It was midday, Izzy walked past Sunny in the kitchen who was looking at something on her phone. “Huh, Izzy?” She said as she walked past, stopping in her tracks and looking over. Putting down a bowel of soup that Misty drunk from, she had a cold, so she was staying in a spare room. Not wanting to have much contact with anyone else in fear of making them sick, too.
”Oh hey, Sunny! What are you looking at?” She asked.
”Uh… Alphabittle is selling his tearoom for a new Eggingtons store in Bridlewood?”
“Alphabittle would never do that!?” Izzy instantly shouted, a shocked and confused look on her face. Which Sunny shrugged.
”Ooh. Must be some false news, then.” She said before Izzy grabbed the phone. “Hey!” She shouted before watching as Izzy started to breath heavily and stare at it in horror. It had been months since anyone her so horrified!
”Something must be wrong!” Izzy whimpered as she ran to the door. Zipp landing on the ground near Sunny as she stared in shock. Running after her, Zipp and Pipp chasing after. Choosing to fly through the air. Not saying a single word as their hearts raced in panic. Leaving behind Hitch with Misty.
”Izzy! What’s wrong!?” Sunny exclaimed. “I am sure it was just a rumour mistaken as news or something!” She exclaimed. Wanting to try and calm her down. Zipp flying close.
”Well.. Izzy does know him better than we do… So she must be sensing something is off. Because I can feel it.” She responded, gulping as she looked ahead. Wondering what was happening. She only heart Izzy shouting that something was wrong. But what was it?
She agreed as the three mares followed Izzy all the way to Bridlewood.
As the group stopped right in front of the door, they were all exhausted. Izzy could sure sprint for a long time if she sensed a friend in possible danger.
”Can someone please tell me what’s going on!?” Pipp squealed, panting. She landed on the ground, looming at her.
”Something is wrong Alphabittle.” Sunny bluntly responded. Izzy busting open the front doors and rushing in like her life depended on it. “Something to do with Eggingtons…”
”Eggingtons!?” Pipp exclaimed. “They still exist?” She asked. Puzzled as she walked in.
“Yeah… I get the feeling there’s something going on…” Zipp said feeling suspicious as she walked in besides Pipp. Izzy racing to Alphabittle as fast as she could. Not noticing Haven who she had just frightened by her jumping on the stool next to her and screaming. Immediently showing him the screen on Sunny’s phone. “I almost forgot they even were a thing.”
”Alphabittle!” Izzy screamed, panting and sweating from the marathon. “L-look!”
Alphabittle looked at the phone with a puzzled look on his face. Haven looking up with concern, wondering what the panic was about as she greeted her daughters. Who mentioned that she read something was happening with Alphabittle. Who was looking at an unfamiliar logo of an orange chicken facing the front. The beak was open wide and had an egg in it. The text below it said ‘Eggingtons.’
”What?” He wondered as he read further. Growing angry and confused at each sentence. “Wait- What!? I never said I’d sell my tearoom. I never agreed to something like this! Who said this!?” He shouted, looking rather grumpy. He looked at the screen. “Who the heck is Eggingtons?!”
“Eggingtons!?” Haven exclaimed, looking around, confused. “You selling your tearoom!? That’s nuts!” She looked at him and back at the girls. “If this is on the Zephyr Heights news website I am going to have a talk with-“
”It’s the Equestria-wide news website…” Sunny responded sadly.
“Well. I can assure. It’s all just a bunch of clod.” Alphabittle snorted. Then paused at some confused faces. “You guys know what that means, right?”
Before anyone could say anything else, Sunny put a hoof and Izzy and made a slight smile as she grabbed her phone back. “See Izzy. This was just a false news article. It happens. Nothing to worry about.”
Izzy sighed as she sat down on a stool. Sighing in relief. “Alright…” She smiled at Sunny. Feeling a little unsure. But hiding it as she tried to think of good things. But the thought of her friend losing his tearoom hurt.
”Yeah. Eggingtons is obsolete, there’s no way they’d make a comeback after the number of incidents linked to them.” Pipp shrugged. “I literally remember almost nothing about them. Besides the pineapples and the logo. Ooh!” She perked up. “I also remember the incident.”
Zipp nodded in agreement with Pipp. “I almost forgot they even existed. I hadn’t seen one or heard about it since I was like eight!”
Izzy sighed again and nodded, looking down a bit. “I guess I’ll be more careful in the future about what I read online.” She sighed a little bit. Her chest no longer racing as she took in some deep breaths. “Well, it’s nice to know that The Crystal Tearoom is not going anywhere.”
Onyx walked up to the bar, putting a teacup down. “I wouldn’t trade this place for anything else…”
They group sat there for a while, wanting to laugh this misunderstanding off. It was rather silly to think of some forgotten food chain like Eggingtons was going to buy Alphabittle‘s iconic tearoom from him. Izzy did feel rather silly, but most of them could not help but feel like there was more to this than they thought? Was it just some silly prank, or an error created by a rumour? Or was there more to this than they thought.
Dapple joined Onyx after finishing his tea on a nearby table. “I dunno who would do a prank like that. But I got the feeling there’s someone jealous behind it.”
Zipp nodded in agreement with him as he made some dramatic beats on his bongo drums. “Yeah. I think we should look into this. Any credit on who made the article?”
Sunny shook her head as she showed Zipp. “It’s anonymous.”
”Well…” Pipp was looking at the article on her own phone. “I just think it was a mean prank. Unfortunately some ponies do nasty pranks and post them online for views. Karma will come to them eventually.” She shrugged
“I hope so.” Izzy mumbled. “Whoever dares to Alphabittle‘s tearoom from him deserves to go a month without magic!” She shouted, folding her forelegs.
Alphabittle smiled a bit as she loosened up when he put her favourite tea right in front of her. Looking at it excitedly along with the biscuits he put eight next to her. It was obvious she was still annoyed by the prank. But she was happy when she grabbed the cookies and crunched on them and drunk down the tea.
”Delish as usual!” She grinned.
The room was silent as they thought to themselves for a bit. Haven took a single sip of her tea before there was a noise of some beeping.
”Someone’s phone going off?” Asked Dapple as he looked around him. Then the beeping stopped, so he shrugged it off.
“So…” Alphabittle looked at everyone puzzled. “What is Eggingtons?”
Zipp was the one to answer. “Oh. A restaurant chain that existed when I was a filly. Everything they sold was either egg based or included eggs in some way.”
“Not just chicken eggs. Eggs of almost anything that could lay eggs!” Pipp shouted before making a disgusted noise.
“Just mostly chicken eggs.” Zipp corrected. “But there were also fish, quail, turkey, goose, duck, and turtle… But the turtle ones were ripped off the menu. Never saw them myself so the turtle eggs could be just a rumour.”
“The turtle eggs were very true, Zipp.” Haven sighed as she leaned against the counter. “There was also a mass food-poisoning incident with salmonella. A few weeks before that massive incident, ponies found stones in their egg wraps and yolk salsa…”
She sighed at her response. But talking about something unrelated to the turtle eggs she thought was a rumour. “I remember that… It was on the news and everypony was talking about it. But oddly, I never saw Eggingtons again after the incident.” She then paussed. “I kinda just forgot about them as years went past.”
“I assume they went bankrupt after the incident with food poisoning.” Pipp added.
Haven sighed a bit, “I had only seen one store open since that incident…” She responded. Not wanting to go into much detail. "Last thing I remembered was those tasty rolls..."
Pipp giggled a little to herself. Had trying the same rolls, which was arguably one of the best things on the menu. She did not remember the taste or smell. But she did remember the look of it. "Oh yeah? The ones loaded with mayo, peas and carrot?" She smirked
"Loaded with what!?" Alphabittle exclaimed. "If they were loaded with what I think you said. Then there is no way I would ever allow such things anywhere near my tearoom. Or anywhere else!" He slammed his hoof and cringed at the thought of ponies selling mayonnaise ridded food in Bridlewood. The disgusting sauce just oozing out.
"Unicorns are still not keen on mayonnaise?" Sunny whispered to Izzy who nodded.
"They only just started to not go 'bing-bong' when someone says it."
"Well. Glad this was sorted out..." Zipp laid her forelegs on the counter with a sigh of relief.
It was clear only pegasi knew what Eggingtons it was. As it was far long before the return of magic. So the food chain was only in Zephyr Heights. They did not know how popular or good they were. But it did appear they lost a lot of reputation after those two incidents.
Izzy had calmed down, the others shrugged it off as a cruel prank. While Alphabittle was wishing he could talk to the ponies behind the prank. But at least he was going to keep his tearoom. It was his and if anyone wanted to take it from him, they had to answer to him first! Plus Onyx, Dapple and likely Haven and Izzy!
Sunny was speaking on her phone. “Oh hey Hitch. How’s Misty going?” She asked, Alphabittle was too far to hear about his daughter so he did not ask. “Oh, that’s good. Oh, we are in the Crystal Tearoom. Izzy just wanted to check something with Alphabittle.” There was a pause as she smiled. Pipp happily sipping a tea and complimenting it loudly. “Yeah. Everything’s fine. Just a prank Izzy got worried about…”
Then Sunny’s ears perked up as she suddenly heard a shout. A tea was placed right in front of her as she looked towards the window. She shrugged it off and put her phone out of her bag before she took a nice sip of her tea.
"Thanks, for the tea!" She said with a smile. "I think this might be my new favourite here." She grinned eagerly as she took another sip. Enjoying every drop of the liquid. It was some tea she was yet to try, something about it gave it a more pink-ish hue. It was made from plants that only grew at this time of the year, too. So it was seasonal.
Earth pony magic growing them out of season was an option. But they did not make the tea taste as good. Which most would not mind. But the hue and blossom smell were gone if used by some made by earth pony magic out the plant's natural season.
Dapple was tapping on his bongo drums as Onyx sipped on her dark coloured tea. She liked the taste of this one, and the colour that resembled onyx gemstones. It was a slight shame that no one noticed, except for him.
"Anyone feel that?" He asked. Noticing something off with a loud bang.
"The feeling of incoming danger?" Onyx asked, judging by his facial expression.
"Huh?" He cocked his head. Puzzled as he looked around. "Like an earthquake?" He whispered, sounding a little nervous. Then shook his head. "Maybe was nothing..."
What happened next felt like it happened in slow motion. No one had time to react as they ducked. Thunder and Zoom rushing from the table they were at to cover the queen for protection. Using their wings and legs as debris came from the wrecking ball that swept through the top of the tearoom. The whole building shook and the noise deafened as the wrecking ball finished it's path. Out through the other wall. Everyone coughing from the dust and debris that had dropped down.
Hearts were racing as everyone's lives flashed before them. The queen was covered in less dust than anyone else, thanks to her guards protecting her from the crushing disaster. It was very luckily the start of the swing was too high to hit them.
Zoom and Thunder were panting as they got up with the queen, the former ignoring a bleeding gash on her leg from fallen debris. It took a minute for everyone to come to their senses as the dust lowered. Stuff had fallen off the shelves and counter. A table in the path was destruction was reduced to pieces. The ground was split.
”E-everyone okay!?” Zipp cried out after she lifted her head from her hooves that were on top of it. Her foreleg moving around, as she felt something above her. Finding out it was Zoom's wing. She had stretched both wings out to try and protect both her and her mother.
“Y-yeah-“ Gulped Sunny. Looking down at a large piece of ceiling that crushed the counter and teacup right in front of her. She gulped as she wheezed. If she had leaned forward instead of jump off the chair. That would have been her.
Everyone was shaking as their hearts raced, checking their own bodies for wounds. There were a few cuts and scrapes. But nothing major. Alphabittle was hyperventilating as he looked at the floating dust. Everyone too scared to speak as they looked at their surroundings. Zoom held onto Pipp who had fainted in shock. Cloudpuff was shaking as he buried himself into Haven’s hooves.
Alphabittle looked towards the door, yet to be touched. The wrecking ball had only been through once, but there was no doubt it would return. He was filled with anger as he heard more beeping. Really? This would be his second fright of the day if Eggingtons was something to be worried for. His heart was racing and there was a ringing in his ear as he saw his life flash before him.
They needed to get out, now!
”Everyone, out!” He shouted, jumping over the bar counter. Rushing to the doors. Not another word was spoken as everyone rushed out. Hearts racing and sweat dripping as they busted down the front doors and stopped a mile away. Looking back in shock and fear. Haven standing near him as he stared on, eyes wide in shock as the whole thing crumbled down in pieces. The trees near it, fallen.
“No…” Zipp whispered as Izzy was now crying. Sunny had a foreleg around her as she stared in horror at what she had just seen.
Hearts were racing and there was not one smile. Dapple looked down at his bongo drums he had saved, levitating thim just before escaping. Haven looked on, his whole collection of random stuff was destroyed. It all gone, years of collecting it all. It was over now. She had tears in her eyes as she could not imagine how he was feeling.
He was simply staring and many other unicorns had joined the group, watching as the iconic tearoom was reduced to nothing but rubble. Being pushed away by machines, clearing the area. Anger came to Alphabittle like how heat boils a teapot. He growled as he saw the strange creatures driving the machine. Not caring what they were.
They seemed to have been some bipeds that looked like chickens. They came in many colours and had a red comb placed on their heads. They were tall, towers Izzy, but smaller than him. Yeah, that was good in his eyes. Easier to crush. They had big feathery tails which the shape depended on the chicken. Also the rooster clearly had longer ones.
Alphabittle marched as he made his way to the brown one with a hard hat which was shouting orders around. No one joined in in fear of what was going to happen, they remained in a safe place. Frozen in shock or just don’t know what to do next.
”Hey!” Shouted Alphabittle, getting the rooster’s attention who turned around.
”Oh. Hello, there!” The roster said in a goofy voice. Looking like some bipedal in a mascot costume of some sort. But with moving eyes and mouth.
”Who do you think you are!” He shouted, pointing at the place where his tearoom was. Shouting the loudest he could. “What gave you the right to demolish my tearoom?! You also almost got us killed!” He screamed.
“You?” The rooster shrugged. Putting up a piece of paper. That was mostly gibberish. At the bottom Alphabittle‘s name was there light a signature. Next to a bowel of soup with the letters A,B and C in the steam lines above it.
He grabbed it angrily. “I did not agree to any of this nonsense!” He shouted. “That is not even by hoof-writing or cutiemark! This is bing-bong garbage.”
“I-“
“How dies my cutiemark look anything like a dumb-eagle bowel of alphabet soup!?” He shouted. “This was either forged or you think I’d fallen for this trick and pretend I forgot I signed something I didn’t!” He ranged. “You are sick!”
The roster shrugged. Paying no attention to Zipp and Haven who approached him. Followed by Zoom and Izzy. “I’m just following boss orders.”
“That was not yours, you pinhead!” Izzy screeched. Tears rolling down her face. Noticing the rooster’s badge pinned to his vest. “Roller!”
”What could have possibly given you the right to do this to sweet Alphabittle?” Haven scoffed. “Do you know that this is illegal.”
“Look, we are busy building a new Eggingtons here…”Roller put his wing hands on his hips. “Now get going and leave!”
“A what!?” Shrieked Pipp as she came closer. “Who cares about the obsolete business! I thought you were broke!”
Roller shrugged, “You’ll be surprised what spin-offs with totally different themes and menus can do. Hence why Bread Boi existed.”
“Shouda known!” Zipp grumbled, slapping her hoof on the ground.
“Do you even know what iconic building you destroyed for your egg-obsessed junk!?” Pipp screamed, Haven having to hold her back as it appeared she wanted to strangle him.
“The boss is coming so my duty is one.” Roller shrugged, walking away.
”Don’t you dare leave!” Shouted Alphabittle. Getting angrier. He stopped his hooves as Dapple and Onyx joined him. Tears appeared in Dapple’s eyes as he wiped them. His heart was still racing from the incident. They could have very easily been lark of the rubble they were pushing aside.
"Get back here!" He shouted running after him. Leaving the others behind.
Then he stopped in his tracks as he saw two other roosters jump in front of him. One grey, one dark brown.
"Stop this right now! That was my property you destroyed!" He shouted, "The land belongs to the forest. You can't build on it, either!"
"You signed it. Also..." The Grey one looked at the clipboard. Making him angrier as they showed him the paper he apparently signed. Ignoring that the hoof-writing was not his. Neither was y blue bowl of soup with a pink spoon cutiemark. His was a dark teapot, not similar at all. They could literally see it. He rolled his eyes as they grabbed his paperwork that was a certificate of his ownership of the tearoom. "You looking for this to show us?"
"Hey! How'd you freak get that!?" He shouted. As he went to grab it, it was pulled away, too fast.
"Nah-uh." The grey rooster smirked as he rolled it up. Grabbing a lighter with a smirk. Knowing exactly what Alphabittle was about to do as he leapt from him. Only to be stropped by a digger shoving him out the way and push him down.
He groaned as he lifted his head. Watching in dissapear as the roosters burned the paper and walked away. Laughing as the digger let him go and drove away.
"The giant chicken is delivering the building!" A random rooster shouted.
"In a bizarre way using magic..." Shrugged another chicken.
Then a giant chicken landed in the middle of the cleared out area, everyone backing up, since the workers did the same. Going back to the crowd that was watching the whole thing unfold. Alphabittle had ran back to the others as fast as he could. Watching as it crouched down, laying a giant egg, that suddenly started to glow. Hitch was there with Sparky, had just arrived. Watching in shock as sorrow.
There was no use fighting anymore. The company’s ego and employees was too large. He would also be no match against a chicken that big! Also, it was not like fighting would bring back his tearoom. There was no use in fighting anymore…
“Wh-what happened?” He asked, looking at Sunny. "Didn't you say it was a cruel prank that the tearoom was being replaced?"
There was silent as no one responded. So he decided to just watch what about to happen with the shaking egg. He’d get answers later, for sure.
"That's was what we thought..." Zipp said in defeat. Comforting Izzy who was crying loudly.
"They are monsters!" She screamed, slamming down on Zipp who endured the pain. "Crazy, greedy monsters polluting the forest!" She lifted her head. Acting like someone dies. "Those poor trees! Oh, Billy, you were far too young!" Dhe faceplanted into Zipp's wings. "The tearoom. Those poor and innocent trees. Alpha's collection! All gone! All gone!"
Izzy had wished they had at least kicked everyone else and done some redesigning to the building itself. But they had to be that cruel to the innocent trees and poot Alpha, too!
As the egg glowed, it slowly formed into a building that looked liked it belonged in Zephyr Heights. It was one story and was slightly wider than the Crystal Tearoom. But not a noticeable amount. A unicorn had walked towards it in confusion, taking a look in before walking back and running away.
“It smells like decaying egg in there!” He shouted.
"That un-forest-like thing does not belong here!" Cried another unicorn as she pointed at it.
He was lost in thought as he stared towards this new disgusting store. It was a similar shape and size to his tearoom, acting salt to the wound. Tears ran down his face as he sat there. Not caring of what the other ponies were doing. Some had left, knowing there was nothing they could do.
Sunny and her friends were explaining everything to Hitch. Who was shocked and horrified, wondering how they got away with it. As more ponies left, Haven refused to leave his side as he tried to hide his tears. That was his property and it was ripped from him for no reason. For some greedy freaks.
“Alphie?” Haven worriedly whispered after a few minutes.
There was a pause as he sighed. Not wanting to sound vicious or hurt her in anyway. He just wanted to brush her aside and sit in a quiet place to just process this. He just wished he had a time machine or something. He could not belive they won. What gave them the right to do this?
“I-I don’t want to talk at the moment…” Alphabittle said tearfully as he walked away. Leaving behind the ten concerned ponies and baby dragon as they watched him disappear deep into the woods. Tears running down his face as flashbacks come, his heart started to race as he raced too, not knowing why.
Alphabittle sat down near a nearby tree. Grabbing some misplaced rubble in his hooves. Tears going down his cheeks as he looked down. He was there for about ten minutes now. Breathing the fresh air and listening to the wild animals. He had so many insults he wanted to say. He had so many questions and things he wished he had done.
What would have happened if Izzy and her friends did not come? What would have happened if they came later? Why was Eggingtons so greedy!? Why were they planning to sell mayonnaise in Bridlewood! Do they not know about the jinxies.
Then he froze. Remembering that Pipp said the short for mayonnaise. He should have done the bing bong thing when she did it! Not brush it off like an idiot! Maybe it was the jinxies too! He should have known that saying mayo was as bad as mayonnaise! If he did that bing bong, then the tearoom would likely not have been demolished!
Or not… It was already proven that mayonnaise did not attract the jinxies. Gotta get used to that.
But why on earth did they want his tearoom's location in the forest and nowhere else!?
His hears perked up as he heard a noise behind him. As he looked back, he saw Cloudpuff bark as he flew around him.
“He found him!” Zipp cried out.
He then saw Haven, the royal guards, her daughters and Onyx who was with Dapple. Izzy came shortly after, twigs and leaves stuck in her long, curly mane.
“Alphie…” Haven sadly said, comforting him with a pat. “I know it won’t replace the one you lost… But we can build you a new one. In Zephyr Heights, perhaps?” Then she puased. “Actually. I think I can get one built somewhere else in Bridlewood.”
“I don’t know, Haven…” He said, sitting there, crying. Shaking a little as his life’s work was hattered in front of his eyes. It was true no other one would replace the one he lost. But his heart was hurting too much at the thought of working in any other tearoom that was not his own. “I may be big and tough but…”
He could not finish his sentence as he thought of his whole collection of stuff. Just ripped from him. More tears coming from his eyes as he thought of everything he had just lost in that moment. Because of some crook chooks. He had worked on the place for years, him and his wife met there. It was a nice sight, fallen in love. Then they got married as time went on, eventually having Misty.
Eventually he became the owner of the tearoom. Saving it from doom as he brought it, having worked there for years and meeting his wife there. It was meaningful to him. It was finally his.
Losing his wife was hard, so was Misty’s disappearance. It was like his life was falling apart, as time went on, he got more grumpy and competitive. The tearoom and all the customers helped with this as he still had a reason to live. It was worth it when he eventually met Haven, a beautiful mare. Then he found his long-lost daughter who came to him in the tearoom itself.
The place was not as important and the ponies responsible for the great times he had there. But it was still special to him because of the memories attached to it.
But it was all just ripped away…
There was a long puase as he looked down, a paper slowly blowing over and landed near his hooves. He picked it up. It being a picture of him, Misty, Zipp, Pipp, Haven and Cloudpuff together. It was damage, but still able to be seen in what it was. A few mire tears dripped from his eyes. Everyone in the photo was happy, making faces, even Zipp. Who was not as amused at first, but joined in for the sake of it. He smiled slightly as he looked at it, not noticing the group of ten ponies forming behind him.
A few made sighs of relief. He did the same as he thought about how the day went. He still had his friends of family.
He did not loose them thank goodness for that. He still had them, with him, now. A tearoom and all the stuff inside could be replaced. Well, most the stuff inside, anyway. But he could get teacups and jars that were just as good.
But a life cannot be replaced. His friends cannot be replaced but teapots, jars, crystals, trophies and mire could. He still had everyone who was with him when it was smashed first. He lost objects. But none of his friends. He was grateful for that, they were still here.
“I may have lost the tearoom. But at least I still have what matters the most…” He looked to it and sighed. Noticing Misty was gone from the group that was forming around him. “How is she, anyway?” He asked, curious. Wrapping hooves around Zipp, Pipp and Haven. Glad to be able to see, feel and hear them for hopefully years to come. They were not taken from him.
“She’s great!” Sunny exclaimed then made a little sigh. “But she has a little cold at the moment…”
“Suppose I can pay her a visit.” He responded softly. Almost like he did not hear that she had a cold. Getting up slowly. Glad to have everyone he loved still with him. He smiled as he saw Onyx and Dapple. Scared with a few scrapes and bits of dust. But they were alive and well.
He could not stop the feeling of gratefulness. Not wanting to imagine if he was the sole survivor. Or if they all died when the wrecking ball hit. His heart hurt as he remembered the tearoom as he walked with the others to go see Izzy. But he tried his best to see the bright side of things. Like Izzy suggested to him many times in the past.
But if Eggingtons were to do this trick again. They were not getting an easy time like today. Don’t mess with Alphabittle!
Author's Note
I wanted to give it a happy ending. (Or bittersweet. Maybe.) But felt a sad one would be more suitable.
But feel free to make your own ending, would love to see the Eggingtons brand get their deserved treatment for what they did to Alphabittle, his friends and tearoom.
Also. The cutiemark that Alphabittle says was not his. Is a little joke and refrence to G3 Alphabittle’s cutiemark.
