"Ah... eeyup."  was all the stallion could manage at Shai Ni's low-voiced remark.  He normally wasn't the sort to get flustered all that easy but was once again grateful that blushes didn't show well on his always-red face.  Of course, he was going to pay Shai Ni actual money for her services later.  Flirting was nice, but so was proper monetary compensation for medicinal services rendered.

With that, Big Mac gave a polite nod of his head and turned to amble on out, holding the door open for his sister and Silva as well.

--> Big Mac exits to Town Square

As everypony (and gryphon) leaves her clinic, Shai Ni bashfully walks into the back room again, floating the basket with the pie along behind her.  Once she's in the back, she sits down and pulls out her box of needles so she can prepare them for another use, cleaning, sanitizing, and purifying them one at a time.

As she does so, she floats out a slice of pie and nibbles on it, letting the delicious taste of the pie wash away her nervousness and embarrassment.  I should have just asked for payment in pies.  This is really, really good, she thinks to herself as she works.

Applejack joined the others in departure, with a  light wave back to Shai as she ducked out of the shop.

Exit to Town Square

Having dealt with her equipment and her delicious pie (well, as much as she can reasonably manage, anyway, which is about two slices out of a dozen), Shai Ni looks outside and sees everypony gathering for the contest and sighs.  Nopony is going to come into her clinic during this, are they?  She will not exactly be the best choice for treating some of the potential injuries, either.  Some scrapes and bruises, yes, but not anything more serious than that.  There are other ponies better suited for such things.

So, with a another sigh, she decides that she might as well join the others outside to watch.  She was kind of hoping to have some more busywork to get her mind off of recent events.  A contest for a special somepony is not going to help settle her mind so much.

--> To: Special Event - Rainbow Dash's Contest

-- Begin Day 9 --

Shai Ni had been up and ready for more than an hour, despite not yet having had breakfast, as she was too busy going over her inventory and budget.  There is so much I need to restock, but it will be too expensive to order it by mail.  I may have to make a trip to Canterlot in order to properly restock until I can collect payment from the few clients I have had so far.  I wish I knew a way to attract more patients.  As much as I love assisting Miss Lotus and Miss Aloe, I cannot continue to rely on them for work, she thought to herself as she she finished taking stock and wrote out a list of things she needed.  Chief among the things she needed, of course, was rice.  She always needed more rice.

Welp.  There was only one thing she could do in that situation.

"I need pie."

Luckily, there was still some left from the previous day!  As she got herself some hearty apple pie for breakfast, she paused in thought.

If I keep eating like this, I am going to ruin my figure.  Why must it taste so good~?

-=Begin Day 9=-

A quick knock on the door would interrupt Shai Ni's indulgence. Nopony other than the diligent mailmare of Ponyville stood on the otherside of the door.

"Good morning, Miss Shiny! I hope I'm not interrupting anything. Today you were the last on my round so I decided to bring your mail personally. Most of them are adds but hey, they're fun to read nevertheless." Came Derpy's ever chipper greeting as she offered Shai Ni her mail. The pegasus was always hyper during mornings despite how she had to get up so early to do the daily mail rounds.

"Yesterday was pretty wild, huh? I saw you among the competitors, Miss Shiny. Me and Dinky were cheering for you in the crowd." Derpy chatted away in exited voice, making idle conversation while waiting for Shai Ni to take the mail.

Shai Ni paused and quickly wiped her mouth before opening the door, smiling at the sight of the resident mailmare.  "Good morning, Miss Derpy Hooves.  I have a bit of mail I just finished writing, so you have perfect timing," she replied as she took the mail with her mouth and brought it over to the front desk to deposit it.  Her horn glowed as she quickly plated up another slice of the apple pie and brought it over to the door as she returned to continue conversing.  At the same time, she brought over an envelope with the address written in both Equestrian and Chineighs, with some serious postage to make it first-class delivery.  Letters home were serious business, after all.  "Ah, thank you," Shai said with a tiny blush at the mention of the previous evening as well as her participation in the competition.  At least it had all worked out in the end!

With a pleasant smile, she asked, "Would you like some apple pie?  You must be hungry after making your rounds."

She thought about mentioning that there was too much for her to eat, but she did not wish to appear as if Derpy putting on some weight due to the rich food was better than she herself adding to her own hips.

"Pie!?"

Derpy's left eye made an exited twirl at the mention of baked good."Oh, I'd love to. Thank you, Miss Shiny." The grey mare quipped happily as she accepted Shai's offered envelope. She stared at it with disbelief in her eyes, trying to make something out of the Chineighs writing and the postages. For a second her face showed a troubled expression but in another quick moment it was gone, replaced with her usual airy smile."Wow, something tells me this letter is out of my usual rounds. Sure thing, I'll take it back with me to the post office and let the others handle it from there."

Placing the letter inside her signature mailbag, Derpy made sure it wouldn't fall off. Last time she lost mail somepony missed their siblings weddings. Luckily it was only that one time. "Actually, this is the first time I've talked with Miss Shiny personally. I've seen you in the town many times but ever since you moved your business here in business district I've waited the right chance. My wings have been feeling stiff for a while now, do you think your needle-thingy could help me?" Derpy asked in exited voice.

Shai smiled as Derpy responded positively, both to the pie and to the letter.  She set the pie down on the desk so the pegasus could eat it at her leisure and listened as she talked.  "You would like to make an appointment?  That is wonderful!  Acupuncture is always helpful for ponies, although not necessarily directly or instantly.  Miss Lotus and Miss Aloe are much better at making you feel better more quickly than I," she answered gently before making a massaging gesture with her left front hoof and adding with a tiny smile, "they have magic hooves."

She walked back to her desk and floated out a small schedule book and opened it with her hooves, flipping through the very empty pages as if looking for a time that would be available in an otherwise full calendar.  With a sheepish smile, she said, "I am... rather free at the moment.  I will be leaving relatively soon for a few days at most in order to resupply what I need at Canterlot to ensure a full stock of medicines, but other than that, I am able to treat you at any time.  If you have the time, I could give you a treatment right now.  It can take up to an hour, however, and I would not wish to keep you from your duties."

"Thank you, I'mm letting myself in." Taking the invitation inside, Derpy dug happily in the delicious pie and let Shai Ni take the lead of the conversation. She was the professional, after all.

She listened attentively Shai's explanation and swallowed before speaking up."Uh huh, I thought so too. This has been quite persistent little ailment I've been having for a while. Miss Lotus thinks it might have been the sudden and continuous strain I put on my wings while I was carrying both the mailbag and Dinky in the past. Oh and yes, they really do have magic hooves. I've been treated several times." She said happily, taking another bite.

"It's not really bothering me but it would be wonderful if you had time." At Shai's suggestion of instant treatment Derpy spaced out for a while before answering.

"I would love to, but today's kinda special. I'm finished with my round but later on today I have to leave to Manehattan for...now what was that...right, the cooking competition. I...oh my." As if she had suddenly realized something, Derpy's expression changed in to a troubled. She seemed to think for a while before looking back to Shai Ni."Miss Shiny, you don't suppose you know someone good with fillies, do you? I realized the competition might take longer than expected and I might return very late. I need someone to check lil' Dinky for me. I'm quite sure she can handle herself but just to make sure."

"I see," Shai Ni replied as she listened to Derpy's replies, including her sudden panic.  "If I was not expecting to go away soon, I would offer to check on her myself.  She is such a wonderful filly," she said with a happy smile, "However, I unfortunately do not know too many ponies around the town very well.  I would recommend Miss Applejack, but she is still recovering from her injury yesterday.  Miss Rainbow Dash is occupied with taking over her duties, and I believe Miss Merriweather is also attending the competition, so she will not be available, either.  Putting a hoof to her chin in thought, she mused, "I suppose you could ask Miss Aloe and Miss Lotus, or perhaps Miss Twilight Sparkle."

Giving Derpy an apologetic smile, she said, "I am sorry I cannot help you more."

Shaking her head briefly, Derpy brushed off Shai's apology with smile and for a second she focused both her eyes on the Chineight pony before returning to the wall-eyed stare."It's okay, Miss Shiny. I should have thought about it earlier. I'm sure Dinky can handle herself just fine. She's a big filly already and is used to staying home alone, after all." There was mix of pride and lament in Derpy's voice, quite unusual for her but whenever it was about her daughter the ditzy pegasus seemed to make more sense than normally.

She finished the last bite of pie and licked her lips with satisfied smile."I guess I could ask Miss Merriweather where she is going to have Meadow Lark foalsitted. Thank you for sharing the delicious pie with me, Miss Shiny." She started to walk towards the door, not wanting to intrude more than this. As she slung the mailbag over her head, she turned to look at Shai again.

"We could talk about my appointment later when I get back from Manehattan. Oh, I'm looking forward seeing the big city again." Derpy flapped her wings in exitement, her previous troubles forgotten as she was getting spirited again. Lovering her position Derpy got ready to take off but a thought came to her mind. She froze in her position and gestured towards Shai."Is there anything I could get you from Manehattan? You said about getting restock from Canterlot but I'm sure they have good supplies in there as well."

Shai could not help but feel the utmost respect for Derpy whenever she talked about her filly.  Say what one would about the mailmare, she truly cared for and put her all into making Ditzy happy.  Shai brightened when Derpy mentioned Merriweather and Meadow Lark, and gave her new friend a pleased smile when she was thanked.  "You are welcome, Miss Derpy Hooves.  I shall be waiting for your triumphant return," she said as Derpy got ready to fly off.  When inquired about what supplies there were to get, Shai Ni gave Derpy an awkward smile and floated over her list of medicinal plants - all in Chineighs.  it was a small list in appearance, but not a bit of Equestrian was present.  "I am afraid I do not yet know the names of what I need in Equestrian.  I am headed to Canterlot for translation as well as resupply.  A hope of mine is to be able to acquire the plants themselves, or at least seeds or sprouts, so I may try and grow my own.  The rest I can obtain locally through one means or another, so I do not need to run so far to obtain them."  The list rolled itself back up and tucked back into a pocket in Shai's dress as she said, "Still... I do appreciate the offer.  Thank you, Miss Derpy Hooves."

"Aw, too bad but I guess you're right. Can't read a word from those wibbly-wobbly letters. Sure hope I could. Then I could expand my rounds to Chineigh as well." Without any regard for distances or such, Derpy happily imagined herself flying around Chineigh countryside with rice planter's hat and her trusty mailbag, delivering mail to other ponies wearing similar hats on rice fields.

The grey pegasus seemed to zone out for a moment, the "screensaver"(see OOC few pages back) taking a hold before she returned to their current surroundings."Welp, I should get going now. Have a nice day, Miss Shiny! I try to remember bringing you something from the Manehattan! See you!" Before Shai could say or do anything to reply Derpy took off in such hurry she dropped the letter she was given before.

Thankfully she returned only second later to pick it up with sheepish smile, then left again this time in lot slower pace.

--> Exit to Summersong Cafe

Having kept herself rather occupied with busywork after Derpy's exit, Shai Ni feels her belly rumble once again, and in a very specific manner.  Cautiously, she floats over her purse of spending money and counts her bits.  One, two, three, four... thirty in total.  Business really needs to pick up.  Well, it needs to start, really.

While she prefers to cook for herself, when her tummy demands cake, she cannot argue.  As such, she walks out the front door, flips the sign from "Open" to "Closed", closes the door behind her, and heads to Sugarcube Corner.

Although... something feels... off.

Shaking her head, she decides it must just be her hunger.

--> To: Ponyville Business District - Sugarcube Corner

--> From: The Equestrian Express Train Station

"... and that was how I found myself, ah, 'talking shop' as they call it here, with two princesses at once.  Well, after I was removed from the stone tile.  Again."

The entire time they were walking, Shai Ni had been telling Xing Ming aaaaaaaaaall about what had been going on in Ponyville for the past year - that she knew about, at least.  When they finally got to the clinic, Shai Ni gently set down the trunk and telescope before using her magic to open the front door.

Which she then ran into because it did not open.

Taking a step back and shaking her head, she looked at the door with confusion and tried the handle with her hooves, quickly discovering that it was locked.  Frantically, she searched herself for a key, only to notice that she was carrying no keys at all.  Hesitantly, she peeked through a window and saw that, yes, her key was where it belonged.  Hanging on the wall behind the front desk, where it would do her no good.

Not sure what to do, she backed up and suddenly gasped when she saw that the window to her room was open.  On the second floor.  If only she could get up there!  But she was far too tired, and did not wish to risk climbing.  In fact, she barely had the strength left in her to lift the trunk...

That was it!

"Xing Ming, if I levitate your bag, can you hold onto it and let me guide you in through the window?  Then you can unlock the front door!  I was foolish and locked it behind me somehow," she explained with a sheepish smile.  She was confident she could get Xing Ming up there safely, but not herself.

<<< From: The Ponyville Train Station

Xing watched her cousin in pure rapture as she described some of her adventure and misadventure with all of her new friends in Ponyville. She was a very good audiance, gasping and giggling all at the right times, and even clasped her hoof to her mouth at a few points. She was so into Shai's storytelling, she had run into Shai as Shai had run into the door!

Silently, Xing fretted as to what had  haopened for the few moments of silence. Shai's solution, however, made her alightly cower. "Oh...! Um... o-kay... I think I can hold on... okay..." she squeaked nervously, but seemed unwilling to refuse to help.

Once she was absolutely sure the little filly had gotten a good grip on the bag, Shai Ni focused her magic on the bag itself and gave it a test lift, levitating both the bag and the filly off the ground just enough to confirm it was a good grip and that Xing Ming would be safe.  Confident that everything and everypony would be alright, Shai Ni lifted the bag (with the filly) up to and through the open window, gently past anything they might hit inside the bedroom, and then very, very slowly lowered them both to just above the ground and held it there for a good twenty seconds, allowing Xing Ming time to climb off before she set the bag down gently in the middle of the floor space.  As she hadn't lived there too long just yet, she was still a bit unfamiliar with the exact dimensions, and so she wanted to play it safe with a little wiggle room.  Another month or two of living there and she'd be fine, though.

Also, pushing herself after being awake for a good 24 hours without rest and lots of anxious excitement building up the entire time was a pretty big factor for control.  She'd have to be careful about running the clinic today.  Thank Faust she had no appointments!

--> From: The Equestrian Express Train Station

"... and that is how I came to live here," Shai Ni said, finishing her story as she stopped in front of her clinic.  She paused to smile up at it before retrieving the key from a pocket on her dress and opening the entire door, causing a bell to ring before she entered.

"I will give you the tour later, but for now, we should bring your things upstairs.  I have turned the first room on the left into your room, and mine is at the end of the hall.  I have a living and dining room of sorts in the room on the right, although I do most of the cooking downstairs, and usually eat at my desk.  Not the most luxurious of designs, but I did turn the entire downstairs into a clinic and reception area, as you can see."

<<< FROM: Equestrian Express Train Station <<<

Xing, by now, was staring outright at her cousin as she relayed the story of the giant fireball that engulfed her clinic during the night of festivities so many months ago. "Oh my goodness! You're so lucky nopony was hurt!" she said breathless. Like her cousin, she too wore traditional Chineighs garb, though while she was working at night time she found it easier to follow Equestrian ponies and wear little or nothing. It took some getting used to, that was for sure...

"Oh, my! This is perfect, Shai, I love the idea of living so close to your clinic!" she said happily, looking around as they entered the home. "It's so warm and inviting! You've done so much in so little time." She beamed at her cousin. "I hope I have as much success with everything in Equestria. I am happy you have let me come stay with you." She moved forward and hugged her cousin again happily. "I swear I will not be a bother. I will not even leave dishes in the sink, I promise."

She stepped back, still smiling. "Let me take my things upstairs. Then, why don't we have something to eat? I brought ingredients for daikon mien noodles~!" Freeze dried of course, how else would it travel? Still, it was probably the best thing she could get in Equestria!

Shai Ni was more than happy at the news of ingredients from home.  It was so difficult to get them here, although at least the staple ingredient in so many things, her beloved rice, was being grown locally now.  The knowledge that she helped the Apple family choose a crop to grow that had little local competition and was so readily accepted and utilized by the town and beyond made pride swell within her for suggesting it every time she had some.  Of course, she only suggested it and the Apple family did all the hard work, but still, she gave them the idea, right?

She was also certain that being able to cook and taste the first harvest was a date.  Everypony had fun and there was food.  Also Big McIntosh seemed to enjoy her cooking.  That seemed date-like, although she wasn't sure why Twilight and Widget seemed to have so much more fun on theirs.  Maybe she was doing something wrong?  She'd have to inquire later.

Her mind returned to the present after she finished walking into her desk and bonking her head.  "Awa!" she exclaimed before taking a step back, thankfully having her horn miss the edge so she didn't get herself stuck (again), "T-that would be lovely.  I shall remain down here and get the oven ready."

So she said, but the moment Xing was out of sight, Shai started sleeping where she stood.

Xing visibly startled when Shai bonked her head on the desk, looking alarmed. However, by the odd wedged hole in the side of the wood, it was not the first time her older cousin had knocked it. She relaxed visibly when Shai seemed to rapidly move on to the kitchen. "O-Okay. Be careful," she said with a smile, and moved to take her things upstairs. She too was sleepy, but she was more excited about seeing her cousin again, and being in a new place with new ponies, and of course meeting Princess Luna that evening when she was supposed to come to Ponyville to greet her new apprentice.

Xing unpacked quickly (she despised living out of a suitcase and wouldn't feel comfortable unless everything was put away neatly). She took off her dress, noticing on the way in how few ponies wore any kind of clothing, and felt more comfortable here without any on at all. With great care, she set up her massive telescope, which folded out several times before stopping. It was even bigger than Twilight Sparkle's at the library had been! "Perfect," she sighed happily as she adjusted the sights on a far away cloud to bring it into perfect focus. Gathering up the freeze dried vegetables and noodles, she made her way downstairs again. It had been maybe twenty minutes, but she didn't smell anything from the kitchen... Had Shai changed her mind?

"Shai Ni~" she called out as she moved into the kitchen, pausing at the sight of the golden mare standing at the counter with her eyes closed. "... Biaomei? Are you okay?"

When Xing called out to her, Shai Ni was still very much slumbering where she stood.  In fact, it took several seconds before there was any reaction at all.  Finally, however, Shai Ni slowly started to move towards the back so she could start the oven.  She moved at a very slow pace, swaying slightly as she did so, but thankfully opened her eyes and genuinely woke up before she even attempted to do anything with the stove.

The first thing Xing would notice was how meticulously organized the back of the clinic was, complete with the beds for the patients and the various medicines lining the shelves.  The second thing she would notice, however, is the bags of rice leaning against the far wall that were quite clearly locally packaged, as they were from Sweet Apple Acres.

With a tired, apologetic smile, Shai Ni looked at her cousin as if to ask forgiveness for falling asleep on her feet earlier, then very carefully lit the wood in the stove with a match so that they could cook.

"It may be a bit old-fashioned, but it reminds me of home more than the ovens and stove tops most ponies have here, and it also helps me be ready with tea at a moment's notice," she explains as she closes the stove door and latches it with her magic, "I am hoping it will also help keep the place warm during the winter."