It's the next day and it was also Aeon's date with Shoeshine. Yet he's never been on a date before and he is extremely nervous about it. He was so nervous to the point where he could sleep after getting back from walking with Shoeshine. All night he was pacing in circles in the library, but now he was so nervous that he wanted to rip his frill right off his head and bite his claws off. He went to the chair to try and calm himself down. He grabbed his bag off the floor pulling his wrapped up blade and another wrapped object. Unwrapping both of them his blade was a short sword no bigger and eighteen inches; the other object was a small shield no bigger than his forearm. He took his sword out of its case and held it. The blade still shined like it did when he first received it almost eight years ago.
"This blade is your life, you lose this blade you lose your life," Remembering those words from his trainer back home. Not noticing Spike had came over.
"What are those?" Spike was asking.
"Huh... oh these well these are my weapons my sword and my shield," Aeon explained.
"A sword and shield?" Spike was confused," aren't those kind of things used at a time of war?"
"Yeah.
"Did you fight in one?"
"Not really I was an arena fighter much like a gladiator."
"Did you fight for money?"
"No, I fought for survival," Showing Spike his missing pinkie finger on his left hand.
"Oh, it must of been pretty rough then."
"You could say it was a living hell," He grabbed the sword with his left hand with the hilt facing Spike," Want to hold it?"
"Sure," Spike grabbed the sword from Aeon's hand. To his surprise Spike was able to hold it perfectly.
"I thought it would be heavy for you."
"It is a bit," Wiggling it around a little," how long did you do that arena fighting for?"
"Six years."
"That's along time."
"You bet it is," Holding out his hand," Can I have my sword back?"
"Yeah," Spike gave it back," Holding it kind of makes you feel different."
"Hey Spike?"
"Yeah."
"Is there someone you like?"
"As in?"
"You know you have a crush on."
"Yeah I have a crush on Rarity, why are you asking me this?"
"Cause there's a mare I have a crush on and I asked her out."
"Did she say yes?" Aeon nodded his head,"Well just be yourself cause that's why she likes you."
"But it's just I've never dated before and I'm extremely nervous."
"I never have either and don't ask Twilight."
"Why?"
"Cause she has no clue about that stuff."
"Oh, but thanks for the talk Spike."
"No problem," Aeon left the treehouse to find something to do to ease his mind. He went to Sugarcube Corner to buy a breakfast pastry. Except he didn't know Pinkie Pie worked there, while he was looking through the display cases she jumped behind him.
"Heeelllloooo Aeon!" She screamed in excitement.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Aeon held his chest," Gosh Pinkie, you just gave a heart attack."
"Hehe... So what you doing here?"
"Just getting something to eat that's all."
"Really, you weren't here to hang out."
"No I've go... things I need to do," Which he just told pinkie a flat out lie.
"Awwww... I wish you could we would have so much fun together."
"Sorry," Aeon looked on his wrist and realized he forgot his sack of coins," darn I left my money."
"That's okay," Pinkie went behind the case and handed him a cupcake," It's on the house."
"Thanks Pinkie," Aeon ate the cupcake whole in one bit with the paper still on it.
"Wow! I've never seen anyone eat the paper too."
After letting out a belch," Well that's just one of the perks of being a zenthian," He started off the the door," See ya Pinkie."
"Bye!" Getting out of the door of Sugarcube Corner.
Leaving Sugarcube Corner Aeon spat out the cupcakeHow can they eat this stuff it tastes horrible.
Mr. Cake seemed like he was having some trouble with something because he was messing with some kind of generator.
Aeon walked over to him," are you sure you know what you're doing?"
"Nope," Mr. cake said.
Aeon looked at the generator with the up most curiosity," Hmmm... How do work this..." Aeon stuck his finger into the wires.
"Wait don't do that!" Mr. Cake warned.
Aeon felt a huge jolt through his body and fell down. The generator started working again.
"How did you do that?"
"I...Have... No... Idea."
The conveyor belt started taking the flour bags into the shop, but it was piling them in the storage. Aeon got up and thoughtI could do something about that. Taking some extra parts from the conveyor belt, he constructed a multi handed catapult. It grabbed the bags and shot them across onto an empty shelf.
"Success," Aeon gloated pleased that it working.
"Hey thanks, now I don't have to drag them on to the shelves."
"Well I'm just doing what I can with what I know."
"Can you tell me what that thing is you constructed?"
"An automatic catapult like shooter, It uses a belt attached to a gear to keep on throwing the bags."
"Well that is neat."
"I appreciate that... now what time is it?"
"Why the sun's going down right now," Mr. Cake was looking at the window.
"Oh no... I'm late!"
"Late for what?"
"Something I have to go to.... I'll see you around," Aeon raced out the door.
"Alright then see you some other time," Mr. Cake waved.
Aeon was sprinting to the fountain as fast as he could. After ten minutes of running he made it there with Shoeshine waiting already in her dress.
"Sorry that I'm late," Aeon resting sitting on the fountain," I'm making a bad first impression."
"Don't worry about being late I suspected that when you were helping Mr. Cake."
"How do you know?"
"I passed by."
"Oh... I guess I didn't see you," He looked at Shoeshine," You know I don't have a suit."
"Don't worry I got you one," She pulled a suit out of a bag.
"How do you know my size?"
"Well my head was at your waist when you were standing up on your back legs.
"Oh! Ummm," He started blushing," I guess I didn't know I was that tall."
"Awww, don't feel embarrassed just try it on."
"Okay," Aeon put on the suit, it was perfect in size, but he needed help with the tie," Could you help me Shoeshine," Aeon struggling with the tie.
"Yeah, but I need you to sit down," So he sat down and Shoeshine lifted herself using her mouth and hooves to straighten his tie. Aeon could feel his heart pounding like a drum again cause she was so close to him. She finished and went down to her normal stance and Aeon went on his fours beside her.
"You lead the way cause I have no idea where to go," Aeon said and they started walking together side by side," So why are we having to dress up?"
"Well it's an engagement party for Bonbon."
"Oh wow... to who?"
"To Lucky."
"Oh... then he must be a lucky guy," Shoeshine looked at Aeon a bit confused," bad joke I know."
"It was but it's understandable."
"Well if you told me that it was an engagement party I would have bought some flowers to congratulate them."
"Sorry, I guess I forgot."
"We all forget sometimes so don't be."
"Thanks Aeon."
"You must be quite happy for her... that she found someone to be with for a very long time."
"I am."
"Have you ever thought of getting engaged?"
"What!?"
"Oh! No, no I'm not asking you to marry me or anything, I'm not that quick on the ball, I'm just wondering?"
"I got close to."
"Oh, must have been shocking that you didn't."
"No... what was shocking was that I found him cheating with another mare."
"Huh... must have made feel horrible."
"I did, I felt like I was unwanted... that I was nothing more than a boy toy."
"May I ask who this stallion was?"
"His name was Caramel."
"That's quite the name," Aeon looked at Shoeshine," the other mares must have thought he tasted like candy."
His comment made her giggle a bit," maybe so but he didn't taste like candy to me," She looked at Aeon who was looking forward," What do you think you taste like?"
"Me, if I were eaten I'd taste like chicken, but kissed I don't know every time I smell my breath, it smells like fish," He turned his head still seeing Shoeshine staring at him,"What?"
"Nothing I was thinking that it would be crazy that if there was a pony married to a zenthian."
"Oh yeah, that would be cause it seems like something out of a book."
"Yeah it does," They both chuckled a bit about that idea. They finally made it to the meeting house where formal parties were always held and seeing out of the corner of his eye were the mane six.
"Well there you are Aeon, we've all been wondering where you were at." Twilight stopping Aeon in his tracks making him turn around.
"Yeah, Mr. Cake you just raced out of there saying you were late for something an...," Pinkie pie saw Shoeshine next to him," Oh my gosh are you two on a date!?"
"No no, it's not like that," Aeon trying to lie.
"Well that's what it looks like," Fluttershy said.
"So that's why you two were all lovy dovy at eachother yesterday," Rarity tried to conclude.
"What!" Rainbow Dash being optimistic," Well I can't tell if they're dating."
"Well you should have seen the way these two talked to each other yesterday in my boutique, they were just all over each other," Rarity explained to Dash. All six looked over at Aeon and Shoeshine who both were blushing.
"What! Are you two really dating?" Applejack asked. Aeon and Shoeshine just nodded.
"Well why didn't you say anything?" Twilight asked.
"Well cause I didn't want to," Aeon answered.
"Oh."
"Well I guess we should head inside now."
"Yeah we should," They went inside together, heading down the hall to the ball room. The door was open and there were many ponies dressed up having a good time. With elegant decor, a orchestral band and singer, finely made plates of food on a buffet table, and it almost looked like a party set for a king.
Strolling in Bonbon saw Shoeshine.
"Shoeshine you made it," Bonbon came over and hugged Shoeshine.
"Awwww... congratulations Bonbon," Shoeshine acknowledging her. Bonbon looked at Aeon.
"So this is Aeon?" Bonbon asking.
"Yep."
"My... I know he has an unusual name but I didn't expect him to be a dragon."
"Oh... he's not a dragon, he's something called a zenthian."
"I'm pleased to make your acquaintance," Aeon bowed as if he were greeting a noble.
"Hello there... it's wow you're just quite unusual coming from somewhere else."
"I'm getting use to stickin out like a sore thumb."
"Well then welcome," Bonbon turned to Shoeshine," Can I talk to you for a second?" Bonbon and Shoeshine walked off to another part of the room.
Aeon sat in a chair waiting.
"Shoeshine is there something wrong with your head?" Bonbon seemed concerned.
"No why?" Shoeshine was getting confused about what Bonbon was asking her.
"Well do you see that he's a giant scaly lizard thing."
"Yeah so," Lyra had come over wondering what was going on.
"Hey girls what's going on here?" Lyra asked eagerly.
"It's Shoeshine's new relationship," Bonbon told Lyra.
"What do you mean," Bonbon pointed her hoof at Aeon.
"That's who she's in a relationship with," Lyra looked and saw Aeon just sitting there waiting.
"Wow Shoeshine is there something wrong with you?"
"No! There's nothing wrong with me."
"But you're going out with a lizard."
"So I'm just tired of looking for relationships through looks, it never works out with me but..."
"But what?" Bonbon and Lyra asked at the same time.
"With him it's different."
"What do you mean Shoeshine?" Lyra asked.
"Even though he's a bit of an odd ball, he has this sense of heart and charm to him and even though he seems like he's hiding something, but it's something I want to find out."
"Look Shoeshine we're not trying to be mean to you, but of course we want the best for you."
"Thanks girls I really appreciate that."
"We know you've had a hard time keeping a good relationship."
"I know but what I see out of him is not his looks but the way he is," Shoeshine told them," He's unlike any stallion I've ever met cause he's just really easy to talk to and he can really understand me and I understand him."
"Come on girls let's just enjoy the party I believe we've let Shoeshine speak her mind about this," Lyra said, Shoeshine went back to Aeon and Bonbon and Lyra went their own ways.
"What was that all about?" Aeon asked her.
"Oh you know just girl talk," Shoeshine told him.
"Oh."
"Aeon?"
"Hmmmm," Aeon looked down at her.
"Do you like me?"
"Course I do I wouldn't have asked you on a date if I didn't," Some music started playing and the couples in the room started dancing.
"You want to dance?" Shoeshine asked.
"I don't know, I.... I really don't know how to dance."
"Oh it's easy," She pulled him out of the chair onto the dance floor. Both were now standing on their hind legs," Put your hand in my hoof," Aeon put his hand on Shoeshine's hoof,"And put your hand here," Placing Aeon's other hand on her hip,"Now just follow my lead," Shoeshine started to slow dance with Aeon. He caught on quickly and soon was leading. Looking at each other Shoeshine had that sparkle in her eyes like before and Aeon didn't want this moment to end.
Later after the party Aeon walked with Shoeshine to her house," Well I guess I'm not the best," Saying to Shoeshine while she opened her door.
"Well your not great at a first impression," She turned and kissed him on his left cheek," But you're the best date I've had in a while."
"Really," Aeon was rubbing his cheek, his blush was bright and his heart felt like it just melted.
"Yeah, I had so much fun with you," Shoeshine went inside and before closing her door she said," Goodnight Aeon."
She closed her door, and Aeon stood there. Then he smiled walking away.