The next couple months flew by after Ventus's return, the teen getting used to being amongst the others as he was back in his own body. The winter season passed, as well as another Ponyville Christmas where Sora played the role of Santa again, though his assistants were Ventus and Pinkie, giving gifts to the little colts and fillies who were good this year. Sadly, Donald and Goofy were busy with their duties in their world, though they sent their season's greetings with a holiday card from them, including King Mickey and Queen Minnie. Diamond Tiara definitely got another big lump of coal after mistreating Scootaloo with her harsh flightless comment, making her pride as a pegasus oversee their routine and almost lose her friends. It was music to the stallion's ears to hear Diamond question how an even bigger lump of coal wound up in her room this time without a trace of the perpetrator. Along with the human holiday, as soon as winter was considered over in Equestria, Ventus, Aqua, and Riku took part in the most oddest of holidays; Winter Wrap-Up. Cleaning up winter for spring to come was a strange task, even as Ventus knew the weather works differently in this world than any other world through Sora's eyes.
In the outskirts of the desert in the starry evening, the whole town of Appaloosa was in an uproar of a party, celebrating something as the town was filled to the brim with decorations. Overlooking the desert town as the ponies and buffalo down below partied their hearts out, an orangish-tan earth pony stallion with a cutie mark of a grilled cheese sandwich split in half with cheese oozing between the bread, wearing a poncho and hat on his curly brown mane watched them dance and have a good time, and a rubber chicken with a bowler hat resting on his back. He tipped his hat and began walking away, holding a party noise blower in his mouth.
"Well, Boneless, our work here is done," he said, talking to his joke chicken as if it were alive, Bonless wilting a little in response. "Yup. Those ponies never partied so hard. All thanks to me: Cheese. Cheese Sandwich." Suddenly, Cheese stopped as his body began tingling, his shivering body making his hat fall off as his cutie mark moving as well as it made accordion sounds. He began giggling gleefully, unlike the serious expression he had held earlier as he looked out at the town, leaping up in the air in excitement. "Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo! That was a doozy!" The stallion picked his hat back up after landing back on the ground, looking out in the distance. "Well, Boneless. Looks like our next destination is...Ponyville..." He walked down the vast deserts to the town next on his party hit list. "Tomorrow's gonna be a fun day."
Ventus and Aqua walked through town, still reeling from Winter Wrap-Up's odd traditions just a few days ago. "I still cannot believe we actually cleaned up a season," Ventus said. "I mean, I saw it before in Sora last year, but actually touching clouds, clearing away snow, and bringing back birds is a little...strange...Well, at least the clouds are a bit fun to mess around with. It's like a giant pillow and a bed, but it can break if hit with enough force."
"Lucky you," Aqua said. "But Ponyville's tradition using no magic seemed torturous to unicorns. I will admit it was a little fun designing those birdhouses with Rarity as I had a project of my own I'm still doing."
"You sew?" Ventus asked.
"Not exactly sewing, though it is pretty important for all our new friends." Aqua stopped, wondering if her young friend still had his Wayfinder. "Ven, you still have your Wayfinder?"
"Of course." The teen reached down to his flanks, only realizing he isn't wearing pants anymore, where he put his charm in those pockets. He grumbled and searched around his jacket pockets, gasping in surprise as it was now in one of them, pulling it out to show her. "...Well, at least I didn't have to fly off to another world to grab it out of my pants pocket. Must have moved when I turned into a pony...Convenient."
As Aqua looked at the green star she made, it was worn out a little bit from time, but it still looked fine. "Yeah...I wasn't able to get Terra's after..." She held off on that thought, shaking her head, not wanting to think back losing their friend to Xehanort. "Never mind...Even if we had his, it wouldn't matter. It would remind me that we lost him, and he did fight back to regain control after I fought him..."
"Then you wound up in the Realm of Darkness in his place..." Ventus sighed sadly as he looked down at his Wayfinder. "...Xehanort..."
"Terra wouldn't want us to mourn over him forever. I think this is a new start for the two of us, with new friends, and a second chance to stop Xehanort. For good this time." He looked up at Aqua and nodded his head, putting his old Wayfinder back in his pocket. "But, speaking of a new start, I thought we could create newer bonds with the others with new Wayfinders." Aqua pulled out a small blue gift box with a pale green ribbon tied around it in a bow. "And I wanted to give yours first as a birthday present."
"Birthday?" Ventus had to think of what the date was today, his eyes widening as he remembered. "Hey, it is my birthday today! You still remembered?"
"Even after almost going insane in the Realm of Darkness." Ventus's excitement died as Aqua made that statement.
"...Well, that was a downer," he said.
"I'm over that now that you're back," Aqua assured, giving Ventus his present. "Now, open it up and take a look."
The teen opened the top of the box and saw his new Wayfinder. He held it up, colored the same as his old one, but it was designed a lot more than the simple stars Aqua made for them before and had a thin chain on it so he could wear it around his neck. There was a heart outlined in the middle, his Keyblade sewn inside of it, looking as close to his weapon as possible with the small space she had.
"Wow. This is definitely a lot better than the first ones," Ventus complimented. "I love it."
"You're welcome, Ven." Aqua pat Ventus on the head, the teen grinning despite always being treated like a kid by her and Terra. "So, from the time you lost your heart, you're now fifteen."
"I feel a lot older than that, but I'm gonna be stuck as a teen for a few more years until I'm considered an adult." He sighed, putting his new Wayfinder around his neck, placing the star underneath his shirt so it wouldn't get dirty. "I was older than Sora back then, but now I'm younger than him. How ironic is my life?" Aqua giggled as Ventus pouted, though his feigned misery faded away as his ears perked up, both of them hearing music as Pinkie Pie walked into Ponyville with a pair of saddlebags on her back. "Do you hear upbeat music playing?"
"Yup. And from out of nowhere," Aqua added. "Guess there's going to be a random moment of breaking into song again."
"I know that happens here, but I still can't believe they come out of nowhere." They watched Pinkie and followed her as she felt as upbeat as she ever was.
[Pinkie Pie]
Every single day there's something new you can plan for
Every single day there's something wonderful to do
But nothing makes me happy like a day that I can say
"Today I planned a party, and it's just for you!"
As she stopped in the market, she spun and pointed at Ventus, confusing the teen a little. "Uhh, for me?"
"No, silly Venny!" Pinkie said. "I was pointing at the audience watching this super fun episode chapter for the song!" Her explanation immediately broke Ventus's and Aqua's brains, having no clue what she was talking about and daring not to question what it was.
Pinkie turned to a vendor selling a variety of streamers, the stallion grinning as his favorite customer had that look that screamed "Party in plan! Need supplies!" "How are you today, Pinkie?"
"Great, thanks!" Pinkie said. "Got any streamers?"
"Sure do!" the stallion chuckled, tossing her some rolls of different colored streamers into her bags. "Big party planned for today?"
"Don't you know it!" After her bags were filled with a variety of streamers, she bounded off down the road.
Ventus and Aqua stared at her, the teen lifting his hoof as he was about to say something, but dropped it as soon as he realized who they were dealing with. "Forget it. I had headaches back in Sora's heart trying to figure Pinkie Pie out. I'm gonna ignore what she said...Though I am curious what her big party's going to be about today."
Ventus hurried after Pinkie, Aqua chuckling as she shook her head. "Though you think you're older, you're still just a kid, Ven."
She chased after them as Pinkie continued singing.
Don't have much time to gather all the things I need
If I'm really gonna make this party fly
The earth pony soon leapt up onto the tops of the buildings and jumped from rooftop to rooftop, amazing the two Keyblade wielders with the height of her bounding.
For today's another day that all of Ponyville will say
[Crowd]
There goes the super party pony Pinkie Pie!
Ventus and Aqua watched Pinkie disappear over a building and ran to catch up to her. They soon found the owners of Sugarcube Corner and the pink mare's employers, Carrot and Cup Cake, pushing a baby stroller with their twins, Pound and Pumpkin, riding inside.
[Mr. and Mrs. Cake]
She planned our first foal shower where we played all sorts of games
Having so much fun as we chose Pound and Pumpkin's names
Pinkie appeared in the stroller with a pacifier in her mouth, with no one having any idea how she wound up in there when she was hopping across roofs. She spat out the pacifier and bounded away, the Cake Twins giggling at Pinkie's silly nature. Ventus and Aqua soon spotted Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon outside of a malt shop, the former buying a small strawberry shake while her friend got a large chocolate one.
[Diamond Tiara]
She planned my cute-ceañera my dad made me, I won't lie
The spoiled filly shoved aside her measly cup of a shake, clearly wasting her small allowance as it fell over. She didn't even care about her friend as she dragged her shake over to her, Silver Spoon leering at her for taking what she ordered.
I demanded all the best, I suppose she passed the test
Sure it was pretty good all thanks to Pinkie Pie
Silver Spoon took her shake back when Pinkie passed by and her attention was on the party pony, sipping through the straw to find her "friend" glaring at her for stealing the shake that was hers. "Thanks!" Pinkie said, only to tilt her head in confusion at Diamond's comment about her skills. "I guess?"
Ventus shook his head, understanding why Diamond Tiara really was such a spoiled little brat. "Should have given her a mountain of coal during Christmas. What kind of friend steals another's food like that?"
"I agree," Aqua said after seeing the horrible display, always seeing the filly when she wasn't busy training Twilight and hearing she was a bully. "Let's just hope the coal you three gave her doesn't have a diamond in it."
Their attention was brought back to Pinkie as she visited more vendors for party supplies. "What color paints do you need, Pinkie?"
"I'm gonna need the whole rainbow, and some black and white!" Pinkie exclaimed as the vendor poured all the paint she requested in her pouch.
Even though all of it became a murky brown color, knowing Pinkie, she'll find some way to separate all the mixed up paint. "A paintbrush too?" the paint seller asked.
"Yes, if you please!" After getting her brush, she moved over to a stall where a mare sold a varying assortment of banners.
"And what from me?" she asked.
"Your biggest banner! This party's gonna be the best!" Pinkie cheered as she got her banner.
"I don't doubt it!" the mare said, Pinkie tossing a party hat on her head, the crowd following her along with Ventus and Aqua as she made her way to Sugarcube Corner.
[Crowd]
Every single day there's something new we can plan for
Every single day there's something wonderful to try
But nothing makes us happy like a day that we can say
"Today there'll be a party planned by Pinkie Pie!"
Pinkie got to work decorating the banner, the rest of the Keyblade wielders' friends already there as they watched her splattering paint across the banner she was making. They were cheering her on, curious to see what their hyperactive party planning friend was throwing a party for. Though, some questions did come to mind when Riku pointed out the paint from her saddlebags not seeping or dripping through it, but he stopped himself before he got an aneurysm from overthinking how Pinkie Pie did what she does.
There's no other pony like her, no pony that could be
As great! (As great!) As fun! (As fun!)
As our super party pony Pinkie!
As swift as she was random, Pinkie finished her design and hoisted the banner up over the entrance to the town bakery. "I am so excited! Today, I am planning the birthday bash of Rainbow Dash and Ventus!"
On the banner, Pinkie painted on random patterns of rainbow colored lightning bolts and clouds for Rainbow Dash's side, her figure crudely painted like it was a project made by a foal. For Ventus, his was just as badly with a close depiction of his clothing, but his side was decorated with hearts, stars, and he held his Keyblade in his hoof. It was a surprise for everyone around; not only was Pinkie throwing a double birthday bash, but no one else aside from Aqua knew today was his birthday as well.
"Wait a minute!" Ventus said, looking at Pinkie in confusion. "Earlier, you pointed at me in that musical number, but you said it wasn't a party for me. And...how did you know it was my birthday today?" He looked back at Aqua, the mare shaking her head, never telling anyone about his birth date. "...I repeat, HOW did you know it was my birthday today!?"
"It was a surprise, you silly colt!" Pinkie gave Ventus a noogie, not exactly the answer he was looking for, but he should have expected an unclear response to his question. "Auntie Pinkie Pie's gonna give you and Dashie the bestest double birthday party in the history of parties!"
"...Umm, ARE you older than me to be considered an aunt?" Ventus asked, and his questions will forever remain unanswered as the others approached him.
"We didn't know it was your birthday today!" Sora exclaimed. "Ignoring how Pinkie Pie knew, since she actually knew ours before we even knew she threw a surprise birthday party for me, Kairi, and Riku at least once, how come you didn't tell us, Aqua?"
"I was a little busy with a private project and Twilight's training," Aqua said. "At least Rarity gave me an empty room to work on what I've been making so she wouldn't peek on them."
"Venny, Dashie," Pinkie said, pulling the two pegasi toward her, but her cheery disposition changed to a serious glare, unnerving the mare and teenage stallion. "As your enlisted party planner, I guarantee that you two will have the funnest, most fantabulous, and superbial party ever in all of Ponyville. You two realize that, right?"
"...Uhh, I guess so," Rainbow said.
"NO GUESSES!" Pinkie pounced them and slammed them to the ground. "Parties are no picnic! They are serious business! And you two have my certified Pinkie Party Promise that you two will have the best birthday party ever!"
She did her usual Pinkie Promise, but to seal the deal, she actually slammed a cupcake she pulled out of nowhere right over her eye. Luckily she closed it right at the last second, but the act made Ventus wince if the icing got right into her eye.
"...I think I need an adult," Ventus mumbled.
"Uhh, I'm an adult," Rainbow said.
"...A responsible adult," he corrected, making the rainbow-maned mare leer at him.
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie shouted, licking the frosting off her face as she bounced away from the birthday ponies. "Who's ready to join this super duper party pony plan this super duper double par-tay!?"
"I am." Everyone turned to a new voice, seeing a shadily dressed stallion with a party noise blower in his mouth, blowing into it and made a small honking noise.
"...Who are you?" Riku questioned, unsure if this stallion was up to something.
"The name's Cheese Sandwich," he answered, stepping away from the building he leaned against. "I plan parties."
"What a coincidence!" Pinkie bounced up to Cheese Sandwich, excited to meet another pony who shares her love of party throwing. "I'm Pinkie Pie, and I'm planning a party right now!"
"I know. I sensed it after the last party I threw just last night," Cheese said. "My cheesy sense was a-tingling, telling me where the party that was being planned would be at."
Pinkie gasped in surprise, though hearing Cheese sandwich say he had an odd sense that was similar to her Pinkie Sense, some of them couldn't help but feel wary of this stallion. "A cheesy sense!? Double amazing! I have a Pinkie Sense!"
"I sensed you had one. You're lucky I'm here." Cheese Sandwich walked up to the bakery and looked up at the banner, rubbing his chin in thought. "All of you are in the presence of Equestria's premiere party planner. If there's a party in need, I'll be there." He began to walk around, continuing his little speech. "Be it a wingding, hoedown, hootenanny, or shindig, I'm your pony..."
"Two party planners working on a double birthday doesn't sound that bad," Ventus said, feeling a little excited to see what Cheese Sandwich has for ideas with Pinkie's.
"And this also just a party for my birthday too," Rainbow said. "This is also my anniversary when I first moved to Ponyville years ago!"
"A birth-iversary!?" Pinkie gasped in surprise. "This is even better! Two birthdays and an anniversary of moving here! I think we can do this!"
"Oh, I don't THINK so," Cheese interjected, making all of Ponyville gasp in shock. He then dropped his serious expression and grinned as wide as Pinkie Pie, tearing away his travel attire, revealing a yellow polo shirt and revealing his poofy, curly mane. "I KNOW so!" More music began to play, the sound of an accordion joining into the hyper, upbeat tune in the background. "After all-"
[Cheese Sandwich]
The super-duper party pony - that pony is me
I always knew that was the kind of pony I would be
"Me too!" Pinkie said, the Keyblade wielders' jaws dropping in shock.
"Oh dear lord, he's Pinkie Pie's other half!" Riku exclaimed in horror. "We're doomed."
"Come on, ponies! Who here likes to party!?" Cheese asked with a chuckle, approaching an elder stallion using a crutch to walk. "You do! I can tell!"
Exactly as Riku feared, Cheese Sandwich had the same wild and illogical powers Pinkie had while holding the same exact level of excitement as their pink friend, a whole lot of random nonsense happening that went with the lyrics to his song.
When I was but a little colt, I just wanted to play
"Like me!" Pinkie chimed in.
But everypony told me, "Cheese, that fun just wastes the day"
"As if!" Pinkie said, unable to believe too much fun would ever waste away one's day.
But when I threw a party and I busted out some moves
"Uh huh!" Pinkie nodded, knowing where Cheese was going as her first party made her family's lives less gloomy on her rock farm home.
The ponies finally saw the light and got into the groove
"You know it!" Pinkie agreed.
The super-duper party pony - that pony is me
"And me!" Pinkie chimed in again.
You'll never meet another party pony quite like Cheese!
"Uhh, Pinkie?" Pinkie tried to interject, reminding Cheese she was also a party planning pony as well, watching him interact with several other versions of him in random in a police line up behind a two way wall, the stallions partying inside of the other room.
"Hey, good-lookin', want some mayonnaise?" he asked the fourth Cheese down the line, going back to more zaniness coming from the stallion's song as everyone in Ponyville, including the transformed humans, seemed to take a liking to his party plan.
My parties are all off the hook
I never plan them by the book
I start out fun, then whoopsie-daisy
Everybody just gets crazy!
Bored of snacks made by your mom?
How about a giant party bomb?
Huge piñatas filled with cake
Or dive into my fruit punch lake!
Cheese grabbed a random stallion and send him leaping off a diving board into a giant glass bowl of fruit punch down below. "Geronimo!"
The super-duper party pony - that pony is me
You'll never meet another party pony quite like Cheese
In front of a group of foals, he kicked a large present in front of him, the box unfolding itself as a hippo with a saddle on its back was inside it. "Come on, kid, take it for a spin!"
"Golly! Thanks, mister!" a colt said as he climbed up on the hippo and went on a ride, though it was quite odd to see a pony riding on the back of a hippo of all the other creatures that would make sense to ride on.
Oh, when I throw a Cheese party, be sure to not be lame
And miss my pie fights, wacky kites, and streamers in your mane
Fizzy drinks, Hawaiian shirts, and brie fondue delight
You know that with Cheese Sandwich, you'll be partying all night!
"Come on, everpony! Let's party down with Cheese!" Rainbow cheered, everyone running past Pinkie Pie and crowded around Cheese, Ventus staying where he stood as he was excited to have this birthday party.
"This is great!" he said happily. "Two party ponies to plan out the biggest bash of the year!"
"You're really a certified party pony?" Fluttershy asked Cheese.
"That's right!" Cheese said proudly. "That's my guarantee!"
Ventus didn't see the shock on Pinkie's face as Cheese stated he was guaranteed to throw the best of the best parties, the teen slowly making his way to the crowd.
The super-duper party pony - that pony is me-e-e-e-e
[Pinkie Pie]
But what about the super party pony named Pinkie...?
Ventus froze when he heard Pinkie's verse at the end of the song, the music soft and somber as it ended. He looked back and saw the saddened expression on her face, feeling like everyone didn't want her planned party to happen as they were all focused on Cheese. He turned back to watch the crowd carrying the stallion off toward a more empty part of Ponyville for his own set up, ponies asking what ideas he's got in store and what he'll have scheduled for his certified party. Even Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Aqua had left, which made Pinkie even more depressed.
"Oh, jeeze...Is he stealing Pinkie's spotlight?" Ventus asked himself. He turned around to console Pinkie, but the mare was gone, probably back inside Sugarcube Corner to drown her misery in the sweets she was going to make for her party for him and Rainbow Dash. "...Pinkie?"
He let out a sigh and hurried after the crowd, now unsure if having a party planner who was known worldwide would be any help to Pinkie's lack of confidence in her own partying if everyone flocked to him after he arrived less than half an hour ago.
Within the next couple hours, Cheese Sandwich had already set up most of his best work with the help of everypony in Ponyville. There was a stage for entertainment, a banner set over it that had a much better image of Rainbow Dash and Ventus. The difference in decoration on the banner was the rainbow ring around Rainbow's professionally painted picture with clouds surrounding it and firing a bolt of rainbow lightning, whereas Ventus's his his portrait in a large heart shape with multicolored stars surrounding him, the only thing missing was his Keyblade.
As the birthday boy looked at the banner, not noticing the other delightful attractions Cheese had for the party later this afternoon, Ventus sighed, unable to shake his mind off of how Pinkie was feeling. "I hope she's doing ok."
"Ven." He turned to look at Aqua, noticing the sour mood he was in after helping Cheese with an ice sculpture of Ventus and Rainbow Dash with her Blizzard magic. "You ok? Feeling a bit overwhelmed with how big this party will be, or are you starting to get sick?"
"I'm fine...well, my health is fine," he said, letting out another sigh. "I mean, it looks...great so far, but I can't stop thinking about Pinkie Pie."
"I was actually wondering where she went off to...Did something happen to her?" Aqua asked.
"I think began to felt ignored when Cheese came around," he said. "Everyone was more interested in his ideas and Pinkie was left behind...I thought maybe she would help and add her own ideas to make the party better, but...she felt threatened by Cheese in some way?"
"Threatened?" Aqua looked over at Cheese Sandwich, speaking with Sora as the spiky-haired pegasus held up a piñata shaped like a giant Shadow as its limbs were put together. The party planner seemed to be gushing as they spoke, Sora feeling a little embarrassed that Cheese found out he was one of Equestria's greatest young heroes. The unicorn raised a brow in confusion, finding it hard to believe someone like him could be seen as evil or threatening. "How exactly do you mean by that? He's just like Pinkie Pie...if she were a stallion..."
She imagined the pink earth pony as a stallion, a bigger build with a squared muzzle, shorter mane and tail, all while still holding the same bubbly personality as Pinkie Pie. "I think it had something to do with the planning." Thankfully, Aqua's thoughts on the gender-swapped earth pony were derailed as she turned back to Ventus. "Cheese is a world renowned party planner, and Pinkie's parties are mostly only known here in Ponyville. And...she has a little trouble with being abandoned or forgotten by her friends."
"Really?" Aqua asked, both out of curiosity and sadness for Pinkie Pie. "When has this happened?"
"Well, there was the cloning thing with the Mirror Pool," Ventus stated. "She made a mistake having her clones clone themselves without her supervision, and she was desperate not to lose us that she would do anything to prove she was the real Pinkie Pie." Aqua nodded in understanding, seeing how Ventus saw everything Sora had as he was recovering. "And...there was also the birthday incident a couple years back."
"Birthday incident?" Ventus grimaced at that awkward day, and it was a couple days before the Gala that year.
A couple days before the Grand Galloping Gala, Sora, Kairi, Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy had been really busy being cautious during the day. Just the other day, Pinkie had thrown a birthday party for her pet alligator, Gummy, and as fun as it was, she wanted to have an after-birthday party for him to keep celebrating and have fun. Little did the pink earth pony realize that day was also her own birthday, always remembering everyone else's perfectly except for her own. They wanted to throw her a surprise party and make it just as fun as hers, though with how she's able to pop out of nowhere, it was a huge challenge.
They made sure to plan out their moves carefully: they were going to hold the party in the barn at Sweet Apple Acres, Mrs. Cake made the birthday cake for Pinkie in secrecy, and they got her presents that she's sure to love. Luck, however, nearly screwed them over as Pinkie began growing suspicious, tailing the mares as they exchanged the cake with each other to the barn and had a really close call when Rainbow was hunted by the suddenly angry pink mare when she followed her to the barn. Their surprise almost got ruined as Applejack tried to lie about what they were doing, and he terrible fibbing had persuaded Pinkie otherwise, but the look on her face was something that startled all of them.
With the decorations done and the cake safely delivered, it was Sora's job to get Pinkie Pie and bring her to the barn for her surprise birthday party. He arrived at Sugarcube Corner and knocked on the door politely, unsure if the Cakes were on break or closed for the slow day today. He waited for a while, but there was no answer.
"Hello!? Mr. and Mrs. Cake!?" Sora called out, but again, no response. "Pinkie!?" He opened the door, left unlocked, peeking his head a little, looking into the empty bakery. "Hellooooooo? Anypony home?"
He heard hoofsteps upstairs, which meant someone was home and they were ignoring him. Sora walked in the empty bakery and headed for the stairs. He figured the Cakes must have gone out for some shopping or an appointment with something, otherwise he would be hearing something else the married couple could be doing if they were alone. But because Pinkie was living here as well, they wouldn't have a full minute alone with her within the house/store.
He walked through the hall to Pinkie's room, hearing voices inside, even though there was only one set of hooves walking around. Creaking the door open a little, he peeked through the crack and found Pinkie Pie, though she wasn't her happy, bubbly, energetic self. Her coat and mane seemed to be a bit darker and her mane and tail were straight and hung down, kind of like how she looked before the sonic rainboom Rainbow Dash made when she was a filly. She wandered around a table with her toothless alligator, Gummy, a bucket of turnips, a pile of rocks, a bag of flour, and a ball of lint.
Pinkie walked up to the bucket of turnips, nudging it with her elbow with her eyes looking in opposite directions, almost looking insane as she deepened her voice. "'Can I have some more punch?' Well, of course you can have some more punch, Mr. Turnip." Sora watched her twitch and move over to the pile of rocks, giving its "voice" a rougher deep tone. "'This is a great party! You've really outdone yourself!" Why, thank you, Rocky."
She twitched again, slowly growing more insane than her usual antics were. "What is she doing?...And why do I have a feeling I should watch out for a knife she has hidden in her room?"
"'I'm having a delightful time as well,'" Pinkie said in a lighter tone for the ball of lint. "I'm glad, Sir Lints-a-Lot." Another twitch, getting behind the bag of flour and moving it around, giving it a posh, feminine voice. "'Might I have another slice of cake?' Of course, Madame LeFlour. Everypony gets as much cake as they want." One of her hooves slinked along the ground under the table, moving "Rocky" while using the voice she gave him. "'Sure am glad none of those ponies are here.' Oh, they're not so bad."
Pinkie grinned slightly, only for her eyes to split in different directions, making Sora's fur stand on end at the manic action she made. "What the heck is wrong with her?"
He accidentally stepped back, his hoof pressing down on a creaky floorboard that seemed to echo everywhere in the quiet building. Sora looked down and flinched, quickly looking back through the door, finding no sign of Pinkie at the table. The pegasus carefully poked his head inside the room, only seeing the inanimate objects she used and Gummy, the gator more content being lazy on the table than this creepy party. Sora began to turn around and not bother her with her insanity moment, only for her to be standing right behind him with a harsh glare.
"What are you doing here?" she asked angrilly.
Sora shrieked and fell back against the door, tumbling inside Pinkie's room until he hit the table. "Pinkie, don't do that!...Not with that look! Sheesh! You look like a psychotic serial killer!"
"And what's that supposed to mean!?" Pinkie shouted. "You think I'm too crazy so you come to say you hate me!?"
"...What? Pinkie, are you-?" She shoved "Rocky" into Sora's snout, her insanity taking its hold on her as she talked through the rude rocks.
"'You think you're so cool with your fancy Keyblade and your porcupine hair!'" "Rocky" said. "'She don't need you or those other so-called friends of yours! She's got us!'"
"...Pinkie, why are you pretending to talk for these inanimate objects?" Sora asked, shoving "Rocky" out of his face. "Actually, let's get an answer for that after I take you to the barn."
"'And what exactly is it that you are going to do in the barn!?'" "Madame LeFlour" questioned. "'A stallion like you would probably use Pinkie and force her into his little harem of mares, because you're a big shot hero who thinks he can get all the pretty fillies!'"
"Ok, you sack of white powder! That's completely out of line! Why would I want to do such a thing!?" A moment later, Sora realized he was talking to a bag of flour, blinking twice and scratching his head. "...Pinkie, I think your insanity is contagious..." Shaking his head, he smacked the flour away and grabbed Pinkie's hoof. "Come on! I'm taking you to the barn to show you something!"
"No!" Pinkie pouted, sitting where "Madame LeFlour" was.
"Pinkie, you know I'm stronger than you," Sora warned. "I will drag you out of this bakery and over to that barn if you don't follow me. I'm giving you until the count of three. One-" Pinkie bucked Sora hard in the chest, smacking him into the wall. He let out a groan, the grumpy mare crossing the line as he rolled up his sleeves. "Alright, Pinkie. You want it the hard way? I'll do it the hard way."
Sora let out a yell and pounced Pinkie, grabbing onto her waist tightly and flew out the window. She continued struggling, even as they were several feet off the ground, but Sora continued to drag her off to the barn so she can have her surprise party and stop acting like a grump.
After Ventus explained seeing the worst side of Pinkie through Sora's eyes, Aqua's face expressed utter horror, unable to find the words to describe just how terrifying it was to see a grumpy, miserable Pinkie Pie. "Yeah...That's what Sora and I thought, too."
".............Wow," Aqua finally said. "...Does she...have abandonment issues?"
"I don't think so...At least I hope not." Ventus rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out Pinkie Pie's mindset, more on the psychological side than the random side that took up a majority of her highly complexed brain. "She can over exaggerate with a lot of things, so...maybe she overthinks how everyone wanted Cheese to throw this party for me and Rainbow and felt like no one wanted to have her parties anymore."
"As much as I would want to suggest Pinkie to a therapist, especially after...what you described." Aqua shuddered, seeing the creepy face Ventus described with Pinkie's drooped and flattened mane in her mind. "But I don't think a certified psychologist could ever figure her out, problems or no."
"Well, I don't want her to be upset. I'm gonna check on her." Ventus began heading on back to Sugarcube Corner to cheer Pinkie up and maybe have her join up with Cheese Sandwich to make the party even greater than just his fun ideas. As he approached the bakery, he spotted Pinkie sitting outside, looking glum as she watched other ponies moving supplies and materials around for Cheese's attractions. At least her mane wasn't straight, so she might not be as upset as he thought, or she was really good at hiding her sadness after her surprise birthday party that year. "Hey, Pinkie!" She nearly jumped out of her skin as Ventus called out to her, quickly grabbing a watering can and "watered" the flowers in front of the building, failing to try to fake acting casual as she missed the flowers. "Uhh, Pinkie? You doing ok?"
"Yeah! I'm fine, Venny!" Pinkie assured as she waved her hoof around, splashing around the water from the watering can. "Cheese Sandwich must be really going at it with his party planning, huh!?"
"...Yeah. But everyone else is helping...Don't you want to help, too?" Ventus asked.
"Oh, that's ok," Pinkie said with a nervous giggle. "I mean, being a well known party planner throughout Equestria, he can obviously do it all on his own if nopony offered to help."
"Really?" Ventus didn't believe the fake smile for a minute, Pinkie emptying all the water from the watering can as it dripped out of the spout. "Pinkie, you're clearly not ok."
"Yes I am!" she denied.
Ventus sighed, grabbed the empty watering can, and placed it down by the flowers Pinkie missed by a couple feet. "Is Cheese Sandwich's sudden appearance and everyone in town focusing on the party he's planning upsetting you?" Unable to keep her facade, Pinkie let out a sad sigh and frowned as she nodded her head. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"Well, Cheese is a well known party pony, and I want you and Dashie to have a fun birthday," Pinkie said. "He's apparently the super duperiest partying-est pony of them all...which means...I'm not..."
"Pinkie, don't say that." Ventus reached out to Pinkie, but she began walking away, a sad tune heard around them as another song was about to be sung.
[Pinkie Pie]
For all my life, all I've wanted to do
Was make my friends want to smile true
But maybe I was wrong
And Pinkie Pie shouldn't plan parties at all
Ventus followed after Pinkie as she started doing other jobs, which only caused more trouble and heartache for the mare.
I'll try to get up on my hooves
She assisted a surgeon in the middle of a surgery, only giving him a cupcake instead of the right medical tool he needed.
And try a different task
She tried being a mailpony, though the "mail" she left in the mailboxes wound up shooting out streamers upon opening them, which was really dangerous for anyone in its line of fire when the mail explodes out.
I'll find something new to do
There's got to be more to me than planning a party or two
The last job she tried was working with a construction crew in the process of building a new house in town. She thought that putting a bunch of balloons together would make a good support beam for one of the sides, which only brought the unfinished structure to fall down. Ventus was able to get Pinkie out of the way before she got crushed by the collapsed building, apologizing to the workers for her as she slumped away back to her room in Sugarcube Corner. He sadly watched her as she put away her cannon and sadly hugged the air out of the balloons she had made for her big bash she had planned for the teen and Rainbow Dash today, all gone to waste when Cheese upstaged her.
I put away my party cannon, I deflated all my balloons
The bubbles all burst, now what is next for you?
For you...
While Pinkie wallowed in misery on her bed, Ventus tried to think of some way to snap her out of her funk. He looked over at a wall of pictures, finding one that had her family in it. He recalled Sora getting sucked into a book that told him how the Mane Six got their cutie marks, and he remembered what her family looked like during Pinkie's story. A filly Pinkie Pie was on the table in the center, throwing her first party ever for her family: her parents on the sides, her sisters Limestone and Marble behind her, though there was another filly there with them he didn't know about. Considering she had the same dull looking hairstyle like the two fillies in the background, this must have been another one of Pinkie's sisters she didn't mention, her coat and mane a dark lavender.
"Hey, Pinkie? Is this your family?" Ventus asked.
Pinkie lifted her head out of her pillow and looked at the framed photo, stepping off her bed and getting a closer look as she reminisced on the fond memory. "Yeah. I remember this one: my first party ever. I threw it for my whole family." She looked at the other memorable pictures along the wall, the next one she looked at was Twilight's surprise party welcoming her to Ponyville, Twilight with a confused expression while Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Spike, and Sora were in the background enjoying the evening before Nightmare Moon's return. "That's Twilight's 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. She sure didn't expect that," Pinkie giggled a little, Ventus grinning as her spirits were already being lifted. The next few pictures had her with her pet Gummy for his birthday, Shining Armor and Cadence's wedding pictures that had them all there, including Riku and Kairi, Twilight's coronation, holiday photo ops, and even one with Ventus and Aqua together as they were reunited again during the party she threw for them. "All these parties I made for everypony...All I ever want from my friends is to see them smile and have fun, and knowing I do that for them makes me happy too."
"And your parties are great from the looks on everyone's faces," Ventus reminded. "You're just as great as Cheese Sandwich is. Maybe even more with your unique style: a little bit childish, but always fun and full of energy."
"You're right, Venny," Pinkie said, the music getting lighter and more upbeat, seeing renewed confidence in the earth pony as she bounced up to the balcony above her room.
Oh, look at those happy faces
All the parties that I had thrown
I made them laugh, had such a blast
A smile that's all their own
They loved seeing me, the real Pinkie
Show them the time of their life like they've never known
Like they've never kno-o-wn
"Right," Ventus agreed. "And we can even show Cheese how well you are and finally-"
Pinkie suddenly ran back downstairs in a pink blur, nearly knocking the pegasus over, the music kicking back to the same upbeat tune of her song earlier today, but sped up a little bit.
I've got to get back out there, have to show them that I've tried
Ventus followed after her, now seeing Pinkie wearing a pair of shades and a balloon hat, wearing a present as if it was some sort of odd costume.
For there's only one great party pony - that is Pinkie Pie
Won't let Cheese Sandwich beat me, won't let him get me down
For I am Pinkie, the bestest party pony around!
Pinkie bounded out of Sugarcube Corner and out into town, shocking Ventus as his idea wound up backfiring. "Wait, what did you mean by that?"
"I have a title to protect, being the bestest party planner!" Pinkie explained. "And I'm gonna show Cheese Sandwich that he's messing with the expertiest of experts of planning the best parties he will ever see in his life! I'm gonna challenge him...to a duel."
"What!?" Ventus exclaimed. "Pinkie, I don't think that's what I was talking about! I was trying to say that you two-"
"Should have a duel! You and I think the same thing, Venny," Pinkie said, rustling Ventus's mane, interrupting him again.
"Pinkie, just call me Ven, not Venny. And no, that's not what I was going to-" Pinkie shushed him, pressing her hoof in his mouth.
"Trust me, Venny," she assured, pushing her shades up to conceal her eyes. "Cheese Sandwich will rue the day he crosses Pinkie Pie and her parties."
As she continued on her way to where Cheese was at, Ventus groaned in annoyance, smacking his lips as he tasted frosting from Pinkie's hoof that was shoved rudely into his mouth. He followed after her until they found Cheese as he overlooked the ice sculptures Aqua made.
"Pinkie, listen to me. I think this would be better if you two-" She ignored him yet again, the teen sighing as he scowled. "And I'm ignored yet again. She has a one track mind..."
Cheese looked over the Wayward Wind and cloud and lightning bolt ice sculptures, rubbing his hoof over the frozen pieces of art, feeling the smooth and clean cuts as he admired Aqua's hoofwork. "These are perfect! You should have a career in ice sculpting, Aqua!"
"I'd rather not be surrounded by ice for a long while," Aqua chuckled. "Kind of had a bad incident with a...blizzard a few months ago."
"Cheese Sandwich!" Pinkie called out, getting everyone's attention, now out of her silly getup she was just wearing a moment ago. "I challenge you...TO A GOOF OFF!"
The crowd gasped in shock, Cheese's jaw dropping for a moment before he got serious, staring down the mare leering at him right back. "Wait, what the heck's a 'goof off'?" Riku questioned.
"You picked the wrong pony to challenge to a goof off," Cheese said, putting a red fez on his head that he pulled completely out of nowhere. "You think you can out-goof me, little lady?"
"Oh, I don't THINK so. I KNOW so!" The stallion's eyes grew wide, then squinted angrily as Pinkie copied his words earlier. "And the stakes are high, Cheese Sandwich! Whoever wins is proclaimed the ultimate super duper party pony and headline Venny and Dashie's double birthday bash!"
"And the loser?" Cheese asked.
"Doesn't!" Pinkie's friends gasped in shock sans Riku as he rolled his eyes, Ventus facehoofing as he grumbled to himself. "So, are you in, Cheese? Or are you...boneless?"
Cheese gasped and growled. "Nopony calls me boneless... Right, Boneless?"
The goofy stallion's rubber chicken companion appeared on his back, the joke prop wilting its head back as it sat on its owner's back. "The the goof off is on for high noon!"
"Pinkie, it's already three o'clock," Twilight said, pointing a hoof to the clock tower as it already hit three.
"...Oh. Then make it three-ten to goof off!" The two party ponies stared each other down, psyching each other up for the high-stakes competition.
"...Does anyone else realize that these two might end up destroying the town during this 'goof off' duel?" Riku asked, though no one else expressed the same fear as he did, more concerned with who would be the headliner for the party.
After ten minutes preparing, the two party ponies were ready to duke it out in their goof off, though with how they're able to pull anything out of thin air, they're always ready. Pinkie and Cheese began walking down the road from opposite sides as everyone in Ponyville kept their distance like they were watching an old western shootout: Pinkie actually dressed like a cowpony, an arrow in her ten gallon hat with a noise blower in her mouth, Cheese oddly wearing a winter cap with a purple fish laying on top of it, a pair of elephant slippers of different colors on his front hooves that squeaked with each step he took, and a pair of mismatched socks on his back ones. Once they were a fair distance apart, they kept their gazes on their opponent, not willing to back down for the chance of throwing this double birthday bash. Twilight flew in between them, having gone to the library and had a book within her aura.
"Ok, everypony. According to the official goof off rulebook-" Riku slapped his forehead and groaned loudly, unable to believe that there were rules to this ridiculous challenge. Twilight ignored him and continued reading over the rules for everyone else since Pinkie and Cheese know about it. "The competitors have free range to goof around: whether it be by singing, dancing, playing, performing, prancing, or joking, in order to make the judge chortle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, hoot and holler, whoop it up, and party down." As Twilight read over the rules, Pinkie and Cheese made odd faces at each other, the stallion ending his taunting by sticking his tongue out, revealing a mouse with a tuba playing a few notes, more disturbing than hilarious to Ventus as he could take a guess over who the judge will be. "The funnier, sillier, wilder, and goofier, the better. Since it's Rainbow Dash and Ventus's birthday today, they're both going to have to be the judges."
"Wait, what happens if there's a tie?" Sora asked, feeling curious how he would do in a goof off with Donald or Goofy.
"Well, if there's more than two judges and they both pick different sides, then a tiebreaker must be done to proclaim the winner." Twilight flipped through the pages until she found the section of a tiebreaking match in a goof off. "If a tirebreaker occurs, one pony in the audience who is the most stubborn to having fun will decide by one last attempt of goofing around from the competitors, and they will decide the victor."
A few seconds ticked by as everyone slowly turned their heads to Riku, even Cheese and Pinkie after their silly staring contest. The white pegasus stallion looked at the town, every single pair of eyes looking at him, letting out a low growl of annoyance.
"Seriously?" he asked. "Why am I the one who doesn't have fun!? I can have fun! And I'm not that stubborn!"
"It's in the rulebook, Riku," Twilight said as she held out the page explaining the rules. "And, honestly, just from looking at you and how you seem the most tense, it does make sense."
The stallion scowled in annoyance, only proving the rulebook's point, letting out a heavy sigh in annoyance. "Alright, fine! I'll be the tiebreaking judge! But nobody blame me when these two find some way to tear down every single building in Ponyville with this stupid game!"
"This game is serious!" Pinkie and Cheese both exclaimed, turning back to each other and leered at their opponent.
"So, a really tense competition for our birthdays...What could be better?" Rainbow chuckled nervously, feeling a little worried about deciding something that seemed nearly impossible to choose just like siding with her friends or the Wonderbolts back at Rainbow Falls for the qualifying events.
"How about no competition and have these two work together?" Ventus grumbled. "But, no one's going to listen to me, so I'm just going to see where this goes..."
"Cheese Sandwich, Pinkie Pie, are you both ready?" Twilight asked the dueling earth ponies.
"I was BORN ready!" Pinkie said.
"I was ready BEFORE I was born!" Cheese answered, angering Pinkie with his better answer.
"Then let the goofing begin!" Twilight flew back into the crowd, landing right beside Riku, her grumpy coltfriend leering at her from the tiebreaker of the competition. "I didn't make up the rulebook, Riku. This kind of competition has actually been around for a few generations. It's actually really uncommon to have goof offs anywhere."
"And I'm more serious than fun?" he asked. "I've been around Sora most of my life, and he reeks of silly, comical nonsense. We both had fun when we were kids, right, Sora?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sora denied with a grin, angering Riku further.
The goof off began, Pinkie and Cheese slowly stepping toward each other, the former mainly bouncing a couple inches forward for every step the latter took. Ventus began worrying that this was actually supposed to be a comical fight where the two would hurt each other, but as soon as they got really close, their attention was averted to him and Rainbow Dash. Cheese began first as a hyper tune played around everyone, only added by an accordian he pulled out while rapidly shuffling his hind legs as he danced on two legs, getting both of their attention. Pinkie soon distracted them, wearing a fake black mustache and a propeller beanie as she balanced on a large ball while juggling cupcakes.
[Pinkie Pie]
It's your birthday party, a very special day
I got a song, it won't take long, I just wanted to say
She then began tossing the cupcakes at Rainbow's and Ventus's mouths, both pegasi catching them and munching each one she tossed. Even though it was a nerve wracking competition, Ventus couldn't deny that the song is already catchy and it was entertaining, despite not wanting this goof off the happen.
Happy, happy, happy, happy
Happy, happy, happy, happy
Happy, happy, happy, happy birthday to you two!
Pinkie bounced off her ball and landed between them, materializing another cupcake in her waving hoof. After swallowing the tasty pastries she threw at them, Cheese's accordion garnered everyone's attention, rolling a giant cheese wheel down the road as he stood atop it. He rolled it between the birthday pegasi, making Pinkie leap out of the way as he jumped off and stood before them.
[Cheese Sandwich]
If you want to be the life of the party
But you're feeling just a little uptight
To emphasize his words, Cheese wrapped his forelegs around himself and constricted his body. He soon appeared behind Ventus and began squishing his face with his forehooves into silly expressions.
Call the doctor, beg and plead
"Doctor, tell me what I need"
Try to put a little cheese in your knees!
Cheese began to walk around on his hind legs, now wearing a shoes that were a block of cheese, munching on his cheese shoes as they were actually made out of real cheese. He wandered about around Ventus and Rainbow Dash, making silly faces and quacking to the tune of the polka-like song in the background. While the teen rubbed his face from the forced facial pulling, a large hook dropping down from the air caught both him and Rainbow and pulled them up into the sky. Pinkie reeled them up with a fishing pole from a hot air balloon, getting her attention now.
[Pinkie Pie]
Bubbles and balloons, bubbles and balloons
What's a birthday party without bubbles and balloons?
Star-shaped or trapezoid, look what I can do
Only Pinkie Pie can make a bubble shaped like you!
Pinkie showed off her impressive balloon tricks as she managed to form a star and a trapezoid without popping the balloons. As she waved a bubble wand, she managed to somehow create two pony shapes made of bubbles, creating a bubble Rainbow Dash and bubble Ventus, along with his Keyblade surprisingly shaped perfectly out of a single bubble.
"Ok, that's actually pretty cool," Ventus said before yelping, he and Rainbow pulled over to the upper balcony of Town Hall with Cheese Sandwich.
[Cheese Sandwich]
Just let yourself go floppy, for now this is your chance
Pretend you have no bones and do the rubber chicken dance!
While he was flopping about on the floor, he dragged Ventus and Rainbow down and made them flop along with him, quickly sitting up and pointing behind them. "Hit it, Boneless!"
As the two pegasi turned around, Ventus's jaw dropped, seeing Boneless dancing around, but it wasn't the fact that the rubber chicken was randomly flailing about on its own. It was the fact that it looked unlike how the colorful and cartoony world of Equestria looked, actually a realistic rubber chicken on a stage. The teen's brain broke, asking so many questions in his head that his brain processed, but his mouth couldn't utter the words. Pinkie thankfully distracted him from Boneless as she bounced on a trampoline to reach their height on the building.
[Pinkie Pie]
Cooler than a rubber chicken and tastier than cake
Come on, guys, let's party down and do the Gummy shake!
They both hovered back down to the ground and looked in the direction Pinkie pointed at, further breaking Ventus's mind even further. He was looking at what appeared to be Gummy, sitting lazily on a small log on a lake, but just like with Boneless, it was far too realistic to even fit in with Equestria's world.
"Hit it, Gummy!" Pinkie said, trying to get the life-like gator to dance around with encouraging words, but it just stayed where it sat. "Uh-huh! You know it! Shake it!"
"...Ow...My head," Ventus whimpered as he grabbed his head. "Did I finally lose my sanity in the span of ten minutes???"
Ventus and Rainbow yelped as they were pulled away by Cheese Sandwich, now sitting on a float that was, obviously, cheese themed. They were both on thrones as he placed a cheese crown on them, along with a cheese scepter, bouncing down the steps leading up to them on the float.
[Cheese Sandwich]
'Cause I like to make you smile, smile, smile
Yes, I do
It fills my heart with sunshine all the while
Yes it does
'Cause all I really need's a smile, smile, smile
From these happy friends of mine
Two cows suddenly shot up beside Cheese, one wearing a Rainbow mask while the other wore a Ventus mask. Pinkie popped up from one of the stairs, glowering angrily at the stallion.
"Hey, that's my song!" she complained.
"What do you mean?" Cheese asked obliviously. "That episode wasn't even in this story, so that song wasn't even used."
"THAT'S IT!" Pinkie growled through her teeth, pulling out her party cannon, surprising Cheese as she aimed it at him.
[Pinkie Pie]
Roll out the party cannon
She pressed the button, shooting confetti at the stallion for stealing her song's lyrics without asking permission to use them.
When you hear the party cannon song
Ka-BOOM!
She soon fired herself out of her cannon, but Cheese retaliated with his own party cannon that he stood on, which was more like an artillery tank than a cannon.
[Cheese Sandwich]
Why should you compromise? Try this one on for size
As Rainbow and Ventus got rid of their royal cheese accessories, they floated above the float, only to get rammed into by the extended barrel of Cheese's party tank, staring down into it with more fear than Pinkie's cannon.
'Cause nothing quite says cheer like the ringing in your ear
Of the cheese supreme cannonball surprise!
"Wait, don't fire-!" Ventus's words were unheard as Cheese fired his massive tank of a confetti blaster, sending him and Rainbow flying back from the powerful blast of confetti and streamers. They hit the ground, thankfully ok, though the ringing in their ears disoriented them from being at point blank range of a tank's highly extended barrel. "Augh...How are we alive!?"
"What!?" Rainbow shouted, unable to hear anything, unaware of the giant rainbow cake piñata hanging above them, Pinkie dancing on top of it while she sang in Spanish.
¡Dale, dale, dale
No pierdas el tino!
Porque si lo pierdes
¡Pierdes el camino!
As she looked down from the side of the piñata, Pinkie didn't see a bird land on the top of it. The added weight of the avian caused the rope holding the papier-mâché cake to snap, falling down on the unaware birthday pegasi until it was too late. The cake fell on top of them, halting the music as everyone gasped in shock.
"Ven!" Aqua shouted, already worried enough after getting shot point blank by Cheese's party tank as she ran up to him.
Ventus groaned as she and Rainbow tried to pull themselves out from underneath the surprisingly heavy piñata, finally getting his hearing back. "Ok, this was fun at first...Now this just got too crazy for me..."
Aqua pulled the teen out as he snapped his spine back into place. While she fussed over any injuries Ventus had and Rainbow managed to pull herself out from under the piñata, Pinkie gasped in shock, her eyes glowing a light rainbow for a moment, realizing what she had done.
"Oh no," she mumbled. "Dashie and Venny aren't having the best party ever...I broke the Pinkie Party Promise..." She looked over at Cheese, who was now in a tuxedo and preparing to conduct a random melody with a tuba that would be played by a seal. "STOP! The goof off is off!"
Everyone turned to Pinkie in confusion, even Cheese was taken aback by the sudden end of their competitive event. "We didn't even choose who won yet, Pinkie."
"You don't have to," Pinkie said. "...I forfeit. Cheese wins by default."
Cheese laughed, not exactly mocking her thinking it was a joke, but seeing her not laughing back, he was even more confused. "Wait, I do?"
"Yes. You get to headline Ventus and Rainbow Dash's party...And..." Pinkie began tearing up, her mane drooping a little as she sniffled. "I don't..."
Pinkie sadly walked away, heading back to Sugarcube Corner more upset than before. Her friends chased after her, realizing how upsetting it was for her to be outmatched by an party planner far more experienced than her. Ventus was fuming, turning to Cheese Sandwich, who was still in utter shock that he had won.
"Well, I hope you're happy," Ventus growled. "You had to show up and one-up Pinkie Pie! I thought it would have been fun at first if you and Pinkie worked together to make this party for me and Rainbow Dash, but instead, because of your name well known throughout Equestria and breaking her confidence as a party planner, there's no telling what she's going to do with her life after this stupid competition!"
"What? I wasn't trying to show off and make her upset!" Cheese said. "I thought this was just a game!"
"Not to her!" the teen argued, summoning his Keyblade and prepared to knock some sense into the stallion. "You destroyed her pride by coming here! In fact, I'd rather just have a party planned by her more than an oblivious idiot like yourself just coming here and making my friend feel like her whole life throwing parties to make others happy was all completely pointless!"
"I-I didn't mean to," the stallion said, backing away from the ticked off birthday pegasus with his weapon held backhanded. "I actually expected to lose against the mare who actually inspired me to become a party pony."
Ventus stared at Cheese, tilting his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I actually met Pinkie Pie in the past when I was a colt," Cheese explained. "I saw this party she threw when I came to Ponyville, and all the joy she gave to everyone, young and old, she helped change my life when I ran away from home."
"You mean you knew Pinkie?" Ventus questioned, easing his stance. "Why didn't you tell her?"
"I thought she would have remembered seeing me and, since I felt my cheesy sense telling me a party was here in Ponyville, I wanted to show her how far I became and...maybe have her help out with the party I had planned for you and Rainbow Dash." The teen dismissed his Keyblade, using his same hoof to smack himself hard in the forehead.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL HER YOU WANTED TO WORK WITH HER!?" Ventus asked angrily. "This stupid goof off wouldn't have happened if you just told her, 'Hey, I knew you when we were kids and I became a party pony like you! Can I help make this bash you're throwing better!?'"
"Heheheh...W-Well...I was a shy colt back then, and I can still be pretty shy." Cheese began to blush and rub the back of his head. "Though, with Pinkie Pie, I was kind of afraid to tell her."
From the nervous look on his face, along with the redness in his cheeks, Cheese must have had a crush on Pinkie Pie. "...So, you like Pinkie Pie?"
"Yeah," Cheese admitted. "I didn't mean to get her riled up like that. I thought she wanted to have a little fun, but I guess I wasn't paying attention with all the stuff I had to set up." He then sighed, taking off his tuxedo and tossing it to the seal, who caught it on its nose and laid it down on the tuba it was supposed to play. "I better explain everything to her. Better to tell everypony the truth of my origin as a party pony."
Outside town, Pinkie had packed up most of her party gear in her little cart as she prepared to leave Ponyville. "Pinkie, wait!" She turned around, seeing her friends running up to her after searching around town for her. "What are you doing!?"
"Don't tell us you're running away," Fluttershy said.
"We're sorry for paying too much attention to Cheese, Pinkie," Rainbow said, the others apologizing as well.
"No, I'm the one who should be sorry," Pinkie said. "I ended up letting my pride get in the way of yours and Venny's double birthday bash. I broke my Pinkie Party Promise, and Cheese Sandwich would be the perfect headliner for the party." She strapped herself up to her cart, her ears drooping as she readied herself to leave Ponyville. "He's the better super duper party pony anyway."
Rainbow flew in front of Pinkie's path, stopping her. "Pinkie, you're both super duper party ponies. Cheese was a guest party pony, but you'll always be Ponyville's permanent party pony. Your parties are cool and all, but Cheese's ideas sounded pretty cool too."
"Yeah, it's not like we can replace you," Sora added. "You actually memorize everyone's birthdays, even without knowing them at all, you're a great first friend to ever meet when someone new comes to Ponyville, and you're the Element of Laughter for crying out loud. You live to make others laugh and have fun."
"Even though Cheese Sandwich is practically you in stallion form." Riku earned a hard jab in the side from Sora.
"Your friends are right, Pinkie." Pinkie turned her head to see Cheese Sandwich approach her, Ventus following behind him. "I didn't intend to make you feel like I was trying to take your place. I just wanted to show you how great of a party pony I am."
"But why me?" Pinkie asked.
"Well..." Cheese swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, slow music playing as yet another song as the party stallion was about to tell everyone how he really became a party pony.
[Cheese Sandwich]
I fear I told a little fib about my pony past
I hope that when you hear the truth, you will not be aghast
I wasn't quite the super party pony like I claim
The fact is that I was so shy, nopony knew my name
To give a visual of his past, Cheese pulled out an album book, showing him as a young colt wearing a pair of glasses, but he looked miserable and alone as he left what looked like the city of Manehattan.
I stumbled into Ponyville on afternoon by chance
And found the biggest ever celebration party dance
The next few photos showed him in the middle of a party, everyone having fun and eating the delicious food laid out around the tables. Cheese was also holding onto Boneless at the time, surrounded by a few ponies the others recognized when they were fillies: Cheerilee, Bon Bon, and even Derpy, just to name a few.
Everything was perfect, cheer was filling up the place
And I saw that everypony had a smile upon their face
I vowed that day to change my life, the past i did set free
For now Cheese Sandwich was a party pony full of glee
A super duper party pony - that's what I became
I traveled all Equestria, and all did know my name
But that never would have happened on my own, I'll tell you why
Cheese suddenly pulled Pinkie into a hug, surprising the mare a little.
For the one who threw that party, it was you, Pinkie Pie
Everyone gasped, even Pinkie as she backed away, staring at the stallion, both elated while also confused. "R-Really? Me?"
"Yes!" Cheese said with a nod.
"...So, I was the one who inspired you into becoming a party pony like me?" Pinkie asked.
"Swear on Camembert." Riku groaned, seemingly fed up with cheese after seeing a whole lot of it today. "And, to be honest, I thought you would have won the goof off. I can't exactly beat the better super duper party pony when she helped me become one."
"Then how come I didn't see you that day?" Pinkie asked. "I would have thrown you a party to welcome you to Ponyville if I noticed."
"Heheh...W-Well, even after the party, I was still pretty timid." Cheese's cheeks began to turn red, steadying his nerves so he wouldn't go back to being the shy colt he left behind. "W-What...could I say to the filly who...helped me change my life around?"
While Pinkie was oblivious to the obvious signs of Cheese's infatuation, some of them could clearly see the crush he had on her. It took her a moment to realize why he looked so nervous, her cheeks tinting a lighter shade of pink as she looked away with a grin.
"I guess I acted like such a silly filly, huh?" Pinkie asked with a giggle. "But, aside from feeling like my pride was being threatened, that goof off was kind of fun."
"Sure was," Cheese agreed. He soon leaned closer to Pinkie and began whispering to her. "I was hoping for a tie so we can try to get Mr. Sad Sack Riku to laugh and choose the winner."
"Me too," Pinkie whispered back with a nod. "He might look like a grumpy grump, but he has such a troublesome backstory with him and darkness."
"I know! How could he think his best friend could betray him like that after searching high and low for him and his friend's love interest when all they had was each other?" As Pinkie nodded again, Ventus poked their shoulders, breaking them out of their private conversation.
"Hey, you two think you can kiss and make up later?" Cheese blushed heavily and moved his head away from Pinkie's, Pinkie giggling as she blushed as well. "The afternoon's almost up and mine and Rainbow's birthday party isn't fully set up yet. So, with you two finally getting along, how about you two work together and pull off the greatest party of the year?"
"That's a great idea!" Pinkie exclaimed. "Why didn't you say that sooner, Venny!?" Ventus slapped himself in the face, groaning in irritation as that was his plan from the beginning, yet he was always interrupted or ignored. "So, Cheese Sandwich, wanna team up!?"
"Let's do it!" the party stallion cheered as the same bouncy tune earlier in the day came back in a reprise, both Cheese and Pinkie working together to put on the greatest double birthday party the town will ever see.
[Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich]
Super duper party ponies - that is me and you
A party thrown by one is good, but not as great as two
Come on and let's join forces, have twice the expertise
Now let's all go to the party planned by Pinkie Pie and Cheese!
Just as the sun fell along the horizon and the night was brought out, the party was quickly set up with the cooperative teamwork of Pinkie Pie and Cheese Sandwich. Both of their ideas were brought together, swiftly setting up attraction after attraction, several different varieties of food and decorations from their crazy minds, and the party was already in full swing with music playing around every part of Ponyville. As ponies waited for the party to officially begin, Cheese Sandwich appeared from behind the curtains on the stage, wearing a top hat and a large blue bowtie.
"Alright, everypony!" he announced. "Hope you're all ready for the biggest bash of the century!"
Pinkie appeared alongside Cheese, wearing the same hat and bow he wore. "Because we're celebrating an anniversary of one pony's move into Ponyville and two birthdays!"
"And it's for Rainbow Dash and Ventus!" they both announced as they pointed up above them.
Two gift boxes, one blue with a yellow ribbon, the other a pale green with a pale blue ribbon, flew up from behind the stage. Breaking out from both presents were Rainbow Dash and Ventus, both wearing party hats as they hovered over the top of the stage.
"Hey, everypony! Who's ready to get their party on!?" The crowd cheered loudly in response to Rainbow's question, an obvious one with everything around them waiting to be accessed.
"Then let's not waste anymore time!" Ventus said. "Let's party!"
The pegasi flew off as they and the rest of the crowd dispersed to enjoy the big birthday bash: entertaining music as Pinkie began to sing on stage, lots of pastries and cheesy delights made by both party ponies, Ventus and Rainbow blowing out the candles on their tall cakes, fifteen for Ventus and twenty-one for Rainbow Dash, and several other fun activities around the planning duo's unique party games.
[Pinkie Pie]
Get your hooves up, party's starting out right now
Everypony, everypony get down
Time to make a wish, better make it right now
It's been a year and today is your birthday party
Make a wish, it's your birthday
Make a wish, it's your birthday party
Make a wish, it's your birthday
Make a wish, it's your birthday party
While the party was in full swing, Cheese watched from a distance as he admired his work, munching on a cupcake as he leaned against a tree. He watched Ventus getting ready to whack the Shadow piñata, Aqua putting on the blindfold as he held the stick in his mouth. She spun him around rapidly for a few seconds, though that wouldn't disorient him that much the moment she stopped him in place. He faced the opposite direction of the piñata, but he leapt back and swung around, smacking and breaking the Heartless stuffed with candy with perfect accuracy.
"Wow, that was a good hit," he said.
"Hey, Cheese!" Rainbow Dash called out to the stallion as she hovered beside him. "You and Pinkie made this double birthday bash/my anniversary moving to Ponyville-!"
"Epic?" Cheese finished for the pegasus, which she nodded her head in response. "Then I guess my work here is done. Enjoy yourselves." Rainbow flew off to enjoy more of her party, leaving Cheese to himself. Before he left, he wandered around to find Pinkie, wanting to give her a little something in a black case he carried on his back. He found the mare who helped give his life meaning with Ventus by a tree, Pinkie fidgeting the pencil in her mouth as she was writing about the wacky day in their journal. "Hey, guys."
"Hey, Cheese." Ventus munched on a slice of a large pizza Cheese had made for the party, which was actually a lot bigger than a normal pizza the stallion had made for everyone to eat. "Great party. You and Pinkie make a great team."
"Yup! And it was a whole lot of fun working with another party pony!" Pinkie said.
"Great. But, before I head off to another party needing my assistance, I want to give you something, Pinkie." Cheese dropped the case down in front of her. She opened it, and inside it was Boneless, Cheese's joke chicken companion. As Pinkie gasped in surprise, Ventus nearly choked on his food as he saw the prop shimmer like a rainbow from its feet to its head, all while also feeling the same light that was like the one back on the train coming back from Rainbow Falls. "You're giving me Boneless? Isn't he your special friend?"
"He's not the only one." Cheese pulled out a second rubber chicken, though it had a large red number two on its abdomen. "Well, Boneless Two, another job well done. Time to mosey on to another town in need of a good and Cheesy party." He put his traveling hat on his head and began to head off, but he stopped for a moment and looked back at Pinkie. "Maybe if I stop by Ponyville again, you think we could...hang out somewhere? Get to know each other a bit more?"
"...Mhmm," Pinkie mumbled with a blush and a nod. The two stared at each other for a while longer, both blushing with elated grins until Cheese finally turned away and headed off to his next destination. As soon as he disappeared from sight, Pinkie flopped to the ground, hearts floating and popping around her head as she stared at the pathway with a dreamy look on her face. "I better place emergency date supplies around Ponyville in case he comes back..."
Ventus didn't pay attention to Pinkie's lovestruck sighs, too enraptured with Boneless and the light it gave off for a brief moment. The others were back at the party and probably didn't sense it, but why an inanimate object given by Cheese that let out the same light power like before was purely not out of randomness by the stallion. It was an odd coincidence, and it somehow ties with the previous two experiences after Manehattan and Rainbow Falls.
"Uhh, Pinkie? Mind if I borrow Boneless for a little bit?" the teen asked. Pinkie, however, was too far into her little daydream, using a page in the journal to draw a picture of Cheese as she doodled hearts all around him. "...I'll take that as a yes." Ventus snatched Boneless out of the case and ran into the party. He searched around for Aqua, Sora, Kairi, Riku, and Twilight, the light the prop chicken emitted able to be felt by Keyblade wielders. He managed to find Aqua over by the chocolate fountain, her mouth guzzling down the endless chocolate flowing out of it as if she were dying of thirst. "Uhh, Aqua?"
Startled, Aqua moved her head away, wiping away the liquid chocolate sticking to her muzzle. "H-Hey, Ven!" she said, giggling nervously. "I-I uhh...I tripped into the fountain and wound up swallowing a couple quarts of chocolate by accident." The pegasus raised a brow in confusion, clearly not buying her excuse for pigging out on chocolate, even though he thought he saw the mailpony pegasus, Derpy, do the same thing earlier today. "...I haven't had chocolate in so long...Don't judge me..."
"Ok, ignoring your sudden chocolate addiction, we need to find Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Twilight," he said as he held out Boneless. "That same light the last couple times happened again, and I saw it come from this rubber chicken."
"It happened again?" she asked, Ventus nodding in confirmation. "Ok, let's find them and talk to them in private."
"...So, you're telling me this dumb chicken let out that weird light we felt on the train?" Riku asked, he, Sora, Kairi, Aqua, Ventus, and Twilight sitting out in a quieter part of town away from the party.
"I even saw it glow," Ventus said. "I have no idea what's going on, but this light appearing has to mean something."
"What light?" Twilight asked.
"When we were returning from Rainbow Falls after the qualifying matches, something in the train car we were in released some kind of powerful light for just a moment," Sora explained.
"That very same thing happened after returning from Manehattan after Rarity opened up her gift Coco gave her," Aqua added. "Twilight, as a Keyblade wielder, you're able to feel the presence of light and darkness, even if you only just earned it a while ago. You should have felt that light from the car everyone of us were in."
"But I didn't feel anything." The other Keyblade wielders looked at each other, finding it hard to believe Twilight wasn't able to feel that brief flash of light. The alicorn felt a bit nervous, touching Boneless to see if she could sense the light that came from it, but she didn't feel anything other than the rubber texture of the flopping bird prop. "Was I supposed to?"
"Obviously, yes, but somehow you didn't?" Aqua pondered what was happening, looking back through the previous two events that lead to the same light that was given out by Boneless. It happened after Rarity opened her gift from Coco Pommel, being a spool of rainbow thread, and after returning from Rainbow Falls, where Rainbow had been given that Wonderbolts pin by Spitfire. Cheese gave Pinkie Boneless, and the rubber chicken let out that same light that came from around that spool and the pin. "...That light...They seemed to have come from...those gifts..."
"Gifts?" Kairi asked.
"It's just a theory, but there's something going on with this light, and it's no coincidence now that these gifts that were given to Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and now Pinkie Pie might be releasing a light that I know none of those ponies were able to transfer into ordinary objects." Aqua took Boneless from Twilight, squinting her eyes as she tried to feel the light inside of it, but she didn't feel anything now. "Not only that, but I think this light might also have something to do with Twilight's Keyblade as well."
"My Keyblade?" Twilight summoned her Keyblade in her hoof, confused by Aqua's theory. "What do you mean?"
"While we were training, you sometimes wound up D-Linking with the practice duels we had on the lessons I was teaching you," Aqua said. "That same thing that happened when you fought against Torrent as well: increased speed and dexterity like Rainbow Dash, and spellblade abilities with flourish evasion like Rarity. You're still a novice, but when put in a dire situation, you subconsciously shifted to only those two links with those friends and no one else. When you D-Link, you have to have a close bond with someone, and you're clearly best friends with all five of them, including us."
"So, if she could D-Link like you and me, then she somehow isn't able to do that with Pinkie, Applejack, or Fluttershy?" Ventus asked.
Aqua stood up, holding out her hoof and summoned her Keyblade. "Twilight, fight me."
"W-What? Now!?" Twilight asked.
"I want to test something...and if I'm right, then we'll figure out exactly what those lights are." Having no choice with her master's demands, Twilight stood up and readied herself for a small duel, the teens backing away to give them space for their fight. "Now, Twilight, I want you to fight me like you mean it. I won't hold back either."
"N-No holding back!? But I'm still not really ready for an actual fight!" Twilight protested.
"You weren't ready when you fought Torrent, but those D-Links sure were ready for you." Without a warning, Aqua teleported forward and swung her blade.
Twilight yelped and blocked it, but Aqua followed up with a swift kick, hitting Twilight in the face and sending her sprawling across the ground. She stood back up, seeing Aqua running for her again, panicking as she was sure to lose if Aqua actually challenged her to a real fight. In reaction to her fear, the balloon gem on her Keyblade's chain began to glow. The fright in her eyes disappeared, feeling this new power flow through her body, almost feeling ticklish as she grinned. The alicorn thrust her weapon into the air, a small light sparking from it, Aqua quickly stopping as she waited for a Thunder spell to shoot down at her as she didn't teach Twilight magic combat just yet. As nothing happened for a short moment, Aqua stepped forward, only to be flung up in the air by an explosion that came from the ground in a colorful blast of rainbow smoke.
As the Keyblade Master fell to the ground, landing on her hooves, Sora, Riku, Kairi, and Ventus's jaws dropped, not just surprised by the sudden Mine spell that none of them saw, but the fact that something on Aqua was...comically different. "Oh my goodness..."
"Uhh, Aqua?" Ventus called out.
"What?" She looked at the other four Keyblade wielders, Riku, Kairi, and Ventus staring at her in utter shock while Sora struggled not to laugh with his cheeks puffed out. Ventus pointed at her, telling her to look at herself. She lifted a hoof up, gasping in surprise when she saw her fur was not blue anymore; it was pink. "Huh?" She looked up, her bangs hanging over her eyes now yellow, raising a hoof up to feel it was also completely frazzled, several strands sticking out all over her head. "What the heck???"
Twilight burst out laughing and fell to the ground as she dropped her weapon, almost like she had pulled off a funny prank and snort laughing like Pinkie Pie does. Sora couldn't hold in his laughter any longer and joined Twilight, falling on his stomach and pounding his hooves into the ground. Ignoring the ridiculous look she now had, Aqua continued to fight, but as she took a step forward, she winced as her entire body locked in place, her limbs temporarily stunned as she felt electricity tremble through her muscles.
Riku heard Twilight's laughing, feeling slightly unnerved at her Pinkie Pie-ish behavior. "Oh no. First one Pinkie, then hearing of several clones of her, Cheese Sandwich a stallion version of her, and now Twilight's turned into Pinkie with this D-Link???"
"Aqua, why aren't you moving?" Ventus asked.
"...I-I'm...paralyzed," she struggled to say. She fought against her paralysis, aiming her Keyblade at herself. "E-Esuna." Four multicolored orbs surrounded the unicorn, her body enveloped in a yellow light as the magic spell turned her colors back to normal and removed her paralyzed state. She stretched her limbs, highly surprised to have been affected by an ailment from a Mine spell, Twilight's D-Link with Pinkie showing both unsuspecting trap spells with status ailments, and if she was right with her style of fighting, she would be just as random as the mare herself. "Let's see what else this link has."
Aqua ran forward again, Twilight recovering from her uproarious laughter as she stood back up, clutching her Keyblade in her maw with a wide grin. She ran forward too, though more bouncing than running like Pinkie does, and as their blades struck, Twilight began flipping around and went on the offensive. Aqua could barely read her movements and struggled to block the spinning, flipping, and twirling alicorn, faking her out as she expected her to attack after only one whirl. As she found an opening, Aqua thrust her blade forward, only to poke a hole in an invisible Balloon spell Twilight must have cast in her wild, frantic spinning, sending the mare flying up into the air. She landed into more balloons, sending her flying up higher and higher as they exploded with colorful smoke and confetti.
After popping each one she flew up into, Aqua fell back down and landed on her hooves, panting heavily as her body looked like she was splattered with multicolored paint. "Heeheehee! This is fun!" Twilight cheered, zipping across the field as she bounded around, definitely behaving like Pinkie Pie.
Aqua stepped back as Twilight approached, her ears perking up as she heard a magical tone growing higher in pitch, whimpering in fear as she knew what she stepped on. "Not again..."
The Mine she stepped up blew up underneath her in another cloud of rainbow smoke, sending her flying back to the teens as she fell on her back. Aqua's eyes spun in her head, her coat now striped black and white while her mane was gray and looked twisted up like she did her hair up with a blender. Twilight began giggling, appearing around the others and began poking them.
"Tag, you're it!" She started with Sora after he had recovered from his laughing fit, poking him in the rear before appearing in front of Ventus. "Tag, you're it!" she said as she poked his muzzle. The alicorn zipped off, reappearing upside down in front of Riku, without using her wings to keep herself aloft. Catching him off guard, she grabbed his cheeks and pulled him into a comically deep kiss, making the stallion blush heavily as she patted his cheek. "Tag. You're it, stud muffin."
"...You're floating in the air...without using your wings or magic..." Twilight floated down and laid on Riku's back, nuzzling the freaked out stallion as she wrapped her hooves around his neck. "Please tell me someone else noticed Twilight do that and I'm not crazy...Right!?"
Twilight giggled and kissed Riku's cheek. "You're a funny coltfriend, Riku." The glowing balloon gem began to dim out, bringing Twilight back to normal, her link to Pinkie's prowess heavily exhausting her. "Ugh...I felt like...I was on a sugar rush...Now I'm...sleepy..."
The alicorn passed out on his back, her Keyblade disappearing in a flash of light as she dropped it. With the fight won by Twilight, Aqua stood up, her eyes still swirling around as she stumbled about, trying to find her footing as the world span around.
"Uuuuuuuugh! Someone stop spinning the world around!" Kairi summoned her Keyblade and cast Esuna on the disoriented unicorn, turning her back to normal and getting rid of her confused status. Aqua clutched her head as everything went back to being still, though her body was still splattered from the unique Balloon spell she kept bouncing into. "...I knew it."
"You knew she would have done all that?" Sora asked. "You purposefully ran into those magical mines and balloons?"
"Not that," Aqua chided. "I had no idea where she placed her Mine spells, or her balloons. Those aren't supposed to be invisible to opponents; it's their fault if they step on it without paying attention." Aqua levitated Boneless, waving the rubber chicken in front of her friends. "I was right about my theory with this light that we've been feeling. Somehow, when one of these objects glows and releases the same light that came from within them, they unlock one of Twilight's links with her friends. I've only seen her link with Rarity and Rainbow Dash, and now we've just seen Pinkie Pie's: random attack patterns, unable to read combat style, and trap spells that are invisible until contact is made while also giving off a random status effect to deter her opponents."
"So, those lights are giving Twilight more power?" Kairi asked.
"And their eyes glowing when they had a problem they encountered." As Sora mentioned the glowing rainbow eyes he saw from Rarity and Rainbow Dash, the same thing must have happened to Pinkie, which explains the rubber chicken given to Pinkie by Cheese Sandwich had a power of light inside of it. "Do you guys think this is also something more than a piece of Twilight's Keyblade growing stronger?"
"What do you mean?" Riku asked.
"Well, Rarity, Rainbow, and Pinkie all had a problem they needed to fix before they got their gifts." Aqua recalled Rarity's overly generous nature in Manehattan, having it stomped all over her by Suri Polomare and causing her to act harshly to her friends giving up their planned time in the city to help her win the fashion contest. "Rarity got too generous and it let her act cruel toward the girls after her line was stolen. Rainbow Dash couldn't decide on which team she wanted to stay loyal to until I had to knock some sense into her. And Pinkie Pie cared more about her pride when Cheese showed off instead of making the party great for everyone, especially Rainbow and Ven."
"The rainbow eyes," Aqua said. "That shimmer that passed by their eyes was a realization to them and wanted them to fix their poor choices before things got worse..." Aqua couldn't help but feel that Sora was right; the light coming from the objects the three mares received not only strengthened Twilight's Keyblade and gave her a boost in fighting confidence when activated in dangerous circumstances, but they must have played some other significant role that they don't know about. "This is giving us more questions to what answers we've found...If this has happened to Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie, then the same thing could happen to Twilight, Fluttershy, and Applejack. No idea when their problems will come that involves them getting a present from someone with a powerful light and an increase in Twilight's Keyblade, but let's keep our eyes open for when they do come."
The teens nodded their heads, making sure to keep a look out for any future confrontations that could be relatively important for Twilight. As they split up, Riku took Twilight back to the library to lay her down to bed, Aqua pondered what else the light and their three friends' glowing eyes also had some role of importance to something greater, Sora and Kairi taking a break from the party and the exciting battle between Aqua and Twilight's D-Linked abilities as Pinkie, and Ventus headed back to Pinkie Pie to return Boneless to her. Though Twilight's Keyblade's power was slowly increasing, they still haven't forgotten about the mysterious chest still resting in front of the Tree of Harmony. They haven't found any of the keys that fit into the chest, whatever lies inside still a mystery to everyone as they aren't any closer to opening their gift given to them from the tree itself. Hopefully they can find at least one of these keys before the end of the Equestrian Games in the next couple months.