Guest Starring: Alfred Matthew 'Weird Al' Yankovic
Appaloosa was a buzz in cheer with all the Appaloosan and the whole of the Tatanka tribe there, all well into the celebration of Braeburn’s and Strongheart’s first anniversary, even as the sun was about to pass the western horizon, and with no indications of slowing down until well into the warm summer night. Ten kilometers away, astride the back a fiery red steed was a man wearing a wide brim stetson that straddled the line between it and a sombrero and a gray, white and light brown poncho. He had brown puffy hair and green eyes. “Well, Boneless. Looks like our work here is done.” he said in a stern voice to the rubber chicken with a bowler cap that was on his waist. He pulled on the reins and the horse turned and began to trot away. “Yep, those folks never partied so hard. Thanks to me: Cheese. Cheese Sandwich.” he said as he gave a grim and yet cheerful smile. Just then his body began to spasm, stretch, contour, etc. as the sound of an accordion playing was heard. In his motions his hat came off and floated to the ground as his poncho lifted to reveal a bright yellow shirt and in the center of the shirt was a grilled cheese sandwich as his aura mark which acted like an accordion. Once the spasm passed, “Woo-hoo-hoo! That was a doozy!” he said in a much more cheerful voice, clearly his actual voice. Which sounded like Weird Al Yankovic. He got off his horse and picked up his hat, “Well, Boneless. Looks like our next party is gonna be in…” he stopped as he got back on his horse and as he put his hat back on, “Magiville.”
It was a sunny day, about two weeks after the preliminaries of the Mystica games and two weeks before the flight of the pixies which Fluttershy helped plot to come through Magiville. The town was abuzz of an upcoming party, with balloons, banners and other party paraphernalia about the whole town. This just happened to be Musical Thursday. The focus of this Musical Thursday was Pinkie as she skipped through the town. She then started to kick off the first number of this musical, “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!". She sang and traversed the town until it reached one of the town’s open-air vendors. His specialty was streamers for parties. “How's it going today, Pinkie?” he asked. Pinkie beamed, “Great, thanks!” she informed him. She then got down to business. “Got any streamers today?” she asked. The vendor chuckled, “You betcha!” he said and spread his arms to show his wares. As Pinkie handed him several bits, “Big party planned?” he asked. Pinkie smiled, “Don't you know it!” she declared and started off and renewed the song, “Don't have much time to gather all the things I need
If I'm really gonna make this party fly
For today's another day that all of Magiville will say.” As she sang, she pulled out her list and shook her head, but she then shrugged her shoulders, put it back into her hair and continued on as she sang.
After she said ‘say’. Many of the residents of the town took over the song and sang, “There goes the super party mage Pinkie Pie!” they declared.
Mr. and Mrs. Cake were pushing a stroller with their babies, Pound and Pumpkin. “She planned our first baby shower where we played all sorts of games
Having so much fun as we chose Pound and Pumpkin's names.” the middle-aged couple said as Pinkie skipped to be next to them, hugged the couple and then kissed the foreheads of Pound and Pumpkin.
As Pinkie continued to skip through the town, she passed by one of the restaurants in town. At one of the outside tables sat Diamond Tiara. The young girl then took over the song as she sang, “She planned my aura-ceañera my dad made me, I won't lie
I demanded all the best, I suppose she passed the test
Sure it was pretty good all thanks to Pinkie Pie.”
While it was the most profitable aura-ceañera for Pinkie, Diamond Tiara wasn’t a patron Pinkie wanted for a while. “Thanks, I guess?” she asked as the music of the song continued to play. However, she carried on to another vendor. This one with paint as his specialty, “What color paints do you need?” he asked. Pinkie beamed “I'm gonna need the full rainbow!” she answered. The vendor then gave her several … paint buckets each one of the seven colours of the rainbow. “A paintbrush too?” he asked as he offered a set. Pinkie nodded as she placed the paint cans in her hair and placed a fair number of coins on the stand as she accepted the set of paint brushes. “Yes, if you please!” was her answer. Pinkie then stepped up to the vendor across the short way, “And what from me?” she asked. As Pinkie placed a few bits on the stand, “Your biggest banner! This party's gonna be the best!” she answered and accepted the banner. The vendor laughed and agreed with, “I don't doubt it!”
The townsfolk started up the song, “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!"” The crowd took a pause in singing but the music continued as they followed Pinkie to Sugarcube Corner, where Pinkie was preparing the banner that she just purchased that day, painting it for the party to come. Watching her were her six closest friends, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack and Twilight’s familiar, Spike the dragon. The crowd then started the song up again after about seconds of watching as Pinkie’s closest friends cheer her on, “There's no other body like her, no body that could be
As great! (As great!) As fun! (As fun!)
As our super party mage Pinkie!” as the banner was raised and everyone cheered. And with that the first number was over and everyone went about the rest of their business, or that which they needed to complete before sunset and the big party actually started.
Pinkie couldn’t contain her excitement as she hugged Rarity and ended giving her a noogie, much to the enchantress’ dismay, “Ooh, I am so, so, SO excited because today I'm planning the birthday bash of…” she paused as she pointed to the banner and announced the focus of the party, “Rainbow Dash!” she shouted as Rainbow studied the banner, it was a very accurate rendering of her, not quite in the realm of uncanny valley, but practically spot on.
Rainbow smirked and declared, “Yeah!” excited at the party later that day.
While Rainbow, and well everyone else was caught up in the excitement of everything, Pinkie was not as carefree. “Rainbow Dash.” she called her friend to focus,
Rainbow didn’t know why, but she felt uneasy, “Yes, Pinkie?” she asked with a degree of concern as she landed back on the ground.
Pinkie then pulled in close, so that their noses were barely a centimeter apart. “You realize that, by enlisting me as your party planner, I guarantee that this is going to be the funnest, most fantabulous, superbial party in Magiville?” she asked, looking squarely into Rainbow’s eyes.
“Uh...yeah?” Rainbow asked as she had no idea what to do as Pinkie was extremely serious. “I guess.” she finished.
Pinkie squirted and slightly scowled at Rainbow, “No guesses!” Pinkie declared. “Parties are no picnic.” she said to empathize with the point. Fluttershy was about to say something about how she liked a nice picnic party, but this was Pinkie’s domain and elected to refrain from speaking. “Parties. Are. Serious!” She hammered home her point. She then finally loosened her hold on Rainbow and performed her Pinkie Promise, with a real cupcake (with lime frosting) “And you have my certified Pinkie Party Promise that you will have the best birthday party ever!” she declared.
With the opportunity to get some space between her and Pinkie, Rainbow slowly stepped back as she gave an extremely nervous, “Okay.”
“Great!” Pinkie cheered as she sprung back to her normal cheerful self, both to the present relief of all her friends and yet to their long-term horror. “Now, who's ready to join this super duper party mage to plan this super duper pa-rty?” she asked, it was a rhetorical question, and she didn’t expect anyone to actually give an answer, but she instinctively asked it.
“I am.” came the voice of Cheese Sandwich from the shadow of one of the other structures. Everyone gasped as they turned and saw him, the brim of his hat lowered so as to hide the top part of his face. In his mouth was a party horn which he blew, not unlike someone puffing a cigar.
Pinke was the first to greet the stranger, “Who are you, stranger?” she asked, getting to the point. “Normally when someone is moving in my Pinkie Sense goes off.” she then looked at all the pockets of her jacket, “Shoot, I forgot which pocket my welcome wagon is in.” she wanted to curse.
The man stepped from the structure and walked toward Pinkie et al, “That won’t be necessary, Ms. Pinkie Pie, I am not moving in.” he explained, as he said Pinkie’s name, but only as if he knew of her by reputation. This was not so odd, Pinkie was the party planner for the wedding of Princess Cadance and Grand Marshall Shining Armor. The man then pulled out and held out a business card, “Name's Cheese Sandwich. I plan parties.” he said as he handed it to Pinkie.
Pinkie couldn’t help but smile, she knew so few other Mystican that were professional party planners, “What an amazing coincidence! I'm planning a party!” She informed Cheese after she accepted and read the business card.
As Pinkie handed it back to Cheese, “Oh, it's no coincidence, my little mage.” he said as he accepted it back and put it back into a pocket in his poncho. “My cheesy sense was a-tingling, telling me a party was in the works.”
“A cheesy sense?” Pinkie asked as she almost manifested out of nowhere infront of Cheese. After he recovered, Cheese nodded, “Ah! Double amazing!” she barely stopped herself from giving Cheese a hug, and also from exploding from the excitement of someone having a sense that could be similar to her own, “Maybe its like my Pinkie Sense!”
Cheese shook his head with a small smile, “Yes and no, it only senses parties that are coming up and only the ones that need to be bigger than big.” He elected to clarify the exact extent of his sense. “And thanks to that I happen to be the premiere party planner in all of Mystica.” he informed “If there's a party in need, there I'll be. Be it wingding, hoedown, hootenanny, or shindig, I'm your man.” he declared with a proud smirk on his face.
Pinkie gave another gasp as if to keep the air in her lungs, “A pair of party planners in Magiville?! What can be more perfect?!” neither was an actual question, but her excitement could barely be contained.
Not seeming to pick up the rhetorical nature of the questions, “I'll tell you what -- making this party epic!” she answered, barely able to hold in her own excitement about the day and the celebration that would be its focus. “ 'Cause this isn't just any birthday. It's also the anniversary of when I moved to Magiville!” she pointed out that “Or as I like to call it, my "birth-iversary"!”
After Rainbow said that Applejack turned and gave Rarity one of her bemused frowns, “It’s a port-”
“Ah know what it is, Sugarcube.” Applejack cut her off, “That’s never been the problem.” Rarity gave a weak laugh as she tried to avoid the topic. Applejack only closed her eyes and shook her head.
Rainbow, however, seemed to be oblivious to the exchange, and asked both Pinkie and the newcomer, “So what do you say, party planners?”
Pinkie didn’t fight back a giggle, “Oh, I think we can do it!” she declared.
Cheese shook his head, “Oh, I don't think so.” Everyone gasped at the answer. Cheese then threw off his hat and poncho. “I know so!” he shouted with cheer and glee. “After all…” he trailed before he started to sing, “The super-duper party mag-e–that mag-e is me
I always knew that was the kind of mag-e I would be.” As Cheese took a breath, “Me too!” Pinkie commented. Cheese then picked up, while he wasn’t singing it was still upbeat and close to the song as he called out getting the attention of more of the townsfolk. “Come on, folks! Who here likes to party?” He spotted an elderly gentleman and seemed to stretch and then stand next to him. “Ha-ha! You do! I can tell!” the man nodded in agreement. Cheese then started to sing properly again as the whole scene changed to a white field with a large wheel of swiss cheese, “When I was but a little boy, I just wanted to play” Pinkie chimed in agreement, “Like me!”
Cheese then started his song again, this time others popped out of the other holes in the cheese wheel all with frowns and shook their heads at him, “But everybody told me, "Cheese, that fun just wastes the day"”. Pinkie then chimed in again in agreement with an “As if!”
Cheese continued to sing as the scene changed to the area in front of Sugarcube Corner, with everyone looking at Cheese standing next to a picture on an easel. He removed the picture to show a picture of three women all three were frowning, “But when I threw a party and I busted out some moves.” he sang as he seemed to jump into the photo and began to dance in means that almost gave Pinkie’s a run for their money, “Uh-huh!” Pinkie agreed. Cheese continued his song as he placed party hats on the women and their modes brightened, “The folks finally saw the light and got into the groove”. Pinkie once again chimed in expressing her similar sentiment, “You know it!”
The scene then changed to back in front of Sugarcube Corner as Cheese was dressed in lederhosen as he played his accordion and sang, “The super-duper party mag-e–that mag-e is me.”. “And me!” Pinkie pointed out that she too was a ‘party mage’ and was also ‘super-duper’.
The scene changed to what looked like a witness window of a line up with Cheese on the second from the viewer’s right with three men that looked similar to him but each distinct if one paid close attention to each. Cheese sang, “You'll never meet another party mag-e quite like Cheese!” Pinkie once again chimed in, this time far less in agreement, and more of unsure question, “Uh, Pinkie?”
Cheese turned to the somewhat look alike to his left as he held out a jar of mayonnaise, “Hey, good-lookin', want some mayonnaise?” he asked.
The music started to pick up, and while Cheese didn’t really sing, but spoke in meter, tempo and tune with the music. “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!” as he ‘spoke’ the scene changed to match each line of the song until the line of the punch lake as he encouraged a man to jump off a diving board and the man called out, “Geronimo!” before he splashed into the ‘fruit punch lake’. Cheese then started to sing properly again as the scene changed to a disco, “The super-duper party mag-e–that mag-e is me
You'll never meet another party mag-e quite like Cheese.” as he sang others joined him on the dance floor before they hoisted him onto their shoulders, and he rode a human wave. The scene then changed to what looked like another party as large blue box opened, “C'mon, kid, take it for a spin!” Cheese said as it was revealed a large and surprisingly docile hippopotamus. He said to a boy that was the focus of the party, “Golly! Thanks, mister!” he said as he ran and jumped onto the hippo and it started to walk, giving the boy a ride.
Cheese started to sing, “Oh, when I throw a Cheese party, be sure to not be lame
And miss my pie fights, wacky kites, and streamers aren’t your bane
Fizzy drinks, Flower shirts, and brie fondue delight
You know that with Cheese Sandwich, you'll be partying all night!” As he sang, he pulled a woman that seemed to be about the same age as Rainbow, but was dressed like a schoolteacher from two centuries ago. He threw a cream pie into the woman’s face, before he handed her the strange kites and then threw a bucketful of streamers into her pie covered hair. This caused her to giggle silently. Things then changed to show the three things Cheese listed before he emerged from the fondue. The scene then changed to be back in Magiville as Cheese was again playing the accordion and hopping all around the part of town near Sugarcube Corner. He stopped singing as everyone in town had, by that time, arrived and soon picked him up and started to carry him off on their shoulder. As they started to take him from Sugarcube Corner, Cheese started to sing the last of his song’s lyrics, “The super-duper party mag-e–that mag-e is me-e-e-e-e.”
As everyone left the front of Sugarcube Corner, caught up in the excitement over the arrival of another Mystican with the specializes in parties and everything with it. The music of Cheese’s song started to go into a very depressing downbeat and Pinkie then began to sing, asking to the backs of all those that left her, including her five closest friends (and Spike), “But what about the super party mag-e named Pinkie...?”
As the time neared the second hour after midday, Rainbow gawked in awe over everything under construction for the party that Cheese was preparing. The centerpiece was a stage with a different banner, that to be frank, was on a level of professionalism that Pinkie could not achieve with her more hands on approach. After regaining her ability to speak, she flew up to Cheese, “My birth-iversary's already looking way cooler!” she declared. This brought a smile to Cheese’s face, yet there was a slight glim of sadness in it, yet it was a blink and miss sadness, and everyone around Cheese, not just Rainbow blinked. Rainbow gave Cheese a light punch to his right upper arm, “You are my kind of party mage, Cheese Sandwich.” she finished.
Cheese chuckled as he looked up from the blueprints and the stage under construction to Rainbow, “You got that right, Rainbow Dash.” he stated. He then turned around to everyone else involved in the preparations, “All right, party folks, we got a party tonight!” Everyone cheered before going back to work.
Back in front of Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie sat on the ground, utterly broken. It didn’t help matters that one of the balloons from the party Cheese was planning floated over and hit one of the stands of the banner she painted for the party she planned. This caused the banner to fall behind Pinkie. She wanted to cry. How could one of her closest friends just change from her planning their party to another so…well, the only word that could describe it was ‘flippantly’. However, Pinkie's self-pity was cut short as she heard Twilight’s voice as her princess friend called her name, “Pinkie!”. Pinkie looked around before she spotted a watering tin and began to water the plants in front of Sugarcube Corner as Twilight walked up to her, “Aren't you gonna help plan the party?” Twilight asked in an attempt to get Pinkie involved with Rainbow’s birth-iversary despite Rainbow’s apparent change in party planner.
Pinkie closed her eyes as she continued to water, “That's okay.” she stated before she gave a chuckle with a minor degree of nervousness just under the surface. “Cheese obviously has what it takes to do it all by himself. Heh.” She continued in an attempt to be humble enough to accept that others might be better than her in party planning and such. Yet her disorganized and haphazard watering pointed to things not being how she described them.
Twilight couldn’t shake the feeling that she was not in a place or time that was safe for anyone, Pinkie was clearly not stable, but she had no idea how to actually handle the situation. All she could muster was to ask, “Really?”
Pinkie gave an open eyed open lipped smile what didn’t inspire much faith in Pinkie having a firm grip on her sanity, “Yes, indeedy!” Pinkie then started to chuckle, however it was clear there was a massive degree of nervousness in it. Twilight slowly took a step back, she wasn’t ready to handle a possibly mentally disurbed Pinkie. After Twilight left, Pinkie sighed as she dropped the weak facade that she had in joy in her at that moment, “After all, if Cheese really is the super duperiest partying-est mage of them all, maybe that means... I'm... not.”
Pinkie started to walk away from Sugarcube Corner and stopped at one of the bridges that went over one of the rivers that flowed through town and a sad tune started. Pinkie took a breath and started to sing, “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
I'll try to get up on my feet
And try a different task
I'll find something new to do
There's gotta be more to me than planning a party or two
I put away my party cannon, I deflated all my balloons
The bubbles all burst, now what is next for you?
For you…”. As Pinkie sang from ‘I’ll try’ to ‘or two’, she imagined her taking on different jobs, first as a nurse, but gave a doctor performing a surgery a cupcake. This resulted in her being dismissed. This changed to her attempting to be a mailman, but it too was a disaster as she put streamers in a mailbox and made it something like her party cannon. This then changed to Pinkie at a construction site and making a support beam of a house under construction out of balloons. The balloons popped and Pinkie was not working at that site or in construction again. As Pinkie started ‘I put’ she was in the room on the top floor of Sugarcube Corner that the Cakes allowed her to stay in and she put her party cannon in a wardrobe and then deflated the balloons in the room. She continued to sing until she saw her reflection in the glass of a photo frame.
Pinkie stopped her lament as she looked beyond her reflection in the glass into the photo in the frame. It was the first party she threw. It was one of the few times she recalled her family expressing their happiness so openingly. “Oh, I remember this one: my first party ever. My whole family was there.” she mused. She knew that her family was still happy, even with their near stoic usual demeanors. She then looked from one to another, this was a surprise welcome party for Twilight inside the Golden Oak Library, “And that's Twilight's welcome-to-Magiville party. She didn't even expect that one.” She giggled at the memory. She then looked at another photo, this was of Gummy’s birthday. “Oh, look at Gummy! He just looks so excited for this birthday party!'' The little gator was motionless, but there was a shine in his eyes that hinted to him being happy. Pinkie then turned to another photo, this one was of the reception of the wedding of Shining and Cadance, “Hmm. Shining Armor and Cadance's wedding sure was special,” she couldn’t help but smile, joy starting to return, “especially once I got a hold of the music.”
Pinkie’s gaze then went to the other photos she had up in her room, each of a party she threw since she moved to Magiville as she started singing again, this time the music was more of a triumphant, “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-own
I've got to get back out there, have to show them that I've tried
For there's only one great party mag-e -- 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 mage around!” as she sang she looked from the photos and the unmistakable sincere joy in each to a set of doors of her room that went out onto the balcony just outside her room. As she reached the line ‘Show them’ she flung the doors open and stepped out her confidence returning, she knew who she was. As she reached the line, ‘I’ve got’ she dashed back in, not forgetting to shut the doors, and skipped down the stairs as she went into the kitchen of Sugarcube corner, where she made and devoured a simple cheese sandwich as she sang, ‘Won’t let’. She finished her song as she threw open the front door of Sugarcube Corner. After the music ended. Pinkie smiled as she knew what to do, “And I know just what to do!” she declared.
The time began to draw close to the third hour after midday and the party preparations were nearing completion. As everyone gave congratulations to Cheese about how everything was coming together, and while he did smile, there was faint sadness that would be caught if anyone took a second to look beyond the party. However, all this came to halt as Pinkie arrived and called out. “Freeze, Cheese!” and everything stopped as everyone turned to see Pinkie, her eyes narrowed, focused, and her brows lowered and seemingly wrathful. “I challenge you... to a goof off!” Everyone gasped at the challenged. While no one know what a goof off was, if Pinkie was being this serious about it, it was no laughing matter.
Cheese pulled out a red fuzz hat and placed it on his head, as he too scowled at the challenge, “This Cheese has stood alone a long time, Pinkie Pie.” he retorted as he walked closer to Pinkie, unphased by the declaration. “You think you can out-goof me?” he asked.
Pinkie fought back a snort as she shut her eyes as she stepped closer, “Oh, I don't think so.” Her eyes shot open, “I know so!” she declared, ready to put her money where her mouth was. Each started to walk towards the other, while at the same time circling each other in ever shrinking circles. “And the stakes are high, Cheese Sandwich. Whoever wins will be dubbed the ultimate super duper party mage and headline the Rainbow Dash birth-iversary bash!” she named the prize for the winner as the two were within arm's length of each other.
Everyone was silent, none having any idea what to say or do. That was until a very cautious Twilight asked about the other result of the challenge, “And the loser?”
Pinkie didn’t need to turn to answer the question, “Doesn't!” Everyone but Cheese gasped at the declaration, all swept up in the tension of this clash of party planning titans. Pinkie then leaned in “So, are you in, Cheese? Or are you... boneless?” she asked as she elbowed him as if to goat him on.
Cheese scowled, “Nobody calls me boneless.” he countered in a serious tone clearly incensed before he looked at the rubber chicken on his waist, “Right, Boneless?” he asked the chicken. There was no answer, not that one was expect.
Pinkie smirked as the challenged was accepted as she strutted to be a meter in front of Cheese, “Then the goof off is on for high-'' she stopped and looked at the town’s clock tower, she wasn’t going to be a fool by getting the time wrong. It read three hours after midday. “3:10 to goof off!”
“It is on.” Cheese agreed as the two squinted at each other, ready for this confrontation.
Ten minutes later, half the town was on each side of main street as Pinkie came from the eastern side of town dressed with a cartoonish ten gallon hat with an arrow going through it and a set of bejeweled cyan cowboy boots with spares, while Cheese, dressed with a trapper’s hat, a purple fish on the hat, a pair of cyan and pink elephant headed slippers on his hands (the cyan on his right and pink on his left) and mix-matched socks over his shoes (a green one on his right foot and a blue one on his left), came from the western side of town. As the two walked spurs jangled and squeaking was heard. After the two reached the opposite side of the intersection between it and Golden Oak Ave, they stopped and looked at each other. Pinkie had a party horn in her mouth and blew it.
Twilight stepped into the center of the street, equidistant from the two contestants with Rainbow on the sidelines but behind Twilight by about a meter. “All right, everybody. According to my official goof off rulebook…” She paused as she heard the muttering from the crowd. It was clear that there were questions about the existence of such a book. “And yes, there is indeed an official goof-off rulebook, It’s under ‘G’, Guidelines to Goof-offs. You all should seriously spend more time in the Golden Oak Library.” The explicit jab of the townsfolk’s seeming self-imposed limited literacy didn’t go unnoticed, but there was no real retort. Twilight continued to read from the book, “The two competitors have free range to goof about -- be it by singing, dancing, playing, prancing, joking, or performing -- to make the judge chortle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, hoot and holler, whoop it up, and party down.” she read verbatim. It was clear that while the author knew the words, he or she didn’t truly understand the language of party planners. Twilight stopped after she read it and groaned. While she too didn’t ‘speak the language’ she knew that party planners and most people would never use those words in the context the author used. She took a breath and continued, “The funnier, sillier, wilder, and goofier, the better.” She then lowered the book and turned to Rainbow, “Rainbow Dash, since the winner will be headlining your party, you are the judge.” Twilight informed her as she pointed to the line in the text as she showed it Rainbow. It was then that it dawned on Rainbow that maybe, just maybe, there was a reason why the idiom ‘never change horses midstream’ existed as she gave a nervous ‘Heh’. If ever was a time to call things off, now was it. Yet Rainbow had made her bed, now she had to sleep in it. Twilight turned back to address the contestants as she walked to the center of the street. “Cheese Sandwich, Pinkie Pie, are you ready?” she asked.
Pinkie was the first to answer, “I was born ready!” was her declaration as she scowled at Cheese, ready for a fight.
Cheese scowled as he prepared his one-up, “I was ready before I was born!” he declared, challenging Pinkie.
Twilight looked from one of the two contenders to the other and then faced forward. She stretched out and raised her right arm. After she silently counted down from three, “Begin!” she called as she lowered her and flew up and back in order to get out of the area.
Each contestant took one step forward, then another, and Cheese started the goof off as he played polka music with an accordion while stepping so fast his feet were a blur. Pinkie then raised the bet as she started to sing while dancing on a large party ball as she juggled several cupcakes while wearing a beaner with a propeller on top and a fake mustache. “It's your birthday party, a very special day
I've got a song, it won't take long, I just wanted to say
Happy, happy, happy, happy
Happy, happy, happy, happy
Happy, happy, happy, happy birthday to you!” As she repeated the ‘happy’ she tossed a cupcake, which landed in Rainbow’s mouth as she devoured each.
After Pinkie sang, Cheese came down the street still playing the accordion while on a two-story cheese wheel, rolling it like he was a logger rolling a log down river. Once he got in between Pinkie and Rainbow, he jumped from it and started to sing, “If you wanna be the life of the party
But you're feeling just a little uptight
Call the doctor, beg and plead
"Doctor, tell me what I need"
Try to put a little cheese in your knees!” as he sang, he did various stretches and then moved Rainbow’s lips with his hand as he sang ‘Doctor, tell me what I need’. He then pulled aside and started to chicken dance as he sang, ‘Try…’ with a pair of swiss cheese wheels on his feet and once he finished ‘knees’, he raised each foot and chomped on the wheels.
After a couple seconds, Rainbow was ‘fished’ and reeled up to a hot air balloon by Pinkie. Pinkie started to sing, “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!” as she sang, ‘Star’ she made a star-shaped and then a trapezoid shaped balloon. She then made a bubble that was an almost exact replica of Rainbow Dash herself.
Just before Rainbow could break into a laugh, she was pulled onto the balcony on the top of Magiville city hall, “Just let yourself go floppy, for now this is your chance
Pretend you have no bones and do the rubber chicken dance!” as he sang, he flopped around not unlike a wave and then fish out of water and then a wave. He then stopped singing and shouted, “Hit it, Boneless!” everything changed to a stage with clear wiring attached to Boneless. The wires tightened and loosened making the rubber chicken ‘dance’.
Pinkie bounced on a trampoline getting Rainbow’s attention and sang as Rainbow flew from the top of Magiville city hall and to the ground, “Cooler than a rubber chicken and tastier than cake
Come on, you, let's party down and do the Gummy shake!” as Pinkie stopped singing and called out, “Hit it, Gummy!” The scene changed to Gummy, resting on a log near one of the bodies of water around town, “Uh-huh! You know it! Shake it!” she said as the alligator remained resting on the log.
Once the ‘Gummy Shake’ was over, Cheese pulled Rainbow aside and onto a large cheese themed float structured as a throne and begin to sing as he gave her a cheese wheel topped scepter and a cheese-themed hat, “'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.”
Pinkie emerged from under the carpet that divided the float, just a meter in front of Cheese, “That's my song!” she declared.
Cheese smiled as he shut his eyes, “What do you mean? I have no idea what you're talking about.” he denied that he took those lyrics from Pinkie’s song.
Pinkie was about to explode, “THAT'S IT!” she shouted. She took a breath and started to sing again, “Roll out the party cannon
When you hear the party cannon song
Ka-BOOM!” As she sang, she pulled out her party cannon and entered it before she fired herself out like a human cannon ball.
Once Pinkie finished, Cheese put on a helmet as he started to sing, “Why should you compromise? Try this one on for size
'Cause nothing quite says cheer like the ringing in your ear
Of the cheese supreme cannonball surprise!” As he sang, a cartoonish red bottomed and blue topped cannon with yellow stars all over it seemed to manifest out of nowhere under him and it fired very close to Rainbow, narrowly missing her. Granted it was not much different than Pinkie’s cannon.
As Cheese finished his bit, a construction crane came down the street, carrying a piñata that was at least two stories high. It was the seven colors of the rainbow with red at the bottom and violet on the top and structured like a multi-leveled cake. Pinkie was on the red layer and was singing “¡Dale, dale, dale
No pierdas el tino!
Porque si lo pierdes
¡Pierdes el camino!” Once she finished, she was off the piñata, however, a bird landed on the top and it caused the piñata to come crashing down.
The piñata nearly crushed Rainbow, Pinkie gasped as she ran to her friend. After the dust cleared, Rainbow was shown to be unharmed, but it was a near miss. “Rainbow's not having the best party ever!” Pinkie said realizing how close her friend was to being killed. Not far from Rainbow she saw a set of streams that made a rainbow of orange, yellow, alabaster, cyan, purple and pink. Pinkie looked up and her eyes flashed the same rainbow. She knew what she had to do. “I... I broke the Pinkie Party Promise!” she admitted to herself. “Stop!” She screamed. “The goof off is off!” She shouted having everything come to a halt which was not already stopped by the near miss. Everyone was muttering in confusion.
“But I haven't named a winner.” Rainbow said as she brushed herself off, shaking off what happened in her usual manner.
Pinkie Pie shook her head as turned to Rainbow Dash, “You don't have to. I forfeit. Which means... Cheese Sandwich wins.” Pinkie was on the verge of tears and ran to Sugarcube Corner.
Half an hour later, Pinkie was on the edge of town, preparing to leave it. Everything she owned was in a cart that she could push by herself, with the exception of her party cannon and welcome wagon which were tied behind it and Gummy, who seemed to be floating in her hair, like any other crocodilian in a body of water, only to slip silently into his owner’s hair. She took a deep breath to collect herself before she began her trek back to the Pie Rock Farm quarry. However, she barely got started as she heard the voice of Rainbow call out. “Pinkie, wait!” Rainbow then landed a meter in front of Pinkie and pulled her friend into a hug, “I'm sorry I got all swept away by Cheese Sandwich.” she said as the faintest of tears managed to slide down her check onto Pinkie’s right shoulder.
Pinkie tightened the embrace for a second and then ended it as she took a step back. She took a breath and smiled, as she accepted Rainbow’s feeling of guilt and remorse, yet to her Rainbow did nothing wrong. She didn’t need to turn around to know that their closest mutual friends were behind her and were also riddled with guilt. She shook her head, “No. I'm sorry.” she said to Rainbow, while it was meant for all of her friends. “I let my pride get in the way of you having the best birth-iversary ever.” Pinkie admitted her own shortcoming. She turned around to see the party that Cheese was able to set up, “Cheese Sandwich really is a super-duper party planner, and he'll be a terrific headliner.” She had to admit Cheese’s talent. She then turned away and began to push her cart, “I should've been a big enough person to admit that and let you have your day.”
However. Rainbow bolted to be in front of Pinkie, “But don't you get it?” Rainbow asked, trying to get Pinkie to follow. “You're both super duper party mages.” Rainbow declared. “Sure, Cheese Sandwich is a great guest party mage,” she had to admit. However, this was not the only thing that had to be pointed out, “but you're Magiville's permanent party mage.” she informed as she took Pinkie by the arm, “Nobody could ever take your place, and we could never have a party without you.” Pinkie then hugged Rainbow. This led to a group hug with all of Pinkie’s closest friends.
“Rainbow Dash is right.” Came the voice of Cheese Sandwich as he walked towards the group. He had his hat over his heart, “I never meant to take your place here.” He started to explain his motives for going all out. “I just wanted to show you what a great party mage I am, Pinkie.”
Pinkie pointed to herself confused. “Why me?” She asked as she stepped away from the cart.
Cheese managed to stop a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. “Well…” he trailed off slightly before the music of his introduction song started but it was a sadder tune at first. “I fear I told a little fib about my very past
I hope that when you hear the truth, you will not be aghast
I wasn't quite the super party mag-e like I claimed
The fact is that I was so shy, nobody knew my name
I stumbled into Magiville one afternoon by chance
And found the biggest ever celebration party dance
Everything was perfect, cheer was filling up the place
And I saw that everybody 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 mag-e full of glee
A super duper party mag-e -- that's what I became
I traveled all Mystica, and all did know my name
But that never would have happened on my own, I'll tell you why
For the one who threw that party, it was you, Pinkie Pie.” As he sang ‘the fact.’ everything changed to show Cheese, again as a child. However, he was a shy child and ended up running away from Manahattan. The music started to mimic its earlier upbeat as he sang ‘I stumble’ and the image showed him stumbling not just into Magiville but during a party. While no one actually said hello, Cheese was clearly welcomed as he was given a jester’s hat and a grilled cheese sandwich. It is then that Cheese experienced the pivotal epiphany that led to his aura mark, and he discovered his purpose, to throw parties. The image shifted to a map of Mystica as he sang ‘I traveled’ and then from the map, Cheese burst from it as he sang, ‘all did.’. As he finished ‘my name’ the music went softer and serious as everything returned to the present for a little bit before he sang ‘why’ when the scene changed to the young Cheese at the party, he was struck by a rubber chicken (Boneless) and it knocked the hat he had down, but as Cheese (the adult Cheese who was singing) sang ‘it was’ Child Cheese raise the hat to see Pinkie when she was the same age as the CMC, standing with one foot on a ball and juggling three rubber chickens.
“Me?” the Pinke from the memory asked as the lyrics ended and the scene changed back to the present. Cheese nodded with a massive sincere grin. “Really?!” Pinkie continued to ask. Cheese nodded again with the same massive sincere grin. Pinkie held her chin in her right hand, “So I was the one that threw the awesomely spectacular party that inspired you to become an awesome spectacular party thrower?” she asked, pointing from herself to Cheese.
Cheese smiled, “Swear on Camembert!” he declared in affirmation. The two then hugged, now understanding each other. “Say I could use some help with the final stretch, and it’s not a party in Magiville without Pinkie!” Cheese pointed out.
“LET’S DO IT!” Pinkie shouted before she put everything into her hair, save her welcome wagon and party cannon, which she put in her right and left pocket respectively. Even Cheese was taken aback at this, but he elected to not question it.
The two then started to sing together, “Super duper party mag-es -- 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!” they sang as they skipped, dashed, etc. back to down and started the final preparations for the party.
Hours later, as the sun was starting to set, music was playing as people were cheering and various small ‘explosions’ of Pinkie’s and Cheese’s inventions. At the stage that Cheese oversaw the construction of, he and Pinkie stepped out from behind the curtain. Cheese had the microphone, “All right, everybody! We are here to celebrate the birthday…” he started then stopped as he passed it to Pinkie.
“...and anniversary…” Pinkie added and then paused so that the two could say the next part together. “...of Rainbow Dash!” both party mages declared before Rainbow also merged from behind the curtains, but her entrance was a sudden dash.
Rainbow took a moment to let the crowd cheer, ““Hey, everybody!” she called and was greeted with ‘Hey!' in turn. “Who's ready to party?!” it wasn’t a question as she pointedto Pinkie and ordered, “Hit it!”
Pinkie turned on the jukebox to play the music she was about to sing with, and took the microphone for herself and began to sing, “Get your hands up, party's starting out right now
Everybody, everybody 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.” As she sang, Rainbow flew around town, building up speed, so that she ‘blew’ out the candles of her cake with a Sonic Rainboom. Rainbow managed to do so, without destroying the cake.
As the party continued Rainbow left the stage and flew around until she spotted Cheese leaning against a tree, “Cheese Sandwich!” she shouted before she landed next to the man, “I gotta tell ya, you and Pinkie have totally made this the best birthday/anniversary super combo ever!” she declared.
Cheese smiled as he put his poncho and hat on, “That's all I needed to hear, little lady.” he said as he took Boneless off of his belt and walked from the tree he was leaning on and started walking away from Rainbow towards Pinkie, who was also watching the party. Once he met up with her, he took Boneless off of his belt and held the rubber chicken to her. “Just a little memento of my visit.” he said, offering Boneless to her.
To say Pinkie was confused would be an understatement, “You're giving me your special rubber chicken friend?” she asked as she accepted Boneless, very much unsure about it all.
Cheese smiled as he managed to fight back a small giggle. He shook his head, “While he is not my only rubber chicken friend,” he said as he pulled out another rubber chicken with the rendering of ‘#2’ on its belly and place it on his waist where Boneless once claimed residence. Cheese then turned back to Pinkie, “He is still the most special,” he nodded towards Boneless. He then looked squarely at Pinkie, “But he wants to be with the person that gave him to me, albeit unintentionally. Also likes you and wants to stay, says he wants to be a reminder of us working together.” Pinkie smiled and hugged the rubber chicken, making it squeak. Cheese then put on his hat as he started to walk out of town, “Well, Boneless Two, another job well done.” he said toward the rubber chicken. “But it's time we mosey along. Another town, another party.” He walked off into the setting sun, off to the next party that he was needed.
Pinkie smiled to herself and turned to rejoin the party. Later that night after everyone had called it and were en route to bed, Pinkie pulled out the group journal, as it was her turn with it and wrote down the event of the day and as she concluded. ‘Sometimes the best plans are made with someone else, and if you let your pride get in the way, it’s never fun for anybody. ’ After she jotted down the last of her thoughts she looked to Boneless and smiled, “Cheese Sandwich, I’ll never forget that name.” she mused before she tucked herself in and held Boneless like a teddy bear. Unbeknownst to her, Boneless flashed a rainbow of orange, yellow, alabaster, cyan, purple and pink.