As Rarity and her new friends were tucking into a scrumptious meal of pasta with alfalfa-alfredo sauce, there was a heated argument in progress on the other side of town. Two little pegasi were forcibly restraining a manically energetic Pinkie Pie, although only one of them was really doing any restraining. The other had a trembling hoof extended and was resting it ever so delicately on Pinkie's back. When the earth pony filly let out a whoop and tried to wiggle out from under their restraining hooves, the retiring pegasus squeaked and withdrew her hoof. The other filly was determined not to let Pinkie escape, and her rainbow mane fell into her eyes as she struggled with her quarry.
"Rainbow! Fluttershy! You gotta let me go! I have a party to plan!" Pinkie yelped. Rainbow Dash only scowled and put Pinkie in a headlock.
"No way, pal. You literally just told us that Rarity asked you to leave them alone! I'm not gonna let you break a promise like that!"
Fluttershy nodded nervously, cautiously reaching out to put a helping hoof on Pinkie once again. "Sorry, but Rainbow Dash is right, you know. Friends don't let friends betray the trust of friends, even if their friends just want to make their friends happy... um, I think."
Pinkie groaned. "But I can't just not throw a party! Especially a super-important Welcome-To-Ponyville extravaganza like this! All that partying's just building up inside me! Look what it's doing to me!"
She held up a pink hoof to demonstrate, and indeed, her whole leg was quivering at an uncomfortable rate. "I got the no-party shakes! Have a heart, guys!"
This did not have much of an effect on Dash, who just scoffed and rolled her eyes, but Fluttershy was full of pity for her party-deprived friend. "Oh no, I didn't realize you were suffering! M-maybe just a teensy-weensy little party wouldn't hurt anypony?"
Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes as far back as they would go. "Flutter-shy, Pinkie'll be fine. It's only one night, after all. She can throw her lame party or whatever in the morning. Sheesh."
Pinkie Pie sighed, and her mane drooped a bit. "Okay, okay. I promise I won't throw any parties until tomorrow."
Rainbow eyed her suspiciously. "Really? You promise?"
Pinkie nodded as well as she could with Dash's foreleg still restraining her. "Yep yep! And when Pinkie Pie makes a promise, it's a sure thing!"
"Somehow, I don't quite believe this particular promise, Pinkie."
"Well, it's true! Cross my heart!"
Rainbow Dash snorted. "That doesn't even mean anything! You might as well tell me you'll start flying."
Fluttershy piped up. "Oh, I hope so! That would be nice, if Pinkie Pie could fly with us."
Pinkie grinned and tried to bounce enthusiastically, but was still pinned by Rainbow Dash. "I hope so too! Yesterday I fell off a table in Sugarcube Corner when I tried to fly, but all that happened was that I smushed a few cupcakes with my face." She licked her lips. "They were so-o-o yummy, though!"
Rainbow groaned. "Focus, Pinkie."
"Okay, okay! I give you my Pinkie Pie one hundred percent guaranteed promise! Cross my heart and hope to fly. And- and stick a cupcake in my eye, too!"
Rainbow Dash had to laugh. "Oh, whatever. Here."
She stood, permitting the little pink filly to resume her usual bouncing. Fluttershy smiled, relieved that her friends had worked everything out.
"So, um, about these new ponies that Rarity's with. Are- are they nice? I hope they're nice." Fluttershy softly inquired. Pinkie beamed at her, her bounces unceasing.
"Oh yeah, they're super nice! Except they're not ponies. Well, one of them is, but the other's a dragon. He's-"
There was a tiny scream. It was hardly audible over Pinkie's chattering, but considering the source, it was loud enough to make the other two fillies stop and stare.
"Oh, no! There's a d-dragon in Ponyville? Oh no! No no no!" Without another word, the slender pegasus turned tail and bolted away from the town. Rainbow Dash and Pinkie stared at each other for a moment, speechless. Finally, Pinkie Pie spoke.
"Do you think she'll still come to the party tomorrow?"