Sugar Spoon: Heartbreak Helper
After downing her second morning coffee and a bowl of cereal, Sugar Spoon took a step outside into the small town of Ponyville where she had made her home for the last few years. Her pink coat shined in the early morning sun as she approached the mailbox.
“Please let there be more than bills this time,” she sighed and let out a tired yawn. “I really need something before the landmare starts grumbling again.” She brought the small stack of letters back into her kitchen, placing them on the counter she used as her desk.
Looking through the letters, Sugar Spoon groaned, “Junk, bill, bill, junk, horn extension ad. Great, a big pile of nothing.”
Just as she spoke her grievances outloud, a small, dirty letter that she'd overlooked dropped down onto her impromptu office desk. Sugar Spoon opened it with her magic and read:
Dearest Heartbreak Mender,
I never thought I'd be writing to somepony about relationship problems, let alone for this relationship. I've been with my special somepony Caramel for so long that I thought our relationship was unbreakable. That was until I saw him cozying up with another mare! I immediately had it out with him and of course he had all sorts of excuses. I told him that I never wanted to see him again, and I'm pretty sure half of Ponyville heard my screaming. But now I'm starting to second-guess myself. What if his excuses were true and I've gone too far?
Please help me fix my heart.
Carrot Top.
Sugar Spoon pumped her hoof into the air. “Finally! Somepony with a problem!” she froze before turning red at celebrating the heartbreak of another pony. “Right, Carrot Top and Caramel. Two of Ponyville's most loyal lovebirds. What Carrot Top saw must have been pretty dire to cause such an explosive breakup.” She scratched her chin, contemplating where to start with her attempt to help mend this newest broken heart.
“The best first step is always to hear the story from the horse's mouth.” She stepped out of her home and headed down the road to Carrot Top's farm.
Carrot Top Farm wasn't the biggest or most famous in Ponyville, that honor went to Sweet Apple Acres. With only a few small fields managed by a single mare, Carrot Top Farm was a cozy affair, famed for its sweet and crunchy carrots.
Thinking about how many of those carrots she could eat with her fee her stomach grumbled. It had been weeks since her last job, and her finances had gone from bad to dire. Still thinking about her own problems, she knocked on the farmhouse door.
The door was opened by a yellow mare welcoming her with a sniffle. She was in such a state that she looked as if she'd fought her pillow and lost. Her eyes were red with tears, and her normally well-kept orange mane was a mess of split ends and tangles. In short, she was a typical picture of a heartbroken mare.
“I don't want any visitors,” Carrot Top moaned. Just as she was about to close the door, Sugar Spoon wedged her hoof in. She wasn't about to lose out on this month's rent.
“I'm the heartbreak specialist. You sent me a letter.” said Sugar Spoon, trying to ignore her now throbbing hoof.
Carrot Top looked the short, pink unicorn up and down. “I thought you'd be taller.”
Sitting in the comfortable living room of the cozy farmhouse and digging into a slice of deliciously moist carrot cake, Sugar Spoon listened as Carrot Cake laid out the details of her sorry tale. “It all started when I set up my stall in the market last week. Just as I was selling the last few carrots I saw my coltfriend Caramel walking down the road. This was pretty unusual seeing as he's usually helping out over at Sweet Apple Acres at that time.” The yellow pony sniffled into a handkerchief offering Sugar Spoon another slice of cake before continuing her story. “I called out to him, but apparently he didn't hear me because he walked right by! Next thing I know, I'm following him and I see him talking to the flowerpony Roseluck.”
Sugar Spoon raised a hoof. “You followed him? Isn't that a little bit of a breach of trust?”
Carrot Top coughed and shuffled her hooves before sipping at a cup of tea. “Well, yes… but it was unusual for him to be in town and he didn't even stop to see me!” Sugar Spoon nodded and motioned for her to continue.
“Anyway, I followed Caramel to the flower shop and watched as he had a long conversation with Roseluck. The two are friends, so I didn't think much of it at first. That was until my coltfriend got down on one knee and proposed to her!” Carrot Top jumped out of her chair, spilling warm tea over the pink unicorn.
One towel and an apology later, Sugar Spoon once again sat across from Carrot Top. “And after that you broke up with him?”
Carrot Top nodded and sighed. “He tried to explain himself, but I didn't let him. What excuse can you have for proposing to another pony!?”
Sugar Spoon stood up and nodded, “I believe I've heard enough to go on. But I'd like to speak with Caramel before making up my mind. You said he works over at Sweet Apple Acres?” Carrot Top nodded and escorted the other mare to the door.
“You really think you can help me?” she asked. Sugar Spoon nodded before heading out the door.
“That's my job.”
The difference between Carrot Top Farm and Sweet Apple Acres was night and day,thought Sugar Spoon. Sweet Apple Acres was a sprawling orchard of beautiful apple trees, crowned with a picturesque farmhouse, and barn that looked straight out of a picture book.
Spotting Big Macthe huge red stallion who the farm alongside his sister Applejack, the pink mare approached to ask a few questions.
“Do you know Caramel?” Sugar Spoon asked.
“Eeyup,” the red stallion replied.
“Do you know his marefriend Carrot Top?” she asked.
“Eeyup,” the red stallion replied.
“Is Caramel working here today?” The mare asked.
“Eeyup.” The red stallion replied.
“Do you know where he is?” The mare asked.
“Eeyup.” replied the red stallion, pointing towards a nearby field.
“Thanks.” Said the mare.
I wish all interviews could be that simple, thought Sugar Spoon as she trotted towards the field pointed out by the stallion. It wasn't hard to spot the pony she was looking for amongst the farmhooves. His caramel coat matched his name perfectly. Approaching the stallion, she cleared her throat politely. “Mr Caramel, may I have a few words?”
“Carrot Top sent you?” asked the tan stallion. He looked as rough as his marefriend, if not more so. “Is she with you? Can I talk to her?”
Sugar Spoon shook her head, trying to look comforting. “She's not here, but I do think you should talk to her. After I hear your side of the story anyway.”
Caramel nodded, taking a shaky breath like a pony on the verge of tears. “Last week I took a few hours off of work to visit my friend Roseluck in town.”
“That's when Carrot Top saw you?” Sugar Spoon questioned.
The stallion nodded. “I was so focused I didn't even think to go see her.” Caramel slumped, his ears drooping with obvious sadness.
“Carrot Top said she saw you proposing to Roseluck, that sounds like more than something you'd do with even the closest friend,” said Sugar Spoon, raising her eyebrows.
Caramel looked up, tears pricking the corners of his eyes. “I was practicing my proposal to Carrot Top!” he cried, shouting loud enough that the other farmhooves all started in surprise.
The yellow mare who had stayed hidden behind the barn as the two ponies spoke felt her heart sink as she heard the story, her mind filled with all the harsh words she'd said to her lover.
She knew deep down that Caramel would never really betray her. His heart was so kind and loyal that such treachery wouldn't even cross his mind.
I've been such a silly foal. Thought Carrot Top before leaping out into the open with speed that would impress a Wonderbolt. “You were practicing a proposal for me!?” cried Carrot Top, jumping into the hooves of her surprised lover.
Sugar Spoon smiled as she watched the two ponies profess their love and devotion to each other. Sure, it was a bit unusual as proposals went. But it was obvious that the two loved each other, and that was all that mattered.
***
Sugar Spoon sat back at her kitchen table, munching away at a gift basket of carrots as she thought back on her most recent case.
Carrot Top and Caramel had thanked her profusely and paid her in full once they managed to pull themselves away from each other. They'd even invited her to the upcoming wedding, which promised to be fully catered with the most delicious of homemade food.
Really it had been the perfect case. Everypony came out happy, all heartbreak was healed and settled. And most importantly, her landmare was fully paid and happy.
Just as she finished the last carrot in her basked Sugar Spoon was surprised to hear a knock at her door.
Who could it be at this time of night? Wondered the pink unicorn, approaching her door with just a little apprehension. Opening it she was shocked to see one of the unusual batlike ponies who served as Princess Luna's personal guard.
“Uh, is something the m-matter officer?” Asked Sugar Spoon, stammering as she looked up and the imposing pony. The guard remained silent, merely passing over a letter and flying away.
Back inside her home Sugar Spoon stared at the letter, or more exactly the seal that kept the letter closed. “The Royal Seal…” Sugar Spoon whispered to herself in amazement.
“Looks like I've got a new job.”
