Author's note: Thank God I came up with this, I actually had nothing planned until St. Paddy's Day. Here's a classic ENC chapter for you all, no holiday, nothing crazy, just a fun little chapter.

Chapter 38: Cakes for a day

"So the first thing you wanna do, once you've gathered your ingredients is pour the milk first." I explained to Pinkie as we made breakfast together, I was showing her a method of preparing milk that I had a feeling she'd just might enjoy.

"Pour the milk, got it!" She said as she poured from a carton of milk into two glasses.

"Next up, the maple syrup." I said. "A spoonful in each glass."

"Got it!" She stirred them in.

"Then the chocolate syrup." I said. "A squirt in each glass, then stir."

"Squirt 'n stir!" She repeated.

"And now, assuming you followed the instructions correctly you should have the perfect cup of 'cereal milk'. A product of my own design." I boasted as I took a sip. "Yep, perfect." I grinned. "Go on, try it." She took a mouthful of the drink and smiled.

"Mm! Yummy!" She grinned.

"Sure is, terribly unhealthy though." I added.

"Who cares, this thing is delish!" She said. "You've gotta sell this! We'd be kazillionaires!"

"We'd also give all Equestria diabetes." I chuckled. "Let's keep it our secret, we'll keep it in our family for generations to come."

"Sounds like a plan." She giggled. "Alright, my turn to share a recipe!" She grinned.

"And what would your recipe be?" I asked.

"I'm gonna show you the most amazing, delicious, outta this world pancakes you've ever seen!" She smiled gathering ingredients. "Let's see, chocolate chips, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, bananas, blackberries, whipping cream, maple syrup, chocolate syrup... then the pancake stuff! Yep! We're all set!" She grinned. "So! First we wanna mix the batter together..." She whipped up the pancake mix into the bowl. "Well aren't you gonna help? Grab some berries!" She grinned as she grabbed a sack of blueberries and I grabbed the raspberries, soon the blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and chocolate chips were mixed in and the pancakes were cooking, I began whipping the cream and she mixed the strawberries in with the maple syrup. "We have everything ready?" She asked.

"Just have to slice the bananas." I said as I did just that. "Okay! We're ready!"

"Great!" She grinned flipping pancakes up in the air and onto a plate. "Okay! First, whipped cream!" She lathered the whipped cream on. "Then the syrup and strawberries." I nodded and put them on. "Next?"

"Chocolate syrup and bananas!" She said putting them on. "Alright! Looks like we're all set! Ready? First bites always the best!" She smiled.

"First bite on three, ready?" I asked.

"Sure am!" She nodded.

"One, two, three!" We said as we both took our first bite.

"Sweet Aunt Jemima that's amazing!" I remarked.

"I know! I happen to know my way around an amazing breakfast, I tried pitching them to Sunny Side, but she was all "These are too many calories Pinkie!" and "Somepony had a heart attack eating these!" As if! Am I right?" She giggled.

"Precisely." I nodded as I kept eating. "So what's on the agenda for today?" I asked.

"Got a few deliveries, it's cupcake day at Ponyville elementary!" She said. "You?"

"Nothing really." I shook my head. "Today's my day off, Quibble's running the tavern today, I'm sure when I come in tomorrow it'll be a comic book store."

"We'll see!" She giggled. Suddenly, the door to the loft opened and Mr. Cake came rushing in.

"Hiya Mr. Cake! We were just eating breakfast, y'hungry?" Pinkie asked him.

"No time, sorry Pinkie." He said. "I was just coming on to tell you we have to head out for the day. Apparently Mrs. Cake's great aunt wound up in the hospital after a nasty spill at the old pony's home in Baltimare. We're just going up to check in, we'll be back tomorrow morning and I needed to know if I could ask you two something."

"Anything." I said. "Whaddya need?"

"Could you two run the bakery while we're gone?" He asked. "Pinkie, I'll pay you extra and I'll throw in something for you too Chuck." Pinkie and I exchanged looks.

"Well Chuckie, now you have something planned for the day!" Pinkie giggled. "We'll gladly help out!"

"Sounds good to me." I nodded.

"Oh thank Celestia." Mr. Cake breathed a sigh of relief. "Anyway, I've gotta go, thanks again you too!" He rushed out the door.

"You're welcome!" Pinkie called. "Well Chuckie, ready to get baking?"

"I haven't done that in a while, gave it up when it affected my grades. Oh, you mean in the kitchen, yeah, lets do it." I chuckled as we headed downstairs. "So, what do we do first?"

"I dunno! I'm normally the one who does the deliveries, but as you know I am a confectionery genius, we'll figure it out." Pinkie shrugged.

"The only area being a genius matters." I nodded.

"How is it you always know the perfect thing to say?" She asked as she kissed me on the cheek.

"I used to be a writer, I know what sounds good." I replied.

"You did?" She asked.

"Sure, I wrote plays, mostly comedies." I explained. "Comedies with a hint of romance."

"What don't you do?" She asked.

"Long vigorous bouts of physical activity." I replied. "And when I do it nearly kills me." She giggled at that.

"Lazy pants." She giggled.

"I won't disagree to that." I chuckled. "Wait, what about the Cupcake day thing at Ponyville Elementary?" I asked.

"Oh yeah! That's what we have to do first!" She remembered. "Okay! So we're gonna need to upscale this recipe for all the foals."

"Any allergies to dairy or gluten?" I asked.

"Nope!" She shook her head.

"That makes things easier." I nodded as I began to whip up batter. "So I'll handle the batter and putting them in the tins, you handle the frosting?"

"Sounds good!" She smiled. We worked together and soon we had a good quantity of cupcakes ready, I had decided to join Pinkie in the frosting and packaging.

"How many do we have so far?" I asked.

"Cupcakes a plenty!" Pinkie said. "And one handsome hunk of a sweet bun."

"Please, if anything I'm a pitiful lemon tart." I chuckled.

"But I like lemon tarts!" Pinkie said. "And blueberry tarts, cream cheese tarts, cream tarts, apple tarts, chocolate mousse tarts..."

"I get it." I said. "Well, I'm glad whatever pastry I am that you still love me."

"You know what every good pastry needs though?" She asked.

"What?" I replied.

"A little frosting on top." She giggled as she lathered a spoonful or frosting on my cheek.

"Gee thanks." I said as she giggled before I licked it off. "Sweet, but not the sweetest." I said.

"Yeah, and what is?" She asked.

"A certain beautiful, fun, loving, all around amazing pink mare, you wouldn't happen to know her, would you? Answers to Pinkie Pie?" I flirted.

"I love you." She giggled.

"I love you too Cutie Pie." I said as I kissed her, we held together for a little while, until somepony cleared their throats and startled us. We both turned to see Octavia behind the counter. "Hello! Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! How can we help you?" I asked professionally.

"If you have any bags I can vomit in after watching that you can supply those for me." She said. "Where are Mr. and Mrs. Cake?"

"They're off on some family business, Chuckie and I are running the shop today!" Pinkie said. "So what can we do you for?"

"I require three dozen biscuits for this afternoon." Octavia replied.

"Having a strawberry shortcake party?" Pinkie asked.

"Heavens no." Octavia replied.

"Biscuits and cream?" Pinkie asked. Octavia just shook her head. "Well then what for? Tell me you're at least putting butter on them!"

"I require them for a potluck gathering tomorrow in Canterlot for the orchestral guild of Equestria." Octavia explained.

"Booooriiiiing." Pinkie hummed quietly to me. I snickered quietly and nodded at Octavia.

"We'll have them to you as soon as their ready." I replied.

"If possible, no sugar please, too much flavor. Thank you." Octavia requested as she left.

"This type of stuff is why I run a bar, no tight-flanks like that." I said to Pinkie as we were now alone again.

"No sugar please, too much flavor." Pinkie mimicked. "There's hardly any sugar in biscuits in the first place!" Pinkie remarked.

"I know right?" I laughed. "Well, the cupcakes are about ready, what do you say I deliver them and you can get a start on the biscuits?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Pinkie nodded. I went out and hooked up the cart as Pinkie piled the boxes onto it. "Need directions?" She asked.

"Are you just looking for an excuse to come with me?" I asked.

"No!" She shook her head. "Yes."

"I knew it." I smirked.

"I can't help it!" She whined. "Biscuits are the most boring pastry ever!" I chuckled and nodded a little.

"C'mon then, I could use the company." I said leading her.

"Yay!" She beamed placing a "back in five minutes" sign on the door. "Let'sgolet'sgolet'sgolet'sgo!" She said excitedly.

"Okay okay." I chuckled. "But we can't do all the deliveries together." I said.

"You're right, I'm making you do the boring biscuits." She giggled.

"Anymore of that and you're sleeping on the couch." I threatened.

"Why would that affect you? We sleep in different rooms." She said.

"Good point." I nodded. "Except that time we both slept on the couch."

"That was a nice night." Pinkie smiled.

"Yeah." I smiled. "We should do it again sometime." I said.

"Oooh we should!" Pinkie smiled widely.

"Alright, enough of this scandalous premarital snuggling talk, we're about to enter a school." I said in a mock serious tone.

"Aww boo." Pinkie fake pouted.

"Boo indeed, and if you don't like it, extra homework for you Ms. Pie." I said, still as serious.

"But Mr..." She stopped. "Mr... uh..."

"It's Murphy." I said.

"But Mr. Murphy..." She fake pouted before she started to giggle, the giggle soon spread to me as we walked up the walkway to the humble schoolhouse.

"Alright, y'ready?" I asked.

"You ask that like I haven't done cupcake day a thousand times before." Pinkie said smugly.

"Considering it's a bi-yearly event I sure hope you haven't done it a thousand times." I replied.

"You know what I meant." She giggled as she knocked on the door. A few seconds later Ms. Cheerilee opened the door and welcomed us in.

"Well hello! I must say it's a surprise to see both of you here, I thought the cakes just had one delivery pony." She said welcoming us inside.

"I needed the exercise." I said with a chuckle as I walked inside.

"Well that's just super." Cheerilee said. "Class, please welcome Pinkie Pie and..." She stopped and looked at me. "I don't believe we've ever actually met."

"My name is Chuck." I replied.

"Pinkie Pie and Chuck for everypony's favorite day!" Cheerilee said.

"Cupcake day!" The class chanted happily.

"That's right!" Cheerilee nodded. "Everypony form a single file line, make sure to say please and thank you!" All the little foals in class got in line and one by one Pinkie and I handed out the cupcakes. Each one were very polite, almost made me rethink how I felt about kids. Just kidding, I love 'em, from a distance. Afterwards miss Cheerliee approached us and thanked us once more. "Thank you very much you two, I know how much they love today."

"They love it almost as much as I do!" Pinkie giggled. "I actually got to make 'em this time!"

"You did?" I asked.

"We made them." Pinkie motioned to the two of us.

"Well that's super." Cheerilee nodded. "Well, thanks again, I'd better go back to teaching."

"And we'd better get back." I nodded.

"By everypony!" Pinkie called out as we left.

"Say, how many minutes did you put on the sign?" I asked.

"Five." She said.

"When did we leave?" I asked.

"Just around..." She looked at the clock tower and gasped. "Eek!" She gasped.

"Hop on." I hooked up the delivery cart. She grinned and jumped onto the delivery cart.

"Hi ho Chuckie, away!" She called out as I began to run, I wasn't a great runner but I could work well under pressure. "Hurry! We're almost there!"

"I know!" I said rushing past various ponies.

"We should do this more often!" Pinkie said as I ran.

"Run late?" I asked.

"If it means I get fast paced rides around town the yes!" She said.

"Maybe we could take turns on who gets the ride?" I panted.

"We'll see!" She answered as we stopped. I panted and wheezed as I trudged up the steps and into the shop.

"You mind shoveling a cup or two of sugar into my mouth? I could use the energy." I panted in the floor.

"I'm coming you big baby." Pinkie giggled and poured a cup of sugar into my mouth. "Need any coffee with that?"

"Juth pouw it in." I said with sugar in my mouth.

"Coming right up." She said pouring coffee into my mouth. I swished it around like mouthwash and swallowed.

"That's better." I got to my hooves. "Now what?"

"Now you're making biscuits!" Pinkie said.

"Aw come on." I whined.

"Nope, somepony has to be behind the counter, and that pony is me." She grinned. "That and you know my stance on biscuits. Thaaanks!"

"That and you know my stance on biscuits." I mimicked. "Alright Chuck, let's get baking." I said to myself as I started gathering ingredients for biscuits.

Me: Starting off with a little flour,
A pinch of salt in there,
Mix a little baking powder!
Gotta cube up that stick of butter.

Cause I'm baking biscuits in the kitchen,
Baking biscuits, and I ain't bitchin'
Sifting and stirring, all about,
Making up biscuits, and shippin' 'em out.

Pour in a touch of milk,
Or something of that ilk,
But remember this, don't be a bugger,
Tavi wanted us to hold the sugar.

Because I'm, baking biscuits, yes I am.
Baking biscuits... Sam-I-Am,
Working hard, stirring and beating,
Cause these biscuits are made for eating!

And then I'll-

"Chuckie." Pinkie popped her head into the kitchen. "Loving the song and all, but Granny Smith did not appreciate that lyric in the first chorus."

"I thought this was a family establishment!" Granny smith wailed.

"Heh... sorry!" I called. "I'll uh... keep the songs family friendly or none at all." I got back to the biscuit baking. "There goes my song about puck biscuits." I muttered. "Hehe. Rhymes with puck." I chuckled, obviously referring to my name, I mean what else, right? Not too long after the biscuits were about halfway through baking more orders started coming in, and I mean a lot. "Okay, a dozen donuts for Spike... have to wait for the fryer to warm up. Lyra's hot cakes... not quite hot enough yet... Sunny Side's peach cobbler, don't know why she couldn't have made that herself. Aaaand there are the biscuits." I said to myself as the timer went off. I carefully removed the pan and packaged them. "Pinkie! The biscuits are done!" I called.

"Go deliver them!" She called back.

"I can't! I've got three other things on the go!" I called back.

"Well who's gonna watch the counter?" Pinkie asked.

"I can pop in and out, besides, you actually know where Octavia lives!" I called.

"You're lucky I think you're the most amazing colt in Equestria, you know?" Pinkie asked as she walked in and took the boxes. "You might want to pop in soon, I just heard the bell ring!" She said as she exited out the back.

"Okay, timers are set." I nodded. "Better see who just came in." I said as I went out to the front. Standing before me was Princess Twilight. "Twilight! Hello! How are you today?" I asked, trying to remain cool under pressure.

"Chuck? What are you doing running Sugarcube Corner?" She asked.

"Cakes are out for the day, Pinkie an' I are taking care of things here." I replied. "What can I do for you?" I asked.

"Well, I was just wondering if I could get a couple cinnamon rolls, they're kind of a favorite of mine." She said.

"Cinnamon rolls! You've got it!" I nodded as I wrote down cinnamon rolls on my hoof with a marker.

"Are you... writing on your hoof?" She asked.

"Yeah!" I replied. "It's just kind of what I do when I've got a lot on my plate, it has been a busy day today!"

"Well... do you and Pinkie need help?" She asked. "I'm sure I could find somepony who could help."

'YES! YES!' I thought to myself, but another part of me, either my stubbornness or stupidity won out. "Nah, but thanks for the offer." I replied.

"Well... alright then." Twilight nodded. "Just don't push yourself too hard." She said as she left.

'Oh, baaavooooo.' My mind said sarcastically.

"Quiet down or I'll stab you with another Q-Tip!" I growled up at it.

'You're a stubborn little SOB, you know?' My brain asked.

"You're the brain of this stubborn little SOB might I remind you." I growled, suddenly a timer went off. "Uh oh! Those must be the donuts!" I ran to the back. "Time to makes the donuts." I chuckled to myself. You've gotta have fun at work, y'know? Before long, even more orders piled up. When Pinkie got back, I was a hair away from madness.

"Chuckie I'm back!" She called.

"Great!" I called back. "Just in time for another... seventeen deliveries." I moaned.

"Seventeen!?" She whined.

"Yep! And then some, those are just the completed orders!" I called back.

"Baking is a whole lot more fun when it's not a job." Pinkie pouted.

"Tell me about it." I groaned. At this point I was drenched in sweat, there was drops of cake batter in my mane, the apron I had on was now being used as a sweat bandanna for my head.

"I don't know if I can take much more of this!" Pinkie moaned flopping down.

"We can do it..." I struggled to say. "Just... seventeen deliveries and... another fifteen currently on the go." I looked around.

"I can't take it anymore! We need help!" She wailed.

"No way, nuh uh, we can do this." I helped her to her hooves. "I have the list of all the ponies who have deliveries..." I looked around. "Somewhere anyway... it's on my hoof." I looked at it.

"Your hoof!?" Pinkie asked.

"Well I don't see you coming up with anything!" I rebuttaled.

"It's a pencil and paper! It's been around for a while!" Pinkie snarled with hostility before suddenly stopping and looking at me with sadness in her eyes. "I'm sorry..." She said.

"It's... it's fine." I said. "Maybe... maybe we could use a hoof or two." I nodded.

"You think so?" She asked dryly.

"Alright. I get it." I replied just as dryly. "How do you put up with how stubborn I can be?" I asked.

"Lots of sugar, that and I spit in your coffee sometimes." She replied.

"I sure hope that last one was a joke." I replied as she went for the door.

"Maybe." She giggled as she closed the door. It wasn't too long before the door swung open and the bell rang.

"Oh God, who could it be now?" I moaned as I trudged out. When I got out, I saw Pinkie standing before me with Sunny Side, Twilight, and Applejack.

"Surprise! I found help!" Pinkie beamed.

"Eesh, that's what I'm here for? I thought my cobbler was done." Sunny Side remarked.

"Chuck, if you needed help, you should have just said so when I asked." Twilight approached me.

"I know, I'm just a bit... stubborn sometimes." I explained.

"I know, but that's what friends are for." Twilight smiled.

"I'm your friend? I always figured we had more of a Chandler and Phoebe 'knew each other but never really had stories together' kind of thing." I said.

"What?" She asked.

"Eh, never mind. The help is always appreciated, come on back." I led the three of them and Pinkie Pie to the back room. Before long we had a good thing going, Pinkie was still at the counter, Sunny Side helped me in the kitchen, well, helped and offered her take on how to make my every move better, and Twilight and Applejack went out on deliveries. The orders went by with the hours, there was a brief stint where I had to do the baking alone because Sunny Side took a cobbler break.

"Want some?" She offered.

"That'd be nice." I admitted.

"Yeah well that's unfortunate." She said taking the last bite.

"I am actually going to come up with a new menu item, I call it Sunny Side Pot Pie." I growled. "Just get back to work."

"Sunny Side Pot Pie, that's not even clever." She snorted as she mix cookie batter. "I woulda said 'Sunny Sliders', or 'Sunny Side Up...' eh that one doesn't work."

"Mhm." I nodded.

"You, on the other hoof, would make a lovely batch of Chuck Parmesan." Sunny said.

"If I could hear less of how you two could be cannibalized that would be super!" Pinkie called.

"You really think I'd pair well with tomato sauce and cheese?" I asked Sunny Side.

"What doesn't?" She asked.

"Good point." I nodded.

"Good news everypony!" Pinkie called out. "It's almost five a'clock! Almost time to close!"

"Hallelujah." I remarked.

"Aw, just when Chuck and I were starting to get friendly." Sunny said.

"Please don't ever say we were "getting friendly"." I said.

"You wish I meant that." She snorted. "Sorry Chuck, I don't swing that way. Well, not for you, anyway."

"If I could not hear whether or not you'd swing for my coltfriend that would also be super!" Pinkie called back.

"I didn't say I would!" Sunny called back.

"Alright Sunny, you're handling the counter, I'm baking with Chuckie." Pinkie said resigning her post and leaving Sunny to take over.

"Thank Celestia, I know you'd never want to cannibalize me, and you already swing for me." I chuckled as Pinkie walked in.

"I just wanted the quality time with you, ever since that rush after the cupcake thing we haven't had any time to just talk." Pinkie explained.

"Glad to know I wasn't the only one who missed it." I said. "After the day is over do you want to maybe catch a bite to eat?" I asked.

"As long as neither of us do the work, I'm all for it!" Pinkie nodded. That evening we went out to Sunny's Diner to eat and soon after resigned for home, I yawned and laid back on the couch, Pinkie joined me, nestling her head against the fur of my chest. "Chuckie?" She asked.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Next time this happens, let's ask for help first thing in the morning." She said.

"Next time this happens we're having the family emergency." I chuckled. She giggled and bopped my muzzle with her hoof.

"Chuckie..." She giggled.

"Maybe not." I smiled. We both just laid there quietly for a while before I let out a long yawn, which Pinkie replied to with a longer one. "Long day?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah, but a certain somepony helped me get by." She said.

"Who? Was it Sunny Side?" I asked.

"Nope."

"Twilight?"

"Nuh uh." She shook her head.

"Granny Smith?"

"It was you silly!" She giggled.

"That was my next guess." I snickered. I yawned again. "Wow, am I beat."

"Me too." She yawned.

"Goodnight Cutie Pie, I love you." I closed my eyes.

"Do you want me to move?" She asked.

"Nope." I shook my head.

"Well goodnight Chuckle, I love you too." She closed her eyes and snuggled up against me. It had been a long, tiring day, but falling asleep holding her made it all worth while.

That concludes yet another chapter! Hope you enjoyed It, for some reason I kept thinking of Bob's Burgers or earlier episodes of The Simpsons while writing this. Oh, and that song? That was an original by yours truly called "The Biscuit Song".