Walking out into the town the mares looked around and watched as their candy and cakes were gobbled up by the locals.  Having just enough supplies for two days of treats they decided to worry more about having fun than work.  They walked to the local store, smiling and beaming at the passersby and feeling bubbly with energy.

To see such energetic travelers cast off their professional appearance and be happy was inspiring and the children began hopping in the same fashion as Pinkamena.  They started bounding around her singing a local song about the grass and sun.  One of the colts dancing and singing tripped and fell, scraping his leg.  Surprised and still gleeful Pinkamena hopped on her back legs and squealed, “Oh no! Damaged product!  Let me help you up, are you ok?”  

Shocked, Applebloom jogged over to her friend, acting as though she was joking, and gave her a serious look to get down.  She fell to all fours and helped the colt to his feet, kissing his light wound.  While only a scratch a trickle of blood was exposed, and Pinkamena dragged her tongue across it causing the colt to wince.  

A worried mare ran over to the scene and asked if everything was ok, having seen the odd reaction to the injured colt fall over, what looked like a patchwork quilt under her dark cloak on an already warm afternoon and having heard what she though was ‘Injured product’ caused concern which was heightened by seeing a tongue wipe across the colts leg.  

Cautiously she walked between the colt and Pinkamena, guiding him away from her and telling the children to leave the mares alone.  Leaving Pinkamena a little displeased, having only gotten a small taste, her mind thinking of what kind of dessert it would go best with.  Her eyes finally coming back into focus on Applebloom, who was looking at her, scoldingly.  

With a grunt hidden behind a smile she had learned to fake naturally, they began bounding for the shop, alone and giggling.  Entering the shop they were not impressed, just a lot of the same as they had seen in every town:  Basic perishable local goods; beets, corn, beans, lettuce, and apples.  

Appleblooms eyes widened slightly and Pinkamena knew she was going to get a bushel of apples and fruit so she went to the personal care area to buy soap, a new towel for her and a few other essential traveling items for them both.  Tossing the new items in Appleblooms saddle bags they started back for the inn to get settled in.

As they walked they noticed a change in the air, the town wasn’t as jubilant as before, the fillies and colts didn’t rush them, and people weren’t chatting as much, more whispering.  The mares knew this feeling, and usually it was because of Pinkamenas impulsiveness.  

They knew what they had to do.  They just had to wait for nightfall to enact their plan.

Asking to set up a small area just outside town they began to dismantle their wagon, with surprising efficiency they set up a gazebo with balloons, streamers, and party favors, they invited the locals to a party!  Reluctantly the locals began showing up, the dark pink horse with her mane flat had a huge puffy curly tail and joyful exuberance that even most young colts couldn’t achieve.  

She wore a light green blanket over her back, hiding obvious Pegasus wings and showing the beauty of her shiny coat, her cutie mark was one large balloon with a cupcake on top.  A truly unique cutie mark that matched her personality.

“Welcome, welcome, welcome!  I’m so happy to see you, I can’t wait to get to know you and become friends.  I got a lot of stuff to sell and I know you’ve got money to buy, but we’ll take trades!  Sellers gotta sell and a mares gotta eat, right Bucky?”  

“Ya got that right sis, ain’t any better way to say it than that, let’s have a great party and get to know each other!”  Removing a thin pink cloth from the table she exposed all the rest of their dessert stockpile they had to sell, they had a light shining on the sweets that twinkled off the confetti and little silver sugar balls that adorned the table.

“One free cup of punch for every hoof,” giggled Pinkamena, offering a platter of cups to the guests.  Within an hour the whole town was present, and the party was going great.  Pinkie was the focal point and Applebloom was selling all their desserts to a growing ecstatic crowd.  They began telling stories of their travels and where they came from.  

Gathering around a campfire later in the evening, after the kids had started to go to sleep and mares took them home to bed, most returning; stories were passed around and friends were made, and remade.  A fatter older colt, the one who owned the inn, pulled a bladder of alcohol from his bag and took a drink; spit it in the fire making the fire roar and dance to the delight of many of the locals.

Pinkamena reeled back and jumped to Applebloom, and started sobbing to the surprise of the others.  Applebloom knew the act, she barely had to pretend to be surprised anymore.  

Putting on a worried face she embraced her friend she said, “It’s ok sis, its ok, it was just a joke, you’ll be ok,” looking at the group, “She lost her grandmaw in a fire back when she was little, don’t pay her no mind, she’ll be ok in a bit.”  It was an act they did a few times before, to gain the affection of the locals they’d each say they lost someone.

Offering Applebloom a drink of his homemade apple wine her eyes sparkled.  She took a small drink and felt it almost immediately.  The warm fermented apple filling her senses and bringing back memories of the family she left behind.  She took another drink, Pinkamena squeezing her tightly, growling softly, implying for her to not drink anymore and stick to the plan.

Applebloom drank two more mouth filling large swallows and passed the flask back to the next person, her vision blurring quickly, wine dripping down her chin; she was not alcohol tolerant.  Immediately becoming drunk and slurring her words, Pinkamena sat up, wiping a fake tear away, and trying to refocus the conversation and attention back to her.

After a moment of staring into the fire Applebloom tried standing up and tipped over to the mare at her left, hiccupping and looking dizzy.  To a flurry of laughter at the drunken mare made Applebloom feel offended hopped up, “Hey y’all, doncha be gettin all sour at me and bein mean cuz im different.  Its my lot in life to do what I done did!  I love you Applejack, Ahm sorry you’re gone, I’m sorry.  I miss you so much.”

Tilting and rocking she tried her best to stand up straight, wavering and wobbling and trying to talk, but all her words were slurred and mostly incoherent, she started sobbing.

The laughter all but stopped, Pinkamina hopping up and saying, “It’s ok Bucky, I’ll take you to bed reeeally quick and you’ll have SO MUCH FUN sleeping in our cozy wagon! OK?”

She slurred back, “I hate our wagon and I don’t like cupcakes, I wanna go home to Ponyville and sell pies there…” her voice trailing off as she was led away.

Smiling and bearing her teeth Pinkamena guided her inebriated friend to their wagon and let her get herself in.  Walking back to the fire she sat down, pulling the blanket over her whole body this time, smiling but somber this time.  

“She doesn’t drink and that’s why.  She lost her family too.  We were travelers and met in Ponyville about 5 years ago, she was selling apple pies, I was selling candies, and we hit it off,” looking into the fire thoughtfully she continued, “we started traveling together and that was the start of our sisterhood, we’re not really sisters, but we are now.  Her sister was one of the victims of the Bloody Mares, we found out a couple years ago when we stopped by Ponyville.  

It was a huge blow to her, and we haven’t gone back to Ponyville since.  But, we’re happy together, and I didn’t get a drink yet!”  Catching the flask as it was tossed to her a mare shouted, “Don’t go crazy too,” to a hail of laughter.  Pinkamenas smile had returned as she took a drink.  

The evening soon returned to a fun gathering with Pinkamena as the host.