A TRIP ACROSS TOWN

Peppermint Twist smiled as she opened up a cupboard with one hoof and peered inside. It was a grin one could practically call invisible and that's exactly how Twist felt. Ever since she'd received her cutie mark and discovered her calling in candy making the young filly felt so renewed as a pony! Practically every day she whipped up a batch of sweet treats and today was no exception. She'd decided earlier while talking to Truffle Shuffle that it was time she practiced making peanut brittle again- and she'd decided to bring him a bag filled with sticky, nutty goodness. It was going to be a surprise, though! Knowing her foodie friend, he'd be more than delighted no matter how it turned out.

Humming an upbeat tune, Twist placed a tin of sugar down on the counter and watched the white powder bounce. She then pulled out the salt and turned her attention to the measuring cups. She needed one cup of water next, and she placed the cup delicately in her mouth, biting down hard so she wouldn't drop it. She climbed atop a stool with ease, thanks to her long legs, and reached for the faucet with one hoof.

Twist leaned over the sink, trying not to get water droplets on her glasses as she filled up the measuring cup with water, squinting intently at water levels rising. It was surprisingly hard to keep her balance, and she spilled a bit of water when she hopped off the stool. The red-maned pony sighed and shook her little head, frustrated with another mess in the kitchen. She'd clean it all up later.

Twist pulled peanuts out of her dry foods drawer and caramel from another cabinet. It was a bit of a miracle that she knew where to find all her ingredients- luckily Twist was a very organized filly. Twist opened up one final cabinet, reaching for her last ingredient.

"Oh noeth, out of butter again!" Twist rolled her eyes, thinking of how much butter she went through every single week. She considered cutting down on it in recipes, but she couldn't help herself! It made everything taste so rich and salty!

There was no way in Equestria she could make peanut brittle without butter! The very thought of such a thing made her shudder, and she stacked her ingredients in a tidy pile for later. For now she was off to Sugarcube Corner, where there was always a multitude of delicious ingredients waiting.

Boulder Tumble ran through the town of Ponyville, he always did enjoy stopping or visiting this town because the ponies were so nice and friendly. Boulder smiled, but so lost in his joyful play he didn't see the building and ran right into the wall. The impact knocked him back and onto his back on the ground, he blinked as he rubbed his face,

"Oops. Ahahaha!" Boulder laughed at his mistake, then got up and returned to his endless course of walking about town. He had no destination in mind, at least not at the moment.

As he walked he spotted a filly he had never met before, and Boulder being Boulder, could not contain his excitement to meet a new friend. He ran over as fast as he could, and as soon as he reached the filly he stopped. He grabbed her hoof and started to shake it fast.

""Hello there, my name is Boulder Tumble but everyone calls me Boulder! What's your name?"

Boulder smiled as he introduced himself, this day was turning out to be better then he had hoped. He was in a friendly town and was meeting a new friend, what could make it any better?

Twist smiled as a new colt ran over to her, one that was thankfully not Truffle Shuffle! He was a green colt with grayish purple eyes, very friendly in appearance. While she'd never exactly had her hoof grabbed for a shake before, she didn't mind. He had just talked to her straight away- not repelled by her looks! Twist couldn't believe her luck, it was usually so difficult for her to make friends. Things were getting better now that she had a cutie mark, but she was still disliked by many, mostly because of her lisp.

Twist suddenly felt an immediate drop in confidence. He hadn't yet heard her speak! It's not like she could help her lisp, but people were often so mean about it. She had tried so hard to speak like all the other ponies, but they still liked to tease her. Most of it wasn't too terribly mean spirited, but Twist was a rather sensitive pony.

She looked up from the ground and into the purple eyes of Boulder Tumble. She felt dizzy, weak. This couldn't end well.

"Hi, I'm Peppermint Twitht. Nithe to meet you. " Twist cringed. Two uses of the letter S. This pony would probably laugh at her too. Boulder stopped shaking Twist's hoof.

"Hello Peppermint Twist! Oh, maybe you prefer Pepper? Or maybe Mint? Oh, do you make sweets? Are you able to make candy canes? I love candy canes! What sort of candy do you like?"

Twist was astounded- this colt hadn't even noticed her lisp! At least, if he had, he surely didn't mention it. He was asking her about nicknames, sweets and candy canes. Twist felt a rush of excitement hit her head-on, she was so excited to talk to this colt some more! He was so excitable, bouncing all around, and the sweet filly giggled at his eagerness. What a sweetheart!

Boulder was just so excited, he was practically hopping up and down. Of course this constant movement, and his given clumsiness, was a recipe for some sort of disaster. Boulder hopped up once more, but as he went to land on hooves he tripped up and landed flat on his face. Twist gasped. She was about to help him back on his feet, when Boulder lifted himself off the ground, spat out two rocks, and just laughed,

"I fell." He was seemingly unharmed, but maybe he was just the kind that ignored pain and all that. Twist couldn't believe it!

"Are you okay?!" she asked, quite surprised! Boulder nodded,

"I'm fine. I fall down a lot, but its okay. Say, do you want to be friends? Do you want to play tag, or maybe hide and seek, or are you doing something already?" Boulder really hopped he could play with his new friend, he could show her his favorite game. SAZZAFRAS! But what if she was busy? Boulder might have interrupted here on an errand or a game with other fillies and colts. If she was already playing with others, would they let him join? Or would they want to be friends as well? Oh, so many possible events, too many in fact that Boulders mind went a bit blank as he slowly processed it all. Doing so though would make him seem to be staring off into space at the time as he pondered. It wouldn't really matter, he decided, he had lots of opportunities to play!

For Twist, though, an opportunity to play and make a new friend didn't show up every day! Twist felt so happy suddenly, pleased to be making a brand new friend! She so badly wanted to play! That would be so much fun! Hide and seek, tag, all of it sounded amazing!

But suddenly Twist remembered why she was out of the house in the first place- she needed to get some butter from Sugarcube Corner. But...she couldn't pass up the opportunity to make a new friend, could she? This kind of decision made her feel anxious...her head hurt. Suddenly Twist had a great idea!

"I'm on my way to a thweetth shop called Thugarcube Corner tho that I can pick up thome butter and make candy. Would you like to come with me? We can play after I've picked up the ingredientth I need!" Twist felt so incredibly clever and so incredibly charming. Hopefully this colt would say yes and the two could get to know one another! She just loved making new friends. Hopefully he wasn't busy...she really hoped he wasn't already occupied!

"Sure, I'd like to come along! I've never been that place before, but it sounds really sweet!" Boulder closed his eyes, picturing all the delicious sugary sweets to eat, "Oh boy, lets go! Lets go now!" Boulder shouted in excitement and practically ran off ahead. Of course he didn't get far before he ran into another wall of a building and falling on his rear again.

Boulder's eyes spun about as he regained his equilibrium, finally shaking his head and stars he saw. He suddenly remembered that he didn't know where Sugarcube Corner was, so he ran back to Twist and said,

"Ahaha, I forgot...I don't know where it is. Would you lead the way?"

Twist giggled- her new companion was rather clumsy- just like her! Of course, she wasn't as bad as he was, always seemingly distracted. She nodded and began to skip off on her way to Sugarcube Corner again.

"I'm glad I have thomeone to some to Thugarcube Corner with me! It'th the betht plathe in the world! There's all kindth of sweethth and tonth of amathing treatth! I love it there! Altho, the ponieth who work there are alwayth willing to help me out!" Twist grinned at her new friend, she was so excited to hang out with him some more! Boulder followed, an eager smile on his face. He liked his new friend, she didn't laugh at his accidents as much as some kids did. Granted, Boulder laughed along as well, but at times he felt that the kids were laughing at him and not with him.

"Cool, I can't wait to see it!" he said, "Oh, do you think they will have jam flavored candies? Or toast flavored?" Boulder gasped, "I hope they have toasted jam flavored candies! Yum!"

"They might have jam flavored candies, but I'm not sure. I'm not sure about the toatht oneth either. I live here, I have all my life." Twist explained.

"So, do you live here or is your Dad visiting as well for his job?" Boulder asked, "My dad is inspecting quarries here for building material! Did you know that this town has a large value of metamorphic rock in some of the valleys? Oh, did you know that metamorphic rock is formed from existing rock types after being subject to heat and pressure? Marble is a kind of metamorphic rock and it is great for building all kinds of buildings, and it has such a pretty white colour!" Boulder couldn't contain his excitement on explaining EVERYTHING about marble and its category in the rock world. So he did. Twist listened intently as Boulder rambled on about marble and other precious stones. It was awfully fascinating, Twist was a lover of nature.

"Wow, your dad workth with rockth? I wish my parentth worked with rockth! They're..." Twist wrinkled her nose, "accountantth."

Boulder smiled, "My dad runs several excavations and quarries. One day I'll run them too. That's what my cutie mark means, or maybe I just have a hard head." Boulder laughed at the last part, tapping a hoof against his head a bit. "Oh, you live here? Cool, so you must know all the kids here. Do you have any friends? Maybe we could go and see them and then we can all get to know each other and be super duper friends. I do hope they have toasted jam flavor! Do you like toast with jam? Have you read the Daring Do books, I've read all of them. I especially liked it when Daring Do was running away from the seven headed hydra, and it was all 'Raggh!' and she was all 'Ahhh!' and then it was all 'Raghahahga!'"

Twist's head was spinning in the best way possible! Boulder just didn't care about her appearance or lisp! He simply wanted to be friends! And, from what he was saying, they did have a lot in common. She ate toast with jam practically every morning, she loved rocks, she was clumsy, and she loved the Daring Do books! The scene Boulder was mentioning was her favorite part too!

"You read Daring Do too?! I love that therieth! Daring Do ith my hero! And I really like toatht with jam too, I have it almotht every morning! And I don't know if I told you, but I have a rock collection back at my houthe! Maybe you can tell me what all the rockth are!" Twist squealed in excitement! It was a loud, nazily, high-pitched squeal that made a nearby dog whimper. Oh well, Boulder Tumble was definitely going to be her new best friend! Other than Truffle Shuffle, of course. That reminded the little beige filly of one last thing she needed to tell this friend, something rather important.

"I uh...I do know a lot of the fillieth and coltth around here, but...I don't have many friendth. A lot of ponieth like to make fun of me becauthe of my hair or my glatheth or my lithp or any other amount of featureth. You theem really nithe, though! I can't introduthe you to many friendth but I could introduthe you to my friendth Truffle Shuffle and Apple Bloom! They're very nithe!"

Boulder frowned and then pulled Twist into a really tight hug, he had trouble controlling his strength at times. Boulder's hug was the tightest, warmest, coziest hug Twist had ever had! She felt filled with felt and swirling fuzzies. Boulder was very sweet! What a kind colt.

"Awww, they just need to get to know you better," Boulder said, "sometimes it takes some ponies longer to the inside of you and the friend they can have!" Boulder let Twist go and continued following her to Sugarcube Corner. And he was right too, Twist wasn't so bad once you got to know her. "Your friends sound nice! What are they like?" Boulder felt eager to learn about the two ponies Twist spoke of, it was like meeting a friend before actually seeing them.

"Well,Truffle Shuffle ith very funny. He tellth very good joketh, and he liketh food more than anything in the world! Apple Bloom liveth on a farm and ith very, very thweet." Boulder listened as Twist described her friends. He couldn't wait to meet them face to face. They sounded like such nice ponies, and Boulder just started hopping in excitement.

"They sound like friendly ponies! I would love to hear Truffle Shuffles jokes. What does Applebloom do? Does she sell apples? I bet she has a big red apple for a cutie mark!"

Twist laughed- Boulder already had her friends described to the tiniest detail in his mind! She thought hard, stepping over a big rock as she went, that she did know a few of Truffle Shuffle's jokes. The two ponies were in about the middle of the park.

"I do actually know a few of Truffle Shuffle's joketh. Want to hear one?" Twist kicked a stick aside and smiled, giggling a little at a punchline Boulder had not yet heard. "Oh, and Apple Bloom doethn't have a cutie mark yet. In fact, we became friendth becauthe we didn't have ourth yet. Then I got mine! But she thtill hathn't got herth. I wonder what it'll be."

Twist shrugged, thinking about her country friend who kept growing farther apart from her. Oh how she missed walking home from school with Apple Bloom. It was all okay, though, Apple Bloom had new friends now that were even better for her than Twist. As soon as Apple Bloom's cutie mark arrived, and it wouldn't be long, the two could be best friends again! There was no doubt in the little filly's mind.

Boulder looked around at the park as he walked, even walking into a low hanging branch of a tree. But the branch was not very thick so Boulder just ignored it, he seemed lost in his own little world again until he heard Twist talk of jokes.

"Jokes? Oh! Oh! I want to hear it! Whats the joke?" He bounced up and down, an excited look in his eyes.

Twist smiled and began to tell her joke, "Truffle Shuffle REALLY liketh food tho all hith joketh are about that. Okay, tho these two thtallionth had jutht ethcaped from prithon but were recaptured really fatht. Wait, I forgot thith part, they ran away becauthe they didn't like the prithon food. The warden quethtioning them athked 'What did you use to break out of prithon with?'. They replied "french toatht"!"

"Ahahahah! French Toast! Ahahaha!!" Boulder just laughed, of course it didn't take much to make him laugh. He pulled Twist to a hug as he laughed and then let her go. She was surprised once more at how comfortable Boulder was in her presence. She felt important to someone, and that filled her with overwhelming joy. "That was funny!!" Boulder said, a loud growl from his stomach following soon after. Boulder rubbed his tummy and chuckled, "I'm hungry. Are we there yet?" He looked around, even though he wasn't sure what to be looking for. Twist looked around her, taking in every square inch of the surrounding. Twist loved details and enjoyed the view of the park. Boulder didn't seem to be that way, a very on-the-go colt. She admired that, thinking of all the days she'd wasted by just observing things. They weren't far from Sugarcube Corner.

"We're not far now!" Twist nodded at him. As they continued on Boulder suddenly felt an idea sprang into his head. He even made a verbal,

"Boing!" as it came to him. "Let's play I Spy on the way! You go first! Oh, this will be so much fun!" Boulder said as he began to hop again, tripping over his own hooves once more and hitting the ground. At least not face first this time. Twist smiled and started first. She looked around for something interesting, anything to catch Boulder off guard or make him laugh. She suddenly felt the odd need to impress him, wanting to make herself look good in his eyes. She wasn't sure why, but looked around hard. Suddenly, she spotted it!"

"Hmm...I thpy with my little eye a HUGE bird!" Boulder looked about, his head snapping here and there. Oh, this was so exciting now!

"Hmmm. Birdie. Birdie," he said as he looked, "is it a hawk? Oh! Oh! Or maybe a three headed vulture like from Daring Do and the Ruby Staff?!" Twist smiled at Boulder and shook her head. Was he really giving up so easily?

"I'm not giving you any hints, Boulder!" Boulder tapped his chin as he thought.

"Hmmm...is it a cloud shaped like a bird?" Boulder looked up to see if he saw one, "Look! There's one shaped like toast!" Twist giggled as she looked up to where Boulder was pointing. The cloud did look a little bit like toast, but not really. It was more square than anything.

"Haha, you really are hungry!" Twist laughed, patting Boulder on the back, "But don't worry, Sugarcube Corner ithn't too far away! In fact, we're almost there!" The two young ponies exited the park and were now very near town square.

"But was I right?" Boulder asked, "or maybe it's a big hawk that flew by. Right?" Twist's mind suddenly jogged, they were playing this game! Right!

"Oh, uh yeah! That wath the big bird!" Twist smiled at Boulder and raised her hoof for a high five. Boulder smiled and cheered,

"Hooray!" He high fived Twist with a big grin, he loved this game. "Okay, my turn," he said as he looked around, "I spy with my little eye, a giant ginger bread house!!" Twist gasped, excited. Time had really flown! They were just out of the park and the "ginger-bread house" Boulder was speaking of was none other than her destination! Sugarcube Corner!

"That'th Thugarcube Corner!!" Twist hollered in excitement, taking Boulder's hand and dragging him across the square. The two young ponies dodged all sorts of big ponies and made their way in an ultimately smooth manner! After this the two could hang out!

Twist smiled, feeling warm all over. She couldn't wait to bring him home and show her parents her brand new friend!

Author's Note

Thanks to ShadowWalking18, co-author of this chapter! You're the best! :D