Breakfast
Cafe Le Pone, a relatively high end restaurant in Fillydelphia's Central Downtown area, usually very crowded and busy, especially in the mornings with the rush of ponies trying to get food in their bellys before work started.
But today was a Sunday, and thus was one of its least busy days. Of course, it was still populated this morning by quite a number of ponies eating, with it being the final day of the Daringcon convention just down the road at the Hotel and Convention center.
At one of the tables, sat two ponies, one of which was wearing a purple cloak, covering most of her body apart from her head. She wore red rimmed glasses and her hair was brushed to the side. She stared down at her breakfast, which consisted of Crepes and a bowl of mixed berries, as well as a glass of juice.
Daring Do would normally be glad on a day like this, the last day of the convention, so close to being free from all the signings and questions asked by eager fans who all drank way to much coffee in the mornings. Soon she'd be free to head back to her home and maybe start work on another book. But on this particular morning, there was one big fog of uncertainty that was looming over her.
She looked over across the table at her companion, her writing partner, Dr. Caballeron, Or Groom Q.Q Martingale, since he was wearing his disguise, a blue button up shirt and black pants, though minus the beard, since eating with a fake beard was not something comfortable. Luckily, the waitress who took their orders didn't recognize either of them.
Daring kept looking on at him as he continued to eat his breakfast, unsure of what to say after the very interesting evening and morning the two had. The previous evening had been a......passionate one, mostly fueled by a lack of inhibitions due to both having been quite drunk. That morning the two realized what they had done and decided to just go along with it for now, even enjoying a nice and quick shower together. But not everything was okay in Daring's head.
With the two of them being enemies for so long, after what happened the night before, Daring was concerned about what would happen next. Were they together now? Was it a one time thing? Was he taking this seriously? All of these questions flooded Daring's head and made her feel even more anxious than she already was.
"Are you okay?" She suddenly heard him ask. She shook her head and realized that she had just been staring off into space, lost in her thoughts. She rubbed her head with her hoof and shook it.
"Yes, I'm fine, just.....not that hungry." Daring answered. Caballeron simply shrugged and went back to eating his food. Daring rolled her eyes and groaned.
"Okay, I'm not just fine. What happens now!?" Daring asked in an annoyed tone, her patience gone. Caballeron raised an eyebrow and swallowed another bite.
"Uh, Breakfast?" Cablleron said, a desperate looking ghost of a smile appearing on his face, almost like he was trying to hide something.
"No, I'm talking about last night dummy!" Daring said angrily, though not too loud to make a scene. Caballeron put down his silverware and looked back into her eyes. Daring looked back at his eyes and noticed how tense he looked.
"What else is there to talk about? Did you not enjoy yourself?" He asked nervously. Daring blushed and shook her head again.
"That's not it though. I....I did.....but what are we now? Was it just a one night stand?" Daring asked again. Caballeron's eyes widened. He took a deep breath and looked back at her.
"I was hoping you wouldn't ask." Caballeron said with a quiet and sad tone.
"Why?" Daring asked, her voice now much calmer.
"I was afraid that you'd......reject me, if I told you what I really felt about last night." Caballeron said. Daring's eyes widened this time. Caballeron continued. "To be honest Miss Do, I....I've really grown to cherish these trips together, as well as our partnership.....and....you. We managed to get along as friends for a while now, and at first, I tried to deny the feelings that I began to feel towards you, but then I realized that I couldn't deny them. I really like you, Miss Do." Caballeron admitted. Daring's expression turned to surprise, not shock or disgust, but surprise, like she was unsure of how to respond.
"Last night, I enjoyed our time together, I really did, and when you went along with it, I began to assume that everything was fine. And this morning, I thought that we could just go back to the way things were, because, I........I don't think you like me back." Caballeron explained. Daring opened her mouth to speak, but backed down. Caballeron saw this and his expression saddened. "You don't, do you." Caballeron said in a defeated tone. "It's fine, after all I've done to you in the past, after all my sins, how could anypony like a crook like me."
Daring took his words to heart. She had to admit, when they began their partnership after becoming friends, she was uneasy at first, but after working with him more and more, she began to realize that she also had strange feelings for him. She had to admit, he was handsome, and was quite intelligent when it came to writing and archaeology. She smiled, now knowing that if there was any time to tell him, this was it.
"No." Daring finally spoke. Caballeron looked back up at her.
"What?" he asked, still a bit worried how she was going to respond.
"You're wrong, I.....I like you too. I'll admit, for the first few months, things were awkward, but, as we kept spending time together, I've begun to admire you more and more. You're a pretty good writer, you're smart, and you're handsome, in a mysterious and suave kind of way. So, I guess I like you too. I mean, I probably would've objected at some point last night if I didn't." Daring confessed. She smiled and placed her hoof on his and he hooked it around hers while smiling back at her. "You're not a crook anymore Caballeron, not to me. After you apologized, and promised not to take anymore, I forgave you, and I still do, don't doubt yourself." Daring finished, winking at him and leaning back into her chair.
"Thank you." He said before sitting back down.
Daring suddenly got a playful idea in her head, "I guess this makes us Special Someponies now." Daring commented snarkily. Caballeron rolled his eyes.
"Don't call us that, please. It sounds too cliche." He said. Daring chuckled.
"Don't worry, I'm not that mushy, but the fact that we're now together is the most cliche thing imaginable already, so get used to it." Daring said with a grin. Caballeron smiled again and rolled his eyes.
"Yes ma'am." He said before he went back to his food.
Daring finally picked up her utensils and started on her own food. But as she ate, more thoughts began to occur to her, here she was, having what was essentially her first date with her new coltfriend, and she knew very little about him. Sure, they had known eachother for years, but that was as enemies. What Daring actually knew about him was limited. She knew he was a treasure hunter, he sold what he found for profit, and he was nasty, but that was the old Caballeron, or....maybe not even that, because he had to have done something before that...right?
"Caballeron?" Daring asked, getting his attention from his fruit cup. He swallowed and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"Yes?" He answered with a smile.
"Can you, tell a bit about yourself?" Daring asked. Caballeron's expression faded, he seemed reluctant.
"What exactly do you want to know?" He asked.
"I want to know more about you, you know? We were enemies for nearly a decade, and in that time I only knew very little about you, apart from what I saw, and the you from before and you here right now are very different, and I just would like to know, since we're together now." Daring explained. Caballeron nodded in understanding. He put down the napkin and the silverware and tapped his chin with his hoof.
"I'm not sure where I should start." Caballeron said with a slight chuckle as he leaned back in his chair.
"The very beginning, Where were you born? Where did you grow up? What was your childhood like? What did you do before you "met" me? Stuff like that." Daring suggested. Caballeron nodded and took in a breath.
"Settle in, it's a long and......troubling....story." Caballeron warned. Daring leaned forward in her chair and placed her elbows on the table, holding her head in her hooves with an interested expression.
"I'm all ears." She said with a smile. Caballeron nodded.
"My story began in South Equestria. I was born in a small rural village populated with Earth Ponies, very poor for the most part. Everyone worked to grow food and provide for eachother, like one big happy community, or so my mother told me. I was only there for the first year of my life so I don't remember anything. My father eventually packed us up and we moved. We ended up drifting for a few months before finally arriving in Manehattan, where I would spend my entire childhood and adolescent life." Caballeron began, Daring nodded along as he continued.
"My father, Oregano, worked low paying jobs after moving into a small apartment. He was a cook, that was his talent. He made some of the best tasting meals that I've ever eaten. My mother's name is Bonita, she took other low paying jobs to help with keeping our heads above water. During this time I was watched by our neighbors, who introduced me to their son, and my first friend, Biff, you know him better as one of my former henchponies, my second in command from my treasure hunting days." Caballeron explained. Daring nodded before speaking.
"Your mother's name was Pretty?" Daring asked. Caballeron chuckled and nodded.
"You know Sponish?" Caballeron asked back. Daring nodded and gave Caballeron a smug look. He rubbed the back of his head.
"Oh, who am I kidding, you're one of the smartest ponies I know, of course you know Sponish." He said before clearing his throat again, and continuing.
"After a few years of working, my father decided to take a gamble and opened up his own restaurant. Obviously, it was South Equestrian food, so a lot of spices, and it was surprisingly successful. My mother and I worked the shop as well, taking orders, washing dishes, and just general upkeep. It was a dream come true for my parents, coming from such poverty to gain some level of moderate success, living the Equestrian Dream." Caballeron said, smiling briefly, before it faded again.
"When I was 12 years old, my parents took me to the Manehattan Museum of History, and it was that trip that sparked my interest in archaeology. After that trip, I began to buy all the books I could and read up on the subjects of archaeology and history. Eventually I even got a job at the Museum with Biff. It was there that I got my Cutie Mark." Caballeron said looking down at his flank, seeing the familiar mark, a golden skull. Daring Suddenly spoke.
"So, does the mark mean treasure hunting, or archaeology?" she asked. Caballeron shrugged.
"I guess at this point, both, when I got it I was restoring precious artifacts to be put into new displays at the museum. I loved that job, and for most of my teenage years I was happy. My family's business was doing well, I was doing well at my job, and I was getting ready to go to college, everything started to look good, until everything changed when I was 18." Caballeron said, his frown turning to a scowl.
"What happened?" Daring asked.
"My family's restaurant was in the dodgier part of Manehattan, and thus, was no stranger to the street gangs. They usually left us alone, only ever trying to threaten us on a few occasions, but my father usually ended potential conflicts with his way of words, his skills of cooking, and his overall tough guy nature, but by the time I was 18, my father had grown older, and wasn't as fit as he used to, so one group of thugs began to hound us for protection money. I tried to stop them myself, but......they were too tough, nearly caved my skull in. They were bleeding us dry, until I decided to do something desperate. I.....I began to steal artifacts from the museum, and sell them on the Black Market, and used the extra money to keep the thugs off our backs, as well as keeping enough extra for my family and myself." Caballeron explained, his expression now one of sadness.
"Is....is that where it all began?" Daring asked. Caballeron nodded.
"Myself, Biff, and my other future henchponies, Withers and Rouge, we carried out the thefts, and somehow got away with them for a while. But as I stole more and more, I began to get addicted to it. Through the thievery I learned that if you want something bad enough, you have to take it. Eventually, my father confronted me about the money I was making, and when I confessed, he yelled at me, telling me how disappointed he was in me. He was a smart stallion, my father. Too bad I didn't share his common sense or moral compass. I stormed out in denial, I kept telling myself that I could get ahead in this world if I just stole enough to get the bits needed, and eventually become rich enough to have whatever I wanted. I decided that I would devote my skills that I would learn in college to achieve it. I then moved away to start college." Caballeron said, a slight smile returning to his lips.
"Where did you go, what for?" Daring asked.
"Philly State, not to far from here, earned degrees in Archaeology and History. The Archaeology one is a PhD." Caballeron answered, his smile still there.
"Oh, so the "Dr" in your name is not just for show, or dramatic effect?" Daring said smugly. Caballeron chuckled.
"Yep, so maybe I am smarter than you think I am." Caballeron said. Daring giggled.
"Heh, debatable." Daring said with a smirk.
"Hey!" Caballeron said with mock hurt in his voice. Daring rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.
"So, anyway, what happens next?" She asked.
"Well, the rest is what you know. After years of school, I graduated and started looking for treasure out in the wild with my Henchponies, rather than stealing from museums. It was around the time I met you, and tried to partner with you, which you refused." Caballeron finished with a chuckle. Daring joined in with the laughter.
"Yet, here we are, partnered in more ways than one. Looks like you got what you wanted after all." Daring chuckled. Caballeron nodded in agreement before Daring asked another question.
"Are your parents still running the restaurant in Manehattan?"
Caballeron's smile suddenly faded, and he looked sadder than he had the rest of the story. Daring's smile faded quicker than rising steam and reached across the table and placed her hoof on Caballeron's.
"I'm so sorry....you don't have to say anything else." Daring said in a gentle tone. Caballeron shook his head and grabbed her hoof.
"No, it's okay, it's just....never easy to think about, even after all this time. My.......my father passed away a week after I graduated college. He came out to see me with my mother, and the two said they were very proud of me. But my father, I knew he was still disappointed over the thefts, I could tell it in his eyes. When he passed away I came back for the funeral and found out he died of a heart attack. After all these years, I've learned to live with the loss, but......after Fluttershy showed me what caring and kindness can do, and how important and good it was, I realized, my father will never get to see my redemption. He died thinking of me as a thief, a disappointing son who only thought of his own personal gain, and no number of degrees from a fancy University would have convinced him otherwise." Caballeron said, his eyes starting to water, and drops beginning to form and run down his cheeks. He took his napkin and started to wipe his eyes. Daring quickly got up and walked around and wrapped her hooves around the distraught doctor. He quickly wrapped his own arms around her. The two embraced for about a minute before Daring pulled back and looked into Caballeron's tear stained face.
"I think he has. Right now, he's looking down and seeing all the good you've done, and how you've given up that lifestyle, and I know that he is proud of you. I'm proud of you too." Daring said, using a hoof to wipe the tears from his eyes. He smiled back at her and leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. Daring kissed back before ending it, making it a brief kiss.
"Thank you Miss Do." Caballeron said. Daring nodded and returned to her seat. Caballeron finished wiping his eyes and looked back at her, ready to continue the story again.
"After he passed, my mother took over the store. He left her all his recipes and the restaurant itself. She hired extra help staff, and the place is still there today, though.....I haven't been back in a while." Caballeron admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Then....why don't we go there?" Daring suggested. Caballeron's eyes widened.
"You and me......go see my mother?" Caballeron asked, looking a little surprised.
"Yeah, I'd love to meet her, and since we're together now, we might as well." Daring said. Caballeron took a second before nodding.
"Ok, but just warning you, she can be overbearing at times." Caballeron said. Daring looked uneasy.
"Define "overbearing". Daring said.
"She is probably going to give you a cute nickname and hug you until you suffocate. I've had to deal with her calling me "Cabby" since I was little." Caballeron explained. Daring snorted, trying her best to hold in a laugh.
"Cabby?! Okay, THAT is adorable!" Daring said with a smile. Caballeron rolled his eyes with a smile. Suddenly, their server appeared next to their table.
"Are you all done here?" She asked. Daring and Caballeron looked at eachother and nodded before turning to the server.
"Yes." They replied in unison. The server nodded and lifted up the plates with her magic before levitating the bill from her pouch onto the table.
"Just leave the bits on the table and you're good. Thank you and have a pleasant day!" They said with a smile before taking their dirty dishes away.
"Thank you!" Daring called out. Caballeron took the bits they owed and placed them on the table. Daring shook her head and stood up.
"No, we should split it, you don't need to....." Daring was cut off by Caballeron placing a hoof on her lips and standing up. He walked over to her, took his hoof away, and leaned in, giving her a quick kiss in the lips. Daring's eyes widened and Caballeron pulled back with a smile on his face.
"No.....think of it as thanks, for listening." Caballeron said. Daring smiled back at him and winked.
"Any time........Cabby." Daring said with snicker. Caballeron rolled his eyes and snorted.
"Anyway, ready to go? Let's get back to the convention before Our booth opens" Caballeron said. Daring nodded and the two left the cafe's outdoor seating area and headed down the sidewalk back towards the convention center. As they walked, Caballeron looked over at Daring, at the cloak she wore.
"Why do you wear that cloak anyway? The glasses and the mane style is all you really need." Caballeron said. Daring giggled and rolled her eyes.
"I probably would've gone without it this morning, if YOU didn't leave all of these over my neck." Daring said, poking his muzzle with a hoof before dragging the cloak around her neck down, showing him the hickeys again. Caballeron shrugged and continued walking.
"Fair enough."