A Not-So-Fairytale Romance

by Anonymous Pegasus

First Meeting

The Grand Galloping Gala, social event of the year for the ponies of Canterlot; the place for high-brow pony society to mingle and mix.

It was perhaps a dubious sight to see Ditzy Doo, of all ponies, dressed in a long, flowing purple dress, stepping out of one of the carriages and on to the long path leading up to the Canterlot Castle.

She was late already, by an hour or more, after a ‘mishap’ with her dress had caused the entire thing to fall apart. One little thread pulled, and the entire thing had collapsed; so she had to rush to get it repaired an hour before the Gala started.

Almost tripping and falling on her face on the way out of the carriage, she stumbled, and managed to regain her footing; innate balance, she told herself, and not long practise.

It was an odd set of events that led to her being at the Gala, and not all of them were entirely happy, either. Actually, most of them weren’t. Her job; or well, her ex job, at the transport company, had been ‘unexpectedly terminated’ when Ditzy had managed to break a ‘priceless’ vase.

It hadn’t even been her fault, really. She had been carefully watching her step, to make sure there was not a single thing she could bump into and cause her to lose her footing, when one of the other movers had backed directly in to her, not paying attention to where he was going.

Her complaints had, of course, gone unnoticed and unheard. Instead, she had been called into her bosses office.

The boss of the company; a large, muscular Earth Pony named Steel Hoof, had handed her a golden ticket. “This is yours, so long as I never see your face again,” he had stated flatly.

And that was that. Another job gone.

Before that, it had been her job as a Mail Mare, where she had continually mixed up various letters and parcels. And before that a line of various odd jobs she had attempted and inevitably failed.

And so there she was, the poor, confused Pegasus mare with the wonky eyes, all dressed up for the Gala, with no date, no friends to accompany her, or anything. Maybe the Canterlot folks would be more accepting of her problems? It wasn’t like she did any of it on purpose...

The carriage pulled away from the drop-off point, heading back down the road towards the station it had started from, and Ditzy gave it one last, long look, before beginning to trudge her way towards the castle.

The party was already in full swing: orchestral music filled the halls while the murmur of conversation hummed in the background, the clinking of fine glass cups on metal as ponies went this way and that, serving the high-class unicorns who were in attendance.

Even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were there, at the end of the hall, sitting in their places of importance. The Princes of Canterlot ranged about, drinking fine wine and courting fillies of their interest. It was, in general, a very large, very fancy party.

Looking about, Ditzy found no place where she could effectively blend with the crowd. These kinds of meets were not her thing. She was the furthest thing possible from ‘high class’, and as far as she knew, the Gala was specifically for people of either class, or importance. The Princesses, the Wonderbolts, everypony who garnered an invite was somepony. She was just...nopony.

Hanging her head slightly, she turned and instead moved left, away from the crowd inside, pushing through a pair of large white doors inset with giant windows, and to the garden party.

Faint tingles of the orchestral music from inside wafted, muted, into the garden, where various ponies stood about, talking amongst themselves in small groups. Imported fireflies floated back and forth amongst the temporary residents of the garden, washing the area in their soft, pinpoint glows, while woodland creatures, enticed by the smell of food, lingered at the edge of the treeline, watching with intent, sparkling eyes.

Out here was more her pace; there were even ponies like herself, looking lost and alone and unsure what to do. She was certain that these were the ponies who found their golden tickets in any number of the ‘special’ places. It was a marketing ploy for the Gala, strewing golden tickets about Canterlot, Ponyville, and Cloudsdale in the oddest of places. Those that managed to find a golden ticket were basically in possession of a special invitation to the Gala.

A tight-knit group of female Unicorns were chattering amongst themselves nearby, seemingly watching a Unicorn who stood a few metres away, trying to entice a bird down from the tree he was under to perch on his hoof. They were giggling amongst themselves, whispering this and that to eachother, and, naturally curious, Ditzy crept closer to them.

“No, you!” whispered one of the unicorns with a giggle.

“I’ll bet you ten bits!” said another.

“I say twenty and you still won’t!” countered the previous.

“Forty, and you have to bump into him deliberately!” said another.

Ditzy blinked, wondering what they were arguing, and betting on, before one of them snickered faintly and then lifted a hoof towards her. “You there, Pegasus!” she called.

Blinking and recoiling slightly, Ditzy looked left and right, her ears splaying backwards. “M-me?” she asked uncertainly.

The unicorn nodded, beckoning her closer.

Uncertainly, Ditzy minced over to the group of Unicorns, who opened their ranks to let her in, their smiling faces arranged all around her.

“Now, Pegasus. We have a little wager going on that none of us will have the courage to go and ask White Knight out on a date,” she said in a hushed tone, grinning at her.

Ditzy looked around at the faces of the female unicorns, her ears pinning back once more. They were all smiling, but it wasn’t a warm smile. It seemed like they were all having some inside joke.

“Now, we will gladly give anypony who can ask him out successfully a sum of fifty bits," she continued in a hushed whisper. “Do you think you’re up to the challenge?”

“W-well I-I’m not so sure he’d go f-for someone like me..." she said after a moment, shirking back, very aware at that moment of just how badly her eyes were misaligned.

“Nonsense. A fine young pegasus like yourself, why would he not?” the Unicorn asked in a haughty tone.

“You r-really think so?” Ditzy asked hopefully, raising her brows, ears pricking upwards, wanting to believe.

“But of course, my dear. Just go over and ask," the unicorn said, nudging her with her nose, pushing her slightly towards the oblivious male Unicorn.

“O-okay...I guess I can try..." Ditzy said uncertainly, before she turned towards the male. His back was still turned, trying to coax the bird down out of the tree with faint coos.

Looking down at herself, Ditzy straightened up the purple dress she wore, adjusted her hair, and then minced on over to the male, pausing when she got to his flank, wondering whether to walk up to his shoulder, or just catch his attention and get him to turn towards her.

Pausing uncertainly, she lifted a hoof, and then cleared her throat gently. The bird that had been perching on the branch caught sight of her, chirped, and then bounced away along the branch towards the centre of the tree, out of reach.

The unicorn sighed and then shook his head slightly, turning around to face the Pegasus. “Yes?” he asked, in the typical way of the Canterlot Unicorns. His voice was so...studied. It was just perfect, like everything else about him. From his hair, to his horn, to his coat. Everything about him was just so. There didn’t seem to be a spontaneous thing about him. It was kind of boring, but at the same time, rather attractive.

“U-uhm...well...I saw you kind of all alone over here," Ditzy started, her tone and voice soft and barely audible.

“Indeed," Stated the unicorn, a brow raising at her curiously.

Ditzy was very aware of the female unicorns all watching. “W-well...I was k-kinda wondering if you’d...uhm...like to go o-on a datewithme?” she asked, her ears pinning back slightly, giving a hopeful grin up at the unicorn, while one of her eyes slowly drifted off to stare at something far to the left.

The upper-class Unicorn stared at her for a long moment, impassive, expressionless, looking her up and down once, and then just giving a single, flat ‘No’ and brushing past her.

Ditzy deflated, hanging her head, her ears splaying backwards further and a faint sigh of defeat leaving her. A chorus of giggles echoed from behind her, and she winced slightly, turning to peek over her shoulder, confirming her suspicions.

The unicorns from previously were all giggling and pointing at her, getting in a good laugh at her expense. Various snide remarks left them.

“To think you were stupid enough to ask him on a date!” called one, in between mean laughter.

“I figured you were dumb, but that sets a new record!”

“Who would want a pegasus with a set of wonky eyes, anyhow?!”

Ditzy recoiled, her eyes misting over slightly and her head lowering, turning away and then dashing into the treeline away from the unicorns, hiding herself from their words, and then just slumping behind a bush to hide from the rest of the party.

She didn’t know what she had expected to happen. But such a blunt, hurtful rejection, followed by the unicorns all making fun of her...it was the worst possible outcome she could, and could not, think of.

And so she just laid there in the bushes, and cried, while various woodland creatures came to investigate their new scenery, before dismissing her entirely. One of the birds even came and perched on her hoof, chirping at her curiously.

“Hello little birdie," Ditzy said, sniffling slightly.

A shadow fell over her, and the bird bounced away before taking flight, and Ditzy looked up, and up and up towards the dark shape standing over her. The horn bespoke a unicorn, but backlit like that, she had no way of knowing which unicorn it was.

She frantically tried to clean her tears, but to no avail, giving up after a second and just staring up at the dark shape wordlessly.

The unicorn just stared down at her for a long few moments, his head slowly tilting to the side, before he leaned down to be more on her level, staring at her.

Ditzy pulled herself up into a sitting position, sniffling faintly, and then canting her head as well. She recognized the coat he was wearing; it was White Knight, the unicorn she had asked out. “I-I’m fine," she sniffled, shaking her head slightly. “Just go away."

“You are not fine," the unicorn said with a shake of his head response. “You are distraught."

“I’m getting used to it," Ditzy said, turning herself away resolutely, staring into the darkness.

A hoof against her cheek made her flinch and recoil slightly. But it was a gentle hoof, lightly urging her to face him again. She did as the hoof suggested, and half-turned back towards him.

“I am going to retire to my quarters. I would very much like for you to accompany me, Milady," he said with a gentle little nod.

Ditzy blinked up at him, her ears pinning back once more, not sure what to think of this. “This is just another mean trick," she decided, shaking her head and turn away again.

“I assure you, Milady, this is not a trick," he said with a slight nod. “I have been facing down invitations from the group of Unicorns for the last hour, and I assumed you were merely another from their group. Their attitude suggests otherwise," he explained, gently pulling her around to face him again.

Allowing herself to be led back to face him, she gave a faint sigh, shaking her head again. “I-It’s fine...I’m used to it now," she said in an entirely broken way. “People always treat me differently because of my eyes...it’s fine. Go enjoy your party, White knight," she stated.

“I will not enjoy my party if you are hiding here, crying in the bushes due to my actions," he said, drawing himself up and placing a hoof on his chest. “You will either have to accompany me back to my quarters, or I will have to spend the night as miserable as you are," he stated rather firmly.

Her ears pinned back once more, and she gave an awkward shift of her wings. “...I really can’t win, can I?” she asked.

“No, you can not," White Knight replied with a sly grin.

Ditzy sighed disconsolately, and then climbed to her hoofs. “My dress is all dirty..." she murmured, trying to brush herself off self-consciously.

“We shall take a route where the others shall not see you," White Knight said with a nod. “Forgive me for my rudeness, but I failed to ask you your name."

Blinking for a moment, Ditzy looked up at him. “My name is Ditzy...no points if you can guess why," she said sullenly. “Most people just call me ‘Derpy’ anyway," she added, a tone of bitterness creeping into her voice.

“It is nice to meet you, Ditzy," the unicorn said with a slight bow in respect, straightening up and then waving a hoof towards a path cut through the trees. “Shall we go?” he asked.

Ditzy gave a slight nod. Anything was better than this place.

The Unicorn began to walk down the path, and Ditzy fell into step slightly behind and to the side of him, her head lowered, listening to the sounds from the other side of the trees where the party was still happening quite happily.

“So tell me; what brings a lovely pegasus such as yourself to the Grand Galloping Gala?” the unicorn asked.

“Wondering how someone like me managed to get a ticket here?” she asked flatly, her ears splaying once more.

“Indeed," the unicorn stated, without a trace of bashfulness; displaying ruthless honesty.

Ditzy was taken aback by the shameless honesty, and blinked a little bit, trying to order her thoughts and supply a response. “W-well...I kind of messed up at work,” she stated, sighing and shaking her head. “I broke something really expensive, and they didn’t believe it was my fault. One of my co-workers backed into me, and I was trying really hard not to break it,” she said, frustration permeable in her tone. “And so my boss gave me the ticket on the provider that he never see me again,” she finished, shaking her head for a moment.

“Your boss did not listen to your side of the story?” the unicorn asked curiously, continuing to lead her down the path towards the fancy mansions in the near distance.

“Of course not,” Ditzy replied with a shake of her head. “I...really can’t blame him. I kind of do break things a lot,” she said, suddenly self-conscious again.

“Indeed. What with the eyes,” he said with a short nod of understanding.

Ditzy bristled at that, eyes narrowing at him, wings flaring, a low growl building her throat. “What is that supposed to mean?” she asked, her tone angry.

White Knight arched a brow calmly, peering at her over his shoulder. “I merely mean to state that natural disadvantages of one whose eyesight is impaired, including hoof-eye coordination and lack of reliable depth perception, would lead anypony with said disadvantages to seem ‘clumsy’ to others,” he explained bluntly.

She deflated at that matter-of-fact explanation, her ears splaying backwards once more, wings folding back to their normal positions as they left the garden behind, and headed for the main gates of a large mansion. “I...I guess that’s true,” she admitted. “It’s just...most people don’t put it so..."

“Matter-of-factly?” White Knight offered, smiling at her warmly. “They tend to act as though it doesn’t exist?” he added.

Ditzy paused a moment, and then shook her head. “No...they never act like it’s not there...but they act like it doesn’t matter. Or they keep trying to help me with everything,” she said with a soft sigh. “I don’t know which is worse."

“Indeed,” White Knight said, pushing the large gate open and holding it open for her.

Ditzy blinked slightly, and then stepped through the gate, cheeks flushing faintly. She had never been treated like this before, like one of the ‘fancy’ ladies who needed gates opened for them.

“Most ponies are generally inept at dealing with people who have disabilities,” White Knight explained.

She bristled again at that, glaring at him, but the unicorn lifted a hoof to silence her.

“Would you call your eyes anything else?” he asked.

She opened her mouth to angrily respond, and then closed it again, settling for just glowering at him.

“My family has always prided itself on its honesty. I will not lie to make you feel better,” he explained calmly, walking her to the front door, which was hurriedly opened for them by a butler.

Ditzy stared up at the face of the large mansion, more of a palace than anything else, and blinked slowly. “You live here?” she squeaked.

“But of course. I think it would be exceedingly odd to be walking into somepony else's home like this,” he said rather dryly.

She blinked, cheeks flushing once more, and then shook her head slightly. “You must be pretty important...or rich,” she said, looking around at the room they entered, what seemed to be a foyeur. There were paintings on the walls, plush furniture to lounge on, shiny silver fittings and soft felt walls of purple.

Everything in the room bespoke of wealthy ponies, but she didn’t have long to inspect the room, as White Knight led her into a hallway, and then up a flight of stairs, to a rather lavish room fitted with a bar, a long couch for sitting, and a large, plush bed with what seemed to be gold silk sheets stretched across it.

“Wow,” Ditzy said, staring around at the room, and then back at the unicorn. “This is your room?” she asked.

The unicorn shook his head slowly. “No, my room is in one of the towers,” he stated, motioning for her to sit down on the couch.

Ditzy made her way over to the couch, and then sat uncertainly on the edge of it, watching him out of the corner of an eye as he moved over to the bar.

“So, what would you like to drink, Ditzy?” the unicorn asked.

“U-uhm...I’m not sure. Alcohol doesn’t mix so well with me..," she admitted.

“Nonsense my dear, a glass of wine will do you good. You look so twitchy that you’re liable to jump out the window at any moment," he stated.

She bristled at that, and then slowly relaxed, shaking her head. He was right. She was nervous. Maybe some wine would be help calm her down. “Okay...sure," she acquiesced. “Just the one glass."

“Atta girl," the unicorn said with a smile, pouring a glass of wine for them both, and then carrying her glass over to her, handing it to her delicately.

Ditzy peeked down at the purple-red liquid dubiously a moment, swirling it in her cup of a moment, staring at it, and then looking about furtively, and while White Knight went back to get his own glass, she downed hers in one quick gulp, putting the glass down ever-so-carefully on the desk besides the couch.

The unicorn raised a brow slowly as he noted her empty cup, but didn’t say a word, instead sitting down next to her, not too close, but not too far away, either. “So tell me, what are your plans for the future, Ditzy?”

The pegasus made a faint sound, raising a brow at him as the world tilted crazily for a moment, the wine going straight to her head as she had imbibed so much of it so quickly. “Wha?” she asked, blinking at him tipsily a moment. “Wooo...one glass too many,” she stated.

The Unicorn snuffed a laugh, and then shook his head slowly. “Perchance in hindsight the wine was perhaps not such a good idea,” he stated.

“Nooo. It’s fine,” Ditzy said, her speech the tiniest bit slurred. “I’ve never been good at holding my spirits,” she said with a slow nod, leaning against him heavily a moment. “I like you,” she slurred.

The Unicorn raised a brow at that. “Indeed?” he asked.

The pegasus nodded earnestly. “I doooo,” she crooned. “You’re different from the others. You don’t treat me differently because of my eyes...well, you do,” she corrected, blinking hazily up at him. “But it’s not the same. You’re truthful with me,” she said with an earnest nod.

White Knight nodded in response. “Indeed. I try to treat everypony I meet equally,” he stated calmly, taking a sip from his wine.

Ditzy nodded and then sighed faintly, pulling away from him to sit on her haunches facing him, swaying unsteadily. “I’m sorry I asked you on a date like that,” she said with a sad shake of her head.

“I am not," White knight responded with a faint smile, raising his glass to her in a mock toast.

“But...I’m just a jobless Pegasus," she said, sighing once more and then dropping onto her stomach disconsolately, resting her head on her hooves. “You’re a classy, wealthy Unicorn."

White Knight nodded at this, placing his glass aside, and then dropping down onto his stomach as well, peering into her eyes, even though one of them was currently drifting, staring somewhere off to the side. “You are a jobless pegasus, indeed," he stated.

“Blunt," Ditzy said, ears splaying backwards slightly.

“Indeed. But you are also an attractive jobless pegasus with a rather endearing attitude," he added, smiling at her warmly.

“A-attractive?” she asked after a moment, cheeks flushing faintly with warmth.

“Indeed," he affirmed, nodding once and smiling at her.

“B-but...m-my eyes," she stammered, off-balance from a mixture of the alcohol and having an upper-class pony actually call her attractive.

“Your eyes, do, indeed, subtract something from your overall appearance," he stated bluntly, lifting a hoof to gently stroke over her blonde mane with a smile. “But you are still attractive nonetheless. Why, if not for your eye condition, you would likely have many eager suitors and you would not have ever met me," he stated with a generous nod.

She blinked once at that, her cheeks flushing even further, trying to stammer out a response.

A lifted hoof placed against her lips quieted her words.

“I would be honoured if you would accept an invitation to dinner," he said with a smile.

“L-like a date?!” she squeaked.

“Indeed," responded the unicorn.

Ditzy stammered once more, her cheeks flushed deep pink, trying to hide her face behind her wings. “I-I-I d-d-don’t know w-what to s-say!” She fumbled over her words, trying to phrase a correct response.

“I was hoping that ‘yes’ would be an answer foremost in your mind," the unicorn said dryly.

“Yes! Yes!” Ditzy said, throwing her hooves around the unicorn and hugging against him, burying her face in his mane happily. “I would like nothing better, dear sir!” she cried, in a clumsy approximation of his own upper-class speech patterns.

The unicorn smiled, lifting a hoof to stroke her mane in return. “I am pleased," he stated, before gently disentangling her from himself. “For now, I shall retire. You are welcome to stay here for the night, Miss Ditzy," he said with a low, respectful bow.

“Thank you!” she squeaked in response, trying to bow in return and ending up just face-planting, coming up a moment later rubbing a hoof against her cheek.

The unicorn smiled, motioning to the corner, "Just ring the bell should you require assistance, a servant will be with you promptly," he explained, before turning towards the door.

Ditzy waited until he had left the room before throwing herself on the bed and clutching a pillow to her chest in glee, rolling about. She was actually going to go on a date with an upper-class pony! A handsome upper-class pony!

Voices in the hall intruded on her mind, and she pricked an ear upwards.

“Mother, she may be a mere pegasus, but that does not mean she has any less class than the Unicorns," White Knight was saying.

Ditzy blinked, listening intently.

“But she’s so...plain. Not a shred of fashion sense about her," said a haughty, feminine tone, making Ditzy’s ears splay backwards.

“I look for more in prospective partners than their fashion sense, mother. Or their eyes," White Knight stated rather flatly, and she felt a strange warm bubble of emotion growing and blossoming in her throat.

“Oh very well. But mind you dress her up pretty, Knight. I’ll not have her embarrassing our royal family."

A third voice echoed through the door; “Prince White Knight, you have inquiries as to why you left the party early. What shall I tell them?”

The rest of the conversation in the hallway was drowned out by a peculiar buzzing in her ears, and she stiffened slightly, her eyes wide, starting to hyperventilate.

Prince White Knight?!

Comments

[Fernin]

Hmm. Cute so far. : )

[Wilhelm]

I always wondered what happened to Dizty at the gala.
Good day.

[Crysis Commander]

As of right now, I approve.

[TimeWarp]

“I merely mean to state that natural disadvantages of one whose eyesight is impaired, including hoof-eye coordination and lack of reliable depth perception, would lead anypony with said disadvantages to seem ‘clumsy’ to others,” he explained bluntly.

......

Umm, wow.

Ok, Good start! Tracking!

[White Glint]

Well written and interesting Ditzy romance you've got going. Insta track.

[StatusQo]

Dizty gona baged her self a real winner.

[spikecantfly1]

[Stardust_Blitz]

Gracious! If I was Ditzy and heard my "Savior" suddenly be called "Prince" I'd fall right over in shock!

[Lightning blitz]

I am pleased.

Now, good day.

[Fallen Knight]

A typo:
"I broke something really expensive, and they didn’t believe it was my fault"
wasn't my fault.

Other then that , interesting story

[bestofawesome]

Very good Sir

Very good Indeed
(fancy Voice)