Chapter Forty-Two: The Mareiot
As Fluttershy descended down the stairs, she felt a little self-conscious for how she was portrayed. She was indeed absolutely stunning, the curled mane styled back in a blossoming bun that fully exposed her face with the exception of two locks dangling next to her cheeks, leaving her unable to naturally hide behind her hair. Her dress also obscured her wings, further leaving her unable to hide her face behind them -- a design decision that was likely deliberately implemented by Rarity to prevent her from doing just that.
In a way, it did create a small safety issue in the sense that if she had to spread her wings and immediately take flight, she would need to first remove the garment. Ultimately, even that was circumvented by the material being quite easy to take off just in case such an emergency presented itself. As it was, she figured that the chances of such an event happening were extraordinarily low (though Twilight Sparkle was worried of going into specifics for fear of invoking such an event, mumbling on about someone named Murphy), and Fluttershy simply let the issue lie as she stood there in front of Smokey.
“Um…” she spoke, eyeing him up and down. Rarity had certainly… outdid herself, though she struggled to find a decent word in her vocabulary that she could use to compliment him. “You look… nice. Really… nice.”
A beat.
“… Are you… ready to go?” she asked, her voice soft and barely above that of a whisper, still unsure about this and risked a glance back to the rest of her friends still on the upper level with Chenoa on Applejack’s back.
Rainbow Dash offered the other pegasus a smile and a quick wink before motioning with her hooves for her to get going.
Smokey didn’t even seem to be in any state of reality whatsoever. The bottom of his costume’s muzzle was pushed down as his jaw dropped in awe. Was that pale yellow mare really the same Fluttershy he knew?
Heck, even Chenoa had a hard time recognizing her own adoptive mother.
Feeling a little more emboldened by her friend’s gesture, Fluttershy turned back to the dragon with a small smile.
“I’ll, um…” the mare began, noticeably louder, yet still shy, “… take your silence as a yes.”
“Uh…” was all Smokey was able to utter, still stunned by her appearance.
The bashful pony remained there, trailing the floor with a hoof and staring at the intricate patterns on the floorboards for a few moments, before she found herself moving forward completely out of her own accord. She glanced over her shoulder to find a small magical magenta aura encompassing her backside pushing her forth. A quick glare tossed up at her friends caused Twilight Sparkle to cease her magic with a slightly smug smile, but Fluttershy sighed and forced a smile up at the dragon.
Finally finding the ability to move again, Smokey rapidly shook his head to recollect his mental grip over himself. He was glad the costume was concealing the blush of embarrassment staining his cheeks. Uttering a quick apology and nodding to Fluttershy, he trudged upstairs -- nearly tripping in the process -- to grab the baby griffon and set her down on his companion’s back. Smiling and lowering himself down on all fours, he and the mare left to embark on their walk to the Mareiot.
What the pair plus baby didn’t know was that Rarity had already devised a plan to follow them into the restaurant and station themselves nearby in order to make sure nothing went wrong. While she and the others were going, they wished not to actually intervene but mainly observe.
As Fluttershy lead the way into the ritzier part of town, she grinned over at the child on her back.
“You know,” she started, moving her vision to her draconic friend. “I’ve never been to the Mareiot before. I wonder what it’s like. Are the ponies there going to be… rude and snobbish and snooty? I don’t think I would like Chenoa being around those types of ponies at all…”
“Nor would I. As much as I appreciate Miss Rarity going through the trouble getting reservations to this place, I don’t want any bad behavior impressed on Chenoa,” Smokey agreed, casting a glance at the snow-pelted chick, who was busy analyzing the new scenery.
The pink-maned pegasus nodded once, turning her attention to other ponies, wondering if they were getting any looks… They were, or at least, she was. Feeling self-conscious again, reminded of the brief time she spent as a model, moved closer to Smokey -- as the citizens seemed to just regard him with a gaze and then spend no further attention spare a second or two.
Either Rarity’s skills were more than Fluttershy and Smokey gave her credit for… or they figured they really should be worried about the townsponies’ obliviousness. He didn’t even get so much as a second glance.
Smokey, too, noticed his friend was getting a few stares. He really couldn’t blame them for looking; Fluttershy was gorgeous!
“You… look really lovely tonight,” he finally said in order to break the awkward silence.
“… Thank you. You… well… you look handsome, too… At least, I think you look handsome, even under that… well…” She paused, lowering her voice so that ponies they passed couldn’t hear as they came up to the Mareiot. “I really think it’s a shame you have to go… like this. It’s too bad you really can’t be more… open.”
He was rather surprised to hear that -- and flattered to boot -- , causing him to blush profusely. He honestly didn’t of himself as handsome. Of course, being viewed as a fearsome beast could do quite a number on self-image and esteem.
“W-well… since I’ve been scaring almost everypony I came across, I’m willing to do anything to prevent that,” he answered in a hushed tone. Pacing ahead so he was the first to reach the double doors, he clasped onto one of the ornate handles between his teeth and pulled it open for Fluttershy and Chenoa.
“I know. It’s a real shame. You shouldn’t have to resort to this.”
Thanking him for opening the door for her, she stepped inside and was greeted by a dapper looking grey stallion in a white shirt and red vest and carrying a pack of menus, the strap wrapped around his neck.
“Oh, bonjour, salut, and welcome to the Mareiot restaurant,” he greeted with a bow. “Party of… three?”
“Yes. Just us,” Fluttershy affirmed.
“I see. Very well! Would mademoiselle and monsieur prefer an indoor table, or a table out on the balcony?”
The disguised dragon looked to the waiter, noting the complete lack of snobbish behavior. He instantly felt a little better about being here, but he still dreaded the other customers and, of course, the prices.
“Actually, sir, we have reservations,” he informed the stallion, recalling what Rarity had told him. “Should be under the names Fluttershy and Smoking… Willow,” he finished hesitantly while peeking down at the tree shape superimposed over a wisp of black smoke branded on his costumes flank. If he was going under the guise of a pony, he might as well have a pony name.
“Smoking Willow…” The stallion turned to the reservation book, his eyes tracing the names scribbled down on the page. “Ah, yes, here we are! Fluttershy and Smoking Willow, as mentioned. For the… oh, I see a reservation out on the terrace. A most excellent choice.”
Turning around, he gestured for the pair to follow.
“If you’ll just follow me, si vous plait.”
With that, he lead them further into the location, up a flight of stairs onto the second level of the building, and back outside. The terrace was a large outdoors balcony surrounded by shrubbery and all types of potted flora ranging from the local to the exotic. Some of them looked like they were even imported directly from Princess Celestia’s personal garden! Leading to a rounded table with a reserved sign resting on the surface, it was laid out in an open view of the night sky, with the full moon shining down -- which pegasi were beginning to cover with rain clouds. A candlebra was set in the middle of the table, though it was not yet lit. It was dim, but it wasn’t hard to see thanks to the lights coming from inside and the streetlights below.
“I certainly hope that the environs are to your liking,” the waiter said.
Smokey was close to tripping as he climbed the staircase, but quickly regained his footing before reaching the top. Focusing through the eye holes, he absorbed the vicinity of the terrace. It was very impressive! He especially found the brightly colored macaws perched on the small potted trees near their table beautiful.
“Very much so! Lovely birds… And the view is… incredible!”
The rosy-maned mare was also quite taken aback at the sight, her features brightening. Cutting back to the host, she nodded.
“Oh, yes! It’s… it’s very lovely.”
“Very good!” The stallion beamed, pulling out menus from the pack slipped around his chest. “There’s a children’s menu off to the side, though I must say we don’t often cater to young ones. Can I get either of you anything to drink as you make yourselves comfortable?”
“Oh, um…” Transferring Chenoa onto the table, she took her seat. “I’ll just have a glass of water.”
“Water? Certainly, mademoiselle. I’ll even bring somepony bring a highchair over for the little one,” he added. “And for the gentlecolt?”
“Erm. Water will be fine, sir. Thank you. And for our girl, too,” Smokey replied as he slid into the chair across from Fluttershy. He lowered his vision to the menu in front of him, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets at the prices.
There was no way he was going to be able to afford to eat here…
“Very well. Somepony should be here with your drinks momentarily.”
He gave a light bow and cantered off. As Fluttershy smiled, stroking a hoof over Chenoa’s head, she turned her attention to the menu.
“Well, he was certainly n -- holy guacamole,” she exclaimed. “Wha… I’ve never seen anything this expensive…”
Suddenly, she wasn’t sure if she should be grateful or incredibly flustered at her unicorn friend. How did she expect to be able to afford to eat here??
“Yes… I’m… Er…”
Smokey couldn’t quite bring himself to suggest the option of leaving. Rarity had mentioned that getting reservations to this place were difficult and he didn’t want to disappoint her.
“I… um… I suppose we can… work something out.”
She compressed her lips, wondering exactly how they were going to explain this to the waiter.
Nearby, unbeknownst to either of them or Chenoa, Pinkie Pie sat -- still in her dragon costume (though looking freshly washed, as if she had been forcibly bathed while still in it) -- listening in. Gasping softly, she darted out from behind the shrubbery and dove off the balcony, onto the trampoline below, and landed on the ground where, in a display of cunning subtle movements, she silently displayed both front hooves in a brilliant sequence of code to convey the urgent message to her friend and fellow spy, Rarity…
… who was standing directly in front of her.
“Oh, Pinkie, just tell us what’s going on,” Rarity said, her voice at a controlled volume. She was right in front of her; did the pink mare really think she needed to utilize some sort of secret code the fashionista didn’t understand?
“Oh! Fluttershy and Smokey are worried they won’t be able to afford the bill! Fluttershy said the prices are extra-super-duper expensive! What are we gonna do?!”
Rarity looked to Rainbow Dash, then to Applejack, then Twilight Sparkle, and finally back to Pinkie Pie. She furrowed her brows in thought before her eyes lit up with resolve.
“We will have to catch the waiter and insist we pay half, but… we cannot have him letting Fluttershy and Smokey know we’re here…”
“I can handle that,” Twilight Sparkle stated. “I just don’t know how we’re going to be able to intercept their waiter without us--”
Pinkie Pie grinned, suddenly donning a waitress’ uniform over the dragon costume.
“… Okay, no,” the lavender alicorn deadpanned, staring at the curly-maned equine.
“I suppose we can always call him over,” the alabaster unicorn suggested with uncertainty belying her intonation.
“I… suppose we’ll have to,” Twilight Sparkle mused, picking up on Rarity’s doubt. “Unless anypony has a better idea?”
There was a pause.
“Ah certainly can’t think of nuttin’,” Applejack said.
Pinkie Pie -- now enigmatically free from the uniform -- remained silent, shaking her head. Twilight Sparkle gazed up, as she found the waiter through the window having made his way downstairs and was crossing over to the kitchens.