Do you wanna see a movie?
A white unicorn colt stood in front of a mirror, carefully inspecting himself.
He’d finally done it.
And she said yes!
Pulling back his lips, he examined his teeth. He thought he saw something. It was probably just a shadow, but he still pulled out his toothbrush and scrubbed it before examining his teeth for the third time. Just to be extra sure of himself.
Or was it the fourth?
He picked up his curry brush for the... he couldn’t remember how many times, and brushed a few imagined hairs back into place. One strand in the back popped back out the moment he took his eyes off, but maybe that was just his imagination.
Casting a quick remote sight spell, he examined his mane and flanks. After a few more imaginary hairs got put back into position, he picked up his mane brush and began re-re-re-brushing his mane and tail, making sure the lighter blue streak stayed together and perfectly positioned.
He started towards his bedroom before looking back at his reflection.
Is that a smudge of dirt on his leg?
No, it’s just a shadow, don’t go back and check everything a fifth time.
He forced himself to look away and walk to his room. He still couldn’t believe it. He’d been enraptured by his little sister’s foalsitter since he first laid eyes on her.
Remembering something, he dashed back into the bathroom and rummaged around until he found his dad’s cologne.
L’étalon
To check what it smelt like, he gave it a squirt.
When he could get control of his coughing, he attempted to wipe it off of his muzzle as tears streamed from his eyes.
He galloped to the bathroom and began washing his face over and over until it felt like he could breathe again. His mane was all messed up again, so he had to brush it out.
Giving a cursory examination of his coat, he trotted back to his room and checked the time.
Still an hour left before the movie.
He levitated his uncle’s crest off of his bureau, fastening it in place. He was so happy when his dad let him borrow it for his date. It would complete the look of a bold protector for when she got scared and he wrapped his foreleg around her.
His friends were going to be so jealous.
One more remote sight spell and a few more brushes with his curry and he was ready.
He pulled out the newspaper and checked the movie listing again.
Five minutes to walk to the castle, ten more to walk to the theatre... Better make it twenty... maybe grab a snack at the flower stand across the street... just need to say goodnight to my LSBFF before I go.
The pink alicorn sat, brushing her mane and smiling.
He finally worked up the courage after all the hints and blatant eyelash waving. I was almost tempted to approach him myself if I knew it wouldn’t have scared him.
This was going to be great! She loved horror movies and this was the fourth one of her favorite series. She thought briefly about pretending to be scared so she could cuddle up next to him. She’s had a few chances to ‘accidentally’ bump up against him in school and got a thrill from the firmness of his muscles and the sleek feel of his coat.
She looked at the clock.
Good, only fifteen minutes until he’ll be here.
There wasn’t any more mane or coat to brush and no more makeup or perfume to put on, so she trotted over to her bookcase. Scanning the titles, she found one of the manegas Shiny had loaned her; “Foal Metal Alchemist”. She pulled it out of the lineup and levitated it over to her bed.
Soon she was caught up in the story.
Too bad little Twilight thinks these stories are beneath her.
*knock knock*
She looked over to the clock and found that twenty minutes had passed. She trotted over to her vanity, calling out “Just a second.”
Quickly and efficiently, she brushed her hair and coat back into position and touched up her makeup.
Ten seconds later, she opened the door to an immaculately groomed stallion that was doing his best to hide his nervousness. Sadly for him, but amusingly to her, he was still shifting from hoof to hoof. She was glad her aunt taught her how to hide her emotions, otherwise she would have giggled at him.
“Hi, Shiny,” she said, repeating the mantra ‘be polite, but approachable’ to herself as she fluttered her eyelashes.
“Good afternoon, Princess Mi Amore-” he replied, trying so very hard to not stutter.
She quickly cut him off. “Please, just Cadance.”
“Oh, um, okay... Prin- I mean Cadance.”
Oh, he is just sooo adorable when he blushes!
She stepped out of her room and they trotted out of the castle and towards the movie theatre.
As they walked, she amused herself with counting the number of nervous glances he shot her way. She was grateful the elite guard was staying out of sight; she was uncomfortable with her position of princess, but at least she didn’t have any real power. Not yet anyway, Auntie was always planning things far in advance without telling anypony, so who knew what she’d be doing.
“Uhm, we should have time before the movie, would you like some flowers?” He was thankful his voice didn’t crack and he felt slightly more at ease having succeeded at pretending to be a strong, confident stallion like his father.
“That sounds wonderful,” she said, giving him a peck on the cheek. “I hope they have marigolds; they’re my favorite.”
She could tell she had just made his day; his cheeks were flushed and he had one of the dopiest grins on his face that she’d ever seen.
It lasted for the last three blocks. As the flower shop came into sight, he started to panic. Should he get the tickets first or the flowers? Should he find a bench for her to sit on, run ahead, or take her over to the shop? He glanced around nervously, trying to find a bench or table or someplace for her to sit. In the end, he resolved himself to walking her over to the shop.
“Good afternoon, what can I get for you?” the flowermare asked.
“Yes,” he said, dropping his voice down in an attempt to sound older. “This lovely mare would like a medium bunch of marigolds.”
As the mare was bundling them up, he pulled out his bit bag.
“Okay, here you go,” the mare said, passing the bunch over. “That’ll be three bits. Would you like dressing for that?”
“No, thank you,” Cadance replied as her date paid for her snack. “Thank you for asking.”
She took a sniff, inhaling their scent before biting off a few.
“Mmmm... These are delicious. Would you like to try one?” She playfully levitated one in front of him.
“No, thank you, I bought them all for yo-” His response was cut short by the flower crammed into his open mouth. He was grateful at that moment that she didn’t order snapdragon. He hated snapdragon.
She waited for him to chew and swallow, maintaining an impish grin.
“Thank you, they’re delicious, but I bou-”
Yet again, he found himself with a mouth full of marigold as she laughed at his deepening blush.
“I knew you’d like them if you tri-”
This time it was Cadance that found a flower in her mouth and her date was the one with the grin.
By mutual agreement, they didn’t waste any, but no sentence was finished until they were all gone.
The Canterlot clock tower tolled and Shining noticed the time.
“Oops, we’d better hurry. The movie is about to start.”
They hustled up to the ticket window.
“Two tickets to Bipeds Four, plea-”
Shining’s request was cut off by a flower Cadance had saved and she broke out into a giggling fit.
Shining chewed and swallowed yet again as he paid for the tickets and walked inside. They passed a few doors before they saw theirs. A sign read “Theatre five: Bipeds 4 The Hybrid”.
Since they weren’t early, they couldn’t get the middle of the seats but the back would be better for other reasons.
An hour and a half later, a perky pink alicorn strolled out of the theatre with a wing over a trembling unicorn stallion.
Shortly thereafter, three queasy guards stumbled after them.