Party of One

"Tell me that my friends are all lying to me, and avoiding me, because they don't like my parties, AND THEY DON'T WANT TO BE MY FRIENDS ANYMORE!!!!!"

- Pinkie Pie

Party of One is the twenty-fifth episode of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic season one. In this episode, Pinkie Pie sends a party invitation to her friends, but freaks out when she doesn't get any feedback.

Summary
Today was the first birthday of Pinkie Pie's pet alligator, Gummy, and the pink pony was busy traveling all over Ponyville performing singing telegrams to her friends, inviting them to the latest party. She promises games and snacks (the usual stuff) followed by a group hug in the end. After an exciting yet exhausting task, she slumps her way back to her room in the Sugar Cube Corner shop, thinking that written invitations would have been a better option.

After a long rest, the party begins with everyone present. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were bobbing for apples (among other surprises in the tub) while Rarity was having a refreshing drink (but was having a hard time enjoying it after learning Gummy was swimming in the punchbowl). As they danced to the music, Pinkie expressed how happy she was that her friends were here. They complimented how she catered the best parties.

The party ended later that night, and Pinkie's friends thanked her once again for another great party. Twilight hoped that they could have another get-together soon. Little did they realized how soon Pinkie planned to have it.

The next morning, she invited them for Gummy's "after-birthday" party, with more of the same, later in the afternoon. She learned, however, that they were busy with other errands, not to mention surprised she had planned it at that particular time. Twilight was reading her books, claiming to have fallen behind on her studies. Applejack was gathering more apples from her farm. Rarity wanted to wash her hair after casting off a love-struck Spike who took out the trash for her (she dipped her head in the trash can to make a point). And Dash and Fluttershy were house-sitting for one "Harry the Bear". No one was able to attend, and Pinkie wondered why they all had something to do on the same day as her new party. After seeing Twilight sneak her way into the snack shop instead of reading like she said earlier, she found out their last-minute errands nothing more than excuses. She decided to investigate.

She used a tin can phone to listen in on Twilight's conversation with Mrs. Cake. All she heard was that it was a secret Pinkie was not supposed to know. Pinkie was confused; Why would her best friend wanted to not tell her whatever was happening? Wearing a "clever" disguise, she secretly followed Twilight through Ponyville, who passed a mysterious box to Rarity at the Carousel Boutique. Rarity then met Fluttershy in one of the town's alleyways, saying how relieved they had found an excuse to avoid the party, and what they had planned was going to be much better.

Pinkie wondered why they said this before she saw Rainbow Dash walk past her (carrying a strange bag), who was recognized her through her disguise. In a panic, she escaped from the pink pony and rendezvoused with Applejack in the Sweet Apple Acres barn house. Pinkie wanted to know what they were hiding inside the barn, but AJ claimed they were doing some "construction work". Pinkie slowly left her friends to continue their "work", but she was growing more suspiscious and frustrated about the big secret. She knew only one person who might be able to tell her...

She found Spike and bribed him with a bowl of delicious gems, telling him that it was all his, provided he tell her what her friends were up to. Each attempt to get him to confess led to very different, very unrelated things that the dragon was too embarrassed to talk about. With her patience wearing thin, Pinkie angrily demanded him to tell her that "her friends had lied to her and avoided her parties, because they did not want to be friends anymore". Already under pressure, Spike said those exact words. Happy at first to get a straight answer, she became horrified by Spike's response. Her own friends did not want anything to do with her anymore, she thought. She was so depressed, her poofy mane literally "deflated" to a more straight and plain hairstyle. As promised, she handed Spike the gems.

Pinkie went ahead with her party as scheduled, replacing her allegedly former friends with inanimate objects: a pile of rocks named Rocky, a bucket of turnips named Mr. Turnip, a clump of lint named Sir Lintsalot, and a bag of flour named Madame LaFlour. At this point, she lost some of her sanity, had a "conversation" with the objects and, regarding their "advice", vowed never to speak to the ponies again, nor invite them to her future parties.

She soon heard a knock on the door and Rainbow Dash came in, apologizing for her earlier appointment, and wanted the pink pony to come with her. However, Pinkie refused, preferring to hang out with her "new friends". Creeped out and annoyed by her attitude, Dash was forced to drag the stubborn Pinkie all the way back to the barn.

As the depressed pink pony was pushed inside, the other ponies yelled "SURPRISE!". An awkward silence followed, and Fluttershy said they expected Pinkie Pie to be more excited. Instead, Pinkie finally snapped at them and lamented how her friends had avoided her all this time just to set up, what she assumed at first glance was, a farewell party. They finally confessed that they had to avoid Gummy's party so they can set up a surprise one for a certain pony's birthday... Hers!

Pinkie Pie was shocked. Looking at the decorations, the pile of presents, and the cake (with her face on the frosting), she realized she had forgotten her own birthday. With this epiphany, she exploded once more with happiness and her mane became poofy once again. After apologizing for doubting her friends, they proceeded to party, promising to celebrate Gummy's "after birthday" that was postponed for this event.

She had learned to expect the best from her friends, while avoiding the worst, as a good friend can have her best interests at heart.

Major Events

 * Twilight Sparkle and her friends set up Pinkie Pie's birthday party in secret.
 * Pinkie Pie's straight hair from The Cutie Mark Chronicles is again shown in this episode. Also her split personality is also shown.
 * Gummy's birthday is shown to be a day before Pinkie Pie's.

Quotes

 * Pinkie Pie: Sure, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy﻿ had to house-sit for that vacationing bear, but what are the chances all my other friends would have plans this afternoon, too?


 * Rainbow Dash: Hi there Pinkie Pie. Sorry I was in a rush earlier, had to some place to be and couldn't slow down and say hello....you know how it goes.
 * Pinkie Pie: I KNOW how it GOES ALRIGHT!
 * Rainbow Dash: Yeah... So why you come with me to Sweet Apple Acres.
 * Pinkie Pie: No thanks. I'm spending time with my REAL FRIENDS! Isn't that right Madame McFlour? *Impersonates Madame McFlour* Yes! 'Zat is correct Madame.
 * Rainbow Dash: Uh...Pinkie Pie?
 * Pinkie Pie: *Insane tone* Another slice of cake Sir Lintsalot? *Impersonates Sir Lintsalot* I love one.
 * Rainbow Dash: Alriiiight....what do you say we got out of Creepytown and head to Applejacks...
 * Pinkie Pie: *Interrupts and pushes Mr. Turnip in front of Rainbow Dash* She's NOT going anywhere! *Speaks in her normal voice* I most certainly am not! I'm having a wonderful time right here.
 * Rainbow Dash: You sure really need to come with me...
 * Pinkie Pie: *Interrupts again and pushes Rocky in front of Rainbow Dash* YOU HEARD THE LADY! SHE AIN'T GOING NOWHERE CHUMP!
 * Rainbow Dash: *Angered* You are you calling a chump CHUMP?!? *Sees the rocks fall and sigh* That's it. Party's over. Come on Pinkie Pie!
 * Pinkie Pie: NO!
 * Rainbow Dash: Pinkie Pie, LET'S GO!
 * Pinkie Pie: *Being Stubborn* I SAID NO!
 * Rainbow Dash: *Pushes Pinkie Pie on the rump* You.....have.....to come.....with....ME!
 * Pinkie Pie: *Resists* NO! I! WON'T! *Roughly sits on Rainbow Dash's head using her rump*
 * Rainbow Dash: *Pulled her head out and crashes into Mr. Turnip, cake landing on her head* OH YOU WANT TO DO THIS THE HARD WAY?!? WE'LL DO THIS THE HARD WAY!!!!

Trivia

 * The title is a reference to the phrase "Party of one", which is used when booking a reservation for a single person at a restaurant or hosting establishment. The phrase "army of one" is meant to convey the notion of a strong and resourceful individual. In this sense, Pinkie Pie is a "party of one".
 * This is the first episode of the series to see Pinkie Pie's split personality, in which her darker self is the opposite of her cheerful yet insane self.
 * This is also the second episode when Rainbow Dash tries to hide from Pinkie Pie. The other being Griffon the Brush Off.
 * The music playing during the party was the same as in Call of the Cutie at Diamond Tiara's cute-ceneara.
 * In this episode, Pinkie's shift in personally is visually emphasized by her hair and shading of her color. During the time of her depression, her hair "deflates" into a more normal and straighter style while her color is set in a dimmer shade. When she becomes happy again, she regains her poofy hair and brighter shade.