Cadance opened the door to the gingerbread house, the gentle tinkle of the bell echoing around the near-empty room, most customers having already ate at this hour and only one mare running the till,
“Welcome to Sugarcube Corner! I’m Sky Tierer, how may I help?” the mare was a cheerful earth pony, with a sunset-pink mane loosely tied and white coat protected by a simple apron with her name pinned to the front.
“Hello, I’m Cadance, I’m here to help oversee the Summer Sun Celebration, may I speak to your employer?”
The mare’s eyes got distant for a moment before she grinned and stuck her head in a door marked ‘staff only’, “Mr and Mrs Cake, Princess Cadance is here to check we’re all good to go!”
Moments later a frazzled mare with a pink mane appeared, a folder in one hoof and a platter of small samples on her back, she quickly talked Cadance through the contents of the binder- mostly notes on allergens- as Cadance tried the samples before she quickly darted back into the kitchen, leaving Cadance in the main restaurant,
“Huh, not as frazzled as I thought…” Cadance looked up, seeing Sky looking mildly disappointed before shaking her head, “Anything else I can do for you Princess?”
“Not particularly, I suppose I’ll see you at the Summer Sun Celebration?”
“Of course! I’ll introduce you to my siste-” a soft thump came from above their heads, and Sky smiled, “Or you could wait a few minutes and meet her now, if you have the time? She just woke up.”
Cadance opened and closed her mouth unsure of whether or even how to comment on a pony sleeping until mid-afternoon.
“She works nights.” Sky paused for a moment then grinned, “Have you met Rainbow yet?!”
Cadance paused remembering the name from her list, “The weather manager? No, why?”
To her surprise, Sky Tierer began cackling with glee, “Oh, you want to wait a moment then- Rainbow’s a total slacker- and her boss- but Lulu constantly mouths off- we’re pretty new in town and I’m amazed she hasn’t been fired yet, probably ‘cause Rainbow totally agrees but doesn’t want to admit it so just uses Lulu being so Lulu-y as an excuse to work hard without giving up her whole ‘discord-may-care’ thi-”
“Dearest Sister, I hope you aren't engaging in idle gossip regarding me. Again.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it dearest Nebula.” Sky grinned,
The dark blue pegasus who had descended the stairs had her light blue mane short and loose, naturally curling at the ends despite the brush being dragged through it by her wings. She, like her sister, paused a moment upon seeing Cadance before giving her mane one last tug and flying down the last few steps, glaring out the window.
“You said you were going to inspect Rainbow Dash, correct? I will accompany you, if you do not mind.” she paused in her trot, turning to Cadance with a small smile, “Nebula Lulamoon. No relation to the stage performer by the name of Trixie.”
“Nice to meet you Nebula, um I don’t mind, uh, lead the way?” something about the mare unsettled Cadance in a way she couldn’t quite place, but she quickly followed, waving to Sky Tierer who gave a cheerful ‘bye’ as the two left.
“So… uh… your sister said you two are new in town?” Cadance awkwardly tried to break the silence that Nebula seemed oblivious to,
“Yes. We moved recently from Canterlot.”
“Oh! That’s neat, weird to think we might have passed each other, huh?”
“I suppose.”
Cadance was on the verge of giving into the awkward silence with this brick-wall of a mare, when she noticed something sticking out of her hastily-tied saddle-bag, “Oh you’re a fan of Moonbound too?”
Nebula froze in her brisk pace a moment before giving an awkward grin, “O-oh you’ve read it? Who’s your favourite character?”
Cadance thought for a moment on the most important question in any given conversation, “Hmm… Twily gets sulky whenever I say this but Sun.”
Nebula suddenly seemed a lot less awkward, “Oh? Most people say Dream, why Sun?
“It’s kinda’ silly but it’s because she’s based on my aunt y’know? It’s pretty cool to see how everypony else sees Auntie I guess,” Cadance beamed at Nebula,
“Oh. I prefer Darkness honestly- it’s interesting to try and figure out why she is like she is; wait-” a smirk not unlike her sister’s crossed the other mare’s muzzle, “if you like Sun because she’s based on Princess Celestia, shouldn’t Love be your favourite?”
“No. Just no. Don’t even talk about that spin-off, the kindest thing I can say is that it’s flattering. And even then, I am not 1000 years old.”
Nebula laughed, and started hovering, “Rainbow will be neglecting her duties somewhere near here,”
“Did I hear the name of the best flier in Equestria?!” A rainbow blur flew by the duo, stopping to reveal a cyan pegasus with the most technicolour mane Cadance had ever seen and a massive grin splitting her face. A grin that became distinctly more nervous when met with Nebula’s unamused stare.
“H-hey Nebula. Uh. Give me ten seconds flat?” without waiting for acknowledgement the mare- presumably Rainbow Dash- returned to a blur of colour, clearing the skies at truly impressive speeds. True to her word, by the time Nebula had counted to ten she was hovering in front of them before a spotless sky.
Nebula seemed about to argue, but instead sighed with a resigned smile “’No harm no foul’ as the saying goes, I suppose. I will see you at the Summer Sun Celebration?”
“Of course- the Wonderbolts are going to be there! Like, the actual Wonderbolts actually performing!” Rainbow did a small loop-de-loop, “You KNOW it’s my dream to join them!”
Cadance smiled, “I have to go check the music and decorations next, I’ll see you at the Celebration too, Nebula!”
“Huh? O-oh, yes, yes you will I suppose. See you then.” Nebula waved as Cadance walked towards the town hall intending to stop by music on her way.
Would Shiny be done at the barracks by the time she got there?