//------------------------------// // Cabbage Soup // Story: Making the Sun Shine // by The Fiery Joker //------------------------------// Sunny Smile placed her mouth on the doorknob and twisted. She was met with some resistance, so she craned her neck harder to get the stubborn round handle to twist. The knob refused to cooperate, making Sunny's cheeks turn red. Like a dog playing tug-o-war, she shook her tiny body left and right to get the stubborn doorknob to move, grunting in frustration. Her efforts paid off as she heard a small click. She proceeded to shove her side into the door, taking a little less effort than twisting the knob. A long, drawn-out creaking sound resounded as the door opened, as if the door wanted everypony in the area to know that somepony was entering. She stepped through the doorway and kicked the door closed. Sunny looked around. The haggard exterior did nothing to betray the equally falling apart interior. All the walls were made of pieces of plywood that weren't put together very well, and it showed with tiny cracks easily letting the residents see what was going on outside. The walls were "decorated" with boards likely closing off the largest holes. The boards themselves were decorated with crayon scribbles and drawings of sunshine and rainbows, most of them made by Sunny with permission from her parents. The main room was a mess to say the least, having to serve as the kitchen, dining room, living room, and by extension, her parent's bedroom. Due to a lack of cupboards, pots and pans scattered themselves across the tops of cabinets nestled against the walls. If the cabinets could even be called such; they didn't even have doors on their hinges. The windows were cracked, shattered, or nonexistant, but that didn't matter as they were boarded up as well. The room reeked with the smell of mold and old wood, but Sunny didn't care. To her, it smelled like home. “I’m home!” Sunny yelled while placing her saddlebags on the dining table in the center of the room, careful not to budge the stack of newspapers replacing the missing fourth leg. “Hey sweetie!” a high-pitched voice chirped, followed by the sound of metal clanking against the floor. A bright pink mare with a long, straight mane appeared around the corner and hobbled towards Sunny. A leg brace on her left hind leg impeded her movement and dragged against the floor, making a sharp scratching sound similar to running one's hoof across a chalkboard. The mare acted like the brace wasn't even there as she yanked her own body towards her daughter like a puppy pulling on its leash. Wanting to give her crippled mother an easier time, Sunny trotted over to her and hugged her leg. The pink mare grinned ear to ear and proceeded to scoop up the filly in a warm embrace. Sunny returned the gesture, giving her mother an equally loving squeeze to her neck. “Mama Pinkie wants to hear all about your day!” Sunny's mother singsonged. "How was school?” “School?" Sunny's grin disappeared, recalling the embarrassment from earlier. "It was… okay.” “Okay?” Pinkie quoted. She lifted Sunny in front of her face and drilled her big questioning eyes into her, almost as if she were studying an animal. “It... I… …" Sunny stuttered. "I don’t wanna talk about it.” She couldn't meet her mother's gaze and let her mouth curl into a frown. Pinkie Pie's eyes narrowed. This was not going to fly with her. If there was anything Pinkie never liked to see, it was a pony frowning. And to have a frown that was coming from her own daughter? Unacceptable! Pinkie's face scrunched up towards the center of her face, like she was accusing Sunny of a less-than-serious crime. With how ridiculous she looked, it was difficult to tell whether she was genuinely grumpy or trying to be silly. Then again, Pinkie being Pinkie, it was always difficult to tell whether she was serious or not. “Now you listen to me, Sundeep Artemis Smile!" Pinkie stated. She placed Sunny on the ground so she could properly talk down to her. "I will have no negativity from you! Your name is Sunny Smile, not Funeral Frown, so start acting like it!" "Yes, mom..." Sunny replied, still looking at the floor with a glum face. "Are you giving me a 'tude? You're giving me a 'tude, aren't you." Pinkie's glare shifted to something predatory. She moved closer to her daughter, her leg brace not making any noise, strangely enough. "You're not smiling," Pinkie said without emphasis. "I don’t think I like that. I don't think I like that at all. Are you going to give me a smile or...” The corner of Pinkie's mouth curled up into a mischievous grin as her forelegs started sneaking around the unsuspecting filly. Her lips inches now inches away, Pinkie whispered into Sunny's ear. "Am I going to have to make raspberries?" Sunny’s face transformed into an expression of pure horror. Her mind reacted on instinct, legs attempting to propel her away to flee her mother. She immediately slammed into Pinkie's trap of legs, catching her off guard and giving Pinkie Pie the opening she needed. Pinkie squeezed her daughter close to her chest, careful not to give Sunny any leeway to break away. Sunny flailed her legs, fluttered her wings, and squirmed her body, desperately trying anything to break away but nothing could escape Pinkie's iron grip. “You activated my trap card! Now, smile!” Pinkie pressed her face against Sunny’s chest and gave an airy blow. Wet flapping noises burst forth from Sunny's chest, perfectly mimicking the sound of flatulence. Sunny squealed as the freaky sensation pulsed throughout her, causing involuntary convulsions of her body. This worked to her advantage as she was finally broke free of the madmare’s embrace. Sunny darted through the house, giggling and screaming as the evil tickler pursued her. “Mama’s gonna getcha!” Pinkie cried as she chased Sunny around the table. The entire room was filled with the sounds of a screaming filly and the metal dragging sound of Pinkie's leg. Despite her brace, Pinkie was able to match her daughter's speed, her body nearly within grabbing distance. In a last ditch effort, Sunny slid under the kitchen table, hoping to evade the tickle monster. Once she got up on the other side, her eyes darted around the room, looking for any possible means of escape. Before Sunny could do anything, Pinkie used the weight of her brace to flip herself over the table. Sunny could do nothing but watch in awe as she was tackled to the ground. Now having her daughter right she wanted her, Pinkie gave a wicked grin and placed her center weight directly on the torso of Sunny’s body, preventing any chances of escape. Using her superior adult strength, Pinkie pinned both of Sunny’s legs above her head, exposing the most sensitive tickle area. “Gootchie gootchie!” Pinkie ran her free hoof up and down Sunny’s body, poking anything that would get a reaction from Sunny. Sunny could do nothing but accept her cruel fate as her joints, tummy, and hooves were assaulted by swift pokes, the torturous joy causing her to spasm violently. Both fillies giggled as the act went on, though Pinkie was enjoying this much more than Sunny was. “M-mommy! Hee ha Pa-please! S-st-stop!” Sunny pleaded though laughing fits, desperately trying to say anything to make the forced laughter stop. “Not until I see your happy face!” Pinkie declared proudly, now sporting a silly-looking angry face. “I’m-ha-happy!” Sunny screamed, her smile stretching to the corners of her head. “Tee hee hee hee! I-I’m happy!” “Okie Dokie!” Pinkie Pie smirked and released her prisoner. Sunny fled her mother as soon as Pinkie loosened her grip. However, she was still discombobulated by the tickling and collapsed to the floor, her heavy breathing occasionally broken up by giggle fits. Pinkie slumped on her rump, slightly out of breath as well. “Careful girls," a bright scratchy voice said. "Your happiness might destroy the house, or what's left of it anyway.” The two fillies turned around. A yellow pegasus with a short scarlet mane turned the corner and walked up to the two females. “You’re home a little late, Sunny,” he stated. “Why?" “I was looking at the chocolate factory again, daddy,” Sunny answered. She tilted her head, confused by her father's almost accusatory tone. “Well, can't say I'm too happy about that," he said. The stallion's eyes leveled, making Sunny's legs buckle and her ears fold back. Pinkie stepped halfway between her daughter and husband. "Merry Way, why should she get in trouble for looking at a chocolate factory?" Pinkie asked. "Why? I'll tell you why." Sunny's father said with a glare. He let the mood fester in silence, choosing not to answer Pinkie immediately. The awkward silence between the stern father, the defensive mother, and the scared filly made the tension between them almost palpable. Finally, Merry couldn't take it anymore and gave a Cheshire Cat grin. "She was almost late for dinner!" he shouted in a pompous tone. "The nerve of her! Almost leaving a bowl of dinner without a filly around to eat it. It would've been incredibly tragic. Sacrilegious even!" Merry shook his hoof in the air and shouted to the heavens. "This unmitigated audacity must be punished!” Pinkie chuckled at the obvious jest, but Sunny took a step back, worried she was going to get another tickle attack. Merry Way took note of Sunny's frightened reaction and realized his teasing probably went a little too far. He released a sigh, silently mourning his unappreciated joke. "On second thought, I'd say your latest spout was punishment enough. Wasn't it, honey?" he snarked as he leaned over and nuzzled Pinkie Pie. “Is it dinnertime already?” Sunny asked, beginning to stand up straight. On cue, an odd rubbery growling noise echoed through the room. All three ponies looked down in perfect sync and turned away from each other with sheepish expressions. “I think our tummies are saying that’s a yes,” Merry Way said, not trying to hide a smirk. “Ooh Ooh!” Pinkie bounced up and down in front of Sunny. “Guess what I made for dinner!” “Cabbage soup?” Sunny asked. Pinkie’s eyes bugged out. She gave her trademark extended gasp and brought her hooves to her cheeks in horror. “How did you know?!" Pinkie cried, whirling around to Sunny. "Are you psychic? Should we call you Madame Sunny? No seriously, how did you guess so easily?” “That’s all we ever eat, numnuts,” a gruff voice growled, "Now will you all shut up and let me get back to my nap?" Pinkie winced as if she had been physically struck. Her bottom lip curled as she looked back to the source of the voice. A tan earth pony with a grey beard and an old-fashioned hat lay on a small bed, half of his body covered in a patchwork quilt. He looked at the three ponies with half-lidded eyes, unamused by the conversation. “Oi, Clyde!” Merry Way carped. "It's true..." the elder quipped as he turned his head away. “Still, that was uncalled for!” “Oh, so you want me to lie about it?” The elder harrumphed. “Delude myself like other decrepit geezers my age? That seems like it'll make everything all fine and dandy.” Merry Way stepped in front of his wife, shooting the elder stallion a glare. “Okay then, why don’t you make dinner if you know what’s so dang better for us? Why don’t you try supporting this family with your hard work?” His expression turned deadpan. “Oh wait, you can’t. You haven’t done a thing to help this family for years.” Grandpa Clyde’s eye twitched at the cheap shot. A fire entered his eyes as he sat up in his bed. “You’re one to talk! I’ve worked on this rock farm all my life and I still made more than you! Quite the bright future you have screwing on caps at a toothpaste factory! How's that hefty salary working out?” Merry Way walked over to the bedridden stallion and shoved his face in close. “Hey, at least I’m trying to do something to help and not poisoning the house with your negativity and leeching off our kindness! Or did you forget that you need us to actually eat!” “Leeching?!” Clyde exclaimed, shoving his face into Merry’s. “Know your place, boy! This is MY house and I let you live here, not the other way around!” “That doesn’t mean you get to be a crotchety old mule about it!” “Maybe so, but you should still respect that I get to decide whether you live here or not!” “Is that a threat?” Merry Way’s gaze intensified. “Are you threatening to throw me out?” “I’m seriously thinking about it!” “Ungrateful old-” “Naïve little-“ “BOYS!” Pinkie screamed, making the two stallions stop their argument and turn their heads. Pinkie’s eyes were watery on the edges, but she still looked positively furious. “Please, I can’t stand it when you two argue!" Pinkie cried. "And especially with Sunny here!” Both stallions flinched, and their eyes immediately looked over to the little yellow filly cowering behind Pinkie’s leg. Both their hearts plummeted in guilt. The elderly Clyde shrunk back into his covers, the fire disappearing from his eyes. Merry Way looked off to the side and rubbed his left leg uncomfortably. “I'm ashamed of you!” Pinkie lectured, pointing at both stallions. “Both of you! Sunny shouldn’t have to come home to watch you two saying mean things to each other! Now both of you, say you’re sorry!” Merry Way rubbed the bridge of his nose with a hoof. His gaze drifted to the floor in humiliation before he let out a pained breath. “Sorry…” Merry mumbled. “Hmph.” The curmudgeon turned his chin high and looked away. A twitch took a hold on Merry Way’s face. He gritted his teeth, trying his best to keep his anger for his father-in-law under check. A soft nuzzle on his cheek from Pinkie made him flinch momentarily. Merry took a deep breath and leaned into the nuzzle, releasing the pent-up anger before it had a chance to let itself loose again. “Hey, sweetie, don't worry about it," Pinkie whispered, "that's just his way of saying he's sorry.” "That's a good as an apology as you're going to get," Merry Way's mind translated. The two glanced back at the confined elder pony, who began to mutter unpleasant things to himself. “Meh, he’s just jealous because I have bladder control and he doesn’t,” Merry snarked under his breath. Pinkie brought a hoof to her mouth and snorted. “Kinda sorta speaking of which…" Pinkie dashed over to the cupboard and grabbed the soup ladle out of the drawer. She then climbed onto the table, brandishing the ladle like a sword. "Soup’s on, everypony!” Pinkie yelled in a mock Southern accent. Dinner passed without incident. The meal was the same bland and revolting cabbage soup that the family ate every day. The household never ate at the dining table; that was reserved for room for Pinkie to cook and prepare meals. Instead, the family ate around the bed that confined Grandpa Clyde. It wasn't a bad substitute, but each member had to be especially careful they didn't spill and have to spend money washing the sheets. Merry would occupy his mealtime pumping the power lever for the television so the family could watch while they ate. Except for Clyde, who usually retreated to the newspaper. “Well, I’m done!” Pinkie chirped, dragging her tongue around her lips in a circular motion. “I think I’ll go do the dishes!” Pinkie smiled as she took all four bowls and dragged herself to the sink. “Daddy? Pappy?” Sunny asked, lifting up a small hardcover book. “Can you help me with this math problem?” Merry Way perked up and moved towards his daughter. A flicker of movement grabbed his attention towards the bed. Clyde Pie looked up from his paper, just as eager to help Sunny with her homework. Once he caught the glance of his son-in-law, his expression changed into an irritated glare. Merry returned the spiteful look and soon the two were in a silent staring contest, emotions just waiting to explode. Before sparks could fly again, a loud humming reached their ears, prompting them to look at the source. Both of them stiffened. Off in the corner was Pinkie, washing the dishes and humming a bright tune to herself. Pinkie slowly turned her head, eyes drifting between the two ponies. She turned around and showed them she was scrubbing the steak knife she used to cut the cabbage. With a half-lidded smile, she wiped the knife with a rag and held it up for them to see, slowly waving it to and fro. Suddenly, Pinkie brought the knife down and Merry could swear he saw her eyes flash red. The knife landed in the wood of the counter with a dull “thwack,” making both stallions flinch. Pinkie's smile now showed teeth, but they could easily tell she was less than happy. Words did not have to be spoken to get the message: “Mess this up and I will END YOU.” “Pappy? Daddy?” Sunny called, trying to get their attention. “Hello?” Sunny turned around to figure out just what made her paternal figures so scared. All she saw was her mother humming a bright tune to herself as she cleaned up dinner’s remnants. Merry dipped his head; his wife defeated him again. Twice in one day. Tied her record as well. “Truce?” Merry mumbled. Clyde didn’t meet his gaze, instead opting to stare at his bedspread. A few moments passed in silence before a sigh let Merry know his question was heard. Clyde Pie looked up from the bedspread wondering how his own daughter had so much power over him. He flicked his gaze towards Merry. “Truce.” “Huh?” Sunny asked, now more lost than ever. “Never you mind, Sunny,” Clyde said, patting the filly on the head. He scooted up on the back of his bed and sat up straight. “Now what seems to be the issue?” “Yes, we’re both here to help you,” Merry continued, scooting next to Sunny. “So ask away.” Pinkie’s evil grin disappeared, replaced by a content, genuine one. Such was the end of a typical day of her household. Their family was small and broken, their house was small and broken, but that didn't matter to them. They pushed through because deep down, they knew they needed each other. They needed Grampy Clyde to keep them down to earth and realistic. They needed Merry Way to support the family financially. They needed Sunny Smile to give them hope for the future. More often than not, they would butt heads like the buttheads they were, but in the end, they were still family and wanted the best for each other. Pinkie just wished she had something to offer other than cabbage soup.