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Fanfic / The Twilight Child

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The Twilight Child is a My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic fanfiction written by Scorntex under the pen name Detectivefish.

Twenty-odd years from the present day of the series, a young mare in Ponyville has an accident with teleportation, an accident that winds up sending her back to just a few weeks after the defeat of Discord by Twilight Sparkle and her friends. This would be a problem for anyone, but for this pony, it's even worse, because Twilight Sparkle just happens to be her mother.

Can be found here.

It has a sequel, In a Name.

This fanfic contains examples of:

  • Abusive Parents: Future!Chrysallis is physically violent toward Wisp, nearly killing him at one point. He only survives through the Power of Love.
  • Accidental Truth: Twinkle flippantly suggests that Star-Swirl the Bearded's journal is kept in a vault inside another vault inside a bunker guarded by sword-wielding golems. Then she finds out that it is.
  • A Day In The Lime Light: One chapter gives a small amount of focus on Carrot Top, who's about the only pony in town who isn't crazy about apple cider, and is therefore incredibly lonely when Cider Season hits Ponyville.
  • A Dog Named "Dog": Ponyville was only their third choice for the town's name
    Narration of Midday's thoughts: When she'd first heard the tale, she'd wondered out loud whether the names Tim or Townsville had been taken. As it turned out, they had.
  • Added Alliterative Appeal: Twinkle's full name is Twilight Twyla Twinkle.
    • She also adds on to Twilight's alliterative spiel on Cutie Pox. Applejack chides her for it.
    • In chapter 2, on seeing Discord is present in a book, Twinkle suggests he's "popping in to persecute some perfectly peaceful ponies perhaps".
    • Chapter 54: Rainbow Dash declares a problem is unbelievably, unfairly uncool.
    • Chapter 4 has Twilight remark that "Pinkie's pretty persistent at persuading ponies to participate in her parties". Twinkle tries to respond with alliteration of her own, only to fail half-way through.
  • Airport Novel: Discord casually reads one while hovering in the air over Canterlot. This despite the fact that Equestria doesn't have airports. But then, he is Discord.
  • All Just a Dream: Twilight Twinkle was honestly expecting this to happen, towards the end. Turns out it was very real.
  • Always Someone Better: At twelve years old Twilight Twinkle was already fed up of being compared to her mother.
  • Ambiguously Gay: Twinkle has some heavy indicators toward this. She does have an attraction to Wisp (and Big Macintosh), but she also went to the Grand Galloping Gala in a suit, and then there was the fact that she called Trixie a "firecracker". And toward the end of the fic, apparently all the Mane Six thought there was something going on with her and Applejack.
    • At one point, Pinkie mentions Rarity and her "nemesis" had apparently gone on a mini-break. Rarity's reaction doesn't help.
    • Midday notices Cherry Jubilee remarking Applejack has a "strong back".
  • Angst Coma: Twinkle eventually falls into one after one unpleasant event too many. A Journey to the Center of the Mind wakes her up, but it's made clear she hasn't actually gotten over the problems that caused her to go into a coma in the first place.
  • And Now for Someone Completely Different: The second-to-last flashback chapter focuses on Shining Sapphire's life, and her relationship with Wisp.
  • Anger Born of Worry: Princess Twilight Sparkle, when Twinkle manages to age herself by four years (putting herself in hospital for what's implied to be several months).
    • Happens again when Twinkle walks into the Underworld. note 
  • Angrish: Rainbow Dash's reaction to being tricked by an "egghead".
  • Arc Words: "Somepony's child, somepony's X".
  • Are We There Yet?: Naturally occurs when Rarity, Rainbow, Twilight and Midday follow after Spike in Rarity's dragon costume. Twilight threatens to "turn the dragon around" in the middle of an argument, before admitting she has no idea why she said that.
  • Are You Pondering What I'm Pondering?: Twilight Sparkle asks Rainbow Dash if she's thinking the same thing as her, when they find themselves in a mental reconstruction of the Crystal Empire. Rainbow Dash's response?
    Unless you're thinking about the Wonderbolts, no.
  • Armor-Piercing Question: Applejack is insistent she can't return to Ponyville after her failure at the rodeo. Twilight Twinkle just asks "no matter how much it hurts Apple Bloom?" This stops Applejack dead in her tracks.
  • Awesome Mccoolname: Scootaloo thinks "Midday Eclipse" sounds like a superhero's name. Well...
  • Babies Ever After: Future!Pinkie Pie has had dozens of foals (some of them are Happily Adopted, and by Word of God, nopony is brave enough to ask which).
  • Badass Bookworm: Shining Sapphire, a near-total shut-in on par with her aunt Twilight, and yet she still manages to last a while against Nightmare Eclipse. With a broken leg and wing, no less.
  • Back-to-Back Badasses: Twilight Sparkle and Comet Chaser, during the invasion of Canterlot, and by accident, much to their mutual discomfort.
  • Badass Boast: When Spike asks Midday for her "plan A" against Flim and Flam, she calmly responds "That would assume I could only make twenty-six plans. Or that I'd need more than one."
  • Bad Liar: Applejack. When Twilight Sparkle asks her about her dancing, Applejack says she's checking on some fritters.
    Twilight Sparkle: "Those fritters"
    (Applejack nods)
    Twilight Sparkle: "The ones in the oven?"
    (Applejack nods again)
    Twilight Sparkle: "Which isn't on."
    Applejack: (Beat) "Consarnit."
  • Bait-and-Switch: Halfway through chapter 47, Trixie is asked to distract Flim and Flam while Midday does something to their machine. Sabotage? No, the machine works perfectly fine the next day (Until the two mess up). At the end of the chapter, it turns out what she did was leave a little note to the brothers about the perils of fishing.
  • Barrier Warrior: Shining Armor. Twilight Twinkle as well, as Twilight Sparkle takes note of, noting that Shining Armor is one of the few ponies she's ever seen that was any good with shield magic. But then, Twinkle did bug her uncle into teaching her what he knew when she was younger.
  • Be Careful What You Wish For: Twinkle finally gets a chance to fly, when her mind is swapped with Rainbow Dash.
    • She also wanted to say "It's a long story". She finally gets her chance when Applejack asks why she doesn't like her.
  • Berserk Button: Twilight Twinkle has several.
    • Don't threaten somepony Twilight Twinkle cares about.
    • Don't hurt a member of your family, either physically or emotionally.
    • Don't mistreat Spike, or take him for granted.
    • Don't bully the Cutie Mark Crusaders.
    • Don't try to control her mind. Or anyone's mind, for that matter.
    • And don't be the Changeling Queen.
    • And should you ever value your fur to remain un-dyed, never compare her to her mother. (She gets better about this one, though.)
    • Gossip sets her off as well.
    • Also, don't ever, ever, ever say Lyra isn't the most important thing in Bon-Bon's life. And don't ever hurt Lyra, either.
    • Rarity's is poor color-coordination.
    • Don't mention Seaponies around Twilight Sparkle.
  • Big Brother Instinct: Inverted. Twinkle considers Spike her big brother, and is incredibly protective of him. She gets angry at Twilight Sparkle for almost leaving him in Ponyville on her birthday.
  • Big Eater: Scootaloo manages to win an eating contest, beating out Rainbow Dash, Midday, Trixie and Pinkie Pie.
    • Celestia and her cake. One chapter has her eating a large slice of cake in front of some Canterlot ponies in an incredibly casual fashion.
  • A Birthday, Not a Break: Midday regards most of her birthdays as terrible, and mention is made of her having to go to school on her birthdays. Invoked with chapters 62 and 63, which Break the Cutie even further, and just happen to be named "Happy Birthday, Twilight Twinkle".
  • Blatant Lies: Rarity doesn't have her wedding planned out. No, not at all.
  • Blessed with Suck: Cadence's talents with love come with a drawback, in that she can sense where ponies who are in love have broken up, or had a fight, or worse. And it's even worse with true love. Lyra and Bon-Bon having an argument over in Ponyville causes her physical pain.
  • Boisterous Bruiser: Princess Luna used to be this, long ago. And she still is. Her reaction to seeing an army of Changelings heading for her?
    Oh, yes. Army. (Beat) Fun.
    • As she charges them, the narration points out that she's laughing.
  • Bookworm: Twilight Sparkle's old bedroom doubles as the family library.
    • Shining Sapphire is a tremendous shut-in who spends most of her time reading. She once moved her bed into one of the Crystal Palace's libraries.
    • Twinkle can be a fast reader, when she chooses to be. She just needs a subject to be interested in first.
  • Breaking the Fourth Wall: Pinkie Pie doesn't do this very often. However, after being badly battered with a piano she reappears a few paragraphs later as fresh as a daisy. She explains it as a "blatant retcon in my favor", before turning and looking at "no-one" mentioning that she'd been "saving them for the wedding".
  • Brick Joke: Early on, it's show that Twilight Sparkle will wig out if the word "seaponies" is mentioned in earshot. At the very end, when Twinkle reunites with her family, she's asked how she got her wings. She replies with "seaponies".
    • In an early chapter, Luna is having trouble saying the word "fun" without sending ponies flying. She's gotten the hang of it by the time of her niece's wedding.
    • In the second chapter, Spike mistakes Twinkle for another fangirl trying to become Twilight Sparkle's student. Many chapters down the line, one such pony appears. And again when Twinkle tries to sneak away at the end of the story.
    • Flim and Flam warn Twinkle against her involvement with the Apples, stating that she's a "little fish in a big pond". At the very end of the chapter, when they're arrested, they find a note from here stating "be careful what you fish for".
    • In one of the Hearth's Warming chapters, mention is made of a law which made an invitation to somepony's house for tea legally binding, until the lawsuits piled up and the law was gently buried. Many chapters later, Pinkie uses this law to make everypony attend a party.
    • Twinkle's cover as an accountant almost seems like an afterthoughtt, until Flim and Flam show up. Twinkle introduces herself to them as a "consulting accountant".
  • Brilliant, but Lazy: Twinkle is one of the most powerful ponies alive, and she can be pretty cunning and clever when she wants to be. She just doesn't want to be.
  • Burning with Anger: Twilight Twinkle's mane bursts into flames like her mother. It doesn't mix with a Hair-Trigger Temper (Har-har), and frequent mention is made of her hair smouldering when she's aggravated.
    • Rainbow Dash's actions during the Mare Do-Well incident sets her off completely, specifically her holding off saving somepony to sign an autograph.
  • Broken Pedestal: Played for laughs with Rainbow Dash, when she learns that several Wonderbolts are "eggheads".
  • By "No", I Mean "Yes": When asked if helping the Apples against Flim and Flam is cheating, Midday says it isn't. Then she immediately backpedals and admits that, yes, it is. But it's okay since they cheated first.
  • Calling the Old Man Out: Twilight Twinkle to Princess Twilight Sparkle in the sixth flashback, pointing out her mother was barely there during her childhood. She almost instantly regrets it, but by then it's too late.
    • She tries again at the end of the story, but with less anger this time.
  • Camp Gay: The pony managing the theatre in Canterlot Castle pretends to be this. He's actually got a very deep and clear voice.
  • Cannot Tell a Lie: For some reason, Twilight Twinkle is incapable of lying. Technically. She can use Exact Words and From a Certain Point of View, though. And if that fails, she'll just take Refuge in Audacity.
    • Depending on the lie, she'll either immediately feel compelled to backspace, or her vocal cords just stop working, like when she tries to claim that she and Rainbow Dash were both "mature and responsible adults".
  • Can't Hold Her Liquor: Twilight Twinkle really can't, as the very first chapter shows.
  • Can't Spit It Out: Apparently Shining Armor has a problem with this, re. proposing. Even Cadence is beginning to get mildly annoyed about it, while Twilight Velvet was giving up on the thought of ever seeing any grandkids.
  • Cargo Ship: Invoked. As far as Vinyl Scratch is concerned, her headphones are the second-best thing in her life (Octavia being the first).
  • Cassandra Truth: A completely fed-up Rainbow Dash confronts Midday on who she is. Midday calmly tells her exactly who she is. Rainbow Dash's reaction?
    You're a sick mare, Midday.
  • Catapult Nightmare: Many, usually Twinkle, but Luna has one.
  • Chekhov's Armoury: This fic is usually pretty good about this. A lot of spells Twinkle mentions studying come back later on.
    • Early on, Scootaloo hears Twinkle mentioning she can't tell lies. This is how she eventually realises Twinkle is who she says she is.
    • An accident with a memory potion causes Twinkle to start going over her entire life. Several phrases are seen, all of which come true throughout the rest of the story.
    • When she meets the spirit of her great-grandmother, Twinkle warns her she has anti-ghost spells. These come in handy against Nightmare Eclipse.
    • Cadence's ability to sense when love is being "threatened".
  • The Chew Toy: Bad things keep happening to Shining Armor around Twilight Twinkle. It stops being funny after the last flashback.
  • Cool and Unusual Punishment: Pinkie Pie's method of punishing everypony who damaged the MMMM? Force them to eat a whole cake. On their own.
  • Cool Big Sis: Cadence, as Twinkle puts it, is like everyone's cool big sister (or cousin).
  • Cool Old Lady: It's all but outright said that Granny Smith can tell who Midday is, not to mention being one of the few ponies Twinkle will actually show any respect to. At least, Twinkle certainly thinks she knows.
  • Continuity Nod: At the very end, Twinkle asks Twilight about the incident with Philomena.
  • Crazy-Prepared: Pinkie Pie, even in the future, has hidden watches all over Ponyville. Hardhats, too.
    • Twinkle, who spent most of her formative years researching unusual spells just in case (Ghost-busting spells, for example).
    • The medical staff of Ponyville's hospital, who have somepony keep an eye on Rainbow Dash whenever she practices her stunts.
  • Curb-Stomp Battle: Twinkle versus the Changeling Queen. Who is being fuelled by Shining Armor's love for Cadence. It ends badly for Twinkle.
  • Curse Cut Short: Twilight Sparkle, of all ponies, when Midday suggests that the Hearth's Warming play is acting through them.
  • Daddy's Girl: Put simply, Twilight Twinkle gets on far better with her dad than she does with her mother.
  • Damned by Faint Praise: Twilight Sparkle's opinion on the sixth Daring Do book is that "it's readable".
  • Dark and Troubled Past: Discussed. Lyra and Bon-Bon wonder whether Mare Do-Well has one, referencing the origins of a few famous superheroes in the process. Midday, who's walking by, takes issue with this, and questions the idea of a superhero needing a dark and troubled past to do good. In fairness, she has a troubled past herself, and it's a sore topic for her.
  • Deadpan Snarker: Twinkle's got her momma's tongue.
    • It runs in the family, as Twilight Velvet readily proves. Twilight Twinkle the first is even snarkier. She notes that as a ghost, she's not go much else she can do.
    • Comet Chaser has a bit of it as well, especially the younger version.
      Comet Chaser: Celestia forbid we find out we like the same things. Could be dangerous.
  • Death Glare: In addition to The Stare, Looks (much weaker variants of The Stare) show up now and then.
    • Future!Fluttershy stares sternly at Wisp until he admits he knows about "It". He points out he's lived in the same town as Pinkie Pie and her many children, so he does in fact know about "It".
    • Granny Smith manages one that manages to reduce the temperature around her, in mid-spring.
  • Defrosting Ice Queen: Twinkle doesn't exactly start off as Miss Personality (though considering what she goes through, it's not a surprise), and it takes several chapters for her to start defrosting.
  • Demonic Possession: Princess Luna's time as Nightmare Moon is treated like this. She is still traumatised over it, and it doesn't take very much for her to talk about it.
    • Twilight Twinkle is possessed by a similar force, calling itself Nightmare Eclipse. Twice.
  • Demoted to Extra: Zecora, by Word of God because the author wasn't willing or able to write in rhyme. She only appears twice in the whole story.
  • Department of Redundancy Department: The word "Twyla" is an old English word meaning "twilight". So Twinkle's name is literally Twilight Twilight Twinkle.
  • Description Cut: Spike asks who exactly would be willing to volunteer to stare at a hole in the floor for hours. The scene immediately cuts to Fluttershy and Spike taking first watch.
  • Despair Event Horizon: Lyra takes being dumped by Bon-Bon very hard. She even suffers Cutie Mark Failure, and her coat begins turning grey. She soon recovers, though.
    • Twinkle hits this twice. Once before the story began, and another during. It never works out well either time.
  • Determinator: For better or worse, if Twilight Twinkle wants to do something, she'll do it, and nothing will stop her. This nearly gets her killed in a flashback, and gets her into serious trouble more than once.
    • Shining Armor. Even after Chrysalis casts no less than seventeen brainwashing spells on him, he still manages to fight against them.
    • It's a family trait apparently.
  • Did Not Think This Through: Midday head-butts Rainbow Dash while they're fighting. They're almost two miles into the air.
    • She also admits she didn't give her trip into the underworld much thought either. Her great-grandmother agrees with her.
  • Digging Yourself Deeper: Happens when Twilight Sparkle and Comet Chaser start talking, and Twilight states that her friends wouldn't interfere. Or that Applejack and Rainbow Dash wouldn't, and certainly not Trixie, but she's not so sure about Rarity, or Pinkie Pie, or even Fluttershy.
  • Disproportionate Retribution: Cadance throws a snowball at Luna while she's asleep. In response, Luna buries her and Shining Armor under a highly-localised snowstorm.
  • Dissimile: Future!Trixie's suggestion for why she and Rainbow Dash don't like each other is because they get on like two things that do not get on.
  • Do You Want to Haggle?: Twilight Sparkle spends fourteen minutes haggling with Pinkie Pie over chili. She angrily remarks that no, she did not want to haggle.
    • Twinkle manages to be worse, haggling for over an hour with Rarity over a dress.
  • Doorstopper: Over eighty chapters long, though most of the chapters only average out to a couple of thousand words each. Usually. As the fic goes on, though, the chapters get longer.
  • Drama Queen: Averted in an early chapter when Rarity runs out of taffeta in the middle of working. Instead of loudly declaring it the "Worst! Possible! Thing!" she just states that it's annoying.
  • Dramatic Irony: A lot of it, throughout the story.
  • Drill Sergeant Nasty: Future!Rainbow Dash is mentioned to be one by Twinkle.
  • Dropped a Bridge on Her: Midnight, Twinkle's other-dimensional counterpart, is casually mentioned by Discord as having died in the last chapter. Given Twinkle's own near-death situation a few chapters prior, though, it's not as surprising.
  • Drowning My Sorrows: Rainbow Dash's reaction to the Mare Do-Well incident? She gets so drunk she can't even fly, and ends up passing out on Rarity's fainting couch.
  • Dude, Where's My Respect?: The Mane Six's lack of acknowledgement gets brought up more than once. For example, after Shining Armor and Cadence's wedding, Rarity buys a fashion magazine about the wedding which contains absolutely no mention of her work. She isn't exactly happy about it.
    • Also happens to Rainbow Dash when she talks to Spitfire toward the end of the story. Bear in mind, Rainbow Dash had saved her and the rest of the Wonderbolts from the Changelings only the day before.
    • Averted when the Mane Six perform the traditional Hearth's Warming play. The stage director is at first furious to see them, but when he finds out who they are, he instantly changes tack.
  • Ear Worm: The "Care" song that started the Seven-Minute war is mentioned to be "irritating yet extremely catchy".
  • Emotion Eater: Every Changeling, and they're not restricted to love. They don't have to take it either. Chrysalis is just a jerk.
    • The Nightmare that possesses Twinkle fuels itself on her negative emotions. And boy does Twinkle have a lot of those.
  • Escalating War: The Seven Day Prank War between Midday and Rainbow Dash, which eventually winds up covering most of Ponyville in paint. It finally ends via Act of Rarity.
  • Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Discord doesn't seem to understand why Princess Celestia wants to attack him on sight.
  • Exact Words: Twinkle has some experience in these matters, meaning she sees through Applejack's promise to tell her friends why she wouldn't return to Ponyville "at breakfast".
    • In chapter 3, during her retelling her past to Celestia, she leaves out a large chunk of explanation, which Celestia notes. What she's say is true, but it avoids mentioning her nearly dying twice, and her possession by Nightmare.
  • Explain, Explain... Oh, Crap!: Mayor Mare's reaction when talking about how long town hall's been without maintenance.
  • Face Doodling: Twinkle's first encounter with the CMC involves her opening her eyes to find Scootaloo about to try and draw on her face (she was daydreaming on a bench).
    • Shining Armor tries not to fall asleep on the job for fear of this happening.
  • Fangirl: Twinkle is a fanfilly for Princess Luna. She even dressed up as her once for Nightmare Night when she was younger.
    • In an inversion, it's pretty clear Twinkle doesn't think as highly of Celestia as her mom. She likes her, but she doesn't have anywhere near the same level of devotion.
  • Fanon Discontinuity: Invoked and in-universe. As far as Twilight Sparkle's concerned, Daring Do never had a sidekick.
  • Fantastically Indifferent: Raindrops, Cheerilee and Carrot Top all witness Twinkle's rebirth, and barely react to it at all.
  • Fascinating Eyebrow: Many.
    • Apparently all Equestrian bureaucrats are trained to do this sooner or later.
    • Rainbow Dash does this at one point, which stops Twinkle mid-rant. As she notes "when Rainbow Dash was raising eyebrows, it was time to stop".
  • Fate Drives Us Together: Twilight and Comet Chaser, during the wedding chapters, keep running into one another. Twilight pointedly refuses to believe this is what's happening.
  • Female Gaze: Twinkle gets a bit distracted by Big MacIntosh, which is all the more unusual to her since she doesn't really think about those sorts of things.
  • Fighting from the Inside: Luna tried to fight Nightmare Moon.
    • Twilight Twinkle, when taken over by Nightmare Eclipse. Unfortunately the monster draws strength from her negative emotions, so Twinkle's reduced to just snarking from the inside.
  • Flat Joy: Twinkle isn't exactly used to cheering. For a moment, everypony present thought it was Fluttershy.
  • Flat "What": Twinkle, on hearing Applejack's rodeo winnings will be donated to repair Ponyville's town hall. Probably because the building has been completely gutted.
  • Fluffy Tamer: Remember Cerberus? Big dog, three heads? He's Princess Luna's dog. (She calls him "Kirby".)
  • Foreshadowing: When Rainbow Dash is in her body, Midday notes that her body looks "thinner". At first this seems like a throwaway line, but much later on down the line, her concern gets more noticeable.
    • In chapter 45, Twinkle is noticeably nervous about deserts, or being near desert, or just outside when it's incredibly warm. It's six chapters before we learn why.
    • Chapter 2: while looking through a book on children's tales, Midday has a bad reaction to Discord, and an even worse one to Changelings. It's several chapters before we learn why, though.
  • For the Evulz: Seems to be the reason Future!Discord went on his rampage.
  • "Freaky Friday" Flip: Inflicted on Midday and Rainbow Dash by Trixie. At first it starts out (mostly) harmless, Twinkle finally getting to experience flying under her own power, along with hanging out with Scootaloo, but it quickly takes a turn towards Deconstruction when Rainbow Dash finally wakes up in Midday's body. She freaks out, and loses control of Midday's magic, Scootaloo is rightly offended at Midday lying to her, and even when it's fixed, Rainbow Dash holds a serious grudge against Midday for it.
  • Free-Range Children: A young Twilight Twinkle tried to be this, much to her mother's exasperation. At one point she runs off mere seconds after being lectured for running off.
    • The Cutie Mark Crusaders are frequently this, but Scootaloo is the worst offender of the bunch, wandering around freely on a Monday morning. Strangely, nopony seems to be able to remember where she lives, or what her parents even look like. Even if they're sure they've met them...
    • During a visit to Canterlot to see a Wonderbolts show, Rainbow Dash momentarily leaves to find her bearings, and Twinkle knows that the second she goes the Cutie Mark Crusaders will run off. She turns around, and finds that yes, they have run off.
  • From the Mouths of Babes: When Rainbow Dash as Commander Hurricane utters something rude in the play, Midday notes that one of the Cutie Mark Crusaders is probably going to repeat it at some point.
  • Full-Name Ultimatum: A variant, when Twilight Sparkle uses Twinkle's full name to reveal she knows who she is.
    • Averted with Princess Twilight Sparkle, who never calls Twinkle by her middle name.
  • Funetik Aksent: Photo Finish, in her brief appearance, has one.
  • Fusion Dance: Between Midday and Trixie. As they (she?) notes, it feels weird, not least because some parts of their minds have merged, and they're not certain if they're either pony or something new. Also of note is that Trixie's mane starts to behave like that of the Princesses.
  • Future Badass: It's heavily implied that Future!Rainbow Dash became leader of the Wonderbolts at some point, and that Scootaloo is doing just as good, if not better.
  • Future Me Scares Me: While not scared, Spike doesn't have a high opinion of his future self, and calls him a jerk, even though he's never met him. Meanwhile, Twilight Sparkle is unnerved by the idea of becoming a Princess, and what Princess Twilight did to her daughter.
  • Gender Bender: A future version of the Doctor has regenerated into a woman, who also happens to finally be ginger.
  • The Guards Must Be Crazy: Cerberus, the dog meant to guard the Underworld, doesn't do a single thing to stop Twinkle getting in. She notes it.
  • Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Wisp is mentioned as having golden-brown fur, and is generally nice, if clueless and awkward around mares.
  • Heroic BSoD: After the events of the last flashback, Twinkle is so badly scarred emotionally that she just... collapses after arriving in Ponyville.
    • Rarity does not take the idea of Pinkie Pie having children well. She quickly recovers.
  • Heroic RRoD: After knocking himself out, Shining Armor won't wake up, no matter what healing spells are used on him. Then Twinkle notices that what with the wedding planning and the stress, he's been pushing himself too hard, and has in fact just fallen asleep.
  • Hidden Depths:
    • In addition to Fluttershy's knowledge of sewing, she also has good knowledge of musical tone, and writing.
    • Soarin' of the Wonderbolts has a doctorate.
  • Hideous Hangover Cure: Rarity gives Rainbow Dash one, which can be served on a small spoon. When Rainbow Dash drinks it, it's described as "the drink equivalent of getting your brain smashed out with a bag full of bricks". And it tastes awful.
  • Homemade Sweater from Hell: Any sweater made by an Alicorn will inevitably be this, since Alicorns have no ability to knit. Cadence hasn't caught on, but Luna and Celestia have. Luna even uses the possibility of getting one as a threat. A later chapter shows that Cadence made sweaters for both of them anyway.
  • Honorary Aunt: The rest of the Mane Six, as far as Twinkle is concerned. Except Applejack, though she eventually changes her mind.
    • Rarity as well, but that's because she's Twinkle's sister in-law.
  • Hot God: Cadence is noted to possess the sort of beauty that would "turn even the most intelligent, witty and urbane being into a dribbling, smiling mess on the floor even on an average day."
    • When Shining Armor sees Cadence dressed up for a Hearts and Hooves day date, he's rendered speechless.
  • How We Got Here: The Flashback chapters, which detail the events that made Twinkle the way she is.
  • Hyper-Awareness: Twinkle has something like this, being able to notice things others don't, as well as having abnormally good hearing. It doesn't come up too often, and it isn't portrayed as a superpower, just something she has.
  • Hyperspace Arsenal: Pinkie Pie and her Party Cannon. Rainbow Dash even asks her where exactly she keeps it in one chapter, though circumstances mean Pinkie can't tell her.
  • Hypocritical Humor: Future!Pinkie Pie states that Twilight Sparkle is never late, that she arrives precisely when she means to. When Twilight Sparkle appears seconds later, Pinkie informs her that she's late.
  • I Gave My Word: If Twinkle gives somepony her word she'll do something, she'll do it. She gets angry at the others for not doing their "job" at the Dodge Junction cherry mill, in favor of questioning Applejack.
  • I Have Many Names: King Sombra picked up more than a few epithets, chiefly because the Crystal Ponies don't like referring to him by name, even twenty years after his destruction. They're all Names to Run Away from Really Fast.
  • Immortality Hurts: Eventually Twinkle wants to go home so that she can apologise to her mother for what she said the last time they'd talked, and avert this trope.
  • Implausible Deniability: On being found in the library in chapter 54, Rainbow Dash claims her house is being fumigated for cloud termites.
  • I'm Standing Right Here: Rainbow's first words in the story, when Twilight mentions to a nervous Fluttershy that even she agreed to join in on the post-Discord therapy sessions.
  • Incoming Ham: How DJ Pon-3 makes her entrance, loud, Totally Radical and shameless. Much to her marefriend Octavia's exasperation.
  • Incredibly Lame Fun: The tao of Twilight Sparkle, "organising is always exciting". She then proceeds to describe exactly how she writes up her monthly schedule for at least a few hours.
  • Incredibly Lame Pun: While searching for the Cutie Mark Crusaders in one chapter, Twinkle searches Sweet Apple Acres. The narration informs us that it's "fruitless".
  • Injured Limb Episode: When Nightmare Eclipse attacks Shining Sapphire, she breaks one of the mare's back legs with her first attack. At the end of the fic, when Shining Sapphire's recovered from the rest of her injuries, she still has a noticeable limp.
  • I Need a Freaking Drink: Trixie's reaction to Hearts and Hooves day is to find the nearest bottle of bourbon. And again, when she, Twilight and Twinkle realise what the Cutie Mark Crusaders are up to.
  • In Medias Res: When the story begins, Twinkle's already hiding out in Ponyville. It's a very long time before we learn the specifics of what happened to her.
  • Innocent Blue Eyes: Wisp's bright blue eyes get brought up a lot.
  • Insistent Terminology: Post-resurrection Twinkle is not a Princess. She's just an alicorn.
  • It Runs in the Family: Apparently Twilight Sparkle's freak-out back in "Lesson Zero" is the result of a madness that runs through her family, and has done for generations. Shining Armor is unaffected by it, and for the most part Twinkle and Shining Sapphire as well.
    • The Pie offspring, most of whom have their mother's wild mane and general weirdness (though none are shown that have Pinkie Sense), even the adopted ones. Per Word of God, her firstborn Banana Bread is more along the lines of her aunt Maud.
  • I Want Grandkids: Twilight Velvet expresses sentiments along these lines. Twilight Sparkle reacts with embarrassment.
    • Future!Cadence is pretty much the same with her daughter.
  • Karma Houdini: Averted for Flim and Flam, who get arrested by the Guard.
  • Kick the Dog: Twilight Twinkle's Calling the Old Man Out moment ends with her saying that if Discord had erased her mother, she'd have celebrated.
    • As they're fighting, Chrysalis mentions she considered replacing Princess Luna, before choosing Cadance. The reason she didn't? It didn't seem worth the effort.
  • Kids Are Cruel: In an inversion of the Cutie Mark Crusader's miseries, Twinkle was bullied for having a Cutie Mark. And for not having wings like her mother.
  • Kid from the Future: Guess. However, Twinkle doesn't actually make any attempt to get the younger versions of her parents together, and Twilight doesn't learn the truth until three-quarters of the way through the story.
  • Knight of Cerebus: Chrysalis, and Nightmare Eclipse.
  • Known Only by Their Nickname: Wisp. Twilight Twinkle gave him the nickname out of mocking playfulness, and it seems to have become his actual name.
  • Lady Swears-a-Lot: Mention is made of Twinkle swearing up a storm all the time, though most of it is kept off the page. However, get her incensed enough, and she'll utter the most horrific curse imaginable: Belgium.
    Language.
  • Lampshade Wearing: The last time Twilight Twinkle got drunk, she wound up wearing several lampshades.
  • Large Ham: Rarity, and Princess Luna, as is standard. Twinkle is capable of the occasional act of ham, when she feels like it.
    • Future!Rarity's still got it. At one point she's heard screaming, but her daughter isn't concerned because there's "no thump".
    Impy: You spend most of your time around her, you figure the pattern of her freak-outs pretty quick
    • There's also Big Lug, a guardpony who manages to speak very loudly.
  • Laser-Guided Amnesia: Princess Celestia could erase Twilight Sparkle's foreknowledge. But she never will, and is actually hurt by the suggestion that she would.
  • Last-Second Word Swap: During her initial talk with Celestia, Twinkle notes that a lot of foals were either afraid or far too willing to be friends with the daughter of a celebrity. Since she's looking at Celestia's wings as she says this, the implication is pretty obvious.
  • Leeroy Jenkins: Princess Luna, during the fight against King Sombra, apparently rushed his forces on her own.
  • Let's Get Dangerous!: Twinkle rarely has to use more than a small amount of magic. When she gets the chance, however...
    • Shining Sapphire, at the very end of the story, fights Chrysalis one-on-one and actually wins. Sort of.
  • Lies to Children: Chapter 25 reveals that what Princess Twilight Sparkle told Twinkle about the Crystal Empire during the first flashback wasn't entirely true, which is somewhat obvious given large chunks of it were quotations from The Lord of the Rings.
  • Like an Old Married Couple: Twilight Sparkle and Comet Chaser, while bickering over using a telescope.
  • Locked Out of the Loop: Princess Celestia, during the Wedding arc. Justified, since if she knew about the Changelings, she'd just directly attack Chrysalis, which Twinkle is certain would endanger Cadence and Shining Armor.
  • Lotus-Eater Machine: Twilight Twinkle winds up getting attacked by a Black Mercy, which shows her visions of what she'd have been like if she'd gotten everything she wanted when she was a foal. Her reaction to waking up is... chilling.
  • Loud of War: Vinyl Scratch and her amps. They go up to eleven, as the Changelings can attest.
  • Made of Explodium: The Cutie Mark Crusaders once made an oven explode. It convinced them they probably weren't going to become Cutie Mark Crusaders Pastry Chefs.
  • Made of Iron:
    • When Applejack stops a runaway vehicle Twinkle, who at that point didn't exactly like her, questions how Applejack wasn't hurt.
    • Twinkle isn't exactly made of Styrofoam herself. At one point she gets kicked clean through a door and into a wall, and the only thing it does is make her momentarily dizzy.
  • Magnetic Hero: Twilight Sparkle's ability to get ponies doing what she says is noted, as well as the fact that Twinkle has the beginnings of it.
  • Mama Bear: Princess Celestia makes it quite clear off the bat, that if Twilight Twinkle is someone trying to hurt Twilight Sparkle, then she's going to find herself at the business end of an angry Physical God. It's also the reason she's left out of the loop regarding the Changelings, because Twinkle knows she'll instantly confront them, even if her fighting skills are somewhat rusty after years of disuse.
    • Trixie makes her opinions on an angry Ditzy Doo quite clear.
    "An angry single mother? Trixie would much rather face an Ursa Major with only a wet towel at her disposal."
    • Future!Fluttershy. When the Changelings attack her house, she manages to knock several of them out.
  • Maybe Ever After: How Twilight Sparkle and Comet Chaser end up. They're definitely attracted to one another, but nothing's set in concrete.
  • Meaningful Name: Shining Sapphire, the daughter of Shining Armor and Princess Cadence, so named for her sapphire blue hair.
  • Meaningful Rename: Twilight Twinkle renames herself Midday Eclipse after she ends up in the past.
  • Metaphorgotten: The Eleventh Doctor shows up, and one of the first things he says is a convoluted metaphor about sweaters.
    Twilight Sparkle: So... time is like a sweater?
    The Doctor: No. But if it helps, yes. (But it isn't.)
  • Modest Royalty:
    • Twilight Twinkle is technically supposed to be Princess Twilight Twinkle. She never acts remotely like royalty, or expects to be treated like it.
    • When Princess Celestia is caught eating cake by Gabby Gums, Twinkle points out she wants to be treated like any other pony (along with the fact that if she really didn't want the picture to circulate, it wouldn't).
    • Princess Cadence gets embarrassed when ponies bow to her.
    • Princess Twilight Sparkle, who still lives in the Ponyville library (this fic was written before season 4).
    • Wisp, but that's because he outright hates the idea of being royalty. Especially Changeling royalty.
  • Mood Whiplash: Frequently.
  • Motormouth:
    • Pinkie Pie, naturally. During a Journey to the Center of the Mind, she's unable to speak, and it disturbs her greatly.
    • Future!Pinkie's children have in some cases inherited this. What we see of Minty Pie's internal monologue shows she definitely has it.
  • The Münchausen: Any tale Rainbow Dash tells will eventually mutate into one of heroism and darin' do. For example, trying to avoid Pinkie Pie somehow involved fighting off a band of sky-pirates. The only tale Rainbow Dash will never exaggerate is the "Party of One" incident.
  • Mushroom Samba: Inflicted on some Changelings, who start seeing the Mane Six as various cutesy things, like ducklings or teddy bears or walking piles of cotton candy.
  • Must Have Caffeine: Princess Luna needs her coffee. Averted for Twilight Twinkle. Caffeine and her do not mix.
    • Apparently when Future!Pinkie was carrying Banoffee Pie, she drank some coffee, and since the resultant filly was even more hyperactive than her mother, Pinkie swore off drinking coffee ever again.
  • My God, What Have I Done?: Twinkle has a minor version after lecturing Diamond Tiara.
  • My Greatest Failure: Princess Celestia regards every failure as her worst one. And at over a thousand years old, she has more than a few of those.
    • For Luna, it's not being able to save the Crystal Ponies from Sombra.
  • Narrative Profanity Filter: When the snow starts up again in the play, Rainbow Dash is supposed to say "oh no, no again", but because things aren't going right, Commander Hurricane says something else, something the narration informs us is "both more character accurate, and incredibly rude and unsuited for publication".
    • Twinkle is also mentioned to swear frequently, though her worst stuff is subject to this.
  • Never Found the Body: Scootaloo brings this up when Twinkle returns as an alicorn.
  • Never the Selves Shall Meet: Averted. Nothing happens when Comet Chasers meet, but it is kind of awkward.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Twinkle has a bad habit of making any situation she tries to help out with just a little bit worse.
  • Necromancer: Apparently Sombra dabbled in this, turning the entirety of the Crystal Parliament into undead servants, which Princess Luna destroyed when they confronted him. However, when asked about this, Luna doesn't recall fighting any undead sorcerers.
  • Noodle Incident: Whatever it was that went down between Applejack's aunt and Pinkie Pie that nopony is allowed to speak about.
    • Whatever happened when the CMC tried to be Assistant Librarians. Twilight Sparkle forbade them from ever setting hoof in her library again. It didn't help that they somehow managed to set Spike on fire, with a telescope.
    • Apparently the Cakes won't let Pinkie Pie near a piano, though she gets cut off before she can go further.
    • The Cutie Mark Crusaders tried their hooves at potion making once. From the sound of it, it went as well as everything else they try.
    • Trixie mentions she's been to more than one wedding, many of which ended badly. ("Lots of fire, some water")
    • Rarity's "exploits" with her rival and nemesis.
    • At some point in the past, Future!Trixie briefly stayed with Princess Twilight Sparkle. She is determined never to let this happen again.
    • Rainbow Dash's last attempt at dressmaking. Which everypony swore never to mention again.
    • A few lines later, Rarity mentions the time Twilight let Spike eat a curry. From her reaction, the result smelled something bad.
    • Apparently there was once a famous diplomatic blunder that caused a Zebra ambassador to be warmly greeted with the words "Your wife is a hippo". It's on the same level as the Appleoosan war with the Buffalo.
    • Cloud Kicker somehow managed to make it rain frogs. Or so Rainbow Dash says.
    • Twinkle has numerous thoughts to something that happened involving her, some friends from college, an opera singer and a land-squid. It apparently ended with a building getting filled with oatmeal.
    • Luna's one and only attempt at attending the Grand Galloping Gala. It ended in molten cake.
    • The last time somepony told Spike there'd be "no heavy lifting", he ended up carrying a whole roll of parchment, three puppies, some guard armor and twenty eight books.
  • Not a Morning Person: Lyra really isn't. Of course, the only time we see this she was at a wedding reception the night before.
    • Rainbow Dash, as well.
    • Trixie is incapable of speech before noon or coffee, whichever comes first.
  • Not That Kind of Doctor: Averted with Princess Celestia. She is a doctor. Or rather has been, at some point (among other things).
    • Played straight when Twinkle mentions that several Wonderbolts have doctorates, much to Rainbow Dash's alarm.
  • Nothing Is Scarier: Whatever it was that happened to Twinkle in that alternate universe she was in for three days, it's only hinted at in the most oblique sense, and she refuses to talk about it, much less mention it, to anypony.
  • Not Now, Kiddo: As everyone's worrying about the freshly re-released Discord, the Cutie Mark Crusaders desperately try to point the fact that Twilight Twinkle's body has just vanished.
  • Not So Above It All: Twilight Twinkle may not match her mothers' nerdish tendencies, but she secretly likes listening to lectures.
    • Spitfire apparently knows one hundred and twelve separate butt-jokes.
    • Also, for all she and her mother don't get along, they also have several things in common.
  • Obfuscating Stupidity: Princess Luna admits to her sister she's pretending to have difficulty with learning modern Equestrian just because she can.
  • Oblivious to Love: Twinkle never noticed her best friend and her cousin were in love, she had to be outright told. It doesn't work out very well, for anypony. But once everything's settled and she's had a few months to think about it, she's completely okay with it.
  • Obviously Evil: Flim and Flam. Twinkle lampshades it via tortuous metaphor.
    Twilight Twinkle: They called themselves "Flim" and "Flam". Flim and Flam? C'mon, that's a freaking clue train pulled right up to the station.
  • Oh, Crap!: Twinkle and Trixie's reaction to learning the Cutie Mark Crusaders have gotten their hooves on a potion-recipe book. And then again when Twilight asks what a love poison is.
  • Oh Me Accents Slipping:
    • Trixie, whenever she gets drunk, starts speaking in Prench.
    • If Twinkle gets drunk, she starts speaking with Received Pronunciation. At first, at any rate.
  • One of the Kids: Twinkle gets on pretty well with the Cutie Mark Crusaders, for the most part. During a snowball fight, she notices Diamond Tiara, and when Scootaloo suggests aiming at her, Twinkle chides her... because as the oldest pony present, she gets the first throw.
  • One-Steve Limit: Averted, when Twilight finds out who Twinkle is. After that she starts calling Twinkle by her first name, which makes some conversations confusing.
    • Also averted when talking about the fic, since there's two version of the mane six, as well as Shining Armor and Cadence, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Discord, Chrysalis and the Doctor.
  • Only Mostly Dead: Twinkle, when she takes a blast of magic for Princess Celestia. She actually thought she was going to die, but given she was half-dead anyway, it wasn't an unreasonable assumption.
  • Orphaned Punchline: "Are you kidding me? I'm not going back in there! It's full of oatmeal!"
  • Orwellian Retcon: Several songs were removed from the fic by the author after a few months.
  • Other Me Annoys Me: Averted when Twilight Twinkle meets an alternate version of herself, going by the name of Midnight. The two get on reasonably well, even writing a joint letter to Princess Celestia. It helps that they're pretty sure that an actual fight would level Ponyville. Then, just before she leaves, Midnight!Twinkle teleports (something Midday!Twinkle can't). She takes it... poorly.
    • Played straight when they meet again. Midnight clearly isn't happy to see Twinkle again.
  • Out-of-Character Alert: Rarity notices something's up with Rainbow Dash when she starts enunciating properly. This is because it's Midday in Rainbow Dash's body.
  • Parental Substitute: Twilight Sparkle and Princess Celestia have this going on. Twilight Sparkle points out she does actually have her own parents, and that she's perfectly happy with them.
  • Peggy Sue: Averted, mostly. Twinkle has very little in-depth knowledge of what happened twenty-two years ago, and no real desire to rock the boat (aside from stopping Trixie from using the Alicorn Amulet, though she doesn't know the specifics of what went down there). She is, however, extremely determined to stop the events of her aunt and uncle's wedding from happening the way they did.
  • Piano Drop: Utilised on Trixie by Twinkle in a duel. Trixie holds a grudge over it for the next eighteen chapters.
    • Much later on, a bored Discord does this to the whole of Canterlot.
  • The Pig-Pen: Rainbow Dash doesn't really care much about looking after her mane. A few minutes in her body is enough to drive Midday to wash it.
    • Rarity accidentally gets a sniff of an unwashed Rainbow Dash. She quickly remarks that it smells worse than Spike's breath after he's eaten a curry.
  • Power Incontinence: Twinkle, when she catches a cold at Winter Start-up. Her magic makes her start sounding like the Princesses, and her attempt to fix that briefly turns Owloucious into a chicken.
    • Any time Twinkle is terrified, she teleports, with no control over where she goes. In one instance, this results in her teleporting from the Crystal Empire to Ponvyille, which in this story is several hundred miles.
  • Power Limiter: Princess Twilight Sparkle created some manner of magical power limiter for Twinkle when she was five. Exactly how it functioned is unclear, but it was supposed to wear off when Twinkle was "ready". It's the reason she can't teleport, and it's implied to have slowed her learning down as a child.
  • The Power of Love: Not as useful as the Elements of Harmony, but it does in a pinch.
    • It's what saves Wisp and Shining Sapphire from dying. Their love keeps each other alive. And brings Shining Sapphire out of a coma.
  • The Prankster: Rainbow Dash, naturally. Twinkle, having grown up around her, is wise to some of her usual stuff, which causes some of Rainbow Dash's mistrust of her.
    • Twinkle isn't exactly a slouch in this department either, as their Prank War shows. (Though she did ask Pinkie Pie for help.)
  • Precision F-Strike: "Belgium" note  is treated as one.
    • Twinkle has a precision "B" strike when she finds out the Doctor was (or will be) responsible for the Cutie Mark Swapping spell.
  • Preemptive Apology: Just before she fakes a Freak Out, Twinkle apologises to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy.
    Twinkle: I'm sorry, you two, but you're about to see a bad side of me.
  • Properly Paranoid: Rainbow Dash remains convinced for several months that "Midday Eclipse" is not some minor accountant from Canterlot, and sets out to prove it. By the time she's just about given up, Twilight Sparkle learns the truth.
  • Purple Prose: By and large, the story stays nearer the beige end of the writing pool, though in some instances (describing the TARDIS landing, for example) the prose suddenly gets very purple.
  • A Rare Sentence: "She wants to destroy time so that it won't be Tuesday."
  • Reality Is Unrealistic: Invoked by Trixie, who implies she's had things thrown at her because of this. She then says the trope name out loud.
  • Reasonable Authority Figure: Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, natch.
  • Red and Black and Evil All Over: Nightmare Eclipse is red, black, and just generally does everything she does For the Evulz. Shining Sapphire mocks the hell out of her for it.
  • "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Midday gives one to Diamond Tiara. However, it just makes the filly angrier at everypony, and is implied to have destroyed what little friendship there was between her and Silver Spoon (who did not get lectured).
  • Retgone: Twilight Twinkle's father, Comet Chaser, courtesy of an angry Discord. After three years, Twinkle starts wondering if he ever existed at all, or if he's just somepony Discord made up to mess with her, which doesn't help her already terrible mood. Turns out he does.
  • The Reveal:
    • Chapter 4: Twinkle's father is dead.
    • At the end of the second flashback, Wisp turns out to be a Changeling. And Chrysalis' son.
    • Chapter 27 reveals Twinkle was briefly possessed by a Nightmare.
  • The Rock Star: Future!Sweetie Belle has become a very successful musician, and has also apparently broken off contact with everypony she used to know.
  • Running Gag: Whenever Twinkle teleports, something usually happens that causes her to appear several feet above the ground, at which point reality kicks in.
    • Ponies pointing out that Twinkle really doesn't act like Twilight Sparkle's daughter.
    • Ponies pointing out that Twinkle looks an awful lot like Twilight Sparkle (this one eventually stops a few chapters in)
    • Spike declaring someone is "a jerk".
  • Sanity Slippage: Happens to Twinkle in the seventh flashback, and happens hard.
    • Also, her "help rampage" several chapters in, eventually ending with her being arrested by the entire Royal Guard.
  • Sarcasm-Blind: Twilight Sparkle can't tell that Midday really doesn't wanna hear more about Star-Swirl the Bearded.
  • Scars Are Forever: Evidently averted with Wisp, whose scars from "the camping trip from hell" wear off after a while. But then, he is a Changeling. He can hide them.
  • Screw This, I'm Outta Here: When the Prank War begins, one of the Flower Trio makes a run for it. The narration informs us that she isn't seen again for several weeks.
    • According to Octavia, most of her band members ran for it when they saw Pinkie in the castle again.
  • Secret-Keeper: Spike, and then later the Cutie Mark Crusaders are the first to find out who Midday really is.
  • Sequel Hook: Nightmare Eclipse has begun to possess Diamond Tiara.
  • Sherlock Scan: Rarity has a good eye for measurements.
    • Ditzy manages to almost instantly figure out how many scrolls are in the Star-Swirl the Bearded wing of the Royal Canterlot Archives (for the record: seven hundred thousand, nine hundred and eighty-five).
  • Shipper on Deck: Twilight Sparkle's parents ship her and Comet Chaser. As do Rarity and Pinkie Pie. Applejack stops them before they can try anything, though.
  • Shout-Out: Numerous. The author clearly likes them some Doctor Who and The Lord of the Rings.
  • Shout-Out to Shakespeare: The titles for chapters 38 and 39 are a reference to a line from Hamlet.
    • When Twinkle learns the Cutie Mark Crusaders have their hooves on a potion-recipe book, she mutters "Alicorns and ministers of grace, defend us".
  • Skewed Priorities: When the Changeling Queen finally unveils herself, Rarity's only action is to cry about the dress she made being destroyed in the process.
  • Sophisticated as Hell: Twinkle resolves to find the driest history book she can find for Twilight Sparkle's birthday. The narration then says this requires "finding one with the least amount of postulates on lesbian shenanigans in the Pegasi armies."
  • Sore Loser: Twinkle speculates that Trixie is one, after their ludicrously short duel. Considering Trixie holds a grudge about it for several chapters, she might just have a point.
    • Rainbow Dash takes being pranked poorly. It's part of the reason she doesn't trust Midday for so long.
  • Space Whale Aesop:
Midday Eclipse: I shouldn't throw pianos at ponies to win duels
  • Speak of the Devil: In the first chapter, Twinkle refuses to finish saying what would happen if she breaks a promise, in fear of summoning Pinkie Pie.
  • Stating the Simple Solution:
    • Fluttershy asks whether it wouldn't be an idea to just talk to Rainbow Dash about her showboating. Then Twinkle asks if she's ever know Rainbow Dash to listen to somepony other than herself and Fluttershy.
    • When Rainbow is wailing about the destruction of her bedside lamp, Twilight asks her why she doesn't just read in the library.
  • Stealth Expert: As Wisp explains, when you've spent your life trying to avoid the Pies sneaking past Changelings is easy.
  • Stealth Hi/Bye: Twinkle manages to pull one of these off despite standing in front of the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Lampshaded when Sweetie Belle asks how that happened.
    • In a flashback, Twinkle performs one on Twilight Sparkle mid-lecture, replacing herself with an illusion while she sneaks out.
    • Zecora's second appearance has her pulling off one of these, disappearing almost as mysteriously as she appeared.
    • Pinkie Pie manages to get into the library and place herself in-between the Twilights, and Spike, without any of them noticing until she starts speaking.
  • Stepford Smiler: Twinkle's well on her way towards this by the end of the story, if not sooner. She would actually be there were it not for her inability to lie.
  • The Stoic: Princess Celestia used to be this, long ago. She implies she blames that attitude for Luna becoming Nightmare Moon.
  • Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Twilight Twinkle, at first.
  • Surreal Humor: A given, with Discord around. Any chapter featuring him gets very bizarre.
  • Suspiciously Specific Denial: Twinkle's reaction when Twilight Sparkle says that only Princesses have a horn and wings, and Princesses don't come in the same size as regular ponies.
    Twinkle: Indeed. Most true. That is completely accurate and there is no chance of it being wrong.
  • Sympathy for the Devil: Averted, in regards to Twilight Twinkle and the Changeling Queen. She openly admits she doesn't give a damn about the mare's motives or history, and that nothing could justify the things she's done.
    • Even after all she's done to them, the Cutie Mark Crusaders still try to show sympathy to Diamond Tiara after the aforementioned "The Reason You Suck" Speech. She just swears loudly at them.
  • Take Me to Your Leader: Twinkle takes the opportunity to ask this of the Canterlot guards in chapter 3. It's noted to be such a cliché that several guards suffer physical pain. Shining Armor doesn't even flinch.
  • Take That!:
    • Of all things, one aimed at Men at Arms. Twilight Twinkle states that "you don't say you're a good pony, and then go and kill someone".
    • The story of the first half of the season 2 finale is savaged. Repeatedly. Twinkle ends up recounting it to the Mane six, and their reaction is shock and disgust.
    • In the epilogue, Discord mentions he thought Twinkle would change her name to something like Twilight Eclipse, before dismissing it as nonsense.
  • Talk To The Hoof: Twinkle to the Changeling Queen, after one brag too many.
  • Tempting Fate: Twilight Sparkle is terrible about this. Eventually even she realises it, and is worried when Twinkle doesn't comment on it.
    • By the time Twilight Twinkle was twelve, Princess Twilight Sparkle has almost gotten a handle on it.
    • Rarity made sure to lock her workshop before going out for lunch, so therefore the Cutie Mark Crusaders couldn't possibly get into it. A few seconds later and she's making a mad dash out of the restaurant.
  • Theme Naming: Most of Future!Pinkie Pie's many, many children are named after different types of pie. Failing that, they're named after foodstuffs.
  • The Name Is Bond, James Bond: Midday does this, at one point, before lampshading it by remarking she sounds like a spy (then noting she looks good in a suit and tie).
  • The Stations of the Canon: Followed with alarming consistency. Some minor events change, but by and large the events of the second season of the show play out exactly as they did the first time round.
  • The Thing That Would Not Leave: Early on, a homeless Trixie asks to stay with Twilight Sparkle. Come the end of the story, several months later, and she's still sleeping in the spare spare bed. Not for lack of trying though, but since Trixie has so little money anyway, she's found finding a permanent home difficult.
  • This Is Gonna Suck: Twinkle's reaction when she introduces Pinkie to the concept of "seconds".
    "Oh, good going, me."
    • Also her reaction during the cherry mill scene, as she notices the conveyor belt is getting faster. She also finds herself thinking about certain aspects of Diamond Dog language.
    • Also, also her reaction to being on the business-end of a angry, greed-driven Spike, who's about to breath fire on her. And then again when he tries to step on her.
  • Thou Shalt Not Kill: Twilight Twinkle won't. Never, ever, ever. She even gets confused when Rainbow Dash asks her if she killed Chrysalis. But she's not above handing out a Fate Worse than Death.
    • Discord, of all beings. But then, he is the embodiment of chaos. He can't exactly play havoc with the dead.
  • Time-Travel Tense Trouble: Comes up during the re-enactment of "It's About Time" when Twinkle dwells on the situation. Even though it's all in her head, and she knows what's going on, she still gets confused.
  • Tomboy and Girly Girl: Twilight Twinkle and Shining Sapphire, respectively. The former is a would-be adventurer, and the other is a stay-at-home bookworm. However, Twinkle's willing to wear a dress without fuss, and Shining Sapphire is capable of fighting, if not willingly.
  • Took a Level in Kindness: Trixie, eventually.
  • Too Much Information: Twinkle's reaction when Rainbow Dash mentions being in diapers.
  • Totally Radical: When Twilight Sparkle casually uses the word "totally", Trixie comments that Rainbow Dash usually says "totally". At which point the two argue, with Rainbow Dash quickly stating she "totally doesn't (say totally)".
  • Training Montage: Implied to be a standard training method for Royal Guard recruits, if the fact that Future!Shining Armor was singing while teaching Twinkle was any indication.
  • True Blue Femininity: Twinkle is, as the narration repeatedly informs us, royal blue, though she's not the most feminine character in the story.
  • Truly Single Parent: Due to Discord's actions, almost everyone thinks Princess Twilight Sparkle created Twinkle by accident when messing with the Mirror Pool.
  • Tyrant Takes the Helm: A Played for Laughs version. In hindsight, the stage director shouldn't have given Rarity so much power.
  • Uncanny Family Resemblance: Twilights Sparkle and Twinkle do look pretty similar, aside from different colors of coat, mane and eyes.
  • Understatement: Cadence's reaction to a hurried recap of everything that's going on, courtesy of the CMC? "That's unusual news."
  • Unfortunate Names: Twinkle speculates at one point that Diamond Tiara's name might actually be Disgustingly Rich. Turns out it is.
  • The Un-Smile: Pinkie Pie, when punishing Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack for damaging the MMMM. She keeps doing this whenever they begin to slack off.
  • Unusual Euphemism: "Dancing" crops several times.
  • Used to Be a Sweet Kid: The first flashback chapter shows us a young Twilight Twinkle. She's a bouncy, excitable filly who wants to go on adventures, and gets on well with her mother. This, compared to the surly miserable, bitter, emotionally broken teenager she is when we first see her.
  • Vague Age: None of the Mane Six's ages are revealed, though it's generally implied that they're more-or-less older than Twinkle.
  • Villain Teleportation: During a discussion about Chrysalis, and the fact that she managed to enter a room with only one door without coming through it, Twinkle realises she must have the ability to teleport. If she does, she doesn't use it very often.
  • Weaksauce Weakness: Twinkle's lock-picking spell doesn't do wooden locks.
  • "Well Done, Son" Guy: Twilight Twinkle felt emotionally neglected by her mother when she was younger. These days, she cares a lot less, but deep down she's still tremendously hurt over it. She actually gets surprised when Twilight casually thanks her.
    • She also comments of her mother's tendency towards this with Princess Celestia and how irrational it is.
  • Wham Episode: The second flashback, when Wisp is revealed to be a changeling prince.
    • Chapter 27: Luna/Eclipse, where Twinkle reveals she was possessed by a Nightmare at some point.
    • The fourth flashback, where we find out what happened to Twinkle's father. Discord Retgone-d him.
  • Wham Line:
    • "Oh, it's only me, dear. Only your mother." - Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen to Wisp.
    • Chapter 27, "Behold, Nightmare Eclipse."
    • "Twilight Twyla Twinkle. We need to talk." Said by Twilight Sparkle.
  • What's Up, King Dude?: Twinkle, in regards to Princess Celestia, mostly. Given who her mother is, and Celestia's admitted preference for being treated like an ordinary pony, she can get away with it.
    • Deliberately averted when she meets Cadence, and addresses her by her full title out of respect, even though Cadence is flustered by the formality.
  • When Trees Attack: A tree made of custard, courtesy of Discord. A tree made of custard which tries to eat ponies. It's the fact that it's made out of custard that Twinkle has a problem with.
  • Whole Episode Flashback: The Flashback chapters.
  • Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: Twinkle is afraid of Timberwolves, after Wisp was badly injured and nearly killed by some when she was younger. She's also twitchy about deserts, what with nearly dying of dehydration in one, twice.
    • In a much more bizarre version, Rarity is deathly afraid of... cheese.
  • Wise Beyond Their Years: Impossibility doesn't sound like most twelve year olds.
  • Wizard Duel: A drunken Trixie and Twinkle agree to have one set at high noon. Only they arrive early, and the fight only lasts a few seconds.
  • Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Nightmare Eclipse pulls this off twice, pretending she's Twinkle in order to lure ponies closer to her, and injure them.
  • Would Hurt a Child: Nightmare Eclipse definitely would.
  • You Are Better Than You Think You Are: Twinkle says this to Silver Spoon, after her speech to Diamond Tiara.
  • You Can't Fight Fate: Twilight Sparkle refuses to believe she and Comet Chaser have to be in a relationship, but they keep winding up together, and clearly have some attraction towards each other, and share a moment on top of a tower. However, the story ends with a Maybe Ever After.
  • Younger Than They Look: Twilight Twinkle looks like a twenty-two year old, but she's actually eighteen.
    • Her niece Impossibility is twelve, and she's already the size of Princess Luna (it helps that Impossibility is half-dragon).
  • Yowies and Bunyips and Drop Bears, Oh My: Discord, in a fit of boredom, decides to cover Canterlot in drop bears. He has them fall from the sky out of giant floating salt and pepper shakers. The bears themselves have no idea what's going on. They vanish when Discord's re-imprisoned. Pinkie's upset about that.

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