James was walking around Ponyville when he heard the noise. It was genuinely bad piping, though he had heard worse before. Drunken dwarfs picking up bagpipes for the first time thinking it would be easy were with out a doubt the worst players he had ever heard. At least this was trying to sound like something.
It stopped as suddenly as it started and he still had no idea where it had come from. With a shrug he continued further into town. He had to collect a shipment of gems anyway. They had become quite popular in other universes and they were fast becoming high price items. The ponies didn't understand why he was paying them more for these gems than they asked, but they weren't going to complain. He collected the shipment without incident and returned to New Guardia.
Over the next week James would make the occasional business trip to Ponyville for gems or to visit with the ponies. He had also been picking up the slack from Pinkie Pie's friendship classes, but he figured she must have been feeling sick as there was no other excuse he could imagine for her to willingly miss class. And the rest of the girls didn't seem to think anything was wrong so he let the matter drop.
That is until Twilight came to New Guardia Castle late at night. She knew this was a long shot, but to really help Pinkie Pie feel appreciated she needed everyone, and that included James. She took a breath outside his bedroom door, he wasn't always nice when he woke up but she had to do it. And she brought him coffee, that should help.
Quietly she sneaked in, James was only snoring as bad as Starlight tonight so sneaking only involved making sure she didn't bump into anything. She brought the coffee near James's side of the bed and with her wing she carefully brushed his forehead. As gentle a wake up as possible should keep him from getting angry.
Between the light, the smell of coffee and something tickling his forehead James couldn't help but wake up. As his eyes focused he saw Twilight's smiling face looking right at him. Not his first choice on how to start a day. If Twilight was waking him up there had to be something wrong. Though her not looking worried seemed to run counter to that.
James looked to the clock next to her and found that he had only gone to sleep an hour earlier. He reached out and grabbed the coffee, it was gone in seconds and he quietly got out of bed and motioned for Twilight to follow him. “There a problem or is this just an ill timed social call?” He calmly asked.
“There is a problem, but we want you to come over for a party.” Twilight said.
“So an ill timed social call.” James bluntly said.
“Well, the party is the solution … hopefully. Pinkie Pie's been depressed lately and we're throwing her an appreciation party to let her know how much she means to us! And we want you there because you're our friend.” Twilight explained. She did leave out why Pinkie Pie was so depressed, she didn't want to complicate anything.
“I see.” James mumbled. “Then we need a party planner.” With a grin he walked towards the front of the castle.
“Well, I think we can get something good together …” Twilight started to say before James interrupted.
“The Yaks.” Was all James said before opening the front doors of the castle. “Besides, who better to know what will make Pinkie Pie feel appreciated than Pinkie Pie.”
It had been months since Twilight had seen Mirror Pinkie. It was easy for her to forget with the real one around all the time. “That's great. And we'll appreciate them both!”
It wasn't long before they arrived in Truce, Mirror Pinkie had moved to the old district shortly after taking a job as James's filing clerk. It paid well and since she could do half her work from her omnitool she had time to do the things she loved. It had taken James a while to get used to her rating system for contractors he would regularly hire, but he couldn't deny the results. Something about her seemingly random strategy proved successful.
Twilight wouldn't normally consider this, but it was important to have the best party they could possibly get. And if that meant bringing in Pinkie Pie to help Pinkie Pie she was going to do it. Once she explained the situation to Mirror Pinkie she was ready to help with her own party cannon.
James stood around drinking an energy drink as he watched the party come together. Pinkie Pie was going all out and if there was anything she needed that she couldn't readily get her omnitool quickly made it.
“Now this is perfection.” Rarity said, marveling at the scene.
“Yeah.” Rainbow Dash readily agreed. “If anything can make Pinkie forget about her uvidophone, this is definitely it.”
“Uvidophone?” James asked as he looked to Rainbow Dash to clarify.
“It was some instrument Pinkie was playing. She was terrible at it and didn't respond as well as we hoped when we asked her to stop.” Applejack nervously said.
James smacked his forehead as he listened. “Okay, first; is it now any surprise why Rainbow Dash lied about liking pie? Second; Telling her to stop was probably the worst idea you could have gone with.”
“Well, we couldn't lie to her. You know how well that went with Celestia's acting and I can't just do with her uvidaphone what I did with her pies.” Rainbow Dash said as she walked up to James.
James chuckled as he remembered cracking jokes with Luna as they waited to watch the school's play. “Okay, second worst.”
Mirror Pinkie bounced up to them. “Ooh, this is so exciting! When am I going to get here? I can barely wait!”
“Gummy's on it. In fact there he is now!” Twilight happily said as they watched the toothless alligator get dragged by a balloon across the city center.
Mirror Pinkie rushed up and hugged the reptile before holding him out. “Gummy! Do you know where I am? I'm supposed to be here for my party! … …” Mirror Pinkie gasped as she put Gummy down and ran for Sugar Cube Corner.
Not knowing what was going on the others followed her. The room that had been Pinkie Pie's was nearly bare as Maude came up and collected the last box.
“Maude? Why are you packing up all my stuff and taking it to a wagon?” Mirror Pinkie asked.
Maude calmly looked at Mirror Pinkie. “Because you asked me to.”
“What?!” Mirror Pinkie shouted.
“You asked me to pack up your room and take everything to the rock farm.” Maude said with as much emotion as ever.
“What?!” Came the collective call from the girls.
“She said she wouldn't need them since she's moving to Yakyakistan.” Maude explained.
The girls all stopped and shouted “What” again in surprise. James shook his head at the repetition.
Mirror Pinkie rushed up to her sister and tried to understand. “Why would I do that? I love Ponyville.”
Maude looked to Mirror Pinkie as she walked. She knew this was the copy that lived in New Guardia and not the one who asked her to move her stuff out. “You said that without the uvidaphone your life had no meaning and at least in Yakyakistan you could listen to the masters play. You hoped that would give you some semblance of happiness.”
Mirror Pinkie gasped as she rushed over to the other girls. “We have to get to Yakyakistan right away! I need to come home!”
“Pinkie.” Twilight calmly said. “We can't just force her to come home …”
“Yes you can.” Mirror Pinkie interrupted. “You just need Applejack's lasso and when I'm tied up good and tight you and Rainbow Dash can fly me away!” She acted out the scene as she described it, even floating in the air for a few feet before laughing as she finished talking.
“Pinkie!” Twilight reiterated. “We have to respect her decision. But we can go and say goodbye. And if we happen to mention how much her friendship means to us. And how much we'd miss her if she were gone forever. And she decided to come back home on her own …”
“Off to Yakyakistan!” Mirror Pinkie shouted as they walked off to rent a balloon. “Anypony up for a game of I spy?”
“It's a cloud Pinkie!” Rainbow Dash angrily said for the thousandth time of what was probably the thousandth round of I spy as Yakyakistan came into view.
“You're right Rainbow Dash!” She happily said before leaning over the edge of the basket. “Is that Yakyakistan?” She asked, as energetically as ever.
“You're the ambassador of friendship to the Yaks, Pinkie.” Rarity reminded her.
“No I'm not. I am. I don't know anything about the yaks. Oooh! This is so exciting!” Mirror Pinkie announced.
As they landed a haunting melody filled the air, Twilight knew the sound as Yona had records of the music. James smiled, there were similarities to both the bagpipe and the accordion, it was certainly music he would welcome in Truce. Mirror Pinkie was enthralled, the subtle notes and harmony spoke to her about joy in a way she had never heard before.
It was easy to find Pinkie Pie in the room of yaks, sitting at a table downing sundaes in a single gulp and looking almost bitter as she did. They calmly walked over to the depressed pony still enjoying the music as they did.
“I feel nothing.” Pinkie Pie said as another sundae was placed in front of her.
“Maybe we can help with that.” Twilight said as she approached her friend.
“Oh, hi. What brings you guys out here?” Pinkie Pie asked, not really feeling happy or disappointed about their coming.
“Hear us out.” Applejack asked, she felt terrible about her part that drove Pinkie Pie away.
“We respect your decision to to move to Yakyakistan.” Rainbow Dash really wanted to tell her to come back, but she also didn't want to push Pinkie around. Asking her to change something that made her happy was why they were here in the first place.
“But we just wanted to remind you how much you mean to us.” Twilight offered.
The bench creaked as James calmly sat next to Pinkie Pie. “Certainly won't be the same place without you.” He said with a nod.
“Fine.” Pinkie Pie said, not caring to hear anymore. “I'll move back to Ponyville.”
Rainbow Dash began to celebrate as James looked over to Pinkie Pie. “I know you're still depressed Pinkie. Care to tell me what's wrong?”
Pinkie Pie sighed as she pointed to the stage. “That's what's wrong. I thought coming here and listening to real uvidophone playing would make me happy.” The Yak stopped playing and left the stage to applause.
“How can I not feel all warm and smiley listening to that happy music?” Mirror Pinkie asked, still enthralled by the music though she was now paying attention to what else was going on.
“It makes me feel worse.” Pinkie moped. “I'm never going to sound like them.”
“That's why you take lessons.” James said with a grin. “It's a long and winding road to getting good, but it's easier to navigate with a guide. You have no idea how many classes I took to learn how to sing, and I'm still flat from time to time. But I love doing it, so I got help and stuck to it.”
Pinkie Pie looked at him for a moment as the performer walked up to her table. “Fan pony watch Yegrid's uvidophone while Yegrid visit's little Yak's room?” The yak asked with a smile.
“Sure.” Pinkie Pie said with a shrug. “If I can't play it I might as well do menial chores for those who can.”
Mirror Pinkie was next to her in a heartbeat happily staring at the instrument. Determined to commit everything about it to memory as her counterpart let her head drop onto it.
There were several honks as Pinkie Pie and Mirror Pinkie both poked at the instrument. James had his omnitool out and was scanning it, deciding if replicating it would be sufficient, or if he should have one custom made for Mirror Pinkie. Possibly both of them. He thought as he looked to the smile the noise brought to Pinkie Pie's face.
Pinkie Pie noticed her friends looking at her as she made the noise and pushed the uvidophone off the table, much to the horror of Mirror Pinkie who shouted and leaped over the table to save it. “Sorry.” Pinkie Pie was quick to say. “I forgot what an awful a uvidophoner I am.”
“Playing it makes you so happy.” Twilight said, latching on to the one thing that would definitely help.
“It sure does.” Pinkie Pie said with a sigh and a smile. “I mean, it did.” She corrected, her smile disappearing.
“Then you should never stop.” Twilight urged to the agreement of everyone else.
“But you were the ones who told me to stop because I wasn't any good.” Pinkie said, confused by their change of heart.
“And we were wrong.” Twilight admitted. She knew the playing would be a problem, but it was much better than what had happened when she stopped.
“Playing makes you happy.” Fluttershy added.
“And as long as it makes you happy it doesn't matter how good you are.” Rarity could easily see how important it was and wasn't going to let a little lack of talent keep her friend from being happy.
Applejack had collected the uvidophone from Mirror Pinkie and approached Pinkie Pie. “Now get up there and show these yaks how it's done.” She insisted.
“I can do it!” Mirror Pinkie cheered as she did cartwheels around the group.
This was a terrifying proposition and even when she was playing back in Ponyville she wasn't willing to perform in front of yaks. “I don't know if you've noticed, but the audience are all yaks.” She loudly whispered. “And they kind of have “issues” with things that aren't perfect. Like my playing.”
“Oh I'll be fine.” Mirror Pinkie said pushing Pinkie Pie towards stage.
“And if these Yaks don't like it, they'll have to answer to us!” Rainbow Dash said as she dragged over Applejack and James.
“Alright. If you all say so.” Pinkie Pie said, lacking any semblance confidence.
Rainbow Dash flew ahead and announced Pinkie Pie to the stage. “Ladies and Gentle Yaks! Performing for her very first time here, let's give a big round of stomps fo-o-o-or Pinkie Pie!”
The only cheering to be heard was from Mirror Pinkie who was making enough of a ruckus for several yaks.
Pinkie Pie was terrified, memories of the destruction three yaks had done in Ponyville when upset clearly in her mind. And if these yaks weren't happy it would only be worse. “Hiya. So-o-o any yaks here from out of town?” She awkwardly asked. The only response she got was silence. “O-kay.” Pinkie said as she took a seat.
“And a one, and a two and a I kinda remember what to do.” There was no backing down now.
Pinkie Pie began to blow into the instrument, producing an atonal cacophony both unlike and similar to what had always come from the instrument in her use. As she played her mood visibly lifted and the notes got more chaotic and curiously spaced.
She breathed heavily as she stopped playing, both for the exhilaration of playing and the terror of the inevitable Yak destruction at their fury for her bad playing.
Yak hoots and cheers joined Mirror Pinkie's as they celebrated the performance.
“Okay. I wasn't expecting that reaction.” Pinkie Pie said, more than a little confused though quite happy.
“Me neither.” Rainbow Dash admitted.
“Pony play good set.” Yegrid happily said as she approached the stage.
“Even though I wasn't perfect?” Pinkie Pie asked.
“Uvidophone is instrument of happiness. Playing uvidophone make pony happy. Pony playing is perfect!” Yegrid explained.
Pinkie was thrilled and her excitement carried her through half an hour of more playing much to the yaks enjoyment. Even if the playing wasn't good, her happiness more than made up for it to them.
“Hey Pinkie.” James said as Pinkie Pie finally left the stage. His ears were ringing and he had a headache from the playing, but that wasn't his concern. “You know, there's more back in Ponyville. The girls really wanted you to know how appreciated you were and with Pinkie's help they set up a great party.
Pinkie Pie gasped. “There's a party and we're missing it?!” She hurried and gave Yegrid her uvidophone back. “Sorry Yegrid, I'll have to come back and do another set sometime!” She said as she started to push her friends out the door.
It wasn't long into the flight back that Rainbow Dash was asking James to use a shortcut back to Ponyville. While two Pinkie Pie's kept each other entertained, it was still a bit much.
In a flash James's omnitool was out. He made a few notes before activating the teleporter and they soon found themselves floating over Ponyville. The party was in full swing as they arrived and both Pinkies were the guests of honor.
Unnoticed until she got close was a yak hauling a uvidophone with her. “Yannis looking for pink ponies.” She announced as she looked over the group.
Pinkie Pie was the first to approach her. “I'm Pink Pony!” She happily said, answering to the description that all yaks used for her.
Yannis looked to the photo she was given, this was definitely the pony she was looking for, but she had been told there were two that looked identical and she was looking for both. “Yes, you are one pink pony Yannis is looking for. Where is other?”
“Oh, you must mean me.” Pinkie Pie said after thinking about it for a second. “Hold on just a second.” She ran off and was back with Mirror Pinkie in moments. “Okay, we're here.” They said at the same time.
“Yannis hired to help pink ponies play uvidophone better. Already play with heart. Now ponies learn to make happiness heard more clearly.” Yannis explained as she smiled at the two.
The rest of the group approached both Pinkies as they tried to determine what was going on. James smiled and walked towards the town hall.
“But first Yannis want to hear ponies play. Let Yannis know how happy ponies are.” Yannis instructed.
“I would …” Pinkie said hesitantly. “But I don't have a Uvidophone anymore.” Pinkie felt a pain in her chest as she remembered it being taken away with the trash.
“Gotcha covered.” James said as he approached them with a pair of boxes he pulled from their hiding spot. He rotated the boxes slightly as he checked them. “Alright here's yours, and yours.”
Both Pinkies gasped as they tore open their boxes revealing new uvidophones. Though the recipients were virtually identical the instruments were noticeably different in decoration. Pinkie Pie's was solid navy blue with pink tassels matching her hair and her cutie mark prominently embroidered with those of her friends around it. While Mirror Pinkie's was blue and gray plaid with tassels matching the hair of her and her friends.
Their instruments honked as they hugged each other before they played. The cacophony was fourfold what it was in the yak hut, but nobody left as they continued. Yannis stomping happily as she listened.
Yannis continued to stomp for a while after the performance before approaching the two. “Ponies very good. Yannis felt happiness as ponies play. Yannis gladly teach ponies. But one condition …”
“What's that?” Both Pinkies asked in unison.
“We all play uvidophones together before each lesson. Happy and free.” Yannis said with a smile.
James stretched and yawned as he walked back to Twilight's castle. This didn't go completely unnoticed.
“Where are you going James?” Twilight asked as she rushed over to him. “The party's just started.”
James shook his head. “Unfortunately I have work that I have to get to. But I'm glad you got me, this was a good visit.”
“Don't you have a time machine that's “only to be used to get to parties.”” She slyly asked.
James chuckled. “Yeah, but it's going to be getting a bit of use today. I won't be able to get back here for this. You girls go ahead and have fun. That and I've only had an hour of sleep.”
Twilight nodded. “Alright, but come back soon this time.”
Back at home James changed back into his normal form and checked his notes. He had a few things to do yet. Starting with getting some sleep.
***
James capsulized the Epoch and with a few taps of his omnitool he violently melted onto a street near Sugar Cube corner. In the distance there was a humph from an abandoned uvidophone as James walked out. He hadn't bothered change his form, not much need while most of the town was asleep.
“And a one, and a two, and I don't know what to do.” Pinkie softly said as she stared at where her instrument had been. Her chest ached and no matter how wrapped up in her blanket she was she couldn't hide from the pain. Quietly she began to cry.
In the silence of the night James could easily hear Pinkie Pie crying. He knew that he couldn't change what happened without risking a paradox. He had come back to know what the uvidophone she had chosen looked like so he could order one similar, but he couldn't just stand and do nothing at the heart wrenching sobbing. Gently he floated up to the lit window, Pinkie had buried her face in her blanket as she continued to cry. Hesitantly he reached out, placing his hand on her elbow.
“Hey Pinkie.” He quietly said. He reassured himself that even if he couldn't do anything to change what happened he could at least offer her some comfort when she needed it.
Pinkie Pie could barely see through her tear filled eyes, but she knew the form well enough to realize that James was here. She didn't even have it in her to say hi as she tried to choke back more tears.
James floated over to another window and opened it before slipping inside and kneeling behind her. He placed his hand on her back and whispered. “I'm sorry I can't help you. And you don't have to say anything. Just know that I'm here for you.”
Pinkie turned around and hugged him tight. She felt a little better knowing that she had a friend who cared about how she felt, even if he didn't know why she was upset. They stayed like that for a while, Pinkie didn't want to let go of the last thing that was making her feel better. James adjusted himself so he was sitting and had Pinkie on his lap. She had buried her face in his shoulder as she continued to cry.
Her breathing began to slow and she grew quiet. It wasn't because she was feeling better, she had just fallen asleep. James moved an arm beneath her and carefully picked her up before placing her in bed. He closed the window he had entered through before climbing out the remaining open window. He had just a couple more trips to the past to make before his day was done.
Pinkie Pie had no idea the next morning if that had really happened or if she had just dreamed the whole thing.