The Pie siblings help Pinkamena
“It was most thoughtful of thee to visit us, Octavio,” Igneous Rock Pie said.
“Not so thoughtful to leave all his bags in the living room, though,” Limestone said as she loaded one of his suitcases onto her back. They were in the Pie family rock farm. It was pouring outside. The rain beat on the roof, and the lighting through the windows was gray and gloomy like Limestone.
“I’ll take them to the bedroom later,” Octavio said. “Although I appreciate it, you don’t have to carry them for me, sis.”
“They’re in the way,” Limestone said. “You don’t own this place, you know.”
“Come on, I just wanted a chance to catch up with my loving family first,” Octavio said with a smile. He always had one of those. Limestone rolled her eyes as she walked down the hallway, hauling the suitcase. Why did he have so much stuff, anyway? She dropped the suitcase off in her bedroom; she would sleep upstairs with Marble to make room for Octavio. That arrangement made the most sense; Marble was quieter than Octavio.
Octavio was talking with Igneous, Cloudy, and Marble when Limestone came back to the living room. “After my buckball game in Appleloosa, I’ll head back to Manehattan for the Annual Sweets Convention,” he said. “I’ll be here until then.”
“Buckball?” Limestone said. “Since when did you play buckball?”
“Not long, considering it’s a new sport,” Octavio said. “After Pinkie became a buckball star, I thought I’d try my hoof at it.”
There was a knock at the door. “I’ll get it,” Limestone said. Who could it be? Visitors to the rock farm were rare, even when it wasn’t raining outside. She opened the door and was surprised to see Maud in a poncho. She was pulling a very full wagon with a tarp draped over it. “Maud?” Limestone said. “What are you doing here?”
“Standing in the rain, talking to you,” Maud said. “Help me get all this inside before it gets wet.”
“Marble, come help us carry this stuff inside,” Limestone said.
“Mm-hmm,” Marble mumbled.
“You, too, Octavio,” Limestone said.
“Anything for my sisters,” he said.
Limestone reached under the tarp and grabbed a box. It was ridiculously light. “What is this filled with, balloons?”
“Yes,” Maud said.
“This is Pinkie’s stuff?” Octavio said. “Why did you bring it to the rock farm?”
“She said she won’t need them anymore because she’s moving to Yakyakistan,” Maud said as she worked. The rain pattered over Limestone’s coat as she carried box after box into the living room. Soon her mane was soaked through.
“Why in Equestria would she move to Yakyakistan?” Limestone said. “I know she likes the yaks, but what about her friends in Ponyville?”
“A lot has happened in the last few moons,” Maud said. “She started playing a yak instrument called the yovidophone. It made her happy, but her playing was objectively bad.”
“Yikes!” Limestone said. “If Maud says it’s ‘objectively bad,’ it really is bad. Right, Marble?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“She disrupted her friends’ lives,” Maud said. “Her playing made it hard for Rarity to work, and it burst apples at Sweet Apple Acres. She played at night, waking up all of Fluttershy’s animals. Her playing at an aerial performance competition was so distracting that the Wonderbolts took second place.”
“They should be used to loud noises from the crowd,” Octavio said. “It couldn’t have been that bad.”
“Her friends asked her to stop, and she did,” Maud said. “But she said her life had lost all meaning without the yovidophone. She went to Yakyakistan to listen to the masters play, hoping she could find some semblance of happiness.”
Limestone was quiet for a moment, thinking. That seemed like quite the overreaction, even for Pinkie. “Did her mane go straight?” Marble said quietly, barely audible over the rain.
“Yes,” Maud said. “And she lost her pink.”
“Did you do anything to try to help her?” Octavio said.
“Her friends did,” Maud said. “They did everything they could think of to try to cheer her up. But she seemed even worse by the time she left for Yakyakistan.”
“We have to help her!” Octavio said.
“How?” Maud said. “Moving to Yakyakistan is her decision. And I don’t know what we can do that her friends didn’t already try.”
“It sounds like she’s miserable,” Limestone said. “Maybe she’s terrible at the yovidophone, and maybe we shouldn’t try to convince her to move back to Ponyville, but we can still do something for her. We can visit her and let her know we still care about her.” By now, they had finished moving Pinkie’s stuff into the living room. They were dripping wet. Adding Pinkie’s stuff to Octavio’s stuff, there was hardly enough room to stand. Limestone wanted to start hauling stuff away to one of the bedrooms, but that wasn’t the priority right now. She turned to Igneous and Cloudy Quartz. “Did you hear what we were talking about?”
“We did hear most of it,” Cloudy said, her voice edged with worry. “Poor Pinkamena…”
“We need to decide if we’re going to Yakyakistan or not,” Limestone said. “It’s a long trip, and none of us have ever been there before, but it’s worth it if we think it will help Pinkie.”
“Absolutely!” Octavio said.
“But will it help Pinkie?” Maud said. “Or will it make things worse?”
“Marble, you’ve been quiet,” Limestone said. “You probably know Pinkie better than anypony. What do you think?”
“Umm…” She blushed and looked down at her hooves. “I think she needs us.”
“I think that thou art right,” Igneous said. “Mayhap the journey to Yakyakistan is too strenuous for your mother and I, but ye should go to Yakyakistan.”
“Wait, are we all going?” Octavio said. “I’m certain we should try to cheer up Pinkie, but maybe I shouldn’t go. She’s never happy to see me. I’ll just make things worse.”
“She loves you more than you think,” Maud said.
“If we’re set on going, we’re all going,” Limestone said authoritatively. “Let’s pack some warm clothes and head out.” She turned towards her bedroom only to find the hallway blocked by Pinkie’s bed. “Oh, come on!” she exclaimed.
* * *
Limestone heard the distant whistling of the approaching train. The Pie siblings were waiting at the train station. The rain had stopped, but the ground was muddy, so they all wore boots. They each had a saddlebag with some winter clothes and bits. They had left in a rush after drying off and packing. They had delayed a moment for Maud to write a letter letting her boyfriend know where she was going, but it hadn’t taken long.
When Maud had first told Limestone about Pinkie, that was all Limestone could think about. But now that they were about to leave, the rock farm came back to her mind. There was so much to do, and they were just leaving. They needed to rotate the granite to the north field. Ma and Pa knew that, but Limestone wasn’t sure if they could do it without her and Marble’s help. They had left a clutter of things in the living room, so Ma and Pa would have to take care of that before they could even get to the fields. There was still the pricing dispute about the last shipment of marble. Limestone was expecting a letter—
“Hey,” Marble said. “The rock farm will be okay.”
Limestone looked at Marble, surprised. She hadn’t said anything about the rock farm to her. “Thanks, Marble,” she said. “You’re right. Ma and Pa know what they’re doing.”
“Mm-hmm,” Marble said. The train pulled up to the station, screeching to a halt. It was always weird to see the train. Everything on the rock farm was gray, and the train’s colors were so obtrusive. The engine was pink and yellow, and for some reason each car’s roof was a different color.
Limestone kicked the mud off her boots. She grabbed the ticket out of her bag with her mouth and gave it to the conductor. He punched a hole in it and gave it back to Limestone. Once the rest of the Pie siblings had boarded, he called, “All aboard for St. Moois!”
Limestone took a seat as the train started to move. Marble and Maud sat across from her. Marble’s mane fell over her face, and she avoided the glances of other ponies. She was always uncomfortable with other ponies around, beyond her family. “Octavio, I want to see that map you have again,” Limestone said.
“Okee dokee lokee,” Octavio said. He sat next to her and unfolded the map. “At St. Moois, we switch to the northbound train. It crosses the Foalorado River and the Unicorn Range.”
“Crossing the Unicorn Range is risky at this time of year,” Maud said. “The rain patterns can cause rockslides.”
“They have pegasi fly ahead of the train to make sure the tracks are clear,” Octavio said. “After the Unicorn Range, the tracks run alongside Galloping Gorge for a while. Maud, you have to promise me you won’t try to get off at the station up there to get a better look. We can’t afford any delays.”
“I’ll stay focused,” Maud said.
“Then the train crosses the Crystal Mountains and arrives in the Crystal Empire,” Octavio said. “The Crystal Mountains are snowy year-round, so avalanches are always a possibility. After the Crystal Empire, we have to cross the Yaket Range on hoof to get to Yakyakistan.”
“That will be the most difficult part,” Maud said. “Pinkie has crossed the Yaket Range on hoof, but she normally goes by balloon. I never asked her for details on how she crossed the mountains, but few ponies have done it. We should be prepared for anything.”
“Oh, I am,” Octavio said somberly, looking out the window. “Neither snow nor rain can stop us. I will climb any mountain, face any danger, to help Pinkie. We may walk until our hooves are worn, but I will not relent. We may face unknown horrors in the unexplored north, but I will face it all for Pinkie! Know what I mean?” he added brightly, turning to Limestone.
“Who were you talking to?” Limestone said, looking out the window. He and Pinkie did that sometimes, seemingly addressing some unseen viewer.
“Anyway, I’m still trying to figure out what to say to Pinkie,” Octavio said. “I never know what to do when she gets depressed.”
“Don’t think about it too much,” Limestone said. “Just us being there might mean more to her than anything we can say.”
“Maybe for the rest of us, but me…” Octavio said. He shook his head. “I’ll figure something out.”
* * *
Limestone lurched forward as the brakes of the train screeched. “Why are we stopping?” she said, looking out the window. They were in the Unicorn Range, the tracks climbing up a slope. The peaks above were snowcapped, but down here it was all bare magnesium-rich gneiss. “We can’t afford a delay! I’m going to talk to the conductor.”
Marble looked hesitant, but she and the others followed Limestone as she marched up to the front of the train. A crowd was already forming at the front of the car as passenger ponies demanded an explanation. “Now, calm down, we’re not in immediate danger,” the conductor said. “There’s been a rockslide ahead. It happened recently, after we had already left the Sweet Acorn Orchard Station. We’re lucky a pegasus spotted it and reported it before we were too close to stop.”
“How long will we be delayed?” Limestone said.
“It’s worse than a delay, I’m afraid,” the conductor said. “The rocks have buried the tracks. It’ll probably be moons before they get the specialists and heavy equipment up here to move the rocks without causing another rockslide. We’ll have to send for an airship from Canterlot.”
“Canterlot?” a mare said. “That’s a completely different direction from the Crystal Empire!”
A rockslide, Limestone thought. She glanced over at Maud, who nodded. “Excuse me,” Maud said. But her flat, calm voice was drowned out in the panicked comments of other passengers.
Limestone jumped on a seat and roared, “Hey, everypony listen up!”
They all went quiet, and Limestone pointed at Maud. “Excuse me, sir,” Maud said. “I am a geologist. May I take a look at the rockslide?”
“Um, sure,” the conductor said. “The rockslide isn’t far ahead. But take a buddy with you.”
The Pie siblings filed off the train. “You’re not thinking about moving the rocks ourselves, are you?” Octavio said.
“I want to see it, first,” Maud said. They started trotting uphill along the tracks. Octavio balanced on the iron rail as he walked. The air was chilly, and there was a wind. They had a long way to go to Yakyakistan, but it was already colder than at the rock farm. It wasn’t long before they could see the rockslide. It wasn’t as bad as Limestone had expected. It would take them moons to clear this? She and Marble moved as many rocks in a day of work. There were some larger boulders that would be harder to move, though. And the real problem was the mountain to the right. It was basically a pile of loose rocks, ready to slide again if they moved things too much.
Maud retrieved her pet rock from her pocket and tossed him on the ground. “What do you think, Boulder?” she said. “If we move that gneiss boulder over there and clear away the pile of shale, will that stop the rest of the rocks from sliding?” She was quiet for a moment. “I agree.” She turned to the others and said, “I think we can clear the tracks.”
“That’s a lot of rocks,” Octavio said. “How long do you think it will take to clear it all?”
“Octavio, you’ve been off the rock farm for too long,” Limestone said, smirking. “But it’ll be faster if we get the other passengers to help. Maud and Marble can grind up the larger boulders to make them easier to move. I’ll direct the passengers and make sure nopony gets hurt. Let’s tell the conductor.”
Maud pocketed Boulder, and they turned back towards the train. Once they boarded, they approached the conductor. “We looked at the landslide,” Limestone said. “You don’t need to wait for a team of specialists; we’re already here. Why bring in heavy equipment when you already have a family of rock-farming earth ponies?”
“We can move the rocks safely,” Maud said. “But we’ll need everypony’s help to get it done faster.”
“Are you sure about this?” the conductor said. “It sounds dangerous.”
“Trust me,” Maud said. “I’m a doctor.”
“It’s true,” Octavio added. “She completed a rocktorate degree at the Equestrian Institute of Rockology.”
“That sounds legit,” the conductor said. “Go ahead, as long as you’re careful.”
Octavio hopped on a seat. “Attention, everypony!” he said. The other passengers turned to look at him, quiet. “My brilliant sister, Maud Pie, has figured out a way to clear the rockslide. But we need your help. My confident and organized sister, Limestone Pie, will tell you what to do.”
Limestone was a little bitter Octavio had gotten everypony’s attention like he was in charge. But she appreciated the compliments. “Alright, everypony,” Limestone said. “If you want to be out of these mountains before midnight, you’re all going to have to put in some hard work.”
* * *
Limestone wiped the sweat off her face. The sun was setting, and the tracks were cleared. Maud and Marble had done excellently with their job of breaking up the boulders. Octavio wasn’t as experienced as his sisters, but he was certainly better with rocks than some of those snooty unicorns. At first Limestone had focused her efforts on directing the others, but for the last few hours she had spent most of her time hauling rocks. Leadership was about more than telling others what to do.
“Great job, everypony!” the conductor said. “Let’s get back on the train so we can head out.” He approached the Pie siblings and said, “I’m impressed. You must really need to get where you’re going.”
“You could say that,” Octavio said.
* * *
Limestone watched as snowy mountains passed by the window. Frost was forming on the outside of the glass, but it was still warm inside the train. She had heard it was warm in the Crystal Empire, too, but that was hard to believe. “I wish the rocks weren’t covered in snow,” Maud said. Now she sat next to Limestone. Marble and Octavio sat across from them. Octavio was telling Marble overblown stories of his adventures in sweets baking and buckball. Marble was, as usual, just listening.
“I wanted to see if the Crystal Mountains really earned their name,” Maud continued. “Judging by their shape, it’s possible they contain some metamorphic rocks with feldspar crystals. But it’s impossible to know for certain unless I get off the train and dig through the snow.”
“Well, you resisted the temptation to get off the train at Galloping Gorge,” Limestone said. “Don’t let yourself break here.”
“I know,” Maud said. “It’s just exciting to travel across Equestria and see all these geological formations.” Of course, she said it with a completely flat voice, not sounding at all excited.
The train turned around a bend, and everything suddenly changed. The snow was gone in an instant. “Whoa, that’s neat!” Octavio said. The sharp mountains gave way to hills of grass. There were some farms in the distance. Dotting the landscape were clusters of crystals that grew like shrubs. Most impressive, however, was the view ahead of the train.
A shining, white and blue castle rose above a city. The elegant castle was a delicate structure with tall, narrow, pointed spires. The castle and the city below sparkled in the sunlight. The buildings of the city were all different colors, greens, reds, and blues. They were sharp, jagged structures. “Is it… actually made of crystal?” Limestone said. It certainly looked that way.
“That’s what Pinkie told me,” Maud said.
“I didn’t realize the name was literal,” Limestone said. Questions ran through her mind. Did the structures appear there naturally? If so, how? It would have to be magic. Or did the crystal ponies build the city? As the train drew closer, it appeared the crystals were solid, with no fractures and no mortar to hold the buildings together. Ponies couldn’t have built that. Could they? Limestone didn’t understand much about magic.
“Approaching the Crystal Empire,” the conductor called from the front car. “This is the end of the line.” Limestone stood up and grabbed her saddlebag as the train slowed to a stop. She opened the door and stepped out onto the train station.
She noticed the crystal ponies immediately. They looked like earth ponies at first glance, but Limestone’s eye for detail didn’t miss the differences. The light shone off their eyes in a different way, like they were made of crystal. “I should definitely come here again,” Octavio said. “Maybe I could set up a sweets stand for the next Crystal Fair.”
The Pie siblings moved out of the way of the crowd of ponies. Octavio trotted to the information desk and grabbed a travel guide. “Let’s see,” he said, flipping through it. “There should be something on Yakyakistan here.” He was looking for quite a while before he said, “Right heree-o. There’s not much. ‘See the Arctic Rescue Office for information on Yakyakistan.’ It has an address, and there’s a map earlier, so we should be able to find it.”
Limestone almost asked to take the brochure, but Octavio was more familiar with travel. He would be more experienced with directions. “Should be easy enough,” he said after studying the map. “Follow me.” They left the train station. Their hooves clacked on the sparkling, crystal streets. The sun was low in the sky, its golden light filtering through buildings, scattering rainbows. The air was warm and dry, in contrast to the snowy landscape they had crossed to get here. “Wow, this city is great!” Octavio said.
“The crystal structures are… impressive,” Maud said, sounding unimpressed.
Octavio’s sense of direction was true; soon they were at a building with a sign that read “Arctic Rescue Office.” Limestone knocked on the door, her hoof making a loud clack on the crystal door. A few moments later, a unicorn opened the door. She had a broken horn, a scar over her eye, a crimson mane, and a dark, purple coat. “What do you want?” she said sternly.
Limestone could do stern, too. “We need to get Yakyakistan,” she said. “This brochure said ‘see the Arctic Rescue Office for information on Yakyakistan,’ so you’re gonna tell us what you know about getting there.”
“I see,” the unicorn said dryly. “Glitter Drops,” she called, turning inside. She walked farther into the office, leaving the Pie siblings at the door. A little while later, she came back, looking irritated. “I’ll take you to the northern border of the Crystal Empire, but I have responsibilities here, so I can’t go all the way through the Yaket Range,” she said. “It’s too late to start today. Find a hotel for the night, and meet me here at 0500 tomorrow. Unless that’s too early for tourist ponies like yourselves?”
“We’re farm ponies, Queen Edgy,” Limestone said. “We wake up at 4:00am.”
“We do?” Octavio said, surprised.
Limestone rolled her eyes. “We’ll be there,” she said, turning away.
* * *
The Pie siblings trotted down the empty streets of the Crystal Empire. The sky was just beginning to lighten. Even in the early morning, the air was cool but not cold. That would change soon, though. They had dressed up in their warmest clothes. They arrived at the Arctic Rescue Office, and Limestone knocked on the door. The knock was muffled by her boot, so she knocked again, but louder.
The door opened almost immediately. It was the unicorn with the broken horn. “Oh, you made it,” she said. She was already dressed in arctic gear. “I feel like it’s my duty to warn you that this journey is more dangerous than you might think. Ever since the yaks reopened the border with Equestria, ponies think they can just go to Yakyakistan. Ponies have died in those mountains. Are you sure you need to go there?”
Limestone hesitated. She wasn’t one to back down from a challenge, but she needed to think about the whole family here. As the oldest Pie sibling, Limestone felt responsible for anything bad that happened. What if the worst happened? They couldn’t help Pinkie if they froze to death. Ma and Pa would be heartbroken, and they wouldn’t have enough help to run the rock farm. “What do you all think?” Limestone said, turning to her siblings.
“We can’t turn back now,” Octavio said.
“Technically,” Maud said, “we can. But I’d prefer to take the risk to help Pinkie.”
“I agree,” Octavio said.
“Marble, do you think we should keep going?” Limestone said.
“Mm-hmm,” she said.
“That’s settled then,” Limestone said.
“I’ll do my best to keep you alive,” the unicorn said. She stepped closer, touching Limestone’s brown, wool jacket. “It seems like you’ve dressed warm enough. Are your boots waterproof?”
“Yes,” Limestone said.
“You’ll need snowshoes,” the unicorn said. “I’ll get four sets.” She went inside the office.
“She’s just always cheery, isn’t she?” Octavio said.
The unicorn returned and gave each of them four snowshoes. “If you survive, bring these back when you return,” she said. “Let’s go.” They started at a canter towards the northern edge of the city. In these clothes, Limestone started feeling hot as they continued. Soon they were at the edge of the city, and the crystal street gave way to a dirt road. They passed by farms—plant, not rock—as the arctic sun slowly rose.
As they drew closer, it became very obvious where the Crystal Empire’s magic stopped. There was a magical shimmer, gently rounded to make a dome around the city and its farms. Outside, snow piled up on the magical barrier. Snow rushed through the air, blown by a wind that had no effect inside the barrier. “Put on your snowshoes,” the unicorn said. She had them done before anypony else. Rather than waiting, she jumped up through the barrier, landing on top of the snow. Limestone followed her.
The abrupt transition from warm to cold was shocking. Shivers ran through her body, though she was still warm. The wind was biting, the blowing snow blinding. “The northern border of the Crystal Empire is at the base of that mountain,” the unicorn said, pointing. The Crystal Empire was surrounded by mountains on all sides. “I’ll take you that far.”
They started at a trotting pace, their snowshoes keeping them on top of the snow. They were still on a path of some kind, with hanging lamps marking the way. “The biggest danger of the journey is the cold,” the unicorn said over the wind. “You’ve dressed well, and the sun will warm things up some. Keep up a quick pace; you want to be in Yakyakistan by nightfall. If you are stuck in the mountains overnight, find a cave to keep warm, but make sure it’s empty first. There are some predators up there. Another big danger is overexertion. You have a lot of elevation to gain. You’ll be tired, and the air will be thinner. You ponies had better be in shape.”
“I told you, we’re farm ponies,” Limestone said. “Anything else to watch out for?”
“It’s easy to get lost in these mountains,” the unicorn said. “There are no clear trails to follow. I’ll give you a map before I turn back, but it’s up to you to follow it correctly. And I mentioned predators, but there’s one in particular. It lives in a cave near Yakyakistan. It’s huge and white, and it loves ponies. It has sharp claws, but it’s not very fast. If you see it or hear it, gallop for Yakyakistan.”
“Oh, great,” Limestone said. “I thought you said this would be hard.” But underneath, she felt afraid. What had she gotten them into? How had Pinkie done this alone? They didn’t even know for certain that she had made it to Yakyakistan. What if she hadn’t? “By the way, have you seen a pink… a gray mare head for Yakyakistan in the last few days?” Limestone said. “She would have had a straight mane and a balloon cutie mark.”
“I didn’t see her,” the unicorn said. “But not everypony comes to the office before heading to Yakyakistan. Is that why you need to go there so badly? Looking for a lost friend?”
“Our sister,” Limestone said. “Yes.”
“You shouldn’t go,” the unicorn said. “Send a letter to Yakyakistan, instead. You might be able to hire a Wonderbolt to fly it across the mountains. If you can’t do that, wait in the Crystal Empire. The yaks occasionally send messengers there, and you can send the next one back with your letter. It’d be much safer.”
“What’s it to you?” Limestone said sharply. “We’ve already made our decision.”
“This journey is dangerous, and I don’t want you to go unless you absolutely need to.”
“Pinkie absolutely needs our help,” Octavio said.
“If she went alone by hoof, you might not be able to help her,” the unicorn said. “She could have frozen to death, and you’d be risking the same fate yourselves.”
“What’s your problem?” Limestone demanded, stopping and looking her in the eyes. “Our sister matters to us as much as our own lives, and your dismissive attitude is really starting to peeve me.” Marble gasped. The unicorn just glared into Limestone’s eyes.
“It’s my job to keep ponies safe in the arctic,” she said. “I take that job very seriously. Part of that is dissuading ponies who have no good reason to travel past the Crystal Empire. But you seem convinced that your reason is worthwhile. So I won’t try to stop you.” She turned and continued towards the mountain.
Limestone growled and turned to follow her. Maud trotted up alongside her. “I know, she irritates you,” Maud said. “She irritates me, too. But we should be grateful. We knew nothing about the dangers of the Yaket Range, and she’s been very informative.”
Limestone sighed. “You’re right,” she said.
* * *
“This is it, little ponies,” the unicorn said. The way ahead was steep. There was a sharp drop-off on one side. So far, there had been a rail to keep anypony from falling, but that stopped here. “Follow this path up the mountain, to start. Here’s a map.” Her broken horn didn’t seem to do levitation; she grabbed it with her mouth. Octavio took it. “Make sure to go through Horn Pass, not Glacier Pass. Good luck.” The unicorn turned and started down the mountain.
“Thank you!” Octavio said.
“Mm-hmm,” Marble added.
Limestone looked up their path. It was a narrow path with a sheer stone wall on one side and a long, vertical cliff on the other. It was covered in slippery snow and ice. The mountain seemed to rise forever. “Well, Pies, let’s head out!” Limestone said, faking confidence.
* * *
Octavio cocked his head, looking at the map differently. “I think we already passed Yakovlev Peak,” he said. “Which means the pass ahead of us is Horn Pass.”
“But look at the stratification on the mountain behind us,” Maud said. “The map has no such stratification drawn on Yakovlev Peak. I think it was Mount Clovenhoof, meaning the pass ahead is Glacier Pass.”
“Not everypony is a geologist, Maud,” Octavio said. “Maybe whoever drew the map just left out the stratification.”
“Such an inaccuracy would be—”
“Enough,” Limestone said, grabbing the map. “Why can’t we just keep going north? Won’t we find Yakyakistan eventually?”
“Look at the cliffs after Glacier Pass,” Octavio said. “If we do go through Glacier Pass, there’s no way we’ll be able to climb those cliffs and reach Yakyakistan.”
“We need to figure out something soon,” Limestone said. “Look how low the sun is in the sky. We need to make it to Yakyakistan before nightfall.”
“It’s the arctic,” Maud said. “The sun is always low in the sky.”
“I said quiet!” Marble said emphatically. Limestone looked at her in surprise. She never raised her voice like that. How long had she been trying to get their attention? She pointed to a snowbank above them. Snow was sliding down from it, as though something were moving up there. It was rhythmic and spaced like hoofsteps, but they were way too far apart. Whatever was up there, it was huge.
The white predator the unicorn had mentioned came to mind. “It probably already heard us,” Limestone whispered. “Run that way.” She pointed away from the snowbank, up a different snowy slope. They took off at a gallop. Just a second later, Limestone heard a crash behind her, followed by a huge roar. It had tried to ambush them, and it had nearly succeeded. Limestone’s heart took off racing, and fear clutched her mind.
We’re going to die, we’re going to die, we’re going to die, she thought. She glanced around to make sure everypony was with her. Yes, they were all alongside her, galloping at full speed up the hill. She caught a quick look at the monster that followed them. It was enormous. They ran and ran, the monster’s footsteps close on their tails. Limestone thought she could even smell its breath.
As they raced up the hill, the snow, snowshoes, and incline slowed them down. It’s going to catch us, Limestone thought. But its footsteps became more distant, and then they stopped entirely. Limestone and the others kept galloping for a while, then they slowed to a canter as they reached the top of the hill. Limestone looked behind her, but she didn’t see the monster. Where had it gone? Would it ambush them again?
“Is everypony okay?” Octavio said, panting as he cantered. “Maud, did it get you?” Limestone looked over at Maud. Her tail was roughly cut at about half length.
“Just my tail,” she said.
Limestone looked around. “Well, if we weren’t lost before, we are now,” she said. As the fear seeped away, fatigue took over. She could feel that the air was thinner here. She was breathing hard constantly. Their gallop had driven the cold out of her body, but she was getting hungry and they were low on oats. “I’m sorry, everypony. Coming here was a bad idea. I have no idea where Yakyakistan is, and the sun will set soon. I should have listened to that unicorn and sent a letter instead.”
“It’s all our fault, not just yours,” Maud said.
“Don’t let your hopes go floppy just yet,” Octavio said. “Look!” He pointed ahead to the crest of the next hill. There was a dark, brown shape behind it that didn’t look like it belonged in the landscape.
“What is it?” Limestone said.
“A yak!” Octavio said. “It’s a giant, wooden carving of a yak!” Now Limestone saw it. She was just looking at it wrong earlier. “We did it everypony! We made it to Yakyakistan!”
“Now comes the real hard part,” Limestone said. “Helping Pinkie.” Octavio seemed to deflate a little.
* * *
The city of Yakyakistan was surrounded in an impressive wooden wall. Torches lit the wall, although the sun had not yet set. The imposing wooden gates were left open. The yaks had cleared the snow around the gate, so Limestone took off her snowshoes. Coming into the city, she saw humble huts made of dried mud with thatched roofs. And of course, she saw the yaks. The yaks were imposing, taller and stockier than ponies. They were covered in thick, long, wooly hair. They were all different shades of brown—no pastel colors here.
Several yaks looked at the ponies in surprise, but they continued on their way without saying anything. How to find Pinkie? There was a building that yaks were coming in and out of frequently. It had a wide doorway. It looked like a pub of some kind. “Follow me, Pies,” Limestone said.
She entered the building. It was one large room, full of yaks at tables. One yak near the back of the room sat at a table with some…thing. It was a sac with enormous wooden horns coming out of it. “That’s a yovidophone,” Maud said. “Let’s ask that yak if she’s seen Pinkie.” Limestone looked around the room again, but all she saw was yaks. No Pinkie.
“Hello, little ponies,” the yak said as they approached. She spoke Ponish, but with an accent. “Are you yovidophone fan-ponies, too? Yigrid just finish set, but play another after catch breath.”
“I dabble,” Maud said. “But we’re actually looking for the yovidophone fan-pony. Have you seen her?”
“Fan-pony often here,” Yigrid said. “If not, usually on top of city wall. Big drop off on north side. Yigrid think pony like view there.”
“Thank you,” Maud said. They turned to leave. Yigrid grabbed her yovidophone and returned to the stage. She started playing as the Pies were leaving. The deep, rich, harmonious sound washed out of the pub.
“We’ll check the north side of the wall,” Limestone said. “If she isn’t there, we’ll come back here and wait until she shows up.” They started trotting to the north side of the city. It turned out to be a smaller town than the Crystal Empire; soon they reached the far end of the wall. A gray pony with straight hair was up there.
“Pinkie!” Octavio called, waving.
“Oh,” Pinkamena said, apathetic. “Hey.” She turned back to look at the view. She looked worse than Limestone had imagined. Limestone looked around and saw a ladder. She let Maud, Marble, and Octavio go first. “How far down do you think it is, Pebble?” Pinkamena said.
“You’re talking to rocks, now?” Maud said.
“You do it,” Pinkamena said.
“You don’t,” Maud said. As Limestone got up the ladder, she saw that Pinkie had a nice piece of silicate-rich marble with her. The sun had set, but there was still some light in the sky. The sweeping, arctic landscape below all looked gray in this lighting.
“What’s going on, Pinkamena?” Limestone said. “I haven’t seen you this forlorn in years.”
“I’m just contemplating,” Pinkamena said. “This drop seems high enough to kill a pony. But the rules of physics never seemed to apply to me.”
The words died in Limestone’s throat. How could she respond to that? “Pinkamena,” Octavio said, his tone serious for once. “So what if your friends said you weren’t good at the yovidophone? So what if they’re right? There are so many other things you’re good at. I’ve never beaten you in a bake-off. You’re the best earth pony in buckball history. Your parties are so good they inspired Cheese Sandwich. On top of it all, you’ve saved Equestria like a dozen times!”
“None of that makes me happy anymore,” Pinkamena said. “Nor does listening to the yovidophone. I just want to play. Do you know what it’s like to be terrible at the thing you care about most?”
“All too well, Pinkie,” Octavio said. “I’ve always been a rival to you, when all I ever wanted was to support you.”
“If playing yovidophone makes you happy, do it,” Limestone said. “Go right up to Yigrid and ask her for a chance to play. And if the yaks don’t like it, we’ll shut them up.”
Pinkamena sighed. “And then what? Today it’s the yovidophone. Last time, it was because I didn’t like Maud’s boyfriend. Another time, I got upset because my friends were avoiding me to throw a surprise party. What will it be next time?” Limestone understood what she meant. Though infrequent, Pinkie’s depressive side always came back.
“You press on,” Octavio said. “I admire you, Pinkamena. I adore you, even idolize you. And this side of you doesn’t make me think any less of you. You always bring a smile to everypony’s face, even if you don’t feel one yourself. That makes you even more amazing!”
Marble moved forward, scooting past Maud and sitting down next to Pinkamena. “I need you,” she said quietly. “Nopony understands me like you do. I don’t need you around all the time, but I need to know I can talk to you if I’m feeling lonely.” Tears dripped from Marble’s face. Pinkamena turned to look at her, and there were tears in her eyes as well.
“I love you bigger than all Equestria!” Pinkamena cried. They hugged each other and both started bawling. Limestone wasn’t sure what to do with all this feelings stuff. She just stood there awkwardly. “Thank you all for coming,” Pinkamena said, sobbing. “When we get off this wall, we’re all hugging.” Limestone and Maud didn’t really do hugs, but neither objected this time.
Pinkamena finally stopped crying. “I still think playing the yovidophone will do you some good,” Limestone said.
“I might as well give it a shot,” Pinkamena said. “But the yaks won’t like it. They kind of have issues with things that aren’t perfect.” She didn’t sound quite as despondent anymore.
“You work so hard to make other ponies smile,” Maud said. “You deserve to do something that makes you smile, too.” Limestone went back down the ladder. The others followed her, including Pinkamena.
“Come here, everypony!” Pinkamena said. Her forelegs seemed to stretch as she grabbed her siblings and hugged them all. Limestone maybe smiled a bit.
* * *
“Of course yovidophone fan-pony can play,” Yigrid said. “Yigrid wonder why fan-pony not ask sooner.”
“Okay…” Pinkamena said hesitantly. She took the yovidophone and stepped up onto the stage. Yigrid said something to the audience in Yakish, and they all turned to watch Pinkamena. “Here we go…” she said. “And a-one, and a-two, and a-I-kinda-remember-what-to-do.” She took in huge breath and—
Nothing could have prepared Limestone for the sound that came out of those pipes. It was like a dissonant ruckus of broken train horns. But as Pinkamena played, pinkness flushed into her coat and hair. Her hair inflated like a balloon, the curls returning. The yellow and blue of her balloon cutie mark seemed more vibrant than ever. Her expression was one of pure joy as she blew into the mouthpiece, her cheeks puffed and spit flying everywhere. Limestone forgot all about the terrible, horrifying sound; Pinkie Pie was back!
Pinkie finished her brief song sliding across the stage as she played a high, loud note. For a moment, the only sound in the room was her panting. Then, the yaks exploded into applause. They liked it. “Uh, I kinda wasn’t expecting this,” Pinkie said.
“Yeah, what?” Limestone said. She was still trying to rearrange her brain after that cacophony.
Yigrid stomped and said, “Pony play good set.”
“You think so?” Pinkie said. “Even though it wasn’t perfect?”
“Yovidophone is instrument of happiness,” Yigrid said. “Playing yovidophone make pony happy. Pony playing is perfect!”
“Well, if that’s the case, let me play the song I just wrote two seconds ago,” Pinkie said enthusiastically. “It’s called: ‘I’ve Got the Best, Most Supportive Siblings a Pony Could Ever Ask For!’ It’s a working title. And a-one—”
“And a-two!” Octavio said.
“And a-I know what to do!” Pinkie said. The cacophony continued. But Pinkie was happy, and that was what mattered.
* * *
Pinkie left the building bouncing. “I’m ecstatic to see you happy again, Pinkie,” Maud said, not at all sounding ecstatic. “Just consider one thing: Be mindful about when you play. Don’t play at night, and don’t interrupt your friends at work. Maybe that’s part of why they asked you to stop in the first place.”
Limestone was surprised to see ponies entering the city from the front gate. She recognized Applejack and the Princess of Friendship. Three others were with them. “Pinkie Pie?” Twilight Sparkle said. “Maud? What happened? It looks like you’re feeling better, Pinkie.”
“We came here as fast as we could,” one of them said, a pegasus with a light blue coat and a rainbow mane and tail. “We thought a hot air balloon would be fastest, but it was days before we got a favorable wind.”
“I’m so happy to see you all!” Pinkie said. “I’ve decided I’m moving back to Ponyville!”
“Well, listen here, Pin—” Applejack said. “Wait, really?”
“Yep! I’ve also decided…” She nervously poked the ground with her hoof. “I’m going to keep playing the yovidophone. I know I’m not good at it, but I love it. I promise I’ll be more mindful about when I play, though. No more interrupting Wonderbolt performances or waking up sleeping animals.”
“If yovidophone makes you happy, you should keep playing,” Twilight said. “We were wrong to ask you to stop.”
“Although we are glad to hear that you’re thinking about when it is appropriate to play,” one of them added, a white unicorn.
“You’re… okay with letting me play?” Pinkie said. “You’re the best, most supportive friends a pony could ever ask for!”
“Hey, didn’t you just say that about us?!” Limestone said.
“I love you all!” Pinkie said, bouncing and beaming. “I’m so happy you’re all here!”
The End
