//------------------------------//
// A Letter From Home 
// Story: ButterflyCakes II: Kindness and Laughter 
// by FlameingToast 
//------------------------------//

Pinkie Pie slowly blinked open her eyes as bright sunlight hit her face. She yawned as her eyes adjusted to the now lit up room. Hopping off of the bed, she rubbed her eyes, trying to wake herself up a little bit. Pinkie opened her door, and started walking downstairs. She stopped in her tracks when she smelled something from downstairs; her tired expression was replaced with an energetic one when she realized that somepony was cooking pancakes. 

Pinkie Pie flew down the rest of the steps, and quickly found her way into the kitchen. Mr Cake was pouring some more batter into a pan as Pinkie Pie came to a halt at the doorway. She sat down on one of the chairs and started to salivate at the thought of delicious, fluffy pancakes.

Mr Cake glanced back at Pinkie, who was staring intently at the batter. He chuckled lightly, and flipped the pancakes that were done onto a plate and placed it in front of Pinkie.

"Here you go Pinkie Pie. I don't know how you manage to be so energetic so early in the morning." She shook his head and returned to the oven.

Pinkie Pie grinned "I smelled pancakes, and that woke me up right away! Pancakes are probably my third or fourth favorite food that ends in cake!" She licked her lips at the stack of fluffy pancakes and drowned them in maple syrup. After they were drenched in the stuff, she picked up a fork and looked at it and then at the pancakes. She shrugged, put the fork back onto the table and dove head first into the pancakes.

As Pinkie Pie was frenziedly devouring the food, Mrs Cake walked into the room with her foals on her back. She put each one into their respective high-chairs next to each other, or she tried. Carrot Cake teleported from the chair to under the table, and Pound Cake, who saw where his sister went, flew out of the chair and dove underneath to join her.

Mr Cake set down plates for his wife and their foals as Mrs Cake picked the two foals up from under the table, and put them in their high-chairs again. She sat down next to Pinkie and decided to eat her own breakfast with a utensil, instead of her face. 

"I'm going to check if the mail’s here." Mr Cake said as he walked over to his wife and planted a small kiss on her lips, before trotting out of the kitchen.

"Okay then, sweetie." Mrs Cake said through a yawn, trying her best to stay awake. 

"Have they been a lot of trouble?" Pinkie asked the tired looking mare. She had bags under her eyes, and her mane had random hairs sticking out as if she hadn't brushed it.

Mrs Cake smiled weakly "They don't seem to sleep." She yawned before continuing "I was hoping you could watch them for a couple of hours, so that I can catch up on some shut-eye." 

Pinkie Pie nodded "Sure thing Mrs Cake!" Pinkie smiled at the twins “It’s been awhile since I've got to watch them." She started making faces at the foals, like sticking her tongue out and crossing her eyes. The babies started giggling at Pinkie's antics, and even Mrs Cake gave a small chuckle.

Mr Cake trotted back into the kitchen, holding a few letters in his mouth. He put them on the counter and started looking through them. 

"Water bill, Electricity bill." He muttered sorting through what he expected to see. He took the last letter, read who it was addressed to, and put it in front of Pinkie, who was still entertaining the foals.

"There's a letter here for you Pinkie Pie." Mr Cake said as he went back to the oven and began cleaning up.

Pinkie picked up the letter, and smiled when she saw it was from her mother. I haven't heard from her in forever, she thought as she opened the letter. 



Dear Pinkamena 

I know that it's been a while since I've written to you, but I wanted to tell you that your sister Inkie’s birthday is in a week. I was hoping that you could come home for it. You could help us throw her a surprise party! I know Inkie and Blinkie miss you, and your father would like to see you again. 

Anyways, that aside, how have you been lately? Everything at home is the same really, except Clyde broke his hoof about a month ago, he couldn't work all day like he loves to do. You know your father though; we practically had to drag him inside. Still, it wasn't as bad as when he got the flu, do you remember that?

Well, we hope to have Inkie’s party Saturday, but you could come earlier and catch up with everypony. Hope to see you soon!

Sincerely, Mom 



Pinkie Pie smiled broadly and sat up from the table. Pinkie started to hop towards her bedroom, "time to pack!"


***


Fluttershy hummed tunelessly to herself as she watered her garden, she hovered over the patches of flowers and tried to distribute water evenly between every flower. She smiled, enjoying the relaxing effect nature had on her. After making sure that everything had been watered she placed the watering can on the ground.

Fluttershy sat on the ground and gazed at her surroundings, just enjoying the quiet and scenery. Fluttershy closed her eyes, and took a deep breath of the fresh air. Sighing contentedly, she opened her eyes and found another pair of eyes. She jumped backwards, and ended up falling on her back.

Pinkie Pie leaned over her "Sorry if I scared ya flutters." Pinkie said as she helped Fluttershy off of the ground

"It's fine." Fluttershy smiled, feeling her heartbeat return to normal. "I just didn't except anypony to be here."

Pinkie grinned "It's okay." 

Fluttershy leaned closer to Pinkie and kissed her on the cheek "So, what brings you by? I thought you had to work at the bakery today?"

Pinkie Pie shook her head "Turns out the Cakes gave me the day off." Noticing Fluttershy's curious expression, she took out the letter from her mane and handed it to Fluttershy "I got this in the mail this morning, and I think that I'll have to leave tomorrow." 

Fluttershy's eyes scanned the letter "How long will you be gone?" Fluttershy tried to smile. She was happy that Pinkie would be seeing her family, but she was also sad that Pinkie would be gone for a while. Stop thinking like that, she chastised herself, that's selfish.

Pinkie Pie tapped her chin in thought "It'll probably be for about a week." 

Fluttershy sighed "Well...I hope you have fun seeing your family." She gave a smile "Hurry back though, I'll miss you."

Pinkie Pie grinned "Actually, I was hoping that you would come with me!" 

"...What?" Fluttershy stared at her marefriend confused.

Pinkie laughed "Well, I was hoping that you'd come with me. Don't ponies that have been dating a while meet each other’s parents?"

"Yes, but would now really be the best time?" Fluttershy asked "I wouldn't want to be a burden…" she trailed off, not able to think of any logical reasons to not go; besides that she was nervous.

Pinkie chuckled "You won't be a burden silly, they won't mind!"

"I'll be meeting your p-parents." Fluttershy stated, trying not to panic

"That's kind of what I just said silly." Pinkie hugged Fluttershy "There's nothing to worry about, I'm sure they'll love you!"

Fluttershy disagreed; there was a lot to worry about. "B-But it’s meeting your parents! This is a big step in a relationship! What if they don't like me? What if they-" Pinkie held her hoof to Fluttershy's mouth stopping her mid rant.

"I'm guessing from all this worrying, that you'll be coming with me?" Pinkie asked hopefully.

Fluttershy took a deep breath "Yeah, it does. I guess I'd have to meet your parents eventually, and I'd miss you if you left for that long." Fluttershy looked away blushing.

Pinkie Pie tackled Fluttershy into a hug "That is so adorable!" She laughed as Fluttershy's face grew redder. "You're the best marefriend ever!" Pinkie added before kissing her.

Fluttershy eagerly returned the kiss, just enjoying Pinkie's presence. Although in the back of her mind she was still worried, she had a crazy fun loving pony to help make her feel better. It's going to be just fine, Fluttershy thought as they broke apart smiling at each other.

"I wonder how surprised they'll be when they find out I like mares." Pinkie wondered aloud 

Fluttershy blinked "Your family doesn't know?" Pinkie shook her head.

"A lot of ponies in my hometown aren't really open minded." She shrugged "I always wondered what my parents thought." She grinned at Fluttershy "Well, We'll find out tomorrow!!"

Fluttershy felt light headed, while Pinkie felt giddy and excited to be going back to her family with her special somepony.