Learning to Cook

Phantom was stooped over the small garden in Fluttershy’s front yard. He was still picking up the hang of the whole gardening thing. He heard a small noise and looked over. Fluttershy was helping a family of squirrels do something or other, he wasn’t sure what. It was amazing to him to see how much Fluttershy cared for her animals.

It was the third day since Phantom had left the hospital, and he still couldn’t find a place of his own. It wasn’t for lack of trying, he’d gone out every day with Fluttershy, after they’d taken care of her business at the cottage, and checked throughout Ponyville. The problem wasn’t that he was from another world , it was that he didn’t have a job. Well today he would see if he could change that. Today his goal was to find a job.

Last night Phantom and Fluttershy had talked, and Fluttershy had told Phantom that he could stay there as long as he needed to. The only condition she put on it was that he keep looking for a place of his own. They’d also discussed his need for a job, and so today they were going to talk to two people, Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, to see if maybe Phantom could work with either one of them. Phantom wasn’t feeling too good about working with Pinkie. Not that she wasn’t a nice person, it was just that he had no clue about baking, and the few times he’d tried the best term for what he’d made would be inedible or dangerously disgusting, and definitely poisonous. Being a weatherpony didn’t sound that much better.

Fluttershy looked up from helping the squirrels and smiled at him. Phantom smiled back and walked over to her. He couldn’t believe how incredibly lucky he was. He’d barely been out of the hospital, and the first time he’d met Fluttershy, he had been anything but pleasant. Sure they’d chatted, but he’d been closed off and cold. When he met her again at Pinkie’s party, there had been something, a connection. That time, he’d been a little more open, even though he was terrified. That connection had stayed with them and now, just days later, he was living with her. Even if it was temporary, it was far more than he’d ever accomplished back home on earth.

“Hey Fluttershy. Almost done?” Truth be told, Phantom was a little anxious about getting a job in Ponyville and he just wanted to get it done.

Fluttershy stood and brushed herself off. “I’m done actually, Mr. Squirrel just wasn’t eating right.” With a rather stern look at the squirrel, she added, “But that is not going to be a problem anymore, right Mr. Squirrel?” The squirrel nodded and with his family left the fields outside the cottage. “So are you ready to go to town?”

Phantom looked Fluttershy straight in the eye, and nodded. He was as ready as he would ever be. He was still a little frightened of Pinkie Pie, even after Fluttershy had assured him that she was naturally that way.

Together the two of them headed off to town, and to Sugarcube Corner, where if all went well, Phantom might have a job.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When they arrived at Sugarcube corner, they were breathless. The snap decision to race had come at the edge of town, and while neither of them was in bad shape, they weren’t exactly in good shape either. Fluttershy went in first, mainly because she knew what to expect from the bouncing pink bundle of joy. Phantom winced as Pinkie practically tackled Fluttershy, knowing that could have been him.

“Hiya Guys! How are you, are you excited, cause I excited, I mean I’m really excited, and-“ Pinkie’s rant went on for a little bit, being almost as incoherent and senseless as ever. It was unnecessary for her to keep going on about how excited she was, because from the way she was bouncing up and down, anyone could have figured it out.

“Well, Pinkie, I guess I’m ready to try out.” Phantom said once Pinkie had stopped talking. His nerves weren’t getting the better of him today, and he was calmer than he thought he’d be. Maybe he was getting used to the randomness that was Pinkie Pie.

“Alrighty then, let’s get to the kitchen! Today we are going to make cupcakes!” Pinkie bounced off to the kitchen, and with a glance back at Fluttershy added, “Fluttershy, you can make yourself at home. Help yourself to anything you like.”
Fluttershy nodded at Pinkie. “Thank you. Good luck Phantom.” With a slightly oversized grin she motioned that he should follow Pinkie. Phantom gulped and followed the bouncing pink pony to the kitchen.

Once inside, he marveled at the size of the space. It was large and spacious, with a whole wall devoted to ovens. No wonder Sugar Cube corner could crank out the treats. Phantom followed Pinkie over to the large wooden table in the center of the room.

“Alright Phantom, have you ever baked before?” Pinkie was acting more seriously than Phantom thought she would. He’d expected by now to have a snout full of flour, but he guessed that baking was one of the few things Pinkie did take seriously.
“Not really. I mean I made a couple of things, but that was before I came here, and I have never baked cupcakes, or anything really….” Phantom felt nervous and his voice started to trail off as he rambled a bit. Pinkie’s face fell and he guessed that she couldn’t believe that there was somepony out there who had never baked before. He wasn’t too far off either.

“I can’t believe you’ve never baked cupcakes before! Well, I will just have to teach you. Okay, so just do what I say, and if they are good, you can be a baker here with me!” Pinkie seemed a little over excited at the prospect of Phantom working there, and he wondered if there was some sort of ulterior motive at work.

“I’ll try. I can’t promise that I’ll be any good though.” Phantom was cut off by a rather irritated looking Pinkie. The sight of her being irritated was enough to almost make him laugh. She didn’t look all that intimidating irritated.

“Nonsense. You’ll be great, I just know it. My Pinkie Sense says so!” Pinkie smiled widely, and started in on the directions…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXx

About an hour later, Phantom, who was now covered in flour and batter, finally slid his attempted tray of cupcakes into the oven. Pinkie was smiling, and Phantom had to admit that he felt pretty good about this batch. Maybe it was his first attempt, and sure it probably wasn’t going to be spectacular, but he was sure that it was going to be at the very least not too horrible.

“That was good. We just have to wait now. Why don’t we go out and chat with Fluttershy while we wait?” Pinkie looked Phantom in the eye, and winked as she mentioned Fluttershy’s name. Phantom was up to it, and without a second thought trotted out to the dining room of Sugar Cube Corner.

He was greeted with a burst of laughter from Fluttershy as he entered the room. He wondered what was so funny until he caught the sight of his flour and batter coated face in a nearby mirror. Even he had to admit to himself that he looked pretty funny like that.

“Oh, so you’ve never gotten dirty? Hmmm Fluttershy?” Phantom used a tone of mock severity, feeling suddenly a little more confident.

“Not like you!” Fluttershy gasped out between giggles. Pinkie started giggling too, and Phantom, caught up in the moment started to laugh too. As the three of them laughed seemingly for the sake of laughter itself, Phantom wondered how he’d ever missed things like this back on Earth.

They laughed for a good bit before sitting around the table and talking about little nothings. Pinkie and Fluttershy went on for a bit about something Twilight had supposedly found, and Phantom just listened, chiming here and there when he understood what they were talking about. A lot of things went over his head because he still didn’t understand the whole thing of Unicorns and magic. He accepted it, but didn’t understand it.

The conversation was suddenly interrupted as Pinkie jumped up, twitching all over her left side. “Oh NO!” Pinkie yelled.

“What is it?” Phantom and Fluttershy said at the same time. “Is it the Pinkie Sense?” Fluttershy added. Pinkie just nodded, and ducked. Fluttershy and Phantom ducked at the same time. Fluttershy had explained pinkie sense to him , and he decided that it would be healthy to respect it.

A loud explosion came from the kitchen, and the door to the room bulged, smoke pouring out around the overstretched edges. The door shot back to it’s normal shape, and smoke continued to seep out around the edges. Phantom sat there with his mouth hanging open as Pinkie walked up to investigate.

“Phantom, I’m so sorry.” Pinkie said from the doorway. Phantom had no idea why she was sorry until he reached the door himself, and saw what had happened. The oven that he’d put his cupcakes into had exploded. He sat down, suddenly crushed. He’d tried so hard to make those cupcakes, and they’d… well exploded.

“I’m really sorry Phantom. Maybe you could try again after we fix the ovens?” Pinkie looked downcast, and Fluttershy’s face was frozen in a look of horror. Phantom just shrugged, and walked towards the exit.

“Maybe. We’ll see Pinkie. I have a feeling that being a baker isn’t the best idea for me.” Phantom really did feel sorry, and so he and Fluttershy started to leave. It was time to find Rainbow Dash. Perhaps he’d have better luck with being a weather pony. After all, how hard could that be?