Poof.

Clatter.

Shade yawns and smacks her lips. She turns on the lamp on the bedside table and picks up the letter off the ground with her magic. She glances at the brass clock next to the lamp. "Four-thirty. I needed to wake up anyway," Shade speaks aloud. She unrolls the letter and reads the contents.

Dear Shade,

I felt the need to inform you about your mother's situation: while my sister has absolved you of your crimes, she did not extend that courtesy to your mother. I have yet to sleep; the books about your people's history is fascinating! With the planning of the Grand Galloping Gala underway, I have enclosed six tickets for you and your friends.

Your Friend,

Luna

Shade finishes reading the letter, and six golden tickets appear right before her eyes. She envelops the tickets with her crimson magic. She has never been one for extravagant parties nor dressing up. She smiles. Going with friends for once will not be so bad, she thinks. She places the tickets inside an empty drawer then climbs out of bed to shower.

Crack!

Dozens of apples fall into a wooden basket. Shade levitates the basket over to a wagon. The bucking of trees and sound of falling apples fills the morning air. Applejack and Twilight work just as hard to complete the harvest for the day.

Shade looks over her shoulder at Twilight and shakes her head. She still questions how the mare can use a baby dragon as an "assistant." Shade had read over the laws and child labor laws, do in fact, not cover dragons.

The young drake is inspecting a golden apple closely as he sits on the back of Twilight. He tosses it over his shoulder with a dismissive, "No." He continues to examine apples for a prospective snack.

Shade rolls her eyes and catches the rejects with her magic to put into her basket. She sets her basket down with the others then teleports all twenty baskets to the barn. Applejack trots up to Shade wearing a grin.

"Thank you kindly, Shade, Twilight, for helping me out. I bet Big McIntosh I could get all these golden delicious in the barn by lunch time. If I win, he's gonna walk down Stirrup Street in one of Granny's girdles."

"No problem at all, Applejack," Twilight replies.

"And if you hadn't?" Shade asks after removing her goggles to clean.

"If he had won, I would hafta walk down Stirrup Street in one of Granny's old bonnet and dresses."

"That would be a sight to see," Shade grins.

Applejack shoots Shade the stink eye.

Shade laughs and puts a hoof on Applejack's shoulder, "I can't wait to see Big Mac in a girdle. I have to head back home to see if my delivery is here. Take care you two."

She waves bye to her friends and starts down the dirt path to the front gate. Shade enjoys the walk back to town. When she enters the square, a bubbly, pink pony is pouncing down the street. Pinkie and Shade did not leave on good terms the night before so Shade decides to talk to Pinkie.

"Cotton candy," Shade greets Pinkie Pie from behind.

Pinkie Pie freezes in mid prance. She rotates one hundred and eighty degrees to face Shade. "Oh, hello," is her flat reply.

Shade splays her ears flat against her head, "Pinkie, how can I make things up with you?"

Pinkie sighs and tightly hugs Shade. "I forgive you, cupcake! At first, I was mad and then sad and then worried when your mom didn't even know where you were. We all thought the worst had happened to you."

Shade nuzzles Pinkie. "Nothing would stand in my way to come back to my friends."

Pinkie Pie smiles then remembers something. "Oh! Two wagons are outside your house."

"Good the stock for my store is here," Shade says.

"I want to be your first customer!" Pinkie chimes.

Shade smiles, "Deal."

When Shade reaches the street corner of her house she stops in her tracks. Not because of the four wagons parked in front of her house, not because of the mountain of packages, not because of Muffins laying beside the parcels, but because she did not notice the shop across from her house. "Heavy Metal" the sign reads. From the look of the shop, it appears to be a blacksmithy. How did she not notice it in the morning? She shrugs it off and continues to her home.

After settling things with the caravans and setting up the shop, the clock reads three o'clock. She finishes faster than she had anticipated. Magic proves useful once again.

Poof!

The sound and surge of of magic cause Shade to focus on a smoldering Twilight and Spike in the center of the shop.

"Ugh! Warn me next time you're gonna do that," Spike groans and crashes to the floor off Twilight's back.

"I didn't even know it was going to happen," Twilight replies as she rubs her horn.

"The sign says 'Closed' for a reason," Shade inputs.

Twilight turns around and spots Shade behind a wooden counter. A quick inspection of her surroundings and she realizes she is in a place she has never been before. "Is this your house?"

"No. I'm robbing this place and you're making too much noise," Shade remarks.

"What?!" Twilight exclaims.

"Calm your udders. Yes, this is my house." She lifts the countertop door up and walks over to Twilight. "What's up?"

Before Twilight can speak, her stomach growls loudly. Shade teleports and levitates a bowl of fruit over to the lavender pony. Twilight licks her lips but stops herself. She eyes Shade suspiciously.

"You aren't just being nice to get the Gala ticket are you?

Shade stares at Twilight. She sends the bowl back to the kitchen and snorts, "I don't need anything from you."

Twilight titters nervously. "I'm sorry. Everypony has been chasing me all day for a ticket to the Gala and I can't decide who to take," she explains.

"Take Spike. I already have six tickets to the Gala," Shade informs the mare nonchalantly.

"What? When were you going to tell us?"

"Day after tomorrow, after the grand opening of my store." Shade replies. She walks back behind the counter and places a register on the counter. "Sounds like you had a rough day. Maybe you should go to the library."

"Yeah. It certainly was "

Poof!

Shade's horn dies down after teleporting Twilight and Spike away. "Don't want to hear it."

"Was that Twilight?" Muffins asks as she swings open the kitchen door.

"Does it matter?" Shade replies. She walks over to the gray pegasus, "How are you feeling?"

"Much better!" Muffins chimes.

"I didn't know you had to deliver all the packages. I'm sorry."

"Nah, it was nothing!" Muffins nudges Shade's side, "They gave me a huge bonus!"

"You deserve it," Shade smiles.