I do not own MLP or any of the series in this fanfic

Chapter Seventeen: The Unhappy Laughter

Pinkie Pie had just finished setting up the party for the tryouts for the concert later that week. She hummed a tune that only she knew out loud when she felt a familiar presence of chaos behind her. She turned around to see a mirror behind her with her image glaring at her.

"Aww someone isn't happy." Pinkie said bouncing over to her tapping on the image before a hoof shot out grabbing her and pulling her into the mirror. "Don't worry I will help you smile!"

"I hate smiles!" a voice shouted angrily glaring at Pinkie Pie who just stared at her with a grin on her face. "Stop that! I need you in here so I can be out there!"

"Why can't we both be out there?" the pink earth pony asked tilting her head to the side watching her more irritable self. She looked like she was going to answer but stopped as she herself did not know. Pinkie Pie reached out and poked her darker self who jumped and glared at her more bubbly self.

"Don't do that!" she snapped glaring at the party pony trying to bat the hoof out of the way. "I can get out of here anytime I want!"

"Then I can show you around Ponyville!" Pinkie Pie gushed throwing a leg around her chaotic self.

"How can you simply accept me like this?" snapped the grey pony trying to get out of the hug. "I'm your opposite!"

"Well duh! If I can't be friends with myself then who can I make friends with?" Pinkie questioned before heading towards the exit. "Now let's go!"

Before the chaotic pony could protest she found herself standing in Sugar Cube Corner. The mirror vanished into the ground causing the angry pony to jump and look around.

"I didn't know we could both be in this plain." mused the irritable pony looking around. "Great I'm in a place where a party is going to be!"

"Well someone is a party pooper." Pinkie laughed earning a glare from the other pony. "I'm sure when my friends see you they will panic... so it is disguise time! And we are going to need another name for you!"

"Huh?" the grey pony was confused as Pinkie Pie led her up stairs into her room. "I'm not staying!"

"Well you can't expect to walk out of Ponyville without everyone thinking you are me!" laughed Pinkie hopping around. "How about I call you Ire?"

"Why?" was the next questioned to come out of the grey pony as Pinkie giggled saying. "Because Ire means anger! And you are a grumpy angry pants!"

"Seriously? It does suit me though." the chaotic Pinkie said before looking at her harmonious self. "Ire."

"I think we need to straighten your hair." Pinkie mused looking at her irritable clone. "Perhaps Rarity could help with everything else! If we get your hair straighten by making you think of something sad..."

"That would be a problem since I don't feel sadness." replied Ire looking back at Pinkie Pie before staring at her hair. "However since I am your opposite I think we can make this work."

"How so?" Pinkie asked staring wide eyed at the grumpy earth pony who just focused and her hair went wavy. "Close! Now no one would be able to recognize us! I mean me... are you still me?"

"I don't know!" snapped the grey hued pony with a frown on her face as she turned to look at Pinkie Pie only to find the party pony missing. "Where did she..."

Before Ire could complete her sentence she heard the snipping of scissors and felt some of her mane fall.

"What did you do!" she yelled turning to look at Pinkie Pie who just had a grin on her face as she said. "I cut your mane! This way you won't be mistaken for me!"

"You cut my mane?!" Ire was in shock that the pink pony just did that. "Why did you cut my mane?!"

"So you wouldn't be mistaken for me!" replied the party pony with a grin on her face before thinking. "Now we just have to get you to... Rarity! She will help you!"

"Oh great." grumbled the irritable pony before she was dragged away to the fashionista. Red eyes watched the two as they left the shop before turning away and trudging into the night.

"Hey Midnight." Comet said as the dark grey unicorn entered the house his saddle bags full of food. "How was the tryouts?"

"You should have gone yourself." Midnight Sun told him as he levitated the food onto the counter so he could begin cooking. "Why didn't you?"

"They still stare." mumbled the black colt as he moved to help cook. "I don't like it when they stare."

"It shouldn't matter, if they can't trust you still then that is something that they have to deal with." the stallion replied sternly as he began on the salad. "You shouldn't hide away from the stairs when you are supporting your friend."

"Sweetie Belle has been busy working on her core... we don't talk much anymore." sighed Comet as he went to help, his magic was still weak as Queen Chrysalis didn't deem him worthy enough to give him back his powers.

"Yes that is a side effect of core training, it requires a lot of time and focus." Midnight said glancing at the smaller unicorn. "Since she is the first unicorn to do so she does not have anypony else to train with. I did not attend the tryouts, I was shopping remember? However her song did change part way through."

"That's odd." muttered the colt as he set the table the best he could. "Sweetie didn't even know what song to sing and she changed songs? That's just weird."

Midnight Sun nodded his head before a pain shot through his body causing him to groan slightly dropping the knife onto the counter.

"Midnight?" the black unicorn asked turning around just as the red eyed stallion collapsed. "Midnight!"

King Sombra groaned as he struggled to stay on his feet in his room. Even though he was separated from Midnight Sun he was still experiencing difficulties. Memories, pains, the feeling that he was incomplete, feelings of loss. 'The Dark One, he did something!' growled Sombra internally as he got to his bed panting slightly. 'If he had done is job properly I wouldn't be like this!'

"All magic has a price!" warned the dark one waving a hoof at him. "I will do what you ask but you must do something for me Kingy!"

"His magic is different then our own." Sombra snarled feeling another wave hit him. "He said he could separate us!"

"Oh no, you wanted a physical form and your magic back." chuckled a familiar voice as red smoke appeared as did the Dark One. "You are still connected in a sense. Remember all magic has a price."

"Why have you returned?" the corrupted unicorn panted slightly.

"Well I can not let such an interesting opportunity pass me by to regain another artifact that was taken from me." chuckled Rumplestilskin looking around the room. "The Alicorn Amulet."

"You created that?" this intrigued the dark unicorn king as amber eyes slid to watch him.

"Of course I did." the strange unicorn laughed as he stopped in front of the mirror. "Why do you think it corrupts just like the Inspiration Manifestation? Now about still being connected to your other half..."

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