The stars flickered and danced to the music that poured from the upper windows of Sugarcube Corner. Drum beats and trumpet blasts echoed through the night an maximum volume, much to the disgruntlement of the neighbours who all lay awake, their eyes bloodshot with lack of sleep.
But the partying ponies didn't notice, any cries of protest were lost to the music.
The party, like every single one before it, was a special occasion. It was to celebrate the birth of the foal of Applejack's fourth cousin three times removed. It was also to celebrate the discovery that she had a fourth cousin three times removed.
And so Pinkie had thought it was worth celebrating, and who were they to argue?
Numerous cakes towered around the room, each topped with more icing than a parasprite could eat, not that Pinkie wasn't having a good go at it.
She lay flat on her back, a rainbow of different icings around her mouth. With a heave she guzzled down another slice of Victoria sponge, much to her friends amazement.
"Alright Pinkie" warned Twilight "Don't you think you've had enough?"
"Enough?" mumbled Pinkie through a mouthful of cake "Are you crazy? I've still got six more to go!"
She looked around at the selection left, her eyes falling greedily on a large chocolate gateau nearby.
With speed defying her swollen belly she zoomed across the room, scooping the cake up with her tongue and swallowing it whole with a hearty gulp.
"How does she do that?" whispered Applejack to Rarity "It ain't natural."
"I'm not sure dear" replied Rarity, taking a sip of her punch after making sure Gummy was a good distance from the punch bowl.
"I really think you should stop Pinkie, your going to be sick!" said Twilight
"Don't be silly!" said Pinkie "I haven't even hit the sugar rush yet!"
Her friends looked at her sceptically.
"You mean she's not normally on a sugar rush?" Rainbow asked quietly, Fluttershy simply shrugged in response.
"Still" said Twilight "That much sugar is dangerous, even for you"
"Oh calm down Twilight" said Pinkie dismissively "What the worst that can happen?"
She raised another slice of cake to her mouth. Then stopped.
Her joyous expression slowly fell to one of confusion, then fear, her eyes opening wide.
The cake fell to the floor with a splat! as Pinkie clutched at her now heaving chest. Her breathing became rapid and pain seared through her heart.
"Twi! What's wrong with her?" cried Applejack, running over to try and comfort Pinkie.
"She must be having a heart attack!" replied Twilight "Rainbow! Go and get Nurse Redheart!"
Rainbow Dash nodded and zoomed out the open window into the night.
Pinkie began to cry as her vision turned grey, the sounds of her friend's distress becoming fainter.
Her friends looked down at her as she faded.
And with a final sigh, Pinkie died.
Pinkie woke with a start.
To anypony else waking up after dying would have raised some questions.
But not Pinkie Pie. The fact she had died sailed right over her head.
She was standing in a long tunnel. The walls were the darkest black, running in both directions. To her right the tunnel emerged into bright, white light, it's purity was overwhelming, beckoning her onward. On her left the tunnel led to a room. It was blurred and distorted but still recognisable as her own. Smudges of colour ran around as her friends tried to revive her limp body.
She jolted as the floor began to move, her spirit being hauled from her friends towards the bright light.
But Pinkie didn't want to go. She still had parties to throw, cake to eat.
She began running towards her friends, her legs moving as fast as they could manage.
But no matter how fast she ran the light got closer and closer.
She cried out as her friends started to fade from view, her room shrinking at the other end of the tunnel.
Pinkie, not willing to go without a fight, reached out and flicked the large switch that was on the wall.
She juddered to a halt, the ethereal conveyor belt to the other side temporarily stopped.
Why no one ever used that switch she would never know.
With her progression to the great beyond halted she began to stroll back lazily towards the land of the living, she was in no rush.
Now that she was dead.
She had all the time in the world.
Her room was empty when she popped into existence, her slightly transparent form glowing in the dark. Her friends were probably still at the hospital, crying over her dead body.
But life was old news. Pinkie wasn't worried. She trotted over to the door and placed a hoof on the handle, only for it to pass through the door.
Frowning, she tried again. And again. Each time she phased through.
Shrugging she decided to just walk through, coming out on the landing.
She began to bounce down the stairs, stopping mid air when she realised she wasn't on the stairs but above them.
Gently she tested her new plane of movement, floating slowly down to the staircase.
She could walk through things and float, what other spooky powers had she obtained?
Thinking of as many ghost stories as she could, she floated down to the bottom floor.
"Telekinesis!" she thought excitedly.
She looked around and spotted a broom in the corner. With all her might she focused on the wooden handle, willing it to move.
She twisted and turned, waved her hooves and shouted strange incantations but nothing worked. The broom sat defiantly in the corner, silently mocking her.
"Ok, so no telekinesis, How about invisibility?!"
Again she focused, willing her form to fade, squeezing her eyes shut with the effort.
After half a minute had passed she opened her eyes again and raised a hoof to her face.
Except there was not hoof there.
"Yes!" she cried loudly. Her eyes widened as she clamped a see-through hoof over her mouth and listened intently.
There! She heard hoofsteps from upstairs and a light flicked on, casting a warm glow on the landing.
Slowly a very groggy Mr Cake made his way down the stairs, peering into the dark.
Looking straight through Pinkie he sighed.
"That sounded like..." he shook his head "Just hearing things" A single tear rolled down his cheek as he made his way back up stairs.
Pinkie blew a quiet sigh of relief and grinned.
Being dead was amazing! With these powers she could create pranks on a whole new level.
She rubbed her hooves together and her smile grew even wider.
And she knew exactly who was first on her list.