The impossible has happened. Pinkie Pie refuses to smile. What caused this state of depression? Will Pinkie ever smile again? There has to be somepony who can help.
Equestria never thought they'd see the day. Pinkie Pie, the happiest pony in the world, refuses to smile. Many questions arise. What has caused this state of depression? Will a smile ever cross the pink pony's face? Who can help? This takes place after the events of I Found Love: Discord and Twilight.
It all started on a dreary, rainy day. The weather appropriate, given the events that were soon to occur. Fluttershy was casually walking to Sugarcube Corner to visit Pinkie Pie.
It had been awhile since she had visited the excitable mare, and she felt that it was about time she did. Frankly, she could've picked a better day, but not being a weather-maker, she didn't know the weather schedule. So, she was unable to prepare for such conditions.
Fluttershy entered the sweet shop, shaking herself dry from the drizzle outside. She trotted over to the counter where Mrs. Cake was writing some things down.
"Hello, Mrs. Cake," the yellow pegasus greeted politely, "How are you doing today?"
Mrs. Cake looked up from her work, noticing Fluttershy's appearance, "Oh! So sorry, dearie. I didn't see you there. Good day, Fluttershy. Nice to see you. Glad the rain didn't keep you away." She put away the paper that was on the counter and turned back to Fluttershy. "So, what can I get'cha?"
"Well, I'm not here to get something. But, I...don't want to be rude. So...I'll...buy a vanilla cupacke. If you don't mind," Fluttershy said in her timid nature. She reached into her saddlebags and took out some bits, setting them on the counter.
"Not a problem at all, sweetie. " Mrs. Cake grabbed a vanilla cupcake from underneath the counter. She placed it in a bag and gave it to Fluttershy. "You said you weren't here to buy something. What are you doing here, then?"
Fluttershy gratefully took the the bag and placed in her saddlebags, "I'm here to see, Pinkie. Is she here?"
Fluttershy noticed that Mrs.Cake's cheerful expression faltered for a second. She looked like she was worried about something. "Mrs. Cake?"
Mrs.Cake regained her composure, "Hmm. Oh, sorry. Zoned off for a second. As for your question, Pinkie Pie is...not feeling well. She's been ill for the past few days."
Fluttershy's ears fell for a moment, "Oh. Really? I guess that explains why I haven't heard from her. Can I go and see her?"
"No!"
Fluttershy recoiled slightly from the sudden outburst.
Mrs. Cake bit her lip before calming down. "I mean, no. It would be best to let her rest. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll get better soon. I hope." Mrs. Cake mumbled something inaudibly.
"Huh?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Sorry to ruin your visit. Pinkie should be back on her hooves in a couple of days. I'm sure you'll be one of the first to know." Mrs. Cake assured her.
Fluttershy looked to the side in uncertainty. There was something about what Mrs. Cake was saying that made her worry. But, she couldn't put her hoof on it.
Fluttershy sighed, "Well...if you say so. I'll come by some other time. Tell Pinkie I hope she feels better." She gave a considerate smile before turning around and walking out of the store, glancing back slightly before exiting.
Once the pegasus had made her departure, Mrs. Cake sighed in relief. She looked towards the staircase, leading towards both her bedroom and Pinkie's. She began towards the short flight of steps and stopped. With a worried expression, she climbed the stairs.
She approached Pinkie's door. With a sigh, she opened the door.
The usually bright room was now a shadow of its former cheeriness. The curtains had been shut, blocking out the sun's rays. Mrs. Cake turned towards the center of the room, where Pinkie's bed stood. Atop the bed was none other than the pink pony herself.
But, she was not the same. Her coat was faded, her mane and tail no longer in their cute poofy form. Instead, they fell flat against her body, deprived of the vibrancy it once held.
The mare's head was in her hooves. She lay as still as a statue, the rising and falling of her midsection the only distinction between the two.
Mrs.Cake approached the bed as she had done so before. "Pinkie?"
Pinkie moved her head slightly, indicating she noticed Mrs. Cake's presence.
Mrs. Cake rubbed her foreleg sheepishly, unsure of what to say. "Your friend Fluttershy came to visit you."
"That's nice," Pinkie's voice was devoid of any emotion.
Mrs.Cake sighed, "Are you hungry? I can bring you some food."
"Sure." The lack of bubbliness in her voice made Mrs. Cake cringe.
"Okay...I'll...bring you something in a little bit." Mrs.Cake turned towards the door, looking back at the pony she had come to see as a daughter.
"Ok." Pinkie's body remained still.
With nothing left to do, Mrs. Cake left the room, closing the door behind her. She sat down on her haunches, eyes starting to tear up.
"Oh, Pinkie Pie. What has happened to you?"
~A few days later~
The Mane Six, not including Pinkie Pie, were gathered in the throne room of the Friendship Palace, discussing the whereabouts of their missing friend.
"Sick? Pinkie, sick? That mare is immune to most of the laws of physics. I mean, of course, some illnesses can be unavoidable, but for a pony like Pinkie, it just seems...weird." Twilight mused, sitting on her throne.
"Pinkie is the mere definition of weird, Twi," Discord, who was curled around her throne, commented. "With her anything is possible."
"I hate to agree with Discord, but he's got a point. All ponies get sick. You of all ponies should know this, Twilight." Rainbow nudged Twilight from her position in midair.
"I do believe Twilight has the right to worry. It's been awhile since we've seen Pinkie. And, as a mare of her stature, I would think she'd be better by now." Rarity put in, polishing her throne with a hoofkerchief.
"I wouldn't be worried," Applejack tipped her hat over her eyes, leaning against her throne. "We'll hear from her soon 'nough."
There was silence for a few minutes.
"I think we should be worried."
Everypony turned to Fluttershy, who sunk into her throne upon becoming the center of attention.
"What are you talking about, 'Shy? Pinkie doesn't need us worrying about her. She can handle herself," Rainbow waved off Fluttershy concern nonchalantly.
"I went to visit her on Monday. And, Mrs. Cake said she was sick." Fluttershy explained.
"We already know that, Fluttershy. You told us." Rarity set aside her napkin, turning towards her friend.
"Plus, we've been talking about that since-oh, since we got here," Discord said, flatly, earning him a gentle swat from his marefriend.
"Go on, Fluttershy. What else were you going to say?" Twilight looked over at the cream pegasus.
"Well," she rubbed her forelegs together, "there was something about the way Mrs. Cake said it. She sounded off, like she wasn't telling the whole truth or something, I don't know."
"You think she was lyin'?" Applejack raised an eyebrow.
"I...I'm not sure. Maybe...I-I don't know," she let her mane fall in front of her face, hiding her eyes.
"Mrs. Cake usually isn't one to fib. Why would she be lyin'?" Applejack sat up on her throne, adjusting her hat as she thought.
"Do you think we ought to go check?" Rainbow suggested, looking out the window towards Sugarcube Corner.
"I think that'd be best. I'll go over and see what's up. You all coming?" Twilight turned to her friends.
"It might not be a good idea to overwhelm her. You go on over for now, darling." Rarity pointed her hoof at Twilight.
"I'll come with you, dear. Maybe all she needs is a little bit of chaos." Discord twirled into the air, snapping his fingers causing gumballs to rain down on Twilight.
Twilight winced as the candy made contact with her head. She lit up her horn, stopping the gumballs in mid-flight.
Discord gave a nervous chuckle and shrugged. He could tell by Twilight's expression that she was not amused. Without warning, she grabbed Discord's eagle claw with her magic and yanked him towards the exit, heading over to find out what's going on with Pinkie.
Discord and Twilight entered Sugarcube Corner. The moment they walked in, Twilight felt a sense of dread course down her spine. Why? She didn't know, but she was about to find out.
"Princess Twilight! Discord! Oh, thank Celestia!" Mrs. Cake rushed up to the two of them, throwing her hooves around the princess.
"Whoa, Mrs. Cake! What's going on? Are you all right?" Twilight brushed herself off when Mrs. Cake let go.
"Oh, I'm fine. Carrot Cake is fine. Pumpkin and Pound Cake are both fine. But," her ears fell, "Pinkie...isn't."
Twilight and Discord looked at each other in shock.
"What? What's wrong with her?" Twilight's heart began to speed up in her chest.
"I don't know. My husband and I have been trying to get answers all week. She's not talking. She's hardly left her room. And worse...she refuses to smile." Mrs. Cake stated grimly.
"Pinkie Pie? Not smiling? I'm leaving. The world's ending," Discord turned around to leave, but Twilight stepped on his tail. "Ow!"
Twilight shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe it. She threw a party for Octavia about three weeks ago. And she was fine." She put a hoof on her head, trying to think.
"I know. We catered for the event. And, she was fine." Mrs. Cake turned her head towards the staircase. "We haven't been able to get anything out of her. But, maybe you can." She stepped aside and nudged her head upwards.
"All right. Come on, Discord." Twilight began walking, but stopped when she didn't hear anything behind her. She turned around to see Discord biting his nails.
"Well? What are you waiting for?"
"Do we have to? I don't know if I can face a sad Pinkie. The thought of it just gives me the creeps." Discord's body shivered at the notion.
"You turned Pinkie into a party pooper. That's about as bad as you can get." Twilight retorted smartly. "Now, let's go." She trotted towards the staircase again.
Discord shrugged and followed the alicorn up to the second floor of the shop.
Twilight opened the door ever so slightly. "Pinkie?" she whispered, "Are you in here?"
No answer.
Discord turned around, "Guess she's not home. Let's go." Twilight stepped on his tail again with her backhoof.
Discord yelped, grabbing his tail with his paw. "Stop doing that!"
"Shush! I'm going in." Twilight lit up her horn, pushing the door open.
The room was dark, despite it being the middle of the day. Twilight glanced at the bed and located her friend. Her happy expression quickly turned into that of horror.
Pinkie lay on her back atop her bed, staring at the ceiling. Gummy was next to her, with the same blank expression he was known by. Her eyes lacked the fun they had bared a few weeks prior.
Twilight bit her lip before entering the room completely. She approached the bed slowly and cautiously. "P-Pinkie Pie? I-it's me, Twilight."
Twilight was grateful to see Pinkie turn her head to acknowledge her presence, but alas she said nothing.
"Um, Discord's here, too. I know you two are good friends. Right, Discord?" Twilight pulled Discord into the room.
"Hmm. Oh, of course. We're friends..." Discord trailed off, looking at Pinkie Pie, mane and tail flat. He quickly hid behind Twilight.
Twilight rolled her eyes, "Discord. Stop being a scaredy-colt." She looked back at Pinkie, "Are you okay, Pinkie?"
Pinkie stared at her for a few moments before turning over onto her side, "Leave me alone." Her voice was quiet and sad.
Twilight felt her heart ache upon hearing her usually-bouncy friend like this, "Pinkie, please tell me what's wrong. I'm worried, this isn't like you." She tried to approach her, but Pinkie turned back around and glared at her.
"I said leave me alone. What part of that don't you understand?" Pinkie snarked.
"Pinkie, please." Twilight begged.
"Just leave me be. " Pinkie's flat mane covered her eyes as she looked at Twilight, but Twilight could feel the pink mare's stern glare on her.
"Listen to Pinkie, Twilight. She obviously wants to be alone right now. We should respect her wishes. Nice visiting you, Pinkie, but we've got to skedaddle. Au revoir!" Discord snapped his fingers quickly, teleporting both him and Twilight away.
Pinkie blinked from the sudden bright light. She looked to the spot where her friends just stood, a tear sliding down her cheek. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Twilight paced around the throne room. She had just finished telling her friends about their encounter with Pinkie.
"Hang on, one pony pickin' minute here. Pinkie ain't smilin'? I have a hard time believin' that," Applejack crossed her hooves with a skeptical frown on her face.
"Trust me, A.J., I don't want to believe it either. But," she sighed in frustration, "I saw her clear as day. She was as dreary as a rainy day on a trip to the beach." Everypony stared at her. "Okay! I'm not good with metaphors, but that's beside the point. I've got so many questions." She flopped down on her throne.
"Of course, you do. You wouldn't be Princess Egghead if you didn't," Discord curled around her throne, booping Twilight on the nose.
"Hey, the 'Egghead' line's my thing. I own the copyright." Rainbow Dash playfully swatted Discord on the head.
"Enough, you two. This is serious." Twilight reprimanded them.
"Yes, Rainbow, Discord. This is Pinkie Pie we're talking about. So, stop goofing around." Fluttershy scolded in her gentle lecture voice.
"Let's cover what we know. Pinkie is not smiling." Twilight stated in a matter-of-fact way.
"Her mane and tail are lifeless and dull. Still find that creepy, by the way," Discord pointed out, hanging upside down from Twilight's throne.
"She's not happy. But, why? What caused this?" Twilight was wracking her brain, trying to come up with a possible solution.
"The last time we saw her she was perfectly normal. But, that was three weeks ago. Perhaps something happened to her during that time, " Rarity suggested.
"Well, that's about all I've come up with. But, what? We need to get her to talk. But, as far as I can tell, she won't talk unless she's happy."
"And right now, she isn't." Rainbow huffed, landing on her throne.
"She wouldn't even talk to me," Twilight sighed.
"Another fact I find freaky," Discord shuddered.
"So, how do we get her to talk?" Applejack raised an eyebrow, "If she ain't talking to you, she prob'ly ain't talking to none of us."
"Um...I have an idea..." Fluttershy raised her hoof.
"Twilight? Do you know anything that can make her talk?" Rainbow Dash turned towards the magic expert of the group.
"Rainbow Dash. I am not going to invade her privacy. Even if I did, there's no way I'd use anything like that on her," Twilight scolded Rainbow for thinking of such a thing.
"Just saying."
"Um...maybe we can..."
"Why don't we ask her? Oh, wait, already tried that. Never mind, " Discord shook his head, "Ugh, this whole thing is spinning my brain around." A brain suddenly appeared out of nowhere, spinning rapidly.
"Discord, now is not the time." Twilight looked up at Discord with disapproving eyes.
"Um, excuse me...?" Fluttershy tried once more.
"Let's hope this whole thing'll blow over soon. I'm sure Pinkie will be bouncing off the walls in no time, and we can all relax," Applejack stated hopefully, her words betraying the concern she was feeling.
"Excuse me," Fluttershy stressed, speaking loud enough for everypony to hear.
"Yes, Fluttershy? Did you want to say something?" Twilight asked, oblivious of the pegasus's several attempts to do so.
"Um...yes...um...why don't we throw her a party?" Fluttershy smiled sheepishly.
"..."
Fluttershy coughed awkwardly. "Uh..."
"Fluttershy...that's a great idea!" Twilight flew over to her and gave her a hug.
"Why didn't we think of that?" Rainbow cocked an eyebrow.
"We can throw her a party. That's the one thing Pinkie Pie can't resist." Twilight clapped her hooves together happily before stopping. "But, wait. We don't how to plan a party. Pinkie is Ponyville's party planner. There's no way we can throw a party that will make Pinkie happy."
They were all silent.
Rainbow Dash perked up, "Maybe we can't plan a party. But, I know somepony who can."
"We may not be able to throw a party, but I know somepony who can."
"Who? Wait, do you mean...?" Twilight's mouth began to turn upward into a smile.
"You bet I do, " Rainbow Dash grinned, feeling proud of herself for coming up with the idea.
"With his help, Pinkie will be smiling in no time, " Rarity exclaimed. "After all, he did help plan your Birthaversary, Rainbow."
"Totally. He's not called the Super Duper Party Pony for no reason."
"Who are we talking about?" Discord scratched his head.
"Weren't you at Rainbow's party?" Applejack looked over at him.
"Uh...no, I probably would've remembered if I did. I think I was doing an errand for Princess Sun-Butt, not sure." Discord stroked his goatee in thought.
"Oh, I remember. Didn't she have you give a tour of the castle to some school ponies?" Fluttershy recalled, smiling.
"Oh, yaaaah. And that was not a very pleasant experience, believe you me." Discord shuddered at the memory.
Twilight raised an eyebrow in his direction but quickly dismissed it, "Anyway, back to the matter at hoof, we're talking about Cheese Sandwich. He's a party planner."
"And his parties go to the extremes, let me tell ya. The guy sculpted my cutie mark out of ice!" Rainbow Dash flipped in the air, emphasizing her point. "He's impressive, and it takes a lot to impress me."
"We know that fact well," Applejack rolled her eyes. Rainbow glanced in her direction.
"Point being, if anypony can get Pinkie Pie smiling, it's him." Twilight nodded, then put a hoof to her chin. "Now, how do we contact him?"
Fluttershy looked to the side then back at Twilight, "Can Spike send him a letter? He sends letters to Princess Celestia, right?"
Twilight smiled and looked over at Fluttershy, "You're just full of good ideas today, Fluttershy. That's perfect! Spike!" She called out.
"Yah?"
"We need you to take a letter." After she said that, the ponies could hear the pattering of little feet against the crystal floor. Spike came running down the hallway, quill and paper in claw.
"To the Princess?" Spike began writing "Dear Princess Celestia" on the parchment.
"Not this time, " Twilight's voice stopped him mid-sentence.
"To Cadence?" Spike looked over at his maternal figure.
"Nope. Cheese Sandwich."
Spike's quill tip broke off as he suddenly stopped. Luckily, he had a spare. "Cheese Sandwich? You want me to write a letter to Cheese Sandwich? Why?"
Twilight sighed and gave him a quick rundown of events. After the briefing, Spike nodded slowly and placed his quill against the paper. "Ready when you are."
Twilight cleared her throat, "Dear Cheese Sandwich, how have you been doing? It's been about six months since Rainbow's party. I hope you are well. As for our reason for writing you, we have a rather serious problem, and we need your party planning expertise. Pinkie Pie is...unwell, and needs some cheering up. And I can think of no better pony than you to do the job. Come here as soon as possible. Princess Twilight."
Spike finished writing the last sentence. His years of being Twilight's assistance had made him a super fast writer. "All done. Now to send it off." Spike pictured the party stallion and sent the letter away with his standard fire breath. "There, it's on its way."
"Thanks, Spike. Now all we have to do is wait."
"Do you think he'll come?" Fluttershy asked.
Rainbow scoffed. "Cheese? Of course, he'll come. He's not gonna turn down a chance to throw a party. He's like the stallion version of Pinkie Pie. He'll be here."
------
Cheese Sandwich was sitting on top of his bed in his hotel room, relaxing. He had just spent the entire day at the Annual Party Convention in Baltimare. He had the chance to meet party planners from all across Equestria and enjoyed meeting everyone of them. But, there was one thing that could've made the convention better. There was one party planner that hadn't made an appearance.
"Busy day, eh Boneless Two?" He looked over at his rubber chicken companion on the side of his bed.
"Yup, I know how you feel. All those party planners under one roof. I'm surprised we didn't blow the place up," Cheese chuckled to himself. He gave his hooves a stretch.
He sat up on the bed and put a hoof to his head. "Although...now that I think about it, something was missing at that convention. But, I can't quite put my hoof around it. Hmmm." He scratched his chin in contemplation.
Suddenly, a plume of green fire appeared in front of him. Not expecting it, Cheese fell off the side of the bed, landing on the carpeted floor.
"What the doodle?" He rubbed his head and looked up to see a scroll floating in midair. "Well, " he cocked his head to the side, "that's not something you see everyday. Should I touch it, Boneless Two?" He turned to his chicken friend on the bed.
"Yah, you're right. I should. As they say, 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained,'" he stood up. "Besides, scrolls don't just appear in a burst of fire for no reason. Let's see."
Cheese walked over to the scroll. He stopped in front of it, examining it. He stood on his hindlegs and waved his hoof above the scroll, feeling for something out of the ordinary. Not finding anything, he dropped back down onto four legs and walked around it. Finding nothing suspicious, he shrugged and grabbed the scroll in his mouth.
"See, what did I tell you. No risk no reward. Now, what do we have here?" He unrolled the scroll and began to read it. "Dear Cheese Sandwich-Hey, that's me!-Blah, blah, blah! We have a rather serious problem. Well, that's not good. " The cheeriness in his voice suddenly diminished as he read the next part. "Pinkie is...unwell, and needs some cheering up." He looked up from the letter with deep concern. He didn't even finish reading it.
He looked over to the bed, where Boneless Two lay, then back at the letter. He glanced at the clock on the wall, and stood up. He ran over to the bed and grabbed the rubber chicken, placing it on his back.
"We're checking out early, Boneless Two. If Pinkie Pie needs cheering up, then I have to help her. I can tell something much worse is going to here. And as Celestia as my witness, I will help her. That's a guarantee." He stood tall and proud as he made his proclamation.
He ran out of the hotel room and out the front door, stopping once he reached the street.
"Wait a sec. Now I know what was missing! Pinkie Pie, of course. And, if she wasn't at the convention, then something must be up. And I'm going to figure out what." Cheese Sandwich galloped to station, boarding the train that would take him to Ponyville.
-----
An hour passed. The Mane Six and Discord were still in the throne room, awaiting a response from the party planner extraordinaire. They figured since Cheese was so much like Pinkie, he'd fine a way to send them word in no time at all.
Rarity was reapplying her eyeshadow, having become bored from the prolonged stay at the castle. "How much longer do we have to stay here? Not that mind staying at the castle, but we have to go home eventually."
"We're waitin', Rares," Applejack's hat was covering her eyes as she leaned back against her throne.
"For Cheese Sandwich?" Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Who knows when he'll arrive."
"Oh, he'll be here soon. Trust me. I've seen enough of him to know what he can do," Rainbow assured them, her head resting atop of her hooves.
"I hope you're right, Dash. I can't stop thinking about Pinkie. Something is wrong with her. Pinkie Pie doesn't get sad unless there's a legitimate reason. But, what could it be?" Twilight slouched down on her throne, sighing.
"Well, if we knew that, we might be able to help her. But, of course, nothing is ever that simple," Discord snapped his fingers, summoning a cone of cotton candy to munch on.
"Hopefully, Cheese Sandwich will get here soon," Fluttershy rubbed her hooves together nervously.
"He's here."
Everyone in the room turned towards the source of the voice. To their delight, Cheese Sandwich was standing in the doorway. He looked like he had rushed over here.
"Cheese! Oh, thank goodness. See, guys? Told ya," Rainbow flew over to Cheese Sandwich, the others following.
"Oh, we're so glad you could make, Cheese," Twilight sighed in relief.
"It's my job, Princess. If somepony's sad, I'll make sure that the sad bug gets out of their system. Especially, when they're a dear friend." His eyes showed determination. "Now, what seems to be the problem?"
The group each took turns describing Pinkie's condition, filling the stallion in on the events that transpired before his arrival. Cheese took this all in. He didn't want to believe that Pinkie, the mare who had been his inspiration, was suffering from emotional depression.
"Pinkie Pie? Not smiling? I can't believe that." Cheese looked to the ground.
"That's exactly what I said," Discord exclaimed, earning him a poke from Twilight.
"We don't want to believe it either. But, you can't deny what you see with your own eyes," Twilight frowned.
"But, now that you're here, perhaps you get some words out of our dear friend. She won't talk to us, but maybe..." Rarity glanced up at the party pony.
Cheese Sandwich nodded and looked at the mares and draconeques. "I'll do what I can. Come on, Boneless Two. We've got work to do." Cheese ran outside in the direction of Sugarcube Corner, hoping to get some answers.
Pinkie Pie was sitting up on her bed, petting Gummy. She wanted to smile. She wanted to laugh. She wanted to go see her friends. But, something within her forbade her from doing so.
Pinkie closed her eyes, tears slowly dripping down her face. "Somepony, make it stop. I don't want to be like this. I want to be happy. Why won't you leave me alone? Please, I can't take much more of this!'' She shook her head violently, placing her hooves on her ears. "Just make it stop!"
She perked up when she heard hoofsteps approaching her bedroom. She wanted to get up and greet them, but reluctantly she lay back down on her bed, falling back into her state of depression.
The door opened, but Pinkie was faced the other way. She didn't care who it was. She wanted to, but she couldn't. "Go away." She mumbled, not worrying about who she was saying it to.
"I can't very well do that, young filly. I just got here."
Pinkie's ears perked up at that. She knew that voice. She slowly turned her head and saw before her none other than Cheese Sandwich.
Her face began to turn up in a smile, but something stopped it.
She wanted to leap up and hug him with everything she had, but she knew she could not. Cheese had become one of her best friends during Rainbow Dash's party. She had longed to see him again, and now he was here. She wanted to be happy, but she couldn't be.
She sat up on her bed, looking at the party pony in awe. "Cheese?"
Cheese Sandwich felt his heart sink when he saw her. Her cute fluffy mane had become lifeless, draping against her back in a dull fashion. Her friends had tried to prepare him for the sight, but even as he stood there, he couldn't believe what his eyes were witnessing.
"Pinkie," his voice was dripping with concern as he approached the bed, "What has happened to you?"
Pinkie sighed, "Cheese, I..." She closed her eyes in sorrow. "I want to tell you, but I...c-can't." He noticed her wince in, what looked like, pain.
Cheese sat down next to the bed, putting a hoof over the mare's own, "Pinkie Pie, your friends are worried about you. And seeing you like this has made me worry. Why can't you tell me?"
Pinkie pulled her hoof away from his, "Cheese, please, just...just go away."
Cheese shook his head, "I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong."
Pinkie looked up at him with tear-filled eyes, "Cheese, you don't understand! I--" Her teary expression suddenly changed into a look of anger. She narrowed her eyes at the stallion. "I don't want you here. Go away!"
Cheese stepped back from the bed at her sudden outburst, "Pinkie, wha-"
"I said, 'GO'!" Pinkie yelled at him, causing Cheese to take another step back.
Cheese Sandwich didn't want to, but he reasoned he didn't have a choice. He slowly walked towards the door, looking back at Pinkie.
"I'll be back."
Cheese walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Once he left, Pinkie's expression softened. After realizing what happened, she broke down in tears.
"Cheese, I'm sorry," she buried her face in her hooves, "Please...I need help."
Cheese went back to the Friendship Palace, seeing nowhere else to go. As he walked, he couldn't stop thinking about Pinkie Pie. He had never seen her like this before. True, he had only spent so much time with her, but from their time together, Cheese could tell that Pinkie was just like him. And he rarely became sad, and when he did, he'd take his mind off of it by doing something fun.
But, there was something else about Pinkie's behavior that gave him pause. He arrived at the castle before he could complete his thought.
He entered the throne room and saw the same group of ponies that were here earlier.
Twilight sat up from her throne upon seeing him, "Cheese! You're back. Did you figure out what was wrong with her?"
Cheese looked down, "'Fraid not. I did get her to talk. But, I didn't really get anything out of her."
"Well, what did she say, darling?"
"Did she say what was wrong?" Fluttershy got off of her throne and walked towards the stallion.
"Well...she said that she...couldn't," Cheese looked up, eyes filled with worry.
"She...couldn't? But, why?" Applejack trotted over to him as well.
Cheese shrugged sadly, "If I knew that, I wouldn't be worrying as much. There is definitely something wrong with Pinkie. What, I haven't the foggiest. But, I'm going to find out."
"You mean we are going to find out. We are not about to let our friend, wallow in self-pity or whatever's bothering her. We are going to help in any way we can." Rainbow put her hooves on her hips in a determined manner.
"Do you think we should all go and talk to her?" Fluttershy asked.
"We've only tried that like three times already," Applejack gave a pointed look towards the shy pegasus, "And that worked out jus' fine."
"Maybe she'll respond better upon seeing all of us. We are her friends, after all," Rarity shrugged.
Rainbow shook her head, "She hasn't talked to Fluttershy, Twilight, Discord, or Cheese. What makes you think she'll talk to us? Even if we did all go, I doubt it'd change anything."
"Well, we've got to figure something out. We said we were going to help her, and we will. She's our friend, and we are not going to let her suffer like this." Twilight narrowed her eyes.
"Good luck with that. Have fun. Me? I'm going to take a nap. Wake me up when Pinkie's smiling again," Discord summoned a blanket and pillow, lounging on Twilight' throne.
Twilight rolled her eyes, "Discord, now is not the time to be snoozing. We have a job to do. Now, get up." She poked him with her horn.
"Ow, that thing's sharp you know. And no, you have a job to do. I'm not part of this. I'm sure you ponies can figure it out fine on your own. You've done it before, haven't you?" Discord pulled the blanket up more and turned the other way.
Twilight huffed, "You are impossible." She was about to turn around when an idea hit her. She looked back at the draconeques and smirked. She knew a way to get Discord to cooperate. "Discord, come on. I need your help. You'd rather sleep than help me? Well, it's nice to know how much you care about me." She looked away in a sad pretense.
Discord rolled over on his back, "Twilight, I'm trying to--"
Twilight gave him the biggest puppy dog eyes she could muster. The other ponies watched with amusement at the spectacle.
Discord's eyes widened, "Oh, no, really? You had to use the Puppy Eye Technique on me? You know I can't resist saying no to you when you do that."
That's kind of the point. Twilight thought to herself. She let out a sad whimper for added effect.
Her efforts proved to be successful as Discord sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll help you."
Twilight's expression turned back to normal upon Discord's agreement, "Thanks, Discord. You're the best." She flew up and kissed his cheek.
Discord smiled, "Yes, I suppose I am."
Rainbow cleared her throat, "If you two are done flirting, we can get back to the matter at hoof. Though, great job, Twilight. That was priceless."
Twilight and Discord both looked away, blushing.
Cheese laughed, "Okay, that was funny. Weird, but who cares? Certainly brightened my day a bit."
"As amusin' as it was, we should git back to Pinkie's problem. Not used ta sayin' this, but ah wish Pinks were here talkin' ma ear off." Applejack took her hat off, smiling sadly.
"I know, Applejack. Despite it being annoying at times, I miss hearing her bubbly voice." Rarity sighed, recalling some things Pinkie Pie would say.
"We all do. But, don't worry. I'm sure we'll get to the bottom of this. I think you girls can head home now. We've had a rough day. " Twilight turned to Cheese. "I have a room available for you, Cheese. You can stay here until this all blows over."
"Thanks, Princess. Hopefully, this whole fiasco will be over with soon. I really want to spend some more time with her," Cheese looked off to the side.
The girls left one by one until Cheese, Discord, and Twilight were the only ones left.
"Well, I'd better head home as well. I'll see you tomorrow, my dear." Discord gave Twilight a kiss on the cheek before vanishing.
Twilight showed Cheese to his room then bid him goodnight.
Cheese walked over to the window, looking at Sugarcube Corner.
"Don't worry, Pinkie. I'll help you. And, I'll make sure I get a smile back onto your pretty pink face. That's a guarantee."
Cheese Sandwich tossed and turned in his bed, unable to fall asleep due to the many thoughts invading his mind. Pinkie Pie had fallen into an eerie state of depression, one he had never come into contact with.
What couldn't Pinkie tell him and why? What had caused her to fall so low into the dumps? What could make a cheerful smile shine across her pretty pink face again?
Cheese had heard from Princess Twilight that her's and her friends' attempts to get her to talk had proven to be unsuccessful. Cheese had at least been able to get her to speak. When he had visited her, he could sense there was some happiness deep inside her that just begged to be released, but, for reasons unknown, it couldn't.
If Cheese was going to help Pinkie like he promised, he would have to get more information. She had talked to him before, and he knew she would do it again. He knew what he had to do.
-----
Twilight and Spike were in the dining room, eating breakfast. Spike was chowing down on a bowl of oats and gems, while Twilight poked her plate of half-eaten grass pancakes.
Spike took a minute to rest after quickly inhaling his food. He looked over at Twilight, whose head was down as she mindlessly poked at her pancakes.
"Aren't you hungry, Twi? I made them the way you like them."
Twilight looked up somewhat startled but managed to recollect herself. "Oh, it's nothing, Spike. The pancakes are fine. It's just that..." she sighed woefully, "I'm just thinking about the times Pinkie Pie would randomly pop out of nowhere and surprise me." She gave a sad sideways glance towards Spike. "I kinda miss that."
Spike's eyes softened as he thought about the pink earth pony. He nodded, "I know. I miss her, too. Can't wait for this whole thing to be fixed."
"If it's fixed," Twilight hung her head, not feeling hungry anymore.
"It will be."
Twilight and Spike turned their heads at the new voice that had entered the room. Cheese Sandwich was standing in the doorway, bearing a firm expression on his muzzle.
"Cheese? How long have you been up?" Twilight asked, not having woken him up.
Cheese waved the question off, "Since one, doesn't matter. What does matter is that I have a plan."
Twilight's ears stood at full attention, "A plan? To help Pinkie? That's great! What is it?"
Cheese walked over to the grand dining table and grabbed an apple, "It's quite simple. I'll go visit her." He took a bite out of the red fruit, licking his lips at its sweetness.
Twilight and Spike looked at each other. "Uh, hate to be the bearer of the obvious, Cheese, but uh, didn't you already, y'know, try that?" Spike cocked an eyebrow.
Cheese smiled at the dragon's naivety, "You didn't let me finish. I'm going to visit her and stay with her until she's back to normal."
Twilight lifted her eyes as she took in his idea. "You're going to stay with her? I'm not sure that's the best idea given her current state."
Cheese furrowed his eyebrows. "I don't care if she doesn't want me there. Pinkie Pie needs help. And I feel I'm the only one who can give it. No offense to you, Princess. But, she's been more open to be than she has been to the rest of you. I'm going to help her, and I believe this is the best option."
He galloped towards the door, preparing to leave.
"Wait."
Cheese turned back to Twilight. "Yes?"
Twilight gave a shaky nod, "If you think this is best, then go for it. But, please, keep us posted. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."
Cheese nodded in return, "I will, Princess, and don't worry. I'll make Pinkie smile again." With that, he trotted out of the room.
-----
Cheese arrived at Sugarcube Corner. He took a deep breath before entering. Upon entering, he noticed Mr. Cake sweeping the floor while Mrs. Cake could be heard doing something in the kitchen.
Mr. Cake looked up at Cheese Sandwich, "Oh, Cheese Sandwich. Good morning. We weren't expecting any customers this early."
Cheese shook his head, "I'm not here to buy anything. I'm here to-" He stopped mid-sentence upon smelling the freshly baked chocolate-oat cookies being brought out on a tray by Mrs. Cake.
"Oh, hello, dearie. Good morning to ya. Care to try one? We just changed the recipe, " Mrs. Cake picked up a cookie from off the platter and offered it to Cheese Sandwich.
Cheese perked up, "Well, since you're offering. I'd never turn down such an offer. Thanks much, ma'am." Cheese took the cookie and popped it in his mouth, savoring the chocolate-y goodness.
"Well?" Mrs. Cake smiled.
Cheese licked his lips, "Scrumdelicious! Those are going to be some hot sellers."
Mrs. Cake closed her eyes in delight, "That's good to here." A sudden crash came from the kitchen, followed by childish giggling. Mrs. Cake groaned and turned to her husband.
"I'm on in, honeybun." Mr. Cake dashed into the kitchen to fix another mess caused by his two rambunctious children.
"Sorry about that. Is there anything else you wanted?" Mrs. Cake turned back to Cheese Sandwich, who was merely standing by, waiting patiently.
Cheese straightened up, remembering his task. "Oh, right! I'm here to visit Pinkie."
Mrs. Cake noticeably deflated at the mention of her name. She sighed, "Are you sure about that?"
Cheese nodded firmly, "Very sure, Mrs. Cake. That mare needs my help. I won't leave until I find out what's wrong."
Mrs. Cake smiled sadly, "Now, I know what she means. Very well. She's on her bed. Best of luck to you, Cheese. Please, try to bring back Pinkie."
Cheese saluted with his hoof, "Will do." He headed towards the staircase, stopping by the platter of cookies on the counter. "Mind if I take up a few for her?"
Mrs. Cake simply shook her head.
Cheese then grabbed a hoof full of cookies and proceeded up the flight of steps.
-----
Cheese entered Pinkie's room, feeling knocking would benefit him nothing. The room was still shrouded in darkness, nothing having changed from his previous visit.
Cheese looked at the bed, and saw to his relief, Pinkie sitting up, but facing away from him. He walked over to a nearby window and grabbed the curtain.
Pinkie continued staring at the wall, her eyes transfixed as if it was the most fascinating thing in the world. She sighed quietly. Her attention was cut off as the room became noticeably brighter.
"It's kind of hard to see without any light, isn't, Pinkie?"
Pinkie turned her head and found herself facing the stallion that had visited her yesterday. Now, that the room was illuminated she could see him clearly. A smile adorned his face as he looked at her. His eyes full of life and happiness.
Pinkie could feel her spirits lifting before suddenly being pulled back down. She glared at him, "Didn't I tell you to leave me alone? I would've thought once would be enough to keep you away."
Cheese shook his head, "Nothing can keep me away for long, Pinkamena. Especially from a good friend who needs my help." He walked towards the bed.
Pinkie shuffled away from him, but she stopped before reaching the edge.
Cheese walked around the bed and placed his hooves on her shoulders, gently pulling her off of her bed. "You have been in this bed far too long, young filly. It's high time you got up and walked."
Pinkie tried to resist but allowed him to pull her off. She placed her four hooves down on the floor, wobbling slightly due to her prolonged inactivity.
"It's okay. Just let it come back." Cheese let her go as she stood by herself.
Pinkie looked at the stallion next to her. She was standing for the first time in days. He had actually managed to get her to move. "Cheese, I...thank you."
Cheese smiled at her, "You're welcome, Pinkie." Cheese was feeling quite pleased with the progress he was making.
Pinkie walked a few feet away from but kept her eyes on him, "So, why'd you come back?"
Cheese stared at her for awhile before responding. He walked over to her, placing a hoof on her shoulder. Pinkie looked up at the confident stallion.
"Why'd I come back, you ask? Well," he chuckled, "I think that answer is rather obvious. I'm your friend." Pinkie's full attention was focused on the party pony as he spoke.
Cheese smiled at her, "I don't know what has made you so sad. But, I do know this. I am going to help you, Pinkie. You need it, and I'm going to give it. You can yell at me all you want, but I am not leaving this town until I see a smile on your face. We're party ponies, Pinkie. It's our job to make other ponies smile. You can't very well do that if you yourself aren't smiling." Cheese poked her nose, causing her to flinch.
Pinkie's eyes were beginning to tear up. She knew what he was saying was right. She wanted to make ponies smile again. Truly. She wanted to smile, too. But...she also knew that right now, she couldn't.
Pinkie began to lightly sob, "Cheese, please. I need your help."
Cheese Sandwich pulled her into an affectionate hug, wrapping his hooves around the depressed mare. "I'll help you, Pinkie. Mark my words."
As Cheese and Pinkie hugged, unbeknownst to them, Pinkie Pie's coat began to regain its original color, a sign that things were looking upward.
