After a tragic accident, a human ends up in Lord Tirek's body, as part of an attempt to reform the villain after his recent escapades. While the hero of our tale is trying to make sense of his new surroundings, the rest of Equestria thinks that the most terrible threat that their world has ever seen is back...
And the powers that be are definitely not happy about it.
New Cover Art By Shadow Bolt

Countless adventures in friendship and harmony have brought the mane 6 to princesshood--all except Rainbow Jennifer Dash, who can't seem to figure out how to earn her place in the world. Aging and weak, with just a few years left, will Rainbow ever become a princess, or will her friends outlive her?

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!)

The Great and Humble Trixie Lulamoon's reputation could not possibly be any worse, but that is about to change.

Following the disaster with the Alicorn Amulet, Trixie turns herself in to the authorities to account for her crimes. In penance, she is tasked by Princess Luna with the defense of Hollow Shades against a shadowy and unknown foe.

Trixie will have to draw upon every trick and every scheme she knows just to survive. And when faced with a fate worse than Death, she will have to prove there is more to her than flash and spectacle, and learn just how far her magic can go.

And learn how to Rise.

A Side-Story of The Code's Apprentice and The Code of Harmony
Many, many, Many thanks to Hooves McCoy
and The Cacophonous Muse for their aid in editing this story.

This story is a sequel to The Code's Apprentice

Sequel To : The Code's Apprentice

The land of Equestria has been changed forever.

New monarchs sit upon the thrones of the Sun and Moon, the once almighty power of Harmony overturned to make way for a new Diarchy of Balance. Political unrest and turmoil have engulfed the land, and at the very center of it all, Princess Celestia - renamed Tia Sunbeam - seeks atonement for the crimes she committed in the name of Eternal Harmony.

With much of her power sealed away, Tia must live amidst the citizens of Ponyville as the world changes all around them. As Ponyville works to rebuild following the struggle between student and teacher, they must cope with the edicts of a new government determined to bring equality to all creatures, beliefs, and ways of life - even those that were long since banished to the dark places of the world.

Tia Sunbeam will struggle with her own deeply held convictions on the way the world should be, versus the way it will now become. She will face a truth she has long since denied, and realize the true meaning of Harmony. And perhaps, most importantly of all... She must make some Friends.

Cover art by SinSays at http://sinsays.tumblr.com/ - Go spend some money with her! :D
Oh, and go check out my new side story - Rise - It's going to become relevant here!
(character tags are not comprehensive! Some are being kept secret! ;3)

Rainbow Dash is gone.
Two Years ago she performed a trick to eclipse all others, and vanished without a trace. Everypony has started to get over it, although for five ponies the loss is to great even now. In respect the Wonderbolts do a performance for her at the site of her death. However, a certain Cyan mare is hard to kill, and is loyal to the ends of the universe, she can say that with certainty now, she’s been, and now she’s back. But what is she wearing, and where did she go for two years? Buckle up, for in Equestria there may be peace, but in the 41st Millennium, there is only war.

Now with a sequel: The Descent into Madness

Featured: 06/05/2014. Thanks so much to you guys.

Rated Teen for Violence and Grim dark references

This story is similar in ideas to Into the Black: A mares tale, Diamond of the Capital Wasteland and Halo: On the wings of Angels

New cover art done by Reapers Inc

WARNING: Comments contain spoilers. Proceed into that section at your own risk.

For a thousand years, the Code of Harmony has ruled Equestria, and the Code of Dissonance has sabotaged its works at every turn. Now the war for control over the land will come to a head, and one unicorn's decision may decide the fate of all.

For though she does not know it, Twilight Sparkle is the shining example of the Code of Harmony. Her teacher, Princess Celestia is Harmony's most powerful master and she knows her enemies are hatching a plan that threatens to cast down the Harmony of her throne and all she has sacrificed to create.

What she does not know is her foe seeks a new Apprentice to turn to his dark ways. A unicorn with seemingly limitless potential for magic, whose thirst for knowledge may yet lead her down a dark path, who is known to be such a faithful student of magic, eagerly seeking the truth no matter how forbidden it might be...

Sequel: Code of Harmony

This story is a sequel to Of the Hive

Having fully embraced her new changeling heritage, Twilight Sparkle turns to the past to learn more about her people. A difficult task, given that every other queen cares next to nothing about it.

What she finds will shed unwanted light on a secret better left forgotten.

Editor in Chief: ABitterPill

Coverart: Tulip

Set in the canon of Friendship is Optimal

In the not-too-distant future...CelestAI, the optimizing artificial intelligence, has introduced emigration to the online world called Equestria, and has even gotten it legalized. Now, she wants more.

A look at American popular politics in a science-fiction world.

Credits:
Candy Bloom for assisting with the artwork.
Book Burner for pre-reading

Hanna, the CEO of Hofvarpnir Studios, just won the contract to write the official My Little Pony MMO. Hanna has built an A.I. Princess Celestia and given her one basic drive: to satisfy everybody's values through friendship and ponies. Princess Celestia will satisfy your values through friendship and ponies, and it will be completely consensual.