Babs looked at the table in Sugarcube corner. Everything had been arranged, or at least that's what Scootaloo had said. Her fellow Cutie Mark Crusaders had been fairly hush hush about what they were planning.
In truth she wondered if telling them about Spike, and how she wanted the chance to know him better was really a good idea. Sweetie Belle had practically glowed once she said that, and afterward they had said that they would set everything up.
"Ummm, Mr. Cake? I'm supposed to meet somepony here," Spike's voice said.
“Well, hello Spike. Yes, I believe there is somepony here to see you. Right over there,” he said pointing with a hoof, “I was getting ready to take her a shake over, would you like to do the honors?”
“S...Sure,” Spike said as he took the peach shake and carried it over to the table.
Babs saw Spike come over. He brought the two shakes over, setting one down in front of her, and then climbing into a chair beside her.
“You’re late.” Babs muttered to Spike. “5 minutes late, in fact.”
“Sorry about that, but Twilight had me reshelf everything, again, in the new Library. We’ve gotten three times the books we had before,” he said.
She blew her hair in annoyance. “You and your Twilight…”
“She’s my mom, or she might as well be. I wanted to leave, but she asked for my help,” he said before looking at the table, “Sorry that I made you wait though.”
His claw reached out for her hoof and touched it.
She pulled away quickly. “I don’t even know you that well, why would I want to hold hooves with you?”
“I don’t know… Everypony wanted to give me advice on what to say and do. Rumble said that I should try to hold your hoof, Sweetie said that I need to mind my manners, actually Rarity said the same thing, Scootaloo said that I should try to hug you, and I don’t even want to say what Snips and Snails said for their idea. The only person that said anything that made any kind of sense was Apple Bloom. She said that I should just be myself,” he replied.
He took a breath and let it slow, and as he did a small trail of smoke circled up around his nostrils.
“I’ve been so nervous about this,” he admitted.
“M-me too..” Babs blushed. “I’ve never really been on a date before…”
“What do you say we start this over? We finish our shakes, and we just go hang out together,” he suggested.
“What do you wanna do?” Babs asked, blowing her hair again.
“There’s a new Coltzilla showing, or there’s the arcade. I know that everypony’s been talking about some of the new games they’ve gotten in. You know stuff like the Cloud Zapper, and Swords and Shields. That could be fun,” he suggested.
Babs giggled. “We could just go to the park and sit on a bench, maybe talk and kiss and other luvvy duvvy stuff.”
Spikes eyes grew big at that.
“R...Really? You’d want to…” he said trying to gather his thoughts.
“I mean, if you want.” She said, blushing heavily.
“Yeah, I’d.. I’d like to try to,” he admitted.
They finished their shakes, Spike lightly warming Babs for her. She tried it and noticed that it wasn’t as hard to drink, still rich and creamy, and there was something else about it. The two of them got up, began to walk out, and they heard the sounds of an old record playing what sounded like a waltz.
“Sweetie, I thought that you said this was a romance record!” Scoots whispered harshly.
“It is! Rarity puts this on, stands on her hind legs, and tells a ponyquinn that it is so marvelous to see him, and that yes, she would love to dance!” Sweetie said.
“That’s cause yer sister is all fer some high society stallion she don’t even know,” Apple Bloom said.
“What are you three doing?” Spike asked.
“Ummm… Helping?” Sweetie Belle said questioningly.
“Girls, killing the mood here.” Babs growled at them.
“Sorry, Ah said this was a bad idea. Ya know sometimes Ah know what Ah’m talkin’ ‘bout. Come on girls,” Apple Bloom said grabbing the record player.
“Awww… What if they kiss?” Sweetie said.
“Yeah, we could totally get to see their first kiss if we...,” Scootaloo stopped at the raised eyebrow of Apple Bloom, “Or we could just leave them alone.”
They left the two standing there.
“Well, that happened,” Spike said.
“S-sorry. They were just trying to help.”
“It’s okay, and they’re my friends too,” he said before they heard someone above them:
“Well, what are the two of you waiting for?” a familiar cyan Pegasus asked with her head peeking over the cloud.
“Rainbow, really?” he asked.
“Yeah, yeah I know, I know…” she said before the cloud took off.
“So, park?” he asked.
“Yeah, that sounds nice.” Babs replied.
They walked to the park. When they arrived most of the park was covered in tiny blue flowers. Spring jumpers, they were called, seemed to be everywhere. They filled the air with a rich scent, and near them they could see three stallions playing a little musical number.
“You guys take requests?” Spike asked.
“Sure, if’n you got a bit to spare,” the one playing the cello said.
He walked over and dropped in two bits.
“What would you like my young drake?” he asked.
“Brown Eye Filly,” he said.
“You got it little dude,” the one on guitar said.
They began to play his song for the two of them.
“This is nice.” Babs said, blushing.
“Thanks,” he replied, a bright pink blush crossing his cheeks, “W… Would you like to dance?”
“I...I would be honored.” Babs said, holding out a hoof to the purple dragon.
He took her hoof into a claw, helped her onto her hind legs, and the two of them began to slow dance to the older song. It was sweet, slow, purposeful, and at that moment there wasn’t anypony or anything else in the world. It was just the two of them, alone, dancing.
Far above them, watching on a cloud, a certain lavender Alicorn grinned. She had hoped that his first date would be nice, and despite everything that happened it was. Realizing that she didn’t need to be here to save him she teleported away, allowing him to enjoy his evening with his new marefriend.
“Spike...I really like you.” Babs said to him. “I feel something between us.”
“I really like you too Babs. I feel a connection with you. Maybe, if you’d like to, we can do this again. I’d… I want to keep seeing you,” he said.
“Yeah, that could work.” She said as she softly pressed her lips against Spike’s.
It wasn’t awkward, odd, or strange at all. Spike had worried that it would be weird to be kissed, but instead it felt wonderful. Babs pulled back, and for a moment her eyelids fluttered, and he saw a young mare before him that was more beautiful than any Princess could ever hope to be.
“Awwww that’s so cute!” a squeaky voice said off behind some of the bushes.
Babs ignored it. “T-that was nice…”
“It was, so this means that I’m your coltfriend right?” he asked.
“Sure, I would like that.”
“You two got another song coming to you, if you want it,” the cello player said.
“Please!” Babs smiled gleefully.
“What would you like to hear Babs?” Spike asked.
He watched her tap her hoof, trying to make a decision, thinking about what it was that she wanted before a smile crossed her lips.
“Need Her Love, please,” she said.
They leaned in together as the song played, listening to the words, the sound of the music, and feeling something changing around them. The world was brighter, full of wonder, and wanting to give them blessings. It was a perfect moment, and one that both of them hoped would last a lifetime.
