Last Stop on the Mail Route

Things were going really good so far.

There were stares, obviously. More than the usual. I guess seeing two of the more notorious members of Ponyville -- the clumsy mailmare and the biped that went through a blender, all dolled up and walking with a bouncing Filly between them, would draw some attention. But any time Derpy noticed someone staring, she'd glance up at me. I'd offer her a smile, and she'd glance down, smiling herself.

Since Derpy lived near the train station, we had to pass near it to get to the Cafe, and it looked like a train had just pulled in. This was confirmed when I saw Twilight in the distance, talking with a Rarity that had just returned from Canterlot. When Twilight noticed me, she tried to wave me down -- I didn't even get a chance to worry, however, as Rarity locked in on exactly what was happening. Her jaw dropping when she saw me, in part of the fancy suit she made for me, and Derpy, in a dress; she practically dragged Twilight back by the tail, preserving our date and chewing Twilight out.

Gotta thank Rarity for that later, she's a real one. Huge on romance. I don't think Derpy or Dinky noticed, but if they did, they didn't say anything.

Derpy and I softly chat about our past week, keeping a friendly small talk. She talks about some of the packages she had to deliver, and some of the stranger faces she's seem come by the Post Office. She even throws a few questions my way, but seems to lean more on an interest about the Griffon living with me, curious to how she was getting along, and how her brother was doing. She'd delivered a letter for them reporting what had happened, though a response wasn't likely coming back anytime soon.

Dinky's eyes practically pop out of her head as we pass a toy store -- she glances to her Mom for approval, to which Derpy nods, and Dinky rockets inside, leaving me and Derpy alone on the street for the moment.

"...Was it scary?" She asks suddenly, still looking at the shops front. I think.

"Was what?" I ask, unsure.

"I don't know what I'd do if Dinky was ever in a situation like that." She answers, slowly turning her gaze to look up at me.

Ah. Right.

But its an expression of... relief? And a smile?

"I heard from Dinky about what you did, for Scootaloo. Thank you for saving her friend." She says softly.

"...I didn't--" I groan, scratching the back of my neck.

"I'm relieved that... I can trust that you would make sure Dinky was safe, if something ever happened. She adores you, and I appreciate that you look after her so well." She continues, cutting me off.

She turns towards me, waving a hoof for me to kneel down.

I oblige, wobbling down to one knee. A look of guilt pangs her face as she remembers my leg, but I shrug it off. "Pants. Everyone forgets. Hell, I do sometimes." I joke, getting a relieved giggle out of Derpy.

She leans a hoof on my good knee, pushing herself up -- and kisses me on the cheek. The injured cheek. She pretty much kisses my teeth.

And I think it was intentional.

She hangs for a second, staring into my face, taking a long breath -- before hopping back down, smiling.
"You'd better hurry in there before she finds the expensive stuff." She jokes, still with that same smile.

Mentally, its like I just got a reboot. Her lips were fucking soft, and she smelled... really nice.

I can only nod as I push myself to my feet, ducking through the doorway.

I was a little late, in the end. Dinky had locked in on a build-your-own science type kit, with a sizable price tag to match. But, a promise was a promise. And, shit, gotta support a smart Filly.

Didn't hurt too much that I got a kiss out of it, either. My bits bag'll live.

Derpy can't help but giggle as she sees us walk out, Dinky's sizable purchase tucked under my arm. Cafe wasn't too far, so toting it around wouldn't be that bad. Dinky was ecstatic, and as we start walking again, Derpy is humming softly.

I think its the same thing Dinky keeps humming.

For a Sunday Lunch, the place is fairly bustling.

With an indoor and an outdoor section, the Cafe boasts numerous tables with white clothes draped overtop, candles sat in the center of each table; empty tables are unlit, occupied ones are. The large, purple milkshake sign sits hanging off the second floor of the building. Yeah, I don't see a name anywhere. Shake shack it is.

There's a good variety of Ponies here, likely enjoying their off day. Not too many that I actually know, though.

We're about third in line, waiting to be seated. Dinky's excitement is still in full bubbling swing, but a surprisingly stern glance from Derpy has kept her rooted in place, now relegated to bobbing on her hooves.

"We want indoor or patio?" I ask, floating the idea to Derpy.

"...I don't think I'd mind either. I'm just excited to see the menu." She muses, playfully tapping her hoof on her chin.

I don't think Dinky had an opinion. Only thing that Filly cared about was the box to the toy I was carrying for her.

We shuffle forward in line.

"What about you, Anon?" Derpy asks.

"Either is fine, honestly. Weather is nice." I reply, using my height to peer over the others and around the restaurant. Didn't look too busy.

"Maybe outside, so you don't have to duck your head?" Derpy playfully pokes.

"I've actually gotten pretty good about ducking, recently. Haven't needed to use the headache medicine Nurse Redheart gave me in a while." I retort, feigning pride.

"You have that stuff too? Its good, right?" Derpy smiles, opening her purse and showing me -- she had a bottle of the stuff, as well as for a few other things. That Mare kept a stacked medicine cabinet.

I think I see some Painkillers in there, too.
"What's the heaviest thing she's ever prescribed you?"

Derpy thinks for a moment...
"Got caught in the Mail chute during a package arrival, once. Redheart had me on so much I couldn't feel my hooves." She snorts. "I don't remember the name, but I'm glad I haven't needed it again. You?"

I stifle a laugh.
"Oh, Morphine, easily."

Derpy tilts her head, unfamiliar.

"It's like a painkiller, but hits like a train. You feel nothing. When I lost the leg, they had me swimming in the stuff. Felt like I was in a coma for two months. I don't think I actually was, but I barely remember anything until the physical therapy started." I explain.

"Oh, my." Derpy hums, morbidly intrigued. She's about to ask something else, but the group in front of us is shuffled off towards a table inside.

We shuffle forward, now front of the line. We're met with a rather fancy looking Colt sporting a solid mustache (still funny to me how they can grow facial hair), and the front half of a tuxedo, who nods to us as we approach the greeters booth.

I can see a flicker of trepidation when he notices that its Derpy, but, he composes himself. The look he throws me is far more aloof, as if wondering why i was here, before he looks down to Dinky, who smiles so widely at him you'd think she was half piranha.

"...For three?" He finally asks.

A collective nod from the trio of us.

"...Right this way." He quickly notes, gathering up two menus, and what I assume is the kids menu, by the bright colors.

He leads us inside, myself trailing after Derpy, then Dinky.

The place definitely has a fancier ambience, though almost no other Ponies are wearing clothes. Compared to Canterlot, clothing just isn't nearly as popular here. It's primarily accessories, or simple things to put on.

Won't hear me complain about Derpy's dress, though.

Cream walls with a darker wood lower-half, with chandeliers flickering the nice orange glow over the place. I think there's a bar near the back, actually.

We're lead through the restaurant to the back, sat at a corner booth. My original gameplan was to just sit on the floor, but cramming into a booth...

"You, uh... wouldn't happen to have any tables open?" I float the question. Derpy glances up at me, tilting her head as I ask.

"Nope--er, unfortunately not. This is it." He quickly states.

I had a feeling it was more "This is it, for you.", intending to keep us in the corner, out of sight. Whatever.

"...Gotchya. Thanks." I grunt.

He lays the menus out across the booths top, Dinky and Derpy slipping in on the same side.

Its gonna be awkward to cram my legs under there.

... But I could remove one leg from the equation.

The Colt server eyes slowly widen as I sit on the edge of the undersized booth, lift my trouser leg, and begin unscrewing my prosthetic. Words don't seem to find him before I'm done, and I lean my metal leg against my side of the booth, alongside Dinkys toy, before sliding in myself. A little cramped, and I might have a sore back later, but only needing to worry about one leg helped with the leg-room issue. Yeah, I can work with this.

They definitely sat us here so we'd be a lot less visible to most of the diners.

But honestly? Couldn't care less.

This places theme was a wide selection of shakes to tide you over until you got your food. Dinky got a Triple-Chocolate Coco Blast, Derpy got a Blueberry Bash, and I got a Vanilla Shake. (Sue me, Vanilla is the shit.)

We're chatting, smiling and laughing as we wait for our food. Dinky already has half her shake hoovered, while I finally get some answers about some Pony things, taking turns asking questions with Derpy while we wait for the actual meal part of our lunch.

"So, the whole flower eating thing. Is it only when it's given as a gift, or if I have like... a garden, I'm gonna find bites missing out of it from passing Ponies?" I tap the table, confused.

Derpy laughs -- an adorable, bubbly laugh -- before shaking her head.
"Only when its in a vase or a bouquet. It's considered bad manners to eat someone's garden or free-growing plants. Like... taking an Apple from Sweet Apple Acres. Okay, my turn." She explains, before tapping her chin with a hoof.

"... When did you first get into Whittling? Dinky has been telling me about the figures you've been carving, and how you offered her one; I remember seeing a few on your windowsill, from the last time I dropped a package off. Dinky's waiting until she has a really good idea to ask for." Derpy decides on, leaning both hooves on the table.

I huff, amused. This one tickled some memories.
"My grandpa, actually. Showed me when I was young, before he passed. Never got to show him my first finished product, but he showed me the basics and tools I'd need. I've always found its a great way to pass the time; just need a little knife thats easy to carry around and a good sized stick, and you're going. Always leaned on carving animals, which translates to works that look like Ponies, apparently."

Derpy nods, sighing wistfully.
"It was my Grandma who showed me how to sew. I'd help her work on patches and badges and... whatever little projects she was working on. Don't touch it too often anymore, unless I'm patching up my uniform or my bags."

"Really? Is that your handiwork on your saddlebags, then? I noticed you got them really on there." I ask.

"Yeah, Grandma was a stickler for making sure that once the patch was on, it wasn't going anywhere. Rubbed off on me." She smiles, glancing around the restaurant.

"Alright, I got one." I cut in, Derpy glancing back to me.

She watches me expectantly.
"Yeah?"

"What's with Ponies and... smell? I don't think my people have nearly as sensitive noses as you do, but I heard from Twilight that smell is a pretty big things to Ponies." I say, poking at my nose.

Derpy purses her lips, glancing to Dinky -- whose cheeks are entirely sucked in as she drains the last of her Shake.

Derpy glances around, in thought.

"Its..."
She blushes.
"Well, Ponies have really sensitive noses. We also... communicate, with smells. Like... when someone is..." She pauses, trying to think of kid friendly words with her daughter present. It seemed like a surprisingly touchy subject.
"In a relationship, the Mare will often try to make sure the Colt shares her scent, to let other Mares know he's taken. A lot of Mares -- Colts too -- are also... heavily incentivized by scent, let's say." She continues, checking to see if Dinky is paying attention. She's wiggling her straw around to try and get the last sip of her Shake, none the wiser.

"Since my eyesight isn't as good as it used to be, I'm actually a little more reliant on smell. Or, my sense of smell is... stronger." She says, quietly.

Then, her gaze slowly flicks up to me. She leans forward, reaching a hoof out and practically stares into me. I lean forward in turn, expecting her to whisper. She lays a hoof overtop of my hand, and whisper she does. Though, I wasn't ready for what.

"...I really like your scent. It's... unique." She mutters quietly.

Whoof. Alright. Roll with it, Muss. You're smooth. You've got this.

"You know, uh... and I'm sorry if this is forward, but I'm just trying to roll with the mood here, but -- I wouldn't mind if you made me smell like you. Dunno how that works, but uh, if that's a, good thing to do. For us. For Ponies. Even though I'm not one. I'd be down for it." I say back, though I start finding trouble finishing the sentence when a brilliant, beet-red blush strikes across Derpy's cheeks, nearly turning her whole face a flush red. Shit, may have swung way too wide --

Before either of us can say anything, the Server Colt coughs loudly, both of us snapping back to sitting properly in our seats, as he lays out the food between us.

Dinky's hooves shoot up in excitement, reaching for her plate with her magic.

Derpy and I cough, letting the meal give the mood time to cool off. Might have come on a little strong, there.