//------------------------------//
// Cold Turkey 
// Story: With Extra Frosting on Top 
// by Grey Faerie 
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	Pinkie woke up the next day and groaned. She was not looking forward to the changes she was about to make. She started her daily routine stumbling over to brush her mane and using the bathroom. She then went back to her room and grabbed the list off her nightstand. She threw her bags on making sure her wallet was inside. She stopped at the top of the stairs and took a breathe. Breakfast was going to be her first challenge.
The Cakes greeted her as she walked down the stairs onto the main floor.
Pinkie grinned and replied with her greeting as she made her way into the kitchen to get something to eat. She strained to look away from all the sweets around her. She went to the pantry and grabbed a box of cereal. Pinkie filled her bowl half way and put the box back. She then got an orange and a glass of milk. It wasn't anything really 'diet crazy' but it was better than muffins.
"Is that all you'll going to be having?" Mrs. Cake asked surprised.
"Yea, I don't feel that hungry this morning. I guess I'm not awake yet," she replied with a smile.
Strange, Mrs. Cake thought, but she shook her head and smiled anyway. "Now Pinkie, do you remember what needs to be done today?" she asked.
"Yes, around one you guys are leaving, and I'll be watching the shop until six. During that time, I have to get the Miller's order done."
"Yes, please remember that. It's very important."
"Of course! I'll get started on it when my shift starts."
Pinkie finished her breakfast. She cleaned up, then went over to where the twins sat eating their Oat O's. She tickled them under their chins.
"I'm going out. I need to get a few things," Pinkie said.
"Okay, where are you going?" Mr. Cake asked.
"Not entirely sure. I have a list of a few things I want. I'll have to look around to see who has what I need. Well, I'm off. See you later!" she called as she left. The Cakes waved her goodbye.





Pinkie walked down to the market place to go back to the bookstore she waited outside of the day before. Once there, she looked at her list:


Things to Get

1. books on proper eating habits
2. cookbooks on healthy eating
3. healthy food listed in books
4. exercise books
5. exercise stuff from inside of books

Wow, do I really have so little knowledge on this? She thought as she flipped through a book.
Pinkie prided herself on knowing about certain things, especially with her amazing memory. But it was only now that she realized she didn't know how to even begin to eat healthy except to eat less and no sweets. I wonder if I can have any sweets. Or is it once in awhile, or was it certain ones? I really don't know, she sighed.
She continues to wander around for the books she needs. It ended up taking longer than she thought. There were so many different books; some even contradicting each other! In the end, she felt she got three good books, Healthy Food and You, Burn your Body (And Calories!), and The San Fratello Diet. It was now time to scout out the items listed in the books.
Pinkie went to the fitness store, Plots and Flanks. She decided it would be best to get the weights later when she had the cart. Pinkie got some of those stretchy bands and an exercise mat. She had a wooden box at home she could use for aerobic exercises. She also had a jump rope and a hula hoop. She smiled at the thought of having some fun when working out.
After checking out, she made her way to the market. She knew she would be needing to stock up on her own supply of food. Plenty of fruit to help curb her sweets cravings. But also vegetables, as that's what she will be eating most of the time. It was unfortunate, but most of the books had her cut out bread. She cringed at the thought of it.





It was around noon that Pinkie made it back home. She used the side door to get to the stairs and went up to her room. Pinkie looked around her room and pursed her lips. She had to rid the room of all her junk food. There were candy wrappers everywhere. Emergency cupcakes and the smell of baked goods permeating the air. She grimaced.
For the next half hour, she rushed around pulling out all her junk food. Her hooves shook as she threw out a box of new candy bars. Pinkie looked over her shoulder to the spot she just knew had another cupcake. A perfectly good strawberry swirl cupcake for those times when she was reading a book and needed a snack. It make a disheartening plunk on top of the box of candy bars. Every secret spot was exposed one by one. Her lip trembled as she felt suddenly very shy. These weren't special sweets just for her. They were a dirty little secret tucked in where no one else would look.
Pinkie threw the bucket under her arm and went down stairs to the dumpster. She stopped for a moment next to it. The smell of the treats was so tempting. Pinkie clinched her teeth, held back a few tears, and tossed it in. She went back up and shoved her stuff around to make room for an exercise area. She put her new food in every spot her old used to hide. There was no sneaking treats anymore.
Pinkie sat back against the wall. The shelves that once held chocolate bars and sweet breads now held diet books. The healths bars she had now could only pretend they were candy bars. She closed her eyes to sigh. Even the smell had changed. Pinkie knew she had to get everything in order while she had the will power to do so. 'Change is always easier to do things the first few days.' or so the books say. The sound of the clock ticking away reminded her of the other pressing issue in the room. It was almost time for work.





At one, Pinkie waved the Cakes goodbye and started her shift. She felt a bit of luck on her side as she had taught herself long ago not to snack on the product during her shift. It added more to her work load than already had.
Pinkie tied on her apron and set about working on the Miller's order. It was a set of five cakes for a dinner party they were having that night. She smiled at the thought of a party. The chocolate batter always got her salivating. And chocolate frosting too! Pinkie snapped into attention right before she took a swipe of the leftover frosting. She bit her tongue and threw the bowl under the running water of the faucet. 
She was saved with distraction on a few occasions when a customer would come in. Pinkie popped some gum in her mouth in hope that it would help. By the time four o'clock came around, she had a pit in her stomach from hunger. The stupid gum just seemed to make her even hungrier! Pinkie locked the front door and flipped the sign. She breathed in the fresh air of the market. It was nice a break from the constant smell of the bakery. Granny Smith smiled at her from the apple stall.
"Hiya, Granny Smith! No Applejack today?" Pinkie beamed. She bent down to inspect some of the yellow apples.
"Hello, Pinkie. No, she's out, busy helping our neighbor with milking their cows. Ya might she her later if she passes by with the delivery to the grocer." Granny Smith was sitting on a stool besides the baskets of fresh produce. Pinkie picked three apples and paid.
"That sounds fun. Tell her I said hi. See ya later!"
"See ya later."
Pinkie chomped down on the apples. It might have been luck that Applejack wasn't here today. She didn't feel ready to see anyone yet in case they could some how know just by looking at her that she was on a diet. She had a nagging feeling they would laugh at her if they found out. Pinkie shook her head to clear the thought. There were a lot of things she didn't need to think about right now. Her friends were great but there were just somethings she didn't share with them.
Pinkie finished up the rest of the day with a sense of ease now that she wasn't so hungry. She untied her apron and hung it on the coat rack nailed to the wall. She felt the tinges of hunger again so she went up to her room to get an orange. Going to the fridge would run the risk of seeing all of the numerous sweets in there.
Pinkie laid on her bed. The cakes had smelled so good, the frosting was gourmet, and all of the fruits for the pies had to be made with their own syrup. Then to waste all that gourmet frosting. Pinkie looked over at her orange peels. I can do this. It's only the first day! She pressed her hooves to her face.





Pinkie was relieved when the Cakes came back home at six. They closed up the store so they could have dinner which Pinkie volunteered to make. Normally, she only had to do it if the Cakes were out or too busy, but she told them she wanted to try her new cookbook so Mrs. Cake relented.
Look at it this way, so far, I've been doing pretty good. Pinkie smiled to herself from across the dinner table. I got through the first day without any major problems.
Pinkie grabbed a portion of pasta then put some back but then that was too little so she put some more on but then that was too much. Wasn't she not supposed to have too many carbs? So she put some back. She pouted at it until the bowl with the string beans came around. She would have happily dumped it on her plate but then that would be too much. In the end, she had a scoop of the beans, some noodles, and no dessert. The empty plate looked so much more barren afterwards then it normally did.
This whole thing didn't go unnoticed by the Cakes who gave her worried looks all through out the meal. Pinkie smiled and bid them goodnight. Mrs. Cake sighed and patted her husband's hoof. If there was something wrong, they were sure Pinkie would say something.





That night, Pinkie went to bed with a calm smile on her face. She even started to giggle at herself for getting all worked up over nothing. Tomorrow, she will be starting her workout sessions. Soon, she thought as she drifted to sleep, I'll be thin, happy and, hopefully, in love.