"I'm disturbed at how fast you thought of coming to this place, Rarity."
Rarity gave him a lopsided smirk as they approached the building, her eyebrow raising in a way that Applejack would be proud of. "I really like this place. They specialize in very good breakfast assortments from the hungry traveler."
Chrome grunted at her. "Oh come on! This place is called Eggs and I! They only specialize in EGGS. That's a weird choice for a main food item, don't you think?"
"You were the one who voiced his desire to eat something, you know. I believe you might actually like this place once you try it out." When Chrome merely grumbled something back, she took that as a good sign--or at least better than him deciding to go home again. The mare led them inside, where the smell of delicious breakfast surrounded them both, and stopped in front of a pony behind a small podium. "Hello! I would like a table for two, please."
"Yes, Ma'am." The pony scribbled something onto a slip of paper and then picked up two menus with her horn's aura, before pausing. She glanced at Rarity, then at Chrome with a questioning look. "I...um..."
The Fashionista frowned deeply. "...Are there no menus in braille?"
"My apologies. We don't normally get...you know..."
Rarity may have been staring at the employed, but she didn't miss the uncomfortable look forming on Chrome's face. She shook her head. "You can just give us one. I'll...er, read to him."
"Read it to him?" He asked incredulously.
Rarity glowered at him. "It's better than nothing, Chrome."
"Its humiliating."
"It is not humiliating to receive help from a friend."
"Whatever." He said, 'looking' away from her.
The employee gave them a nod and began to lead the two past a few tables with sparse amounts of ponies, mare and stallion alike. Rarity pointedly ignored the occasional glances in her direction and focused on the booth table offered to them. After finding out which side Chrome preferred to sit, she seated herself in the opposite booth and gladly took hold of the menu. Another employee, this one a teenage mare, stood in the place of the other after she left. "Alright! My name is Catchy Tune, and I will be your server for this morning! First, is there anything I could start you two off to drink?"
"I'll have Apple juice. " Rarity said.
"Water." Chrome grumbled, slouching in a way not dissimilar to a grouchy cat that she knew.
"Great. I'll be right back with your drinks, so you can decide your entrees."
Rarity nodded, her eyes already looking over the familiar menu. She stole at glance at the stallions unhappy face, smirking softly. "Mmmm Mmm! There's a lot of a delicious goodies on this menu~! I don't know what to choose."
"Will you stop treating me like a little kid?" He impressively sounded more annoyed than insulted. "Just read the menu items off to me so we can get this over with."
"Friends, believe it or not, actually enjoy and cherish the time they spend with each other. Helps them to bond and become closer."
"If I get any closer to you and your horrible perfume..."
Rarity rolled her eyes at him. "You know, I bet I could ask any other pony here and they'd say my perfume smells just heavenly."
"Some ponies might say a lot of things to get to close to you." He pointed his snout down at his hooves, which fiddled on the table. "Doesn't mean that any of its true."
The Alabaster unicorn pouted at him, but shrugged to herself. "Friends...are also honest, even if its brutal honesty. If you don't like my perfume, then I'm glad you're being honest about it.
" I never said I didn't like it."
"What?"
"I never said I didn't like your perfume--just that it smells bad. It's...grown on me, I suppose." He was content with that for a while, but then he lightly clopped his hooves together and continued. "It gives you a...distinct scent, if that doesn't sound too creepy. I always know when you're around in town because of that awful scent."
He shrugged reluctantly at her. "...I guess it's nice, knowing whenever somepony at least a little likeable is around...If you know the feeling."
Rarity thought over his words quietly, her eyes falling onto the plain table and staying there for some time. She figured that made enough sense to her; when you didn't have the luxury of sight, the next best thing was to judge who was near by based off of the other senses. She idly wondered what other things he could tell just by using his other senses--by converting his energy into his hooves, his ears, his nose and his taste. She even began to wonder what things she could learn about Fashion by not using her eyes, but she didn't want to zone out in the middle of a conversation.
"I see," Was all she wanted to say on the matter, but she suddenly remembered a specific part of his statements and grinned mischeviously. "My, My...Did you just call me likeable? Who are you and what have you done with Chrome Texture?"
"He's recovering in the hospital from your stench. He'll be back tomorrow," He shot back hastily, but there was a light change in color to his cheeks. That was a good sign. "Now, are you gonna read me the orders, or am I gonna go hungry?"
Rarity giggled to herself. "Okay, Okay. let's see..." She scanned through the menu and looked up once. " There's a Chipotle hay steak?"
He thoughtfully shook his head. "Nah. Sounds a little too spicy for me,"
The unicorn nodded at him. "Yes, right. Well, there is alsooo...Athena Scramble! Looks very nice."
The stallions ears twitched in interest. "Huh. Well, it's an extravagant title. What's in it, exactly?"
"A few delicious ingredients! It has asparagus, tomatoes, a mozzarella/ cheddar blend," Rarity began to list, glancing up at Chrome in coy interest. "Minced garlic, Tuscan bread crumbs, Pinkie Pie, crimini mushrooms, and the choice is optional for-- Puh-puh--P-PINKIE PIE?!"
"Hmm, I think I'll leave it out." He scrunched up his nose. "Pinkie Pie must be one of those 'new' kinds of spices, right?"
Rarity nervously giggled, glad that he couldn't see her looking directly over his head at the patio beyond the glass doors. "Ah Ha Ha Haaaaaaa. Yes. Yes. New spice, yes. Er, I'm going to go use the little mare's room. I have a...um,--A crumbly in my rumbly--I-I MEAN, A rumbly in my Pinkie--I MEAN I HAVE TO PEE!"
Rarity covered her mouth with a hoof, eyes darting around her. Now there were definitely more than just stallions laying their eyes on her, and more in the disgusted sense than anything salacious. Chrome blinked and cautiously nodded. "Uh...okaaay. Have fun."
"I plan to!" And then she was zipping past him to throw open the glass doors and tackle Pinkie Pie in mid-stride. After redirecting the fire of her party cannon, the unicorn gave her friend an unhappy stare. "What. Are.You. Doing?!"
"Oh, I'm lying on the ground with you on top of me."
Rarity fought the urge to face hoof. "...What were you doing before I tackled you, Darling?"
"Hmm?" Pinkie blinked in confusion. "I was just about to throw your colt friend the usual 'Welcome to Ponyville' party."
"Are you seriously jumping to that conclusion aready?" The unicorn sighed; perhaps she should have expected Pinkie to catch on to the information given yesterday. She also probably should have prepared for this a little sooner. "Listen, Darling," She began as she helped the younger mare to her hooves. "I'm going to need you to postpone this party for at least a few days."
Pinkie looked as though she'd been slapped repeatedly. "WHAT?! I can't just push back a welcoming party! He might get the feeling he's not wanted!"
"I'm treating him out to breakfast, Pinkie. He has to feel wanted. " Rarity said. "I know you don't like it, but its for your sake. The last thing I want is for this stallion's sarcastic jerk ways to resurface because of being in an uncomfortable situation. He'd probably hurt your feelings and then I'd have to buck him in the face."
"B-but..."
"I could go to jail for that, Pinkie."
"I...I know, but..."
"Do you want one of your best friends to sit in a jail cell with a glowing butt?"
"...No." Pinkie pouted like a despondent filly. After a moments time, she glared at Rarity. "I'll give you three days! And then I'm giving him a party whether he's a meanie pants or NOT."
Rarity winced, but she knew she couldn't beg for more time. "Oh, very well. But I must have a full three days, starting from tomorrow."
Pinkie nodded and turned to leave, trotting away at a somber pace. In seconds, she turned right back around with a frown. "Can I at least say hi to him?"
Rarity grimaced, shuddered and then forced a smile. "Um...sure."