Sugar Cube Corner was busier than usual today.
The ovens were heaped with small cupcakes and cake, several unfolded boxes lay waste on the floor, flour coated the counters with a white blanket, cabinets swung open with a violent bang! as Mrs. Cake flipped through them all. Quick and excited buzzing came from the entrance as several ponies waited for their sweets, with Mr. Cake nervously jotting down the orders as they rolled in. The aromas of chocolate, strawberry, red velvet, vanilla, mint, banana, blueberry, and many flavors wafted through the shop. As tempting as it was to Pinkie Pie, she couldn't go downstairs, courtesy of watching Pumpkin and Pound Cake upstairs, where they'd be out of the way. Sugar Cube Corner were full of business, but that was just about what should've happened to every shop on Hearts and Hooves day.
Pound and Pumpkin were giggling uncontrollably as Pinkie pounced from side to side of the room, pretending to hide until they pattered up and squealed at her. Pinkie laughed heartily in amusement when they did, and continued playing with her boundless energy.
But the babies couldn't keep up, and eventually stopped the chase, the storm of laughter died down. Pinkie popped from her hiding place, Pumpkin let out a tiny yawn, her horn's sapphire aura flickered again, as she had yet again forgotten completely that her magic bursts had ground to a halt weeks ago. Pound flittered his bite-sized wings in a valiant effort to pick up off the ground, but soon after, the buzz he created eventually silenced.
"Aww, at your limits already are you?" Pinkie giggled as she watched the foals' valiant effort to keep awake. She bent down and scooped up the smaller ponies in her fore hoof, carefully stepping up to their cribs. She leaned against the crib for a support so that she could use her other hoof, to gently slide Pound into his crib. Then she turned and lowered the hoof holding Pumpkin inside the other crib and released the filly into it. Stepping back from the two sleeping cuties, Pinkie quietly exited the dim room, cautious the door was closing slowly. Then she trotted downstairs, headlong into the chaos of the shop.
"Pinkie!" Mrs. Cake swiveled her head towards Pinkie. "You're supposed to be wa-!"
"They've fallen asleep, Mrs. Cake!" Pinkie giggled at how easy Mrs. Cake could worry, but that was just the stress that always loomed over every pony. "I'm going out to get a couple of things, do you need me to pick up anything while I'm out?"
"Yes! We need more mint! And eggs!" The baker shouted a bit excitedly. "Oh thank you so much Pinkie Pie! It's just I've had my hooves full with-”
"No need to finish, I already figured that out!" Pinkie nodded at the counter where a worried Mr. Cake was trying to single out the ponies whom the order he had went to. Then she pushed the door to the back of the stuffy kitchen open with her hoof. "I'll be back in a jiffy!"
"Be careful!" Mrs. Cake called after her as Pinkie bounced away with springy hooves.
Pinkie trotted carefully, 2 dozen eggs in her sack next to a bag of mint leaves. She stopped in her tracks and turned to flip the cover open. Pinkie felt around in her sack with her snout until it touched a cold, smooth surface.
"Safe." Pinkie sighed with relief, flipping the flap back and continuing down her path. Even if the thing she had touched was the tiniest thing, it was still really important...
Pinkie later arrived to a cloud of flour. Concern arose from Pinkie, and she thrashed her hoof wildly in a vain attempt to clear away the white dust. The cloud whisked away to reveal Mrs. Cake shaking her head over and over again in violent disapproval, standing over a small box. She seemed to be in a heated argument with a silver pony, whom Pinkie recognized as the stallion Dust Chaser.
"I'm telling you, we don't make these!" Mrs. Cake snapped.
"Why in Celestia's name not?!" Dust retorted back at her.
"We sell cupcakes, muffins and other assorted cakes. If you want little candies I'm afraid you'll need to talk with some pony else!"
Pinkie pulled off the saddle bag she was holding and gently laid it somewhere nearby, preparing to spring to her friend's side, until Mr. Cake flashed her a warning look that stopped her in her spring. It seemed Mrs. Cake hadn't noticed her small assistant enter the bakery.
"Fine! Maybe I'll take my business elsewhere then!" Dust snorted, finally turning and stomping out in a heft of rage. It was after he left that Pinkie approached the weary baker.
"Mrs. Cake, are you alright?" Pinkie tried her best to put on a gentle voice, though it couldn't be helped. "Why was he being such a super duper meany pants? Was it because he was sad?"
"No Pinkie," Mrs. Cake sighed. "Just one of those picky choosers."
"Okie dokie Lokie!" Pinkie patted Mrs. Cake on the back. "But how 'bout I start helping you around the kitchen? It looks like you could use some help!"
"Pinkie Pie?" Mr. Cake spoke up. "I can't help but notice you've been..." He almost seemed to be hesitant to finish his sentence, pausing to fix the balance of his stiff little hat. "Just a little bit calmer today."
Mrs. Cake seemed to pick up on the detail, her ears perked. "Actually, you have! Has something happened while you were out?"
"Oh no no no!" Pinkie shook her head immediately in denial. "Nothing bad at all!" As though to prove her point, she smiled widely.
Mrs. Cake gave back a weak smile. "Well, the extra help would be nice."
And with that, Pinkie threw herself into hard-working pony mode. Little by little, she drilled the sweets to their owners, the crowd continually decreasing in size. Finally, it seemed that barely any pony was coming around. By then it had turned dark, the day was over. Mrs. Cake and Mr. Cake gazed triumphantly at the front counter, but the drowsiness glazed over their eyes.
"Alright, I guess it's about time to turn in!" Mr. Cake declared.
"Wait!" Pinkie intercepted. "Could I just stay out here a bit longer? I'll clean up the kitchen! I just need to do something down here!"
The bakers exchanged glances to each other, whispering a few words. Mrs. Cake chuckled lightly as though to respond to something Mr. Cake had said. Then the two turned their heads back to Pinkie. "Alright." They nodded.
"Thank you so much!" Pinkie wrapped her hooves around their shoulders, squeezing them tightly before letting go and darting into the kitchen.
Once she was sure that they'd gone all the way upstairs and tucked in, she shot up the stairs and ducked into her room. Alright, my own time! Let's see... Tissue paper tissue paper tissue paper... Pinkie rummaged through her room, opening the cabinet harboring the party cannon and peeking in and closing the doors as gently as possible when she found none. Finally, she found some crinkly yellow tissue paper beneath her pillow. She sniggered a laugh. "Who would have thought I was sleeping on some the entire time?" Pinkie dragged the tissue paper out gently, then slowly trotted back down the stairs.
As soon as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned to direct herself towards the kitchen, eying the saddle bag she had laid down beforehoof. She let go of the tissue paper above one of the tables to reach for the bag, reeling it in and looking inside to find the small object she had harbored;
A small, porcelain rabbit.
Carefully, Pinkie grasped the bunny between her teeth and pulled her head back, just allowing her to slip the bunny onto the tissue paper as gently as possible.
"Now I just need..." Box! Pinkie scanned the kitchen floor, now aware of the boxes she could use. She picked one up, the unfolded box hung limp in her mouth, and white icing slid down and onto the floor, leaving a sticky white trail behind. Dropping it, she scanned the room once more, finding that these boxes were dirty, and couldn't be refolded. With a small sigh, she picked her way through the kitchen to get to a small cabinet where they kept the boxes. Pinkie pulled out a cake-sized box, making sure it was sturdy enough before carrying it back to the small artifact. Wrapping the rabbit in the tissue paper and laying it in the box had been the simple enough task, but there was still room inside the box.
"Idea!" Pinkie bounced in excitement, then darted out. A few minutes later, she sprang back with a red colored paper heart in her mouth, which she slipped into the box alongside the rabbit. Smiling, Pinkie held the lid between her hooves, daydreaming for a moment before sliding the lid over the top.
"Done!" Pinkie proclaimed, then turned back to the havoc in the kitchen. "Now... To clean the kitchen." A sigh escaped her lips.
Soon, the floors had been swept and swabbed spotless, with everything where it should have been. The bubbly pink mare was now leaning on the broom she had done the deed with, her eyelids threatened to dive at any moment, so Pinkie trudged up the steps with the last of her energy and burrowed into her bed, the soft sheets enveloped her in warmth. Tomorrow is going to be a good day, Pinkie snuggled deeper, the image of the mare she adored entered her mind. I'm going to tell her just how I feel! Well, if I can tell her... No! It's now or never!She shut her eyes, drowsiness struck and she fell into sugary dreams...