[Sweet Apple Acres, Open-PM, Invite, Friends, Family] Apple Bloom's Big Day!

[QuickLime]

Scootaloo's head felt FUNNY from the Cider, and everything was starting to sound distant and far away, she moved a hoof to rub her eyes which were half closed. She had no idea why she felt so tired but she felt like she could collapse on her hooves. "Ghn..Dun feel so..so good" She sorta flopped to one side, one ear folded against her head, the other perked up, she let out a hiccup and giggled "Happy birfday APPLEBLOOM!"She started to sing..really really badly "HAPPEH BIRFDAY! APPLEBLOOOM! Happy BIIIIRFDAY dear Appplebooooom "No L there apparently... "HAPPY BIRFDAY TOO YOU!" She tried to force herself on her feet and sorta trip/clopped over to AppleBloom and Sweetie Belle, collapsing on them both in a hug so she was between them, nuzzling them both with her head.

"Ah love you girls" She said with a hiccup "Yer t' best friends ah ever could have..CUTEY MARK CRUSADER BESTIES...GO!" And with that Scootaloo went limp falling asleep, dragging her two besties down with her.

[Mojo]

[colour=#008000][colour=#00FF00][colour=#00FF00]

[/colour][/colour][/colour]

[colour=#008000][colour=#00FF00][colour=#00FF00]"Made it!" [/colour][/colour][/colour]Granny Smith shouted as she and Haywire had rolled the barrel of 'bad' cider outside and over towards an empty area of the farm. [colour=#00FF00]"Thanks fer ur help, squirt! Now it'll be safe from all them thar tipsy foals."[/colour]

[colour=#B22222]"They could still come out here and find it, Granny Smith," [/colour]the rust coloured filly said with a concerned look on her face until it brightened. [colour=#B22222]"I gotta way to stop'm from gitt'n any more of it!"[/colour]

[colour=#00FF00]"Hmmm, let me think on that a spell!" [/colour]the elderly mare neighed as she leaned on the barrel, causing it to roll downhill.

[colour=#B22222]"OH NO!" [/colour] Haywire shouted as she galloped after the fast moving barrel. [colour=#B22222]"Gotta catch that crazy thing before anything else happens!" [/colour]

Though she galloped with all her might, Haywire could only watch as the wayward barrel went airborne after hitting a small hill, busted on a fencepost and all of the 'bad cider' left inside of it splashed into the long wooden watering thraft in front of the cows and pigs.

[colour=#00FF00]"This ain't good!" [/colour]Granny Smith shouted as she saw the pigs and cows drink from it. Moments later, the tipsy livestock began staggering all over the yard, even some of the chickens got into the brew and joined in with the other animals. Some of them even reached the barn!

[colour=#006400]"ACH! UNEEMAL!" [/colour]Uncle Apple Strudel shouted as two cows, three pigs and a half dozen chickens entered the barn and began to make noise, knock down ponies and (the chickens) flew around sending feathers all over the place. When Haywire and Granny got to the barn door, they looked stunned and then looked at each other.

[colour=#006400][colour=#00FF00]"Maybe that weren't sucha good idear after all, kido."[/colour] [/colour]

[Bellosh]

With the blessing of Cheerilee, Ingrid Marie got to work on lulling the hapless Apple Bloom to sleep. If the magic counselor remembered right, she wouldn’t actually need any spells to hypnotize the birthday filly. All she’d need was a pendulum (preferably with swirls on it), and it’ll send Abby into a hypnotic trance, whereupon she’d easily be convinced to take a nap. Of course, Ingrid’s routine depended on Apple Bloom being willing to subject herself to hypnosis; if she wasn’t, Ms. Marie’s plan would be dead on arrival.

Hesitantly, Ingrid Marie begun swinging the magically-enhanced pendulum in front of Apple Bloom’s face. [colour=#008080]“Mmkaaaay now Apple Blooom,”[/colour] the unicorn whispered, imitating the stereotypical voice of a hypnotist; [colour=#008080]“Pay cloooose attention to my voiceeeeee. You are getting veeeeeeery sleeeeepy. Yes, you’re veeeeeeery sleeeeepy. Just close your eyessss..... and go to sleeeeeeeeep...............”[/colour]

Ingrid prayed that he scheme would work; she wasn’t willing to risk casting a drowsiness spell on the foal. Just her luck though, the beige mare heard the telltale signs of an animal stampede right as she finished her lulling trance. Sighing in annoyance, it seemed like nothing would go Ingrid’s way today.....

[SteelEagle]

At least Sweetie Belle knew what was what, and most importantly, she wasn't trying to destroy the party like some of the adults. According to her though, maybe they weren't trying to destroy her party, each and every one of them trying to help in their own way. They weren't doing much good from where Apple Bloom was standing- or wobbling, or staggering, or falling, time dependent- but she supposed it was the thought that counted. And any lingering negativity were summarily dashed by that ball of adorable love that was her friend Sweetie Belle, who rubbed her cheek on Abby's and produced a wide, brimming smile from the little Apple filly. She couldn't pinpoint why nor did she much care to, but her emotions were turning on a dime and there was no assurance moment to moment that it would remain. She'd take this feeling to heart in the moment, and she turned her swooping eyes to her friend.

[colour=#ff0000]"Yer right, Swootie Ball. Yer right," [/colour]She nodded her head, [colour=#ff0000]"yer right, yer right, yer right. Yer right!"[/colour] She rubbed the filly's mane and gave her a nice squeeze before Cheerilee pulled her away. The positivity fought to stay.

[colour=#ff0000]"Yer a good teach'r, Cheerille, with tha numb'rs and alpha-baitizing and tha recess and tha nappin' and...science...and ya didn't get even get get mad when Ah set fire ta mah chair!"[/colour] She finished on the single most positive experience she could summon in that half second, right before auntie Marie seemed to materialize in front of her. Unicorns. Pfft.

[colour=#ff0000]"Hay thar Ingradia, whatcha doin'?"[/colour] The little filly asked in the most consistent manner she could manage as Scootaloo tried to sing or do her best impression of a dying frog, both of which seemed equally likely. Apple Bloom smiled at her fellow Crusader all the same because, as she had just said, they were besties and her presence here was almost as much a gift as the gift she had given Apple Bloom. Abby didn't have much time to mount an affable response before Scootaloo pulled her down to the ground, but by then Ingrid had started whatever thing she was thingin' about. The pendulum swung, her words were spoken, and perhaps she was a bit too effective. More likely, Apple Bloom was susceptible to just about anything in her state. She was silent as she watched it, not taking in the animals or even the crazy headache that would normally have taken her attention. Not Scoots with all of her energy, nor the animals, Sweetie's proclamation or the jolts of pain and the dullness of her awareness could distract her from that swinging pendulum and the drowsiness that was coming over her.

[RarityDash]

[colour=#ED458B]"Ooh yes! YES! What a great fantastically awesomest idea, Rarity! I'd love to bake Dashie and you! I mean...bake with Dashie and you. Heehee, I don't think she'd like that very much, huh? [/colour][colour=#ED458B]This is SO awesome! Baking with friends has got to be the best thing EVER! [/colour][colour=#ED458B]Teehee, flourfetti! [/colour][colour=#ED458B]Oh my, we have so many helping hooves now! WE CAN DO LOTS! AJ and I should get apples ready for the cake, Dashie you can mix it all up with your super-duper wing power, Rarity you can use your fashioness to decorate it all pretty, and we can all haul it out together to surprise Apple Bloom! Do we have candles? We need candles! LOTS AND LOTS! Apples, flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla, butter! Where is it, Applejack!? We have to start the fun this very instant! [/colour][colour=#ED458B]Spoons! Bowls! Fun! Yesss! Let's go everypony! Let's bake a cake! [/colour][colour=#ED458B]Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"[/colour]

Rarity just smiled as her dear friend fired off at rapid. Pinkie's energy was somehow refreshing--hard to absorb all at once, sure, but refreshing none the less. All the same, Rarity was pretty sure she got most of it, even as the pink party pony bounced around and threw flour behind her at random. Rarity just had to make sure she stayed clean out of the way.

[colour=#663399]"It would be my delight to decorate the cake, Pinkie," [/colour]Rarity said with a grin. "You have my word that I will make it look absolutely fabulous!" she added with flair.

Helping her three close friends make a cake was just what she needed. She was sure that this would turn the party around for her and allow her to recover from the earlier unpleasantness. The cider she had was helping some too, of course. She was already feeling so much more at ease...

​

[colour=#000000] [/colour][colour=#FF0000]"Oh, Rarity, you got somethin', um, here let me get it for you. [/colour][colour=#FF0000]There!"[/colour]

And then Rarity found herself completely taken aback once more. Applejack just suddenly stepped toward her and licked around her ear. It was... unexpected. What was with her friends suddenly licking her today? She blushed and looked away, not sure if she should do or say anything. Her mind flashed back to the apple stand not too many months ago. To drum up sales, AJ had started giving away kisses with her apples. Finding the promotion downright delightful, Rarity had showed up to take advantage of it and tease the other mare for fun. The kiss she had gotten in the process had been more awkward for both of them than she had been prepared of, with an uncomfortable level of wetness... something she was now reminded of rather vividly.

Between Applejack and Dash earlier, she just didn't know what to think. Did her friends not think before they acted so boldly and scandalously? It was... er... troubling. Is this just how close friends acted? Rarity didn't know how to deal with it, so she just forced a smile and gave an all too awkward laugh. [colour=#663399]"T-thanks..." [/colour]she said as she looked away.

​

[colour=#0000CD]"I don't think you should do that, Applejack,"[/colour]

Rainbow Dash, who seemed to be getting into the spirit of helping out with the cooking, much to Rarity's relief, interjected. Rarity smiled at her thoughtfulness. Had she interpreted Rarity's reaction to earlier as being one of displeasure. She wasn't sure what to make of it all, but... she didn't hate it... not entirely. She did rather appreciate the concern of her rainbow-maned friend, however. How sweet of her.

[colour=#663399]"No, no. Thank you, Rainbow darling, but it's fine. You two are my dear friends after all, and anything to keep clean of course," [/colour]she said with a smile, not wanting Dash, or AJ for that matter, to think she was upset with them. [colour=#663399]"It was only a little... unexpected is all..."[/colour]

Not wanting things to become even more awkward she stepped ahead, toward Pinkie. [colour=#663399]"So, I'll be decorating the cake? Anything else I should help with?"[/colour] she asked, hoping to move on from this strangeness quickly.

​

[Lux]

Guiding Light smiled as Sweetie Belle said she liked him. She didn't say exactly how she liked him, as the unicorn went to assist her friend Apple Bloom. At this point as long as they were friends, he could live with that.

Strange things were still happening in the barn. A unicorn mare was doing something with a pendulum which the colt was interested in.

[colour=#DAA520]"Hello Apple Bloom, What's going on?"[/colour]

He stopped as he stared at the swaying pendulum and the soothing almost hypnotic words of the mare. He began to feel his eyelids getting heavier by the moment. He found himself having trouble standing, swaying to the motion of the pendulum. Before he was about to go to sleep, he suddenly saw a dust cloud coming closer, accompanied by a cacophany of sounds. Then a group of farm animals appeared, wandering through the barn.

[colour=#DAA520]"Am I really seeing this? if I'm just seeing this, I give up drinking cider for life!"[/colour]

[brianblackberry]

[colour=#800080]Cheerilee[/colour]

Cheerilee simply watched as Ingrid started her strange attempt with the pendulum in order to help Applebloom out of her inebriated stupor. At first Cheerilee had no clue what the beige unicorn mare had planned with such an instrument, but it soon became obvious Indrid was using the circular motions of the pendulum and her own magic to lull the filly into a soft slumber. It appeared to be working as Applebloom became less and less agitated and for the first time that night, quiet; maybe this was going to work out after all! [colour=#800080]"That's amazing Ingrid; I never saw a trick like this before."[/colour]

Cheerilee's next thought naturally turned to the question of the same trick working on the other three tiddly foals - Scootaloo, Guiding Light, and Nursery Rhyme. Sure snoozing foals don't make for much of a birthday party, but rest and liquids is what they need and perhaps they can recover in time. Cheerilee continued to sit behind the dosing Abby as Guiding Light came a quietly sat by her. The teacher mare watched with rapt curiosity at first, but soon she found herself getting a little drowsy. [colour=#800080]I can't believe I'm this tired already, it's barely sunset, I'm not some old mare![/colour] Still, she felt a sudden wave of lassitude come over her. [colour=#800080]Maybe if I just close my eyes for a moment, at least until Abby is asleep.[/colour]

Cherilee's eyes slid shut and for a brief moment she felt blissfully relaxed, filled with a vision of her vacationing in some distant tropical beach, perhaps the Gallopacous, she wasn't sure, but it felt comforting; beautiful blue waves making a calm soothing sound. She was lying on a blanket with some sort of fruity drink and flowers in her mane enjoying the quiet moment and feeling like a nap...

Suddenly there was a jarring noise of a ruckus and Cheeriee's eyes shot wide open as she shorted, "huh, what? Where?" It took only a moment, but she realized she was still back in the barn, a barn suddenly invaded by inebriated pigs and chickens! Cheerilee facehoofed, how can things get any crazier?! [colour=#800080]"Ingrid, just please stay with Applebloom and Guiding Light. Class! I need the rest of you to gather by Miss Marie! Now!" [/colour]She was in full on teacher mode, there was a problem to be solved and by golly she was going to solve it, even if she had no knowledge of animal herding!

[colour=#ff8c00]Carrot Fields[/colour]

Carrot Fields gave his sister a reassuring hug. Sure it was a bit silly to be standing watch over a cake in some makeshift fort as if they were foals playing pretend, but it was really important to Purple Haze this her centerpiece survive and he wasn't going to let her down!

Of course this party has been one catastrophe after another. It wasn't apparent to Purple but Carrot knew the signs of inebriation, somehow the other foals had something spiked. [colour=#ff8c00]"I'm pretty sure some ay th' foals ur a wee bit boak purple, thaur was somethin' nae reit in th' bevvy! Ah guess they shoods hae waitin' fur ye tae dae aw th' servin'."[/colour] He didn't want to come out and say they were all snookered, not really sure how Purple would react to that. [colour=#ff8c00]"Aam afraid they're gonnae hae tae tak' it easy fur a while sae they can gie better; aam sorry Purple." [/colour] He was starting to feel really bad for his sister, everything that could have gone wrong for her did, well all except for the cake, it at least was safe.

As if on cue, at that moment various inebriated animals came stumbling into the barn, raising a ruckus and getting into everything. One pig made a beeline for the opening in the bales of hay, no doubt smelling the cake. [colour=#ff8c00]"Ack ye don't!"[/colour] Carrot gave the hungry sow a good ol' headbutt, sending it tumbling backwards into the far wall. What the animals needed was a good rounding up but there was no way he was leaving his spot; he made a promise!

[Mojo]

[colour=#00ff00]"Better go see if I kin help that little filly clean up this here mess I got started," [/colour]Granny Smith neighed, trying hard to 'run' back towards the barn as Uncle Apple Strudel bolted outside screaming.

[colour=#006400]"IT IS AN INVASION! EVERYPONY RUN AVAY! SNELL! SNELL!"[/colour]

Haywire reached the barn entrance.

[colour=#b22222]"Gotta think fast and git this here situation under control," [/colour]the rust coloured filly said as she quickly approached the two cows. [colour=#b22222]"Parden me, ladies, but did ya know thar's a handsome bull outside lookin' fer ya?"[/colour]

Instantly, the two cows got excited.

[colour=#800080]"MOOOOVE over, Clarabelle, he's all mine!" [/colour]one of the cows mooed as she made a run towards the door.

[colour=#0000cd]"NOOOOO ya don't, Maybelle, I saw'm first, whoever he is!" [/colour]the other cow mooed rushing off in hot pursuit as both cows left the barn.

[colour=#b22222]"That takes care of the cows, now fer the chickens and pigs," [/colour]Haywire said as she began to call them. After a series of very effective calling ([colour=#b22222]"Here chick chick chick" [/colour]for the chickens and [colour=#b22222]"SUE-Y! Here pig pig pig" [/colour]for the pigs) the blonde filly was able to lure the remaining farm animals out into the yard. Watching from a distance, Granny Smith was amazed.

[colour=#00ff00]"By thunder! Look at'r go! Reminds me of myself back in my own filly days!"[/colour]

[Rosewind]

Pinkie Pie nodded enthusiastically as she raided the Apples' pantry. Flour! Got it. Sugar! Yup! Baking soda, cocoa powder. Pinkie Pie loved baking with Applejack, and the fun was tripled with Rarity and Rainbow in tow! Her last time baking with Applejack, they accidentally poisoned half of Ponyville! Oops! Pinkie smiled cheerfully, determined not to send the party-goers to the hospital. With Rarity and Rainbow assisting, what could possibly go wrong?! Her hooves were piled high with sacks of ingredients, and she teetered out of the pantry, unable to see. She staggered around under the weight of the food supplies, glimpsing around a flour sack just in time to see Applejack...licking Rarity?!

Pinkie gasped, her jaw dropping. Her friends were licking Rarity? It was strange, yes, but she was Pinkie Pie! It looked like fun! She inwardly wondered what a unicorn might taste like, or a pegasus for that matter. She had only tasted herself, usually when licking frosting off her hooves, and didn't think she tasted like much. Maybe grass. Since Rarity looked licked-out, Pinkie dumped the supplies on the counter and snuck behind Rainbow, slowly and quietly. She would need to strike like a viper. Timing was everything. Pinkie jumped onto the cerulean pony from behind, hugged her, and ran her tongue vertically along her blue cheek. Slllllurp! Pinkie smacked her lips, considering. [colour=#ED458B]"Nope, you don't really taste like anything, Rainbow. Maybe cloud dew? Is that even a flavor?"[/colour] She dropped off the pegasus like a leech finishing her meal, and she hit the wooden floor of the kitchen with a heavy thud. [colour=#ED458B]"Heeheehee! That was fun!" [/colour]

She put on a serious face, looking to Applejack. [colour=#ED458B]"I got all the stuff," [/colour]she said, motioning to a pile of flour, sugar, butter, and so on. [colour=#ED458B]"But there's too much to mix in a bowl. I think we'll need to use the kitchen sink!" [/colour]Pinkie announced, thrusting her hoof in the air. [colour=#ED458B]"This shall be a birthday cake to end all birthdays! Parents will tell their foals stories of this cake, my sisters! Frosting shall rain from the sky as musicians sing ballads of our pastry this day! FOR APPLEBLOOM! FOR EQUESTRIA!"[/colour] She gigglefitted, kicking her hooves out. [colour=#ED458B]"Let's bake a pretty cake!"[/colour]

[Hippo]

[colour=#ff0000]What was I thinkin'? What I did sure made things slightly awkward.[/colour][colour=#000000] Still, somehow the randomness of the Pinkie was the best thing settling the tension in the kitchen straight. And Rarity seemed to even be a good sport, for now. It look like she was in a good mood, which was a relief. Nothing struck everypony's spine the wrong way more than when Rarity was over-dramatic about whatever it was she was ailing that day. Applejack would look to repay Rarity in the future for the slight embarrassment, but right now she had a cake to bake. And not just any cake, the birthday cake for Apple Bloom.

Applejack got a big bowl of sliced apples out of the ice box and set them on the counter. She was glad to have Pinkie's enthusiasm, however she would have preferred Pinkie to be guided a bit by her best interests. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Um, Pinkie, you can use one of our commercial sized bowls. We have three of them. We host so many stinkin' reunions and town meetings that we invest in large over-sized equipment."[/colour][colour=#000000] Applejack went over to a large closet in the kitchen and rolled out a giant bowl onto her back. The bowl was about twice the size of Applejack herself, but was only half the weight in mass with nothing in it. She set the bowl down in front of Pinkie. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "Here ya go! This should be plenty big to make a big enough cake for my little sis! Come on ya'll, lets make this the best darn cake any foal's ever tasted! We can knock their inebriation right out using their taste buds! Now Rainbow, where are the eggs? ...Rainbow?"[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Outside the barn, the chicken coop, which was surrounded by a chicken wired fence, rested the twelve or so chickens that laid eggs all day, and contained the eggs Rainbow Dash needed to grab in order for the recipe to be complete, or even started for that matter! The chickens clucked their Z's, most of them asleep, lying on top of the few eggs they had successfully laid earlier in the day. They sure would not be expecting any company anytime soon.[/colour]

​

[Davroth]

Nursery had been falling asleep again. Her head had been spinning, but she didn't even notice any more. She was now dreaming hazy dreams instead. And as they sometimes tend to do when you fall asleep without noticing, things seem to logically progress from what she had been doing before.

Hospital carriages arrived, loading in all the sick ponies, and Nursery gave a short and quick report to one of the nurses who had come to assist with the transport, and then lay down on one of the stretchers. Truly, now she had done her job. She rolled over, and all of the sudden she was in the hospital, feeling a lot better. She ran around the halls, helping out the staff in any way she could. Yes, finally she could shine. She figuratively glowed. And then she really started to glow. And suddenly all the doctor ponies and nurse ponies were gathering around her with doubtful looks. And suddenly, she was in one of the patient rooms, and shadows were hushing her names and she was close to tears...

..but really, she hadn't moved at all. She was still just lying around in the soft grass near Sweet Apple Acres and kicked the air every now and then, snoring peacefully.

[Bramble Rose]

[colour=#0000CD]Rainbow Dash[/colour]

Dash had never done much in the way of farmwork, or taking care of animals. It was all generally much too slow and boring for her - but it seemed easy enough. And she bet she could do it faster than anypony! She made her way into the coop, tucking her wings in tight and ducking her head to get in through the door, the basket clutched tight in her teeth.

The fat, sleepy hens sat in their nests, making little clucking noises. Dash went up to the first, tilted her head, stared at the first hen, then reached under her to pull out an egg. She lifted it up, looked at it with a grin, and tucked it away into the basket. [colour=#0000cd] "Ha! That's easy!"[/colour] she cheerfully exclaimed.

The hen narrowed her eyes as she glared at the sky-blue pony.

"Buck-ok" she said solemnly.

The other hens in the coop looked up. "Buck-ok," they responded.

Dash fled from the coop, letting out a wail as the hens all followed after in a cloud of beaks and talons.

​

[colour=#800080]Sweetie Belle[/colour]

Sweetie looked left and right, so very, very confused. Why were her friends falling asleep? Why were they acting so funny? Why was this unicorn crooning at them like that? What was going on?! She looked down to her friends again, then up to Miss Cheerilee, who seemed just fine that this all was happening, then over ta Ingrid again. Why was she waving that watch with the funny swirly pattern on it? All swirly ... and twirly ... and spinny ... and waving ... and ... and ....

She gave a goofy smile, took one wobbly step, then fell down onto the floor with a *FWUMP*, letting out a trilling, whistling little snore.

​

[colour=#ff8c00]Purple Haze[/colour]

Purple didn't understand how something like that could happen. All the foals all tipsy? All the animals going crazy? Well, it was all right. They'd take care of it. [colour=#ff8c00]"Well, then, gae off an' help 'em, big brae. Oi'll guard th' cake!" [/colour] She gave a big grin. [colour=#ff8c00]"Ye gae off an' impress those fillies ye're oglin'! Dinnae worry bout me!"[/colour]

​

[Bellosh]

Still swinging the pendulum, Ingrid Marie looked on as it appeared that none of the foals would get a chance to respond to Cheerilee’s command. The little ponies were unexpectedly falling asleep just by looking at the swaying object alone. The only explanation Ingrid could come up with was that the enchanted-swirly effect overloaded the stumbling foals’ heads. One by one, each little one that had consumed the “bad” cider succumbed to the lure of a good long sleep.

With her task seemingly complete now, Ingrid was further gladdened to see that the misbehaving rust-coated filly from earlier had more or less successfully dealt with the other pressing issue involving the escaped livestock. Turning towards Cheerilee, the beige unicorn couldn’t help but quip; [colour=#008080]“Looks like your students haven’t outgrown naptime yet, eh Cheerilee?”[/colour] A stupid joke to be sure, but Ms. Marie really did need a tension-breaker after all the chaos of the last thirty minutes or so.....

[Mojo]

When Haywire finished leading all of the farm animals out of the barn and back to where they belonged, Granny Smith led the rust coloured filly back to the barn only to see that all of the 'tipsy' foals were now fast asleep.

[colour=#00FF00]"Hay thar everypony! What's goin' on?" [/colour]the elderly mare asked.

[colour=#B22222]"Granny Smith, maybe this here's a good thing," [/colour]Haywire offered. [colour=#B22222]"If'n all my classmates who drank the wrong cider's sleepin', they ain't gitt'n inta any more trouble."[/colour]

[colour=#00FF00]"They ain't the ONLY ones that drank too much of duh wrong cider," [/colour]Granny Smith motioned to her bearded brother Apple Strudel who blew one last note on his tuba before falling over to the floor. Spotting Cheerilee and Ingrid Maire, Haywire galloped over to them.

[colour=#B22222]"Miss Cheerilee, Miss Marie, is there anything else we kin do ta help all mah friends?" [/colour]the blonde filly asked them.

[Lux]

At first Guiding Light couldn't focus much due to his head swirling and the explosion of activity that was happening around him. He then turned his attention back towards the swinging pendulum that Ingrid was swaying. He found himself unable to take his eyes off of such a seemingly simple object. Then he felt a wave of tiredness sweep through his body. Soon he didn't care about the party, his classmates, or the older ponies present. All that mattered was sleep.

[colour=#DAA520]"Sooo... tired... think I'm going to ... lie down."[/colour]

At last Light's legs buckled from under him, causing him to collapse to the ground in sleep.

[SteelEagle]

Apple Bloom wasn't capable of resisting the powerful, all consuming allure of sleep as the magically powered attraction overwhelmed her inebriated senses. Everything grew warm, just like mother's milk and a warm bed on a cold day. Her eyelids slid until they covered the bloodshot eyes and it didn't take much longer for her to slip into beautiful unconsciousness. Once there, she wasn't met by any dreams- simple black over black over her mind. Dreams were reserved for a filly who had more mental faculties and who had a mind commonly restrained in her dream-scape, which was untrue when applied to Apple Bloom. Her dreams were unreserved and wild normally, but with her mind so far gone she simply couldn't summon images capable of sustaining a dream.

She was sleeping but didn't bother falling to the ground. She slept in place, heavy on her front haunches as she leaned onto them. She snored loud and proud, then louder if not much prouder, her nostrils flaring dramatically and slobber spilling out of her outstretched mouth. Occasionally one of her back legs would scratch her face vigorously. One of these times it happened with such force that she fell on her side with a pathetic thud, twitching and snoring from then on. The bump on the noggin sent her head racing and she soon found herself in a dream without rhyme or reason.

[colour=#ff0000]"'Course Ah'll slip on tha moon, silly pony, but mah..."[/colour] Snore snore snore.

[colour=#ff0000]"AHPLEJACK, YER A SILLY PONY!" [/colour]twitchy twitch, snore snore.

[colour=#ff0000]"Uuhhhhh-hmmmm, that's tha right spot..."[/colour] twitchy snore snore, wiggle snore twitch.

[Hippo]

[colour=#000000]While waiting on Rainbow Dash to get the eggs, Applejack started pouring flour into the bowl and setting up future ingredients. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "Before we get too far into this, Pinkie, let me see what kind of cake the kiddos want." [/colour][colour=#000000] Applejack walked into the loft area, where the barn opened up to the chaos that was. Everything had calmed down, practically to a stop. And almost all the foals were passed out and sleeping. Applejack walked back into the kitchen with a bit of a frown. [/colour][colour=#ff0000] "Better make this a coffee cake, with lots of caffeine, and extra sugar."[/colour]

​

[RarityDash]

Rarity recovered from the Applejack "incident" quickly enough to see Pinkie get strangely inspired to lick Rainbow Dash herself. Rarity had long ago learned not to get surprised by Pinkie Pie and after a party like this there probably wasn't much that would have shocked her, even still the act still struck her as rather odd. Her friends really needed to watch their decorum here. They'd... uh... be setting a bad example for the foals... or something? Rarity was beginning to just get increasingly unsettled, so she poured back some more cider to calm her nerves and focused on the task at hands.

Evidently Pinkie Pie hadn't unnerved Rainbow Dash, as she departed quickly to fetch the eggs. Moreover, Pinkie was displaying just the right sort of wide eyed enthusiasm to bring her back into the task at hand. She focused in on the cake and doing her part to help, though she doubted she'd be very involved until it came time to frost and decorate the cake. All the same, she did her best to be useful to the others as they worked on getting everything together. She gave a nod, feeling settled again as AJ left to ascertain what sort of cake the foals would want.

​

[colour=#FF0000]"Better make this a coffee cake, with lots of caffeine, and extra sugar."[/colour]

AJ said upon her swift return. Rarity tilted her head aside and spoke, [colour=#663399]"I don't believe coffee cake typically contains actual coffee, Applejack." [/colour]She smiled and shook here head.

[colour=#663399]"Though I do suppose we could serve some alongside the cake if you think the foals would appreciate it!"[/colour] she added, nodding softly

​

[brianblackberry]

[colour=#ff8c00]Carrot Fields[/colour]

He had successfully defended the cake! It was about as worthy of story and song as all his time in the REA - which was to say, not difficult. He would have stayed there all afternoon if his sister had needed him, but he was glad he didn't have to. [colour=#ff8c00]"Cheers Purple! I'll see whit ah can dae for ponies haur." [/colour]He blushed at the fillies comment but instead of quipping back he just gave his little sis a hug, [colour=#ff8c00]"I'll be back suin, nae way we canna have ponies try your delicious cake!"[/colour]

How could he help? It looked like all the tipsy foals had successfully been calmed down, the farm animals shooed back out of the barn, and he certainly wasn't any good at cooking, as his sister could most assuredly testify - but he heard a wail and a commotion outside. His curiosity piqued, Carrot followed the noise.

Upon exiting the barn, Carrot was greeted by a surprising, if a little humorous, scene. There was Rainbow Dash, fleeing before a the swarm of angry, pecking, scratching chickens. Carrot stood in stunned immobility for only a moment before moving into action. He a beeline gallop to a nearby opened bad of feed an quickly grabbed it with his teeth and tossed it the chicken's way, it's contents spilling out all over the grass. No surprise the chickens instantly went for the food and forgotten everything else; if there was one lesson any farmer knew about poultry it was that they were surely stupid.

Carrot looked at the single smashed egg that had landed on Dash's flank as she'd been fleeing the chickens. [colour=#ff8c00]"Now ye kin get as many eggs as ye need. These birds winnae e'en notice!"[/colour] Carrot grinned proudly, to be the dashing stallion, saving the day by ... tricking chickens ... eh, he'd take it.

[colour=#800080]Cheerilee[/colour]

Cheerilee watched in amazement as each foal succumbed to the hypnotic effect of the swirling pendulum. One by one each of the tipsy little ponies dozed off into dreamy bliss; it was just the opportunity they needed to take care of the mess and get the party back on track!

She just needed to relax first, if just for a little bit. She felt tired suddenly… Maybe if she just closed her eyes for a moment.

[colour=#008000]“Looks like your students haven’t outgrown naptime yet, eh Cheerilee?”[/colour]

Cheerilee suddenly opened her eyes upon hearing Ingrid, [colour=#800080]"huh? What?"[/colour] The purple mare rubbed her eye with her forehoof. [colour=#800080]"Oh… Umm, yeah I guess they still have a bit of growing up to do!" [/colour] Hrrrm, that wasn't a very funny response.

Quickly collecting her thoughts as she smiled awkwardly, Cheerilee gave the beige unicorn a hug, [colour=#800080]"thank you though, I was almost at my wit's end on how to salvage this whole thing. Never in school have I ever had a day like this, and have I ever had some whoppers of a day. Ask me to tell you about the Tiny Apple Valley field trip sometime!"[/colour] The purple earth pony mare gave quick look around, [colour=#800080]"shall we clean this place up? With luck, when the foals wake up, the new food will be ready and this room won't look like it got the business end of a tornado."[/colour]

[Bellosh]

Ingrid Marie tried covering her mouth, but it did no good in hiding her giggling over Cheerilee’s drowsiness. Apparently, not every educator was as skilled in improvisational wit as the counselor from Canterlot. Still, the mentally-exhausted Ingrid didn’t bat too much of an eye as the school teacher came up to give her a hug. [colour=#008080]“To be honest,”[/colour] Ms. Marie confessed as she briefly wrapped a foreleg around Cheerilee;[colour=#008080] “I haven’t had to deal with a class-sized group period since my Neighton Prep days. Even then, things were never as, ahem... "exciting" as this.”[/colour] And to think Ingrid’s biggest concern before coming here was whether Apple Bloom would like her gift or not. It’s funny how a misplaced cider barrel could rearrange one’s priorities.

Stepping back from Cheerilee to put her now-dimming pendulum away, Counselor Marie felt a headache finally coming on as her earth pony partner pointed out the complete mess the barn was in. [colour=#008080]“Ugggh... you really think we can clean all this up?”[/colour] the unicorn groaned; [colour=#008080]“Where do we even begin, mmkay? Between you and me, I think we’re better off just galloping away to the Gallopocus Islands.”[/colour] After almost thirty minutes of sustained anxiety, Ingrid could sure use a sabbatical right about now.....

[Rosewind]

Pinkie Pie blinked at Rarity, smiling like sunshine. [colour=#ED458B]"Pffffft!" [/colour]the party pony replied, in regard to the coffee content of a cake. [colour=#ED458B]"Are you kiddin' me? You can put coffee in a coffee cake! Sugarcube Corner gets freshly roasted coffee from a pony named Breve Bean that grows his own beans! Micro brews are all the rage, and they have more buzzzzzz to them! Teeheeheehee! Buzz buzz buzz!" [/colour]Pinkie ran around the kitchen, flapping her front hooves at her sides as if they were wings of a bee. [colour=#ED458B]"Let's make a ...heehee...bee-autiful sugary and caffinated cake!" [/colour]Pinkie buzzed around a little more, though she didn't see an open cabinet door, and clothes-lined herself across it. She spun around several times, shooting silverware in various fun directions, before hitting the wooden floor with a loud thwack. Pinkie blinked, winded, before gazing to Applejack as if nothing just happened.

[colour=#ED458B]"I think it's fantastic Sweet Apple Acres is all set up like a big bakery! You can be Sugarcube Corner's sister bakery! I guess it makes sense, huh?" [/colour]Pinkie paused to extract a spoon handle that was stuck up her left nostril. She grinned sheepishly and sat up, flicking the spoon (now damp with pony snot) over her shoulder with a shrug. It spun around several times and sailed for Rarity, possibly into her gorgeous mane. [colour=#ED458B]"So Applejack, is this just going to be a coffee coffee cake, or apple coffee coffee sugar cake?! Please please please say it's the latter!"[/colour]

[Bramble Rose]

[colour=#0000cd]Rainbow Dash[/colour]

Dash blinked in surprise, turning to look at the suddenly calmed cluster of squaking chickens. She grimaced, and blushed, and then puffed out her chest and lifted her chin. [colour=#0000cd]"I was just trying to wear them out!"[/colour] she blustered. [colour=#0000cd]"I woulda been fine!" [/colour] Her hoof dug little holes in the ground, as she paused with an awkward silence. Darn it! She's supposed to be awesome! She couldn't believe she had to be saved from chickens! How embarassing.

Then she took a deep breath, brushed the egg off her flank, and cried out,[colour=#0000cd] "Right! Eggs! Let's get some!" [/colour] She scooped up the basket and hurried into the coop, emerging shortly with a basket full of every egg she could find. She only broke a few of them, too!

She pranced back into the kitchen, the basket in her teeth, and set it on the counter. [colour=#0000cd]"Here you go!"[/colour] she cried a little overloud. [colour=#0000cd]"And this is Carrot! Met him at ... well, here in Ponyville, but then I saw him again at Daringcon! He just helped me get some eggs. He's nice! Oh, right, I already introduced him. So what do i need to do next?"[/colour]

​

[Hippo]

[colour=#330066]"I don't believe coffee cake typically contains actual coffee, Applejack. Though I do suppose we could serve some alongside the cake if you think the foals would appreciate it!"[/colour]

​

[colour=#000000]Apparently, Rarity took Applejack seriously. Still, did she realize how dead the foals in the barn looked? Essentially, it was the baked bads epidemic all over again.[/colour]

​

[colour=#ff0066]"Pffffft! Are you kiddin' me? You can put coffee in a coffee cake! Sugarcube Corner gets freshly roasted coffee from a pony named Breve Bean that grows his own beans!"[/colour]

​

[colour=#000000]And Pinkie Pie took Applejack too seriously. Probably the reason the previous mentioned epidemic had no safety net to keep it from occurring. And yet, Pinkie Pie was the puzzle piece that was going to help glue this party back together. Maybe a coffee cake with coffee in it wouldn't be so bad.

Applejack rolled her eyes a bit, but then retreated her expression into Pinkie's over-excitement, all the while not noticing the new projectile heading Rarity's way.[/colour] [colour=#ff0000]"Well, alright, Pinkie. We'll make an apple coffee coffee sugar cake for the foals."[/colour] [colour=#000000] Applejack held hoof at Pinkie's shoulder to keep her contained while she finished her response. [/colour] [colour=#ff0000]"But only if we put just enough to get them going again. I don't want all of Ponyville's foals to be jumping all over the place at midnight when they should be sleeping."[/colour]

[colour=#000000]Rainbow Dash came back with the eggs, and brought Carrot with her. She introduced him, as if any mare in the kitchen hadn't already seen Carrot's shy persona before. Well, maybe Pinkie. [/colour][colour=#ff0000]"Oh hi again, Carrot. Yeah, Rainbow, I know Carrot. Late last night, Carrot showed me a few tricks of his, didn't you Carrot?"[/colour] [colour=#000000] Applejack walked over to the stallion and put her trusting hoof onto his shoulder.[/colour] [colour=#ff0000] "I would never have thought mulching the carrots would help them grow more efficiently."[/colour]

​

[Mojo]

Hearing the 'plan' from the other adults in the room, Granny Smith had a smile on her face.

[colour=#00ff00]"I think I best go help the other ponies do duh bakin' of all that thar coffee cake we're gonna need," [/colour]the elderly mare said as she turned towards Haywire. [colour=#00ff00]"The best thing you kin do to help out is help with cleanin' this place up good'n proper! Kin ah handle that, youngin'?"[/colour]

[colour=#b22222]"YES MA'AM!" [/colour]the eager rust coloured filly neighed with a salute. Haywire was very happy to assist. Grabbing a broom in her mouth, she began to sweep away the junk all over the barn floor. This was a stunning turnaround for the blonde filly, going from self-centered troublemaker to helpful solid citizen. Haywire, who usually went to great lengths to AVOID work, was now happily volunteering to clean up a mess for the sake of her classmates and her hosts. This point wasn't missed by Granny Smith as she passed by Cheerilee, Ingrid Marie, AppleJack, Raiity and the other adults in the barn.

[colour=#00ff00]"Have y'all noticed how sweet, kind end helpful that little filly's been today? She got ridda that bad cider and even cleared all them critters outta the barn too! Maybe, jist maybe, she ain't as bad as y'all thought she was," [/colour]the gray maned mare said as she exited the barn on her way to the kitchen.

[colour=#006400]"BAKING COFFEE CAKE?" [/colour]the still tipsy Apple Strudel shouted, taking off his tuba. [colour=#006400]"I vill gladly help in dis effort! I could even bake up some Coffee Strudel for all to eat, ja?"[/colour]

The bearded stallion staggered towards the door, only to collapse in the middle of the floor.

[colour=#b22222]"HAY! Could one of y'all move this pony outta the way, please? I'm tryin' to sweep up here!" [/colour]Haywire neighed.

[brianblackberry]

[colour=#800080]Cheerilee[/colour]

Cheerilee smiled as Ingrid placed her forehoof around the school teacher’s neck; they were comrades-in-arms, facing down the daily disasters that comes with the territory of teaching the next generation of ponies; she could help but giggle and smile at that thought. [colour=#800080]“Well I will say this was probably one of the most unusual circumstances I had to deal with when it came to a room full of foals, but it isn’t the most wild or wacky one! When this is all over, we should hang out the local inn, I can tell of the time we went on a field trip to your cousin Apple Bumpkin’s farm and the insanity that happened there, or the time we took a trip to the petting zoo, now there was a time where things really got strange with animals. Ever seen foals attempting to joust on the back of a pig or a goat? I have!”[/colour]

Cheerilee started to pick up some of the streamers and cups on the floor with her mouth,[colour=#800080] “I think we can get all of this, sure it’s a mess, but it isn't unusual for these rambunctious foals. We have to hurry though, if I know this bunch, they are too hyper to stay asleep for long, especially Applebloom, being her birthday and all.”[/colour] Cheerilee surveyed the barn, it was going to take a determied effort, but it was doable, it didn’t have to be spic and span, just not have the look of the inside of a pigsty.

At that moment Granny Smith commented on something Cheerilee up to this moment didn’t notice, much to her shame. One foal remained unfazed and fully alert, Haywire, and she wasn’t causing trouble, she was going out of her way to help! [colour=#800080] “Yes, she is Mrs. Smith. Umm, if it wouldn’t be too much trouble Mrs. Smith, could you convince your brother to step outside, while the three of us clean this place?”[/colour]

Cheerilee turned and gave Haywire and encouraging rub on her mane, [colour=#800080]“thank you so much for helping Haywire!"[/colour] Cheerilee gave a large, cheerful smile of encouragement, [colour=#800080]“between the three of us, I know we can do it! Let's get started!”[/colour]

[colour=#FF8C00]Carrot Fields[/colour]

Carrot Fields just smiled awkwardly, he didn’t want to embarrass Rainbow Dash, he just wanted to… Well truth was he wanted to be the courageous stallion to the rescue, but that was such a coltish way of looking at things. [colour=#ff8c00]“I’m sure ye coods hae worn them out, Ah jist uhh.. wanted tae make sure we got th' eggs as quick as possible, don’t want tae keep th' foals waitin!”[/colour] That sounded good right; he didn’t want Dash to feel inadequate at all.

Fortunately Dash appeared to accept that, or she just wanted to change the topic, either way she quickly, if a little messily, got the eggs and pranced back inside with Carrot in tow. Once inside he gave a broad if dorky smile as Dash introduced him, he had already met Applejack of course, and the white unicorn too, although briefly. She looked a bit of a mess but wow she was gorgeous none the less! Then there was the pink one, really incredibly cute but Carrot’s normal admiration was tempered by his recall of what the pink earth mare did to his sister’s setup. [colour=#ff8c00] “Ummm… hello there”.[/colour]

Before he could even think of anything more to say, Applejack put her foreleg around him and mentioned last night. He clearly remembered, it was his sister that had him deliver some supplies for the party tonight, and although she no doubt had her own motivations to have him visit the neighbors at Sweet Apple, Carrot didn’t mind visiting. He really needed to learn to get better at talking to mares anyway, and it seemed like a good excuse as any. He wasn’t even surprised that Applejack was working in her carrot patch, as no doubt Purple Haze knew that too, the cunning little filly! Carrot blushed, [colour=#ff8c00]"That’s reit, actually showed Applejack haur some ay uir auld family secrets tae makin' sure th' carrots woods graw thick an' juicy! "[/colour] He had even a larger awkward grin and blush as he suddenly realized that sounded rather like loaded innuendo, or at the very least a very dull subject to anypony who wasn't a farmer.

The Carrot suddenly remembered, [colour=#ff8c00]“Och we awreddy hae a cake! I mean uhh.. well can still hae two, but thaur is a foo sized birthday cake out in th' main hall ay th' barn! Mah sister, Purple Haze is watchin' it reit now; it’s 'er masterpiece!”[/colour] Carrot gave a flat look in the direction of the pink mare, [colour=#ff8c00]“sadly lae rest of 'er desserts got destroyed.”[/colour]