Twilight, Starlight, Spike, and all their friends had gathered in the throne room of Twilight's castle, though only Twilight, Starlight, and Spike knew of the real reason why they'd been called.
"This better be important, Twilight," Rainbow commented. "It seems like everytime I try to take a little time off from the Wonderbolts these days, it's always 'friendship crisis' this, 'family issue' that. All I want is a little time to laze about and rest."
Twilight simply explained. "Well, this should hopefully not take long. But have any of you noticed that it's been quite a while since the map has called any of us on a friendship mission?" She asked her friends.
The realization slowly sank in. "Now that you mention it, it does seem odd that the map has been silent these past few months." Fluttershy spoke up.
"Yeah, I think it's been shut off ever since Starlight messed with it to go back in time," Spike suggested, tapping one of his claws on the table. "Funny, I didn't think a thing like this ran on a power source."
Starlight frowned, it had been a while since she'd turned over a new leaf but she still didn't like being reminded of her past misdeeds. "Yes, Spike, since then. Thank you ever so much for that dosey doe down memory lane." As she watched Twilight pull Spike off the map with her magic.
Twilight coughed into a hoof and changed the subject. "Anyway, as part of her studies, Starlight's been assisting me. And together, I think we've come up with a plan that will get the map working again," She turned to her student and asked. "Are you ready, Starlight?"
Starlight nodded. "Ready and waiting!" And both student and teacher lit up their horns, combining their magical powers into an orb that flowed down and hit the table. It took a few seconds, but the map managed to glow back to life, impressing everyone in the room.
Pinkie took notice of the symbols on the map, specifically the cutie mark symbols hovering over one of the locations on the map. "Fluttershy and Twilight in Appleloosa!" She commented, before the symbols faded and moved somewhere else (albeit with different cutie marks), "No! Me and Rainbow Dash in Los Pegasus!" The symbols moved again and reappeared at a different location (again with different marks), "No, Rainbow Dash and Twilight in Yakyakistan!" The process repeated itself a fourth time. "No, Twilight and Twilight in Twilight's castle!"
It was then that the map seemed to finally correct itself, as the symbol representing Pinkie's cutie mark appeared, delighting the party pony like no tomorrow! "Ooh... me... me...me!" Then she noticed who the map was selecting to go on the mission with her. "And Rarity! Ooh, I hope it's some far away place that noone's ever been to before!"
But Rarity protested and tried to downplay the situation, she wasn't exactly eager for a map mission so soon. "Well... maybe not too far away," She suggested. "A place with modern conveniences would be preferable," As if the map had heard Rarity, it had her cutie mark symbol and Pinkie Pie's hover over the city of Canterlot. Rarity let out a happy gasp! "Canterlot! This is perfect! I can check on the boutique and see how Sassy's coming along! Perhaps there'll even be some social events to attend! What will I wear?!"
"Y'know, someponies get excited over the silliest of things." Pinkie giggled, despite how much she hung out with Rarity she had to admit her friend had a tendency to be unnecessarily dramatic at times. What neither of them could've suspected, was that the friendship problem they were being called for, was one that would put their own friendship in jeopardy in a way that neither could've imagined.
Pinkie Pie and Rarity made their way to Canterlot on the first available train, and it didn't take long after they'd left the train station in the city to discuss how they were going to find the friendship problem. Rarity made the first suggestion. "Now then, as far as finding a friendship problem, I suggest we start at the castle and begin to question the proper-" She began.
But Pinkie interrupted. "-Oh, Rarity, you don't find a friendship problem. It finds you," She then added. "We just need to go with the flow, and eventually, kablam! We get friendship problem'd right between the eyes," She pointed a hoof to her forehead to emphasize her point. "So why don't we check on the boutique first and then just wander around town while we wait for that friendship problem to find us?"
Rarity shook her head. "Sassy can manage things just fine on her own, she's done a bang up job so far. Checking the boutique can wait until we sort out whatever it is we've been called here for," She then added. "Besides, this is a team effort, so if you feel we should go with the flow, then with the flow we shall go. But where's the flow saying we should go?"
Pinkie replied to Rarity. "You know Canterlot better than anypony else. So what do you think we should do?"
Rarity smiled, though not a native to Canterlot she liked to pride herself on knowing how the big city worked, and it was nice to see some acknowledgement of that fact. "Hm. Take your pick. Culture, couture, cuisine!" Just then, both heard Pinkie's stomach let out a rather audible rumble. "Oh, my. Well, it sounds like your stomach is saying we should flow towards some lunch? I know just where to go," She insisted, and led Pinkie through the streets of Canterlot, until at last they came to an area that was unfamiliar to Pinkie. "Restaurant Row, the absolute best place for fine dining in all of Equestria!" Rarity boasted, as restaurant after restaurant lined the horizon.
Pinkie was delighted at the concept, an entire area consisting entirely of restaurants sounded like her cup of tea. "Ooh, so many choices! So where should we go?" She asked Rarity, before she started pointing to random restaurants and asking. "This one? That one? Those ones?"
Rarity pointed her hoof up to a sign above her that contained three horseshoe symbols, and she said to Pinkie. "Any establishments that have this – the three-hoof rating."
"Three hoof rating? Says who?" Pinkie asked Rarity.
"Why, Zesty Gourmand, the Queen of Cuisine of course," Rarity boasted. "When it comes to food, she is the ultimate authority in Canterlot. Without her approval, a restaurant here simply cannot survive for long."
Pinkie was still a bit confused, she'd never even heard of Zesty Gourmand until now. "And just what's so important about her approval?" She asked Rarity. "Sugarcube Corner and all the restaurants in Ponyville function just fine without any kind of rating system. Why does Canterlot have to be depend on some critic's opinion?"
Rarity explained to Pinkie. "Zesty was born and raised here in Canterlot, she's never traveled outside the city in her entire life. She grew up around fine dining, and everypony hangs on her every word when it comes to cuisine."
Pinkie appeared to be convinced thanks to Rarity's words, if that was indeed true of Zesty then it was easy to see why everypony focused on getting her approval for a restaurant. "Wow! Then the food here must be amazing!" She exclaimed and then said to Rarity. "Lead the way, partner! Whee!" She bounced into the restaurant after Rarity, giggling all the while.
Rarity and Pinkie were soon seated and placed their order, it didn't take long for the food to be brought to them. And all the while, Rarity seemed to be impressed by how the restaurant looked. "Oh, my! Such presentation," She exclaimed, before the food was presented to her and Pinkie. "Mm. Oh," She smacked her lips and started eating. "Ah. Yes. Very nice..." She began, but struggled to think of how to best describe what she tasted, the food didn't seem to particularly fascinate her (though that wasn't to say it was bad).
Pinkie, however, immediately planted her face into her food and started eating. But before long she gulped and gagged, the food's low portion size hadn't particularly interested her but the taste was far worse. "Maybe, I'm not in the mood for..." She then whispered to Rarity. "Whatever this is. Can we try someplace else?"
Rarity obliged, opting for the next three hooves restaurant the duo could find. But the presentation and the portion size seemed to be no different from the previous one, and Pinkie fond it hard to keep her displeasure for this fact in check. "Ugh. Maybe one more stop? Third's time the charm." She suggested.
But the next three hooves restaurant was the same story as the previous two, same presentation, same portion size, and same bland tasting food (at least for Pinkie Pie). "Blech! Nope," She protested, and she and Rarity left the restaurant a short time later. Convinced they were making no progress, Pinkie suggested to Rarity. "Maybe instead of trusting somepony else's hooves, I should pick the next place? I'm just not feeling anything with tasteless food like this."
"I don't really know what's going on, Zesty's three hoof rating was supposed to mean the best in dining experience," Rarity commented. "But very well, I guess it couldn't hurt to let you try. We won't be able to solve a friendship problem on an empty stomach."
Pinkie put her nose to the air and started sniffing, before long she picked up the strong smell of something that was very distinct and that easily stood out compared to the aromas wafting from all the other restaurants. She gasped in delight, as she traced the smell through Restaurant Row and Rarity followed. At last, she located the source, a rather unusual looking building that stood out for its red and orange tones, and the elephant sign hanging over the front door.
Rarity looked at the restaurant sign, it wasn't something she recognized. "The Tasty Treat. It's very... rustic," She commented, then whispered. "I know it's different, but perhaps we should be concerned that it has no rating?"
Pinkie only giggled, the lack of a rating meant Zesty's influence hadn't gotten to this restaurant yet. "Thank goodness for that! Hee-hee!" She replied, as she trotted up the steps. Rarity, against her better judgement, followed Pinkie inside.
The interior of the restaurant matched the exterior in standing out, sporting the same tones that somehow hadn't managed to draw attention to this building tucked into an alley in the middle of Restaurant Row.
"Are we sure they're open?" Rarity asked Pinkie, truth be told Rarity didn't particularly mind bland food. She still preferred good tasting food, but certain types of cooking didn't exactly appeal to her (she had a profound distaste for a couple of sugary sweets, though she would occasionally eat a tub or two of ice cream if she got stressed).
Pinkie sniffed the air, drawing in the scents of delightful dishes being prepared in the kitchen. "It smells open." She replied.
Just then, there was a bit of clattering and a familiar silver coated filly with glasses came trotting out. She seemed to be very surprised if the expression on her face was any indication. "Pinkie Pie, Miss. Rarity, what a pleasant surprise," Silver Spoon politely greeted, regaining her composure. "I thought nopony was going to come here."
"Silver Spoon? You work here?" Rarity asked the filly.
"Well, just for today," Silver replied, sighing a bit. "Dad wants me to take over the family business someday, and he felt now was as good a time as any for me to get some hooves on experience," She then turned her head and whistled into the kitchen. "Saffron, we have guests."
From the kitchen emerged a young unicorn mare that seemed to be about the same age as Rarity and Pinkie, she had an orange coat, magenta eyes, a two shaded dark purple mane and tail that had rather poofy curls, and a cutie mark depicting a purple flower. She was dressed in a light yellow dress with an orange scarf, and a matching yellow headband and earpieces. "Oh! Are you here for lunch?" The mare asked Pinkie and Rarity.
Pinkie nodded. "Yes, indeedy!"
The mare was delighted! "I'm Saffron Masala, the chef here at The Tasty Treat, the most exotic cuisine in Canterlot." She introduced herself.
Silver Spoon then led Pinkie and Rarity to a table as she asked them in a polite tone. "So, would you like to hear about today's specials?"
"Oh, yes please!" Pinkie insisted. "As long as it's not like all those three hoof restaurants!"
"Well, you'll be happy to know that's not the case," Silver replied. "Today's specials include, a curried oat cake."
"We'll take one!" Pinkie immediately shouted.
Silver nodded, jotting the order down on a notepad, before she added. "And we also have a grass sandwich that has been marinated overnight in a mustard Dijon dressing. Shall I put you down for that as well?"
Pinkie nodded. "How can you say no to that?"
Silver wrote down the second item of food, then turned to Rarity and asked. "And for you, Miss. Rarity?"
"Oh, I'm fine, really," Rarity insisted. "Spicy foods and I don't really get along."
Silver only chuckled. "It's a bit of an acquired taste, but once you get used to it you'll find our spices to be so good you'll wonder how you ever lived without them," But then she frowned as she added. "Or at least, that's what my dad always says."
"I'll get started on the order," Saffron said, picking up Silver's notepad with her grayish purple magical aura. "I'll whip up something on the house for Rarity to try. Make sure my father doesn't start stacking up the tables around our guests. This could be the break we've been longing for."
Just a few seconds later, two stallions came out into the restaurant, while Saffron was busy in the kitchen. The first stallion was a unicorn and a rather pudgy one at that. He had the same magenta eyes as Saffron, but his mane and tail (as well as his eyebrows and noticeable mustache) were a dark two toned raspberry in color, his coat was a light orange in color, his cutie mark depicted a bowl of cumin powder, cinnamon sticks, and coriander seeds, and he had an orange shirt on. "Hello, I am Coriander Cumin, I will be your host." The stallion grumbled.
"Oh come now, Coriander, that's no way to treat guests," The other stallion, who was an earth pony with a dark grey coat, a light green mane and tail, violet eyes, and a cutie mark depicting a wooden spoon replied. Said stallion happened to be dressed in a black suit and red bow tie. Turning to Rarity and Pinkie Pie he greeted. "I'm Greasy Spoon, but please just call me Mr. Spoon, everypony does."
"A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Spoon," Rarity greeted, shaking the stallion's hoof. "I'm Rarity, and this is my friend Pinkie Pie. And I believe your daughter and my little sister are friends."
Mr. Spoon nodded and seemed to smile briefly. "It's a delight to finally see some customers in here for a change," Then he sighed as his smile faded. "When I took over this establishment from Coriander and Saffron, I thought for sure I'd struck it big time. But alas, it seems I was wrong. I hope you two enjoy your meal though, it may be the only meal this restaurant will ever serve."
Saffron brought the food out a short time later, but she was already losing her patience when she saw her father, Coriander, stacking up the chairs on the other tables. "Father, stop it! Don't close up the restaurant around our guests."
But Coriander protested. "What does it matter?! When they leave, nopony else will be coming in!"
"I'm afraid Coriander is right," Mr. Spoon agreed. "I have tried everything to keep this place in business, but to no avail. I'm afraid I'm going to have to close up shop and shut down The Tasty Treat."
Silver Spoon glared at her father, particularly being provoked by what he'd just said. "With an attitude like that you'll certainly never get anypony in here! Can't you at least pretend to be positive?! This is exactly why Mother moved to Ponyville and took my big sister and I with her, shortly after I was born! Heck, this is why big sister Octavia chose to move back to Ponyville after the Gala, they both couldn't stand putting up with your attitude!"
Pinkie was busy slurping down her food, she was delighted in how well it tasted. "So good!" She exclaimed.
"You are doing enough pretending for the both of us. Nopony here wants to try anything new!" Mr. Spoon protested to his daughter. "When you've been in the business as long as I have, Silver, you learn when to cut your losses and move on! Perhaps Manehattan will prove more profitable."
Concerned by the rising tension in the room, Rarity nervously whispered to Pinkie. "Um, Pinkie, perhaps we should excuse ourselves and go look for that friendship problem."
But Pinkie only whispered to Rarity as she pushed a plate of food towards her friend. "Oh, Rarity, try this! It's the bomb!"
Rarity reluctantly took a bite of the food, and to her surprise it tasted far better than anything she'd had to eat since coming to Canterlot. "Ooh!" Was all she could bring herself to say, but she never the less forgot about trying to leave.
Silver Spoon complained to her father. "I can't believe you! You bring me here to learn how to be a waitress even after I said I didn't want to be one, and now you're going to shut down your dream just because business is a little slow?! Maybe if you would listen to my ideas for once..."
Mr. Spoon snorted as he replied. "Oh, yes! I most certainly haven't constantly traveled back and forth between here and Ponyville, just to spend time with my youngest daughter, who I never listen to! I'm trying my best to get you to understand how the business works, so that when you take over, you will have as much experience as I do!"
Pinkie spat out her food as she realized it wasn't just coincidence she'd been lured to The Tasty Treat. "Rarity, I think that friendship problem just kablammed us right between the eyes!" She whispered, as she put a hoof to her face to emphasize her point.
Rarity seemed surprised by such a suggestion. "These two? Oh, I don't know, darling. Don't get me wrong, the food is excellent, but I'm not sure there's much you and I can do to help them. You may live and work with The Cakes, but they do all the managing stuff, and running a successful boutique or three doesn't mean you can automatically do the same for a restaurant. Especially one that belongs to somepony else."
"But don't you see, that's exactly why the map called us here!" Pinkie insisted. "Nopony else would've sensed the wonderful cooking and decided to try it like I did, and nopony knows their way around Canterlort like you do. There must be something we can do for them."
In a scoffing tone, Mr. Spoon protested to his daughter. "What would you have me do? We couldn't even get Zesty Gourmand to come to our restaurant. She said it wasn't even worth rating!"
That turned out to be the suggestion that Pinkie and Rarity needed to realize what they could do to help. "That's it!" Rarity exclaimed, as she and Pinkie threw up their hooves.
"Yes! Uh, what's it?" Pinkie asked.
Rarity quickly explained. "The flow has led us here! This is our mission!" She then approached Mr. Spoon and Silver Spoon, as well as Coriander and Saffron, and said to them. "We are going to get you a three-hoof rating and save your restaurant! I'm sure I can get Zesty Gourmand here to rate it!"
"And I can pack this place with ponies no matter what!" Pinkie boasted. "I know something as unique as this will sell easily!"
"You two have quite the reputation for problem solving from what my daughter tells me," Mr. Spoon said to them. "Though I must admit some of the stories sound rather outlandish to say the least. Neither of you are even native to Canterlot, do you really think you can do what I couldn't?"
"Mr. Spoon, just leave it to us!" Pinkie and Rarity both said at once.
Rarity left a few minutes later to locate Zesty Gourmand, leaving Pinkie with the restaurant employees and owner. To pass the time, Coriander started packing up dishes and plates, much to his daughter's protest. "Father, will you please stop packing things?!" Saffron complained.
"Exactly, we'll need them when Zesty comes here tonight!" Silver Spoon added. "Just because my dad wants to give up doesn't mean you can do the same!"
Coriander remained unconcerned. "You don't know Zesty, if she says a restaurant isn't worth rating she really means it. So, when the lovely pony comes back and says that she couldn't convince Zesty Gourmand to come visit us, we will need to pack all this up. I am just getting a head start."
Pinkie only laughed at Coriander's remark. "You really don't know Rarity if you think that, Rarity has a way with words."
Just then, Rarity came back into the restaurant and happily boasted in a singsong voice. "I've done it!"
"See? I told you." Pinkie replied, and everyone gathered to hear what Rarity had to say.
"It wasn't easy, in fact it took all of my charm and cajoling, but I was able to convince Zesty Gourmand to come and try the food!" Rarity happily proclaimed.
"So Zesty's coming? Well, what is the catch?" Mr. Spoon asked. "Zesty wouldn't just say yes, her decision had to come at a price."
Rarity adopted a more serious tone as she said. "Ah, yes. Well, um, there is a bit of a challenge. The only time she could make herself available is tonight."
"I knew it wasn't that simple!" Mr. Spoon remarked, as Coriander just snorted.
"What's so wrong about Zesty coming here tonight? Don't we have enough time to get everything ready?" Silver asked Rarity. "We just need to get Zesty to see how good the food is, and we're in business!"
But Rarity explained. "If only it was that simple. The thing is, Zesty rates a restaurant on cuisine, decor, and presentation, and she has very specific tastes. So if she's coming tonight, then there is quite a bit of work that needs to get done before then." She reluctantly mentioned.
"Like what?" Pinkie asked Rarity.
"Oh, a tweak here, a tuck there, and maybe some slight modifications to the menu," Rarity replied with a nervous laugh. "We just need the place to feel a bit more cosmopolitan."
"Might as well as pack up now then, 'cause it's not gonna happen!" Mr. Spoon protested. "With Zesty's specific demands there's no way I'll just nab that three hooves rating and I doubt bribing her will work!"
Silver, however, snorted and shouted at her father. "Dad, after Rarity went through all this trouble just for us, can't we at least give it a shot?!" She asked him. "I love the food you serve here, I want this place to stay in business, and so do Miss. Rarity and Pinkie! Come on, what have we got to lose by trying?!"
"Well, how about I stay behind with Coriander and Mr. Spoon, to get the restaurant ready for Zesty's arrival?" Rarity offered to Silver Spoon, then she added. "And you, Pinkie, and Saffron can drum up some business before then."
"One packed restaurant coming right up!" Pinkie proudly proclaimed. "I already know some ponies that will gladly give this place a try, we just need to find them!" And she, Silver Spoon, and Saffron exited the building.
"Now don't you worry, Mr. Spoon," Rarity said to the stallion. "I promise you, with a fresh coat of paint and a little bit of diversifying the menu, we'll be able to get those hooves and make this restaurant a fine addition to Restaurant Row. Zesty will be pleased!"
Meanwhile, outside the restaurant, Saffron and Silver had their own concerns. "I hope my father doesn't drive Rarity crazy." Saffron sighed.
"I'm more worried about what my dad might do," Silver commented. "It sounds to me like he's giving up without even trying to fight."
Pinkie smiled. "Oh relax, Rarity's gonna make sure that The Tasty Treat is the most unique and beautiful restaurant in Canterlot! Not like all of those stuffy places on Restaurant Row. Now come on, let's go find Minuette and her friends!"
As it soon turned out, Mr. Spoon wasn't too pleased with Rarity's touch up efforts. "A fresh coat of paint isn't going to change anything, and neither will adjusting the menu ever so slightly," He said to Rarity. "The only way this place will succeed, is if it's just like all the other restaurants on Restaurant Row. It's clear that's what Zesty wants."
"Uh, Mr. Spoon," Rarity nervously commented. "I don't think Pinkie Pie or your daughter would very much approve of that. And to be perfectly honest, I have to side with them. This place stood out for better or for worse because it was so unique. Making it just like every other restaurant in Canterlot would take that away."
Mr. Spoon was quite insistent, however! "You don't know anything about restaurants, I do! And this is my establishment! So I'll decide what's needed to please Zesty, thank you very much!"
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I can't do that!" Rarity protested, stomping her hooves down firmly. "Maybe it's not always good to stand out, but I've come to learn that it never does any good to confirm to old or outdated standards! Every restaurant Zesty's given her approval to has had terrible food and the same generic decorating! I'll be darned if that's what Pinkie, Saffron, and Silver Spoon come back to!"
But Mr. Spoon only said to Rarity. "Well I'm afraid it's not up to you to decide what the restaurant looks like! I own it, so I can decide to decorate it however I please! I'm being generous as by letting you decorate, but I could easily do it myself if I wanted to," He sighed as he then added. "I was a fool to think standing out would get you ahead in the restaurant business here in Canterlot. Everypony hangs on the word of the elite, and whatever they approve of is what it becomes in style. If I don't please Zesty, I'll never draw in the crowds needed to keep this place running so I can pass it onto my daughter. Her cutie mark is a symbol of just how good a cook she can be, and she gets that from me. I'm sorry, but I'm going to decorate it the way I feel Zesty will approve of, and I'm gonna do it with or without your approval."
Reluctantly, Rarity decided to comply. "There's no need for such theatrics, Mr. Spoon. I suppose it's not too late to change this place a little. But it's only until Zesty has been pleased, then we're going right to back how it was before."
"We'll just see, okay?" Mr. Spoon replied.
Meanwhile, out on the streets of Canterlot, it was nearing sundown. Although Pinkie had managed to convince not only Minuette and her friends (including Lyra who had come to Canterlot with Bon Bon, the two celebrating an important milestone), but also Fancy Pants and Fleur, as well as Sassy Saddles, that was still far from a packed restaurant.
"The day's nearly over, and we still only have a small hooful of guests," Saffron sighed. "What are we going to do?"
"Try harder of course! We really need to push the uniqueness!" Pinkie insisted, holding up the paper sign for The Tasty Treat as she shouted. "Fillies and gentlecolts! Check out the super stupendous and amazing cuisine of The Tasty Treat! Grand re-opening tonight!" But everypony seemed to just pass by without noticing the sign, a few even commenting that since they hadn't heard of it it must not be rated. "Rrrgh! Stupid hooves!" Pinkie complained, throwing the paper sign! The wind caught it, and blew it across the street, where it landed in front of two earth ponies.
"Oh, look at this, hun!" Said a green coated stallion with black and gray hair styled into neat locks, a mustache, oragnish-yellow eyes, a white shirt with black straps, and a cutie mark depicting what looked like slices of bred.
The stallion's wife, an orange coated mare with a reddish-orange mane and tail styled to look bushy, a green shirt, brown eyes hidden behind a pair of red glasses, a purple hat, a red shoulder strap bag, and an orange slice for a cutie mark commented. "Oh, The Tasty Treat! Do you think that's a restaurant, sugar?"
"Yes! Yes, it is!" Pinkie happily exclaimed, picking up the paper sign. "And you two are?"
"Chargrill Breadwinner," The stallion introduced himself. "And this is my wife, Orange Slice. We came to Canterlot from Whinnyapolis to be adventurous. But so far, the food in all these hoity-toity places tastes like somepony cooked up nothin' with a side o' nothin'."
Silver then bowed as she politely said to the two. "Well, please, come try the Tasty Treat. I think it's going to be exactly what you're looking for."
"We most certainly will, come along, hun." Chargrill said to his wife, and the two followed Pinkie, Saffron, and Silver back to The Tasty Treat.
But when the trio of somewhat successful ponies returned to The Tasty Treat, they were shocked to find it looking just like every other restaurant on Restaurant Row! "Rarity, what did you do?" Pinkie asked, hoping she was somehow misseeing things. She wasn't.
Even Coriander had changed, he now had a pale gray shirt on as he unenthusiastically said. "Welcome to The Tasty Treat. You can eat here if you want. Or not. Who cares?"
"Rarity, I thought we were trying to make this the most unique and beautiful restaurant in Canterlot! Not make it exactly like every other restaurant!" Pinkie complained.
Rarity sighed as she reluctantly said to Pinkie. "I'm sorry, Mr. Spoon forced my hoof. I tried to talk him out of it, but he was quite insistent on his right to decorate it in his way."
Saffron was shocked and horrified to see that all the unique food items of The Tasty Treat had been replaced by a generic cuisine like substance! "Father, what is this?!" She shrieked.
Pinkie was equally as horrified. "No, not that! Anything but that! Rarity, how could you do this?!" She demanded.
Mr. Spoon however was quite insistent on getting his point across. "This is what we must cook if we're going to succeed here! I'm sorry, it's not my fault Zesty is so picky!"
With tears in her eyes, Silver Spoon pushed away the cuisine plate and shouted at her father. "But this isn't what I wanted! I wanted Canterlot to like your restaurant for what it had to offer in uniqueness, not more of the same! I wanted it to like you for being yourself!"
Rarity turned to Pinkie and reluctantly asked her. "So, where are the other guests? How many other ponies are coming besides the two following you?"
"Well, we were able to get Minuette and her pals, plus Lyra and Bon-Bon, then there's Fancy Pants and his wife, oh and we can't forget Sassy Saddles." Pinkie replied.
"Only nine other ponies?! That's not even enough to fill this place up halfway!" Rarity complained and said to Pinkie. "I thought you said that you could pack the place with ponies no matter what!"
Pinkie however fired back and shouted. "And you said you would make the restaurant better, so I guess we both didn't know what we were talking about!" She then added. "How could you just cave in like that?! You got into Canterlot and Manehattan's fashion markets because you dared to defy the norms, not follow them!"
"Like I said, it wasn't my call to make. I really wanted the restaurant to succeed on its own merits," Rarity sighed, before she heard a knock at the door! "Zesty Gourmand!" She gasped. "Everypony, places!" Reluctantly, everyone took up their designated spots, and just seconds later into the restaurant trotted a unicorn mare with a gray coat, a two toned silver mane and tail styled largely flat, grayish raspberry eyes, and gray eyebrows. Rarity gulped, this was the critic that would affect the future of The Tasty Treat, and already she didn't seem impressed!
Just about everyone in the restaurant, except for the guests, seemed to be intimidated into silence by Zesty's appearance, even though she hadn't said anything yet. It was Mr. Spoon who reluctantly broke the silence by greeting. "Um, hello, Miss Zesty Gourmand. I am Greasy Spoon, owner of The Tasty Treat. What can my fine chef Saffron and my wonderful host Coriander get for you tonight?"
Zesty just sighed and in a rather bored sounding tone she said. "I hardly think it matters, but by all means, try your best to impress. Whatever you'd recommend will do, I'll decide if it's worthy of recognition."
"Uh, then I guess I'll just put you down for our nightly special, whatever that is." Mr. Spoon nervously replied, now wishing he'd spent more time learning about his new menu.
"Well, we'll both try the special this evening. Maybe with a little kick to it, eh? Yeah, we've been craving some food with actual taste." Orange Slice happily proclaimed, sitting next to her husband.
"Same here, I'm itching for something that'll rival Lemon Hearts' treats at those lavish balls she hosts!" Minuette cheerfully commented. The rest of the customers ordered the same thing.
Surprisingly, when Pinkie, Rarity, Mr. Spoon, and Coriander made their way to the kitchen in the back, they were surprised to find Silver Spoon helping Saffron. "Saffron Masala, what are you doing?!" Coriander demanded, upon seeing the two near the stove.
"I'm trying to save our reputations!" Saffron stubbornly exclaimed.
Silver Spoon took a sip as she explained. "We added a little bit of flavor to the dish, so hopefully it won't taste completely bland. I mean, what kind of food critic doesn't like food with a taste to it?"
"Please, let me be the one to do it!" Rarity insisted. "Maybe I can smooth talk Zesty into not rejecting it outright!"
But Pinkie scooped up the dish and stubbornly said to Rarity. "You had your chance, now I'm trying to fix what you ruined for everypony!"
Mere seconds after Pinkie had announced said intention though, Mr. Spoon leaped up and shouted "Noooooooo!" Inadvertently knocking the bowl out of Pinkie's hooves, and causing it to fly through the air and splatter onto Zesty's face! That certainly prompted something of a reaction, as the harsh glare on her face caused everypony looking at it to flinch.
Zesty sighed, as she levitated the bowl away and wiped herself clean. "I believe I'm done here. I said it once and I'll say it again, The Tasty Treat isn't even worth rating." She then got up and prepared to leave.
"Zesty! Please wait! Allow me to explain!" Rarity pleaded.
Zesty just turned to Rarity and said. "Rarity, I highly respect your expertise when it comes to fashion, you and Sassy Saddles make a fine team. But take some advice from a friend – keep your opinions out of restaurants, especially ones like this. Recommending a disreputable place such as this could do serious damage to your social standing. Just look around and you will see why. Substandard food, laughable service, and I would think even you could recognize that the decor here is trying desperately while desperately failing. Do you really think I give out three hoof ratings for establishments like this?"
Pinkie burst out in protest. "Yes, because that's exactly what every restaurant bearing your three hoof ratings is like! They're all the same, bland decor, bland food, and no originality whatsoever! But I guess that's all you're good for, imposing your will onto others!"
Zesty was most shocked by this accusation! "What?! Surely you must have heard wrong, I most definitely do NOT preach conformity, such an act goes against the very nature of my profession!" She then demanded. "Just where do you even remotely entertain such fantasies?!"
Silver Spoon opened her mouth and shouted at Zesty. "Just look at Restaurant Row, you'll see! My father hoped to please you by being just like those other restaurants that got your three hoof rating! Don't tell me you don't know what's going on?!"
Zesty seemed to be confused and even beyond puzzled to hear such a thing. "Well, I'm not sure what is going on with Restaurant Row, but regardless it does not excuse you and your father from the same problems you have already had, young Spoon," She said to Silver Spoon. "There is a lot going on here that anyone can see, problems that a menu change and a fresh coat of paint won't solve. As long as those issues exist, there is no way I can even 'pretend' to give even a one hoof rating," She then added. "But, I suppose I can give you a rare second chance to impress me. I will look into these so called 'problems' at Restaurant Row, which should buy you and your father time to figure out how you will hope to impress me next time. Do note that you will have to work hard for that three hoof rating though." And she left, slamming the door in the process.
"That's Zesty for you," Sassy commented, approaching Rarity. "I'm sorry to say I took a lot of inspiration from her, and you can probably see where that led me."
Rarity just sighed. "I thought I could be just like you, Sassy. Taking a fledgling business in the heart of Canterlot and turn it into a success story, even I adopted your idea of a pattern for success. But look where it got me, stuck having to please somepony who wanted conformity over creativity."
"Oh, do chin up, Miss. Rarity," Fancy Pants reassured her. "Celestia knows I've made more than a few mistakes in my time, even as a delegate. Least you forget what happened at the last Canterlot Royal Summit, or that lovely garden party we attended together. Even when you become older and more experienced like I have, you never stop making mistakes. It's a fact of life I'm afraid."
Minuette spoke kindly to Pinkie. "And just what does Zesty know about food? She agreed to give a second chance, but does that really mean she wants this place to succeed?"
"Honestly, I can't tell," Pinkie commented. "Either way, I don't know if we can just turn everything around so suddenly."
Silver Spoon smiled. "Well maybe some good food will help you think," She continued to smile as she looked at her father and said. "I actually remember how we'd bake cookies or brownies together when I was younger and you were home more often. Heck, even big sister Octavia would help out sometimes, and we'd make lots of messes together. I miss those days, Dad. I know I can't bring them back, I know you have your career now, and I know you want me to follow in your hoofsteps like Diamond's dad expects her to do someday. But did you ever consider I might want a different life? My cutie mark may be a spoon, but if there's one thing the Cutie Mark Crusaders have taught me, it's that a cutie mark doesn't define who you are. Nopony but you can make that decision, it's up to you to determine what your cutie mark is telling you to do, not the other way around."
Mr. Spoon smiled back at his daughter. "I can't believe I could ever forget those experiences, everything's been so busy with the restaurant lately that I've lost sight of what it meant to be part of a family," Scooping his daughter into a hug he asked her. "Can you ever forgive your old stallion for being so blind?"
"Of course, Dad." Silver replied, delighting in getting some affection from her father for once.
"You know what?" Rarity suddenly realized. "Regardless of what Zesty thinks, what's important is that we let the ponies themselves decide how good the food is here. Pinkie, we are the perfect team for this! We were just doing the wrong jobs! I will go out and bring the crowd! You stay here and make sure this place is every bit as unique and rustic as it was the moment we walked in!"
"Now that I must certainly can do!" Pinkie agreed. "And we've already got quite a few guests ready to give the old menu a shot! But what about the rest? How do we attract them?"
Rarity only laughed. "Leave that to me. You do the cooking, and I'll work on the promoting. I intend to bring a crowd!" And indeed she did, she went out into the very streets of Canterlot with the paper sign attached to her, and when ponies recognized her she said to them. "Would the owner of one of the premier boutiques in Canterlot put a stamp of approval on something that wasn't fabulous?" It worked like a charm!
Pinkie stayed in the kitchen to help Coriander, Saffron, Silver Spoon and her father make all the food, though she also went outside to retrieve the old Tasty Treat logo from the trash.
At last, a huge crowd had gathered just outside the restaurant doors, and inside everypony was a little on edge. "It's almost time! Is everypony ready for the grand re-re-opening?" Rarity asked, trying to stay positive.
"Well, before we open, my father and I just wanted to say... Thank you for all of your help. We've both been so stressed about the restaurant succeeding that we forgot what it was we or at least he loved about it in the first place." Silver Spoon said with a smile, standing besides her father and feeling proud to do so for the first time since she couldn't remember when.
Mr. Spoon nodded as he added. "Cooking is something we used to love to do together. No matter what happens next, thank you for reminding us of that."
"Oh, you guys! Group hug!" Pinkie exclaimed, pulling the entire restaurant staff into a powerful group hug. When it had ended she then said. "Now come on! We've got a party to throw!"
Coriander opened the door, while Saffron mostly set to work on cooking, though she came out occasionally to help Silver and Mr. Spoon wait on tables. Before long, comments such as, "Welcome to The Tasty Treat! Make yourselves comfortable!" and "Please, feel free to sample the food!" Were being heard quite frequently.
Everyone was having such a good time, that the arrival of Zesty Gourmand almost went unnoticed. "Well, this is quite a welcome surprise," Zesty commented. "Ponies trying a new restaurant without my stamp of approval or even recommendation. Did Rarity and her friend tell you?"
"We most certainly did," Rarity replied, glaring at Zesty. "You've got a lot of nerve to come back already, Zesty. I do hope you're not going to shy away from trying the new or I should say old menu of The Tasty Treat, after all ignoring a unique and fresh establishment such as this could do serious damage to your social standing."
Pinkie then added. "And just because you like your food a certain way, there is no reason to tell these ponies that they need to do the same!"
But Zesty surprised everyone present by saying after clearing her throat. "I must apologize for any misunderstandings that might have been caused by our earlier encounter," She then explained. "I know it must sound hard to believe, but I truly did have no idea what was going on with Restaurant Row in my absence, a mistake I truly did not intend to let happen intentionally. Should it continue to prove troublesome, I believe I shall have to step down from my role as a critic, for my intention was to bring out the art of fine dinning here in Canterlot. Draw attention to places nopony else might be willing to look into. I most certainly did not want every restaurant to change itself to please me," She then added. "I can already sense a lot has changed in just a short span of time. Alas, I do not have time tonight to sit down for a full meal. However, I shall make myself available to visit as early as noon tomorrow and as late as sundown the same day. While I cannot gurantee The Tasty Treat a three hoof rating, I can already sense that it will not matter what I rate, ponies will flock to it regardless. So my thanks to you, Miss. Rarity, and to you Miss. Pinkie Pie, for helping me to see what I could not see before." And with that she departed, the crowd cheered in delight at this scene.
Even Silver Spoon and her dad were impressed. "Thank you so much! Both of you!" Silver Spoon happily exclaimed, bouncing up and down. "I can't wait to tell all my friends about my dad's business, it'll totally blow their minds!"
Mr. Spoon smiled, as he watched his daughter's happy bouncing. It always delighted him no matter how many times he saw it. "You are both truly amazing," He said to Rarity and Pinkie Pie. "I believe one of these days you two must introduce me to the rest of your friends. I've no doubt that they're every bit as unforgettable as you two are."
Just then, Pinkie Pie and Rarity felt a slight tingle on their rumps, and they saw that their cutie marks were glowing, thus signifying a job well done. "Oh yeah, we're on fire! Nothing can stop the dynamic duo of Pinkie and Rarity!" Pinkie exclaimed, before she and everypony present laughed.