Dead on the inside

And so, after giving it her all, Rainbow’s part in this ordeal was over, and it was time to pass the role to another, to the last one in line, this time. That’s what the element of laughter is for, after all, isn’t it? For making smiles out of frowns. The six ponies were at the end of the line and had all of their hopes riding on the last one of them. Nevertheless, they were all no less confident than Pinkie Pie herself. After all, this wouldn’t be the first time Pinkie Pie would have succeeded in bringing a cheer to someone that seems to have lost their way in life...If she succeeds, that is.

Luckily for them, the balloon landed not far from Sugarcube Corner, so they didn’t have to walk far or fast. It wasn’t long before they heard Pinkie’s cheerful voice, once again. "We’re here!” she shouted right as everyone stopped near the entrance with Inhio at the front of the pack. "Are you ready?” the eager pony asked Inhio.

"Ready for whatever comes, aye,” he quickly replied.

"Then lets get this party started!” Pinkie Pie opened the door for everyone. Her friends were pretty sure about what was about to follow, but Inhio had no idea. Just as every special guest Pinkie Pie throws a party for, Inhio was about to have a song dedicated just to him. As soon as Inhio stepped inside, he could already hear the instruments playing, (wherever they were coming from) and Pinkie’s voice joined in soon afterwards.

When there’s someone in need of a smile,
The best cure is always a party.
When there’s someone that’s lost their way,
Just place a cupcake in their hand and say:
Just take a hop and a skip and a jump,
And if that frown won’t turn around,
Then just turn yourself upside down.
And even if you might not look like a pony,
It doesn’t matter...

Because a party’s still a party.
And your appearance matters hardly.
You can always be my special guest.
Take my hoof and don’t worry bout the rest.

Come on in and lets have a blast.
Make yourself at home, my parties don’t end fast.
Just be ready to stay for a while,
Because you’re not leaving until I get that smile.

But sometimes a cup of a cake just won’t do.
That’s never a reason to let your sadness show.
Why settle with a cup when you can have the whole thing?
With a cherry on top and strawberries on the sides.
There’s a smile inside of everyone of us,
One just needs to know just where to press.
And even if you don’t have your party hat,
And you refuse to keep a grip on that balloon
It doesn’t matter...

Because a party’s still a party.
And your appearance matters hardly.
You can always be my special guest.
Take my hoof and don’t worry bout the rest.

Come on in and lets have a blast.
Make yourself at home, my parties don’t end fast.
Just be ready to stay for a while,
Because you’re not leaving until I get that smile.

But a party can never be a real party,
If there’s still one left that doesn’t even giggle.
When all else fails, then it’s time to get serious,
And call in the heaviest of cavalry.
Introduce them to your party cannon.
And make that frown go away with a blast.
But what happens when your mind’s just all outta tricks?
And your party cannon’s running low on ammo?
Then it matters...

Because a party’s still a party.
And your appearance matters hardly.
You can always be my special guest.
Take my hoof and don’t worry bout the rest.

Come on in and lets have a blast.
Make yourself at home, my parties don’t end fast.
Just be ready to stay for a while,
Because you’re not leaving until I get that smile.

Of course, Pinkie wasn’t an all bark and no bite type of pony, swift actions followed her words, along with the song. It was surprising for Inhio, how this party for him seemed like it had been planned for quite some time, when she only ever found out about him just earlier today and had no chance to run back here for extra preparations between then and now. Pinkie Pie turned upside down plenty of times, but Inhio didn’t really feel like following her instructions. Instead of a single cupcake, he got seated in front of a whole pile of them, and the cake she mentioned, it stood so tall than none could even tell if it had that cherry on top or not. Just as the song suggested, the party did last quite a while.

Pinkie Pie started her song off with such enthusiasm and so full of energy, but already after she had sung out the second chorus of her song, one could hear that her voice lacked the spirit it had at the start. After she had blasted her party cannon off right in front of Inhio, it started seeming like she was about to be the one in need of cheering up. Her so called heavy cavalry move had somewhat backfired on her. If Inhio was in a good mood by the beginning of the song, then he sure didn’t seem too happy after he had finished wiping away the streamers from his body and spitting out the ones that got in his mouth after Pinkie’s cannon had painted him half-pink.

"Because a party’s still a party,” Pinkie repeated the words from her song once more, but at this point, it sounded more like a lament than a party song. "A party’s still a... ” Pinkie Pie fell to the ground, exhausted just from seeing her special guest with the same icy glare on his face as he had at the moment she first saw him. ”...party.” Pinkie Pie slowly blew the party whistle she still had in her mouth, letting it just drop from her lips and roll away afterwards. Nothing made Pinkie happier than being able to cheer up her friends, and at the same time, nothing made her sadder than knowing that cheering them up is not a task that she can accomplish. Seeing her like this was a sight enough to make anyone sad.

"Come now, Pinkie Pie, there’s no need for both of us to be down.” Pinkie Pie shifted her eyeballs to the corner of her eyes, as close to the man speaking as possible. She didn’t stare for long. No sound came over her lips aside from a loud and sad sigh, and all of a sudden, her mane and tail just straightened itself at the blink of an eye, as though she just had an invisible water bucket poured on her. Inhio knelt down on one knee near Pinkie, nearly speaking directly into her ear now, in hopes that she could hear his words better. "Your friends have enough trouble with me alone, don’t make this any harder than it has to be.”

Pinkie Pie didn’t even bother looking at Inhio this time. Her friends looked nervous, not just because they were worried about their friend, but because they had realized exactly what this meant. "What’s the point?” Pinkie replied. "If none of us could make you smile, then it means the end for more than just this party.” Pinkie’s tone sounded nothing like her usual one. She kept her eyes half-shut, and her voice sounded like she didn’t even care if she got heard or not. Her friends had only ever seen her like this once before, and had hoped to never see her like that again.

"It’s only hopeless if you don’t try.” Pinkie might have given up on Inhio, but he wasn’t about to give up on her. "Never forget that you are not alone in this fight.” Inhio got up and took a few steps backwards to move into a position where he was facing Pinkie Pie, as well as the rest of the ponies. "Mayhap you have all failed at this, one by one, but you needn’t do this one by one when you have each other!” Inhio’s preaching had finally gotten to her. She widened her eyes and raised her head to face the man that had been looking right at her all along. "I remember you promised you wouldn’t let me leave without a smile on my face...You’re not about to break your promise to me, are you?” Inhio’s last words may have seemed like a cheap shot, but they were effective, nonetheless.

Pinkie’s mane sprung back into its cotton candy form right after Inhio’s last comment. "No, Siree!” she shouted back at the man and got up, looking battle ready, once again.

"Then what are you waiting for?” That almost sounded like a challenge. One that Pinkie was just about ready to accept, if she had not been interrupted.

"Inhio’s right, Pinkie Pie.” Both Pinkie and Inhio turned their eyes towards the one interrupting them. Twilight continued after catching their attention "You don’t have to do this alone. We were always at our strongest when we are together!” The four ponies next to Twilight agreed with her and nodded in approval. Pinkie Pie could only smile back at them and rush over to join in for the warm hug.

"Thanks, guys. I don’t know what came over me,” Pinkie said in a tone both thankful and apologetic at the same time.

When the times seem dark, it’s always good to know that you’re not alone in your fight. One can accomplish more than they might think, if they only believe in themselves, and Inhio knew this. He had always relied on this thought whenever he was trying to inspire someone with his words, and it seemed like these ponies needed inspiration now, more than ever. After giving them a good taste of the trouble they’re facing, pulling them all together for the real fight seemed like the best solution, but Inhio had a different plan in mind.

"But what ever shall we do?” Rarity asked, in a tone that had a touch of both despair and curiosity in it.

"Yeah.” Rainbow Dash wanted to know as well. "Just because we’re all together now doesn’t change the fact that we’re fresh out of ideas.”

"Hmm...” Twilight rubbed her chin and pondered on the question.

"With all due respect, Miss Twilight Sparkle,” Inhio interrupted. "I’m afraid there’s only one thing you can do.” By Inhio’s tone, it almost seemed like he was expecting them to know what he had in mind, when in fact, they had no idea.

The ponies stared at Inhio with wide eyes until Twilight decided to quell their curiosity for them. "And what might that be?”

"Send me back.”