Chapter 2: Smile Like You Mean It
The next day, Spike returned to Sugarcube Corner. Grateful that Twilight gave him the day off, he decided to spend it the way he wish he spend yesterday; outside and doing whatever he wanted. However, he wanted to visit the bakery for one reason before he went off.
Opening the door to the bakery, the sound of a bell rung as he entered. He was a bit surprised he wasn’t welcomed the moment he entered. However, it didn’t take long for a certain pony did just that.
“Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!” Pinkie Pie literally popped her head up from behind the counter to see the familiar purple and green dragon, “Oh, hiya Spike!”
“Hey, Pinkie. How are ya doing?” he asked as stepped closer to the counter.
“Oh, I’m doing great! I woke up this morning and it was still dark out, so I took Gummy and we went out to a hillside just outside of town and watched the sunrise! It was beautiful, seeing Celestia’s sun rise up like that! It was all like….WOOSH!” Pinkie moved her hooves up above her head to enact the rising of the sun, “And I was all like….WOW! And Gummy was all like….WOW! And then we both were all like….WHOA!”
Listening and watching Pinkie describe the rising of the sun and her reaction was really amusing to Spike. He covered his mouth, trying his best not to laugh, but a few snorts escaped.
“Then, Gummy and I came back to here to start baking for the day. I got to make double chocolate cupcakes today!” Pinkie continued detailing her day, “I licked the batter out of the bowl when I was done, and it was super chocolately! Then Applejack stopped by to deliver some apples for baking, like making apple turnovers! Then we had a lot of customers come in to get breakfast, and then it was slow with business, so I went back to help roll some dough for pie crusts later. And then you showed up and I started talking to you and telling you about my day! Like how I woke up early this morning and went to watch the sunrise! I went with Gummy you see an-“
Spike stopped Pinkie Pie before she could repeat her entire day again, “I get it, I get it, you had a very eventful morning.” He couldn’t help but smile at the energy that seemed to literally be shining off of Pinkie Pie.
“Yes, I did! And today’s not even over yet! Who knows what else could happen!” Pinkie mused as she swayed back and forth like a metronome, “By the way, how did Twilight like the scones? I made them myself yesterday!”
“It seemed like she really liked them. It is her favorite treat after all,” the dragon explained.
The pink mare clapped her hooves together, “Wonderful! I love it when ponies like what I make! It makes me feel so happy!”
“Speaking of yesterday’s order, did you give me two ruby muffins on purpose? And write that stuff on the napkin in my bag?” Spike asked, tilting his head slightly to the side.
Pinkie Pie unabashedly answered, “Yup yup! You looked so down and mopey that I had to do something to make you smile! So I gave you a little something extra to brighten your day. Something small, ya know?”
Spike was still a little unsure about the gesture, “I guess, but won’t you get in trouble for giving that to me?”
“Nah!” Pinkie Pie replied, “I won’t get in trouble, I paid for it!”
“Huh?”
“Well, I obviously can’t just give stuff away for free, what kind of business would that be? A bad one that’s what! So I just paid for it myself and figured it could just be a little gift for you!” Pinkie smiled brightly and sincerely to the dragon. In fact, it caught him a bit off guard.
“Oh….uh….well, thank you, Pinkie Pie….” Spike nervously looked away as he rubbed the back of his head with one of his claws, his face growing slightly flushed.
“Of course! What are friends for?”
“But, one more thing,” the dragon edged as he looked back to the pink mare, “What exactly was with that little note? With what was written and what not.”
Pinkie continued her smiling, “It was to cheer you up!”
The dragon was still puzzled, “I don’t get it.”
“It’s to help you smile! I wrote it as a little reminder that even when things seem their most down, it won’t last forever! Remember, I really want everypony to smile! And don’t think dragons are excluded from that!” the pony leaned forward from her position from behind the counter and used her hoof to tap Spike on his nose. This caused him to raise his claws up to his nose and cover it after she made contact.
Spike smiled, “Well, thank you very much for that, Pinkie Pie.”
“Did it make you smile?” she returned back to her position on the other side of the counter, but she leaned on the counter as they continued.
“Well, yeah, it obviously did. It was really nice of you to do that and all.”
Pinkie’s face beamed, “Then I did what I wished, I made you smile! Yay!”
Spike covered his mouth again, trying not to laugh at Pinkie Pie.
“So, now what are you up to?” the mare asked.
“Huh? Uh, well, I was thinking of going out and exploring or something. It seems like a good day for it,” Spike thought about what he planned to do.
“Ooo! That sounds super fun! Can I come too? Huh? Can I? Can I?” Pinkie leaned more on the counter, almost as if she was inching herself closer to Spike as she begged to join him.
This caught Spike off guard, “Wha? Um….don’t you have work and stuff?”
“But my shift is almost over! If you wait just like two minutes, I’ll be done and we can totally go out and explore the wonders of Equestria!” Pinkie Pie seemed to be getting more excited about the supposed adventure.
Spike tried to clear up what the plan was to the mare, “Well, the exploring will be more of the landscape around Ponyville, not all of Eques-“
Pinkie quickly interrupted as she jumped up on top of the counter and started to proclaim as if she was giving a soliloquy in some sort of play, “We shall venture far through Equestria. Exploring any and all places that might interest us through our journeys! From Seaddle to Baltimare, from Manehatten to Las Pegasus, and everything in between! We will travel across the land, searching far and wide. Each new wonder to understand, the power that’s inside!”
Looking around Sugarcube Corner, Spike noticed that every single pony, from the customers to the employees, including Mr. and Mrs. Cake were all staring at Pinkie Pie as she gave her speech.
She continued, “We shall explore from one shore to the other, from the Crystal Mountains to the north, to the Palomino Desert in the south. And nopony, nay, nothing shall stand in our way! And mark my words….we shall be….victorious!” Taking a moment to pausing, with all of the eyes still on her, Pinkie knelt down, bowing her head, “And….scene.”
With the entire occupancy of the bakery staring at Pinkie Pie, Spike quietly whispered to the pink pony as she stood high upon the counter, “Yeah….meet me outside when you’re done.”