CUPCAKE is good at just about everything she does. It just takes a little practice, some hard work, and maybe a bit of luck! :)
*****
Perfect. Her feats in the kitchen were always perfect. She was good at just about everything she did, but when it came to baked goods this counted doubly so.
“Oh my, Cupcake, you've gone and outdone yourself again. Why, I don't think any pony could stand up to your super special baking technique. Not even me!” Pinkie Pie was her usual jovial and animated self as she heaped praise upon the young mare. Pinkie reached her hoof over to sneak a taste of the cake's delicious looking icing. Cupcake swatted the pink hoof down and glared at it's owner. How could Pinkie Pie even THINK of trying to ruin such a perfect example of baking prowess? Pinkie's sunny expression suddenly began to strain just a bit as she lowered her hoof and held Cupcake's gaze for half a beat. It was then that the large white stallion behind her approached Pinkie with a stern and somber look about him.
“Oh, my heh heh, I'm sorry. That was totally my fault.” Pinkie looked over her shoulder and laughed nervously. “No need to over react. But see, there's nothing ruined, so we're still all having lots of fun.” She broadened her smile as the stallion shot her a narrow glance. “Fun fun!”
“Maybe you should get that packed up, and we can get going now.” He had stated it in such a matter of fact manner that Pinkie was certain there weren't going to be any other options.
“Oh! Right. I guess it's time you guys were on your way.” Pinkie quickly wrapped a colorful box around Cupcakes new creation. “Here you go Cupcake. All ready for travel.” She put the box in the mare's saddlebag.
As the two walked away from sugar-cube corner Pinkie waved after them. Cupcake leaned on the stallion's shoulder. Her Cloud Duster was the perfect pony. He was strong, tall, handsome and took no guff from any pony. This was very fitting for her since she was also perfect in every way. They walked on in silence down the main street. Cupcake couldn't resist leaning a little closer and blowing gently in his ear.
“That will be enough of that Cupcake.” His reply was low and firm. She giggled. He was so cute when he got embarrassed like this. She was about to plant a little kiss on his cheek when she saw their next destination: Rarity's Sewing shop. She giggled again and grabbed his hoof to pull him to the entrance. His stern expression deepened into a near frown as he glanced down at his own hoof in hers. He was so silly that way.
***************
As they entered Rarity looked up from her work. “Darling, you've come back at last.” She smiled. “I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you.” She glanced over at Cloud Duster who gave her a slight nod. Rarity turned again to Cupcake. “I have your new dress all finished. It's based entirely on the designs you gave me.” At this she leaned in towards Cupcake and whispered conspiratorially. “And I don't mind saying that I'm more than just a little jealous at the ingenuity and skill you put into them. It's just in the back room. I'll only be a moment.”
Of course she was jealous. Cupcake's designs were light years ahead of anything else Ponyville had ever seen. Not to say that Rarity was a bad seamstress, but she was more than just a bit behind the times in terms of what was new and in style. Cupcake, however, had created a dress design that would most certainly redefine the pinnacle of high fashion. She would have made it herself too, except that she had been so busy with all the exciting things in her life, she just couldn't find the time. Rarity was the only pony she knew who possessed both the skill and the supplies to do the job. At first Rarity had tried to suggest a few alterations to the design, but Cupcake insisted that only her original pattern would suffice.
“Here we are.” Rarity appeared from the backroom, using her unicorn magic to levitate the new dress gently onto a nearby table. “I just need to make some final measurements and get a dress fitting. Then I can make a quick hem to make sure it fits -”
“You don't need to do that. I'm sure it fits just fine.” Cloud Duster's deep voice set Rarity's face into a sudden portrait of surprise.
She looked at him with wide eyes for a moment, and then slowly nodded. She looked back at Cupcake with a smile. “You know, he's right. Your design was so perfectly elegant that I couldn't imagine you wouldn't have taken into account every detail to make certain that your creation would fit you wonderfully. Would you like to wear it home, or should I wrap it up for you?”
Of course Cupcake chose to wear the fine garment then and there. It would be such a shame to have such a beautiful thing and not show it off to every pony in town.
“We can just have it wrapped up for now. She will have plenty of time to wear it later.”
Cupcake shot Cloud Duster a disapproving stare, which he readily returned to her. As they stared, Cupcake's eyes began to narrow as her mouth began to turn downwards. Cloud Duster held his stony detached gaze against hers. They stared for a moment longer before Rarity chimed in nervously.
“Oh, look at that! Such a windy day today.” She looked out the window. “I think your companion may be right. With all the bits of debris and dirt and leaves and dust, well, I simply CAN'T in good conscious allow such a masterful piece to go out in THAT. It's dry clean only you know. Here, let me wrap it up for you.”
She was right. Cupcake was a little embarrassed she had not considered the weather. Perhaps this is what Cloud Duster had been thinking of. Most likely though he just didn't want to be shown up by walking next to such a well dressed pony. After all, the only thing he had was that dull drab coat he always wore. She had tried to get him to exchange it for something more colorful, but he seemed insistent on keeping it. If there was one thing she disliked about him it was how boring he could be.
Rarity came out from the back room with the new dress neatly wrapped up in a parcel, which she placed into Cupcake's saddle bags. “There you go. I know that whenever and wherever you decide to wear it will make that place and time a special occasion.” They exchanged a quick hug and said their goodbyes.
***************
As road passed beneath them Cloud Duster looked sideways towards Cupcake. “I allowed a parting hug this time, but don't let me catch you making any close contact with any pony else today.” Cupcake frowned up at him once more, and stopped in her tracks. He stopped one pace ahead and then turned to face her. She was practically scowling at him now. “OK. That's enough for today then. Time to go home.” Cupcake stood her ground still frowning at him in defiance. “You're going go make this hard, aren't you?”
“Cupcake! Hey there!” Rainbow dash zoomed out of the clouds toward the two. “I heard you two were around and about today. I'm glad I found you. I was meaning to give you this.” Rainbow Dash reached around behind her to reveal the item she had tied to her back. It was a trophy cup that shined and glittered in the sunlight. “Now don't let it go to your head Cupcake. That was a one time thing. Next time I'll TOTALLY beat you.”
Rainbow Dash was hilarious. The race they had run a week before had ended in Dash's defeat, but she claimed to have tripped. Cupcake had not seen this, but wasn't about to spoil the proud pony's excuse. She liked Dash and wouldn't want to hurt her feelings. She also didn't really want to have to beat her again and erase all doubt of who was the fastest. She decided to not be too insistent on a rematch, and surprisingly Dash wasn't either.
“That is . . .” Cloud Duster leaned forward to examine the trophy.
“Oh you don't have to worry about this. It's from my own collection.” She winked at the large white stallion. “I think Cupcake here is more deserving of it than me.”
Cloud Duster looked closer at it for a moment then nodded in agreement. Rainbow Dash handed over the glimmering declaration of triumph and let Cupcake look at it for a moment before it was placed into her saddle bags along with the rest of her day's accomplishments.
“Well then, I have to be leaving now. Got to practice harder if I want to beat you next time.” With that the pegasus flew up into the sky and out of sight.
Cloud Duster looked down at smiling pink pony. “I'm glad your feeling better now. Let's get going.” Cupcake looked over to him and sighed. He was right. The day was growing old, and they should get back before dusk.
*****************
The large iron gates swung shut as the two entered the court yard. A light tan unicorn stood waiting at the front door of the large estate. “Welcome back Cupcake. Did you enjoy your day out? Oh, I see you managed to pick up a few things. May I?”
Miss Fizz had been one of Cupcakes most trusted advisers since before she could remember, so much so that Cupcake considered her more of a friend than anything else. Cupcake always enjoyed showing her the fun things she was able to do and gather throughout the day. She reached in gently and, one by one, removed each item to present to Miss Fizz.
“Oh my, what a beautiful trophy, and is that cake I smell? I bet it will be delicious. What is this parcel? Here, come inside, and lets look at it in the light a bit better.”
The three of them entered the front room and Miss Fizz laid out each of the items on a table to look at them more closely. Cupcake allowed her to open the package to look at her new dress, as well as the box to see how beautifully the cake was decorated. “My, my! Look at all these wonderful things. I can tell you were the one to make the cake too it's perfect, just like everything you do, my dear.”
Cupcake blushed a little at the compliment. Few ponies could make her do that, but Miss Fizz was special. A word of praise from her made all the rest of the world inconsequential.
“Now then, my dear, would you like to try on this dress? I must confess that I would like to see you in it. Come, lets get you to the side room to see how it looks on you.” With that the two walked over to a small secondary room, and Cupcake changed out her old outfit for the new one.
“There now. Look at you. That's just so beautiful on you. Your design shines through wonderfully. Here, I will just get this old thing cleaned for you.” She draped Cupcakes older garment over her shoulder and they both walked back into the main hall. Cloud Duster was waiting with Cupcakes saddlebags and rest of the belongings she had accumulated though out the day.
“Ready whenever you are.”
“Oh yes, I think we're all ready, aren't we deary?” Cupcake nodded in agreement to Miss Fizz, and they all walked up the stairs together. “You'll have to wait for tomorrow to show of your dress to your friends, Cupcake. They've all gone to their rooms for the night. It's no trouble though, tomorrow will bring us all together again.” At this Cupcake was a little disappointed, but Miss Fizz was right. Tomorrow she would be up bright and early to greet her roommates.
They arrived at Cupcake's room and said their good-nights before she entered and closed the door. She placed her trophy gently on the window sill and laid out her cake on a nearby table. She decided to bask in the glory of her awesome creation a little while longer before going to sleep. She scooted up a small chair and sat down, resting her elbows on the table and holding her head in her hooves. As she looked at the pretty cake, she let all the happy memories of the day wander through her mind. She glanced out the window just then, and saw the moon beginning to rise. Looking down again at her cake as the moonbeams struck it, she saw the dessert in an even more beautiful light. Today had been a good day.
*******************
“Thank you, orderly. Here. Have this cleaned, she's going to need it tomorrow most likely.” Doctor Fizz handed over the orange jumpsuit that had been draped over her shoulder.
“Probably. The others won't stand for her to be wearing something they don't have. Even if it IS something you would rather burn than wear.” He noticed something on the jumpsuit as he took it. He held it near his nose before quickly recoiling. “UG! That's disgusting. I'm sorry Ma'am, I didn't notice that before. Should I have the boys roll out the hose to rinse her down in there?”
“No, no. I managed to get her mostly clean back in the locker room. Besides she seems to be more calm than she has been in quite some time. Lets not disturb that for now. Maybe the integration program is working. To be honest, I first thought Doctor Blueheart was just full of himself, but it seems that he may be on to something.”
“Ma'am, with all due respect, you can't expect some pony like her to be cured. I mean, she's not like some of the others here.”
Doctor Fizz shot him a stern look as her voice took on a hard edge. “I realize this, orderly. I get paid five times your salary. It's my business to realize things like this.” Her tone softened. “But that's the reason we have to try harder with this one. It's BECAUSE she isn't like the others. It isn't her fault she was born the way she was.”
She looked back into the small window on the cell door. “I just hope that we can manage to relieve some of the misery she goes through. If we could only get her transferred to Sunny Groves, that's where a pony like her really belongs. Not here.”
“Doctor, we all know that it doesn't matter where these ponies go. They won't change.”
She sighed and looked over her shoulder. “That's the sort of thinking that keeps them from being allowed to change. This one isn't a bad pony by nature. Did you know that her sister was in charge of waking the animals out of hibernation during Winter Wrap-up? If her initial up bringing and genetic line can make a pony of that caliber then I refuse to just give up on this one.” She fully turned around to face him. “And I expect you not to give up either.”
“Honestly Doctor, do you really expect that a pegasus who mutilated off her own wings would stand a chance of living a normal life?”
Doctor Fizz stared at him a moment, unable to retort. She turned back to the door again. “That was quite some time ago. She has improved since then.” She looked through the window a bit longer at the bloated disheveled wreck of a pony sitting in the dark. When the doctor spoke again her voice was devoid of emotion. “We will not give up on her.”
“Very well, Ma'am. If that will be all?”
“Yes, orderly. You may go now.” With that he departed. The Doctor looked on for a few moments longer before closing the window's shutter and going about the rest of her nightly rounds.
*********
In the dark confines of the little padded cell Cupcake sat in her ill fitting gown and smiled at the drooping mashed mess of what could possibly pass for a cake. She sighed with contentment and looked again out the window, past the tinfoil cup that sat on the window sill, at the rising moon and all the pretty stars. Today had been a good day, and tomorrow would be even better. Cupcake was certain of it!
