A Bit of a Kick and Spice
A Bit of Kick and Spice
A cold, winter gust blew throughout the streets of Ponyville, the town coated in a thick layer of snow as ponies trotted around town in hats, scarves and boots. Many ponies were out doing their daily business, others were playing in the snow, making snowponies and having snowball fights. Others remained within the warmth of their homes, such as the tenants of the crystal tree house that resided to the south.
Twilight sat at her desk, dressed in a winter jumper and scarf, levitating her quill and a long roll of parchment trailed behind her, titled, 'Wrap Up Plans Draft'.
She mumbled to herself as she wrote, "Okay, so the weather team takes care of the clouds at 10, which gives the environment team two hours to clear out the hibernating animals, but where can I fit the new nests in?"
She groaned in annoyance and looked at her parchment again, scanning through everything she had written.
"I just don't get it, where am I supposed to fit this in? I can't move the ice removal team to half-past nine, they won't be able to finish on time when Rainbow Dash comes into the picture..."
She felt a breeze blow through the crystal walls of the library and let out a shiver, "These crystals do not make good insulators."
Her horn lit up, and she surrounded herself in a heated veil of magic to warm herself. As the shiver ceased, she got an idea.
"Hm, what if I move the field tillers to half six? Yeah, they could pull the fields of in that time, it would give the ice removal team enough time to prepare..."
Suddenly, the door to her study slammed open and in skipped Pinkie Pie, Twilight's quill scribbling a sharp, black scribble of ink against the scroll.
The pink mare beamed happily, "Twilight, you have got to try this out, I've just concocted the greatest way to beat the winter chills!"
The alicorn gave the bubbly mare a cold stare from the corner of her eye, and turned politely and calmly asked, "Pinkie, I'm a bit busy right now, could you show somepony else for a bit?"
"But I've just got to show you this, pretty please?" Pinkie squeaked, her eyelids fluttering.
"Pinkie, I'm glad you found a way to fight the cold snap, but wouldn't it be best if you showed me after I get this schedule done?"
"Twi, nopony else is available. You've just gotta try it!"
The purple alicorn stared her down again, "Pinkie. Not. NOW."
"Pleeeeease?" She repeated, fluttering her eyelids even more, her pupils the size of dinner plates, sparkling in the light of the chandelier above them.
Twilight sighed in annoyance, "If I get Spike to try it, will you leave me be?"
"Only if you try if afterwards, if he likes it that is. If he doesn't, I will trot out the door and try again. Easy as that."
"Now you're speaking my language, hold on..."
The alicorn took a breath and called for her assistant, "Spike!"
In very little time, the sound of clawed footsteps clambered down the hall to her study door, the dragon stopping by the doorway, dressed in a fluffy jumper Rarity had made for him.
"What's up, Twilight?"
"Spike, please try what Pinkie wants me to try for me."
The dragon nodded, "Sure, what is it, Pinkie?"
Pinkie turned to him and stood firm, pulling out a cloth covering something small from her winter coat and placed it on her hoof.
"Brace yourself, guys, as this is the latest in Pinkie branded tasty treats and confection! It may look simple, but inside lies a wealth of tastes and other fuzzy feelings! This time, however, I've added something truly special, a little ingredient I got imported by my pen pal in Zebrizar."
Twilight interrupted her, "I never knew you had a pen pal, Pinkie."
"You didn't? I'll show you the letters later."
She cleared her throat again, "This ingredient gives this little cake a zing that's sure to kick Jack Frost right in his old, curmudgeony face!"
Spike and Twilight glanced at each other in confusion, as Pinkie exclaimed, "Behold, the Pink Flame of Winter!"
She pulled off the cloth to reveal a cupcake topped with a creamy-white icing and dotted with chocolate sprinkle stars, the cake glowing a pink tinge.
The dragon licked his lips and asked, "It looks great, what's inside?"
"The usual cupcake recipe my grandmother taught me, and a special kind of vanilla essence that gives it a real kick! Try it, you'll love it!"
The young dragon took the cake and thanked her, "Thanks, Pinkie. Don't mind if I do."
Twilight asked in reply, "Is the vanilla spicy at all?"
The pink mare shrugged, "I'm not sure, I should've tried it first, but it smelled divine, so it must be good!"
She looked at the dragon, taking a bite out of his cupcake and swallowing his mouthful. In almost an instant, a rush of taste sensations swam through his mouth, the deliciousness of the cake couldn't be contained well within his small body, almost vibrating from the thrill of it all.
He smiled gleefully at the pink mare and exclaimed, "This is amazing, you've gotta try it, Twi!"
He tucked into his cake almost vigorously as Twilight smiled warmly, "Okay, have you got another one?"
Pinkie pulled out another cupcake from her coat, "Had another just in case."
Twilight sniffed the cupcake and took it off the earth pony's hooves. She smelled the cupcake, the waft of vanilla making her salivate as she took a bite from the cupcake.
She nodded as the taste came to her, "This is good, where did you get this vanilla extract from? I need some for myself."
"I'm not sure what vanilla flower it came from, my pen pal did say something about it."
She dug through her coat and pulled out the letter she received earlier, "Ah, here we go! 'This vanilla extract comes from a very special kind of vanilla flower, known as Zebrizian Whitewind. This vanilla flower is known for its extreme heat, and is not to be consumed under major doses.'"
Twilight stopped chewing her mouthful, and asked, "Pinkie, how much did you put into this cupcake?"
"About a vial per cupcake, I think."
The heat of the vanilla caught up to her. Twilight had now regretted everything she had ever done.
The peaceful goings-on of the ponies outside were soon startled by the loud, sudden outcry of their princess, "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHH!!"
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The alicorn princess hung over her bathroom sink, leaning under the cold water faucet as a stream of cold water poured onto her tongue. Spike leaned on the bath beside it, still eating his cupcake, holding the alicorn's in his other hand.
"I think you're over-reacting, Twilight. These cupcakes are really nice, the heat is just about right for me."
There was no reply from the mare, the dragon stating, "Look, Pinkie apologized about what happened, there's nothing to get worked up about. She said she'd look back into the recipe and work on the temperature to make it taste just right."
Again, no reply. The dragon paused for a moment before asking, "So, does this mean I can have your cupcake?"
"YETH, GE' 'HAT ABOMINATHION AWAY FROM MY MOUTH A' THOON ATH POTTHIBLE."
He shrugged and walked off with her cupcakes, taking a bite of the icing.
"Sheesh, what a baby."
END