//------------------------------// // Ch3: Support // Story: Baking Bad // by Tank the Dragon //------------------------------// Pinkie sat at the kitchen table of the bakery. It was around lunch time, and even though she hasn’t even felt hungry in the last few days, she was trying to eat the rest of yesterday’s sandwich. The pony at the pharmacy recommended that even though she won’t be hungry, she should try to eat at regular times. This would be easy as the Cakes and her had a regular schedule of meals throughout the day. She had picked up her pills yesterday and had taken them right after breakfast. She barely ate anything then and the Cakes were worrying about her. The fact that she rushed to the kitchen for a glass of water right after she finished probably didn’t help. She rubbed her face with her hoof and stared at her half-eaten half-sandwich, wondering what she should do. “Hello, Pinkie” Pinkie looked up from her sandwich. It was Mr. Cake. She hasn’t seen him since he went shopping after breakfast. He had just returned with bags of cake supplies. “Hello Mr. Cake. It’s been a slow day today.” “I know, I had time to run a few errands today.” He placed his bags on the counter. “How was the doctor’s yesterday?” “Oh, it was alright. Nothing too serious.” Pinkie hoped that she wasn’t giving anything away by her facial expression. “Well that’s good. Any idea when that cough will go away?” 8 months. “No idea, guess we’ll have to wait and see.” “Ok. Just try to take it easy. Some rest might help the cough go away.” “I will.” Mr. Cake walked into the kitchen. Pinkie sighed and finished her sandwich. She started to leave the bakery. After all, she had a pony to see. Twilight and Rarity were staring at a map on the back of the chalkboard. They had been placing some pushpins on it since 11 AM. They had finally finished, “Ok Rarity. So here is where Ponyvile PD has found our Phoenix at.” “Really, this many? Based on the stories the celebrities had told me, these Ponyvile ponies are doing a sloppy job of keeping it hidden.” Twilight turned to her friend and partner on the job, “Well, not really. See, all the green ones are just ponies having possession of it. It’s the red ones we need to look for. They’re the ones that are Phoenix labs.” Rarity was studding the map when something caught her eye, “Twilight, what are the 3 blue ones?” Twilight looked around for a blue pushpin, “Oh, those? They’re chemistry supplies stores. I decided to mark them on the map for reference. Why?” Rarity used magic to guide a stick to the top of the map, “Look here in northern Ponyvile. There are 3 red pins all within walking distance of this blue pin here.” Twilight pulled a binder out and flipped through it. “Out of the 3 spots, only 1 pony has been arrested. And the supply store shows no breaking in reports.” “Store owners, such as myself, keep records of purchases and sales.” Twilight smiled and said excitedly, “We got our first lead!” Pinkie approached the barn of Sweet Apple Acres. She was looking for Applejack, but all she found was Big Macintosh preparing to plow the field. “Excuse me, Big Mac…” Big Mac turned and faced the pink protagonist, “Is Applejack around?” Big Mac stared at her, thinking about where he last saw AJ. After a moment, he pointed “South apple field.” Pinkie thanked him and went off searching. She must have been lost for what seems like an hour, but she finally tracked down Applejack. Along the way, she had time to think. Did she really want to do this? Would Applejack even agree to help? What could stop her from calling the police on her if she tries it on her own later? Should she even try to do it? “Hey there Pinkie Pie, you’re just in time to help me buck some of these here apples.” Applejack said half jokingly “Hi Applejack.” “What ’ca doing here?” Applejack said very friendly. Just start small, tell her about the situation. “Let see, um, Applejack, can you keep a secret?” “Well, of course ah can. What’s on your mind?” A lot, “Well, I had a doctor’s appointment yesterday…” Applejack looked worried, “And?” This was going to be harder than she thought, “And it wasn’t good news, and the doctor told me to at least tell one pony for support, and…” Pinkie took a deep breath and then sighed, “I have tuberculosis…” That was a bombshell being dropped on Applejack, “What?” She backed up a bit. “That contagious disease?” “It’s not contagious… Somehow. I only paid attention to half of what the doctor said. But he gave me some pills to take to help treat it.” “They have pills for it now?” Pinkie nodded as she pulled a pill bottle from her mane and showed it. “It’s amazing what advancements in medicine we have.” Pinkie nodded and put the bottle back in her mane, “So how are yah taking the news?” A tear started to form in her eye, but she didn’t cry, “I’m worried. I’m worried about dying; about the bills, the cakes… What will happen to the kids when I’m gone?” Applejack moved closer to her friend. “Which is the second reason I came to you…” Applejack just stared with confusion, “I… I don’t follow you…” Pinkie wiped her tear away and calmed herself down a little, “I want to leave as much bits as I can for their future.” “I don’t blame yah. A family with two kids is getting expensive to raise. They need all the bits they can get.” Applejack thought for a second, “What does that have to do with me?” “I know that Sweet Apple Acres is not making as much as it use to, and I also want to help your family out…” Pinkie stopped. Was she really about to ask this of her good friend, close to best friend. She was tied with the other four and the cakes, but still, close to best friend. “I’m… Going to start cooking Phoenix… And I would like your help…” Applejack looked at her friend, then chuckled, “That’s a good one, Pinkie…” Pinkie stared back, not showing any signs of joking. “…You’re… You’re kidding, right?” There was a silence between the two. “Pinkie?” “I know you need the money, and this is the fastest way of making it…” Applejack cut her off, “Are you crazy!” She looked around and lowered her voice, “Are you crazy? We were told just yesterday to help with the locating of the ones that are already cooking it.” “That’s where I got the idea…” Pinkie explained. “Get off of my property.” “W-what?” Pinkie looked at AJ, dumbfounded. “But, I know you need the bits…” “Please leave, Pinkie.” “The barn is falling apart, the plow needs a new blade…” “Get, go.” Applejack started pushing her away as pinkie’s hoofs dragged across the ground, trying to stay “But the fence is broken from those con artists, both the CMC’s clubhouse and Applebloom’s room have a big hole in the roof...” “Get off of my farm!” Pinkie stopped talking, “I can’t believe you would even think about doing that for a few bits…” Pinkie’s face dropped as she realized what she’s been saying. “Pinkie, look… I won’t tell Twi because of your current situation, but this is the last I want to hear about it, ok?” Pinkie nodded and walked away slowly. Had she been pushing that subject to hard? Should she have waited? “What was that about?” Big Mac asked his sister as she watched Pinkie walk away. “It was nothing. You know, Pinkie Pie just being Pinkie Pie. Come on, we still got to get the west field.”