Title: MLP: Pinkie Conundrum
Universe: My Little Pony, Friendship Is Magic
Pairings: None
Rating: G
Warnings: None
Author's Note: This is for the flash fan fiction prompt, "Expanding Vocabulary." We had to choose at least one (I did two) vocabulary words from a SAT test prep site. My words were demure and conundrum. And, yes, I wrote My Little Pony. Word count: 499

"Twilight! Come quick! It's Pinkie Pie!"

Twilight Sparkle jerked her head up from her book. "Apple Jack? What's wrong?" Farther back in the library, Spike, her young dragon assistant, paused, one hand frozen in the process of returning a book to its proper place.

"She's, well, it's best you come see for yourself." The earth pony frowned thoughtfully, turned on her hooves and galloped off.

"Spike, come on," Twilight called, concerned. The dragon hopped on her back and they rushed after the mare. They followed their friend into Ponyville. Once there, they met up with Rarity and Fluttershy, who were hovering (one literally) near Pinkie Pie. The pink mare alternated between looking at her friends and gazing longingly at Sugercube Corner. "What happened?"

"Twilight, thank goodness," Rarity said. "Maybe you can help us."

"Hello, Twilight," Fluttershy muttered. The demure pony ducked her head.

"Here, Twi," Applejack said, pointing a hoof at their friend. "Just … look."

Twilight tilted her head, confused. Pinkie smiled at her. "Pinkie, what's wrong?"

The mare stared at her.

"…Pinkie?" Twilight waved her hoof at the other, who gave her a high-hoof with a wide smile. "Um, okay."

"See?" Apple Jack said. "She ain't talking and that's just not Pinkie."

"It is a bit of a reprieve, you must admit," Rarity mused. Pinkie snorted at the unicorn. She quickly clarified, "I mean that in the best way possible, of course."

"Pinkie, what's wrong? Can you say anything?" Twilight asked. The pink mare stared at her. Twilight continued, "Okay. Let's try this. I'll ask you questions. Stamp the ground once for yes, twice for no. Do you understand?"

Pinkie blew a strand of curly mane from her eyes. A butterfly fluttered nearby and she bounded after it, making no move to stamp her hoof. Twilight flattened her ears in frustration.

"I asked her earlier if she knew what happened, and she wouldn't nod or shake her head. Nothing." Apple Jack sighed.

"I've never heard of anything that causes a pony to stop communicating like this." Twilight turned to Spike, who shrugged. She mentally ran through every book she could remember as she considered the conundrum. She intersected herself between Pinkie and the butterfly. "There has to be something we can do. Come with us, Pinkie."

Pinkie pouted, casting sad glances after the winged insect.

"Don't worry, Pinkie," Fluttershy murmured.

"Alright, Pinkie! You win!" A brightly-maned pegasus zipped down, landing in their midst. "I couldn't stand it anymore."

"Yay!" Pinkie cheered, bouncing up and down. "I knew I could do it!"

"Wait. What?" Twilight asked, glancing between them.

"We played dare," Rainbow Dash said. "Pinkie dared me to sit still and not move or fly for the whole day. So I dared her not to talk or communicate in any way."

"Oh," Twilight said. "Why didn't you warn us?"

"Well, I couldn't move, now could I?"