12. I Set the Words Up So They—
Twilight stared at the door to Sugarcube Corner. This pattern was starting to get old—sleep poorly, show up at Sugarcube Corner too early in the morning, then hesitate to knock on the door. Hopefully this would be the last time. It had to be, with her new version of the old plan.
Pinkie answered the door after just one knock. “Hi Twilight! Did you come to pick up some leftovers?”
“No, not really. But I did want to talk to you about the party.” Twilight stepped into the building, and a streamer crunched loudly under her hoof. The place looked even worse than last night.
“Sure, what about it?” Pinkie bounced into the kitchen. “I thought it went pretty well, but I hear constructive criticism is good too!”
Twilight followed her. Every inch of the place was a mess, and navigating around some of the piles of paper and food made it a long walk. “Well, that’s good. I made a bulleted list of your…areas of improvement, and I brought some flashcards.” Twilight’s nose crinkled as she entered the kitchen. “Looks like we should start with cleaning.”
“Oh don’t be silly, you don’t need to.” Pinkie pulled a dirty cookie pan out of the dishwasher. “It’s rude to make guests help, isn’t it?”
“Pinkie, you aren’t supposed to put those in the dishwasher, you have to let them soak in the sink.” Twilight’s magic wrapped around the metal and yanked it away from Pinkie. “Here, let me show you.”
The sink was full. For an industrial sink, that was no easy feat. Pans and spatulas and whisks and measuring cups and mixing bowls were piled inside, the remnants of batter and dough periodically dripping off of them. Twilight floated a few out of the way, and they thunked loudly onto the counter.
“Now, pay attention. We have a lot of lessons to go through.” The faucet rattled on and Twilight set the pan down. She glanced around for a sponge, but there were so many dishes and stains and utensils it was hard to see.
“Ooh, that reminds me! I had a really funny dream last night, and you were in it!”
“That’s nice,” Twilight muttered. Still no sponge.
Pinkie turned back to the dishwasher. There weren’t many dishes in it, and the ones that were still had a large amount of grime stuck to them. “We were in a classroom, I think, you and me and the other Pinkies.”
Twilight froze. “The what?”
“Yeah, I know! Weird right?” Pinkie pulled another pan out and carried it over to the sink. “There were these Pinkies who were complaining about something, and then one was the teacher, and then she disappeared and then you were the teacher.” She slid the pans off her back and onto the counter. “And then at the end you gave me a test or something.”
“And uhm, what was this test about, exactly?”
Pinkie rubbed her chin for a moment. “It was a piece of paper. I forget what the questions were. And then all the other Pinkies said something, and then I woke up.”
Twilight poked at the dirty pan. “And…that’s all you remember?”
“There was some other stuff.” Pinkie tapped her chin, then rubbed her forehead, then tilted her neck a bit. “Oh yeah!” She leapt up. “The last question you ask me was ‘who are you’. Isn’t that silly? Like I wouldn’t know who I am!” Pinkie snickered. “And all those other Pinkies were so serious and sad. No wonder they didn’t pass.” Pinkie leaned towards Twilight. Though she didn’t notice it, Twilight’s coat bristled visibly as Pinkie approached it. It was almost feline in its obviousness.
Pinkie smiled again. “Isn’t that funny? Are dreams always that weird?”
Twilight was silent.
“Twilight?”
“You know, I just realized something.” Twilight’s voice was barely audible, even in the sleepy silence of the early morning, and the empty silence of the kitchen.
“Ooh, is it something important? Did my dream help? What is it?”
Twilight turned her head, and Pinkie’s face was right there to meet hers. Pinkie still had that goofy smile plastered on.
Twilight’s ear flicked. “I realized, I hate you.”
Pinkie’s smile flickered for the briefest moment, like a light bulb giving its first hint of burning out. “Sorry, Twilight, I guess I wasn't listening too carefully. For a moment there it sounded like—”
“I said,” Twilight turned the rest of her body to match her head, like lining up the sights on a weapon. “I hate you.”
For a moment, the kitchen was completely silent. Even the dripping sink didn’t interrupt.
Pinkie smiled, though it wasn’t quite as wide as it had been. “Ohhhh, I get it! You’re joking! That’s pretty—”
Twilight jerked her head forward. Her breath brushed across Pinkie’s nose. “Do you know why I hate you?” she asked.
Pinkie’s smile flickered again. “Twilight, don't be silly! You don't really—”
“I hate you because you're shallow.” Twilight took a step forward, and Pinkie instinctively mirrored the movement. “You're like an actor who didn't read your script. An understudy who decided to half-haunch their way through all their scenes, because they were too lazy and too stupid to learn their lines.”
Twilight took another step, and Pinkie could feel the unicorn’s hooves clack on the floor. If Pinkie hadn’t moved her hoof…
“Wow, Twilight! You sure know how to play a practical joke.” Pinkie tried and failed to widen her smile. “You really had me there for a min—”
“The real Pinkie Pie wasn't shallow. She didn't always show it, but she had depth. But you…you just don't.”
“But I am the real—”
More steps. “And deep down, you know that…don't you?” The last two words were barely above a whisper. “Your dream told you that, didn't it?” A glimmer of pity passed across Twilight’s features, but it was gone as soon as it had come. “But you're just too vapid to figure it out, too shallow to comprehend the obvious.”
“Dreams are just dreams, Twilight!” Another step. As Pinkie mirrored it, she felt her tail brush against the wall. “You…you can stop joking around now.”
“I'm not the only one who hates you. The whole town does. And do you know why they hate you?” Pinkie finally bumped into the wall, but Twilight didn't stop walking. “For the exact same reasons.”
Pinkie’s eyes flicked to the side and back again. “Twilight, this isn't really funny anymore…” Pinkie’s smile had faded completely.
“I’ve thought about using the spell on you.” Twilight's face was inches from Pinkie's “It would be so simple. It's not a hard spell at all. Just a little bit of magic, and then poof, you'd be gone forever.”
Twilight closed her eyes, and for a moment nothing moved. There was no sound but breathing.
Twilight’s eyes snapped open and she jerked her head to the side. “Except that wouldn’t help. Every time I think about it, I see…I hear Pinkie Pie screaming. And then I realize what I've been fantasizing about doing and it makes me sick.” Twilight’s eyes scrunched shut and she slumped onto her haunches.
The kitchen was drenched in silence. Pinkie lifted a hoof, and for a moment it hung in midair. She reached forward, slowly, carefully. “It’ll be oka—”
“Don’t touch me!” Twilight slapped the hoof away.
“But I just want to help you. You’re…you’re my friend, Twilight.” Pinkie’s voice stuttered slightly.
“You're not my friend! You're not Pinkie Pie! You're just a pathetic pretender, an imposter, an actor!” Tears had started to leak out of Twilight's eyes. “And…and I'm even worse than you! Because I've been pretending that you've been doing a good job.”
“But…” Pinkie’s ears drooped. “But I threw a party… I made cookies and everything. That’s what friends do! Did…” It was Pinkie’s turn to slump onto her haunches. “Did I do it all wrong?”
Twilight chuckled. It sounded like a frayed film reel, her tears slicing into her laughter. “Even after being told, you still can’t understand. It’s like talking to a rock.” She laughed again, and it lasted a second longer before being cut in half by crying. “I can’t believe I ever thought I could train something as pathetic as you to be Pinkie Pie…”
“But…but I won the test!” Pinkie’s voice cracked and she leaned forward. “Didn’t that mean anything? I’m not an actor! I’m Pinkie Pie!”
“You’re nothing!” Twilight stood up. “You’re just a bad reflection!” She jabbed a hoof towards the door. “Now get out!”
“But…”
“I said—” Twiligh blinked, heavily and slowly. “—leave.” A thin, nearly invisible thread of electricity crackled along her horn. The smell of ozone struck the room. For a moment the kitchen was still. Then the cakepan in the sink snapped in half. The sound of cracking, creaking metal and clattering, breaking dishes rumbled through the entire building, like thunder made of stone and metal.
“You’re not good enough to stay in Ponyville, let alone Pinkie Pie’s house.” Twilight’s voice was still uneven, caught between loud and quiet.
Pinkie didn’t move. Aside from a brief flinch as the pan shattered, her body was motionless. Her eyes were stuck on a particular floorboard, glued to the knot visible under the finish.
It just doesn’t make any sense. If she’s not joking, then…
Pinkie looked up. Twilight was still pointing at the door. Her furrowed brow and puffy eyes didn’t match. The expression and the emotion it represented were completely alien to her, like a preschooler presented with astrophysics.
Pinkie glanced at the sink. Half of the pan was still jutting out of it, a jagged, diagonal line of sheared steel.
Pinkie slowly, carefully stood up. The movement dragged on and on. Twilight’s eyes locked on to her through the entire ritual. Finally, arduously, Pinkie had gotten to her hooves. Then she bolted. The door to Sugarcube Corner slammed open and shut, and the noise crashed across the entire town.
Ouch... Ouch...
I knew it was coming eventually, but damn, Twilight...
Ouch indeed. I miss the "real" Pinkie Pie and this still hurt to read. Gotta figure this will bite Twilight in the butt soon.
When all you are is a coat of paint over a dream of a memory, its hard to have any depth.
Not impossible.
You dont want to know how I know that.
...Twilight, you're an idiot...
...A cruel, heartless idiot...
...I know you're hurting, but still...
Poor Pinkie Clone, she didn't deserved that treatment. She didn't do anything wrong, at least nothing intentional, and what happen to the original Pinkie wasn't her fault either. Twilight is going to be regretting doing that for a long time to come.
Great job with this chapter, very emotional and heartbreaking. And, interesting move with the dream, regarding the previous chapter. Can't wait to see more and hope things will get better for the lonely clone.
Poor not-Pinkie. Looks like her subconscious acknowledges what her conscious mind refuses to face.
How much closer are we to the ending?
Because...
...
...damn, I don't think I can take much more after that...
It's somewhat refreshing to read a story where it's Twilight who does the yelling and outbursts while her friends try to combat something with a rational head.
And now, the symphony of despair hath entered its third act. Such a pitiful Allegro started by haphazard and innocent arrogance. But, the Andante, so beautifully tragic, so fueled with feelings of regret, tried to compose the melody. Such a valiant attempt to find any trace of closure, but sadly futile, as the pathetic leitmotif of guilt entered this strain without restraint.
The sun sets on indignation, the twilight hath risen on hatred, the second movement draws its final depressing rallantando and slowly fades into the void of emotional clarity.
And now, always my favorite part...
-brings up baton-
SCHERZO.
Was this one of the two?
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"“I’ve thought about using the spell on you.” Twilight's face was inches from Pinkie's “It would be so simple. It's not a hard spell at all. Just a little bit of magic, and then poof, you'd be gone forever.”"
So is Twilight finally coming completely unhinged over the fact that, to the best of her knowledge, she killed the original Pinkie Pie?
3674753
Perhaps, but I doubt she will stay like that. Knowing her, Twilight would most likely feel horrible after she snap out of it. Unfortunately, the damage have already been done to the poor clone, and it is a heavy one.
As for the original Pinkie being dead, I don't think she is. Actually, the status on the original Pinkie is unknown right now, so I can't say for sure.
3674753
The original Pinkie isn't dead, and Twilight knows it. Clone Pinkie mentioned that there's "another side" beyond the Mirror Pool. She mentioned how she and the others on the other side would sing songs. Twilight heard all this. It's just like pushing her off into another dimension, and if she went IN, she should be able to come OUT. Just because Twi can't do the dispel of the seal she placed doesn't mean Celestia can't. Hell, Celestia was the Element of Magic before Twi was.
3674341 i have no clue what any of the music terms mean but i have a felling that they fit
Ans so Twilight finally confronts the Pinkie-clone. I do feel sorry for her but I also see that this had to happen. Pretending to be the real Pinkie when she really wasn't wouldn't have done any good in the long run. As for the dream, I have a feeling that this relates to the other side of the mirror pond, partially created from memories from there.
3674656 Parts of it, yes.
I'm glad that Twilight finally put it all out. She was bound to explode eventually, and, all in all, I don’t think there was much room for her to be softer.
That said, poor clone :( I hope she does get some help to figure out her place.
Well saw that one coming. And I was hoping it would be awhile before I saw it because it hurt to read. Not because you are bad writer (Far from it) but because of so many feels leading up to this point. Now, hopefully the princess will be coming by soon. I don't expect her to fix everything but I do hope she will help heal some of the hurt Twilight is feeling right now. I really feel for Twilight. I'm not sure how much more of this I can take.
Twilight, fuck you. Fuck. You. Can't take it, can you? It caught up to you. Your blatant misuse of magic, inability to wait a moment before deciding on a course of action... and it all comes out on an innocent creature.
damit pinkie pie! YOU SORRY EXCUSE FOR A MIRROR IMAGE, GET OUT. EVEN A CHANGLING IS BETTER THAN YOU!!! GO TO HELL PINKIE AND HENMFO TO WHERE YOU BELONF AND TELL THE TRUE ELEMENT OF LAUGHFTER TO COME HOME!! Tell pinkie pie to come home.
Am I the only one who feels worse for twilight though still pities clone-pinkie more?
Quadrophenia is the fucking shit, so I'll be sure to check this out.
Hooves?
Other than that, great chapter! Yeah, this was bound to happen eventually.
3698236 (Glances at other comments) Nope
3702615 Thanks, fixed
Yeah, uh,Twilight?
Not cool. I get that she's grieving, but it's not really justified when she's taking it out on someone entirely innocent (she may have replaced Pinkie, but it's only because you fired the spell) and completely lose it.
Yeah, that said, I love this story and I get why Twilight's going nutzo, but damn, I don't think I could dislike Twilight any more than I do right now.
GODAMIT PINKIE PIE! I CALL THE POWERS OF KINDNESS AND LOVE TO SEND THE ONE WHO HAS NONE AWAY AND REVIVE THE ONE TRUE BEING!!!!!
Hea...hooo. pinkie is gon and all thats left is you. When the dark in me comes i will be going after you.
Open the secreat and show wats hidden.
Let him be reviled who is rage riddin.
Come king of pain and vengance.
Send back the one who has no sence of penence.
Id say godbye if i cared about you.
Not cool Twilight, not cool,you may be hurt and angry that this isn't the real Pinkie Pie, but still that is low, even for you.
Even though Pinkie Pie is a fake, I still feel a little bad for her... Though I am starting to think that Twilight is crying a bit when she's telling the fake Pinkie Pie to leave since her voice is uneven and all.
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But, don't you have a bit of remorse for the fake Pinkie Pie?
3920098 *100degree angle smiling face* nope!
Hehehe.
Pinkie is die.
I actually take this as a sign of progress. Yes, it's sad that Twilight took it all out on the Pinkie clone (who, due to having actual dreams, I think we can conclusively say is an actual thinking being in the context of this fic), and perhaps she should have shown a little more kindness and restraint given that, but this represents something greater. Twilight's done deluding herself now. That means an end to this unhealthy obsession with replacing Pinkie, a first step on the road to stopping her irrational behaviour, and a chance that she can either begin properly grieving, or begin work on getting the real Pinkie back somehow.
And I'm going to agree with the commenters saying that the real Pinkie is in the clone's head somewhere. Not sure how that works, but it seems interesting. Maybe she'll fight from within to take back her body, Superior Spider-Man style?
Oh, Twilight, you've got it all wrong. Pinkie #2 isn't an actor who didn't read the script-- She's like a newborn, who has only a bit of an imprint of learned behaviors and a vague idea of 'this is what I am supposed to be'. The fact that the clones in the dream had names makes me think there's more to the mirror pool-- Access to incomplete souls, maybe?
Also, way to totally take responsibility, y'know, like seeing if the princess could help, or giving Pinkie #2 the chance to develop her own personality, likes, dislikes, etc. It's not like it's a matter of national security or anything! (Not to mention hearts on the line.)
Yeah, I'm with the 'I'd like to kick Twi in the face repeatedly' crowd on this one.
hi hi
Better to do your best and fail than to do your worst and succeed.
I just want to reach in and give Pinkie a hug... And while Twilight has certainly earned a stern rebuke, perhaps more helpful would be someone reminding her about compassion.
3951446
Couldn't have said it better
4222530 Thanks, I almost forgot about this story. Hopefully this doesn't get canceled. (A lot of stories I have read that switch to Hiatus, will a lot of times end in canceled.)
You know, if I hadn't read So far into Daemon of Decay's Asylum, I'd say this is how two got admitted into that asylum.
Love this fanfic, is there any way of knowing if or when it will be continued?
4474566 It's on my list of things to do--there's only ~4 chapters left, so it will get finished eventually.
3920543
My friend, this behavior of yours could be considered evil by may.
4479453 my frend. All of my english class agred that if we were in a lord of the flies moment i would be the first one dead. And only because there afraid that i might kill them if they didnt kill me.
*slow clap*
Way to take responsibility for your actions, Twilight. Really, you should love New Pinkie. After all, if she doesn't deserve to be Pinkie, then she's a perfect friend for a pony who doesn't deserve to be the original Pinkie's friend.
I am so with Twilight on this one. Remarks like these describe pretty much exactly how I feel about fake-Pinkie:
Good the stupid charade has come to an end. Now I hope Celestia can help them get the real Pinkie back somehow...
4620909
This Clone has a heart of gold and is completely innocent of any wrong doing and your going to throw her out in the cold simply because she isn't the Pinkie Pie you wanted. Have you no compassion?
I'M crying.
Twilight, you idiot! Is it wrong to have more than five friends? Treat her like a new one!
Maud is angry...
And Twilight is now a horrible person in this story.
I feel as though its easy to write Twilight as a bitch...
4634004
Pinkie wasn't against the plan when it happened to all the other Pinkies.
She sat and watched paint dry, just like everypony else. What's one more Pinkie to the pile?
Ouch twi that was cold, hard core cold.
derpicdn.net/img/2014/6/11/650831/medium.jpeg
4643745 It's easy to write any of the Mane 6 as bitches.
Observe:
Rarity is a vapid, selfish attention whore who ignores Sweetie Belle and leads Spike on for no other reason than he's good at finding her gems.
Rainbow Dash is a narcissistic slut with a terrible work ethic who abandons Scootaloo after getting pregnant in her early teens.
Applejack obsesses over her work and alienates everyone by complaining about ponies not working as hard as she does.
Fluttershy loses it when Vampire Fruit Bats are declared vermin and can thus be killed on site, and goes full-on ALF-level Flutterrage with some psychopathy sprinkled in for good measure. She firebombs Sweet Apple Acres and starts slaughtering everyone she feels in abusing animals.
Pinkie Pie is an oblivious party animal who drives ponies insane with her outrageously over the top mania and... wait... I'm just describing the real Pinkie.
And Twilight... I think there are more than enough insane Twilight grimdark fics without me adding ideas.
Then you have Tyrantlestia, Psycho Discord, manic suicidal Octavia...
I could go on and on and on.
Simply put, it's almost too easy to write a typical grimdark fic, because no justification is ever required for the sudden departure of personality.