"Oh good morning, Pinkie. Did you rest well?" Carrot Cake greeted. The yellow pony lifted packages on his back as sweat slid down his forehead. Pinkie lightly shivered; the dream bit her brain.
"Of course!", she lied. "I snored like a baby, or Rainbow Dash." She forced her mouth to form a crescent.
Carrot Cake chuckled, but the pressure of his load got the best of him. His face kissed the floor, and the boxes bounced on his back.
"Oh honey," a blue pony rushed to aid her husband. Carrot Cake struggled to get on his feet, but his wobbling legs fought him.
"Careful, Cup Cake."
"We can't afford to ruin the ingredients...again. You are the one that should be more careful." The couple bickered.
"Pinkie, sweet heart," Mrs. Cake called, "make sure the babies are okay. Don't need them to make a mess."
"Yes ma'am."
She skipped out of the room, and gave a last glanced at the arguing couple. Her head reared from the door, and her skipping transformed into slow walking. Pinkie Pie dragged herself through the hallway. A five minute trip to the babies' room felt like an hour stroll. A dream has never haunted Pinkie, nor has is ever chewed at her emotions. The voice she heard lurked in her mind.
"The time is ticking."
What time, she thought.
"What time do I have to lose?" she whispered.
Pinkie Pie entered the babies' room. Little Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake casually giggled and played in their cradle. The colt flapped his tiny wings as his unicorn sister levitated two blocks with her horn. Pinkie couldn't help but smile at the scene.
"Such fast learners."
She hopped to the cradle like a jolly rabbit spotting his dinner. The babies' clapped and roared in excitement to their playmate's arrival. Pinkie performed wacky faces and sang silly songs to the little ones. The twins launched themselves to the pink mare. All three rolled on the floor and erupted into laughter.
"Can you believe it, you two?" Pinkie cheered. "You both will be a year old in two days! I'm so excited! There's gonna be cake, games, songs, friends, and so much more fun things to do!"
Pinkie plopped the infants in the cradle and kissed the duo on their foreheads.
"See you later alligators. Oh wait. That's Gummy!"
Pinkie chuckled and waved to the babies. She exited the room and sighed. Unease still snored in her heart.
"Wasn't enough to keep me smiling."
"Come on, Pinkie Pie. The babies' birthday is a big event. You can't celebrate with a mellow attitude like that. It would break the Cakes' hearts to see you this way on the party."
Twilight Sparkle's magic gently added new volumes of books to the cramped book shelf. Stacks of books ambushed the purple unicorn's library.
"I know, Twilight," Pinkie respond. "No doubt about it. I am really excited about Pound Cakes' and Pumpkin Cakes' birthday. I love them just as much as I love my friends. The Cakes are like family to me. But..."
"But?" Twilight asked.
"I haven't been feeling the best lately. It's a like mean rain cloud is following me and it won't go away."
A gray puffy cloud soared over Pinkie's head. Rain drenched Pinkie's fur, and her cotton candy tail and mane deflated rapidly. Shivering, Pinkie closed her eyes and embraced the cold water attacking her.
"Yep! You definitely are feeling under the weather, Pinkie Pie," a blue pegasus curled on the rain cloud and bustled in laughter.
"Rainbow!" Twilight scolded. "This is not the time for playing around, and get that cloud out of my library. It's wetting my floor."
Rainbow Dash whipped her rainbow striped tail. She leaped off the cloud and bucked it out of the open window. Rainbow Dash flew above the library.
"Jeez," she smirked. "Can't you take a joke, Twilight? 'Sides, Pinkie Pie will be back to her usual random antics in no time. She just needs to chill. I'd be pooped if I had to organize a party for two babies."
"Don't you think that's a bit rash?", a white unicorn veiled Pinkie in a purple towel decorated with diamonds. "She seems absolutely troubled. Very rude of you to be cracking silly jokes, Rainbow Dash."
Rarity rubbed the towel on Pinkie's body. Shortly the pink pony's fur dried, and her cotton candy mane and tail rapidly inflated.
"It'll be alright, dear," Rarity comforted. She wrapped her arm around Pinkie's shoulder. "Everypony goes through a slump at some point."
"She's right, sugar cube," Applejack joined. The orange earth pony like Pinkie Pie dumped a cowgirl hat on Pinkie's head. "You've been working really mighty hard for the last few days. I completely understand how you feel. Getting 'em apples ready at Sweet Apple Acres is a toughie. A bit of R&R will boost you back up faster than hares on mating season."
Applejack's hat slipped over Pinkie's eyes.
"Oh thanks, girls," Pinkie muffled under Applejack's hat. She removed the hat from her face and returned it to its owner. "I appreciate the kind words, I just feel completely weak and useless."
The other ponies gasped. Words of negativity rarely escapes Pinkie's mouth.
"Why would you say that?" Twilight Sparkle darted.
"Yeah," Rainbow Dash spat. "You burst into a song about strength and courage at the Everfree Forest remember? I don't know about you, but to me that is not weak and useless."
The ponies nodded in agreement.
Comforting words tried their might to battle the sadness that captured Pinkie Pie. The battle grew ever so weaker. Pinkie's eyes quickly began watering.
"You...you just don't understand the terror."
The rest of the group flailed their heads in confusion.
"The terror I always face. You just don't understand!"
Pinkie Pie's face melted in tears.
"Pinkie what are you talking about?" Twilight roared.
Pinkie Pie stood up and bolted out of the door. Drips of tears trailed the floor.
"Darling, wait!" Rarity's cry failed to reach Pinkie's ears.
The room dimmed in silence.
"What just happened?" Rainbow Dash questioned.
"Why I've never seen Pinkie Pie behave such a way before," Rarity added.
"That's worse than stress," said Applejack, "she's hiding something from us."
"What would Pinkie hide from us?" Twilight pondered. "Terror? What terror?"
"Oh my, what's wrong with Pinkie Pie?" A yellow pegasus crept through the door. She whipped her pink hair from her right eye. "I tried to say hello, but she ignored me. And her face was covered in tears. I've never seen Pinkie Pie in tears before."
"I don't know, Fluttershy," Twilight Sparkle said, "but one's thing for sure: we gotta get to the bottom of this. Come on, let's go follow Pinkie."
The ponies sprung out of the door.
"Hey Twilight! Where do you want me to place these books?"
A tiny purple dragon wobbled down the stairs. His balance lost its motivation, and dropped the dragon. He tumbled to the floor, and the books piled on the creature. Spike groaned.
"Celestia needs to lay off the books. Just how many does she have anyway? Hey why so quiet? Guys?"
Spike stood in the heart of the library. Nothing but him and stacks of books.