[FiM] Bridle Shores Commercial: Bits or Credit.

[Hawkflight]

"That's ........ not a bad idea," admitted Silvermane.

[Lycan 01]

Snickers ponders for a moment, and then sighs. "Yes, I suppose you're right. He deserves to be happy..."

Uncle Flapjack raises an eyebrow. "Are you really 'bout to make another bakin' abomination, Snick?"

Snickers shrugs. "Looks like it. Sorry Uncle Flapjack..." he hangs his head in shame. "I know you probably don't approve. But-"

"Oh shut up," Uncle Flapjack rolls his eyes. "You get the ingredients together. Ah'll start lightin' the candles and drawin' the sigils, glyphs, and Baker's Signs."

Snickers blinks a few times, slightly dumbfounded. A large grin then spreads across his face. "Ia, Ia, Cookiethulhu fhtagn."

"Bah," Uncle Flapjack waves a hoof. "Ah follow Yog-Sugaroth."

Snickers arches an eyebrow. "Yog-Sugarthoth? Keeper of Culinary Lore and Forbidden Recipes? How did you-"

"A story for a diff'rent time, Snick," Uncle Flapjack gives a dismissive wave of a wing. "Now where are yer candles?"

[Deme]

Foxglove listened to this.

"...I-is there something I can do?"

((OK, a small problem. Everyone else is moving to next pony day. Maybe we can have the action of this move us to keep up and not break time? Or we just break time and can be in another scene in the next ponyday if we like?))

[Lycan 01]

And so, as evening begins to fall, the baker and his uncle begin the preparations for their dark task.

Snickers asks Foxglove to gather some ingredients from his pantry. Flour, eggs, a jar of condensed evil, some salt... While she does this, he heads upstairs to gather his bakermancy gear - cloak, goggles, gloves, dark tome of eternal baking darkness... Meanwhile, Uncle Flapjack pulls a cloak from his backpack, dons it, and begins etching glyphs and sigils all over the walls, floor, and kitchen appliances. Silvermane just finds a nice corner to cower in, as the situation is likely a bit uncomfortable and/or frightening to her.

Before long, everything is moving along rather well. Uncle Flapjack mutters incantations and invocations to the Great Old Baking Ones, in hopes of improving their chances of success. Snickers begins to mix the ingredients together, trying to create the perfect mixture for a flawless Frankenwaffle. Foxglove and Silvermane manage to keep the Frankenwaffle busy, with a mix of innocent games, fun jokes, and complex philosophical musings.

There are a few small interruptions and setbacks.

At one point, a giant clawed hand erupted out of the bowl of batter Snickers was mixing up, and grabbed him by the face. After a few seconds of screaming from everyone in the room, Frankenwaffle included, Snickers managed to smack it into submission with a spatula. Once the hand sank back into the batter, Snickers chuckled nervously, and explained that there was apparently too much salt...

Foxglove also caused the Frankenwaffle to have an existential crisis. That was fun. For awhile it thought it was a pigeon...

And then there was the part where Uncle Flapjack made another joke about Snickers and Foxglove dating. Apparently, her comfort and with dark baking magic would make her an ideal wife for a young practitioner of the dark culinary arts. Thankfully, Snickers was able to change subjects before Foxglove caught on to what his uncle meant. Though she may realize what he meant at a later time...


Finally, well into the night, the final preparations were completed. While Foxglove, Silvermane, and Frankenwaffle watched from a safe and secure corner of the bakery, Snickers and Uncle Flapjack performed the final portions of the ritual. Snickers mutters under his breath in what sounded like Latin, while Uncle Flapjack whispered in a Germanic tongue. Both pegasi waved their hooves and wings in seemingly random directions and patterns, sending their cloaks and robes fluttering and waving wildly.

A chill wind began to blow through the bakery. The large bowl of batter, which had been placed on the kitchen counter, began to shake and rattle. Finally, a keening shriek, reality rent asunder. A crack through time and space appeared along the ceiling, and green spectral energy slowly filtered through it. The energy pooled in the air above the kitchen, before slowly shifting into the form of a giant waffle iron. Snickers and Flapjack's incantations grew in volume and speed.

The batter began to drift up out of its bowl, as if gravity had been reversed on it. The batter pooled in the phantasmal waffle iron, and once all the mix had left the bowl and entered the unnatural appliance, the waffle iron slammed shut. The wind began to howl, the bakery began to creak and shake, and in the distance, the laughter of dark powers of baking and great old ones with the munchies could be heard...

A vibrant flash of light erupted, momentarily blinding everypony. When their vision returned, they saw that the glowing green waffle iron and the reality rift in the ceiling had disappeared. Snickers and Flapjack were panting, doubled over with exhaustion.

And standing in the middle of the bakery was a brand new Frankenwaffle.



Foxglove spoke up first. "But how do we do it? How do we indocronate a creature into our arbitrary gender binary and give it a pre-approved role in one fell sweep? Is this even morally sound?"

Snickers and Flapjack stared. Snickers had a slightly confused expression, while Flapjack looked rather dour and slightly bemused. The older pegasus, never taking his eyes off Foxglove, fished something out of his robe, and proceeded to slap a pink ribbon on the brand new baking abomination.

"That'll do."



And that is how Equestria was made how Bride of Frankenwaffle came to be.


END PONY DAY

[Deme]

"They look....So happy together."

Foxglove observed in the wee hours of the next morning, as the two waffle-based abominations snuggled.

"Like that sort of warm cookies on a rainy day happy....Or maybe it's more a hot cocoa thing..."

She tilted her head this way and that, trying to compare the happiness of baked goods to the happiness of other baked goods.

[Lycan 01]

Snickers smiles wistfully as he listens to Foxglove, idly reclining in a chair a few feet to her right. After a moment, he looks at her with a thoughtful expression. "Would you care for some hot cocoa?" he asks. "Or some cookies?"

Uncle Flapjack slowly begins to sneak over towards the stairs. He knows he shouldn't be around for this. "Er, night y'all..." he waves a wing at them. "See y'all on the 'morrow..."


(Okay maybe not quite END OF PONY DAY yet... )

[Deme]

Foxglove seems to give it some thought, and then smiles warmly.

"...That'd make me happy. Two frankenwaffles finding eachother, and the sudden knowledge growing like a flower in their hearts that they are not alone in the universe, and the whole world shifting around them because of that truth. That sort of happy."

It wasn't exactly a rainy day, but one takes what one can get...



((Actually, I assumed it actually was the next day, and they'd been working all night.))

[Lycan 01]

Snickers blushes furiously. "I, er..." His mind starts racing. His heart starts pounding. What had she said? Did she mean...? No, Foxglove would never be that blunt. But it was so eloquently stated. If Foxglove were to ever confess anything like that, it would sound... well... like that.

Snickers flashes the nervous, sheepish grin that should probably be his trademark by now. "Hot cocoa and cookies, coming right up!" he cheerfully replies, his voice slightly higher than normal. The pegasus quickly takes flight, and zips into the kitchen. As he flies, he looks back over his shoulder, and sees Uncle Flapjack beating a hasty retreat up the stairs. The two pegasi catch each others' gazes; Flapjack winks, before disappearing up the stairs.

(Okay then, it's very early morning. XD)

[Deme]

"..."

Foxglove leaned comfortably, settling into her position on the carpet.

"...I don't know what you were so worried about. He's nice."

[Lycan 01]

Snickers chuckles under his breath, trying not to be too loud so as not to awake the napping Silvermane in the corner. "Only because you were here. Normally we don't get along this well. But you helped put him in a good mood, and... well... Thanks. If it weren't for you an Silvermane, me and Uncle Flapjack would still be... whatever we were this morning..." he shrugs, before putting a pot on the stove and filling it with milk. "But yes, now that we're on such good terms, he is quite nice. Though there were certainly some odd moments. Seriously, he was worried I liked stallions?" she grins to himself, and shakes his head at the silliness.

[Deme]

"I don't see what there is to worry about."

She said, thoughfully. After all, there was nothing wrong with liking stallions. Most of her friends didn't, but she knew some ponies that did, and they were alright. Which was an odd thought. It was all very, very odd-feeling, to have spent almost a year somewhere where all the rules did not apply anymore.

"...What is it, you think...That makes things so different here?"

[Lycan 01]

Snickers ponders thoughtfully as he pours cocoa mix into the simmering milk. "What makes Bridle Shores different? Hm. Well, aside from the odd creatures, open-mindedness towards fillyfooling and coltcudding, the mad science and baking abominations, and other various oddities and quirks? I dunno. I think it's just a nice little slice of Equestria..." he shrugs. "A place where everyone is nice and accepting, more-so than usual. I quite like it here... Granted, only like three ponies know about my occultism and whatnot. Probably better that way, just to be safe. Heh heh..."

[Deme]

"That's what the difference is. Does difference settle, like snow? Is there a tipping point, a critical mass of difference? An half-life of normalcy as all the normal atoms decay? or the other way around?"

She seemed lost in thinking about that, and eventually came up out of her thoughts to say,

"...But the physics of this world may just be different. Something in the atmosphere. Laws of nature. Magical energies."

She didn't seem unhappy about whatever she was on about. That answer seemed to content her somehow.

[Lycan 01]

Snickers shakes his head, smiling to himself. Ah, Foxglove.

"I'm not one for physics, chemistry, and arcane theorem," the pegasus mused, shrugging his wings. "It all goes over my head. I prefer to work and deal in things I can understand. Flying over clouds. Baking a souffle. Studying the culinary occult. That last one may be a bit hypocritical, yes. But to me, it is something natural and easy for me to understand."

Snickers looks back at the simmering cocoa. "I'm a remarkable simple, perhaps even boring, equine. And I am okay with that."

He then glances back over his shoulder. "Did you want cookies? What type?"

[Deme]

"...You're not boring...It's always exciting here."

This was probably just Foxglove's perpsective; anything was exciting if you looked at it the right way.

Foxglove thought about it for a moment and said,

"Chocolate chip, please."

[Lycan 01]

"True. If there's on thing we don't lack, it is excitement. I wonder what crazy situations we'll get into next?" Snickers asks with a lopsided smirk.

The baker opens up a few cabinet doors. With his hooves, he pulls out a large box, while his wings slip under a pair of mugs and balance them on wingtip. He then sets the box and mugs on the counter. He quickly pours the simmering hot cocoa in the mugs, before pausing. "Oh, silly me. I'm guessing you want marshmallows?" he asks, glancing back at Foxglove.

He quickly reaches up and grabs a small bag of marshmallows from the cabinet overhead, which he quickly dumps the contents of into the steaming mugs.

A few moments later, Snickers trots back over to Foxglove. A mug of cocoa balances on the tip of each wing, while the small box rests atop his head. The box is marked 'chocolate chip cookies.' "Pick whichever mug you want, and help yourself to the cookies," he states with a grin.

[Deme]

She gladly levitates a mug over and begins to sip. Then she rests it down and grabs a cookie from his head in her mouth.

"...Mmmm...Very nice."

She paused in her enjoyment of her sweets to add,

"The universe can be a cold place. I'm glad for cocoa."

[Lycan 01]

Snickers sat down beside her, and took a sip of his own cocoa. "Sad but true. But you're right. Thank Luna for cocoa," he says with a smile. He then adds: "And good friends. If one doesn't warm the heart, the other surely will."

[Deme]

She sipped her cocoa a while more and a few gears clinked into place.

"...Did he...Mean fillyfriend like fillyfriend?"

Her eyes went very wide.

[Lycan 01]

Snickers turns to stare at Foxglove. After a moment, his gaze drifts to the floor. His shoulders slump slightly, and his wings droop a bit. He dreads what he's about to have to say, but he knows it must be said. The pegasus takes a deep breath. He then takes a small sip from his cocoa, before softly saying: "Yup."

[Deme]

Foxglove made an indeterminate 'meep' sort of noise and folded into a ball.

"But then...he thinks...And then I said! And then I did... He winked!"

She looked slightly shell-shocked. Why did people...
Why did people keep *thinking* that?

"He winked. Silvermane is right over there and he winked!"

[Lycan 01]

Snickers tried to keep a straight face. But after a few seconds, he couldn't help but chuckle softly. "No, no. I don't think he meant it that way. I think it was more of a 'nice job, you're awesome' sort of wink, not a 'go get 'em tiger' sort of wink..." the young pegasus muses with a smirk. The smirk briefly fades as he adds: "I think."

Snickers then shrugs. "Don't worry, Foxglove. I'll explain the situation to Uncle Flapjack in the morning, before you and Silvermane come back to see him off. I'm sure he'll understand it's all a big misunderstanding."

He doesn't ask if it's actually a misunderstanding. That would be awkward and embarassing. And he's kind of scared to know the answer.

[Deme]

"...Yeah..."

Foxglove sipped her cocoa. She didn't want to answer if it was all a misunderstanding, in case she misunderstood.


There was a moment of awkward silence.

"...'m glad I could help."

[Lycan 01]

Snickers smiles, and sips hos cocoa. "Thank you. You've helped me out in a lot of ways. It's nice to have such a good friend."

He then looks over to her and asks, "Are you okay? Anything on your mind, everything alright? Just checkin..."

[Deme]

Things on her mind, things on her mind...

"My mane?"

[Lycan 01]

Snickers arches an eyebrow, before chuckling softly. "Yes, yes your mane is technically on your mind." Must not comment on how pretty mane is. Must not comment on how pretty mane is. Must not-

"So I'm getting a new neighbor," the pegasus suddenly said with a grin. "He's gonna be opening up a shop across the street. Heard anything about that?"

[Deme]

"...Just now."

She commented. So, now, she hadn't heard about this.

"What sort of shop?"

[Lycan 01]

"It's a combination shop," Snickers replies. "From what I understand, it's a cafe during the day, and a bar or something at night. I haven't actually met the owner. Just met some of the guys helping move his stuff in. The guy's name is Greif. And apparently, he's a griffin..."

The pegasus flaps his wings and smirks. "Always nice to meet another flyer..." He then raises an eyebrow at Foxglove. "Have you met many Griffins?"

[Deme]

"...I never paid that sort of thing... Much mind."

In other words, until the past few months, if you weren't a wild animal or a pet, your species was irrelevant. She shrugged.

"...I don't meet...many talking-type people."

[Lycan 01]

Snickers flashes a lopsided grin. "Really? I thought you'd be quite fascinated by griffins. They are an intelligent amalgam of lions and eagles, after all. They're rather majestic. Well, I think they're cool at least," he shrugs. "I've known a few. They're pretty common up in the Pegasi cities, since they can walk on the clouds like us..."