//------------------------------// // Secure, Contain, Protect // Story: Case Closed // by Slippin_Sweetie //------------------------------// It was hours later, but it could have been days for the poor detective. Bon Bon slowly took a long gulp of coffee, smacking her lips as she trotted through a hallway, greeting her fellow agents. They gave her a nod of recognition before continuing on their way. They had arrived at the facility ages ago and had set Pinkamena up in one of their interrogation cells. She had been left to sweat, giving both mares time to think of what to say. Bon Bon grimaced, feeling coffee grounds at the end of her swallow; she threw the cup of coffee in the trash can. She wasn’t looking forward to this. After what she said to Pinkamena, she had no doubt the mare would also have some questions for her. Sighing and combing back her mane with one hoof, she approached the door to the interrogation rooms, scanning a keycard before entering. Passing by several more cells, Bon Bon stopped in front of the one she knew the detective was behind. Closing her eyes for a brief moment, the earth pony gathered her strength and stepped inside, closing and locking the door behind her. The cell was divided into two rooms, the prisoners' side and the interrogators', with a one-way mirror separating the pair. There was a door beside the wall, allowing prisoners to be taken in or out. Keeping her composure, Bon Bon sat in a swivel chair at a desk in front of the mirror, staring at the pink mare inside. She hesitated, only for a moment, before pressing a button. Bon Bon’s voice crackled through the speakers inside the cell, “Pinkamena, I will be asking you several questions, and I need you to answer as truthfully as possible. That will make this much easier. Are you ready?” I sit in silence with only the dull hum of lights to accompany me. I know Bon Bon is sitting on the other side of that one-way mirror, trying to sweat me as if I were the common thug or thief. It's ironic you never really think of yourself in this position as the long arm of the law. But I can only savor the irony so much. The bitter taste of defeat permeates in my mouth like a foul scent that just won’t go away. "I know that I’ll be racked for all I’m worth and locked away. Or, if I’m not lucky, sent back to the Mirror Pool, where I will be doomed to an eternity watching the world go by. Relegated to the same fate as many who cross Princess Celestia. My train of thought, however, is disturbed by Agent Sweetie’s voice. “Not like I got much of a choice, now do I!?” I spat, “Hey, if you’re gonna fu–” right, E-rating… “... finagle with me, at least give me the curiosity of sitting down at the table with me!” Bon Bon sighed, rubbing a hoof across her eyes before pressing the button to reply, “You know I can’t do that, Pinkamena. We have regulations for the safety of both parties. Now, I have a few questions for you; if you’re willing to cooperate, this will make this go by much quicker.” Clearing her throat, Bon Bon would open up and flip through a folder on the desk, reading out several things before continuing, “First and primarily… what do you remember of the Mirror Pool?” “I remember kissing your mother on the mouth!” I hiss, “She’s a very nice lady with a very nice flank!” I pull a paddle ball from my coat and play with the toy. The agent sighed again and sat back, wishing she had brought another coffee or maybe a snack. That gave her an idea… “I understand you’re not in a good mood, Ms. Pie. In fact, how about we have something to eat first before we get to the nitty-gritty?” She offered, preparing to get out of her chair, “I could grab some donuts and some coffee.” “I’ll take one box of donuts and a Trenta coffee with a double shot of espresso. Iced.” I say promptly. Bon Bon wrinkled her nose and did her best not to sigh over the intercom. “Alright, I’ll be back in a moment.” Calling down to someone in the break room, she had two boxes of donuts sent up and the coffee that Pinkamena asked for. They usually wouldn’t give their ponies of interest such treatment, but Bon Bon felt she owed it to the mare for putting her through such an ordeal. Grabbing the box of donuts and coffee, Bon Bon used a slot near the wall and sent it inside the room. “Enjoy; I’m going to have one myself.” the mare selected a chocolate-sprinkled donut and took a large bite. I carefully collect my wares, but I am careful not to drink that coffee too much. 31 oz of double-shot espresso is dangerous, and it’s my ticket out of here if things go bad… I sit back and eat one of the donuts. Not bad; she must’ve got them from a nicer place. “So, you want to know what it’s like in the Mirror Pool? Well, I couldn’t tell you since I only gained consciousness after I was in the pool. Truth be told, I don’t know if we’re even alive or conscious down there t'il we’re pulled up.” I toss a donut in my maw, chewing it slowly. It’s jelly filled… “Next question.” Bon Bon hurriedly wrote down the notes, making sure not to get any icing on the papers. Wiping her mouth, the agent considered her next question carefully. “From observations made by Twilight Sparkle, she noted that most of the clones did not seem to have a very high level of intelligence and were incapable of focusing for long periods. Why do you seem to be an exception?” She didn’t like asking this, but it was necessary. “I guess because I’m one of the first clones, I'm an almost perfect complete copy of Pinkie Pie. The more you clone yourself or if a clone clones themselves, they lose their perfection. They’re not perfect clones of Pinkie Pie; they’re a clone of a clone.” I take a slow sip of coffee. “I’m an almost perfect copy on every level basically because I might’ve been the second or third clone.” I shrug, unsure of the real answer. There was a murmur of agreement as Bon Bon wrote all of this down; using her mouth to write was quite a pain. Spitting out the pen, she looked back up and studied the detective briefly. Pressing the button, she would continue. “What are your feelings on the original and the other clones who were sent back to the pond? How much of the Original Pinkie Pie do you remember?” “I don’t really think about it. It all happened in less than a day. The clones were on a scale from pretty much Pinkie Pie to a flanderized caricature only focused on fun, cakes, and parties.” I take a long sip of coffee. “I do think it was horrifying to watch a bunch of clueless dames become nothing but mist and sent back to a prison. I know they’re alive, I know they’re still sentient and yearning to be free. Sometimes I have dreams, nightmares of being underneath the pond….” I stare blankly at the two-way mirror. “Unable to breathe, unable to move, only able to watch the surface of the pond as life races by.” There was a long pause, a silence that seemed to choke the room. Bon Bon slowly wrote down what the mare said, feeling an aching growing in her chest. She couldn’t imagine experiencing something so horrible, and she couldn’t help but pity the mares trapped under that pool. Taking a moment to gather herself, Bon Bon took a deep breath and continued,“What did you do when you left Ponyville, initially? How much do you remember?” “I did a few odd jobs, got enough bits to move on to the next town. I wanted to move as far away from Ponyville as possible to get away from my past. But it sure as heck has a way of catching up to you.” I take another long sip of the coffee. I can feel the sugar and caffeine rush through me; need to ease up, keep steady. Things haven’t gone wrong yet… yet. Bon Bon nodded. Everything Pinkamena said matched up with eyewitnesses who had seen her in those areas. However, she wasn’t sure what she had to ask next would go so well. “That’s a majority of the easy questions, now….” Bon Bon cleared her throat, “We’d like to know why you have such high amounts of chaos magic.” “We’ve been watching you for a while, Ms. Pie. Several tests from a distance have shown Chaos magic off the charts. It explains why such strange things happen around you, but why you have any is the real question.” I laugh, “If I told you, you wouldn’t believe a word I’d say.” Bon Bon tsked, sitting back in her seat, “Try me.” “For comedic effect, in the story, we are in. It’s to amuse the audience, like so.” "I quickly pull out an entire jazz band of ponies from my coat, ripping both flaps of my trench coat, releasing the band. Not even a second later, I quickly stuff them all back in my coat before I sit back down. Bon Bon sat there, flabbergasted, and for a moment, something Pinkie said felt very wrong. Like something Bon Bon shouldn’t be sticking her nose in… But she couldn’t help but ask, spurred on by her own curiosity. “The… audience?” “The audience, an all-knowing Omnipresent third party in our lives. In this case, readers.” The agent felt a chill go down her spine, the wrongness seeming to grow as she sat there, absorbing what Pinkamena said. Her tongue felt cottony and numb as she asked her next question, dropping her pen. “Detective… are they watching us right now?” “Yes.” Bon Bon felt the hair on her back stand on end, her tail flicking nervously as she looked around the room, half-expecting to see something pop out and terrify her. Closing her eyes and calming her racing pulse, the earth pony let out a long breath. “Is this… audience the source of your chaos magic?” She asked tentatively. I chuckle, “Nah, the audience can only watch and maybe comment on the story, but the writer is where the source of chaos magic is. It’s also why you are the way you are. The universe itself is forged by them! Not even Discord realizes what this reality really is!” “Somehow, I doubt that….” retorted Bon Bon He couldn’t be the Lord of Chaos and be ignorant of such things! Bon Bon shook her head, and what did she MEAN by the audience? Ponies couldn’t be watching them here unless a security guard or a unicorn was eavesdropping. “Have you ever personally met Discord or just memories from Pinkie Pie?” A part of her was relieved to move the subject along. I shrug, “He’s alright; I played cards with him. I have all of Pinkie Pie’s memories prior to my creation.” I take a long sip of coffee before I sigh. Bon Bon couldn’t help but roll her eyes; of course, they would play cards. That sneaky draconequus pretended to not know a thing about the mysterious clone… “Alright, that seems to be a wrap for most of our questions. But we will have to keep you for a bit longer, for some… tests. Nothing invasive, I assure you.” “Sorry, gumdrop, I’m getting out of here.” I slowly start drinking the tall coffee resting on the table. Bon Bon narrowed her gaze before hovering a hoof over a second button, “Pinkie– er, Pinkamena, this cell is lined to null all magic, including chaos magic. Whatever you’re going to do… please, don’t do it.” “I don’t need chaos magic where I’m going!” I chug the coffee before I begin to vibrate in my chair. I feel the sugar and caffeine rush as I bounce around the rooms moving faster and faster with every bounce. I fly off the back wall as I shatter through the one-way mirror, “S-S-S-S-S-SUGAR!!!!!” Bon Bon slapped a button with one hoof before ducking under her desk, just in time as the pink blur shattered the mirror, keeping them separated. Red lights immediately flickered to life, and the doorway to the cell began to lock. “Stop; they’ll be here in a minute to subdue you, so please!” Bon Bon covered her head with her hooves, trying to avoid the broken glass, “Stop!” I couldn’t stop; I just kept moving and moving as I bounced around the walls, “NOTHING CAN STOP ME NOW!” I shatter through the door as I enter the next hallway; I need to keep moving to get out of here. Bon Bon ducked as the door was broken clean through, her eyes widening at the madness of it. How was that even physically possible? Why was she even questioning reality at this point? It had been totally shattered only moments ago. Peeking out the doorway, ten or fifteen guards attempted to subdue the pink blur, several blocking the only exit. The doors ahead were also reinforced, needing the card to open them. “Pinkamena, STOP!” Bon Bon shouted as a unicorn stallion readied a taser spell. I quickly stopped behind the unicorn and promptly spun him around before ripping my coat open and tearing out a large mallet. Bonking him on the head to knock him out as I keep bouncing around the walls. I need to move fast and get out of here before the sugar rush ends and the crash begins. The unicorn guard fell over, and another took his place, his horn charging much faster than the previous. He took aim and fired, missing several shots as he attempted to hit her. “Nothing lethal; remember, we need her alive!” Bon Bon shouted, scrambling to the front of the crowd. Gritting her teeth, she readied herself to do something stupid… Taking a few steps back and timing it just right, she jumped and managed to grab hold of the pink blur, gritting her teeth as she clenched her eyes shut. I grind to a halt as I’m pinned against the floor, vibrating rapidly as I try to reach in my coat for anything to save me. Bon Bon lifted herself, staring Pinkamena directly in the eyes, “I promise you, once we’re done, and we’ve determined you’re not a threat, you’ll be let go! Just please, cooperate… I don’t know how much longer I can cover for you.” Her last words were a desperate whisper. I narrow my eyes at the dame pinning me down. Full of anger and bitterness, but the look on her face was soft and unusually caring. A kind face in a sea of sour expressions. Lyra was lucky to have a doll like her; she had that calming yet commanding aura to her. Also, I’m out of caffeine. With a sigh, I slowly close my eyes and go limp, letting the crash take me like a giant lethargic wave. “Fine… I just wanted some fun….” Bon Bon sighed and slowly stood up, keeping a hoof firmly on Pinkamena’s back. “Thank you… geez, you really are like Pinkie.” she murmured softly. Twelve stallions evenly surrounded the pair, leading them to a new and reinforced cell. Bringing the detective inside, they locked her in, taking careful measures. Bon Bon sat behind the desk again, trying to think of something to say. “Why did you do that? Did you really think you could get out of here?” Bon Bon couldn’t help but question, “You don’t even know where you are!” I smile, “I can get out of here anytime I want. Frankly, I’d just have to do something so ridiculous or funny enough….” I sigh as I rest my head, “I can do literally anything if it’s silly or funny enough….” “But I didn’t because the show must go on, and well… you’re the most sociable one here, and you need to keep the lights on, right?” I yawn. “Well…” Bon Bon shook her head, “I’m glad you decided to do the right thing in the end. Now… about those tests… do you think you can cooperate?” Before Pinkamena could answer, there was a knock at the door. The agent cocked a brow and stood up, opening it to invite the newcomer inside. Her expression changed when she saw who it was. “What are you doing here?” Bon Bon questioned. “I heard all the ruckus and wanted to see the perp for myself.” another voice replied, “Wait– is that… Pinkie Pie? What is she doing here?” Bon Bon sighed, “It’s a long story, but that’s not Pinkie; that’s a clone.” “Riiight.” the pony stepped forward before pressing a button on the desk. The one-way mirror turned clear, and Pinkamena could see who was inside. The color distortion made it difficult to tell with the glass, but the shape was very familiar… Was that Rainbow Dash? No, it couldn’t be… “Don’t recognize me? I am a famous author, after all.” Daring Do grinned, leaning against the desk, “Nice to see you again, even if you don’t actually know me.” I scratch my head; I did not expect that. Talk about a shock. Daring Do is in with the S.M.I.L.E. agents? Those adventures must’ve been some show. I rest my head on my hoof as I eye this fine-aged mare. “You’re that famous author; I remember Rainbow Dash adored your stuff… anyway memories from a life that isn’t mine… so what’s the stitch? Are we gonna cut me open and see how I tick?” Daring Do laughed, “What in the hay is she talkin’ about?” Bon Bon sighed, “Long story. No, Pinkamena, we won’t be… dissecting you. Just a few simple tests to see exactly how much chaos magic you have. And we would like to record some of the anomalies that happen around you.” “I can help with that. Let me go and get the equipment,” Daring nodded before trotting out of the door. She returned a few minutes later with a cart of objects. Taking out what appeared to be a large metal sphere, she rolled it into the room. “Just hold that ball, and it should detect how much magic you have in you at the moment,” Daring called. I pause before I let out a sigh, “You want me to hold a ball? What is this?” “It’s a simple magical aptitude test. Normally unicorns would simply levitate the ball, and it would display their ability by how heavy it continually got.” Daring Do replied, “It actually used to be a toy, but even simple spells can be altered. That is essentially a beefed-up version of it.” “Just hold the ball in your hooves and…” Bon Bon paused, hesitating with her words. “Do… whatever it is you do.” I sigh as I pick up the weightless ball, bouncing it in place and playing with the simple object, “This… this is what you needed to kidnap me for.” Bon Bon rolled her eyes, “It’s not kidnapping; you simply resisted arrest.” Daring Do bumped the earth mare’s shoulder. “Uh, you’re watching this, right?” “What?” She snapped at the pegasus. “She’s throwing that thing around like it weighs nothing at all.” “Well, what is it set on?” “... About a ton, give or take.” Bon Bon blinked. Most unicorns couldn’t even handle that amount of weight at one given time, perhaps somepony like Starlight Glimmer, but an earth pony? Leaning into the microphone, Bon Bon sat up. “Pinkamena, tap the ball twice on the left side. That should increase the difficulty.” I tap the side of the ball as I feel the weight; it feels about as heavy as a sack of sugar, but it’s no big deal for some mare like me. I keep bouncing the ball before bucking it into a wall watching it create a massive crater in the steel and concrete wall. “Interesting, looks like some sort of super lightweight material if my sci-fiction lingo is accurate.” I scoff. “That should be about ten tons, give or take.” Daring Do reported before Bon Bon could even ask. The earth mare sat up and began to scribble into her notes feverishly. How was this possible? Was the ball just defective, or was Pinkamena really that powerful?! And if a clone was that strong, what was Pinkie Pie capable of? Spitting the pen from her mouth, Bon Bon nearly felt tongue-tied from all the writing she had done in such a short amount of time. Rubbing her temples, the mare took a calming breath. “Could you perhaps do something… anomalous, so the toy can measure that activity?” Bon Bon requested, slightly on edge. I pull out a large chocolate cookie and cocoa from underneath my hat before eating it in front of the two mares. “This enough?” Bon Bon looked down at the orb in the wall. It gave a light glow as if magic was interacting with it. “That’s certainly something, but c’mon, I know you can do more than that.” Daring Do replied, giving the pink mare a familiar lazy grin. I sigh before hiding my face behind the brim of my hat; I can feel my body change as a strange surge pulsates inside me. I quickly reveal my face; it being horribly deformed and unsightly. As if I were dropped on my head or undercooked in the oven… or I’m a pony from a Generation ago. “Tah-dah.” I yawn. Bon Bon couldn’t help but cringe, Daring Do unable to let out a small yelp of surprise and disgust at the unsightly figure. “Eugh, looks like a deformed foal.” the adventurer couldn’t help but wrinkle her nose, almost looking ill. They were nearly so preoccupied with the ghastly sight that they almost didn’t witness the orb glowing and lifting into the air out of a crater in the wall. Bon Bon almost fell out of her chair, Daring staring slack-jawed. “That only did that when we gave it to Discord… in fact, it nearly exploded when he held it.” Daring blinked, picking her jaw up. “And that’s just… a couple tricks?” “Lady, Bonnie saw me lead an entire city block into a mob from just singing; of course this isn’t the extent of my shenanigans.” I huffed, pulling a comfortable computer chair from my coat before sitting down on it. “Maybe it’s best we get something a bit more… accurate to get an idea of your power level.” Daring rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “This isn’t like one of your anim-neighs, Daring.” Bon Bon rolled her eyes. Daring couldn’t help the color that came to her cheeks, “It’s manga, you uncultured swine!” The earth mare snorted, “Whatever. Anyways, we’re going to advance the tests. Daring, can you send this in?” she handed the notes and paperwork she had been working on, “If you want to come back, I’ll probably need a hoof.” “You think I’m gonna miss this?” the pegasus snorted, “Yeah, right.” Bon Bon turned away as Daring trotted out of the doorway, facing Pinkamena once again. “You keep surprising me, Pinks. Well, this might take a bit more time than I thought….”