The next few days were tough, even at working on trying to get the café up and running. Feather had shown up at the shop in the morning, to find me sobbing on the shoulder of Flitter in the middle of the shop. She didn’t say much, considering that the stallion who played with my heart was her dance teacher but she was there to lend a comforting hoof anyway. The two of them had the idea to take me on tour of the sights of the town to get my mind off him and everything. The café could wait a few more days.
We took a trip to the coast, which the closest thing to a beach was the giant lake next to Ponyville Park. Flitter had a fun time surfing while me and Feather stayed on the coast looking at starfish and crabs and other cute little sea creatures. The temperature made it seem more like it was Summer than Spring but the refreshing breeze of the sea kept us cool.
Then there was Applewood, the real home of all the stars. Everywhere you walked, there was somepony that you knew from the latest movie or maybe a well-know TV show. I surprised when some ponies considered me to be a celebrity for my work in modeling magazines, even thought that was a long time ago. Flitter, using her bright business-savvy skills made sure to advertise the future opening of our café downtown while Feather insisted that we see one of the Manehatten-original plays while we stay down here for the day or two.
Once we got back, filled with laughter and joy from what I considered a vacation in a vacation, we got back to work. Flitter soon began learning her way around the counter, being able to make two strawberry milkshakes and a sandwich in less than fifteen minutes. Feather’s speciality was on the floor of the cafe itself. With the music system that the worker ponies installed, the shop kept a constant soothing rhythm natural to it’s theme that surrounded it. As for me, well, I finally wrote down all of the teas that we would be serving after a day or two of deliveries. Some were even from my own cottage since somepony was there to be able to deliver them now. We were on the eve of opening day, a week behind the schedule that I had told everypony in advance, but the shop was finally ready.
---
“Fillies and gentlecolts!” Cindy announced from the podium that the worker ponies had put in place for the grand opening of the tea café. “Welcome to the grand opening of Los Pegasus’ soon-to-be-famous attraction: Chai’s Tea House!”
The audience stomped their hooves as they screamed and shouted in applause as the three of us sat in our chairs next to the podium. I looked out into the audience to see Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Spike in the front row, cheering me on with everypony else. As the applause died down, Cindy continued her speech.
“When I received the call from the one and only DJ Pon-3 saying that she had a hot, new taste for Los Pegasus, I thought she was going to make a new Blue Note here in LP. But meeting Flutterchai for the first time, I saw a mare of ambition. One that knew that this could potentially fall, but I am going to keep flying either way. This pegasus has to be, for starters, the best tea maker in Los Pegasus. But not only that, I think that her tastes should be experienced throughout all of Equestria. And I am proud to say that the first Chai’s Tea House is here in downtown Los Pegasus for everypony to enjoy!”
Another round of stomps and applause came from the crowd as Cindy stepped down for the cream colored unicorn to come up to the podium, wearing her signature tinted-purple shades that matched her light-blue wicked manecut.
“Yo yo, DJ Pon-3 here!” she announced, grabbing the microphone her hoof. The audience exploded in cheers at the celebrity. “Nah, but for reals, this isn’t about me. I know you all are pretty scratched about me not building a Blue Note here in LP, but I had Chai here working with me over at Ponyville and she is an amazing mare. Even if making her first sandwich took three hours, that stallion left the shop with the best sandwich he could get in Ponyville, I’m sure of it. She’s grown a long way from just looking for a winter job and I’m sure even if it’s in the middle of summer, you’ll stop by for some of Chai’s chilled teas and milkshakes to cool down with.”
The crowd applauded at the speech as Vinyl sat back down opposite of Cindy, letting Flitter to take the stage. The grayish-blue pegasus flew up to the podium, lowering the microphone back down from where Vinyl had kept it.
“Well, I know some ponies out there are clients of my interior design work and no, I did not do the job for this location. That was left to Cindy and her associates.” she began, much to the laughter from the crowd. “In case you didn’t recognize me, hello, I’m Flitter and I have the title as co-chef for Chai’s Tea House. This wonderful pegasus has taught me everything that she has learned from her master, Pon-3 of course, and I will be sure to serve up some nice snacks to go with your drinks. More on Chai, we might have had a strained history in the past but I like to think that past has brought us closer together. I’m honored to be considered the wingpony to her shop and we also grown to be great friends over these past few days. With my last seconds up here, I wish the shop the best of luck for myself and Chai and I hope all you ponies visit regularly.”
Another batch of cheers from the audience at the pegasus’ speech. Rainbow Dash made clear to roll her eyes at what my newfound friend had said, but I’m sure she knows that she’ll always be my closest pegasus friend. With Flitter flying back to her seat, Feather got up and stood at the podium, brushing her mane out of her face.
“Hi everypony! My name is Feather Dancer and I am the main waitress for Chai’s Tea House. Here at Chai’s little shop, we want you to feel like you’re at home, resting in your favorite chair with a nice cup of tea at your hoof. Now, we can’t bring your favorite recliner to the shop but we can bring the tea to you, which is what my job is all about. Also, don’t be surprised if I start dancing around you and feel free to jump in if you feel like it!”
She giggled, much to the applause of of the crowd. From her description, I could almost imagine the scene of my cottage, with a warm fire at my hooves and a cup of chai tea to sip on.
“But what can I say about Flutterchai?” she continued, pointing to where I was sitting. “She’s a fantastic mare with a heart of gold and she deserves to be successful at following her dream. Her drinks are amazing and I honestly cannot get enough of her strawberry and cream frappuccinos! I’m sure this new café will be a huge success and I am thankfully for the opportunity to be here when it first starts up.”
With that last bit of cheers and stomps, I took a deep breath as I walked up to the podium, looking out at the crowd of ponies. Tapping the microphone, the crowd simmered down for my final speech, before the shop officially opened.
“Hello?” I asked into the microphone, hearing my voice out of the speakers behind me. “My friends should know this about me, but I am definitely not the pony to stand up here and make a speech. In fact, having all of watch me right now is a bit terrifying in it’s own right.”
With the scattered flashbulbs of reporter ponies and enthusiastic critics, I took a deep breath before continuing. “At least, I wasn’t that pony. As many of you know, my name is actually Fluttershy and my home is in Ponyville, with my friends. While working at DJ Pon-3’s Blue Note Café, if only for the winter months, I felt like my life had a goal to it. I had always thought of myself as nothing more than a kind pony with a few friends that lived in a small town. But with a little help of my friends, I realized that I was something more. I was, as I told myself, a tea pony.
My new name became Flutterchai here in Los Pegasus, but everypony recognized me as Fluttershy, the model or Fluttershy, Twilight Sparkle’s friend. I wanted to make it that Flutterchai was known for something on her own. That even if I failed and that nopony loved my tea as much as my friends did, I still went out and tried my best to reach that goal. I wasn’t going to be the shy pony that my name calls me for, but rather a pegasus that knew what she wanted and went after it.
Even if times were really hard here starting out, by no fault of the kind ponies of Los Pegasus, I stuck to it. I even had a good friend that turned out to be a shining light in this dark forest that I had to try and get through. But that was a magic trick. To make me fall deeper in the brambles of the forest. And I soon realized one of Twilight’s first lessons when she came to Ponyville, as a new and strange town. That friendship, true friendship, is the one thing that anypony really needs. Which is why I’m ever-so-thankful that I met Flitter and Feather to bring me to the light at the end of the forest.”
I paused, the reporter ponies still taking scattered photos of me from the podium. Looking down, I saw a tear coming from Twilight’s eye when I mentioned the lesson I had learned from her.
“I can’t tell you anything other than I love making tea and I will always make it for anypony that asks.” I began, taking another break from the sentence for a quick breath. “Which is why I will be leaving the shop in the capable hooves of Flitter and Feather for the most part.”
The crowd exploded with shocked gasps as the reporters quickly wrote down the story, more and more pictures being taken. “My place is with my close friends back in Ponyville. I have done what I can for this shop by training my friends to be wonderful servers and chefs. I will stop by on occasion and you might be lucky enough to see me pull up an apron to make your vanilla chai latte.
But as it stands right now, I am the most homesick pony in all of Equestria. I have been waiting for weeks on end to go back to my cottage at the corner of Ponyville, to see all of my animal friends. I see that my best friends are in the crowd today cheering me on and I know that they knew I couldn’t leave them for Los Pegasus. To be honest, I couldn’t leave them for all of Equestria.”
With that last statement, a pair of white bunny ears popped up from Rainbow Dash’s mane. I leaned closer as Angel popped out from the pony, running onto the stage up to the podium.
“Angel Bunny?!” I asked outside the mic as my bunny pet crawled up from my tail to the top of my head, hugging my mane. The crowd of ponies cooed at the affection shown by the cute, little animal as I giggled.
”I guess Angel Bunny here missed me as well. Heehee!” I said into the mic as the white rabbit slid down the front of my mane. “Yes, I’ll be sure to bring home some carrot cake for you and your friends.”
With more aww’s from the audience, I knew it was just about time to wrap things up as Flitter and Feather had their hooves on the giant pair of scissors in front of the shop. “And without further delay, I present to you my crowning achievement: Chai’s Tea House!”
The ponies cut the ribbon as series of cannons shot a blast of balloons into the air, one from the one and only Pinkie Pie as well. With a final set of cheers, the crows started making their way in, eager to order a drink or snack from the new café.
---
Dear Princess Celestia,
“I got two orders of hay chips and and a daisy sandwich here!” Feather shouted, dancing her way around me and my friends to deliver the next order. I smiled as I continued writing the letter with the quill that Twilight had lent me.
I know that you’re a busy princess so that you probably couldn’t make it to hear my speech, so here’s a summary of the lessons I learned from my vacation here in Los Pegasus.
The grayish-blue pegasus quickly placed five cups, each with a different pony’s name on the side with a different drink inside as Feather slid on through to pick up up with her hoof. Going back to the register, she took the next customer’s order as she used her wings to start another warm drink.
I learned that even a shy pegasus like me can follow her dream and have it be a big success, if only for her friends.
Looking up, I saw Applejack taking a long gulp of the spice apple latte only for the whipped cream to leave a mustache on her muzzle as Twilight tried her hardest not to laugh.
I learned that even if a place seems dark and scary and strange at first, it might surprise you with some new friends that you thought you would never expect or maybe just have the inspiration to keep at your goal.
In the corner of my eyes, Pinkie Pie was drinking a takeaway coffee cup marked with quadruple everything in it. As the pink pony began to shake, I blinked once and she was gone.
I also learned that you should try to listen to your friends’ advice, even if they might push you a little hard in a direction that you might not necessarily want to go.
As Rarity gracefully sipped her cup of tea at the table, Rainbow leaned back only to get caught by Feather’s hoof, spun around in an impromptu dance number leaving her dazed in the middle of the shop as everypony giggled.
Most importantly, I learned that the right dreams can become reality. And if I’m destined to meet a handsome white stallion with a scarlet mane, then I will wait forever for that dream to become my future.
“Welcome to Chai’s Tea House, what can I get for you today?” Flitter asked at the cash register. The stallion held his hoof to his chin as he read the list of teas on the menu, his eyes wide at the massive selection of what there was to drink.
Blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, ginseng, sleepy time, green tea, green tea with lemon, green tea with lemon and honey, (griffon specialty) liver disaster, ginger with honey, ginger without honey, vanilla almond, vanilla chai, white truffle, blueberry chamomile, vanilla walnut, constant comet, & earl grey.
“I’ll have a Vanilla Chai Latte to-go” he ordered, using a scarlet aura to pull a few bits from his wallet.
“That seems to be the most popular flavor of the day.” Flitter said, writing the recipe down on the takeaway cup. “Can I get a name?”
“Just... Tux.” he stated, brushing his hoof on his pristine, white coat.
“Alright, it’ll only be a few minutes.” she announced, pulling yet another order on the counter for Feather to grab. The stallion moved out of the way of the waitress, looking out at the center table where a yellow pegasus with a long, flowing pink mane sat writing a letter.
I am thankful for my friends for letting me take this opportunity and I do hope that everypony likes my tea. Heehee!
Your faithful subject (and tea pony),
Flutterchai (or... Fluttershy)
As I rolled up the letter to give to Spike, a pony cleared their throat behind me.
“Princess Celestia?” I asked, looking behind me at the regal pony as the rest of us bowed in our of our princess.
“I am not as busy as you might think, Fluttershy. But I will take your letter for the archives on the study of friendship.” she stated, using her golden magical aura to take the rolled up scroll from out of my hooves.
“It truly is an honor, Princess Celestia.” I said, bowing in front of her. “And I have to ask what you think of my drinks and snacks.”
“Well, I haven’t gotten a chance to order anything-” she began before Feather came up to her with a piece of vanilla cake and a cup of chai tea on a tray. “Oh! Thank you.”
Using her magic, she moved a fork to take a princess-like bite of the cake, tasting the perfect blend of sweet and sugary ingredients in the cake. Satisfied with the bite, she sipped from the teacup, washing down the piece of cake.
“Mmm, absolutely exquisite. Perhaps you could share your blend with the Royal kitchen in Canterlot?”
“You... you really think so?!” I asked with the biggest smile on my face. She smiled back and nodded as business resumed in the shop. Finished with the letter, I picked up the takeaway cup that was in front of me and took a sip of the drink. The bitter taste of what was inside came as a shock as my face scrunched up at the unpleasant flavor on my tongue. Even though it wasn’t the politest thing to do in front of royalty, I couldn’t help to spit out the drink on poor Spike, who was sitting the closest to me.
“Yuck!” I shouted, sticking my tongue out at the taste of straight coffee in my mouth. As soon as Rainbow Dash sat back down, taking a sip from the straw of the drink in front of her. Her face became pale as she swallowed the drink, looking at the label on the front of the cup.
“Chai’s Latte :)”
“EWW! Where did my coffee go?!” Rainbow yelled, holding up the cup. I looked over at her and started laughing with everypony else, even Princess Celestia, as business returned to normal.
The End