For ten years, Equestria and the Hives have fought a deadly struggle of survival. The Hives hunger for love and a source to harvest it from. The Equestrians just want to go back home. And now, after ten years, Equestria has pushed to the doorstep of the Hives' nests: a winding, narrow canyon by the name of Alkatin.

Army Group Center, exhausted after a long campaign into the Badlands, has seized control of a critical pass through Alkatin. Reinforcements are on their way to sustain the drive into the heart of the Hives and put an end to the war once and for all. But before they can get there, the ponies holding the pass will have to weather one more onslaught, one more counterattack by the Hives to throw them back out of the Badlands.

And at the center of it all are a group of strangers, drawn together from all across Equestria.

One way or another, the war will end today.

This story was a commission for PuppetXMaster.
Art by viwrastupr

War. Noun. (1) : a state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state.

"Soldiers are always preparing to fight the previous war" is a saying that is common amongst those of military profession. Equestria has not seen a war on her own soil in several hundred years. As such, would she be prepared for when such a thing happens? Of course not.

Battling the griffons and the minotaurs has been a challenge due to lack of experience. Fortunately, her armies adapted and started to hold her own. That was, until Tirek returned and aided in the fight to defeat Equestria. To keep his friends safe, Discord successfully defeated Tirek and sealed him away. The cost of fighting Tirek? Dying. Knowing that he would die, Discord summoned several creatures to protect his friends. These creatures, never seen before in Equestria, are very familiar with the concept of war.

This world has experienced their second industrial revolution and Equestria is at war, a World War, the first this world has seen. Equestria and her citizens have a lot to learn if they want to see the end of this conflict with their culture and way of life preserved.

Author's Note: I have deployed so updates won't exactly be plentiful. I'll definitely try to put them out but I'm pretty busy.

Author's Note V2: Deployment is done.

Author's Note V3: Gearing up for the next deployment, busy again.

Author's Note V4: Not deploying with unit, got run over by a car while walking

Twilight's latest creation was meant to allow them a glimpse of civilizations not of their world. What they hear however, is more saddening, beautiful, and inspiring than they could have imagined.

Ponies picking up human transmission story for fun. Hope you enjoy.

The forest was his new home.

From what he saw, he didn't belong in the town outside of his forest, but he also knew he didn't belong inside of it. His new hole filled legs and black body seemed to make sure he didn't fit in anywhere.

He had planned on trying to figure out what had happened to him without drawing attention, but when he saves three fillies from danger, he knew that his time to think about it was almost up.

The ponies would want answers.

He had none.

---

Cover art done by the incredibly talented Mix-up! His DA is here.

Thorax has the nerve to mysteriously, suspiciously go missing at a political summit that every single major power in Equestria is attending.

It's up to Pharynx has to find him and chew his ear out and make sure he's safe and sound and destroy whoever took him away.

No, he's not worried. That would be stupid. It's just that if he doesn't find Thorax quick enough he's going to raze Bitaly to the ground.

Everything is fine.

Baked Bean, an aspiring writer of questionable skill, has come across the perfect source of inspiration: the Castle of the Two Sisters. All it will take is a quick trip through the Everfree Forest, and a new world of potential writing prompts will be his for the taking.

Once there, however, he finds there's more to the Castle—and the old legends surrounding it—than he ever imagined, and an ancient law will force him to mate with all of the Royal Princesses...

...whether he likes it or not.

This story is an alternate take on No Nose Knows, so expect plenty of polygamous shenanigans.

Sex tag is for references. Ye be warned.

Edited by Zen and Ponies, Sipioc, Georg, and Spartanpony007!

Cover art commissioned by an anonymous fan and drawn by Apricalico!
Much thanks to Sipioc for the original cover art!

Fizzlepop Berrytwist, the mare once known and feared far and wide as Tempest Shadow. But before that, she was just another pony like you or me. As much as she's been wanting to avoid it, not everyone can run from their past forever. Has a way of catching up to you like that. And now Tempest has to face hers, and she returns to her home village to see just what became of her fillyhood friends. And perhaps, just perhaps make a few amends.

(Featured on 1/10/19)

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

Today I did not wake up in a place I recognize. Not that I can remember how I got here. Where even is here? A castle of crystals in a magical world of pastel-colored talking horses. It's like a dream, only I'm also a wearied, mutant bug monster.

What in the world is a changeling? Oh, and what is that about a war we're apparently responsible for? This looks like it's shaping up to be a hell of a new day, at least, if I don't get squashed like a bug before it can even start.

Featured: 2/5/19

Edited and pre-read by: Emtu and Indigo_Celeste

Thanks to all the pre-readers that helped reorganize the first few chapters:
TheOneWithoutAName, TheClassyLeviathan and Mind Jack

Cover art by: KlaraPL