//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - All Grown Up! // Story: And Make It Snappy! // by Ficta_Scriptor //------------------------------// Chapter 1 – All Grown Up! “Open wide! Here comes the choo choo train!” Pinkie brought forward a spoonful of mushy peas to Gummy’s mouth, trying to squeeze it between the crocodile’s lips. Unfazed, the gator stayed locked in position, not moving an inch. “Silly Gummy! That’s not how you eat! You have to open up your mouth like this, see?” Pinkie began gaping as wide as she could, sticking out her tongue and gesturing for Gummy to copy. However, her pet was being rather uncooperative. “Nice try, you’re almost getting it! Just open up a little wider…” Pinkie grabbed a crowbar and began to force open his mouth, revealing a full set of sharp teeth. “You’re almost there…” About an inch of space was made in Gummy’s mouth, prompting the pink party pony to quickly shovel in his dinner. The croc’s jaws snapped shut again and he gulped it down. “No, silly!” Pinkie said with a giggle. “I keep telling you, you’re not supposed to eat the spoon!” She opened up a cupboard filled from top to bottom with metal spoons of various sizes. “Now, let’s try again. Say ‘ah’” As she began another attempt to feed the massive beast, Mr and Mrs Cake turned the corner into the kitchen looking incredibly worried. “Pinkie?” Mr Cake called out. “Just a moment, Mr Cake. I’m nearly done feeding Gummy.” “Pinkie… This is something urgent. We need to speak with you.” “Like, ‘speak to me in private’ speak to me?” “Yes, something like that. Pinkie, about this—” “But Mr Cake!” Pinkie threw the spoons aside and leapt onto Gummy’s back, holding her hooves over his ears. (Or at least, where she assumed his ears were) “We can’t talk in private if Gummy is in the room!” She opened up the door to the back garden and kicked her pet’s rear to get him moving. Once they were both outside the gator was shuffled into a wooden shed, the words; ‘Danger’, ‘Approach with caution’ and ‘If you want to keep your hooves, don’t make any sudden moves!’ plastered on the side in spray paint. “Now you stay here and be good! Mummy just has to sort out some important, grown-up matters. OK?” Gummy’s unsynchronised blink was his only response. “Aw, I love you too!” The excitable pony gave him a big hug around the snout before bouncing back to the kitchen, slamming the door behind her and turning to face Mr and Mrs Cake. “So, what did you want to talk to me about? It’s not another conversation about contraceptives, is it? I already told you that there are no ‘ceptives’ in any of the Contra games. Not a single one!” “No, Pinkie…” Mr Cake began nervously, wiping the sweat from his brow. “We’re here to talk to you about your upcoming visit to Ibiza-Ville.” “The party capital of the world!” Pinkie exclaimed, leaping up and banging against the ceiling. “It’s gonna be awesome! Vinyl Scratch is gonna be playing, and they have dance-floors with flashing lights, and boom-boom music that makes your ears bleed, and all the cider you could ever dream of!” “We were actually talking about what’s going to happen while you’re away. We… need to make arrangements for Gummy.” “Why’s that? I thought he could stay here with you. He can play with Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake to keep him busy. You just need to remember to feed him twice a day. He especially likes marmalade on toast, beetroot milkshake, blackberry pudding…” As Pinkie went on, Mr and Mrs Cake watched nervously through the window to the back garden as a stray cat jumped over the fence and began walking across the lawn. It wandered curiously up to Gummy’s shed, sniffing around when out of the darkness, Gummy pounced, snapping his jaws shut on the feline and swallowing it whole. “… and he also likes peanut butter sandwiches, but only if you make the peanut butter into a smiley face. It’s remarkable, really! I have no idea how he’s gotten so big and strong. It’s probably just because of all the love we shower on him every day. Oh my goodness!” Pinkie gasped. “You don’t think he’s part changeling, do you?” “No, Pinkie,” said Mrs Cake, clearing her throat. “He’s not part changeling. But still, he can’t stay here while you’re away.” “Aw, but why not?” The Cakes looked anxiously at each other, trying to think up a reason that wouldn’t break the mare’s heart. “It’s b-because…” Mr Cake stuttered, “We have an order coming for a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, blackberry pudding and… everything else you just said. We can’t afford to have Gummy around if there’s a chance he could eat it when we’re not looking.” “That’s true…” Pinkie said glumly. “He can get quite persistent when it comes to feeding time. So, if he can’t stay here, where can he go?” “We already have that taken care of, actually,” replied Mr Cake, presenting Pinkie with a brochure. “This is the St. Fluttershy Animal Shelter.” “Really? It’s so small. And where are all the animals?” Pinkie began unfolding the pages, flicking through intently. “No, that’s just the brochure, Pinkie. The shelter itself is on the outskirts of Ponyville.” “Ohhhhhhh… I see now. Gotcha.” “We think it would be best if you leave him there while you’re gone. Fluttershy would have wanted you to… if she was still here.” “I know…” Pinkie responded, a tear falling down her cheek. “It’s a shame she moved up north.” “Then it’s settled?” asked Mrs Cake. “Yup!” “OK, here’s five bits to pay for the fee.” Mr Cake pushed a coin-purse to the pink mare. “Thank you so much!” Pinkie cried, embracing the two ponies. “As soon as I’ve packed all my things for Ibiza-Ville I’ll take him straight there!” “Good,” Mr Cake said with a smile. “And Pinkie?” “Yes Mr Cake?” The stallion begrudgingly pulled up an oblong carton and placed it on the kitchen side. “Take the pills while you’re away, just in case.” “Just in case what?” “Just… in case,” he said nervously. “Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie cried. She rushed upstairs, singing a song to herself. “I whip my mane back and forth! I whip my mane back and forth!”