Chocolate Cake and Cruel Heartache
Welcome To Sugar Cube Corner
Pinkie Pie sighed in satisfaction as she looked down at the freshly wiped table in front of her. The cool metal surface reflected her own smiling face back at her, as well as the hand that was brushing a stray curl back into place. A small rag was still clutched between her delicate fingers. Her other hand held a yellow bucket with a small layer of water inside, an unknown black smear stained across its front. Pinkie took a deep breath, and the smell of alcohol as well as a metallic sting flooded her senses. She had learned to love the strong smell, a reminder of all the hard work she put into her job, and a feeling of pride always came along with it. It was 7:53, seven minutes before Sugar Cube Corner's closing, and, at this point, all costumers had left. Pinkie Pie was almost done closing up shop.
Pinkie Pie's large blue boots tapped quietly against the black and white checkerboard floor. A small bow separated the magenta skirt of her dress, littered with dark spots from flecks of water, and it's white top, a large cartoon heart printed in the center. Her pale sapphire jacket lay on the counter, ready to be picked up once her work was done. Pinkie hummed a tune to herself as she walked over to the only remaining unclean table.
"Hmm-hm everyone now, smile, smile, smile. Hmm hm-hm hmm hm sunshine sunshine . . ."
Just as she was about to spray the table with cleaning fluid, the sound of a small bell filled the sweet shop. It was indeed surprising for a customer to come by so close to closing time unless they were picking something up, because otherwise they'd be forced to eat rather quickly. But Pinkie couldn't remember any orders that hadn't been given out. There was, however, a possibility she could be wrong, though. In either scenario, she'd have to go over to the cash register. She was able to zip to the counter just as the door closed.
"Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner, where every thing is warm, sweet, and yummy . . . and ready for your tummy!" Pinkie Pie had made the slogan herself, inspired by the one Rarity had come up with (Welcome to Carousel Boutique where every garment is chic, unique and magnifique), though she couldn't get all of the words to rhyme. "Can I help you?"
The customer pulled her hood from her head and looked up. She made eye contact with Pinkie . . . and they both screamed immediately. Each sound was high and squeaky, and they matched up perfectly, as if rehearsed, but they both reacted in quite different ways.
Pinkie ducked behind the counter, upset by the fact that beneath its marble top and the floor was a glass display case, which didn't exactly hide her. She shifted to the right, still crouching down, hoping to block her face with a large vanilla cake, her fingers turning white from gripping the counter so hard. On the other hand, the customer, if buying something was even her intention, Pinkie was now expecting something more sinister, quickly turned to the door. She began to run towards her exit, only to bump her knee on a chair and her middle on a table. Her teeth gritted in pain as she tumbled to the floor. Tears pricked her eyes, most likely because she was scared, not from the pain.
"Are you okay?" Pinkie was just as shocked as the customer when the words came out of her mouth. They both looked a each other for a moment, the customer rubbing her knee.
"Y-yah. I'm fine." But her eyes told Pinkie that she was also terrified, even if her face was rather serious. Seeing this, Pinkie gained the courage to stand up. The customer looked alarmed at this, and quickly stumbled to her feet as well, clutching onto a table for support and easing herself into a chair. Pinkie hoped her fear would fade soon.
"You're Adagio, right?"
"A-actually, I'm Sonata. Adagio has the orange puffy hair. Kinda like yours. And Aria is the pinkish one with the aqua streak in her hair. Kinda sarcastic. I don't know. Your Pinkie Pie?"
"Yes indeedy!" Pinkie said, nodding vigorously.
"So, um, your not gonna blast me with your friendship voodoo, are you?" She asked, refusing to make proper eye contact besides a few nervous glances.
"As long as you and your group don't try and attack me or something," Pinkie chuckled, trying to ease the mood. But Sonata was still on edge. "Where are they anyway?"
"They . . . listen, I just came here to ask you-"
"Is everything okay?" Pinkie interrupted studying Sonata's face. "You look kind of upset. Really, you can tell me! And . . . I won't tell the others if you don't want me to. I Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" Exclaimed pinkie, grasping a cupcake from the display case an mushing it against her face.
Sonata's looked surprised, but continued speaking.
"Pinkie, please . . . I just wanted to know if you'd burnt or crumbled anything that I could get for cheap."
Pinkie Pie looked confused before observing Sonata over more closely, after cleaning frosting from her cheek with a towel. Her light and royal blue hair was knotted and out of place, her face pale and exhausted. Her arms and legs had lost some of their width, and Pinkie could hear Sonata's stomach grumble. Her hands played with what few coins she had in the pocket of her worn and stained hoodie. Sonata was, for whatever reason, alone, with barely any money, and she was hungry. Very hungry.
Pinkie bit her lip in concern, but it was clear Sonata didn't want to talk.
"I think I can find you something . . ." said Pinkie before glancing at the overhead clock. Three minutes until closing time. "But you have to come back tomorrow. Deal?"
Sonata's eyes grew wide at the promise of food.
"Deal . . ."
Chocolate Cake and Cruel Heartache
Pinkie simply hated giving out less than perfect pastries. All customers deserved the best! Even slightly stale goods would most likely be thrown into the garbage at the end of the day, along with any other deformed sweets. She deeply regretted not having enough time to prepare something small but proper for Sonata, even if it meant giving up some of her paycheck to fill the profit loss. Luckily for her, not many people showed up between 2:00 and 4:30, as it was always to late for lunch but too early for dinner. This time was usually spent preparing orders to be picked up later, but, with permission from Mrs. and Mr. Cake, she brought in her own ingredients from home the next day, using the time to make something for Aria.
"But what would she like . . ." Pinkie pondered. "Well, she's used to eating negative energy, I'm glad at least she can eat regular food too, perhaps something that tastes like negative energy? But what does that taste like? Not sweet . . . sour maybe, or . . . bitter? Yes, bitter!"
Pinkie Pie poured her ingredients out onto the table, looking for anything that could classify as 'bitter.' Her trained eye quickly met with the dark chocolate she'd brought, then some coffee beans.
"Maybe even some strawberries? They'd work best as a topping considering I don't think Sonata would like frosting."
Deciding these would work best, she got to preparing the cake, trying to figure out how to use as little sugar as possible while making sure they cake would remain fairly moist, one of the aspects that sugar brought to the table. Wanting to be sure, Pinkie prepared small amounts of multiple batters, forced to make three very small sized cakes per different mixture. This way, she could test the flavor of each one, and give the best one to Sonata.
"This effort will all be worth it. She needs my help, and how could she not talk to me after a taste?"
Pinkie watched as Rainbow Dash walked over to the door, a red velvet cake in her arms. 'Happy Birthday' was spelled on its top, the perfect treat for Rainbow's Dad tomorrow. Setting it on a table, Rainbow stuck a bunch of fat candles around the letters, which she knew her dad loved to lick after they were pulled from the cake, the vanilla icy being pulled into his mouth. Pinkie smiled at this, the premium frosting had cost extra, as well as red velvet flavoring. It proved just how much Rainbow cared about her dad, who'd taken her to her first air show, inspiring Rainbow's dream of becoming a pilot, as well as a guitarist.
"Have a sweet day!" Said Pinkie, watching as her friend once again picked up the cake and headed to the door.
Rainbow Dash chuckled.
"Do you really have to say that stupid catchphrase every time a customer leaves?"
"Of course I do, silly!" Replied Pinkie, with a wink. "How else would we get them to leave with a smile?"
Rainbow laughed once more before kicking open the door and stepping outside.
Pinkie let out a sigh of relief. With only an hour before the store would no longer be open, Sonata could've showed up at anytime during their conversation, and with Rainbow Dash in the equation, things would've been a disaster. Sonata would've been scared out of her wits!
Of course, Pinkie Pie didn't know exactly when Sonata would show up, but she wasn't going to let the time go to waste. She started to close up shop once again, first by pushing in chairs, then sweeping the floors. After all crumbs were dumped in the small trash can in the corner, Pinkie pie removed the black bag from it, and put it in the dumpster behind Sugar Cube Corner. Then Pinkie organized the kitchen, washing and putting away bowls, plates, spoons, forks, measuring cups, you name it. Just as Pinkie hung her apron on a hook, Pinkie heard the door open. She rushed from the back to the counter.
"Sonata!" Pinkie said, throwing her arms in the air. She was especially exited to see that Sonata looked slightly more comfortable than she did yesterday, even if she still constantly made glances at Pinkie when she took out the two cakes she's made for her. She, as said before, already taste tested the first of the trio. Pinkie placed the sweets on a small plate before placing them in front of Sonata.
"I'm so happy you came back! I mean, I knew you wouldn't really want to, and you know there was no way I could keep you to your promise, so I just thought-
"Um, what are those?" Sonata asked, pointing to the cakes.
"Oh, right! They're for you! Do . . . do you like bitter foods?"
"I . . . don't really know."
"What?"
"I don't know. I've been eating chips and nuts and stuff from the gas station about two blocks away from here. They don't really have anything bitter."
"You've . . . you've been eating there for two and a half weeks?
"I mean, not everyday, It's hard to find enough change in the streets."
Pinkie had to try her best not to cry, but her cheeks still grew hot and her eyes began to itch.
"W-where have you been sleeping?"
"I . . . I don't wanna talk about it . . ."
Sonata looked uneasy by all the questions. Her hands began to shake. Pinkie knew the only thing keeping her from the door was the food in front of her.
"Here, eat. They're for you."
Pinkie only realized then that she hadn't given Sonata a fork, but it didn't matter. Sonata's hand had already grabbed hold of one of the cakes as the stuffed if past her teeth and straight to her throat. This time Pinkie couldn't stop the tears. She rushed to the store's bathroom, mumbling something about the cupcake bits still on her face, hoping, praying, that Sonata wouldn't leave after she closed the door behind her.
