//------------------------------// // She said “Shut up and Dance with me.” // Story: First Date // by Rose Quill //------------------------------// Picking her up had gone good. Dinner, while having a rocky moment or two, had gone great. I was sure that this night was going to be perfect. Then Twilight caught a heel in a drainage grate that I had inadvertently parked next to, snapping it clean off. I was horrified as she stumbled, still on the far side of the car and I felt her sudden panic in our bond. I rounded the car quickly to see her lean back against the hood and pull the broken shoe off and sigh. She had assured me that she was ok and instead of heading to the auditorium we swung by her locker first where she swapped her now uneven set of heels for her gym sneakers. They were a little beat up, but the color was close enough that in the dark of the auditorium nobody should notice. And I was wrong again when the second we joined our friends, Rarity’s horrified gasp preceded any greetings. “What on earth happened to your heels?” she asked. “Those sneakers are just…” I couldn’t look at her, and I saw Twilight glance down shyly from the corner of my eye. “We had a little run in with a sewer grate in the parking lot,” I admitted abashedly as I gripped my elbow. “It took the heel clean off at the arch,” Twilight said. “It’ll be easily repaired, but we didn’t have time.” Rarity took a deep breath to calm herself, but then gave her another once over. “Well,” she drawled. “I suppose it isn’t a complete travesty. The colors match and the skirts are long enough to disguise it.” “Sort of an avant garde, then?” Fluttershy asked optimistically. “I wouldn’t say avant garde, darling,” the fashionista returned as she thought. “Maybe a bit more discotheque. A modern Juliet, if you would.” “I’m sorry, Rarity,” I said. “I’ll pay for the repairs of the shoes when I pick up my last check from the Sushi Shack.” The other girl waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t trouble yourself about it right at this moment, Sunset,” she smiled. “Those were chosen specifically for that dress, so whenever you get around to it will be perfectly fine. Go enjoy the dance.” We kind of milled about for a few minutes, getting glasses of punch from the refreshment table that stretched across the stage apron. I looked at Twilight and smiled sheepishly. “I’m sorry, Twi,” I sighed. “If you want to leave early, I’d understand.” The girl turned on me and I felt a flash of irritation through our link. “I am going to pretend I didn’t just hear that,” she bit out quickly as she set her cup down. “So we had one little bit of misfortune. So what? I didn’t peg you as someone that would give up on the first date.” I saw the corners of her mouth twitch upwards as a new song started up. “I’m having a great time so far, and there’s only one thing left for your to do.” I tilted my head as she took my cup and set it down next to hers and pulled me out towards the floor. “What is that, then?” She turned, fairly well skipping out to the dance floor before turning to me and grinning, her whispered words matching the sung chorus of the song. “Shut up, and dance with me.” I couldn’t help but laugh as she started to dance, throwing my rhythm off. While moderately more coordinated than Princess Twilight had been in this form, she didn’t dance much better. We sat down on the couch in my apartment later that night before changing to head to Pinkie’s after party, and I leaned over and put my forehead onto hers. “So,” I whispered. “Now that we’ve had a date, what do you think?” The petite woman smiled and put a finger on her chin as she affected a thoughtful look. “Hmm,” she murmured. “I don’t know. We had a great dinner and danced with friends whom we’re going to see again in a short time.” I rolled my eyes and snorted in amusement as she turned and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I loved it,” she whispered before kissing me. “I hope we can have another one soon.” I brushed a hand across her cheek, smiling. “I’ll see what I can do,” I whispered. “Now, let’s get changed before Pinkie comes looking for us.” “We wouldn’t want that, would we?” Twilight giggled, making her way to the bathroom while I changed in the loft. As I laid the dress on my bed before cinching my belt up, I reflected on the night. “Not so bad, after all,” I said to myself, brushing my hands down my shirt, smoothing some wrinkles out. “I happen to think so,” Twilight whispered as she slid her hands around my waist from behind. “You ready to go?” I nodded, handing her the keys to the car before sitting to slide my boots on. “You go on, I’ll catch up with you in a minute. As she slid out the door, I smiled as another line from the song she had quoted slid through my mind. That woman is my destiny, I thought as I headed out the door to see my friends.