Honesty and Lies
"Mr. Barrigton, Mr. Meadowsweet... I'm terribly, awfully sorry. But I'm afraid I am going to have to decline your offer." Apple Pie told the two surprised stallions. "But what makes the magic kitchen's baked goods special cannot be replicated or improved upon by a machine or mass production. Every baked good comes from the heart, and sticking this bakery's name onto some shoddy line of questionable product is lying to our customers about what they are getting."
"But-but think of the royalties!" Mr. Barrington pleaded, trying to get the baker to see reason. "Think of the profits!"
"Besides, properly running a franchise would take time away from raising my daughter properly." Apple replied, in a tone that indicated her decision was final. "And nothing's more important that bringing up my little girl."
And even though she couldn't hear it, mere moments after Apple uttered those words a little filly went galloping up the stairs, weeping with joy that she would not be forgotten again.
"We have a lot of money sunk into this business of yours, Miss Pie." Mr. Meadowsweet told her, his voice no longer pleasant. "I believe you have made an unwise decision in rejecting our offer."
The mare's eyes went wide at what the stallion was implying, then she glared at both of them. "Gentlemen, I believe our business is concluded for now." She pointed a hoof towards the door. "And now, if you will excuse me, good day."
The two indignant ponies stormed out of the bakery, Apple angrily slamming the door behind them.
Yay, you sure told those guys off! And you got to spend more time with Honeyberry!
Yeah, sugar cube, I shore did tell those stuffy stallions off, but it was somethin' I really payed the price for later. Anyway, that little filly was quite a hoof full to bring up, dealing with hormones and youth rebellion. But every time I saw her smile- every time I saw Apple Bloom's young, hopeful eyes looking back at me- it made it all the hard days and worrisome nights worth the while.
That's so sweet! But what about those two troublemakers you had talked about?
Thanks to the two of them terminating all of our deals, business began to fall off for the bakery over the next few years. And I've never been the best at making financial decisions, and so the point came when I was going to have to make the hardest one I had ever made since arrving in the republic...
"Ae you absolutely sure about this, Bon Bon?" Apple Pie asked, as the two looked over the endless stack of bills on the mare's desk. "There's really nothing else that can be done?"
"Sorry, boss!" The mare explained, holding a past due notice in her hoof. "I'm no financial expert, but I think you're too far in the red to pull the bakery's flank out of this one."
"Then I'm afraid I have no choice but to take up Mr. Barrington and Mr. Meadowsweet's offer." Apple said with a sigh. "There is no way I can keep things going the way they are right now, all things considered."
"Ugh, I just can't believe those two jackals!" Bon Bon snorted, stuffing another muffin into her mouth. "This is all thier fault, pulling thier investments out of the bakery like that!"
"They're just being good businessponies, Bon Bon." The blue mare shook her mane. "My only worry is how I'm going to tell Sweetberry."
"Hey, Bon Bon! Hi mom! What's up?" The teenage Honeyberry blurted out, quickly trotting up the stairs as she came in from the school bus. "Hey, sorry I can't stay too long, but Logan and I have a date in two hours. I promise I'll be home by twelve-thirty, kay? Don't wait up for me!"
"Sweetberry, I need to talk you to later, if you can spare a moment." Apple Pie told her daughter. "These's something important we really need to discuss."
"Huh? Oh, sure!" She trotted up, taking off the headphones from her walkman. "What's up mom, something happen?"
"Well, it's just that.... you see, we have to...." Apple Pie stuttered, tripping over her words as she tried to think of a way of telling this filly that she was going to have to sell her mother's- her real mother's- bakery. "Honey, I've decided we're going on a nice vacation! To visit the isle of Pony!" She sputtered out, thinking of a response on the fly. "You're ending your semester next week, and I can leave Bon Bon in charge of the bakery! Think you're up to a whole summer in the sun?"
"Wow, that's so cool!" Honeyberry galloped up to her mother, giving her a big hug. "Just wait until I tell all my friends we're going on a trip!"
As she went galloping out the door, Bon Bon looked up at her employer in shock.
"Apple... y-you lied to her!" The dumbfounded Bon Bon stuttered, not believing what she had just heard. "You lied to that little filly about the shop- her inheritance!"
You lied to her!? The element of honesty!? Oh mom how could you!?
"I didn't know what else to do at the time, sugar cube. How could I tell that filly that I had managed to alienate her mother's business partners, and drive the Magic Kitchen into ruin. But don’t worry Apple Blossom, this was only the beginning of my mistakes during my first time at being a parent....