//------------------------------// // Sweetness Supreme // Story: The Elements of Salvation // by Slick Dash //------------------------------// Thor’s stomach rumbled hard with its lack of breakfast, so the three all decided to head for Sugar Cube Corner in search of something to eat. When they entered, the doorbell clanged to signify their coming. “Hello! Welcome to Sugar Cube Corner, with tasty treats so lovely and sweat, we’re the place where you’ll want to eat! Oh! Hi guys!” chirruped a bright pink filly, her purple coiled mane bouncing robustly while she smiled at her school friends. “Oh hi Sweetness.” The colts retorted as they came to the counter. The young mare stood ready to take their order’s with a cheery smile. But Thor couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah little miss, how ‘bout you go get the big girls? The ones who can use the hot ovens!” He laughed at his own joke, but the other two looked at him appalled. Sweetness’s face fell slightly at the comment from her classmate. “That was mean.” She said sadly. Thor blushed with embarrassment. He gave a rough cough. “Umm-ahem... mmsorry, it was just a bit of a surprise. You’re our age is all, so I thought you wouldn’t be working. “You’re forgiven.” Sweetness said, exploding back into her cheery disposition once again. “You’ll be surprised when you see why your comment was so silly anyway! So what can I get you guys?” she took a pencil and prepared to write it down on a pad she had set out before her. “Uhhh, I’ll have a cupcake.” Asked the now sincere looking Thor. “Plain ok? We can put whatever you want ON it, it’s just Dinky’s mom came in earlier and cleared us out of blueberry muffins.” The colts all laughed as they envisioned the crossed eyed mother carrying a mountain of cupcakes back home. “Yeah that’s fine thanks.” Thor confirmed. “Apple fritter if you have any.” Apple Seed requested. “I’m not hungry; can I just have a glass of water?” Sweetness finished scribbling down the order and smiled. “Okie Dokie”- “Lokie.” The three colts finished drearily as they recited their classmate’s usual catchphrase, and headed for their usual table. Sweetness giggled and headed into the kitchen. “Papa! Fritter and cupcake please!” They heard her call out as she entered. “That’s something!” Exclaimed Thor as they took their seats, he set himself on the side facing his two friends so he could address them. “Who IS Sweetness’s dad? I’ve never seen him!” He looked questioningly at his friends who grimaced at his question and looked to one another. “What?” The Pegasus asked frowning, “You know?” “That’s one fritter, and a cupcake. Freshly baked! Get them while their cold!” Cooed a smooth and charming voice from high above the colt’s heads. ......... “So what do you think my dear? Is the cake satisfactory enough for you?” “IT’S SCRUMDILLYICIOUS!” cried Pinkie as she rammed another hoof full of cake into her already full mouth. Her date laughed happily at her randomness. “I’m glad you like it, it’s a new thing I’m trying, ‘inside out cake.’ A frosting centre surrounded by sponge.” he laughed, spreading his hands to his side, waiting for his date’s verdict. “Well...” Pinkie said, spraying crumbs across the table, “It’s definitely different!” “Isn’t different good?” “Deferent’s great!” “Good...” Discord smiled, placing his hands down on the table, resting them atop Pinkies forehooves. Pinkie gulped the mouthful of food down in one long movement stretching her neck unnaturally far as she did so, then began to look at Discord, her eyes quickly drooping into a dreamlike gaze, her lips spreading into a beautiful smile. She wasn’t sure when she began to develop feelings for her dream date. The dreams had begun to unfurl not long before Rainbow and Soarin’ had begun dating. It was only a few months until the royal wedding of Princess Caidence and Shining Armour and maybe it was out of some unknown, unrecognised, loneliness but one night, as she dreamed of walking through Ponnyville. A voice had called out to her, being the naturally curious pony she was, she set out to find the source of the voice. After circling the entire eerily quiet town, she found herself where she had begun; Sugar Cube Corner. Only this time a note was taped to the door. “Come on in dear sweet Pinkie.” And so, Pinkie had done so. When she had first seen the draconequus sat at the centre table of the bakery with a wide array of treats laid put before him lit by candle light, she had been weary. Not wishing to fall for any of his tricks. She had fallen for one of his fake party’s before; she knew it had been fake party, because it had made her sad, party’s shouldn’t make ponies sad, they should make them happy! So, though she joined the chimera cautiously, she began to discover that theses weren’t fake parties, they were the real deal! Fun, enjoyable, filled with laughter at the chimera’s many hilariously random jokes! These days-or more suitably named ‘nights’- were soon what Pinkie came to long for, they were what she began to look forward to from the very moment she woke up from the last one. This was wonderful. One day, she decided to confront her new found date about his sudden appearance in her life. Disc had merely chuckled and wagged a finger at her playfully. “Shall I say, it was firstly out of guilt?” he had asked to the earth pony’s confusion. “I said from the very first day we met, you were my favourite element of harmony; ‘Laughter!’ I love to laugh, but in my haste to take over this land, I treated my favourite with the same neglect I did with all the other elements.” Disc’s explanation had seemed sincere, so Pinkie felt like she had no reason not to believe him. As their dates continued every night over the span of three months, Discord had begun to reveal, these were not simply dreams. More importantly, they were not simply to apologise for his actions. “The last pony I told this to, threw me aside at the very thought of a life with me.” The chimera began. Now looking into that dreamlike smile of Pinkie’s. “And though at the moment, all I can do is visit you in your dreams, unable to truly hold you close and smell your delectable scent. I...Pinkamena Dianne Pie... I think I love you!” at that comment, Pinkie exploded with joy, shooting even higher into the air she could ever consider possible in real life. She came streaming back down to the ground, yet landed softly as a feather on the chimera’s lap. She wrapped her arms around him and held him close. “Don’t worry Disc...” She cooed, “We’ll find a way to get you out! Surely the princess will help if she knows you’ve changed!” Yet in the day, her cries for assistance went unanswered. The others wouldn’t listen to her requests simply because they were too silly. The thought of the Draconequus turning over a new leaf was absurd to them all, so they soon came to ignore any mention of Pinkie’s dream dates. Pinkie’s heart fell, but it always soared every night as she would be with him again, preparing her for the possibility of new disappointment the next day. As the wedding drew nearer, it seemed Disc grew more distracted in their dates. The entire worlds he created for the two of them to roam, seemed to skip slightly, jumping haphazardly out of sync with the two dream walkers. The floor would begin to move quickly beneath their feet as they walked at a snail’s pace. When they sat, the floor dropped from beneath them leaving them suspended in darkness. Whenever she asked about these strange phenomenon’s, Pinkie would simply receive a small pat on the head, a kiss on the cheek, and a smile from her fanged suitor. “It’s nothing, just something...brewing...” and surely enough the day came where Pinkie understood what had been ‘brewing.’ On the day of the royal wedding, all chaos broke loose, with changelings attacking every innocent mare, stallion and foal in the city of Canterlot. But as always, evil was defeated by good, and the wedding continued as planned. After which, the reception that Pinkie hosted was considered a smashing success, which culminated in the bride and groom riding towards the horizon in their carriage. When the final dancers (Rainbow and Soarin’) left the dance floor, Pinkie decided to go. She wanted to see him, after so many months of dreaming of him, she needed to be with him! Even if he couldn’t move. So she made her way to the gardens of the castle grounds. Now with nothing left to do, her friends joined her, expecting a nice stroll at night in the tranquil gardens. It was only when she spotted the statue that Pinkie was headed for, that Twilight voiced her opinion. “Oh Pinkie, not this again! Come on, let’s go.” she urged, as did her other friends. Pinkie merely looked over her shoulder, not even faltering in her stride. With a humph, she said coolly. “If you don’t want to come, you don’t have to, but it really would be super fun if you did!” She sounded slightly sad at their reactions. And maybe it was her sorrowful tone that made them still follow her. Finally, they reached him. His clawed paw and eagle hand reached out before him as he tried to push away the force of the elements before he froze. His hands were at the perfect height for pinkie to rock back on her haunches and trace across his palms with her forehooves happily. “Hey Disc!” She giggled, “I guess you were right huh? Something really bad did happen after all! You were right.” As her friends watched the unusually still ponie, her hoof scraped against the stone prison, she felt something. A bump in the stone? No, maybe a divot in his palm? She looked closely, and to an ecstatic glee filled Squee, Pinkie saw a crack in the stone. Without thought, she began to dig at it, trying to pry away the layer of stone that held her Disc in place. “Pinkie!” Twilight cried, moving forward to stop her friend as tiny chips of the thin layer of stone began to chip away. As the group stood there watching Pinkie converse with the statue however, they had not noticed the little bug eyed creature lurking behind the bushes. The last of its kind still left in the kingdom, somehow able to hold on while the rest of its kind were carelessly flung into the sky’s above. As it saw the purple unicorn approach her friend, it struck. With an explosive screech, the changeling bounded out of the shrubbery, its long fangs bared horribly. It soared immediately towards the pink pony, being the furthest from the group made her the weakest. They’d pay! They’d pay for what they did to its brothers and sisters! The screech made everypony freeze in horror, unable to believe one still remained. The two unicorns horns didn’t glow, they were too taken aback. The Pegasy’s wings didn’t beat, they were too shocked. The pink pony didn’t move, she was too scared! A flash of light. A new screech, this one of terror, breaks out among the blinding light. The group cry out for Pinkie, but no response comes. The light clears. The changeling is dangling by its leg, wriggling in the grasp of four rough, yellow, eagle digits. The chimera growls at the creature furiously. “How dare you touch my darling!” he throws the black little creature in the air, and with a blow from his lips. The wind picks up, and hurls the creature into the sky until he is a small glint on the horizon. The chimera turns, smiles. And finally, the chimera and pony, embrace for the first real time. ........ “Uhhhhh...” stammered Thor, unable to look away from the towering creature above him. The appearance was simply not anything he could have expected, and it caused his throat to seize up with shock. The chimera arched an eyebrow, staring down at the burgundy colt. “I suppose, by Sweetness’s description, you’ll be Thor, am I right?” The nervous Pegasus gulped hard, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat, when it didn’t move, he gave a quick nod. “I see.” Discord said smiling, “So you’re the one who wasn’t very respectful to my daughter just now?” Archimedes pushed the side of his hoof to his mouth, trying his best not to laugh; he turned his head away from the chimera and his friend and locked gazes with Apple Seed. The farm pony seemed to be in similar fits of hysteria to his darker furred friend. “Uuuuhhh... I guess...” Thor stammered, his eyes fixed with terror on the giant slim creature before him. “But... I did say sorry!” He quickly added, to which the draconequus’s demeanour quickly changed. His shoulders slummed lazily, and his height seemed to physically lessen somewhat. “Then that’s alright!” He chortled, placing the orders down on the table. “Watch out, they’re pretty cold!” and with that he turned to head back to the kitchen. As he headed back, he nearly collided with a fast moving Sweetness, who bolted out of the kitchen and shot towards the colts’ table. “Theeeere you go!” She said happily, placing Archy’s glass on the table. The young colt smiled to the mare, who turned back with a beaming smile on her lips and made her way back to the ovens. “Still as dull as your mother I see Archimedes!” Disc laughed, the colt gave the adult a pained look, to which the chimera simply shrugged off before swooping into the kitchen after his daughter, laughing as he did so. Back at the table, Seed and Thor glanced at their friend confused as to where the barbed comment had come from. Archy simply shook his head. “Don’t ask!” The Pegasus and farm colt both glanced at each other, shrugged, and began to examine their food. “So why exactly is he advertising that it’s cold?” Thor asked perplexed eyeing up his muffin suspiciously . Apple Seed frowned at him. “Bud, we come here almost every week...at least twice! How can you not have noticed before?” Thor frowned; he reached out and took his muffin grumbling something about “mmusually too hungry to notice!” To which his two friends laughed incredulously. “Just eat it you dolt! You’ll understand when you take a bite!” Archy smiled. So Thor did as commanded and took a large chunk out of the delicious muffin. It was cold on the outside, but warm and smooth beneath its soft coat. Wow! How was that even possible?! “Mmmmm! Now thiff ith whut I remumbor!” Thor gurgled with a mouthful of his second bite, spraying his companions with small moist chunks of muffin. “THOR! MOUTH! SHUT!” both his friends commanded as they shielded their faces from the vicious onslaught of crumbs. Thor gave a quick glance to his friends that silently said “Sorry.” Before resumed the demolition of his cupcake. With their orders ready, and their stomachs slowly begin to fill, Seed turned to Archimedes. “So? When’s your dad headin’ out?” Archy sighed at his friends question. “Tomorrow...” the dark furred unicorn moaned sadly. “Oh!” Apple Seed gave a slight gasp of surprise, “I’m sorry!” “It’s ok!” Archy affirmed, giving a big toothy grin, “It’s only six months, then he’ll be back and we can all catch up!” Apple Seed fell silent, feeling a slight pang of guilt at his question. He hadn’t realised Mr. Noteworthy was leaving so soon. A job somewhere down towards the outlands, it was good pay! A job requested by Celestia herself, with his beautiful singing voice he had been asked to spread the wonder of Equestrian culture to the outlands! But it didn’t make it any easier on his family. Seed remembered how miserable Archy had been when he had told them! It was obviously hard on the young colt. Though she hadn’t shown it to the public when they came for a book, apparently Mrs. Twilight wasn’t taking very well either according to her son. Nights spent crying, until her husband came home, than a brave face until he next left. According to Archy, that was what life at his home was like these days. “Hey!” Thor suddenly shouted, making his two friends jump. “Let’s stop with all the gloomy talk! Let’s just have some fun huh?” Thor leaned in, giving a wry wink, suggesting he knew something the other two didn’t. “I have it on good authority, that there’s a new girl in town! She’s a Pegasus, and she’s apparently a pretty good flyer! I say we go find her, and challenge her to a race!” “Why is it always a competition with you?!” Archimedes laughed, forgetting his worries for a moment. Thor shrugged. “It’s not fun unless you’re beating someone!” the burgundy Pegasus chuckled in reply. The two turned to Apple Seed, whose brow was furrowed in concentration. “You Ok there buddy?” Thor asked, to which Seed gave a distracted nod. “A new girl?” the county pony asked slowly. “Yep! Moved into the local hotel around two days ago!” Thor replied. “Thor...” Apple Seed began, his chest rising in silent chuckles. “W-what?” the Pegasus asked, trying not to be infected by his friends positive attitude. “That’s my cousin! She’s movin’ in with us tomorrow!”