Slipping Into Insanity: Pinkamena's Story

Surprise

Pinkie woke up the next morning with a smile on her face. It was the day she was taking charge of Sugarcube Corner! She lept out of bed and opened the curtain of the window, letting in glorious morning light. Another perfect day outside. She pried open the window with her hooves, leaning her head out and taking a deep breath of the fresh, crisp spring air.

"Goodmorning everypony!" Pinkie yelled happily out her window, like every morning. The ponies walking by waved at her, some wishing her a good morning back. Pinkie's grin grew wider, and she pulled her head back inside, slamming the window back down. She then trotted down the stairs and headed towards the kitchen to make a fresh batch of cupcakes, muffins, cookies, and more delectable desserts to sell.

A few hours later, and she had completed baking all the sweet treats, and laid them out in a nice organized manner, and turned theCLOSED sign to OPEN. She hopped over the counter and sat behind the cash register with a huge grin still on her face, anxiously waiting for customers.

A couple of hours had passed before Pinkie realized nopony was going to come, which was unusual. Usually Sugarcube Corner had loads of business! There must be something going on today that I don't know.... is it a holiday? Or a birthday? No, that can't be; I have everypony's birthdays and all the holidays ever memorized.... even the made-up not-actually-real holidays! Pinkie thought. She decided to go out and investigate, turning the sign back to CLOSED.

Ponyville was bustling with busy ponies going shopping, visiting friends or family, talking, rushing off to work, and whatever else ponies do on Thursdays. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary that Pinkie could see. It was just the usual. Berry Punch was passed out, slumped against the wall of her house, drunk with a bottle of some alcohol lying next to her. Rainbow Dash and some other pegasi were clearing the clouds. Rarity was ushering Sweetie Belle off to school, yelling at her, saying she was going to be late if she didn't hurry. Lyra Heartstrings was sitting on a bench in an unnatural position, looking bored, with Bon Bon by her side.... wait a minute.....

Pinkie jumped as she realized Bon Bon wasn't by Lyra's side. She was usually lying next to her. Every day, in fact! Not today, though. She was missing from her usual spot.

"Lyra! Lyra!! Over here! It's Pinkie! Pinkie Pie! Over here Lyraa!!" Pinkie screeched, waving her left foreleg frantically to get the unicorn's attention. Lyra noticed her, all right. Her gold eyes stared into Pinkie's blue ones, but they were filled with boredness and slight annoyance. Pinkie bounded over to her, Lyra's gaze following her.

"Yes, Pinkie?" She asked in a dull tone.

"Where's Bon Bon? She's usually over here, but she's not! And I mean, always here. But nope, not today! And why is that? Why is your best friend in all of Equestria not by your side? Huh? HUH!?" Pinkie screamed into Lyra's ear, much louder than needed. The mint unicorn now had a startled look across her face.

"I... what? Bon Bon? She's.... she said something about getting a job. I think? At a bakery, or something. A new one. She only works at the register, but she said it's well paying, and she enjoys it. Today's her first day.... also the first day that the place opens. A grand opening, you could say...." Lyra said, nervous at the start, but gaining bravery as she went on. She had a good reason to be startled, after Pinkie so abruptly screamed in her face like that.

"A bakery? What!?" Pinkie screeched once more, before zooming off at higher speeds than Lyra thought was possible for an earth pony to achieve.

Pinkie trotted around for a while, asking around for directions to this new bakery. She didn't achieve anything, for different ponies gave her different directions, and most were too busy rushing off to work to answer her. She decided to go to Twilight's castle, where she could see all of Ponyville from.

On her way there, however,she passed a new building. The bakery.

It had white sign above it that read "Surprise!" In swirly, pretty, fun letters with confetti and desserts doodled around it. Pinkie walked closer, and noticed the smell of desserts wafting out. It made her mouth water as she breathed in the sweet smell. Then, she stepped inside, a bell ringing above the door as she opened it.

It seemed as hundreds as ponies were in there, the fairly small bakery was filled to the brim. Most ponies were standing or sitting on the floor because all of the seats were taken. And at the cash register was Bon Bon, looking stressed with all the ponies in line. Pinkie stood in line until it was her turn, and when it finally was, she noticed a little silver bell on the counter. It was normally used for calling the cashier, to tell them a pony was in line. Today, it wasn't necessary; Bon Bon was at the counter all day, never even having a chance to walk away and take a break. But before Bon Bon could say anything, Pinkie decided ringing the bell would be fun, and brought her hoof down upon it many, many times, amused with the sharp Ding! sound the bell made.

Bon Bon did not think it was so amusing, and grabbed Pinkie's hoof when she was about to ring it for the thirtieth time.

"Pinkie, I'm right here. There's no need to ring the bell.... especially not that much. I hear you." She said, dropping Pinkie's hoof.

"Oh... right." Pinkie replied, blushing.

"OK, so what would you like today?" Bon Bon asked, pointing to a menu hanging above her, and motioning to the sweets lined up in the glass case built into the counter.

"Ohmygosh! Look at all of these desserts!" Pinkie screeched, pressing her muzzle to the glass. Bon Bon rolled her eyes, but smiled at Pinkie's adorable silliness.

"You know what? I'll just take all of 'em! I think I have enough bits for that.... haven't bought anything in a long while."

"Really? You want one of everything? That's gotta be over a thousand bits."

"Yep! Everything!"

"OK then. Just give me a minute." Bon Bon said, then walked through a door behind the counter to get all of the many treats that Pinkie bought. When she returned, Pinkie let out a delighted gasp and jumped up, somehow hovering in the air for a few moments. Celestia knows how she did things like that without wings or magic.

Bon Bon handed her bag after bag of treats, which Pinkie stuck into her mane, balanced on her back and her nose. By the time the exchange was done and Pinkie payed thousands of bits to Bon Bon, the other customers in line were very angry, and some had left altogether. But Pinkie didn't care; she had just gotten more delicious donuts, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, ice cream, and brownies than she had ever imagined.

At about closing time, she had finished every single item she had bought. And somehow, she wasn't sick.

"Excuse me, miss, but it's closing time, so I'm going to have to ask you to...." said female voice from behind her, pausing for a bit. Pinkie looked to see who it was, but there was nopony there. Or so she thought.

"Pinkie?" The same voice screeched from across the bakery. Startled, Pinkie looked around until she saw who the voice belonged to....

"Surprise?"