//------------------------------//
// To the play 
// Story: Rarity dates Prince Nightshade 
// by Dream Volt 
//------------------------------//

"No"

He blinked.  Not only was he still that same awful neon pink, but he was wearing a suit an atrocious shade of pea soup green that simply should not exist at all, much less be an acceptable color for a suit.  I like the cut and overall style, I think it was even a Hoity Toity original, though it could just be part of his showcase.  I looked around.  We were outside the theatre, and there was no obvious place we could go to get some time alone.  While he and I both knew changelings would soon be entering Equestrian society officially, for the moment the somewhat distressing number of changelings in the country was a secret.  He gave me a winning smile.

"I am more than willing to help fix things if possible, but unlike my subjects, I can't read your mind."

"You read their minds?"

"Rarely.  It's rather rude.  Granted with the web to some degree everyone is reading everyone's mind, but that's not the same as what royals can do."

"Interesting can you…"  Then I shook my head, focusing on what is truly important.  "No, we must focus.  We have to do something about that look, away from prying eyes.  If it was just the suit I could fix it here, but it's more than that."

"Hmm, well apparently it's good I came early to find you already waiting.  Come on, follow me."

I then followed him around the side of the theatre to a side entrance.  The cast entrance specifically.  I was about to ask him what he planned to do when Shifting Sand opened the door a very large stern stallion was guarding.  The Unicorn stallion wasn't the most handsome fellow to ever grace the stage, but his singing voice was perfect, and there was no actor better.  Also while his light tan coat and mane various shades of brown was somewhat boring it was stylish in an understated way.  It fit his name certainly.

"Let them in Wally.  They're guests."

"You know…" 

Then I stopped, realizing several things, and kept quiet for a time.  No one spoke once we were inside.  Both stallions walked with confidence eventually reaching Shifting Sands private dressing room.  He then immediately left.

"He's a changeling?"

"Yes, and always has been.  We're just naturally good at acting, and finding love is easy.  If the adoration of the masses doesn't work finding a pony that loves you for your work is not hard.  It's not eros, but it's filling enough."

"But he…"

"Yes, all sorts of little details.  All lies.  However I do plan to respect his privacy, so while I have some truly monumental gossip about him, we can't discuss it."

I gave him my third best puppy dog eyes.  Can't go all out unless it's truly important after all.  "Are you sure you can't tell me?"

"Maybe a little, but if you truly wish to see the play he's in perhaps we should move on to what exactly I've done wrong."

"Colors.  The more I see of the suit the more I approve of the design, but how you convinced Hoity Toity to make something in that color I'll never understand."

"A large quantity of rum."

"I would think you'd need at least Vodka.  Now lets see, first change your coat to black.  It's certainly your color, and while it is suspicious, that will hardly matter soon."

"True enough."

Then he was black, with pink and blue hair.  Not only was the pink still terrible, but the combination reminded me of Bon Bon, or maybe more to the point Sweetie Drops.  Then I had a thought.

"How many hives are there exactly?  The ones causing Applejack's family trouble were yellow, you are blue, and Bon Bon's double is pink."

He laughed.  "I have no idea.  I know how many brothers and sisters I had a thousand years ago, but now?  Only mother knows.  She's very random about that sort of thing."

"Yes, anyway, lose the pink, it bothers me and doesn't really fit you besides."  I then sighed.  "Or does it?"

"Ah, you mean my issues with gender?  Yes, you should have simply asked for some more information before this date.  I have no clear gender, but it also means I don't care."

"So male or female, it doesn’t matter in any way to you?"

He shook his head.  "Oh there is one way.  Stallions have never interested me in any way besides being one.  I have always been one to seek out the beauty of mares, and nothing else.  So lets try just blue."

It was far too plain.  As a changeling the look works very well, but he really should have a two-tone mane.  Three might be too much.  I then realized I was smiling.  I was essentially choosing the colors for my stallion myself.  I then noticed he was also slightly shorter than me, not much, but it was there.

"Dark forest green with the blue.  Also match my height."

"I thought I did?"

"Clearly you are using my old measurements.  That horrid business with Fluttershy and the hat was not my best moment but I did get a little growth spurt out of it."

He nodded and already looked much better.  Next came the suit.  On a whim I tried pink, but even more subdued it was still a crime against fashion.  Then I tried light grey with salmon trim.  He made it work.  I nodded.

"Ah, much better.  Might assume you know what time it is?"

"You may, as I do."

"Do I have time for one more question?"

"One more at least, though if there is nothing else we should get moving."

"Very well.  Can you really be comfortable as a pony because…" I paused  "How do I best put this?"

He laughed.  "Because you hate the holes?"

"No, more I wish to, play with you, so to speak.  However it would be truly wrong of me to do such if you aren't comfortable."

"I doubt it's just that, but don't worry, it matters not.  Our disguise is more than just a normal transformation because we truly become what we appear to be, even magically to some extent, though affinities and power remain the same."

"So while you might appear to have pegasus magic, you really don't have a great deal of air and would have trouble manipulating clouds."

"We have a little, but that is in fact a perfect example.  We can fly and walk on clouds, but we are no pegasi.  Change is part of who we are, but so is holding that change for long periods of time.  It bothers us in no way."

"Does that mean that you will stay male simply because I want you too?"

"Of course.  Though if you ever change your mind, or simply wish to experiment, I can oblige you with no fuss.  As I said, I am a lover of mares regardless."  He smiled

I blushed.  "Oh now that is just a touch forward don't you think?"

"Of course, but personally I believe there is far too much backward in the world.  Still I really should respect your feelings.  It's been some time since I've been on a real date rather than only trying something less serious."

"That seems odd, I mean don't you need…"

"There are all sorts of love Lady Rarity.  If nothing else I have the love of my people."

"I thought changelings can't…"

"It is not that we can't, it's that it all goes the same place so it matters not.  Despite the impression mother might give one changelings can love just fine, it's just you can't refill a pool with the water that's already in it."

"So does that mean that some changelings…"

"And unless we want to miss the curtain, it's time to go."  He walked to the door, and held it open.  "After you my lady."

I smiled.  I suppose we have time.  Dinner would better.  Then I realized I hadn't reserved a restaurant.  At worst Donut Joe's would at least be a good for talking, but I wasn't sure there was any other establishment in the city that would be available.  Perhaps he has made some arrangements, but that seems too much to hope for.  This is truly a silly oversight on my part.