"So, have you seen that new house behind the clock tower?"
"Yea, what about it?"
"It's said the mare who's gonna live there is arriving today."
"Really? I hope she's nice."
This was only one of the conversations that Pinkie overheard as she traveled through town. She hadn't planned on going anywhere in particular today -besides picking up Mrs. Cake's ingredients-, just a walk around Ponyville, wearing her cheerful demeanor to brighten anypony's day. However, with all this talk of a new pony she was hearing, that would have to change. No pony lasts a day without the proper Pinkie-Pie-patented welcome parties where all the ponies in Ponyville are invited! Better go get my party cannon! Pinkie thought as she made her final purchases at the Apple stand. A bushel of apples and a bag of cherries to finish off Mrs. Cake's orders. She swung the bag of apples from her mouth into the basket roped around her head and trotted off towards Sugarcube Corner.
"Gotchur' apples n' cherries for ya, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie announced as she bounced in through the door, setting off the bell above. She landed a good distance away from the work tables behind the counter and flicked her head forward, sending the basket soaring through the air. The confectionery mare coming through the Western doors had ducked her head as she saw something flying at her face.
Her reflexes saved her, leaving the basket to soar inches over her icing-like mane. Her eyes were wide in disbelief as she saw the basket, now sitting perfectly straight and still, with no cherry and apple bruised or out of place. She then looked to Pinkie, who innocently grinned ear-to-ear.
I will never understand this pony. Ever.
"Thank you, dear! That was much appreciated." Mrs. Cake put on her usual exasperated smile and took the basket's handle between her teeth as she made her way to the kitchen.
"No problem, Mrs. C!" The party pony shouted to her across the room as she ascended the stairs. "If you need anything else just tell me and I"ll be happy to get it! ...Except for the next couple hours today. I'm greeting the new pony with her welcoming party today!"
"That's nice, Pinkie. Have fun!" she heard Mrs. Cake reply from the kitchen, already submerged into her work. And Pinkie was already upstairs, digging through her closet. Streamers and balloons of all shapes and colors were flung from the closet as the pink pony raced to find her prized possession.
"Gummy, have you seen my Party Cannon??" Besides lifting his head at the sound of his name, he gave no response and continued to rest on his bed of multicolored balloons. She sat back in a heap, staring curiously into her closet. I always put my Party Cannon in here when I don't need to use it..... Somewhere, somehow, a light-bulb flashed on and emitted a DING! Wait...!
"Wait a second.....!" She stood on all fours and slammed the door shut, confident her prized weapon and party-starter wasn't hidden in the closet. She then reached into her back pocket. AHA! So, that's where it was!
"I always need my Party Cannon! So, it's always somewhere handy!" she concluded aloud, setting her hoof back down with pride. She whipped all the loose streamers and balloons to the edges of her room with her tail, giving it the feeling as if a party had just ended. She'd be feeling a similar way when she got back from the welcoming party, so she kept it so.
"Well, Gummy, I'm off! See you later!" She flipped the light switch with her nose and proceeded down the stairs. Gummy continued to sleep, oblivious to her farewell.
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Poking her head out the train's window, a mare caught a view of what was soon to be her new home. The sun was now high in the sky, signaling the time to be about noon. I was told this train was never late...yet the schedule says it'll be in ..Ponyville.. by 12:05. She sighed, recoiling her head back into the train. Oh well, it's not like I have anything to be late for. She was taming her wind-blown mane when the door at the front of the car opened.
"Tickets out, please." A unicorn stood tall, wearing a navy blue conductor's cap and vest. A hole puncher was being levitated beside him. "We'll be arriving at Ponyville Station in about seven minutes." The few other mares and colts that were in the car rustled through their pockets and bags for their boarding passes.
It wasn't long until the colt prompted for her ticket. The paper levitated out of her paw into the hole puncher, and a few clicks were heard over his verbal thanks. She nodded politely in response. The ticket was returned and put away.
Despite her exhaustion from traveling for so long in the same position, she thought it wasteful to lie down now, as she would only have to get back up in several minutes. She hadn't laid down for the whole train ride, her being self-conscious of the fancy-colt-across-from-her's disapproving glare.
The mattress, sheets and blankets will definitely be the first- She stifled a yawn. ..and only.. things I purchase today. I can do all my other necessary shopping tomorrow morning. I'm sure it won't be that hard. She went back to the window, patiently awaiting her new home.
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Unheard to the new resident soon to arrive at the train station, a tremendous BOOM echoed throughout most of Ponyville. And this, of course, was no ordinary BOOM. This was the well known, Pinkie Party Cannon BOOM. Anypony who knew about the new mare coming to town-and just about everypony knew by now- was to gather at her house.
Once all were accounted for, Pinkie would be the ringleader, assembling them all into their hiding spots. Pegasus? Go hide in the dark corner or above the fan. Earth pony? Hide in the closet or under a table. Unicorn? Conjure a invisibility spell...or just hide in plain sight! Pinkie had it covered.
In groups of three or four, ponies filed in through the door. Excited murmurs could be heard from mares and colts alike as they saw the brightly colored streamers and balloons paint the ceiling and walls around them. Nothing on the first level of the new mare's house had been left untouched. Punch, chips and other favorable party snacks were set out neatly on two tables in the center of the room. Another lone table-empty- was set off against the front wall, awaiting presents.
"OK, everypony! Welcoming gifts go on that table to my right! Once that's done, come over here and make a huge huddle!" Pinkie shouted from atop a table, standing on her hind two legs, hooves cupped around her mouth. "Unicorns on my right! Earth ponies on my left! Pegasi hover above! I need to see everypony!" Within 10 minutes, the majority of Ponyville's residents were in their assigned groups, waiting for Pinkie to begin. She scanned the crowd with narrowed eyes, unconsciously checking off everypony as she saw them, marking them present. But, someone was missing. A certain purple dragon....
"Twilight?" Pinkie picked the purple unicorn out of the crowd on her right, and everypony turned to stare.
"Yes?" she asked, blushing a tad from all the unwanted attention.
"Where is Spike?"
"He's busy." This answer, her scrunched-up nose and averted eyes all earned her a more inquisitive glance from her fuchsia friend.
"With..what, if I may ask?" The pink pony leaned in closer to Twilight. From the portion of Earth ponies, Twilight could hear Applejack clear her throat too loudly.
"....*sigh* OK, you got me." She hung her head momentarily in defeat. Spike was, technically, busy but, it was because of Twilight. She had put him to work: cleaning the library. It wasn't because of her not wanting Spike to come, it was for the sake of her saneness. This party was not on her schedule, cleaning her house was. Now she realized how selfish this had been. If Rarity had known what she had, Twilight would've gotten a disapproving glare or AHEM from her, too. "I'll go get him."
"That-a mare! We'll save a hiding spot for you when you get back." After Twilight didn't move anywhere, Pinkie added with a giggle."..if you ever leave."
"Oh, sorry!" With a nervous chuckle, Twilight disappeared in a small burst of purple magic. A few unicorns that had been standing around her flinched, but then filled the empty space as if nothing had happened.
"...Well...everypony else is here. So..." Pause for dramatic effect... "Go find a place to hide, everypony!" She threw her hooves into the air as ponies galloped and soared throughout the house, hiding under in every nook and cranny, in every closet and under every chair and table. You would've thought that this would create a huge, chaotic riot of ponies fighting over hiding spaces. But this is Pinkie Pie we're talking about here. Pinkie Pie; the pony who's cutie mark is three balloons and has a never-ending smile. She was born to throw a party.
"Hey, Diamond Mint, upstairs is off limits! .......Derpy, hiding behind another pony isn't going to work!" Of course, trying to hide this many ponies in two rooms on the same floor wasn't easy. But, if you fit the pieces right, and you're Pinkie Pie, it would work out. Eventually.
And soon enough, the room looked as vacant as it was before she had blasted it with her Party Cannon. The only hint that ponies were hidden everywhere were the whispers and rustles coming from every shadow and closet. Suddenly, there was a small POOF behind her.
"Ugh...Hey, where is everypony?" Spike asked, still a bit nauseous from the ride. Twilight, however, was used to it.
"Everypony's already in their hiding places?" Twilight noted in surprise, Spike's eyebrows raised. "Wow, Pinkie, you've outdone yourself again!"
Pinkie beamed. "Thanks, but I'm not done yet! We still have a party to throw!"
"Right! So,...um, where do I hide?" she asked nervously while Spike was admiring the decorations.
"Right over there behind the welcoming gifts' table. And Spike, you can hide right behind Twilight!" Pinkie pointed a hoof to her right. The librarian duo made their way over to the presents and Rainbow Dash zoomed in from the left.
"The train just came into the station! There's a gray and blue mare headed this way!" A handful of younger ponies gasped in excitement from their hiding spots, stirring the silence to hearty conversations.
"Thanks, Rainbow! Shout down her eye color as soon as you see it."
"Got it!" With a quick salute, the rainbow pegasus flew up to her hiding spot, and Pinkie turned to quiet the hullabaloo.
"Everypony, listen up!" Silence was immediate. "We're gonna do this just like we always do: as soon as the door shuts I'll turn the lights on, and everypony will jump out and holler "Surprise!"" Then the party begins! " The last words were spoke with huge grin, her hooves thrown into the air in joy. Many hooves were punched into the air as well, gleeful shouts echoed through the deceivingly empty home.
"Hahaha, Ok, Ok, save that excitement for the party! Shhhh!" Most mares and stallions became quiet on her orders, but a few were still heard. Those ponies were hushed when they heard a gasp from above.
"It's a minty greenish!" At her words, the lights blinked off as Pinkie took her position beside the front door.
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This is beautiful! Definitely not what I expected, but still...beautiful! I must thank the ponies responsible for this masterpiece of a house! A couple of windows, a small garden outside, a cobblestone walkway- it's perfect! I hope the inside is just as nice. Same for the bathrooms...oh, sweet Celestia, do I need to go!
She pushed the luggage cart to the right of the door and opened the mailbox on her left. That real estate stallion told me the key would be in my mailbox! She scooped the key out with a pale hoof, placed it between her teeth, and inserted it into the keyhole. The knob twisted too easily along with the key, opening the door an inch or two.
....! It's already unlocked?! Oh no, what if somepony's already in my house! Or what if it's a total mess and I'll have no proof of who's responsible! She stomped a hoof and shook those frightened thoughts away.
Ok, calm down, Hazel, calm down. She took a slow, deep breath and turned to put away her key in one of the bags. The construction ponies probably just...forgot to lock the door. That's all. No big deal, nopony would come into an empty house, anyway!
With the key safely tucked away and her pessimistic thoughts pushed aside, she grabbed the handle of the luggage trolley between her teeth and wheeled it into her new home.
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