Cupcakes - The Next Generation
It started as an ordinary day.
They always do.
The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and it couldn't get any better. Of course it couldn't. In fact, it only got worse and worse as they day progressed.
The worse was my fault. But don't judge me for that. Mother had the same problem, I'm told. She killed her best friend and attempted dark magic to resurrect her. The Princess fixed that, though. Aunty is here and fine, and Mother finished her jail sentence a few years ago. So, all was well.
Until.
I did it. I couldn't control myself, like I never can. A random thought crosses my mind, and I have to do what it was. I don't have a choice.
It's a curse.
However, the thoughts never were any bad. A little crazy, maybe, but never bad. Never. I wasn't the kind of pony to think mean things. I was all about making everypony smile. It was inherited from Mother, a bright pink mare with a pouffy pink mane to match. She's a little bit chubby, being raised by the Cakes and all. She developed a bit of a sweet tooth there, and now every meal is accompanied by piles and piles of cupcakes.
I know what you are thinking, and no, they weren't made out of other ponies. They were normal cupcakes. Mother is mostly sane now.
I was terrible at cooking. Mother would always laugh, and tell me I am always improving. Father would grab his accordion and play a silly song to make me feel better. It was always the same.
Dear Chocolate Top, don't frown, don't pout.
I know you feel frustrated and want to scream and shout.
But if you put your heart in it and try try try.
Tomorrow you will do better, don't try to deny
The fact you are always getting better,
My little Chocolatetter,
You can you can you caaaaaaannnn!
Do anything if you belieeeeeeeeeeeeeve!
As it was intended to, it made me laugh. It is almost shocking to see how well my parents fit. Both always trying to make everyone laugh, both not afraid to look silly. They almost have the same personality, except Father lacks Pinkamena. That it what Mother calls her dark, murderous side. Father calls it Mother on a good day. It always makes them laugh.
Mother on a good day. Hmm.
I don't know how that would work. Mother cannot get any worse when she is Pinkamena. I visited her in prison when I was just a filly, and almost got killed. She was restraining herself; I could tell. I never want to meet full Pinkamena. That murderer would have me shackled and in the Sugar Cube Corner basement in ten seconds. That would be the only one of Mother's parties that I wouldn't go to. Every other party is absolutely amazingly tree-hugging hoof-licking good.
I was terrible at throwing parties. Once a party was started I'd be more popular than the host, but I could never start the actual party. So I fit with my parents too. Our entire family is just...perfect. No, not exactly, but almost. Without Pinkamena, and whoever I become, we would be voted Best Family Award every year. And my friends and me would probably get Bestest Friends Ever Award too.
I have six friends. They are, not in any particular order - I actually don't think I order anything at all, except cupcakes at Sugar Cube Corner - Supernova, Lightning Dash, Nimbleshy, Sapphira, Flurry Heart and Apple Crispy. At least, I think they're friends. Flurry Heart barely hangs out with us anymore because she is a bit older than us, and has different friends now, and 'royal duties'. Pfft. Traitor, I say.
Supernova is a bit of a bookworm. She always had her nose in a book, if Apple isn't ripping pages out of it. Gee, I have terrible friends. Lightning is a bragger, and is always doing stunts. It's her dream to join the Wonderbolts, if Celestia doesn't make her Royal Flier. I don't think that's such a thing but um, okay! Nimbleshy barely leaves her house without Fluttershy babying her, and Sapphira makes us ridiculous outfits and has terrible hand-eye coordination. I use terrible too much, don't I? Anyhooves, Apple Crispy is always mean to the rest of us, and says she is from a different universe where she is the ruler of us all.
I have this strange feeling whenever I think about any of them. I feel kind of all tingly inside and stiff outside. Mother says it is because our friendship is so great, that I love all of them. Father says it means I ate too many caterpillars again. I don't know why he keeps bringing that up. I was just a young foal when I did it. Dads. Shaking my head right now.
Okay, now, back to the story. This one, fateful day began like all others. There was nothing that suggested that anything out of the ordinary would happen. It did, though. That day began it all.
A week before that, my other self had sneaked into the bakery and checked that everything was still in the basement. Surprisingly, it was. Covered in dust, but still in good shape. A little too strange. Maybe Mother knew what I - ahem, Cadburia - was going to do. I certainly didn't, not way back then. Way back a few days ago.
Okay. The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the day couldn't get any better. That is what I thought, anyway, skipping along down Main Street. I met my friends halfway down. They were kind of fidgety, but smiles were plastered on their faces. I think they were faking it. Not many grown-up mares bounce around like I do. I mean, they've all got lives now. Too young for foals, but they have careers.
Supernova smiled at me cheekily before returning her gaze to her book. I smiled back at her, the orange mare with a purple mane and blue streaks through that. Apple smirked at me, and then grinned maniacally. She laughed, then, and was elbowed by Nimbleshy. Nimbleshy herself smiled sweetly and awkwardly at me for a few seconds before hiding behind her bangs. Lightning Dash was looping in the air a few metres above. Sapphire was watching on with awe.
However, I only wanted to see one of them. "Lightning?" I said cheerily. She ignored me, so I repeated it louder. "Lightning!" She still couldn't 'hear' me. "LIGHTNING!" I screeched at the top of my lungs, but still cheerily. The blue pegasus gasped in shock and fell out of the sky. Nimbleshy helpfully cushioned her feel, squealing all the while.
"What do you want, Choccy?" Lightning demanded. Perhaps it was rudely, or perhaps it was impatiently. I will never know. I do know what I said after that, though. It was kind of a whole paragraph. Cadburia had been practising it for months, but I had never knew not what it was for.
"Lightning, because you are so great and everything and all, I wanted to know if you could help me with something important. I know you are always busy, but I hope you are still a good enough friend. I want you to come with me to Sugar Cube Corner and see how far your awesomeness stretches, because you are so awesome. Will you help me, awesome friend?"
Lightning snorted, and then laughed loudly. It was a deep belly laugh, one that would make Rarity cringe. She wasn't there, though, but her daughter definitely was. Sapphira cringed, and turned away. Lightning Dash stopped laughing then. Instead, she donned a look of complete seriousness.
"Hmm, I'll see. I just need to check my schedule." She checked an imaginary calendar, and grinned at me. "Nope, I've got nothing on right now. Of course I will help you." I smiled right back at her. Yes, I just did that. Woo! I think I am going insane! Scrap that, already am.
I am going to lie down for a little while and then I will tell the full story.