//------------------------------//
// Before the Party 
// Story: Equestria Divided: Hardened Soil 
// by Enigmatrix 
//------------------------------//

	Pinkie was more than sad, Ponyville had always liked her parties. It's all her fault, she shouldn't have arranged that party. She invited representatives from both oppositions to attend her party, the "Peace for Ponyville" party. This violence between the townsponies had been going on for months. She joined the PVC to prevent and to stop the violence once and for all, but to no avail as it had escalated into protests against the authorities. Pinkie had dealt with many violent arguments, but lately they rarely resolved peacefully without a pony or two going straight to the Ponyville Hospital.

After Twilight left for Canterlot, Redheart was left in charge of the Management group. She prioritized the PVC to prevent any injuries between the ponies as much as possible, yet every day an injured or two would be admitted to the hospital. At first it was the Muscle and the Vigil groups that would handle any fighting occurred, but now every other groups are needed to handle it as well. The Care group would either apply first aid to the injured or take them to the hospital. Lately, they have only been doing the latter. The Charity group utilized a new strategy by giving items to resolve the arguments, the items used needed to be more precious every day passed, and budget have started to dry off as members diminished.

The last group is the Happy group, Pinkie's group. The group used to be the main instrument of the PVC, preventing violence by using happiness. As the situation had escalated, this method became obsolete to the ponies. Pinkie and her members tried again and again using the same concept. Even with different methods, the results were the same every time. Other groups would have to intervene and clean the mess, usually the hard way. Pinkie had been keeping her last method as her last resort, a party.

By the time Pinkie had put her final plan in motion, the protests had already begun. She had planned the party for weeks until she finally sets it in motion. First, she invited representatives from the protest groups, the loyalists and the revolutionaries, then the PVC. The party would be one of the best; she would give it all for this one, for what used to be Ponyville.

Pinkie stood in front of the Sugarcube Corner as the naturally moving Sun began to set. As the host of the party, it's her duty to greet the guests invited. She could see her friends from afar, the PVC. Applejack bought Bulk Biceps and Big McIntosh from her Muscle group. Rainbow Dash bought Cloudchaser and Flitter from her Vigil group. Fluttershy bought Zecora and Iron Will from her Care group. Rarity bought Lotus Blossom and Aloe from her Charity group. And Redheart bought Cheerilee and Time Turner from her Management group. For the Happy group, she bought Donut Joe to help bake the pastries with Mister and Missus Cake.

She asked her friends to bring at least two members from each group so that the party would have more security than any other places in Ponyville. She wanted her guests to feel comfortable and relaxed in her party. Bulk would guard the front door, while Big Mac would guard the back of the front door. Flitter would keep watch on the balcony of Pinkie's bedroom, while periodically swapping with Chaser who would patrol the surrounding streets. Iron Will would guard the backside of the establishment, while Zecora would help in the kitchen as well as mix the special beverages with her calm potion. Pinkie had already tried the potion many times and it worked, always. It would ease the mind to the same point, relaxation, which is exactly what Pinkie needed for her party.

Even though foods and beverages would be served in her traditional pastry buffet, Lotus and Aloe would serve the more special treats from the kitchen to each of  the guests. Cheerilee and Turner would mediate the guests for peace before the finale negotiation between the protesters, the finale of the "Peace for Ponyville" party.

"Alright everyone!" shouted Pinkie. "Our guests would arrive in about an hour, so be prepared!"

Every members of the PVC did naught but sigh, obviously not having Pinkie's optimistic views of the situation. The PVC had only few successes in controlling the populace, let alone preventing violence during the past month. What would be the odds of this party being a success? Six mares, including Pinkie, stayed in the room. Pinkie asked, "What's the matter, girls?"

"What are we supposed to do?" asked RD.

"Well," said Pinkie with a smirk. "since you girls didn't get a role from me. You're free."

"What?!" asked RD. "but you managed to figure a role for everyone by less than a minute! Don't tell me you haven't had a role for us in mind!"

"Yep," answered Pinkie. "you're free!"

Yet again, Pinkie had successfully confused her friends with her randomness. "Um, would you like to clarify what you're trying to tell us?" asked Fluttershy.

"Well, all the roles I could think of have been filled," said Pinkie. "so I thought you girls would be able to lighten up the party on your own!"

"Look gal," said Applejack. "to be honest, we all don't share your point of view."

"Wha?" said Pinkie with disbelief in her tone.

"Pinkie, the situation is too much out of control," Redheart added. "we need to apply different methods."

"Darling, we can still back out now," said Rarity. "I'm worried about Spike being in the library on his own with all the protests going on."

"Nope," said Big Mac.

AJ answered him, "What was that, Big Mac?"

"Um, girls?" said Fluttershy as she looked out of the kitchen door. "I think canceling the party right now won't be such a good idea."

Fluttershy was right, the show must go on. The guests have arrived from both sides of Ponyville, but they also bought their uninvited guests, protesters. In front of Sugarcube Corner was a standoff between the protest groups, the awkward silence that could be broken by anyone, by any moment. The representative of the loyalists, Amethyst Star said to her opposition, "We both bought too much representatives, haven't we?"

The representative of the revolutionaries, Meadow Song answered, "It seems our leaders had the same idea."

Before the tension could rise any further, "CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE!"

It was Pinkie's shout no doubt, twelve pairs of eyes were allured by her voice. Pinkie then continue her speech to the group of ponies, "You have no idea how glad I am now for all of you to come here, I mean really!"

The loyalists' representatives are lead by Amethyst Star, her members are all unicorns, two stallions and three mares. The revolutionaries' representatives are lead by Meadow Song, only one member in the group wasn't an earth pony stallion. That pony is Minuette, a unicorn mare maned and coated in blue. Turner gazed at the mare from the bakery's window, earning a suspicion from his fellow member, "Why are you staring out of the window, Turner?"

"Oh it's you Miss Redheart," said Turner. "nothing I guess."

Redheart sighed, "It's her, isn't it?"

"It's not like I missed her or anything!" answered Turner. "well maybe actually. But it's something else, maybe I'm just skeptical."

"Well then," said Redheart. "as the leader of the Management group, I'd like to hear about it, Doctor."

"My goodness!" replied Turner. "and I thought Ditzy and Twilight were the inquisitors! Not you as well!"

Redheart giggled, "Speaking of her, how's Miss Doo lately?"

"We haven't talked much ever since this whole thing started," said Turner, "she was more concerned about Dinky, not to mention the increased communications between Canterlot and Ponyville making her busy delivering them most of the time she have in a day."

"I'm sure she'll be fine," consoled Redheart. "she's a hard-working mare after all."

"So that's who Dinky got her energy from," said Cheerilee as she joined the conversation. "she's always been a lively little filly."

"Ah, Miss Cheerilee," said Turner. "I've been meaning to ask, how's your child care going?"

"Oh, the colts and fillies are really jolly as you've said to be with," answered Cheerilee. "but I'm afraid the schoolhouse could only house so many."

"Then I suggest you move the orphanage to the library," suggested Redheart. "there's more than enough space after we cleared all the books, and I'm sure the foals would be more than delighted to help organizing all the tools and documents."

Turner added, "And of course, under you supervision, no offense."

"None taken," replied Cheerilee. "but I don't think the foals would want to abandon their crop patches, especially when the seedlings had just sprouted a couple of days ago. They were so happy seeing their hard work bloomed!"

There was a moment of silence after Cheerilee finished the last word of her sentence.

Turner broke the silence, "How are the two fillies doing, Miss Cheerilee?"

"Oh they're fine," answered Cheerilee. "they just became a bit more... quiet."

"They were best friends," Redheart added. "taking one away is just... wrong."

"Either way, Miss Cheerilee?" said Turner. "I've heard from Ditzy that Miss Carrot had designed a device that I'm sure would help moving the crop patches."

Cheerilee answered, "Oh that would be wonderful!"

Redheart added, "Oh, tell me about it."

As the trio continued their conversations, AJ watched them nearby, muttering to herself, "I'm so sorry, Apple Bloom. I'm so sorry, Cutie Mark Crusaders..."






meanwhile






". . . and that summarizes my opening speech," said Pinkie, ending her speech. "any questions, anypony?"

The group of protesters yawned in relief upon knowing that the most boring part of any formal parties, the opening speech, is over. Although many protesters fell asleep on the ground as a result, the "invited" guests did not, albeit yawning still. "None, may we enter the party room now?" answered Amethyst as she yawned with the others.

"YEAH!" shouted Bulk, waking every protesters in the vicinity.

As the guests trotted into the bakery, Flitter observed them from the balcony. The loyalists trotted in first and the first among them is Amethyst Star, pink mane and purple coat. The two white stallions following her wore a replica of S.E.U.P.A., Solar Earth-Unicorn-Pegasi Armor. She knew that they are wearing replicas because the PVC had confiscated a number of such armors in the past, which the Charity group quickly proved them to be cheap replicas, made somewhere else other than the Royal Arsenal. An authentic S.E.U.P.A. would turn the wearer's coat white, mane and tail blue. The stallions didn't wear the colors, as does the three mares following. They wore the L.E.U.P.A variant hidden under their cloaks. "Hmm" Flitter muttered.

"Since when you were so observative?" the mysterious voice pulled Flitter out of her concentration. She turned around to see who it was, no one. When she turned back, she quickly found out whose the mysterious voice was.

"The PVC had changed many of us, huh?" asked Thunderlane as he flew down to sit besides Flitter.

"Yeah," Flitter replied. "a bit of me is starting to doubt if this is the right thing for us to do."

"What do you mean?"

"We've hurt so many already," Flitter continued. "how does that make us any different from the others?"

Thunderlane sighed, "I thought we all have gone through this after the Care group bought that up."

"I know," Flitter sighed. "it's just a thought, that's all."

"Trying to pick up my sis again eh, Thunderlane?"

"NO!" Thunderlane yelled to Cloudchaser, who had flown back and landed next to her sister. "for now at least."

Both mares raised their one of their eyebrows, "For now?"

Red colored Thunderlane's face, the sisters giggled.

"Huh?"

"What is it, Flit?" asked Chaser.

"What?" said Flitter. "oh nothing, Chase."

"You sure?" asked Chaser.

"Of course!" answered Flitter. "I think it's my turn on patrol now."

Flitter took off from the balcony and headed to the streets. She did see something odd, but it's not odd enough to be any threat. "Why did Pinkie dance up and down like she was on salt in front of the protesters?"






back below






The protesters looked at Pinkie confusingly. All of them knew Pinkie's antics, but never have they ever saw a dance so awkward performed by Pinkie. Pinkie quickly ran to the side of the bakery, not hiding from the crowds out of embarrassment, but out of confusion. She sat down to contemplate, "What was that?"

Iron Will who was guarding the backdoor, saw Pinkie and asked, "What are you doing, Pinkie?"

"What?" Pinkie snapped back to reality, "oh it's you, Willis."

Iron Will smiled, "Still going to call me that, huh?"

"Or do you prefer 'Willy' more?"

"No comment," Will replied. "was that you?"

"You felt it too, huh?"

"Iron Will bet the ground shook to Fluttershy's shed!" Will exaggerated. "I mean, cottage. Iron Will hopes that it is not your doozy."

"I sure hope so," said Pinkie ". . . Fluttershy told you about my Pinkie Senses, didn't she?"

"She did," said WIll. "the tea party she invited Iron Will to join with a bunch of critters, and a draconequ-"

Pinkie shoved her hoof into Will's mouth, "Say no more! I think I can imagine what happened, both good and bad, I think."

Will pulled Pinkie's hoof out of his mouth, "So what will you do with your doozy? It happened just after the party started, should we cancel?"

"No!" shouted Pinkie. "this might be our only chance for peace! Who knows? The unexpected might be peace!"

Will rolled his eyes.

"Thank you, Willy," Pinkie smiled. "for returning my confidence to myself!"

As Pinkie trotted into the bakery through the backdoor, Will went back to his post and sighed, "When a pony wants confidence, make sure they have prudence. . . Iron Will learned this from Fluttershy, yet why Iron Will couldn't teach Pinkie Pie?"






a minute later






Pinkie rushed out of the kitchen door and shouted, "EVERYPONY!"

All the murmurs stopped, their attentions toward Pinkie. She then shouted, "Let The Party, BEGIN!"

The confetti burst out, a lot of confetti. The huge amount of confetti surprised both the guests and the PVC, but they later returned to their quiet discussions. "This is going to be harder than I thought," Pinkie thought to herself.