The next day I landed at Ponyville Square.
"Hey you!" Came the voice of Pinkie Pie.
"Hey Pinkie." I smiled.
"Finally! You've stopped calling me Mrs. Pie!" She laughed.
"I know." I chuckled.
"Hey you!" Said... Pinkie Pie... Behind me.
I turned and there was another Pinkie Pie. I pulled my sword.
"Is this Changeling magic!?" I exclaimed. Suddenly, another Pinkie Pie hopped into view. Changelings wouldn't become more than one Pony... I sheathed my sword. "What in Lucien's name...?" I asked as I saw about... 20 Pinkie Pie's bouncing around, and I saw more in the distance as well...
"Ego! Thank Celestia you're here!" Exclaimed Twilight, galloping over to me.
"Twi? What, er... Just what?" I asked.
"I have no idea. But there're too many Pinkie Pie's!" Said Twilight.
"You don't say..." I mumbled. Suddenly, one of them beset on me.
"EGO!!! YOU'VE GOTTA HELP ME! THERE ARE TOO MANY OF ME AROUND, AND NO ONE BELIEVES I'M THE REAL PINKIE!" Yelled one of them, jumping up, putting her hooves on my shoulders. I focused, but she looked like the others. Attention to detail didn't matter here, these were exact copies...
"Sorry, but..." I shrugged.
"You aren't sure if I'm the real Pinkie!" She sobbed, jumped off me, and walked away, sulking. Twilight, Spike and myself all walked through the square.
"Ego, ponies are gathering outside Golden Oaks. Will you join me?" Asked Twilight.
"Of course. We need to maintain control." I nodded. We worked our way to the front and stood before the crowd. Everypony was angry, even Fluttershy! That's when you know something is wrong...
"Okay, everypony! Please, calm down!" Exclaimed Twilight.
“Calm down? I just had a Pinkie hurricane raging through my shop!” exclaimed Rarity.
“And they trashed our critter picnic!” added Fluttershy. Everypony began shouting and arguing.
"Everypony, please." I said calmly, holding my hand out. Everypony quietened as I spoke. It seems I have quite an affect on them. "We will work on something to help. Do not fret." I said.
“He's right! Hang on while we try to figure something out! Come on, guys." Spoke Twilight to Spike and myself as we made haste into the library.
"What're we looking for?!" I asked quickly.
"Something about a mirror that duplicates!" Exclaimed Twilight. I began reading as quickly as I could. "I've gotta try to remember the name of that legend she mentioned!" Exclaimed Twilight as we flipped through books. I saw Spike reach behind the bookshelf and press something... Twilight and I headed over and saw a secret compartment open up...
"Well I'll be a Wizard's beard..." I mumbled as we saw a hidden book... Spike pulled it out and went flying. As he landed in my arms I chuckled and shook my head, putting him down. Twilight flipped through the book.
“Aha, here it is!” 'The legend of the Mirror Pond...' It describes a spell I can use to send them back where they came from!” exclaimed Twilight excitedly.
“That's perfect! Let's go!” nodded Spike, about to open the door.
“But there's a catch. If I can't figure out which one's the real Pinkie, I might send her back by mistake!” warned Twilight, scared she'd lose her friend.
“Well, we'll just have to figure out who the real one is then. Shouldn't be too hard." Shrugged Spike. I gave him an incredulous look as we addressed the crowd again.
“Does anypony here know how we can tell the real Pinkie Pie from all the rest of them?" Asked Twilight. Everypony mumbled answers. All negative.
"Great..." I mumbled. Suddenly a Pinkie emerged from the crowd.
“Twilight, Ego! I have to talk to you, I need your help!” exclaimed the Pinkie.
“Excuse me, whoever you are..." Began Twilight as a Pinkie had moved beside her and began copying her para-linguistics and mouthing her words. "But I'm not talking to any of you Pinkies unless you're the real Pinkie." Explained Twilight.
“Oh, but, but I am the real Pinkie!” exclaimed the one in the crowd.
“No, you're not! I'm the real Pinkie!” said the one beside Twilight.
“I'm the real Pinkie!” said another
“No, I'm the real Pinkie!” said yet another one
“I'm the real Pinkie!”
“No, I'm the real Pinkie!”
“I'm the real Pinkie!”
“Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!” they all chanted.
“How in tarnation are we supposed to tell which is the real Pinkie?" Asked Applejack with a worried look, coming up beside Twilight and I. Pinkies were running and bouncing around all over the joint...
"Not a clue. They're all completely identical..." I pointed out. I grabbed a Pinkie and looked at her hoof. "Right down to their hoof size." I shrugged, letting the Pinkie go who jittered away. Attention to detail, remember.
“I have no idea either." Stated Twilight with a confused look. One Pinkie wasn't acting like the others...
“Me either. Ohh... We've all got the same adorable tails, we've all got the same adorable manes, we've all got the same adorable hooves! Which one of us is the real Pinkie?! Oh! I haven't the slightest clue! And if I can't tell us apart... who can?” said the strange Pinkie, who began crying... The other Pinkie's were bouncing around everywhere, I began looking at them, trying to tell them apart...
...
Twilight, Spike and I began walking through Ponyville. I was deep in thought... I had called Creature in and told him the situation, I had tasked him with keeping tabs on all the Pinkies, to count them all up and make sure no more were appearing. He used magic vision to mark them numerically and individually in his vision. When he'd marked all of them, he wrote down how many there were. 32, he told me. After that he was to follow them while Twilight and I thought of a solution...
"What if we quiz them on each of us?" I asked.
"Who's to say their memory isn't cloned either?" She asked.
"True, true..." I nodded. Suddenly the group of Pinkie's were behind us.
“Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!” they cheered in unison. I saw Creature running after them, panting.
"Having fun Creature!?" I called he stopped, turned to me and glared.
"DO. NOT. SAY. THAT WORD. TO ME. EVER. AGAIN!!!!!!!!" He yelled and turned around, running back after them. I chuckled to myself.
“Ugh, this is hopeless!” exclaimed Twilight.
"Now, now! Never give up hope!" I said, though, truthfully I was getting worried...
“Maybe that one's the real Pinkie." Shrugged Spike, he gestured to a Pinkie sitting with her head down on a table, sad.
“Please. The real Pinkie Pie never sat that long in one place her whole life!” denied Twilight... Hmm, maybe it's a reverse personality Pinkie? Although... Hmm.
“I'm gonna go ask." Said Spike.
“Of course she's gonna say she's the real Pinkie! They all do! You're wasting your time." Dismissed Twilight.
“So lemme guess. You're the real Pinkie Pie?" Asked Spike to the sulking Pinkie.
“Heck if I know. Could be any one of us if you ask me." She shrugged. Spike looked to Twilight and I who had come over. Twilight shrugged and I raised an eyebrow. "And if I said I was the real Pinkie, you wouldn't even believe me anyway. So just leave me alone. I've got some important poking the ground with my hoof to do." Said the sulking Pinkie Pie.
"Well then..." I said as Spike walked back over, as confused as I was.
“Oh, how're we gonna do this? I can't risk sending the real Pinkie back into the pond!” Exclaimed Twilight as we walked away.
"Not without a way to bring her back." I said as Creature was running around after the Pinkie Pie's.
“I miss the real Pinkie." Moaned Spike.
"Aye, as do I lad." I nodded.
“I bet she misses you too. Bet she'd do just about anything to get to be with her friends again." Said the sulking Pinkie in the background. ”Hey. Hey!” called the Pinkie after us. "What if you gave them a test? Pick something really hard for a Pinkie to do, something not fun at all! Any Pinkie that can't do it goes back into the pond. But whoever wants to stay the most, that must be the real Pinkie!” she exclaimed. Twilight and I realised it was a good plan.
“You know, that's not a bad idea." Nodded Twilight.
"Indeed! Let's get this plan into action!" I exclaimed and Twilight, Spike and I ran off. We began looking for our other friends... Nowhere in Ponyville... Twilight went to Sweet Apple Acres to acquire the services of the Apple family. Meanwhile, I tracked down the Mirror Pond and marked it on my map. Twilight and I met up in the square after looking for the others...
"Where could they be?!" Asked Twilight.
"Let me try something." I said. I used a life detection spell and concentrated on our friends signatures especially. It gave me a roundabout location but not their exact position... "Vita deprehendatur." I chanted... I found their trail.
"Into the forest." I pointed. We began walking...
“Hey, Twilight! Ty!” Came Rainbow's voice from a tree trunk. A small space lead inside...
"How will you fit?" Asked Twilight.
"I'm not going to enjoy this, but I can." I nodded. Twilight and Spike ducked inside... "Fuck me..." I groaned. I collapsed my vertebrae and got inside the hole with no issue. I uncollapsed my vertebrae and sat down with a sigh.
"What did you just do?" Asked Twilight.
"Collapsed my vertebrae." I groaned as I cracked my back.
"Wait, what?! Ouch... I didn't know you could do that..." Said Twilight.
"All Dragons can. It allows us to slip into small spaces for quick escapes. In human form, it's uncomfortable as sitting down on a chair full of nettles and daggers would be." I grumbled. "A few Dragon-Knights who weren't as... Limber have broken their spines attempting that." I said.
“Anyway, we've been looking all over for you ponies.What are you all doing here?" Asked Twilight.
“Fluttershy spoke with the woodland critters, and they've agreed to take us into their home 'til the Pinkie storm dies down." Said Rainbow Dash. Some critters started cosying up to me. A few birds perched on my arms and some squirrels on my shoulders, a few bunnies sat on my lap.
"It appears I have a become a human zoo." I said in monotone.
"They like you." Smiled Fluttershy. "And so do I." She mumbled, wait what?!
"What?!" I asked.
"I said now about Pinkie Pie." She said. Oh. I must have misheard her.
“Don't worry you guys, we're gonna fix this. And I know exactly how." Said Twilight.
"Damn straight Twi." I nodded
“Are we gonna lose our real Pinkie Pie?" Asked Fluttershy.
“I don't think so. Now come along. I've already got Creature with Applejack and her family rounding up all the Pinkies." Said Twilight. We left the log(with me collapsing my vertebrae again.) And headed to where the Apple family were having an Apple family, Pinkie Pie round up.
“Hyah, ya Pinkies! Hyah!” exclaimed Applejack as she and her family chased the Pinkie storm.
“Ooh, they wanna play chase! This is fun, too!” exclaimed a Pinkie as Applejack bumped her into the crowd to make it easier to control. Every time a Pinkie bounced, Winona would jump on their heads, pushing them back down.
"AJ! Look out!" I exclaimed as I saw a rope arrow heading for her hooves. It tripped her for a second and she stumbled, leading a group of 5 Pinkie's to escape. I turned to the forest and saw somepony in Black Ring armour descend into the forest...
"Go! I'll deal with them!" I said to Applejack. She nodded and resumed her crowd control. "Rigescunt indutae!" I chanted, holding my palm out toward the Pinkie's that escaped. A blue beam hit them and they froze where they were. "Ianuae Magicae!" I chanted, teleporting them to the Town Hall. I panted after exerting my mana, it's difficult to teleport one, let alone five Ponies! I then used my remaining mana to teleport outside the Town Hall. I saw AJ, Big Mac and Applebloom push the Pinkie's inside and seal the door while they were still chanting 'Fun!'.
“Oh, give it a rest." Panted Applejack.
"Well done AJ. For your trouble." I said and gave each of the Apples 50G coins each.
"WOW! 50 whole bits!! Thank you kindly!" Exclaimed Applebloom, bounding around happily. But she received a look from her sister. "Ah mean, errr. I can't accept this." Chuckled Applebloom nervously.
"Yeah, this is just a days work." Shrugged Applejack
"No, I insist. Please." I said.
"Pardner, we still got a lot of those coins you gave us a week ago!" Exclaimed Applejack... Oh yeah... Forgot about that...
"Fine. But Applebloom can have her 50G, as pocket money for giving us a hand." I said.
"Ok then pardner, ah can accept that." She nodded. I saw Creature jog over, panting.
"I'm here Master. I will count the Pinkie's." Nodded Creature.
"Twi! Creature is here!" I exclaimed. Her purple aura engulfed the door and it opened slightly. Creature and myself entered quickly and Twilight shut the door quickly. I headed over to the stage with Twilight.
“Welcome, Pinkies, welcome. Please have a seat and make yourselves comfortable.” said Twilight before realising what she said. "Okay, I suppose you can't be comfortable staying in one place, but have a seat anyway.” she said. The Pinkie's kept bouncing around and talking. "Sit down!” exclaimed Twilight. They all stopped what they were doing and complied.
“Better. Now, I suppose you're all wondering why we've gathered you all here today." Said Twilight.
“For fun?" Asked Pinkie.
"Not quite." I chuckled.
"Master, one is missing." Informed Creature.
"I preemptively asked Dash to scour the town in case any were missed." I whispered back.
“The opposite actually." Added Twilight. Suddenly, the door swung open and on cue, Rainbow dash was holding a Pinkie, who looked depressed...
“Wait up, I got one more! Found this one poking at the ground with her hoof, drawing frowny faces." Said Rainbow, confused.
"Indeed?" I asked.
"Yeah." Nodded Rainbow.
“Have her come sit with the others." Nodded Twilight. Rainbow dropped her and she sagged to the floor.
“Pinkies, you've been brought here to take a test." Said Twilight.
“Awww!” They said in chorus.
"Have no fear my friends. It is as simple as tests come. Even a Pinkie could do it... With the right determination." I said.
“Whoever passes gets to stay." Concluded Twilight.
“Curtain, please." Said Twilight. "The test... will be watching Ego paint!” exclaimed Twilight, revealing a blank canvas. Yes, I am going to paint. But it is for a reason.
“On your mark, get set, go!” exclaimed Twilight. I started my painting and began to paint the room behind me, I was aware of the Pinkie's staring intently at me.
“Ooh, this is so exciting!” exclaimed Spike, shovelling popcorn into his mouth.
;15 minutes later;
“Okay, maybe not that exciting." He mumbled. I heard a bird chirp outside...
“Oh, hey, look at the birdie!” said a Pinkie. Twilight blasted her away. I used the red paint and crossed that Pinkie out on the painting. Because it was a special red paint, it actually erased the thing I crossed out. That Pinkie vanished form the painting and the room.
“Watch me bounce and touch the ceiling!” exclaimed a Pinkie and the one next to her watched. I crossed both out in the painting and Twilight blasted them. I heard a frog croaking.
“Is that...is that a frog crossed with an orange?" Asked one Pinkie.
“Cool!” said one.
“Where?" Asked another. All three were crossed out and sent away.
“Look what I can do with my hooves!” said one Pinkie, another watched as she blew on her hoof like a balloon and fingers popped out... I almost choked on my breath seeing that... They were crossed out.
“Betcha can't make a face crazier than... 'this!'” said a Pinkie, making a very creepy face. The Pinkie who watched her was also crossed out. More and more Pinkies were sent away one after the other. Fluttershy and Rarity looked flustered and worried.
Only two left... I continued painting the room. Nopony but me could see my painting.
“Ugh, I can't take it anymore!” exclaimed Rainbow and flew up. "Somepony's making balloon animals!” she exclaimed... A pause...
“What? Where?" Asked the last fake Pinkie. She was crossed out.
When there were none, my painting was clear except for one thing...
"AHHHHH!!!" Came the war cry of a Black Ring, who was standing on a balcony behind me, he grabbed a rope and swung down at me, sword in hand.
As he went, I painted a chandelier on the ceiling, suspended by two ropes and the counterweight being next to me. I put a green cross through it and without looking, sliced a dagger into the wall of the counterweight rope that now existed. The chandelier swung behind me, as the Black Ring reached the full speed in his swing to air assassinate me, the chandelier met him in force. It hit him and he went flying out of a window. I crossed out the chandelier in red and it vanished.
I waved my hand over the painting and it became invisible.
“Pinkie, you can look away now." Informed Twilight.
“I passed?" She asked.
“You passed. You're the only Pinkie who kept staring at the wall." Said Twilight.
“I had to. I just had to. I couldn't leave my friends, I just couldn't. But I guess sometimes I will have to choose between them." She chuckled.
“I knew you'd be up to the challenge." Smiled Twilight.
“I'm me! I'm me! I'm me! Or am I?" She asked, panicking for a second. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I am." She decided and we all laughed.
"Ego! Let's see the painting!" Exclaimed Twilight.
"I don't know..." I chuckled, rubbing the back of my head.
"Come on! You spent all that time on it!" Pointed out Rainbow.
"OK... Here it is." I said, I waved my hand over the blank canvass and my painting reappeared.
"Wow! That's awesome!" Exclaimed Rainbow.
"That is very dashing dear." Agreed Rarity.
"Oh oh! My face is all 'what'll Pinkie do next????' I love it!" Yelled Pinkie
"Is that you in the background?" Asked Twilight.
"Yes. Keeping vigilance. As is my role." I nodded.
"I really like it! You have great skill!" Said Fluttershy.
"Thanks Fluttershy." I smiled.
"Ah reckon that'd be nice ta hang up in Golden Oaks." Smiled AJ. "I'd love everypony ta see it!"
"The proportions are a little off in places, but that's to be expected in paintings! Especially since you weren't even looking at the room!" Exclaimed Twilight.
"Originally, this room in the picture was filled with Pinkies until you found them all." I said.
"I also saw you make a chandelier appear out of nowhere! How did you do that?" Asked Twilight.
"Ancient magic. It was a spell used by a dictator to try and rule the world. By painting a kingdom that worshipped him. He was stopped before he could, and this was before my time, but I found the spell you apply to the paints. A green cross to make something exist, a red cross to erase it." I said.
"Cool!" Exclaimed Pinkie.
"Girls. I think it's time." Said Twilight. Pinkie gasped.
"You mean..." Started Pinkie.
"I mean it." Interrupted Twilight with a nod.
"I think we all agree. Fluttershy?" Asked Applejack.
"I do. Rarity?" Replied Fluttershy, she looked serious...
"I do. Rainbow Dash?" She replied with a curt nod before casting a glance in Rainbows direction.
"I do. Applejack?" Asked Rainbow, still with the serious faces...
"Ah do. Twilight?"
"I do. Pinkie Pie?"
"HECK YEAH!!" She exclaimed. "Err, I mean I do. Spike?"
"I do." He agreed... To what, I don't know.
Suddenly the lights went out...
"What the-" I began.
"Shhh!" Came a silencing voice. Suddenly there was a circle of light around me, and the girls were dressed in hoods... Twilight got a massive old, dusty book out, opened a page and blew on it. Twilight levitated the book to herself.
"Ego Draconis/Tyrath Kyelinth. Do you swear, by Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Princess Cadance, The Elements of Harmony and your very friendship itself, to be with us through thick and thin? To help any of us when we're in need, regardless of what we ask? Within reason of course." asked Twilight.
"I do." I agreed. The book went to Rainbow...
"Do you swear, to always be loyal, to each and every one of us no matter what?" Asked Rainbow.
"I do." I nodded. It went to Fluttershy.
"Do you swear to always show kindness to not only us, but to very Pony, critter, creature and thing you meet, unless provoked?" Asked Fluttershy.
"I do." It went to Rarity.
"Do you swear, to always be generous, whenever somepony asks for something of yours, if you can spare it, you will give it?" Asked Rarity.
"I do." Back to Pinkie.
"Do you swear to laugh whenever possible, enjoy parties and be a super-awesomess-fantastic-ultra friend to everypony?!" Asked Pinkie.
"I do."
"Do ya promise to always be honest, not only with us, but with everypony, and especially, yerself?" Asked Applejack.
"I do."
"Do you promise to follow the Dragon Code of Honour until your death? And to always introduce us to new friends?" Asked Spike. I'm guessing that first part wasn't in the book...
"I do, and I do." I nodded.
"Then the judgement of this group of friends is complete." Said Pinkie. She took a huge breath... "Welcome Ego Draconis! Our..."
"Best friend!!!" They all exclaimed in unison, hugging me. I sorta blushed for a second before returning the hug.
"Good job you did that. That was test to see if you return the hug! And you did!" Exclaimed Pinkie. "Welcome!" She laughed happily.
"Thanks girls!" I exclaimed. After that, we went and sealed the hole to the Mirror Pond. I also put up magic wards just in case. Afterwards, I sat with Pinkie as she wrote a Friendship report to the Princess.
(In case you can't read the last part: P.S. Hey Princess! It's Tyrath here. I just achieved Best Friend status with the girls! I'm missing you & Luna lots! Yours Lovingly Tyrath Kyelinth)
Later on, we headed to Sugarcube Corner to ask Pinkie if she wants to do something together. We knocked on the door and she answered.
“Hi, Pinkie Pie. We were thinking we should go out and celebrate." Smiled Twilight.
“You up for some wheelbarrow races?" Asked AJ.
“Or I could take everypony on a cloud ride!?” asked Rainbow.
“I could throw a party with punch and zesty cucumber sandwiches! Ooh!” tittered Rarity delightedly.
"I could give us all a ride on my back?" I asked.
“You wanna know exactly what I feel like doing right now?” asked Pinkie before collapsing backwards to sleep.
“That looks like fun." Said Fluttershy. We all chuckled.
“Oh, Pinkie." Sighed Twilight.
"You girls go on. I'll take her to bed." I chuckled and went inside, picking her up in my arms and carrying her upstairs. I put her in her bed with the covers up. I sighed in content seeing her snoring.
"Goodnight you crazy, weird, awesome, fun-loving, laughter-giving Pony." I said. I saw Gummy in his bed with his usual blank look. "Sup Gummy, bruh?" I nodded to him.
...
"Awesome. Good lad." I nodded as I descended the stairs.
"What now Master?" Asked Creature, who was waiting downstairs.
"Now, I say we follow Pinkie's example." I chuckled.
"Indeed." Nodded Creature as we exited Sugarcube Corner and prepared to head home...