The Steeden University of Culinary Arts
By Dee Pad
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Chapter 14: The Great Cake-Off: Part 1

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It wasn't often that Gustave would call his students to one of the university's lecture halls. Aside from their first day when they arrived for orientation, there were very few instances where they all found themselves gathered there. And if they were, chances were it was for something important. Considering there was now less than one month left before the course came to its conclusion after a whole year, every student assumed that Gustave had called them there to discuss their coming graduation, or perhaps more worryingly, their final exam.

It was hard to believe that an entire year had come and gone. To many of them, it had only felt like half a year at most. The time had simply passed them by, a testament to just how much they were enjoying their time at the university. But now that their time there was winding down, the students were getting a little antsy. Some were eager to finally get their diplomas, something that would open practically the entire world for them when it comes to employment opportunities; a diploma from The Steeden University of Culinary Arts was one of the most prestigious honors there was for a chef, and would relay their astounding skills to any potential employers.

On the other hoof, if this gathering in the lecture hall were to discuss the upcoming final exam, the students would be more than a little nervous. This one exam could mean the difference between graduating and returning home in failure, and everything they've done at the university was leading up to this. This was the moment where they would be applying everything they've learned up to this point. Of course, there may not have been any reason for concern at all. Had their skills not been up to snuff, they wouldn't be there right now. But that didn't necessarily mean that they were guaranteed to succeed, otherwise what would be the point of a final exam in the first place?

Gustave looked up from the papers on his desk, scanning the lecture hall thoroughly. It appeared that all of his students were present now. Good news for him, he thought. He was getting a tad impatient. Not that he was grouchy, but rather excited. Gustave had been awaiting this moment all morning. He wouldn't have been surprised if one of the students had caught a glimpse of a small grin on his beak at some point. A part of him wanted to just come out and say what it was that had him so anxious, but he needed to explain the situation first and foremost. At least that would provide some suspenseful buildup.

Gustave rose from his seat and stepped out in front of his desk. His students, who had been quietly chatting and discussing what they thought this meeting might be about, went silent and sat at attention when they saw their instructor move. The griffon cleared his throat.

"Bonjour, everyone. I am sure you are all wondering why I 'ave asked you all to come to zee lecture 'all aujourd'hui. And I am sure you 'ave all deduced zee raison for yourselves by now." Gustave could practically hear several of the students gulping nervously, their worries realized. The griffon nodded with a quiet chuckle. "Oui. As we are approaching zee end of our course rapidement, we are 'ere to discuss your final exam."

Gustave noticed some of the students shift about in their seats. It seemed that with every minute that passed, they became more and more uneasy about this whole thing. It was time to quell those fears.

"I know zat final exams can be très stressant; believe moi, I know from experience. 'Owever, I assure you zat it is not quite as bad as you all are zinking." Gustave began to pace back and forth, looking each of his students in the eye as he began his explanation. "'Ere at Zee Steeden University of Culinary Arts, we pastry chefs 'ave un tradition honorables, what we call Zee Great Cake-Off."

Pinkie Pie's curiosity was piqued. She turned back to the seat behind her where Gwenivere was sitting and whispered to her. "What's 'Zee Great Cake-Off?'"

"Zee Great Cake-Off," Gustave continued, his voice rising in intensity in order to excite his students, "is a test in zee form of a competition where each student bakes zee most délicieux et extravagant cake zat zey can using everyzing zey 'ave learned 'ere. Design and présentation are just as important as flavor. And bigger is better. Your cakes must wow all 'oo see it!" He placed a claw upon his chest proudly. "I, too, 'ave taken part in zis time-honored tradition when I was younger. Let me assure you, zee apprehension you feel now is unfounded. Zee Great Cake-Off is a spectacle. I still remember 'ow much fun it was."

As strange as the image of Gustave "having fun" was, the students had to admit that his excitement regarding the subject was beginning to alleviate their concerns.

Pinkie Pie stood up eagerly, raising her hoof in the air. Although normally Gustave would be irritated by an interruption from the pink mare, today he wanted his students to get hyped up, and welcomed any amount of involvement. He gave Pinkie a smile. "Oui, Mademoiselle Pie?"

Gustave laughed at her enthusiasm. "Zee competition itself is not until zee end of zee month. 'Owever, you may begin preparation après today's classes. And I would suggest you do so. As I said, zee more attention to detail you put into your cake, zee more likely you are to win. Mais, do not zink zat losing means zat you fail zee course. Zee Great Cake-Off is meant to inspire zee spirit of competition in all of you and bring out your very best, which is why it so enjoyable to be a part of it."

"Oui," Gwenivere agreed. "I 'ave been looking forward to zis since Papa first told me about it."

"Mais!" Gustave continued, raising his claw. "Zis year will be en peu différents. Normally, each student submits zeir own cake for zee competition. 'Owever, zis year you will all be competing... in teams."

Gwenivere's eyes widened in surprise, and slight frustration. "Quelle? Papa—er, Chef le Grand, you did not mention zis to moi."

Gustave chuckled in response to her reaction. "But of course. I did not want to ruin all of zee surprises for you. Non, zis year you will be working in teams. Pairs to be more precise."

Candy, Puff, and especially Gwenivere looked at her with shocked expressions. "What?!" they all exclaimed simultaneously.

"Actually, I intended to choose zee teams myself," Gustave clarified, picking up a sheet of paper from his desk.

Gwenivere breathed a sigh of relief, while Pinkie slumped back with a groan. "Zank goodness," the female griffon said under her breath.

A sly smirk creased Gustave's beak. "Mais, as it turns out, I 'ave already paired zee two of you togezer."

Pinkie's disappointment was quickly replaced with an elated gasp, while Gwenivere's relief was destroyed by her father's cruel joke. Gustave specifically pointed out the expressions on their faces. "And zis is why zis change was made. Zee spirit of competition is all well and good, but I want zis to also be an exercise in building teamwork skills. If you cannot cooperate, you cannot win."

Gwenivere scowled at her father. "You're doing zis specifically because of moi, aren't you?"

Gustave shrugged her accusation off. "My raisons are my own. As for zee rest of zee teams..." He held up the piece of paper again. "I will post zis outside in zee 'all so you can find out 'oo your partners are. I would recommend you get togezer wiz your partner frequently between now and zee date of the competition to plan everyzing out and get as much practice in as possible."

"Geez, it's gonna be hard to concentrate in class with something like this on my mind," Candy commented with an eager grin. "I just wanna get started for the Cake-Off right now."

Gustave pointed to the mare with gusto. "And zat's 'ow you should be feeling. It pleases me to 'ear you say zat. 'Owever, it may be more difficile to concentrate zan you realize, for I 'ave one more grand supris pour vous."

The class broke out into curious murmurs, wondering what else he could possibly have in store for them.

The griffon simply shrugged in confusion. "Do not look at moi. I 'ave no idea what 'ee is talking about."

Gustave began pacing again as he elaborated. "As you are no doubt aware, every good competition needs a judge. And as much as I would like to be your judge, I'm afraid zee position 'as already been filled.

"I bet this school could convince any celebrity chef to be a judge for something like this, huh?" Pinkie surmised.

"Correct. And it is part of our tradition to enlist only zee best to judge Zee Great Cake-Off. 'Owever, you are only 'alf right in your assumption, Mademoiselle Pie. Our judge is a celebrity, mais she is not a chef."

The students all raised puzzled eyebrows. Puff Pastry voiced the question on everyone's minds. "That doesn't really make much sense. Vouldn't it be better to hire someone who knows more about baking?"

Gustave waved a talon at her question. "I did not say she does not know about baking. I simply said she is not a chef 'erself."

"I can't take the suspense!" Pinkie Pie blurted, bouncing in her seat with impatient excitement. "Just tell us already!"

Gustave laughed, the enthusiasm on his own face showing that he may have been just as impatient himself. "Oui, I suppose I 'ave beaten around zee bush long enough. Class, it is my honor to introduce you to your celebrity judge for Zee Great Cake-Off zis year..." He gestured toward the door of the lecture hall, and the moment he did, it swung open.

Entering the room, with a coat and grand wings of pure, pristine white, a mane like that of an aurora that billowed even in the absence of wind, her form tall, beautiful, graceful, and decorated in golden regalia was none other than the ruler of Equestria herself.

The pure shock and awe on his students' faces as the princess took her place at the front of the room were absolutely priceless. Just the reaction Gustave had been hoping for.

Entering behind the princess was a pair of pegasus guards in golden armor who took post next to the door while their charge addressed the class of aspiring pastry chefs. "Good morning, everyone," Celestia greeted in her pleasant and comforting voice.

She received no response other than the flabbergasted gawking expressions they wore when she entered, with the exception of one cheery "Hi, Princess!" from a certain pink pony.

Gustave chuckled to himself. "I can see you are all awestruck by zis news, and per'aps a touch confused. Mais, rest assured, Princess Celestia is a fine choice to judge our competition. You may or may not know zis, but she is quite zee connoisseur of fine pastries."

"Well, I'd just say I have a bit of a sweet tooth, to be honest," Celestia admitted with a giggle. "But having tasted countless pastries over the course of thousands of years, I have learned to appreciate the finer points of a good confection. It's one of the few pleasures I've come to enjoy when I'm not swamped with royal or political matters, so I'm more than happy to act as your judge."

"I 'ave no doubt zat 'Er Majesty will be able to judge each of your works fairly and decisively," said Gustave. "Après all, zis is not 'er first foray as a judge of fine pastries. I 'ave 'ad zee honor of 'aving my work judged by 'er in zee past," he stated proudly, yet humbly, giving the princess a courteous nod.

Amidst the silence surrounding the pitched floor of desks, one student dared slowly raise her hoof to ask the princess a question. Gustave acknowledged Candy's hoof and gestured for her to speak.

"Um..." she started nervously, still a tad starstruck. "The, uh, competition isn't until the end of the month, right?"

"Then..." Candy turned her gaze to the princess, the alicorn's warm, welcoming smile doing its job of calming her nerves a little. "If you don't mind me asking, why are you here now? The competition's still a ways off yet."

"Because I wish to meet the people whose pastries I will be judging," Celestia answered as if she'd been expecting the question. "Over the next month, I hope to get to know each of you personally so that I may evaluate your work more accurately. Every chef puts a little bit of their own personality into their dishes, and it's important to be familiar with those personalities in order to fully enjoy the food you create."

Gustave chuckled heartily. "I'm sure you can see now zat she is quite well versed in zee art of baking. It's a shame zat you do not apply zat skill for yourself. I can only imagine zee amazing pastries you could produce, Your 'Ighness."

Celestia breathed a wistful sigh. "Unfortunately, as much as I'd like to, I simply don't have that sort of time, what with my royal duties and all."

"And speaking of duties..." Gustave said, clearing his throat. "I 'ave my own to perform. Everyone to zee kitchen, s'il vous plaît."

The student's were almost tempted to ignore Gustave's order. After all, there was an even higher authority present now; the highest authority, in fact. Most of them wanted to wait for the princess to give them leave before getting out of their seats. However, they did as Gustave said, each of them making their way to the door and offering Celestia a respectful bow as they passed, to which she gave a kind nod in return.

As the crowd of students thinned out, Gwenivere approached the princess, bowing to her like the others. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Majesty."

"And you as well," the alicorn greeted. She paused for a moment, looking the griffon over. "You're Gwenivere, right? Chef le Grand's daughter?"

Gwenivere's head shot up in surprise. "Y-You know of me?" she stammered, feeling shocked, yet honored.

"Of course," Celestia answered with a soft grin. "Your father spoke highly of you when we first met at the National Dessert Competition back in Canterlot."

"I 'ad 'oped zat I would one day get to introduce you to 'er, Gwenivere," Gustave added.

"And after everything he's said about you and your natural skills, I look forward to tasting whatever you create," the princess said.

"I think she meant whatever we create. Right, partner?" a high-pitched and cheery voice chimed in. Pinkie Pie bounded down from her seat, stopping next to Gwenivere. The pink pony smiled up at Princess Celestia. "Hiya, Princess. What's up?"

Gwenivere glared at the earth pony in shock and disgust. "You insolent ninny! Zis is Princess Celestia! 'Ow dare you speak to 'er so nonchalantly! You must address 'er wiz zee utmost respect!"

Pinkie tilted her head in confusion. "I thought greeting a friend with a smile was respectful."

"It is," Celestia assured. "Hello, Pinkie Pie. Twilight mentioned I'd run into you here. It's good to see you again."

Gwenivere's beak fell open, glancing between the two equines. "'Again'? You... You 'ave met zee princess?"

"Gwenivere, Pinkie Pie was at zee National Dessert Competition as well," Gustave explained. "If you recall, we submitted an entry togezer. And won."

"Oh, we've known each other longer than that," Pinkie elaborated. "Me and the princess go waaaaay back."

"'Way back' is relative, of course. What you consider a long time is much different than what I consider a long time. Pinkie Pie and I have known one another for a few years now," Celestia said.

"Five years, one hundred and eighty-five days, six hours, and twenty-seven minutes. Soon to be twenty-eight," Pinkie corrected. "Uh, I think. I might be getting you mixed up with Rarity."

Celestia giggled at Pinkie. "Regardless, it's good to see you again. However, I'd hate to be the one to hold you up. I believe you have a class to attend."

"Oh, right! Guess we gotta skedaddle. Hey, you gotta stop by our dorm later. We can have a little get-together for you. And you can meet all my friends, too."

As much as she didn't want to take an order from Pinkie Pie, she also didn't want to argue in front of royalty. So she made her way to the door as well. "Oui. It was an honor meeting you, Your Majesty." She offered one final bow before exiting.

Not wanting to leave his students unattended for too long, Gustave prepared to head off as well. He offered a respectful bow to the princess as he did, but stopped in his tracks when she addressed him.

"Oui, I suppose I do. A clawful to be sure, but it 'as been a pleasure teaching zem regardless. I look forward to speaking wiz you again, Your 'Ighness. Please feel free to tour our facilities in zee meantime."

Candy Cane stared out the window of Pinkie and Puff's apartment. It was certainly a beautiful day, absurdly so even. It made her wonder if Princess Celestia's presence had anything to do with that. Not that she had done it herself, of course; she simply controls the sun, not the weather, although she probably could if she so wished. No, it was more likely that Trotholm's weather team shifted the forecast schedule a little in celebration of the princess's visit. Would it be insulting to blot out the sun with clouds on a day where you play host for Princess Celestia? There were so many questions Candy had about the princess, but lucky her, they were about to play host for Princess Celestia. The look on Candy's face when Pinkie told her during class that the princess was going to be stopping by for a visit later was quite priceless. But that's why Pinkie was putting together a little shindig in preparation for her arrival. Nothing too extravagant, just some balloons, streamers, welcome banners, and an assortment of pastries for their guest.

Candy was snapped from her thoughts by the abrupt sound of compressed gas filling yet another balloon. Pinkie Pie let the balloon fill until it was nice and round, then let it float up to the ceiling with the rest. All fifty-seven of them. And counting.

"I still can't believe that you actually packed a helium tank for your trip here," Candy said as she stared up at the airborne sea of latex.

"Two actually," Pinkie corrected. She frowned slightly in disappointment. "I figured I'd be throwing more parties while I was here, so I packed an extra tank. Haven't really had a chance to use them much though. Oh, but there's an even better use for helium than blowing up balloons!" Despite her statement, she filled another balloon, but passed this one to Candy. "Here. Inhale."

Candy grinned slightly, catching her meaning. "Oh, I get it. You know, I've never actually tried that," she giggled. Candy then took the balloon and inhaled about half of the trapped gas. She paused, holding her breath as she tried to come up with something funny to say. Finally, she decided on, "Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie!" The heightened pitch of her voice made her sound remarkably similar to Pinkie Pie, causing the pony she was impersonating to burst out into laughter.

"Ha ha ha! Hey, that's pretty good!" Pinkie managed to say between amused titters.

"Why don't you try it?" Candy asked, her voice gradually returning to her usual pitch as she spoke. "I can only imagine what you sound like after a huff of this stuff."

Pinkie filled another balloon for herself. "Actually, I haven't done this myself in a long time. Gotta ration it so I don't run out in case of emergency parties. But let's give it a go!" She sucked down some of the helium in the balloon. She was practically laughing before she had even heard herself. "Hi, Pinkie Pie. I'm also Pinkie Pie! Huh?"

Pinkie and Candy both raised confused eyebrows. Pinkie's voice didn't change at all. It sounded exactly the same.

Pinkie stared at the half-deflated balloon she was holding, tilting her head as she tried to understand. "I don't know. I know I've done this before, and I remember it working."

"Maybe... it's just not physically possible for your voice to go any higher," Candy suggested.

"Or... Maybe you've used this stuff so much over the years that your voice has become permanently high-pitched."

Pinkie gasped at Candy's theory. "You think so?! Wow, I've just gotten so used to this voice that I thought it was normal. So this might not even be my real voice? Oh! Maybe I'm actually a sultry baritone, or a throaty soprano."

"I very much doubt that," Candy chuckled. "I was just making a joke. Still though, it's bizarre that it doesn't affect you at all."

Pinkie refilled her balloon. Overfilled, in fact. It expanded to easily twice the size of the other balloons, looking on the verge of bursting. Pinkie eagerly sucked down every square inch of helium. Candy took a step back, afraid that Pinkie might start floating away at any moment. She could have sworn that her eyes were beginning to bulge out of her skull.

Finally, with her cheeks puffed out, Pinkie opened her mouth to speak. Although she mouthed the words "Hi, Candy", no sound escaped her throat, but the moment her mouth opened, a web of fine cracks appeared on the window beside them, startling the two mares. Pinkie clapped a hoof over her mouth immediately, afraid to try and say anything else.

Candy pulled the helium tank away from Pinkie. "Okay, I'm going to handle the rest of these balloons. You should go help Puff with the baking." Instinctively, Pinkie was about to respond, but Candy lifted a hoof to stop her. "Ah ah! You probably shouldn't talk for a few minutes. Give that stuff a chance to wear off. Don't want to cause any more damage."

Pinkie simply nodded and headed for the kitchen to join Puff, making sure to keep her mouth shut tight.

Candy looked back to the cracked window with a grimace, then turned her head to the ceiling where Rainbow Dash was attempting to string up a banner to welcome Princess Celestia, having to brush aside many helium-filled balloons to do so. "Is she known to cause property damage like this back home?"

"Honestly, with all the weird stuff that goes on back in Ponyville, any damage Pinkie does isn't really worth noting. The town practically gets rebuilt every few months. It's not really a big deal at this point," Rainbow Dash explained, not even batting an eye at the broken window.

Having finished pinning up the banner, the pegasus alighted on the couch to have a seat now that her job was done. Candy decided to put off inflating any more balloons—she was sure that they had plenty already anyway—and joined Rainbow Dash on the couch, giving the cyan mare a sly grin.

"So..." she started, the tone behind that one word raising suspicion from the pegasus. "Pinkie Pie told me something interesting recently. About you."

Dash's cheeks immediately turned red. She already knew what this was about. "Ugh, she told you that?"

Candy nodded with a giggle. "Yup. I knew you guys were close, but I didn't know it went that far."

"It doesn't," Rainbow Dash was quick to clarify. "It's... one-sided. She's not... that way. You know?"

"I didn't come out to Pinkie," the pegasus corrected. "I mean, it's not like I was trying to hide it or anything; I don't like anything girly or sappy stuff, like romantic movies. It's just... not something I've ever discussed with anypony before, that's all. I figure my friends probably figured it out for themselves by now. Pinkie didn't seem too surprised."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with it. It's perfectly normal in this day and age," Candy reassured her.

"Look, I didn't say I was worried about what people would think of me. I was just worried about what Pinkie would think if told her I had feelings for her. I didn't want things to be weird between us."

Candy glanced over the back of the couch toward the kitchen. Pinkie Pie still had her mouth clamped tight and was frantically trying to signal instructions to Puff, which the tan mare was not comprehending in the slightest. "It doesn't look like things are weird to me. She's been going about everything like normal lately."

"Yeah, I know. She said this is something we can probably get past. She doesn't mind that I like her that way, but... I don't think she really understands how this whole situation makes me feel."

Candy raised her hooves defensively. "I'm just trying to help here. If you don't wanna talk about it, that's fine."

Dash crossed her hooves over her chest grouchily, though her blush was still visible. "Right, I don't wanna talk about it. Me and Pinkie already discussed it. Like she said, I'll probably get over it. I..." She let out a sigh. "I just need some time. Besides, I'm not good at talking about... feelings and junk."

Candy decided to just let the topic go so as not to aggravate the pegasus further. "Whatever you say. Consider the subject dropped."

A knock could be heard on the apartment's door, catching the attention of the four mares. Pinkie immediately jumped to answer it. "I'll—" She stopped herself, but having actually heard her own voice exiting her mouth, was relieved to find that the helium had worn off. "—get it!"

Pinkie Pie threw open the door and was greeted by two stern-looking stallions in golden armor. "Miss Pinkie Pie?" one of them inquired gruffly.

The pair of guards stepped aside, allowing the tall, graceful form of Princess Celestia to trot between them. Candy and Puff stood motionless, with mouths agape. Even though they had been expecting her, it was still a rather surreal experience to see her up close like this.

"Hiya, Princess," Pinkie greeted. "We've been waiting for you. Come on in." Pinkie stepped aside and gestured for the alicorn to enter.

Celestia graciously accepted the invitation and walked inside, having to duck down slightly to avoid striking her long horn on the top of the door frame. Her two guards remained out in the hall, taking up their posts on either side of the door to ensure that no shady individuals attempted to bother the princess.

Puff and Candy stopped what they were doing to approach Celestia, bowing respectfully. "Velcome, Your Highness," Puff greeted. "It's an honor to have you as a guest."

Celestia smiled softly at them. "Thank you very much for having me." She looked around at all of the decorations strung up around the dormitory. "You really didn't have to go through all this trouble for me."

"Oh, pish," Pinkie said dismissively. "It's no trouble. I've got plenty more decorations than this. I'm trying to get through it all before heading back home after graduation. You know, less luggage to bring back."

"Still, this is just a leisurely visit. I'm hoping to get some one on one time with each of you before the competition. There was really no need to decorate." The princess jumped suddenly at the sound of a loud pop, noticing the remains of a purple balloon falling to the floor. She had noticed the plethora of balloons floating above her when she entered, but hadn't noticed that they were just within range of her pointy horn.

"I guess these dorms are a little smaller than what you're used to, huh?" Rainbow Dash chuckled.

With the golden glow of her horn, Princess Celestia produced a plush, red cushion with gold trim and placed it on the floor next to the coffee table, taking a seat upon it. "Yes, I suppose you're right. As homely as these dormitories are, they simple aren't designed for somepony with my frame."

"Vould you like some tea, Your Highness?" Puff offered, already making her way to the kitchen.

"Oh, right! We still have cupcakes in the oven!" Pinkie remembered, hopping off to join Puff in the kitchen.

Rainbow Dash leaned forward on the couch, looking at Celestia. "Can't say I was expecting to see you here, Princess. It's a nice surprise."

Seeming a little out of character, Celestia's tone sounded somewhat judgmental, a suspicion that Rainbow Dash realized wasn't just her hearing things when she noticed the slight, half-lidded glare directed at her.

Celestia closed her eyes, shrugging lightly. "I didn't come here to lecture you, Rainbow Dash. I'm sure Twilight could do a much better job of that than I."

"The important thing is that you're here to support your friend," Celestia smiled. "And that is something I can condone. And I'm willing to ignore the circumstances behind it."

Rainbow Dash breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing against the couch. She was just glad that at least one person wasn't going to give her a hard time about it.

Puff and Pinkie Pie returned from the kitchen, the former with a tray containing teacups, sugar, milk, and a steaming teapot, the latter with a few plates of assorted snack cakes balanced precariously on her head and back. Thankfully, Pinkie managed to set them all down on the coffee table safely while Puff poured out tea for the princess.

"Thank you." Celestia took her cup and dropped two teaspoons of sugar into it, then stirred in some milk. She took a short, dainty sip. "Mmm, that's quite good. Do I taste a hint of mint?"

Puff nodded. "Ya, I decided to try mint tea. That's alright, isn't it?" she asked, slightly worried about making the addition without consulting the princess.

Candy watched as Celestia took another sip of her tea, something striking her as interesting. "You don't mind all the formalities when people talk to you, Princess?"

Celestia looked up from her cup with a quizzical expression. "Hm? Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just that, when we met Princess Twilight, she insisted that we not, uh... do what I just did: refer to her as 'Princess' or 'Your Highness.' She didn't really care for it."

"Oh, well, I can't say that I enjoy people acting so formal in my presence all the time, but when you've been ruling for as long I have, you tire of telling everypony that it's simply unnecessary and let them do as they please. It does no harm, and they're just being respectful. Twilight is simply not used to that sort of treatment. Give her a few years and she'll probably see things the same way that I do."

Pinkie Pie hopped up onto the couch. "So what made you wanna come over here to judge the Cake-Off, Princess?"

"Yeah, I would've figured you'd be too busy with princess-y stuff to do this," Rainbow Dash added.

Celestia took a small bite from one of Pinkie's cupcakes. "Actually, this school has sent me requests to act as a judge for many years now, but as you said, Rainbow Dash, I've always been far too busy with my royal duties. I feel just awful about having to turn them down year after year."

Celestia grinned. "The difference is that Equestria recently crowned a new princess. I brought up the requests sent to me asking me to come here with Twilight and slyly mentioned how guilty I felt about having to deny them. She practically ordered me to make the trip and happily offered to handle some of my work while I'm gone."

"Wow, that's pretty sneaky of you, Princess," Dash chuckled. "But don't you think you're dropping a lot of responsibility on Twilight all at once? I mean, the stuff you do can't be easy."

"Oh, I'll still handle raising the sun, of course, and I asked Luna to help take care of the more delicate matters. I made sure that Twilight wasn't in over her head. Plus, this is good experience for her; she's going to need to learn this stuff eventually now that she's royalty. And I was her teacher for most of her life; I'm sure she's more than familiar with my usual duties." Celestia took another bite of her cupcake, breathing a relaxed sigh after swallowing it. "You have no idea how happy I am to actually be here. Truth be told, I sort of took this opportunity as an excuse to get away from the hassles of royal life and take a much needed vacation. The fact that my business here involves sampling all manner of delicious pastries is just the... well, the icing on the cake, so to speak," the princess giggled. "Though my dietitian nearly had an episode when I told him about this. But what's he going to do, say no to the princess?"

"Well, if anypony deserves a little vay-cay, it's you, Princess," Pinkie said with a chipper grin.

"Oh! I have an idea!" Pinkie blurted, jumping up from the couch and dragging Candy and Puff into the kitchen. "Since Princess Celestia is only here to taste our cakes at the Cake-Off, you two should make you're signature snacks for her to try right now."

Celestia peeked toward the kitchen, her curiosity—and her sweet tooth—piqued. "Signature snacks?"

"Yeah! Puff makes some awesome jelly-filled donuts, and Candy's chocolate malt balls are just to die for! You gotta try 'em, Princess!"

The alicorn was practically licking her lips already. "That sounds delightful," she said with a smile, attempting to conceal just how eager she was to try them.

Both Candy and Puff were suddenly struck with a case of stage fright, Pinkie having thrust them unwittingly into baking their signature desserts for Princess Celestia. Needless to say, they were pretty nervous. To have Princess Celestia herself tasting the recipes that they themselves created instilled untold worry. What if she didn't care for them? And if she didn't, what if people found out she didn't like them? They might never be able to bake them again.

The pair of unsure earth ponies shared glances that aptly informed both of them that they felt the same way about this. Candy pulled Pinkie aside and whispered, "Pinkie, you can't just make a declaration like that. Baking for the princess? I-I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of judgment!"

Pinkie raised an eyebrow. "Whachu talkin' 'bout? She's out there right now eating the snacks we made. And she's gonna be judging our cakes at the end of the month. Relax would ya? Here, I'll even help you gals out."

Pinkie went ahead and pulled out everything they were going to need. Reluctantly, Candy and Puff took deep breaths, attempting to remember, amongst the flurry of negative thoughts, what their recipes even were.

The door to Gwenivere's dorm creaked open slowly, and the griffon poked her head out cautiously. She had thought she heard a voice in the hallway a short time ago and had a feeling she knew who it was. Sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed when she spotted the two armored stallions standing vigilantly by the door to Pinkie and Puff's apartment.

Even though she had heard straight from the horse's mouth that Pinkie and the princess were previously acquainted, she still couldn't believe it. How did a loony imbecile like her come to befriend Princess Celestia? But now that she thought about it, Pinkie was actually rather close friends with Princess Twilight, or so she'd heard. Was it possible that the pink pony was also acquainted with the other alicorn princesses as well? Gwenivere simply couldn't wrap her head around it.

But an opportunity had presented itself to her. Princess Celestia was currently in a room just mere seconds from where she currently stood. And her roommate happened to be there as well. Certainly that gave her some sort of right to invite herself in, right? With some trepidation, feeling slightly intimidated by the pair of guards stationed outside the door, Gwenivere straightened the feathers on her head and stepped out into the hall. She took in a deep breath to calm her nerves, doing her best to put on her usual expression of self-confidence, then approached the guards.

"Bonjour, gentlecolts," she greeted, her tone showing no sign of her previous apprehension. "Would you stand aside, s'il vous plaît? I wish to enter." Just as she was about to brush past them and open the door, the two pegasi outstretched their wings to block her path, causing the griffon to step back.

One of the guards addressed her gruffly. "For her own safety, nopony—or griffon—is permitted to enter without the princess's consent."

As ruffled as she was by that, Gwenivere wasn't about to give up. She cleared her throat and attempted to negotiate with them. "Non, non, you do not understand. I am, er... acquainted wiz zee residents of zis dormitory. And my roommate is wiz zem as well. I am sure I am welcome."

"Whether you are welcome or not is no concern to us," the other stallion informed. "If you wish to enter, you need the princess's permission."

The pair of stallions shared a glance with one another, and one of them opened the door. With the door now open, Gwenivere had a clear view into the apartment, and Princess Celestia was sitting right there at the coffee table with Pinkie Pie and her friends, sipping from a cup of tea and eating snack cakes. When she heard the door open, Celestia looked over her shoulder to see her guard standing there.

"Your Majesty, there's a young, griffon lady who wishes to enter," he informed her.

Pinkie hopped off the couch with a toothy grin. "Oh! That must be Gwen! Send her in."

The stallion didn't respond. He didn't even acknowledge Pinkie in the slightest and continued to wait for the princess's order.

Celestia tilted her head in Pinkie's direction. "This is her dormitory. Do as she says."

The guard bowed his head. "At once, Your Highness." He backed out of the apartment and he and his partner parted to allow Gwenivere to enter, closing the door behind her.

Despite having met the princess earlier that morning, Gwenivere was still quite starstruck in her presence. For a moment she had forgotten that she herself was even there, but quickly composed herself and bowed. "Good afternoon, Your 'Ighness."

"Have a seat, Gwen," Pinkie offered, gesturing to the couch. "Candy and Puff just made their signature snacks." She pointed out the plate of jelly donuts and a bowl of chocolate malt balls on the coffee table.

"And they just got the royal seal of approval," Rainbow Dash added, eliciting bashful blushes from the two earth ponies.

"Indeed," the princess said. She took another bite of one of Puff's donuts, picking up a napkin to wipe up the little bit of raspberry filling that got smeared on her muzzle. "If every student here is as talented as all of you, I feel like my stay here is going to be rather unforgettable. Though going back to my rather strict diet when I return home is going to be especially difficult. I fear I may suffer from sugar withdrawal," she laughed.

Celestia glanced up to the clock on the wall, her smile fading slightly. "Oh my, is that the time? I'm afraid I'll have to cut my visit short," she said, standing up and putting her cushion away with a quick flash of magic.

Although they were all disappointed to hear that, none were more disappointed than the griffon who had just arrived specifically to see the princess. "You are leaving?" Gwenivere said, hoping that the disappointment in her tone would convince the alicorn to stay longer.

With a regretful sigh, Celestia responded, "Yes, I'm afraid so. I have to meet with the faculty to discuss my stay and the duties that are expected of me as your judge. But there will be plenty of time for us all to spend some one on one time together. And I'm especially looking forward to getting to know you a little better, Gwenivere."

An incredibly rare, bashful blush burned through Gwenivere's feathers. "Y-You are?"

Celestia smiled softly. "Of course. After everything your father has told me about you, I'm expecting big things from you. Now, if you'll excuse me..." The princess opened the door, gave the girls a wave goodbye, and disappeared out into the hall with her two guards.

Gwenivere's beak turned down in a slight frown. She began wishing she hadn't been so hesitant to come over. She barely had a chance to talk with the princess. But as she said, that opportunity would come in the near future.

"Well, we still got some snacks left. Wanna help finish 'em off, Gwen?" Pinkie asked, holding out a blueberry scone for the griffon.

Gwenivere grimaced at the offer. Considering the entire reason she had come over had just left the dorm, she really didn't have any motivation to stay any longer. But it's not like she had anything better to do back at her own room, so she decided to take the scone and accept Pinkie's offer, though reluctantly.

Pinkie shoved one into her own mouth, chewing up the entire thing and not bothering to wait until she swallowed it to continue speaking. "Sho what bringsh you to our neck of the woodsh?" she inquired, spraying crumbs everywhere.

"Don't flatter yourself, Pinkie," Candy said with a roll of her eyes. "She came here to suck up to Princess Celestia."

Gwenivere acted hurt at the accusation. "Please. I do not need to 'suck up.' Zee competition is mine regardless of my status wiz zee princess."

"I wasn't just talking about the competition, but since the subject has been brought up, now might be a good time to discuss it since we're all here."

"Oh yeah, you two got paired up, didn't you?" Rainbow Dash said with a chuckle, pointing to Pinkie and Gwenivere. "That oughta be fun to watch. Speaking of which, who did Gustave put you guys with?" she asked Candy and Puff.

"I highly doubt it's a coincidence," Candy said. "As it turns out, Gustave paired everyone with their roommates. The four of us are the only exceptions. Well, us and anyone who doesn't have a roommate."

"Yet more evidence zat Papa did zis just to spite moi," Gwenivere groaned. She waved her claw in an effort to dismiss the thought. "Mais it does not matter. I 'ave no quarrels wiz sharing a victory, even if it is wiz 'er," she said, pointing a mildly annoyed talon at Pinkie Pie. "As long as I come out on top, it makes no difference."

"The competition's not really about vinning," Puff reminded her. "You don't have to vin to graduate or anything."

"I will not accept anyzing short of perfection," the griffon argued. "I will win."

Gwenivere let out a groan. "Whatever. And speaking of winning, I 'ave devised some recipes zat will allow me to crush zee opposition."

"Whoa whoa, hold up there, Gwen. Did you already forget about the changes your dad made?" Candy interjected. "It's a team exercise. You can't just plan stuff out without discussing it with your partner. Pinkie needs to add her input, too."

"Gwen, you're completely missing the entire point," Candy scolded. "You said it yourself, your dad did this to make you work with Pinkie Pie. Are you just gonna blatantly ignore the rules?"

"I am not ignoring zee rules. I am proving my own point, zat I do not need to rely on ozers to achieve greatness. I will stand in victory on my own merits."

Candy was about to continue to argue against the griffon, but was stopped when Pinkie held out her hoof.

"That's fine," the party pony said with a grin. "Honestly, coming up with a recipe is probably the hardest part. At least this way we can get right to the good part." Pinkie rubbed her hooves together in eager anticipation.

"Fine, but zese are my recipes. I will not 'ave you tampering wiz perfection."

"Okey doke! Let's go!" Without another word, Pinkie bounded over to the door and hopped out into the hallway.

Gwenivere was a touch bewildered by the pink pony's unprompted reaction. "Wait, we're starting now? Er, well zen, I suppose I'll be going." Still a little confused, Gwenivere went to join Pinkie, assuming she had gone back to the griffon's dorm.

With the two of them gone, Puff began carrying empty plates back to the kitchen, munching on a few leftovers as she did so. "You know, vee might as vell get started on our recipes, too, Candy."

Candy grabbed a couple of empty teacups and joined Puff in the kitchen. "That's not a bad idea."

Rainbow Dash trotted in behind them. "So whaddya think?" she asked Candy. "Is this whole thing gonna make them closer, or what?"

Candy shrugged with a sigh. "No idea. It's either that or they'll be at each others throats by the end of the month."

Candy joined in with a chuckle of her own. "Either way, it'll be pretty entertaining."

The Steeden University of Culinary Arts

by Dee Pad

Chapter 14 - The Great Cake-Off: Part 1