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SirAizen

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Everything posted by SirAizen

  1. Ten? That was easy for Candy. He was more used to working with groups of twenty or more - and needy ones as well. Ten civilized ponies was easy for the stallion. He just hoped that nerves and current state of mind didn't affect his ability to cook - which they usually did. Lamp wouldn't see it - he hadn't met Candy before. The pink-haired stallion was in the clear there. That at least made his nerves a little less jumpy. "Sorry, uh - who?" Candy got around a lot, but he didn't follow the news, or famous faces. Rivulet was someone he'd never served before, but if he enjoyed desserts, that worked for him. Candy was all-too-willing to put forth his best effort for this guest. "No, I've never had the pleasure of serving one - Those types don't exactly show up to little shows on the side of the street, now, do they? Don't worry - I'll handle it. I always do -" Cane gave a nervous grin in return, silently cursing to himself. Lamp was staying? That didn't bode well - Candy hadn't been having decent luck recently, and extra eyes - especially those eyes - would only make him more nervous. He should've told the fellow as much, but. . . Candy couldn't say no to that face. He didn't have it in him. "Eh?" Candy had forgotten where he was headed. "Uhm. . . Baltimare," he lied, glancing off to the side. He didn't want to appear soft in the head, so the lie was worth it in his opinion. "City show. Restocking. Especially important after the accident. . ." Candy glanced around the kitchen, looking around for his usual ingredients. This was unfamiliar indeed, but he'd do his best. How could he call himself a confectioner otherwise? Candy scanned the counters, looking for some form of fresh fruit. "O-Oh, no, you're perfectly fine where you are. I wouldn't want to keep you out while everything's happening - have to make sure everything's running smoothly, eh? Uh. . ." Candy bit his lip, grabbing a container of something unfamiliar.
  2. But it's so goooood though! I just - thank you!
  3. Cheese glanced back in surprise as Pinkie revealed her skill in ninja fruit-slicing, before laughing. He quickly dashed around the kitchen, grabbing the rest of the ingredients for caramel; sugar, butter, vanilla, and the like. "Awesome! Of course, I've got my own secret skills as well. . ." Secret skills that didn't apply to the current situation in any way whatsoever, but secret skills nonetheless. The stallion kicked the last cabinet door closed, before trotting back over to the cooking area. "Hang on back there, Boneless!" he called to his rubber chicken, who was just about being crushed by all the ingredients Cheese was carrying on his back. He'd be fine - Boneless Two was extremely flexible! The way he could bend his joints made Cheese gag a little. How did the little guy do all that? What kind of training had it taken? "Oh, my caramel?" Cheese glanced at Pinkie for a moment. "Oh, it goes a little like. . ." Cheese began humming to himself, taking out a pan and heating it up. Once it was at the right temperature, he began pouring the ingredients in, keep a very close eye on it. It was super-easy for caramel to burn, so he didn't want to fool around with it. He took a flattened stirring tool and began using it to keep the caramel from sitting still too long. In the daze of cooking, Cheese began moving around in an oddly rhythmical manner, as if dancing to a tune only he could hear. He kinda was. . . This was a good distraction for him. He would soon take the caramel off the burner, before twirling around and placing it on the counter, moving on to the now-ready muffins. Well, almost ready. Just a few more minutes, and they'd be done! Cheese continued his odd dance for a moment longer, humming a little. before realizing that he'd never actually answered Pinkie's question. "Hmm? O-Oh, I - well, you saw. . ." The lanky pony gestured to the cooling caramel. "I like to add a little extra butter an vanilla to mine - it makes it taste richer, The better for pouring. . ." Cheese trailed off. He'd forgotten - he needed to pour the caramel on before it cooled! Cheese Sandwich yelped, before picking up the pan again. He glanced around the kitchen, seeming to forget what he was doing for a moment. "Sorry, I - where was this going again? Another batch? On it! I think. . ." Cheese needed to set his head straight, otherwise he'd keep messing up in here. . . Hopefully soon. In his panic, Cheese swung around and bumped into Pinkie, nearly spilling the caramel - and spilling Boneless Two to the floor. "Sorry, sorry!"
  4. Oooh, I didn't get to comment on this yesterday, I've been sooooooo busy with outside writing recently, but squeeeeee~! I love this!
  5. Candy followed behind Lamp as they entered the kitchens, laughing a little at their wordplay. "Heh, yes - I suppose you could say that. . . I should use that." The stallion had no clue where he'd be able to say such a thing - maybe in some sort of advertisement? He didn't know. Still, he was keeping the quote in mind for later use. The thoughts kept him occupied - well, until they fully entered the kitchen, at least. Candy had never been allowed into one of this size before, since he did all his baking and candy-making in his cart. That, and he'd never requested the use of larger facilities. He jerked his head back a little at the bread sample that was levitated in front of him, before shrugging and taking a bite. His cheeks flushed at the taste of it. "Oh, that," he mumbled, putting a hoof over his mouth. "That's good, right there." Candy always got a little emotional over good-tasting food - and this was just the bread! What else was in store? As it turned out, a lot. Candy found himself distracted by all that was going on around him as Lamp Light spoke of the savory delights he had going, and all the. . . the everything. Was this what it was like for a normal chef on a daily basis? Candy's mind wasn't built for this kind of environment. Still, it made him excited! "Oh, dessert?" Candy shook his head, clearing his mind of all other distractions and focusing on Lamp. Oh, yes - he was the dessert-stallion. He could do this. Well. . . Maybe. Maybe Lamp thought that his easy-going smiles and attitude were putting Candy at ease. That wasn't really the case; in truth, the pink-maned stallion was struggling not to act as flustered as he usually did in situations like these. Like back at the Apple Sale. . . "I-I'm fully capable of doing that!" he assured the other stallion, not looking quite sure himself. "A-And there's no need to worry, old sport - I'm more than capable of getting things done on my own." Well, he was pretty sure he was capable of that. How many ponies was he cooking for? "I mean - h-how many am I preparing dessert for?" The stallion turned to glance at the rack of ingredients, giving a sigh of relief. Finally, he could begin his work and stop with all the worrying and such. Lamp's presence helped a bit, but Cane's ruined cart and insecurities were still nagging at him from the back of his mind. "Understood," he replied, not taking his eyes off the ingredients. "I'll make quick work of these - I have a few confections in mind for what I'm seeing here. Ah. . . How much time will I have? That should determine what I should and shouldn't attempt to prepare for your guests. Wouldn't want to have them waiting hours for a candy apple, eh?" Candy bit his tongue. 'Candy apples'? What was he, 12? That was a festive dessert, not something you made at random! He was acting like such a novice right now. . .
  6. "Hello there." Old jokes aside, I look forward ta' seeing ya around here!
  7. Candy giggled a little, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "Ah, I'd hate to imagine what sorts of sicknesses I'd have acquired if I hadn't chanced upon your inn. . . Oh, I'd be in a state of suffering right now, I can tell you that for certain. The Honest Hearth? A fitting name indeed, with a fitting owner! Why, I could -" Cane cut the last thought off - that was in poor taste regarding his old cart. He'd been about to criticize the old thing. . . It had been with him for a few years now. Even if he hadn't lost much of his things in the collapse, it still held some sentimental value in Candy's heart. He'd treat it with respect - even if it was in a state that he couldn't bring it back from. "Never mind. It's alright. . . I'll just need to start off anew. I have no clue where I'll begin, though. . ." Candy sighed, leaning against the nearby wall. What would he do, then? Find a way to pay for a new cart, or find a way to get his business back up and running? It was foolish, but Candy's entire stock of supplies had been in there. The tools and books had been saved by Lamp, but the ingredients. . . Candy used his own faint pink magic to sign the book Lamp handed him, adding a little flare to his signature. It wasn't necessary - just an old habit of his. "Yes, sir," he chirped happily. "I could eat a whole pie right now - or two! In fact, I would be if I'd had any left over. . ." Candy followed closely behind Lamp as they walked through the outdoors corridors, suppressing the urge to shiver. "Brr," he commented, looking out into the rain. "After standing in the lobby, it feels even colder than before out here, heh. . ." Candy trailed off, walking a little closer to the other stallion. It was, well. . . warmer, for starters. And there was something else. . . It was probably only Candy's imagination, but Lamp seemed o have this aura about him - the pink-maned pony felt better just being close to him. Was that appropriate of Cane, walking so close? Well, as long as he didn't say anything. . . Lamp hadn't made any comments. "Understood," Cane murmured, glancing down the corridor. Candy put his hoof out, shivering a little as the incantation was placed upon it. "Handy!" he commented as Lamp explained what it was for. "Makes me wish I used more magic in such a casual way. . . I'm not that great at it outside of work, though." The stallion looked genuinely excited as Lamp mentioned that they'd be working on dessert in the kitchen, before straightening his collar again in a professional manner. "Well, now, I suppose work like that could be sufficient. . . I promise not to overdo it, heh. I'm more than happy to do it! I'll be with you shortly. . ." Candy couldn't keep up his cheery, professional attitude for much longer. In a slight slip, he made as if to hug the other stallion, then stopped himself. He coughed into his hoof, before straightening up. "Thank you, Lamp Light. This is greatly appreciated. . . It's been a long day." Candy bowed his head. ---- The inside of the suite was nothing less than a dream. It almost made Candy forget about the day's events upon walking inside. He spent the first few minutes cleaning off in the bathroom. . . And the next few with his face smooshed into a pillow on the bed. He needed to collect himself before going out and into the kitchen. . . If he looked like a wreck, it would only make Lamp less open to having him help with cooking. Lamp. . . He was such a nice stallion, even if it was just his professional act. Candy found it extremely easy to talk to them - so easy, in fact, that he had been tempted to just drop all his woes and anger onto them in the lobby and while they were walking. That was rude of him - he needed to remain in control. If this was the result of one bad day, how could he hope to deal with future ones? Those thoughts plagued Candy's mind for the rest of his time in bed, which made for a rather poor short-rest. He got up after a few more minutes, his mane frazzled and looking exhausted. A little touching up here and there fixed that, though. He was back to being the unshakable Candy Cane. --- He walked out and stood at the entrance of the kitchen, waiting on lamp to show up. It only took a minute for that, which was good. Candy waved a hoof as he saw them approaching, now looking much better than he had before, with his droopy hair and soggy appearance. "Hello down there!" he called, grinning. "I'd imagine you don't recognize me when I'm not soaked," he joked, before gesturing to the kitchen door. "Shall we go?"
  8. Candy was in the process of finishing his lollipop when he noted a small stallion nearby, moving a crate across the dock. Well, that meant a couple things. Either they worked on the dock, or they were a sailor. . . Well, better to go and see than sit there not knowing, eh? The pink-maned stallion stood up, before attempting to calmly walk over and start speaking with them. Unfortunately, with the amount of sugar Candy had just consumed (which wasn't all that much, in all honesty), he was soon running once more, skidding to a stop in front of the sea-green fella. "You there!" he shouted a little louder than necessary, taking another step forward. "Would you happen to be a sailor, by any chance? If so, you're in luck! The name's Candy Cane, here to employ you!" He put out a hoof to shake, grinning. "Glad to suddenly make your acquaintance, lad!"
  9. Candy Cane right now: Oh my goooood - maybe I should break my cart more often!
  10. Candy gave Lamp a half-grin, nodding a little. "Nice to meet you, Mister Lamp Light - or Lamp, I suppose!" Lamp Light. . . A nice name. Better than "Candy Cane", in any event - that sounded like some sort of Christmas pony, not a professional confectioner. Lamp Light sounded warm and cozy. . . befitting of someone that worked at an inn. That, and he was rather fetching. . . Well, far more than that. Candy giggled to himself, shaking his head. He still wasn't used to dealing with stallions like that - keeping it casual was the only way he could stay calm. On the inside, Candy was feeling extremely torn up about the destruction of his cart. By itself, he would've been fine - despite having lived in it for a good few years now, he could replace it. Still, he'd been having a pretty bad day, and this just made him feel worse. He didn't want to break down in front of some random stranger, of course - that would just make him look unstable. He blinked rapidly, watching the other stallion pick up his things, before shaking his head a little. "Really, now, I'm fully capable of cleaning up myself," he said, but he didn't directly ask Lamp to stop what he was doing. His own horn glowed a faint pink, and he picked up a few more of his items, but the ones he recovered were fairly worthless at that point. Soaked sugar, smashed apples. . . At least Lamp had saved a few bags of those. How did he do that? Once he had the remaining items worth saving out of the muck, he turned to follow Lamp inside, ducking his head to try and avoid the worst of the rain, failing miserably. Once inside, Candy shook his head and mane a little, getting flecks of water here and there. He didn't seem to notice it, though, that same odd smile still on his face. "Whew! Quite the storm, wouldn't you say? I've never had to travel in such a gale before - well, not without the proper preparations, I mean, ha. What a cozy place! I should, er. . ." Candy glanced outside, seeing the rest of his cart and belongings still soaking away. "I-It's fine, sir. I-I-I can replace it. . . At some point. For now, I just want to. . ." Candy trailed off, turning in a slow circle and taking in his surroundings. It really was cozy and warm. . . It certainly beat him sleeping in a cold cart at night. Was this what it was like having a house? He'd forgotten what it had been like as a colt, living with his parents. "Er - yes, a small suite is fine! I -" The pink-haired stallion paused. "Wait. You own this place? Huh. . . You keep it rather tidy and nice, don't you? Better than how I manage my business, in any event - Or rather, managed." Candy gave a weak laugh. "In any event, I'll take it, thanks - how much do I owe you?" Candy had his own pause, before nodding. "I'd be open to joining that, yes. Er. . . Still, I don't want to drop in on you like this and not offer much in return. . . Perhaps I could assist somewhere?"
  11. Eeeeeeeee~! Eeeeeeee~! He's gorgeous. . . Yes - You'll probably have to go through Candy first, XD
  12. Candy Cane had a problem - well, another problem for his growing list of issues. It had nothing to do with his private life (for once) and everything to do with his job as a traveling confectioner. Candy was. . . Losing his touch, it would seem. He absolutely loved making candy, of course, and still had a thing for putting on shows for kids, of course, but that wasn't the issue. No, Cane was starting to lose his creative touch, it would seem. He grew tired of making the same things for kids and adults - boring pieces of run-of-the-mill candy, or the same old models of Ponyville, Canterlot, or the surrounding towns and cities. Heck, even the dangerous places were getting old, and that was saying something! Candy was lacking a new form of inspiration, and he needed to do something about it. That was why he was currently in Baltimare, looking for someone to assist him with sea travel. The pink-haired stallion didn't have his cart with him currently - he'd left it just outside of the docks. He was wearing a large pack instead, which was filled with books and ingredients. He didn't plan on doing much cooking on this trip, though. . . This was a scenic trip to another part of Equestria. Candy was looking to get some inspiration from faraway lands he'd never been to. Why not hop on a boat that led to who-knows-where and go for it, then? Candy was excited for this. A little too excited, some might say. . . The stallion had scared off most of the sailors up till now. He harassed them with requests to take him for trips to anywhere, going on and on about the amazing things he imagined he'd see. It didn't help that he was talking too fast for most of them to understand what he was saying, either. Right now, Candy was just sitting under the shade of one of the larger vessels, waiting for someone that looked remotely like a sailor to pass him by. "Oh, dear," the stallion murmured, eyes on the ground. "I think I've run out of energy to search. . . Welp." Cane reached into his pack, pulling out a large a large, green-swirled lollipop and took a large bite out of it. He glanced up and down the dock, checking to see if anybody was approaching. Someone would be along any moment now. . . He just knew it. When that happened, he'd pounce. . . No, wait. He'd approach them in a civil manner. "Yes - that sounds better," he murmured aloud, before taking another bite.
  13. Candy raised a hoof to his face, getting the wet bangs out of his eyes as he focused on the voice he'd heard. A stallion seemed to have come from the inn he'd seen, but he couldn't be too sure. In any event, he was glad they were here. "Oh, crumble crumpets," he said aloud, whipping his head around to get some of the water out of his hair, but to no avail. He put on a cheery smile, despite the miserable condition he was in. He still needed to appear that way for others, right? "Oh, er - there's no need for assistance, lad! I'm just -" Cane tugged at the cart a little. It seemed to have become stuck now. . . "Ergh. . . It's a mere obstacle is all. I've been through worse, trust me! It's just a little mud. How are you doing this fine day? Good, I'd hope?" Some fine day it was. . . Candy continued to tug at his cart, but it seemed to have just about taken enough punishment for the day. The wheels and axles squealed in protest, and the chassis shuddered. The pink-haired stallion's expression grew a bit tense, but he didn't seem to be too concerned for the cart's well-being. It had taken this before, had it not? "The name's Candy, by the way! Candy Cane, architectural confectioner! Or. . . Candy Cane, the Magnificent! Maybe. . . Er. . ." Candy shook his head. "Titles don't matter. . . Who might you be, lad? Do you work here? What a relief - I might be needing housing for the night. . . Long enough for me to get a meal, rest, and time for my poor wagon to rest. It's been through too much recently - still, it'll be right as rain after a day or so! Once I let it dr -" Cane didn't have time to finish. With one last shudder, Candy's cart collapsed in on itself. The wheels fell away first, followed by the collapsing tarp and the crashing of all the boxes and bins inside. It was too wet for dust - all that was left was a pile of old wood, and smashed supplies. If Lamp Light glanced back at Candy, he'd see that the other stallion had a curiously blank expression. After a moment or two, he noticed that Lamp was still there, and put on a smile to hide his true feelings. "A-Ah, I see. . . N-N-Not to worry! I suppose I should have seen that coming, h-hehe. . . There goes my things." He paused. "All my things. . . Okay." Candy took a breath, before turning to the inn owner. "Y-Yes, I'll be needing a room, it would seem. . . M-My apologies with the mess, sir."
  14. It had been a rather long day for Candy Cane - one of the longest he'd had in a very long time. Now, that wasn't necessarily bad, since Candy was used to having days where everything went wrong, but it certainly got old having to get through it on his own all the time. Where did he start. . ? Well, things had started out simply enough that day. The stallion had taken refuge under a few trees the previous night, getting his cart all set up and falling asleep while he read up on the different types of pastries one could make with apples. The apples he'd picked up last Fall had been more than enough to make dozens upon dozens of pies, but that hadn't been enough for Cane. He wanted to do more - create things that everyone liked. Needless to say, he'd woken up groggy and irritable, as he hadn't gotten enough sleep. It had rained that night as well, and a small hole in the tarp covering the cart had let in a stream of water, which had ruined the powdered sugar supply he kept on the cart floor. That had been bad, but Cane had been determined to power through it. It was only the beginning of the day. What else could've gone wrong? A lot, apparently. Well, Candy had started out fine, simply walking down a nearby path as he tried to find a place where he could pick up raw sugar. Along the way, he'd come across a rather steep incline, which had resulted in a good amount of his apples becoming unsecured and rolling out of the back. Candy had spent a few hours picking them up and cleaning them in a nearby stream - only to have a basket of them get swept away when the current increased. The rain had made the stream rough. . . Well, Candy had maintained a smile anyway. It was just a few silly apples. He could handle that! Things only got worse as the day went on. It continued to rain once more during the afternoon, leading to Candy having to spend several hour in his cart while he waited for the storm to pass. It became obvious that it was only worsening as the hour ticked by, though, so he'd gritted his teeth and decided to try and make it to town, despite the worsening storm. It was cold and miserable, but he wasn't going to sit there complaining. This was to be expected, wasn't it? The trail had gotten all muddy as well, slowing him to a crawl too. . . Well, maybe that was something he could get upset about. As of now, he was currently coming up on town - was it Ponyville again, or some other place? Candy didn't know - and didn't quite care, either. He just needed to find a place to stay. . . The confectioner looked like a mess: his coat was soaked, and his pink hair drooped, his bangs covering his eyes a bit. Mud clung to his lower half as well, and his steps were rather slow, despite the ground evening out. The cart, on the other hand. . . Wasn't looking too good. The wheels wobbled a little, and the tarp itself had partially collapsed. Candy scowled, giving it a firm tug. "Come on, you lousy. . ." he murmured, glancing back at it. Oh, all of his books were probably suffering. . . Candy turned back towards the path in front of him, powering on. Eventually he got within the town's borders, sighing in relief. Now, all he had to do was find a. . . "Inn!" he exclaimed, spotting a building in the distance. The candy pony continued on, not paying much attention to his cart, which was looking like it would collapse at any moment. . . Candy hoped he had the bits to be able to pay for a night or two inside. That, and some food. Candy was starving, and could go for something hot to eat!
  15. (Oh - forgot to post this. Candy has a specific design under the shirt too!)
  16. Well, dang - Blank Canvas is lookin' fly! (Yeah, I used slang. Don't mind me, haw.)
  17. Oh - I think it'd be cool to get something done for Candy Cain, if this was still open! I know he already has a pic. . . But not from you!
  18. What in the name of Mike - Okay, Canterlot's notifications aren't working, my apologies, folks. I don't regularly check these unless I get notified. . . I need to do it more often. I think that Lamp Light could be an awesome acquaintance for Candy (and perhaps more, if things end up going that way)! Candy would have a reason for showing up at the inn as well, so it works out great! Yep, Cain is more then a little cool with them, as a matter of fact, ha. I wouldn't mind having a little one-off non-canon encounter with the lad! Perhaps they could be friends in a canon encounter, but if you prefer the non-canon romantic route, I'd be down for it ☺️ I'll be sure to check your log out! I haven't seen many characters of yours, since I haven't been online much recently, but I've seen a few of them in threads both you and I have participated in! Okay, uh. . . just so that I'm not flooding this, I'll be putting out PMs to ya'll individually. Look forward to hearin' from ya soon! I think I'll be able to generate plot ideas based off of your characters, ha.
  19. (Just bumping this thread - I sorta want to do something with Candy again, just not sure what. Go on and post/PM me if you're interested!)
  20. "Yes ma'am!" Cheese also had a pause on the idea of adding those assorted chunks into the cupcakes, but let it slide. Those would be good, but he needed something bolder. Something that would surely reveal itself later on, when they were done with the cupcakes and couldn't add said ingredients. That was how all good ideas worked, sadly. . . you only got them once they were irrelevant. Once, Cheese had gotten the idea to have s'mores at a camping party. That would stick with him for the rest of his life, a stain on his career. . . Cheese shook his head. Enough of the weepy stuff - he had cupcakes to make, and Pinkie was waiting! The stallion nodded at Pinkie's suggestion, glad to be free of the awkward phase of their talk. "Sure thing! I'm pretty eager to put my hooves to good use, honestly - baking all day sounds like a good way to do that!" Maybe he was pushing it a little. . . Pinkie would eventually want to know more about his problem, and Cheese would have to answer. It had already been a problem back when his pride was getting in the way. Now, he was letting other, more foreign feelings get in the way of simple speech. This would be a doozy to work out for sure. . . He could do it, though. If there was one thing Cheese sandwich was known for, it was solving problems. . . usually problems he'd caused! Cheese quickly took two trays of the cupcake himself, balancing the two on his back. Some might've been worried that he'd drop them, but Cheese was pretty good at faking things like imbalance. He let the tray wobble precariously for a few moments, before righting them and easily making his way over to the oven. He laughed a little, sliding both into the oven and closing the door. "Same here! That sounds nice and simple - a good change from the craziness I've had up to recently. After these batches, I'd certainly be down to make 'em!" Cheese sounded a lot more sure of himself now that the focus wasn't on him. He could let his worries slide to the very back of his mind once more. . . hopefully nothing crazy happened while the cupcakes cooked. Then again, who didn't like a little crazy? "Oh - I know what! I'll get started on the caramel, and you slice the apples. Once the jalapeno cupcakes are done, we can put those in two. Sound like a plan?"
  21. "Gotcha!" Cheese grinned from ear to ear, pouring the diced jalapenos into a nearby bowl for later use. He wasn't sure if he'd be keeping them diced or shredding them. . . no. He'd definitely shred these - chunky cupcakes sounded like possibly the most disgusting thing ever. Just the thought of it made Cheese look a little green. He scrounged around for a blender underneath the counter, glancing back at Pinkie for a moment. "Ooh, more cupcakes? Sounds good to me!" Eventually Cheese resurfaced with a large blender, before snagging one of the cupcakes and taking a large bite, which left a mustache of frosting on his face. The look might've been funny, but Cheese's slight worry somewhat countered that as he asked Pinkie for assistance later on. Luckily, she didn't press. . . he mentally face-palmed. She probably wouldn't have said yes - or worse, she would've asked why he needed help. This was his forte, wasn't it? He was so preoccupied with his thoughts that he almost didn't notice Pinkie's sudden embarrassment over. . . something? Well, she was blushing. . . perhaps she'd been having similar thoughts or something like that? No, no. . . why would she need his help with something? That was just crazy-talk. He still felt as if he should check on her, though. "Uh, you okay? You've never made that face before. . . did ya take a bite of the jalapenos? Trust me, they're fresh - no need for you to burn your face up over them, ha." It turned out that she was worried over Gummy - which was sort of pointless, as the gator had been sitting motionless for quite some time by then. Perhaps pinkie had forgotten? Well, it didn't matter. He needed to get these cupcakes going, stat. "Well, now - I think I've got it. You want me to get these jalapenos blended up with the cupcake batter? I figured that it'd be better than chunky cupcakes. . . ugh." Cheese made a face, holding Boneless Two up as if he were doing the same. The rubber chicken merely flopped over slightly. Cheese made as if to pour the contents of the bowl into the blender, though he watched Pinkie's face, waiting for a response. He was caught off-guard by her sudden take at being more social, though. It was just a casual question, but he had to think about it for a second before answering. "Um. . . Fine?" Okay, that was really weird. Cheese usually had more to say than that. Why was casual talk the thing that made his jokes screech to a halt? He tried at a funny line, just so that he didn't seem awkward. "Er, as fine as I can be with this giant bowl of peppers. I swear, they're burning out my eyes. . ." It was true: the curly-haired stallion's eyes were tearing up slightly from being so close to the diced peppers. It was better than onions, though. "Y'know, the last time this happened, it was at a restaurant that specialized in spicy things. I was so tired after everything that I fell face-first into a bowl of chili. Now that hurt!" Cheese laughed for a little bit, even though it wasn't all that funny. After awhile, the laughter died down, and he found himself in that awkward phase once more. He bit his lip, trying to think of something else to say. Anything else. "U-Uh - what's up with you?" He hoped that was enough to keep things casual - well, as casual as things could be between two party ponies, one of which was holding a giant bowl of japalenos.
  22. Candy had been a little more focused on the apple basket than Applejack's response, so he worried that he might've failed to exchange a farewell with her. No - he had forgotten to do so. He'd just been too insistent on apologizing to do it earlier. He turned to shout out a farewell just as the mare called out to her brother to aid him with the bushels. He, well. . . it was safe to say that he didn't say anything one could really make out for the first few seconds. Still, he got a handle on his nerves - barely. He resigned himself to simply accepting the assistance, though not without a small, "Hullo," to the other stallion. It was safe to say that the embarrassment phase was over for Candy. . . he'd gotten his apples, and he was on his way out. Oh, dear. He certainly hoped that he was back to his usual social self if Applejack or anyone else showed up to his place. Otherwise, he'd be better off just quitting. No one liked watching a timid stallion making candy art. Well, maybe some people. . . but certainly not the majority. Candy laughed a little at the thought of messing up again sometime in the future, and resolved to deal with the issue later on. For now, though, he needed to head out of town, and get working on those candy apples. Once he'd arrived at the cart and all the apples had been safely placed inside, Candy gave an uncharacteristically short thank you to Big Mac. Maybe that was just him being too nervous to say too much - though the red stallion hadn't seemed like one to talk much, so it didn't seem like it was necessary to say more than thank you. He hooked himself up to the front of the cart, and was once more on his way - somewhere. This time, he'd probably end up setting up camp somewhere just outside of Ponyville, just since he already felt tired. He could start working on the apples anywhere, so it was fine. Work would hopefully keep his mind off of other things until he was done. . . "Oh dear - three hundred-and seventy-five apples. That will be quite the task," he murmured to himself. Hopefully he could maintain the energy required to keep at it this time - otherwise, he might end up having to eat some of the apples to stay with it! *EXIT*
  23. Candy made a sound like air blowing out of a tire. There were probably several dozen ways he could mess up a kiss. If he were the one giving it rather than receiving it, what if he was sloppy about it? Or what if it was too long? He didn't want to come off as rude to her, of all ponies. "Now, I didn't say that. Or rather, I wasn't trying to. . . I was just implying that. . ." Applejack's comment about him imagining her as Big Mac made him cock his head to one side slightly. He didn't know who she was talking about - at first. One glance towards the pony she gestured to sent a hot flush to his face. How had he not noticed the lad before? It seemed impossible to, now that he'd seen him. And he was still staring. The pink-haired stallion put a hoof to one cheek, squeezing his eyes shut. How embarrassing. . . He was supposed to be better than this. Since when did Candy Cain act this flustered? "N-Now I hardly think that's -" he began, tail flicking nervously, before his attention was drawn back to Applejack again. Despite all the time he'd wasted on preparing for the kiss, he still wasn't fully prepared for it. Surprisingly, though. . . it was just that. A kiss, and nothing more. Cain looked a little blank in the face for a moment as his brain tried to make sense of his earlier concern. Yes, maybe he'd been expecting something a little more dramatic out of it - something that he could mess up in some way. Luckily, receiving a kiss was nearly impossible to mess up. ". . . Oh," he finally said, blinking a few times. "M-My apologies. I guess. . ." After a moment, he appeared to process the fact that he'd actually been kissed, albeit on the cheek. He was happy for that - otherwise, he might've fainted. He couldn't get the image of Big Mac doing it out of his mind, however. His face reddened even further as he continued speaking. "I-I suppose that my mind was too busy thinking up drastic consequences for the unlikely scenario that I botched this. . ." Candy looked away, slightly annoyed. Why was he like this? When it came to gatherings, parties, shows, or other social meetups, he was completely fine with social interaction and everything that came with it. When it came to just being regular old Candy Cain, though. . . that was a whole other story. 'Oh dear. . . I'd better hope that I don't go on a date in the near-future. Otherwise, I might just have a heart attack.' Candy put the last bit down on the counter, giving a half-smile. "In any event, I apologize for the, um. . . the general time-wasting, ehe. I guess it was just my original surprise and confusion combining itself with frayed nerves. . . and sugar." Candy frowned. Yep - he'd had a piece or two earlier. That would probably explain his fast-paced talking earlier. Perhaps he'd just chill out in his cart for a little while after leaving. . . he didn't want to assault anyone else with his worries and pointless chatter. He had an image to upkeep, and he was doing a pretty poor job of it by acting like a fool while buying apples. Speaking of which, he needed to grab those. . . Candy took the the first bushel with relative ease. There was no way he was moving three of those in one trip. He gave a little wave with his hoof, more focused on keeping the apples from falling than anything. "I thank you for being understanding - and of course, for the apples. If all goes well, I may just end up returning. . ." A glance at Big Mac sent another flush to Candy's face. He shook his head. "F-For apples! You can never have enough of those, eh?"
  24.  minutes since 2019 ended over here. . . I don't feel any different. I've been scammed. You've ALL been scammed.

  25. Candy took a deep breath. Applejack was right - he was being a little too over-the-top about this. He needed to just relax for a moment. Still, a moment was too long right now, He needed to be out of the way of the others before things got ugly. A line that didn't move for too long was bound to explode at some point. He could be calm and courteous at the same time, couldn't he? "R-Right. . . I'd just rather not -" I'd rather not have to actually talk to them. "Uh. . . I'd just rather not accidentally cause a fuss. Still, the more apples I get, the more fillies and colts I can make smile, right?" Candy grinned, turning away to put his notebook back. He didn't want to have to leave the line and ho back into his cart though, so he simply balanced it on his back and shrugged a little. "Jolly good," he said, mostly to himself. Yes, he could just see it now. . . Everyone looking content with their share of sweets, curled up at home. . . Or, well, doing whatever it was they did on a daily basis near the holdiays. Candy? Well, he was usually working. He didn't really think about what he'd do when the work was done. Usually, he found a reason to keep working before that time came. Once the three bushels were out and ready for purchase, Candy began rummaging through his pouch of bits for payment. His ears perked up at the mention of his shop, though. "Hmm? Oh - heh, everyone asks that. It used to be in Canterlot, but now, well . .." He gestured back to his cart. "I work in it, travel with it, fall asleep on the job in it. . . I'm surprised it hasn't fallen apart yet. I bought it for a discount the day I left. I guess you could say I'm a traveling show." Speaking of which, did Candy have anything planned for today? A quick mental check of his calendar told him no, but that didn't mean that he couldn't make an unplanned visit somewhere public. Would they want to see him, though? It was pretty cold today. Still. . . what would he do if they weren't coming? Perhaps he could just get started on the apples. . . He just needed to stay busy. Yes, that was it. "Very good, then." Candy counted out fifteen bits, setting them down on the counter one by one. He was doing it quickly enough, but by the seventh one (and the worried expression on his face), it was obvious that he was stalling somewhat. "Eleven, twelve, thirteen. . ." He began murmuring even slower as the numbers climbed. "Fourteen. . . You know, how are we going to do this? I'm sorry, but the idea of paying for something with bits and a kiss is very new to me. I'd rather not mess a kiss up, since, um. . ."
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