Knocks on the door perk up Shade. She had heard the pony approaching and wondered why the pony had stopped infront of the door.

"The sign says 'Open'. Come in," Shade says.

The door creaks open and a brown, hooded figure steps into the store. The pony stops in the middle of the shop and Shade feels their eyes on her.

"Greetings and salutations, dear customer," Shade greets the pony with a slight grin.

The pony pulls back their hood to reveal a zebra.

The zebra mare smiles warmly, "Hello there, shop mare. Do you happen to know, where all did the ponies go?"

Shade raises a curious brow, "What do you mean?"

"For the past few months I have come to town and I have never seen a pony around," the zebra shares.

"That is—"

"Shade!" Pinkie's voice rings out from the streets and the clopping of hooves crescendo to her door.

The door crashes open and her friends pile through the doorway.

"Be careful, Shade! She's an evil enchantress!" Pinkie warns.

Shade scowls at Pinkie, switching her angry gaze between her friends. She picks up her friends with her magic and glares at them. "I can not believe this kind of behavior is coming from my friends," she admonishes her friends. "How do you just judge somepony you do not know? And from what she has told me, this has been going on for months."

Her friends hang their heads low and splay their ears back. Twilight nods along with Shade's speech.

"That is what I was trying to tell you all earlier," Twilight adds. She walks over to the zebra and greets the mare warmly, "I hear you are Zecora. My name is Twilight Sparkle."

"Good morn to you, Twilight. I apologize if I gave you ponies a fright," Zecora replies.

"We're sorry, too," Pinkie apologizes. "Can we make it up to you with a welcoming party?!" Pinkie begins to bounce around. "There will be cake! And streamers! And presents! And punch! And games! And pre—"

Shade freezes the pink party pony in the air with her magic, "I think Zecora gets the idea." Shade turns to the zebra and grins, "What brings you to town, Zecora?"

Zecora chuckles into her hoof. "I am in town because I need the essentials and feed," she shares.

"Do you always rhyme when you talk?" Applejack asks.

"Well—" before Zecora can answer, shouting outside stops her.

A gray blur bursts through the door, knocking the ponies over like bowling pins (with the same sound effect). Shade stops the blur from bulldozing Zecora. In her magic she holds the gray mass with a blonde mane.

"Where is the fire, Muffins?" Shade cracks and places the mailmare on the floor.

"Sorry, Shade," Muffins apologizes. "Still trying to get used to these mailbags. Speaking of!" Muffins reaches into a mailbag to pull out a parcel for Shade. "Here ya go!" Muffins presents the package to Shade, holding the package by its string in her mouth.

"Thank you," Shade accepts the small brown box with her magic.

"Well, I gotta go! See ya, Shade, Zecora, girls!" Muffins says her byes and zooms out the establishment.

"Oo! Oo! Ooo!" Pinkie hops around Shade in excitement. "Who's it from?"

"Luna," Shade answers. She opens the package and reads the letter inside.

My dearest friend,

I have decided to leave Canterlot.

"What?" her friends gasp simultaneously.

Shade frowns at them huddling behind her peeking at the letter. They all take a step back and chuckle meekly. "Please show Zecora around. I will sort this out," Shade says as she heads upstairs.

"Hey, Zecora!" Apple Bloom pipes. "D'ya like apples?!"

Zecora smiles and replies, "Yes, I have heard tale of your family. That you all produce the best apples in history."

"Well, shucks," Applejack comments shyly, "'in history' might be stretchin the truth. But we do have the best apples in Equestria."

"C'mon! Come buy some apples!" Apple Bloom grabs Zecora's hoof and begins to pull her along.

My dearest friend,

I have decided to leave Canterlot. My sister tries her best to make me feel welcome but the staff ponies seem to be afraid of me. I have retreated to our old castle. I leave my crown with you, for I feel the ponies still hate me and I will not rule over them by fear.

Sincerely,

Luna.

P.S. This castle needs a lot of repairs and I am enjoying the hard work. Still… please come for a visit whenever you can.

Shade sets the letter and box down on her bed. She teleports the letter and crown to her personal planar "pocket". Moments later, she vanishes in a blink of crimson magic.

A pop breaks the silence.

"I will not go back to that place and feel like a prisoner, sister," the night alicorn says pointingly. She is reading a book which she levitates before her eyes.

"I just want to talk, Luna," the day princess pleas.

"We have talked enough. You do not listen," the midnight blue alicorn snips.

"But—"

Pop!

"Ha. You said 'butt,'" Shade remarks dryly.

Celestia furrows her brow at Shade. "Why are you here?"

"I have come to check up on my friend," Shade answers and trots over to Luna's side. Shade summons a small metal box with her magic and presents it to Luna, "Here. I brought some tea. Would you like me to brew a cup?"

Luna investigates the contents of the box. A pleasant unfamiliar aroma of tea brushes her senses. "It smells wonderful. Yes, please," Luna smiles.

Celestia watches with conflicting silence as the two ignore her and continue on with their conversation and tea drinking. She teleports away.

Shade's cup clinks on a saucer and she gazes into Luna's teal eyes. "What is the problem?"

"Ponies fear me and I made a foal cry!" Luna laments. She wraps her hooves around Shade's neck and sobs.

Shade places a comforting hoof on her friend's back. "Now, why are they afraid of you? What could you have possibly done to make a foal cry?"

"I just give my greetings with the normal Canterlot voice and—" an ivory hoof presses against her lips and she follows the leg to meet the glowing yellow eyes of Shade.

"That is a problem. How we are speaking now? That is how you normally speak with ponies, even outside," Shade explains.

"Truly?"

"Yes," Shade nods. "What happened with the foal?"

"Well, he was a pegasus and looked like he needed help—"

"Stop," Shade holds up a hoof and shakes her head. "I can pretty much figure everything else out." She heaves a sigh, "Tossing foals in the air is frowned upon. Especially, if the foal does not know you."

"I see," Luna muses.

"Now that you have an extra set of horns, what repairs do you need help with?"