> Pinkie Pie's Surprise > by BrianPony > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The Magic Alarm Clock > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- It was a beautiful morning in Ponyville. The sun was rising on a brand new day. Rays of sunshine hit the grass and dew drops shone like diamonds. All was peaceful and quiet. In fact, it was more peaceful and quiet than usual. The air, typically filled with the chirping birds and chattering squirrels, rabbits, and other creatures, was silent. Rays of bright sunshine began shining through the uppermost windows of Sugarcube Corner, Ponyville’s bakery, and into the room of a sleeping pink earth pony named, Pinkie Pie. On most mornings, the bubbly and cheerful (sometimes to a hyperactive fault) pony would already be up doing something like baking, or decorating for a party she had planned, but she lingered in bed. If there was a picture in the dictionary by the definition for extrovert, Pinkie's picture would be it. She knew every pony in town and had made friends with them all. She made a habit to keep track of what everyone was up to. Whenever a celebration was called for, Pinkie Pie would go out of her way to make it special. Birthdays were her specialty and surprises were her trademark. No wonder her cutie mark consisted of three colorful balloons. Unlike most days,, there were no celebrations called for today. She didn't have anything planned or anything she had to do. So she decided to sleep in this morning.. Slowly, the rising sun brightened up her room and Pinkie’s eyes opened. She moved about like she was about to turn over for a few extra winks of sleep, but something dawned on her. Her "Pinkie Sense" was acting up again. Her tail began to twitch and her eyes opened wider and wider. A grin slowly turned into a growing smile. Her eyes now twinkled, like stars. Almost as if by magic her alarm clock in the corner of her bedroom awoke A soft ringing noise began emitting from the clock. The sound grew in volume and intensity. The ringing quickly turned into a rattling noise. Then the rattle became a shake. Then the rumbling started. Pinkie Pie’s eyes were now fixated on the mysterious alarm clock. The clock had never acted like this before. The timepiece had sat quietly ticking since its mysterious arrival six months ago. The clock arrived on the doorstep to Sugarcube Corner in a brown box addressed to Pinkie. No return address was written on the package. There were no signs of anyone that could have sent it. Other than the clock, nothing else was inside, except for a short note. Dear Pinkie Pie, Please set the alarm clock for 8:00 AM six months from today. Hope you enjoy it. The note was signed "From No Pony In Particular." Pinkie set the shiny, over-sized timepiece on a table in a corner of her room after following the instructions (although it took a lot of winding). Multicolored jewels decorated the clock's side and Pinkie's cutie mark was etched on its face. The clock soon became the town mystery. No pony had any idea where the timepiece came from, what it was for, or what the clock would do when it went off. This fact piqued Pinkie's curiosity and raised some suspicion. So she interrogated her closest friends a little more. Each of them swore a "Pinkie Promise" that they had no knowledge of the clock. Even Applejack swore the same, which ground Pinkie’s suspicions to a halt because AJ was the most honest pony in town. Months passed and the clock slowly became an afterthought. That is, until now. Pinkie Pie, now anticipating the payoff, gasped with excitement, threw off the covers, and started jumping up and down on her bed. "It's finally time!" she squealed while she bounced Even while doing so, her eyes kept watching the alarm clock as the climax grew near. Just as the rumbling grew to a crescendo, “BOOOOOM!” The alarm clock, as if by magic, literally exploded into a beautiful mess! The explosion rung around the room and traveled out the open window and could be heard all over Ponyville. Because the air was so quiet on this particular morning, the sound was heard even as far as the borders of The Everfree Forest! Pinkie Pie gasped again as streamers and confetti, of all colors of the rainbow, flew in every direction. After that, balloons fell from the ceiling, and a banner unfurled saying “HAPPY BIRTHDAY PINKIE PIE!” “Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!” exclaimed Pinkie jumping off the bed and giggling with glee. She started spinning around her room letting out a loud “Wheee!” in the process. Dizziness quickly succumbed her and she fell on her bed to catch her breath. Her pet baby alligator, Gummi sat quietly on the pillow, a streamer in his mouth, and looked at her like everything was normal. “Wow, that’s the coolest thing that HAS EVER happened!” Pinkie said as if someone was listening. In her hyperactive state, the pony would often speak whatever was on her mind, even if no pony was around to listen. "Oh my goodness," She giggled, "What a surprise. I can't believe I forgot my own Birthday again! Thank goodness I didn't go loco in the coco, like I did last year, right? I mean I was talking to rocks and bags of flour and all sorts of weird things and..." Another noise interrupted Pinkie. It came from downstairs.. She heard it because the force of the alarm clock explosion had opened up her bedroom door (and destroyed the desk the clock had sat on). “KNOCK! KNOCK!” “I’m coming!” said Pinkie after hearing the noise a second time. She bounced down the stairs wondering what else was going to happen on this special day. She reached the main level of Sugarcube Corner. Normally the kitchen would be a bustle of activity but no pony else seemed to be around, not even The Cake family who owned the bakery. No scents of yummy delights filled the room. The lights weren't even on. The only light was the bright sunshine coming through the front windows. Pinkie quickly reached the door and opened it. A familiar purple and green baby dragon stood outside. > The Breakfast Letter > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pinkie greeted her friend, “Hey Spikey-Wikey! What’s up?” "Are you okay, Pinkie? He asked while breathing heavy, wiping sweat off his brown and scales "I heard this loud explosion and I couldn't run here fast enough." Spike was a baby purple dragon with green scales. He was the only creature living in town that was not a pony. He lived in the town's library, where he served as assistant to the purple unicorn, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight hatched Spike's egg before they both moved to Ponyville. They relocated from Canterlot, in order for her to study the Magic of Friendship and report her findings to her teacher, and mentor, Princess Celestia. "Oh I am fantastic, Spikey-Wikey. The most awesome amazing thing just happened!" the pink pony exclaimed. "You accidentally made sapphire cupcakes?" The baby dragon asked with excitement, while licking his lips. He did so to wipe a sly smirk. "No, silly. It was the alarm clock!" said Pinky. "Oh gosh. I gotta hear this story. Can I come in?" Spike asked. "Of course Spikey. I've got some gems with your name on them!" Pinkie beamed while her dragon friend licked his lips again. Along with every other pony in town, Spike was a vegetarian but he had a very unusual craving. The dragon loved to eat gemstones of all colors and shapes. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds, he devoured them all. To a dragon, they were like candy. He was addicted to them. Pinkie Pie flipped the light switch as Spike walked inside Sugarcube Corner. The baby dragon walked over to one of the bakery's empty tables and sat down. The pink pony bounced into the kitchen, prepared a plate of sprinkle covered doughnuts, poured two glasses of chocolate milk, and put them all on a tray. She carried them to the table. Finally she hopped towards a cupboard and found a basket of multicolored gems and brought them over to the table as well. The events of this morning had given both friends quite an appetite. Now they sat down and enjoyed a sugary-filled breakfast together while discussing the alarm clock and what happened. Pinkie did most of the talking. She rambled on in detail while stuffing her face with doughnuts. She only stopped long enough to dunk them in her milk. Spike listened intently, while chomping away at his precious sugary morsels. When all was left were crumbs and empty glasses, Spike remarked. "Wow that's really cool. Oh, I almost forgot. Happy Birthday!" the dragon got out of his seat, stretched out his arms, and gave Pinkie Pie a hug. "Awww thank you Spikey-Wikey. You are so sweet!" Pinkie said while smothered in a dragon hug. The hug didn't last long because Spike had to back away. A familiar feeling welled in the pit of his stomach - The same feeling he gets when a letter arrives from the Princess. Spike closed his eyes, puffed up his cheeks, angled his mouth so that he didn't hurt Pinky (or destroy anything in the bakery) and..."Buuurrrp!" Suddenly a plume of smoke and green flame shot out of the dragon's mouth followed by a letter, which landed on the table. He took the letter, broke the seal and after reading for a few seconds exclaimed, "Oh Pinkie, it's for you!" In a burst of excitement the pony took the letter and read aloud. "Dear Pinkie Pie, That's me!" she giggled. "Happy Birthday! How did you like that alarm clock surprise? Pretty clever, eh? " Spike and Pinkie both laughed in unison. Pinkie continued reading, "Wanna know the secret of the magic alarm clock? I'll be coming by Sugarcube Corner this afternoon at 4 PM." "Oooh!" they both gasped. The letter continued, "However I'm not going to reveal my secret without something in return. I require the following items. A red apple from Sweet Apple Acres, A feather from a bluebird, a bottle of rainbow water, an abacus, a gavel, and a pink ribbon. Retrieve those items and meet me at Sugarcube Corner at 4 PM sharp. Then I will reveal who I am and the secrets behind the clock. Good luck." The letter was signed, " From No Pony In Particular." Pinkie Pie gasped, "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! It's a scavenger hunt. Goody goody. Oh I better get some gear." The pink pony excitedly bounced through the kitchen and up the stairs, her curly mane bouncing as well. She headed straight for her room and rummaged through her things. She found a bottle, a net, a rubber chicken, a clown's nose, the gems that remained from the clock's explosion, and other various items. Pinkie packed them all into her saddle bag. Meanwhile Spike sat down and got some much needed rest. It was going to be a long day running all around Ponyville. Then he heard a soft tapping on the glass window in front of him. He turned to look and a pony stood there. Spike held up his claw like a thumbs up. The mysterious pony winked and galloped away so no other pony could see her. > Preparations > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- "THUMP! THUMP! THUMPITY-THUMP!" Spike could hear the racket from upstairs. "Oh Pinkie Pie!" he called upstairs. The din continued and the hyperactive pony did not answer him. "Pinkie!" he shouted a little louder. Hearing no answer, the purple dragon moved closer to the stairs, breathed in deep and yelled, "PIN-KIE!!!" "Yes Spikey!" she responded after a loud crash. "Is everything okay up there? said Spike. "Of course, silly. I'm just getting my gear together." replied Pinkie. "Well we need to hurry up and get our attack plan together. We don't want to be running back and forth through Ponyville and miss the deadline." "Okey dokey lokey!" squealed Pinkie. "I'll be down in a minute." A few minutes later, she came bounding down the stairs, with a saddle full of gear. The two friends then sat back down at their table to plan. First, they read the letter again to make sure they did not forget a necessary item. Most of the items could be retrieved in obvious places; such as the red apple (Sweet Apple Acres, blue bird feather (Everfree Forest), abacus (library), pink ribbon (Carousel Boutique), and rainbow water (Cloudsdale), Pinkie Pie and Spike agonized over a few difficulties, like how to get the feather and how to get to Cloudsdale. After some deep thought, discussion, and Pinkie spontaneously breaking into song about it all, they decided to head for Sweet Apple Acres first and then stop by Fluttershy's to see if she could help with the bird and getting to Cloudsdale. Because the clock was about to strike ten, they decided to figure everything else out while eating a picnic lunch later. As Spike was getting up to start preparing the picnic, a knock was heard at the door. "I'll get it!" cried Pinkie and she opened the door. Outside stood three young fillies with red capes. When the door opened, they shouted "Happy Birthday, Pinkie Pie!" while hugging her all at once! The three fillies, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, were more commonly known as the "Cutie Mark Crusaders." The fillies became friends because each of them had not earned their cutie marks yet and were being teased by their classmates. for having "blank flanks." Cutie marks are pictures that appear on a pony's flank once he/she figured out what their special talent is. When a pony's cutie mark appears it is hailed as a coming-of-age. Tired of being bullied, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo formed their own secret club, called "The Cutie Mark Crusaders." Their goal is to to find out what their special talents are together. After hugging Pinkie, the Crusaders huddled together and whispered to each other. Seconds later, they broke the huddle and came out holding a gift, wrapped in pink and tied with yellow and blue ribbon. Then Apple Bloom cleared her throat and began to speak. "On behalf of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, ahm proud to present you with this token of our friendship." the yellow earth pony said in her southern accent. Pinkie Pie tore apart the wrapping paper in a blur and opened the box. A mallet sat inside. A white unicorn continued, "Your such a great friend to us crusaders; baking us treats and showing us support at our meetings." said Sweetie Belle. "We just bought a new mallet with bits we saved up, so we thought you would like to have the old one because you loved to play with it." said Scootaloo, an orange Pegasus filly. "Thank you so much, crusaders! I am very honored. It's very lucky you came by with your gift." said Pinkie Pie thankfully. She then described the events of this morning, the mysterious letter, and the scavenger hunt. The Crusaders huddled again. Another chance to earn their cutie marks had presented itself and they agreed to ask if they could come along. "Of course you can come along you silly fillies" said Pinkie Pie as if she had heard their conversation of whispers. "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS SCAVENGER HUNTERS, YAY!!" the fillies cried. "Do we have enough sandwiches, Spikey?" Asked Pinkie. "I just finished packing the picnic and there's enough for everypony." said the purple dragon. The bakery filled with cheers. Everything being in perfect order, Spike grabbed the picnic basket, Pinkie turned off the lights and locked the door of Sugarcube Corner, and the group started off on their scavenger hunt adventure. They started towards Sweet Apple Acres at a trot. A few minutes down the road the group stopped after hearing a loud whistle above them in the sky. "Hey Pinkie Pie!" shouted a light blue Pegasus, "Happy Birthday!" "It's Rainbow Dash!" cheered Scootaloo, the president of her fan club. The light blue Pegasus with a rainbow mane now had their full attention and sped through the sky. Clouds bristled by in seconds as she dove rapidly with a wide grin, ready to perform a Sonic Rainboom (her signature move). With perfect precision Dash accelerated and a multicolored ring flashed in the sky. A sonic boom followed the flash. Rainbow Dash leveled off and sped away leaving the most beautiful rainbow high above Ponyville. No wonder many consider her one of the best fliers in Equestria! The move elicited wild cheering from the scavenger hunters, especially from Scootaloo and Pinkie Pie. Pinkie jumped for joy and shouted multiple "Thank you's" to her Pegasus friend. Then, the scavenger hunters continued their journey to Sweet Apple Acres. Meanwhile, another group of ponies descended on Sugarcube Corner. > The Scavenger Hunt Begins > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The scavenger hunters trotted through the fields just outside town. It was a perfect day. The air was fresh and sweet with the aroma of flowers. The sun shone brightly in the sky but it wasn't too hot. Soon they trotted past the school and then the wooden building Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo use as a clubhouse. Further down the road, Sweet Apple Acres appeared on the horizon. As they approached the front gate, a red earth pony met them. "Hey Big Mac!" said Apple Bloom. "We're wonderin' if Applejack is home?" "Nope." replied Mac. "Errands in town." He was a pony of few words. "Well, we're on a special super-dupe scavenger hunt and we gotta run all over the place to find a bunch of stuff so I can solve the mystery of the alarm clock which exploded into a mess of streamers and confetti this morning and..." Pinkie continued to ramble on excitedly until Spike put a claw to her mouth. The drake decided that he needed to do the talking or they would be at the farm all day. "What we're trying to ask is we are in need of a shiny red apple. I'll give you two bits for one." Big Mac considered the offer for a moment. "Eee-yup" the red earth pony replied. He took an apple from the basket on his back and gave it to Apple Bloom.. Spike laid the money on a nearby haystack. The group then thanked Big Mac and turned to go. The sun was almost directly overhead and they still needed to get to Fluttershy's cottage before stopping for lunch. As the group trotted along, the rows of apple trees gave way to rolling hills. They passed the clubhouse and school again. "Ding! Ding! Ding!" The hunters stopped and scratched their heads. School was not in session so it brought up questions about why would the bell ring. No pony could figure out an answer and there was not time to investigate. They had to move on. Thankfully they did not have to go all the way to Fluttershy's cottage before they saw her. "Hello Fluttershy" said Pinkie. "Um, hello there everyone" Fluittershy said softly. "Where's everyone going on this fine day?" "We're on a scavenger hunt!" the Cutie Mark Crusaders said altogether. "Yeah there was this alarm clock and..." she stopped and literally zipped her mouth shut when she saw Spike hold up one of his claws. "Um, can I help in anyway?" said the shy yellow Pegasus. Spike nodded. "We're in need of a bluebird's feather. Do you know where we can find one?" "Of course." she said with a calm sigh. "I was just tending to a bluebird this morning when the poor dear lost one of her feathers. She flew away before I could return it. It's in my saddlebag. Let me get it for you." She carefully opened her saddlebag, her hoof came out of the bag with the feather. She handed the feather to Spike. The baby dragon put it in the picnic basket. " Oh, there's one more thing. We need a bottle of rainbow water from Cloudsdale. Do you have any ideas on how we can get up there , Fluttershy?" asked Spike. "Um, let me think." she said. The Pegasus pony thought for a minute. "You could always go up in the balloon. I bet Scootaloo could walk on the clouds towards the pool." The young filly gulped. "Thank you, Fluttershy. You've been a great big help." Pinkie exclaimed. "We're just about to have a picnic. You want some yummy goodies?" "Oh. I'm very sorry." Fluttershy squeaked. "I have lots of animals to tend to this afternoon. Thanks for asking and um Happy Birthday!" The Pegasus hugged her pink friend. "Y'know that's one of the best gifts you can get" Pinkie looked at her friends. "Birthdays mean havingt fun with friends, not getting lots of stuff. Thanks Fluttershy." "You're very welcome. I, um gotta be going now. Enjoy your picnic and good luck on the scavenger hunt." Fluttershy waved to her friends and walked away. "This here looks like a fine place to eat" remarked Apple Bloom. Everypony agreed with her. Spike opened up his picnic basket, unfurled a blanket, and took out the food. There were sandwiches, hay fries, a fruit salad, and apple juice to drink. Pinkie Pie took out a container of cookies, cupcakes, and the leftover gems and placed them on the blanket. Everypony sat down and enjoyed a lovely picnic. While they ate, the group discussed their next move. The decided to go up to Cloudsdale next. Halfway through their meal, they were stunned silent when a swarm of butterflies flew towards town in a spectacular rainbow pattern from the Everfree forest and into the sky. "Wow!" everypony gasped. Afterwards they finished their picnic. they needed to get to Cloudsdale and had only 3 hours left to finish their hunt. . > Rainbow Water > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The scavenger hunters had just finished their lunch. With full stomachs, they galloped for two miles. There was not much time to lose. Soon, they approached the tallest hill on the outskirts of town. Sitting on the top of the hill was a bright purple hot air balloon. Spike remembered it as the mode of transportation he and Twilight had used to travel down to Ponyville, from Canterlot a few years ago. Now the hunters were getting ready to climb in and fly to Cloudsdale to get a bottle of rainbow water. "I-I don't know about this. guys." stuttered Scootaloo. She was quite unsure of herself. "I've never been to Cloudsdale before. Aren't we going to get in trouble for doing this?" "Scootaloo, I know you can do it." said Spike "We all know you can do it. What would your hero Rainbow Dash do?" the dragon winked. "She would fly up there, fill up the bottle, and fly away in 10 seconds flat!" the orange Pegasus filly smiled nervously. " But I can't fly yet. I haven't learned." "That's okay Scoots." Pinkie assured her. "You can walk on the clouds I know you can do it!" she pulled out a #1 foam finger out of thin air and cheered. Without the assistance of a cloud-walking spell, only the Pegasi could walk on clouds. "C'mon Scootalloo," her friend Sweetie Belle chimed in. "Just think, you could get your cutie mark." "Even if you don't, this is really important to Pinkie Pie and it's her Birthday." Spike pleaded. "Don't make me do the chicken noises again." joked Apple Bloom. The entire group stared at Scootaloo for an answer, The Pegasus swallowed the lump in her throat and simled. "Okay, I'll do it. I'll do it for Pinkie!". The scavenger hunters cheered wildly and climbed in the balloon's basket. After they sat down, as if by magic, the balloon began to fly upwards into the clear, blue sky. Weather conditions were perfect for flying. The breeze carried the balloon in the right direction towards Clousdale. Occasionally birds flew past. The scene was so beautiful that Piinkie Pie burst into song again. After she finished, Pinkie exclaimed, "...and that's how Equestria was made!" The randomness of the hyperactive pink earth pony boggled the minds of every other pony present. However, none of them would have Pinkie Pie any other way. She was special and they loved that about her. . Soon enough the balloon floated towards Clousdale. Clousdale was a city where the Pegasi lived. Their job is controlling the weather. Rain clouds, rainbows, snowflakes, they are all created in Cloudsdale and taken where they are needed by the Pegasi. Scootaloo needed to get to the pool of rainbow water and scoop some out into a bottle. As the scavenger hunters reached the clouds, the breeze stopped blowing and the balloon stopped in mid-air. "All right, let's do this!" said Scootalloo as her friends cheered her on. Pinkie Pie handed the Pegasus the bottle and Scootaloo climbed out of the basket slowly. She put her hoof on the cloud while holding the basket for dear life. Once she realized that she wasn't going to fall, she let go of the basket and tumbled over softly onto the cloud. Scootaloo shook her head, got up and headed towards the factory where the rainbow pool was. A burst of confidence ran through Scootaloo. She imagined she was her hero, Rainbow Dash, trying to do the same thing. She focused on getting into the factory and achieving her goal. She ran as fast as her hooves could carry her towards the factory. The weather factory was just like any normal factory, expect it was made of tall clouds. The doors were open and no pony was milling around. Scootaloo took her chance and kept moving. She dashed by the snowflake making machines without batting an eye. Moments later she saw the rainbow pool outside an open back door. The orange Pegasus slowed down to make sure she didn't fall in. Scootaloo walked up to the pool and took out the bottle. Carefully she unscrewed the top and dipped the bottle in the colorful water. She filled the bottle and put the top back on. Her hooves were now covered with all the colors of the rainbow. To hide the evidence, she decided to put her hoof into her mouth to dry them off The Pegasus took off like a shot. She needed to get back to the balloon, not only to add the bottle of rainbow water to the collection, but also her mouth was now burning from the taste of the liquid she had just put in her mouth! She galloped at double the speed she had entered the factory. At the same time, her face kept changing colors. A minute later she burst out of the factory, skidded to a stop in front of the balloon, and cried out. "Does anyone have some water? I NEED A DRINK!!" "Didn't I tell you that rainbow water is super spicy hot, Scootaloo?" asked Pinkie Pie "I'm sorry if I didn't. I have some water in my saddlebag." The pink pony took the bottle of rainbow water and gave the Pegauss some of her water. Scootaloo sighed with relief as her face stopped changing colors Ahhh thank y.. " Scootaloo was interrupted by the sound of a laughing sound. The sound came from behind them. Every pony looked up. Rainbow Dash was sitting on a nearby cloud. She was doubled over with laughter. "Rainbow Dash! What are you doing here?" cried her biggest fan. "Well, Fluttershy flew up to meet me earlier and told me about what you were up to. I thought I should come over and help get the balloon down to the ground so you guys can finish your scavenger hunt." "We can definitely use the help, Dash. Thank you." said Spike. As the rainbow-maned Pegasus flew down to grab the rope tied to the bottom of the basket, her biggest fan asked if she had seen her. "Yea I did, Squirt." Rainbow Dash looked at her protegé. "You were awesome. Just watch out for the rainbow water next time." Scootaloo giggled while her hero gave her a mane-noogie. The young Pegasus hopped back in the basket. Rainbow Dash then took the rope and put the hole around her neck. "Everything tied down, cause we're going to go fast" Rainbow Dash said with her typical bravado. "Here we go!" With a burst of speed the light-blue Pegasus pony took off and flew down with a flash, taking the balloon with her. "Wheee!!" cheered Pinkie Pie and the Crusaders. They were enjoying the rush. Spike was not doing well, on the other hand. He was wishing he hadn't eaten that last gemstone. As the balloon got closer to the ground, Rainbow Dash slowed herself down and landed it, along with the scavenger hunters to the ground safely. Rainbow was thanked by her friends. "I hate to fly and run but there's going to be a thunderstorm tomorrow and I need to move some clouds. Good luck with the hunt." "Thanks again!" every pony shouted. Rainbow Dash took off and in the blink of an eye she was gone. > One Hour Left > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The scavenger hunters took off on a gallop. They were unsure how much time remained before they had to be back at Sugarcube Corner but it couldn't be too much more. Two items still needed retrieving: an abacus and a pink ribbon. Minutes later, the group galloped into town and looked at the clock tower. It was 3:00. One hour remained before the deadline. After thinking for a moment, Spike raised a claw and made a suggestion. "Why don't we split up. Crusaders, go over to Rarity's and find the pink ribbon. Pinkie and I will head to the Library to find where Twilight put her abacus." "That's a great idea, Spike!" said Sweetie Belle. "I think I remember where my sister puts her ribbon." "Just be careful and don't make a mess." the baby dragon said. He knew that he'd be in big trouble with the unicorn he had a crush on, if the fillies wrecked her shop. "We'll be very careful, Spike." promised Sweetie Belle. "Okay, if you say so. Be back here at the library in 45 minutes." "We will." replied the young fillies. The two groups split up. Spike and Pinkie Pie headed towards the Library on the west side of Ponyville. The Crusaders headed through the center of town towards Carousel Boutique, on the south side of town. Apple Bloom, Sweeetie Belle, and Scootaloo trotted fast enough to get to where they were going quickly, but slow enough that they didn't run into anyone. Time was of the essence. Minutes later, the Crusaders skidded to a stop in front of The Carousel Boutique. Sweetie Belle's older sister, Raity, owned and lived in the store. The white unicorn was known through town and throughout Equestria as one of the best fashion designers. Ponies came from near, and far, to order dresses and clothes from her "Stay right out here guys." said Sweetie Belle to her friends. "I know where the ribbon is and I don't want anything being touched. I've messed up the shop before and my sister gets really mad when it happens. I don't want to have that happen again." "We understand Sweetie Belle." said both of her friends almost in unison. Sweetie Belle thanked her friends and walked inside. As she did, a small bell rang but no pony else was inside to notice. Sweetie Belle knew that her big sister was delivering orders today, so she had the place to herself. The unicorn filly quickly walked into a side room and opened a drawer. Inside sat spools of ribbon in all colors. Sweetie Belle took a pink spool and closed the drawer. She didn't want to chance her sister's cat, Opalescence, getting in there and messing things up. With the spool of pink ribbon obtained, Sweetie Belle made sure nothing was out of place and quickly slipped out the front door. The Crusaders started on their way to the Library Meanwhile Spike and Pinkie didn't have very far to go. The Golden Oaks Library was on the west side of Ponyville. A few moments later the pink pony and purple dragon arrived and walked inside. "Is Twilight here Spikey-Wikey?" asked Pinkie Pie "No. She had to go meet the Princess. Something about the friendship reports she has submitted over the past few months. She'll be back later." "Okie dokie." she said with a sigh. "I wish she was here though. I think she would love to hear about all of our adventures today." "I think she would." said Spike. The dragon was looking around as he tried to recall where Twilight kept her abacus. "I know! I'll be back in a flash. Feel free to sit down and rest for a moment." As the pink pony sat down, Spike walked into one of the back rooms of the library. In the corner was his bed, but the dragon's attention focused on the nearby desk. Right beside a piece of parchment, stood a small abacus with colorful beads. He took it with him and walked back into the main room of the library. "I found it!" exclaimed Spike. "Woo Hoo!" cheered Pinkie as she began to do cart wheels. In her excitement, she bumped a bookcase and a few books fell to the floor. "Oooh I'm sorry. Can I help you with that? I mean you've been a big help today and all..." "Don't worry about it." said Spike with a sigh. "I'll take care of it." The dragon climbed a tall wooden ladder and carefully put each book back in its place. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. "Come in" said Spike, finishing his task. "We found the ribbon" cried the Crusaders with joy. Everyone smiled as they walked in the Library. Spike took his picnic basket out of Pinkie's saddlebag. Then he disposed of everything that wasn't needed and laid out each of the items on the floor. Every pony examined the items and the letter to make sure all the items were accounted for. The mallet, red apple, bluebird feather, bottle of rainbow water, pink ribbon, and abacus were on the floor and no item was missing. "Yay!" Pinkie Pie squealed with joy. "All the items are here. I'm so excited I could burst. Thanks every pony for your help. Would you like to come with me and find out what the mystery is?" "I'd really like to Pinkie but I have some work that Twilight wanted me to do before she came back. Please come by and tell me all about it later, okay?" the purple dragon replied. "We'd love to Pinkie but we didn't earn our cutie marks today." Apple Bloom added, "So I reckon we need to get back to the clubhouse and figure somethin' else to get 'em." "Okie dokie lokie" replied the hyperactive pink pony. "I'm off to Sugarcube Corner now. Thanks for your help today!" "Bye, Happy Birthday!" Pinkie's friends shouted as she turned away, walked out the door and trotted back to her home. Spike and the Crusaders waited for her clopping hooves to trot away and then they moved. Spike led the Crusaders out the back entrance of the library and they ran as fast as they could down a shortcut to the bakery. Spike knocked on the back door and the friends were led swiftly inside. > Mystery Solved > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pinkie Pie left the library and trotted towards Sugarcube Corner. The sun was shining, birds were chirping,and the world seemed to be smiling as big as Pinkie Pie was. She bounced up and down as she trotted and sang another song. No other pony was around but she didn't care. She was so excited to find the answers to her questions. As the clock struck 4:00 PM, she arrived at the doorstep of the gingerbread house bakery. Pinkie's hooves were shaking a little as she turned the doorknob and walked inside. Even though the sun wasn't going to set for several hours, Sugarcube Corner was pitch black. The pink pony fumbled for the light switch. Finally she found it and flipped it on. There was no response. Pinkie flipped the switch a few more times. After the third try, a blinding light turned on. The light was so bright that Pinkie's eyes winced as she adjusted to its brightness. After her eyes adjusted, Pinkie noticed that the light was spotlight. A moment later, there was a breeze and a puff of smoke. Now appearing under the spotlight was an unusual character, but one that seemed familiar. The character was covered in black, and wore a matching purple fedora and black cape. It was the "Mysterious Mare Do Well!" "PINKIE PIE!" the Mare shouted in a disguised voice. "I see you made it on time." "Y-yes I did. Pinkie stuttered. "Were you the one who sent the letter and the clock?" "Yes, it is I" the Mare continued. "Did you find all the items and bring them to me?" "Absolutely!" Pinkie replied. She opened up her saddlebag, got out the picnic basket, and pushed the basket towards the mare in the middle of the room. "Well let's see here." said the mare as she opened the basket and looked inside. She began to laugh. As the laughter grew louder and longer, Pinkie Pie spoke up. "Um, excuse me? My friends and I went all over town today getting this stuff for you. Aren't you going to reveal to me the mystery of the clock?" The laughter continued and the pink pony cried, "What's so funny?" She kept her eyes fixated on the mysterious mare. She had laughed so hard that the mask was starting to come off and a unicorn's horn could be seen. Suddenly the horn lit up with a magical red aura. Pinkie pie gasped. Moments later, magical fireworks went off inside Sugarcube Corner in a rainbow of colors. Pinkie gasped again and her eyes grew as big as saucers. A broad smile grew across her face. After the explosions of color, the lights flipped on and Pinkie Pie was tackled by her fellow Elements of Harmony. The pink pony started laughing with surprise and glee, as her tail began to twitch. "SURPRISE!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PINKIE PIE!!" her friends shouted. Instantly a multitude of multicolored ponies jumped out from their hiding places all over the room. Each of them had their own miniature party cannon. After Spike appeared and shouted "Now!" every pony fired their cannon and a blizzard of rainbow-colored confetti and streamers filled the room with color and sound. "Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh!" the pink party pony squealed as she started bouncing happily around the room. "This is the most wonderful thing any pony has ever done for me. You guys totally got me. I am totally surprised!" cried Pinkie as she started hugging every pony in sight. She was interrupted by feedback from a microphone. The sound came from a stage on the other side of the room. Her friend Twilight Sparkle stood on stage holding paper in front of her. The purple unicorn cleared her throat. "Every pony may I have your attention?" The bakery became quiet and all eyes were on Twilight. "Thank you. We are gathered here this afternoon to honor our friend Pinkie Pie and celebrate her Birthday." The crowd cheered and stomped their hooves. "She makes us laugh, smile, and helps us remember how special we all are." "Not to mention she's the best prankster in Equestria!" interrupted Rainbow Dash , "Well, second best." "And her parties are to die for!" added Rarity. "Don't forget those sweet tasty vittles" chimed in Applejack. Twilight was now tapping her front hoof in frustration. "And she's..um..a great friend to everyone." Fluttershy said softly. "Assuming the interruptions are finished, please join me in welcoming Mayor Mare, who has a special proclamation." Every pony stomped their hooves as the Mayor made her way to the microphone. "Thank you Twilight Sparkle. Good afternoon, Ponyvilians. We are very blessed to have such a wonderful friend, such as Pinkie Pie, as a citizen of our fair town. She brings joy to our lives. Every time something or some pony needs to be celebrated, it is her making sure that day is special and that pony feels special. Pinkie Pie gives so much of herself without asking for anything in return. That is why it is with great pleasure and pride that I decree that this day is officially Pinkie Pie Day in the town of Ponyville! The crowd of ponies in the room roared their approval while stomping their hooves. The mayor continued, "Mares, and Gentlecolts, I present to you, the pony of the hour, Pinkie Pie!" The ponies roared their approval even louder than before. Their party cannons fired even more confetti and their hooves stomped louder than thunder. Multicolored balloons fell to the floor. . Meanwhile Pinkie Pie was in a state of elated shock. She could not believe what was happening. Her pink face blushed red. She smiled as she slowly cantered towards the stage. When she got there, the other Elements (and Spike) greeted her with warm hugs. "Speech! Speech!" the ponies chanted. The pink Pony wiped away a few joyful tears and she moved towards the mic. Before her, she see saw a multitude of multicolored ponies. Each one she considered a friend and she had once thrown a party for them all. She looked around the room and there was Octavia, Bon Bon, Berry Punch, Mr. and Mrs Cake (along with their twins), Colgate, Lyra, Derpy, Dr. Whooves, Cheerilee, and many, many others. Pinkie looked down, wiped away a few joyful tears, and moved towards the microphone to speak. "Thank you so much, every pony, to my dear friends, and to all ponies who put this altogether." Pinkie looked back at her fellow Elements and winked. "I appreciate the honors, and the presents I've yet to open all look very nice, but the very best thing about this party is spending quality time with you, my friends. Don't ever forget that Birthdays are about having fun with friends, not getting lots of stuff. You cannot put a price tag on friendship. Thanks for making this the best day of my life!" "Awww." said the ponies in unison, as they applauded. Pinkie started speaking again. "Now, let's PARTY!!!" The pink pony pumped her right hoof in the air and jumped off stage and on to the dance floor. Her favorite song started booming from the speakers. The next few hours passed by in a flurry of dancing, laughing, eating cake, and having fun. Night fell and the party began to wind down. Almost every pony had gone home. Only Pinkie's closest friends: the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike, and her fellow Elements of Harmony, remained at the bakery. Before they started cleaning, they all sat down. Pinkie approached them. "Thanks guys so much. Each of you put so much into making this the best day of my life. I do have one question. What was up with the alarm clock? Twilight looked at everyone else and began to speak. "I wasn't going to tell, but it was kinda part of the deal. More than a half-year ago, we all met for dinner one night and discussed doing something extra special for you for your Birthday. Of course a party had to be involved. It had to be more special. Rainbow Dash suggested some form of practical joke and Applejack thought a scavenger hunt would be a fun way to keep you occupied until Party time. I had Spike write a letter to Princess Celestia and she dreamed up the special clock. After having it made, I cast a spell so that no real harm was done when it exploded. Rarity decorated it with gems Spike had saved up. Fluttershy made sure the birds and animals were out of the way so the loud noise wouldn't scare them. It took a lot of planning but it was all worth it to see the joy on your face." Everyone hugged Pinkie Pie one more time. After the embrace the pink pony gave them a fake stare. "You realize each of you broke a "Pinkie Promise" and that there are going to be repercussions for your actions, right?" All of her friends gasped, blushed, and looked away. "Just kidding!" Pinkie laughed. Every pony was laughing until they were interrupted by a special guest. "Happy Birthday, Pinkie Pie!" Princess Celestia called out as she floated through an open window. Her subjects bowed. "How long have you been here, Princess?" asked Twilight Sparkle. "I've been in the shadows all day long watching everything. It sounds like Pinkie has had quite a day. Well done my subjects!" She looked at the Birthday girl, "And it sounds like Pinkie has shared a great lesson about friendship to the entire town today. Well done. I'm so proud of each of you." The princess turned and faced each of her subjects. "I have some cleaning up to do." Princess Celestia's horn glowed and suddenly the entire party mess vanished. It was replaced with a gift. The box was wrapped in sparkling pink paper. "Can I open it?" asked Pinkie. "Of course." the Princess replied. Pinkie unwrapped the present and found an alarm clock. It was an exact duplicate of the one that woke her up this morning and exploded. "Will this one explode too?" the pink pony asked. "No." the Princess laughed. "Thank you. I'll treasure it forever as a reminder of all the wonderful memories I've made today." With that, the pink pony grabbed all of her friends into one last group hug.