Seeking Safety

By the time they'd finished lunch, it was already past one in the afternoon. As they exited the restaurant, Apple Jack asked a question that took Lilac completely off guard.

"That was a good lunch, wouldn't ya say? How would ya feel about heading to Sugarcube Corner for something sweet to finish it off?"

Lilac stared at her. "Are you sure it's all right?"

"Sure!" Apple Jack said. "Anyway, if we get there and ya don't want anything it's fine, you can just have a look around the place. As for me, I've got some things I need to get for Granny."

Lilac thought for a moment, then smiled. "Okay," she said. "Let's go."

Apple Jack grinned. "Great! Let's go."

.....

After about half an hour, they reached the bakery. Lilac gaped when she saw it. The building's design made it look like a giant gingerbread house. Although, Lilac thought, it was probably intentional. Even now, delicious scents of various baked goods were wafting through its open windows, beckoning her closer.

"Violet. Violet!"

"Huh? What?"

Violet blinked, realizing that Apple Jack was waving a hoof in front of her face.

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. I zoned out for a second."

Apple Jack snorted. "I know the feeling." She sniffed the air. "Ahh, they're baking an apple pie, too! Can you smell it?"

Lilac sniffed, and her eyes widened. "Yeah!"

She hadn't before, but she could definitely detect apples now. And cinnamon. Her stomach growled.

Apple Jack laughed. "Come on, let's go."

She walked over to the entrance, and knocked. The door opened, and she stepped inside. Lilac followed her.

"SURPRISE!"

Lilac only had a moment's glimpse of a room packed with ponies and decorated, with all manner of cakes and other foods on every table, before an explosion of confetti hit her in the face. Startled and confused, she yelped and fell back on her haunches. She coughed, spitting out bits of confetti that she'd inhaled.

"Oops!" a pony giggled. "My bad! I was a bit too close!"

A pink hoof reached out to her. Lilac accepted it gratefully and stood up, coming face to face with the pink mare from earlier. There were five mares behind her, and Lilac realized that the four standing with Apple Jack were the other Elements. She smiled. "Hi, Pinkie."

Pinkie's eyes widened. It was as though she'd been struck by lightning. "You know my name? Wait, I didn't tell you who I was yet!" She gasped, and an enormous smile engulfed her face. She leaned forward sharply, forcing Lilac to lean backwards to avoid butting heads with her. "Are you a psychic? Oh! Can you tell what I'm thinking right now? Try and guess! Guess!"

An orange hoof appeared on Pinkie's shoulder, and pulled her back. Apple Jack laughed. "She's not a psychic, Pinkie. I told her who we all are. Let's give her room to breathe."

Lilac giggled, and dusted a few strands of confetti from her muzzle as they sat down at a table. "It's fine Apple Jack." She turned to Pinkie. "Thanks for the party by the way. I hope it wasn't too much trouble pulling all this together."

Pinkie was still staring at Lilac with that awe-struck expression, but at her words she was roused from her trance. She beamed with pride. "Thanks! I'm glad you like it! I wasn't sure what kind of sweets you liked though, so I made plenty!" She grabbed Lilac by the should and steered her over to several tables that were lined against the wall. "There's vanilla cake, chocolate cake, rainbow cake with vanilla frosting, vanilla-chocolate swirl cake, carrot cake, angel cake, pound cake..."

On and on Pinkie went, pointing to every conceivable dessert, talking at breakneck speed. When she was finally done listing each dessert she began rambling out more questions and thoughts. Lilac wondered how she found time to pause for breath between each word. Eventually she began glancing at the others for help. Pinkie didn't seem to have noticed, as she was still jabbering at a reckless pace. Lilac was starting to get dizzy just listening to her. However, Rainbow Dash recognized the situation and came to her aid.

"Uh, Pinkie Pie?" she said.

"...anyway, it seems like a lot," Pinkie was saying, "But it's because I didn't want to risk something going wrong at your first party, I mean, gee, it would be terrible to mess up your first party, wouldn't it!"

"Pinkie..." Rainbow Dash was scowling now.

"Also do you like games? I've got lots of them planned tonight! I mean it's okay if you don't but if you do there's plenty to choose from!"

"Pinkie!" Rainbow Dash said, louder this time to make herself heard over the chatter that filled the bakery.

"...and then I thought what about decorations? What's her favorite color? Does she have a favorite? What if she like a bunch of different colors? So I got lots of balloons and streamers and..."

"PINKIE PIE!!!" Rainbow Dash bellowed.

Pinkie stopped in mid-sentence and looked at her, confused. "What?"

Rainbow Dash face hoofed. Twilight held back a smirk.

"I'm sure Violet understands and appreciates the trouble, Pinkie," Twilight said. "And at the rate you're going, you may wind up giving her whiplash."

Pinkie glanced at Lilac, who looked dizzy enough to fall over. Pinkie laughed, and scuffed her hoof on the ground with a sheepish expression.

"Sorry, I got carried away."

Twilight smiled. "It's fine, Pinkie. I'm sure she'd love to try some of the cakes you made her now, though."

Glad to be rescued, Lilac nodded earnestly.

Pinkie giggled. "Okie-dokie lokie! One plate of cake coming right up!"