//------------------------------// // Chapter 24: Forging New Bonds // Story: A Shadow Brought to Light // by k12314 //------------------------------// CHAPTER 24 "Shadow... Are you sure about this?" Twilight whispered to me as we walked Pinkamena to where Twilight had everypony wait. Pinkamena and I had just stayed the night in the library, as I was afraid the Cakes would freak out if they saw her the way she was. Pinkamena agreed with me. "Yes, I'm sure. Pinkamena isn't just Pinkie gone crazy. She's another pony entirely." "What, you mean like Split Personality Disorder?" "Yeah." I leaned away from Twilight to end the conversation, and started to talk to Pinkamena. "So... What's it like in Pinks' head? Unless you don't wanna talk about it, I mean." I thought it over a second time, and noticed how insensitive the question was. "Well... For the longest time, it was extremely depressing. She thought about the time when she was me, on the rock farm. She thought about mother and father, and our sisters. She cried almost every time... But then, she thought about the Cakes, constantly. She really loves them... And for a good reason. They took her in off of the streets, after all. Then, for the longest time, she just thought about junk food. Cakes, candy, cupcakes, muffins, you name it, it was in her head. And her thoughts started to get all random, to the point where I can't even name them. But then, her thoughts shifted to five other ponies. Her best friends in the whole world. She always thought of what they thought of her, and how she could be nice to them. She was always worrying about them thinking she was crazy, and she put even more effort into keeping me locked away, until the time I came out. I think you've heard that story already." I nodded. "Well, I didn't like how all of these ponies were being nice to her, and not me. So, I tried to keep them away, but they never gave up, and Pinkie gained the willpower to lock me away again. Her thoughts were back to them... And then you came along. At first, she just thought of how to be friends with you, and how to make you happy... But her thoughts started to drift to you more often, and now you're all she thinks about. Every day and night, she's thinking and dreaming of you..." I smiled, and gave Pinkamena a hug. "It makes me really happy to hear that... But Pinkamena, you don't need to be jealous. You've got me as a friend. You're not alone, unlike what you think. And here soon, you'll have four others. We'll go and hang out, and we'll show you a great time." She smiled a bit. It was that same small, but real smile. My smile just got even larger. "Hey you two, we're here." Twilight nudged me in the side, and I broke the hug. We were at Sugarcube Corner, and I hadn't even noticed. "Huh... Ain't that funny." We walked inside, and everypony else looked right at Pinkamena, and gasped. "Pinkie! Darling, are you OK? What's wrong?" "Are Ya upset 'bout somethin'?" "Oh... My..." Rainbow Dash was about to say something, but I stepped up, and cut her off. "Wait! Listen, this isn't Pinks." They all stared at me like I was crazy. "Pinkamena, introduce yourself." Pinkamena stepped forward, and looked over everypony nervously. I have her a little nudge and a smile. "My name's Pinkamena... I'm another pony, but Pinkie and I share a body. I usually only come out when Pinkie feels really sad or really angry... I'm sorry for what I did when you threw Pinkie the surprise party, and I hope you all aren't still mad at me..." She lowered her head and closed her eyes, as if she were on the verge of tears. I put a hoof on her shoulder, and looked at everypony. They were all shocked at the revelation. "I... Wow. I never would've guessed. I mean, she always seems so... Y'know, happy!" Rainbow Dash rubbed the back of her head sullenly. "Ah' jus' thought Pinkie was havin' a bad day when she looked like you... Ah' had no idea you was another pony entirely, Pinkamena. Ah'm sorry." Applejack dipped her head in apology, and her hat tipped downwards slightly. "Well... Um... I'm sorry too. I mean, if that's... Um... OK with you... Eep." "Well, I am extremely sorry as well, Pinkamena. And might I say that the dark pink you're sporting does look quite nice in contrast to the bright colors around here." Rarity beamed at her... She was being serious. I facehoofed, but Pinkamena's smile was ear-to-ear, and that made all of this worth it. "Well, now that the introductions are over, is there anything anypony wants to do? We've got Pinkamena in the group now, so lets go do something fun!" We all smiled, and we started spouting off ideas. The Spa, a restaurant, just going out and hanging around, going swimming, etcetera. But then, Pinkamena came up with something. "What if we go have a picnic in the park? I've seen Pinkie do it with you all a few times." I nodded in agreement, and Twilight clapped her hooves together, as if to finalize the idea into a plan. "Alright! Lets get going then!" The girls grouped together, and started talking to Pinkamena. At first, she looked frightened, and claustrophobic. But she started to lighten up, and began to put more and more into the conversation. She looked as happy as Pinks normally was. She was just chatting away like a normal pony. But she is normal, just troubled. But I intend to help her get past those troubles, and help her find a way to live alongside us without having to take Pinks over in the process. Pinks. What does she think of all of this? Is she proud of me for helping Pinkamena, or is she upset with me for helping what has haunted her all of these years? I thought about it for a moment, and then came to a conclusion: She has to be proud of me, because I'm doing the same thing she did for me. No matter how bad Pinkamena acted, I knew she wasn't a bad pony. She just had deep, underlying troubles. Like me. It then dawned on me that I'd hidden my entire past from everypony but Pinks. I felt guilty for keeping secrets from my friends. But I knew that it wasn't the right time to talk to them about it. "For now, I just need to keep helping Pinkamena get herself straightened up, and find a way to bring back Pinks without locking Pinkamena away." I wondered how that would even be possible... The princesses. They surely have a solution. But no time for that now... I've got Pinkamena to deal with.