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// Last Customer Of The Day 
// Story: Chocolate Cake and Cruel Heartache 
// by WannaFlugelHorn 
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Pinkie simply hated giving out less than perfect pastries. All customers deserved the best! Even slightly stale goods would most likely be thrown into the garbage at the end of the day, along with any other deformed sweets. She deeply regretted not having enough time to prepare something small but proper for Sonata, even if it meant giving up some of her paycheck to fill the profit loss. Luckily for her, not many people showed up between 2:00 and 4:30, as it was always to late for lunch but too early for dinner. This time was usually spent preparing orders to be picked up later, but, with permission from Mrs. and Mr. Cake, she brought in her own ingredients from home the next day, using the time to make something for Aria.

"But what would she like . . ." Pinkie pondered. "Well, she's used to eating negative energy, I'm glad at least she can eat regular food too, perhaps something that tastes like negative energy? But what does that taste like? Not sweet . . . sour maybe, or . . . bitter? Yes, bitter!"

Pinkie Pie poured her ingredients out onto the table, looking for anything that could classify as 'bitter.' Her trained eye quickly met with the dark chocolate she'd brought, then some coffee beans.

"Maybe even some strawberries? They'd work best as a topping considering I don't think Sonata would like frosting."

Deciding these would work best, she got to preparing the cake, trying to figure out how to use as little sugar as possible while making sure they cake would remain fairly moist, one of the aspects that sugar brought to the table. Wanting to be sure, Pinkie prepared small amounts of multiple batters, forced to make three very small sized cakes per different mixture. This way, she could test the flavor of each one, and give the best one to Sonata.

"This effort will all be worth it. She needs my help, and how could she not talk to me after a taste?"



Pinkie watched as Rainbow Dash walked over to the door, a red velvet cake in her arms. 'Happy Birthday' was spelled on its top, the perfect treat for Rainbow's Dad tomorrow. Setting it on a table, Rainbow stuck a bunch of fat candles around the letters, which she knew her dad loved to lick after they were pulled from the cake, the vanilla icy being pulled into his mouth. Pinkie smiled at this, the premium frosting had cost extra, as well as red velvet flavoring. It proved just how much Rainbow cared about her dad, who'd taken her to her first air show, inspiring Rainbow's dream of becoming a pilot, as well as a guitarist.

"Have a sweet day!" Said Pinkie, watching as her friend once again picked up the cake and headed to the door.

Rainbow Dash chuckled.

"Do you really have to say that stupid catchphrase every time a customer leaves?"

"Of course I do, silly!" Replied Pinkie, with a wink. "How else would we get them to leave with a smile?"

Rainbow laughed once more before kicking open the door and stepping outside.

Pinkie let out a sigh of relief. With only an hour before the store would no longer be open, Sonata could've showed up at anytime during their conversation, and with Rainbow Dash in the equation, things would've been a disaster. Sonata would've been scared out of her wits!

Of course, Pinkie Pie didn't know exactly when Sonata would show up, but she wasn't going to let the time go to waste. She started to close up shop once again, first by pushing in chairs, then sweeping the floors. After all crumbs were dumped in the small trash can in the corner, Pinkie pie removed the black bag from it, and put it in the dumpster behind Sugar Cube Corner. Then Pinkie organized the kitchen, washing and putting away bowls, plates, spoons, forks, measuring cups, you name it. Just as Pinkie hung her apron on a hook, Pinkie heard the door open. She rushed from the back to the counter.

"Sonata!" Pinkie said, throwing her arms in the air. She was especially exited to see that Sonata looked slightly more comfortable than she did yesterday, even if she still constantly made glances at Pinkie when she took out the two cakes she's made for her. She, as said before, already taste tested the first of the trio. Pinkie placed the sweets on a small plate before placing them in front of Sonata.

"I'm so happy you came back! I mean, I knew you wouldn't really want to, and you know there was no way I could keep you to your promise, so I just thought-

"Um, what are those?" Sonata asked, pointing to the cakes.

"Oh, right! They're for you! Do . . . do you like bitter foods?"

"I . . . don't really know."

"What?"

"I don't know. I've been eating chips and nuts and stuff from the gas station about two blocks away from here. They don't really have anything bitter."

"You've . . . you've been eating there for two and a half weeks?

"I mean, not everyday, It's hard to find enough change in the streets."

Pinkie had to try her best not to cry, but her cheeks still grew hot and her eyes began to itch.

"W-where have you been sleeping?"

"I . . . I don't wanna talk about it . . ."

Sonata looked uneasy by all the questions. Her hands began to shake. Pinkie knew the only thing keeping her from the door was the food in front of her.

"Here, eat. They're for you."

Pinkie only realized then that she hadn't given Sonata a fork, but it didn't matter. Sonata's hand had already grabbed hold of one of the cakes as the stuffed if past her teeth and straight to her throat. This time Pinkie couldn't stop the tears. She rushed to the store's bathroom, mumbling something about the cupcake bits still on her face, hoping, praying, that Sonata wouldn't leave after she closed the door behind her.