A long line of ponies snakes through the square. Shade frowns at the line and the direction it leads. Sure enough, the head of the snake lies within Sugarcube Corner.

"Cursed ponies and their damn sweet tooth," Shade mutters under her breath as she heads inside.

"Hey! No skipping!" Roseluck shrills behind Shade.

Shade turns her head to glare at the flower pony. She lights up her horns and teleports Roseluck to the middle of the Dragon Lands. "Anypony else wanna say something?" Shade challenges with a grin.

Silence is her answer. The ponies at the door step aside to allow Shade through. She sees Pinkie Pie taking orders at the counter. The pink pony zips to the kitchen and to the register in a blur.

"Shade?" A voice she has not heard in a long time calls out behind her.

"Not if I owe you money," Shade cracks as she turns around to meet the voice.

"It is you!" Lyra exclaims. "How have you been? Where did you disappear to? I haven't seen you in ages! You are looking fantastic, girl!"

"I am well. Out of town. It has been three years, two days, and seven hours since we last saw each other. Thank you." After their embrace, Shade asks, "Did the Hay Burger and Café Hay go out of business?"

"I don't think so. I was at Hay Burger for breakfast," Lyra answers.

Silence hangs as Lyra smiles at Shade.

"Why are there so many ponies here," Shade elaborates.

"The Cakes have started a huge Summer Sun Celebration leftover sale."

"Well, this dampens my plans," Shade frowns.

"What plans?"

"Lunch plans with Pinkie."

"I'm sure the Cakes would allow Pinkie Pie to go on her date with you," Lyra smiles.

"I—"

"Shade!" Pinkie Pie calls from behind the counter.

Shade smiles at her friend and can tell Pinkie Pie is wearing herself out. "Need some assistance, little lady?"

"I would love to help but the last time I tried to bake something I almost burnt down Bon Bon's house," Lyra shares.

Pinkie Pie giggles, "Let me go ask the Cakes." She disappears through the swinging door to the kitchen.

"We all have the things we are good at," Shade comforts Lyra.

Lyra gasps, "You have a cutie mark!"

Shade mirrors Lyra, "Sweet Celestia! How did that happen?!"

"We have to celebrate!" Lyra cheers and hugs Shade.

"Yeah we do!" Pinkie chimes. "What are we celebrating?"

"Shade's cutie mark," Lyra points a hoof at Shade's flank.

"Nope. No parties," Shade squashes the idea immediately. "Anyways, what did the Cakes say?"

"Oh!" Pinkie Pie ducks under the counter and springs up with a green apron over her head, "They said 'Buck yeah!'"

Shade teleports behind the counter and accepts the apron with her crimson magic. "I highly doubt that," Shade chuckles.

"Practically!" Pinkie Pie laughs.

Shade spends the next two hours helping out in Sugarcube Corner taking orders and serving. With her magic, she operates like five ponies while staying behind the cash register. Pinkie Pie and the Cakes work in the kitchen wrapping orders and baking new treats. The sale is to make up for lost profit during the week Sugarcube Corner was closed in order to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration.

"And closed," Shade announces as the last pony leaves the bakery and she changes the sign on the door.

"Oh, but Shade, we do not close until nine," Cupcake informs Shade.

Shade removes her apron and smiles at the light blue mare, "Today you are closing early. You all deserve it."

Carrot Cake takes off his hat and wipes his brow, "I'm with Shade. We worked our tails off."

"I'm sorry about your lunch date, Pinkie Pie," Cupcake apologizes to Pinkie Pie.

Pinkie Pie titters nervously and glances at Shade.

Shade shrugs, "It will just be a lunner date instead."

Pinkie Pie brightens up.

"'Lunner?'" Cupcake repeats.

"Yeah! It's when you eat between lunch and dinner!" Pinkie Pie chimes.

"Pinkie Pie came up with it when we were fillies," Shade affirms.

"Alright you two. Have fun!" Misses Cake waves bye to the two ponies.

"What's for lunner?" Pinkie Pie asks and giggle-snorts.

Shade pretends to think as she taps her chin, "I was thinking a picnic would be nice."

"That sounds great!"

The two mares walk down the street, Pinkie Pie keeps a close step with Shade as she hops beside the tricorn. They walk for fifteen minutes until they reach their destination.

"Ooo! The park is beautiful!" Pinkie Pie exclaims.

The early summer flowers and late spring flowers still in bloom paint the green grass of the park in a beautiful spectrum of color. Fillies and colts play on the swings and around the jungle gym.

Lyra nudges Bon Bon's ribs when she spots Shade and Pinkie across the way. The two mares watch as their friends climb a small hill away from most of the commotion of the park. They exchange smiles.

Shade conjures a picnic blanket and spreads it on the ground. She also conjures up plates, two glasses, silverware, and a picnic basket onto the picnic blanket.

"Magic sure is useful," Pinkie Pie comments as she sits on the blanket.

"Verily," Shade smirks and sits beside her friend.

After Pinkie Pie has her fill of admiring Shade, she asks, "What did you cook good?"

"Open the basket." Shade stops Pinkie and grins devilishly at a confused Pinkie, "If you dare."

"Ooo!" Pinkie claps her hooves. She cautiously lifts up one of the wicker basket's lids and jumps back when confetti bursts out of it. She looks over at a laughing Shade and begins to laugh herself. "You got me good!"

Shade conjures another basket and dismisses the first one. She opens the basket and pulls out a bottle of cider, a plate of mini sandwiches, a bowl of sliced apples, and a bowl of sliced pears. "There is also some chocolate ice cream for dessert," Shade adds.

"But you don't like chocolate."

"But you do," Shade smiles.