A Snails Pace

by Bee Propaganda

A Chance Meeting: Part Two

Author's Note:

The last few parts were written weeks after the first part. Please point out any inconsistencies you spot.

Diamond tiara let a content sigh escape her lips as she exited the boutique. She was happy to get out of there. She wanted nothing more than to get some food and to read for the rest of the evening in a hotel room. Looking for her father she found him nearby sitting on a bench chatting with a lanky, light gray guardpony. She swore that guardpony looked familiar, but she couldn't place her hoof on it.

She did not feel like wasting anymore time standing about. She started to trot her way over to the two stallions. Once in earshot she could hear them chatting about trivial topics. She made her presence known by lightly tapping her father withers interrupting the conversation.

"Hmmm? Oh Hey, Princess. How was it?" He asked her wanting to know if anything went wrong.

"Everything is fine dad..." She responded with a smile "...I was thinking maybe we should get something to eat and call it a night." She stated.

"You are right about that, Princess..." Filthy agreed looking at the northern clock tower seeing that it was nearing six o'clock "My friend here tells me there is a small quaint place just down the street where we could eat."

Diamond looked at this stallion her dad was talking about. He seemed to be focused on a little fuchsia filly, that she apparently failed to notice when she walked up to them. He seemed to be playing magic, wings, earth with the little filly. She pumped her hoof after she won the round.

Not wanting to be a rude mare, she introduced herself to the stallion. "Hello sir, My name is Diamond Tiara. Nice to meet you." She said offering a hoof to the addressed

"Nice to meet ya too. Diamond..." Snails replied blatantly taking the hoof and started to eagerly shake it. "It's been a while hasn't it?." He

Diamond was even more confused now that she heard the voice of the stallion. She swore she could pinpoint this stallion, but his color scheme just didn't ring a bell.

"Do I know you from somewhere. You seem a bit familiar, but I just can not place it.' She squinting her eyes at the enigma of a stallion hoping for anything to pop up that would explain this situation further.

"You don't remember me?" Snails said sounding a little dejected

Filthy tried to muffle a chuckle, but Diamond was able to slightly hear him. She turned towards him ready to ask for information in the matter, but she was interrupted by the small filly talking to the unknown stallion. "Daddy, You put your helmet back on remember?" The filly said in an innocent voice.

Snail's ears perked back up. He gave a pat on the head for his daughter. "Oh Yea heh heh..." He said chuckling rubbing the back of his neck with a hoof. "Thanks for reminding me Slugger" He said as he took off his helmet again with his magic.

Once again his coat started to change from light gray to a yellowish buttercup. His mane and tail changed from being black to that of a sea green.

He produced a dorky smile at the young mare. She stared on in awe. Now she remembered who this stallion was. She couldn't believe this is what he's been up to since Miss Cheerilee's middle school class. On top of that she couldn't believe he would even be happy to see her after what she did to him last time they met. Not even her father knew about that.

Diamond Tiara forced a smile as to not be rude. "Snail's it is so nice to see you after all these years." Diamond Tiara said without a tremble in her voice. She could act perfectly, but that did not stop her thoughts from panicking. "I see you joined the guard sometime during the past 10 years." She inferred by the look of his garb.

"Yea four years next month. The princesses gave me a small break to bond with my daughter before I am assigned my last mission before I retire" he stated proudly. For Snails this was just one big step into the next chapter of his life. He couldn't wait to start being a proper father figure for his young daughter. That would be an even better job than being a member of the elite guard.

"That's spirit Snail's..." Filthy complemented "I can attest to that. There is nothing better than being a a proper father for our next generation, but I must ask why retire at such a young age?" Filthy rich asked wanting to know why someone of his standing would give up a position like his.

Diamond Tiara looked in disbelief at the scene unfolding in front of her. Not only was snails here in broad daylight, but he was a member of the royal guard, and he also had a daughter. A small part of her was hurt. She didn't know why though. she continued to watch. Ocassionally glancing at the young filly that seemed to be playing with the helmet that he sat down next to his legs.

"I guess retirement would be the wrong word to use. It is more like a promotion. I am being retired from the front lines to become a training officer." He stated again pride filling his chest at the thought of being able to do more for the citizen of Equestria. He continued "I can explain more, but first lets go get some food. I think I made my daughter wait long enough" He said as he scuffled her mane.

"Daddy..." She fake pouted "My mane is all messy now."

Filthy, Snails, and Escargot all chuckled at the situation. They all knew she did not care for her mane that much yet.

Diamond was taken out of her thoughts from chuckling. She looked up at the three ponies who were smiling waiting for her to join in on the fun. She faked a laugh that seemed to satisfy the three jovial ponies.

The two visiting ponies followed Snail's, who just put his helmet on again, and his daughter to the restaurant he was talking about. They walked in silence welcoming the noise of ponies fretting to and fro.

Snail interupted the silence addressing his daughter "...So what do ya want to get, slugger?"

"I want to get the sweetest ice cream they got" She replied without hesitation. She started her eager bouncing again.

Snails noticed the bouncing and gently put a little pressure on her withers with his magic. "Calm down there, slugger" He said with a knowing smile "I know ya are eager to get that ice cream, but let's not run off again, If you promise to stay close until we get there, I will ask them to put an extra scoop in your bowl" He bargained with the young filly.

She liked that idea, and she immediately stuck to his foreleg like glue.

Filthy chuckled just witnessing the scene unfold. He would be lying if he said he didn't feel a hint of jealousy. Oh the feeling of raising a foal is something special. To be able to watch your progeny grow up and succeed you was something all parents should strive for. He had a feeling that filly had one of the best parents anyone could ask for.

Diamond on the other hoof was feeling conflicting emotions. She couldn't stop thinking about her past with snails. She thought he would be offended seeing her, but no, He just acts like everything is dandy with her. Nothing. She deserved to be yelled at for what she did to him, but it felt like she was getting a second chance to make things right between them.

However, She couldn't just come out and say her past feelings. For one, she doesn't even know if she still feels the same way she did ten years ago, and secondly, He has a child. That either means he started a family with out her, which makes her angry and sad at the same time, or he isn't interested in her anymore. 'I need to think this over later tonight' She thought to herself. Unbeknownst to her she was so deep in thought she was about to run straight into the door of the restaurant. She felt herself stop abruptly as a yellow aura locked her hoofs in place.

"Woah there!!!" Snails said releasing his magical grasp on her "Can't let you ram right into a wall" He chuckled gaining her attention

Diamond Tiara blushed and turned her head whispering something that resembled a thank you to the stallion that just saved her from looking like an absolute fool.

She looked up at the sign and read it aloud "Candied Ornaments?" She looked to snails for confirmation that this was indeed the place.

"Yea, Don't let the name fool ya though" he said while holding the door open for the group. He ushered Escargot into the building "They serve more than candy, stuff like salad and all that. They try to appeal to everypony" He said as he closed the door behind them. "Take a look at there menu after the show us our table." He finished as he walked over to welcoming mare that was behind the cash register.

Escargot walked with her father still swayed that she had to be next to him until they get to there seats. Filthy made his presence beside Diamond who was admiring the Interior decorations at play. It was obvious that it wanted to look like a candy shop you would see anywhere else, but it also held the same fine dining vibe that the other establishments around this restaurant held.

"It feels cozy" Filthy stated his input to his silent daughter

"This establishment has a nice ambiance to it." Diamond concluded looking towards her father. "It's feels like a mixture of Bon Bon's Bon Bons and The Everfree Night from Ponyville" It was not half bad. She expected worse, for something named Candy Ornaments at least.

"I never took ya for the type to eat at Bon Bon's Bon Bons" Snails said as he came back with a mare that was to show them to their table. The group was ushered too a window seat that overlook the street. Before they sat down she placed three adult menu's down and one kiddie menu. She took out her small pocket notebook to await their drink orders.

"What would you guys like to drink?" she asked with a friendly smile on her face.

"I'll have a Fruity Flier please" Snails said returning her friendly smile. "What would you like slugger?" he reflected towards his daughter.

Escargot quickly opened her kiddie menu and eyed over all the funny named drinks "Ummm, Can I get... a..." She was deeply conflicted between two drinks that sounded yummy to her. She did not want to hold up the table so she closed her eyes and put her hoof on one of them. Opening her eyes she said what her hoof landed on "... Dairy Drowned" She said with finality and a friendly smile.

The mare scribbled the two orders down as they came and looked over to the other two ponies. "And for you guys?" She asked addressing the two that were silently reading the menu.

Filthy Rich answered first "Just a plain apple juice, please" he stated with yet another friendly smile. He continued to look over the menu for something that would pique his interests.

The mare looked to Diamond "And for you miss?" She asked with her signature smile that appeared to be infectious to everyone that looked at it.

"I'll take a Burriednade?" She said with slight confusion fousing on the menu entirely

The mare scribbled down the last of the drink orders "I'll be right back with your drinks" she walked off towards the kitchen giving the group to look over the menu to decide what they wanted.

"Just a reminder, this place does have more than sweets" Snails reminded "We had a big lunch, so we are going to be ordering a light snack. If you guys haven't eaten yet. I recommend the dinner selection." He stated before he started to talk with his daughter about what flavors of ice cream she wanted

"These names are weird for a restaurant" Diamond Tiara mumbled to herself.

Her father looked over to her and chuckled "Diamond..." Filthy started ready to give her some mundane pony knowledge "...everything is weird in it's own way" He said wittily

"Just like how you have this weird obsession with apples?" She stated bluntly

"yes, like, wait what. I do not have an obsession with apples" He bumbled out acting like he was overly offended by the comment.

Filthy chuckled after the little exchange which caused Diamond to chuckle in response.

This elicited a chuckle from the two ponies that were finished discussing what they would order. A whole lot of chuckling could be heard emanating from the group. "You two are funny" Escargot giggled innocently "I wish mommy was here she loves making new friends and you guys would be the bestest of friends cause mommy doesn't get out much but she needs to make more time for friends Daddy we should bring her something sweet home I was thinking maybe we should *Mppph*" Escargot was finally cut of from her tangent as yet again a yellow aura smooshed her lips together.

Snails started to get up from his seat much to the confusion of everyone at the table "Sorry to put a damper on things, but I just received a message from the princess, she has requested my presence at once." He explained as he started pushing his chair in. "Escargot, lets go meet your auntie" snails said while placing a bag of bits down on the table "Here you guys go, this should pay for your meal in whole."

"we couldn't poss.." Filthy started to protest but was quickly cut off by snails

"I won't take no for an answer, I offered to pay for a meal, and I plan on keeping that promise even if we can't enjoy it with ya. maybe next time we can enjoy a meal. It was nice catching up Mr. Rich and Diamond"

As snails walked out of the door, the only thing on Diamond tiara's mind was what snails said to his daughter. 'let's go meet your auntie. That couldn't possibly be right could it? Could he actually be marr....' Diamond was cut off from her thoughts as her father poked her side.

"Considering we are the only two left want to order something light and head off to the hotel?" Filthy inquired.

"Yeah, sure dad" Diamond said while her eyes were focused on the door that snails and escargot just left. Maybe she could talk with her father about this later. He basically new everything that was happening in Canterlot. 'just another thing to add on the list' diamond thought to herself as she saw the waiter walking back to the table carrying drinks and get ready to take the two orders of the ponies that were at the table.

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