Slipping Into Insanity: Pinkamena's Story

The Cakes' Retirement

Pinkie Pie jumped down the stairs, her cool blue eyes filled with excitement, as always. Her hot pink mane and tail were poofier and smile wider than usual. As she hopped down the stairs, her mane and tail bounced up and down. Precious afternoon sunlight poured through the windows of Sugarcube Corner. It was a beautiful day out, the blue sky was cloudless, and the air was not too warm, but not too cold. It was the kind of weather that Pinkie was usually out in all day long, bouncing around Ponyville, hanging out with her friends. Maybe taking a hot air balloon or riding some crazy contraption to Rainbow Dash's house in the clouds, or being a model for Rarity's latest fashion designs. But not today; today was different.

Pinkie was still smiling as she bounced into the main room, where Mrs. and Mr. Cake were. It was the day. The day where Mrs.Cake and Mr.Cake were retiring, and Pinkie Pie was taking over ownership of Sugarcube Corner. The Cakes' son and daughter, Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake, were adults now. With no kids to take care of anymore, Mrs.Cake and Mr.Cake were ready to retire and leave the shop to Pinkie, who they both knew was the perfect pony to leave the shop to.

Pinkie was super excited to be taking charge of one of Ponyville's most popular bakery; but at the same time she was sad to see the Cakes' go. They were like family to her, all four of them. She was there the day Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake were born, and the day they left to live on their own. The siblings even called her "Aunt Pinkie." She cried when they left, and now she felt like crying now that Mr. and Mrs. Cake were leaving. Worries crowded in her mind. What if the train crashed on the way there? What if they missed the train? What if the train suddenly exploded on the way there? What if the train took them to the wrong place, and never came back, stranding them? What if they made it there, but..... Pinkie shook her head, clearing the dark thoughts from her mind, and instead focused on helping them pack and get ready to leave.

"Anything you need help with? Packing? Baking? Cleaning? I'll be glad to help you with Anything, anything you need!" Pinkie said to the Cakes' as she bounced around the room. Mrs.Cake looked at Pinkie over her shoulder.

"It's OK Pinkie, we're fine. We just need to finish packing and-" Mrs.Cake was abruptly cut off as pinkie yelled, "Packing? I'll help you pack!" And zipped upstairs and back then started stuffing their things into a small suitcase, her tongue sticking out in concentration She stuffed some clothes and knick knacks into the suitcase, and pushed it close with all her might. The Cakes' came into the room and watched her with worried expressions. Pinkie managed to get the suitcase closed, then smiled and waved her hooves around in a "Ta Da!" kind of motion, at least until the suitcase burst from being too full. Mr.Cake flinched as a pair of pants landed on his head.

"Oh, Pinkie, we're OK, really!" He said. Pinkie's smile faded.

"Oh..... Sorry. I just don't want anything to go wrong, I need you to be happy as can be!" Pinkie replied. She paused for a moment, then said, "So, are you SURE you don't need help with anything? Anything at all?" She yelled with renewed smile and began trying to pack the suitcase again. Mrs.Cake went over to Pinkie and put a hoof on her shoulder.

"Pinkie, it's OK. Really. We have it under control." She said in a soft, reassuring voice. Pinkie nodded sadly. Then a thought hit her; she didn't even know where they were going! No wonder she couldn't stop worrying!

"Where are you going, anyway?" she asked. Mrs.Cake turned, pink eyes scrunched in confusion.

"We told you, Pinkie. Don't you remember? We're going to Rainbow Falls. It's such a beautiful place, we think it's perfect for retirement." she said. Pinkie was surprised; for one, she had no memory of Mrs.Cake telling her this. And second, she had expected them to move to either Cloudsdale or Canterlot.... then again, they wouldn't be able to live in Cloudsdale, being earth ponies and all. Pound Cake had moved to Cloudsdale, and Pumpkin to Canterlot, so she expected their parents to follow. They moved to these places because they had both found great, well-paying baking jobs there. Otherwise, Mr. and Mrs.Cake would've left the shop to them.

"Oh, right. I must've forgotten.... whoopsie!"

---

At the end of the day, when Celestia was setting the sun and Luna was raising the moon, the Cakes' had finished getting ready. They had packed up their things and were moving to Rainbow Falls, the most perfect and most beautiful place in all of Equestria. Pinkie and them were now at the train station. They had arrived a bit later than planned, but were just in time for the train. Pinkie helped Mr.Cake with his suitcase as the multi-colored train pulled up and stopped with a ch-shsss!

"Goodbye Mrs and Mr.Cake! Don't forget to write! And visit! And don't forget about me!!" Pinkie shrieked as the Cakes' slowly walked towards the train, held up by the long line of other ponies wanting to get on, too. Mrs.Cake lifted a hoof and waved goodbye, her tired eyes shining with tears. She turned and smiled, the dying light of the sun making her blue fur have a golden hue. Shadows cast over her face made her smiling expression darken, and the same with Mr.Cake. The golden hue of the sunset blended in with Mr.Cake's yellow fur, glowing like the sun itself.

She waved until the Cakes' boarded the train, a fake smile plastered onto her face. The train took off into the distance white smoke billowing in the wind. Pinkie's smiled faded and her hair slightly deflated, color darkening some. She bowed her head and a hot tear ran down her light pink fur. The Cakes' were gone. The people whom she treated like her parents, her friends, her family. She longingly stared off in the distance, where the train had disappeared into the dark night, swallowed by shadows.