Through a Mirror Darkly

by Dreadnought

Chapter 2

Twilight sat in her comfy chair, her face obscured by a thick book entitled Marelin the Magnificent’s Marvelous Manual of Mystical Magic. Reaching the last page, she let out a contented sigh as she set the book onto a small pile to her left. Without hesitation, Twilight levitated an even thicker volume from a towering stack to her right and promptly buried her nose in it.

A door to the library opened and Spike pushed in a small cart. “I knew I’d find you in here,” he said with a hint of amusement that betrayed his deadpan face.

“Yeah, after battling Starlight Glimmer across time and space, I needed some R&R.”

“Reading & Re-reading?”

Twilight giggled, “Rest and Relaxation – but I suppose ‘Reading & Re-reading’ is also appropriate.”

He poured steaming tea into an awaiting cup. “I thought you’d like some as you studied.”

“That’s very thoughtful Spike, but you didn’t have to do that.”

“I know. But you had a rough time.”

She levitated her cup and set it on the coffee table. “Yes, but so did you. Aren’t there things you’d like to be doing now rather than waiting on me?”

He shrugged. “I guess.”

Twilight leaned over the armrest with a sly smile. “Wouldn’t you like to know how the Power Ponies escape from the sinking ship that the Maniac stranded them on?”

“Oh yeah, I’ve been dying to read – Wait a minute.” Spike furrowed his brow as he crossed his arms. “How do you know about the trap onboard the freighter? Have you secretly been reading my comic book collection?”

“Um –” She hesitated, as he tapped his claws expectantly upon the marble floor.

Wham!!!

The two looked to the far end of the library, where a door had been flung open, slamming it against the wall and causing a spiderweb of cracks to radiate out in every direction. The last traces of a pale blue aura parted as a creature stormed through the doorway. The figure was plastered by what appeared to be a chaotic mix of slimy cake batter, colorul frosting and thick icing. But the blue eyes, protruding horn, and outlines of wings instantly identified the pony.

“Pinkamena!” cried Twilight.

“What happened to you?” asked Spike.

Pinkamena trudged toward the pair until she stood before them and spat out even more batter from her mouth. “Two words – Pinkie Pie.”

“Your time with Pinkie didn’t go well?” asked Twilight, though her tone was less a question and more a statement of the obvious.

“No,” she said flatly.

Pinkamena used her hoof to wipe off her muzzle and flung the batter to the side. It landed on a stack of priceless ancient books, causing Twilight’s face to momentarily flash with horror, but she managed to regain her composure. “Tell us what happened,” Twilight urged, her eye twitching as she levitated a napkin over to wipe them down.

“I wanted to have a nice conversation to get to know my counterpart. Instead, she decides she wants to bake. And not something simple, she wants to bake everything – cakes, pies, muffins, cookies and dozens of things I have never even heard of in all my life. I tried to talk to her, but could not get a word in edgewise.”

“That does sound like Pinkie,” confirmed Spike.

“But the final straw was when she coated me in this mixture of cake batter and frosting.” Pinkamena stomped a hoof on the ground in anger, causing batter chunks to fall off her and cake the surrounding floor. “I could not take it anymore and left.”

“I’m sure it was an accident,” said Twilight.

“That is beside the point,” Pinkamena declared, her volume and frustration rising. “Your Pinkie is – is –”

“Pinkamena?” came a voice from down the hall.

“Here,” supplied an amused Spike.

“Pinkamena?” came a closer voice.

“I am not here!” she declared, teleporting away in a blinding blue flash that left the other two dazed.

Appearing at the door, Pinkie asked, “Twilight? Spike? Have you seen Pinkamena?”

“Why would you think she’s been here?” asked Spike, shaking off his stupor.

“I followed her trail from Sugarcube Corner.” She motioned to the chunks of cake batter that ran from the library door to just in front of Twilight and Spike.

“Pinkie Pie, what happened?” urged Twilight.

“That Pinkamena,” she began, “she’s – she’s –”

“Yes?”

“She puts the mean in Pinkamena, that’s what,” Pinkie said, shaking her head. “We were having such a fun time baking – an apple pie, lemon upside-down cake, strawberry cinnamon cilantro cupcakes, sugar cookies, MMMM –”

Spike cocked his head. “What?”

“A Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness,” supplied Twilight.

“MMMM-hmmm,” confirmed Pinkie.

“So then what happened?”

“Well, I had an accident and accidentally dumped cake batter on her. I tried to say I was sorry, but then she threw a tub of frosting at me. Then I threw flour at her, and she tossed a bag of nuts at me. I replied with shots of icing and then –”

“Pinkie?” interrupted Spike. “How come you’re not coated with all that stuff?”

Giggling, she explained, “I caught most most of it with my mouth.” Pinkie rubbed her stomach as she licked her lips, “And boy was it good.”

Twilight and Spike shared a Only Pinkie Pie look between themselves.

“Then Pinkamena stormed off. Can you believe that?”

Twilight said, “I bet Sugarcube Corner is a mess.”

“Oh yeah. It’s a good thing the Cakes are in Canterlot, otherwise they’d have heart attacks when they saw the kitchen.”

“Pinkie,” asked Twilight carefully, “did Pinkamena tell you about her past?”

Pinkie rubbed her chin in thought. “No, she was really quiet.”

“So you did most of the talking?”

“Oh yeah. I told her about all my friends in Ponyville, about our adventures, the family on the rock farm, working at Sugarcube Corner – everything.”

Twilight and Spike shared knowing glances between themselves.

“Pinkie, I’d like to tell you a story.”

Her face brightened, “Okay!” She hopped on the nearest chair and sat expectantly.

Twilight began to relate Starlight Glimmer’s treachery, the other dimensions, and Pinkamena’s past life. Pinkie’s bright smile slowly faded, replaced by a deep frown, tearing eyes, and a limp mane....