Dating isn't just for mortals...

Twilight walked out of the Mayors Office, and smiled at Discord “It’s a go!”

“Really?” Discord replied with a fair amount of glee “You didn't have to persuade her with your ‘royalty’ - “ Discord air quoted the word “- did you?”

“No, she thinks turning the town hall into a pop up restaurant for your date is a perfect event for the town. It’s an honour to host Princess Celestia anytime…”

Twilight noticed the God of Chaos look a little annoyed by that line “...and if you would stop trying to annoy everypony, Ponyville would be honoured to host you as well!” she punctuated the sentence with a few prods of her hoof on his chest.

“Touche Twilight Sparkle, touche” Discord admitted defeat as they walk out of the mayors offices “So it’s all on for Saturday night?”

“Yep, there’s no going back now!” Twilight smiled affectionately.

It was wednesday morning, a time Twilight usually devoted for exercise and they had stopped by the mayor to confirm the arrangement first. With the bureaucracy of the morning out of the way (Unfortunately for Twilight who loved bureaucracy), the pony upped the pace of her walk and headed out of town. Normally Discord would be floating next to her and annoy the Princess, but today they were having a serious conversation as Twilight trotted through the countryside.

“Do you think this is a good idea...the date I mean?”

“I can’t see any harm of a date, just try not to do anything too, well, ‘you’. A date is not the time or place for pranks, you’ll have to be on your best behaviour!”

“I know all that Twilight. What I meant was do me and Celestia actually stand a chance?”

Twilight glanced over to her companion as she worked up a sweat “I’m not going to judge that. Afterall, I only know you as a creature that has caused a fair amount of chaos in my short life, and Celestia is a mentor, a friend, and almost a surrogate mum. There’s no way I can make an accurate judgement!”

“Come now Twilight, you sell yourself short. Nopony knows Celestia as well as you.”

“Maybe, but it’s still not my place to say. But I don’t see thats there’s going to be a downside in giving it a go.”

Discord dwelled on this on a moment “True, I could cope if things don't work out, but is it fair to ask my friends to spend their time helping out? Can’t I just use my magic to get the job done in a second?”

“The thing is, you two are so powerful that of course you can do what you like - as a powerful unicorn I know that all too well. But doing it the non-magical way changes things. I learnt that during my first winter-wrap up and it does make things more special. And Celestia will appreciate that.”

“Really?”

Twilight spotted something out of the corner of her eye and altered her course towards it. The alicorn stopped at a nearby river and dipped her head in the river to drink like a common animal, much to Discords surprise.

Once she had sated her thirst, she raised her head and turned to the draconequus with drips of water falling from her muzzle. “Like now. Both as a alicorn, and a Princess, I shouldn’t lower myself to drinking like a common animal.”

Discord looked away slightly as if embarrassed, but Twilight continued her explanation “But sometimes it’s just nice to do things mores simply, a bit like getting back to nature and just doing what feels right.”

“A bit like you're dancing?” Discord teased.

It was Twilights turn to blush this time “Yes, a bit like my over enthusiastic dancing! Celestia hardly ever gets to do anything natural anymore, she even gets flown everywhere, so putting together a date the earth pony way will really mean something to her.”

Noticing the water still dripped down Twilights face, Discord magicked up a towel. He gently cupped Twilight muzzle with a claw and tenderly dried her face. Only when he let go of her muzzle and saw the look of shock on Twilights face did he just realise what he had just done. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have done that!” he gulped.

Twilight blushed a bit, and looked at him slyly “Perhaps not, but you showed a bit of proper chivalry there...perhaps there is hope for you and Celestia afterall!”

Spike was in one of his favourite locations...actually his favorite location in the whole of Equestria that wasn’t some form of fast food restaurant or bakery. Carousel Boutique was preparing for the weekend, getting decorations for the town hall and tables ready.

The pair worked as efficiently as they always did, although one of the pair was a little more distracted as usual. Rarity wanted to talk to Spike, as she knew that the whelp had planned the whole thing for them. It was a romantic gesture on a level that nopony else had ever shown her, and her heart had developed a slight flutter every time she thought of it.

But there was something else - he had given away his wonderful plan. That meant one of two things. Either he felt that Discord and Celestia’s happiness was more important than his own, or he had given up on ever getting a date with her. One made her very happy, the other caused her a slight amount of sadness.

As she worked on finishing another tablecloth, Rarity broke the silence that they had been working on.

“Spike, whats your relationship with Princess Celestia like?”

“Huh?” Spike turned round in surprise.

Rarity stopped what she was doing and walked over to a sofa, patting the space next to her “Sorry if it’s too personal, but I’ve never asked about your past before?”

Spike was a little confused at the invitation to sit next to the pony he adored but was thankful for the break “It’s...well, I don't know what it is. Obviously she is one of the Princess but given I live with one that doesn’t seem so important as it is to most ponies!”

The pair stifled a small giggle. “Didn’t she help raise you?” Rarity asked.

“Yes, when I was very young and before Twilight was old enough to do so solo. Of course the various castle maids did a lot of the work, but she always made time for both myself and Twilight, as well as running a country and raising the sun and moon. She’s an amazing pony!”

“She must be very special to you.”

Spike paused for a moment “She is. On a recent adventure, she said that she wasn’t a Princess to me, just a pony. But she’s more than that to me, she’s like family...a grandmother.”

“Aww, thats cute” Rarity smiled at the whelp. She wanted to ask the question if that was the reason he had given Discord his wonderful first date idea. But in many regards she didn’t want to know the answer, and definitely didn't want to put S;pike on the spot “Well then, lets make sure this is a night to remember, shall we!”

“With you helping out, I have no doubt it will be!” Spike beamed back.

The week had been agonizingly slow for Celestia. After the pleasant surprise a few days ago, the menial task of ruling the country took over. The media had yet to get wind of the Princess’s plans for the weekend, so court was it’s usual boring petitions.

However, the nerves over the date had started to impact Celestia, and she had started going off her food a little. Those nerves hadn’t been helped by her sister leaving articles clipped from mares magazines on her bed each day, articles such as “9 ways to please your stallion” or “7 dating tips to make sure he’ll be back for more”.

Celestia would be genuinely mad, but given that she had banished her sister to the moon for a thousand years, a little teasing over a date wasn’t too bad. Besides, chasing her sister in mock anger through the castle each night was a welcome break from the drudgery, and something she had missed doing since she was a filly.

But nothing could change the fact that Princess Celestia, the immortal sun-goddess, sole ruler of the largest nation in the world for a thousand years and all round perfect pony...was going to shortly be out on her first date ever.