//------------------------------// // Gingersnap/Off to the Dessert Competition // Story: Sugar and the Mac // by grl6p //------------------------------// Gingersnap was an elderly unicorn stallion with a light brown coat, a brown-grey mane, and a Gingersnap cookie for a cutie mark. He wore small round glasses used for reading, a green vest, and a white apron. He, along with Sugar Belle's late grandmother, Cinnamon Roll, had been her legal guardians ever since Sugar Belle's parents died while on a couple's vacation when she was only two years old, leaving her in the care of her grandparents, who raised her as if she was their own daughter. They had both taught Sugar Belle how to make yummy treats using their own family recipes and, when she was old enough, Cinnamon Roll allowed her to help her around in their village bakery. When she died of pneumonia three years earlier, Sugar Belle inherited the bakery and continued the family legacy. Today, Gingersnap was in his kitchen looking at recipies for various pies, cakes, and other desserts in order to decide which one he would bring to the annual Canterlot National Dessert Competition the next day. It was an event he had been looking forward to all year. If he won the contest and received the grand prize of 500,000 bits, he and Sugar Belle would leave their village and move to Canterlot to open a new bakery where they would share their desserts with the finest ponies in Equestria. But it was one day before the competition, and he was having baker's block. Sugar Belle, still reading the magazine Juicy Gossip gave her, walked into the house kitchen and sat down on the stool next to her grandfather. "Hi Sugar Belle." Gingersnap said as he waved from the table, "How did the bakery do today?" Sugar Belle smiled, "We've had so many customers today. Juicy Gossip gave a magazine about the newest season of The Pony Dating Vacation. It's amazing but it gets me thinking." "Thinking about what?" "Grandpa," Sugar Belle asked, "do you think I'll ever find that very special somepony in my life? Everyone in the village says I'm really kind and beautiful, but I've never really had the time to talk to any other stallions because I'm too busy baking." Gingersnap replied, "What about Feather Bangs? He’s always trying to get you to go out with him. Just last week, he showed up in the middle of the night and tried to serenade you. Right before I chased him off our property." Sugar Belle cringed at the memory: he blasted loud music in the middle of the night, waking up her and Gingersnap. He had only sang a few bars of Royal Diva's 'Zany with Love' before Gingersnap chased him away, threatening to call the police if he didn't leave. "I would never date him even if we were the last two ponies in Equestria! He's always making passes at me and invading my personal space. He's arrogant and rude." She then changed the subject, "Anyway, have you decided which of our recipes you're going to use in the National Dessert Competition?" "Not yet." replied Gingersnap. "I had been doing research the other competitors at the contest and I saw all of the elaborate cakes they show off in their fancy bakeries. They're professionals and I'm just a humble baker who can't even make desserts twice as good as them. Princess Celestia will never eat my treats! She'll be too busy enjoying the desserts of those fancy chefs instead of eating mine." Sugar Belle got close, "That's not true. You make great desserts. Everypony knows that. And do you remember what Cinnamon Roll used to say about desserts?" "It's not the appearance that matters," answered Gingersnap, "but how it tastes." "That's right. No matter who ugly the dessert looked after it came out of the oven or how freaky I frosted the cookies when I was a filly, they always tasted wonderful. Now let me help you out." Sugar Belle joined her grandfather at his table and put down a cookbook. "Let's get started." Soon, the pair got started baking on the treats to go to the Competition. "Grandpa?" Sugar Belle asked, "What do you want to bake?" "Anything we want." When the flour settled, they had made a dessert set consisting of a chocolate flower cake with pink frosting swirled to look like roses, a set of fancy decorated sugar cookies, some cinnamon rolls (in Cinnamon's memory), and the family's world famous coconut cream pie. "These look so good!" exclaimed Sugar Belle as she levitated a towel to wipe some flour off of her face, "You're sure to win first prize at the Dessert Competiton! That way we'll finally get our own bakery in Canterlot!" "And your grandmother and parents would be so proud of us for sharing our recipies with the world." said Gingersnap. "I bet they're looking down from the Elysians, feeling very happy that they've raised a beautiful baker." Gingersnap looked at his creations, "I can't decide what to bring to Canterlot for the contest. What do you think Sugar Belle?" "Bring all of them! I'm the princesses and judges won't mind. I'll help you load them into your cart and put them in a little display. Soon they were at the front of house loading all of their homemade treats into Gingersnap's cart. "Sugar Belle, are you sure you don't want to come with me? You've always wanted to see Canterlot ever since you were little." "I'd really love to grandpa but I can't go." said Sugar Belle. "I have to stay in the village and manage the bakery. And tomorrow, I'm going to the lake with Double Diamond and Night Glider to support them in their water sports show. But I can provide something for you. It's in the house. Wait right here, I'll be back." Sugar Belle went into the her bedroom to rummrage through her closet. She stopped when she held up a knitted green and red scarf that had belonged to her mother. "Aha! Here it is!" She hurried back outside to Gingersnap, who was still loading in the treats. "Grandpa, I'm really sorry I can't go the dessert competition with you. But I will give you mom's scarf for good luck." Gingersnap used his magic to wrap the scarf around his neck. "Thank you Sugar Belle. This is really nice. Well I must be on my way if I want to reach Canterlot as soon as possible." As he began to take off, Sugar Belle called, "Are you sure you don't want to go to the train station? It will be easier to transport your entry if you're not waking." "Nonsense!" Ginger called back, "Walking with a load is great exercise! It will be so easy if I follow my map's directions! Don't worry, I'll be okay. Even if I don't win, I'll have had the privilege of being able to showcase my work among Equestria's finest bakers!" "Bye Grandpa! I'll take care of the bakery and the house while you're gone!" Sugar Belle watched as Gingersnap and his cart took off into the distance. But little did both of them know that fate had other plans in mind...