It all used to be so simple: find a lead, survey the land, and grab a take to tide the Gang over for a few months. But the era of outlaws in the Equestrian Southwest is coming to an end, and it has no tolerance for ponies like Kestrel. Wanted by the law and stealing just to survive, Kestrel will have to take the fate of her band of outlaws into her own hooves and try to give them a good life... or die trying.

A comment-driven Choose Your Own Adventure story inspired by Red Dead Redemption 2. Key events in some chapters are in part influenced by dice rolls, which can be seen in my discord server. Be wary as the dice rolls may spoil current and past chapters.

As this story is different from traditional fare, there are a few caveats going in, inspired by another great CYOA story:

1. The chapters will be kept fairly short, ideally not longer than 1500 words per chapter, barring the choices and author's notes.
2. The vote will always have the last say, even if the choice they have chosen is suboptimal in terms of its effects in-world.
3. The story will end once the fate of the Gang is resolved, though it may end prematurely if Kestrel dies before this can happen.

You can see Kestrel's character sheet, along with important information about the Gang, here.

Special thanks to Ruirik for the cover art.

Beneath the blistering blizzard and the freezing frost that swallowed the world, a group of ponies cling desperately to existence. They are the last of ponykind, and the future of their species, if one even remains, rests solely on their shoulders. Hidden in a crater from the worst of the wind, Rarity and the other ponies who managed to find shelter struggle to eke out an existence in a life governed by one rule, and one rule only:

The City Must Survive.

Cover art by Ruirik.
Editing by Solidfire.
Inspired by the wonderful game of Frostpunk.

After four harrowing years of civil war brought about by Nightmare Moon's return, Canterlot has finally fallen. Princess Celestia has been banished to the moon, and now a new alicorn rules over Equestria. For the supporters of Nightmare Moon, the new eternal night is a time for celebration. For the ponies who fought for Celestia, it means something else entirely. For when the war is lost and the victor demands fealty, the vanquished are given only two choices: bow low and kiss the ground beneath her hooves, or die.

Not everpony who bows does so out of love for the conqueror, of course. Some do it to bide their time. Some do it out of a sense of opportunity. Most bow merely to survive. All of them are liars. But how long can a pony tell the same lie before it becomes the truth?

And what happens to that pony when their lies are lies no more?

Edited by SolidFire. Inspired by the Nightmare Moon timeline in the season 5 finale, a particular scene from a particular show, and an entertaining game of Equestria at War.

She wanted peace. She wanted diplomacy. She wanted harmony and friendship.

She got war.

With the armies of the Changeling Lands marching through Equestria, overwhelming any and all resistance they encounter, Princess Celestia has had to resort to increasingly drastic measures to save her country and the ponies that live in it. But while her sister leads the armies from the front and her ponies fight and die in the name of princesses and country, Celestia feels useless and inadequate in Canterlot. After all, she was supposed to protect her precious little ponies. How had she failed them so badly?

Those doubts and worries gradually gnaw away at her, day after day and month after month. Until one day, she reaches a tipping point, the point of no return:

She will save Equestria, no matter what it takes.

[An Equestria at War story]

Edited by LoyalLiar and SolidFire
Art by TwoTail813

In less than an hour, Celestia will be executed for her crimes against humanity. Justice will finally be done for all those lost in the Conversion War.

But like all prisoners, she is entitled to have her last rites.

***

A non-canon side-fic set in the Negotiationverse by Rated Ponystar. It is highly recommended that you read them before this story, especially 'Truth.'

Pre-read by Alcatraz.

Featured on the front page! Thank you, everyone!

It's been almost a decade since the Battle of the Bands and Sunset Shimmer has been trying to clean up the mess she made. After series of unrelated crimes, Sunset, now known as The Phoenix, may need to finally ask for help.

Dragons are terrifying for none can hear the words inside the roars. Fluttershy, the only pony to understand them, is silent and terrified for a different reason. The girls are attacked by a foul group, but are saved by a silent, purple dragon.

Canterlot has sent a witchhunt for dragons in the surrounding area. There are knocks at the door. Fluttershy answers to find her saviour—bleeding, quiet, and on the run. Saving him means more than stopping the bleeding.

The guards are still looking. Friends harbour pains and prejudice against all of his kind. Mobs gather in fear of the unknown. And Fluttershy, deeply knowing dragons, fears them for a different reason. Yet she's the only one that will be able to understand what this kind dragon has to say.

Will she be able to save him? Will this one be different from the rest? How did Fluttershy acquire this ability? Why does Twilight regard all dragons with scorn?

The clock is ticking; the witch hunt is on.

After Queen Rarity once more rejects the advances of one of the many noble ponies who seek her affection, Princess Sweetie Belle finds out that her sister is secretly in-love with somepony else, thus her heart-breaking streak. Alone in the throne room with her sister and the royal body guard, Twilight Sparkle, the young princess decides that she's going to find out the identity of Rarity's secret crush, no matter what.

Part of the Bodyguard!AU Series, based on Earthsong9405's AU where Twilight is the bodyguard to a "Princess/Queen Rarity". Prior knowledge of the AU is not necessary to read the story.

Rarity's quest for love led her from Tartarus to Canterlot. Now, wielding powers beyond comprehension, she rules over Equestria.

Now, if only she could understand how Fluttershy's little cult had gained thousands of members virtually overnight, or why the cult's second-in-command, Twilight Sparkle, always seems to be one step ahead of her...

Some RariTwi written for the December Crackship Contest. My prompt was "Heartless Dictator Rarity + Cult Meeting + Star Student Twilight" (and since she appears on the "Cult Meeting" card, I decided to also use "Cult Leader Fluttershy")

Cover art done by the amazing Earthsong9405 (Tumblr, DeviantArt). Given how her AUs (via Monochromatic's "The Sphinx's Riddle" and "The Princess's Choice") have warmed me up to RariTwi, I found it rather fitting to commission her to do the coverart for this RariTwi AU.

Sex tag might be overly cautious, but I prefer that over being banhammered. Nothing explicit, no smut here, it's just being mentioned/discussed, and Rarity has some short fantasies that she is quick to shove aside.

Magic has faded and the surface has been lost, but the war rages on. Twenty years after the catastrophic start of the battle, what's left of Equestria hides in the skies, fighting for survival with machines powered by diesel.

Most don't think twice about Captain Rainbow Dash, still piloting out in the field after decades, too stubborn for a promotion to stick but too skilled to be forced into retirement. All they see is an old burned out warpony waiting to die on the battlefield. Nopony knows what Rainbow Dash is fighting for anymore. Maybe not even Rainbow Dash.

Editing by Formerly Committed and JetstreamGW.