//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Half-Baked // Story: Enigma // by steampunkwatchman //------------------------------// I sat on the train, fidgeting and wondering, praying to God that this rust bucket would move faster. As if in answer, the intercom announced ten minutes to Ponyville Station, and I rejoiced, for there may yet be time for me to save the town. My pocketwatch read 9 P.M.; she’d be closing soon. For the sake of everypony everywhere, I hoped she’d stay open late. As soon as the train stopped, before the doors even had a chance to open (thank God for windows), I flew towards the bakery, and crashed through the doors a like madmare. I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived, but I know it wasn’t what I saw. She looked totally normal, with a tune on the tip of her tongue, a smile on her face, and the most positive attitude you could hope to see, doing nothing more than pulling some fresh goods from the oven. Then I crashed through the front door and onto my face. “My oh my,” exclaimed Ponyville’s resident snob, Filthy Rich. “Miss Pie, I thought I told you to keep this sort of riff-raff out of here.” “Mr. Rich, what was I-,” Pinkie started to say. “Don’t give me that! Your shop is already on probation!” he spat. “Sir-” “No excuses, Miss Pie!” shouted Filthy. “I don’t pay you to not do things about this kinda stuff! So do what I don’t not pay you to do and handle this!’ “Relax, sir, and I’ll take care of it,” Pinkie responded, not the slightest bit perturbed. “You had better,” he snarled, “...or else.” Witnessing that scene made me feel awful; Filthy had gone off on poor Pinkie, and it was all my fault. If this happened again, she might lose Sugarcube Corner for good and I couldn’t bear to see that. I could see in her eyes, the way Pinkie Pie looked at me, that I arrived at the worst possible moment. “Get up,” she said, still looking at me with those eyes. They were eyes full of sadness and anger, heavy with the weight of never being good enough for her employer. Those eyes… they were the only indication she wasn't as happy as it seemed. The only thing out of place on her bouncy loveable appearance. “Mr. E…. today of all days to come crashing in,” she said shaking her head “Well, you know I have a habit of coming in at the most opportune of times.” I stood and flicked away some dirt with my wing. “Right?” “Come on,” she said as I stepped towards her, “You know that this is all I have left, I don't want to lose it.” “Well I’m sorry, it was an emergency.” “What do yo- ahh!” Her tail suddenly twitched and broke into a spasm. I remember her screaming at me the moment before I was tackled to the floor. “Get down!” FWOOSH! The place we had just been standing was now a fiery inferno. “Run!” I shouted as another fireball was thrown at us. We started out the door and began galloping down the street, throwing carts and barrels and anything we could reach into the path of our devious cloaked pursuer. FWOOSH! Another fiery ball of death exploded behind us. “Wow, Pinkie Pie, I think this guy really hates your cooking.” “Shut up and run! It’s gaining on us!” she retorted as yet another fireball sailed over my head. Sure enough, the cloaked figure was gaining on us, the thu-thump of it’s hooves steadily grew closer, which seemed to put Pinkie Pie into a panic and an added burst of speed. I could barely keep up with her as she dashed down the streets and erratically dove to her left and right in hopes of making herself a more difficult target. After we had put a few back-alleyways between us and our pursuer, she stopped. “Do you hear anything?” she asked me. I cocked my head like a dog in order better to listen for the thu-thump of the hooves of our attacker. “Nothing except for the crickets,” I responded “Well, in that case, what’s so important that you had to come crashing through my door like that?” “Well...” I paused. I could tell her about the plant residue and the adrenaline serum, but if she was the killer then I was done for. This entire street was nothing but old cottages. Nopony knew we were here. “Well?” she asked impatiently tapping her forehoof. I swallowed, “ Maybe we should talk about this elsewhere. Somewhere safer. My place, perhaps.” “Fine,” she said, “Let’s go.” We arrived at my apartment around 11:00. I unlocked the steel door and lead her into my office/living room area. “Ok,” I said as I pulled out a typewriter, “I have a few questions I need to ask you. Do you mind?” “It doesn’t feel like I have a choice,” she replied. “First off then, have you ever been to Appleloosa?” “I have,” she stated simply. “Recently?” “Yes.” “Why?” I inquired, shifting in my seat a bit. “I went to visit some old friends. I doubt you know them.” “Did you happen to head into a saloon while you were there? The Dusty Egos perhaps?” “Yeah I did go in there. My friend Little Strongheart and I had some girl time there. She said she knew the bartender and got us some free drinks.” Hmmm, I thought. “See anything suspicious or talk to anyone… shady, while you were in there?” “Not really, although one night, Strongheart stopped to speak somepony when we were headed back to her place from the saloon.” She shuffled in her seat a bit. “Did you happen to catch a name?” “Yes, Rainbow something,” she replied. I stopped for a second debating to ask about the "substance" I found, but decided against it. “Well I guess that’s enough. No further questions.” “You gonna tell me what that was about?” “I can’t.” “In that case, you owe me for the screw up at the bakery,” she snarled. “Send me the bill I’ll take care of it. Try to stay inside when you can. That lunatic might still be out there.” “HMF,” she said as she turned her nose up at me and left. My my, Filthy owning her bakery has really changed her, I thought to myself as I climbed into bed. Laying down, I looked around my small one bedroom apartment and thought, How am I ever going to pay her? At the moment, it didn’t matter; my eyelids had already grown heavy. Some rest will give me some time to reflect on this, I thought as I drifted off into my dreams. Letting my worries slip away as I headed into to the bliss known as sleep.