//------------------------------//
// Once Upon a Time 
// Story: We go together like Bubblegum & Bacon! 
// by Sense of Humor 
//------------------------------//

Busy was the middle name of the supermarket, and Sunset was more than happy to be apart of it.

She smiled as she heaved a heavy crate of cereal up from the ground and onto the shelf. It wasn't a surprise to her that people were already taking cereal from the very crate she moved; she expected nothing less to happen at this time of year. She looked across the aisle and then ever farther down, catching an eyeful of people crowded at the meat section--customers that looked like professional grillers. She could imagine even more bustling swarms of people around the snack section and the frozen meals section. She could even picture groups of people rushing their way through the electronics playground and the toy factory, each one grabbing a handful --or armful -- of things to buy. They were under the all-powerful curse of summer stocking, and most of them knew it.

Summer Stocking was a term she’d become familiar with in the past couple of years working for Prance-mart. In short, it was the feverish urge of families to buy many things in the first week of summer, from any stores that had the most to offer. Moms would sprint in to find toys and tablets to preoccupy their children when they were away running errands or celebrating with husbands. Husbands or even single men sucked the meat section dry of all its departments; poultry and seafood included. Anything you could grab and use to help relax during the two long months of summer, you ended up using. It was almost as bad as Christmas week but not nearly as bad as Black Friday.

Shuddering at the thought of Black Friday, Sunset practically skipped her way to the storage room to get another crate of supplies. Her journey back brought her past the candy aisle four rows down, where she spotted a familiar face reorganizing the bags of skittles.  Sunset stopped and waltzed down, a grin still on her face. “Mack, back from being sick?”

“Meh,” Mack said with disinterest, clearly not pleased with the polar opposite emotion thrown his way. Or the employee who was doing the throwing

“Great! Because we have a lot of work to do today, boss! All these customers, so little time.” She surveyed the bustling madness as she spoke, placing a hand on her hip. “I was heading to the back to pick up another cereal crate.”

The manager of the store blinked, staring at Sunset to determine whether or not she was just joking. “If you have to get a new crate already, you realize uou’re going to be making trips back forth several times right?”

“Fine by me. I don't stay this thin by...not exercising.” She said, tearing her eyes away from the customers after a while of contemplation.” You know, I just can’t imagine why they're never present during the summer. Just...before it.”

“Maybe because they actually take a vacation, unlike you.”

“My vacation is this place. It's fun, I interact with people and I get paid for it.” She started. Many conversations about the subject of days off were had, and that was minor in comparison to talks about actually using her vacation hours. “I don’t need to go out of state to feel comfortable.”

Mack stood up from his empty crate and walked alongside her. They both traversed a maze of traveling people, both heading towards the back of the supermarket side by side. “You should. I don't think I've ever hire a worker as persistent as you. You already work to the 40-hour mark and tackle college work in the same breath, and even when you have off days you try to cover for someone. Haven’t ever once considered taking a load off in an icy resort or a stroll on the beaches of the Bahamas? Anything?”

“Working hard leads to success. No one did anything lying down, you know.” Sunset hoisted her crate until she was holding it underneath one arm. They pushed their way through the swinging doors and entered the buzzard web of conveyor belts and truck parking spaces. “Besides, I still have a roommate to think about. Who knows if she wants a vacation anyway? I couldn't just leave her, she’d be lonely.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot; that girl with the pink hair…” He said with a sigh. He was probably remembering the surprise cake Pinkie sent him for his birthday. “Isn’t she your sister or something?”

“Childhood friend. I thought I told you when I first signed up to work here?” The young woman was of course more than happy to explain again since everyone often got the wrong impression from the way her friend greeted her at work. “Pinkie and I kinda grew up together since we met in middle school. We didn't go to the same high school, but we met up like we did and kinda agreed to attending the same college. Or, at least sharing the same apartment.” She shrugged. “We managed to do both, somehow.”

“She’s a lot more...energetic, maybe childish than you.”

“I chalk it up to it just being her personality. I’ve always liked it anyway.”

The man nodded. “Sounds like a close thing. You guys must hang out a lot when you're not at work.”

She scoffed. “Are you kidding? I've been too busy for that. We occasionally talk, so everything’s cool the way it is.” And it was; Pinkie was fine with just talking at night about their day, and the weather and other small talk subjects. Things were still strong between them.

Skeptically, Mack raised an eyebrow at her. “If you say so.”

“I know so.”





Pinkie smiled as she continued to plaster the freshly bought notebook in sparkling sapphire glitter.

Summer was probably the best time to let the creative juices flow through the hands of a born artist. There was a time, many years ago, where she thought creative juices were a tangible substance that she could get from anywhere. In time she learned the correct way to get creative juices in her head, and one key element was a relaxed environment. That was why summer was such a good time to get into art hobbies--there was nothing in the two-month future to stress you out. Especially not if you were Pinkie Pie.

Locked in a focus unbreakable unless prompted with candy, she marked glitter across the navy blue corners with a giddy smirk--much more happy than what you'd expect a twenty-year-old to be when decorating. Sky blue eyes directed every motion of her hands, while she bit her lip in the midst of her deep concentration. When it came to planning for something big, everything had to look good and she meant everything. This notebook would not play a small part in the big things the future had in store, so she had to be extra attentive to it or else everything could be in danger. Pinkie had worked too hard to let things crumble because of some bad decoration.

The contents of the notebook had already been filled to the brim with the things she needed to know or things she bought made of paper that only added to to the information. It took several long hours of internet searching to find everything in it and hours more to make sure that information could be trusted. If she was going to use any of it, it had to be reliable.

With the glitter done and drying, she had to work on the last but most important thing about the notebook. She picked up the black sharpie. All titles started in black, even if they were retracted in a different color. But black felt right for this notebook, despite all the bright designs she put on the notebook. "It's gotta be something really good. It needs a really fitting name."

Pinkie looked up at her wardrobe and settled her bright gaze on a picture held captive by a wooden Itse. Its paper surface captured the colorful memory of a much younger Pinkie Pie hugging a slightly older red and yellow-haired girl, who's laughing smile could warm a fireplace. A laugh that rivaled Pinkie's own, a giggle that only friends shared with each other. The salmon haired girl could just barely remember the last time she'd heard the girl in the picture laugh--like, really let herself laugh again. She wished she could hear it more often.

She wished could hear Sunset more often, and not her weak attempts at a small talk from time to time, as she copied down notes from her laptop or studied flashcards. She wished could see the Suneet from all those years ago, willing to travel into the yuckiest swamp barefoot or create a very complicated handshake for her pink haired friend. She would like that more than anything in the world.

Pinkie forced her smile back--still a lot of exciting fun to be had today and if Sunset was in the mood, then maybe Pinkie would finally reveal the surprise she'd been hinting at all week long. Whenever she did try to bring it up for discussion, Sunset would claim to be headed somewhere important or that she would be busy doing something in her room. By all accounts, Pinkie should have expected the worst.

But one can hope.





Sunset wheezed by the time she climbed the stairs to the third floor, phone nestled between her cheek and her shoulder. “ Well, Mr.Prohaska, one can never be too early to study for a fall semester test. Those happen as early as the end of the summer, and it's only two months long from now. " She swaggered down the hallway with a small grocery bag in her hand and a purse on the opposite shoulder. The sound of crickets could be heard beyond the voice on the phone, somewhere in her background. It went well with the setting sun and the approaching darkness of the night. "Just trying to get a headstart on things. That'll help keep me afloat to the end of the four years."

Awaiting a response, she turned the key in her apartment door and gently pushed it open. The light to the kitchen was on, illuminating the figure of a brightly colored roommate. She paused in the doorway, watching with surprise as Pinkie used tongs to flip two pieces of bacon over from their cooked side o their uncooked side. Sunset looked past her; cheesy eggs lay in a scrambled pile on a paper plate next to two sausage patties. Steam and smoke rose from both, though neither seemed burned. The smell made Shimmer's belly rumble slightly.

With an intrigued quiet unlike her earlier tone, she coughed. "Um...Thank you for sending the doc. I'll talk with you later." And then the phone was off, nestled in her pocket. "Um, hey, Pinkie."

"Hey, Sunset!" Pinkie had never looked up when Sunset walked in and still didn't. "Sorry about the smoke!"

There was hardly any smoke, and she didn't even smell any. Rolling her eyes, she smiled at Pinkie. "It's fine...Um, are you making breakfast? At this time of day?"

"At this time of night." Pinkie corrected.

Sunset smirked. "Kinda my point, you know. Why are you making this now?"

"To have Breakfast for Dinner, silly. Why else?" Pinkie tapped the tongs against the side of the pan, then winked noticeably. " And before you answer with something sarcastic, it's a representation of surprise. You were surprised when you saw me cooking this, after all! And I have a surprise for you when we start chowing down."

Intrigued, Sunset set her purse down on the backrest of one of the two chairs."Okay. If you say so." She went to her room and leaped out of the work clothes she had on, before sliding into Nike shorts and a black t-shirt. When she reappeared into the minuscule dining room, Pinkie had all the finished breakfast items separated into two plates at either end of the small table. A large magenta box sat beside Pinkie's plate, with a closed lid.

Pinkie looked like she was containing laughter."Take your seat and eat your fill!"

Sunset did as told, suspiciously eyeing the box between bites of the delicious breakfast dinner. What could be in it that Pinkie considered a surprise for her? Sunset ran through a small list of items in her mind; some hair curlers, a makeup kit, a new pair of heels, a very revealing dress...maybe a kitten? Sunset cringed; she hated the thought of having a pet in the apartment. Pinkie ate enough as it was.


Halfway through her food, she finally stopped and pointed at the concealed surprise. "Alright, gimme that box. I can't take this anymore."

Giggling like a mad woman, Pinkie slowly pushed it over to her. The glitter of the box sparkled in the dim light from above and the lid begged to be pulled away. Sunset did so without hesitation.

"...uh...Is..." Sunset slowly fished out a very large plastic pickle jar. Though, instead of pickles, it contained enough paper money inside to look tightly packed. She would recognize this jar anywhere, anytime. "Is this...your savings? The jarful of money you've collected over the years?"

Pinkie nodded, literally shaking with excitement. "Absa-tootly! Years and years of 5.25's saved up in that jar! I have exactly One Thousand, Eight hundred Eighty-two dollars in it!"

Nevermind why she would deliberately collect just 5.25--why was she showing this now. "Well, this is great. It's nearly a grande! What are you showing me for?"

"Look at the bottom of the box!"

She reached into the dark shadows of the box and retrieved a notebook small enough to fit inside it. At first she was distracted by the harsh shine of its surface; clearly Pinkie Pie had taken great measures to ensure it was pretty. But the title became clearing to her against the otherwise sparkling background. She squinted. 

"...The Idaho trip of Pinkie and Sunset?"

Pinkie exploded with soft giggles, her eyes sparkling. "That's right!" She clapped. "You and me--We're taking a weeklong summer road trip!"

Sunset choked on a piece of bacon.