The day the Princesses vanished was the last day of peace. Nopony was the same when the sun and the moon continued their way across the sky without the Princesses' magic. With that apparent lie exposed, Equestria was in shambles for weeks, months even.

Everything slowly took a turn for the worse, starting with the betrayal of the Element of Honesty. Nopony really knows what happened that day, except for the other Elements of Harmony. Equestria is shattered.

Five uneven pieces.

Equestria is divided. And it has been so for fifteen years.

We're just the many insignificant ones. This is our lives, stuck in Tartarus.

(The setting belongs to PoorYorickDA, who created this awesome thing that is Equestria Divided)

(This is a one-shot so far, done purely to promote what I believe is a well thought-out grimdark Equestria, but it might evolve into a bigger story someday)

Dark category: Light dark. Dark tones, dark backstory, but no grimdark features.

Story is on hiatus until I can figure out as to whether or not continue it or make it 'completed'.
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This is an Equestria that took a different turn when Discord was released. The mane 6 were corrupted by chaos and were defeated. Without them, Cadance and Shining Armor had no chance at defeating the returning King Sombra and became his obedient crystal ponies; Shining being his 'avatar'. And Luna. Poor Luna. Her sister lost to the new king, Luna found herself succumbing to an ancient memory.

Now the survivors of Equestria live in Vanhoover: a city where great technology grows to bring about the life of the survivors and the changed changelings. It is protected by Empress Scootaloo, Grand Inquisitor Sweetie: Leader of the Sweetie Sisters of Battle, and Kommisar General Bloom: Head of technological development. All three lived through a tragic past and do all they can to fight against the encroaching powers of chaos, darkness, and crystals to bring just a little more light to the lives of those they protect and watch over.

Equestria has been sealed off from the rest of the world by means of an ancient spell cast by Luna, but when one universe has four and its relatives have three, a fourth must rise, and its ancient age and powers over pure darkness ensure that this will not be a simple firecracker in a sea of gunpowder. Although light isn't the only thing can be corrupted.

Based on my good (and unwilling ) friend Gates McCloud's comic series CMC 10k. He wanted me to point out that this is not handcanon to his comic series and is my personal spin-on. Think of it as an alternate reality. If you don't follow the string theory, then the idea of alternate realities should be easy.

(Yeesh. Too many characters to implement. There is Sombra and Nightmare Moon and Trixie and Discord and so many more...help me. I believe there might be slice of life moments while I write, but this is too outworldly to warrant the tag. There are also minor elements of comedy here and there as I find a way to place them in)

Twenty years.

Twenty years since the day that would come to be known as the Fall of Celestia.

The Queens are in control of all Equestria, and are quickly branching to neighboring countries. All seems lost.

There are rumors that Celestia and Luna still live, providing power for whatever twisted abominations Empress Twilight has. It is the goal of The Warriors of the Sun and Moon to free the immortal Diarchy, and bring peace to the land once more.

Rise. Rise and fight the Empire. May the Sun guide you on your way, and the Moon bolster your unwavering resolve.

For the scoop on why the buck Twilight and Co. are in charge, see The Fall of the Sun &Moon

Almost a millennium has passed since the benevolent Princess Celestia's rule came to an end. Under the flag of the Lunar Empire, Equestria has flourished over the centuries, expanding in territory, in science, and in war. However, not everypony is content with the more disturbing directions the Empress has taken in recent years. Her army has been increased dramatically and new weapons technologies are being developed every day, as if she's preparing for a war of astronomic scale. Thus formed the Sunseekers, a band of so-called rebels operating in the Imperial Capital, Eclipse. But now, their leader is being plagued with dreams of a mysterious pegasus thief who might be the key the Empress herself is looking for.

Equestria is at War. The battle with the Wolvar, distant cousins of the Diamond Dog, has been waging for over four hundred years. Princess Celestia has long since been forced to take up the title of Empress as a show of strength. Now, by order of the Empress, Senior Librarian Twilight Sparkle is being sent to join the Equestrian Imperial Army to learn the values of comrades and friendship.

A/N: The anatomy of ponies has been slightly altered, It's not full anthro and as such is not posted as an anthro story, if anyone thinks I should post as anthro, please let me know.

"Do you know what Chaos is, my dear Penelope?"

For six years, Equestria has been divided in two. The newly formed Solar Empire, ruled by Empress Celestia, and the Lunar Republic, governed by President Luna, have been at war for a considerable chunk of that time, and shows no sign of slowing down.

But the rise of a third faction, and a mysterious darkness encroaching upon Equestria, may just change that.

Currently under an overhaul and rewrite.

Everypony hates war. This is clear. Everypony strives to avoid it, and for the past thousand years, peace has reigned at Equestria, thanks to a clever combination of diplomacy and the threat of military action. But now, a new threat surfaces, a threat everypony though was impossible. A rift is forming, and civil war is brewing.

I'm going to assume you, the reader, have seen the show to the end of season 4. If you haven't, then SPOILERS!!! Also, I will assume that you know about the mane six, so I won't describe them in any real detail.
Special thanks to Evening Star for inspiring this work with two of his pieces: A United Land and Land of Equestria

A Guide to the past millennium and a half, including the final years of the Equestrian Republic, the Reign of Discord, the War of the Bloodied Crystals, the Lunar Rebellion, the Decade of Accelerating Change, and everything in between.
Compiled by Princess Twilight Sparkle.

We have a tvtropes page! It desperately needs some love: clicky

Five years ago, the Free States seceded. Five years ago, the Princesses were taken captive. Five years ago, Equestria embarked on a bloody war that would cost hundreds of thousands of lives.

For five years, Rainbow Dash has fought to save her friends. For five years, the sun and moon have hung overhead, motionless. For five years, Rainbow has lived in that wan glow, while every day kills her a little bit more. The peace and happiness of her youth are but faded memories, and now she hardly recognizes the town she once called home. A hardened mare, Rainbow knows only pain and suffering...

...until one day, a reminder of what life used to be like lands at her hooves, and gives her something to live for once more.

Cover art provided by Ruirik. Editing provided by Solidfire and Pega-Ace. Written for the 101st anniversary of the beginning of World War I

Forefront is a Royal Guard in the proud service of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. A guard who trained and studied hard to become what he is.

Then one day, his eyes are opened. On one fateful day, he comes to realize that despite all the hard training and all the studies, he failed.

They failed.

Are the Royal Guards, the proud protectors of Canterlot and the Kingdom of Equestria, destined to fail..?