//------------------------------// // Chapter 10 // Story: Time Heals All Wounds // by Brony4Ever1992 //------------------------------// The ponies where waiting. The Mane 7 and Spike had gotten all of Ponyville ready for the arrival of the Yaks. There support could be vital if Starlight Glimmer launched a full uprising and Twilight knew this. The purple alicorn was anxiously pacing back and forth when she stopped at Pinkie. "You look nervous. There's no reason to be nervous. Everything's gonna be fine!" cried Twilight nervously. "Twilight, tell those butterflies in your tummy to beat it!" declared Pinkie. "It doesn't matter who's wrong or right. Just beat it." sang Sunset. The others shot her confused looks. "It's a song." said Sunset. "I guess Sunset Shimmer is a smooth criminal." said Pinkie winking. "How do you know that?" asked Sunset confused. "Don't question Pinkie Pie." muttered Rainbow. Pinkie turned back to Twilight. "Making new friends is fun." said Pinkie. Twilight let out a worried groan. "They're probably just as nervous as you." said Fluttershy. "You've been plannin' this shindig for weeks. You know everything about these fellers. It's gonna be dandy." said Applejack. Twilight inhaled and exhaled. "You're right." agreed Twilight. "That was too easy." mused Sunset. "Remeber, Yakyakistan and Equestria haven't opened their borders for moons. In fact, Yakyakistan is so far north of the Crystal Empire that no pony has ever been there." explained Twilight nervously. "Thought so." sighed Sunset. Sunset began helping Twilight breathing when Spike blew his horn. The doors opened, a red carpet unrolled and the yaks arrived. "Ponies! Greetings ponies!" exclaimed the yak prince. Twilight quickly teleported to the yak prince. "Prince Rutherford, your majesty. On behalf of all of us, I welcome you to Equestria!" declared Twilight. "Me honored. Yaks hope for great friendship between ponies and yaks." replied Rutherford, "Friends for a thousand moons!" "Their manners could use some work." thought Sunset. "You must be hungry after a long journey." began Twilight. Spike began pushing a table over and Sunset used her magic to help. "We've prepared a banquet of traditional yak food." said Twilight. Rutherford looked over the food. "If things not perfect, yaks get mad. Yaks always get mad when things not perfect." revealed Rutherford. "I assure you, your majesty, we spared no expense." said Sunset. Rutherford tasted a bit of food, but quickly spit it out. "This no taste like yak food! Fake pony food make yaks mad!" exclaimed Rutherford. The yaks began a path of destruction. "Is it okay to be nervous now?" asked Pinkie worried. The yaks finally calmed down and Spike led the yaks away to prevent more damage. The ponies began fixing the damage. "Them yaks sure have a funny way of saying howdy." said Applejack, nailing a railing back together. "There's different...that's all. Very different." said Rarity, gluing a vase back together. "I think they broke my record for most stuff broken in under a minute." said Rainbow Rainbow pulled out a broken trophy. "They even broke the trophy." added Rainbow. "All we have to do is show them how great it is to have friends before Princess Celestia arrives." said Twilight. "That is a monumental task." noted Sunset concerned. "Now, who read the seven - volume cross - indexed history of Yakyakistan I recommended?" asked Twilight. "Um...I-I had a thing." said Rainbow. "I can't lie to you, I fell asleep after a few chapters." confessed Sunset. "I did! I did!" declared pinkie, hoping up and down. "That's good." sighed Sunset in relief. "Did you know they live so far north of the Crystal Empire that it's cold all the time?" asked Pinkie. Pinkie grabbed the mane of Fluttershy and wrapped it around her. "Yaks have yak fur to keep them warm." added Pinkie excitedly. "Pretty sure that's what all fur is for, Pinkie Pie." noted Applejack. Pinkie popped out of AJ's stetson. "I know! Yaks are so cool!" exclaimed Pinkie. Applejack was so surprised by Pinkie popping out of her hat that she dropped her hammer which broke the vase Rarity was fixing. "Pinkie Pie, can you show them around town?" asked Twilight. Pinkie and Applejack came down while Rarity tried to piece the vase back together. "I know you have to plan the friendship party too, but it would really help if you make them feel welcome." added Twilight. "If anyone can woo the yaks, it's you." said Sunset. "Don't worry. They'll be in good hooves with me." said Pinkie. "Remember, we want to make sure Equestria feels like home. That means doing everything we can to make this place feel like Yakyakistan." noted Twilight. "No problem!" declared Pinkie. "Good. Let's get out there and make some new friends!" exclaimed Twilight. So the girls began trying to woo the yaks. Applejack and Pinkie offered the Apple family barn to the yaks complete with hay bed. But, it wasn't yak hay so the yaks trashed the barn. Fluttershy put fake horns on the latter's animals friends. But, the yaks found out the where fake and trashed the picnic. Luckily, Fluttershy saved her animal friends. Rarity planned on making clothes for the yaks...until they ate her fabric. But, it wasn't yak fabric so they trashed the boutique. Rainbow caused it to snow, but it wasn't yak snow so they trashed it. The girls gathered at the castle. "Y'know...it's going okay." said Applejack. "You've never been a good liar to please don't try and start now." groaned Sunset. "Satisfactory, I'd say." said Rarity. "Really?" asked Sunset flatly. "It could be better." admitted Rainbow Dash. "It's not going very good." whispered Fluttershy. "It's a disaster!" declared Pinkie. "Yup." confirmed Sunset flatly. "Pinkie Pie, tonight's Yakyakistan theme party is more important than ever!" declared Pinkie, "You can make them forget about this afternoon, right?" Twilight was sweating while the others looked at Pinkie hopeful. "Because if it's not perfect they're going to smash everything! And I'm not sure how much more smashing this visit can take!" cried Twilight. Pinkie was trying to hide now. "I definitely will! I think. Maybe..." replied Pinkie unsure. "You're the best gosh darn party planner in Equestria." said Applejack. "You'll show 'em a good time!" declared Rainbow. "You can do it!" declared Fluttershy. "We have the utmost confidence in your abilities, Pinkie Pie." said Rarity. "Pinkie, we hate to put so much pressure on you. But, right now we need you." said Twilight. "It's going to be my most happy - tacular party every! I hope!" cried Pinkie. Pinkie's eyes darted back and forth. "Why are you eyes darting around like that?" asked Rainbow. "It's what I do when I'm not nervous!" laughed Pinkie nervous. "Oh Celestia." groaned Sunset. Twilight walked over to Pinkie Pie. "Pinkie Pie, I don't know what we'd do without you." said Twilight. "Me either! Gotta go!" screamed Pinkie. Pinkie Pie took off leaving the others worried. Twilight brought the yaks to Sugar Cube Corner to check on the cake. However, they found Pinkie Pie was MIA and began looking for her. But, there where unable to find Pinkie. The yaks declared there was too much vanilla extract and trashed Sugar Cube Corner. The girls decided to distract the yaks until they could find Pinkie. Twilight had Spike play the piano and it seemed to work. "This is going well." whispered Sunset hopeful. "When Twilight told me to stall - I - I mean, entertain you, I thought there's no way..." began Spike. Alas, Spike stopped playing the piano. "Huh?" asked the yaks. The yaks pulled the back off revealing it was a player piano. "Spike!" cried Twilight. "Dammit!" cried Sunset. "Piano play its self?! Music a lie!" exclaimed Prince Rutherford. The yaks destroyed the piano. "We demand party! Party now or yaks no friends!" declared Prince Rutherford. "No! Just a little longer!" begged Twilight. "No more longer! We leave now! Yak go to train, return with more yaks! We declare war!" declared Prince Rutherford. The yaks departed leaving the girls panicked. Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Rainbow tried to plan their own party. But, it was less an a success. The girls began searching Pinkie's room for any sign of her or where she might have gone. They found nothing and where worrying. "How can she be so late to he party? This isn't like her." said Twilight uneasy. "I'm sure she's trying her best." said Fluttershy. "She's tougher than she looks." added Rainbow. "I know you're right...but, I wish she was here. I put too much pressure on her. I let everypony down. And Princess Celestia will be here any minute and I haven't made new friends. I've made new enemies." lamented Twilight. Twilight rested her head on the banister opening a trap door which the girls fell through. "Uh, is everypony alright?" asked Twilight. The girls where in total darkness. "I can't tell if my eyes are opened or close." answered Fluttershy anxiously. "I think I can see a bit." said Rainbow. Rainbow trying flying, but crashed into something. "Nope." said Rainbow. The lights turned on revealing a party planning cave. Applejack walked over to a file cabinet. "Look at these! Pinkie Pie's made files for everypony in town!" declared Applejack. "With exactly what kind of parties we like." said Fluttershy. "Pinkie Pie has a secret party planning cave! How cool is that?!" asked Rainbow amazed. "How?!" asked Sunset stunned. "It's Pinkie Pie. Don't question it." said Rainbow. Sunset groaned. "Come on, it's not like she's secretly carving ponies up and turning them into cupcakes." said Rainbow. The others gave Rainbow a worried look. "What?" asked Rainbow confused. "That was rather specific darling." answered Rarity uneasy. "Whatever." shrugged Rainbow. "Twilight Sparkle likes vanilla ice cream, red balloons, dancing..." began Fluttershy. "That's right!" declared Twilight amazed. "But she's afraid of quesadillas." concluded Fluttershy. "No I'm not! They're just so...cheesy." replied Twilight shuttering. "I've gotta remember that." muttered Sunset smirking. Little did the girls know, but Pinkie had returned from Yakyakistan...by accident. The party planner was upset until she heard her friends talking. Pinkie slipped into the cave and listened to her friends. "I just wish Pinkie Pie was here so we could tell her how much we appreciate her hard work." said Rarity. "Thank you! Thank you! I love you too! All of you!" sobbed Pinkie. "You're back!" cried Twilight happily. Pinkie hugged the Princess of Friendship. "I tried going to Yakyakistan so I could bring something back for my party. But, at the last second I made a mistake." explained Pinkie. The party planner let out a sigh. "I worked hard on this party than any party before. But I'm still just a big failure." lamented Pinkie sadly. "Pinkie Pie, you're not a failure." said Twilight. "What matter is how hard you tried." said Fluttershy. "Who else would have gone all across Equestria to plan one party?" asked Rainbow. Pinkie thought this over. "You know...the trip was really hard. But everypony I met along the way was so helpful. I just wish the yaks could see how friendly and wonderful and great Equestria is." replied Pinkie. A idea suddenly struck the party planner. "I just got the best party idea ever!" declared Pinkie excitedly. "It's too late. The yaks left on the last train." revealed Twilight. "Oh, no they didn't Trust me! There are a whole lot of sheep out there!" exclaimed Pinkie. Pinkie hopped on the slide and went up in reverse nearly breaking Sunset Shimmer by doing so. "So, um, do we walk back up the slide or...or what?" asked Fluttershy dryly. After the others girls left, the followed Pinkie. Sure enough, a herd of grazing sheep blocked the line halting the trains. Pinkie got the yaks to come back to Ponyville and the party was on. Luckily, it was a big hit and yaks where having fun. Princess Celestia arrived and Twilight hoped she wouldn't learn about nearly causing a war with the yaks earlier. However, Sunset Shimmer couldn't shake the feeling she knew. "Wow Pinkie, this came together quick. Even for you." said Twilight impressed. "What can I say? I'm good at what I do." replied Pinkie. Pinkie went over to the prince. "Prince Rutherford, every time we tried to make something in Equestria feel like Yakyakistan, we couldn't get it right. When I got back from my adventure, I realized something. We shouldn't try to make Equestria feel more like your home. We should try to make you feel at home in Equestria. And that means showing you why we love it here, so you'll love it too." explained Pinkie. "Pink pony work hard to make yaks feel at home. Now yaks happy. No declare war." said Rutherford. Twilight let out a sigh of relief, but then shot a smile to Princess Celestia. "Ponies and yaks...friends." said Rutherford. "For a thousand moons?" asked Pinkie hopeful. "For a thousand moons!" answered Rutherford jubilant. Everypony cheered. After the party, Prince Rutherford and the yaks went to Canterlot with Princess Celestia. There, Rutherford signed a treaty between Canterlot and Yakyakistan. This included helping each other during conflict. Rutherford knew of Starlight Glimmer and agreed to help in case of an Equalist uprising. This was great news to everypony. That is, everypony except for Starlight Glimmer. "I can't believe the yaks agreed to help those cutie marked elitists!" cried Starlight. Starlight Glimmer ranted while walking back and forth. "It's bad enough we have to deal with one threat. Now they've doubled!" cried Starlight. "I don't get why the yaks would help since they don't have cutie marks." said Double Diamond. "Those cutie marked elitists must have duped them." sighed Starlight. "If only there was a way to keep undo this." said Double Diamond. Starlight Glimmer smiled a devious smile. "Or a way to not only rip them apart, but led them to war. A war that would leave Equestria even more vulnerable." said Starlight. Starlight laughed. "Attention everypony!" called Starlight. The other Equalists would gather around Starlight. "As you know, Yakyakistan has proven the lack of moral fibers by allying with the elitists who want to crush our mission." began Starlight. The other Equalists, save Party Favor, booed. "So...we have no choice but to take a drastic measure." said Starlight. The other Equalists, save Party Favor, nodded. "We will assassinate Prince Rutherford!" declared Starlight.