As an agent of S.M.I.L.E., I've always had one goal: Keep Equestria safe from the dangers that the general populace shouldn't know about. It's something not anypony can do, and that's precisely why I do it. The threats I face are fierce, and I don't always come home with a clear conscience. However, in my heart, I know that what I'm doing is for the greater good.

At least, I thought I did.

This story is a sequel to Little Memories

After two long, painful years, Twilight Sparkle has finally regained her lost memories. Unfortunately, her remembrance has come at a terrible price...

Exiled from her home city of Canterlot and haunted by the whispering voice of Midnight Sparkle, Twilight has been tasked with opening a mysterious chest presented to her by the Tree of Harmony. To do this, she must prove to her friends - and to herself - that she is still worthy to wield the Element of Magic. But with her own mind threatening to swallow her whole at every turn, her task will be far from easy. If she is to succeed, Twilight must face her fears and come to terms with what she allowed herself to become, or fall prey to the shadow whispering in her ear...

Thankfully, she does not have to carry this burden alone.

Beware spoilers in the comments!

Edited by Chromio

The cover art was drawn by Hagalazka

This is the fifth story in the Little Flashes series. Reading through the previous stories is intensely encouraged to understand the events of this story.

(Dark tag for prejudice and abuse themes in T story)
(Human stays human and is not the lead character)

It is four hundred years before the Unification of the three pony tribes and founding of Equestria. The events that prepared the three tribes began by chance, long before the idea of Harmony was even believed possible.

It is a time when Earth ponies struggle against abuse, exploitation, subjugation, and sometimes even outright slavery.

Unicorns and Pegasi regularly take their food, leaving them struggling to survive each winter. When an Earth pony gains their mark in something of value, they are often stolen away, forced into labor for the rest of their lives. Their treatment by other races is rarely better. Most are worse, if not outright deadly.

Pegasi, with their wings and weather control, can strike anywhere. Unicorns and their spells can lay them low from a distance. Their few free towns and cities never remain so long enough to develop any means with which to fight back. They have ideas, but learning is always stolen or destroyed with each raid. Each generation struggles just to maintain what has been, hoping to find a new way.

Then came the day a village, four years into a new subjugation, found a strange wounded biped known to them only by tale and legend shortly after a Unicorn visit took much of their food yet again one mid-winter. Unwilling to let him die in the cold even with so little to share, they take him in.

With a sign from the gods and the stranger's knowledge, one mare and her village begin to see a chance to finally break the cycle and be free.

Art of the main character, Quiet Grace: https://wilvarin-liadon.deviantart.com/art/Quiet-Grace-702726048

Editing help from: stupidhand14

A side story and ancient history in the same verse as my main story, Protecting Harmony. Timeline of the verse places the events of this story roughly around 4000 years in the past. The specifics of why are complicated in this intricate and expansive verse. Initial expected length was once projected under 50k words. However, considering the sheer volume of stuff I need to do, I have recognized it's not going to be enough. I have a terrible capacity for thinking up more stuff to add to something of this nature on top of it.

Initial inspiration came from listening to this thematic musical score: Chinese battle music - Xian

I had a moment of pondering what made Unicorns and Pegasi see Earth ponies as equals. About what makes the Earth tribe such an equally vital part of the triad and what those qualities are.

This story is the result.

To a certain extent, I am drawing from my understanding of the natural tendencies of humans and other species expressing preferential bias towards those like themselves, be it in family groups or up to the species as a whole. In ancient times, humans were quite brutal towards just rival nations visually identical to themselves. Where things like differences in skin color came into play, I don't think anyone needs to be reminded of how much worse it could get.

Cover image is more a Protecting Harmony verse placeholder. Might be a long time, but I eventually intend to see a post-chapter 1 image of a defiant Quiet Grace on this story. I have a lot of images in this verse to seek out surrounding my main story already.

After an accident robs them of their parents, Rarity writes Sweetie Belle a letter laying bare a secret kept all the little unicorn's life.

"It's fascinating the level of depth this story takes. Just the part alone about why Rarity represents generosity is enough to bring tears to even the toughest critics. This is an amazing story in every way. Mature in some of its themes and true to life, yet not graphic or exploitive, 'Dear Sweetie Belle' is a must for My Little Pony fans who need a great, sad story to tide them over."
-Obake, Pony Fiction Archive

Beautiful cover-art by AcrylicDawn

A fantastic bit of fan-art from my dear friend Kaitlyn Warner.

A live reading by the Doom Pie Network Right Here

Third main installment in the Tutelary Spirit universe. Recommended reading order: Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, and Friendship.

In an urban metropolis, many ages after the original adventures of the Elements of Harmony, a young unicorn finds the Element of Generosity. And as the living embodiment of her Element, Generosity, like the rest of her friends, is always willing to guide and teach a pony of Equestria.

Cover image belongs to Soul-Soar.

*SNAP*

A hypothetical mare hypothetically has a hypothetical choice to make.

The clock is ticking.

Won gold medal in Bicyclette's "A Thousand Words" contest in category "Angst."

Dramatic reading by The Mystery Fluttershy Fan.
Dramatic reading by Pony&Wolf Productions.

Thanks to Equimorto and various Anons for proofreading and feedback.

Maybe it's the long-term effects of magic on the human brain. Maybe it's the eccentricity of genius. Whatever the case, Sunset Shimmer needs to defuse a sub-critical Twilight Sparkle, and she needs to do so before scalpels get involved.

An entry in the Crazy Cybernetics Story Contest. Rated Teen for suggestive concepts north of what EqG could get away with. Crosses over on the level of the tabletop game; no actual entities from the Warhammer universe appear in this story and no familiarity with it should be necessary.

Pax was as normal as normal could get.

He was a normal earth pony, with uninteresting cutie mark, and uninteresting future. Pax refused to accept his role in life, he wanted to be a great hero, save Equestria! Just like the six elements of harmony!

However during his attempts he found an old a sealed away evil. Without knowing the danger, Pax struck a deal with the creature and gained the powers he needed to become a hero!

Unknown to him, he had unleashed an unrelenting evil upon the lands. After being confronted and exposed, Pax was locked away as the elements tried to seal the creature away once again.

Wanting to make up for his mistakes, Pax sacrifices himself, bonding with the creature, trapping it inside himself and then seals them both away.

Now he's trapped for eternity, leaving him to deal with his shame and guilt...

Every day Celestia shares light and love with all the ponies of Equestria. In turn, they share their love with her. Still, the princess senses there is something missing. Something her heart longs for.

Something her responsibilities have denied her for all these years.

As luck would have it, she’s given a gift that will let her experience her deepest hearts desires and take her to a place she may never want to leave.

Ever.

Inspired by the Alan Moore story, For the Man Who Has Everything.

No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes.

But Pinkie often wonders what mistakes mean for her. Does any slip-up cause a party to fail or a pony to be disappointed? Do mistakes make her a failure?

Participant in the Writeoff Association's April 2015 contest "Great Expectations".

Goodfic Bin Approved

Now with a Dramatic Reading on Youtube