//------------------------------// // Chapter 4 - The Date // Story: The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds // by Kamahido //------------------------------// Two days later Derpy and Dinky are making supper together. Dinky looks toward the closed bathroom door. “Is dad still getting ready?” Derpy nods. “Yes dear. He wants to look his best tonight.” “Why?” “Because he and Princess Luna are going out.” Dinky nods. “I know that. What I don’t understand is why he’s going through all this trouble to make himself look nice! I mean… she’s seen him plenty of times in just his normal clothes or even his armor!” “Well… when a mare and a stallion go out together, they usually put on fancy clothes. It’s customary for the stallion to bring flowers and sometimes a small gift for the mare.” “It is?” “Yes, sweetie. That shows the mare that the stallion has put some thought into her interests and feelings. Dinky nods. “Okay. I just have one other question.” “What is it?” “Has dad ever asked you out on a date?” Derpy blushes feverishly. “What?! Me?! No, he hasn’t!” “Why not?” Derpy clops her hooves together nervously. “I… um… because…” The bathroom door opens and Arc steps out. He is wearing a formal black suit with a white shirt, a black bow tie, and black trousers. His dark shoes have been buffed until they positively shine. “So, how do I look?” Dinky trots over to Arc with her mother. “You look pretty, dad!” Arc laughs. “Thank you, Dinky! But I think the word you’re looking for is ‘handsome’.” Derpy blushes slightly. “Y-yes Dinky! A mare is pretty!” There is a knock on the door. Dinky runs to answer it. “I’ll get it!” She opens the door to see Ember standing there. “Hey there Dinky.” Dinky stands aside. “Hi, Miss Ember! Come on in!” Ember steps inside. “Thanks! I just came by to…” She stops dead in her tracks as she sees Arc standing there in his new suit. Dinky closes the door behind her. “Dad looks nice, doesn’t he?” Ember nods as she looks him over. “Yes! Very much so!” Arc walks over to her. “Thanks for coming by, Ember.” Derpy smiles as Ember circles Arc. “I’m not much for knowing what a mare likes. That’s why you’re here, Ember.” Ember nods as she continues to study his appearance. “Rarity sure outdid herself this time!” Arc straightens his coat. “I’ll say! When I first saw this getup, I figured it would be uncomfortable. But this really does feel nice.” Ember nods. “Rarity said we could come by for any last-minute adjustments if need be” “I think I’m okay. You’ve had me there more times than I can count these past couple days.” Dinky giggles. “Yeah, dad! But the end result was worth it!” Derpy smiles. “Good thing she let you put a sigil down behind her shop.” Arc sighs. “Yeah. I was wearing a rut in the path to Carousel Boutique.” Ember looks at the clock. “Shouldn’t you get going, Arc? It wouldn’t do for you to keep Princess Luna waiting!” “I guess you’re right.” Ember holds out her claws to Arc, sheepishly. “Do you want me to… you know… look after her?” “Give me a minute.” Arc takes a deep breath and concentrates. “I… do you want to come with me?” Cherry’s voice reverberates in his head. “No, Arc. This is Princess Luna’s night. Not mine.” “Are you sure? Just say the word and I’ll bring you along.” “I’m sure.” Arc nods. He calls forth his helmet and touches it to his forehead, sighing. “I’m ready, Arc.” Arc turns and slowly walks toward Ember’s outstretched claws. He looks at his helmet before slowly but deliberately handing it to her. He sighs as Ember’s claws close around it. “Take care of her for me, will you?” Ember nods soberly. “I will. Promise!” Derpy walks over. “You can stay with us, Ember.” Dinky nods happily. “Yeah! We’ll help keep Miss Cherry company!” “Would you like me to leave the rest of my armor, Cherry? You could move around on your own then.” “No, thank you. While I don’t foresee you needing it tonight, I’d hate for you to need Eidolon’s Ward and not have it!” Arc nods. “Alright.” He looks at his pocket watch and sighs. Arc calls forth his gauntlet as he steps onto the sigil in the corner of the room. “Well… wish me luck.” The others wave goodbye. “Bye, Arc!” “Have fun, dad!” “Don’t worry about Cherry! She’s in good claws!” “I know. Take good care of her.” In a flash Arc is gone. Derpy turns to the helmet. “So what do you want to do, Cherry?” Dinky looks over. “I can read her a book!” Cherry laughs. “That sounds nice, dear!” Ember releases the helmet as Dinky picks it up with her magic and runs over to the kitchen table with a book. She sets the helmet down facing the book so Cherry can see the pictures. “We’re getting into longer books these days, Miss Cherry!” “I can’t wait to hear you, dear!” Meanwhile, Arc appears on the sigil in his room in Canterlot Castle. He looks at himself in the full-length mirror one last time before picking up the bouquet of flowers and a pineapple with a red ribbon tied to its stem off the bed. “I’m glad I dropped these off this morning. One less thing for me to forget.” He leaves his room and proceeds down the corridor. Approaching Princess Luna’s room, he sees Shining Armor and Trixie standing guard at the door. Walking over to them as they salute, the pair smile nervously. “The Captain of the Royal Guard and his lieutenant on guard duty?” Shining Armor nods. “We wanted to see you before you left with Princess Luna, Arc.” Trixie straightens his tie with her magic. “Trixie thinks you look very nice!” “I’m sorry to ask you to do this, but…” Arc nods. “It’s okay Shining Armor. I understand you’re reasoning behind it. Hopefully next time you’ll feel confident enough to do this yourself though.” Trixie looks confused. “Confident?” Shining Armor sighs. “Yes, Trixie. I was too nervous to ask them.” “Is it really that hard?” Arc nods. “In truth, it is. Not only are they royalty, but no one really knows their likes and dislikes.” “Other than Captain Decimus, that is. He was twice the leader I am!” Arc shakes his head. “You need to stop comparing yourself to that slime.” Trixie nods. “That’s right! Unlike him, you actually do your job!” “Right. Don’t try to fill his shoes. Instead just do the best you can. Do that and everything else will fall into place perfectly.” Trixie looks to Arc. “Will it really?!” “Yes! As long as you aren’t too picky on what you consider ‘in place’… or ‘perfectly’ for that matter.” “Trixie does not understand.” “Neither do I.” Arc sighs. “It means don’t try too hard to get everything exactly how YOU think it should be. After all, you can’t control the actions of those around you. Just do what you can by doing your best. That’s all anyone can really ask. Even a princess.” Trixie sighs. “I’ll have to think about this one…” “You do that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date waiting for me.” “Yes. Come Trixie. We should let Arc get to it.” Trixie nods as she follows Shining Armor a few paces before turning back and waving. “Good luck, Arc. I hope you two have a good time.” Arc silently raises a hand to Trixie before turning to face the closed door before him. He mutters to himself nervously as he takes a deep breath. “Okay… I can do this.” He knocks lightly. A few moments later the door opens and Kibitz pokes his head out. “Good evening, sir!” “Hi Kibitz. Is Princess Luna ready?” “She will be momentarily. Please come in.” Kibitz steps aside to let Arc enter the room. It is dimly lit by a few lamps and moonlight through the windows and skylight. Several maids can be seen darting in and out of a changing curtain in the corner of the room. Arc leans in close to Kibitz and lowers his voice. “Any suggestions?” Kibitz nods and whispers. “Whatever you do… do not make her angry.” Arc stands up straight and sighs. “Thanks.” “Glad to be of service, sir.” A few minutes later the maids step out of the curtain, bow, and leave the room. Luna calls out from behind the curtain. “You are dismissed for the evening, Kibitz.” He bows. “Yes, your highness.” Kibitz turns to leave the room. The door closes behind him as Arc waits nervously and mutters to himself. “I should have asked Princess Cadance instead…” In a few minutes Luna steps out into the glow of the moonlight. “Good evening, Arc.” Princess Luna is wearing a beautiful dress with deep purple and blue body. Her dress is layered with several different darker shades that flow over her like the ocean’s waves. The crown she wears is white with several precious looking dark stones set into its frame, while her mane is held in place by several strings of pearls that are both functional and elegant. Two locks of her mane flow regally past her cheeks and her feet are clad in silver colored hoof-guards that extend higher than her normal footwear. Arc can only assume they are the pony equivalent of high heel shoes. She looks at him with a smile. “So, how do I look?” Arc is suddenly thankful for the dimly lit room, as he blushes slightly. “V-very nice!” He steps forward and hands her the bouquet of small, purple flowers. “I thought you might like these.” Luna smiles as she accepts the bouquet. “Thank you! Lavender is my favorite!” Arc breathes a sigh of relief as she turns to put them in a nearby vase. He mutters to himself under his breath. “Why didn’t I just ask Kibitz what she likes?!” Princess Luna turns to him as he walks over to join her in front of the vase. Sheepishly he gives her the pineapple. “Sorry, but I didn’t really know what you liked.” “Thank you, Arc! I do quite enjoy a good pineapple before bed!” She sets the pineapple down next to the flowers and turns her gaze back to him. “Shall we be off?” “Um… sure!” He holds out the cruck of his arm to her. She puts her hoof into it as he leads her out the door. They make their way toward the castle’s Main Entrance. A very large carriage is waiting for them. The pair step on board and sit down across from each other. The stallions look over to Princess Luna who nods. They slowly pull the carriage across the drawbridge and toward the city below. Luna pushes a button. A clear magical barrier rises over the windows slots to hold back the cold night air. “That’s better! To tell you the truth, Arc, I’m not much for this kind of weather.” “Me either.” “So tell me, how are things going on Earth?” “They’re going well. We’ve fully established a base of operations, complete with everything we need to investigate whatever comes up. When Sunburst gets a lead, we’re ready to look into it.” “That’s very good to hear. I do miss my sister terribly!” “We’ll get her back.” Luna smiles and nods. “I am certain you will.” They continue on in silence for a time. “So… is there somewhere special you’d like to eat, Princess Luna? Luna sighs. “Captain Decimus always took us to the finest restaurant in Canterlot.” “Then that’s where we’ll eat.” She looks down a bit sadly. “Yes… our coach is on its way there now.” Before long they arrive at a very expensive looking restaurant. Two valets open the carriage door for them and usher the pair into the dining room. It is exquisitely furnished with what appear to be the finest furniture Arc has ever seen. Everypony in attendance is well dressed and has a certain air of privilege about them. A small orchestra is playing music quietly. Arc looks around as the waitstaff pull back their chairs for them. “This certainly is a… very nice restaurant!” Luna sighs as she sits down. “That it is.” They pick up their menus and look them over for a few minutes before a rather stuffy looking waiter walks over to them. He sets down two glasses of water and turns to Princess Luna. “Good evening, your highness. What can I get for you this fine evening?” Luna puts down her menu. “I’ll have the Salade de Carottes et Laitue. The waiter nods as he turns to Arc. “And for the Hero of Light?” “Make that two.” The waiter picks up the menus, bows, and heads quickly toward the kitchen. Luna looks up at him. “Have you ever eaten here before, Arc?” “I have not. Truthfully, other than runs to the local bakery, this is my first time eating at an Equestrian restaurant.” “Oh? Which bakery would that be?” “Sugar Cube Corner.” Luna thinks for a moment. “Hmmm… I don’t believe I’m familiar with that one. Is it nearby?” “No. It’s in Ponyville.” “Ah, I see! Forgive me, but the Hero of Light is generally thought of as a resident of Canterlot. You’re the first one to have a facility outside of the city.” "It’s all right. While I appreciate my room in the castle, I’ve only actually used it twice." Luna frowns. “Is there something wrong with it?” “Oh no! The room itself is lovely. I’ve just been far too busy with my duties to stay in it.” “Understandable. Cadance and I were just talking about that very matter the other day at dinner.” Arc smiles at her. “Can I assume it was a very short and boring conversation then?” She laughs. “Not at all! We’ve done our best to keep up to date with your exploits!” Arc looks confused. “You have? How?” “By reading the reports.” “There are reports?” Luna nods. “Yes. Everypony in the Equestrian military fills out reports of their activities and submits them to Canterlot.” “My apologies. No one told me about this.” Luna smiles at him. “The Hero of Light is not required to report on their comings and goings to anypony. Although Cadance and I do appreciate you coming to us with your findings.” Arc sighs. “Yes, well… some things are just too big for me to keep to myself.” The pair continue talking until their food arrives. The waiter sets down identical dishes in front of the pair. “There you are! Bon Appetit!” Luna picks up one of her forks with her magic, sighing. “This looks… lovely.” Arc nods as he picks up his own silverware. “I suppose it does.” Luna looks to him as they eat. “I was not aware you were such a fan of salad.” Arc smiles at her. “Yes, well… I assumed asking for Roast Cockatrice would have been pushing it.” The pair laugh and continue their meal. Before long they finish the food on their plates. The waiter returns with the check. Arc picks it up and puts a sizeable bag of bits on the table. Luna dabs at the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “Don’t worry about that, Arc. Canterlot Castle will pay for it.” “Um… alright.” He puts away the bits and looks back over to the orchestra. “They’re quite good. Especially the celloist.” Luna sighs. “Only the most skilled musicians are allowed to play here. It is a very exclusive establishment, after all.” Arc finishes the last of his water. “Understandable. Would you like to listen for a bit before heading out?” Luna quickly stands. “No. I’d like to get going.” Arc stands as well. “Very well.” They head to the door. A valet sees them and hurries to summon their escort. In a few moments it arrives. Arc offers his hand to Princess Luna to help her into the carriage before getting inside himself. As they get underway, Luna sighs. “Thank you for the company, Arc.” “It’s my pleasure, Princess Luna. Is there somewhere else you would like to go?” She sighs. “After dinner we drive around the city and chat for some time before returning to the castle.” “Is something wrong? You seem a bit down.” “What makes you say that?” “You’ve been a bit… I don’t know… depressed this evening.” “I… well… you see. Listen Arc, if you promise not to tell anypony, I’ll let you in on a little secret.” “Very well.” Luna looks out at the city. “Cadance and I… aren’t much for our traditional night out with Captain Decimus.” “Why not?” “Don’t get me wrong! Until recently, he was out most trusted friend and confidant. What happened to change that is beyond us. But… the restaurants that line Canterlot’s Restaurant Row are… shall we say… all the same.” Arc raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?” “Did you happen to look around at what other ponies were eating?” “Not really. Why?” Luna sighs. “It doesn’t really matter what you order. Every dish is practically the same.” “And the portions are quite small as well.” She nods. “That’s an aristocrat trait. It’s considered to be a sign of wealth to be able to eat at a restaurant and leave hungry.” “Um… what?” “It may seem silly to you, but this is how things work around Canterlot.” She opens the armrest of her seat to reveal a small stash of goodies. Luna pulls out an apple and offers it to Arc. “I’m not able to hide much in here, but I’ll share.” Arc nods and accepts the apple. “Thank you.” Luna removes one for herself and takes a healthy bite as Arc examines the fruit in his hand. “Is something wrong, Arc?” Arc studies the apple intently. “I was just thinking. There has to be someplace around here that has better food.” Luna picks up a restaurant guide from her armrest. “I don’t believe so. Every restaurant has a ‘three hoof’ rating.” “Is that the best there is?” Luna looks confused. “Yes. What else is there?” “On Earth, the scale is in stars and goes up to five, so I understand the premise.” Luna sighs as she sets down the guide. “Captain Decimus has… had been to every restaurant on the list. That was the best of the best in his eyes.” “Is every place rated?” “If it’s worth going to, yes. Why do you ask?” He looks out at the restaurants. “Some of the best places to eat where I’m from are hole in the wall joints.” “I’m sorry, what?” “It means they’re places that aren’t really well known. We can try to find one if you’d like.” Luna nods as her stomach rumbles. “That does sound nice. But Captain Shining Armor insisted on tight security in and outside that restaurant. Anywhere else wouldn’t have such measures taken.” She sighs. “One of the down sides of being royalty. I can’t just go wherever I want without being recognized.” Arc nods. “Well, as an alicorn your appearance is certainly unmistakable. But what if you weren’t recognizable?” Luna sighs. “Nothing would be more welcome right now. Do you have an idea?” Arc gives the apple back to her. “I think I do. But it’s quite unorthodox.” “From the reports I’ve read, you seem to have a knack for making the out of the ordinary work. Along with an extremely high success rate I might add. What should we do?” Arc grins at her. “Tell the stallions driving us to pull over. I have a plan.”