Tales of the Background Ponies
Pepperdance loves to race with her friends! She is always ready for a challenge.
“I win again!”
A blue pony hung her head in defeat, stumbling to a stop on the dirt path. “Yeah, Pepperdance. You win. Again.”
The red earth pony pushed her hoof out to nudge her friend’s head up. “Don’t feel bad, Button. You’re just not a great runner. And I am.”
“It’s not just running,” Blue Button sighed as she sat down on the ground. “It’s everything, Pepper. You win every contest that you’re in. It’d be nice not to come in second place for once.”
Pepperdance gave a sheepish smile. “I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. I get a challenge and I have to win. I don’t mean to make you feel bad, but you don’t want me to hold back, do you?”
Blue Button shook her head. “No. That wouldn’t be fair to you. But can we do something that’s not a contest now?”
“Yeah, of course,” Pepperdance said. “Wanna go get a cupcake from Sugarcube Corner?”
Blue Button perked up at the idea and nodded. “Yeah! There’s no competition for that. Wait, is there?”
Pepperdance just laughed. “Of course not, silly! Unless Pinkie Pie decides to have another cupcake eating contest today. But I don’t think she will.”
“If that happens, I think I’ll just sit out,” Blue Button said. “Come on, let’s go.”
The two ponies headed across town to the brightly colored bakery, on the way talking about trivial things such as what flowers were their favorite and when would the pegasi schedule more rain? On entering the bakery, the pair immediately went to the display of delicious looking cakes and cupcakes for sale.
The pink-maned pony who ran the shop came out from the back just as they started staring at the delectable desserts. “Oh, hello!” she said. “You’re just in time, we’re introducing a new cupcake today!” She reached under the counter and grabbed a sign with her teeth, setting it on top of the display case.
‘New Pepper Jelly Cupcakes!’ read the sign. ‘Super Spicy! Eat One Without a Glass of Water, Win a Free Box of Cupcakes!’
Pepperdance grinned and twitched her tail, remembering the three hot chili peppers on her flank. She’d got the cutie mark winning a pepper eating contest, and she wasn’t going to let her taste in hot spices slow her down now.
But first, she glanced over to Blue Button. “Are you okay with this?”
Her friend sighed but nodded. “Just get a cupcake for me in that box.”
The red pony grinned and turned back to the counter. “I’ll take one of those pepper jelly cupcakes, please. And no water.”