The Great Ponyville Bake-Offby cooopercrispChaptersFriendly CompetitionIn the HuddleBriberyThe PropositionThe ContestThe ResultsFriendly CompetitionChapter 1: Friendly Competition The balmy summer air was the best weather anypony could have asked for for the annual Ponyville Fair. Often called the best small-town fair in Equestria, five days in the middle of July are devoted to ferris wheels, music, games, and a wonderful chance to socialize. But the fair was most known for the food. Fried dough, giant pretzels, and steaming hot veggie burgers were just some of the delicious choices offered by the ponies of Ponyville. Concession stand after concession stand was lined with the tastiest summer eats around, and it was the food that Twilight was looking the most forward to in her first fair as a princess. Given the presence of royalty in the small town, the fair was going to take on a bit of a different role this year, and all four princesses were expected to attend to commemorate this milestone. The talk around the town was brimming with excitement as a result. Twilight and her friends were at the library discussing the fair’s logistics. Ever since Twilight came to town, they’ve been in charge of running the fair. Amidst all the planning and organization, however, the presence of the princesses was all they could think about. “To think, the fair is going to be hosting royalty this year!” Rarity exclaimed. “It will make an already marvelous occasion all the more significant.” “Well, I for one hope nothin’ changes,” Applejack replied. “This fair’s always been about the small towns and down-home hospitality. I’m thrilled that the princesses are comin’, but I’m afraid they might distract from the main event.” “I see your point, Applejack,” Twilight said, “but Princess Celestia asked that we run the fair as normal. We’ve been setting up the fair ever since my arrival in Ponyville, and she wants us to make sure the presence of royalty changes nothing.” “But do you realize what this means?” Dash cried. “This is gonna be the biggest fair ever! All four princesses being there, it’s gonna draw a huge crowd. I’ve heard rumors that the Wonderbolts are gonna do a show. This could be my big chance to impress them!” “But didn’t you already go to that academy?” Fluttershy asked. “Doesn’t that mean they already know about you?” “Yeah, but I dropped out, remember? That set me back a bit, so I need to make up for that by really showing them my stuff. And, well, a little royal endorsement couldn’t hurt…” Dash made a not so subtle wink in Twilight’s direction. “I’d love to help out your chances, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight responded, “but I only have so much clout. Besides, the Wonderbolts put performance over politics. They’re one of the few entities in Equestria that care more about what you can do than who you are.” “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Dash grumbled. “An Element of Harmony, and I don’t even get looked at. You’d think a Sonic Rainboom would help change their minds, but they keep telling me I need to pull it off consistently. As if three times isn’t enough!” “Now, now, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, trying to calm her. “We all know you’d make a great Wonderbolt, but these things take time. Now, about the fair. We need to take extra care to ensure that it goes off without a hitch.” “Rarity’s right,” Fluttershy said. “We’ve got a lot of ponies to impress this year, so we have to do the best we can.” “Don’t worry, girls!” Pinkie shouted, leaping around the room. “I’ve got this! I’ve been organizing this thing for years, even before Twilight came around, and there hasn’t been one hiccup yet!” “What about two years ago when one of the concession stands caught on fire?” Applejack recalled. “Or the time when stray clouds from the Everfree Forest moved in and dumped a boatload of rain on everypony?” Dash asked. “Or how about when one of the contestants in the pie-eating contest threw up on one of the judges?” Rarity remembered. “Okay, okay, so there have been some problems,” Pinkie reasoned, “but overall, the fairs have gone on without a hitch since I started planning them. Now, we have a lot of events to schedule this year. We’ve gotta organize the concert on the second night, the pie-eating contest on the fourth day, the fireworks on the last night—” “Pinkie, I’ve already written all of it down,” Twilight said, pulling out a schedule of all the events. Pinkie pored over the list carefully, looking for omissions or scheduling conflicts. But Twilight’s organization skills were impeccable, and she saw no issues with the line-up. “This is...acceptable,” Pinkie said. “But writing down a schedule is one thing. It’s another to actually buckle down and execute it! We have to go talk to all of the ponies in Ponyville who are involved and make sure they’ll be prepared and ready to go.” “I’ll take the charge there,” Rarity offered. “My social connections in this town have proven useful in the organization of all the events.” “And I reckon I’ll be in charge of the setup,” Applejack said. “Gotta make sure all the stands and rides are lined up right, or the whole thing’ll be a mess.” “I’m on weather patrol,” Dash said, soaring around the library. “We won’t be getting any stray storms from the Everfree this year!” “And I’ll be in charge of keeping everypony on schedule,” Twilight said. “No, no, Twilight. Leave that to me,” Pinkie corrected her. “You’re going to be far too busy with your royal duties to have time to organize everything. Fluttershy and I will pick up the slack, right, Fluttershy?” “Oh, of course,” Fluttershy said with a nod. “We’ll take the load off your back this year, Princess.” “Please don’t call me that,” Twilight said, grimacing. “Around strangers, I’m a princess. But with you guys, I’m still just Twilight. You should know that by now.” “We get it, Twi,” Applejack said, patting her on the back. “Bein’ a princess must be a tough job, and you don’t want your friends puttin’ pressure on you.” “Thanks, Applejack,” Twilight replied with a smile. “That means a lot.” “So, Applejack,” Pinkie said, staring her down. “Ready to lose the Great Ponyville Bake-Off again?” “It ain’t gonna be like last year, Sugarcube,” Applejack boasted. “You got off on a technicality, and the Apple family won’t make the same mistakes twice. Besides, we’re three and three since the Cakes moved into town, so you can’t say you’ve won any more than we have.” “Please, Applejack. Everypony knows the defending champions have a greater chance of winning than anypony else.” “Don’t use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue,” Applejack said with a sneer. “Our apple pie was better than anything you could have pulled off last year.” “Too good,” Pinkie responded with a devilish grin. “You used a banned substance and were disqualified.” “How were we supposed to know zap apples were banned?” Applejack asked. “They had never bloomed that early before, so we thought we had a good opportunity on our hooves.” “Well, you won’t win with gimmicks and excuses like that!” Pinkie said, getting up and glowering at Applejack as she approached. Applejack straightened her Stetson and got up to meet her. They stared each other down with determination, almost looking ready to settle the score then and there with a fight. Fluttershy cleared her throat and spoke up. “Or, you know, Bon Bon and Lyra could win.” Applejack and Pinkie slowly turned their heads and glared at Fluttershy before bursting out with a laugh. “Fluttershy, please,” Applejack said in between spurts of giggling. “She might know her way around chocolate, but Bon Bon can’t bake anythin’ to save her life. She’ll get the bronze ribbon for placin’ third and she knows it.” “I’m just saying, don’t let your guard down,” Fluttershy warned her friends. “Remember what happened in that Running of the Leaves between you and Dash.” “Did you have to bring that up?” Dash groaned. “Oh, but this year’s gonna be different!” Pinkie reminded Applejack. “Because this time, the four princesses and Shining Armor are gonna be the judges. Isn’t that right, Twilight?” “That’s what Princess Celestia said in the letter,” she recalled. “I suppose being judged by royalty ups the ante a bit.” “‘A bit?’” Pinkie asked. “Twilight, do you know the kind of food they’re used to eating every day? They eat the most delicious pastries every day for dessert. They can detect the smallest imperfections. A bitter taste here, a bland texture there, and bam! You’re out of the running.” “And what does that say about me?” Twilight asked. “You’re used to Spike’s cooking,” Rarity said, “and I swear, that dragon’s chocolate cake is even better than the cake they served at the Grand Galloping Gala.” “Too bad I’m not qualified to compete in the bake-off,” Spike said, coming out of the shadows with a scowl on his face. “Sorry, Spike,” Applejack said, “but traditionally only ponies could participate in the bake-off. Granny’s dad set the rule and it hasn’t changed in decades.” “It’s stupid!” Spike complained. “You know how outdated that sounds? It’s kinda racist, if you ask me, not letting a dragon or a griffon participate because they don’t have four hooves and a tail!” “Sorry, Spike,” Pinkie said, “but you know how strict Ponyville is about tradition. Just look at Winter Wrap-Up.” “Whatever,” Spike muttered, walking out of the room. The six ponies winced as they watched him go, and they turned back to each other uncomfortably. “I feel bad for the poor drake,” Rarity said. “He really is quite gifted, and he can’t put it on display for the fair.” “I agree,” Applejack said, “but there ain’t anythin’ we can do. It’s gonna be just us ponies in the bake-off, and when I win, it’ll prove to everypony in Equestria that the Apples can work an oven better than the Cakes.” “In your dreams, maybe!” Pinkie replied, “but in reality, the family that bakes for a living is gonna come out on top. Just you wait and see!” “Well then, I’d better get crackin’ on our recipe so we can settle the score. Good luck to you, Pinkie. You’re gonna need it.” Applejack got up, tousled Pinkie’s mane, and walked down the stairs and out of sight. Pinkie groaned and bounced off the floor. “No way I’m gonna let that cowpony one-up me. It’s time to get to work!” Pinkie followed quickly after her, and their friends could hear Applejack and Pinkie bickering as they left the library. The four of them turned to each other nervously. “This is a lot more intense than past years,” Twilight said. “I hope they don’t actually start fighting.” “It’s just ’cause you and the other princesses are judging,” Dash explained. “There’s a lot more on the line this year, and I think the pressure’s getting to them.” “I should remind them that it’s a friendly competition,” Fluttershy said sternly, “and that a win isn’t worth it if somepony’s feelings get hurt.” “Fluttershy, darling,” Rarity said, “there’s not much you can do about it. They’re both thick-skinned ponies. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” “I hope so,” Fluttershy said, “or this will be one ugly fight.” The four of them hoped against hope that Fluttershy’s premonition didn’t come to pass. Author's Note I haven't seen the latest episode yet, but I know it's about Pinkie Pie and Applejack. I've had this idea in the past, but now seems a good time to write the story. Let's see what these two Earth ponies will do to try to win this bake-off! In the HuddleChapter 2: In The Huddle “All right, Apple family, listen up!” Applejack said, rallying the troops and ready to go to war. The troops, however, did not seem ready for battle. Apple Bloom was scribbling something on a piece of paper, Big Mac was staring out the window, and Granny Smith was in her rocking chair, about ready to fall asleep. “Dearie,” Granny Smith said, “can ya make it quick so I can take my afternoon nap?” “Come on, ponies! This is about the bake-off!” Suddenly the three family members snapped their heads up and gave Applejack their full attention. Applejack smiled. “Now that’s more like it! As you know, last year we got ourselves, um...disqualified for using the zap apples in our recipe.” “I still think we got cheated,” Big Mac muttered. “Same here,” Applejack replied, shaking her hoof in the air. “There was absolutely nothing in the rules saying we couldn’t...but that’s all behind us. This year, we have to win fair and square and give everypony in Ponyville no reason to think we can’t do it without cheating!” “Here here!” Apple Bloom cried. “So...what are we gonna make?” “I say we keep it simple,” Applejack said, bringing the family in a huddle. “We knock ’em out with the best apple pie ever baked in Equestria. Warm, flaky crust with hot, sweet apple fillin’, it’ll be enough to knock those judges’ socks off!” “That’s if they’re wearing socks,” Big Mac commented. Applejack glared at him. “You’re missin’ the point! What I’m sayin’ is that it’s gonna take all of us to win this competition. We can’t do it on our own. Granny, we’ll use your time-honored recipe and you’ll be makin’ the crust. That’s your specialty.” “That recipe comes from generations of Apples,” Granny Smith said. “My granny was making it before there was even a Ponyville to host a fair!” “Exactly. The more traditional, the better. Apple Bloom, you’re in charge of the seasoning. We need that pie caked in powdered sugar and just a hint of spices, and you have a knack for it.” “I do?” Apple Bloom asked, bouncing up and down. “But last year you said I was gettin’ in the way.” “You’ve grown a lot since last year, and I expect you’ll be a big help. Now Big Mac and I, we have to harvest the apples. Fuji, golden delicious, pink lady, granny smith. We’re gonna need all of ’em to make this pie special, and we have to pick the best. Think you can help me buck a few trees to make ’em?” “Eeyup,” Big Mac said. Applejack stared blankly at him. “Is that all you have to say?” she asked. “You can’t get a little more excited?” “Applejack, mark my words, we are gonna pick the best apples in the orchard and make the sweetest, cavity-inducin’ pie this side of Equestria!” “That’s more like it!” Applejack cried. “Now, everypony, hooves in!” Applejack stuck her hoof out into the middle of the huddle. Granny Smith reached in with her’s, and Apple Bloom had to stretch her hoof upward to reach Applejack’s level. Big Mac rested his hoof on top, and it covered up all of the other ones. “We all know this is the greatest family in Ponyville, and we’re gonna prove that we’re the best bakers, too. Royalty’s comin’ to judge our pies this year, so we have to put everythin’ into this apple pie to make sure it’s the best. Now, everypony, apples on three! One, two, three…” “APPLES!” The family of four lifted their hooves in the air and immediately broke to get to work on the pie. They were all just about ready to get started, but then Apple Bloom called out. “Wait! Ain’t the fair not ’til next week?” They all looked at each other and smiled. Maybe they had gotten a little overenthusiastic. Applejack considered carefully what they could do. “Well, Big Mac and I can still harvest the apples, make sure nothin’ bad happens to ’em this comin’ week. Maybe you and Granny Smith can start plannin’ the crust and seasoning.” “Sounds great, Applejack!” Granny Smith called out from the kitchen. “We’ll make sure to have the absolute best ingredients prepared to bake the pie!” “Great! We’ll see you when we get all the apples harvested.” Applejack and Big Mac headed out the door, leaving Apple Bloom and Granny Smith ready to confer. “All right, Cakes, listen up!” Pinkie called, pacing across the floor of Sugarcube Corner. Carrot and Cup had their game faces on. This was the most important event for the bakery all year. If they won the competition, their store received a huge uptick in customers. “We have to wow the crowd with the best dessert we’ve ever baked! The only thing is...I have no idea what to make!” “Oh dear,” Cup said. “You usually have a good idea ready to go.” “I know, I know, but this year I’m totally stumped. We wasted an amazing idea on last year’s bake-off. I mean, I know, how were we supposed to know our biggest competition would get themselves disqualified for cheating? We could have won with something far less ambitious.” “That’s a shame,” Carrot said. “We could’ve just saved that idea for this year and win for sure!” “Yeah, well, I’m not giving up that easily!” Pinkie cried. “We need something dramatic. Something bold, daring! Something fifty bajillion times better than the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness!” Carrot leaned in towards Cup. “How does she even remember that name?” he whispered. “Focus, ponies!” Pinkie shouted, and Carrot tensed up as he returned to an upright position. “We need ideas! No, we need a vision! I should get my crystal ball for this.” “No, no, Pinkie,” Cup advised, “I don’t think that will be necessary. The three of us just need to put our heads together and think.” Suddenly, the three ponies could hear Pumpkin and Pound Cake crying upstairs. Carrot and Cup were about to leave to check on them, but Pinkie grabbed their shoulders and yanked them back. “They’ll just have to wait!” she said. “What can we make that’s gonna knock their socks off?” “That’s if they’re wearing socks,” Cup said. “That’s not the point!” Pinkie shrieked, and Cup winced. “Pinkie,” Carrot said, “we know this is important, but I think you’re taking this too seriously. I know we want to win for the store, but isn’t this supposed to be about having fun, too?” “Not with those no-good, dirty Apples breathing down our necks! Now, what’s the best thing you can think of?” “Can it be a cake?” Cup suggested. “From a family named the Cakes?” Pinkie rebutted. “They’ll be expecting that. We need to think outside the box.” “You sure your Magical Mango...whatever that’s called, won’t cut it?” “Everypony already knows about that. We can’t use it again. That would be tacky, and guaranteed to make us lose the competition.” “Well, Pinkie, what’s your idea then?” Cup asked. “You seem to be the one on the ball in this competition, so we want to know what you think.” “I can’t just pick one thing…” Pinkie said, “so this year, we’re going with everything.” “Everything?” Carrot asked. “Yep! It’s gonna be a cookie crust with cake filling topped with ladyfingers, ice cream, and chocolate sauce! I call it...the Pinkie Pie Surprise!” “Are you sure that’s gonna work?” Cup asked. “Sounds like it’s a bit too much…” “Are you questioning the pony that came up with last year’s idea and won the competition for us?” Pinkie asked. “Easy, Pinkie,” Carrot said. “We’re just brainstorming right now. We just think we should go with something...simpler.” “Simple is what lost us the competition two years ago!” Pinkie exclaimed. “No way we’re going back to that. Now are you on board with the Pinkie Pie Surprise or not?” Carrot and Cup looked warily at each other. “Whatever you say, Pinkie,” Cup said. “Great! Now everypony, huddle up!” she called. The foals were still crying upstairs, and Carrot and Cup were eager to get this over with so they could take care of them. “We’re gonna blow them away!” Pinkie shouted. “We’re gonna show them a new meaning of baking. We’re gonna take that championship for the second year in a row! And nopony’s gonna stand in our way when we impress the royal princesses! Now, what are we gonna do this year, win or lose?” “Win!” Carrot and Cup shouted. “Again!” “Win!” “Again!” “Win!” “Louder!” “Win!” “I can’t hear you!” “Win!” “That’s more like it!” Pinkie cried. “Now go take care of your babies while I get this recipe sorted out.” Carrot and Cup left the huddle and made their way upstairs, whispering to each other. “Think she’s a little too intense this year?” Carrot asked. “It’s because the princesses will be judging,” Cup said. “It’s got her on edge. I’m nervous about it, too.” “Well, we’re gonna have to help her calm down,” Carrot said. “We won’t win if we get too riled up over this.” They looked over at Pinkie, who was poring over the contents of the cabinets, looking for the perfect ingredients to make sure they’d be ready for the...thing they were making next week. “Let’s let her blow off some steam first,” Cup said. “It’ll be easier to talk to her when she’s tired.” “Agreed,” Carrot said, and they finally made their way upstairs to take care of their babies, leaving Pinkie running around the kitchen like a mad pony, her brain whirring to get this recipe down pat. BriberyChapter 3: Bribery Twilight was off to the Quills and Sofas shop to get some quills. The upcoming fair was looming on her mind, specifically her role as judge for the Great Ponyville Bake-Off. It wasn’t that she was nervous about the responsibility. Rather, she didn’t want to have to choose between her two friends. Her train of thought was broken when Applejack bumped into her. “Oh, Twilight!” she said a little too loudly. “Didn’t see ya there! Howdy!” “Hi...Applejack,” Twilight said, wondering why her friend was acting so strangely. “What’re you up to?” “Oh, just running some errands. Nothing special.” Twilight walked briskly away from Applejack, already suspecting what she wanted from the shifty look in her eye. “Oh, but it’s right around lunchtime, and you must be hungry!” Applejack cried. Twilight kept walking, but Applejack kept pace as they moved through the streets of Ponyville. Applejack suddenly grabbed her shoulder and started leading her in a different direction. “I’ve got some of the finest apple fritters at my stand today. You can have one on us, the fine folks at Sweet Apple Acres!” “Applejack, stop!” Twilight shouted. Applejack took her hoof away from Twilight, looking dismayed. A few of the other ponies in the street stopped and looked at the two friends out of curiosity. Twilight smiled nervously at them and dragged Applejack away from the main road. “Applejack,” she said sternly, “I know what you’re trying to do. Attempting to bribe me so I’ll judge in your favor at the bake-off is not going to work, and it actually might entice me to do the opposite.” Applejack gasped. “Twilight, how dare you! I was merely trying to offer you a bite to eat in the most courteous way possible. I had no intentions of trying to butter you up or anythin’ like that.” “Applejack, please,” Twilight said with a sigh, shaking her head. “You’ve always been a terrible liar.” Applejack’s face suddenly drooped, and Twilight’s attitude toward her softened a bit. “I’m real sorry, Twilight, but you gotta know how much this means to me. It ain’t just a contest. Endorsements from the royal princesses would drum up a lot of business for the farm, and it’s money we could really use right about now.” “Well, if you wanted an endorsement from royalty, why didn’t you just ask?” Twilight put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder and smiled. “You know I’d be more than happy to recommend your goods to everypony in town.” “You would? That’s mighty kind of you, Twilight,” Applejack said, offering a small smile in return. She then glanced around. “I just hope Pinkie Pie doesn’t find out—” “Find out what?” Pinkie shouted, rushing into the alley. Twilight and Applejack both jumped, and eyed Pinkie nervously. She had a steely gaze in her eyes that was quite foreign to her normal, jovial nature. “P-Pinkie,” Applejack stammered. “What are you doin’ here?” “The question is, Applejack, what are you doing here?” “I’m just tryin’ to have a friendly conversation with Twilight here.” “Oh, sure,” Pinkie snapped, stepping closer to Applejack, who started backing up towards the end of the alley. “Just a friendly talk with one of the judges for a certain competition you’ll be taking part in. Nothing wrong with that!” “Now, hold on just a second there, missy!” Applejack snapped back, taking a defiant step towards Pinkie. “What made you jump to that conclusion, huh? And just what brought you to this here alley anyway? You weren’t thinkin’ of tryin’ to do Twilight some ‘favors,’ hopin’ to give you an edge in the bake-off, were you?” Pinkie’s mouth fell open. “Why would I ever want to do that? I was here making sure you wouldn’t be doing that, trying to keep things fair for the competition! You’re the scroundel here, not me!” “What did you just call me?” Applejack asked menacingly. “Girls?” Twilight said. “Scroundel! Weasel! No-good, conniving, manipulative cheat!” “What did you, read the dictionary this morning?” Applejack asked with a sneer. “Admit it!” Pinkie shouted. “Admit you were trying to schmooze your way to that gold ribbon!” “Why don’t you admit you were tryin’ that, too, and that’s why you followed Twilight all the way over here?” “Girls!” Twilight called a little louder. “You keep harping on that. Sounds like a guilty conscience.” “You’re goin’ on about it as much as I am, if not more. Who’s got the guilty conscience now?” “Girls, if you don’t stop arguing, I’m going to vote for Bon Bon and Lyra!” That got Pinkie and Applejack to stop bickering. They turned towards Twilight, looking like they had just been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. Twilight sighed and gave them each a glare. “The bickering needs to stop,” she said. “I’m not going to hear my friends shouting insults at each other over a silly contest at a fair! I know what you said, Applejack, about the business, but it’s really not worth being at each other’s throats like this. Now, I suggest you two look each other in the eye and apologize.” Pinkie and Applejack groaned and turned to face each other. “I’m sorry,” Applejack said. “I shouldn’t have tried to bribe Twilight in the first place, and I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” “I’m sorry, too,” Pinkie replied, “for all of that.” “That’s much better,” Twilight said with a smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I still have errands to attend to.” Twilight walked out of the alley, and once she had her back turned, Pinkie and Applejack glared at each other. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easy, chum!” Pinkie whispered harshly. “This isn’t over.” “I look forward to creamin’ you in the competition,” Applejack bit back. The two of them stared daggers into each other’s eyes before they walked off in opposite directions. Twilight sighed again as she made her way to the Quills and Sofas shop. I hope this doesn’t cause a rift between them, she thought. I don’t want to lose out on two good friends. Twilight hoped that after the fair, things would settle down. It was all she could wish for right now. The PropositionChapter 4: The Proposition When Twilight returned home that night, the heated conflict between her two friends was still fresh on her mind. “Spike!” she called out, listening intently to see if he would respond. When she heard none, she sighed and began looking around the library. She checked the kitchen to see if he was cooking, but there was no aroma coming from the room. She checked the room upstairs to see if he was sleeping. She finally checked in the library proper, joking to herself that he might be doing chores. He was nowhere to be found. Twilight slumped onto the floor and rubbed her temples. Just when I need to talk to him, he’s not here… Suddenly the door opened and Spike snuck in. When he saw Twilight lying on the floor, he jumped and began to stammer. “Twilight, I didn’t know you’d be home so early! Um...sorry I wasn’t here to get dinner ready. I had…” “Spike, where were you?” Twilight asked. “Well, I can have a life, can’t I?” Spike grumbled. “I was out with some friends.” “Did you have fun?” “Lots of fun,” he said with a smile. “But what are you doing lying on the floor? You look miserable.” “Gee, thanks,” Twilight said with a smile. “Just what a young mare loves to hear.” “I didn’t mean it like that!” Spike stammered, shaking his head. Twilight giggled and walked over to him, patting him on the head. “Look, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself today,” Twilight said, “but I have a bit of a problem.” “What’s up?” Spike asked. The two of them sat down on the couch in the library, Spike snuggling up against Twilight. “It’s Applejack and Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said. “It’s that time of year again, when they get at each other’s throats over this stupid baking contest. But it’s even worse now because of who’s judging.” “You mean you and the other princesses,” Spike clarified. “Yes, and do you know what they were trying to do?” Twilight asked. “They were bribing me with food and favors so I’d judge them favorably in the bake-off! I didn’t think our friends would ever stoop that low.” “I did,” Spike remarked. “What?” “Our friends have a knack for doing dumb things under pressure, you included.” “Spike,” Twilight said with a frown, puzzling over his snarkiness. “Are you upset about not being able to participate in the contest?” “Well, yeah,” Spike said. “I mean, I know it’s tradition like Winter Wrap Up is tradition, but why the heck do I have to sit back and watch other bakers show their stuff in front of royalty? I mean, I know you love my food, but I never got to know what Celestia or Luna or even Cadance thought.” Spike crossed his arms and turned away from Twilight. “Spike. I’m really sorry you can’t compete, but maybe I can appeal to the mayor to see if we can’t change the rules for next year.” “How about this year?” Spike grumbled. “I don’t want to wait all the way ’til next year.” “Spike, the contestants have already entered,” Twilight said. “Pinkie and Applejack signed up immediately, and then Bon Bon and Lyra threw their hats in the ring. That’s all three slots filled.” “Great. Just great! And I suppose Bon Bon and Lyra won’t even come close to winning. Would have been a perfect opportunity for me to compete.” “Well, there’s nothing else I can do,” Twilight said. “But you’re a princess! What good is being friends with a princess if she can’t do favors for you?” Spike gasped and covered his mouth with his hands. Twilight was crestfallen and turned away to hide her sadness. Spike shook his head, cursing himself, before running over to Twilight. “I’m so sorry,” Spike said. “You know we’re way closer than that, and I didn’t mean it.” “I know you didn’t,” Twilight replied sadly. “I know you’re upset about the situation, and I’ll do my best to resolve it. Right now, though, I need to take some time to myself. It’s been a hectic day.” “Okay, then,” Spike said. “Do you still need me to get the groceries tomorrow?” “I can see the back of the fridge,” Twilight said with a smirk, “so yes, I need you to go.” “No problem,” Spike said, patting Twilight on the back and leaving the room. There has to be a way to get me in to compete, he thought, his brain whirring in the search for a solution. Suddenly an idea came to him, and he decided that before he went to get groceries tomorrow, he’d make a persuasive offer to a few ponies he knew… Bon Bon and Lyra were sitting in the confectionary. Lyra had a notepad and a pencil hovering in front of her. Bon Bon was lazily flipping a coin that she had found on the ground. Lyra suddenly groaned and dropped the notepad and pencil. “We do this every year!” she said in an outburst. “Why the heck do we keep signing up when we can’t think of anything original to bake?” “Because perseverance is the key to success,” Bon Bon said. “And besides, the publicity is helpful, even if we don’t win.” “It’d be a lot more helpful if we did,” Lyra muttered. A few minutes later, the bell at the front of the store rang as Spike walked into the shop. Bon Bon rose and went behind the counter, beaming at him. “What can I help you with today?” Bon Bon asked. “I’m not here for a treat,” Spike said. “I actually wanted to make a proposition to you two.” Lyra scoffed. “About what?” “About the bake-off,” Spike said with a wicked grin. Lyra rolled her eyes, but Bon Bon stared at Spike intently. “What about the bake-off?” she asked. “Well, I know you guys struggle every year to come up with something,” Spike said. “Hey!” Lyra shouted. “Bonnie and I have great ideas. It’s just bad luck that the two best bakers in Ponyville have ideas of their own.” “Well, see, here’s the thing,” Spike said. “You two have something I want, and I have something to offer you that I think you want. What you have is a spot in the contest, but you need ideas. Well, I’ve been cooking and baking for a long time, so I have plenty of ideas. I figured with my help, we could come up with something delicious that’ll knock the socks off of the princesses!” “Oh really?” Lyra asked, resting her chin on her hoof. “So what you’re saying is that you, a baby dragon, are a more competent baker than the two of us, who’ve been entering this contest for years?” “Okay, well, take a look at this and see if it changes your mind,” Spike said. “It’s my own personal recipe.” He handed a parchment over to Bon Bon, who studied it carefully. Her jaw dropped, and she hustled over to Lyra and showed her the recipe. Lyra shook her head at first, but when she looked at what Spike had drawn out, her eyes bugged out. “And you know this is gonna be good enough to win the bake-off?” she asked. “Positive. I’ve already got one of the princesses to fall in love with my food, so that’s a free vote right there. And I’ve been working on this recipe for years, always hoping I could get past the ponies only rule and enter this competition. Well, now with your standing and my inspiration, we could win this thing. No, we will win this thing! Are you with me?” “I’m with you!” Bon Bon cried, waving her hoof in the air. Lyra smirked and raised her hoof in the air. “Might as well give it a shot,” she said. “Okay, now, I’m gonna have to find a way to get out of the library long enough to help you two make the thing. Shouldn’t be too hard. Twilight’s pretty lenient on where I go during the weekends, and the bake-off is on a Sunday. So we have all weekend to bake this thing and blow them away!” “Sounds great,” Bon Bon said. “I’ll work on getting the ingredients in the meantime.” “And I’ll study up on the directions,” Lyra said. “I have a bit of a knack for following recipes.” “Perfect. I’ll drop by the day before to bring it all together. Hooves in, everypony.” Spike circled up with Bon Bon and Lyra, and each of them reached out with a limb. “Cakes on three,” Spike said. “One, two, three.” “CAKES!” they all shouted. “Okay, I gotta go,” Spike said. “If anypony asks, I was looking for a box of truffles.” “Or you could just buy a box of truffles now,” Bon Bon suggested. “Would if I could,” Spike said, “but I didn’t bring any bits. That’s actually really clever though.” “Then it’s on us,” Bon Bon decided. She went behind the counter and reached for the biggest box of truffles on the shelf. “It’s the least we can do to thank you for your help.” “Don’t thank me until we win,” Spike said, “but I appreciate it.” “No problem,” Bon Bon said. She and Lyra waved goodbye to Spike as he left the confectionary with a big grin on his face. The ContestChapter 5: The Contest Time flew by as the three entrants to the bake-off prepared their treats, and pretty soon the fair had begun. Ponyville was lively with ponies from all over the area taking part in the festivities. There were rides to enjoy, games to play, and delicious food to eat. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both had stands with food from Sweet Apple Acres and Sugarcube Corner, respectively. It was all about the publicity for their businesses. The two of them had set up stands opposite each other. Whenever ponies passed by looking interested in buying some food, they were friendly as can be, always putting the customer first. It was a different story when they were by themselves. “I suppose you think you’re gonna win the bake-off this year,” Applejack called across the road. “Well, sorry, hon, but you don’t stand a chance against what we’re cooking up.” “Okay,” Pinkie Pie said, “keep telling yourself that.” “Hey! That’s uncalled for!” Applejack shouted, waving a hoof at her. “You’re the one who started talking to me,” Pinkie Pie called, tracing circles in the counter. “But keep shouting all you want. Doesn’t bother me.” “It should bother you. When you see what we’ve got in store for the competition, you’re gonna get scared. And I’m gonna love every minute of it.” “Okay.” Applejack groaned and pointed her hoof threateningly at Pinkie. “You’re really starting to get on my nerves!” “Why? Because I’m so confident about my entry that your trash talking doesn’t bother me? I think you should spend less time yapping and more time baking, and then you won’t be so insecure that you have to put me down to bring yourself up.” “You know what? Fine! I’ll let my baked goods do the talking! You’ll see!” “Okay.” Applejack had to stop engaging with Pinkie Pie before she crossed the road and wrung her neck. Just remember, she thought, it’s all about the competition. In the meanwhile, Bon Bon and Lyra were selling their candy further down the road. Spike strolled up to the booth to talk to them. “Learning that recipe?” he asked. “Yep,” Lyra replied. “Are we gonna bake it to perfection the night before the contest?” “Absolutely!” Bon Bon cheered. “All right. Just wanted to make sure.” Spike walked away with a fluttery feeling in his stomach. This is gonna be awesome… Like all good things, the fair passed by quickly, and soon it was the day of the bake-off. There were three places on the table for the three entrants. In front of each, the baked goods they had prepared were underneath cloches to keep them a surprise for the crowd. The Apple family was at the far left behind the number 1. Pinkie and the Cakes were number 2. Bon Bon and Lyra were the third entrants. All three groups were standing in front of their entrants for the contest. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were staring daggers into each other’s eyes. Bon Bon and Lyra looked over at the two of them with concern. They leaned towards each other. “Why are they taking this so seriously?” Lyra asked. “I thought they were supposed to be friends.” “They’re always like this,” Bon Bon said, “although it is kinda sad.” “Well, let’s just hope we can beat them this year,” Lyra said. “Do you think we can pull it off with Spike’s help?” “Did you see the way he worked in the kitchen? The drake’s a genius!” “Hello, hello! Cane everypony hear me?” Rarity called over the loudspeaker. The crowd of ponies hushed when they heard her voice and looked eagerly towards Rarity. “We are about to take part in the Great Ponyville Bake-Off!” she announced. The crowd stomped their hooves and started whooping. “Well, without further ado, I will present the entries. The Apple family, please present Entry Number One!” Applejack lifted off the cloche and revealed a scrumptious apple pie glazed over with powdered sugar. “And we have a delicious apple pie from the Apple family!” Rarity announced. “Its elegance is in its simplicity, but we all know that anything with apples from Sweet Apple Acres is sure to be absolutely delicious!” Applejack grumbled to herself at the seemingly biased commentary. It didn’t matter though. All they need to do was impress the judges. One by one, the four princesses and Shining Armor took a taste of the pie. The Apple family watched them in earnest to see their reactions. Shining Armor was stone-faced, but Cadance looked satisfied and Luna was practically salivating. Twilight walked up to the pie and lifted the fork to her mouth. “Hope you enjoy it,” Applejack said with a wink. Twilight smiled politely and took a bite. She maintained a neutral expression as she walked back to the judges’ table, and Celestia looked unimpressed as well. “And the judges have tasted the pie! We’ll see the results once they’ve had a chance to try all three. Next up is Entry Number Two! Let’s see it, Pinkie and the Cakes!” Pinkie revealed their entry, and the crowd murmured to each other in confusion. Pinkie winced as Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Okay...I was told this is called the Pinkie Pie Surprise, but I didn’t know what to expect. It’s certainly...surprising. Okay, judges, take a taste!” Pinkie scrunched her face in anger as the judges came up. Shining took a skeptical bite but nodded when he tasted the medley of flavors. Cadance twitched when she tried it, and Luna looked nonchalant. Twilight stepped up to take her bite, and she once again held a neutral expression. “What did you think?” Pinkie implored. “You’ll find out when we reveal the results,” Twilight responded coolly. Celestia took a bite and seemed pleasantly surprised. “Okay,” Rarity said, “our final entry comes from the owners of the Ponyville Candy Shoppe. Let’s see it!” Lyra lifted the cloche to reveal a chocolate cake that looked moist and delicious, with chocolate glazed icing and chocolate drizzle, decorated with plump maraschino cherries. “Oh my,” Rarity said. “That certainly looks quite rich. It might be enough to make you full in one bite. Let’s see if the judges agree!” Bon Bon and Lyra glared at Rarity, but they couldn’t claim she was biased towards any one entry. The judges, however, seemed quite satisfied. Shining Armor smiled at his bite, and Cadance and Luna looked at each other eagerly when they both tried it. Twilight’s eyes shimmered when she tried it, but then she looked puzzled and walked back to the judges’ table, lost in her thoughts. Celestia gave it a try and winked at Bon Bon and Lyra as she left. “And now that the judges have tried all three entries, they will confer and present the results. In the meantime, I encourage you all to mingle amongst yourselves. I’m sure the judges will have their results shortly.” In the meantime, all the contestants could do was wait. The ResultsChapter 6: The Results The judges leaned in close to each other and begin deliberating about their ranks. Each judge was to rank the three entrants in order of satisfaction with the dessert. The contestants with the most points would win the competition. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both knew this, and they were grinding their teeth in anticipation of the results. They avoided looking at each other, the trash talking now over because there was nothing more to be done but wait for the judges. Bon Bon and Lyra, however, were looking quite calm and actually speaking amicably with one another. Applejack glanced over at them and raised an eyebrow. What are they so confident about? They’re third every year! The judges broke and returned to their seats, signaling to Rarity that they were done deliberating. Rarity moved over to the scoreboard, ready to mark it with tallies based on how many points each entrant would receive. “And now, the judges will present their scores!” Rarity announced. The crowd stomped their hooves and there was an excited buzz in the air. “Shining Armor, your ranks, please,” Rarity called out to him. Shining Armor lifted a white board with his scores. Bon Bon and Lyra had scored the best with 2 points. Pinkie Pie was second with 1, and Applejack got nothing. Applejack cursed angrily, while Pinkie just looked confused. “And so Bon Bon and Lyra take an early lead!” Rarity proclaimed as she marked the scoreboard. “Next we have Princess Cadance!” Princess Cadance lifted her board. Once again, Bon Bon and Lyra scored the most points, with Applejack in second this time. Rarity marked the board accordingly while Pinkie looked at Cadance with shock. Applejack bit her lip nervously. “The totals so far are Bon Bon and Lyra with four points, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie each at one. May we see the results from Princess Luna?” Luna raised her scoreboard. To Applejack’s delight, she had rated her pie first. Bon Bon and Lyra got second with their cake, and Pinkie was once again dead last. “We now have five to Bon Bon and Lyra, three to Applejack, and one for Pinkie!” Rarity called. “Let’s see the results from Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight hesitated to raise her scoreboard, but when she did, Applejack and Pinkie were both shocked. She had ranked Bon Bon and Lyra’s cake first place! “Twilight!” Applejack called. “What in the hay are you doing?” “Yeah, what gives?” Pinkie shouted. “I couldn’t decide between the two of you!” Twilight responded. “Besides, the cake was really good!” “So why’d you rank Pinkie’s over mine?” Applejack called out. “Is she a better friend than I am?” “Pinkie’s blend of flavors was more interesting! I’m sorry, Applejack!” Rarity marked the scoreboard quickly. “Settle down, please!” she requested over the stirring crowd. “So that’s Bon Bon and Lyra with seven points, three for Applejack, and two for Pinkie. “And now the winner is official!” Rarity cried, “but we have yet to determine second and third place! Princess Celestia, your scores, please.” Celestia raised her board, and Pinkie had scored the best. Bon Bon and Lyra scored second place, and Applejack was once again dead last. “The final results are in!” Rarity announced. “Applejack takes third place with three votes, Pinkie is second place with four, and Bon Bon and Lyra win the contest with seven! May I present the contestants with their ribbons?” Applejack, Pinkie, and Bon Bon walked over to Rarity to be awarded their ribbons. Applejack looked disgusted with her white ribbon, and Pinkie was not much happier with red. Bon Bon, however, was overjoyed with winning the very first blue ribbon for Lyra and her. She bounded back over to Lyra and gave her a big hug, while Pinkie and Applejack made their way directly to Twilight. “What happened up there?” Applejack shouted at Twilight. Now that the crowd was dispersing, she felt no qualms about complaining to her friend. Pinkie quickly caught up and glared at Twilight as well. “I don’t know what to tell you,” Twilight said. “We picked the best baked good of the contest. Bon Bon and Lyra just outperformed you.” “Well, I call baloney on that!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Applejack and I always make the superior baked goods! I think Bon Bon and Lyra cheated!” “How could they have possibly cheated?” Twilight asked. “Fixin’ the cake with illegal ingredients,” Applejack muttered. “Only because that’s what you did last year,” Pinkie snapped. “Of course you’d think of that right off the bat!” “Girls, please stop fighting!” Twilight pleaded. “Don’t you see what happened? You were so focused on beating each other that you failed to live up to your baking potential. Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.” “How dare you!” Applejack spat. “You picked Bon Bon and Lyra over the both of us. What kind of a friend does that?” “A friend who focuses on the quality of the entrants over politics,” Twilight said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to help clean up.” Twilight left her friends both aghast, but there was nothing more she could do for them. They turned to each other and sighed. “Well, looks like you outdid me this year,” Applejack said. “I suppose congratulations are in order.” “I’m not surprised,” Pinkie said. “We had the more creative idea for sure.” Applejack groaned. “Look, Pinkie, can we forget about the rivalry for a second? Maybe Twilight had a point about us fightin’ so much. Maybe we should’ve just focused on the contest instead of snipping at each other like foals. I’m sorry for the way I treated you.” “Oh, Applejack,” Pinkie said, “I’m sorry, too.” The two of them hugged. With that animosity now discarded, they began to chat with each other about their ideas for next year’s fair. Twilight was in her room, feeling exhausted after an eventful day. I wonder if I should ever be a judge again, she thought. I treated my friends so poorly! Spike slunk into the room looking very uncomfortable. Twilight put her own worries aside to address those of her oldest friend. “What’s the matter, Spike?” she asked. “I kinda have a confession to make,” Spike said. “But you have to promise you won’t tell anypony else.” “Whatever you want, Spike. Now what is it?” “It was my recipe,” Spike said. “I came up with the recipe for Bon Bon and Lyra’s cake. I helped them bake it, too. I know dragons aren’t allowed to participate, and I figured it was the only way I could get a shot at competing in the contest.” Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, eliciting a smile back from Spike. “I always thought that was a silly rule anyway,” she said. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” “Thanks, Twilight,” Spike said. “You’re still gonna try to change the rules for next year, right?” “Of course, but I can get started with that tomorrow. It’s time for bed. We’ve had a long day.” Spike crawled into his basket and Twilight snuggled into her sheets and turned out the light. I thought that cake tasted familiar... Author's Note Well, that's it. Just a silly little idea I had that I wanted to wrap up after the hiatus. Thanks for reading!
Friendly CompetitionChapter 1: Friendly Competition The balmy summer air was the best weather anypony could have asked for for the annual Ponyville Fair. Often called the best small-town fair in Equestria, five days in the middle of July are devoted to ferris wheels, music, games, and a wonderful chance to socialize. But the fair was most known for the food. Fried dough, giant pretzels, and steaming hot veggie burgers were just some of the delicious choices offered by the ponies of Ponyville. Concession stand after concession stand was lined with the tastiest summer eats around, and it was the food that Twilight was looking the most forward to in her first fair as a princess. Given the presence of royalty in the small town, the fair was going to take on a bit of a different role this year, and all four princesses were expected to attend to commemorate this milestone. The talk around the town was brimming with excitement as a result. Twilight and her friends were at the library discussing the fair’s logistics. Ever since Twilight came to town, they’ve been in charge of running the fair. Amidst all the planning and organization, however, the presence of the princesses was all they could think about. “To think, the fair is going to be hosting royalty this year!” Rarity exclaimed. “It will make an already marvelous occasion all the more significant.” “Well, I for one hope nothin’ changes,” Applejack replied. “This fair’s always been about the small towns and down-home hospitality. I’m thrilled that the princesses are comin’, but I’m afraid they might distract from the main event.” “I see your point, Applejack,” Twilight said, “but Princess Celestia asked that we run the fair as normal. We’ve been setting up the fair ever since my arrival in Ponyville, and she wants us to make sure the presence of royalty changes nothing.” “But do you realize what this means?” Dash cried. “This is gonna be the biggest fair ever! All four princesses being there, it’s gonna draw a huge crowd. I’ve heard rumors that the Wonderbolts are gonna do a show. This could be my big chance to impress them!” “But didn’t you already go to that academy?” Fluttershy asked. “Doesn’t that mean they already know about you?” “Yeah, but I dropped out, remember? That set me back a bit, so I need to make up for that by really showing them my stuff. And, well, a little royal endorsement couldn’t hurt…” Dash made a not so subtle wink in Twilight’s direction. “I’d love to help out your chances, Rainbow Dash,” Twilight responded, “but I only have so much clout. Besides, the Wonderbolts put performance over politics. They’re one of the few entities in Equestria that care more about what you can do than who you are.” “You don’t have to tell me twice,” Dash grumbled. “An Element of Harmony, and I don’t even get looked at. You’d think a Sonic Rainboom would help change their minds, but they keep telling me I need to pull it off consistently. As if three times isn’t enough!” “Now, now, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity said, trying to calm her. “We all know you’d make a great Wonderbolt, but these things take time. Now, about the fair. We need to take extra care to ensure that it goes off without a hitch.” “Rarity’s right,” Fluttershy said. “We’ve got a lot of ponies to impress this year, so we have to do the best we can.” “Don’t worry, girls!” Pinkie shouted, leaping around the room. “I’ve got this! I’ve been organizing this thing for years, even before Twilight came around, and there hasn’t been one hiccup yet!” “What about two years ago when one of the concession stands caught on fire?” Applejack recalled. “Or the time when stray clouds from the Everfree Forest moved in and dumped a boatload of rain on everypony?” Dash asked. “Or how about when one of the contestants in the pie-eating contest threw up on one of the judges?” Rarity remembered. “Okay, okay, so there have been some problems,” Pinkie reasoned, “but overall, the fairs have gone on without a hitch since I started planning them. Now, we have a lot of events to schedule this year. We’ve gotta organize the concert on the second night, the pie-eating contest on the fourth day, the fireworks on the last night—” “Pinkie, I’ve already written all of it down,” Twilight said, pulling out a schedule of all the events. Pinkie pored over the list carefully, looking for omissions or scheduling conflicts. But Twilight’s organization skills were impeccable, and she saw no issues with the line-up. “This is...acceptable,” Pinkie said. “But writing down a schedule is one thing. It’s another to actually buckle down and execute it! We have to go talk to all of the ponies in Ponyville who are involved and make sure they’ll be prepared and ready to go.” “I’ll take the charge there,” Rarity offered. “My social connections in this town have proven useful in the organization of all the events.” “And I reckon I’ll be in charge of the setup,” Applejack said. “Gotta make sure all the stands and rides are lined up right, or the whole thing’ll be a mess.” “I’m on weather patrol,” Dash said, soaring around the library. “We won’t be getting any stray storms from the Everfree this year!” “And I’ll be in charge of keeping everypony on schedule,” Twilight said. “No, no, Twilight. Leave that to me,” Pinkie corrected her. “You’re going to be far too busy with your royal duties to have time to organize everything. Fluttershy and I will pick up the slack, right, Fluttershy?” “Oh, of course,” Fluttershy said with a nod. “We’ll take the load off your back this year, Princess.” “Please don’t call me that,” Twilight said, grimacing. “Around strangers, I’m a princess. But with you guys, I’m still just Twilight. You should know that by now.” “We get it, Twi,” Applejack said, patting her on the back. “Bein’ a princess must be a tough job, and you don’t want your friends puttin’ pressure on you.” “Thanks, Applejack,” Twilight replied with a smile. “That means a lot.” “So, Applejack,” Pinkie said, staring her down. “Ready to lose the Great Ponyville Bake-Off again?” “It ain’t gonna be like last year, Sugarcube,” Applejack boasted. “You got off on a technicality, and the Apple family won’t make the same mistakes twice. Besides, we’re three and three since the Cakes moved into town, so you can’t say you’ve won any more than we have.” “Please, Applejack. Everypony knows the defending champions have a greater chance of winning than anypony else.” “Don’t use your fancy mathematics to muddy the issue,” Applejack said with a sneer. “Our apple pie was better than anything you could have pulled off last year.” “Too good,” Pinkie responded with a devilish grin. “You used a banned substance and were disqualified.” “How were we supposed to know zap apples were banned?” Applejack asked. “They had never bloomed that early before, so we thought we had a good opportunity on our hooves.” “Well, you won’t win with gimmicks and excuses like that!” Pinkie said, getting up and glowering at Applejack as she approached. Applejack straightened her Stetson and got up to meet her. They stared each other down with determination, almost looking ready to settle the score then and there with a fight. Fluttershy cleared her throat and spoke up. “Or, you know, Bon Bon and Lyra could win.” Applejack and Pinkie slowly turned their heads and glared at Fluttershy before bursting out with a laugh. “Fluttershy, please,” Applejack said in between spurts of giggling. “She might know her way around chocolate, but Bon Bon can’t bake anythin’ to save her life. She’ll get the bronze ribbon for placin’ third and she knows it.” “I’m just saying, don’t let your guard down,” Fluttershy warned her friends. “Remember what happened in that Running of the Leaves between you and Dash.” “Did you have to bring that up?” Dash groaned. “Oh, but this year’s gonna be different!” Pinkie reminded Applejack. “Because this time, the four princesses and Shining Armor are gonna be the judges. Isn’t that right, Twilight?” “That’s what Princess Celestia said in the letter,” she recalled. “I suppose being judged by royalty ups the ante a bit.” “‘A bit?’” Pinkie asked. “Twilight, do you know the kind of food they’re used to eating every day? They eat the most delicious pastries every day for dessert. They can detect the smallest imperfections. A bitter taste here, a bland texture there, and bam! You’re out of the running.” “And what does that say about me?” Twilight asked. “You’re used to Spike’s cooking,” Rarity said, “and I swear, that dragon’s chocolate cake is even better than the cake they served at the Grand Galloping Gala.” “Too bad I’m not qualified to compete in the bake-off,” Spike said, coming out of the shadows with a scowl on his face. “Sorry, Spike,” Applejack said, “but traditionally only ponies could participate in the bake-off. Granny’s dad set the rule and it hasn’t changed in decades.” “It’s stupid!” Spike complained. “You know how outdated that sounds? It’s kinda racist, if you ask me, not letting a dragon or a griffon participate because they don’t have four hooves and a tail!” “Sorry, Spike,” Pinkie said, “but you know how strict Ponyville is about tradition. Just look at Winter Wrap-Up.” “Whatever,” Spike muttered, walking out of the room. The six ponies winced as they watched him go, and they turned back to each other uncomfortably. “I feel bad for the poor drake,” Rarity said. “He really is quite gifted, and he can’t put it on display for the fair.” “I agree,” Applejack said, “but there ain’t anythin’ we can do. It’s gonna be just us ponies in the bake-off, and when I win, it’ll prove to everypony in Equestria that the Apples can work an oven better than the Cakes.” “In your dreams, maybe!” Pinkie replied, “but in reality, the family that bakes for a living is gonna come out on top. Just you wait and see!” “Well then, I’d better get crackin’ on our recipe so we can settle the score. Good luck to you, Pinkie. You’re gonna need it.” Applejack got up, tousled Pinkie’s mane, and walked down the stairs and out of sight. Pinkie groaned and bounced off the floor. “No way I’m gonna let that cowpony one-up me. It’s time to get to work!” Pinkie followed quickly after her, and their friends could hear Applejack and Pinkie bickering as they left the library. The four of them turned to each other nervously. “This is a lot more intense than past years,” Twilight said. “I hope they don’t actually start fighting.” “It’s just ’cause you and the other princesses are judging,” Dash explained. “There’s a lot more on the line this year, and I think the pressure’s getting to them.” “I should remind them that it’s a friendly competition,” Fluttershy said sternly, “and that a win isn’t worth it if somepony’s feelings get hurt.” “Fluttershy, darling,” Rarity said, “there’s not much you can do about it. They’re both thick-skinned ponies. I’m sure they’ll be fine.” “I hope so,” Fluttershy said, “or this will be one ugly fight.” The four of them hoped against hope that Fluttershy’s premonition didn’t come to pass. Author's Note I haven't seen the latest episode yet, but I know it's about Pinkie Pie and Applejack. I've had this idea in the past, but now seems a good time to write the story. Let's see what these two Earth ponies will do to try to win this bake-off!
In the HuddleChapter 2: In The Huddle “All right, Apple family, listen up!” Applejack said, rallying the troops and ready to go to war. The troops, however, did not seem ready for battle. Apple Bloom was scribbling something on a piece of paper, Big Mac was staring out the window, and Granny Smith was in her rocking chair, about ready to fall asleep. “Dearie,” Granny Smith said, “can ya make it quick so I can take my afternoon nap?” “Come on, ponies! This is about the bake-off!” Suddenly the three family members snapped their heads up and gave Applejack their full attention. Applejack smiled. “Now that’s more like it! As you know, last year we got ourselves, um...disqualified for using the zap apples in our recipe.” “I still think we got cheated,” Big Mac muttered. “Same here,” Applejack replied, shaking her hoof in the air. “There was absolutely nothing in the rules saying we couldn’t...but that’s all behind us. This year, we have to win fair and square and give everypony in Ponyville no reason to think we can’t do it without cheating!” “Here here!” Apple Bloom cried. “So...what are we gonna make?” “I say we keep it simple,” Applejack said, bringing the family in a huddle. “We knock ’em out with the best apple pie ever baked in Equestria. Warm, flaky crust with hot, sweet apple fillin’, it’ll be enough to knock those judges’ socks off!” “That’s if they’re wearing socks,” Big Mac commented. Applejack glared at him. “You’re missin’ the point! What I’m sayin’ is that it’s gonna take all of us to win this competition. We can’t do it on our own. Granny, we’ll use your time-honored recipe and you’ll be makin’ the crust. That’s your specialty.” “That recipe comes from generations of Apples,” Granny Smith said. “My granny was making it before there was even a Ponyville to host a fair!” “Exactly. The more traditional, the better. Apple Bloom, you’re in charge of the seasoning. We need that pie caked in powdered sugar and just a hint of spices, and you have a knack for it.” “I do?” Apple Bloom asked, bouncing up and down. “But last year you said I was gettin’ in the way.” “You’ve grown a lot since last year, and I expect you’ll be a big help. Now Big Mac and I, we have to harvest the apples. Fuji, golden delicious, pink lady, granny smith. We’re gonna need all of ’em to make this pie special, and we have to pick the best. Think you can help me buck a few trees to make ’em?” “Eeyup,” Big Mac said. Applejack stared blankly at him. “Is that all you have to say?” she asked. “You can’t get a little more excited?” “Applejack, mark my words, we are gonna pick the best apples in the orchard and make the sweetest, cavity-inducin’ pie this side of Equestria!” “That’s more like it!” Applejack cried. “Now, everypony, hooves in!” Applejack stuck her hoof out into the middle of the huddle. Granny Smith reached in with her’s, and Apple Bloom had to stretch her hoof upward to reach Applejack’s level. Big Mac rested his hoof on top, and it covered up all of the other ones. “We all know this is the greatest family in Ponyville, and we’re gonna prove that we’re the best bakers, too. Royalty’s comin’ to judge our pies this year, so we have to put everythin’ into this apple pie to make sure it’s the best. Now, everypony, apples on three! One, two, three…” “APPLES!” The family of four lifted their hooves in the air and immediately broke to get to work on the pie. They were all just about ready to get started, but then Apple Bloom called out. “Wait! Ain’t the fair not ’til next week?” They all looked at each other and smiled. Maybe they had gotten a little overenthusiastic. Applejack considered carefully what they could do. “Well, Big Mac and I can still harvest the apples, make sure nothin’ bad happens to ’em this comin’ week. Maybe you and Granny Smith can start plannin’ the crust and seasoning.” “Sounds great, Applejack!” Granny Smith called out from the kitchen. “We’ll make sure to have the absolute best ingredients prepared to bake the pie!” “Great! We’ll see you when we get all the apples harvested.” Applejack and Big Mac headed out the door, leaving Apple Bloom and Granny Smith ready to confer. “All right, Cakes, listen up!” Pinkie called, pacing across the floor of Sugarcube Corner. Carrot and Cup had their game faces on. This was the most important event for the bakery all year. If they won the competition, their store received a huge uptick in customers. “We have to wow the crowd with the best dessert we’ve ever baked! The only thing is...I have no idea what to make!” “Oh dear,” Cup said. “You usually have a good idea ready to go.” “I know, I know, but this year I’m totally stumped. We wasted an amazing idea on last year’s bake-off. I mean, I know, how were we supposed to know our biggest competition would get themselves disqualified for cheating? We could have won with something far less ambitious.” “That’s a shame,” Carrot said. “We could’ve just saved that idea for this year and win for sure!” “Yeah, well, I’m not giving up that easily!” Pinkie cried. “We need something dramatic. Something bold, daring! Something fifty bajillion times better than the Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness!” Carrot leaned in towards Cup. “How does she even remember that name?” he whispered. “Focus, ponies!” Pinkie shouted, and Carrot tensed up as he returned to an upright position. “We need ideas! No, we need a vision! I should get my crystal ball for this.” “No, no, Pinkie,” Cup advised, “I don’t think that will be necessary. The three of us just need to put our heads together and think.” Suddenly, the three ponies could hear Pumpkin and Pound Cake crying upstairs. Carrot and Cup were about to leave to check on them, but Pinkie grabbed their shoulders and yanked them back. “They’ll just have to wait!” she said. “What can we make that’s gonna knock their socks off?” “That’s if they’re wearing socks,” Cup said. “That’s not the point!” Pinkie shrieked, and Cup winced. “Pinkie,” Carrot said, “we know this is important, but I think you’re taking this too seriously. I know we want to win for the store, but isn’t this supposed to be about having fun, too?” “Not with those no-good, dirty Apples breathing down our necks! Now, what’s the best thing you can think of?” “Can it be a cake?” Cup suggested. “From a family named the Cakes?” Pinkie rebutted. “They’ll be expecting that. We need to think outside the box.” “You sure your Magical Mango...whatever that’s called, won’t cut it?” “Everypony already knows about that. We can’t use it again. That would be tacky, and guaranteed to make us lose the competition.” “Well, Pinkie, what’s your idea then?” Cup asked. “You seem to be the one on the ball in this competition, so we want to know what you think.” “I can’t just pick one thing…” Pinkie said, “so this year, we’re going with everything.” “Everything?” Carrot asked. “Yep! It’s gonna be a cookie crust with cake filling topped with ladyfingers, ice cream, and chocolate sauce! I call it...the Pinkie Pie Surprise!” “Are you sure that’s gonna work?” Cup asked. “Sounds like it’s a bit too much…” “Are you questioning the pony that came up with last year’s idea and won the competition for us?” Pinkie asked. “Easy, Pinkie,” Carrot said. “We’re just brainstorming right now. We just think we should go with something...simpler.” “Simple is what lost us the competition two years ago!” Pinkie exclaimed. “No way we’re going back to that. Now are you on board with the Pinkie Pie Surprise or not?” Carrot and Cup looked warily at each other. “Whatever you say, Pinkie,” Cup said. “Great! Now everypony, huddle up!” she called. The foals were still crying upstairs, and Carrot and Cup were eager to get this over with so they could take care of them. “We’re gonna blow them away!” Pinkie shouted. “We’re gonna show them a new meaning of baking. We’re gonna take that championship for the second year in a row! And nopony’s gonna stand in our way when we impress the royal princesses! Now, what are we gonna do this year, win or lose?” “Win!” Carrot and Cup shouted. “Again!” “Win!” “Again!” “Win!” “Louder!” “Win!” “I can’t hear you!” “Win!” “That’s more like it!” Pinkie cried. “Now go take care of your babies while I get this recipe sorted out.” Carrot and Cup left the huddle and made their way upstairs, whispering to each other. “Think she’s a little too intense this year?” Carrot asked. “It’s because the princesses will be judging,” Cup said. “It’s got her on edge. I’m nervous about it, too.” “Well, we’re gonna have to help her calm down,” Carrot said. “We won’t win if we get too riled up over this.” They looked over at Pinkie, who was poring over the contents of the cabinets, looking for the perfect ingredients to make sure they’d be ready for the...thing they were making next week. “Let’s let her blow off some steam first,” Cup said. “It’ll be easier to talk to her when she’s tired.” “Agreed,” Carrot said, and they finally made their way upstairs to take care of their babies, leaving Pinkie running around the kitchen like a mad pony, her brain whirring to get this recipe down pat.
BriberyChapter 3: Bribery Twilight was off to the Quills and Sofas shop to get some quills. The upcoming fair was looming on her mind, specifically her role as judge for the Great Ponyville Bake-Off. It wasn’t that she was nervous about the responsibility. Rather, she didn’t want to have to choose between her two friends. Her train of thought was broken when Applejack bumped into her. “Oh, Twilight!” she said a little too loudly. “Didn’t see ya there! Howdy!” “Hi...Applejack,” Twilight said, wondering why her friend was acting so strangely. “What’re you up to?” “Oh, just running some errands. Nothing special.” Twilight walked briskly away from Applejack, already suspecting what she wanted from the shifty look in her eye. “Oh, but it’s right around lunchtime, and you must be hungry!” Applejack cried. Twilight kept walking, but Applejack kept pace as they moved through the streets of Ponyville. Applejack suddenly grabbed her shoulder and started leading her in a different direction. “I’ve got some of the finest apple fritters at my stand today. You can have one on us, the fine folks at Sweet Apple Acres!” “Applejack, stop!” Twilight shouted. Applejack took her hoof away from Twilight, looking dismayed. A few of the other ponies in the street stopped and looked at the two friends out of curiosity. Twilight smiled nervously at them and dragged Applejack away from the main road. “Applejack,” she said sternly, “I know what you’re trying to do. Attempting to bribe me so I’ll judge in your favor at the bake-off is not going to work, and it actually might entice me to do the opposite.” Applejack gasped. “Twilight, how dare you! I was merely trying to offer you a bite to eat in the most courteous way possible. I had no intentions of trying to butter you up or anythin’ like that.” “Applejack, please,” Twilight said with a sigh, shaking her head. “You’ve always been a terrible liar.” Applejack’s face suddenly drooped, and Twilight’s attitude toward her softened a bit. “I’m real sorry, Twilight, but you gotta know how much this means to me. It ain’t just a contest. Endorsements from the royal princesses would drum up a lot of business for the farm, and it’s money we could really use right about now.” “Well, if you wanted an endorsement from royalty, why didn’t you just ask?” Twilight put a hoof on Applejack’s shoulder and smiled. “You know I’d be more than happy to recommend your goods to everypony in town.” “You would? That’s mighty kind of you, Twilight,” Applejack said, offering a small smile in return. She then glanced around. “I just hope Pinkie Pie doesn’t find out—” “Find out what?” Pinkie shouted, rushing into the alley. Twilight and Applejack both jumped, and eyed Pinkie nervously. She had a steely gaze in her eyes that was quite foreign to her normal, jovial nature. “P-Pinkie,” Applejack stammered. “What are you doin’ here?” “The question is, Applejack, what are you doing here?” “I’m just tryin’ to have a friendly conversation with Twilight here.” “Oh, sure,” Pinkie snapped, stepping closer to Applejack, who started backing up towards the end of the alley. “Just a friendly talk with one of the judges for a certain competition you’ll be taking part in. Nothing wrong with that!” “Now, hold on just a second there, missy!” Applejack snapped back, taking a defiant step towards Pinkie. “What made you jump to that conclusion, huh? And just what brought you to this here alley anyway? You weren’t thinkin’ of tryin’ to do Twilight some ‘favors,’ hopin’ to give you an edge in the bake-off, were you?” Pinkie’s mouth fell open. “Why would I ever want to do that? I was here making sure you wouldn’t be doing that, trying to keep things fair for the competition! You’re the scroundel here, not me!” “What did you just call me?” Applejack asked menacingly. “Girls?” Twilight said. “Scroundel! Weasel! No-good, conniving, manipulative cheat!” “What did you, read the dictionary this morning?” Applejack asked with a sneer. “Admit it!” Pinkie shouted. “Admit you were trying to schmooze your way to that gold ribbon!” “Why don’t you admit you were tryin’ that, too, and that’s why you followed Twilight all the way over here?” “Girls!” Twilight called a little louder. “You keep harping on that. Sounds like a guilty conscience.” “You’re goin’ on about it as much as I am, if not more. Who’s got the guilty conscience now?” “Girls, if you don’t stop arguing, I’m going to vote for Bon Bon and Lyra!” That got Pinkie and Applejack to stop bickering. They turned towards Twilight, looking like they had just been caught stealing cookies from the cookie jar. Twilight sighed and gave them each a glare. “The bickering needs to stop,” she said. “I’m not going to hear my friends shouting insults at each other over a silly contest at a fair! I know what you said, Applejack, about the business, but it’s really not worth being at each other’s throats like this. Now, I suggest you two look each other in the eye and apologize.” Pinkie and Applejack groaned and turned to face each other. “I’m sorry,” Applejack said. “I shouldn’t have tried to bribe Twilight in the first place, and I shouldn’t have yelled at you.” “I’m sorry, too,” Pinkie replied, “for all of that.” “That’s much better,” Twilight said with a smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I still have errands to attend to.” Twilight walked out of the alley, and once she had her back turned, Pinkie and Applejack glared at each other. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easy, chum!” Pinkie whispered harshly. “This isn’t over.” “I look forward to creamin’ you in the competition,” Applejack bit back. The two of them stared daggers into each other’s eyes before they walked off in opposite directions. Twilight sighed again as she made her way to the Quills and Sofas shop. I hope this doesn’t cause a rift between them, she thought. I don’t want to lose out on two good friends. Twilight hoped that after the fair, things would settle down. It was all she could wish for right now.
The PropositionChapter 4: The Proposition When Twilight returned home that night, the heated conflict between her two friends was still fresh on her mind. “Spike!” she called out, listening intently to see if he would respond. When she heard none, she sighed and began looking around the library. She checked the kitchen to see if he was cooking, but there was no aroma coming from the room. She checked the room upstairs to see if he was sleeping. She finally checked in the library proper, joking to herself that he might be doing chores. He was nowhere to be found. Twilight slumped onto the floor and rubbed her temples. Just when I need to talk to him, he’s not here… Suddenly the door opened and Spike snuck in. When he saw Twilight lying on the floor, he jumped and began to stammer. “Twilight, I didn’t know you’d be home so early! Um...sorry I wasn’t here to get dinner ready. I had…” “Spike, where were you?” Twilight asked. “Well, I can have a life, can’t I?” Spike grumbled. “I was out with some friends.” “Did you have fun?” “Lots of fun,” he said with a smile. “But what are you doing lying on the floor? You look miserable.” “Gee, thanks,” Twilight said with a smile. “Just what a young mare loves to hear.” “I didn’t mean it like that!” Spike stammered, shaking his head. Twilight giggled and walked over to him, patting him on the head. “Look, I’m glad you enjoyed yourself today,” Twilight said, “but I have a bit of a problem.” “What’s up?” Spike asked. The two of them sat down on the couch in the library, Spike snuggling up against Twilight. “It’s Applejack and Pinkie Pie,” Twilight said. “It’s that time of year again, when they get at each other’s throats over this stupid baking contest. But it’s even worse now because of who’s judging.” “You mean you and the other princesses,” Spike clarified. “Yes, and do you know what they were trying to do?” Twilight asked. “They were bribing me with food and favors so I’d judge them favorably in the bake-off! I didn’t think our friends would ever stoop that low.” “I did,” Spike remarked. “What?” “Our friends have a knack for doing dumb things under pressure, you included.” “Spike,” Twilight said with a frown, puzzling over his snarkiness. “Are you upset about not being able to participate in the contest?” “Well, yeah,” Spike said. “I mean, I know it’s tradition like Winter Wrap Up is tradition, but why the heck do I have to sit back and watch other bakers show their stuff in front of royalty? I mean, I know you love my food, but I never got to know what Celestia or Luna or even Cadance thought.” Spike crossed his arms and turned away from Twilight. “Spike. I’m really sorry you can’t compete, but maybe I can appeal to the mayor to see if we can’t change the rules for next year.” “How about this year?” Spike grumbled. “I don’t want to wait all the way ’til next year.” “Spike, the contestants have already entered,” Twilight said. “Pinkie and Applejack signed up immediately, and then Bon Bon and Lyra threw their hats in the ring. That’s all three slots filled.” “Great. Just great! And I suppose Bon Bon and Lyra won’t even come close to winning. Would have been a perfect opportunity for me to compete.” “Well, there’s nothing else I can do,” Twilight said. “But you’re a princess! What good is being friends with a princess if she can’t do favors for you?” Spike gasped and covered his mouth with his hands. Twilight was crestfallen and turned away to hide her sadness. Spike shook his head, cursing himself, before running over to Twilight. “I’m so sorry,” Spike said. “You know we’re way closer than that, and I didn’t mean it.” “I know you didn’t,” Twilight replied sadly. “I know you’re upset about the situation, and I’ll do my best to resolve it. Right now, though, I need to take some time to myself. It’s been a hectic day.” “Okay, then,” Spike said. “Do you still need me to get the groceries tomorrow?” “I can see the back of the fridge,” Twilight said with a smirk, “so yes, I need you to go.” “No problem,” Spike said, patting Twilight on the back and leaving the room. There has to be a way to get me in to compete, he thought, his brain whirring in the search for a solution. Suddenly an idea came to him, and he decided that before he went to get groceries tomorrow, he’d make a persuasive offer to a few ponies he knew… Bon Bon and Lyra were sitting in the confectionary. Lyra had a notepad and a pencil hovering in front of her. Bon Bon was lazily flipping a coin that she had found on the ground. Lyra suddenly groaned and dropped the notepad and pencil. “We do this every year!” she said in an outburst. “Why the heck do we keep signing up when we can’t think of anything original to bake?” “Because perseverance is the key to success,” Bon Bon said. “And besides, the publicity is helpful, even if we don’t win.” “It’d be a lot more helpful if we did,” Lyra muttered. A few minutes later, the bell at the front of the store rang as Spike walked into the shop. Bon Bon rose and went behind the counter, beaming at him. “What can I help you with today?” Bon Bon asked. “I’m not here for a treat,” Spike said. “I actually wanted to make a proposition to you two.” Lyra scoffed. “About what?” “About the bake-off,” Spike said with a wicked grin. Lyra rolled her eyes, but Bon Bon stared at Spike intently. “What about the bake-off?” she asked. “Well, I know you guys struggle every year to come up with something,” Spike said. “Hey!” Lyra shouted. “Bonnie and I have great ideas. It’s just bad luck that the two best bakers in Ponyville have ideas of their own.” “Well, see, here’s the thing,” Spike said. “You two have something I want, and I have something to offer you that I think you want. What you have is a spot in the contest, but you need ideas. Well, I’ve been cooking and baking for a long time, so I have plenty of ideas. I figured with my help, we could come up with something delicious that’ll knock the socks off of the princesses!” “Oh really?” Lyra asked, resting her chin on her hoof. “So what you’re saying is that you, a baby dragon, are a more competent baker than the two of us, who’ve been entering this contest for years?” “Okay, well, take a look at this and see if it changes your mind,” Spike said. “It’s my own personal recipe.” He handed a parchment over to Bon Bon, who studied it carefully. Her jaw dropped, and she hustled over to Lyra and showed her the recipe. Lyra shook her head at first, but when she looked at what Spike had drawn out, her eyes bugged out. “And you know this is gonna be good enough to win the bake-off?” she asked. “Positive. I’ve already got one of the princesses to fall in love with my food, so that’s a free vote right there. And I’ve been working on this recipe for years, always hoping I could get past the ponies only rule and enter this competition. Well, now with your standing and my inspiration, we could win this thing. No, we will win this thing! Are you with me?” “I’m with you!” Bon Bon cried, waving her hoof in the air. Lyra smirked and raised her hoof in the air. “Might as well give it a shot,” she said. “Okay, now, I’m gonna have to find a way to get out of the library long enough to help you two make the thing. Shouldn’t be too hard. Twilight’s pretty lenient on where I go during the weekends, and the bake-off is on a Sunday. So we have all weekend to bake this thing and blow them away!” “Sounds great,” Bon Bon said. “I’ll work on getting the ingredients in the meantime.” “And I’ll study up on the directions,” Lyra said. “I have a bit of a knack for following recipes.” “Perfect. I’ll drop by the day before to bring it all together. Hooves in, everypony.” Spike circled up with Bon Bon and Lyra, and each of them reached out with a limb. “Cakes on three,” Spike said. “One, two, three.” “CAKES!” they all shouted. “Okay, I gotta go,” Spike said. “If anypony asks, I was looking for a box of truffles.” “Or you could just buy a box of truffles now,” Bon Bon suggested. “Would if I could,” Spike said, “but I didn’t bring any bits. That’s actually really clever though.” “Then it’s on us,” Bon Bon decided. She went behind the counter and reached for the biggest box of truffles on the shelf. “It’s the least we can do to thank you for your help.” “Don’t thank me until we win,” Spike said, “but I appreciate it.” “No problem,” Bon Bon said. She and Lyra waved goodbye to Spike as he left the confectionary with a big grin on his face.
The ContestChapter 5: The Contest Time flew by as the three entrants to the bake-off prepared their treats, and pretty soon the fair had begun. Ponyville was lively with ponies from all over the area taking part in the festivities. There were rides to enjoy, games to play, and delicious food to eat. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both had stands with food from Sweet Apple Acres and Sugarcube Corner, respectively. It was all about the publicity for their businesses. The two of them had set up stands opposite each other. Whenever ponies passed by looking interested in buying some food, they were friendly as can be, always putting the customer first. It was a different story when they were by themselves. “I suppose you think you’re gonna win the bake-off this year,” Applejack called across the road. “Well, sorry, hon, but you don’t stand a chance against what we’re cooking up.” “Okay,” Pinkie Pie said, “keep telling yourself that.” “Hey! That’s uncalled for!” Applejack shouted, waving a hoof at her. “You’re the one who started talking to me,” Pinkie Pie called, tracing circles in the counter. “But keep shouting all you want. Doesn’t bother me.” “It should bother you. When you see what we’ve got in store for the competition, you’re gonna get scared. And I’m gonna love every minute of it.” “Okay.” Applejack groaned and pointed her hoof threateningly at Pinkie. “You’re really starting to get on my nerves!” “Why? Because I’m so confident about my entry that your trash talking doesn’t bother me? I think you should spend less time yapping and more time baking, and then you won’t be so insecure that you have to put me down to bring yourself up.” “You know what? Fine! I’ll let my baked goods do the talking! You’ll see!” “Okay.” Applejack had to stop engaging with Pinkie Pie before she crossed the road and wrung her neck. Just remember, she thought, it’s all about the competition. In the meanwhile, Bon Bon and Lyra were selling their candy further down the road. Spike strolled up to the booth to talk to them. “Learning that recipe?” he asked. “Yep,” Lyra replied. “Are we gonna bake it to perfection the night before the contest?” “Absolutely!” Bon Bon cheered. “All right. Just wanted to make sure.” Spike walked away with a fluttery feeling in his stomach. This is gonna be awesome… Like all good things, the fair passed by quickly, and soon it was the day of the bake-off. There were three places on the table for the three entrants. In front of each, the baked goods they had prepared were underneath cloches to keep them a surprise for the crowd. The Apple family was at the far left behind the number 1. Pinkie and the Cakes were number 2. Bon Bon and Lyra were the third entrants. All three groups were standing in front of their entrants for the contest. Applejack and Pinkie Pie were staring daggers into each other’s eyes. Bon Bon and Lyra looked over at the two of them with concern. They leaned towards each other. “Why are they taking this so seriously?” Lyra asked. “I thought they were supposed to be friends.” “They’re always like this,” Bon Bon said, “although it is kinda sad.” “Well, let’s just hope we can beat them this year,” Lyra said. “Do you think we can pull it off with Spike’s help?” “Did you see the way he worked in the kitchen? The drake’s a genius!” “Hello, hello! Cane everypony hear me?” Rarity called over the loudspeaker. The crowd of ponies hushed when they heard her voice and looked eagerly towards Rarity. “We are about to take part in the Great Ponyville Bake-Off!” she announced. The crowd stomped their hooves and started whooping. “Well, without further ado, I will present the entries. The Apple family, please present Entry Number One!” Applejack lifted off the cloche and revealed a scrumptious apple pie glazed over with powdered sugar. “And we have a delicious apple pie from the Apple family!” Rarity announced. “Its elegance is in its simplicity, but we all know that anything with apples from Sweet Apple Acres is sure to be absolutely delicious!” Applejack grumbled to herself at the seemingly biased commentary. It didn’t matter though. All they need to do was impress the judges. One by one, the four princesses and Shining Armor took a taste of the pie. The Apple family watched them in earnest to see their reactions. Shining Armor was stone-faced, but Cadance looked satisfied and Luna was practically salivating. Twilight walked up to the pie and lifted the fork to her mouth. “Hope you enjoy it,” Applejack said with a wink. Twilight smiled politely and took a bite. She maintained a neutral expression as she walked back to the judges’ table, and Celestia looked unimpressed as well. “And the judges have tasted the pie! We’ll see the results once they’ve had a chance to try all three. Next up is Entry Number Two! Let’s see it, Pinkie and the Cakes!” Pinkie revealed their entry, and the crowd murmured to each other in confusion. Pinkie winced as Rarity raised an eyebrow. “Okay...I was told this is called the Pinkie Pie Surprise, but I didn’t know what to expect. It’s certainly...surprising. Okay, judges, take a taste!” Pinkie scrunched her face in anger as the judges came up. Shining took a skeptical bite but nodded when he tasted the medley of flavors. Cadance twitched when she tried it, and Luna looked nonchalant. Twilight stepped up to take her bite, and she once again held a neutral expression. “What did you think?” Pinkie implored. “You’ll find out when we reveal the results,” Twilight responded coolly. Celestia took a bite and seemed pleasantly surprised. “Okay,” Rarity said, “our final entry comes from the owners of the Ponyville Candy Shoppe. Let’s see it!” Lyra lifted the cloche to reveal a chocolate cake that looked moist and delicious, with chocolate glazed icing and chocolate drizzle, decorated with plump maraschino cherries. “Oh my,” Rarity said. “That certainly looks quite rich. It might be enough to make you full in one bite. Let’s see if the judges agree!” Bon Bon and Lyra glared at Rarity, but they couldn’t claim she was biased towards any one entry. The judges, however, seemed quite satisfied. Shining Armor smiled at his bite, and Cadance and Luna looked at each other eagerly when they both tried it. Twilight’s eyes shimmered when she tried it, but then she looked puzzled and walked back to the judges’ table, lost in her thoughts. Celestia gave it a try and winked at Bon Bon and Lyra as she left. “And now that the judges have tried all three entries, they will confer and present the results. In the meantime, I encourage you all to mingle amongst yourselves. I’m sure the judges will have their results shortly.” In the meantime, all the contestants could do was wait.
The ResultsChapter 6: The Results The judges leaned in close to each other and begin deliberating about their ranks. Each judge was to rank the three entrants in order of satisfaction with the dessert. The contestants with the most points would win the competition. Applejack and Pinkie Pie both knew this, and they were grinding their teeth in anticipation of the results. They avoided looking at each other, the trash talking now over because there was nothing more to be done but wait for the judges. Bon Bon and Lyra, however, were looking quite calm and actually speaking amicably with one another. Applejack glanced over at them and raised an eyebrow. What are they so confident about? They’re third every year! The judges broke and returned to their seats, signaling to Rarity that they were done deliberating. Rarity moved over to the scoreboard, ready to mark it with tallies based on how many points each entrant would receive. “And now, the judges will present their scores!” Rarity announced. The crowd stomped their hooves and there was an excited buzz in the air. “Shining Armor, your ranks, please,” Rarity called out to him. Shining Armor lifted a white board with his scores. Bon Bon and Lyra had scored the best with 2 points. Pinkie Pie was second with 1, and Applejack got nothing. Applejack cursed angrily, while Pinkie just looked confused. “And so Bon Bon and Lyra take an early lead!” Rarity proclaimed as she marked the scoreboard. “Next we have Princess Cadance!” Princess Cadance lifted her board. Once again, Bon Bon and Lyra scored the most points, with Applejack in second this time. Rarity marked the board accordingly while Pinkie looked at Cadance with shock. Applejack bit her lip nervously. “The totals so far are Bon Bon and Lyra with four points, and Applejack and Pinkie Pie each at one. May we see the results from Princess Luna?” Luna raised her scoreboard. To Applejack’s delight, she had rated her pie first. Bon Bon and Lyra got second with their cake, and Pinkie was once again dead last. “We now have five to Bon Bon and Lyra, three to Applejack, and one for Pinkie!” Rarity called. “Let’s see the results from Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight hesitated to raise her scoreboard, but when she did, Applejack and Pinkie were both shocked. She had ranked Bon Bon and Lyra’s cake first place! “Twilight!” Applejack called. “What in the hay are you doing?” “Yeah, what gives?” Pinkie shouted. “I couldn’t decide between the two of you!” Twilight responded. “Besides, the cake was really good!” “So why’d you rank Pinkie’s over mine?” Applejack called out. “Is she a better friend than I am?” “Pinkie’s blend of flavors was more interesting! I’m sorry, Applejack!” Rarity marked the scoreboard quickly. “Settle down, please!” she requested over the stirring crowd. “So that’s Bon Bon and Lyra with seven points, three for Applejack, and two for Pinkie. “And now the winner is official!” Rarity cried, “but we have yet to determine second and third place! Princess Celestia, your scores, please.” Celestia raised her board, and Pinkie had scored the best. Bon Bon and Lyra scored second place, and Applejack was once again dead last. “The final results are in!” Rarity announced. “Applejack takes third place with three votes, Pinkie is second place with four, and Bon Bon and Lyra win the contest with seven! May I present the contestants with their ribbons?” Applejack, Pinkie, and Bon Bon walked over to Rarity to be awarded their ribbons. Applejack looked disgusted with her white ribbon, and Pinkie was not much happier with red. Bon Bon, however, was overjoyed with winning the very first blue ribbon for Lyra and her. She bounded back over to Lyra and gave her a big hug, while Pinkie and Applejack made their way directly to Twilight. “What happened up there?” Applejack shouted at Twilight. Now that the crowd was dispersing, she felt no qualms about complaining to her friend. Pinkie quickly caught up and glared at Twilight as well. “I don’t know what to tell you,” Twilight said. “We picked the best baked good of the contest. Bon Bon and Lyra just outperformed you.” “Well, I call baloney on that!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Applejack and I always make the superior baked goods! I think Bon Bon and Lyra cheated!” “How could they have possibly cheated?” Twilight asked. “Fixin’ the cake with illegal ingredients,” Applejack muttered. “Only because that’s what you did last year,” Pinkie snapped. “Of course you’d think of that right off the bat!” “Girls, please stop fighting!” Twilight pleaded. “Don’t you see what happened? You were so focused on beating each other that you failed to live up to your baking potential. Honestly, I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner.” “How dare you!” Applejack spat. “You picked Bon Bon and Lyra over the both of us. What kind of a friend does that?” “A friend who focuses on the quality of the entrants over politics,” Twilight said. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to help clean up.” Twilight left her friends both aghast, but there was nothing more she could do for them. They turned to each other and sighed. “Well, looks like you outdid me this year,” Applejack said. “I suppose congratulations are in order.” “I’m not surprised,” Pinkie said. “We had the more creative idea for sure.” Applejack groaned. “Look, Pinkie, can we forget about the rivalry for a second? Maybe Twilight had a point about us fightin’ so much. Maybe we should’ve just focused on the contest instead of snipping at each other like foals. I’m sorry for the way I treated you.” “Oh, Applejack,” Pinkie said, “I’m sorry, too.” The two of them hugged. With that animosity now discarded, they began to chat with each other about their ideas for next year’s fair. Twilight was in her room, feeling exhausted after an eventful day. I wonder if I should ever be a judge again, she thought. I treated my friends so poorly! Spike slunk into the room looking very uncomfortable. Twilight put her own worries aside to address those of her oldest friend. “What’s the matter, Spike?” she asked. “I kinda have a confession to make,” Spike said. “But you have to promise you won’t tell anypony else.” “Whatever you want, Spike. Now what is it?” “It was my recipe,” Spike said. “I came up with the recipe for Bon Bon and Lyra’s cake. I helped them bake it, too. I know dragons aren’t allowed to participate, and I figured it was the only way I could get a shot at competing in the contest.” Twilight breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, eliciting a smile back from Spike. “I always thought that was a silly rule anyway,” she said. “Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me.” “Thanks, Twilight,” Spike said. “You’re still gonna try to change the rules for next year, right?” “Of course, but I can get started with that tomorrow. It’s time for bed. We’ve had a long day.” Spike crawled into his basket and Twilight snuggled into her sheets and turned out the light. I thought that cake tasted familiar... Author's Note Well, that's it. Just a silly little idea I had that I wanted to wrap up after the hiatus. Thanks for reading!
