Twinkleshine had barely started kindergarten when she first met the universe. Like most first meetings, it had been awkward, not under the best of circumstances, and a single instant that ignited a lifelong passion, which would inevitably end with late nights and concerned parents.

Five thousand years have come and gone since Twilight took the crown and became an alicorn. The centuries have not been kind to her; they took away her friends, one by one, till only she is left, an immortal ruling an eternal kingdom.

Now, even her memories are fading, her recollections slipping as she struggles to recall the only happy days in her life, the Pinkie Pie parties that ended too soon, the sound of a certain pegasus's voice.

Twilight Sparkle wants them back. And there is one spirit she thinks might be able to help her.

We all have that one pony in our lives.
Somepony to watch over us.
The one who is always there for us.

Very special thanks to Overlord Neon for the cover commission. http://overlordneon.tumblr.com/

As featured on Equestria Daily March 13th, 2018.

Audio rendition created by Star912 is available here.

Everyone in Equestria is assigned a personal clock to tell them when important things in their life are going to happen. They'll tell them when they'll finally reach a goal they've hoped to achieve and even when they're going to die. The one that most ponies look forward to is when the clock chimes for meeting their true love.

Sweetie Belle is terrified of her clock. Most clocks in Equestria have reasonable hours. Most clocks in Equestria go off at a reasonable time. Sweetie Belle's clock tells her she'll die at the age of twenty. The one that tells her when she'll reach her personal goal is completely stopped and the one that tells her when she'll meet her true love... is chiming.

Belvedere awoke to a misery he couldn’t explain, as if he’d experienced a great and terrible loss while he slept. His only clue, his only hope for regaining control over his life, is a curious image in his mind, an image he needs to draw.

Twilight awoke in a different world, a world where a dim sun never sets, where magic is scarce, where monsters haunt every shadow. Her only aid, her only friend, is a stallion named Belvedere who’s just as lost as she is.

Featured by Seattle’s Angels
Featured on Equestria Daily
Edited by Pascoite and PaulAsaran
Cover art by GenjiLim

Princess Celestia has been planning for this day for years: the return of Nightmare Moon, the restoration of the Elements of Harmony, and the ushering of Equestria into a new age of friendship and love. Now that it's finally arrived, all she has to do is wait for Twilight to get to Ponyville, make some friends, hunt down the Elements, and save the...

Wait, what'd that letter say?

She didn't get on the chariot?

She went to whose party instead?

Oh. Oh, this could be bad. And more importantly, it's gonna need some hooves-on interference from Celestia to get her master plan back on track. But it'll probably all work out in the end. After all, how big a deal could one party be?

Third-place finalist in Aragon's "Comedy (Is Serious Business)" contest