Chapter 11: The Date
Midnight woke to the smell of sizzling hay bacon. The smell was enough to get him out of bed. He made his way into the kitchen and saw Spike standing on his stool over the stove while Twilight sat at the table.
“Good morning, Midnight,” Twilight greeted with a smile, “How did you sleep?”
“Actually, very well,” Midnight said, “I didn't have my medicine, but I still didn't have any nightmares.”
Twilight gasped, “Oh my gosh, really? That's great, but why didn't you say something last night?”
“I guess I forgot,” Midnight rubbed the back of his head as he sat beside her.
A plate flopped in front of him causing him to jump a little. He looked over to see Spike giving him a not-so-friendly look.
“Spike,” Twilight said in a firm voice, “Behave yourself.”
“Let me guess,” Midnight chuckled, “You told him about tonight?”
“Yes, I assumed he would be mature about it, but I must have been wrong,” Twilight confessed.
“He's just looking out for you. You're like his big sister after all,” Midnight said and turned to the dragon, “Is there anything that will help you feel better about this?”
Spike wanted to stay mad at him, but the guy was trying help. It would have been foalish to not try to work with him.
“Take her to Sugarcube Corner,” Spike decided, “That way Pinkie can keep an eye on you.”
Twilight rolled her eyes, “Spike, we're adults, we don't need a foalsitter.”
“No no, Twilight,” Midnight stops her, “Spikes being a good little brother and trying to watch out for you. He just doesn't want me to try taking advantage of you. Besides, Sugarcube Corner sounds like a good place for a date.”
Spike's glare softened a bit, though it didn't vanish, “Fine, but if you better be a gentlecolt, or else...” he drove his point home with a little burst green flame from his nose.
“I'll be on my best behavior.”
As they ate, Midnight asked Spike about the Crusaders and how they were doing. Applebloom was rebuilding her plane, but wasn't going to try flying again until Midnight could inspect it himself. Sweetie Belle started magic class at school after her first magic surge singed several of Rarity's new dresses, and Scootaloo was learning braille from a tutor Rainbow hired.
“You really care about those fillies, don't you?” Twilight asked with a small smile.
Midnight returned the smile, “I do. I feel a connection to them, as if they were my own little sisters.”
“They definitely think the same about you,” Spike said. “They're always talking about how awesome you are. They even want to ask you to join their club.”
“Oh yeah?” Midnight chuckled, “Hey, if I get one of those capes I just might.”
Twilight giggled, “I'm sure Sweetie would love to make you one, but if I recall, you said you have three more orders to fill. So hurry up and eat so you can finish those up before our date.”
“Yes ma'am,” Midnight said.
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“There you are,” Rarity called from Midnight's porch as he approached his home. “I think I have the perfect mare for you. She's a candy maker-”
“That won't be necessary, Rarity,” Midnight interrupted.
“What? Oh you're not giving up dating already, are you?”Rarity asked desperately.
Midnight laughed, “No, I still have a date, but this one I asked out myself.”
Rarity's eyes seemed to shine with delight, “This is marvelous. Who's the lucky mare? You simply must tell me! Do I know her?”
Midnight just laughed again as he opened his door and stepped inside. He turned back to his alabaster friend with a sly smile and answered, “Oh... I'm sure you know Twilight.”
Midnight saw her jaw drop as he shut the door. He made his way to his basement and opened his cabinets of parts. He sighed at the dwindling supply, making a note to order more after he finishes up. With three sets of parts in tow, Midnight made his way to his workbench and was soon lost in his work.
In a few hours, the mini golem frames were complete. With another look at the order forms, he began coloring them according to the customers’ wishes. He was rather surprised to see Spitfire's name on one. She wasn't the first celebrity to order one, but she was the biggest, thus far. She wanted blue with yellow trim and core, the Wonderbolts' colors.
With the color done, he retrieved three gems, rubies. One by one, he leaned his head towards the stones and, in an impressive display, charged each. After they were charged, it was a simple thing to alter the light emitted to change the colors to suit the needs of the customer.
After installing the cores, packaging the product and placing them on his porch for pickup the following day, he cleaned up real quick and started for Sugarcube corner. If he knew Twilight she was going to be at least a half-hour early.
Sure enough, despite being twenty minutes early himself, the purple unicorn was already waiting. Twilight smiled as he approached.
“You're early,” she said.
Midnight shrugged, “I was in the military. I was trained that if you're early, you're on-time, if you're on-time you're late.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow, “Then... what if you're late?”
Midnight gave her a sly smile, “You don't want to be late.”
Twilight smiled again as he opened the door for her and followed her inside.
“Twilight, Middie! How's it going?” Pinkie greeted from the counter, waving a hoof.
“Hi Pinkie,” Twilight returned the greeting as she and Midnight found a table.
The pink ball of fluff bounced to them, pencil and pad in hoof, “What can I get you?”
“You know better than I,” Midnight said to his date.
“Hmm,” Twilight scratched her chin, “What's good for a date?”
Pinkie's eyes shot open, “Date!? You two are on a date?”
“That... That's not a problem, is it?” Midnight asked.
In a blur of pink, Pinkie shot into the back room and quickly returned wearing a fire hat with a fire extinguisher strapped to her back, “Okay, I'm ready.”
“What's with the firefighter gear?” Twilight asked.
Pinkie deadpanned, “Because last time Sugarcube Corner burned down. I'm not risking that again.”
“When did Sugarcube corner burn down?” Twilight asked, to which Mrs. Cake just shrugged from the other side of the room.
“So... date food!” Pinkie cheered, “I know just the thing!” and with that, pink puff disappeared again.
“I don't think I'll ever get used to her,” Midnight marveled at her... uniqueness?
“I used to think that too,” Twilight giggled.
“You also didn't break her nose the second you met her,” Midnight chuckled dryly, “That's what I really can't get used to. How can someone forgive so easily? All I said was “I'm sorry” and it was like it never happened to her.”
Twilight gave him a warm smile, “That's because, to her, it didn't. That's just Pinkie. If you're honestly sorry, that's all it takes. It's part of what makes her such a great friend. She's infuriatingly confusing and random sometimes, but she's got a heart of gold.”
“All your friends seem great. I mean, Fluttershy's terrified of me, but she still tries to help anyway, Rainbow... still doesn't trust me, but she shouldn't, and she's always nearby in case I have an episode, and Rarity is as close a friend as one could be.”
“Yeah, they are wonderful friends,” Twilight nodded, “They're the reason I'm here instead of living in Canterlot. They're my first true friends, and still the best.”
“That's so sweet of you, Twilight!” Pinkie cheered, still wearing the firefighter gear.
She placed a massive plate of spaghetti and oatballs, grinning like the mad mare she was, before placing two glasses and a bottle of sparkling grape juice. She then placed a decorative partition to give the couple some privacy, lit a candle that somehow found itself on the table and put on some soft, romantic music. After all was right, she left with a hopeful smile.
“Wow,” Midnight said, in awe, “She really goes all out.”
“Pinkie's been trying to get me to date more, so she's hoping this will work out,” Twilight informed.
“I'll have to thank her later, I guess,” Midnight chuckled, and looked at the food in front of him. “I guess we're supposed to share this?”
“Seems that way,” Twilight replied, lifting her fork to begin while Midnight filled their glasses.
Midnight lifted his glass and held it aloft, “To great friends!”
“To great friends!” Twilight echoed as she touched her glass to his.
They took a sip and dug in to the delicious looking food. Midnight didn't even know Sugarcube Corner even served food like this. When asked, Twilight confirmed they don't and it was just Pinkie being a good friend.
Twilight took a few more bites before speaking again, “I'm curious, do you have any long term goals?”
“Well, I'd like to learn more runes,” the ex-soldier answered, “Right now, all I know are what I need for golems, but there are countless others. I'd like to figure out body runes, especially.”
“Body runes?” Twilight inquired.
“Runes places on the body to perform various functions from increased speed or strength, to breathing underwater and reducing the rate one falls.”
“That's amazing, but can't you already do all that with your magic?” asked Twilight.
“I can, but ponies can't,” Midnight explained, “Runes are different than seals. Where as a seal is powered by a human spirit, runes are typically powered by the latent energy in the environment. These oatballs are amazing.”
“Pinkie's an amazing cook,” Twilight giggled, “So, if you learn how to make body runes, ponies could use your magic?”
Midnight smirked at the excitement in her eyes, “That's right. Each rune is only a single spell, though.”
“Is there anything I could do to help?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, actually. Ponies have a much larger manafont than I, and yours is massive even by pony standards. If you offered energy to my experiments, I could go for hours without breaking a sweat, and you'd hardly feel any different.”
“Sign me up, then!” Twilight said, positively beaming.
Midnight smiled warmly, “That's one of the reasons I fell for you. You're always willing to help your friends.”
Twilight blushed, “And you're such a flatterer. Keep that up and I might just fall for you too.”
“Well, in that case,” Midnight grinned, “You're one of the smartest individuals I've ever met, in this world and my own. You're kind, and understanding, even to someone as dangerous as me. You're beautiful, and funny-”
“Okay, okay,” Twilight's face was beet red, but the smile she wore showed she liked the praise, “I get it... and to be honest... I think I kind of like you too.”
“R-really?” Midnight asked in hopeful astonishment.
“I... I'm not sure... but maybe,” Twilight took another bite of spaghetti, finishing it off.
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“Suddenly there was this rumbling,” Twilight said as she and Midnight walked back to his place, “The doors burst open and a veritable stampede of critters came pouring in, and right behind them was Fluttershy looking... get this... furious, shouting, ‘You're going to love me!’.”
Midnight couldn't stop laughing, “Fluttershy? Angry? I'll believe it when I see it.”
“Oh, you don't want to. She's quiet and timid, but you make her angry, and she's a force of nature. She once made a grown dragon cry, and that was her 'mildly upset'.”
Midnight could only stare in wide eyed disbelief.
“Anyway, we all left - and by that, I mean we carried our flanks out of there as if the building were on fire - and went out for doughnuts.”
“Sounds like a nightmare,” Midnight said as they reached his porch, “So... goodnight, I guess. Maybe we can do this again?”
Twilight thought for a second. She definitely felt this could go somewhere. “I'd love to. There's a meteor shower Tuesday.”
“Sounds great.”
With that, she gave him a peck on the cheek, and headed for home, leaving the stunned stallion behind. Seeing as his house was right behind hers, it didn't take long for her to get back home. She walked in, tired but still smiling and blushing faintly. She was definitely falling for him.
The moment the door shut, the lights flicked on, and five mares were sitting there, staring at her with smiles varying from Rarity's and Pinkie's matching grins, to Rainbow's excited smirk, to Fluttershy's shy smile. Applejack, though had a more concerned expression.
Rarity jumped up, and ushered Twilight into the chair, facing the others.
The fashionista's smile never wavered as she sang a single word; “Details!”