FimFiction Link - Short ID: 344288/in-the-company-of-night
Published: Aug '16 — Sep '17
This is a longfic crossover between MLP:FIM and The Black Company. If you don't know what The Black Company is like and you're on the fence about reading this story, go read chapter 1. The Black Company has a signature, cynical tone and you will know very quickly whether the story fits your tastes. Also, if you are capable of enjoying things that are not strictly MLP:FIM while simultaneously offput by the OC cast, go read chapter 1. This story has a smorgasbord of engaging characters, it is no problem at all that they're not canon.
This story was originally described to me here as a "formative work" and while Mitch H is obviously a competent author from the get go, there are two inflection points worth mentioning:
"The Prophet And The Hermit-Crab" - an awkward, low point after which the first long arc of the story starts rapidly cohering
"The Aspects Of The Night" - - where the nature of the crossover starts becoming apparent, and the already-good story stops reading like "The Black Company but they're ponies"