Being a Sunday afternoon, many of the people of Canterlot took this day as a time of rest and relaxation. Most of the shops were closed and, throughout the town, the people were simply enjoying their day, either with their friends or their loved ones. Nothing major was going on today, so all around there was a real feeling of calm and contentment. One of the few places that was open, however, was Sugar Cube Corner, the noted local confectionary store and café, owned by Mr and Mrs Cakes. Because, while most would take this day to rest or recuperate, the loving couple never missed out on an opportunity to provide their many regulars with some delicious baked goods when needed. Right now, it was Mrs Cakes behind the counter, and as she sorted out a few of the display items, she looked around their store, smiling as she caught sight of one of their regular customers.

For there, sitting in her normal booth, was none other than Applejack, local student of Canterlot High. The Stetson-wearing girl was currently downing a milkshake while sitting there, looking as if she was waiting for something, or rather, someone. She kept staring at the door, stopping only occasionally to glance over at Mrs Cakes, giving her a smile and a nod to let her know she was enjoying her milkshake. As the time passed, on Applejack kept a look at the nearby clock, counting the seconds before the due time arrived. However, when it did arrive, right on the exact mark, the bell on the store's front door rang, alerting the girl to a new arrival. There, standing in the doorway, clad in the distinct uniform of Crystal Prep and wearing her silver hair in pigtails, was Sugarcoat. This former rival of Applejack and her friends looked around the room, before eventually spotting the farm girl.

"Greetings."

Her words were brief and to the point, but they were nevertheless a greeting. As such, Applejack afforded her a smile, waving her over. Sugarcoat nodded in response, but unlike Applejack, she did not smile, instead maintaining a completely deadpan expression. Still, she nevertheless moved over to the booth, with Applejack scooting over a bit to give her space to sit down. Once settled in, Sugarcoat set her school bag aside before looking to Applejack, and a long silence followed. The farm girl looked to her visitor for a while, waiting for her to say anything to start a conversation. But, when it became clear that she was just going to stay quiet until she was spoken to, Applejack cleared her throat a little before speaking first.

"So...how've ya been?"

Sugarcoat adjusted the cufflinks on her wrists as she replied.

"It's been pleasant. Far less...eventful than the Games were. Crystal Prep has been fairly calm of late, as is often the case immediately after big events like that."

The monotone way she spoke gave an impression of dismissiveness, despite Applejack feeling in her gut that Sugarcoat was not actually trying to sound uninterested. So, putting on another smile, the girl instead turned to Mrs Cakes, gesturing to her. The older woman nodded, getting the message, and smiled in response, before moving over to the milkshake machine. Looking back to Sugarcoat, Applejack leaned back into her part of the booth before speaking up again.

"So. Sunset and Twi are real excited bout us girls getting ta know each other. Might be worth it. Ah mean, always nice ta make new friends an all."

Sugarcoat turned to her, raising an eyebrow as she did so.

"Indeed. Twilight seems far more upbeat than usual. Whenever she walks the halls, she no longer does so in a way that suggests that she's trying to avoid being seen by anybody. If that's what being friends with you and the other girls has afforded her, then there may indeed be merit to our groups mingling in this manner."

After hearing that, Applejack paused for a moment, after which she let out a brief nervous chuckle.

"Well...yer pretty talkative, ain't ya?"

Sugarcoat nodded.

"So I have been told. However, since this never occurs to me to be a real issue, I see no reason to change my behaviour. Does it bother you?"

At that, Applejack raised her hands, looking quiet apologetic.

"No! It's just...well...it's rare to see somebody so...erm..."

But Sugarcoat beat her to the punch on that count.

"Direct? To-the-point? Blunt? Capable of fully explaining what it is I mean to get across to the people I'm speaking to?"

To that, Applejack just blinked at her.

"Er...well...all of the above ah guess."

Yet again, silence fell between them, which, naturally, was a great discomfort to Applejack. After clearing her throat again, the farm girl put on a smile and spoke in a more chipper manner.

"Well, why don't we get this started off right? What do ya do over at Crystal Prep? When yer not studyin of course?"

Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow to that.

"Given the expectations placed upon the students there, studying takes up most of our time."

Applejack folded her arms before replying to that.

"Ah can guess. That Cinch is a real task-master from what ah've heard."

Sugarcoat nodded.

"Indeed. She has always been an effective administrator. Always knowing what is needed to bring prestige to the school."

For a moment, the girl hesitated.

"Although...I would not exactly call her one to really like her students...with some exceptions of course."

Applejack looked to her, and for brief moment, she could feel as if there was an untold story behind those words. Even so, she shook her head, deciding instead to keep the discussion on-topic.

"Well, sure. But ah'm guessing y'all have gotta have some time away from all that, right?"

Sugarcoat looked away from her, pausing for a moment before starting to speak up again.

"Indeed. When I am not involved in my studies, I am heading the chess club, the debate team and the school's history society. In addition..."

Looking back to Applejack, Sugarcoat raised one hand and adjusted the glasses on her face slightly, which, given the sunlight coming in from the nearby window, caused the spectacles to glint briefly.

"...I am also class president."

Naturally, Applejack regarded her visitor with some degree of amazement, which was then reflected in her startled manner of speech.

"Well...that's...something. Guess ya could probably give Twilight a run fer her money, right?"

But Sugarcoat simply shook her head.

"I doubt it. Though I am loathe to admit to my fellow students being better at me, as any CP student would in fact, Twilight's areas of expertise are more of the scientific variety."

After another brief pause, the Crystal Prep girl turned once more to Applejack.

"And what of yourself? I imagine the less-taxing regiment of Canterlot High students affords you a great deal more free time than our school does."

Despite her words being a somewhat veiled jab at the way CHS does things, Applejack nevertheless ignored that remark, wanting instead to keep the peace, rather than have this descend into the schools' age-old rivalry again. Instead she put on a smile, looking as if she was rather proud of herself.

"Well, if ya want ta know, ah spend most of mah time helping mah family out at the orchards out of town."

To that, Sugarcoat raised an eyebrow.

"You're a farmer?"

Applejack nodded with a smile on her face.

"Eyup! Born an bred! We Apples have been tendin our orchards fer generations! Ah tell ya, there ain't no better feelin in the world than helpin out with work like that."

Regarding the girl, Sugarcoat gave a single nod.

"Indeed. You do seem rather enthusiastic about it."

Hearing that, Applejack turned to her with a slight smirk on her face.

"Well...ah reckon ah'm more "enthusiastic" bout it than you are fer what you do."

However, rather than looking offended by those words, Sugarcoat merely nodded.

"I trust you are referring to my present demeanour? If you must know, I choose not to smile unless I feel the need to do so."

To that, Applejack let out a hearty laugh.

"Oh boy! Just wait till Pinkie meets you! It's gonna be fun, ah can tell ya right now!"

Sugarcoat looked at her with some incredulity, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, she looked past the farm girl, looking instead to Mrs Cakes, who was arriving at their table with a tray bearing two full milkshake glasses. Placing the tray down upon the table, she smiled at the two girls, which Applejack very much returned, before heading off for the counter again. Now alone, Applejack licked her lips at the sight of her shake, before picking it up and starting to drink. As for Sugarcoat, however, she regarded the drink with more scepticism, bringing it to her nose and giving it a brief sniff, after which she looked at it in a rather dismissive manner.

"These are one of those drinks with a high sugar content, correct? I doubt these are very good for us, Applejack."

But Applejack simply let out another laugh to that.

"Probably not. But that don't stop em from being mighty tasty every once in a while."

At that, Sugarcoat looked from her, to the drink and then back again. One look at Applejack's face made it clear that she wasn't going to let up on this matter, leading to a long sigh from the Crystal Prep girl. Lifting the glass to her face, she regarded it carefully, before giving a final look to Applejack, who silently urged her on. To this, Sugarcoat let out another sigh before taking a quick sip of the thing. Moment after moment passed, and Applejack watched her, hoping in her heart that she would at least crack a smile over this. But, sadly, she did not, and simply set the drink down on the table once more.

"It is...satisfactory."

For the first time in this, Applejack regarded the girl with a genuine smile.

"Well, that's sure something at least. Maybe we can have fun with each other after all."

Sugarcoat looked to her, considering that question for a moment before giving a single nod.

"I believe there is a distinct possibility of that outcome, yes."

To that, Applejack just let out another laugh.

"Who knows? Maybe ya can even help out on the farm every once in a while?"

Thinking on that, Sugarcoat spoke up with a suggestion of her own.

"Perhaps. And perhaps you can come over to Crystal Prep and give a presentation in the history society about the cultural changes during pre-renaissance Italy."

Once more, a long silence fell between the two girls, ultimately ending a minute later when Applejack let out a brief grunt.

"On second thoughts...let's just stick ta milkshakes fer now."