Everyone wears a mask. For the rulers of Equestria, that mask must be impeccable for their subjects. Only around their guards can the two Princesses relax ever so slightly, occasionally showing that they are just as fallible as any other creature. For one Princess, the burdens of her own mind begin to make the mask crack. However, when Private Steel Heart notices that it is, in fact, the pony underneath the mask that is beginning to splinter, he offers to help.

He had no idea such help would first involve getting attacked with a large brush.

Warning: Involves slow-burn romances, lots of feelings, comforting moments, adorable affectionate gestures, lethal amounts of fluff, feel-good auras, and a deadly combing implement.
Takes place around Season 8-9 (ish)

Cover art used with permission by the talented Yakovlev-Vad, seriously, check out his art. He's fantastic!
https://www.deviantart.com/yakovlev-vad/art/Oops-Sketch-743917791
*Edit. Featured on the first day? WHAT IS HAPPENING?

This story is a sequel to The Ending of the Beginning

The moments of our lives are fickle things. We never really know what moments we'll remember years down the road, and we surely have no idea how significant some moments can be until they're already long past.

For three former villains, a great number of moments occurred between their fateful meeting with the former Princesses of Equestria and their ultimate revenge on two callous ponies from Manehatten. Some moments were tiny, still others enormous, but there was one thing they all had in common; for this odd little family, they meant the world.

Step back and peer through the window at these moments, these scenes, in the lives of three creatures who united to destroy, but were bonded together forever by love.

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A collection of small scenes in the lives of Tirek, Chrysalis, and Cozy Glow between the events of the first and second chapters of 'the Ending of the Beginning.' They'll be written in no particular order, and put in order once all the scenes are completed.

Cover art borrowed from Flutterthrash

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Villain-Tines Day- "Tirek and Chrysalis have their first Hearts and Hooves Day."

Rules for Dating Our Teenage Daughter- "Tirek and Chrysalis have a heart to heart with one of Cozy Glow's suitors."

Mother (Figures) Day- “Cozy Glow has some questions about how Chrysalis really feels about Mares Day.”

Sixteen Tons- “Tirek gets a job.” Suggested by Animation Crusader

Pick On Somepony Your Own Size- “Cozy Glow gets some unexpected back-up when dealing with a bully.” Suggested by Ember Shroud

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year- “The family celebrates Hearth’s Warming with some of the friends they’ve made over the years.”

Progress Reports- “Chrysalis starts getting mail from an unexpected source.” Suggested by Frustration in Excelsis

The Sound of Little Hooves- “Chrysalis has something very important to discuss with her husband.” Suggested by K9Thefirst1

The Imitation Game- “Chrysalis has mixed feelings about Cozy Glow’s choice in Nightmare Night attires.” Suggested by Vaguely Demented

We Need to Talk About Cozy- “Chrysalis attends her first parent-teacher conference.” Suggested by Animation Crusader

Upcoming Chapters;

Sleepovers 101- “Cozy Glow has Lily Vine and Mustard Seed over for her very first sleepover. Tirek and Chrysalis are unsure what to do.” Suggested by Green Cuppa

Decisions, Decisions- “Cozy Glow can’t decide what university to attend. Tirek and Chrysalis have an idea, but it comes with a heavy price.” Suggested by Wisp_of_a_Willow

Neigh-Borhood Watch- “The family’s neighbors debate their true intentions.” Suggested by ppg1998

The Chrysalis Revenge Squad- “The family is visited by three mares who don’t believe they’ve changed.” Suggested by ruthim345, bottleH2O, and Razzy.

This story is a sequel to Freeport Venture: Old Wounds

When one of her apprentice's friend-of-a-friends goes missing, Archmagus Sunset Shimmer doesn't hesitate to get involved. However, what initially appears to be a simple case of a missing child will wind up leading her to a criminal conspiracy and political intrigue at the highest levels of Freeport.

This story is a sequel to Northern Venture

Kukri Doo has a lot to think about after her trip to Northmarch. What was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime field trip with Sunset Shimmer turned into a horrifying struggle for survival—one that left hundreds dead and a city razed to the ground. It's a lot for anyone to deal with, let alone a changeling who's not even thirteen years old.

Kukri's come home to Freeport. If only it was that easy to leave all the memories of Northmarch behind.

This story is a sequel to Northern Venture

When Sunset Shimmer's father shows up in Freeport chasing the infamous warlock Steel Rose, the last thing she wants is to get involved. She's still recovering from the madness in Northmarch and her battle against the dragon Blackfyre, and her father's obsession with capturing Steel Rose drove him to effectively abandon his family.

However, as the magus of Freeport Sunset can't ignore a dangerous warlock running loose in her city's streets just because of personal baggage. Once she finds herself reluctantly dragged into her father's obsession, she discovers there's far more going on than she's been told.

Puzzle Piece is the premier information broker in the infamous nation of Freeport, leading one of the most powerful and wealthy organizations in the islands. However, after months of absence from Freeport, he returns to find everything he built in shambles and his lieutenants fighting over the remnants. With chaos reigning in the streets, the Council tells him to get his house in order or see his life’s work swept away. Unfortunately for Puzzle, there are forces in Freeport that don’t want to see him succeed. Nobody can be trusted, nothing is safe—not even his deepest secrets.

A chronological sequel to Northern Venture.

Note: Outside a couple specific chapters, the bloodshed is limited and mostly only spoken of, and the suicide/self harm tag mostly refers to one scene and to a character's ongoing struggle with depression. Links to crisis lines are farther down in the story description and will be in any chapter that deals directly with suicide. Don't struggle alone. You are worth fighting for!

Each of Rarity's friends played a role in the Great War, serving with great honor in ending the tyranny of the Griffon Dominion. But Rarity? Rarity stayed. It wasn't her choice. Her friends insisted. And, in all fairness, they were probably right. Somepony needed to stay, and it made the most sense for it to be her.

Still, it never felt right.

Now the war is over, and scarred veterans are trickling back into their communities, surrounding Rarity with reminders of the price paid by her fellow citizens, and leaving her with a mounting guilt over the un-payable debt. So when Applejack asks Rarity to help get a member of her old unit back on his hooves after the war, the seamstress jumps at the chance to do her part. Corporal Iron 'Shoddy' Shod may be a little ... rough of manners for her tastes, it's true, but he's a hard worker, and Rarity is confident in her ability to help him. But when it becomes apparent that Shoddy has more to overcome than just his lack of decorum, Rarity will learn some deep truths about the price that some pay for freedom, and the wounds that don't stop with the flesh.

For it is often said that the hardest battle a veteran faces is the one he fights at home.

As this story contains graphic imagery of war, depression, and the struggle with suicide in certain chapters, I am placing a link to the Veteran Crisis line here, as well as links to the national suicide prevention hotline and a list of international hotlines. There is no shame in needing help. In truth, it is courageous to ask for it.

This story is set in an alternative universe that picks up after the end of Season 4. Thus, all events that follow Tirek's defeat either didn't happen or happened differently. The specifics will unfold with the story, but for now it suffices to say that the "Princess of Friendship" title became quite intertwined with international diplomacy in this world. Unless otherwise specified, it does not follow the canon of my other works.

Special thanks to MadHotaru for the use the cover image. https://madhotaru.deviantart.com/art/Classic-style-329958227

My Little Pony and its contents are the property of Hasbro, Inc. and its affiliates. Please support the official release.

Coming across an artifact while exploring a forest cave, a young teen gets whisked off to a strange new land. unfortunately for him, this artifact did more than just transport him, landing him immediately in the world powers proverbial blade tip. Trapped in stone, this is how he spends his time.

Yo! I'm not dead! I'm not done with Amnesiacs tale, just taking a bit more of a break from it. I had this idea floating in my head and i had to catch it. this story will be a lot shorted than I intend Amnesiacs tale to be so I should be back to it soon!

Featured on 11/26/2018! never thought it would happen, but here we are. thank you all.
Featured again on 12/7/18!
Featured yet again on 12/17/18!
Featured once again on 1/26/19!
Featured once more on 3/3/19!
Featured again on 3/25/19
1k views! Heck yeah!
3k views!

Twilight Sparkle accomplished something incredible, something not even the great Starswirl could manage. But ascension into the ranks of Equestria's princesses is not without its difficulties. Before she can take her place as princess of Friendship, Twilight must travel to the underworld and make a ceremonial offering to Death in exchange for her immortality. Twilight is more than a little surprised to discover the identity of the pony under the hood.

After years living in Ponyville and getting to know her friends, Twilight always assumed they were exactly what they seemed: a group of friendly and ambitious ponies. But as it turns out, the sort of pony who saves Equestria and decodes the ancient mysteries of Starswirl is likely to attract ponies a tad more interesting.

Updates on the 3rd or 4th Friday of every month, then daily until that section is complete.

Editing by Two Bit and Sparktail. Cover by Zutcha.

Spike decided to pack his things and disappear completely to get a fresh start on life, under the name of Jack Drake. When his past comes back to haunt him, will he be able to keep up the facade? He makes his own business as a private investigator. When the Mane 6 hire him, what's his case? Why did they come to him of all people?

(Credit for the cover image goes to Pia-Sama)
(Featured on 1/10/2019 at 2:30 am)
(Edited by The Faceless Maker, be sure to give them some love!)