A Phantom Pain

PROLOGUE: "I'm real...I'm real...I'm real..."

I’m real…I’m real…I’m real…

Pinkie Pie was slowly sinking deeper and deeper in the water. She was banished by her own beloved friend, Twilight Sparkles. How could she betray her like that? How could she not know her own best friend from the copies?

I’m real…I’m real…I’m real…

One thought, a lingering idea kept repeating over and over again as if to fight off oblivion from disappearing her into non-existence. Erasing her very soul, cast off like a forgotten dream. It was a gentle war inside Pinkie, like fighting off sleep.

I’m real…I’m real…I’m real…

Her normally fluffy hair was dancing in the waves like seaweed, unknown to her her Cutie Mark is losing all colour. Soon to disappear all together. Her eyes are heavy, slowly closing like the sunset. Her vision is blurring and greying out, peripherals closing into a narrow tunnel. Pinkie is slowly losing air, bubbles sporadically blowing out from her lungs as they rushed to the surface.

I'm real...I'm real...I'm real...

Pinkie only wanted to be with her friends. She only used the Mirror Pond to be in two places at once. To never miss a moment, and to always be a part of her friends lives without having to choose between them. She didn't feel comfortable judging who's more important to spend time with. Pinkie loved all her friends unconditionally. What she would give to be with them again.

I'm...I'm...what...am...I?

Pinkie tried to hold onto the names and faces of her friends. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkles, Fluttershy, Apple...Apple...what's her name? Pinkie's flank was now blank. Her coat was grey shade of her sister...sister? Pinkie tried very hard to hold onto one thing from her giving up: her memories!

I...I...I...am...am...am...

Pinkie thought to herself.

I...have...a...sister...don't...I? What...is...her...name?

The Mirror Pond was claiming Pinkie Pie like any discarded clone. Like a water drop merging into a pond, she was losing her individuality. Slowly her identity was threatened. Her body was free of colour, a monochrome coat and mane throughout. Her flank was blank, no longer her Cutie Mark existed. Now, her memories were slowly dissolving from her mind like melting snow. Pinkie tried to remember who was her sister. Who was her purple maned friend. Who was her purple unicorn friend. Who was...who was...who was she?

who...am...I?

The grey pony gave into the Mirror Pond. It's fatal lullaby of non-existence, an elegy of nothingness soothed her heart. Just sleep. No thoughts, no worries. Her eyes closed finally; she lost consciousness. She let herself go, fading into the Mirror Pond like any other flow of water. As she touched the bottom of the pool, Pinkie Pie was no more. An empty shell now lay at the bottom of a forgotten pond inside a sealed off cave.