Princess Celestia asked the element bearers to write her friendship reports. When she reads about how Twilight overcame Tirek, she is surprised and... somewhat less than pleased.

After all, as the Princess of Friendship, shouldn't she have tried to work through Tirek's issues? Shouldn't she have tried to reform him? Shouldn't she have known better than to give the villain all their power?

And then there is that one, last, thing...

It all started with Twilight Time. Well, maybe not all started, but close enough. There may have been some shortcuts taken and there might have been a mistake or two, but it really shouldn't stop the running of the leaves.

After all, when Applebloom actually did a little research and, to everyponies surprise, experimented a little, well, she didn't earn her cutie mark...

But this isn't her story; it's mine. I'm Sprout.

Author's Note: The CMC are tagged since they play an important role in the story, but this is not a CMC story. They aren't background characters, but the story does revolve around them.

He was just out there, minding his own business, when he had first been summoned.
Big day for any imp. First summoning. Yep... time for a new 'master' to learn the ropes.
It would mean weeks (if not years) of service, slaving away, being beaten and abused while doing his new master's dirty work. It would be horrible. It would be agonizing. It would be unbearable. And in the end, it would be worth every moment of it. For, while he would be 'serving' his 'master', he would be slowly tainting them until they could be turned to the demon lords dark purposes.
And then.... then he had been banished, unexpectedly, in a battle and ended up............ here.
This was so not in his contract.

Minor Nuance is the background pony of a background pony's background pony.
Nopony ever sees him. Nopony ever hears him. Nopony ever even acknowledges his existence... except Pinkie Pie. So, when an interview for a new job doesn't happen, it's no big surprise. Yet, with everypony in town going on with their lives, Nuance can't help but feel a little left out and lonely.
Good thing Pinkie Pie is there to help set things right! Especially when Rarity notices the pony with such a poor sense of self worth.
Oh, and there's a pie.