//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Through a Mirror Darkly // by Dreadnought //------------------------------// Derpy Hooves flew above the street, weaving amongst lampposts and avoiding the hazardous clotheslines strung between buildings that always ensnared unsuspecting pegasi. With each bank and turn, her heavy mailbag swung in the opposite direction, attempting to pull her off course and into yet another crash. But this well-known mare of disaster had avoided causing any insurance claims today. Reaching the intersection, she made a sharp right turn onto Stirrup Street. Suddenly the normal sounds of life died away into nothing. Absolute nothing. Derpy glanced down and saw everypony standing in stunned silence. A quick search and she found the source of the town’s astonishment – Wham! Crash! Shatter! Dazed and confused, Derpy lay on a window sill, her head busted through heavy wooden shutters and a broken pane of glass into a darkened room. A moment later the light flicked on and Rarity stood there, surveying the damage. “Derpy! What in Celestia’s name happened!?” “Heya Rarity!” she called with a big smile as she rummaged around her in mailbag. “I think I have a letter for you!” Meanwhile, down below, Derpy’s latest accident failed to attract any attention, so focused were the citizens of Ponyville on the sight before them. Two ponies strolled down the center of the street. One, a lavender alicorn, smiled and acknowledged the shocked onlookers with occasional nods of the head and waves of the hoof or wing. The other, a taller pink alicorn with a straight mane, walked rigidly as she anxiously gazed about the assembled masses fixated upon her. Scores – no hundreds – of blank stares from ponies young and old followed their slow journey through town. “Tell me, Twilight, do your subjects always stare?” “They’re not my subjects – they’re my friends. And no, they don’t usually stare like this. They’re just –” She looked around at the hundreds of unblinking eyes locked upon them. “– surprised to see you,” she said as she let out a nervous laugh. The two continued down the crowded yet noiseless street, a surreal experience for them both. Soft hoofsteps seemed to echo off the walls of the buildings. A faint breeze blew through town, its sound like a hurricane against the deathly silence. Leaning in close, Princess Pinkamena held up a wing to shield her voice and whispered, “I do not like these stares. It feels as though we are walking to the gallows.” Princess Twilight whispered back, “Everything’s alright. This is your home now. You’ll find the ponies here friendly.” Gazing at the haunting glares of the masses, she said, “Still, I wish we had teleported there directly.” “You can’t avoid Ponyville forever.” “I would have preferred to meet the subjects at a small, formal reception... not out in the open, leaving us vulnerable to attack.” “You shouldn’t worry about that,” assured Twilight. “Ponyville is a safe town... most of the time.” Pinkamena arched an eyebrow, but when Twilight didn’t reply, let the matter drop. After an uncomfortable walk, with the two always in the eye in a swirling storm of unwanted attention, the pair arrived before Ponyville’s whimsically-decorated sweet shop, Sugarcube Corner. “Are you ready?” asked Twilight with an encouraging, hopeful smile. Pinkamena shook her head, “No.” Sighing, she resigned herself to the task, “But I suppose our meeting is inevitable. Come, let us face her.” Her horn glowed with a bright blue aura, as she turned the knob and opened the door. Ding-a-ling! rang the bell over the front door as the two alicorns entered. Inside they found themselves surrounded and outnumbered by a vast army of sugary pastries while towering cakes loomed over them. Their eyes caught site of a display case overflowing with dozens of varieties of chocolates along with hard candies of every color of a rainbow. And their noses detected the scent of even more sweet treats baking in the oven. “Pinkie?” called Twilight. A moment later the kitchen door swung open. Pinkie Pie bounced in, “Hi Twi –” Catching sight of the other alicorn, she became distracted and tripped, landing face first on the floor. “Ow.” “Are you all right!” cried Twilight, rushing over to help her friend to her hooves. “Okey-dokey,” assured Pinkie with a big grin. Pinkameana stood back and silently watched the two friends interact. “Pinkie, there’s somepony I’d like you to meet,” said Twilight as she motioned towards the other pony in the room. Pinkamena stepped forward, “Hello, I’m –” “No! Don’t tell me!” Pinkie donned her deerstalker hat and puffed a pipe as she slowly circled, carefully studying the mysterious pink alicorn. “Hmm... horn... wings... pink coat... pink mane and tail... blue eyes... you look awfully familiar,” she mused rubbing her chin. Instantly her face lit up. “Twilight, why didn’t you tell me that Princess Cadence had a sister?” Pinkamena groaned and rolled her eyes. “Pinkie, Cadence doesn’t have a sister,” replied Twilight. “Oh, I guess I lose the game. Unless I can have another guess?” she asked, her face full of hope. The pink alicorn said very slowly, “My name is Pinkamena... Diane......... Pie.” Pinkie gasped, “It is? Wow! What a coinkydink! That’s my name too!” Twilight groaned, “Pinkie, she’s you!” The pipe fell from Pinkie’s gaping mouth. “She is?” “Yes.” A flash of horror spread across her face. “I swear I didn’t use the Mirror Pond to make a clone of me!” Pinkie insisted. Twilight hooffaced. “Mirror Pond?” inquired a confused Pinkamena. “She’s not really you,” explained Twilight. “She’s a Pinkie from another dimension.” “Pinkamena,” corrected the alicorn. “Ohhhhhh,” said Pinkie, suddenly getting it. “Like when you went to Canterlot High a few moons back and met the Pinkie Pie there?” “Exactly,” responded Twilight. “Canterlot High? You have traveled to other dimensions before?” asked Pinkamena. "Well -" “Sure,” piped in Pinkie. “This meanie unicorn named Sunset Shimmer stole Twilight’s crown so she could use its magic to take over that world. But Twilight and the ponies there defeated her and now Sunset’s good.” “Wait, there has been another evil unicorn?” asked a confused Pinkamena. “Are all your enemies crazed unicorns?” “No,” assured Twilight. Pinkie thought for a moment, “Well, there was Sunset Shimmer… and Starlight Glimmer – ever notice how much those names sound alike?... and King Sombra... and Trixie... and Flim and Flam... and Nightmare Moon if you want to count an alicorn… and my Pinkie Sense is telling me we're goanna meet an evil unicorn named Tempest Shadow –” “Pinkie – not helping,” said Twilight through gritted teeth as she glared at her friend. Turning to Pinkameana, she explained, “Actually we have lots of enemies that aren’t unicorns. We defeated Discord, a draconequus; Tirek, a centaur; Gilda, a griffon; Ahuizotl, a – you know, I don’t actually know what he is; along with Queen Chrysalis and a whole army of changelings.” “For being the Princess of Friendship, you make a lot of enemies,” observed Pinkamena to Twilight’s ire. “I am not sure this Equestria is much safer than mine.” Twilight facehoofed again. “Okay, I probably shouldn’t have gone into how many enemies we’ve made over the moons. But we’ve reformed a lot of them.... okay, three. Sunset Shimmer is now a pen pal of mine, Discord is Fluttershy’s friend, and Trixie isn’t actively seeking revenge against us... I think.” “So how long will you be staying in Ponyville – our Ponyville?” asked Pinkie. “Permanently,” replied Pinkamena. “Really?” “Since she’ll be living in Ponyville for a while, I thought you two should get to know each other,” explained Twilight. Pinkie’s eyes lit up as a smile grew that was too big for her face. “That’s a great idea! And I know the best way for us to bond – baking!” She began pushing the pink alicorn towards the kitchen. Pinkamena locked her legs and resisted, but the smaller earth pony was far stronger than one would imagine. As she passed through the kitchen door, Pinkamena gave a pleading look to Twilight, who only returned an encouraging smile....