Episode 2

Fame versus Popularity

"My god!" Cupie gasps. "What is- Melody, what did you do?"

"Hm?" She turns around. "Oh, good morning Cupie!" She smiles, and levitates a plate in her direction. "Biscuits?"

Kandi wanders out of her room too and stops next to Cupie, also speechless and staring wide-eyed.

"It's clean." Cupie blinks.

"It's food!" Kandi notes, and grabs a biscuit off the plate.

Cupie continues to admire the now-clean kitchen. The garbage was thrown away, appliances cleared off and, by the looks of it, in use. Even the floors were sparkling clean!

"I figured I'd help out a little since I'm here." Melody shrugs. "Don't worry, I have the tendency to make a mess too when I'm in the kitchen. It's cleaned up now though, and I promise to clean up anything I use." She ponders for a moment. "I think that was in my contract, actually."

"Well, thank you." Cupie says, entering the room as if it were new. "And I really, REALLY appreciating you fixing this room, but since you bring up the contract… there is something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Of course."

"I understand you have a young foul living with you."

"Oh…" Melody sighs. "Is that not allowed?"

As Kandi continued to chow down on the biscuits, Cupie leads Melody into the living room. "The contract is a bit iffy on the subject, but I do believe it states that children are only permitted to live with their parents in the complex."

"I see."

"You can have a look it, and see if you find a loophole, but unfortunately I can't make any exceptions. By no means am I going to kick your little sister out, but I do request you find a solution to the problem, before it becomes a problem." Cupie recommends. She leaves Melody with a stack of papers, and drags Kandi out of the kitchen.

"Alright… where should I start then?"

Around the same time that morning, Thiala is already at her first rehearsal. Techi's come with her.

"Why do they start so early in the mornings anyway?" Techi complains. "Can't you tell them you can't work mornings?"

"Honestly Techi, this isn't like some job that they can change around shifts. This is a film- with cast members. Everypony is needed in order to have a complete cast, which is very, VERY important for everypony involved to get to know each other. These are my fellow theatre-goers; I'll have to know their acting style, how tolerable they are, what level they're at, what-"

"Thiala!" A male with a megaphone cutie-mark interrupts. "Change of plans, we don't need you in the first scene. Your character comes in later. Be back around noon, kay?" With that, he walks away.

"…you were saying?"

"Yes, well. I wasn't looking forward to cast bonding time anyway." Thiala says, and Techi follows her back towards Clan.

"Isn't that the point of all this though?" Techi asks, flying slightly above ground next to her overly-confident friend.

"Please. I don't need to talk to the actors. They're practically worthless. The director; that's what we're here for."

"So what you're saying is, you're a worthless actor?"

"Oh shut up Techi! I meant those worms. You know how much more popular I am than those… grunts." Thiala points out. "And has Feather told you nothing? That director is from Los Stallious. He's shot several award-winning films featuring some of the greatest actors and actresses of all time."

"He's our connection." Techi realizes.

"Hello? Where have you been the past three weeks?"

"Well I thought we were going for a famous actor!" Techi reasons.

"Perhaps I should have Feather accompany me later today."

After sifting through the documents for what seemed to be forever, Melody finally came to the section on having children in the complex.

"So you see, it says here that a foul may not be permitted in the complex without an adult of ages 21 or older present, and may not be left un-attended for more than three days without a sitter." Melody explains to Cupie, pointing it out in the contract. "You see? It never says anything about having to be a direct parent!"

"But Melody… I thought you were only 19."

"I am." She states. "But isn't Techi older?"

"Oh. Well, I suppose she is. There's certain responsibilities that come along with a child… for example, if Harmony were in violations, Techi would be the one getting in trouble." Cupie explains.

"I promise I can take care of her. Harmony's never been in any sort of trouble before. Nothing serious, anyway."

"You'll have to talk to Techi about it." She concludes. "If you can convince her to put Harmony under her name, though, then I'll allow it."

"Thank you, Cupie!"

"There's also other chores that have to be taken care of." Cupie notes. "I was looking through the contract as well, and it specifically says that food is left up to each pony his or her self. I'm sorry to say, but I can't put you on kitchen duty."

"I read that too, actually." Melody cringes. "Can't you change it, though? I mean, wouldn't it be nice to have somepony else cook for everyone?"

"Fact of the matter is, not everypony is here for meals, and though it would be beneficial to both me and Kandi, I can't say the same about the others. It's just not something that I can permit."

"Oh…"

"Don't worry, I'm sure we can find something for you to do. Just leave it to me for now."

"A-alright." Melody sighs.

"I know it's not what you wanted, but I really can't make any exceptions."

"Yeah, I understand. It's fine, I'll do whatever task you put me up to."

"I'll let you know when I find something." Cupie nods. She takes the papers, and returns to her room.

"So? Do I get to stay?" Harmony asks, peeking her head out from the corner.

"I still have to ask Techi, but I think so."

"Darn it!" Harmony stamps her hoof.

"Now really- do you have any idea where you would go if they made you leave? Do you really want to be forced out?"

"Better than being forced to be stuck here." She grunts, and crosses her arms.

"Get back in your room, Harmony." Melody demands, and the foul glares at her on her way back.

Techi and Thiala enter just as Melody slouches into her chair.

"That gives us, like, half an hour!" Techi reasons. "By the time we get there for lunch to start, we'll have to head back!"

"That's what I'm saying." Thiala replies. "There's no time for us to eat if we wait for lunch at The Cloud. What's so bad about getting breakfast?"

"If I'm paying my hard-earned bits to eat, I'm going to get what I want." Techi explains. "And I want Cloudsdale spaghetti!"

"I have to be at rehearsal by noon!" Thiala repeats.

"Um, did you say spaghetti?"

Both the bicoring ponies look to Melody now.

"I actually have a great recipe for spaghetti. It might not be Cloudsdale-brand, but I think you'll like it if you give it a try."

"Do we even have noodles here?" Thiala questions.

"Well, I don't know." Melody shrugs. "But I brought some home-made ones with me."

"Noodles." Thiala smites. "You brought home-made… noodles."

"Come on Thiala, she's offering to feed us." Techi nudges her. "Why don't you thank her? Huh?"

She glares at her vibrant-colored friend, but sighs. "Thanks…" She mutters in a low voice.

"I'll get some started. It might take a while before the sauce is ready, but I'll have it done before eleven."

"Perfect!" Techi smiles. "Thanks Melody!"

And so by eleven, all the Clanadian Ponies had sat down and ate, including Thiala and Harmony.

"Oh my gosh, this food is INCREDIBLE!" Kandi excites.

"I have to agree, this really is incredible, Melody." Feather comments. "Where did you get this recipe?"

"I kinda made it up actually." She shrugs. "I play around with food until I find something that works."

"This works alright." Kandi smiles. "This works great!"

"Well, if Kandi says it works great…" Melody smirks.

"You should take her seriously!" Techi comments. "Well- not all the time. Not ever, actually, but I mean, when it comes to food. Yeah."

"Kandi's a professional connoisseur." Cupie explains. "And she's actually really picky."

"Which is why we think she got the job." Techi adds.

"You mean you guys don't know how she was hired?" Melody questions.

"She says she was just given the job out of no where." Cupie explains.

"It's true!" Kandi interrupts. "Like, it fell right out of the sky!"

"Jobs don't just fall out of the sky, Kandi." Feather sighs.

"Anyway…" Cupie interrupts. "Ever since she started working with the 'fine eats' company, Kandi was granted her cutie mark as a connoisseur, and has been working there ever since."

"It's- eh, kinda hard to believe." Melody comments. "I mean…"

It's true; Kandi is exceptionally small. She might even weigh less than any of the Clanadian Ponies. Fact of the matter is, she eats like crazy!

"We figure it must be her metabolism is always constantly working, that it just works so fast it's like the more she eats, the less she weighs." Cupie attempts to explain.

"Kandi's a bit of a mystery at times." Feather comments, and no pony disagrees.

"I'm full." Harmony announces, and gets up.

"Dibs!" Kandi shouts, and grasps the bowl.

"Well you can have the rest of mine as well." Thiala says. "Feather, help me run lines for my play."

"No."

Thiala rolls her eyes. "Techi?"

"No way! These noodles are the bomb. Hey, can I have seconds?"

"Certainly!" Melody smiles. "Have as much as you like!"

"I'll help you run lines!" Kandi volunteers, and starts to get up.

"No sauce in the bedrooms dear." Cupie warns.

"Aw." Kandi moans. "Sorry Thiala, you're on your own!"

"What about Melody?" Cupie offers. "I'm sure you two could-"

"Um- actually, I'm done eating now." Feather interrupts. "Let's take a look at that script, huh Thiala?"

They disappear down the hall.

"I call dibs on Feathers leftovers." Kandi claims, and pulls her bowl over as well.

"Ah huh." Cupie sounds, closing one eye. "Strange ponies…" She comments before getting up. She places her bowl in the sink, and leaves.

"Thanks again for the food Melody." Techi comments. "I'm serious, this is really good."

"I should hope so." Melody smiles. "My spaghetti has won a few contests."

"No way!" Techi smiles.

"True story."

"That's sweet!"

Melody nods. "So, hey. Can I ask you a favor, Techi?"

"Hm?" She looks up, her mouth full of noodle. She swallows. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Okay. So I'm kinda having this problem. You see, my little sister Harmony moved here with me, and-"

"I remember." Techi nods.

"Well it's just, in order for her to stay at the complex, she needs an adult under her name as sort of like to say a 'caretaker'."

"Standard for the complexes here."

"Right. Well, the thing is…"

Melody pauses. Techi looks at her.

"Could I sign Harmony under your name?" Melody blurts.

"Yeah, sure."

"I mean, it's not like I expect you to take care of her-"

"Melody."

"And I promise she won't get you in any serious trouble-"

"Melody…"

"And I swear you'll have practically nothing to do with her aside from living in the same house with her and-"

"Melody! Chill! I said it's fine."

"Hm?" She looks at her wide-eyed, then shakes her head. "Y-you mean it?"

"Yeah! No problem!" Techi laughs. "After all, it's the polite thing to do."

"Oh thank you Techi!"

"Come on, did you think I'd just let your sister get kicked out or something? Besides, I'm old enough. You're not. My age is something I have that you don't."

"Heh heh… Um, right." Melody nods awkwardly. "Well, thank you."

"And I'm sure if there were ever something you could do, that I couldn't, then you would totally be there for me. Or anypony. Like, you know, Feather. Just for example."

"Hah, eh, yeah. For sure."

"Anyway, I'll go get those papers from Cupie." Techi stands from her spot, and heads down the right-hand wing.

"Jeez, Cupie wasn't wrong." Melody comments to herself. "Strange."

A/N:

Greetings, everypony! I'm kinda in the middle of rehearsal, so I'll keep my message brief. I just wanted to take a moment to show my appreciation for your support, so, thank you all very much. The amount of views is always a plus, but it would be really awesome if you guys could leave a review too. Can't wait to hear from everypony, and see you again next week.

-Feather