Pinkie looked left and right anxiously before staring at the wooden door that lead to the cellar of Sugarcube Corner. Only two customers had come in today, which was odd for the best (and only) confectionery in Ponyville. Whereas the store would normally be full of ponies, each of them trying to buy some of the delicious sweets the store sold, it was completely empty today. Then again, last night had been Nightmare Night, so all the residents of Ponyville had more than likely gorged themselves on the candy they had received.
Pinkie tapped her hooves on the floor impatiently. She stared at the clock on the wall, hoping the sheer force of her impatience would make it tick faster. The chime signaling the start of her lunch break could not come soon enough. Her stomach was close to groaning; anxiety filled every thread of her thoughts. Her normally cheerful disposition had crumbled in the face of her hunger, leaving her a listless pink shell. The steady ticking of the clock only exacerbated the pain that she could feel building with every passing second.
Sweat trickled down her forehead. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were nowhere to be seen, and their children were happily asleep upstairs. Without those distractions... I can fully enjoy what’s mine! she thought, her previous expression giving way to a more sinister one as a sly smile formed on her face.
The clock gave a soft mechanical click, followed by a sound that could only be matched by the singing of angels themselves - the chime that signaled her lunch break. The anxious pony’s mood quickly shifted to one of pure ecstasy, as if she had found the key to throwing the best party ever. Pinkie eagerly bounced over to the cellar door, and pushed it open with the tip of her hoof.
“Pinkie, are you there?”
Pinkie froze on the spot, every fiber in her body prohibiting her from moving from the fear that had suddenly enveloped her entire body. Her secret would be found out, she wouldn’t be able to enjoy her special feast; her eyes dilated in response to this, her heart pounded at a near impossible rate.
“Pinkie?”
“Yes, Mrs. Cake?” Pinkie said, her voice cracking under the sudden pressure. She turned towards the voice, her eyes landing on a blue earth pony standing at the foot of the stairs on the opposite side of the room, a look of confusion upon her face.
“Why is the cellar door open? Are we running that low on supplies already? I swear we re-stocked the kitchen a few days ago...”
“I swear! I wasn’t going to take my lunch break in the cellar! I mean, I was! I mean... oh forget it.”
“Why would you be having your lunch break in the cellar? There’s a perfectly operational fridge in the kitchen to keep your food cool!”
“It’s just better downstairs... makes it feel more... natural? Can you watch the register for me while I’m gone?”
“Wait... you were going to go on your lunch break while leaving the store open and the register unattended?” Mrs. Cake asked, slowly advancing towards Pinkie.
“Um... oopsies?” Pinkie said, suppressing the nervousness of her voice with a panicked giggle. Her eyes were transfixed on Mrs. Cakes hooves; every step the blue mare took sent a chill down Pinkie’s spine.
Mrs. Cake sighed, shaking her head from side to side in disapproval, her mouth forming a slight frown.
Before Mrs. Cake could get another word in, Pinkie had begun her descent down the stairs. Its creaky hinges were torture to her attuned ears as she slipped through the opening and trotted down the stairs, apprehension gripping at her stomach like a vice.
At the foot of the stairs, Pinkie felt blindly across the support beams for the light switch. Flipping the old device upwards was barely helpful though, as the old lightbulb flickered desperately, casting a feeble glow into the darkness.
While the main floor of Sugarcube Corner was lively, the cellar on the other hoof had a dim aura that heavily contradicted any feelings of joyousness. Despite the dimness, Pinkie always enjoyed retrieving supplies from the cellar; anything that helped her make more sweets cheered her up. The packed dirt floor cooled the air, and the scents of musty earth and sweet ingredients made an exotic perfume. Cobwebs hung in the corners of the room. The shelves along the dirt walls were lined with bags of flour and sugar and giant jars of molasses.
Pinkie looked back up the stairway to make sure Mrs. Cake wasn't following her. The light started flickering violently, giving shape to a malformed shadow pony near the middle of the stairs. Pinkie jumped back, her eyes dilating, her mind fighting to believe that what she saw wasn’t there. As the light stopped flickering, the shadow pony disappeared as well. She looked in front of the light that hung from a thin silver chain; noting that there were enough objects between the light and the stairs to give a somewhat vague pony shape. A wave of relief washed over her. She walked to the middle of the wall that lay on the opposite side of the cellar. She glanced again at the stairs, then pressed a particular spot on the wall between two jars of sugar. A barely audible click was heard as the wall swung toward her, revealing a doorway into a large, well-lit space. The intricate work Pinkie had to put into it made the pink mare revel at the thought of having such a beautiful secret room.
Before her was the prize that she longed for. Piles of precious metals and gems held no value to her compared to the mountain that stood in front of Pinkie.
She licked her lips as her eyes meticulously scanned the giant pile of candy she had been hoarding for the previous three years. It towered over the pink pony, almost matching a full-grown dragon in height and width. A smile played about her lips as she thought back to all the bags she'd filled on each Nightmare Night, bringing each one here to add to the sugary shrine.
Pinkie stared at the pile that stood before her, her heart fluttering with the pure beauty of the candy while she fantasized of what it would taste like. It was sparkling, shimmering even with the slightly dim glow of the lamps. It allured the mare in ways she never dreamt possible. Large quantities of candy corn, lollipops, gummy candies, chocolates, taffies, chocolate bars, and other sweets studded the surface of the mound like sprinkles on a cookie, calling out to her like a foal looking for his pet.
Her mouth salivating, her whole being focused on the pile that lay in front of her, memories of the taste of candies long since passed danced upon her tongue. Every fiber in her body drowned out the sweets with a single word - jump. With a leap, Pinkie landed right in the middle of the mountain, scattering candy in every direction. What was not sent across the room soon found itself in the ravenous pony’s mouth as she lapped up mouthfuls of the candies at a time, savoring the succulent flavors of the mixed sweets sliding down her throat.
After taking in another mouthful of sweetness, Pinkie let out a yelp as a sharp, throbbing agony spiked through her jaw. She raised a hoof to her cheek and pressed firmly against the location of the pain.
“That hurt...”
The pink mare swished her tongue around her mouth. Pinkie cried out in pain as her probing tongue pressed against one of her molars.
“Oh... why is my mouth hurting? It’s never hurt like this before! Actually, I don’t think it’s ever hurt before...”
Unable to believe that the pain was caused by eating candy, Pinkie grabbed another piece of candy from the pile and bit down on it. A harsh pain once again filled her mouth.
“Why do you hate candy, teeth? You're supposed to love it!”
She picked up another piece of candy and stared at it with slightly moistened eyes. Her cheerful mood had popped, much like a balloon that had been introduced to a pin, leaving her with a saddened expression. With a surge of determination, Pinkie tossed the candy into her mouth, and bit it with the other side of her mouth. Another wave of pain rushed through her nerves like a tsunami, making her wince. Pinkie lowered her head towards the mountain and eyed the candy meticulously, her eyes slightly bulging out of their sockets. With a sigh of defeat, she got off of her throne of candy and made her way out of the secret room, not even bothering to clean up the mess of sweets she had left behind. Once she exited the room, she turned around and pressed the same spot between the jars of sugar. A soft rumbling shook the cellar as the door swung closed.
Pinkie slowly ascended the stairs, the steps creaking sympathetically under her hooves. The vividness of the main room brightened the saddened pony’s mood, adding a small bounce to her step as a small smile played out across her face. The blonde wood of the walls and ceiling was trimmed with dark wood carved into graceful shapes, the room littered with various candy shaped decorations that always made Pinkie feel young and joyful; a majority of the reason she was always in a cheerful mood. The light fell through the windows in broad shafts onto the painted blue wood flooring, giving the entire area a fresh glow that ponies would usually bask themselves in while looking for sweets. The faint smell of flour drifted through the air, while the stronger more pungent smell of cakes and various sweets battered the nostrils, the smell of which drove Pinkie into ecstasy, yet made her feel hungry. Yet, to her relief, the bakery was still empty.
Pinkie looked at the clock and gasped. “My break’s over already?!” The pink mare slammed the cellar door. She headed for the register before realizing she had closed the door a bit too loudly. Pinkie listened intently for the cries that would mean that the foals had been startled awake from their nap. Silence. She breathed a sigh of relief. Pinkie took her familiar place behind the register. Her eyes scanned across the room, before looking down. On the counter was a note with a hastily written message.
'Can't watch register. Pumpkin Cake woke up.
Mrs. Cake
Pinkie stared at the note, her eyes scanning over it multiple times. She pushed it off to the side and started twiddling with her hooves to pass the time. Her eyes ascended until they fell upon the clock.
Only 12:47?... This day is easily one of the worst I’ve ever had! With nopony to talk to, nopony to plan parties with, and my teeth hurting! It’s strange, though, I’ve never had a tooth pain before... let’s see... I should probably talk to Twilight about it! I mean, she reads lots of books. She’s bound to know why my teeth hate candy now! She can probably fix it with a spell! Then I can go back to eating all of my candy!
A bell chiming brought Pinkie back to reality, as the front doors opened to a stallion.
“I’ll take a key lime cupcake,” the pony asked, making his way over to the counter.
Pinkie gave the stallion a blank stare. The pink mare hadn’t expected a customer so quickly after her lunch break. Her mind was chanting a mantra of its own, trying to snap her back to reality. Say something, say something, say something.
“Oh, yes! Coming right up!”
Making her way to the display case, Pinkie grabbed the requested cupcake, and placed it in front of him.
“That’ll be three bits!” Pinkie said.
The pony pulled some bits out of his sidebag, and placed them in front of Pinkie. The stallion smiled at her, before taking the cupcake in his teeth and cantering away with his head held high.
“Have a good day!” Pinkie called out, waving as hard as she could.
Once again, the store was completely empty. She thumped her hoof on the counter in time with the ticking of the clock. It felt like an eternity between each thump. Pinkie stifled a yawn and continued to watch the clock.
So... bored. Maybe I can leave and go see Twilight! The Cakes wouldn’t mind if I left for only a couple hours. I’ll ask first, though!
“Mr. and Mrs. Cake!” Pinkie whispered. “Can I leave to go see my friends?”
She held her hoof up against the back of her ear, listening for the slightest noise.
“Well, they didn’t say no, so I guess that means I can go!”
With a bounce to her step, she trotted over to the sign that was in the front window and flipped it over to the ‘Sorry, we’re closed! Come back another time!’ side. Pinkie opened the door.
Outside, the brisk autumn air tickled her nose and the cheerful sound of ponies talking and laughing in the town square infused her with a new energy, despite the pain in her mouth. The birds flitted through the trees, singing a symphony that filled the air with liveliness and joy while the bees buzzed through the village, dutifully pollinating the flowers. In the distance, Lyra was sitting on a park bench in her usual odd manner, happily playing her instrument for a crowd of onlookers. A few pieces of mail drifted towards the ground in the distance. Pinkie’s eyes followed the trail upwards to see an insouciant grey mailmare flying through the sky.
“Hello, Pinkie!” said a voice.
Pinkie turned to see a familiar orange earth pony. “Hey Carrot Top! Beautiful day we’re having, isn’t it?”
“It sure is! It’s the perfect day for a stroll through the town! Gotta make the most of it before winter comes.”
“Well, have fun on your stroll, Carrot Top, I have somepony I really really need to see!” Pinkie said as she cantered away.
Pinkie continued merrily trotting down the road, offering the occasional nod to a fellow pony. Her eyes drifted around the wooden market stands that lined the sides of the streets. Each of them were selling their own product, whether it be fruits, vegetables, or something else. Droves of ponies huddled around each, listening to sellers proclaiming their produce to be of superior quality. Pinkie sniffed the air. A melange of smells ranging from fruits to perfumes wafted towards her nostrils, producing an aroma that rivaled the sheer sweet taste of candy. The pink mare found herself enticed by the fragrance.
A purple hoof tapped Pinkie’s shoulder, causing her to jump.
“Hey, Pinkie!” said a lively voice.
Pinkie turned around to see a purple earth pony with grapes and strawberries as her cutie mark. Immediately, all of her fear faded away, and were replaced with the ever familiar feeling of joy. “Hey, Berry Punch!” Pinkie chirped.
“Uh, sorry for scaring you. I was trying to talk to you, but I guess the crowd was too loud for me to talk over.”
“It’s okay, Berry! Say, how’s the punch going? I need some more for my parties!”
“Oh, don’t worry!” Berry said. “I just need a shipment of sugar to arrive, and I’ll have another vat completed and ready to sell!”
“That’ll be super-duper fantabulous! I can’t wait to have more of your yummy fruit punch!”
“Well, I guess I better go get that sugar. I’ll catch you later, Pinkie!”
“See ya later, Berry!” Pinkie called out.
Pinkie bobbed her head, playing tidbits of music in her mind. Her thoughts were put on hold as a hoof-built stand with a logo of apples in a variety of colors came to view in the distance. A familiar orange earth pony was running the stand, selling apples to her usual herd of customers.
“Hey, Applejack!” Pinkie yelled, jumping and waving frantically. Applejack turned toward the jumping mare, and tipped her hat.
Pinkie grinned from ear to ear and bolted towards the stand. She skidded to a stop mere inches away from Applejack, a cloud of dust rushing from behind her and enveloping the orange pony, throwing her into a fit of coughing. The cloud slowly dissipated, leaving Applejack with light brown blotches across her coat.
"You seem mighty excited today, Pinkie," Applejack said, coughing once more. "So what's the occasion, sugarcube?"
“My secret candy mountain hates my teeth! ...Or maybe the other way around. Anyway, my candy mountain is still a mountain instead of a molehill! Also, where does all that candy come from anyway, I mean really? Sugarcube Corner hasn’t even made that much!” Pinkie started panting, her verbal outburst causing her to run out of breath.
“Uh, beg yer pardon?” Applejack asked.
“You really need to pay attention more!” Pinkie scolded, waving her hoof sternly. “Now, pay attention, Applejack!”
Applejack nodded at the pink pony, slightly annoyed at her friends mocking gesture, before turning back to the next customer in line. “Ah’m listenin’, sugarcube.”
“Alright!” Pinkie yelled, pounding her front hooves together. “Now, you see? I have this giant pile of candy in a secret room under Sugarcube Corner! You following me?”
Applejack nodded. “That’ll be two bits, ma’am.”
“I tried to eat it all at once!”
Applejack rolled her eyes, while bringing her hoof up to her forehead. She let out a discontented sigh. “And... how did that work out for ya, sugarcube?”
“It was going fine!” Pinkie said, lifting her hooves up above her head, “until my tooth started hurting!” she frantically waved her hooves around, before falling backwards.
“Ever thought of eatin’ healthy?” Applejack deadpanned
Pinkie pondered the question. “Hmm... nope!” she said, giggling.
Applejack shook her head side to side in a dejected manner, while giving off a slightly annoyed sigh. “Here, I know ya love apples.” She turned towards the stand and picked up one of the fruits. “Take one. On the house.”
Pinkie jumped up onto her hooves. “You sure?”
“It’s alright, Pinkie. Ah consider your friendship payment enough for one little fruit.”
Pinkie bounced over to Applejack and let her eyes scan over the apple. It was plump and looked juicy and delicious; the color being a beautiful shade of crimson. It was perfection in apple form, with the sun glimmering off of it for added visual effects. Pinkie took the apple in her teeth. The tender red skin broke with a pop even in her gentle grip, misting her tongue with sweet juice. She tossed it skyward with a flick of her head. The apple dropped right into Pinkie's upturned mouth. The pink mare snapped her jaw shut and let her teeth sink into the apple. Immediately, she let out a pained yelp and spit the apple out before holding her hoof firmly against her cheek, her face contorted into a look of annoyance.
“You okay, sugarcube?” Applejack asked.
“Does it look like I’m okay, Applejack? Everything I try to eat ends up hurting me!”
“Maybe ya’ll should go see Twilight? She should know what to do.”
Pinkie stared at Applejack, slightly pestered by her friends remark, a look of irritation forming on her face. “That was what I was going to do before I ran into you!”
Applejack nodded encouragingly, pointing in the direction towards Twilight’s treehouse with her hoof. “Well then, don’t let me stop ya, sugarcube. Hope you get that problem figured out!”
Pinkie rose her hoof up to her forehead, giving a salute to her friend. “See ya later, Applejack!” she chirped, her mood changing back to her normally cheerful demeanor.
Pinkie bounced away and Applejack quickly lost sight of her in the crowd.
"Sometimes I worry about that pony."
