A Jeweler in the Rough, A Legends of Equestria Story (Working Title)

Band takes a good look in one of the shop’s mirrors, smiling as across town Pen picks up some lilacs for his sister. Both ponies walk towards the Velvet Meadows, thoughts racing on the events upcoming, both having a mix of excitement, hope, fear, and dread swirling within them.

Band arrives first and tells the maitre d’ that she is awaiting somepony and has a sit, a few minutes later Pen arrives, slightly hiding his face behind the flowers and revealing it slowly as if he was in a cheesy romance movie. Sadly the effect is lost quite a bit as the color of the flowers and his suit are similar, making it seem his head is almost floating. The Pegasus takes the flowers blushing at first then giving a little snicker at the sight.

Turning to the pony behind the podium pen says, “Platinum, reservation for two.”

The maitre d’ looks though the book and then to the historian, “I am sorry, Mr Platinum, there is no reservation for you tonight.”

“Impossible, I just made it a few hours ago via sending stone,” he says patiently yet firmly.

The maitre d’ flips a few pages, “I see, there was a slight miscommunication on our end, the server that took the stone wrote down two nights from now, in other words in two nights not tonight, unfortunately we are fully booked for the rest of the night but we can offer a coupon of twenty percent for your actual night.”

With a sigh the pair sits down on the bench, the start of their night already crushed.

“So what now?”, Band asks.

“Well there is a good place nearby, it’s not Prench like here but is still good food, if you don’t mind some exotic company,” Pen offers.

“Define exotic,” she says.

“Griffins, Thestrals, other omnivores,” he answers.

“So meat then, I can take that, after all my dad, Shining Gem, has dinner with actors of all races,” the Pegasus smiles.

“Good, it’s called the Grilling Griffin, as one would suspect the master chef is indeed a griffin,” the stallion remarks as he starts to lead the way.

“Really? I would have never guessed,” The mare sighs and rolls her eyes as Pen mentally kicks himself.

Already fuming Band only engages in small talk for the 15 minute walk. As she arrives she curses loudly realizing she left the flowers at Velvet Meadows as Pen’s heart drops a bit this date is going horribly, maybe he should have waited.

As they enter the thestral maitre d’ smiles a bit, “Mr. Platinum, good to see you, Ebon Cloud is here tonight if you want to talk, oh, I see you have a date, um, I’ll go find you two a seat.” The bat pony then scampers off.

“And who is Ebon Cloud?”, Band says, whispers of anger in her voice.

“A former marefriend, we dated a few times, then broke off pleasantly as we found we didn’t have too much in common,” Pen replies.

“Did you two, you know,” his date asks.

“As much as that sounds like a dangerous question I won’t lie. Yes, a few times before we found we didn’t exactly mesh well in the bedroom,” he answers honestly.

Band’s heart and mind warred her mind said he was honest while her heart says there is now somepony to measure against. “Is this wrong? Should I go through with this? He was honest, and some part of me also cares that I won’t be his first.”

“Sis?”, Pen asks as he starts to worry.

“Sorry was distracted. But thank you for being honest,” she remarks trying to keep an even tone as not to betray her worries.

“Welcome,” he says as he thinks, “Great now she’s being cold, this is ending well.”

“Okay,” the thestral says as she returns to the front, “I found you a table…”

“Buuut?” Pen asks hearing the drawn-out pause.

“It’s near a table with some of the Frontier Guard on leave,” she replies.

He sighs a little, “We’ll take it.”

The bat-winged mare gives a slight apologetic smile, “This way.” She leads the pair to a seat near a table of six beings, some pony, some griffin, all noisy.

They sit down as raucous lather erupts from their neighbors, “Well at least we got a table.” Pen smiles weakly.

Band sighs and nods, “So much for an intimate meal, but at least we are having dinner together.”

The thestral sits out some rich and cheesy garlic bread, “Your waitress will be out soon to take your order and thank you for choosing Grilling Griffin.”

Pen smiles and offers Band one with his magic which she eats with a slight smile.

“You know, despite everything, I am starting to warm up to this date,” Band hums.

The stallion was about to say something when a large griffin aria comes out and almost snarls, “Hi, name is Igna, I will be your waitress tonight, may I ask what you wish to drink?”

“Water for now until we decide what to eat,” Pen says.

“Very well, shall I start you with an appetizer?” she asks.

“Band?” he asks, giving her the floor.

“I’ll try the blooming onion, those are usually good,” she smiles at the waitress who takes the order and leaves

“Soooo…..,” Pen hums looking at the menu, “anything written in red contains meat, green is plants, and yellow is both.”

Band simply nods as she looks at her own, pondering, “Any suggestions?”

“They make a great vegetable stew, and believe it or not their in-house coffee pairs well with it,” he notes.

“Coffee? With stew?” Band asks surprised.

“Well, the stew has subdued seasonings that pair well with the strong flavor of the coffee, almost as if the coffee wakes up the stew,” he smiles in memory.

“Well, I’ll trust you, but I really want to know more about this Ebon Cloud,” she remarks.

“We met here when I was meeting some griffin ruin delvers for acquiring some tomes they found. She was my waitress and she was a little bit nerdy like me, after my meal with the griffins we talked. Turns out she only works here for family here and there, her main occupation is night-time emergency weather response. We met up a few times here and started dating, she had a passion for weather the way I do for history. We became a bit closer and then intimate, but after a few times it became clear that we were not physically compatible, we were good but there was no spark. A few dates after our fourth moment we broke it off peacefully and I still eat at this place here and there just to chat.” As the stallion finishes his story he observes his date.

Band digests all she hears and thoughts go through her head, “I never really thought about being……intimate with him, can I? Is it something he requires? And……and somehow it doesn’t shiver my skin to think of him in…that..way……” her heart skips in her chest as a hot flash briefly hits her, her heart flutters and her mind wonders, “What does he feel like? To have his hooves on me…holding me…touching me…in places…”

Pen cocks his head as Band seems to zone out on front of him, his usual social cluelessness apparent to all.

“I mean she is here tonight if you want to meet her, see that there is no romance anymore,” he offers.

She snaps back into reality as she nods, “Sure, I’d like to meet the mare who had your heart before me.”

“BEFORE HER!?!?Is she saying we are an us?” Pen’s mind races. “I’ll be sure to ask for her when Igna gets back.”

She nods as she begins waiting attempting to ignore the odiously loud table behind her. Band had not long to wait as the griffin returns with a sizzling platter.

“One blooming onion, are we ready to order?” she asks.

Pen nods, “Yes we’ll have two orders of the vegetable stew and two orders of the house coffee, and if she is free we would like to speak to Ebon Cloud.”

Igna raises an eyebrow, writes down the order, and leaves.

“Well, she should be here soonish,” Pen says, “And this conversation should be interesting to say the least.”

About ten minutes later both Igna and a thestral smoke grey in coat and muted yellow hair with a lightning scar on her ear approach with food.

“Hey bookworm, I heard somepony wants to meet me?” the bat pony smiles, her soft brown eyes scanning the table.

“That would be me,” Band remarks. “I understand you dated Pen for a bit? How was he, polite, considerate?”

“You really found a firebrand didn’t you?” Ebon says to Pen as she turns to his sister. “To answer your questions; yes, yes, and very.”

“Please sit, there is one more question I’d like to ask, one of a rather personal nature,” the Pegasus politely requests.

“Sure, Igna I got this for a bit, take care of others,” she hums as she sits. After the food is served and she sits down her gaze falls on the jeweler, “So, Band was it, what is this super important, super private question?”

“It is twofold: one how was Pen in bed, and two did it feel like intimacy was necessary for you two to be together?” Band asks bluntly.

“Wow, no shits given, got it. Well, he was good in bed, paid attention to my needs, and did his best but while we did, as they say, get our rocks off there was no real spark. Now as to the second no he never did and while it was intimacy that had our relationship end, it was more of an understanding that after we had sex a few times our attraction was more a deep friendship more than anything romantic. So we broke off being a couple and comfortably settled into being good friends. Were we had that spark I’d still be with him and we would not be having this conversation. He’s a good stallion, a bit bookish, a bit boring, but a good stallion nonetheless.” Ebon remarks, gauging Band’s reaction at every word.

“I see, thank you for being open, Ms. Sky,” Band hums, offering a wing to shake.

“No problem, now unless there is something else to turn Pen red as the tomatoes in his stew, I have work to do. Oh, and please call me Ebon,” the thestral says, taking the offered wing in her own and giving it a good shake.

As Ebon leaves, Pen looks up from his stew and almost pleadingly ask, “Did you have to do that?”

“A little, yes. I was curious and good to know you took it well, even if it was a little mean,” Band apologizes.

“Now if you are satisfied, can we eat?” Pen says through clenched teeth and embarrassment, ready to enjoy the rest of the night.

The meal proceeds nicely with kind and curious dinner conversation, that is until Band decides to press a few more...personal...questions.

“So, um, Pen, what all do you like, you know, in the bedroom?” she slips into the conversation.

Poor Pen chokes on a bit of stew before he recovers enough to speak, “I like many things, vanilla as they call it, oral, anal, and a few other things, and am willing to try new things as well.” Despite his recovered demeanor inside is far different, “Why is he asking this, is she planning, does she want to take it to that next step this quickly?”

Band, not expecting such a succinct response, blushes greatly. “Well, that’s good to know.” “He’s open, he’s genuine, I don’t detect any trace of deceit or deflection. And why did I even ask that? What is my body and heart telling me?”

They continue talking, sometimes dipping into sensual territory. This continues for a bit until Band jumps in shock as she looks down to see a griffin tail brushing her leg.

“Hey pretty mare, why not ditch the nerd and go home with a real male?” the drunk, lewd beast growls.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!?” Band exclaims as Pen moves from around the table.

“What, the pencil neck is gonna fight me?” he grins.

A brief flicker of green flame rolls from Pen’s right eye as each member of the Frontier Guard jumps back, wings on weapons as their bodies scream at the danger. The motion causes both tables to turn over dousing the siblings in stew.

As Band curses in fury Pen stares dead at the rowdy guards, “You will apologize to Band, you will pay your tab, and you will leave.”

She turns and sees the historian standing firm, no longer the meek bookstore owner now a wall between her and those that tried to harm her. The Guards grumble and leave, the fire of their fight extinguished.

“Band, I’m sorry, this is the second place we failed at having a date. Maybe we should just try again later,” Pen sighs.

“WHAT IN TARTARUS!?!?!?” exclaims a rapidly approaching Ebon Cloud.

“They got too rowdy, touched Band the wrong way, and were told to leave, they got more rowdy, and after that, they saw the error of their ways and left,” Pen says evenly.

“Sure, fine, whatever, but I will have to ask you to leave for now. So that all this can die down,” the thestral sighs.

As they leave Pen turns to Band, “Are you sure you don’t want to call it off?”

“I was promised a date, I am getting a date,” she says firmly.

“Very well, any ideas?” he asks.

“While I was waiting in the park they had some nice food vendors there, maybe a park date?” the Pegasus offers.

“Covered in soup?” Pen asks, smiling.

“Sure, why not, what else can go wrong,” Band says as Pen mentally facehoofs.

Arriving at the park Pen finds the one thing he believes will tame a troubled mare’s heart, ice cream.

Going with vanilla to be safe he brings a pair of two scoop cones to his date, “Here we go, ice cream, nothing can go wrong with ice cream.”

“Thank you Pen, I think this will be nice. Now, let’s find a peaceful place to sit,” Band smiles.

“I have just the spot, just past the main thoroughfare to the Noble Court on the parade viewing grounds. Usually open and the grass is well kept and comfortable,” he says, leading the way.

Sitting down they pony watch in the soft blues of night, walking pets, playing with a glow-in-the-dark Frisbee, painting, even playing a few instruments. Not talking the two merely enjoy each other’s company, taking a few licks of their frozen treats, they smile at once and offer the other their treat.

As they do a voice cries out, “Look out!”

A glowing neon blue streak hit both cones, splattering each other with frozen dessert. Staring at each other an Earth Pony walks up, retrieves a Frisbee, and apologizes as they sit in stunned silence.

Covered in stew and vanilla, their smells slowly getting worse, outfits ruined beyond repair, and now practically out of bits, they look each other up and down......then start laughing.

“This has to be the worst date I have ever been on,” Pen laughs to tears.

“Indeed, as far as first dates go this has got to make history in terribleness,” Band joins in the laughter.

Falling onto the grass, staining themselves even more, the pair keep the merry noises pouring from them for a good five minutes. As it peters out they look at each other, there was no loss of care, of love, they had a Tartarus of a first date and to the other their date still looked amazing. The stress gone, the bad feelings of the night, the tainted memories of cruel fate after cruel fate rewrite into golden ones, a tale to tale, a memory to cherish for ages. They move to each other, gazes locked, hearts pounding, as finally from a place of pure love, they kiss.