Caramel's Flower

by Stratocaster

Whine and Dine

Chapter 3: Whine and Dine

Caramel whistled a catchy tune as he searched through his mailbox the next morning. He rifled through the usual; the newspaper, a few junk letters, and a mistakenly subscribed for issue of Mare Monthly. But he paid no concern for the mail as he had better things on his mind. He turned back toward his house when he heard Sweetie Belle call him.
“Morning, Caramel.” She greeted as she cantered up to him. “You’re looking pretty cheery today.”
“I got every reason to be, Sweetie.” Caramel replied. “Because tonight, I’ve got a date.”
“A date?!” she gawked with surprise. “You’re kidding!”
“That’s right. And it’s with a very special mare. But don’t tell your sister, though. I kind of want to tell her myself.”
Sweetie Belle looked from side to side in thought. “Well, okay I guess. Um, I hope you have fun tonight.”
“Thanks, Sweetie. I’ll see you later.” He entered his house.
“Yeah, see you, Caramel.”

Things were looking up for caramel as he trotted through the Ponyville marketplace, the following night, with a bundle of roses in his mouth. The proprietor of the flowers waved to him.
“Good luck tonight, Caramel!” she said.
“Thanks, Rose!” he called back.
As daylight waned in the sky, he headed toward his favorite restaurant where his date was awaiting him. He entered T.C.I. Fridays and scanned for the mare of the hour. And there across the dining area was Fleur de Lis sitting at a booth. Caramel walked over casually and she spotted him.
“Caramel, darling, glad you could make it.” She smiled.
“I wouldn’t miss it for anything.” Caramel said. “Here, I got you these.”
“Flowers?” she looked with glee as she magically levitated the roses over to smell them. “You’re quite the charmer, Caramel.” Fleur de Lis fluttered her eyelashes.
He grinned and sat down across from her. “So, T.C.I.F., huh? I never figured this would be a restaurant of choice for somepony like you. No offense.”
“Well, I just wanted to go where all of Ponyville eats. Do as the locals do, I say.”
“Yeah, when in Roam.”
Soon enough, the waiter arrived at their table.
“Good evening, folk, may I start you off with some drinks?”
“Yes, I’ll have your best tea, please.” Fleur de Lis ordered politely.
“And I’ll have a cider.” Caramel added.
“Certainly. I’ll be right back.” The waiter left the two to look at their menus and chat.
“So Caramel,” started Fleur de Lis. “What else do you do around here, besides working with Rarity?”
“Actually, I usually work over in Sweet Apple Acres. The family lets me help them with the harvesting, or Applebucking as they call it.” He tried his best to sound knowledgeable about the job.
“It’s so interesting how ponies work around here in Ponyville. I just love the quiet, simple, suburban living. It’s much more peaceful than the city life of Canterlot.”
“Well, I bet Canterlot is more exciting. I’ve never been there, in fact.”
“In that case, I might have to give you a tour one day.”
“Good point.” He chuckled.
Then, the waiter returned with their beverages.
“Here you are, folks. Are you two ready to order?”
“Yes. Can I have the tulip daffodil salad, with a side of Prench onion soup?” replied Fleur de Lis.
“Of course. And for you sir?
“Veggie burger, please, with a side of hay fries.” Caramel answered.
“Excellent choices. I’ll have your orders ready soon.”
As the waiter departed again, something caught Caramel’s eye. At a nearby table sat a mysterious pony whose identity was concealed by a trench coat, sunglasses, and a fedora; the stranger held a newspaper to add to the illusion. Caramel could have sworn the mystery pony was staring at him for a second, but he/she simply kept his/her face behind the paper.
“Is something wrong, Caramel?” asked Fleur de Lis.
He turned back after realizing he had been drifting. “Uh, yeah. Everything’s fine. By the way, what’s it like being a model?”
“Oh it’s a real joy for me. You see, when I was a filly, I idolized the beauty of all the classic models from Prance. When I got my cutie mark, which is the symbol of the Prench language, I knew I wanted to become just like those models. So I pursued a career in fashion and basically sorked my way up. I assume you got your cutie mark a similar way.”
Caramel looked down at his flank, at the three blue horseshoes that were his cutie mark. He had always assumed that the mark meant he was meant for work on the farm. But after taking up many other jobs, being a yes pony, he wasn’t entirely sure anymore.
“Uh, something like that.” He replied to her and then changed the subject. “So have you ever been to Prance?”
“Definitely; it is absolutely gorgeous there. The ponies there are so cultural and I simply adore their language. I even picked up on a bit of it.”
“You can speak Prench?” perked up Caramel, who always found the Prench language rather attractive. “That’s pretty cool. What can you say?”
“Hmm, let’s see.” She pondered for a bit before speaking a small bit of the foreign tongue. “Vous allez tres beau yeux, monsieur.”
The flow of the romantic language resonated in his ears. “That was pretty good. What does it mean?”
“You have very beautiful eyes, sir.” Fleur de Lis answered as she lowered her eyelids.
Caramel blushed wondering if she meant what she said in Prench. He had had other mares, including Rarity, compliment his light blue eyes before. Before he could respond, the waiter returned.
“Here we are,” he said. “Let me know if you need anything else. Enjoy your meals.”
“Merci, garcon.” Fleur de Lis replied again in Prench.
Caramel suddenly wanted to hear more of the language from her soft fluent voice. But he then turned his attention to his burger and fries with delight. As he began chomping away at his hearty meal, he then noticed how delicately Fleur de Lis was eating her salad. Feeling awkward, Caramel wiped his mouth with his napkin and tried to regain his best gentlepony persona.
“Mm, this salad is quite divine.” Fleur de Lis said. “And how is your meal?”
“Just as I like it.” He responded as he also drank some of his cider.
“Uh, Caramel, you have a bit of lettuce on your cheek.”
“Oh, uh…”
“I’ll get it.”
She then reached across the table to touch Caramel’s face. Slowly, she rubbed his cheek wiping off the piece of lettuce. Caramel’s face reddened even more.
“Um, thanks.” He said with a crack of his voice.
Fleur de Lis giggled to herself at his quirky charm.
“Uh, excuse me. I’m just going to use the bathroom.” He told her as he got up.
“Alright then.”
Beads of sweat began to condense on Caramel’s forehead as he walked toward the stallion’s room on the far side of the restaurant. He entered and noticed with relief that there was nopony there save for one customer in the stall. He approached the sink and turned on the faucet, wiping the sweat from his flustered face. Looking at his reflection in the mirror, Caramel decided to play around with his dark brown mane, seeing if he could style it into a suave do. He parted it to different sides and practiced his best smooth smile and lines.
“‘Hey Fleur de Lis, what’s shaking?’” he rehearsed hoping the patron in the stall wouldn’t hear. “No, that’s stupid. Hmm. ‘Your horn looks lovely, Fleur de Lis.’ Huh… “Oh baby, baby, please, Fleur baby, I’m dyin’ for you!’ Ugh! Come on, Caramel, get your head in the game; she’s a supermodel for Celestia’s sake.” Caramel then slicked his mane back and smiled a sly smile. “‘If I could rearrange the alphabet, I’d put me and you in front.” …I don’t get that one.”
Suddenly, his rehearsing was interrupted rudely by the door slamming open. Caramel looked in the mirror surprised as Rarity stood there wearing a trench coat.
“YOU!”
“AH! Rarity?!” He spun around with his back to the sink, almost urinating prematurely.
“Caramel, just what do you think you’re doing?!” Rarity demanded angrily.
“What am I doing? This is the stallion’s room!” replied Caramel with fear.
“Don’t point the blame at me. You’re on a date with Fleur de Lis!”
“Wait, Rarity, I can explain!”
Just then, the toilet in the stall flushed and the door opened. Spike poked his head out.
“Dude, you’re dating Fleur de Lis?” he said to Caramel. “Nice! Slap me some!”
“Get out of here!” shouted Caramel.
With that, the little dragon sped out of the restroom without washing his claws.
“Caramel, how could you be seeing another mare?” continued Rarity. “I thought you still had feelings for Sassaflash.”
“Hold on, how did you even know about this?” he asked.
“Sweetie Belle told me you had a date tonight.”
“Sweetie Belle?!”
“That’s right. After she told me, I followed you around all the way here and saw you sit with Fleur de Lis.”
“You’ve been spying on me?!”
“That’s not the point. Caramel, I thought you loved Sassaflash. You even told her that you would no matter what.”
“Look, Rarity, it’s really none of your concern.” Caramel buckled down. “I can’t keep hanging onto Sassaflash forever. It’s just going to bring me down. Besides, who’s to say she hasn’t already moved on, too?”
“How can you say that? I bet she still loves you more than anypony.” Rarity scolded.
“Long distance relationships don’t work, Rarity. Moving on is the right thing to do.”
“But why Fleur de Lis? Do you even know anything about her life?”
“I know enough for her to share with me. And I think you’re just creeped out because I’m dating a friend of yours.”
“You don’t understand, Caramel. Fleur de Lis is-”
“That’s enough, Rarity. I’m finally dating a kind and beautiful mare other than Sassaflash. And for the first time in two months, I’m truly happy again. So just keep your nose out of my love life.”
“But-”
“Now if you’ll excuse me, my lady is waiting for me.” Caramel strode by her imitating her pompous attitude. “Don’t bother trying to talk me out of this date because I won’t hear anything of it. Have a nice night.” He left without another word.
Rarity huffed. She had never been spoken to like that by Caramel and felt rather insulted. She walked up to the sink to wash her face and fix her frazzled mane. As she preened, Noteworthy entered the restroom.
“OCCUPIED!” Rarity yelled at him turning her head with sinister eyes.
Noteworthy yelped in fear and bolted back out leaving her to scowl in the mirror.
Caramel returned to his table with Fleur de Lis, who had just finished her salad and soup.
“Is everything alright?” she asked him. “You were in there for a while.”
“Yeah, it’s fine.” He answered looking at the table. “You know what? I think I’ll just box up the rest of my meal. Why don’t we head out somewhere else?”
“Well, okay. I hope you’re not loosing your appetite.”
“No, it’s just getting kind of hot in here, and I think I need some air.”
“Alright then. I’ll leave some money for the waiter.” She then laid some bits from her saddlebag on the table. “It’s okay; you’ll get the next one.”
He perked his ears up. “Next one?”
“Yes. I figured we could go out to get some ice cream tonight. What do you say?”
Caramel smiled. “Sounds good to me. Shall we?”
He then extended his hoof for her to take. Fleur de Lis smiled and blushed as she wrapped her hoof around his, and they both walked toward the door walking three-legged. Meanwhile, a grudging Rarity sat at her table sulking. She took a sip of tea and squinted spitefully at the couple as they exited.
“You have no idea what you’re getting into, Caramel. You have no idea.”

Comments

[Azarune]

She's married isn't she?

[Minitheif]

"looking up for caramel as he" Forgot to capitalize the C
"I hope you’re not loosing your appetite.” Should be losing

This is looking like a really great story. Also, I have a bad feeling that Rarity was trying to warn Caramel that Fleur is something along the lines of "married to Fancy Pants."

[thewaffler]

She has extra pieces, doesn't she?

[Mlle. Canterloop]

“Vous allez tres beau yeux, monsieur.”

Vous avez de très beaux yeux.
I'm taking French 2, so I noticed you used the wrong verb in that sentence.

[MidnightFMare]

1647387 let's hope so... Or is a dude
"dude looks like a lady! Duhna dundunna! Dude looks like a lay-deh!"
Also, why was spike there?
Spike: helping rarity spy on caramel.
... Okay... Don't you think that she likes caramel if she's spying on him?
Spike: ... Oh