Pinkie & the Candy Factory

by Zenitram Nadroj

Two More Passes

At Pinkie’s house, her mother, sisters and grandmother celebrate her birthday. Pinkie then blows out her candles on her rock candy cake.

“Happy birthday, Pinkie.”, they all say.

“Hope thou art ready to consume cake.”, Cloudy says.

“Wait. Shouldn’t we give presents to Pinkie first?”, Marble asks.

“She’s right, Mom. We should open presents before we eat cake.”, Pinkie says.

“Very well. Proceed.”

“Pinkie this one is from me.”, Nana says.

She gives her a gift back. Pinkie takes out the paper and pulls out a pink and white checkered scarf.

“Oh, Nana. This scarf is beautiful.”, she says as she tries it on.

“Thank you, Pinkie. One of your friend’s grandmother came by earlier and helped me knit that for you.”

“Since winter is only a few months away, we figured we better get you prepared for when it comes.”, Cloudy says.

“Pinkie, this one is from all of us.”, Maud says as she, Marble and Limestone show their sister a small wrapped present.

Pinkie looks at it.

“Is that what I think it is?”, she asks.

“Well open if and find out, will ya?”, Limestone asks.

She takes the present and tears off the wrapping paper. Inside it is a Blonka Bar.

“It is. I can’t wait to eat it.”

“Wait, Pinkie. Remember the contest?”, Marble asks.

“Oh, yeah. I forgot.”, she blushes. “Sorry, I was just Pinkie Piecket being Pinkie Piecket. OK, let’s see that pass.”

“I don’t know, Pinkie. The percentage of that bar having one of those passes seems exponentially diminutive.”, cloudy says.

“Come on, Cloudy. Don’t discourage your daughter. The readers of this story are just as anxious as Pinkie is. Go on, Pinkie. Open it.”

“I’m still uncertain.”

“Mom, can’t you see how anticipated we all are.”, Maud says showing their ‘excitement’.

Their mother sighs.

“Pinkie, open it.”

She then carefully unwraps the bar and gasps.

“I got it! I got it! I got it!”, she exclaims.

Her family asks hopefully to show the pass. Pinkie then laughs.

“I so got all of you.”

“You mean, it’s not there?”, Marble asks.

“Ugh, don’t surprise us like that.”, Limestone says.

Pinkie then sighs in disappointment. Her grandmother puts her hoof on her shoulder.

“Pinkie, you’ll find that pass.”, she says.

“You think so?”

“I know so. If the readers believe in you, then we believe in you. And you should believe in you too.”

“Thanks, Nana.”

The then splits the bar into pieces for her family.

“Here you go. One piece for all of us.”

“But, Pinkie, it’s your present.”, Maud says.

“I know, but I already opened it. And I don’t want to eat this by myself. Granted that sounds out of character for me, but still. I don’t want all of you to think I’m selfish.”

They all agree with Pinkie’s words and they all take a piece each.

---

In Manehattan, all kinds of wrappers are being tossed our, shredded or burned and all of the unwrapped candy gets thrown in the carts. Pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies are tearing apart every single piece of candy that they can find. All of that candy was purchased by spending all the bits earned by the traveling unicorn performer, Trixie Lulamalt. She paces back and forth watching all of them getting rid of wrappers and pieces of candy.

“Trixie can’t believe this!”, she shouts. “It’s been twenty five whole days since this contest started and somepony found a golden factory pass before Trixie did.”

She then stops pacing.

“Servants!”

Two unicorn colts wearing suits approach her.

“Yes. Miss Trixie?”, the both ask nervously.

“Have you found a golden pass yet?”

“Sorry, Miss Trixie.”, the green colt says.

“We’re working as fast as we can.”, the orange colt says.

“You better make them work harder and faster or Trixie will make the two of you perform a trick with a rabid manticore.”

They become frightened and bolt out.

“Come on, everypony! Miss Trixie’s getting more and more impatient by the second!”, the green colt says.

“How about whoever finds the pass first will get to perform alongside her and have their own star on the Applewood walk of fame.”, the orange colt says.

The citizens all cheer and start unwrapping faster.

“Wow. I can’t believe that actually worked.”, Trixie says.

She then continues pacing.

“Although I was still promised to receive a pass on the first day. Well, I guess I’ll just have to keep on pushing those colts much harder until their heads explode.”

Her stomach growls.

“Oh, it’s already lunch time.”

She then grabs a pack of peanut butter crackers and starts eating.

“Somepony should’ve stalled all of those ponies long enough for these citizens to start looking non-stop.”

Suddenly her lunch break is interrupted when she hears shouting outside. She looks and sees that a mare has found the pass. Her horn then glows and she vanishes. Trixie reappears next to the mare holding the pass. The mare gives her the pass and Trixie smiles.

“Thank you, Ma’am. And you’ve just earned yourself a star on the Applewood Walk of Fame. At last! Trixie found the golden factory pass.”

All of a sudden, the same creature who appeared in Cloudsdale appears before her.

“Huh? Who are you? And where did you come from?”, she asks.

The creatures whispers in her ear as well.

---

The next day, the news casting mare gives yet another update.

“This whole golden factory pass fiasco has been sweeping the entire kingdom.”, she says. “We have now entered day twenty six of the search for the passes. Not one single part of the kingdom has been spared of having wrappers all over their landscape. So far only two passes have been found. And after that, billions more pieces of candy are being unwrapped faster than ever. No one store, stand or event is safe from this ordeal. Who will find the remaining passes. Only time will tell.”

She then turns off her microphone and collapses on her chair.

“I’m so tired of giving so many updates.”, she complains.

“Miss Newscaster. Miss Newscaster.”, a voice says.

She turns to the voice. A stallion enters while dragging a super computer. She looks at the machine in query.

“Uh, what is that?”

“This right here is how we’ll be able to find out where the remaining passes are hiding.”, the stallion says. “I’ve just finished it this morning and gave it a test run. It is completely flawless.”

“Do you really believe it will tells us where the remaining passes are?”, she asks.

“Without a doubt.”

The stallion grabs a microphone on the super computer and speaks into it.

“Computer, will you please inform us where the last three passes are in Equestria?”

The super computer takes the information and processes the data. It keeps on functioning and then stops. It prints out a piece of paper and the stallion takes it. He clears his throat and puts on his reading glasses.

“It reads: ‘I can’t tell you where, because it wouldn’t be fair to the other ponies. I’m not a cheater.’”

The news mare raises an eyebrow. The stallion blushes and crumples up the piece of paper. He tosses it and takes the microphone again.

“Computer, if you tell us where the passes are, I promise to share the lifetime supply of candy with you.”, he says.

The super computer takes the information again and starts processing it again. Later it prints out another piece of paper. He takes it and reads the new piece of paper.

“It reads: ‘how could you share the candy with me if I don’t have a mouth?’”

The news mare raises an eyebrow again. He then blushes and crumples the paper. He then turns angrily at the super computer.

“I am personally going to dismantle you when we get home!”, he says before dragging it out of the room.

The mare sighs and goes back to her chair. Her receiver beeps and prints out the next update. She then takes it and sees something important. She quickly puts her headphones back on and turns on the mic.

“Attention, everypony, this just in. The third golden factory pass has been found. I repeat, the third golden factory pass has been found.”

---

In Ponywille, a group of ponies listen to the radio. And among those ponies is Pinkie. She can’t believe that another pass has been found. Her hopes of finding her own pass is quickly starting to vanish.

“It has been found by a mare in Rainbow Falls. Caller, you’re on the air.”

“Hello there, my name is Lightning Dusteguard.”, she says. “I was just trying to help improve the Washouts with their skills, but when I heard about this contest, I decided to temporarily disband the Washouts and go for a new record for fastest time to unwrap pieces of candy. Once I found that lousy pass, I've decided that once I win the prize at the end I'll make those Wonderbolt regret kicking me out of their academy.”

“Well, Lightning, life is just full of surprises, isn’t it?”, the news mare asks. “I’m sure you’ll be very thankful you’ve gotten to visit your old home town.”

“You bet I will. Alright, I’ve gotta go. That factory will soon meet its new champion. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye, Lightning.”

The phone then hangs up.

“You heard it here first, everypony. There are only two golden factory passes to be found. The clock is ticking.”

In Rainbow Falls. Lightning puts the phone down and goes outside and is about to take off. But the creature who was at Cloudsdale and Manehattan has entered here as well.

“What the?!”, she asks. “How did you get here? And I don’t have time to talk to you right now.”

The creatures whispers in her ear.