//------------------------------// // Ch. 1 - What Are Friends For? // Story: The Fluffy Girl With a Heart-of-Pink // by DogSomeOre //------------------------------// A pink mare with an apron, works her tail off in a bakery. Sweet treats with frosting sit nicely on the shelves behind the counter. Ponies of all kinds stand, waiting for any service to be brought to them; not a single soul works the counter. "Hello?! Is anyone back there?! I've been waiting to get my order for about thirty minutes now!" A frustrated stallion yells out. "Yeah, is anyone here?! Some ponies have places to be you know!" Another pony follows. Pinkie Pie moves vigorously in the kitchen. "Everything needs to be right!" She thinks. Distracted and not paying attention to the willing customers waiting anxiously for their dessert. "Oh dear." Mrs. Cake says, as she comes down stairs to see a line of ponies with impatient looks on their faces. "Oh I'm very sorry about this Mr. Griff, I didn't know you were waiting here for so long." "Yeah well better management is in order if you want this place to be shaped up, just look behind me." Ponies extend far from outside the bakery, a finely sized line shows itself to Mrs. Cake. She holds a hoof to her mouth, nervous that this many folk were waiting for Celestia knows how long. She handles out all the customers orders until only a few remain. "Here you go sweetie, I'm sorry for the wait." "Wait? What wait?" The bright pink earth mare asks, exiting the kitchen and entering the room that Mrs. Cake is stationed at. "Oh my Mrs. Cake, you look awful!" She says bluntly. Mrs. Cake turns to Pinkie with a disappointed look across her face. "A-And upset." Mrs. Cake turns away and sighs to herself before returning her gaze back to her pink worker. "Pinkie Pie, where on Celestia's green Equestria have you been?!" "Uh, well I was in the kitchen." Pinkie says, with a bit of timid-ness, but still joyful enough to be that bright bubbly mare she's known for. "And did you know how many ponies were waiting?" "Well, not exactly, no. But look, I did something great!" Pinkie Pie smiles while showing a heavily decorated cake to her boss. "Why in the world were you doing that, dear?" Mrs. Cake questions, confused as to why Pinkie would use so many ingredients, wastefully, on just one cake. "For the party tonight! Everything needs to be perfect for him!" She inquires excitedly. "Hmm?" Mrs. Cake looks at Pinkie, a dazed and bewildered look shown. "Pinkie.." She starts. "You throw parties almost every day of the week, what could be so important this time that it'd take you the better half of two hours to get ready?" "Two hours!? Oh no, I gotta go before I'm late!" Pinkie puts her delicate creation on her back and heads for the door, a frantic expression seen on her face as she tries to hurry up. "But Pinkie!" "Oh, I'm sorry Mrs. Cake, I really am, I'll be sure to come back as soon as I can!" Pinkie finishes. She hurries out the door and doesn't look back. Mrs. Cake shakes her head as she stands at the counter. "*sigh* Oh that mare." Pinkie Pie runs past different structures alike, trying to find the one that houses the party guest she so desperately wants to impress. "Ah ha! There it is!" Pinkie runs through the front door, with lights turned off and a couple ponies waiting in hiding, behind some furniture. "We almost thought you weren't going to show up." Rainbow Dash says through the veil of darkness. "How'd you know it was me, Dash?" "C'mon Pinkie, how couldn't I know? Just cause it's pitch black doesn't mean I can't recognize that fluffed up mane from just any pony." She inquires. "Besides, of course I knew it was you; you were the one so adamant on throwing this party in the first place, you had to show up eventually, even if you are a little late." "Shh! Ya'll Get in position, I hear someone comin'!" Applejack whispers. Pinkie Pie hides behind a chair placed in the living room. Her heart's racing faster then she can contain and her excitement is through the roof. A tall silhouette emerges from the front door as the wooden frame creeks from being opened. "Surprise!" The ponies yell out. The living room light is turned on as the tall human is shocked to see all the visitors that have come to see him. "Pinkie? AJ? Rainbow? What're you guys doing here?" "What'ya thank sugar cube?" AJ says with a question. "Your birthday, obviously." Rainbow rolls her eyes. Anon looks around the room, a small smile forming on his face. He looks over to Pinkie Pie who lights up at his eyes locking with hers. "Wha- How did you guys know it was my birthday today?" "I marked it on my calendar silly!" Pinkie confronts him with glee. "You.... did?" "I told you I was going to, for now on, and every year after!" "Gee Anon, you're such a scatter-brain." Rainbow voices with annoyance. "But Pinkie, I said you didn't need to do that; birthdays aren't something I usually celebrate." "Nonsense Anon! You're my friend, and friends are always worth celebrating!" Pinkie answers. "You really think so, huh?" Anon goes on. "Mmmhmm." Pinkie nods. "Ugh, enough of the talking already. Pinkie, you got that cake ready? I'm starving." "Well hold on now Rainbow, Anon just got on over here. Be patient." Applejack replies. "No, no, it's fine. I'm a bit hungry as it is too, and I'm sure Pinkie's made another great treat straight from Sugarcube itself." "Absolutely-dootley!" Pinkie Pie raises her voice with enthusiasm. The pink mare trots away from the chair, showing the wonderfully decorated cake to everyone in the room. She sets it on top of Anon's kitchen counter and steps back a little for everybody to get a good look at it. "Wow Pinkie, ya'll sure did outdone yourselves this time!" Applejack compliments Pinkie on the beautiful design. "I reckon ya could give some pointers when I'm making my apple pie." "What about you Anon, you like it? Oh tell me you like it, I just have to know!" Pinkie Pie hops up and down with her eyes closed with giddiness as she awaits his response. Anon looks at the cake, studying it as if he's about to grade her crafty work. Pinkie Pie stares at him with content. "Well honestly Pinkie." He starts. She leans in closer to hear his words. "It's... well..." "Yes!?" Pinkie can't take the hesitancy. "It's even better then last year!" Anon tells her with a smile. "Yay!" Pinkie Pie hops even faster now at his words. "Whoa, easy there." Anon chuckles as Pinkie grasps his chest with her hooves, pulling him closer to her fruity fur. "Oh I'm so glad you like it! I really gave it my all and I hope it tastes just as good as it looks!" Her voice says with a muffle, face burrowed in Anon's stomach. "Alright already, can we eat now? I waited all day for this." Rainbow Dash frustratingly says. Anon reaches in his cupboard to retrieve a couple plates for his surprise visit guests, each one taking it without a second thought. All except Pinkie who reaches out slowly to grab the dish from his hands. "I'm going first!" Rainbow Dash announces as she hurries to get a plate full of the tasty sweets. "No Dash, you can't yet!" Pinkie Pie steps in front of her, stopping Rainbow in her tracks. "Ugh, what now Pinkie?" "We need to sing the 'Happy Birthday Song' first, don't you remember!?" Pinkie says with a slight head tilt. "The what?" Rainbow replies with annoyed, droopy eyes. "The 'Happy Birthday Song'! It's a human tradition! Right Anon?" Pinkie Pie and the two other ponies direct their gaze at Anon who's just watching them banter back and forth. "Uh no, that won't be necessary Pinkie, i-it's a little embarrassing, so why don't we-" "Oh he's a jolly good fellow, for he's a jolly good fellow~" She begins, singing as loud as Pinkie usually does. It isn't exactly the correct song, but Anon thinks it's cute regardless that she's trying to be more fitting towards his human-self. "~Which nobody can deny!" She strikes a pose as she finishes her quirky performance, she's breathing a bit heavy and seemed to have worked up quite a sweat. "Uh, was that the right song, Anon?" Applejack asks as she scratches her mane with a hoof. "...She's got the spirit at least." He replies. Rainbow Dash quickly grabs a slice before any other of Pinkie's shenanigans gets in the way. Applejack follows suit, and Anon after her. Pinkie Pie stands watching Anon with every second, seeing how he'll react to the taste of her passionate creation. "Pinkie, something wrong?" Anon asks. He sees her staring at him with a blank, happy filled smile. "Nothing Anon, why, should there be?" She questions back, not understanding the weird predicament that he sees her in. Anon shrugs and continues on grabbing a slice for himself. He takes a bite and chews the contents of the food slowly, trying to get the flavor of this delectable. He sees Pinkie looking at him still out of the corner of his eye and looks to her direction. "Well??" Is the only word Pinkie Pie says as she still eagerly waits for Anon's words to come to fruition. "Ugh coconut?" Rainbow Dash says as she spits the food out. Applejack tries not to be obvious that she doesn't like Pinkie Pie's food but is seen grimacing with every bite. "It's really good Pinkie. Coconut's one of my absolute favorites. How'd you come across something like this in Ponyvile?" Pinkie Pie chuckles as she holds a hoof over her mouth, a cute little snort escapes as she does so. "Anon, I told you, Miss Pinkie Pie has always got her ways!" She says with a carefree demeanor. "Well I really didn't want you to go out of your way just for me, I could've settled for something that everyone would've liked." Anon replies, looking at Dash's disappointed expression. "No way Anon! I wanted to make sure everything was super, duper, amazing for your birthday today! It isn't everyday I get to make something with an ingredient I've never used before." "Well I do appreciate it a lot Pinkie, the cake is incredible." Pinkie Pie smiles at Anon's words, happy she was able to successfully do a job well done. Time passes by as the four friends talk to each other about life and everything that surrounds it. Everyone has a good time as Pinkie Pie shares jokes with all her friends that laugh at each one. "Oh man Pinkie, you crack me up!" Rainbow Dash says in-between breaths, she out of everyone, has laughed the most hysterically at her pink friend's jokes. Rainbow and Pinkie really do seem to share a similar sense of humor with each other. "Ya' always are the best comedian out of all of us." Applejack compliments. "Oh nonsense girls! I'm sure there's someone even way more funnier then I am." Pinkie Pie retorts. "Not in a long shot Pinkie." Anon jumps in. "I swear it, I'll never have a friend that'd make me smile as much as you have, and that's saying something." Pinkie Pie blushes at his words. "You really think so?" Her voice calms down a bit as she turns her light-hearted mood to a slightly more serious one. All three girls look at Anon, putting him on the spot. "U-Uh, well sure! Ever since I first came to Ponyvile you were the first pony I was introduced to. I felt pretty comfortable with meeting every pony else seeing how accepting you were. I'm really glad you're my friend Pinks." Anon rubs his neck after saying this. He isn't very open about his feelings but is comfortable enough to share them with ponies he know won't judge him. The three of them stare at him with a stunned face. "O-Or you know, something like that.." He tries to relieve the awkwardness that has now surrounded his mind. "Well I think that's cute, hun." Applejack breaks the silence. "Pinkie Pie has always been the one to show a side I honestly think we all need to share once in a while." "Y-Yeah totally, Pinkie Pie is like one of the most awesome-est ponies I know. She'll always turn a bad day into a better one." Rainbow Dash continues. All three of the friends look to Pinkie Pie who seems to still be in a frozen state, smiling in place with that same dumb, cute smile. "Well that's what friends are for, right?" Pinkie Pie finally comes in the conversation after seeing everyone looking at her. "Definitely." Anon agrees. "Well I'm gonna call it a night tonight ya'll. Gotta be up bright and early tomorrow, ya know how it goes." Applejack and Rainbow stand up from where they were sitting, stretching their limbs that have become rigid by being in one place for so long. "Same here. I *yawn* am getting a bit sleepy." Rainbow says, following along with Applejack. "Happy Birthday again Anon, and Pinkie, good job on that cake!" The orange mare leaves the house to head on home, Rainbow follows right behind her. The door closes as Anon and Pinkie Pie are left with each other. "You going home too, Pinkie?" He asks, filling the bleak silence in the air. "Oh, well, I guess it is pretty late huh?" She giggles, shuffling her hoof on the chair as to prolong this night. "Yeah you could say that. You got work tomorrow don't you? I wouldn't want for you to be late." "Don't worry about me, Anon. I'm sure the Cake's will be ok if I'm just a little late." Pinkie says, easing her words and pitch down. "What? No way Pinkie. I don't want you to be even a second late because of me. Especially for all you've done today, I'm sure you're exhausted." Pinkie Pie clears her throat and sits straight up in Anon's chair. "Of course silly!" Her voice heightens back up again as she returns to her old carefree self. "I wouldn't want me to be late either!" She chuckles. "Besides, all this moving around today has made this ol' mare especially tired." She jokes. Anon stands up and Pinkie follows along. He walks towards the door and turns around to see Pinkie Pie hesitating for whatever reason. "Pinkie? You coming?" "O-Oh, yeah, I'm on my way!" Anon opens the door for his pink earth mare, and smiles at her. Pinkie Pie's hooves stop right before Anon as she looks at him with a bit of shyness. "Hm?" Anon raises an eyebrow as he sees her stop in front of him. "Oh, I'm going, it's just..." Pinkie flops her words around as she tries to say what's on her mind. "Well, I was just wondering, because you aren't doing anything... if..." Anon stares at her like a deer in the headlights. "H-Ha! I got you, didn't I!?" Pinkie laughs to herself as she changes face once again. Anon laughs with her as well, though he's doing it more so because of the awkward situation then anything. "You sure did, Pinkie. Thanks for everything today, I really do appreciate the cake." "Anytime, Anon!" She trots forward with her usual smile, her head however, looks to the floor, away from Anon. The door closes behind her as Anon sees her trot along. Pinkie Pie stops a little feet away, the dark night covering all the streets and houses as far as she can see. Not a single soul is out this late. She sighs to herself, her expression changing to a more relaxed and melancholy state. "Why can't you just see, Anon? Why can't you just get the hint..." She looks up to the sky with eyes drooped down, a frown showing on her lips. "The moon sure does look bright out tonight, if only I could spend this moment, with him." She makes her way back slowly to Sugarcube corner, the serine silence of the air ringing in her ears.