...He gave me one of his knives
>Rose raises an eyebrow
>”So you made up just like that? I thought you were giving it time?”
>Em is sitting across from the florist, the knife case lying on the table in front of her
>She looks at it distantly
>”Em?”
I didn't think he cared so much...Not contacting me for days, passing a note to me out of the blue...I thought something was wrong
>Rose hides a look of frustration
>Em opens the case and pulls out the blade
Then I was the restaurant last night and he wasn't there...I was disappointed, sure, but on the way home I just felt this...this dread...like something awful was going to happen
>Rose knots her brow listening to Em's story
When I finally saw him, when he answered the door...Celestia, I can't even describe the relief...
>”And that's when you made up?”
No, that's when he told me about Canterlot. He's had a hard time in the past. I can't begrudge him that
>”And THAT'S when you made up?”
Pretty much...
>Rose lets a coy grin play over her face as she looks at Em's blush
>”So how was it?”
>The tan mare turns red and leans in to her friend
...I think the reason we don't all have fingers is because we'd never leave the bedroom if we did...
>Rose blushes as Em goes on
Anyway, we decided to take advantage of his leave of absence from work. He's taking me to Fillydelphia for a week!
>”A whole week? I thought this was an election year? You sure you can afford to take a vacation now? Won't it be suspicious if the two of you disappear from town at the same time?”
>Em smirks
We've got it covered
1/x
 
>This worked out pretty well
>You look out the window as the countryside whizzes by, the column of smoke from the engine billowing out and trailing behind the train
>It was a stroke of luck really, waking up so early
>Gave you enough time to catch the 10 o'clock train
>She didn't question why you already had bags packed
>Nor did she notice the ticket you'd put in your pants pocket last night
>But that's not important anymore
>It's done and you're on your way to take a vacation with your mare in sunny Fillydelphia
>A smile crawls across your face when you recall how you convinced her to do this
 
>”A Vacation?”
>Em looked up from the knife, which she had been staring at in her hooves for the last three or four minutes
>”What are you talking about? It's the middle of fall, there's an election coming up, I've got about a thousand budget and zoning proposals to get through-”
>You put a finger up to her lips, stopping her
That sounds pretty stressful, Em
>She pulled away, trying to hide her smile, but you caught her with your other hand and pulled her back to you
...It sounds like you could use some time off
>You got up and walked to the dresser, looking out the window as you spoke
Fillydelphia's nice this time of year, we could go there
>”The two of us? Leaving at the same time?”
I could go ahead of you. Nop0ny needs to know where we're going. Besides...
>You turned back around and came in close to the mare's face
Are you really content with playing this hiding game all the time?
>She blushed redder than you thought possible
>”...A trip could be nice...”
2/x
 
You'll love Fillydelphia, Em. After Canterlot, it's got the best restaurants in Equestria
>She laughed at that
>”What about Manehattan, Hoofington, and Trottingham? They don't measure up?”
Call me biased
>You pulled her into your arms and flopped back onto the floor with her
So it's settled. I'll head to Fillydelphia today and get our hotel in order, and you'll come down in a couple days. Nop0ny here will be the wiser and we can spend ourselves a week in a new city doing whatever. We. Want
>You stroked her ear lightly as you told her the plan and felt your chest get lighter when she closed her eyes and snuggled up against it
>”Sounds lovely, Anon. I can't wait”
>The two of you sat there at the foot of your bed for a half hour before Em realized she'd made plans with Rose that morning
>After she rushed out, you got to work getting your bags and headed down to the station
 
>By now you're over halfway to Fillydelphia
>With the train ride as uneventful as it is, you're free to let your mind wander and make mental plans for the week
>Thinking about all the things you can do with Em in the city makes you giddy and you find yourself in high spirits as the train pulls into Manehattan, letting you know that you've got another two hours until your destination
>With a couple days to spare before Em comes to the city too, you might be able to get in touch with some old friends
>One of your colleagues from Canterlot just opened a place downtown
>You could get a tour of the kitchen
>Em would love that
>Plus, it'd let you show her off
>Not a bad deal
3/x
 
>You flip open a newspaper to pass the time
>The top story catches your eye
>Some poor bastard nearly got himself killed chasing down a train
>Witnesses claim he was clinging to the side of the car and banging on the window until an unnamed mare opened it
>They then proceeded to have a full conversation, which was cut short when the stallion lost his grip on the window and fell off
>The whole episode delayed the Appeloosa Line between Dodge Junction and Ponyville for four hours
>You put the paper down and look out the window again
>Just how crazy does somep0ny have to be to get yourself dragged behind a train on purpose?
>Must have been something important
>You tilt the seat back and decide to take a nap for the rest of the journey
 
>Em is barely able to contain herself as she leaves the market district
>There's a spring in her step that she hasn't felt in ages
>She walks home with Anon's knife in its case and finds herself smiling at nothing in particular as she goes
>Two days. Just two days until the train to Fillydelphia
>Once Em gets to her house, she immediately goes to the kitchen and puts the knife on the counter
>Learning to cook used to be a half-joking pipe-dream; something she was happy to do with Anon more because it meant spending time with him
>Now, however, she's determined
>She sets her saddlebags on the counter and spreads out the ingredients she's bought, staring at the knife lying on the counter beside her and re-reading the inscription
4/x
 
Okay, oil in the pan, low heat, finely dice a clove of garlic...
>Em talks herself through a recipe. The knife is a little awkward to hold, being made specially for a hand and not a hoof
>She carefully dices the garlic and drops it into the pan while she puts a small pot on
Melt some butter, but don't brown it... then put in the flour...
>The roux sizzles and small bubbles form as she turns down the heat
>The kitchen fills with the smell of cooked flour and Em fills a pot with water
>If she weren't just boiling water she'd be hesitant to use a third pot
>She turns her attention back to the garlic and swirls it around the pan
>After she turns the heat off, she starts slowly chopping mushrooms and chives
...Mushrooms, chives, garlic...a little oregano? Maybe?
>She takes out  a shaker and lets a little into the roux
>It's still light; she has time to work before adding the milk
>The mushrooms go in the pan once the oil is hot-
>Em's smile drops slightly
>The hiss she was expecting is too faint
...Too early?
>After a minute of waiting, the mushrooms finally come up to temperature
>The smell of them fills the room and mixes with the roux-
>Em snaps to attention when she sees that the roux has turned brown
Nononononono! How did that happen??
>She scrambles to turn off the burner and looks down into the pot, forlorn
You make it look so easy...
>With a snort she puts her hoof on the counter and looks to the fridge
I can make it work. Just go with the flow...
>She pours the milk into the roux and quickly stirs it
5/x
 
>The sauce base smooths out and Em lets out a sigh of relief before going over to grate cheese
>After she makes sure the heat is off, she takes out the grater and gets to work
>Before long she has a little pile of grated cheese, ready to put in the sauce
>The water starts boiling in the third pot and she drops in the pasta to cook
>As she's taking the cutting board to the sink she smells the beginnings of smoke and whips around
>The mushrooms are black
Augh!
>Hastily she tosses the cutting board aside and rushes to turn off the burner
>She groans in disappointment as she fishes the burnt mushrooms out of the pan
>The sauce bubbles away and she adds the cheese, letting it melt a bit before stirring
>Five minutes later, the pasta is finished
>Em takes the pot and drains the pasta
>She adds the sauce and waits for a little of it to be absorbed
>The smell of the dark roux is a little strong, but she puts the pasta on a plate and carries it to the dining room nonetheless
>Deftly she twirls it around her fork
>She hesitates for a moment...
>Takes a bite...
>...And decides to order take-out as she gags on the over-browned and under-salted sauce
>After throwing out the ruined pasta and putting the pots in the sink, she heads to the door
>She looks back at the kitchen as she goes
...Foal steps...
6/x
 
>The brakes scream and steam billows out over the platform as the train pulls into Fillydelphia Station
>You lean against one of the imposing marble support columns and wait for the passengers to disembark
>Through the crowd you can see a gray mane bobbing up and down
>You walk out onto the platform to meet the mare
>She's got her bags slung over her back and is looking around at the high arcing glass ceiling
Em!
>She turns around and you see her eyes light up
>You catch her in your arms as she jumps at you happily
Good trip?
>She nuzzles your chest
>”I was awfully cooped up in that train”
Why don't we take a walk, then?
>You take her bags from her and sling them over your shoulder
>”Lead the way”
>Em walks alongside you, her eyes flitting around the skyline as the two of you wind through city streets
>You look over at her teasingly
What's the matter? You look like you've never been to the big city before
>She turns to you, staring daggers
>”It's been a while”
Clearly. You hungry?
>”I could go for a bite...”
Great. We'll stop at a food cart on the way to the hotel
>”Food cart? What about a cafe?”
Em, we're in Fillydelphia. The food carts ARE the cafes
>She looks apprehensive
Hey, you'll change your mind when you've had a falafel or two
>You round the corner and look upon the rows of parked food carts, belching steam
>A wave of smells overwhelms you both and you smile when you see Em practically swoon as she takes a deep breath
>”Anon?”
Yeah?
>”Is you leave of absence with pay?”
>You gulp
...Yeah...but don't go ove-
>She grabs your sleeve and drags you down the street
7/x
 
>Five falafel, three hay-shwarama, and a trip to the bank later...
Told you so
>”...Shut up”
>You wipe a spot of falafel from Em's cheek
We should get to the hotel soon. I got us reservations at a nice Prancian place tonight. A friend of mine owns the place
>Em looks at you knowingly
>”Already looking to show me off to your friends?”
>You reach down and pick her up
Why wouldn't I? Ponyville is miles away. Nop0ny here is going to care one iota either way
>”This was your plan all along, wasn't it?”
>She's smiling
>You nuzzle her nose with yours
Maybe a little. Want to go?
>”You'll have to put me down first”
>A passing cabbie yells at you from his carriage
>”Get a room!”
I'm inclined to follow his advice
>Em returns your devious grin
>”It's a good suggestion”
>You start walking to the hotel and a thought strikes you
You know, Em...I think this is the first real date we've had
>She looks up at you
>”I think you're right. Unless you count all those times we went to lunch together”
Those were business meetings, remember?
>”What about the times you've come over to teach me to cook?”
Private lessons
>She smiles wide and pushes into you playfully
>”Is it still a cooking lesson when we aren't in the kitchen?”
>You push back
Is that a complaint?
>”Not at all, Chef. But I'm afraid I might have gotten a little rusty with my cooking skills”
Oh, I'm sure we can work some lessons into our time here
>”Or we could skip right to the extra-curriculars”
...We may have over-extended this metaphor, Em
>She edges closer to you and you put your arm around her shoulders
>”Hush, you...”
8/x
 
>The hotel is a stately place in downtown
>Large chandeliers bathe the lobby in a warm glow and you feel a light sensation in your chest seeing Em's eyes sparkling under them
>You did the right thing
>The door to the room swings open and you lead Em inside
>She rushes to the window and looks out at the buildings surrounding you
I don't think I've ever seen you this excited, Em
>She doesn't reply for a second so you come up behind her and drape your arms over her
>”Is it that obvious?”
>You lean down and rest your chin on her shoulder
It's cute. I wouldn't have it any other way
>”Just wait until I get used to being here”
>The clock strikes 6 and you look over your shoulder at it
I bet it'll be even more fun seeing you jaded and sarcastic. It'll be just like home
>”Very funny. What time are we going to the restaurant?”
Around 8
>”That's quite a while to wait”
>She cranes her neck and speaks into your ear as you turn back to her
>”How ever will we pass the time?”
9/x
 
Two for dinner. I've got a reservation under 'Anonymous?'
>The maitre-d' looks through the reservation book and taps his hoof on the page
>”Oh course. Right this way sir, madam”
>You nudge Em as you follow the maitre d'
Place is packed. I'm surprised they didn't give our table away
>”It's not my fault you fell asleep”
It's entirely your fault
>”We're only ten minutes late. Besides, I think it was a well-deserved nap”
>”Here we are, sir. Your waiter will be here shortly”
Thank you
>You pull out a chair for Em before you sit down
>”Ano-ho-nnnn! What's happening, buddy?”
>A familiar voice comes from behind you and you turn around to see a jovial dark blue stallion coming up to your table
>His blonde mane is covered by a tall toque, just like you remember
You haven't changed a bit, D'eouvre. The place looks great
>”Thanks, Anon. Glad to see you're back on your feet. Your place down in Ponyville sounds pretty nice a-”
>He turns, smiling, to Em
>”And who's this lovely lady? You gonna introduce me?”
>The stallion slaps you on the back with his hoof
Yeah, yeah, calm down. D'eouvre, this is Em. Em, this is Hors D'eouvre. We worked together in Canterlot-
>He cuts you off
>”Worked together? You were my bitch for the first month at Hickory's place!”
Dude!
>Em giggles
>D'eouvre looks between you two and you see a wide grin come over his face
>”Oh-ho-ho Anon, you DOG. You didn't tell me you'd got yourself a special somep0ny!”
>He jabs you in the ribs as you nod and smile
I might have left that part out
>”Crafty bastard”
10/x
 
>The stallion looks back at the kitchen and chuckles
>”Well I won't get in your way, Anon, but we're getting together while you're in town...”
>He turns to Em
>”That is, if you'll let him out one of these nights”
>She looks at you and smiles coyly
>”I'm sure I can let him have ONE night to himself, I suppose”
>His grin is threatening to split his head
>”Anon, you've got a good one here. Keep her close. Order anything you want. It's on me tonight”
You're the best, D'eouvre
>”You know it”
>Em bounces her gaze between you and the stallion as he leaves
>”Was he-”
The Head Chef? Yeah. He owns the place too
>”Seriously?”
What? You've seen ME, Em. Guy's a monster in the kitchen
>As if to punctuate your point, there's a crash from the line, followed by a string of muffled obscenities
That cook's gonna have nightmares about tonight for weeks
>Em smiles nervously while you laugh to yourself
>”Are all you chefs this insane?”
You should know the answer to that by now, Em. It's the only way to SURVIVE running a kitchen
>She nods, thinking back to her time at De Selle
>”Now you mention it, I don't remember a Chef at De Selle who WASN'T out of his mind”
Thank you. Now what do you want for dinner?
>”The squash with truffles and cream looks good, but I could do for the souffle...What about you?”
Wild mushrooms sauteed with butter and spinach, I think
>”Is there anything here that doesn't involve butter?”
>Em looks up from the menu playfully
If it doesn't have butter, it's doused in cream. It's the Prancian way
>The waiter approaches and the two of you place your orders
11/x
 
>As you wait for your food to arrive, the two of you swap stories
>Em tells you about a restaurant she went to in Trottingham with a friend a few years back
>”So she's telling me about how great the place is and makes this off-hoof remark to the waiter that her fork is a little dirty”
Uh huh
>”At first it's fine, he's fine, just apologizes, but then it gets weird”
Weird how?
>”He goes and gets the head waiter over it. My friend tried to stop him, but he insisted”
So what happened then?
>”Well, then the head waiter comes over and looks at the fork. He's all polite to us, but then he turns to the waiter and starts laying into him! Tells the waiter to go back and fire the whole washroom staff! It was insane!”
>You stifle a laugh
>”Oh, it gets better! After that, the head waiter yells at the waiter to get the shift manager! Starts apologizing like mad while he's waiting. “I'm sorry, ladies, bitterly sorry...” We tried pointing out that it was just a fork, but that just set him off on this tirade about it! “It was smelly! It was smelly and disgusting and putrid and I hate it I hate it! Oooh!” and by then the manager comes by and sends him off, so we think it's over...”
It wasn't?
>”Oh, Celestia, no. The manager sits down and starts up: “I want to apologize...deeply, personally, and humbly...about the fork...” My friend told him it was fine; that she could barely see the speck, but the guy goes off on this tangent about the restaurant having trouble, the dishwasher's son being jailed, the head waiter's war wound acting up...”
Sounds bad
>”Well, that's when the Chef came out...”
12/x
 
>”Big stallion, had to be almost as tall as you, Anon. Comes out with a cleaver and starts BELLOWING at us! “You bastards! You vicious, heartless bastards! That stallion's worked his hooves to the bone for this place, and you come in here with your petty garbage and you grind him into the dust?? Oh, it makes me MAD!” And then he just slams the cleaver into the table!”
Sounds like something I'd do...
>”Shush. So then the manager gets up and starts raving about how it's the end of the line... the head waiter is in the corner yelling about the war and suddenly the manager up and stabs himself with the fork! Right in front of us! So the Chef screams “Revenge!!” but the head waiter stops him and say's “Never kill a customer” but then his wound flares up or something because HE falls to the ground!”
What...
>”Chef just stares at us before raising the cleaver, but gets tackled over the table by the waiter! It was a madhouse! And just after the whole thing has finally died down, my friend thinks she'll be funny and just says “Lucky I didn't say anything about the dirty KNIFE!””
>You groan
>”Yeah, that was my reaction too. We haven't really spoken since. I think she and that chef got married, actually...”
Some ponies just go for the real nut-jobs, huh?
>”Some of us like them”
13/x
 
>”Have a nice evening”
>The maitre d' nods to you and Em as the two of you leave the restaurant
Thank you
>It's getting late
>Em walks alongside you through the city streets, her gray mane catching the glow of the gas lamps that line the sidewalks
>You slow your pace, your hands in your pockets, and look up at the buildings
>Their tops rise like spires into the night sky
>It might be the three glasses of wine in you, but everything feels warmer with her at your side
>”Anon? You look lost in thought”
>You pull your attention back to Em
>She's standing a few feet ahead of you, having noticed that you've stopped walking
Sorry, I was just looking at the sky
>”Why don't we do that from the room? It's getting late and I'm a little tired from all the traveling”
Alright, let's go to the room
>She turns and waits for you to come up to her before starting up again
>A thought strikes you
>You gave her your knife
>Did she understand what you were saying?
>You thought it had been clear at the time; that she'd get the message if she really understood you the way you thought she did
>...But did she?
>You look at her as she walks, not a care in the world, it seems
>It's going to eat at you if you don't bring it up...
>You open your mouth for a second, but stop yourself
>Save it for the room. You'll do it then
>...
>...You hope...
End