The sun shone brightly through the window, a bright warm blanket of light draped over the table in the kitchen of Carousel Boutique. To one side sat the alabaster unicorn who lived there; on the other side, the buttercream pegasus who was her best friend. As they sat, they sipped from their cups.

“I've always wondered what a cloud tastes like,” Rarity said.

“And didn't you get a chance to find out, what with the Best Young Flyer contest?” Fluttershy smiled.

Rarity let out a little sigh. “I could have. But I was so caught up in the moment, you know, and I forgot.”

“That seems like it's kind of on you, then. I mean, I would have reminded you if you asked.”

“When did I ever say it wasn't my own fault?” Rarity asked.

“Fair point.”

Fluttershy scooted her chair out from the table and stood up, trotting over to the kitchen counter. From the stovetop, she picked up a teapot—an ornate, ancient thing—and started to walk back to the table with the thing between her teeth.

Suddenly, there was a very loud noise. GARBDZH!

Fluttershy jumped, startled, dropping the teapot in the process. Time seemed to slow down as the antique china spiralled towards the ground, and—

“I'll be damned if I let that break—it's my grandmother's!” Rarity exclaimed. Fluttershy opened her eyes—which had instinctively snapped shut—to see that, miraculously, the teapot hadn’t fallen to the ground and shattered; it was suspended aloft by a shimmering blue magical aura. Yet even though the teapot was saved, a pool of the liquid had spilled onto the floor, soaking Fluttershy’s hooves.

“Oh good,” Fluttershy said wearily. “Thanks for that.”

“It wasn't for you, dear; it was for me.” Rarity set the teapot down on the table, and then picked up a cloth rag from the counter in her magic. She moved as if to wipe up the liquid, but—

“Did somepony say something about the taste of clouds?!” another voice exclaimed. The cabinet beneath the kitchen counter burst open and a smiling pink pony popped out, her mane floofing up as she stood up. “’Cause they're scrumdiddlydumptious!”

Rarity facehoofed. “Aren't you a little late on that?”

“Maybe her surveillance camera has a delay,” Fluttershy remarked.

“Flutter-Butter's on the money.” The pink pony leapt over to the puddle on the ground, and started licking. “Though this tea isn't. Nowhere as good as a cloud.”

Rarity grimaced; Fluttershy just stared.

“So then how tastes a cloud, dear?”

“Like cotton candy!” the pink pony said with a grin. “Exactly what you'd think.”

“That seems a little obvious,” Rarity said, skeptical.

The pink one smirked. “You're just too up in the clouds to believe me!”

A beat. Then, all three of them laughed, uproariously.

“Wanna see if Twilight will cast that spell again?”

“Why bother with that when I've got a hot air balloon, silly?”

And, much as the sun kept shining on down through the window of the Boutique, life went on.