June 7th, 3096 Imperial Calendar (1523 AD)
Mare Magister Hotel, Creui
High Society yawned, sitting up in her bed. She rubbed her eyes idly, sliding up and over to get out of the bed. She had barely even shifted into an upright position that her hooves touched the ground. Suddenly struck by confusion, she looked down, properly taking in the bed she was in.
It was smaller and much simpler than the one back home. While her bed was made of imported, finely engraved oak and was adorned with thick, fine silken sheets, this one had a basic metal frame and was almost completely flush with the ground. The woolen sheets were relatively thin, with the pillow being similarly small and lacking in support.
The general lack of expense extended to the rest of her hotel room. The furniture was basic and angular, completely unadorned save for small metal handles. A small desk sat in one corner, complete with an oil lamp and a small blocky device that was apparently called a "Typer". The curtains were a basic white, the walls being only a slightly darker shade. The only seeming luxury that the room had was a small ice box and the surprisingly thick carpet that covered the floor.
As she slipped off the bed and began to gather her clothes, she heard a knock on her door. "High Society? Are you awake?"
"Coming, Mother!", High Society said, placing the scarf back on her bags and heading for the door. She opened, seeing her mother on the other side.
"Ah, thank you dear", her mother said. "Your father is in the shower. May I use your mirror?"
"Of course, Mother", High Society said obediently, stepping to the side to allow her mother to enter.
The older mare entered, pushing past her daughter, giving her only a small, self-congratulatory smile. She entered the bathroom, opening up the large bag she had slung over her back. "So, my dear?"
"Yes, Mother?", High Society asked.
Her mother asked, "Do you have any plans for today? The Games are still two days off. The only reason we're even here is because of that party the Princesses are attending tonight."
High Society nodded. "I was planning on seeing a few of the sights around the city."
"Why? It's not like there's anything special here?", her mother replied. "And the locals. Gahh!"
"Unfortunately, there isn't much to do beyond that. That I am aware of, anyway", High Society said.
Her mother sighed, before shrugging. "Very well. I'll be done in a few minutes. If you need to see me later, then I'll be at that lounge by the Governmental District."
+++++~+++++
High Society eyed the stall. She had been for about two minutes now, watching the earth pony behind it move about. She didn't know why; it didn't have the most appetizing smell. However, she was in a region of the city she imaged her mother would never think of entering. That isolation from the disapproval of her mother was exhilarating, and the stall in front of her was almost the epitome of that freedom. Finally, taking a deep breath, she approached.
The earth pony, a pale blue mare with a tied-back silvery mane wearing a simple green dress, looked up and smiled. "Bonjour. Qu'est-ce que je peux t'avoir?*"
"Hmm?", High Society said, cocking her head.
The mare's eyes widened slightly in realization, and she cleared her throat. "Sorry. Most unicorn customers Prench. What you get?"
High Society examined the small plaque that sat on the outside of the stall. It listed various small dishes in Pryhan, as well as prices and a small photo of each. What was immediately obvious was that they were all some form of meat or seafood. She gave each of them a cursory look, before finally settling on one of them. "The, uh... Cubed Beef with Chickpeas", she said haltingly. "Please."
The mare nodded, a smile on her face. "Coming."
High Society looked behind the counter of the stall, watching her gather up a series of ingredients and lay them out. A large pot sat in the middle of the stall, which was soon filled part-way up with a spurt of oil. It sizzled and popped, almost startling her. Soon, ingredients began to be added to it; onions, the cubed beef, what she assumed were the chickpeas, and several other ingredients she couldn't quite name. It was stirred around, spices being added in at various points in the cooking process. Finally, after about three minutes, she stopped cooking it and began to scoop the mixture out with a large spoon.
She handed High Society the food in a small clay bowl with a simple wooden spoon sticking out of it. "Six Script. Nine if you want to keep cup."
High Society used her magic to open her purse, reaching in and grabbing the wad of Pryhan Script she had gotten at the exchange office. She selected several bills, handing them to her. "Thank you."
The mare simply smiled. "Enjoy."
High Society removed the spoon, taking a big clump of meat and vegetables along with it. Beyond the somewhat disconcerting smell of cooked meat, the bowl smelled amazing. Overlapping scents of oil, spices, onion, and even the smell of char coming from the meat all mixed together and made her mouth water. She raised the spoon, taking a big bite.
Chewing slowly, she closed her eyes and simply relished the flavor. "This is really good."
"Thank you", the mare said, continuing to smile. High Society simply smiled back, before going for another bite.