I awoke feeling like a million bucks... Or bits, whatever. Twilight was spooned up right beside me her mane tickling my nose, I put my arms around her gently breathing her in, feeling her every breath and the twin beating of our hearts no matter how many times I experienced it... I couldn't get enough of it. I caressed her gently and made a surprising discovery! I hadn't noticed last night but her belly had expanded a bit, not a huge amount but it was noticeable.
I hadn't known she was awake until she rolled over to face me with a little smile. "This is really happening isn't it?" She whispered.
"It is... Everything we've done and seen so far, this is going to be our greatest adventure I think..." I grinned kissing her softly.
"Definitely... I'm still worried but... Together..."
"Together..."
We kissed again passionately our need for each other growing...
And interrupted by an exasperated groan from the stairs. "Can't you wait until I go to school at least?" A second later a little filly soared up landing between us for us both to hug tightly.
"Good morning honey, sleep well?"
"Sure did Mom, umm... Since you just got home maybe I should stay home from school so we can... Um... Bond...?"
"Now wait a sec Angel, just a few days ago you were eager to go to school!"
"Well... Yeah..." She grinned mischievously.
"Well... I guess you could stay home; I'm just going to be getting back into my studies. Do you want to help me catalogue my notes honey?"
Scootaloo immediately lost her grin looking more like she had swallowed a bug. "Uh... You know now that I think about it I've got to... Do... Something with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom today so I better go!" She hopped off the bed and soared downstairs while Twilight and I chuckled.
"Sneaky mare." I smiled kissing her as I got up. "Better get her fed and ready to go before she changes her mind."
"Yes we better." I threw on a robe and we went down to get some breakfast and get our day going.
The next few days were pure bliss, you never know what you have until you lost it even if it’s just for awhile. I did know this already but it still hit me hard every time, everything got back to normal and Twi still had her studies but with Trixie gone for the time being she made some extra time for Scootaloo and I.
Whenever she was around... Well, I'm a toucher you see. I like... I love to caress, hold, kiss and cuddle... And with Twi's expanding pregnancy... Well I couldn't keep my hands off her, thankfully she didn't mind. She was just so soft, smelled so good... Maybe it was some pheromone she was giving off or maybe I just loved her so much this was a natural thing either way it was a wonderful time.
She didn't let her pregnancy slow her down any either she still had a million things she wanted to know, to study. I wasn't about to try to stop her though it didn't stop me from worrying.
One day she was in town doing a bit of organizing for the mayor then some studying of her own while Scootaloo was in school and I was doing some light gardening at home, pulling weeds and such from the few flower beds we had around the tree. I still practiced my 'earth' magic along with my other magic keeping it slow and steady, I had even connected briefly with the tree we lived in. It was old, very old. Likely it had been standing well before Ponyville was even founded; if it resented our intrusion within him I got no sense of it though I didn't stay connected long, baby steps.
I was kneeling down pulling a few resilient weeds when I felt a tap on my shoulder, I turned around but no one was there and I felt a tap on my other shoulder. I sighed and spun around to nothing again but a little giggle above my head, I reached up grabbing a soft pony pulling her down as I fell backwards looking up. "Gotcha Das... Pinkie?!"
She giggled again floating above me a dozen balloons holding her aloft. "Hi!"
"Pinkie how..." I stopped myself from beginning to explain how a dozen party balloon even filled with helium could never carry her weight, but why bother? Even if she understood what I meant it already happened! I just smiled pulling her down for a hug which she eagerly returned, if there was one thing Pinkie liked as much as making others smile it was hugging.
"So whatcha doing Rick?"
"Just a bit of gardening..."
The balloons suddenly popped above her and she squealed excitedly landing on me with her soft squishiness. "That sounds like fun!"
I smiled giving her another quick hug then gently pushing her aside as I got back to my knees. "I don't know about fun Pinkie... Just pulling weeds and watering."
"Like this?" She grabbed a weed in her teeth pulling it out.
"Ya, pretty much just like that..."
She spit the weed into the small pile I had made and went back for more. "Whut about thiss?" She asked her speech a bit muddled from the plant in her mouth.
"Uh no Pinkie that’s a petunia..." I took it from her and put it back in its place patting the dirt back into place.
"Sorry! What about this?" Another weed. "And this?!" Another flower...
"Pinkie..."
"And what about this?!"
I sighed but couldn't help but smile. "Pinkie, that’s a garden spade..."
"Oh?! I didn't think it looked like it belonged here..."
Desperate times called for desperate measures. "Say Pinkie, I think Twi's doing some magic practice over by town hall..." Sorry love.
"Ooh! That sounds fun!" And she zipped off.
I breathed a sigh of relief turning to get back to work when a pair of pink forelegs wrapped around me accompanied by a giggle. "One for the road." And she was off like a shot again.
I loved Pinkie and I did love spending time with her but if you were trying to accomplish something not related to baking or parties... No chance.
Around noon I decided to take a break and headed over to town square to see if Twi wanted to get some lunch. On my way a pink blur passed me. "Hi Rick! Bye Rick!"
I spun to say hi but she was already a good ways down the road. I smiled and continued on finding Twi shooing away a ribbiting... Orange?
"What was...?"
"Ugh, don't ask." She turned and gave me a piercing glare. "Did you sic Pinkie on me? She said she saw you at the house earlier..."
I tried to look as innocent as I could. "I don't know what you mean..."
"Oh really...?" She took a menacing step towards a mischievous grin on her face.
"Ok! You got me love, sorry. I hope she wasn't too much trouble?" I knelt down to kiss her pulling her close.
"I'll get you back for that." She smiled nuzzling my neck. "A bother? Well... Maybe to the local animal population... I've got to remember to cancel those spells..."
Just then Pinkie came tearing through again galloping like mad.
"Pinkie! What in the wide world of Equestria are you doing?"
She skidded to a stop making a big divot in the ground. "I'm timing myself! If I can just get fast enough I can help Applejack lift a beam up for the barn then make it back in time to see Rainbow Dash do an awesome dive! I just need to cut... Seventeen minutes..." She groaned.
Twilight giggled. "Oh Pinkie, I'm afraid no matter how fast you get you can't be everywhere! There'd just have to be more then one of you for that..."
Pinkie just stood there a moment her head cocked to the side and a confused look on her face that slowly spread into a wide grin as she sprung into the air. "The legend of the mirror pool!"
It was Twilight and I's turn to look confused now. "The what?"
"Thanks Twilight! Thanks Rick!" She took off galloping with us watching after her even more confused.
"Ookay... Break for some lunch Twi?"
She smiled leaning over to kiss me. "Sounds like a plan I'm starved."
We went to our favourite restaurant and had a nice lunch before she went back to practice and I back to finish up the gardening. I had been at it for about a half hour when I heard some hoof beats behind me.
"Hi Rick! I'm off to go swimming with Dash, do me a favour? If you see me looking for directions to Applejacks farm would you point me in the right direction?"
"Sure Pinkie... Wait, what?!" But she was already gone bouncing off towards the swimming hole. I shook my head watching her go, just messing with me... I got back to work thinking no more of it until I felt a tap on my shoulder again.
I sighed. "Pinkie, I thought you were going swimming with Dash?" I turned around to her smiling excited face.
"I did! I mean, I am! But I'm going to help Applesauce with her barn sized raisins or something..."
"Apple... Barn sized..." Now I was sure she was messing with me. "Ookay... Do you need directions to the farm like…? Uh, you asked me to give you?"
"You bet! Awww... I'm so thoughtful! And thank you... Um... Trick? Nick? Mick? No wait... Di..."
"Rick! It’s Rick, Pinkie."
"Rick!" She giggled lunging forward giving me a big hug but something about it seemed... Off. Almost like she had never given a hug before... But that was crazy she gave out dozens of hugs everyday! Must just be part of whatever game she's playing...
"Straight down this road and across the field and light woods and you'll be right there..."
"Thanks!" And with a flash of pink she was off.
Something was definitely up with her, this was more then her usual off the wall antics... Well I'd have to mention it to Twi later and see what she thought. I puttered around a bit longer before finishing up and heading back into town. I knew Scootaloo would be hanging out with her friends for awhile after school so I wasn't worried about her coming home to an empty house.
I did some window shopping, Twilight had brought us back such thoughtful gifts from the Empire she deserved something too. I passed by the jewellery store she wasn't much for jewellery her ring and necklace were the only pieces she ever wore. Quills, stationary, books, scrolls, ink...? So many choices but none seemed quite right... Suddenly something caught my eye, a blackboard! We did have one in the basement of course but often she filled it up and didn't want to erase anything to continue, this one was double sided with a rolling base so it could be flipped over perfect!
I was so absorbed thinking about her gift I failed to notice the pink pony looking in the window right beside me.
"Hi!"
I jumped slightly noticing her. "Hi Pinkie." She just grinned and zipped off. I was about to go in and make my purchase when she was back again with the same big grin.
"Hi!"
"Hi Pinkie..." I replied a bit wearily getting tired of her antics today but still at the same time glad she was who she was. She bounced away again apparently satisfied for the time being and I entered the store and bought the board and base and started carefully rolling it out the door and towards home.
A few steps out the door and guess who?
"Hi!"
"Hello again Pinkie."
"Wow... This board is so... Big... And black... What’s it called?"
"Um... A blackboard?"
"Really? Wow... I would have never thought of that!"
Before I could say anything else she noticed something behind me and was off again, yeah this was getting old... I made it about halfway home before my next pink encounter.
"Hi Rick!"
"Pinkie...!" I growled as I spun around and stopped dead, there was Pinkie and her big loveable grin but not ten feet away there was Pinkie balancing on top of a mailbox and further back in town there were flashes of pink all over... "Pinkie what’s going on?"
She looked over her shoulder and shrugged. "I have no idea. Whatcha doing? Something fun?!"
The other Pinkie apparently heard that and leapt off the mailbox galloping over. "Fun? Where?! I want to have fun!"
The first Pinkie turned excitedly to her. "I know! Isn't having fun just the most fun?!"
They started going back and forth excitedly getting faster and faster and making less sense by the second, I backed away quietly while they were distracted then turned to rush back home. Before too long I encountered a big group thankfully not of Pinkies but angry townsfolk gathered outside our house. Twilight was trying to calm them down looking a bit frazzled until she saw me and her look turned to relief until she saw the blackboard and her eyes widened.
Sorry love. That was supposed to be a surprise.
You didn't have to... I love it, thank you. Hurry though we've got trouble.
Of the pink kind, yes I've seen...
Quick some in we've got to do some fast research... what was it she mentioned... Something about a mirror pool...?
I think... I hurried in levitating the board through the door as Twilight reassured the crowd.
She slammed the door and we got busy searching, I thought she knew every book we had by heart but this 'Mirror Pool legend had clearly stymied her. We spent at least an hour going through every book of folklore and legends we had to no avail...
"What’s this?!" She exclaimed, she had her head and one foreleg jammed between two shelves grunting and trying to reach something.
"Let me love." She pulled her head back shaking dust off as I looked in, deep at the back of the shelf there was an emblem a upside down horseshoe. I reached in running my hand over it and it seemed to give slightly, I gave it a push. Click. The piece of the wall there slid up revealing a large dust laden tome.
"It seems our home has a few secrets yet love." I exclaimed as I pulled out the book presenting it to her, she blew off the dust and settled down putting the book between us as we began to sort through it.
There were quite a few old legends that neither of us recognised, the Merpony and the magic comb, The little blue colt, The snow mare, Pandora’s box... That one I did recognise and if such a thing really did exist here I was going to have to make sure to find it and get it somewhere no one would ever open it! But to the task at hand, about halfway through we came upon it, the Legend of the Mirror Pool.
A magic pool that would create a physical duplicate of a creature made of pure magic, little memory but they could learn and took mostly the same characteristics as the original. Clearly not a legend by the number of Pinkies around, and it hadn't been a legend to the ponies of old either as they had a spell detailed that could send the magic made clones back into the pool.
But there was a problem, the spell was capricious in its very nature, it could send back the clones but if the real Pinkie was hit... She too would be send back to the pool, trapped... We couldn't let that happen.
“Why did they make a spell like this?!”
“I don’t know love, maybe they were desperate? When it worked they just called it good and consigned it to legend washing their hooves of it…”
“Irresponsible…”
Armed with our new knowledge and the counter spell we rushed back outside to find the townsfolk almost all gone fled back to their home.
"Does anyone here know which Pinkie is the real one?!" Twi cried out.
Blank stares and shrugs all around.
"Which of you is the real Pinkie Pie?! Come forward!"
That got more attention, in moments we were surrounded by Pinkies all proclaiming their genuineness.
"Which one? Which one?! I can't tell!"
"Calm down Twi, we'll think of something..." The townsfolk had all fled and we weren't getting any answers here so we teleported into town, no help here either... Pinkies running amok having fun and everyone else hiding in their homes.
"What are we going to do Twi? How can we find the real Pinkie?"
"I don't know... Oh Pinkie, what have you done...?"
We came across a Pinkie unlike the others just sitting at a table morosely staring at the ground.
"Well I know that’s not the real Pinkie, she's never sat still that long in her entire life!"
"I guess..." It was unusual behaviour for Pinkie to be sure but we had no real idea what these clones were capable of... "Is there some sort of magical test you could do...? Hone in on their...?"
"A test! That’s it your a genius Rick!" She pulled me down kidding me passionately and then again with a grin. "That was for the gift, I've got an idea but we'll need everyone’s help."
We both looked around but couldn't see any of our friends.
"I'll head out of town looking on my way to get Futtershy and Applejack..."
"And I'll stay here and look around town..." I finished pulling her close kissing her softly. "Be careful, I know its Pinkie but... We don't know what these clones might do..."
"I will, you too."
She galloped off while my gaze was again drawn to the lone Pinkie leaning on the table; I walked over and sat down across from her.
"Hey Pinkie."
Her head shot up her light blue eyes wide as tears began to form and fall. "I'm so sorry Rick! I didn't mean for this to happen!"
I opened up my arms and she leapt across the table into them, the hug was warm, soft and very familiar. "Yeah... That’s our Pinkie." I whispered squeezing her tight.
"Me?! How can you tell?! I can't tell! We're so alike!"
"Who but the real Pinkie Pie would be so sad at the mess she accidentally created, just one." I tapped her gently on the nose.
"Maybe... Or maybe one of us realized the mess she made... We all made and feels just as bad?!"
"Maybe... Pinkie, do you trust me?"
"Y... Yes..." She sobbed.
"Do you trust Twilight, and all your friends?"
"Yes!"
"Then trust that they... We. Will all help you…”
"But...! I messed up! So bad... How could any of you, anyone in Ponyville ever forgive me...?"
I pulled her close again enjoying her warmth and her bubblegum scented mane from her favourite bubble bath. "I forgive you Pinkie. Just like that. And none of the others will be different I know. No one, even in all of Ponyville you give so much Pinkie. To everyone. Your only one mare... Well, you know what I mean."
"You... You really mean that?"
I wiped her tears away with a smile. "You know I do. Your not perfect Pinkie, none of us are. But you’re our friend, a friend to any pony in need! We won't let you go..."
"Hey Rick!" Dash’s voice came from above. "Bring that Pinkie and come on! Twilights got a plan; we're herding them all into Town Hall!"
"Ready to get back to there being just one Pinkie Pie?"
"Yes... But... What if you’re wrong?! What if I mess up again?!"
"You won't..."
"But...!"
"If that happens... We won't rest; we'll clone a hundred thousand Pinkies if we have to. To get you back. But that won't happen; you love your friends, your family. You won't let anything take you from them will you? Right?!"
"R... Right!"
We made our way to Town Hall the curious crowd parting to let us through, I could hear the dozens of Pinkies chattering away inside already as I pushed the door open and we entered.
"Just go sit with the others, it'll be ok Pinkie."
She smiled nervously making her way into the crowd; I tried to keep my eye on her but quickly lost her in the sea of Pink... I made my way over to the podium getting jumped on, over, tickled and hugged a dozen times. Each one felt just a little wrong...
"So what’s the plan Twi?" I whispered finally pulling myself up to her.
"It's really simple! Oh I hope this works!"
"I hope so too, I think I..." No, I didn't want to get her hopes up thinking I knew for sure which was the real Pinkie, I could still be wrong...
"What?"
"Nothing, are you ready?"
"Yes, you brought the last Pinkie. Everyone scoured the town for them, not that they were hard to find just say 'Fun!' and their all over you." She stepped up to the edge of the podium clearing her throat. "Attention Pinkie Pies...!" That got her a few glances but mostly they just kept doing what they were doing. "Ahem... SIT DOWN!" She thundered.
A sea of blank stares greeted her as they all plopped down. "That’s better! You Pinkies have all been brought here today to take a test..."
Groans all around. "Don't worry, it’s an easy test! The easiest you've ever taken, we're going to be... Watching paint dry!"
She levitated forward a hastily made wall freshly painted. "The last Pinkie left watching the wall gets to stay... The others have to be sent back to the pool... Ready? Set... Go!"
That got their attention and they all fixed their gazes on the wall, I still tried to pick out 'my' Pinkie but they were all fixated the same. Soon though cracks began to show a few Pinkies eyes began to wander and before long... "Hey guys look what I can do!" One of the Pinkies hopped up bending over backwards to show off.
A ray of energy blazed from Twi's horn striking the offending Pinkie turning her into a mist that floated away. That motivated the rest of the Pinkies to focus back on the wall but not for long...
Twilight was watching intently and every infraction was met with a blast from her horn, Pinkie after Pinkie disappeared. I hoped the real Pinkie wouldn’t let her focus slip even for a second. Hang in there Pinkie...
Their own fun loving nature doomed them from the start, they couldn't help losing focus or being distracted by one another or anything else they saw. I felt bad for them, not quite perfect copies of Pinkie they might have been but all they wanted was to have fun... Sadly their fun caused no end of trouble.
I mean, imagine if we could have separated them, let Pinkie spend time with each of them until they were indistinguishable from one another... Every city, town, village in Equestria, even the Crystal Empire could have had a Pinkie Pie making everyone’s lives better! Making so many friends... A pipe dream I guess, things don't always work out so well. It wouldn't be fair to Pinkie or to the duplicates; Pinkie was her own mare and deserved to be. I couldn't imagine Ponyville without her.
We were down to the last two, both of them intent on the wall. Dash apparently was bored to tears and couldn't wait a minute longer. "Hey look! Some pony is making balloon animals!"
Only one of the Pinkies twitched her eyes darting back and forth a moment before she sat up. "Where?!" Poof! Twi's last blast sent her away and there was only one Pinkie left sitting still staring intently at the wall.
"Pinkie... It's over; you can stop looking at the wall now.”
She blinked several times looking up at Twilight and the rest of us as we gathered. "It's... Over?"
"You’re the only one who wouldn't look away darling."
"Glad to have ya back Pink."
"I was so worried..."
"Ya gave us quite a scare there Pinkie..."
"I knew you could do it." Twilight and I echoed smiling to one another.
Pinkie burst out in tears rushing forward to hug everyone. "I just couldn't look away! I couldn't leave you all! I'm so sorry!"
As I expected everyone was forgiving, after all that’s what friends... Especially a group of friends like these did. She came to me last and I enveloped her in a big hug that felt just perfect. "There’s our Pinkie Pie..." I whispered to her.
"Thanks for believing in me... I am me right?!" She looked herself up and down quickly. "Yeah... I'm pretty sure I am." She grinned happily.
Thankfully that was over... Now we had a lot of work to do, the Pinkies... Over exuberance. Had damaged a lot of the town, thankfully no one had been injured. Not everyone was as forgiving as us but everyone in town knew her and loved her, her apology and promise to help clean things up was all they needed.
Everyone pitched in all around to help clean and repair the whole town and amazingly within a day or two things were as good as new. I was still amazed at the cooperation, the community here how everyone helped one another... Maybe not all Equestrian cities were like this but still, to find something like this where I had come from... Unlikely at best...
We examined the mirror pool its magic quite powerful, where did it come from? Who created it? We couldn't tell. With someone like Pinkie, a minor annoyance. Someone like Sombra... We couldn't destroy it so we sealed the entrance thoroughly informing the Princess's of its existence, mayhap it could be put to some use someday...
Whatever dwells within the pool had waited this long, it could wait longer I was sure.