Author's Note

This fic coincides with "A Model Relationship", but more specifically this chapter if you don't want to read the whole thing.

Before...

"Time to wake up, loser."

Pinkie groaned, covering her head with her forelegs. Pinkamena jabbed at her face with her hoof.

"You expect to sleep all day, eat like you do, and still look like this when you're an old mare?" The snarky filly smirked, poking at Pinkie some more.

"Why are you still here?" Pinkie mumbled into her pillow.

Hot breath tickled the feathery fur lining her ear.

"I'm always here."

The words chilled her to the bone.

The sun shone brightly through the window of Pinkie's upstairs apartment. A bluebird landed on the branch outside, chirping prettily, announcing morning's arrival to Ponyville.

Pinkie wished it would shut the buck up.

"Up up up!" Pinkamena screeched suddenly, yanking the blankets Pinkie had cocooned herself with away. Pinkie shrieked. The other filly laughed unkindly. "Oh you are such a sad sight in the morning. Equestria should be thankful that I'm the only one who has to look at you."

"You don't belong here," Pinkie grumbled, sliding begrudgingly out of bed. She wiped the crust of last night's tears from her fur. "I told you to go back in the mirror."

"I've decided to stay," Pinkamena replied.

Pinkie blinked, whirling around. "What?"

Pinkamena grinned. It was anything but what the expression was meant to convey.

"I. Have decided. To stay." She repeated herself, slowly enunciating each word, as though Pinkie were an imbecile. Pinkie shook her head frantically.

"No no no no no no you can't do that you can't do that!" She gushed frantically, her heart hammering against her ribs. She felt short of air, her head starting to spin. "You have to live in the mirror!"

"I don't like it there," Pinkamena answered, sitting on the edge of the bed, examining one of her forehooves for imperfections. "Too boring."

Pinkie narrowed her eyes. "I'll do it," she whispered.

Pinkamena arched an elegant eyebrow and lifted her gaze from her hoof to her alter. "Do what?"

"I'll take the magic."

Pinkamena blinked innocently, holding up a small, dark brown jar. "Oh... these?"

Pinkie felt her heart explode as adrenaline rushed into every smallest nook and cranny her body had.

Pinkamena smiled knowingly. "I thought you might try that. Go ahead. Swallow away, my dearest." She tossed the jar, and Pinkie dove to the ground to catch it before it landed. Something wasn't right with it... It was... It was...

"Empty..." Pinkie whispered, holding the lid in one hoof, jar in the other.

"Oh my," Pinkamena gasped with faux surprise. "As if somepony disposed of all the magic bits overnight while a lazy worthless filly was sleeping so she couldn't banish her better half back to the boring nothingness of not existing." The straight-maned filly placed the tip of her hoof against her lips in another mock display of shock. "And didn't that unicorn doctor get banned from practicing medicine by the Sisters themselves after it was discovered he sewed snake heads on a lizard and declared it a hydra?"

"You can't be here." It was less a command than a plea. Her voice caught in her throat. Pinkie swallowed a sob. Losing... She was losing. Pinkamena slid from her perch at the end of the bed and came forward, nuzzling Pinkie's neck.

"You need me, Pinkie Pie. You need me more now than you ever have."

"No..."

"Alone..." Another nuzzle. "No pony to love... "A nibble at her ear. Pinkie hated the way her skin tingled when she did that. It made her heart skip in a nervous way that wasn't bad, but felt like it should be. "Your friends choosing each other instead of you-"

"It's not like that!" Pinkie screamed, shoving the other filly as hard as she could.

Pinkamena smirked, recovering from the stumble as though it had never occurred. She tossed her mane. "Oh it's not... is it?" She said softly.

Light began to emanate from Pinkie's mirror on her dresser. She cast a distrusting glance at the glow.

"W-what are you doing?" She demanded.

Pinkamena sidled up to her with a concerned expression. "Take a look," she replied softly.

Pinkie eyed her warily, but took a step toward to mirror.

Pinkemena followed. "Where are Rarity and Fluttershy anyway?" she asked.

Pinkie blinked. "Rarity had a show... in Manehattan. Fluttershy's her dress model so-"

"Is that what dress models do for designers?" Pinkamena interrupted.

One hoof on the back of her head, she guided Pinkie's gaze to the mirror. Pinkie's eyes widened. Her jaw fell. What she was seeing... It was beautiful, and sacred. She should not be seeing it. It was for Rarity and Fluttershy alone to experience, and no business of hers to even ponder. So why did it make her quiver and warm in some places, and shrink and chill in others?

"Make it go away," Pinkie whispered, closing her eyes.

Pinkamena cocked her head. "Oh, I forgot to turn on the sound."

Moans, gasps, and a passionate squeaking scream filled the room.

"Is that... Is that how... Mares do it?" Pinkie heard Fluttershy breathe.

"I said make it go AWAY!" Pinkie roared.

She thrust out her hooves. The mirror shattered. Large shards of glass fell around her shoulders and face, and she threw her forelegs over her head for protection. Peripherally aware of stinging beneath her fur, her breath coming in short, heavy gasps, Pinkie looked up as the sharp onslaught subsided.

"Pinkie!" She heard Mrs. Cake pounding at her apartment door. "Pinkie, I heard glass and thumping! Are you alright, dear?"

Pinkie took a deep breath to steady herself. "I'm fine, Mrs. Cake... Just, ah... dropped a plate, haha! Clumsy ol' me!" The lilt was forced, as was the smile that naturally tried to accompany it.

"Oh..." She heard hooves hesitate. "Well, the bakery is heating up. Will you be down soon?"

"Yes, Mrs. Cake."

Pinkamena was grinning from ear to ear. Pinkie simply stared.

"Why are you so happy?" she demanded after a long silence. Pinkamena's grin intensified, reflected brokenly in fractured mirror shards on the floor.

"We're going to be together. Forever."