Ponies have been doing whatever they can just to find those passes, including robbing stores, auctioning them off, holding ransoms and even using computers. And none of them worked. Ponies all over the kingdom are getting more and more antsy each day knowing the last golden factory pass is out there somewhere.
The newscaster mare has received a piece of paper and is in shock. She quickly puts on her headphones and turns on her mic.
“Attention, everypony. Breaking news. It’s all over. The last golden factory pass has been found. I repeat, the last golden factory pass has been found.”, she says. “We are now receiving a phone call from Applewood. Caller, you’re on the air.”
“Hello, there. My name is Svenerto Minugallop. I’m calling to confirm that I am the one who has found the last golden factory pass.”
At the Rock Farm homestead, Pinkie’s family are listening to the broadcast as Svengallop continues his call.
“After I was fired by Equestia’s finest singer, I have been trying to get back on my hooves. But when I heard about this contest, I thought this could be my shot to be at the top again.”, he continues. “I could sell all kinds of candy...”
“Cloudy, just turn it off.”, Nana says discouraged.
Cloudy sighs and turns off the radio.
“Well, that’s that. No more passes.”
“Ugh, why did that guy have to find the pass, but not our sister?”, Limestone asks.
“Pinkie’s not going to be happy when she hears about this.”, Marble says.
Unbeknownst to them, Pinkie happens to be listening from upstairs.
“Pinkie’s the happiest pony in all of Equestria. It would break her heart if she knew about this.”, Maud says.
“I don’t know who’s going to relay this news.”, Cloudy says.
“I think it’s best if we just tell her tomorrow. She has to go help her friend at her school.”
Her mane and tail wither and tears stream down her eyes.
The next day at the School of Friendship, Twilight Sparkletine is teaching her class another lesson.
“Now, everpony, we are going to learn about another form of magic. And that’s quantity reveal spells.”, she says. “Now what I mean by that is we’re going to determine how many of whatever can we unveil with just a simple spell. Of course, I’ll need one of my friends to assist me. Pinkie.”
Pinkie slowly rises with a frown and her mane and tail straight. She sighs and looks to Twilight.
“Hi, Twilight.”
“Whoa. Pinkie, you don’t look so good. What happened?”
“I’d rather not talk about it. Let’s just start the lesson.”
“OK, then.”, Twilight says reluctantly.
She turns back to her class.
“Now some of my friends have helped out with the recent contest and has told me how many pieces of candy they unwrapped. Now I’m going to tell you a number of how many pieces of candy they unwrapped and one of you try to answer which spell could be used to unwrap that amount in one sitting.”
She clears her throat and begins.
“OK, first, my friend, Rarity had opened four hundred pieces of candy. Who knows what spell could be used to open that many.”
Foals raise their hooves and Twilight points to a filly.
“Yes, you there.”
“A politornious spell?”, the filly asks.
“Correct.”
“Now, my other friend, Fluttershy opened seven hundred pieces of candy. What spell can open that many?”
The foals raise their hooves again and Twilight points to a colt.
“You there.”
“A totsugholisha spell?”, the colt asks.
“That’s right.”
“OK, Pinkie, how many did you open?”, she asks her friend.
“Two.”, she says depressed.
“Alright. Now Pinkie has open two thousand pieces of candy. Now how many…?”
“Twilight.”, she interrupts. “I didn’t say two thousand. I just said two.”
“Two? Just two? Pinkie, I thought you of all ponies would have opened about two million pieces of candy by now. Why would you only open two?”
“Yeah. That’s what everypony would expect. Even the readers of this story.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind. It’s just that my family doesn’t care that much about candy.”
“I’m sorry, Pinkie, but even a newborn unicorn foal would figure out what spell to use for two pieces. How about we just say you opened two thousand?”
“OK.”, she replies carelessly.
“Now, class, if Pinkie opened two thousand pieces of candy, what spell would open that many?”
As Twilight lectures, Pinkie just sulks and completely blocks out the lesson her friend is giving.
Later, Pinkie walks around Ponyville still moping. The other citizens notice her but decide not to speak to her as they assume she doesn’t feel like talking to anypony at the moment. As she continues to walk, a glare catches her attention. She turns to the source of the glare and notices a gold bit on the grass. She picks it up and looks at it. She looks behind her and sees Bon Bon’s candy shop. She looks back and forth between the shop and the bit.
“Maybe some candy will cheer me up.”, she says to herself.
She then enters the shop. Inside she sees Bon Bon organizing jars of jellybeans.
“Hey, Bon Bon.”
She stops and looks behind her.
“Pinkie, long time no see. How have you been doing?”, she asks.
“Doing fine, I guess.”
“Oh, I know that look. That’s your ‘my dream has been taken from somepony else’ face, isn’t it?”
Pinkie sighs.
“You read me like a book.”
“Maybe some candy will put a smile on your face.”
“I hope so.”
“Now what can I get for you?”
“What’s the biggest piece of candy you have?”
“Well, I do have a del-ectabl-icious bar.”
“Alright. I’ll take that.”
“OK, that’ll be one bit, please.”
Pinkie gives her the bit and takes the bar.
“Yeah. After the contest ended, business hasn’t been as busy as before.”, Bon Bon tells her.
“Bon Bon, your candy is worth more than anything. I’m sure you’ll have more customers again.”, she says as she eats the bar.
“Pinkie, take it easy of the chocolate, you’ll get a tummy ache.”
“Sorry.”, she says as she finishes. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”, Bon Bon says before going back to her jellybeans.
Pinkie is about to leave before she stops and thinks about something. She then goes back to the counter.
“Hey, Bon Bon.”
“Yes.”
“Actually, I’d like to buy another piece of candy for my Nana Pinkie.”
“Nana Pinkie is here? My gosh I haven’t seen her since she moved away to Vanhoover.”
“Yes. She’s only visiting though.”
“Hmm.”, Bon Bon thinks. “Tell you what, since you care about her that much, you can have a plain Blonka bar free of charge.”
“Really?”, she asks.
“Of course. Give my condolences to your grandmother.”
“Thank you, Bon Bon.”
She takes the bar and leaves the shop. Suddenly, as soon as she leaves the shop, she hears ponies exclaiming as they gather around a radio stand. Pinkie raises an eyebrow.
“What’s going on over there?”, she queries.
She then walks to the stand and listens to the broadcast.
“News flash. The final golden factory pass is a fake. I repeat, the final golden factory pass is a fake.”, the news mare says. “Svenerto Minuallop has stated he bought a pass from the FlimFlam brothers and all three of them have been taken into custody by the royal guards. We have this exclusive recording from the stallions.”
The news mare plays the recording.
“Those idiots said that I would be rich and famous again if I helped them! I should have never resorted to trusting con artists!”, he exclaims.
“Uh, brother, do you think it’s too late to start signing our wills?”, Flim asks.
“Brother, we had to sell our will to pay for the mortgage.”, Flam says.
The recording ends.
“That means the fifth and final golden factory pass is still out there somewhere. Whoever finds it will be the talk of the century.”, the mare says.
The news makes Pinkie’s mane and tail reinflate themselves. Pinkie now knows the fifth pass is out there somewhere. She walks away from the stand in disbelief.
“The pass is still out there. But where?”, she asks herself.
She then has a thought. She takes out the bar she was gonna give to her grandmother.
“Could it be?”
She then unwraps it slowly. And as she opens it the inside of the wrapper starts glowing. Her eyes widen as she continues to unwrap it. She unwraps it and sees what she thought she would never be able to see, the last golden factory pass. She takes out the pass and drops the bar. She is marveled by it and smiles again, until she is interrupted by another mare.
“Hey! She found the last golden factory pass!”
The mare drags the other mare with the pass and the other citizens crowd her asking to give it to them. She starts getting crushed by them, until Mrs. Cake intervenes.
“Back off, everpony. She found that ticket fair and square. Nopony else can have it.”, she shouts. “Go, Pinkie. Hurry on home. And don’t stop until you get there.”
Pinkie takes the pass and starts galloping off to her home.