The Quest for the Golden Apple

Spike and Applejack finally made it to Appleoosa around noon.  After getting checked out by the local doctor and told they were fine, spare a few minor injuries, they set out to find Pinkie Pie.  It wasn't long until they came by a house, vibrating with the combined sounds of pots and pans clanging, hasty hoofsteps, and gleeful humming.

As if it couldn't be any more obvious.

Applejack approached the door with caution and knocked with her hoof.  Not even moments later was the door swung open with force, revealing Pinkie Pie.  She was covered in various baking goods; among them flour, frosting, sprinkles, sugar, and dough.  She didn't seem to care much, and looked as if she enjoyed it.

"Oh!  APPLEJAAAACK!  Spike!  Hiya!  You here for the party?"  She said gleefully, her eyes containing enough energy to make Celestia's sun glow green with envy.

Applejack considered it. The party would be tomorrow morning\, and not to mention her and Spike wouldn't be able to do much for a day or two.  "Welp, we're hopin' so.  But, me 'n' Spike had a few other things in mind here."

"Oh? Things?  Are they fun?"

Applejack briefly looked behind Pinkie at the gigantic mess..  "...Well, ya look mighty busy right now.  How 'bout we talk later?"

Pinkie Pie laughed a little.  "Pfft, busy?! You DO know that I'm Equestria's greatest multitasker, right?!  And, no, not because of the reflection pool!  ...Oooooooh! You can help me bake!  You can help me bake!!"

As Pinkie Pie bounced off the walls at the potential of new baking buddies, Applejack looked at Spike for his opinion.

Spike leaned in to whisper in Applejack's ear.  "We should stay.  First off, I'm sure she'll tell us about how she knew about the reflection pool.  Secondly, We're both hungry, considering we couldn't eat that cardboard that those two gave us.  Not to mention her baking is unbelievable!  No offense, AJ, but I could almost say it competes with your apple pie!

Applejack couldn't deny that.  Pinkie's goods, as odd as they may be sometimes, were delicious.  After shoving the thoughts of her blueberry-jalepeno-cheddar muffins out of her head, Applejack nodded to Pinkie.

"...Sure. We'll help ya bake.  One thing though."

"Yay!  ...And what's that one thing?"

"While we help you, you tell us how you learned 'bout the reflection pool."

The joyful look on her face was instantly replaced by a look of confusion and suspicion.  She squinted at Applejack.  "Oh?  You mean Nana Pie's old stories and rhymes?  Why do you wanna know?"

Applejack took a step back, surprised my Pinkie's reaction.  "Was readin' a book about some ponies that lived some time ago.  Evidently they were the ones that made the reflection pool.  Wanted t' see how you knew about it." She wiped a bead of sweat from her forehead.

Pinkie blinked.  "...Oh."  She immediately went back to her previous joyful look and started to explain.  "I learned them from Nana Pie!  And, well, I have no idea where she learned them!  She came back from a business trip in San Flankcico with them one day.  She sold a bunch of marble to a rich company.  ...Oh!  And she came back with these awesome churros!  I need to make some churros!"

"...San Flankcisco?!  That's durn near the other side of Equestria!"  Applejack scuffed the ground with her hoof.  Spike, who was looking through the pantry at the time, jumped, and dropped the jar of pickles he was holding.  Luckily, it didn't shatter.

Pinkie didn't seem to care about Spike and his endeavors, and looked at Applejack.  "No need to worry, AJ!  I have a book of them back at my place!"

After making sure Spike didn't hurt himself or break anything else, Applejack turned back to Pinkie.  "Oh, y'do?  Can we have it?"

"Of course!  Why else would I tell you, silly?"  She said, teasing Applejack.

Applejack nodded, and tipped her hat in appreciation.  She adjusted her bags and started trotting toward the door.  "...Alrighty then.  We'd better get doin'.  Se--"

Applejack was cut off by Pinkie Pie speeding in front of the door, blocking the way.  She had a dejected look on her face, complete with puppy eyes and an adorable little frown.  "...But...  AJ!  The cake!  The party!"

Applejack groaned inside.  "So close...", she thought.  Soon after, she contemplated her thoughts.  Why did she want to go AWOL on her friends and family?  For a birthday *party** by Pinkie Pie, of all things!  Applejack cursed at herself for being so greedy.  "What's gotten into me...?"*

"...Oh, yeah.  Alright.  Where do we start?"

After a jump, a hop, and a double-roll-frontflip-thingymibobber by Pinkie, she led Applejack into the kitchen to get started with the cake, no doubt going on about everything she's done to prepare for the party.  Spike followed after putting things back where they belonged; but not without bringing a couple snacks.

They went back where the cake was being made.  The cake was tall; almost fit to be a wedding cake.  It was decorated with a plethora of colors (mostly orange), some edible ornaments, sprinkles, and buckets of frosting.

"...Why's it so...  Just..." Applejack stood in hunger-induced awe as she stared at the cake, struggling not to drool at the sight.

"Oh!  I talked to Braeburn.  Evidently he has a lot of friends that plan on coming.  Some are people that have stopped by Appleoosa, friends from before Appleoosa, a lot of the Apples themselves...  And...  He mentioned some other ponies.  Maybe from that one b--"

"Yeah, yeah, okay, Pinkie."  Applejack said nervously, cutting Pinkie off.  "...When 'n' where do y'all plan on goin'?"

Pinkie paused and thought for a moment. "...I have no idea, AJ!"  She admitted, not seeming to worry much.  "Something will come up.  It always does!"  She grabs a bag of frosting and starts putting even MORE on the edges of the cake.  She puts a dabble on her hoof and licks it.  "...Mmm...  Vanilla!"

"Oh, Ah see what you're gettin' at."  A silence followed.  "...So, what do you need me 'n' Spike to do?"

"...Uh, for the most part, I just wanted someone to talk to!  I mean, baking is fun, but, I get kind of lonely when I don't know that many ponies around here.  ...That, and I might want you to grab a thing or two while I'm working on the cake."

Applejack's guilt for wanting to leave grew.  "...Oh, Ah see.  Well, we'll be right here if ya need anything."

"Okie dokie lokie!"  She chimed.  As she pulled out a tube of frosting, she tried to strike up a conversation.  "...Wait.  Applejack.  You mentioned a book earlier?"

"Uh, yeah, Ah did."

Pinkie restrained herself from asking her next question, and instead went on to ask another.  "It was about the ponies who made the reflection pool?"

"Yeah.  Evidently they made some sorta golden apple.  Me 'n' Spike were lookin' fer information on this stuff.  We figured since you knew 'bout the reflection pool that you might be able to help us."

"Oh, and I'd LOVE to help you, but I know absolutely nothing!"

"Well, y' told us 'bout that book, so that's a start."

Pinkie nodded.  "But I dunno if that book will help much.  All it is is just a bunch of rhymes and stuff.  You'll probably have to go the the Canterlot Archives!  I have the black suits you'll need!"

Applejack blinked.  "...Black suits?  Why do we need black suits?"

Spike hopped up on a nearby counter, and looked at Pinkie.  "We won't need suits, Pinkie.  Twilight wanted us to wear them because she thought we needed to sneak in..."  He covered his face with his palm.

"Really?  Well, you should wear them anyway!  I thought it was fun!"

"...Ah think we'll pass, Pinkie."  Applejack said, shaking her head.  "Anyways.  Where in San Flankcisco did Nana Pie go?"

Pinkie thought for a minute.  "...Oh!  I remember!  It was for a bank!  Bank of Equestria, they said.  Funny how the Bank of Equestria isn't ran by ponies, either!"

Applejack raised a brow.  "It ain't?"

"No.  It's ran by zebras!  Can you believe that?"  Pinkie chuckled, almost bumping the cake.

Applejack looked at the cake.  It was almost done.  How is it almost done?  How long has it been?  Applejack shook the thoughts out of her head for later and looked to Pinkie.  "...Oh.  Well, anyways, I'm guessin' that they might know where Nana Pie got these rhymes from?"

"...I have no idea!"  She said again.

Spike hopped off the counter and walked over to Applejack's side.  "Well, if nothing else, we might get some leads."

Pinkie, for the first time since she had begun working, looked away from the cake and at her two friends.  "...How do you two know that the people that work there know where she got the rhymes and stuff from?  She could have picked them up at a nic-nac shop for all I know!"

"Well, we don't."  Applejack stated.  "But the fact that zebras work there might mean somethin'.  It was a book of rhymes after all!"

"...Oh."  She went back to working on the cake; the very top, to be specific.  "Good point.  That's still not much to go off of, though.  Why not go to Zecora instead?"

Applejack blinked.  "Oh yeah, Zecora...  Why didn't I think of that?"  "...Good idea, Pinkie."

Pinkie put a pair of cherries on the very top of the cake.  "...Aaaaaand done!"  She exclaimed.  She looked over her handiwork and giggled in glee.  "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see this!"

She jumped down from where she was standing and looked at her friends.  Spike, a tendril of drool dangling from the corner of his mouth, suddenly shook his head and regained focus.  "...Looks great, Pinkie!"

Pinkie looked at Spike, some concern appearing on her face.  "...Spike, you haven't said much.  Is anything wrong?"

"I just don't talk much when I'm hungry."

Pinkie's jaw dropped.  In a moment, she buzzed over to the dragon.  "Well why didn't you say so!?"  She exclaimed, carrying Spike over to the pantry and looking inside for food.

Applejack rubbed her ears in pain and headed outside to look for a place to stay, leaving Spike to be stuffed like a balloon.