Accident Prone Sparkle looked out from atop her podium, a seemingly never-ending sea of purple ponies before her. From wall to wall in the castle’s massive gathering room, Sparkle clones had huddled together, murmuring softly amongst themselves or trying to get a better view of the stage. Some clones were much larger than others—some smaller and cuter. Some looked practically identical to the original Twilight Sparkle, while others differentiated themselves with various hats or garments.
Only a single clone brought a chair along with them—one which they placed at the very front of the crowd before collapsing into it. Already, she was snoring.
Accident Prone Sparkle tapped on her microphone, gathering the room’s attention.
“Drunk Sparkle, could you stay awake for a bit while I talked?”
The sleeping clone in the chair jolted awake and grimaced, rubbing at her eyes. “It’s Hangover Sparkle now; I thought that’d be clear enough. And there’s no need to shout. I can hear you just fine.” She rubbed at her head with a hoof. “And why’s it so bright in here? Jeeze, my breath smells like crap. I wanna go back to bed. Can I just go back to bed?”
Accident Prone Sparkle shook her head. “Not until we’re finished here.”
Then she addressed the rest of the clones, trying her best to keep her voice even and clear.
“My fellow clones, it has recently come to my attention that a clone by the name of Dark Sparkle has stolen one of this castle’s cloning machines. Most likely, she plans on using the device to create an army of evil duplicates to destroy Ponyville or worse. Those creatures we all fought against just a short time ago? I have large reason to believe they were of Dark Sparkle’s creation. What we must do now—before it becomes too late—is band together and try to stop her before things can get any worse.”
She took a moment to drink from a glass of water by her side, blinking to get her pupils back to the center of her eyes.
“The one responsible for Dark Sparkle’s creation is still unknown, as is the whereabouts of the original Twilight Sparkle. We’ve had a clone task team out looking for her since this all began, but thus far they’ve all had no luck. But that doesn’t mean we as a unified group can’t help out and—”
“But who even says there is such a threat?” someone shouted over her.
The mass of purple clones parted in the middle to allow a single Twilight replica to step towards the stage. She angled her head to look up at Accident Prone Sparkle.
“I’m Exposition Sparkle, as I might have explained to some of you before. I’m in-charge of information here and so far I’m not even sure if a Dark Sparkle even exists at all. Has anyone besides Accident Prone Sparkle seen her? Even a single time?”
Accident Prone Sparkle furrowed her brows. “Yes, actually! Crusader Sparkle and the rest of the Crusaders did. I’m sure Janitor Sparkle did too. She worked just outside her holding cell.”
Exposition Sparkle tapped her chin with a hoof. “Or did they just see what you wanted them to see? Hmm? I spoke with Janitor Sparkle. All she did was clean up the mess this so called ‘Dark Sparkle’ made as she escaped. Crusader Sparkle? She can hardly remember anything involving an evil Sparkle; only a bunch of loud noises and bright lights as she hid behind a machine consol.”
Accident Prone Sparkle gritted her teeth, one of her pupils rising to glimpse the ceiling due to her increasing rage. “Just what are you driving at, then?”
“That perhaps it was you all along.”
A quiet gasp from the crowd of clones.
Exposition Sparkle narrowed her eyes. “Maybe you invented this ‘Dark Sparkle’ to take the blame for all your past mistakes and the ones that have yet to come. Let’s be honest now: how many clones in this room came to exist by some ‘accident’ on your part?”
A quarter of the room’s ponies threw up their legs.
“Either you’re sending us out on some wild pony chase in the hopes of erasing more clones you made by accident, or there really is a Dark Sparkle—one accidentally created by you—that now needs to be taken care of. One way or another, I don’t believe we should waste our time on something we can’t be entirely sure of. Whether or not Accident Prone Sparkle actually created some new unstoppable threat; I’m sure the rest of the Elements can take care of it.”
Accident Prone Sparkle glared down at the clone. “I had nothing to do with Dark Sparkle. And the fact that you wouldn’t want to stop a potential threat is very un-Twilight of you.”
Exposition Sparkle rolled her eyes. “Just because I’m a clone doesn’t mean I’m not free to live my own life… not spend it cleaning up after others. I’m not the only one that feels that way, either. I’m just the one that’s best suited at explaining such a thing to others.”
“So you won’t help?” Accident Prone Sparkle spat.
Exposition Sparkle smirked. “No. And neither will the rest of us.”
With that said, close to half of the Twilight clones moved towards the room’s backdoors and shuffled through, most not saying a word. The clones that remained stared at each other quizzically, before redirecting their sight to the stage.
By the sudden act, Accident Prone Sparkle was at a loss for words.
Hangover Sparkle jumped awake again and glanced around.
“Everyone gone? This mean I can go back to bed?”
One rather rancid burp later, she, too, exited from the room.
***
As soon as Pinkie Pie knocked on her door, Rarity opened up and quickly pulled her inside, taking a short second to scan the street outside her shop. After closing the door behind her, Rarity ran a shaky hoof through her disheveled mane and turned to her friend.
“Tea? Coffee?”
She gave Pinkie Pie a crooked smile, before levitating a tea cup to her.
Pinkie Pie took a sip and stuck out her tongue. “Not to make a big deal out of it, Rarity, but this tea is kinda cold. And now that I think about it, I’m not even sure this is tea at all.”
Rarity snatched the cup away and looked inside.
“Oh, of course!” She glanced up erratically. “In my stupor, I made this random warm drink three days ago and forgot all about it. Care for some random cold drink, then?”
Pinkie Pie shook her head. “That’s okay. But what did you want to see me about? And why couldn’t I tell the others I was coming here?”
Taking a quick stroll around her boutique, Rarity eventually sat on the edge of her couch with a sigh. Then she turned to Pinkie Pie, eyes dry and red.
“Clones, Pinkie,” she told her friend. “That’s what has me losing sleep and unable to concentrate on anything at all. All those damn Twilight clones.”
Pinkie Pie took a seat next to her and wrapped a gentle leg around her. “But we already dealt with all those nasty clones, silly! Don’t you remember? We smashed ‘em good!”
Rarity turned to her. “I’m not talking about the evil ones or the creepy ones. I meant the other ones that have already gotten to our friends—the romantic Sparkles.” Rarity stood and went to a wall loaded with sets of pictures connected by lines of string, resembling something close to train tracks.
Eyelids twitching, Rarity started from the first picture.
“When we first went to Twilight’s castle, we figured out that Applejack had been dating a clone named Apple Sparkle and just like that they’re getting married that same day. And even I must admit, they seem more in love than most couples I’ve seen.”
She pointed at the next set of pictures.
“Next, Speedy Sparkle joins our little group and instantly Rainbow Dash falls for her. All this week, I’ve heard them zipping around town, egging each other on. I dare not look up to see what they might be doing in the clouds when they think no one’s looking—then again, knowing Rainbow Dash, I doubt she’d care all that much about an audience.”
She moved to another set.
“Then when everything finally calms down around town, Fluttershy announces one ‘Trevor Sparkle’ to be staying with her, planting cute little kisses on her cheeks. Sure, he seems like a nice clone—some bizarre stallion Twilight, I guess. But now this means Fluttershy’s also totally in love with some clone?”
A bit of Pinkie Pie’s mane flattened against her head as she watched her agitated friend.
“What are you saying, Rarity? And what do the rest of the pictures mean?”
The last three sets of pictures included Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight Sparkle placed next to a blank box with a question mark inside.
Rarity closed her eyes and tried to steady herself.
“I have a horrible feeling a pattern is taking hold. In less than a couple of days, half of our group has been romantically paired with clones of Twilight Sparkle—two of them almost made specifically for that particular pony.”
Pinkie Pie looked at the floor in thought. “Applejack likes apples, so she gets Apple Sparkle. Rainbow Dash likes competition, so she gets Speedy Sparkle.”
Rarity nodded. “And we still don’t know what Twilight’s been up to. For all we know, she might’ve already been paired with someone; a book clone, or a tea clone, or a dictionary clone or whatever. But what if it doesn’t stop there? What if there’re elements at work outside of our control? Manipulating things so that the next set of clones we run into, you and I instantly fall in love with them no matter how we truly feel about it?”
Pinkie Pie raised a brow. “You think there’s someone in the sky just watching us and waiting to pair us up with Sparkle clones? Like just take our heads and mass ‘em together?”
Rarity took a quick step towards her. “It’s already happened three times, hasn’t it? What’s stopping it from happening again?” She raised her chin and held a leg to her forehead. “It’s not that I fear love, my darling Pinkie Pie, it’s only the idea of someone else making the decision for me that causes me to fret like I am. If a Sparkle clone that loves fashion and jewels and all the things I love shows up at my door, will I able to control myself? Or is there another clone that’s even better suited for me? One that I’ll spend the rest of my days with, growing more and more in love with during each passing moment between us?”
Pinkie held a hoof out to her. “But Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy all seem so happy with their clones. You wouldn’t want that?”
Rarity thought for a moment. “Only if I completely agreed to whom I was partnered with. I wouldn’t want it to be some crazy surprise; like I wouldn’t want some new clone just breaking through the ceiling and declaring their love for me on the spot.”
Both mares turned to stare at the ceiling, curious if some clone would break through. When none did, they looked at each other again.
“That’s why I asked you to come here today,” Rarity continued. “I think I’ve figured out a way to ‘distance’ ourselves away from all these clones. If it looks like you and I are in a seriously committed relationship, then any curious clones won’t be so forthright with their declaration of love, and maybe that’ll mean we’ll stay out of that instant love business that seems to be spreading around town. Then, once we’ve both figured out for ourselves which clone or non-clone we want to date, then we’ll pretend to break up and go to them.”
Pinkie Pie stared at her with unease. “That plan seems highly complicated, Rarity, when we could just say we’re uninterested to any clones that come by.” In thought, she tapped her cheek with a hoof. “But on the other hoof… does that mean we get to hold hooves and nuzzle and kiss and all that type of stuff?”
Rarity nodded briskly. “To keep up appearances, I’m afraid we’ll have to.”
Pinkie Pie brightened, flashing a smile. “Then I’m willing to do what is necessary, Rarity.”
Rarity tipped her a wink. “Now that’s what I call a good friend. Now come over here and let’s practice our kissing routine so it looks believable.”
***
Carefully, quietly, Princess Luna pried herself off the floor, first removing the four peacefully sleeping Twilight fillies off of her as not to stir them. On the tips of her hooves, she crossed the room and gently nudged open the door to the hall. Before she left, she turned and watched the two dozen or so small Twilight clones sleeping peacefully in the room—some spread out on chairs or carpets or near the fireplace with several more pressed up to Princess Celestia, who’d passed out some minutes ago after finishing up another long story session.
Moments ago, Luna had seen the opportunity to escape and took it willingly.
The mini Twilights were cute; there was no doubt about that. But to Luna they were nothing more than a distraction. Something else was in the works. Something sinister, she knew. And now she was determined to figure out just what it was.
Nearly trotting down the hallway towards the entrance doors, Luna stopped cold as a nearby guard loudly read from a scroll.
“Now introducing to Canterlot Castle! Cuddle Sparkle!”
The entrance doors parted apart and a normal looking Twilight Sparkle took a step across the threshold. She held a rather warm and fuzzy looking leg out to her side.
“Cuddle?” she inquired sweetly.
Luna gulped dryly and shook her head, trying to ignore the clone’s warm demeanor alongside their brilliantly soft and pleasant looking coat.
“No! No more cuddles!” Luna exclaimed. “You have only been sent here to subdue my sister and me, but now that all comes to an end! I will figure out what plagues this land with no more interruptions!”
Cuddle Sparkle frowned. “So no cuddles?”
The guard by the doors read from his scroll again.
“Now introducing to Canterlot Castle! Snuggle Sparkle!”
Luna whirled around to find another Twilight clone already waiting for her. Like her very similar counterpart, Snuggle Sparkle held out a silky smooth leg and asked softly: “Snuggle?”
Annoyed by the continued interruptions, Luna slammed two hooves into the floor.
“No! No more of this! You Twilights will not delay me anymore! My sister and—”
Luna gasped as someone hugged her from behind. The embrace was so warm and soft it made her legs turn to mush and caused all disparaging thoughts to drift out from her head.
She turned to glare at her. “Damn you, Cuddle Sparkle. I knew I should never have let you out of my sight.”
A second pair of legs wrapped around her front and—try as she might—Luna eventually began descending towards the floor, the overwhelming amounts of softness and fuzziness too much for even the alicorn Princess to triumph over.
Cuddle Sparkle and Snuggle Sparkle gently buried their heads into Luna’s sides, each one of their legs wrapped tight around the softly thrashing mare.
Luna bared her teeth to hiss at the cozy pair. “Damn both of you and your horrible softness! When I get out of this, I will make sure you are both sentenced for your crimes against the kingdom!”
Both Cuddle Sparkle and Snuggle Sparkle took turns whispering into her ears:
“Embrace the cuddles…”
“Residence is futile…”
“No bed sheet will ever feel as nice as we do…”
“Snuggles are love… snuggles are life…”
“All hail, Dark Sparkle… the one true Sparkle clone…”
Standing just fourteen steps away with his back against the wall, Canterlot Guard Number Forty Seven watched as Princess Luna fell to the ground with an anguishing cry. Both mares that looked an awful lot like Twilight Sparkle then curled up next to her, wrapping her up in-between them.
Guard Number Forty Seven pursed his lips from the sight. “Hmm.”
To his left, Guard Number Forty Six asked him, “You think we should do something about this?”
Forty Seven thought for a moment. “Well, she didn’t technically ask for us to help, and it’s also pretty damn cute, so I’m not about to jump right in and put a stop to it. Plus… Princess Luna totally forgot my birthday last month, so I’m not really in the mood to help her out.”
Forty Six turned to him. “She forgot your birthday too?”
Stuck in the very center of scientifically perfected warmth and fuzziness, Princess Luna desperately fought to regain the smallest amount of control to her own thoughts. What came to mind wasn’t as helpful as it could’ve been.
“Why do all these stupid Twilights need to be so cute!?”
***
Keeping her blinds shut against the morning sun, Ugly Sparkle woke up late into the day and took a single step in front of her mirror before deciding she’d spend the day inside again.
What an ugly, ugly Sparkle.
***
The large black doors to Dark Sparkle’s secret hideout creaked open and a Twilight clone stepped inside, her breath ragged and her ears pressed flat against her skull. As the doors behind her snapped shut, the clone gasped and quickened her pace to the ornate black throne in the center of the room.
Dark Sparkle sat with one back leg crossed over the other, her black cloak flung to her side as she busily twirled her golden staff in her magical aura.
“Greetings, Exposition Sparkle,” she said coolly.
Exposition Sparkle took a bow. “Greetings, oh great one; I come baring news. The clone known as Accident Prone Sparkle has been spreading rumors about you, but I successfully make it look like she was lying about it all.”
Dark Sparkle absently watched her spinning staff. “As I heard, but what you neglect to mention is that not all of the clones actually believed you. If you were smart enough, you would’ve killed that annoying clone on your own and made it look like an accident of her own doing. But that can still be arranged, I wager.”
Exposition Sparkle took a shaky step back. “But I had no orders to do such a thing… and I know the clones won’t be looking for you anymore… I promise!”
The golden staff stopped suddenly in the air as Dark Sparkle turned to her.
“I’m releasing you from your duties, Exposition Sparkle. You have done well, but not well enough. I demand perfection at all costs… especially since perfection can now be created from scratch.”
Mouth trembling, Exposition Sparkle said, “But I thought I was going to be your propaganda minister. I was going to speak for you and explain things in detail to the masses! I love explaining things in detail! That’s the whole reason I exist!”
Dark Sparkle cocked her head to the side. “All right. Then I will give you one last thing you can explain. Explain to me the nature of death.”
The hovering golden staff pointed in Exposition Sparkle’s direction and shot out a red beam that blew the poor clone into nothing more than a puddle of goo.
Dark Sparkle regarded the clone goo on her floor tiredly.
“So… what you’re saying is that death is messy?”
Another Twilight clone in a lab jacket concealing a rather large hump sidestepped the purple puddle to stand before the throne.
“Master,” she croaked out, safety goggles strapped tight to her forehead, “the calculations are complete and now we just need to start the machine. Do you wish to go over my work or can I proceed?”
Dark Sparkle flashed the faintest of grins. “I trust in your work, Assistant Sparkle. This new clone… you promise me that it’ll finish off those Elements of Harmony for good?”
Assistant Sparkle wiped away a bead of sweat. “I hope so, Master. There’s never been anything like it before, so I don’t believe they’ll stand a chance against it.”
Dark Sparkle chuckled deeply. “Sounds wonderful. Then go ahead and start the machine. And while you’re waiting for it to cook, make me a new Exposition Sparkle—one with more common sense, if you can.”
With a bow, Assistant Sparkle turned and nearly slipped in the clone puddle on the floor before disappearing back into the dark recesses of her lab.
Alone once more, Dark Sparkle started twirling her staff again, accidentally smacking herself in the face with it.
She sighed. “Now I wish I had another clone to explode.”
How mean!
Hmmm... giant monster?
What about Sparkzilla?
I feel bad about Exposition Sparkle. I really liked her. Anyways, nice chapter.
You could do Ursa Major Sparkle. Or Dragon Sparkle. Or Cthulu Sparkle. But if Dark Sparkle's goal is to stop the elements, she'd probably target their friendship. In that case, there is only one option... Mario Party Sparkle.
Ursa Sparkle?
A little T-rex dna, a little Tirek's, dna, (see what I did there?), a little T-light dna...Troika Sparkle... just sayin.
Incredibly Unpleasant Smelling Sparkle. See terrorizes the town such that the elements cannot fight back without uncovering their noses!
THE TWILICANE SEES ALL!
fc01.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/340/e/8/twilicane_by_lonmcgregor-d6vlrbm.png
Parasparkle? Every time she reads a book, she multiplies?
6403016
An exponentially expanding Sparkle Swarm. Very devious.
Edit: I'd love to see this as a Dark Sparkle doomsday weapon/fail safe.
Oh, and when Rarity was discussing clones falling in love, you forgot Discord and Chaos Sparkle. Even if he technically made that one himself.
Cthulhu sparkle, need I say more?
Maybe they made ANOTHER pairing for Rarity and Pinkie, but then they found out that they were " "Dating" " *wink* *wink* They were like, "I know! Lets make a matchmaker clone to see where all these useless clones can go so we can watch them kiss and stuff!" Then they make a Lyra Sparkle and a Human Sparkle and Bon Bon Sparkle is sad.
Tea cup,sized sparkles that act like para sprites but instead of needing food to multiply they need affection. So they start out as 1 or 2 and quickly take over as every pony gets on and falls under their adorable spell.
I'm not sure quite why I'm reading this, but I like it! Although it's kind of confusing with all the Sparkle clones.
I wonder what Twilight's parents think of all this?
Poor Exposition Sparkle.
Whatever these guys are cooking up will have to be very impressive because the good guys still have Sparkle Sparkle. Okay, it's hard to get her to do what you want but if this creation angers her... well, it'll be a short fight unless it's something truly impressive.
Poor Luna. Actually, I kinda envy her. Kinda.
And then they actually fall in love.
Dark Sparkle tries to create a Hydra Sparkle.
Instead, she talks to herself about science. Hydra Sparkle becomes Self-debating Sparkle.
The most vile Sparkle ever! Obama Sparkle!
Or Smooze Sparkle. Whatever works.
honestly i thought Exposition sparkle at the meeting was just a disguised Dark sparkle.
Matching the theme so far? Star Beast Sparkle made with the pelt of an Ursa Major or Hydra Sparkle
Or darker idea Tartarus Sparkle a creature of shadows and death
Or silliest idea Love me Sparkle or Want it Need it Sparkle
Can you do a human sparkle? Ir could be Lyra, or a twilight clone that was made for twilight's human friends.
Luna shall unleash her angry hugs and hateful snuggle-wuggles!
Oooh, what if Trixie, Sunset and Starlight show up in town because reasons and everyone thinks they are more clones of Twilight?
i have a idea for some sparkle clones.. (sorry if this double posts... my darn xbox is trolling me.....)
Torgue Sparkle! Beacause REASONS!!!!! and EXPLOSIONS!!!!!!! *Play Wicked Guitar Solo With Mouth*
Gaben Sparkle... because she can delay everything and say it's worth the weight...
DemoMan Sparkle.. because a 1 eyed sparkle with a grenade launcher and a un-healthy addiciton to cider can't go wrong..
Sunset Sparkle...a combonation between Sunset Shimmer and twilight.. we all wanted to see this and pkus we need another rude pony..
last one...
Waifu Stealer Sparkle... Your Waifu Is Her's Now X3
6402778 YES! We NEED that clone (maybe a blue shell sparkle for extra measure).
I got it! A clone that is not actually a clone! (She still thinks shes a clone though.) We could name her Twilight Sparkle!
6403504 What her parents think doesn't matter, they are just more clones.
6410958 What are you talking about? You still have two chapters left!
How about a twilight sparkle that can 'drill through the heavens?'
6420587 I've been thinking about a Robot Sparkle for a bit. More like a Sparkle clone that controls a super-suit type thing, though. With rocket boosts and "friendship" shoulder cannons.
Hmm, giant monster Sparkles... perhaps Sparklezilla or Scylla Sparkle. And with those out of the way, I think a Smuggler Sparkle would be entertaining.
Still need Trixie Sparkle.
I see the Cuddle and Snuggle Sparkles were created by Dark Sparkle? They're doing a fantastic job of disabling Luna.
Feels like the Endgame is coming soon. I expect either the real Twilight Sparkle is masterminding everything for some purpose of her own (or maybe the REAL first or second Twilight clone was Chessmaster Twilight who's really plotting everything out here), or Dark Twilight IS the real Twilight Sparkle.
6446392 I know, right? Just wait until the following chapters...
6515337 You must have an odd sense of humor. I like that.
> At the current rate the mane six are at, the Elements of Harmony are screwed. They need a shotgun twirling macho reprogrammed Terminator Sparkle, TS-800!
> Regarding a monster— a Tireq/Sparkle clone Is my suggestion.
Truly, the most monstrous Sparkle of them all: Equestria Girls Sparkle! jkjk
I'm thinking its high time there's a Trixie Sparkle.
nonononono, the greatest threat to Ponyville: a giant Sparkle that likes to hug ponies and snuggle ponies and keep ponies and call them George. THAT is what true terror looks like!
...
That or G3.5 Sparkle, but I get the idea you REALLY want this to become a horror fic.
I'd like to see a Ghost Sparkle.
Call the giant Sparkle to terrorize town Perfection. If she sees the slightest impurity, she destroys it or permanently alters it. I was going to say Perfect Sparkle, but Perfection seems like it would better suit the mood. Also, whenever she "corrects" something, she says something meant to be menacing but is somewhat hilarious (e.g. YOUR COAT IS TWO-AND-THREE-FIFTHS OFF OF THE PERFECT SHADE OF BROWN! *zap* YOUR JAWLINES ARE HALF A NANOMETER OFF! *ba-boom* THESE HOUSES DO NOT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME, THEY MUST BE CLEANSED! *kra-pow* MAKE YOUR GLASSES PURPLE WITHIN HALF A SECOND OR BE DESTROYED! "How do I do tha-" TOO LATE! *sa-bonk-a-doodly-doosh*)
6536499 Too late! We already did Crusader Sparkle. It... doesn't end well.
6538952 Thank you! Glad you're enjoying this oddity.
6563828 Why thank you! And that's only the first part, too.
6575331 I'm sure you're not the only one.
6575107 Master of comedy? And here I wanted to be a master of darkness. Oh, well. I'll take what I can get. Just kidding. Thank you!
I want a Snuggle and Cuddle Sparkle now...
So you need a giant Sparkle to terrorize the town, eh? Well do I have an idea for you! This new, giant Sparkle is able to drain magic - similar to Tirek. This would add to its large amount of magical power, making it the ultimate Sparkle. Don't question why that's what I came up with.
how about yandere sparkle? no, just me? yeah, it was a bad idea anyways...
Phew. Got away from that contrived romantic mashing together just in time, didn't they just?
Poor Exposition and Ugly Sparkles.
No! Exposition Sparkle! My favorite sparkle, next to Sexy Sparkle!
Godzilla sparkle