//------------------------------//
// Angel 
// Story: Changeling Doll: White Lie 
// by PiercingSight 
//------------------------------//

	It was the anniversary of the wedding of Cadence and Shining Armor. A band was playing an upbeat tune, ponies were chattering away at tables and the bar, and Stately Writ and Damascus Steel had just walked into the party.

"Dude, seriously, we gotta get you a mare," Damascus said matter-of-factly.

"Damascus..."

"We can't let you wither away out here. Every stallion needs a mare."

"Damascus, I've sort of already got someone back home."

"You're married?" Damascus raised an eyebrow.

"No, but-"

"Engaged?"

"Well... no, but-"

"Have you even dated her...? er... or him... not judging or anything," Damascus waved a hoof wide-eyed.

"Her... and no."

"Okay then, what's the problem with checkin' out the local fish?"

But I'm a bird, thought State. "Ehhh..."

"I'll be your wing-colt, come on!" Damascus put a hoof on his shoulder and started leading him into the crowd.

Back before they left the hive, there was what was called pony culture training. Things like newspapers, story books, school books, and random pony items would be snuck into the hive to teach the soldiers what life as a pony was like so that they could more easily blend in. The training covered everything from Equestrian politics to popular music and dances. There was even a slang and vocabulary class. However, so far as State could remember, the term 'wing-pony', at least referring to a social setting, never came up. State tried his best not to look confused by the term.

Damascus noticed. "Dude, it's simple. You say hi, then I brag about how awesome you are, say I have to leave, and then sneak off so you two are alone. Just don't clam up. Actually talk to the chick and it should work out."

State blinked.

"Dude! What did I just say about clamming up?"

State threw a hoof into the air. "I can't do it! I don't know how to talk to mares!" You can infiltrate the highest rings of pony society, but you can't talk to mares. Brilliant.

"Did you really have a mare back home, or did you just make that up?"

"Yes, I really did."

Damascus raised an eyebrow. "Really? Have you even spoken to her?"

"Damascus, I just can't do this. Please don't make me."

Damascus squinted at State as if he was concocting some devious plan. "I think I know just the mare," he said before suddenly scanning the room.

State sighed, trotted over to a table, and sat down, resting his head on a hoof as Damascus disappeared into the crowd. A few moments later, Damascus returned accompanied by a mare that State faintly recognized. She had her mane done up and was wearing a lovely red dress that complimented her white fur, indigo mane, and teal eyes.

State realized he was staring and shook his head.

"State, this is Angel." Damascus said, holding a hoof up to present her. "Angel, State."

Angel turned to Damascus with a deadpan look. "This isn't another one of your crazy plans to get me laid is it?"

"No, of course not." Damascus shook his head before pointing to State. "This is a crazy plan to get him laid."

"Damascus-..." State and Angel chided in unison.

Damascus smiled victoriously. "See, you two are perfect for each other! Now, I've gotta go use the little colts room. You two have fun now!" He waved a hoof over his shoulder as he trotted away.

"Dude!" But it was too late. Damascus was already lost in the crowd, probably looking for a good vantage point to spy on them. State shook his head.

"Quite the friend you got there."

State looked up to see that Angel had sat at the table and was shaking her head as well. 

"He means well," State replied. "Though, sometimes I wonder if he enjoys watching other ponies squirm."

Angel chuckled. "Yeah. He likes to do that."

There was a small moment of silence, just long enough to throw State's mind into a panic trying to remember what he had learned in his training. "Uh... you look nice tonight," he managed to stammer out before the silence lasted too long.

She smiled. It made her pretty. "Why, thank you! You don't look too bad yourself."

State looked down and remembered that he wasn't wearing anything because he wasn't planning to come to the party at all. "Heheheh. Thanks."

"So, you're the assistant to the Princess, right?" She asked. State was grateful that she had. He hated asking the questions.

"Yes ma'am. And you...?"

"I thought I remembered you. I work in the medical wing as a nurse. I've seen you come by every once in a while."

"Oh?" State thought back to the ponies he saw there and he remembered a nurse in white coat with her hair done in a bun. "Oh yeah! I remember now. You don't usually have your mane down."

"Yeah..." She waved a hoof in the air. "I'd rather my mane not run through blood and vomit." She smirked. It made her look cute-...

Dangit...

"Well, it looks really nice when you let it down."

"Thank you. I'll remember that if I'm ever I'm out and about again."

"Work a lot?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "You've never known a nurse have you?"

"I don't get out much either."

Angel chuckled, her hair bouncing along with it.

These ponies are going to be the death of me...

Mustering his courage, State took a deep breath and, "So what made you want to become a nurse?"








Stately Writ looked down the hall to an open room where he could hear the voices of Damascus and Angel. It sounded like she had been crying, both of them talking in hushed tones.

"You'll get a chance to talk to them." Shining Armor placed a hoof on State's shoulder. "Promise."

State only sighed.

"Come on, let's go."

Nodding, he followed closely behind the captain as they left the medical wing.