Mount Aris was not the largest city in the world, nor was it the greatest. It did not possess the highest buildings or the most extensive palaces. What it did possess was a charm, a charm unlike anything he’d ever come across in his life. None of Hippogriffia’s other cities, set around Mount Aris like decorations around a jewel, came close to the feeling that Mount Aris gave off. It was a feeling of old and new, of cooperation between Hippogriffs and Seaponies, of reverence for the old and embracement of the new.
Quite simply, it was unique.
And Coral Ridge had always liked unique things. Of course, he was one such thing himself: a Seapony reporter-turned-Press Representative of the Crown, coming from humble beginnings deep underneath the blue surface of the Seaquestrian Channel to standing in the shadow of the great Mount Aris. Decidedly not what he’d had in mind when he was younger, but he wasn’t complaining.
His eyes sought and found the nearest clock tower. Eleven-forty-nine. Right, time to get off this bench and to my appointment. Reminiscing time’s over.
He slid off the bench onto the grass in a smooth movement, then began to make his way down the slight hill towards the location of his appointment. It was relatively close by, last Coral had checked.
He left the park and crossed the street, then he just had to turn right after a few metres and… there it was!
Quite off the beaten path - this block of the city was close enough to the city’s centre to still be considered part of the city proper, but far away enough that the ground prices were not exorbitantly high.
Smart placement.
The bakery itself stuck out from its neighbouring houses primarily through the sign hanging from the wall directly above where the entrance - most likely, anyway - was. The sign itself was white with bright pink letters, which read:
Sweetwheat’s Bakery
Délicatesses from the Meridiennes and beyond!
After admiring the sign for a moment, Coral continued his walk. Just before reaching the entrance, he walked past the shop’s window, behind which were laid out all manner of things presumably made in the bakery. They looked, to Coral’s admittedly-inexperienced eye, to be of a good quality, and probably tasted just as good as they looked. But he had no idea what any of them were supposed to be.
Then again, Coralville isn’t exactly a place for bakeries.
With a chuckle, Coral moved over to the door - a sign on it announced the fact that it was open - and pushed it open. A bell tingled somewhere as he did so.
The bakery was set up as bakeries are wont to be; nothing exceptional to note down from that. Still, Coral made sure to get the whole room pictured, if only so he could accurately describe it for the article.
‘’Good morning!’’ a female voice said, and then a brown-haired, pink-coated Earth Pony mare with glasses appeared in a doorway behind the counter.
‘’Good morning, Miss,’’ Coral returned, giving a nod before he walked over to the counter. ‘’Would you happen to be the owner of this fine establishment?’’
‘’That I would, Sir,’ the mare replied as she walked over the counter. There was an Aquileian-ish accent to her voice that was both intriguing and delightful to listen to. ‘’My name’s Sweetwheat, and this is my bakery. Can I help you?’’
‘’Certainly.’’ Coral made sure to smile. ‘’My name is Coral Ridge, and I’m a reporter for the Daily Fish, Seaquestria’s foremost newspaper. I was hoping I could take a few minutes of your time for an interview?’’
Sweetwheat blinked. ‘’Uhh… sure?’’ She glanced over at a clock that hung above the doorway to what appeared to be the backroom. ‘’I suppose I’ve got a few minutes before I need to get those baguettes out of the oven.’’
‘’Wonderful! Is there someplace we might hold it?’’
‘’I’ve got an office upstairs,’’ Sweetwheat replied. ‘’Let me just flip the sign and we can head upstairs.’’
One sign-flip later, Coral followed behind Sweetwheat to the other side of the counter, into the backroom - catching a view of the oven in the process - and up a set of stairs which came out on a hallway.
‘’Through this door.’’ Sweetwheat pointed at the door closest to the stairs, then walked across the hallway and opened it. ‘’After you.’’
‘’Thank you.’’ Coral stepped into a small but neat office. A bookshelf stood on the left wall, there was a desk with two chairs in front of him, and on the right wall hung a picture of what looked to be an island somewhere in the Canterribean.
‘’Please, have a seat,’’ Sweetwheat said, while following her own advice. ‘’Might I offer you some refreshments? Freshly baked this morning, of course.’’ She pulled a metal tray from… somewhere, and opened it.
‘’Don’t mind if I do.’’ Coral took a peek inside and picked out one of the cookies. He took a bite out of it and promptly found himself in heaven.
‘’These are delicious!’’ he exclaimed.
Sweetwheat blushed faintly. ‘’Thank you, I’m glad to hear you like them.’’
‘’I’m not sure anyone with taste buds could dislike this,’’ Coral mused. ‘’I suppose if they had allergies… but I digress. We’re here for an interview after all, and I’ve no wish to keep you from your work.’’
He pulled his pen and notebook from his saddlebags. ‘’Alright, are you ready?’’
‘’Yes.’’
‘’Great.’’ Coral’s golden eyes met Sweetwheat hazel ones. ‘’Well, I suppose the first question is: why did you move to Hippogriffia?’’
‘’Oh! Ummm… well, I’ve always wanted to own a bakery,’’ Sweetwheat answered. ‘’I got my cutie mark when I was eight years old for baking a bunch of baguettes on my own, and ever since it was just an idea that stuck in my mind, if you know what I mean?’’
‘’I do.’’ Coral nodded. ‘’Just for the record, you are how old right now?’’
‘’Twenty-four.’’
‘’Right.’’ Coral encircled that after he wrote it down. ‘’By all means, continue.’’
‘’Sure. So, I wanted to open my own bakery, but I ran into a problem: there’s already more than enough bakeries in Les Méridiennes! I couldn’t possibly hope to compete with the established ones, they’ve been there for years. I tried to see if I couldn’t just start working at one and then work my way up, but it wasn’t my thing.
Then one day, I came across a Hippogriff merchant. We fell into conversation, and I mentioned my dream of wanting to open a bakery. The merchant asked if he could taste some of my goods; after I baked some for him at my house, he was impressed enough that he offered to take me with him back to Aris and even provide some starting capital for setting up my own store here in Mount Aris. It wasn’t an offer I could ever refuse.’’
‘’And you have been in Aris how long now?’’
‘’Oh, that was, ummm, three months ago? Thereabouts, yeah.’’
‘’You’ve certainly done well for yourself,’’ Coral remarked. ‘’Is this where you live as well?’’
‘’Yes.’’ Sweetwheat nodded. ‘’The other two rooms are my bedroom and bathroom.’’
‘’Makes sense. Do you mind telling me the name of your investor?’’
Sweetwheat’s eyes darted away. ‘’Ummm… I’m not sure if he would like that.’’
Coral raised an eyebrow. ‘’He’s not extorting you, is he?’’ A little forward perhaps, but subtle inquiries were for politicians or journalists worse than himself.
‘’What? By the Three, no!’’ Sweetwheat exclaimed. ‘’He’s done nothing of the sort. I’m just not sure if he’d want to have his name in the papers, is all.’’
‘’Very well,’’ Coral relented. Sweetwheat appeared genuine enough, and truth be told Coral wasn’t too interested in who exactly was supporting Sweetwheat’s business. Besides, if he really wanted to find out, he could do some digging elsewhere.
‘’So, has business been good for you? I’ve heard much about your shop, so I would assume it is.’’ But it never hurts to check.
‘’Oh definitely!’’ Sweetwheat excitedly replied. ‘’It’s empty downstairs now, but in give or take half an hour people will be lining up to get their lunch here. It was overwhelming, but at this point I’ve kind of gotten used to it. And hey, I’m not complaining if people like what I bake.’’
‘’I would be rather surprised if you did,’’ Coral commented with a chuckle. He glanced down at his notes and mentally went over the conversation. ‘’Alright. So how are you finding Aris? Do you enjoy living here?’’
‘’Sure! It took some getting used to - this place is very different from Les Méridiennes - but so far most people have been friendly and nice to me. I’ve got a good house and business here, so I really can’t complain.’’
Ah, here’s something for me to latch onto. ‘’Most people?’’
Sweetwheat cast her eyes down again. ‘’Well… there have been some not so nice people… but they don’t really bother me.’’
Coral frowned. ‘’Well yes, unfortunately some Arisians are rather, hmm, prejudiced, shall we say, against foreigners. Seaquestria isn’t much better, despite how I would like to have it otherwise. A shame, really.’’
Silence fell for a moment; a moment that Coral used to recuperate and collect his thoughts. ‘’Alright,’’ he said, ‘’I think I’ve asked all I wanted to ask. Unless there is something you think I should mention?’’
‘’Hmm… I’m not sure.’’ Sweetwheat’s face scrunched up in thought for a moment, before she shook her head. ‘’No, I don’t think there’s anything.’’
‘’Great!’’ Coral rose from his chair. ‘’Thank you for your time. I’ll send you the article ahead of publication so you can preview it and send it back to me if there’s anything you’d like to have changed.’’
‘’That would be appreciated. Shall I walk down with you?’’
‘’If you wish.’’
At the doorway back onto the street, Coral stopped and offered his claw to Sweetwheat. ‘’It’s been a pleasure, Miss Sweetwheat. I look forward to writing the article.’’
‘’And I look forward to reading it, Mister Ridge,’’ Sweetwheat replied as she shook his claw. ‘’And do stop by another time.’’
The scent of freshly-baked bread caught in Coral’s nose. ‘’Actually,’’ he said, ‘’I haven't had lunch yet.’’
Author's Note
I promised Zoey a few months ago I would make something with their OC in it, and now I have done so. Incidentally, this is also the first time I have used the Seapony who has been my profile picture for these past months in a fic. Also incidentally, this is the first EaW fic set primarily in Hippogriffia, and also the first to release and/or update since the Zebrica release, to the best of my knowledge.
Updates to my other fics are, as always, Coming SoonTM.
Sweetwheat: https://derpibooru.org/images/2791145
Coral Ridge: https://derpibooru.org/images/2947704
