"So, this is Sugar Cube Corner, where Pinkie Pie, the, uh, pink pony works." Spike explained, gesturing to the brightly-coloured building. He was giving a tour Ponyville to its three newest inhabitants, temporary they may be. "It's owned by Mr. and Mrs. Cake, a really nice couple. They recently had twins, a unicorn and a pegasus." Spike took a moment to think. "If you'd like, I brought some bits, I could buy you something to eat?"
"I don't know..." Jack started.
"Hey, it's food. Why not?" Miko pointed out.
"Yea, come on, Jack. He's being generous. Don't turn down his offer." Raf said.
Jack groaned. He pulled them aside.
"Why don't you want to go?" Miko asked in a loud whisper.
"Well, you-, I-, they-, uh, how do we know that they don't eat, like, hay?" Jack stammered nervously, hoping he wasn't overheard.
"Don't be riduculous. I don't know if you've noticed, but these aren't normal horses. And Spike is a dragon. Do dragons eat hay?" Miko scolded.
"No, as a matter of fact, I eat gems!" Spike said proudly, overhearing their conversation.
Miko turned to Jack and shrugged. "He didn't say hay, and who said you have to eat gems?"
Spike poked Jack's shoulder. "And just so you know, ponies do eat hay, but not primarily. We have plenty of Apple related products; apple fritters, apple pie, apple dumplings, plus we just have normal cupcakes, if you don't like apples."
"Heh, heh..." Jack smiled nervously as he took a step back.
"Oh, come on Jack!" Miko huffed, grabbing him by the hoof and pulling him inside.
Raf smiled at Spike. "She can get kind of pushy." He started inside, and Spike followed, where they were greeted by Mr. Cake.
"Well, hello there! Mrs. Cake is in the back taking care of the twins if you're looking for her," he said with a warm smile.
Spike shook his head. "No, I was just giving Raf, Miko, and Jack a tour of Ponyville and I thought we'd stop by for a snack." Spike explained, fingering his bits.
"Ohh, you're the new ponies, right? From the same dimension as the Autobots?" Mr. Cake said in realization as he got a note pad and pencil out.
"Yup!" Miko said proudly, "we're their best buds! We met them really by accident, but now, they even let us come with them on battles against the Decepticons!" she said as she started to fly from excitement, but lost her balance and crashed to the ground. She smiled sheepishly.
"You mean, you sneak along." Raf remarked as she pulled herself onto her hooves and folded her wings back in place.
"Not all the time! Well, most of the time," she admitted, "but not always! And I'm not the only one!"
Spike waved his arms to get their attention. "How about we get something to eat, then you can argue, er, talk about your adventures."
"Oh, they're more than just adventures. Dangerous missions, more like." Miko retorted.
Spike stared at her. "Right... um... what would you like to eat?" he inquired.
Raf and Miko looked at the sign. After a few moments, Miko dramatically pointed to board. "That one. The super-ultra-delux-chocolate-thingy."
"An apple fritter will be fine," Raf answered.
"So a slice of chocolate cake, an apple fritter, and?" Spike said, looking to Jack, who rolled his eyes. "Just some pie or something."
"What kind of pie would you like?" Mr. Cake asked, "perhaps the-"
"Yeah, sure, whatever." Jack interrupted, shifting his weight. Mr. Cake nodded and looked towards Spike.
"I'll have a sapphire cupcake for myself," Spike added, his mouth watering at the thought of its creamy icing and crunchy gems.
"All right! Wait just a moment!" He busied himself filling out the order and placing the items on a tray. Raf and Miko watched with curiosity, but Jack seemed uninterested. "Okay, that will be five bits." Mr. Cake said, pushing the tray forward.
Spike payed and carefully took the tray in his claws. They went to a table near a window and sat down. Miko grabbed her slice of cake, and Spike handed Raf his apple fritter and Jack his slice of golden pie, then took his cupcake for himself.
Miko eyed her cake, then shrugged her shoulders as she dug her face into it. Raf looked at his apple fritter, to Spike's claws, then to his hooves as lines of worry crossed his face.
"Why don't you just use your magic?" Spike suggested, his mouth full of cupcake and sapphire.
"My... magic?" Raf questioned, looking back at Spike.
"Well, you have horn, though I guess that that doesn't mean you know how to use it yet."
Raf looked up at his horn, then back at Spike. "How do you use it?" he asked.
"You have to learn certain spells for certain tasks. To lift your fritter, you would have to use a levitation spell," Spike explained as he took another bite of his cupcake, "for now though, you should just use your hooves to the best of your ability."
Raf fumbled with his hooves as he tried to pick up his fritter for a couple minutes, but eventually gave in and used Miko's method, which proved effective. They all soon finished except for Jack.
"Aren't you gonna eat your pie, Jack?" Raf asked.
"Yea, it looks delicious. You'd better hurry before it gets cold." Miko added.
Jack groaned and shifted in his seat. "But it's horse food." he complained.
Miko leaned in and took a close inspection of his pie. "Well, I don't know about you, but I have never seen a horse eat that. That looks more like our food!" she retorted, leaning back. "And besides, you don't want to be rude to Spike. He bought it for you."
Jack groaned again, bent his head down towards his pie, and took a tentative bite. He carefully chewed it, expecting the worst, but was taken by surprise at it's wonderful flavour.
"This is... well, absolutely delicious!" he exclaimed, going down for another bite. Mouth full of pie, he continued, "this has got to be one of the best things I have ever tasted!"
"I see you are enjoying your crispy golden apple hay pie?" Mr. Cake commented as he trotted by.
"Yes! This is amazing! I-" Jack paused, a look of horror on his face. "Did you say, hay?"
"Why yes!" Mr. Cake replied, "we use only the best golden hay, golden apples, and the sweetest crust in these pies." he looked closely at Jack, who remained motionless. "Oh, is that a bad thing?"
Time seemed frozen for a moment as everybody awkwardly stayed still. Miko snickered.
"You like hay!" she said in a taunting voice.
Jack shook his head. "Stop it Miko. I- I guess I do, but, no, this has to some some sort of mistake."
"See for yourself," Mr. Cake said, "lift up the crust."
Jack nervously lifted up the crust to reveal bits of hay intermixed with baked golden apple chunks. Letting it fall, he slouched in his seat and closed his eyes.
Raf and Spike looked at Miko. She looked at them questioningly, then got their message and turned to Jack. "Well, you like it," she said in an optimistic voice, "you might as well eat it."
Jack groaned, but then sat up and took another bite. The awkwardness quickly vanished from the table and Raf spoke up.
"So, why do Miko and I have butt tattoos?" he asked Spike.
"Oh, your cutie marks? They represent your special talent. Miko... you must be a musical pony, your cutie mark is some sort of a guitar-"
"It's an electric," she interrupted.
"Right... electric. Anyway, and I don't recognize what yours is, Raf."
Raf looked at his flank. "That's a computer and a mouse."
"Uh huh..." Spike said, not understanding a word they said until he remembered his visits to Canterlot High. "Right!" he exclaimed, "I remember! Like Rainbow Dash and... yeah, never mind."
Jack looked at his flank. "So, why don't I have one?" he inquired.
"A cutie mark appears when you discover what your special talent is... I guess you haven't... that's strange," Spike pondered, stroking his chin, "a stallion your age should have found it by now."
"But, I don't know what I'm good at," Jack replied, "how can I have a cutie mark if I don't know what I'm good at?"
"If you're looking for your cutie mark, you should see the Cutie Mark Crusaders. I'm sure they can help you!" Spike said excitedly, "as long as you don't mind tree sap."
"Maybe I could go visit them after I finish my pie?" he suggested.
"Sure! I'll take you to their clubhouse." Spike answered.
"Can we come to?" Miko asked, "I'm sure we could help you find your special talent!"
"Okay, as long as you don't get in the way." Jack said as he took another bite of pie.
I hope they know what they're in for, Spike thought to himself as he sat back in his seat and watched the three friends continue to converse with each other.