//------------------------------//
// Pittoresque Petit Café 
// Story: My Little Pony: The Next Generation 
// by MedicHorse 
//------------------------------//


My Little Pony: The Next Generation
Pittoresque Petit Café

It didn’t take long for Gold, Candy, Prism, and Star to find themselves at the afore mentioned quaint little café. As they sat down and order their drinks, they shared the stories of how they ran into each other. Prism and Star found themselves laughing at how upset Candy was at the lack of delicious doughnuts. Candy was not as angry about Star’s story, as she was still focused on doughnuts, but Gold made repeated claims of how he would “kick that dumb pony’s [RATED E].” Not long afterwards, drinks arrived, and the friends set about deciding what they wanted to eat. Three ordered the same delicious sounding sandwich, while Candy got a large helping of French toast. After eating and talking for quite a while, they decided to head back to the castle. On the way out, they saw a rather peculiar sight. Claire, dressed in a sleek pink dress, was standing in line with a stallion none of them recognized. He was also seemingly dressed to impress, with a black suit coat and a bow tie. After noting his rather unique features, they went back on their way, eager to delve into the new mystery.

Upon returning to the castle, the four friends found T and Annie sitting in the lounge area. T was reading a book, as he often did when bored, and Annie was listening to music. Figuring that he may know the mystery stallion, they set to describing him, right down to his two hooves with claws and his two unique horns. T did indeed know him, and identified him as Prince Illusion, son of Discord and Princess Celestia. T then asked why they were so curious about the young prince, they spun a tale of intrigue, mostly amounting to the fact that he and Claire looked to be on a date. Smirking, T decided that the only reasonable approach was to return to the quaint little café, observe the two, and ensure that Illusion was treating Claire well.

As they walked, the six friends decided on their roles for the adventure. Annie, having the best hearing of the group, would be designated eavesdropper. Star, having a keen eye for detail, would keep her eyes on the two. Candy would use her connections in the food service industry as an in to gain favor with the staff, and enlist their help in making this the best date possible. Gold was delegated to interference, keeping the way clear for the observers. Prism stayed on hand to regulate weather, as Canterlot weather had a reputation to change without notice. T, fearing he would blow the team’s cover by being a large dragon, agreed to sit in the back and simply pay for the date in secret, as he wanted to see who would offer to pay first. When they arrived, they were seated in the perfect position. It was close enough to observe the couple but far enough to remain hidden. It was also in a low traffic area, making Gold’s job much easier. The friends immediately set to work. Annie’s ears began quivering and rotating like a radar dish, while Star fixed her eyes on the spot with an intense, almost threating stare. Candy walked towards the back into the kitchen, as the head chef was a good friend of her mother. Within minutes, the information began flowing.
“She keeps blushing,” noticed Star.
“That’s because he keeps telling her she’s pretty,” added Annie, which drew a chuckle from T. It didn’t take long for the couple’s food to arrive, thanks to the pony in the kitchen that focused solely on their order. The evening proceeded without a hitch, thanks to the couple’s, unknown to them, assortment of aces in various holes. After Illusion offered to pay for the meal, unaware of the restaurant’s sudden new princes eat free policy, the pair got up to leave. Noticing this, Gold was sent to pull Candy out of the kitchen while Prism was sent ahead to stealthily clear any clouds. There was only one, which he dispatched expertly before hiding on a rooftop near the castle.

Claire was as happy as she could be. He she was, walking back to her temporary home with a handsome young prince who was rather insistent on her beauty. As they walked, she occasionally looked up into the evening sky, noticing how lovely it looked with no clouds. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she failed to notice that they were just in front of the castle.
“Well,” he began, “I’m afraid this is where I must leave you. I’ve agreed to make some appearances downtown this evening.”
“Oh,” she replied, not really sure what to say. She decided to simply gaze into his eyes, those wonderful, shimmering pools of crimson.
“Well, I shall see you again later. I do hope we get the chance to do this again soon,” Illusion said as he started to turn around. Claire, wishing to make the moment last just a bit longer, placed her claw covered hoof on his cheek, and planted a gentle kiss on the other one.
“Me too,” she said, causing Illusion to blush for the first time that night. He looked deep into her eyes, smiled, and walked away. Claire waited until he was out of earshot, then began jumping around and giggling like a little filly. After a while of this, the other six of the approached the gate, having secretly seen everything.
“So,” Candy began, “What’s got you so excited?”