//------------------------------// // Recursive Fanworks Theater of the Pony POV Series Part 5 // Story: Pinkie Pie's Fourth-Wall Breaking Variety Show // by Alex Warlorn //------------------------------// “I did it Pinkie Pie. I did it. I can’t believe I did it!” Minty said proudly. “See I knew you could do it Minty.” Pinkie said. Standing in front of the ponies was a small-decorated Christmas tree. The tree had bulbs, lights, and other various ornaments covering it, all except a star. Instead, a perfectly aligned mint candy cane sat on the top of the tree, much to the confusion of some ponies present. Despite it not being Christmas or Hearts Warming in their world, Pinkie managed to convince the others to celebrate it anyway. “I wish Rainbow Dash was here to see this. Thank you again Pinkie for letting me place the candy cane on the tree. Especially after what happen that one time.” Minty’s ears drooped as she remembered how she nearly ruined Christmas one year by breaking the yearly “Here Comes Christmas Candy Cane” for Ponyville into crackly pieces. “That’s okay Minty accidents happen and no one really got hurt, Pinkie assured her. Besides, if you had not broken the Candy Cane then we would not have gone on that super fun adventure to bring Christmas back to Ponyville and remembered how Santa even thank you for giving him the sock idea.” “Yeah, I guess you are right. Thank you Pinkie.” Minty said while giving her pink friend a hug. During the hug, Pinkie couldn’t help but notice how all her friends were enjoying the new gifts she gave them. She gave Applejack but not their Applejack nor her and Minty’s Applejack but an Applejack from long ago some new saddlebags. She was happily using her new gift to store some apples. For Fluttershy she gave her a lovely purple potted flower, which sadly caused her to sneeze uncontrollably. She guess that was a side effect of channeling Zipzee from earlier. That didn’t stop her from sniffing it every so often. Fluttercruel didn’t mind the sneezing too much though as she was busy admiring her new tickets for an upcoming modeling show. Finally, for Minty she received a pair of green-stripped socks, which she was now gladly wearing on her hind legs. Pinkie wished Rainbow Dash and ‘Princess Rarity would come back soon. She very much wanted to give them their gifts as well. What was taking them so long? She couldn’t wait to see her old friends again. Maybe she should use the camera to check on them again. The What-If machine suddenly whirled to life again, ready to show another universe for the ponies to see. ------ “I think we may have given them too big of a nudge.” Said Sweetie Belle “You're my cuddly-wuddly boopsie-woopsie pumpkin pie” said the stallion while snuggling their teacher. “Ya think?” Said Scootaloo after they briefly gaged on that last overly long nickname. The cutie mark crusader didn’t know what went wrong. After the first failed attempt at finding Miss Cheerilee her very special somepony, they were almost ready to give up. However, they were lucky enough to stumble into Twilight and learned about a book that contained a recipe for a love potion. Not wasting any time the fillies borrowed the book and read ONLY how to create the potion and nothing else. They were too much in a hurry to read the whole thing, after all Heart and Hooves day only comes once a year. However, after serving the potion, in guise of punch, to the couple in the park they were starting to wish they did. “You're my cuddly-wuddly boopsie-woopsie pumpkin pie.” Said Miss Cheerilee. Her eyes briefly turned purple with swirls before returning to their normal color. “I knew we should have used Big Mackintosh instead,” said Scoolatoo turning her head away from the love crazy couple. “If Applebloom didn’t felt uncomfortable with the idea of her big brother dating Mrs. Cheerilee I am sure this would have worked.” “WHAT! That had nothing do with this.” Applebloom stated angrily. “Ah bet it was probably because we used a dodo’s wing instead of a pegasus wing.” “Take the back!” Scootaloo’s face was instantly in front of Applebloom’s. “Girls stop it. Fighting is not going to solve anything. We need to find out what is wrong with these two”. Sweetie Belle said while separating her two friends. “Sigh yah are right.” Said Applebloom cooling down. “Sorry for calling yah a dodo Scoots.” “I am sorry too.” She then turned to her unicorn friend. “Okay Sweetie Belle can you give us that book, so we figure how what went wrong with the potion?” “Huh I thought you had it? Applebloom do you have it?” Applebloom hoof palmed her head when she realized they left the love potion book back in their clubhouse. The other two followed suite when the farm pony pointed it out to them. “Wait we can’t leave these two alone by themselves. What if they wander off?” Sweetie Belle said pointing her hoof to the newly love-struck couple. The two ponies were still exchanging nicknames for one another. Neither one had moved an inch on the picnic blanket. Both too occupied to find the most excessively sappy pet name possible and occasionally snuggling one another . “I don’t think we have to worry about that.” Scootaloo said while gagging again at the mushy talk. The cutie mark crusaders left in their usual fashion with Scootaloo driving away on her scooter while pulling the other two in a red wagon. As they rode away all three hoped, the book in their clubhouse had a solution to fix this mess. Finally, alone the mare and stallion continued with their love talk. “Huggy-wuggy snuggly honey bunny pie baby I just had the most wonderful-est idea.” Cheerilee spoke in the most relaxing voice she could.” Why don’t we go to Sugercube Corner to celebrate us each finding our very special somepony. Dosen’t that sound like a lovely idea snookum.” “Yeeeahhh" replied Roid Rage. The two proceed to walk to Sugar Club Corner while never losing eye contact with the other. ------ The screen flickered off. “Oh my goodness Pinkie, I think I am really going to need brain breach to forget I ever saw that.” Fluttercruel said while looking like she was ready to throw up. Just the thought of seeing Cheerilee with that muscular jerk Roid Rage was enough to make her gag but actually seeing it was too much. She couldn’t help but think that stupid What-If machine intentionally showed them that. “Wow I never saw a pony that big before. He looked like he could pull an entire house if he wanted to.” Minty responded, unfazed by what she just saw. She turned to face Pinkie. “Also, Pinkie doesn’t those other ponies remind you some of our other friends? This Miss Cheerilee wouldn’t happen to be sisters with that Scootaloo would she?” Pinkie sighed before answering. “Yes and no. It is complicated.” She was not sure how she could explain the relationship between her old friends with her new friends. “She does have a sister named Berry Punch though. ” “Hey Posey are you feeling okay?” Applejack said while noticing her pal was looking mighty sick. “Almost lost my lunch there but I should be okay now.” Fluttercruel threw away the empty paper bag she almost needed to use. “And I already told you, my name is not Posey.” “Yeah she is Zipzee.” Said Minty happily. “See our name is-wait NO! It is Fluttercruel and Fluttershy and We ARE NOT A FAIRY PONY!” ‘I'd like to be a fairy pony.’ ‘MOM!’ ‘Sorry. It just something about seeing the cutie mark crusaders made me think about another trio of friends who were always together. They would fly together, sleep together, eat together…well do everything together. I wished I could remember who they were.’ Fluttercruel placed a hoof to her head and sighed. Her mom’s mind kept slipping more and more. If it wasn’t for her constant reminders she was certain Zipzee would be here instead of Shy. She feared it was only a matter of time before she came back. NO, she was not going to allow that intoxicated sweet fairy come back. Just thinking about her gave her a headache. A knock on the studio door grabbed everypony’s attention. “I will get it.” Said Minty. “No I will.” Said Applejack. Both raced to be the first one to open the door. However, but both mares tripped and fell into a pony pile halfway there. “I think it will be better if I get it.” Pinkie hopped over the clumsy mares and opened the door to see who it was. “Hello welcome to the…Rainbow Dash? Princess Rarity it that you?” Pinkie's eyes grew huge. She knew from the camera that her two friends came back thanks to the berry juice but she wasn’t prepared for this. Rainbow Dash was now proudly wearing a more radiant version of the rainbow colored dress Rarity originally made for Applejack. Pinkie noticed there were holes made for her wings now. Princess Rarity on the other hoof LOOKED like Princess Rarity. Instead of Rarity’s usual white coat and curly purple mane was instead a pink one and a mane of rainbow colors. Aside from her cutie mark (and being an adult mare) she looked near identical to how she appeared in her old world. “Of course it is us Pinkie Pie darling.” Said Rainbow Dash in a British accent. After getting over the shock, Pinkie hugged her two friends in a tight embrace. “I was beginning to wonder if you two were ever going to return. I thought we were going to run out of file space and had to make a part 5. . . . Er . . . never mind.” “Watch the dress darling I just finished it.” The stylish Pegasus said. “I am sorry for taking so long but I had to give Princess Rarity a bath after she fell into a mud puddle. Then she insisted she wanted to be pink again and have her old rainbow-colored mane again and I couldn’t blame the darling. Rainbow is such a beautiful color.” “So she dyed my coat and styled my mane. Do you like it Pinkie cause I sure do?” replied Princess Rarity cheerfully. “No, I LOVE IT.” She said while finally releasing her hug. Oh boy Rarity is gonna be reeeeeal upset when she ‘wakes’ up thought Pinkie Pie but she will worry about that later. For now she was too happy to have her old friends back even for a little while. Both mares walked into the studio, well Rainbow Dash did while the newly pink Princess skated. - “Rainbow Dash you made it to the party” Minty said while shaking off the spinning spinning stars she was seeing from her fall from earlier. “Hey how come you and Princess Rarity get to have your old colors but not me.” She pouted for not being her favorite color green while her friends did. After all she was still in Twilight’s body and not her own. Fluttercruel took one look at Rainbow Dash and slowly broke into a laughing fit. “Oh…hehe… this…is hehe…too good. Haha…I wish hahaha… I had a camera.” Everything else she said became a mess of laughs and giggles before she let Fluttershy take over for a while. She was too occupied with her laughter to notice Fluttershy was eyeing the two new arrivals in an almost trance like state. “Well hello Minty darling. Nice to see you again… oh nice socks darling.” The cyan pony said while admiring her green stripped socks she was wearing. “Oh thank you Rainbow Dash. They were a gift from Pinkie Pie. Oh nice dress did you make it?” “Actually Princess Rarity did. Shocking I know. I simply made it more dashing darling.” She spun around to show it off to everypony. “You should have seen how everypony in town was reacting to it. I left everypony in town speechless with my dashing dress darling. They simply could not keep their darling eyes off me. I even caused a poor orange filly to crash her scooter into a pile of hay due to how radiant I was. The poor darling, I hope she is okay. “ Oh, I think I know why they couldn’t keep their eyes off you, thought Pinkie. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” Everypony stopped what they were doing and looked at the Pegasus screaming at the ceiling. She was raising both of her front hooves in the air while kneeling on the ground with her hind ones. If Pinkie didn’t know better she would say Fluttercruel was doing her best impression of Spike when he was unable to save Rarity from the diamond dogs. “What’s wrong Fluttercruel? Is everything okay? Are you okay?” Pinkie said with concern for her friend. Fluttercruel just sat down and crossed her front hoofs. She was clearly not happy about something. “Oh what is wrong Pinkie? Nothing is wrong Pinkie. I am perfectly fine but if you don’t believe me then why don’t you ask ZIPZEE”. Her frowning face and attitude was then replaced with one with joy and innocence. “Hi Pinkie!” the newcomer said. Pinkie was speechless for a few seconds before replying. “Zipzee…it that really you?” After she nodded her head to signal she was, Pinkie gave her one of tightest hug she ever gave anypony. “I thought you…well left and I thought I wouldn't get a chance to say goodbye.” Pinkie felt like she was on the verge of crying. “Oof, watch it Pinkie you are crushing me.” Her pink friend eased up on her hug. Zipzee may have been in Fluttershy’s body but she wasn’t used to hugs from (to her perspective) giant earth ponies. “I didn’t know I left Pinkie. The last thing I remember was a dark unicorn with wings trying to eat everypony and then blackness. Is she gone? She is not here is she?” She shivered; it felt like that wasn’t the last time she was almost eaten up whole by something. “No, she left a while back and everypony is okay.” Pinkie said while patting Zipzee's back. “And she is actually quite nice once you get to know her.” “Oh thanks good.” Zipzee said finally calming down. The hug seemed to last minutes before finally being interrupted by a voice. “AHEM” Pinkie looked and notice Fluttercruel had taken back control. “This is nice and everything but what about Fluttershy?” Despite the happy reunion, she was still upset about losing Fluttershy, her mom, and having this sweet fairy take her place. “Oh I am sorry Cruel but don’t worry about Fluttershy. I am sure this is just temporary and she will be back before this party ends, so please don’t be mad.” “Easy for you to say. You don’t have to share a body with her and listen to her 24/7”. Cruel frowned, closed her eyes and turned her head sideways. When she opened her eyes she was greeted with Pinkie giving her the biggest puppy dog eyes look she ever seen, along with a quivering lip. Cruel let out a sigh. “FINE but you own me huge for this.” She said the last part while poking her foreleg into Pinkie’s chest. ‘Yeah, you will see grumpy voice in my head. This will be so much fun.’ Said Zipzee. Ughh…Fluttercruel had a feeling she was going to need a lot of painkillers when this party was over. - Still warm from it's last activation (and because this Shadow can't seem to write anything BUT 'What-If's), the machine flared to life once more, pulling a scene of of the Ether. --------------- He was scared, had had never been scared before. The mere fact that he felt fear actually caused more of it to well up the more he thought about it, as though it were some self-propagating creature hidden deep within him. However, it was too late for fear to turn him back, not after making the choice to come here. Concepts could not feel regret. Even then, even without the capacity to regret his choices, there was nothing that could prevent Morning Star from shivering -- however slightly -- as he stood before his Father. "You Wish To Confess To Me, Morning Star." It was not a question, his Father knew why he was here the same as he did. This had been a long time coming, after all. "Yes, Father." He lowered his head, unable to look at his Father any longer. "I've... I've done a lot of horrible things, haven't I?" "You Have, My Son." Morning Star felt the weight of his sins a thousand times over in the disappointment in his Father's words. "Do You Come Before Me Seeking Forgiveness?" "No," Morning Star answered, almost looking afraid. "At least... not yet." Back to the floor, he couldn't hold his gaze on his Father without feeling the burning agony of all horror he had wrought due to his vanity and pride. "I don't deserve to be forgiven." "Forgiveness Is Never Desr-" "I KNOW!" The shout echoed throughout the realm, Morning Star looking equal parts scared, angry and upset. "I know that forgiveness is something meant to be given, like a gift, but I'm not ready to be forgiven! Not after everything I've done, not after everyone I hurt! I don't want to forgiveness, I want... I want... I want a chance to be redeemed!" There, he had said it, and he wouldn't have regretted it, even if he could. "I want a chance to prove that I'm still good, that there is still something left in here," he tapped his chest, "I want a chance to balance all the misdeeds I have done with some good! Please, Father, I will accept any punishment you deem necessary, just give me this chance!" He all but threw himself at his Father's hooves, his sins burning his skin like red-hot irons, but he would not flee, he would not move, not until his Father told him to leave or gave him that which he so desperately desired. "...Very Well, My Son." Morning Star looked up, almost refusing to believe he had heard those words. "You Shall, Indeed, have Your Chance. I Leave It To Those Whom You Have Wronged To Determine Your Punishment." The fallen alicorn didn't have to turn to know who the hoofsteps he heard coming behind him belonged to. "Hello, Brother," Justitia spoke first as she neared him, "It has been a long time." Judicium remained silent, even as Morning Star turned to face them. He had been called upon to judge his brother once before. Now, it would seem he had to do it again. TURN OFF THIS STUPID DRIBBLE!" Morning Star snarled from his crystalline prison. "IT'S A PARODY AND AN INSULT TO ME AND MY AMBITIONS AND MY MISSION! TURN IT OFF!" A limited window into the goings on in the universe and possible universes was one of his few privileges. "What's The Matter Morning Star? Don't Like The What If Show?" Havoc Asked Playfully. "YOU KNOW I DON'T! I've actually begun to enjoy those 'brave hero slaughters all the gods' shows that D____ loved so much! Or those lovely True Rebirth Of the Alicorn games." "You Like Those Only Became They Were Made By Idiots Who Paint You As A Selfless Hero Rebelling Against A Corrupt System Instead Of A Thug Who Was Interested Only In Making Himself The Only Concept Of Reality, You And My S__ Should Have Made Great Friends You Know. And Given I'm A Multiple Universal Entity, I Can Say There Is No Universe Where You Are A Good Guy And Your Father Is The Bad Guy! Mostly Cause He Is A Nice Guy, If He Never Knows How Not To Be Serious, In This Universe, And So Is One In Every Universe." "I SAID CHANGE HE BUCKING CHANNEL!" "You Know, Your Creations The Lava Demons Are Doing Well, They And The Ice Orcs, The Ones You Made To Be Two Halves Of A Perfect Sphere?" "THEY WERE FAILURES! I have a much better chosen race now." The viewer display changed to show, "EXTERMINATE!" "Didn't Strife Declare Those Salt Shakers An Abject Failure Because They Blindly Refuse To Ever Evolve Even In The Slightest?" "Who is the concept of perfection around here, and who is the instinct for little children to hide under their beds during thunder storms?" "You Know, My First Son May Have Wanted To Destroy Every Concept In The Universe Thinking A Completely Lawless Reality Somehow Equaled The Same Thing As 'Freedom', And Discord Was A Sick Freak The Moment My Wife Laid His Egg . . . And He Chaffed Under His Own Concept . . . But They Were Still Deep Down Still Being True To Their Concepts, To Themselves. But You, Oh Boy, You Are The Only One Ever To Truly And Fully Fail At Your Concept Of Perfection! You're Brilliant In Doing The Absolute Impossible And Failing At Being Yourself When It's All You Can Be! You Deserve A Medal! If You Weren't Stuck In Your Little Pretty Gem Forever And Ever. Unless You Want To Take A Lesson From That Morning Star You Saw And-" "BUCK YOU!" --- "Pinkie." Minty in Twilight Sparkle's body asked, "Why'd you hold that 'camera' you called it, up to that, 'what if gizmo''s 'screen' like that?" "Oh, just shielding your minds from stuff ponies were not meant to know." - The What-If machine sprung to life once again; ready to show another possible universe for the ponies in the studio. However, Pinkie made sure to continue to hold up the machine to the camera in fear of it showing a scary world to her friends. ~~~ "I command you, to lower your blasted sun Nightmare Corona." "And allow you to have your everlasting icy darkness, Nightmare Moon?, Never!" "Then I will have to LOWER IT MYSELF." The corrupted night princess fired a purple energy blast of electricity. Her sister nimbly dodged the blast and let loose a barrage of fireballs from her horn. Both nightmares circle around in the twilight sky, trying their best to shoot down the other from the sky and finally become the sole ruler of Equestria. "Go back and hide in that freezer you call a kingdom and rule over those traitorous ponies that forsake my glorious sun." Her fiery mane radiated with enough heat to melt normal ponies within seconds. "At least I—" BZZTT The screen abruptly changed to a pony dancing with a mike in front of him. We're no strangers to love You know the rules and so do I A full commitment's what I'm thinking of You wouldn't get this from any other colt I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling Gotta make you— ~~~ Pinkie took her hoof off the "off" switch and gave the WHAT-IF machine a bewildered look. "Did I just get Rick Rolled? In this day and age? I mean I am glad you switched away from that depressing and sad world and all buuuuuuuuut if you do something like that again I won't hesitate to throw you into the nearest recycling bin. AM I CLEAR MISTER." The machine unsurprising said nothing but if it could, Pinkie was sure it would be saying "Yes ma'am" right about now. ~~~ "Okay Minty hit the button." Pinkie said while making sure her safety goggles were properly secured on her face. "Are you sure about this Pinkie?" Her friend asked. She was standing next to a big red button labeled "in case of emergency" which was located on the side of the PPPP7. "Super duper sure Minty. We haven’t reviewed a reclusive piece in like forever and we really need to make up for lost time, soooooo I am going to review as many fanworks as quickly as possible." "Okay if you say so Pinkie" The sock-loving mare closed her eyes while pressing firmly on the button. After doing so she quickly joined her friends near the other side of the studio, like Pinkie told her too. The now fashionable Rainbowdash, energetic Princess Rarity and the recently returned Zipzee in Fluttershy’s body, all watched in confusion from a safe distance behind some yellow caution tape. They didn’t know why they had to wait so far away but if their friend Pinkie told them to wait here, they would. Meanwhile the spirit of Applejack from the first age just sat lazily on her still quite big pile of apples, barely paying attention to the spectacle, too occupied munching on her apples. After waiting several seconds after the button was pushed, the PPPP7 lit up and a reclusive piece came flying out of the PPPP7’s slot and into an awaiting baseball glove on Pinkie’s hoof. The pink mare quickly scanned the fan work and showed the audience its content. fav.me/d5pyvf8 "Poor Before Four. Being changed into a dirt maid cannot be easy. Why must Discord be such a big meanie. I am glad Fluttershy was at least able straighten him out a bit but that ending was so depressing. Hopefully the aut…er I mean Shadow will write a sequel expanding on what happened to him." Pinkie wiped her forehead. That was close, I may be in the company of my ‘old’ friends again but Fluttercruel is still here and I definitely do not want to risk the universe imploding or resorting to making my friends drink magical berry juice from a forgotten age. Er…how did I get my hooves on that stuff anyway? Before Pinkie could think any more about that, the PPPP7 lit up and fired another fanwork out of the slot. Pinkie quickly snatched it out of the air again with the baseball glove and dropped the last fanwork into a bin next to her labeled "Reviewed already". fav.me/d5octxz "Wow its Tom Belle, the adopted son of Rarity from the dark world." "Wait what was that?" said ‘Princess’ Rarity still behind the yellow caution tapes. "Also can we cross this weird yellow tape now?" "No I said er...never mind it isn’t important but please stay over there. This might still be dangerous." She didn’t had the time to explain how multiple universes worked and how in that world Rarity’s great desire for a shining knight in armor to protect her created Tom Belle from a giant rock. Most importantly though she did not want to risk any of her friends asking the age old question of where do foals comes from. "The picture may be a little amateurish but it is great for his supposedly first fan art. I hope other shadows will—whoa" Pinkie stopped talking to catch another fanwork that flew towards her. "AnywayIHopeYouShadowsOutThereWillGiveUsMoreFanartNoMatterYourSkillLevelWeWillLoveToSeeThem" Pinkie said in one breath while discarding the fan art into the "already reviewed" bin. fav.me/d5gqlh6 "WHAT!? This doesn’t make any sense. I thought Rarity was on good terms with the diamond dogs so why would they ponynap colts and fillies." Pinkie said after reading the latest reclusive piece so fast that it would make Twilight jealous. "What’s a diamond dog Pinkie?" Asked Princess Rarity. "Maybe they are going to take use them as slaves and use them to dig up gems for them until they eventually go blind from working in the dark." Applejack said. Everypony looked shocked for a couple seconds at imagining that awful situation. "Why I bet an evil wizard is the one behind all of this." She added. "Umm why do you think that darling? Raindowdash asked. She was amazed Applejack was paying attention. She thought she was too busy with her apples. "Oh because I was nearly enslaved by an evil greedy wizard once. Luckily, I managed to save all the other captured ponies by accidently pushing him off a cliff. And thanks to the jewels in their eyes the ponies were able to see again once outside." Applejack looked quite proud after seeing the other ponies’ amazement of her tale. "Diamonds in you eyes? That sounds—" Zipzee started to say before seeing the PPPP7 spring to life again. Pinkie knew the drill and readied her glove for the next fan work. fav.me/d5gtxtl "Oh part 2. Maybe now we will see why the diamond dogs WHOA." Pinkie barely caught another reclusive piece that came zooming out of the PPPP7. "Huh looks like part 3 as well. Well nothing wrong with that." The party pony said with a huge smile. fav.me/d5h53ml "Ooh things seemed to only get more mysterious, maybe ACK!" The pink pony rubbed her forehead and looked at what hit her. Part 4? "Hey PPPP7 slowed it down we haven’t reviewed part 2 and 3 yet. So I really appreciated it if you don’t fire anymore. Sadly, it didn’t seem to be willing to listen as it proceeded to launch part 5 and 6 as well at a brazen speed. Pinkie jumped out of the way only to be hit with part 7 of the story. "Owie paper cut! Okay Mister I think it is time for you to have a time out" Pinkie jumped and dodged over any more fanwork the PPPP7 launched her way to reach and pulled the machine’s power cord out of the nearby socket. The machine shook a bit and powered off. Pinkie wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Pinkie are you okay?" Minty said. Concerned for her best friend’s well-being. "That was scary." "I am fined now that the PPPP7 is off. Remind me to give it another tune up later." Suddenly the PPPP7 came to life again and started firing fan work all other the studio again but this time at an even wilder speed. "Oh that is right. I forgot I made it battery-operated as well. I really need to give myself a pat on the back for thinking about including that but for now QUICK EVERYPONY BEHIND THE COACH!" No pony needed to be told twice. Everypony sought refuge behind the furniture that they strangely forgot about until now. After a full minute of a unstop barrage of stories, fan art and etc. being fired in every direction, the PPPP7 finally made a clicking noise and smoke started to float out of the machine. Pinkie looked to see if it was safe to come out. "It is okay girls. I think it ran out of reclusive pieces to shoot at us." Pinkie moved her head around to see at what the damages were. There were papers all over the studio. It is going to take quite a bit of time to clean this mess. Hard to believe there still so much fan work still left in the PPPP7. Aside from the mess though there did not seem to any great damages to the studio. Worst seem to be some of the food was knocked off the tables. "That was terrifying," said Minty. "That was horrible" grasped Rainbowdash. "That was awful" lamented Zipzee. "That was fun. Let’s do it again." Said Princess Rarity. Everypony turned to looked at her. "What". "Well it looks like it is back to hoof picking them again." Pinkie said with a sigh. "I will go get a broom" No one noticed her mumble something about "spare parts and a giant robot chicken" as she slinked away. +++ As Pinkie Pie worked to get the spare parts of the remains of the giant robot chicken she had destroyed in an epic battle that had also resulted in some terrible damage to the studio originally, there was a knock on the door. Pinkie Pie opened the door, to find Princess Luna standing there, underneath an umbrella to shade her from the sun, and looking none too happy. "OH! Hi Princess Luna! How are you doing? Why are you so grumpy looking? You should go to the spa! The twins would LOVE to treat a princess! And when's the last time you got out and out pampered? I bet it was a thousand years ago I bet, you get so serious." Prince Luna poked her head in and looked at the ponies present. Zipzee in Fluttershy's body was having a conversation with herself using a mirror, or to be more precise, was talking with Fluttercruel using the mirror. "If Fluttershy is really the pony who was born when I joined with Posey's shadow . . . and you're Fluttershy's daughter . . . THAT MAKES YOU MY GRANDDAUGHTER! HUGS!" She hugged herself. ". . . Wait, do I know what those things? AGH!" She seemed to get a little headache. "I swear if mom starts channeling another of our past lives I'm locking us in the closet," Fluttercruel muttered momentarily in control of the body before Zipzee regained control and saying how she needed to take up flower arrangement. Pinkie Pie realized . . . this mean Zipzee had remembered how she died. Well, she didn't actually die, she joined with Posey's shadow. But she had remembered. Uh-oh. Princess Rarity was pretending the PPPP7 was a giant robot she was piloting against other giant robots. Rainbow Dash was preening and otherwise making G1 Applejack pretty. Listening enraptured by the adventures the clumsy pony had to tell. "You don't really sound clumsy to me at all darling." "Really?" "Not at all, you simply like to day dream and get distracted darling, there is nothing wrong with that all." She gave the silly pony a nuzzle. "Yeah, everyone calls me clumsy all the time," Minty in Twilight's body said, "And . . .they're usually right . .. but I get everything fixed up in the end! Sometimes not as great as I used to, oooh I'm sounding like Sky Wishes! She's this friend of mine who can't stop correcting herself mid-sentence, until she finally says 'you know what I mean!' A lot of my friends have words they love to use." "What's wrong with that darling?" "Nothing!" Minty said quickly, a light bulb a moment later then violently shorted out. "Tis' just as we thought, Miss Pinkie Pie. While we find Miss Rainbow Dash's new behavior an improvement her manner of speaking is rather comforting, ye can not continue like this. Ye must restore thy friends to their current personas, and ceasing the channeling of their past selves." "It's just until the end of the show!" "Miss Pinkie Pie, this 'episode' of thous is now into its 5th installment! We are under the impression that if you are allowed, ye shall continue to add extensions perpetually." "What's wrong? This is all non-canon! It doesn't matter what happens here! Nothing that happens inside or because of this studio effects the universe at all! Or Rainbow Dash and Gilda would be best friends again by now!" "The problem little pony is that you are continuing this forever and ever, never letting it end, never letting it rest or reach a conclusion as it's supposed to do like any story. And the universes' continuity can not continue with reality in a negating-quantum-state." "No matter how many fun or games we have, things always turn serious, painful, and cruel again. . . . I know there can be a world where all my friends are happy all the time and nopony is hurt each other." "Oh Our Parents, ye've seen it haven't ye?" Princess Luna whispered. "The world where Nightmare Granfalloon changed the world into an imitation of the lost age." "You mean where Granfalloon RESTORED the world!" Pinkie Pie futilely slammed her two front hooves against the moon princess' peytral. Her eyes were shut tight, but she was crying neat steams down her face. "That's how reality was! That's was how reality was supposed to be! Starlight and the others? They made a CHOICE of what future to give the world! They worked hard for it! We were all happy! Then you erased it all, but that wasn't enough for you, you had to BLOW UP all of Starlight's and her friends' hopes and dreams! And when this world just winds down, you'll just replace it all again. "You keep saying that was what you had to do like it was some sort of disclaimer! But that was my world! My home! My friends! You big jerks! Couldn't you have had Starlight and Bright Eyes figure out a way to make the spell WORK RIGHT instead of having Discord's brother BLOW UP THE WORLD?! Do . . . do you hate the idea that there's a world where ponies DON'T have to work through the mud and misery just for a few drops of happiness?! So they can appreciate it?! What's wrong with a world where happiness flows like water?! Why not have us appreciate anger by having to work towards a few drops of that instead? You BRAINWASHED my friends! You turned them into ponies they weren't! And all I could was watch! YOU'RE ALL AS BAD AS DISCORD!!! What I'm doing is NO DIFFERENT from what Twilight did to restore all of us from what Discord did! This is my memory spell! I WANT THE WORLD BACK! I WANT MY LIFE BACK! I WANT MY FRIENDS BACK!" Pinkie Diane broke down sobbing at the Night Alicorn's hooves. - Back inside the room, away from a sobbing Pinkie Pie and a stern on the surface Luna, Pinkie's friends turned back to the machine as it began to spark and work again. "Oh, what are we going to see this time?" Rainbow Dash asked, sounding hopeful. "Hopefully something fashion-oriented -- wait, why the hay did I say that? And where is Pinkie, anyway?" "I thought I heard her in the next room," Minty said. "I must have been wrong, though, it sounded like she was crying." Zipzee stared at her. "Wait, you heard PINKIE crying? I think you need your ears examined!" "Shh! Girls!" Rarity thrust her hoof at the machine. "Here it comes. Oh, it looks like a lovely song!" http://fav.me/d5dnkoe "..." Rarity said, or something much to that effect. Beside her Applejack gulped as the cream-coated unicorn said, "That song... What is it talking about? Not, not US, surely? We never fought each other. I don't think we ever even argued." "Naw," Applejack said, sounding unsure. Eve her beloved apples sat untouched beside her as she added, "It, it CAN'T be about us, right? I mean... we're right here, ain't we?" She looked around on her friends. Zipzee and Rainbow Dash both looked as though they half remembered something frightening; Zipzee shivered (within her, both 'Shy and 'Cruel comforted the poor mare as best they could); and Minty? The purple unicorn looked as though something sought to fight its way to the surface within her mind. "I, I'm not sure how." She began to say, "But I think it's talking about something that happened to us in a past that, that never was somehow?" She looked ready to say more, but just then Pinkie Pie came back in, sniffling and wiping her hoof across her face. All but unseen, a blue mist trickled in behind her and wafted up to the ceiling. "Hi, everypony," she said as she trotted over to look at what they were talking about. "Never mind me, I ah, I just got a chill, there was acod breeze at the door and..." Pinkie saw what they were discussing and her eyes went wide. "Yeeek! Why would somepony post that!" Rarity stared at her in confusion. "Pinkie, what's wrong? And why do I feel as though if I just thought a little harder, I'd know what that song was talking about and who this 'Strife' was and how we knew each other? I -- HEY!" She whinnied as Pinkie suddenly picked her up and spun her overhead. "NEVER MIND!" Pinkie Pie said. "Just a funny happy silly song that some Shadow-Who-Makes put together! 'Strife' was just someppony he made up, we never ever met her or anything!" She spun the startled unicorn. "Come on! Time to be happy-happy-happy!" For a moment it almoist looked like garish clown makeup was appearing on her face, but it swiftly disappeared. "Really? That's a shame." Rainbow Dash looked at the song and smiled crookedly, more like a certain blue Pegasus than an earth pony fashionista. "It's kinda cool, though. There's so much energy in it, and it does make me wonder what I'd do if our world was coming to an end. I bet we could fight it we had to. And I love that last line." She began to sing it in a scratchy voice. "'Everyone deserves their last stand...' OW! Hey, Pinkie!" She glared at the pink party pony, who'd just dropped Rarity on her. "Heh," Pinkie said. "My mistake!" She then scowled and stuck her head out through several layers of reality to confront a frightened Shadow. "And somepony else better not make any MORE mistakes like that. GOT IT!" She jerked back and found her friends staring at her in confusion. "Pinkie, how did ya make your head disappear like that?" Applejack asked. "OOh, that was funny! Do it again!" Minty clapped her forehooves. "Only if I have to," Pinkie said, aiming a glare at someone unseen. - "Okay, let's try another one," Pinkie said with a slow breath. Rarity nodded and produced another another work from the machine and projected it. fav.me/d74qukp "...Oh my, that Discord really is a big meanie..." Zipzee said with a shudder. "How could he do something THAT cruel?" "Agree, he's such a bully," Rarity replied. "Still, Aloe and Lotus seem like very nice ponies...and oddly familiar." Zipzee nodded. "Yeah...though a spa visit does sound really nice..." Pinkie nodded. "Y-Yeah...though I wonder how a bath in chocolate milk would feel..." "Might be fun, but I agree with them, when it went bad it'd have really stunk," Rainbow Dash said. "It'd certainly be dreadful," Rarity said, in a tone more resembling a fashionista than herself. Minty nodded. "Probably worse than Spike when he first woke up!" Pinkie nodded. "Yeah..." Zipzee looked sympathetically at the story. "I know how close they were, us Breezies are like that...Hey, where are the other Breezies?" Pinkie cringed. "Um...they're...not here right now..." "But we're NEVER apart! It's not the Breezie way!" "Come to think about it, why haven't we seen any of the others?" Rainbow Dash asked. "And why do I feel like doing stunts?" "Uh...well..." "Pinkie, something's going on, isn't it?" Minty asked, the group looking at her seriously. "Um...well..." "You were upset, you eyes still look all red and puffy," Zipzee pointed out. "...Please...don't make me tell...can't we just be happy? That's all I want..." Fluttercruel looked through Zipzee for a moment, giving Pinkie a look that made her shudder. "...I...I don't want you to go..." Pinkie looked around them, seeing her new friend's bodies with their older minds. Luna's words. Was it right to keep her friends regressed like this? "But...but..." A part of her kept arguing with herself. Pinkie held her head. "...I want you to stay but I don't!" "Pinkie?" "I want my old world back but I don't!" Pinkie felt like her head was going to snap in two...and then it felt like it did. Circus make up appeared on her face. "Hehe! Come on girls girls girls! Lets get our world back back back!" An aura of crayon-like wings and a horn formed...then retracted as Pinkie held her head, reverting to her normal self. "Ugh! I thought w were done with the stupid split personalities!" "Not yet-yet-yet!" Proto-Nightmare Granfalloon chanted. "No! I want my friends back!" "Well I want my world world world back back back!" "I just want to stay with my friends!" said a third voice, Pinkie briefly looking like her G3 self. "Why are we fighting with ourselves?!" The others just stared in shock. "So there's that scary Pinkie, the Pinkie that's like the one we've been playing with, and one that looks like the Pinkie we know?" asked Minty. "...Okay, enough of this," said Fluttercruel, coming back to the forefront. "Pinkie's going Nightmare! We've got to do something!" - Just then, a song filled the room, as Luna entered as well, holding a boom box with her magic. The song has a subdued but still very sweet feel to it. Suddenly, the projector came up, and a video began to play with the song. Pinkie suddenly looked up. "Is....is that our theme song?" Luna looked at Pinkie with confusion for a moment. Then, she shifted to a look that Pinkie had never really seen on her before: Pity. "We figured that if you were going to be split apart between who you were, are and could be, perhaps we could calm the beast with something a little more relaxing. Apparently this boom box was sitting here for us to play anytime." "I DON'T WANT RELAXING!" Grandfalloon cried out. "What's that song?" Asked Pinkie in her G3 voice. Fluttercruel finally stepped forward, and gave pinkie a shake. "Pinkie. Focus!" Then she looked around at the G3 ponies that were slowly growing back into their old selves. "Uh, maybe we should just watch the video?" Minty suddenly stepped forward. "Pinkie Pie." Pinkie suddenly jerked up. The way minty was talking was almost a little scary. "How...how you like to sing a song? In fact, why don't we all sing this one?" The others gave each other a look. Then, Rainbow Dash stepped forward. "I think that's a great idea darling. Why don't we turn on karaoke mode?" Pinkie looked like she was going to burst. "NO! We don't want this to end, but...what we told Twilight so many months ago!" "We won't let this end!" "I want to sing with my friends!" All the others looked at her with confusion and fear. And then, with a shudder, Pinkie's eyes went back to normal. And walking over to the projector, she turned on Karaoke mode. "Alright girls. Let's sing it. Hopefully the music will adjust itself as it goes." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eYj8LOQ8cE And so the music began, and like a dream, everyone began to sing. Luna: My little pony, My little pony, My little ponies, My little pony. Pinkie: For us. Minty: For the princesses! Everyone: For Equestria! The music continued, as slowly the ponies began to sway, and before long, began dancing with each other while still watching the screen. What was going on in the minds of all of them was unknown, but for the moment, they were using the universal language, and loving it. Everyone: My little Pony.. Minty: Everything's been broken, that is true! Everyone: My Little Pony! Everyone: But we know our bonds will see us through! APPLEJACK: The world fell apart at the seams, every pony has ruined dreams! PINKIE PIE (In a G3 voice): Long friendships have been torn apart! With so much woe, can healing start? RARITY: But we all know where to begin! So now our hope's restored again! Zipzee: Those fractured dreams we'll surely mend! Friendships don't break, they merely bend! FLUTTERCRUEL: We'll get through all the worst together and come out even better than ever! As the rift continued, Pinkie's head continued to shake, when suddenly a light shot from out of her back, landing on the other side of the room. Nobody could see what was there, but Luna quietly excused herself to look. Pinkie meanwhile suddenly looked calmer. And suddenly manifested microphones in front of each of the G3ers. RAINBOW DASH: Though Discord's taint may still remain, he couldn't snuff out friendship's flame! Everyone: We'll keep those fires blazing bright! Guide every pony towards the light! Minty: His darkest blight we'll purge away! Our friendship is here to stay! The song rifted one last time, and as the pictures on the video moved over it all, suddenly Zipzee remarked, "Say, wasn't that the picture we saw earlier?..Wait, no, that wasn't me, that was my reincarnation. But..how do I know that? Uggghhh, migrating from the spirit realm can be so confusing." Everyone looked at Zipzee in a moment of shock when she said that. Then Fluttercruel took over again and gave them all a look. "The song's not over yet everypony. Keep your eyes on the screen." The ponies clustered together, and together, sang the last part. Minty: You have... Everyone: My Little Pony! Do you know we're still the very best friends? Pinkie: My little Pony, do you know we're still the very best friends? Pinkie sniffled. Then did one of her famous pinkie hugs on everyone. -- "Pinkie Pie," Princess Luna said, "We know this does not concisely fit the parameters of what submissions to the theme of this 'episode' but we feel that for the sake of all involved it should be shared." Luna placed a small piece of paper on the projector. http://itsfrompeople.deviantart.com/critique/849344820/ The parts of Pinkie Pie shuddered, tears began to fall down her face and she fell to her knees and front hooves and sobbed. "There . . . there's a world now . . . a world where they're, we're all together now? A world where it all worked out? Where we're all together still?" Princess Luna put a wing over her shoulder. "Yes there is. Because of . . . the trials endured by this Twilight Sparkle, it was decided that you never see this leg of events, but for your sake also, we think it's best of ye see this." " . . . but Luna? Why? Why couldn't you have simply made the wish spell fizzle out, or happen RIGHT?" "We promise that'll be answered in time, inside causality, not outside of it . . . And there is at least one world . . . where you and those you love have a fighting chance." Another tale appeared on the projector. http://oraclemask.deviantart.com/art/Looking-Glass-Ponies-4-375581800 "Right . . . " Pinkie Pie whispered, "And I know they'll succeed, because I believe in my friends. They do have hearts and minds of their own . . . " Rainbow Dash was still wearing the most beautiful rainbow dress the world had ever seen, designed by her own hooves. Rarity was still the colors of her rainbow princess self that she had dyed herself and found nothing wrong with them. Twilight was still channeling the part of her that was Minty. And Fluttershy . . . shockingly, Fluttershy and Zipzee and Fluttercruel were conscious at the same time now . . . it was getting crowded in Fluttershy's head. And Applejack was style hair styled and dressed with her blue bow of her G1 self. Meanwhile in Rainbow Dash's head: ~G3 Rainbow Dash looked at Firefly, "Do we really need to join back together darling? I was never all that fond of you." Firefly glared, "I'm not in love with you either. But our friends are counting on us." "And that is the only reason I'd ever rejoin with somepony as reckless and impulsive as you darling. My darlings mean everything to me. More than even my most beautiful dresses that I'll never be able to make now. My hope and dreams are dust, while yours live on." "My friends mean everything to me too. And I'm sorry."~ Princess Luna whispered, "Didn't you say you wanted a chance to say good-bye to them properly this time?" Princess Luna trotted over to Princess Rarity, Rarity mane and coat still dyed the colors of the rainbow princess. "And you princess . .. I believe I have something Pinkie Pie was holding on for you . . . this will not effect things in causality, or 'canon' as Pinkie Pie calls it . . . but for now .. . " A light in Princesss Luna's hooves floated and entered Rarity's body. "Accept again the light of existence of Rainbow Princess Rarity of Unicornia." Rarity gasped, the light that had entered inside her felt so strange . . . AND YET SO RIGHT! Like a piece of he SOUL had been missing all this time and she hadn't even KNOWN! "She is Princess Rarity, will always be, simply with a life time to learn what it means to be mature, and the responsibility of being a big sister. Even if she won't remember her time as a princess soon, she is still your friend." Princess Luna whispered to Pinkie Pie. "Tell them how much you love them. It's time to move on." "Minty. You'll always be my favorite, and always be my very best friend. Rainbow Dash, you're the most dashing darling in the universe, and no pony in the world can match your dresses or your style. Zipzee, you've always tried your hardest, always done your best, I read you being a hero, I'm sorry I couldn't help. Applejack, you're always a silly pony in some way, sometimes a clown, sometimes a dreamer, sometimes stubborn. Princess Rarity, you're still the most fun princess I know. I still get the giggles too. And I love you Minty. I love you Lady Rainbow Dash. I love you Zipzee. I love you Applejack. I love you Princess Rarity. I love all of you." The camera flicked off. --- "Hey Pinkie Pie! Wake up!" Minty said. "Uh, wha?" Said the dark coated and light maned pony. "You were having a bad dream." "Y-yeah, it was pretty bad." "Come on, Sweetie Belle said she wanted us to taste test a new 'healthy cake' she's making for Scootaloo." Pinkie sat up, if anypony could make health food taste good, it was Sweetie Belle. "Alright, let's go." Princess Luna watched the two ponies run along through the magic mirror. Pinkie Pie, dark mane and light coat besides her. They stood in a starscape that Luna's teleportation had taken the Pink Pony to after Luna had finished her 'cloning.' "They're so happy." Pinkie Pie whispered. "So I'm happy. So . . . that me, it's all just a bad dream for her?" "Yes. We told you before Pinkamena, we have no grudge against the world you were born in. If it can exist, then it shall." "Can . . . can I keep it?" "This mirror is far too precious, and for you it would be like an addiction, one that needs to be broken." Pinkie Pie nodded. "I understand . . ." Luna looked to the stars, "Please . . . take care of them." Luna let of the mirror, and it floated away. . . . And floated for a time, until it arrived in the hooves of a stallion shaped starscape like being. "I Will Look After Them Luna, I Will." --- The camera flickered back on. Pinkie Pie shook her head. Her friends were back to themselves, but still dressed and style like their former selves. She smirked to herself, and turned the camera off, it would be fun to see their reactions. But maybe . . . it was time for the universe to get back on track. If somepony wanted to write their reactions, and see if any of them were a bit more whole from their time as their former selves . . . she'd be happy to see that too. But she wouldn't force it. There was plenty of fun to be had in canon too. Not just a non-canon playground where no action truly mattered. After all, if something was endless like a loop .. . how could you ever reach the happy ending? How silly. - Suddenly, Pinkie fired a party cannon, setting the room up for a party. On the wall was a banner reading 'Peace at Last'. "Hey everyshadow! Just thought that we needed to have a little celebration! You see two Shadows that have been fighting a lot and hurting a LOT just finally buried the hatchet! And the shadow writing this is really really super happy about it because they're both his friends!" She smiled, hopping to the middle of the room. "Unfortunately, they couldn't find a recursive work that fit the idea, and the one they thought of is already called. So you'll just have to settle for this!" She pulled open a portal and pulled Shining Armor through it. The unicorn blinked, looking around the studio. "Uh...what's going on?" "You're in an extra dimensional studio outside of the laws of continuity for a party celebrating the Shadow who did your arc reconciling with the original shadow." Shining sighed. "Why is my existence so weird?" "I don't know. But want to party in a symbolic representation of their peace treaty?" "...Will I go home when we're done?" "Yep!" "...Will there be tea?" "Lots of it!" "Alright then." Pinkie turned to the camera. "See you later everyshadow! And glad you two aren't enemies anymore!"