This story is a sequel to Entrenchment

An Age of Iron story.

At last, Ferrous Dominus is (mostly) secure.
Centaur III has been (largely) pacified.
The enemies of Chaos and Equestria have finally been crushed (probably).

But victory is merely a prelude to the next war. The Imperium of Man and the pitiful, far-flung holdings of the alien await the Iron Warriors and their new allies, ripe for conquest and plunder. With a new home world and a new ally under their thumb, the 38th Company at last turns its attention on a galaxy ablaze with constant war, seeking new victims to fill the bellies of their ships. The gentle but resourceful equines of Equestria travel with them, taking to the field not out of malice or avarice but gratitude in at last fulfilling their grave debt to the Legion.

But in the depths of the void, far beyond the fleet, beyond the veil of the Materium itself, Chaos is not idle. Plots advance, blood spills, and ancient evils seethe.

The light will be extinguished.

(Dark humor warning; grimdark themes)
(Cover art, and pretty much the rest of the art too, by EZTP)

This story is a sequel to The Witch of the Everfree

Saddle Arabia is a land of mysteries and ancient legends, and Sunset Shimmer sees it as a great place to escape from her mistakes for a while. What caused her to flee Equestria, and can she find a way to prove herself and win back the favor of the ponies she wronged?

More importantly, can she avoid starting a war?

I'd like to thank all my followers, fans, and patreon subscribers. Without all of you, I'd be worse off in every way.

This story is a sequel to Entrenchment

Boarding actions are often frantic, desperate assaults. Men are launched directly into the greatest bastions of the enemy while guns that can level city blocks roar around them. Boarding soldiers are swarmed in minutes by all manner of defenses and opponents, trying to wreak what havoc they can within a vessel's belly before they're overwhelmed and extinguished. Incoming fire from their own ships continue to pound away at their target the entire time. Depressurization, incineration, and rad-flensing are all common ends to the life of the boarding trooper, and as often as not their death comes as a result of their own sabotage.

Pity these courageous souls who take their weapons to the hearts of giants.

(Dark humor warning; grimdark themes)
(Cover art by EZTP)
(Featured on 8/4/2019!)

"Unicorns are wonderful!"
"Unicorns are fantastic!"
"Unicorns are marvelous!"
"Unicorns are glamorous!"
"Unicorns are enchanting!"
"Unicorns are terrific!"

They also like to twist words. What would happen if you asked what they really are, without the wordplay?

Unicorns provoke wonder. They create fantasies. They cause marvels. They project glamour. They weave enchantment. But most importantly, they spawn terror.

Massively A.U.

Sunset Shimmer had everything. Personal protégé of the Sun Princess herself, top marks in the School for Gifted Unicorns, and the honor of being dubbed the greatest arcanist since Starswirl the Bearded.

Until she threw it all away.

In the last moments before leaving Equestria forever, her destiny is snatched away right before her eyes. Once upon a time the story of the lives of herself, Twilight Sparkle, and the path of Equestrian History went one way, a story that we all know well. But in every stand of woods there is a path untrotted, one with a different story and new experiences.

About the deleted comments.

Discussion of this and other works can be found on my Private Discord Server

New cover by DVixie. If someone knows how to contact them I'd be appreciative. It more accurately portrays the current evolution of the story.

Arc One, Filly Steps: Complete.
Arc Two, What Twilight Learned Today: In Progress.

A depressed Anon, aided by countless books on psychology and philosophy, tries his luck at being a therapist for the fluffy ponies that surround him. Do ponies even have the problems he deals with? Do ponies even need the help he can offer?

Art by osawari_64

Edits by Tranquil Serenity.

Twilight isn't having a very good day. An experimental spell blew up in her face, an army of changelings is attacking Canterlot, and she just died. Yet somehow, it looks like it's going to keep going downhill from here.

Given the chance to correct what's gone wrong, Twilight swears she's going to fix all this even if it kills her. Which it will. Frequently.

Cover art by Pixel Prism
Spanish Translation
Series TV Tropes page

After the Friendship Games, Sunset feels it's time to return home.

Only when she gets there, Twilight's castle is nowhere to be found, Cadance just got her horn, and Princess Celestia is still calling the bacon-haired pony her prized student rather than a failed one. And just reliving her past isn't on the table thanks to a pair of wings Sunset seems to have sprouted upon her return to Equestria.

With Sunset being back before she's supposed to, will the world stay as harmonious and on track, or will everything go down in flames as Sunset has to deal with allegations that she's really a changeling in disguise, a nerdy stallion with blue hair that wants to be her coltfriend, a pretty pink princess in need of remedial magic lessons, and an annoying purple pre-teen pony that will absolutely not go to bed without first being read Starswirl's Complete Mystical Mysteries Compendium?

Only time will tell

The foggy feeling like you're wandering through a dream, disconnected from the world around you. Sunset Shimmer experiences that every day. Ponies struggle to remember her, she suffers from random bouts of exhaustion, and at eighteen, she still has no cutie mark.

Despite the claims her mother makes, Sunset knows she is broken in some way. It isn't until her nineteenth birthday that she discovers why.

When her perception of herself and the world around her shatters, Equestria will face the consequences of the villain... or the hero, it was never supposed to have.

Spike longed for years to have a family of his own. With Twilight's help, he applies for adoption.
Can he succeed in the trials of parenthood?
Can his daughter survive the life of royalty?
Can the royal coffers endure the doting of three zealous aunts?

Set seventy years after the end of Season 3.

Featured on Equestria Daily!
Cover art by EZTP also featured on Equestria Daily! [#3]
Additional supplemental art provided by MelonDraws, spokenmind93, EZTP, EifieChan, Ayemel, and Ninny, with more to come in the future.

Edited by the amazing Shahrazad

*Note*: [Sex] tag added for the use of innuendo and mention of the topic in later chapters. No 'on-screen' content included.

This story's update frequency is incredibly sporadic, but I promise, no matter what happens, no matter how long it takes, this story will reach completion. (Update 12/28/22: YES, I PROMISE I'M STILL WORKING ON IT!)