Amore yawns as she leans her head against the bus window on the right side, Sugar Fizz beside her reading a black hardback book with a red title and blood moon on the cover.

"Why didn't you tell me we had a trip in the morning..? I wouldn't have stayed out so late..." Amore groans covering her eyes from the sunlight.

"It was planned before the new year, I had forgotten to be honest. Besides, even if you did know, that wouldn't have stopped you from staying out late." Sugar Fizz chuckles.

Rolling her eyes, knowing the roommate was right Amore's attention is drawn to the book Sugar Fizz is reading.

"Is that my Dance in the Midst of Midnight hardback book you borrowed from me on Monday?" Amore shifts to look at Sugar Fizz.

Chuckling, Sugar Fizz nods as she turns a page, "It might be, yes. I figured I'd bring it along with us. Plus the author is going to be at one of the conventions. His wife teaches at our academy alongside Fluttershy in S.N Etiquette."

Amore blinks a few times at Sugar Fizz who simply stares back.

"You mean Aurora Dawn is married to him? I had no idea... I knew he was married, but I didn't exactly know who. Just that she was another author." Amore seems to be in shock.

"What rock did you live under? Surely you watched or read the news, yes?" Sugar Fizz asks closing the book and staring at Amore with a serious expression.

Amore shrugs and blushes, rubbing her left arm.

"I didn't pay much attention to the news when growing up and even less so after the incident..." Amore smiles awkwardly.

"Right... Either way, I have a slightly different plan for us to follow today. Which will leave tomorrow to check out the other conventions if you wish." Sugar Fizz states placing a second bookmark within the pages before closing it and putting it away in her bag.

Amore looks confused before their bus goes through a tunnel into Manehattan, the Earth Pony now looking out the window with a pleasant smile at the familiar scenery. Sugar Fizz watches Amore intently, enjoying the display she's getting from her roommate. The bus drives down several streets before stopping near a tall hotel building. As the bus comes to a stop, the students gather their things as Fluttershy stands up at the front of the bus.

"The other busses will be arriving later in the day, I'd like everyone to remember where our hotel is and try very hard not to get lost. We're here over today and tomorrow so make sure you see all of what you want to see during this time. As you all know, there are a couple of conventions happening within Manehattan this weekend, the writer's convention and the Equestrian Gamer convention happening at one of the well-developed skyscrapers nearby." Fluttershy explains to the bus before directing the students who slowly get off onto the sidewalk.

The pair steps off the bus as Amore stretches, picking her silver case up from the storage underneath. Sugar Fizz directs her to put it down, shaking her head.

"You won't need that, they can take it to our room for now. She said about not getting lost, however, I was born and raised here so we won't technically count as being lost." Sugar Fizz states shaking her head.

Nodding, Amore puts down her case to retrieve her headphones and mp3, closing it up as Sugar Fizz takes her hand and begins to lead her in the opposite direction of the conventions. Putting her headphones around her neck and setting up her mp3 player, Amore takes a deep breath, exhaling with a wide smile.

"I used to go to high school here several years ago before the Manehattan Institute stuff. I really enjoyed it here." Amore states jumping up and spinning around a lamppost.

Sugar Fizz gives the mare a surprised look before watching her like on the bus. Amore puts on her headphones while flicking through her mp3 for the perfect track to play during their journey.

"We're heading to the Sugar Emporium facility not too far from here." Sugar Fizz states while pushing the button on the crossing to turn the lights for them to cross.

"Hey Sugar Fizz, do you think we could stop by Bonbon's Confectionary on the way?" Amore asks with a hopeful smile.

Sugar Fizz deadpans at Amore before shaking her head and walks across the lights without waiting.

"Sugar Fizz, was it something I said? Sugar? Hey!" Amore sighs before putting her headphones on and pushing play on her mp3.

Skipping along the crossing once the lights turn green, Amore followed Sugar Fizz who began leading her around instead of the intended scenario. Amore showing she has extensive knowledge of Sugar Fizz's hometown, which she gained during part of her school years there. The pair took the opportunity to talk a lot about Manehattan, among other things before reaching a large factory a fair distance from their hotel. Emblazoned on the front is the logo of a large soda bottle in front of a circle, the words 'Sugar's Soda Emporium', is written around said circle. Coming to a stop outside the main gate, Sugar Fizz takes a deep breath as she turns to face Amore.

"Now, I hope I don't come across as a bit vain for having brought you here during our trip... I really wanted you to see, well... My factory, as it were." Sugar Fizz tries to smile, awkwardly.

Amore takes a couple of seconds, looking between Sugar Fizz and the factory's name several times before she takes down her headphones in sudden realisation.

"Oh shit, you own this place?! I didn't put it together till now. The carpet and mini fridge in our room, they came from your company!" Amore chuckles to herself for feeling so stupid and not figuring it out sooner.

"I always figured you'd piece it together from my cutie mark, eventually." Sugar Fizz states looking away slightly.

"W-well, I mean... I don't stare at your flank when you have it exposed... Should I have been?" Amore asks, blushing brightly.

Blushing herself, Sugar Fizz clears her throat, "N-no, I mean... If you wanted to I wouldn't be opposed, but... It's entirely up to you..."

The mare turns away from Amore to avoid blushing further as she walks to the gate, interacting with an intercom.

"Hello, who is it?" A female voice asks politely.

"Hey, Daisy Chain, I'm on a trip and decided to bring a friend to the factory." Sugar Fizz states calmly, the pair hearing a crash on the other end.

The mare is heard getting up quickly while shuffling a few things around or back into place before yelling.

"Melvin! Get that gate open and find some biscuits or something; the young mistress brought a friend over!" The woman is heard very clearly and loudly over the intercom making Sugar Fizz turn a little red.

Covering her face, she is left to sigh as a deep male voice is heard next.

"Lady, we're a SODA factory, not a Maryland COOKIE factory! Why don't you get ya own damn biscuits!" He yells back, grumbling slightly from a distance.

Amore bites her lip slightly and is unsure what to say.

"Are they always like this?" Amore looks at Sugar Fizz, who sighs.

"They are married..." She replies as the gate opens.

Sugar Fizz continues through the opening gate as Amore makes an 'O' shaped face before chuckling. Opening the white double doors, the mare is treated to a decorative lobby; a decently-sized display case in the middle of the room has several multi-coloured glass bottles on display, to the right is a white soda bottle mascot costume with black legs and arms within another display case, to the left were some examples of old machinery.

"Oh, do you give tours occasionally?" Amore asks, skipping off to eagerly view the soda bottles on display.

"Sometimes, often the lobby is open to the public on regular weekdays." Sugar Fizz states as a bright yellow Unicorn mare with a white mane and magenta eyes walks over to her. She is wearing a knee-length sundress with daisies on it that matches her eyes and black strapped shoes.

"Good morning Miss Fizz, we weren't expecting you~" Daisy Chain states happily while holding a clipboard.

Suddenly their attention is grabbed by Amore making a high pitched squeal, the mare in question pumping her fist into the air and wearing a happy expression.

"They used my suggestion!" Amore states wearing a wide smile.

Raising her eyebrow, Sugar Fizz walks over to Amore, "Which one?"

The ecstatic mare in question points to a displayed bottle which is a blood red with sweeping faded black highlights, kind of similar to her mane design.

"Oh...OH!" Sugar Fizz's eyes flared wide in sudden realisation, "I remember a mare in here a few years ago complaining about our bottles lacking a certain design, passing by at the time I told her to make the suggestion using our forms at the front desk. I knew it was hers when Daisy Chain presented it to me because it matched her mane... How did I forget that? It was around four years ago, but I could never find you again to thank you." Sugar Fizz explains, still looking very surprised.

"Heh, I sorta had to skip town shortly after on a trip back to Ponyville, I just wanted to see this place before I did." Amore rubs the back of her neck, smiling slightly.

Sugar Fizz frowns at that news and sighs, "Main reason is because it went on to become our best selling cherry flavoured soda for three years after that, up until last year."

Amore turns around looking offended, "What beat it?! I demand to know who dared challenge my cherry bomb!"

Sugar Fizz giggles and points to the dark purple glass bottle which is labelled grape soda. Amore deadpans before nodding in defeat. Having tasted them both, even she preferred the grape. Still giggling at the mare's antics, Sugar Fizz leads Amore through the pristine white factory, showing her the vast bottling machines and soda vats where they mix their ingredients.

"It smells like heaven in here~" Amore hums as they exit through another door out of the factory area.

Walking down several more corridors and a few elevated ramps, Amore is lead to two mahogany double doors, which Sugar Fizz opens. The room beyond has a red rug on a white carpeted floor, bookcases, two sofas and a coffee table between them, a lovely window view of Manhattan from the front of the factory and a very nice, polished wooden desk. Strolling over to a mini-fridge beside her desk, Sugar Fizz offers Amore a cherry soda before sitting down in her white swivel chair.

"What do you think? This desk was imported by one of my providers, it's high-value mahogany~" Sugar Fizz, explains stroking her desk.

"You seem to like that desk a lot," Amore states, taking a sip of her soda.

"Ma-hog-any~ I love it~" Sugar Fizz chuckles as she spins around in her chair.

Amore giggles at the desk-loving mare before drinking more of her soda.

"You know, I used to drink these a lot while going to school here. I spent six years in high school here in Manehattan, then went back to Ponyville. I have to say these sodas came in handy when studying late or just in general." Amore stands up and walks over to the window.

Sugar Fizz smiles and stands up to join Amore by the window, "What do you think to the little bat symbols on the bottles, just under the end of the name?"

Amore looks at Sugar Fizz with a wide smile, "I noticed them, yeah! I thought they looked very cool so I started collecting them... I had to move though, so I unfortunately got rid of them.

Sugar Fizz laughs as she moves to sit on her desk rather than the chair.

"You have two types, those with bat symbols and those without. The former contains enough blood hidden in the recipe to sustain a vampire between meals, the latter doesn't contain any blood." Sugar Fizz explains as Amore checks her bottle to see a bat.

"I've been drinking blood for ages?! I didn't even notice the slightest difference in the flavour!" Amore states, staring at her bottle in disbelief.

"Yup, that's the whole point behind our recipes, to any who don't know the secret it's just an alternate small design choice. The point is the flavour is the exact same, but only those of races who drink blood would be able to tell the actual difference." Sugar Fizz states happily as she smiles at Amore.

"That's genius... It's also a good way for vampires to sustain themselves if just enough to get by without having to feed violently." Amore continues drinking her soda, seemingly forgetting about the blood thing.

Standing up, Sugar Fizz places her empty bottle in the trash and prompts Amore to follow her out of the office and back the way they came.

"That was the general concept behind it, yes. Since then, we supply the worlds single largest source of alternate feeding in the form of flavoured soda." Sugar Fizz explains as they leave the factory's lobby, waving to Daisy Chain while walking out the front gate.

"That was really amazing, you owned your own company for a while... Wait, what was your house name again?" Amore stops just short of the sidewalk and looks at Sugar Fizz with a raised eyebrow.

Giggling and sighing slightly, the white mare smiles before nodding. "My full official name is, Sugar Fizz Von Heartstrings."

Amore's eyes light up, finally realising who her potential parents were.

Sugar Fizz sits on one of two hotel beds which populate their decently spacious room. Amore can be heard squeaking in the bathroom as she runs the tub. Coming out, she's now just in a pair of bright red slightly plain yet comfortable looking underwear.

"I still can't believe your mother is Bonbon and your, well, technically 'father' is Lyra Heartstrings. I used to spend an unhealthy amount of time and bits in her shop near my old school when I lived here." Amore states stretching.

Sugar Fizz chuckles, but finds it difficult to focus on her reading with Amore walking around in barely anything.

"It surprises most ponies, however, they normally recognise my house name pretty quickly." Sugar Fizz comments, shutting Amore's book before putting it down.

"I haven't really focused on much the past couple of years... I guess it took a little bit to put things together." Amore sighs as she lays on her bed.

Humming slightly, Sugar Fizz's gaze is drawn to the mare's flank in wonder.

"Amore, while I don't think that this is an appropriate question... Mind if I see your mark?" Sugar Fizz asks laying on her stomach, looking at Amore.

Blushing slightly, Amore obliges by slowly slipping off her panties to fully reveal her cutie mark, a bold sixteenth note emblazoned on her ample flank. Sugar Fizz's muzzle is graced with a slight red tinge as she wasn't expecting Amore to fully strip her panties, coughing to recompose herself.

"I knew it had to be music, combat or food related, as those three things you love the most, two you are really good at." Sugar Fizz props her head up with her hands.

"Thanks... I discovered it here actually, least, in Manehattan. I was visiting a nightclub in the area called, 'Fangtasia', with a friend who insisted I should check it out. I was fascinated with the music and somehow ended up being pulled up onto where the DJ deck was... Things just sorta flowed from there." Amore sighs before getting up to check the tub.

Sugar Fizz smiles slightly, having learned something new and interesting about her roommate.

"Least yours didn't involve a chemistry set and some explosions." Sugar fizz sighs at the memory of her eagerly presenting a vial of her original formula to her parents.

"That is a story I have to hear sometime. Anyway, I'm going to hop in the bath now." Amore goes to shut the door, but stops when Sugar Fizz interrupts her.

Moving to lay down on Amore's bed, she takes a position which enables her to see Amore's head if she was lying in the bath.

"You could always leave the door open and we talk for a while? If you'd prefer complete privacy I'd understand. We are roommates, though..." Sugar Fizz plays with her words slightly, feeling they might fail her.

Thinking about it, Amore decides to take the chance and leave the door open before slipping in the nice hot bath, letting out a satisfied moan as she gets comfortable.

"I suppose I could... To start with, though, you're telling me this story about you and that chemistry set." Amore smiles and sighs.

"Deal... Now, where to begin... Oh, right. You see, my uncle Starmix was in town..." Sugar Fizz begins as she smiles, telling Amore about the very fond memories of the event.

Author's Note

A little late, but I can't help life distractions or obstacles. I'm trying very hard to catch up with my writing and get out more chapters to build this fic back up to where she was. I thank you very much for your patience and hope you stick with me as I progress it further.