Canterlot Academy Trials

Across the city of Canterlot, where the nobility resided…

The teenage filly--who was about 17 years old or so--trotted up to a rather luxurious penthouse suite in a sea of others within the residential area of Canterlot. She had a white body color, a neatly done, slicked back mane of cyan with a matching tail color, pink eyes, and a cutie mark that depicted a boiling pot of water. This is where her mother, Zesty Gourmand, lived. After taking an elevator up to the top floor where red carpets and gold wallpapers lined the walls, the young mare eventually stopped at her mother’s home at the end of the hall.

“Mother?” she opened the door to walk inside the penthouse apartment. Everything was either white or gray to match Zesty’s choice in visual flair--or lack thereof.

“In here, dear,” the older mare’s crabby voice called out from the kitchen. There, Zesty was sitting in a chair bare and sipping from a cup of black coffee. “Have you been doing what I’ve told you?”

“There’s more than that,” her daughter replied as she took a seat at the table next to the mare. “Apparently, some of those college kids are looking to get to the bottom of the rumors. A kirin, two ponies, and a dragon. Should that be something we should be concerned about?”

Zesty scoffed and waved her hoof dismissively. “Tch. Such common rabble is but mere gnats to brush off my shoulder. Those fools wouldn’t know luxury food if they were hit in the face with it.”

“Are you sure it’s a good idea to drive Saffron out of business?” her daughter asked tentatively, “I thought we were supposed to embrace other cultures here in Canterlot….”

With a hard clack!, Zesty set her empty mug down with force, stunning her daughter into silence. “Harissa Umami Gourmand. You know our family name and reputation is important to uphold the purity of this city and its culture.” She then pointed to several paintings that lined the nearby walls of the living room.

From left to right, there were many paintings, then black and white photographs, then colored photographs of ponies standing in front of restaurants and giving them the iconic three-hoof rating of approval.

“For generations, the Gourmand family has kept the food industry of Canterlot in its place,” Zesty continued, “Your father was simply incompatible with this ideal, hence why we split many years ago.”

“...You’re right,” Harissa shook her head, “I shouldn’t try to let outsiders influence how the culinary world should be ran. We’re the experts, not them.”

The old mare smiled ever so slightly, “Very good, dear. However, now I think about it…those commoners may prove to be advantageous.”

“How so?” the young mare tilted her head, “Think you’re going to bargain with them, mother?”

“Not me…” she shook her head, “We can’t afford to be careless, dear. Instead, I’d like you to be the one to deal with them.” She used her magic to levitate a pencil and notepad down in front of her daughter and began to write down exactly what she had planned. “Here’s what I’d like you to do the next time you see them…”

Back in the Academy…

Once everyone had gotten settled down for the evening, Grimrose had invited Nebula to her room when no one else was around.

“Sup, Rose?” the stallion cheerfully asked as she shut the door behind him, “Want my help with something?”

“You could say that…” she muttered, “I…well, you’ve been through so much lately that I wanted to help you if I could.”

“Help me?” he tilted his head, “How so.”

“...well…” she idly kicked her hoof against the floor. “I…I know how much you like being my guinea pig for my experiments, so I figured I could…help you relieve stress…” She then walked up to him and whispered in his ear, which caused the stallion to blush and bite his lip.

“...O-oh! Uh…hell yea!” he replied excitedly while pattering his hooves in place. “...So you really feel that way about me, huh Rose?”

“...” Grimrose looked away and simply nodded her head.

“...I’d be stoked to be your coltfriend, Rose!” he agreed with a smile.

“...You would? Seriously?” she asked breathlessly as she turned to face him.

He nodded. “Yup. Now how exactly is this little experiment gonna go?”

Grimrose pointed to a nearby pentagram that she had laid out upon the floor. “...lie down in the circle and we can get started. This is all for you, Atomic.”

“Sweeeeet! I hope I get possessed and start tripping out!” he pranced over with a smile and lied down as instructed. “Or maybe my heart stops! Oooh the possibilities!”

"....You're not worried it might hurt?"

"Nah," he shook his head, "I trust you with my life, Rose. I know you'd never do anything to intentionally hurt me like Gaea did. Besides...all this demonic cult stuff sounds super exciting!" He turned his head, "...and seeing you smile at the results makes me feel great so..."

It warmed her heart to hear him say such things. 'Even after all he's been through, he still wants to spend time with me. Maybe I should tell him what I really am…? No…not yet. Later.' She buried her thoughts for the moment.

“...you’re such an adorable little…himbo for lack of better term,” she muttered with a small smile on her face. “...never changed, Atomic.”