S3 E3 everypony! One Bad Apple is up next!

.....

On one beautiful day in the town of Ponyville Malibu was with Spike and Twilight who was practicing a new spell from Celestia on an apple.

"Try again, Twilight! You can do it!" Called out Spike, Malibu watching in excitement at what the spell will do.

Twilight panted a little. "Phew, this spell's a toughie. But I feel lucky this time!"

Watching with bated breath, Malibu saw Twilight's horn lighting up, preparing to fire until...

"HI!" A familiar voice came, followed by a pink blur tackling both him and Twilight to the ground. It was Pinkie Pie.

Twilight and Malibu both grunted while being hugged tightly. "Ugggh, P-Pink, what are... you doing?" Malibu gasped. Pinkie finally let them go.

"'Cause hugs are funneriffic, especially when you throw one around a friend!" Pinkie said, wrapping her own hooves around for a few seconds then undoing them. "Whatcha doin'?" She asked.

Twilight frowned. "Trying to turn that apple into an orange!" Malibu then saw a blue jay having been turned into said orange, his ears lowered from how unsettling that looked. "But you kinda threw her aim off," Spike pointed out.

Pinkie noticed. "Wheee! What a cute orange birdie! Do me next, Twilight! Do me, do me!" She wound up crashing into Rarity who had a black cloak on.

"Hey, Rarity," Greeted Malibu. Rarity waved back until Pinkie suddenly talked again. "Ooooh, Rarity, wanna see Twilight turn me into an orange? It's gonna be funna-fun-fuuun!" She jumped up and down in her usual way.

Rarity smiled. "As fun as creating this haute couture ensemble that I just finished making?" She revealed herself in quite a pretty dress in Malibu's view. "Delightful, no?"

"Looks pretty great, Rar—." Malibu started but Pinkie Pie interrupted. "This is terrible!" She squealed, looking devastated. This greatly confused Malibu.

"I admit it's perhaps not my finest work, but I—." Pinkie Pie once again interrupted. "You had total-awesome-amazing fun and I missed out on it?!" She shrieked.

Malibu spoke up. "It shouldn't really be that big of a deal—." He tried but Pinkie Pie now began to shake him. "No! What if there's more awesome amazing fun with friends happening somewhere in Ponyville right now that I'm missing out on too?!"

Before the others could calm Pinkie down she wound up zipping away to find the fun she didn't want to miss. "We weren't going to turn her into an orange! I swear!" He told Rarity who looked rather confused. Twilight turned to Malibu. "Maybe you can try catching up with Pinkie Pie, make sure she doesn't work herself into a tizzy?" Malibu nodded. "I'll try." He replied, raising his wings and taking off, leaving Twilight to do more practice.

He flew all over the place, spotting a pink blur going about, stopping at different places such as Rainbow Dash and helping with a cloud, riding with Applejack on a cart, and such. He struggled to keep up which was rather difficult until at last near Fluttershy Pinkie halted, panting.

Malibu flew down, landing on the ground, right as Pinkie Pie collapsed in exhaustion. "Fluttershy, is... she ok?" Malibu asked. Fluttershy shrugged. "Not sure. But I'm sure my butterfly grove will help her." She said, placing Pinkie Pie on a bench who rested there among the many butterflies.

One butterfly landed on Malibu's nose, making him laugh, watching the butterfly fly away. Soon enough Pinkie woke up. "Hey, Pink. You feeling good?" He asked. Pinkie Pie nodded. "Abso-tutely-lutely! Thanks Fluttershy for letting me rest in your butterfly grove while I get my Pinkie strength back!"

Fluttershy smiled. "What are friends for?" Pinkie shot up, her eyes looking upset. "That's just the thing! I've got so many wonderful friends having fun in every last corner in Ponyville, I can't figure out how to keep it up with it all! It's driving me even more coco-loco than usual!" She exclaimed, her eyes rolling about.

Malibu sighed, shaking his head. "You really shouldn't be worked up about this. It is hard to have fun with all of your friends in all one day," He tried to explain. Pinkie however tackled him down. "I've got only one life, Malibu! I wish to spend it with my friends as much as possible!" She shrieked, making Malibu's ears fall down.

"Uh, sure, suppose..." He said, suddenly relieved when Fluttershy spoke. "I can promise to not do anything fun at all if that would help," She suggested, Malibu feeling somewhat put off by that for one of his friends not wanting to have fun just to help Pinkie.

"You are such a good friend," the party pony responded, grinning. At that moment Applejack suddenly showed up. "There you are, Pinkie. Been looking everywhere for ya, girl."

Malibu's head turned around at the sight of his marefriend, Rainbow too. "Hey, Pinkie. Got something fun planned this afternoon thought you might wanna know about."

Applejack chuckled. "Heh, well, I'll be an apple crisp. I'm here for the same reason."

Pinkie's face brightened. "This is perfect! Everypony will now bring their fun to me. Ha! This'll solve everything! Why didn't I think of that?" Malibu shook his head. "Not sure that's what they're doing," He said to her.

Rainbow nodded. "Yeah, actually, what I meant is after I'm done whipping up today's weather, I'll be chilling by the lake catching some rays. Wanna hang? You're welcome to come too, Malibu."

The teal alicorn liked that idea. "Sounds great, could use some time to cool off." He said, Pinkie jumping up for a moment. "I'm so there. Whee!"

"And my family's having a barn-raisin' this afternoon at Sweet Apple Acers. If you want to help us out, Mal," AJ then suddenly said. To Malibu this also sounded great for him to help out the Apples more. "Uh, sure," He replied.

Pinkie jumped up and down more again. "And I'm also so there! Whee! Whee!"

Rainbow then spoke again. "But... that's when I'll be at the swimming hole. Ah, well, doesn't matter. Whichever one you guys choose is ok with me," She then offered. Malibu trembled a little. He wanted to hang out with his marefriend but then what if the Apples needed his alicorn magic to help raise the barn? Which one?

Pinkie was also stressed looking. "Uh... choose?" She squeaked, she and Malibu looking at each other in distress. "R-Rainbow, can you give us some time to decide?" Malibu asked. The cyan pegasus mare nodded. "Sure," She replied, giving him a light shoulder bump before heading off to the swimming hole. Applejack agreed as well.

"Ah, come on, Mal! I think I got an idea!" Squealed Pinkie again, dragging Malibu with him who cried out in surprise from the pulling force. Pinkie grabbed a timer, setting the time on it and continued with dragging Malibu along since he was having fun with her for both places.

Meanwhile Twilight was once again trying to turn an apple into an orange until Pinkie Pie crashed into her again, Malibu falling to the ground from it. He looked upward at Spike, eyes rolling from dizziness.

"What's happening?" Spike asked. Malibu moaned. "Don't ask," He replied, while Twilight herself was just as annoyed. "Pinkie! What in the wide, wide world of Equestria are you doing now?!"

Pinkie zipped to a halt, holding a timer she got from her room. "Timing myself galloping back and forth between the swimming hole and Sweet Apple Acres. I'm trying to cut down my time so if Rainbow Dash dives off the swing, I can get to Sweet Apple Acres to help with the barn raising, and then be back in time to see Rainbow Dash hit the water after doing a double flip!" She sighed, sitting down. "If I can cut my time by only twenty minutes, I'm good."

Malibu just stared, not sure of what to say, while Twilight giggled. "Oh, Pinkie. I'm afraid no matter how hard you try, the only way to pull something like that off is if there's more of you to go around," She responded.

Or I could easily fly her back and forth... Malibu thought, as Pinkie Pie suddenly had an idea. She gasped. "That's it, Twilight! The Legend of the Mirror Pool!" She shrieked, Malibu's ears falling back, seeing her run off again.

"Legend of the who what now? Pinkie!" Twilight shouted after her.

"Twilight, are you sure you haven't heard of this mirror pool thing?" Malibu asked. She shook her head. "If I do I don't remember. But can you make sure Pinkie Pie doesn't put herself in danger? I have to keep practicing."

The teal alicorn reluctantly agreed, taking to the air since it would be faster that way, finding Pinkie Pie walking in the Everfree Forest.

"What in the world are you doing in here?" He called to Pinkie who halted in her tracks, turning about. "Trying to find the Mirror Pool!" The pink pony said.

Malibu rolled his eyes. "Sure but what is it?" Pinkie Pie snickered. "Oh, silly. Pretty much everypony knows about it, even Celestia! And I had this rhyme from my Nana Pinkie's story. And into her own reflection she stared, uh, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared, not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly mared!"

The young gargoyle clone was still confused. "I really hope you're right about it being real. This place doesn't look so safe. There may be Timberwolves." He said, before wincing when the two ran into some brambles.

"Agh! Stop scratching me up, you brambles— whoa!" Pinkie Pie shouted out, suddenly disappearing. Malibu gasped, running to where she fell only to fall into the new cave hole himself, grunting in pain from his falling, until he landed on the ground, Pinkie falling on top of him. "Smooth, real smooth," Malibu muttered, glaring up at his friend.

When the two stood up, Pinkie Pie's eyes rounded, and Malibu now saw where they both were. "Oh, look, Malibu! The Mirror Pool!" She exclaimed, her voice echoing.

Malibu shook dust off of himself when seeing said pool which indeed was so still it was like a mirror. He glanced at the surface. "You sure you want to do this?" He asked nervously, his ears lowered just a little. Pinkie nodded energetically, looking into the pool herself. "It's the only way to help me have fun in more places at once! Now, the incantation: and into her own reflection she stared, uh, yearning for one whose reflection she shared, and solemnly sweared not to be scared, at the prospect of being doubly mared!"

The reflection suddenly began to move on its own, climbing right out of the pool to become Pinkie Pie's clone. Malibu's stomach felt nauseous just seeing this, hating cloning in general, stepping backward more. The other Pinkie Pie squealed, jumping up and down. "Whee-hee!" She squealed.

OG Pinkie gasped in amazement. "Wow, the legend is true, it really worked!"

"No kidding!" Malibu yelped, seeing the clone running about. "Fun! Where's the fun?!" Apparently the Pinkie Pie clone was more obsessed with fun than the original copy was.

"Should I say something to her?" Pinkie Pie asked Malibu, who nodded, crying out when clone Pinkie suddenly ran into him, knocking Malibu down. "Please do! She's crazy!"

"Excuse me, me? Can I have a word with you? Uh, I mean, me?" Original Pinkie called out, causing the clone to come near her, still bouncing. "I can see you're having lots of fun, but—."

"Fun?! Did somebody say fun? Where?!" Yelped the clone Pinkie, Malibu wondering how the rest of his friends would react to seeing two Pinkies. "I did, over here!" Original Pinkie said, the clone coming back over.

Clone Pinkie Pie kept up asking about where the fun was until Malibu had enough, using his magic to stop her talking. "Whoa, calm yourself, there's loads of fun to be had in Ponyville with my friends! Trot on over back to Ponyville with us and we'll tell you all about them! You can release her now, Malibu."

Malibu nodded, letting the clone go, who now walked normally, well bounced alongside them out of the cave. Malibu was happy to be back out in the open air again.

OG Pinkie Pie was explaining about each of their friends. "...And then there is Rarity. She's the one with all the fancy clothes and ribbons and stuff. I'm thinking she can make us both matching t shirts that say 'Team Pinkie' and—."

Clone Pinkie looked about with her crazy eyes. "Is this Ponyville? Where's the fun? Where's the fun?"

Malibu growled a little under his breath, glad his original Pinkie Pie wasn't this annoying. "Uh, well, let's see. Applejack's having a barn raising at—."

Clone Pinkie zipped away, nearly knocking Malibu over for a second time. "It's that away! Wait, come back!" OG Pinkie yelled at her clone who immediately zipped back over. "Don't forget to meet us back here to tell me about everything like I was there myself! Because I'm you and, and you're me, and— oh my gosh! This is the greatest plan ever!" OG Pinkie squeed. "Now, off to double my fun!"

Malibu had no idea which Pinkie to go with since he never cloned himself. He shuddered at the thought of a clone that looked like him and Brooklyn, deciding to see how Rainbow was doing, flying after OG Pinkie Pie. Upon arriving, he saw just in time seeing her jumping into the pool with a floaty.

Rainbow heard the splash, seeing both her and Malibu. "Oh, hi Mal!" Malibu flushed. "Hi, Dash."

Pinkie poked her head out. "Coming in, guys? The water's great! It's totally wet and everything!"

Rainbow yawned. "I don't know... cloud busting was tougher work than usual today. I'm exhausted." Malibu rubbed his eyes slightly too. "Yeah, me too Pinkie. "After... uh... whatever we did together... heh..." He said nervously, seeing his marefriend raising her brow. Malibu knew he couldn't tell Dash about the mirror pool and the clone yet. Instead he settled himself on a chair, feeling ready to fall asleep after all this.

"That's fine, you guys relaxed. At least we'll still be together!" Pinkie said generously to them. Rainbow tilted her head. "Glad you guys made it. I thought you both went to Applejack's instead."

Pinkie pulled off her floaty ring. "I did." Malibu swallowed from what she said.

"Oh, the barn up yet?" Dash asked.

"I have no idea," Pinkie replied.

Dash glanced over at Malibu who grinned nervously again. "But I thought you said you were just at Applejack's."

Pinkie grabbed the swing rope. "Actually, I'm probably still on my way there now. Wheeee!" She jumped into the pool again.

Rainbow folded her hooves. "Is there something that had happened I should know?"

"Uh, n-no. You wouldn't believe me anyway," Malibu stuttered, knowing Applejack wouldn't approve of his lying but he had no choice. Shrugging, Rainbow smiled back at him, sitting back down on the chair. Malibu did so as well, hoping he can relax with that new clone on the loose.

But apparently, he didn't have to tell, for soon, Pinkie told the whole story, and just like what Malibu thought, Rainbow didn't believe her. "Duplicates of you, huh? Yeah, sure, Pinkie."

Malibu couldn't help but grin. "Well, I'm a duplicate of a gargoyle back on earth. That's not too unrealistic for you, isn't it?" He asked. Rainbow wound up laughing slightly, rolling her eyes. "Ok. But look, I am just gearing up to catch some Z's so, uh..."

Pinkie nodded. "Gotcha. I'll have the rest of my fun really quietly." She jumped into the water, cheering softly, and somehow fell into the water without even splashing, Malibu blinking in surprise.

"But... how?" He asked. Pinkie grinned. "Just trying to show a little consideration for my sleepy friend." Malibu suddenly spotted Pinkie 2 from afar, waving in urgency at them. "Ooh, ooh, gotta run. Looks like I'm trying to get my attention!"

Malibu quickly got out of the chair. "I have to go to, to make sure things are ok with her," He said. Rainbow nodded. "Ok. Thanks for hanging." She said.

"For sure!" Pinkie called, the clone of her following, causing Rainbow to stare in disbelief, shaking her head, thinking she was dreaming.

Malibu himself decided to see what had befallen the second Pinkie Pie before Rainbow Dash could ask more questions, seeing that OG Pinkie was asking her clone about the barn raising.

"I didn't make it!" She shrieked. "I was on my way there when Fluttershutter—!"

"Uh, Fluttershy," Malibu corrected. Clone Pinkie nodded. "Yeah, her. She offered something else fun for me to do! A picnic, with cute little animals!"

Oh dear, Malibu thought, cringing. "Aw, how could you say no to that?" OG Pinkie asked, making her clone look more stressed out. "That's what I'm saying! Then I would've missed the super fun thing with Applesauce!"

"Applejack..." Malibu muttered under his breath, hating that the clone was mispronouncing the names wrong. Clone Pinkie began to bawl then. "So I didn't do anything fun at all!"

OG Pinkie smiled sympathetically. "Aw, my poor poor me! There, there! Tell me what, we just need a couple more Pinkie Pie, easy peasy."

The clone wiped her eyes. "Really?" OG Pinkie nodded, winking. "Come on, would I lie to me?"

Malibu couldn't help but swallow, not liking this at all, thinking about everything that could go wrong. "I-I really don't think we should. This kind of magic right now is crazy!" He shouted. Pinkie frowned. "It's the only way, Mal!" She begged. "Please?"

That made the teal alicorn moaned, nodding reluctantly, following along with them back to the horrid mirror pool. Both Pinkies said the incantation again, having two more clones appear.

"Look! A double me!" Called the second clone. "I think you mean a double-double me. Plus another double-double me, which makes two double-double mes, or a double-double me if you will!" Just hearing that was a mouthful, and was freaked out by the many more clones there in the room with him.

The clones eventually began to go nuts again. "Did somebody say fun? Where? Fun fun fun fun fun!" It was hell in the cave, the Pinkies squealing fun over and over, doing crazy stuff everywhere.

Malibu's ears were greatly flat on his forehead, knowing sooner or later things would go bad with all this. One Pinkie clone was already bad enough. "Now Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy are covered plus one extra Pinkie Pie in case we get an extra invite from somepony else, perfect! Ok, let's go!"

But then they heard the clones saying the incantation again. Malibu's jaw fell open at the sight. "Hey, Pinkies! Yoo-hoo!" OG called out, but couldn't get their attention. The duplicates soon made four more of them.

"Ok, good enough. Pinkie Pies, move it out—!" OG Pinkie tried but Malibu tapped her shoulder.

"Er, Pink..." Malibu gulped.

"...And solemnly sweared not to be scared at the prospect of being doubly mared!" The duplicates all said, soon making nearly 100 of the clones. Even Thailog wouldn't make this many of them!

Malibu's jaw was super dropped down, feeling like his eyes were burning from all the clones there. "What in the name of pink?! Knock it off!" Shrilled out OG Pinkie.

"Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!" Squealed the duplicates all together, Malibu feeling dread. "Oh boy..." He moaned, while all duplicates followed them outside. "To Ponyville everypony! Follow me!" OG Pinkie said.

The duplicates constantly kept on repeating the word fun while bouncing around, Malibu grinding his teeth in irritation, wondering how they were going to handle them all. OG Pinkie whistled their attention, causing them all to halt in their tracks. "Ok, between the bunch of us, we should have every nook and cranny of fun in Ponyville covered at all times. An unprecedented and massive undertaking! But first, a pop quiz on the names I taught you!"

She pulls out a small board of drawings of Malibu and the rest of their friends. "Applejack! Fluttershy! Malibu! Pinkie Pie!" All the clones yelled out. Malibu was still freaked out over all these clones saying his name at the same time. "Excellent! Ok, let's get on with this, folks! Fan out on three. One—."

But before OG Pinkie finished counting all the duplicates zoomed away at once, Malibu blinking a little from the rush of it. He hoped Twilight wouldn't be too angry with all these clones. "Eh, good enough." Pinkie said, shrugging, bouncing away back to the swimming hole, Malibu following. "I really pray you know what you're doing," He said. Pinkie nodded. "Sure! The clones know where to go, I just know they do!"

Pinkie at first picked up a small balloon like boat to push Rainbow around in on the pond. "Rainbow Dash is gonna love this, I'm sure! If I push her around on this thing, it'll be fun and relaxing!"

Malibu grinned. "Yeah, as long as there's no... clones..." He trailed off, suddenly seeing the duplicates now all there, shouting fun on repeat, annoying his marefriend.

"Uh oh!" OG Pinkie gulped. Rainbow was hiding behind her chairs. "No more Pinkies, I can't take it!" She shouted, going under her umbrella. OG Pinkie began to back away. "Gosh, uh... I wonder what fun they're having raising the barn at Applejack's right now. Maybe I'd better go check!"

Malibu glared back at her. "Yeah, do that. I'm staying to help Rainbow." He flew upward grabbing some of the clones and throwing them as far away from Rainbow as possible. "Weee! Fun!" Cheered one he was carrying, making him growl and throw her into the bushes. Once they were all gone Rainbow Dash peeked out.

"Thanks for the help, Malibu. What even happened with the appearance of all these clones?" She asked. Malibu grinned nervously but knew now he had to tell.

"Uh... well... we may have discovered a magical pool that can apparently be able to clone yourself," He explained in a quick manner. Rainbow Dash at first couldn't believe it, but knew then that her marefriend would never lie to her. "Then we should probably talk to Twilight?" She asked.

Malibu nodded. "Come on, let's go! He said, the two flying into the air together to fly back to Ponyville.

However upon reaching there; the multiple Pinkies have pretty much overrun the entire town, causing everypony to hide in their houses. While trying to get over to the Golden Oaks library, 7 Pinkies suddenly jumped over to Malibu and Rainbow Dash.

"Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun! Fun!" They all squealed, one of them jumping onto Malibu's back and causing him to fall to the ground, he grumbled under his breath. "Really? Again?" Rainbow pushed the clone away, she and him feeling overwhelmed by all the duplicates until they managed to push through them all and another crowd of ponies to the library.

Applejack was there as well, looking mortified at what they were gonna do. "Twilight! Were you able to find anything on how to fix this?" Malibu yelled out, Twilight nodding. "Yeah, but it is risky. We can't risk sending the real Pinkie Pie back to the mirror pool when I do this spell to get rid of them all," She explained.

Malibu didn't like the sound of that and that it was the only way to end this pink madness. "How in tarnation are we supposed to tell which is the real Pinkie?" Applejack asked, Rainbow staying close to Malibu so she wouldn't get lost in the pink tidal wave.

One Pinkie suddenly spoke up. "Me either. Ohh... we've all got the same adorable tails, we've all got the same adorable manes, we've all got the same adorable hooves! Which one of us is the real Pinkie?! Oh! I haven't the slightest clue! And if I can't tell us apart.. who can?" The supposed clone began to cry which was unusual to Malibu since all of the clones were super hyper and cheerful.

It was now later in the afternoon and they still haven't come up with a solution on how to find the real Pinkie Pie, Malibu's ears flat down on his head, missing being able to talk to her. "Ugh, this is hopeless," Twilight moaned, staring around at the duplicates.

"Yeah. I'm kind of glad now that I don't have another clone of me, it would be way too much," Malibu muttered to himself until Spike saw a Pinkie Pie sitting at a table looking pretty solemn. "Maybe that one is the real Pinkie," He suggested.

Twilight shook her head. "Please. The real Pinkie Pie never sat that long in one place her whole life!"

Malibu though wanted to know. "I'm going to check. We can't give up on her," He said to Twilight, trotting over. "Let me guess; you're the real Pinkie Pie," He asked.

The party pony sighed. "Heck if I know. Could be any one of us if you ask me," She muttered. "See?" Twilight asked, Malibu ignoring it. He tried to speak again but 'Pinkie' just got up to walk away. "And if I said I was the real Pinkie, you wouldn't even believe me anyway. So just leave me alone. I got some important poking the ground with my hoof to do."

Malibu sighed, feeling like his heart was gonna break from all this. Twilight herself was just as devastated. "Oh, guys, how are we gonna do this? I can't risk sending the real Pinkie back into the pond!" She stressed.

Spike sighed. "I miss the real Pinkie." Malibu agreed with him. But then, he heard the Pinkie behind them speak an idea. "Hey! What if you gave them a test? Pick something really hard for a Pinkie to do, something not fun at all. Any Pinkie that can't do it goes back into the pond. But whoever wants to stay the most, that must be the real Pinkie!"

That made the trio perk up at it. "Hey, that's not too bad," Malibu said, Twilight nodding. "Yeah. Come on! Let's get the others!"

They at first couldn't find their friends until eventually Malibu heard Rainbow Dash's voice from inside a tree. "Hey, guys!" She called. Malibu and his friends went into the tree which was the animal's home. "We've been looking all over for you ponies. What are you all doing in here?" Twilight asked.

Rainbow was looking quite nervous. "Fluttershy spoke with the woodland critters, and they've agreed to take us into their home 'till the Pinkie storm dies down," She said. Malibu went over, putting a wing around her. Who would've thought that a simple idea of wanting to be in two places at once would lead to such chaos? "Twilight here has an idea how to fix this mess," He then said.

Fluttershy's ears lowered in sadness. "Are we gonna lose our real Pinkie Pie?"

Twilight shook her head. "I don't think so. Now come along. I've already got Applejack and her family rounding up all the Pinkies."

Malibu's belly churned a little at how that must've looked. He hoped to not hear those words again for a long while, following his friends out of the tree and into the Town Hall where Applejack led the herd of Pinkie Pies into.

Inside he sat down next to Applejack, seeing the duplicates bouncing about in their usual zany manner, their repetitions of the word fun slowly grating into his brain. This had better work.

"Welcome, Pinkies, welcome. Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable!" Twilight greeted, though the duplicates didn't heed her words. "Ok. I suppose you can't stay comfortable in one place, but have a seat anyway.

Malibu growled when yet again, the clones didn't listen, until he had enough, using his own royal Canterlot voice and have his eyes glow red. "SHE SAID; SIT DOWN!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs, startling them all to sit, eyes wide. Twilight was impressed, nodding. "Thank you. Now, I suppose you're all wondering why I brought you all here today."

One clone shrugged. "For fun?"

Twilight shook her head. "No, just the opposite, actually." The doors opened, revealing Rainbow hauling in another Pinkie. "Hold up, I got one more! Found this one poking at the ground with her hoof, drawing frowny faces," She said, looking weirded out by it.

"Come have her sit with the others," Twilight instructed, having Dash for some reason just drop the Pinkie in the group. Malibu wondered though why this one was sadder than the others.

Twilight continued. "Pinkies, you've been brought here to take a test."

Every clone gave out aws of disappointment, one clone slapping a hoof on her forehead. "Don't worry, it's a simple test, about as simple as they come. And whoever passes gets to stay," Twilight then instructed, causing the clones to instantly change their minds.

Quite the mood change, thought Malibu in amusement. "Curtain please!" Called Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity pulling it back, a billboard with paint all over it being revealed. "The test... will be watching paint dry!"

All the duplicates gave out gasps of fear, and Malibu couldn't blame them. This felt like the most boring task in the world.

"On your mark, get set, go!" Twilight challenged, all the Pinkie's averting their eyes to the paint, staring non stop now. The test had begun. Malibu's breath felt hitched while watching, scared of losing their one and only Pinkie.

Spike had pulled out a thing of popcorn. "Ooh, this is so exciting!" He ate all of his popcorn until 20 minutes later, looking bored now. "Ok, maybe not that exciting."

Malibu rolled his eyes, feeling bored now himself. "You think?" He grumbled. The time passing considered of nothing but the clones staring, struggling to focus. He now wondered what was taking so long.

One Pinkie however heard a bird chirp. "Oh, hey, look at the birdie!" She squealed. Twilight grunted, shooting her spell at the fake Pinkie. What resulted was the most gruesome thing Malibu saw; the clone's body swelled up before eventually turning into a pink light, going back into the pond.

"This is probably gonna give me nightmares," Malibu shivered, Rainbow nodding in agreement.

"Watch me bounce and touch the ceiling! Whee!" Said another clone, jumping upward, the clone near watching until Twilight took care of them. Malibu mostly shut his eyes tight from watching that spell, glad Twilight wouldn't use it on him.

Another moment was when a croaking was heard outside, which was the orange frog from earlier. "Is that... is that a frog crossed with an orange?" Yelped another duplicate, two others joining her. "Cool!" "Where?!"

Both those duplicates were now gone as well, Malibu feeling that the room was getting more intense, and just a tad too creepy for his own taste, case of one duplicate.

"Look what I can do with my hooves!" Proclaimed one duplicate, blowing one of her hooves, and on the left hoof, appeared what looked like fingers. Malibu's face turned greener than his usual teal. That was mortifying and unnatural for their regular Pinkie Pie. He was glad that Twilight took care of them.

But seconds later was something even more terrifying. "Betcha can't make a face crazier than... this!" A duplicate claimed, her hooves adjusting somehow on her own face to change it.

Malibu's eyes popped. "Agh!" He cried out, for the face looked like some weird version of Pinkie Pie from an older time, his fur bristling out, glad after just a second of it it was now gone from the spell. This kept up, until in the end there were only two Pinkie Pies left, Twilight blowing on her horn to cool it down since it looked rather burned from all the spell casting.

Now it was even more intense with just two. Malibu gazed at them both, wondering which one was going to be their true friend. It was only 10 minutes however when Rainbow Dash met her limit.

"Ugh, I can't take it anymore!" She pointed outside. "Somepony's making balloon animals!" The clone closest to the front cringed before soon giving in. "What? Where?"

Zap! The last clone was now sent back into the pond, leaving the last Pinkie there in the room. Malibu's heart was racing greatly. Was this their real one?

"Pinkie, you can look away now," Twilight then said. The true Pinkie at last blinked, rubbing the back of her neck. "I passed?"

Malibu nodded, smiling. "You passed. You're the only Pinkie who kept staring at the wall." He then told her. Pinkie smiled, tears in her eyes. "I had to. I just had to. I couldn't leave my friends, I just couldn't."

The others all surrounded her with warm grins. "But I guess sometimes I will have to choose between them." Pinkie stated then. Malibu ran up to hug her. "We all missed you," He said, Pinkie hugging him back.

"I knew you'd be up to the challenge," Twilight added in. After letting go, Pinkie Pie felt her own body, cheering. "I'm me! I'm me!" She leapt into the air. "I'm me! Or am I?" The party pony checked her face before grinning again. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure I am!"

Malibu then had a thought. "This calls for a letter to my mom," He said to Pinkie who nodded. "And next time, let's stay away from that mirror pool," Malibu also said. Pinkie giggled. "Agreed."

....

And almost instantly after the Pinkie chaos, she decided to write said letter which went like this:

Dear Princess Celestia,

It's great to have fun, but it's even greater to have great friends. And having lots of friends means that you sometimes have to make choices as to who you'll spend your time with. But that's okay, because good friends will always give you lots of opportunities to have fun. So even if you're missing out, it's never for long. Yours truly, Pinkie Pie."

Malibu was there with Pinkie while she wrote the letter. It really was a good lesson to live by. Spike blew the letter to his mom, Twilght and the others going up to her. "Hi, Pinkie Pie. We were thinking we should go out and celebrate."

Applejack had an idea. "You up for some wheelbarrow races?" Before Malibu and Pinkie could reply Rainbow had another one. "I could take everypony on a cloud ride!"

Rarity smiled. "I could throw a party with punch and zesty cucumber sandwiches! Ooh!"

Pinkie grinned nervously. "You wanna know exactly what I feel like doing right now?" She said, retreating back into the house, collapsing onto the floor, sighing in relief, falling asleep.

Malibu's heart melted at the sight, feeling quite tired himself as well from this fiasco of today. "Now that looks like fun," Fluttershy said in her usual soft voice, causing them all laughing together, closing the door to leave Pinkie Pie to rest.

....

Loved the reference to Gen 3 from one of the Pinkie Pie clones.