"Your order will be out shortly." The waiter left our table with our menus. Two salads and an order of some more elegant foods would be on its way to our table.

"So, we are finally having that date." Rarity smiled.

I chuckled, "Yeah." A waiter brought us glasses of water, so I instinctively took a sip. When drinking with Lantern, you had to drink fast to keep up. My mind went back to the rather short visit with Golden Harvest.

"Once again, I'm so sorry about the mix up of the last time we were together, Ozi." She apologized, "I honestly didn't think you saw it as a real date."

"It's fine, don't worry about it." I tried giving her a reassuring smile, but I kept thinking about how I may have mentally overreacted. That, and I was still kinda worried about Lantern.

"Ozi, are you alright?" She must have sensed me current feeling. I went on to tell her how my best friend moved in for a while and then went on that drunken rampage. "Oh my! Sweetie, you must be worried sick! I'd hate to keep you here while he's out there."

I held up my hooves, "Don't worry, he's a big pony. He has been for a while. He'll make his way back to the house. He's done it before, so I'm not too worried." That last part was a lie. Sure we went through this about eight times a week, but he never went out angry.

Rarity seemed to think for a moment, then finally agreed to stay in the restaurant. "So, did you get that job at Pony Bucks?"

"Yeah! It's great. Free coffee," I laughed, "Plus, I can afford groceries without having to dig through my suitcase."

Rarity laughed at that, "That's good to hear."

"Yeah. What about Carousel Boutique? Anything new with the place?"

"Why, yes! I'm starting a new line of clothes for stallions, but I'm having trouble getting some of the shape down. You see, I'm used to making dresses and clothes for mares." She explained.

"If you need, I can help as a model. I'll even see if Lantern will help, too." I offered.

"That would be lovely!" Her face lit up in excitement, but then she recoiled, "But I couldn't ask you to do that. I don't want to-" I held up my hoof to interrupt her.

"It'll be fun. I volunteered." I gave her the warmest smile I could, "Besides, it gives me a reason to be near a pretty mare." Wait, I didn't think I was going to say that out loud.

She gave me a smile, and her eyes sparkled like gems. "You think I'm pretty?"

"Well," Ozo, don't feather this up "Yes." I grabbed my drink, but before Rarity said anything, the waiter returned with our food. He barely threw his eyes to me, instead he took the time to ogle the mare across from me. "Move along." I said after he placed the plates on the table, which was completely unlike me to start any confrontation. It felt so... real. My heart was pounding, my head was light, and my hooves felt clammy, but I was focused. Rarity was looking at me with surprise. I wanted more, "She's mine."

The waiter scoffed and left the table. Lucky for us, I waited until he couldn't spit in our food before randomly snapping at him. I don't know why in the hay I did it. "So, I'm 'yours' now?" Rarity spoke. And now the embarrassment came back.

"S- Sorry. I just didn't like the way he kept staring at you." I looked down, starting to feel ashamed. I looked up when I felt a hoof on my own. I looked up and saw she was holding my hoof on the table. I smiled.

"A true gentlepony will always defend the mare he's with." She smiled warmly. We dug in to our foods and before we knew it, we were leaving the restaurant. "Where to next, Ozi?"

"Well, it's only 8-ish, so we could go to the park." I shrugged.

"That sounds lovely." Rarity agreed. "We shouldn't stay out too late. It's supposed to get colder tonight."

"Well, how about we go to the Boutique? We could stay warm in there.

Rarity gasped, "Ozone! Are you implying that we mate!?"

What.

"What?! I wasn't implying that! I was just-" I was cut off by a pony behind me placing a hoof on my shoulder. I turned and saw a tall stallion wearing a hat with a gold star and a chord around the band.

"Are you Ozone?" he asked. Oh no. I sighed.

"Yes, I am. Where is he?" I asked. At least he's safe.

"We have him down at the station. Come with me."

The cage doors of a cell in the Ponyville Detention Facility rattled open. Lantern was passed out on the concrete floor. "C'mon, Lantern." I mumbled more to myself then actually my buddy, "Get up, bro." I managed to get him to wake up and sit up on the bed. "Hey, buddy, how're you feeling?"

"I- I'm hurting, Zo Zo. They- They won't let me have any meds, or any ale."

"It's because you're in prison, Lanti." I called him by his teenage nickname. I told him to hold on for a second, then turned to the officer. "How much will it cost to bail him out?"

"1,500 bits. Public intoxication, disorderly conduct, fighting, and vandalism tend to add up, sorry."

Ponyfeathers, 1,500 was going to put me under for about a month. But this was Lantern, so I had to get him out. "It'll take almost all my bits, but I'll get him home."

"Very well, I'll get a release form. You can take him home tonight and I'll send an officer to your residence tomorrow morning to collect the finances." I thanked him and he left.

"Lanti-" I tried talking to him, but I was interrupted by a certain alabaster mare.

"You should be ashamed of yourself, Mr. Jack-O-Lantern!" She suddenly transformed into our 10th grade teacher. It was high school all over again. "Putting Ozone in this position, and having to spend nearly every bit he has, is a low move for a so-called 'Best Friend'! I demand you apologize to Ozone this instant!"

I was waiting for Lantern to explode by that point: no one ever spoke to him like that without him snapping back, but instead he hung his head low. "I'm sorry, Zo zo."

"Hey, Lanti, don't worry about it! I'll make those bits again in no time." I gave him a smile, even though he was still looking down, but then Rarity turned to me.

"And you! How can you be so easy going about this? Your friend's recklessness is going to cost you a fortune to get him home."

"Hey, Rarity, calm down. These things happen to everypony. Besides, I don't care how much it costs, he's my bro, and I'll get him out of here."

"Hmph, typical stallion; willing to give up so much hard work for their friends." I was about to ask what in the hay that was supposed to mean, but she seemed to calm down. "But the loyalty is an admirable trait in a coltfriend."

Did she say coltfriend?

"Uhhh," I tried to speak, but I really couldn't think of anything. My brain was still processing what she had said about coltfriend. Coltfriend, that's right! Bring that up! ask her! "Coltfriend? I-I'm your c-col-coltfriend?"

Rarity giggled, "Well, no. But I will say I like the idea."

She did say coltfriend.

Score! And this time for real! Wait, I can't ask her out here. We're in prison. That's so unromantic. The officer pony returned with a release form: It asked his name, my name, my connection with him, both of our addresses, and other basic information things about when they can contact me if I'm needed in any way. It also had a "time out:" line, so a quick glance at the clock told me it was almost 9:30. I jotted down the time with the pen in my mouth and told the officer I'd be back in after just a second. It would be best if I went ahead and sent Rarity on her way back home. The officer said he'd get Lantern's belongings while I was outside.

The front door opened with a jingle as we stepped outside. The wind was getting pretty chilly. "I'm so sorry this date had to be cut short." I apologized. You're on a good path, Ozo. Don't forget to officially ask her out.

"No need to apologize, darling. Besides it's been the most entertaining date I've ever been on." she nuzzled against my neck, sending a heat wave of nervousness throughout my body. At least I wasn't cold anymore.

Ozo, Ask her out. Right.

"Hey, Rarity." I began, but stopped to figure out how to word my question.

"Yes, Ozi? What is it?" She had a look of curiosity on her face, but I had a feeling she knew what I was about to ask.

Ask her out!

"Well, If it's alright with you.." Have some confidence and ask her out right feathering now! "Um, Rarity, I would like you..."

"Yes?" She leaned a little bit closer.

ASK FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA.

"Rarity, will you be my-" I was finally going to ask, but a voice that wasn't Rarity's cut me off.

"Ozone?" It was Brewer. What in the hay was she doing here? She made her way up to me as quickly as she could without running.

"Hey, boss, what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I went by your house because I read about your friend in the newspaper. I wanted to make sure you were ok... And to do this."

"To do wha-" I was instantly cut off by Brewer's lips meeting my own. I stood there like a dumb colt that had just been asked a question by Celestia herself. This was my first real kiss that wasn't just a nervous peck from a teenage relationship. This was a full on, out of the blue passionate kiss that you would only find in your mom's romance novels.

Oh... Oh Ponyfeathers.

Author's Note

Believe it or not, I actually had to bail a friend out of holding for public intoxication and fighting in a bar, which kinda gave me the idea for this chapter. It cost me about $200 since it was JUST public intoxication, but two hundred bits isn't going to put Ozo in a financial snag, will it?