//------------------------------//
// Smell of Wine and Cheap Perfume 
// Story: Don't Stop Believing 
// by Mitslits 
//------------------------------//

	Smell of Wine and Cheap Perfume

The brown pony immediately ran after her. "Hey wait up!" he called. "You two were great!"

Dawn turned at the sound of a new pony's voice. She took in the brown pony. He had a spiky brown mane and tail with blue eyes. His cutie mark was an hourglass. "Who are you? And why are you following me?" she asked, suddenly suspicious.

"My name isn't important", the pony said. "You can call me the Doctor. But why did you run away? The two of you were fantastic!"

Dawn's Glow looked down at the ground. "I was too embarrassed", she admitted. "That was the first time I ever sang in front of a crowd." She heard the club's door open and then slam shut. Dawn swung her head up to see none other than Indigo Moon trotting towards her, having spotted her before he even exited the door fully.

"Listen, I know this great restaurant not far from here", the Doctor told her, speaking quickly. "Go up the street take a left and it's the last building on the right. Take him there. It'll help with your apology."

"Hey, than-", Dawn said, turning to look at him. But he had gone. The Doctor had simply vanished. Puzzled, she turned back to Indigo who was now quite close.

"Are you okay?" Indy asked gently. "You kinda just...left."

Dawn looked at where the Doctor had been. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...I...Are you hungry?" she asked quickly. "I know a good place to eat if you are." She looked down the road. "It's not far."

Indy sighed. "Fine, let's go eat. But I'm not letting this go." The two trotted down the cobblestoned road, until they turned the corner. Dawn gasped. It was a beautiful little building decked out in soft pink lights and neat little tables outside. Indigo Moon opened the door and the unicorns were hit with the soft scent of fine wine and a hint of vanilla perfume.

Dawn inhaled deeply and gazed around at the interior. It was dimly lit with several circular tables covered in rose tablecloths. A few couples were already eating filling the room with idle chatter. An opera record played softly in the background.

A nicely dressed pony showed them to a table at the back of the carpeted restaurant. He provided them with two menus and went to attend to another table.

Indigo Moon gazed around at the tiny cafe. "You're right", he commented. "It certainly is nice." Then he lapsed into silence and his eyes flitted over the menu.

The waiter returned and took their orders. When he had gone Dawn's Glow took a deep breath and turned to face Indy.

"Listen, I-I wanted to apologize for...earlier." She had started now, she couldn't stop. "I'm not used to any individual attention and I guess I was a little overwhelmed. I grew up on a farm with multiple siblings. My mom never really had time for just me. Then, when it was just me, I couldn't handle it."

Indigo Moon turned towards her, brow furrowed. "Grew up in the country, you said? You don't have an accent."

"I don't have one, you're right. I put on an act around my family, but I don't have a real accent. I don't know why", Dawn explained. "The only pony I could ever really be myself around is my sister Tide Dancer, but she..." Dawn teared up and could go no further. Right about then, the food came. When they had finished their food and exited the restaurant Indigo led Dawn down the rest of the street until they found a calmly flowing river. Indigo turned to face the unicorn beside him. "About what you said, in the restaurant." He took a deep breath. "I hope you'll trust me enough to feel that I'm somepony you can come to. And be yourself around too."

Dawn laughed. "I hadn't been myself for a long time. But I never even pretended for a moment with you." She smiled at him.

For the first time in a long time, Indy blushed.