First Licorice [Visual, postdated to after the event]

[samplemygoods]

Hello, everypony. Some of you may not recognize me from around town, which is fair... I only just got one of these scrolls. My name is Bon Bon, and yes, that means I'm the one who runs the candy shop downtown. Either way, I've got a few announcements to make, now that the nasty business with the eclipses is over.

Firstly: Since it's only a month until Nightmare Night, I'm accepting suggestions for varieties of candy to make for the big day-before sale. Last year's celebrations being cut short by the actual Nightmare Moon I entirely blame on my stocking of way too much black licorice, so I want to know if you all can help make the holiday not a catastrophic failure this year.

Secondly: thanks to that eclipse, I actually do have a bit of a surplus here, so until the end of the month, all taffy is 75% off. Something to chew on for a while. [The mare chuckles, quietly, at her own joke.]

Finally: Until further notice, Zetta and all of those who collaborated with him are blacklisted from the Sugar Shack. I understand that it was apparently some super-secret plan to lure out the evil mastermind keeping all of the offworlders here, but you caused Lyra and Fluttershy to work themselves into exhaustion, made one of my employees sick, and turned the other into a bear! [Yes, Zetta, she's blaming you for that too even if it happened after the fact. And was technically Teddie's fault.] If you want me to lift the ban, then I'm expecting a pretty big apology. Yes, your majesties, that includes you two, too. I'm a businessmare, not a politician, and you hurt my bottom line, so I have to take action.

Thank you all for your time.


---
[Private to Dame Trixie]

Trixie? I wanted to thank you for pulling Fluttershy and Lyra out of that mess. There was only so much I could do at the time, and... yeah. Thanks.

That said, maybe it'd be best if you don't talk to Lyra about the version of her you know just yet. She's getting capital-i Ideas, and she needs time to rest before she starts getting more and ending up right back where she was.


---
[Private to Kyouko and Teddie]

Kyouko, Theodore.

Just so you know, I'm still gonna need you guys to come in tomorrow. I know it's a really stressful time, but if there's one thing I've learned in life it's that you've got to roll with what life throws at you. If nothing else, a day at the shop might be a good way to help Kyouko learn how to... [she hesitates, before glancing aside and coughing into a hoof.]...bear it, maybe.


---
[Private to Lyra and OU!Shy]

You two are on strict bed rest orders for the next week. Doctor Bon's orders.

If you two so much as think of sneaking out on me or not getting the rest you need, you're on poison joke harvesting duty for a month. And I'll figure out a way for you to have to do it without your unicorn magic, too.

I'm serious. Equestria is okay now, get some sleep.

Comments

visual

[etranger]

Oh hey look there's a baby dragon on the scroll. When she speaks, it's with an air of affected gravitas, like she's trying to sound older.

"Yes, I am an adult dwarf dragon and I would like to order ten pounds of taffy for serious adult reasons!"

[visual]

[samplemygoods]

Well, if you have serious adult reasons, then you have serious adult money to pay for it, yes?

[She's managed to calm down significantly by now, and has no problems addressing Etranger.]

If you left your wallet at home, I can give you a half pound on the honor system. But if you want the full ten pounds you need to pay for them with bits.

[visual]

[etranger]

"I can't pay with garnets?"

[visual]

[samplemygoods]

I'm afraid not. They won't fit in the cash register, see.

[etranger]

Hmmm.

"Oh, well, that is definitely a good, adult reason for it. Yes."

Etranger is starting to shift nervously. She is not good at this okay

[samplemygoods]

[Poor Etranger. She knows what it's like, to want to feel grown-up.]

Like I said, I can give you a half pound now on the promise you can pay with bits later... I know it's not ten pounds, but it should be able to last you! After all, someone so responsible and adult would know not to eat too much candy or else they'd get a tummyache.

[etranger]

Etranger's voice slips back into its normal pitch at this as she blinks, startled.

"But then I won't be able to share it with Teddie!"

This is followed by an 'eep' as she covers her mouth with both hands.

[samplemygoods]

[Bon Bon can't help but chuckle at that.]

Well, I might be able to wiggle a pound, but... I think I'd need to talk to someone else. Like your mom. She's still around, yes?

[etranger]

Etranger nods, well aware the jig is up.

"Uh-huh. MAMA!"

Because of course she's just going to yell instead of walking off to find her; she's still a kid, after all. It doesn't take long for Mako to show up after that, looking only slightly put out.

"Etranger, what have I told you - oh! Hello, Ms. Bon Bon."

[samplemygoods]

[Another chuckle from the cream-coated mare.]

Your daughter wants roughly ten pounds of candy to share with Teddie. Should I bill you now, or after you deal with the resultant tummyache?

[She's teasing, mostly. She wouldn't just dump ten pounds of candy in front of a child, that's irresponsible. She wouldn't be against keeping a running tab, though.]

How've you been?

[etranger]

"Fairly good, all things considered."

Mako pauses to gently nudge Etranger out of sight, slipping her a small chunk of turquoise to nibble on.

Best way to keep a baby dragon out of mischief: food.

"Ten pounds is a bit much, but we should be having some guests over soon...is it alright if I send Hampyre over to pick up three pounds of taffy? Pound each of, hmm...strawberry, wintergreen, and whatever Twilight likes best?"

[samplemygoods]

[With a quiet chuckle, Bon Bon nods, but then tilts her head.]

Which Twilight? The Princess likes orange, Lucia likes chocolate-mint, and the one from Mayfield likes butterscotch.

[At least, judging by their buying habits.]

[etranger]

"Oh, uh...the third one. Butterscotch."

Slight pause.

"Also, I was wondering - do you do candied flower petals at all? Aeris is going to seed soon so we've got a surplus of fresh sakura petals on our hooves."

[samplemygoods]

Not usually... it's a really delicate balance between "the petals are too fresh for candy to stick to them" and "the petals have gotten all hard and wilted from too much heat", so I find it's easier to use the petals to flavor the candy instead of the other way around.

Sakura is cherry blossoms, right? I could probably use some of those... if not immediately, then for the Hearth's Warming treats.

[etranger]

"Cherry blossoms, yeah. Aeris' daily production has doubled, so we've got a few hundred pounds to spare currently."