In a rather ordinary looking palace of the capital Twilight brings back the results of her latest mission. 01010100 01101000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101010 01110101 01110011 01110100 00100000 01110100 01101000 01100101 00100000 01100010 01100101 01100111 01101001 01101110 01101110 01101001 01101110 01100111 00101110

Twilight was bored, alone and with nothing to do. One particular alicorn's carelessness in the handling of forbidden books was about to change that.
Most ponies would have probably discouraged her from playing with magic she didn't understand, but she wouldn't have listened to them either way. She had to admit though, maybe starting with the most complicated summoning ritual she could find hadn't been her best idea.
The good news was there weren't many left to complain.

Celestia thought she knew her sister. She was sure that nothing could surprise her anymore. She was certain that there was nothing more that Luna could possibly be hiding from her.
One attempt to identify a changeling presence in the royal guard later, she was coming to terms with how reality had decided to prove her wrong.

Audio reading by Pony&Wolf Productions.

During the celebrations for her birthday, the princess decides to pay a short visit to the ruins of the castle she had once called her home. When her student comes to look for her, waking her from her remembrance, the alicorn decides to open up to the younger pony about her insecurities, leading Twilight and Celestia to a conversation about how to deal with the consequences that come from their lifespan.

Sunset Shimmer had everything one could ask for. Celestia's best student, wielder of the element of magic, recently crowned alicorn princess of friendship. Everything was perfect.
Then why did it feel wrong?
This was her calling, her destiny. This was the life she was meant to live.
Was it not?
Why did the world around look so alien to her?
Why did it feel like somewhere, somewhen, something had happened the wrong way?