The sun shine high over Ponyville on a beautiful day created by the pegasi. A pink party pony was trotting down the streets greeting everypony else. Suddenly, Pinkie noticed Carrot Top negotiating a deal with a stallion that Pinkie had never seen before. He was white, had gray hair and was roughly the size of Dr. Hooves. His cutie mark was a yellow face with a straight smile. Once he finished his business, the stallion left only to be quickly bombarded.
"Hello! You must be new here because I've never see you here! I need to throw you a party!" declared Pinkie quickly.
"Excuse me, who are you?" asked the stallion in monotonous tone.
"I'm Pinkie Pie. Super duper party planner of Ponyville." answered Pinkie.
"I'm Norman. I'm visiting from Manehattan." replied the stallion.
Norman began walking away only to have Pinkie bounce alongside him.
"What do you want?" asked Norman.
"To be your friend silly." answered Pinkie.
"No." said Norman gruffly.
"Why?" asked Pinkie surprised.
"You're not normal." answered Norman.
Norman grunted and started walking fast, but Pinkie easily kept pace.
"What do you mean?" asked Pinkie.
"You're weird. You're way to energetic giddy. You should be more reserve." answered Norman.
"I'm weird." repeated Pinkie.
Pinkie slowed down in thought until she noticed Norman was getting ahead. She easily caught up.
"Yes. You're a freak." spat Norman.
"A freak.." stammered Pinkie
Pinkie's mane deflated as she absorbed this.
"Yes. Now please leave me alone." said Norman.
With that Norman trotted away leaving Pinkie behind.
"I'm a freak." said Pinkie wide-eyed.
Pinkie sat down as her spirit was crushed. After a few moments of sadden thought, she got up and trotted to the Golden Oaks Library. Inside the library, Twilight was in the midst of her favorite activity: studying a new spell. Nearby, Spike was almost finished dusting the entire library as per Twilight's request. Just as finished, the front door flew open and Pinkie Pie rushed in. Pinkie was going so fast that she tripped and crashed into a bookshelf knocking the books on the floor.
"Oh come on!" cried Spike.
As Pinkie shook her head, Twilight came over.
"Pinkie, what's wrong?" asked Twilight concerned.
Pinkie looked around and noticed the mess.
"I can't even enter a building normally!" cried Pinkie.
"What are you talking about?" asked Twilight.
"Twilight, am I normal?" asked Pinkie shaking.
"I I would say no." answered Twilight.
Pinkie frowned and stared at the floor.
"Pinkie, why does it matter if you're normal?" asked Twilight.
Because it means I'm a freak." answered Pinkie.
Twilight gasped in surprise and slight horror at this.
"Pinkie, who told you that?" asked Twilight.
"Norman." answered Pinkie.
Twilight placed her hoof to her chin as she thought, but her mind came up blank.
"I don't remember anypony named Norman in Ponyville." noted Pinkie.
"He said he was from Manehattan." stated Pinkie.
"Then why did he say you were not normal?" asked Twilight.
"I tried to befriend him and he said I wasn't normal." answered Pinkie.
Spike bent over and picked up a book from the pile.
"What about this?" asked Spike.
Pinkie Pie took the book and examined it. The title of the book was Conforming to the Crowd. It was an old, fragile book that was bound together to keep it from falling apart.
"That's perfect Spike!" declared Pinkie Pie.
Pinkie took the book and ran off leaving Twilight and Spike behind. Pinkie raced back to Sugar Cube Corner with the book and locked herself in room. A whole day passed with no word from Pinkie Pie and rumors began to spread as the townsponies were worried over the usually energetic pony. The other members of the Mane 6 headed to Sugar Cube Corner to talk to Pinkie. On the way, Twilight explained the situation to her friends. What they found disturbed them greatly: Pinkie Pie had a deflated mane and mannequin-like expression on her face.
"Hello everypony." said Pinkie in a monotonous tone.
"Pinkie darling, are you okay?" asked Rarity.
"I am fine." answered Pinkie, in her monotonous tone.
"You're acting kinda weird Sugar cube." noted noted Applejack.
"On the contrary, I am perfectly normal." replied Pinkie.
"It's just, you aren't acting like your normal energetic self." said Twilight.
"I am normal. I studied the book from your library and fixed myself." explained Pinkie.
"Why would you need to 'fix' yourself?" asked Fluttershy.
"I was not normal." answered Pinkie.
"Pinks, you're really weirding me out." said Rainbow Dash.
"I would like to talk, but the Cakes require my services downstairs." said Pinkie.
Pinkie trotted past her stunned friends.
"That was totally weird." declared Rainbow Dash.
"I didn't think Pinkie would take things far." admitted Twilight.
"So what do we do?" asked Applejack.
"I'm sure." answered Twilight.
"We need to think of something. This new Pinkie Pie simply will not do." stated Rarity.
Twilight rubbed her chin with her hoof.
"I can straighten this out." said Rainbow Dash.
Dash turned to fly off only to have Applejack grab her by her tail.
"Slow down there cowpoke." said Applejack.
"Why did you stop me?" asked Rainbow.
"We cannot force Pinkie Pie to change. She has to make that decision on her own." answered Twilight.
Pinkie Pie went downstairs to begin her shift. She trotted past a worried Mr. Cake and Mrs. Cake and took her position. The other five followed said their goodbyes and left. Pinkie stood perfectly still with her mannequin-like smile. Shortly after, Berry Punch walked (or rather stumbled) through the door.
"I...hic...here to pick up...hic... my order..." hiccuped Berry Punch.
"Hello. You're order is ready." said Pinkie Pie, still monotonous.
"Hey, you seem different." noted Berry Punch, staggering up to the counter.
"I am normal now." said Pinkie.
"That's cooloolll." slurred Berry Punch.
Pinkie trotted off to the kitchen and returned with Berry Punch's order.
"Here is your rum cake." said Pinkie Pie.
"Thanks." replied Berry Punch.
Berry Punch placed the Bits on the counter then took her rum cake. Berry Punch then turned and stumbled her way out of Sugarcube Corner.
"Bye!" called Berry Punch.
Pinkie Pie continued working and soon another pair of ponies came in.
"Hello Welcome to Sugarcube Corner." said Pinkie.
Carrot Top and Derpy Hooves trotted up to the counter.
"Pinkie, do you have any muffins?" asked Carrot Top.
"I ate the ones we had." added Derpy embarrassed.
"Yes. We have a decent amount of muffins left." answered Pinkie.
Pinkie trotted into the kitchen while Carrot Top and Derpy shared a glance. Pinkie returned with a tray of muffins.
"Pinkie, are you okay?" asked Carrot Top.
"I am fine. I am normal now." answered Pinkie.
Derpy slightly winced at this.
"I didn't want to be different." said Pinkie.
"What so great about being normal?" asked Derpy bitterly.
"Normal is good." answered Pinkie.
"Normal is totally garbage! Just because your different doesn't mean a thing!" declared Derpy.
"Derpy please clam down." requested Carrot Top.
"I can't!" snapped Derpy.
Derpy turned her attention back to Pinkie.
"I know you are not trying to be offensive, but it is." said Derpy.
"I do not understand." said Pinkie.
"Am I normal?" asked Derpy.
"For the most part you are." answered Pinkie.
"Except for my eyes." stated Derpy.
"As you stated, I do not wish to offend you." said Pinkie.
"Do you how all the crap I've been through? How many horrible names other ponies have given? How many other ponies laughed at me behind my back?" asked Derpy, tears welling up.
"I do not." answered Pinkie.
"To damn many!" cried Derpy.
"I am sorry." said Pinkie.
Derpy wiped the tears from her eyes and calmed down.
"There was not a thing wrong with you. You were great before." said Derpy.
"But, I was not normal." noted Pinkie uncertain.
"The concept of 'normal' is total garbage." replied Derpy, shaking her head.
Carrot Top placed the Bits on the counter and took the muffins.
"I think we should go now." said Carrot Top.
Derpy sighed and turned around.
"Pinkie Pie, I hope you think about what I said." said Derpy.
The two left as a wordless Pinkie watched them. The Cakes came up to Pinkie.
"Pinkie, are you okay?" asked Mrs. Cake.
"I...I don't know." answered Pinkie.
Pinkie turned and walked away.
"I...need time to think." said Pinkie.
Pinkie Pie wandered upstairs and didn't return. The next day she stayed sequestered in her room and would not come out. Pinkie was too preoccupied with what Derpy had said. After a while the Cakes became worried about Pinkie and attempted to talk to her with no luck. Growing more and more concerned, they gathered the other five to Sugarcube Corner and explained what happened so they talk to her. The five and the Cakes headed up stairs.
"Pinkie, are you okay?" asked Twilight.
No answer came from the room.
"Pinkie?" asked Twilight again.
Again, no response came.
"She's been like that all day." said Mrs. Cake.
"We've tried everything, but she just won't come out." added Mr. Cake.
"I say we bash the door down." said Rainbow Dash.
Twilight let out a sigh.
"She's right." said the princess, "Applejack."
Twilight moved as Applejack got into position. With one swift kick, AJ easily bucked the door open.
"Pinkie!" cried out Twilight.
The seven ponies saw Pinkie laying on her bed facing the ceiling as they entered.
"Hello." said Pinkie deadpan.
"Why didn't you answer us darling?" asked Rarity.
"I was to busy thinking." answered Pinkie.
"About what Derpy said yesterday?" asked Mrs. Cake.
"Yes." answered Pinkie.
"From what the Cakes told us, she might have a point.' said Twilight.
"I've thought that too." confessed Pinkie.
"Pinkie, it doesn't matter if you're not normal. We like you just the way you are." said Fluttershy.
"Totally. You might be random and weird, but that's one of the things we like about you." added Rainbow Dash.
"Really?" asked Pinkie.
"Absolutely darling." answered Rarity.
Pinkie took this in.
"Pinkie, we miss the old you. This isn't who you are." said Mr. Cake.
"We're worried about you." added Mrs. Cake.
"But, I'm a freak." said Pinkie.
Applejack came over to Pinkie.
"Sugarcube, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks about ya. All that matters is what makes you happy." said Applejack.
Pinkie began to smile and her man inflated once again.
"You're right. I can't believe that I got so dull and boring. I really shouldn't have let that get to me. I'm me and I shouldn't let anyone else tell me who I should be." said Pinkie at a breakneck speed.
"The old Pinkie is back." said Rainbow Dash happily.
"I'm sorry about that." said Pinkie.
"It's fine Pinkie. We're just glad to have you back." replied Twilight.
"I know Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake will be happy to have you back as well." added Mr. Cake.
The Mane 6 all hugged as the Cakes watched happily.