“Have a good day!” Carrot heard Pinkie say as yet another one of their customers walked out the door. It was the morning after, and business was in full swing with a steady stream of customers coming in and out of the bakery, the bell chiming merrily amidst the busy natter of ponies ordering this and that.

Carrot was in charge of the cash register today, and he had a small grin plastered on his face as their business continued to bloom. Pinkie was in charge of taking everyone’s orders, seeing as she was the only one who could possibly keep up in this miniature chaos.

Cup Cake was currently in the back, toiling away as she worked the kitchen. Carrot couldn’t help but think that he had probably gotten the easiest task out of everyone today.

Pinkie could be seen bouncing around the bakery the way only she could do, her happy demeanor shining like a beacon of light in the sea of ponies. Carrot sometimes couldn’t help but marvel at her seemingly boundless energy.

The hours dragged on, and the customers got gradually less and less, coming to only a small trickle compared to earlier in the day as Celestia’s sun began its slow gradual descent to be replaced by Luna’s glowing orb.

Carrot jumped slightly as he felt a small tap on his shoulder, and turned his head to see his wife standing behind him. “Why don’t you take a break, honey?” his wife asked him sweetly. He was about to open his mouth to protest, but shut it after he gave it some thought. He could use a little breather now that he thought about it.

He nodded in thanks as he made his way to the back to take his break, but not before giving his wife a loving peck on the cheek. Some of the customers’ expressions softened at the sight of public affection between the couple, but nobody noticed the hint of jealousy on Pinkie’s face…

~

Carrot sat heavily on one of the plastic chairs situated in the back and slumped his shoulders, the toll of working the whole day with little to no rest in between taking a toll on his skinny body. He took off his cap on his head and held it in his hands. Carrot smiled a proud smile as he thought about their modest little bakery that was slowly rising in popularity, and even reaching the ears of ponies from out of town.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as he caught sight of Pinkie walking into the back as well, her eyes fixed on him. “Hi Carrot,” Pinkie said with a smile. “Can I join you?”

Carrot couldn’t see why not. Carrot couldn’t help but notice that she didn’t use formalities anymore whenever she addressed him, which was understandable due to the nature of their new relationship, but that didn’t stop him from worrying that other ponies might notice. He decided that he would have to talk to Pinkie about it sooner or later, but it wasn’t a really pressing concern.

She sat down on the chair next to him, and shuffled a little closer. “Milkshake?” Pinkie asked as she handed one to him from seemingly out of nowhere. Carrot winced internally, having had more than his fill of sugary foods for the day, but he couldn’t possibly decline Pinkie’s offer. With a small smile, he took a sip from one of the bendy straws.

Pinkie produced another straw from Celestia-knows-where and began sipping from the same glass. If this was Pinkie’s idea of being romantic, then he couldn’t complain.

They enjoyed each other’s company in silence, happy for the small reprieve in their otherwise busy lives.

~

Pumpkin Cake was confused, to say the very least. She had been out hanging with her friends, considering that it had been a slow day yesterday and that she was not needed in the bakery. Shocked wouldn’t even begin to describe the feeling when she had walked in on her father kissing Aunt Pinkie Pie… amongst other things.

By some small miracle, she had managed to get her legs to move before she could get caught, and she had immediately rushed to tell her mother what she saw. She could still remember the look of shock and disbelief in her mother’s eyes when she told her what she saw, before she made a beeline back to their home.

She had decided to stay the night at one of her friend’s place to weather the storm, and come back the next day when the proverbial dust has settled. As she walked in the bakery though, she was surprised to see her mother standing behind the counter with a serene smile on her face. What happened? Had everything been resolved? Could she have been wrong about what she saw yesterday?

So many questions were swimming in poor young Pumpkin’s head that she didn’t even notice her mother waving her over. Snapping out of her stupor, she made her way behind the counter. “Hi mom,” she said in greeting.

“Hello sweetie,” her mother chirped. “Where have you been? I was starting to get worried.”

“I was at a friend’s place, mom…” she said in a small voice. She wanted to ask the question that was burning in her mind right now, but she wasn’t sure if she should.

Her mother chuckled. “Okay sweetie, but please inform me next time when you want to do something like that again.

“Okay, mom. Sorry…” she mumbled dismissively before she made her way to the back. Her questions kept piling on, until she was sure that she was going to develop a headache. She stopped dead in her tracks as she heard some giggling noises. She had heard it a million times, but this time, what made her pause was how that giggle sounded. It sounded… different.

Curiosity overcoming her, she leaned against the wall dividing the segments of the house that was the bakery proper and the kitchen, before peering around the corner. Her eyes widened at what she saw.

Pumpkin saw Pinkie giggling, but not her usual brand of giggling, but instead a very light and lilting one. And she was sitting next to her father.

“No, your other right!” Pinkie said before she giggled again, a light blush apparent on her pink cheeks.

“You mean here?” Carrot said, feigning ignorance. Pumpkin noticed that he had a splotch of what could only be milkshake on one of his cheeks. They were both giggling like teenagers who were going out on their first date.

Pinkie giggled again. “Here, let me just get it for you!” Much to Pumpkin’s shock, Pinkie leaned in and used her tongue and lapped away at her father’s face, until the little splotch of milkshake was only but a damp spot on his fur.

“You’ve got some on your face too!” Carrot said as he leaned in himself and licked Pinkie’s nose, to which Pinkie started giggling uncontrollably, before he locked her into a kiss, to which Pinkie sunk in with a happy hum. “Mmmm…”

Pumpkin fainted.

~

Carrot Cake looked over his daughter as she tossed and turned in her sleep. After she had passed out in the kitchen, Carrot’s fatherly instincts immediately took over, and had rushed to check up on her.

He had breathed a sigh of relief when nothing seemed out of place, so he had then picked her up and carried her to her room. After laying her on her bed, he had decided to wait for her to wake up so he could explain himself.

Carrot found himself fidgeting, twiddling his thumbs in nervousness. All he had to do when she woke up was to use the pocket watch on her, and make her forget everything she saw. That was the plan.

Of course that was the plan, but the new power mongering side of him had planted something within his deep subconscious, niggling and fighting its way to the forefront of his thinking. He looked over her sleeping form again. She looked so beautiful. He’d deny it, but deep down, he knew his daughter had become quite… enticing. Her soft lips, her silky fur, and her beautiful orange mane and-

No!! Carrot screamed internally. Now he knew it was not him! He might have taken advantage of his wife and surrogate daughter, but he had to draw the line somewhere! He clasped his head with his hands as the pervasive thoughts grew louder and louder, until there was nothing but it.

There was one thing that he loved above all else, and that was his children. He loved them even more than life itself.

He pulled out the pocket watch from his pants and stared at in anger. Stop it!! he screamed internally.

He couldn’t tell how he knew, but he felt like the pocket watch sighed a heavy sigh, as if it was disappointed. Before he knew it, the pain stopped as suddenly it began. Carrot nearly collapsed but managed to steady himself before he fell over.

Looks like we’re going to have to do this the hard way.

He looked at the watch in his hand in confusion, before the migraine came back with a vengeance. He fell over, convulsing as the surface of the pocket watch began to chip and crack, and the brilliant blue on its surface began to dim until it was nothing more than a dull grey.

Carrot Cake stopped thrashing suddenly, and all was calm and quiet in the Ponyville bakery. He slowly got back up, and started stretching, working out the kinks in his neck.

He looked down at the watch, seeing that it was now in a state of disrepair. He promptly tossed it aside. He sat down on the bed next to his daughter, and started stroking her mane. She was so beautiful. And so very, very sexy. Why was he so hesitant to admit it before? It was only true.

He didn’t feel any different. Maybe he just felt like he didn’t have any inhibitions now. Wasn’t he supposed to be worried?

Nah. Why would he? This new way of thinking just felt more… liberating.

His hand slowly traced down from her mane to her hips and then to her rump, squeezing the soft flesh.

Yes, he thought to himself, his irises glowing red. Much better…

Author's Note

My muse is a fickle thing. Why? It's because I wrote this in one day and publishing it; that's why.

Goddamnit.

I haven't been writing in a while, and I'm sorry. A lot of shit's been going in my life, but I won't go into detail. Anyway, here's a little setup for what's to come. If you've followed me for a while, you're probably shocked that I'm not just jumping straight into the sex. I'm trying to do it good this time! See? My dick's still in my pants!