"Closed!" Pinkie exclaimed, her forehooves slumped against the glass door of the bakery. "Seriously, is any store in this place ever open when somepony needs it to be?" She asked in frustration, as she slid to the floor.
This wasn't the first time she'd come across a store in Manehatten that had been conveniently closed when she'd need to buy something, and at the recollection of last time, she wondered exactly why she hadn't just brought her own baking supplies with her from Ponyville.
Then she recalled that, between herself and the others, they'd already taken up most of the baggage space on the train. Well, between them and most Rarity's excessive luggage. Even she found it hard to understand why the unicorn always needed to bring all of that stuff with her. But this was her friends trip after all, so she couldn't complain. They were all here to celebrate the grand opening of the fashionista's new store in the city.
Even so, Pinkie's frustration flared at the thought. She was so happy for her friend, and all she'd wanted to do to show it was throw her a great, big party. She'd already gathered most of her supplies, leaving only one task left, acquiring the cake.
"Well it's not like I can acquire one now!" She whined, pressing her face to the glass.
Inside she could see a vast assortment of tasty treats, delectable, sugary pastries and above all else, a virtual rainbow of colourful cakes. She let out another weak sob of sad frustration, pulling her face from the glass. She could always forget the cake, she'd done it before, if only in incredibly desperate situations.
No, this party had to be one hundred percent, absolutely, super-riffic! That was the Pinkie party promise, and her friends big day deserved no less than the best. At that, she picked herself up, taking out a map of the city. She still had about an hour to gather more supplies before the others may start to wonder where she'd gone. She knew she'd have to bake her own cake, and while that ran more risk of ruining the surprise, it was one she was willing to take to ensure the best party she could. The idea strongly in mind, she began down the busy Manehatten streets, scouting out every possible baking store she could.
As she went on however, she could only pass by in disbelieve as she found many more of them were also closed. Even the large, buy everything you need, super store was closed! Forget what Manehatten did to ponies, it was as if the whole city loved to be a complete pain in the flank!
"Seriously?" She groaned tiredly, standing before the last of her map marked destinations, an old, run down bakery on the sea front.
"Closed for renovation, sorry for any inconvenience." A crooked sign on the door proclaimed bluntly.
Pinkie sat down with a heavy sigh, yet the city didn't seem satisfied just yet, and as her rump hit the ground it began to rain.
"Seriously!" She called out loudly, waving her forehooves and map around in frustration.
Regardless, she'd more sense than to sit out in the rain and promptly stood, making her way back along the waterfront under the cover of the store fronts. Then, just as she was about to head back towards the hotel they were staying at, something caught her eye.
"Nine Stars, Apothecary and Exotic Brewing Supplies" Boasted a sign above a secluded, dark wood store, hidden away in a narrow alley.
Pinkie paused, cocking her head curiously as she strived to peer through the shadows and darkened windows. She raised a hoof to her muzzle, face contorting in thought. She really did want to make a cake, a super, delicious, amazing cake! This didn't look like any conventional bakery, but she was Pinkie Pie! She could make a cake out of anything.
She waved a hoof dismissively, slightly humbled by her own admiration as she moved towards the store and pushed the door open. Immediately, a whole range of peculiar scents hit her, ranging from tingling spices to fruity incense. Before her stretched several narrow aisles, their shelves adorned with many bright bottles, strange jars and saucers of glittering dust.
Large masks regarded her with unsettling expressions from about the room and flowering vines crawled up the walls, along with other magical herbs. Fireflies trapped within glass orbs illuminated the scene and yet more peculiar items were held aloft within hanging nets.
"Oooooo." Pinkie gasped, looking about as she made her way forwards, floorboards creaking under her hooves.
At the end of the aisles was a small, open space and counter, the likes of which was loaded with yet more exotic items. Behind it, a doorway to the back was covered by a curtain of hanging beads that glimmered in the light of a few glowing, yellow flowers.
"Definitely not a normal baking store", Pinkie thought to herself, then shook her head.
Was she going to bake this cake for her friends or not?
"Hello, how may I assist you?" Sounded a strange, exotic voice.
Pinkie's head shot up as somepony materialized behind the counter, yet she immediately recognised it was not some pony. Her coat was a light gray and broken up by several sets of dark stripes, as was her mane. Her striped tail was slim at its base and her cutie mark was some kind of strange, spiked zigzag.
"Hi there" Pinkie offered swiftly, identifying the equine figure as a zebra.
She held out a hoof kindly, remembering how she'd treated Zecora at first, and making sure she didn’t make the same mistakes here. The zebra gave a respectful bow, then shook Pinkie's hoof somewhat sheepishly.
"Glad to see you are doing well pony. Now, is there anything I can interest you with?" She asked, and Pinkie leaned on the counter casually.
The zebra stepped back slightly as the pink pony came almost muzzle to muzzle with her.
"Yeah, I'm baking a cake! I've tried everywhere but you're the only pony... Sorry zebra, who's open. Soooo..." Pinkie twirled a hoof in the air. "Do you have anything I can bake into a super, delicious, mega-tasty cake!" She asked, looking at the zebra with wide eyes.
The striped mare paused, taking a moment to process the information. Then her look turned to confusion.
"I see, but surely you are aware that this is no bakery, I do not sell baking supplies." She explained, pointing a hoof to her bizarre stock as if her customer should know.
Pinkie frowned, her eyes following the zebra's direction. Yet before she could let the idea of the perfect party go, she looked back sharply. She'd come too far for this, and she wasn't about to give up.
"That's fine. I can bake a cake out of anything, just give me the closest things you have, I'm sure I can make it work" She explained confidently, retrieving a list from her saddle bags.
The zebra's sceptical look only grew, bordering on concern. Yet she was not about to disappoint a customer, and simply nodded.
"Very well. Please, tell me what it is you require." She stated, and Pinkie promptly began.
"Okay, first things first, have you got any eggs? I need three, big ones preferably."
Her blissfully, happy eyes looked up from the list as she finished, and the zebra looked about unsurely.
"I do not posses those you pony folk would commonly...".
"Ab-Bab-Ba. It's perfectly fine, just give me what you have." Pinkie interrupted, waving a hoof insistently.
Sure enough, the zebra nodded, before reaching down under her counter and producing three large, silver eggs.
"Eggs of the Alicanto, desert bird of Atacoltma" She informed the pink mare, setting the eggs down gently.
Pinkie's eyes lit up as she saw the sparking ovals, and an awe filled gasp left her muzzle.
"Good, okay, do you have any margarine or butter?" She went on, and the striped mare gave another wary nod as she retrieved a jar of slimy, gray mush from the shelves.
"Ash Cricket jelly. Although, I must warn, it is a very acquired taste outside of my tribe." She stated, setting the jar down.
"No problemo" Pinkie assured her, "right, next up is caster sugar, got any of that?" She continued, pointing it out on her list.
This time the zebra didn't look to unsure, and quickly retrieved a jar of sparkling, white dust.
"Crescent sugar, much sweeter than that which you would commonly use, I assure you." She said warningly, but Pinkie simply looked at the stuff with excitement.
"Prefect. Now, got any flour?" She asked, and once again the zebra looked slightly less uncertain, disappearing beneath her counter.
Moments later, she returned with a snowy, white flower.
"The blossom of the Snow Warden tree. It grows only on the highest peaks of the Himarelayan mountains" She proclaimed respectfully.
This time it was Pinkie’s turn to look sceptical. She'd wanted flour, not a flower.
"Thought you could make a cake out of anything?" Her mind muttered snidely.
At the thought, she stiffened and smiled widely. Of course she could make a cake out of anything! Besides, she didn't want to offend the zebra, who seemed to hold all of her ingredients in high regard.
"That's perfect" Pinkie said, forcing the words through her doubts as she went on.
"Next is Vanilla?" She asked quickly. The zebra retreated again, then offered her a vial of gleaming yellow liquid.
"Sundew extract, very potent" She stated, setting it down on the counter.
"I'm pretty sure anything that glows like that would make any cake super, mega-delicious" Pinkie told her, regarding the glowing liquid carefully.
"Still, I'm gonna need something else to decorate it to, got any frosting?" She asked promptly.
The zebra looked about, then moved over to one of the shelves and brought over a small jar of steaming, cold dust. The moment she put it down on the counter, the wood about it turned icy.
"Frost Salts, theses will put frost onto anything they touch" The striped mare said simply.
Once again, Pinkie's look became unsure.
"Guess that checks of the pinch of salt box to" She said with a nervous laugh. "Now all I need is something extra special to top it all off, something really, really, really, super special!" She declared.
The zebra lifted a hoof to her muzzle thoughtfully, then an idea seemed to strike her and she disappeared into the back. There were several shifting sounds then the mare returned with a strange, green plant, the likes of which almost seemed to radiate with a distant, twinkling sound.
"This is a Neigh Root, a very rare herb from the swamps of my homeland" She began, setting the plant down. "Do not allow its plain look to deceive you pony, it is a very magical herb, bound to the life-force of the land itself" She finished proudly, and Pinkie's initial doubts were replaced by wary admiration.
"Well that sure sounds like something really, really, really, super special, thanks" She said, putting her list away. "Think that's everything" She added, and the zebra nodded, before she began to pack away the items.
Meanwhile, Pinkie presented the relevant bits and placed them down on the counter. The zebra gave another respectful bow at the offer, sweeping the payment under the counter graciously.
"Thank you pony, I was glad to be of assistance" She said appreciatively.
"I'm the one who should be thanking you. Like I said, this is the only store that's open." Pinkie responded, before she began trotting towards the door.
It was then that the zebra noticed something odd amidst her exotic items, and lifted it up.
"Pony wait!" She called out, and Pinkie stopped by the door, looking back. "You said you were making cake, would you not care for this?" She asked, holding a perfectly normal packet of baking powder.
Pinkie stifled a laugh.
"No that's fine" She assured her, then her puffy, pink mane coiled back, and somehow took out an identical packet from within its fluffy mass. "I never leave home without it" She laughed, then uttered one last, "thanks", before departing.
The zebra sat back, slowly placing the baking powder on the counter. She looked at the door with a dumbstruck expression, wounding exactly what she'd just experienced.
"May the moons have mercy upon whomever eats that pink one's creation." She muttered to herself warily.
*****
"Twilight, I don't know if it's some kind of new alicorn thing, but I'm pretty sure your mouth isn't supposed to glow like that." Rainbow Dash laughed, pointing a hoof at a rather bewildered purple alicorn.
"Now I... No, there has to be a reasonable explanation." Twilight stammered, her mouth glowing a vibrant blue. "Besides, your eyes are looking rather... Shall we say, reflective Rainbow Dash." She retorted, pointing a hoof at her giggling adversary.
The cyan pegasus stopped laughing abruptly, sitting up.
"Wait?" She lifted her forehooves to her face. "What's wrong with my eyes?" She asked, and at Twilight's illuminated giggle, she turned to a panting yellow pegasus at her side. "Fluttershy, what's wrong with my eyes?" She demanded, shaking the timid mare.
"Oh' erm, they're... They're fine Rainbow Dash" Fluttershy assured her quickly, then broke free of her grip and went back to downing every glass of water she could find. "Hot, hot, hot, hot. Hot!" She gasped repeatedly, her face burning a bright read.
"My eyes are hot?" Rainbow Dash asked in confusion.
"Depends on what ya'll are lookin' at" Came Applejacks voice from across the party marred hotel room, yet the farm ponies words were cut off by a sharp wince.
Rainbow Dash looked over to see the orange mare waiting impatiently outside the bathroom door, her face contorted and rear legs crossed as she trembled.
"Common' Rarity, nopony takes this darn long!" She stated in frustration, banging on the door.
"Oh, Applejack darling," a rasping voice began from the other side, perforated by wet gasps and heaving. "There's more than one bathroom in this place, please be a dear and find another one!" Rarity asked loudly, before being interrupted by another fit of gagging as Applejack finally bolted from the room.
"I... I, I need a mirror!" Rainbow Dash declared suddenly, beginning to panic.
"Not with eyes like that you don't" Twilight observed with a laugh, as the pegasus darted away and disappeared into one of the bedrooms.
Watching from across the table, Pinkie Pie was unsure whether to be overjoyed or terrified. The towering, rainbow cake before her certainly looked amazing. So much so it glowed, literally. Yet her friends responses had been less that desirable. She let out a small laugh, rubbing her forehooves together nervously.
"Pinkie, what in Equestria was in that cake?" Twilight finally asked, turning to her unusually quite friend abruptly.
Yet the alicorn's illuminated words were only the beginning, and moments later, Rainbow Dash let out a loud scream from the bedroom.
"Pinkie Pie!" She shouted, racing back to the table. "What the hay did you do to me Pinkie?" She demanded.
The pink pony sank down in her chair, a sheepish smile forming upon her muzzle.
"I... Urm, well I" She began. "You see, no place was open and I wanted to throw you guys the perfect party so bad! But I couldn't without a cake, so I found this one place that was run by a zebra, only it wasn't really a bakery and I just bought everything but baking powder there anyway." She explained innocently, and both Twilight’s and Rainbow's eyes went wide in shock.
Pinkie Pie let out another timid laugh.
"Besides, it can't be that bad." She suggested, taking a piece for herself and bringing it to her muzzle.
It tasted, strange, bitter, yet sweet and only slightly hot. It certainly wasn't... A chilling pain exploded through Pinkie's head and she recoiled, dropping the cake as she fell to the floor.
"Ah, brain freeze... Brain freeze!" She call out loudly, clutching at her forehead.
Meanwhile Spike sat across the room, enjoying his meal and casualty watching his six friends. Actually, it was only four of his friends, considering Applejack was yet to return and a very sickly looking Rarity emerged from the bathroom only to shove a hoof in her mouth and quickly rush back in. Fluttershy had resorted to drinking out of a flower vase, and both Twilight and Rainbow Dash rubbed their glistening eyes and glowing tongs respectively.
"Brain freeze... How does a cake give a pony such bad brain freeze?" Pinkie whined, rolling about on the floor.
Finally, the baby dragon finished his slice and walked over to the table, taking another piece.
"Well done Pinkie, this is best cake I've ever tasted" He stated, with great satisfaction.