Best Served Cold

by David Silver


1 - Fancy Meeting You Here

Starlight gave the gentlest tug with her magic, drawing the strand that led up to her kite, high in the choppy winds of the sky. It was far from an ideal day for flying her kites, which also made it one of the better ones. She softly grunted, her teeth clenching as she concentrated on keeping the kite in the air.

The cruel eddies of the cloudy day wrapped firmly around the kite and threw it like an angry god. Starlight yelped and tugged against it, but it only served to hasten its descent. With the sound of shattering wood and splintering branches, the kite slammed against a tree with bone-crushing force.

She sagged in place with a weary sigh, her eyes on the limp thread that dangled from the tree. In its thick canopy, she could envision the smashed and mangled remains of her lovely kite. A sudden sharp laugh had her ears and, slightly slower, her head swiveling to spot a pony that was almost the same color as herself.

This new mare had light cyan and blue colors in their tail and mane. Their tail swirled in a ribbon much like Rarity's. Around her right forehoof was an anklet of large golden orbs with a big gem set in it. Adorning her ponytail, and her actual pony's tail, were similar bands of golden orbs, but they didn't have gems with them. Set in each of her ears, completing the aesthetic, she had a golden earring on either side.

The mare approached, her brown eyes set on Starlight. "I wasn't laughing at you, poor thing. I've lost too many kites on days just like this one. That was a pity, such a pretty kite."

Starlight frowned as she reached up with her magic and began to pluck out bits of her ruined kite. "I'll have to fix it..."

"Oh, you can fix them too?" The new mare came close and stood next to Starlight, watching the kite be extracted bit by bit. "What a talented mare you are."

"Stop that," laughed Starlight. "Oh, um, I don't think we've met? I'm--"

"--Starlight Glimmer," finished the new mare, smiling with a smug satisfaction at Starlight. "Twilight Sparkle's first friendship student, graduated."

Starlight blinked with surprise before it passed. "Oh, yeah, most ponies know that... who live around here, but I've never seen you before?" She tugged the rest of her kite free and it began to float down towards her in a small clouds of bits, bobs, and torn fabric. "Still, nice to meet you...?"

"Saffron," She dipped her head slightly, watching the bits of kite approach. "Saffron Diamond. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." She reached up a hoof as the kite drew close and pulled the main body of it down. "Perhaps today isn't the best day for this."

"Yeah... So, just move into town?" She began folding and collecting the bits. Saffron surrendered the piece she had taken without argument.

"Just did," agreed Saffron. "I didn't think I'd meet such an amazing pony on my first day."

Starlight's cheeks turned red swiftly. "O-oh, yeah... I mean, I'm not Twilight." She laughed nervously as she put a hoof behind her head. "I've only saved Equestria once, unlike her."

"Look at you, trying to pass the whole thing off." Saffron's eyes partially closed, fixing Starlight intensely. "I bet you tell such stories about that time. You against all those changelings..."

"Well, I did have help," demurred Starlight. "I was just, you know, doing what needed doing."

"And you defeated Queen Chrysalis, mmm?" Saffron leaned in closer, her breath ruffling Starlight's fur along her snout in her proximity. "Sent her running."

Starlight shrank back quickly out of range. "I'm... less proud of that."

"Oh?" Saffron's right brow arched high. "I would think that was your highest moment, mmm?"

"Twilight would have made a friend, but I... failed there..." She shook her head quickly. "Enough about that. I did what I could, and hopefully that's good enough, right?" She smiled with nervous hope. "So... you like kites too?"

"Adore them," agrees Saffron. "Next time, I'll bring mine. The only thing better than a kite is a kite with a friend, mmm?"

"Yeah," easily agreed Starlight. She tucked all the bits and bobs of her injured kite away for later repair. "Sometimes I come out here with Maud. Do you know her, Maud Pie?"

"If she's a friend of yours," almost sang Saffron. "I'm sure she's an interesting pony. Do tell."

"She's a stoic mineralogist. At first, she may seem detached, but she really isn't." Starlight put a hoof into the air, watching it be stirred by the wind. "Mmm, it's not going to lighten up."

"Why don't we do something else then?" Saffron flashed a bright smile even as she turned away. "I saw plenty of charming places I haven't been to yet. We could make an event of it."

Starlight tilted her head at Saffron. "We just met... you sure are happy to, uh, shoot. Sorry. I'm... not used to it."

"Are you implying you don't want to go?" asked Saffron as she turned back to Starlight with a hurt expression.

"No! No no no no, really! That sounds like fun." Starlight smiled a bit too forcefully. "And there I was making light of Maud's difficulty, as if I'm so good at making friends. "

"Who's your new friend?!" Stepping out from behind Starlight as if she was there the entire time, Pinkie entered the conversation with a huge grin.

Saffron jerked back with obvious surprise, eyes wide a moment before they could recover. "Oh, dear, quite a startle. Hello, Pinkie."

Pinkie blinked rapidly. "We already met? I never forget a face!"

Saffron pointed at Pinkie. "Former bearer of the Elements of Harmony, good friend of Princess Twilight Sparkle, perhaps friend of Starlight Glimmer?"

Pinkie threw a leg over Starlight's withers and pulled her tight. "Of course! And you are?"

Starlight laughed awkwardly as she provided the answer with an outstretched hoof, "this is Saffron Diamond. We just met, but she knew about us already."

Saffron slowly nodded. "Smart mares know what celebrities live in the town they're moving into, and you two have plenty of things said about you." Her eyes moved to Pinkie. "You, party pony. Where do you suggest two new friends go for a nice time?"

"Oooo, good question." Pinkie bounced in place, releasing Starlight in the motion. "You could enjoy some nice cool shakes on this warm and windy day." She pointed the way. "Sugarcube Corner has you covered. Just tell them Pinkie sent ya and maybe they'll give a discount too. Mister and Missus Cake are the best!"

Starlight laughed softly, starting to walk that way already. "As good a place as any other. Come on, Saffron. We'll chat over a sweet treat or two."

"Let's." She walked side-by-side with Starlight, as if the two of them were already dear friends. "What's your favorite flavor?"

"I'm feeling like something with cherries in it," decided Starlight with a note of confidence. "That work for you?"

"That will do just fine, dear. Just fine..."

They left Pinkie behind, who found other things to do. Soon, they were arriving at Sugarcube Corner, its candied exterior colorfully welcoming them to a sweet time inside.

Saffron opened the door first with her magic and waved inside. "Heroes first."

"Stop that," laughed Starlight nervously. "I'm... not a hero." She scooted inside quickly.

"You don't need to tell me that," grunted out Saffron, her kind face falling for the briefest moment before it returned in a bright and sweet smile as she followed Starlight into the bakery. "Now then, Sugarcube Corner, is it?"

A lanky stallion nodded from behind the corner. "Good afternoon, Starlight. Who's your new friend? Welcome to Sugarcube Corner!"

"Afternoon, Mister Cake." Starlight dipped her head slightly before waving a hoof back at the entering Saffron. "This is Saffron Diamond, new in town. We were hoping to get a shake to share."

"How lovely." He offered a hoof over the counter towards Saffron. "And nice to meet you, Miss Diamond."

Saffron raised a hoof to tap against his, but didn't make it a long gesture. "Charmed. Something with cherries, if you please."

"You got it!" He wandered towards the back to get to preparing their order.

Starlight had already selected a booth by the window, patting the opposite chair while smiling at Saffron. Saffron returned the smile as she trotted over and slid up into the free chair. "A delightful choice of seat. We can do a little pony watching while we wait."

Following her eyes, Starlight saw two ponies arguing outside over a broken wagon. She hissed softly as her horn glowed. Without hesitation, she reached right through the glass and hefted up the broken wheel and popped it back onto its axle. With a little magic twist, she bonded it back into place, repairing the wagon.

The two ponies looked quite shocked at the sudden repair of the wagon. They looked at one another with confusion and exchanged a few words. Saffron laughed, "poor things, they have no idea what just happened."

Starlight waved it away gently. "I don't need credit for every good deed I do. Hopefully they can get back to what they were doing before that wheel broke off. Seems this windy day is good for breaking more than just kites, huh?"

"Indeed," agreed Saffron with a sly expression. "Pardon me, dear. I need to powder my nose."

Starlight nodded at her new friend. "Don't let me keep you."

Saffron rose smoothly and trotted for the door outside. She looped around the building casually, so she could see the two confused ponies without being seen by Starlight, not that she appeared to be Saffron anymore. She waved at them energetically and began to gesture for them to come closer the moment they noticed her.

"Yeah?" asked one of the two. "It's a crazy day, lady. First our wagon just snaps out of nowhere, then it fixes all the same, poof, like magic."

"Oh, I know... I saw the whole thing." Saffron smiled slowly. "And I know who did it. Starlight Glimmer's inside Sugarcube Corner right now. She reached out there with her magic and, pfft, just like that!"

The other stallion frowned sharply. "Starlight, huh? I thought she was better than that!"

The first nudged the second. "Didn't she used to use her magic for all kinds of evil brainwashing?"

"What, really?"

The first nodded quickly. "Uh huh, I heard it. She's powerful enough to spar with Twilight Sparkle and hold her own."

The second clopped his hooves together. "I don't care how magic she is! She thinks she can just shove us around like that?"

Saffron shook her head slowly. "She must not respect earth ponies and all the hard work they do to keep Equestria working." She sighed dramatically. "How terrible... Unicorn pride." She shrank back. "I do hope somepony would tell me if I ever get that in my head. Don't tell her I ratted her out, alright?"

"You got it, uh..."

"Sandy Shores," reported the light-brown colored unicorn with a smile. "Quick, if you want to talk to her, better do it before she leaves."

"Yeah," they both agreed, turning to give Starlight a piece of their collective mind.

Saffron chuckled darkly to herself as she looped back around the building, becoming Saffron Diamond along the way. She just got inside the door when the shouting began.

"Where do you get off, breaking our wagon!" demanded the first male.

"That joke wasn't funny!" agreed the second, slamming the table she was seated at.

Starlight shrank back with surprise. "W-what?! I fixed the wagon!"

"Yeah, only after you broke it." The first stallion leaned dangerously close. "I have my eye on you, Miss Glimmer. Don't think you can hide behind the princess!"

"Yeah!" offered the second in a show of eloquence. "We have our eyes on you, troublemaker!"

They stormed off together, grumbling, leaving a dazed Starlight behind.

Saffron ducked aside to let them past before approaching the table. "Whatever was that about, dear? They seemed quite upset, and after you lent a helping hoof. How awful..."