"Also, I asked for three marsh mellows in my hot chocolate, and you know what they gave me? Four! Can you believe that?! Four! Everypony knows that three marsh mellows is just the right amount to react with the chocolate in order to create the perfect the burst of the chocolaty-gooey goodness. But, I know Pound Cake tries his best, so I let him off easy--BUT not too easy."
It's been half an hour since Pinkie took Trixie aside and started blabbering on, and the council have done nothing to stop her. They can't. Nopony can. Pinkie is talking too fast to let anypony else in the conversation--if it can even be called a conversation. Not even Trixie can squeeze in a word, though she has tried but gave up knowing that it is futile.
"Ooh, speaking of hot air balloons, I saw the greatest thing the other day. So there I was, taking my usual stroll around Creamluck's garden when I saw a yellow balloon floating by. But, it wasn't any ordinary, yellow balloon. Oh no, this balloon is the same balloon I let go at Rainbow Dash's last birthday party. She always did like to see all the colorful balloons fly away in the wind... yeah..." Pinkie sighs, giving Trixie an opportunity to finally say something, but Shadowforth cuts her off at mid-breath.
"Elder Pie, if you don't mind, we have some issues to discuss."
"Oh, Shadowforth," Pinkie swipes her hoof in his direction, "you and your issues."
"Elder Pie," Agnes cuts in after staying quiet, "we are in grave danger thanks to this buffoon's attempt to topple the queen--"
"Wait," Pinkie looks at Silver Streak, "he isn't a baboon. He doesn't even have a witty personality or a fancy hat."
Agnes' face scrunches up into a look of confusion mixed with distaste. The entire room turns quiet, and nopony reacts.
Then, Pinkie bursts out laughing with a snort in the middle. "Sorry, the voice in my head just said something really funny."
"Excuse me?" asks Agnes.
"Oh, nothing. Hey, Trixie," Pinkie turns her attention to her, "Pound Cake has this new flavor for ice cream you just have to try. And on the way to his shop, I can show you around since I'm sure nopony here has done." She glares at the council.
After a few seconds of this stare off, Pinkie returns to Trixie and says, "Come on," then she trots outside of the tent.
Trixie, on the other hoof, doesn't react and stands motionless unsure of what to do. The council begin to murmur among themselves, causing Silver Streak to fidget when he hears them whisper his name. A pony's breathing grabs Trixie's attention, and she jumps when she sees Pinkie standing right beside her.
"You coming?" she asks Trixie.
The council members abruptly stop their whispered discussion at Pinkie's phantom reappearance. Trixie looks at the council then at Pinkie Pie. Out of all the ponies in the room, Pinkie is the only one who doesn't seem to understand how important this meeting is. Even Trixie--who isn't entirely sure what's going on, or why she's here--feels like what the council decides will change the life of somepony, and she hopes that somepony in not her.
"Well?" Pinkie asks waiting for a response.
One of the council member's answers in Trixie's stead. "She'd be happy to."
Trixie turns to see Shadowforth ushering her away with a simple wave of his hoof and a very disappointed expression on his face. And Pinkie takes that as a golden pass, so she grabs Trixie by the hoof and pulls her outside.
The first thing to hit Trixie upon opening the flap of the tent--which is surprisingly stiff--is a strong wind. It stings her eyes, forcing her to shield them with her hoof while still trying to follow Pinkie.
"Don't cover your eyes," Pinkie says. "How else are you going to see this amazing view?"
At her remark, Trixie removes her hoof and squints at the wind. Before her is a large green pasture spanning well out of sight. A few trees sprout here and there with colorful flowers dropping petals into the wind, creating a veil of flower petals riding the wind, coloring it in hues of bright yellow, cool blue, and red. Above, dark clouds outlined in a deathly red race across the sky, looking like a malevolent sea of murky haze in a hurricane. But, despite the horrid weather, ponies of all kinds dot the landscape, each enjoying each others company. Many are flying kites, playing some sort of ball game and enjoying a picnic at stone tables set about every square mile or so.
"And there's the city." Pinkie points at something behind Trixie.
Trixie turns around and sees tall skyscrapers scratching at the dirty sky. But they are so tall and so many of them that they are not just scratching but ripping and shredding the sky.
Trixie looks back at the ponies playing out in the park and notices something peculiar. "Where are all the pegasi and unicorn?" she curiously asks Pinkie who is picking a dandelion flower.
"Sad story, really," she begins nonchalantly. "Queen Tricky decided she was the only one fit to use magic and fly, so she sent her monsters to kill everything and everypony that could. If you want to see a pegasus or a unicorn now a days, you'll have to look in the city. There are only a few of them left." Pinkie then takes a bite of the flower and drops the stem.
"Wh-what about this Rainbow Dash pony? Where is she?"
"Gone."
"But Trixie remembers you say something about her birthday party."
Pinkie picks another Dandelion, but, instead of eating eat, she examines the yellow flower as if it is a priceless gem. "That was ten years ago."
Trixie's face softens into one of remorse. "Then why is everypony here look so happy if Equestria is so broken?"
Pinkie Pie places the flower she picked on the pasture, allowing the wind to rip it away from the grassy embrace. Once it is but a mere speck in the distance, Pinkie sighs then says, "Happiness is hard to come by, so everypony here learned to enjoy the little things whether it is flying a kite under a dying sky or chasing a random balloon that reminds you of a fond memory of one of my closest friends."