The Doors Are Always Open (Open; Ponyville)

[SteelEagle]

 

Ah yes, the important step of bakery recommendations. A pony could do worse than stop by Ponyville for his or her baking needs. Despite not being a major metropolis with all the bells and whistles that came alongside such huge populations and ambitions, she would put her small collection of baked goods. The obvious answer was Sugarcube Corner but she felt as I she was always getting ponies to go there to the exclusion of others and it didn't sit well with her all that much. The list of those who could call themselves second best was long, possibly legendary. But it was long and almost impenetrable. She would settle on calling Bon Bon's Bonbons second best, even if it was limited. At least it was mobile! You never knew where that mare was. Maybe she was under the desk. That'd be unusual. In any case, best to just go ahead and say Sugarcube Corner. It was the right answer, no matter how stale an answer it was.

“Sugarcube Corner, no doubt there. They make all sorts of pastries and all of them are to die for. Of course they are a little pricey but you end up paying for quality no matter where you go. My suggestion- at this time of the day, avoid the pies. They're probably out so you'll have to wait and waiting is the hardest part when it comes to that place. Enter with one idea, leave with four large boxes of doughnuts alongside whatever you wanted in the first place! I need to stop talking about it. I'm on a diet- I can't be doing that again!” The Mayor cackled with delight as she stuck her hoof out for a firm shake. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Mr. Boulder. Hopefully your town agrees to these terms and the next time we meet you have a whole heaping of coal for the town!” The Mayor said pleasantly as the door opened for him. It was a good meeting, but there was always a new meeting coming right up!

[Alanoth]

Brawny Boulder prided himself and everyone else back in Bareback Gulch about his strength, and so he had to keep in good health. That meant eating all the right oats and vegetables that everypony should have in proper proportions on a daily basis. However, if it could be said that the strong stallion had a weakness-besides talking to attractive similar aged mares-it was baked goods. Breads, pastries, cakes, doughnuts, you name it and you could probably get him to eat more than a few mouthfuls. 

 

He shook the Mayor's hoof happily and carefully walked out the door, waving her a goodbye. "Ya've been ver' palite Yer Mayorship, I sure as daisies hope to get ta see ya again, maybe when I next bring a shipment!" He pocketed the deal document and let himself out, hoping he'd found and made a new friend in Ponyville. For after all, besides family, what's the good of a pony's life without friendship?

[Mojo]

As Andy Griffon sat, reading the last page of an older edition of the 'Foal Free Press', the Mayor's office door began to open.

 

"I don't think I'm gonna mention this here mane dying scandal to mah friend, the Mayor," the birdtiger thought to himself, "t'aint none of mah business no how.."

 

Suddenly, the door swung wide open, revealing both the mare and Brawny Boulder.

 

"Sounds ta me like you were successful," Andy said to the stallion.  "Glad ta hear it!"

 

Then the griffon turned his attention to Mayor Mare.  His eyes got wider as he observed how she hadn't aged a bit since their last encounter all those years ago.  Andy smiled, sat down his newspaper and cleared his thought as he started to speak.

 

"Howdy Mayor!" he squawked happily, taking off his cap, "ya probably don't remember me, but I sure do remember you."

[SteelEagle]

 

The Mayor could almost feel her eyelids start to dive as Boulder left, her tired form surrendering ever so slightly over the gap between being awake and being half conscious. It was only a short trip from that to being fully asleep and it was an airship flight she was scheduling every second that slipped by as Boulder left, or went to leave. Th flight was canceled and she quickly had a full all hooves on deck approach to awareness as her next client entered. She had to get more coffee except she was starting to believe that the crash that would follow would be catastrophic at best and legendarily cruel at it's worst by this point. What a headline that would be: “Mayor's Coffee Addiction Causes Chaos at Town Hall”. It wouldn't be the worst one they had written about her, and she had the proof- a pile of newspapers and magazines about her out front, normally in an ill-pleasing manner. It was good to have humor about such things.

Immediately this fellow claimed to have known her a while ago. Yikes, it may be true but she couldn't remember it. Her memory banks were full of legion after legion of friendly ponies on every end of the spectrum whom she remembered fondly, but she could only guess that her steel trap of a mind grew rusty in some ways and fell apart in total and complete disarray in others. Perhaps this was a case where she just didn't remember this particular griffon, though if she had to take a guess she would point to a whole lot of dealings near the border as being most likely. But nowadays Griffons could be found everywhere in Equestria. He could have been from just about anywhere! The Mayor laughed, rubbing the back of her neck as she beckoned him to sit. “I'm afraid you've caught me unawares, good Griffon. Take a seat- tell me, where do I know you from? I'd think such a handsome griffon like yourself would be well-regarded in my memory!”   

[Mojo]

"Thank ya kindly, Mayor Mare," Andy said as the birdtiger sat down.  "I reckon ya don't recognize me cause I've aged quite a bit, and I'm not in mah Sheriff's uniform either.  Mah full name's Andronimous Griffin, but most folk call me Andy, or Sheriff, even though I'm retired."

 

As Andy spoke, he produced a small scrapbook, opened it up and then sat it in front of the Mayor.

 

"That's how I looked back when I was still the Sheriff.  And this picture over here's from a newspaper clipping of the day I brought back ol' Gentle Giant.  He'd been causin' a lot of trouble back home an' when I flew down to catch him, he took off like a dragon chasin' a treasure chest!  Well ma'am, took me days ta track that mountain of a griffon down, but when I did, he was tryin' ta hide out here, in Ponyville.  Well, ol' Gentle Giant stuck out like a turkey in a chicken coop, so I was able to capture him.  That's when you stepped in, Miss Mayor.  Do ya remember now?  Ya thanked me fer catchin' him before he did any damage to the town.  If I may say so, Mayor, you haven't aged a single day since I saw ya last.  But me, well, I gotta confess, I'm gettin' the occasional gray feather now an' then.  It's good to see yur still on the job here in Ponyville!"

 

Andy was trying to turn on his classic 'charm,' being friendly was what he was all about!