The enticing scent of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies permeated the air of Sugarcube Corner, normally enticing little colts and fillies to beg their parents for just one bite of the tempting treats. Whether from their children’s whining or their own desire for the baked goods, they always relented, spending their hard-earned bits for a few guilty moments of pure sweetness. Today however, business was slow. Unusually slow, a pale beige pegasus stallion- barely into his young adult years, thought to himself. His wild, brown mane bobbed up and down as he scrubbed lazily away at a dirty pot, the suds bubbles drifting into the air, some landing delicately on the hammer that adorned his flank. The colt was disgruntled that he got stuck yet again with dish duty, though he honestly didn’t have much to complain about. It could have been worse- he could have had the other duty. The stallion snickered as he heard a yelp- the third that hour, sounding from the second floor of the establishment, quickly followed by angry hoofsteps down the stairwell. Eyes half lidded in confidence that could only be attained through practiced guessing, the pegasus counted down to himself.
“Three. Two. One-“
“Pound Cake!”
Pound Cake allowed himself a satisfied smile, turning to show his full attention to his new company. A unicorn mare coated in sticky dough stomped her way into the kitchen, a trail of the mixture left behind with every hoofstep. While only her blue eyes were visible beneath the moistened flour, Pound Cake had no difficulty recognizing his twin sister.
“She get you again, Pumpkin?”
“It’s not funny, Pound!” The frazzled unicorn pouted. “Pinkie Pie put me in charge of her when she heard all the commotion outside!”
“Yeah, well that’s what you get for ditching me last time we got assigned to babysit,” Pound Cake snarled. “Especially when I had already had… prior commitments.”
“Oh like you have anything to complain about!” Pumpkin Cake hissed. “You got to watch over your idols’ adorable little kid, and you actually conned the poor thing into helping you out on your date instead of properly watching him like you were supposed to!”
“He offered!” The stallion defended.
“Yeah, I’m sure he did,” His sister replied sarcastically.
“Yeah, and I’m sure attending your optional environmental protest was so much more important than helping out,” He retorted, though his anger was short lived as a smile made its way to his face. “Though looking at your success right now, I’m guessing you couldn’t have handled a kid that flies twice as fast.”
“Whatever!” Pumpkin Cake huffed indignantly. “Now get those wings flapping and help me catch Surprise! The little monster put a tarantula on my bed!”
Chuckling quietly, Pound Cake took to the air. “Did Pinkie ever say why she needed to take off so fast?”
“No, but it’s not like I was gonna question her,” Pumpkin admitted. “She is in charge while Mom and Dad are off at that one baking competition.”
“Dude, I wish we could be on television,” Pound Cake grumbled. With a powerful gust of his wings, the pegasus made a hasty retreat from the kitchen, flying upstairs with only a trail of wind leaving behind evidence of his presence. Pumpkin Cake closed her eyes, submitting to the mundane peace that Sugarcube Corner’s slow day had to offer her. The tip of her horn lit up, drawing water from the faucet until it tickled at her fur, working the cookie dough off of the individual hairs with expertise precision. Inch by inch, the mixture peeled off, revealing her pale gold coat, consistent in its color except on her flank where a sprouting plant was imprinted. Smiling at her work, Pumkpin Cake took a moment to enjoy the quiet in the store. After all, it meant Pound Cake was taking care of everything just fine, or so she hoped. The filly upstairs wasn’t called Surprise for no reason. The tranquility was lost as the familiar sound of jingling bells alerted the unicorn to the presence of a customer. Forcing her best ‘customer service’ smile, Pumpkin trotted out into the store’s front room and behind the countertop display case.
“I’ve got it, Pound!” She hollered up, quickly turning her attention to the store’s customers. Or rather, lack of customers. Pumpkin turned her head from side to side, searching in vain for whoever had set off the front door.
“Down here, Pumpkin!”
Obeying and recognizing the high pitched voice, the ginger unicorn looked down with a smile.
“Hello, Gizmo,” She said pleasantly, before noticing his current company. Her eyes widened slightly, creased rings forming under them in a slight strain. “….And everypony else. Did Surprise invite you all over?” Her voice cracked, the worry self-evident in her tone despite her persistent smile.
“We got sent here by Uncle Macintosh,” Golden Delicious grunted, still displeased that her charms have no ability to get her out of trouble. “Said ta’ wait here for our parents to come ‘n pick us up.”
“Oh!” Pumpkin Cake responded, the relief in her voice following a relaxation of her features. “Well, Pound Cake is playing with Surprise upstairs if you want to join them.” Her blue eyes darted over, focusing on Rainbow Blitz. “Maybe you can help him on his next date, Blitzy.” She added with a quick wink, earning a scowl from the young colt.
“And maybe you can ditch me again,” Blitz growled.
The mare cringed with guilt and turned to continue her brother’s dish duty in the kitchen, pausing only as she heard Capricorn’s rough voice call out after her.
“You couldn’t handle Surprise, could you?”
Pumpkin Cake flushed. “Now what makes you say that?”
The alicorn fluttered up to eye level, giving the unicorn’s horn a few taps.
“You still have some cookie dough in your mane and your horn is really warm,” He explained. “Too warm for just doing dishes; you were working yourself hard, and it’s not like you to do any heavy lifting when you can just play the gentlecolt’s card and have your physically fit brother do it for you.”
Pumpkin gaped slightly. Composing herself, she shook head slowly and turned to make her way into the kitchen. “I’ll never understand how a pegasus knows so much about unicorn anatomy.” She called back, still in disbelief at how easily the young colt had analyzed her.
With a slight thump, Capricorn landed back on the ground and took a moment to bask in his small victory. Walking towards the stairwell, he began to make his way up the steps, the slightest hesitation in his hoof steps.
“Well,” He said dryly, looking back at the three other children. “Time for us to have some fun with our good friend Surprise.”
At Applejack’s insistence, the adults walked towards the library at a brisk but controlled pace, taking the time to catch up on their busy lives. Soarin’ had managed to strike up a conversation with Caramel about their predictions for the Equestrian Games while the mares reminisced about their past times in Ponyville, though the two stallions could hardly maintain the conversation for long. After all, one of them merely watched the games while the other had actually competed, leading the talk to silence as they merely walked along, realizing they had nothing in common to bond over. The other three had no such trouble; Rainbow Dash blinked back tears as her body betrayed the nostalgia she felt, though she refused to be sad. To be sad would mean she had regrets, and the chromatic pegsus had nothing but happy memories about the right decisions she had made in life. Besides, She thought, If I do quit, I’ll have plenty of time to catch up. Maybe early retirement isn’t such a bad thing…
“Oh, the library,” Fluttershy sighed endearingly, breaking Rainbow Dash out of her thoughts. True to her words, the five ponies had indeed arrived at the town’s signature library, the giant oak looming over them. “There are so many memories in this place, but there can’t be nearly as much for us as there is for Twilight.”
“Ha, then quit standin’ around, Fluttershy! Open the door up,” Rainbow Dash commanded cheerfully. “I haven’t gotten to see Princess Egghead in a long time.”
“That’s Princess Egghead Sparkle to you, Rainbow Dash.”
Upon closer inspection, Dash and everypony else realized the library door had been slightly ajar upon their arrival, the youngest princess standing behind it with a joyous grin that stretched from cheek to cheek. Swinging the door wide open, Twilight threw her forelegs over her speedy friend, bringing her into a reciprocated tight embrace.
“It’s so good to see you again,” The alicorn said, drawing herself back from the hug. She adopted a knowing look, her eyes drifting towards Soarin’. “Now don’t you worry a thing about the children. Macintosh gave them a scolding and sent them off to go wait for you at Sugarcube Corner. Mr. and Mrs. Cake are out of town to compete on a television show, but Pinkie, Pound, and Pumpkin are there and probably watching them as we speak.”
“Oh thank Celestia,” Soarin’ sighed with relief. “Pinkie can take care of them.”
“Yeah, the three of us can handle anything!” A new, yet very familiar and bubbly voice spoke up. All six heads turned in surprise and horror to see Pinkie Pie in the library’s main room, her body resting at an incline on one of the plush chairs.
“Pinkie!” Twilight cried out in shock. “How did you get there?”
“I walked,” The party mare explained matter-of-factly. “But there’s five of us original gal pals here so let’s party!”
“Hold on a moment,” Caramel spoke up. “If you’re here, then that means you left the twins alone to watch Surprise and the others?”
“Don’t forget about Donut Joe!” Pinkie chirped.
“But don’t your husband manage the diner in Canterlot on the weekends, hon?” Applejack asked.
“... Oh yeah! I guess the twins really are on their own,” Pinkie Pie giggled. “They’re totally in over their heads!”
“Dashie,” Soarin’ croaked, a slight twitch in his eye. “Can I panic now?”
“Permission to freak out, Soarin,” Rainbow Dash said, her voice cracking. “Our boy is practically left alone with Surprise.”