Pony-Me™

by TheMajorTechie

Bonus #5: Epilogue 2

Author's Note:

As with Part 1, this epilogue doesn't end the story, but simply the specific part of the story that has currently been at play.

However, since Part 2 didn't end on a two-way split that'd fundamentally shift the story's direction like Part 1's ending did, this epilogue will instead focus primarily on Equestria, and Twilight and Pinkie's slow realization of their simulated lives.

The next chapter following this will mark the beginning of Part 3, and a return to our usual cast of characters and the alternating perspectives-style narrative.

"...Not... real?" Pinkie mumbled, staring at the book on her friend's desk, "W-what do you mean? Of course we're real, Twilight!"

Twilight shook her head. "No, not real. At least, not in the way that you'd think."

Pinkie stared at her friend with wide eyes, then back to the book.

"I... I don't understand," she whined, her voice cracking as she read over the pages, "What do you mean? We are real, aren't we, Twilight?"

Once again, the alicorn shook her head. On instinct, she turned her head, ready to call her trusty assistant, Spike. Her eyes caught the young dragon sleeping soundly on a pile of comics, mumbling jargon about Power Ponies. Twilight turned back to her friend.

"I don't think Spike's real either, or any of our friends."

"Stop it, stop it!" Pinkie whined, clutching her head in her hooves. Her flat mane brushed across Twilight's face as she shook her head. "Stop it, please, Twilight."

Pinkie's expression softened as Twilight put a hoof on her shoulders.

"It's okay, Pinkie, we can figure this out."

Pinkie settled down, a near-inaudible whisper slipping out of her as she took a seat beside her friend. The room grew silent once more, punctuated only by the soft snores of Spike in the corner, and the occasional rustling of paper as Twilight turned the pages.

The candlelight flickered for a moment, distracting Pinkie. Slowly, she turned back to the dimly-lit drawing Twilight created hours earlier, the paper still draped halfway over a shelf beside Spike.

"Samantha," Pinkie began again, feeling the name on her tongue. She turned back to her friend. "Twilight, do you remember any names from before?"

Twilight glanced up from the book, a brow raised.

"Names?"

"Yeah, like... do you remember what the voice in your head remembers?"

Twilight's eyes widened. "O-oh, that," she gasped, "I... don't really remember all that much."

Pinkie cocked her head.

"Why?"

"Well, tell me a little about yourself. Or the other you, to be specific," Twilight began, pushing the book away, "I think... I think I remember that you used to be quite a bit poppier, and with a puffier mane too."

Pinkie nodded slowly. "I remember that too, but there's just this thing that keeps it from coming out. Something about a deal of some sort I think?"

"Deal?" Twilight frowned, "What kind of deal?"

"I don't remember."

Twilight snorted returning to her book.

"Twilight, what do you remember?"

"Not much, frankly," Twilight sighed, turning a page, "the voice in my head seems incomplete in a way, like a sort of patchwork creation. She usually keeps back and doesn't say anything, but... sometimes, she shares some things. She hasn't tried to feed me thoughts for a while now."

Another page flip.

"Do you think you can make her come out?"

Twilight shook her head, lifting her book to show Pinkie the title.

"Integra-- wait, no, Simulati... what?" Pinkie squinted at the ever-changing title. "What's wrong with your book?"

The cover changed again in a dim flash of light.

"I found this on my desk not too long ago. I don't remember ever seeing it anywhere before, but the broken voice in my head seemed to have some sort of pull to it. It's the most she's done to influence my actions so far."

She set the book back down as the cover warped in a burst of static before returning to its previous state.

"Anyways, I'm not too sure what else we could do at this point. I plan to write a letter to Celestia regarding the issue once I finish reading."

Pinkie nodded, stepping back from her friend's side. Turning to leave, the mare paused, glancing at Twilight.

"Twilight?"

"Yes?"

"She just told me everything."