Generosity

Horsey gasped when she woke up in an unfamiliar room and panic washed over her until it was replaced by a wave of realization.  Once she recognized it as her new room, the strange surroundings became familiar.  She hadn't been foalnapped in the night or anything scary like that.

She remained perfectly still for a while as she sorted through the details of her new life.  Her vision grew blurry until hot tears slid down her temples and pattered against the pillow beneath her.  It hadn't all been a dream.  She really had left Canterlot.  She was really in Ponyville.

After finally rousing from the bed and washing her face, she tentatively wandered out of her room.  Savoir Fare sat at the small table in the breakfast nook, reading the newspaper.  His ears twitched and he looked up at the sound of her approach.

"Ah, good morning, mon petit poney," Savoir said with a gentle smile as he folded the newspaper and set it aside.  "How did you sleep?"

Horsey sat across from him and twiddled her hooves.  "Well, thank you.  That party went on a little late, though."  She giggled.

"Welcome to Ponyville.  The parties always go on late in this town, it seems.  But I suppose there are worse problems to have, non?"  He chuckled, standing up and walking into the kitchen.  "What would you like for breakfast?"

What would she like, indeed?  It was a fair question, and the possibilities paralyzed her for a moment until one in particular stood out.  She chewed on her lower lip.  Would it be wrong to ask him for—"Prench toast!" she blurted out, then slapped a hoof over her mouth and flushed.

He nodded and turned on the stove, then rummaged around in the pantry for ingredients.  "Prench toast it is.  What do you like on it?"

"Oh, well, I don't really know."  Her ears flopped to the sides.  She kept her ashamed gaze focused firmly on the table in front of her.  "I've never had it before.  My parents kept me on the COB diet."

His ear flicked.  "COB diet?  I am unfamiliar with this."

"Sorry.  Um, corn, oats, barley.  The basics, they say."  She absent-mindedly started to draw a small circle on the tabletop.  "Sometimes, when I was out with Crystal and Velvet, I'd have a milkshake or a cupcake."  A smile teased at her lips.  "Or both."

Savoir stared at her a moment, an unreadable look on his face as he took in her words before he turned back to the stove.  "In Prance, we call it pain perdu.  It means 'lost bread,' because we take a stale piece of bread that would ordinarily be discarded and bring it back to life."

Horsey's curiosity got the better of her and she walked over to watch him as he dipped the bread into a bowl of liquid.  "What is that?"

"Milk, eggs, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla," he explained, watching her out of the corner of his eye as she gasped.

"That sounds so... so..."  She giggled.  "Sweet!"

"Well, it is a sweet treat, after all.  Then, we fry it in butter."  He dropped the slices carefully into the pan and they replied with a loud, happy sizzle.  "And after that we will dust them with powdered sugar.  You are also free to add jam or syrup, if you like."

She returned to her seat at the table and folded her hooves in her lap, shaking her head.  "Oh, no, you can leave off the powdered sugar, too.  I think cinnamon and sugar is enough for me."

He kept his back to her, but she heard a light, derisive snort.  "You cannot ask me to make you prench toast and then have me leave out key ingredients, mademoiselle."  He transferred the fried bread to a plate, dusted them with powdered sugar, and topped them off with some fresh berries and a dollop of whipped cream.  "Voici.  Prench toast."

When the plate was set in front of her, she stared at it with wide eyes.  "B-but this one meal alone will set me back a week!"

"Perhaps if you still lived in Canterlot, mademoiselle.  But you live in Ponyville now."  Though his voice was stern, there was a smile on his lips, and he winked.  "The rules are different here, you see, in that there are none.  Eat what you like.  You have that freedom."

As he walked away to clean up, she merely stared at her plate.  It looked so delicious and smelled so wonderful, but at first she could do nothing except cry while his back was turned.

"Thank you," she said in a quiet whisper, then finally lifted her fork to take a bite.

She had freedom, and it was sweeter than prench toast.

"I'm so sorry!"  Horsey's knees trembled as she tried to keep it together.  She was only an hour into her first shift working as a waitress at Haut-Savoir and she had already mixed up three orders.  "I-I'll get you the pancakes right away, ma'am!"

The mare giggled and waved a hoof.  "Aw, no, that's fine!  Waffles are close enough!"  She winked.  "Some butter would be nice, though."

Horsey's ears stood straight up.  "Yes!  I'm sorry!  Right away!"

When she hurried inside and through the door that led to the kitchen, Savoir was in the middle of stacking plates onto a serving tray.  He paused to offer her a small smile and asked, "How is your first day so far?"

"A-awful," she said between panicked gasps for air, anxiety nearly suffocating her like a thick cloud.  If she kept this up, he was going to fire her.  She'd lose her job and her new home all in one fell swoop.  "I can't get any order right!"

Savoir chuckled and walked past her, balancing the tray on one hoof.  "It sounds like a normal first day.  You will get it.  Just do not give up."

Horsey slumped against the wall.  "Butter," she called to the chef.  "I-I need butter, please."

The head chef, Beignet, responded with a snort and pointed off to the side.  Several baskets were sitting on the counter nearest to the door, one of which was filled with little pre-wrapped packages of butter.

"Oh, right."  She made an honest attempt at a smile while her magic grabbed a few packages and she trotted out of the kitchen.  "Sorry, thank you!"

After she dropped off the butter at the appropriate table, she paused to scan the rest of the tables.  No empty plates or glasses.  She did see one new customer wearing an almost ridiculously giant hat and her stomach knotted up with even more nerves than before.  A perfectly curled purple mane cascaded over a white shoulder.

Horsey shook her head to chase away the feeling of sudden dread, took a breath, and walked over.  "Good morning!  What can I start you off with to drink, ma'am?"  She offered a cordial smile.

Rarity looked up and grabbed one of Horsey's hooves with both of her own.  "Oh, High Horse, I'm so very glad you came over!"

Horsey's smile remained in place, though she did flinch at the sudden physical contact.  "I-I work here, so..."  She raised her notepad.  "What would you like to drink?"

Rarity dismissed the question with a wave of her hoof.  "I absolutely must apologize, High Horse.  I had no idea that my words the other day at your welcome party would cause you pain.  I've been informed that you endured some awful bullying and I feel dreadful for reminding you of that."

Great.  Just what she wanted: to be known as the poor little mare who everypony had to treat with delicate hooves.  She supposed she only had herself to blame with the way she acted.  Determined to make a better impression, she smiled wider.  "It's all right, Miss Rarity.  Now—"

"Oh, please, Rarity is more than fine."  Rarity laughed softly.  "Miss Rarity makes it sound as though we're not friends at all!"

Horsey hesitated, then said with a slow nod of her head, "Okay, I'll call you Rarity, but only if you call me Horsey."

"Horsey?"  Rarity blinked.  "Is that your nickname?"  She gave a soft laugh behind one hoof.  "How cute!  Well, then, Horsey, I would love a cucumber water, and perchance some of your time when you're off shift.  You must let me make up for my grievous error."

"That's not necessary."  Horsey took a step back.  "It really is okay, okay?  I'll go get your water."  She walked into the restaurant before the mare could stop her, but of course she started talking again the moment Horsey came back with the glass.

"You mustn't make a lady beg, Horsey."  Rarity accepted the glass but otherwise ignored it.  "Darling, I simply want to see if any of my latest designs fit you and offer one as a sign of my apology.  I will feel absolutely dreadful if you don't allow me to patch things up."

Horsey sighed.  As if anything such a skinny pony designed for other skinny ponies would fit... her.  "Will it really make you feel better?"

Rarity sat up straight and looked at her with glittering eyes, as though the stars themselves had fallen and taken residence in their blue depths.  "Absolutely!"

"Then..."  She hedged a moment longer.  "All right.  Where should I meet you?"

Rarity pointed down a road.  "At my shop, Carousel Couture.  It's just across the river.  You can't miss it!"  She took a sip of the water, dropped several bits on the table, and trotted away.  "I'll see you later, darling!"

"Wait!"  Horsey blinked, glancing between the water, the bits, and the retreating mare that ignored her cry.  "But... cucumber water is free..."  She furrowed her brow in confusion, then just sighed and set about clearing the table.