//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Clones Gone // Story: Too Many Mane Sixes // by JusSonic //------------------------------// Chapter 3: Clones Gone We see Golden Heart and his little sister (who is wearing a robe and you all know who she is) as the little pony stops in her tracks. She asks, "Did you feel that big brother?" Golden Heart nods as he said, "I felt something like there are more Mane Sixes." "Right but luckily I can tell who is the real one and who is a clone." "Ok let's go find the real Twilight." With that they both head off to the Golden Oaks Library. ---------------- By this time, Twilight has found Ben, Spike, Phobos and Nyx. After showing him the sticker that Pinkie put on herself and answering questions a bit, the group is convinced that this is the real deal. They are meeting in the library, trying to figure out what to do. "Okay, we got to round up the clones; that's the idea." Ben said with a nod. "But even then, we still got to figure out which ones are the real deals to avoid sending the originals into the Mirror Pool." "We can try a paint dry spell, see how that works." Nyx suggests to the others with nod. "But how will we deal with the clones of the rest of mommy's group?" "Shucks, 'dis may be like finding a needle in a haystack." Applejack said with a concerned look. "An' even if we done got some tests, how will we git them all?" "I believe I know of a solution." Golden Heart said as he and pink pony in the cloak and hood. "And we shall use trickery or magic." "Golden Heart...and who's the other one?" Rainbow asks, giving a cautious look to the cloaked one. "That's for you to find out at a later date. Listen, you Mane Six get ready, we will get the clones." "Right, come on, Nyx. Phobos, Spike, prepare the tests." Ben said as he, Nyx, Golden Heart and the figure heads off to round up the clones. "I sure hope these tests work." Spike said as he and Phobos prepares the tests with the originals' help. "Otherwise, Equestria will not want to see even the real Twilight and her friends." "Yeah, and Nyx would be sad forever if she can't tell who is who here." Phobos remarks in agreement to Spike. ------------ Ben's group took their time in getting the clones, the Earth pony flies around and uses his magic to get the clones. Nyx smiles as she calls out, "APPLE CIDER!" This causes the Rainbow clones and the Pinkie clones to come running (or flying in the Rainbow clones' case), which in turn allows Ben to stun them with his magic to capture them. During this time, Golden Heart and his little sister, who has a big bag, both works on catching the clones as Golden Heart says, "For clones they can put up a fight." "I know but we can't let the real Mane Six down. Once we catch some of these clones we take them to the real Mane Six." The little sister comment. "The real Twilight might know a spell to remove the copies," The alicorn nods as he and his little sister keep catching the clones. Ben and Nyx meanwhile throw dirt on some of Raritys to creep them out and allow easy capture. The Fluttershy clones...they just be polite and lead them gently to where the rests are going to be at. Soon all the clones are round up and taken to outside the building that each test will take place in. Golden Heart, Pinkamena, Ben, Nyx, Spike and Phobos look concerned as they look outside. There are so many of the copies that it's hard to tell the originals from the real deals. "Well, maybe we should've put the real deals in another place to make this easy." Spike said in concern. "I mean, how can we tell which one is Twilight now?" "I know a spell that can send back clones...let me guess, Twilight must know it too, right?" Golden Heart said, making Spike and Phobos nod. "Okay, we will do her first. Will the Twilight and her clones please trot up?" The Twilights trot up into the building as Ben continues, "All right, here's how we will do this one: The Twilight clones shall be put through endless games of fun..." "But without no studying or reading books," Nyx explains, making some of the Twilight clones gasp in shock and concern. "Whoever is caught studying or reading will be blast back to the pool." "The last Twilight standing is indeed our Twilight." Spike said with a smile. "So let's begin with 'Twister'." Phobos put down a Twister mat as the first game begins. Ben spins the wheel, calling out colors and body part. The clones of the purple unicorn do their best to do this game without reading or studying...which is difficult as they don't know how this game works. One Twilight clone looks concerned as she uses her magic to get a instruction booklet, asking, "How does this work?" "Bad idea," Golden Heart exclaims as he fires a blast at the clone, causing here to blow up and get send back to the pool. "All right, let's continue!" The game of Twister continues onward until Ben got out the next game: Willpower. It involves Spike and Phobos bringing in shelves with books in them...about Star-Swirl the Bearded. "All right, Twilight clones, to make this fair, these books are about Star-Swirl the Bearded and his secrets." Ben explains to the Twilight clones. "Whoever last the longest without..." Suddenly the Twilight clones freak out as they rush to the books, grabbing some and reading about Star Swirl the Bearded. Golden Heart smirks as he fires the spell at the clones, causing them to explode like mad. Nyx exclaims loudly, "Wow, this is too easy!" "Yeah, we should've thought of this one long ago!" Phobos exclaims happily. As the dust is settled, only 1 Twilight remains, one who refuses to go to the shelves, refusing to move. Ben in concern trots up and ask, "Twilight? Please tell me that's you." The mare smiles as she held up a hoof, showing a familiar sticker, "Twilight!" "Mommy," Nyx exclaims as she jumps onto Twilight, hugging her eagerly. "It's you! You resist reading about Star-Swirl the Bearded!" "I can't give in...I don't want to leave you, my friends or my family." The real Twilight explains while hugging Nyx happily. "Even if it's about Star Swirl the Bearded..." "Awww, not to worry, it's just useless junk anyway." Spike explains with a laugh, much to Twilight's surprise. "I figure your clones wouldn't resist reading about the unicorn wizard." "Crazy trick...but it works I guess." "Well, one real Mane Six member down, five more to go." Golden Heart said with a chuckle as he glances at the other Mane Six members waiting anxiously. "And that would be fun now that we got the real Twilight." "All right, now that we found you- the real Twilight, we need to get rid of the rest of the clones and get the rest of the real Mane Six." Ben said. "Will the Pinkie Pie clones come in at this time?" Golden Heart calls out to the Pinkie Pie clones who bounce/trot into the building. "Thank you for your cooperation." Twilight said with a nod. "I am of course the real Twilight, sticker and all. Now then, to see which one is the real Pinkie Pie...here is your test." "Watching paint dry," Spike exclaims as he removes a cover off a wall that has painting drying. "Whoever moves will be eliminated." The cloaked one explains to the Pinkie Pies. "And whoever is left standing or sitting is the real Pinkie Pie." All the Pinkie Pies gasped in unison and terror at the test. This sounds hard for them! "On your mark, get set, go!" Twilight shouted. Nyx pauses then comments, "Actually, I think this happen in the actual episode." Yeeeah, you're right, Nyx, so let’s cut to the chase. The narrator (which me) fast forwards to the end. "Pinkie, you can look away now." Twilight said with a smile to Pinkie, who was still gazing at the paint. "Did...did I win?" Pinkie asks puzzled then she looks confused. "Wait, how come we didn't do the whole scene?" "It happened in the actual episode, Auntie Pinkie Pie, so there's no point in showing it." Nyx explains, much to the puzzlement of the others but the cloaked one. "Ooooh; Okay, back in character; did I win?" Pinkie asks the others hopefully. "Correct, you have given enough willpower and prove yourself to be the real Pinkie Pie." Golden Heart explains to Pinkie proudly. "I...I just can't leave my friends, I just can't." Pinkie said with a slow nod. "Uh, first, to make sure...sticker," Twilight ask Pinkie. The real pink pony smiles as she held up a hoof that shows the familiar sticker, "Yep! You're the real Pinkie Pie all right." "Are you sure those won't come off?" Spike asks Pinkie in concern. "Nah; only the ones that the stickers are stuck to can remove them; Nothing else can," Pinkie exclaims happily, revealing that the ones that the stickers are stuck to can remove them, so no one else or an accident can do so. "Well, 2 Mane Six ponies down, 4 more to go." Nyx said with a smile. "Will the Rarity clones come in at this time?" Golden Heart calls out to the Rarity clones to come into the building. The Rarity clones then walked into the building properly until they gathered at the same spot the Pinkie clones once were. "Okay, Spike, try to keep yourself under cool." Phobos advises Spike who looks at the Rarity clones as if in a dream. "The idea is to find out who the real Rarity is, not go crazy." "I know. I will try, but it won't be easy..." Spike said while breathing in and out. This Dragon is going to do his best to keep himself under control. "All right, we found out who the real me and Pinkie Pie is." Twilight explains to the clones. "And now it's time to find out the real Rarity. This one involves dresses." "The task is that you must make...'simple' clothing." Ben said with a mischievous smirk on his face. This got all the Rarity clones to gasp in horror at the sound of that. "You got it, nothing fancy or anything extra. A test of willpower if you may," Pinkie remarks with a sly grin, "The real Rarity would remember how she gave a simple birthday dress to Twilight that is the same way." Golden Heart, Twilight and Ben use their magic to bring in some fabric and the usual tools. Golden Heart then explains while showing a chart of the simple clothes in mind, "The one to keep their hold in not altering the design...is the real Rarity." "Ready, set...GO!" Twilight shouted out. The Raritys yelp as they got to work. Not doing anything fancy can be a pain. "Hmm, how can we tell which Rarity will break?" Nyx ask curiously. "Like that!" Twilight exclaims as she saw one Rarity trying to put in some jewels then the mare blasts the clone. "All right, clonies, keep going!" "Oh, this is the...WORST...POSSIBLE...THING!" Three clones groan at their dresses and fell onto the couch with groans. Then they got up and try to change it around... Only for Golden Heart to blast the clones as well; the alicorn comments, "All right, those three are out of the competition!" "But it's not over yet!" The cloaked figure announced. The hosts watch the Raritys at work. Some got under dress and try to alter the design with jewels, ribbons, extra. Those clones got eliminated from the competition. Eventually, it comes down to two Raritys. One of these has to be the real one. So far, the two has done their work in making simple dresses. "Hmmm...." Spike said as he checks the dresses out carefully. "Well, both are simple. Looks like a tie." "But how can we tell which one is the real Rarity now?" Twilight ask in concern, wondering how to solve the final riddle. "I got an idea." Twilight said with a smile. She uses her magic...to bring in a diamond. "Hey, look, a diamond!" The mare throws it quickly. "A diamond," One of the two Raritys asked excitedly, "GIMME!!" Then she ran towards the diamond and started grabbing for it eagerly. "Bye bye!" Ben laughs as Golden Heart fires a blast at the Rarity grabbing for the diamond, causing her to blow up and disappear. Soon, only one Rarity is left...but just to be sure, Twilight motions her to hold up one hoof. Sure enough, the real Rarity holds up one hoof, showing a familiar sticker. "RARITY," Most of the group laughs as they run over and hug her. "My goodness...how did you know that it was me?" Rarity asks Twilight in amazement by what she did. "I know you like diamonds, Rarity, but you are the Element holder of Generosity. You care about your friends that you would never abandon them...even for jewels." Twilight explains to Rarity with a smile. "Why... why, of course I wouldn't!" Rarity exclaimed as she hugged her friends happily. Spike takes the jewel and bit into it, making him yelp, "Ouch! Hey, this diamond isn't even real!" "Well, duh, that was a fake one I made for this." Twilight explains to Spike with a laugh. "Rarity already knew that the test may end up in a tie so she suggests that I made it just in case." "Aaaand Rarity didn't chase it, because she's the only one who knows that it's a fake." Phobos remarks with a scoff of annoyance. "What a way of spoiling it!" "Regardless, Phobos, here I am." Rarity said with a smile, "The only Rarity." "Now that leaves 3 more Mane Six ponies and their clones." The cloaked one said with a nod under her hoof. "Who's next?" "Next up is Rainbow Dash...but I think we will take this outside." Golden Heart said with a nod. "What we need to do next is too big for the indoors." --------------- Outside, the Rainbow clones stood as Golden Heart's group are in front of them. Ben calls out, "All right, you Pegasi, time for you to do some hard work..." "But here's the catch." Twilight said to Rainbow with a slight smirk. "You gotta do so...without your wings or trying to look cool by performing any stunt tricks!" "Whoa, whoa! No way, I am outta here." A Rainbow clone remarks as she flies off. "Same here," Another one said as she and four more clones speed off. Bad mistake as Golden Heart and Twilight fires the spell at the Rainbow clones, causing them to explode and be sent back to the pool. "That would happen if you refuse to play the game." Nyx explains to the Rainbow clones with a mischievous smirk, "Any questions?" "Yeah, does the girl of My Little Immortal know you raided her wardrobe?" A Rainbow clone asks Nyx with a smirk, causing some of the clones to chuckle. "You will find the answer to that one when this is over!" Ben snaps to the clone who scoffs. "Don't mess with the bull, filly, or you get the horns!" "And begin!" Twilight exclaims while pointing to the hard work like wagons, plows, etc. "Get going." The clones groan, but do so anyway. Some of the clones do their best to do hard work without flying or pulling stunts. "Hey, check this out!" A clone laughs as she moves around, pulling a wagon stunt like a pro, "Awesome, eh?" Twilight fires a blast at the clone, sending her away. Rarity calls out, "I believe the rules say 'no stunts'." "And there goes another one!" Pinkie announced. The whole contest continues on. Some of the Rainbow clones got bored then they flew off. Golden Heart fires the spell, sending them packing. "Wowie; this is what I called 'Dash Hunt'." The cloaked pony exclaims. "Except you need the dog; Arf arf arf," Pinkie giggles playfully while bouncing up and down. "'Dash Hunt'; Sounds like a cool game!" Nyx exclaimed. This goes on for a few minutes or so. Some of the Rainbow Dashes try to make their hard work easy by flying or pulling stunts, and face it folks, they keep losing. Soon like before, there are two Rainbow Dashes left...and one of them keeps on hitting trees with her back feet, sweating like mad. "Two left...how can we figure out? Do the same thing like for the Rarity one?" Spike asks in concern. "Hmmm, I think I got an idea." The cloaked pony remarks with a sly grin. "Everypony but Goldie; look away for this next part." Everypony except the clones and Goldie looked away. "Hey Dashie," The cloaked pony remarks making the two Rainbows look at her. She removes her hood, revealing her face as Pinkamena. "Your number just came uuuuuup!" "GAH! Brr brr brr brr brr brr brr," The Rainbow who was working hard scream but kept on apple bucking. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" The other Rainbow clone screams as she flies off. "There's the clone, get her, Goldie!" The cloaked one said as she put her hood back on. Golden zaps the fleeing Rainbow clone, leaving one more. "Okay, you can turn back now." "Rainbow," Twilight ask as she turns back, showing Rainbow, sweating as she kept bucking the trees. "Is that you?" "Yes..." Rainbow groans as she shows the sticker. "And now...can I pass out now?" "Yes, go ahead, Dashie." Pinkie said happily. Rainbow groans as she faints. "How did you know that she would do that?" Golden Heart asks his sister curiously. "Simple. While the real Dashie would get the brrs from me, she would stay around instead of flying off like a coward." Pinkamena explains to Golden Heart happily. "She is the Element of Loyalty. Even this mare is loyal even when I scared her." "How...on second thought, I prefer not to know." Rarity said with a shudder. "I am glad we found the fourth member." "That leaves Fluttershy and Applejack." Ben said with a nod. Two more tests and this madness is over. ---------------------- The next test is at a field where the Fluttershy test is going to be at. A lot of animals are there along with the original and her clones. The meek ones look a bit worried, wondering what's going to happen. "Welcome, Fluttershy clones." Phobos said to the Fluttershy with a smile, "And just plain Fluttershy." "For this test, it involves animals...but you cannot stop them when they fight." Golden Heart explains making the Fluttershys gasp in worry. "You are to observe how the wild life nature of the animal kingdom works." "Like say this." Twilight said as she begins casting a spell onto the animals. The animals suddenly roar and begin going wild, trying to fight or catch one another, hiding, getting in danger. The Fluttershys begin to get worry, trying their best not to do anything... But eventually, most of them panic and rush in to help put the end of the conflict as best as they can. Due to the madness, the clones fail to see Golden Heart and Twilight using their best on the clones, sending them back to the Mirror Pool. When all is calm, only 1 Fluttershy is around, not moving or doing a thing. Golden Heart removes the spell, calming the animals down, and came over to Fluttershy, saying, "Fluttershy. Congratulations. You won." "Fluttershy," Rainbow ask as she waves a hoof in front of her friend's face...and the mare faints, making a goat noise, showing the sticker thus proving that she's the real deal, "Hoo boy. I think the temptation of not helping mad animals have freaked her out." Pinkie shakes Fluttershy, waking her up as she groans, "Oh dear. I just have a terrible dream. What happened?" "Just be happy that you're the real deal." Pinkie giggles as she and the others laughs a bit. Now only one more test is left. ------------------- The Applejacks are the only ones left and thus there's one test left to prove which one is the real one...and it involves Sweet Apple Acres. "All right, listen up; we will be doing some work on the Apple Family Apples." Ben explains to the Applejacks clearly. "Your test is you must not help in letting others handle them in how they are gathered, handled and taken care of." "Anyone who violates the rules are out." Rainbow explains to the Applejacks clearly. "And...time to begin!" Golden Heart's group got to work on the apples. Of course, some of them use magic; others eat them or clumsily drops them and not handling them with care. The Applejacks are doing their best not to get involved at all...but the temptation...seeing the Apples being mistreated this way. "Hey, hey," One Applejack yells out at Rarity who refuses to get some apples in the dirt. The clone rushes over and snaps, "Get yer flank in 'de dirt an' get those apples!" "Not a chance...and you broke the rules by getting involves. Bye, darling," Rarity taunts as Twilight blasts the Applejack clones with the send back spell, getting rid of it. Two clones yelps and rush over to try to help Fluttershy and Nyx with some baskets, but got blast back as well. Some of the clones, having enough with the magic, rush over to scold Golden Heart, Ben and Twilight for using magic on their farm like that...only to get blast away as well. The rest of the contest involves the clones doing their best not to help but they end up falling to the temptation and doing so anyway. Golden Heart and Twilight uses the send back spell on them clones like mad. Soon after all is done, only one Applejack is left...one who is sleeping against a tree, snoring. The ponies chuckles a bit and check her hoof. Yep, there's the sticker. "Hey, AJ, hey," Rainbow exclaims, shaking the real Applejack awake. "What? Oh, sorry, Ah figure if Ah just sleep throughout 'dis whole thing, it would be over an' all mah clones would be gone." Applejack explains to her friends sheepishly. "Did Ah won?" "Yep, every one of the clones are gone and you're the only one left." Spike explains to Applejack with a chuckle, "Typical of ya...sleeping on the job." "Shucks, 'dis ain't a job, 'dis is a contest...an' Ah just chose 'ta sleep through it!" "Did you guys see that? No more clones. Only the true originals remain." Ben said with a smile. All the clones are gone, send back to the Mirror Pool from where they came from. The originals are the only ones left. "Yay, we did it!" Pinkie exclaims happily. "Not quite." Twilight said as she looks down in guilt. "The clones are gone...but we got one thing left to do." The others knew what Twilight meant. They got to apologize for what happened. ------------- The ponies of Ponyville now notice that the clones are gone by now. Golden Heart has called in a meeting at city hall. Every pony arrives and are a bit alarmed upon seeing the Mane Six...luckily, they calm down after realizing that these ponies are the real deals. "Everypony...recently, my friends and I have found a Mirror Pool which we use to make clones of ourselves to help make our jobs easier." Twilight explains in guilty. "We...were wrong." "Yep, 'de whole thing got out o' hoof 'ta 'de point 'dat we scared y'all an' almost destroyed all o' Equestria." Applejack said in sadness. "We done wrong...an' wish fer forgiveness fer our mistake." "Yes, we realize that if something is too much to handle by one's self alone, then asking for help, or requiring more time isn't a bad thing to ask." Rainbow said in concern while rubbing the back of our neck. "It shows that no one can do so much work and effort that takes more ponies to perform or even accomplish without teamwork." Rarity said with a nod. "Plus, from now on, we will ask for help instead of taking the crazy way out, right Flutter?" Pinkie asks Fluttershy who nods in agreement. "Yes...we're sorry, please don't hate us. We will fix what we and our clones have done." Fluttershy said to the ponies with a whimper. For a while, looks like the citizens were silent, not saying or doing a thing. The Mane Six are worried for a moment that they won't be forgiven... But then the Mayor smiles while saying, "Well...we are a bit upset over what happened...but seeing how you six fix things and if you're willing to help fix things...then perhaps we all can give you all a hoof in helping in your tasks until everything is back to normal." The ponies cheers on and nod. The Mane Six smile, with tears from their eyes. They have been forgiven for the Mirror Pool and thus are given help to fix their messes. "I see that you all learned your lessons, my little ponies." A familiar voice spoke. The ponies gasps as a familiar princess appears from out of nowhere, causing most of them to bow. "Princess Celestia!" Twilight gulps as she bows down to her teacher/aunt-in-law. "How long have you been listening, mom,” Ben ask his mother in bewilderment. "Long enough; Ever since I heard of the clone madness, I investigate and saw that my student and her friends were responsible." Celestia explains to Ben, making the Mane Six look a bit guilty. She smiles while adding, "But they were willing to fix their mistakes and willing to clean up things. I just stay invisible so that I can listen to that wonderful Friendship Report." "Geez, you could've just shown up to do so." Phobos remarks to Celestia in annoyance. "And ruin the surprise? The Herd forbids, Dragon, the Herd forbids!" ----------- For the next few days, Ponyville and all of Equestria goes under repairs for what happened by the clones. Twilight, Ben and Big Macintosh also made sure to cover the hole to the Mirror Pool to make sure that what happened will never happen again. And after a while, everything is repaired with everything back to normal (or what's close to normal anyway). One's thing for sure: the next time that any of the Mane Six needs help on something, they will ask for it, that's for sure! -------------- The show was over, in the current reality, by the time Twilight came downstairs. Nyx wanted a drink of water and the alicorn mother went downstairs to get some. "Enjoy your show?" Twilight ask Pinkie in amusement as the show came to an end. "Yep," Pinkie remarks, yawning a bit, "Wow, that was funny...yet crazy at the same time. At least only I got cloned." "Thank goodness for that. Too many Pinkie Pies are one thing; too many Mane Sixes are another." "Oooh, you did title references there!" Twilight shook her head in amusement. Her friend can be so random. Pinkie left to go back home while the purple alicorn went to the kitchen to get a glass of water before going upstairs to give it to Nyx and head back to bed. Once both are gone, two familiar figures sneak down to the Universal Finder and have the following exchange, both are whispering. "Why did you wake me, Spike?" Ben asks Spike quietly. "That wasn't on purpose. I was trying to sneak down to use the Universal Finder machine and woke you up by accident." Spike admits to Ben sheepishly. "Just out of curiosity, what did you want to ask the Universal Finder Machine?" "I just wanted to find out what would have happened if I was hatched and raised by Celestia herself seven years before she even met Twilight (thus putting me and Twilight at almost the exact same age) and Twilight and I were full partners instead of me being her assistant. Haven't YOU ever been curious about seeing what would have happened under different circumstances." Ben pauses to think then admits, "Now that you mention it, I always WAS curious about what would have happened if Boris never cursed me and, thus, I never had to go into hiding." "Meaning that you would have been able to accompany me and Twilight when we first arrived in Ponyville?" Spike assk Ben with a grin. "Correct. So, want to flip a coin to see which one of our suggestions we ask the machine about first?" As the two are debating, not one of them spots a familiar figure peeking in through a window, having seen the whole show before hand. As Ben and Spike talk, Lorcan has a thought of his own. "Hmm...I wonder what would happen if I asked to have learned the truth of Spike's situation sooner than expected his kidnapped & death state?" Lorcan ponders under his breath of such a fact if that could have happened to him instead of the other way around. "Hugh, I guess that's a question best left alone." He shrug to laugh off before continuing to hid in the shadows to watch Ben & Spike continue trying to figure out, who gets the next turn to ask a question. This could take a while. The End Cast list Tara Strong: Twilight Sparkle, Twilight clones Ashleigh Ball: Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rainbow clones, Applejack clones Andrea Libman: Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Pinkie clones, Fluttershy clones, Pinkamena Diane Pie, Daisy Tabitha St. Germain: Rarity, Rarity clones, Granny Smith, Derpy Hooves Cathy Weseluck: Spike the Dragon, Mayor Mare Jason Marsden: Ben Mare Daveigh Chase: Nyx Chris Sanders: Phobos the Dragon Peter New: Big Macintosh Claire Corlett: Sweetie Belle Kirby Morrow: Time Turner Orlando Bloom: Golden Heart Nicole Oliver: Princess Celestia With special guest voice by Vic Mignogna: Lorcan