Chapter 4: Juxtaposition
Morning came and all was normal. The market square was starting to fill up with booths and carts, who's owners moved to grab for the best place to sell their product. A group of children, saddle bags in tow, walked down the road to the school house, chatting about what they did over the weekend. A certain, blond, pegasus clumsily flew overhead on her way to deliver the mail. Everything was just as it should be except for, one minor detail, the gossip. The current buzz about town was the mysterious crash in the night. It boomed like thunder and shook a few houses. Everypony was curious, but they weren't afraid. After all, how much has Ponyville been through between Nightmare Moon, the parasprites, that bizarre rabbit stampede, Discord...twice, and that incident with a rampaging dragon? No matter the trouble, they were at peace, knowing the elements of harmony were there to keep the peace.
As the morning light peaked through the window and the growing din of activity outside began to invade her ears, Twilight began to stir. She felt good, stretching out on her bed and letting out a big yawn. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then was surprised to see that her friends were no longer with her. She was still trying to wake up and wondering where they went wasn't helping. For just a second, Twilight shut her eyes again. When she opened them again, Pinkie Pie was there and right up in her face. "Morning sleepy head!" The earth pony beamed.
Now, one wouldn't find it hard to be startled by someone who just showed up in front of you after you blinked. Following this logic, it was understandable why Twilight gave a little yelp before jumping back and falling over the edge of her bed to the hard wooden floor. The lavender alicorn rubbed the back of her head. "Ugh...Pinkie, are you always like this in the morning?"
Pinkie happily trotted over and helped up her friend with a grin. "Pretty much." Twilight rolled her eyes, but returned the smile. Pinkie seemed excited. "Come on downstairs. Spike made pancakes." She wasted no time in ushering Twilight toward the stairs. The lavender alicorn took to moving under her own volition and smiled as her energetic friend bounced past her down to the first floor. Her smile grew at the sight of all her friends gathered around the dining table and Spike, in his apron and chef's hat, serving up stacks of the best looking pancakes she'd seen in days. There was a spot waiting for her at the head of the table. As soon as she sat down, Spike was ready with her stack.
Rarity was the first to greet her. "Good morning, Twilight. I do hope we didn't impose with the unexpected sleepover."
Rainbow added in. "Yeah, after all that page turning, I just kind of crashed out."
Twilight waved it off, using her magic to ready a fork. "No trouble at all girls. You're welcome anytime." She took a bite of her breakfast and a sip of orange juice. "So, did anypony find anything?"
Applejack shook her head. "Not a thing."
Fluttershy seemed down that she didn't have better news. "There wasn't a single reference to Uriah or anything about him. It's like he doesn't even exist."
Pinkie eagerly put a hoof in the air. "Oh, oh, oh, I found something!"
Twilight's face lit up. "You did? What is it?"
The pink earth pony took a pause for dramatic affect, letting all her friends lean in. "Well, I was looking through a reference of equestrian folklore..."
They all leaned in a bit closer and Rainbow acknowledged her. "Yeah?"
Pinkie kept smiling and went on. "I flippy flipped the pages to the section mark 'U'..."
"Yes?" They all asked in unison.
She just kept that same little grin. "And I learned how to play the ukulele!" She pulled one, seemingly out of thin air, and started playing a little tune. She just kept strumming away while the gang gave a collective groan.
Twilight rolled her eyes. "Well, I didn't know what I was expecting."
Rainbow looked to her scholarly friend with a raised eyebrow. "So, how do you wanna handle this?"
Twilight took another bite of her pancakes before answering. "Hmm...well, as of now, there isn't much we can do. Whoever Uriah is, he's in the wind and we have no idea where he'd go. Until I hear back from princess Celestia on what to do otherwise, I think it would be best if we just went about our business until we have a plan."
Pinkie, still playing away, just smiled bigger and got up from the table. "Oki doki loki. I'm gonna go say good morning to everypony in Ponyville. See ya later girls." She headed on out on her happy little mission, inciting a collective sigh from the others as she left that seemed to say 'Oh, Pinkie'.
Applejack finished her plate and lowered her hat. "Well, back to the farm for me. Y'all give me a holler if anything comes up." With that, the farm pony left and one by one, the rest left for their usual routines. Soon, it was just Twilight and Spike, left in the library to clean up from breakfast.
"Gotta say, not the best of circumstances, but I really am glad to be back in Ponyville." Said Twilight as she put the last cleaned dish back in the cabinet.
Spike wanted to reassure her. "Hey, last night sent everypony for a whirl. Even princess Luna was a little scared. For now, at least, the danger's past and we're all okay. You just gotta get back into the swing of things." He took her by the hoof and led her back to the lobby. She gave the expected 'Woah', when she saw the aftermath of the hurried information gathering. "Looks like this place is gonna need a full-on reorganizing." He picked up a book from one of the many piles. "How 'bout it Twi, for old times' sake?"
Twilight giggled, then gave him a little hug. "There's nothing I'd like more." With that, they set to work. Books were being levitated about. Spike was doing his best to remember the details of Twilight's favored system of organization and Twilight correcting him every so often. Just the simple task of shelving books brought a peace to Twilight that she had been missing. However, she was still a little on edge. She just relaxed herself on the idea that all would be alright once she received a reply from Celestia.
There was a breeze that drifted in from outside. It brought with it some foul odor, either from an old carcass left by a predator or some other form of left over wickedness, that made his mane stand up. Uriah quickly covered his nostrils and backed away from the Ursas' nest. "By the pit!" He shouted as his back hit the wall. "That is one in-equine stench. I'm beginning to miss the airless void of space." He shook off the tension brought on by the rude awakening. He sighed, the grim look he'd been wearing for the past five centuries still present on his face. He spread his wings and flew as far from the cave and range of the stink as he could. Uriah took a moment to examine the view from above the tree line. The scene did little more than remind him of how long he had been gone. The Everfree had expanded substantially since he had last seen it. He was angry, that much he was sure of, but then came the question of where to begin. For everything he had been through to get himself back into a complete sense of rationality, all he could think of was how absolutely justified his outrage was. First thing had to have been why nopony knew who he was. On the day of his exile, before he faced the judgement of she who was unfit to give it, he could hear cheering crowds, friends who praised him and what he had done, and of course there had to have been some kind of political backlash.
"There's no other explanation. Mass mind control, a spell powerful enough to wipe me and everything related to me and what I did from the minds of the entire planet for generations. It's absolutely unreal, and she had the gall to tell me that I crossed the line? That insidious, cowardly, malignant, hypocrite! Celestia is going to pay for what she's done. The question is how will I do this." The alicorn stallion went into a glide down and out of the forest. Uriah landed on a hillside outside the wood. He sighed. "I'm talking to myself again. Hmm...only slightly..." The feel of the grass beneath his hooves was still a welcome addition to the many things he had missed since he'd been gone. He walked for a bit, taking the sights and sounds of nature. One thing, however, did not sit well with the stallion. The sun. It was the symbol of the one he despised, a reminder of what was taken from him when he was exiled, and of the gleaming example of purity that she-demon passed herself off as. Lowering his gaze, Uriah found a more welcoming sight. "Huh, what a quaint little town." The view of the town was breathtaking from his vantage point, but Uriah's cold state was simply firmed. "That certainly wasn't here five hundred years ago."
The alicorn thought it best thought it best to explore. If he was going to fight, then he might as well see what he'd be fighting for. It wasn't impressive, just a simple little town. As he strolled through the field, making his way toward it, he took note of the more prominent structures. Uriah saw a tower in the center which he assumed was the town hall, a trio of fillies entering a school house near the edge of town, and one building where mostly mares were seen going in and out of. They all seemed to be refreshed, so he assumed it was some sort of bath-house. As Uriah got within a good distance from the nearest road, he started seeing ponies. It was a rather diverse collection, a few pegasi flying above or walking beside a friend, a young unicorn mare and an earth pony filly were sitting on a large red blanket on the ground and sharing a packed lunch, and, on a bench, a beige colored earth pony reading a book next to a mint colored unicorn who sat in a most peculiar fashion. One thing that stood out to Uriah, about all of them, was how they were all looking at him as he passed. It was like they'd never seen an alicorn before. He became slightly irked at the constant stream of whispers coupled with the nervous glances going between him and each other. His hearing was impeccable, so he caught every word. 'Is that what I think it is?' and 'Who do you think he is?' Uriah picked up his pace. 'Maybe he's a prince from a neighboring kingdom.' He hurried himself onward. 'He kind of looks like...' He gave a frustrated, growling, grunt and flew up over a hillside and away from their prying eyes. Uriah hated being observed like that. It was one thing to be showed respect, but to be ogled like some piece on display was one thing he couldn't stand. He landed away from them and sighed. This whole situation seemed to be weighing heavier on him with every passing moment. He used to be one of them, they used to know his name, but now he was alien to them. He was about to give up on his investigation and just go to plan his assault, but then something caught his ear. It sounded like some sort of string instrument, but it was different than any he had heard before. Feeling curious, Uriah followed the music down and around the hillside, coming to another road into town. Coming out, was an even more peculiar sight than the mint unicorn. An earth pony, a shade of pink so bright it made him wince, and a mane and tail puffed out in curls. She had a huge grin as she walked along, saying a cheerful hello to whomever she'd pass by. It was then that Uriah noticed the string instrument he heard earlier, now this is what made it peculiar. She held it in her front hooves as she played, and walked on her hind legs, just happily skipping along as if nothing was out of the ordinary.
Oddity aside, Uriah did rather enjoy the music. There was some distance between them and she hadn't noticed him yet, so Uriah just stood and observed for a bit. However, as fate would have it, a butterfly picked that moment to drift in front of her. She followed it's flight and that led her gaze right to the alicorn stallion. The earth pony was a bit surprised at first, but then grinned her biggest. Uriah was a little taken aback by her discovery and wasn't entirely fond of how she was looking at him. He turned to leave and his eyes went wide. She was just...there, blocking his path. Her brilliant blue eyes meeting his crimson red ones as she piped up. "Hi!"
Uriah took a step back, still trying to comprehend how she cleared at least twenty five feet in the time it took him to turn around. "...Hello." His tone made it sound like a question.
The mare looked him over, as if trying to reassure something, but then gave a little gasp before her grin came back. "Hey, you're the guy from last night. The one that came down on the comet. Oh, wow, that was so cool. It was all cracowow, boom, Zippity zap crackle. Then you were like woosh, crash!" Before he could respond, the sickly white alicorn was being shaken in a high powered hoof-shake with this hi-energy, pink, stranger. "Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie. What's your name."
First thing that came to his mind was 'there is something very wrong with that mare.' "Yes...greetings. I am Uriah. Wait..." His eyes narrowed a bit and his frown slightly deepened. He remembered now. "You were there...in the group at the crater." He took a more stoic stance. "I would have hoped I would have made my identity perfectly clear in my message."
Pinkie just kept grinning. "You did. Twilight sent a letter to princess Celestia as soon as we got to the library, and then we had a super fun study-party-sleepover trying to figure out more about you." She bounced a little when she finished that sentence, shaking the ukulele around her neck as she did. "We, couldn't find anything though."
He rolled his eyes and groaned a little. "Not surprising." He turned to go. "As...interesting as this encounter has been, if word has reached Celestia of my return, I must hasten my preparation for the coming conflict."
Uriah Started to walk away, but found himself blocked once more when Pinkie ran in front of him. "Wait." She protested, standing up on her back legs, trying to make herself as big as possible. "There's still so much I wanted to ask you. Like, how did you get on that comet, where did you come from, didn't that fall hurt and...wow you look terrible." The energetic earth pony made the last statement noting the sickly qualities he had attained during his imprisonment.
The alicorn responded with a deadpan expression. "...If you're quite finished." He started to walk off in another direction. "I didn't spend five hundred years trapped on that blasted comet just to be detained by some blathering pink nuisance."
Pinkie, however, would not surrender. "Awww, come on." She popped up in the air and pounced down, grabbing him around the waist. This took Uriah by surprise and sent both of them to the ground. Pinkie shook the little fall out of her head and looked back at her captive. "Oooooh, cool cutie mark. How'd ya get it?"
The very annoyed alicorn stallion ignored her question. "That is enough!" He bellowed as he stood up, throwing her off. He aimed his rage back at the mare. "See here, you absurd, irritating, whelp! How dare you assault my being in such a manner?! Now, I am going to investigate that village." He pointed toward his target. "If you know what's good for you, you will stay out of my way."
Pinkie kept smiling, in fact she perked up. "You're going into Ponyville? That's great, I'm from Ponyville." She wrapped him in a hug, which just startled and confused him even more. "Oh, let me show you around. I know every place and every pony and I just know you're gonna love it and we'll be the best best friends ever." She squeezed him tighter, making his eyes bug out in her vice like grip. "Oh, please please please please please."
Uriah just looked at her stunned. 'There is, most definitely, something very wrong with that mare.' He weighed his options. On one hoof, for any other pony who got so invasive when he was in a bad mood, the appropriate reaction would be to swing her around by her hair. On the other hoof, she knew the town and that would help him get a better handle on who was who and who could prove useful. On another hoof, this encounter was most certainly a preview of what was to come and on the last hoof...Uriah gave a heavy sigh, then looked at her with a look of defeated annoyance. "If I agree to this...do you promise that this will never happen again?" He noted the hug she still had him locked in.
She beamed and got in so close that her nose pressed against his. "I promise nothing."
He rolled his eyes. "Of course you don't. Fine..." Uriah begrudgingly growled. "Fine, you can show me your village, but I expect complete obedience. I ask you a question, you answer. Is that understood?"
Pinkie happily nodded. "Oki doki loki!" She spun him a round a bit before releasing him. "Oh, we're going to have such an amazing day. I'll take you to all the best places in Ponyville. We can go to the arcade, the market, the school, town hall, the new art museum, we can go get lunch at this really cool restaurant I know." She poked the less than enthusiastic alicorn in the ribs. "We definitely got to get you something to eat."
Uriah brushed himself off. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like you to tell me about the others who were with you when the comet crashed. I'd particularly Like to know about the two alicorns that were with you, especially the young one with the purple coat."
She once more nodded to the affirmative."Sure, I'll tell you all about them, then you can tell me about you. Oh, we could talk at Sugar Cube Corner, we've got a sale on cupcakes today."
The stallion looked generally puzzled. His wings drooped and he tilted his head slightly as he spoke. "What...is a cupcake?"
PInkie's expression...broke. Her seemingly constant smile fell into the tiniest frown and her pupils shrank to dots as her eyes widened in shock. The strings on her ukulele broke one by one before she spoke again. "W-w-wha-what!?!?!" She started to get frantic. "How could...that's just...I mean no wonder...is it even possible to use those words in that combination?" Before Uriah could answer, she had him by the shoulders. "We gotta get you some right now!" Before the Alicorn could process what had just happened, Pinkie lifted him over head and started running toward town.
Uriah wasn't exactly sure what was happening, but he was immediately regretting making this decision. All he could do was hope this would give him enough information to form a proper plan of attack.
"We demand you let us see our sister!" Luna bellowed as she stamped a hoof hard enough to put a spider crack in the floor. "It is an outrage that..."
Commander Barricade shook her head. "I understand your concern, but my hooves are tied! I've told you that she has given me specific orders not to let you, princess Sparkle, or anypony else, family or otherwise, enter her chambers. Now, with all do respect, princess, I would greatly appreciate it that you stop trying to overturn that order with volume, because I can raise my voice too!"
Luna gave a frustrated grunt, then turned away. "Fine! I'll wait for her to come out on her own, but you be sure she comes to find me when she does and that, commander, is a direct order from me. Oh, and just a thought. In terms of your daughter, the apple fell very far from the tree."
Barricade just flipped her faded pink mane out of her spiked helmets visor. "Duly noted."
The princess of the night was hating the way her sister was shutting her out. She especially hated being asserted out of her mission by the commander. Not that she had much choice, between the armor and the build Luna couldn't tell if she was a pony or a bulldozer. How in the world did sweet little Fluttershy come from that beast. Luna shook off the encounter and turned her thoughts back to her sister.
Meanwhile, in the locked bed chamber, Celestia's thoughts were being swirled about in a storm of fear and self loathing. "He's loose...after all this time." She said this to herself in a crying whisper. After she read that letter, she just started crying. There was no sound, though she try to scream, nothing but a few quick gasps would escape. The tears flowed uncontrollably though. She knew it would have to stop, that she would need to compose herself for what she knew would come. One thing that Celestia knew was that Uriah would come to face her eventually, but it was what she didn't know that terrified her. At that moment, as she lay there like a frightened child, he was out there haunting Equestria like some ghoul from a nightmare. She could feel him. Celestia couldn't track his location, but she could always feel his presence. The sun princess sat up and tried in vain to halt the tears. "No...no, I have to be strong now. For Luna, for Twilight, for everypony, I need to be strong." She got off her bed and immediately went for her desk. "I have to prepare them. They need to be aware of what they're up against." She opened her desk, removed a blank scroll and quill, dipped in her inkwell and tried to write again. This would be attempt number fifteen at responding to Twilight's letter. Celestia wanted to tell them everything, but how could she. Thinking about it ripped through her like a blade and if they knew the details, then how strong would they stand against the coming storm. As she looked down at the letter she was writing and the details it went into, she found that the steadiness of her magic was growing out of control. When it became illegible, she gave a frustrated grunt, crumpled the paper and tossed it. This process repeated for about six more times.
She gave a mournful sigh, then let herself fall face first into the desk. "It hurts." She turned her head against the cold wood of the desk top, aiming her sight to the empty space on the wall to her left. In a rather depressed effort, she searched the bottom desk drawer, randomly rummaging until she had what she was looking for wrapped around her hoof. It was a piece of red cloth, torn and decayed by the hands of time. Celestia sat there staring at it for the longest time. "Why? There were other options. We could have talked. You had to have known...you just had to have known that there would be consequences, that what you did..." She pressed it against her forehead and started to cry again. "Why didn't you listen? Why...why didn't I listen?" Celestia lifted her head and looked back at the new scroll she set out. In a quiet contemplation, she paused, then she dipped her quill and quickly dashed a message across the paper, then rolled up the scroll. She would send it when she was ready. In an almost trance like state, staring into the red cloth, Celestia found herself unconsciously drifting up above the floor. It wasn't long before she was above her bed, just hanging in the air, lost in thought. She dropped down on the cushion and landed with a bit of a bounce. Nestled back into her mattress, the sun princess posed another question to the worn silk in her hoof. "What are you up to, Uriah? What's going on in your head right now?"
"By the maker, this one can talk." Uriah thought as Pinkie continued. The way she droned on and on, about the most random things. All he asked was for her to tell him what she could about Twilight Sparkle, the young alicorn he addressed when he arrived. That opened the flood gates. Pinkie went into every little detail about Twilight, her friends, and herself, including that the six of them were the keepers of the elements of harmony. This was one of the many points that convinced Uriah to just endure the barrage of nonsense that came in between, along with the interesting fact that he wasn't the only alicorn to return from exile. She had dragged him through town, introducing him to almost everypony on the way to this Sugar Cube Corner that she was so keen on taking him to. When they arrived, she sat him down and asked the owners to bring out a 'demo-cart'. Uriah didn't exactly know what they were making, but the smell coming from the vicinity of the kitchen was rather pleasing. At that moment, the alicorn stallion leaned in his chair, completely intrigued in where the current story was heading. "Wait...Discord came back?"
Pinkie nodded. "Uh-huh. He made everything go all crazy and out of whack. He put giraffe legs on bunnies, and popped all the corn in a field, and made us all act like big meanies. On the plus side, he made it rain chocolate out of cotton candy clouds, which was awesome!" She licked her lips thinking about it.
He rolled his eyes. Never in his life had he encountered somepony so...odd. The most puzzling thing was that she was even telling him all this. Was she simply being foolish, or was she planning something, like it wouldn't matter what she revealed. Uriah once read in The Art of War, 'Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent'. Even so, she would prove no challenge should she stand against him. Even with the nonsense, Uriah found that Pinkie did have positive traits. She seemed to care about everypony, and all those that he met today seemed to react in kind. He did have to admit, there was something almost charming about her. "I'm sure you had fun." He said flatly.
The earth pony gave him a look, narrowing her eyes and focusing on his muzzle for some reason. "What's up with you?" She asked with a slightly annoyed tone.
Uriah raised an eye brow. "What do you mean?"
She leaned over the table and got in his personal space again, gently poking him all over, as if examining him. "We've been having a great time, had some pleasant conversation with some ponies, we're at the best bake-shop ever, I've told you all sorts of fun stories about me and my friends, and you haven't smiled once all day."
He gave a little huff. "What's there to smile about?"
Pinkie gasped like she just watched somepony kick a puppy. "What's there to...how the...Are you loco in the coco?" She backed into her seat and made a grand gesture with a huge smile on her face. "There's lots of things to smile about. It's a beautiful day outside, the birds are singing, everypony is having a good day, and you get a treat from Sugar Cube Corner with a friend."
Uriah was a bit surprised at that last part. "We're...friends? But you just met me today."
She kept smiling and rocked a little in her chair. "Yeah, but you said that you've been gone for a really really long time, and everypony should have a friend to spend time with when they get back from a long trip."
It was the way she said it, with a lilt of innocence and heart, that made Uriah shiver. The look in her eyes, the look that she meant every word. His expression softened. He was about to respond, but was cut off by one of the owners. She hummed a little tune as she wheeled in a cart with a platter of the most colorful and sweet smelling foodstuffs the alicorn had ever seen. The mare beamed. "Here you go, dearies. A baker's dozen with each of our cupcake flavors."
Pinkie licked her lips in anticipation. "Wow, you've really outdone yourself Mrs. Cake."
The owner smiled. "Thank you, Pinkie. I hope you and your friend enjoy them. I've gotta get back to help Carrot with the twins. We're getting our first family portrait and well..." She was interrupted by a an odd vibrating sound that Uriah recognized as the charge of magic pulse, then a scream, ending with a crash and the giggling of infants. Mrs. Cake bit her lower lip. "I better go check that out."
As the owner ran off to save her spouse, Pinkie grabbed a cupcake from the cart and stuck it right in Uriah's personal space. "Oooh, you've gotta try the chocolate one with the whipped cream frosting and rainbow sprinkles." Through some artful dodging, Uriah was able to avoid her attempts to shove the baked good in his mouth. "Hey...come on...neh...cut it...will you just...ugh!"
The alicorn grew annoyed with her efforts, but realized that he couldn't resist forever. "Fine!" He snatched the cupcake from her grasp with his magic. "I don't know what you're so obsessed over, but if it will get you to calm down for five seconds, I'll try the blasted thing." He let the thing levitate before him. Pinkie watched him with growing anticipation as he examined it, still unsure. Finally, Uriah took a bite of the treat and his eyes widened. "This...is spectacular."
She was happy, a little miffed that it didn't get a smile, but happy all the same. Ever-present frown aside, she could tell he was genuinely enjoying his treat. Content, Pinkie reached for a cupcake, while Uriah hastily grabbed three more. Pinkie swallowed the first bite of hers and giggled at the sight of mister gloom and doom going to town on the baked goods. "Wow. And they say I've got a sweet tooth."
The alicorn took a moment and wiped some frosting from his muzzle. "This is the first time I've had anything to eat in five hundred years. I think I've earned the right to go a bit out of sorts. Now, more to the point, this...Twilight Sparkle. From what you've told me, she's a unicorn, but I distinctly remember speaking to another alicorn."
Pinkie finished her cupcake and waved off the remark. "Hold on there, we still got two whole seasons to cover."
He gave her a puzzled look. "Seasons?"
She suppressed a giggle. "Never mind, but any way, after Discord went down, things started to cool down a bit. There were a few minor situations, but nothing we couldn't handle. Heck, first big thing after Discord was Twilight getting off schedule on her friendship report and she kind of went all nutters and sent the whole of Ponyville into a mad dash brawl for a doll, but Princess Celestia came and made everything better."
Uriah rolled his eyes and scowled as he levitated another three cupcakes from the cart. "I'm sure." He sat an attentively listened as she went on about Luna coming to Ponyville to reintegrate and making it work after a total meltdown, her friend Rarity learning what being a sister really means, a masked hero who came and went to save the town and teach humility, a dragon attack that only lasted a few hours and everyone was okay, and with every little story Pinkie told, Uriah saw how these little slices of life made them all grow strong together as friends. However, the recount of the royal wedding made him choke on his last cupcake. "Gach!...Canterlot was invaded?!? How?"
Pinkie lifted an empty silver tray from the cart with a disheartened look. "You ate all the cupcakes."
The alicorn stallion placed a hoof on his forehead, trying to comprehend. "This is unacceptable. Equestria's military was a well-oiled machine. You ever stepped up to Canterlot, you'd get beaten to the ground before six A.M." He sighed and shook his head. He knew things were bad, but this was just disappointing. He looked back at Pinkie. "I suppose, since we aren't marching under a changeling flag, that you and the other elements saved the day again. Am I correct?"
Pinkie was happy to answer. "Actually, it was princess Cadence and Shining Armor. Her love supercharged his magic barrier and blam! those Changeling meanies went flying and that was the end of that...at least until The changeling queen came back and invaded Ponyville andthen we cleaned them out, but then she filly-napped the CMC and we had to go on this big adventure and then she tried to use this other big, super, once-in-a-life-time magical comet to boost her magic and take over Equestria, but Twilight turned the tables on her and totally kicked her flank."
Uriah raised an eyebrow. "Where was Celestia in all of this?"
Pinkie pondered a bit. "I think she had something to take care of in Canterlot."
"Of course." He said with dripping sarcasm. He noticed that Celestia was absent in a lot of situations that needed her attention. "Pinkie, I most definitely want to hear more. However, pastry, as delicious as it is, does not make a meal." He got up from his seat. "I suggest we away to one of those charming little eateries we passed on the way here."
She bounced up with a big grin. "Okay, I know a place that has great hay-fries. Oh, I should probably leave money for the cupcakes."
He placed a hoof to her chest before she went for her bit bag. "I'll cover it." He focused on the table and his horn began to glow. Just a few inches from the table's surface, a sphere of blood-red light began to form. Once it stabilized, a gold bit fell from it and made an audible clink on the wood surface. This repeated in a more rapid succession until there was a nicely-sized pile of bits on the table.
Pinkie blinked a few times to make sure she wasn't seeing things again. "Did you just...make money?"
He shrugged. "You're really surprised? Haven't you ever wondered why unicorns seem to make up the majority of the wealthier class? Sure, it's a tough spell to master, but it's not impossible if you've got the patience, or rather, in my case, the gifted talent."
Pinkie smiled again. "Twilight's gonna love you. Come on, if we hurry, we might be able to get a table outside." She happily bounced toward the door in her usual way before returning to a walk as Uriah caught up. "On the way, I'll tell you about the crystal empire."
Uriah nodded and followed with interest. As taxing as Pinkie could be, he was able to soldier through it and get exactly what he was looking for. However, he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for the way things had changed in his absence. The peril that had befallen the ponies of Equestria was shocking. Thankfully the elements of harmony were there to solve the problem one way or another, but the alicorn had to wonder about anything and everything that might have happened before the elements were reclaimed. It was a troubling thought, but there was a worse one that crept into Uriah's mind as he glanced at all the happy faces around him. All of their peace, their security, and their unity was going to come crashing down around them. They would know suffering, the likes of which they had never seen before. Uriah's eyes narrowed at the thought, any regret or hesitation was thrown from his mind with the sole reminder that Celestia was to blame for what would come, for what he knew needed to be done. Then, he looked at Pinkie. This mare, not so much a care in the world, being odd and fantastic at the same time. Now Uriah knew why he was so resistant when he met Pinkie. She reminded him of somepony he knew long, long ago. With a sigh, he continued following, listening to her stories.
Twilight took a sip of tea as she finished shelving the last of her books. She gave a content sigh and a little smile. It became increasingly obvious that she just needed to clear her head from the night before. Last thing she needed was to go overreacting before she had all the facts. There was one thing that was still bugging the new princess. "Spike?" She called.
The little dragon poked his head around a corner before stepping out, wearing his apron and tossing a salad for Twilight's lunch. "Yeah, Twi?"
She placed the last book on the shelf and turned to him. "Have we gotten a letter back from Celestia?"
Spike shrugged his shoulders. "No, but it's weird right? Usually she's really prompt about responding."
Twilight looked a bit worried. "I know. I hope it reached her. I'm not as on edge as I was last night when this all started, but I'd feel a lot better if I had her input on the situation." She got up from her seat and walked over to a table in the corner where a collection of notes she had taken concerning Uriah. Sketches of him, observations of what little of his magic she'd seen, and, of course, pages trying to rationalize the impact he made when he landed. Twilight worked through the sheet's and found a drawing she had done of him in profile. Just the look of him, it still made her cringe a bit. It wasn't quite the skin-crawl that she got whenever Discord was around, but it was still an uneasy feeling. The young princess couldn't escape it. When Uriah emerged through the smoke and flame, he looked her in the eyes as he gave his message and She looked into his. "Red eyes..." She thought. Nopony had red eyes. She put the picture down and turned to Spike. "It doesn't feel right. There's something about Uriah that just radiates trouble. I can't explain it, but...I just hope Celestia replies soon."
Spike placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will turn out fine, just like always. I bet princess Celestia is gonna be sending you a letter any moment telling you not to worry." The little dragon's comforting was interrupted by a loud and abrupt gurgle coming from his gut. Then he let loose a belch of smoke that pooled in the air and converged into a scroll with the royal seal, which plopped right on the lavender alicorn's head. There was a little laugh shared between the two. "See, Twilight? Nothing to worry about."
Twilight smiled and gave her number one assistant a pat on the back. "You're right Spike. I just have to keep a calm and level head..." She used her magic to lift the letter off her head and open it in front of her. " and everything...will be...just..." She fell silent. The confidence, that Spike's pep-talk had given, was slowly draining and being replaced with more confusion and worry as Twilight read the letter.
My dearest, Twilight.
I need you and your friends to come to Canterlot castle immediately. Bring the elements of harmony with you.
Celestia
Twilight could feel herself start to sweat. "Oh, dear."
"...and that's how Twilight became a princess." Said Pinkie with a grand gesture and a pleased sigh. "Then there was this weird incident when Twilight had to go through a magic mirror to get her crown back, but I wasn't there for that, so I don't remember all the details so well. That pretty much catches you up with the story."
"And what a story it is." Uriah commented as he finished his fifth plate. It started off as just two ponies having a nice dinner together, but then Uriah, entranced by the fine cooking, proceeded to order everything on the menu. "This food is fantastic as well. Server!" He bellowed and a rather annoyed waiter approached. "Two banana creme pies for myself and the young miss. And more root beer!" He slammed a hoof on the table as he finished.
The waiter cringed a bit with the rest of the restaurant crowd. He put on a rather angered expression. "Monsieur! That is quite enough. We have been lenient with you and your attitude, because miss Pie is a well respected member of the community, but if you continue to behave in such a garish manner, not to mention I can't even begin to wonder how you'll pay for all of this..."
Uriah rolled his eyes, then focused his earlier spell. The waiter soon found him self buried under a pile of gold bits that was nearly twice his size. Uriah just cocked his head with a melancholy stare to the stallions surprise at the sudden payment. "Will that suffice?"
The waiter beamed, still looking at the loot. "Oui oui, monsieur!" He whistled toward the building entrance and a few of the staff poked out their heads and he addressed them as they were left dumbfounded at the sudden increase in wealth. "Hé, deux tartes, crème de banane et recharges sur les boissons de table de cinq! Keep it up avec tout ce qu'il veut, le gars grossier est riche!" He turned back to Uriah. "That will be with you shortly." The waiter jumped out of the bit pile and grabbed a push broom, sweeping the payment inside, singing a little tune to himself. "Oh, there's a place in Prance, where the pretty ladies dance!"
Pinkie couldn't help but smirk. Granted it wasn't the nicest way to handle the situation, but it made the waiter happy. It didn't take long for them to get their pie. They both got a nicely sized slice and a large mug of root beer to go with it. It was plain to see that the alicorn stallion was finally coming off of the five hundred year starvation and was eating in a more civilized manner. Pinkie, on the other hoof, was going nuts. She knew that face down in desert at a public restaurant wasn't what one would call "well-mannered", but when the sweet-tooth beckons, what can you do? She sat back up and licked a little bit of cream off her cheek. Her eyes glanced over at Uriah. She looked a little down, but still half-grinned. "Aww, still no smile?"
No, there wasn't. The look on Uriah's face had lightened as the day went on, but it still bore the grimace and sorrowful eyes the the guardian of laughter had met that day. "Are you still on about that?" He let out a groan as he lifted his mug and downed his root beer, Pinkie mirroring his movements and chugging her drink as well. Uriah finished at placed his mug back on the table. "What is your obsession? I'm enjoying myself just fine, with you to thank, but I can't see the major fault if I simply won't..." At that moment, he felt himself lurch a little and then the sickly white alicorn let out an abrupt and audible belch. He blinked a few times while trying to grasp what had happened. "I'm...sorry, that was rude of me. I should be conducting myself with a more gentlecoltly manner."
Pinkie responded in an instant with a burp of her own, which was louder, longer, and deeper. Uriah just blinked again and stared at her, catching a slight hint of vanilla. Pinkie's eyes went wide and she quickly placed a hoof against her mouth. She blushed and shrank a bit, then gave a sheepish grin. "excuse me."
There was a bit of a silence, but then out of the blue. "Heh..." It was quick and soft, but Pinkie caught it instantly. She looked at Uriah with an intent like a cat waiting for a mouse. Then it happened again. "Hehehe...." Pinkie's smile came back with a vengeance as she noticed a little smirk form on her new friends face and his laugh grow. "Heehehehahahahehehahaha!" He laughed so hard, he began to rock back and forth.
Pinkie couldn't contain herself. She jumped from her seat across the table and tackled him in a huge hug. "Ohhh! I knew it! I knew I'd get a smile out of you sooner or later."
Uriah didn't care that he was pinned, or that Pinkie was invading his personal space once again. He just laughed and smiled, on the verge of tears. "Hhahahahaha...ha...I'm...hehehe...I'm laughing. I'm smiling. Hehehe, I haven't laughed in five hundred years. Five hundred years!" He finally managed to sit himself up and looked at Pinkie with a grateful smile. "Pinkie..." In a second, the alicorn had her in tight embrace. "Thank you. Thank you...a thousand times."
Pinkie hugged back as tight as she could, a warm smile and understanding look on her face. "Awww, I'm glad I could help."
He pulled back. "You really are, aren't you?" Uriah kept his front hooves on her shoulders. "When I crashed and made my grand entrance, I saw the look in Twilight's eyes. A look of terror and uncertainty, but that wasn't in your eyes was it?" She shook her head. "You didn't see some great villain threatening Equestria. You...saw a new friend. That's a very admirable quality."
Pinkie gave a little giggle. "I do my best."
Uriah smiled and nodded. "You certainly do." He looked over her shoulder to see the sun was starting to set. "Come." He grabbed her firmly around the waist and, with a mighty flap, lifted her into the air. "I think it's time I told you a story."