Twilight had been in ponyville for a few weeks now, and enjoying the time she had been spending wit her friends. She was out this fine morning to pick up a few supplies for the library, food mainly. She Was out in the middle of town, looking though the different kiosks of the local farmers' wares, browsing over select vegetables when spike got her attention.
“Twilight, do you hear that?” Spike asked, riding atop her. Twilight's ears perked up to listen for anything unusual, sure enough there was some commotion coming from around the corner of a nearby building.
“Yeah.” Was the short answer as she began to trot towards the sound, as she got closer she could start to make out some words, they seemed to be lyrics in some sort of song. Once she rounded the corner she was greeted by the image of Pinkie pie in a full on musical number singing about the importance of oral hygiene.
From what Twilight gathered it was some foal complaining about how pointless it was, naturally, Pinkie made a public spectacle out of it. Twilight sighed and left before the song was over, walking back to the stands for groceries. On the way back, and while gazing over the produce she began to think about how often pinkie does this sort of thing. It certainly wasn't appropriate to burst into a song dance over such mundane things. She wondered if she was the only one who got slightly annoyed by the whole concept, surely she wasn't; was she?
“Twilight? Are you listening?” Spike's words stabbed into her inner monologue.
“Huh? What?” She asked, turning back to look at the dragon.
“You have been staring at those carrots for five minutes.” Spike repeated. “What's wrong?”
She quickly grabbed a few carrots and put them in her saddle back, paying the farmer and started to head down the street.
“It... It's Pinkie Pie, I have been thinking about her.” Twilight finally answered as they walked down the street, heading In the general direction of Rarity's shop.
“What about her?”
“Well... the parties, the impromptu singing and dancing, the public displays that she is constantly making.” Twilight started to think out loud.
“Yeah, she sure is fun, huh?” Spike smiled.
“That wasn't the word I was thinking of...” Twilight frowned.
“Don't be a stick in the mud, Twilight.” Spike scolded. Together, the headed towards Rarity's boutique. Upon arriving, Twilight knocked on the door with her hoof and was promptly greeted by the owner of the building.
“Oh, Twilight, Spike, do come in.” Rarity said, opening the door and standing aside. The two entered into the building and shut the door behind them, Spike jumped down and Twilight unloaded the weight of the saddle bags onto the floor.
“To what do I owe the pleasure of the visit?” Rarity asked, starting to walk towards her small sitting area.
“Well, I wanted to ask you opinion on something.” Twilight confessed. She saw Spike still standing by her side and didn't think he should hear what came next. “Is Sweetie Belle home?”
“Hmm? Oh yes, she is upstairs in her room at the moment.” Rarity answered. “Would you like some tea?”
“Oh, sure, thanks.” Twilight answered before turning to spike. “Why don't you go play with Sweetie Belle?”
“But I want to stay down here....” He said, lightly crossing his arms.
“Do it for me, spike?” Rarity said from the kitchen. “I might have a ruby for you if you do.”
“A ruby huh? Well, why didn't you say so?” Spike licked his chops as he walked towards the stairs. Once they heard his small claws reach the top of the stairs Rarity came out of the kitchen with two hot cups of tea.
“Now, what is it you wanted to talk about, Twilight?” Rarity asked, handing her a cup.
“Well... It's about Pinkie Pie.” Twilight answered, looking down into the brown liquid of her cup.
“Okay.... what about her?” Rarity continued.
“Well... do you ever feel that maybe... she is, I don't know... Inappropriate?” Twilight fidgeted, not looking up from the cup, afraid to see Rarity's reaction. There was a slight pause, a crushing moment of silence that lasted an eternity.
“Yes.” Came the short answer. Twilight was relieved and felt even worse at the same time. “I mean, don't get my wrong, I like Pinkie Pie, but her constant need to throw parties, her childish mannerisms, her lack of class and discretion, and to top it all off it is like she has no form of social filter at all. It can be quite taxing on one's nerves” Rarity spewed. Apparently, she had been feeling the same way.
Twilight sighed. “So I'm not the only one, then?” She breathed, looking up from her cup into Rarity's eyes, which quickly diverted to the ground.
“No, in fact I know several other people that have a distaste for her, and even become angry when she makes her 'shows'” Rarity muttered.
“So I guess the real question, though is the fact that she was bestowed a relic of great power just a few weeks ago, can she really be trusted with it? Is she responsible enough to have an element of harmony?” Twilight let loose her concerns.
“Oh...” Rarity perked up, obviously a thought that had not crossed her mind. “That is a good point, those are said to rival the magic of Princess Celestia herself, are they not?” Twilight only nodded to the question.
“But It's not like we can take it away from her, can the elements even make a mistake on who their bearer is? Would it be possible to transfer the element to another, more responsible pony...? I mean, I would still be friends with Pinkie, I'm still her friend, its just... Oh that sounds awful.” Twilight thought out loud, worried.
“I know what you mean, Twilight, calm down.” Rarity reassured her. “Hmm...Well, they work with the magic of friendship do they not?”
“What?” Twilight asked.
“The elements.”
“Oh, yea.” Twilight answered.
“And Pinkie is your friend, correct?”
“...Yes.” Twilight answered.
“Then the only right thing to do is air your concerns with her directly, not sneak around her back or any other skewed way to solve the problem.” Rarity said.
Twilight said nothing, only thought on it for a long moment before setting the tea down, untouched. She stood up from her seat and walked over the stairs.
“Spike! Come down, we need to go.” She hollered up before turning back to Rarity. “Thank you, I will go speak to Pinkie Pie.” Spike came plodding down the stairs and immediately started asking for a gem.
“Oh, sorry spike, It seems I'm fresh out, I owe you one!” Rarity said from her seat. Spike merely grumbled before Twilight put on her saddle bags and let spike ride on top of her.
“Thanks again Rarity!” Twilight called before she closed the door behind her and headed to the library, she had to get rid of spike. The entire way there Spike questioned her on her conversation with the white mare, and the entire time they waked Twilight made up excuses to not tell him until they finally got to the library and Twilight told him to take her saddle bags and put away the contents.
He grumbled but did what he was told without ever getting a straight answer. Twilight closed the door to the library, still hearing Spike complaining on the other side and headed off for Sugar Cube Corner.
She walked in the front door of the pastry shop and was greeted by Mrs. Cake standing behind the register.
“Hi Mrs. Cake is Pinkie here?” Twilight asked with a smile.
“Oh yes, she is upstairs, dearie.” Mrs cake says, pointing to the small staircase that leads up to the upper story of the shop.
“Thanks Mrs. Cake.” Twilight says as she plods up the stairs. She gets the the room that she knows to be Pinkie's and goes to knock on the door but stops. She hears something. She puts her ear to door to listen.
“Why, Gummy? Why didn't they like it?” It sounds like Pinkie. But it is more than talking, there is also sniffling, like that of somepony crying. Twilight goes ahead and softly knocks.
“Pinkie?” Twilight asked, Instantly the talking and sniffling stopped.
“...Twilight? Is that you?” Came from the other side of the door. “Come in.” Twilight opened the door and slowly peeked around it. On the other side was Pinkie Pie getting up from her former position on the floor. Her mane was slightly deflated and her cheeks were wet, the mist still fresh in her eyes. Pinkie stood between Twilight in her door frame, and gummy behind her.
“Are... you okay, Pinkie?” Twilight asked, walking into the room.
“Oh, yeah I'm fine.” Pinkie sniffed, wiping her cheek with a hoof.
“What's wrong? I thought I heard you crying...” Twilight gingerly approached the subject, closing the door behind her.
“Oh, well yeah. It's nothing though.”
“If you were crying, it wasn't nothing, I am your friend and I want to know what's wrong, if there is anything I can do...” Twilight started, but was cut off.
“Thanks Twilight, but it's something silly. I was trying to get a filly to understand the importance of brushing her teeth with a song and dance, but the ponies around didn't seems to like it, they said mean things to each other behind my back. They all acted mad at me...” This time it was Twilight who cut Pinkie off.
“Oh Pinkie... I saw that today, at least some of it, and I thought it was pretty good. I'm sorry they didn't like it.” She paused for a moment before continuing. “But...Sometimes ponies just aren't up for those kinds of things, no pony has as much energy as you, you know.” Twilight frowned.
“Yeah, I know...Thanks Twilight.” Pinkie got a small smile, before changing subject. “So, why did you come to see me here?”
“Oh...” Twilight stumbled, she felt bad to bring up the subject of Pinkie's responsibility right now. “Wait, is that an alligator?” Twilight switched the subject, finally noticing the green, toothless gator sitting behind pinkie with either eye looking in different directions.
“Huh?” Pinkie asked. She turned around the looked at the dopey alligator. “Yeah, that's gummy. Have you never met him?”
“Uhh, no?” Twilight tried to smile. “So, he is like the Cake's pet or something?”
“No silly.” Pinkie turned back around. Pinkie's smile grew as she talked. “He is mine, I raised him since he hatched out of his egg. He doesn't have teeth, so I have to make his food for him, feed him, I trained him, he is one of my closest friends.”
“I-I'm glad to hear it, Pinkie, I really am.” Twilight smiled.
“Mmhm, so.....” Pinkie sang in her sweet voice. “Wanna go get some lunch? The cakes made a fresh batch of cake that is super duper yummy!”
“Yeah Pinkie sure, whatever you wanna do.”