Long Distance Friendship

by Drag Orion


Chapter 12

“Pinkie wasn’t kidding,” commented Cheese Sandwich as he finished his bowl of soup. “The food here is fantastic. That spiciness really does have a nice kick to it too.”

“I’m really glad you enjoyed it,” Saffron Masala replied as she gathered up his empty plate and bowl. “And if it wasn’t for Pinkie Pie and her friend, Rarity, we probably would have had to close down a long time ago. I just hope that she can help Rocky too. Something’s been troubling him since before he started working here, but he wouldn’t open up to me about it at all.”

“He definitely looked down about something,” agreed Cheese. “But if anyone can cheer him up it’s a super duper party pony like her.”

“I really hope she can,” admitted Saffron. “I don’t think I’ve seen him more than crack a smile since I offered him the position.”

“By the time Pinkie’s through with him he’ll be laughing so much he’ll be in stitches,” assured Cheese.


“WHY WON’T YOU SMILE!!!” shouted Pinkie as she unicycled while juggling pies.

“Because it’s not funny,” Rocky answered, though he was the minority, as a crowd had already gathered and were laughing and cheering at Pinkie’s antics. “Well, I don’t find it funny.”

“I’m going through all my best material from A to Z,” replied Pinkie. “There’s no way you can’t find any of it funny.”

“Because I’m not in the mood to laugh,” he told her. “And I’m not in the mood to be a chef for Saffron either. You should just tell her this so she’ll fire me already. She doesn’t need a nopony like me anyway.” Tugging at the laces to his hood to hide his head, he started to trot away.

“Oh, no you don’t!” barked Pinkie Pie heading him off with her unicycle. “Time for the big finale!” Tossing the pies up high, Pinkie caught them in her hooves and pied herself with one after another after another till she was half covered in whipped cream. “Tah dah!”

All the ponies watching were in hysterics seeing Pinkie, everypony that is, except for Rocky who remained as solemn as ever. “So, that’s it?” he asked. “Well, you tried.”

“I guess there really isn’t anything that can make you laugh,” admitted Pinkie as she hopped off her unicycle.

“Doesn’t look like it,” he agreed. “So, you might as well do yourself a favor and give up on me.”

“Ok,” sighed Pinkie as she sat down with a defeated look on her face.

BBBRRRRRRRRRRRRTTT!!!

“Aheh,” a snicker slipped from his lips. “Ahehahahahah!!!”

“Gotcha!” smiled Pinkie revealing a whoopie cushion beneath her as she watched him and everypony fill the street with laughter. “Nopony ever expects the fakeout whoopie cushion!”

“Y-you got me laughing,” he continued to chuckle and tear up a little. “S-So what?”

“So, you look so much better with a smile on your face,” she told him as she approached him, the whipped cream on her face starting to drip down onto the ground. “I don’t see why you’d want to be depressed all the time.”

“It- it’s none of your business,” he replied defensively as he backed away. “Now stay away, you’re dripping whipped cream.”

“But if you have a problem then you could at least allow me the chance to help,” she replied following him step for step. The whipped cream kept dropping in globs and a big clump fell off and landed on Rocky’s black coat and ran down it all the way to the end of one of the sleeves. “Oh, sorry.”

“I- I- I-” he stuttered and trembled before looking at Pinkie quite angrily. “I told you to stay away and now look what you did! You don’t have any idea how much this coat means to me!”

“See, isn’t it much better to show your emotions,” she replied nervously. “Now try happy.”

“Are you still on that?” he snapped. “Why can’t you understand that I don’t want any help. Why can’t everypony just leave me alone? Now go!”

His outburst quickly scared everypony who had been watching away with fright. The only one who remained, albeit shaking a bit fearful herself was Pinkie. Rocky breathed heavily as he continued to glare at her.

“You are hurting a lot aren’t you?” she asked sadly. “But you shouldn’t keep all this bottled up.”

“W-why do you care?” he asked her, his voice cracking as tears ran down his cheeks. “You don’t even know me so why do you have to meddle in my business?”

“Because, right now, you need a friend,” she told him. “So, will you let me be your friend and talk to me?”

“...Can we go somewhere private to talk?” he asked her giving her back her cheery-eyed excitement.


“I wonder how long it’ll take,” wondered Saffron as she sat with Cheese Sandwich now that the lunch rush had passed. “Pinkie’s been out there with him for a while and I think I heard some yelling. I’m getting worried.”

“I’m sure Pinkie has it under control,” Cheese assured her. “My cheesy sense is telling me that everything is going just fine.”

“I don’t know what that is,” she told him. “But maybe we should go see how things are going.” About to get up, Pinkie Pie suddenly rushed through the door and hurried through the restaurant pulling Rocky behind her almost too fast for him to keep up and knocked over a few chairs in the process. Pinkie still had a fair amount of whipped cream on her face. “Pinkie? What’s going on?”

“No time to talk,” se replied as they made their way to the second floor. “In the middle of a breakthrough. Tell you about it later.”

“Heh, never doubt the cheesy sense,” chuckled Cheese Sandwich cooly.


“It doesn’t look like it’ll stain,” Pinkie Pie told Rocky as she helped him remove the whipped cream. “My friend Rarity taught me all the dos and don’ts of what foods to avoid when dressed up for a party. Pretty much eat before going and avoid the buffet table like it was pony pox, heheh.”

“S-sorry about snapping at you,” he apologized to her. “I know you were just trying to help.”

“Oh, don’t worry about it,” she said happily. “You had to let your emotions out.”

“Yeah, but I never like to get angry or upset,” he admitted. “Cause when I get mad I just start to lose myself in it. Just over a little whipped cream I got that angry. You saw all those ponies run away. That was always my problem. I was big and strong and had a short fuse. Nopony wanted to be around me, to get to know that I was more than that. Well, till I met a few others who were a lot like me.”

“Like you?” asked Pinkie.

“A bunch of noponies,” he explained. “Ponies that didn’t fit in with anypony else. It was when I was with them that I felt accepted and happy. When I was with them even things that would have gotten me angry didn’t even make me bat an eye.”

“What happened to all that?” asked Pinkie. “Why aren’t you with them.”

“We just… went our separate ways,” he sighed. “First Gale decided to go to Los Pegasus to follow her dream and then I decided to come here. I’m not sure where the other two ended up going though.”

“What did you want to do in Canterlot?” she asked him.

“I guess Saffron Masala already told you everything she knew about me,” he replied reaching into a cooler and took out a blue popsicle. “I like making food. Particularly things with interesting flavors. This here is one of my own creations. It tastes salty, but-”

“But also sweet,” she replied taking the popsicle to taste it herself. She gave it a few licks and made a few intrigued faces before turning back to him happily. “Wow! This is great! I’d have never tried to make something like this and I can see why Saffron asked you to work as a chef here.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “The food they have here is a lot different than what you’d probably find in most places in Equestria. I think that’s what drew me here in the first place.”

“And Saffron gave you a chance to be a chef here,” continued Pinkie. “But that’s where things get strange. This is what you wanted to do and yet you started to act so indifferent about it. You even wanted to get fired. Why? This was your dream wasn’t it?”

“Fear, I guess,” he admitted with a deep sigh.

“What were you so afraid of?” she asked focusing on him as she continued to lick the popsicle.

“Of being alone,” he admitted. “I went so long with just those three as my friends and now I was worried that coming here I’d be all alone. Sure, I could have quit myself or left, but then I thought to myself what if I went back and nopony was there. Or what if they were and they were disappointed that I came running back with my tail between my legs. In the end, I guess I tried to go numb to everything. Just go back to being a nopony all over again.”

“You are not a nopony,” Pinkie told him holding his head still while she looked into his eyes. “You never were. You have talent and a dream and you can’t allow fear to make you quit. You might not have your friends from Manehatten here with you, but I’m here and I’m your friend. You also have Saffron here too. She wants to be your friend too. That’s why she wouldn’t fire you. She believed in you so why can’t you believe in yourself. You at least have to give it your best shot. What do you say?”

“I guess I can at least try,” he answer sounding a bit hesitant, but still willing.

“That’s the spirit… almost,” she smiled. “Now go to that kitchen and get cooking!”

“Alright,” he answered, but wasn’t budging. “Uh, can you let go of my face?”

“Oh, sorry,” she apologized and let him go.

Rubbing his cheeks, he made his way down to the kitchen.


“Hmm, a little more of this,” mumbled Rocky as he worked diligently in front of the stove. “A dash more of this…” Grabbing a wooden spoon he stirred the pot and then lifted out a spoonful to taste it. “A pinch more of this and some more heat.”

“I’ve never seen him so focused like this,” whispered Saffron poking her head in from the entrance to the kitchen along with Pinkie and Cheese Sandwich.

“He’s been working on that for half an hour,” said Cheese. “How do you think he’s doing?”

“It sure smells good,” commented Pinkie. “So I bet it tastes good too.”

“It can smell good, but if the ingredients aren’t added too much or too little it can throw off the entire balance of flavor. Even with a recipe it can take a several attempts to get even something remotely good.”

“Ok, that should about do it,” Rocky panted and wiped his forehead. As he was about to turn his head to call in Pinkie and the others they quickly got out of sight. “I’m all done. Ready for tasting.”

“My it certainly smells good in here,” commented Saffron like she hadn’t been watching him the whole time. “You must’ve done a real good job.”

“Only one way to find out,” stated Pinkie as the three of them approached Rocky. “Time to taste it.”

“J-just be honest with me,” he pleaded nervously. “If it’s no good then just tell me.”

“Hello?” called a mare from the front of the restaurant. “Are you open?”

“Oh, we got a customer,” said Saffron. “I’ll be right back to give it a taste.”

“Wait,” replied Pinkie filling a bowl and carrying it out of the kitchen. “I have a better idea.”

“She’s not planning on doing what I think she is,” worried Rocky.

“You wanted an honest opinion,” commented Cheese. “So, we won’t have a better chance than this.”

“Hello there,” greeted PInkie helping the mare to a table. “How may I help you today?”

“I heard this place has some rather exotic food,” she explained. “I was hoping to give some a try. Can I see a menu?”

“Actually, I was wondering if you’d be interested in the house special spicy soup,” suggested Pinkie. “No charge. Just tell us what you think of it.”

“Oh, well, ok,” she replied as she had the bowl put down in front of her and she was given a spoon.”

“What are you doing?” worried Rocky as he saw the mare blow on her soup to cool it a bit before trying some. “You didn’t even taste it to see if it was any good.”

“Because you worked so hard on it that I trust that it’ll be good,” replied Pinkie.

“Oh, my this sure is quite different than what I’m used to,” the customer admitted looking a bit sweaty from the spiciness after just the first taste. “Definitely got a strong kick and some tastes I’m not used to.” She then dipped her spoon in again and took another taste and looked quite pleased after swallowing this one. “It’s exactly what I was hoping for. Such a wonderful thing, this spicy soup.”

“Thank you for the kind words,” smiled Saffron. “And all the praise should go to my new cook, Rocky Rhodes, who prepared it for you.”

“Go on,” Pinkie encouraged pushing him forward. “She loves it. No reason to be nervous.”

“Uh, h-hi,” smiled Rocky as he was pushed right in front of the customer’s table. “I’m the one who made the soup.”

“Well then, my compliments to you,” she smiled. “It truly is fantastic.”

“Thank you,” he managed to reply more clearly just as more customers arrived.

“Smells like something really good is cooking in here.”

“Yeah, I’m gonna want to try some of that.”

“Looks like we’ve got a whole bunch more customers coming in,” stated Saffron. “We might not have enough spicy soup for all of them.”

“I could make some more,” volunteered Rocky. “I’m sure I could make it even quicker this time.”

“Think you can help me with anything else they might order too?” she continued.

“Of course,” he smiled.

“Then you two get to cooking and we’ll handle the front,” offered Pinkie.

“But try and save us a bit of the spicy soup,” Cheese Sandwich added. “I’m still want to try it.”


It took a while before Cheese Sandwich and the others were finally able to sit down to have some of Rocky’s spicy soup themselves as the rush of customers went straight into dinnertime. Even with all four of them working at once, they were barely able to keep up with the surprising influx of hungry customers that filled the room with the joyful sounds of eating, chatter, and some laughter as Cheese and Pinkie took the time to entertain when they weren’t seating ponies or taking their orders.

The kitchen was also alive with the mix of aromas from several dishes being prepared at once. Saffron and Rocky hastily worked to get all their dishes out as quickly as possible, though Saffron did pause from time to time to smile and just watch her new chef act so focused that she could barely recognize him from his previous apathetic behavior.

When they were finally able to get the last customer out, they had to turn the open sign to close. Looking around, the tables and floor had gotten messy from from spilled food that may or may not have been inadvertently caused by Pinkie and Cheese making the customers bust a gut laughing. There was also a lot of whipped cream and pie tins all over the place, definitely a result from their hilarity.

Inside the kitchen, it was just as bad from the number of pots, pans, and dishes overflowing in the sink, splatters of food and even a broken dish or two that happened in their haste. Seeing such a mess and having to clean it was the last thing the four exhausted ponies wanted to deal with after having worked nonstop for the last few hours, but they were all in good spirits, even moreso now that they could finally sit down and have a chance to try some of Rocky’s spicy soup themselves.

“Where do they get all these whipped cream pies?” wondered Rocky as he saw the number of pie tins all over and couldn’t recall seeing them anywhere prior, but didn’t get the chance to ask before the conversation was steered towards him.

“So, how does it feel to have so many ponies enjoy your cooking?” asked Pinkie.

“It is nice, though a little exhausting,” he laughed. “Maybe I should go back to being an unfeeling nopony again. It’s a lot less work.”

“Oh, Rocky,” replied Saffron chuckling a little knowing he was just joking.

“I never actually thought I would ever feel comfortable anywhere without my friends,” Rocky admitted. “I mean I still miss them not being here, but now I know I’ll be okay. I don’t feel alone.”

“Cause you have friends here too,” smiled Saffron. “You don’t ever have to feel alone ever again.”

“Heheh, thanks,” he smiled cheerfully.

“And friendship mission complete!” cheered Pinkie leaping up excitedly. However, her three balloons Cutie Mark didn’t glow to signify this was so and for several seconds she was just hovering in midair waiting. She looked at her flank for a few seconds, wondering when her Cutie Mark would start to glow. “Uh, is this thing on? Maybe bad reception?”

“Uh, something wrong, Pinkie?” asked Cheese Sandwich helping her back to the ground.

“It’s weird,” she explained. “When I complete a friendship mission I get from the map, my Cutie Mark should glow when to signal I’m done. I mean, we found the problem, did some stuff, had a heart-to-heart moment and we were just wrapping the moral up with a lovely bow. This should all be done in the span of a good episode’s worth of twenty-two minutes… unless… you don’t think this is a two-parter?”

“Uh, what are you talking about?” asked Rocky.

“Just breaking the fourth wall,” she giggled. “Kind of my thing, but now is not the time for jokes. I have to figure out why this didn’t work.”

“Maybe this wasn’t the problem you were meant to fix?” suggested Cheese.

“It has to be,” argued Pinkie. “I mean it couldn’t be more obvious if he was holding a sign that said ‘friendship problem’ on it. Are you sure everything's okay now?”

“I think so?” Rocky replied. “I’m sure I’ll be happy working here, even if it means not going back to see my friends.”

“Not going back to see your friends,” repeated Pinkie in her mind and she suddenly seemed lost in thought.

“Uh, Pinkie?” called Cheese Sandwich attempting to get her attention. “Pinkie!”

“Huh? Who to the what now?” she cried flustered.

“You started spacing out,” he told her. “You feeling ok?”

“Uh, just been trying to think,” she replied. “Well, if the friendship problem isn’t here then we’ll just have to look elsewhere.”

“Even if this wasn’t why you had to come here,” Saffron told Pinkie. “I’m really glad that you did. You helped us out big time.”

“Yeah,” agreed Rocky. “Thanks. I don’t think I could have been able to go forward without you.”

“N-no problem,” giggled Pinkie laughing only on the outside while feeling worry on the inside and thinking, “Would I have go forward too… without my friends?”