//------------------------------// // Spring // Story: Seasons of Love // by PeacefulKnightofChrist //------------------------------// The snow had melted long ago and the triumphant sun shone down upon the town of Ponyville. Green blossoms had begun to grow upon the trees. Fillies and colts played in the alleyways, kicking around a ball or diving into a swimming hole. The marketplace and the streets were full as ponies of all age were out to enjoy the weather. Kites of every conceivable color floated in the air as several fillies and colts had decided to have a kite flying competition. An elaborately decorated purple kite, flown by a purple-maned teenage unicorn filly, won the show much to a certain orange earth pony's consternation. The gardens of Ponyville were blossoming, some early dahlias and heather having already bloomed. A floating mist of pink blossoms was blown from the cherry trees, dancing on the warm spring wind. In addition to the warm weather and springtime games something else had come to Ponyville. Pollen. Down from the trees the yellow substance came, spreading a fine, saffron mist over buildings, tickling sinuses and causing sneezing fits. The pollen floated down from the trees and through the air and into the bakery store, Sugarcube Corner. The store had been a part of the town for two years now and had become well-known for deliciously made sweets and cakes. Cup watched as her husband bent over a cake with a tube of vanilla frosting. She frowned as he sniffled. The store had opened at eight o'clock as usual. The first thing Cup noticed at breakfast was Carrot's red, puffy eyes. He had assured her that he was okay. A sneeze ripped through Carrot's body. She grabbed a tissue, but her apprentice Pinkie had gotten hold of one before she could and brought it to the earth pony stallion. He took it and sneezed into it. "Thank you, Pinkie Pie." He sniffled. "You're welcome!" Pinkie chirped. "You don't look so good." "Just allergies, I think-" He sneezed again and again, the flimsy tissue being shredded apart. Cup brought him a second one and his sneezes ripped it apart too. The violent sneezing fit shook his body. Pinkie made a face. "Ugh. I don't think anypony's going to want snot cake, well maybe somepony will, but I know I wouldn't, though I'm not the one buying the cake, though sometimes I buy your cakes because your cakes are really good-" Cup put a hoof to Pinkie's lips, silencing her. "Pinkie is right, Dear. You don't look well. You should go lie down." Pinkie moved away from Cup's hoof. "I know this recipe for a soup my Granny Pie used to make that always made me feel better when I had a cold." Carrot rolled his eyes. "I do not have a cold!" His protests was broken by a large sneeze. He grabbed another tissue offered by his wife and wiped his runny nose. "Alright, maybe I have a little cold, but I'm a strong stallion. I'm not going to leave all the work to the mares." Cup shook her head. "You're a sick stallion and a silly one. I don't think our customers are going to like snot in their pastries. Pinkie, what do we need for that recipe?" "Celery, carrots, zoysia, hay...and onions for a little bite." "Sounds good." Cup looked in the cabinets. "Be a dear and run down to the market to get some onions, would you?" "But I'm not sick." Carrot protested. Pinkie enthusiastically saluted. "Yes ma'am, right away, ma'am." She bounced out of the kitchen. "Look really, I'm not sick." Carrot protested as Cup nudged him out of the kitchen. She nuzzled him. "I'm not going to have my big, strong stallion get taken out by a cold." He rolled his eyes. "A cold isn't going to take me out." She lightly swatted his rump with her tail. "Will if you don't take care of yourself." He rolled his eyes and tolerantly smiled. "Alright, if you insist. Wait a minute, what about the customers? Will you and Pinkie be able to handle everything by yourself?" She nuzzled him. "We have pre-baked goods, so she just needs to pony the cash register. I can supervise her and spend some time nursing you back to health." She leaned on him and guided him up the stairs till they got to their bedroom. A few times, he would sneeze and nearly trip making his way up. She caught him each time. Finally, they got to the bedroom. He lay down on the white bed. This room was meticulously organized. A bookshelf full of recipe books, Carrot Cake's college manga collection and Cup Cake's trashy romance novels sat to the side of the room. There was a shelf next to the bed. The walls were painted in a soothing blue. Carrot got comfortable, leaning against the cool, white, pillows. The truth was, he really didn't feel all that great. Cup placed a hoof on his forehead. "You have a fever." He shifted. "Honey, you should check on the customers." "I'm going too. I'll be right back." She trotted quickly from the room and back to the counter. Luckily, not many customers were there. A white unicorn and her orange earth pony companion had been drinking chocolate shakes and bickering in hushed tones for half-an-hour just like they did every Saturday. The only other customer was a grey earth pony eating a muffin. Pinkie bounced back into the store and over to Cup. She was carrying an onion in her saddlebag. "Get started on the soup, Dearie. I'll handle the cash register." Cup said. Pinkie saluted again and went off to the kitchen. She filled a pot with water and hurriedly chopped up the vegetables. A few new customers trickled in and Cup took their orders. When Pinkie finished making the soup, Cup took it from her and put her in charge of the counter. Pinkie's eyes widened. "Do you really think I can do it?" Cup couldn't resist giving her a reassuring nuzzle. "You've been my apprentice for a year now, you can do it." Pinkie nodded. "I won't let you down!" "I know you won't." Cup took the soup and hurried up the stairs. Carrot was stretched out on the bed. Cup hoofed him the soup. He gratefully took it and sipped the warm liquid. The soup was a mixture of sweet and tangy, the flavors blending perfectly together. He stretched out on the bed. "This is really good, Sweetie." She settled in next to him and pressed his forehead. Then, she got up from the bed and got a washcloth from the bathroom that she wet with cool water. She laid it on his forehead. He couldn't help but let out a sigh at the cool feeling contrasting against the heat radiating from his forehead. He reached up to nuzzle her. She settled down beside him. "Careful, Dear." He cautioned. "You don't want to get sick too." "Oh, I've never gotten a cold in my life." She boasted, wrapping a foreleg around him. They leaned into each other. He chewed his lip. "I've been thinking about something for a while. You know... I like marzipan." "Oh my, yes. I think everypony does." "And I like mascarpone...and meringue..." "Are you getting hungry?" Cup asked, smiling at him. "Maybe a little. Why don't we just...why don't we combine them?" Cup laughed. "How would we get the flavors to mix right?" Carrot chewed his lip, which he always did when he was in a deep state of thought. "I'm not sure. And it might be too sweet-and even I have a limit." Cup burrowed deeper into the covers. "Maybe we could blend it so that one dominates the other?" Carrot slurped his soup. "Or that all the flavors are balanced?" Cup scratched her chin. "We'd have to make sure one didn't overpower the others." A cough racked Carrot's body. "Could you open the window, Honeybun?" She stood up from the bed and opened up the window, letting in the fresh air then went and settled down back beside him. He shifted. "Do you really think Pinkie will be okay by herself?" His face scrunched up as if he were about to sneeze. Cup reached for a napkin, but at the last moment it passed. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Though, maybe I should check on her." She got up from the bed and hurried down the stairs. Pinkie in the kitchen, squeezing frosting on a cupcake. Her tongue was sticking out and she had an intense look of concentration on her face. Satisfied that her apprentice had everything under control she trotted back up the stairs. Carrot was still sipping his soup. "I had another idea." She laid on the bed. "Let's hear it." "Chocolate-covered hay." She pressed her hoof to his head. "I think you still have a fever. Let me get my thermometer." "No think about it. Everypony loves hay and they love chocolate. Deep fried, chocolate-covered hay." "Uh-huh. Say 'ah.'" She put the thermometer in his open mouth. "Yep, 104 degrees." She picked up the washcloth and took it to the bathroom. After wetting it again she laid it on his head. He was muttering nonsense about various confections for the shop, ranging from the delightfully original to flat-out disgusting. "Why don't you rest a bit and I'll take care of the shop?" He yawned and laid his head on the pillow. "That sounds nice." He closed his eyes. She quietly got off the bed and trotted back down the stairs. Several new customers had come in and a line had formed. She took over from Pinkie, taking the orders while Pinkie made the treats. "So how is Mr. Cake?" She asked, on her way to getting a slice of chocolate cake. "Oh, he'll be fine. He liked your soup." She beamed. "Glad to help!" She bounced back into the kitchen and Cup took the order of an orange unicorn who wanted cupcakes. After a while, she gave the counter back to Pinkie and returned to the bedroom. Carrot was asleep, snoring and slightly drooling. She smiled at the sight and removed the washcloth from his head. Then she kissed him on the cheek. The stallion just barely stirred as she slid in beside him. It was only the afternoon, but she felt the sudden desire to stay by his side. The fever wasn't that high and the cold would probably clear up in a few days, but she would be here if he needed her. After all, he would be by her side if she needed him. He stirred as she wrapped a foreleg around him. "Cuppy?" "Hmm?" He reached for her hoof. "I think I could use a bit of fresh air. Why don't we go down to the lake, you know where we first kissed?" She wondered if she trusted her apprentice that much. "I don't know. Pinkie might need help. We can do it tonight." He nodded. "Tonight." She stayed by his side for a while as they discussed their plans for the future. He would occasionally doze off or they would spend some time in companionable silence before she would have to go check on Pinkie. The sun set below the hills and the moon ascended, the stars appearing on the ebony field of night. Cup went down to the counter one last time to help Pinkie put up the chairs. Cup and Carrot walked out into town, Cup closing the door behind her. They strolled through the streets and away from town to where a rolling meadow spread down to a silver lake. They sat down by its banks, memories playing in their heads, memories of their not-to-distant youth, a night where wine had flowed and secret feelings had been spilled. She leaned into him. He sneezed. "Darned cold." He groaned. She hoofed him a napkin which he took. "Next thing ya know, you'll be getting it." She shook her head. "Nope. Hearty northerner, never had a cold in my life." ... She woke up sneezing. Carrot was up on his side watching her. He handed her a napkin. "Should I tell Pinkie to make the soup?" She blew into it. "Tell Pinkie to make the soup."