Visiting with a friend (p)

Mint trotted excitedly into Sugarcube Corner, approaching her usual two pony table in the corner. She twisted the lollipop that hung from her mouth with her teeth as she threw herself clumsily into a pink chair, her eyes on the door as she waited for her company to arrive.

Shinygear appeared in the door way of the sweets shop, trotting in and smiling when he saw Mint. He opened the doorway and trotted over to the table where she was sitting. "Hello again!" he said, as he sat down at the seat opposite of hers.

Mint giggled happily, giving a little wave of her hoof. " Hellooo!" She squeaked as he sat down. "Oooh, do you want to order something?"

Shiny nodded. "Yeah, I'll pay if you'd like." he said, smiling as he revealed a pouch full of bits.

The mare's eyes lit up with gratitude. "Really? Oh, thank you!" She exclaimed before standing again. "Will you come to the counter with me?"

Shinygear nodded again. "Of course!'' he said, as he stood up again.

Mint gave one of her playful smiles and led her friend to the counter, where the counter pony welcomed her warmly and offered any of the cakes in the display. She gazed at them for a heartbeat, before turning to Shinygear. "Whadda you think?" She asked brightly, before adding something in a whisper, "Do you think they do coffee...?"

Shinygear grinned. "I think so...I haven't been here in a while. I do see a coffee cake..." he said, pointing at a nice little red-brownish pastry sitting on a dainty little plate.

Mint nodded enthusiastically and informed the counter pony that that was what she wanted. "Oh, what about you?" She asked quickly, hoping she hadn't ordered too quickly.

Shinygear quickly looked through the selection of cakes and pastries, where he found a tasty looking cake with tropical ingredients. He placed a small pile of bits on the counter and took up the two treats in his hooves. "Here you are!" he said, handing Mint the cake.

Mint levitated the cake from his hoof, "Oh, thank you so much!" She exclaimed, heading back towards the table. "Really, I superly appreciate it!"

Shinygear chuckled. "Ah, I should be the one that's appreciative. Ever since you and Leaf Garden came around to my stall, let's just say I wouldn't have the bits to buy so much as a full meal here."

Mints sharp, excited grin softened a little as Shiny spoke. They reaches the table and once again, Mint threw herself into her chair. "Well, it's good to know that you're business is going well!" She commented, giving him her gentle smile, her face laces by her auburn locks of hair.

Shiny sat down as well. "Yep, never better! I really can't thank you enough for that." he said, smiling back as he began to cut up the pastry.

With a small giggle, Mint levitated her lollipop from her mouth and began to use it as a fork, forcefully carving chunks out of her cake and eating them in a messy, yet confusingly graceful manner. "Well, it's no problem at all!" She exclaimed. "You deserve every customer you get, you're work is brilliant!"

"Why, thank you. Hey, that reminds me...what do YOU do? I mean, do you have a shop of some sort?" he asked, as swallowed a bite of his cake.

Mint quickly finished her mouthful before talking; talking with your mouth full is rude. "Well, I sometimes help out at Cloudwing's treats stand in the market.
.but other than that, I don't really have a proper job."

"Ah, I see, I see." Shiny said, knowing not the slightest bit who Cloudwing was. Shinygear took his first bite from his cake.

Mint continued to hack apart her cake messily, getting a bit of icing on her nose as she tried to eat a slice that was obviously too big for her. She laughed, going cross eyes, before wiping it off with her hoof. "Soooo, how's the cake?"

Shinygear looked down at his cake, then up at clouding. "Torn appart and delicious. How is yours?" he asked, chuckling a bit

Mint grinned, gulping down another mouthful of cake. "Amaaaazing!" She exclaimed before stuffing her face again. "There's so much flavour in this, it's incredible."

"That's good." he said, as he took another bite from his own treat.

Mint smiled softly and looked at her cake distantly. "Have you ever left ponyville? For a holiday or something."

Shinygear thought for a moment. "Yeah, a couple times. In fact, my family isn't even from Ponyville. but yea, I've been around. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I don't know..." She said quietly. "I guess, I've never been outside the town before." She looked up, smiling a little, "What's it like?"