//------------------------------//
// I - Hold On a Second 
// Story: Spike's Journey 
// by Integrity 
//------------------------------//

	"Oh, Spike, darling, could you pass the cyan ribbon for me?"
"Sure thing, Rarity!"
Spike ran up and grabbed the ribbon off of a faraway tabletop.
"Sweetie, that's blue."
The dragon looked at the object and tried to lift another one.
"That's teal."
He began to glance over at her.
"Uh...okay..."
He looked at the blue ribbons in front of him. With his aged draconic sight, he could completely impress the girl of his dreams...but, there was a problem; they're still all the same, no matter how hard he stared metaphorical plasma beams into them. Sighing, he picked one up again by random, waiting for the confirmation of his incorrect presumption.
"Thank you~!"
Wait, he did it! Yes! He impressed Rarity and won her heart! By giving her a ribbon! He grinned smugly as she continued her work thanks to him.
Spike had been doing the 9 to 5 with Rarity for a while now, to the point where they've grown into quite a pair of friends. Of course, there was still the lingering affection, but after quite an experienced amount of time, they learned to work around and alongside it. Spike was entirely pleased about it.
Yeah, no, that was sarcasm. He hasn't been happy about it at all.
See, up until two weeks ago, Spike began to have a sort of second voice in his head, with a certain quirk of giving an entirely different view on it. Just a few days in the past, he was encountered by his...sister? Mother? No idea.

"Spike, I need you to send out some papers."
"Alright."
As Spike picked them up, this new voice came into his mind:
What if i didn't?
The thought was interesting, then alarming. What IF he didn't? I mean, he had a bunch of stuff he could do other than send letters all day. For example, this ball right in front of him. Spike picked it up and bounced it up, then kicked it along the wall. It recoiled back for him to kick it again, and the process continued until it scaled all the way up the castle wall. For the finale, he ran up and falcon punched it all the way up. It flew and flew, until an incredible thing happened-- it bounced off five different branches of the chandelier, along three bookcases, and just in the right spot for Spike to bicycle kick it into his hands.
His hands flew up, then went at an angle to double point at Twilight.
"OHHHHHHHHHH! DID YOU SEE THAT?"
He ran around in circles, most of the time doing midair backflips and finishing by standing over the ball, and what, in another universe, would be called 'teabagging'.
Twilight was absolutely stunned, but her shock shifted to anger.
"Excellent job, big guy. How about those letters I told you to send AN HOUR AGO?"
Spike the Dragon's incredible debauchery ceased immediately. Had it actually been an hour of doing these sick kicks? His eyes fell upon the letters with an inexcusable ball-shaped dent in them. A burst of green fire fell upon them, sending them into different patrons across the otherwise populated nation.
"They got sent. No worries, fam."
"What did you call me?"
"Nothing."
Spike then left the castle, leaving Twilight in a state of disarray.

As his mental flashback ended, Spike looked up at Rarity. He was somewhat irritated at his attempts to get with her failing all the time; he had decided to go ahead and talk to her about it.
"As it seems, Spikey-wikey, I have finally finished the last dress of the day!"
"That's great! But, uh, can I talk to you for a second?"
"Certainly."
The pair sat down on a set of couches. They were extremely comfy, as Rarity had a keen eye for her design and choice. That was another reason Spike had a raging fire deep down in his heart for her.
"What did you want to talk about?"
"Well..."
How could he even put this? There was no real way to do this without making it sounds awkward.
"...us?"
"What about 'us'?"
"No, like, about us together. I'm not sure how deep it...like, 'goes'."
Rarity put a hoof to her chin and began to lean in close. Oh jeez, is she going for it? Spike began to swallow his fear and steel himself for the incoming romance. This went better than he thought, actu--
"Are you asking for a salary, Spikey?"
What.
"What."
"Oh, it's no big deal! A growing dragon needs something to support himself."
"That wasn't what I meant."
"Wait...does that mean you want to work full time?"
"No, that's not--"
"Spike, you should have said so!"
"Rari--"
"My Canterlot store needs more applicants anyway."
"Hold up--"
"I should go and tell Twilight right away, unless you want to--"
"I LOVE YOU!"
Spike took a hard breath. After so many attempts, he figured he might as well have driven the point into her before he worked ten hours a day. However, as he looked at Rarity, he found not any source of shock or approval...just...disappointment. Disgust, almost. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it soon after. He saw a blue aura grip the handle of the door.
"Spike, I think you should leave."
That's when Spike, the dragon who saved entire empires from certain doom, realized that he F'd up.

His removal was pretty swift. Rarity slammed the door the second he stepped outside. Cold, alone, and somewhat afraid, a pit fell into his stomach. How could he face Twilight, or anypony, for that matter, after that? He really couldn't. Spike walked off into the street, with only the light from nearby houses to guide him home.