The Sweet Life

Arpeggio entered Sugarcube Corner, feeling refreshed after locking the somewhat-unpleasant part of his spa experience waaaay back into his memory. "The stuff here is some of the best you'll ever have, Thunder." He began browsing the displays, looking at what was for sale.

Thunderclap browsed the store. All the sweets and treats looked positivly delicious. "You are too good to me Arpeggio, you know that?" He said as he eyed up some cupcakes. "First the room, then the spa, then this! I feel like I should do something for you." He said. He then saw a large, delectible pie. "Wow, that looks really good. How bout we split the cost for that? Or maybe cupcakes, or maybe some cake, or.........oh I don't know!" He said.

"Consider it your roommate properly welcoming you into town; it's really no trouble to me." He began browsing. "Oh wow, they have Coconut Cream Cake here, yes!" He pumped a hoof once. "Oh... sorry. I absolutely love this kind of cake... get whatever you want, alright? Maybe a milkshake would suit your fancy?" He chuckled.

Thunderclap laughed at his roommate's excitedness. "Well, if you like the Coconut Cream Cake, then go ahaed and get it. To be truthful, after lunch and the spa, my stomach is quite full." He looked at the milkshakes. "Ya, I like your idea for the milkshakes. I'll take a chcolate one." he said, licking his lips. "I may take a slice of you rcake though." Thunderclap chuckled.

"Fine by me, bud." He grinned, paying for the cake and two milkshakes, getting a Strawberry Milkshake for himself alongside Thunder's chocolate one. "Pick us out a seat, Thunder." He balanced the strawberry milkshake and held the cake.

Thunderclap grabbed his milkshake. "Thanks for the food." He siad. The large pegasus grabbed a seat at a nearby table. It was a bit of a tight squeeze. "Oof, I guess these chairs are not quite built for ponies of our size, eh?"He chuckled. He took a sip of his milkshake. It was very thick, and super chocolatey. "MMMM, this is good!" He said. "How is your stuff?" He asked his friend.

Arpeggio slid into his seat, also a tight squeeze. "Oy... no kidding." He took a sip of his strawberry milkshake. "Delicious..." He took a piece of the cake and ate it, licking his lips happily. "Mmmm~ Absolutely delicious!"

Thunderclap moved in his seat. It was somewhat uncomfortable in the small seats. Thunderclap reached across and took a slice of the coconut cake. "I hope you do not mind." He said, and then without waiting for an answer, gobbled it down. "MMMM! You are right! That is delicious!" He said. "I like it here! The food is so good."

"Would I lie to you?" He chuckled, eating another piece of the cake. "I have a crazy sweet tooth; always have. What about you, bro?" He said the last part without really thinking about what he'd said.

Thunderclap smiled. The cake was good. And Arpeggio was a good friend. Then his friend asked him about his sweet tooth. "Back in my home town, my family could not really afford treats like this. Only on my birthday did I get something like a small cupcake. I did like sweet fruits, when I could get them." He sat and continued to drink his milkshake. He decided to ignore the fact he was called bro. He decided that was a Cloudsdale thing and ignored it.

"...I've never been in that situation, barely able to get by... what was it like?" He seemed a little distressed by it, drinking more of his milkshake.

Thunderclap sighed. "Well, it was hard. Everyday was hard work, sun up to sun down. My dad worked double, both on our farm and as the town's blacksmith. Any pony needed new tools, or repaired old one's, they came to him. So he was always busy and tired. My mother worked on the farm all day, as well as taking care of raising me. She was an excellent cook, most of our food coming from what we grew. I helped out on the farm as soon as I was old enough. Since neither of my parents are pegasi, so I had to teach myself how to fly. Once I did, however, I was useful for moving clouds and making them rain on my crops, or move them to let the sun shine on them. So it was hard work, all the time. It was hard, and sad, but I loved everyone who lived near me. Sometimes we were afraid we wouldn't make it to the next day, but the ponies we lived near always took care of us, and we took care of them. An environment like that always makes a tight knit community." Thunderclap finished and sipped his milkshake.

He seemed rather sad. "...Wow... That's... I couldn't imagine a life like that, not knowing where your next meal would really come from... barely able to get by... now I understand why my parents did so much to help the unfortunate in Cloudsdale... My father made a design for a homeless shelter there; there are several of them in Cloudsdale."

He reached over, giving his friend a hug. "What's it like there now?" He broke the hug, eating another piece cake, leaving one left. "You can have this last piece, by the way."

Thunderclap thanked him and took the last piece. "Now, it is slightly better. That is why I left. If I knew my parents still needed me, I wouldn't have left. They now run a store, where my mother sells fruits and vegetables from her garden. My father makes and sells tools and other goods. The town is in much better shape, but it still isn't that good. Not as good as here, anyway." He finished the cake. "That is the reason I want to help everypony I can. I know what it is like to be on the bottom, and all the help I constantly needed. If I don't help them, it is like betraying my parents."

"You're a noble pony, Thunderclap; I'm glad to have you as a friend. I hope you'll be able to count on me like I'm sure I can count on you." He began drinking his milkshake more, working to finish it. "I'd actually like to see your hometown sometime, if it isn't too far from town..." He began thinking. "I'll need to talk to my parents, too; my parents donate to charities all the time and I'm sure we could organize something to help out small towns like yours."

Thunderclap finished his milkshake. "Well I'm glad that we are friends as well." He leaned back in his chair. "And as for visiting it, I can take you there anytime you want. It is only about 4 days away, as the crow flies. And it would be great to see my parents again."

Arpeggio then mentioned something about a charity. "Well, money won't be the best thing. The town is not near any major cities where they can use the money, and not a lot of traders go throught that area. But if the money was put towards tools and seeds, that would be better."

He finished the last of his milkshake, muffling a belch with a hoof. "I'll keep that in mind. Welp, all I want to do now is rest a bit." He stood up, patting his now-bulging stomach. "I'm absolutely stuffed. I don't know about you, Thunder."

Thunderclap chuckled. "I am stuffed as well." He stood up. He looked at Arpeggio. He was so lucky to have run into him. He is such a good friend. "So, back to the house to rest and relax?" He asked, throwing his cup in the garbage.

"Indeed, my good friend. Just rest and digest." He chuckled slightly, throwing away his cup as well and walking out the door. "Listen to some nice Jazz as well, if that's okay. Also, did you have a nice nap in the guest bed? I know it's not a cloud bed, but..."

Thunderclap nodded. "I don't mind the jazz." He then followed Arpeggio out. "And I did have a nice nap. As for the cloud bed, well, I've never slpet in a cloud bed before. I know it doesn't make much sense, but I never had."

"Huh... that's really strange. I'll have to let you sleep in the cloud bed once... well, provided that doesn't make you want to sleep in one all the time." He chuckled, walking back home, rubbing his stomach. "Oog... definitely going to need to rest and let this digest..."