In the town of Ponyville, another magical day is in progress. The town residents wandered about, having fun and enjoying the daily activities. On this day, Twilight Sparkle and her number one assistant, Spike, made their way through town reminiscing over their most recent adventures. In such a short time, they’ve traveled to two different world and foil a great evil from tearing it to shreds. It began with their travels to Oz, where they helped Dorothy defeat the Wicked Witch of the West, followed by a trip to Spooky Island, where they discovered Chrysalis had returned and stopped her from seizing power to control the globe for thousands of years.
Speaking of which, Chrysalis was a huge factor. Ever since the Mane Six returned from Spooky Island, Twilight Sparkle had been researching nonstop trying to figure out how Chrysalis, Tirek, and even Cozy Glow were freed of their imprisonment. The only clue she had to go by was their allegiance with a mysterious benefactor, but even then, she had no idea ‘who’ or even ‘what’ it was. She skimmed through every possibility to uncover the identity of this benefactor, particularly any being with a long history against Equestria, but thus far she’s come up empty-hoofed every time.
Thankfully, not everything was entirely bad news. Between their travels and encounters with some new friends, she was able to conduct some work with Princess Celestia, to fully stabilize the vortex emanating from the television. This way, the magic stemming within the black box would be easy control to allow the ponies easy transport rather than complete randomness. All they needed now was a reason to conduct an experiment to prove it works.
“AHHHHHHH!!!”
A loud scream drew Twilight Sparkle from her thoughts, as she and Spike turned toward the distance where it came from.
“Spike, you heard that, right?”
“I’m sure all of Equestria heard it,” Spike responds, holding his ears.
“Only ‘one’ pony I know would scream like that…”
“Pinkie Pie!!!” Twilight and Spike said, in unison.
Speaking of which, the little pink party pony herself barreled down the street at super sonic speed. So fast, she created a huge draft that nearly knocked over many other unfortunate ponies in its wake. Even Cranky Doodle and his wife, Matilda, who were just crossing the street, minding their own business, felt the wind pass so quick his wig goes flying off much to his annoyance.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!!!” Twilight shouts, holding her hooves in front of her. “Pinkie, slow down! STOP!!!”
Seeing her friend, Pinkie Pie drove her hooves deep onto the dirt road, skidding along the rest of the way till she halts right in front of her friend. Poor little Spike’s eyes were so wide with fear, they looked as if they’d pop out his head as he clutched his heart which thumped rapidly against his chest.
“Twilight!” Pinkie exclaimed, quickly. “Thank Celestia, I found you! You got to hurry! It’s terrible, it’s horrible, it’s so bad I don’t think I can come up with the word to describe it. It’s somewhere between horrible and volatile… HORRITILE! Yeah, that’s what it is! YOU GOT TO FOLLOW ME!”
Pinkie Pie pulled Twilight Sparkle with all her might, running rapidly through town. Twilight couldn’t keep up and eventually gets pulled across the ground. Spike held onto Twilight’s tail, as he himself was dragged across the ground like a water-skier. Eventually, they arrived at Sugar Cube Corner, Pinkie finally stops allowing Twilight to let go.
“YEOW!!!” Spike screams, clutching his feet. “HOT FEET! HOT FEET! OUT OF MY WAY! OUT OF MY WAY!”
Spike hops around madly, bouncing on one foot after another. At one point, he takes a foot, which was red along the bottom, desperately blowing to fan the heat to no avail. Eventually, he sees a nearby wooden tank of water and desperately hops in, sighing as his feet steam against the cold water.
“This is no time for a cold drink!” Pinkie said, desperately. “You really need to see this!”
Twilight Sparkle, meanwhile, just pulled herself off the ground. Her coat was covered in dirt, her mane completely matted. As Spike dragged himself out of the wooden tub, all that cloud dust had made the little dragon filthy while his feet were still red. One touch with a single claw against his feet and Spike reeled back due to the stinging sensation.
“Pinkie Pie!” Twilight began, coughing up dirt. “Did you really have to drag us through town like this?”
“In this case, literally?!” Spike asked, loudly.
“Sorry guys, but you really need to see this!” Pinkie exclaimed. “This is bad, like really, really, REALLY bad! Go, go, go, go, go!!!”
Pinkie ushered Twilight and Spike into the bakery, covering her eyes with one arm as she points with her tail. As Twilight and Spike looked around, they couldn’t understand what Pinkie was talking about. For the most part, everything about the bakery looked completely normal. Nothing was broken nor did anything seem out of place. The two little Cake twins were playing happily, while Mr. and Mrs. Cake were setting up to start the day. Otherwise… Everything looked fine.
“Uh Pinkie, what exactly is the problem?” Twilight asked.
Pinkie Pie removes her hoof from her eyes, turning to Twilight with an ‘Are you kidding me?’ look.
“Look around, Twilight!” She shouts, pointing in various directions.
“Yes, I can see all around the bakery,” Twilight notes. “But there doesn’t seem like anything’s wrong.”
“Except there IS something wrong, Twilight! THERE… ARE… NO… CUSTOMERS!!!”
Twilight groans with a hoof-palm, while Spike just growled to the side. Now Twilight Sparkle may admit that she has a bad habit of making a fuss over tiny things, but it gets annoying when some pony like Pinkie Pie starts making a big deal out of nothing. At that moment, the doors burst open as the rest of the Mane Six flew in.
“Is everything, alright?” Rainbow asked. “I heard some pony yelling all the way across Cloudsdale!”
“That would be Pinkie Pie,” Spike grumbled.
“Oh my, whatever’s the matter, Pinkie darling?” Rarity asked, concerned.
“Well, according to her,” Twilight explains. “Apparently Sugar Cube Corner doesn’t have customers and suddenly there’s a problem so terrible there are no words to describe it.”
Hearing this, even the remainder of the Mane Six couldn’t help but groan and shake their heads.
“Pinkie, Pinkie, Pinkie…” Applejack spoke, shaking her head. “Just because there ain’t no customers right now, don’t mean there’s a big fuss. Ah’m sure more customers will come on by later.”
But Pinkie Pie just shook her head rapidly, to the point where it seemed likely to fall off.
“You don’t understand, A.J.!” Pinkie panicked. “The shop has had no customers for days! Yesterday, today, and tomorrow! Okay, I don’t know about tomorrow… But at least all for the last week and a half!”
Now suddenly this drew every pony’s attention. Sure, it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Sugar Cube Corner didn’t have customers ‘everyday’… But no customers for over a week? Now this was odd, seeing as how this bakery’s the most popular spot for sweets and goodies. Twilight turned toward the Cakes, who had been listening the whole time. One look toward the pair and they nodded sadly at the fact.
“But how is that possible, Mr. and Mrs. Cake?” Twilight asked. “You have the best sweets in all of Ponyville!”
“We don’t know why this is happening, either,” Mr. Cake shrugged, sadly. “One day this place was jam packed with customers and the next day POOF… No pony.”
Suddenly, the little Cake twins started crying, drawing Mrs. Cake to trot over and pick up the little foals. She approaches her husband, handing Pumpkin Cake to him while holding Pound Cake. The Cakes each produced a bottle, which both kids gladly started drinking.
“I tell you dears, if we don’t get a customer soon, I’m afraid it won’t be too long till we won’t be able to pay for food for ourselves or our little bundles of joy,” Mrs. Cake explains, sadly. “We may even have to consider… ‘Selling’ Sugar Cube Corner, oh…”
This made Twilight’s eyes widen in complete shock. Mr. and Mrs. Cake selling Sugar Cube Corner? That could not happen. Why, if the Cakes did sell the bakery, Ponyville loses one of its favorite sweet shops. Even worse, not only would the Cakes be out of business, but Pinkie Pie would probably have to move out.
“Isn’t there some way we can try to drum up some business?” Fluttershy asked.
“We’ve tried just about everything we can think of,” Pinkie answered. “Advertising, specials, I even tried playing the Yavidophone!”
The girls and Spike turn to each other, slightly horrified. They could just picture the image in their heads: Pinkie Pie playing that confounded instrument, one she claimed to love so much, so horribly that the horrid notes scared every pony in sight.
“No wonder there’s no customers,” Spike jokes to himself.
“Spike!” Twilight scolds.
“Hey, to be fair, I’ve actually been taking some constructive criticism and have been practicing so I sound better!” Pinkie argued.
“Of course,” Applejack nods.
“Yeah, sure you have,” Rainbow replied.
“Absolutely,” Rarity speaks.
“Mm-hmm,” Fluttershy nods, speechlessly.
“I DID!!!” Pinkie argued.
Just then, the door flew open again causing every pony to turn. Sitting in the doorway, a rather large gift box, all wrapped up with a red box, sat very still. Those in the room currently faced each other confused, until Twilight uses her magic to slowly bring the box toward the center of the room.
“Wonder what this is all about?” Twilight asked.
Using her magic again, she slowly unwrapped the ribbon off the box and the lid flew wide open, spreading confetti everywhere. Suddenly, out from the box, popped none other than the only other party pony Equestria heard of. The pony with the wild brown mane, a yellow shirt for clothes, and a certain ‘grilled’ sandwich for a cutie mark…
“HEY THERE, EVERYPONY!” The colt shouts, merrily.
“Special guest star, Cheese Sandwich!!!” Pinkie gasped.
Insert applause effect here.
“That’s right, you’re friendly neighborhood Cheese Sandwich has arrived!” Cheese Sandwich declared, excitedly. “I’m back, I’m better, and I’m here to liven things up!”
Cheese Sandwich bounced from the box, pulling out a large beach ball, which he proceeds to hop onto and roll around the room while juggling rubber chickens.
“So come on, every pony! We’re gonna have some fun, fun, fun…”
But upon turning, Cheese Sandwich saw every pony wasn’t smiling or laughing, not even Pinkie Pie, even though she tried to be happy. The rest of her friends, however, were sad beyond depression. He quickly stops juggling, letting the chickens hit the ground comically and hops off the ball.
“Wow, normally ponies would fall over laughing during that entrance,” Cheese Sandwich muttered, confused. “Why so glum, chums?”
“Oh, I don’t want to cry,” Pinkie spoke. “I told myself I’m not going to cry…”
Pinkie Pie tries to hold a smiley face, but then her lips quiver and tears starts building in her eyes. Suddenly, she bursts toward her friend and fellow party pony, hugging him tightly as she bawled along his shoulder. Cheese, confused by this, nonetheless hugged Pinkie back without hesitation and massaged her back for comfort.
“We’re sorry, Cheesy!” Pinkie cried. “It was a funny entrance and we love a good laugh. But we are facing a bad crisis right now, that I fear I might never laugh again!!!”
Every pony, especially Cheese, gasped in shock. Normally, if there was any pony who could make the best out of a bad situation and make others laugh, Pinkie Pie would be the pony doing it. Yet, here she was, crying so hard tears streamed like miniature waterfalls and saying those infamous words.
“Now that’s not the Pinkie Pie I’ve come to know,” Cheese Sandwich replied. “What’s the matter, little Candy Floss?”
Pinkie pulls her head away, so Cheese could see the red puffy eyes and dried tears along her cheeks.
“Sugar Cube Corner hasn’t had a customer in over a week,” Pinkie answered, mournfully. “If we can’t strike up business fast, we’re not going to have any money for food or clothes. Mr. and Mrs. Cake will have to sell the bakery… And I might have leave Ponyville… FOREVER!!!”
Hearing the terrible news took all the joy and happiness off Cheese’s demeanor. Pinkie Pie was practically his idol in party planning, a pony who even became great friends. Why these two had been through so much together in just a year. It was Pinkie Pie herself who convinced Cheese Sandwich he needed to spread out all over Equestria, to make folks smile rather than sit behind a desk in a joke factory. If she leaves Ponyville, who would he have fun with and play jokes with when he’s not on the road?
On top of all that, for all the time they’ve spent some quality time, Cheese couldn’t help but feel… Something different toward her. He didn’t quite know what it was, but every chance they had to hang out he’d always worry about how he looked, how he should dress, and how to smell… Preferably ‘cheesy’, but the good kind. The point is: As of late, he’s had this feeling in the pit of his stomach whenever he found himself close to Pinkie. When she looks at him, he’d turn away blushing like a Red Delicious apple.
After a moment or two of allowing Pinkie to wallow, Cheese took Pinkie’s face in his hooves, and looks straight in her eyes.
“Now don’t you worry, little Pinkie Winkie,” Cheese said, determined. “As Celestia as my witness, I won’t let you and the Cakes leave Ponyville. There’s a method to reeling back those customers, and I, Cheese Sandwich, will never give up until twice as many customers fill this room!”
The Mane Six all turn back toward the Cakes.
“Mr. and Mrs. Cake, is there anything you can remember the last time this place had customers?” Twilight questioned.
The Cakes pondered for a moment, scratching their heads and thinking of anything that might offer a valid reason due to the lack of business. At first, everything seemed to go along as normal with the usual regulars. That is until Mr. Cake remembered one very vital detail.
“Well, the last customers we had here were Diamond Tiara and her friend, Silver Spoon,” Mr. Cake explained. “They took one look at all the items on display and just turned their noses up at them. Saying something about how all our recipes are the same, there was no variety, and they even question why they’d waste their bits on the same old things!”
Hearing that it was that spoiled little filly who was the last customer here made every pony cringe. They knew that Diamond Tiara, along with her parents, are the richest ponies in Ponyville with a large influence over most of the populace. They knew them very well: Snarky, bitter, and always think they were superior to every pony else.
I thought Filthy Rich was the nice guy.
If you’ve seen that ‘Camp Everfree’ special, you wouldn’t be saying that.
“You don’t really think that little filly coulda influenced every pony not to eat here no more, do yah?” Applejack wondered.
“Now, why would that little filly go and do a thing like that?” Mrs. Cake asked.
“Duh, she’s a brat first and foremost,” Rainbow Dash replied, unapologetically.
“I thought she reformed when the Cutie Mark Crusaders helped her with those mom issues,” Spike points out.
“Apparently, Diamond Tiara hasn’t ‘completely’ changed if she wasn’t satisfied with the service here,” Twilight speculates.
Every pony in the room couldn’t help but nod in agreement. Just because a filly had rediscovered her purpose after that one election, doesn’t mean a pony could change overnight.
“But if she truly believes Sugar Cube Corner sells the same thing constantly, she’s sure to complain about this to her parents,” Rarity states. “Word will get out and they may try to influence the rest of the town to stop coming!”
The Cakes face each other with concern, pondering the dreadful thought. True they did tend to sell the usual recipes day in and out. Naturally, they wouldn’t mind putting together a ‘special order’ or two to keep business booming. The problem was their supplies were usually limited to what they have available, it was difficult to create anything new.
Just then, Pinkie Pie had an idea as a lightbulb appears over her head.
“That’s it!!!” Pinkie shouts, excitedly. “If we’re going to get those customers back here, Sugar Cube Corner must invent something totally new!!!”
“How do you mean Pinkie?” Mrs. Cake asked.
Pinkie smirks, slowly turning toward Twilight Sparkle.
“Oh, Twilight… You wouldn’t happen to know of something we can discover,” Pinkie suggests. “Perhaps something ‘out of this world’?”
Twilight knew exactly what she meant, immediately shaking her head.
“No way, Pinkie Pie!” Twilight objects. “We are NOT using the television. Princess Celestia specifically said it’s to only be used if there’s a problem in another world.”
“Oh, please Twilight!” Pinkie Pie begged, babbling. “I don’t want the Cakes to go out of business! If I must move, I can’t think of any place to go! I mean there are some places I ‘could’ stay… I could go back to the Rock Farm, maybe stay with the Yaks in Yakyakistan, Griffinstone… Maybe ‘not’ Griffinstone… Oh, who am I kidding?! Ponyville just can’t be without a super party pony, you’ve got to help me stay! Please, please, PLEASE!!!”
Twilight Sparkle looks in her friend’s eyes, then back toward the Cakes. Here they were two ponies and their kids whom Twilight has come to know over the years. Now they were on the verge of losing their very livelihood, unless they act fast. Surprisingly, even the Mane Six was on Pinkie’s side.
“You know Twi, Pinkie Pie actually has a point,” Rainbow admits.
“Just because there’s not a problem elsewhere, doesn’t mean there isn’t one here,” Rarity added.
“We gotta help out own, Twilight,” Applejack insists. “Even if it means going above or beyond, or in this case far from our own world, to help ‘em!”
Twilight looks between all her friends and the Cakes. They all made some valid points; Twilight couldn’t deny that. She only hoped that what she’d do wouldn’t make Princess Celestia too upset. Otherwise, the Princess of Friendship would never hear the end of it.
“Alright,” Twilight sighed, defeated. “We’ll turn on the T.V.”
Smiling widely, Pinkie latches herself onto Twilight, wrapping her with a huge, bone-crushing embrace.
“Oh, thank you, thank you, Twilight!” Pinkie cried. “How can I possibly repay you?!”
“You could let me go, please!” Twilight wheezed.
“Oopsie, sorry!”
Pinkie releases Twilight, allowing the alicorn Princess to take a moment to breathe and mend a few cracked ribs.
<>
A short while later, the whole crew follow Twilight Sparkle back to the palace and converge into the library. There the television stood: Set in place, only this time a few extra enhancements were included. Now the television set came with a terminal, with a punch-in location device to determine where the ponies desire to go as well as extra coils to maintain the energy within the vortex.
Twilight approaches the terminal, typing the word ‘candy’. The terminal began to shake, as a list of names scroll down at a rapid pace until eventually settling on one. In an instance, a familiar green vortex opens before the Mane Six and their friends.
“Alright every pony, it’s all set,” Twilight informs them. “Now remember: While we’re in the void, do NOT get separated. We go in together, we emerge together… And hopefully come back just the same.”
“Yeah, yeah, Twi, we know the drill,” Rainbow shrugged. “This isn’t our first road trip, you know?”
“Now hold on a minute!” Spike approached. “If you guys are planning to go off on another globe-trotting adventure, at least let me tag along. Last thing I want is to be remembered as the silly side character who gets left out of another adventure… Again!”
Twilight Sparkle knew all too well about the last time Spike was left out of their last journey, which she had to admit was her fault. After they had gotten back, shortly after some lengthy apologies, Spike had made himself quite clear that he refused to be left out of another trip.
“Spike, I’m really sorry you got left out last time,” Twilight explained. “I promise that will never happen again. Besides, the way we got this machine set up, we have complete control over the vortex. We’ll be able to go to any world we want without it opening up and sucking us in randomly.”
“Well, that’s some good news,” Spike nods, approvingly.
“I’m coming along, too!” Cheese spoke up.
“Oh Cheese, that’s really sweet that you want to help us,” Rarity explained. “But I don’t think you really understand how complicated this gets.”
But Cheese just shook his head repeatedly, stubbornly holding his ground.
“Maybe not, but if Pinkie goes then I’m going too,” Cheese answered, confidently. “When Cheese Sandwich says he knows how to help, no way this guy’s letting his best friend go off on her own to solve this problem.”
The others look amongst themselves, debating whether he should come along. Truth be told, they’ve never really considered having any pony accompany them on these trips before. As experience has shown them anything, these trips can get rather dangerous. Course, the only other time any pony tagged along last time was Flurry Heart and that was completely by accident. But nonetheless, they came to a decision as a group.
“Alright Cheese, you can come with us,” Twilight informs him. “But only if you promise to stick close to us and be careful."
“Aww come on, Twilight,” Cheese smirked. “Careful is my middle name! I’ll stick to you girls like melted butter on a frying pan!”
Twilight just rolls her eyes, as they assume their position while the vortex grew larger. She faces her friends, who smile at her, then turns back toward the portal.
“Please let this be a safer trip, this time,” Twilight prayed, to herself.
With that said, the Mane Six, Spike, and Cheese Sandwich jumped through the vortex as they were sent off for another adventure into the unknown…
INTO THE UNKNOWN….
DUDE!!! Wrong canon!
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