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“Hey Bow,” the message read. “You should come out tonight with me, Seahawk, and Perfuma. We’re going to blow off steam, grab a bite to eat, and go dancing. Join us, or don’t. Whatever. - Mermista”
“Count me in! It’s a date!” Bow quickly replied, typing on his tablet.
“A double date, even,” was the quick response.
“Bow, who are you texting?” Glimmer asked, teleporting down to stand next to him, trying to peer over his shoulder despite his much greater height.
“Mermista!” he said with a smile. “She invited me out tonight for a double date with her and Seahawk and Perfuma!”
Glimmer paused for a moment. “Do you know which one is actually YOUR date, Bow?”
“Well...” he started and then stopped. He furrowed his brows. “Well, Mermista and Seahawk have their... thing going on.”
“But so do you and Seahawk,” Glimmer insisted. “And so do Mermista and Perfuma, if you think about it.” While Bow pondered this quandary, Glimmer went on, “I’m going to get Adora in here, see what she thinks.” She teleported out of the room, then back in with Adora at her side.
“What was so urgent, Glimmer?” Adora asked. “Did you get more information about the old Princess Alliance? Another mission from Queen Angella? What do we need to do?” She already had her sword in hand, ready to transform into She-Ra at a moment’s notice.
“No, this is WAY more urgent than any of that,” Glimmer said, “Bow has a double date tonight.”
Adora’s eyes widened. “With who?”
Bow flushed. “With Perfuma and Mermista and Seahawk. Or maybe with Seahawk and Mermista and Perfuma. I’m pretty sure it’s not with Mermista and Perfuma and Seahawk. But maybe...” he trailed off, scratching his head in thought.
“You don’t know?” Adora asked. “But you have to find out! Can you just... ask her, without making it awkward?”
Glimmer winced. “Zero percent chance. There’s no way to ask Mermista without making it awkward, for sure. If it isn’t awkward to begin with, she’ll make it awkward.”
“Okay, okay... I could text all three of them and say ‘Looking forward to tonight!’ and see what they say,” Bow suggested, sitting down in the middle of the couch. Glimmer and Adora took the seats on either side of him, both watching over his shoulder and giving suggestions on his message.
A few minutes passed before anyone texted back; all three of them jumped when Bow’s tablet chimed to announce the arrival of a new message.
“Me too!” was Perfuma’s simple reply.
“It will be quite an adventure!” Seahawk sent.
“Yeah, whatever,” Mermista replied.
Bow groaned and rested his head on his hands. “That’s not helpful at all!”
Adora stood and began to pace. “Maybe you can just figure it out once you’re actually on the date? Maybe it’ll be easier then,” she suggested. “Just see how they act with you once you’re actually there.” She paused. “Also, what’s a double date?”
Glimmer burst out laughing. “Okay, have you ever been on a regular date?” Adora shook her head. “It’s like, uh, when there’s someone you want to be romantic with, you go out alone and spend time together and do romantic stuff! And usually you dress up nice, and you hold hands, and you kiss! And then a double date is just like doing that but with another couple on a date too.”
Adora tilted her head in confusion. “Okay, I guess. I’m afraid I’m probably not going to be much help in this situation.”
Glimmer gasped, and grabbed both of her friends’ arms. “I have a BRILLIANT idea,” she squealed. “Adora and I will pretend to be on a date too! We’ll just ‘coincidentally’ go to the same places as you four go, and we’ll help you figure it out!”
Adora blushed and Bow paled. “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” they both tried to insist at the same time.
“No, it’ll be perfect! Just you wait and see,” she said proudly. “Now what is everyone going to wear?”
Adora looked down at her usual outfit. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing now?” Bow and Glimmer shook their heads in unison. “Well, can’t I just go as She-Ra?” Another shake of their heads, a disapproving look.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do!” Glimmer exclaimed before diving in to her closet and digging through the dresses piled up on the floor.
By the time the designated time rolled around, all three had settled on their outfits. Bow, in a teal wrap crop top and deep violet leggings, checked the details Mermista had sent him earlier. “Looks like we’re meeting up outside the castle, going to Chez Spritina for dinner, and then going to Club Sprocket for dancing.”
Glimmer twirled in excitement, her pink circle skirt flaring out as she spun. “We’ll have to leave the castle after you do, but make sure everyone else doesn’t see us.”
Adora’s ears perked up. “Following without being seen? Now THAT, I can help with. Maybe I won’t be so bad at this after all.” She awkwardly tugged at the black sheath dress she wore, stepping back and forth on high heeled shoes.
When the time came, Bow stepped out of the castle doors to see Mermista, Perfuma, and Seahawk assembled, waiting, joking. He steeled himself and went to join them. “Hey guys!” he greeted. “Are you all ready to get your date on!” he laughed, trying to defuse the awkwardness he felt.
“Yeah, let’s go,” Mermista said, taking the lead, walking out past the castle guards and into the city proper.
Bow watched carefully to see if she stayed closer to Seahawk or Perfuma; it didn’t seem like she showed any clear preference to one or the other. He walked behind the rest, shooting one desperate look back at the castle before catching up.
After they’d made it a safe distance from the castle, Adora nudged Glimmer and said, “Alright, we should be safe to go now; I don’t think they’ll see us if we follow from here.” Both tried to keep an eye on the other group from their location, but they couldn’t get close enough to really make a call one way or the other without being noticed. When Mermista’s group reached the restaurant, Adora and Glimmer waited outside so that they could be sure they’d be seated far away from the other group.
Mermista, in a silvery-blue dress that draped elegantly to the floor, lead Bow, Perfuma, and Seahawk to a table that had already been set aside for them. She sat first, taking one corner of the rectangular table, and looked expectantly at the rest. Bow blushed, unsure of where to sit, and gestured for Seahawk and Perfuma to sit first.
Perfuma giggled and said, “So gentlemanly!” She took the seat across from Mermista, making sure the ruffles of her green tulle skirt weren’t wrinkled as she sat. Seahawk sat next to Mermista, taking off his black crushed velvet jacket and draping it across the back of the chair as he did so. Bow gulped as he took the last seat - across from Seahawk and next to Perfuma - this wasn’t helpful at all, he thought.
While they ordered drinks and appetizers, Adora and Glimmer sat on the opposite side of the restaurant and quickly hid behind the menus the waitress handed them. “Okay, what do we do now?” Adora hissed, trying to keep her voice low.
“Now we watch them! And we eat!” Glimmer laughed, “I was thinking about getting the forest berry salad, but now that I see the cloud pepper omelette...”
Adora peeked over her menu to look at Bow. “What do you think so far?” she asked. “It’s kind of hard to tell from where they’re sitting.”
Glimmer hummed for a moment, examining the other table from afar. “Okay, here’s what I think. I’m pretty sure Mermista is with Perfuma and she’s setting up Bow and Seahawk. I’d bet money on it, in fact.”
Adora raised one eyebrow. “Alright then, I’ll take that bet. I’ll say that Mermista is with Seahawk and Bow is with Perfuma.” Both set down their menus and shook hands, sealing the deal.
When their drinks arrived, Mermista placed her right hand on Seahawk’s left, and Bow heaved a sigh of relief. Alright, he was supposed to be paired off here with Perfuma. Good to know! He turned to her and asked about the vase of flowers that was on the table; she began identifying them for him, lightly touching him on the shoulder.
Across the restaurant, Adora caught Glimmer’s attention and directed her gaze over to Bow’s table. “Who called it? I called it!” she said, a hint of smugness in her voice.
Glimmer shook her head. “Don’t be so sure just yet. Friends hold hands all the time, and I think Perfuma is just always kind of affectionate.”
Adora glanced down at the table. “Should... should WE hold hands?” she asked. “I mean, we are supposed to be on a date right now, too.”
Glimmer nodded. “If you want to. I mean, just in case they look over here and see us, of course.” She stretched out a hand to Adora, who took it in her own.
By the time dessert came, Adora and Glimmer were no closer to settling their bet than they were at the beginning of the meal. Mermista had switched holding hands with Seahawk to holding hands with Perfuma, and brushed the other girl’s hair behind her ear. Seahawk had been listening intently to Bow for most of the meal now, even to the point of ignoring a comment from Mermista, which was highly unusual for him. Perfuma had inched closer to Bow, claiming to need his warmth in the chilled restaurant, but had also grown several blue roses to place in Mermista’s hair.
“Okay, okay,” Glimmer said, finishing the last bite of her chocolate cake. “We’ll figure it out when they’re dancing, right? That should make it clearer, I’m sure.”
Adora nodded, placing her napkin next to the now-empty ice cream dish. “Absolutely.”
They waited for the other group to rise first, then made sure to keep a safe distance as they all strolled down the street towards Club Sprocket. Glimmer put her arm through Adora’s, linking them at the elbow. The club was exclusive, a bouncer posted at the door to make sure only the coolest and hottest personas entered; of course, no princess would be denied entrance anywhere in Bright Moon.
Bow shuffled awkwardly to the music, waiting for someone to give him a sign as to who he was supposed to be dancing with. Perfuma, twirling in time to the beat, grabbed his hand and pulled him with her, spinning him gracefully. Okay, so far, so good, he thought, as long as nothing else confusing happened like it had during dinner. He watched with delight as her eyes sparkled and a shower of cherry blossom petals fell over them.
Before the song was over, however, Seahawk cut in and Perfuma twirled away to dance with Mermista. Seahawk gallantly wrapped one arm around Bow’s waist, took his opposite hand, and began a stately, if dramatic, tango. Bow tried to think of something to say, but was unable to, especially when Seahawk dipped him low, staring deep into his eyes.
His heart was already racing when, much to his surprise, Mermista cut in to dance with him, Seahawk gracefully catching Perfuma midspin. Mermista leaned in close to Bow, trying to make herself heard over the loud music. “Let me guess,” she started, not breaking her dance steps once as she spoke. “You’re not sure who your date is supposed to be on this double date.” She smiled sardonically as she stepped back again.
Bow felt himself flush. He simply nodded, trying not to break his own rhythm, just as she had. She glided back towards Seahawk and Perfuma, but not before leaning in again and saying, “It’s both of them, dummy.”
For a moment, he stood stock still, then gulped and moved back towards the group. By the time Adora and Glimmer entered, he danced with all three of them, no partner in particular, but a cluster of dancers, moving to the music.
Glimmer looked to Adora and said, “We should dance, shouldn’t we? We’ll stand out too much if we don’t.” Adora nodded and the pair began to dance, bodies pressed close.
The two broke their reverie just long enough to notice when Bow, Mermista, Perfuma, and Seahawk began making their way towards the doors. “We haven’t really been doing our jobs, have we?” Adora laughed, out of breath from the fast dancing.
“No, hardly at all!” Glimmer laughed as well. “We’re terrible chaperones.”
All six made their way back to the Bright Moon castle, Adora and Glimmer trailing behind, waiting to see if there was any kind of goodnight kiss that might settle their bet. Much to their surprise, when Bow went to bid the other group goodnight, he kissed both Seahawk and Perfuma, even going in to hug the prickly Mermista.
“...Huh,” Adora said, after a pause. “Does that mean no one wins?”
“I think that means we both win,” Glimmer corrected.
They waited until Bow had gone into the castle before catching up with him. He was waiting there in the grand foyer for them, bouncing on the balls of his feet.
“It was both of them!” all three exclaimed together, falling into a pile of giggles and excitement.
“You HAVE to tell us how everything went!” Glimmer insisted, elbowing Bow in the ribs.
“I will, I will!” he agreed. “Tomorrow, though,” he said with a yawn. “I’m exhausted.”
“I bet you are!” Adora said slyly. “Go, go rest and then we want to hear every detail!”
Bow ascended the grand staircase to head back towards his room; Adora and Glimmer watched him go.
“Well...” Glimmer started. “What did you think of your first date?”
Adora smiled. “I thought it was pretty great, even if it was mostly for pretend. Only one thing, though...”
Glimmer stared up at her. “What? What one thing?”
Adora leaned in and kissed the other girl. “Now. Now it’s a real date,” Adora said. “You told me you were supposed to kiss at the end, after all.”
Glimmer beamed. “I suppose I did!” She kissed Adora again. “That’s exactly how a date should go.”