「MMMM」: Pinkie's Story /// Chapter IV: The MMMMystery Begins

Previously, on The 「Marzipan Mascarpone Meringue Madness」: Pinkie's Story...
https://pastebin.com/tWLe56mv

>It's two A.M., and you're asleep, knowing that the 「MMMM」 is in safe hooves
>You're dreaming of sweets and parties and your friends, among other things
>But something is peculiar
>One dream keeps coming back to you, yet you don't know why, and it always ends abruptly
>It always ends like this...
>"Dad, you didn't answer the other question! What're the powers called?"
>"Oh, right. These special abilities don't have a name, but you know what I call 'em? To me, they're—"

-----

>It is now seven in the morning, and the fiasco from last night lays fresh in your dreams
>Mangoes and Applejack and a lot of other things plague your thoughts
>But you're more than glad that the 「MMMM」 is alright and untouched
>You're somewhat grateful for the clash with Donut Joe, the rest you got was more than enough for the night
>Yawning, you tiredly look up with a smile at the 「MMMM」
"You're alright. Good. I can't let the marvellous 「MMMM」 be eaten while I'm around!"
>Sighing, you get up and stretch your hind legs
>Your legs still ache from falling off one of the intruders (whom you presume is Applejack)
>You mean, it could be worse, but Celestia knows how badly your hooves hurt right now
>Pausing, you decide to check around the room, inspecting the other sweets
>Gustave's eclairs?
>Check, nothing seems out of the ordinary
>Mulia's mousse moose/abomination/creature?
>Check, doesn't look like anything dangerous, although the eye looks a bit off
>Joe's 「Donutopia」?
>As much as you'd like to deny it, check
>You still can't find it in yourself for insulting Rainbow Dash, but at least he got his comeuppance for it
>That's how you solve fights PINKIE PIE STYLE

>You sigh, looking back to the 「MMMM」
>Check, you hope
>You were asleep for six hours, so who knows what could have happened in that timeframe?
>Applejack could have done something to it, with her muddy hooves and her not washing them
>The very thought makes you shiver, even though you like her
>Goodness gracious, you're getting ahead of yourself
>Muttering to yourself, you figure to get a snack from your trusty ability
"「PPP」, would you please?"
>Coming from a wall is a chocolate bar, which you immediately begin to snack on
>Nothing like a "healthy" breakfast to start off your day
>Your favourite bookworm comes through the doorway as you finish off the food, so you smile to greet her
"Check it out, Twilight! 「MMMM」 is perfectly safe, thanks to me! Can I get a congratulations for a job well done?"
>Twilight smiles, looking at the cake before a shocked expression overtakes her face
>Oh no
>"Pinkie, you might want to hold off on giving yourself an award just yet. Look!"
>NO NO NO
"Huh? What's the matter— WHAT THE—?!"
>OH CELESTIA YOU MADE SURE THAT NO ONE TOUCHED IT
>Right on the side of the 「MMMM」 is a giant, giant bite, almost taking a third of the cake
>You're at a loss for words, still trying to process this information
>With a heavy heart, you yell out the first thing you think of
"OH! MY! GO~~~~~~~~~~~~D!"

><=To=Be=Continued=====

>Except it wasn't a cliffhanger, because this stuff is happening in real time
>You're still shocked, tears almost welling in your eyes as you try to think of who did this
"B-But... B-But I..."
>Twilight comes to your side and pats your back as your sadness intensifies
"B-But I worked so hard on it! Mr. and Mrs. Cake worked so hard on it! Why would someone do something like this?"
>Sighing, the bookworm just keeps patting your back as a few teardrops of yours falls to the ground
>The cake just sits there, almost making you as it stands there ever-so-proudly
>If you hadn't fallen to sleep last night, this wouldn't have happened
>So much for being the Element of Laughter, right?
>You wipe your eyes as the rest of the gang comes in, as well as the bakers
>Trying not to meet their faces, you look to the side while Twilight comforts you
>"Ah heard y'all cryin' from in mah room. All of us could hear it. What happened?"
>With a sniffle, you look back with a glare, burning a hole through Applejack
"SOMEPONY laid their dirty hooves on the 「MMMM」 before the competition! Now it's... Now it's... DEFILED!"
>Sobbing, you lay your head on Twilight's shoulder, trying to brave away the feeling of disappointment you have
>You can't tell Mr. and Mrs. Cake about anything that happened here
>Celestia knows their hearts would be broken
>Applejack gasps, taking one hoofstep forward
>"Pinkie, Ah'm... Ah'm so sorry! What're we going to do now?"
>You wipe your eyes, staring back up at Applejack
"I'm going to find out who did it, obviously. And when I do..."

>Rarity gulps, the determination in your eyes surely unmistakable
>"And what are you going to do to the dastardly culprits, Pinkie?"
"I'm going to bring them to justice. No one, and I say again, NO ONE, will take this away from me without punishment!"
>Your elucidation finished, you look up at Twilight and nod
"Twilight, I need you to help me to find out who done it! I have suspects, but I'd like an assistant!"
>Twilight sighs, staring down at you before shaking her head
>"You mean, 'Who DID it', Pinkie."
"Yeah, who did-done-dood-it! It doesn't matter, because we're being duped right now!"
>The whole room gasps, belief in suspension as your claim grips their attention
>"And what makes you think that, Pinkie? We haven't even started investigating yet."
"It's elementary, my dear Twilight. I've run every single answer through my head, and I don't even need to bust out the hats I was saving for this bit—"
>"Wait, what?"
>「PPP」 erases your words, everyone dismissing it as "Pinkie just being Pinkie"
"N-Nothing! Ahem! The truth is that there are multiple suspects in this very room. I know all of them, but which one is the one responsible for this dirty deed done dirt cheap? Allow me to direct your attention to the most likely culprit."
>You smirk, standing on your hind legs and pointing your hoof in a certain griffin's direction
"Gustave! Your next line will be... 'It wasn't me'! To you!"
>Gustave shields himself with his arm, as if trying to deflect the blame off of him
>"It wasn't me—? What?! How could you possibly say that?"
"It's easy, Gustave. Let me break down what you did..."

>You are Gustave le Grand (Pinkie Edition), and you are going to eat a cake tonight
>Not just any cake, oh, no
>You're going to eat 「MMMM」, the prized creation of that pink idiot
>Her confidence annoys you, her baking intimidates you, her cake almost trumps your eclairs
>But after tonight, things will change in your favour
>With your magnificent cape that you stole from the white unicorn, you turn into a shadow and appear behind the pink one, who's staring at the cake vigilantly
>You must give her credit, at least she's doing her job well
>About to take the cake, the idiot slaps your talon before you can take it
"Ouch!"
>Turning around, the pony yells at you, mentioning triple Ps or something similar
>"Get your hands off that cake, you cur!"
>Having enough of her nonsense, you grab her by the torso and jump out of the train
>Using your wings, you dash ahead about five hundred meters in front of the train and quickly tie her to the train tracks
>One less opponent to worry about, you suppose
>Laughing, you run away so you can watch as she bites the dust
>The pink one looks towards the train and wails, fear evident on her face
>"Oh, goodness!"
>SQUELCH
>That's one pony down, now it's time to get to the train
>Jumping back through the window, you set up a conveyor belt and get a sawblade ready to cut the cake in half
>The plan goes effortlessly without any problems, and you celebrate by twirling your mustache
"Muhahaha!"

"...And that's why I know that, without a doubt, YOU are the reason my pride and joy has been mutilated!"
>Donut Joe coughs, but you pay no mind as you summon 「PPP」 and get ready to take care of him
"Get ready to pay the price, you monster!"
>One hand outstretched behind it, 「PPP」 gets ready to strike...
"Ouch!"
>Twilight manages to tackle you before you hurt Gustave, breathing heavily as the adrenaline wears off
>"P-Pinkie, calm down! This makes no sense in the slightest, and this time, you CAN'T blame it on a hunch!"
"Yeah? Tell me, exactly how am I wrong?"
>"Well, firstly, if you WERE tied to the train tracks, how are you still here? You don't have magic or anything, so you can't feasibly have gotten out alive!"
>You pause, opening your mouth, and then closing it
>You choose not to mention 「PPP」 as it's too risky with Donut Joe around, even if you were about to hurt Gustave with it
"Yeah, well... Um... I've got my Pinkie tricks, you know—"
>"Secondly, the cake wasn't sliced. It was bitten. It would leave a larger mess if it was sliced."
"... Alright, so maybe it's not Gustave. Big deal! He doesn't have the smarts in order to pull something like that off."
>"Take that back, you birdbrained equine!"
"Stop talkin' about yourself, Gustave, I'm looking for the culprit. This is a serious crime against baking in Equestria!"
>Twilight stops the commotion, getting off of you and pointing towards the cake
>"No griffin, grand or otherwise, could leave a bite mark this clean. The cake is still standing. Gustave is not guilty."
"OBJECTION!"
>Slamming your hooves on the floor, you glare at Gustave with an argument so compelling it'll blow everyone's minds
"I say he's guilty because he has that look on his face, and the motive to boot!"

>"And... What motive would that be, Pinkie? Look at him, he's confused by your train of logic."
"That's because he's trying to deflect the blame. I know you, Gustave le Grand."
>You take another step forward, intending to intimidate him into admitting it was him
>From the look on his face, you'd say that you're doing a dang fine job
>Smirking, you take one more step forward to drive the point home
"You're too much of a chicken to admit the blame when it's on him! Tell me, Gustave. How do you like your baked goods?"
>"Pinkie, this has gone far enough! Lay off of him and get your mind back on track!"
"Alright, alright, sheesh, I was going to focus on the true culprit at hand anyway. There's no way it could be le Grand. His eclairs are too good to be worrying about my cake, as great as it is."
>"Are you even LISTENING TO ME?!"
>You pace around the room, staring at the gang and judging by their body language who might be to blame
>Fluttershy has fear in her eyes
>Rarity is feeling a bit of anxiety
>Gustave has been intimidated (rightfully so)
>Donut Joe, while appearing troubled, seems somewhat relaxed
>Rainbow Dash is looking down on you, so who knows what she's thinking
>Mulia looks confused at what's happening
>And lastly, Applejack and Twilight looks concerned on the resolve you're exhibiting
>It's a tough choice, but after thinking it over, the truth is clear
>You know that there's six suspects left to interrogate, but the one who's responsible is clear

"I've cracked it, Twilight. You might not believe me, but I KNOW just who it is to blame for the grief I'm experiencing."
>Twilight groans, although she gawks at the staunchness you're showing
>"Yeah? And just who would that me, Ms. I'm-the-detective?"
>With a sudden rise in anger, you point at Applejack with 「PPP」's presence looming near
"Applejack, I TOLD you not to even consider touching that cake!"

><=To=Be=Continued====