A splinter
It was around Summer at Ponyville, the sun was shining high, the clouds were white and puffy like a marshmallow and the wind was feeling very light. The super party pony Pinkie Pie is now relaxing outside near Sugarcube corner because today was her afternoon off.
Earlier in the day she had finished decorating 3 dozen cupcakes in chocolate, strawberry and vanilla, 15 gingerbread men and a giant chocolate cake with a combination of Vanilla and Strawberry frosting and Mr and Mrs Cake were busy delivering cakes from Canterlot and The Crystal Empire. Pinkie sure had a busy morning today but now Pinkie pie didn't need to do any work for the rest of the day.
Her friends probably would've had a busy day themselves. Rainbow Dash was at Wonderbolt training, Fluttershy was having tea with Discord and Rarity was at Canterlot with Sassy Saddles to present some special new clothes. Pinkie pie was sitting on a chair enjoying the shade on a tree and took a sip of her cup of lemonade with a red and blue straw, she was having a really nice time.
Pumpkin and Pound cake, the cake twins were happily playing with a red bouncy ball with stars on top of the ball all around the backyard. that was caught right in Pinkie’s hoof. Pound and Pumpkin cake giggled.
“Bet you didn’t see that coming” said Pinkie with a smile. Pinkie started the new game by throwing the ball gently so the twins can easily catch it.
Suddenly the ball fell in one of the bushes. Pumpkin wanted to get it out, knowing that Pound and Pumpkin were too young to go in the bushes. Pinkie went to find the ball.
“Don’t worry you two” said Pinkie reluctantly, knowing it was really prickly, “I’ll go ahead and bring you your ball back”, so Pinkie closed her eyes and went into the bushes trying to find it. Pinkie picked up the ball and went right back the way she started knowing the Cake twins will need their ball back to continue their game.
She made it out surprisingly unscathed but she saw that she did get a prickle jammed in her right hoof. Pinkie first tried to remove the wood with her left hoof standing her right hoof on the table that held her lemonade but to no results, next she tried using her teeth to take it out but nothing happened.
“That’s one stubborn piece of wood” Pinkie commented worriedly, “I’ll come back later you too” she said as she left to go to the kitchen.
In the kitchen Pinkie looked in the drawers for some utensils to try and take out the splinter in her hoof. Scissors? Nope, A knife? I don't think so, A fork? Not gonna help, gingerbread cutter? Definitely not. Tongs, they could work. Pinkie used her left hoof to try and take out the splinter but the tongs were made of plastic so it didn’t have much grip to even take out wood. Pinkie started cringing in pain trying to get it out but with no success. No matter how hard her grip tried to pull out the stubborn piece of wood that was so stuck, the plastic tongs just couldn't do it.
Pinkie was frustrated and was feeling scared and sad that the splinter was still hurting her poor hoof. She thought she would never get that piece of wood out. Suddenly Pinkie heard the door knock
“Come in” said Pinkie.
The door opened revealing Applejack. "Hi Applejack" said Pinkie, "What brings you to my shop, it's my afternoon off today"
“I was wondering if you needed any more apples today” she replied holding a crate filled with tasty apples in red and green.
“I’m quite sure I have plenty” said Pinkie still looking at the splinter jammed in her hoof which has now turned from pink to a bright red. It looked like her hoof was looking worse “What’s that in your hoof?” Asked Applejack, “ just a splinter that won’t come out” explained Pinkie.
“Then come with me to my place” said Applejack, “I’m an expert at pulling out splinters”.
At Sweet Apple Acres Applejack was looking for her tweezers in her toolbox while Pinkie was feeling anxious. “Hold on tight partner, I should have it out soon” said Applejack, Applejack went through her toolbox left and right but she couldn't find her tweezers anywhere, “Oh wait, I just remembered” said Applejack, “I gave my tweezers to Fluttershy so she can help her animals for something important” luckily Big Mac gave Applejack a backup for her to use, “thanks Big Mac” Big Mac nodded his head and left back outside to continue the rest of his afternoon chores.
Applejack then took another look at Pinkie’s splinter.
"I hope you know what you're doing Applejack" said Pinkie worriedly
"Of course I do" Applejack replied "Whenever Apple Bloom got a splinter, I managed to get it out for her no problem",
So she took the tweezers at her hoof and grabbed the splinter, Applejack gave the prickle a little jiggle to loosen it and Applejack using her strength on her tweezers, the stubborn piece of wood from the bush got pulled out quicker than a sonic rainboom that Rainbow Dash would perform, at last Pinkie finally felt better.
The frown on her face dissolved to the smile that she normally has and the redness on Pinkie’s hoof started fading back to her pretty pink. “Well, looks like your problem’s solved Pinkie” said Applejack in satisfaction as she put a bandaid on her hoof to prevent the bleeding on her hoof.
“You’re a really good friend Applejack” said Pinkie pie feeling grateful, Pinkie gave Applejack a hug to show how grateful she was,
“I’m just glad to help a friend in need” replied Applejack.
“I’ll be heading back home to see if Mr and Mrs Cake have come back” said Pinkie and she started bouncing off into the distance to head back home.