//------------------------------// // A New Face // Story: A Time to Say Hello and Farewell // by Rapidfire //------------------------------// Pinkie Pie bounced down Ponyville’s main street, careful not to buck off a cake that was delicately balanced on her back. She was on her way to the hospital to cheer some young ponies up that were sick. As she neared the hospital, she saw an earth pony colt dejectedly playing in the yard she didn’t recognise. Pinky Pie’s eyes lit up in anxious anticipation to become this pony’s best friend. “This is the best day ever!!” she yelled, “Hello, my name is Pinkie Pie and what is yours, we are totally gonna be best friends forever and we are gonna eat cake and have parties and I’m gonna make you smile! Why the long face?” Pinkie Pie bounced in front of the colt, the excitement radiating off of her. The silver colt was missing his tail and his mane. He wore a head bandage and didn’t have a cutie mark. He looked sadly at Pinkie Pie. “My name is Cake Icing, and I will never get my cutie mark…” He shed a tear, but Pinkie reached out her hoof and caught it. Cake Icing looked up at Pinkie Pie, his sad, fearful gaze reaching her loving and caring gaze. His sadness melted away like ice, he felt happy for the first time in many months. He gently smiled, his expression becoming similar to Pinkie’s. Nopony had ever done something so nice for him. “See you just totally smiled, we are so best friends now and I am gonna totally help you get your cutie mark,” Pinkie Pie jumped high in the air. “Stay here while I go drop this cake off.” Pinky Pie was a blur of pink as she rushed into the hospital, eager to further become this pony’s friend. Cake Icing was alone again, just like he always was since he got sick. Pinkie Pie was energetic and upbeat which cheered him up when she was around him. But when she left, that emptiness and fear of being alone closed in on him again. He nervously began to play with his toy blocks. She was his one ray of sunshine on a day that was quickly ending. He hoped she would come back soon. Pinkie Pie darted out of the hospital with a balloon tied to her right front hoof, “Okay, Cake Icing, I’m back. I totally brought you a balloon I blew up in the hospital. Do you like it?” Pinkie Pie once again bounced up and down in anticipation. “We are so gonna do so many things together. I love doing lots of things.” Cake Icing’s face lit up, he darted to Pinkie Pie’s side and gave her a hug. “I love the balloon, and I would love to spend the day with you.” Pinkie Pie returned the hug, her warm and energetic motherly embrace enclosing his small, cold form. “Yay! Does this mean we are best friends?” He smiled, and looked at Pinkie “There is no question in my mind that you are my best friend. Can you throw a party?” he pulled away from the hug and took her hoof in his. “Can I throw a party? What kind of question is that, silly? I will introduce my new best friend to all of my friends at the party I’m gonna throw for you!” Pinkie Pie laughed, “There will be cake and Gummy and friends and my party cannon and music and drinks and did I mention cake?” She licked her lips hungrily gave Cake Icing the balloon. “Today is gonna be the best day ever!” yelled Cake Icing weakly. He let go of the balloon in celebration and let Pinkie Pie lead him down the road towards Ponyville. His happy steps had a weak bounce, and Pinkie toned down hers to match his. They happily walked in the sunshine through the town, ponies happily saying hello to both him and Pinkie. “This is Sugarcube Corner!” Pinkie Pie announced gleefully, “This is where we are gonna make your cake for the party! I’m gonna teach you how to bake and decorate and eat the cake with friends.” She licked her lips, “The best part, personally, is eating the cake with friends part.” Pinkie opened the door for Cake Icing. “Come on in silly, you can’t come in to bake your cake when you are outside!” Cake Icing’s jaw dropped, the size and colour of Sugarcube corner impressed him. It was certainly a unique building that set itself apart from the rest of Ponyville. He nodded at Pinkie Pie and followed her inside. They both got down to baking. Cake Icing received an hour of baking lessons from Pinkie. When the undecorated cake was taken out of the oven, Pinkie was impressed by the way the chocolate cake came out of the oven, “Cake Icing, you are a natural at cooking cakes, look how good this came out,” Pinkie Pie gleamed over the spongy chocolate cake, “Now it is time to decorate it! Here are your coloured icing tubes over there. If you feel up to helping me out, feel free to take one of those tubes and hop in!” Pinkie Pie was startled at how fast Cake Icing grabbed the tube of icing and began helping her, “Yay! My best friend forever is helping me! This is the best, best, best day ever!” Pinkie Pie and Cake Icing together put a base layer of blue down on the triple layer chocolate cake. Pinkie Pie wrote out “Welcome Cake Icing!” in silver letters while Cake Icing stuck his tongue out and worked diligently on a sugary Pinkie Pie to go next to Pinkie Pie’s sweet rendering of him. Pinkie Pie was rambling on and on about how happy she was to be with Cake Icing, but he was too focused on his work to listen to her. Pinkie Pie’s tail began to quiver, sending oscillations through her body, “Ohhhhh… Something big is going toooo happen. I get these sensatiooons all the timeeee, but this one is a biiiiiig one.” Her hooves and eyes began twitching. He stepped back and looked at his creation, it looked exactly like Pinkie Pie. He was ecstatic and full of happiness about he made, it felt like his special talent. There was a tingling sensation in his flank, he cried out with both excitement and fear at the feeling. Pinkie Pie was smiling and looking at his flank as well in excitement. Pinkie Pie jumped up in the air, throwing confetti everywhere, “Cake Icing, your cutie mark, look at your cutie mark! See silly, you did get to see your cutie mark! I am so happy for you! This is gonna call for an extra special celebration!” she bobbed up and down, admiring Cake Icing’s rendering of her on the cake. The cake had the image of a smiling Cake Icing holding Pinkie Pie’s hoof. The sweetness of the picture sent a tear of happiness down her cheek as she hopped up and down. Cake Icing was at a loss for words, he just stared at his cutie mark. It was a cake with blue icing on the top of it. His eyes welled up and tears began streaking down his face in happiness. It was all possible thanks to Pinkie believing in him. He was only able to manage to choke up a, “Thank you,” he hugged Pinkie warmly, “My best friend forever,” Pinkie returned the hug, gently holding him close. They looked at the cake, laughed, and cried for what seemed like forever. There was still much work to be done for the party, so both of them got back to work.