Because the bet was still standing, and Applejack had to do all his jobs. Big Macintosh was enjoying the day off walking though town. Around lunch time, he went into the sweet shop and restaurant Sugercube Corner.
The bell rang above the door as he went though.
"Quick shut the door!" a voice said. Worried Mac did as he was told.
Suddenly two three year-old's came running from the kitchen covered in flour, and jumped up at Mac forcing him to fall over.
"Whoa," he said getting attacked by the Cake's twin son and daughter Pound and Pumpkin.
"Pound, Pumpkin, come back here right now!" a girl with pink hair and a chefs hat on holding a spoon said .
"No," the twins said laughing and ran upstairs.
"Sorry Mac, I'll be with you as soon as I can," Pinkie Pie said going after the kids.
"I can help you know," Mac suggested.
"No, I'm ok" Pinkie said taking off.
Sighing and smiling to himself, Mac took a seat at the counter and waited to be tended to.
10 mins later
Mac could smell smoke coming from the kitchen and hear alarms going off.
"Er... Pinkie, were you baking something when the kids distracted you?" Mac called up the stairs.
"Yeah," came the reply after a few bangs. "Why?"
"Because it's burning, and there's smoke coming out the kitchen," Mac answered.
"Oh no," Pinkie was down the stairs in a flash and went into her kitchen pulling out the cake and wafting the smoke away.
Pound and Pumpkin stuck there heads though the door hiding behind Mac so they wouldn't get into any more trouble. They may have only been three, but they already knew not to go into the kitchen if the alarms were going off, or to disturb their Auntie Pinkie if it was one of her cakes had turned black in the box mummy and daddy get all those delicious things from and wouldn't let them touch.
"You alright... Pinkie?" Mac asked carefully staying at the door to protect the kids.
"This was supposed to of been their birthday cake," was all Pinkie said.
"Well... I do have the day off from the farm," Mac said. "I can help you make another one..."
"I don't think they should get one now," Pinkie said her hair going flat, fists clenched.
"We're sorry Auntie Pinkie," the twins said staring at the floor.
Mac was about to say something when he saw a smirk on Pinkie's face and knew she was joking.
"Well you should be," Pinkie said. "Go to your room until Mummy and Daddy come back." With that the twins went upstairs.
After a few moments to make sure it was alright, Pinkie threw away the burnt cake, and began getting the things for the new one.
"Where should I start then Captain Pinkie?" Mac said in mock salute.
"Can you clean up the all the flour that's on the floor please?" Pinkie said blending the sugar and butter together. "The broom's by the door."
Nodding Mac did as he was asked and started sweeping.
"I heard a few things about you and Fluttershy," Pinkie said grinning now adding the eggs. "Gotten anywhere yet?"
"I'm not sure how you know Pinkie," Mac said gathering the flour up "But no not yet. Although Appleseed did take us to a spot in the forest where my Ma and Pa use to have dates." he explained the accounts of yesterday.
"Oh that one in the forest with the stream, and the trees and the grass and the flowers? That one?" Pinkie asked now folding in the flour.
"Er... yes?" Mac answered stunned a bit. "How did you know?"
"Just a hunch..." Pinkie said shrugging and went back to the cake.
Mac just shook his head and went back to the sweeping.
"Where are the Cakes then Pinkie?" Mac asked pouring the rest of the flour into the bin and putting the broom back. "Shouldn't they be here for their kids birthday?"
"Oh they had a big order they had to to deliver to Canterlot that couldn't be placed at a later date." Pinkie said setting the timer on the oven.
"Do you want help setting up the party then?" Mac said thinking that Carrot and Cup Cake would be back in time for it.
"Yes please," Pinkie said pushing Mac into the restaurant part of the shop. "Normally I'd use my party cannon, but the kids know what it sounds like, and I want this to be a surprise."
"So what do you want me to do?" Mac asked.
"Can you hang up some paper lanterns the Cakes put the hooks up the other day," Pinkie asked coming out of the cupboard under the stairs with a box of paper lanterns and a step ladder.
"I'll try," Macintosh said taking both. "Any particular order?" he asked seeing that there were nine lanterns each three a different color.
"Just so no lantern is next to another the same color as itself," Pinkie said blowing up her tenth balloon.
*
After fifteen minutes, Mac got down from the ladder, and looked up at the lanterns checking they were right.
Pinkie was hanging the streamers up when the shops door opened, ringing the bell and getting the two's attention, and in walked Fluttershy.
"Hiya Fluttershy," Pinkie said finishing with the streamers.
"Hi Pinkie Pie. Hello Big Mac," Fluttershy said turning a bit pink.
"Hi Fluttershy," Mac said trying to think of something to say.
"I'm going to check on the cake," Pinkie said heading off to the kitchen.
"But theres still ten minutes left..." Mac said checking his watch.
"Well duh..." Pinkie said. "I'm leaving so you two can talk. Just remember Pound and Pumpkin are upstairs." she said spinning around and going thought the doors. "La la la la la."
Smiling at how great a friend Pinkie was, Mac turned back to Fluttershy. "Look, I'm sorry of how Appleseed acted yesterday," he said taking down the step ladder.
"That's ok," Fluttershy said avoiding his eyes. "Um... Can you teach me riding lessons?" Fluttershy asked blushing.
"I thought you knew how to ride," Mac said. "Before Appleseed took off you were doing a very good job."
"I wasn't doing anything," Fluttershy said. "I was just sitting on top of a horse while his owner led him across the field." she said stroking her hair.
Mac thought back to yesterday. 'I guess that was what she was doing wasn't it?' he thought.
"Sure, I'll teach you to ride," he said."When do you want to start?"
"Oh, any time's fine," Fluttershy said getting up on tip toe to kiss him on the cheek.
"Yeah go for it Fluttershy," Pinkie said.
"Eepp" Fluttershy said realizing she was caught and crouched into a tight ball.
Mac folded his arms and glared at Pinkie.
"Oops sorry." she said going back into the kitchen.
"How about we start when we get back to the farm," Mac said helping Fluttershy up again. "Of course because of Honey-Crisp, Nutmeg would want to stay with her, so it will be Seed I'll be teaching you on." he said.
"Ok, but doesn't Pinkie need you here?" Fluttershy asked.
"Please," Mac said heading for the door. "All I did was clean up the flour and hang up the lanterns." Mac said showing off his work. "I think she can do the rest herself."
"Um ok," Fluttershy said turning to the kitchen. "Bye then Pinkie," she said.
"Bye." Pinkie called from the kitchen door. "And thanks for the help Mac, here have some on the house cupcakes." Pinkie said giving the two of them each a frosted cupcake.
"Thanks Pinkie," they said then turned to leave.