This story is a sequel to No More Beauty

In the dark of night, Fluttershy always found it very difficult not to slip into memories of what had happened to her.

She knew that dwelling on it did her no favors.

Really what she was truly damaged by is what she’d become.

Nightmare Moon has returned. Princess Celestia lied and betrayed her star pupil, Twilight Sparkle, leaving her woefully unprepared to fight the Queen of the Night.

But when she fails, rather than disposing of her and the ponies that tried to help her, Nightmare Moon sees an opportunity and a necessity. Having been locked away for one thousand years, who better to help her solidify her rule and keep Equestria from collapsing, all while rubbing it in her sister's face, than her own betrayed pupil?

In a world of snakes and ladders, Rarity has had to learn a single, simple fact:

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single mare who desires recognition and success must, without a doubt, be a social-climbing bitch.

Edited version of my entry to Everfree Northwest's Iron Author competition. Special thanks to Swan Song for the encouragement, support, and for believing in this story strongly enough to throw money at it when I was ready to give up on it.

Amazing cover art by the fantastic lilfunkman

This story is a sequel to Right/Wrong

Dear Luna,

I know you can't hear me but...

A stand-alone sequel. Contribute to the TVTropes page!

Celestia has to realize that there aren't as many absolutes as she thought.

Contribute to the TVTropes page! Reading by Agent Fluffy! Reading of the old version by Lotus Moon! Recommended by PresentPerfect!

From the outside, Fluttershy is a very quiet, sensitive, and timid pony with a few very close friends. Physically she has always been rather weak, and since she was a filly she has been made fun of for this. Many times she has inconvenienced others from her own fear or inability, and often she has been insulted. Although Fluttershy's friends try to be understanding, they also inadvertently show their frustration with her. Fluttershy herself never seems to make much of these responses, though, and appears quite light-hearted. However, inside she cannot help but hurt when she is made to feel like a burden to everypony. How much longer must she live like this? Fluttershy decides to make the answer for herself.

Fluttershy's kindness to all creatures is legendary in Ponyville. When a freak storm blows in from the Everfree Forest, however, she and her friends discover the limits of compassion, and the dangers of living with your heart wide open to the world.

You pity her. You see her, you speak with her for a few minutes, learn about the myriad of tragedies in her life (and there's always something new), and you just feel bad for her. You want to help. Really, it's easy for Rarity to let somepony stay with her for a little while, just until that guest truly gets back on their hooves, because the mare needs help.

You pity her. And when the pity runs out... that's where the self-loathing starts to come in.

(Part of the Triptych Continuum, which has its own TVTropes page and FIMFiction group. New members and trope edits welcome.)

Now with author Patreon and Ko-Fi pages.

Starlight loses her sight in a near deadly accident. Her life changes significantly.

To Casketbase77, who proofread, Nitro Indigo, who has waited quite a long time for this to finally be finished, Supermarine Spitfire, who I'm relatively certain also wanted to see this when it was done although I am unsure, and Amit, whose stories I heavily based the structure and cover image of this one off of. We miss you, dude. You're quite possibly the best etymologist I've ever met.

God damn, I write too many sad stories. My next one will be funnier, I promise.

A (belatedly informed) entry into the My Little Pony Renaissance Contest. I promise it was! I just forgot to enter it!

Fluttershy has had enough of her life, she has left a note to the only person she believes will understand what she has felt, Pinkie Pie, and now she's going to end her life. Can the pink party pony make it to her friend in time?

Just a sad one shot I did cause I'm sad.