Fluttershy could not get him out of her head.

No matter what she did to distract herself, her mind was continually focused on Noble Blade. Whether she was washing the dishes, feeding her animals, or reading up on caretaking techniques, she almost always had him in her mind. His luxurious, unkempt mane, his pale blue coat, his deep, sparkly eyes that she could get lost in all day, his warm, soothing voice--everything about him was just sooo tempting and cuddly.

She honestly wanted to be with him all the time. But every time he was in sight, or if the other girls were talking about him and the other two stallions, her mouth would shut, her body would tense, her tongue would twist up and become dry. Every spark of confidence to speak would either flee or become crippled and weak.

And yet at the same time she felt peace; she felt calm; she felt all the distractions and problems plaguing a worrisome pony like herself simply fade away. It was a great feeling, an intoxicating feeling, but it confused her. How could she be so tense and yet so calm at the same time? It didn't make any sense.

Then again, Discord had been visiting her for so long that she was now used to things not making sense.

Her thoughts then went to Discord. She didn't know how well Discord would handle the fact that she and Noble were about to go on a date.

Fluttershy had to pause then to giggle in excitement, still absolutely amazed that it was actually happening. She was going on a date! With Noble Blade! Her crush! Her life felt like it was at an apex of happiness.

But as for the moment, she was desperately anxious. She was waiting inside her cottage, playing with her hooves as she waited for...for him...to come and take her and make her happy for the night...and make her remember it for the rest of her life as one of the best nights she had ever had. But there was just so much to worry about!

"Oh...what if he doesn't come? No, no, of course he'll come, he said that he would...But what if he doesn't like what I'm wearing? Oh my goodness, I must look dreadful..."

Angel chose that moment to hop over and do a loud rapid-fire tapping on her dangling leg. Fluttershy looked down to see him glaring at her disapprovingly. She could see what he was trying to say. Like...like with Noble Blade and Freedom Fighter. Both of them were good at deciphering what a mute pony or creature was going to say. Were they more similar than they realized? More compatible? The thought made her tremble.

"Oh, you're right, Angel. I did spend two hours preparing myself. And...yeah. Noble has to like it, right?"

And speak of the devil, there came a knock at the door.

"Eep!" Fluttershy gasped, and hid behind the couch, shaking. "Is that him?" she asked Angel. "Go on, check."

Angel fixed her with a deadpanned look, then hopped over to the door. He hopped up and opened it to reveal an astonishing sight.

Noble Blade was indeed there, in an immaculately clean and tailored tuxedo, complimenting the pale blue of his coat and the rich blue of his mane. His mane was freshly washed and cleaned, and his face was spotless but anxious. In his teeth he held a fresh bouquet of white flowers. He was looking from side to side worriedly.

"Lu' er' y?" he called her name with the flowers in his mouth.

She could not see him, but she could hear him. Taking a second to gather her courage, she came out from behind the couch, feebly mumbling, "N-Noble?"

Upon seeing her, Noble's jaw dropped and the flowers fell out of his mouth. Before they hit the ground he numbly activated his magic and the flowers floated in midair. He could not comprehend the sight she was seeing.

She was in a simple low-cut sleeveless green dress that grew a lighter transparent shade as it reached her flank. The whole thing subtly sparkled in Noble's vision. Her coat was sleek and shiny, and her mane was in a thick braid behind her head. It coiled around her ears, cascaded down her neck, and fell to one side of her body, overlapping each other with little white and pink flowers at junctions of braids. Upon her seeing Noble, she had a similar reaction by dropping her jaw in surprise.

Both of them were quiet for a moment. They just looked at each other with their mouths open slightly.

"Um...I brought you f-flowers," Noble weakly said, breaking the silence. The flowers floated over to her, and she took them numbly in her wing.

She sniffed the flowers and was bathed in a myriad of sweet smells. She sighed happily, making Noble's heart start to play the snare drum.

"The flowers...have, uh, meanings," Noble tried to speak clearly. "Just...just, uh, look inside the bouquet."

She did. Inside was a card with a flower meanings key. The bouquet had white lilacs, white roses, and white camellias. And what the flowers meant made her heart jump.

The white lilacs, according to the key, meant "You are my first love."

The white roses meant "You're heavenly."

The white camellias meant "You're adorable."

She didn't know what to say. She felt like she was about to faint. She started to quake. Was she really his first love? He could have gone for anypony, and he chose her to be the one? And the fact that he had subtly called her adorable and heavenly...

"Fluttershy?"

The voice was muffled slightly, but it jolted her back to reality, and she shook her head. "Oh, I, um...I love them..." She sniffed them closely again, and she caught another smell.

It was the smell of Noble Blade. He had been around the flowers for so long that they had picked up his subtle scent of sweat and steel and something sweet she couldn't put a name to. It was absolutely intoxicating for her to even be around.

Reluctantly she set the flowers down, the scent still lingering and fresh.

"So...shall we go?" Noble asked nervously, reaching out a hoof and rubbing the back of his head. Fluttershy smiled. He was just so cute when he did that!

And after a moment Fluttershy put her trembling hoof in his. The warmth coming off of him made her want to never, ever, ever let go of him.

The flitting bird with an oversize front tooth settled in the nearby tree, snapped off a tree branch, and begun to pick his teeth with it.

When he was done, Discord tossed aside the branch nonchalantly and watched as Noble Blade and Fluttershy walked out of their house holding hooves. Discord scowled a little bit as he saw them.

He would be keeping an eye on them tonight, to make sure neither of them overstepped their boundaries. But he was also genuinely interested in Noble Blade. He had so far been pretty good. He'd shown up to her house with flowers. He was leading her by the hoof. So far so good.

But that was also the expected, normal thing to do. What about Noble Blade stuck out to Fluttershy? Discord had wracked his brains beforehand to think of it, and had decided to put Noble through a series of tests on his date. To make absolutely sure Fluttershy was for him. And if he wasn't meant for her, then Discord would instantly snap his fingers and he would be sent to the dimension of Tartarus.

Or he'd turn him into an iguana. Whichever he was feeling at the moment.

As they both walked into town, Noble Blade was feeling a little fuzzy in the head. The mere sight of Fluttershy had nearly made him faint. Was it even possible for so much beauty to be focused in one single pony? He was supposed to be keeping an eye on the trail ahead, but he more often than not found himself sneaking glances at Fluttershy instead. Once, while he was staring at her luxurious, braided mane, he caught Fluttershy looking at him as well. Immediately both of them looked away, a small blush on both their faces.

Was she looking at him?

Noble tried to clear his throat and make some comment that wasn't awkward. "You look absolutely stunning," he said anxiously. "Did Rarity help you get ready tonight?"

And he mentally cringed. Of course that was awkward.

But Fluttershy went beet red at the compliment. "Oh, um...thank you. R-Rarity did help, actually. She was able to get the dress done on short notice. And, um, the animals helped too. The birds especially were great in doing hair."

Noble swiveled his head in surprise. "Thou canst do that? Thou canst command the animal kingdom at thy will? Is all of nature truly thy permanent ally?" He tried with every fiber of his being not to gawk at Fluttershy. But her movements were too hypnotizing. "I, um...I...wast not aware of such a power."

He mentally slapped himself. He had slipped into the old archaic language again. Fluttershy wanted to understand him, didn't she? The optional way of talking was probably making it worse.

Fluttershy mumbled, "Well, um, it's more like they can understand me. I just absolutely love animals. If there's anything I would do for an animal's sake, I would do it. They're just so soft...and warm...and understanding...like you." That last part came out involuntarily and she "Eep"ed softly, blushing a heavy pink, and said embarrassedly, "I-I mean, um, y-you-oh, sorry! I didn't think you'd like being compared to an animal! You're so much more than that!" That last part made her blush again. When would she just learn to watch what she said?

"Actually, I don't really mind."

"What?" she said hopefully, looking at him. And she couldn't look away. He just looked so handsome! Especially with the moonlight on his face and shining in his mane! She just hoped he wouldn't look at her and catch her.

"Well, in my experience, I sometimes wish other ponies were like animals," he clarified, passing by a pair of raccoons chasing each other on the side of the road. "Animals don't have a preference they want you to have. All they expect out of you is companionship and care. They don't ask for much or demand for your other friends to change. Animals love you just the way you are." He looked shyly at Fluttershy as they entered the town. "So for me, to be compared to a fuzzy, cuddly animal is a high honor. It means care, and...and companionship, and unconditional l-love." He awkwardly looked away and rubbed the back of his mane. "So, um, don't apologize for your compliments."

Fluttershy felt warmth all over her body at his reassuring words, and she felt even better about herself than she did a moment before. Was Noble Blade always like that? Always so willing to reassure her and deflect doubt and make her feel better? She gave him a cute little smile, making him blush and look at the ground.

He was just so cute when he did that!

After walking for a little while they reached the Crystal Glass, the restaurant they were going to dine at. It was three stories tall and made of ornamental marble with a few tables outside under a protruding shade. Large, flawless windows filtered the golden light within, illuminating the streets. As they came near, they saw a shape lying in the streets the light showed.

"What's that?" Fluttershy asked, pointing at the shapeless mass.

Noble squinted at it, then widened his eyes. "I'm sorry, Fluttershy," he said briefly, and ran ahead of her to the shape on the ground, leaving her behind. Noble rolled the shape to the side and pushed aside his cloak.

It was a pony. An old, grey, white-maned wizened pony with a lined face and a fragile body. He was barely conscious.

"Sir? Sir, can you hear me?" Noble asked, waving a hoof in front of his face.

"Uhhh..." The wizened old pony opened his eyes with yellow irises slowly. "Who-" he got out before he coughed hard.

"Listen to me, sir. We're going to get you inside and warm. Can you tell me where you live? Where your house is?"

"Don't have...a home..." he managed to get out before descending once again into a coughing fit.

Noble's eyes held sympathy and sadness. "Can you stand?" he asked him.

He tried to, but barely could. Noble supported him by draping one of his arms over his shoulder, and hoisted him to a standing position. The two of them walked slowly to the entrance of the restaurant, where a massive doorpony stood by the entrance, barring the way. He held up a hoof to indicate no entry.

Noble fixed him a look. "He's with me. Allow him in."

"Sorry, sir. Only ponies with reservations." He was eyeing the old pony's cloak disdainfully.

Fluttershy, intrigued, came close over to the doors as well.

"Then I will pay for him," Noble insisted.

"Sorry, sir. Restaurant rules."

Noble Blade looked him in the face. "I will pay double the price of entry to allow this pony in for a good meal."

Upon hearing it, the doorpony's expression brightened. "Welcome in, sir," he said, holding open the door. Noble and the old pony limped forward, and Noble used his magic to levitate two bits out of his coat pocket and drop them in his hoof for a tip. Fluttershy followed at a respectful distance.

In the well-lit restaurant's lobby, Noble walked the pony to the entry desk. Spotting the look on the clerk's face, Noble explained, "I found this pony lying outside in the streets. He doesn't look very good. I want you to find the best available spot for him, and put him there. Give him anything he asks for, and keep his glass full. When he's done, send his bill to me, and I'll pay for him." He drew out sixteen bits, double the price of entry, and put it in a precarious tower of coins on the desk.

The clerk looked at it, surprised, then clambered out from behind his desk. "Welcome to the Crystal Glass," he said to the old, ragged beggar. "I'll show you to your table, if you'll follow me..."

The old pony looked behind him with a look of pure joy at Noble Blade as he was being led away.

Fluttershy came beside him, almost overcome at what he had done. "You...you just did that for him? Even though it meant leaving my side..."

"He needs food more than I need my money," Noble explained as he watched the old pony be led away. "And while it hurt to leave your side, it hurt even more to watch him suffer in the streets and not do anything." He put a hoof around
Fleuutershy, and she almost melted at the warm, firm touch. "But now I can treat you to the night you deserve, Fluttershy. Nothing will deter me."

The old pony was seated and promised a full plate by the clerk, who then scurried off to find a waiter. The old pony watched him go, then Discord made a little growl of annoyance.

He had tried to test Noble to see if he was willing to stop his date to help somepony he had never seen before. He had passed, unfortunately. It was supposed to be a lose-lose situation. If he had stayed with Fluttershy, he'd be neglecting the needy. If he'd helped him, he'd leave Fluttershy alone. But he should have known that Fluttershy would see the best in him for helping Discord in disguise. Discord silently cursed himself.

Time for the second test.

Their spot was near a window that gave a good open view of Rarity's boutique. As the clerk gave them their table, trotting off afterwards, Noble Blade pulled out Fluttershy's seat.

"Um...thanks..."Fluttershy said with a smile as she sat down. He was such a gentlecolt!

"You're welcome," Noble said simply. He sat down next and immediately placed his napkin upon his lap.

"I was just wondering..." Fluttershy said, circling her hoof on the table, "...Where do you get your money? I haven't seen you work."

"The money?" Noble asked, then smiled sheepishly. "I don't actually want or need most of the money I have by being a Guardian of the Sun and from my payments from the Dragon lands."

"Y-you went to the D-dragon lands?" Fluttershy asked in surprise.

"Yes I did. And I'm the rare exception where I'm on good terms with them." Out of the corner of his mouth he muttered, "Well, most of them." He continued. "Me and the other Guardians went there to help stop a civil war from brewing there when Dragon Lord Torch was ruler. And while I was there I managed to save him and his daughter Ember from an assassination attempt. They felt the need to uncharacteristically reward me, and two years later I'm still receiving reimbursements from them every month. Add that to the ridiculously high salary I get from Celestia, and you start to not want a quarter billion bits in your bank account."

Fluttershy's eyes dilated to pinpricks and her wings suddenly extended with a poof in surprise. "I'm sorry...d-did you say...a quarter billion bits?"

Noble spotted the look on her face and hurriedly added, "Well, not-not anymore!" He certainly didn't want to give off the impression to her that he was stuck-up and selfish and rich. "I didn't need that much money in my account and I didn't want it. In my experience, I noticed that if you're rich, you think you're better than everyone else. So I didn't want it corrupting my ego to the point where I'd be like those stuffed shirts in Canterlot." He jabbed a hoof behind him out the window, where the distant shape of Canterlot stood silhouetted against the night sky. "So, to let my account have some breathing room, and to deflate myself--and because I figured others needed it more than I did--I began to impart of my substance anonymously to others. Soup kitchens, charities, the aspiring young businesspony just starting out..." He paused, knowing Fluttershy would like what he had to say next. "Animal shelters."

"You donate to animal shelters?" Fluttershy asked excitedly, drawing herself up suddenly. He was that good of a pony and she hadn't known about it?

Resisting the urge to stare at her back, especially with such an enticing color in her eyes, he gulped and said, "Yes...and my family actually adopted a pet as well when I was young."

"Ooh! What kind of pet?" she asked with a smile, then, realizing she had put her face closer to Noble's across the table, she leaned back, suddenly nervous. Why was she nervous around such an amazing guy? "I-I mean, if that's okay with you..."

Noble smiled. "A wolf."

Before Fluttershy could say anything to that response, their waiter had appeared by their side. "Welcome to the Crystal Glass, how's everyone doing tonight?" she asked in a deadpan voice, heavy and tired.

"I couldn't be better," Noble said, and looked like he meant it. "I intend on making this a night both of us will enjoy, and it's going great so far."

"Uh huh," the waitress replied, shaking her black mane to the side and pulling out a notepad from her apron. "Have you decided on a drink yet?"

"Ginger ale. The finest you can offer," Noble said. Then he checked a glance at Fluttershy. "If it's okay with you, I mean."

"Oh, um...yeah. That's fine," Fluttershy said demurely.

"All right. One bottle of ginger ale." The waitress jotted something down on the last page, then tore it out and crumpled it up and left it on the floor at Noble's chair. She disappeared before either of them could question her strange action.

Fluttershy recovered from the initial shock of what he had said. "D-did you say...you have a wolf as a pet?"

"Had," Noble corrected. He used his magic to pick up the piece of litter the waitress had dropped and placed it in his lap. "She was my foalhood playmate that Strong Heart gave to my family one Hearth's Warming. She was one of my closest companions when I was growing up. She was always friendly to me--never bit me. Well, hard. And when I didn't try to take away her food bowl away from her when she wasn't done."

Fluttershy laughed. The idea of growing up with a wolf that was your ally was one that Fluttershy had, but could imagine quite clearly. Her own animals were good enough to hang around, even the predators like bears. Did that mean...was Noble good with animals too? How much better could he get if he was? He was already such an amazing pony!

"She played with me and let me ride her when I was bored. But only when I was small, right? Imagine me on a wolf now!"

"You'd squash him," Fluttershy giggled.

Noble lost his breath upon hearing her giggle, and momentarily forgot what he was going to say next. "...Uh...well, Strong Heart wanted all of us in my family to grow up to become the top of the line. His motto for everything he did in life was "Stronger, Faster, Braver." He wanted all of us to adopt that mindset as well. That we needed to become molded into the ponies we are now because of our experiences we've been through in life. He got us the wolf believing we'd become better ponies around her. We'd lose our fear around her. We'd become braver around the things that scare us normally."

"Did it work?" Fluttershy asked with interest.

"I hope it did," Noble responded. "Because I want to respect my fears and face them down and never back down from a challenge when it's presented. The wolf helped with that for me. She was one of my best friends." He looked down. "Until she died, of course."

Fluttershy felt something inside of her break apart upon hearing it. She put a hoof to her mouth. "Oh, what happened?" she asked worriedly.

"She lived a long and happy life," Noble replied. "But I prefer to focus more on Amaria's life, rather than her death."

"Amaria?" Fluttershy asked. "Was that her name?"

Noble Blade nodded. "You would have loved her. She was playful and loved everyone that was around her and loved her back. I..." He broke off his sentence when he felt something soft rest upon his hoof. He looked down and noticed it was Fluttershy holding her hoof on top of his. He stopped breathing for just a second. Fluttershy was touching his hoof!

"Oh, Noble...you are a good pony, do you know that? You don't have to get stronger, or faster, or braver than you are now. You're already so great!"

Noble gulped. Trying to speak legibly, he said, "No. I-I always have room for improvement in myself."

"You're good enough," she affirmed in a serious voice. "That's what most ponies can dream of."

Noble tried to think clearly at that. This wasn't happening. Here was the most flawless pony he'd ever seen, telling him he was good enough?

The waitress came back before he could reply, making Fluttershy hurriedly retract her hoof and look at it shyly with her head down. The waitress had a bottle of ginger ale in a bucket of glistening ice in her mouth. She set it down on the table with her teeth and sighed.

Noble, eager for something to say, said, "Long day?" sympathetically.

"You have no idea," the grey waitress said. She spotted the piece of paper in his lap and leaned in close to him. "You were supposed to read that," she said through gritted teeth.

Raising an eyebrow, Noble unwittingly uncrumpled the paper. On it was flowery text reading Why have a filly like her when you can have a mare like me?

Noble glanced at the mare disapprovingly. She seemed to snuggle up next to him, grinding her hip against him seductively. She flashed him a wink and a smile, aware completely of Fluttershy's very close presence across the small table.

"Ma'am, please get off of me," he said loud enough for Fluttershy to hear him. She could only stare in shock at the awful scene in front of her.

"What're you complaining about, handsome?" the waitress whispered. She reached around him and started to rub his shoulders slowly, moving in small circles. "Don't you want a real mare to love?"

"My heart belongeth to only one," Noble said firmly. "And I regret to inform you that it is not thee."

"Mmm," the mare hummed. "Speaking fancy. A fancy tongue..."

Noble held up a hoof to bar her off. "If thou shalt continue, we shall leave this instant without payment," he threatened her harshly. "Release me and come no more upon me."

Giving him a wavering, sad look in her eyes, but noticing the cold look Noble was giving her, the waitress got off of him.

Noble continued to look at her for just a second, then said, "Now, I believe I'll have the potato soup, please," as if nothing had happened. He looked at Fluttershy's distressed face and felt concern bite at his insides. "And...my date would like the same?" he asked, swallowing a nervous taste in his mouth.

Fluttershy numbly nodded, overcome at what had happened. Somepony had tried to molest him! Her date! And in front of her as well? Was she really not worth their feelings?

As the waitress was moving away, Noble called out to her. "Excuse me, ma'am?" he asked.

The waitress turned around with half-lidded eyes, biting her lip at him. "Yes?" she asked softly.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't try to talk like that to me. I can understand you might not be in the best mood right now, but I am asking you to stop it now before things get out of hoof." His eyes grew a tad softer. "But I'm willing to move past it if you are."

The mare shrugged and trotted off in the direction of the kitchen, swaying her hips and bouncing her tail in Noble's direction. Noble looked at her for a minute to make certain she would' try anything, then turned to face Fluttershy's saddened expression. She was on the verge of tears as she heaved her chest, ready to sob.

Noble reached across the table and took Fluttershy's hoof in his, wrapping it around softly but firmly. Flutter shy stopped her heavy breathing and looked to Noble. He was holding a somber look in his eyes. "Please, think no ill of me or her. I doth not ask for this, and I wish to forget it quickly. I ask thy forgiveness for my participance in the matter, and I shall gladly make reparations the best I can."

Hearing Noble's voice reassured her better than the words he was speaking, and Fluttershy nodded, biting her lip.

The dark grey mare with a black mane moved out of eyesight and earshot of the couple and reached out, pulled out of thin air two bowls of steaming potato soup, and hurriedly placed them on a nearby cart with a clatter. She glanced back at the back of Noble's head and stuck out her tongue in disgust, rubbing a hoof along its length to try and cleanse it. Out of all the things Discord had ever done in his long, immortal life, changing into a mare and trying to seduce Noble Blade was definitely one of the ones he never wanted to do again.

It would be worth it in the end, however. He was testing Noble to see how he treated the more promiscuous mares that only saw him as a prize. If he treated them with respect, it would harm Fluttershy's feelings, and Discord would blast him to smithereens. If he pushed them off and refused their advances, he wouldn't be kind, and consequently, wouldn't be worthy of Fluttershy, and he would blow Noble to pieces.

Discord smirked at the thought as he pushed the cart holding their dishes back to the despised couple sitting at that table near the window. He reached them just as he heard Noble cooing soft words of measurement to the distraught mare. He put their dishes down in front of them and whispered with a sultry and satisfied tone, "Now...you all just...enjoy your meal..." He started to trot away to continue to spy on them, certain he had won.

"A moment before you go, ma'am?" Noble's voice rang out like a bell. Discord, slightly more satisfied, turned to watch Noble try to defend himself from the fate that he deserved for trying to date Fluttershy.

But he didn't. He instead used his magic to levitate twenty bits out of his coin pouch and placed it on the table's edge, waiting for Discord to collect it.

Discord raised his eyebrows, interested in what it was. "You paying beforehoof?" she asked.

"No, ma'am. That's your tip."

Discord's eyes bulged. He had no use for money, being able to conjure whatever he needed out of thin air, but he wasn't surprised because he was getting money. He was surprised at Noble's generosity and kindness to a mare that had tried to harm his relationship with Fluttershy and embarrass him in front of his crush. Why was he doing this? "That's...a rather large tip for such a little job," Discord observed, trying to keep his voice husky. "Are you sure I can't give you a little...tip as well?" He flashed him a wink. And he mentally cringed and screamed a desire to go away and die in peace and not be seen like this by anyone.

"Well, you said it yourself," Noble told him, choosing to ignore the suggestive pun. "You've just had a bad day. You're not doing all that well. You've been feeling bad over the last few days, right? Something's come up that's made it so you're not doing good."

Discord nodded. How was he able to find out how Discord had been feeling and not the waitress?!

"The least I can do is to help you," Noble Blade was saying. "Cheer you up. I can help you pay your mortgage this month, maybe, is what I thought. I don't need a reason in particular to try to help you if you're feeling bitter and confused." He smiled. "That plus the record speed in which you were able to serve us. I couldn't believe how fast you were able to get our soup! I haven't seen anyone that fast since the flying competition a while back!"

Discord chuckled, still looking at the hefty tip waiting for him. "I-I can't accept this. I'm only allowed twenty percent of the meal cost, not...not the cost of the meal itself!" He let out a single exhale of laughter in the final words of his sentence.

Noble winked. "I'm not the best at math," he whispered in a hushed voice. "Just go along with it, all right?"

Acting reluctant, Discord slowly pocketed the money in his apron. He then decided to act demure and squeezed his head inside his shoulders. "Are you, um...still mad at me?" he asked, his voice going up an octave.

"Well, why would I be?" Noble asked with surprise. He waved a hoof. "It never does anyone any good to remember bad experiences, right? So...yeah. I've accepted that you did something bad to me, but I want to move past that. I don't want to remember you for the bad things you did. I want to remember you as a pony I helped out and advance in life." He leaned forward, ignoring the look of realized shock now present on Discord's face. "You. Are not. A bad. Pony. You're just...a little confused about the direction you're heading right now. Yes, you acted a little rashly, but...I don't see the bad in you. I only try to look for the good in you because if I do, I find it.. So please. Look for the good in others. Look for the good in yourself by doing good for others."

Discord felt every word hit him like a punch to the gut. Noble's words cut him to the very center, made him realize his own guilt and the realization of what he had done over the course of the night. How ironic it was that Discord, while trying to make sure Noble didn't hurt Fluttershy, was actually the one that had hurt her the most. Hadn't Discord tried to embarrass him in front of her?

And all of a sudden, he saw clearly. Noble Blade was right! Right about...seeing the good in others...and treating them like decent ponies, even if they've done things the other may not have liked. Didn't Noble get into Discord's life too suddenly because of Discord's friend Fluttershy and offend him that way? Wasn't Discord trying to ruin another relationship Fluttershy had, like before with Tree Hugger at the Gala? And when he realized that, he realized something else, something earth-shattering to his otherwise fine perceptions.

The problem wasn't with Noble Blade dating Fluttershy. The problem was with Discord, and Discord was the one feeling lost and afraid. Discord had failed to see the good in Noble Blade because he was so focused on what he had been offended by, rather than what Noble was doing for his closest friend. Fluttershy was happy around him. Fluttershy was bubbly, and giggly, and a livelier pony because of him. And by trying to take away the stallion making her happy, he was hurting his friendship with her.

He was just a little confused. Gulping and feeling his eyes get a little wet, he said, still in the waitress disguise, "T-th-thank you, s-sir. You've...you've given me a lot to think about...and...and a lot to change about myself as well. I-I'll go now. Enjoy your d-date..."

And he galloped off, guilt piercing him like a spear.

Noble and Fluttershy watched their waitress run away on the verge of sobbing. Fluttershy turned to Noble and softly asked, "Why was she so...peculiar?"

"I can only guess," Noble said. "She's had a long day. She's not thinking right. We should just ignore her." He picked up his spoon with his magic and took a sip of flavored soup. His eyes rolled to the side. "O-o-o-ohhh, that's good," he said, entranced. "Taste it, Fluttershy. It's amazing!"

She did. The soup was very warm and creamy, with a few solid chunks of potato or celery or onion in her mouth. She let out a low, deep hum of pleasure. "Oh, that's sooo tasty..."

From that point on they were uninterrupted. They both started to talk, and before long they barely paid any attention to the soup, even though it was simply amazing to the taste. The conversation was even better. Fluttershy told stories, at the request of Noble Blade, about her bravery at times past, and Noble listened intently, asking the occasional question to clarify an event, or giving a summary at the end of it to see if he had gotten it right.

"So you're telling me," Noble said several stories later, pouring her another glass of ginger ale, "that even though you're the shy one in your group of friends, and the sweetest one, too..." (Fluttershy blushed at that) "You managed to walk, unarmed, up to a manticore like it was no threat to you at all, scold down a dragon sleeping in a mountaintop cave, stare down a cockatrice, play with Cerberus himself and get him to like you, And tame the very essence of chaos itself." He paused for a moment, then said, "I think that makes my accomplishments look paltry in comparison."

"Oh, no!" she quickly said. "Don't hold your accomplishments for nothing, Noble!" She then realized that she did that same thing, and she corrected herself. "I-I mean, um, it's okay to be humble, but it's also okay to think good about yourself at the same time! I-I don't even know what you've done yourself!"

Noble's ears perked up and he smiled. "Would you like to hear some of my mission stories?"

Fluttershy leaned forward in interest, her magnificent turquoise eyes sparkling. "Ooh! I'd love to hear some of those!"

Clearing his throat and trying not to get lost in that beautiful color he saw in her eyes, he began, "Well, I suppose I should start with the rescue from Midnight Castle..."

And he told her all of his missions that he knew would make good stories to listen to. From the dire rescue from the dark spires of Midnight Castle, to his ride with the mythical Saracen in Saddle Arabia. From his preventing of a criminal mastermind from poisoning an entire town's water supply by disguising himself as a seedy merchant, to even him and his friends messing up the Skyworld mission so badly they all collectively agreed to never try that again.

As he finished up Skyworld's mission and how Firestorm destroyed something rather important, Fluttershy burst into a giggling fit that made the insides of his stomach churn and dance in happiness. "Oh...Ohoohoohoo...that was rather funny for you, wasn't it? B-But not for F-firestorm!" She giggled again.

Noble laughed along too. "It's when a pony realizes the mistakes he's made that he sees himself clearly," he uttered.

"Oh wow...I've never known you could be this entertaining," she said, staring at him in wonder. She then let out another laugh, remembering how Noble had described Firestorm's actions. "And...and the way you talked about Firestorm...that was so funny! Do you two really act like that all the time?"

"All the gentle teasing and ribbing and the overexaggerated actions we do?" he clarified. He nodded. "Yes. Yes we do. I think the exception would be when we're dealing with a serious personal issue." He took a sip of ginger ale, the soda fizzing softly as he set it down again. "And even then we wouldn't take ourselves too seriously. That's what happens when you hang out around Firestorm and the friendship you form with him in the heat of combat." He sighed. "I'm so glad to have met them, you know. Both of them. They've taught me so much and molded me into the pony I am today, and I will be forever grateful for that."

"What did they teach you?" Fluttershy asked, playing with her mane's end over the side of her body.

"Firestorm taught me to not adopt the locked-jaw, complete-insistence on perfection I used to have. I took my father's motto of "Stronger, Faster, Braver," too seriously, I think. I used to be deathly serious and pushing myself to the absolute limit each and every single day to improve myself. But Firestorm...taught me to relax. He taught me to joke, and I've been surprised by the wisdom gentle humor can provide."

Fluttershy tried to imagine a humorless Noble Blade. It was proving to be harder than she thought. He just oozed goodness out of his body, out of every pore. Him without his humor would be like Fluttershy without being shy.

"And Freedom Fighter...well, for starters, he taught me the Equestrian Sign Language." He gave a brief exhale of laughter. Then he looked at his empty soup bowl distantly. "But he also taught me that the world isn't paradise."

"He certainly seems really strange," Fluttershy commented. "He keeps a lot of secrets to himself that we don't know about. He hasn't even taken that bodysuit of his off him the entire time I've seen him."

"That's his own choice," Noble said hurriedly. "If he wants to be private, it's okay by me."

"Why doesn't he take it off?" she asked curiously.

Noble coughed. "He has his own reasons for the things he does. I won't pressure him otherwise."

"Oh, okay..." she said. "I can understand that. What did he teach you?"

Noble took a moment before responding. "In everything we've ever been through, in the furthest corners of the world and in the darkest holes of strife and war, we have witnessed that many ponies live in fear and oppression by the shadowy beasts of evil beasts and political corruption, and have consequently realized that the very essence of peace and friendship is always under attack, but when you face the world with a steadfast, firm stance--and more importantly, if you stand beside a friend who will always be there for you--you will always conquer the evil that surrounds you, whatever it may be."

All Fluttershy could think to say then was, "You know, it's amazing that you managed to fit all of that in one sentence."

"I did?" Noble blinked in surprise. "Wow. I, uh, suppose I'm better at talking than I thought." They both laughed.

It was only a short time later that they got up to leave. Noble paid the bill, leaving an unnecessarily large stack of bits near the slip of paper. They both walked over to the front desk, softly lit by candlelight.

"That old pony I came in with," Noble told the clerk. "Where is he? I'd like to pay his bill and offer him a room in Twilight's castle."

"Actually, sir, he disappeared after we settled him in," the clerk said, scratching his mane in confusion. "I don't know how he left or even why."

Noble's face looked frantic. "But did he eat?" he pressured. "I want to know; did he leave full and happy?"

"He did," a voice said behind him. Noble, Fluttershy, and the clerk turned their heads to see their dark grey waitress standing there, a shy smile on her face and an empty cart next to her. "I served him the best he could offer, sir. After that he put them all in a takeout case and left the restaurant into the streets."

"Where's his bill?" Noble asked, drawing out his pouch of bits.

"Already paid for, sir," the dark grey waitress replied quickly. "I paid it for him."

Noble froze, the bag of bits still suspended in the air.

"I used the...exuberant tip you gave me to pay for him to eat," the waitress continued, playing with her black mane. "And...that wasn't the, um, only tip you gave me, you know..." She looked shameful.

"You mean...the advice I gave you about seeing the good in everypony?" Noble clarified slowly.

She nodded. "Yeah...I saw the good in you when you forgave me for what I had done. And that...that made me realize that I needed to focus on what's right with ponies, rather than on what I don't like about them. And as a result...I wanted to show the good in myself and make it easier for others to see the good in me. By helping that poor lost stranger." She looked and sounded somber and morose, but was there something else in the way she talked? It seemed to be a little more...personal. Like there was a double meaning to what she was saying.

Whatever it was, Noble didn't notice. His face lit up with a bright grin. "Well done then, ma'am! I congratulate you on learning something tonight. But I also learned something as well."

"...And what did you learn?" the waitress asked innocently.

Noble glanced briefly at Fluttershy, looking magnificent in her soft thin green dress and her thickly braided pink mane draped to the side. He then gently, almost unsure of himself, laid his arm around her shoulders. "I've learned who the most beautiful creature in Equestria is," he told Fluttershy.

It took her a moment to realize he was talking about her! She gasped and held a hoof to her mouth, a wavering smile spreading across her face. Did he just say that about her? And did he really mean it? He said it so kindly and softly...

The waitress looked tiredly reluctant at his words, but she nodded too. "I...hope you two will be happy," Discord said, surrendering at last. There was simply no point to resisting their bonds anymore.

"With him by my side, I'll always be," Fluttershy said abruptly. She re-clamped a hoof to her mouth like she had let loose a bad word, and Noble blushed deeply. They both turned and left the restaurant, lost in what the other had said. And as they left, Discord sniffled a bit.

The pony moved swiftly through the night like a barn owl. Silent and swift and deadly. He cast his eyes about him as he slid into a building's shadow effortlessly.

He needed to find what he was looking for. The only problem was that what he sought wasn't available at night. And even if he found it, it'd be hard for him to explain why he needed to buy it at night.

But it would be worth it once he'd delivered it to the pony he had in mind.

He spotted a couple walking up the street near where he was. It was Noble Blade--walking alongside the Element of Kindness. The two of them looked so happy together as they walked along. No words needed to be spoken to understand the obvious pleasure they took in each other's company.

The pony moved deftly out of detection range. They passed by him without a glance in his direction, neither one aware of his presence. He waited until he could no longer hear the clop of their hooves on the dirt road. Then he scaled p the side of a building and ran across the hay-thatched roof to the stone chimney atop it. There he assumed a perch for him to observe all of Ponyville, keeping his eyes open for what he needed to get.

Noble Blade walked Fluttershy back to her home in the dark night. Both of them were silent, remembering each word the other had spoken at the dinner. They treasured the words, fondled them, observed them from every angle.

After a while Noble snuck a glance at Fluttershy as they walked back in silence. The light the moon provided seemed to all focus around her, giving her a slightly-visible aura of shining moonlight. The white flowers seemed to shine in contrast to the pink of her mane, and her low-cut green dress seemed to sparkle even more. Noble found he couldn't look away from her, no matter how much he silently reminded himself to focus on the trail ahead.

Fluttershy noticed this and stopped. "What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

Noble shook his head in order to clear it. "N-nothing. I just- " He faltered for a bit. Finally he took a deep breath and, taking a risk, said, "I'm admiring the angelic being I'm walking home."

Fluttershy blushed yet again and giggled happily. "Oh, Noble...you embarrass me! You think too highly of me!"

"I think of you only as much as you deserve," Noble responded. "And you deserve to be the manifestation of sheer beauty itself."

She blushed even harder. "But...am I really that beautiful?"

"Prove to me that you are not," he said to her.

She had no answer to that.

Eventually he walked her across the bridge spanning the creek and took her to the front door. Fluttershy could feel her internal temperature rising. It was the climax of the night. It was the climax of every date night that ever was.

Noble felt an inner clamminess clamp his insides. All right now. This is it. This is the time. Tell her it. Tell her you love her. Do it. Do it now, Noble! Come on! What are you waiting for? But he couldn't bring himself to even open his mouth.

Noble was relieved when it was Fluttershy that said the first word. "Thank you so much for the date, Noble," she said, barely above a whisper. "I, um...I loved it..." And she silently wished she could say more than that to him. Much, much more than that.

"Did I really do that good?" Noble asked. "I wasn't disappointing?" All that mattered to him was that Fluttershy was happy with him.

"Well, I, um, was actually kind of scared at first," she admitted. "I mean, being in such a big place, and with every pony watching, and with me worrying about being a good date for you..." She rubbed her front leg up and down nervously. "But being with you...gave me courage, I guess. I should have been scared to death, but being around you...it made me feel better."

Noble couldn't believe his ears. Being around Fluttershy made her strong? What did that mean for him?

"I felt...better. Braver. More confident. I was comfortable around you." She leaned in closer. They were eye to eye now. "Like, really comfortable," she continued.

Noble's heart was pounding like a hammer on an anvil. This was the time. Right here. Right now. He needed to tell her he loved her with all the power in the universe he could muster.

And before she knew what she was doing, Fluttershy had come to Noble's face and planted a kiss on his cheek. She pulled away after one second.

Noble's face registered a mix of complete surprise and pleasant shock. He stood stock-still, his mouth agape and his pupils pinpricks.

And that was when the full realization of what she had done came rushing into Fluttershy like a tidal wave. Her face turned the color of a ripe apple and she started to quake like a building without its supports. She didn't know where to look, what to say, what to do. She whispered, "Oh...oh, um...uh...s-sorry."

Noble did not move an inch.

"Um...g-g-goodnight," she whispered, and ran into her house abruptly and slammed the door.

There she lay against her door, panting hard, her mind reeling from what she had just done. Half a dozen chipmunks and birds gathered around her almost instantly, curious about where she had gone.

"I kissed him..." she said breathlessly. Her head was still a little clouded and foggy. She put a hoof over her heart. It pounded like a bass drum. Then her features lit up as a smile crossed her face. "I kissed him!" she exclaimed, and she wandered into her living room and collapsed into her long green couch. She giggled and drew a pillow closer to her chest. She hugged it with all of her strength, drunkenly pretending it was Noble Blade.

A few animals came onto the couch, all curious about her condition. But only Angel, who had spied on them through the window, knew exactly what had happened. He had on a small smirk as he held back a few raccoons by their tails from jumping on Fluttershy.

Fluttershy sighed in pleasure as she hugged the pillow harder. A few butterflies landed around her head like a halo, and as she took a deep breath she caught the scent of something intoxicating to her.

It was the flowers Noble had given her earlier. The collection of white flowers were placed in a pitcher of water in the center of the room, at the behest of Angel after they had left.

And the smell only reminded her more of the amazing pony she loved with all of her being.

Noble Blade was speechless. His cheek was still warm from where her lips had been.

She had kissed him!

After a moment he numbly put a hoof to his face, belatedly registering the otherwise obvious fact. He had been granted the highest gift a lowly mortal like him could ever get.

A kiss from Fluttershy. It meant more to him than the Pink Heart of Courage, of which he had two.

He didn't remember the walk back to the castle. All he knew was that when he had closed the door to his room he threw himself upon his bed and breathed, "She kissed me..."

He felt unnaturally hot. He didn't need blankets, so he kicked them off. He then took one of his pillows and snuggled up next to it, imagining it was the beautiful golden pegasus.

"Fluttershy..." he mumbled, and fell asleep. He had a happy dream.