For over a thousand years, the Festival of Hearthswarming has been celebrated throughout Equus as a ceremony of harmony and friendship. On that fateful evening, long ago, two exceptional fillies were given to all of ponykind; the regents of the Sun and Moon. It marked the beginning of an era of peace and plenty.

But now, something has gone terribly wrong.

In a universe that is a twisted mockery of the one where Twilight Sparkle and her circle of friends carry out their lives' work, the only fires that burn are those spread by the Equestrian Solar Empire as it wages a pitiless crusade to bring about Perfect Harmony – both on this world and that of recently-encountered mankind.

As a new year dawns, Queen Celestia sends out her assassin to deal with the reindeer Spirit of the Holiday. Their confrontation tonight will decide the future of Hearthswarming. Perhaps it is destined to die and leave the worlds a colder, more cruel place. Or maybe, just maybe, will its true meaning live on in some small spark.

A tale set in the greater universe of Spectrum, formerly The Other Side of the Spectrum, though knowledge of those works is not required to understand this short story.

Co-written with the invaluable help of TB3 and Sledge115.

This story is a sequel to The Gift of the Mash

Button Mash had been planning this out for years, ever since that one Heaths Warming Eve where Sweetie Belle kissed him. He was going to ask her out on a date. He's got the perfect idea, taking her out to the Canterlot Winter Ball after Hearths Warming Eve. Only problem is that he doesn't have tickets, but he knows somepony who does. Somepony he's going to regret working for.

Meanwhile, Sweetie Belle is getting prepared for her date with the one boy she's had a crush on for a long time. However, her entire world is rocked when she learns of a secret she was never meant to learn and questions everything in life.

Will this Hearths Warming Eve end up being a season of memories or a season of sorrows?

Edited by CommanderX5 , JumbledThought and Corpulent Brony.

Art work done by RoyalRainbow

This story is a sequel to Snowbound

It's a bad old time to be human. About half the world is gone thanks to Celestia's Barrier, the only options are 'fight and die' or 'get turned into newfoals,' and everything's falling apart. The greatest menace to America as they wait for the Barrier to touch down is not, paradoxically, PER, but restless Human Liberation Front terrorists that dream of taking control of the fight from the brave PHL. One of the worst HLF men is Viktor Marius Kraber, a traumatized Afrikaner, former father, and former surgeon with an appetite for destruction and big guns. But one day, wracked by guilt at an HLF checkpoint, he lets a lost filly and her mother live. From that point on, his life goes to hell (more than usual, anyway) as he tries to make his way and cast aside hatreds in a world gone mad, and maybe, just maybe, become a good person.
Forced to deal with irritating hallucinations, self-hatred, enemies on all sides, and developing a conscience in a world gone mad, will he manage to survive in this world? Will he ever become a good person? Will he join the PHL and befriend the freakishly huge earth pony stallion named Aegis seen in the cover image, and shoot Queen Celestia's spine out?! Can he? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, CAN HE?!

Of course he can! It's a fokkin' prequel.

(Well, actually, considering the emphasis on the development of a character from before the beginning of a game and the fact that it takes place between stories, it's actually more of a presequel. Or presidequel?)

Part of the Conversion Bureau: The Other Side Of The Spectrum continuity.

The Tears of Gaia. An artifact of unmeasurable magical power from the Ancient Days, when the Others ruled the land. If found, they would be the discovery of the century!
At least, those are Twilight Sparkle's thoughts. But something is stirring in lands to the south. Soon she will find that she and her friends are not the only ones who are after the legendary Tears. And so what starts as a simple research trip is soon to escalate into the greatest journey of the young ponies' lives, filled with new friends and foes, incredible danger and great adventure!

Accolades:
EqD featured- 21/09/2012
Now with its own TVTropes page right here!

NOTE: While I do appreciate all comments I get on this story, I would personally prefer if they could say a little more than the typical "Awesome chapter, I love it!" or whatever. What do you love about it? What struck you in this chapter? What would you like to see explored or expanded? Are there things you don't think are working and if so, how could they improve?? I have a pretty determined vision for this story, but it wouldn't hurt to know for the future!

At 3:15 AM, Adams woke me with a loud knock on my front door.
"Put your boots on," he said when I answered. "There's a biblical monster in my house."

* * *

A Visual Companion, by the author
Interview with the author, from the Royal Canterlot Library.
Audiobook by Robin Jacks and Wubcake.
Audiobook by Scribbler.
In-depth analysis by the Heroic Tales cast.
Literary Analysis by ScarletWeather.
Special thanks to GaryOak.
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Though the events of Discord are behind them, Twilight still thinks about the spirit of disharmony. Thoughts kept to herself, she realizes that some of the things she does remind her of him...and how she DOES miss him. Thoughts kept to herself, hiding it from her friends and even the princess, Twilight wonders what could have been if they never had turned Discord into stone. Would he still have been trouble? Would he have been someone able to be compatible with in time? Even Twilight wonders if his cotton candy clouds were actually as delicious as they seemed! Here's a story from the unicorn's perspective during many scenes from "Return of Harmony" as well as her opinions after the events.

*Okay, if anyone's wondering why Mordecai, or should we say BLONDECAI, from Regular Show is in the picture, it's because this is one of the pictures I made and posted on my Deviantart page cartuneslover16. I love doing crossovers, and for you to TRULY understand me in this thing I like to call the CARTUNE UNIVERSE, you're going to have to go to my gallery. :D

*My crossover story on DA, "Chaotic Order", is connected with this story. ;)

Extinction. Such a terrible word. Earth experiences an extinction level event and the human race will not survive.

Until a tear in the ashen gray sky appeared, giving mankind hope...

For years, Sweetie Belle has secretly been turning to video games for relief from her insecurities. Now a talented member of an elite team of gamers from around the world, she has come to rely on her new friends for companionship and support as she bears the rising pressures of her coming-of-age.

But when a sudden gaming cutie mark reveals her secret to everyone she knows, she's forced to contend with her uncertainties over what it means for her future, along with a fresh wave of bullying at school, jealousy from her childhood friends, and mounting expectations from her family.

As she takes her first unsteady steps into adulthood, she may learn she's not the only one hiding a secret, and that her journey to self-discovery isn't one she walks alone.

A story about how kids raised in the age of the Internet have come to rely on online communities to escape from society's expectations for them and achieve the best, most authentic versions of themselves.

Four ponies embark on a two day hike into the wilderness that is the Everfree forest, but fail to return. The proceeding investigations and searches are eventually called as the bodies of two of the missing group are found, as well as a journal belonging to a pony by the name of Cath Amber.

Sorry Twilight, you are incorrect. That is not a true Windigo.

Cover photo found on:
http://us2.forward-to-friend.com
Because I can't draw worth anything.

Daring Do cannot believe her luck when she is asked to help explore the most ancient tomb known to ponykind. But terrible danger awaits her, for beneath the earth rests something beyond equine understanding.

Warning: comments contain ending spoilers.

TVTropes page.
Alternate ending by Duplex Fields.
Archived in the Pony Fiction Vault.
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