"Hello, Pinkie!" Mrs. Cake greeted her employee as she bounced through the door. Pinkie waved swiftly back, and gestured for her friends to follow in suit. Mrs. Cake tilted her head as Smart Cookie trotted in. "I've never seen that mare before. Who may you be?"
Rarity opened her muzzle to answer, but paused as Cookie raised a hoof to stop her. The mare took a deep breath before responding. "I'm Applejack." She replied cooly. Rainbow scoffed at her attempt, earning the delightful sounding splat of a cupcake that hit directly on the back of her multicolored mane. Her eye twitched, but she made no noise.
Rarity chuckled, her magic fading as she kept her stare away from the pegasus. "She just came here from Manehatten." She explained lightly. Cookie nodded in agreement with her lie.
Mrs. Cake hummed. "Very nice to meet you, Applejack. Have a nice time here in Ponyville." Her tone held a bit of caution for the newcomer. 'Applejack' grinned back, holding a hoof out in polite curtsy. The Cake stared at it for a moment before latching her own.
They let go as Pinkie leaned onto the counter. "Hi, Mrs. Cake!" She said. "I'm here to get some of my special treats for my new friends here before the store closes!"
Mrs. Cake's face with filled with glee. "Well, you all came just in time." She walked into the backroom, and Smart Cookie's ears perked at the sound of shuffling pans and sweets. "This is the last batch we have made. Pinkie, you're going to need to make more when you have the time." Her voice echoed as she came back into their vision, balancing a large tray on her back.
Cookie licked her lips as she eyed the food, Pinkie mirroring the action as they both waited in contempt. Rainbow grimaced. "Stop making those faces, it's weird." She told them both as the steaming tray of warm brownies connected with the table.
The pink mare shrugged. "I can't help it!" She giggled. "When I see my best creation, I know it's going to be the most delicious I've ever tasted!"
Rarity reached for the single brownie along the side, but hissed as Pinkie slapped it away with a shake of her head. "Cooks gets one first." She strictly told them.
Both the mares frowned at the words, but understood why. Smart Cookie now reached for a sweet graciously, holding the brownies as if it held the answer to all her problems. She nibbled the end, and Pinkie silently cheered as her friend's eyes lit with joy.
"It's amazing!"
Rainbow tapped her hoof impatiently as Pinkie's cheeks were enveloped with a pink glow. "Aw...well, I do try."
"Try?!" Cookie shouted. "You do more than just try, Pinkie! You put your heart and soul into these! I can't remember the last time I had something this good!" Rainbow went behind Pinkie's back, grasping another treat before the mare turned. She took a huge bite, chewing.
"Tastes like the Cupcakes we had just yesterday." She spoke poorly.
Smart Cookie's mouth went agape. "You had these before?"
Rainbow Dash shrugged. "Well, yeah. It's pretty normal to have food like this at Sugarcube Corner." Pinkie nodded alongside her pegasus friend.
"Oh, exactly." Rarity chimed as she swallowed a piece of her own part. "You used the chocolate on here with the toppings, correct?"
Pinkie winked, flicking a hoof. "Correct-a-mundo! By the way, you have a bit of choco on the right side of your lip." Rarity scrambled a hold on a nearby napkin, wiping it against her lips as she blushed at the remark.
"You don't tell a mare she has food on her lip, Pinkie. It's extremely rude." She scolded, failing to make her mark as the earth pony merely cocked her head happily. She groaned, turning away.
"She was trying to help." Cookie went to the rescue. Rarity switched her vision to the mare. "I understand her actions, but that does not forgive her for saying such a rough phrase." She huffed once more, and avoided the gazes of her friend's as she grabbed another brownie.
Rainbow didn't seem to care about the particles on her muzzle as she stuffed down a third treat. Rartiy's nose scrunched, and soon her entire body cringed as she scooted away.
"What," Rainbow taunted, flapping a hoof in front of the unicorn. "you can't handle seeing a little bit of food on somepony's hoof?"
Rartiy's rugged breathing increased pace. "Keep that away from me." She seethed, pushing the napkin on the pegasus' hoof and folding it back to Rainbow's side. "That is not just a bit of food, darling. You've smeared it all over!"
"Whatever." Rainbow muttered, whipping her head away.
Pinkie laughed awkwardly, but it slowed as she spotted Smart Cookie. The earth pony's gaze had turned dark, and she now took deep breaths before having them echo outward. "Cooks? You okay over there?"
Smart Cookie sighed. "You three sound a lot like the tribe leaders." She exposed. Rarity's ears perked as Rainbow stared. "Commander Hurricane," she pointed a hoof to Rainbow. The mare expression gained brief shock before she washed it away. "Princess Platinum," she moved it to Rarity, who's eyes gleamed as she heard the words.
"And..." Cookie wiped a tear from her eye. "Chancellor Puddinghead." She paused on Pinkie Pie.
"Really?" Pinkie forced about, surprised by the new information. Cookie nodded. "Even more when Rarity and Rainbow Dash fight. Hurricane and Platinum never seemed to get along, even with the united nation around them."
Rartiy's eyes darted nervously. "Oh, well...I'm sorry, darling." She murmured. Rainbow spoke no words by nodded nonetheless.
But they both almost left as they found Pinkie Pie's eyes swimming with tears. "So sad!" She yelled out, throwing her hooves into the air. Mrs. Cake frowned when she saw the mare's actions, but plastered a smile when she came to a stop by the table. "Pinkie! The cake's ready!"
Pinkie's expression blew to happiness in a blast of confetti. "Yay!" She said, Smart Cookie's words forgotten in the depths of her own mind. She tumbled through the back door, the others watching.
"Watch out!" Rarity shrieked as a three layer cake came barreling through the air, and she ducked under a nearby table. Rainbow flew above as Cookie followed the unicorn's actions. The treat, though, hit the wood without a problem, the plate rattling before coming to a complete stop.
"Wow." Rainbow gaped as Pinkie's came humming out, gently setting down the silverware needed. "Come on, girls!" She called. Rainbow went without haste, but Cookie and Rarity moved with caution, waiting for another launch if it would come.
"Dig in!" Rainbow Dash laced her hoof around her fork, slamming it into the top of the cake. Frosting went flying, and Rarity sputtered as it hit along her face.
"Rainbow Dash!" She yelled. "Why are you being so reckless?" The pegasus stopped her eating, rolling her eyes.
"It's called eating, Rares. You're gonna have to get used to it."
Rarity reeled back. "A preposterous idea!" She said. "I would never insert my own ways in with your own!" Rainbow growled as she placed the fork back down. Pinkie clutched onto Smart Cookie as they both shut their eyes.
"My own ways?" Rainbow shouted, eyes burning with anger. "What are even my ways?"
Rarity pulled her hoof up, swinging it in motion as she began to speak. "Reckless, mad, insane, a danger to everypony around, careless-"
"Stop!" Rainbow screeched, causing Rarity's muzzle to snap shut as she whimpered. "You want to know what I think of your ways?"
"My ways?" Rarity said, placing a hoof against her chest in mock pain. Rainbow nodded, seething. "You are pampered, ungracious, rude-"
"Stop..." Pinkie's muffled voice floated out from her and Cookie as she shook. The mare rubbed her back, trying to calm her down. Rarity and Rainbow took no notice as they both refused to back down.
"Give me one reason why I shouldn't plant your horn into the ground now?" Rainbow questioned, scraping her hoof on the wooden floor. Rarity's horn was enfolded in her signature glow, but a tinge of red outlined the light blue.
"Darling, my magic will stop you when you try to move"
Rainbow smirked. "Let's test that theory." She charged, but froze as her friend's magic whipped around her body.
Rarity released her own smirk as she lifted the pegasus high. She then abruptly stopped her hold, Rainbow yelling as she hit the ground with steeled force. "Alright.." She struggled to stand, leaning in the table for support.
"That's enough!" She struck her hoof down, and Rarity gasped as it connected with the end of the pristine plate;
Sending the layered cake up into the hard atomosphere.
Pinkie opened her blue eyes and gasped in upmost horror as the cake seemed to fall into slow motion, its parts flying as they slammed against the unforgiving ground. Rainbow and Rarity both winced, and Smart Cookie covered her eyes again as quickly as possible.
"Nooo!" Pinkie nearly screamed, racing down to the treat's remains. She cuddled it close, ignoring the icing that collected on her face and neck. "Cakie! It's okay, you'll be alright, just stay with me..." She sobbed, squeezing the desert tighter.
Mrs. Cake solemnly walked over, softly placing a hoof on the pink pony's head. Pinkie stared up, her smile hopeful, but it died as the older mare shook her head sadly.
"I'm sorry, Pinkie." She spoke. "But he's not going to make it." The word's stung Pinkie in the core. She cried, backing away as Mrs. Cake brought out a small broom. "He was going to be so delicious!" She shouted.
But her cries came to an abrupt halt as Sugarcube Corner's doors slammed open, catching all the mares by shock. A stallion with gold plated armor rushed in, clearly more distressed then Pinkie Pie. His hooves struck into the cake, causing Pinkie the look away as he continued on without any remorse.
The guard skidded to a stop in front of the surprised mares, grimacing as he wiped away the globs of frosting attached to his fur. "Rarity Belle, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkamena Diane Pie?" They all nodded, Cookie keeping silent.
"Princess Celestia urgently requests your appearance in the Canterlot Castle immediately."