//------------------------------// // Chapter 27 - Murderer // Story: Reflections in Black and Pink // by Krixwell //------------------------------// Party Popper clutched both the pouch and the Heartshield close to her chest, staring at Twilight. She could feel her heartbeat quickening. Last time they met, at least Twilight hadn’t known who she was. What she was. She hadn’t been a known threat, hadn’t been a duplicate, hadn’t been actively interfering with a security measure. “What in Equestria?!” Rainbow Dash said, turning back and forth between Party Popper and Pinkie Pie. “You were right,” Rarity said. “They look exactly like each other! Apart from the outfit, of course.” “Of course we do!” Pinkie Pie said. “She’s me!” Party Popper backed towards the balcony. She had nowhere to run, not really. Not with the pouch making her falls hurt, and the pouch was her only real protection. Even the literal shield she was holding wouldn’t do much for her. “Alright, impostor,” Twilight said in a hard voice, lighting her horn, “let go of the Heartshield and tell us how you did it.” Party Popper said nothing. “If she’s after the shield,” Applejack said, “I reckon she’s a changeling. But if she’s a changeling, the shield ain’t working anyhow, so why’s she after it? It just don't make sense!” Stay quiet, a part of Popper said, if they think I’m a changeling, they might not realize I’m a clone. “I’m not a changeling,” her mouth said. Something fizzled in the air in front of her, then drew into the pouch. Twilight looked stunned. “I can’t grab the shield with my magic,” she said. “Then let me do it!” Rainbow Dash said. Popper had only a moment to dodge as the pegasus dove towards her – and fell flat on the floor once she got in range of the pouch. Apparently it could suppress flight too. Party Popper retreated to the edge of the balcony, still facing the Council of Friendship. Rainbow Dash got back up and lunged towards her again, but Popper dodged to one side so Rainbow Dash wound up flying off the balcony. She regained control in mid-air and returned to Twilight’s side. “If you’re not a changeling,” Twilight said, “why are you doing this? That shield only protects us against them.” “Why,” Popper echoed, growling a little. After all this time, Twilight Sparkle had the audacity to ask ‘why’. “Why?!” She could feel rage and tears and fear all welling up in equal measure. “Because you killed them!” “...what?” Twilight looked taken aback. “Who are you talking about? We’ve never killed anypony.” Popper stiffened. “Right. They weren’t ‘anypony’ to you, were they.” “Enough with the riddles,” Rainbow Dash said. “What the buck are you? Why do you look like Pinkie?” “Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy said, “that’s rude.” “She attacked Pinkie! We can be rude!” Fluttershy backed away from Rainbow Dash. “I’m sorry.” “It is still a tad uncouth,” Rarity commented. Rainbow Dash turned back to Popper. “So? Out with it!” “I told you,” Pinkie Pie said, “she’s me!” “What do you mean by that, Pinkie?” Twilight asked. “Remember that time I used the Mirror Pool?” Pinkie said. “I think one of me must have slipped away!” Twilight’s eyes widened as she looked back to Popper. “I— but— I didn’t—” Popper couldn't take this anymore. “I told you, P-Pinkie,” she began, “I’m not. buzzing. YOU!” In one quick motion, Popper opened the pouch wide and spread the remaining throne dust over all of the Council members. Now free from its effects herself, she lifted the Heartshield to her mane and slipped it in. “Yes, I’m a clone, but I’m not Pinkie Pie!” she said to the shocked ponies, and jumped onto the balcony railing. “And all the other clones that you rounded up and executed just because some book told you to weren’t either!” With both now-unburdened forehooves, she grabbed hold of her hat. With effort, she ripped it off, bits of her mane that still wouldn’t let go of the glue coming along for the ride. She spiked it down onto the balcony. “I’m Party Popper,” she declared, “and I’m me! Nopony else! And I’m not letting you murder me for that.” With that, she jumped off. Twilight rushed to the edge of the balcony, watching as the mare – Party Popper? – galloped along the street below, away from the castle. Anypony but Pinkie Pie or a pegasus should have been dead or gravely injured after a fall like that, Twilight thought. “I’m going after her!” Rainbow Dash said, but when she tried to take off, she fell back to the floor like when she’d gotten close to Party Popper before. “Aw, what the buck!” “Huh,” Pinkie Pie said behind her. “I guess I was wrong.” “Whatever do you mean, darling?” Rarity said. “She said she was a clone, like you guessed.” “Nah, she can’t be me. I’d never call myself something so close to ‘party pooper’.” Twilight kept staring after Party Popper, lost in thought. Because you killed them! Twilight hadn’t killed the clones, had she? She had just sent them back where they came from, like the book said. Right? She wasn’t a murderer. …that you rounded up and executed just because some book told you to… She… she wasn’t a murderer, right? Right? Elsewhere: "Well, I wasn't in Ponyville when that happened, but yeah, Twilight's told me about it. Reluctantly," Starlight Glimmer added with a grimace. "I think she was afraid I might do it too." "I remember that," Twilight's dragon friend said. Strike, was it? "There were so many Pinkies. Like, way too many." "Do you know how?" Valvula asked. "Oh yeah, there's this pond—" Strike was interrupted by Starlight's hoof in front of his mouth. "Wait. Why?" Starlight eyed Valvula. "We don't have to worry about a horde of yous storming into Ponyville, do we?" Valvula was treading dangerously with this investigation. Asking questions like this threatened to blow her cover, and if that happened she'd have to leave. She would naturally circle back and become another pony, but she'd lose everything she'd built for herself in this town. Her friends wouldn't know the new her. Enterprise might even resent the old her. But she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that the Queen was going to need more information on the clone incident. It hadn't seemed important when it happened, two years ago, but now that one of the clones was on her way to the hive, any intel would be good intel. "No. Something reminded me and I got curious." "That's all?" Starlight said, raising an eyebrow. "Yes," Valvula confirmed. She turned to Strike. "A pond?" Strike grabbed Starlight's hoof with his claws and pulled it down from his mouth. "Yeah! If I remember right, it's in the Everfree Forest somewhere, in a cave. Pinkie told me you just go up to the pond and say a rhyme and a clone comes out of the water. It goes like, uh… something something… 'doubly mared'… Or was it 'cared'...?" "Look," Starlight said, "all I'm saying is I've done reckless-and-maybe-kind-of-evil-plan research before, and this sounds a lot like a reckless-and-maybe-kind-of-evil-plan research kind of question. Not that I'm saying you're evil, but you know…" "Reckless?" Valvula supplied. "...yeah," Starlight admitted sheepishly. "That's fine. I'm neither." "...'doubly squared'? No, wait..."