//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Meet the Team Part Two - The Dinner // Story: Fleeting Romance // by Sketchy Changeling //------------------------------// Lame title is lame title. “No. Fucking. Way…” Gaffer said in disbelief. “You’re going to dinner with the Wonderbolts!?” “Could you be any louder?” Cory asked, annoyed. “Yes, I’m going to dinner with them.” He didn’t want Gaffer to know that he was going out with celebrities, but what choice did he have? Gaffer would end up asking him where he’d be anyway, so Cory just decided to tell him. “Why did they invite you?” the unicorn asked. “Was it because you were friends with Fleetfoot?” “We’re… more than just friends now…” Cory struggled to say. “What do you me- wait… You’re not saying-” “Yeah… Fleetfoot and I are sort-of together now,” the human admitted. “WHAT!?” Gaffer yelled, and Cory shushed him again. “When did this happen?” the unicorn said with a more quiet tone. “Last night,” Cory explained. “We were at the mountainside spire, and we just gave it a shot, but that’s not important right now.” “You’re right, but you still didn’t answer my question regarding why you were invited to dinner,” Gaffer reminded. “Well, Fleetfoot wanted me to meet the other Wonderbolts so she could introduce me as her boyfriend,” the human explained. “I noticed how nervous she sounded on the phone, so I faked excitement so that she could be more at ease.” He sighed before continuing. “You won’t believe how nervous I actually was. I mean, having to meet your girlfriend’s-” “Marefriend’s” the unicorn corrected. Cory rolled his eyes. “Having to meet your marefriend’s teammates and anxiously waiting for what they had to say can take its toll on your sanity.” “I doubt that things turned out that bad, Cory,” Gaffer said with a reassuring smile. “It didn’t,” he said. “Misty and Blaze were ecstatic, and Soarin seemed happy, too, but Spitfire didn’t seem so thrilled. I could feel her gazing at me the entire time, and it was near impossible to keep a happy face through it all. I could tell that she didn’t like me. Then there was Rapidfire; I couldn’t really tell what he was feeling. He didn’t seem excited like Misty and Blaze, but he didn’t look as threatening as Spitfire, so I have no idea what he felt. Matter of fact, he was the only pony that didn’t say a word.” Gaffer chuckled. “Maybe he and one of the other Wonderbolts had a bet going that he lost, and his expression was one of disbelief.” Cory chuckled as well. “Yeah, that might be it. Anyway, Spitfire decided to invite me to dinner with her and the others.” “What exactly did she say?” the unicorn asked. “Her exact words were ‘It’d be nice to get to know you a little better.’ She also said that it was nice meeting me, but if you ask me, it sounded a little forced,” Cory explained. “Well, don’t assume that just yet,” Gaffer advised. “Maybe she’s just trying to see if you’re a good guy. I’ve heard that Spitfire and Fleetfoot were really close, so it’s natural for a mare to want the best for her best friend. I’m sure human women are the same.” “You’re right,” Cory admitted. “Anyway, I’m waiting for Fleetfoot to call me and tell me where we’re going to be eating, and then I’ll know how I’ll need to dress for the occasion.” Just as he said those words, his phone started to ring. “Speak of the devil,” said Gaffer. “Hello?” Cory said as he answered the phone. “Hey, Cory,” Fleetfoot said. “We’ve decided where we want to go for dinner. It’s a place by the mountainside called Jack’s Bistro.” “Jack’s Bistro?” Cory repeated so that Gaffer could hear. He didn’t like the nervous look on the unicorn’s face. “Yeah, it’s a really fancy place,” Fleetfoot explained, “and we’re gonna be dressing up really nicely, so… shoot for semi-formal. And before you ask, I don’t expect you to pay for your share of the dinner, Spitfire said that it’s a courtesy to you.” “That’s a relief. As you can imagine, working at a comic book store isn’t a very lucrative career choice,” said Cory. Fleetfoot giggled at his joke. “Thanks for the laugh. I really needed that,” she said. “Anyway we’ll be ready to go at around seven in the evening, so meet us at the main entrance at Garden Ridge Hotel.” “Okay. See you then,” said the human. “Bye, Cory,” said the mare. Cory hung up the phone and sighed. “Jack’s Bistro, huh?” Gaffer asked. “That place is mad fancy,” “That’s what Fleetfoot told me,” said Cory. “I think I have a semi-formal outfit in my closet. Hopefully this will all go over well.” “Oh, before I forget,” said Gaffer, “the company I work for is having a special event for college students. They’re going to be offering a workshop in game design on Saturday.” “That sounds cool,” Cory said. “I’m there. For now, though, I need to get ready for tonight.” As he walked upstairs, Gaffer called his name, and he turned around to see what he wanted. “Good luck tonight, man,” he said. “Thanks, G,” Cory said with a smile. That night, Fleetfoot went out to the hotel entrance before everypony else so she could look out for Cory. As she waited, she kept tweaking her short, blue dress and making sure that she looked absolutely perfect. Fleetfoot normally didn’t care about appearances, but she didn’t think it was fair to ask Cory to dress his best without her doing the same. She even decided to wear earrings for the occasion. The poor mare’s heart nearly jumped out of her chest when she saw Cory walking down the block. She was also relieved that he dressed for the occasion; he was wearing a dark red blazer and matching pants with a white shirt underneath. “Hi, Fleetfoot,” he said as he approached her. “You look pretty tonight.” Seeing him and hearing the compliment put Fleetfoot at ease. “You mean I don’t look pretty the rest of the time?” she teased. “Oh, well of course you do! I was just saying that-“ “I’m screwing with you,” said the mare. “You’ve got to stop doing that,” said Cory. “It’s the only thing that’s easing my nerves,” said Fleetfoot, “so too bad, sweetie.” “Ah well,” the human conceded. “So, where are the others?” Fleetfoot turned around and saw Spitfire, Soarin, Rapidfire, Blaze, and Misty Fly exiting the hotel. “There they are,” she said as they approached her and Cory. “Good night, lovebirds,” Blaze said with a smirk. “This is gonna be exciting!” said Misty. “So when does our ride get here, Spitfire?” asked Soarin. The mare looked around and spotted a large carriage. “There it is,” she said, pointing it out. Cory looked at the vehicle with curiosity. Despite living in Canterlot for a while, he never really paid attention to the vehicles ponies drove since he pretty much walked everywhere. The carriage had a mix of Equestrian antiquity and human technology. It was powered by a motor, but it still had that medieval look to it. When it stopped in front of Cory and the Wonderbolts, they all loaded in, with Cory letting Fleetfoot enter before him. Despite the fact that there were seven of them, the carriage was actually quite roomy. The atmosphere reminded Cory of a stretch limo, not that he’d ever been in one. “So, Cory,” said Soarin, “is this your first time going to Jack’s Bistro?” “Yeah,” the human answered. “To be honest, I’ve never even heard of it before Fleetfoot told me about tonight. Even so, the place sounded expensive, and when you’re a college student working in a comic book store, you don’t make that much.” “Hmph, you must be new to Canterlot then,” Rapidfire said with a hint of passive aggression. Cory had a slight feeling that something was off about the stallion, but he decided to shrug it off. “Yeah, I am new to Canterlot,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I’m pretty much new to Equestria.” “Well, you can tell us more when we get to the restaurant where we can sit and relax rather than in a stuffy carriage,” Spitfire joked, causing the others, minus Rapidfire to laugh. The aforementioned stallion simply let out a fake chuckle. “Okay, Spitfire seems to be warming up to Cory a little,” Fleetfoot thought, relieved that her captain wasn’t glaring holes into her boyfriend, for once. When they all arrived at the restaurant, Spitfire went up to the mare at the front. “We have a reservation,” she said. “Spitfire, party of seven.” She then took out some bits and handed them to the mare. "If the press asks, we were never here." The mare looked at the reservation list and found Spitfire’s name, and then she took the bits “Of course, ma’am. Right this way.” The Wonderbolts and Cory were led to a table large enough to fit all seven of them, and where they were sitting had a great mountainside view. “Man, there are a lot of places in Canterlot with great views,” Cory said. “Yeah, next to the Mountainside Spire, this is the best view you’ll get,” Fleetfoot added. “And you get to eat, so it’s that much more awesome!” said Soarin, his mouth watering at the thought of eating a hearty dinner. As they all sat down and got their menus, Cory looked at his options. In the five years that humans and ponies have been in contact, Equestrian food establishments have adapted their menus to accommodate the humans’ more… carnivorous tastes. Cory saw some familiar items like steak and lobster, but he decided to play it safe and looked for a good meal that had no meat in it. He didn’t want to make anypony uncomfortable. The question was: what was he gonna eat? “I’m really feeling the hay quiche,” said Misty Fly. “You can make a quiche with hay?” Cory thought. “Ah, what the hell, I’ll go with that.” Making up his mind, he said “I think I’ll get that, too.” Rapidfire raised an eyebrow “Hmph, that’s a surprise,” he said. “I thought you’d choose one of the items from the carnivore section of the menu.” His voice still had that slight tone of passive aggression. Like last time, most of the others didn’t notice it, but Blaze heard it clear as day, and she shot Rapidfire a glare. “Well, one of the reasons why I moved to Equestria was a change of atmosphere,” Cory explained. “With that in mind, I thought I’d try some of the native foods.” “Oh, in that case, you should try hay fries. They’re delicious!” Misty Fly said excitedly. “I second that,” added Soarin. “Actually,” said Cory. “I’ve tried them before, and you’re right. They really are delicious. I’ve even heard that they’re actually healthier for you than regular fries.” “I like this kid,” said Blaze. Spitfire looked at Cory and her teammates in disbelief. “I can’t believe it,” she thought. “He’s getting along so well with the others. He seems to care a lot for Fleetfoot, and he’s even willing to try new things for her sake. I’d hate to admit it, but I was totally wrong about this kid.” She then looked at Rapidfire, who had a somewhat sour look on his face. “What’s wrong with Rapid, though? He looks like he smelled something rotten. Come to think of it, the guy’s been sulking all day. I wonder…” “So you mentioned in the carriage that you work in a comic book store, right, Cory?” Soarin asked. “Yeah,” he answered. “Fleetfoot actually showed up the other day to get a comic for you.” “Do you get employee discounts on purchases?” the stallion asked. “Don’t get any ideas, Soarin!” Fleetfoot scolded. “Yeesh! I was just asking!” he said. “Well, you also mentioned that you were in college,” Spitfire said, changing the subject before Soarin could go on a tangent about his love for comics. “What’s your major?” “I’m undeclared at the moment, but I’m going to be attending a workshop for game design that my roommate’s company is holding,” Cory answered. “Wait a sec,” said Soarin. “Does this roommate of yours happen to be Gaffer?” “Yeah, you know ‘im?” Cory asked. “I went to school with him, but he was in the class above me, so we didn’t talk much,” the stallion explained. “That explains why he’s never mentioned you,” Cory thought. After dinner, as Cory and the Wonderbolts made their way back to their carriage, Spitfire tapped Cory’s shoulder. “Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?” she asked. “Sure, Spitfire,” he said. As the other Wonderbolts continued towards the carriage, Spitfire and Cory hung back and talked. “I’m going to be honest,” she said. “When Fleetfoot first mentioned you, I was suspicious. Very suspicious. When she introduced you, though, my mind started to change. I had imagined some scruffy looking punk, but you were a complete surprise. You’re sensitive and caring, and I can tell that you really care about Fleetfoot. After getting to know you better tonight, I think you’re perfect for her.” “Thanks, Spitfire,” the human said gratefully. “Although, I do get why you were so suspicious. Fleetfoot told me how close you two are. You were only looking out for your best friend.” The mare chuckled. “I’m glad you get where I’m coming from. You’re a good kid, Cory,” she said as she and Cory caught up with the others. As the carriage pulled up in front of the hotel, everyone unloaded from it. “It was nice meeting you, Cory,” said Soarin. “Yeah, you’re pretty cool!” said Misty Fly. “We should all hang out again soon,” said Blaze. “I’ll definitely keep that in mind,” said Cory. “It was nice meeting you guys, too.” “Alright, everypony, let’s get inside,” said Spitfire. “See ya around, kid.” As the other Wonderbolts walked towards the hotel, Fleetfoot stayed behind with Cory. “I think that went well, don’t you?” she said. “I do,” he said. “Your teammates are really nice.” “Even Rapidfire?” “Okay, maybe he’ll be a tougher nut to crack, but for the most part, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve earned your team’s approval,” he said with a chuckle. Fleetfoot smiled slyly. “You know I’d still want to be with you even if they didn’t like you, right?” “Of course,” said Cory. “At least, I think so.” The mare chuckled. “You think so?” she asked as she leaned into him before locking her lips with his. Just then, they heard some whistles coming from nearby. Fleetfoot opened an eye and saw that it was Misty Fly and Blaze whistling. “Get a room, you two!” Soarin teased. “You’ve swapped spit for long enough!” Spitfire added. Fleetfoot merely gave a smug look and raised her middle finger at her teammates as she continued to kiss Cory. The other Wonderbolts laughed uncontrollably, except for Rapidfire, who was trying to contain his envy, his efforts being in vain. “Who does this kid think he is!?” he thought angrily. “I can’t believe Fleetfoot likes him! Well, not for long. I need to do something to knock that punk down a peg!”