---

Something shifted.

—A blackened nightmare within an endless void of nothing yet something thrived within it.

His back was toward the stars and his paws were dusted with nebulas. Chunks of debris from abandoned astroids swirled around him while wrapping around stars and lone planets. These worlds were cracked, their landscape dried and peeling, flaking off into the galaxy.

Deep within this nothingness, something called to him.

“…Hmm?” The entity responded. His voice echoed, leaping among the graveyard of planets. He cracked an eye open revealing a jagged slit layered in ribbons of gold. "Why do I awaken?"

Behind him, a flared ray of dying energy washed the darkness in vibrant light. The entity never addressed the sun's collapse and instead tracked its energy toward his clenched paw. More flakes fluttered aimlessly from their owner before being sucked into the vortex of flames spewing from the star. His nostrils flared, inhaling the energy in an illuminated trail that was ushered upward by his paw. His lungs captured this power easily, breathing in the essence of the galaxy until the glistening dust no longer shimmered, and the sun no longer had a glow.

Within his face crevices gushed a golden light. They strengthened, flashing brightly, before growing dim. He huffed abruptly, the slits in his eyes thinning to needle-points. Silence once more took over and he took a moment to realize what he had sensed. His mane swayed as if pushed and pulled by an underwater current, brushing fur over his observant eyes.

Pawing the strands from his vision, he spared a claw to rest on his temple. "Ah, it appears I am not alone in my awakening." His expression was fogged with scorn as he added, "I can smell you. You are alive, no question."

The creature extended his limbs from being tucked in a fetal position. There were numerous unsynced sounds of popping while he did so. First, his wing stretched outward casting a shadow over the barren planets, then other strange features revealed themselves. A meaty tail unfurled itself and exposed the entity's stomach it had covered, along with an end that appeared to be a silver barb.

"It looks as if I have failed." The holy mass retorted, scratching at his bottom jaw and detaching some dust that had accumulated. "I am baffled at how you did it, but you survived."

His head turned to look over his right shoulder where another untouched galaxy rested without disturbance. He already seemed to have mapped out his next move, tensing up at the sight of it.

"She is such a little cockroach."

---

There was a muffled groan. Under the rug and curled within a ball upon the floor lay Pinkie. Her slumber did not go as well as she had hoped. That was to be expected when nuzzling up to something that felt like steel wool against her cheek. The sun's rays brushed against her eyelids, but they hadn't opened. If she weren't an adult and instead still a filly on the farm, Pinkie would have done anything to stay in bed. In other words, she'd be tugging on Mama Pie's ear so she could negotiate for five more minutes.

The room was still. Weedwhackers fluttered in the distance, a few bugs tapped on the closed window, other than that not many sounds made themselves known. Something felt odd, however, and it didn't tie itself to the silence. It was a feeling of unwanted eyes, something lurking in what would be the corner of her eye when she opened it. A shadow.

She pulled the edge of the rug off of her head causing her mane to stand on end from the static. First, her eyes adjusted to the light, second, the blurry room focused onto one shape within her sight. The shape was that of a pony, but the mouth and eyes were much more recognizable. The corners of her mouth were peeled back, and if she were real, Pinkie could have convinced herself the heat of her breath could be felt through her grin.

Even though her mind knew who this pony was that accompanied her, Pinkie's scream was for another reason. She clawed her way out from the remaining parts of the rug and had scooted her way to the far end of the wall. Her back slapped itself against the drywall making enough commotion for the shelf above her to wiggle. The screws for the shelf must have been as loose as Pinkie's because when she bumped it, the shelf quivered, before detaching itself and allowing a flower pot to fall.

She cried out in discomfort while the fresh crown of dirt decorated her head. The flowers hung loosely over her ear and the smashed pot lay in pieces at her hooves. Once the panic had settled quite a bit, the devil that had given her quite a scare sat with an oddly roughishly grin before her.

Yep. Pinkie had a few screws loose, no doubt!

"Mirror... where? You're not supposed to be out here! This, no, this is cat-lady level crazy. You're not supposed to be here mysteriously planning my demise, bad Pinkamena! Bad! How did you-?"

There was no barrier, there was no mirror, there was no... anything? She didn't have chains and she didn't seem too bothered by her new freedom, well, at least not as bad as Pinkie. Pinkamena was enjoying it.

"Yikes, that looked painful, hope it didn't squash your last brain cell." She teased, spreading herself over the tile with a mild smirk and an impish chuckle. "That would be quite unfortunate if it did. You need it."

Pinkie brushed the clumped dirt away with a hoof and ping-ponged between the mirror and Pinkamena.

"I'm very, very, very sure you're supposed to be riiight over there. Sitting and staring at me while giving me your stinky eye. You're not supposed to be here, or there.... or anywhere, but especially not here! Imaginary friends don't just wander around, I-I think... I'm pretty sure that's how it's supposed to work. You're breaking the rules!"

"Huh?" Pinkamena murmured nonchalantly, her head turned to view the old prison behind her. With a shrug and an obvious lie through her teeth she continued, "How curious I didn't even notice."

“This is some bad mojo! It's monkey business you shouldn't be doing,” Pinkie regarded with a knot in her brow. "Hallucinations and fantasies are supposed to stay in your brain five-ever, longer than for-ever. This is all kinds of wrong, never in the history of five-ever has this happened!"

“Well, you did dream up a massive worm the other day. I'm a bit surprised that me out of my little cell is where you draw the line.”

She sat herself up. Tethering their gazes she approached the observant mare giving her the most conceited closed-mouthed grin she had ever seen. Pinkamena had the ability to annoy even Pinkie and for her to admit that alone burned her immensely.

She could talk a preacher into cursing, and actually, Pinkie had dropped a few bombs she wasn't proud of in the past because of the little fluffle-brain.

Her parents were not too fond of her language when Pinkamena caused her slip-ups to occur.

She took her hoof and pawed at her illusion's face, but her touch did not detect any form of fur. It was strange to reach out to feel something and only get a greeting of still air.

“You can’t slap a hallucination, idiot.” Pinkamena reminded, resting her chin upon her forelimbs. Pinkie's mind blurred out the mare's retorts and she continued to examine the apparition.

"Weird... a little too weird. Hmm."

She moved so realistically. Honestly, it was a little hard not to notice how every little detail was painted so perfectly. If any pony could see her they'd probably want to try and touch her as well. She just seemed so real.

"Well as I recall you asked for my help, so here I am. Pretty simple really, your mind allowed me to bypass the boundaries you set. Therefore, my powers are yours to command."

Pinkamena rolled her hoof outwards in a jesting way. Her quip was further enhanced by a snort of laughter and it was quite clear the bow was just to bait her into growing agitated.

Her shaggy mane was already becoming sticky with stress sweat. She was on thin ice and knowing her compadre, Pinkamena would have a field day watching her struggle.

“So are you really here to help? Or, are you tagging along just to storm on my parade, well, Gala to be precise."

Pinkamena scoffed, “I wouldn’t dare mess up such the important lifestyle of being a party addict! It's totally honorable being a partier and nothing else. Good job Pinkie, your parents should be proud.”

“Ugh,” Pinkie fumed as she turned her back on the infuriating mare. “I know I have my quirks, and I know I haven't hit as many books like Twilight, because that sounds physically abusive and mean. I'm not like the others, I know that. I can hardly sit still long enough to do paperwork, I can't stand how boring meetings are... it's a struggle I'll admit. I still really, really, badly want to earn that respect as a ruler.. but I need a certain, uh, je ne sais quoi like my friends have which make them so good as this ruling stuff. I am trying to do something different you know."

“Mhmm, yeah? The future isn't looking too bright with your new profession it seems. As they say, the lights can be on but no one's home."

Pinkamena's laugh was cut short as something knocked on the door rather harshly, "Ms. Pie, are you alright in there?"

“Well isn’t that a loaded question.” The blended-maned pony responded, which only served in reaching Pinkie’s ears. She resented her sharp tongue deeply, but even more so hated how no one else could hear her.

"Yeppie yep I'm just fine! Just getting all bright and bushy-tailed for the Gala!" She chirped, but her tone was weighted.

Thankfully, he didn't know her too well, or he would have quickly found that the voice betrayed her by exposing true emotions.

She could hear the hooves distance themselves from her and it gave her time to deeply sigh.

"The Gala is today and it has to go perfect. I can't go around talking to myself in front of all the world leaders that show up." She debated, twirling her tongue along her bottom teeth in deep thought. "Are earplugs fashionable?"

“Oh yeah, that’s wise, just block out all sounds. You know that my voice is in your head, not outside your body, right? You can’t escape me.”

She glanced toward Pinkie before rolling upon her back in a sudden urge of playfulness. She was not in the mood to entertain the unwanted shadow, but she was booped by the illusion's hoof anyway. Others may see this gesture as a way of opening-up, but if you truly knew Pinkamena, you'd understand this behavior was not of that nature.

“I’ll be good and obey my master like a good doggy.” Pinkamena egged as she rolled back over and leaned her chin into her hoof. “Wouldn’t want to ruin the Gala for you and your friends now would I? That wouldn’t make you very happy… actually, it would make you quite upset."

“Exactly. So please, for the love of Celestia, I will do anything you want if you don’t ruin this for me! That’s all I want and then you can tease and be a giant meanie for the rest of my life, deal?”

“You’ll have no quarrels with me, I was never planning on interfering with your little Gala.” Pinkamena spat, obviously irked that she had to repel her personality. “I can’t say the same for anyone else interfering I'm afraid.”

Pinkie caught sight of a frozen laugh on her face, but it was quickly buried in those taunting eyes that brought out the worst in her.

She soon found herself growing quite bold. The arrogance in her smile was quickly snuffed out when Pinkie called her out on her bluff. The dark pits of mischief were challenged when sky-blue eyes tethered themselves with Pinkamena's and they were both forced to stare deeply into each other.

“Pinkie. Promise.” She ordered in a bristled tone.

Her sneer was provoking and Pinkie easily predicted Pinkamena's urge to poke the bear.

“Your vows mean little to me. You can take my word for it, or sulk during the Gala. I don’t care which one you choose.”

The Element of Laughter threw in the towel. She shook her head with defeat and departed from Pinkamena with a huff. There were no sounds of hoof-steps behind her, and her back itched from a harrowing creature stalking her from behind. No breath or sounds could be detected, but she could sense the being's presence.

As she suspected Pinkamena was hot on her trail with a cocky half-lidded stare.

“So you’re following me now?”

The illusion touched her chest in offense. “Wouldn't dream of it. You happen to be going the same way where I wish to stretch my legs. We both are heading to the Gay-la, correct?”

"First of all it's the Gala, second of all I find that hard to believe when it isn't even time yet. Third of all, I love following other ponies against their will, but it's off-limits with me."

"As you say, tomayto, tomahto... Gala… Gay-la, same thing. If Rainbow Dash is going along with Spitfire, you might as well go ahead and call it the Gay-la."

That was the last straw in the haystack! A sharp breath was taken and she was ready to ram that annoying thorn under her skin off her pedestal!

“Quit being a Gilda!”

“Well. You should quit being a Ponk.”

Her jaw locked. That tiny nickname happened to unleash a whole wad of Pinkie-craze every time she heard it. Soon enough her defense mechanism kicked in and her cheeks popped out like she was mimicking a blowfish.

She never could find out what exactly a “Ponk" was, but Pinkamena loved griping about her being one. Pinkie Pie was too good-spirited to insult her own mind back, but sometimes she really wanted to have a smackdown with herself.

"Well, you're a Pinkameanie!"

“Ouch, Pinkie. That's real mature of you.”

Her ringing laughter made Pinkie flick her tail in the arrogant mare’s face, before sharply storming from her room with muttered curses. Clearly growing haughty with her newfound freedom outside the mirror Pinkamena followed swiftly behind still grinning mischievously.

Perhaps she should go check on Twilight? Or go speak with Fluttershy? Her mind was always calm when speaking with Flutters she could help her out, right? Without much of a delay, she felt her hooves moving in that direction. She could bet her party cannon on the fact that Fluttershy was sunbathing with the animals. They normally flocked by the royal gardens where she would keep them in line.

Taking her stroll towards the budding flowers scattered across the lively grass, the welcoming sun invited her into the open garden. The aroma was lax and soothing as the stallions in charge of landscaping trimmed and shaped the bushes into an acceptable figure. Pinkie greeted them before she cut through the pathway and found the animal lover humming gently to the bathing birds.

Sensing Pinkie's presence Fluttershy turned to give her a dependable smile, but it fell. "Oh my Pinkie, your coat, it's so… dull."

Her words were answered with a sigh as Pinkie’s eyes skimmed over her fading fur. “I’ve been having a teensy-little-bitty problem with Pinkamena… just a little.”

"Wow ratting me out, huh? You know gossiping about the pony you dislike in front of them is quite rude."

The trailing shadow gave a frown as Pinkie ignored her.

"Oh dear, please, come sit down." Fluttershy invited with a pat on a patch of grass. "I actually had a little bit of speculation that she might cause problems for you. After speaking with Applejack and Twilight, I found out they were worried about you being too stressed out, but I know the real reason you're distracted."

Settling herself down beside her best friend, Pinkie watched Pinkamena curl up near the bird fountain while giving them both a blank stare.

“So if you don’t mind me asking, what’s troubling you? Well, Pinkamena-wise.”

Throwing her hooves in the air Pinkie responded with a low-spirited whimper.

"I can't stand her needly stare anymore! It's been nineteen years and all I've learned from her is that even with the biggest and best balloons in the world, all she has to do is look, and pop! Down goes my mood, whoosh, that's the sound of her squeezing the life out of an already deflated balloon. Now she's being really rude by following me around and giving me her opinion, except, I don't want her option. You only give ponies your opinion if you know it won't hurt their feelings, but she jumped out of her mirror and did it anyway! She won't go back in there, Fluttershy!"

Pinkamena chucked, "Is that your way of telling others I'm a prick? Touché, it was clever, so I'll give you that one."

Stroking Pinkie’s shoulder with a free hoof, Fluttershy brought her down from the tower of woe she sat upon. “So now she follows you around? That is strange, and you can’t make her disappear as you did before in the mirror?”

"That's the thing, she can overpower my mind! 'Cause she's an evil enchantress, yet to do evil dances. If you look deep in her eyes, she'll give evil glances! She's like what I thought Zecora was, something is off with her, and I bet it's because she's controlling my brain with strings and popsicle sticks! Before all of this I could chit-chat with her whenever I pleased, but now she's walking and talking all over town!"

"I've said like five minutes of conversation throughout the day. That's truly astonishing for me," Pinkamena included as Pinkie gave her an irritated stare.

"She can't overpower your mind Pinkie, I promise. She can, however, keep making you feel helpless if you let her— but remember she isn't real and she's only here to cause problems." Fluttershy reminded, as her wing draped itself over Pinkie's tense frame. "Perhaps you are in need of a relaxant. I took the time to talk to my friend Tree Hugger about it without including too much information. Since she's always so calm, cool, and collected, I asked her how she managed to stay that way. She told me she had a natural remedy for unwanted voices and hallucinations much to my relief."

Pinkamena shot up with erect ears and a withheld snicker leaked from her mouth. “Uh oh spaghettios, my illegal substance detector is tingling.”

Digging through a little bag beside her Fluttershy brought out a plastic bag full of harmless brownies. She then placed them at Pinkie’s hooves and the Element of Laughter felt drawn to the unique scent.

“Wow, they smell a bit strong, kinda organic? Any brownie is a good brownie I say, even if they're made a bit different from what I'd put together. Tell Treehugger I wouldn't mind exchanging recipes with her, these look, well... non-toxic and uh, consumable. Do you know what else starts with 'T'? Tummy is a word that starts with 'T' and only edible things go into tummies so obviously nothing severely poisonous would encourage you to eat it.

“I’m, uh, pretty sure Treehugger made sure this was edible,” Fluttershy replied with light giggle. “She uses many natural earth extracts to help with bodily issues. She seemed quite excited to share her personal stress reliever. I also have some bath bombs for you when and if you need them, but the brownies should be good for now. I wonder what’s in them and how they work so well.”

The observing mind-creation snorted before breaking out into a guffaw.

Giving her friend a nuzzle, Fluttershy stood up slowly. “I have to get the birds ready for their performance when welcoming the honored guests, but come and get me if you need me later. I’ll do what I can to help, and always will.”

“Righty-Tighty thanks Fluttershy, you’re the bestest ever! I’m going to start munching and crunching and get these yummies in my tummy!” Pinkie chirped benevolently while her friend's cheeks matched the same shade as the spring lilies.

“No problem Pinkie, always happy to help,” She responded sheepishly.

When the introvert gathered her bag and left Pinkie alone for snack time, Pinkamena slithered over like a serpent. Her greasy and oiled grin took over her side vision, much to Pinkie's annoyance.

"Let me give you some much-needed advice and suggest you toss those brownies."

Throwing her muzzle to the side to disown her advice, she defiantly declined. "Nopie nope! I need to be clear-headed and calm when going to the Gala so I don't mess anything up. You aren't going to butter me up with lies or get this opportunity to run away! It would be very tiresome to catch again!"

The spectral form poked the bag with the tip of her hoof, “Oh no it’ll calm you alright. I do have to say, however, I'm a pony that understands Fluttershy’s innocence and your oblivious nature. I need to warn you of edible foods Tree Hugger has messed with.”

“I’m not oblivious and I know about many things I shouldn’t! I’m a grown mare, and even though it smells as musky as Dashie’s baking attempts I’m sure I’ll only get food poisoning. As a professional food taster, I've been in worse tangos than this one, just try and get down mints and soda... I've done it! They called me a mad-pony, but I succeeded."

“Pinkie I’m telling you-”

"Oh I see what's going on, you're trying to trick ‘ol Pinkie Pie, right? You want these brownies all for yourself, don't you? Aha, you think I don't see your ridiculous attempt to deceive me? I'll have you know I live in ridiculous, I breathe ridiculous, I am ridiculous! You can't fool me I'm eating these brownies, and you can't have them!"

Rubbing the bridge of her nose Pinkamena responded, "Dude I don't want them, I can't even eat! I don't exist! I was actually trying to-"

"Nyah!" Pinkie screeched in an animalistic murmur causing the mare before her to jump just about a hundred feet. "I smell your deception! I've been with you ever since I was a twinkie Pinkie and know how you are. You just want me to not eat these because you'll go away and my mind won't lose its marbles when you're gone! Well, guess what? I'm picking up all those marbles you've made me lose and shoving them back in there! So move over, its chowing time!"

Putting up her hooves, she backed away. "Whatever you say chief."

Ripping open the bag, Pinkie scarfed down as many as she could inhale. Pinkamena remained quiet and just watched with eyes that mirrored a hyena.

Once her tongue had swiped the remains from her lips, she gave an overweening grin toward Pinkamena from her victory. She had put her in her place, oh yes she did… and it felt great!

“You have no power over me, I am completely… huh… where did those colors come from?”

---

A dense haze of red clouded over the whites of Pinkie's eyes. Her smile was lopsided and her tuneful whistle was as sluggish and uneven as her eyelids. The world was distorted, terribly, but she wasn't complaining in the least bit. She felt really calm, almost as if she were as mellow as an undisturbed creek.

“I feel so... well, erm-” Her words were blurred, but her giggles were not.

"-Good?" Pinkamena questioned, finishing her sentence for her. "Oh, I don't doubt it."

"Know what? Let me tell you something." Pinkie slurred, rolling over as she slowly tried to focus on the blurred pony before her. "I have very accurate taste buds, but I'm bothered that I can't describe the taste of water… it's been bugging me for a few years."

“Mhmm, yeah.” Pinkamena dismissed, clearly not paying attention.

“Know what else?” Pinkie Pie continued, regardless if Pinkamena was interested or not. “If having midnight snacks is wrong why is there a light in the fridge?”

"It's the reminder of a certain light that will expose you at the time of your death. My prediction? Your cause of death will have to do with diabetes. Eat healthier."

“What light?”

"It varies from pony to pony. Just hope when it's time for you to see the afterlife you don't see fire."

Having a hard time focusing she responded, "There's fire in pony heaven?"

“Whoosh,” Pinkamena teased flicking a hoof over her head with a grin.

She nodded back toward the sky and Pinkamena's innuendo was soon forgotten. Her attention was attracted to the flying stallions and guards flooding into Canterlot. For some reason, she felt like she was missing something, something really important.

"I am all loose and limp like a wet noodle I think I should be remembering something, but I can't quite put my hoof on it."

There was a bland hum from a distance. “If I can make an educated guess I’ll assume it’s the Gay-la.”

“Gala.” Pinkie calmly corrected before settling back on the grass. She suddenly shot up with bugged eyes when realizing what she said and shook herself to attention. “The Gala!”

She needed to get ready, shoot, shoot, shoot! How could she forget the Gala? It was the most important thing in her life right now and she was required to be with the other rulers of Equestria! She didn’t want to face Twilight, but she knew being even a second off schedule would turn her mane gray!

“Come on, we can still get ready at short notice! Rarity is the best at working under pressure!”

“You sure about that? Those tubs of ice-cream in her fridge make me think otherwise.”

Grabbing Pinkamena’s hoof, but hooking only air, she just assumed the reflection would follow her into the castle. The garden was fiercely preened and she had to make a good effort trying to dodge all the decorations. She scurried toward the fashionista in hopes they didn't notice her disappearance, but she had a foreboding feeling Rarity would have a fit when she got there.

Suddenly it was as if she hit an invisible wall! Her hooves slowed along with her edged emotions, that... smell. An angelic scent wrapped around her head and sank its teeth into her brain. Unable to fight off the clawing in her stomach the thunderous boom from her empty tank caused her to squirm. Pinkamena was by her side in mere moments as she examined the vibrating tummy of the confused mare beside her.

“Huh… why am I so hungry? Like its… ngh… so overwhelming!” Pinkie complained, as her salivating mouth directed her attention toward the smoky compass leading into the royal Canterlot kitchen.

“Hmm, do you have the munchies?” Pinkamena tested.

Her tone slowly inclined as if she were formulating something and the hallucination flattened her ears with a corrupted grin.

Nodding her head in a trance, Pinkie Pie was merely drooling just by the scent. Pinkamena swiftly appeared in her line of vision before giving her a hypnotizing serpent’s sneer.

"Oh well, that won't do at all." Her honeyed whisper said with a clicking tongue. "You can't join the Gala with such a nasty case of the munchies now can you?"

Pinkie Pie swallowed her temptation and shook her head. “Nope, no can do buckaroo! Gotta steer clear of the kitchen it’s for the guests, and like AJ said, I ate the whole thing last time.”

“Oh pish posh,” Pinkamena said huskily as she flicked her head toward the kitchen. “They’ve made food for hundreds of ponies attending and they have more than enough to share.”

Her words were indeed enticing and seductive, all words happened to be seductive towards Pinkie when they spoke of food. Pinkamena was right, they had more than enough to share, and wouldn't notice just a few snacks consumed. Her hunger was unreal and a little painful, as her guide gestured toward the unlocked and opened gates to heaven.

The smell was terrific, and the sights were just as good. Saffron dusted truffles, caramel drizzled tarts, pastries, and simmering vats of soup were stacked by the thousands! Wallowing behind silently, Pinkamena paused by the door allowing Pinkie Pie to take in the sights.

“You said you’d help me and promised you wouldn’t mess up the Gala for me. I need you to not allow me to eat too much, okay?”

Lowering her ears, Pinkamena crossed her heart with a final snicker. "I wouldn't dare let you overeat, that wouldn't be very courteous of me would it?"

With a face-breaking smile Pinkie nearly tackled the first dish which was gone in under five minutes. Settling in the shadowy corner, Pinkamena yawned, before resting her head on her hooves. She examined the pony devour a path as she ate her way through the room. Her stomach was like a bottomless pit. She just couldn't fill it no matter how much she tried to eat! As soon as the food touched her tongue it was swallowed. She hardly tasted anything before gulping it down and tearing off another chunk like a starved mutt.

Pinkamena was watching… she would be fine… it would all be fine.

The fondue fountain was licked dry, but still, she heard no warning from her scout and kept up her ravenous consumption. By the time the horde of properly baked griffon scones was violated, along with the gemstones that had bite marks on them, her stomach had slowed its rampage.

Sitting on her rump in satisfaction she let out a long and wavering sigh. Taking a minute to let the meal sink in, she let her eyes wander and see what she had to clean up.

Her eyes bugged when realizing the damage that had been done.

Cans of whipped cream were scattered along the floor leaking their last drops onto the tile, as a carpet of crumbs gathered around the uneaten sections. The cakes she had moved past were slouching since she had pushed them aside to get to the better ones, and this action messed up their careful craftsmanship without her even noticing!

In horror she put her hoof to her mouth as she quickly turned to Pinkamena who had her eyes closed in peace.

“Wha.. I… Pinkamena you were supposed to watch me!”

Cracking an eye open to peek at the hyperventilating pony before her she hummed. “Oh my apologies, but in my defense you trusted me and we all knew that was a terrible idea."

She was mortified by the mess she had made! The oncoming breakdown was not at all concerning to Pinkamena, but Pinkie was in a panic trying to slap together a plan. She was an idiot to trust her hallucination, but at that moment, she just wanted a bite and her hunger overlapped her sanity.

“I… Applejack is going to murder me! Or worse, feed me to those bloodthirsty griffons as an appetizer!”

“Hey now, that’s not nice to throw shade at them like that.” Pinkamena frowned, shaking her head in disapproval. “Assuming all griffons are bloodthirsty just because of your experience with Gilda, who is now slightly better, is just downright racist.”

“Perhaps I can glue some of the crumbs back together! Ye-yeah I can do that, or… or… quick, let’s find Discord!”

"Sure, let's dump a whole pile of toxic chemicals on the royal samples being fed to the national leaders of the world. Yeah, that'll one hundred percent do the trick, if you're aiming for treason."

Quickly giving her a glare, she spoke, “Well then what do you suppose I do here?”

"Panic and go into exile? I suggest camping in the spa back in Ponyville. Applejack won't step hoof in there, especially in the makeup studio, I bet your life on it."

There were scuffs from advancing hooves. Pinkie's blood felt strangely icy when they crept closer to the door! The light from under the crack faltered, a shadow formed, and with a groan it opened.

Pinkie Pie was frozen in both fear and guilt as a familiar creamsicle pelt stood with firmly locked eyes.

“What in thuh hay? Pinkie, what happened in here?”

“I… this… I… it was like this when I got here!” She stammered, evading the fuse being lit.

“Did you eat all them fancy foods I spent eons plannin’ Pinkie?”

Her ears were bent in submissiveness, but the body language she was producing made it quite clear her recent words were of a lie.

“No, dear Celestia! You’ve eaten just ‘bout everythin’ in here! I’ve just had ‘nough of your constant meddling, I gotta go tell Twi before things get even worse! First Rarity upset Discord, ‘an he had to go on and act like a wet panther because of his dress code… and now we've gotta another problem on our hooves!”

"Wet panther? Oh, I get it because cats don't like being wet and get mean, aha. I love country slang," Pinkamena mused as she watched the scene unfold. "Xaquz mench, you’re screwed ya Ponk.”

“So have you been right on in here munchin’ away when the half the guests have arrived? I came runnin’ in here right in the middle of getting’ my dress on! This is getting to be a real pain in the rump, Pinkie!”

“Welcome to my world,” Pinkamena muttered to no one. Applejack suddenly pulled the hat she loved over her eyes in distress with a high-nasaled sigh.

“AJ... I’ll help clean up, I’m sorry! Fluttershy gave me these delicious brownies and I-”

"Bein' my element here ah'm just going to come out with it. Honestly, you need to just mosey on back to yer room till one of us can get things calmed down."

“But-”

"Ah can't argue ‘bout this Pinkie! We'll come and get you when the time is right, but you've made a mess we've gotta clean up now! Just please-" AJ halted and she bit her tongue to avoid saying something she'd regret. Not long after she added, "-Just go on back to your room ah promise it won't be long, but you've gotta understand the position you put me in."

Slinging her hoof toward the door Applejack motioned for her to exit the kitchen. With her head shamefully draped over her shadow, she obeyed with a limp tail. Pinkie wanted to cry, but for now she suppressed the cracking dam and allowed for her removal to take place. There were no more words exchanged, just a grumble, and then a slammed and locked door.

The unwanted reflection materialized beside her as she reappeared next to her owner. Pinkamena let her bottom lip sag, but Pinkie couldn't tell if this was of genuine concern or sympathy.

“Tukjt quun. Harsh,” Pinkamena commented, striding in perfect harmony beside Pinkie.

"Why do you keep speaking that made-up language? I'm not a filly anymore, and I gave up talking gibberish to Maud's rock collection a long time ago! I am seriously not A-okay, I feel icky like a dropped sucker about all this, and would appreciate some real non-silly words!"

“Neh vennu tummon, whatever do you mean? I am speaking pure Maud rock language you should be able to understand me.”

"I created that a long time ago and I know it by heart! I'd recognize the tongue of Pinkielgese any day of the week! Only when you've made a ritual offering of cotton candy and pop rocks to the Gods of fun will you be able to wield such power!"

“Well,” Pinkamena purred, “Seems to me like you need to make another offering. You’re getting a little rusty.”

Giving her a peeved groan she sulked back to her room where she was exiled for the time being. Pinkamena followed in silence until they reached her chambers where she brooded by the window. She opened it to revel in the party she was banned from. Guests by the hundreds flooded into the courtyard, their glasses of fancy beverages floating beside them, and their quiet voices mixing in a cloud of background noise.

Her tower was hovering above the city of Canterlot, but directly below was a mid-garden which was vacant at the time being. With her head in her hooves, she watched the petals flutter in the sunset and her mirror-freed companion decided to join her.

"Ah, Galas, where the rich come to purge this fine city of what makes it beautiful." Pinkamena reported as she threw her hooves along the window frame next to a glum Pinkie. "Chin up Ponk, they'll get over it eventually they always do. I don't think you're missing anything important other than chatting up snooty upper-class citizens throwing their bits at each other."

There was no reply as the stock-still mare continued to bask in the fading sun.

“Mmm, smell that? I'd say the dragon cavalry has arrived the whole place smells like sulfur,” She reported with a grimace. “Kind of overpowering.”

Pinkie slowly flipped onto her other cheek and squished it against the window seal. In a disheartening manner, she studied Pinkamena's face as the illusion trailed the scent with her nose.

“That isn’t sulfur, its antozonite, and gives off a really stinky smell when crushed or broken. Limestone used to keep it around to prevent ponies from talking to her back in the day.”

Pinkamena pursed her lips, “It smells like rotting flesh.”

Pinkie sighed, “It’s just what it smells like. You can only find it deep within the earth or sometimes broken in pieces after erosion pulls it up over time. It stunk up the rock farm so bad at one point we couldn’t be within five feet of the exposed vein.”

“I didn’t know dragons liked to dig that far down.”

“They don’t,” Pinkie replied, before she slowly brought her cheek up from the ledge. “Wait!”

In the fading sunset within the corner of her eye, something glittered. Both mares turned to view a serpent-like creature coiling around a vacant castle tower. Like a python his stomach ground against the marble, cutting into the fine stone with his scales, as his body continued to constrict the building. His fiery eyes were fearsome and that dreaded smell continued to simmer in the air. His presence left a sinking feeling in the core of Pinkie's stomach.

"I… this isn't real, is it? This can't be real! What's happening to me?" Pinkie cried out in alarm, before closing the window and sliding her back against the wall to avoid being detected. "If it isn't real and I tell Twilight my friends will just hate me more! On the off chance that it is and happens to attack the Gala, I'll be endangering the guests. I'll be responsible for causing a massive Equestrian war!"

"Yes! Raise the torches and pitchforks! Burn the beast, ahhh. No, Pinkie, there isn't going to be a war you're tired and dreaming up another fantasy. It's a very vivid and hilarious fantasy which would spice up the Gala, but unfortunately, unreal and completely made up in your mind. Go take a nap, refresh your brain."

"I can smell him, I can see him, and I can hear him! This is too advanced to be a dream, it has to be! He's a big giant worm that's going to gobble up everyone in the Gala, and I have to stop him!" Pinkie exclaimed as she threw open the window. "At least lead him away from everything, I think he followed me!"

Screams and crunching noises blared like trumpets. The sky was darkening and the haunting smell of that pungent brute's breath turned Pinkie's stomach like ingested sour milk! She could only watch with a slacked jaw as it unhooked itself from the tower! It collided with the ground in a cloud of dust and flying debris, before tunneling downwards like a burrowing snake. Under the torn bushes and ripped grass, its serpentine body disappeared, leaving only shouts of disarray.

The Gala was in chaos as thousands of ponies ran towards the exit, but when the ground rumbled they were shaken to their stomachs and exposed to the wyrm once more! The burrow was destroyed as it came upwards, catching a mouthful of scrambling ponies, before throwing them into nearby castle walls with a sky-shattering screech!

"Oh… well, I'm about one hundred percent sure you aren't imagining this. If you are, please keep doing so, this is the best Gala that's ever happened!" Pinkamena burbled comically while her laughter shook Pinkie out of her state of panic.

“We have to do something,” She shouted over the storm of freeing magic trying to dispel the monster. She threw a leg over the edge before trying to climb out the window, “I knew what I saw was real!”

The guards along with Dragonlord Ember rose to the challenge, and the sapphire dragon retaliated with a long drawn out breath of fire. The landscape unfortunate to meet its demise at the claws of the draconic overlord turned to cinders, but the toughened belly of the wyrm only seemed to absorb the flames and use them.

Opening his mouth with a cynical sneer he used his trump card, “I tugo ne laukkopj fiht chea, zah I fipp xowouh chea.”

His throat expanded revealing a warm light from the back of his throat. He then spewed liquefied pools of what seemed to be magma! Scooping up several bystanders, Ember and Thorax who happened to shapeshift into a bugbear, held them above the skin-melting heat. A familiar draconequus floated above the fifty-foot tall creature with an unamused scowl at the garden of flames.

“Coming to a party uninvited is very rude. Look at what you’ve done to the gardens Fluttershy spent so much time preening,” Discord reprimanded.

Climbing down snaking vines, she followed them lower by securing her teeth and hooves the best she could. Her back legs slowly hooked onto the blocky stone lowering her toward the battlefield as the fight continued to rage on.

Unable to stray far from her semi-dominating personality, Pinkamena hovered like a ghost near the climbing Pinkie.

"What a party," Pinkamena joked, but was continuously ignored.

The Spirit of Chaos wrestled with the beast for a bit, he toyed with him, then broke into blocks when struck. He flicked his claw at the flames and they flickered before melting into bubbles. This just seemed to agitate the wyrm as the monster curled its lip before thrusting his head forward! Discord was impaled in an instant, he gurgled, but didn't seem to be terribly in pain.

"Urk," Discord choked. "I must admit your kind of magic is quite strange. It appears to grow based on your rage, but I am a seasoned chaos maker, and you'll have to do a lot more damage to out ribbon my feats."

Snapping his claws, his wounded body was reformed into a hybrid cannon and it plopped on the grass with a comedic lit fuse. A powerful blast of Alicorn magic came from a nearby roof, as Twilight spread out her hooves in a strong defensive stance. Rainbow Dash was busy collecting the wounded civilians, but she didn’t mind delivering a kick here and there for the trouble.

Pinkie flopped in exhaustion on the grass heaving from fatigue. While she took a breather, Discord fired a led cannonball and it knocked into the jaw of the wyrm. Shaking his head like a rabid wolf, foam bubbled in a ring around his mouth before gathering in a pool by his stomach.

He shot up into the air curling his body in an upside-down "U," before tunneling back under the surface where the castle began to weaken.

"He's attacking the structure to make it collapse!" Ember alerted, as she pointed a claw toward the den expanding. "He's trying to undermine the base of the Canterlot castle, if he succeeds, the entire castle will bury us and the city!"

Leaping into the hole bravely, Ember was joined by a few other battle-hardened dragons. Pinkie grunted as she army-crawled through the collapsing debris and dodged the spitting fire from the hole. His roars were smothered by loud cracks and Pinkie avoided any open areas just incase his voice happened to tear down loose columns!

There was an earthquake and the tile under her hooves quivered. The head of the wyrm burst through without warning, and Pinkie was unexpectedly a captive! Screaming and squabbling within his jaws, she hung onto the corner of his mouth, as he expanded until he was fully out of the ground.

Noticing the passenger along for the ride, he was quick to get rid of her. Flicking his head in a jerked motion her limp body swung to the side, overpowering her grip and promptly flinging her into the wall! A cloud of heavy dust hung over her head, she coughed, before fanning the debris from her muzzle. After her organs no longer felt rearranged she peeled herself off of the wall.

Falling to her chin, her groans lured the eyes of the beast to her. The wyrm coiled itself around the castle flooring with his transparent second eyelid refreshing the slit. His forked tongue slithered outwards and his head dipped downward toward Pinkie to gaze at her level.

“Chea uko hto eno fte tepxj quch quujhok,” The beast cooed in a lowered volume, “Fo quoun chea ne tukqu.”

There was a storming amount of hooves advancing, as Rainbow Dash barreled forward in a furious display of fluttering wings. Her hoof buried itself into the wyrm's exposed eye without a moment's hesitation! Roaring at the menace, he snapped his mossy daggers at the pegasus, but her speed outmatched his own. She delivered another solid whack, and he responded with a lake of self-created magma that gushed outward in leaping embers.

His attention turned to Pinkie as she backed farther into the wall.

“P-Pinkamena… help!” She begged in a helpless whine of fear, she knew there was nothing the illusion could do, but she asked in desperation anyway.

The emotionless mare beside her took one glance at the wyrm and sighed, "Fine, I'll see what I can do, sit tight."

Taking herself up towards the non-effective carpet of lava she stepped on it, and then peered up at the beast. His coils writhed, and his gaze remained fixated on Pinkie.

“Stop,” Pinkamena commanded in a stern tone.

There was a dull thud as powerful back-hooves knocked themselves into his scales, shattering where they contacted! Applejack continued to beat her strength into the wyrm, and he tipped his head upward in an agonized mewl! He slithered over Pinkamena's essence as if she were only a bump in the road, she was distorted for a second, but was unharmed.

"Well, that's all I've got." The illusion remarked as she settled back down onto the seared floor.

“Try harder, he’s going to eat us all!” Pinkie bellowed, but only provoked Pinkamena’s annoyed reaction.

“Hey! I tried, and therefore... you don’t have the right to criticize me!”

“Yequo fiht quo, mench,” The beast grumbled, leaking a trail of smoke from his cooling jaws. He spread his mouth widely before scooping up Pinkie’s tail in his teeth.

“He’s got Pinkie!” Fluttershy said shrilly, as the sudden move created consternation among the ponies while they struggled to devise a counterattack.

His stomach created sparks along the flooring and Pinkie watched as these sparks morphed into flames when touching the fabric on the Equestrian banners. He suddenly readied his skull, he tucked it in, before smashing through the wall to give him an escape outside. The crumbling wall was no match for his stout body and it tore up the remaining hall for the Gala. Pinkie was showered with pieces of the broken cobblestone before she desperately clung onto his fang when he picked up speed.

Rainbow Dash was on him in an instant, but as she caught up to the flailing pony within his clamped teeth, she was knocked off course by a hurricane-like tail. The rough exterior of the scales was enough to render Dashie unconscious and her banged-up body crashed into a nearby tree where she went limp and inactive.

Pinkie was terrified for her life and the numbing sense of hysteria caused her muscles to clench. Why was he taking her? What did he want with her? These questions only nerved her further while her upside-down position blurred her eyes. The free-falling blood gushing to the center of her brain was making it quite hard to think, but she couldn't exactly sit herself up right now.

As quickly as the wind picked up it was deafened by the creature nestling its way into the homely ground it favored. Digging with its free tail, her body was dropped onto the side of the mound. Her despised companion decided to reform beside her with an overly insensitive comment once Pinkie had recovered enough.

"He seems overly possessive. Stockholm syndrome at its finest."

Scooping out piles of dirt he continued to dig his way into a deeper pit. He buried his head into the ground in order to create another tunnel. There was silence as Pinkie gathered her jelly-legs under her to try and summon up enough energy to run, but didn't have it in her. Popping back up toward the surface rather less violently, his muzzle rested on the mound, and he grew very still.

“Jmour iw chea tugo fekxj fekht hto pijhoninv," He groaned in a tone of uncertainty as Pinkie swallowed thickly.

"I… I don't know what you want! Please, Mr. Worm Sir, leave my friends alone! I'll find something else for you to eat, I promise! Do you like marshmallows? They taste a lot better than bony ponies, trust me, that's why our natural predators changed to a different diet!"

His nostrils exhaled and it blew a puff of hot air into Pinkie's face. She grimaced, tensing up as the air whooshed past her before he settled back down meekly.

There was a sudden hyper-aura in the air as the clouds parted to reveal a combined mass of dark and light magic which plowed into the wyrm quite suddenly! His deranged cry echoed over the sizzling magic before the moonlight revealed two princesses parting the smoke.

Luna swooped forward summoning a large amount of magic from the tip of her horn, as Celestia broke from her position and took to the ground. The practiced volley of stormy fire they produced overwhelmed the strength of the monster as his teeth clenched, locking his jaw in agony. Curling his tail around the trunk of a tree, he tried spitting more magma, but only revealed that his tank was empty and his chances of winning dwindled into single digits.

Celestia charged forward releasing a powerful bolt from an arcane spell that was so well formulated, when it hit, the damage was massive! His serpentine-like body flailed on the ground when crashing onto his side and his writhing figure convulsed with pain before a fang clattered on the ground. The gums that had recently held it firm dribbled with liquids, as his slimy tongue ran itself along the missing tooth-space with fury!

The retired princess landed beside Pinkie, gathering her securely, before coaxing her up onto her hooves. The wyrm did not accept his defeat and was rather bullheaded when he once more challenged his opponent.

“Zkuinfujtox jpugo!”

The narrowed eyes of the victor locked on him, clearly bothered by his pompous attitude. “Don’t you dare speak that wretched tongue to me, devil-worshipper.”

"You forget your place, old foe." Luna added, as she descended from the air and lightly touched a patch of grass below her. "Your master perished eons ago, and to provoke a war that was laid to rest is quite foolish. It will only result in your own demise."

“-But why now. After two thousand years, why do you appear? Why have you come here?” Celestia mused, her eyes thickening when seeing the wyrm bore into her. “Unless.. no… that’s impossible, she can’t be alive, there’s no possibility!”

His hissed curses in response were so loud Pinkie recoiled further into Celestia’s feathers, and even though the princess showed no submissiveness, she could feel her racing pulse tap against her shoulder.

He extended his neck into the air before circling forward and burying himself within the dirt. When his body was gone along with the tremors, her eyes wandered to a mysterious and fiendish glint in Pinkamena’s eyes. The mare had her head glued to Celestia, but as soon as the look was given, it dispersed just as fast.

Perhaps Pinkie was just misreading it.

Next Chapter: Chapter Three Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 55 Minutes