As Cadence closed the clock shop's door behind her, the sun was already almost going down in the horizon. She was only taking the first steps towards Sweet Apple Acres when a voice called her from behind.

"Cadence?"

She stopped on her tracks and turned around to find Twilight looking at her with curiosity. She smiled to the unicorn, walking over to her.

"Hi, Twilight. How have you been doing?"

Twilight smiled as well. "I've been pretty much busy, and now I'm going to the shop to buy ingredients for dinner. She looked behind Cadence. "I didn't know you knew Time Turner."

"Well, I didn't. I just met him know. Derpy dropped a letter addressed to him, which piqued my interest and so I paid a visit to him. He's a little... weird," said Cadence, looking towards the stallion's home. "He talked to me about you a bit, said you were an interesting mare."

Twilight frowned, recognizing Cadence's delighted expression. "i hate that face of yours, Cadence. Drop that idea, it's not going to work." Cadence's smile fell gradually, as she approached the mare that she had once foalsat, years ago. She then stood in front of Twilight, looking straight at her.

"What do you know about this Time Turner?" asked Cadence at blank point. The lavender mare only looked at her in confusion. Blinking, she returned Cadence's look.

"I don't know that much about him, to be honest." She twisted her lips, losing herself in thought. "He's a stallion that turned up in Ponyville several years ago and took on the role of maintaining and constructing all the clocks and watches on Ponyvile quite soon after that. He doesn't engage much in social activity, though he is quite eager to collaborate in events, such as Winter Wrap Up. And he hits the library quite frequently, asking me many questions, like if he wasn't from around here. I kept on eye on him in my early days here, but could never detect something out of the ordinary though. He's a run of the mill earth pony, if one with a surprising level of education. He's capable of following complex concepts and theories, and more than once we've stayed discussing science for hours."

It did not escape to Cadence's eyes how the frown had disappeared completely from Twilight's face, being replaced by a content expression which added some shine to her eyes. She chuckled lightly, bringing the unicorn's attention towards her.

"Did I say something funny?"

She waved a forehoof, looking apologetic towards Twilight. "No, I'm sorry. Well, I think I'd like to know more about this stallion, so I'll try and see what can I come up with while I'm here. For now, though, I've got to go and see Winter; she must be missing me by now."

Twilight smiled, clasping her forehooves giddily. "And I better go and pick up those groceries. I'm growing hungrier and want to keep up with the project."

"I hope to see what that's about soon," replied Cadence, hugging Twilight, who returned the embrace. They then parted ways.

Cadence walked slowly under the dusk colored sky, giving warm smiles to the ponies that greeted her on her way, but too absorbed on her own thoughts to really watch where she was going.

"Cadence!"

The voice called out to her, but she didn't register it. The pony trotted to catch up with her, watching the Princess. "Cadence!"

The distracted royal mare did not yet catch on the presence approaching her until the youngest Apple sibling landed a jump next to her. Cadence jumped, letting out a shriek, turning to look at Apple Bloom, who carried fully stocked saddlebags. The younger mare smiled, lifting a hoof which Cadence bumped with hers.

"What had your head in the clouds, eh Cadence?" questioned Apple Bloom, trotting by her side. Cadence shook her head, wiping away her thoughts and looked at the mechanic pony. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened as her mind rushed once again. Apple Bloom looked at her curiously, before the elder mare put her hooves on her shoulders and looked at her.

"Apple Bloom, do you know Time Turner?"

Looking at Cadence with worry, she assented. "Yeah, sure, ah know him, though ah haven't talked much with him. Why d'ya ask?"

Cadence let go of Apple Bloom, and smiled once again towards her.

"I may need your help, dear."

"About what?" asked the surprised mare, walking next to the princess, who walked over to her, whispering in her ear.

They reached Sweet Apple Acres, walking next to each other, deeply immersed in a conversation that nonetheless was cut short as soon as they crossed the main gate. They approached the house, whose lights were on as they came closer. The singing of crickets and birds from the nearby trees and the sight created an atmosphere that Cadence loved, rare as it was on her native Canterlot, and she slowed her pace to relish on it.

The orange light cast upon the house by the flame of the candles received both mares, conjugated with the smell of a warm meal and the rustic, warming feeling of family welcoming them back with open hooves. They strolled towards the kitchen. A white blur sped right towards Cadence just as she entered, crashing against her leg and hugging it greedily. Cadence looked down to smile at her daughter.

"Good night, Winter. Have you been a good filly?"

"I've been, mommy! You can ask Aunt Applejack!" Cadence lowered her head to nuzzle her little filly in the head, bringing a blush to the small unicorn. Winter then turned tail and sped towards Apple Bite, who was sitting at the table, devouring his food. His mother walked next to him while holding a plate. After leaving it on the other side of the table, she turned towards him.

"Now, Apple Bite, you know that the food's not going anywhere. Slow down and chew, or you'll choke." He swallowed down his food, taking a small bite, his eyes following his mother's movement. When she passed behind him, he attacked the food voraciously again.

Bon Bon walked towards them, greeting them with a smile.

"Welcome back, girls. How was your evening?"

Apple Bloom went around the table, taking a seat in front of Apple Bite, while Cadence sat across Winter.

"Ah'm beginnin' to think that maybe settin' up a class for ponies to learn how to fix up their own doohickeys. Gets tirin'. Mayor Mare once again crashed her phone."

She let out a big sigh, picking up a leaf of cabbage and munching on it, her eyes going up to the ceiling.

"Y'all can always come back to the farm, Sugarcube. A good extra pair of hooves is never too much," said Applejack, entering the house with Big Macintosh coming in behind her. "Howdy, Cadence. Did'ja have a good day?"

Both siblings took one end of the table each, with Mac sitting near his son and sister and Applejack near Cadence and Winter Blossom. Bon Bon finished serving everypony's plates and sitting between Winter and Apple Bite.

"It was a very nice day indeed. It's good to see that even though some things may change Ponyville remains the same idyllic town," replied Cadence, attacking a piece of apple with a fork, taking it to her mouth.

"Ah'd squeeze the juice out of the visit if Ah were you, Sugarcube. We could have a nice picnic, don't cha think? Too bad that tomorrow it's scheduled rain for all the day, though it won't hurt here in the farm, o' course."

"Really? Tomorrow all day long?" asked Cadence, frowning, while biting on another piece of apple.

"Sure, there hasn't been rain for the last few days. A cloud package came a couple days ago from Cloudsdale and they announced an extended shower. We're not complainin' about it."

While eating, Applejack ate to her heart's content, as did all the Apples, except for Bon Bon, who ate slowly, like Cadence and Winter. The royal mare shook her head.

"Well, never mind, there's plenty of time for things to get done. So, is there a plan for tomorrow?"

Applejack shrugged. "Just an old fashioned family day indoors. We could fix things, we could play games, we could tell stories. There's as many things to do inside as there's out there, and a break once in a time comes just fine."

Winter looked at her mother's pensive face, and her smile faded into a worried expression directed towards her. "Mommy, what's wrong?"

"Nothing much, Winter. I just expected tomorrow to be a fully clear day. But well, let's take it in stride."

Winter slowly got down from her chair and trotted over to her mother, lifting herself on her hind legs. Cadence turned towards her, and mother and daughter embraced, as all around the table looked to the heartwarming scene, except Apple Bite, who was still stuffing himself with his mother's cooking.

Soon, they all finished eating. Cadence helped Bon Bon with cleaning the kitchen while Apple Bloom took care of the children. When she was putting the last plates away in the cupboard, a big yawn escaped her lips.

"I think I'll get Winter and go to bed. Have a good night, Bon Bon."

The other mare smiled at her, waving her hoof. "You too Cadence."