The restaurant was very lively. the seats were all full and the waitresses were in a rush to please the customers. Dim lights hung from the ceiling. Decorated in stained glass of roses. the walls were covered in oil paintings made during the founding of Manehatten. Even the floor was spotless clean. This truly was an impressive establishment.
Fluttershy sat opposite to her date. Her mane hid her right eye. She was nervous. This was her first ever date and this city wasn't as accepting of interspecies dating as Ponyville. She wasn't wearing anything, but her date was very well dressed. He wore a dark red suit and his hair was combed neatly. He had a white rose decorating his left breast on the outside. The table was almost empty. Just the two menus and two glasses of water sat atop.
"Umm... What would you like to order... Monsieur Candie?" Fluttershy asked, trying to break the silence. Candie said nothing, instead opting to pull out a pipe and light it. she gasped.
"You... You can't smoke in here. We're gonna get in trouble..." She stated quietly. Candie ignored her. He tossed his flip lighter on the table. It was engraved with his initials.
"What about you, sweet? What would YOU like to order. name it. Anything. Any price... for my lovely mare." He took a long puff of Mississippi tobacco and reclined in his seat, staring her in her enormous eyes.
"Umm... Well... I think I'll get..." She paused. Her voice caught in her throat. She didn't quite understand why. She thought to herself, "Come on, Fluttershy. I thought we were past this type of thing." She started to sweat.
"Darling..." Candie wrapped his finger around her fetlock. "Relax. There is nothing for you to be nervous about. Please, order whatever you like." She resumed her normal breathing.
"I apologize um... Monsieur. I've never done anything like this before, and if you forgive me for saying this, You have a bit of an intimidating aura to you." She said, locking eyes with him once again. His smile was genuine and full of kindness.
"No offense taken, love. I'll get you the blue cheese lettuce wedge. You are a vegetarian, are you not?" She smiled back.
"Oh, yes. All ponies are herbivores actually." His smile dropped.
"Oh, no. Did I say something insensitive?" she thought. He withdrew his hand to his side of the table.
"Really? Why do you have livestock then? I've seen Applejack's barn. She has pigs, chickens..."
She interrupted, afraid of the implications that he could think ponies could do something as awful as eat living things. "Oh, we don't eat the pigs. We do eat eggs, but that's the only thing we eat from animals."
"Then why do you have the pigs for?", he inquired. Fluttershy put a hoof to her jaw. "I don't actually know... I never asked."
Candie waved his hand. "Forget it. We have more important things to talk about."
"We do?" She responded.
"Yes, we do. I hope you don't think the ONLY reason I agreed to this date was because of your looks, beautiful as you are." Fluttershy looked hurt for a moment. "I have a business proposition to give you."
Her eye's widened, "You do? You told me you were a businesspony, but you never said exactly what it was you do. I'm no businessmare myself. What could you possible have to offer me?"
He took another puff. "Why, that zebra you have. I want her. I'll offer top dollar for her. 9000 bits in fact"
She nervously giggled. "Ummm... You mean... Zecora? I forget you two even met. She left so fast after you came in the front door to my cottage. We were having such a lovely tea part together... But umm.. What do you mean, by "buy?""
He gave her an unamused look. "Well, I mean... She is yours, right?"
Fluttershy was thoroughly confused now. "Mine? She is a close friend. I love her very much. Forgive me, sir, but umm.. I don't quite understand what..."
He put a finger to her lips, "I mean, she belongs to you, right? I was under the impression that you were her master."
"Master?" she thought back to a conversation she had with Rarity once. "Is he talking about that BDSM stuff that Rarity was going on about?" She wondered, blushing.
"No... She's just a... friend..." Fluttershy responded, almost so quietly that he couldn't hear her. She took a long sip from her water.
"No need to be dishonest, love. She is admittedly beautiful for a zebra. I understand. I have had some intimate interactions with my property myself from time to time. You need not be ashamed."
Fluttershy choked on her water. "I'm sorry, I... I gotta use the restroom."
Calvin was notably surprised by her sudden outburst. "My darling, are you alrig..." He didn't get to finish as Fluttershy made her way to the bathroom and climbed out the window to immediately sprint home at breakneck speed.
"Hmmm... Skiddish one she is." He pulled out his pocketwatch. "We haven't even ordered yet."
The waitress came to the table a minute later. She was an earth pony with pure white fur and blonde hair. Her eyes were blue and she was holding a platter with another customer's dirty plates "What would you... Oh, where is your date, sir?" She asked.
Calvin stared into her eyes. His words failed to come out as his throat trembled. "Miss... I think that we were never meant to be. I believe that there is only one match for every soul."
She burst out laughing. "Don't worry sir. There are plenty of fish in the sea. Would you still like to order?"
Calvin continued staring into her eyes. "You are the most beautiful mare I've ever seen. What is your name?"
She looked surprised for a moment and then smiled, "My name is Aryanne, sir. It's a pleasure."
Calvin gestured his hand to his seat. "Sit, please."
Her smile fell slightly. "I have to work, sir. Maybe next week?"
"I'd love that."
Author's Note
I am going to hell.
