>start hanging out with Ponk
>become good friends
>one day she brings you over to Sugarcube Corner, promising to show you "something super special"
>not sure if date, but reasonably intrigued
>she goes down to the basement, passing through all the storage rooms
>really hope it's not gonna be like that one fanfic
>"Okay Nonny, in here!"
>at the end of the corridor, there's one seemingly unused supply closet
>what the hell is happening
>slowly open the door
>behind the door is a small room that seems to have recently been renovated
>looks like a smaller Pinkie's own room, with a cutesy wallpaper, a bed, a table and a record player
>what's important though is the pony sitting on the bed staring back at you two
>"Ooh, someone new! Hi there! My name is Bubble Berry, what's your name? Can we be friends? Can we? Please? Also, what are you? You look weird! But, like, the exciting kind of weird! You're probably good at darts! Do you like darts?"
>he's immediately all over you, getting all up in your face, grabbing your hands to take a closer look, trying to climb you like a jungle gym
>it's like meeting Pinkie all over again, but even more intense
>"Sooo, that's the super special something I wanted to show you! Or rather, somepony!"
>turns out that, back when Pinkie had the big mirror pool incident, not all clones came out identical
>at some point, the data got corrupted, and deviations started creeping in
>Twilight massacred most of them, but not all of them
>Pinkie found the male version of herself holed up in the pantry of Sugarcube Corner, scared to death 
>he was late to the paint watching competition and could only watch in horror through the window
>feeling guilty, Pinkie made a little home for him in the basement
>the obvious problem was, of course, that he could hardly ever get outside
>you're pretty sure that keeping an outgoing party pony in a solitary confined space counts as a form of cruel and unusual punishment
>no wonder he's even more eager for company than Pinkie is
>"Aaaand this brings me to a very very serious question... Can you please let poor Bubble hang out with you at your house, so he has at least one more friend?"
>you look over at Bubble
>he's giving you the biggest shimmering puppy-dog eyes
"Sure, why not."
>"YAAAY!"
>you are deafened in both ears, as the two pink ponies celebrate in perfect unison
>before you can recover from the initial shockwave, you are tackle-hugged mercilessly by both of them: Pinkie clinging to your back, Bubble latching onto your waist
>completely immobilized, you can only look down at your new friend, whose eyes meet yours as he gives you the widest adorable grin
>oh fuck, this has just unlocked something in you
>goddamn ponies, man
>...
>*petpetpet*
***
>getting Bubble over to your place is easier than you thought it would be
>you figured that a violently pink pony would be hard to conceal, even if he's wearing your black hoodie
>because that's totally not suspicious
>however, instructing Bubble to walk instead of bouncing seems to have done the trick
>everyone is so used to Pinkie being Pinkie that anything less conspicuous than that just does not register
>as you walk, you can tell by the jittering of his hooves that the good boy is trying his best not to follow his instincts
>you feel kind of sorry for him, even if it does look oddly cute
>squatting down next to Bubble, you put an arm around his withers and give him a little squeeze
"Don't worry, we're almost there."
>he beams back at you, his smile almost illuminating the inside of the hood
>"Thank you so much for taking me with you, I can't remember when I last got out during the day! Pinkie used to let me out at night so I could run around and stretch my legs, but there's no one around at night, and I have to be really really quiet..."
"Used to? What happened to that?"
>"Well, I... kinda messed up. Kinda big time."
>his slightly raspy, almost teen-like voice cracks a little, as his expression darkens
>"I guess I was still too loud, because ponies started talking about "a party ghost" or something like that, and then some fillies started setting up traps to catch me... and one time they almost did..."
>Bubble starts pawing at the ground nervously
>"...and I barely made it back to Sugarcube Corner, but I tripped and... and fell right into a big beautiful cake that Pinkie spent the whole day making... and it was delicious, but I also felt super bad for ruining it... and I didn't want Pinkie to get fired, so I baked another one just like that, but I almost didn't make it before the opening hour... so I thought it would be better if I didn't go out anymore. There."
>having finished his story, the pink colt stares down at his hooves, his face obscured by the hoodie
>at this moment, you find it impossible to care about stealth, pulling Bubble into a gentle hug
"Sounds to me like you're a very good friend."
>a barely audible sigh of relief escapes Bubble's chest before he returns the hug twice as strong
>"That's just what Pinkie said... Thank you."
"Aw, think nothing 'bout it. What else are friends for? Besides, it's not like you did anything wrong anyway."
>breaking the hug softly, the colt looks you in the eye, a smile having once more found a way on his face
>"It's... It's still really nice to hear it from someone else. I really mean it."
>you can almost hear yourself crumble at those words
>as the two of you walk the rest of the way to your house, you can't help but think of the implications of Bubble's predicament
>stuck with an identity of someone who already exists, having to hide from the world or risk getting erased from being
>you look to the pony trotting next to you, still doing his best not to show his true nature, but definitely moving with more pep in his step now
>once in a while something catches his eye, like a cool-looking building or a butterfly resting on a flower, and he follows the sight with his big blue orbs, holding his breath so as not to make a sound and draw attention to himself
>sometimes he doesn't quite manage to stay quiet, and you hear the tiniest squeak of delight, followed by a sheepish look on his face
>you swear to yourself that you will be as good a friend to Bubble Berry as humanly possible
***
"Well, here we are."
>your house is not much different from any other in the neighborhood, at least at the first glance
>when you moved in, there was an obvious problem of size difference, and you didn't want to burden the ponies with building a whole new house for you
>but then Applejack came up with something much more practical: why rebuild when you can tear down the floor and make the basement the new ground floor?
>Twilight may be considered the smart one, but Applejack is the true genius
>now you've got this sort of "studio house" with one big room and a bathroom - more than enough for you
>"Woah! This place is so big! I mean, you're a big guy, but still... this is so awesome!"
"It is pretty nice, yeah, Pinkie's friends helped me a lot with decora~ BUBBLE, THE STAIRS!"
>"Whoop~"
>you can only watch helplessly as your new friend rolls headfirst down the steps that used to lead to the basement
>just perfect, all this inner monologue about how you're gonna be there for him, and he gets a concussion as soon as he sets hoof into your house
"Bubble, are you okay?"
>"..."
>oh no
>not bothering with the steps, you hop over the railing, landing next to the motionless pony
"Bubble?"
>still no response
>doesn't look like he's breathing either
>shitshitshitshit
>you have no idea where you should feel for the pulse on a pony's hoof
>leaning down, you bring an ear to Bubble's chest and listen
>you are relieved to hear steady thumping
>but then what~
>"Boop."
>you open your eyes to see a hoof pressed lightly against your nose
>jolting up, you see Bubble, alive and seemingly well, looking at you with a wide innocent grin
"You... I thought you..."
>the pink devil bursts out laughing, kicking all four of his hooves in the air in absolute glee, his high-pitched shrieky giggles echoing off the walls of the house
>"Oh boy, you should have seen the look on your face! I got you good, didn't I?"
>your confusion gives way to righteous anger as you grab the devious colt by the withers
"You f~" - you take a deep breath - "You silly pony! Why the hell would you pull something like that on someone you've only known for less than a day?! I was actually worried!"
>Bubble, still grinning, rolls his eyes playfully
>"Oh come on Nonny! I'm basically Pinkie Pie, just a stallion instead, and Pinkie told me you and her are, like, the bestest of friends! Don't tell me you never expected a little Pinkie Prank from me! ...Or should I say Berry Bluff?"
"Hmm... Good point, actually, " - you say, an idea forming in your head, while a small smile creeps onto your face
>time to see just how much like Pinkie he really is, as long you remember all the spots right
"So, you like pranks, huh?"
>"Uh-huh!" - Bubble chirps excitedly, blissfully unaware of what's about to be unleashed upon him
"Well, how's THIS for a prank?!"
>your fingers slip past the hem of the hoodie, rolled up so that it does not drag on the ground, and dart straight to the colt's sides
>"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE NOOOOOOO! ANOOOOOON STAAAAAHAHAHAHAHP!"
"YOU MAY SQUIRM, BUT YOU WON'T GET AWAY!"
>oh yeah, it's gonna be a fun evening
***
>"Uncle! EEK! Uncle!"
>after at least five minutes of intense unrelenting combat, you find yourself back on top of Bubble Berry, who is no longer trying to wiggle out of your grasp and is instead waving a miniature white flag at you
>the battle had its highs and lows, with Bubble doing his best to retaliate and gain tactical advantage, and to his credit, he really was at least as good at this as Pinkie Pie
>experience, however, was on your side - just as you suspected, Bubble had all the same weak spots as Pinkie, which meant the game was rigged against him from the start
>letting go of the pony, you watch in amusement as he's trying to catch his breath, legs splayed out in all directions and hoodie pulled up, revealing his fuzzy pink belly rising and falling rapidly
>you notice that he is a bit skinnier than Pinkie, perhaps because it would be hard for her to get away with sneaking large amounts of food into the basement
>"*huff* ...oh boy... *huff* ...my tummy's gonna be hurting for a... *huff* ...long time from all of this laughing..."
"And now you know what happens to pranksters in this house."
>"You... *huff* ...cheated! Anyone can win a tickle fight with those claw thingies of yours!"
"Oh, these can do a lot of things, just you wait..."
>now that you've said that out loud, you realize it sounds kind of weird
>you twiddle your thumbs awkwardly before continuing
"Aaaanyway, you wanna finally get up from the floor and do something else?"
>Bubble arches his back to be able to look at you upside-down, but does not get back on his hooves
>"Oh, I don't know Nonny, I'm kinda sorta all tuckered out after you almost tickled the pink out of me..."
>he produces the fakest, most drawn-out yawn before looking back at you with a coy smile
"Bubble, what's this about?"
>his smile widens considerably
>"Ya know, just feeling really tired, maybe I'll take a nap right here for the next eight hours until my bubbliness is fully recharged..."
"Eight hours?! But we just got here!"
>"If only someone had something scrumptioliciously sweet for me to nibble on, I would be up and hopping again in no time..."
>the cheeky colt closes his eyes, putting a hoof to his forehead dramatically
>"But alas, it seems I am DOOMED to a thousand years of slumber."
>with that, he goes limp on the floor, tongue lolled out in the most ridiculous way possible
>a second later, he opens one eye to take a peek at you, then quickly closes it again
>this goddamn pony
"Seriously? Okay then..."
>you try to sound unamused, but this whole display is so over-the-top you can't help but smile
>being a friend of Pinkie's, you of course have your cupboard stocked with delicious baked goods, so you don't make Bubble wait too long
"Alright, sleeping beauty, open wide for your true love's muffin."
>just as soon as you carefully place the sweet treat in the colt's open mouth it disappears with a loud *HOMF*
>Bubble immediately jumps up, so fast that you can swear his body stretches and squishes in the process, and strikes a heroic pose, chest puffed up and all
>"A miracle has happened! The hero has been brought back to life, ready to fight evil and..."
>before you know it, he hops up in the air and does a somersault over your head... then slowly floats down onto your couch, forehooves behind his head
>"...maybe relax and talk about stuff, you know."
>a hearty chuckle escapes your throat
"Bubble, have I told you that you're an absolute ray of sunshine?"
>"Not yet, but please do!"
>you flop down on the cushions next to the re-energized pink colt
>"Sooo... " - Bubble lies down on his belly on his side of the couch, propping his head up with his forehooves
>"What's your story, Anon?"
"What makes you think I have one?"
>"Well, I haven't really seen anyone like you around. I mean, I rarely ever see anybody besides Pinkie, but it seems like you the only hoo-man in Ponyville. Are there more hoo-mans in Equestria? Do you guys all live in such big houses? Or do you live underground and that's why no one's ever seen a hoo-man before? Am I saying it right? "Hoo-man"?"
>yup, it's Pinkie all over again
>thankfully, this time you have a mental checklist ready
"Okay, to answer your questions, as well as the ones I know you're gonna ask next: no, yes, no, A for effort, yes, can't remember, only sometimes, no, about seven billion, yes, cola-flavored, no, no, not if they're sentient, yes, it's a decency thing, no, yes, no, Princess Celestia personally asked me not to answer this one, yes, and they're called fingers."
>Bubble's face rapidly goes through a multitude of expressions as he opens his mouth, seemingly about to ask something else, then closes it again
>after doing so several times, he tentatively raises a hoof
"And no, humans cannot read minds either."
>the hoof goes down immediately
>"Wow, that's... actually all I was going to ask. How'd you know?"
"Let's just say that I've been through one such interrogation before."
>he takes some time processing your words, staring at the ceiling, tip of his tongue sticking out of his mouth, before finally his ears perk up in understanding
>"Oh! So you've known Pinkie before we~ before I came around?"
"Quite possible. How long have you been here?"
>"Not sure, there's no calendar down in my little hidey hole. Feels like a couple months, maybe?"
"Then yeah, I've definitely been around for longer, half a year, I think."
>you remember something you've been meaning to ask Bubble for a while now
"Sorry if it's personal, but... How does it feel to be in the mirror pool before you... you know, appear?"
>the colt suddenly becomes very serious as he ponders the question with a hoof to his chin
>"Umm... It's... Huh. It's kinda hard to describe, really. It's like I was this little pink spark floating in darkness, but also I did not know I was anything and did not think about anything, and then BOOM! I get out of the pool, and I've got a head, and a tail, and four hoofsies, and I can see and feel and other cool stuff, and there are other me's, and I just sorta know they're all me, and I just know I love fun, and we go out and have fun!"
>he sits up on the couch as he's telling his strange story, going at what seems like a hundred words per minute, his eyes lit up with excitement
>"And we all went to Ponyville, but I did not know yet that it was called that, and we ran around and danced and laughed and..."
>he suddenly falters, then continues at a slower pace
>"...and the ponies that weren't me were kinda scared and angry, and I did not notice until I accidentally fell through a shop window and it hurt a little, and a pony yelled at me to leave, so I did... but all the me's were gone, and so I followed the voices and came to this big building with locked doors..."
>you notice that he's no longer looking at you, but rather through you, his face now forming a distant expression as if the memories are just now coming back to him
>"...the lights were flashing on the inside, so I thought there was a party going on, and I couldn't get in, so I looked through a window, and... and... and..."
>Bubble loses his train of thought as his breathing becomes labored and sharp, he looks like he's one second away from having a panic attack
>oh crap, shouldn't have asked this at all
>gotta stop his existential crisis before you have to perform CPR for real
>you grab Bubble's hoof and hold it tightly in your hand, lightly petting it with the other
"Hey. Hey, Bubble, look at me. Look at me."
>you gently touch the side of his muzzle to get him to face you
"It's OK, you're safe here."
>Bubble's look gradually changes to that of confusion
>staring back at you, he finally gives you an awkward smile
>"Heh, sorry. I... kinda got carried away there, I didn't mean to get all gloomy..."
"No, I should be the one saying sorry. I didn't think about the stuff that... you know what, forget I ever asked it, let's do something fun instead."
>even though he winces just a bit at the word "fun", it seems that your words had some positive effect, as Bubble is instantly back to his usual self
>"Okie dokie! Whatcha got in mind?"
>you get up to grab something from the kitchen table
"How about we get some music going in here?"
>Bubble practically jumps off the couch at the notion
>"Aw, sweet! We're gonna have a party now! Well, a party of two, but still... we've got music, muffins, friends - it's perfect already!"
>he's now trotting in place in anticipation
>bless his heart
>"So where's the record player? I listen to the stuff Pinkie brings me sometimes, but I can't play it too loud, and it's hard to dance because the room is so tiny."
"I've got something much better than a record player here, buddy!"
>you set down on the coffee table your most treasured possession: a banged-up mp3 player
>you will never be able to thank Vinyl enough for making this thing operational once again, not to mention compatible with the speaker she also gifted you
>Vinyl is a bro in general
>intrigued, Bubble crawls up to the coffee table like he's afraid the little box will fly away if he's not careful, peering at it at point blank distance, then taking a cautious sniff
>"This thing has music inside of it?"
"You bet! A whole lot of it, in fact."
>you start flipping through various artists
>the tricky part is finding something suitable for ponies
>you learned the hard way that putting on a metal album, however catchy, at a party of several dozen cute pastel horses can be equated to terrorism
>Twilight had quite a long talk with you after that incident, during which the words "preservation of innocence" were brought up several times
>finally, you settle on some acid jazz from the 90's, plug the speaker in and press "play"
>the pony next to you gapes in total delight at the sound that begins to fill the house
>it's not long before his ears begin moving in sync with the groovy bassline
>"Anon! This... is the best thing EVER!"
>and now the rest of him is moving as well
>he's giving it his all - whipping around like he's made of rubber, doing the robot, the twist, all of the party dance cliches
>it doesn't matter though, because he's doing it all with 100% confidence and a goofy smile on his face, sometimes punctuating his sweet moves with a loud "woop woop"
>you are content to just watch him have fun, lightly tapping your foot and nodding to the beat
>at least until a pink flank bumps playfully into your knee
>"Come on Nonny, show me what ya got!"
>you were afraid this moment would come
"Oh, uh... I don't know Bubble, I'm not really much of a dancer..."
>"You think I am? I never learned to dance, and look at me!"
"I think last time I danced was in high school or something, you really wanna subject yourself to this horror?"
>"Do it Anon, I believe in you! Everyone can dance, so what if it's silly? It's about having a good time, isn't it?"
>your resolve is waning fast, and you're almost out of arguments
"How about I just..."
>not waiting for you to finish, Bubble stands up on his hind legs and puts his forehooves against your waist, then starts chanting:
>"Non-ny! Non-ny! Non-ny! Non-ny!"
>ah, fuck it, it's just the two of you anyway, unlike the usual "entire Ponyville is invited" parties Pinkie drags you to every other week
"Okay, you asked for it! I call this one 'prom night desperation'!"
>and the music plays on and on...
***
>it's been a couple weeks since you first met Bubble Berry, and you've seen a lot of him since then
>not that you mind, being on Princess Celestia's royal welfare left you with a whole load of free time
>you do help Pinkie with organizing her parties from time to time as a side gig, but she's so used to preparing everything by herself that you hardly ever do anything beyond hauling stuff that's too heavy for one pony to carry
>so yeah, it's very nice to have Bubble around
>the two of you spend day after day listening to music, dancing, munching on some takeout and sweets and, of course, just chatting - a lot of it
>for a pony born literally two months ago, Bubble surprisingly has a lot to say
>a lot of it completely silly nonsense, but it makes you smile every time
>and right now, you also fail to suppress a huge grin as you listen to the colt sitting across the table from you prattle on about this and that and everything at once
>today is special, since you've finally gotten together somewhere besides your house
>Mr. and Mrs. Cake are out of town on a week-long vacation, leaving Pinkie in charge of Sugarcube Corner, so naturally she called you over as soon as she closed up shop
>now she's busy in the kitchen preparing something for you that smells absolutely delicious, while Bubble, who already did his part to help, is telling you the latest joke he thought of
>most of his jokes are kinda terrible, but it's his delivery that makes them work, jazz hooves and all
>"...so the Princess is like, 'And when you hire ponies to work for you, you can retire and just sit under a big tree and do nothing', and the donkey is like..."
>"Ooh! Ooh! I know this one! I know this!" - Pinkie shouts from the kitchen, having overheard the whole thing - "And the donkey is like 'I'm already sitting under a tree doing nothing!'"
>you can hear her completely losing it in there at the joke she herself already knew, banging her hoof on some wooden surface
>a loud snort escapes your nose in response to that sudden burst of laughter
>only Pinkie... well, not anymore, probably
>Bubble just rolls his eyes and continues:
>"Alright, here's another good one: a pony goes hiking in the mountains, goes into a cave and is like 'Anyone there?', and the echo is like '...anyone there?' So he goes to sleep in the cave, and the next morning his backpack is gone, and he's like 'Oh no!'..."
>"Oh, I got it! And then the echo's like 'Wh~'" - Pinkie lets out a long wheeze before she can even finish - "it's like 'Wh~ whatcha think was gonna happen?'"
>laughter takes her once again, with the banging being twice as intense now
>"Pinkiiiiiiiie! Stop stealing my punchliiiiines! Nonny, tell her!"
"Pinkie come on, let Bubble finish at least one!"
>a frizzy-maned pink head pokes out of the door to the kitchen
>"I'm not stealing them, silly! I know all of these jokes!"
>Bubble tilts his head quizzically, and you have to move his cup of hot cocoa so that he does not dunk the tip of his mane in it
>"Huh? But I just came up with these now!"
>"Well, duh, I think the same way that you do, Bubble Buddy, your brain is just like mine - and just as funny! We're like twins, we can finish each other's thoughts and stuff! Isn't that amazing? We should get matching sweaters with letters on them! The only question is, what letter I like the most?.."
>Pinkie finally pronks out of the kitchen with a tray full of freshly baked cinnamon buns balanced perfectly on her head, her mane splattered with frosting and her face bearing a ponderous expression, deep in thought about her sweater idea
>Bubble also takes a moment to think, alhough about something different
>"Hmm... Yeah, I guess it is kinda cool... I mean, I know we're alike, but I never really thought about it like that..."
>he snaps back to reality as soon as the plate full of buns slides onto the table with one slight move of Pinkie's head
>"Ooh boy, these look delicious! There's gonna be a party in my mouth in 3... 2... 1..."
>as he messily grabs one of the treats using only his mouth and begins chewing contently, you notice there is still something off about the look in his eyes
>you'll have to ask him later
>casting off her apron, Pinkie flops down onto the seat and scooches up to you happily
>"Eat up Nonny! I put extra chocolate frosting on this batch - that was Bubble's idea, he told me how much you love chocolate!"
"He'f abfowufewy wighf, " - you say through a mouthful of some of the tastiest stuff you've ever eaten before making a mighty swallowing movement - "thanks Bubble, this is..."
>looking across the table, you find that the colt is not there
>there is, however, something warm pressed up against your left side now
>"I knew you'd like it! Ever since that time you ordered that chocolate-covered pizza - I didn't even know chocolate could be so good on a pizza!"
"Still, you ate, like, half of it immediately, " - you chuckle in response
>"Well, I had to try it out!"
"Sure, but that was the first time I saw someone fold up half a pizza and eat it in one bite!"
>"Don't act like you weren't impressed, " - Bubble gives you a playful nudge
>"Aw, I wish I was there to see it!" - Pinkie says, leaning in from behind you
>"Oh, by the way, there's also one special bun here somewhere that I made, see if you can find it, it has raisins in it!"
>you get your left arm loose from between the two of you and give Bubble's pink curls a toss
"Now you're just spoiling me."
>he shoots you back another one of his radiant smiles, not even ruined by the fact he has chocolate all over his teeth... and also what looks like raisins
>to your right, Pinkie giggles, realizing what happened
>"I think I found the special bun!"
>"Whuh? How did you..."
>Bubble feels his teeth with his tongue
>"Ah, horsefeathers!"
>his disappointment is short-lived, however, as he too starts laughing at his own blunder
>you're now in the middle of a joyful pink pony sandwich
>overtaken by the moment, you pull both of them closer to you
"I love you guys so much."
>you get a double heaping of "awwwwww" in response as they hug you back
>after some time, Pinkie pulls away, but Bubble is still clinging to you with a dreamy look on his face
>this is far too cute to interrupt, so you decide to continue the conversation with one arm around him
"So what's new in your life, Pinkie?"
>"Oh, the usual: taking some extra hours to get the desserts done for the Ponyville school cafeteria, Derpy's birthday's in four days - making some final preparations... Oh! Vinyl Scratch is throwing a big dance party tomorrow! I almost forgot with all the stuff I had to do!"
>one mention of the P-word is enough to bring the pink colt back to life
>"A dance party? Sweet! When's it starting? Are there gonna be a lot of ponies there? What kind of mus~"
>his expression of happiness fades, giving way to quiet sadness
>"Oh. Sorry. I-I forgot."
>he silently rests his chin on the table like a tired dog, staring off into the distance
>it breaks your heart to see him like this
"Pinkie, is there a way to let Bubble attend at least one party here in Ponyville? He's a party pony just like you after all, and he's never been to one!"
>there is visible concern on Pinkie's face
>"I don't know Nonny, I feel for Bubby as much as you do, but this could be dangerous..."
"Because of Twilight? Seriously?"
>"You know how she gets sometimes, besides, she has a very good reason... because of what I did."
>dammit, now they're both sad
>this is not what you wanted at all, but something has to be done
"You know what, I'll talk to her. She's not some kind of lunatic, surely she'll agree with us if we just..."
>before you can get up, you are held back by both of your arms
>"NO!"
>you look back to see your two friends hanging onto you
>"Nonny, please don't, " - Pinkie begs with tears in her eyes. "What if she doesn't listen? Then we will..."
>she stops and looks over at the distraught Bubble, unwilling to say the rest out loud
>with a sigh, you lean against the cushions again
"You guys are being ridiculous."
>"I don't take chances when it's about my friends."
>this is the most serious you've ever seen Pinkie Pie
"Okay, fine. But can we at least get Bubble to that party somehow? Use a disguise - a wig or something, maybe?"
>"Hmm... A disguise could..."
>suddenly Pinkie makes such a drawn-out gasp she almost sucks in the remaining buns from the plate
>"I KNOW WHAT TO DO! I'VE GOT JUST THE THING!"
>she jumps down from the seat and starts rapidly pacing around in circles
>"I gotta check if it's not expired, I'll still need some more things for it to work, but if it does work..."
>you feel completely locked out of the loop
"What does work?"
>"...Tomorrow! It has a limited effect, so we have to start on it tomorrow! If the party starts at seven... Nonny, drop by at five o'clock, everything will be ready by then!"
"Are you gonna at least tell us what your plan is?"
>Pinkie turns to you with a conspiratorial grin
>"Patience, my dear Anonymous! Let it be a surprise... Ooh, I'm so excited!"
>Bubble, who has been listening intently this whole time, finally speaks up:
>"So... Are you saying I'll get to go to the big party after all?"
>"Well, we have to factor in the odds and various possibilities, but all signs point to... Yeppers!"
>it feels weird seeing Bubble tackle-hug someone besides yourself, but this is exactly what's happening right now
>"Oh thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"
>you can't wait to see what Pinkie has in mind
>if she's so stoked to try it, it has to be good
***
>when you come by Sugarcube Corner next day, you see that the sign has already been flipped to "Closed"
>Pinkie doesn't mess around, she's clearly very serious about helping Bubble
>you go around the building and knock on the back door
>almost immediately, a small window opens in it and a round pink snout pokes through
>"Password?"
"Pinkie, it's me, you can look through this thing with your eyes."
>"Oh, right."
>after doing just that, the party pony fumbles with what sounds like at least five different locks for a bit, then lets you in at last
>the two of you begin descending into the basement, the light getting dimmer with each step
>"Nonny, I think you're gonna be blown away by what you're about to see!.."
"What do you mean, 'you think'?"
>"Weeeeeeell, I wanted this thing to be a surprise for everyone, myself included, so I did it all with the lights off!"
"Wh~ How?"
>"I did a test run on Gummy before that, and he was just fine, so don't worry, I've got a good feeling about this!"
"And I've got a feeling I'm about to break a leg or two here, can we please turn on the lights now?"
>"Almost there!"
>"Hey guys! Nonny, is that you?"
>"Alright, ready or not, here it is!"
>*click*
>as your eyes slowly adjust to light, you see a completely unfamiliar stallion standing in the middle of the basement, blinking profusely as well
>his snow white coat is glowing in an almost heavenly way under the ceiling lamp, and his impeccably straight mane is golden blonde, going perfectly with his baby blue eyes
>only those same eyes you've seen so often lately give away the stallion's true identity
>that and the fact that his face immediately assumes his usual happy-go-lucky expression that doesn't quite go with the look
>"Hi Nonny! Guess what, Pinkie gave me a full makeover! I haven't seen it yet, but~"
>he catches a glimpse of a conveniently placed large mirror next to him and immediately goes slack-jawed
>"Holy cannoli, is that me?!"
>he waves a hoof before the mirror, leans in closer, steps back, then spins around for good measure
>"That IS me! Wow! Pinkie, is there a horn under that mane of yours? Because this is just MAGICAL! Nonny, do you see this?!"
>the sound of your name snaps you out of the stupor you've been in for the last couple minutes - Bubble isn't the only one admiring himself right now
"Wha~ Oh, I, uh... I definitely see it, this is, this... I am having a hard time expressing myself right now."
>"I know, right?" - Pinkie chimes in, nearly sparkling with excitement - "This is exactly what I imagined!"
"Pinkie, you're a miracle worker... But how did you dye an entire pony like that?"
>"I did not dye Bubble whole, ya big dummy! I do not have a vat that big... and that would also have high risk of poisoning, that's also kinda important. Buuut I found an old potion I got from Zecora that allows you to change the color of your coat for 12 hours! I used it once to dress up as a ghost for Nightmare Night and then sorta forgot about it, but it was still not past the expiration date! Then I just dyed Bubby's mane and tail to match, and voila!"
>"And that's not all, Pinkie and I made a new name for me, it's~"
>"WAIT!" - Pinkie holds up a hoof - "Do the thing we practiced!"
>"Oh, that's right!"
>the white stallion bends one foreleg, raising it off the floor in a posh gesture, then flips his mane with one sweeping motion of his head, turns to you and says with all the confidence of an action hero:
>"The name... is Sugar Slice."
>just when you think you know this colt like the back of your hand, he continues to surprise you
"That's definitely one sweet name, you might say, " - you utter with a big dumb grin
>"OOOOOOOOH, HE SAID IIIIT!" - Pinkie yells, throwing her forehooves up into the air, sending both you and Bubble into a fit of giggles - "Seriously though, if anyone asks, his name is Sugar Slice, he's my pen friend from Hollow Shades who came to visit and share some recipes, he comes from a family of intrepid cave explorers and is the third of eight children, he's never heard of the mirror pool, and his favorite color is yellow."
>at that moment you realize something very important that hasn't yet been addressed
"Uh... Pinkie, that's a very nice backstory and all, but how does it explain why our new friend Sugar Slice has the same cutie mark as you?"
>"Thanks for reminding me Nonny, I've got that covered too!"
>Pinkie reaches into a locker behind her and pulls out two transparent sheets of plastic with an image of a cake slice on both of them
>"I knew these window stickers would come in handy one day! Mr. and Mrs. Cake used some of these while decorating the bakery before the holidays, and I got to keep the leftover ones for myself! Now we just..."
>she unpeels one of the stickers and presses it firmly onto Bubble's flank on top of the actual cutie mark, then does the same with the other side
>"These may seem flimsy, but they hold super-duper well! I know because I sat on one by accident once and then spent the whole day wondering why ponies kept talking about how I had 'a cake in the back'!"
>you have to admit, the stickers do look surprisingly natural, as long as you do not examine them too closely
"Alright, looks like you've got all the bases covered already."
>"Does that mean we're going to the party now? Please-please-please say yes!" - Bubble is jumping up and down in sheer excitement
>"Yup, you're all set. Time to hit the town!" - Pinkie exclaims cheerfully
>"WOOOOHOOO! AIN'T NO PARTY LIKE A SUGAR SLICE PARTY, LET'S GOOOO!"
>before you know it, the colt is out the door
"...Does he even know where to go?" - you wonder, fanning away the cloud of dust raised by 'Sugar Slice'
>"Eh, it's hard to get lost in Ponyville, " - Pinkie shrugs with a small smile - "You know Nonny, I wanna say thank you a thousand times for being such a great friend to Bubble."
"He's been an even better friend to me, he's an absolute bundle of joy just like you, so..."
>"I mean it Nonny. You guys only met two weeks ago, but you already look like you've been the bestest of pals forever! Bubble's been so happy ever since, and he only has good things to say about you... and this also made me think about how good you've been to me all the time I've known you."
>the tone of this last phrase hits you differently - it's unlike anything you've heard from Pinkie before
"...What do you mean Pinks?"
>"Oh, I think you know exactly what I mean."
"I..."
>before you can reply, she hops onto a counter next to you and plants a kiss on your cheek, then hops down just as quickly
>as she heads for the exit, she looks back at you with half-lidded eyes
>"You're a really special one, Nonny."
>and just like that, she's gone, leaving you in complete paralysis
>...well, shit
>things would have been so much easier if this happened earlier
>after all, you really were kind of hoping for a date with Pinkie when she called you over to reveal her big secret
>but now...
>now there is Bubble - a sweet, affectionate friend
>he IS just a friend, right?
>bullshit, if he was just a friend, you would not be having this moment of autism over Pinkie's kiss
>good thing he wasn't here to see it
>and Pinkie... Pinkie can be really oblivious sometimes
>you gotta find a way to let her down easy
>AFTER the party, so that she does not spend it crying in the bathroom if you fuck up big time
>your head starts to hurt
>better catch up to those two fast
>before you leave, you notice something black neatly folded on the chair in the corner
>it's your hoodie that Bubble's been wearing every time he came over to your place
>you pick it up and put it on
>the inside of the hood smells faintly of strawberries
>you switch off the light and leave the basement, hoping that Pinkie and Bubble had the courtesy to wait for you
"...Goddamn ponies, man."
***
>by the time you catch up to Pinkie and Bubble, they've almost made it to the field just outside of town where the stage has been set up
>you can already see ponies converging from everywhere, eager to dance the night away
>for a small town like Ponyville, this is definitely quite a big event
>Pinkie waves to you while keeping her other foreleg wrapped around Bubble
>"There you are Nonny! Sorry we left without you, I had to find Bu~" - she bonks herself on the head with a hoof, - "...Sugar and make sure he doesn't get too silly. He got... just a teensy bit overexcited."
>that's definitely the understatement of the year: the formerly pink colt looks more elated than a golden retriever on ten pounds of coke, whipping his head back and forth as if he's trying to look in every direction at once
>"Ohmygosh! Lookatalltheponies! Somanyofthem! Imgonnamakefriendswithalltheponies! HIIII, WHAT'S UUUP?! MY NAME IS B~mmmf"
>a pink hoof silences him before any mistakes can be made
>"Stick to the legend, SUGAR SLICE! BECAUSE THAT IS YOUR REAL NAME. THAT YOUR PARENTS GAVE YOU."
>you forgot what Pinkie's middle name was, but it's definitely not Subtlety
>thankfully, no one seems to have noticed this weird scene
"You know what Pinkie, let me take Sugar off your hooves for a while. You probably want to meet up with the girls, and I'd like to chat with Vinyl before the show anyway."
>the mare seems visibly relieved by your offer
>"Great idea Anon! Just be sure to keep the story straight, see ya guys on the dancefloor in fifteen minutes! Ooh, I think I see Dashie's tail over there! Gotta go!"
>with that, she darts off somewhere to the opposite side of the stage
>meanwhile, Bubble is once again prancing in place
>"Do you really know the DJ Nonny? Are we gonna see her? This is so awesome!"
"Oh come on now, " - you chuckle softly, - "everybody in Ponyville knows this DJ. I mean, she's the only one in town! And yes, we're about to see her. It's been a while now, what's with all the super secret colts in basements that I've been hanging out with lately."
>your remark is rewarded with a tiny giggle from Bubble
>"Well then, lead the way, big guy! Come on, come on, let's go!"
>before proceeding, you outstretch a hand to him
"Put 'er there Mr. Sugar High, don't want you getting lost in the crowd."
>he looks flustered for a second, but almost immediately extends a foreleg in return
>hoof in hand, you move through the mass of ponies that just keeps getting bigger
>you are preoccupied with watching your step and pushing past the technicolor crowd as politely as possible, but, be it your peripherals or your sixth sense, you feel your friend stealing looks at you every few seconds
>he's gone all quiet now too, but when you finally have a moment to glance back at him, he gives you a shy smile, and you respond in kind
>as you approach the stage, you see a familiar off-white flank sticking out from behind one of the monitors installed on both sides of a big turntable stand
"Hey Vinyl, what's up?"
>a pair of magenta sunglasses topped with a mop of unruly neon blue hair promptly pokes out of the setup
>"Wassuuuuup monkey boy! Long time no see, how have you been? Gimme some hoof dude!"
>you tap the offered hoof with your fist before answering
"Eh, mostly the same old: hanging out with Pinkie, doing odd jobs, being a lazy ass, you know the deal."
>"Oh man, do I ever. Honestly, after this big gig, I'm kinda looking forward to that last one."
"Had a lot of concerts lately?"
>"As if you don't know!" - the DJ laughs, - "I almost feel bad for sampling so much stuff from your alien device, but since those hardflanks in Canterlot won't let you share it with the ponies..."
"I mean, it's sort of my fault for not reading the room that time, " - you shrug, - "everyone probably thought a monster was attacking the town or something. It does happen here from time to time, from what I understand."
>Vinyl folds her forehooves defiantly on her chest
>"I still thought it was dope. You just wait and see, we're gonna make Equestria love these tunes, little by little, like a vaccine, only not for flu or some lame crap, but for being AWESOME!"
"I'm... not sure how well that metaphor works, but if anyone can do it, it's probably you, Vinyl."
>"Damn right! And to prove it, I'm gonna finally play THAT song tonight!"
"You mean the one I said sounded like a washing machine being violated by a jackhammer?"
>Vinyl simply gives you a smug look, the wiggling of her eyebrows visible above her shades
"Sweet, can't wait."
>"Oh, by the way, I think I'm being rude here, who's your friend?"
>you realize Bubble has just been standing nearby the whole time, his eyes fixated in awe on the DJ and her assorted musical gear
>noticing that the attention has shifted to him, the colt inhales as deeply as he can before making an introduction:
>"HitheremynameisSugarBubbleIlovepartiesandmusicandyoudomusicandthatssocoolnicetomeetyou!"
>"Whoa there, slow down buddy!" - Vinyl snickers, - "I don't get that hyped up from five cans of Jungle Explosion!"
"Okay, so this is Sugar Slice, " - you explain, - "he's Pinkie's old pen pal from Hollow Shades, and he's really excited because he's never been to a proper rave before."
>"Never ever? Well, you're in luck then, blondie, because we're gonna rock the stars out of the sky tonight!" - Vinyl punctuates her words by doing a vigorous hoofpump, which Bubble returns with a resounding "YAY!"
>"Now that's the enthusiasm I'm looking for in my crowd! Anon, if only you could hype ponies up like that, me and you would be millionaires by now!"
>"Can I ask you some stuff about what these things do?" - Bubble nods towards the DJ equipment
>"Sure, I've got a couple minutes before we start, what do you wanna know?"
>"EVERYTHING."
>Vinyl doesn't get a chance to answer, since at that moment Pinkie's entire friend posse trots up to you, chatting and laughing amongst themselves
>"VINYL! My sister from another mister, what's shakin' girl?" - the party pony hoofbumps the unicorn with both forehooves enthusiastically, - "That latest album was THE BOMB, I tell ya! Oh hey, I see you're getting along with our buddy Sugar already, isn't he a great guy?"
>Grabbing both ponies by the elbow, Pinkie leans towards you and whispers:
>"I'll change you for a minute Nonny, go mingle!"
>she then proceeds to drag them off to the side, clearly intent on getting the two to become best friends
>it kind of reminds you of that one kid back in school who tried to get the class pet gerbils to make babies by pushing them together, but whatever
>as much as you'd like to stick with Bubble, might as well see some other familiar faces
>you turn and wave to the five mares next to you, receiving an assortment of greetings in return
"Sup everyone."
>"Now there's someone Ah haven't seen in a long while!" - the earth pony in a Stetson hat exclaims jovially, - "How's life treatin' ya, Anon?"
"Nothing new for the most part AJ, but here in Ponyville that still pretty much means a hell of a good time, all things considered."
>"Glad to hear that! Y'all been keepin' really quiet for the last month, 'cept maybe a few times Ah've seen ya by Sugarcube Corner."
"Yeah, I've been hanging out with Pinkie for the most part."
>"'Hanging out' is one way of putting it, " - the rainbow-maned pegasus chimes in, hovering above the two of you with a shit-eating grin
>that's the kind of grin you only saw on her when she was about to pull off a particularly spectacular prank, so you can't help but feel worried
"...Whatever do you mean by that, Dash?"
>"Oh, nothing, " - she waves a hoof at you in a mockingly casual manner, - "just went flying one day and saw a certain huge alien guy walking home with some pony all covered up by a black hoodie like it's a big secret..."
>fuck, definitely should have picked a better disguise
>somehow you forgot how important it was to watch the sky in a world where one third of the population can fly
>"Rainbow! Don't you know it's impolite to spy on ponies like that?" - Twilight joins the conversation, giving her friend an unamused look, - "If Anon and that pony wanted to keep it hidden, they probably had a good reason."
>blessed be the friendship horse, you (and, more importantly, Bubble) might have just been saved...
>"You bet they had a good reason!" - Dash continues with zero shame, - "Because, you see, it was this same hoodie..." - she pokes a hoof at your shirt, - "...and the pony had pink hooves!"
>"Darn it Dash, enough gossipin' already! Why do y'all care so much 'bout the color of... the..."
>Applejack suddenly goes silent in realization
>MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY
>you focus all of your nonexistent telepathy skills on AJ's head, hoping she will keep quiet
>however, your efforts are in vain, since an entirely different pony speaks up instead
>"Darling, are you meaning to tell me..."
>that's it, soon you'll be in Canterlot's dungeons, tortured for information on any other escaped clones, with Bubble sending you tear-stained letters all the way from Yakyakistan, where he'll have to earn a living weaving baskets
>"...that Anonymous is secretly dating our Pinkie Pie?"
>oh, that's a little better, actually
>but now that you've got five pairs of eyes staring at you intently, there is another big problem:
>if you say you are dating Pinkie, the word may get out, and Bubble will be devastated
>if you say you aren't, Pinkie will be the one who gets upset
>it's a real "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation
>at the edge of your vision, you see a pink and a white pony making their way to you through the crowd
>fuck it, time to improvise
"Uhhh, you see... Yes. Yes, we are dating."
>before everyone can start loudly celebrating, you raise a hand
"BUT... Pinkie really wanted it to be a surprise to you all and to throw a big "Me and Nonny are special someponies" party, so will you please humor her and pretend you don't know anything? Please?"
>after a short pause, all five nod in agreement with big smiles on their faces
>"I will be looking forward to when you decide to make it official, dear, " - Rarity says solemnly, like she's already prepared to catch the bouquet at the wedding
"Y-yeah, same..." - you reply in the least convincing tone possible
>"I'm back, everybody!" - Pinkie announces, with Bubble following behind, - "Wow, you all look really happy."
>"Just glad to have Anon around, you know, " - Rainbow Dash says, suppressing the urge to giggle, - "or should I call him Loverbo~ OW! Hey, what's the big idea?"
>Fluttershy, who is now holding Dash by her left ear, gives you an apologetic look
>"I'm sorry everybody, we will be right back."
>"Shy, what are you~ AH! Okay, okay, I'll go, geez."
>everybody watches wordlessly as Rainbow gets towed away by the yellow pegasus
>"Well, that was weird. Anyway, have you guys met Sugar Slice yet? Of course you haven't, because he's new in Ponyville and is certainly not based on any pre-existing pony!"
>smooth, Pinkie, 10/10
>the show hasn't even begun, and you're already feeling tired as hell
>while Pinkie is busy introducing Bubble to everyone, you tap Applejack on the shoulder
"Hey AJ, do you know by any chance if I can get a drink around here? The stronger, the better."
>"Y'all know we ain't got much in terms of strong, Anon, " - the farm pony chuckles, - "but it just happens that the Apple family is caterin' this here party with some of our finest cider, right over there!"
>you look to where she's pointing and see a huge barrel sitting on a cart with Big Mac standing by
>a small line of ponies is already beginning to form next to it
>even though pony alcohol indeed does very little for your system, you find cider nice and refreshing
"Perfect, thanks a lot AJ. It's still two bits a mug, right?"
>"Nah sugarcube, friends drink for free."
"I still owe you for house renovation, so don't you even."
>"Alright, alright, you win. But there'll be free apple pie at y'all's and Pinkie's party, mark my words."
"What p... Oh, yeah, sure."
>gotta find a way to take care of that as well before the web of lies grows bigger
>but right now the crisis is averted, and all that's left is to enjoy yourself...
>"...And this is Twilight Sparkle, she's the student of Princess Celestia herself and is super amazing at magic and stuff... Sugar? ...Sugar?"
>you look behind you and see that the colt has completely frozen up, peering at Twilight with unblinking eyes, Pinkie standing next to him looking very concerned
>you instantly recall the events of your first time hanging out and how panicked he was upon remembering what he saw in the Town Hall
>better get him away from the unicorn as soon as possible
>"Pinkie, is your friend alright? He seems scared of something."
>"Oh, he's, uh... He's just..."
"He's just feeling a bit starstruck! It's not everyday that you meet Celestia's protege, after all, he's a big fan!"
>Twilight bashfully raises one hoof at that comment
>"Oh, I'm not all that special, really! Definitely did not know I had fans, too."
"Yeah, there's a huge Twilight Sparkle fan club in Hollow Shades, you better believe it..."
>"Hollow Shades? But Pinkie just said Sugar was from Ghastly Gorge."
>behind Twilight, Pinkie Pie's pupils shrink to pinpoints
>alrighty then, nothing left but to expand the web of lies
"Oh no, I meant to say Hollow Glades, isn't that what they call Ghastly Gorge in Ponyville?"
>"...Anon, I've lived here for some years now, and I've never heard anyone use the name Hollow Glades."
"Not in your part of town, of course, it's a South Ponyville expression."
>"Uh-huh. An expression that is used as an alternate name for Ghastly Gorge."
"...Yes."
>"Yes, and they call it Hollow Glades despite the fact that there is barely any grass there."
"One thing I should... uh..."
>you realize you will not win this argument - not with such an obvious lie, not against a nerd as big as Twilight
>luckily, at that very moment the spotlights on both sides of the stage switch on and fog begins pouring out of the machines concealed in the floor
>"Ooh, it's starting, it's starting!"
>one mighty bass thump echoes across the field, followed by a dramatic synth chord
>"WHAT'S UP PONYVILLE!"
>you take this as your cue to bail
>when everyone turns towards the stage, you grab the still stationary Bubble across the barrel and take him behind a lone large tree off to the side
>setting your friend down on the grass, you kneel down and give his shoulder a gentle shake
"Bubble? Come on buddy, snap out of it."
>he blinks repeatedly, then inhales abruptly, then slowly exhales, almost deflating visibly and slumping against the tree trunk
"You alright? Tell me if you need a minute, we can stay here for a bit."
>the colt looks to you with almost painfully sad eyes
>"Maybe... Maybe going to this party wasn't such a good idea. I'm just giving you guys trouble when you should be having fun. I-I'll go back to Sugarcube Corner, I remember the way..."
>you put a finger to his lips, silencing him
"Shush. You're not going anywhere, you silly pony. We planned this whole thing because we wanted you to be happy. And by god, we're gonna make you happy one way or another!"
>with a small smile, Bubble nuzzles your hand
>"This means so much to me... YOU mean so much to me."
>he blushes immediately, realizing what he just said
>"U-uh, I-I mean, you and Pinkie both, b-but also..."
"I think I know just what you mean, Bubble."
>you pull the colt closer, holding him against your chest, and kiss him on the forehead
>his fur is soft and warm, you can feel his hot breath on your neck
>not even whatever stuff Pinkie used on his mane can kill the scent of strawberries
>the moment lasts five seconds at best, but it feels like the whole evening has been building up to it
>all of the problems, lies and misunderstandings fade into the background, melting into the beat of one of Vinyl's tracks reaching your ears, intertwining with the heartbeat of the stallion in your arms
>finally, you loosen the embrace, letting the once again speechless Bubble down on his haunches
>you offer him a warm smile
"Feeling a little better?"
>"...Uh-huh, " - is all he can manage, still lost in his own world
"Good. Now how about we go and let loose at last?"
>your gaze drifts towards the silhouette of the large barrel against the setting sun
"Wait. An even better idea. Let's go get something to help calm your nerves. Ever had cider before?"
>"Um, not really. Pinkie told me about it that one time, said it was really nice, but that's about it."
"Well then, today's gonna be the day of new experiences, my treat."
>"That's awfully nice of you to call me that."
"What?"
>Bubble dissolves into giggles as you slowly connect the dots
"You're so lucky you're so adorable."
>probably won't be too long until him and Pinkie are in the same room, and then someone's gonna die, most likely you
>tomorrow, all of this can wait till tomorrow
>hopefully
>several minutes later, you two join the cider line
>both of you are feeling much more upbeat than before, grooving in sync to the rhythm of the music as you wait your turn
>Bubble makes it a point to "accidentally" rub up against your leg every now and then while rocking back and forth with all four hooves pushed together
>not being the one for subtlety, you eventually just reach down and scratch behind his ear, causing him to flop down on his back with a blissfully goofy expression for a second before rolling back onto his hooves
>the sight turns some heads, but neither of you care all that much
"You know what, I'm not even sure you need cider now, I think you're just drunk on life at this point."
>"Awww, but I want some now that you offered! Besides, I haven't had that much life to get drunk on..."
"I'm just kidding, you noodlehead. Just try not to get too smashed, we still gotta be careful."
>at last, it's your turn at the tap
"Hey Mac, business as usual?"
>"Yyyup."
"Anyone been looking for me, by any chance?"
>"Nope."
"Awesome."
>you hand four small coins to the imposing red stallion
"A mug for me and my partner please."
>soon both of you are holding large wooden mugs teeming with froth from the drink that smells enticingly of freshly fermented apples
>thanking Big Mac, you step aside and take a big sip, feeling the golden goodness rejuvenating your entire body
>it's not even about the diminishingly low percentage of alcohol, the apples are just that good of 
"Mmm... Now that's the stuff. Bubble, before I forget, you maybe don't wanna drink the whole thing at..."
>*gulpgulpgulpgulp*
"...once."
>as he finishes off his mug in a matter of seconds, dropping it to the ground, the colt's entire body starts wobbling in place, his eyes now looking in slightly different directions
>at this point you've been around him long enough to intuitively know what do, and naturally, as soon as you put your hand on top of Bubble's head, the wobbling stops
"So how's your drink, good?"
>taking a second to refocus his eyes, the white stallion triumphantly exclaims:
>"Good? If there were walls here, I'd be bouncing off them!"
>he hops in place several times to prove his words
"Sweet, then it's time to hit the floor, finally. I think all of the lightweight warm-up stuff has been played already."
>as if on cue, the next track begins with at least five Amen breaks piled on top of each other chaotically
"Wow, Vinyl really went all experimental this time... Is that a black metal sample in there?!"
>so much for preservation of innocence, Vinyl is about to finish the dark deed you started
>just as long as the ponies don't start their own Guantanamo Bay...
>*gulpgulpgulp*
"Wha... BUBBLE!"
>turning back to your companion, you see him motionless on his hind hooves, staring at you from behind the second mug of cider like a deer in the headlights
"I leave my drink unattended for one second, and you immediately slurp it all down! For shame!"
>the insolent colt promptly takes off in the direction of the dancing crowd, his joyful laughter ringing across the field
"Get back here you little bugger!"
>"Try and catch me first!"
>giving chase, you soon see him slink into a small opening between the dancers
>however, given the fact that you are twice as tall as any pony, it's only a matter of time before you catch up to Bubble, who rears up at you playfully, letting you grab him by his forehooves
>"Dance with me Nonny, dance with me!"
>the look of total happiness in his huge blue eyes makes your heart do a somersault
>a month ago you'd never even consider dancing in public, but now you just start moving along with Bubble without thinking
>as the rhythm grows steadier, you forget yourself and lose all track of time
>how many tracks has it been? four? five?
>Vinyl keeps her transitions smooth, and you don't really give a damn
>it's already dark by the time you and Bubble finally stop to catch your breath, while the unicorn DJ is announcing something between tracks
>"Your *huff* moves are much better now!" - he beams at you, getting his now-disheveled mane out of his face
>you can swear his golden locks are slowly becoming curly again
"I've been doing all the same stuff since day one!" - you laugh, sitting down on the grass, - "I'm just doing it with more confidence now!"
>"That's all that matters Nonny! Oof, I could really go for one more cider! And then... back to the dancefloor!"
>you raise your hands in surrender
"Bubble, I mean Sugar, I don't know what kind of supernatural stamina you ponies have, but as much as I wish this night never ended, I think this was my last dance for today."
>"There you are guys!"
>Pinkie Pie squeezes through the rows of ponies and into the small clearing where you're resting
>she is covered from head to hooves in glowing bracelets, novelty pendants and body paint
>there is also a big striped top hat on her head
>"I've been looking for you all over the place! And I also found a tent where they sell some really cool stuff... and kinda got distracted... Anyway, are you having fun?"
>"Oh, you better believe it!" - Bubble chirps, grinning from ear to ear, - "Me and Nonny had some cider, and we danced for, like, two hours, and before that we, um, well..."
"Long story short, good time was had by all, " - you conclude before he can say too much
>"That's some really splendirrific news!" - Pinkie exclaims, - "I just talked to Vinyl, she said the final third of the set is about to start, I can't wait!"
>upon hearing that, you lean back and let yourself fall into the nature's embrace
"Oooooooh no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm done guys, sorry. I'm out of energy, out of steam, out of juice, whatever you call it. Gonna go home now, fall face-first onto the couch and wake up the next day hurting all over, that's my plan."
>"Awww, but the real fun is just starting!"
>just as Pinkie says it, a small flash can be seen on the stage right next to Vinyl, accompanied by a loud "POP" and a puff of smoke
>you realize music is no longer playing from the monitors
"Huh, weird. Better go check if everything is alright."
>hum of the crowd gets louder as you and your friends get closer to the stage, with concerned and confused ponies trying to get a better look at what's happening
>from where you are, you can see that the smoke is coming somewhere from under the turntable stand
>some rustling can also be heard from there, with electrical parts getting flung out and an occasional curse being uttered
>you reach up and knock on the front cover of the stand twice
"Vinyl?"
>after some grunting, the DJ climbs out of the guts of her equipment, draped in frayed wires, her shades are resting on her forehead, and her face is covered in soot
>"There have been some technical difficulties, " - she states grimly, - "I'm frankly not sure if I can finish the set now."
"That bad?"
>you've seen enough of Vinyl's concerts to know that "show must go on" is practically her motto: on at least two occasions she had to start soldering circuits right in the middle of the gig, and on at least one occasion it resulted in her getting electrocuted
>"Yeah, that bad. One of the power units crapped out on me, which is fine, since I have a spare, but because of some faulty fuse my left turntable just went and died!"
"Can't you finish the show with one turntable?"
>the DJ gives you an almost offended look
>"One turntable is kiddie stuff, that's what I played for the warmup! Ponies wanna see some multi-track magic, and that's exactly what I've been saving for last, the complex stuff! Now I can either play the beat part or the melody part, and that just sucks either way."
>she kicks at the stand in frustration
>"Man, this should have ended with a bang. Dammit!"
>while Vinyl is busy moping, a certain something catches your eye in the back of the stage
"Hey, you got someone to play that?"
>Vinyl looks to where you're pointing - to a slightly beat-up electric bass guitar resting on one of the gear cases
>"Oh, that thing. I mostly use it to record parts to mix later, usually in multiple takes, since I'm not very good at it."
>she puts a hoof to her chin in thought
>"Hmm, you gave me a nice idea... Play some live bass over the beats, throw in some scratches here and there, I can switch records while the bass is keeping the rhythm... That could be a sweet surprise performance! Anon, you play the bass well, right? You gotta be good at it, you have a whole ten of these flexible finger things!"
>you look away sheepishly
"Sorry to disappoint, but... I can barely pluck one string."
>the DJ's expression darkens again
>"Damn shame. Well, guess it's time to make the annoucement and start packing..."
>"Uhh, Vinyl?"
>both you and the unicorn look towards Bubble, who seems to be very interested in the bass guitar
>"...Can I try to play this?"
>"Do you play bass, Sugar?"
>"Well, not really, but..."
>Vinyl slams a hoof into her forehead in exasperation
>"Is today Give Vinyl Scratch False Hope Day or something?"
"Come on, Vinyl, let him have a try. You never know, maybe he has a gift for it or something."
>you have no idea what Bubble is up to, but the least you can do is be supportive
>the DJ lets out a defeated sigh
>"Fine, whatever, not like it'll make things worse. Just plug into that speaker over there and play me anything you want."
>after some fumbling with the cable, Bubble slings the strap over his shoulder and gets into position
>ponies look oddly adorable to you when standing on their hind legs - more adorable than usual, anyway - and with how the colt is trying to keep his balance while holding a bass almost as big as himself, you have to suppress a smirk
>sticking out his tongue in utmost concentration, he cautiosly brings his hoof up to the instrument and plucks the heaviest string with the side of it, producing a low metallic "p'tang"
>he looks like he has no idea what he's doing, but is clearly pleased with the result, proceeding to play a couple more notes while moving his left hoof up and down the frets
>a smile creeps onto his face as he eventually connects the notes into a little melody
>Vinyl, however, is starting to get impatient
>"Listen Sugar, you really are alright for a beginner, but..."
>Bubble suddenly picks up the pace, occasionally moving to the neighboring string now
>what he is doing can be called a proper groove at this point, and you find yourself tapping your foot to it
>several bars later he's already starting to use the slap technique
>how the fuck do you even do that with hooves?
>you look at Vinyl to see that she's just as slack-jawed as you are
>although Bubble's own reaction is priceless as well: he's staring down at his hooves in utter amazement, as if they are not a part of him
>just as he begins doing fast triplets, the DJ finally regains the ability to speak
>"You call that 'not really'?! THAT?! You're on fire, kid!"
"I second that, " - you add, clapping enthusiastically, - "that was mind-blowing."
>the colt stops playing, alight with excitement
>"You're telling me? I myself didn't know I could do it like that!"
>Vinyl snorts loudly
>"Yeah, good one Sugar, I totally believe that."
>"I'm serious! Sure, there was that time Pinkie lent me her banjo, but that's it!"
>"Whatever you say dude. Now, can you do this again to a beat? I'm gonna plug you into the monitors, and if you're this good at jamming, then consider this gig saved!"
>"Okie dokie lokie!" - Bubble nods eagerly, - "I'll try my best!"
>"Hell yeah, let's do this! Get ready, I'll give you a cue!"
>with a grin of determination, Vinyl gets back behind the long-suffering turntable
>"FILLIES AND GENTLECOLTS! WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS!"
>you quietly take a place in the front row of ponies, right before Bubble, for the best possible view
>preoccupied with tuning his instrument, he doesn't instantly notice, and a minute passes before he looks down and sees your face
>he waves coyly at you, and you cannot resist responding by making a heart shape with your fingers, making him blush to your absolute delight
>however, right at that moment Vinyl starts the beat, and the white colt straightens up immediately, nodding along with it in anticipation of his cue
>as the beat reaches the critical point, he gets a wave he was waiting for and starts playing
>to say the crowd is blown away is to say nothing
>by the mid-point of the second improvised track the ponies are absolutely ecstatic, and you're pretty sure it's not just all the cider they have consumed
>as track four rolls around, things get so hectic that a mosh pit spontaneously starts near you
>the pony mosh pit has officially been added to your list of cute things ponies do, but you have to move away to prevent the participants from running headfirst into your kneecaps
>all you want to do is watch Bubble play
>he seems almost unreal, playing elaborate passages effortlessly with a peaceful expression on his face as the strobe light paints his white coat all colors of the rainbow in quick succession, his mane blowing in the summer breeze
>and to think this all started because of a mistake in the cloning process...
>"They grow up so fast, don't they?"
>you are startled back to reality by Pinkie Pie materializing suddenly right by your left ear - that's the best way you can describe it, since you are far too smitten and tired at this point to notice things anymore
>after the current song ends, Bubble walks over to Vinyl to ask her something, giving you an opportunity to talk without shouting
"Pinkie! Where have you been?"
>"Just talking to Rarity, sorry for disappearing, really had to ask her something. But I heard everything from back there, and this is seriously just the best thing ever! I mean, I play some instruments, but I, like, only know a couple party songs, plus my one-pony-band thingy pretty much plays itself, you just gotta blow into it! How did you guys get Sugar to play like that?"
>you can only shrug in response
"I have no idea, he just picked up the bass and started melting faces left and right! I figured it was his special talent or something."
>Pinkie furrows her brow in surprise
>"But Nonny, his special talent is the same as mine: throwing parties, like what both our cutie marks say!"
"Yeah, but you are also really good at baking."
>"Well, that's because I've been working for a very very long time at Sugarcube Corner, duh! And baking is kinda related to parties, isn't it?"
"I guess, but..."
>it's way too late at night for you to be thinking about the logic of pony butt symbols, and also just late at night in general, and you have to squeeze your eyes shut for a second before opening them again
>today has been as breathtaking as it has been exhausting
>"Are you alright Nonny? You look a bit dizzy."
"Don't worry about it, I'm just a little tired, and also a certain pink mare almost gave me a heart attack recently..."
>"Did I make your heart beat faster, Nonny?"
>it's that tone again, dammit
>before you know it, Pinkie climbs onto your back and hugs you from behind, nuzzling your ear
>"You can come rest at my place after the show if you'd like..."
>you look back to the stage and are relieved to see that Bubble is looking the other way
>you then carefully peel the pink pony off yourself and set her down on the ground
"Pinkie... About that... I wanted to tell you something. You see..."
>"THANK YOU SO MUCH, PONYVILLE! YOU'VE BEEN AN ABSOLUTELY AWESOME CROWD TODAY! AND THIS IS WHY WE DECIDED TO PLAY THIS ONE LAST SONG FOR YOU BEFORE CALLING IT A NIGHT!"
>"Ooh, hold that thought, I gotta cheer for him at least once! YAY SUGAR SLICE! BEST BASSIST IN EQUESTRIA! WE LOVE YOU!"
>perfect timing as usual
>all you can do now is enjoy the song, which is, in contrast to most of the set, a slow, soothing piece
>the lights have been dimmed, leaving only two bright spotlights - one on Vinyl, mixing a laid-back R'n'B beat, and another on Bubble, laying down a buttery smooth bass groove
>it is indeed the perfect closer to the set and, as far as you're concerned, to the entire night
>as the final notes of the track fade out and the main stage lights come back on, the whole field erupts into thunderous cheer
>Vinyl, a radiant smile on her face, shouts one more announcement into her microphone:
>"THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN EVERYBODY! AND BEFORE WE SAY GOODBYE TO YOU BEAUTIFUL PONIES, I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE ONE PONY WHO MADE THIS LAST PART OF THE SHOW POSSIBLE... GIVE A ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR MY BUDDY SUGAR SLICE!"
>the spotlight once again centers on Bubble, who, judging by his widened eyes, did not expect such an honor at all
>it isn't too long, however, before he's basking in the attention, sending air kisses to the crowd
>he then takes off his bass and dives off the stage, but with no intention of crowdsurfing
>you catch the exhilarated white stallion in your arms, inertia making you spin around in place
>he's saying something to you, and although you can't hear from how loud the crowd is getting, seeing him this happy is all you need
>the only thing stopping you from kissing him right then and there is Pinkie's presence
>you lean closer to him and say to his ear:
"Not bad for your first party, huh?"
***
>the first thing you feel before even opening your eyes is something very light and soft hitting your face
>you flinch just a bit at the strange sensation invading your personal space, but there is still a chance you can go back to sleep, as long as you ignore it and...
>the softness whips against your shoulder now, and your eyes crack open involuntarily
>so much for five more minutes
>groggily, you sit up on your unfolded couch
>you are immediately blasted in the face by the morning rays
>although, given how late it was when you finally got home, it's probably afternoon rays instead
>you scoot closer to the back of the couch until your eyes are no longer subjected to Celestia's assault
>as you do so, you feel the same brushing feeling from before on your hand and finally open your eyes fully to look to your side
>the blanket, which has been taken completely away from you and is now hanging partially off the mattress, has a sizeable mysterious lump underneath it
>it keeps rising and falling ever so slightly, and sticking from under the blanket is a familiar blonde tail, which idly whips around every other minute or so
>slowly, the events of last night come back to you
>you recall the very end of Vinyl's grand dance party and Bubble's euphoric state after becoming the star of the night
>as expected from any event Pinkie Pie is a part of, as soon as the concert was over, the afterparty started
>although initially reluctant to stay, you warmed up to the idea upon finding out Pinkie and some other ponies simply planned to lie on the grass and relax
>you were especially enthusiastic about the "lie on the grass" part, since Pinkie and Bubble both immediately draped themselves across your body, giving you all the more reason to not move
>there was much petting that night
>then at some point Applejack revealed the second, smaller cider barrel for those who were still up for drinks, and things got funny
>Bubble being the hot new idol, everyone wanted to drink with him
>so after the two of you drank a couple mugs, Vinyl got him another one
>then Rainbow Dash got him one more
>then Applejack treated him to one for free
>then Berry Punch bought the whole next round
>then Fluttershy, of all ponies, offered him another, then asked him to finish hers as well
>that was the first time you ever saw Fluttershy drunk
>predictably, Bubble hadn't refused a single one, so by the end of this "drinknic", as Pinkie called it, he could only lay on his back making sounds
>before that, he managed to deliver an entertaining tirade about how he was "moving to Ponyville, because Hollow Glades blows anyways", and also one about "this friend who's in love with a super cute stallion", during which he constantly kept mixing up third and first person, which thankfully no one noticed because everyone else was quite tipsy by that point
>by the time everyone finally decided to go home, even you were feeling drunk, which meant you somehow downed at least half the barrel
>for that reason, being the designated colt carrier, you decided to let Bubble sleep at your place rather than go all the way back to Sugarcube Corner
>you did not trust yourself to go down the poorly lit basement stairs with such precious cargo, and the rent period of all the cider you drank was almost due as well
>carrying a drunk Bubble wasn't exactly the easiest task, since he was constantly trying to lick at your face and stick his muzzle down your shirt
>still, he was out like a light the moment you put him down on the mattress
>after remembering all that, it's even more heartwarming to see him coccooned in your blanket
>with a smile, you lightly pet his sleeping form, so as not to wake the colt up
"Sleep tight, you little drunk angel."
>a quiet hum of contentment comes from inside the coccoon
>satisfied, you go through your morning routine and get dressed
>by the time you are done with breakfast, Bubble is still not up, so you move a chair next to the couch and put a plate with a muffin on it, along with a piece of paper saying "BRB"
>heading out, you feel more confident than ever
>time to go talk to Pinkie and untangle this stupid love triangle
***
>the walk to the bakery is uneventful, but pleasant
>you were nervous the first time you were about to tell Pinkie the truth, but now you just want to rip that bandaid off as quickly as possible
>however, entering Sugarcube Corner, you don't see the pink pony in her usual place behind the counter - instead it's her boss, a kindly older blue mare
"Hello there Mrs. Cake! Is Pinkie Pie here?"
>"Oh, hello Anonymous! You just missed her, I'm afraid, she had to leave on some rather urgent business."
>dammit, this is starting to get frustrating
"Did she tell you how soon she will be back? I've been meaning to talk to her about something really important."
>"No, she did not specify, sorry dear."
>all of a sudden Mrs. Cake leans over the counter and whispers in a conspiratorial tone: 
>"But don't you worry, something tells me you two will be meeting soon enough anyway!"
>she caps that off with a little giggle
"Riiight. Okay then, sorry to bother you Mrs. Cake, I'll drop by later."
>Pinkie, what are you planning now?
>no matter, you can get back to this later, there is someone else you wanted to visit on a matter just as, if not more delicate
>as you are about to leave the store, the door opens and you almost bump into a pony
"Whoops, excuse me, I didn't see... Oh, hey there!"
>it's none other than Bubble, looking back at you with a slightly flustered expression
>"Hi Nonny... Fancy meeting you here!"
>the odd turn of phrase catches you by surprise
"Oh yeah, in, like, one of two or three places that I go to all time in this town, " - you chuckle, - "Anyway, did you sleep well?"
>the colt tilts his head to the side with a little smile and grabs one of his forelegs with the other in a faux-shy manner
>"Well, it sure is a nice house to spend the night in, aaand I don't remember walking there myself, which can only mean one thing..."
>he suddenly gets up on his hind hooves, throwing his forelegs up in the air
>"I was kidnapped by aliens!"
"Yup, that's clearly the only explanation, " - you say with a roll of your eyes, patting the overjoyed Bubble on the head, - "You exceedingly silly pony."
>he looks even better in the daylight, sun shining down on his pristine white coat~
>wait a minute
>you motion for Bubble to step outside with you and crouch down so you can talk more quietly
"Bubble, isn't the potion supposed to wear off by now?"
>"...Nope!"
>for a brief second, you can see a hint of unease in his eyes, but he retains his cheerful smile
"But I remember Pinkie saying that it lasts for twelve hours, and we're well into the afternoon of the next day!"
>"That's if you take one sip, and I think I took four, at least!"
"What? Why?"
>"Why do you think, silly? Because this way I can go outside and make friends and go to parties and... so much other stuff! WE can do all this together! Isn't that great Nonny?"
>as much as you like what he's saying, you can't help but disagree
"So... it's forty-eight hours then. And then what?"
>"We'll just ask Zecora to make more, of course!"
>you can hear notes of anxiety in Bubble's voice - he clearly feels that you don't share his enthusiasm
"What if it's hard to make? Come to think of it, what if it has side effects? You drank four times the dose, that already may have bad consequences!"
>"N-no, it won't! I feel fine, I swear!"
>at this point he sounds like he's convincing himself rather than you
>"Nonny, why do you not want me to take the potion again?"
>the colt's smile is gone, his face is absolutely serious
>you take a deep breath before responding
"Because I don't want you to spend your whole life hiding."
>Bubble gives you a look of confusion
>"But I'm not hiding anymore Nonny. That was the point, wasn't it? Now that I'm not... well, me, I can live like a normal pony and do all the things ponies do! This will just be our big huge secret, forever and ever, between you, me and Pinkie! I'm sure she will agree!"
"Bubble..."
>"Please call me Sugar, Nonny. That's who I am now, remember?"
>a sigh escapes your chest
"...So this is why you came here too, right? To try and get more of this potion from Pinkie?"
>"Yup."
"Well, she's not here anyway, I already asked."
>you get up, about to leave, before deciding to say something else
"One more thing though: are you really prepared to live like this? Under a fake name, looking like anyone except yourself? I remember when we first met, and it was a challenge for you not to move like you wanted to, like you were going against your nature. Will you be happy? Because me and Pinkie want you to be happy."
>Bubble is completely silent for a good minute, before he manages to weakly utter just a single phrase, staring at the ground beneath his forehooves:
>"It... it doesn't matter..."
>you want to ask what does matter to him, but then realize you probably already know the answer
"But you don't have have to do all this, Bubble. There is another way." 
>you crouch down once more and take his hoof in your hand before continuing:
"I think it's about time we finally talked to Twilight. I know you are scared of her, but she's a reasonable pony, Pinkie's just overreacting. Besides, I'll fight tooth and claw for you if I have to."
>"I..."
>it's obvious that Bubble is very conflicted about your idea, you can practically feel several different emotions wrestling inside him
>finally, he raises his eyes back to you
>"I trust you, Nonny. But... I need some time, okay? Just a little."
>he slowly pulls his hoof free and gives your cheek a small nuzzle
>"I'll see you around. Gotta do some thinking on my own."
>and with that, he walks off, disappearing around the corner
>at least he promised to consider what you said
>small steps, small adjustments...
>you are, however, still very intent on visiting Twilight, although you are not going to tell her the truth just yet
>all you're going to do is test the water, so to speak
>upon knocking on the door of Golden Oaks Library, you at first receive no reply
>only after you knock again, you hear a faint "Alright, alright, I'm coming!" followed by hurried hoofsteps
>the door opens to reveal a slightly disheveled Twilight Sparkle, who puts her friendly face on just a little too late for you not to notice she is a bit annoyed by having to answer the door
>"Oh, hello there Anon! What a surprise! I did not expect to see you so soon again."
"Hi Twilight. I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something important..."
>"No, no, it's alright, I'm almost finished. It's just that I was about to begin the final test when I heard you knocking. Please come in!"
>you enter the familiar hall, lined from floor to ceiling with shelves and niches filled with books
>you don't remember if you've even been here after you got your own house, but the place still holds some pleasant memories of your first contact with the ponies
>Twilight gestures for you to follow her upstairs
>"So what brings you here today Anon?"
"Uh, well, you know... I was in the neighborhood and figured I'd finally come by to chat, been meaning to get out more and all that."
>"That's nice to hear! You really have been spending a lot of time alone lately, and if it wasn't for Pinkie Pie, I would have been worried."
"Yeah, Pinkie is a treasure. She's the one who got me to open up in the first place, after all. What was that Applejack said back when I just got here? 'If he laughs at Pinkie's jokes, he can't be all that bad' or something like that."
>Twilight chuckles softly
>"The Pinkie Test hasn't failed us once yet."
>she opens the last door on the right side of the corridor and flicks the lights on, trotting through what seems like a small laboratory
>meanwhile, you slowly try to steer the conversation in the right direction
"Amazing how many weird things seem to have happened in Ponyville, myself included. Didn't this place get attacked by two or three villains in the last couple years?"
>"Oof, don't remind me, " - Twilight says with a mock-tired look on her face, levitating a large tome to the table next to her, - "I even did a statistics table on all the major towns of Equestria just to see if the frequency of extraordinary occurences is actually higher in this place, and Ponyville indeed seems to be a magnet for calamity. Want me to pull it up? It's a fascinating piece of data, if I do say so myself..."
"It's okay, I believe you, " - you stop her before she has a chance to reach into the top drawer of her work desk
>"Suit yourself, " - the unicorn is obviously slightly disappointed, but proceeds regardless, - "Anyway, my theory is that the Elements of Harmony tend to attract various supernatural entities, even those unaware of them, simply by holding significant magical power."
>alright, now to smoothly transition to the topic of interest...
"Yeah, and what's the deal with that mirror pool, right?"
>nailed it
>thankfully, you're not the only socially awkward one in the room, so Twilight sees nothing suspicious whatsoever
>"Oh, that thing was absolute hell to deal with too. Funny you should mention it, since it's actually directly related to what I'm working on right now."
>this statement catches you off guard
"You are?"
>"Come take a look for yourself!"
>you approach the table Twilight is standing behind and gaze at the thing placed in the center of it
"You made... a compass?"
>"It may look like one to an untrained eye, " - the unicorn says, not without a slight air of smugness, - "but it's actually a complex magical device designed specifically for tracking down the remaining Pinkie clones!"
>you feel a tugging sensation in your stomach
"H-how does that work?"
>"It's more simple than it sounds: you take a hair from Pinkie Pie, immerse it in regular water filling the inside of the device, then add a single drop of water from the mirror pool and, finally, apply a basic tracking charm!"
>you watch wordlessly as Twilight takes out a small metal box
>"Exhibit A: Hair taken from one of the Pinkie clones, preserved in an insulated container."
>as soon as the box is opened, the arrow of the compass darts in the direction of the hair inside, glowing a light shade of red and making a tiny "ping" sound
>"Aaaand... Success!" - Twilight grins in satisfaction, marking the result down with a quill, - "Now to test the range! I'm actually not sure what the exact range is, but as long as it's at least a couple blocks..."
>before she can start explaining the specifics, you decide to ask the question that has been bothering you this entire time
"Okay, I've been meaning to ask this for a while... Why exactly are you so hellbent on finding all these clones? I mean, I get that they were mostly really single-minded and destructive, but don't you think the one or two that got away really warrant so much effort?"
>Twilight's face suddenly assumes a very serious expression
>"I understand your doubt, Anon, and initially I wasn't planning on doing this... but then I did some research and found out something else. And it's concerning Pinkie Pie. The real one."
>the tone of her voice sends a chill down your spine
"...Go on."
>Twilight comes closer to you, not breaking eye contact
>"Now, this is something I haven't shared with anyone yet, not even with Pinkie herself, but I do need to get it off my chest. Just please don't tell anyone."
"Sure, but... how bad can it be?"
>now you're really tempting fate
>"It has to do with cutie marks. You may know that a cutie mark is a completely unique part of a pony, kind of like fingerprints for humans, if I recall correctly. But cutie marks are also charged with magic inherent to Equestria itself. There are very few forces powerful enough to change or copy a cutie mark. Even if two ponies have similar talents, their marks will still be different."
>the purple pony starts pacing around the room as she continues:
>"The mirror pool, however, is an anomaly. Many have tried to study it, including yours truly, and for the most part have come up empty. The fact remains that clones produced by this anomaly have cutie marks identical to those of the original."
>pulling several books off her desk, Twilight starts frantically turning the pages with her magic
>"There aren't many mentions of the pool throughout Equestrian history, despite its huge potential. Ponies must have always known not to play around with something so powerful... for the most part. In the few cases I managed to find, the clones are either destroyed or are never found, leving their fate uncertain. But then there's this..."
>one particular book floats to the foreground before the two of you
>"This is the legend of a wandering fiddler who fell into the mirror pool by accident, producing a single clone. He quickly became friends with the duplicate, and the two played their music around Equestria while pretending to be twins. It's mostly a very happy story, but it ends with this sentence, here."
>you move closer and take a look at the bottom of the last page, reading the worn-out calligraphy:
"...and both of them lived on in prosperity, till creation mended itself and there was but one fiddler once more." 
>you blink once, then read the last part again:
"'...till creation mended itself and there was but one fiddler once more.' What does that mean, Twilight?"
>"I don't know! And that's the scariest part! If by "creation" the author meant the inherent magic of Equestria, then it means we're dealing with a literal force of nature out to get a Pinkie Pie!"
>with the situation looking quite grim already, Twilight's wording doesn't give you much confidence either
"'A' Pinkie Pie?"
>"...Meaning that in order to restore the balance of magic, the powers that be may just... just..."
"Just what? What is it?"
>you already know
>"...may just erase the clone from existence... or erase the original."
>you feel the entire world shattering around you
>Twilight says something else, but her words do not register
>if there is a way out of this, you don't see it
>"...you hear me? Anon? ANON!"
>you snap back to reality
"I gotta go."
>"Anon, wait! What are you~"
>*ping* *ping* *ping* *ping* *ping* *ping* *ping* *ping*
>on the table behind Twilight, the device begins glowing red, so bright that it illuminates the ceiling
>"Sweet Celestia, no."
>both of you rush over to the compass, looking to see where the arrow is pointing
>it's somewhere near your house
>"There's one in Ponyville right now! Quick, I have to gather the others... No, too little time! I'll find Rainbow Dash, she's faster! Anon, I need you to~"
>Twilight turns around to see that you are already gone
>you have to get to him before her
>and then... you have no idea what to do
***
>your head is bursting with thoughts as you run through the streets of Ponyville
>there has to be a way to keep Bubble safe, but how?
>no use in hiding him anymore
>tell him to skip town? may work, but probably not for too long
>should have taken this compass with you or smashed it
>oh yeah, because having him flick out of existence without a warning would be so much better
>for that matter, it will be just as bad, if not worse, if this happens to Pinkie
>unlike Bubble, she has a lot of friends and a family, and...
>dammit, neither of them deserve this!
>you put your depressing musings on pause as you see your house in the distance
>there is a pink pony at the door
"Pinkie!"
>"Oh hi Nonny, I was just waiting for you!"
"I'm so glad you're here..."
>you take a second to catch your breath
>looking back up, you see that Pinkie has a big blue bow tied sideways around her neck and a heart-shaped box of chocolates in her hooves
>oh man, not this again, not now
>"And I am double-glad to see you! Say, how about you and me..."
"Before you finish that thought, Pinkie, I've got something very important to tell you."
>"Oh Nonny, I love you too!"
"Pinkie, that's not~"
>you fall silent as you hear a loud gasp to your right
>slowly turning in the direction of the noise, you see a white stallion with a blonde mane and tail and an expression of shock and misery on his face
"...Bubble, let me explain."
>before you can say anything else, he runs off without saying a word
"Bubble, wait!.. Goddammit!"
>"Nonny, what just happened? And why is Bubby's coat still white?" - asks the completely confused party pony
"Pinkie, there's no time to explain, something really bad is about to happen!"
>"Then explain faster, please! I don't understand anything right now!"
"Argh! Fine, I'll tell you on the way, let's go!"
>you grab Pinkie under your arm and run after Bubble
>you pray that you can catch up to him - the last thing you would want is for him to go out thinking that two of his best friends stabbed him in the back
>or to go out at all
***
"...and that's the gist of it."
>once you're done telling Pinkie everything that transpired in the last couple days, in as few words as you can and in between heavy breaths, it takes her a second to digest the information
>"So you're saying you and Bubble have been a thing this whole time, and I ruined it? I'm so sorry Nonny, I didn't mean it!"
"Really, Pinkie? That's what you take from all of this? You guys are in terrible danger!"
>"Yeah, that's very bad too. Hey, I think there's some fur of his on that bush! Also, you can put me down if you want."
>letting go of the mare, you closely inspect the shrubbery she is pointing to and see that it indeed has some short white hairs on it
"Good eye, Pinks. I almost thought we lost him. Hopefully, he's not too far ahead and we can find him before it's..."
>you trail off, as the hairs suddenly turn pink in your hand
"...too late. The effect of the potion does not stack at all, does it?"
>"Nope. Zecora said that the more you drink it, the less effective it becomes."
"That's what I feared, " - you mutter as you pick up the pace again
>soon you and Pinkie are out of Ponyville, walking across an open field - the same one where the concert was held yesterday
>there are still sizeable divots in the grass from where the stage was and where all the ponies danced
>it already feels like it was a hundred years ago
>"BUBBLE! WHERE ARE YOU?! PLEASE COME OUT! IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!"
>Pinkie flops down on the ground sadly
>"I have no more clues Nonny, he could go anywhere from here! This is so awful..."
>there is nothing but grass as far the eye can see, with the Everfree Forest rising off in the distance
>you hope Bubble at least had the common sense not to go there
>suddenly, a familiar-looking tree catches your eye
"I think I know where he is."
>the closer you get to the tree, the more convinced you are that you can hear something from behind it
>it doesn't take too long for you to realize that something is, in fact, a stallion sobbing
>with your heart ripping into a million pieces at the sound, you carefully peek behind the trunk
>you see a once-again pink pony with a frizzy mane and tail, slumped sideways against the tree facing away from you, staring at the ground before him
"Bubble?"
>he turns his head in your direction, not enough to face you, but enough for his words to be audible
>"What do you want?"
>his voice is shaky and quiet, and you can glimpse the tear streaks on his face
"Bubble, there was a misunderstanding. I am not dating Pink~"
>"What's not to understand? Anon, I may be silly sometimes, but I'm not stupid. Pinkie had the candy and the pretty bow and everything..."
>"Anon is not lying, Bubby. It's all my fault."
>you turn to see Pinkie now standing next to you, tearing up as well
>"I was the dumb one who did not see the signs and never bothered to ask Nonny or you. I'm sorry."
>the colt remains silent for a second, once again staring at the ground
>"I don't know if I can believe that, Pinkie. I'm not sure of anything right now."
>his mane slowly becomes less and less curly, going almost completely straight
>seeing that Pinkie is now also about to cry, you move a little closer
"It's your choice to believe us or not, Bubble. But that's not the only reason we're here. There's something very bad going down, and..."
>"THERE THEY ARE, TWILIGHT!"
>all three of you whip around to see Rainbow Dash heading towards you, leaving a rainbow trail in the sky
>following it on hoof below is the entire Friendship Squad, with Twilight carrying her detector in her magic
>"Pinkie, Anon! Good job finding the clone, guys, now step back and let me deal with this..."
>as Twilight's horn begins to glow purple, both you and Pinkie latch onto Bubble, shielding him from the unicorn
>"TWILIGHT, NO!"
>"What do you mean, 'no'?" - the purple pony inquires, visibly confused, - "Pinkie, if I don't get rid of this clone..."
>"I know what you're going to say, Twilight, Nonny told me everything! And my answer is still no!"
>Twilight looks towards you in frustration
>"Anon! You promised you... What is even happening here?!"
>"Allow me, guys."
>Bubble softly slips out from between the two of you and walks up to Twilight
>his mane is still limp and lifeless, and there are still tears on his face, but his eyes show no fear
>he stops and looks the unicorn in the face
>"Hi Twilight... and hi everyone else as well. My name is Bubble Berry. You guys probably think you don't know me, but you actually do. We met yesterday, I just had a different name and look and everything. Pinkie did that for me. She did a lot for me, actually. I've been living in the basement of Sugarcube Corner for three months now. It was a bit lonely at first, but Pinkie tried super hard to cheer me up."
>not a single pony tries to interrupt Bubble or ask questions, listening to his every word
>"Then she brought Nonny along for some company... and it got even better. We had so much fun together, me and Nonny and Pinkie. I couldn't be seen outside, so they brought the party to me... and when that wasn't enough, they did everything and more to get me to the party. That's where I met you guys. I didn't get a chance to get to know you too well, but I still think you're all really swell ponies."
>he takes a moment to wipe the tears from his face
>"I don't know why you want me gone, but if it's that important, then you probably have a very good reason. I haven't lived for very long, but if you have to make me go back to the mirror pool right now, at least I can say I've had a good life, because I spent it with my best friends. And that's all that matters."
>as Bubble finishes his speech and stands there in silence, no one makes a move
>you can see Rarity and Fluttershy trying to blink the tears away, and you hear Pinkie sniffling next to you
>as for Twilight, she opens her mouth, but words seem to fail her
>finally, she turns to you and asks:
>"Is... is that true?"
>both you and Pinkie nod wordlessly
>the glow around her horn subsides
>"Then I don't know what to do, " - she says in utter defeat
>"Um, Twilight?" - Fluttershy squeaks out, trying to keep her composure, - "Do you really need to... d-do the thing you said to Bubble Berry?"
>"Ah second that question, Twi, " - Applejack says, fiddling with the brim of her hat, - "he don't seem like any danger, can't ya just let the poor colt go?"
>"It's not that easy, Applejack, " - Twilight replies somberly, - "Sooner or later Equestrian magic will catch up with this anomaly, and then either Bubble Berry here will disappear anyway, or it will be Pinkie Pie!"
>"WHAT?!" - Rainbow Dash exclaims, zooming over to Pinkie's side, - "What even is there to discuss then?! Do your thing Twilight, I'm not gonna lose a friend over this! Tell 'em Pinkie!"
>Pinkie, however, remains silent
>"Anon, say something! Pinkie loves you, doesn't she? Who knows how much time we have!"
>you are about to respond, but Rarity speaks up before you do:
>"Dash, dear. It's obvious that our two friends have grown... quite fond of Mr. Bubble Berry, perhaps even more than we'd think. For Pinkie to give up on him would probably be just as hard as for you to give up on Pinkie."
>Rainbow herself is now on the verge of crying
>"AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO'S NORMAL ANYMORE?"
>this scene is rapidly becoming too much for you
"Twilight, is there absolutely nothing we can do to keep both of them safe? What if it's a proximity thing? Maybe if Bubble just moves somewhere else..."
>"I thought about that already, and it's not very likely, " - Twilight shakes her head, - "On a cosmic scale, even a big distance becomes insignificant."
"Maybe... crap, I don't know... that material you made the sample box from, so that the compass does not detect it! Can you make a whole room out of that?"
>you know you are grasping at straws here, but that's all you've got left
>"Anon... That material is extremely rare, and even if there was enough for one room, would you want Bubble to spend his whole life in it?"
"But... At least that way..."
>Bubble approaches you with a sad smile
>"It's okay Nonny. I know it may hurt now, but it will get better eventually, you'll see..."
"No, it's not okay! It's not okay at all!"
>at this point it feels like scraping the bottom of the barrel
"Twilight, you told me before that it's very hard to change a pony's cutie mark, but it's possible, right? Very hard, but still possible?"
>Twilight looks up from the ground slowly after you say that
>"There is one way. But I'm not sure you'll like it."
>"W-what is it?" - Bubble asks tentatively
>"There is..." - Twilight shifts in place uneasily, the subject clearly uncomfortable for her, - "...a very old practice, one that has been banned in Equestria and also requires a lot of magical power, but maybe if I explain the situation to Princess Celestia, she will make an exception for you."
>she swallows nervously
>"But it's not to change a cutie mark. It's to wipe it completely."
>your heart sinks, and several gasps can be heard around you
>"This means you will lose your special talent forever, and there is no guarantee you will ever get another cutie mark. Most likely, you will remain a blank flank for the rest of your life."
>beside you, Pinkie brings her hooves up to her mouth
>"I would be okay with that."
>Bubble looks to the sky, deep in thought, before continuing
>"But... Are you guys sure you'd want this?"
"What."
>this is all you can manage at the colt's question, and Pinkie has a similar reaction:
>"What are you saying, Bubby?! Of course we would want you around!"
>he doesn't seem convinced, however
>"But without my cutie mark I would not be that fun anymore. I would just be a boring nothing-pony. I am already a copycat of Pinkie, and I'd become even less than that..."
>not believing your ears, you kneel down and wrap Bubble up in a hug
"For god's sake, Bubble, you just don't get it, do you?"
>"Wh-what do you mean Nonny?" - the colt responds, surprised by the gesture
"You are so much more than just your cutie mark, you big pink doofus!"
>"You mean Pinkie's cutie mark..."
"Who the hell cares?! It's not just those balloons on your flank that made you the way you are! Pinkie will always be one of my best friends, but tell me this: who got me feeling confident enough to dance in public for the first time?"
>"I did, but..."
>"Who absolutely rocked last night's party by playing the awesomest bass ever?" - Pinkie chimes in before Bubble can object
>"...I did."
>"Wait, so this guy is Sugar Slice?"
>"Landsakes Dash, shut up."
"And who's the one pony that lights up my life just by being there?"
>Bubble's expression softens, and a small smile appears on his face
>"Is it me?"
"Was there ever any doubt?" - you smile back, stroking his curly mane
>gently pulling out of the hug, the colt turns to Twilight again
>"Then I'll do it."
>"So it's settled, " - Twilight exhales, brushing her mane out of her face, - "I will send a letter to Princess Celestia as soon as I get back to the library."
>"Guess that's it then, huh guys?" - Bubble sighs, starting to walk back in the direction of Ponyville, - "Soon I won't be a super cool party pony anymore."
>his ears perk up all of a sudden
>"But hey, there's still enough time for me to finally throw you guys a party of my own! For all of you! So whatcha say?"
>his words are met by multiple exclamations of approval, your own included
>Rainbow Dash is the only one who remains silent
>"Wait, I don't get it. Bubble... your cutie mark is not the same as Pinkie's."
>the pink colt looks at his own flank with a puzzled expression
>"Oh, these. These are just some silly stickers that Pinkie gave me to put over my real cutie mark."
>he pulls at the cracked plastic and slowly peels off the fake marks one by one
>"There it is, the same as Pinkie's."
>"Bubble, have you checked your eyes recently?" - Dash inquires, - "This doesn't look like Pinkie's cutie mark either."
>you turn your head in Bubble's direction so fast you almost break your own neck
>everyone else goes quiet, coming closer to see what Rainbow is talking about
>to your complete shock, there aren't any balloons on the colt's flank
>instead, you see a bass clef a darker shade of pink than his coat, as well as three musical notes - two blue ones and a yellow one
>"Woah!" - Bubble exclaims, staring at his own flank in utter disbelief, spinning around in place in an attempt to get a better look, - "WOAHWOAHWOAHWOAH~"
>"Wait, wait... WHAT?!" - Pinkie yells in a mix of surprise and joy
>"Bubble, please, can you stop spinning for a moment, I need to wrap my head around this..." - Twilight pleads, totally dumbfounded, - "A new cutie mark? How is it even..."
>she then jerks up so violently that for a moment you think she's about to do a backflip
>"OF COURSE! Divergent evolution!"
"Uh... English please? Or at least Ponish?"
>"Okay, so this is just a theory, " - Twilight rattles on excitedly, trotting in circles around Bubble, - "but I think the way it works is that, since clones produced by the mirror pool have zero factual experience, experience being a prerequisite for a cutie mark, they are perceived by Equestrian magic as foals - not technically blank flanks, but blank slates nonetheless. Which means that the mark a clone is born with is actually simply a placeholder, remaining unchanged up until the moment the clone in question goes his own way and discovers a different talent! Divergent evolution!"
>she finishes her lecture by throwing up her hooves like a gymnast who just got done with her performance
>everything clicks into place in your head
"So the part in the book about how there was only one fiddler once again..."
>"...means that the other pony wasn't a fiddler any longer! He found a talent of his own!" - Twilight finishes for you
"Twilight. I want you to do one thing for me."
>"What is it, Anon?"
"When you get back to the library... please take that book... and fucking burn it."
>"Well, I'll definitely revise the translation from Old Ponish, at the very least, " - Twilight chuckles, although you can tell by the gleam in her eyes that you'll have to watch yourself next time you check out anything
>"Are you saying that instead of a party pony, I am now Bubble the Bassist?" - the pink colt says, his mane puffing up rapidly to its regular state
>"Yup!" - Pinkie beams at him in sheer delight, - "You grooved so hard your own booty can testify!"
"That sure is one way to put it~ URK!"
>a pink blur tackles you to the ground and begins kissing your face mercilessly
>"Nonny! *smooch* So it's all *smooch* because of *smooch* you!"
"Whatever do you mean, you pink devil?" - you laugh, getting up and cradling the affectionate colt in your arms
>"It all started when you showed me those songs that made me wanna dance the moment I heard them, back at your place when we first hung out! I loved them so much that now I've got the music in me!"
"Wow, I never even thought about it that way. Thank you Jamiroquai for saving my coltfriend, I guess."
>"Nonny..." - Bubble says with a dazed look, - "can you say that again, please?"
"What, the name of the... Oh!" - you realize, your face breaking into a knowing grin, - "You mean 'coltfriend'?"
>"S-so it's official then?"
>you reply by pressing your lips against Bubble's for a good five seconds, paying no mind to anything around you, not even to the fact that Pinkie Pie is now apparently launching fireworks out of her mane
>breaking the kiss, you stroke the side of your stallion's face lovingly, admiring his blissful expression
"Does that answer your question, you incredibly silly pony?"
***
>whatever "rock the house" is supposed to mean, you're pretty sure that the current situation at your place fits the definition perfectly
>as soon as you and the gang got back to Ponyville, Pinkie and Bubble joined forces to put together an "emergency party"
>the one room you reside in is now crammed with beanbag chairs, snacks and, of course, balloons
>for someone who is no longer a party pony, Bubble seemed very resourceful in helping Pinkie with everything
>perhaps cutie marks are just complete bullshit, and ponies can be whatever they feel like being at the moment
>sounds rather motivational, maybe you can make a religion out of this
>you are broken out of your speculations by Pinkie flopping down on the couch next to you
>"Bit for your thoughts?"
"Oh, you know, pondering the workings of the pony world, nothing special. It's nice to not have any pressing matters after a whole day of running around like a headless chicken."
>"Hey, I ran around just as much, you don't see me being all pouty about it!" - says the pink stallion currently occupying your lap with his hooves in the air, flashing his pearly whites at you
"Well, that's a given, you're the one getting all the belly rubs at the end of the day, " - you smirk, digging your fingers into the soft fur of Bubble's tummy, making him throw his head back and stick his tongue out in esctasy
>your gaze returning to Pinkie, you notice she is almost mesmerized by the sight
"Hey Ponkers, " - you poke the mare in the side with your free hand, making her giggle, - "you sure you're not upset that I accidentally led you on?"
>"It's fine Nonny, " - she waves a hoof at you, - "I just thought it would be super neat to upgrade from friends to... special friends, but I won't be breaking my little heart over this or anything."
"That's good to hear. Wouldn't want to lose you as a friend. Also, this bow is actually very cute."
>you give Pinkie's hoof a little squeeze, getting an adorable smile in return
>"And maybe in a month or two I can convince Nonny to accept you into our herd, " - Bubble remarks, almost making you choke on the chips you were about to swallow
>swiping bits and pieces of Hay and Sour Cream onto the floor, you grab the pink joker by the withers and pull him upright, making him grin even wider
"Someone's been talking too much lately, don't you think?"
>"Whatcha gonna do about it, big guy?"
>you plant a quick kiss on his muzzle, then another one and another one, while scratching both of his ears
>"Hey lovebirds!" - Rainbow Dash hollers, pulling off disco dance moves while staying in the air, - "You gonna cut the rug tonight or what?"
"Sorry Rainbow, " - you reply, shrugging at her, - "I totally would, but right now I've got melted stallion all over me!"
>Fluttershy, who's sitting on a beanbag opposite of you, drinking soda out of a can with a squiggly straw, snorts so hard at that sentence that her drink comes out of her nose
"...What?"
>"You don't wanna know, Anon, " - Dash says with a hoof to her face, - "you'll probably find out soon enough though."
>"Speaking of stuff I can't wait for, " - Bubble says, returning from his little nirvana, - "I still gotta pick up my new bass from Vinyl and get it to Sugarcube Corner."
"Why Sugarcube Corner?"
>"Where else am I gonna leave it, Nonny?"
"Well, I hope I don't come off as too forward at this stage of our relationship if I suggest you move in here..."
>before you know it, your ribs are decimated in the most powerful hug ever
>"I wanna dance, Nonny! Take me to the dancefloor!"
>getting the few intact bones you still have after that assault off the couch, you can't help but chuckle, before joining the colt in the groove:
"Goddamn ponies, man."
>and the music plays on and on into the night
The End