Rhubarb entered the bakery, and a bell above the door jingled to announce a customer had arrived. He took in the interior of the building in amazement. It was not unlike the exterior; the corners of the building had candy cane styled pillars. The walls and doors followed the gingerbread house theme, brown and tan colors with white paint to mimic frosting. There was a back room he could see into scarcely, but he could spy a conveyer belt with wheels that looked like pieces of candy and the belt looked like pieces of chocolate. The building had the scent of baked goods like cake and frosting. It was heaven for the changeling.
A bright pink earth pony with curly hair was kneeling in front of the display case and putting out fresh desserts. She had not seen him yet, but heard him. "Sorry, please give me a minute and I'll be right with you!" she declared. The display case was closed and she looked up. "How can I help you..." The pony had stopped herself and began to stare at Rhubarb. He shifted nervously, thinking he had done something wrong.
"I'm sorry, did I-" He was cut off by an extended gasp, and then the pony's face transformed into a colossal grin.
"I've never seen you before! You must be new to Ponyville 'cause I know everypony that lives in Ponyville and since I don't remember ever seeing you before so that must mean you're new!" She spoke fast and excitedly and without missing a beat or taking a breath. "What's your name? My name is Pinkie Pie!" she asked, her blue eyes locking onto him. He did a double take as she practically appeared instantly in front of him. For a moment he thought about asking her how she managed to pop in front of him so fast. Rhubarb disregarded the question for the moment and responded.
"My name is Rhubarb, and yes, I'm new to Ponyville. I, uh, just moved in. And-" Another drawn out gasp escaped Pinkie Pie.
"Oh! There's so much I need to do! I need to throw a party and give you the welcome wagon and sing about how we're gonna be best friends forever and-"
"Pinkie Pie!" another earth pony chided as she came in. This pony had a blue coat, pink hair, an apron, and three cupcakes in her cutie mark. "Slow down. This newcomer may be a little frazzled by everything still."
Pinkie Pie nodded and calmed down slightly. "Okay, Mrs. Cake! So, welcome to Sugarcube Corner, Rhubarb! What can I get for you?" she asked. Rhubarb smiled back at her.
"Actually, I'm here to apply for the job you have. You're still hiring, correct?" he asked. Pinkie Pie gasped, even more excited than before. Mrs. Cake examined the pony applying.
"Of course. So, your name is Rhubarb; come with me. I'd like to have an interview with you." she said. Rhubarb's face lit up and he followed her into the back room he had been looking into earlier. Pinkie Pie watched them go back for a second before running off to get hard at work. He could see more as he entered, and it was much like the first room he entered. The conveyer belt extended from one room, which he assumed was where the baked goods were being made. The smell almost prompted him to start drooling in delight, but he restrained himself. They went through and went into the kitchen. The kitchen had multiple ovens and shelves with wheels on them with all sorts of treats cooling on them. It followed the same design as the last rooms. Rhubarb saw another pony who was yellow with an orange mane and three carrot cakes for a cutie mark; the stallion was currently covered in flour, while pushing a vat full of dough into a walk in freezer. He glanced at them
"Gimme a second." he said. He closed the freezer and looked at them. "So, who do we have with us?" he asked. Rhubarb smiled cordially, trying to look professional.
"This is Rhubarb," Mrs. Cake said, "he's applying for our job opening as a baker."
"I see. I'm Mr. Carrot Cake, and you've already met my wife, Mrs. Cupcake. Welcome to Sugarcube Corner. So, where ya from, Rhubarb?" he asked while brushing some of the flour off of him and shaking the interviewee's hoof. Rhubarb was caught off-guard by the question.
"Um..." His eyes darted around the room, looking for some sort of answer. His eyes locked onto a bag of coffee beans in the corner. The bag said Coffee Beans Grown In Fillydelphia, and he spoke. "I'm from Fillydelphia."
"Oh, how nice. Tell us about yourself, Rhubarb." Mr. Cake said. The changeling thought for a minute.
"I was born and raised in Fillydelphia." he started, "My family never really approved of my love of baking, but I persisted. They never allowed me to go get a job as a baker, so I finally left for Ponyville to seek out a job. All I've ever wanted to do was be a pastry chef." he said. The two before him looked pleased with his response, and he felt relieved; they believed his story.
"How did you hear about the job here?" Mr. Cake asked curiously.
"I heard about the job from a pegasus pony named Fluttershy. Oh, and this may seem a little unprofessional, but she asked me to tell you she said hello."
"We'll just have to say hello to her next time she comes in. She's a regular and is a very shy filly, so it impresses us she asked you to say hello for her. Thank you. Now, even if you haven't had any jobs baking, what other job experience do you have, Rhubarb?" Mrs. Cupcake asked. Rhubarb again was forced to think for a second.
"Well...I don't have any formal training, and this is my first time applying for a job." He grimaced. "But I've been cooking ever since I was a little one." he added. Mr. and Mrs. Cake frowned a little.
"Okay..." Mr. Carrot Cake continued. "So, what's your greatest strength?"
"I do my very best to please customers and I'm good at whipping up quality pastries quickly." Rhubarb replied nervously. In all truth, he wasn't sure how his pastries tasted to others; he was the only one to ever sample his own cooking. He was fairly certain that his food was good, as everything he tasted that he made after getting practice was delicious. Still, he was unsure of whether or not changelings had impaired taste buds due to the fact that they usually only fed on love.
"Alright, so what's your greatest weakness?" Mrs. Cupcake asked. The one being interviewed considered this for a second.
"Well...I tend to panic a bit if any ingredient for a recipe is missing. I can overreact to situations." he admitted with a shrug.
"What are you passionate about?" Mr. Carrot Cake asked.
"My passion is baking. As I said, I've been baking since I was a child. It's my life and it's what I know best." Rhubarb replied; he hadn't even had to stop to think about that one. Mrs. Cupcake gave a grin at that.
"An ambitious young colt, I see. So, how do you work with other employees?" she inquired. Pinkie Pie's antics slid into both her and her husband's mind. Rhubarb remembered the pony he had seen upon entering.
"I'm very patient with others. I can respect differences, since I know what it's like to be a little different. I will work hard with other employees."
Mr. Cake turned to whisper to Mrs. Cake. "Has he met Pinkie Pie yet?"
"Yes, and he wasn't fazed much by her. I like him."
"He hasn't had much experience, though."
"I get a good feeling from him, Dear. He certainly wants to try."
"I have an idea. I have some cupcake ingredients ready; why don't we ask him to make a cupcake for us so we can sample his work?"
"Okay." The two turned back to Rhubarb, who was waiting anxiously. "We have an idea, Rhubarb. Would you mind baking a cupcake for us to show us your talent? We already have some ingredients ready to go." Mrs. Cake said. Rhubarb nodded.
"Yes ma'am. What sort of ingredients are they?"
"Chocolate and strawberries aside from necessary ingredients." Mr. Cake responded. The unicorn beamed.
"I know just what to do with it."
Soon enough Rhubarb finished off the cupcake. He had filled the chocolate cupcake with vanilla frosting on the inside and had gotten chocolate frosting (which he attempted to dye a reddish color) and spread it in a swirl on top. He cut a strawberry into multiple slices and spread them over the top of the cupcake in a circle. Albeit nervously, he then presented the cupcake to Mr. and Mrs. Cake.
The two examined his work for a few moments, taking in the details, and then cut the cupcake in half and each tried it. Rhubarb was trembling; this was the first ever time anyone else had tried his desserts, and he was unsure of how it tasted. He watched their facial expressions. They finished their first bite and gave a smile. "This is delicious!" Mrs. Cupcake said. "You cooked it just right, and the strawberry really compliments the chocolate and vanilla."
"Your detail work is good," Mr. Cake said, "you could use a little more practice on making the frosting even, but...we like you. You can learn. Well, Mrs. Cake, what do you think?"
"I think we have a new baker," she said, finishing off her half of the cupcake. "It would be hard to say no after trying these. We need more of the cupcakes sometime. It was scrumptious."
Rhubarb unleashed the biggest grin he ever had. As soon as she said he was hired, his heart started bumping, and to say he was excited was an understatement. This was the greatest moment of his life. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. I won't let you down and I promise to work hard! When do I start?"
"Tomorrow morning. The shop opens at eight, but we'd like you to be here at five to start prepping the pastries. In the morning we serve a lot of croissants and bagels, so you and Pinkie Pie will be getting those ready. Welcome to Sugarcube Corner." Mr. Cake tossed him an apron and a hat, and he gleefully clung onto them.
"Of course! I'll get here as early as you need me. Thank you again!"
"Goodbye, Rhubarb!" Mrs. Cupcake said, watching the overjoyed unicorn skip out of the kitchen. As soon as he left, Pinkie Pie stopped him by popping out of seemingly nowhere.
"Hi, Rhubarb! You gotta follow me right now, 'cause I have a surprise for you!"
"Right now?" he questioned, startled. Pinkie Pie nodded her head.
"Yeah, right now!" She took his hoof. "C'mon, c'mon! I promise it's gonna be fun!" Rhubarb began to follow her curiously, despite being half frightened by the sudden prospect and not knowing what was going to happen. She took him to another room of the bakery that was shrouded in darkness when she opened the door. Pinkie Pie flipped the light on and another surprise met the newcomer's eyes.
Balloons were tied to tables and streamers hung from the ceiling. A large sign was taped to one of the walls that said WELCOME TO PONYVILLE, RHUBARB! So many different ponies were waiting, each one grinning from ear to ear. Pinkie retrieved her party cannon and made confetti burst out of it. With the explosion of confetti, everypony let out a shout.
"SURPRISE!"
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Email updates FTW.
I shall read now.
EDIT: Me likes. A longer chapter would be nice, but who am I to complain?
948189 You have first post?
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Neat chapter, to me it wasn't going too fast and I liked it a lot.
Though I'm one to talk since I can't write stories since I can't focus all that much.
948212
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The chapter went really well, the only concern I had while reading is that Rhubarb didn't ask the Cakes if he could lodge with them, as he doesn't actually have anywhere to sleep/live yet... but given that he told Fluttershy that he'd just moved, maybe he's just going to deal with it later? Or has it just not occured to him yet?
Can't wait to see where it goes from here!
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I'm liking it! Good pacing, I think.
Me need more of this story in my brainzzz nowz
You have my attention with this one!!!
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Work well with others? Or work well with insane hyperactive pink mares?
Pinkie's gonna drive him insane.
I enjoyed it, Favorited and I can't wait for more. The pacing was pretty good, didn't feel too rushed.
Keep up the great work.
Hunter C. Creed
I like the story, but for a bakery 7am is usually about 1/2 way through first shift, with a lot starting at 2 or three am to get everything ready for the day.
If he was just in sales I could see him starting at 7, but otherwise...
924305
dat avatar pic. e.o
GLRIOUS!
I'm loving this fic.
I love it!
Thank Celestia for the feature box, or I'd have never found this!
Definitely tracking.
yay!
i am loving this fanfic! :D
Wake up from nap, new chapter about baking changeling. Winning
This Changling story seems to be very different from most fic I have read on the fellows. Rhubarb seems to lack that nervousness about being caught, but then again this seems to be before the Great Defeat. I'm hoping that there will a transistion from before to after and Rhubarb starts to panic.
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interesting but 7 am to start work? as a baker in a store we usally start baking goods about 4 hours before customers come into the store to shop. but no complaints here. we all got our dreams.
It was heaven for the changeling. A bright pink earth pony with curly hair was kneeling in front of the display case and putting out fresh desserts.
This part (at least to me) is a little bit strange. So Rhubarb (Scales) is surveying the room and then suddenly there is Pinkie? I think you should try to separate the text into two parts, or describe how he then discovered Pinkie Pie in the room. Just my suggestions.
948212 HUZZAH!
I wouldn't worry about the interview. In fact, I like the way you handled it. If he has the skill, who cares what his credentials are? That said, your use of unnecessary words and phrases is bothersome.
For instance:
"The changeling thought for a minute, making up a story."
"He grimaced, knowing the answer hurt his chances of being hired."
Could be reduced to:
"The changeling thought for a minute."
"He grimaced."
You may think it abrupt, but I'd wager that most readers understand your meaning without the explanation. All in all, this was a noticeable improvement over the last chapter. Less chronological.
I can't wait to see what happens next!!!
Great chapter!
You know what time it is?
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923176
Beebopareebop Rhubarb Pie?
94885 no problem. just wanted to give imput on what bakers do. waking up for 5 am shifts are hard but the work is worth it
Enjoying the story so far. Should be fun watching Scales stumble with the Merry May in the chapters to come, as he'll be used to how changeling society functions (especially with his cloistered life) versus her pony society upbringing.
Do have a few minor nitpicks:
1. In Chapter 1, he knows about unicorns, cutie marks, and so on. Yet there's really no basis for this knowledge. The Queen's speech implies that only the scouting parties, herself, and most likely some trusted advisers know about ponies. A single line added in the speech about how it is a pony kingdom would fix that. The specifics would not need to be said, just something to shift the implication from this being entirely new to Equestria is new, but ponies are known.
2. "Rhubarb was trembling; this was the first ever time anypony had tried his desserts" The anypony doesn't feel quite right. He's not a pony and, unlike someone like Spike, this is his first day with ponies. He is alien. So with this line relating to him, "anyone else" would make more sense than anypony, at least in the early chapters. Assuming this story is to be a fish out of water type of deal, that is. Reinforce that alienness.
3. Personally, I'd liked to have seen him referred to as Scales for a while longer, with Rhubarb being a cover. He's a changeling that didn't fit in that society, but it seems unlikely he would perfectly fit into pony society, from the moment he walks in. In time, he might realize that Rhubarb had always been his name, even before he picked it, but right now, just seems like he still ought to be Scales. His secret used to be his cooking, now it is his changelingness. But his core being, has it really changed?
4. Minor nitpick about the Queen's speech in the prologue. Throughout the speech, she includes herself with her subjects. It is ourselves and us. Yet in the last line, she uses their instead of our.
I think your timing has improved significantly! Great job! =D
950009 i dont think i love my job. cake is a lie and cupcakes.... lets just say i cant even look at em. why did that guy write that story..... i wonder if rubarb is going to fit in after the changling invasion tho.
950227 cant wait.
Very chapter, the interview felt right on time and i can't wait for the party.
No changeling this is my pot pie .
***
No changeling you can't have any This is my pot pie .
***
No changeling that's a bad changeling no changeling This is my pot pie !!!
***
Mom Changeling is being a ...
Party cannon!Loved this chapter, and I can't wait for more!
Hey, mind if I use some of Pinkie Pie's lines and descriptions for my fanfic of a new comer? It seems to be a weak point in my fanfic.
This was a good chapter, although I thought at times that you were lacking.
For example, in the scene where the Cakes are eating cupcakes, I feel that the cupcake lacked enough description and just felt like a normal cupcake. Experiment a bit and try to flesh it out. Try and write the cupcakes from the Cake's perspective.
Mrs Cake picked up the small treat hesitantly, unsure if the small delicacy's taste would betray it's looks. She took a small bite out of it first, chewing slowly. The cupcake's flavor was unleashed upon her taste buds and she let out a small squeal of delight. The vanilla frosting blended with the chocolate frosting to create a new taste that was hard to analyse. The blue mare took another bite, this time eating a strawberry too. The strawberry added a certain quality that complimented each frosting.
Or something like that.
Sorry if I sound a bit harsh and feel free to completely ignore this comment if you think I'm wrong.
Hooray for quality fanfiction!
As a former baker let me say this fic is delicious.
Also rhubarb-strawberry is the best pie. In that spirit here is a recipe I use anytime rhubarb is in season.
http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/strawberry_rhubarb_pie/
It is great because the ratio of rhubarb to strawberry is 3 to 1 and it doesn't require you to precook the fruit.
Recommended served in the traditional British manner, at room temp with warm custard sauce.
964874
Your welcome. I would recommend doing the deep dish or extra filling version (filling freak here). As for the custard, go to the international part of your mega mart and find Bird's Custard powder in the British section. It's pretty much foolproof.
I just love broccoli-rhubarb pie smothered in tabasco sauce and mayonaise. *learned cooking from the Three Stooges*
965952
Wow that sounds,
well I am sorry that sounds pretty terrible.
I don't think I will be making it.
967230 Well then just have a helping of good ol bologne and whipped cream.
Yay! I am sure it has been said but
Rhubarb is best changeling!
And for now if he runs low on love he can always change into a bat and have a little from fluttershy. I am sure the sweet Pegasus has enough to share with one little changeling and Rhubarb can always find a way to repay her as well.
Well, all right. The idea for this story is pretty silly. But the premise doesn't determine a good story from a bad story.
And here, you have done very well so far. You put in a fair amount of detail both in the characters and the surroundings. "Rhubarb" himself is very likeable, Pinkie Pie stays in character (obvoiusly), and even the Cakes are decently portrayed too.
You are writing a very good tale so far. I am very curious to see more very soon!
Thumbs up.