Party Every Day

by Esle Ynopemos


13: The Party Planner [Comedy] [Slice of Life]

((Prompt: All along, the Mane Six were never really the heroes.))

Ponyville had every opportunity to be a fairly grim place. As a farming village, most of its denizens had to toil long hours in the fields every day. The steep surrounding mountains, while scenic, shortened the day considerably as they cast shadows over the town at sunrise and sunset. There were always wild storms wandering out of the Everfree forest from above, and wild monsters wandering out from below. If any town ever had a reason to be an unhappy place, it was Ponyville.

However, Ponyville was far from unhappy. In fact, in the most recent survey, Ponyvillians were found to be the most positive, cheerful ponies in all of Equestria. Ponies would smile brightly and wave at one another as they trotted across the cobbled roads. Weather pegasi would have a little song on their tongues as they cleared the sky, and farmers would hum along as they tended their fields. A pony could not walk through Ponyville without catching a very infectious feeling of optimism.

Ponyville was a very happy place, and the town owed it all to one creature. One creature who worked tirelessly to see that every new pony was given a warm welcome. One creature that tracked the birthdays and anniversaries and every important occasion for every resident in town. One creature that made certain that whenever a party was called for, there would be one ready.

That one creature stood on top of Pinkie Pie's bed, blinking one eye slowly, then starting on the other. Gummy kept one of his reptilian eyes on the clock at her bedside while the other watched the pink pony snooze. The clock ticked over to eight o-clock, and he climbed up her shoulder. A green scaly tail flicked Pinkie's ear.

“Mmuh... rock candy... hm?” Pinkie stirred, but she did not rise out of bed.

Gummy frowned impatiently. Actually, he stared blankly, but he knew that he was both frowning and impatient. He snapped his toothless jaws on her ear and shook.

Pinkie's eyes fluttered open. She yawned and stretched her hooves out. Her eyes focused on the little alligator clamped to her ear and giggled. “Good morning, Gummy!”

Gummy let go of her ear and dropped to the bedside table. There was a stack of stickers bearing the cutie marks of everypony in town. He nosed through them and pulled out one with blue horseshoes, and stuck it to the calendar.

Pinkie Pie, who had been busy working the kinks out of her legs as she got out of bed, glanced at the calendar. “Omigosh,” she gasped, “Today is Caramel's birthday! I'd better wish him a happy one!” Sleepiness disappeared entirely from the pink pony's face as she bounded out of the room.

Gummy hopped down off of the table and waddled over to a pink-painted wooden desk. He climbed up a few levels and tugged open the middle drawer, revealing a thick-bound ledger. Gummy pulled the ledger out and opened it on top of the desk.

Caramel was the Mayor's nephew, so Gummy probably would not have much trouble reserving some space at town hall for the party. He would be sure a note found its way to the Mayor's office this morning.

He glanced at the budget for balloons and snacks, and he adopted a blank stare that served as a frown. Pinkie had once again gone over budget with the party supplies at the previous day's celebration of Bon Bon's fourth year in business as a Ponyville chocolatier. The pink one's enthusiasm was a boon, but sometimes Gummy wondered if he was going to need to get a different, less wasteful pony to be his front. Perhaps that DJ he had hired once?

Gummy took a quill out and dipped it in ink. He would have to move some of his stocks in the candy industry. A temporary loss, but with luck it might come back to him as a benefit in the long run.

He let the ink dry before nosing the ledger shut and returning it to the drawer. Gummy hopped back onto the bed and moved up to look out the window.

The top story of Sugarcube Corner was the perfect vantage to watch Ponyville. His town. A blank stare of pride beamed from his face as he glanced down at the multicolored mass of ponies shaking hooves and laughing with each other. Across the bridge on the far side, a new pony he did not recognize entered the village. He would have to make certain to point Pinkie in the newcomer's direction.

Speaking of, where was she? She had left before Gummy could give her any hints on where to find Caramel. If Caramel didn't get the invitation to his own birthday in time, Gummy was not sure what he would do.

The door to the room opened again. “Almost forgot,” Pinkie chirped. She bounced over to the bed and scooped Gummy in her hooves. “I love you, Gummy!” she said as she squeezed him.

Ah yes. Now he remembered why he kept her around. Gummy wore a blank stare of pure bliss.