Night fell over Canterlot, the ivory towered capital of Equestria. It was a cool spring night, the kind of night that was just perfect for starlight walks or romantic boat rides. For the bustling city of Canterlot, it was a night of fun and excess. It was a time of wine drinking and overnight partying.

The entertainment district was lit up like a lantern with twenty four hour bars and nightclubs. Some establishments, only open during the late evening hours, opened their doors to clubbers and young lovers who were looking for some fun during these late hours of the night. Lonely souls often wandered the streets seeking cheap dates and easy love, hardly considering the consequences that would befall them in the morning.

Fancy Pants, one of Canterlot’s esteemed social elite, was enjoying a night on the town. He dressed himself in his very finest suit of blacks and blues which only complimented his well kept, white colored fur coat. His light blue mane was expertly slicked back, his fetlocks trimmed perfectly straight, and his mustache was styled thinly with the slightest curl at the end. He was a clean cut unicorn, dressed to the nines, and perfectly reflecting the best Canterlot had to offer.

Strolling down the paved streets of Canterlot, Fancy Pants was in search of something new. He avoided the noisey nightclubs and crowded dive bars. Such reckless parties and cheap drink were for the younger and less mature ponies. Instead he set his sights on La Plaque de Perle, one of his favorite places to visit so late in the evening.

La Plaque de Perle was a classy bar, a fine example of what Canterlot uptown had to offer to the social elite. It was the kind of place one would enjoy a glass of wine and exquisite atmosphere. It was off the busy beaten path and only allowed an exclusive list of guests through its doors. Fancy Pants, given his respected reputation, had no trouble entering.

Live piano music played through the room as the conversation of a dozen or so other diners could be heard as an indistinct muttering. A long, L-shaped bar made of a rich mahogany dominated more than half of the floorspace. Tables and luxurious booths dotted the rest of the area save for a small raised stage that housed a grand piano that a well dressed mare played away on.

Fancy Pants’s eyes centered on a gorgeous mare sitting at the bar. She was a slim and alluring white mare with the most dazzling of soft lavender eyes. Her pink and white striped mane was stylized so elegantly, allowing the waves of colors to roll off of her head so delicately. Her dress was a fashionable number of deep reds and seductive crimsons. It hugged her form snugly, accentuated her curved so well. Such beauty set her apart from the rest of the crowd.

“Well hello there,” Fancy Pants said in his most gentlemanly tone, “what is a beautiful mare such as yourself doing all alone in a place like this?”

The mare looked up from her drink - some water in a fancy glass by the looks of things - and smiled up at the stallion. Her eyes twinkled with the warm candlelight of the room. “I suppose I’m just waiting for the right pony to come in and buy me a drink,” the mare smiled.

“Then I believe I can be of service to you,” Fancy Pants smiled back, taking a seat at the barstool beside the mare. “A bottle of your finest Côtes du Rhône, please,” Fancy Pants told the bartender. The bartender, a burly looking pegasus, simply nodded before going on his way. “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is...Golden Glass,” Fancy Pants bowed his head, momentarily forgetting the name he was calling himself for the night.

It was not uncommon for him to go incognito under a new name, keeping the crowds at bay by assuming an alternate identity. With a little bit of magic he was able to slip into the new role easily. His cutie mark could be covered up with a simple concealment spell and going around town at night minimized his exposure to the adoring public. It was all to experience things as more of a commoner. Sure he enjoyed the luxuries of aristocracy, but it was through fresh eyes that weren’t bogged down by the expectations of society.

“Charmed, my name’s Purple...Iris,” the mare answered with a similar pause, holding up a dainty hoof.

“A beautiful name for a beautiful flower such as yourself,” Fancy Pants smoothly answered back, kissing the mare’s hoof so delicately.

The white mare blushed and bashfully pulled her hoof away. “You’re quite the flatterer, Golden Glass,” she chuckled, “do you do this often?”

“Oh not so much anymore,” he chuckled, “let’s just say I’ve been a little more...exclusive these past few years.”

“You have a special somepony?”

“In a way,” he answered, “I do have my eyes set on a certain mare.” He leaned back in his seat and got all starry eyed, falling in love with the mare’s eyes like it was the first time he saw them. “A lovely and talented model from Prance. She’s a lot like you. I think you’d like her.”

“She sounds lovely,” the mare chuckled.

The bartender returned moments later with a bottle of wine wrapped in a silver label and two tall crystal glasses. He presented the bottle to Fancy Pants before popping the cork with an golden ornate screwdriver

“Thank you,” Fancy Pants nodded to the bartender before magically picking up the bottle. “So tell me about yourself,” he said, pouring the wine into the pair of glasses, “it’s always so wonderful to see a new face around here.”

“Oh me?” the mare replied, gladly taking a glass of wine and savoring a steady sip of the red liquid, “well I’m not sure there’s much to tell.” She paused, swirling her wine around in its tall necked glass. “I’m a...writer...for a fashion magazine,” she thought deeply on the story she conjured up, taking deep pauses between words as she spun the stallion a story, “Canterlot is a wonderful fashion center, afterall.”

“It must be a rewarding occupation,” Fancy Pants answered, “to travel around and see all the latest designs and fads and attending all those fashion shows.” He paused to take a slow sip of his wine, allowing his mind to think of a cover story worthy of such a mare. “I myself captain an airship. The...Silver Lining, one of Equestria’s most luxurious skyliners.”

“I’ve never been on an airship before,” the mare said, “perhaps one day you can show me around.”

“I’d like that very much,” Fancy Pants replied.

Before long two bottles of wine and plenty of wonderful conversation was shared between the two unicorns. Fancy Pants was seeing a whole new side of this mare. He felt invigorated by the chat, finding it deep and personal, despite the first chance meeting.

“Let’s say we...get out of here,” Fancy Pants finally said, “head on out to some place quiet where we can relax.”

A grin grew across the mare’s face as she rolled the last sip of wine in her glass. “I think I know just the place,” she answered before drinking down the rest of her drink. “Come along,” she chimed, hopping out of her seat. Fancy Pants finished his drink and followed close behind.

Author's Note

Cover art was done by the talented Mix-Up, who was generous enough to offer some art in exchange for a story. Be sure to look forward to that in the future!