Zecora steps into view. "The hardest trials, you've yet to endure. You may open this door, but only if you're sure." She extends her right hand to her side; a gold-framed door depicting the Star Arcana rises from the floor.

"Flash...do you really want to do this?" Twilight asks, taking my hand and squeezing it.

I glance at Pinkie and swallow nervously. "We...we have to," I say shakily. I wish I was convinced...

"What's wrong?" Rainbow asks. "You two look...kinda scared."

"Is it because of what happened last time?" Rarity asks. "Because we're all here, and we'll keep each other safe."

I sigh. "That...that isn't the reason." I take a deep breath. "What's behind that door...it's going to hurt."

"Eh, we can take it," Rainbow says confidently.

Fluttershy frowns. "I don't think that's what he means," she says.

Zecora steps forward. "The trials have only impacted you so far," she says. "Perhaps you should leave this choice to the Star."

I nod, then turn to Pinkie. "Pinkie...we don't have to do this."

Pinkie blinks. "Why...why wouldn't..." Her eyes widen. "Oh," she says in a small voice. She looks at the door, then swallows nervously. "Is...is that...?"

Twilight lays a hand on her shoulder. "We can go home," she says.

"Does somebody wanna make sense here?" Applejack asks. "So far we've fought every damn thing that's come along. Why're y'all so nervous now?"

Without warning, the door opens on its own, revealing a black, starry void. An unsettling version of Pinkie strides out. Her skin is a darker pink. Her hair is lank and lifeless. Her eyes are clouded and dull.

"That's why," Twilight says as we all stare at Pinkie's Shadow.

"Holy shit," Rainbow says, eyes wide.

Mom and Dad threw me away like garbage.

I glare at Zecora. "I thought we had a choice, dammit!"

Zecora bows her head. "The door would not have opened unless the beast within sensed its master's distress."

I've always been a disappointment to everyone. Pinkamena isn't good enough. Pinkamena is strange. Pinkamena is a slut. Pinkamena doesn't belong in this family!

She clenches her fists.

The only one who ever loved me was Maud. And then she went away. Right when I needed her most, she went away.

She looks up at us, and her eyes are gold on black.

I found people I love, who say they love me. But how long until YOU throw me away too?

She glares at me.

I can never have you the way I want you. You'll marry Twilight, and then you'll throw me away.

"No. I won't."

DON'T LIE TO ME! I'M GARBAGE! USE ME UP AND THROW ME AWAY! I'LL ALWAYS BE ALONE!

Tears stream down her cheeks.

I'll always be alone...

"Pinkie, no..."

Suddenly, she starts to laugh.

Oh, I won't LET you throw me away! NOT THIS TIME! I'll MAKE you love me forever! You'll be mine even if I have to kill you both and then kill myself!

Beside us, Pinkie takes a step back and gasps. "N-no!" she says. "I...I wouldn't do something like—"

Wouldn't you?

Pinkie's Shadow looks up at us. Her eyes have become crazed, and there's a terrifying smile on her face, one that belongs on a serial killer.

I am the Shadow, the True Self! I'm never letting anyone stop loving me ever again, even if it means everyone I love has to DIE!

"This isn't ME!" Pinkie shrieks, looking around at all of us with terrified eyes. "I'm not...I don't think things like..." She's trembling. She clenches her hands into fists at her side, then screams at her Shadow:

"YOU'RE NOT ME!"

Pinkie's Shadow throws back her head and laughs psychotically as an aura of red and black flames explodes around her.

"Look out!" Cadance yells, hurriedly summoning her Persona. The rest of us quickly gear up for battle...except for Pinkie, who's fallen to her knees and is crying.

Pinkie's Shadow stretches up...and up...and up, her clothes exploding away, leaving her nude, with pinkish-black skin. Her arms deform into boneless things that end in dagger-like claws. Her face consists of nothing but a psychotic grin beneath limp pink hair. Her breasts turn into hollow cages of sinewy black Shadow-flesh, inside which effigies of me and Twilight are locked away, writhing in agony. Beyond the effigies, a dark red glow pulses; the Shadow's beating heart is visible, a distorted mass of dark red muscle, wrapped in thorny vines of black sinew. A half-dozen boulder-like Shadows, half of them metallic pink, the other half dark grey, fall to the ground from somewhere above, rolling into a defensive line in front of her.

WE'RE ALL GOING TO BE BEST FRIENDS FOREVER...IN HELL!

//Guys, we've got a problem!// Cadance shouts. //Pinkie's Persona is sealed! She can't fight!//

"That's okay!" Twilight says. "Pinkie, stay back! We'll protect you from...uhh...you!"

"Twilight..." Pinkie whimpers. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it," I say. "Just...don't worry."

"I wonder if this Shadow fights the way Pinkie's Persona fights?" Twilight says. "If that's the case, then..."

"On it!" Fluttershy says. "PERSONA!"

Tetrakarn

Echo appears and creates a reflective barrier around our party.

"I'll try to get rid of the riff-raff!" Sonata cries. "LEVIATHAN!"

Mamudoon

Leviathan surges in on a dark wave. Bands of blackness surround the Shadows, but snap ineffectually. Leviathan fades away.

"Poopies..."

"Those rock thingies..." Rainbow frowns. "PERSONA!"

Sonic Rainboom

Nike appears, diving low and sending a prismatic shockwave crashing through the line of Shadows, which all flip over and shudder.

//Nice work, Rainbow Dash! One more and you'll stun them!//

"Oh yeah! AGAIN!"

Sonic Rainboom

Nike grins, does a knee-slide, and jams out a power chord, unleashing a second blast. The Shadows shriek in pain.

Holder's Boulder

Pinkie's Shadow lets out a shriek of rage and picks one of the pink boulders up, hurling it at Rainbow like a shotput. It bounces off Fluttershy's barrier and hits the Shadow in the face, shattering and evaporating.

//She didn't take much damage from that...//

"Let's put some kick in our spurs, y'all! PERSONA!"

Matarukaja

Persephone appears and sheds a powerful light over us. I feel a surge of energy flow through me.

//Good thinking, Applejack!//

"Yeah, well...Ah been thinkin' lately that Ah can do more than just smash, so Ah'd better make mahself more useful."

"Then perhaps I should think along similar lines," Rarity says. "BASTET!"

Masukunda

Rarity's Persona appears, sending dozens of glowing strands of yarn to ensnare the Shadows.

//Yes! Their evasion is down! The rest of you, give it everything you've got!//

"ATHENA!"

Maziodyne

Twilight summons her Persona, who conjures up a lightning storm that blasts everything. The remaining boulder Shadows explode; Pinkie's Shadow convulses violently.

"I don't want this to drag on any longer than it has to," I say, glancing back at Pinkie. "I think it's time to try a new trick." I slide the Sun onto my phone. "ASURA!"

Six Paths

Asura appears and forms a series of hand seals.

A scorching inferno sets Pinkie's Shadow ablaze...

...then is extinguished as, with a loud *snap*, a solid block of ice forms around it...

...which shatters as a thick, blinding column of white lightning stabs through it...

...followed by a tornado swallowing up the Shadow, spinning it around...

...which is followed by a vortex of pure white light, shining with a high-pitched chime...

...which is engulfed by an oily black curtain of blackness that boils down from above, drenching Pinkie's Shadow before seeping into the ground.

As Asura fades away, Pinkie's Shadow staggers, letting out a ragged moan.

"Fuck, dude," Rainbow breathes, staring at me.

"Okay, that was pretty impressive," Fluttershy says.

NO! I won't let you hurt me!

//She's about to do something...!//

We all tense up and watch Pinkie's Shadow. The dull glow of her heart intensifies to a burning white-red heat; the ground thumps in time with her heartbeat. A golden light fills the breast-cage containing my effigy.

Obsession

I feel an intense, burning pain lance through my entire being. I can't keep my footing...

"FLASH!" Twilight yells.

Black spots are dancing in my vision, but I'm dimly aware of Twilight propping me up and the golden light fading. I feel completely fatigued...

//She just...drained Flash somehow,// Cadance says. //She healed a lot of the damage you just did. She's still hurt, but...//

"Then we just need to keep kicking her ass!" Rainbow says confidently.

"We need to be more careful," Fluttershy says with a frown. "Something isn't right."

"I'm with Rainbow Dash on this one," Sonata says. "Twilight, you take care of Flash. Everyone else should keep attacking this thing until it dies." Without waiting for confirmation, Sonata summons her Persona again.

Virus Wave

A virulent purple wave crashes over Pinkie's Shadow, who shudders and doubles over, her face contorted in agony.

//Good work! She's poisoned!//

"Nice one!" Rainbow cheers. "My turn! NIKE!"

Tempest Slash

Nike dives down from above, her guitar becoming a blazing electric sword which cleaves the Shadow from throat to groin.

Fluttershy sighs. "Alright, fine. PERSONA."

Garula

Echo releases a wind attack against the Shadow.

I was right! You just want to be rid of me! Well I'm not making it that easy!

//LOOK OUT!//

Rocks Fall Everyone Dies

I look up to see more boulder-type Shadows falling from above...

...right on top of us.

Twilight and I are hit; Twilight goes down with a cry. I'm too weak from whatever the Shadow did to me earlier to dodge or help Twilight. Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Applejack are able to dodge, but Rarity and Sonata are hit and cry out as they fall.

"Whoa nelly," Applejack says, eyes wide as the new Shadows roll over to Pinkie's Shadow. The poison kicks in, and she cries out as she takes damage.

"How the hell did that get past my barrier?" Fluttershy snarls.

"Nevermind that!" Applejack says. "Ah'll give y'all some time t' git sorted out! PERSONA!"

Heat Wave

Persephone appears and smashes the ground, sending a shockwave through the Shadows that flips the boulders over.

Marakukaja

Then, she sheds a warm, golden light over us, bolstering our defenses.

Rarity picks herself up, shaking her head groggily. "That was highly uncalled for," she grumbles. "PERSONA!"

Mediarama

A wave of healing light washes over all of us. The weakness and agony I've felt since the Shadow did...whatever it did...ebbs away, and I pull myself to my feet.

Twilight stands up, shaking her head and groaning. Without a word, she summons Athena, who blasts the Shadows with lightning again.

Maziodyne

The boulders rock back and forth, still stunned; Pinkie's Shadow writhes.

"Dude, do that cool thing again!" Rainbow says.

I shake my head. "No...not just yet. Until we know how she did...whatever she did...I'm gonna be more careful."

Pinkie's Shadow laughs and cups her hand around the breast-cage containing my effigy.

Diarahan

Soft, healing light fills the cage. She then reels in pain from the continued effects of Leviathan's poison.

"What's she doing?" Rainbow wonders. "Is she playin' with herself, or...?"

//She just...healed that thing?// Cadance shakes her head. //Give me a second. I think I missed something in my scans.//

"While you're doing that..." I slide the Moon onto my phone. "URSA MAJOR!"

Asteroid

The mighty starbear appears with an earthshaking roar. The sky above burns as a flaming, bright-hot asteroid crashes down, slamming into the Shadows and nearly knocking us all on our ass. The boulder Shadows all crumble into black dust, but Pinkie's Shadow barely even seems to notice.

Tempest Slash

With another roar, Ursa Major leaps forward and slashes viciously at the Shadow with its claws. She reels, almost losing her footing, then roars and leaps forward, raking her own dagger-like fingers against Ursa Major's hide. Fluttershy's barrier snaps into place, turning her own attack against her, and she screeches in frustration.

"PERSONA!"

Tidal Wave

Leviathan appears once again, summoning forth a tidal wave which crashes into Pinkie's Shadow, knocking her on her ass.

"She's down!" Rainbow yells excitedly. "Let's go for it!"

We all charge forward, slashing and hitting and shooting anywhere we can on the writhing Shadow. With an enraged yell, she sends us all flying, then rises to her feet, doubling over, chest heaving. Her heart starts to glow more brightly again, and that same golden light fills her breast.

Obsession

Shooting pains rack my body and I find myself curled up in a ball on the ground, every nerve on fire as black spots and flashing lights fill my vision.

"FLASH!" Twilight cries. "ATHENA!"

Diarahan

Athena appears; a flood of new energy fills me, and the black spots and shooting pains ebb away. I slowly stand up, shaking my head, which is still throbbing.

Cadance gasps. //I've got it! Oh my God...//

"What is it?" Twilight asks.

//I missed something important! Those things in her breasts, they're...they're like voodoo dolls! She's using them to drain Flash's lifeforce to heal herself! Then she heals...// She trails off. //Everyone! Ignore Pinkie's Shadow for now! Concentrate on killing those voodoo dolls!//

"Uhh...won't that like, kill Flash and Twilight?" Rainbow asks.

"No!" Twilight says. "I get it! Remember how a few minutes ago, she healed that figure of Flash? Our attacks have been damaging it, but only the ones that hit everything!"

Mediarama

Even as she says this, Pinkie's Shadow cups both breasts, healing the two effigies. The poison damages her again, but she braces herself, glaring down at us.

"I get it now!" Sonata cries. "She can use them to drain you two, but they've been taking damage all along!"

"If that's the case, then..." Rarity taps her phone. "BASTET!"

Mabufudyne

Bastet appears; massive shards of ice spear Pinkie's Shadow and the two effigies.

"PERSONA!"

Magarudyne

Rainbow's Persona appears, letting loose blasts of razor-sharp wind.

"ECHO!"

Magarula

Fluttershy adds her own wind attack to the mix.

Pinkie's Shadow roars in rage and pain as Sonata's poison takes hold; the ground thumps as her heart glows. Both breast-cages fill with golden light.

Obsession

Twilight and I both crumple to the ground. I can barely see or hear...

"Th' HELL you're gonna keep doin' that!" Applejack snarls. "PERSEPHONE!"

Gigantic Fist

Persephone appears and slams a massive fist into the cage containing the effigy of Twilight. The cage smashes open, spilling a viscous, snotlike goop out onto the ground. The effigy of Twilight lets out a piercing ethereal shriek as it breaks apart into nothingness, lavender motes dissipating into the air.

Pinkie's Shadow screams.

NO! YOU CAN'T DO THAT! I'M NOT LETTING ANYONE GO!

God's Hand

She lurches forward and grabs Applejack, lifts her high into the air, then throws her hard at the ground. I hear bones snapping as she lands...

"Oh God, Applejack..." Rainbow moans.

Fluttershy kneels over Applejack's body. "Persona," she says softly.

Recarm

Echo appears; a moment later, Applejack is on her knees, panting and clutching her chest. She still seems to be in pain, and her left arm is dislocated.

Somehow, I manage to find the strength to slide the Lovers Arcana onto my phone and tap the screen. "Serenity..."

Salvation

In a column of bright, silvery moonlight, Serenity appears, a graceful and gentle smile on her face. She prays to the crystal clutched to her breast, and warm, inviting light washes over us.

Twilight, Applejack, and I stand up, all our wounds healed. "Come on, guys," I say. "We're almost there."

//The poison's worn off,// Cadance reports. //But I think you can finish her off if you take out the other one now!//

"Right!" we all yell in unison. One after another, we call forth our Personas, unleashing our most powerful attacks. Halfway through the onslaught, the second effigy breaks down; by the time we've all spent ourselves, the Shadow is on her knees.

//Flash! Use the Six Paths again! You can finish this!//

NO! I WON'T LET YOU THROW ME AWAY SO EASILY! I'LL THROW ALL OF YOU AWAY FIRST!

Heartbreak

A bright pink beam shoots forth from the Shadow's heart, slamming into Twilight and catching her unawares. Twilight barely has the time to utter a faint "oh" of surprise before she falls to the ground.

"TWILIGHT!"

//Oh God, she's dead!//

Denial

Pinkie's Shadow laughs as one smashed breast fills with brilliant pink light and heals itself. The effigy of Twilight reappears, whole and undamaged.

Rainbow's jaw drops. "You gotta be fuckin' kidding me!" she cries.

Sonata sags. "Oh no...this could go on forever..."

"No," Pinkie says softly from behind me. "It won't."

Pinkie marches forward, kneeling down and gently taking Twilight's body into her arms. Her eyes are full of tears, but her face is furious as she glares up at her Shadow. "I've lost too much. I've hurt too much. Just because you're some sick, twisted monster that came out of my soul...THAT DOESN'T MEAN I'M GOING TO LET YOU TAKE ANYTHING ELSE AWAY FROM ME!"

She stands up, a blazing pink aura surrounding her.

"PERSONA!"

Euphoria explodes into being, shining so brightly it hurts to look directly at her. A soft blue light surrounds Twilight; she takes a deep, sharp breath and her eyes fly open.

Pinkie steps forward, standing between me and Twilight and her Shadow. Euphoria flies forward, plunges her hand into the Shadow's chest, and rips out her still-beating heart.

NO!!

Pinkie holds out one hand and clenches it into a tight fist. Above us, Euphoria mimicks her motion. With a loud, wet squelch, the Shadow's heart is crushed; red-black ichor drips down and splatters on the ground.

Pinkie's Shadow screams in agony as cracks form in her skin. Golden light streams from the cracks as her body breaks apart, bits and pieces dissolving into oily smoke. It takes almost a full minute, but soon there's nothing left except the original Shadow, standing in front of our Pinkie, head bowed and fists clenched.

Zecora appears from nowhere and calmly approaches Pinkie. "You must face your darkest fears, or else that monster will reappear."

Tears are streaming down Pinkie's cheeks. She looks at me and Twilight, then sniffles. She turns and faces her Shadow.

"I..."

She bows her head and clenches trembling fists at her sides.

"When Mom and Dad disowned me, I...it hurt...it hurt so much, and I felt so..." She wipes her eyes. "I did feel like I'd been thrown away. And Maud, she...she would've tried to help me, really, but I knew she couldn't.

"And then Flash and Twilight and everyone went out of their way to help me, and I was so happy, but...I was still scared. What if...what if something else happened? What if they decided my parents were right?" She looks back at us sadly. "What if they decided not to keep me around?

"And then..." She turns her back to us. "I was in love with both of you, and I'm so happy, but...I'm always thinking about what's going to happen when you two get married, or...or whatever..." She sniffles again. "Sooner or later, you're going to have to move on with your lives and leave me behind...and I'll be all alone again.

"I don't want to be alone...not ever..."

She looks up at her Shadow.

"I'm scared to death of being thrown away. I'd never hurt my friends, I'd never hurt myself the way..." She stops, then quietly adds, "But I guess...deep down..."

She sighs.

"I guess maybe...I'm so scared of being thrown away...I don't know what I'd do if I lost everyone I care about."

"Pinkie..." Twilight says softly, stepping forward and hugging her.

I join their embrace. "Pinkie...we're never going to leave you. I promise that. No matter what happens, no matter what the future holds, Twilight and I are always going to be there for you. You're too important to us. If we lost you, it would hurt so much."

Twilight nods and sniffles. "I can't imagine life without you, Pinkie," she says. "You were really the first friend I ever had." She smiles softly, wistfully. "The first friend outside of my family, I mean."

"Flash...Twilight..." Pinkie smiles. She turns to face her Shadow.

Her Shadow smiles sadly. "Stay happy," she says. "Don't lose your smile. Keep laughing. Keep laughing and smiling so you'll never be the same as me."

She glows a soft blue, then collapses in on herself, turning into a small blue balloon-shaped jewel, which floats over to Pinkie and sinks into her chest. A warm blue glow washes over Pinkie...

Her phone beeps twice, and Black Butterfly activates. Pinkie's battle outfit forms briefly on her body before suddenly changing, becoming a skintight pink-and-black harlequin outfit with a glitter-encrusted blue domino mask over her eyes. The blue jewel sits upon her throat on an ornate gold choker. Her whip glows golden and transforms into a length of shining gold chain made up of heart-shaped links.

"Oooh, upgrade," Sonata says.

Pinkie looks down at herself, then starts giggling. "Whee! Check me out!"

"You look ridiculous," Rainbow says with a playful smirk.

I squeeze Pinkie's butt. "I kinda like it."

Pinkie squeals, giggles, and wraps her arms around me. Twilight laughs and hugs both of us.

"So, umm...are we done here?" Fluttershy asks.

Pinkie looks from me to Twilight, turns to the others, and smiles. "Yeah...I think we're done here."