Chapter 1

Author's Note:

I had begun to edit the story to make it more polished, but quickly realized I’d rather keep this story in the same way I had submitted it simply for the memories and nastolgia.

So perhaps it’s a way for me to apologize for obvious mistakes that I found myself. Whoops.

Sweet Berry hurried home, her saddle bags bouncing against her sides all the way. Ponies would have thought there to be an emergency, and the panic in her eyes were a burning fury. Nothing was wrong however, but she had a fiery determination, and needed to hurry.

She burst through the door without a care and made haste to the kitchen, where she pulled out a sketchbook, floated a pencil, and quickly drew harsh pictures. Her flat-mate, Jingle Bell, had rolled off the couch at her outburst. Jingle Bell rose to her hooves and tiredly sauntered to Sweet Berry while blinking the sleep out of her eyes. “W-wha..?” Jingle Bell asked. “What’s wrong? What’s going on?”

Sweet Berry ignored Jingle Bell, who tentatively watched over her shoulder. It seemed to be some sort of cake; a big one, with lots of broaches and ribbons and berries. Jingle rolled her eyes, understanding what this would mean. Jingle would have to help.

Once Sweet Berry finished, she spun around and grabbed all sorts of tools and ingredients from every corner of the kitchen. Jingle, wanting to keep a safe distance, grabbed the hasty sketch and looked it over, talking as she did so. “This looks like a wedding cake.” Jingle looked up to Sweet berry. “Is this a wedding cake?”

“Not just any wedding cake, but the biggest wedding Equestria has ever seen!” Sweet never took the time to look up. “Princess Cadence and Shining Armor commissioned us for a cake! Us!” She jumped on her hoof tips in excitement, but continued keeping her focus.

Jingle rolled her eyes again, but couldn’t help but to smile. “And I’m guessing you’re going to need…”

“I ordered a special cake batter of every sort from the merchants around Canterlot, and have already got in contact with a parlor about edible ribbons. I need you to go ahead and pick everything up. We’ll need fresh fruits as well, and lucky for us, there’s a market going on just down the street.”

Jingle had already been writing down the list of supplies as Sweet explained, but found it difficult to keep up. “This is going to cost us quite a lot, you understand?” Jingle rubbed her head as she wrote. “How much was the commission, and how long do we have?”

“Enough bits to pull us out of our debt and start our business!” She danced around the table as she mixed what Jingle presumed were a test of ingredients.

“And how long do we have?” Jingle reread the lengthy list.

“Well uh…” Sweet Berry seemed to settle down more, looking deeply at her mixing bowl. “...Tomrrow?”

“Tomorrow!?” Jingle gasped. “We’ve never done anything of this level! How are you expecting us to have this done by tomorrow!?”

“We can do it.” Sweet magically carried her mixing bowl with her and stood to Jingle’s side. “I’ve got a plan and everything, and Shining is going to cover the costs of supplies, no matter how much they may be. We have permission from the princesses to help the castle bakers for guidance. We can do it.”

Jingle knew once Sweet stuck to a goal, it was impossible to drag her away. “This is crazy. Do you know how long this will take?”

Sweet nuzzled into Jingle’s side. “It’ll be okay. We’re the best bakers in Equestria. We can do this.”

Jingle stared deep at Sweet with narrowed eyes, but sighed. “There’s no convincing you out of it, is there?” Sweet shook her head, and Jingle giggled before continuing. “I’ll go find the supplies. You finish whatever you’re doing here, and why don’t I drop them off at the castle for you?”

Sweet squealed in excitement and hugged Jingle tight. “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you! I knew I could count on you!” Sweet then floated her mixer to Jingle’s muzzle. “What do you think of this?”

~~~***~~~

The first stop for Jingle was the meeting place for the collection of merchants at the Western Canterlot Mall. Sweet had instructed them to carry wagons of each flavor instructed to the delivery center where Jingle would be able to test each one on Sweet’s behalf. Only a few happened to show up, and Jingle could only assume the others had denied the service out of either having better things to do from supporting a new-town baker, or not believing the commission to be true. Whatever the case, Jingle was satisfied to at least find a few who believed.

The batter was stored in big plastic bags behind each pony. Sweet instructed Jingle to demand a taste test of each one for flavor before leading them to the castle, but Jingle, only a supply pony for Sweet, didn’t have quite the tongue Sweet did. Jingle wanted to help however, so she would at least try her best.

The first one tasted somewhat fruity, but very sweet. It could be mixed in as it’s own layer, with chocolate to balance the tart. At least, that’s what Jingle tried to think.

The second one however, it tasted just the same as the first, and the third one was no different. Jingle knew she wasn’t cut out for this, but she tried each one again. Just as before, they were just the same. She couldn’t understand. It was all the same!

Not wanting to disappoint Sweet, Jingle gave the approval and led them towards the castle.

~~~***~~~

The next stop would be the parlor. The ribbons had to be pretty, but also delicious. Jingle knew fashion well, and so she knew she could be an excellent judge for this portion. The parlor had made twenty ribbons, all of different sized, glimmer, and texture. They were only samples however, as Sweet wasn’t sure what she exactly wanted on the cake.

Jingle inspected each one individually and carefully. Some were too bright, some were too loss, and some couldn’t seem to capture the light in the right angle. Jingle eventually came to a decision of a silver broach and ribbon, encrusted with small diamonds and beautiful glimmer delivered straight from the capital of Yak Yakistan, all surprisingly edible and tastefully palpable!

Jingle requested 500 of the ribbons to be delivered to the bakers of the castle before she set her sights on the last destination.

~~~***~~~

The market streets were busy and booming with servents of the elites and thick-coated tourists. Jingle never liked the market, as ponies couldn’t seem to understand gratitude. Jingle was shoved every which way from the bustle, and not a single pony would stop to apologize. It was no wonder the elites sent their servants instead of themselves. Jingle wished for a servant of her own someday.

There was an entire row of stalls for the farming merchants of Ponyville, and Jingle knew they grew the most delicious berries! She went to stall after stall, requesting samples and making note of which she found the most delicious. Some weren’t ripened to Jingle’s liking, and others felt too chewy to be good. Some were magical on her tongue, and some squirted and stained her teeth. Eventually, after going up and down the aisle for the last time, Jingle made her decision and requested entire baskets of individual fruits to be delivered to the castle.

With her last destination gone, Jingle decided to stop and see how her friend was doing.

~~~***~~~

Sweet Berry was in a rush, commanding messy chefs across the biggest kitchen Jingle could lay her eyes on. Carefully, Jingle mazed her way through the thick sweet smell of the cooking cake, trying not to melt in the process.

“The berries will be delivered to the back door over there,” Jingle explained. “Is there anything else you need?”

Sweet gave a big and messy hug, one Jingle would have trouble washing out of her soft fur tonight. “As of now, I believe we have everything we need. Can I ask you to sit outside in the case we require your service?”

Jingle giggled, gave a curtsy to her head chef of the kitchen, then made her way to wait outside.

~~~***~~~

Jingle didn’t know when she had fallen asleep, but she was rudely awakened to the sound of alarms and panic. She shot to her hooves and made haste to the window where she watched wicked changelings hunting down ponies. Canterlot was under attack, and the bubble around the castle was collapsed! Jingle hurried into the kitchen to make sure everything was okay.

Changelings in dirty aprons and hats surrounded Sweet, who was bound to a wall. They seemed to be trying to draw some sort of information out of her, but she was too far into a panic, and so only flailed and screamed.

Jingle, adrenaline-filled and armed with a hot pan, crept slowly behind before taking a swing at the loneliest changeling. The changeling collapsed to the floor, and Jingle began to swing wildly as if being tackled from every side. Her attempt, though heroic in her head, did little to help, and instead found her placed on the wall next to Sweet.

“Where is the armory?” Their breaths stunk.

“How do you close the alarms?” Their tongues were vile.

“Where are you hiding the others?” And they sounded as if ran through a stone mill.

“What are you doing!?” Jingle screamed while she struggled in her binds. “Why here!? Why now!?”

The changelines didn’t seem to want to answer, but instead continued spitting their own questions, which Jingle decided best not to answer, and Sweet was too lost in her own panic.

They stayed that way for what must have been hours. Then again, the sun hardly, moved, and so Jingle could have simply been going crazy. It was enough time however for Sweet to reach a dangerous realization. “Who turned the oven off!?”

The changelings all stuck their muzzles in the air where they could smell the thick smoke of the over. Finding the ponies not to be of any help to them, they decided to escape before the flames could grow too big.

Jingle continued to struggle while Sweet yelled and screamed for help. Jingle did try to calm Sweet down, but it was useless and pointless. Ponies would either find the two trapped together close to the fire in time or too late, and Jingle hoped it to be the first.

The latter was in the realm of possibility for the two mares, and Jingle sighed before grabbing Sweet’s hoof. “You know, this may be the end of our stories.” Sweet continued to panic, and the fire continued to grow and roar over the commotion, but Jingle spoke in a calm and soothing voice anyways. “I just wanted to say that I had the best time of my life with you. There’s nopony else who I would have wanted to leave Equestria with than you.” She sighed again before continuing. “I was thinking about my feelings for you, and though I know you probably won’t understand me, I just wanted to say that I love you. You’re my most favorite pony and I’m glad we could share our lived together for this long.”

Sweet seemed to stop panicking, and Jingle couldn’t understand if Sweet was in thought or if the smoke had gotten to her. It didn’t matter however, as Jingle soon couldn’t manage to keep herself awake.

~~~***~~~

“Hello?” Jingle’s mom voice spoke above her. “Hello? Jingle? Are you okay?”

Jingle groaned and covered her face. “What is it, mom?”

Jingle’s chest was suddenly squished tightly, hooves wrapping carefully around to her back. “Oh I’m so glad you’re awake!” It wasn’t Jingle’s mom she was hearing, but rather Sweet.

Jingle rubbed her head. “Oh...what happened?” There was a mask covering her muzzle and wrapping around her lower head. Jingle slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a hospital bed and a friendly flat-mate on her belly, with Sweet’s own belly being covered in bandages. “What? Where am I? Are you okay?”

Sweet nuzzled into Jingle’s belly before pulling back and sitting back down on the chair next to the bed. “The changelings tried to invade Canterlot, but Twilight and her friends had blown them away to some far land. We were caught in a fire in the castle, but we’re okay now. How are you feeling?” Sweet grabbed Jingle’s hoof.

“Oh. Well, uh...I’m feeling confused mostly.” Jingle gasped. “What about the cake? What happened to the wedding’s cake?”

Sweet’s expression darkened, and her eyes rolled to the floor. “The cake was left in the oven. It was what started the fire in the first place.”

“Oh, Sweet, I’m so sorry.” Jingle gripped Sweet’s hoof tightly.

Sweet giggled. “Funny story however,” She looked back up at Jingle and spoke at a slow and awkward pace. “We may not have actually been commissioned by Shining and Cadence. The changelings may or may not have actually tricked us into breaking into their little kitchen to corner the princesses off from escape. So uh, they never did ask us.”

“Oh.” Jingle pulled Sweet up and nuzzled close. “I’m sorry. You must be devastated.” Sweet laughed and Jingle asked, “What? Is something wrong?”

“It’s not so bad.” Sweet nuzzled closely. “Something good did at least come out of it.”

“What’s that?” Jingle asked.

“Well, I’m thinking it should remain a surprise for once you’re out of here and back home.”

“Aww.” Jingle pretended to pout. “Can you at least give me a hint, or a clue?”

Sweet climbed back down to the floor and gave Jingle’s mane a pet. “It involves a cake.” She then gave a wink before making her canter out the door.

~~~***~~~

It only took the doctors a few hours to declare Jingle to be safe of smoke and changeling magic before she was let out of the hospital and sent home. Jingle couldn’t help but to think of what surprise Sweet had in store. After all, Sweet seemed to be the one more harmed from the invasion. It should have been Jingle hiding a surprise for Sweet. Perhaps she could pick up a treat for Sweet on the way home.

Jingle opened the door and stepped through slowly. “Sweet?! I’m home! They let me go early!”

There was a rifling in the kitchen and a scrambling of hooves while Sweet shouted. “I didn’t expect you to be back so soon! Close your eyes and turn around! Oh wait, no, just wait outside for a minute!”

Jingle shook her head with a smile and turned around to step back outside, quietly closing the door behind her.

It took a few minutes of crashing, banging, and Jingle asking if everything was okay before Sweet could be allowed back into the house.

Once Jingle entered, Sweet grabbed her hoof and lead her towards the kitchen where stood a smaller cake that looked oddly similar to the cake from the sketch stood.Sweet stood facing Jingle awkwardly, avoiding eye contact the best she could.

“I’ve been having a lot of thoughts after the fire. Thoughts about you and me and how often I enjoy your company.” Sweet spoke slowly. “And, well...I think I sort of came to a conclusion that...well, I think I like you.” She swayed from left to right. “I think I like you more than just friends, and I don’t think I could get the idea of you out of my head. So uh…” Sweet floated a small box hidden behind the cake, trotted close to Jingle, and fell to her knees. “I was maybe wondering if you like, uh...well, um...wanted to, like, keep baking cakes with me, and like, stuff. It’s okay if you don’t, I mean, like-”

Jingle pulled Sweet up to her hooves and pressed in for a short kiss. “Yes, I think I would love to continue baking cakes with you. Now stop mumbling and let’s cut the cake.” Jingle giggled and gave Sweet another passionate kiss.

Sweet couldn't help but to laugh while she floated a knife over and dug a slice out for the two to share, and with a fork, she floated a piece to Jingle’s muzzle. “Tell me what you think of this.”

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