Choosing Friends Over A Competition
The Mane Five...Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity and Applejack were inside Sugarcube corner, trapped in a recent flan-like batter, and were struggling to get out. It was already tough for our friends, but it would get even more tough.
Rainbow Dash sighed. “Looks like we're in a pretty—” she started.
“Don't say it!” Applejack cut her off.
“—sticky situation.” the Wonderbolt finished.
Everyone else except Dash groaned in disgust and disappointment as they heard her say those words. “Y’all said it!” Applejack said, stressed.
“You guys!” a voice called out, which did not go unnoticed. They all knew that voice, as the doors swung open and Pinkie Pie, the Element of Laughter, rushed into Sugarcube Corner to save her friends from her flan recipe.
“I'll save you!” She cried out, as she jumped for joy...only to land face-first into the dessert.
Twilight was stressed and worried for her friend, who was now stuck in the flan with the others. “At least if she's stuck, she won't be able to make it to—” she started. However, Pinkie emerged from the flan, only to see that her makeup was clean off her face, and into said sweet treat. “This is the worst thing that could possibly happen!” she wailed out.
“Ugh! I know!” Pinky said sadly. “I wanted you all to come support me at my audition!” She had wanted to try out for a reality baking TV show called The Royal Jelly Juggernaut, and wanted her friends to come support her at her audition. But alas, since they were stuck in Pinkie’s recipe, it might not look like it that way!
“Just remember to clean as you cook.” Twilight nicely suggested to her friend.
“And do something flashy!” Rainbow piped up.
“And put your best face forward!” Rarity added as well.
“If you follow those rules, you've got this.” Twilight said, giving the party mare a pep talk. “No way you'll look like a silly filly. No pressure!”
“Oh.” Pinkie laughed nervously. “Okay.” She said sadly, before turning away, and leaving her bakery for her TV show audition. “No pressure.” She looked back one last time, wishing her friends would come to cheer her on. But, she was now on her own with no one but herself to only humiliate in front of an audience. She left her bakery.
That left her friends stuck in bakery, enveloped in the flan. They all felt pretty awful after what happened. “Well, we did all we could.” Twilight said sadly.
“She seemed really sad.” Fluttershy added dejectedly. “This feels... not good.”
“Maybe we should've just believed in her from the start?” Rainbow asked sad, and also curious. The others just gave an inaudible sigh, to answer her question.
“I... made a mistake, didn't I?” Twilight said, starting to get on crying level, feeling regret for giving her advice on wanting to be a neat freak, when she was just being herself. “And now she's going all alone!” She felt like she was to blame for this whole incident.
However, Pinkie...who was just leaving the bakery heard what her friend said, and stopped dead in her tracks. She realized that they were only trying to help her, and not make her feel like a failure. She smiled as she heard all that, and that would make her proud to wow the judges at her audition. But now, she didn’t know WHAT to do! She was torn between going to the audition, and making a fool out of herself or staying behind and not embarrassing herself. She tried to think about the possible positive and negative outcomes to this whole situation.
She heard another voice. “We gotta make a plan to get out of this flan!” It was Applejack. “Uh, as quick as we can!” Now that she heard that voice, her mind clicked, and she knew what she wanted to do now.
“No.” she thought. “I can’t go, and leave them in the dust! Friends don’t abandon friends in their time of need!” she mustered up her strength to change course, and head back to the bakery, to break her friends out.
“If I’m gonna go down...” Pinkie thought as she arrived back at her bakery. “...I’m gonna go down with dignity!” she rushed back inside, just as Applejack was about to come up with a plan, herself!
“Hand me that pan!” Applejack called out to the others, as they got ready. “Let's eat!”
“You won’t have to!” Pinkie shouted, as she arrived back to her friends, ready to take a bite out of the flan!
“PINKIE?!” Twilight asked in shock. “You’re supposed to be at your audition!”
“No time for that, Twi!” Pinkie said, as she opened her mouth to consume the tasty calamity that befell upon her friends. “I’ll do the eating around here! Let’s eat!”
“Wait, Pinkie!” Fluttershy called out. “What about your audition???”
“I don't care about how my audition turns out!” Pinkie said, as she started to eat her friends out of the flan. “One thing I know for sure is that it won't win me friends like you guys!”
The others smiled and were rather surprised as Pinkie started to eat her friends out of the whole dessert, and that she would risk her audition to save her friends. They didn’t know she actually cared so much about them. “Wow, Pinkie! I didn’t know you cared.” Rainbow said. “That was pretty...sappy.”
“I know!” Pinkie said happily, as she continued to eat the delicious recipe booby trap. “Now, stop talking and start eating!”
A few minutes passed, and Pinkie was still going at it, trying to break her friends out. Her friends even tried to help her, by eating some of the flan as well. They ate a good amount as a few of them started to feel full as they groaned, and couldn’t eat another bite.
“I can't!” Rarity wailed, as they all started to get full. “I simply cannot eat another bite!”
“You can't get up and leave this kitchen until you finish your dessert, Missy!” Pinkie scolded Rarity, as she sighed. “Literally. None of us can.”
“We have to eat!” Twilight shouted, as they started to continue eating.
Pinkie was already feeling full, as she stopped eating. She could see that eating like this was going to take a long time. It might as well take forever at this rate! She tried to think of a way to get rid of the flan faster than her friends could chew.
“This is going to be harder than I thought!” Pinkie thought. “We all might get fat from all this eating if we eat slow. And it might as well feel like forever if we keep eating like this. Unless...” Pinkie’s frown morphed into a ginormous grin, as she jumped up, and landed on the ground.
“Everyone! I KNOW something!” Pinkie squealed in excitement.
“What is it, Pinkie, Darling?” Rarity asked her quizzically.
“Stand back!” The party mare announced, and opened her mouth really huge, and really wide. She took in a huge deep breath as the flan was quickly sucked from being attached to her friends right inside her mouth. Pinkie was sucking up the flan like a vacuum! And her super-powerful sucking force was enough to get her friends out of the flan!
The others held on for dear life as to not get accidentally eaten. Luckily, Pinkie sucked up all the flan that was stuck to them, and were pulled out, and landed on the floor of the bakery.
“Well, that took a lot of force.” Rainbow said surprised and happy.
Twilight was pretty surprised as she saw the flan getting sucked from her body. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” Twilight screamed. “PINKIE, THIS IS NO TIME FOR—!” But, she was cut off by her tremendous sucking force, that she was not only pulled out but somehow got pulled into her friends mouth, as her friend collapsed to the ground.
The other ponies gasped in horror as they saw what just happened before their eyes. “OH MY GOD!” Rainbow wailed out.
“Pinkie, what have you done?!” Fluttershy yelled, starting to cry.
“Y’all just swallowed Twilight!” Applejack cried out in horror.
Pinkie gave herself a pat on the belly. But, as soon as she did that, she could tell that she didn’t feel so good. Her cheeks started to grow big, and without warning, she barfed out Twilight, who came out unscathed. Everyone gasped in shock, as Twilight wasn’t covered in food colouring, but rather a blue liquidy-like substance. She rubbed it, and was immediately disgusted.
“EW!” Twilight cried out in disgust. “I’m covered in slobber!”
“No time for a bath, Twi!” Pinkie said, grabbing her friends by the arm, as they quickly ran out of the bakery. “Since you’re all free, we gotta head to the TV studio!”
“Wait, Pinkie!” Twilight called out. “We can’t run as fast as yooooooooouuuuuuuuuuu!” But, Pinkie was already grabbing her friends by the arm, and they had already ran out of Ponyville, and over to Canterlot, where the Royal Jelly Juggernaut would be held!
They arrived at the castle, and into the studio where Princess Celestia herself, and two of the judges on either side of her were already there. Pinkie skidded to a halt, with the others bumping into her, as they all crashed on the ground. The Mane Five were pretty tired, as they had been pulled out with such tremendous force. But, Pinkie was still energetic as ever, as she lept from the crowd, and over to the three judges. She couldn’t be too late! She just had to make it!
“I’m here! I’m here!” Pinkie called out. “Let’s get filming!” She swiveled her arms into a movie film camera position.
“Oh, yes!” Celestia said, smiling at her. “We’re ready, Pinkie...except for one thing.”
“What is it? I don’t care! Let’s get taping!” Pinkie said excitedly, as she raised her arms in happiness.
“You missed the audition.” Celestia said. Those words make Pinkie’s eyes widen in horror, and her arms droop in sadness. Pinkie Pie...miss the Royal Jelly Juggernaut auditions? That wasn’t possible...was it?
Everyone was shocked and horrified as they heard those words. Twilight shattered into a million pieces, Rarity fainted on her couch, Fluttershy shrunk to small size, Applejack just stood there looking horrified with her mouth agape, and Rainbow Dash just fainted on the floor.
“I...missed it?” Pinkie asked shocked and saddened. “I missed the audition?!”
Celestia nodded. “I’m afraid so.” She said sadly. “We were waiting for you to show up, and there was a time limit for our auditions per day for the show. So, we had to end it.”
Everyone else gasped in horror as it zoomed out to reveal them on a computer screen, and one of the TV producer ponies was watching it. “I just LOVE reality TV—waitaminute!” He said, as he switched from sarcastic happiness to shock, and worry. “That’s not funny at all!”
“What...what are you saying?” Pinkie asked in sadness, to make sure that she heard the message right.
Celestia closed her eyes. “I’m sorry, Pinkie.” She said solemnly. “YOU WON’T BE ON THE ROYAL JELLY JUGGERNAUT!”
Pinkie was extremely mortified, as she heard those words. Here, she thought she was going to be in her favourite reality baking TV show. Now, her chance was shattered as she was told that she missed the audition, and wouldn’t have a chance to participate in the show at all.
Her eyes widened, until her pupil shrunk to the size of pinpricks. Her eyes turned angry as her sad frown turned into a angry snarl. The others could see that she was getting angry, and got looks of horror on their faces.
“Girls, would you step outside for a second?” Pinkie asked. The others knew what would happen, as they immediately dashed outside as to not hear what would come out of their friends lips. Pinkie stood up, took in a deep breath and, was ready to let loose her rage. “F—!”
Her scream was so loud, that it made a piano play a wrong tune, a flock of birds escape Fluttershy’s cottage, and made a bunch of eggs drop on the ground. Inside, the three judges were had looks of shock and horror on their faces...trying to comprehend what had just happened.
“Sweet Celestia!” The same TV producer Pony from before said in shock. “That’s the loudest profanity I’ve ever heard!”
Later that day at Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie was stirring together a bowl of brown sludge with her check pressed to the ground. She couldn’t believe her own dreams of being on the best baking reality show were instantly crushed before she even got a chance. It was clear now that she was never going to be on the show, and she didn’t even feel like being a good baker anymore. The dream was dead.
Applejack and Rainbow Dash both came in to check on their friend, when they caught a whiff of something sweet. “Smells good. What'cha makin'?” Applejack asked her friend.
Pinkie just sighed. “Chocolate soup.” She said sadly.
“Uh, Pinkie? You do know that Kinda looks like melted chocolate chips with a bunch of sprinkles kitbashed in there.” Rainbow said, just by looking at the recipe.
“You got a problem with that?!” The ex-baker shouted, which made the two jump back in shock to her response. She then switched back to sadness. “Sorry. The soup will help calm me down.”
The two friends slurped a sample of the soup, and instantly liked it. “Wow.” Applejack said in amazement. “Really does pick you right up out of the blues.”
“Yeah!” Rainbow added in agreement. But upon seeing their friend in such a sad state, they didn’t feel like staying happy for long, as they went back to the lobby of the bakery with their friends.
“I can’t believe Pinkie didn’t make it to the Royal Jelly Juggernaut!” Twilight said saddened. “This is all my fault! If I hadn’t warned her about maintaining a clean area space, none of this would’ve happened!”
“I know, Darling!” Rarity said as well. “But, I bet there’s an all-star spin-off for her to be on based on that show too.” She tried to shed some light on it. “Maybe, there could be a season 2 of the Juggernaut?”
“It’d probably be best NOT to mention the Royal Jelly Juggernaut right now.” Rainbow said sadly, as she and Applejack sat down by their friends. “Especially since Pinkie’s having an epiphany about what happened earlier.”
“Eeyup.” Applejack said as well. “She’s pretty sad about it. I’d say we just let it be.”
The others all nodded, as Pinkie came into the lobby, still feeling sad about her failed dream. They all felt remorse about what happened, and didn’t know what to say. Everyone was silent for a while.
Finally, Twilight spoke up. “Pinkie, I'm so sorry.” She confessed. “I was afraid you'd embarrass yourself. When the only one who should be embarrassed is me. We tried to make you do things the way we’d do them when you were doing them perfectly fine all along. But, now it looks like that chance got messed up too,”
“We feel awful.” Fluttershy added. “You seemed really confident about your baking career, and now it might as well have felt like we cost you your chance on the show.” She looked down in sadness as she said that.
“Sorry, it didn’t work out well for you, buddy.” Rainbow said, patting her on the back. “We knew how much this meant to you.”
“I agree with Rainbow Dash, Darling.” Rarity added, feeling just as sad as the others. “We didn't even stop to consider that you had more than enough on your plate than you could chew. Literally.”
Pinkie looked at her friends, and heard their apologies and saw how sorry they really were. She smiled at them, weakly. “It's okay.” She said.
The others were taken aback by this response. They thought that she would go into a crying fit, after all that! None were prepared to hear a response such as this! “You’re what?!” They asked.
“Whoa, Pinkie, you just lost your chance to be on the Royal Jelly Juggernaut, and somehow...you’re OKAY with it?” Rainbow asked confused.
“Yeah.” I am. “ she said, happily. “So what, if I didn’t get to be on the show? At least I’ve still got you guys!” The others smiled as she said that. “Maybe, I can try again next year.”
“Yeah!” Applejack agreed. “In case your empire as a baker don’t work out!”
Fluttershy flew by her friend, and pet her on the back, smiling kindly at her. “Allow yourself to take some time to mourn the loss.” She said.
“Yeah!” Rainbow added. “Maybe someday, you'll go on a different baking show. You'll see.” She smiled at her.
Pinkie saw her friends, comforting her, and smiled sweetly. “Thanks, Girls!” She said, tearing up with joy. “You know, of all the things I'm good at, my favorite is being friends with all of you!”
The Mane Six, all hugged Pinkie, forming a group hug. “Awwww!” They all said sweetly, embracing their friend in this bittersweet moment.
At that moment, a letter magically flew in the bakery. Pinkie noticed it, and opened the note. She read it. “You are cordially invited to the series premiere of the Royal Jelly Juggernaut!” Everyone jumped for joy as they heard this news. Pinkie jumped and formed a pile of confetti, before regenerating.
She then was confused, as she double checked the letter to make sure she got the news right. “I don’t get it.” She said. “I missed the audition. How could I still be on the show?”
The others exchanged looks of confusion after hearing this. Rainbow blushed and giggled nervously. “Uh...I think I may have sent Celestia and the judges an audition tape before you went.” She said, smiling sheepishly.
“What?!” The others said in shock.
“How did you do that?” Twilight asked. “Pinkie didn’t make it!”
“Au contraire!” Rainbow said gallantly. “I recorded Pinkie as she was preparing for her audition the whole time! I sent it over to the studio before you prepared your sticky flan recipe disaster!”
“You did?!” They asked.
“Yep!” Rainbow replied. “And, you wouldn’t believe how easy it was!”
Rainbow Dash had just finished taping Pinkie’s audition tape, just as she was preparing for her audition. So, without looking, she hit stop on the video camera and ejected the tape, and dashed out of the bakery.
She arrived to the TV studio where the Royal Jelly Juggernaut would take place, and got to the front desk! “Here!” She said, sliding the tape to the TV producer pony. “You just gotta see Pinkie Pie’s audition for this reality baking show on this very tape!” The TV producer pony looked at it, and thought it sounded promising. “You’re gonna love it!” She dashed out of the building, as the Pony took the tape, and went to watch it.
As he watched her audition, his eyes teared up with happiness. This was definitely what he thought the studio needed “It's so beautiful!” He said. “And not only that, that looks like the best cake I could ever take a teensy little bite of! She...she nailed it!” He said. He rewound the tape to the beginning, took it out, and went to present it to the other judges...including Celestia!
“But, there were no cameras in the test kitchen!” Pinkie pointed out. “How was it even recorded?”
“Oh, I just happened to hide a video camera, secretly under one of your dirty dishes.” Rainbow answered, pointing to the area where it was. “It was recording the whole time!” Pinkie went to the area, and uncovered it, revealing the camera that was used to make the audition tape! Everyone gasped, and Pinkie’s eyes widened as she went straight to furious.
She marched right up to her friend, while she gulped in shock, wondering how she was ever going to get out of this one. “RAINBOW DASH!” Pinkie stormed at her. “THAT WAS—!” she then shifted to a warm smile, and was happy again, as she hugged her friend ever so tightly. “The best thing you ever have done! I don’t know how you made it possible! Thank you! Thank you!”
“Thanks, Pinkie!” Rainbow smiled happily, as she embraced the hug. “I really appreciate it.”
She released her friend. “EVERYPONY, OUT!” she announced. “I’VE GOT WORK TO DO!”
“Yee-haw! Yay! AWESOME! Cool!” Everyone else cheered for her.
“Darlings, let the master work!” Rarity told them, as they all nodded in understanding.
“Well, Pinkie, it looks like you got your wish after all!” Twilight said, smiling brightly at her friend. “Redemption in the kitchen!”
Pinkie was ready to get to work for her premiere on the show. “Now skedaddle so I can start on a brand new recipe! This one's gonna take some time to be camera-ready!” She told them happily, as they started to leave. She then thought of something. “J.K., don't skedaddle yet!”
She zipped over to all five of her friends, and hugged them so tightly, as they all sighed in relief and embrace in the grip of her hug. “Now skedaddle! For real!” she said. Her friends nodded happily, as they all left the bakery.
“Good luck, Pinkie!” Twilight called out as she left.
“You got this, Pardner!” Applejack called out as well.
“Thanks!” Pinkie waved at her friends one last time before they left for her to do her practicing. “I know I do!” And, they all left and were out of her sight.
That left Pinkie the sole pony in the bakery, as she got to work, getting her ingredients ready, the machinery turned on, and her best face forward, as her dream now came true, and her baking status was back on! “Yeah!” she said in victory as she was ready to participate.
It was a long crazy day for Pinkie, but a good one, as she got kicked off the show, got let back into it again, and was comforted by her friends, getting her positivity back. Her edge was back! She was ready to roll! And most importantly, she finally got her wish of being on The Royal Jelly Juggernaut!
Author's Note
And, that’s all, folks...for this alternate ending Pony Life fanfic! Pinkie got kicked off before she could participate?!?! THE HORROR! Oh, wait. It looks like she’s already on! Saved by Rainbow Dash, and her trusty audition tape! What a lifesaver, huh? I used a little bit of the ending to Pinkie Pie: Hyper-Helper, with a little bit of the original ending to the series premiere, and Pinkie almost dropped the F-bomb! Whoa! Not tolerable for a kids show! Luckily, we didn’t get to hear it. So, we should be good. Anyways, what do you think will happen when I do my next alternate ending fic for Pony Life? Also, new Power Rangers stories, and the debut of the Wild Siders in the fanfic world! A new experience, isn’t it! Time to bring those three Wild characters in the world! In the meantime, don’t go anywhere! I’ll be right back after these messages! (Pun, pun!)
