Mirror's Image

Chapter 16 Part 01

Twilight groaned as she felt the first rays of sunlight begin to seep into her room, despite the fact that she had drawn the curtains before heading to bed last night.

"I'm up, I'm up," Twilight muttered as she pushed the sheets off of her and crawled out of bed. She immediately noticed that Spike's basket was empty and decided to head downstairs, where she would probably find the baby dragon in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

Or sneaking gems while he thought that she was still asleep. Either one was likely, Twilight thought as she walked out of her room and down the stairs. As she walked down the steps, she noticed that she had turned back into her true form overnight, as Twilight had gone to bed as her old self.

Twilight briefly thought to herself that this, like everything else that had happened lately, required further study.

"SURPRISE!"

A loud cry disrupted Twilight's thoughts, startling her and almost causing her to tumble down the last step. Luckily she managed to stabilize herself just in time by using her wings.

"Ah think we scared the poor thing," Applejack said. "Ah knew we shouldn't have made this a surprise party."

"Aww, but Applejack," Pinkie Pie whined. "Parties are fun and surprises are fun. Combine them and you have like, double the fun!"

Twilight looked around and saw her friends standing in the middle of the library, which had been decorated rather festively. There were streamers everywhere, confetti on the floor and there was cake. Twilight licked her lips as she noticed that it was chocolate cake with extra chocolate: Twilight's favorite!

"Wow, is this for me?" Twilight asked, still bewildered by the sudden surprise.

"Of course it is, silly!" Pinkie Pie said with a cheer.

"But wait..." Twilight looked at her friends. "You three aren't here... you're still in the Wastelands."

"So? You really think we'd miss your party?" Rainbow Dash asked. "Come on, Twilight. What kind of friends would we be if we did that?"

"Yeah, what's a going-away party without friends?" Fluttershy asked.

"What?" Twilight stared at her shy friend. "Going-away party? But I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes you are," Applejack said. "Back to the Wastelands with ya, you Changeling!"

Twilight stared bewilderedly at Applejack, who had just smiled as she told Twilight to get out of Equestria.

"Yeah, I'm with her on that," Rainbow Dash backed Applejack up. "It's Ponyville, not Changelingville," she said, trying to sound apologetic and failing miserably at it. Instead, Rainbow Dash just sounded condescending, as if she was talking to a foal.

"You guys can't be serious," Twilight said, her voice shaking but only for a moment. "This can't be real," she said, her confidence growing.

"Yes it can," Pinkie Pie said, still as cheerful as before.

"No, I mean it," Twilight said forcibly. "This isn't real. For starters, where's Rarity? Where's Spike? They already know I'm a Changeling and have accepted me for who I am. I missed Fluttershy last night and you three on the other hoof are still in the Wastelands!"

Twilight smiled triumphantly.

The four ponies stared at each other and then back at Twilight. As one they opened their mouths and spoke. "Oh Twilight Sparkle, you are no fun at all. Do you know that?" they said with an all too familiar voice.

"Discord," Twilight hissed and bared her fangs. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to upset you and make you doubt yourself," the four ponies said as one, before fading away. "What else?" Discord popped up behind Twilight and whispered in her ear.