On the surface, everything seemed fine. The desk was properly arranged so everything was where it needed to be for quick and easy use. The files were all perfectly organised by every conceivable method known to ponykind so the factory's records were all easily-found. The office was clean, down to the tiniest speck. It all looked very professional and well-kept. And yet, as Sans Smirk looked out to the office, which was now his, he couldn't help but feel something was amiss. He sighed as he sat in his chair, his ears perking up at the sound of the employees laughing while on their break. He was happy that they were happy of course, it was what had brought new life to the factory after all, but he himself was just not feeling it. He wondered to himself if this was what Mr Sandwich was feeling before his friend had helped him. If that was indeed the case, then Sans was doubly thankful for her involvement. Looking down to his desk, he started looking through more orders for the products. They were coming in thick and fast recently, which he was pleased about of course, and he knew this only meant good things for the business, yet something still gnawed at him. A knock on the door broke his concentration, though only a little.

"It's open. Come in."

And come in he did, as the door burst open with what could only be described as a veritable storm of confetti. Sans was naturally taken aback by this, pushing his chair back in a form of retreat, as though worried of some sort of attack. Thankfully, this was not the case, as the new arrival was none other than the smiling face of his employer, Cheese Sandwich, who leapt into his old office with the kind of gusto and enthusiasm he was known for.

"Sans! Old buddy, old pal! How ya doin'?!"

Sans smiled to see him, getting out of his chair and, after dusting off some of the confetti that was still lingering on his suit, approached Equestria's biggest joke-obsessed stallion.

"Sir! How wonderful to see you again. I wasn't expecting you back so soon."

A chuckle from Cheese.

Oh, my friend, wherever a smile or a laugh is needed, that's where I'll be!"

He gave Sans a sly look.

"And my laugh-senses are telling me that you, dear Sans, are most definitely in need of a little cheer right now!"

Sans wasn't surprised that was his reason for being here. Going around making others happy always was what gave him joy, and yet, ever the professional, Sans was not in any rush to admit to any issues.

I am grateful for your concern, Sir, but I assure you, all is well here."

Slowly, Cheese arched an eyebrow.

"Reeeeeeeeeeeeeallly?"

He started slowly pacing around the office, looking things over, all while Sans gave him an update.

"Oh, certainly. the factory's as productive as ever, the staff are still exceptionally happy working here, they're all having fun with what we do and your new product idea are proving incredibly popular. There's no reason at all for me to be upset."

Cheese looked out of the window, smiling at the sight of the workers joking among themselves as they too started to discuss various prop and practical joke ideas.

"Yep, everything looks good, but..."

He turned, looking Sans straight in the eye.

"...that doesn't change the fact that you are still upset."

Sans didn't want to say as much. After all, he'd worked so hard to try and cheer up this very stallion that it just wouldn't do any good to lay his problems out on him. Yet, Cheese had asked, and the intense stare he was giving the older stallion made it abundantly clear that he wasn't going to leave without an answer. So, after taking a deep breath, Sans adjusted his spectacles before finally just coming out with it.

"The thing is, Sir...this job you gave me...don't think me ungrateful for it, but..."

"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuut?" Cheese asked, growing increasingly close to his friend as he spoke.

Sans sighed.

"I've never been, well, in charge of a place like this before. I'm not entirely sure I'm a good fit for it."

Cheese blinked to that, then stifled a snort.

"Are you serious?"

He paused, thinking on what he'd just said, before tapping himself on the side of the head.

"Wait, what am I talking about? You're Sans Smirk! The most serious pony I've ever met!"

He let out a hearty guffaw, and even Sans had to smile at that, but when the laughter died down, Cheese resumed his more professional look towards him.

"My friend, in all my travels, I have never met a pony that is more qualified to run a place like this."

He quickly glanced around, to the desk, the files and every other thing that would have fit right into a business situation.

"A guy like me? Nope! Not a chance! All this place did was wear me down, drain me out of all my laughs."

He pointed straight to Sans.

"But you? You loved all that stuff! The meetings, the schedules, making sure everything was where it needed to be. If there's a stallion out there who can run a business better than you, then heck, I haven't met him!"

Sans certainly felt a degree of pride at the praise being given to him by Cheese, but the doubt still lingered.

"I appreciate all of that, Sir, but throughout my whole life, I was never one to be in control of things like that."

He stopped for a moment, walking past Cheese and looking out of the window.

"Oh, I could create a plan, organize things, even maybe run the day-to-day operations while you were coming up with your plans, but there was something else to it. Something that, for a place like this, I feel makes me not exactly...compatible with what we hoped to achieve with it."

Staring at him, Cheese blinked a couple of times.

"Maybe I've just been away too long, but I kinda forgot how wordy you could get sometimes."

Another sigh on Sans' part.

"What I mean to say, Sir...is that it cannot have escaped your notice that I am a uniquely, how shall it say it...humourless individual?"

Hearing that, Cheese snorted.

"What? Come on, you've got humour! Remember the end of Pinkie's visit? You were laughing right along with the rest of it!"

Sans nodded, smiling slightly at that fond memory.

"Indeed, and don't think I didn't enjoy it. But most of the time I tend not to be as easily coaxed into laughter and merriment like others are."

His ears drooped by the tiniest amount.

"I've always been that way, as far back as I can remember. Kept to myself a lot, so nopony really noticed."

He looked Cheese right in the eye.

"I was more than willing to be your right hoof when you were in charge, because a stallion who loves jokes and pranks and bringing joy always kept this factory doing what it was supposed to. But a stallion like me? Somepony who needs the funniest ponies in the land to get him to laugh just once? Will this place stay true to what it was meant to do if somepony like me is running it?"

Now, after all this, Cheese finally understood what had been eating at his aide all this time, and for just a moment, he was at a loss on what to say.

"I...wow...I hadn't actually considered that. You really think that way about yourself?"

Sans didn't speak, instead just giving a simple nod as he glanced away. Cheese, in an uncharacteristic display, seemed rather thoughtful and quiet. For a moment, he even closely resembled his more dour mood that he'd had during his latter days as head of the factory. But as the moments passed and he thought more and more about what the problem was, his smile returned, and even bigger than before. He walked right up to Sans, slapping a hoof down on his shoulder and gaining his undivided attention.

"My dear Sans. You have nothing to worry about!"

Sans tilted his head slightly.

"I'm not sure I follow, Sir."

A chuckle from Cheese.

"Oh, you silly little Sans! Don't you see? This factory was already in good hooves with you! You're the reason it's here!"

Sans frowned a little.

"That's because I felt it was the best way for you to create what you wanted to give to other ponies."

Cheese pointed a hoof straight into his chest.

"Exactly! That! That right there! You helped make the factory, hire the workers, and put all this effort into getting as many laughs out of my ideas because you already had the best intentions in all this!"

Sans hesitated a little.

"I...I did?"

Cheese nodded enthusiastically.

"You betcha! In all my travels, and I've travelled quite a bit, you're the only pony besides Pinkie who's helped me this much with trying to bring a smile and a laugh to others! Now tell me..."

He gave him as serious a look as he was capable of giving.

"...would you have ever done any of that if you didn't have some want, some need to also bring some joy to others?"

Silence passed between them, and Sans thought long and hard on all that had been said to him. After a while, he finally spoke.

"I...I suppose not. I may not have been the most joyous of individuals...but I did think fondly on those who we brought laughter to."

Cheese's smile grew ever wider, and he embraced Sans in an unexpected and tight hug.

"Oh, Sans! The factory will do well with you leading it! So don't you worry your little head over it!"

Though taken aback, Sans did, after a few moments, return the hug, When the stallions parted, Sans once more adjusted his glasses.

"I thank you for that, Sir. I suppose I just...felt the place needed a more, well...smiley fellow."

Cheese waved him off.

"Pfft! A pony doesn't need to smile to be right for causing smiles! And hey, you not being jokey never put me off being around you before, so why would it make me think less of you now?"

Sans too gave a little laugh, but it was naturally not as boisterous as his employer's.

"A fair point. And I suppose a stallion who has as many ideas as you do regarding jokes would be an expert on that matter."

Then, a moment of realisation came to him.

"Oh! I forgot to ask, have you come up with any more ideas?"

A sly smirk crept onto Cheese's face.

"Weeeeeeeeeeell..."

Reaching into his saddle-bags, the bouncy stallion whipped out a veritable mountain of notes, all bearing designs or general scribbles for joke ideas, which he dropped wholesale onto Sans' desk. Blinking a couple of times, Sans eventually smiled to his friend.

"We'll get started on them straight away, Sir."

Grinning widely, Cheese gave him an enthusiastic pat on he back.

"Now there's the Sans I like to hear!"

Having Cheese back was great. And how refreshing that they didn't go the obvious route of having his business partner Sans just be some secret bad guy the whole time. I was honestly expecting that the whole episode, so consider me pleasantly surprised