Malarson was having a lovely time as he trotted to work. The sun was shining, the flowers were blooming, and he'd soon have a new place to work at in a couple of weeks. While he was sad to leave his old crew behind, it was time for him to try something new. Hopefully the rest of the crew wouldn't feel bad about him leaving. He entered the studio of Trot Comics and greeted his coworkers.
"Good morning!" he said as he saw the writers and artists huddled in a circle.
"Malarson! Great to see you!" Buronson was the first to say in his loudest voice.
"Come on over! Have a seat!" Queso added, pulling out a chair.
"Need something to drink? I can get you something," Low Web offered.
"Wow! You guys are being nice to me today."
"Of course, Malarson! We'll miss you when you're gone, but we fully accept and support your decision." Heyfield patted him on the back with a smile. "It's also why each of us wants you to help us with our new stories."
"Wow! All four of the writers want me?" The smile on Malarson's face almost looked like it hurt.
"Sure! Think about it; you're an experienced writer with all the skills to make any story sell well, and it'd be nice to have you help us and have a little memento to remember you by." Low Web was starting to feel guilty about his plan.
"Really? Is it because you finally got Mr. Bates angry and he made an editorial mandate that's forcing you to create terrible comics and you need somepony else's name to pass the bit onto?" The group was stunned by Malarson's apparently psychic abilities.
"How did-" was all Heyfield could get out.
"I do the mystery comics, remember? This sort of deduction is my thing." The group looked embarrassed as they had forgotten what he'd actually worked on. "Anyway, I'd be glad to help you guys out. Depending on our situation, we can help turn your situations around and surprise everypony. Now, who was the first to get their mandate?"
"That would be us," Sound said, Buronson at her side.
"What's your mandate supposed to be about?"
"We're supposed to make our main character, a tough and independent wanderer in a nuclear wasteland into a princess. And an alicorn."
"Oh my," Malarson said, putting his hoof to his chin. "Well, let's get started."
Pepperoni was busy with the lunch shift while his wife, Bloomheart, helped serve the customers. She'd been happy to spend more time at home since she'd had her hours readjusted and was able to help with the business.
"I've got three cheese pizzas cooking up right now," Pepperoni informed her. "Hopefully that can sate them for a while."
"We both know that's not true," she replied as she passed by, carrying out one of the orders. Pepperoni took a deep breath as he used this brief moment of rest to catch his breath. He was interrupted when his phone began to ring.
"Pepperoni's Pizzas! How may I help you?"
"Pep! Glad that you're there," Bates said with relief. "Listen, I really need you to do me a favor. I know it's big, but it's important."
"Sure! What's bothering you?"
"Long story short, I went on sudden vacation without going home first and I left my dog there with the medicine cabinet spilled out onto the floor. I'm gonna need you to look after him for a couple weeks. The dog food is right next my fridge and...you still there?" Bates was pretty sure that he'd scared him off at that point.
"Yeah. I was just writing down the information. I've actually had a situation like this happen when Cleversong and Sound were just foals. Bloomheart and I went outside for just a moment and ended up looking ourselves out while our kids were in the kitchen. When we finally broke in we found that they were trying to play Hansel and Gretel and-" Pepperoni stopped talking when he heard a gurgling noise on the other end. "Hello?"
"Pep! Please go now! I don't want my dog to die! Oh, and one last thing is that the keys are inside, so you'll have to break in as well."
"I'm on my way!" Pepperoni hung up the phone and ran out straight to the door.
"Hun! Where you going?" Bloomheart asked.
"I need to save a dog!" he yelled as he burst out the door.
Bates put the phone down and tried to calm himself. His friend was on the job, so that was all he could do for now. He looked for the nearest information terminal and got a map of Lowtide Beach to use while he was there.
"Might as well try to relax while I'm here," he said while reminding himself of why he came there in the first place. He located where the hotel was and went there to get himself a place to stay. He remembered that there was a place he had originally paid in advance years ago when he saw that they had a deal for those who paid ahead. He was lucky that they never made any specific rules about how it worked, so he was able to buy a two week stay at a hotel.
He approached the concierge at the counter and checked in.
"Hello! I may I help you?" she greeted.
"Yes. My name is Mr. Bates, and I've-"
"Oh my goodness! He's actually alive!" She then pressed a button out from under the desk and the lobby was suddenly flooded with hotel staff looking at Bates with interest.
"This is the guy?" one of them whispered.
"I only thought he was a legend," another said.
"Wow. You reserve a place for ten years and suddenly you're the talk of the town. Anyway, if you wouldn't mind showing me to my room."
"Um, I don't know how to say this," the concierge looked around nervously, as if hoping somepony else could let him know, but we're all out of rooms at this moment."
"Oh come on! The one time I manage to take a vacation and it happens to be when you guys are full?" Bates was frustrated by this news and was about to leave until one of the staff managed to push their way through.
"Get out of the way!" he yelled at them, finally getting to Bates. "Mr. Bates, it's an honor to finally meet you. I remember ten years ago the day that you decided to call us up and take our 'Early Bird' offer. Since then I've become the manager here and we've actually set up a betting pool saying when you'd actually get here."
"Cool. Who won?"
"You."
"Really?" Bates was caught off guard with this.
"Yes. It was determined that if nopony had bet on one of the days you'd come in, you would automatically win the entire pool. You're lucky too. This is the only day that's come up that noppony put down a bet for."
"How much do I win?"
"Well," the manager was counting the numbers up in his head before telling him, "twenty thousand five hundred and fifty-four bits." Bates' mouth just hung open after hearing that number. "Anyway, we do have one room available for you and that's the Royal Suite. Seeing as we've been waiting for you for a good ten years, it's a free upgrade. I'll personally show you to your room." With such an awesome start to his vacation, Bates was sure everything would be just fine.