********

A few days had passed since CJ's time with Applejack in the garden. The feeling of camaraderie from their shared work lingered, but CJ's mind remained occupied with the strange glowing gemstone. She had yet to figure out what it all meant, though she was beginning to piece things together. Every interaction with Sunset Shimmer's friends seemed to bring the gemstone to life in new, unpredictable ways.

Today, however, CJ was trying to put those thoughts aside. She had signed up for a Home Economics class, not expecting much but looking for something that might allow her to clear her head. When she walked into the room, the warm, welcoming scent of baked goods filled the air, making her stomach growl just slightly. The room was bustling with activity-students measuring, mixing, and decorating various ingredients.

The teacher, Mrs. Spindle, greeted her with a smile. "Ah, CJ! Glad you could join us. We're just starting a new recipe today. Don't worry, it's all pretty simple, but a lot of fun."

CJ nodded politely, though she wasn't sure what to expect. As she made her way over to an empty station, she noticed a pink blur darting across the room. A voice rang out with uncontainable enthusiasm.

"Yoo-hoo! You must be CJ, right? I'm Pinkie Pie! We're going to have SO MUCH FUN today!" The girl, wearing a bright pink apron, bounced over to CJ with a wide grin and shimmering blue eyes. Her pink hair was practically a ball of energy, bouncing and bobbing with each of her movements.

CJ blinked, taken aback by Pinkie's energy. She hadn't expected such an exuberant welcome. "Uh, yeah. Hi, I'm CJ."

Pinkie Pie didn't seem to need more of an introduction. She was already setting out bowls and ingredients in front of CJ, her movements as fast as they were precise. "Okay! We're going to make cookies today! And guess what? I'm the reigning champion of pastry-making in all of Canterlot High! No big deal or anything, but I make cookies that are SO DELICIOUS, they practically make people do the happy dance!"

CJ raised an eyebrow but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "Cookies, huh? Sounds fun."

Pinkie Pie bounced on her toes, grinning like she had just won a prize. "That's the spirit! We'll start with the basics: flour, sugar, butter-oh, and don't forget the secret ingredient!" She whispered the last part like it was the most important thing in the world. "Chocolate chips! You can never have enough chocolate chips!"

As Pinkie Pie enthusiastically demonstrated each step of the recipe, CJ followed along. It wasn't like she had no experience in the kitchen-CJ had actually baked cookies at home before. She loved them-chocolate chip cookies, especially. She could easily say she had a bit of a sweet tooth, an addiction even, but it was a secret she kept to herself. Pinkie had no idea, of course.

The cookies slowly came together in front of them, and as the dough was being spooned onto the baking sheet, CJ couldn't help but look at the soft dough with longing eyes. The golden brown treats, once baked, would be exactly what she needed. The thought of sinking her teeth into one... or two... or maybe more was hard to shake.

The moment the cookies went into the oven, CJ had a wave of temptation sweep over her. She watched the oven timer tick away, but her thoughts kept returning to the dough sitting on the tray. The familiar craving surged inside her, and before she knew it, she had snuck a few cookies from the tray-just a few... but then, that overwhelming need for sweetness kicked in.

By the time Pinkie Pie left to ask another group for some extra ingredients, CJ had finished about half of the batch. She looked at the cookies with a slight pang of guilt but then wiped the crumbs from her hands with a sheepish smile. Well, it had been worth it.

When Pinkie returned, she glanced at the tray and stopped mid-step. Her eyes widened, and she looked up at CJ with a curious expression. "Hey... uh, do you know where the cookies went?"

CJ, cheeks flushed, wiped her mouth quickly and sighed. "I... I ate them. I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to, but-uh-I couldn't help myself. I have a bit of an addiction to cookies," she admitted, shrugging sheepishly.

Pinkie Pie blinked, her face unreadable for a moment. Then, she broke into a wide grin. "You ate all the cookies? Oh my gosh, CJ, I thought I was the only one with a sweet tooth! But, no worries! It happens! Cookies are just that irresistible!"

CJ looked at her, still feeling a bit guilty but also relieved by Pinkie's unexpected reaction. "I'm really sorry though. I-uh-didn't mean to eat them all."

Pinkie Pie gave a wink. "It's totally fine! And guess what? I have some extras with me from the batch we made." As she said that, she pulled out a plate from her hair with about six cookies in it.

"Hmmm, not enough...", said Pinkie as she instinctively used one eye to peer at the plate. "Oh that's okay, I actually brought some too" CJ pulled a plate from her bag, which Pinkie hadn't noticed before. "I actually brought some homemade cookies I made earlier. They're chocolate chip too... my favorite kind. I couldn't help myself either."

CJ blinked in surprise as Pinkie set her own plate down, revealing a neatly arranged batch of cookies, golden brown and just as tempting as the ones they'd been making. She then placed her own chocolate chip cookies on the table as well.

Pinkie took one, took a bite, and immediately squealed. "Ooh, these are so good! Like, seriously! You've got to teach me how to make these!"

CJ chuckled, a sense of warmth spreading through her. "I guess I'll have to show you sometime," she said with a grin.

The two of them then shared the cookies happily, laughter filling the air. Pinkie raved over the taste, saying they were even better than hers (which CJ didn't quite believe), and they split the batch, leaving some for the rest of the class. By the end of the class, CJ felt a little more at ease, her earlier worries slipping away as she enjoyed the moment of connection. It had been a while since she'd felt so comfortable around someone.

********

The baking class was nearly over, and Mrs. Spindle walked through the room, giving grades to each group. CJ and Pinkie Pie, with their perfectly baked chocolate chip cookies, had received an A+ for their work. CJ couldn't help but feel a small sense of pride. It wasn't often she got to experience something like this-working with someone like Pinkie Pie and succeeding at what they were doing.

As Mrs. Spindle moved on, a sharp voice broke through the cheerful atmosphere like a needle popping a balloon.
"A+? Seriously?"

The voice belonged to Lightning Dust, a student from another group, her arms crossed and a smug look plastered across her face. She stood glaring at Pinkie Pie, who was happily munching on a cookie, blissfully unaware-or uncaring-about Lightning's attitude.

Lightning scoffed, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Let me guess. You just baked those at home with your mommy, right? No way you made those in class."

Pinkie blinked, mid-bite, looking at Lightning Dust with innocent confusion, like she'd just asked her what color the moon was. She didn't say a word, just crunched her cookie.

CJ, however, wasn't about to let that one slide. She turned toward Lightning Dust, her lapis lazuli eyes cool but sharp as glass. "Wow, jealous much? What's wrong, Lightning? Burned your cookies so bad they set off the smoke alarm?"

Lightning Dust flinched, her smugness cracking as she turned to CJ. "Excuse me?"

CJ shrugged, her expression calm and unimpressed. "Oh, I just assumed. You're acting like someone who's mad because their baking turned out as hard as hockey pucks."

Pinkie suddenly snorted, quickly covering her mouth with her hand to stifle her laugh.

Lightning Dust's face flushed red, her scowl deepening. "You think you're funny? We'll see how funny you are later." With that, she shot CJ a glare before storming out of the room, the door slamming behind her.

CJ let out a small breath, her heart racing from the unexpected exchange. She hadn't planned to jump in, but there she was, standing up for Pinkie without a second thought.

"That. Was. AMAZING!" Pinkie's squeal pierced the silence as she launched herself at CJ, wrapping her in a bear hug so tight it knocked the air out of her lungs. "You totally stood up for me! You're the best!"

CJ blinked, frozen in shock. Her arms awkwardly hovered before she patted Pinkie's back, her voice muffled against Pinkie's shoulder. "Uh... sure. No big deal. You didn't deserve that, anyway."

Pinkie finally pulled back, her eyes shining with admiration. She glanced down at the cookies CJ brought, her attention snagging on something odd. Leaning closer, she squinted. "Candytuft?"

CJ stiffened. Oh no.

Pinkie tilted her head, her voice curious. "Wait, is that your-your real name?"

CJ sighed, resigned. "Yeah. Candytuft. That's what the 'C' stands for." She paused. "And no, I don't want to talk about the 'J.'"

Pinkie's eyes sparkled as though CJ had just revealed a hidden treasure. "Ooooh! That's such a pretty name! It's sweet! Oh, oh, I know-I'm gonna call you 'Candy'!"

CJ blinked at her, thrown by how fast the nickname landed. "Candy?"

Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! It's perfect! You're sweet but also have a little crunch-like candy!"

CJ gave her a flat look. "You know candy isn't supposed to crunch, right?"

Pinkie giggled, undeterred. "Okay, fine! You're like chewy candy. Happy now?"

Despite herself, CJ smirked, shaking her head. "Whatever you say, P-I-K-A." She twirled a finger through the air, spelling out Pinkie's name.

Pinkie gasped dramatically, hands clasping her cheeks. "That's BRILLIANT! I love it!"

CJ chuckled under her breath, but her smile faded slightly as her thoughts caught up to her. She stared down at the plate of cookies, her voice dropping as she muttered, more to herself than anyone else. "I'm not really here to make friends..."

Pinkie paused, her grin softening just a little. She didn't push, didn't pry. Instead, she offered the plate of cookies back with an easy smile. "Well, even if you're not, you still get cookies. Want another one?"

CJ blinked at her, surprised at how easily Pinkie shrugged it off. After a beat, her lips quirked into a small smile. "Yeah. Sure."

And so, they sat together, sharing cookies and laughter, even if just for a little while. For once, CJ let herself forget the walls she had built, allowing herself to enjoy a moment that tasted-just a little-like friendship.

---

After their cookie-sharing moment, the class was winding down. Everyone had cleaned their tables, the sweet smell of freshly baked cookies lingering in the air. Pinkie Pie and CJ had finished their tasks, and it seemed like the day was coming to a close.

As they prepared to leave, Pinkie glanced down and realized that, somehow, she was still holding the plate of cookies. "Oops!" she exclaimed with a giggle, tossing it lightly in CJ's direction. The plate soared through the air, but CJ was caught completely off guard. The plate was going faster than she anticipated, and she barely had time to react before-

Boom!

The plate exploded in a burst of confetti-like sparks that fizzled out into nothingness. CJ stood frozen for a moment, eyes wide, her heart racing.

Pinkie blinked innocently, glancing at CJ with a sheepish expression. "Oops, forgot about that."

CJ, her mind still reeling from the explosion, stared at Pinkie, flabbergasted. "Forgot about what?" she asked, her voice full of surprise and confusion. "What do you mean, forgot about that?"

Pinkie giggled. "Oh, right, I can make stuff explode when I throw them," she explained casually, as if that were the most normal thing in the world. "Isn't it fun?"

CJ's mouth dropped open. "Fun?" she repeated, trying to make sense of what just happened. "You-You can make things explode just like that?" She couldn't quite believe it.

Pinkie grinned brightly, totally unfazed. "Yep! My geode makes everything go kaboom when I toss it. But it's all under control... most of the time." She gave CJ a playful wink. "I think I need to get some practice in though."

But just as she spoke, Pinkie's eyes went wide, and she suddenly gasped. Her gaze snapped to the side, her hand instinctively going to her neck where her geode rested. CJ noticed the sudden shift in her demeanor. The geode, a shimmering pink gemstone, seemed to glow faintly for a moment. Pinkie's smile faltered.

"Oh no," Pinkie muttered to herself, her hand quickly covering the gem, trying to conceal it. "I forgot about that, too."

CJ, now curious, couldn't ignore the sense of urgency in Pinkie's reaction. "What's wrong?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice. She stepped closer, her eyes focused on Pinkie's hand, still covering the geode.

Pinkie, her eyes darting around nervously, cleared her throat. "Uh, it's nothing," she said quickly, brushing it off. "Just... just a little thing with my geode." She forced a smile. "I'm fine, don't worry about it."

But CJ wasn't convinced. She had seen too much, heard too much, and something about Pinkie's reaction stirred something inside her. CJ had always kept her distance from others, but Pinkie's carefree attitude, her ability to help without hesitation, was something different. Something that drew CJ in. And now, it seemed like Pinkie's geode might hold the key to something bigger.

CJ took a deep breath, mentally gathering her thoughts. It was time to change her approach. She stepped forward, catching Pinkie's attention.

"Pika?" CJ asked softly.

Pinkie blinked, her bright eyes focusing on CJ. "Yes, Candy?" she responded, tilting her head in curiosity.

CJ hesitated for a moment, unsure if she was really ready for what she was about to ask. But she had come this far, and there was no turning back now. "I... I need to talk to you," CJ said, her voice quiet but determined. "About something important."

Pinkie's playful expression softened, sensing the seriousness in CJ's tone. She nodded. "Of course, Candy. What's on your mind?"

CJ met Pinkie's gaze, her heart racing. For the first time, it felt like she was about to uncover something crucial. Something that could explain so much about herself, and maybe even about the strange pull she felt toward these geodes, these magical objects.

And, just maybe, this conversation would be the start of something new.