Thirty years ago — before Luna's return, before the Mane Six, before everything — Equestria stands on the brink. A harsh winter threatens starvation, discontent threatens to bubble over to full-blown rebellion, and to the south lurk dragons, hungry for vengeance and waiting for a moment of Equestrian weakness.
But Celestia knows how the game is played, and if anyone can right the ship of state, it's her. No one can dance on the edge of a blade like she can; after all, she was there when it was forged. Slowly, delicately, she charts her course —
And then everything goes wrong.

Blackacre is somewhat different fare than the usual you might find here, telling a much darker story than the sort we usually see on Saturday mornings. It won't be for everyone, but then again what is? This is a story of the long con, of the world as it is — a story both of those who reason why, and those who do and die.

Blackacre has a relatively long history. The notion took root in August 2013; it gestated for a time and took its first real steps as part of NaNo in November 2013. It took a finalized shape around April 2014, whereupon the editing started. The text here was updated in July 2014 to reflect those edits — a comprehensive revision and polishing of the text, including several new chapters and several entirely rewritten ones.
The text you see here is the final version of Blackacre; at least, I don't intend on working it over again. That's not to say I don't welcome and encourage comments, questions, or suggestions, either on the text itself or the style; I certainly spent long enough working on it the first time around, and if you enjoyed it (or didn't!) I'd be happy to talk.
Besides, there will always be room for improvement — and there will be a next time.

Blackacre has no sequel proper. At least, not yet. It does, however, have companion stories, set at different times in the same universe:
Dr. Strangehorn; or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Elements — a one-shot set in Twilight's future, well after her rise to power.
Twelve Angry Mares — an adaptation of the classic story of a murder trial, set after Blackacre but before the show.

Reviewed one year out — and accurately so, too — by Chris.
Analytically reviewed by Cosmic Cowboy.
Rated four moustaches out of five, and later referenced, by xTSGx.

Equestria is a nation on the edge of disaster after the devastation caused by the Lunar Rebellion. Beset on all sides by nefarious enemies, vicious foreign invaders, insane Lunar cultists, malicious fey, and diabolical conspirators all threaten Equestria’s borders and stability. Midnight Sparkle, daughter of Archmagus Sunbeam Sparkle and herself a newly minted Magus of Equestria, soon finds herself embroiled in the chaos surrounding her homeland. But what hope does a single unicorn have against so many overwhelming threats?

A chronological sequel to The Lunar Rebellion.

It has been more than one hundred years since Celestia banished Nightmare Moon. While Equestria has enjoyed a century of relative peace and prosperity, there are still lingering tensions between the three pony tribes.

Shadow Kicker, a proud warrior of Pegasopolis, must navigate the treacherous noble court of Canterlot and address the concerns and wounded pride of her own tribe in a desperate effort to prevent matters from coming to open warfare.

What does it mean to be a pony? Thesis is the Prince of Equestria, the only son of Princess Celestia. But he is a homunculus, born from magic and technology brought to their world by an ominous benefactor. And as a war grows between Equestria and the griffin nation, he will be forced to understand the true meaning of loss and sacrifice to protect his country and his family.

This story is a sequel to Stories in Stone, Luna's Royal Guard.

The face of Equestria has changed dramatically. The Lunar Republic emerged from the War of Night victorious over the forces of Equestria and the rest of the world.

That was a thousand years ago. The impact of this darkened past had great consequences on the future.
With Nightmare Moon and the Five Beasts ruling over this new world, what impact would it have on the stories we all know, and the ponies that inhabit Equestria?

Twilight Sparkle grew up and lives in this world with all its flaws. Though she has known nothing else, perhaps there is a way she can still save it.

Sometimes, choosing love is not the right decision.

Cover Art by
Azdaracylius

Stories in Stone alternate reality fic.
Reading SiS: Luna's Royal Guard is not really needed for this story to make sense as it will be a stand alone that explains itself, though reading the first book will help in understanding some things. Including who most of these extra ponies are.

I have to be in a certain frame of mind to write this fic, so the updates are.... varied. This is also a far cry from my newest works.

As always with my work Sex tag has to be clicked for a number of scenes, but there is no out right clop, mostly just implied, suggested and hinted at.

This story is a sequel to Stories in Stone, Memories of Twilight

Haunted by nightmares that no one can explain a young filly sets out on an adventure to hopefully find out the dreams meaning and her purpose.

Along the way secrets of her family will be revealed, bonds of friendship will be forged anew... and perhaps she'll finally get a dang cutie mark!!

Continuation of the Stories in Stone series. Please read the previous linked stories or you may be confused at some points.
First Book, http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1918/stories-in-stone-lunas-royal-guard

Second Book, http://www.fimfiction.net/story/71261/stories-in-stone-memories-of-twilight

Holy crap, finally featured at 8:41 on OCT,11,2014, 9:36 Dec-31-20014

This story is a sequel to Stories in Stone, Luna's Royal Guard.

The Canterlot Royal Gardens: a complex prison housing some of the greatest threats Equestria has ever known, sealed in stone. But what happens when something goes wrong, and some of these threats are freed?
Twilight Sparkle and her friends are again called to defend Equestria from an attack that the Royal Sisters are unable, or too afraid, to deal with. But can six ponies raised in a time of peace be any match for creatures who knew nothing but war and conflict?
Perhaps the only hope Equestria may have lies in another set of the gardens residents: the Five Beasts of the Moon, Nightmare Moon's generals, the very ponies who helped her nearly destroy Equestria a thousand years ago.

[This is a direct sequel. Please read,
[ http://www.fimfiction.net/story/1918/stories-in-stone-lunas-royal-guard ]
before starting on this fic or you will be quite lost.]
Season 3 is not accounted for in this fic.
Tags: Action, Sad, Humor, Roller Coaster, Violence, Singing, Some Romance, 80's HBO late night sex scenes... also, nearly every pony is naked... like normal.

Twilight discovers the true purpose for the Canterlot Royal gardens, much to Princess Celestia's annoyance. Knowing her student will seek answers with or without her permission, the Princess gives Twilight a new subject to study, the story of five of the garden's occupants, their connection to Nightmare Moon, and the dark days of the War of Night.

Warning: Comments are encouraged, but spoilers are present in the comments.

Fic is currently undergoing a very slow revision. Revised chapters will have a (R) in the title.
I've also added chapter numbers for a bit more ease of navigation. Mostly on my part.
This is a project that I will slowly be working on Bringing my first major story up to snuff. I shall also be fixing plot holes and clearing up some issues that certain parts have that may contradict the lore later on.
This will only be worked on sporadically unfortunately as I need to be in certain mind sets to do this.

Original story was posted in 2011.

Tags: Action, Historical, Sad, Humor, Roller Coaster, Violence, Singing, Some Romance

Part 2 is here.

http://www.fimfiction.net/story/71261/stories-in-stone-memories-of-twilight

WOOOT featured on Jan 5th 2015 at 2:47 am, 4 years after it's initial publishing!

Three hundred years after the fall of Princess Luna, Equestria teeters on the brink of disaster. Bitter political infighting and power-hungry nobles threaten to tear the country apart in a bloody civil war, while in the south old enemies prepare to reclaim their ancient homeland from the ponies.

As Princess Celestia desperately strives to hold together her splintered nation, she sends a young pony on a quest to the northern lands that border Equestria in order to plead for aid against the threat of Grypha. This unlikely messenger is Rye Strudel, the flightless, magicless, half-breed son of a guard and a baker. Rye must do the impossible and unite the thanes of the north... for if he cannot, there may be no home to come back to.