//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Sweet Works of Art // Story: Dash for the Pie // by Sheltie Paws //------------------------------// Soarin had no time to mourn the lost pie, no time to even shoot a dirty glare full of disguised curse words at Fleetfloot. Rainbow Dash was leaving tomorrow, and there was no time to spare. He drifted out of the race's flight path and onto a cloud. He found his pie manual and searched for the nearest bakery. Sally's Bake Shop, Pie and Roses, Bakers Paradise, Soarin read aloud in his mind. Ah, here we go. Sweet Works of Art. Soarin continued to read the short description he had put. Sweet Works to Art is an expansive chain bake shop owned by Flour Sweet, a french pegasus. They have a Canterlot branch owned by Fleur Delacour, half sister to Flour Sweet. The cafes are visited by many celebrities and the occasional Princess. Both branches make many different goods, such as PIE, cake, cupcakes, macaroons, bread, cookies, brownies, fudge, tarts, cake pops, and much more. It is rumored that the Cloudsdale branch sometimes mixes a secret formula of clouds into their batter, while the Canterlot branch mixes powdered gems. Both have been rated 9 out of 10 Stars by Soarin Skies. Soarin forgot about the expensive part and lifted into the sky. Sweet Works of Art was on an elegant street full of pricey shops for the rich and fancy. A polished road made of lavender and baby blue stones ran along the middle of the street. Each store had tall cloud columns supporting the overhanging rooftops. The shops had beautiful displays for their merchandise behind gleaming glass windows. Diamond jewelry, crystal flowers, and gowns made form the finest fabrics peeked from behind the windows. The midday sun reflected off of the purple and blue stones, making the street appear even more dazzling. Several ponies glanced at Soarin with disguised disgust. That's when Soarin remembered he was wearing an old Wonderbolts outfit he hadn't washed in two weeks on a street full of elegantly dressed pegasi in tuxes and gala dresses. On well, who cares about the public's opinion anyways? Rainbow Dash was more important. The white cursive letters loomed above Soarin, spelling out Sweet Works of Art. The building was painted a light cream with a chocolate brown trim. As Soarin stepped in, the warm aroma of baking vanilla cake washed over him. He was amazed. Row apon row of cakes, pie, cookies, brownies, muffins, and every kind of baked good imaginable greeted him. Soarin reached out his hoof, almost in a trance, towards the pies. They had soft golden crust, and he could imagine the gooey, tantalizing berry filling. The scent was overwhelmingly awesome. He reached further, about to grab that wonderful, tantalizing, beautiful pie - only to be stopped by the glass case it was in, and snapped back to reality. A cream stallion in a white tuxedo fixed his intense blue eyes on Soarin. "Hello sir, I am Cream Puff. How may I help you?" The cream pegasus said. His voice was friendly, but his eyes were narrowed with disapproval. "Hello, I'm looking for a pie. What flavors do you happen to have on hoof?" Soarin answered. Cream Puff's nostrils flared at the word "I'm". Guess he doesn't like contractions. Soarin thought. Make that does not like contractions. "We happen to have 5 freshly baked raspberry pies, and two apple pies at the moment." Cream Puff said. "What about all the others?" Soarin pointed to all the pies in the display case. "Those are all reserved for Mistress Flour Sweet's Pie fest in two days. I am terribly sorry, but some idiot," Cream Puff looked at Soarin when he said idiot. "Ended up smashing part of the display case this morning. Took half of our pies down with him. Naturally got fired, that old dope." Soarin glanced at the perfect glass display case. "How did you fix it so quick?" He asked. Cream Puff cast an odd glance at Soarin. "Why bother fixing it, when you can easily buy a new one?" The cream pegasi said. Soarin remembered that these ponies were rich. "So what kind of pie would you like sir?" "May I have a raspberry pie please?" said Soarin. Cream Puff nodded. "Here you are sir, freshly baked raspberry pie." The cream stallion said, handing Soarin a beautifully baked pie. "Would you like it in a box?" "No, I'll take take the way it is." Soarin replied quickly. His eyes darted to the clock on the wall. "You seem quite anxious sir. Are you alright?" Cream asked. Soarin nodded. "Then that will be 59 bits." Soarin opened his wallet and poured out roughly 65 bits. "Keep the change!" he yelled, grabbing the pie and darting out the door and into the sky. He could have sworn he heard Cream Puff muttering. Probably saying 'good riddance'. But who cares about a fancy old stallion anyway? Soarin soared above the streets and started to search the area near the stadium. Perhaps Rainbow was still somewhere close, even though the race had ended. He was right! Rainbow Dash was no more than five metres behind him, talking to Fleetfloot. Sadly, Soarin did not have the sense to turn around, and he flew of in the wrong direction. He clucthed his pie tight, afraid he would drop it. Soarin soon decided to head deeper into the city. The airspace was getting crowded, so he decided to fly low. That way he could look out for Rainbow too. It looked like everything was going well, and be would find Dash eventually, until- "HEY! HEY DORK FACE!" Soarin looked around wildly. "YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT, IM TALKING TOO YOU, IDIOT!" Soarin looked down and saw Hoops, Dumb-Bell, and Score, the local bullies. "What do you want?" Soarin called. "I'm in a rush, so make it snappy!" "Listen punk, we missed lunch." Dumb-Bell said, eyeing the pie Soarin held. Soarin understood in a flash. "OH NO! YOU ARE NOT GETTING THIS PIE!" He yelled. "I'd like to see you stop us, PIE-FACE!" Hoops sneered. "Yeah, NERD!" Score hollered. The three bullies flew up, and circled Soarin. "OH NO! NO NO NO! THIS IS MINE, YOU STUPID IDIOT!" Soarin screeched. Dumb-Bell swooped in and snacthed Soarin's pie. Soarin kicked and fought but he overpowered by Score. The last thing he saw before Hoops sent him crashing into the street was Dumb-Bell hungrily snarfing down the pie.