The Labors of Applejack

by Dreadnought

Interlude - Lunchtime!

The Labors of Applejack
Interlude: Lunchtime

Pinkie Pie darted around the kitchen, a pink blur moving so fast it appeared she was doing several things at once. She removed cupcakes from the oven, then frosted and boxed said cupcakes, as she used a half-dozen pastry bags to decorate a cake in a spectrum of colors, mixed a fruity punch, gathered decorations, and prepped party games. Even more amazing, Pinkie never missed a beat or mixed-up her different activities.

Knock! Knock! She raced to open the back door. “Oh, hey Fluttershy.”

“Hello Pinkie,” said the pegasus as she walked inside carrying a rather large cooler on her back.

“Ooh! What’s in the cooler?” she asked, running back to the counter and hurriedly packing everything up.

Fluttershy’s eyes went wide and her face turned red, but Pinkie was too busy to notice. “Oh – uh – it’s my lunch,” she answered.

“Ooh! Sounds good. Save me some, will you Fluttershy?”

“Oh, sure.”

Finishing packing up, Pinkie said, “Thanks for watching Sugarcube Corner.”

“No problem. What time will the Cakes return?”

“If they can drum up enough business in Canterlot today, they’ll be back tonight. Otherwise tomorrow.”

“Is business that bad?”

“It’s been down ever since the Fall Harvest Festival.”

“I hope everything turns out okay.”

“So do I,” Pinkie said glumly. Carrying a tall stack of food and party supplies, she said, “Well, got to go.”

“Have fun!” she wished as the pink pony pulled the door shut.

Loud shouts of “Fun! Fun! Fun!” came from outside before finally fading.

For the next half-hour, Fluttershy worked in the kitchen and sold a single cupcake to a customer. After setting a pan of brownies aside to cool, she pulled the back curtains tight. She slipped into the lobby and flipped the sign to CLOSED before locking the front door. Returning to the kitchen, Fluttershy placed her cooler on the counter. Removing the lid revealed a heavenly sight. Carefully she lifted a twenty-five-pound butterball turkey and placed it into a large pan. She opened the oven door and slid it in. Pat! Pat! Pat! Drops of drool fell upon the floor.

Fluttershy turned around – “Gummy! H-how much d-did you see?”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Everything! It’s not what it looks like!”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“No! It’s not mine! I swear!”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

Fluttershy sighed. “Okay, you caught me. Ever since I had that turkey at the Fall Harvest Festival, I’ve craved more. I’ve lost all taste for hay and oats. Even cakes and pies just taste bland. I can’t sleep at night. It’s all I can think about.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

She shook her head. “Nopony knows.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

Fluttershy scowled at Gummy. “Of course I feel terrible! I love animals. That’s why I came here. I wouldn’t dare roast a turkey in my cottage. What if the animals saw?”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“It was already dead when I purchased it. I couldn’t hurt a fly!”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Only turkey. I’m not trying beef or pork.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Please don’t tell Pinkie.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Pretty please?”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Pretty, pretty please?” she asked, giving a pleading face that would put any of the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ to shame.

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Oh thank you!” She lifted him up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Oh yes. I’ll let you have some!”

She put Gummy down. “Now, while it’s in the oven, I’m reopening Sugarcube Corner.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Pinkie didn’t say why business is down.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“I don’t think it’ll come to that. They’ll get more business, just you wait. And then they’ll have to keep Pinkie Pie on staff.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

Fluttershy continued to run the shop, and was pleased to see three ponies come in, though they all asked for directions to Sweet Apple Acres. Nevertheless, she prepared all sorts of sugary desserts to sell whenever the customers came. After three hours, she opened the oven to check on the turkey –

“Fluttershy!”

“Eep!” she screamed as she leapt into the air. “Pinkie Pie? What are you doing here?”

“Silly me. I went to fire off my party cannon, when I realized I left the confetti here. And what’s a party cannon without confetti?”

“Uh... I don’t know?”

“Just a cannon!” she chirped. “Say, what’s in the oven?” Pinkie walked over and lowered her head.

Fluttershy swooped down, crashing into Pinkie before jumping to the oven and slamming the door shut. “Nothing! Nothing at all!” She stood firm, placing herself between her friend and the oven.

Stumbling to her hooves, Pinkie swatted at the stars swirling around her head. “Okay.” Shaking her head, she suddenly eyed Pinkie closely. “I know what’s going on here.”

“Y-you do?” squeaked Fluttershy.

“Yes, I do.”

Beads of sweat formed all over her body as her legs started shaking.

Pinkie leaned in close. “You’re baking me a special treat.”

“Wha?”

“You’re making something special and you want it to be a surprise.”

“I am?”

“Of course. Why else would you try to hide it?”

“A – surprise? Yes! A surprise. But if you look in the oven, or come back in the next five hours, it’ll be ruined!”

Pinkie Pie smiled. “Oh don’t worry, the party will last way into the night! I need to hurry back so we can sing ‘Happy Birthday!’” Pinkie Pie grabbed a large container of confetti and walked out the back door.

Fluttershy wiped her forehead. That was way to close!

*

Fluttershy leaned back and groaned. In front of her sat the skeleton of a rather large bird, picked completely clean. Across the table a little alligator lay on his back, with an enormous bulge coming from his stomach. “That was so good.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Yeah. I guess I’d better start making Pinkie’s dessert. I don’t want her to get suspicious.”

The alligator returned a blank stare.

“Of course we’ll do this again. It’ll be our little secret.”

Author's Note:

I needed to de-stress, and I had this great idea for a side chapter to this story.

Dreadnought