“What is it? I have only begun to slumber,” Luna moaned as she was pried awake by a bouncing little foal.
“Getup, get up, get up!!” Pipsqueak said, still bouncing on the Princess’ bed.
Luna slowly rose up, clearly exhausted from being roused so early from her well-deserved slumber. She looked outside to see that it was mid-day and sighed. Pip noticed that Luna’s mane wasn’t the Waving picture of the night he was used to, instead, in its place, was a shortly cropped light blue mane that currently hung messily round her neck. He quickly recovered from this surprise to go back to the reason he had woke her up.
“Yoursisterisgoingtojudgeacookingcontesttodayandyouneedtogoandwegetfreegoodies!!!!!!!!” pip said jumping off of Princess Luna’s bed.
“Wait, what? Slow down Pipsqueak, breath and tell me again” Luna said with a sigh.
Pip took a deep breath and began, “Well this morning the breakfast wasn’t very large and then a guard mentioned that your sister was judging a cooking contest.”
“And this is what made you rouse me from my rest?” Princess Luna said annoyance in her voice.
“Well… I just thought you might like to try some of the treats, your sister is judging... they would have to be good,” blushed Pip, clearly embarrassed to have done this without thinking of the Princess’ rest.
Luna noticed the concerned and apologetic face that the young foal had and began, “Well I am awoken now, so there shall be no harm in going. I know of the competition you have described, it will be beginning shortly, step out while I freshen up.”
Pip noticed Princess Luna’s bodice from nightmare night… and every time he ever saw her was gone and for some reason blushed as he left the room. He remembered his mother’s words once “not every pony always wears clothes, but the ones that do sometimes feel insecure without them, especially mares and fillies.” He didn’t quite understand it himself but the little pinto pony sat outside the princess’ and his room’s door and waited patiently, imagining all of the goodies he would try today.
The princess stepped out, the shadowy window into the starry night, replacing her short light blue mane that she retained only when she slept.
“Well, off we go,” she said. And then they were.
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The contest was packed, word had gathered all over equestria that Princess Celestia herself would be the judge, and fame seekers from everywhere were gathered that day with their best dishes. On the way to the contest Princess Luna explained how the contest worked.
“The Contest has always been divided into 5 categories where dishes will be judged,” Luna began. “The first is of course breakfast dishes, followed by lunch items, snacks and candies, Dinner, and finally desert which is the most likely reason my sister is judging this year.”
“Why would that be the reason?” Pip asked curiously.
“Oh it seems you do not know, my sister absolutely ADORES cake,” replied Princess Luna giggling to herself.
They walked around the contest grounds, apparently missing the breakfast competition but slightly early for lunch. It was then that Pipsqueak recognized a pony he knew.
“APPLEJACK!!!” Pip yelled, remembering the farmer pony from his time in ponyvile. She would buy building materials from Pip’s father but never have him construct it, preferring to do it herself, she was a generous pony and from his own memory, a fantastic cook.
“Howdy there Pipsqueak, I didn’t spect to see yall here today, nor you Princess Luna,” after saying her name Applejack politely bowed to the princess and went back to cooking while talking to the young pinto. “It’s good to see you here, are you judging too Princess?”
“No, Pip wanted us to come down and sample some of the food, which categories are you entering this year?” replied Luna
“I aint to good at fixin’ breakfast but my pies and fritters ave always done right by me,” replied the smiling orange pony, offering Princess Luna and Pipsqueak each one of her freshly made fritters.
“Yuuuummmm!!” said Pip taking his first bight of the piping hot pastry, soon after trying to cool his tongue off and wishing he waited a few seconds to take a bite.
Luna laughed genuinely with her little friend, then blowing on her own fritter she took a bite, eyes widening, “He’s right, these are VERY good, I shall be rooting for you to win the snack competition.”
Applejack smiled “Thanke’ Princess, I’m also entering the desert competition with a new recipe this year, it won’t be done fer' a bit and there will only be a few of them, but I'll save yall a few pieces, alright?”
“Might I ask what it is?” Luna asked as sneakily as she could and completely failing, she hadn’t gotten the whole “whispering” thing down yet.
Applejack chuckled and whispered to the Princess and Pip, “Zap Apple Pie”
Pip who had already tried some of Granny Smiths famous zap apple jam was instantly excited while Princess Luna had no idea.
“I can’t wait to try it when it is done.” Replied Luna, pip bouncing behind her unsure if he could keep his excitement a secret.
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The lunch competition passed by, with Pip trying such things as hoof shaped crescents with special blend of nut butter, a hot sandwich with cheese drizzled on it that was amazing, and some spicy nachos that after seeming spicy would cool down your mouth and freshen your breath.
Then the pair of friends noticed the Cake’s at the competition preparing a batch of their Very special cupcakes that made popping noises in your mouth. Pip ran up to the couple who noticed and remembered him from his many times at sugar cube corner, always ordering something different.
“Hi there, what are you doing in Canterlot? We didn’t expect to see you this far away from ponyvile.” said Mr. Cake.
“I’m up here living with the princess’ right now,” almost as if on cue Princess Luna walked up behind Pip. The cakes bowed, albeit shocked and mildly scared.
Noticing the Baker’s fear of her Luna Tried to calm them, “No need for such frivolities now, you have a contest to compete for, where is Miss Pinkie?” she noted.
Quickly getting used to the situation at hand it was Mr. Cake who recovered first. “we couldn’t bring the Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake all the way to Canterlot so we are having Pinkie Pie watch them for us while we are up here.”
“Oh, I would imagine that she would be great with children,” remarked Luna remembering her leading the pack of screaming children on nightmare night.
“She is, the twins love her,” Mrs. Cake chimed in.
“Would you mind if me an’ the Princess try some of your cupcakes?” Pip asked, his mouth watering at the sight of a chocolate-drizzled cupcake with a doughnut cut to fit in it, topped with cookie crumbs and smelling of cinnamon.
“Sure, we would love you to have some, we made plenty and it’s only fitting that a regular customer of ours gets the first taste.” said Mr. Cake with a smile, handing a cupcake to Pipsqueak and then one to Princess Luna.
The taste was spectacular; the Doughnut was fresh and moist with a light honeyed glaze. Once they bit into the top of the cupcake itself a plethora of flavors flooded, all blending seamlessly, a rich creamy chocolate, crunchy peanut brittle and cookie crumbles, finished off by a blend of ginger and cinnamon. The taste brought Princess Luna to tears at the final taste that filled her, being an alicorn she could recognize a kind of magic, the final taste was the magic of love, baked into each bite.
“Are you alright Princess?” Mrs. Cake asked clearly worried.
“Y-y-yes, I am fine, and I thank you for the confection, it was magnificent,” and then Luna, adding in one last thing, “your children are very lucky indeed.”
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The Snack round went off well, Princess Celestia herself giving the first place ribbon to the Cakes. Applejack came in second, followed by an incredibly miffed griffon in a chef’s hat. The Prizes were passed out and the Cakes being the first place winners would be invited back next year to help judge the event.
“Wow so many things to try, hey princess?” asked Pipsqueak.
“Yes?” asked Luna quizzically.
“You know more about the things in the dinner rounds dishes, you pick where we go.” Smiled Pipsqueak.
Luna, taken aback by the request, just picked a random stall… and immediately wished she hadn’t. The Unicorn was pompous, with a graying mane and a long handlebar mustache, who refused Pip a sample until he saw the Princess come up soon behind him. He nervously handed both of them what he said was his “Special cauliflower croquette”.
“It most certainly is… special,” replied the Princess when the unicorn inquired to the flavor.
Pip was a little more honest when, with a dissatisfied face, “is crocket another word for mud filled veggies?”
All the princess could do was laugh at the young pony’s honesty, while the would-be chef’s cheeks got red. The merry duo went off to another stand, one that Luna saw that was serving her own favorite food. The stand was owned by an elderly mare with a smile, she noticed the princess coming and went to bow, but was interrupted.
“Please, don’t, you haven’t any need, my mother always taught my sister and I, that a seasoned chef in their kitchen is royalty through profession.” Luna said, secretly though she was just embarrassed by all the attention she was getting.
“I must still thank you for gracing my presence Princess,” the elderly earth pony did what could be considered a courtesy, at her old age. “Would you like to sample some stuffed buns?”
“Yes very much,” replied Luna, barely holding in her anticipation, it had been a millennia since she had last tasted this dish.
“Princess, what is a stuffed bun?” Pip asked; clearly never even hearing of the dish.
The old mare answered before the Princess had a chance, “stuffed buns are an old dish, said to be older than equestria itself, no pony knows if it was the unicorns, pegasi or earth ponies, but everyone can agree that they were what common folk and nobles alike ate. They are a roll, filled with different foods, cooked and seasoned differently, each batch having many different kinds of filling, that way each time you bit into a new one it was a surprise. In fact ponies used to say that they were one of the princess’ favorite foods.”
“Wow, can I try one?” asked the young colt happily accepting the new dish.
“May I?” asked the Princess.
“Of course,” said the old chef as she gave Luna one of the buns.
Luna was taken back by the flavor of the first bite, it was cabbage seasoned with mild vinegar, with a strong crisp taste. She savored the bite, quickly finishing it up. Looking back at the old mare in the stand who without a word gave a nod, and she carefully lifted another one up with her magic and took a large bite with a true smile. The aroma of broccoli, black eyed peas and carrots was amazing, a bun filled with all kinds of mixed vegetables, each cooked to complement the other and at the same time bring out the greatest flavor from each. She finished the second bun feeling full and sighed contently.
Pipsqueak on the other hand was still trying to down his first, only half way through a buttery cauliflower and broccoli bun. Luna couldn’t help but giggle as the small pony tried to eat a dish half his size.
After Pip gave up about 3 fourths of the way through he remarked, “Wow, that WAS really good, thank you very much!”
“Yes thank you, it was a pleasure, Ms…?” added Luna.
“Cookie Dough” added the old mare, showing off a cutie mark in the shape of a rolling pin and dough. “And you are very welcome your majesty, welcome back.”
And with that the unlikely duo of princess and pirate lover walked off to browse the rest of the food, even though they were full it was still a site to see all of it. And then they watched the ceremony of the prizes for the dinner competition.
“Where is Cookie Dough?” asked Pip. And he was right; the elderly pony was nowhere to be seen.
“I don’t know, wasn’t she in the competition?” even Princess Luna was puzzled.
Cookie Dough wasn’t listed in the competitors, nor was she listed in the competition at all when they later checked. Luna decided to look into the matter later and told Pip, “I guess she was just here advertising for her store or something.” Which honestly was her best guess at the current point.