Nilla Drop had been wandering the Everfree Forest for days.
"Stupid gypsy pony," she muttered to herself. "All I wanted to know was my purpose in life. 'Your destiny is in the Everfree Forest,'" she mocked. "Yeah, right. There's nothing here, I mean nothing, but cold, dark, black, icky muck! I should have gone to Madame Pinkie Pie instead. Lousy second-rate psychics."
Nilla Drop's stomach growled for the fifth time that day.
"I'm so hungry. There's nothing here to eat. I don't even know what's edible. The last thing I tried was that stupid blue flower. Luckily that zebra was nearby to give me the cure. Ugh, what a disaster."
After what seemed like an eternity, Nilla Drop could finally spot a light in the distance. Thinking this could only be something good, she charged ahead towards the source of the light.
Before her stood the most glorious little shop, a shining beacon of hope in the inky depths of the Everfree Forest. A sign above the door read "Sunset Sprinkles' Pony Treats" in brightly-colored letters. A pie sat cooling on the windowsill.
Nilla knew not to take things that didn't belong to her, but her hunger had become so unbearable that she couldn't possibly resist devouring the first thing she came across that she knew she could eat. After a quick perimeter check to ensure nopony could catch her in the act, she swiped the pie and inhaled the tasty treat.
"Oh my Celestia!" she said with a satisfied sigh. "That is the most delicious pie I have ever tasted!"
The sudden click-clack of the door being unlocked brought Nilla out of her food coma. In the doorway in front of her stood a creme-colored unicorn with a bright orange mane coiffed like the icing on a cupcake.
"Did you eat my pie?" inquired the unicorn.
"I didn't mean to!" squeaked the panicked earth pony. "I was starving! I've been lost in this forest for days without food!"
"Confound it!" said the unicorn. "Do you know how hard it is to find ingredients in the Everfree Forest!?"
"I'm so sorry! I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you, whatever you want!"
The unicorn sighed. "I knew I shouldn't have put that there. I mean, who actually leaves pies cooling on a windowsill? But I guess that's my fault, not yours. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Sunset Sprinkles, owner of this sweet little shop, and I make the most delectable desserts with only the most special ingredients!"
"I'm Nilla Drop," said Nilla. "I don't do anything."
"How would you like to come work for me?"
"Anything I can do to make it up to you, ma'am," said Nilla.
"Think nothing of it," said Sunset Sprinkles. "I want you to be my assistant because I think you'll be good at it, not because you ate my pie."
"Really? You think I could be a great baker like you?"
"Well, not quite like me," said Sunset, "but yes, I believe you'll turn out very well!"
"Well, if you think so," said Nilla.
"Great! Let's get started!"
For days and weeks Sunset Sprinkles taught her new apprentice how to bake everything from fritters to pies, from doughnuts to ice cream cakes. While everything Nilla baked came out delicious and wonderful, still none of it compared to any of Sunset's fine creations. Sunset assured her it was simply a matter of time before she would make a treat just as good.
One day, Nilla was off on her own in the front of the store mixing up a batch of muffins. Halfway through, she realized she needed more eggs and left the counter in search of Sunset.
"Sunset? Suns-"
She stopped at the entrance to the kitchen and peeked through the crack in the slightly opened door. Nilla watched as Sunset Sprinkles and a light green earth pony with a dark red mane she had never seen before carried on a conversation.
"Are you sure you're ready, Mint Tulip?" said Sunset.
"Yes, Miss Sprinkles," said Mint Tulip. "I have felt ready for a while now."
"Your service to me has been invaluable."
"Thank you, Miss Sprinkles."
Using her unicorn magic, Sunset Sprinkles enchanted the earth pony as well as a baking pan lying on top of the oven. Mint Tulip closed her eyes and positioned herself like an Element of Harmony as she was carried above the pan. As her hooves touched down, they began to melt into a puddle of chocolate. The further she descended, the more of her body transformed until she was nothing more than a pan full of brownie mix.
Nilla recoiled in fear and disbelief.
"Oh shit oh shit oh shit oh shit!" she cried. "I am in a peck of trouble! Maybe even a bushel of trouble!"
Nilla bolted for her room. Sunset walked out of the kitchen carrying the baking pan.
"Nilla?" said Sunset. "Would you like to help me finish making these mint chocolate brownies?"
She looked around but saw no sign of Nilla.
"Nilla?"
Sunset Sprinkles knocked at Nilla's door.
"Nilla? Are you OK?"
"No," cried Nilla.
Sunset pushed on the door handle. The door was unlocked.
"What's wrong, dear?" said Sunset.
"You turned that poor pony into brownie batter!" cried Nilla.
"Oh. You saw that?"
"Darn right I saw that! How could you!?"
"It was entirely her decision, Nilla. Mint Tulip and I came to an agreement that the time had come for her to be transformed."
"What pony in their right mind would agree to that!?"
"Allow me to explain. For as long as I can remember I have been running this shop, and my special talent has been transforming ponies into desserts. But not just any pony wandering the Everfree Forest can just stumble upon this place. They have to be a certain type of pony, a pony with no meaningful existence, no purpose in life other than to eventually be transformed. It must be their destiny. That is what brought you here, is it not?"
Suddenly Nilla remembered what sent her into the Everfree Forest in the first place.
"This has been the case for every pony who has ever come through here. I can't force anypony, I can't coerce anypony; otherwise the spell doesn't even work. They have to decide on their own when their time will come."
"Will the same thing that happened to them happen to me?" said Nilla.
"Yes," said Sunset, "when the time is right."
For the next two weeks, Nilla spent most of the time in her room, lamenting the direction her life appeared to be taking. While she feared what would eventually happen to her, she couldn't discount her suspicions that Sunset was right. Occasionally she would come downstairs to help Sunset, but it just wasn't the same anymore.
One day when she came downstairs, she actually felt like she might be able to accept her fate.
"Nilla?" said Sunset. "Do you feel like helping today? We have a big order to fill. We've been hired to cater Roneo and Starlet's wedding."
"Wedding?" said Nilla. "That means…"
A sudden wave of clarity came over Nilla. For the first time in her life, she knew what she had to do. She knew her destiny.
"Sunset?"
"Yes, Nilla?"
"I think I'm ready."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."
Sunset Sprinkles took a careful look at her number one assistant and gave her a loving smile.
"You'll make a lovely cake," said Sunset as she gave Nilla a peck on the cheek.
And with those words, Nilla Drop was finally happy.
Sunset Sprinkles cast her spell again. Nilla closed her eyes and posed as she ascended just as Mint Tulip had done. As her hooves touched the enchanted mixing bowl below her, they melted into a lovely vanilla cake mix the same off-white color as her coat, with tiny specks of vanilla bean the same rich brown color as her braided mane. The transformation was not painful; to Nilla, it felt like sitting in a massage chair on a moderate setting. The gentle vibrations moved up her back legs, through her body, out her front legs, up her neck, to the top of her head, as each part became cake batter.
Sunset gently mixed the Nilla batter, then poured her into four round cake pans, two large and two small. Once all the batter had been transferred to the cake pans, she slid them into the oven. The heat did not sting; to Nilla, it felt like a day at the beach, lying in the midday sun.
After the cake had finished baking and had cooled down, Sunset placed and frosted each layer. Finally she added the decorations: ribbons and flowers, white sprinkles and silver-coated chocolate beads.
"You're beautiful, Nilla," said Sunset.
And with those words, Nilla Drop was happy.
The Nilla cake was delivered to Roneo and Starlet's wedding reception. The bride and groom cut the cake and distributed the pieces to their guests, including two for Sunset Sprinkles. To Nilla, each cut felt like a gentle pet, and each piece being eaten felt like being licked by puppies.
And Nilla Drop was happy.
Cherry Swirl had been wandering the Everfree Forest for days.
"Stupid gypsy pony," she muttered to herself.