> Friendship is Shining: Multi-Pink-Cation Problems
>  by Hopeful_Ink_Hoof
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Sparkle's Sadness
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle laid sprawled out on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to decide what to do.  It was the weekend, so there were no classes to worry about (not that she did: they were easy -- and kind of boring -- anyways).  Homework was done when she got home from school, even when it was the weekend.  She had pretty much read through Faster Than The Eye, and did not really feel up to practicing any of the tricks in it.  She could study real magic, but reading about it was not as much fun as learning it with somepony else.

She missed Shiny and her friends from Ponyville.

Maybe she should go out and do something.  Since coming back to Canterlot, she pretty much had only left the house to go to school.  In fact, she barely even left her room.  Her friends in Ponyville would not want her to live like that.  Her brother would not want her to live like that.  Honestly, she did not want to live like that either.

Too bad she could not be like Pinkie.  Just throw a big party, invite everyone in Canterlot, and end up having "lots and lots of friends."  Admittedly, she would not be friends with all of them, but would at least end up with some due to sheer numerical probability.

She could go out and try, though.  At least to make some.  Moon Dancer lived just down the road.  Maybe she could invite the other filly out to play.  They could go to the park, or the royal gardens, maybe get some donuts and chocolate milk.

Getting out of bed, she grabbed her bit bag and headed downstairs.

"I'm going out," she called to her parents.

"Be home before dinner," her mother called back.

Walking along the street, the filly made her way towards Moon Dancer's house.  It looked like pretty much all the other homes on the street: two stories tall, with the second story built into the roofing structure; dormer windows one said floor sticking out; an a purple roof and white walls that matched the castle.

The sight of the house looking like all the other houses made Twilight miss Ponyville again.  Yes, there were a lot of similar houses, but there were also a bunch of neat and creative ones too.  Carousel Boutique, Sweet Apple Acres, and especially Sugarcube Corner.  Even her own home was creative.  It was a tree.  A tree.  With a library inside it.  How many ponies could say their homes were trees that had libraries in it?

Except it was no longer her home.

And with that sour note in mind, she rang the doorbell.  A few minutes later, the door was answered by an adult unicorn mare with a hard look on her face.

"Hello, ma'am," Twilight said.  "Is Moon Dancer home?"

The mare's eyes narrowed as she lifted her head, looking down her nose at Twilight.

"Moon Dancer is currently busy studying for her entrance exams into Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns.  As such, she cannot be disturbed."

The door was then slammed shut in her face, leaving Twilight stunned and wide-eyed as she stared at it.  After several seconds, she blinked.

The entrance exams? she thought.  But that's not until the start of next school year.  Did that mean that Moon Dancer's parents were going to make her study every day until then?  Even over winter break?  Nightmare Night?  Her birthday?  Would she be forced to spend the rest of her life studying, locking her way from other ponies and winding up as a lonely recluse?

No.  No.  That was silly.  No pony would end up like that.

With a sigh, Twilight walked away.  If Moon Dancer's parents wanted her to be studying, there was nothing she could do about it.  She could just try another neighbor with a foal close to her age.

Then another.

Then another.

And another.

And another, another, another...

The exact reason may have varied, and some were more polite or apologetic than others, but the results were pretty much the same.  None of the other foals in the neighborhood could play because they were busy with other things.

Not yet wanting to go home, Twilight just wandered around town.  She was not really thinking about where she was going (not much reason since she was alone), and was not really paying attention to where she was.  As such, it was a bit of  surprise to her when Twilight found herself in the royal gardens, standing in front of Discord's statue.

At the sight of the statue, anger burst through Twilight's chest.  The filly's ears pulled back as her eyes narrowed, glaring.  She stomped toward the statue, stopping at the base.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" she shouted, pointing a hoof at the statue's head.  "If you hadn't broken free and attacked Ponyville, my parents would have been worried and I wouldn't have been forced to move back here!"

Turning around, she kicked at the statue.

"I would still be with my friends!"

She kicked it again.

"I'd still be in the library!"

And again.

"Still with Spike and Shiny!"

Then a third.

"With POUND!"

Fourth.

"I woul-"

"WHAT THE BUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" a voice called out from above.

Twilight yelped out at the sound, jumping back.  Her backside smacked against base of the statue, pushing her hind legs forward.  The bumped into her forelegs, knocking them out from under her and causing the filly to collapse into the grass beneath her.  A thud in front of her drew her attention, making her look up as she blinked.

Standing before her was a pegasus mare dressed in armor.  She had a pink coat, but with a hint of purple to it.  A scowl covered the guard-mare's face as she glared down at Twilight, purple eyes pinning the filly in place.

"Well?" the guard growled as she took a step forward.  "I asked you a question."

Twilight's eyes went wide as it sank in.  She had been caught by a royal guard.  She had been on castle grounds, and was caught kicking at Discord.  What if they thought she was trying to free him?  They would lock her up.  Or seal her in stone.  They might even... tell her PARENTS!

Although her mouth opened and closed, and sounds did come out, none of it was coherent speech.

"Do you have any idea what you were just doing?" the guard asked, looking down at Twilight.  "Vandalizing... royal...property!"  With each word, she pushed her muzzle closer, letting Twilight get a good look at her teeth and glare.  "Do you have any idea how serious that is?"

A squeak escaped from Twilight as she shook her head.

"Is something the matter?" a new voice called out.

Turning away from Twilight, the guard dropped into a bow as Princess Luna approached.  She looked taller than Twilight remembered, and her mane now floated behind her, looking as though she was being followed by the night sky.

Remembering her manners, Twilight quickly pushed herself up into the proper bowing position.  She pressed her muzzle to the ground, staring at the grass in front of her.

"Everything is under control, princess," the guard said in a raspy voice.  "I just caught this... foal vandalizing one of the statues and was just about to arrest her."

The sound of hooves approaching made Twilight open her eyes, seeing a pair of dark blue legs in silver shoes moving toward her.  Another squeak escaped her as her body tensed, ears pinning back against her head.

Teleport! she thought. Teleport! Teleport! Teleport! Teleport! Teleport! Teleport! Teleport! Teleport! Teleport!

Unfortunately, it was not that simple, and she had yet to begin studying the spell.

"What is thou name, guard?" Princess Luna asked.

"Aria Blaze, ma'am."

"Thank you, Aria Blaze.  Your effort is commendable.  Now, we shall take it from here."

"Are you sure?"

"Most assuredly," Luna stated.  "Dismissed."

There was a moment of tense silence (tense for Twilight at least), before the sound of flapping filled the air.  Twilight thought she caught sight of the guard-mare flying off, but dared not look up or move a muscle.

"Rise, young pony," Luna ordered.

Wanting to obey as quickly as possible, Twilight scrambled to her hooves.  She stood up as straight as she could, looking down Princess Luna's hooves.

Princess Luna cleared her throat.

"I'M SORRY!" the filly cried out.  Lunging forward, she wrapped her forelegs around Luna's.  "I'm sorry.  I'm sorry.  I promise I'll never do it again.  I didn't mean any harm!  Pleeeeaaaase don't turn me into a statue!"  Her grip tightened as tears began to run down her face.

A blue aura of magic wrapped around Twilight, gently lifting her up from the ground and forcing her to release her hold on the royal forelegs.  She soon found herself floating in the air, about eye level with the princess.  One of Luna's wings reached out, the tip wiping at the tears.

"Calm thyself, Twilight Sparkle," she said softly.  "We believe that you are thoroughly contrite for your actions, and as such, have no intentions of seeking further punitive actions."

With a sniff, Twilight looked up at Luna.

"Really?"

"Indeed," Luna assured.  Her horn glowed blue with magic as she set the filly back down onto the ground.

As she was put down, a thought occurred to Twilight.

"Wait.  How do you know my name?"

"Celestia has told us much of your brother and his family, including his affection for you."  Luna then leaned down.  "Now, why art thou assaulting the replica of Discord's statue?"

"...it's a replica?"

"Did thou truly believe that Celestia would leave the true statue out?  We now know that in the correct conditions, he could be freed again.  Even if the binding were stronger than prior, it would be foolish to allow for such a risk."

That made sense. Twilight had not really thought much about it, honestly.  Now that it had been pointed out, it did seem like it was a bad idea.  Although, the seal did hold for about a thousand years.  It was possible it could hold for another thousand, or even longer.

"Reiterating our question," Luna said, drawing the filly from her thoughts, "why art thou assaulting it?"

"Because it's his fault I had to leave Ponyville."  Turning her head, Twilight glared at the statue.  "Because of him, I had to leave all my friends behind."  She felt tears start to well up again.  "Now I'm stuck in Canterlot with nopony to do stuff with."

Luna looked at the upset filly quietly.

"I... see..." she said slowly.  "Well..." she licked her lips.  "We were actually on our way to the royal kitchen to enjoy a snack.  Would thou care to join us, Sparkle?"

At the words "royal kitchen" and "snack," Twilight had to clench her mouth shut and swallow to keep from drooling.  She had gotten to enjoy some of the food from it in the past, when she would come visit Shining Armor.  Sometimes it would be meals, other times snacks, and always plenty of sweet treats.  It was some of the best -- if not the best -- food she had ever eaten.

Don't seem too eager, she told herself.  Don't seem too eager.

"YES!" Twilight called out, jumping in place.  Realizing what she just did, a small blush formed on her face as she gave a cough.

"I mean, if it's no bother, Princess, then I would be honored."
> Lonely Librarian
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Pony Among Zebra by Wandering Wonder, Shining Armor read, looking at the book floating before him. Non-fiction, adventure, W.  He set it down in one pile before picking up another book.

Daring Do and the Griffon's Goblet by A.K. Yearling. Fiction, adventure, Y.  He set that with a different pile of books.

A Study on Changeling Culture and History by T.R.C.C.E.A (The Royal Canterlot Cultural Educational Academy). Reference, foreign culture, C.

A sigh escaped the stallion as he got tired of sorting.  The rest of them could wait for later.

Although he did not really end up doing anything else.

Some minutes later, the bell rang as the door was opened.  Two figures stepped in, carrying shopping bags with them.

"We're back!" Spike called out.

"And they had tortillas!" Sonata added, holding up one bag in particular.  "We're having tacos for lunch!"

After the rest of the groceries were put away, the three of them got to work on lunch.  Spike sliced the vegetables, and used his flame-breath to roast the peppers.  Sonata shredded the cheese, humming to herself as she worked the block along the grater.  Shining Armor watched the rice and black beans, stirring them occasionally.  The air of the kitchen took on the aroma of cooking, making mouths water and stomachs growl.

Finished with the cheese, Sonata Dusk made her way over toward Shining Armor.  She flipped her dual-blue mane and leaned against the stallion, looking up with her big, raspberry eyes.

"So, how are you doing?" she asked.

Anger flared in Shining Armor's chest at the question, muscles tensing as his ears pulled back.  With a huff, he turned his attention to the rice, stirring it again (probably harder than he needed to).

"Why is everypony acting like I'm in some fragile emotional state?"

"Because we care about you?" Spike answered from his spot at the cutting board.  "Because you've been depressed since Twiley went back to Canterlot with Mom and Dad?"

"Because we are your friends and want you safe," Sonata said, leaning closer and making her eyes wide and puppy-like.

Those eyes and the caring sentiment snuffed out the anger and frustration.  It kind of made it hard to be angry when a pony was being adorable and trying to help because they cared.

A sigh escaped him as he pulled the spoon out and tapped it on the side of the pot.

"It's not that big a deal," he stated.  "Yeah, I miss having Twiley around, but I still have Spike.  And yeah, I'm sad she's left, but she's safe in Canterlot with Mom and Dad."  Shifting, he looked at the other two.  "Everypony is making a big deal out of it.  I'm still eating, sleeping, and properly grooming myself.  Okay, I've been slow about my work, but I'm still doing it.  There's nothing to worry about."

Putting the knife down, Spike turned to face Shining.

"Except that's not true."  Hopping off his stool, the young dragon walked over.  "You've been sleeping in a lot, and don't eat nearly as much as you normally do."

Shining, shifted, looking away.  As much as he wanted to, it was nothing he could deny.  He was waking up later than he normally did, and then it would take him a while to get up the energy and desire to get out of bed.  Yes, he ate, but it was more necessity than anything; waiting until he was nearly famished, then eating enough to not so much feel full, as no longer hungry.  Besides, everything was kind of... bland?  Not really the best word.  He could taste the food, but it just did not appeal to him.

Taking a hold of a spoon, Sonata stirred the black beans.  She licked at her lips, glancing at the unicorn stallion beside her before looking away again.

"Believe it or not, I'm a little jealous," she said softly, a blush forming across her blue muzzle.

"Jealous?" Shining asked.  "Of what?"

"How close you are to your family.  Especially Spike and Twiley."

The blush grew brighter as she looked at the pot.  She licked her lips before speaking again.

"I never really knew my parents.  Don't remember anything about them.  It was just me and my sisters, pretty much relying only on each other.  We did a lot together, struggling against the world"  A grin spread across Sonata's face as she raised the spoon above her head like a scepter.  "Nothing in the worlds stood in our way!"

"Hey!" Spike yelped out, as beans were flung at him.

"Oops," Sonata said with a giggle.  "Sorry."  She set the spoon down.

"Anyway," she continued, "even though we only had each other, we never really got along."  Her ears pulled back, pinning against her head.  "Like Dagi.  Fine, she was the oldest, and she was the leader, but that didn't mean she had to be so bossy all the time!"

She stuck her nose up in the air.

"Do this!" she said in a falsetto.  "Do that!  Obey me! Blah-blah-blah! Crush you like a bug!"  She stomped her back hoof against the floor with a loud thud!

"And then there's Aria," Sonata continued in her normal voice as she scowled.  "Always trying to be tough.  Always being pissed off!  Always making fun of me!"

Her scowl deepened.

"Growl, growl," she rasped out.  "That's stupid.  You're stupid.  Need to be reminded to breathe.  Bet you'll die in a kitchen fire the first day you're on your own!"

She suddenly turned toward the window.

"Well I'm getting along just fine on my own Aria!" she shouted, pointing.  "I haven't burned down anything yet!  So, up yours, Aria!  UP!  YOURS!"

The room suddenly went incredibly quiet.  Shining Armor and Spike stared at Sonata, eyes wide and mouths hanging up as they processed the outburst.  Realizing this, a fresh blush appeared on her face.  She let out a chuckle as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Sorry," she said.  "Guess I got a little caught up in the memories."

She gave a small cough.

"My point is that even though we were always together and relied on each other, I don't think we even liked each other, much less loved each other."  She wrapped one of her forelegs around herself.  "Seeing how much you three love each other, how much you care for each other..." her ears pulled back.  "I kind of wish we had that."

The room grew quiet once more as Sonata stood there, seeming lost in though.  This time, it was not her who broke the silence.

"Do you miss them?" Spike asked.

"Well... yeah," Sonata answered.  "But like I said, we were together our whole lives.  Just because I miss them doesn't mean we actually loved each other.  It's like if you have a rotten tooth and the dentist pulls it out.  You don't wish you still had the tooth, but you still keep sticking your tongue in the spot it used to be."

It was an odd simile, but one that Shining Armor could kind of relate to for the most part.  When he was a colt and losing his baby teeth, he never actually missed the lost tooth, but he did tend to stick his tongue into the gap and feel at the soft spot.  Most foals probably did the same.  He had never had a rotten tooth, but most stories made it sound like they hurt.  So, a pony that would have one would probably be relieved to have it gone, but still have that foal-like interest in tonguing the gap.

The pain in the mouth would be gone, but the hole where it had been would still exist.

"Well... did they say good-bye when you decided to move to Ponyville?" Spike asked.

"Sort of.  Dagi told me not to screw it up, and Aria said not to burn any buildings down."

"...At least that means they don't want you to die?" the young dragon suggested.

Sonata snorted, but said nothing else.

Shining Armor licked his lips.

"Uhm... I'm sorry that you don't really get along well with your sisters... but... maybe they'll realize how much you mean to them now that you're apart?"

"I doubt it," Sonata sighed.  "But thanks."

Turning to them, she smirked.

"Now enough mushy stuff.  Let's make tacos!"
> Cake-less Pie
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pinkamena Diane Pie -- Pinkie Pie to... pretty much everyone, actually  -- stood behind the counter of Sugarcube Corner.  She put on her best friendly and comforting smile.  One that said "I understand you're worried, but you don't need to be.  Everything will work out fine."  Most ponies did not know it, but there were over one-hundred different types of smiles.  Pinkie had been working to study and practice each one so she could better understand how ponies were feeling as well as express her own.

Admittedly, she still had a long way to go.  And that did not even include other emotions.

"Okay," Mrs. Cake said as she stood on the other side of the counter.  "We should be home Tuesday night, but may end up staying an extra day depending on how things go.  All of the base supplies have been freshly stocked, Bon Bon should be by this evening to drop off some candies --" she pointed a hoof at Pinkie as her eyes narrowed "-- which are for decorating and not snacking..."

She held the pose and gaze, emphasizing the point.

Pinkie's ears drooped as her smile shifted to something more sheepish, a small chuckle escaping her.  Admittedly, it was a fair admonishment as there had been a time or two... three... seven?...  There had been a number of times where Pinkie may have gone overboard with sampling the candies instead of using them for decorations.

They were just so tasty.

"... and we should be getting fresh ingredients in the morning.  You already know what to do for that.  Do you have the lists of orders to be finished while we're gone?"

"Of course," Pinkie said, holding up a scroll.

"Mo-o-o-om," Pound whined out.  "Why do you have to do this every time you and Dad leave over night?"  He scratched at his neck.  "You've left Pinkie in charge like... a thousand times before."

"More like twelve," Pumpkin stated.

"The exact number doesn't matter," Pound replied.  "The point she's done it before.  And so have we."

Turning to the twins, Mrs. Cake bent down and gave them each a kiss on the forehead.

"I know, my little meringues," she said.  "It's just for my own peace of mind.  As a parent, I worry about my kids, and as the owner, I worry about my business."  She placed a hoof under Pound's chin.  "I just want both the two of you, and Sugarcube Corner, to do well."  She straightened up.  "I'm sure you'll understand someday when you're older."

"Yeah," Pound sighed, his wings ruffling against his sides.  "I guess."

"That being said," Mrs. Cake continued, her eyes narrowing as her face grew serious, "I expect you both to behave while we are gone.  Is that understood?"

"Yes, Mom," the twins replied at the same time.

"And Pinkie, please be extra careful with the store."  Her gaze turned toward one of the store walls.  "We just finished having it rebuilt."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Cake," Pinkie stated with a salute.  "I promise there will be a Sugarcube Corner when you get back, even if I have to rebuild the entire place by myself with my bare hooves."

"Well... I appreciate the thought," Mrs. Cake said with a chuckle.  "But... let's try to keep that from happening in the first place, alright?"

"Okie-dokie-lokie!"

Pinkie Pie waved goodbye from her spot behind the counter, ready for any customers that may show up.  She was feeling extra excited and determined about doing a good job.  Because to her, this was an important moment.  This was the first time she had been left in charge since Discord's defeat.  She was going to prove that she was able to handle it, and show how much she appreciated the Cakes for all they had done for her.

Admittedly, there was a lot for her to do.  Not only did she have to take the lead in the baking and take the lead during the busy times, but there were at least three deliveries (providing no more were made), one party, and she had offered to check on Shining Armor.  She should be able to handle it, though.  Especially with the Cake Twins helping.  It would be a lot of work, but she was sure that she could do it.

An itching sensation suddenly formed between Pinkie's shoulder blades.  She could tell that it was her Pinkie Sense, but did not know what it meant.  She did not remember feeling anything like that before.

It was... just a coincidence, right?  She had not said anything about "what's the worst that could happen?" or "nothing could possibly go wrong."  She had not tempted fate, so things were not going to go bad for her, right.

Right?

Biting her lip, she looked at the door.  A large part of Pinkie wanted to chase after The Cakes and stop them.  What could she possibly tell them, though?  That her Pinkie Sense was telling her something was going to happen, but she did not know what, or how bad it was if at all?  Mr. and Mrs. Cake did know about Pinkie's abilities and did trust it, but that would not really be fair.  Plus, what if it actually was not a bad thing?  What if it was actually something good?

No.  Pinkie was pretty sure that it was not a good thing.  It may not necessarily be bad, though.  Not like her Pinkie Sense was able to tell her about Luna returning as Nightmare Moon, or Discord's escape.

Still, it did not really seem fair to ruin The Cakes' plans just because she did not actually know what it meant.

She would just have to hope that whatever was about to happen would be something she could deal with.

As a customer stepped in, Pinkie pushed the panic aside and put on her friendliest smile.

"Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!"
> Chaotic Dreams
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle's horn glowed with magic as she levitated the copper gears around her.  The mechanical pieces slowly floated in the air around her, orbiting the filly and her teacher.  Each piece would move in front of Twilight, giving her a chance to study the part and compare it to the blueprints placed on the wall.  Some would continue on, returning to their magical orbit.  Others would be inserted into the large brass frame, be interconnected with the others.

Piece by piece, the frame was filled with the mechanical pieces.  Gears were spun and attached, interlinking as they were locked into place.  Springs were coiled and attached, creating tension.  Screw were inserted and tightened to hold everything in place.  Finally, jewels of red, blue, and purple were placed in slots one by one.

With the last one -- a large, dark blue (almost black) gem -- in place, the machine was completed.

"Well done, my student," Princess Luna stated.  "You have done an excellent job, and the orrery is properly assembled. We are quite proud.  We are quite proud of thee."

"Thank you, Princess," Twilight said, giving a bow.  She had to keep herself from grinning excitedly or dancing in place.  The past month had been so exciting since she had become Princess Luna's student.  It was amazing having a princess teach her about magic.  She had always hoped to be a royal student, and now it was happening.  It was a dream come true.

"Now are you ready to turn it on?" the princess asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

Getting up, Twilight turned toward the orrery.  Tongue slipping between her teeth, she concentrated as she drew on her magic and poured it into the machine.  As it was charged, the gems began to light up, each representing a celestial body in the night sky.  A ticking noise filled the air as the gears began to turn and move.  One by one, the rings rotated, mirroring the movements of the moon and stars as the nights passed.

It was incredible to see.

Then it became cheese.  Mice and rats appeared out of nowhere and covered the entire cheese orrery before vanishing, leaving nothing behind.  Not even a crumb.

Twilight stared at the spot the machine had once been, ears flopped back and eyes wide.  Her mouth open and closed, small squeaks coming out each time.

"W...wh...wuh...wha....what?" she finally managed to ask.  "What?  What?  What just happened?"

"We-e-e-ell..." a masculine voice purred out, "if I had to guess, I would say that it was just too gouda to pass up."  He then started chuckling.

The sound of that voice and the laughter caused Twilight to tense.  A chill ran up her spine as ice ran through her veins.  Slowly, she turned around, looking toward the source of the sound.

There, floating in the air, was Discord.  With a grin, he held up his lion's paw, waggling the fingers in greeting.

"Hello again, my little pony," he said.  "Did you miss me?"

"How did you get free?" Twilight squeaked out, turning to face him directly.

With a deep sigh, Discord rolled over onto his back.  Throwing his head back (down?) dramatically, he placed the back of his eagle talon against his forehead.

"Alas, I have not," he groaned.  "I'm still trapped in my little stone prison, locked away in some vault deep under the castle."  He let out a sigh.  "And let me tell you, it's even more boring than the first time.  At least then I could feel the sun or rain, or even listen to some birds or the occasional pony talking, however dull it may have been."

Twilight stood there, listening to what the creature said and taking the time to process it.

"So... if you're still stuck in your prison, that means--"

A horseshoe fell to the ground with a loud thud, causing the filly to jump as she stared at it.

"That's right!" a tiny Discord said as he stood in the center of the shoe.  "You, my dear Twinkie Sprinkles, are dreaming, and for some reason, I am once again able to enter it."

Twilight's eyes narrowed as she looked at the miniature form before her.

"A dream, huh?"

Her gaze narrowed further as her mouth pulled into a wicked smirk.  Leaning forward her horn lit up with magic.  A rolled up newspaper appeared, covered in Twilight's aura.  The paper swung forward to smack the tiny draconequus, sending him flying across the room.  He bounced off the wall with a rubbery boing before continuing on into another wall, the ceiling, a third wall, a floor, and out the window.

A small chuckle escaped the filly as she watched Discord disappear.  That had actually been kind of fun.  And she felt a little better.  Still not as happy as she was in Ponyville, but not as angry as she had been since moving back to Canterlot.

The air popped as Discord once again appeared, back to his normal size.

"Well," he huffed, "I must say that I'm surprised and a little impressed."  Leaning down, he smirked.  "I didn't think you had it in you."  Reaching down with his paw, he ruffled her mane.  "Good for you, Spackle."

"It's Sprinkle!" Twilight snapped as she shoved the paw away.  "I mean... Sparkle!  My name is Twilight! Sparkle!"  She glared up at him, scowling.

"I know that," huffed Discord, crossing his forelimbs.  "But if I start getting ponies' names right, they might start to think I --" he shuddered and made a disgusted face "-- care about them or something."  Opening his mouth wide, he stuck out his tongue like he had a bad taste in it.  "Ugh!"

"Such would be ruinous to the reputation of the lord of chaos," a feminine voice called out.

"Exactly!" Discord called out, turning to face the new arrival with a grin.

The draconequus turned to ice, clear enough to see through.

"We assume this is supposed to be 'frozen in terror?'" Princess Luna asked as she moved closer.  One wing reached out, brushing across the icy surface.  "Shame we can not so easily silence him in the waking world."  Her eyes narrowed as she placed a hoof on it.  "Tell us, Twilight Sparkle, do you think we should tip it over?"

Twilight gave a shrug.

"If you think it will make you feel better?"

Luna pressed the hoof against the ice more, the statue starting to tilt.  Then, with a sigh, she stopped, stepping back.

"Nay," she sighed.  "While tempting, seeing Discord shatter would give us no sense of satisfaction."

After reverting back from the ice, Discord sagged, letting out a sigh.

"So disappointing.  And here I was hoping that you would keep some of that darker attitude."

"Why are thou here?" Luna demanded.  Her wings spread out wide as her horn lit up and eyes glowed white.  The fabric of the dream world rippled, shifting under the power of her magic in the realm.

With a snap of his lion paw, Discord was suddenly bare-skinned from the neck down, save for a pair of boxer shorts that were both polka dots and plaid.

Twilight shrieked out in horror, covering her eyes.  Considering this was not a normal dream, she was probably going to remember such a terrifying sight for years -- decades -- to come.  She was probably going to have nightmares for the rest of her life after that.  That is if she is ever to sleep again to begin with.

"Search me," Discord said.  There was then another snap and a flash.  "Far as I can guess --"

Twilight felt herself get grabbed and picked up.  She let out a squeak as she was lifted off the ground, feeling something fuzzy against her eyes.  Risking opening her eyes, Twilight found herself being held up against Discord, who was once more properly covered.

"-- my dear little friend here must have done something that let me into her head again."  Gripping Twilight's mane, Discord lifted it up, removing the top and revealing the filly's brain.  Putting it back on, he set her down with a sigh.

"This stuff is a lot more impressive when not in a dream," he grumbled.

"Again?" Luna asked, raising an eyebrow.  She turned toward Twilight.  "Such an event has happened before?"

"Yeah," Twilight answered.  "Right after Shiny and his friends turned him back to stone."

"And hath thou done anything which may draw his attention since our meeting?"

Twilight shook her head, replying, "no, ma'am."

"Well, whatever the reason," Discord stated, "the important thing is that I'm here now, and am looking to enjoy this for as long as possible."  With a grin, he rubbed his claw and talon together.  "Now then, what shall we do?"

There was a snap and blinding light.  When everything was visible again, Twilight herself as flat as a drawing.  She was still able to look around, but seemed otherwise unable to move.  From what she could make out, she was in some fancy outfit, and in one of the upper corners was a J and a... red diamond?

Looking around, she found Luna, who was a Queen of Spades, and did not look to happy about it.

"Cards?" Discord asked, on the Joker card where he was riding a unicycle and dressed in dark red and neon green.

There was another flash.

Twilight was back to being her proper three dimensions, standing on a green square with START written across it.  Something about her looked wrong though.  It was like... instead of hair, she was something smooth and glossy, like a toy.  Princess Luna was in a similar state, made all the stranger by how her normally waving mane and tail were stuck in place.

"Board games?"

A shadow suddenly appeared above Twilight, making everything darker.  A bolt of panic shot through her, making her want to run, but her knees would not bend.

There was a loud boom and the ground shook beneath them -- knocking Twilight onto her side in the process -- as a pair of six-sided dice landed nearby, bouncing and rolling before coming to a stop.

"OR!"

In another flash, Twilight Sparkle found herself sitting in what looked like a soapbox derby car: a dark purple colored one with a blank white circle on the front.  On one side was Princess Luna, sitting in a dark blue cart that had a crescent moon surrounded by black clouds on the sides and front.  On the other side was... a gorilla with a neck tie sitting in... a barrel with a hole cut in it and wheels attached?

Beneath the carts was what looked like a rainbow, running forward ahead of them like some sort of road.  There were no barriers that Twilight could see, and beyond the edges were nothing but empty space.

"How about a race?" Discord said from behind Twilight.  For some reason he was dressed in a red shirt, a red hat with an M in a white circle on it, blue overalls, and had a big, black mustache.

Something in Twilight suddenly snapped as her frustration got the better of her.  A scowl formed on her face as she glared at Discord, her horn lighting up once again.  She took a hold of the cart in her magic.

"Why don't you just GO AWAY!?"

With that last part, she sent the cart and Discord flying into the air.  The draconequus screamed out as he went further and further into the empty space around them.  As he vanished from sight, a single speck of light like a star twinkled, playing a single, crystalline note.

With a flash, they were once more in the classroom they had started in.

"What brought that on?" Discord asked, brushing himself off.

"YOU RUINING MY LIFE!" Twilight bellowed.  "If you hadn't attacked Ponyville, my parents wouldn't have gotten scared and forced me to come back to Canterlot!  I had friends!  I had a coltfriend!  But because of YOU, I had to leave all that behind!"

With that last part, Twilight exploded.  In her place was a white coated filly with burning red eyes, and flames for her mane and tail.  The air around her shimmered with heat as she glared at snarling with rage.

As quickly as it appeared, it vanished.  With a sigh, a now normal looking Twilight Sparkle flopped onto the floor.

"Well, you seem to have quite the fiery temper," Discord stated.

"Discord," Luna said as she stepped between him and the filly, "perhaps it is time thou left."

"....Fiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii--"

This was kept up for over a minute.

"-- iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine!" Discord huff.  "But before I do, one thing."  He snapped his paw and business card appeared between Twilight's front hooves.  "Here.  Good for one -- and I mean only one -- small favor.  As in a very minor one with a lot of restrictions on it.  Don't expect much though.  Even if I do decide to actually grant it, not much I can do from my little stone prison."

Then with a snap of his talon, he was gone.

"Interesting," Luna said softly.  "While not a proper apology, it did seem to indicate at least some regret in his actions."  She tilted her head.  "Perhaps there is hope for him, yet."

"Yay," Twilight huffed.

Turning around, Princess Luna looked down at the pouting filly.  As a leader of Equestria and elder pony, she felt that she should do something to help make Twilight feel better.  Unfortunately, nothing came to mind.  At least, nothing she had not said earlier that day (or was it yesterday?).  Yes, she had dealt with emotional issues in the past, but this seemed out of her purview.

One idea did come to her.

Moving closer, Princess Luna laid down next to Twilight.  One great, blue feathered wing stretched out and reached down, wrapping around the filly and pulling her close.

It felt... nice.
> Boiled Cakes
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twas a rough tide upon the hot cocoa sea.  There were mounds of whipped cream as high as a pony, and marshmallows of every size floated as far as the eye could see.  Rainbow sprinkles poured from the sky.  Most ponies would not even consider sailing in such conditions.

But Captain Pie was not most ponies.  While many claimed she was mad, she saw herself as brilliant, and willing to take the risks few others would dare.  And her mighty ship, The Sundae Knight, was the finest there was.  It had been made from the finest waffle cones, and reinforced with the richest, darkest, chocolate sauces.  It was one of the toughest ships on the seven seas.

"All hooves to your stations!" Captain Pie ordered.  "The storms about to get tough, but we have to make it to Neigh-verland.  The Lost Colts are waiting for their peanut butter and strawberry ice cream."

"Yes, ma'am."

"As you order."

"Right away."

"Other sounds of acknowledgement."

Quickly, figures moved across the ship, getting into numerous positions.  They and the ship was braced and ready, facing any waves that came at them.  The Sundae Knight pitched and yawed wildly, but managed to stay upright.  It may have been rough, but they could make it.

Something bright red flew through the air, striking the ship on the side.  It created a sticky explosion on impact, leaving  a gooey and cherry smelling  spot.

"We're under attack!" one of the crew members yelled.

"Hold positions!" Captain Pie yelled.  "Ready the cannons.  Gummy!  Bring me my telescope!"

First mate Gummy made his way to the captain's side.  After standing there a second, he coughed up the spyglass.

"Pinkie."

Picking up the glass, Captain Pie gave it a shake before looking through it.

Another ship came into view, and on it stood the a familiar pink form, glaring in their direction.

Pinkie let out a gasp.

"It's --"

"Pinkie."

"No," Captain Pie said.  "It's the Dread Pirate Diane."

Putting the spyglass away, Captain Pie turned to her first mate.

Before she could give orders, she felt a push against her side as everything started to shake.

"Pinkie."

Pinkie Pie opened her eyes, finding herself in her room.  To her left, she could make out two shadowy figures, one of which was reaching out to shake her.

"Pumpkin?  Pound?" she asked, sitting up and yawning.  Her eyes drifted to the clock.  It read three-fourteen a.m. 

Giving a clap of her hooves, she turned the lights on.

"What's wro--AAAAAAHH!" she yelped, jumping back.

Pound and Pumpkin Cake were standing at the side of her bed, as she had figured.  What she had not been expecting was that the two of them would be covered in large red welts.  Pumpkin had her teeth clenched while Pumpkin shifted from hoof to hoof, wings flickering.

"They itch," Pound whined out.

"Really bad," Pumpkin added.  "Can you do something?"

Horsey hives.  The Cakes leave the twins her care, and they had to come down with horsey hives!  The poor babies.

Pinkie Pie scrunched up her face as she thought.  She and her sister had suffered through it themselves as well, and they did not have calamine lotion right away.  Her mom had done something.  It was something... with...

OATMEAL!  Their mom had forced them to bathe in oatmeal.  Pinkie remembered now.  It was so weird at the time.  She had even asked her mom if she was crazy.

It had worked though.

"Okay," Pinkie said as she hopped out of bed.  "You two decide who gets which tub and fill them with warm water."  She started for the door.  "I'll head downstairs and get the oatmeal."

"Oatmeal?" the twins asked together.

"I don't think I can eat an entire bathtub of it," Pound added, causing Pumpkin to roll her eyes and smack herself in the face.

"We're not eating it, doofus.  We're going to take a bath in it."

A small snicker escaped Pinkie as she left the two, making her way downstairs toward the kitchen.  The conversation reminded her a little of herself and Limestone.  Although, Pinkie had been far more certain that she could in fact eat an entire tub of oatmeal.

Plus, they did not seem to be too miserable about being sick.

As she reached the counter, Pinkie stop, eyes going wide.

The twins were sick.  It did not look bad enough to need to go to the hospital, but they were going to need to stay upstairs.  Pinkie would have to keep nearby most of the time in case they needed something.  Yeah, she could leave them, but it would be better if she did not do so very long.  Then there was Sugarcube Corner.  With Mr. and Mrs. Cake gone, and the twins sick, it would mean that Pinkie would have to run the whole place by herself.  She had done it before, and could, but it would be a lot of work.  Especially if she were to keep an eye on the twins, set up for the party, do all the advance prep work, and serve customers.  Making deliveries would be difficult, and there would be almost no time to check on Shiny.

Actually, maybe she could not deal with everything.  It was not like she could be in two places at once.

...Or could I?

Her granny used to tell her all sorts of neat stories, including one about a magic pool in The Everfree Forest.  Pinkie had even found it once, but did not try it.  But if she did go there and used it, then she would definitely be able to totally handle everything.

Grabbing a bag of oatmeal, Pinkie Pie rushed back upstairs, barely touching any of the steps on way.

"Here," she said as she tossed it to the twins.  "Pour enough in to cover the entire surface and then soak in it.  I have to take care of something super quick, and should be back before opening."

With that done, Pinkie Pie zipped back downstairs and out the door, leaving behind a very confused pair of itchy foals.

It being so late at night was no problem for Pinkie Pie.  She could make her way through Ponyville blindfolded (although, after the last time, she was no longer permitted to due to court order).  As such, with only the light of the moon and stars, she was able to get to The Everfree Forest without any problem.  The forest itself was a bit more difficult, but she had made through before when she and the others were facing Nightmare Moon.  And this time, she did not have to go all the way to the middle.


Where the brambles are thickest, there you will find
a pond beyond the most twisted of vines.


After searching, she found some brambles.  Looking further, she found one part that was so thick, it would have been tough for even a rabbit to make it through.  With some pushes, some hops, some squirms, and a lot of yanks, tugs, and scratches, Pinkie was able to make it through.  A grin spread across her face as she stood on the other side of the thorny bushes, tugging sharp twigs from her mane.

There, ahead of her, was... a hole?

As she moved toward it, Pinkie could swear that she heard whispering, and maybe giggling?  Ears perking and swiveling, she looked around, searching the area around her.  Everything looked normal... well... as normal as anything was in The Everfree.  There were no predators or other ponies that she could see.

Taking a deep breath, Pinkie walked toward the hole.  There was a slope, albeit somewhat steep, that let her make her way down.  The pathway was just wide enough for her to through, and she could feel the top of it rubbing against her poofy mane.  As she continued deeper, the space grew larger and larger, the path snaking back and forth as it descended.

The path gave way to a large cavern.  Inside, small plants glowed and twinkled with a pale blue light of their own.  Stalactites hung down, with water dripping from them and stalagmites pointed up, both them glistening as Pinkie walked past.

In the center of it was a large pool of water.  Pale blue light shined down from somewhere above, a spotlight marking the pool's presence.  As Pinkie got closer, the water was calm and smooth, not a single ripple on the surface.  Looking down, she could see herself as clear as looking at one of Rarity's boutique mirrors.

How did the next part go?


"And into her own reflection she stared,
yearning for one whose reflection she shared,
and solemnly sweared not to be scared
at the prospect of being doubly mared."


With that, she stepped forward, walking into the water.

It felt strange as she moved through it.  Pinkie could feel the coolness of the water move across her, and she could feel the weight of it pressing down all around her, but she did not feel wet.  It was like the water had a skin and was moving over her instead of her actually moving through it.  She could also catch lines of pink flowing off her, like paint was being washed off her coat.

There was also... something else.  It was hard to say what exactly, but something felt wrong.

As she climbed out of the pool, she felt a little light-headed.  Shaking it off, Pinkie turned around and grabbed the hooves sticking out of the pool.

Out came a pony that looked exactly like her.  After blinking, it looked at her and grinned.

"Hi," the Pinkie clone said.

"Hi," Pinkie said, grinning back.  "I'm Pinkie Pie." The grin vanished as her mouth puckered and brow furrowed.  "Although I guess you're kind of Pinkie Pie as well.  But we can't all be called Pinkie Pie."  Her eyes lit up as she let out a gasp.  "I know!  You're the first clone, so we'll call you Pinkie Clone One.  PC1 for short."

"Okay," PC1 agreed.  Her head tilted.  "Wait, if I'm the first, does that mean that there are going to be more?"

"Yep. We have a lot to do, and the more of us there are to do it, the quicker and better it will be."

"Right!" PC1 cheered out.  Grabbing Pinkie, she brought her back to the pool where original Pinkie had entered.

This time, they both repeated the lines:


"And into her own reflection she stared,
yearning for one whose reflection she shared,
and solemnly sweared not to be scared
at the prospect of being doubly mared."


The two of them entered side by side.

As she climbed out, Pinkie Pie felt lightheaded again.  This time, her vision blurred as everything started tilting to the right.  It forced her to lower her head, closing her head and taking deep breaths.

"And into her own reflection she stared," she suddenly heard three voices saying together.  Pinkie's eyes shot open as a tingle went down her back.  Getting up, she managed to turn around just in time to see three Pinkie clones step into the pool.

"No! Sto...ooo....uuuhhh..."

Everything around Pinkie spun as she suddenly found herself on falling to the cave floor.  She managed to catch sight of six pink blurs just before everything went black.
> Celestial Advisement
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Princess Celestia was just waking up, yawning and stretching as she did.  She would have to get up fully soon and raise the sun.  It was all part of the same routine: wake up, grab coffee and a donut, raise the sun, and then a proper breakfast with Princess Luna.  Then came time for court.

She loved her ponies, and loved some of the ideas they could come up with at times, but more often than not, she wished she did not have to sit there and listen to so many of them complain about one matter or another.  Especially when it was a member of the nobility complaining that they were being treated unfairly by not getting as many benefits as they feel their station deserves.

Admittedly, in her darkest hours, there were one or two that she wanted nothing more to do than give a good, swift kick.  Maybe if she angled it right, she could punt them clear off the edge of Canterlot.

She never would, of course, but there were times when it was oh so tempting.

A knocking at the door got the princess' attention.

"Sister?" Princess Luna's voice called out.  "Thou art awake already, correct?"

Approaching the door, Princess Celestia's horn lit up to pull it open.  There stood her sister, with a mug and jelly donut in her magic.  Upon seeing Celestia, Luna offered the treat and mug.

This was not something the younger princess had ever done since her return.

"Is something the matter?" Celestia asked as she took the proffered items.  She took a bite of the donut, letting the sour-sweet mix of the raspberry jam explode in her mouth.  It was quickly followed by a sip of coffee, the warm  bitter fluid washing the remnants of sugar from her tongue.

"No," Luna answered once her sister had started being properly sugared and caffeinated.  "Or... perhaps, but not in the implied manner?"  She shifted, her wings flickering against her side.  "May we speak while preparing for the dawn?"

"Of course," Celestia answered.  Stepping into the hall, she shut the door behind her and started walking.

Princess Luna fell into step beside her.  Her wings gave another flicker at her side and ears twitched back and forth.  Luna's tongue slipped out to lick at her lips.

"Thou... hath tutored a great many students in the passing millennia, correct?"

Celestia let out a hum before taking another bit and sip.

"I don't know how many you would consider a great many," she answered.  "I have had students, yes.  About..."

She had never actually bothered to count them before.  Admittedly, over the thousand years, some of the names had faded.  But the faces had remained, many of them looking up at her with excitement and enthusiasm.

Except one.

"I believe Shining Armor would be my twenty-sixth."

"Twenty-six?" Luna asked.  "So it was not one after another consecutively?"

"No.  There were great lengths where I did not take on a student for one reason or another, be it grief, being declined, or not finding one that I thought suitable."

Princess Luna stopped, turning to look at Celestia with her eyes wide.

"Ponies have declined being thy student?!"

Celestia chucked.

"Of course.  They are not obligated to accept the offer, and there were times when a pony felt obligations to other matters, which the student position would interfere with."  She tilted her head.  "However, I believe we are getting off topic."

"Indeed," Luna conceded as she began to walk again.  "...How... how is a student selected?  How dost thou decided whether a pony should be a student or not?"

Sticking the last of the donut into her mouth, Celestia chewed it slowly as she considered the question.  In truth, it had always been more of an instinctive or emotional decision.  She would meet a pony, see something in them, and decide it was worth nurturing.

"I suppose it mostly comes down to potential and passion," she finally answered.  "Shining Armor, for example, has a large amount of raw power, and has some instinctive desire to help and protect others."  Her ears dropped as she sighed.  "Admittedly, however, it is not always a successful method."

"A referral to Shining's predecessor?"

"The most recent, but not the only."

'Why are you trying to keep me from getting what I DESERVE?'

With a shake of her head, Princess Celestia pushed the memory away.  Now was not the time to dwell on failures.

"Am I correct in guessing that this has something to do with Twilight Sparkle?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at her sister.

"Thy awareness of such a matter should not be surprising," Luna replied, looking away.

"She had been here quite a few times, and I do tend to get reports from the guards and bits of gossip from the kitchen staff."  She smirked.  "Especially when it's about my sister and a 'rather adorable' filly that many of them recognize."

Although the report from the guard -- one Aria Blaze -- went less toward "adorable" and more toward "menace."

They continued on in silence, Celestia waiting to hear what her sister would say next.

"When we were spending time with the filly, we... saw something in her that reminded us of ourselves."  Luna paused, licking at her lips.  "Myself, specifically in the more modern vernacular.  Yet, it is uncertain to say specifically what it was.  Not too long ago, we entered her dream when she was speaking to Discord."  Luna held up a hoof.  "It is a matter we will discuss later.  However, prior to his arrival, she was having a dream in which she were our student... my student."

"So, you're considering the possibility?" Celestia asked.

"Correct," Luna confirmed.  "And to seek your council on the prospect."

The two of them reached the doors to the balcony.

"It is something to put some serious thought into Luna.  It is lot of responsibility as you are taking a major role in a pony's education and future.  Plus, you must find a balance between authority figure and confidante.  However, it can also be very rewarding when you see your student achieve."  Celestia smiled.  "Plus, I think it might do you some good to interact with more ponies on a regular basis."

Stepping closer, she nuzzled her sister.

"If you decide to, I'll support you," she stated, "and if not, I'll understand.  At the end, the decision is up to you and Twilight."

Luna smiled, nuzzling back.

The two parted as Princess Celestia stepped outside, getting ready to raise the sun while Luna stayed back, considering the possibility.
> The Great Pink Wave
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The sun slowly rose over the horizon, the first rays of light spreading across the Ponyville.  Ponies began to wake up and rise, getting ready to go about their day.

Unfortunately, the peace and quiet would not last.  The ground near The Everfree Forest began to shake.  Grass waved with each impact, water rippled, and trees shook.

From the tree line emerged a wave of pronking pink ponies.

"Fun!  Fun!  Fun!  Fun!" the dozens of Pinkie clones chanted, bouncing up and down as they moved closer and closer to town.


*****


Fluttershy laid sprawled out in her bed, sleeping peacefully.  One hind leg twitched and her mouth hung open, drool running down her yellow cheek and soaking into her pillow.  Dreams of an animal sanctuary where every creature could live long, happy, loving lives danced through her head.

The door to her bedroom was pushed open as a small white rabbit made its way in.  Running toward the bed, it jumped up with a single hop.  Grabbing the blankets with its paws, the rabbit yanked them off Fluttershy, exposing the sleeping pegasus.  It then hopped onto her chest, bouncing up and down as it let out a series of panicked squeaks.

A small groan escaped Fluttershy as she opened one eye, spotting the rabbit, she yawned and rubbed at her eyes.

"Angel?" she asked as she woke up.  "What's the matter?"

Angel Bunny hopped off of Fluttershy and down from the better.  Making his way over to the window, he bounced up and down as he gestured urgently.

"Oh dear," Fluttershy said softly as she got up.  Whatever was going on, it clearly had the small rabbit worked up.  Curious, she went to the window and pushed aside the curtains, peaking outside.

Outside, a large group of Pinkie Pies were bouncing by.  One stopped and waved, grinning widely.

Fluttershy shut the curtain and took as step back.  Turning around, she made her way back toward the bed.

"If we survive this, I am having that reinforced underground bunker built," she stated.  Reaching the foot of the bed, Fluttershy crouched down.  With some squeezing and squirming, she managed to fit her way under the frame and sheets, disappearing from sight.


*****


After a quick breakfast, Golden Harvest left her house and made her way toward the barn.  Inside was her cart with several bushels of carrots already packed up.  Being the owner and sole employee of her carrot farm, there was a lot of work for her to do, including making the deliveries and working the market stall.  Since most deliveries had to be made first and were expected early, she often needed to get the cart ready the night prior.

Hooking herself up to the cart, Golden Harvest started toward town, ready to drop off her carrots.

As she walked along the path, she closed her eyes and tilted her head back.  The warm autumn sun shined against her yellow coat, warming her down to her heart.  Golden Harvest took a deep breath, letting the still cool, crisp air fill her lungs.

She loved this time of year. The air, the leaves, the nights.  A part of her was sad since it meant winter was coming, and winter meant she would not be able to plant or harvest, but that was the only downside as far as she was concerned.

"HI!" a high pitched, enthusiastic called out, drawing Harvest from her reverie.  Standing beside her was a familiar pink pony with poofy mane and big grin.

"Good morning, Pinkie."

"I'm not Pinkie, silly," Pinkie(?) replied.  "I'm N.C. Seventeen."  She stopped her bouncing as her brow furrowed.  "Wait... that's not right."

"Uh-huh?" Harvest replied, raising an eyebrow.  This seemed weird.  Even for Pinkie.  "Well... uhm... pony that's not Pinkie, but somehow looks and sound exactly like her... shouldn't you be at Sugarcube Corner getting ready to open?"

"What's Sugarcube Corner?" a very similar sounding voice asked from the other side.

Turning, Golden Harvest found... another Pinkie?  Double-checking, she did still see the first one where it had been before.  And as far as Harvest knew, not even Pinkie was fast enough to be in two places at once.

"Why are their two of you?" she asked.  "Is this a prank or something?"

"There aren't two of us," one of the pink ponies replied.

"There's a whole bunch more than that," the other added pointing.

Following the direction of the pointed hoof, Golden Harvest saw well over a dozen other ponies that all looked like Pinkie.  This drew a groan from the carrot farmer.

"You know what?" she growled as she rubbed her head.  "It's... It's just too early for this."  She continued walking.  "I'm just going to go on about my business while you... do whatever it is you're doing."


******


Daisy, Lily Valley, and Roseluck -- collectively known as "the flower trio" (and jokingly known as "those over-dramatic mares") --  were getting ready for their day.  There were bouquets to be made, orders to be filled and filed, and stock had to be taken.  Plus, there was always the possibility of emergency apology bouquets, although not as likely as in the major metropolises.

Rose was currently outside the shop, watering some of the plants that were in soil.

She froze as something suddenly felt wrong.  Body tensed, she lifted her head, ears twitching and eyes scanning as she tried to figure out what was bothering her.

"Fun!  Fun!  Fun!  Fun!"

The plants wobbled back and forth, leaves and petals shaking.

"Fun!  Fun!  Fun!  Fun!"

Off in the distance, a cloud of dust appeared.  As Rose watched, it grew closer and closer, small flashes of pinkness emerging.

Then she saw... it.

"Fun!  Fun!  Fun!  Fun!" dozens of Pinkies cried out as they hopped by, making the ground shake.  Pots were knocked over, or worse, shattered as they were stomped on.

With a scream, Rose fell onto her back, fainting.

Inside the other two ran to the windows.  Seeing their friend unconscious and the horror before them, the pair fainted as well.


*****


Pumpkin Cake was tired and miserable.  It was like every time she was about to fall asleep, she would move, which caused the stupid hives to start itching again.  She would then be forced to lie there, trying not to move or scratch herself until the feeling passed.  Then it would start over again.

From what she could hear, Pound was doing just as badly.

With a sigh of annoyance -- which quickly turned into a yawn -- Pumpkin decided to give up on getting more sleep.

"Hey, Pound," she called out.  "I'm gonna get something to eat downstairs.  Wanna come with me?"

"Yeah," Pound called back.  "Don't think I'm getting back to sleep."

The pair them left their rooms and started for the stairs.

"What do you think Pinkie's up to?" Pound asked.

"Sometimes, I can't even guess when she tells us," Pumpkin retorted.  "Seeing as she didn't, I have no idea."

As they headed for the stairs, Pumpkin could see that the light was on in the shop.  Had Pinkie come back?  If so, then why did she not come upstairs to check on them?  She normally would not ignore them like that.  Normally, Pinkie would have checked on them as soon as she got back, and every chance she got while working.  She would definitely noticed they were awake, and have brought them breakfast.

And maybe something for the horrid itching.

Taking the lead on the stairs, Pumpkin made her way down toward the shop.  Before she reached the bottom, she stopped, staring in shock. 

There was Pinkie Pie, jumping from table to table, and squealing the whole time.

There was Pinkie Pie, up near the ceiling, swinging from the streamers.

There was Pinkie Pie, squished into the display case and eating all of the treats.

A jingling noise drew Pumpkin Cake's attention.  At the door, stood Pinkie Pie, swinging back and forth, and clapping her hooves after every ring of the bell at the top.

"Pumpkin?" Pound whispered from behind her.  "Are... are we hallucinating?  Can... can horsey hives make us see things?"

"No," Pumpkin answered with a shake of her head.  "And even if it did, I don't think we'd be seeing..." she motioned with a hoof "...this..."

The two of them stood there on the steps, watching as four Pinkie Pies continued to run amok in Sugarcube Corner.

"We need help," Pumpkin decided.  "Come on."  She motioned with her head before continuing down the stairs.  She could feel her brother staying close, his wings ruffling against his side nervously.  Pumpkin herself had to resist the urge to light up her horn.  She could not really do much with her magic, but she still felt the urge to get it ready.

As they approached the door, the Pinkie at it stopped playing with it.  Turning to face the twins, her lip pressed tight as she fixed them with her most serious look.

"And where do you think you're going?" she (it?) asked.

Pumpkin froze, legs locking in place.  The pony in front of them may not have actually been Pinkie Pie, but she looked enough like her and was able to do enough of the serious look that Pumpkin could not help herself.  She felt like she was getting caught by Pinkie.

"We...we... uhm..."  Pumpkin gulped licking her lips.

"Look!" Pound suddenly cried out.  "A bright, shiny, distraction!"

With a gasp, the Pinkie shot toward the direction that Pound had been pointing.

"Where?  Where?!"

While she was distracted, Pound grabbed hold of Pumpkin and pushed her out the door.

"I can't believe that worked," he mumbled, looking back.

"Neither can--"

The rest of Pumpkin's words were lost in a squeak as she caught sight of more Pinkie Pies.

"Let's get Shining Armor," the twins said together.


*****


Bon Bon -- as she was known in Ponyville -- made her way around her own shop kitchen.  Currently, she was working to prepare gelatin in order to start on her latest candy idea: Gummy Griffons!  It had taken some time, but the molds were ready, and she was going to give them their first test run.  Perhaps a nice, white creamy flavor for the head and underside, and a sweet, fizzy, root beer flavor for the main body.

Root beer float gummy griffons sounded pretty good to her, actually.

While that was starting, she could also begin on taffy.  Hopefully she still had plenty of sea salt.

As she checked the temperature of one pan and began to pour sugar into another, the sound of thundering hooves began to reach her.  She could hear it getting louder and louder, fast approaching the door to the kitchen.

In burst the familiar pale green unicorn mare.  She plopped backwards onto her butt as she skidded into the room, sliding across the linoleum before finally stopping.  Golden eyes wide, she looked around before stopping on Bon Bon.

"BONNIE!" she called out, taking a hold of the cream-coated candy maker in her gold colored magic.  "Bonnie, we have an emergency."  She then began to pull Bon Bon toward the door.

"Lyra, calm down," Bon Bon stated, allowing herself to be pulled along.  "What has you so worked up?"

"That!" Lyra Heartstrings stated, pushing the door open and pointing out the shop window.

Beyond the doors were Pinkie Pies.  Not one, but numerous.

"I counted about twenty of them when I saw them from upstairs," Lyra said from behind Bon Bon, partially hidden by the blue and pink tail.

Bon Bon's eyes went wide as she stared out at the Pinkies against the glass.  One Pinkie could cause a lot of trouble if she was in one of her hyper moods and wanted candy.  True, Pinkie never actually had, but it was always on Bon Bon's mind when the pink mare was in the shop.  Five of them could probably eat everything, and do who knows how much damage.  Twenty... she did not want to imagine what would (or would not) remain when they were done.

"Lyra, get my pot and wooden spoon," Bon Bon ordered.  "Do anything you can to help reinforce the doors and windows."  Her eyes narrowed as her jaw tensed.  "We are not going to lose this shop to those Pinkies."


*****


Crystal Heart -- as she was going by while in Ponyville -- stared at the reflection in the mirror, making sure everything was as she wanted.  Deep, emerald green eyes that many stallions -- and quite a few mares -- could get lost in looked over her features.  Long, dark, blue-green hair hung straight, thick and glossy.  Pristine white fur practically glowed in the morning light, showing off every curve of her tall, muscular form.  A green crystal heart adorned her flank.

Yep, everything was just how it was supposed to be.  Just how it always was.

Really, at this point the inspection seemed rather pointless.  Even if she had not kept looking like this since her arrival to Ponyville -- even when she was supposed to be alone, just in case -- it was her favorite and most often used form.  She had been using it since she was a filly.  She could do it in her sleep.  In fact, she had.  Literally.

Still, she could never forget the lessons she had been taught: appearance must be consistent; seemingly minor changes -- such as eye color -- can raise questions; among ponies, cutie marks -- while small -- are not minor; and check a form for accuracy even if confident.  As such, she continued to check herself from ear to tail and everything in between every morning, making sure everything was exactly as and where it should be.

Besides, today was an important day.  So it was extra important that she looked her best.  Well... "Crystal's" best.

Stepping away from the mirror, Crystal Heart turned and walked toward the bed stand.  Grabbing the latest book she had finished, she slipped it into her saddle bag.

Today was the day.  Today, she was going to ask Shining Armor out.  She did find him an attractive stallion of decent prospects, especially as a potential mate and father, and she could tell that there was at least some attraction to her on his part as well.  So days -- weeks -- of flirting, small talk, and observation and study, she was ready to make a move.

Hopefully none of the potential rivals would be there.  Especially one of them.  Something about her felt... off.  There was an interest between them, but something about her...

Pushing the thought aside, Crystal Heart left her room and headed for the street, making her way toward the library.

As she made her way through town, she could feel something was wrong.  Normally when she was out and about in Ponyville, there were some background emotions she could pick up, but it was all ambient and mixed, allowing her to essentially ignore it.  This time, however, she was mainly getting fear and it was very strong.  It was like instead of hearing background music at a restaurant, she was front row center of a concert, and it was the guitar solo.

It made her body tense.  Continuing on, she scanned around her, eyes wide and searching, and ears shifting back and forth.

A tingling between her shoulder got her attention, focusing on it.  It was quite a melange of emotions: icy cold dread; burning, aching, frustration; a cooling sense of relief; and a warm, comforting hope.  The sound of heavy hoof steps began to reach her, causing Crystal Heart to turn around.

A zebra mare was moving toward her, carrying an unconscious pink pony across her back.

"What happened?" Crystal asked as she rushed over to the pair.

"I fear that Pinkie's desire has put her in a situation most dire," the zebra stated.  "I would much appreciate if you would give aid, for I am losing strength in my legs."

With a nod, Crystal moved to crouch down beside the zebra.

"Yeah.  I can carry her the rest of the way."

Pushing close, she held still as the unconscious Pinkie Pie was moved from the zebra's back to hers.

"Thank you princess.  I much appreciate your assistance."

BUCK!
> Under P
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

At The Golden Oaks Library, the young dragon, Spike, was waking up.  Since they did not have as prep work to do, or need to try and get customers on their way to work, he and Shining Armor got to sleep in later than some of the others.  Even more so lately, since there was no need to see Twilight off to school.

After a yawn and good stretch, Spike got up to go get breakfast.

"Wheeeeee!" he heard someone squealing out.  Curious, the young dragon rushed to find out what was going on.

Reaching the stairs, he watched as Pinkie Pie climbed, then hopped onto the banister, and slid back down, shouting as she went.

"What are you doing?" Spike asked as he watched Pinkie hop back up the stairs.

"Sliding down the railing," the mare answered before jumping onto the rail and sliding down it again.

Deciding that was probably as much of an answer as he was going to get, Spike dropped the subject and continued downstairs.

Or, he tried to at least.  Before he could even make it down the first step, a pair of pink hooves wrapped around him, picking him up.

"Why go that way?" Pinkie asked as she put him on the railing.  "I mean, it's so boring, and this is way more fun!"  She then gave him a gentle push, sending him sliding down.

She was right, it was fun.

Until he collided with the decorative end cap at the bottom.  A very high pitched cry escaped the young dragon as very sensitive parts he had yet to use came in contact with a very solid wooden sphere.

After half a minute of lying on the floor holding the point of impact, Spike finally managed to recover enough to get back up and continue on.  Admittedly, he no longer felt very hungry, but hopefully he would have his appetite back once he made it to the kitchen and made breakfast.

Entering the main room of the library, Spike stopped, staring at what looked like Pinkie Pie straddling the horse head statue in the middle of the table, with a cowboy hat on.

"High-ho, Silver!  Away!" she shouted, pumping a hoof in the air.

Taking a step back, Spike turned to look at the stairs.  Pinkie was still there, climbing up the steps and sliding down the banister.  He then stepped forward and turned back.  He could still see Pinkie pretending to ride the statue.

Even as strange and quickly as she could move, she could not be in two places at once... could she?

With a groan, he shook his head.  He would figure it out after breakfast.  It was too early for this.

Reaching the kitchen, Spike stopped again, staring at three Pinkie Pies.

"...what's going on?..."

"We're making breakfast!" the three Pinkies answered at once.

"I'm making pancakes," one stated.

"I'm making waffles," another added.

"I'm making french toast, " said the third.

"Hungry?" the three of them asked at the same time, giving big grins.

"Uh..." Spike said, staring back and forth between the trio of pink ponies with massive grins on their faces.  "...I... think I forgot something upstairs."  He took several steps back, leaving the kitchen.  As soon as he was out of sight, he turned and ran back upstairs as fast as he could.  Reaching the door to Shining Armor's room, he threw it open.

"Shining!  Wake up!  Something weird's going on!"

"How weird?" Shining asked automatically as he woke up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"There are Pinkie Pies in our house."

Turning to look at Spike, Shining Armor blinked, trying to get his still tired mind to process what he just heard.  One eyebrow slowly raised up.

"That's not too weird," he finally said.  "Pinkie Pie can pretty much get in whenever she wants."

"No," Spike said, reaching out to grab Shining's face.  "Pinkie Piessss."  He pulled the unicorn closer.  "Plural!  As in... more... than... one!"

Shining's horn lit up, taking a hold of Spike and gently pulling them apart.

"Okay," Shining admitted.  "That is weird."  Tossing the sheets aside, he rolled out of bed and got up to see this for himself.

The first Pinkie Pie he came across was hanging off the steps.  Somehow, she had managed to get her head stuck through between the railings, and her body was dangling off the edge.  As the two of them approached, Pinkie looked up at them and grinned.

"Hi!" she called out, waving a hoof at them.

"Uhm... hi?" Shining said as he looked at her.  "Do... do you need help?"

"Pff," Pinkie huffed, waving a hoof.  "I'm fine."  She smirked, letting out a snort.  "Just... hanging around is all."

The sound of a rim shot echoed through the air.

"Uhm... okay then?" Shining said as he continued down that stairs.  "We'll... leave you to it, then..."  Slowly skirting around the strange pink pony, he continued down the stairs with Spike not far behind him.

The next Pinkie they found was in the main room, lying on the floor, hog-tied with rope.

"Be careful," she said in a way that sounded like it was supposed to be a whisper, but was actually very loud and clear.  She motioned toward the table with the horse head statue.   "He's really good!"

"How..." Shining Armor started to asked, but then stopped.  Things were already weird...er than usual without trying to figure out seemingly normal-ish Pinkie Pie behavior from multiple Pinkie Pies.

He and Spike gave a very wide berth to the hog-tied pony and made their way on to the kitchen.

"Morning!" three voices rang out at the same time.

Two Pinkies shot forward, one grabbing Shining Armor while the other took a hold of Spike.  The stallion and dragon were suddenly sitting at the kitchen table, with plates dropped in front of them.

"Breakfast is ready," one of the Pinkies called out.  The three of them then started zipping back and forth, dropping off stuff.

"Pancakes!"

Pancakes appeared on their plates.

"Waffles."

Waffles joined the pancakes.

"French toast."

"Butter."

"Apple Butter."

"Zap Apple Butter."

"Syrup."

"Whipped cream."

"Sprinkles."

"Crushed nuts."

"Shredded coconut."

"Banana slices."

"Strawberry slices."

"Blueberries."

"Milk."

"Orange juice."

"And hot tea."

The last three ended up on a small stool that was being used a miniature side table.  All the food had been placed on the table.  In such abundance that the entire thing was covered.  The plates had been lost under all of it.  More so under what was pretty much a massive pile of whipped cream, covered in toppings, with the breakfast foods poking out in a few places.

There was a knock at the door.

"I'LL GET IT!" Shining shouted, jumping up from the table.  Horn lighting up, he grabbed Spike and whatever of the original breakfast foods he could get a hold of through all the topping, taking both with them as he ran for the front door.

Tearing the waffle in two, Shining passed half of it to Spike while settling the dragon on his back.

"We need to figure out what's going on and how to stop it before it can get any weirder," he stated before taking a huge bite of the waffle.  It was... hard to describe.  All of the other stuff the Pinkies had added still clung to the surface, mixing so much, that he could not taste the waffle itself.  It was all just a mishmash of different flavors.

"So, where do we begin?" Spike asked.

"The first step is to see if we can find the real Pinkie Pie."

The knock at the door repeated, louder and more urgent.

"Bet you a new comic book that's her," Spike said with a grin.  He then shoved the entire waffle half into his mouth.

After swallowing, Shining rolled his eyes and let out a snort.

"We've been over this, already, Spike.  You can't expect something to happen just because of your comments, like in a comic."  He motioned at the door with his nose.  "Yes, it could be Pinkie, but it could be another friend."  He paused and smirked.  "Or even that mystery princess."

Spike hopped off Shining's back and rushed the last bit to the door.

"Only one way to find out," he said as he grabbed the door and pulled it open.

Shining came to stop as he saw Zecora and Crystal Heart, with Crystal carrying an unconscious Pinkie Pie across her back.

"Apologies for the early arrival," Zecora said, "but I fear it is a matter of Pinkie's survival."

Crystal Heart stepped inside, turning slightly to let them see their passed out friend across her back.

"What happened?" Spike asked.

"I fear that she was a bit of a fool," Zecora explained, "and tried to use the power of Everfree's Mirror Pool."

Shining tilted his head, raising an eyebrow.  He had never heard of a mirror pool before.

"Spike?"

"Consider me already looking," Spike said, heading toward the reference section.

After giving the young dragon a nod, Shining returned his attention to the arrivals.

"Come on," he said as he turned toward the stairs.  "There's an extra room upstairs we can put her in.  And anything you can tell me about what's going on would really help."
> Questionable Exposition
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With the overabundance of Pinkie Pies around town, it did not take long for Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Rarity to show up, as well as Pumpkin and Pound Cake.  Rainbow was then sent to retrieve Fluttershy, digging her out from under the bed (enduring some angry squeaks and quite a few kicks from an incredibly overprotective white rabbit).

At the same time, Spike and Shining Armor searched through several books in the library.  None of the books they checked had anything specifically about a mirror pool in The Everfree Forest, but there were a few articles about other magical items.  They even managed to find a reference to an obscure article about magic experimentation with non-unicorn sources.

While Zecora and the Cakes tended to Pinkie Pie, the rest gathered in the main library.  Shining Armor and Spike stood in the center, surrounded by books and the Pinkie Pie that had somehow gotten tied up.

"Okay," Shining Armor sighed, running a hoof through his mane.  "From what Zecora told us, and what Spike and I have found, we were able to come up with a working theory about what happened."  Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath.

"Pinkie Pie used a magical location called The Mirror Pool in The Everfree Forest.  It looks to work like a cloning spell, where magical energy is used to create a simulacrum -- artificial construct -- that looks like the base pony, but with limited intelligence and personality.  The problem is that, not being a unicorn, Pinkie does not have access to raw magic energy or a way to channel it.  As a result, the pool used the most convenient alternate source... Pinkie's life energy.  Each time a clone was made, a portion of Pinkie's life force was taken from her, and the more were made, the less she has."

"She's dying?" Fluttershy asked, eyes wide and filling with tears.

"Not at the moment," Shining Armor assured.  "But... I'm afraid it does look like a possibility.  Pinkie has such little energy left and is so weak, that if anything went wrong, she might not make it."

"So, what're we supposed to do?" Applejack asked.  "I'm guessin' you have a plan, sugar cube."

"Yeah," Shining answered.  "The good news is that there is something we can do to help Pinkie Pie."  He grimaced.  "The bad news is that only Rarity and I can do it... and... uhm..."  He shifted, ears flicking.

"Spit it out!" Rainbow Dash snapped.  "Every second you spend talking, Pinkie is sick and those Pinklettes are doing who knows what to Ponyville."

"That's the other thing," Shining said.  "I need to remind everypony here that..."  He turned to Rainbow and raised and eyebrow.  "Pinklettes?"  He shook his head.  "Never mind.  Anyway, I want to remind you all that they are not actual ponies, but magical constructs, and that Pinkie's life is on the line."

"Why would you need to remind us about that?"

With a sigh, Shining Armor turned toward the tied up Pinklette.  His horn lit up with rose-colored magic before he unleashed a bolt of it.  The blast struck the magical pony construct, causing it to swell up like a balloon before dispersing with an audible pop.  A stream of glowing pink energy remained, shooting up through the ceiling and vanishing from sight.

"Did you just kill a Pinklette?!" Fluttershy cried out, eyes wide as she ducked behind the others.

"NO!" Shining called out.  "Like I said, technically, they aren't alive.  They're just magical constructs made to look like a pony.  Pinkie Pie in this case.  Each one has a part of Pinkie's life energy.  I just disrupted the spell matrix, causing the simulacrum to discorporate, and the energy to return to its original source."

The others looked at him for a moment.

"Are you saying that in order to help Pinkie Pie, we will have to seek out and disperse these..."  Rarity paused, motioning toward where the Pinkie clone had been.

"Pinklettes," Rainbow said.

"I am not calling them that."

"Yes," Shining answered.  "We don't need to get all of them, but the more we find and disperse, the more energy is returned to Pinkie."

"I can actually help with the dispersion," Crystal Heart stated.

The others turned to Crystal, raising their eyebrows curiously.  Her green eyes flickered around, before she gave a sigh, dropping her head.

"Well, I brought it up," she huffed.  Raising her head back up, she closed her eyes.

Green flames began to appear around her, moving across her body.  One appeared in the air above her head, burning downward to reveal something that looked similar to a horn.  Two additional flames joined at her ears, moving down and meeting the top of her head.  As they continued downward, four more appeared; one engulfing each hoof.  They climbed up and up, revealing long, smooth, shining black legs.  The magic flames continued over the form, revealing segmented green plates around her barrel, and a pair of dragonfly wings.

When the flames vanished, the creature that had been Crystal Heart opened its eyes, revealing pale green sclera, darker green iris, and cat-like slitted pupils.  A small smile appeared, a hint of fang poking out from the dark lips.  She tilted her head and gave a small bow.

"Princess Chrysalis of the changelings at your service," she announced, her voice feminine with an reverberating echo that made it sound like more than one.

There was a moment of silence as everyone in the room stared in surprise.

"I knew it!" Spike shouted, hopping up and down in place.  "I knew that the princess was here!"  He turned to Shining, grinning widely.  "I told you she was in Ponyville.  I...what's that noise?"

When Spike stopped talking, a noticeable high pitched noise filled the air.  It was an ear piercing noise, just loud enough for everyone in the room to notice.

Rarity continued to squeal out, eyes wide and twinkling as she pressed her hooves against her cheeks, grinning in a way that would put Pinkie Pie to shame.  Getting up, she darted to Chrysalis, wrapping her forelegs around the revealed changeling.

"A princess!" Rarity squealed out.  "And a visiting dignitary!"  She hopped up and down, practically dancing in place.  "This is so exciting!  I have so much I want to ask.  Oh, you just have to come to the boutique so I can make you a dress.  And the spa!  We can go and get hoofic--"  The rest was cut off as magic was wrapped around her mouth, holding it shut.

"Sorry, Rarity," Shining said as he kept her mouth closed, "but we have a more immediate and pressing matter."  He let go of her mouth.  "You can cast the dispersal spell, right?"

"Certainly," Rarity assured.

Shining turned to Crystal Heart -- Chrysalis, he corrected himself -- and raised an eyebrow.

"It is one of the unicorn spells I can cast, yes," she assured.

"Okay," Shining said as he turned back to the crowd.  "Fluttershy, I want you to go to the Pie family farm and tell them what happened.  I'm sure they'll want to know, and maybe having them around will help Pinkie recover."

"Right," Fluttershy said with a nod.  Quick as she could, she headed for the door, disappearing as she took off.

"The rest of us will form teams to find and disperse the Pinklettes.  Rainbow Dash, you're with me."  Rainbow Dash nodded and gave a mock salute.  "Applejack, you go with Crys...alis."  Chrysalis and Applejack nodded, with Applejack looking at the changeling with narrowed eyes and a pursed lip.  Rarity gave a small pout.  "And Spike, you're with Rarity."  Spike grinned widely, and Shining could tell he was resisting the urge to dance with excitement.

"Okay, now while these aren't Pinkie Pie, it was her personality that was used as a template, and we already have some reports on where the Pinklettes have been sighted.  So, we'll start with the ones we know the locations of, then search places that Pinkie would go.  We'll search until about one o'clock, come back here for lunch, and then work further from there."

"We should start with the candy shop," Rainbow offered.

"I think Rarity and I should begin at Sugarcube Corner," Spike suggested.

"Chrysalis and I will start with the market," Applejack stated.

"Good," Shining said with a nod.  "Alright, everypony.  Good luck and see you at one."
> Change in Honesty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Applejack walked along the path through Ponyville toward the town market.  Beside her walked Princess Chrysalis, once again in the white coat and green mane of Crystal Heart.  Except now instead of being an earth pony, she had a horn which was mostly obscured by her mane.

"Go ahead," Chrysalis said.  "Let it out."

"What're ya talkin' about?" Applejack asked, shifting to look at the other mare from the corner of her eye while raising a brow.

Turning her head, Chrysalis looked directly at Applejack.

"My kind are able to sense emotions," she stated.  "Even if I wasn't able to feel the anger and suspicion pouring off you at me, you aren't exactly subtle with your little glares."

Applejack considered denying it.  Not much reason to though since it was true and she was a pretty bad liar, even if her emotions could not be sensed.  She could opt not to discuss it instead.  Point out that there were more important matters at hoof.  Except since they were walking, and had not run into any of the Pinklettes yet (kind of a silly name, but she could not think of a better one) it was not exactly a massive distraction.  Plus the two of them were going to have to be working together, so they should probably clear the air.

"A'right," she sighed out.  "I'll admit it.  I ain't exactly happy with you.  I mean you've been in Ponyville for weeks, and it's all been one big lie."

Looking away, Chrysalis resumed walking.

"First, it was not all a lie.  I may have disguised myself, but it is my most common disguise among ponies, and everything I have said or done is how I would have acted regardless.  I may have looked different, but I was still myself.  Second,  you are one of the bearers, are you not?  Helped restore Princess Luna and stop Discord's second reign?"

"Yeah?" Applejack said, brow furrowing.  "What's that have to do with anything?"

"How much has your life changed because of it?"

Applejack considered a moment before answer, "I guess it hasn't really.  I mean, I have a couple of awards and was given some bits as a reward, which was useful, but that's 'bout it.  Still work the farm, sell the apples at the market, and still spend time with my friends and family."  She gave a shrug.  "Pretty much everything's the same for me."

"Now, imagine if you got a similar reaction as Princess Celestia or Princess Luna" said Chrysalis.  "No matter where you go, you cannot have a single hour of normality, to say nothing of a day.  It is nearly impossible to have another that is simply a friend.  Others either treat you with reverence because you are royalty, or put on a facade of kindness and friendliness, while truly thinking of you as a way to advance their own social standing."

She let out a snort.

"And being able to sense emotions doesn't help.  One pony is easy, but a crowd gets all mottled together.  It's like trying to listen to a single instrument in an entire orchestra."

She then glanced at Applejack.

"The only way to live a normal life, to get to really know a pony, is to disguise the way you look and not let them know who you truly are.  Then if things work out, you're stuck wondering when to tell them, how, and how they're going to react."

Applejack pressed her lips together tightly, letting out a small grunt.  She was not very happy about the answer, but she kind of understood the thinking.  As such, she could not really argue the point, but she had no interest in conceding it either.

Fortunately, more pressing matters presented themselves, allowing Applejack to not answer without resorting to awkward silence.  Their path to the market had taken to the flower shop first, where they found several Pinklettes, and an unconscious Roseluck who was surrounded by ropes of flowers.

"What's goin' on here?"  Applejack asked, looking around.

"Well, we found all these really pretty flowers, and the flower ponies decided to take a nap," one Pinklette said.  "So, we decided to make daisy chains."

"At least, the kind we can make without an M rating," another added.

Chrysalis's lips pressed together as she let out a small snicker.

"Daisy chain?" Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow.

Leaning in close, Chrysalis whispered an explanation into the farm mare's ear.  Applejack's eyes grew wide and mouth fell open, her face turning bright, burning red.

"I did not need to know that," she growled out, getting another giggle from Chrysalis.

This, in turn, got a giggle and snort from the Pinklette before it bounced off to rejoin the others.  After cannonballing into a display that was too shallow to disappear into (yet somehow she did), the Pinklette then popped up with honeysuckles in her mouth and and sunflowers in her hooves: neither of which were part of said display.  Humming happily, she began to weave the sunflower stems together.

"Well," Applejack sighed, adjusting her hat as her face returned to its normal orange, "guess we should start dealin' with 'em."  Tilting toward Chrysalis, she looked at the other mare curiously.  "Any ideas?"

Raising an eyebrow back, Chrysalis let her gaze shift from Applejack to scan across the flower shop and take in the playing Pinklettes.  Her eyes slowly narrowed as she chewed on her lip, considering the possibilities.

"Do we really need one?" she finally asked.  "We just need to keep them in one place long enough to discorporate them, and keep the others distracted long enough to do it without them noticing.  They don't seem very smart, so they should be easily distractible.  At most, you might have to lasso one or two, so get your rope ready."

"And what makes you think I just happen to have a rope handy?"

Chrysalis turned to face Applejack, lips pursed and eyes narrowed.

A second passed.  Then another.  Five.  Soon, fifteen seconds.

With a huff, Applejack looked away.  She could hear the smugness in the air as she took off her hat.  Reaching inside, she pulled out the rope stored there, already tied into a lasso at the end.

"Alright, I'm ready."

"Oh, Pinkie....sss!" Chrysalis called out as sweetly as possible.  "Come quickly!  Applejack wants to show you something!"

"YAY!" six voices cheered out at once.  Two rows of six chairs were suddenly set up, with four sitting in the front row, one sitting in the back row with a foreleg around a very confused looking mare that was being cuddled, and one was running a popcorn machine that most certainly had not been there before.

"Really?" Applejack growled out.  "Now you're expectin' me to distract them all with a ropin' show?"

With a smile, Chrysalis's horn lit up as she took a hold of the hat, putting it back on Applejack's head and adjusting it.

"I'm sure you can come up with enough to distract them for five or ten minutes," Chrysalis purred before turning and walking away.

Hearing a snort of annoyance behind her, the disguised changeling grinned wider.  It was, admittedly, not the best course of actions to tease a pony, especially one that had a close (if platonic) relationship to her target, and at least some influence with the ruler.  Still, it was rather entertaining.  More so since Applejack could not exactly complain, seeing how it let them do what they needed to.

As she passed the popcorn stand, Chrysalis grabbed a bag that claimed it was "jalapeno cheddar" flavored, and tossed a couple pieces into her mouth as she made her way to behind the back row.  She may not know where it came from, but it was warm, delicious, and just spicy enough.  She stopped behind the Pinklette and captured mare, tossing some more pieces into her mouth.

"Oh, mon petit gâteau," the Pinklette purred out into the other mare's ear.  "Vos yeux sont comme deux jelly beans glitterés."  She then peppered her cheek with kisses.  "Ces lèvres sont plus douces que la crème fouettée."  More kisses.  "Vous êtes comme une glace à la fraise lors d'un chaud été."  Followed by more kisses.

It would have almost been cute if not for the fact that the other mare kept trying to shove the Pinklette away and was putting off more fear than a terrified filly.

Chrysalis horn lit up as she moved to the other side of the couple.  While the Pinklette was saying something about "un carré de sucre," she reached out and tapped her on the shoulder, making her turn away from the trapped mare to look at Chrysalis.  With a smile, Chrysalis held up the bag.

"Popcorn?"

"Ooh, thanks," the Pinklette said, letting the mare go and turning to grab some.

The mare took advantage of the freedom and bolted.

As the Pinklette tossed the popcorn into the air to catch it in her mouth, Chrysalis unleashed the spell, striking her target in the chest.  The Pinklette swelled up like balloon before deflating, letting out a long belch as the magic poured out of its mouth.  As the belch came to an end, the Pinklette looked like an empty bag before disappearing.

The other Pinklettes turned to look at Chrysalis curiously.

"Um...excuse me?" Chrysalis said, tapping her chest.  "Guess I drank that soda a little too fast."  She put on her best sheepish grin, looking away and trying to seem embarrassed.

After about three -- very long and tense -- seconds, the Pinklettes turned back and Chrysalis let out a sigh of relief.

Note to self: next time, do something to muffle the sound.  The idea was to get as many of them as possible, and that would be a lot more difficult if they suddenly scattered.  Setting the popcorn down for now, Chrysalis added a noise-cancelling shield spell to her magic work.  Unfortunately, the would mean she would run low on emotional energy faster.

Quietly, she moved toward the popcorn stand again, watching the four Pinklettes in front and Applejack.  When the farm mare moved to the far end of the crowd and did a pair of double jumps through the lasso's loop, Chrysalis shot a blast at the popcorn vendor, then put the shield up around her.  As it got struck by the blast, the Pinklette's eyes went wide.  Its head started to swell, growing bigger and bigger, before the mane started blowing off like exploding popcorn kernels.  Chrysalis could practically hear the popping noises.  As the popping continued, the Pinklette deflated before vanishing.

Chrysalis let the shield drop, the magic from the construct shooting through the air.

The other four, took a while to get at first.  She had to wait for all four of them to look far into one direction again so she could fire on the one furthest from the action.  Once the Pinklette was gone and its magic released, Chrysalis had to wait until they all did so again to repeat the process.

The last two then became the easiest.  No need to use the shield.  Just two quick shots, and they vanished into magic.

Poof! Poof!

A small sigh of relief escaped Chrysalis as at least that was done.  With a smile, she returned her attention to her popcorn, picking up the bag and grabbing some of the kernels.

A rope shot out and wrapped around the bag before it jumped out of her hoof.  Before it could even register, Applejack caught the bag and tossed some of the corn into her own mouth, smirking.

Chrysalis let out a huff, crossing her hooves as she scowled at the farm mare.

"Show-off!"
> Sugarcube Clean-up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Okay, Spike, he told himself.  Now is your chance.  Just ask her out.  Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and straightened up to be as tall as he possibly could.  Opening his eyes, he cleared his throat and turned toward the beautiful, white-coated unicorn beside him.

"So, Rarity," he said, trying to sound as casual as possible.  "I got two tickets to The Phantom of The Opera next weekend, a--"

"Oh, that's such a wonderful play," Rarity said.  "And so romantic.  The sad and sympathetic Phantom, who is madly in love with the mare, and wants to see her succeed as a great opera singer.  The foalhood friend, now a handsome and wealthy stallion.  Then there's the music.  And those costumes!"  She let out a sigh.  "I wish I could make outfits for a show like that."  She turned her attention back to Spike.  "And don't you worry, Spike.  I'm sure Sweetie Belle would just love to go with you."

Spike's mind spun as he tried to catch up with what just happened.

"I must say," Rarity continued as she kept walking, "I think it's sweet of you to check with me first.  I'm sure you'll be a perfect little gentleman for her."  She grinned.  "And it's perfect.  Sweetie just loves musicals.  I bet she'll be singing songs from it all week before and after seeing it.  It's so cute that she'll be going on her first date, and with somepony I know I can trust her with."

"Greeeeaaaat," Spike sighed out, putting on a big fake smile.  What happened?  How did it happen?  He was not trying to ask about Sweetie Belle.  He was trying to ask out Rarity.  How did he end up having a date with Sweetie Belle instead?  He could not back out of it either.  If he did, Rarity would be upset with him, even if it was for her instead.  He would just have to go on a date with Sweetie, do his best, and try with Rarity again some other time.

Looking away from the distracted dragon, Rarity let out a sigh of relief.

The rest of the trip was quiet and easy as they reached Sugarcube Corner.  From the outside, the place seemed calm and silent.

"Well, if they are here, at least they aren't trying to eat the place," Spike said.

"I fact I am certain the Cakes shall appreciate," Rarity replied as she walked toward the shop.  Pushing the door open, she started to step inside.

Then, with an ear-piercing shriek, she backed out again, a cupcake smashed across her face.

"The sprinkles are in my eyes!" she cried out.  "It's like a rainbow of agony!"  She then started to simply cry.

Moving past Rarity, Spike pushed the door open and peaked inside.  The smashed remains of various baked goods could be seen all over the dining area.  Pies, cakes, donuts, frosted, not frosted, nuts, sprinkles, all of them covering practically every surface to some degree or other.  On one side of the room was the display case, with Pinklettes crouched behind it, and a confused looking gray filly.  On the other side, the tables had been tipped over where more of the Pinklettes were, and a filly that he thought was one of them until he noticed the purple in the hair and the look of sheer terror on her face.  One both sides, the clones were wearing pie tins like helmets, bouncing up into sight and throwing a pastry at the other side before ducking down again.  There was even one playing a harmonica, and another that seemed to be writing a letter while looking at a picture of some mare.

"It looks like they're playing some sort of war game," Spike said as he pulled back.  "Also looks like a couple of fillies got caught up in it somehow."

Horn lighting up, Rarity pulled out a handkerchief and began wiping her face clean.  When she finished, her eyes had turned red with irritation from the sugar that had gotten into them.

"Alright," she said.  "So, we need to get in, remove the Pinkie clones, and free the poor fillies, preferably without getting caught in any more of their silly crossfire."  Her gaze shifted to the building, studying across the structure.  "Which would mean it would be better if we did not try the door directly."  She tapped her chin with one well maintained hoof.  "Perhaps we can find a way in that would put us 'behind enemy lines,' as it were.  Allowing us to eliminate one side before the other notices anything amiss."

"There's a back door, right?" Spike asked.  "One that goes straight into the kitchen?  Maybe we can go in that way and get the Pinklettes behind the counter."

"Yes..." Rarity hummed out.  "That could work."  Moving away from the door, she began circling the building.

The back door was easy enough to find.  It was a dark pink, which contrasted heavily with the gingerbread color of the building, and their was a heart-shaped opening in it.

Taking a hold of Spike with her magic, Rarity lifted him up to look through the opening.

"See anything?"

Spike gripped at the inner edges of the heart-shaped opening and braced his feet on the door, no longer feeling like he was just floating there.  Pulling himself closer, he looked into the kitchen.

"There's like... four more Pinklettes in there," he answered.  "Looks like they're baking."  He turned to look at her.  "I think it's safe to look if you want."  He then let go, dropping to the ground and landing on his feet.

Slowly, tentatively, Rarity lifted up to peek through the window, ready to duck if she caught even the faintest hint of anything flying toward her.  Luckily, nothing came and she was able to peak inside without trouble.

Inside were four Pinkie clones like Spike had said.  One was staring at the oven, one was standing in front of the fridge, one was actually cooking, and the last was covered in flour and curled up on the floor petting its tail.

The sound of a bell went off.  As soon as it did, the Pinkie by the oven opened it, pulled a pan out, set it on the counter, then moved to the flour spot and curled up to pet its tail.  The one that had been curled up on the floor got up, shook off the flour, and moved over to the refrigerator.  The one that had been in the fridge pulled out milk and eggs and headed over to the counter.  Finally, the one that had been at the counter carried a tray to the oven, put it in, set the timer, then crouched down and started waiting.

"Well that was somewhat unexpected," Rarity said to herself more than anything.

"Do you think you can get them from here?" Spike asked.

Rarity glanced at him, then at the room again.  A pang of guilt shot through her heart as she looked at the Pinkie looking clones.  She knew that they were not actual ponies.  True, she was not as well studied in magic as Shining Armor, but she was an intelligent mare and understood the basics.  They were no more alive than if Rarity had animated her dressing dummies.  Except, these looked like ponies.  A pony she knew and was friends with, in fact.

A friend that Rarity had to remind herself currently lying in bed unconscious.  A friend that could potentially die if the magical duplicates were not eliminated.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.  Focusing her attention on her horn, she drew on her magic and began to form the spell to disperse the Pinkie clones.  Squeezing her eyes shut tighter, she pictured the room in her head, with her sewing dummies in positions of the targets.

She let off four shots as quickly as she could manage.  It was shortly followed by the sound of four balloons popping, letting her know that she had hit all of them.

"Rarity?" Spike asked, placing a claw on her side.  "Are you okay?"

Pulling out another clean handkerchief, Rarity quickly wiped the tears and smeared mascara from her face.  Turning to Spike, she put on a small, gentle smile.

"I'm fine, darling," she answered.  "As sweet as it is, there's nothing for you to worry about."

"If you say so," Spike said, looking rather skeptical.

Putting the now soiled fabric away, Rarity pushed the door open and stepped inside.
> Super Ultra Hyper Pon Fu Masters HD 3D Remastered Deluxe 25th Anniversary Edition
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

After dealing with the Pinklettes in the kitchen, Shining Armor followed after Rainbow Dash as they made their way to the candy shop.  Shining had not even known that there was a candy shop in Ponyville.  Whenever he wanted to get something sweet, he normally just went to Sugarcube Corner.  Yes, some of the treats had candies on them, but Shining just figured they were made at the bakery when needed.

Once he knew where this place was, he would have to remember it.  Maybe he could pick up some things.

"Too bad there wasn't a threat to Ponyville sooner," Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle as she floated in the air along-side the stallion.

"Why do you say that?" Shining asked, not really looking at the flying mare.

"Because you left the library?" Rainbow answered.  Shifting her body, she moved to face him, flying backwards.  "Because you're finally doing something other than moping around?"

"Well... I just... liked having Twily around," Shining said.

"I know," Rainbow sighed out.  "But it's not like she's dead, or all the way on the other side of Equestria, or something.  Just up in Canterlot.  You can take a train and spend time with her and your parents."

"Yeah, but it's not the same."

"No.  It's like way better!" Rainbow cried out, grinning.  "You get to do all sorts of fun stuff that makes you the cool big brother, and don't have to worry about being the bad guy by acting like a responsible adult.  Plus, you said your folks are pregnant, right?  That means she'll get to be a big sister too."

A small hum escaped Shining Armor as he thought about that.  Especially the last part.  Twilight living in Canterlot did mean he would see her less, but it mean that she would be there for their new brother or sister when they were born.  So, while he would be around less, their new sibling would have a pony to look up to.

Twiley would make a great big sister.

Shining and Rainbow continued on in silence for a while before stopping again.

"Am... am I seeing this right?" Rainbow Dash asked, getting no answer as Shining continued to stare.

The two of them had reached a cross-street where a large number of the Pinklettes were gathered, wearing costumes.  Standing in the road on the pair's left side was a Pinklette in green spandex wearing a red beret as she bounced in place.  On their right was... Sonata Dusk?  It looked like her, dressed in a black gi with a red belt and headband.  She was also bouncing in place, ears pulled back and a serious look on her face.

A pinklette in a referee shirt stepped forward, raising a flag.

"Ready?" it called out.  "Fight!"  It just jumped back out of the way.

The spandex clad Pinklette jumped up into the air, spinning before coming down with one hind leg stretched out in a kick toward Sonata.  At the same time, Sonata darted forward, slipping under her high flying opponent.  As the Pinklette landed, Sonata kicked out, bucking the opponent in the flank with both hind hooves.  The impact knock the Pinklette away three free, but was able to land on its hooves, facing Sonata, who simultaneously turned to face her opponent again.

Lunging toward her opponent, Sonata threw a quick jab, which was blocked.  The Pinklette then threw a punch of her own, which hit Sonata, followed by another, then a third, and finally a jump kick that knocked Sonata back.

As soon as she landed, Sonata bounced back up, and charged for the Pinklette again.  This time, she jumped up above her opponent, turned in mid-air and kicked it in the face with a back leg.  Landing, she then did a sweep, which somehow knocked the Pinklette back instead of knocking her down.  This was immediately followed up by a jump and spin-kick, striking the side of the opponent's head.

Yet, the Pinklette was still standing and did not even seem that dazed.  It charged forward, threw two punches that were blocked, and one that made it through, hitting Sonata in the chest.  The Pinklette then dropped low jumping up, throwing a forehoof upward and spinning in the process.

With a back-flip, Sonata dodged the spinning uppercut.  She then lunged forward, driving a hoof into her opponent's back.  This was quickly followed up by an uppercut of her own.

A cry escaped from the Pinklette as it fell to the ground, bouncing once before stopping.

"Sonata wins!" the referee announced.

After spinning in place, Sonata raised a hoof, closing one eye while sticking out her tongue as she did.

The pose was held for five seconds before Sonata broke from it.  With a wide grin, she ran over to the pair, skidding to a stop.

"Hey, guys!  Are you here to deal with all the weird extra Pinkie Pies around?"

"Yeah," Rainbow answered.  "What are you doing though?"

"Well, I decided I wanted to make some cups of dirt -- the dessert with gummy worms, chocolate pudding, and crushed up sandwich cookies, not actual cups of real dirt -- so I was on my way to the candy store to get the gummy worms, but when I got there, the place was surrounded by a lot of Pinkie Pies.  Like, something from one of those zombie movies, but not one of the good ones, and with all the zombies somehow played by the same pony, and being hyper sugar addicts instead of shambling, rotting, flesh-eaters.  Anyways, when I saw all the Pinkies--"

"We're calling them 'Pinklettes,'" Rainbow interjected.

"Aaaawwww," Sonata squealed out.  "That's so cute!  When I saw the Pinklettes! I figured you would want to know, so I started for the library, but before I could, I got pulled into this thing that was like straight out of one of those fighting video games."

"Speaking of," one of the Pinklettes said as it popped out from behind the pair of new arrivals, "looks like we got a new challenger!"  It then grabbed a hold of Rainbow Dash and went across the street in a blur of pink and rainbow.

When they came to a stop, Rainbow Dash was now dressed in a sailor school girl outfit.  A yelp of surprise escaped the pegasus at the sight of the outfit, her hooves reaching down to grab the skirt and pull it down.  As she did, her tail and the back of the outfit lifted up, exposing a pair of golden-yellow panties with red lightning bolts.

Shining looked away as a blush formed on his cheeks, and adjusted how he was standing.

Sonata used the sleeve of her outfit to wipe the blood from her nose.

Across from Rainbow, one of the Pinklettes stepped up.  It was dressed in a blue dress with some sort of gold fabric worked across it, and its hair was set in a pair of buns near the top of her head.  Pointing a hoof at Rainbow, its mouth moved several times without any sound coming out.

"Rainbow-chan!" a deep, masculine voice called out (and not matching the motion of the Pinklette's mouth).  "For the honor of our senseis and dojos, I challenge you to hoof-to-hoof combat!"

Tilting her head, Rainbow looked at the Pinklette striking a move.  The pegasus' mouth opened and closed.

"What?" her voice asked even though her mouth stopped moving.  Eyes wide with a gasp, she brought her hooves up to her mouth.  Lowering them, she spoke again.  "How is this happening?"

"Ready?" the referee Pinklette asked.  "Fight!"

"Ki-yaaaaaaa!" the fighting Pinklette cried out as it charged forward.  Getting in close, it jumped up and kicked out with both its hind legs.

With a gasp, Rainbow put her wings in front of her, blocking the attack.  She then kept them in place as she continued to block kick after kick, slowly being pushed backwards.

When the attack stopped, Rainbow darted forward and threw a punch, which was aimed from the Pinklette's nose, but somehow hit her in the chest instead.  This was followed up by another punch, then a swing of her wing to hit the Pinklette in the side.  Somehow, despite being the weakest, the last blow was enough to knock the Pinklette back and onto her back.  Although not enough to keep her down as she quickly got back up.

Not wanting to lose the advantage, Rainbow Dash chased after her to keep attacking.  So caught up in the act, she did not even realize she made a mistake.  The Pinklette kicked out, smacking Rainbow in the face.  It was followed up by another and another.  Dozens of kicks hit Rainbow Dash, faster than she could even keep track of, much less block.  Although, strangely, none of them really hurt.  When the barrage ended, threw another punch, again hitting her opponent.  She then spun around, struck out with a wing, then continued on into a kick.

A rainbow glow engulfed Rainbow.  With a yell of her own, she charged at the Pinklette.  Once close enough, Rainbow throw an uppercut, hitting her opponent and knocking her up into the air.  Jumping up, Dash followed after the Pinklette, hitting her with another punch.  It was followed up by another and another.  With each strike, Rainbow Dash knocked the Pinklette higher and higher.  A warrior scream tore from Rainbow's throat as she delivered an especially hard blow, sending her opponent far into the air.

Flying up above the Pinklette -- that somehow stopped in mid-air -- Rainbow turned and started flying downward, picking up speed. Just as she was reaching her opponent, Rainbow's front hooves shot out, slamming into the Pinklette's back.  The air around them glowed as Rainbow Dash flew downward, pushing the Pinklette with her.

There was a thundering boom as the Pinklette hit the ground with Rainbow driving her into it.  Yet there was no shock wave, no dust, not even a sign of serious injury to the Pinklette after being driven into the ground at what had to be around three hundred miles an hour.  No blood, no signs of broken bones, just a yell from the Pinklette as it bounced up and away from the landing spot.

"Rainbow Dash wins!" the referee announced.

Rainbow bounced in place as she cheered, each jump causing her skirt to rise and show off her Element of Loyalty panties.

After about the third bounce, Rainbow Dash stopped, eyes wide.

"What the hay am I doing?!" she cried out.  "And what the buck was that?"

"Oh-oh!" Sonata called out.  "I can answer that second part.  See, in many fighting games, there are special moves that can be used.  Not all the time, because some requirement normally has to be fulfilled first.  Most often, the player has to fill a special attack bar then hit a certain combination of buttons.  Plus, they can do a butt-load of damage.  You must have somehow done something that allowed you to use a special move."

While all of this was being explained, Rainbow Dash was quickly tearing off the schoolgirl outfit and throwing it to the ground.  Once free of it -- panties included -- she gave it a couple of stomps for good measure.  With a snort, she gave it one last kick.

"Whatever," she huffed.  "Let's just deal with these things already."

Shining turned his attention from Rainbow, looking at the Pinklettes still gathered.  Two of them were now facing off against each other: one in a yellow ninja costume, and the other in blue.

"We need a better way to keep them distracted, though," he said as he looked at them.  "We want to get as many as we can, and I don't think they'll all be fully preoccupied with their fights."

"What if we distracted them with another game?" Sonata suggested.  "Like Hide-and-Seek."

"That would keep them from realizing what was happening," Shining admitted, "but it would also mean they would be hiding, which would make finding them harder."

"What about a sleep spell?  They can't run away or anything if they're asleep, right?"

"That could work, right?" Rainbow asked.

With a groan, Shining Armor smacked himself for not thinking of something so obvious.  It was such an easy way to stop a large number of Pinklettes, that he felt stupid for not having thought of it himself.  Or sooner.

"Yeah," he said.  "That would work.  You two get behind me so I don't accidentally hit you with it."

With a nod, Sonata and Rainbow both moved behind Shining Armor.  After checking to make sure they should be safe, Shining closed his eyes as he drew on his magic.  He focused on a sleeping spell, one that would act quickly, but only last about ten minutes.  He only needed it for a short duration to discorporate the simulacrums, and keep waste of his magic minimal since he was not sure how many of them he would have to eliminate over all.  It would be a problem if he wore himself out too quickly.

Unleashing the spell, the area in front of Shining glowed a bright rose color as his magic covered the area.

Before he had even finished, Pinklettes were already falling asleep.

Now came the slower part: discorporating them one at a time.
> Pinklette: War Journal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Behind the display case, one Pinklette -- known to the others as Corporal Strawberry Frosting -- pulled out a battered old notebook and a pen that had chew marks all over it.  Opening the notebook, the corporal flipped through the pages until reaching an empty one.  Uncapping the pen, she began to write.


Journal entry 3-X-$-Peanut-Butter


I fear that we have been forgotten, or left for dead.  It has been a nearly a week since Captain Rutabaga was killed in action, and I don't even remember when we last got orders from Command.  Morale among the mares is low.

Pausing, she looked at the other mares with her.  Her gaze focused on one that was pulling her helmet over her eyes, tears running down her cheeks.

Private Fudge has been crying a lot lately, and I fear that she may soon have a complete breakdown.  I only hope that we get help before she does something too drastic.

Corporal Frosting looked at one of the others, who was even now rising up to throw another cake at their enemies.

Sergeant Sorbet continues to fight, and tries to keep morale up.  Unfortunately, it seems to be a losing battle.  As nice as Sarge may be, she has no experience as a leader, especially in battle.  She tries her best, bless her hear, but at the end of it all, she is no Captain Rutabaga.

An squeak drew her attention from the journal.  Looking up, she stared into the wide, purple eyes of the bound, gray, earth filly.

The question of what to do with our prisoner remains.  None of us want to risk letting her go, but we aren't really able to keep her confined either.  Perhaps if we could find a way to create a temporary ceasefire, we could arrange a pris--

The rest of what was going to be written was lost in a scrape of the pen across the paper as Corporal Strawberry Frost was struck by a blast of blue magic.  She had just enough time to notice none of the other Pinklettes were around before she disappeared into a puff of pink smoke.

Spike came out of the kitchen first, pushing the swinging door open and holding one.  Rarity followed after, horn still glowing faintly.  Wiping the fresh tears from her eyes, she looked around.

"Well, that takes care of one side."

Running over to the bound filly, Spike worked quickly to free her.  First, he tried to simply untie them, but they were very Pinkie Pie style knots, which made it not only nearly impossible to untie, but seemed to get more complicated every time he tried.  So instead, he went with a quick and simple method he knew: using his claws, the young dragon sliced through the ropes, cutting the filly free.

As soon as she was loose, the grey filly threw her forelegs around Spike and began kissing him on the cheek.

"Thank you!"  Kiss.  "Thank you!"  Kiss.  "Thank you!"  Kiss.

At the first kiss, Spike froze in shock and surprise.  While it was not a kiss on the lips, or motivated purely by romantic interest, it was the first kiss he had gotten that was not about familial affection.  It felt like their was a small electric tingle of pleasure each time those lips touched his cheek, going straight to his brain and making him forget about whatever it was he had been thinking about prior.

His cheeks turned bright red as he grinned.

"No problem," he chuckled out.

"Excuse me, Silver Spoon," Rarity said to the filly as she stepped forward.  "Am I correct in deducing that, since you are here, the other captured filly is Diamond Tiara?"

"Yes ma'am," the filly -- Silver Spoon -- said as she pulled away from Spike, looking at Rarity fully.

Rarity's eyes narrowed as her lips pursed.  She stayed like that for a while, studying Silver until the filly began to squirm under the grown mare's gaze.

"Spike?" Rarity said sweetly as she turned her attention to the young dragon.  "Would you please escort young Ms. Spoon out while I try to think of a plan for the remaining doppelgangers?"

The familiar voice calling his name managed to shake Spike out of his stupor.  He gave a shake of his head, the blush quickly fading, then gave a nod.

"Sure," the young dragon answered.  He turned to Silver Spoon.  "Come on."  He then led the filly back through the kitchen and out the back door of the bakery.

Once the two had left the dining room, Rarity started humming to herself.  Lifting one of her hooves, she checked the smooth and well polished surface, glossy enough that she could practically see herself in it.  Maybe when this was all over, she would treat Pinkie to a spa day.  Although the pink mare tended to be more relaxed than most, even she did get some stress from time to time.  Plus, Pinkie did enjoy spending time with friends -- which was practically every pony in town according to her -- so it would give her a chance to hang out with Aloe and Lotus.

Rarity let out a sigh.  She supposed she should try and deal with the remaining Pinkie clones and free Diamond Tiara.  Even if the filly was a bit of a brat that tended to pick on Sweetie Belle and her friends, and had a rather unpleasant -- to put it politely -- mother, leaving the filly bound and gagged in terror hardly seemed like proper punishment.  Admittedly, a part of Rarity did enjoy it, seeing it as the filly getting some of what she deserves for how she acted, but it was not right, and hardly lady-like to let somepony suffer when something could be done about it.

Perhaps she could use what the clones in the kitchen had made to assist her.  Turning back toward the kitchen, her horn once more lit up as she grabbed the pan and brought it over to her.

Inside were six freshly baked muffins.  From what Rarity could see, they seemed to have some sort of nut(s) mixed into them.  She could not tell more specifically without trying them.

Rarity knew exactly what to do with them.

"Oh, no!" she cried out, intentionally being as dramatically over the top as she could manage.  "An entire tray of muffins hot and fresh from the oven, and I couldn't possibly eat them all by myself."  She threw her head back, placing the back of her hoof against her forehead.  "Wherever shall I find somepony to help me eat them?!"

"I can help!" a grey pegasus with blond mane and skewed golden eyes offered.

Rarity yelped out in surprise at the sight of the new arrival, losing her magical grip on the pan.  Fortunately, the pegasus mare was able to catch it in her mouth before it hit the floor.

"Derpy?" Rarity asked.  "Where did you come from?"

"Outside," Derpy tried to answer while holding the tin, causing it to come out more like, "vv-fvv."

As she took the tin back in her magic, a new idea started to form.

"Derpy, darling?  How would you like to help me and get two muffins for it?"

"Oh boy!" the pegasus cheered, wings fluttering as she hopped in place.  "What do you need me to do?"

Pulling two of the muffins from the tray, Rarity held them out to Derpy, and said, "Once I have the Pinkie clones distracted, I want you to take Diamond Tiara and fly her out of here.  Understood?"

This got a nod so enthusiastic, that Rarity was worried her friend would shake her eyes right out of their sockets (they were kind of rattling around there).

"Very well."  Rarity held the muffins out further.  "Take these and be ready.  As soon as the clones start eating, get Tiara and go."

After giving a salute, Derpy took the muffins and stuck them into her bag.

"Ready when you are."

Rarity gave a nod and turned toward the overturned tables.  Her horn continued to glow, but the blue aura around the tin disappeared as she shifted the spell she was focusing on.

"Come on, now," she called out.  "I'm sure you would all love to have a nice, yummy, nutty muffin, wouldn't you?"

Slowly, the Pinkie clones peaked out from their hiding place, looking at Rarity and the muffin tin in her hoof.  After getting in a huddle and whispering with each other -- sometimes, one of them poking up and looking at her suspiciously before resuming --  the group came out from behind the tables and made their way over to Rarity.

As soon as they did, Derpy flew up over them and down where they had come from.  There were several loud thuds, followed by a squeal.

"Sorry!" Derpy called out.  "Now come on.  I'm going to get you out of here."

With Diamond Tiara in her grip, the pegasus tried to take off again.  She did not quite lift the filly high enough, causing her to bang into one of the table edges.

"Sorry."

Flapping her wings faster and harder, Derpy and Diamond climbed up higher.  Once they were well in the air, she started for the doorway.  As they went, they listed to the side, smacking into one of the display shelves.

"Sorry," Derpy said as Diamond cried out.

The two then headed for the doorway to the kitchen, coming in too high and causing Diamond to hit the molding.

"Sorry."

Getting lower, Derpy flew through the kitchen doors.

There was another bang, shortly followed by another, "sorry!"

Rarity had to bite her lip.  The schadenfreude of it was not intentional on her part, but that did not mean she was going to pass up the opportunity to enjoy it.  As for the Pinkie clones, however, either none of them noticed or -- more likely -- simply no longer cared.  None of them bothered to even look up at the gray pegasus flying off with the bound filly, much less say anything about it.

With Spike and the fillies gone, and the Pinkie clones preoccupied with their muffins, Rarity had nothing to distract her from what she needed to do.  Closing her eyes, she took a slow, deep breath, and once again reminded herself that none of these were actually Pinkie.  In fact, they were not actually real ponies, and their being around put the real Pinkie's life at risk.

They at least deserved to enjoy their last meal though.

Once they had finished their muffins, Rarity unleashed the built up magic, giving four quick blasts of the discorporation spell.  As soon as she was done, Rarity turned away, pulling her eyes tight and trying not to hear the popping noises.

Despite her efforts, she heard each one, and could not help but see her poor friend exploding into a shower of confetti and magic.

Rarity was very glad she had not eaten any of the muffins: she was pretty sure she would not have been able to keep it down.
> To Market, To Market
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Snack Stealer rolled along the road of Ponyville marketplace.  Its Jolly Roger -- this one with a pony skull that had a pair of peppermint candy canes crossed underneath -- flapped in the air, waving proudly and declaring that the crew were up to no good.

One of the Pinklettes on board had pulled its mane down and tied it in place, making it look like she had a think, curly beard.  One eye was covered with a patch, and a hat rested on her head.

"Arrr," she growled out.  "I be Pink Beard.  Me and me crew have come to collect your booty."

Jumping down from the cart turned ship, Pink Beard landed beside a light blue-gray pegasus mare with very light green tinged hair.  Grabbing the pegasus around the middle so she was facing backwards, Pink Beard hopped back up onto Snack Stealer.

"Flitter!" some pony cried out.

"Aye!" Captain Pink Bear called out.  "This be a fine booty indeed!"  She then gave the rump a swat, getting an audible smack and little bit of jiggle.

A yelp of surprise escaped Flitter, a blush forming on her cheeks.  Her wings tried to shift at her side while they were pinned in place.  She had to bite her lip to keep from asking for another, or for it to be harder.  She was being spanked in public.  It was so naughty and exciting.

At the edge of the market, Chrysalis stopped, tensing as if she had just been smacked.  Her eyes went wide as a blush formed across her cheeks.

"You alright there?" Applejack asked, tilting her eyebrow

"Yes," Chrysalis answered, shaking herself.  "Just a little caught off guard is all.  It seems somepony is enjoying themselves very much."

A small blush formed on Applejack's face as she looked away.

"I didn't need to know that."  She continued walking.  "So... you can sense what ponies are feelin'?"

After looking around to make certain no ponies were close enough to over hear, Chrysalis answered.

"Changelings are emotiphages," she answered.  "We are capable of eating food like most creatures, but get most of our sustenance and energy from the emotions of others.  Our magic included.  As such, we are able to feel the emotions of other creatures around us.  Especially when it's a very strong emotion and we are able to focus on a single one."

Chrysalis narrowed her eyes as a smirk formed on her face.

"For example, you are right beside me and have most of my attention.  As such if I were to ask you about how you felt about, say, Shining Armor, even if you cho...oh... oh my."

The blush grew brighter on Applejack's face as she looked away, pulling her hat down over her face.

"Well," Chrysalis continued "this... this is unexpected.  I mean, I was expecting... but not..."  She shifted, looking away.

"Promise you won't say anything?" Applejack asked.

"I'm not even certain what I would say.  As I said, it's an empathic ability, not telepathic.  I can feel the emotions, not understand the thoughts connected to them.  However, when this is done, I would like to discuss it with you."

"Fine," Applejack huffed.  "Come by Sweet Apple Acres tonight, and I'll talk to ya about it over a couple 'a' drinks."

"Deal."

As they continued through the market, the two of them stopped as they caught sight of a bunch of Pinklettes dressed up as pirates.  A small number of them were currently busy raiding the cherry stand, one of them holding a cornstalk like a sword and pointing it at the vendor's neck.

"What the hay?" Applejack asked, looking at the sight before them.

"Looks like they're playing pirates," Chrysalis stated.

"And been raidin' the booths," Applejack added.

"Well, I came up with the last plan, and somepony --" Chrysalis turned her attention to Applejack "-- wasn't very fond of it, so it's your turn to figure out how to deal with them."

Applejack flicked her green eyes at Chrysalis before rolling them with a sigh.  She then let her gaze drift around the marketplace, taking in what was around that they might be able to use.  A bunch of the booths were empty for some reason or other.  They were maybe useful.  Canvas tents, wooden poles, some with empty baskets, and even some rope.  At one spot, there was even a large net.  Why that was there, Applejack could not be sure, but there it was.

An idea started to form in her head.

"How quickly can you fire that there spell?" she asked.

"I need a second or so to recharge," Chrysalis answered, "and multiple shots isn't even an option."  She shifted, one ear giving a flicker.  "I could work faster or fire multiple shots if I was able to get consume a large amount of positive emotional energy that I could convert directly to magic, but we have neither the time, nor a source for that."

"Welp, guess we'll just have to make due," Applejack said as she adjusted her hat.  "Come on.  Think I got a plan, and I'm gonna need your help to get everything ready."

The two of them grabbed the ropes and net, tying it across the main road of the marketplace.  The pair then stretched the canvas across the street, and left a tent pole on each side a little further along.  With that done, Chrysalis waited by the net, magic ready, while Applejack moved back to where the Pinklettes were.

"Hey, pirates!" Applejack shouted.  "I sayin' mean and completely untrue things about y'all!"

There was a gasp from the Pinklettes, eyes wide.

"Hey!" one of them shouted back.  "No pony says mean and completely untrue things about me and gets away with it!"

"Get her!" Captain Pink Beard ordered.

With a roar from the crew, the Snack Stealer started forward after Applejack.  The pirate Pinklettes shouted, brandishing their "weapons" as they rolled along the street.

It probably would have been more impressive if not for one of the wheels squeaking.

Applejack smirked to herself as she continued to run.  The squeaking wheel may have been a bit annoying and certainly ruined how impressive the "ship" was, but it made it a whole hay of a lot easier for Applejack to keep track of where the thing was.  Every thing that would give her an advantage was mighty appreciated.

Reaching the stretched canvas, Applejack jumped over it and to the left.  As soon as she landed, she kicked out with a leg, hitting one of the ropes on the side.  As hoped, the poles snapped up, launching the canvas length into the air, which in turn hit the front of the ship.  It did no damage, but did cover the front and blind the "pirates" on board.

With that part done, it was time for the next step.  Applejack ran and jumped, landing beside one of the thicker poles she could find.  Hoping she got her aim right, she gave the pole a good, swift kick, sending it flying through the air...

...And right into one of the cart's wheels.  The spokes hit the pole, bringing it up and smashing it into the underside to wedge it in place.  With it already moving, naturally the wheel wanted to keep spinning.

With a deafening CRACK! the spokes shattered, sending the wheel flying and the cart crashing into the dirt.  The Pinklettes were launched into the air, sent flying by the sudden stop.

From her spot, Chrysalis began to fire the spell at the flying Pinklettes.  She was able to hit three of them before they hit the net, quickly getting tangled up and stuck.  Turning her attention to them, she began to disperse the magic clones.

As she did, Applejack made her way over, watching the Pinklettes pop like over-filled balloons.

"Can I ask you somethin'?" she said after Chrysalis had finished.

"What is it?"

"I know we're doin' this to help Pinkie, but... does it hurt when they... ker-plooie?"

Several seconds passed in silence as Chrysalis continued on.

"No," the disguised changeling answered.  "It doesn't hurt them."  She turned to look at the farm mare.  "In fact, as far as I can tell, they don't actually feel anything at all.  No joy, no fear, no sadness.  They are magic constructs with no real emotion."

Applejack gave a nod, a tension she did not even know she had relaxing in her stomach.
> Candy Smack
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a train leaving from Ponyville sat one of the Pinklettes.  A newsboy cap sat on her head, her mane stuffed up into it and hidden for the most part.  A pair of thick rimmed glasses rested on her nose, which was hidden behind a big, fake mustache.  Sitting in the seat, Lady Mustachio Pistachio von Incogneato -- as she was calling herself -- watched the landscape moving past as they traveled.

This was so exciting.  She had never been on a train before.  In fact, she had never really done anything before.  She had not even existed before today.  So going on a trip alone was very impressive for a pony that was not even a day old yet.

As she continued to stare at the window watching the changing landscape, Lady von Incogneato wondered where she would end up.

There was a whole new world for her to explore.


*****


With the first large group of Pinklettes taken care of, Shining Armor and Rainbow Dash -- now accompanied by Sonata Dusk -- continued on to the candy shop.  The trio looked around as they went, searching for any sign of other Pinklettes they might have to deal with.  One or two were found, but none in large groups.

As the three of them reached the shop, they came to a stop.  They each stared, Sonata grinning while Shining and Rainbow had their mouths hanging open.

What they saw was not what any of them were expecting.

As they expected, there were Pinklettes, and quite a number of them at that.  However, they were all unconscious.  The pink forms laid prone on the ground, each with large lump on their head.

"This one looks like she has a horn," Sonata said, poking at one of them.

"What happened?" Shining asked, looking down at another.

"I'm guessing she did," Rainbow called out, pointing.

In front of her candy shop was Bon Bon.  She stood on her hind legs, ears pulled back and eyes narrowed as she scowled.  In her front hooves was what had once been a cast iron skillet, but repeated blows to the Pinklettes had hammered and reshaped the metal into a near-perfect mold of Pinkie Pie's head (somehow, including the mane).  Bon Bon's chest rose and fell as she panted, and her pink and blue mane had become a bit messed up in the process.

Catching sight of the new arrivals, the candy maker dropped onto her free front hoof and set the pan down.  After running her hoof through her mane to brush it into some semblance of its normal appearance, she made her way toward them.

"About time you showed up!" she huffed.  "I've been having to keep my shop safe for what feels like hours!"

Tilting his head, Shining raised an eyebrow.

"You knew we were coming?" he asked.

Bon Bon turned her full attention to the stallion, giving him a look of clear disbelief at his stupidity.  With a snort she rolled her eyes and gave a shake of her head.

"Oh, gee," she stated in a flat monotone.  "Why would I possibly think that a pony that was the personal student of Princess Celestia -- who has saved both Ponyville and Equestria on multiple occasions -- would show up to a disaster that is likely of town destroying proportions?  Especially when said issue" -- she motioned a hoof at a Pinklette -- "happens to look very much like one of your friends and fellow element bearers?  What could have possibly made me think that?"

"All those reasons you just stated," Sonata answered.

"Pretty sure she was being sarcastic there, Sonny," Rainbow said.

"I know, but I couldn't help it.  Even if it was rhetorical, she did ask a question, so I had to answer it.  It doesn't mean I'm stupid or anything!"

Everything went quiet as all eyes turned toward Sonata.

"Nopony said you were," Rainbow said slowly.

Ears pulling back, Sonata gave a sheepish grin.  A small blush spread across her cheeks as she took a step back, looking away.

"Sorry.  It's just... normally when I do that, my sisters usually point it out with a clear intent of making fun of me for being too stupid to notice."

This time, it was Rainbow Dash who looked rather sheepish.

"I'm sorry.  I didn't mean..."

"I know," Sonata cut in.  "It's just..."  She sighed and gave a shake of her head.  "Let's just get back to dealing with the Pinklettes."

"Pinklettes?" Bon Bon asked.

"That's what I named them," Rainbow declared, grinning as she puffed out her chest.

"Pinkie found some sort of magic cloning pool in The Everfree Forest," Shining explained.  "It was able to make multiple copies of her as you can see."  He motioned at the unconscious copies.  "But it used her life force to do it.  So we need to dispell them so that energy can get back to her."

"Really?" Bon Bon said, raising an eyebrow and looking at one of the "Pinklettes."  "Well, I'll leave you to it then.  I have work to do and don't want to see that."

She then turned and started toward the shop.

"Lyra!" she called out.  "You can drop the barrier now!  It's over and help's arrived!"

The shouting gave Shining Armor a moment of pause.  Lyra?  Why did that name sound familiar?  He was pretty certain that he had heard it somewhere before.  With a shake of his head, he put the thought aside.  He would figure it out later.  Besides, he had much more important and immediate matters to focus on.

"Well, since you don't need my help and we're here," Sonata stated, "I'm gonna get my gummy worms!"  With a grin, she made her way after the candy mare and toward the shop.

Shining gave a nod and turned his attention back to knocked out Pinklettes.  It was fortunate they were simulacrums or else they would probably all have concussions.  Although, it hardly mattered.

Horn lighting up, he began dispersing them.
> Back to the Library
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As planned, the six of them -- four ponies, one changeling, and a young dragon -- returned to the library at one in the afternoon.  After each had finished their selected area, they had searched around the rest of Ponyville for any more of the Pinklettes.  Although one or two were found from time to time, there were no more big groups of them.

The moment the door opened, the smell of food reached them all.  Mouths started to water at the aroma as everyone realized how hungry they were feeling.  Especially Rarity and Shining Armor, who had burned a lot of energy with their magic to dispell the magic clones.

In the dining room, Fluttershy was setting the table.  Assisting her were the Cake twins, their hives now covered in some sort of green stuff that really stuck out against their coats.  At the sight of the returning group, the mare and pair of foals smiled.

"You did it!" Pound called out, jumping over the table and landing over by the group.  "You saved Pinkie!"

"She woke up a while ago," Pumpkin added.  "She's still in bed, though.  Zecora and Limestone insisted."

"And you don't argue with Limestone Pie," Pound said, his wings flicking as he gave a small shiver.

"Well, it's nice that everything has worked out," Chrysalis stated.  "However, I believe I will forego the celebratory lunch.  I should really start packing."

"Packing?" Spike asked.  "Do you mean you're leaving?"

"My cover has been blown," Chrysalis stated.  "Even if Shining Armor was willing to not write to Princess Celestia about meeting me -- which I am not asking him to do since it would lead to a conflict of loyalties -- it is still very likely that my change from earth pony to unicorn has been noticed, and rumors shall eventually reach my parents.  It will not be long before a retinue of guards from either kingdom will arrive to escort me to Canterlot.  Given a choice, I would very much prefer to show up of my own volition."

Turning to Shining Armor, she moved closer her, eyes narrowing.  The unicorn horn she had began to light up green with her magic.

"However, before I go..."

Grabbing a hold of the stallion, she pulled him close to her.  Chrysalis closed her eyes as she leaned in, pulling Shining Armor closer as their lips met.  Wrapping a foreleg around him, she kissed him hard.

As she did, Chrysalis felt the emotional reactions from the others.  There was surprise, some awkwardness, a little bit of envy, and... jealousy?  Interesting.  It seemed that at least one of the mares was interested in being more than friends with him... or maybe they were secretly interested in her?  It was difficult to tell who exactly they were jealous of, just like it was difficult to know which one exactly was jealous since they were all together.

Chrysalis pulled back, breaking the kiss as abruptly as she started it.  As she did, her tongue slipped out, licking her lips and tasting the remnants of Shining's skin and emotions on it.  She could not help but grin as she could tell he enjoyed it at least a little.  Perhaps not as much as she would have liked, but he enjoyed it nonetheless.

"I'll come say good-bye to you all before I leave," she stated as she stepped back.  "And please tell Pinkie not to throw me a going away party.  I would prefer something more discreet."

With that, she made her way out of the library and left.

After three seconds (although it seemed much, much longer), Shining Armor recovered.  With a cough, he shifted, trying to ignore the burning in his cheeks and the looks the others were giving him.

"Okay," he said, looking toward the wall.  "Pinkie's upstairs resting, so we should probably check on her one at a time.  Anypony mind if I go first?"

"While you're up there, could you ask if we can bring Pinkie some lunch?" Pumpkin asked after none of the others objected.

"Sure," Shining answered as he made his way upstairs.  As he did, he wondered why the twins were so afraid of Limestone Pie.  True, he had not actually talked to the mare, but he had met her before.  She had seemed upset over something, but there had been nothing about her that was that frightening.

Was there?

Reaching the door, he gave a gentle knock before opening it.  As soon as he did, he was met with a light gray face, scowling at him and glaring with lime green eyes.

Shining's body tensed as he suddenly felt like he was in trouble.

"What?" the mare at the door growled out.

"I-I-I was hoping we could visit Pinkie Pie now that she was awake again," he stammered out.  "It's just me.  Figured one at a time would be okay."

Limestone's eyes narrowed more as she looked Shining over.  He could see the muscles in her neck twitching as her jaw clenched and unclenched.  After several seconds of this, she let out a snort and moved aside.

"Fine," she huffed.  "Just remember that she's supposed to be resting, though."  The mare leaned in close.  "If you get her worked up, I will bend you like a donut, shove your horn up your plot, then kick you down the stairs like a wheel.  Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," Shining replied, almost saluting.  He then stepped in past her, trying not to look intimidated.

As soon as she saw Shining Armor, Pinkie Pie's face lit up and she started to climb out of bed to greet him.  However, a look past Shining caused the smile to turn into a grimace as Pinkie laid back down in the bed.  It seemed like a safe assumption that Limestone Pie had made it clear what would happen if Pinkie tried to get up.

"Hey Pinkie," Shining said as he moved closer to the bed.  "Glad to see you're feeling better."

"Yeah," Pinkie said.  Shifting, one ear gave a flick.  "I don't know what happened, though.  I only meant to make two copies of me, but for some reason, they suddenly decided to make more and more.  Then I got a dizzy and tired, and passed out."

"Well, when the pool made the copies, it used your own life force for the energy," Shining explained.  "So each new copy meant less energy for you."  He placed a hoof on the bed.  "What I'm curious about is how did you even know about the pool in the first place?"

"Granny Pie used to tell us all sorts of neat stories about magic places, ancient artifacts, and cool monsters!"

"Ugh!" Limestone groaned as she flopped down.  "Still can't believe that one of Granny's crazy stories was actually true!  What's next?  The one about the amulet that lets the wearer control ponies' minds by singing?  The kingdom that disappeared into a mirror?  A book that wakes up demons and and allows them to suck the magic from living creatures?"

"Granny had a lot of weird stories," Pinkie whispered.  "Limey didn't like most of them."

Limestone let out a grunt, but did not argue.

"By the way," Shining said, turning toward Limestone, "Pumpkin and Pound want to know if they can bring Pinkie lunch."

A sudden growl from Pinkie Pie's stomach expressed its opinion on the idea.

"Fine," Limestone huffed.  "As long as she can eat it in bed.  The only reason she is getting out before tomorrow morning is to use the bathroom.  And I've already locked the window, so don't bother trying to get out through there!"

Shining Armor turned to look at Limestone Pie, then back at Pinkie.  Maybe it was his imagination, but something about that made him think it was something that happened before.  Pinkie sneaking out through a window was hard for him to imagine.  Pinkie doing any kind of sneaking was hard for him to imagine, really.  He knew it was something that she must be capable of, but he just could not picture the pink, hyperactive mare moving silently and unnoticed by any means.

At the moment, Shining did not feel like actually asking, and if Pinkie knew what he was thinking, she was not willing to volunteer the information at her own volition.

"Well, when you're better, you can show me where the pool is," he said.  "That way, we can make sure nopony else comes across it."

"Okay," Pinkie said.  She suddenly grabbed Shining Armor and pulled him into a hug.  "And thanks for saving me."  She kissed him on the cheek.  "You're a great friend."

A small blush formed as he still felt the warmth of Pinkie's lips on his cheek.

"Well, I'll let somepony else come up and visit," he said as he headed for the door.  As he left, Limestone moved to make sure he could see her. Ears pulled back and scowling, she pointed a hoof at her eyes, then turned it to point at him.

Apparently, she felt he needed to be watched for some reason.

"Okay," Shining called out as he reached the others.  "Limestone said Pinkie can have lunch so long as she stays in bed."

With a nod, the twins grabbed a plate and started for the stairs.

Suddenly, Shining found himself face to face with an earth pony mare he had not met before.  Like most of Pinkie's sisters -- which he was guessing she was -- she had a gray coat and mane, with said mane having a purple tint to it.  This one seemed to have a calm and stoic look on her face as she looked at Shining with half-lidded blue eyes.

"You must be Shining Armor," she stated in a very monotone voice.  She held out a hoof.  "I am Pinkie's sister, Maud Pie.  I have heard much about you."

"Most of it good, I hope," Shining said as he shook the offered hoof.

"Yes.  Pinkie speaks very highly of you.  Although, to be fair, she speaks very highly of most ponies."  Taking a step, she motioned toward the table.

"Lunch is ready.  I saved you a spot between Marble and myself."

As he joined the others, a small smile pulled at Shining Armor's mouth.  While not perfect, it was nice to have so many friends in one spot.  Plus, knowing that Pinkie was going to be fine, a weight was off his shoulders, so he felt like he could relax a little more.

Marble Pie glanced up at him with her one uncovered eye, then quickly looked away.

"Hey, Shining," Rainbow called out.  "I was wondering something.  What happens if we didn't get all the Pinklettes?"

Shining Armor took a bite of his lunch as he considered the answer.

"There are two possibilities," he answered after swallowing.  "The first is that the clones will disappear on their own, the magic and energy dispersing like normal spells and is lost.  Kind of like a flame burning up the entire match before it goes out on its own.  The second is that the remaining clones might actually become their own independent ponies."

"Is that possible?" Fluttershy asked.

"In theory," Shining answered with a shrug.  "Clover the Clever speculated that if a simulacrum could be created that did not need to fed constant magic from the caster, it would be able to have its own separate experiences and memories, which in turn would allow it to grow and develop its own personality, until becoming its own entity separate from the original source pony.  But, as far as I know, nopony has ever been able to test it."

"So, if we didn't get them," Rainbow said, "then there could be a pony out there that looks just like Pinkie, but will end up acting differently?"

"Pretty much."

The conversation ended as the others considered that.
> A Bug Among The Apples
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As evening gave way to night, Chrysalis -- in the guise of a white unicorn -- made her way to Sweet Apple Acres.  She had never been out this way before, and certainly never been to the farm.  Now, she sort of regretted it.  Oh, the place was very nice to look at, and it did seem like a calm place, but that was not the reason.

A lot of love had been put into Sweet Apple Acres.  Quite literally, actually.  As soon as she stepped through the gate, she could feel the ambient love energy that permeated the very ground.  There must have been years -- generations, even -- of earth ponies taking tender, loving care of the place.

If this is where they got their apples, it was no wonder that Sugarcube Corner's triple chocolate drizzled apple turnovers were so filling on an emotiphagic level.  Between the care put into the farm and the passion Pinkie and the Cakes put into their baking, a lot of positive emotional energy were put into the treats, and that did not even include the natural pleasure inducing chemicals of chocolate.

It was a shame that it was not closer to the changeling kingdom.  For some reason, they just could not get the same bountifulness nor the same emotional investment from their crops as the ponies seemed.  Although, they were doing better than the griffons.

Making her way toward the farmhouse, Chrysalis caught sight of Applejack coming off the porch and up the path to meet her.

"Mind if we talk about this in the barn?" Applejack asked once she was close enough.

"That depends," Chrysalis replied, tilting her head and raising an eyebrow.  "I don't have to worry about waking up with a headache and tied up, am I?"

"I ain't gonna tie you up," Applejack stated as she turned around.  "And any headache you get is gonna be your own doing, not mine."

That was not an answer Chrysalis had been expecting.

"Planning on getting a little inebriated?"

Applejack slowed down, looking over her shoulder at the other mare.

"If I'm gonna share this, I'd rather have a few drinks in me."  A sigh escaped her as she looked ahead again.  "Don't even know why I agreed to talk to you about any of this in the first place."

"Well I doubt you're willing to talk to your friends about this," Chrysalis stated, "and if our being out here is any indication, you aren't exactly willing to talk to your family about this either."

There was a grumble from the farm mare and a flare of annoyance.  For a moment, Chrysalis considered saying that she would take it as a sign she was right, maybe tease Applejack a little more.  It was rather tempting.  However, this seemed to be a serious conversation, and making Applejack all the more nervous and uncomfortable would make her less likely to open up.

As such, the two made their way to the barn in silence, with Applejack leading the way.  Opening the door, she stepped inside and made her way toward the back.  Making her way to the back, the farm mare grabbed a bottle and pulled the cork out.

"Care for a slug?" she asked, offering it up.

"No, thank you," Chrysalis replied.  "Although if you have anything non-alcoholic, I'd appreciate it."

With a nod, Applejack set her bottle down and moved over to a box.  Opening it, she pulled out a bottle of plain juice and offered it to Chrysalis.

"Kinda warm, though.  It ain't bad, just not as good as when it's cold."

"Meh," Chrysalis said as she took the bottle and opened it.  There had been times where she had to drink worse than warm juice.  So long as it had not actually turned rancid or anything, it would be fine.

Taking a sip, she discovered that it most certainly was not rancid.  In fact, it was really good.  Yeah, it was a little warm, but it had a nice blend of sweet and a little sour that made it practically dance against her tongue.

Wow, had she been missing out.

Downing the rest of the contents in one long swallow, Chrysalis licked at her lips as she set the empty bottle aside.

Meanwhile, Applejack had taken several shots from her bottle, wiping her mouth with a foreleg.

"So," Chrysalis said as she moved to get comfortable, "shall we talk about Shining Armor?  Specifically, why you have feelings of guilt and jealousy toward him?"

Applejack took another shot of her liquor.

"I ain't stupid," she stated.

"I didn't..." Chrysalis started.  "No pony said you were."

"I may not be the prettiest mare, but I know some find me attractive.  And while I may not always notice when a pony is interested in me, Shining wasn't exactly subtle when we first met."

"And you're not interested in him like that?"

"No," Applejack sighed, tilting her head back.  "He's decent looking, works pretty hard, and definitely interested in havin' kids if the way he acts with Twiley is any indicator."

"Hm," Chrysalis hummed, as she moved closer.   Her eyes narrowed as a thought occurred to her.  "So, you're not interested in him, and you feel bad because you haven't told him?"

"Yeah.  I mean, ain't much reason to.  He never tried to make anything happen from it, and I think he's gotten past it."  One hoof reached up to rub at the back of her neck.  "Still, feel kinda like I've been lyin' to him."

"And the jealousy?"

Taking a hold of her hat, Applejack pulled it down over her face.  A fresh wave of embarrassment emanated off the mare as she sat in the darkness of the barn, bottle in hoof.

"Well," Applejack said slowly, "I may not be interested him, but that don't mean that other ponies might be."

Shifting, Chrysalis considered this as she tried to work it out.

"So, you don't like Shining Armor," she said, "but... somepony else might... and... that might include a pony you like?"

There was no movement from the other mare to acknowledge this, but a fresh wave of emotions gave a good clue to Chrysalis that she was close.

"Dare I ask who?"

"Don't matter," Applejack answered before taking another drink.  "I ain't her type.  'specially since I'm a mare.  Shining Armor is way more the type of stallion she's interested in."

"Then why aren't they dating?" Chrysalis asked.

Several seconds passed in silence, Chrysalis following the emotional responses and letting the other mare consider it.

"Listen.  I'm not really in any position to force you to do anything, but if you want my advice it's that you talk to this mare.  Even if she isn't interested, at least you'll get it off your chest.  That way, you'll have an easier time moving on."  Chrysalis eyes narrowed as she smiled.  "Alternatively, she might be willing, and you'll find out something about yourself and her that you didn't expect."

"...I guess..."  Applejack said.

"Good," Chrysalis said as she got up and stretched.  "Now, If you'll excuse me, I should get back.  Also, I would like to buy a full case of your bottled juice tomorrow."

Applejack chuckled.

"I'll personally deliver it to your place."

"Provided you aren't too hungover."
> A Glowing Opportunity
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twilight Sparkle sat at the kitchen table, a sheet of paper in front of her.  Her brow was furrowed and tongue stuck out of her mouth as she concentrated.  A small glow of magic engulfed her horn, flickering from time to time.  In a similarly flickering aura, she held a pencil, pressing it against the paper as she tried to draw.

It was a self-created lesson.  A way to try and have fun (alone), and work on her magic.  Specifically, the fine motor skills and control.  The idea was to keep the pressure right while creating the lines, making the picture she wanted.

Seeing as there were five other sheets of paper crumpled up and tossed aside, it was not going well.

There was a loud snap as the pencil broke in two, getting a groan from the filly.

"Okay, Twilight," her mother said as she walked up.  "I think that's enough practice for tonight."

Twilight let out a grumble, placing her chin on the table as she glared at the paper.  Still using her magic, she picked up the lower portion of the broken pencil and tried to levitate it to the trashcan.

A loud knock caused the filly to jump, her magic surging and the pencil piece being driven into the wall tip first.  This, in turn got a frustrated glare from Twilight Velvet.

"Uhm...oops?" Twilight Sparkle said, grinning sheepishly.  "Sorry."

"Greetings, citizen Night Light!  May we enter your domicile and speak with you?"

A gasp of excitement escaped the younger Twilight as she recognized the voice.  Jumping from her chair, she ran toward the front door, grinning widely.

"Princess Luna!" she cried out, catching sight of the alicorn standing in the doorway.

"Hel..."

Catching herself this time, Luna stopped.  She shifted her body as she took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"Apologies," she said in a more moderate tone.  "We are still more used to The Royal Canterlot Voice than moderate speech, and are rather nervous.  May we come in."

"Of course, Princess," Velvet said, giving a small bow.  "Welcome to our home.  Please come in.  Can I offer you some tea?  Perhaps a cookie?"

"That would be quite nice," Princess Luna stated as she stepped further into the house.  "Thank you."

It was not long before the for of them were gathered around the dining room table, with cups of fresh brewed tea and homemade almond butter cookies.  Luna had not been aware that they were able to make a butter from almonds.  It was not bad, but she did not really notice any difference between it and regular peanut butter.

"So, what brings you to our house, Princess?" Twilight Sparkle asked around the last bite of her cookie.  It was something she and her parents had been wondering, but neither Twilight Velvet nor Night Light were willing to be the one to ask, seeing it as being the princess' prerogative to decide when to speak of business.

Princess Luna took a long sip of her tea, considering the question.

"In truth, we have done little to connect with the citizenry and learn of this new society," she admitted.  "A part of it is due to our returning to our duties, as you are aware."

"You mean that was real?" Twilight asked, eyes wide.  "I thought it was just an elaborate dream."

"Nay.  'twas real, young Sparkle.  As keeper of the night, we are capable of visiting ponies in their dreams and aiding them with matters that manifest in such."  Luna took another sip.  "Although, doing such means we are in a sense awake, preventing us from getting the rest of sleep while doing so."

"Hold on," Night Light cut in.  "Are you saying that you and Discord actually entered our daughter's dream?"

"Indeed," Princess Luna confirmed.  "We are uncertain how such was possible, but Discord seemed as surprised as we were.  As such, it seems unlikely he shall be able to do such again.  However, we shall be continuing our observations and guardianship of the dream realm, allowing us to step in should he manage to appear again."

"Good," Twilight Velvet growled out.  "I swear, if I ever get my hooves on that stallion, he will pay for what he has done to my children."

"An understandable response.  However, we are digressing from the main point.  Our meeting with young Twilight Sparkle both in the garden and in the dream had started us thinking.  After discussing the matter with our sister--" Princess Luna turned her full attention to Twilight Sparkle "-- we have decided that perhaps we should take on a student of our own."

Twilight Sparkle stared at the princess a moment, the words slowly sinking in.  As she realized the implication, her eyes went wide as a gasp escaped from her.

"Me?!" she squealed out, nearly jumping up from her seat.

"Correct," Princess Luna assured her.  "We have met you, and seen much potential in you.  A brief check of your school records show that you are an intelligent and hard working filly.  It seems that you could have skipped ahead at least one grade had you desired.  Additionally, Shining Armor was not the first in the family to have such strong magical talent, a trait I have been told you have already started to show as well. To that end, we--"

"YES!" Twilight shouted, jumping up.  "Yes!  Yes!  Yes!  Yes!"  She turned to her parents.  "Can I?  Can-I-can-I-can-I?  Please?"

"Well, we can hardly say no," Night Light said.

"Please," Princess Luna said as she turned to the stallion, "do not feel obligated to accept merely because of our royal status."

"It's not that," Night Light assured her.  "Although it does play into it.  It's more the opportunities both in education and careers that it would open up for Twiley.  Plus, with how many candidates there normally are for Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns each year, we could use any advantage we could get."

"Now hold on," Velvet cut in, holding up a hoof.  "Forgive me, Princess, but I'm not quite so ready.  Before we agree to anything, we should at least have some idea what this will entail."

"A simple enough request," Princess Luna replied.  "A specific lesson plan would require research in education, as well as to learn of Twilight Sparkle's capabilities, weaknesses, and needs.  Initially, Twilight will come to the palace after school when I shall assist her in learning about her magic and how to use it.  If she is as capable and willing as I believe, then she shall be more than ready for the entrance exams to Celestia's school."

"Come on!" Twilight Sparkle whined, grabbing her mother.  The younger Twilight looked up at the older one, giving the biggest, saddest eyes she could muster.  "Pleeeeeeeeaaaaase?"

Velvet looked down at her daughter, pretending to consider the possibility.  In truth, she had already decided as soon as the offer was made, but still wanted at least some assurances it was the right one.  Plus, she did not want to seem too eager.  Patience may not have been a strength of hers, but she did want to try and instill it in her children.

"Alright," she finally said.  "Bu--"

The rest of it was lost in a squealing death grip as Twilight Sparkle threw herself at her mother and hugged her tightly.

Everything did go blurry, but she was able to breathe enough not to pass out.