//------------------------------// // Chapter Two : A Sugar-Coated Surprise // Story: CoH (Book Two) : Of Ancient Castles and Soldier Hassles // by Diespitris //------------------------------// “And here we have Southern Equestria's most famous bakery, Sugarcube Corner!” Mayor Mare's voice vibrated with excitement and pride as she waved one of her forelegs to dramatically show off the building of which she spoke. “They serve everything from cakes to pies, to cupcakes and donuts!” Flash's eyes widened. He thought The Tasty Treat back home was exuberant in its choice of color palate, but this was something else entirely. Sugarcube Corner was an establishment of pink, white, chocolate-brown, and purple, with a candled cupcake on top. It was cute, he thought. As a plus, it wasn't hidden away in the dimness of an alley's dead end—a melancholy place where nopony could find it and enjoy its treasures. “Can we go inside?” he asked. The warm and sugary scent tempted his belly into a low, hungry rumble. “Why, of course!” his guide exclaimed. On her way to the front door, she beckoned him to follow. “There's no better way than to meet your new neighbors than your first step into the Corner!” “Wait, really?” He trotted after her. “Is this place really that popu—” “Surprise!” The stallion nearly jumped out of his skin as a crowd of ponies shouted at him. His wings flared, the feathers ruffled, in an automatic display of his training. Make yourself look bigger! Mayor Mare patted his shoulder. “Easy, Flash, easy!” she laughed. “It's only a party!” He blinked. Slowly, his wings lowered and folded back up against his sides. “A... party?” A familiar pink earth mare bounced up to him. On her hoof balanced a platter, which was piled high with orange-and-blue frosted cupcakes. “Yeah, silly!” she chirped. “I heard you were coming, so I threw you a 'Welcome to Ponyville' party!” To his bewilderment, gravity had no effect on her as she reached out her free hoof to shake his. “I'm Pinkie Pie! We met at the Crystal Empire, remember?” “I do remember! You're one of Miss Twilight's friends!” Does that mean she's here, too? “Yeppers!” She offered him one of the cupcakes, which he took with gratitude. She then spun around to face the crowd. “Alrighty, everypony! The guest of honor is here, so let's make him feel welcome and get this party started!” The gathering of ponies erupted into a cheer. Somewhere in the back of the room, a gramophone scratched to life. Music, upbeat and soft, served as a pleasant backdrop as folks went about mingling. Flash didn't know what to do with himself. The last party thrown for him was... Heck, it was years ago—after he graduated from the Academy, and that was thrown by his overly-enthusiastic parents. Every party afterwards was one he was ordered to patrol. He always watched, he never participated. So, he watched from the corner near the front door, slowly munching on the cupcake he'd been given. He had to admit, it was the best cupcake he'd ever eaten. He could only imagine the quality of their other pastries. I need to try them all, I guess! Somepony approached him, startling him out of his thoughts. Someponies, actually, as the tiny group that broke away from the crowd was a triad of mares: a white unicorn, an orange earth pony wearing a stetson, and the yellow pegasus who seemed to be hiding behind them. “Why, hello there!” greeted the unicorn. “Flash Sentry, was it?” Flash swallowed down his last bite of cupcake. “That's me!” he replied, hoping that none of the pastry was stuck to his face. “Say, it was awfully nice for Miss Pinkie to throw this party. You Ponyville folks really know how to make a stallion feel welcomed.” “Oh, I'm glad, darling. It's the least we could do after... Well, you know.” He nodded. “Yeah, I know.” He cleared his throat. “You're Miss Rarity, right?” Her eyes lit up. “You are correct!” “Ah, good!” He tapped his chin as he turned his attention to the other two mares. “That makes you Miss Applejack and Miss Fluttershy!” Applejack tipped her hat. “Yep! Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Flash!” The smallest nuance of a smile appeared on Fluttershy's face. “It's nice to meet you.” “I'm surprised you remember us,” Rarity commented, the delight obvious from the sound of her voice. Flash tilted his head. “Why wouldn't I? You gals are the Elements of Harmony!” “Shucks,” laughed Applejack. “We're simple, small-town ponies. No need to get starstruck.” Rarity huffed. “Speak for yourself!” “Anyway, we're not always fightin' monsters and facin' down power-hungry hoodlums.” She poked the stallion in the shoulder. “My family and I own Sweet Apple Acres, for example. We grow the best apples in all of Equestria!” “And I,” added Rarity, “own The Carousel Boutique!” “She sells dresses.” “Dresses I designed!” “Yep. And Fluttershy here tends to sick 'n injured animals.” Fluttershy nodded ever so slightly. “Rainbow Dash works for the local weather factory,” she said, her voice soft, “and Twilight is the librarian for the Golden Oaks Library.” Her ears folded back against her head. “They're not here, though...” Flash tried to not let his disappointment show. Applejack rolled her eyes. “Sorry about that. Rainbow's busy scheduling tomorrow's thunderstorm and Twilight's...” She blinked. “Actually, I don't know where that girl is.” “Hold on a second, darling.” Rarity turned around. “Spike!” The baby dragon stopped in the middle of refilling his glass of punch. “Yes?” he retorted loudly. “Spike, darling, where's Twilight?” Shrugging, he ladled his glass full, before he ran up to them. “You got me,” he said. “She was gone when I woke up this morning. She had some stuff for me to send to Princess Celestia, though, but that was it.” “Ah, shame,” she sighed. Then, she smiled. “Oh, well, she's bound to turn up eventually. For now, let's introduce you to some of the others.” “There's an idea!” exclaimed Applejack. “Folks will love to meet ya, with you bein' another member of Ponyville's finest!” Flash chuckled. “I wouldn't go that far. I'm simply a guard—nothing more, nothing less.” “Don't be so modest,” retorted Rarity. She began to walk towards a nearby gathering. “Come, come! Meet everypony!” When Flash didn't move quite fast enough, Applejack jumped behind him and pushed. “You heard the lady! Go on, git!” He yelped. “I'm going! I'm going!” And he, indeed, went, despite the fact he was a little disappointed the one pony he hoped to see wasn't there.