Pinkie was, for once, at a loss for words. She had been presented with a problem that she had never faced before, but she was determined to find a way through. She glanced around the town square quickly. Several ponies had gathered to gawk at the rapidly unfolding scene. Nervous energy was quickly overtaking her usual happy mood, and she had to figure out how to fix what she had done.
It had started out so simple, her attention had been attracted by the sight of an unfamiliar gray pegasus nervously glancing around. She took a second to verify that it was indeed a new face, and then immediately jumped at the opportunity to introduce herself.
Everything had been going so well, the welcome wagon was a huge success and the new mare was smiling brightly as she silently giggled through the entire welcome song. Pinkie had even remembered to load the cake and confetti into the correct compartments this time. Right when everything had seemed to be in the bag, and Pinkie was preparing to have a new bestest friend, the mare burst into tears.
Okay Pinkie, let’s review: meet somepony new, introduce myself, sing welcome song, smiles everywhere, but no instant best friends? Was it something I said, or sang? Again? What could I have said wrong? All I really asked was her name… several times.
Pinkie halted at that point, mulling over the last thought a bit. That had seemed strange at the time, the mare had refused to give a name, even though she had been smiling and shaking with silent laughter. She couldn’t understand why somepony would be so stubborn about their name that they would start crying when they were asked for it. Pinkie had to know the pegasus' name if they were going to be best friends, and she was best friends with everypony in Ponyville.
Pinkie was having a hard time wrapping her mind around the concept, it made absolutely no sense. Not even in the “Oh Pinkie, you’re so random” way of making no sense either. It was the frustrating “Somepony new is super sad, and refusing to smile, despite all of her best tricks” making no sense. That was the kind of making no sense that frustrated Pinkie to no end. She couldn’t stand to see somepony so visibly upset, especially if it was her fault. Her ears flattened against her head as she came to the realization that it could be all her fault.
Pinkie thoughtfully gazed back at the gray coated pegasus. She was lying down on the ground with her face buried in her hooves and her purple mane was falling over her face to completely hide her expression. The only sounds ocming from the pony were the light sounds of sniffling. So, at least she she had at least stopped crying for now. After a few more moments of watching curiously and trying to figure out how to fix things, she was interrupted by the pegasus sitting up on her haunches and wiping away the last few remnants of tears with a hoof.
There was absolutely no way she could allow this pony to be so sad today. Pinkie gazed up at the sky, Rainbow had cleared out the clouds less than an hour ago, there were only the lightest wisps of clouds visible high up in the sky, and the sun was shining brightly down upon everypony around. The gentlest of breezes was lightly brushing through her coat in that way that made her just want to giggle for no reason. Today was, frankly, a perfect day.
“Hey, I’m sorry… I’m not sure what I said to make you so upset, but I certainly didn’t mean to. I was just trying to greet you and be all friendly like. I really don’t like seeing other ponies sad. So, if you could just tell me what I did wrong… I’ll make sure to never ever do it again! Cross my heart, and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” she added emphatically.
To Pinkie’s dismay, though, the pegasus immediately broke into a fresh round of tears. She threw herself down onto her hooves as she wept and tried to hide her face behind her purple mane once more. Pinkie could clearly see the tears running freely down her cheeks despite the pegasus' best efforts to hide it, though. Something was clearly different this time, but she was having a hard time placing what exactly. The pegasus lifted her head up, with the tears still streaming down her face, and then stamped her front hooves on the ground a few times. Finally, the gray mare tensed her entire body into a pose that Pinkie could recognize anywhere. Pinkie winced and shut her eyes tight, bracing herself for the incoming yelling with the tiniest of grins spreading across her face.
After a long moment of stark silence, Pinkie cracked her eyes open curiously. The smile left her face as she saw the pegasus tensed up in the pose like she was trying to scream. Her mouth was still wide open, but absolutely no sound was coming out. The gray mare eventually relaxed and opened her eyes slowly. After a few deep breaths, the tears seemed to abate once again, but Pinkie was still thoroughly confused. She pondered the possibilities for a long moment.
Why didn’t she yell? She was definitely about to… She should have screamed at me. That way she could get all angry and grumbly, and then I would know what was wrong. Once I knew what was wrong I could easily make up and we would be best friends. Why does she insist on making no sense?
“Umm... I’m sorry, but can you say that again? I think I missed it…” she asked sheepishly, trying her best to ignore the still growing crowd gawking at the unusual scene.
The sorrowful mare got an even more frustrated look on her face. She and silently planted her face into her hooves and then curled herself up into a ball, assuming the fetal position as her body lightly shook from the quiet sobs. Pinkie stamped her own hooves on the ground several times before doing anything else. She couldn’t stop a sniffle of her own from escaping her nose. Pinkie wiped away the budding tears with a hoof, desperately trying to keep her composure.
“Why do you keep crying? I don’t get it! All I’ve been trying to do is make you smile, but you keep crying. I’ve never met somepony so determined to be upset before. I said I was sorry. So, if it was something I did, you just have to tell me!” Pinkie choked out in a strangled voice, finally failing to prevent the tears from running down her cheeks freely.
Pinkie had seen such a beautiful smile gracing the gray mare’s face when they had first met, and Celestia-be-damned if she was going to be denied of it further. She knew that the pegasus couldn’t hold out on her forever; she would just have to bring out the big guns. Well, the cannon specifically, she mentally amended with a grin. She stood up with a mischievous grin quickly spreading across her face, causing several of the gawking ponies to quickly turn and run for the safety of their homes. A hoof on her shoulder interrupted her plans, though.
“Pinkie…” started a familiar voice from behind her in a tentative tone. “I don’t think she can talk.”
“WHAT? Really?” Pinkie gasped dramatically, and then whirled in place to see Twilight Sparkle’s super serious “No, I’m not pulling your leg. When do I ever pull your leg? I'm a serious pony that doesn't put up with any of that kind of guff” face. Pinkie quickly returned her gaze to the other pony. The despondent pegasus had curiously picked her head up and had temporarily halted her crying. Pinkie blinked with amazement as she observed the pegasus apparently watching the interaction with interest.
“Well, she stopped crying, that’s a good start, but how did you figure that out, Twilight?” Pinkie asked earnestly.
“Well, it sounds like she hasn’t said a word to you, right? I saw her try to yell at you; which by the way, yes, it looked like she was actually trying quite hard to yell. Except, no sound came out at all, which is really odd. Even when Fluttershy gets frustrated and tries to let it out, we usually hear a quiet squeak. It almost seemed like she was trying to mouth the words at you while trying to yell… I think they were “I can’t?”” Twilight concluded seriously.
Pinkie froze in place, the entire world seemed to halt around her. She felt an unfamiliar sense of spinning overcome her, and then she ceased to hear any of the noise from the surrounding ponies. The truth of Twilight’s words shot through her body like a lightning bolt. It explained so much, but she still had to be sure.
"Pinkie?" came the ghost of Twilight's voice as it seem to echo all around her.
“Is it true?” Pinkie demanded loudly to the gray mare while tears streamed down her face. She stepped closer, her face stricken with guilt, and the pegaus quailed visibly at the forcefulness of the question. Eventually the shaking mare responded with a timid nod.
“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! I was being a big old meanie-Pinkie-pants, wasn’t I? I kept asking you to talk to me when you couldn’t. I really didn’t know, I promise. I wasn’t trying to be a meanie-pants at all,” Pinkie proclaimed loudly, as the tears kept streaming down her face.
The more she thought about how mean she had been, the more she couldn’t stop the tears, despite how much she tried. She shuffled closer, and threw her hooves around the surprised pony’s neck and sniffled quietly. Pinkie put all of her emotions into the hug, trying to convey how sorry she was without words. After a long moment, and a few more sniffles, she withdrew her face and contorted it into an adorable pout.
“Can you ever forgive me?” she pleaded desperately. Pinkie dropped her to haunches in front of the newcomer. She lowered her head, so that the mare wouldn’t have to crane her neck to look up at her face. The gray pegasus stared at her for a long moment, sniffling a few times and rubbing her own eyes free of the few remaining tears with a hoof. Finally, she gave Pinkie a hesitant nod, with her ears still flat against the sides of her head.
“Yay! I know the best way to make it up to you too… A PARTY! It can be your welcome to Ponyville party, as well as an “I’m sorry I made you cry, by being a big old meanie-Pinkie-pants” party. That is, if you’re staying in Ponyville, you are, aren’t you? Oooh, I have the bestest ide—“ Pinkie stopped dead in her tracks, ceasing her excited bouncing as she stared at the pony in front of her. The gray pegasus was shooting her a look of abject terror, while at the same time, shaking her head back and forth vehemently. The pony's purple mane flung wildly out in front of her, quickly making a mess of her mane and nearly flipping it into Pinkies face as she flailed her head back and forth.
“What? I don’t get it, what’s wrong this time? I thought everypony likes parties… Twilight?” she asked as she turned to her friend. The welcome wagon had elicited such a positive response that Pinkie was baffled at the reaction to a party proposal.
“Well…” Twilight started diplomatically. “I suppose it could be because she can’t talk. Think about it for a second, I’m not sure a party is the best idea. If you throw her a welcome party, then everypony will want to meet her. I imagine that social gatherings have been rather difficult for her in the past. A welcome party might make her to have to sit through a bunch of awkward situations. I'm not sure that a huge party would be as friendly of an atmosphere as you would like for her."
Pinkie gazed questioningly at the newcomer; she had ceased her alarmed flailing and was giving Pinkie a sad nod of assent.
Okay Pinkie, new plan then. I need to make up for making her cry, so I have to do the bestest thing possible. She needs to laugh, giggle, and grin until she’s exhausted. She needs to be so happy that she forgets all about my insensitivity… That means only one possible thing will work.
“Oh, good point Twilight, you’re so smart. I think I have the perfect idea now, though. A SMALLER PARTY!” Pinkie exclaimed proudly, then zipped around the square happily. Twilight slammed a hoof into her face dramatically, and the gray mare tilted her head at Twilight with a slight look of worry after trying to follow the pink blur for a moment.
“Don’t you worry, you two. I’ll only invite the very bestest of my best friends, and I’ll make sure they’ll all be super nice and kind. Nopony will be mean at all, and we can have a bunch of fun without any of the uncomfortablyness!”
“Just don’t go over the top okay, Pinkie?” Twilight asked through a heavy sigh, and then walked over to the gray pegasus to see how she was doing.
“You got it Twilight! You’ll see, parties are my specialty,” Pinkie exclaimed putting special emphasis on the last word. “They don’t always have to be big and raucous. We’ll throw her a nice, small, and comfortable party that has all the fun still jam packed inside it! Anyway, I gotta go prepare, it was nice meeting you. Sorry again about being a big ole meanie-Pinkie-pants, come by Sugarcube Corner tonight at seven, okay? I’ll make you smile again, I guarantee it!” Pinkie positively beamed at the pegasus, and then zipped off happily towards the confectionery shop.
“Are you sure that you’re okay?” Twilight asked kindly, as she offered the mare a hoof up. She received a nod in response, and then the pegasus attempted to shake the dirt off the underside of her body.
“Pinkie means well, she just... gets a tad over-excited at times. She has a good heart, though. You should stop by if you can. She wasn’t lying when she said that she knows parties. I’ve seen her cobble together a party for the strangest of reasons while still managing to make it fun. If her goal is to make you smile, then I’m sure you’ll have fun,” Twilight concluded with a smile, and shifted in place as she glanced back to her tree home.
“I should get back to the library now, okay? If you need anything, feel free to stop by, it’s the big tree over that way. Hopefully we’ll see you later.” She turned and gave the new pony a wave of her hoof, then trotted off towards her home.
As Twilight left, most of the curious ponies that had remained watching the scene unfold finally started to disperse. The mare stood there for a long time, eventually finding her way over to a bench next to a pleasantly babbling fountain. She stared at the flowing water for a long time as she tried to fully process everything that had just happened.