"Nothing But Trouble"
From the very beginning, Mr. Cake had known that cocky young pegasus would prove to be nothing but trouble.
She had bounded into his bakery all those many years ago with a dangerous fire in her eyes, her multi-colored mane wild and uncombed. She'd held herself tall and proud, and she'd passed her eyes over the entirety of the shop as a princess might survey her kingdom. Her wings flared out in an aggressive display as she strode through the shop, heading for the front counter.
Mr. Cake, who'd stood in the back of the store near the ovens, could see his lead cashier freeze as soon as she caught sight of the dramatic winged pony, and immediately he felt justified in his misgivings about this pegasus. There was something new and something frightening in his cashier's eyes--a spark, a light, a hunger …
No, nothing but trouble would come of any of this.
The cashier stood uncharacteristically still--almost impossibly still--as the other pony swaggered up to the counter. A lazy grin spread across the pegaus' face. "Hey there, pink stuff," she greeted with a wink. "So, what's good to eat in this place?"
The shop cashier just stood there gaping, utterly silent, for a few seconds.
The pegasus frowned and glanced towards Mr. Cake, gesturing with an impatient forehoof. "This one's not a big talker, huh?"
At that exact same moment Pinkie Pie all but leapt over the counter, grabbing the pegasus around the neck with both forelegs as an excited gasp echoed loudly throughout the bakery. "Oh, my gosh! A new customer! A really great new customer!"
"Whaaa!"
The pegasus's front hooves scrambled desperately against the counter as she tried to extricate herself from the sudden embrace. She glanced over at Mr. Cake with a pleading expression, but Mr. Cake only smiled in response.
Meanwhile, Pinkie rattled happily onwards, like a steam engine building up speed. "I am going to have to throw a party for you later, too! And I'll make rainbow-colored cupcakes, and they'll look just like your mane, because you have the prettiest mane I've ever seen, and there'll be so much punch, and we'll be super awesome friends …"
The pegasus's eyes went wide in barely-suppressed panic. "Can't … breathe," she gasped out. "Hugging … too tight … "
Still smiling, Mr. Cake turned back to his baking. Though he still didn't have a good feeling about this newcomer, at least he could take some reassurance in the fact that his beautiful, chaotic, indomitable Pinkamena would be able to dish out at least as much as she'd have to take. In fact, he almost felt sorry for the pegasus, who even now probably couldn't even begin to guess what trials and tribulations she'd soon be put through.
He almost felt sorry for her, but not quite.
Please make a prat two of this, like you did for The Lovers that Never Were. I really enjoyed the fatherly sort of thing Mr. Cake had going on, and liked seeing Pinkie's reaction on meeting RD for the first time. Never thought how that went before.
d'awwwww
The first meeting of Pinkie and Rainbow; wonderfully done!
You know what? I f*ckin' love you "Author"!!!
I love the whole Papa Wolf vibe Mr. Cake has going on; it was there in Not Unless You Mean It, too, I think. I've never seen that characterization of him before, but that's my new headcanon.
This chapter, though short, was seriously adorable. Love at first sight, I guess.
Pinkie's reaction to RD --> My reaction to each new chapter
121797
Ha, thanks. :)
122627
MWAAA! Thank ye.
122832
"Mr. Cake = disapproving of Rainbow Dash" is totally my personal head canon, which is why it's snuck its way into two different stories. I mean, I love RD to death, but she totally gives off a heart-breaker vibe.
In contrast, my head canon for Mrs. Cake is "Mrs. Cake = already picking out china patterns for RD and Pinkie's wedding." I have no idea why.
123391
'Tis bittersweet, no?
I do like the adopted daughter vibe you have for the Cakes. It's one of those things I have yet to have the opportunity to work into a fic of mine. I tend to pull in too tight on the mane six and Spike and forget about teh others. Not that I write fast enough for it to be a real problem.
"This one's not a big talker, huh?"
That was the last time Pinkie was silent in Dash's presence for the rest of her life
I really love this chapter and this whole series!