Author's Note

Also made minor updates to the original chapter, feel free to check it out.

Hidden Chapter

One Pounded Pumpkin

Digital_Hex

Hidden Chapter

Pumpkin Cake glanced nervously down the isle of the train, many of the compartment doors already closed. Starting down the isle, she glanced into each of the rooms, all of them already full of ponies.

She made it down an entire car before she groaned to herself. All of these dang compartment rooms were full! Where was she going to-

She made it to the very last room, peeking in. She expected it to be full of more giggling ponies, but was quite surprised when she saw only a single mare sitting alone, looking out the window. It faced away from the station, so she wouldn't be able to wave good-bye again, but...

A loud cheer went up throughout the train as it lurched forward, causing Pumpkin to yelp in surprise as she stomped a hoof down, bracing herself. The mare snapped her attention to the orange mare, meeting her eyes awkwardly. She blushed faintly, a light crimson across her sierra-toned coat, making her freckles pop across her cheeks.

“Uh... hey?” she said in relative surprise. Her bright green eyes refused to break from Pumpkin's.

Pumpkin fixed her pose, giving out a slight laugh.

“Oh, hi there. Uh... I'm Pumpkin Cake. Mind if I sit here? All of the other rooms are kind of taken.”

The mare nodded vigorously, her cherry mane bobbing excitedly as she cleared a spot for Pumpkin. Pumpkin gave her an appreciative look before sitting herself next to the mare. She offered her a hoof.

The mare looked at the hoof with a cocked eyebrow before looking back at Pumpkin with a confused look.

Pumpkin laughed awkwardly.

“Pumpkin?”

The mare's eyes went wide as her blush intensified. She quickly met Pumpkin's hoof with her own.

“Oh, right! I'm Rapid Souffle!” she said with a rather thick voice, a very present urban accent to her voice.

Manehatten, perhaps? Pumpkin contemplated in her mind. Maybe Baltimare...

“I'm from Manehatten,” Rapid explained.

Aha, called it, Pumpkin thought with a smile.

“You're from Ponyville, I take it?”

Pumpkin nodded. “Yep, I helped run a bakery with my brother and parents! What about you? You're going to the school too, right?”

Rapid nodded with a big grin on her face.

“Aw yeah, girl! Imma be the best chef in my family, just wait!”

The two girls giggled as they relaxed. They were going to be great friends, they knew it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Pound yawned as a new day began. He climbed out of bed and glanced over towards the bed across the room from his own.

His heart sank as he took in the sight of the carefully made bed, empty as it would be for a while. He sighed.

“Guess that means yesterday actually happened, huh,” he grumbled. He wouldn't be seeing Pumpkin for a few months now-

His ears perked up as a faint blush formed on his face.

“Wait, that means- we... Pumpkin and I- !” he giggled to himself as he rolled over onto his back, looking up at the ceiling.

They were really together. Pound smiled at the concept. After all these years, he and Pumpkin were finally together.

He let out another excited giggle. He could hardly believe it!

Letting himself roll out of bed, he trotted happily out of his room, going down the stairs into the kitchen. His parents were already busy at work, planning for the busy day they expected to have.

“Morning, Pound,” his father voiced.

“Morning dad!” Pound said rather cheerfully, taking both of his parents by surprise. They shared a brief look between them before Carrot Cake cleared his throat.

“Well, ah, you're pretty cheerful this morning, son!” he observed.

“Yep, I'm just happy!” Pound exclaimed. “Weird, isn't it?”

Cup Cake let out a laugh. She was happy for her son, even if the... reason, was a little awkward.

“Does... does this have to do with Pumpkin, by any chance?”

Pound flushed faintly before nodding. “Y-yeah...”

Cup sent Carrot a face that screamed “I told you!”

“That's lovely, dear. Now come on, there's plenty of work to be done!”

Pound nodded happily.

“Alright!”

- END -