Equestria Quest

by Iwano Imagination

Chapter 13: Triple Ripple

After Zecora recited those mysterious lines, she fainted to the ground. What had Dissonance done to her?

“Zecora, are you alright?” I asked as I ran to her. Stupid, she fainted. She couldn’t hear me. I was in a mix of confusion and worry, and so were the Mane Six as they ran to our friend, too. We huddled up to her.

“What was that all about?” Fluttershy asked frighteningly.

“I’ve no idea,” Twilight replied.

“I don’t either!” I snapped defensively.

“But we got to,” Twilight continued, “take her to a hospital in Ponyville. Hopefully the doctors could do something.”

“I can take all of you girls there in a jiffy,” I suggested.

“What?! Why would I let you after you struck—?!”

Before I could let Twilight finish her whole demanding sentence, I teleported all of us and we disappeared in a yellow flash and white sparkles.

I was outside Ponyville’s hospital (the very same place where Rainbow Dash recovered from her broken wings in the episode Read It and Weep), pacing in front of its entrance. While doing that, I was piecing everything Dissonance had done and the lines Zecora said together, like solving a geometric equation. I wanted to find the real purpose to Dissonance act. I felt stupid. I couldn’t control that dark element. I guessed I was running out of time quickly—why wouldn’t it be slower? But what were those lines Zecora chanted? I just hoped she was fine inside the hospital, recovering from her sort of trance.

They were all in rhymes, they sounded tragic and ominous, and they probably had symbolisms...

The moment the Mane Six exited the hospital with Spike the dragon on Twilight’s back, I immediately knew those mysterious lines.

“A prophecy,” I firmly said to them. “I confirm that.”

“What prophecy, Iwano?” Twilight asked.

“Don’t ask me how I found out, but I was able to equate everything in my head about it. Dissonance needed something to guide him for some evil plan, so he ‘absorbed’ some of the Tree of Harmony’s power, converted it into a prophecy, and zapped Zecora into reciting or chanting them. Those lines are also assisting him in endangering us while he’s concealed within me, since I’ve mustered enough willpower to block him, fortunately for a long period of time.”

Twilight was about to ask, or rather demand, but Applejack asked, “But why zap Zecora?”

“Because he knew I was about to take back control, and he needed somepony to recite his prophecy—and the fact Zecora speaks in rhymes.” I gulped. “And it’s already in effect, and will take place sometime or very soon. I’m very glad Zecora is getting medicated.”

I imagined the Mane Six all reciting the prophecy in unison instead of Zecora. That would be really creepy, especially when Pinkie Pie would recite in a happy tone. Oh, such irony.

“I’d be gladder than you if I weren’t so puzzled about those lines,” Twilight muttered. “This is now beginning to become a big puzzle. I want to decipher what those lines mean. Does anypony by any chance remember the whole lines?”

Everypony were scratching their heads for an answer, while I was cursing to myself in my thoughts.

“I know, I know!” Pinkie Pie hopped and exclaimed happily. “I know all of them! They’re twenty-four lines—”

“And all of them are by six stanzas,” I beamed. “Pinkie Pie, can you try saying the first stanza, and let’s see if we can try deciphering it.”

“Okie, dokie, loki! Returned weakened of heart from defeat, protected by the monster unaware of deceit,” Pinkie Pie recited, mimicking Zecora’s possessed tone. “Heartstrings flared under the rising moon, thus arise the mare of lust soon.”

We were staring at Pinkie Pie as if she were the new mystery.

“…Okay, let’s ponder that,” I said. “So, somepony will return and the fourth line hinted that it’s a mare.”

“We defeated several mares,” Rarity said, “like I had defeated a pony in Ponyville’s fashion show the last time.”

“And she’s described as lust.” The word was dreading my ears, only to remind me of Heartbreakagger, my Forbidden of Lust. “The first stanza’s very unclear, like all of the other prophecies I’ve heard and experienced. In my kingdom, prophecies happen often there.” And it’s very true. “I think it would take days to decipher, while you guys do your mission.”

“Speaking of days,” Twilight said, “what was Dissonance talking about back in the academy when he said we have four days left—?”

“A lot of prophecies have happened in my life. All about them were about evil rising and downfalls. And they were excruciating.”

Well, that had cut Twilight’s thought, which was what I wanted.

I gulped quietly. Today was Wednesday. Count that, I’d only gotten three days left. I only had Loyalty and Generosity within my heart. Dissonance was planning something with this prophecy as his guidance.

Fluttershy held my hoof. “Don’t worry, Iwano. We’ll get things through for you.”

I blushed and smiled, and quickly faded. “I—I can’t really believe these prophecies in my life are now setting here in Equestria. I don’t want this wonderful land to fall into same destruction that happened in my kingdom.” I had a pained expression. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, darling,” Rarity said, and she said her next sentence menacingly. “It was that accursed dark element of yours!”

“But, my mind was weak and unguarded during my awarding in the Wonderbolt Academy from my distracting happiness. Obviously every Pegasi in the academy hates me now. And it will be hard for them to understand my dark power. This is…hopeless.”

I sat down and held my head miserably.

“Come on, Iwano!” Pinkie Pie said happily as she held me down, which made me remember that pink wolf in my nightmare. “Turn that frown upside down ‘cause we’re gonna have a big party just for you!”

“What?” I stared at her dumbfounded.

“You’re still new here in Ponyville, so I wanna make everypony like you while cheerin’ you up!” She held my head closed to hers. “It’s pure genius! And don’t be so sad—I still like you, you pony!”

She hugged me so tight my scorched Wonderbolts uniform was about to turn into ragged clothing.

I pushed Pinkie Pie off—she really had a tight grip—and I ripped my whole uniform with my magic, turning it into shreds.

My friends gasped.

“Why did you do that?” Rainbow Dash asked in horror.

“It’s gonna rip off and it’s damaged anyway,” I simply said. “Besides, it’s also reminding me of…”

I knew in their expressions they would understand.

“Put the sad faces away, put the worries away, put the dirty uniform away, and put the boring prophecy away, and the boringness away!” Pinkie Pie announced as she popped comically in front of all of us. “We have a party to look forward to! Come on, Iwano!”

She grabbed my hoof and I hopped hesitantly with her on the way to wherever she would take us to, and out friends followed behind.

Pinkie Pie reminded me of this certain somepony I had as a brony friend in Reality via social network.

“I don’t wanna make thing hopeless and all,” Applejack said. “You were right, Twilight. Dissonance can be triggered when Iwano’s mind is weak and unguarded. And I’m not pretty sure if this party would put that evil thing out or help him, too.”

“I’ve to admit, I wished I was wrong,” Twilight said. “The only thing we need to do now first is to influence our Alicorn friend—and I think it is Pinkie Pie’s turn.” The princess felt guilty. “I’ll borrow Pinkie later for her to recite to me the rest of the prophecy’s lines, after the party, for me to decipher, and maybe report it to Princess Celestia if she could find the meaning of its symbolisms.”

“I’m worried that maybe everypony would hate Iwano,” Rainbow Dash said while flying near her friends, like she always did. “Some of the Pegasi who joined the Bolt Wing might start gossiping bad stuff about him.”

“Oh, and maybe soon he would be hated all over Equestria,” Fluttershy said. “Um, I think that was a bit of an exaggeration.”

“Let’s just enjoy, girls,” Rarity brightly said. “We should ask Pinkie Pie how we could help with the party. I expect it to be extravagant as other parties she threw.”

Spike whined. “I really missed a lot of action, had I? Can anypony tell me everything before I got zapped?”

“Well, Spike, let me explain.”

While Rarity filled in details with Spike, Fluttershy leaned towards Twilight.

“Um, Twi, uh, are you still sensing that somepony’s presence?”

“Not anymore,” Twilight replied. “Why?”

“I should have told this to you before, but I’m now feeling Dissonance. But it’s quite strong as I felt.”

The princess put her hoof on her chin in thought. “With those prophecies, we might have a difficult time doing our important tasks to Iwano. Dissonance mustn’t want us to succeed. There’re also things I’m too curious about Iwano.

“Like Rarity’s diadem and Rainbow’s armored wings,” Fluttershy guessed.

“Yeah, Fluttershy, and very soon we’re gonna have a wave of danger while getting hooves full of Iwano, and probably get our spines cracked by Dissonance in the process.” Twilight stared ahead at Pinkie Pie and I hopping. “Since you can strongly feel Dissonance now if he would be triggered again, would it be possible for you to signal us if he’ll ever come out? It will be very helpful—we can call it the ‘Dissonance Sense’.”

“Um, I’ll try,” Fluttershy softly said, hiding a whisper of doubt. “But it’s just new to me—sensing Dissonance. I don’t even know how it came to me in the first place.”

“Hmm…Dissonance and Iwano are one mystery altogether. I promise your newfound ability will come through for us, and it will be big help.”

Fluttershy nervously nodded.

How long did it take one pink party maker plus five of her pony friends to arrange and organize a party, without a baby dragon helping at all, for an Alicorn who unintentionally caused a typhoon and ruined the academy of the famous military/stunt group in Equestria?

I remembered Pinkie Pie as the Fili-Second in the episode Power Ponies (my fave episode), when she had super speed. I wondered if some of her comic power was still with her.

Nah, impossible, Pinkie Pie had the unique ability to broke the fourth wall—it was how she was: nonsensical, but a happy and hilarious friend.

Oh, it was 8:40 AM, and it only took an hour and a half to finish organizing the major parts of the party. The ponies in town were excited and willing to prepare this party bash for me—to my surprise. The last touches were the decors.

What was I doing? I was just soaring through the sky around and above Ponyville, waiting for my “love-the-Alicorn-and-forgive-him-for-his-little-destruction” party. I looked at the bright side that the citizens would still remember me stopping the mannequin riot and my gem donating.

I was quite puzzled and nervous about his prophecy—the “Poem of Dissonance”, I’d like to call it.

I wanted to be happy for Pinkie Pie putting up this party for me, but I couldn’t help feeling…miserable. And negative. I wished to only have a party—smile with everypony, eat sweets, joining the fun.

“What’s with the long face, Green Wing?” Lightning Dust asked as she stopped me from flying. She wasn’t wearing her Wonderbolts uniform, revealing her cutie mark: a lightning bolt with three stars.

I paused (with car brake sound effects) and startled, but at the same time happy to see her again.

“Ayo, Lightning Dust,” I greeted. “I’m just a little…doubtful.”

We stopped and stayed midair on a cloud. “What are you doubtful of?” Lightning Dust asked.

“I’m unsure if everypony would like me because of the party Pinkie Pie’s arranging. After what I’ve done, maybe everypony will hate me—”

“Hey, I don’t hate you, Green Wing,” Lightning Dust said as she nudged me. “In fact, I’m very far from it! I don’t know you think of what you’ve done in the Bolt Wing was little, but I wanna thank you for liking me as friend, stopping a dispute, and winning the competition for us from Gilda.”

“Oh, you’re welcome.” I smiled. “I actually wanted you to have a hard time, since I sensed you had a plan for my coach.”

She nodded in admittance. “Yeah, but thanks to you, I realized what I was doing was wrong.”

“And to me, hating you would also be wrong, and giving somepony another chance is right. Don’t ask me how I knew this, but you deserve forgiveness after what you had done when you were lead pony.”

“What have I…? Oh, you knew, wow.” She scowled.

Okay, I regretted reminding her that time. “How are Thunderlane, Cloud Kicker, Flitter, Milky Way, Drizzle and Parasol?”

Lightning Dust wouldn’t meet my eyes.

My heart lurched. “…Don’t tell me they’d gotten struck, too?”

“Back in the academy while we rest our search for you, another storm commotion had been brewing. I was lucky I was near a flag pole, which acted as my lightning rod for my protection,” Lightning Dust said. “I called others to do the same, but they were panicking, flying and running so wildly and haplessly that they were unlucky lightning rods themselves.” She winced.

“Sombra’s horn,” I miserably cursed. “This is my entirely fault again, Lightning Dust.”

“No, it’s not yours,” my friend insisted. “It was your so called ‘Dissonance’ I’ve heard.” She nudged me. “Hey, everypony will understand soon. There’s gonna be a party all for you thanks to Pinkie Pie, so lighten up. It’s never too late for us to forgive ya. And I forgive you, Green Wing.”

I managed a smile. Though the party hadn’t started yet, Lightning Dust already lightened me up. I just knew that there was something special about her and my other Pegasi friends. I just felt it. If I were to receive any gifts in my party, I would want more friends and a solution to stop Dissonance.

While I was thinking of the good stuff that would happen to me during the party, I was hit by a pink cake to the muzzle, followed by water balloons cleaning the whole thing. I was flinchingly startled (now with a flinch, really? I would’ve to control myself before that). What was that? There was some pink frosting left on my face, so I used my hooves to wipe them up and licked—it tasted like Pecha. Wait, who made this?

Lightning Dust giggled as she wiped some of the frosting from her. “I guess that the signal?”

The pink cake must’ve been the signal for me to get down, so Lightning Dust and I landed. The one who launched that pink cake was nothing more than from that pink party pony’s party cannon. That two-mouthed pony really knew how to give a bash, huh?

We landed near the fountain of Ponyville’s town square.

The town square had stone bridges over a river leading to the north, northwest and west parts of Ponyville. When I was above, this square was dotted with trees, banners around the hall, tents, shops and cottages on the side parts, and ponies walking around.

The town hall’s roof was where I hid myself (sort of) from the citizens who corralled around me, complementing and asking me questions, on my first day in this town.

Right now, this square and the whole town were decorated with colorful banners, balloons and streamers for my party.

Lightning Dust nudged me. “See you later, Green Wing. I’m needed elsewhere.”

“You’re not attending?” I asked. I read her mind. “Why is Spitfire coming here?”

Lightning Dust stared at me. “That’s…quite creepy that you know that, Iwano. And yeah, she’s coming. I just need to find her to do something important. You know? Wonderbolts business and stuff—”

“And stop her from doing what—?”

“Gotta fly!” Lightning Dust zoomed away in depart.

I should stop reading minds, because it was draining me. I hadn’t read the former lead pony’s mind completely about her reason of stopping Spitfire from doing what.

Nah, it was better not to found out.

“So this the town square of Ponyville, huh?” I said as I glanced around.

This square reminded me of my own back in Imaginundia—Dew Stroll Square. It was also the place where I first left for Equestria four days ago. Dew Stroll was like a giant park rather than a square since we didn’t have a town hall. The town hall of Ponyville was where Nightmare Moon returned during the thousandth annual Summer Sun Celebration in the first two episodes of season one of the show.

Around me, ponies were chatting hanging the colorful banners everywhere. It reminded me of my Enter with Colors performance. Seeing these colors just made me happy.

“I thought you’re with our hostess Pinkie Pie,” a voice spoke, which little startled me.

I turned to my right. “Ah, hello Mayor Mare,” I greeted with a smile. “Well, not yet.”

She greeted back. Just want to stroll around before your party starts?”

“Well, I want to find Pinkie Pie now.”

“I would like to escort you to our party hostess, if you may allow.”

“Sure.” I nodded. “We can chat a little for awhile while you take me to Pinkie Pie.”

As the mayor and I walked together leading to my pink friend, she pointed out and gave info on Ponyville’s stores, buildings, homes and places of interest.

“As mayor of Ponyville, it’s my responsibility that the town’s Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth ponies live as one,” Mayor Mare said.

“Do you accept Alicorns, too?” I asked, pretended to be stupid.

“Twilight Sparkle, our heroic princess, is one example, Iwano,” she answered. “She lives in the Golden Oak Library.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I must ask you: Would you still be staying here longer before returning to your kingdom?”

Wow, I wished she asked another question, or an answer to that one. “I would really like to, Mayor Mare. But I can’t. I’ve a deadline.”

It looked like somepony already filled the mayor about my Dissonance when I explained to her that, which was good, but she was the only pony whom I told her about my—

“You’ve a deadline of three days left,” she mused. “That sounds serious.”

“Just keep it a secret, especially from Twilight, her friends, and their closest acquaintances,” I told her. “I just don’t want them to get pressured while they’re having fun.”

Yeah, my friends would be distracted by their anxieties and pressure while influencing me, especially Twilight. In the episode Lesson Zero, she turned cuckoo when she couldn’t find a friendship problem until her deadline, so she had to use sheer desperations. I was amused and mostly scared about her twisted face—the “LZ Twi face”, Lentae would like to call. It would be scary to me when her twisted face would be stretched to its limit when she found out about my deadline.

“Look out!” a stallion’s voice warned.

“What was—?”

Before the mayor could finish, she and I were hit by water balloons from the sky.

“Who did that?” I asked as I flapped my dragon wings to dry. When I looked at Mayor Mare complaining and shaking her hooves dry, I stared at her and held back a grin. “Um, Mayor Mare, your mane…”

The mayor frantically rubbed her mane and looked at her hoof. “My hair!” On her hoof was gray liquid—dye? Well, it ain’t a surprise to me when Mayor Mare’s mane was actually brilliant fuchsia. I just didn’t know the reason why she dyed her mane into light cornflower bluish gray with lighter streaks.

She and I realized we were being stared by ponies, but they were mostly eyeing on their mayor’s mane.

Mayor Mare gasped as she frantically hid her exposed mane from public eyes.

I wanted to help her, so quickly teleported us somewhere.

We appeared inside the Carousel Boutique. I could’ve teleported somewhere else, but Rarity’s place might be suited for the mayor because I thought there might be any dye products kept here, since the seamstress was all about fashion, aesthetics, makeup, et cetera.

“Huh, what are we doing here, Iwano?” Mayor Mare asked.

“You really don’t want anypony to see your brilliant fuchsia mane,” I said as I began rummaging a closet for gray dye. “I decided to teleport us somewhere private for your little problem.”

She blushed and covered her mane away from me. “How do you know I want nopony to see my true mane color?”

I glanced at the mayor while rummaging next a drawer. “It’s nothing, really. Your frantic expression was already enough for me to tell.”

“So what Twilight told me was true, that you can be omniscient about everything in Equestria and its creatures and ponies.”

Did Twilight trust me enough with her friends and the two princesses? Maybe it was appropriate for Mayor Mare to know, since she was the mayor of Ponyville and I would be staying. And that confirmed that Twilight gave the mayor details and possibly warnings about me, no doubt while I was flying.

“Just don’t question how I almost knew everything, mayor,” I said. I wished I really knew almost everything about the show, or rather be completely stupid about it.

She made a small smile. “Okay, as you wish.”

“And maybe, keep everything you might experience with me to yourself—huh?”

I checked the last drawer. There was no gray dye. I closed it. “I guess I have to use an alternative.”

“What are you going to use as an alternative, Iwano?” Mayor Mare asked. “Like you said, there’s no gray dye.”

I walked towards her. “This.” I rubbed her mane.

The mayor blushed even more. “H-how is this an alternative?”

“Just wait for it.” After a few more rubs, Mayor Mare’s mane magically turned from fuchsia to gray. “There, now look at yourself, mayor.” I levitated a circular mirror from the drawers and held it to her for her to see her reflection.

She gasped in amazement. “How did you do this?”

“Just magic,” I simply replied. “Your mane will for now on be gray, as you liked it. Doing that—”

Mayor Mare suddenly hugged me tightly, almost cutting my oxygen supply. I was silently gagging while she was frantically thanking me. “You’re so amazing, I must thank you!”

When let go of me, I was smiling while breathing through my nostrils heavily. And then I wondered. “Why did you dye your mane, mayor?”

She blushed and bit her lips. “You wouldn’t tell my secret to anypony, right?”

Honor…

“I Pinkie Promise,” I promised.

The mayor sighed. “In my high school years, I was often a mare of leadership—often leading responsibly and intelligently. Because of that, I was followed, respected and admired by many students and teachers. But there were some who wouldn’t take me seriously, all because of my mane. After graduation, I was not taken seriously at all when I took leadership roles. Before I ran for mayor in Ponyville, I dyed my mane gray so ponies would take me seriously and that the elderly are often respected. And that’s the reason why I dyed my mane.”

“Wow.” I actually never knew that story of her and her mane, and I thought I knew everything in Equestria. I guessed there were some stories I was unknown of that wasn’t shown in the show.

“Keep it a secret,” Mayor Mare told me.

“Eeyup.”

When we left the boutique, I just realized that we were trespassing without me asking Rarity. Well, I really did need some dye and a place to hide the mayor.

“I wanna be with my friends now,” I said. “Can you take me there now?”

“Why, of course!”

On the way, we continued chatting. The mayor of a town filled with good ponies talking to the ruler of a utopia freely inhabited by billions of fictional beings was quite, I would say, “mutual” to be with together. She reminded me of myself being a leader in the past in Reality, but was all shattered as I entered high school. I wondered if she’d ever been like that before.

I couldn’t help feeling, but I felt there was something special about her—like she would do something important soon for me, like what those competitors did during the Bolt Wing, especially my new Pegasi friends.

Few minutes later, we finally arrived to my friends, who were discussing about something as we approached. But Pinkie Pie wasn’t with them.

“…And that’s why ah can’t stay long to prepare ev’rything, Twi,” Applejack said to Twilight.

“Ayo, everypony,” I greeted. “I’m here! Discussing something?”

“Hello, Iwano,” Twilight greeted back. “I see Mayor Mare escorted you here. Thanks, mayor.”

“You’re welcome, princess,” Mayor Mare said.

I glanced at my watch—9:25 AM.

“I’ll now leave Iwano to you, girls,” Mayor Mare said as she departed, and gave a quick glance and winked…at me? I must’ve been imagining it.

Now, I turned to my friends. “So, how’s my party going?” I asked.

“It’s almost done,” Twilight said. “We just Pinkie Pie’s orders if we’re going to begin. After all, she is the hostess. Do you want to help us find her?”

She and her friends giggled. What?

I tilted my head. “Fine. I’ll search now from the sky.”

“Are you forgetting something, Iwano?” Rarity asked as she gestured behind her.

“…My saddlebag!” I exclaimed as the seamstress gave me back my precious saddlebag. “Thank you, thank you, and thank you! I really forgot all about it. Thank you very much, my gem.”

I wore my saddlebag and saluted her, and then I departed for me to go flight.

Rarity pulled Twilight frantically with a lively grin. “Did you hear what Iwano said to me?! He called me his gem! He called me his gem! Oh, somepony please wake me up—I must be dreaming!”

Twilight rolled her eyes.

“Is it ‘kay for me to go back to my orchard now, Twi?” Applejack asked.

“I know you’re supposed to do that today, Applejack, but we all need to do this together for Iwano—just to further enjoy him so his Dissonance can go down deeper,” Twilight said. “Pinkie Pie did say she had a lot of plans for Iwano throughout the day, and we should help if she needs any assistance.”

“Um, Twi, Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash said and she drank a mug of apple cider while afloat. “Don’t worry about Iwano with Pinkie. I am totally certain that she can make Iwano the happiest pony in Ponyville.”

“I want to believe in that,” Twilight said. “I’m just worried.”

“Just enjoy! This might be the biggest party Pinkie Pie ever threw.”

Twilight managed a smile, but behind it was like she was doubtful.

I flew up into the air and began soaring above Ponyville searching for Pinkie Pie. To make this easier, I used my Aura senses to scan for the pink pony’s party aura. Her party vibes were probably so great I would probably pinpoint her down almost immediately. She might be probably checking on the décor, entertainment, and mostly food, which would be probably catered by the Sugarcube Corner.

Suddenly, my left eye twitched—I sensed Pinkie Pie. I stopped midair and tossed my head around for her. My head stopped and I saw below me was her exact location: the Joke Shop.

“Gotcha,” I said as a float down. Funny, this place was where the Mane Six first found me. I remembered being wrangled up by Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash. They were probably serious about taking the newcomer in because he was very dangerous.

When I landed, I saw a pink cake in front of the Joke Shop. It was about ten feet tall, with pink frostings and moderate raspberry coatings, and decorated with Pecha berries. No doubt this was baked in the Sugarcube Corner by Mr. and Mrs. Cake with the help of Pinkie Pie, and no doubt this was meant for me. But why was my Aura telling me Pinkie Pie was just very near me? And why was it also telling me that something bad for me would happen?

Hmm, I wanted to taste the cake. And it looked like I was now hungry, because my stomach was rumbling. I glanced around to see if anypony would catch me tasting. I opened my mouth as I was about to eat it.

And that’s when the party pony made an epic entrance.

Pinkie Pie exploded out of the cake, bursting sweetness around her and all over me. I was petrified. She was hopping happily and laughing brightly by the sight of me agape and surprised with widened eyes that looked like it was about to pop from frosting.

“SURPRISE!!!” Everypony in Ponyville around me exclaimed in unison which made me yelp and shot up into the air. I wanted to fly away, but there was something tied on my right hind hoof. I looked at it, and I had a red licorice rope tied on me. And it was lassoed by Pinkie Pie, eating a slice of the exploded cake.

“Come on, Iwano! Let’s have fun~!” Pinkie Pie blithely said. “Just dance, laugh, eat, laugh, and laugh!”

“Easy for you to say,” I said. “Okay, I change my mind. Can we just have a formal party, like what they had in the Grand Galloping Gala?”

Pinkie Pie stuck her tongue out, obviously in disagreement. “That was the most boring idea ever! Come on, Iwano. It’s like you’ve never had a party in a long time!” She jerked her licorice rope a pull and I was immediately in her hooves. I would like to hiss like she was made of acid when she was hugging me tight while convincing me to party in my party.

Okay, I regretted letting her and my friends arranging all of this for me. I was not a big fan of loud parties and eccentric fun. Was my Enter with Colors performance a party? No, it was just an intro.

I began hearing happy music, beating joy and cheerful rhythm playing. I had a feeling this would be another music number by Pinkie Pie. I bit my lips, bracing myself for the party pony’s nonsensical performance.

Suddenly, I was lifted by several ponies plus Pinkie Pie up.

“W-w-what are you ponies doing?” I frightfully asked.

They replied by throwing me into the air, and I was screaming. I then fell into a pool of dark orange liquid. I surfaced and gasped for air and frantically went out. The pool was apple cider. I was very stupid when I’d forgotten that I could fly.

As I shook myself like a dog to dry, Pinkie Pie and my friends began hopping around me while the music was still playing. Oh, Glob…

And Pinkie Pie began…

“A lot of bad things been happening

So that’s why we must all just sing

Don’t be too shy like Fluttershy

When I’m making you happy, do not fly

Iwano, I’m Pinkie Pie

You know everything ‘bout me like a file

So you know when I laugh I do not lie

When it comes to giving you a smile!”

After that part, I was pulled by some ponies into apple bobbing—we had to bite apples out of a barrel filled with water. I thought they used a big wooden bucket whatnot. The music was so energetic and happy, my heart pounded fast for me to apple bob with other ponies.

As I dunked my head into my water-filled barrel to bite an apple out, Pinkie Pie’s face suddenly appeared inside. I screamed underwater and popped my head out with no apple. Did that disqualified me? I wobbled by my surprise and fell on the ground.

Pinkie Pie came out of the water barrel like jet repulsion and landed in front of me, face to face, without getting wet.

“You make no sense!” I said.

How did she appear inside the barrel? How could she keep herself dry? She was definitely breaking the fourth wall.

She grinned so wide it almost looked like it was actually her whole face.

Pinkie Pie pulled me up, rubbed my head dry with a towel—where did she get that?—and twirled me to a herd of ponies holding hooves together and running around in a ring. I somehow got clung with them and joined in. And Pinkie Pie continued while being in the center…

“Just feel the happiness with us

Just have fun without the fuss!

Smother and help yourself with some cake

We baked a lot, just get and take!

Make loud noises like WOOHOO!

Out of instruments? Here’s a kazoo

Dance, prance you have a chance!

Now, dance, dance for your fans!”

On that part, Pinkie Pie was popping up in my every direction, especially all my paths for me to eagerly escape.

Pinkie Pie kicked me to a table full of sweets—cupcakes, fritters, brownies, cakes, and a whole lot I could’ve thought of. There were also some desserts I was familiar of in Reality. Wow, this was weird.

Though they were all delicious and I was hungry, those were sweets. I held back my hunger and resisted the urge to eat. If ate one of them, I would…

I was suddenly surrounded and startled by a sea of instruments around me, making loud noises as if it were New Year. My ears were ringing, but I regained my hearing the moment Pinkie Pie gave me a kazoo. What? Was I supposed to blow it?

Pinkie Pie pulled me again on a dance floor. The ponies around me were cheering me to dance. So I danced by doing some few shuffling moves I learned from Reality. In my Enter with Colors, I danced there, but this was unlike it—my heart was pounding faster for me to dance lively. Was this adrenaline? I thought I was getting tired.

Sweat was now covering my face. I was partying just to make everypony happy, but I wanted to collapse from subtle exhaustion.

Pinkie Pie next pulled me with her on a cart, and we zoomed out through the streets of Ponyville pulled by two stallions. I was too dizzy from partying to make out who were they.

And Pinkie Pie continued singing…

“Look at the crowd showing off their smiles

As we go through the streets—felt like miles!

Think of happy thoughts that will embrace you

Just as I hug the special one—that is you!

Where’s that happy smile on your face?

Don’t be so shy and grin with grace!

Now let’s stop here and enjoy the show

With everypony in town and the entire colors glow!”

While we go through the streets of Ponyville as the cart veered into different streets, ponies were waving and blasting confetti. Because of those I was startled and frantically hopped on Pinkie Pie’s hooves for her to carry me.

She encouraged me to think of happy thoughts. I thought of the very first time I had my first Pokémon—Pikachu— in Pallet Town, Kanto region, Pokémon world. I thought of the very first time I won for the first time in a race with Sonic the Hedgehog in the Green Zone, Sonic universe. I thought of the pranks my best friends did to me in my elementary years in Reality—which was a bit mean, but we had a laugh in the end.

I thought of every good thing that has happened to me, which gradually made me smile. And suddenly I went slack, because Pinkie Pie hugged me, but it wasn’t tight this time. It felt…good, like as if she were a pink cloud hugging a misunderstood Alicorn, cuddling softly and infecting him slowly with happiness.

She hugging me reminded me of a certain somepony in Reality who I’d never met in person, but he was to me the Pinkie Pie of my brony group in a social website and a very good friend.

My happy thoughts faded quickly when Pinkie Pie told the stallions to stop, which forcefully made them brake, causing Pinkie Pie and I to be hurtled to the air. I could fly, but I was too startled and scared to do it.

Luckily, we landed on a big pink cushion and we were with another crowd of ponies. In front of all of us was a stage, and I was agape, to only that Pinkie Pie comically appeared on stage, but she was with “her”.

The performer on stage with Pinkie Pie was a very familiar mare wearing a light purple star-patterned wizard’s hat and cape. The mare had dark grayish violet eyes, her coat was brilliant azure, her mane was pale cornflower blue with very pale of it, and her magic aura while she was casting on stage was pale, light grayish magenta. Her cutie mark was a magic wand sprinkling pixie dust.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, but that mare on stage was Trixie Lulamoon!

Had Pinkie Pie hired her and gotten Twilight’s approval? My mind was blown a bit. My mind was supposed to be blown when I first met the Mane Six in the first place.

Trixie Lulamoon had her first appearance in the season one episode Boast Busters as an antagonist, and again as one in the season three episode Magic Duel while wearing the Alicorn Amulet. According to my research, she was popular in the fandom as the “anti-Twilight”. She was reformed after Twilight defeated her.

So far, Trixie had no appearances yet in season four, but I bet some fans in Reality wanted her to make reappearance.

She must had a lot of practice after running away in the end of Magic Duel, because she conjured fireworks exploding in the sky with sparkling and crackling colors in the morning sky. The colors were impressively visible in the day and I couldn’t help but finally smiling.

When Pinkie Pie onstage saw me smiling on the pink cushion, she gasped happily and dashed to me.

She grabbed my hoof and we had to run on every pony’s heads to get out of here. I knew I could fly, but the sight of seeing Trixie made my wings numb again. Pinkie Pie and I running on heads made me feel guilty, but I just smiled anyway with her.

“Sorry, everypony!” I apologized as we stepped and ran fast on their heads like ninjas.

We then ran through the streets of Ponyville again together, but were now bustling with celebrating and joyful ponies, playing and eating sweets. As much as I wanted to be courteous and thankful for all of this, I had to tell Pinkie Pie how I really felt about this whole thing.

We stopped by the town square. She inhaled a lot of air, probably to sing another verse of her song. But I cleared my throat quick and said my message fast in song form…

“Pinkie Pie, I appreciate

Everything you’ve done happily

One hundred points this party I’ll rate

And the music’s now like a symphony.”

Pinkie Pie replied in song form, too. Okay, we were now talking while singing, huh?

“Oh, Iwano! It’s all for you

And I want everypony to know it’s true

That you’re fun to be with, you know

And you’re a really great pony, Iwano

Everypony will celebrate all throughout

This day and night without a doubt!”

“Pinkie Pie, to be honest

I want this noise to be less

Some peace and quiet is all I need

Thank you, here’s a pony here you must feed!”

I pulled Twilight to our background and flew away in a dash into the sky.

“…Are you sure he’s enjoying?” Twilight asked blankly.

“Yippee, he is~!” Pinkie Pie happily replied.

I hid on a higher cloud obscured from everypony, especially from Pinkie Pie.

I was tired and beaded sweat from her antics. All I wanted now was peace and quiet, while everypony below celebrated “my party” in joy, bonding and happiness.

I feared that if I party, my mind would become unguarded again for Dissonance to take control again.

I shook in disbelief. “That’s crazy,” I told myself. “You’ve mustered enough willpower to block him. Just don’t worry, Iwano.”

“Worry about what?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“It’s just that Dissonance would take—what in the name of Celestia?!”

Pinkie Pie was afloat riding Rainbow Dash. I seriously needed some peace and quiet for a while, but I couldn’t if she was with me. And I thought I was the only one here who could surprise.

“We got stuff to do~!” Pinkie Pie happily said. “We’re gonna do so much together!”

“Just lighten up, Green Wing,” Rainbow Dash said. I thought she was the one who needed to literally lighten up. “Just don’t be a KJ yourself, and try getting to know—”

Her rider gasped in a smile. “I should put that in our list—‘Fun Things to Do for the Rest OF The Day’~!”

I screamed and dashed off elsewhere. “Anywhere is better but here. There must be some place to hide peacefully!”

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie stared ahead.

“Should we follow?” my coach asked.

“Nah,” Pinkie Pie replied, “I’ll handle it~!”

I quickly decided to hide in the Carousel Boutique again. I teleported inside as I flew towards the place. The boutique was lit up but I couldn’t feel anypony’s other presence here. Good.

I sighed in relief. “Silence to me is delicious as apple pie.”

“Ooooh, you love apple pie? I love everything apple, too! Oh, and many pit, too!”

“I blinked and looked behind me. That was Pinkie Pie’s voice, but where was she? I tossed and turned nervously.

I turned again…and I was muzzle to muzzle with her. “Hi~!” she greeted.

I frantically screamed in midair comically and stormed out of the boutique as I flew. “Can she just leave me alone?!”

Rarity came to her boutique when Pinkie Pie skipped out.

“Where’s Iwano?” Rarity asked.

“We’re just playing,” Pinkie Pie answered. “What are ya doin’?”

“I’m going back to my boutique and shine my diadem.” Rarity rubbed my gift. “Well, have fun!” When Pinkie Pie left, Rarity gave out a menacing look upon entering her boutique. “Just don’t have too much fun, Pinkie.”

Next, I hid myself within an apple tree in Sweet Apple Acres’ orchard. Its leaves and apple would surely conceal me from that annoying pony.

Coming back here reminded me of bringing back the trees when Dissonance used my body and massacred all of the apples in one night. It also probably leveled up Twilight’s curiosity towards me, which I was still cautious of.

“Ha, she’ll never find me here,” I told myself as I laid back. “I’m completely obscured.”

“You wanna play hide-and-seek!” Pinkie Pie said as she clapped her hooves. She was sitting beside me! “I love games!”

I cracked an unnerved smile, and screamed as I flew away as if she were worst than Dissonance. “What else is my best option?”

Next, I hid myself in a cave of a mountain in Vanhoover. I’d to think of drastic measures just to be alone, even if it meant being far away from my party in Ponyville.

The cave I was in was uninhabited and quiet, except for the occasional dripping of water from the ceiling. At least it was better than Pinkie Pie’s chatters.

“According to my calculations,” I confidently said, “Pinkie Pie cannot make it here.” As an Alicorn in this world, I had the speed of approximately two to six Rainbow Dashes. It only took me three minutes to get here.

I remembered that the famous author A.K. Yearling, aka Daring Do, lived in a cottage somewhere in Vanhoover’s forest, hidden “most” from her fans. Some brony in Reality speculated that Daring Do lived in Vanhoover, and even showed a speculated map of her location by putting together other maps shown in the episode Daring Don’t. I mostly thought it was ridiculous, but I happened to spot the adventurer’s home in a rush.

It was amazing how fantasies and fan speculations could be true here in Equestria.

Besides peace and quiet, I wanted to travel all over Equestria and experience the wonders and places of this land. But Dissonance made it impossible. I only had three days left. Fun and enjoyment was never in my agenda, and that was why Pinkie Pie to me was a conflict.

I wasn’t the fun type of pony. I was more of a serious type, with some touches of justice, heroism, and frailness.

Right now, I was thinking of composing a new song. I opened my saddlebag with my magic and I—

“Found you…” Pinkie Pie whispered on my left ear.

I screamed and flew away again. “That’s impossible!” I cried out in disbelief. “She can’t be there in any time!” Maybe Rainbow Dash was with her—that would be a logical explanation since that Pegasus was the fastest flier of the whole Equestria.

Getting tired, I dove into Manehattan’s bay port to “cool”. It was a good thing I casted an oxygenated bubble around my head before I went in and that by saddlebag was completely waterproof and airtight.

“Manehattan,” I sighed gladly. “What a place!”

Manehattan was mentioned multiple times in the show, and finally made its appearance in the show in the episode Rarity Take Manehattan as the main setting. This place was also where the Bolt Wing took place as one of its courses we competitors went through. During the race, I wondered where the sophisticated and civilized ponies from the crowds were. They were probably inside their buildings watching from there and undisturbed from the bustling crowd—and the whole city was bustling that time.

The city reminded me of the Titan War that Percy Jackson, the Olympian gods and goddesses, and Camp Half-Blood went through in book five of the Percy Jackson and The Olympians series: The Last Olympian.

I would love to walk through Manehattan’s streets, meeting other ponies and seeing the “lights” of that city, but too bad I’d no time and I was pursued by an annoying, fourth wall breaking pony.

Underwater was blue and everywhere around me was just sand. At least Pinkie Pie wasn’t here.

I sighed in relief…until she showed up hopping underwater slowly with a long straw on her mouth directing to the surface. Oh Celestia, why?

Pinkie Pie removed her straw and blew six bubbles each popped out what she was saying: “Hello. Iwano. What’s. The. Next. Game?” And then she sucked her straw again.

I twitched. “You wanna play a new game? It’s called ‘Don’t Follow Me’!”

I conjured a rope and tied her up fast, threw her into a treasure chest I quickly conjured, locked it up in a double in chains, cutting off her straw, hung sic anchors on it, buried her deep in the sand, and vamoosed out of the water!

Okay, I knew it was harsh to lock up the good party pony underwater in Manehattan, but she was driving me crazy!

I was too dizzy to think of another option, so I landed in a forest to rest. This was getting tiring. I wouldn’t worry about that annoying pony since she could possible escape, which made me gear up my brain for another idea.

I paced around my area clamoring thoughts of being invisible. I highly doubted that would work.

I suddenly stepped on something on the ground. “Huh? This is different,” I said as I tapped the ground. It sounded like stone. I wanted to identify or what was under it, so I stomped the ground with force to “feel” the earth—a technique I’d learned from Toph Bei Fong from the Avatar world.

I closed my eyes in concentration, materializing what I’d felt in my head from the stomp.

“…There’s a pond underneath,” I confirmed. I used my magic and turned myself intangible as a ghost, and phased through.

I floated down and found myself in a cove lightened up with glowing vines on the walls, and a pond right in front of me.

Something from the back of my mind told me I recognized this place—and it wasn’t Dissonance who told me. I guessed I was too tired to remember, so I walked towards the pond and drank. I didn’t care if it wasn’t clean or not, I was thirsty.

After drinking, I stared at the pond. “All I wanted is some peace and quiet…And what is this pond?”

I glanced at my watch—10:10 AM. Everypony was still partying in Ponyville.

I began regretting running and flying away from my party prepared by Pinkie Pie. I felt down now, deeper than this cove, as I looked at my reflection.

The water suddenly rippled…and I saw myself with deep sea green eyes and a devilish smile.

I flinched as I shook. When I looked at my reflection again, the only thing I saw was my confused face, golden yellow eyes and frown.

I was still definitely tired.

“What am I even doing?” I asked my reflection on the pond. “I should be partying with everypony in town, especially with Pinkie Pie. And I must socialize!”

I phased out and flew to Ponyville—and I realized I was in the Everfree Forest.

But what was that cove with the pond?

Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack ran to each other in town square with exhausted faces.

“Any luck on Iwano?” Twilight asked her friends. “I felt my wings like they’re about to sprain.”

“He’s not in Sweet Apple Acres,” Applejack reported.

“He’s no in the Carousel Boutique,” Rarity added hers as she adjusted her Tredaspo diadem on her head.

“Me and Fluttershy have been searching in the streets and the skies, and no Iwano,” Rainbow Dash reported, too.

“Fluttershy, can you feel if Dissonance is active?” Twilight asked. “He might be the reason why we couldn’t find Iwano or Pinkie Pie.”

“Um, no,” Fluttershy replied. “I couldn’t feel Dissonance.

Twilight heaved a sigh. “That means, and thankfully, Dissonance isn’t active. But, wherever they are, we still—”

“Hi, girls~!” Pinkie hopped in, all wet except her mane and tail, while eating chewing something crunchy.

“Pinkie, where have you been and where’s Iwano?” Twilight demanded.

“We’re just playing hide-and-seek and it was super-spectacular-place-to-place-crazy-chase ever~!” She said all that with comical body movement with cheerful jumps.

“Game’s over, Pinkie Pie,” I said as I landed to my friends.

Applejack sighed in relief. “Thank goodness he’s still himself.”

“Pinkie Pie, I know you and you’re friends are trying to cheer me up and lift my spirit, but one favor: Can you just let me interact with different ponies for a while? I, Iwano Imagination,” I raised my hoof up, “Pinkie Promise that I’ll party with you all tonight—tonight. Interacting with other would get the citizens to know that I’m friendly, okay?”

The pink pony squealed joyfully. “That’s great, that’s good, that’s awesome, that’s fine, that’s—a cake!” She dashed off and came back with a slice of cake, and immediately ate it in one gulp.

I tilted my head. “Okay…I’ll see,” I said as I walked away from them now, “you mares later—”

“Wait, Iwano.” Pinkie Pie called as she walked to me. “Having a little fun doesn’t mean we’re not doing anything important, like influencing you with our chosen elements. You just need to have a little laughter to last longer or stick with you like bubblegum—yummy, bubbles~!—when you’re gonna go through a harsh time in the future, so you can look back to the joyful past to cheer you on farther. Don’t be so shy when you’re gonna have a great time. Laughter is easy as pie—and I’m Pinkie Pie!”

…I-I just stared at her in awe, or rather I was gawking. I never knew a pink, nonsensical, fourth wall breaking, talkative, anergetic, eccentric, zealous, optimistic, silly, ridiculous, friendly, affable, very friendly party-going, lovable and annoying pony would say those words that could give this Alicorn a hopeful and reassured smile. Maybe I was wrong about Pinkie Pie being all the negative and annoying qualities I hated. I felt guilty of looking down on her…or…no.

“…I’ll keep that in my mind, my friend,” I said. “Thank you.”

I left her with a smile.

Twilight approached her pink friend with a smile and said, “I think he loves your explanation, Pinkie. Keep it up and his Dissonance won’t bother him further or better.”

“Iwano’s too serious,” Pinkie Pie said. “And I knew that from the beginning. He needs to have more time with friends. Twilight, when I looked at his eyes, he’s really, really, really, really lonely inside.” She stood straight. “And today, it’ll be my duty to make him un-lonely and too smooth this party fabulously~!”

“Wow, Pinkie Pie, you’re really taking this—”

“Is that an ice cream cake?!” Pinkie Pie dashed to a nearby buffet table and began devouring the cold, delicious vanilla cake covered with vanilla pastry.

Twilight giggled. “Pinkie Pie is Pinkie Pie.”

Before I interacted with anypony, I ate three apples from Big Macintosh to have a little energy. I definitely didn’t want any sweets; albeit they occasionally made my mouth drool but I held it.

From the corner of my eye, I saw a mare panting and tossing her head around frantically, probably looking for something. Her coat was pale magenta, her mane was pale, light grayish lime green, and her eyes were moderate spring green. Her cutie mark was two daisies.

“Oh no, where is it? Where is it?!” the mare exasperatingly asked herself as she continued searching for something.

Concerned, I approached her and said, “A little daisy like you fluttering her petals needs a leaf’s helping hoof.”

She turned to me. “Ah! Uh, thanks, but I can do this.”

“No, I insist. I love to lend a hoof for a fellow pony like you. So, what are you looking for?”

“I was walking around and I accidentally dropped a small green box somewhere,” she answered. The mare whined frustratingly. “I’ve been looking for it, like, forever!”

She probably recently lost it. I thought. “Is it made of metal?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Why?”

“I can find it in a jiffy, ma’am.”

“How, and who are you?”

I straightened myself and used my magic—my horn glowed. Instantly, a green box about the size of one for matchsticks shot out of the crowd and stuck onto my horn. “And I thought most badges had weak metal properties.”

She gasped in relief as she removed the box from her horn. “Thanks! Thank you very much, sir!”

“Say, who’re you gonna give that to?” I asked.

“It’s a secret, whoever you are. And I want to give this to him as a token of thanks and welcome.”

I didn’t read her mind, because I didn’t want any spoilers.

“I never actually know him,” she continued, “so my friend will be directing me to him when it’s time.”

Who is that he? I thought.

“Okay,” I said. “Anyways, what’s your name?”

“I’m Daisy. And you are?”

“You can call me Morning Leaf,” I quickly replied. I still wanna be mysterious, I thought.

“I’ve an errand to run now for my friend of mine. Do you wanna help, Morning?”

I nodded. “I love to help, Daisy.”

After that and I tagged with her, I felt this “panging” feeling again. Ugh, my head was hurt. I actually felt it initially when I first met Lightning Dust, and then Thunderlane, Milky Way, Drizzle, Soarin, Parasol, Cloud Kicker, Flitter, Cloudchaser and Midnight Strike—and they were all Pegasi. Would my next set of pangs be a herd of Earth ponies? It might be possible. I’d called call my Pegasi friends, including Soarin, Cloudchaser and Midnight Strike, “Bolt Wing friends”, because I first met them in that competition.

I found Daisy’s appearance quite attractive, her green mane and eyes, but that didn’t mean I was crushing on her—Fluttershy was whom I’d crush on forever in Equestria.

Did Daisy know I was actually an Alicorn? Maybe my saddlebag was blocking my dragon wings. And did she know I was the celebrant?

We arrived at a marketplace—and it was crowded with partying ponies. Somepony had set up a huge sound system, playing electronic music beats, in the center of this place. Vinyl Scratch would be the only pony I knew who could play that kind of music. Or was it Pinkie Pie? Listening to the tech beat reminded me of Zero Zephyrum from the Grand Chase world. He gained DJ as another occupation after I introduced to the GC characters to my world. He was called the “David Guetta of IW”, too.

Tents and stands were supposed to set up here selling were obviously moved aside for this party area’s expansion—and the town was literally a whole party area! In other words for me, Pinkie Pie was everywhere. Dancing and roaming ponies made it hard for both of us to navigate through albeit my tall height and we could possibly get separated, so I clung to Daisy’s hoof firmly. When she was me doing it, she stammered and blushed. I nodded to her and she understood.

“What did your friend told you to get?” I asked in a loud tone for Daisy to hear because of the music.

“She wants me to get a bouquet of roses in her flower shop,” she loudly replied. “This marketplace is the best shortcut, so gotta get through here. But I never knew this place will be crowded as some other parts of this town. Who knew how special this celebrant could be who deserves such a big and fun party? This is even huger than the last time Cheese Sandwich been here for Rainbow Dash’s party!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get us through.” Cheese Sandwich was an Earth pony who was voiced by Weird Al Yankovich, a famous singer and parodist, from Reality. Just like Pinkie Pie, he was a party planner and was very eccentric as well. He was also one of my fave ponies.

I led the way for my new friend here, pushing siding, bumping and apologizing through these party goers. Daisy was right, this party was huge—huge than Cheese Sandwich’s I meant. While I flew into the sky waiting for arrangements to be finished, there weren’t many ponies, but the moment Pinkie Pie exploded from her cake and began singing, the streets of Ponyville was instantly flooded with its citizens.

Back in Imaginundia, we used to have huger parties than this and that of Cheese Sandwich’s—and mostly had a disaster in the process and ended normally well when Lentae, Cynthia, other Heroes and I saved the day. I hoped this party wouldn’t have any catastrophes, especially if it would be from Dissonance.

I scowled and shook by his name in this time.

We’d been shoving our way for a few minutes now. It was as if every time I pushed through successfully, more would clog in. “Where’s your friend’s flower shop?” I asked. “What does it look like?”

“If we exit this market place forward to our north,” Daisy said, “we’ll be able to see a shop with a rose signage above its entrance.”

“Alright,” I said as Ievitated her to my back, though I noticed she was surprised and she was…blushing? “Just hang on!”

“What are you—? Woah!”

I galloped fast and dodged swiftly through the crowds as Daisy have clung her hooves around my neck in a firm hug. It was exhausting, but I gotten us to the flower shop in only four minutes and seventeen seconds, according to my watch.

The flower shop was called the “Rose Regalia”—the name was printed in red on both its window door and wide shop window. The exterior was entirely colored with two shades of green and had a rose signage above the entrance—which it had a “closed” sign hung on its doorknob.

Without noticing the sign, Daisy tried to open the door, but it was locked.

“The sign says closed, Daisy,” I told her.

“Flower weeds,” she cussed. “I forgot to ask for the—”

The door unlocked by itself and opened.

Daisy turned to me in shock. “How did—?”

“I used my magic,” I simply said with a smile. “You can find me unique, my friend. Now, shall we enter?”

She nodded and we entered. Hmm...I loved the smell of flowers.

Daisy opened the lights. For the interior, the wallpapers were green with red-shaded flower patterns. There were shelves lined with assorted flowers on pots and vases, mostly roses, and there were also flowers on the sides, too. The floor was tiled white and the ceiling was the same color. At the end of the shop was the counter with its register and an entrance—the whole thing was ornamented with roses.

Seeing mostly roses in this flower shop reminded me of Akiza Izinski/Izayaoi of the Dueling world with her ace Synchro monster—Black Rose Dragon. The flowers also reminded me of floral characters, places, events and skills from all my past encounters and life in IW.

“I’ll just look around while you get your friend’s bouquet, Daisy,” I said. “I really admired these flowers, Daisy. I can tell that these pretty ones were planted and cared for because of their vivid colors and healthy textures.” I sniffed the air. “And the mixing aromas of them are really fragrant, and they’re not sensitive to my nose at all that would make me sneeze sometimes.”

Daisy giggled as she entered the counter. “My friend’s an excellent florist unlike the others in town, Morning. She’s a one of a kind flower friend, if you ask me. It was no wonder why her cutie mark’s a red rose—like her name. She and I are best friends, along with our other one, Lily Valley.” Daisy rummaged under the counter as she spoke. “Just to let you know, I don’t know what Iwano Imagination look like because I was sick in my home for four days. But my friend told me he’s an amazing Alicorn who saved the town from a horde of mannequins.”

“So, you don’t exactly know what he looks like? Okay, but you’ll see him soon, and I’m sure your friend will lead you to him.” Now I knew: Daisy was sick, so she wasn’t in the mannequin mayhem. In other words, when I first met her, she didn’t actually know I was the Iwano Imagination. Good, that would make me more mysterious.

“I forgot, I never seen a Unicorn like you before in this town. Are you new here?”

Time to be a little honest, and that confirmed that she never seen the one and only Iwano Imagination the Alicorn. “Yeah, I came to Ponyville three days ago.”

“Funny, that’s what my friend told me of when this celebrant came.” She held up a duffel-sized bouquet of roses staggeringly. A bouquet that size was too heavy even for her to lift was weird. “Mmph, I can’t believe she’s going to—”

I levitated the bouquet for her. “Let me help you with that.”

“Wow,” Daisy said happily. “You’re—”

“Hold that thought.” I closed my eyes, used my magic, and changed my appearance. Daisy was agape. My coat became moderate brown, my eye became brilliant lime green, my mane became black, and my wings disappeared again—Daisy didn’t see them. I opened my eyes. “Now, what were you saying?”

Daisy fainted.

While she was fainted, I read her mind to know where she would meet up with her friend—it was by the first stone bridge of the town square. I wasn’t able to read who her friend was, but I bet she was pretty and good as Daisy. I was carrying her on my back while levitating the bouquet for her on top of me.

I changed my appearance because Daisy’s friends and other ponies in town might identify me as the celebrant. I still wanted to be mysterious for a while, just had fun.

When I arrived at the bridge, I saw a mare staring at her reflection by the water below with her pale, light grayish chartreuse green eyes. Her mane was twin-sided ponytail in a color of moderate raspberry with light raspberry and her coat was very pale yellow. Her cutie mark was a red rose.

“A rose staring at her reflection by the water,” I said as I approached her, “who is waiting for the daisy to come—that the daisy is now on the leaf’s back.”

She grinned when she saw me. “Hello, my name’s Rose. How do you…” Rose noticed a fainted Daisy on my back and turned to worry. “What happened to Daisy?”

“She fainted through the crowd while we were looking for you,” I lied.

“Were you assisting her with the bouquet?” Rose asked as she saw her levitating bouquet in the air.

“I love helping other ponies in need, Rose.”

“Are you new here?”

“Yes. Anyways, who’re you giving this bouquet to—?”

“Daisy, Rose,” a stallion came as he spoke to them. His coat was light cobalt blue; his mane was moderate cobalt blue and his eyes moderate gamboge. His cutie mark was two pairs of two beamed quavers. “Have you girls by slight chance knew where Iwano Imagination is?” He noticed me having Daisy on my back. I gave him a small smile. “Who’s he and what happened to Daisy?”

“We haven’t seen him yet,” I answered. “And my name’s Morning Leaf. And Daisy fainted from exhaustion through the crowds.”

He studied me and smiled. I thought for sure he would recognize me. “My name is—”

“Noteworthy,” I finished. Darn, I was reading my minds again.

“How’d you—?”

“You’re cutie mark made me guess,” I answered hesitantly. I then noticed a box he was holding in one hoof. “Who’re you gonna give that to?”

“It’s a secret, but inside is blue vest.”

“Did you ask Rarity to make it?” Rose asked.

“It’s actually the very same vest I’ve made when I attended Rarity’s fashion club—the only perfect clothing I’ve ever worked and knitted on with my two very own hooves—and of course with a sewing machine.”

Rose giggled. “I remembered you were the only stallion among twelve mares plus Rarity in the club.”

“Hey! I had to. Rarity was asking me to invite some other stallions, but they all declined. So I’d to join just to make the loss of it.”

“I know.” Rose continued giggling. “It’s just funny you being the only stallion with mares.” She began laughing.

Daisy groaned. “Uh…huh?” I looked at her, and she did the same—muzzle to muzzle, almost close. She shrieked as she frantically and reluctantly went off me in a blush. “H-hey, Morning,” she said as she rubbed her mane shyly. “Uh, thanks for carrying me.”

“No problem,” I said. There they were again—the panging feelings again. I’d to bear the sharp headache, thought I twitched a bit. Daisy, Rose, and Noteworthy, eh? I thought. “Hey why were you looking for Iwano, Noteworthy?”

“I accidentally launched a couple of water balloons while preparing a catapult for the main event,” he replied. “Pinkie Pie instructed me to operate. She was even too talkative for me to say my refusal, and left me in a dash. I don’t even know how to operate catapults.”

I’d operated many catapults in my IW life, and at the beginning it was very simple. I couldn’t blame Noteworthy for being unknowledgeable of catapults, and “accidentally” soaking Mayor Mare and me.

“I’ll let him know when I see him,” I told him.

“Thanks.” Noteworthy saw my watch. “Morning, what time is it?”

I glanced at my watch. “11:50 AM. I guess I need to—”

Suddenly, I was tackled (again, seriously?), rolled and held down by a mare with enthusiastic brilliant emerald green eyes and a wide grin. The mare had a light yellow coat, and her mane was brilliant malachite and strong green. I’d a quick look at her flank—her cutie mark was three apple fritters. That moment, I felt another pang. Dang, ouch.

“Howdy, I’m Apple Fritter!” she introduced herself brightly with the same South American accent as Applejack and the whole Apple Family, except hers was high-pitched. She giggled. “You must be Iwano Imagination, the new neighbor!”

“Apple Fritter, that’s Morning Leaf,” Daisy corrected as she and her friends ran to us, while Noteworthy carried the duffel bouquet with difficulty). “But he’s a new neighbor.”

“Nuh-uh.” Apple Fritter shook. “Iwano here has a weird cutie mark.”

“Hey…yeah,” Noteworthy agreed as he examined my flank. “It’s also an uncommon one, too. That means—”

“We’ve been with the great Iwano Imagination all along!” Rose beamed.

“I remembered him being green and having weird wings,” Noteworthy added. “That also means he’s an Alicorn. And also, Twilight told me he’s a powerful one, so that means he can do anything—even change his color!”

“You’re right there, partner,” Apple Fritter agreed.

I sighed. “Wow, nice examinations there, Noteworthy. Yes, I am Iwano. Sorry for not being truthful in the first place. I love being mysterious, just to let you all know. Oh, I’m flattered when of being called ‘great’, Daisy.”

They all exchanged looks as Apple Fritter helped me up. I nervously waited for them to hate me. But instead, they all laughed. What?

“It’s fine, Iwano,” Daisy said. “But I love calling you Morning Leaf better.”

I was bumped by somepony and he or she tripped.

“Are you okay?” I asked as I turned and grabbed his/her hoof to assist. The pony was unusually tall like Celestia and was wearing a brown cloak with a hood that concealed most of its appearance…except her hooves.

I was petrified. Her hoof was colored very dark gray, which was actually the color of her coating, and had holes could make me peek through.

I gasped. “You’re—!”

“How do you know me?” she demanded in her hollow tone.

“Morning,” Noteworthy said, “what’s the matter—?”

I teleported with her.

“Just remove the cloak,” I insisted. We were both in an empty, un-partied, silent alleyway somewhere in Ponyville. I used my magic to teleport us in random of any quiet place for us to “chat”. It looked like my magic—or I—did a great job scanning the whole of Ponyville.

She shook

“Then tell me why you’re here,” I continued. “I just want an explanation before anypony comes here.” I could read her mind, but I wanted to save my energy for something big—the “mane” event.

She was silent in her shrouded face from her hood.

“There you are, Iwano~!” Pinkie Pie hopped in. Oh Celestia, not good. “I wanna have a seventh round with you in—who’s that?”

“Oh.” I tossed my head back and forth from “her” and Pinkie Pie. I’d to think of a way out or Pinkie Pie would freak when she found out, so I was anxious. Teleporting definitely wouldn’t work. “Uh, oh, this pony here’s just resting so she can, um party again—yeah! She’s resting to party again!” I nervously chuckled.

Pinkie Pie laughed and brought out a pie from her mane (what?) and said, “Don’t worry cloaked, tall, tired, mysterious pony! Eat this and you’ll smash the floor again~! All foods are high in sugar~!”

I knitted my brows. “High sugar would either give you diabetes, high blood pressure, heart attack or—”

A pie shot passed me and hit “her”. SPLAT!

I tossed my head to “her”, the pie tray was on the ground empty, and her face was mostly revealed rather than covered entirely with cream and Pecha bits.

I doubted Pinkie Pie wouldn’t distinguish who she was.

The party mare screamed, “It’s Queen Chrysalis!!!”

“No, Pinkie Pie!” I cried out while Queen Chrysalis wiped pie off her face. “Do not tell! She just wants too—!”

I was lost of words when Pinkie Pie whipped out a trumpet from her mane—what else was in her cotton candy head?—and blew out a loud melody that sounded of emergency.

“Can things get any worse?” I muttered miserably, and regretted it.

Twilight Sparkle teleported in our scene, followed by a swift descent of Rainbow Dash, a landing Fluttershy, Rarity trotting while holding her diadem on her head as if it were already fragile, and an applesauce-covered Applejack.

“We came,” Applejack said as she wiped applesauce from her face, “as fast as we—what in crop-whippin’ is she here?!”

Right before their eyes was the Changeling queen, with moderate harlequin eyes, gnarled horn, insect wings, dark gray coating, holed up hooves, and silky dark cerulean mane.

“Quick! Render Chrysalis immobile and prevent her from countering!” Twilight ordered quickly, and the Mane Six began attacking, except Fluttershy, who ducked to the ground shakily and covering her eyes beside me. A fight in this alleyway as a fray was covered in dust of smoke.

I was about to ran and broke the fight when Fluttershy grabbed one of my hooves, which made me trip. As I recovered, I begged, “Fluttershy, please let go! I’ve to stop them!”

I w-won’t get y-y-you h-hurt, Iwano,” she softly stammered.

I turned to look at the fight. Why wasn’t she fighting back and instead was just struggling?

My eyes widened, heart pounded. This is wrong!

“STOP!” I screamed, and everypony were frozen by my magic. They were all covered in transparent golden yellow gleaming coat with sparkles as they were paused in motion. Hey, I remembered Twilight used one spell to stop a commotion between her friends in the episode Castle Mane-ia—very good episode. I guessed my pressure triggered my magic, which was what I wanted to happened. Chrysalis was the only one still in motion, because she was on the ground beaten, bruised and creamed with pink frostings all over her face—I realized I’d seen too much pink in my time in Equestria.

Applejack was frozen in applebuck position, Rarity was about to karate chop Chrysalis’s head (that would knocked the Changeling immediately with a sharp blow immediately, or even worse), Rainbow Dash was about to dove down on the villainous mare (on the back, which would broke the Changeling’s spine), Twilight was in her stance to blast, and Pinkie Pie was about to dump a bucket of chocolate syrup—to what, eat the Changeling?

I’d teleported Chrysalis to my other side. Fluttershy was still holding one of my hooves, but she lost grip so I was able to remove myself. “I’ll let you girls go in motion again, and I’ll explain,” I said. “I can freeze your movements again if you all repeat your hostility towards Chrysalis again. Okay now, I’ll let you all go.”

I negated my magic. Rainbow Dash crashed to the ground—probably still fine and—and Pinkie Pie accidentally dumped her chocolate syrup on Twilight instead. Everypony could move again.

“It’s a good thing my diadem wasn’t ruined by chocolate syrup,” Rarity said as she rubbed her diadem, as if what she said wasn’t true.

The chocolate flavored Alicorn fumed as she wiped herself. “You better have a very good explanation why we shouldn’t clobber the Changeling queen. Otherwise, she is going to Canterlot’s dungeon.”

There’re dungeons in Canterlot? I thought.

After I healed Chrysalis with my magic while Twilight was studying me intently, which was a bit disturbing while I was at it, to my friends’ dismay, she stood up and sighed in relief of her healing. “Thank you, brown Alicorn.”

“Oops, I forgot.” I shifted back to my original appearance in glowing of golden yellow magic. Queen Chrysalis’s eyes widened in surprise, which made me grinned as if I said, Please, I’ve amazed enough Equestrians in my time here, but thanks for your astonishment of me, I’m flattered.

“Queen Chrysalis is seeking help,” I explained. “She wants to be reformed.”

“What?!” the Mane Six shrieked, except Fluttershy who was soft-voiced.

Twilight scowled. “I think Dissonance I controlling you again.”

“What? Hay no! I’ve read her mind. Trust me on this, please.”

“Did you also know that—”

“Queen Chrysalis is the queen of the Changelings—creatures that can change forms of any pony, especially the ones we loved, and sucks the love out of anypony. Chrysalis hypnotized your brother Shining Armor—you ‘BBBFF’—and disguised herself as your sister-in-law and former foal sitter Princess Cadance, and invaded Canterlot during the royal wedding. In the end, Shining Armor and Cadance defeated Queen Chrysalis with the power of love, and sent her and the Changelings faraway. Thus, the wedding was a success with the real Cadance and Shining Armor happily wed. However, the Changeling queen returned, and once again defeated the second time before by you girls. Am I right, Twilight Sparkle?”

Everypony was agape, especially Chrysalis, but Twilight’s reached the ground.

“You know me?” Chrysalis asked.

I simply nodded.

“We don’t trust her Iwano,” Rainbow Dash said. Her friends grunted in agreement. “Even if she wants to be turned ‘good’, she’d just trick us. Besides, she’s a Changeling; she can change into anypony, which would catch us off guard.”

“Rainbow Dash’s right!” Pinkie Pie agreed. “She’s also a party crasher! I hate bad party crashers.”

“Iwano darling, I trust you,” Rarity said, “but it’s Queen Chrysalis I don’t trust at all. I mean, why would a powerful ruler like you protect and such a deceitful-forming demon like her?”

Twilight’s eyes lit up.

“Girls, just look at her,” I sympathetically said as I turned to the poor Changeling. I actually wanted to believe she was still evil, but…I’d felt something about her, with those innocent moderate harlequin eyes and pained frown. There were no pangs this time. “Do you girls think she would mean harm again—?”

“Yes!” they all snapped, except Fluttershy.

“Um, maybe,” the soft-speaking Pegasus answered.

I was startled, and so was Chrysalis. I’d to defend her. “What about Discord? He’s now good, right? Why won’t I just try reforming her—?”

“No!” they snapped again, except Fluttershy.

I fumed. “Everypony deserves a second chance, girls!” I sighed heavily. “Look, what about this?”

I pointed my horn to Chrysalis’s right hoof, and zapped a green ring unto it, locked firmly.

“What is this?” Chrysalis asked.

“In my kingdom, if we still don’t trust a certain enemy and him or she wants to be reformed, we cast those called ‘Trust Rings’. If the wearer does anything ‘funny’, the ring will excruciatingly shock him or her. It can only be removed by the caster.”

Twilight knitted her brows in skepticism and her friends exchanged worried looks, probably had reservations, of course.

Trust Rings were one of my inventions last month, demanded by Lentae. I thought IW needed something useful, so I made a spell and made them. I first tried it on Eggman, and it worked pretty well considering he almost turned into a poached egg (long story). There was this unknown feeling why I agreed to my sister’s repetitive demands for the Trust Rings, but I just didn’t know why.

“Well, I trust Iwano of that option,” Rarity said with a face of uncertainty and undertone. “He is a ruler and an Alicorn of great power, you would all probably believe as much as I. Who know? Maybe his idea might work hopefully.”

“Oooooohhh-kay~!” Pinkie Pie chimed in. “If Chrysalis wants to be good, good, good, she needs to par-tay like everypony else!”

“Don’t worry, Twilight,” I reassured her. “Who know? Maybe she might help in the future.”

Twilight’s widened eyes and lit eyes made me wanted to go away, with Chrysalis, yeah.

“I’ll…just be chatting with Chrysalis first,” I said. “You know, bonding?—and I want nopony following.”

The Changeling queen and I left my friends in the alleyway. A conversation with Chrysalis would be great, I greatly believed.

My friends anxiously looked at our direction, except Twilight.

“That Changeling is gonna make a ruckus soon in the future, girls,” Applejack said.

“I hear ya, AJ,” Rainbow Dash agreed. “She must have an evil plan here. Iwano’s even too gullible to that Changeling’s ‘innocent’ eyes to see it.”

“Twilight,” Applejack said. “What should we do?” There was no response. “Uh, Twi, are you okay, sugar cube?”

“Oh, speaking of sugar cube,” Pinkie Pie said, “time to refill the sugar cube dispensers—!”

“Pinkie Pie, say the first two lines of Dissonance’s prophecy,” Twilight said.

Her pink friend giggled. “No problem!” She cleared her throat. “Returned weakened of heart from defeat, protected by the monster and unaware of deceit—bye!”

Pinkie Pie hopped away.

“Why do you want her to say those lines again, Twilight?” Fluttershy asked.

Twilight just stared at the direction where Chrysalis and I went, and gulped.

“The first two lines have just happened.”

“Thank you for defending me, Iwano,” Queen Chrysalis thanked. “But, you knew of my greatest misdeeds, so why did you do that?”

“Everypony deserves a second—or third—chance to become good or reformed,” I answered. “I also couldn’t stand seeing anypony like you get hurt. By the way, my name’s Iwano Imagination. I’m a ruler from a faraway kingdom called Imaginundia. Likewise, I’m seeking salvation from the Elements of Harmony from myself.”

“How do you know my reason of coming here?” Chrysalis asked.

“Just by the look in your eyes.” I stared at her as we walked together through the party. I noticed stands, tents and shops were being set, probably to because the buffet and entertainment wasn’t enough, so this party also became a half festival, for me, of course. “And just as you’ve heard from my friend Rarity, I am powerful. In fact, I can do this—”

I changed my height to match exactly like hers, which was probably also Celestia’s height.

The Changeling blinked in astonishment. “What kind of Alicorn are you? I mean, you have—”

“Dragon wings,” I finished.

She shook. “You can read—?”

“Your mind? Also others to, you know.”

She sighed. “Are you going to help me be reformed?”

“Uh, a little,” I admitted. “Twilight Sparkle and her friends could help, but I doubted they’ll ever do that. Besides, they go their hooves full of me, and considering they don’t trust you at all.”

“What’s your problem?”

“Let’s just say they need to influence me with their chosen elements to weaken an evil within me.”

“Dissonance—that was what Twilight Sparkle was referring to when you told them what my reason here is.”

“Correct. Anyway, are you hungry? You’re journey to Ponyville must have hungered you.”

“Yes, very much hungry. I never ate anything in my journey.”

We glanced at other ponies. When they saw my new friend, they didn’t panic, but they veered away and avoided eye contact with her. I thought they would panic, but something was telling me that somepony told everypony of the Changeling queen’s presence. Lentae would rage if I hung out or befriended villains or any antagonistic characters, even if they wanted to be reformed.

The last antagonistic characters I joined were the Babylon Rogues, and joining them made Lentae angrier. But I joined those avian thieves for a good reason.

If my sister were here, she would shred a villain I befriended with her Flute Sword mercilessly. Lentae had bad experiences with Villains—they toyed with her and often gave her irritating difficulties. Unlike other heroes who’d be tortured by their villains, Lentae was worst.

She’d stab me in the back if I help a villain in reforming him or her. Luckily, my sister wasn’t here. Lentae believed that over the past few months, I was too open to evil that the slightest influence of darkness would turn me into a villain.

Now that I’d thought of it, I gave both my Water decks to her and had build up a “Dark Rising” deck during my time in the Dueling world, I obliged Lentae in letting the Babylon Rogues stayed in her home as their own (their alignment was neutral, so that didn’t meant they were villains, despite Lentae’s disbelief), and Dissonance was within me…

Was I evil? Keh, that was very ridiculous of me to thought of that stuff!

“Are you feeling fine, Iwano?” Chrysalis asked. “You’re sad.”

“A bit,” I admitted. “So, what do you wanna eat?”

“I’m already eating.”

“Uh, what?” I tilted my head in question, and then I remembered. “Whose love are you eating out, huh?”

Chrysalis was just staring at me. I stopped walking and she followed. I glanced around for her food. I wasn’t sure who, so I used my Aura to sleuth the source.

I sensed none.

“Hmm...Then whose love are you feeding off?” I asked. She was still staring at me, now with dreamy eyes and a sly smile. “Is my love this delicious?”

Chrysalis licked her lips pensively, which was quite disturbing and made my stomach cringe. “I never knew you’re in love with so many ponies in your time here in Equestria, Iwano. While you were saddened of something I tasted your love, and it was delicious with many selective flavors, but doesn’t give me full power because you must’ve set some limitations to your heart somehow—not that I would do any destruction whatsoever. Your love is tastier and more savoring than my last stallion.”

“Shining Armor,” I recalled, “was your last one.”

“And I never knew you have a hidden lust in your heart. How many mares are you in love with?” She smiled teasingly.

Mother of Celestia, she can read my heart! I thought. She said in my time in Equestria, so that means she doesn’t know my other girlfriends back in IW, but does she know the exact names—or rather her exact name? Well, that’s…I’m in love with many mares?

“Do even know that exact and only mare I’m mostly in love with as my top?” I asked.

Chrysalis replied by changing herself into a Pegasus, with moderate cyan eyes, pale, light grayish rose mane and pale, light grayish gold coat, and had her cutie mark of three butterflies.

It was my turn to go agape, at the same time we both stopped walking.

“What’s wrong? Am I right?” Chrysalis as Fluttershy asked in the same soft-toned and kind voice.

I shook out of daze. “So if I read minds, then you can read hearts and love of anypony. Apparently that was how you were able to tell whom Shining Armor loved, and that’s Princess Cadance, correct?”

“You’re quite omniscient of many ponies, Changelings, and other things Equestrian, yes? I noticed that? You’re also—” Chrysalis turned back to her Changeling self. Aw, I was getting used to her being my beloved one, “—clever to guess how I used Shining Armor.”

“I didn’t read your mind on that, by the way. Fine, I’m your food—your unlimited supply of food.”

“Are you sure you wouldn’t be drained or weakened?”

“Eeyup.”

She chuckled. “You’re interesting, Iwano.”

“Since you wanna be reformed, I’ll be your friend.”

“You want to be my…friend?” Chrysalis gave me a solemn smile, and leaned on me. I blushed.

Yeah, I wanted to be her friend. I believed Chrysalis had a role in my adventure here in Equestria; a role to help me diminished the power of Dissonance. She was special, so maybe she might be useful but meaningful

Treachery…

Princess Celestia was levitating a quill and paper, writing probably a message, in her throne at Canterlot. Her face was bright as the thought of Twilight’s progress in helping the Alicorn with the evil Dissonance within his heart. She was very confident her former student would complete her task unlike any other she had faced, or felt.

The ruler had a pang in her head, causing her to accidentally rip her paper with her quill.

Celestia gasped. “She’s coming,” she said as she banished her writing materials and floated down from her throne, and looked through a window overlooking Canterlot. She stared at the sky anxiously but hidden it, as if waiting for somepony to finally come back

“Why in all of Equestria’s days would she finally return after thousands of years while Dissonance is still here…?”

I sighed. “You really need to control that conniving attitude of yours, Chrysalis. That’s not going to make any other ponies here to like you.”

“I’ll control it,” she promised.

“I’ve a question: What happened to your Changeling army before you journeyed here to Ponyville—?”

A green streak flew passed us so fast we were almost blown away. What was that? Was that a Pegasus? Passing by next was streak of rainbow. I knew for certain that was my coach, but who was she chasing?

“Who was that?” Chrysalis asked.

“That’s just Rainbow Dash,” I answered. “She’s probably just chasing some party pooper. I don’t know who she’s chasing, but that troublemaker’s going down.”

I turned to Chrysalis, and she was looking at something ahead. I followed her gaze, and I was agape the second time.

On a buffet table, an Alicorn was devouring foods as a crowd behind him was disgusted in shock. That Alicorn was amassing food in his mouth just like me—politely but hungrily. He had the exact same height, mane, coat, wings, horn and eyes just like me!

“Why…are you there?” Chrysalis asked again. “Did you casted your magic and duplicate yourself in two places earlier before I arrived in this town?”

“…No—no!” I said. “Something’s wrong Chrysalis—”

Rainbow Dash and her target crashed near us and caused dust. As the sight cleared, ponies around us stopped partying and took a look at what was going on. I was even more awed than the crowd and Chrysalis.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rainbow Dash demanded as she restrained down a green Alicorn. “First, you destroyed numerous stands on purpose; second, you pranked me too far—so unlike you, ya know? And then third, you catapulted fireworks—and burned some homes! What in the whole of Equestria is wrong with you?!”

“Rainbow Dash!” I called to her.

My coach lifted her head, and her face told me she was immediately confused. “The hay…Two Iwanos?”

Pinkie Pie approached us groggily and exhausted with panting as she pulled herself to us. “No…” the party pony tiredly said. “Three Iwanos!”

Twilight landed from the sky to us in our scene. “Okay, nothing to see here, everypony!” she said to the staring citizens. “As your princess, I command you all to continue in your merriment!”

I was amazed that everypony continued as if nothing happened. I guessed Twilight was getting the handle in being a princess.

“I don’t really know what’s going on with you, Iwano,” Twilight grumbled. “But why would you magically duplicate yourself and trash the party?”

“I’m confused as you mares,” I said. “I know Chrysalis hadn’t done anything wrong since her ring didn’t shock her yet...” I suddenly remembered. “I’ve been to the Mirror Pond.”

“How?! The entrance to that pond is sealed!”

“Long story. Right now, we need to corral myself before they do anymore—”

The clone Rainbow Dash restrained disappeared in teleportation. “Aw great,” she muttered.

“Are there anything else that would unexpectedly and surprisingly happen today?” Twilight complained to me.

“Why are you saying that to me?” I asked. “I’m not doing all of this, really!”

By the corner of my eye as I pushed Twilight’s complaining face near mine, overhead in the sky, I saw some sort of Pegasus, probably heading to us. When I used ‘Foresight’, I wanted my eyes to explode streamers.

First, Queen Chrysalis came to Ponyville to be reformed—shocking, at first.

Second, there were three Iwanos, counting me, in this party and one of them were ruining everything with mischief—horrible for my reputation as a hero and good pony.

And third, that silhouette was coming towards us. I whimpered.

“Iwano, is there something scaring you?” Twilight asked.

“That’s impossible…” I slowly said. “She’s not supposed to exist!”