Family Core

Pinkie Pie had never seen white. Sure, she had seen the color before but she had never seen it in real life. Her father never allowed pegasus to bring snowclouds, not even in Hearth's Warming Eve. They only hired a few rainclouds to get the ground soft enough to carry the biggest rocks during harvest season and the rest of the year, not a single drop of water fall over the Pie´s farm.

So now Pinkie Pie was ecstatic that her mother brought her along to a business visit to Ponyville, because it was winter and the town was covered in a beautiful white blanket. Snow covered the roof and balconies, it was spread across the streets, making Pinkie left tiny hoofprints with every step she took. It was the most wonderful sight she had ever seen and Pinkie´s grin couldn't be bigger.

She saw a group of fillies and colts playing wiht the snow, making snowponies, building fortress and engaging in a snow fight. Pinkie wanted to play too, her mother have told her to stay still and wait for her to finish talking to the jeweler but she couldn't control the urge to jump and play in the snow. She grabbed a bit of snow and struggled to make it a ball, she wasn´t used to so the result was a bit crude but she was happy, she had made it herself. She looked around and saw a white unicorn filly with a beautiful pink scarf coming her way. Without any warning, Pinkie threw the oddly shaped piece of snow.

“Bullseye!” Pinkie chirped and excepted for the other pony to throw a snowball back.

“Waaaaa! Mommy!”

She didn´t expect that to happen. The filly ran to her mother´s side, crying because her scarf and mane got ruined by the snowball. Pinkie didn´t understood what was going on, a snowball was supposed to make you laugh, not cry. She stretched a hoof, wanting to apologize.

“Pinkamena Diane Pie, I told you to stay still!”

Pinkie´s mother grabbed her by the hoof and took her away to the carriage where her father was waiting. Pinkie kept her arm stretched, trying to reach the crying filly but she kept moving further and further away.

******

“Uh how do I help, Applejack? Should I sort the apples? The seeds? The beans? Oh you have no beans, but you should have because beans are funny! You know what else is funny? Fleas! Hey, that rhymes! Anyways, they get over you and make you so itchy and ticklish but you can also train them and make them into a circus but never try to make them jump over a ring of fire because then you get smoke all over the house and Mr. and Mrs. Cale get really angry and…”

“Pinkie Pie, I know you want to help but can you please just, calm down?” Applejack pleaded to the excited mare that was jumping all over the place.

The family was getting the cart ready for the journey and Applejack´s friends had come to the ground to send them goodbye. They were surprised to hear that Pinkie Pie was accompanying them this year.

“Hey AJ, are you sure you want to take Pinkie with you? I know she can be lots of fun but she can also be tons of problems…” Rainbow Dash whispered to Applejack.

“We´re fine Rainbow. I know that Pinkie can be a little too enthusiastic…” Applejack said just as Pinkie was bouncing a barrel over the cart. As in bouncing atop the barrel not bouncing the barrel atop her. “But she means well and besides, we can use the extra help so Granny SMith doesn't have to work so hard.”

Speaking of the elder pony, Twilight was helping her come down the house, Spike cleaning the snow that was still in the doorway.

“Don´t worry Granny, I got you!” Pinkie shouted and rushed to grab Granny, carrying her all over the cart. “Are you comfortable? Are you cold? You need more blankets? Oh you need your rocker, hang on!”

Rainbow looked at Applejack who just scratched her neck, not sure how to back up her words now.

“Oh, how come Pinkie can come with you guys and not us?” Scootaloo said.

“I don´t know. Applejack insisted in bringing her along. I actually don't want to go this year. I wanted to stay here and help you on the crusade,” Apple Bloom said.

“It´s okay. We can continue once you come back;” Sweetie Belle offered.

“Yeah, but then it will be the last day of winter. We won´t get another chance to try to get our Cutie Marks in bobsled.”

“Ther´s always next year,” Sweetie said.

“You wanna keep being a blank flank another year?” Scootaloo retorted and then got into an argument with Sweetie.

“Do you have everything you need, darling?” Rarity asked.

“I think it´s everything.”

“Including all of Pinkie´s musical instruments’” Fluttershy asked.

“What?” Fluttershy pointed at the side of the cart where there was ton of trumpets and drums. “When did she… Pinkie Pie, we´re not gonna need any of this!”

“It´s okay, Applejack! Only thing I need is my trusty harmonica!” Pinkie tried to pull a other but her lips got frozen into the instrument. “Auh mah foungue! Ah liffle helf?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and along with Fluttershy tried to set Pinkie free while Applejack sighed and put the instruments down.

“Darling, I´m with Rainbow on this one. Pinkie can be a delight but she can also be a workload,” Rarity said, placing a hoof on her friend's shoulder.

“I know that, Rarity. But…”   Applejack was about to tell them about the conversation they had the previous day but decided against them. It´s not like it was a big secret but she felt like that was a moment of weakness for Pinkie Pie and she probably didn't want other ponies  to know about it.

She remembered when she felt ashamed of losing the Rodeo Competition and ran off because she was terrified of seeing the disappointed faces of her friends and family. She was wrong, of course, and her friends welcomed her with open arms but she could understand what Pinkie was feeling. Maybe it was sympathy because they both came from farmer families, maybe it was an earth pony thing or maybe she had a lot more in common with Pinkie that she wanted to admit; whatever the case was, she wasn't going to spill the beans on that little talk they had.

“Something is the matter, Applejack?”

“No, I´m okay. Apple Bloom, we´re leaving!”

Apple Bloom said goodbye to her friends and rushed to the cart, passing next to Big Mac who was engaging  the vehicle to his neck.

“Uh uh, Applejack, can I have the first turn?” Pinkie asked, bouncing next to the stallion.

“Uh, sure, I guess. Big Mac?”

Big Mac simply nodded and handled the handle to the pink pony.

“Everypony ready?”

Pinkie asked, waiting for all the family members to sit down.

“All set…”

Applejack and Apple Bloom waved at their friends who waved back.

“And…”

The ponies looked at each other, wondering why was Pinkie taking her time.

“GO!”

The cart disappeared in a pink and red blur, all the while a pony was screaming for it to stop. hard to tell if it was Apple Bloom or Big Mac. The other ponies stood there, blinking in disbelief.

“They forgot Winona,” Fluttershy said, holding the dog.

*****

Pinkie Pie had run for over an hour and yet she seemed to never run out of fuel, judging by the way she kept bouncing and jumping around. The Apples however were not so lively, struggling to get down the cart, Big Mac even throwing up his breakfast to the side.

“Is it time to switch places? Is your turn, Applejack? Or is Big Mac´s? Uh, you wanna bucket, Big?”

The stallion waved to say no and Applejack helped Apple Bloom got out of the bucket she got stuck when PInkie turned to cart upside down while sliding down a hill.

“No Pinkie, we´re going to take a break.”

“Is it lunch time? I can make lunch!” Pinkie shouted, jumping over the cart and into the food supplies. “Let´s see. We have apples and apples and more apples. I´m starting to see a theme here.”

The two Apple sister sighed, unable to keep up with their friends energy.

“Are we in Fillydelphia yet, Applejack? Feels like we travelled across half of Equestria already…” Apple Bloom said, tried despite the fact that she never got the pull the cart this time.

“Well, Pinkie did save us a lot of time with that shortcut she took…” Applejack said.

“Please, don´t ever talk about the shortcut again…” Apple Bloom shiver while Big Mac got green again.

Applejack patted her sister´s head and moved next to the cart.

“Granny, you okay there?”

Granny Smith stretched her limbs and let go a big yawn.

“Are we there yet?”

“Granny, did you sleep the entire journey?” Applejack asked.

“Just like a baby foal.”

“Even when the timberwolves chased us?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Uh such imagination, that was probably your big dumb of a brother snoring again,” Granny joked, patting Apple Bloom while Big Mac suppressed another puke. “Well, color me green as an apple and bake me in the oven, I recognize these woods any day! We're half way to Hollow Shades! I haven't visited that foggy old town in ages! What do you say we all make it a visit?”

“Uh Granny, we´re supposed to be headed to Fillydelphia,” Applejack said.

“There´s plenty of time for sightseeing, youngling; but you should never waste the chance to visit family! Apple Bloom, don´t you want to see cousin Sour Apple?”

“I rather not,” Apple Bloom said and when she looked the way Applejack was looking at her added, “I don´t like cousin Sour Apple. She´s...strange.”

“I get you. That side of the family is...kind of odd, Granny.”

“Nonsense, An Apple is an Apple. Unless is an orange, I guess…”

“Or a pickle! Or a cucumber! Or a kumquat! Hey, that reminds me a funny story! Applejack, remember the Chimi-cherry-changa?”

Apple Bloom was already covering her ears while Applejack gulped at the idea of Pinkie going into a ramble agian. That never came to be however, because Granny covered the pink pony´s mouth.

“Why don't you be a darling and help this old lady settle a camp?”

“Are we camping now?” Pinkie asked, her eyes beaming.

“I rather be in Hollow Shades by the afternoon, this forest get mighty dark when Celestia puts the sun down, but for the looks of that slacker we´re not going anywhere anytime soon. Look at you, all exhausted after just one pull. Your grandaddy could take us all the way to Neighara Falls and back without breaking a sweat!” Granny said, berating poor Big Mac who was still a little green.

“Come on big bro, let´s go get some fresh water and clean you up,” Applejack said.

“I´m coming too!” Apple Bloom said, trotting after them.

Pinkie Pie and Granny Smith waved them goodbye, both looking a lot lively than the Apple siblings.

“And what got into these kids horseshoes to look so tired?”

“I don´t know. I had fun when the troll captured us in the cave,” Pinkie said.

“Kids and their imaginations,” Granny said, patting Pinkie.

*****

“So, Pinkamena Diane Pie…”

“Please, don´t call me that, Mrs. Cake! Only my mother calls me by my full name! I´m Pinkie Pie!”

Mrs. Cake giggled at the sight of the pouting young mare and said, “Okay then, Pinkie. You can then call me Cup Cake.”

“I can't call you that! It would be so confusing! If a client orders cupcake and I yell cupcake you will come out of the kitchen saying yes? and I´ll say no I say Cupcake and you will reply yes? again and then I´ll say no Cupcake, I sai cupcake and then you will ask again yes? and then the client will get really frustrated because he still hasn't got his cupcake!”

Mrs. Cake had to blink a few times to process that but when she did she let go a giggle. This kid was hilarious.

“Mrs. Cake is fine then. Pinkie Pie, do you have any experience working in a bakery?”

“Nope.”

“You don´t? Then why did you ask for a job here?”

“i love sweets! And treats! And delights! And what´s that fancy word for little snacks you get in galas?”

“Hors  d´oeuvres.”

“No, I´m an earth pony. But I´like to be one, I bet you can do lots of cool stuff if you had a horn! Or imagine if I had wings! maybe even wings and a horn? That would be so crazy!”

Mrs. Cake was again confused, it was like this filly couldn't keep a straight thought. But that wasn´t necessarily a bad thing.

“Well, Pinkie Pie seems you really want this job,” she said and Pinkie beamed. “I still need to talk to my husband. Maybe we´ll take you a little test before you start working here.”

“A test? You need to take a test to become a baker? Should I have brought pen and paper? i saw a Quills and Sofas store in the way here. Do I bring a quill o r a sofa?”

Mrs. cake giggled again. “No no, I mean a baking test. Like...how about you make me your favourite meal?”

“Can I?”

“Sure. The kitchen is all set with all you need.”

Pinkie Pie made a squee sound and rushed to the kitchen. Mrs. Cake giggled once more, smiling with the idea that once her husband came back from the maerky he'll get quite a surprise and indeed, Mr. Cake got surprised when he arrived.

“I saw the smoke from the street! What happened?” he shouted, coming in.

“Oh well, you see…” Mrs. Cake struggled to find an answer, while coughing for all the smoke.

“All done, Mrs. Cake! Oh you must be Mr. Cake!” Pinkie said, coming out with a tray on her mouth.

“He´s my husband, Carrot Cake.”

“I can´t call him that! What if a client comes asking for carrot cake and then I say carrot cake and he comes out…”

“Pinkie, honey, what did you make?” Mrs. Cake interrupted her before she went into a rant again.

“I made Smoky Rocks!”

“Rocks?” Mrs. Cake asked, she and her husband holding the burnt treats that Pinkie offered.

“They're not really rocks, silly filly! They´re buns, although a little burnt. I accidentally burnt them the first time I made them but my dad like them a lot, he said they remember him of rocks so I call them Smoky Rocks! Clever, right?”

Mr. Cake raised and eyebrow and his wife just shrugged. They decide to give them a  try, discovering that despite the burnt exterior, the inside was the sweetest thing they have ever tried.

“Kid, this is delicious!” Mr. Cake said, making the filly shine with all her with teeth.

“Pinkie Pie…” Mrs. Cake said. “Welcome to Sugarcube Corner.”

*****

Applejack helped Apple Bloom grab a bucket full of water and said, “Family, I want to apologize for Pinkie Pi. I know I insisted on bringing her along so, if you want to, we can keep the journey alone and you can take AB and Granny back to town, big bor,”

“Applejack, we like Pinkie Pie. Even if she can be a little…” Apple Bloom began.

“Bouncy.” Big Mac finished.

“We like having her around. We just want the journey to be less…” Apple Bloom bgan.

“Dizzy.” Big Mac finished.

“Well, I can make no promises about that. But I do promise to make sure we finish this journey. Just like the one a year ago and the one before that. We´re gonna make it together because apples tick together, right?” Applejack said, bringing her siblings for a hug.

“Do we really need to go to Hollow Shades? It´s very…” Apple Bloom began.

“Creepy,” Big Mac finished.

“Let´s just humour Granny for now. A quick visit to the family and then straight to Filly for the seeds. Then back to Ponyville just in time for Winter Wrap-Up. Think you can keep up?”

Apple Bloom and Big Mac nodded.

“Promise?” Applejack asked.

“Promise,” both Apple siblings said and nuzzled their sister.

They then saw a huge column of smoke and rushed to the cart, finding Granny and Pinkie sitting next to a fire.

“What´s all this?” Applejack asked.

“Lunch! I made my specialty, Smoky Rocks!” Pinkie beamed, showing the burnt treats that caused Big Mac to go green again. “They're not real rocks, you dummy apples!”

Applejack smiled and took one, convincing her siblings to take them too. They all took a bite and a smile appeared on their faces.

“These are delicious, Pinkie!” Applejack said, making Pinkie beam.

“They need more salt,” Granny complained..

“Uh Granny, that one is a rock…” Pinkie said, wincing when the elder pony chewed and swallowed the rock with no effort.