"So, what do you think? Hm? Hm?" Izzy asked the white pegasus excitedly just moments after she removed the blindfold from her eyes.

Zipp took one look around as her eyes widened at the rather expansive obstacle course that the unicorn had put together in the rolling hills north of Maretime Bay. Last of all, she turned to the right, and saw the sign.

"The Wonderful Institute of No Gravity Sky-Walking's Obstacle Course," Zipp read, the first letter of the first five words having been painted larger to spell out 'WINGS'.

"That was Pipp's idea, and I honestly couldn't come up with anything better!" Izzy replied. "But I knew pegasi would need a place to practice maneuvering, so I cooked this up! Still a work in progress."

"I hope it's still in progress. There's not nearly enough warning signs," Zipp replied as she walked passed the sign and started looking at the poles and hoops that served as the first obstacles. "I do appreciate the foam, though. That should make impacts easier. I really hope they take my "How To Crash Safely" video seriously, for all the hits it's been getting."

"Well, before I go much further, I think I need a test subject? What do you say?" The unicorn asked.

Zipp smirked, spreading her wings.

"Now you're talking."

Pipp sauntered to the beat as the large speakers on either side of her brand new stage played out one of her most popular songs, going over a checklist she had made on her phone.

Mane Melody was just about ready for the grand opening next week. Although, if she was completely honest with herself, she would prefer at least one more stylist.

But to be completely fair, her requirements were something of a tall order; a mane stylist, hooficurist, and being willing and able to sing and perform on an almost daily basis. At first she had figured it would be just like making a friend or two that shared the exact same hobbies as she did. But so far, that had only resulted in one other hire, and it had been a Zephyr Heights local that she had already been familiar with; Rocky Riff. Rocky was amazing with manes, but even he admitted in the interview that his hooficure skills left something to be desired, and it would be something he would have to work on if a dedicated hooficurist wasn't able to be found in time.

While she would have liked to postpone opening until she found somepony, the truth was, rent was coming up next month, and while her content creation got her considerable returns, she would really prefer it if this new venture would be self-sustaining.

Pipp heard the entry bell above the door ring, and turned to see a light turquoise earth mare enter. Her mane was a light red, and had enough volume where Pipp almost couldn't see her ears.

"Hello, welcome to Mane Melody. I'm sorry I should have been paying more attention when I came in this morning and locked the door; we don't open until next week, Miss..." Pipp trailed off.

"Jazz, Jazz Hooves, and I'm not here for service, the signage out front was quite clear, as was your help wanted sign; you're looking for a hooficurist?" The mare asked in return.

Pipp's expression brightened considerably.

"Why yes, yes I am. Please sit down!" Pipp replied, motioning her over to a small corner table where she had stacked most of her paperwork for the time being.

With how beautiful the mare's front hooves and fetlocks were, Pipp had a feeling this was going to be a short interview.

"Well, as you can see, I don't conduct these things super formally," Pipp began as she sat down adjacent to Jazz. "I can already tell you know what you're doing when it comes to hooficures, if that is your own work?"

"Indeed it is, Miss Petals," Jazz answered.

"Just Pipp, please. Like I said, I'm not all that formal; we let our creativity flow freely here," she told her.

"I don't have any professional experience, but I've been doing my own for years, and would love to bring that personal experience and touch to work here with you!" Jazz replied enthusiastically.

"Well, that is just half of the rather unique experience I'm hoping to provide here. Can you sing and are you comfortable with performing in front of others?" Pipp asked.

Jazz took a breath, and closed her eyes for a moment.

"~Glowin' up, kind of love, dip and slide, through the cut, glowin' up, kind of love, we say 'hi', you say what?'"

Pipp's smile widened. The mare's pitch was perfect.

"You have clearly done your homework, Jazz. Welcome to Mane Melody!"

Sprout walked alongside Sander down Canterlogic Avenue as the late afternoon sun began it's final descent towards the horizon.

"You do know that the longer this takes, Deputy, the longer it will take to get everything organized, don't you?" Sander asked the red stallion.

Sprout couldn't help but scoff.

"Are you kidding me, Sander? After all that gruff you gave me about taking a break and getting my face stuff with that absolutely delicious lunch at the Academy? Besides, I am officially off of reduced duty. But trust me, I think you'll like this break."

With that, Sprout led the intrigued Sander down the street, and turned down the sidewalk to his mom's house, and took him around to the fence door to the backyard.

"Mom, we're here. Is everything ready?" Sprout called.

Sander watched as Phyllis Cloverleaf came out of the patio entrance with a large silver platter, with several silver domed lids covering the contents.

"I don't know if I have that much of an appetite," Sander told him as they walked over to the patio table where Phyllis had carefully set the platter.

"This is not so much a full meal as it is a tasting menu," Sprout explained. "I figure my mom has had more time than anypony else, and she's found out just how far this new magic of ours has come already, and how it could possibly affect future curriculum at the Academy."

Now sufficiently intrigued, the first lid was lifted off to reveal two peeled, uncut bananas.

"Other than peeling, the only thing I want to point out is that it came off of the plant this way," Phyllis told Sander, before offering him a fork and knife. The academy director accepted the utensils, and cut the banana in half, and was astounded to find the perfect line of milk chocolate in the middle. Slicing off a bite, he confirmed that it was indeed what it appeared to be.

"It's absolutely mind-bending. Milk chocolate takes multiple steps and ingredients, and this is fresh off of the plant?" Sander asked.

Phyllis nodded.

"I admit that I had chocolate-filled bananas on the brain as I was working on that particular section of the garden," the disgraced factory CEO replied.

What followed was a cluster of strawberries with a bit of kiwi already in them, a lemon combined with a lime, five different colors of iceberg lettuce, and last of all, what had made Sander quite nervous, one of the hottest peppers in Equestria, the 'Canterlot Reaper', but it was surprisingly mild, with all of the smokiness, but very little of the heat.

"Well, I must say, I have to get dragged around by your son more often, Ms. Cloverleaf. I have a feeling that this is just scratching the surface of what our new magic is capable of, and yet this is already going to send us at the Academy through a transformation. How we review applicants, not only what pure novices can do, but how we'll mix this in with classical training. Simply put..."

Sander paused to take one last bit of chocolate-filled banana.

"This is going to turn the culinary arts inside out and back again!"

Author's Note