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Divided We Stand

by Nexas

Chapter 18: (BONUS) A date with confusion

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Mirror Edge the Flutter Pony stood in front of the mirror in Carosel Boutique. He wore a traditional Equestrian gentlecolts tuxedo with special holes cut out for his butterfly wings and his red mane was combed back in a formal manner.

He was doomed.

There was no other way to put it. He was simply doomed.

"I'm doomed." He sighed.

"No you're not dear." Rarity cooed. "You'll be just fine. Won't he, Rainbow Dash?"

The multicolored Pegasus was too busy laughing to the point of tears to answer.

"He looks ridiculous!" She managed to get out between the laughter, embarrassing Mirror Edge.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity snapped at the Pegasus. "That is no way to speak to a gentlecolt on his special night!"

That didn't help stop her laughter, in fact it made her laugh even more. "I can't... I cannot believe that she asked him to do this!"

"To be honest I couldn't believe it either." Mirror agreed, running a non-hole-filled-hoof through his mane, accidentally ruffling it up.

"To be fair, I could see it coming a mile away." Rarity said in a falsetto tone. She slicked Mirror's hair back and went back to work on his suit. "And don't worry you'll be fine."

"Hey girls." Twilight Sparkle stepped into the Boutique. "How's it coming?" She stopped when she saw Mirror.

She whistled in admiration. "Looking sharp there Mirror."

"You don't think that it's a bit much?" He pleaded as Rarity added some ruffles to the sleeves.

"I can't really say." Twilight admitted. "I've never been on a date really." She blushed suddenly full of embarrassment. "I mean, I've never had the time and I don't know the first thing about it."

"Join the club." Mirror despaired, jerking as Rarity sewed up a few more invisible holes in his suit.

"Twilight!" Rarity beamed. "If you wanted relationship advice you should have asked!"

Mirror pulled at his collar. "Doesn't this seem a bit unnecessary? This is the first date after all."

"Yes it is that's why you need to look your best." Rarity said, slapping a bow tie on him a little too tightly.

Rainbow Dash, having recovered from her outburst of laughter, sat up and looked Mirror over. "Seriously Rarity, he looks ridiculous."

"Yeah." Mirror confirmed.

Rarity scoffed. "If you didn't want my help, you shouldn't have come."

"I didn't want your help. You came up to me and forced me to come here."

"Well I had to." Rarity insisted. "If I didn't this whole date could be a disaster."

"If you ask me, it's already a disaster." Dash snarked.

"Come on you two, be nice!" Twilight insisted. "This is both their first dates and they're just going for a walk in the park."

"That's what we're doing?"

"It was my idea." Rarity smiled.

"I still can't believe they're going on a date." Dash admitted.

"I can't believe that she had to ask him." She shook her head. "Not very gentlecoltly Mirror."

"Hey this came out of nowhere." Mirror explained. "It's not every day you get asked out on a date by Pinkie Pie."

***

"Cheers!" They all shouted, banging their cups of cider together. Everone was outside celebrating the opening of Mirror Edge's new home in Ponyville.

It had been months after he had been made Commander of the Queen's forces and there hadn't been much to do as of late. So with permission from Chrysalis herself, Mirror had built a house in Ponyville to stay when there was no world ending dangers to deal with. The house was a simple two story thing, not that big but big enough for Mirror and his guests.

"You girls really didn't need to help me." He stated, downing his drink in one gulp. "I could have made it by myself."

"Of course you could have sugercube." Applejack responded in a sarcastic tone. "We know ya'll need to protect your manly ego and all that."

Everyone else laughed at this while Mirror simply rolled his eyes.

"But I guess I do need help carrying in all of the furniture and stuff." He looked over the pile of things he still needed to move.

His feelers lit up with green magic as he started levitating the pile bit by bit into the house. Other items lit up with purple magic.

"Well that's what friends do right?" Twilight asked, levitating things into the house with him. Everyone else got up to help and was moving things in when...

"Hey Mirror." Pinkie called for his attention.

"One moment Pinkie. Rainbow Dash! Careful with those plates!"

"No promises!" She yelled back, carrying the huge box inside.

"What is it, Pinkie?" Mirror smiled to the pink mare. Over the time he had spent in Ponyville he had come to see her as his best friend.

"Well I was kind of wondering..." She tried to ask. Mirror noticed that she was acting uncharacteristically nervous.

Mirror was suddenly concerned. "Pinkie? What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" She jumped back, waving her hooves and putting on a big smile which didn't fool him. "Well... it is something..." She rubbed the back of her head nervously looking away.

"Pinkie, you're my best friend." He stated warmly. "You can tell me whatever you want."

She was silent for a moment before looking at him again. "I was kind of wondering if you might like to maybe..."

"Pinkie." He was getting nervous because of her nervousness. "Come on, tell me."

"Go on a date?"

Mirror's world seemed to freeze for the second time in his life. He was horribly shocked.

"A...a... date?" He stammered. "As in a...DATE date?"

She nodded silently looking away in embarrassment. Mirror didn't know how to react, he never expected this to happen but here he was. He was being asked out by Pinkie.

"Pinkie...I...I..." He tried to speak but couldn't come up with the words. A part of him wanted to refuse her offer but another part of him was screaming at him to ignore the other part.

"Okay." He finally decided.

"What?" Pinkie perked up, looking him in the eyes.

He put on a very brave smile. "I would love to go on a date, really."

Pinkie shot up, grabbing Mirror in a massive hug. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She repeated happily, nearly strangling him in her happiness. Just as he thought his organs were going to explode, she dropped him and started bouncing away in a state of joy.

"I'll see you later okay?" She called back.

"Yeah...sure..." He managed, weakly rising to his feet. He could feel his rib cage expanding back to normal so he figured he would be fine. But any way he looked at it; he was still doomed.

"Mirror!" Rarity called from behind him. "All of the things are inside though; Rainbow Dash will have to pay for the broken plates."

"I said I was sorry." She retorted pleadingly. "Isn't that enough?"

The white unicorn walked up to the Flutter Pony and inspected him; he was barely responding to them and was instead staring out in the direction of Pinkie who was bouncing away.

She waved a hoof in front of his face. "Mirror Edge, are you alright?"

"No..." He muttered.

They were not going to believe this.

***

"Poor thing." Rarity mused while adding the finishing touched to Mirror's suit. "She must have been working up the courage to ask forever."

"I still can't believe that she did." This notion had never crossed Mirror's mind until now.

"I'm surprised that it took this long." Dash said, dangling a piece of string in front of Rarity's annoyed cat. "It's so obvious that you two like each other."

"W-what are you talking about? We don't like each other." He vehemently denied even though his cheeks were beginning to match his mane's color, earning small giggles from the mares.

Dash smirked. "Of course you don't."

"Well I'm all done." Rarity wiped her brow, stepping back to admire her work. "I finally think you're ready."

Behind them, Rarity's clock started to sound off.

"And not a moment too soon." She pushed Mirror towards the door. "Time to go."

He shrugged her off and stepped tentatively into the doorway but stopped and looked back imploringly.

"Have fun!" Twilight waved goodbye. The other two did as well. Mirror simply groaned and walked out the door of the boutique.

The three were still waving as he left out the door and walked past the glass windows.

"We're going to follow him aren't we?" Dash whispered to Rarity when he was out of sight.

"Of course."

***

Princess Luna's full moon hung low in the sky over Ponyville's park, the stars glittering through the clear night like millions of diamonds. The park had been emptied some time ago and everypony had gone home.

Except one.

Mirror sat and watched the moon as it began its long journey across the sky, its soft light bouncing off of Mirror's wings causing him to lighten up a small area around him.

"She should be here soon." He muttered to himself, looking towards the entrance to the park, unaware of the three Ponies hiding in the bush behind him.

"Where is she?" Rarity whispered in a harsh tone to the other two Ponies.

"Maybe she forgot." Rainbow Dash shrugged.

"She wouldn't forget this!" Rarity hissed.

"Did she ever actually choose a time for the date?" A camouflaged Twilight asked innocently.

The two were about to answer when they realized that Pinkie hadn't given a time to meet outside of 'later' but that was barely helpful.

"Um, Twilight?" Rarity coughed, searching for a change of subject. "If you don't mind me asking; why are you here?"

Twilight smiled as if she had been waiting for them to ask. She held up a small notebook and pen. "I have studied friendship in large amounts but I've never learned about this 'love' thing." She pointed a hoof out at the Flutter Pony who was sitting in silence staring at the moon. "What better way to study it than with a test subject?"

The two nodded, not knowing what she was talking about but definitely not wanting a long winded explanation.

"Rarity, I don't want to be rude but should we really be spying on them?"

"We're not spying on them!" She denied. "We're just looking to see if the date goes well."

"Mirror!"

The three and Mirror turned to see Pinkie Pie running towards them, a big smile on her face. She stopped and looked Mirror over.

"Wow Mirror, you look just like a secret agent! Are you going to a costume party?"

He chuckled sheepishly. "No actually, Rarity helped me get ready for our..." He couldn't even say the word. He took a deep breath. "...date and she was a little overzealous to help."

Pinkie giggled. "That's Rarity for you. Let me help."

She reached forward and taking one of his coat tails in her mouth, she gave him a hard yank sending him spinning around the area like a well-dressed top. He spun through the park, accessories and clothes flying in every direction and just as he was getting nauseous he was stopped by Pinkie.

"Their!" She happily announced. "You look a lot better."

Most of his clothes were gone leaving behind a simple dress shirt and the bowtie.

"Don't lose the bowtie!" She insisted as he was attempting to take it off.

"Why?"

She shrugged. "Bowties are cool."

"Of course they are." Mirror didn't want to bother arguing anyway.

After a moment of awkward silence, the two started walking in a general direction.

"You really thought I looked like a secret agent?"

"Yeah!" She bounced beside him. "Just like in all of those Con Mane movies!"

He grinned at a thought. "You know; I was in some of those movies."

"Really?!"

The two kept walking and talking, unaware of the commotion that was going on in the bushes behind them.

Rarity was barely stifling a scream of abject horror as all of her work was wasted.

Rainbow Dash was holding her down, preventing Rarity from killing Pinkie and blowing their cover.

And Twilight was quietly concentrating on taking notes. "Bowties...are...cool."

***

"...so not only was I a secondary character but after the actor playing the villain got in an accident I played him too and nopony was the wiser!"

"That's awesome!" Pinkie applauded. "Wasn't it hard?"

"It was when Princess Celestia showed up and asked for autographs."

The two shared a laugh as they passed the trees in the middle of the park. Mirror had been telling her about his missions when he was still a Changeling while she told him about her adventures with her friends and strangely enough to the both of them, they were having a pretty good time simply talking about past exploits and any other topic

They were still unaware of the Ponies following them.

"So they're just talking?" Twilight asked. "Is that all you do during a date?"

Dash grinned cheekily and was going to answer but was stopped by Rarity.

"Wait." She whispered. "Look."

The two had stopped walking and were looking up at the moon again.

"Do you ever miss it?"

"Miss what?"

"Being a Changeling."

Mirror's face was contorted in confusion. She noticed this and was about to recall her question when Mirror nodded slowly.

"As strange as it is; yes, well, some of the time."

He tried to put his thoughts into words. "I suppose I miss the morphing, I can't do that anymore which is a shame; not being able to become whatever you want. I don't have a hive link anymore so I can't just call the swarm with my mind." He looked back at his wings; clear as glass and if you looked close enough you could see the web of veins that ran out from the base. "I do miss not looking so ridiculous." He tugged on one of the feelers.

"So you do miss it." Pinkie hung her head, sad that one of the friends she cared about was not happy with himself.

Back in the bushes, Rarity was quietly dabbing at her eyes with a handkercheif she brought along and Twilight was filling out the last of her notebooks pages. "Drama is good for love..." Rainbow Dash, having lost interest, was asleep behind them.

"On the contrary."

Mirror tilted her head up with a hoof so she was facing him.

"It will take time to get used to this form and the fact that everything I have mentioned is gone as well." He shrugged plainly. "But with all of the friends I've made and everything that has happened for my race, I'm pretty happy anyways."

She was silent for a moment, taking in all that he had said. Mirror had become aware of the awkward silence and was about to say something else when Pinkie pulled Mirror into a hug and closed the gap between their faces. She stepped back a moment later, her face a very deep shade of pink.

She had kissed him. It had only been a little peck and only for a second but it had still been on the lips. Mirror stumbled backwards, his center of balance suddenly off-kilter. He was silent as he brought a non-hole-filled hoof to his lips.

"Mirror...?" She asked hesitantly. He didn't reply.

"Oh no." She fretted. "Was that to forward? It was wasn't it? I mean I thought it was the right time and that speech you just made was good and-"

Her rambling was silenced by Mirror who closed the gap once more, to the mare's eternal surprise. They broke apart and looked at each other.

"I...uh..." He mumbled, embarrassed by his own actions.

"I 'uh' you too." She replied, nuzzling him affectionately.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes. Mirror licked his lips in thought. He smiled crookedly.

"You do taste like cotton candy."

They waved to the bushed behind them.

"Was this enough for you and the girls, Rarity?"

"Hi Twilight! Hi Rainbow Dash!"

The bush behind them started to shake violently with sounds of surprise coming from within. Rarity climbed out, her mane and fur ruined by dirt and sticks.

"You knew that we were here all along?!"

"We sure did!" Pinkie chirped, bouncing on the spot.

"Well I didn't at first, Pinkie's still explaining this whole 'fourth wall' thing that she uses to see others and stuff to me."

"He learns so well." She stood up and ruffled his hair, earning another strangled squeak from the white unicorn. "What do you wanna do now?" She asked the Flutter Pony.

"I hear that the bowling alley has laser bowling now."

"Oooooooh! What's that?" She asked, getting excited.

"It's like normal bowling...but with lasers."

"Awesome!" She got down in a racing stance. "Race you to the alley, last one their pays for shoes!"

"you're on!" They shook hooves and Mirror turned to Rarity and Twilight who was emerging from the bush. "Sorry Rarity, Twilight but we still have a date to finish." He turned back and to his surprise, Pinkie was up in the air flying towards the rest of Ponyville on a strange flying machine.

"Oh it's on now!" He shot into the air after the pink pony leaving the three others behind.

Rarity stared at the sky, watching the two fly away into the night.

She ran a hoof through her mane knocking out the twigs and leaves that were stuck to it earlier and sighed, a faint smile on her face.

"Young love..."

Twilight came up behind her also watching the two happily soar through the air together. She looked down at her notebook; filled with information that had no scientific explanation. With a small flash of magic she tossed the notebook into the air and shot it with a magic bolt, sending pieces of burning paper raining down around them.

"That's it; I'm going back to learning about friendship."

"Don't worry Twilight, you'll learn."

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