//------------------------------//
// Oh, Pinkie 
// Story: Equestria is a Silly Place 
// by Bootsy Slickmane 
//------------------------------//

	The front door burst open, prompting Twilight to whip around from one of her bookshelves. A book about refrigerator repair fell to the floor, her levitation spell faltering in her surprise. Her expression of shock turned quickly to a warm smile, but then faded to one of concern as she saw who was standing in the doorway. "Pinkie Pie?"

"Hi, Twilight." Pinkie trotted in, her trademarked smile absent and her mane hanging a little limp around her head. She stopped a few feet from the alicorn, staring into her eyes as she said, "I-I need to tell you something, okay?"

Twilight leaned forward a little, tilting her head to one side. "Is something wrong?"

"I..." Pinkie trailed off, eyes turning to the floor. Her lower lip quivered for a moment before she spoke again, bringing her gaze back to Twilight. "Do you remember the time you helped me figure out who'd eaten the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness on the train?"

"Of course," Twilight replied quickly.

"Well, I just wanted to say 'thanks.' I was being silly and jumping to conclusions, but you knew what to do, and we solved the mystery together. It was a lot of fun."

"Oh, it was no trouble." Twilight smiled briefly. "I was glad to help. But..."

"And the time you saved the town from all the mes I let loose. I'm really, really sorry that I did that, but it all turned out okay, because you were super smart and knew what to do. I'd probably still be poking at the ground right now. And I'm sorry I didn't let you help me with the twins that first time. I really needed a hoof, and I should've let you help out."

"Pinkie, what's going on?"

Pinkie leapt forward suddenly, wrapping her forelegs around Twilight's neck. "I just wanted you to know how great a friend you are, and how much I"—Pinkie paused, sniffling a little—"how much I love you, Twilight. You're one of my bestest friends ever."

Twilight Sparkle returned the hug, rubbing a hoof against Pinkie's back. "I love you too, Pinkie. You're one of my best friends, and I wouldn't trade our friendship for anything in Equestria."

"Promise me something."

"Anything, Pinkie." Twilight quickly added, "Within reason, of course."

"Promise that you'll never forget to party, even when I'm not there."

"I will, Pinkie." Twilight nuzzled into her friend's neck before pulling back a little. "Now, will you please tell me what all this is about?"

Pinkie gave Twilight a final squeeze and then stepped away. Tears were pouring down her face, further staining her coat. "You'll find out tomorrow. It's a surprise," she choked out with a broken smile. She took a few steps backward, headed for the door. "I have to go now. Good-goodbye, Twilight."

"Pinkie, what..." But the party pony was already leaving. "Goodbye," Twilight called after her. She stood there, eyes fixed on the door and the gears in her brain going into overdrive. What in the world had that all been about? Should she go and ask? A grunt from the kitchen derailed her train of thought.

"I dunno... how much longer I can... hold this," groaned Spike, the refrigerator still clasped in his claws, held above his head.

Twilight trotted back into the kitchen, firing up her horn and grabbing hold of the refrigerator. Spike sighed with relief, collapsing to the floor as Twilight slid him out of the way placed it back down on the floor. She turned from the wheezing dragon, eyes going to the window. Was something up with Pinkie? It was hard to say for sure.

Pinkie had said that Twilight would find out tomorrow, so maybe she should just wait.

The next day came as it (almost) always did. Twilight went about her usual duties about the library, reshelving books, studying whatever she felt was relevant at the time, and generally being really anal—about organizing things, of course. With the new day came Pinkie, just like the party planner had said. However, no answers came with her.

Instead, all Pinkie did was say the same things she had the previous day. The phrasing was different, and she cried into Twilight's other shoulder, but it was almost exactly the same brief conversation. Twilight tried to stop her, calling out, "Pinkie, what's going on?" but she got no response. Pinkie just bolted through the door like the day before, leaving Twilight quite perplexed. Twilight tried to venture after the mare, but she was nowhere to be seen.

On the third day, Twilight was tiring of Pinkie's antics. Where she'd first been concerned, now she was becoming annoyed. Pinkie would just barge in, proclaim her friendly love for Twilight, cry, and then leave with no explanation. Every day, she would promise that Twilight would understand the next day, yet absolutely no reasons ever came. Enough was enough.

Pinkie flew from the library, and Twilight trotted out the door after her. She turned onto the dirt road, making her way toward Sugarcube Corner. If Pinkie wouldn't stick around to tell her, she'd have to investigate. On her way there, she spotted a familiar face on the street.

"Hi, Rarity," Twilight said flatly. "Sorry, but I really need to find Pinkie Pie."

"So do I," Rarity said back. "She keeps crying all over me and telling me how much she values our friendship, and then disappearing without a trace. It's the strangest thing."

Twilight perked up, pausing on the road. "Really? She keeps doing that exact same thing to me."

"That's super weird," came Rainbow Dash's voice from above, prompting both mares on the road to look up at her. "She's been doing the same thing under my house. What's up with her?"

Twilight turned back to the road, resuming her trot. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out. C'mon, girls."

The three continued on, being joined by Applejack and Fluttershy along the way. Unsurprisingly, they had also been visited by Pinkie and told similar things about their friendships with her. It was all too weird for Twilight, and she needed answers.

The five ponies burst into Sugarcube Corner. Mr. Cake looked up from the counter and shot them a smile. "Need anything?" he asked jovially.

"Pinkie Pie," Rainbow said curtly. "Where is she?"

Mr. Cake's grin turned upside down. "Oh, she's up in her room," he said softly, his eyes turning to the counter again. "She's been acting really strange, lately."

"Lemme guess," Dash cut in, "she keeps telling you all about how you're almost like a second family to her and how much she loves you?"

The cake-peddling stallion nodded. "And then she just goes up to her room, and we can hear her crying in there for hours. We tried to ask what was wrong, but she said she wanted to be alone."

"Alright, that's it." Rainbow zipped over to the staircase. "I'm gonna find out once and for all." The other four shot after her as she flew up to the second floor and down the hall, pummeling her hooves against the bedroom door. "Pinkie Pie! What the hay is going on with you?!"

"Rainbow, calm down," Rarity hissed, tapping her own gentle hoof against the wooden door. "Pinkie Pie, dear? It's us, your friends. Won't you please come out and tell us what's going on?"

Twilight pressed one ear to the door, and she could hear Pinkie's sobs through it. She tried the handle, and the door swung open freely. There was Pinkie, lying on her bed and weeping into a pillow. The five all crowded through the door, with Twilight in the lead. The alicorn approached the bed slowly, whispering, "Pinkie? Are you okay?"

Pinkie Pie pulled herself upward a bit, wiping away her tears and giving them a bright smile. "Of course I'm okay. Why wouldn't I be?"

Rainbow raised one eyebrow. "Uh, maybe the confessions and the crying and stuff?"

Twilight took another step forward. "Why are you acting like this? Is something wrong?"

Pinkie just giggled, rolling her eyes. "Nothing's wrong, I'm just living life to the fullest!"

"Come again?" Applejack said.

Pinkie sat up on her bed, waving her hooves this way and that as she explained, "I was hanging out with Big Mac in a totally-just-friends way, and he told me that the secret to living a really good life is that I should live each day like it's my last, like I'm going to kick the bucket tomorrow. So, that's what I've been doing for the last few days." She traced her hoof along the bedsheets, her smile fading. "It's not as much fun as I thought it would be."