“Hi Twilight.  It’s me …

“I’ve tried sending messages to you at both your Canterlot office and the one here.  Everypony says that you are in Splendid Valley again, so now I’m trying you there too.  I really hope you’re not just avoiding me.  I… I wouldn’t blame you if you were.”

The voice was anxious, sad and cracked.  I knew Pinkie Pie’s voice; I’d heard it in Vinyl Scratch’s memory.  This was almost the same, but much more fragile.  Possibly even broken.

“I went to the get-together at Spike’s place and brought It just like you asked.  All of my friends were there but you…  Spike said it was because you couldn’t get away from your work, but… Was it because I was gonna be there?

“Twilight, I’m so sorry.  You were right.  Totally right.  I’ve known it for a long time.  I just…

“I can’t.

“I mean, I couldn’t.  But I will.  I’ve made an appointment at the Helpinghoof Clinic.  For tomorrow. They’re supposed to have stuff there… medicine that can help make… addictions… go away.

“Do you think they might be able to bake the medicine into a cake?  Or maybe a pie?  I like pie!”

On the recording I heard the sound of a knock and a door opening.  A second voice interrupted.

“Miss Pinkie Pie?  The Ministry of Wartime Technology has sent us a dozen Steel Rangers.  They’re in position with our agents.”

Again Pinkie Pie spoke, but addressing the intruding pony.  She didn’t bother to edit the recorder; she just let it keep recording.

“oooh, those Four Stars ponies are some bad ponies!  They need to be banished.  Then locked up in the place they were banished to.  But first we need to get their secrets from their bad, bad pony heads to make sure there aren’t any more of them.  So tell my ponies that we want them alive…

“OH!  I know!  Have them go in with one of my Pinkie Balloons!”

The intruding pony seemed unsure, taken aback by this suggestion.  “Miss?   You want us to raid Four Stars using a… giant blimp shaped like your head?”

“uh huh!  I want them to know I’m coming for them!”

I couldn’t keep my mind from envisioning a giant pink balloon with the same staring face as the one on the gigantic billboard.  I wasn’t sure if that was ingenious or insane.

On the audio recording, I heard the click of the door closing.  Pinkie Pie returned to addressing her (former?) friend, Twilight Sparkle.

“Sorry about that.  You… wouldn’t believe what’s been going on.  But don’t worry.  If we get through today, everything will be okay.

“After today, I can do what you wanted me to do.  I can try to be your Pinkie Pie again.  I’m sorry I haven’t before… but I just couldn’t.  I know you won’t believe me but… try to remember the parasprites.

“I’ve done bad things, Twilight.  Awful things.  And I’ve let the ponies in my Ministry do even worse things.  And I’m really, really sorry.  I don’t know if I can be your Pinkie Pie again.  But I’ll try. That’s a Pinkie Pie Promise!

“I…

“Party-Time Mint-als are bad.  They mess ponies up.  I know I’m messed up.  More than ever.  But I’ve needed them.  Normal old Pinkie Pie is smart and she can sense when things are coming.  But Party-Time Mint-als make me… more.  Not better.  I know that now.  But… more.  And we need more.  Equestria needs more.

“On Party-Time Mint-als, my Pinkie Sense is way, way more Sense-y.  And it’s the only thing keeping us a hoof ahead of really, really bad things.  My nose has been burning all day.  It’s like an itchy nose only way, way worse.  There are bad ponies, Twilight, and they mean to hurt us.  To hurt all of Equestria.  And just normal Pinkie Pie can’t stop them…

“But after today, it’ll all be okay again.  I just know it.  Just have to get through today…

“…And tomorrow, I’ve got that appointment.  And…  and…

“And Twilight?  Do you think… maybe… you could go with me?  I’m… kinda scared.  And it isn’t the sort of scared that goes away with giggling.

“I mean, I have you with me now, so you’ll kinda be with me anyway.  But it’s not the same.  I want the real Twilight Sparkle.  I…

“I want my friend back.

“Please?

“I’ll do anything…”