Cassa Di Caffe

the wind rattled against the train as they rode into the mountains. Citta Volpe was apparently a small town etched into the side of a rocky cliff. From where they were they could see the entirety of it, including an old abandoned castle high above on the top of the cliff.

"Sooo, awesome!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"Dash, there is an old abandoned castle right on the edge of our hometown too. I never hear you squeal about Ponyville like that.

"That's because Ponyville I already know that Ponyville is awesome, duh"

Twilight rolled her eyes.

"Sure is a pretty lil' town though" AppleJack admitted, looking out at the landscape as Fluttershy and Rarity both gushed beside her.

They exited the train and began walking around town, looking for any little Caffe by the name "La Caffe Di Famiglia". They were having no luck so far, and strangely it was getting colder outside. It shouldn't have been getting colder, it was summer time. It was also getting darker... Much darker...

Blackened clouds filled the sky as winds howled around them. The friends all exchanged worried glances, knowing something wasn't right. They raised their sights to the sky just in time to find tiny raindrops making their way towards the ground.

It wasn't long before the soft pitter patter of falling droplet surrounded them, and they all ran for cover. They found shelter under a small overhanging roof of a nearby restaurant. The wind howled louder and pushed harder around them as the rain became stronger and fell with  force that was painful to the touch when Rainbow Dash reached her hoof out to see just how bad the storm was.

She retracted her hoof with speed even she didn't know she had, and cradled it against her chest.

"Uh, yeah, guys. We aren't going anywhere any time soon"

All of a sudden they heard a voice shouting from across the road, the figure obscured by the pelting water all around.

"Ayyyy!" It shouted "Che Stupido sono tu!?"

"What are they saying?" Pinkie Pie asked, giving Twilight a confused glance.

"I think... They said... That stupid are you... ?" Twilight said, not quite sure if her translation was accurate.

All of a sudden they  heard a huff of aggravation, which was surprisingly closer than the figure had once been, and before they even saw anything were being yanked away, through the pelting storm, and into a warm, brightly lit room.

They looked around for a moment but didn't have much time to take in their surroundings as their vision was quickly filled with a fuming mad, grey brown coloured Pegasus with foam white hair which was coloured sort of caramel like at the routes.

"Ho detto, che stupido sono tu!?"

"We don't speak Haytalian!" Rainbow Dash screamed in return, getting right in the other Pegasus's face.

A sudden calm overtook the strange mare as all expression fell from her face and she blinked blankly for a moment... Just staring.

"... Oh..." she said flatly, and the six Equestrians just stared, slack jawed.

the new Pegasus continued in perfect equestrian "I said how stupid are you... but I can see now that you're tourists. Did you just get into town? If so, you wouldn't have heard the storm warning. All ponies are to stay indoors and keep the doors and shutters locked. You came at a very poor time"

The mane six's jaws dropped even further in shock of how well this pony knew their language, and could speak it with hardly an accent even though she was speaking perfect Haytalian just moments before.

"You speak Equestrian?" Was all that left Rainbow Dash's mouth.

The pony in front of them raised an eyebrow in response.

"Ummm... Yes?... I restate my earlier question. How stupid are you?... Never mind, you're Equestrian, the question answers itself"

"HEY!"

she ignored Rainbow Dash and continued speaking as if she had never said anything offensive in the first place.

"One way or another, welcome to the family cafe, Or 'Cafe Di Famiglia'" She bowed slightly and smirked up at them "I am your hostess and waitress, Latte Caffe. May I show you to a table? You seem like you could use a nice hot beverage"

There were so many things going through the ponies's minds at the moment. This was the place they'd been looking for. This little ball snarky aggravation was supposed to be a hostess and was apparently related to that nice stallion they had met back in Roam. How could she just insult them like that and then move on like nothing had happened!?

As they all processed this they moved to a table, ushered by the still smirking Pegasus behind them. After they had all taken a seat, a menu was placed in front of them. They glanced over to Latte, who now held a pleasant smile on her face rather than her previous smirk, and withdrew a pen and flipbook from underneath her wing. She held the book in her hoof and the pen in her wing as she scribbled something before looking back up to them and asked "What would you like?"

Twilight sighed, resigning from the mental war she was having trying to process all of her thoughts, and taking a look at the menu.  there were so many specialty drinks, each one with a tantalizing picture beside it that made it look so very desirable. A moment of shifting through pages  and she finally made her choice, noting the surprisingly fair amount of food items as well. She looked up, and it seemed that everyone else had made their choice as well.

"I think I'll have a Mocha Latte" Twilight said in an oddly calm voice for having been basically forced into ordering.

Everyone else placed their orders as well and they watched as Latte skipped off and disappeared behind a tall wooden door. Finally they had the chance to take in the decor of the place. It was extremely well decorated. Plain and simple, but not at all bland. The walls were lined with shiny dark wooden trim, the bottom of the wall looked sort of like a door pattern repeated, the upper part had a plain beige wallpaper. All of the counters and table tops were made of the same wood as the walls and doors, but they shone slightly brighter, allowing ponies to see their reflections in them. above them the lights were dangling from golden chains and covered by beige shades that matched the walls. A light hung above every table, and every table was bolted into the hardwood floor.

In the corner, beside the door that Latte had disappeared behind, there was a station which kind of looked like a bar, which upon further inspection was clearly the barista's work station. Though currently, it was devoid of said barista.

The cups along the counter shook slightly as a sudden force swung open the door to the back area and out stepped a dull beige coloured unicorn, who was slightly taller than Latte. Her mane was a dull brown, almost a black, with patches of a creamy dark caramel, not a light caramel like the routes of Latte's mane and tail. Her mane was puffy and short, it curled and the bangs around her horn. Her tail was puffy and short as well, but still somehow managed to hold some sense of being styled.

Her eyes glowed the same shade of gold as Latte's as she stalked towards the group. Stopping in front of them she pushed out her chest and raised her chin almost like she was posing for a magazine. there was a twinkle in her eye as she smirked down on the group, and it gave them all an uneasy feeling before she snickered and dropped the pompous act.

"Has my sister forced you into ordering? she told me what happened. I admit, it i foolish to be out in this storm, I will not make you leave, but do not feel the need to pay us for our hospitality" she spoke in a smooth and low tone, that carried an air of calmness to it, yet was somehow unsettling.

The group let out a breath they hadn't known they were holding and smiled at the unicorn.

"Nah, don't worry 'bout it none. Side's, yer sister was right when she said we'd be needin' a lil' somethin' ta warm us up. An' I reckon this caramel thingy I had my eye on is pretty darn' tasty" AppleJack drawled in reply.

the unicorns face screwed up ever so slightly as her head tilted to the side. She apparently was having a hard time understanding AppleJack's country slang. Eventually her face brightened and a look of understanding stretched across her face. She closed her eyes and chuckled slightly.

"Well then, I had better get to making it" She turned around and took a single step before turning back to face the group "Oh, my apologies, I haven't introduced myself. I am Espresso Caffe, The eldest of the family and the main barista here at La Cafe Di Famiglia"