Rainy Skies and Sleepless Pie
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A soft roar of raindrops pattered against the grassy streets of Ponyville, descending downwards from the dark and dreary clouds above. The skies were black and ominous, the moon barely shining through thick thunderstorm clouds rolling over the landscape. Outside Sugarcube Corner, the rain spilled over its gutters, cascading onto the soft wet ground below in sheets of sparkling droplets. It was nearly midnight, and everypony was asleep in their beds.
All except for one.
Pinkie Pie lay in bed facing upwards, her body covered by a soft, cozy quilt decorated with drawings of balloons and cupcakes, her hooves clutched tightly against them. A flash of lightning silently illuminated the room from a window on the far side, followed quickly by the dull roar of distant thunder.
Her eyes were open, as they had been for a decent while. Unable to fall asleep, she lay in bed contemplating all things from cotton candy to the meaning of life itself. Rain pelted softly against the window as she continued to think in silence while listening to the gentle sounds of muffled raindrops outside. Her mind was abuzz with too much to even think about going to sleep.
These sorts of nights happened all too often, she realized. There was simply too much to think about, but not enough time to do it. And to make matters worse, as a baker, she would have to wake up early every day to begin baking the cupcakes and pastries ponies would be expecting in the morning. Somehow she managed, of course. Her sugar-loaded diet might have had something to do with it, she slowly began to realize.
She sighed, trying her best to stifle the endless stream of thoughts and ideas. It always felt like such a shame to let them go to waste. So many new things to try, or find, or create. And somehow the calm of nighttime always made them pop up in droves.
She pulled the blanket over her face, burying herself in the soft, warm fabric. The raindrops continued pelting against the glass for several more seconds, dripping downwards like tiny rivers as they meandered towards the windowsill at the bottom. She watched them slowly slide down the glass, her eyes just barely wide enough to see anything, imagining herself kayaking down them surrounded by an mountain forest. It almost felt relaxing, and she felt herself dozing off to sleep. Just as Pinkie Pie was beginning to feel her mind drift away, however, another flash of lightning illuminated her room and a crackle of thunder filled the air. Her eyes went wide, but a new idea also came to fruition.
There would be no sleep tonight.
Pinkie Pie blasted out from beneath the covers, leaving the blanket strewn over the side of the bed as she trotted hastily towards the kitchen. If she couldn't drift peacefully to sleep, she would utilize this precious time for something productive. It was decidedly so. As the rain continued to fall in torrents outside, Pinkie Pie began rummaging through drawers and cabinets, grabbing pots and pans, sugar and flour, cinnamon and sprinkles and an assortment of other ingredients.
If she couldn't sleep, she would bake.
In a storm of her own, Pinkie Pie mixed ingredients, stirred bowls of batter, placed pans, and scrupulously measured a myriad of exotic ingredients, all while baking amidst the sounds of rolling thunder and the pitter-pattering of raindrops on the streets outside. Her kitchen was abuzz with life and energy as she zipped to and fro, tending to one thing here, and another thing elsewhere. She maneuvered throughout the kitchen on auto-pilot, and the thoughts that ran through her mind in bed finally felt like they were being given the proper attention they deserved.
Pickle pies? Those were a bad idea. Jelly-infused cupcakes? Now there was something to try tomorrow.
Her thoughts flowed like the rivers of raindrops streaming down the window outside. And as the goods began to bake, the air filled with warm, pleasant smells. That was always her favorite part. There was something special about the moment at which something turned from a simple idea into a reality. And that moment was finally about to come to fruition.
Pinkie Pie licked her lips. Time had passed by in the blink of Gummy's eye. The sweet smell of rain meandered into the kitchen in a chaotic mixture of warm and cold. And it was so late that she didn't dare look at a clock. Another flash of lightning and crackle of distant thunder filled the air with light and sound. The thunder appeared to be getting softer, and the sounds of the rain became a gentle roar. After baking and cleaning up for several more minutes, Pinkie Pie removed the plentiful assortment of cake and treats and placed them somewhere they could be accessed for later.
Immediately, she felt tired and relaxed, her mind at ease without a thought in the world. Her eyelids drooped heavily as she stumbled up the steps to her bedroom. She walked across the floor and slid effortlessly between the mattress and her quilted blanket. Mere seconds later, her eyes gently closed and the warmth of her bed caressed her into a blissful sleep.
The raindrops dripped against her window, and the storm faded slowly beyond the horizon.
