Episode 3:
Too Many Pinkie Pies
Shortly after King Sombra’s defeat, Twilight Sparkle had started the next steps of her advanced studies under Princess Celestia and she wasted no time in getting started with practicing on her newest assignment once she got it. She got Spike and Kion to join and watch over her while she performs outside of the nearby café. It involves transforming objects into other objects and Twilight plans to start off by turning an apple into an orange.
“Try again, Twi, you can do it!” Spike encouraged her after struggling a bit on the first time.
“Phew, this spell's a toughie. But I feel lucky this time!” Twilight voiced with confidence that she can do it before trying again. “One, two...”
“Hi!” Pinkie suddenly greeted by tackling her for a hug out of nowhere which caused her to ricochet her magic into a nearby blue bird.
“Pinkie, why'd you do that?!” Twilight groaned in annoyance after breaking free from the hug.
“'Cause hugs are funneriffic, especially when you throw one around a friend.” She happily responded while twisting and untwisting her own arms before taking curious interest in what she had just interrupted her unicorn friend. “Whatcha doin'?”
“Trying to turn that apple into an orange!” She answered just when the bird she struck floated by with wings and the body of an orange.
“But you kinda threw her aim off...” Spike pointed to said bird affected by her spell.
“…and caused her to hit that bird.” Kion added.
“Oops.” Pinkie giggled. “What a cute orange birdie! Do me next, Twilight! Do me, do me!” She happily bounced around before nearly bumping into Rarity and Ono with the former wearing a black cloak over her body. “Ooooh, Rarity, Ono, wanna see Twilight turn me into an orange? It's gonna be funna-fun-fuuun!”
“What?” Ono questioned rather perplexed by what she had just said. “You were going to be turned into a what now?”
“As fun as creating this haute couture ensemble that I just finished making?” Rarity replied to the pink mare while removing it to unveil a stylish two shaded pink dress with a matching pair of slippers. “Delightful, non?”
“Very.” Ono agreed with a French accent.
“This is terrible!” Pinkie suddenly gasped.
“Je te demande pardon?” Ono inquired thinking she is talking about the dress.
“I admit it's perhaps not my finest work, but I–“ Rarity began before being interrupted mid-sentence.
“No!” She quickly corrected before frantically running around her friends. “You had total-awesome-amazing fun and I missed out on it?! Neh! Wait! What if there's more awesome amazing fun with friends happening somewhere in Ponyville right now that I'm missing out on too?!”
She then quickly ran off with the hope she can still enjoy whatever time she has left for today.
“Kion, Qu’est-ce que c’etait tout ca?” Ono turned the leader of the Lion Guard to make out of this.
“Don’t know.” He answered.
“But we weren't going to turn her into an orange! I swear!” Spike immediately added.
The party pony moved on elsewhere starting with Rainbow Dash who is using her tail to swat down a patch of clouds around her.
“Hey, Rainbow Dash, whatcha doing?” Pinkie greeted.
“This punk cloud got so heavy it's making fog.” Rainbow answered while directing her to the cloud she is working on. “Figure I'll thin this bad boy out so it floats back up.”
“Oooh, fun!” Pinkie exclaimed before running circles around her which sent the cloud flying back up light as a feather and leaving the Pegasus spinning around like a top. “Wheeeeee! Gotta go!”
“Uh, thanks, Pinkie...?” Rainbow returned still a little dizzy before seeing the pony dash off in a flash.
Meanwhile, Pinkie has caught up to Applejack carrying his little sister Apple Bloom in a cart full of apples while Beshte carries a separate cart of apples alongside him.
“Hey, Applejack! Hey Beshte! That looks like fun, can I join you two?” She asked before hopping on.
“Uh, sure.” Beshte agreed without hesitation though still a little bewildered by her sudden appearance.
“Wheee! Next time I'll pull you!” She quickly dashed off again leaving the two girls and hippo confused.
“Okay…” Beshte just said not sure what to make of it along with Applejack who just shrugged in response.
And last but not least, she meets up with Fluttershy and Fuli having a little tea party with Angel and the kitten in the park.
Even though Fuli is not a girl who’s really into them like Fluttershy, she does get to spend time with her favorite playtime pal and learn a thing or two more about being a little more kind from Fluttershy. At the same time it also helps Fluttershy learn a thing or two about being a little more assertive whenever Ono is busy helping Rarity.
“Fluttershy! Fuli!” She greeted while taking deep breaths from all of that running. “There... you... are...!” She spoke in between pants. “Doing...anything...fun?”
“Not especially.” Fluttershy replied a little weirded out by her sudden entrance.
"Not much." Fuli also replied with a more deadpan expression.
“Oh, good. Fun... is hard...!” She responded before dropping onto her back in exhaustion.
“Okay.” Fuli shrugged while sipping her tea.
The two then escorted the pink earth pony to the nearby pathway where they managed to get her to rest on a sofa Rarity had generously gifted them with butterflies fluttering around her.
“Feeling better, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked.
“Abso-tutely-lutely!” She positively replied. “Thanks for letting me rest in your butterfly grove while I get my Pinkie strength back!”
“What are friends for?” Fluttershy happily thought nothing of it.
"It's the least we can do." Fuli added with a simple shrug when Pinkie pulled Fluttershy's head up.
“That's just the thing! I've got so many wonderful friends having fun in every last corner of Ponyville, I can't figure out how to keep up with it all! It's driving me even more coco-loco than usual!” She explained to them her problem.
“Okay…” Fuli said still a little weirded out. “…anything we can do to help you out or do you want us to do nothing?”
“I don’t know!” She exclaimed before lying back on the couch and burying her hooves into her face but luckily for her Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Beshte, and Bunga all came to her with fun-filled offers that fit her bill of criteria.
“Hey Pinkie!” Bunga greeted.
“There you are, Pinkie. Been lookin' everywhere for ya, girl.” Applejack greeted.
“Me too!” Bunga added. “Me too! Sorry I couldn’t be there for you this morning but I had to help my uncles Timon and Pumbaa wrestle up their morning grub but now I’m here and I’m ready to have some fun with you.”
“Me three, Pinkie. Got something fun planned this afternoon thought you might wanna know about.” Rainbow also added.
“Heh. Well, I'll be an apple crisp. I'm here for the same reason.” Applejack spoke finding it a very coincidence.
“This is perfect!” Pinkie responded with perked up ears. “Everyone will now bring their fun to me. Ha, this'll solve everything!” She happily bounced ahead. “Why didn't I think of that?”
“Actually…” Rainbow clarified while flying in front of her. “…what I meant is after I'm done whipping up today's weather, I'll be chilling by the lake catching some rays. Wanna hang?”
“I am so there. Wheee.” Pinkie immediately agreed.
“And my family's havin' a barn-raisin' this afternoon at Sweet Apple Acres and Beshte is being kind enough to help me out today.” Applejack added while speaking up her offer.
“And I'm also so there. Whee, whee.” Pinkie again immediately agreed without even thinking of what she was committing herself to.
“Are you sure, Pinkie?” Beshte spoke up noticing the problem here. “Because both things you want to do are both happening at the same time.”
“Ah, well, doesn't matter. Whichever one you choose is okay with me.” Rainbow shrugged it off as no big deal.
“Me too.” Applejack nodded in agreement.
“Choose?” Pinkie gasped once the realization sunk in.
“Yep.” Bunga nodded before turning to the blue Pegasus. “And I can tell you right now Rainbow Dash that I am in for a sun tan.”
“Excellent!” Rainbow said while high fiving him upon gaining someone to relax with.
Back at the café, Twilight is once again practicing her assigned spell. She focused her magic ready to try it again without being interrupted again.
“All good?” Twilight asked Kion.
“You’re good.” Kion nodded she can go ahead and try again.
“Okay.” Twilight began before focusing her magic on the apple again. “One, two...”
Once again unexpectedly, Pinkie showed up and threw off her aim when she bounced off of her back and caused her to turn a nearby frog into an orange with only frog legs by accident before rushing and grinding to a complete stop.
“Yes, Pinkie.” Twilight said to her with a forced smile. “Can I help you with something?”
“Nope. Don’t mind me.” Pinkie replied while looking at her stopwatch. “Timing myself galloping back and forth between the swimming hole and Sweet Apple Acres.”
“Any reason why you’re timing yourself.” Kion asked curiously who repeatedly bounced around the three.
“I'm trying to cut down my time so if Rainbow Dash dives off the swing, I can get to Sweet Apple Acres to help with the barn raising, and then be back in time to see Rainbow Dash hit the water after doing a double flip!” She rapidly explained. If I can cut my time by only twenty minutes, I'm good.”
Twilight chuckled in amusement thinking she’ll be able to pull off the impossible like that. “Oh, Pinkie. I'm afraid no matter how hard you try, the only way to pull something like that off is if there's more of you to go around.”
Hearing that, had her mind processing this like a ticking alarm clock until the bells rang in her head giving her an idea to resolve this.
“That's it, Twilight! The legend of the Mirror Pool!” She exclaimed while leaping up to Twilight (albeit as close as she can while being restrained by the unicorn’s magic).
“Legend of the who-what now?” Kion questioned before seeing Pinkie is already racing off ahead somewhere. “Pinkie!” He tried calling after her but she was already gone. “What was that all about?” Kion then turned to the others who blinked in confusion.
“I'm familiar with loads of legends, and I never heard of the legend of the Mirror Pool.“ Twilight said while trying to recall what she was talking about.
“Well whatever it is, I hope she knows what she is doing.” Kion said while moving on.
“Does this mean practice is over?” Spike hopefully asked eager for an early end of the day.
“Of course not! Back to work.” Twilight shook her head in response.
While Spike before setting out to prep the table and apple so Twilight can perform her spell Twilight turned back so she can focus her magic again she sported a smile of satisfaction before turning back ready to try it again.
Elsewhere, Pinkie Pie had made her way into the Everfree Forest in search for what she is looking for.
“Seems like hardly anypony's been here in ages. I hope I'm remembering the rhymes right from my Nana Pinkie's story.” She said to herself before trying to recite the rhyme itself. "Where the brambles are thickest, there you will find a pond beyond the most twisted of vines!"
She then heard an echo which startled her. “What was that?!” She looked around before realizing it was only an echo of her voice. “Oh, I heard a voice!” She cheerfully pressed forward. “Oh. Hehe. It was me.”
Next up was the black prickly branches from the nearby trees she presses through the path in front of her.
“Ouch! Ooh! Stop scratching me up, you brambles, and– Whoooaaa!” She then screamed upon falling through a hole. She ended up tumbling through a tunnel leading down to a downhill slope to which she ended up falling face first into the ground.
When she pulled her head up she gasped in delight upon finding what she is looking for…
“The Mirror Pool!” She then heard her voice echo again. “Oh, and there's that voice again! Tsk, tsk, tsk. Ah Pinkie, you have got to stop talking to yourself.” After a moment upon realizing that she still is. “Starting... now."
She then looked into her own reflection upon looking into the pond before reciting the chant that works it’s magic on it.
“And into her own reflection she stared, uh, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly mared!" She then stepped into the pond until her full body was submerged underwater and when she emerged from the other side she was greeted with an exact copy standing right in front of her. “Wheee-heee! Wow, the legend is true. It really worked!”
“Fun, fun!” The other Pinkie repeated while hopping and bouncing around with fun being the only thing on her mind.
“Okay, wait. I promised not talk to myself anymore. I should say something to her. Or... would that still be talking to myself?” Pinkie pondered to herself before trying to get her double’s attention. “Excuse me, me? Can I have a word with you? Uh, I mean, me? Listen, I can see you're having lots of fun, but–“
“Fun?! Did somebody say fun? Where?” The Pinkie double immediately ran over to her.
“I did, over here!”
“I thought someone said something about fun!” She eagerly looked around without letting the real Pinkie explain it to her. “Where is it? Over here? Over here? I don't see it! Where is it? Where is it?”
“Whoa, calm yourself, Pinkie, there's loads of fun to be had in Ponyville with my girls!” The real Pinkie told her before leading her back to town. “Trot on over back to Ponyville with me and I'll tell you all about 'em.”
The two made their way away from the Mirror Pool and out of the Everfree Forest unware that a sinister pair of green eyes are watching from above.
“Excellent!” Scar’s voice said to himself upon seeing this.
Meanwhile just outside of the Everfree Forest…
“...And then there's Rarity. She's the one with all the fancy clothes and ribbons and stuff! I'm thinking she can make us all matching t-shirts that say 'Team Pinkie', and–“ She further attempted to explain to her easily distracted double to no avail.
“Is this Ponyville? Where's the fun? Where's the fun?”
Seeing that she really wants to have fun already she decides to get straight to the point. “Uh, well, let's see, Applejack's having a barn raising at–“
The Pinkie double wasted no time running ahead on over there.
“It's that-away!” Pinkie corrected her who quickly rushed over in the opposite direction.
“Wait, come back! Don't forget to meet me back here to tell me everything about everything, like I was there myself!” She instructed of her. “Because I'm you and, and you're me, and– Oh, my gosh! This is the greatest plan ever!” Pinkie expressed to herself very pleased this might work out. “Now, off to double my fun!”
The two Pinkie’s then went in opposite directions with their fun filled afternoon’s set in stone although what the real Pinkie has yet to realize that double the fun can lead to double the trouble with what’s about to happen.
At the pond where both Rainbow Dash and Bunga are both lounging on their beach chairs, the former has just finished reading the latest book of Daring Do before finally pulling out her suntan mirror. She turned to the latter and shook the glasses from her forehead upon seeing that her relaxing companion is bright red and pink on his blue and white fur.
“Hey Bunga!” Rainbow spoke up to get his attention.
“What’s up?” He asked oblivious that he is getting sunburn.
“Don’t take this the wrong way…” Rainbow began before taking away his suntan mirror. “…but I think you’ve had enough tanning for one day. Why don’t you go and take a little swim.” She then suggested.
“Okay.” Bunga nonchalantly did so before moving forward from his chair and taking a sniff around him. “Do you smell something burning?”
Before Rainbow could answer, Pinkie Pie showed up with an inflatable tube around her waist ready to jump in the water.
“Let's rock this pool, ponies!” She leaps up into the air and then… “Whee!”
She makes a big splash that drenches Bunga while drenching and washing away the red and pink colors on his body and sprinkled Rainbow.
“Never mind.” Bunga then said while steam flies off of his body. “Hi Pinkie!” He called out to her before joining her in the water.
“Hi Bunga!” Pinkie returned before turning to Rainbow. “Coming in, Dashie? The water's great, it's totally wet and everything!
“I don't know...” Rainbow responded while reluctant to get out of her chair while Bunga swam backstroke into the pool of water. “Cloud busting was tougher work than usual today.” She yawned while stretching her back. “I'm kind of exhausted.”
“That's fine, you relax. At least we'll still be together!” Pinkie didn’t mind too much over it.
“Glad you made it, Pinkie.” Rainbow then said. “I thought you maybe went to Applejack's, instead.”
“I did.”
“Oh. The barn up yet?” She asked wondering how she somehow pulled off getting it done quickly.
“I have no idea.” She replied which left her friend along with Bunga confused.
“What?” He shouted from the water before swimming back up to the shore. “How do you know something you don’t know?”
“I just do.” She half-answered which still stirred mixed feelings from her friends hearing this.
“But I thought you said you were just at Applejack's.” Rainbow reminded.
“Actually, I'm probably still on my way there now!” She paid no attention to the skewed logic bomb she is throwing here before hopping into the pond. “Whee!”
While Pinkie relaxes in the water, both Bunga and Rainbow Dash look at each other still trying to piece together her saying that she is here but she is also at Applejack’s at the same time.
“Is it me or am I the only one trying to make sense out of this?” Rainbow asked Bunga while placing a hoof in her right ear.
“You’re not the only one.” Bunga agreed in one of the rare moments of acknowledgment. “And that’s coming from me. Either she is just that fast or she somehow managed to copy herself so she can be at two places at the same time.”
"I don't know." Rainbow voiced unable to make sense of it. "Probably best not to ask questions knowing her."
"True." He agreed before returning to their relaxation yet still can't help that something still is off and it's not sitting right for him.
At the same time, the Pinkie duplicate is making her way on over to Sweet Apple Acres while passing by Fluttershy along with Fuli who along with Angel are helping her pick cherries for their picnic with the Pegasus mare’s other critter friends nearby.
“Oh, Pinkie Pie, I'm so glad you wandered by.” Fluttershy quickly greeted the Pinkie double upon catching a glimpse of her. “I know I promised not to have any fun today, but, oh, I couldn't help myself.” She started before floating over to where she set up her picnic gathering. “All of my critter friends wanted a picnic, and I couldn't disappoint them.” The Pinkie double immediately grinned upon seeing this fun-filled opportunity. “Come join us. We have plenty of hay juice and marmalade to go around, don't we, critters?”
“A nice relaxing day to be able to talk and hang out just like you asked for.” Fuli added while joining the others before taking a bite out of her marmalade toast.
The Pinkie double really liked this proposal when a mouse offers her a piece of cheese for her to snack on but did remember she is supposed to be on her way to Applejack’s. “Wait, but that sounds super fun! Oh, but Applejohn sounds super fun too! Uh, and, and I can't do one without missing out on the other!”
“Who's Applejohn?” Fluttershy asked while Angel rubbed her head in confusion.
“I think she means Applejack.” Fuli whispered to the Pegasus before the pink pony gets in the latter’s face.
“Two fun things at once? But which, which? Oh, can't decide...” She frantically rattled before breathing heavily to the point of hyperventilating. “Trouble breathing... Walls closing in!”
“Walls? But we're outside.” Fluttershy pointed out.
“Everything okay?” Fuli asked before the overwhelmed duplicate ran off screaming.
“Goodness. Was it something I said?” Fluttershy wondered out loud to which the bear shrugged in response.
“Not really, I think.” Fuli answered still trying to make sense of it too.
“Yes!” Pinkie exclaimed while briefly returning before heading out.
“Huh?”
“No!” Fuli shook her head to assure Fluttershy otherwise. “And something sure seems to be too much for mind right now.” She then wondered feeling something is wrong here because if one thing Pinkie is one to never turn away a friend’s offer in fun.
Meanwhile, the real Pinkie is explaining to Rainbow and Bunga of her most recent discovery.
“So you see, that's how I'm able to have fun in two places at once.” She finished explaining to them although Rainbow doesn’t seem to believe her.
“Duplicates of you, huh? Heh, yeah, sure, Pinkie.” Rainbow returned before trying to sit back and relax with a yawn. “Look, I was just gearing up to catch some Z's, so, uh...”
“Gotcha.” Pinkie immediately understood. “I'll have the rest of my fun really quietly.” She then moved to leap in the pool. “Wheeeee...” She said softly with an equally matching splash into the pond while submerging underwater.
“Un-Bunga-veilable!” Bunga was left stunned that she was able to pull that off.
“How'd you do that?” Rainbow asked in surprise upon seeing that.
“Just trying to show a little consideration for my sleepy friend.” She answered while popping her head out of the water just when she notices her duplicate trying to get her attention from the nearby bush. “Ooh, ooh, gotta run. Looks like I'm trying to get my attention.” She quickly moves over to meet with her double. “Excuse me.”
“And me.” The duplicate added before they both hopped off together.
“Huh?” Bunga along with Rainbow shook his head upon seeing there are two of them. “What? How the…”
“Maybe we should just rest and you just lay off the coconut milk okay?” Rainbow suggested.
“Probably for the best.” Bunga agreed without hesitation before tossing the coconut with a straw in it away before joining Rainbow on the lounge chairs.
Meanwhile, the original Pinkie assuming that her double was already finished wasted no time bouncing up and down eager to hear how it went.
“Ooh, ooh, tell me all about it! Did they pull the walls of the barn up slow or fast?
“I–“ She tried to explain.
“Maybe slow to medium fast, somewhere in that range?”
“I–“
“Ooh, did you get ice cream? What kinds did they have? Banana brickle?”
“I didn't make it!” The duplicate yelled in confession. “I was on my way there and then Fluttershutter–“
”Fluttershy.” The original Pinkie corrected.
“Yeah, her. She offered something else fun for me to do! A picnic, with cute little animals!”
“Aw, how could you say no to that?” Pinkie saw it as now big deal.
“That's what I'm saying! Then I would've missed the super fun thing with Applesauce!”
“Applejack.” Pinkie again corrected to her duplicate.
“So I didn't do anything fun at all!” The duplicate wailed while lying on her back on the ground.
“Aw, my poor poor me! There, there.” Pinkie quickly comforted with a hug. “Tell me what, we just need a couple more Pinkie Pies. Easy peasy.”
“Really?” The duplicate felt relieved.
“Come on, would I lie to me?”
The two ponies made their way back to the Mirror Pool where they repeated the chant at the same time. And much like before the two Pinkie Pies multiplied to four Pinkie Pies. Pinkie was pleased with the results before preparing to head out…
…before noticing the three duplicates performed the chant again to create three more Pinkie Pie’s…
…And then all six duplicates performed the chant again to double the number of duplicates to twelve Pinkie Pies.
“What in the name of pink?! Knock it off!” Pinkie snapped at them after seeing how out of control they were all while they were repeatedly chanting “Fun!” multiple times.
Pinkie might be all for fun, but what her duplicates were showing was a lack of common sense and it was starting to annoy even her. But even still she was still determined to make it all work…somehow against her better judgement.
She led everyone out of the Everfree Forest before whistling to get everyone’s attention before performing a quick drill to make sure her dozen doubles understand of what to do when they split up.
“Okay, between the bunch of us, we should have every nook and cranny of fun in Ponyville covered at all times. An unprecedented and massive undertaking!” She instructed everyone before pulling out an easel with hoof-drawn pictures of her friends. “But first, a pop quiz on the names I taught you!”
“Applejack! Fluttershy! Pinkie Pie! Beshte! Bunga! Fuli! Rarity! Twilight! Ono! Kyoga! Rainbow Dash! Spike! Kion!” They all chanted in unison which was enough to cement to Pinkie that this will work.
“Excellent. Okay, let's get on with this, folks. Fan out on three. One–“ Suddenly they all rushed off ahead to have the fun they seek which left the real Pinkie suddenly feeling she may have made a big mistake letting them all go off on their own like that.
And true to her worries, they wasted no time causing trouble starting with Rainbow Dash and Bunga who were both fast asleep on their chairs before being interrupted when two Pinkie Pie’s used their tails to tickle the two into sneezing.
“Huh?”
“What the–“
The two exclaimed upon seeing the multiple duplicates all running and swimming around and having fun and chanting “Fun!” over and over again.
“Wow! Pinkie Pie wasn't kidding about the duplicates! Except now there's triplicates... and quadruplicates!”
“Not only that quintuplicates and octupilicates!”
At that moment, Pinkie had caught with the dozen troublemakers relentlessly causing a scene with both Rainbow and Bunga taking cover using their beach chairs and umbrellas to take cover from them.
“Get away! All of you!”
“No more Pinkies! I can't take it!”
All of the clones didn’t listen to their warning since they all were too busy bouncing and chanting “Fun!” with one of them banging on a drum while doing it.
Seeing that she is too late, she decides it was best to go on over to meet with Applejack and Beshte, hoping she’ll have better luck with the renovations…
…only that she is too late to stop them since they have all managed to ruin the steady progress Applejack, Big Macintosh, Beshte have made while they were holding up a rope together that held it up together when the multiple Pinkie Pie’s bouncing by caused them to accidentally let go of the rope.
“Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!” The Pinkie duplicates all chanted together while carelessly ensuring that everything put up is undone before hopping off ahead thus angering Applejack.
“Y'all come back here and clean up after yourselves this instant!” She shouted in their direction while throwing her hat down in frustration when they all hopped ahead without paying attention to her.
While the clones all hopped off ahead to cause havoc somewhere else, Pinkie watched in hiding from inside a hay bale. It was now crystal clear to her that this has been causing more harm than good like she intended.
“Oh no, what have I done, what have I done?! My poor friends...” She cried to herself upon seeing the damage she created.
Sure enough, almost everyone from Ponyville along with some of the Pride Landers were filing their complaints to the leaders of the Lion and Pony Guard about the chaos that has been going on today.
“Okay, everypony, please, calm down!” Twilight urged everyone.
“What’s the problem?” Kion inquired.
“Calm down?!"
“I just had a Pinkie hurricane raging through my shop!”
Both Ono and Rarity angrily complained.
“And they trashed our critter picnic!”
“They nearly ran me over!”
Fluttershy and Fuli added just as furious as everyone else.
“They nearly bumped into all of us and didn’t say please or sorry!” Bupu complained with slight eye roll of annoyance from the Lion Guard’s fastest.
“They nearly ruined our grazing grounds!” Thurston also complained to which everyone turned their attention to him rather flatly. “What? A zebra’s gotta be able to eat too.” He then defended before everyone turned their attention back to both Kion and Twilight.
“All right everypony, hang on while I try to figure something out! We’ll handle things from here.”
“In the meantime, just everyone head back home and avoid them at all times.”
The two leaders then told everyone with the former turning to her assistant.
“Come on, Spike.” Twilight told him. “I've gotta try to remember the name of that legend she mentioned.”
The three retreated inside to the Golden Oaks Library, locked the door behind them, and then started pulling aside books in search for content involving the legend of the Mirror Pond that Pinkie found that allowed her to create these duplicates of herself.
Spike had managed to find the book containing said information when he can across a secret compartment in one of the back of the dusty shelves with a horseshoe button on the back. He pressed it and it opened before quickly presenting the book to Twilight.
“Thanks.” She said to him before reading it and brightening a smile upon finding what she is looking for. “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!”
“That's perfect!”
“Let's go!”
Both Kion and Spike were pleased ready to set the plan in motion before Twilight stopped them to warn them there’s more with added caution just when they were about to unlock and open the door.
“But there's a catch.” She warned them.
“Like what?” Kion asked.
“If I can't figure out which one's the real Pinkie, I might send her back by mistake!” She explained to them. “And worse it might keep her trapped there forever!”
“Hevi Kabisa!” Kion quietly voiced the horrifying implications it has.
“Well, we'll just have to figure out who the real one is then. Shouldn't be too hard.” Spike remained certain they can do it no problem before turning back to the crowd.
“Does anypony here know how we can tell the real Pinkie Pie from all the rest of them?” Twilight asked of everyone who all returned blank responses in answer to her question just when the real Pinkie arrives on the scene.
“Twilight! Kion! I have to talk to you two, I need your help!” She called out to them to which the former was quick to dismiss her with a Pinkie duplicate standing right beside her imitating her words and movements perfectly.
“Excuse me, whoever you are, but I'm not talking to any of you Pinkies unless you're the real Pinkie.“ She told her before using her magic to hurl the duplicate mimicking her aside into a nearby tree which knocked her out silly with stars floating over her head.
“Oh, but, but I am the real Pinkie!” Pinkie pleaded that she is telling the truth which didn’t help when the other eleven duplicates arrived on the scene to claim otherwise with one of them appearing under Fancy Pants (who just happened to be visiting Ponyville today) hat.
“No, you're not! I'm the real Pinkie!”
“I'm the real Pinkie!”
“No, I'm the real Pinkie!”
“I'm the real Pinkie!”
“No, I'm the real Pinkie!”
“I'm the real Pinkie!”
The six duplicates argued before all of the other and more Pinkie Pie clones repeatedly chanted and bounced “Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!” together.
“How in tarnation are we supposed to tell which is the real Pinkie?” Applejack asked Twilight.
“I have no idea.” Twilight replied while eyeing the mare that’s not repeating the word fun over and over again.
“Me either.” The real Pinkie agreed while buried deep in the crowd. “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!” She commented each part of herself with observation before further lamenting. “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?”
The real Pinkie Pie buried her hooves in devastation now that no one is able to see her let alone believe her while all of the duplicates all continuing chanting together. “Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!”
Everyone all headed back home barricading themselves inside until further notice as requested by the leaders of the Guard who along with Spike and Bunga walk and trot around just when the duplicates all hop and bounce around together as a group.
“Ugh, this is hopeless!” Twilight groaned in dismay.
“Maybe that one's the real Pinkie.” Spike pointed to the sole Pinkie with her head rested against the table she was sitting on with a sad face.
“That could be.” Kion agreed. “She isn’t bouncing around along with the others.”
"And Pinkie never bounces whenever she is upset." Bunga added while finding her behavior rather concerning and saddening to see his best friend like this.
“True.” Twilight also agreed but also shake her head to ensure they weren’t entirely convinced. “But the real Pinkie Pie never sat that long in one place her whole life!”
“I'm gonna go ask.” Spike still pressed forward feeling it’s worth a shot with Kion shrugging it doesn’t hurt to try.
"Me too!" Bunga followed after him upon seeing that he has the right idea.
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Twilight still cautioned with a shake of her head. “She could be trying to mess with your head.”
“So lemme guess. You're the real Pinkie Pie.” Spike asked her.
“Heck if I know.” She sadly replied like it makes a difference. “Could be any one of us if you ask me. 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.”
"But come on Pinkie." Bunga pressed. "That's not true."
"But it is!" Pinkie still cried before running off ahead. "Now just please, leave me alone!"
"Pinkie...!" Bunga called after her to get her to come back to no avail. "Poor Pinkie."
Twilight then turned to Kion while looking torn. “Oh, Kion, how're we gonna do this? I can't risk sending the real Pinkie back into the pond!”
“I’m not sure.” Kion didn’t have an answer but then thought of a possible idea that could work. “Unless…” Twilight, Bunga, and Spike were listening intently. “What if you gave them a test?”
“What do you mean?” Twilight asked with a calculating expression.
“I mean 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!” He explained to which Twilight nodded before smiling upon taking the idea into consideration.
“You know, that's not a bad idea.” Twilight liked the idea to which Pinkie eagerly smiled upon hearing that before racing off ahead to set that plan into motion.
"I'll meet you there!" Bunga called after the three racing off ahead before turning back to find Pinkie who managed to quickly return.
“This is great! If I pass, I get to be with my friends again!” Pinkie ecstatically expressed to herself before suddenly gasping upon realizing the catch to it. “But what if I don't pass? Oh, what if I'm not the real Pinkie Pie?! Ohhhh!” She groaned before sitting down and smacking her face into the table. “Stupid…magic…mirror…water! This is all your fault! ...And mine.” She berated herself before planting her face down onto the table in defeat when she ended up reminding herself she is the reason this whole mess happened in the first place.
"Come on, Pinkie..." Bunga again appeared. "...it's not your fault...completely."
"Yes it is." Pinkie's mood failed to change. "If only I never went there in the first place none of this would be happening right now and it's all my fault."
She still sulked on the table leaving the honey badger at a loss for words of how to help make her feel better but knew that he do something to help her through this before racing off ahead so he can find out what Twilight is planning to pull out the real deal from the pack of clones.
Meanwhile, both the leaders of the Lion and Pony Guard wasted no time in making the arrangements in getting everything all set up to get the real Pinkie back. They arranged for the town hall to be vacated so this special test can be held there while Fuli and Kyoga both helped the Apple Family siblings round the clones all up.
“Hyah, ya Pinkies! Hyah!” Applejack yelled at them while running close behind them while she and the others keep the group rounded up and making sure not one Pinkie Pie strayed from the group.
“Back in line!”
“Huwezi!”
Both Kyoga and Fuli shouted when they caught two of them mindlessly attempting to stray away from the pack while Big Macintosh and Apple Bloom lead the way with Winona hopping from head to head to get in front of the pack.
“Ooh, they wanna play chase! This is fun, too!” One of them rambled before they were all led inside the building.
“Oh, give it a rest.” Applejack told them before following after them along with Fuli and Kyoga where the rest of the Guard minus Rainbow are already there waiting for them.
“Welcome, Pinkies, welcome. Please have a seat and make yourselves comfortable.” Twilight greeted them who all sit bounced around together mindlessly say “Fun!” over and over without acknowledging a word she said. “Okay, I suppose you can't be comfortable staying in one place, but have a seat anyway.” She spoke them a little more seriously which still didn’t get their attention.
After a few more seconds of them bouncing around and ignoring her she decided to raise her voice to get them to obey her by shouting “Sit down!”
Everyone all stopped and immediately obeyed.
“Better.” She felt pleased now that they are complying. “Now, I suppose you're all wondering why I've gathered you all here today.”
“For fun?” One of the duplicates asked with a shrug.
“No, just the opposite actually.” She answered just when Rainbow Dash flies inside with one more Pinkie Pie with Bunga following after them.
“Wait up, I got one more! Found this one poking at the ground with her hoof, drawing frowny faces.” She told the unicorn and lion cub up front.
“That’s not like what Pinkie Pie would do.” Kion commented finding it rather odd but none of the less played it safe. “But have her come sit with the others.”
"You got this." Bunga whispered in the depressed mare's direction before making his way onto the stage.
"Okay." She responded with flat acknowledgement even when he quickly relayed to her of how she is going to be proving to everyone that she is the Pinkie they all know and love as a friend. But even so Bunga still had faith that she will come out on top.
After Rainbow Dash placed her in the back of the crowd before Twilight continues speaking to them. “Pinkies, you've been brought here to take a test.” She told them who all groaned in response. “Don't worry, it's a simple test, about as simple as they come, and whoever passes gets to stay.” She further spoke to them who all shrugged in confusion before Kion and Spike went over to pull down the curtain. “Curtain, please. The test...will be watching paint dry!”
All of the Pinkie duplicates all gasp in horror once Rarity and Fluttershy who had just finished painting the wall pushed forward it close to the front of the stage for them to watch until one of them remains.
“On your mark, get set, go!” Twilight told them who all obeyed and started to look on with locked eyes.
“Ooh, this is so exciting!” Spike commented while fetching himself and Bunga popcorn for them to snack on to pass the time…
…at least the five to ten minutes spent to consume their bags of popcorn.
“Okay, maybe not that exciting.” Bunga commented when not one Pinkie copy has been eliminated until…
“Oh, hey, look at the birdie!” The first duplicate got distracted by a small red bird on a tree branch from outside.
Twilight Sparkle seeing this quickly used her magic to zap her and send her back to the Mirror Pond.
“Watch me bounce and touch the ceiling!” Another Pinkie duplicate cracked with another turning back to which both got zapped on the spot.
“Is that... is that a frog crossed with an orange?” Another Pinkie duplicate asked while turning to the transfigured frog from earlier to which got two more Pinkie’s attention.
“Cool!”
“Where?”
ZAP!
All three were eliminated on the spot too leaving it down to eight contestants.
“Look what I can do with my hooves!” Another one up front cracked by blowing into her hoof to make digits appear which amazed the Pinkie next to her but had barely any time to react when they were both zapped back into the Mirror Pool.
“Betcha can't make a face crazier than... this!” Another duplicate told another while making a rather creepy and disturbing face before they both got eliminated as well along with all of the remaining Pinkie Pie’s to which Rarity and Fluttershy along with Ono and Beshte shielded their eyes with every zap of magic the unicorn fires at them.
Now it all comes down to the real Pinkie Pie and the last remaining duplicate. It was close when the two come down to the finish line of the competition neck and neck with the real Pinkie Pie looking on nervously to the point she is going to crack but still looked on serious and determined not to.
"Come on, come on..." Bunga pleaded with eyes on the real Pinkie on the verge of losing.
After several slow minutes of neither one them reacting both Rainbow and Bunga have had enough waiting for so long and decided to take action. “Somebody's making balloon animals!” The former called out while she flew up and pointed to the nearby window where the latter appears in front of the window making balloon animals.
“What? Where?” The final duplicate cracked upon turning to the honey badger with said items in his claws thus setting herself up to be sent back with a zap of magic.
It was over, the real Pinkie Pie proved that she is the real deal by still keeping up the serious facade while looking on the drying paint while Bunga pops the balloon animals he just made.
“Pinkie, you can look away now.” Twilight told her.
“I passed?” She asked in surprised relief.
“You passed.” Twilight nodded.
“You're the only Pinkie who kept staring at the wall.” Kion added.
“I had to. I just had to. I couldn't leave my friends, I just couldn't.” She apologetically explained it was the only way to prove herself along with her remorse for causing this mess in the first place. “But I guess sometimes I will have to choose between them.”
“Well yes, it’s true there are times where it comes to that…” Bunga agreed. “...But that doesn’t mean you should feel compelled to try to make both things work at the same time.”
“Yeah!” Applejack spoke up. “Just next time, make arrangements with us and we’ll make to work something out so it does conflict with your schedule.”
“Yeah, without having to resort to making mindless copies of yourself to do the job for you.” Rainbow added.
“Of course!” Pinkie vowed before performing her very own Pinkie Promise to cement the deal.
“I knew you'd be up to the challenge.” Twilight commended the party pony.
"So did I!" Bunga further praised which further buttoned the bright blue eyes in the silly mare.
“I'm me! I'm me! I'm me!” She happily bounced up and down in excitement. “Or am I?” She then second-guessed herself for a very brief second. “Yeah, I'm pretty sure I am.”
“Of course you are!” Kion confirmed. “Considering you were standing out from the rest of the clones, you had to be the real Pinkie Pie since they didn’t have what you have.”
“And what’s that?”
“Common sense.” He answered.
“Well said.” Twilight agreed. "Along with having one best friend who didn't give up on you."
"Aww." Pinkie happily expressed before tightly hugging the honey badger. "And thank you for not giving up on me!"
"No problem!" Bunga kindly returned even when finding her embrace rather tight. "That's what friends are for!"
While everyone was greatly relieved that they now have their friend back, Twilight’s eyes looked on with silent disappointment before pressing forward with blocking off the secret passageway with a large boulder to which Big Macintosh carried from his cart to ensure no one may ever access the Mirror Pond ever again before everyone all tended to repair the damage the mindless clones have created.
After managing proper arrangements with spending time with Applejack and Beshte in helping re-build the barn along with relaxing with Rainbow and Bunga at the pond, Pinkie composed a letter of the lesson she learned to Princess Celestia about her most recent experience.
“Dear Princess Celestia,
It's great to have fun, but it's even greater to have great friends. And having lots of friends means that you sometimes have to make choices as to who you'll spend your time with. But that's okay, because good friends will always give you lots of opportunities to have fun. So even if you're missing out, it's never for long.
Respectfully yours,
Pinkie Pie.”
Once the letter was all written up, Spike sent a green breathe of fire to send it on its way to Canterlot.
“Hi, Pinkie Pie.” Twilight greeted. “We were thinking we should go out and celebrate.”
“You up for some wheelbarrow races?” Applejack offered.
“I’m game.” Fuli accepted the first proposal.
“Or I could take everypony on a cloud ride!” Rainbow offered.
“I’m interested.” Ono accepted the Pegasus’s offer.
“I could throw a party with punch and zesty cucumber sandwiches! Ooh!“ Rarity squealed in delight at the idea.
“I do like punch.” Bunga spoke on board with that proposal.
“You wanna know exactly what I feel like doing right now?” Pinkie told everyone before backing up inside and falling on her back before snoozing away her troubles.
“That looks like fun.” Fluttershy softly expressed.
“Took the words right out of my mouth.” Fuli responded with a smirk at the Pegasus before they all shared a group laugh together with Twilight deciding to close the door so they can let her rest until she is ready to have fun with them again.
While the Guard minus Pinkie all head out and away from Sugarcube Corner, Scar secretly watching from the rooftop of Sugarcube Corner looks down at the group with a silent frown upon seeing that Pinkie had managed to escape from being trapped in the Mirror Pond for an eternity.
“You got lucky this time, Pinkie Pie.” Scar said to himself upon holding a miniature stone statue of the giggly mare. “But rest assured, my little pony that I will succeed in the end, and you wouldn’t be laughing when I’m through with you.” He added before crushing it with his fiery green magic beams from his eyes and teleporting away in a flash.