Cover Image

I Am Not the Actor

by cleverpun
After one of Pinkie's clones wins the paint-watching test, she slowly finds that "being yourself" is never as simple as it sounds. Especially when everypony has a different idea about who you are, and who you should be.

She's the original. She won the paint-watching test, fair and square.

So why do the townsponies keep avoiding her? Why do all her friends keep whispering around her? And why does Twilight keep insisting that she isn't any good at baking or throwing parties?

She's the original. The best Pinkie. She won the test, fair and square. She's not some copy, not anymore…but perhaps being a copy would be easier than being herself.


Featured on Equestria Daily

Comments contain spoilers.

Partially inspired by Quadrophenia by The Who. The [Pinkie Pie] and [Other] tags together represent Pinkie Pie's clone.

Editing and prereading thanks; Kuroi Tsubasa Tenshi, CDRW, Sereg, JapaneseTeeth, MidnightRambler, and especially Nonagon. If you liked this story, be sure to check out their pages too!


Now I'm to begin
The life that I'm assigned
A life that's been used before
A thousand times
—The Who, "905"

Teen
Complete
Slice of Life
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Alternate Universe
Sad
Drama
 
OPTM

23168 words: Estimated about 2 hours to read

16 Chapters:

  1. 1. This Can't Be the Scene 2013-02-17 09:59:23 UTC
    860
  2. 2. I Can See That This Is Me 2013-02-17 09:59:36 UTC
    823
  3. 3. If I Speak Without Emotion 2013-02-20 00:09:12 UTC
    824
  4. 4. Now I'm to Begin 2013-02-21 02:08:34 UTC
    780
  5. 5. How Many Friends 2013-02-27 00:14:57 UTC
    1742
  6. 6. Let Me Be Stormy 2013-03-12 03:36:47 UTC
    1472
  7. 7. Help Me Sleep at Night 2013-04-07 02:07:39 UTC
    2500
  8. 8. Can a Detail Correct Your Dismay? 2013-06-21 00:17:18 UTC
    1447
  9. 9. Plagiarize Something Old 2013-06-21 07:30:42 UTC
    573
  10. 10. Nothing Ever Goes As Planned 2013-11-12 23:56:13 UTC
    3106
  11. 11. Inside Outside 2013-12-24 01:43:40 UTC
    1582
  12. 12. I Set the Words Up So They— 2013-12-24 01:47:21 UTC
    1700
  13. 13. My Heart Felt Like— 2014-07-02 23:47:22 UTC
    1799
  14. 14. Just a Figment 2014-07-03 23:52:23 UTC
    1704
  15. 15. Is It Me, for a Moment? 2014-07-04 23:51:02 UTC
    1092
  16. 16. My Pride It Makes Me Sick 2014-07-05 23:48:30 UTC
    1164