Empress Baked Goods sat at the corner of 5th and Delemare, the joining of two bustling, busy streets in Manehattan. It had been the first shop Cozy Glow had opened after her decade of internship under Mr. and Mrs. Cake and the business had grown over the past 20 years. It was from this corner that Cozy had staged her elaborate takeover which had spread to every major city in Equestria and was rapidly encroaching upon the mom and pop confectionaries of smaller towns. The business boomed and though some ponies protested the baking chain, even more were eager for their towns to open their own Empress Enterprise venue.

The two-story building of 5th and Delemare was too small for Empress Enterprise’s corporate headquarters but served several other roles. The first floor was the storefront and bakery modeled after small-town confectionaries but with premium products designed by Cozy herself. The basement was a highly stylized and impeccably clean studio for Cozy’s syndicated television show, “Cozy’s Cooking Corner.” But, most importantly, the second floor was Cozy Glow and Pinkie Pie’s private residence.

Night had fallen over the storefront and it beamed bright aqua and pink neon lights, illuminating passersby and teasing them with facsimile representations of assorted sweets of all varieties. A pony wandered close to the glass door with a wide, happy smile that dampened as he tried the door to find it locked and ogled the hours of business and the sign that read ‘Closed’. He’d have to try again tomorrow.

Inside, Pinkie Pie looked up from her chores at the pony and mouthed the words “sorry” as he nodded, waved and disappeared into the city night. She returned to her task and popped the register open.

“Vocative, have you finished prepping the dough for tomorrow?” Pinkie asked from the register, deep in the closing routine of the business. She counted the bits from the day with practiced ease, replaced the starting funds for tomorrow morning, and began entering the safe combination as the door to the kitchen swung open to reveal a young, corn-yellow unicorn.

“Yes, Ms. Pie. I’ll get busy vacuuming.” The bright new-hire answered chipperly.

“Nonsense, my dear,” Pinkie responded as she shut the safe after having placed the bundle of bits safely inside. “A young mare like yourself surely has more important things to do than run a vacuum.”

“Yes, but … as an employee of Empress Baked Goods, I’m happy to stay after close and help, Ms. Pie.” Vocative smiled happily though her eyes wandered to the dark wooden and glass door.

“You followed the instructions on the dough? Placed it in the cooler?” Pinkie Pie asked without turning to look at the mare, sliding a rag across the counter.

“Yes, ma’am! To the letter, I promise you.” Her tone was upbeat with only the tiniest twinge of tiredness.

“Then I think it’s time for you to go home. You were a big help today, and I’m not too old to do some manual labor.” Pinkie’s coat had grayed in places and streaks of gray dwelled in her magenta curtain of mane. Wisdom lines had formed beneath her eyelids but the cool pools of glacial ice that resided within still remained clear and perceptive.

“Ms. Pie, I know you took me on as a favor for my father, but I really want to be a good employee and …”

“Good employees do as they are asked, Vocative. You’ve done a wonderful job today and now I’m asking you to enjoy the rest of your night.” Pinkie chuckled to herself, she loved the enthusiasm of new employees.

Vocative Perfect’s smile was sweet and she hastily removed her white apron and hung it on a rack just inside the kitchen door. “Thank you, Ms. Pie.”

Pinkie’s ears followed the mare as she gathered her belongings and prepared to leave. “Vocative.”

“Yes, Ms. Pie?” Vocative stuck her head through the door, eyebrows lifting questioningly.

“Don’t call me Ms. Pie. My name is Pinkie. I’m your boss but that doesn’t mean you have to be so formal all the time.” The older mare finished wiping down the glass showcase, straightened a basket that held several dvd volumes of ‘Cozy’s Cooking Corner’, and produced a hefty brown paper bag.

“Yes … but, but my father said he wanted …” the mare stuttered.

“Future asked me to hire you while you attended university here in Manehattan as a favor. He’s been so good to Cozy and I in our cooking segments for Equestria Today, I feel like I owe him something so I was happy to bring you on.” Pinkie did feel like she owed the news pony something but it was from long ago, in another life. “But, that doesn’t mean he can tell you how to act while you are under my employ. Call me Pinkie and continue to work as you did today and you will be a valuable asset to this company.” Pinkie placed the bag on the counter next to the unicorn and grinned. “Take these as well. You said you are meeting your father tomorrow, right?”

Vocative nodded and looked at the bag that read ‘To Future Perfect’ on the side.

“Those are for him. They’re brownies. It’s kind of an inside joke. He won’t get it but trust me, it’s pretty funny.” Pinkie smirked to herself. “Have a good night, Vocative.”

“Goodnight Mis….err, Pinkie. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon.” The yellow unicorn snatched the bag up and headed for the door. She paused to wave a hoof at the older mare before exiting to the Manehattan streets. Pinkie chuckled to herself and went about the rest of the closing routine.

After vacuuming, checking Vocative’s dough, and a few other chores, Pinkie took a moment to look over her bakery. Warmth grew in her chest and she couldn’t help but smile. Sugar Cube Corner had always felt like her home but she had come to realize that this bakery was where she was meant to be. This was her true home, the place for which she had searched, had suffered to find for what seemed an eternity.

Ponyville had been different for her since Cozy’s arrival and the deeds of her past lives had tickled the back of her mind. She was no longer able to carry out the duties of the element of laughter for she was too changed. Her friendships continued to this day but there was always that creeping feeling deep down in the dark edges of her heart that she could never repair the things she had done, even if she hadn’t committed them in this timeline. Moving away from Ponyville had been necessary for her and Cozy understood completely. Cozy’s plans to build her cooking empire had needed it as well. As cut-throat as Cozy could be in matters of business, neither she nor Pinkie had wanted to threaten the sanctity of Sugar Cube Corner or the Cakes. They had agreed Empress Baked Goods would never have a Ponvyille branch.

Pinkie loved her bakery and was elated to work it. Especially on the days Cozy could leave her corporate drones and work with her. They had spent a decade working together for the Cakes and it had been the purest joy Pinkie had known. Teaching Cozy, watching her skills grow and surpass her own, then surpass those of Mr. and Mrs. Cake had been her finest pleasure in life. She had been a natural and Pinkie’s proudest moment was when Cozy’s blank flank suddenly glowed with her calling: a blue frosted, elaborate cupcake topped with a rook. She and Cozy were meant to be together and that moment had proved it for the pink mare.

Checking the clock, Pinkie knew Cozy would be home soon and headed upstairs to their residence. She wasn’t very hungry but put together something quickly for Cozy before finding the easy chair in which she found the most comfort and relaxed with a cup of cat's claw tea. She had done her best to support the hip she knew would have issues later in her life but the arthritis had come anyway. Cozy wanted her to get surgery but she wasn’t ready for that; she didn’t want to see something as sharp as a scalpel ever again.

She chuckled to herself again about Vocative and Future Perfect. Whatever deity, she was certain it wasn’t Celestia, that reigned from the unknown beyond sure had a sense of humor. She had a few choice words for it when her time to meet it came, but she also had some words of thanks. Not that she wanted that meeting to come anytime soon. She planned to live a long time with her adopted daughter and watch her enjoy life to the fullest, something she had never been able to do before.

The lock turned with a loud clicking sound and Pinkie smiled to herself as Cozy entered. “Have a good day at the office, honey?”

“Ugh … I don’t know why I keep those fools who pretend to run parts of my company,” Cozy complained and sat a briefcase down near the door. Her mane no longer sported childish curls and was pulled back into a tight bun of lapis blue. She was of smaller size, even as an adult and was half a head shorter than Pinkie. She untied the bun and her mane fell loose, curling a little but not into the twisted locks of her childhood.

“It can’t really be that bad,” Pinkie chuckled as Cozy joined her in repose on a green and pink, rose-themed couch across from Pinkie’s chair. The pegasus collapsed and let out a long, needed sigh.

“It’s not. They just keep coming up with bad ideas and then I have to explain to them why they are such idiots. Still, I put out enough stupidity fires today that I can work here tomorrow. Sorry I’ve been away so much lately, Mom.”

Pinkie’s heart thrummed as it always did when Cozy called her mom and she sipped her tea and took in the mare her little filly had become. She was a master manipulator, Pinkie knew, and used it to make all of her employees love her. Even when she was calling them idiots, she did it in a way that was positively reinforcing. Not only did her employees love her, so did the public. She was the hostess of their cooking show and an idol to aspiring bakers everywhere. She received fan mail daily.

Cozy was the face of the company and Pinkie knew she loved the attention, but she also knew how taxing it was to always wear a smile. She was the only one to see Cozy’s real demeanor, her true self. “It’s fine. I know you’re very busy and you can’t be here as much as you want. There are still many towns that don’t know the gooey, delicious cakes and desserts of my Empress.”

Cozy smirked for a moment and faded as she noticed the mug of tea. “Your hip bothering you, Mom?”

“Oh, it’s nothing the tea can’t handle,” Pinkie said matter-of-factly and quickly changed the subject. “Vocative will be a good worker, I think. Her father’s in town tomorrow. We’ll probably see him. I wonder if he’ll ask us to come on one of his programs again.”

“He has stock in the company, so it’s in his best interests to bring us on,” Cozy answered. “I’m happy his daughter isn’t going to be an issue. Are you okay working with her? It wouldn’t be a problem to transfer her to one of the other stores in town.”

“No, no. I think she’s fine. She’s bright, sweet, and driven. She’ll be leaving soon enough when you promote her.” Pinkie sipped at her tea, her icy blue eyes shimmering pointedly at Cozy.

“Oh, so that’s how it is, is it? You’re telling me how to run my business?” Cozy grinned challengingly to Pinkie.

“She works tomorrow. She has a lot of potential that I’m sure you will recognize and approve of,” Pinkie answered curtly. “Don’t forget that I allow you to work with me at this location.”

Cozy laughed to herself and stood up, stretching her wings. “Alright, alright. We’ll see about her tomorrow. I’m very much looking forward to being in the kitchen instead of a boardroom.”

“I made you dinner. I covered it and left it on the table. It should still be warm, if you’re hungry.”

Cozy disappeared into the kitchen and was finished eating by the time Pinkie sat the empty mug down onto the coffee table between the chairs. Cozy yawned, her eyes weighed down from the long day and she looked as though she might fall asleep on the couch.

“Why don’t you go ahead and shower and go to bed, honey. I can see you’re exhausted,” Pinkie observed after fetching another steaming cup of tea.

“I’d like to sit up with you for a while but I think you’re right. We’ll have all day tomorrow to spend together. I have a couple new ideas to try out. If they’re good we can make another episode of the Cooking Corner this weekend.” Cozy stood and stretched again, her small body crackling and popping from the exertion followed by a relieved moan.

“I’d like that. You’re such a good baker, honey. I’m proud of you.” Pinkie dug in a basket and produced a ball of yarn and knitting needle. She pushed a pair of glasses onto her muzzle and began working the yarn.

Cozy watched for a moment before walking towards the bathroom. She paused next to Pinkie and kissed the older mare on top of her head. “Thanks for never giving up on me, Mom. I love you.”

Pinkie grinned to herself and worked the yarn back and forth. Cozy continued on her way and the water began to run. Her crochet work paused and Pinkie sat back in the chair, looking up to the ceiling as a tear rolled down her cheek. She closed her eyes and smiled wanly. “Thank you … whatever you are. Thank you so much.”

Her dreams were sometimes haunted from the terrible things she had done. She was not the same Pinkie Pie from long ago but neither was she the devil of the Everfree. Permanently changed by the horrors she had enacted and scarred from centuries of guilt, sometimes she woke up in a panic and had to walk the streets of Manehattan to clear the foggy haze of confusion from her mind in order to prove this life wasn’t an illusion. The image reflected in her assorted knives occasionally flashed painful memories of demented smiles and bloodstains that set her mind aflame and caused her to struggle with her identity in those moments. Was she Pinkie Pie or Pinkamena? Deep down she knew they were both her. The pain and joy caused by both of them coalesced to form who she had become. Maybe she didn't deserve to be happy but she wasn't going to let anyone take it from her; she had worked far too long and hard to lose it now.

Her ears lifted and she listened as Cozy began singing in the shower. She realized all of those failed attempts to change Cozy, to save her from the fate she had built for herself had finally paid off. All of her suffering had been worth it. No, Pinkie didn't deserve happiness but she had found it, and that was all that mattered to the mare.

Author's Note

That's it, folks. In some form I've worked on this story since January and it is now December. It was a long ride and I'm kind of sad it's over. I won't say it went as well as I hoped but I'm happy with it.

I'm not fond of happy endings and neither Pinkamena nor Cozy deserve to be happy but this is the end of a long road for the two of them. I wanted Pinkamena to finally get what she wanted. I debated an ending where Cozy brought Twilight's crown through the time portal with her and had forced the severely injured Twi to teach her the time portal spell so she could build her empire over and over until it was powerful enough to threaten the monarchy. I also debated an ending where Pinkamena slipped back into her old ways. Cozy would come home to find Pinkie eager to show her a new recipe only to discover that she had cut open their employee and harvested her organs. Those were well and good but I finally decided that Pink(ie)amena should have a happy ending to her journey. I love twist endings but not this time.

Thanks Dobermans for helping out so much. You're a good friend.

If you've stuck with this story since the beginning, I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you so much for reading.