Chapter 9 – Trotting for Once
The day has rolled on for the young stallion after your visit. At first Aerolight tried just to head back to bed, however this proved frivolous as he was unable to fall back into a worthwhile sleep.
But that was hours ago, and right now the young stallion has pushed thoughts about you and everypony else out. Instead he focuses on just continuing the almost mindlessly pace around the bright white stone floored area of Fantaisie Gras.
The young stallion's plan on showing up a little later in the night has actually started to bring questions into his mind. Firstly whether or not the mare he is waiting for would even show up, secondly how long is he willing to wait.
Aerolight slowly starts to move from his thoughts as he starts to turn his sight to one of the waiting benches that sit in the hotel's lobby.
As he sits to one of the gold trimmed white stoned benches he moves his hoof to the bright rose flower he had held in his mane, the flower's petals has gone a little lopsided but its luster has not changed a bit. The young stallion twirls it in his hoof for the moment as he looks over the short steam he broke down to better fit in his mane.
Sure he got a few looks for having it, but pony's who he will never see again carries no weight to him.
The sound of one of the two front doors on his left opening turns his head as he looks over the pony that now trots in. A faint smile and a new spark to his eyes fire up as he looks the earth mare trotting. The mare's yellow coat is for the most part hidden under a lavious light white and blue trimmed cloak and her mane has now been curled in a very majestic way to draw attention to her eyes.
"Hello madam shall I-..."
The stallion's voice from the reception desk brings a little response from the mare as she shakes her head, "I do not require anything at this time." As her words come down Aerolight stands up.
His flashy smile holds over his snout as he keeps the rose in his hoof close to him for just the right moment.
Lady Way now slows her trot as she squints a little to the absent armor wielding dark cream stallion, "I see you took my suggestion to not wear your armor. Tell me, did that mean you could wear nothing at all?"
Her words have no affect on the young stallion who has nothing but a small bag on around him. Instead he just holds his smile as he waits for the mare to pause a little in front of him, as she does he sparks up his magic to slowly float the flower to her mane as his voice comes up, "Well I didn't expect to see the mare from last night dressed like a lady."
The thornless rose comes to sit just above the mare's right ear as she shifts her eyes to it for a moment, but as her voice comes up she turns back to the stallion with a little smirk, "A red rose hm?" She trots past him slowly just to make sure her tail brushes up against the stallion's chest, "...I prefer Lupine."
Aerolight cocks a smile to her bold tail motion that anypony in the room could have seen, but before he can speak up the mare has already spoken, "Now shall we? I am famished."
The young stallion follows after her as the mare leads the trot into the side hall in front of the staircase. Aerolight may have lived in the city for a while and he is a guard for it, but he has never been inside all of the buildings and as a result Fantaisie Gras's halls are foreign to him.
However the trot is quick as the two ponies near the restaurant section of the hotel with the sign out in front that reads, La bonne.
As the sound of the two ponies near the little podium set out in the hallway the unicorn dressed in a waiters top shifts his head up as he looks over the fancy dressed mare, "Two?"
"Yes, thanks."
The stallion nods as he floats up two menus, "Follow me."
Aerolight and Lady Way follow after the stallion as they pass into the romantically lit room that has the sweet sound of a piano lightly playing somewhere in it. A few ponies sit around the area in booths and tables but for the most part their conversations are low and inaudible.
"Here you go." The stallion floats over the two menus as he moves to let the two ponies that followed him sit down. As they do his voice comes back up, "My I interest you in any of our wine?"
Lady Way speaks up as she nods, "Yes, do you have any Vanhoover Merlot?"
The stallion nods as he trots away, "Yes we do."
As the stallion moves from the table Lady Way turns her attention back to the stallion in front of her as she smiles. The wine she just ordered is definitely not close to cheap however the young stallion does not flinch an inch as he just moves the bag he had on to drape across the seat's back.
"So do tell me Aerolight, how long where you waiting?" The mare's fancy southern tone cocks Aerolight's head as he speaks up, "I take it your party wasn't to great."
"Why would you guess that?" The mare holds her smile as she waits for an answer.
Aerolight turns his eyes around the room for a moment as he answers her, "Because I've only been here ten minutes." His lie comes up with a smile as the mare widens her smile a little.
But before Lady Way can speak up the stallion has come back with a dark bottle of red liquid that he has floating beside him as he sets two glasses to the table.
It only takes a moment for the wine to uncork as he begins to pour a little into each glass. As both come filled a little he takes his leave as he sets the bottle to the edge of the table.
Lady Way moves her hoof to the glass as she pulls it a little closer to her. But Aerolight has no intention of her leading the early diner conversations as he tries to push the night along the way he wants, "So Lady Way, do you have an easy name I can say?"
The mare nods as she answers, "Why yes, I do."
Her end in sentence without a name brings Aerolight's voice up as again he nods, "Okay."
Lady Way brings her glass to her lips as she takes a little sip of her drink, as she moves it from her snout she smiles, "But I will not let you have it until you realize who you sit with. I am in no way another prize for you."
Aerolight cocks his head to one side as he shrugs and takes his own drink a little closer to him, "Alright...Then what was Celestia's party for?"
The mare thinks over the comment for a moment as she sets her drink to the table, "It was a social gathering to try and enumerate the changelings she believes have taken over the outer cites."
Her words squint the stallion's eyes but he lets it pass as he continues to try and work the mare in front of him, "You didn't get caught did you?"
A little giggle comes up from the mare as she runs her hoof to the glass's side, "I did not intend to." She holds her light smile as she shifts her head to one side, "But I simply had to get out of their, everypony is just so...Unembellished, despite the royalty they all claim to be."
She continues to caress the glass in front of her as she looks to the stallion, "I would much rather spend my time with a pony whose name is worth its weight...Don't you agree Mr.Sparkle?" Her green eyes flicker a little brighter but Aerolight's eyes have already turned from her gaze at the name's mention as he looks into the room a little annoyed.
Lady Way's smile fades a little as Aerolight's voice comes up, no longer with the charm it had before but with true emotion, "If you're looking to meet some stallion from the stories you've got the wrong pony."
Aerolight turns his eyes back to the mare as he waits for a response.
However Lady Way just squints to his stare for a moment as she nods, "Milky."
The word takes the stallion off guard as he just blinks to her. Lady Way takes her hoof from the glass as she turns her gaze to the table for her next comment, "My name is Milky Way, I am the daughter of Vanhoover's Lord and Lady and I preside over Trottingham."
Aerolight slowly starts to bring back a smile as he looks over the mare's lightly freckled nose, "Milky Way?" He gets a little more comfortable as he settles into the chair, "I had expected a better sounding name."
The mare gives a little laugh to the bold comment as she brings her eyes up to the stallion, "Oh you are an exciting pony aren't you?" She holds her lighthearted tone as she nods, "You should know flattery like that will only get you closer to my bed."
A laugh quickly escapes the young stallion as he shifts his eyes to the table almost in disbelief to how straightforward this mare can actually be.
"Excuse me, but have you decided on a dish?" The stallion's voice next to the table turns Milky and Aerolight's heads as the mare shakes hers, "I'm sorry, but we have not even looked at the menu yet."
The waiter just nods as he moves from the side of the table.
Aerolight has recuperated his persona as he now looks over the mare, "So tell me Milky Way, what's it like Trottingham?"
His words bring a little smile to the mare's face as she gives a wide little smile, "I must confess, the answer to this question will in no way benefit you on your little quest into my room." She leans forward a little as she squints to the stallion, "Could it be that you have given up?"
The words bring the flashy smile back to Aerolight's face as he shakes his head, "Not even slightly."
Milky holds her eyes to the stallion as she gives a little nod, "Very well..."
Aerolight's flashy smile is quickly melted from his face as he feels a hoof slightly rub against his own, under the table.
The mare across from him holds her composure as she starts to speak up, "...Do make sure you listen Aerolight."
End of chapter 9