//------------------------------// // Doppelgängers // Story: Twilight Incorporated // by Dead_Account_0 //------------------------------// Rainbow Dash hurtled through the air; the force of her flight scattering leaves from the trees below as she went. “Gotta go fast!” the blue pegasus shouted as she strained for the extra speed she needed. Behind her trailed her rainbow blaze, evidence that she had already committed her famous sonic rainboom. The blue sky seemed to go on forever. With not a single cloud in the sky; it was a veritable ocean of rich blue. Hurtling under her was a thick forest of green trees that spread out in all directions; there wasn’t a single inch of the ground not covered by the dense foliage. “Is that all you got, Dash?” a gruff, masculine voice called from up ahead. Rainbow gritted her teeth as she attempted to force even more speed from her already frantically flapping wings. “You call that flying? I’ve seen handicapped zebras move faster!” The voice seemed to come from every direction at once now. Closing her eyes, Rainbow forced the last of her focus onto her beating wings as she tried to coax just a little more speed. Below her, trees bowed themselves over from the sheer force of the sonic waves she was creating as she soared. Her cyan body was glowing white with the build up of energy in her system. The rainbow trail behind her began to degenerate into a trail of fire as the sheer friction set fire to the oxygen in the air; she was a living comet. “You disappoint me, Dash. I was expecting more from a Rainbow.” The voice was coming right beside her now. Despite the breakneck speeds, Dash risked opening an eye and gasped. A well built golden pegasus stallion was flying in front of her. His mane and tail were the colour of the rainbow, and his body was bound in an old-fashioned Wonderbolt uniform. His goggles were pushed up to display his purple eyes that burned with fury. “You’ll never go anywhere unless you give it your all, Dash!” “I… am,” Rainbow grunted as she struggled to maintain her momentum. The golden pegasus sighed with disappointment. He easily kept pace with the frantic pegasus using his lazily flapping wings. “You always disappoint, Dash.” The pegasus shook his head and started to fly off ahead of her. Despite her break-neck speeds, he easily outpaced her. “No! Wait, come back!” Rainbow shouted desperately, somehow squeezing even more speed from her rapidly exhausting body. The golden pegasus turned once more, and shook his head disappointingly. He then sped off into the distance. “Wait! Wait up! I can keep up!” she screamed after the rapidly shrinking figure. “I can keep up,” she whispered breathlessly as she rolled to a stop. “Keep up with who?” another voice said as it appeared from nowhere. “My dad,” she murmured. “Oh, that’s great. I could never keep up with my dad. He was really fast. I’m glad that I quit trying.” This was new. She’d had this recurring nightmare on and off for years, but she’d never heard that second voice. Everything faded to black as Rainbow closed her eyes. When she opened them again everything was white. The lines on her comfy cloud bed slowly filtered into her consciousness. She heard hoofsteps beside her bed. Somepony must be in the house! The intruder’s hooves were whisper quiet on the cloud carpeting, but Rainbow didn’t get to the position of head weather pony in Ponyville for no reason; she could feel the vibrations through her bed. The intruder was approaching her supposedly slumbering form. Calm it, Rainbow. It’s all a matter of timing. The intruder stopped right beside her. Rainbow was waiting for the slightest touch to leap into action; she was a spring waiting to be sprung. “Wake up, sleepyhead,” the voice said in an alarmingly familiar voice. Rainbow screwed her eyes up tighter as faces flew past her inner eyelids. Definitely not Pinkie. Twilight? I don’t think so. Applejack can’t get up here. Fluttershy’s voice is way too soft. It could be Ditzy; I wouldn’t put it past her to fly into my house in the early morning for no reason. “Are you ok? Do you need any help?” the voice asked. The voice was definitely female, and it seemed to break in the middle. Noponies voice broke like that… nopony but… Rainbow Dash! Rainbow wrenched open her eyes and leapt to her hooves to see another of her stood right beside her bed. “What? Who are you? What are you doing here? Are you a spy?” Rainbow advanced on the other Rainbow, prodding her in the chest with a hoof. “I’m Rainbow Crash!” The pony said brightly before narrowing her eyes and casting a suspicious gaze at the other pony. “Who is Rainbow Dash, and what does she want with me?” Dash took note of the huge gap in Crash’s brief smile where her front teeth appeared to be missing. “I’m Rainbow Dash! And I want you to get out of my house!” “Oh.” The pony looked down at the floor. “Did I do something wrong?” “You broke into my house! Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t clobber you!” Dash shouted angrily as she pulled up her forehooves threateningly. “I just appeared here. I’m sorry. I’ll go now,” Crash hung her head and began to trot to the door. Crash turned around and Dash noticed her cutie mark: A funky helmet with a large explosion of rainbow behind it. Her body was also covered in scars, and entire patches of fur were missing in places to show the bruised skin underneath. I'm still angry, but anypony who had a cutie mark that cool couldn’t possibly be evil, right? “Wait a second, Crash,” Rainbow said with a sigh. “Yeah?” Crash turned back around the face Dash. “You look a lot like me, and your cutie mark is almost on the same level as mine. Are we related?” “I dunno. I never met my mum, and my dad was a Wonderbolt.” “Which one?” “Rainbow Star.” “Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh!” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Applejack kicked backwards, slamming her hooves into the thick wooden bark of the tree. The tree yielded with a mighty shake as it released a clutch of dark green apples from its wooden grasp. A yellow filly was suddenly there with a basket as she hopped in front of them. The apples landed neatly in the basket, earning two smiles from the tired mares. The sun was still in the process of rising; the large red orb caressed the air as it rose, tickling it into shades of orange and pink. Apple Bloom let out a wide yawn. “Ah’m so tired, sis. Ah shudn’t be up this early on a school day.” “Big Mac’s birthday only comes along once a year. Miss Cheerilee’ll understand if you’re tired in class. Besides, these apples are gunna look mighty fine in a pie,” Applejack said. She took a quick glance inside the basket with a broad smile on her face. It wasn’t every day that Granny Smith made her famous apple pie. “Ah jus’ hope that Big Mac is gunna like what I got ‘im,” Apple Bloom replied with an excited hop. The two ponies turned as one and started the long trot back to the farm house. “Ah don’t see why he wouldn’t. Big Macintosh always had a thing for them plushies.” “Ah jus’ dun…” Apple Bloom began when she suddenly found a hoof pressed to her lips. “…mrghle, phargle,” she finished unhappily. Applejack gave her a sharp look and pointed with a hoof towards a bush that appeared to be rustling. Apple Bloom’s irritated expression was suddenly replaced with one of fear as her eyes went into wide mode. “Dun’ worry little sis, Ah’ve got it,” Applejack whispered as she started to sneak over to the bush. The rustling became more exaggerated, and Applejack froze in place. A small orange snout fought its way through the tangle of bush, followed by a sickly orange face and a mop of untidy blond hair. “I musta taken a wrong turn at Ponequerque,” the mouth said as a hoof emerged from the undergrowth the rub its forehead. A pair of eyes suddenly blinked open to reveal two large, bloodshot irises. With a shake an orange earth pony managed to force the rest of itself from the bush. Applejack picked up a large branch with one of her hooves and stood tall. “What’cha think you’re doin on our land!” she shouted angrily. “Whoa mare, how can you like own the ground?” the pony slurred as it lifted up its hooves to rub its eyes again. Applejack rolled her eyes, this pony did not sound like it was going to be fun. “Excuse me Miss, but ya are trespassin’…” Applejack began. “Hey mare, are those apples?” the intruder took a few stumbling steps towards the abandoned basket. “Awesome, I’ve got a serious case of the munchies.” “Whoa, hold it right there, mysterious mare. Ya can’t come waltzin’ onto our land an’ start snackin’ on our apples!” Applejack held out a pair of hooves to stop the orange pony. Then again, the pony did look pretty skinny, in fact, famished was a better word. The pony was now walking in place as it tried to step towards the basket only to be stopped by AJ’s hooves. “I think I’m still tripping, mare. Every time I take a step forwards, it’s like I’m taking one back too. Or maybe the world is like, totally moving towards me.” Applejack narrowed her eyes as she stared at the strange pony. “Are you okay there, pardner?” “Absolutely peachy! No wait, the other one. Everything’s blackcurrant.” The pony said happily, and then just flopped down onto the ground. Apple Bloom galloped over to the fallen mare. “Ah you okay?” she asked concernedly as she poked the orange pony in the stomach with her hoof. “Ah think she’s dead, sis!” Apple Bloom said as her eyes managed to somehow grow even wider. “Ah’m sure she’s just fainted,” Applejack said as she crouched down to poke the mare. The mare looked familiar. She couldn’t place her hoof on it, but something was very familiar about her. Maybe it was something in tha- “Freak the freak out!” The mare suddenly shouted as she jumped up. Applejack reacted purely on instinct, and smashed her around the face with a branch. The orange pony flew straight back down to the ground and landed in an ungraceful tangle of limbs. Her flank stuck up in the air with a clear image of some kind of green plant leaf sat on a pillow. “Consarn’ it!” Applejack shouted angrily as he she tossed the branch to the ground. “Ya just belted ‘er round the face!” Apple Bloom shouted accusingly. “She had it comin’ to her! Nopony goes around and tries to scare Applejack. Nothing scares me!” “Din’t ya used to be afraid of Zecora?” “Hush it, Apple Bloom. Get the basket of apples. I can’t just leave somepony out here in that condition, even if she did cause it.” Apple Bloom grumbled something under her breath as she trotted over to the basket and picked it up in her mouth. When she turned back around, Applejack had somehow gotten the mare onto her back. Applejack continued the trot back to the farmhouse with Apple Bloom hopping along behind her. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Fluttershy hummed a song as she tended to her animals in the outdoor pens. The little animals loved an early morning breakfast, and it was much easier to feed them now than when they’d just woken up. The soft tune continued as she put her hoof into a basket full of fish and placed them gently outside of a set of small burrows. A series of excited squeaks emanated from the holes as a group of ferrets dashed outside to grab some grub. “Stop right there!” a hard voice shouted from behind her. Fluttershy dropped the basket to the floor with a squeak. “Who do you think you are, picking on defenceless animals like this? I’m gonna kick your flank!” Fluttershy span around to see an angry yellow pegasus stomping towards her. A red bandana sat on her head with an extremely short-cut pink mane on top of it. Black face paint was lined under her eyes in two thick strips. Fluttershy fell to the floor in fright. “No! Wait! I-I was ju… just feeding them,” Fluttershy whimpered. “Oh.” The pegasus instantly deflated. “Well you shouldn’t do that either. They’re never going to be self-dependent if you feed them.” “B-b-but they’re all hurt. They can’t… can’t feed themselves,” Fluttershy mumbled behind a veil of tears. “Still, nature shouldn’t be contained like this. Injuries are Faust’s way of weaning out the weak. In the end, it all makes them stronger.” The pegasus turned around and picked up a discarded fish, before tossing it into one of the holes. Fluttershy noted that on her flank was an image of a five-pronged red star. “I-I don’t agree.” Fluttershy slowly sat back on her haunches. “Hmm?” the strange pegasi replied. “T-the weak are just as important as the strong. All life is sacred.” “Really? Do you honestly believe that?” The pegasus laughed. “Life is a competition and that is the kind of thing a loser would say!” “I-I’m not a loser,” Fluttershy squeaked almost inaudibly. “Keep telling yourself that and maybe one day you won’t be. Still, you’ve shown you’re one of the few ponies that still cares about nature. That's good in my books. What’s your name kid?” The pegasus held out a hoof. “Meep!” Fluttershy squeaked again and fell backwards. “Meep? That’s a pretty terrible name. Anyway, Meep, I’m sure you understand how bleak our future is. With the rate that these corporations are tearing through our natural resources, the planet will be barren in a matter of centuries.” Fluttershy pushed herself back up lightly. “A-a-actually my name is…” The pegasus continued her speech which drowned out Fluttershy’s small voice. “It is our duty as ponies to take care of this planet. I can only carry this burden so far, Meep.” “I-I-I can see…” “Equestria has been on this slippery slope for the past two hundred years. Only now are we seeing the true extent of their hubris. The planet is dying.” The pegasus said, a fire filling her eyes with power and passion. “Celestia would never let that happen.” “What’s that, Meep?” “Celestia. The ruler of Equestria.” “Did somepony finally replace Blueblood? It seems that incompetent foal couldn’t even make a good puppet for the board.” The pegasus sneered. “No, Blueblood is still the prince. Celestia’s been ruler of Equestria for millennia.” “So the rumours are true. The Poniati do rule in secret!” The pegasus slammed her forehoof onto her other forehoof, with a resounding smack. “No. I didn’t mean…” “Hmm. We’ll need to head to the nearest library. There’s bound to be a book there that’ll help us. Isn’t there always? Come, Meep! To the nearest place of learning!” The pegasus shouted as she grabbed Fluttershy’s hoof and dragged her along with her into Ponyville. “Meep!” Fluttershy squeaked. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Rarity threaded a needle through the fabric, twisting it in and out of the holes as she drew the string tight. The fabric tightened around a small white unicorn filly, who flinched in response. “Hold still, Sweetie Belle. One slip and I’ll get blood all over your new dress,” Rarity snapped. “I don’t need a new dress! It’ll just get all mucky and yucky like my other ones,” Sweetie Belle whined in response. Rarity rolled her eyes as she levitated another line of silver thread from the wheel and cut it with a pair of scissors. “That’s because you wore the other ones out crusading. I’ve learnt my lesson, and this dress is only to leave the boutique with my permission.” “What’s the point in having a dress if I’m not going to wear it?” “Of course you can wear it, Sweetie. Just not outside of the Boutique. Or in the kitchen, I don’t want you getting food on it. Or in the bathroom, water could ruin the fabric. Or in your bedroom, that room is always a mess.” Rarity was entirely focused on threading the needle when a voice suddenly made her jump. “With a dress like that, she should wear it all around town.” “Oh, a customer! I’m sorry, but I’m with a client. I’ll be with you in one moment. That is, if you don’t mind, Sweetie.” Sweetie sighed loudly. “Fine. I’ll just wait here in this dumb fabric.” She moaned. “Wonderful!” Rarity beamed as she placed the unthreaded needle back on the table and trotted over to the newcomer. “Welcome to the Carousel Boutique, where everything is…” she began, but stopped when she noticed the pony in front of her. A stunning, marshmallow white coated unicorn stood in front of her. Her mane and tail were neatly layered in three different shades of regal purple, and styled in a twisted braid in such a way that all three were visible. Her eyes moved up to the neatly manicured white horn and back down to the sparkling blue eyes. “D-Do I know you?” she asked quietly. “Lady Rarity,” the unicorn said as she offered her hoof. “………….” “I understand this is a Boutique, yes? I would like a new sunhat,” Lady said unperturbed by the similarities between them. “O-of course, Milady,” Rarity said with a curtsy. “Very good. I want a dazzling white one that matches my coat, but it has to feature blue gemstones somewhere on it, preferably star sapphires. It must have a purple feather and some purple velvet around the brim…” the unicorn trailed on as she strolled into the shop proper in search of hats. Rarity noted that her cutie mark was a hoof grabbing a diamond. “This hat simply has to be the best hat you have. You do take credit here, correct?” “Credit? I’m afraid we only take bits.” “Bits? I don’t have any bits on me! This is supposed to be a modern boutique!” Lady pulled a luxurious white hoofbag from out of nowhere and unzipped it. She then levitated out a diamond studded purse, with solid gold clasp, and popped it open. “Apparently Master Card isn’t for everything. Hang on, I’ve got five hundred clovers.” Lady levitated out a wad of green pieces of paper with large numbers printed on them. “Do you have an exchange office nearby?” “The post office might do it for you,” “Okay, thank you.” Lady made to leave but stopped at the door. “I don’t suppose you could point me to the post office?” Rarity struggled against her innate desire to lend this pony a helping hoof. She knew it was futile though. She sighed quietly and then put on her winning smile. “I could show you if you want me to?” “Oh, I’ll be ever so thankful, darling.” Rarity trotted over to Lady and the front door. “If you’d follow me then,” she said politely as she strode outside. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ In the room above the bakery, a pink pony sat on a pink bed in a pink room. Excitedly crayoned drawings lined the walls with basic yet pleasing pictures of different ponies. All manner of random items covered every available surface. The pink pony was not feeling particularly perky at the current moment in time. “Pinkamena Diane Pie. Who even told her that? Noponies called me that since I moved out of Rockdale.” Pinkie muttered to herself. “Then what do I call you?” a voice said making her look up. In front of her was… herself. The same pink shaded mane and coat colour. However, her mane and tail were straightened out, and a pair of thick rimmed glasses sat on the pony’s face. “Oh no,” Pinkie whispered. “I’m Pinkamena Diane Pie. What is your name?” the pony tried again. “No! I thought I got rid of you! We have nothing to discuss! Get back in my head!” Pinkie shouted deliriously. "I see that we aren’t going to get anywhere like this,” Pinkamena sighed. She turned around and examined the room around her. All she could see was mess. Mess everywhere. Objects in places that they shouldn’t be. Objects with no places to go. Objects everywhere. Mess everywhere. Pinkie was too busy having a panic attack to recognise the fact that Pinkamena was about to join her. “Mess! Mess! This room has no order whatsoever!” Pinkie hugged herself into a foetal ball and rolled around the bed. From around her, she could hear the sound of draws opening and closing. Somepony was muttering incessantly as objects were picked up and dropped with a frightening frequency. Pinkie hugged herself even tighter and tried to focus on her currently fragile mental state. Several minutes later, Pinkie finally regained her composure and unfurled to see her room looking completely different. A somehow still immaculate pink earth pony had somehow acquired a cloth and some polish, and was busy wiping over the dresser. There was no way that a figment of her imagination could have cleaned her room. Pinkie pulled a cupcake out from nowhere and took a big bite. The pink frosting caressed her tongue and sent spirals of pure, sugar based energy shooting through her veins. Another bite and the cupcake was gone. “Wowiee! How did you do that!” she shouted excitedly, her usual demeanour returning at the behest of sugary treats. Pinkamena turned around to see that Pinkie had perked up. “Oh, you’re back again. I simply alphabetised your cabinets. A to H is in that wardrobe over there, I-N is in the chest of drawers, and O-Z is in that box of junk over there.” Pinkamena pointed to a pink chest emblazoned with balloons. “Isn’t that box so boxy!” Pinkie hopped off the bed and landed perfectly on her four hooves. With a series of hops she was at the chest. “That’s real everwood, you know.” “Now that the room is clean, we can have a proper conversation. We are the same pony, correct?” “No, silly! I’m a Pinkie Pie. You’re a Pinkamena.” “Superficially. Our names are the same, you responded to Pinkamena when you came in. What you choose to be called is a different matter entirely. I presume that according to all legal documents, you are still Pinkamena?” Pinkie Pie began to shuffle uncomfortably. “Maybe,” she retorted sharply. “Doesn’t matter anyway. I’m 100% Pinkie Pie!” she finished excitedly as she grabbed another cupcake from nowhere and tossed into the open mouth. “Yum!” “Of course it matters. I appeared here from out of nowhere, with a big gap in my memory only to see an alternate version of myself. You see where I’m going with this?” “Oh my gosh! You’re my evil twin!” Pinkie gabbed in excitement. Pinkamena facehoofed. “No, Pinkie. I am an alternate version of you from a different reality. That’s the only thing that makes sense.” “That’s exactly what an evil twin would say! I’m onto you, Pinkamena!” Pinkie hopped over to the other pink pony and leaned forwards. “What are you doing?” “Getting my eye on you! Duh!” Pinkie said. “No… look. You still work for Twilight, right?” “Twilight’s my bestest friend! Well, one of my bestest friends anyway. There’s also Fluttershy, Applejack, Rainbow Dash and Rarity.” Pinkamena nodded at the names until she heard on she recognised. “Rarity? As in Lady Rarity?” “Well, I don’t know anypony who calls her that except herself, but yep!” Pinkie said without blinking. Her huge orbs focused exclusively on the pony directly in front of her. “Could you please stop staring?” “Do you promise not to do anything evil?” “What?” Pinkamena demanded incredulously. Pinkie’s stare continued to burn metaphoric holes in her retinas. “Okay! Okay. I promise I won’t do anything evil.” “Pinkie Promise?” “What in…” Pinkamena began before letting out a heavy sigh. “Fine. I Pinkie Promise not to do anything evil. Pinkie shook her head in response. “Nuh uh, you gotta do the actions.” Pinkamena’s left eyebrow began to tick angrily. “What are the actions?” Pinkie took a step back, but kept her eyes on her name-twin. “Cross your heart,” Pinkie put her hooves over her heart. “And hope to fly,” Pinkie fluttered her hooves like wings. “Stick a cupcake,” Pinkie stretched her hoof out in front of her as if an imaginary baked treat was sat in it. “In your eye.” she finished by pushing her hoof into her eye socket and stopping nanometres from the white iris. “Your turn!” she said with an excited hop. Despite nearly removing one of her eyes, she had somehow managed to keep them both open and staring for the entire display. Pinkamena didn’t whether to admire her dedication, or fear her insanity. Pinkamena sighed heavily for the third time in a minute. “Cross your heart and hope to fly; stick a cupcake in your eye.” As she said it she performed the actions, even mimicking Pinkie’s game of ocular chicken. “Okay, I trust you then Pinkamena.” Pinkie said with a nod. She then reached up and pulled a fake pair of eyes off of her eyes, and tossed them to the side. Pinkamena stared, mouth agape, at the extremely realistic pair of fake eyes. “Those things always give me the eye sweats,” Pinkie said happily. Pinkie hopped over to the hallway door and pulled it open. “Coming?” she called back. “You were wearing fake eyes!” Pinkamena shouted angrily after managing to find her voice. “Still want to see Twilight?” she said with an adept topic dodge. “Fine. I’m coming,” Pinkamena grumbled as she trotted over to the door and through it. Pinkie noted that on her flank sat a picture of a clipboard with some kind of metal tube prodding it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ “Okay, Spark. This should send you back. I just have to focus on your version of me, and anchor myself to her. You should reappear right next to her.” Twilight Sparkle said as she levitated the pages of the book in front of her. “Um, isn’t this just a basic teleportation spell?” Spark replied from behind her mountain of equipment. “At one point it was. I’ve weaved it with the spell from that book I mentioned yesterday, the one on alternate universes. It allows you to see into another universe. I’ve also added a returning home spell for good measure. So in theory, this should bridge the universes temporarily whilst teleporting you home.” “Oh, that’s cool,” Spark shrugged. Her knowledge of magical theory was almost as bad as Smithy’s accent. “Right, now stand very still.” Twilight stuck her tongue out to the side and bit on it lightly in deep concentration. “Gotcha.” Twilight’s horn began to glow with purple light, which slowly increased in intensity. The book she had been trying to hold in front of her careened wildly out of the window, flying miles into Ponyville market and smashing Spike on the head with a perfect shot. “Was that meant to happen?” Spark asked nervously. Twilight didn’t reply as her eyes began to glow with white energy. The energy from her horn was now completely opaque and a very deep purple. “Uh, Twilight?” Spark took a slow step backwards. “Don’t move!” A voice bellowed from Twilight’s mouth. Twilight’s voice was definitely at the core of it, but it was magnified and guttural. Suffice to say, Spark started to back away even faster. “No! If you move then the anchors will…” Twilight began before being illuminated in a very large white bubble of magical energy. The roar of powerful magic filled the room, then silence. Spark peered around the doorframe she had covered behind. Twilight looked like she’d knocked herself out. The purple unicorn was lying face down on the floor. “Twilight!” Spark called as she galloped over to the collapsed unicorn. “Ah, bloody hell. What did I drink last night?” the purple mound replied in a muffled voice.