Mirror: Book I - Mind

"Unfortunate as it is to say, Apple Bloom may not be joining us for the remainder of the semester.” Miss Cheerilee announced to the children, a solemn yet solid expression overcoming her face. “However, it would be in our best interest as a class to not let this sad news overwhelm us, and remain diligent in our work. With all the outstanding contributions our dear Apple filly has brought to this schoolhouse, I have no doubt that each and everyone of you can follow in her hoofsteps.”

The school teacher stood in pause, almost as if delivering a moment of silence. She mimicked something of a slight bow before returning to the board and raising a stick of chalk in her hoof, scratching her way across the canvas of black to prepare for the lesson ahead. A heartbeat later and the students leaned over their desks with rapid mumbles of concern and speculation over the new ordeal that was their fellow student and friend. Some had heard the story wrong, others had heard it right. Or, at least they thought they did. What could it have been? Just another timber wolf scare? The beast from the Everfree responsible for Ponyville’s curfew hours? Had that mad, monkey man finally let his nature get the best of him?

Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo stared ahead, silent as ever. They were quieter than a ghost town, and Miss Cheerilee almost couldn’t bare to look at them. With abrupt and obnoxious purpose, the teacher cleared her throat and projected her lesson to the students, just as she always had to dispel the chitter and the chatter. Finding for the first time that she had did so for a different reason felt more than odd. Nonetheless, she knew deep down that the lesson had to go on, the children had to be prepared for the next steps in their life.

Then, her ear flickered backwards. She knew those giggles and snorts from anywhere, it was her two little trouble makers. Most likely at it again, most likely those loathsome biology notes again. The mare took a practiced, cautious breath before quietly resting the stick of chalk to the tray. Her eyes flashed open, and with one swift motion she whipped around, marched down the center isle and snatched the slip of paper from in between the boys’ telekinetic grasps. Her muzzle pinched, eyes fierce, the two little colts looked up with glints of worry.

“Snips, Snails.” The scholar snorted. “Passing notes at a time like this? I ought to let your parents know what little disregard the two of you have for both my time and the time of your fellow classmates.”

“W-W-We’re sorry, Miss Cheerilee!” Snips curled in on himself. “It won’t happen again, promise!”

“Yeah, it wasn’t the biology notes this time.” Snails whimpered.

“Zip it, ya’ big doof!” Snips growled back.

Cheerilee eyed her students with scarce amounts of mercy. Sit-out time was imminent.

“Please don’t blame them, Miss Cheerilee.” A tiny voice came from the front of the class. “It was me.”

“Why…Sweetie Belle?” The teacher looked back, bewildered. “Whatever for?”

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” She confessed. “But, I didn’t want to get in the way of lessons either, so I thought that now would’ve been the best time. Go ahead, open the letter.” The unicorn gestured.

The school teacher looked back to the paper in her hoof, staring at it with a pause of curiosity before unraveling the mysterious contents which lay inside. It was a collaboration letter, signed and dotted with decorations, each and every special little cutie mark from the students themselves. With endearing remarks of hope, kindness, and courage, the entire piece was addressed and dedicated to their beloved classmate and friend, Apple Bloom. Miss Cheerilee stood motionless with a jaw-dropped gaze, completely unaware that tears were beginning to well up in her eyes. She pinched her lids shut and rubbed her muzzle, sniffling back the waterworks. The lessons must be taught, the lessons must be taught…

“Class…” The teacher began. “I’ve a new assignment for you all, tonight.” A smile bridged across her lips.

The walk home was almost completely quiet for the little, gray unicorn and her earth filly friend, the two of them treading quietly along the outskirts of the plaza as they rounded a corner through the back alleyways, and it was from their silent moment of reminiscence that a humbled conversation was on the tips of their tongues. Dinky and Silver Spoon stood side-by-side, gazing down the same alley that they had met that day. The day they made their truce together, the day they decided to put their differences aside and help each other, one hoof in the other. Not to mention a glob of spit to ensure the deal.

“It stinks.” Silver commented.

“Was it really that bad?” Dinky wondered.

“I meant the garbage cans.” The earth filly rubbed her muzzle. “No way in Tall Tale and back I’m making a truce next to a dumpster ever again.”

“Well, I’m not so sure I’ll be getting my cutie mark anytime soon, but I at least hope you could make ends meet.” The unicorn turned to her friend. “That’s what I’ve been meaning to ask. Did you ever make any progress with Diamond Tiara?”

Silver Spoon studied the ground and slowly shook her head. “After you left the whole journalism scene it was up to Featherweight and I to start coming up with stories, but he and I didn’t get along so well. Silly colt could barely write, I told him he’s better off selling grainy photos on the roadside back in Trottingham.”

“Mom always tells Amy with an attitude like that, she’ll never find a good stallion.” Dinky commented.

“Once that story about Rose Luck and the Doctor was sent out, I just couldn’t do it anymore.” Silver admitted. “Her father had her shut down the news business anyways, said something about how it was getting in the way of ‘family matters.’ I can only imagine it’s got something to do with Spoiled Rich.”

“And you never supposed that Spoiled was behind the whole news business thing to begin with?” Dinky asked her.

“What do you mean?”

“Think about it, Spoiled has always tried to be controlling of her daughter’s life. We’ve seen it happen at the schoolhouse before.”

“But, Diamond stood her ground that day.” Silver reminded. “Spoiled had been working for months to get her to the class president seat, but Diamond threw herself out of the campaign. There’s no way her mom would’ve tried to retaliate after a gesture like that.”

“Trust me, I’ve never won an argument with my mom.” Dinky educated. “Even when I think I got the upper hoof, it would always backfire on me someway or another. Who’s to say that Spoiled wasn’t just giving herself time to plot again? To get her family into something that would give them even more power?”

“Like, the news…” Silver began to realize, only to shake her head a second after. “I dunno, Dink. These are only little suspicions of ours, it’s not like they can really go anywhere without some evidence to back it up.”

“Perhaps…I could help with that?” Came a voice from above.

The couple of fillies jumped and spun around, aiming their eyes skyward past balconies and over hangs, peering to the top of the alleyway. The young colt made his descent and landed gracefully before the girls, camera hanging from his neck, that familiar disfigured set of teeth hanging from his upper lip. Featherweight.

Derpy sat patiently and quietly at her end of the small, round table scooping helpings of baked potatoes filled with oats into her mouth, her selection of cuisine for this night’s dinner. As always, neither daughter had much to say on their end, nor did they have much to help themselves to. Food wise, that is, and this little detail is what had been bugging the pegasus mother for almost all of supper time. When her girls didn’t talk, it was just another normal day, nothing serious. When they failed to eat however, something big was ahoof, something serious was on their minds. Probably some boy earlier in the day. The mother assumed. Then she realized, Ronin had been gone for almost three weeks now.

Amethyst coughed, a purposeful gesture. The kind of coded cough she and her little sister had thought up to get the other’s attention. Derpy didn’t even bother to look up, she already knew what they were up to. A second later and Dinky snuck a look over to her sister, whom was busy flicking her eyes towards the refrigerator in the kitchen. The little unicorn looked past her mother and squinted to read the magnetic, alphabet letters on the refrigerator door.

“My…Room…” Dinky read out loud.

“What was that, dear?” Derpy looked up.

Dinky panicked, quickly glancing over to Amethyst. The mare was busy slapping a hoof over her face.

“M-My room is…” The filly improvised. “…where I go to think happy thoughts?”

Derpy attempted a wry stare as her wall eye slowly aligned with the other. A heartbeat later she turned to look into the kitchen, but Amethyst quickly flared her horn and threw the letters askew. The “m” in Room went missing, and the “R” replaced itself with a “P.” One of the letters carried enough momentum as it flew from the refrigerator door, across the threshold and bounced off the table. Derpy flicked her head back around, both her daughters stiff as bamboo.

“How was work, mom?” Amethyst smiled innocently.

“Is there something wrong with your bowels, dear?” Derpy asked sternly. “Or do you just like to write toddler jokes on my refrigerator?”

Her smile faded, lips tight across her face. “May Dinky and I be excused…?” Amethyst requested.

The young unicorn clicked her door shut with her magic and let loose an onslaught of what Dinky could only assume was hyperventilation, followed by rapid remarks way beyond the little sister’s understanding. Papers were flying and folders from school were mixed up with those from work, further throwing the lavender unicorn astray as she rummaged beneath her bed, flank and tail whipping in the air.

“Y’know, if all you wanted me to do was watch you shake your butt and blabber like an idiot, Mom’s still got some scotch in the top cupboard.”

“Well, I didn’t bring you up here to crack jokes, either.” Amethyst pulled her head out and fell to her rump, turning around to address the younger. “I can’t take it anymore, she’s practically breathing down my neck! I don’t think I’ll ever be able to hide anything from mom.”

“Gee, what else is new?”

“Bet you haven’t seen-” Amethyst whipped out a green folder. “-THIS before.”

Dinky took a long, slow blink, eyeing the ordinary, everyday folder with every bit of artificial amusement a pony could muster. “Your co-workers must love having you around.”

“Read it before you weep, sister.” Amy spun the folder in her field. “Doc and I nabbed this little treasure from the secret basement hidden underneath Sugarcube Corner. I’m surprised that party mare hasn’t come and taken this away from us yet, but I’m guessing that’s just her way of saying that she wants us to have it. She wants us to read it.”

“There’s a basement beneath Sugarcube Corner?” Dinky questioned.

“Stock full of the craziest obscenities known to ponykind, or better yet, unknown.” Amethyst held up the folder once more. “You know what this is right? Mom and Doc have been distancing themselves from each other for a while. Hasn’t that been bugging you?”

Dinky shrugged and nodded lightly. She knew some part of her could agree.

“Well, this folder will tell us everything we want to know.”

“I have a feeling there’s a pretty good chance this is going to end up with either one of us having to answer some questions to the cops.” Dinky didn’t even give herself a second to think about it. “I’m in.”

Their minds content and their decision made, one sister yanked a blanket off the bed and threw up a makeshift tent while the other fetched for a flashlight, huddling beneath the cover of the sheets and getting comfortable. Elder looked to younger, and younger to elder, nodding to one another in unison as they cautiously leafed onto the first page. A brilliant, beaming light flashed from the parchment as though the very secrets of the universe were being gently foretold unto their minds, harbored by their very eyes. They quickly realized it was the light of the torch reflecting off of the colorful, glittery writing within.

“It’s in crayon…” Amethyst mused.

“And gel pen, too.” Dinky eyed the symbols cautiously. “Is that frosting?”

“What’s this say?” The elder sister squinted harshly. “…’she is the key to his secrets…?’ What the hay is that supposed to mean?”

“Key?” Dinky sat back, wondering for a moment. “Mom has a key.”

“Well, she does own the house.”

“No, it’s like a special kind of key, one that Doc gave to her.” The little unicorn’s mind reached back to far younger years. “I remember her showing it to me one time when I was really little, when she told me all about the Doctor, and the day he saved us…”

“How come I never knew about this key?” Amethyst questioned.

“It’s hard to keep things from a mother, because she already knows the best hiding spots.”

Amethyst weighed cautiously upon her next words, but failed to reach them as soon as a knock came at her door.

“Amy, Dinky?” Their mother hollered. “What are you two doing in there?”

“Erm-! Just helping Dinky change into her…nightgown?” Amethyst tried.

The little unicorn gave her sister a stupid look, and the older shrugged. The pegasus gave a sigh that could be heard through the door before answering again.

“Well, we have a couple visitors who are here to see you.” Derpy sounded stern. “And they have a few questions for you, too.”

Dots the size of pinpricks replaced both of the sister’s pupils, and they looked to each other with several levels of fear. Cops. Makeshift sirens sounded in the back of their heads as they scurried to clean up their mess and hide the evidence.

“I was only kidding, I didn’t know the cops were actually going to show up!” Dinky’s breath quickened. “What do we do, sis?”

“Calm down, they haven’t seen anything yet.” Amethyst answered her, peeking past the crack in her door. They must be here to talk about mine and Doc’s little trip to Sugarcube Corner.

“Sis?” Dinky shivered, twiddling her hooves. “W-What if the Doctor is actually some sort of criminal? What if he did something bad back in Trottingham, and he hid it here, in Ponyville?”

“I promise you, the Doctor is a good stallion.” Amethyst reassured. “He would never hurt anypony for any reason, both you and I know that.”

“I know, but…” Dinky shivered again, sniveling. “Why do I feel scared?”

“Amy, don’t make me count, young lady!” The mother’s voice sounded through the house.

“It’s me they’re after, Dink.” Amethyst nuzzled her little sister, lifting her with her magic and resting the scared filly to her bed. “You just wait right here, and I’ll go get things all sorted out.”

“But, what about the Doctor?” Dinky fretted.

“Everypony is going to be fine, I promise.” Amethyst cooed, nuzzling her sister once again before turning and slipping past the crack of her door. The little sister watched as the shadows in the hallway grew shorter and danced down the stairwell, leaving Dinky to tend to her thoughts and worries alone.

Alright, Amy, you can do this. The young mare took a deep breath. I’ve dealt with these guys before anyways. They’re just cops, how bad can they be?

“I can reassure you, Miss Hooves-” voices traveled from the kitchen. “-upgrading to our state of the art, automatic bubblesoap dispenser is an offer you absolutely cannot pass up. Wouldn’t you agree, oh brother?”

“I couldn’t agree with you more, oh brother of mine.”

No… Amethyst froze at the bottom of the stairs It’s so much worse than I could’ve imagined!

Spectacles of revenge and glints of mischief caught themselves in the eyes of the two ponies standing within her kitchen, to which they spun around in unimaginable rhythms only possible for an airborne pegasus, reality warping and surging all around them.

“Prepare for trouble…”

“Make it double!!”

“Not to burst your capitalist bubble-” Amethyst growled, shaking her head. “But what the heck are you two doing in my house?!”

“Amy!” Her mother barked. “Is that any way to talk to our guests?” And she referred to the two gentlecolts. “Please forgive my daughter’s offset behavior, Mr. Flim and Flam, she’s already driven away a perfectly good, young colt with these sort of social antics, y’see?”

“Not to worry, Miss Hooves, we deal with this sort all the time in our line of work.” Flim reassured, approaching the young mare. “Besides, we’ve already been well acquainted with this lovely, young lady and her faithful partner, erm…” He eyed the unicorn knowingly. “Speaking of which, where is your partner, Miss Amethyst?”

“He’s…gone.” Amethyst blinked, lowering her gaze.

“With the wind?” Flam questioned.

“To the Chisel in the sky?” Flim wondered.

“He left Ponyville a couple weeks ago.” The unicorn answered, eyeing the stallions carefully. “Whatever he’s up to now it’s none of my business, and quite frankly neither is it yours.”

“We came here hoping that both our heroes would have the opportunity to indulge in this endeavor, but…” Flim paused once more, glancing to his brother. “I suppose only one shall suffice. Would you agree, brother?”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.” Flam gave a firm nod.

“I’ll put on the kettle.” Derpy announced, walking back into the kitchen. “Is chamomile alright with you boys?”

“Any brew shall do.” Flim bowed elegantly. “Miss Hooves.”

Amethyst continued to train a wary yet intimidating eye on the brothers, to which they looked back with equal stares of plotting and mischief. Without a word the trio of ponies trotted for the living room and sat at opposite ends of the coffee table, Flim and Flam seated to the couch whilst Amethyst ventured for the hoofchair. The brothers lounged into the cushions of the couch patiently, as though waiting for the unicorn to make the first move, and Amethyst did so boldly and slowly.

Amy sure is a brave pony, talking to those cops like that. Dinky thought to herself, awaiting in the hall upstairs. She glanced down the darkness of the corridor and located her mother’s bedroom door within the shadow. The key. She thought once more. I need to find the key.

“Let’s cut to the chase here, fellas.” Amethyst leaned in. “You’re gonna tell me why you’re here, what you want, and what I can do to make you two disappear. The sooner we accomplish that, the sooner I get to take my bath. Capiche?”

“We enjoy a client who’s so straight to the point,” Flim began.

“But you may want to take the time to weigh upon your decisions.” Flam continued.

“After all,” Flim returned. “We do indeed have what you’re looking for this time.”

“If you do recall…” Flam illuminated his horn, and brought forth from his saddle bag what appeared to be a small, tattered notebook. The symbols upon the front, though illegible in her eyes, were no doubt familiar. It was Koumanese. Ronin’s notebook.

“You…thieving son of a mule!” Amethyst tensed and glared with violent intent. “What have you done to him?”

“Easy, Miss Star.” Flim chuckled nervously. “We haven’t had contact with the foreigner since our little fiasco at the bar, remember?”

Amethyst flared her horn to life. “You knew.” She snarled. “You both knew.”

“Now if you recall correctly, I had just asked you moments ago where the young unicorn’s whereabouts were, thus signaling that it was never in my range of knowing.” Flim reminded.

“And you had answered…” Flam waited, beckoning the mare.

“He left Ponyville.” She repeated.

“And Flam, my dear brother, where were we when the young foreigner had left?”

“Why, right here in Ponyville, brother.” Flam answered Flim. “In fact, we are still here, as you can clearly see.”

“Then why do you have his book?” Amethyst probed. “Who gave it to you?”

“That question is out of the equation-”

“Who?” Amethyst threatened, aiming her horn.

Although wound-inducing and possibly lethal projectiles were bound to find their way towards the brothers’ heads, they calmly sat back rest assured that the entire situation seemed all under control. Amethyst trained a glare on the two for a moment, only to be reminded of the sounds coming from the kitchen, and the pegasus whom would soon approach. The unicorn found her posture and calmly sat back into the hoofchair, just at the edge of the very second Derpy pranced through the portal going from the kitchen and into the living space, a silver-gray tray with a kettle and cups resting on the span of her wing. Meowf rested soothingly upon her back, purring all the while as the mother poured cups of tea for the visitors and her daughter.

Amethyst sat back and cautiously surveyed the stallions sitting across from her, running one outcome after the other through her head. Derpy rested one eye on the stallions and the walleye to her daughter, smiling sweetly as the brimming cups of hot chamomile were passed all around.

“It’s so nice to have company around the house these days.” Derpy commented. “Really livens up the mood.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more, Miss Hooves.” Flim and Flam sipped their tea, green eyes grimacing past waves of steam.