Chapter 7
Leaning back in your seat, you let out a sigh of relief as you stretch your legs and get them to let out a few pops from the joints.
“Ooph, could you please not do that?” Rarity asks as she looks up from her book. “Something about cracking joints just does not sound good.”
“Sorry,” you say in-between a yawn. “Forgot how long of a ride is to Mecklenburg. I knew I forgot something.”
“Well, I don’t know what else I can do for you, darling. We’re only an hour into the ride and have another two ahead of ourselves.”
“You could always read to me,” you say with a bit of a chuckle. “We can start a new program. I think ‘Reading Time with Rarity’ has a nice ring to it.”
Rarity laughs under her breath and idly flips a page. “Oh, I don’t think you’d be interested in what I’m reading...”
“What are you talking about?” Looking over the title, you roll your shoulders. “Swayback Mountain sounds alright for a western. I mean, it’s got a cowpony right there on the cover.”
“It’s a romance novel.”
“Are you sure you want me to read aloud the romantic conquests of two stallions, darling?” Rarity deadpans.
You blink a few times before inching back to your seat. “I’m good, thank you anyway.”
“Oh no, I actually like the idea. Here, let me read off a scene here for you: Twister held Ledge in his hooves, their lips meeting in a fiery-”
“I’m good, I’m good, I’m good,” you say holding up your hooves. “I think I’m alright with skipping out on ‘Reading Time with Rarity’ for now.”
Rarity gives you a smug grin. “I figured as much. You really don’t have a book or something to keep yourself occupied?”
You shake your head and sigh. “No, I was too excited. I just packed the bare necessities. Didn’t even think about the three hour train ride.”
“And I take it you’re... not tired?” She asks, raising a single eyebrow. “Or are you?”
“Yeah... Yeah, I’m kind of tired. I didn’t exactly want to, you know, alert the whole cabin in case-”
Rarity scooches over in her seat until she’s against the window and pats her lap. “Come lay down. I’ll keep an eye on you while you get some rest.”
You can’t help but smile and get up from your seat, only to sit down next to Rarity. “Thank you.”
Your smile quickly disappears and you furrow your brow in confusion. “Wait, how exactly is this going to work, I-”
Without looking away from her book, Rarity guides your head to her lap and runs a hoof through your mane as she continues to read.
Stealing a glance upward, you notice the stoic expression she’s trying to keep being betrayed by the tug of a smile as you get comfortable.
“Liebe Dich...” You say above a whisper.
Rarity’s smiling by now and you feel your eyelids start to droop slightly. “I’ll wake you up when we’re close. And if anything happens, just remember I’m right here, okay?”
You nod once and curl your legs underneath your body and let your eyes finally close, sleep taking you rather quickly.
************************************************************
With a sickening lurch, you’re thrown and hit the ground, prompting you to scramble to your hooves in sheer panic.
Oh gods, oh gods-
“Darling, darling, darling!”
Your heart hammers in your ears as you look around feverishly before locking eyes with Rarity. “The train stopped. It’s fine. You’re not hurt, are you?”
You nod slowly before running a hoof back through your mane. “Y-Yeah...No, I’m fine.” Taking a deep breath, you collect yourself. “Thought I was... having a nightmare. Why’d the train stop?”
As if on cue, the conductor’s voice echoes through the car’s speakers. “Folks, we got a bit of a problem on our hooves. Looks like some trees fell on the tracks. Don’t worry, we got the boys getting them out of the way right now. Shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes of work.”
“Well then... What now?” you ask aloud.
“I’d also like to remind passengers that lunch and beverages are currently being served in the dining cars.”
Rarity claps her hooves together and closes her book. “Wonderful! I was actually just starting to get hungry. Care to join me for a little brunch?”
You get to your hooves and follow after her. “Sure. Hopefully, the food isn’t anything the last time I ate on a train.”
“I assume it wasn’t the best?”
“Yeah,” you say with a nod. “Ended up with food poisoning and spent a day in bed.”
Rarity grimaces as she holds the door open for you. “Ooof, well here’s hoping nothing like that happens... We’re on vacation, it’d be horrible to start it with a trip to the hospital.”
As you walk into the car, your eyes dart to the window and you force yourself to blink repeatedly.
“Bist du in Ordnung?” Rarity asks as she puts a hoof on your shoulder.
[Translation: Are you alright?]
You let out a dry laugh. “Es gibt nichts. I thought I saw something.”
[Translation: It’s nothing.]
Your trip to the next car is done in silence and you wait for Rarity to press you further, but it never happens.
This time, you hold the door open for her and Rarity walks in, giving you a smile and a nod. Walking into the dining car after her, you sigh of relief.
Nothing. Nothing is going on.
Spotting a nearby table, you make a beeline for it and sit down with Rarity following shortly after.
“You’re tense,” Rarity states matter-of-factly as she grabs one of the menus. “I’m not going to press you, but please remember I just want to help you.”
You inhale sharply through your teeth before grabbing a hold of a menu for yourself. “You know what lucid dreaming is, right?”
Rarity remains quiet and simply nods.
“Well, you know a lot of my...” you pause and look around to see if anyone was listening. “...episodes are like that. I know I’m dreaming. But there’s not much I can do. I’m just... not 100% convinced that this isn’t a dream yet.”
Reaching out, Rarity grabs a hold of your hoof and brings you closer. “Look.”
She keeps her eyes wide and stares intently into yours. It takes a few seconds, but you let out a breath of relief.
“That’s you alright,” you say with a sigh of relief. “Those eyes are yours. This is real.”
Rarity smiles from ear to ear. “Good. But you know... If this is a dream, I could always-”
“Hello you two! My name is Constance and how may I help you today?”
You do your best to keep your composure and turn to the stallion. “Yes, um... could I get an orange soda and a daisy sandwich?”
“Well... I’ll have the summer salad and carrot juice if that’s okay.”
“Very good, I’ll be right back.”
Without another word, the waiter canters off to the end of the car leaving you and Rarity alone again.
“You were saying?”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Rarity says with wave of the hoof. “I was going to tell you that if you want Ich könnte Ihr Traum in eine freche Traum drehen.”
[Translation: I could turn your dream into a naughty dream]
You try to stifle a laugh, but it ends up coming out as a snort. “Okay, yeah. Definitely not a dream.”
“Oh? What’s got you so convinced now?”
You lean in and give her a peck on the cheek. “Only the real you flirts like that.”
“Really?” Rarity asks with a playful look in her eye. “And how does the ‘dream me’ me flirt?”
Your eyes grow wide and you feel your cheeks start to grow red. “Well... There’s more...Peitschen und Ketten.”
[Translation: Whips and chains]
Now it’s Rarity’s turn to blush. “Oh my. So.. you... like that thing?”
You feel your throat tighten and your blush grow deeper. “I, uh... I-”
“And here you are!” Constance says, seeming to appear out of nowhere again. “Daisy sandwich, orange soda, carrot juice, and summer salad.”
You look over the sandwich and give the waiter a smile. “Thank you. And could we get the bill?”
“Oh don’t you worry about that. It’s a new policy ‘Free meal with purchase of ticket’,” he says with a wide smile. “Now, you two enjoy and just call if you need anything.”
You and Rarity nod before turning to your meal.
“Do you mind dropping...” you clear your throat. “That? Not something I’m comfortable talking about in public.”
“Alright, darling. Though... I’m not forgetting this topic,” she says with a smirk.
Ohhh boy... Das dicke Ende kommt noch, you think with a nervous smile.
[Translation: The worst is yet to come]
*****************************************************************
The whistle of the train snaps you from your thoughts and you look over to Rarity, who is just starting to wake up from her nap.
“Oooh, are we there now?” She asks before letting out a long yawn. “Excuse me.”
“That we are,” you say with a wide smile. “Take a look.”
You point your hoof out the window and Rarity follows it before gasping. “Ohhh my...”
Rolling green hills, mountains, and quaint little country homes dot the landscape. “We’re in Reitisch right now. It’s quite a rural city, but almost every other city in Mecklenburg relies on them.”
“Oh? Why’s that?”
You let out a little laugh as you grab yours and Rarity’s saddlebags. “Hops and honey.”
Rarity nods slowly. “Okay... So, I understand hops for beer... and I guess honey for confectioneries?”
“That and several kinds of beer,” you say as you hold Rarity’s bags out. “Anyway, we can sample some of the local cuisine they make here if you want or we can start walking towards Ponier.”
“Walk?” Rarity says, freezing slightly. “Why are we walking? Why can’t we take a carriage?”
“Let me answer that with a question of my own, mein kleiner Fräulein: why did I tell you to pack light?”
“Well, I figure we’d be doing a tour across Mecklenburg, so it’d be smarter to pack light.’
“That... and we’re backpacking.”
“...Backpacking?” Rarity asks flatly. “You mean-”
“Backpacking. We’re going to take in the sights, travel aaaaall over and stay in some nice little inns, maybe even a hostel. No tourist-trap hotels, no pre-packaged and bottled experience or little tours from carriages,” you say as you put a hoof around Rarity’s shoulder. “A real, Mecklenburg experience.”
“No comfy five star hotels?” Rarity asks, her lip trembling a bit. “B-But...”
You roll your eyes and hold her a little tighter. “If it means so much, we can grab a comfy hotel once we get to Reign.”
Rarity perks up. “Ohh! The capital? Where there’s supposed to be that festival? What was it called...” She taps her chin before perking up. “Reign in Flammen?”
“The very same,” you say as you make your way out of the train car. “Listen, I promise that you’re going to love this.”
“Mm... But don’t forget, we’re here for you remember?”
You chuckle under your breath. “Wenn Sie zufrieden sind, Ich bin glücklich.”
[Translation: If you are happy, I am happy.]
Rarity giggles and gives you a peck on the cheek. “Come now, let’s see if they have an open air market. While lunch was nice, it would be nice to pick up something ‘for the road’, as they say.”
You try to stifle a laugh, but it comes out as a snort. “‘...if they have an open air market’ she says.”
“What? What’s so funny?”
“Oh, you’ll see...”
Staying quiet the entire way, you just keep smiling as Rarity takes in the sights as you lead her down the street.
After a few minutes of walking, the roar of a crowd can be heard snapping her gaze away from a haberdashery. “That sounds like a lot of ponies... Is there some sort of event going on?”
“No, not really.” You’re still smiling from ear to ear as you round the corner. Turning to Rarity, you can’t help but snicker as you see her jaw drop. “It’s just another wednesday.”
“My word,” she finally says, finding her voice. “This little town has this big of an open market?”
“I told you, this town is important. Every monday, wednesday, and friday there’s an open air market for everypony to sell their goods or make business arrangements.”
“So there’s ponies coming from all over Mecklenburg just to come here?” Rarity says as she strains her neck to look over the crowd.
[Author’s Note: From now on, if a sentence is italicized, the speaker is speaking german. Certain names and items will be in the native tongue still, trust me, it’ll make sense]
“Precisely.” You nod as you walk over to one of the stalls that was selling bread. “How much for for a loaf of Kürbiskernbrot?”
The green mare looks up to you from a basket behind the stall and smiles. “2 bits, good sir. Will that be everything?”
Taking out your wallet, you put a couple bits on the table. “No, that will be it. Thank you very much.”
With your new loaf of bread, you break it in half and hold it out to Rarity. “Try it.”
She eyes it for a moment before looking to you. “I got ‘seed bread’ from the conversation, but there was something I missed. What kind of seeds are baked onto it?”
“Just try it. I promise you’ll like it.”
“Isn’t it a little... Uncouth to just eat here? Standing in front of the stall?”
You let out a little laugh. “Miss, do you mind if we ate some of this now?”
The mare blinks in confusion before laughing. “Oh please, not at all!” She says with a wave of her hoof. “Please, eat and enjoy! Both of you!”
“Well... If it’s alright.” Levitating the piece of bread in front of her mouth, Rarity takes a bite out of it and starts to chew. Immediately, her eyes light up. “Pumpkin seeds?”
“Pumpkin seeds. In Equish, it translates into something along the lines of ‘Pumpkin Seed Bread’. A dark rye bread with pumpkin seeds, that’s all it is. Good, huh?”
“I must admit darling, I was a little wary eating bread without anything on it but it honestly good just the way it is,” she says before taking another bite.
“Well, if you want something to go with it then lets find something!” With a laugh, you walk off deeper into the market. “Lunch like a noble after all!”
Rarity quickly swallows the mouthful of bread and trots off after you, wrapping it back up in the wax paper it came with. “What was that dear?”
“Breakfast like a princess, lunch like a noble, and dine like a beggar. It’s a popular little saying.”
“Well, why not sit down and eat then? And afterwards, we can shop for some nice things to take home,” she says as she joins your side. “It’s honestly best not to shop while hungry after all.”
“Where do you want to go, then? In the mood for anything particular?”
Rarity shakes her head slowly. “I really don’t know what this town has to offer, darling. What do you think is good?”
Clicking your teeth, you start looking around the square and adjacent buildings. “Well, let’s go over to that little outdoor cafe. If I remember, spargelzeit is in season.”
“White asparagus?”
“Yes, you’ve had some before. Remember? The Gilded Lily? Second time we were there?”
You hear Rarity giggle. “Oh, I remember. You and your father started dancing around the fourth tankard of beer.”
“Ohh yeah... I forgot about the dancing part,” you laugh back. “But still, spargelzeit is quite good so lets order some.”
Finding yourself a table, you and Rarity sit down and grab the menu placed in the center. “See?” You point out one portion of the menu. “You can have sparglezeit as a main dish, a side, in soup... It’s quite the versatile vegetable. What looks good to you?”
“Hmmm... Oooh! ‘Asparagus with orange, lime, and hollandaise sauce?’ Now that sounds good.”
“Good choice!”
Both you and Rarity jump slightly, looking up to see a white unicorn levitating a notepad and pencil at eye level. “What would you like to drink with that?”
Clearing her throat, Rarity straightens herself. “Fruchtschorle, please.”
The waiter nods. “House favorite, good choice. And you sir?”
“The spargelzeit soup sounds good right about now. And can I get that with a Spezi?”
“I just saw the chef finish up a new batch, it will be out right away.” With a little nod, the waiter steps away. “I will be right back.”
As he walks away, you reach into your saddlebag and pull out a rolled up piece of paper. “Shall we plan our route?”
Rarity perks up and watches as you unroll the paper on the table. “A map of Mecklenburg? And we are... right here.”
“Yeah, and I think we should make our way to Bitken through this road here,” you say, tracing your hoof along the line. “And take the road from there to Mecklich. Ocktoberfest is being held there.”
Rarity gives you a wary look, prompting a sigh as you realize what she's thinking.
"I don't care about the drink, if you're thinking back to our dinner at The Grand Gourmet. I want to go there for the dance."
That got her attention.
"Dance?"
"The biggest dance in all of Mecklenburg. I want to go there with the mare I love and forget about everything except her and how much she means to me. Sort of like... our first date."
The look on Rarity's face is priceless. "Ohhh... That's just..."
Struggling for words, Rarity stops and leans into you, pressing her lips to yours and kissing just long enough to turn some heads.
"Ich liebe dich."
You blush deeply, but keep smiling a goofy smile.
Regaining your composure, you look over the map once more. “After that, we should be in Reign. Was there any place you’d like to see along the way?”
You hear Rarity hum in thought as she looks closely at the map. “Well... Do you think we can take a detour through Württburg? I read about ‘Romantic Road’ and how a trip down it with your loved one is supposed to bring you good luck.”
“...Do you even need to ask?” Leaning in, you steal a quick kiss from her. “Of course.”
“Just wanted to hear it. Libe dich.”
“And here you two are!” Both yours and Rarity’s head snaps towards the waiter, a silver tray balanced in a shimmering light. “Please, enjoy the meal. I’ll be around when you’re done with the check. If you need anything else, please call.”
“Thank you,” Rarity says with a smile. Her eyes dart between your dish and hers. “The setup looks almost as good as the food itself.”
Bringing a spoonful of soup to your lips, you let out a satisfied sigh. “No, I think it tastes better. Now, are you going to eat or try to immortalize it with a picture?”
“Oh please. While the dish itself is quite the sight, I’m not about to return to Ponyville with picture of what I had for lunch,” she says before levitating a fork and skewering one of the asparagus.”
You laugh under your breath and go to take another sip of the soup, but stop when you hear a low rumble off in the distance. Looking around, you see you’re not the only one who’s heard it.
“Was that thunder?”
“It can’t be. There isn’t a cloud in the sky.”
“I think I can smell rain,” Rarity says, looking to you with a bit of worry. “Do you think there was a mixup with the weather team?”
“There’s no way,” you say shaking your head. “If somepony was responsible for raining on the market, everypony would be after their head.”
“I still smell rain... Maybe we should just stay in a hotel tonight.” Rarity says with a frown.
Craning your head upwards, you take a few sniffs of the air and roll your shoulders. “Are you sure? I can’t smell anything over the cafe, the market, and your lunch.”
Rarity grabs one of the asparagus and chews it idly, glancing up to the sky in silence.
With a sigh, you reach out and grab her hoof. “Listen, Bitken isn’t that far away. We can finish eating lunch, hit the road, and be there in no time. There isn’t a cloud in the sky, so worse case scenario? It rains a little just as we make it to town.”
“Well... Alright. But let’s hit up the market first. Wasn’t the whole point of lunch so that we’re buying with our heads and not our stomach?”
“Almost forgot,” you say with a little laugh. “Well, let’s eat up then.”
You and Rarity eat your lunch in silence, that low rumble still being heard off in the distance.
There’s no way, you think as you dip your spoon back into the soup. I know it.
****************************************************
You adjust the straps on your saddlebag a few more times before glancing down the cobblestone street, just in time to see Rarity trotting towards you.
“There you are! How’d the shopping go?”
“Oh just marvelous,” she says with a smile. “And I’m sorry for taking so long. I got caught up with another dressmaker and I left her with my mailing address. Apparently, she saw me at the Grand Galloping Gala.”
“Ohh... Uh, any problems with her or-”
Rarity smiles from ear to ear and starts walking down the road and you start after her. “Oh, just the opposite. She applauded what I did to that stuck up Blueblood.”
“And for good reason,” you add with a snicker.
“Quite right. And after I told her that it was my dress that he ruined, we started talking about the trade. She’s going to help me with more traditional Mecklenburg designs and I’m going to help her keep ahead of the fashion trend.”
You give her a playful nudge and laugh. “Look at you, already rubbing elbows with the locals. I knew you’d do just fine.”
Rarity’s smiles back, but it falters for a moment. Looking up and down the road and seeing no one else she moves a bit closer.
“Which reminds me... How are you holding up?” She asks, her tone sounding more serious. “It hasn’t been that long since that episode in Ponyville. How are you feeling now?”
You grimace slightly, knowing that this was bound to happen sooner or later. “I’m feeling better... I mean, nopony knows who I am around here. They don’t see the psychiatrist who lost his nerve and went cra-”
“You did not lose your nerve,” Rarity says curtly. “You were poisoned by an actually crazy mare who is now going to jail for a long, long time. You need to remember that. Careheart did something to you.”
You let out a little sigh. “Y-Yeah... Just keep forgetting that sometimes. Hard to keep things straight lately with everything that’s been going on. A lot of things on my mind.”
“Anything I don’t know about?”
Your head whips towards Rarity. “What?”
“Well, I know things got a little... heated when I confronted you. When I told you to get out.” Her voice cracks and you can tell she’s doing her best to hide it. “Because I thought you were...”
With another sigh, she stops. “I never did apologize. There was something more going and I jumped to conclusions. Is that... Is that something that is ‘on your mind’?”
You blink in confusion before finally remembering everything that happened that night.
The flask, the phantom choking me, Rarity finding me... No, she never apologized, but wh-
The words are already leaving your mouth. “-y would you need to apologize? I mean... I was hiding something. You had every right to be mad. I haven’t even really thought of that night in a while. Trust me, it’s not one of those things.”
“To be mad, yes. But not to lash out like I did. I had assumed the worst. And I wanted to make sure that I hadn’t in some way added to the weight on your shoulders, as it were.”
You lean in and give her a peck on the cheek. “If anything, you help me carry it. So don’t worry.”
Rarity smiles, but it quickly disappears. “Then what is on your mind? Please, be straight with me. We need to work this out.”
You let out a haggard sigh and glance to the ground. “First is the possibility of losing the clinic. Which in turn means I’m out of a job. Then I keep thinking about not being able to help pay for renovations, meaning we’ll be in the hole and owe a lot of money. Makes me feel like I’ve not only screwed up things for myself, but for you as well so I’m beating myself up over that.”
It comes so easily now. Every last burden and thought that’s plagued you and twisted you into knots spills free.
“Next is the fact I haven’t seen a patient of mine in a while and I worry about them. After that? I still have ponies coming in for counseling since Pinkie told everypony in town how great I was. Not that I’ll be seeing any of them when we get back since I’m damn well sure everypony in town thinks I belong in an asylum. I can’t take their stares and whispers.”
Rarity remains silent, even after you finish before finally speaking up. “You’ve hinted at a few of those things, but I had no idea you’ve had this much on your mind.”
“It’s helped letting it all out for a change,” you say with a little laugh. Looking towards the countryside, you can’t help but smile as a flock of birds roost on a nearby tree. “Ruins the mood of the vacation, though. Remembering what’s still going on in Ponyville.”
“Darling, you need t-”
Another boom of what definitely sounds like thunder cuts of Rarity and makes the two of you jump.
Looking up, a definite overcast of grey skies that wasn’t there a second ago lets you know just what’s going to happen next.
“Oh that is not fair.”
A single raindrop hits you on the forehead. “We gotta find a place to get out of the rain or we’re gonna get soaked.”
*FWOOP*
Looking over to Rarity, she gives you a cocky smile from underneath a travel umbrella.
“Uh... Don’t suppose you packed another one?”
“I didn’t pack another one, or this one for that matter. I bought it at the market after lunch.”
You rub at your face as the rain starts to pick up slightly. “Please don’t say I told you so.”
“Oh I would never dream of it, darling.” Angling the umbrella, Rarity makes room and invites you under as it starts to sprinkle.
“Da hast du es,” she says with a smile.
[Translation: I told you so]
You give Rarity an annoyed look. “I thought you said you weren’t going to say-”
“I said I’d never say ‘I told you so’. But I said ‘Da hast du es’ which is an entirely different set of words.” She sticks her tongue out and you can’t help but shake your head.
“Cheeky little...” You nudge her and look up at the sky, but there were no signs of the rain breaking anytime soon. “Well, looks like we’re in it for the long haul.”
Rarity lets out a tired sigh and levels her eyes down the road, only to gasp. “Don’t be so sure! Look!”
You have to squint your eyes, but you definitely see what looks like a cottage far down the road and a wooden sign hanging on it.
“I think it’s an inn.”
“Are you sure?”
“Hard to tell from this far away, but let’s be hopeful.”
You and Rarity pick up the pace and arrive at the door just as the rain picks up. Looking up to the wooden sign, both you and Rarity freeze.
“Is... Is that a dancing dog? And a pony?” She asks as she cocks her head. “Why do they just have a sign with a carving of a dancing dog and pony?”
Sure enough, the sign is nothing but what looks like a dancing rottweiler with a smile on its face, dancing with an earth pony who looked to be having just as much fun.
“No idea. But we have to get out of this rain.”
You open the door and step in from the rain and smile. “It’s really coming down hard, we-”
The wooden cottage had to have at least thirty ponies in it and that wasn’t the thing that caught you off guard. There had to be at least just as many diamond dogs as well. And everyone was staring at you.
You steal a sideways glance towards Rarity, who’s doing her best to keep a straight face. You knew of her past experiences with diamond dogs and hoped to keep things civil.
“Is there a problem?” You manage to choke out with a laugh. “We can leav-”
Before you can even motion to the door, a big rottweiler-looking of a diamond dog calls out from behind the bar.
“Ohhhh no you don’t! Both of you, get on up here!”
You feel Rarity flinch beside you. “Do we have to?” She whispers under her breath.
“I’d rather not offend them, if you know what I mean... Don’t worry though, we’ll be fine.”
You and Rarity walk across the floor of the bar to the bar table, the eyes of the patrons on you the entire time.
You’re now face to face with the rottweiler and he looks down at you, his brow furrowed and a permanent scowl on his face.
“Where are you two from?”
“Well...” you begin, clearing your throat. “My family and I are originally from Ponn. Moved to Ponyville when I was young.”
“I’m from Ponyville as well,” Rarity says with a sheepish smile.
The rottweiler looks both you and Rarity up and down. “So... Know what we do with ponies who just waltz on in to our fine establishment?” He reaches under the bar and you hear him grab something, but your heart is beating too loud in your ears.
You tense every muscle in your body and start to inch towards Rarity, hoping to put yourself inbetween him and her.
In a flash, he pulls out a green bottle and two shot glasses. “We give them some spirits to warm them up.”
The silence hangs thick for only a few moments until the rottweiler’s grim facade breaks and he gives you a toothy smile and laughs, which is then followed by the entirety of the bar.
You and Rarity look around, dumbfounded at the sudden change in tone. A clatter of metal and hooves gets your attention and from behind a corner, a number of ponies and diamond dogs, each carrying brass instruments step onto what looks like a stage.
“Ohhh sorry about that,” the rottweiler says with a laugh as he pushes a shot glass in front of you and Rarity. “We saw you coming up the road and figured you had to stop by here if you wanted to get out of the rain. Name’s Rottie and I couldn’t resist having a little fun with you.” His eyes turn to Rarity, who looked more than a little flustered. “Are you okay, miss? I didn’t scare you too bad, did I?”
Rarity lets out a deep sigh and throws back the shot. “My nerves are a bit rattled.”
“You alright?”
She turns to you before whispering. “Being surrounded by diamond dogs is not bringing back the nicest of memories, if I must be brutally honest.”
“And why that?” Rottie asks in a heavily accented voice, leaning on the bar table. “Got problem with diamond dogs?”
This time, Rottie sounds a bit more serious. You open your mouth, hoping to defuse the situation, but Rarity beats you.
Rarity fights back her embarrassed blush. “I wasn’t exactly treated that well last time I was in their company,” she says flatly. “Please, drop it.”
“Oh, what? No sparkling wine for beauty queen?” He asks with low laugh.
You can almost see the steam coming off of her as the bartender continues to egg her on.
“Or pillow not fluffed right?”
“For your information,” Rarity barks as she leans into the bar table “I was held against my will and used as a personal gem finder.
Rottie flinches back and his jaw goes agape. His face is a mix of shock and disgust and when he finally finds his words, he’s back in his native tongue. “Are you kidding me? There’s no way-”
“They kidnapped me, used me to find gems for them, and turned me into their personal work horse,” she says sharply.
“W...What? There are still diamond dogs holding to those barbaric ways?” He says, looking ready to pass out. “I know we’re not exactly liked, but I just have a hard time-”
“I know several ponies who can back this claim up,” you finally say before taking back your shot. “Listen, I’d rather not start up any trouble. Maybe we should leave.”
You and Rarity get ready to leave, grabbing your bags and putting them back on before Rottie slams his paws into the bar table.
“You will do no such thing!” Rottie cries out, making both you and Rarity jump in your seats.
He turns to Rarity and lowers himself down until he’s at eye level with her.
“Ma’am. First, I’d like to apologize for coming off as rude and hostile. That is no way to treat a lady. And secondly, on behalf of all diamond dogs, I’d like to personally apologize for the way you were treated in the past. I know we have a bad reputation, but we’re not all like that.” He waves a paw out to the crowd, pointing out the number of diamond dogs and ponies currently enjoying themselves.
“I know my establishment might not seem like much, but I’d like to offer you free room and board. Whenever you walk through those doors, you are welcome to a warm bed and meal.”
Rarity’s stony expression quickly melts away and is replaced by one of shock. “Oh, no, no! Y-You don’t need to do that!”
“You right. I don’t need to. But want to,” he says with a smile. “But if you want to leave, that is your choice and will respect that.”
You look over to see Rarity, her hoof to her mouth as she looks to Rottie, truly and utterly shocked. Finally, she visibly relaxes and smiles. “Perhaps I was... quick in comparing you to those who I’ve met in the past. So I’m sorry for that.”
Rottie smiles and pulls the green bottle back out and a third shot glass before filling all three. “Prost. To new friends.”
Rarity’s smiling now. “Prost.”
“Prost.”
All three of you throw back the shot and laugh as the tension just moments ago seems to melt away.
You can’t help but laugh aloud at the absurdity of the situation. “That just went from tense, to awkward, to tense again.”
“It has been quite the rollercoaster ride of a day, hasn’t it?”
“Story of my life...” You say under your breath.
Putting a hoof on your shoulder, Rarity tries to comfort you. “It’ll all work out in the end,” she says before kissing you on the cheek. “It’s the start of our vacation. A little rain won’t stop us.”
“Damned Discord and his aftershocks,” one pony at a nearby table says aloud. “It’s gonna get worse before it gets better.”
“Discord?” Rarity says, perking up slightly. “What about him? Is this his fault?”
“Ja. When he got released, he mucked up a lot of things,” the pony says before throwing back her drink. “Weather has been going nuts the last month. Nothing crazy on the levels of that one town in Equestria, but every now and again the pegasus can’t do anything about the weather, whatever it is.”
You can’t help but slump into your chair. “Welp, you can say it again dear. Should’ve listened to you.”
“Oh come now, I was just teasing earlier. I wasn’t too confident in myself at the market, to be honest. I mean, you had a valid point. There wasn’t a single cloud in the sky.”
The sentiment is nice, but you still can’t force yourself to smile. “Still feel like I should have trusted you. You haven’t been wrong in the past, I-”
“Alright you two,” Rottie claps his paws together, getting your attention. “Let me lay it out for you. It’ll be raining for the next two hours and it’ll be bad enough that walking in it isn’t smart. You’re lucky that you got here in time.”
You feel yourself grimace slightly at the news.
“However... The hotels back in Reitisch would have been absolutely packed.”
That bit of information makes you sit up a bit and makes Rarity’s jaw drop slightly. “Oh my, I didn’t even think of that...”
Rottie nods. “You would have been spending the night in the hotel lobby if you had no reservations, no doubt. Sure, no risk of getting rained on but not the best experience. You were damned if you do, damned if you didn’t.”
“Huh...” you say plainly. “Well... That’s definitely a different way of looking at things.”
“Very much so. Now, what can I get you two? Anything to eat? Drink? You’ve got plenty of time to rest your hooves and enjoy yourself before the rain lets up.” Rottie grins as he gives both you and Rarity a menu. “And plenty of time before Schuhplattler.”
“The what?” Rarity asks with a raised eyebrow.
You however, could only laugh under your breath. “Ohh boy...”
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Some friendly diamond dogs, I like it.
"in"
YES!
Oh, uh, that kinda just slipped out...
Days of the week are capitalized.
Ending quotation doesn't need to be there.
It took me far too long to get to this and I didn't leave anything entertaining. Bleh, I have been edited out by multiple stories cause I can't say "No".
Oh boy, things are about to get pretty interesting! And I'm digging the kinder portrayal of diamond dogs, pun intended.