Like ponies, changelings can get pretty paranoid at times. After all, it's not every day that a changeling gets kicked out of the hive for being a pony.

Hello, Equestria. My name is Princess Luna, and my sister is an idiot. The object of her idiocy – her faithful student, Twilight Sparkle – appears to share her stupidity. Luckily, I am here to lend them a helping hoof.

I can't really blame them, though. They're just so adorable when they're completely clueless.

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Once, I was alone.

I felt neither sorrow nor joy at this. The presence or absence of others meant nothing to me. The universe moved in silence, and I drifted in its flow.

Then came the song.

Trixie's line of work is dangerous. But she's a careful showpony, and that's why she's only died a few dozen times in her career.

She thinks this is normal.

Twilight Sparkle brings her Granny Sparkle in for Family Appreciation Day at Celestia’s school to talk about the origins of the noble houses of Sparkle and Armor.

Twilight Sparkle has never had much appreciation for the softer works of literature. ‘There were books, and then there were books,’ is what she would say when presented with a book of poetry.

One night not long before Nightmare Night, Princess Celestia figured out exactly how to bridge the two worlds together for Twilight: a reading assignment on one of the very first science fiction books ever written, entitled simply Frankenstein.

It was the perfect plan.

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Current Episode: Season Zero – Episode Four
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This, this is why I spend so much time in the archives, Twilight thought, holding a dusty old book close in her magic. Inside the book were a number of advanced spells, each one more interesting than the last in some sort of circular logic that Twilight could only assume went to infinity

Twilight galloped through the doors to her tower and leaped onto her favorite reading pillow on the balcony. She opened the book to the table of contents.

Oh my gosh! They’re all so interesting! Ooh, an age spell! That…might be a bit beyond me. But here right below it – a duplication spell!

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Current Episode: Season Zero – Episode Two
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It finally happened as Twilight always knew it would. The first of her friends had died. The Element of Loyalty too. Not loyal enough to stick around. No, that was the depression talking.

And the lack of sleep. Something was prowling the halls of her castle at night and, for some reason, she was the only pony that ever heard it; although, one guard did mention something strange happening to the lighting once.

It could not be ghosts. Their very concept made no sense. Intangible yet able to hear? What a contradiction.

But just in case…

Twilight looked over to her dear mentor, Princess Celestia, and found she had once again fallen asleep mid-lesson. Her intense debate on awakening the princess was cut short when the decision was taken out of her hooves.

“Huh? Oh. Twilight, I am so sorry for falling asleep again. I think we need to reschedule this for tomorrow morning.”

Twilight nodded. After all, Princess Celestia was obviously overworked. If only there was something she could do to help.

Now with a dramatic reading courtesy of DRWolf.
Additionally, there’s a Spanish translation by Spaniard Kiwi over on Deviant Art.

Current Episode: Season Zero – Episode One
Next Episode: Twin Twilights

Art created from images by Tim015 and ShilaDaLioness.

When Twilight Sparkle was four years old, her mother bought her a tombstone.

Dedicated to Regidar. They're a real one.

Edited by MrNumbers and R5h.

Chinese translation by Hehelover

Russian translation by Repitter.

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