The oven in Sugarcube Corner's kitchen made a cheerful ding sound, causing far more delight in a certain pink mare than should be feasibly possible. She bounced over to the oven, pulled open it's door, and, making sure to use a potholder this time so as not to have a repeat of her past two attempts, gripped the tray firmly in her mouth, dragging it out of the oven and onto the counter-top.

Grabbing a tube of frosting with a hoof somehow, Pinkie quickly covered the confectionery she had created with violet frosting, before repeating the process with six more tubes, creating a small mountain of rainbow-colored sugar atop the cupcake. A small dusting of sprinkles later, she impaled the treat with a small stick, which had a tip that was constantly sparkling. If this didn't get Rainbow Dash out of her funk after the whole pasta incident, nothing would!

She smiled proudly. This was, without a doubt, the best cupcake ever!

...That had been made in the past week, anyway. Not counting the one she made for Berry Punch's intervention a couple days ago. But regardless, it was a marvelous cupcake. Grabbing the tray once more, Pinkie prepared to carry it over to Fluttershy's house, where Rainbow was staying while her home was repaired from damages caused by the recent fire.

But, unfortunately, she never got further than preparing, as the cupcake promptly slid off the tray, and began it's descent floorward.

It was a horrifying incident; the cupcake (somehow managing to fall in slow motion), impacted the floor with a loud thud that echoed throughout the kitchen. Sprinkles were scattered everywhere. Frosting spread all across the floor. Pinkie, face frozen in horror, knelt down (somehow) to the cupcake.

"No...nooo!" She cried, tears welling up in her eyes.

"P-Pinkie...don't be...s-sad..."

"Who said that?" Pinkie said, glancing around the kitchen, a bit concerned at the sudden mysterious voice.

"It's me. The cupcaaake."

Pinkie blinked.

"I've lived a life that's full, Pinkie," the cupcake said, suddenly developing a deep, powerful voice, "and taken every step...upon the bywaaay..."

"No you haven't."

The cupcake was silent for a moment. "Well, regardless, you shouldn't cry for me. I'm moving on to the big...pantry in the sky. I'll be f-fine."

"N-no! Cupcake!" Pinkie said, her voice trembling, "I think I can still salvage you!"

"Agh...everything's...going dark..."

"Whatever you do, don't move into any oncoming trains!" Pinkie said, desperately searching for some utensil that could solve this conundrum.

"W-what? Oh look, t-there's a light..."

"No! C-cupcake!"

"Goodbye, Pinkie. In the few moments between oven and floor...I had a wonderful life..."

"No!"

A thick silence permeated the kitchen.

"NOOOOOOO!"

In a lonely little graveyard, just outside of Ponyville, Cupcake's casket was buried by two black-and-grey stallions. The collective Elements of Harmony stood in attendance, clad in black.

Applejack groaned, putting her hat back on. "Third buckin' time this week..."