The day before the party

"Oh no, oh no! I forgot the toppings on the banana cake! And the extra sweet strawberry cupcakes are only half as sweet because we ran out of sugar. Oh no, and what if she prefers food that isn’t fruit based? And what if she doesn’t like sweets at all? Maybe just a rock candy necklace? Maybe no candy!? But I don’t know any non-sugary recipes... I don’t know anything! This is the worst - possible - thing...!"

She trembled in place and grit her teeth as she was mixing some ingredients for the blueberry pie. And did we just see some Rarity seeping into her laments?

Mrs Cake was watching Pinkie work wide eyed. The kitchen was a complete wreck with chaos waiting to happen on all corners and a single clean table with the finished desserts.
All drawers and cupboard doors were flung open and cookie dough mixed with icing and whipped cream was splattered on walls and counters alike. Empty packs of sugar, flour, baking powder and other ingredients lay as the guilty witnesses of a hit or miss game with the trash can.

The pink pony was at a counter in the corner frantically juggling between two different dough mixes. In the early stage of the mix she would get her mane and coat covered in flour or cocoa powder from the excessive speed and force. And in between the juggling, oh so many not so happy accidents. From egg shells to banana peels and even plastic bags the train wreck seemed to never end. But no matter how many times she tripped or slipped on these obstacles, she would simply kick them away with an only slightly angry stare and go back to work.

"Pinkie, dear... There’s no need to fuss over something so unnecessary. I know you want to make a good impression on Polly so you can have a great start of a family relationship and maybe become great friends later on. But I doubt any little filly could eat this much."

"It’s not about quantity, Mrs Cake. I just have no information about her likes and dislikes. So... I just went through the entire book!" Said Pinkie as she meticulously sprinkled a bowl of pudding with cinnamon.

Lackluster organization skills aside, Pinkie executed every step of the book with determination and care, always getting a taste of everything and polishing the flavours to perfection until her lips curled whenever a good result was obtained.

"You’re overthinking it. From the letter you got, I can just feel this young’in is as bright and cheerful as you. I mean, just look at this picture of her she sent. That striped wool cap really goes with her mane. And she said she made it herself, apparently! She wouldn’t turn up her nose to such wonderfully tasty things like these."

Mrs Cake approached the table with the finished dishes and gave it a tender glance.

"And such adorable designs, too. That bunny shaped cupcake with socks for ears is just the cutest thing! And this... Chocolate mousse with sock shaped strawberry. Or the pancakes shaped like socks that are folded like actual socks. Uhm... and what is this multi-coloured drink over here?"

"That’s my Pinkie Pie Special: The alcohol free cocktail, made with the juice of sock shaped fruit only! But -" Pinkie whispered. “I’m thinking of calling it... the Socktail." And her frowny whispering expression unfolded into a big smile as she drew back from Mrs Cake.

The grown mare sighed deeply and let out a hearty laugh. Following it, came the ringing sound of the doorbell that made Pinkie flinch reflexively and bite her hooves in stress. Mrs Cake peeked inside the other room.

"Now, now. It’s just a costumer. You stay here, dear."

The blue pony came to the hall to greet a fiery red foal and his ultramarine coated father.

"It’s a box of 4 cupcakes, please. Butterscotch with caramel filling and cinnamon toppings, a plain pistachio one, a vanilla with stracciatella one and..."

"Super Duper Fiery Cool Guts and Gore Combo!"

Mrs Cake raised an eyebrow of concern.

"Uh, he means the mildly acid orange one... With pulp filling and sprinkles of orange skin." The stallion remarked in an awkward grin.

"But daaaad that sounds too boring."

After having paid for the cupcakes and left, the mare could still hear them talk outside.

"Now, don’t go embarrassing us everywhere we go."

"That’s okay. We already have! Now we don’t have to hold back anymore."

There was shuffling and a sound of rustling mane.

"Ahh, you...! Haha."

Engrossed in the loving moment, Mrs Cake was soon pulled back to reality by a screaming Pinkie Pie in utter despair.

"Aaaaaargh...! I can’t anymore..." Followed by a thumping sound.

Fearing the worst, she ran back to the kitchen. However, the sight she expected was not the one she got. Pinkie was genuinely snoring on the floor exhausted and covered in sweat, chocolate icing dripping on her face and hair made into a curly mess.

It was going to be a long day of work for a lone mare. After wiping Pinkie’s body of all unwanted substances she went downstairs and looked over the hurricane struck room that was her workplace. An imaginary cloud loomed over her as she picked up a broom and swept all solid things into a pan. Or it would, if the traces of Pinkie’s liveliness and thought process weren’t contaminating every inch of the kitchen. There were silly sticky notes like "less cream" and "more cream" stuck to the pages of the dessert book on top of each other. There were also tiny striped sock sculptures, wonky but with a clear effort put into them crafted with sugar paste. The texture was mimicking a real sock. Was Pinkie actually weaving it like with a real string?

Mrs Cake then noticed how proud she was of her and all the unnecessary struggle she goes through to make somepony happy or even just smile.

Soon after, Mr Cake arrived and helped her clean up. The task was daunting and time was running short. But a disastrous kitchen was still a kitchen and deep inside she knew Pinkie did nothing she hadn’t done before when she was her age in a frenzy of stress over her duties. The couple decided to divide tasks, starting with picking up all the solid trash. Then moving on to the smears on the counters, walls and… ceiling? They would occasionally comment on how a splotch of cookie dough, a sugar bag or whipped cream get where it did and laugh it off together. Only one pony could possibly, magically, spontaneously do this. And Pinkie might just be the most magical of ponies, given defying logic is a requirement. Indeed, the true magic of laughter is the one that lingers even when the element herself has left the room.

However, it wasn’t over yet. Long after the Cakes turned in to get a well-deserved rest, Pinkie was feeling much better. And she would be able to get on her hooves and work for another good three hours straight, wasn’t she still out like a light. It was alright. Sugarcube Corner was closed for the weekend so little Polly could have her Welcome to Ponyville Party. And did I mention it was a surprise?

Author's Note:

This is my first mlp fic and I haven't written anything of importance in a while. Well, the first chapter of it, anyway. Tips please ;u;

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