1 - Dinner Without A Show
Chapter 1: Dinner Without a Show
The restaurant was full of diners, cautiously sipping their wine while emphasising to their compatriots what a full bodied flavour it was. Their praise of the wine extended to that of their food, taken in small, teasing morsels so that the sumptuous flavour practically entranced their taste buds with the symphony of taste sensations. The winers and diners of this fine establishment were cultured ponies. Ponies of the upper crust of society. What they paid for, they got. What they wanted, they received. But even they could find no issue with the quality of the Le Fancy Restaurant.
As Fancy Pants had recommended in a post to the ‘Thymes’, a prestigious culinary magazine, ‘The only complaint I had of this establishment was how fast they processed my payment.’
The most hardened pony socialite could do little to disparage the Le Fancy Restaurant. The setting was delightfully muted, a live orchestra played light symphonic delights in the background and everypony was polite and cheerful.
Except for one mare.
Mrs. Cake was not enjoying herself. She grumbled at the food and threw daggers at the scornful gazes of the regulars that frequented this fine establishment. The mood in her little corner of the restaurant was dark and sombre. Unconsciously, ponies picking up on her mood, quickly asked to leave and upon entering the street, wondered why they had left the restaurant so early.
A waiter materialised at her shoulder.
“Madame, do you require anything else?” If he was fazed by her glare, he did not show it. He was a professional after all. A keen observer might pick out a slight twitch in his left eyebrow.
“Nothing for me,” Mrs. Cake replied frostily. “I am perfectly fine.”
“Are you sure?” He levitated a wine bottle to her table. “I have arranged for a complimentary wine. At Le Fancy we do pride ourse—”
“No thank you. I’m perfectly fine.”
“Are you sure?” He repeated. There was a note of irritation in his voice. “You seem—”
“Are you calling me a liar?”
The question echoed around the room. The waiter shot a look over to the stage as he suddenly noticed that her answer had been spoken just as the orchestra had paused for a break. The few remaining patrons of the restaurant glanced over curiously.
“No, madame, I did not mean to insinuate—”
“Then what were you insinuating? I’d love to know what you were insinuating. Here I am, stuck in one of the most famous restaurants in Canterlot, nay, perhaps all of Equestria.
“Yes, I should be happy,” she continued. “I am happy. I’m enjoying myself because this food is great. This wine is superb. This atmosphere is romantic and inviting. This is the best class service I’ve ever had the pleasure of receiving.”
The waiter opened his mouth, but then shook his head, deciding that it was best, for the moment, to remain silent.
“So why don’t I look happy?” she asked the waiter. “Hmm, yes I see the question in your eye. I’m a married mare, sir. I have a life-long partner, yep. The problem is, he’s gone off to fulfil a cake order!” She waved a fork at the waiter and he nervously edged back. “A cake order on our anniversary! Pinkie went off, Celestia knows where, we’ve asked everypony we could think of to help, but they’re all engaged on this very DAY!”
“So why is this a problem?” Mrs. Cake continued, her voice carrying a faint slur. The waiter noticed that somehow the wine bottle at the table had been emptied. He swore it was half full the last time he was here. “Excellent wine. Top notch quality. Where was I? Oh yes. He booked for me, you know. Two years ago on our last anniversary.”
The waiter blinked as Mrs. Cake paused, holding a hoof up. It seemed that the alcohol must have caught up.
“But now,” she said, tears welling up. “But now I spend this lovely moment in the restaurant alone.” She sniffed. “I wish he were here.”
The waiter sighed in relief. Now he knew what the problem was.
“Perhaps you should make a booking somewhere local and catch up with your husband on a day you are guaranteed to be free. Spending your anniversary on your anniversary may be special, but I’m sure you’ve come to realise it’s nothing without your one true partner.”
Mrs. Cake stared at her hooves. “You’re right,” she muttered quietly. “Oh, this is not how I usually act at all. I should be enjoying this moment. I should be savouring this experience, but all I can think about is my dear Carrot!”
The waiter smiled placing a hoof on her shoulders. “I would be surprised if you didn’t, that’s what makes you a pony.”
Mrs. Cake smiled weakly. “I suppose that is true.” She wiped away some tears. “Thank you....” She looked up, but the waiter was gone.
––––––
Alone, in the staff changing rooms, the waiter glanced up as a familiar pony trotted in.
“You must be delighted,” he stated neutrally as she positioned herself on one of the hard-padded benches.
“I’m ecstatic. You were delightfully well-behaved. I would have expected some form of snide remark and some barbed words. Especially when that sort of subject matter came up.”
“Aunty,” he answered evenly. “I’m not heartless. I know when somepony can take what I dish out and when they cannot. She was on the edge of a breakdown. It was her special day and…” He busied himself with arranging his apparel. “I can recognise when somepony wants their day to be special.”
She shifted in her seat, sporting a smile he knew too well.
“Ah yes, but you’ve given up on that, haven’t you?”
His hooves paused, then continued a little more briskly.
“Hmm, but for a grand night?” she pressed.
He rolled his eyes. “I don’t regret that one bit. Truth, I think, takes a higher moral grounding than a web of lies and worthless platitudes that your court seems to adore.” He slicked back his blonde mane and ripped off the mustache. “Besides, when I act the part, I think the pomposity suits me more, don’t you think?”
Celestia wrapped a wing around him as she laughed quietly.
“And that is why you’re my favourite nephew.”
Author's Note
A quick and dirty fic that shows Blueblood has a heart. Kind of. Another speedfic done in an hour.
In my head he's actually a secret agent and a really good actor. Celestia is using him to disillusion everypony. It's a conspiracy. The illuminati.
Next Chapter: Poke.
As always, my atomised readers, thanks for reading!
P.S. Fixed some of the formatting issues and some grammar that I caught. If you find anything send me an Internet slap and demand that I fix it.
