"Hey, Dusk!" Spike was the first to greet the stallion when he walked into the library the day after he'd returned to Ponyville. "Welcome home, bro! Well, technically you left home just today so… welcome home from home, I guess?"
"I don't think it's best to think about it too much." He returned the hug that Spike was giving him. "It's good to see you again, Spike."
"You too. So, mastered the magic that Luna's taught you, huh?" He grinned to Twilight, who was emerging from upstairs. "Hey Twi, I think you might have an actual rival now!"
"Well, at least it's you and not Trixie," she pointed out, approaching Dusk. "Besides, I know exactly what to do to render you completely powerless."
"Which is?" She pressed her lips against his and left him standing rigidly still. "Okay… that'll do it."
"Just my luck. The guy's back in Ponyville for five seconds and you already can't keep your hooves off him," moaned Spike.
"In fairness, we do have three weeks to catch up on. Right Dusk?" she asked, fluttering her eye lashes.
"Indeed we do," he replied, his cheeks flushed.
Twilight's expression became inquisitive. "How was that?"
"How was what?" he asked, confused.
"This." She fluttered her lashes again. "I've been looking up various actions to make a mare appear more flirtatious or attractive to a stallion. Excessive motion of the eye lashes is meant to portray an interest in the other party. I'm not entirely sure why, but I thought I'd try it out."
"Um… well, my heart is currently beating at the same rate your eyes were batting, so… I'd say you did great," replied Dusk nervously.
"Really? Thanks, Dusk," she said brightly. "Incidentally, a stallion paying compliments to a mare was another thing on the list, so good work."
"Looked like you had something stuck in your eye to… me…" Spike's eyes suddenly focused on Dusk's necklace and his mouth watered. "Hey, nice new necklace! Nice… shiny… tasty… let me see that…"
"See with your eyes, not with mouth and claws, Spike," Dusk warned, backing away. "But thanks for your unique insight."
"No problem." He licked his lips again. "I always know what I'm talking about where gems are concerned."
"Ahem. Spike." Twilight puffed out her chest, emphasizing her own half of the necklace. "How do you think mine looks?"
"Wow! Even better! Wait, hold on a second…" His eyes shifted several times between them, each time focusing on their halves of the necklace. "Stand next to each other." They did so. "Hold them up against each other… oh, you've gotta be kidding me!"
"No, we're not," Twilight giggled. "This was my birthday present from Dusk, made from a Lover's Diamond. I feel we complement each other greatly."
Spike's frown deepened. "You could both make a grilled cheese sandwich, using every type of cheese on earth and eat it on the moon and it'd still be less cheesy than that!
"Considering you can't see gems beyond something to fill your stomach, I'd expect that from you Spike, but I think it was really sweet. A little cheesy," she admitted, "but sweet." She nuzzled Dusk's cheek, making him blush further.
"That's it, I've had it. I'm gonna go tidy up the east wing before I throw up." He waddled off through the door, leaving them alone in the main wing.
"I never thought I'd see the day when he actually volunteered to do work," remarked Dusk.
"My thoughts exactly." She gestured him to sit at one of the tables. "Come on, since you just got back, I think it's fair that you take a little break first, before you get back to work."
"Aw, come on!" Spike stuck his head through the door. "How come he gets some time off, but I don't?!"
"As I recall, Spike, you volunteered to tidy up, so I don't know what you're complaining about," countered Twilight. "Now, off you go."
Spike, having no come back for this, ended up just grumbling incoherently and slamming the door behind him as he left.
"That's Spike for you then," shrugged Dusk.
"That's Spike," she agreed, beaming at him. "I'm so glad you're back, Dusk. It really wasn't the same without you."
"I felt the same, Twi," he admitted. "Every morning, I kept waking up, expecting to hear your voice and Spike's like I always do, but… well, you know."
"I know, I felt the same way," she confessed. "Plus, I bet staying in my old study room didn't help matters."
"Not really. It was really nice though, with a few Canterlot exclusive volumes to read, so that made it a little bit easier." He returned her smile. "I can see being Celestia's student really had benefits."
"To say the least," she giggled. "But you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?"
"Yes, staying up at night for a while instead of going to bed and being almost beaten to a bloody pulp during the day, that… I couldn't imagine living without that," he joked.
"Hey, it's not all easy," she reminded him. "How are your bruises from that, by the way? Are you sure you didn't get injured worse?"
"Don't worry, I'm fine," he reassured her. "Hard Edge may have been brutal, but he wasn't trying to kill me. Not like…"
He saw the flashes again. A battle in his mind, the very real pain he felt. Other times his hooves crashed against things… mine, or his? Luna's cries, the girls screams, his laughing. Laughing, always laughing. The anger, the hate!
"Dusk? Dusk!" Twilight's voice snapped him out of it. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
Checking his forehead, he realised he'd been sweating. He quickly wiped it away, calmed himself down and suppressed the memories. Like he always did. But he always came back…
"Nothing, Twilight, just um… it's nothing…" he muttered, suddenly not able to look her in the eye.
He'd seen the fear briefly flash in hers, though her face now showed nothing but concern. For a moment though, he felt that those eyes weren't his own…
"If you're sure..." She quickly changed the subject. "I guess we're just lucky you could come home today, since Luna got back last night."
"Indeed. Apparently, she managed to conclude her business faster than she thought and she managed to make it home." He smiled fondly at the thought of her. "She said that she'll miss seeing me daily, but that she was pleased I'd progressed so well."
"Now you're ready to move on, to alteration and conjuration from what I hear." She positively shivered with excitement. "I can definitely help you there. I don't know if you heard, but I'm quite distinguished at that sort of thing."
"Really? I had no idea," joked Dusk. "I suppose that you also heard about Edge's comeuppance?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if they heard it all the way in Manehattan," laughed Twilight. "Luna does seem pleasant enough, but I wouldn't want to be the one who makes her angry."
"Same here," agreed Dusk. "I feel that Edge isn't the kind of pony who likes to intimidated, but even he was cringing with the full force of the Canterlot voice in his ears."
"As he should," said Twilight, with disdain. "He doesn't have a good reputation. He's not popular with the rest of the guards and he doesn't show much respect for the citizens either. Even the princesses have some difficulty with him. I hope he's learned his lesson, at any rate."
"There are some whose pride is like a fire. Sometimes, it can be lessened, but most of the time, efforts to extinguish it are only made worse," he mused.
He remembered from after Luna had completed her tirade against Edge, the look he'd given him. A glare Dusk was sure would have been enough to strike him dead and it certainly looked like that was his wish. Before, he might have cringed under such a look, but not anymore. He had cringed a little, but he'd also managed to hold it coolly and not break it.
He had a feeling that this wasn't over. Not yet.
"I wouldn't worry too much about him. He's in Canterlot and you're here," she reminded him. "Also, if he does try anything, I think Luna will give him much more than a telling off and a warning."
"I suppose that's another reason I'm glad to be back."
"It's nice to see you had other friends though," she said, referring to his Canterlot friends. "It's always good to expand on friendships."
"I thought so too," he nodded. "I was happy they came to see me off. They were really a big help and comfort while I was away. I wouldn't have been able to get and make your necklace without their help."
"Our necklace," she corrected with a smile. "They seemed decent enough, but I didn't like the way one of them spoke to you. Or me, for that matter."
"Oh, Prim?" He chuckled knowingly. "Don't worry. She likes me, she just have a different way of showing it."
"I could tell." She made to rise. "Well, I suppose we'd better get back to the grind, before Spike has a hissy fit."
He raised his hoof to stop her. "Actually, Twi, there was something else I wanted to ask you."
"Okay, what is it?"
At this moment, Dusk lost his voice when before he'd been talking so easily. This was a subject that had been brought up by Rarity on the train back to Canterlot. She suggested heavily that he act on it as soon as possible, as it was apparently a requirement of any couple in a relationship. It was something he and Twilight hadn't even done yet, something that might be a little scary for the both of them, but might be enjoyable if they did it right.
He blushed heavily when he realised that what he had been thinking about could apply to something completely different.
"Something wrong Dusk?" she asked.
"No, not really um…" He cast his mind for how best to ask. "Twilight… are you busy tonight?"
"Hmm… well, I was planning to re-read a magical compendium, then of course have my dinner, maybe make some notes on my re-reading, but nothing that can wait, I suppose," she surmised. "Why, did you want to do some more studying?"
"Sort of but… not the kind we, uh, usually do." He coughed awkwardly. "I was wondering if… um…"
"'If'… what? Dusk, what's wrong?" she asked with concern.
"Nothing um… I just wanted to know if… if you… you'd like to do something… with me, I mean…"
Twilight looked back in confusion. "So… do you want to do some studying or not?"
"I don't mean… studying," he clarified. "I was thinking… going out, perhaps. Just you and me…"
"To do what? Wait…" Realisation dawned on her face. "Are you… asking me on a date?"
"I am, yes!" He noticed that was too eager and simmered down. "I mean, if you like. We don't need to, as such, but… I just thought that… it might… be good."
He waited on tenterhooks for her decision. It seemed like a reasonable request, but she might dismiss it, saying that the point of a date was for the two of them to get to know each other and they already knew each other very well. Dusk could certainly understand why, but he still thought it might be nice to do something with her that didn't involve the library.
Twilight's expression was thoughtful, until she nodded and smiled.
"I do remember that we were going to vary the things we do together and we've never actually been on a proper date before. Such a thing is, apparently, a requirement for two ponies who are interested in each other, even if they're already in a relationship. Or so I've been told."
"So… is that a yes?" he asked hopefully.
"Yes," she replied brightly. "I would very much like to go on a date with you, Dusk. What did you have in mind?"
"Well um… I'm not sure yet," he admitted. "But I think I know who to ask, if I may…"
"I think I know too," she giggled. "Go on, we'll be here when you get back."
"Great! See you in a bit." He made his way to the door, a grin on his face.
"Hey, Dusk!" Twilight stopped him, swaying on the spot with a sweet smile on her face. "Call me. Did that sound right?"
"Perfect and I will, Miss Sparkle," he replied, with a smile of his own.
Keeping the grin on his face for the whole journey, he had a spring in his step and nothing but happiness on his mind, with a little bit of nervousness. She had said yes! He'd succeeded there, but he was still rather unclear as to what to do on a date. Obviously, he had no previous experience to relate to and very little knowledge on the subject. Were he by himself, he might be worried about what was to come.
But he wasn't alone, for unlike in the past, he had friends now. One friend in particular had a lot of experience on this matter, the one who had suggested this in the first place. The one who's fashion establishment he was now approaching, greeting him with an expectant look.
"Did you ask her?"
"I did."
"And?"
"Guess."
Her smile was as bright as his own. "Well done, Dusk! That's the worst part out of the way, although I expect she would have had little reason to refuse."
"Just like you said," noted Dusk. "It is remarkable how you always seem to know these things."
"I'm flattered, Dusk, but even you can agree that there were very few other possible outcomes from this scenario," she pointed out.
"Fair point," he shrugged. "Still, it's always nice have it in black and white."
"Indeed it is. Black and white, that's an idea… possibly for a winter gown," she murmured, before shaking her head. "No, I'll consider that later. Right now, we have more important things to focus on."
"Right." He followed her into her kitchen. "So, what do you think I should do?"
"Well, it doesn't require much thought. There are plenty of things that a mare and a stallion can do on their date, there are quite literally thousands of choices," she elaborated. "Some are more expensive than others, but all can apply to individual tastes."
"Okay. What do you suggest?" he asked, completely ignorant of the process.
"That doesn't take much thought. The two of you definitely wouldn't be doing any extreme activities, and I think it might be better if you did something that would simply allow you to sit and talk, or else just enjoy each other's company. I would suggest perhaps taking in a movie and perhaps a romantic dinner at a high establishment."
"That seems reasonable," he said, relaxing a little. "Anything else I should do?"
"Nothing other than be yourself and treat her like she's the most important pony in Equestria. Make her feel like she's special, like nopony else in the world deserves your attention more and you're sure to do well," she advised.
"Right, that sounds good," he agreed. "I'll have enough money for tickets and food, which I think I know where to go for."
"Excellent! Now, what will you be wearing?"
Dusk was caught off guard. "Wearing? Well… my glasses and hat."
"Yes, yes obviously," she waved impatiently. "But what else? How do you plan to make an impression?"
"Um… uh…" Dusk had no answer, adjusting his glasses nervously.
Rarity looked as if he'd just slapped her. "Dusk, darling, you're not seriously thinking of going looking like you are now?!"
"Um… yes? What's, uh wrong with that?"
"Nothing, for day-to-day events, but this is a date you're going on, Dusk! With your marefriend! You look fine, but I'm afraid that isn't going to cut it for tonight!"
"I thought you said I should just be myself…"
"I did, in personality, but you can at least make an effort to appear more… well, more!" she emphasized. "Come now, darling, have a little pride in your appearance!"
Dusk had never really minded much how he looked, as long as he didn't look too much like a fool, of course, hence why he'd never really combed his mane. It was one of the few things he actually took pride in, especially in recent days with the addition of his hat and glasses. It helped to emphasize how unique he was, how much he'd changed since those days without being too extreme.
Looks like he'd been wrong about that then…
"Okay… sorry…" he murmured.
"No apologies needed, I can still help you prepare, freshen you up a bit perhaps." She began to examine him critically, lifting his hat, scanning his mane and fur. "Yes, this won't be too hard. A new suit, perhaps and just a little freshening up… yes, this will be quite simple."
A thought just occurred to Dusk. "Rarity, if I may ask… why do you want to help me so much? I've never really asked…"
"Why shouldn't I?" she replied. "I simply want to help you succeed in your romantic endeavours, as much as any friend would, especially considering your inexperience on the matter. No offense."
"None taken, nopony can know everything," he replied. "But still, you always seem to… give it your all, and then some. If this is of because of what happened in Canterlot, you don't have to make up for it."
"It has nothing to do with that, though I am very grateful of your forgiving my short-sighed foolishness and actually showing it to me when I'd lost sight of it," she said sincerely. "First Sweetie Belle, then the elite. I owe you quite a bit, Mr Noir."
"Like you said, I'm just doing what any friend would," he replied. "But if it's not that, then what? You don't have to tell me, I'm just curious."
"I can understand." She shifted a little nervously. "There's a reason that I have experience in romantic matters, Dusk. Several reasons, in fact and… most of them haven't turned out well, as you might have seen with Blueblood. Some haven't been as bad as others, but… they still leave a lasting impression."
Dusk was now sorry he'd asked and felt a great deal of pity for her. With her grace, elegance and beauty, it would be obvious for anypony to see that she would have had her fair share of romances. She seemed to be the only one among them, apart from Twilight, who was actually interested in finding true love. He hadn't suspected that Blueblood would be the only one she would have harboured affections for or attempted a relationship with.
But he hadn't really expected how often she might have… well, failed.
"Rare, I… I'm sorry, I didn't know…"
"It's quite all right," she assured, though he could hear the quiver in her voice. "You're right, you didn't know. But I know how it feels, to have your heart broken, more than once perhaps. You're a wonderful, gentle-hearted stallion, Dusk, probably one of the best I've ever met. You've already been through torment and terror, despite this."
"What… what do you mean?"
She laughed a little and gazed sympathetically at him. "Dusk, you've tried to hide it, but I have seen it. A little flash, in your eyes. You try to hide it but, now and again, it shows through, thou you do hide it well, I must say. I can see the pain you've felt, because it's the same look I do my best to hide too. I don't know what it is, but you've experienced pain, as I have."
Dusk didn't say anything. He'd never seen Rarity like this before. She always seemed to fret about the most trivial of things. It was like talking to a completely different pony.
"I've seen it," she continued, "and I don't want you to share that too. You've already been through so much to add heart-break to your list of tragedies. I want to try and help give you the best chance that you have with Twilight. Whether or not she's the one for you, I'm not completely sure. But I do know that I can help you have the happiness that I have always hoped to find… even if I can't have you myself."
This surprised Dusk even more. He remembered all those times she'd looked flirtatiously at him, batted her eyes like Twilight had. She still did, but not as much. He had no idea that she felt like that for him, at any point. Yet she'd still helped him win Twilight's heart, even though she could have tried to win his for herself. Was it because she thought they were meant to be or because she didn't want to take that chance again?
He preferred to think of it as the former, as that was what drove him to take her hoof and do his best to smile at her.
"Rarity… I know it might not seem like much, but… I really am sorry for you, but I'd like to say… thank you, for all you have done… for all you're still doing," he expressed sincerely. "I meant what I said to you, on the night of the Gala. You will find somepony. You deserve that much."
Her blue eyes shimmered a little, but the smile she gave was full of warmth and affection, as was the look in her sapphire eyes.
"And you're the only one who's said that to me and I actually believe you," she whispered. "I know there are times I might seem selfish, quite contradictory considering my Element, you might say. My life hasn't always been easy, so I try to make my own life as happy as I can. I just feel it's what I deserve. But then… I do remember the warmth, the joy of making another happy, just because of what I can offer them, no matter how small or big." The smile broadened, as did the glow in her eyes. "It's what I feel when I remember my Element chose me for that, when I do something for nothing in return, every time I see you two together, so happy and… I did that. Does that make me a bad pony, Dusk? Shallow?"
He almost cried himself from how much it sounded like she was begging him. "Not at all. It just makes you an even better pony."
"But Applejack, Pinkie, they're always honest and happy. You've seen it," she pointed out. "I'm not always generous, a fact that I only occasionally remember. I sometimes do wonder why my Element chose me…"
Dusk couldn't deny that, but a thought occurred to him.
"Because I think it recognises true generosity." She looked up expectantly and he hoped this would sound okay. "It's admirable when a pony is always honest or happy, like Applejack and Pinkie, but then it doesn't seem as special. It's still great, but it's in times when it seems like everypony is selfish and greedy that generosity can truly shine, because that's when we most need it, like laughter where there's sadness or honesty where there's lies. Like the riches that most strive to earn, it just becomes even more special when it's made into a… rarity."
The unicorn stared at him in silence for a moment, her expression unreadable. Suddenly, she threw her arms around him in a gentle embrace and planted a kiss on his cheek.
"I knew you were different, the first time I saw you in the library, but I never truly expected just… how different." She pulled back, keeping him in an intense gaze. "I meant what I said on the night of the Gala too. Don't you ever change, Dusk. Never change."
I already have, he thought. For better or worse, I still wonder myself.
"I won't," he promised. "I'll treat her as you want me to. You have my word."
"And I shall keep you to it." She sniffed and wiped her eyes, her charming smile returning. "Well, now that that's done, you and I still have some business to attend to."
"Like what?" he asked, feeling one tugging at his mouth too.
"First, let's get you fitted for some appropriate attire, then we're going to take a trip to the spa, my treat," she assured. "I want you looking as wonderful on the outside, as I know you are on the inside."
"If you insist," he complied. "Thanks again, Rare."
"Not at all, darling," she said, returning to her normal self. "Think of it as my showing you how true your belief in me is. It's the least I can do."
"Well, you know what I always say about faith." He followed her into the fitting room, preferring to think that both of them felt a little light after their 'chat'.
They were in such a good mood from it, neither of them noticed a shadow that had been at one of the windows suddenly dart away, leaving a trail of colour behind it…
Twilight looked herself over in the mirror of her room. She straightened the shoulder of her dress because it looked a little crooked. She looked back again, decided that there wasn't enough blush on her cheeks and applied some more. Checking again, one of her eyelashes wasn't appropriately prominent, so she took the curler to it again. Then she thought her shoulder looked fine before and changed it again.
Spike had remained silent for about fifteen minutes for what she said would be 'one last check' and had been patient with her. If this was what she wanted to do to try and be calm while she was nervous, that was fine. He had his own methods after all, most of them thinking of gems. Or ice cream. Or Rarity. Or gem-flavoured ice cream served by Rarity. Okay, that wasn't really making him calm.
The point was, he understood. But now, his boss/big sister was really starting to get on his nerves.
"Twilight, will you stop fussing already?" sighed Spike exasperatedly. "You look fine."
"I suppose…" She looked over at the book she was consulting. "But this says that I need to look my best for this and best is a matter of opinion. You might think I look fine, but what about Dusk? Do you think he'll think it's too much? Too little? Should I wear something grander, or maybe more modest? Am I wearing too much make-up? Am I-?"
"Twilight, come on!" he cried. "This is Dusk we're talking about! You could be wearing a ragged robe that hasn't been washed for years and he'd still think you're dressed like a princess! You look great, now will you just relax. You're even making me nervous."
The unicorn stopped panicking, took a few deep breaths and did her best to relax.
"I'm sorry, Spike, it's just… well, I've never been on a date before."
"No kidding," he said, with a roll of his eyes. "Dusk hasn't either, so I'm sure he's just as nervous as you are. Well, maybe not that nervous."
"Hey, I wasn't acting that nervous!"
"Oh yeah? Do we need to talk about the Smartypants incident again?"
"That was different! A matter of life and death!"
"You're doing it again!"
"Right, right, sorry." She looked herself over in the mirror. "I guess there's not much else we can do with my appearance and I've made a small list of things that I should do while on the date."
"You're going to be bringing that with you?" Spike stared openly. "Come on, Twilight, really?"
"I have to Spike! I might forget one of them and Dusk, who would no doubt be expecting me to do such things, would notice!" She levitated the parchment in question. "I'm going to make sure that I behave exactly as what's required of me. Besides…" It glowed and vanished. "There. Now, I can summon it again if I need it."
"Just so long as you're not glancing at it all the time," he sighed. "How'd you even make that anyway?"
"It's all in this book!" She levitated it to the baby dragon. "It's a dating guide I found, especially for mares."
"Only you would learn about dating by studying it." He flicked through the pages, his eyes lighting up in interest. "Hey, this guy really seems to know what he's talking about."
"He's quite an accomplished writer in this area, though I did consult other books as well before I found this one," she said with interest. "Like one I found, I didn't get the chance to read it fully, 50 Shades of-"
"Okay, that's enough of that," Spike halted with a flush. "Just one thing… most of the stuff in here is what you do with Dusk anyway. Did you really need to make a list from them?"
"Yes, I did."
"But you do all this stuff normally. How does having to do it on a date make any difference?"
"It makes all the difference!"
"Twilight, I-" He was cut off by a knock at the door. "Ah, that'll be him."
"It is?" She glanced at the clock. "But he said he'd be here for seven. It's only six fifty-nine! He's one minute early!"
"Relax, it's only one minute." He hopped off the bed and waddled downstairs. "Come on, we don't wanna keep him waiting."
"Actually, that's exactly what the book says I should do." She opened it at the appropriate page. "It says here I should let him wait a bit, to 'make him sweat'."
Spike raised an eye ridge. "Why would you want to make him sweat? Wouldn't it be kind of against the point if he smelt bad?"
"It's an expression. It's apparently meant to show that I'm not too eager and that I take enough pride in my appearance, that I'll take a little more time to make myself look as presentable as possible."
"I thought we just discussed this!" he yelled in frustration. "Besides, you hate being late."
"It's only gonna be for a few minutes."
"You've never cared this much about your appearance."
"It's a date, Spike. Besides, have you seen my mane in the morning?"
He thought for a moment. "Good point. Fine, wait here then, but not too long."
"Of course." She turned back to the mirror, worry descending once again. "Oh, should I wear something in my hair? He usually brings a lilac for these sort of things, but would he have expected me to get my own at this point? Should I…"
Spike rolled his eyes, turned away and made his way towards the door. There was just no calming that mare when she was worried. The only other time he'd seen her this worried was end-of-the-year exams, something she'd also been fretting over and glancing at a piece of paper for. At least she hadn't been dating the examiner though…
He shuddered at the thought and opened the door, revealing his fellow assistant.
"Hey bro! You clean up nice," he complimented.
"Thanks, Spike. I hope she certainly thinks so." He gestured unsurely with his hoof. "May I uh… come in?"
"Dusk, you practically live here." He stood aside to let him in. "You don't need to ask."
"It's appropriate protocol though, on the subject of picking the mare up from her home," he replied, like it was rehearsed.
Not him too.
"You've known each other for a year!"
"I know, but I'd still prefer to be polite… also, I was uh… told that, really."
"Figures." He led him into the living room. "Take a seat, Twilight's only gonna be a few minutes." Hopefully, he added mentally.
Dusk did so, removing his hat and fiddling with his glasses. It was clear he'd taken an effort to look his best. He wore a blue suit that matched his fur, with a white shirt and black tie, not unlike the suit he wore to the Gala. His mane had been combed neatly, for the first time, he noted, has had his fur and he seemed especially clean for the night.
Just as he predicted, he was nervous too. He was fidgeting with his hooves, adjusting his glasses and shifting on the couch. He levitated some flowers close to him and set down a box of chocolates on one of the chairs.
"For Twilight," he murmured. "Soft centres, her favourite kind…"
"Well, you've really gone all out for this, I'll give you that. Never thought I'd see you with your mane combed."
"Well… it was recommended," he repeated. "I hope it's all fine…"
He walked up and placed a claw on his shoulder comfortingly. "Take it easy, it'll be fine. She's just as nervous as you are, if it makes you feel better."
"She… she is?"
"Yeah, of course! It's her first date, like ever, and yours too, so of course you're nervous." He stood proudly. "I've been helping her get ready. Hair, make-up, even a small hooficure for that added touch."
"You know how to do a hooficure?"
Spike blushed at this. "Well, you know… it's good for guys too and it's good for my claws…" He coughed loudly. "Look, the point is you've both taken the effort and you're still taking the effort. What could go wrong?"
"I suppose… you're right." He smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks, Spike."
"No problem." He made his way to one of the seats, keeping his eyes on Dusk. "You'll see, everything's gonna be fine." He jumped up and sat down.
SQUELCH!
Both of them grimaced at the sound. Spike looked slowly under his chair, to see the heart shaped box he'd sat on.
"Soft centres?" Dusk nodded. "Right… sorry."
"It's okay… more where that came from anyway…"
"Um, Dusk?"
They both turned at the sound of Twilight's voice. Spike smiled in satisfaction, whilst Dusk looked like he was trying his best not to stare openly.
In his own opinion, Twilight looked great. She'd had a shower with a special conditioner, giving her mane and fur a sleek, glossy look, the whole effect making her sparkle like her name. She'd then used straighteners on her mane, making the whole thing look like a shining, flowing river of purple. Her eyelashes had been lengthened, emphasizing her matching eyes, blush highlighted her cheeks and face. Finally, the dress that she'd worn for her birthday party sealed the deal, freshly washed and ironed.
She clearly still had a nervous demeanour, but she looked like she was trying to keep it under control at least. She approached Dusk, who stood up quickly, shifting on his hooves.
"Twilight… you… you look great…" he mumbled.
"Oh, thank you. You look… very nice yourself," she returned.
"I uh, bought you these." He offered her the flowers and her genuine smile grew.
"Dusk, these are lovely." She inhaled in their scent, her nose twitching. "A… a… ACHOO! Oops, sorry…"
"It's fine…" He shook pollen out of his face and kept a smile. "No problem."
"Good. So… just the flowers then?"
"Uh, yes… just the flowers, um, nothing else." Getting the message, Spike made sure the squashed chocolates were well hidden, smiling as innocently as he could.
Luckily, Twilight passed off his stuttering as just being nervous and didn't seem to mind. "At least you weren't too cliché, I guess. So… shall we go?"
"Hm? Oh, yes right! After you…" He chuckled awkwardly and followed her out.
"Now, remember you too," Spike said, affecting a gruff voice, "I want her home at a reasonable hour and no funny business from you, mister. Got it?"
"Sure thing, dad," giggled Twilight.
"Yes sir," saluted Dusk. "I assure you, she's in good hooves."
"She'd better be." He waved them off as they set off. "Have fun, you two!"
He returned to the living room, opened up the chocolates, shrugged and popped one into his mouth. Now, he had the whole evening to himself and later, Rarity would be showing up and they'd both be keeping an eye on them both, making sure everything went fine for the daters.
And if things didn't go as planned, he and Rarity always had their backup plan. All it would take was one quick letter…
This was it then, Dusk thought. His first date with Twilight. Something which would determine the very future of their relationship. Or so he'd been told. Everything was planned out, he had the money, he had the suit and he had the mare. Hopefully, things would be fine.
Though he had to admit that he looked better than he usually did, he didn't really like the fact that he needed to dress up like this. The suit was a little constricting around his neck and wasn't terribly comfortable. His mane looked neat, but he much preferred it as it was. Still, if it was what was required of him, he was willing to go along with it.
Twilight appeared to be looking off at something, but he couldn't tell what. She did look very beautiful, though he found it a little strange to see her wearing so much make up and the conditioner she used on her mane. While she did like to look respectable, she never really paid much mind to go overboard, like Rarity might do. He didn't mind it and she did look very beautiful… he'd just need to get used to it.
The silence between them was getting a little unbearable, so he decided to break it.
"You okay, Twi?"
She jumped a little and he saw a magical flash. "Oh, yes, I'm fine! Why do you ask?"
"It's just… you're a little… jumpy."
"So are you," she noted.
He shrugged. "I suppose. This is my first date…"
"Mine too," she nodded. "Is it silly that I'm nervous about this?"
"If it is, then we're both silly, because… well, I'm nervous too."
"Yeah…" They both laughed, the tension between them easing. "I guess that makes it a little easier."
He saw the magical flash pop again, then vanish again.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"That. Did you have something there?"
"I didn't have anything."
"I thought I saw you looking at something."
"Well, I wasn't." She giggled nervously. "You must just be seeing things. So, where are we going?"
He decided to ignore the abrupt change of subject. "Well, first, we're going to see a romantic movie, after which we'll be going to dinner at Chez Delicious, after which I shall return you home."
"Chez Delicious? That's the most high class restaurant in Ponyville!"
"Technically, it's the only high class restaurant in Ponyville."
"That's why it's so high class!" She smiled sweetly at him. "You got us a table there, just for our date?"
"Well… I had some help with it," he admitted.
She nuzzled his cheek affectionately. "You really are the sweetest pony I know."
"Thanks… it's worth it for you."
She smiled all the more, glanced off at something again and nodded in satisfaction. Again, he knew there was no point in asking, especially when she noticed him looking, smiled disarmingly and walked close by his side. He might as well enjoy the evening.
They arrived at the movie theatre, where Dusk purchased their tickets, giving one to Twilight. He'd been advised to take her to see something romantic, that would bring them close together in the movie theatre and truly share in their romance. As such, there was only one choice he could have gone for. He saw her noticeably grimace when she looked at the movie that it told them they were going to be seeing.
"Nightlight? Really?" she asked, disbelievingly.
"It wasn't really my first choice either," he admitted. "It has been voted as one of the best romantic movies of the year."
"Not that there was much competition, or competence in the voting," she mumbled.
"We could always see something else…" he suggested tentatively.
She opened her mouth, frowned, checked off to the side again and forced a smile.
"No, no, this is fine," she said quickly. "We've already paid, so there's not much point. Besides, we've never actually seen it, so I'm sure it'll be… fine."
"If you insist, but we could still-"
"Hey, Twilight! Dusk! Fancy running into you guys here!" They both turned to see Rainbow Dash approaching them, attempting a casual look.
"Oh, good evening Rainbow," Twilight said pleasantly. "What are you doing here?"
"Me? Oh, I'm here to see…" She looked at her ticket, narrowed her eyes but forced a smile. "The new Nightlight movie. You two?"
"That's exactly the same movie we're seeing," said Dusk. "Quite a coincidence…"
"I know, right? Hey, we should all go see it! You know, since we're going to the same movie and all!" She moved in-between them, placing a leg around them. "Come on, screen three, right?"
"Actually," Twilight said, as she pushed them along, "we were just planning to go and see it together."
"Well, obviously, otherwise you wouldn't have bought tickets, right?" she laughed. "So, you don't mind if I tag along, do you?"
"As a matter of fact-"
"Great, now come on!"
Getting a little annoyed at her behaviour and apparent obliviousness to their need for some privacy, but too polite to say anything, Dusk spoke up as they took their seats.
"I didn't know you liked these movies, Rainbow," he said.
She shifted her eyes nervously. "I don't, really, but uh… well, I just came along to um… you know see um… how bad it is!" she cried. "Yeah, yeah that's it. You know about these movies, how bad they are. I just want to see how bad they are."
"Right…" Dusk gave her another unsure look, before settling down to watch the movie.
He sat in-between Rainbow and Twilight, who also had given up on trying to send their friend away. Dusk didn't really mind either, as long as Rainbow respected the fact they were obviously on a date. He hoped what Jock said about her was wrong…
He liked to keep an open mind about this sort of thing. Though what he'd read of the book was frankly awful, with terrible pacing and poor character development of the main protagonist, he hoped that the movie might be a little better. He liked reading, but he always found it remarkable what they could do with a visual medium.
As it turned out, however, the more they watched the movie, the more Dusk became convinced that it might not only be just as bad as the book, but it might actually be worse. The acting done by the main cast was awful, with next to no emoting and poor reading of the badly written dialogue. The development for their romance made little to no sense and was actually rather creepy, when one thought about it. Worse still were some mares down front, who were obviously fans, who kept gushing and awing at some moments.
When he looked at Twilight, it was very clear that she shared his discomfort. He gave her a look that said he found it just as bad as he did. She smiled gratefully and her hoof crept slowly towards his. At least he had this…
"Hey, pass me the popcorn," whispered Rainbow, just as they were about to make contact. They both glared at her. "What? I'm hungry." Dusk rolled his eyes and levitated it to her. "Thanks."
She began to munch on it noisily. Dusk grimaced, as did Twilight, who huffed and withdrew her hoof. Disappointed, Dusk took his back too.
This was a recurring problem throughout the movie too. Every time he and Twilight tried to have a moment with each other, Rainbow always seemed to do something to spoil it. They gazed into each other's eyes, but she would tap Dusk on the shoulder to call attention to a particular part. He'd try to put his leg around her, but she'd suddenly start laughing for no real reason. They tried to share a kiss, she'd excuse herself to the bathroom and, when they'd try again, almost immediately return, professing how fast she was.
The only real benefit was that she was obviously also angering the fans who were also watching the movie directly in front of them. Even so, it was beginning to get on Dusk's nerves.
"Hey, is this movie bad or what?" she whispered to him, about half way through.
"It is deplorable, to say the least," replied Dusk, trying to say it with some finality.
Rainbow, however, didn't pick up on it. "I know! I mean, I heard this movie was bad, but now I see it… it has vampires in it and, so far, they haven't sucked anypony's blood! Nothing! What's the point?!"
"Shh!" came a sharp warning from one of the fans, who wore glitter on her face.
The Pegasus ignored her. "I mean, these guys glitter in the sun! What kind of vampires do that?!"
"Bad ones, evidently."
"I can't believe you took Twilight to see this schlock," she said, glancing at the disgruntled unicorn. "It's the worst!"
"Yes…"
"I mean, I wouldn't want to see a movie like this with you."
He glanced at her, but her eyes were resolutely fixed on the screen. "What do you mean?"
"Just, you know, I'd want to see an action movie, something with explosions and slo-mo fighting and stuff. You know, cool stuff like that," she explained. "That's the kind of movie I'd wanna see if we were dating."
"Can you be quiet?!"
"If we were dating?" repeated Dusk.
"Yeah, you know. Just if… you were my coltfriend and not Twilight's, that's what I'd wanna see on a date with you," she said uncomfortably.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Not saying I wanna date you," she said quickly, with a blush. "I mean, you're with Twilight, I get that, I just mean… you know, what if?"
"Shut up!"
"What if?"
"What are you, a parrot?" She laughed awkwardly and looked away when he kept a blank expression. "Yeah, just… if we were dating, that's… what I'd do. Well, want to do. What do you think?"
"I think? Of what?"
"You know, if we were dating? Do you think we'd be good? What would we do? Not saying that I want to, just that-"
"Oh, for Celestia's sake!" The fans in front rounded angrily. "We're trying to watch this movie, so could you be quiet?!"
Rainbow turned her attention to them and snorted. "Oh please, you're saying you actually wanna watch this? I'm doing you guys a favour."
"No, you're not!" one of them snapped. "You're spoiling our chance to see a great work of art!"
"Work of art? Please, I've seen hoofpainting in pre-schools that looks better than this."
All three gave her looks that could kill. "What did you say?"
"Now, now, everypony," Twilight said, sensing a rising conflict, "let's all just remain calm…"
"Quiet you!" commanded one. "How dare you say such things about Nightlight!"
"What, that it sucks?" Rainbow laughed dismissively. "Yeah, I can say that. It sucks, just like these so-called vampires! Or should that be lamepires!"
"It does not! Blank Face is such a relatable character!"
"Yeah, if you're a shop window dummy."
"And Sucker is such a dream! I wanna have his vampire fillies!"
"Oh, come on! A rotting corpse is more appealing than him and he practically is one!"
"Maybe you just have poor taste in good movies, especially ones so captivating!"
"Maybe you just worst taste in even worse movies, especially ones so boring!" She yelled towards the screen, "Just drain her blood already!"
"That's it, you wanna go?" they demanded.
"Bring it on!" Before either of them could stop her, she charged at them and they tumbled over the seats past other movie goers.
Both he and Twilight stared down at the fight, as cinema security came to try and break it up, only to be dragged in by the vicious fans. They then looked at each other.
"You know, I'm not all that fussed about seeing the end," said Twilight.
"Neither am I. We could always go to the restaurant a little earlier," suggested Dusk.
"Early worm gets the apple, as Applejack would say," agreed Twilight. "So, we head off early?"
"Agreed. Teleport?"
"Way ahead of you." A flash and some stomach churning later, they were back out in the cool night air.
"Well…" Dusk said, once his head stopped spinning, "that was…"
"A complete disaster." Twilight smiled though, helping to steady him. "It's okay, it wasn't your fault."
"To be fair, I did pick the movie," he reminded her.
"Yes, but neither of us counted on a certain cyan Pegasus showing up and starting a fight with Nightlight Sprites. That's what the fandom calls themselves," she explained.
"Really?" Dusk facehoofed. "By Celestia…"
"Exactly." They began to make their way to the restaurant. "Can you believe Rainbow Dash though, how she just assumed it was okay for her to come along? I swear, it was like she was trying to spoil the evening."
"Yes… hmmm…" That gave Dusk even more uncomfortable feelings, especially in the wake of his conversation with Rainbow.
"Still, she was right about one thing, it really was an awful movie," she laughed. "I knew to give it a chance, but now I'm sorry that I did."
"Same here," he said, relieved that she felt the same about it. "The book was bad enough, Blank Face is just a blank slate for any mare to paste herself on to."
"And Sucker is meant to be the ideal lover," she recalled. "So much for independence for mares. I'm ashamed to be the target audience."
"It was so poorly acted! I wasn't invested in any of it."
"I think the trailers were better than the movie itself."
"Ooh, what did you think of the look of the Daring Do trailer?" she asked excitedly. "I knew they'd do one eventually!"
"It looked brilliant," he nodded. "Daring was perfectly cast and Ahuizotl looked great!"
"The practical effects looked very good, it looked like the book itself had come to life!"
"My thoughts exactly!" he agreed. "We should go and see that when it comes out!"
"I'd love to, it looks so great and seeing it with you would be wonderful." He felt the warm glow from her praise. "Do you remember the first conversation we actually had was about those books?"
"How could I forget? Next to meeting you, it was the greatest discovery of my life."
"Not even discovering you were Unity?"
"Not even close."
"Oh, you…" She nestled into his side. "Which part are you most looking forward to seeing?"
"Probably her journey into the temple. It'll be great to see how they do all those traps."
"Same here! I'd also like to see how she interacts with other characters at the university. I always thought that colt, Herpy, had a thing for her."
"Me too. I remember when…"
The subject of Daring Do carried them all the way to the restaurant. For once, Dusk thought this was actually going well. Twilight's attention was on him, not glancing at whatever she'd been looking at before. He actually felt comfortable with her again, actually enjoying himself and the time he was spending with her. Best of all, Rainbow was no longer breathing down their necks.
He was still smiling happily when they arrived at the establishment. Telling the waiter their reservation, he led them to their table, Dusk waiting for Twilight to be seated before sitting himself. Silk curtains and tablecloths adorned the windows and tables, the gentle glow of candlelight illuminating the space in a gentle glow. Couples occupied every table, the music from a karaoke machine and a mare singing rather well adding to the romantic atmosphere.
"Wow, it really is lovely here." Dusk noticed how, in the candlelight, her eyes seemed even larger than normal. "I'm glad you picked this place."
"I am too…" he replied, smiling warmly.
Nervously, he placed his hoof on the half-way point between himself and her. He felt a gentle warmth and looked to see her hoof on top of his, that enchanting smile making her twinkling eyes shine.
"Good evening, monsieur, mademoiselle," greeted an earth pony. "I am Horte Cuisine and I will be your waiter for ze evening. May I take your order?"
"We'll start with the carrot soup, thank you," Twilight asked, looking quickly at the menu.
"Very good zen." He scribbled down their order and left, allowing Dusk to return his attention to the mare across from him.
"Well, it hasn't all been perfect, but I think we're going to be okay from here," said Dusk gently.
"I do too." Never once did her eyes leave his, something wonderful shining in them. "The candles are making your glasses shine."
"And they make your eyes sparkle… like your magic," he returned. "You are truly magical, Twilight…"
"That sounds so cheesy."
"Right… sorry…"
"It's okay. Coming from you, cheesy is good."
"It… it is?"
"I kept the necklace, didn't I?" She levitated it up. "Now, I can always think of you, whenever I look at it."
"I never stopped thinking of you."
"Not even while you were practicing?"
"Why do you think I advanced so quickly?"
"Dusk…" She leaned in closer. "I can't believe I ever thought romance would be a waste of time. This is… really wonderful."
"I always hoped it would be like this."
"Am I… doing okay?" she asked.
"You're doing perfectly." He was so close, he could count every eye lash. "What about me?"
"You're great too." Her voice was just a whisper now. "Really, really great."
"Twilight… I… I think I… I lo-"
"Awww, that is so sweet!" They both jumped at the sound of a familiar high-pitched voice. "Hey guys!"
"Pinkie Pie?!" Dusk stared at the party pony, who grinned benignly. "What are you doing here?!"
"Well, duh, it's a restaurant, silly! I was just here to eat, just at a table in the corner over there. I guess being in Canterlot gave me a taste for fancy food, because I've never actually eaten here before, but then after we came back, I thought that I'd try it out, 'cause the cake they had at their garden party was really great! So I was sitting there, waiting for my order, then I looked over here and thought 'those two ponies look a lot like Twilight and Dusk'. Then, I went-"
She jumped up, affecting a dramatic gasp and intake of breath before landing again.
"-and I realised that it was you guys, so I came over to say hi and here we are!" She finished with a broad grin. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We're-"
"Wait, lemme guess…" Pinkie pressed her hoof to his head and placed the other on hers. "Hm, I'm feeling the vibes… you are… looking for bait! No, no, hold on… you need a clean slate! Wait, no… you're going to mate?!"
"Pinkie!" they both yelled, blushing furiously.
"Wait, I got it! You're on a date! Awww, good for you guys!" She pulled back and beamed. "Well, you have yourselves a nice time and don't worry. Pinkie Pie will be here to help if you need it!"
"Pinkie, that really isn't nece- and she's gone," Twilight groaned. "Why is it we can't seem to go anywhere without anypony interrupting us tonight?"
"Rotten luck, I guess. She might not bother us too much though. Ah, soup's here," he noted, Horte bringing them their starters.
"Thank you." Twilight sipped her soup and grinned. "Mm, this is delicious! I can see why this place is so highly thought of."
"It certainly is exquisite," he agreed. "They really take pride in their cooking."
"I can tell. If this is just the starter, can you imagine how good the main course will be?" She smiled gratefully at him again. "It certainly isn't cheap though."
"It's fine, I can pay for it."
"I know it's the dating obligation that the male party is in charge of all financial expenditure, but I'm gonna have to insist that I pay a little bit of it too."
"How did you know that? Actually, hold on, where's all this coming from?"
He was referring to sprinkles of white confetti that were being sprinkled from above their table and falling into their soup. They'd been ignoring it at first, but now it was getting on their nerves. Looking up, he soon got his answer.
"Pinkie, what are you doing?"
The party pony was somehow suspended above them, throwing confetti from a bucket. "Just trying to make your evening more romantic."
"Well, at the minute it's only preventing us from eating our soup," replied Twilight. "So, could you stop please?"
"Oh, right. Sorry." She smiled apologetically and hoisted herself away.
"She really is random," remarked Twilight.
"At least she's trying to help out our evening," he pointed out.
"Yes, but I'm not sure if that's worse than Rainbow's efforts." She put on a pleasant smile. "Anyway, what were we talking about?"
"Let me see… oh yes, how did you know about my having to pay for everything?"
"Oh right, that." She laughed awkwardly. "Well, before we met up, I did a little research on dating, just so I would know what to do."
"I thought you might do something like that," he chuckled. "Was it beneficial at all?"
"For the most part. I even… well… can I be honest with you?" He nodded sincerely. "I wasn't entirely sure what to do on this date, so… I even made this list of requirements that a mare is meant to have on a date." That familiar flash of magic appeared and she levitated a list to him. "I thought that, if I didn't do them, you'd notice and it would ruin the experience..."
Dusk briefly scanned the list. It included things like being polite, wearing make-up, complimenting on appearances, not making conversations one-sided, even complaining about weight. Some of them were ticked off, some still waiting.
Just like Twilight, he thought.
"Twilight, I understand but… you didn't have to do this," he said softly. "You do just about all of these things anyway. You certainly never complain about your weight and you shouldn't."
She blushed at this. "Thank you and, I know, but I wanted to make sure, just in case. I wanted to make our first date special, since it was so important."
"Me too," replied Dusk. "I was told the same thing and I made sure to… well, look my best."
"You certainly succeeded," she noted. "Although, I think I prefer your mane how it usually is. It's more… you."
He had taken off his hat for the purpose of being polite, revealing his neatly combed mane. In all honesty, he didn't really like it like this either. He ran a hoof through it, messing it up to a degree and looked back at Twilight.
"Hm, I think a little neater… no, wait, messier than that… just smooth it down there… little more… there, perfect!" she decided. "That's the Dusk I know."
"Much better," he agreed. "Now then, shall we-?"
"A rose for the mare, sir?" came Pinkie's voice. He turned to see her still beaming and now carrying a basket of roses.
"Pinkie…"
"Come on! They're free!"
He sighed in exasperation. "Okay, we'll have that one."
"Great!" She pulled out the flower in question and frowned at it. "No, that's not what you're looking for, I'll get one for ya!" She tossed the flower aside, where it landed next to Twilight.
She began to go through her basket, each time discarding a rose. "Hm, this one? No, there's a petal missing. There's a leaf missing on this one. This one's not quite red enough. A paper rose?! Oh, how real those roses seem… this one's not even a rose!"
"Pinkie…"
"Nope, nope, nadda, nein, noooooopey nope nope, negative, non…"
"Pinkie!"
"Ah, there we go! The perfect rose!"
"I think we have enough where roses are concerned," he said, pointing to Twilight.
"What do you… oh." She looked to see Twilight, buried literally in a mountain of discarded roses. She popped her head out of the top and spat one out. "Oops, sorry," she said sheepishly, hurriedly gathering them all up.
"It's all right, Pinkie," assured Twilight. "Thank you for the roses… I guess."
"No problem!" she saluted, leaving them the other rose. "Don't worry, I'll be here when you need me!"
They looked as she dashed off, while Twilight picked up the rose. "Call me old fashioned, but I prefer lilacs."
"I agree… old fashioned." The two of them laughed at the relaxed atmosphere, proceeding to finish their starter.
The rest of the evening passed pleasantly enough, with them passing the time with easier conversation, especially now a few truths had come to light. With how smoothly it was going now, Dusk found it hard picturing how he could have ever messed up. The food was delicious, though they both avoided anything with garlic or onion, another item on Twilight's list, one that was connected with the very last item.
It would have been perfect, were it not for the presence of Pinkie Pie. Infrequently and unexpectedly, she would return to do things to 'improve' their evening. When they wanted another drink, she had them bring out a full selection for taste-testing for the beverage they preferred. When they were about to eat, she kicked up a fuss because of one dirty stain that was on Dusk's fork. It wasn't as bad as Rainbow, but it was still getting on Dusk and Twilight's nerves.
She seemed to have died down by the end of the evening, just as the bill arrived for them.
"You sure you don't mind paying a little bit?" asked Dusk.
"Of course not, it's the least I can do," she assured, placing her bits on the plate. "Now, let's get out of here before-"
"Hey everypony!" They whipped their heads around to see Pinkie standing by the karaoke machine. "I'd like to dedicate this song to the sweetest, perfectest, romanticest couple here: Twilight Sparkle and Dusk Noir!"
Both of their cheeks were practically crimson when everypony turned to look, but that wasn't compared to when Pinkie started singing. In all honesty, they were pleasantly surprised.
I still hear your voice when you sleep next to me
I still feel your touch in my dreams…
"Oh my goodness… that's the song, the one we had when we were dancing at the Gala," gasped Dusk. "How did she…?"
"It is Pinkie Pie," noted Twilight. "As long as she doesn't go over the top about it…"
"I don't think so, what's the worst that could happen?"
Then, the song started to pick up speed.
'Cause every time we touch
I get this feeling
And every time we kiss
I swear I could fly
Can't you feel my heart beat fast?
I want this to last
Need you by my side!
Throughout the remainder of the song, to the shock of all, Pinkie started to dance and prance around on stage like mad. At one point, she actually left the stage, jumping right in couple's faces, singing her loudest next to Twilight and Dusk, whom everypony was still staring at.
It ended just as badly when she jumped from the stage at the end… right onto a desert cart and into the cake. The impact sent pieces of sweet everywhere, coating any nearby ponies who weren't quick enough to take cover. Even Dusk and Twilight got a little on them.
The silence was deafening afterward, with everypony glaring at either Pinkie or the couple she'd sung for. Once again, they both looked at each other.
"Plan B?" asked Dusk.
"You got it." For the second time that night, they teleported out, into a starlit field out of town.
"I think I am starting to get used to that…" His head bowed, Dusk wiped some cake from his face. "Sorry for how that turned out, Twi…"
She probably though that the whole evening had all been ruined now, that it was already a disappointment from the actions of Rainbow, now made worse from the antics of Pinkie. When he looked though, she still had a smile on her face.
"It's okay, it wasn't your fault." She stood next to him, placing a leg around him. "Even if we were covered in cake, I still had fun with you. I enjoyed tonight."
"You… you did?" She nodded and his fear was lessened. "I did too. It was rather like if we had just been friends, only…"
"Better? My thoughts exactly." She snuggled into his side. "I guess, underneath all the make-up, the suits and dresses and venues, that's all a date is: a chance to have fun with the pony you care for and get to know them better, just like if you were just friends. It doesn't seem as bad when you look at it like that, especially if you hit it off, like we already had."
"And if you don't, that's not so bad either," agreed Dusk. "You'll still have a chance to try again and learn from your mistakes. Even then, you can still try to have a good time… right?
"Exactly. It was nice, spending the evening like that, but maybe next time, we could do something… simpler," she suggested. "Maybe just have a walk, get coffee, or even spend it at home. Those were a few alternative options I looked up that would be less expensive. It's not how much money you spend, but how much time you spend, because that's much more precious."
"My thoughts exactly," he nodded. "Sounds like we have a report to write tomorrow."
"Yes, but tomorrow. It can…" She looked up and gasped. "Oh my… Dusk, look."
He did and his smile broadened. Flashing and glowing across the sky was a shower of meteors, lighting up the whole sky. Just like that time when they'd shared their first close moment with each other. Gazing up at the night sky, like after they'd shared their first kiss.
Now, everything really was perfect.
"You know," she whispered, "there was one last item on that list."
"I noticed," he replied, with a blush.
"The book said we shouldn't push for it though."
"Then we won't." He turned to look at her, as she did too.
"We should just let it happen naturally."
"Sounds good to me…"
They didn't talk anymore. They just closed the distance between them and sealed their great evening with a perfect kiss, bathed in the glow of the falling stars above.
"Aw, would you just look at them?" cooed Rarity from the bushes. "They are so sweet together."
"Yeah, I guess they are," agreed Spike. "Makes you think, doesn't it?"
"About what?" she sighed.
"About what you're gonna do with the rest of your life… who you're gonna spend it with," Spike emphasized with a look.
"Yes, yes it does," she agreed.
"I knew it!"
"Watching them just gives me hope that I too shall find love, someday," she said.
"Oh… right…"
"Don't you worry, Spikey-Wikey," assured Rarity, rubbing his head. "I'm sure there's a pretty young dragoness for you somewhere."
"Yeah, I guess…" He decided to change the subject. "Just too bad we couldn't help them at the restaurant."
"Yes, well we had to break up Rainbow and those mares, which was no easy feat," she reminded him. "So much time that we missed the whole restaurant fiasco."
"Yep, but we moved just in time to help things along here," finished the dragon proudly.
"Indeed we did, good thinking on your part." She looked at him admirably. "How did you know that Luna would want to do this for Dusk?"
"Just a good feeling, I guess."
"Well, it was just a good feeling you were right then." She gazed back up at the meteors.
The two of them didn't say anything else, just watched the stars shooting by.