After returning from a long trip away, Twilight and co are somewhat surprised to discover Spike's hitherto unknown interest in stand-up comedy. But as he 'roasts' each one of them in turn, is everything as it appears to be?

Hmm... I wonder.

It could have been just another night. Instead, Vinyl Scratch leaves a show to find herself suddenly presented with a chance to make a difference in the life of a filly no one else will look twice at. Now if only she can convince Octavia she's not making a huge mistake...as usual.

Note: This story now has an indirect sequel set several years in the future in The Most Unlikely Places. Cover art by SonicDash777.

Starlight convinces Spike to let her test out a new spell on him, one that should let him understand every language ever. He really should've known better.

Celestia has been waiting for this night her entire life; Twilight Sparkle has been destined to come for years upon decades upon centuries. But she didn't know to expect her student like this.

She steels herself anyway. She pours some tea, and welcomes Twilight with open hooves.

Then the two of them have a talk.

There's a lot of unpleasant surprises that can be found in photo albums. A third pony in what you thought was a private moment, inexpertly applied bodypaint, or just evidence of that time that your mother dressed you up like a burrito.

Twilight Sparkle was expecting to come out of Family Night with a few fresh blushes on her cheeks. What she wasn't expecting was a mysterious pair of wings in her baby pictures.

Hopefully Celestia will have some answers.

Many thanks to Present Perfect for supplying the brilliant concept, and to Evehly for the beautiful artwork.

When Starlight Glimmer decided to play with time, she created worlds that never should have been. Now she goes to a young Twilight Sparkle, to give her the tools to end the war with Sombra.

She can only hope the Twilight in this world can forgive her for it.

Editing by: m1ntf4n

Rainbow Dash was the Iron Wing. She was a war hero, the Slayer of Shadows, the Liberator of the Crystal Empire, the Wrath of Celestia. And depending on who you ask, she still is.

But the war is over. There's little need for a pony like her in peacetime. So she keeps telling herself that she needs to adjust, that she needs to find a new role to fill in the world that she saved. But Equestria seems content to let her remain what she has become, even though they have no need of a warrior.

"This isn't how it's supposed to be", is something she keeps telling herself. But every time she says it, the only thing she can reply is, "so what should it be?"

One whole year after the close of the war, and Rainbow Dash still doesn't have the answer.

Art by NCMares.

I had a pretty good life. They called me Spit Shine, I worked in the palace, cleaning this, doing that. Hell, I even got to talk to the Princess, and learned all sorts of interesting stuff. It was stimulating, prestigious, and hey, call me weird, but I liked the work.

Shame I was also secretly a changeling infiltrator with a name too annoying to pronounce in polite society trying to observe and potentially subvert your nation state.

I mean, these things happen.

Of course, you'd be surprised what you can learn about a pony when you have a different perspective.

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Original Concept by SoloBrony

Grammar-Less-Suckification by CarcinoGeneticist

Vector by Ackdari

Brand new Spanish Translation by Spaniard Kiwi!

Let me tell you a story about the bad place.

Special thanks to Vimbert and Noble Jury.

Vinyl Scratch has been trying to get Octavia's attention for a while now. It's hard to get your feelings across sometimes when you're a deaf mute, and the cellist has been either ignoring or misinterpreting Vinyl's signals up until now.

But not today!

Rated Teen for mild language and foreplay.

Cover art by TheParagon.