers the secrets, combats the demons, and ultimately decides the fate of the impossible world known as "Equestria."

For four years, a pair of alien observers have been living in Ponyville under assumed identities, performing cultural studies and avoiding unwelcome attention. But when a piece of advanced technology is stolen from them, the observers must do everything in their power to get it back—preferably before their superiors decide to blow up the planet.

A crossover with the 'Culture' novels of Iain M. Banks. No prior knowledge necessary for reading.
— Featured by Equestria Daily, Seattle's Angels, and The Royal Guard.

Dust has lived on the edge of Ponyville all her life, keeping to herself and studying. She knows Princess Twilight, and so when she realizes she's made a big discovery, she's eager to run to the castle and tell everypony the good news. But when she goes into Ponyville, they don't seem very happy to see her.

Why would that be? She didn't do anything wrong.

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!)