Chapter 7
Black Heart Pt. 2
Date Night

It was sad, really. Normally, Nel was a ball of sunshine. Now, he was just a poster boy for his entire species. He was pensive and serious, trying to think about everything he hoped would happen on this date. His sullen mood lasted up until he found himself on the doorstep of Filthy Rich’s large house. He shook his head, getting his mind right. Filthy Rich would chew him up and spit him out if he didn’t! He let out a heavy sigh and rang the doorbell.
The door creaked open and a mare with a teal coat in a maid uniform looked down at him. “Hello,” she said politely, “Can I help you?”

“Hello,” he purred, “My name’s Nel Valshte. I, uh… I’m here for my date with Diamond Tiara.” He felt almost as odd about that statement as Sweetie Belle did. It made him increasingly more uncomfortable to think that he was going on a date with Diamond Tiara.

The maid pony’s eyes grew wide. She glanced back inside. “Diamond Tiara hasn’t stopped talking about you for the past two days,” she said quickly and quietly. She quickly turned, leading him inside. “She’s been different since you showed up.” She gave him a small smile. “I wonder if having a colt friend could do this with all little fillies.”

He made a face, but kept his thoughts to himself. He didn’t like the thought of mares and stallions assuming that he was in a relationship with a filly or colt his age.

The mare led him to a sitting room where Filthy Rich was waiting for them. “Nel Valshte, sir,” she said respectfully and quickly dismissed herself. She silently hoped that the stallion wouldn’t tear into the precocious kitten too much.

“Sit, please,” Rich requested in a surprisingly civil tone. He seemed all too calm about his daughter going on a date with a dragon, nonetheless a Narga.

Nel quickly found a spot to sit, facing the stallion. He swallowed dryly, trying not to make eye contact. He was nervous enough without the stallion glaring at him.

“Neliel, is it?” Filthy Rich asked. His tone wasn’t overly stern or too harsh. It was clearly demanding, but it didn’t have a very menacing ring to it like one would expect of a father meeting his daughter’s date.

“Yes sir,” he meowed nervously, “It’s Mr. Rich, correct?” He’d heard from Ms. Cheerilee to call him Rich. She’d told him more than three times not to call him Filthy. “I had no idea you had such a large house…”

“Yes, I expected to have a larger family,” he stated, “But, why not indulge now, even when I don’t?” He liked the large house, but it did feel a little too large some times. His comfortable grin slowly melted off as he looked at the young dragon again. “Neliel,” he began after a moment, “How exactly did you come across my daughter?”

If he could sweat, there’d be bullets. “Well… It was a chance encounter, of sorts. I ran into her on the streets and we just started talking after that.” He neglected how hesitant he was to talk to her. He didn’t want to make a bad impression. Otherwise, that was true.

A small grin crossed his lips. He was either impressed with Nel’s cleverness or he saw through what he’d said. “I see.” He nodded. “I’m glad to see that a ‘chance encounter’ could end so well.”

“As am I,” Nel purred nervously. He grinned, trying to keep his lips closed. If his fangs made fillies and colts nervous, he didn’t want to know what they’d do to the stallion who’s daughter was going on a date with him.

“Hello, Nel.” Diamond Tiara quickly found the dragon with her father. She kept a wide grin on her face, but it made her nervous to see the two of them together. “Hello, father.”

The stallion said nothing. He only nodded, acknowledging her presence. He opened his mouth to speak again, but paused when he saw the two of them together. “…I suppose you two are ready to leave for your… Date?”

“Yes, sir,” Nel said quickly as he jumped up out of his chair.

“And we need to get going,” Tiara agreed, grabbing Nel by his arm and pulling him out the door in a rush.

Filthy Rich looked out the door at them. Silently, he wondered how far they’d go together. It made him chuckle a bit to think of his daughter marrying a dragon as feral as this little Narga.

“I wish you’d told me that I’d have to talk to your dad,” Nel said with a sigh. He really wasn’t as prepared for that conversation as he could have been.

“I didn’t know he’d get to you before I was ready,” she said quickly. She wished she’d gotten ready a little sooner now. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to sit through a panic attack on the kitten’s part. She looked at him. Did he always look like that?

Nel looked presentable today! He didn’t look like the napping dragon ponies had seen around town. He looked like a distinguished hunter! He stood tall instead of the slight slouch he usually had. The short tuft of hair that graced his head was styled instead of tousled. Even his scales looked different! They were shined so efficiently that they looked blue under the right light! The dragon noticed the look, but tried not to acknowledge it too abruptly. In fact, he was giving her subtle glances as well.

Diamond Tiara didn’t seem at all like the pompous brat she usually was. She seemed… Nice. Humble, even! Her mane was styled differently, giving her a more mature look when coupled with her makeup. She was even wearing a different tiara today! Her dress was a masterpiece for fillies her age, but it was simple enough for this date. Slowly, a smile crossed her face when she realized the Narga was analyzing her the same as she’d done to him. “You know… I was actually kinda worried when I asked you out,” she admitted, getting his green eyes locked on her again.

“Really? I kinda thought you didn’t get nervous.” Living in such a primal place, he’d never even been on a date before. He’d always thought of the things ponies did as oddities when compared to his own life. Seeing her get so nervous over asking him out on a date, it felt as if he’d done something wrong.

“I-I don’t,” she said quickly, “It’s just weird…” She didn’t even get worried when she was in trouble. It was hard to think of a time—there than the day before—when she was worried! “I guess that’s just the effect you have on fillies like me.”

Nel kept a wide grin on his feline face. He’d heard stories about Diamond Tiara, but she didn’t seem to fit the bill for any of them now. She seemed like a completely different pony now! “I have that effect on a lot of ponies.”

She giggled just a bit. “I bet you do.” She was at a loss. If not for his imposing posture and his obsidian blades, she’d never believe that this wyvern was dangerous. “You’re a lot nicer than I thought you’d be,” she admitted.

He paused for a moment before a grin crossed his face. “The same could be said about you,” he accused, poking her with his prehensile tail. His thoughts went into overdrive as he found his opening. “Speaking of… Why are you so mean to every pony?”

The pony visibly tensed. She hadn’t expected such a serious question from him. She averted her eyes as she thought up her answer. “Well… At first it was fun… But, now…” She sighed as she noticed how far into her “fun” she’d fallen. “I feel like there should be a reason for why other ponies don’t like me…”

He raised a brow. Other ponies didn’t like her? …Well, that wasn’t a secret, but it was a little odd when seeing how nice she could be. He looked up to see the field they were approaching. “Well, if you just tried to be nice like this, it’d be fine.” He gave her a friendly nudge, getting her to see the grin he gave her. “You’re actually a really likable pony.” He paused at the edge of the Ponyville park, looking around at the other couples gathered for the fireworks show. “Hm…”

“Wow…” She’d never seen so many ponies in one place like this. She hadn’t even realized that so many ponies inhabited Ponyville! “Where are we going to sit?”

“I’m trying to find a spot no—ah!” He pointed to the top of a small hill where the Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had made them a space. “There.” He let a wide, toothy grin spread across his face. “Never know what your friends’ll do for you until you ask.”

She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the short giggle that escaped her. She’d thought the Crusaders were done helping her out. Now, looking at the three of them, she wondered what else they would do if she allowed herself to be their friend. She trailed behind a little as they approached the trio of ponies, only now wondering if they held grudges for all the teasing.

“Hello, Crusaders,” he chimed, getting their attention. His grin widened as they lined up in front of him like troops before their commander. “Impressive work with the picnic.”

“Thanks,” Sweetie Belle chirped. She was the one who organized the entire picnic! After all the decorum and etiquette she’d gotten from her sister, she felt it was only right to put it to use.

“I hope you’re date’s goin’ well.” Apple Bloom was an oddly subtle pony. She knew Nel would pick up on the minute changes in her face that asked about their plan. Was it working the way the wyvern had hoped it would?

Standing just out of Diamond Tiara’s field of vision, Nel’s lips curled in a small smirk. His head moved the slightest degree, signaling a joyful yes. He was getting to the root of the problem and had given a solution. Hopefully, he could fix the problem before he had to leave Ponyville. “It’s splendid,” he purred, hoping to keep Tiara from suspecting anything.

“Good,” Scootaloo said happily, “Now, don’t you two get too excited up here. We’re still in public.” With a wide grin, she and her friends trotted off. …Or at least until they were out of sight. She hid in a bush with her friends, watching the date from a distance. With any luck, they’d be able to see how Nel’s plan will unfold.

“You’re probably the only dragon my age that doesn’t think I’m the worst pony in the country.” There weren’t many ponies that would so relentlessly pick on another filly.

“No, there’s worse ponies than you,” he stated, “Worse in Ponyville, maybe.” He smiled as she glared, unable to hide her grin. It was then that he realized they were almost exact opposites. She would always puff up and talk big, but she couldn’t do much of anything. He never puffed up to make himself more intimidating. The simple fact that he was a dragon did that for him. And, he also tried to downplay how dangerous he really was. …Though, he also wondered if she saw him as dangerous as well. “You can be pretty nice when you want to be, though.”

“Thanks,” she giggled. She felt oddly comfortable with the dragon. She didn’t even feel this way with other ponies! It was odd, but the dragon was good company. She was starting to enjoy having him around. …Or, at least, as opposed to when they argued the day before. It seemed odd, but… “Is this what every pony calls love at first sight?” She looked at him discreetly as the dragon got comfortable on the blanket Apple Bloom let them use. She didn’t want to think about it too hard. Quickly, she laid down beside him, looking up as the Luna’s starry skies started lighting up the night.

Nel grinned a bit when he saw the constellations. It was a new moon tonight, but the fireworks would soon light up the darkness. Princess Luna really outdid herself sometimes with the night sky. He looked over at Tiara, thinking of why she looked so pleasant now as opposed to when they’d met. He grinned, patting the spot beside him for her to lay down the same way as he had.

Though a little hesitantly, the pony moved over beside him, lying close enough to touch him simply by breathing. It was a wonder as to how Nel laid so comfortably on his stomach like this. “H-hey, Nel… Do you go on dates like this a lot?”

The dragon shook his head immediately. “Nope. This is probably the third date I’ve ever been on. …And the other two weren’t really dates…” He immediately thought about his meeting with Dinky Doo and his nighttime get together with Apple Bloom. …Though, he was actually quite certain that those didn’t really count as dates. “But, this one’s actually pretty nice. …Given current company…”

She giggled again. “I feel the same way.” She looked up at the starry sky again, but flinched a little as the first pyrotechnic was launched, filling the air with orange glitter. “Ooh… So, this is why you wanted to bring me here.”
He grinned, looking up as the fireworks popped and crackled above them. It was a spectacular show! The same as everyone else, he let himself get caught up in the display, staring at green pinwheels, pink hearts, green explosions and all the like. He never got to enjoy displays like this in his own country. Dragons didn’t have much to celebrate. …And their fire breath tended to get in the way as well. He sighed, relaxing as the fireworks put on a show of dancing flames across the sky.

Tiara watched the display for all of thirty minutes before she looked away. She’d let herself think of a way to express her gratitude to the dragon. Apple Bloom had told her he was a complex dragon that enjoyed simple pleasures, but that didn’t make it any easier. She glanced around at the crowd gathered for the show, trying to find some clues.

A mare and her stallion sat together, leaning on one another for support, showing their love and trust.

Two mares cuddled under the star bright sky, enjoying the light show like any other couple.

A couple even kissed down below, seeming to do so every time a heart showed up in the sky and stars.

She looked at Nel once more, letting her thoughts run wild. “I could cuddle up with him.” And she’d possibly get hurt on one of his blades or get jabbed by his scales. “I could give him a kiss.” And possibly come off too strong as well. She liked him, but he was such a shy dragon sometimes. “Ugh! Okay… Think… Something small… Something simple…” She glanced at him once more and spotted his hands. With a small smirk, she squirmed a little closer, letting the heat coming off of him warm her as well as she took his hand. Before she got the urge to give him a smile, she laid her head on his shoulder, making her thoughts go silent. “A date like this should be enjoyed,” she thought, “Not spent in a world of panicked thought.”

Nel glanced at her as she laid on his shoulder. It was nice to know she was so relaxed with him. Maybe this wasn’t a bad idea. But, he quickly remembered his plan. “Uh-oh… The Crusaders…” He looked at Tiara once more as she closed her eyes, finally finding comfort in him. Just out of her field of vision, he lifted his free hand, using the polished obsidian as a mirror. “Rarity did a fantastic job shining me up…” He looked through the darkness, spotting the three of them as another large explosion filled the air.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom were trying their best to calm Scootaloo down, but the pegasus looked like she was about to tear into the pampered earth pony.

His tail flicked, swaying back and forth the same as if he were waving his finger in front of her. It was a silent message to stay back. …And the fact that his quills bristled as well helped, too. Watching them in the reflection, he breathed a sigh of relief as they backed down with that little message. For now, he had to focus on the task at hand. His fingers curled around her hoof, putting a smile on her face. And that task was making Diamond Tiara feel special.

The walk home was a drowsy one. Diamond Tiara wasn’t used to being out this late and it showed. She was glad for the constant motion. It kept her awake long enough to get back to her large home. …Though, the walk was in almost complete silence thanks to Nel’s last question.

“Why don’t you come and hang out with the Crusaders some time?”

She’d racked her brain over all the possibilities. She could go to hang out and find that they were just goading her in for revenge, or they could be genuine about wanting to be her friends. They could be having Nel lure her in to break her heart later or he could be the one for her. It was hard to tell with all the possibilities. She didn’t even notice they’d arrived until she was going up the walkway. Stopping by the door, she looked for any signs of some pony being awake.

There were lights on inside. Clearly, one of the maids was still hard at work. It was hard to tell if Filthy Rich was still awake, but it was safe to assume he was. She was his daughter after all.

Standing on her doorstep, Tiara spun around to face the dragon. “Thank you for a wonderful evening,” she said, taking the line straight from the cliché of date night lines, “I had a lot of fun with you.”

The wyvern smiled, trying not to show off his fangs. “My pleasure,” he purred, bowing slightly, “It’s always a gift when I can spend the night with ponies like this.” Though, he’d only ever spent the night with Apple Bloom like this, and that was much less romantic. “I hope we can do this again sometime.”

She smiled at him. “So do I.” She wanted to do something more than just this. Letting him fly off without a treat was cruel. She only hesitated at the thought of her father seeing and gelding the dragon for trying to take his daughter. Filthy Rich seemed to like him, so there shouldn’t be any harm in it. And, maybe her mother could help as well! Throwing caution to the wind, she went in, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek. “Good night, Nel,” she said, heading inside before he could see her pink coat turn bright red.

Though a little shocked, Nel took that as the sign of a job well done. Hopefully, something he’d said had gotten through to her. Without any further hesitation, he quickly took off, flying high above the clouds. He looked back at her house before it disappeared into the distance. Maybe—just maybe—there’d be a new Cutie Mark Crusader soon. A smirk crossed his face. “One can only hope,” he said, mimicking his grandfather Lao.

The morning air felt good! Nel flew high above the clouds, looking down on Ponyville below him. It was nice seeing how calm and serene everything was. After working most of the morning, it was nice to be of the clock. He looked down at Sweet Apple Acres, grinning as he spotted Applejack out in the fields. “Hi, AJ!”

The orange work mare looked up at him with a grin. “Howdy partner!” she called, waving as he soared overhead. It was always nice to see him flying around. She smiled as he disappeared into the orchard, guessing exactly where he was going. …Up until she remembered something important. Apple Bloom had wanted her to tell the dragon about a special visitor to the clubhouse. “Uh-oh…”

The wyvern swooped down, landing in the observatory. He tended to land and take off from there a lot when the ponies weren’t around. Went down, going to the ground floor. “Hello, ponies!” he meowed, “What’s today’s plans for getting your—Tiara?” He froze in mid stride as he spotted Diamond Tiara. In the clubhouse!

“Hello, Nel,” the earth pony chimed, sitting with his friends. She was getting and giving some tips on make up. She sat still as Sweetie Belle helped her to apply her eye shadow.

“Uh, hi…” He looked around, spotting their past attempts at make up: Scootaloo and Dinky Doo as well. “Not that I’m not always happy to see you, but what’s the occasion?” He knew he’d suggested it, but he hadn’t expected her to act on it the very next day. He looked at Scootaloo’s make up. “And, uh, why so heavy on the blush?” He knew it wasn’t the make up, but he didn’t want to bring any unnecessary attention to Scootaloo’s reddening face.

“No occasion,” she said, “Just making new friends. …And a few amends as well…” She opened her eyes just as Belle finished. “Why? Am I not allowed to be in the club?”

“Well, you do have a Cutie Mark already,” the wyvern said and found a place to sit. “I’m not one to deny ponies a place, though.”

“’Course you wouldn’t,” Apple Bloom teased, poking the dragon, “You probably want another kiss!”

Nel glared at the farm pony as his camouflage worked against him, turning his face red. He whipped his tail around, poking her with the largest quill. …And leaving her side completely numb. “You say it as if I got a kiss on the lips.” He knew Scootaloo would never allow that from Diamond Tiara. But, then he realized something. “Wow… I’ve never had an actual kiss…”

“What? Really?” Scootaloo was the first to realize what he’s said. “You’ve never kissed someone before?”

He shifted his gaze, looking up at the ceiling, as if the answer was somewhere up there. “Not that I can think of.” He shook his head. “I’ve never had a dragoness—or a pony for that matter—to kiss.” He sighed, but he suddenly realized four fillies looking at him hungrily. “Well! Would you look at the time! I’m pretty sure Fluttershy said she wanted me home soon, so I’m gonna be going—bye!” He quickly darted out the door.

“Quick, go after him!” Sweetie Belle ordered as she ran after him followed by her fellow Crusaders. …And Diamond Tiara. Their frantic chase left Dinky Doo and Pipsqueak alone in the clubhouse.

“I’m not sure if he’s lucky or cursed,” the earth pony muttered, getting a nod of agreement from Dinky.

Author's Note

Alright, bronies! Here it is, my big question! This will effect how the story ends, so give me your answers before the end of the next chapter! (Which gives everyone a HUGE window of opportunity...)
Which pony should Nel be with?
Apple Bloom?
Scootaloo?
Sweetie Belle?
Diamond Tiara?
Fluttershy?
Pinkie Pie?
I need your answers to finish the story, so please be prompt.
(Revisions completed)