That Word Means Love Without Strings...
”That’s it, Pinkie-Pie. That’s it.” She whispered to herself in her head. Alone. Inside her party-planning cave. “Deep breaths in,” she inhaled until she became almost like an exploding balloon, “And out.” she said in a higher-pitched voice before letting herself deflate back into a normal pony. “In, and out.” She repeated, along with her breathing.
If you were to meet Pinkamena Diane Pie, your initial impression would be that she’s not just the friendliest, happiest, most fun pony you ever met. You would’ve probably seen all the “Welcome New Friend” parties she’s thrown. Heck, she might have thrown one for you too (even if you probably don’t remember). In fact, every time you stopped by Sugarcube Corner, or Twilight Sparkle’s Library or just about anywhere in Ponyville; there are 3 things that are certain. Death, Taxes and the giddy, bouncing, smiling countenance of Pinkie-Pie somewhere around the corner.
However, she was more than just another lovable goofball. Although her wackiness is her defining trait; she actually does relate well to other ponies’ issues and does her best to help cheer them up and make them feel better again. Albeit in her own colorful, sugary, 4th wall breaking (Wait a minute... THAT’S WHERE MY ENERGY DRINKS HAVE GONE!!!) Anyhow, you probably get the idea already.
But I know what you’re thinking, “Why is this lovable pink pony you’re telling me about sitting all alone in the deep, dark corner of her cave all by herself?” Well, for the same reasons a lot of people hide away in their rooms after being the life of the party. They’re tired, they’re worn, they just aren’t 100% party 100% of the time. And although Pinkie’s usually 100% cheerful, even when she’s alone, sometimes the happiest people in the world have a crack in their face.
Pinkie’s crack first started after meeting and hanging out with one of her newest and cutest little friends she had ever met in her whole, entire Pinkie-Pie life. A cute little purple baby dragon named Spike. While Spike and Pinkie didn’t have everything in common, they both enjoyed each other’s company very much. Especially when Spike needed time away from his well-meaning friend, teacher, mentor (yet potential stress-fueled hazard) Twilight Sparkle. The two friends first bonded after co-announcing a sporting event called The Running Of The Leaves, an autumn tradition in Ponyville that involved a 5k hoof-race through the town’s vast forests to help kick off autumn in the region, in which two of their friends (Rainbow-Dash and Applejack) were also in.
Although she initially did it to make up for her unintentionally stealing the little guy’s thunder; Pinkie found out through that brief bonding session that she really liked the little guy. Now, with most people (let alone anthropomorphic equines) they have a best friend, a couple really good friends and a ton of acquaintances. That pyramid, is flipped upside-down when it comes to Pinkie. Everypony was her best friend to her. There was no acquaintances or good friend in her eyes. Not because of how much time was spent; but rather how well the time was spent. She had always resolved to treat everypony like they were her best friend no matter what. But after further bonding with the mature yet youthful little dragon, she noticed that there was actually a level of “best friend” that she never experienced before. Something that she had seen all of her friends deal with from time to time; but for some reason, never even sensed the slightest feeling of for herself.
Love.
It was a great time for her. A time full of enlightenment, dreams and the first time that not even she knew what was going on with her. Things were going well. The pink pony’s infinite happiness multiplied infinite-fold. Until one day, when she found out a secret from Spike while she was hanging out with him and Twilight.
He was in love with somepony else.
Now, if you were sad about that sort of news; you would usually remain isolated, hunker down in your room, read some more of my FimFics, binge some Netflix and then cry. But nope, not Pinkie-Pie. She was too determined to do that. She had enough sugary, Pinkie-Pie happiness for Everypony. You cannot turn her off. Especially when she has so many other ponies and friends who were She was happy that her little dragon pal had found someone new. Yep, Spike and Rarity will have all sorts of fun. Give each other presents, go out on all sorts of fun dates, get married, have some children of their own. Things couldn’t get any better for her friend. And she was happy.
”Yep, that’s right Pinkie-Pie. Now that you’ve calmed down, you’re now gonna be the most hip-hap-happy pony in all of Ponyville.” Pinkie shouted enthusiastically.
”Yep, Happy!!!” “Happy!!” Happy!” Pinkie continued. Although her happiness still remained in her tone, the words slightly increased in mechanical monotony and decreased in the natural joy and wonder which Pinkie-Pie had possessed.
”Come on, Pinkie-Pie. Don’t give up. You got so many wonderful reasons to keep on going. Like your wonderful friends, your family, your backstabbing-fashionista fri... No, wait!!! You didn’t really mean that!!! Rarity’s an absolutely wonderful friend. She’s absolutely soooooo generous. She’d give her Spikey-Wikey the best of everything. Even way better than a certain party-planner from Ponyville because she’s a total... Will you please shut up? No, you shut up!!! You shut up, you’re being too much of a meany-pants-mccguffin!!! Well, you’re too much of a dimweed to not tell that no one really loves you anymore!!! No, that’s not, that’s not... You’re not even really happy all the time, the reason you do it is because... no, you don’t mean that... is because of those friends of yours... Nnnnno!!! Don’t even go there, Pinkamena you little... Those friends of yours don’t care that you even EXIST!!!”
Pinkie’s increasingly tulmountous internal struggle had ceased for the moment. The fleshy husk of the pink pony’s smile slowly began to crack, decay, rot and even fade away. She could’ve remained happy. She could’ve put herself back together easy. She was easily one of the most OP characters in the history of ever.
And yet... the only thing that can break Pinkie... was Pinkie.
”Hey Pinkie-Pie, I was wondering if you’d...”
Spike couldn’t believe what he had just witnessed as he slid through the filly-slide entrance of her super-secret party room as he heard the bawling tears of what he at first thought was a cow going into labor, but as he silently tiptoed closer and closer, he could see a prone gray pony on the ground. As if all of its bones were shattered. “Pinkie-Pie?” Spike asked, concerned for whatever trial it was that his friend could be possibly be going through to be this disheveled.
He gently brushed her tail, and as if out of reflex, Pinkie pounced on her dragon friend and latched onto him like velcro straps to super glue and continued to waterfall her emotions, almost completely drenching the purple dragon.
”Why didn’t you fall in love with me, Spike?” Pinkie asked, her voice almost drowned out by her bawling. “I know I should be happy for you and Rarity, but I just... I don’t know why you can’t love me too.” As Pinkie’s sobbing continued to overflow, Spike couldn’t help but feel an added sense of empathy for his pink pony pal.
“Oh, Pinkie.” Spike sadly consoled. After that, Pinkie finally threw her head up and looked Spike in his sympathetic green eyes with her own heartbroken, tear-stained ones.
“I know that Rarity’s a beautiful, elegant, fancy, rich and generous seamstress who could give you anything in the whole wide world and make you the happiest little dragon in all of Equestria; while I’m a pudgy, ugly, stupid, childish, bouncy, poor as dirt baker pony who could give you everything I’ve got and it still wouldn’t be enough.” Pinkie’s stressed, rapid, high-pitched voice nearly damaged my computer screen, yet only left cracks in most of the shop windows in Ponyville (for some reason)
Pinkie then sniffed and blew her nose into Spike’s chest. Now normally, this would gross anyone out. Having their skin, shirt, scales, fur or any part of their exterior to be reduced to a mere handkerchief would be considered at the best, an embarrassment and at the worst, a pure statement of mockery. In fact, Pinkie expected Spike to either slash her away with his small yet diamond-sharp claws, or just turn around and leave. Both of which she felt she oh so righteously deserved.
”I'm sorry, Pinkie-Pie. I didn’t know that’s how you felt.” Spike apologized, sincerely and sympathetically. To say Pinkie-Pie was shocked would be a severe understatement; but the fact that Spike hadn’t left her yet? Well, for you, maybe it was cliche and expected like Princess Celestia raising the sun and Princess Luna lowering the moon. But for Pinkie-Pie, this was unexpected.
”Wait, really?!?” Pinkie asked in shock as she gazed into the apologetic, tearful eyes of her little dragon. “I thought you were gonna just treat me like a party host and not care about me even though I put so much time into the parties I make for them, or call me childish for feeling the way I do like everyone else here in Ponyville, or just act like you have anything else better to do even though I just want a few minutes of your time that can turn into the best day of your life like Twilight, or Rarity, or Fluttershy, or Rainbow-Dash or Applejack, or...” Pinkie stopped when she saw that Spike was now gently sobbing and humbly kneeling before his pink friend, almost as if he was glass shattered on the ground.
”I... I... wish we w-w-would’ve...” Spike sobbed loudly. Pinkie just smiled in compassion, raising her little friend off the ground. She wasn’t quite back to her normal self; but there were some things about her, whether bubbly or not, that remained intact regardless of her emotional state.
“It’s ok, Spike. Really. Even though I come across as annoying or airheaded; I actually do care about you guys, and I get that you all need time to yourselves every once in a while.” Pinkie explained reassurredly, in spite of just a sliver of pain still clinging to her tone.
”But you were still wanting just a little bit of love and attention from everypony you knew and cared about; even if they haven’t always cared about you back like you do.” Spike noted, with his head hanging low to the ground. “You’ve always been so sweet, fun and downright confusing to everypony most of the time; but you’re also one of the most caring, kind, bright and beautiful ponies in Ponyville. Spike immediately put his hands over his face and blushed as he saw Pinkie brighten back up to her normal self.
”Wait. You really think I'm cute?” Pinkie asked in optimistic disbelief. Spike nodded happily, excited in anticipation. Although she let her heart-shaped balloon of optimism start to float into the air, she kept her hooves planted into the ground in case the balloon would take her so high, into the very far reaches of space, then pop and send our favorite pink filly burning into ash as she’d rapidly inferno into the fragile ground below her. “But... what about Rarity?” Pinkie then asked cautiously; hoping for a favorable answer, but prepared to beg Spike to remain friends no matter what.
”Well, Pinkie-Pie...” Spike stated nervously, as he closed his eyes and took deep, calming deep breaths of his own.
”Take a good look at me, Spike. Right now.” Pinkie kindly beckoned. Spike opened up his eyes to see a compassionate smile on Pinkie’s face and a gentle hoof extended towards him. Spike, still nervous by the unknown, shakily reached out and gently grabbed her hoof with his two little dragon claws. “I, Pinkamenia Diane Pie, promise this day, right now, right this very very very very second; that I will always remain friends with one Spike the Dragon. No matter how big he gets, no matter how smelly he might be, or even if we end up going to the opposite ends of all Equestria. I Pinkie-Pie-Promise that I’ll always be your friend, Spike.” Spike’s nervous, watery eyes finally dried up; and a reassured grin spread across his face. “Cross my heart, hope to fly; stick a cupcake in your eye.” she finished, doing the motions. Spike repeated the emotions after her and wrapped his pink friend in the biggest, baby-dragon sized hug possible. Pinkie returned the embrace with a gentle squeeze of her own.
”Thanks, Pinkie-Pie. I feel much better now.” Spike acknowledged, “Actually, that’s kind of the reason I came over here.” he confessed.
“Because you were nervous and you needed a friendly face to talk to?” Pinkie asked, looking for clarification.
Spike shrugged in response, “Mmm... kinda. Ever since you and Twilight helped me out with Rarity, we’ve started to become closer and closer as friends. And I even asked her out on a date a couple of days ago.” he explained.
“That’s great, Spike.” Pinkie affirmed, genuinely meaning it this time. “So, how’d the date go?” she asked, now intrigued by the pure mushy-gushy, sentimental, romantic daydreams she had of Spike and Rarity that she used to despise.
”Yeah, about that... “ Spike continued to explain, “Rarity told me that even though she was glad that we were starting to become closer as friends instead of just me being her assistant; that she didn’t really want to take the next step with me like that.” Spike clarified, with a bit of sadness striking his tone.
Pinkie gasped. “Why would Rarity ever say such a thing?!? I know that you’re a dragon and she’s a pony, but that’s no reason for her to dump you like that!!!” she practically exploded out of anger for her little dragon friend.
”Uh, Pinkie-Pie; that’s not what...” Spike tried to explain, but was cut off by Pinkie.
“And now she’s probably got some rich, young stallion she’s been dragging around right behind your back like a rag doll, just to set you up for the worst heartbreak of your life!!!” she wailed in sympathetic frustration.
“Actually, Pinkie, she...” Spike tried to continue, but Pinkie interrupted him yet again...
“And now she’s out parading him around and around and around like a big, overinflated, overheated balloo...”
“PINKIE-PIE!!!” Spike yelled, not maliciously; but rather, to gain her attention.
”She didn’t dump me out of the blue for no reason, there’s no other stallion she’s parading like a balloon, and we still agreed to be friends.” Spike practically huffed in exhaustion, after his everything was still ringing after his friend’s ranting spree.
“Then, what did that have to do with you coming here in the first place?” Pinkie asked, utterly more confused at Spike than any of us would be confused at the ways of Pinkie-Pie herself (and that’s saying something).
”Because... right before Rarity left me, she told me that there was another pony out there. Somepony who cared about me more than she ever could, who’s loved me from the very first time I got to Ponyville, who loves being around me regardless of whether I’m feeling super-happy or super-down and will always let me know that I’m loved no matter what.” Spike explained. Pinkie looked around in confusion, hoping against all odds that there wasn’t another pony hidden somewhere in her cave.
”Ooooooh, who is this special somepony?!?” pinkie asked, intrigued and excited for her best friend. “Does she live nearby? Have I seen her around before? Have I thrown her a party yet? Oooooh... is she coming here to Pony...” Pinkie was interrupted by a brief, yet passionate kiss right on her lips. When Pinkie looked to see what happened, she saw Spike break away from the kiss.
”She lives here in Ponyville, silly.” Spike quipped. Before Pinkie could say a word, Spike quickly interjected. “Pinkie, I’m sorry that I've been so oblivious to you and how you felt. In fact, there were probably a lot of times when everyone acted oblivious, or just plain rude just because you didn’t always fit into their plans. And even though I’m one of your closest friends, I messed up and ignored your feelings too, just because of my feelings.” Spike took a deep breath before continuing on, “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. Can you forgive me-whoawhoah!!!” Spike’s apology was interrupted by a constricting, Pinkie hug and her spinning him around and around before finally stopping.
”Of course I can, Spikey-Wikey. 
” Pinkie affirmed, “Special someponies?” she asked, with her hoof stuck out for Spike. Spike smiled happily and shook his love’s hand with his own. “Special somepony.” he affirmed, as the two started to plan out their First-Date/We’re Special Someponies Now Party.
One that all of Equestria would never forget.