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Honey Troubles

By Pen Stroke

Preread by Alexstraza

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Characters from My Little Pony - The Movie

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“Hey, what smells so good?” Spike asked as he walked through the door. He sniffed at the air, and licked his lips at the sweet aromas that were filling the Paradise Estate’s Kitchen.

“Breakfast,” Lickety Split answered before chomping into another bite of honey laden toast.

“Oh boy!” Spike cheered before quickly scampering over to the table. He climbed up into the nearest chair, and quickly stuff a full slice of the toast into his mouth. “Oh, this is so good.”

Lickety Split licked her lips. “Yeah, this toast is way better with honey.”

“Did you make it?” Spike asked before helping himself to another slice.

“No, Buttons made the toast, but it was all dry and icky. So I added some honey.”

Spike paused from stuffing a third slice into his mouth. “And where did you find the honey?”

“Oh, it was just sitting out on the table.”

“Spike, Lickety Split, what are you doing!?”

The baby pony and dragon quickly turned their heads to the kitchen door, where the unicorn Buttons was standing aghast.

“What, we’re having breakfast. You want some?” Spike offered.

“You’re having breakfast with the honey I was saving for my Apple-Honey Tarts!” Button scolded. She walked up to the table, and her frown only deepened at the sight of the empty glass jar that once held the last of her honey.

“Well, that’s okay, you can just get more, can’t ya.”

“I could, but I’m too busy today. Remember, Megan is coming over the rainbow for Baby Heart Throb’s birthday party this afternoon. That’s why I had the honey out. My Apple-Honey Tarts are Baby Heart Throb’s favorite dessert.”

Spike and Lickety Split sank in their seats. “We’re sorry, Buttons.” Spike said, to which Lickety Split nodded her head.

“Yeah, sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t going to cut it you two.” Button said. She glanced at the clock on the wall, noting the minute hand had just clicked to the top of the hour. “It’s ten o’clock now, and need to start making the Apple-Honey Tarts by noon if they’re going to be ready for the party in time. So, while I help the other ponies get ready, you two get to down the Wildflower Meadow and get more honey.”

“Aw, but Buttons, that doesn’t sound like any fun.” Lickety Split complained.

“Well you should have thought of that before using all the honey.” Buttons scolded. She used her nose to nudge the empty jar across the table to Spike, who picked it up and carried it in his claws. “Now, go fill this with honey and get back here before noon, or you’ll be the ones that have to tell Baby Heart Throb that she won’t be having any Apple-Honey Tarts on her birthday.”

~~~

“Come on, Spike, you’re walking too slow,” Lickety Split called back over her shoulder as she crossed a small wooden bridge and stepped into the rolling, floral hills of Wildflower Meadows. It was another bright, sunny, blue sky day in the land of ponies, and bees were flitting around flowers in the meadow, filling the air with a low, constant buzz.

“Yeah, I’m coming,” Spike said as he jogged to catch up with LIckety Spilt. He carried the large jaw over his head, but as he reached the far side of the bridge his claw caught on a small stone and he tumbled forward. The jar flew through the air, and Spike sat up in a panic, fearing it would shatter against the ground.

The jar, however, landed snuggling on Lickety Splits nose, causing Spike to burst out in laughter as she struggled to remove the firmly stuck jar. It finally popped free a minute later, and Lickety Split threw a glare in in Spike’s direction a few moments later. “Stop laughing. It’s not funny!”

Spike, who had fallen on his back in laughter, calmed himself and sat up. “Heh... sorry Lickety Split. I couldn’t help myself.”

“Well, don’t let it happen again,” Lickety Split said before turning to look at the field. “Now, where are we supposed to get the honey. All I see are flowers and bees.”

Spike picked up the glass jar, and carried it over beside “Don’t you know bees make honey?”

Lickety Split leaned in close to a bee on a flower, watched it work for a moment, and only after it flew off did she reply. “No they don’t. How could something so small make honey?”

“It’s true. Here, I’ll show you.”

With that Spike jogged off across the Wildflower Meadows, with Lickety Split following close behind. They soon reached a tree on the edge of the meadow, and from one of the thickest branches a bee hive hung like an over swollen piece of fruit. Bees buzzed in and out of the small opening in the bottom, going about their work and ignoring the two onlookers below.

“I don’t see any honey.” Lickety Split whined.

“It’s inside the hive. Still, can’t you smell it?”

Lickety Split sniffed at the air, and then licked her lips. “Hmmm, I can smell it.” She then glanced around, and smiled when she caught sight of a small rock.

“What are you doing?” Spike asked while he set the empty jar down.

Positioning herself on the other side of the small rock, Lickety Split smiled before rearing back onto her forehooves. “I’m going to get the honey.”

“Wait, don’t!” Spike tried to warn her, but it was too late. Lickety Split bucked, and sent the rock flying at the hive. It struck the hive, causing it to shake and sway from it’s place on the branch. Soon after, a cloud of bees poured out, buzzing angrily and looming over the pony and dragon.

Lickety Split and Spike took a few steps back, muttered a mutual “Uh-oh”, and then turned tail to run away. The bees, however, followed close behind, chasing the pony and dragon all the way across Wildflower Meadow until they reached the river on the far side. There, near the bridge they had crossed to get to the meadow earlier, the pair jumped into the water and hid until the bees finally retreated back to their hive.

~~~

“How is this supposed to get us honey again?” Spike asked as he walked beside Lickety Split, who was dressed in a flower costume.

“Bees like flowers, when they see a really big one they’ll all come out of the hive. Then you can get the honey.” Lickety Split answered as she and Spike approached the hive again. The bees, having just chased off the pair, began to swarm outside their hive, but did not take chase. They just lingered and watched, while Lickety Split reared back onto her back hooves.

“What are you doing?” Spike asked as Lickety Split began to twirl and prance on her back hooves.

“Dancing”

“But flower’s can’t dance.”

Lickety Split continued to twirl, even as she drew close to the tree. “Well, that just makes me an extra special flower. Now let me do my grand finale so I can lead the bees away.”

“Grand finale? You don’t mean that thing you did at the-”

Once more, Spike spoke to late. Lickety Split began to spin faster than she had skill to control, and soon lost her balance. She tumbled and thudded against the tree, which caused the bee hive to shake once more. That was all it took to rouse the bees to the defense of their home. The swarm flew towards Lickety Split, who gave out a panicked yelp before running back across the meadow, with Spike following a few steps behind.

Once more they dove into the river to hide from the bees, but when they dared to surface again they heard not the sound of buzzing bees, but of laughter.

“Wanting to take a bath early you two?”

Shaking her head, Lickety Split tossed off the top of her flower costume and looked up to see Wind Whistler hover over head. “No, we’re trying to get honey.”

“Honey? What for?” Wind Whistler asked as she landed beside the river.

Spike pulled himself out of the water, and collapsed on the bank. “Lickety Split ate all of Buttons’ honey, and she needs more to make her Honey-Apple Tarts for Baby Heart Throb’s birthday party. We need to get the honey back to her before noon, or she won’t have enough time to make the tarts.”

“Hey, you ate some of the too.” Lickety Split whined as she pulled herself from the river. She then shook firmly to dry her coat, forcing Wind Whistler to shield herself from the water with a wing.

“Well, you two better hurry then,” Wind Whistler said to them as she jumped back into the air. “It’s almost noon.”

Lickety Split looked up at Wind Whistler, watching her as she circled above. “But we tried everything. I even dressed up as a flower.”

“Did you try asking the bees for some honey?”

Lickety Split and Spike glanced at each other, while Wind Whistler just chuckled before flying off in the direction of the Paradise Estate.

~~~

The swarm of bees shifted and turned as Lickety Split and Spike approached for a third time. There were no costumes, the only thing the pair had was the empty jar. Still, instead of assaulting the hive as they had done before, the pair looked up at the bees and Lickety Put on the sweetest smile she could.

“Mr. Bees, could we please have some of your honey. My friend Buttons is making Honey-Apple Tarts for a pony’s birthday, but we accidentally used all of her honey this morning.”

The swarm of bees turned and shifted, forming to large letters. “No”

“Please, we’re sorry we tried to take it from you. We didn’t even know we could talk to bees.” Lickety Split explained. “If you won’t do it for us, won’t you at least do it for Baby Heart Throb. It’s her birthday and she really likes Button’s Honey-Apple Tarts.”

The bees swarmed together into a tight swarm for a moment, like a huddle, but then the swarm shifted shape one more to form the letters, “OK”. The swarm of bees then took the jar from Spike, and held up to the base of the hive. There, they filled it with honey before passing it back to the dragon’s claws.

“Oh, thank you Mr. Bees. Baby Heart Throb will be so happy.”

“She won’t be if we don’t get this honey back quick so Buttons can make the tarts.” Spike said.

Lickety Split gave a nod, and the pair quickly sprinted off back in the direction of the Paradise Estates. They however paused a moment to turn back and wave good-bye to the bees, and the swarm returned the gesture by forming a large waving hand before slipping back into the hive.

~~~

At the birthday party that afternoon, Baby Heart Throb giggled and cheered as she blew out the candles on her cake, and moments later she bit down into one of the Honey-Apple Tarts that button had made. Every pony found the tarts unusually delicious that day, except for Spike and Lickety Split, who were sitting off to the side, tartless.

“Aw, they look so good. I wish we could have one.”

“Me too,” Lickety Split said as she laid her head on the table. It was then a plate with two tarts was placed in front of her by none other than Buttons.

“While I’m still mad you two ate all my honey this morning, I think you deserve a little reward for all your hard work. Still, I hope you learned your lesson.”

“Oh, we did,” Lickety Split assured her. “We learned that it’s best to ask for something you want instead of just taking it, like I should have asked to have some honey this morning.”

“Or like we should have asked the bees for their honey straight away instead of trying to take it,” Spike added before stuffing the tart he had been given into his whole mouth.

Buttons gave an approving nod. “That’s very good, but did you learn anything else?”

Lickety Split put on a big smile, but then happily answered, “Nope.” This simple reply caused Buttons to laugh, which became infectious as all the ponies in the party laughed as well while Lickety Split greedily ate the Apple-Honey Tart she had been given.

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The End

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