Author's Note

Just FYI, the term 'herd' is essentially this universe's version of a Poly relationship. Crash has always wanted to be in a group of a bunch of creatures who love each other equally.

Before The Date

Crashing Thunder stared at his own reflection in the mirror, and couldn’t help but realize just how exhausted he looked. His eyes had bags under them, and the frown on his face was making him look far more gothic than he would care to admit. He had tried to comb his messy blonde mane, but he found himself disliking just about every way he could possibly style it. The longer he stared at his own reflection, the more sour he became. It was getting to the point where even the bright blue bowtie around his neck was looking tackier by the second. He had to resist the urge to tear it off.

“I hate this,” Crashing Thunder grumbled under his breath as he tore his eyes away from his own reflection. He let out a loud and audible groan as he laid his head on the bathroom sink, and felt the weight of his worries crash down on his back. Who knows how long he might have stayed like that were it not for the sound of a knocking hoof upon the door to his left.

“Crrrraaaassssh?” A voice on the other side of the door called out. “You done in there yet? You better not have wasted all the warm water!”

Crashing Thunder rolled his eyes before reaching for the doorknob. A familiar zebra stood on the other side already smiling. Two of the stripes against his cheeks were pink, and matched the color of his glimmering eyes.

“Did you even wash your mane?” Lost Way asked with a humorous tone of voice before reaching out his hoof and playfully touching Crash atop his head. “It’s not even damp!”

“Course I did,” Crashing Thunder said before brushing off Lost’s hoof with his own. “I’ve just been standing here awhile.”

“I’ll say,” Lost Way said with a roll of his eyes. “I’ve been waiting like twenty minutes. If I’m late for my date because of you I’m gonna kick your butt.”

“Sorry,” Crashing Thunder said sheepishly before backing up. He shook his head slowly. “I’ll get outta your mane.”

As Crashing Thunder exited the bathroom he let out yet another weary sigh. He made his way to the living room where he promptly crashed on the couch. The springs whined with protest under his weight as the pegasus grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it tightly to his chest. There was a pit in his belly that wouldn’t quite go away.

Crash laid there for some time and listened to the sound of running water. He could faintly make out that Lost Way was singing some tune that was too drowned out by the pipes to hear clearly. The fact that his roommate was so perky only soured his already downtrodden mood. He grumbled to himself as he rolled over and buried his face into the throw pillow. He wondered to himself if he should even bother going out tonight.

Crash must have been laying there for some time allowing his gloomy thoughts to swirl around his head, because before he knew it the sound of the shower vanished and Lost Way’s singing became much more audible as the door to the bathroom swung open. Crash looked over his shoulder to see the zebra running a towel over his mane. Lost eventually looked up to see Crashing Thunder on the couch and gave him a quizzical look.

“You okay?” Lost Way asked.

Crashing Thunder frowned. He didn’t like to think that his mood was so obvious that his roommate could read it so easily.

“Fine,” Crash muttered without the desire to put much conviction in his words. “Just not looking forward to tonight.”

“Aww, why not?” Lost Way asked as he came up to the couch and sat himself down. He was just barely able to squeeze himself at the furthest end due to Crash’s massive size. Crash eventually pulled his hooves in and sat up to give the zebra more room. Sitting up caused the couch to whine more under his weight.

“This is date fifty,” Crash said with a tone of annoyance in his tone. “I guess I’m just tired of doing this whole song and dance.”

“Mmm, that’s understandable,” Lost Way said as he lowered the towel from his mane and let it slide to around his shoulders. “I dunno how many dates I’ve been on at this place. Fortyish? I dunno, I don’t keep track.”

Crash bit the inside of his cheek. This dating service the two were well versed in was something set up by both Shining Armor and Princess Cadance. Being the princess of love, Cadance wanted her subjects to find happiness when it came to the more romantic aspects of their lives. Crashing Thunder had heard countless stories of couples who had managed to find each other via the service, and when he had first started he remembered brimming with optimism that perhaps he’d finally find the mare who might be the one for him. That was several months ago, and so far nothing had changed other than his dwindling self esteem.

“I wish I could be like that,” Crashing Thunder admitted with a sheepish tone of voice. “I dunno how you don’t care about it.”

“It’s not that I don’t care about it,” Lost Way said. “I dunno. A lot of the stallions who I end up with just end up wanting to have a quick screw. When it’s like that I just kind of go with it and try to have fun.”

“Most of the ponies I get matched with just tell me the same line again and again,” Crashing Thunder said, and felt himself become deflated just by speaking these words aloud. “It’s me, not you’.”

“Oof, I’ve had that one a few times,” Lost Way said.

“I just… It’s so hard to open up to a stranger,” Crashing Thunder said before shaking his head. “And when I DO start to talk I feel like they just get bored of me.”

“Hey,” Lost Way said before reaching out his hoof and putting it on Crash’s own. “You talk to me just fine, and I don’t get bored of you.”

“You’ve known me since we were colts,” Crash said dismissively. “That’s different.”

“Well, I’m still not bored of you,” Lost Way said. “And if anypony should be it’d probably be me, right?”

Crash couldn’t help but crack a small smile at that. He looked to Lost Way, who always looked bright and cheerful no matter the situation.

“I guess most mares aren’t interested in starting a herd together,” Crashing Thunder said.

“That’s your problem right there,” Lost said as he squeezed Crash’s hoof. “You probably scare them off with that kinda talk on the first date, y’know.”

“It’s important to me,” Crash said defensively before tugging his hoof away. “I don’t wanna get invested in some mare only to find out it’s not gonna work cause of something like that.”

“I’m not saying to NOT bring it up until you’re married or something,” Lost Way said as he rolled his eyes. “Just bury the lead a little bit. Let her get to know you before you start talking about serious stuff like that. You may look big and tough but I know you’re a total sweetheart once somepony gets to know you.”

Crashing Thunder couldn’t help but feel a bit taken aback by Lost’s words. He had never been one to consider himself a ‘sweetheart’ or anything of the sort. However to hear Lost Way say it like that made his chest feel tight.

“Maybe mares don’t want a sweetheart out of me,” Crash said, unable to stop himself from speaking his negative thoughts aloud. “I feel like a lot of them expect me to be one way when they see me then I’m just… not…”

“What way is that?” Lost Way questioned, and tilted his head.

“I dunno,” Crash said. He shrugged his shoulders and glanced away. “Big and stoic, I guess?”

“That’s silly,” Lost Way said. He scooted closer on the couch to Crash and reached up to wrap both his front hooves around his left foreleg and give it a tug. “Any mare would be lucky to snag a stud like you! You’re big and strong and have a huge heart! It’s their loss if they want some boring emotionless stallion who never shows his feelings.”

“You think so?” Crashing Thunder asked. He knew his tone sounded unconvinced.

“I don’t THINK so, I know so!” Lost Way said before hopping off of the couch and standing directly in front of Crash. “Look, pretend I’m a mare and we’re on a blind date.”

“Excuse me?” Crash asked.

“C’mooon, just do it!” Lost Way whined. “It’s practice for tonight!”

“Um… alright, I guess,” Crashing Thunder said. He looked up and down his best friend. To picture Lost Way as a mare felt all wrong. He frowned as he tried to think of what to say, but before he could even open his mouth Lost Way was miles ahead of him.

“Well golly gee, ain’t you just the most handsome stallion in this place?” Lost Way said in a forced high-pitched tone and bad southern twang.

“Why does the mare I’m going on a date with sound like a cowgirl?” Crash asked.

“Just go with it!” Lost Way hissed.

Crash’s mind was drawing a blank. He was overly focused on just how in-character Lost Way was getting into this role. The zebra waved his hips dramatically and ran a hoof daintily through his mane.

“Er… Hey there,” Crash said. He averted his eyes from Lost Way as he tried to wrack his brain for what to say. “My name’s Crashing Thunder. You can call me Crash if you like, though.”

“Oooh, Crash!” Lost Way said in a delighted tone. “I love that name! It’s so stroooong! Just like those big and sexy muscles of yours!”

“N-No mare has ever said my muscles were sexy right when she met me,” Crashing Thunder stammered out. He was suddenly overwhelmed with the fact that his best friend had just indirectly called him sexy, and he had no idea how to feel about that.

“Oooh, and just how many mares have you met?” Lost Way asked. The zebra seemingly refused to break character. “I’m a pretty lucky gal that none of them have snatched you up before me! So tell me, what do you do, Crash?”

“I-I’m a royal guard,” Crash said, trying his best to move the conversation along so this pure torment might end faster. “Cargo delivery, mostly. I uhh…”

“Say something nice about her!” Lost Way whispered with a hiss.

“Huh?”

“Ponies love to talk about themselves!” Lost Way said. “Say something nice and ask her about herself!”

“Right,” Crash said, and nodded his head. His heart was picking up speed. This was starting to feel more anxiety-inducing than any of the real dates he had been on. “Um… I like your mane?”

“Oh, thank you sugar!” Lost Way said before running both hooves along his mohawk in a rather seductive way. “I just got it done special for tonight! I’m so glad you noticed! Go on, feel it! It’s sooooo soft!”

“Uh…” Crash felt his mind draw a blank again as Lost Way reached out his hoof and snatched up Crash’s own. He forced it up against his mane and ran it slowly. Crash was a bit surprised at just how soft it felt, considering how it stood straight up and looked so stiff. His hoof was forced down to Lost Way’s cheek, which was equally as soft. For a moment Lost Way fluttered his eyelids once more, and Crash stared into those bright pink eyes. He found himself getting a bit lost in them.

“Your eyes are really pretty,” Crash said. A thought he had meant to keep private somehow had slipped out, and near instantly he felt blood rush up to his face.

“Oh, you’re too sweet!” Lost Way said. He didn’t seem to realize that Crash had said that line entirely out of the context of their pretend date. Crash pulled his hoof away, and hoped that his fur was dark enough to cover his newly flushed cheeks.

“I-I don’t think this is helping me all that much,” Crashing Thunder said in a vain attempt to distance himself from their little roleplay. “No mare talks like that. Ever.”

“Oh come on,” Lost Way whined. “Half of the stallions that MY dates are with are trying to slip a hoof between my legs before the waiter even takes our orders!”

“Over half?” Crashing Thunder asked. “That’s… Wow.”

“Well, okay, that might be an exaggeration,” Lost Way said. “But I really think you shouldn’t take this thing so seriously tonight. Maybe try to take a break from trying to find some soulmate to start a herd with and just try to have some easy fun with a mare you’re never gonna see again?”

“You mean have a one night stand?” Crash asked. “I’ve never really done that before.”

“Seriously?” Lost Way asked. “NEVER?”

“Well… no,” Crash said. He felt embarrassed again. “I-It’s not like I judge ponies for doing it! I just never was all that interested in sleeping with somepony I hardly know!”

“Crash,” Lost Way said. He sounded more serious than he had that entire night. “I say this not only as your friend, but your BEST friend. You really, really, need to sleep with somepony. When’s the last time you even had sex?”

“I mean… A-Awhile…” Crashing Thunder admitted.

“I’m not saying you need to take her in the back alley of the restaurant and rail her against the brick wall,” Lost Way said in the most vulgar way he possibly could. “But just try to have fun! If she’s nice offer to buy her a drink after and see where it goes from there! You’re putting way too much pressure on yourself here.”

“Is that what you do?” Crashing Thunder asked.

“I mean, sort of?” Lost Way said. “If I meet a nice stallion who wants to be my boyfriend I’m not gonna run away from that. At the same time if they just wanna have some fun and never talk again that’s okay too.”

Crashing Thunder looked down to the floor. He had to admit that there was some sense in what Lost Way was saying. He had been taking these blind dates seriously. After each failure each date filled him with more and more dread, and every time it went poorly with no follow up he felt himself sink deeper into the negative thoughts he had spent most of his life fighting. Maybe he deserved to spend at least one of these nights going in with no expectations.

“I don’t know how you do it,” Crash said with a fatigued tone of voice. “I get so tired from all these dates. You’ve gone on so many without a second one and you’re still singing in the shower all excited and happy…”

“Hey, big guy,” Lost Way said as he moved forward and put a hoof under Crashing Thunder’s chin. He lifted the pegasi’s head and looked him in the eyes once more. “Don’t beat yourself up, okay? I’m just trying to make sure you’re happy. If you wanna skip out on tonight’s date and just stay home eating junk I’ll totally do that with you.”

“Really?” Crashing Thunder asked.

“Really,” Lost Way said. “I mean I WAS looking forward to another stallion who got way too wasted trying to get a hard on with whiskey dick, but I guess I can pass that up and spend a night in with my best friend.”

Crashing Thunder chuckled at that. The way Lost Way smiled at that made the pegasi start to feel better already. The zebra’s smile always made Crash feel safe, and like the two of them were going to be okay as long as they stuck together.

“No, I wouldn’t wanna do that to our dates,” Crash said. “I’d be totally crushed if I got stood up by some pony I didn’t even know.”

“Always the sweetheart,” Lost Way said before rolling his eyes and pulling away. “That mare’s lucky.”

“Thanks, though,” Crash said. “I really appreciate the offer, Lost.”

Lost Way looked over his shoulder with a smile.

“Here, come with me!”

“Huh?”

“Just shut up and come on!” Lost Way said with a groan before nodding his head toward the hallway.

Crash stood up from the couch and followed his roommate slowly as they went into the zebra’s room. Lost opened his bedside drawer and began rifling through a bunch of stuff before eventually pulling out a small bottle.

“Aha!” Lost Way said as he held the bottle up in victory. “There you are!”

“What’s that?” Crash asked.

“This,” Lost Way began as he unscrewed the cap of the bottle and dabbed a little bit of it onto his hoof. Even from a distance the scent hit Crash’s nose instantly. “Is some pretty pricey cologne. I usually try to save it for at least the second date since most of the guys at that place really aren’t worth it…”

“C-C’mon,” Crash said before taking a hesitant step backward back into the hallway. “If it’s really that pricey don’t waste it on me!”

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic,” Lost Way said as he approached Crash. “It’s already in my hoof, I can’t get it back in the bottle! Just come here!”

Crash frowned as he gingerly stepped forward. Lost Way extended his hoof and gently dabbed it against Crash’s neck, and around his ears. He spilled a few more drops from the bottle onto his hoof, which made Crash’s stomach turn.

“Don’t use more of it,” Crash whined.

“Quit being a baby,” Lost said. “This stuff’ll make the mares purr, I guarantee it. Citrus, rosemary, and just a little hint of rose.”

Crash had to admit that the smell of the stuff was pleasing to his nose. It wasn’t like him to put anything fancy like this on his body before a date. He wouldn’t have considered himself sloppy, but also had never overly concerned himself with looking nor smelling overly fancy. As soon as Lost Way put the cap back on the bottle he went to work adjusting Crash’s bowtie.

“One more thing,” Lost Way said before turning around, and pulling one last thing out of the bedside table. It was a tiny red flower inside of a small glass box. “This here’s a carnation. Totally fancy.”

Crash opened his mouth to protest once more, but before he could Lost raised his hoof and planted it right up against his lips.

“Ah ah ah! If you don’t wear it I’m going to throw it right into the garbage, you hear me?”

Crash frowned.

“You’re stubborn,” Crash said.

“Aww, thanks,” Lost Way said in an overly cheerful tone as he attacked the flower to the strap of the bowtie around Crash’s neck. “It looks super good on you. Goes with your coat really well!”

“You think so?” Crash said as he looked down at the flower. “It’s not too much?”

“Naw, most mares like when guys dress up,” Lost Way said. “Y’know, if you don’t bed yourself a good mare tonight I’m gonna let you have it. You’re basically halfway there with this stuff.”

“Gee, thanks,” Crash said. “No pressure.”

Lost Way giggled as he stepped away and looked Crashing Thunder up and down.

“There! You look like a perfect gentlecolt! Smell like one too!”

It was strange, but Crash didn’t feel that same looming sense of dread that he had twenty minutes prior. Lost Way’s words had an effect on him that he didn’t expect. He shut his eyes, and took a slow and steady breath inward.

“Alright,” Crashing Thunder said. “I think I’m ready for tonight… thanks to you.”

“Hey, don’t give me all the credit, Sugar” Lost Way said as he slipped back into his hokey southern accent from before. “Those big and sexy muscles of yours are gonna get you some sugar tonight, yes sir!”

Crashing Thunder was unable to keep from laughing at that. He was feeling better about tonight already.

——————————

The chill in the Canterlot air felt a bit nippier than usual tonight. The leaves on the trees were all but plucked by the winds, and those that remained no longer held their bright orange and yellow glow that autumn had brought upon them. They were mostly brown and dead now, with nary a sign of life in them. Though it had yet to snow just yet in Canterlot, it seemed that any day now the capital was due for the first snowfall of the season. With the setting sun beating on his back, Crashing Thunder let out a long sigh that released a breathy cloud of air from his lips that quickly dissipated into the air.

“Still nervous?” Lost Way questioned. His smaller friend was walking beside him, and as usual was managing to keep up quite well despite his much shorter legs.

The zebra was sporting a pink and white patterned scarf along with a hat to match. His fur was much less thick than Crash’s, given that the pegasus was built to live up high with much harsher climates.

“A little bit,” Crash admitted as he started up at the moon which was just now starting to become visible in the late twilight sky. “I’m not dreading it anymore, though. That’s good, right?”

“Course it is, silly,” Lost Way said with a giggle before he bumped his body up against Crash’s own. “Just try to have fun tonight with whoever you end up meeting. Who knows, you might end up getting lucky.”

“We’ll see about that,” Crashing Thunder said with a lingering humor in his tone. “I haven’t even met her yet, y’know. She might not even want to.”

“Please, I’ve seen how ponies stare at you,” Lost Way said with a roll of his eyes. “You’re some big strong mysterious stranger who they’d love to have on top of them in bed.”

“Sh-Shut up,” Crashing Thunder said with a light blush crossing his cheeks. “Ponies don’t stare at me like that.”

“Whatever you say, big guy,” Lost Way said. “Any idea what this place for the date night even is?”

“Dunno,” Crash said. “I think it was called… Le Papillon?”

“Ain’t that a dog breed or something?” Lost Way asked. “Eh, who cares. As long as they have good cider I can get through even the most boring date.”

Crash rolled his eyes before glancing back up toward the sky. Clear skies, with a sight of heavier clouds rolling in from the distance. He tried vaguely to remember if Cloudsdale had planned any sort of weather for this night, but found his mind drawing a blank.

“So, what kind of mare are you wanting to meet?” Lost Way asked, breaking Crash’s train of thought.

“Er… what kind?” Crash responded. He suddenly found his mind drawing a bit of a blank. “I dunno.”

“What?” Lost Way asked. “C’mon, you gotta have SOMETHING in mind! Serious? Sporty? The kind willing to reach their hoof under the tablecloth and let you know they wanna go back to your place?”

“If she’s nice and likes me does it really matter all that much?” Crash asked. “What’s the point in fantasizing about them? That sounds like it’ll only make me disappointed when they’re not what I expected.”

“Ugh, you’re so boring sometimes,” Lost Way said with a weary sigh. “C’mon, humor me a little!”

“Mmm,” Crashing Thunder stared down at his hooves as he continued to walk. “I dunno. Maybe one who's easy to talk to? One who’ll just let me feel like myself and not like I’m just trying to impress somepony?”

“Hmm, that’s more like it,” Lost Way said. “Though still a little generic. I’ll let it slide.”

“Hmph, so what are you hoping for?” Crashing Thunder asked. “A stallion right off the front cover of a playcolt magazine?”

“Well, ideally they’d be the kind they can’t show ON the cover,” Lost Way said before smirking at Crashing Thunder’s direction. This only made the pegasus roll his eyes, but also unwillingly crack a small smile at his friend’s joke.

“Well, I guess just a nice stallion?” Lost Way said. “It’d be nice to have a real conversation that’s not just meaningless filler before they ask if I wanna get railed back at their place. I mean, I like a one night stand and all but sometimes it feels like these guys would rather I’d just zip my lips and bend over.”

“Or just wear a big red ball gag in your mouth,” Crash added.

“Well, I wasn’t gonna be THAT lewd about it,” Lost Way said. “But now that you mention it, there was that one date where a stallion suggested it…”

The two friends laughed together as they walked side by side through the street. It didn’t take them much longer before they eventually came up upon the destination for their dates. The restaurant itself looked fancy, though not such to the point where either stallion felt underdressed for the occasion.

“Alright, we’re here,” Lost Way said. “Sure you don’t wanna high tail it back home and play board games or something back home?”

“I think I’m good,” Crashing Thunder said. “Let’s get inside. My ears are starting to feel numb.”

“Ditto,” Lost said.

The two entered the restaurant, with Crashing Thunder courteously holding the door open for his smaller friend as the two walked out of the chill and back into the warm air.

“Smells good in here,” Lost Way said as he stepped forward. He shut his eyes and took a big breath in. “Mmm, the prince and princess have good taste.”

Crash had to agree with Lost Way’s statement. The place certainly had a pleasant aroma of smells wafting from the kitchen. Several unicorns in waitstaff uniforms were wandering around from table to table with big and expensive looking bottles of wine and dishes that looked a bit more like art pieces than food.

“Table for two?” A voice asked, which caused Crash to turn his attention away from the restaurant and towards a well built stallion in a necktie and a finely combed slicked back mane. “I’m afraid it’s going to be a bit of a wait.”

“Actually, we’re both here for Princess Cadance and Shining Armor’s event,” Lost Way said as he stepped forward and pulled his knit hat down from his ears and held it in his hoof. “Is this the right place?”

“Oh, yes yes the blind date!” The waiter said with a newly lively look in his eyes. He quickly reached behind a stand which he pulled out a clipboard. “Names, please? I have everypony assigned to this restaurant right here. We’re VERY proud to be hosting the Princess’ of Love’s event.”

“Lost Way,” The zebra said.

“Crashing Thunder.”

“Lost Way, Crashing Thunder…” The waiter mumbled under his breath as his eyes scanned the page. After a moment his eyes widened with what looked to Crash like surprise. “Oh my!”

“What’s wrong?” Crash asked.

“Nothing, nothing!” The waiter quickly said. “It’s just that you two are listed as VIP’s.”

“We’re what?” Lost Way asked with a tone of confusion very in line with the sort Crash was suddenly feeling.

“VIP’s are ponies who Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor have personally selected partners for the evening,” The waiter explained. “I’m sure you’re familiar with the fact that most of the dates are random, but occasionally the princess and prince will use their best judgement to fit two ponies together who they think might make a perfect match.”

“Perfect match?” Crash asked out loud. “That’s… wow. I didn’t know they did that.”

“Me neither,” Lost Way said. “It’s kinda cool, though. I’m sure the Princess of Love herself knows what she’s doing.”

All of a sudden Crashing Thunder felt his belly twist into knots. The pressure and worry that had been subsided earlier that evening was starting to creep back into him. Suddenly this date felt very different from all those that had come before it.

“Here, take these,” The waiter said before pulling two small laminated square bits of paper out from behind the stand he had pulled the clipboard. “We’ll call on your number when we’re ready to seat you. Just sit tight for a moment, alright?”

Crash was suddenly given one of the papers, and looked down to see the number eight written on it. He looked over to the one Lost Way had received to see the number seven.

“Huh,” Lost Way said. “I know this whole thing was set up by those two but I didn’t think they’d get this involved.”

“Does this mean we’re that hopeless with blind luck or something?” Crash asked.

Before either of them could ponder that question very long the waiter tapped his hoof down on the paper, which caused Lost Way to look up.

“You’re actually up next to be seated,” The waiter said. “You two arrived just on time.”

“Oh, awesome,” Lost Way said with a bright smile that looked far more cheery and excited than Crashing Way felt. His friend looked to him and gave a brief wink. “Wish me luck.”

“G-Good luck,” Crash said as the waiter drug his best friend off, and left Crash all alone. He stood there and stared down at his number with the pit in his belly growing.

“Alright,” Crash muttered under his breath. “Nothing’s changed… you can totally do this. You can still have fun tonight.”

Without Lost Way by his side, the words didn’t seem to come out nearly as confidently. Now he had gotten way into his own head and was starting to wonder just who on earth the prince and princess hoof selected for him. A mare who wanted to start a herd? Somepony who was shy like him? Somepony who didn’t judge. All of a sudden Crash’s mind was racing, and he felt himself get sucked deeper and deeper into these thoughts until eventually he was ripped out of them by a familiar voice.

“Sir?”

“Ah!” Crash gasped as his head snapped up to see an entirely new waiter standing in front of him.

“Sorry, sorry,” The waiter said. “It’s just that it’s your turn to be seated now. Are you ready?”

Crash bit hard on the inside of his cheek. He thought hard of the pep talk Lost Way had given him, and tried to gain hold once more of that confidence he had right before the two of them walked into the restaurant.

“I-I am,” Crashing Thunder said with a nod. “Lead the way.”

Crashing Thunder was taken away from the main section of the restaurant to a much more secluded location.

“All our special dates have their own privacy for tonight,” The waiter said. “Your pony is already waiting for you.”

The room itself had several curtains hoisted up in makeshift walls, likely to separate the dates from each other. He heard several of the couples who had probably arrived before already chattering and getting to know one another, but as Crash was led to the end of the row the noise grew quiet. Before him there was a curtained door.

“Just behind here?” Crash asked.

“Yes, sir,” The waiter said. “Ready?”

Crash closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He nodded his head, and tried his best to calm himself. He heard the sound of the curtain slide open, and with his eyes still shut he stood there likely in full view of his date.

Before Crashing Thunder even had the chance to open his eyes, the first thing he heard was a gasp.

His belly instantly twisted, and he couldn’t help but assume the worst.