The sunlight battered against the pony's sleeping form, as the inhabitant tried her best to avoid waking. She tossed and turned, determined to win this battle of grit. The sun proved to be a tricky mistress, however, and merrily began burning (what felt like) a massive hole in the pony's back. She tried her best to ignore the heat and simply rest, but even Equestria's signature peppy party pony couldn't defeat a celestial object.

Groaning in annoyance, Pinkie Pie awoke into a world she wasn't quite ready to acknowledge yet. Her eyes, crusted from exhaustion, blinked in an attempt to get her mind running. It wasn't working particularly well, and she felt as if she needed some kind of firework to get her moving. Pinkie absently stared at her hooves for a moment, trying to convince herself that they were important to watch, but eventually moved to leave her savior.

Pinkie once again sighed in grief of her lost slumber, and finally summoned the will to move out of her bleary-eyed state. She had once been a morning pony, but that had stopped being true around twenty years ago, age taking a toll even on her energy. Now her body was creaking more than it should, it took longer than it should have for her recognize certain memories or stimuli, and her "non-stop happiness" quest had been toned down a tad. It hadn't helped that Gummy left this life without her, and Sugarcube Corner eventually closed after the Cakes retired. Out of a stable job and mourning her pet/best friend, Pinkie hadn't been quite as bubbly as her friends were used to. It turned out that she simply couldn't ignore the years passing by, and time offered no mercy. At least a grand total of zero world-stopping threats had shown up in that period.

Pinkie Pie mumbled something about "...super duper un-splenderific sun..." and waltzed into her usual routine of three-pronged brushes, candy cane toothpaste, and milk shower. After making herself at least somewhat presentable (by her standards, anyway), Pinkie stumbled downstairs into the living room of her simple cottage. It wasn't particularly grand, but she didn't really need that. Besides, she had more than enough energy to decorate and spruce up the place to her liking, with seemingly random streamers, balloons, and posters lying around. Twilight would've called it "organized chaos". To Pinkie, it was simply home.

Her breakfast had never been particularly sophisticated, and that hadn't changed in twenty years. A well-balanced strawberry cupcake (or seven), apple and caramel stew, and a minty chocolate milkshake were enough to finally break Pinkie out of her morning stupor. She ravenously decimated the goods, trying to become as awake as possible before forcing herself out into the declining rambunctiousness of Ponyville. The quaint town had once been booming with life and merriment, and while it certainly wasn't dull or dead by any measurement, Pinkie's attitude, Twilight moving to Canterlot, Rarity setting up a permanent shop in Manehattan, and the overall passing of life had been a bit dreary for everypony. Thus, while she was neither expected nor did she desire to do so, she needed to go out and breathe some fire into the village.

Before she set out on her task, Pinkie took a few moments to remember exactly what she needed to do, and to think about what she was doing. Was it really still necessary to be throwing parties and screaming at ponies when she had passed her prime? Wasn't it a bit ridiculous to continue this routine even decades later?

Was she becoming obsolete?

Pinkie shook her head and sneezed, clearing that particular path from her mind. Obsolete or not, she still had a special talent, and she'd fulfill that talent regardless of use or redundancy. The ponies of Equestria needed happiness in their lives, and seventeen, thirty-seven, or even sixty-seven, she'd continue to supply that with all the effort she could muster. After all, it's not as if she had anything better to do with her time, and making other ponies smile still warmed her heart. She was the Element of Laughter.

Pinkie's grip on her legs wavered, her mouth morphing into about a hundred different faces of concentration as she tried to remember what she needed and who for. She wasn't list-crazy like Twilight, but organization in any form was important. It was...a baby shower, right! For Rumble and Prose's new filly, Cardinal! A new foal hadn't been born in over a year, so it was quite the event, especially for Pinkie. She collected her thoughts into what she needed: a few tons of flour, mounds of deflated balloons, a ten hoof cylinder of poster paper... Easy enough to get, and she could and would quickly, knowing what today was. She'd need to put in quite an amount of effort to get this done right, considering what exactly she was preparing for.

With those happy thoughts in her mind, and a newfound height in her bounce, Pinkie trundled out of her front door and down to her suppliers, ready to bring smiles to a new face.

That bounce didn't last long for Pinkie Pie, whom had found that she just wasn't as peppy as she should've been. It wasn't right, how tired she was and how much momentum she needed to get moving. Even getting out of her bed was a chore, and today was time for a baby shower! Her thoughts scrambled as she wearily padded down the street, trying to get her hooves moving faster. Why was this so difficult? It's not as if she hadn't faced challenges before, with much worse odds and with much more effort to succeed. Why was she just not as energetic as she could and should have been, given who she was? Even a couple decades shouldn't matter to her mindset, and yet here she was, thinking about this rather than focusing on the party.

Pinkie stopped to gather her head together, and really devoted some thought to this. It's not just that she was tired; that wouldn't have stopped her from being excited for this. It's not that she was depressed either: she had learned to live with life passing forwards, hard as it was. No, this was something more deep-rooted, something at her very core that she couldn't solve. She absently kicked the ground while trying to puzzle this out. She wished Twilight was here; she could've been able to figure out the problem and get it solved lickety-split. Pinkie simply wasn't a huge brainiac, and she had more important things to focus on than academics. It could've been that she was simply running out of inner fuel, her embers dying out over time. Maybe when she got her cutie mark, it had given her a boost that would eventually burn out? Maybe she was now forced to acknowledge that nopony, not even her, was capable of nonstop antics and outbursts throughout her entire life. Maybe...just maybe...she wasn't truly a nonstop party pony, but simply another pony going through the cycle of life.

That thought was immediately thrown out, along with her insecurities for the moment. Even if she wasn't special, that was no excuse not to try her best. Certainly, she wasn't "at the top of her game", so to speak, but she still had a spark in her, and that spark was there to stay. Pinkie finally smiled for the first time that morning. She wasn't going to lose her edge, or become incapable of bringing light to others. She just needed a motivational boost, somehow. Something to get her going again, at top gear. Then she could work from that, and build off her initial spike into a longer running track of momentum. But where to find that spark...?

Well, no need to worry about that right now. She could go visit Applejack, perhaps get some cider at the tavern, and let this worry wash off. Then, after being cleansed of her sorrow and self-pity, she could get to work on the shower, and make sure it was especially incredible! Maybe Applejack could even help with this "bubbly button" problem Pinkie had. Applejack was dependable; even if she didn't know, she'd work hard 'till she could find a method that worked.

With that plan in mind, a clearer head, and a new inspiration for the day, Pinkie returned to her signature bounce and headed for Sweet Apple Acres to meet up with a special farmspony.

Applejack giggled as she recounted fond memories of her friends' previous adventures with Pinkie. "Y'ah remember the tahm that Twahlight went a little loony and casted that 'Want it, Need It' thingamadoohickey?"

Pinkie snorted in response, her eyes almost tearing up from that particular event. "Yep, she was all 'Princess Celestia is gonna be so mad' and 'if I can't find a friendship problem, I'll make a friendship problem!' and she was soooooooooo crazy! I almost thought she was trying to copy me!" Pinkie sniffed and sighed in memory.

Pinkie Pie then shrunk her grin and downcast her gaze. "It's a shame she had to leave..."

Appejack laid a comforting hoof over Pinkie's crest and smiled sadly. "Ah know Pinkie. None of us liked watching her leave, but she's happy where she is. So it's for the best-"

Pinkie's head shot up and her eyes widened. "Oh, I know that AJ! I know Twilight's super happy in Canterlot, and we should all be really happy for her, it's just..." Pinkie let her body slump. "I still miss her...a lot, actually..."

Applejack sighed, and stared at the pink pony with knowing in her gaze. "So do ah, Pinkie. We all do. But it's not as if we don't see 'er on ah frankly absurd basis. We visit 'er every other week, y'know."

Changing the subject, Applejack quirked her eyebrow and quickly questioned, "So, what about this problem you said yeh had? From th' sounds of 't, it's bumming you out purdy hard. What's going on?"

Pinkie's ears perked, and she returned Applejack's look. "Oh, that. Eh heh heh. Well, it's nothing I really want to trouble you about, but it has bothered me for a while. It's...you know when you're super duper tired, and it's really, really hard to do anything?"

The farmspony smirked. "Oh, ah've definitely had days like that. Mostly when I had a bit too much cider..." Applejack's eyes glimmered for a second, before looking at her friend again. "So what's getting yeh like this? Ah've never known you to be the rock kind, Pinkie," Applejack said without noticing her pun.

Pinkie wiggled in her seat before responding, wincing at her back popping. "It's not really that I'm tired -I mean, I still am sometimes, but it's not that bad- but, well, I just sorta...don't feel like doing anything. It's like I've lost all the hope and happiness that I should have, and I feel stuck." Pinkie's face hardened. "I need something. Something to help me. It doesn't have to be super complicated, just a quick fix. Can you help me, AJ?" Pinkie looked at the farmspony in question wistfully.

Applejack touched her hoof to her chin in thought. "Hmm, a quick fix, eh? I'm not entirely certain what you need. If yeh need energy, can't yeh just whip up some sweets or something sugary?"

Pinkie shook her head. "I already tried that AJ. It tasted good, of course -really good- but I don't need sugar. I need something just to get me going again. Cider and coffee haven't helped either..."

A younger voice piped up from behind the two. "Well, ah don't know if it'll definitely help, but ah think it's worth a try." Applebloom sidled up to the pair, grinning in confidence. "Ah might have somethin' to help yah, Pinkie."

Pinkie instantly straightened, and devoted her attention to Applejack's sister. "Really? What is it? I think I'll try anything at this point."

Applebloom sat down, and rubbed at her mane. "Ah was thinking about th' Zap Apples. Whenever we make Zap Apple Jam, we always throw away the cores, right? But that seems a bit of a waste t' me. So, what if we ground the cores int'a powder, and tried sprinkling that over food as a sort of 'spice'?"

Applejack raised an eyebrow in questioning. "Y' sure about that, Applebloom? Ah mean, we all know Zap Apple Jam is good for yer system, but that's because ponies use it on things that dilute it, like putting a dollop of it in a smoothie or somethin'. Powder might be a bit risky..."

Applebloom whined. "No it ain't! If ponies can eat th' jam, then what's wrong with th' powder? Ah mean, it might be a little stronger 'cause th' core is concentrated...but it's still good!"

Pinkie cocked her head to the side. "Seems fine to me, Applejack. If it doesn't work, what's the harm in trying it anyway? It's not like I'll explode or anything." Pinkie and Applebloom both giggled.

Applejack pursed her lips for a moment, before sighing in defeat. "Alright, y' can try yer little experiment. But I don't want y' doing anythin' dangerous. Don't be sprinkling it over th' animals' noses or nuthin'."

Applebloom rolled her eyes. "It's fine, Applejack. Th' Crusaders n' I already tried it, and we're perfectly fine! And ah certainly ain' gonna use 't on th' animals. That'd just be dumb." She bent her head back to grab a small bag filled with a thin rainbow powder, then passed it over to Pinkie, who snatched it in her hair loop. "Take care of this, a'ight Pinkie? It ain' easy t' make."

Pinkie smiled and nodded, careful not to immediately drop the bag. "You got it, Applebloom! Thanks for the help!" She checked a watch she didn't have a second ago, and gasped. "Oh, wowzie-woozie! I've only got an hour left to be early for the party! See ya later!" Pinkie and the Apple sisters waved to each other as she bounced off into the distance, ready for a lovely day of partying and smiles.

Author's Note

Welp, finally got off my lazy apple and wrote something. Granted, it might not be amazing, but it's the first story that I'm working seriously on. Hope you liked the first chapter!