It was a normal day at the Rift Cafe, which was run by Voice of Reason. It was a place where ponies could learn about the Rift, chat with other reviewers, work on videos and voice work, and get some coffee. Eliyora walked in to grab a mocha and perhaps chat with ToonKritic, when she took a glance at Ink Rose. Ink Rose had dark purple bags beneath her eyes, bloodshot eyes, and was on her 17th coffee as she vigorously typed on her laptop.
"Uh, hon...Are you alright?" Eliyora asked, concerned for her friend.
"Never better...Now, if I make copies of the same art piece, I can also work on my head-canons!"
"What?"
"NO! I'm not alright! I have a bunch of art requests I promised to have done by tomorrow! And then I told Firebrand that we could see an episode, and then I promised to get a head-canon video out on the origins of Discord with KP, and then..." Ink Rose told her in a panic.
"I think you planned too much for a day. You should cancel at least one thing, at least for now, so you can have a good night's sleep. I mean the only way you could do this if there's more than one...Oh." Eliyora realized what she said, Ink Rose got a demented smile on her face. "Inky, this isn't going to work, remember every movie to feature clones ever? I mean-" Ink Rose only responded with a laugh as she stepped away from the chair and put on her saddlebag.
"I gotta go Eli!" Ink Rose said as she ran from the table after slamming two bits on it.
"Oh, what have I done..." Murmured Eliyora.
"Hey! You know that isn't enough to pay for all those lattes!" Voice yelled.
"That's what you're worried about." Eliyora dead-panned.
*Ink Rose's POV:*
I know what Eli's thinking She thought as she wandered to the EverFree Forest, the reviewers are still very connected to Equestria and town events, they just aren't the main focus. She's thinking this'll go over like "Too Many Pinkie Pies," but since I'll only need two, and they'll be moreso workaholics instead of fun seekers, there'll be less of a chance for chaos! And, if they get even more work done and help other reviewers, then that'll be even better for me!
"This can't go wrong, and besides! Considering Firebrand and I'll be reviewing the newest episode, Firebrand can just shoot them back to the mirror pond!" Ink whispered to herself.
"Now, what did the episode say..." Ink-Rose murmurs to herself as she looks around. "Oh! My character notes and head-canons! They should be in my notebook!" And pulls a notebook from her saddlebag.
"Where the brambles are thickest, there you will find a pond beyond the most twisted of vines!"
"Okay, these are some pretty large bbrraammbnllees!" Ink Rose yelled as she fell down the same hole that Pinkie did, in the same embarrassing yet funny way Pinkie did everything. "The mirror pool!" Ink Rose said, as her voice echoed through the cave. She grabbed her fallen book, and sat at the pool as she flipped through the pages.
"Hmmm...Considering that Pinkie's main focus was fun, I'm going to have to think about the two things these clones are going to have to do, I just have to focus on...
"And into her own reflection she stared, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly mared!"
Oh no! I'm late for the episode review with Firebrand! No! Focus...Art.
Ink Rose saw another version of herself climb out of the pool.
"You know your place, right? I'm reviewing the episode with Firebrand, you're, uh...You're staying here. And I'm warning you, I have some unicorn friends that can and will vaporize you. Don't go back into the mirror pool." Said the first Ink Rose, defensively.
"Inky, Inky, Inky. I share all the same memories as you, do you really think I wouldn't cover all my bases if I did go?" Replied the second one, in a strangely seductive tone.
"Right. Hold on, I just have to create two more, and then I'll go." The second clone just sat there, checking her hooves, and watched as an artsy Ink Rose began sketching in the ground, and an analytical Ink Rose was busy taking notes on Discord in the dirt. "Okay, Arsty Inky? Back to the cafe! And Analytic Inky? To KP's house, can't miss it. Has a double-sided flag of John Delancie and Discord hanging from her house." The two clones nodded and went back up the hole and in different directions.
"And woe is me, woe is I, woe is, the defective Inky." The second Ink Rose satired.
"Listen. On second thought, I'm marching you back to my Cloudsdale flat. and you aren't leaving." Ink Rose was right. The second Ink Rose was placed in her house, and Ink Rose tied the other Inky's wings to her body, into a tough knot.
"I'll be back later to deal with you." And Ink Rose shot through the wall of her cloud house faster than a bullet.
"Big mistake."
"Ink Rose, where have you been? We've missed the new episode." Firebrand said as he greets her outside of the Discovery Family Theater.
"Sorry I'm late! There was an...issue I had to resolve. Maybe we can go through the theater archives and find an episode to watch. How 'bout...Pinkie Pride?"
"Sure." He replied, and they trotted into the theater.
"How did they get Weird Al though?!" Ink Rose said, as she walked out of the theater in peals of laughter.
"A member of the band ended up doing the music for a lot of My Little Pony music." Firebrand replied. "I'll see you next Saturday, hopefully we can make it to the next new episode." And he began to walk away.
"Wait! How about we, uh, go grab a latte and a hayseed cake over at the rift cafe?" Ink Rose called out. Firebrand looked at her suspiciously.
"...I didn't grab dinner before I came over..." Ink Rose said, sheepishly, with...Misleading bedroom eyes?
"...Sure...?" Firebrand said, feeling uneasy. Well, according to Eli, she's been a bit...Off her rocker lately? Not really eating or sleeping right, and, maybe I can talk to her about it at the cafe... "Okay. We'll go."
"Race you there!" Ink Rose said.
"Hey! No flying!"
Inky made it there first, and checked to make sure that the Analytical Ink Rose was out of the shop, before Firebrand entered.
"You know I hate when you do that." He deadpanned. She giggled.
"I know." And she gave him a kiss on the horn, before she stopped flying.
"Noise? Can you please bring out your finest hayseed cake and sunflower seed tea?"
She could still be sleep-deprived...Hard to tell with her sometimes. Yes. An interrogation will be for the best.
"So...Inky..." He started. Ink Rose gave him her full attention. Definitely something uneasy about this. "Eli told me that you've been working hard here, I mean, as in, not getting sleep for more than 4 days, and today hitting the coffee 18 times. You've been stressed about a bunch of projects, so my question is, why did you decide to stop working to go to the theater with me? I'd understand if you declined.
"Well, I've been working a lot lately, I decided I could use a break. So I cancelled all my commissions and review with AB."
There has to be something wrong here. Her tone, her little differences in behavior, the fact she's forgotten the names of colleagues she's worked with for at the most 5 years.
"I have to get going."
"WHAT!? Why?" She pleads.
"Wouldn't you normally be alright with this? I am a part of Equestria's militia." Firebrand stated, and turned around to the door.
"Uh, Um...Be alright with this!" Ink Rose yelled, as she clocked him over the head with the coffee table. He only turned around to see her clock him over the head with it, and had no chance to react. She then turned to Voice.
"You saw nothing." And then, threw the book at him too.