//------------------------------// // Pinkie's Family Matters // Story: Pinkie & the Candy Factory // by Zenitram Nadroj //------------------------------// The Ponyville clock tower rings signaling all of the citizens to end their activities and head straight home. At the Ponyville Schoolhouse, foals gallop out of the building and head out to the streets. "Hey, Silver, like, I bet I could get the newest piece of candy before you do.", Diamond says. "You're on, Diamond. You'll be eating my dust instead.", Silver mocks. Soon they all gather and enter Bon Bon’s candy shop. Bon Bon comes out and is surprised to see how many foals were at the counter. "Oh, my.", she says in shock. "Well, I better get to work." She then hurries and gives them their orders. “Alright, I’ve got a s’mores cookie pie for Sweetie Belle, A zapp apple taffy rope for Apple Bloom, and a bag of gumdrop gummi bears for Scootaloo.”, she says as she gives the candy to the foals. “And listen, I just received a brand new variation this morning.” “What is it?”, the foals ask. She reaches back and pulls out a half foot long bar of chocolate. She then shows it to the foals. “This is called a del-ectable-icious bar.” “Del-ectable-icious bar?”, Sweetie Belle asks. “How does he do it?” “Well, my dear little filly, do you ask a griffon how it lays its eggs?”, Bon Bon asks her. “No.” “Or a changeling how it changes?” “No.” “No, you don’t. They only do them, because they were born to do them. Just like how Billiard Blonka was born to be a sweets stallion. And you look like you were born to be a Blonkateer.”, Bon Bon says to her with a smile. She then shows the foals all kinds of candy that Blonka has made and they are all facinated by them. (Song for This Scene Here) “Now who wants some sour lemon bubblegum?”, she asks. The foals then charge at the counter. Meanwhile, staring from the window was Pinkie Piecket. She stares gloomily, because she had no bits to spend for any candy. Even though she loved candy more than any other flavor. "I really wish I could have some of that candy. I would give up my entire rock collection just to eat a single piece of chocolate. Although I'm not sure if I could since all of my rocks are almost identical and odds are that I'll find more rocks like that...", she says to herself before realizing she was going on a tangent. "Oh, right. This is supposed to be a slice of life story." She composes herself and looks gloomily through the window again. "Oh, well. Some ponies aren't meant to always get what they want. Ok, that's enough sadness. Back to being happy." She then hops back to Sugar Cube Corner and approaches the counter. “Good afternoon, Mrs. Cake.”, she says. “Good afternoon, Pinkie.”, Mrs. Cake replies. “I’m sorry I’m late.” “It’s alright, dear. I’ve got another five batches of cupcakes for you to deliver.” She gives Pinkie the new batches of cupcakes. “Mrs. Cake, isn’t it pay day today?”, Pinkie asks. “Oh, you’re right. Here you go.” Mrs. Cake gives Pinkie five bits and she puts it in her saddle bag. “Thanks, see you tomorrow.”, she says before she hops out. “Goodbye, Pinkie.” Pinkie hops all around Ponyville delivering the batches to various citizens. She then hops on her way home until she stops. She turns and sees Blonka’s candy factory right in front of her. The factory then stops and turns off its lights. “There’s no use in trying to get in, young mare.”, a creepy elderly stallion says to her. “Those gates are always closed. Nopony ever goes in. Nopony ever comes out. You might as well stop trying.” He then walks away without another word. Pinkie is disturbed by the stallion’s words. "Ok. Goodbye elderly stallion who has no relevance to this chapter.", she says before she gallops off to her home. At the Rock Farm homestead, Pinkie’s mother, Cloudy Quartz is making dinner for her family. “Pinkie’s late again.”, Pinkie’s sister, Marble says. “I don’t know why she has to work hard just to deliver cupcakes.”, her other sister, Limestone sighs. “One of these days, we should go to that bakery and request that she take some time off.” “Calm thyself, Limestone. Pinkie works hard to provide nourishment for us.”, their mother says. “We have not been blessed with the lives of other high class ponies.” Their other sister, Maud sighs. “If only dad were still alive.”, she says. “He’d know what to do.” “I know thou art all still concerned with your sister. But now is no time for anymore moping.”, she says as she gives them stone soup. Just then, Pinkie enters with glee. “Hi, everypony.”, she says. "I'm sorry I'm late. I would tell you what happened, but the author won't allow me to give any exposition. But I really wish I want to explain myself. There were so many kinds of obstacles while I was galloping, which is odd since I usually hop to travel..." She then realizes she was rambling again and composes herself. "Sorry. Moving on." Her mother and sisters are happy to see her. She greets her sisters and mother with kisses. “Hi, Marble. Hi, Limestone. Hi, Maud. Hi, Mom. I’m so happy to see you all.” “Oh, don’t mind me.”, an elderly voice says. She turns and sees her Nana Pinkie lying on her mattress. “Nopony ever remembers to say hello to an elderly mare.” Pinkie hops to her grandmother. “Oh, Nana Pinkie, there’s no way I would ever forget you.” She gives her a kiss and hugs her. “It’s good to see you too, Pinkie.”, Nana says. "In case you can't tell since this is all in text, Nana Pinkie looks like an elderly version of myself." "Come now, Pinkie. There's no need to give to much explanation to the readers." "Oh, and she can break the fourth wall like I do.", she giggles. Pinkie looks on her grandmother's mattress and sees a bowl of stone soup. “Nana, stone soup again?”, she asks. “Well, it’s all we could be able to afford, Pinkie.”, her grandmother says. “Mother is right, Pinkie. Ever since your father passed on, business here hasn’t been as busy as it was.”, Pinkie’s mother says. “We couldn’t even afford seasonings for our supper.” “I’m sorry, Mom. It’s just I’m tired of eating stone soup every day. That’s why I’ve earned enough bits to purchase this.” She reaches into her saddle bag and pulls out a three foot baguette. Her grandmother, mother and sisters are astonished. “Pinkie, where did you get that?”, Limestone asks. “Oh, Limestone, what difference does it make where she got it.”, Nana says. “The important thing is she got it. You see what she means by the author not allowing her to give any exposition?” Pinkie takes the baguette and cuts it into six pieces. One for each family member. She puts them all on plates and gives them to her family. “This was my first paid item.” “I’m so proud of you, Pinkie.”, her mother says. “Tonight, we feast with real food.” “Mom.”, she says as she pulls out some bits from her saddle bag. “Here’s my change for today. You can keep it.” Pinkie gives her mother some of the change, but she still holds on to one gold bit. “Nana, from now on, I’m going to pay for your rent.” “No, Pinkie. You don’t have to, because when I can walk again, I’m going back to Vanhoover soon.”, she says. Her daughter sighs. “Come now, mother, thou has only stayed for a fortnight.” “Well, Cloudy, a fortnight is not enough. But love from your daughter, that lives forever.” “Come on, Nana. Take it.” Her grandmother thinks hard and decides to reluctantly take the bit. "Ok, Pinkie. How about you wait until night time to tell me about your trip back home.", Nana says. "Don't worry, Nana. The readers won't stick around for long. The author will cut right to night time now.", Pinkie replies. Later at night time, the family were fast asleep. They were asleep except for Pinkie and her grandmother. “On my way back from my deliveries, I found Blonka’s candy factory. As soon as a looked at it, a strange elderly stallion approached me. I thought he was just a humble landscaper.”, she whispers. “And he said something weird to me. He told me that the gates were always closed, Nopony ever goes in. Nopony ever comes out.” “He was right, of course.”, her grandmother said. “Those gates have been closed since that tragic incident.” “What incident?” “Well, years ago, before you were born, Blonka was the most successful candy maker in all of Equestria. He had made candy that made children happy for generations. "Doesn't that seem strange since there are other candy making companies besides Blonka's?", Pinkie asks. "Well, sure. But those brands weren't nearly as good as Blonka's.", her grandmother points out. "Anyway, He always made children happy, but his reception wasn’t always positive.” “What do you mean?” Nana sighs and continues with her story. “All of Blonka’s employees have grown jealous of him. They were creating the candy, but Blonka was taking all of the credit. They were so jealous, that they started sending in spies to steal all of his recipes. But the worst one of all was Chaosworth.” “That’s sounds horrible.”, Pinkie says. “Yes. But it wasn’t long until Blonka found out what his employees were doing. So he fired them all and shut down his factory. For years, nopony has ever seen or heard from him after that.” Pinkie frowns at the tragedy. "That's a really sad story. And one time, I dropped my favorite doll in a sandbox." “But then, one day, a miracle happened.”, her grandmother adds. Pinkie grows intrigued. "What happened?" “All the lights were on, the vents exhausted and the machines were turning. The factory was officially back in business. And more and more candy was being made and sold than ever before. There were even new and improved varieties. But the gates remained closed. That way nopony, not even Chaosworth can steal one.” “But, Nana. There’s gotta be somepony who’s helping Mr. Blonka make all of that delicious candy. After all he fired all of his employees. I mean who’s helping him?” “That’s a good question, Pinkie. But there’s no answer to that. Nopony knows who’s helping him. That is the biggest question that desperately needs to be answered.” Pinkie then yawns and gets off of her grandmother’s mattress. “You better get to bed, dear. It’s late.” “Yeah, you’re right. I better get ready to help Twilight and the others at the School of Friendship.”, her granddaughter says. “Goodnight, Nana.” “Goodnight, Pinkie.” Nana falls asleep on her mattress, while Pinkie groggily walks to her own room. She lies on her bed and stares out her window. Through the window is the candy factory as it shuts down its lights. “I’ll figure out the mystery. One day I will. Goodbye everyone. See you in the next chapter.”, she says before she falls asleep.