Donut Joe prized himself and his establishment, for providing excellent service to his customers and ensuring that everything was kept up to date. He also prized himself for being a good first time employer to his temporary employee. That's why, instead of closing up shop and setting the good old stools he and Miss Angel sat on to rest their tired hooves, and double checking his stores, he used his time to stand in front of the closed yet unlocked door, embracing the fascinated looks and cautious waves he was getting from the ponies walking by with a proud grin, watching closely that the young mare made it safely across the road and around the corner without any minor mishaps.
Craning his head to see the last part of that decently... possibly backbreaking— can't understand why the kid insists— saddlebag she's always bringing, that hid even her cutie mark, he huffed with satisfaction at a job well done.
Locking the door and making extra sure that it was sealed tight, he turned to levitate the stools atop the table and trotted around the counter to enter his spotlessly clean—

*Knock, Knock*

He paused and a great smile protruded his muzzle at the arrival of a late customer, he couldn't keep paying ponies waiting, could he? So making his way to the door, his proud smile shifted and his head tilted in confusion at the two stallions in tan overcoats, well one appeared to be a stallion but he really couldn't tell, and the other was normal compared to the other... too normal. But, the thing was, they were suspiciously conversing with each other, not that talking was suspicious, but two ponies in overcoats talking to each other in the evening, as the setting sun shone off them, casting their long shadows into his shop, steeeamed the word suspicious out their suspicious tan hats tilted downwards. Though, it isn't strange, since it was fall, and it does get chilly up here, and this was the west side of Canterlot, and it is going to be Nightmare Night tomorrow.
"Hm...." he glared at the two, but immediately shrugged it off, because as long as they're paying and get the hell out his closed shop, he didn't care. And hey! Would you look at that! They're even attracting customers for tomorrow!
Ah, ya gotta love Canterlot.

So, smile already returning on his face, he unlocked the door and opened it for his paying customers.

The two ponies completely stopped their talking— or whispers, as he didn't hear their conversation from even beyond the door— in an almost scary second, a huge flag that banged on his years of conducting business in Manehattan.

The too normal looking stallion was the first to initiate a friendly greeting with an extension of a hoof, which Donut Joe happily took— can't bypass a swell shake of a hoof— upon seeing such an earnest smile, "Good evening, you have a lovely establishment here, sir."

"Hah, pleased by the compliment, ya here for a late minute appointment to donut heaven?" he grinned, and his grin widened at the snort that came from the other pony, who saw that he heard and witnessed that act, and therefore faked the funk and tried to push forward that nothing happened. Which would have worked if he didn't see it.

The too normal stallion only glanced at his overcoat companion and continued the conversation, "Undoubtedly, we're not here for that."

"Oh?" he leaned on one side of his body and arched a brow, "Ya openin' some donut shop cross the street and tryin' to steal my secret sauce?"

*snort*

Maybe he should have become a comedian, and sold donuts, it'd be called the Laughing Joe, no, the Laughing Donut, or maybe the Laughs and Sweets, yes that's catchy. He smirked at the idea, he'd probably write that on his bucket list. But then he thought of that pink pony, Pinkie Pie, and decided against it. "Neva thought I'd get a wild audience," he smiled at the pony.

Said pony only morphed their pretty face into a sour and convincing still expression, making him almost second guess if his ears heard wrong........ meh, let's just see what these two need from him, plus, they don't strike him as bakers, and he could smell a competition from a mile away. No, these were business ponies, hard business ponies, this wasn't no Nightmare Night eve jolly ride. He opened his mouth to speak, but the too normal stallion instead answered his question.

"And Mr. Joe, we're not here for any of that either."

Well what were they here for? No need to be cryptic... and he doesn't remember giving his name out, though—he smiled—word does go by fast. Fast enough for these type of ponies to hear it, however....

The stallion's face remained as its simple blankness. "May we discuss this inside?"

He leaned on the door frame and stared at the stallion's face, "'Til ya tell me who ya are and what ya need my attention for, ya not steppin' a single, clean hoof in my shop. No offense, but I don't know what type of business ya have underneath those coats of yours."

To his surprise, none were offended nor did they walk off to whatever dark, shady, alley hole they came from.

The too normal stallion nodded, and gave him a compliant smile and pulled out a simple white card from his pocket, just to hoof it calmly over to him. He casually eyed the card and felt that heart of his climb up to the tip of his throat.
Ah... he should have expected this outcome from their looks, and there was no faking in this card, it was a genuine piece, and as a unicorn, he could feel the coursing signature magic pulsating from it as easy as pouring water in a pool.

"Just as the card says, we're here to conduct a review of your Nightmare Night decorations in your shop, Mr. Joe, just to see if they're up to date," the stallion reached his hoof out to obtain the card and place it back to where it rightfully belonged.

"Hah! Of course!" he forced a smile, making room for the two to enter, "I was expecting ya, but I didn't think ya were so dedicated to ya job to even dress up!"

"We try," the pretty pony had finally spoke.

And Donut Joe gulped as the curious gazes of the bystander ponies dispersing without a trace.

Closing the door, he locked it, tight.

Yes, Donut Joe prized himself and his establishment for providing excellent service to his customers… and ensuring everything was kept up to date....

Aaah, ya gotta love Canterlot.

Author's Note

This here scene was quite the short one, so I may upload Act I, Scene VI on Saturday 25th.