Shadows Over Equestria

By: DemonKaizoku

Chapter 2: Fizzle Puffs

---

Just as she had planned, by arranging the books by length and allotting a fixed amount of time for each chapter, Twilight had achieved her goal of finishing all the books she intended to read from early morning into the middle of the afternoon. She had a full half hour left to spare by the time she finished her last book before she had to leave and meet up with her friends at Sugarcube Corner. There was more than enough time to make her own lunch. Perhaps Spike was hungry for something too?

In all her hours of silent reading, not once did Spike ever stir or startle awake from another nightmare. Maybe he had just needed to talk about what was wrong and to know that someone close to him was nearby. Was that all he needed to keep any potential nightmares at bay?

Since he hadn't slept that night waking Spike up seemed to take an eternity. It was definitely a feat worthy of Celestia herself. When she mentioned lunch all he did was grumble in his sleep and turn away. Even while she was making her own lunch. She almost had no choice but to take him, bed and all, to Sugarcube Corner, but fortunately Spike snapped out of his sleep just as she stepped out of the door. She knew he had been up all night but things were getting ridiculous.

Twilight spent the whole walk to Sugarcube Corner trying to rouse Spike more through some light conversation. He stayed silent with the exception of a few cranky grumbles. His mood finally started to perk up by the time they drew close. She tried again:

"Feeling any better?" Twilight asked, but she only received a small shrug in response from Spike, who was walking by her side.

"I guess, but it doesn't feel like I got enough sleep."

"Oh really? This is coming from the dragon that feels like eight hours of sleep isn't enough?" Twilight teased playfully, but she returned to a slightly more serious tone. "Well, I hope you learned your lesson and don't snack on gems so late, again. You should go to bed by the time the moon is bright."

"You won't be hearing any complaints from me." Spike assured her most confidently while rubbing one of his eyes. The sleep had done him wonders, but he was still feeling a little on the groggy side, which wasn't hard to tell from his disposition. The dark rings under his eyes were much fainter, but at least they weren't nearly as bloodshot as before.

Upon their arrival at Sugarcube Corner, the two were immediately met with the sight of a very long line, one that stretched beyond the entrance and went outside for a decent way. It was by no means long enough to cause a traffic jam for those who casually passed by, but it was no short wait for those in the line either. As they continued approaching the shop, a couple more ponies took their place at the end of the line.

"Woah. That's a really long line." Said Spike as he marveled over the lengthy row of customers. This wasn't the average sized line for Sugarcube Corner at this time of day; even on a busy day during the week, it still wasn't nearly this long. There must have been something going on at the bakery; perhaps a special event? Though, as to what it could be, the young dragon hadn't the slightest idea. Of course, he wasn't completely awake yet and was really in no mood to put in extra brainpower today.

"I would certainly hope so, seeing as the Cakes are holding a bake sale today."

"A bake sale?" Spike turned.

"That's what Pinkie told me when she dropped by a few days ago. Their business has been growing a lot lately, ever since they started receiving more clients outside of Ponyville and Canterlot. As you can imagine with more business they have more orders to finish at a time. The main goal with this bake sale is to get another oven, but those don't come cheap."

"Well, it certainly looks like they're getting plenty of business." Spike said as he followed after Twilight, who had moved to stand at the end of the growing line. Even if he was a little slow in his sleepy state, Spike was still quick enough to know this would take a long time.

"Come on, Twilight. Don't you think we should just go in?"

"There are several others in front of us, who have all been waiting longer to get inside the bakery. That wouldn't be fair to them." She said, scolding him slightly.

"I'm sure you could get them to understand, seeing as you're a princess now." Spike said with much pride in his tone. "Besides, we're here to meet up with the others, not purchase desserts like they are."

"Absolutely not Spike. I'm not going to flaunt my title around, like I'm better than everyone else. There isn't anything wrong with exercising a little patience." Twilight said matter of factly.

A soft sigh escaped from Spike before he stepped out of line to take a closer look at the row of ponies and what he could see inside the bakery. Not only did the line run up to the front of the counter, but the whole inside from what he could tell was bustling with other ponies. They were most likely kicking back with their goods and celebrating or partying in some form. With Pinkie Pie on the premises, it wouldn't be at all surprising if there was a party in there. This was going to be a nice long wait, and Spike did not have much patience to spare standing around and doing nothing.

"Come on! It's completely packed in there!" Spike whined at Twilight when he returned, mildly frustrated. It was fortunate for him that Rainbow Dash just so happened to be flying past the entrance, maneuvering around the customers. Had it not been for her keen eyesight and Twilight's slightly taller stature, she wouldn't have spotted the pair at the end of the line out of the corner of her eye. What in the world were they doing standing out there? She resisted shaking her head towards the ridiculous display, and as Rainbow Dash often did, she acted before completely thinking things through as her wings quickly propelled her outside the bakery entrance.

"Alright, alright everyone make way for the princess!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed for all nearby to hear, while lightly pushing aside those that stood near and around the entrance. Hearing her outburst loud and clear, Twilight jumped in surprise.

The expressions from the ponies Rainbow lightly shoved went from pure offense and annoyance for her obnoxious actions to pure surprise, as though her actions were explained in a matter of seconds. Throughout the line ponies turned and whispered amongst one another about the supposed yet unconfirmed gossip of royalty nearby. When several ponies turned and saw there was in fact an alicorn behind them, one almost looked like his eyes might pop out. Twilight was quick to notice the several pairs of eyes that locked on her, as her nerves quickly built up and her stomach felt like a shaken bottle of soda.

"Oh. Uh... h-hello?" Twilight said, lightly waving a hoof and chuckling nervously, in an attempt to keep herself calmly in check, while clearly failing to do so.

"It's Princess Twilight!" One pony suddenly cried out loud enough for all around to hear.

As the pony cried out in confirmation of the unsubstantiated claim made by the rainbow-maned pegasus at the front of the bakery, a few more in the line gasped in surprise, as if they had first thought it had been a pony's bluff or poorly executed joke. In a matter of seconds, each pony in line both inside and outside the door stepped back and parted for Twilight to pass. Of course bows followed, while Twilight froze in place with an embarrassed blush and a face like a deer caught in headlights. Spike didn't appear all that bothered by the extra attention that was given as she was, and moved without any hesitation through the parted crowd before she did. When she finally recovered enough to move forwards, Twilight quietly apologized and reassured each and every pony that was in line that they did nothing wrong and that it was alright, before she too passed by other bowing forms, where she found Rainbow Dash waiting for her with Spike.

"Was that really necessary?" Twilight asked.

"Well, yeah. You're here to be with friends, not pick up an order. Besides, you're a princess now. Princesses don't have to wait in lines." Rainbow Dash answered in a confident tone.

"That's what I told her!" Spike said, raising his arms up in exasperation.

"Well... you still didn't have to announce it like that. I didn't need all that attention." Twilight muttered.

"It's part of the life of being a princess." Rainbow pointed out, as Twilight gave her an inquiring look. "It's been ages since you first became one. Aren't you getting used to it yet? If I were in your position, though thankfully I'm not, I'd be giving orders left and right. That, and call the Wonderbolts to hang out with me, every day." The idea made her grin widely, as she painted the mental image vividly in her thoughts.

Twilight inconspicuously rolled her eyes, while she and Spike followed the light cerulean pegasus to the back of the bakery, out of sight of any of the curious eyes of customers watching her every move. She didn't like how she was still having trouble adjusting to these changes, especially when friends like Spike and Rainbow Dash treated acted like she should have adjusted to the lifestyle by now. Although she was getting a better grasp on her role and these changes weren't too extreme, they were still more than enough for her to need time to adjust. With those in Ponyville who knew her as a neighbor, let alone as a friend, this change was needless to say still going through an awkward transition. Nevertheless, there wasn't much more she could do but reassure herself that she just needed to give it all a little more time. She was already more used to it than she had been during the coronation, but even for her it wasn't easy to let so much adapt to so much change in such a short period of time. She hadn't been born a princess, after all, so what she thought best was just to take this one step at a time.

As the others proceeded through the bakery, Twilight was passing the front counter, and smiled as she saw that the Cakes were working and moving along as busy as bees dealing with the growing line of customers. Just then Mrs. Cake stepped away then Mr. Cake also disappeared. Once the couple returned and exchanged a couple of pastry boxes in return for payment from another passing customer, Twilight took advantage of the window of opportunity to greet them. As busy as they appeared to be, Twilight thought it would be best to keep her greeting brief.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Cake. How have the sales been going?"

"Hello, dear." Mrs. Cake smiled. Her husband responded with a silent and curt nod to Twilight before he rushed to the back of the shop, as if to indicate he heard and acknowledged her, but was too busy with the booming business to respond to her properly. Twilight sent a smile towards the yellow stallion's passing form in understanding, her eyes quickly returning to Mrs. Cake. "We're doing real well, so far. We're almost halfway to our goal and still going strong."

"That's wonderful to hear. It's great to see how much business you're receiving. I haven't seen the bakery this crowded in a long time."

"Oh, yes." Mrs. Cake said with a weak smile, as if showing how worn she already felt, despite the fact that the event was far from over. "I feel we may have come into this a little unprepared, to be honest. Even with Pinkie's help, I'm going to have to make a note that we need to hire more hooves to help around here in the near future, but I'm sure we'll manage for today. The sales are coming along quite well, and we all owe it to Pinkie's new recipe. They are a big hit and certainly selling like hot cakes. They're definitely helping us reach our goal a lot faster than we first anticipated, and at the rate we're going and with you here, our sales will surely escalate. We may get more for the bakery than just an additional oven, yet."

"Oh. Well, I'm glad I could be of some help, then." Twilight said, though she spoke modestly. She understood that what Mrs. Cake said wasn't said out of selfishness. The recommendation of or presence of royalty in any business location would attract the attention of many which was always good. Although she understood the intention behind her words, it still felt awkward for her to be in the position of being the center of attention like she was.

When she passed the front counter and headed through the swinging doors with Rainbow Dash and Spike, Twilight found that Applejack, Fluttershy, and Rarity were already sitting around the round table in the kitchen space of the Cakes' bakery and home. Although the background sounds of customers could still be heard and only the swinging doors acted as a barrier to assure privacy, it was at least a little quieter and peaceful compared to the front, where it was swarming with customers. Now this was what she came here for, to be with her best friends.

"Hey, girls." Twilight happily greeted the trio around the table.

"Hey, Twilight." All three turned and greeted simultaneously in return.

"We were just wondering where you were." Applejack said.

"I found these two outside Sugarcube Corner, at the end of the bake sale line." Rainbow Dash said, as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever seen, causing Twilight to turn towards her and give her another look even as Spike nodded fervently.

"Well, I didn't want to give anybody the wrong impression like I was cutting in front of them, unlike a certain pony I know." Twilight countered, clearly aimed at Rainbow. This did not seem to get a reaction out of Rainbow Dash.

"I don't see a problem with what Twilight did. I would have done the same, first." Said Fluttershy, smiling softly.

"Thank you, Fluttershy." Said Twilight returning the smile. She was glad some pony appreciated her attempt at manners.

"Yeah, but you have no reason to worry about that anymore." Rainbow Dash said with utmost certainty. "That's one of the perks of being royalty, you have those kinds of advantages now."

"Rainbow Dash is correct." Rarity said, after politely sipping on her levitated cup of tea. "You are a princess now, and it's high time you enjoyed the life of luxury and the recognition you rightfully deserve from your subjects."

"Now, now. There ain't nothing wrong with keeping a little integrity." Applejack motioned, the farmpony taking Twilight's side in the argument as she turned to her. "She just don't want to be seen as some pony that isn't approachable thanks to your new status, right? Like Princess Celestia."

"Yes, there is that. Don't get me wrong, I have no problems with being a princess unlike how I felt before, but I've been a student and an ordinary citizen of Equestria far longer than I have been of royalty. After we saved the Tree of Harmony, I know I said I understood the responsibilities and that I could pull through with all of you there, but that doesn't mean I've already become completely used to it. Even the smallest things seem like such a big change, for me." Twilight looked down, as if something else was also concerning her and coming to a head. "I mean, am I supposed to be used to all of this by now?"

Sitting next to her, Applejack rested her hoof against Twilight's shoulder.

"Sugarcube, you take all the time you need to adjust to all this. The time it takes to get used to any change is different for every pony, let alone when it comes to something as important as becoming a princess. Not every pony has that rare opportunity." Applejack advised in her usual caring and honest tone. "You want everyone in Ponyville to see you as an equal like before, which is a good thing. It means you ain't anything like the fancy or pompous pony folk in Canterlot. Even with all these changes you're still willing to look at everyone as equal, just like Princess Celestia does. It's nothing you should feel all that concerned about. Why, I bet if you asked her, she'd tell you it took her time to adjust to the lifestyle, too."

"You're right, as always." Twilight nodded to Applejack as she gently put a hoof on Spike's head, half-chastising and half-embracing. She smiled, but it came across more timid than teasing, doing little to mask her nerves. "I guess all this still has me a little nervous."

"Sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean to put you on the spot like that." Rainbow Dash said while averting her gaze for a moment, followed by an apologetic look from Rarity.

"Neither did I, dear. I suppose I was getting a little ahead of myself, for a minute there." Rarity added.

"It's fine." Twilight smiled to them both, only for it to slowly fade after a moment. "I know I'm going to be in training for my official royal duties for a while, and it's not like it will happen overnight, but I still can't help but wonder what will happen when the time does come. Will I have my own castle? Will I have my own piece of land in Equestria to govern? How far away will I be from all of you?" She said the last with hesitance and a hint of sadness. Applejack moved her hoof away, in order to get Twilight's attention.

"Come on, Twilight. Remember how I said the Summer Sun Celebration may have brought us together, but it's something much bigger that'll always keep us connected?" Applejack asked. "I said it was the Elements of Harmony that kept us together and that no amount of royal duties would ever change that, but I was wrong. You set us all straight by saying it was our friendship that kept us together, and how our friendship itself is more powerful than any kind of magic. You said it yourself, our friendship may be tested with your new lifestyle, but it will never be broken."

"Yeah. Whatever happens it doesn't matter how far from us you are. Wherever you are, wherever you go we'll all be there. You could be across the ocean, for all I care. We'll still find a way to see you and keep us all connected as friends." Rainbow Dash said.

"Of course we will. Besides, I still plan to make sure you have the most beautiful and gorgeous line of outfits, befitting a princess. You don't think I will let myself miss out on such an opportunity, do you?" Rarity smiled, following it with a wink.

Applejack smiled. "You told us yourself, when you had the chance to ask the Princess. None of this will be happening for quite some time yet, anyway." Applejack smiled. "After your brother and Princess Cadance were married and took over the Crystal Empire, you were worried you'd see them less, but every once in a while we still take a train ride to the Empire. It'll all be fine, you'll see. All it takes is time management stuff, and you've always been good at that."

"Our friendship is um... too important and strong for any distance to keep us apart." Fluttershy added, as for Rainbow Dash to fly to the shy pegasi's side.

"Exactly!" Rainbow Dash said exuberantly, patting her on the back. This made Fluttershy flinch slightly; she was a delicate pegasus and liked pats a little softer than Rainbow gave.

All the supportive words everyone said made Twilight smile. They were right; their friendship was far too special to be ended only by mere distance. How many times had she been concerned about that now?

"Thanks, guys. I feel so much better. I don't know why I'm always so concerned about that." As she came to this resolution Twilight paused.. For some reason, something felt out of place. Something was missing from this picture, and it was then she first noticed what that missing piece was. "Where's Pinkie Pie?"

" I'm rii-iiight hee-eeere! " A familiar and happy voice practically sang, garnering a collective smile from the group of six as they turned towards the source in unison. Stepping out from beyond the kitchen was none other than Pinkie Pie, who came out on cue with a tray perfectly balanced on her head and acting as though it were perfectly normal. As she drew in closer, they saw that resting on the tray atop her head were seven different small icing bags, which she simply set on the oven counter in the kitchenette by letting the tray slide off the top of her head. Putting a pair of oven mitts on her hooves she opened the oven and took out a single, larger baking tray. "You all showed up right on time! I just finished baking something for you guys, it's a new recipe."

"Mrs. Cake mentioned your latest creation had become a huge hit with the customers. What is it?" Twilight inquired.

"I call them Fizzle Puffs." Pinkie proudly proclaimed.

"What's a Fizzle Puff?" Rainbow Dash blinked.

" You'll see ~ " Pinkie said with both anticipation and excitement in her voice.

From what could be seen before Pinkie blocked their vision of the counter, resting on the tray were two cooked rows; one of four and one of three. Each of them looked like they had been wrapped and cooked around what looked like tubes. From what could be glimpsed, each crisp and rolled pastry surface was a different color. As she moved to one of the seven and removed the tube the baked pastry wrapped itself around, Pinkie handled one of the small icing tubes and pushed a nice, sweet filling inside its opened center, this acting as both the finishing and complimenting touch to the whole treat.

"Here, let me show you an example." Pinkie said, and quickly turned back with a small plate for the other six to see. Resting on the center of the plate was a vibrantly colored and rolled treat. The cooked dough wrapping was a light pink, sprinkled with a light trace of powdered sugar, and its filling was a darker shade of pink.

"This is a Fizzle Puff! I've come up with over twenty different flavors of filling so far, but the ones I am making right now are only specialized and made only for our taste buds. Well unless you don't mind sharing your flavors and making them available for other customers to have. Anyway, this one is mine." Pinkie Pie said, as she smiled.

"It looks like a cannoli." Twilight blinked. Apart from its bright colors, it was pretty much an exact replica of a cannoli. Well, the filling with this counterpart was more of an icing than a creamy ricotta, but even that was hard for her to say, with complete certainty without tasting it for herself.

"Well, that's because I was first inspired when I was helping the Cakes with a batch of cannoli the other day." Pinkie giggled as if that were obvious. "The Fizzle Puffs might look the same, but they're very different, you'll see! It's a complete and total reinvention of dessert itself, and that's a Pinkie Promise!"

Despite the fact that the design and presentation was more or less a carbon copy of a cannoli, it still sounded like it was delicious. Before anyone else could make a comment, Pinkie faced the counter once more, setting her treat to the side. She was no doubt in the process of making everyone else's Fizzle Puffs.

"Anyway, it should only take me a few more moments to get all of yours ready." Pinkie said, going through the same steps that she had with hers, but using a different icing tube for each one. As promised, Pinkie turned back a few moments later and was now holding a tray of six small plates and on each plate rested a single confectionary treat. She set one down per friend, it was upon further inspection that while they were each the same as far as presentation went, the difference between them in appearance was very much apparent and only served to intrigue the ponies more. For instance, the color of Applejack's dough was orange like her coat, with a reddish brown filling.

"This one is yours, Applejack. Seeing as you work with apples for a living, that is the base flavor of your filling. Oh my gosh, I rhymed! Hee hee!" She said, before she moved on by looking at the plate by Fluttershy, next. Her wrapping was a light yellow with a pink filling that had a slight orange tint to it.

"This is yours, Fluttershy. For as sweet as you are, while the base flavor of your filling is peach, I made it extra sweet." The next one to follow was Rarity's, as the wrap of hers was pure white with a dark purple filling.

"Rarity, your filling is white chocolate, but seeing as the dough itself was already white, I thought to add color to the filling and made it purple, instead."

"Ohh." Twilight suddenly realized. "I think I understand what you mean when you said specialized. Their colors are representitive of us, aren't they?"

"Well yeah, silly, but that's not the only thing. Just wait a teensy bit longer. I want us to all take the first bite, together. I promise, it's going to be worth it." Pinkie said, before she eagerly motioned towards Twilight's own plate. The pastry was a light purple, while the filling was a darker purple. "It took me some thinking for yours, but I think I finally found something' found something to represent you. The theme in filling I chose for yours was elderberries."

"Oh wow, elderberries? It's been so long since I last had anything with elderberries." Twilight's eyes brightened. "I always used to have elderberry jam as a filly."

"I know." Pinkie Pie smiled in a way that made Twilight realize she wasn't sure if she had ever told Pinkie about that. Well, she must have, or else Pinkie would have never known. Right?

"As for yours, Spike." Pinkie motioned to his plate. His was a similar shade as Twilight's but lighter, with a green filling. "Your filling is literally mint chocolate chip, since I know how much you love ice cream, but with one last thing to add." She said, before pulling out a diamond-shaped sapphire and sticking it into the filling like it was the accent equivalent to a tiny umbrella in a drink.

Spike looked at his treat with mesmerized eyes. He looked as though he wanted to eat it right then and there, which was most interesting, considering he wanted nothing to do with eating a few hours ago.

"Hey! What about mine?" Rainbow Dash pouted, lightly.

"I wouldn't forget about you, Dashie." Pinkie smiled. Rainbow's had still been on the tray she held, which she took and slid to Rainbow Dash across the table, for her to catch. The pastry itself was light blue like her coat, with her filling being like that of a rainbow, matching her mane and tail. The others looked at the neatly deposited filling of all colors of the rainbow with amazement. Not one color covered over the other.

"It looks like Zap Apple Jam." Rainbow pointed out.

"It's not Zap Apple Jam. The rainbow coloring is just the visual presentation, but I can't tell you what the flavor actually is. It's a surprise, until you taste it." Pinkie said, happily cryptic. Although upon hearing that, Rainbow felt herself steadily growing uneasy.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret this?" She asked, making Pinkie giggle.

"Don't worry. These are all great surprises." She said, before she quickly joined the others around the table, setting her plate down with the others. "Is every pony ready?"

All six were indeed ready to have their delectable treats, but they each also felt hesitant. While most of Pinkie's surprises were in fact good, it was the fact they had no idea what to expect that made each of them feel all that more uneasy. Spike was the only one who didn't seem to care, and who looked as entranced as ever at his dessert. But once they were all as ready as they could be, they each took a single bite out of their Fizzle Puff together.

Several moments of silence passed between them as they all chewed, and the tastes slowly began to register. As soon as their taste buds detected sugar, one by one, each of their eyes widened, their pupils dilating. The sensation was almost impossible to explain and comprehend. At least when it came for Twilight, her Fizzle Puff gave her quite the surprise, and it wasn't as if it was because it was too sweet to eat. She suddenly felt a brain rush, but it was strangely in a good way, almost as if in the briefest of moments she remembered everything she did so far that day in a split second. Just like that, the rush slowed down, but not before she felt a whoosh of a sensation throughout her whole body, it came more so from her mouth. She tasted the elderberries combined with ingredients that made it a little sweeter than the jam she had in the past. The taste was sweet and overall quite comforting.

Once they each had broken out of their brief trances, Twilight was the first to notice that her mane had shot upward. While it wasn't to the greatest of extremes, it was enough to be worse than how her mane had been when she had first woken up that morning. She noticed the other's manes had done the same thing. Applejack was the only exception, as her mane and tail were tied at the ends, aside from Rarity's which was fancily done up in the first place. Still, their manes looked just as wild, if not more so. Even Pinkie's somehow looked more wildly untamed than normal. It was as if the rush of the treat had knocked them off their hooves, quite literally.

"W-wow. If anybody was tired, you sure aren't now." Applejack broke the silence.

"That definitely cleared my sinuses up." Rainbow Dash added, still awed from the taste her taste buds had just gone through.

"Pinkie Pie, this is absolutely amazing!" Twilight said, also impressed, much to the smiling Pinkie's delight. "I can certainly see how this is such a big hit with everyone, so far."

"It certainly does have a hit to it, that's for sure." Applejack mused aloud.

"It's very delicious. Mine is very sweet and it um... gives a smooth taste of peach in my mouth." Said Fluttershy as she smiled, while Rarity took another bite and chewed it with her usual manners. Far different from Spike who was gorging himself on his treat, looking as ecstatic as the mares felt.

"Oh my. This is absolutely delicious. The white chocolate is rich, but not overbearing. It's like I'm eating a chocolate truffle, but I detect another flavor. It's only very slight." Rarity said.

"There is the teeniest hint of champagne in yours, Rarity." Pinkie smiled. "Since you enjoy the life of the fancy, I gave yours something of a fancy theme. Plus, the champagne I used came from the grapes of Neighpa Valley."

"Neighpa Valley? Why, that's where the best wines and champagnes are made. I've always wanted to try some. How did you know?"

"Oh, I have my ways." Pinkie said, and left it at that with an innocent smile. Nobody could doubt Pinkie. She had that strange, unpredictable nature to her, after all.

"Mm.." Applejack exclaimed, as she chewed on one bite after another. She could taste the flavoring of fresh apples, mixed with traces of toffee. "Why, if I didn't know any better, I'd say this here tastes just like a candy apple."

"Apples that came straight from your orchards."

"Well, I could have told you that." Applejack chuckled. "Who has tastier apples than Sweet Apple Acres?"

Rainbow Dash on the other hand was standing away from the table everyone was sitting around, and suddenly looked quite invigorated, her hooves lightly moving in a jogging motion, as she finished hers up.

"Aw yeah! Sweet apple cider, I like it! No wonder you wanted me to wait and find out."

"I'm sorry. Would you have preferred Zap Apple Jam?" Pinkie asked.

"Are you kidding? This is amazing! I feel so energized, like I could fly five hundred laps, and not even break a sweat!"

"Well, you should. Along with its appearance, I thought it best suited you if I packed yours with extra energy. Don't worry; it's all natural, like an energy drink."

"Awesome! I'm definitely going to try it soon." Rainbow said although she looked like she might have wanted to try right now, instead.

"What about yours, Pinkie Pie?" Fluttershy asked. "You never told us what yours was."

"Tutti Frutti! It's one of my favorite flavors, but then again, what isn't my favorite flavor? Look!" She stuck her tongue out, showing her the pink filling across it, and to the surprise of everyone, it was giving off quiet popping sounds. Of course, despite how marvelous it was Fluttershy inched away from the gesture. "It pops and fizzes!" Pinkie said but slightly garbled, her tongue still being stuck out for the world to see.

"I get it. It's like a party in your mouth." Twilight chuckled. "I can't say this enough, but these really are amazing, Pinkie. How did you do it?"

"Do what?" Pinkie blinked.

"All of this. I know making desserts comes naturally for you, but the sensation that came when taking the first bite; it was so surprising and that's an understatement. Was I the only one who felt like I got my hooves knocked out from under me?" Twilight asked the others.

"I felt the same sensation, too." Applejack nodded. "It was like a wakeup call in my mouth. But then it calmed down, and I felt like I was back in the orchards, with how sweet and strong the apple taste was."

"I felt like I was dining amongst the Canterlot Elite, with how rich it tasted. I bet they would enjoy this particular recipe." Rarity said.

"Oh, yes." Fluttershy agreed. "I felt the same too, but the soft texture and taste felt ever so soothing." When she turned to her side, she found Rainbow was nowhere in sight. "Where did Rainbow Dash go?"

"Right here! I'm still here!" Rainbow said, zipping back in a rainbow flash, a strong breeze following her as she returned and landed back in her spot. It appeared as though Rainbow hadn't been patient enough to wait and had to test out her new stamina at least once. Rainbow's was self-explanatory. She had a boost in energy.

"So, how did you do it?" Twilight repeated. "What's the secret? You didn't put anything we should be worrying about in these, did you?" Twilight asked, having a momentary lapse in trust. It wasn't that she didn't trust her, but Equestria was a magical world. Pinkie could be an unpredictable pony when she wanted to be, and concoctions such as potions certainly existed in their world. It was a force of habit to ask, with all events that had happened in Ponyville in the past. Had she gotten any help from Zecora?

"Of course not, but to be honest, I have no idea what caused that effect."

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Twilight blinked.

She shrugged "I've been thinking about that, myself. Was it the type of sugar I used? The flour? Either way, I first noticed it when I made it right the very first time. I didn't mean for it to happen, but it seemed so much fun, so I just stuck with what I did."

"But, you know the recipe; otherwise you wouldn't have known how to make these." Twilight said, only for Pinkie to shrug.

"Well yeah, silly filly. It Just worked out that way, I guess." She giggled.

"Leave it to you, Pinkie Pie." Applejack mused. "Though, maybe you should consider calling these Fizzy Bombs instead of Puffs." She suggested.

"Oh my gosh! That's a good name, but everyone knows them as puffs now. What am I going to do? I guess I could make a recall on all the purchases..." As she began to ramble, Applejack chuckled, and Fluttershy, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash started to giggle as well.

Twilight joined what was soon a chorus of laughter. It was hard not to: the merriment between them all was contagious. Sharing in laughter with her friends gave her more comfort than they would ever know. It was warm and filled with such mirth; an embracing happiness that assured her that everything would be alright. There was nothing changed between her or their perception of her. Their friendship remained intact, as it was before. In fact, one could say their friendship was stronger than ever, despite no longer having the Elements of Harmony. The only thing that had changed was that she was a princess.

Of course, having the most refined tastes Rarity noticed how quiet Fluttershy seemed. Well, she was always quiet, but this somehow felt quieter than usual, for her. In fact, despite the atmosphere, her laughter at times nearly seemed forced, but it was only noticeable as their laughter lightened. It was only all the more obvious when her head dipped down a little.

"Are you alright, Fluttershy? You look as though something is wrong." Rarity asked with some concern, gaining the attention of the others, who all looked in Fluttershy's direction. Voicing concern for her, this broke Fluttershy from her distant gaze and sudden fascination with the floor, as she raised her head back to its normal position.

"W-wrong?" Fluttershy blinked. "Oh, no. There's nothing wrong, I'm fine."

"Then why are you looking so down in the dumps, all of a sudden?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"I was um... just thinking about something I did earlier. N-not that it's anything bad... of course." She stumbled with her words. Not to mention she sounded as though she were on the edge of her seat, too. There was definitely something wrong, and even Pinkie Pie could see that.

"Fluttershy, what's wrong? You can tell us." Twilight said, while moving over to where her friend sat.

Fluttershy quietly looked down at her half-eaten treat, as if she were silently weighing the pros and cons of telling the others. Although she would always tell her friends absolutely anything, what she had done this time was far too awful for her to usually admit to but all it took was the pressure of her friends' gazes to make her crack.

"Oh, Twilight! I did something awful!" She finally admitted, as if a disaster had befallen her.

"What is it?" She asked, placing her hoof on Fluttershy's shoulder. But it quickly slipped off as Fluttershy turned away from her, her mane covering a part of her face.

"I... no. I can't say. You all would think I'm such a terrible pony, for it." She said, both concerned and nervous.

"No we won't." Twilight insisted. "We're your friends and here for you, no matter what you think you did." Rainbow on the other hand appeared quite intrigued by this latest development. Fluttershy did something she considered that horrible? She wanted in on this potentially juicy information.

"Alright." The kind-hearted pegasus answered, eventually giving in to her fate completely. She first took a deep breath, before saying anything. "I... I lied!" She cried out, the anticipation quickly becoming anticlimactic, as Rainbow Dash drooped, but it had been her fault for getting amped up and expecting any more from a pony like Fluttershy.

"That's it?" Rainbow Dash said, with disappointment. "Who doesn't stretch the truth now and then?"

"To who?" Twilight asked, ignoring Rainbow's words.

"I lied to Discord!" Fluttershy exclaimed, as if it had been the worst crime she had ever committed. "I told him I was going out on an errand, but I'm not. I'm sitting here with all of you, having the time of my life with my friends."

"Well, you could technically call this an errand with your friends." Rarity said, while Twilight was processing everything she was hearing. Fluttershy shook her head.

"Even when you put it that way, what I did was still wrong. All I'm doing is sitting back and enjoying a sweet treat with all of you, while knowing Discord loves sweets. I'm sure he would have loved this, and yet I never invited him to join us!" She said, her words filled with despair. Pinkie blinked, as though her words served to remind her something.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot." Pinkie said, while quickly dashing back into the bakery. She returned with a small box. "I wasn't sure if I should, but I made Discord a Fizzle Puff, anyway. Consider it a thank you to him for this particular flavor combination serving as inspiration, as I intend to use this as one of the flavor options for customers. It's chocolate pastry with a sweet and gooey cotton candy center, with hints of chocolate combined into the flavor."

"Discord loves cotton candy... He would have loved to be here, if only I invited him. I'm the most inconsiderate pony ever!" Fluttershy cried, before planting her face against the surface of the table. Rarity moved closer to her side, patting her.

"Sweetie, you are the kindest pony I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. You mustn't ever doubt that. Besides, you shouldn't feel so bad about that. Even with Discord claiming to be reformed, I don't think any of us are entirely convinced he's changed that much."

"Yeah, and with the Elements of Harmony no longer under our control, who knows what he may try. I don't know what we'd do if you weren't there to keep him under ropes." Applejack said, though these words triggered Twilight to ask the obvious question.

"Wait. Where is Discord?"

"I left him back home, all alone and oblivious to what I'm really doing. W-what if he finds out what I'm doing?" She asked, her tone having by now fallen completely into panic mode. "I can't just not tell him, but if I do tell him, what if it makes him feel sad or worse? What if he gets so upset with me leaving him out like that, that he forgets all about the point of controlling his chaos and no longer feels like he's my friend and forgets all about our friendship? I can't let that happen! I don't want him to return to his old ways and become evil again! He'll return to his completely chaotic ways, and it'll be all my fault!"

"Calm down, Fluttershy!" Twilight said, as if to snap her out of it, before she could have a complete meltdown. "So what if you left him back at the cottage? Although... not to worry you more than you already are, but did you make sure it was safe to leave him alone?"

"Yes. I want to continue and give him the benefit of the doubt, as far as my trust in him is. A little over a week ago, I suggested that if he ever wanted to have his own place to live he could. He's close to my cottage, so I thought this way; he has his own personal space to use his magic on."

"Good thinking." Twilight nodded. "If he has a place of his own to manipulate to his liking, that should keep him entertained at least long enough for it to be safe to leave him by himself, at least for a while."

"But it's still not good that I left him out! That isn't what the Princess would have wanted me to do, when she entrusted me to help reform Discord. I'm supposed to be his friend, and a friend would have never left another out like that."

"Maybe, but I think you made the right choice, in this case." Twilight said.

"W-what?" Fluttershy said, surprised yet confused. "How is it that what I did was the right thing?"

"Listen, I know it seems wrong, but I think these measures were needed to be taken for now, in this situation. What do you think would have happened if he had joined us at Sugarcube Corner? He might have gotten out of hoof, or at least been tempted. You have to admit it would be hard for him to refuse that kind of opportunity. Besides, the citizens in Ponyville haven't really been fully acclimated to him, yet. This isn't something we can just bring out of the blue and expect to work out, or for others not to potentially get scared or panicked. Discord has quite a reputation what with taking over Equestria after all, so I think you more or less did the right thing."

"Really?" Fluttershy said, still reserving uncertainly about whether what Twilight said really gave her that excuse. Then again, everyone had their own opinions.

"Absolutely. Besides, just as Rarity said, I don't think he's quite that reformed, yet. He may not want to lose the friendship he has with you, but that's his only motivation right now. It's doing wonders as he's still behaving, but I doubt he's going to completely get over acting like he has for more than a thousand years, anytime soon. Old habits are hard to break, so we have to make sure to keep an eye on him. With the elements no longer at our disposal to keep him in check, like Applejack said, we only have you left to depend on to keep him under control."

"How can you all say that behind his back? He has changed and is trying very hard." Fluttershy said.

"Um, hello? Discord's the spirit of chaos and disharmony. Besides, he hasn't changed enough, if you ask me." Rainbow Dash said. "I still don't feel like we can fully trust him."

"It's not that I'm taking back what I said about you being the one who changed him for the better and convinced him to use his magic for good, but judging from his track record with Princess Celestia, he's been making ponies suffer from his chaos far longer than trying to be good. Unfortunately, inflicting chaos is what comes naturally for him, so while he may seem a little reformed, what if there's that chance he reverts back to his previous ways again?" Twilight said, trying not to come off as being overly judgmental. She was just being realistic based on the facts she did have.

"He still wouldn't do that. He cherishes my friendship too much." Fluttershy said with the utmost confidence in her tone.

"Can you say that with complete certainty, though? You don't even have the slightest bit of doubt? Not even a little?" Twilight asked, putting Fluttershy in a difficult and awkward position. She had faith that Discord knew right from wrong, but as always, Twilight also had made a good point. She slowly returned to dipping her head back down, quietly.

"Well, maybe a little... but not too much." Fluttershy said gently, as if not really willing to admit that.

"We don't mean to put you on the spot like this, but we can never be too careful. I know you know as much as I do, and Discord hasn't been free for even two months, let alone a year. It's too soon to let our guard down. Until he gives us no more reason to doubt him, we have to be there whenever he does act out with his magic."

"I-I suppose you're right, but it still makes me feel a little bad, or like I'm going behind his back as a friend for agreeing."

"You have nothing to feel bad about." Applejack said. "It's just as Twilight said, you did the right thing. We haven't had enough time and evidence to afford letting our guards down. Besides, it's not like he doesn't get to have what we're having. Pinkie made one for him too, so he's not really being left out." She said, carefully patting the box Pinkie brought in for Fluttershy to take. Slowly but surely Fluttershy began to calm, her concerns though not completely diminished, progressively fading.

"You're right. I'll just bring this home with me and tell him everything. I'm sure once I explain how I wasn't sure if he was ready for this yet and how bad I felt for it and how sorry I am, surely he'll understand?"

"Maybe..." Rainbow Dash said, still not entirely convinced in the least. Though, as she said this, Spike began to lurch back, while holding his stomach. Moments later, he belched out green flames, as a neatly rolled piece of parchment magically appeared and floated towards Twilight, who caught and levitated it with her magic.

"A letter from the Princess?" Twilight said, before she unrolled the wrapped parchment with her magic. She started to read it aloud:

My Dearest Twilight,

There is a situation in Canterlot that I require your assistance with. Please meet me in Canterlot Castle, at once.

Princess Celestia

"That sounds mighty urgent. Wonder what's going on at the castle that has the Princess wanting you there lickety split?" Applejack said.

"I don't know. I just hope it's not another King Sombra scenario." Twilight said, finding most urgent letters from her mentor led to something more than just a simple meeting. Most times they involved things from a disaster set from a villain to the crown.

"Maybe she requires you to appear for a test as royalty, or it has something to do with more of your princess training? You told us she only sent you some books to read through and study so far, and not much else. She only told you to come meet her after all, and none of us, so that might just be it." Rarity said.

Rarity had a point, though there had also been times when Celestia requested her as an audience and never wrote about bringing the others along, but in the end requested the others to join and help her. Though, she also realized most of those times required them all to work as a group, because that had been back when they had the Elements of Harmony.

This sounded serious, but then again, maybe this was only a matter of business she was in need of attending? She was a princess now. Unfortunately, her instincts were telling her something entirely different. She knew this had a sense of urgency for some reason. As for why, she couldn't fully be certain, but all she knew was her mentor needed her, and that alone was enough of a reason for her.

It was only after gathering these rushing thoughts that she remembered she was still having a relaxing afternoon with her friends. Despite the fact that her mind was all abuzz in activity and in its usual rush when it came to receiving a message from Princess Celestia, she turned back to her friends, as if seeking their thoughts or advice in the situation. The five had been silent throughout the time she read the letter and voiced some theories, but when Twilight returned her attention to them, they all smiled.

"It's alright, Twilight. You don't have to worry about us." Applejack reassured her.

"Yeah. Duty calls." Rainbow Dash added with a hint of muse, considering the fact she was good friends with a princess.

"But... you have always been there for me. You were there with me during my first Summer Sun Celebration as a princess. To not have you all there with me..." Twilight said, trying but failing to hide her tone of discomfort.

"I wouldn't worry too much; you're only going to Canterlot Castle. And anyhow, if you do need our help, you can always send us a letter, and we'll be there faster than hay in a tornado. But if this happens to be something that only requires you to act like a princess, we don't want to be there to distract you. I think it would be better if we did it this way. That way, if it's royal business, you can tell us all about it when you get back." Applejack said, smiling.

Twilight always had to admit, if there was some pony who could be just as reasonable as her, it was Applejack. Even so, the concept of going to meet with Princess Celestia without her friends being as near as the Canterlot train station was alien to her. Already, just because she was a princess, her friends were graciously insisting on letting her go about her own business, and perhaps to her own world and society. She still felt uncertainty at leaving without her friends, but it was hard to argue when Applejack had already addressed all possible points of view to help comfort her in this potentially dire situation.

"What about you, Pinkie?" Twilight turned to her most optimistic friend, as if needing her word in this, too. After all, they planned the meeting at Sugarcube Corner for the purpose of hanging out and trying her newest dessert creation. Pinkie Pie of course just smiled. It was hard for her to ever see anything in a negative light.

"Oh, Twilight. It's not like we'll hold it against you and disappear from the face of the Earth, just because the princess needs only you. I mean, where would we even go?" Pinkie blinked once, before the party pony was distracted and focused in her own deep thoughts. "Would we be able to disappear? Rarity is a unicorn, but can her magic teleport all of us at once? I wonder what disappearing actually feels like. I hope it doesn't hurt..."

Nonetheless, even as she lost Pinkie Pie to her own inner monologue, she still felt a little uncomfortable about this. Make no mistake, she knew when to consider a situation of a higher priority over another, but she also wished she didn't have to leave her friends so soon. Things just always felt weird without them around. Eventually, she complied with a nod and stood up from her seat.

"Alright. I guess I'll be going, then." She said, before finishing the rest of her delicious Fizzle Puff. "But, I want you to come along with me, Spike. I can't go anywhere without my number one assistant." She said, while watching Spike scarf down the rest of his dessert, and withheld the temptation to smile when he appeared to be disappointed it was gone.

"Sure thing, but before we go, do you happen to have any more like these, Pinkie Pie?" Spike asked, clearly referring to having seconds of the pastry. Upon asking her, the energetic pink pony zipped away and was gone for several seconds, before she soon returned with a warm fizzle puff. This time, although it was all the same color scheme and flavor, an emerald stuck out from the filling. She dropped it in a small box and gave it to Spike, who imediately reopened it, his eyes sparkling. "Thanks!" He said, only to be interrupted by being lightly levitated by magic and placed atop Twilight's back.

"Sorry, Spike. Your Fizzle Puff will have to be on the go, with the princess asking for me as soon as possible. I need to be on time, and catch the next train." Spike did not appear to be complaining, as he was already munching on his seconds, while she turned back to her friends, who all were still sitting around the table. "I'll be back as soon as I can." With a wave to them, she turned back and trotted out from the kitchen and out from Sugarcube Corner, deftly avoiding the crowd that was still there for the bake sale.

"Uh, she does remember she has wings, right?" Rainbow Dash blinked, as though she could not fully comprehend how any pony could forget the wings on their own back.

"Once a unicorn, always a unicorn." Rarity said, as if filled with pride. This of course only followed with echoes of laughter, even from the fashionista herself.