The Firework Lotus Celebration, a grand festival which celebrates the dawn of a new year, is a tradition held near and dear to Spike's heart. But when the winds of change threaten to take this special time away from him, Spike is forced to make a difficult decision. Which is more important: what he knows to be right, or what he feels to be right?

And as Spike soon discovers, it's a choice best made with the help of some friends.

Inspired in part by (believe it or not) this comic.
Cover art by Sophie-Y.

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.

We all make mistakes.

Some are easy to fix. Some are not. Some create such turmoil in our lives that it seems we will be swallowed up by them.

When a wounded monster, like nothing anypony has ever seen before, wanders out of the Everfree Forest, Lyra Heartstrings, Twilight Sparkle and Fluttershy get a lesson in what happens when we try to run from our mistakes.

Written for the 2014 Most Dangerous Game contest, with the prompt "A Human in Equestria". Finished 12th out of 66 entries.

Reading by Scribbler, Emogak, and a whole lot of other awesome folks!
Song by Reverbrony! (Soundcloud)
Accepted by The Royal Guard!

This story is a sequel to From the Mouths of Fillies

Dinky and Sparkler have the most awesome godmom in Equestria--that's right, me! Rainbow Dash. Being friends with their mom means I've spent a lot of time with them over the past few years. They're pretty cool kids.

But then ... well, Ditzy got sick. Like, really sick. I've been watching them for her, but if she doesn't get better soon, they may be staying with me for a lot longer than I thought.

That's okay, though: I'm Rainbow Dash. I can handle anything life throws at me.

(Connected to From the Mouths of Fillies, Saying Goodbye, and Feeling Regrets)

Once upon a time, everypony spoke the same language.

Then came Discord, and everything changed. Was it a malicious prank? Boredom? An attempt to teach everypony a lesson? We can't ask him, because he's gone, and who knows when he'll be back.

If language is the glue that holds society together, what happens when it turns to sand?

Winner of the October Writeoff competition, "Illusion of Choice."

They say minotaurs live by the scars they bear. Bismuth's hide is a map of the world. His life was the blade, and the blade was his life, carried unto a hundred red fields, down a thousand roads, singing among elk, deer, and dragons. He stood at ramparts long since fallen, and was counted a hero in lands forgotten, when ponies had only begun to dream.

Maybe it's all true, but now he rocks in his chair, stirring at embers, while his deeds turn to rust in the shadows. What kind of scars call that living? And if you ask him, would he tell you?

--
Seek hope even in darkness.
Spanish translation by SPANIARD KIWI: https://www.deviantart.com/spaniard-kiwi/art/Los-debiles-968627541
Audio reading by CreepyPastaSalad: Clicket!
Inspired by Jetfire's "Dangerous Business" and "Besides the Will of Evil."

Marriage is the hardest thing Carrot Cake has ever done, second only to being a father to his two foals.

Woken by a chill and finding himself quite bereft of blankets, he finds himself pondering the canyon that has appeared between he and his wife.

After Minuette receives her hourglass cutie mark, she must join Equestria's mysterious and secretive Order of Timekeepers, the worshipers of the Titan Chronos doomed to count the hours, minutes, and seconds of every day to ensure the princesses raise the sun and moon on time. But when Queen Chrysalis begins snatching chronomasters from across Equestria, it's up to Minuette and the last remnant of the Order to stop her. With changelings at every turn, there is nopony they can trust, yet only trust can save them.

Now with its own TVTropes page!

Featured by Seattle's Angels.

Translated into Polish by Korodzik.

Thanks to adamscage for the cover art.

Part of the SALT September 2012 writing contest.

My unicorn parents called me a worthless mud pony. They pushed me every day to overcome my lowly status. When I woke up one morning with my cutie mark, I thought they would love me. I couldn’t have been farther from the truth.

It was not destiny or enjoyment that led me to discover the cello and composing. My parents made that decision, deciding before I was born I would continue their family legacy of famous musicians.

They did not realize what that decision would cost them.

Special Thanks and Links:

Cover Art: Dreampaw. The inspiration for the story.
Dramatic reading of Act I-III by Malao567. June 2013
Reading with music by ObabScribbler. June 2014
Song: Hooks and Strings by Reverb Brony. May 2014

Style inspired by H.P. Lovecraft
TypeWriterError: Editor & Rating Board
Gage of Grandiloquence: Editor
The11thWonder: Pre-reader
Nharctic: Pre-reader
Breath of Plagues: My Pinch Editor.
ArgonMatrix: Bad Grammar Exterminator
Daemon of Decay: Advice, also inspired me to write fan fiction. Blame him!

Untold luxury and wealth. A place in high society. A life full of the finer things. All this and more await Fleur, but at what cost?

Now, Fleur must decide: Is love worth nothing, or is it a secret worthy of sacrifice? Can she be the mare she is and the mare she has to be?

A cipher, after all, can be anything— Or nothing at all.

Edited/Preread by Xepher, Winston, Noble Thought, and Jade Ring
Featured by The Royal Canterlot Library, EQD, The Royal Guard, & The Pleasant Commentator-Review Group
Cover art commissioned from Raikoh-illust

With a live reading by ABagOVicodin!
Also read by CrunchyMonkey!