The New Kids

Blackhoof cocked a brow. "I'm what now?"

Twilight tried to speak, but was interrupted by the necklaces floating out of the box. Applejack's necklace floated over Natural Note, Rainbow Dash's floated over Goldenheart, Rarity's floated over Gemdancer, Pinkie's floated over Moonlit Shimmer, and Fluttershy's floated over Delicate Dreamer. The glowing in their flanks stopped, as it did the necklaces and the crown.

Rarity strolled over to Gemdancer. "Darling, you are simply gorgeous! Where did you get your amazing dress? I think it looks familiar."

"I got it from The Canterlot Carousel. I heard you run it?"

"Why yes! Do you buy a lot of clothes from that specific place?"

"Of course, it's the store holding the trendiest clothes in Canterlot."

Rarity beamed. Blackhoof broke up their conversation. "What are you guys here for, other than... this?"

Twilight looked back at her flank, but it wasn't calling her home yet. She shrugged. "I have no clue. The cutie map isn't calling us home yet, so we might as well stay a while."

"Well, none of my friends have been in the castle, and I've heard that you six haven't explored much of it. Why don't I give you a tour?"

Rarity and Rainbow Dash exchanged glances. "We've had tours of the castle before," Rainbow Dash said. "We've also been here for the Grand Galloping Gala quite a few times. Sorry."

Delicate Dreamer had an idea. "Have any of you eaten at The Horse's Halt?"

Pinkie Pie cocked a brow. "What in the world is that? And where in the world is that?"

"It's a really fancy restaurant. You can have a four-course meal for twelve bits. I think it's a pretty good deal. We could find it on Bridle Drive."

Applejack furrowed a brow. "As long as they don't make us put our napkins in our laps or anythin' like that, I'm all for it."

Rainbow followed up on that. "Yeah, places like that have control freaks for bosses."

They high-hoofed. Delicate giggled. "Well, they don't find it gross if you don't. Well, it's settled. We're going to The Horse's Halt. I'll pick up Curious Canter, then we'll go."

They all walked in a group out of the station. Every pony that they trotted or flew by stopped to stare at Twilight and her friends. Occasionally, a paparazzi would jump out in front of them and want a few pictures. The requests were always denied. A simple white house with a purple front door came into view to the group.

They trotted up and Twilight knocked on the front door. After a few seconds, a minty earth pony mare answered the door. "Hello again! Oh my goodness! Princess Twilight Sparkle! Come on in."

The group of twelve stepped inside. A white earth pony with several whip marks, scars, bruises, and a black eye sat on the couch with ice packs, bandages, and bags of frozen peas strapped to her. She looked up ad smiled. Delicate and Fluttershy were on the verge of tears while everybody just stared. Curious Canter got to her hooves and waved. "Hey guys! How's it going?"

She looked like her hooves were going to give out under her. Natural used her magic to keep her from toppling over. Moonlit Shimmer asked, "What happened to you?"

"My dad happened. Luckily, my mom was here to help. I already feel a lot better."

Goldenheart spoke up. "Good thing too, 'cause we're going to The Horse's Halt!"

Everybody glared at him. He corrected himself quickly. "Of course, we wouldn't want our best friend to be injured, either."

Curious rolled her eyes, shaking her head as if she had witnessed a big sports fail. She reached with a hoof, trying to get her ice packages and frozen peas off, but she kept the bandages on. Rarity uncovered her wounds and gasped. These were worse than she thought. Much worse.

Fluttershy turned and buried her face in Twilight's shoulder as she shed a few tears. Applejack reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a miniature apple pie. "Y'all look like you're starvin'." She walked forwards and outstretched her hoof, offering it to Curious.

Curious smiled, taking the treat with a hoof and nibbling on it. She grinned with delight and took bigger bites. Twilight turned to leave, along with every pony else. Fluttershy still kept her head on the princess' shoulder as they did so. As they trotted out the door, the minty earth pony waved goodbye.

"Alright, let's go to The Horse's Halt!" exclaimed Moonlit Shimmer.

As the group strolled about the streets of Canterlot, all of the buildings seemed to to reach out at them, saying, "come in, come in. We have delicious food for you." But, they ignored the great scents from the buildings until they stopped in front of one; The Horse's Halt. The group of thirteen walked inside, and a blast of cool air took over them as they escaped the heat of summer. A mare stood behind a wooden pedestal. She waved to them. "Hello, Delicate Dreamer! The usual four course for you and your friends?"

Delicate smiled. "Oh, of course! I'm sure they'll love it. Though, we are a big group. Are your waiters and waitresses up for putting a few tables together?"

"Of course!"

Three stallions with bow ties walked briskly out of a door a little to the left of the mare and headed toward a rectangular table for eight. They lifted the table beside it together and put the two together, taking out three chairs and placing them to the right. The team of mares walked over and sat in their places.

There was a blue button in the middle of the table. Delicate sat in front of it. She reached out with a hoof and pressed it. Within seconds, a waitress trotted over to the table with a trolley. It had three bubbling pots on it, as well as several plates of small, cubed bread, carrots, and apple slices. She levitated the pots and put them on the table. She did the same with the plates. The mare also levitated at least thirty toothpicks and set four of each in front of every pony at the table.

Once that was done, she left the mares to their eating. Delicate looked around. "What are you waiting for?"

She reached with a wing, grabbing one of the toothpicks and speared a piece of the carrots. She dipped it in the fondue and opened her mouth to eat it, but paused when she noticed no pony eating. They just stared at the fondue and plates in front of them. Delicate furrowed her brows. "Haven't any of you heard of fondue?"

They nodded. Pinkie stabbed one of her toothpicks into an apple slice and dipped it into the pot, leaving it for a few seeconds before devouring the morsel. She grinned wider. "Yummy! You guys should try it."

They all exchanged glances. They shrugged and figured that if Pinkie Pie likes it, you know it's good. They all took their picks and picked the morsels up, dipping them in the fondue. Rainbow Dash spoke, her mouth full of cubes of bread. "This really is great!"

Twilight smiled with delight while Fluttershy closed her eyes as she chewed. As soon as the first course was done, Delicate Dreamer pressed the blue button again. The waitress returned with the trolley, picked up the dishes, and levitated thirteen salads and placed them in front of each girl. The salads consisted of romaine lettuce, spinach, strawberries, poppyseed dressing, and avocados.

Every pony dug into the salad, all loving it as they devoured it. They finished in about five minutes. The dark pink pegasus pressed the blue button again. The waitress returned, picked up the bowls, and stacked them on the trolley. She placed a large pot in the middle of the table, revealing shimmering oil. Plates of artichoke hearts, baby portobello mushrooms, artichoke ravioli, and asparagus were placed as well.

Delicate took one of her blue sticks and stabbed it into one of the artichoke hearts, putting it in the pot and letting it sit. Applejack stared at her. "You're just gonna let it sit?"

"Of course I am. I have to, to let it cook properly."

Rarity nodded and stuck her own piece of asparagus inside the pot. After a few seconds, Delicate pulled her artichoke heart out of the pot and put it daintily in her mouth. Rarity pulled hers out and took a little bite. Her eyes lit up as she ate it whole. Everybody chimed in. Moonlit Shimmer and Goldenheart loved the food, while Blackhoof kept his eating at a minimum. He didn't want to eat too much. Natural smiled. "Aren't you gonna eat a little more?"

Blackhoof considered this. He shrugged and tried his own food. It was delectable. He started to eat more. Sooner or later, there was nothing left of the food that he had piled up on his plate. In fact, there was nothing left on the entire table. Delicate pressed the button one last time.

The waitress appeared one last time, gathered the dishes, and put three pans of melted milk chocolate onto the table. She then placed several plates onto the table; bananas, pineapples, strawberries, marshmallows, blondies. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened as she marveled the work of art.

Every pony grabbed their remaining toothpicks and stabbed them into several different things. In a flash, everything was gone and everybody satisfied. Rarity levitated a napkin over to herself with her magic and wiped her muzzle. With bloated stomachs and half empty wallets, they left the restaurant. Goldenheart belched loudly, sending every pony into a laughing fit.

Gemdancer smiled. "Thank you, Delicate Dreamer, for inviting us here. Dinner was simply divine!"

A spear jabbed through the restaurant's sign. They all jumped in surprise. A guard came running toward them, but wasn't looking at them. He was gazing with terror at something somewhat to the left of them. They glanced that way and jumped again. A giant black weed with green-blue spikes was emerging from the undergrowth of a front lawn.