Returning with Purpose

Twilight Sparkle was in high spirits. She'd spent the last three days in the Starswirl wing of the Canterlot Library. Literally the last three days. She'd slept there and had Spike bring her meals there. But she'd gotten a good lead on several spells she'd been researching.

Becoming an alicorn wouldn't be the only spell she would be the first to cast successfully. Recently she'd been tracking down Starswirl's incomplete research, as well as anything else that looked promising. She'd figure out if any of the spells were viable, and how to finish them.

She was almost back at Ponyville, which was fortunate because she'd flown the entire way. She wasn't used to this much exercise, but if she'd sat in the chariot Celestia had lent her, she wouldn't have been able to stuff as many books and reams of notes into it. Spike sat on top, snatching at the occasional bit of paper that tried to escape all the straps he'd put them under.

The two royal guardsmen in charge of pulling the chariot landed in front of her castle, visibly grateful to be on the ground again. It hadn't been easy for them carrying all that weight. Twilight directed Spike to unload the chariot, a task that would likely take hours. Not that the guardsmen were in any hurry to leave now that they had a chance to rest.

She turned to the doors intending to enter, but that small part of her mind not totally occupied with what she'd read stopped her. She looked at her castle, decidedly more colourful than when she'd left it. Banners and flags festooned the exterior of the building. They were all manner of colours and designs, bordering on the ridiculous in their variety. Standing in front of her home, mouth agape, she tried to think who would go to all this trouble. Rarity. It has to be. She's gone on a sewing spree again.

Trotting inside, Twilight was greeted with every variety of interior decor which could be made with cloth. More banners here. Tapestries over there. Table cloths and doilies abound. "Wuh?" the princess wondered.

The mare responsible for all this came prancing through as if in response to the question. Rarity was carrying one more tablecloth, intricately hemmed with her special gold cloth. "Now I know I saw an end table somewhere that this would look lovely on..."

"Rarity! What... why?"

"Oh Twilight, darling! You're back! So glad to see you. I took the liberty of sprucing the place up a bit while you were gone. It was much too dull in here."

"A bit..." Twilight paused to regain her composure. "I do appreciate it Rarity, but isn't this more than you can spare? You must have used most of the materials you have to make all this!"

"Oh but you know me, I enjoy making things for my friends. Now, I must be off." She used her magic to deftly fold the cloth and place it on a table. "If you see the bare table this is meant for, be sure to make use of it." As Rarity trotted out of the main hall and outside, she called back "be sure to have a look at the dresses I put in your room!"

Twilight could only exclaim to herself "dresses too??"

Well, they are really nice dresses thought Twilight as she examined her new wardrobe later that evening.

A knocking at her door announced a visitor. "Twilight? Mind if ah come in?" came the sound of Applejack's familiar drawl.

"Of course!" Twilight smiled brightly as her friend entered. "Anything I can do for you?"

"You sure can. Ah'm here to fetch you. Pinkie's gone an' thrown you a surprise party for your comin' home."

A moment of awkward silence stretched out before Twilight spoke. "So... you probably shouldn't have told me that."

Applejack put her hoof to her face in annoyance at herself. "Nope, ah reckon ah should've kept that to myself." She put her hoof down and turned to the door. "Well just try to act a li'l surprised when we get there. She worked real hard at it."

"Pinkie always works really hard when she throws a party. She's Pinkie."

"Yeah, but ah mean extra hard, even fer Pinkie. Without slackin' off on anythin' else she has to do either. Ah'm not sure how she found the time."

Twilight didn't have to act surprised. She had been expecting Sugarcube Corner, but the party was at the Carousel Boutique. How Pinkie could have convinced Rarity to hold a party in here was beyond her. Even more shocking was the inside of the building, a collection of streamers, "welcome home" banners, balloons and other party supplies. She literally couldn't see the ceiling. Tables piled high with sweets and other food cluttered the room. It was all so overwhelming that Twilight continued to stand and stare even after Pinkie erupted from behind a table, overturning it in the process.

"SURPRISE!! You're back! Well it's not a surprise that you're back it's a surprise for you because your back 'cause you'd been away for so long and so you deserve a SURPRISE!" rambled the party pony as she waded through the food she'd spilled off the table.

Twilight could only think to say "Pinkie, you have cake all over your hooves..."

She giggled and snorted at this statement. "Cake doesn't go on hooves, silly. It goes in your mouth! I made lots and lots too. I did a whole bunch of baking today. And last night. And the day before." She wobbled slightly as she was talking, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Twilight could see how she found time to get all this done.

Twilight's voice took on a motherly tone. "Pinkie, I appreciate this but I was only gone for three days. This is too much. When was the last time you slept?"

"You were only gone for three days? Hahaha heh hmm, I guess it's hard to keep track. I didn't sleep while you were gone. I got the great idea to bake cakes and bring them to ponies and sing them songs and then they would smile! I like making ponies smile! And then I had to throw you a party because you'd been gone forever and I missed you and so here's a party so we can all smile and be happy!"

"You've been awake for three days?? Pinkie, please go to bed, that isn't healthy."

Her smile slowly faded to be replaced with a look of disappointment. "But... I threw you a party. Don't you want to party...?"

Twilight quickly tried to think up a solution that wouldn't hurt her friend. "I can't party and smile if I'm worried about you. What if I promise to stay and enjoy your party and you promise to go to bed?" She forced a smile, unsure if this would work.

"Hmmmmmmmm... Pinkie Promise?"

"Cross My Heart, Hope to Fly, Stick a Cupcake in my Eye."

"Okie dokie lokie! But I wanna hear how much fun you had later!"

Twilight stifled a sigh of relief. "I will, now go to bed."

Pinkie bounded out the door and on her way home, knocking into the occasional wall or barrel.

"Applejack, could you please make sure Pinkie gets home? I guess I have to stay here. Can't break a Pinkie Promise."

"Ah'll get 'er home safe. Ah'm just as worried as you are. Pinkie's an odd one to start, but with no sleep she's as loopy as Big Mac is over yer Smarty Pants doll."

"Wh- No, never mind, just go help Pinkie."

Applejack, cheeks scarlet at having blurted out her brother's secret, gratefully turned from Twilight to gallop after Pinkie.

Twilight sat on a part of the floor not covered in food. "What is wrong with my friends today..."