Canterlot Academy Trials

“Alright, gang,” Nebula remarked to his team, “Let’s split up and ask around for any information on the Gourmand family. We’ll meet up at the nearby bakery in 30 minutes, yeah?”

Blue would respond teasingly, “What are we, some kinda investigation team?” he chuckled, and took flight. “No problem, leader.”

“...’Leader’ huh?” Nebula paused as he watched his dragon friend fly off. “...do I really fit that description?”

“You’re one of the best squires of the Royal Guard,” Mei added, “Who else are we gonna follow?”

Nebula rubbed the back of his head. “...I guess you have a point. Just so long as you guys are cool with it.”

“Of course we are,” Mei assured him as she took off in another direction, “I’ll see you in 30.”

As Nebula took a deep breath, Grimrose approached him and offered her support.

“...don’t stress yourself, Atomic,” she put a hoof around his neck to encourage him. “We all have your back no matter what.”

Nebula sighed with a smile, accentuating the freckles around his cheeks. “...you’re right. I can do this. Thanks, Rose.”

And with that, she let go and softly squealed to herself as she took off…

The group made their way around Canterlot and asked for information on the Gourmand Family. Thanks to Mei’s research, they had struck a proverbial gold mine of information. As it turned out, the Gourmand Family was highly revered by the denizens of Canterlot. Their opinion was considered top tier and highly respected. If a restaurant or dish didn’t have Zesty’s Three-Hoof rating that was tied to their lengthy history of food reviewership, then it was deemed irrelevant by the population.

Of course, more recent restaurants have popped up alongside the Tasty Treat that sought to break the established norms of Canterlot’s culinary world. The local pub run by the hippogriff and the place that sold Bitalian food where Prezzemola worked. These fresh places were welcomed by most of the population, though a sizable set of Canterloties refused to eat there since they weren’t Zesty Gourmand-approved.

But perhaps most interestingly, was some information that Nebula was able to gather at the Elite Equine Spa…

“I heard she had a husband who left her alone with their daughter nearly two decades ago,” an older unicorn mare wearing what could only be described as an illegal amount of jewelry spoke in a snoobish tone as another mare worked on her mane with combs, sprays, and scissors via magic. “Such a fool he was. Good stallions are becoming more and more rare these days with deadbeats like that around here. Disgraceful. I do hope Miss Luster Dawn finds someone that will treat her properly, given that she may be our next princess if what I heard rings true.”

While he was curious, Nebula didn’t want to be swayed by bias too early. Instead, he focused on logic.

“I see…and do you happen to know where he might live?”

“Meh, somewhere near the Eastern side of Canterlot where the newly erected homes have been made. Those other…creatures have made their home there as well,” the mare poorly hid her disdain for outsiders under those words. “Now if you’re done boring me with your questions, boy, I have to get my mane done for the upcoming Garden Party. Now shoo. Go on.”

“Alright, alright,” he replied as he backed away and out of the spa. Once outside, he looked up to the East side of Canterlot to see the various mountainside homes that had indeed recently been built to accommodate more residents ever since Canterlot’s rise in population.

“Hrm…that could very well be where Mr. Gourmand lives,” he muttered to himself, “Our team should meet up at the bakery soon.”

Unfortunately, Nebula didn’t notice that someone had been watching him from nearby. A certain white unicorn mare that steeled her gaze at him from one of the outdoor cafe tables. ‘...don’t stick your snout where it might get cut off.’

Thirty minutes later…at an outdoor table near the bakery…

The whole group came together to discuss what they had found. Unfortunately, as it turned out, everyone aside from Nebula was unable to find anything for various reasons.

Mei went first. “...Everyone I talked to kinda gave me a could shoulder,” she lamented as she leaned against the table, “Wonder if it’s because I’m not a regular pony.”

“I can feel that,” Blue added as he leaned back in his chair, “Dragons still aren’t very common in this city so I can’t blame some of them for wanting to end conversations as quickly as possible.”

“Damn,” Nebula sighed, then looked at Rose, “What about you, Grim?”

“I may have scared everyone I tried to talk to,” she muttered while flipping through her tome’s pages, “No one wanted to speak to me.”

“Dammit, all,” Nebula shook his head and went on. “It’s alright guys, don’t worry. I think I may have found some info that could lead us where we need to go.”

“What’s the plan, leader?” Blue asked as he crackled the knuckles of his claws. “I feel like we’ve gone nowhere thus far.”

“We head to the Eastern side of Canterlot and ask around,” Nebula continued as he got up from his seat. “All in favor?”

Everyone else looked at each other, nodded, and turned to Nebula, “Aye.”

They all got up and started on their newfound path towards the Eastern center of Canterlot. Yet again however, a certain someone was following them from a distance…

“Seriously?” Harissa grumbled as she watched the quartet resume their expedition, “They just don’t know when to quit, do they? Guess I’ll have to be more direct and make them an offer they can’t refuse…”

‘Don’t let the family name down, Harissa.’

‘Do not end up like your coward of a father.’

‘Make me proud even if it means sacrifice.’

"N-no...don't hurt me..." As the words of her mother rang around in her head, Harissa acquired newfound resolve. “...I’ll make you proud, mother...I promise.”