This story is a sequel to Five Hundred Little Murders

There are ponies who insist on perceiving the Bearers as their Elements, and nothing more. Applejack is seen as having no qualities other than being honest. Rarity simply has to be generous even when doing so would hurt her. And Fluttershy must be kind. To those ponies, if she acted in any other way, no matter what the situation or provocation, it would mean she wasn't truly Kindness at all.

To see kindness as somepony's only possible response to everything is to take the first step in finding ways to abuse it.

To use kindness as the lone option can be worse.

Note: this is a direct sequel to Five Hundred Little Murders and this time, I will recommend reading that one first.

(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.

Lyra Heartstrings is a up-and-coming musician living in the quiet town of Ponyville. Her marefriend Bon Bon owns and operates Canter Candies, the town's specialty sweets shop. They've been together for years, and everypony around knows what a happy couple they are. But any relationship has its ups and downs, and it's hard to ignore every awkward moment.

Like when Lyra's ex arrives in town.
Because she thinks Lyra still has a thing for her.
Because someone's been impersonating her for the past few years.

...Bon Bon might be in trouble here.

Thanks to Einhander for pre-reading and Exuno for editing!

Now with a reading by Goombasa!

Rainbow Dash has never been to the eye-doctor. One afternoon Twilight takes her to the clinic to check her eyes after a minor flight accident. They end up finding out something that makes no sense whatsoever to any pony in Ponyville.

Woke up this morning to see that my random story that was published for no reason got featured 2/28/14. I'm not complaining, but it isn't a work of art :P. I guess anything a teenager writes about multicolored ponies amuses you.

A young filly writes to the newly-crowned Princess Twilight, asking for advice.

She's made one small mistake, though, in assuming Twilight feels qualified to give it...

Discord has lived for quite a long time. Centuries as a ruler, a millennium as a rock, years as a reformed draconequus, it all gets very tiring. A nap is exactly what he needs. But when you live forever, time loses its meaning, years pass in the blink of an eye, mortals come and go like mayflies. And that's fine.
After all, any being that is truly important will live forever. Discord would never associate with anything less.

Flight Camp was a life-changing event for Cloud Kicker. Her horrible fight with Rainbow Dash forever changed things between them, and drove a wedge between Cloud and Fluttershy.

But what if that had never happened? What if Cloud and Fluttershy had stayed together? How would the lives of the three friends be different? What other changes would ripple across Equestria as a result of that one event? Cloud and Fluttershy might be happily married, but how would that change the lives of their friends? Would Rainbow Dash go down a different path to joining the Wonderbolts? How would Rarity's life change if she never met Fluttershy until she moved to Canterlot?

Where would they be today if they'd traveled down the road not taken?

A pony returns to Ponyville on Hearth's Warming Eve. Amidst the snow and festivities, he runs into a curious mare wallowing by her lonesome, and he does his best to cheer her up. Together, both ponies learn that no chance meeting is ever an accident, for there is love beyond what lingers.

A collection of silly, bite-sized skits where the characters crush the fourth wall into dust to talk about the world of Rites of Ascension, all while poking fun at each other. Learn about the ascension process, cored weaponry, and more!

This is a NON-CANON Rites EU "story." (The characters break the fourth wall completely, so of course it has to be non-canon.) Art by my lovely and amazingly talented wife, Violet Squiggles! You do have to have read Rites of Ascension to really understand this one. You're going to be seriously lost if you start here. That being said, you do not need to read this story to understand what's going on in Rites. This is to add to something already whole (and maybe get a few laughs), not make up for shortcomings elsewhere. Also, I thought it would be fun.

Also, as this is non-canon to Rites, I can go back and change things if I like. Generally, this will only happen if something hasn't been explained in the canon stories yet and has to change for them. Hopefully I won't ever actually have go do that, but if I do, I'll point it out in the chapter.

After years of trying, Scootaloo finally discovers her special talent.
It's the worst thing that ever happened to her. She'll have to leave Rainbow Dash and all her friends behind as she's forced to go off and learn about her new talent... and then it gets worse.

The sequel, Choices Legacy, is now available.

As always, I adore getting comments about the story; the more specific and prolific the better -- negative comments included. Your comments help make my future stories better.
Featured on Equestria Daily.

Many thanks to my team. I couldn't have done it without them.
Pre-readers:
MailboxBomber
Kyaksa
tosety
IceBeerG

Dialog Consultants:
Jacob Ellinger
kidmurkury
markey58

Editors:
IRpony

Proofreaders:
OkemosBrony
Unimpressive Vagaries

Artwork:
Scootaloo Vector by MoongazePonies
Background and cutie mark by author
In-Chapter art by author