Apparently, I had an errand in Manehattan, only that would be tomorrow, which leaves me with an entire day to spare.
The errand had come up on short notice, but giving me just enough for the one day, before I was expected to be, where I am expected to be and do, what I was expected to do.
I am not about to just throw away a perfectly good opportunity to check up on a few friends. I had been picking up the word on what was going on, making me expect something.
Sometimes, a Pony doesn't want to intrude on her friends, so it was the hotel for me. Checking in on my latest investment would give me a chance to catch up on how they are doing, just as it means I will be early and fresh as a Daisy, when I am to go, where I had to go.
I had chosen to take the train, simple easy and convenient. Just the one ticket for me to Mainhattan and back to Ponyville. Going to the station first thing in the morning, just after breakfast. Buying a ticket is a breeze. Then I had simply taken the train, just as intended. It had been an eventless trip and I ended up alone in the entire car.
Since I had been expected here only tomorrow, and had never told anypony of my arrival today, none is waiting for me here right now, maybe it is just as well. Though I can tell a few trusted friends what I wanted them to keep their eyes on, without giving the reason.
Knowing they could choose any looks, from real, living Ponies or make them up as they went. The address would most likely still be where they would live and work. What I gave Chrysalis is an opportunity to a life and to re-establish a hive where she could live in comfort. After that, it is up to her and her fellow Changelings to accept it, or not. This is part of what I wanted to see for myself now.
Once I had arrived at the station, I slipped off of the train and trotted off to where I had left my new friends. I expect them to still be, where I had left them. If for nothing more than the safe place where they could hide from us and gather their forces, if it is what she chose to do. Or she could as easily choose to do what I told her and establish herself a legitimate establishment, the restaurant I had showed her, before I led her here to Manhattan.
Finding the address was a breeze, just as I knew it would. The sign over the door still is where it was, exactly the way I had left it. She still is here, I just knew it. Once I had seen the sign I was looking for and hoping I was to see, I simply approached the door.
I noticed the door going up, just a moment before I approached it. Perfect timing to make me feel welcome. They really wanted me to feel right at home, if it was aimed at my person, or just any Pony who chose to approach the door, I could not guess at this time.
The few tables are still standing where I had left them, when I had helped her open up her still humble little shop. There is room for two more establishments within the apartment I gave them access to.
“Greetings, Pinkie!” Ruby exclaimed, just an instant after she had spotted me.
“Hi, Ruby. How are you doing?” I responded cheerfully.
“I really can't complain. Business may be a bit on the shaky side, this far, but I'm doing well!” she put forth in response, smiling back at me.
“My assessment was correct, this apartment is great for you. We just got off on the wrong hoof in our first meeting. I need every Pony smiling. I hope that will include you as well!” I merely pointed out.
“One of my former workers mentioned something to the effect. It is just unaccustomed to be a CEO in Manehattan and serve new Ponies I don't know. Naturally, they don't know me more than I know them, so it is still a fair deal. A fresh start and a new chance for me. There are a few challenges along the way, some of which I never had to face before!” Ruby expressed in concern.
“It isn't the Capital, but a Megapolis. Ponies on every corner. You feel their presence encroaching on you from every direction, I take it. If you are not a City Pony, it is a challenge to get use to it. Yet, it is the perfect place to hide from old memories haunting you, as well as the best place for an establishment such as yours!” I put forth.
“This certainly is a great place, if you are opening up a Restaurant, or any other Pony oriented establishment!” Flames interjected with a sly smile on her lips.
“On that matter, our problem isn't in finding the required ingredients, but rather adjusting to how fresh and plentiful they are here. I guess I was initially shocked by the realisation, just how similar our preferences are. To my surprise, it is mainly in the style of how they prepare meals, compared with what I was used to, where I came from!” Ruby expressed in an amused tone of voice, on the verge of bursting out in laughter, as if I had cracked one of my better jokes.
“Our history is filled with these shocks and surprises. Move from one community to the next, or visit a friend and this is how life repay you for the effort. History taught me that, long ago, you know. From the scents, you are doing well, Flames!” I pointed out.
“Yes, history has taught me this and more. I am proud to have a chef like you, Flames!” Ruby pointed out in response.
“That pleases me mightily, Pinkie Pie!” Flames responded, nodding her head in acceptance.
“You are quite welcome, Flames. You will do well here. I take it your Scratchers will do well too, Ruby?” I expressed.
“Oh yes. Though we have encountered an unexpected surprise, there. Thankfully Flames managed to alleviate and thus solve the problem. The girls enjoy their work, alright. Though it is cutting it close on their endurance, if I am to express it bluntly!” Ruby expressed with a somewhat worried grin on her face.
“I guess the expression is,'Intoxicating', if I am to be correct!” Hitomi put forth in an embarrassed tone and a silly smile on her face, as she momentarily looked down.
“I could see how that would be a problem, on your part. I feel like that, if I throw a particularly good party. The effect is rarely a problem, but I did go ballistic on occasion!” I put forth.
“Wait, wait. You're neither Pegasus nor Unicorn, how did you manage that?”Nimbus enquired in a curious tone of voice, apparently concerned.
“Neither am I an Alicorn, I am still just an Earth Pony!” I responded.
“The only other possible solution I could have thought up is just unthinkable. On the other hoof, I guess you simply are exceptional?” Ruby suggested.
“Wisdom and inspiration can take you further and higher then wings possibly could!” I explained.
“Inspiration is what keeps me cooking!” flames put forth.
“Your cooking is what keeps us all going, even through the adventure that finally brought us here, just as I fear it is what will pull us back together!” Ruby pronounced.
“I guess that is the inspiration that keeps me going!” Flames responded.
“None is refusing to come back with me, when I mention your name, Flames. Even the once who doesn't come back for the hive under our glorious queen!” Nimbus suggested.
“I guess I knew it. There is nothing, until you have hope of a good meal and continuation!” Ruby put forth with a breath shudder to her.
“From estimates, you will have quite the challenge, Nimbus. You are spread pretty thin, over half of Equestria. Though I guess you finally will have the time and arguments to bring them back. I would predict you will sweep the floor with the competition, with what you have right here. Countless hungry Ponies to serve should be a reliable income to cover all you need!” I expressed.
“Maybe you would like to see my humble home?” Hitomi enquired.
“Yes!” I responded.
“It isn't much, but it is a home of my own. I have a small room and a bed downstairs!” she explained, as she lead me to the stairs.
“I have the feeling, this is nothing like what you were used to. Even though I never saw your old home!” I said.
“Ah, yeah. I guess it was never time to show you around, back then. I have a very different life, back then. I actually chose to have my bed downstairs, could you believe?” she then bubbled over in her excitement.
“We are who we were born. Yet, I sense you have adapted well to your new life in Manehattan. I think you will grow into a good Manehattranite in no time!” I suggested in a slight tease.
I had found the room in a Spartan level of decoration, to the brink of barren. A Human style bed with a night stand on the side. There is also the wardrobe in which she was to keep her clothes and other belongings.
“I was actually the one who chose for us to live down here, it is more suited to our needs. I enjoy the peace and quiet. To sense the noise of all the Ponies upstairs is distracting me!” she put forth.
“Ah. Yes, I can see what you mean. I may be the Party Pony, but I still live in a small village like Ponyville. I will never be a Manehattanite. I probably would have chosen a room like yours, if I was to live here!” I expressed.
“I love the peace and quiet, down here. Though I can never leave behind a part of who I am. I need to feed. Just that here, I need never fear to starve anymore. I am actually more scared of the intoxication from having too much!” she admitted.
“Funny, I never had the problem, but if you got as hyper as me, I guess the world would be turning upside down. I was right. You will do well here, without the threatening of the Ponies on the other side of the door. Life just love to throw these ironic curve balls our way, from time to time!” I admitted with a nervous giggle.
“I feel as if I knew all about these. At least I am in a position where I can serve my hive. Besides, I think I will enjoy doing it now. Speaking of ironies, me being here is just another one of them. Now they are actually asking me to be mere inches from them. Even if they don't know it, I think I can enjoy it, just as I expect you already knew before you sent us here!” Hitomi put forth.
“I guess there is quite a delicious irony to that. You being here, while they ask for you to be the mere inches behind their backs. Part of the fun is in how you are going to help them with something they will enjoy. They just don't know how handsomely they are tipping you. On the other hoof, I am sure the City can afford the brief exposure to you, spread out on the entire population. I am sure they will love you and your services!” I pronounced.
“Oh yeah. I am standing right behind the back of the next Pony. They wouldn't even know it. I guess that is something I can enjoy. So long as they pay us, we're going to enjoy serving them. Considering what you said, yeah. What I had not expected, is just how much I enjoy being Hitomi the Scratcher. Though I guess it is just as well we haven't had all that many here yet!” she expressed.
“Since you mentioned it, that is how I would like it to stay. It is highly unlikely any of them would hear us, while we sit on your bed, quietly discussion things like this. Just as I predict Scratchers being a hot new trend. Something I like to see more of. Helping you in on this is a good move on my part, you know. If Ponies enjoy it, all the better for the both of us. If you don't mind it, I think I would love for you to give me a Scratch before I do!” I suggested in good cheers.
“I certainly do agree with you on that. I feel it is in my interest, which means I have to do all I can to make sure it stay a secret. In order for our secret to stay unknown, there can be nothing leading to suspicion. If anyone, you would know that. My best means of maintaining the secret is to keep you and the Ponies of Manehattan happy, wouldn't you agree. Since we are both comfortable here, it is a good place to discuss it. From what little I know, Scratching is my best way of keeping them happy. Besides, I do enjoy doing it, even with the risk of slipping. I take it, you knew we would make it here!” she pondered in a burst of words.
“I think you will do this City some good, just by supplying the service. Speaking of which, did you ever change back to your natural form, since you took up this role? I had the idea, you can only maintain the form for so long. As much as I may love your current form, but you need to take care of yourself and your needs. You may consider doing it by night, no Ponies her by then. Besides, I think it is time we go out to the others, for one, they may start to wonder?” I pondered.
“Yeah, that is true. Just feels curious to see it like that, Pinkie, wouldn't you say? Yeah, I will have to go back to the form, as fun and comfortable as it is to be in this form. I just can't put a finger to how or why. It just is the way it is. Maybe the time is linked to how much Love I have and get? Yet, I still will have to go back, eventually. Doing it at night would be for the best. I have needs, yes. We all do, don't we? Speaking of which, there is this strangely itching recognition with you. You are the only Pony giving me the feeling, a sensation I just can't shake. The longer I sit here with you, the more persistent this feeling get. I know you are a Pony, but the feeling just refuses to let go of me. I am not imagining this, even if I was first getting aware of it, while sitting down here with you. Maybe we should go up to the others, as you say!” she pondered in a new torrent of words bubbling right out of her.
“Maybe we are more alike, then they are ready to know? This only confirms, what I had envisioned for you here in Manehattan, wouldn't you say? It suits you, you know. Even if I exposed you to the form, I did not chose you for the job, you chose the job for yourself. Just a question of how many of you there are out there. Good thing you have Flames, I think she is if not the best chef, one of the very best this City have to offer. Is that how you feel, that is curious. You never saw me lonely, or in the centre of a Party, I guess. Besides, you never saw me the one time I had myself duplicated!” I responded in a bubbling torrent of words.
“Now you make me wonder if I need to fear or be jubilant. We had better go up, before I decide!” Hitomi pronounced in certainty of her uncertainty.
“Maybe you are not even the first to have that thought. Yeah, they are about to ponder where we went off to. Though I think we can have some fun together, one of these days?” I responded as she rose to her hooves and started to walk out of the small room.
“How ever can you possibly know all these things? Now you are starting to scare me!” she put forth.
“I call it Pinkie sense. I have no idea how it works. I just know. Sorry, I did not intend to scare you. Though it sometimes is fun to be scared. You should have seen my Nightmare Moon Suit!” I responded with a teasing grin.
“Pinkie Sense? Just don't start telling me you were not born a Pony in the first place, would you. Nightmare Moon Suit?” she pondered as we finally did hit the stairs.
“Nightmare Night is a Holiday where we celebrate the younger of the two sisters and remember what happened to her when she turned dark in despair. I was dressed up as a Chicken. I think I need to take you there and show you, next time. You just have to see it. Maybe you would enjoy it!” I put forth.
“That is the strangest and most curious reason for a Holiday I ever came across. Though I guess the Masquerade aspect would play right into my hands? Or hooves, in my natural form. I think I need to see this, but why a Chicken of all things?” she enquired in a puzzled tone of voice, a slight giggles on the verge to escape.
“I chose it for what it is representing, the symbol of cowardice. Besides, it did prove the perfect way to open the free candy, so I could enjoy it effortlessly. It does have beak, you know!” I explained.
“You certainly did take my dear Hitomi for one hell of a ride, Pinkie Pie!” Ruby burst out as we got back upstairs among the others.
“She showed me her room. Then we got off, talking about a few things, and I ended up explaining about a Holiday of ours, where I dressed up as a Chicken!” I responded.
“You just wouldn't believe what she just told me, Ruby!” Hitomi interjected.
“She is a Pony, isn't she? There is too much we did not know about your Folk, Pinkie Pie!” Ruby expressed.
“To my best knowledge, yes, I am still a Earth Pony. You just don't know us Pies very well. I am sure you knew that already, from what happened at the Canterlot wedding? Even if I wasn't singlehoofed responsible for how it went down!” I suggested.
“You mean to say your entire family is as exceptional as you are, Pinkie Pie?” Ruby enquired with a strange tone to her voice.
“I guess you could say that. On the other hood, the expression 'An apple doesn't fall far from the tree' does have a core to it. Some families are consistently exceptional, ordinary or failures!” I put forth.
“I guess a pair of Loyal Ponies teach their foals Loyalty, but you made it come out as much more than that. Even with Magic involved, this is still curious!” Ruby responded.
“Would be a shame, if you did not teach your foals the best you could?
“Sure would be. But, would you like to see my room too? I live upstairs!” Nimbus enquired.
“Yes, that would be interesting!” I replied.
“Right this way, Pinkie. I live upstairs. I prefer to be living where I have close to the aerial exit. Not sure if my room is very different from Hitomis, but it is upstairs!” she responded.
“You are a Pegasus, after all. I guess this would be the closest to Cloudsdale we can get here?” I suggested.