Pinkie Pie's Families
By Movie Reel
----------
Morning in Ponyville.
It shimmered, it shined, it did so much for so many.
But in one home, it was made absolutely certain that everything was, in fact, not perfectly fine. To Pound Cake, everything seemed unnaturally, unbelievably, mercilessly booorriinngg!
He flopped around on his bed, groaning loudly. The day only just begun, and he never thought he couldn't get this bored, this quick. For hay's sake, he lived in a bakery, surrounded by sweets! There just has to be something for him to do. That wasn't chores, mind you.
But there he was, lying on his bed, staring at an empty spot on the empty ceiling of his room and counting how many seconds it took for him to get bored again. He couldn't make it past two.
Pound sighed again. Louder this time. "I'm soooooo booooooored!"
"Will you keep it down, Pound?" His twin sister, Pumpkin, grieved. "I'm trying to concentrate."
She was across the room on her own bed, surrounded by a circle of stuffed animals. Some, like Munchy Monkey, Chewie Chickie and Rubber Pellet, she's kept since she was a baby. Others she got later, like her new favorite: Pinkie Pig. Pound hated The Pig. He, like his mom, thought Pumpkin should grow out of her toys. He even caught her chewing on them in her sleep sometimes.
The needle shook in the baby blue magic as Pumpkin tried to stitch a hole in The Pig, her tongue sticking out in concentration. One more stitch later and The Pig was wrapped in Pumpkin's forelegs with a squeak. It annoyed Pound to no end.
"Your pig is stupid."
Pumpkin looked at him, unimpressed. "Pound, are you trying to start a fight?"
"I don't know." He grumbled.
"Maybe you could practice flying once in a while." Pumpkin muttered through The Pig.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Pound questioned, jabbing an offended hoof at his twin.
"I'm just saying," Pumpkin said, smiling smugly. "That maybe if you practiced your flying you might be able to get your fat butt off the ground."
"Fat? I'm not fat. Who's fat? Not me!" Pound said, puffing out his boychest. "I'm as fit as you are."
"Not with the way you eat those snicker-doodles." Pumpkin sing-songed, tossing her stuffed pig in the air.
"Pumpkin, you eat just as many chocolate cupcakes as I do snicker-doodles," Pound harrumphed. "and I can fly."
"Not from what I've seen." Pumpkin mocked, rolling Pinkie around in her hooves. She gasped loudly in surprise. "If I can do a little magic and you can't fly at all... that must make me the alpha twin!"
Pound gaped at his sisters squealing. That couldn't be true. He was the alpha twin. Right? He had to be. He was the one who was born first. Right?!
"No your not!" Pound shouted, defending his honor and title as alpha. "I can too fly! Watch!"
Standing up, Pound proudly flared out his wings. He gallantly leaped! off his bed, gliding to his magical beta sister. When his hooves touched the floor, he epicly whipped his mane!! and narrowed his gaze at his sister. "Can."
"That was a glide." Pumpkin said otherwise.
"Wh-I just- you-that was-hija-" Pound sputtered, his ability to make sentences was lost. "No it wasn't!"
"Alpha Twin! Alpha Twin!" Pumpkin chanted.
"Am not!" Pound expertly countered.
"Are too!"
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
Their faces touching and mouths scrunched up in anger. The feuding twins held their glares, pushing their heads against the others. Pound pulled away, sending Pumpkin tumbling to the floor.
"Aw, forget it."
Pound flopped back on his bed, wrapping himself up in his sheets. He didn't know why, but when you're this bored, you just kind of... do stuff. Pumpkin, sympathizing with her inferior beta brother, stalked over to the cocoon of sheets. The Pig poked the stump of cloth smothering her brother.
"Pound?" Pumpkin called, but only got a grumble in response. "Do you wanna have a Brain Freeze-Off with me and Pinkie?"
Pound looked up from his sheets with a confused expression etched on his face. "What?"
"Me and Pinkie Pig are gonna go drink slushies until one of us gets brain freeze." Pumpkin said, cuddling her pig. "Pinkie always beats me. I think it's because I sewed her a second stomach."
Inspiration struck Pound Cake like a party cannon. "Wait. Pumpkin, that's it! Pinkie!"
"Oh! You're gonna challenge Pinkie?"
"No. Pinkie Pie!"
Pumpkin's eyes lit up full of adoration at the mention of her favorite aunt. The twins always loved their Auntie Pinkie Pie. Ever since they were born she was there, always making them smile anyway she could. Parties, pranks, songs, and if need be... flour. "Yeah! Auntie Pinkie Pie! Why didn't I think of it before?"
"Yeah! She always thinks of fun stuff to do!" Pound cheered, collapsing on the bed next to his over joyous sister.
"I can have a Brain Freeze Party!" She cheered.
"We could even-" Pound ceased his ramblings to think.
"We could have a Stuffing Your Face with Sweets Party!" Pumpkin waited for her brother to voice a suggestion, but he was still thinking. "It's your turn, Pound."
"I was just thinking, Pumpkin. Pinkie Pie has been with us since we were little, right?"
"Uh huh."
"As in, she was here before we were even born."
"Hmmhmm."
"Then, how did she get here?"
Pumpkin didn't answer, she didn't have one. After sharing a look of joint confusion, the twins got up and left the room without a word, pausing only for Pumpkin to carry The Pig.
The twins trotted up the stairs to Pinkie Pie's room. They were told it was once the buildings old attic now it was like their room. Except bigger, better, completely different and with a touch more streamers. However when the twins walked in there was no bouncing pink pony to be found, but there was something else in the room. A big, dead-eyed, toothless, alligator: Gummy.
Gummy grew a lot over the years. When they were babies, he was barely larger than a hoof. Now he was easily as long as both of them combined. He was (thankfully) still all gummy, and still bore a look of universal apathy most could only imagine achieving. Pumpkin loved him. Pound thought the way he stared into space was really creepy, but he held great respect for him.
"Hey, Gummy!" Pumpkin shouted, hugging her reptilian friend's muzzle. "Do you know where Pinkie Pie is?"
Blink.
"Aww, okay. He doesn't know." Pumpkin translated.
Another blink.
Pumpkin snorted a laugh. "Oh Gummy, your so funny sometimes." The gator gave Pumpkin's face a long and affectionate lick."Let's ask Mom and Dad!"
Pumpkin bounced out of the room, leaving her brother with Gummy, who smiled awkwardly at the alligator of vacant eyes. "Eh.. heh. Bye, Gummy."
He dashed down the stairs, leaving Gummy to make conversation with The Pig.
The twins bounded down the stairs, and stepped into the heart of their home. The bakery. It had all the necessities a bakery needed; ovens, pans and bowls for cooking, ingredients, but most importantly: bakers. And there working the love into every bite were the two best bakers in all of Equestria.
Cup Cake and Carrot Cake.
Mom and Dad.
The two were busy filling out a pair of orders. Carrot was carefully steering a rack of cake pieces into the ovens, while Cup was on the opposite side, flattening dough with a rolling pin. The room smelled like cinnamon, flour and yummy treats for life. Pound walked over to his baby blue mother, but Pumpkin took the stealthy approach.
"Hi, Mom!"
Cup Cake jumped at her smiling daughter appearing right next to her. "Don't do that, sweetie," She gently scolded before muttering. "I swear, Pinkie Pie rubbed off on you more than my liking."
"Pound and I are bored. We're looking for Pinkie. Do you know where she is?" Pumpkin asked, swaying back and forth on her hooves.
"I'm afraid not, honey. I haven't seen Pinkie all morning."
Her children groaned at her answer.
"Can you help us look for her?" Pound pleaded.
"Well," Cup turned and dragged a sack of flour in her teeth. "If you help us out in the kitchen, I-" She turned back around to see her children had vanished and the back door was shutting with the wind.
"Oh how do they do that?!" Cup exclaimed.
"They disappear on you again, Honey Bun?" Her husband asked understandingly. He too a victim of the twins new-found power.
"I was going to help them find Pinkie if they helped us with the order." Cup pouted.
Her Ginger Snap kissed her lovingly on the cheek. The love in their marriage of more than a bakers dozen of years had yet to fade in either of their hearts. "It's okay. The cakes are in the oven. I'll help you."
When the finally stopped to put the wind in their sails, Sugarcube Corner was far out of their hearing range. They were safe for now.
"That was a close one, " Pumpkin panted. "I panicked when she was reaching for the sugar."
"Good call, sis." Pound agreed, having caught his breath. "Well, our aunt is missing and we're on the run from Mom and Dad. To Pinkie Pie!" He declared with a point to the heavens. His sister "Yay'd!" in jubilation.
By the time the sun was at it's highest point in the sky, the twins were ready to give up. They checked everywhere they could think Pinkie would be at. They checked Sweet Apple Acres, they couldn't find her. They checked the market place, they couldn't find her. They checked Rainbow Dash's cloudhouse; then got lost, fell in a pond, chased by bees, and then decided they couldn't find her.
"Ugh! This is pointless!" Pound groused. "How hard can a Pinkie Pie be to find?"
"We checked everywhere," lamented Pumpkin. "Even the Plastic Bottle and Party Supply store."
"Party Supplies! Get your party supplies! Also empty plastic bottles, half off only for today!" The proprietor of said store shouted in his loud, scratchy voice.
"I can't think of anywhere else to look."
"Look for what?" Asked the most beautiful voice they had heard all day. It was Pinkie Pie!
"PINKIE!" The twins shouted in joy, rushing up and tackling her in a hug.
"We've been looking for you all morning? Where were you?" Pound asked, thankful their search was over.
"Were wasn't I? First I was over at Sweet Apple Acres helping Apple Bloom fix up the fence for the cows. Then I went to Fluttershy's to throw a birthday party for Harry the Bear. And then, I visited Cranky Donkey because Matilda is getting sicker and she needs help with her medication and he gets lonely sometimes with no one else to talk to so he likes to talk for a long time, but that's okay because I like to listen for a long time." Pinkie stopped to suck in a deep breath. "So, watch'ya need? Your mom and dad need help with something?"
"No, we were bored!" Pound said.
To which Pumpkin followed up with- "And we were thinking of stuff to do."
"But they were boring too."
"So we thought to ask you for stuff to do."
"Cause you always have fun stuff to do."
"And then I said we should have a brain freeze party."
"Pumpkin." Pound scolded, getting her back on track.
"Oh, right."
"How did you meet Mom and Dad?" They asked in unison.
"Oh, you want to hear that story? That's an easy one. We just gotta wait for the transition to take us home."
"Wait, what?" Pound said before being swept away in the-
-cut to Pinkie's room.
"WHAT THE?! HOW DI- we where- wh- howzit-" Pound started to panic at his new surroundings.
"You okay, Pound?" asked Pumpkin, not at all fazed by their leap in location.
"I think I need to sit down for a minute."
"I would too if I wanted a story about me." Pinkie singsonged. With a cheer Pumpkin cuddled up with Pinkie (The Pig, not the pony) while Pound settled onto the floor next to his sister. Pinkie saddled up at the edge of her bed. Gummy wanted in on the story time action and scuttled up into his owner's lap.
"So, you two want to know how I came to Ponyville?" Pinkie asked. The twins nodding eagerly. "Okie dokie lokie."
Once upon a time, there was a little pony named Pinkie Pie.
"Is this a long story?"
"Pumpkin!"
She grew up on a rock farm, with her poppa, momma, and her sisters Inkie and Blinkie. They spent their days working the fields, moving rocks from one side to the other. It wasn't very fun, or happy. There was no talking, there was no smiling, there was only rocks.
The rest of the Pies, finished with their chores, went inside and leaving Pinkie to finish up with her rocks. Pinkie sighed, she never did do too good at her chores. She was never happy pushing rocks all day, she thought it would last forever. When all of a sudden...
BOOOOOM!!
The sky just exploded! The clouds blew away in a big gust of wind that made her hair go all poofy. When it was over, a big beautiful rainbow was shining in the baby blue sky. She could even see the big blue sky! And Pinkie smiled the biggest smile she ever smiled. She never felt joy like that before, it felt so good she just wanted to keep smiling forever. And she wanted everyone she knew to smile too, but rainbows didn't come along that often.
"How else could I create some smiles." She wondered to herself. She had a plan as quick as a flash. No, a second. No wait! A millisecond! What's shorter than a millisecond? A moment? Anyway, she worked long into the night. Her family came out the next morning, ready to harvest the rocks from the south fields.
"We better harvest the rocks from the south field." Clyde Pie said in his tired, scratchy voice.
They suddenly heard the strangest of sounds coming from the silo. It sounded like music.
"Pinkamena Diane Pie," her mother called. "Is that you?"
Pinkie stuck her head out of the door, smiles and all. "Mom, I need you and Dad and the sisters to come in here quick!"
The Pie parents were suspicious but went anway. When they opened the door, the silo was decorated with all sorts of colorful streamers, and balloons. Like nothing any of them have ever seen before. There was even a cake too!
"Surprise!" the pink pony cheered. "Do you like it? It's called a party." A noise blower topping off her excited smile.
The farmers mouths dropped with a big gasp, Pinkie got nervous. They started making weird faces like they were in pain. Or had gas.
"Oh. You don't like it." Pinkie assumed frowning again.
All of a sudden, her families faces turned upright into big smiles.
"You do like it!" Pinkie shouted in elation, her family joined her in a family dance. "I'm so happy!" She was having so much fun, that she didn't notice that she got her cutie mark that day.
Ever since that party, Pinkie's life changed. Every day seemed to get brighter and brighter, and happier and happier. Even though the work was hard, Pinkie kept her family's spirits up. She would sing all kinds of songs while they worked and even told jokes. She knew they weren't always good, but they always made her Momma and Poppa laugh. They always told her that a cutie mark is what makes a pony a pony and expressing their special talent is what makes the whole world a better place, because it's the ponies that made the world special. Pinkie knew that she had to make the world even more special by making the world happier, and she knew the best way to do it: throwing the world a party.
And that's what she did.
She threw parties for her parents, for her sisters, even for the little chickens hatched. But every once in a while, she threw parties for things that weren't ponies. Like the barn, the windmill, the silo, the bags of flour...
"Why would you throw bags of flour a party?" Pound asked incredulously.
Pumpkin and Pinkie looked at him like he just asked the stupidest question, which was very likely.
"Because they never had a party before, silly."
Pumpkin snickered while Pound just looked more confused.
"But, why would you feel the need to throw inanimate objects a party? In fact, if that's the case then do you throw parties for everything in town? Like the furniture, the ovens, the ingredients we use, the-" Just then, Pound remembered the pony(ies) he was talking to. "Never mind. Just, forget what I said."
"Okay! Now where was I?..."
Oh yeah!
But even then, she felt she wasn't making the world happy enough. There were only so many ponies and not-ponies on the farm she could make happy. So when she begged her daddy to answer an ad for help on a kumquat farm, he said that if making other ponies happy is what made his sweetie pie happy, then that made him happy. She was so excited to work on a kumquat farm. She thought it was such a fun word to say. Kumquat. Kumquat. Kumquat! If it was so fun to say, she knew it had to be fun to farm.
"You farmed kumquats?" Pumpkin asked admirably.
"Mmhmm."
"Oh, wow! What was it like?"
"Well..."
Pinkie sat in her chair as the train rolled into the station. She wiped the tears that kept leaking out of her eyes, sniffling loudly. Those meanie kumquat farmers. She looked out the window, her family waiting for her there. The moment the train came to a stop, Pinkie whizzed by the other passengers, leapt off the train and ran to them.
"Hey, there she is!" Inkie hollered. "Pinkie!"
Pinkie ran past her sister and collided with her mother into a big hug.
"Pinkie?" Momma asked, shocked by her daughter's distress. "What's wrong?"
"It was awful, Momma." Pinkie cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. "They didn't like me. Nopony did. I just sung my songs, and tried to make ponies happy, but they didn't want me to."
"Oh, Pinkie." Her daddy rubbing her back comfortingly.
"It was after a long day and everyone was tired. I wanted to throw them a party, but they told me that they didn't need parties. That they didn't have time to play games or have fun. They told me my parties are just pointless and they sent me away!"
"Oh, sweetie pie. I'm so sorry." Momma soothed as Pinkie cried into her coat. Poppa wrapped them up in a hug, her sisters did too, and all the Pies fell into a family hug.
The hug broke away too soon. "Feel better, sweetie pie?" Pinkie blew into her tissue with a loud toot, she was still sad but nodded. Poppa took her hoof. "Come on. Let's go home. Kumquats are silly things anyway."
"But that's why I like them. They're so much fun to say."
"I know, I know."
The twins went quiet. They've never heard of anypony who didn't like parties, let alone a Pinkie Pie Party.
"Did they really hate your party?" Pound asked, hoping to not hurt Pinkie's feelings.
"No." Pinkie answered. She stroked Gummy's scaly back, her gaze a thousand yards away. "There wasn't any party to hate."
The room fell into a tense, uncomfortable silence. Nopony dare say anything, Pinkie's lip started to quiver.
"But that's okay." She finally spoke. "Because her Poppa said she learned something that day."
The Twins glanced at each other, silently daring the other to ask what.
"That even if she couldn't make other ponies happy, then somepony or something else might. Different things make different ponies happy, right? I mean, look at Pinkie Pie. She doesn't make herself happy. Her friends and family is what makes her happy, and seeing them smile makes her even happier."
Pinkie smiled, and the Twins smiled back. Gummy didn't smile, but he suckled on Pinkie's hoof as a sign of his compassion. Pinkie giggled at him with a snort. "Anyway, a few weeks later..."
"And I said oatmeal, are you crazy?" Pinkie said, finishing her joke. Her sisters snickers turned into guffaws at their favorite joke. Pinkie once made them laugh so much they cried. The day's work was done and the girls were winding down.
"Tell us another one, Pinkie!" Blinkie begged.
"Girls!" Called their fathers voice. "Bedtime."
"Awwwww!" His daughters moaned in unison. "But Daddy!"
"No buts, girls." Their mother firmly said, walking in.
"Okay, Mommy." The girls filed out the room in a line, they kissed their Momma and Poppa good night as they passed by. Poppa stopped her before she left.
"Not now, Pinkie." He said. "Your mother and I want to talk to you."
"Am.. am I in trouble?" She asked nervously.
"No, sweetie pie. Your mother and I have been talking about you and your mark."
Pinkie looked at the trio of balloons etched on her flank. "What about my mark?"
"Well, your mark is about spreading joy to other ponies. You've spread more happiness to this farm than we can handle. We are forever grateful for what you have done for this family, but this dreary farm is no place for you. You belong somewhere as happy as you make us feel everyday."
Pinkie didn't really understand. She always made them laugh and they had fun, but he was saying that like it was a bad thing.
"So, I talked to an old friend and he knows a place where you can live and express your special talent properly."
"But, what about you and momma, and my sisters?" Pinkie asked, tears stinging her eyes. "Don't you want me anymore?"
"Oh Pinkie we do want you." Momma said, hugging her tightly. "We want nothing more but for you to be happy. But your father and I can't keep up with you, even your sisters can only last so long. Your father and I talked about it for a long time and we have made our decision. We think this is what's best for you."
By now she was really crying. "But... I'll miss you, and daddy, and- and.."
"Pinkie, I know it's hard. But your mark is something we can't help you with. The farm here is just not for you, your happiness should be spread to everypony and not kept here where it can't be spread to other ponies."
Pinkie still cried. They were sending her away.
"Pinkie, look at me." Pinkie listened to her daddy. "This could be fun. He said that there are bakers in Ponyville that need help making their sweets."
Pinkie gasped, tears forgotten. "Really? Like sweet cakes, and honey buns, and chocolate snaps, and-"
Her poppa and momma laughed at her enthusiasm. "Anything you can think of, sweetie pie. So what do you think, Pinkie? Do you want to stay here and keep us happy, or go to Ponyville and make a lot of other ponies happy?"
Pinkie's face scrunched up as the thought about it. She liked it here on the farm with her family, but she really liked making all kinds of sweets.
"Can I make cupcakes too?" Her parents looked at each other, smiled, then nodded.
"I'll do it!" Pinkie said, and she hugged her mom and dad as hard as she could. This time they hugged her harder.
The next day they packed up Pinkie's suitcases for the taxi carriage to take her to her new home.
"I'll write every week. No, no. Every day! Every hour if I can!" Pinkie promised her family. When her daddy just finished packing up all her suitcases, she wrapped everypony up in a big hug. Her sisters were already crying, and then her momma started crying, and then her poppa, and then I started - WAAAAAAAHAAAHAAA!!"
"Uh, Pinkie?" Pound said, confused at her sudden tears.
"Sorry." Pinkie said, wiping her eyes.
Pinkie watched as the dull gray fields being turned into bright colorful houses and colorful ponies too. She waved at all of them, and they waved back! She was so excited to make friends here. They all seemed so nice. And when the carriage stopped, she was EVEN MORE EXCITED!!
It was a giant GINGERBREAD HOUSE!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!
Pinkie was so excited she leaped out of the carriage with all her stuff and went inside. But not before she tipped the driver. Always tip the driver. When she went inside, she was punched in the nose by all the sweetest smells a pony could think of and make up! It was like she was inhaling sugar and flour, or anything she could possibly make. Like cupcakes, and snicker doodles, and cream puffs, and almond tarts, and macaroons, and pound cake, and chocolate cake, and cheesecake, and...
"Mr. Cake!"
The lanky, yellow stallion with a scratchy beard was watching her from behind the counter, and was looking at her as if she grew a second head. That would be silly, wouldn't it? She dashed up to him in a millisecond, and shook his hoof.
"Howdy, Mr. Cake! I'm Pinkie Pie and my daddy said that you needed an apprentice and that you had a bakery and that he said that I was the pony for the job! I grew up on a rock farm and my Momma and Nana Pie taught me everything about how to cook sweets like mini cakes, and cupcakes, and bread, and salty snacks, and-"
"Uh..." The poor baker listened as she told her entire baking resume before calling to the walls. "Honey Bun, the help is here!"
"Is that our Pinkie Pie?" Called a voice from the kitchen. That had to be Miss. Cupcake, and it was! She was a baby blue earth pony with a kind look, even if she was a bit round. But that's okay, she was still pretty.
"Why are you describing them?"
"What?" Pinkie and Pumpkin turned at Pound's question.
"Why are you describing our parents? We know what they look like."
"It's part of the story, silly."
Pound sighed. "Fine. Continue."
"Miss Cupcake! Miss Cupcake!" Pinkie shouted, running up to her and giving her a great big hug!
"Oh, actually dearie, it's Mrs. Cup Cake. This is my husband, Mr. Carrot Cake. And welcome to Sugarcube Corner!" She and her husband proudly presented the bakery to her. Pinkie looked around at all the little tables, the menu board, the sweets behind the glass, the ovens, the stoves, the pots, the pans, the pantry full of sugar and spice, and-
"AAAAHHH!!! I'm so excited!" Pinkie shouted from pure joy! "When do I start?"
"Oh, you'll start soon enough, honey." Mrs. Cake said in a way that reminded her so much of her momma. "First we have to set up your room."
Mr. Cake struggled to pull up the majority of the boxes as the three earth ponies trotted up the stairs. When they reached the top, Pinkie was amazed at the sight of her new room. It was so big! She never even had her own room before, or even her own bed, her old room just never had that much space.
"Oh wow! This is my room?" Pinkie bounced around, looking at everything. The bed, the nightstand, the balcony level, the window. Everything was so nice! And colorful!
"It's all yours, Pinkie." Mrs. Cake said, as she and her husband set down her bags.
"I could throw all kinds of parties in here! I could have dances, and soirees, and buffets. OOH! OOH! Even a neon lights dance extravaganza!! Can I? Please?" Pinkie fell onto her stomach, pleading to the bakers hooves.
"Uh- um, sure. I guess." Mr. Cake answered unsurely. Is that a word?
"I had to ask. It might be my new room, but it's still your house and I want your permission for when I threw a party. Because throwing parties is my special talent. See?" She showed them her cutie mark of balloons. "It's not really throwing parties, it's making ponies happy, because I love seeing ponies smile. That's why I love to throw parties, because that's the best way I can make them smile."
Pinkie Pie smiled and it rubbed off onto Mrs. Cake.
"Well, dearie, this is your room now. So if you want to throw a party up here for some of your new friends, then you can."
Pinkie's face lit up in a grin that reached her ears. She was so excited that she wrapped them up in a big hug. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!!"
"It's no problem, Pinkie." Mrs. Cake said sweet as sugar.
"Uh, Honey Bun?" Mr. Cake spoke up. "We should get back to our cupcakes soon."
"Cupcakes?! You're making cupcakes?!"
"Well- uh, yes, Pinkie." Mrs. Cake stammered. "We were experimenting with a new recipe a little before you arrived."
"Can I help? Pleeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassssssse?????" Pinkie desperately pleaded with big doe eyes.
"Don't you think you should unpack first and get settled in?" Mr. Cake asked.
Pinkie took her bags and emptied them with super speed. She took out her sheets and made her bed. Her three trunks worth of party supplies she stuffed into the closet. Her party cannon, she put in the corner. The pictures of home, she neatly organized on her dressers. She unpacked her last trunk with even superer speed, because that had the baking supplies Momma had given her. She didn't even bother with organizing those, she just picked them up as they were in the suitcase.
"Now can I help?" Pinkie asked again.
The bakers looked at each other, then at the room. "Uh... sure." Mr. Cake finally answered.
"Yay!" Pinkie bounded down the stairs past them to the kitchen. "What do you want me to do first?"
"Well, Pinkie, we're working on a new recipe." Mr. Cake explained. "We've been trying to figure it out for a while now, but the recipe just isn't right."
"Can I see the recipe?" Pinkie asked. Mrs. Cake hoofed over the slip of paper and after a quick glance, she instantly knew what to do.
"I know what to do!" Pinkie declared and set to work making the batter. The Cakes looked at each other again.
"Uh, Pinkie are you sure you know what you're-"
"Yeah, I got it." Pinkie said. She cracked the eggs, poured the milk, added in something special, poured the mix into the pan and stuffed it into the oven, quick as a flash. "All done!"
"Wow. That sure was quick." Mr. Cake complimented.
"What else can I do?" Pinkie asked, eager to keep working.
"Well... I guess you could organize the pantry a bit. Or change the display counter, or-" Her suggestions were interrupted by the ringing of the bell, announcing that a customer has arrived.
"Can I wait on this customer?" Pinkie begged with all her strength. "Please?"
"Okay. Okay, Pinkie." Mrs. Cake said, surrendering to her stare. "But let me help."
Pinkie followed Mrs. Cake to the counter, where a grey maned mare was ringing the bell. Mrs. Cake smiled at her. "Hi. Welcome to Su-"
"HI! I'm Pinkie Pie. I work here now! What's your name?"
The mare stumbled back for a second. "Oh.. well, hello. I'm Ivory Scroll, Ponyville's mayor." She greeted before looking at Mrs. Cake. "I see you've found some help after all, Cup."
"Yeah, Pinkie here is well... excited to work here."
"I sure am! So what'll you have?"
"Well I can't stay long, but..." She looked at the treats in the display. "let me get a slice of that delicious looking chocolate cake."
"Can do!"
Like the pro she was, Mrs. Cake took to prepping her order, while Pinkie made small talk with Mayor.
"So you like chocolate cake, Miss Mayor?" Pinkie asked. "Or is is Mrs. Mayor?"
"Nope. Just miss. And yes, I am fond of chocolate. It's a little vice of mine."
"I love chocolate too! Chocolate bars, chocolate pie, chocolate chips, chocolate cake! I can't get enough of it. Or partying for that matter. What other kind of treats do you like?"
"Oh, anything made by my favorite bakers here. Which by the way, how did you hear about Sugarcube Corner?"
"Oh! That's easy! My daddy told me that there was this bakery in Ponyville that needed help and he said that I was the pony for the job! Mr. and Mrs. Cake are so nice"
"By the way Cup, how is that new recipe coming along?" The Mayor asked.
"Oh, it's coming along." Cup said, a little embarrassed. "Still trying to figure out the right ingredients."
"She doesn't have to worry about that anymore. I figured it out." Pinkie said, giving the mayor her order.
"Really?" Ivory said smiling a blushing Cup Cake. "In that case, send me a batch of them when you can."
"Sure, Miss Mayor." Cup said, finding her voice again.
"Please, Cup, you can call me Ivory. See you around." She picked up her order and left.
"Come again!" Pinkie called, waving goodbye. Pinkie watched Mrs. Cake put the bits into the register, she was still blushing. "Are you okay, Mrs. Cake?"
"Oh I'm fine, Pinkie. Let's just say, Ivory just knows what to say sometimes."
They heard a ding from the kitchen.
"Cupcakes are ready!"
The two walked in just in time to see Mr. Cake putting the tray of steaming fresh cupcakes on the counter.
"Well, let's see." Mr. Cake said, taking one of the cupcakes. He took a test bite and his face freezed with his mouth hanging open. Mrs. Cake was worried.
"Carrot?" But Mr. Cake was still statuey. "Are you okay? Honey bun?"
Without a word, and his face still stuck, he hoofed the treat into her own. She took a bite and she froze too. Pinkie saw a small tear run down her cheek. Cup Cake scarfed down the cupcake, her face got unstuck and turned into a smile. "Mmm-mmm! This is absolutely delicious!"
"It's one of the best things I've tasted yet." Mr. Cake gushed as he took another one.
"You like it?" Pinkie asked.
"We love it!" Mrs. Cake said.
Pinkie was so happy that she was ready to burst. So she did. "Wheee!"
"I don't understand." Mr. Cake said, shaking his head in disbelief. "We've tried every ingredient we could think of. Licorice, cinnamon, oatmeal."
"Oatmeal?! Are you crazy?!" Pinkie shouted.
"Desperate, is a better word." Mrs. Cake said. "What exactly did you put in the mix?"
"That's easy. I added my special Pie cake mix. It's a family recipe that's been passed down since... well actually my Nana Pie taught it to me. She always knew the best treats to make."
Cup smiled at Carrot, who winked at her. "Do you think you could teach us that special recipe?" Mrs. Cake asked sweet as sugar.
"Sure!" Pinkie said, jumping up and taking one of her cupcakes into her mouth. The another. And another. One more. "Can I give it a name? Ooh, ooh! How about the Pinkie Pie Cakes? No, no! The Cupcake Pie!..."
The Cakes wrapped their arms around each others barrels as they shared a smile and another cupcake while Pinkie rambled on again. At that moment, both Pinkie Pie and the Cakes realized that this was the beginning of something tasty, and something sweet.
"And that's how Pinkie Pie Cakes were made!" Pinkie wrapped up. She capped off her story by taking a bite out of her own brand of cupcake she totally had before just now.
Pound and Pumpkin sat in the floor in silence. They weren't used to something so honest and grounded from Pinkie. They were quite literally in awe at their her tale. Pumpkin however, was able to voice the same thought they shared.
"Whoooaaaaa."
"I didn't know you were a rock farmer." Pound said, amazed.
"Yep! The Pie family are the biggest distributors of rocks and rock-like products in all of Equestria. Give or take a few pebbles."
"Is that when you met Gummy?" asked Pumpkin, staring into the gators peepers.
"Nope. Gummy came a few months later by express mail. We ordered a large case of fruit one day and he was hiding inside the crate. He looked so hungry, and thirsty, and tired, but he was so cute and sweet and all toothless I decided to keep him.
"What was that like?"
Pinkie thought about it...
"AAAAAHHHH! GET IT OFF ME! GET IT OFF ME!" Mr Cake screamed as scrambled to get the alligator off his face.
Pinkie snuggled Gummy tighter. "That was a great day."
"That was a great story, Pinkie." Pound said, hugging her in thanks. "I'm sorry you had to move away from your family."
"Don't be sorry, Pound. It makes me lucky."
"Lucky? How?"
Pinkie got up and walked over to her dresser, and picked up a framed picture. She gave the picture to Pound. It was a picture of Pinkie's family standing in front of the house, they all had subtle smiles, except Pinkie and her sisters had big toothy grins.
"Well, I have my real family. I miss them, but they're my family, I know they won't forget me. They're still happy, and I'm still happy, because I live in Ponyville now. I have a bunch of new friends, and a family with the Cakes."
She pulled out another picture frame and gave it to Pumpkin. It was a picture of all of them when they brought the Twins home from the hospital. They were all smiling, Mom and Dad's eyes overflowing with liquid pride.
"You guys are my family too. I play with you, help you with your homework, and your chores, and baking, and all kinds of stuff. I am your Auntie Pinkie after all. You two, and your mom and dad, are so much like my family that you guys really are my family. Not every pony gets to have two families, and that's why I'm so lucky."
The Twins looked at the two families and the two captured moments of happiness. They just sat there waiting to see which Pinkie Pie would jump to life in which picture. Waiting to see Pinkie sing a happy birthday song while their mother rocked them in her arms, so happy to finally be a mother she cried tears of pure joy or watch at the poor farmers laugh along with their daughters jokes. Pumpkin and Pound looked at each other, and understood. They gave their Auntie Pinkie Pie a BIIIIIIIIIIIG hug.
"There you kids are!" Called their mothers voice, who walked up into the room. "When did you get back?"
"During the cutaway." Pinkie answered for them.
"What?"
"We found Pinkie Pie and she took us home and told us a story!" Pumpkin shouted ecstatically.
"Oh, that's awfully sweet of her." Mrs. Cake said, nuzzling her daughter's cheek before doing the same for Pound. "Did you like it too, Pound?"
"Yeah, mom." He said, hugging her, an understanding smile etched on his face. "It was fun!"
"That's great, kids. Hey, daddy and I are done with one of our orders and we have a little left over. Anypony want to help make some cinnamon rolls?"
"YEAH!!" The Twins dashed down the stairs to the kitchen. Cup turned to follow them until she noticed Pinkie putting up pictures on the dresser.
"Do you want some too, Pinkie? There's enough for the whole family."
"Oh, I'll be there in a minute Mrs. Cake. I want to write a letter to my family first." Mrs. Cake lovingly nuzzled Pinkie's cheek and went down to help Carrot referee the kids.
Pinkie sat on the floor, took a quill in her teeth, and started to write.
"Hi Momma! Hi Poppa!
It's your sweetie pie, Pinkie! How are things going? I'm doing pretty great. I'm still making cakes and sweets, and I'm making everypony happy. The Cakes are still doing great, and did I tell you about their kids in my last letter? They're so much fun to play with. Pumpkin is always silly and likes to have adventures with all her toys. Pound isn't really silly, but maybe that's because he's still practicing his flying. Mrs. Cake once had a fit when he flew up to the roof of Sugarcube Corner and...
Pinkie stepped into the kitchen. Carrot was leading his baby filly as she was carefully coating icing over soft doughy rolls. Cup was busy helping her handsome young colt put another rack of the rolls into one of the ovens.
"Hey Pinkie!" Pumpkin shouted to her, tossing the glazed spoon into her father's face. "Want to watch me spread the glaze?"
"Oooh! Oooh! Can I help too? I want mine to have sprinkles in them."
Pinkie picked up the spoon covered in icing off of Carrot's face, and helped direct Pumpkin on spreading the delicious icing.
Just like any other day for the Cake family.
Author's Note
Special thanks to my faithful proofreader, and friend Neiha
