//------------------------------//
// Chapter 3 
// Story: Forever Your Lady 
// by Bionic Slime 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 3



Rarity felt like she needed to check herself into a hospital, it was the only logical thought that was swimming in her scattered mind.

How else could she explain her recent confusion?

Nagging thoughts chipped away at her soul like an infestation of termites; hollowing her out until she was nothing but a rotting husk of her former glorious self. Beautiful on the outside but empty and broken on the inside, that’s how she felt.

“I’m so confused,” she said; staring vacantly at the window of a chocolate shop in downtown Canterlot. “But…why am I confused, that’s the real question,” she mused.

Despite being praised for her eye for fashion and her radiant beauty, Rarity knew she was also guilty of a number of less than favorable traits: greedy, melodramatic and finicky to name a few. However, she never thought she would count being unfaithful as one of her flaws.

“But that’s what I am, aren’t I? I’m having these thoughts, these doubts and-and I cannot understand where they’re coming from. I love Spike, he makes me happier than I ever thought possible. He…he’s the only one I could ever see myself living happily ever after with. So then why do I feel so conflicted? Why do I feel like the old dreams that I dashed away all those years ago are flooding back to the surface…why?” she moaned.

As if on cue, the very source of her betwixt feelings appeared before her eyes: Prince Blueblood. She had been so consumed with her confusion; she had forgotten she was on her way to speak to him about missing dinner last night. Though what she would say was still a mystery to even her.

“Good day to you Miss Rarity, I hope you’re feeling better today,” he said charmingly.

“Feeling better? I’m sorry?”

“My apologies it’s just, you didn’t show up for our dinner get together last night and since I know you’re a dignified and respectable lady, you wouldn’t have cancelled unless something came up like illness.”

“Oh, oh, yes! Terribly sorry darling, I just…”

She paused to compose herself. Try as she might, the snow white mare couldn’t muster up the courage to speak the truth nor the cowardice to spin a lie.

“It’s quite all right. You don’t really need to say anything. You see, I know this all must be quite confusing: a spoiled prince being so friendly and generous to a married mare he treated so poorly after all this time.”

Rarity slowly nodded. As insulting as it sounded, she couldn’t deny that’s where her mind has been lately. The prince didn’t seem the least bit offended though. In fact, he offered to treat her to a double scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream as they talked things over. Her weakness for frozen treats made it impossible for her to resist. They soon found themselves at “Big Chill’s Creamery,” both enjoying mint chocolate chip ice creams in beautifully sculpted glass bowls.

“I cannot thank you enough for all of your kindness and generosity, Blueblood. Forgive my uncouthness but I never thought I’d see the day you’d willingly turn over a new leaf,” she said sincerely. She scooped a few bites of her mint green treat into her mouth with a spoon, floating it in a delicate, dainty and lady-like manner.

“Please Rarity, I should be thanking you! You’ve inspired me to be a better pony. And to tell you the truth, I never thought I’d get to this point either. I credit you and you’re infectious purity for my wondrous transformation,” he said cheerily.

Rarity’s cheeks turned the slightest shade of faint pink.

“I suppose you’re wondering about happened yesterday at lunch.”

“The thought had crossed my mind,” he chuckled softly. Rarity sighed in defeat. She knew her overly dramatic reaction grabbed his attention. “But I would never pry into your personal matters, if you wish to say nothing on the subject I completely understand.”

“No-no it’s quite all right it’s just…sigh…not something I thought I would be explaining to you,” she said; biting her lip anxiously.

“This has to do with what you said about your husband, doesn’t it?” he inquired.

The lavender haired unicorn almost didn’t answer. She was crafting a miniature sculpture of her husband’s head and face in her ice cream; using mint chips for eyes. She smiled sorrowfully as the mint coloring reminded her of Spike’s frills. 

“I find myself having little patience for being uncouth. There are few things as vastly uncouth as bad mouthing one’s husband in front of a stallion who tried to date her. You have to understand, Spike is a wonderful, loving husband who has always treated me like royalty.”

Rarity tapped the poorly crafted lump of cream with her spoon and watched it collapse. She frowned and sighed miserably.

“However?”

“However, I am loathed to admit that there are times he can be quite…taxing on my nerves, and his dragon nature, inescapable as it is, creates a number of difficulties I find myself at wit’s end at how to deal with.”

“I can only imagine the unusual complications living with a dragon. Still, there is a reason you married him and I imagine that’s what makes those odd little problems worth dealing with?”

A bouncing lock of purple curls fell over one of her oceanic eyes. A bittersweet smile formed; one she wished had more love and passion behind it. It used to be so easy, to wear that loving smile naturally. Now it felt like a mask she had to wear, or perhaps, it had always been there and she’s just now noticing it.

“When Spike first came to Ponyville, he told me I was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on; it was love at first sight for him. Over the years, he had gone to outrageous lengths to earn my affections. He would bend over backwards, feed me compliments; he would even coat himself in fowl smelling filth and piercing needles just so I would float a smile his way,” she recalled fondly. Memories played like old movie reels in her mind; tinted in sepia and full of nostalgic warmth. “I, like many dismissive observers, would cruelly dismiss his affections as puppy love; the juvenile infatuation that would expectedly dwindle with time and maturity.

“But no matter how much time lapsed, no matter how far and between those moments he clung to and sought after occurred; his love never withered, never faltered. He blossomed into maturity, even with his unusual dragon age fluctuations one could see he was not the same heart eyed young drake I met when Twilight first arrived. As much as I found it hard to believe, I discovered myself falling for his youthful charms and unbridled passion. He won me over as it were. It’s-it’s like our love is a cactus.”

Blueblood blinked at that peculiar analogy. Clearly, this had lost him.

“I know it sounds strange but…a cactus requires very little water and sustenance to grow. Like our love, it grew from a seemingly empty place with very little reciprocation on my part. Still, despite how little affection and care it received, despite how unusual its existence was…it received just enough to bloom and survive the toughest of conditions over a great deal of time and patience. Sure it’s not what one typically thinks when they hear the word flower, but still, it’s an exotic life that survived despite difficult odds and managed to produce its own natural sense of beauty; unusual yes but beautiful none the less.”

“But, as everyone knows, there are some spikes that prevent you from getting too close. He leaves his talon claws on the floor after he clips them, his fire breathing has ruined more furniture and fabrics than I can count, and of course…there’s the shedding. Have you ever tried to vacuum dragon scales out of a carpet? It’s like trying to get gum out of your hair! Twilight once told me she was slightly jealous of me because I’m seeing all these new changes in dragon physiology since Spike never showed these signs when he lived with her. And I’m like: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?”

Rarity slammed the table with her hooves. The area grew deathly silent, all eyes veered pryingly to the outspoken unicorn. Blueblood laughed awkwardly. Rarity smiled sheepishly; a shade of embarrassed pink flooded over her face.

“Is that why you agreed to come this weekend, to get away from your husband’s vexing flaws?” Blueblood inquired.

“Honestly? I don’t know anymore. Lately I’ve been wondering if it was just for the money to use for my business or if it’s to clear my head. We’ve been fighting a lot lately and even though we seemed to patch things up, I keep feeling like my temper is on a razor’s edge; just one nitpick or mistake away from blowing up and tearing into him like Hearth’s warming wrapping paper,” she whimpered faintly. She rubbed her aching temples. “We’ve had so many good times, so many wonderful times, but now I’m worrying that the only reason I love him is because he wore me down and I was too weak and beaten down from repeated failed relationships that I said yes.”

Rarity buried her face in her hooves; hiding the stifled sobs coming from her quivering lips. Blueblood spotted smeared streaks of black mascara on her hooves. She mumbled something that sounded like “I don’t even know why I’m telling you this” under her breath. The moved prince felt compelled to say something, to do something. He reached out his hoof to comfort her-

“HEY, this isn’t a library pal! You want to read it, you got to buy it!”

An angry newspaper vendor’s voice shattered the sorrowful scene. Blueblood looked towards the source of commotion: an aqua marine colored unicorn was shouting at a tall stranger in a trench coat who was hiding behind a slightly crumpled newspaper like a shield; a stranger with green eyes, scaly feet and a long purple tail.

If Rarity had looked up, if she just broke from her dreary sulking for one moment; she would have seen the tiniest sliver of a brief but smug smirk curved on the prince’s lips.

Blueblood gently placed his hoof over Rarity’s; knowing fully well the dragon’s eyes were watching everything transpire. As expected, it had an immediate reaction on the scaly stranger poorly hiding behind the newspaper. Green flames incinerated the paper to cinders. The dragon growled in frustration and quickly ran off, with the vendor pony chasing after him for compensation.

“I apologize for prying; clearly this is a sensitive issue. It was not my intention to distress you fair Rarity,” he said comfortingly. She paused from her silent sobs to look towards the blond prince. “Let’s forget all about this unpleasantness and just enjoy the day. I’ll take you wherever you want to go, just you, me and a splendid time around town. What do you say?” he courteously offered.

Try as she might to come up with a reason not to go, all she could muster was a weak-yet-sincere smile and a simple nod at his request.

Blueblood guided Rarity around Canterlot; showing her the sights, the shops and lifting her spirits from the gloomy conversation they had earlier. While she had seen Canterlot before, she was surprised to see how much more the city had to offer when she had royalty escorting her. Showing her stores and clubs she would have never been able to step hoof in on her own.

As the ivory mare basked in the wonder of her magical tour, she remained completely unaware a pair of emerald eyes were watching her every step of the way. Everywhere she went, Spike went and everything she saw, Spike saw. His reptilian pupils were being consumed by jealousy the more he observed. Sometimes, Spike would almost blow his cover by accidentally crushing his claws into the side of a building or setting his trench coat on fire.

Blueblood knew Spike was nearby, he knew it. The prince was intentionally rubbing Rarity’s heavenly smile and laughter in the drake’s face. It felt like Blueblood was trying to one up Spike, like he could make her smile bigger and wider than she ever had with Spike.

The dragon wanted to make himself known and rescue his beloved princess from this royal turd’s clutches…but he couldn’t.

Spike’s emerald eyes glossily reflected the image of his beloved wife down below, he sighed; stewing away in his own internal thoughts and misery.

If I come out now, if she learns I’m here and that I’ve been watching her, she’ll…sigh…I don’t even want to think of what she’ll do. It’s not that I don’t trust her. She’s my wife for Celestia’s sake! I just can’t stand that-that creep making her smile and laugh like that, that’s my job! HE’S the one I don’t trust. I know she’ll hate me if she finds out I’m here. What if she…what if she really wants to…no…that’s crazy! She would never do that. I mean, I know she’s way out of my league; she always has been, but she’s the purest pony I know there’s no way she’d ever leave me…she loves me…I know she does.

Spike emptied his thoughts. He couldn’t stand listening to all those doubts and judgments he’s heard over the course of his relationship with his wife, not again. The couple had been to therapy a number of times to help Spike deal with the prejudice and ignorance issues that plagued him; reminding him that Rarity and his friends loved him and would never leave him no matter what anyone else said.

“I know she can handle herself, I know that better than any pony else,” he hung his head down in shame; claws clutched angrily. Spike looked back up and watched as Rarity and Blueblood disappeared down a street corner. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like this. She’s the most precious treasure in my world and until I know for sure he’s not up to something, I’m not letting her out of my sight,” he said boldly.

Ditching his half singed disguise, Spike took to the sky and soared stealthily on his dragon wings. He watched keenly over Rarity and Blueblood; hiding on top of rooftops and remaining bathed in shadowy silence. Much like the gems she adored, Rarity was part of Spike’s horde; a treasure privy to none except him and him alone. He knew it was his dragon greed stirring this possessiveness inside of him when it came to Rarity, but he didn’t care. She was his and he was hers and he swore on his heart and soul no force in Equestria was going to change that; certainly not some stuck up prince who had proven untrustworthy on two occasions.

“I feel like such an idiot for pushing her into doing this,” he grumbled bitterly to himself.

The dragon wiggled his gill like ears; using his advanced hearing to eavesdrop on the white ponies conversation. They had stopped at an outdoor restaurant to enjoy a late night dinner. As expected, it was the richest, most extravagant restaurant in Canterlot; a place Spike could never afford alone and he knew it. The lurking dragon clung to the side of the building like an arachnid.

“So tell me Miss Rarity, is this everything you imagined it would be?” the prince asked; raising a champagne glass with his magic.

“Oh yes, this is simply divine! I had briefly tasted the rich, elegance of Canterlot living when I was a part of Fancy Pants entourage. But this,” she swooned and delicately munched on an imported delicacy from a Saddle Arabia; one of the most expensive items on the menu, “this is the life I have always dreamed of since I was a filly.”

“That’s exactly what I was hoping to hear. A lady of your exquisite caliber and impeccable taste deserves only the finest amenities high society can provide.”

Rarity felt humbled and flattered by such wondrous words. Her sapphire eyes curiously examined her royal surroundings; it truly did feel like this restaurant was reserved only for the most sophisticated of elite ponies. Normally, the purple haired mare would feel out of place sitting here with her fire-breathing husband, but now, she truly felt like she was a member of the club.

“Can’t you feel it Rarity, that sense of belonging and contentment? That’s the feeling you’ve longed for, dreamt for; it’s finally here and you are finally where you belong…along with who you belong with.”

Her head darted back to her blond companion. She knew what he said; she heard it clearly, painfully so even, and yet, she didn’t know how to respond. A part of her wanted to deny and reject such a statement…but another part of her felt there was a twinge of truth to it.

“Prince Blueblood…please…you know that I’m married. This-this is all temporary, nothing more.”

“But why does it have to be? Can’t we just acknowledge and accept that this feels and fits far better than with anyone else? We are the perfect couple. Ponies see it, they recognize it; a pairing devoid of controversy. This is what you’ve always wanted, what you’ve always dreamed of and I can give it to you. I can make it so you live a life like this every day until the end of your days, all you have to do is say-”

“But I cannot. You know I can’t, you knew that from the very first moment you offered your ridiculous proposal.”

“And despite that you still said yes.”

Rarity bit her lip; casting her gaze to the side.

“That speaks volumes Miss Rarity, volumes about that empty void that’s dwelling in your soul. I know because I feel that same void in my life. I’ve become a better prince and a better pony thanks to your radiance and generosity.”

“You’re asking me to leave my husband, to leave the one I love.”

“No, I’m asking you to leave behind a life of tripping over shed scales. To leave odious snores, judgmental looks and enjoying you’re ideal life rather than settling for one you were broken down into accepting.”

“You don’t know what I want, not really.”

“I know you came here for a reason and that I’ve changed for the same reason: we belong together. I can be the prince you imagined I would be when we first met; I can be the prince Equestria has wanted me to be from the beginning. I’m not asking you to do anything you don’t want to do; I just want you to do what you want to do for yourself and not just for him.”

Rarity stared contemplatively at her hooves. Scenarios swam through her head, so many questions and so many thoughts. She couldn’t sort them all out.

“There’s still something…something still missing,” she whispered to herself.

“Did you say something Miss Rarity?”

“I…I have to go now. You’ve given me a lot to think about and shown me a truly wonderful time today. I just need time to sort some things out. I promise I will give you an answer soon, Blueblood.”

“Of course, by all means; take all the time you need.”

The waiter came to collect the bill. Blueblood kindly offered to pay for everything, despite Rarity’s insistence on chipping in. The white ponies left the restaurant and Rarity thanked Blueblood for everything. She was more reserved than before but it didn’t worry Blueblood; he understood this was a lot to process. The fashionista left to return to her room at the castle and expected Blueblood to be right behind her. Surprisingly enough, the prince said he wanted to take a walk and stretch his legs out and said he’d be returning to the castle a little later on. Rarity nodded and headed on ahead.

The prince walked further and further, leaving the public view and venturing into the twilight landscape where his scaly stalker was waiting for him.

“Enjoying the view? I imagine it looked like quite the show from up there,” Blueblood shouted. His smug voice echoed throughout the silent, solitary dark buildings.

THUMP!

The dragon landed in front of the prince with a thunderous boom. He loomed menacingly over the unicorn stallion; drilling into his royal gaze with venomous emerald green eyes. Spike’s wings, claws and fangs were strikingly bared. He looked ready to pounce on the prince and tear his royal groomed coat to blood soaked shreds, but the prince stood firm; smiling and unafraid in the presence of such a fearsome beast.

Spike stomped closer towards the prince. His tail twisted tensely; wound from the boiling anger brewing inside of him. “Yeah…like a horror show,” he growled fiercely.

“Says the fearsome dragon lurking in the shadows,” Blueblood countered accusingly.

The purple reptile snapped his teeth savagely at the prince. Steam billowed from his nostrils; sizzling with embers on the verge of sparking a larger flame to come forth. Once again, Blueblood seemed annoyingly immune to Spike’s threats and stature.

“Come now, we both know you don’t have the stones to harm me. How would that look if you even tried: a savage dragon attacking a royal prince of Canterlot? You’d be run out of Canterlot regardless of who you’re adopted mother is.”

Spike eased back. He ceased baring his teeth but kept his claws tightly clenched, trying his best to maintain his anger. “You think I care about any of that? I only give a damn what my wife, my friends and my family think of me,” Spike snorted defensively.

“And what do you think you’re wife thinks of me?” he asked; raising a stylishly groomed eyebrow.

“That you’re one uncouth move away from getting punched in those perfect teeth of yours.”

“Read the room, Spike. Canterlot is a beautiful, elegant city that only houses the purest of pedigree ponies. She lives and breathes everything that IS Canterlot, and yet, all you can do is selfishly lock her away in your tower. What a waste of superb talent.”

“WE live in a HOUSE that WE both wanted! I’m not holding anyone prisoner, I have always encouraged and supported my wife in everything she does.”

“How can you support her dreams when your mere existence is holding her back? I know how difficult it has been for her business since she swapped rings with you. You want the best for her but you’re too greedy and possessive to consider that that might mean not being with you.”

“One weekend with Rarity doesn’t make you an expert. I’ve known and loved her for years; I know every possible thing about her. You don’t get the right to judge our love when all you know how to do is love yourself.”

Blueblood frowned bitterly. He hated that arrogant tone in the dragon’s voice, that haughty, all-knowing tone. Being judged by a creature so constantly exposed to judgement is laughably ironic. Clearly, the prince thought, this boy needed to be reminded of how things are.

“I know how to listen at least,” he snapped back. Spike flinched reactively. He had never seen the prince get so worked up; it was an unsettling sight to see. “I listen to Rarity, I listen to her about everything she says and unlike you, I don’t roll my eyes and tune out what she says or leave disgusting chunks of half chewed gemstones or shed scales on the floor,” he said. Blueblood gagged in revulsion. “You call her you’re wife yet you treat her like some sort of nagging gemstone, a mouthy ornament that calls you on your loathsome behaviors. The worst part of all though is that you’re too blind or too ignorant to see it.”

Spike crossed his arms and twitched his wings in irritation. “If you got something to say hair cream, just say it,” he sneered.

“You. Don’t. Deserve. Her!”

“You’re right…I don’t…but I love her anyway and I thank Celestia’s sun and Luna’s stars that she loves me too. I don’t have to explain myself to the likes of you! I may not be the easiest creature to live with, but I’m not sleazy enough to try and win someone else’s wife like some sort of trophy prize behind his back.”

“As I recall it was you who encouraged Rarity to give little old me a shot, wasn’t it?”

“You’re pushing me Bluebutt…I’m warning you-”

Blueblood stomped his hooves forward; cutting off Spike before he could finish his threat. 

“What do you think this is dragon? We live in reality, not some childish lovey-dovey dreamland you duped Rarity into believing is real. You think someone like YOU can provide for HER? HA! You’re a loser, a flying heap of garbage that spreads fear, disgust and inconvenience wherever you go. You may want to paint me as the villain, but at the end of the day, the prince will always save the damsel in distress from the gruesome monster that foals go to bed at night fearing. I can give her the dream life she’s always wanted. No longer does she have to struggle for cash because of your offensive existence scaring away her customers, no longer does she have to settle for a mediocre marriage when she can live a life of luxury and royalty like she deserves; not as long as she has me.”

“You know nothing about my marriage and you know even less about Rarity, I promise you that.”

“But I do know something about cuckoo birds. I’ve read quite a bit about them in my studies, do you happen to be familiar with their breeding habits?”

The dragon didn’t know what the prince was getting at. He crossed his arms over his chest and snorted loathingly; refusing to dignify Blueblood with a response.

“I’ll take that as a no. You see, the cuckoo birds engage in something called brood parasitism: it’s when the bird drops its egg in another bird’s nest; allowing the host bird to do the work of caring for the egg and feeding it once the bird hatches. Sometimes, the host bird is able to identify the foreign egg and rejects it and refuses to take it. Auntie has told me your egg was given to Princess Twilight during her exam at the school.”

“What’s your point?!?”

“Which explanation do you think is more likely: your lazy parents outsourcing another to raise you, or the more likely possibility that they just flat out didn’t want you?”

Spike grabbed Blueblood by his collar; jerking the pony right off his hooves. It was maddening how badly he wanted to punch this royal brat until he looked like Prince Black and Blueblood, it would be so easy. “If you ever come near me or my wife again, I swear I will set you’re useless head on fire and stomp on it until the flames go out,” he coldly hissed.

“Then tell me Spike, what’s it like being married to Rarity?” Blueblood asked; a hint of mockery dripped from his voice. He tried to maintain his cool composure, but he couldn’t prevent that slight squeak in his voice from popping up.

“You’ll never know,” Spike dropped Blueblood abruptly, “because you’ve never understood what love is.” The dragon stomped over the fallen prince. His crushing claws and swishing tail nearly struck the prince as he left.

No one talks to the prince like that, no one. Blueblood panted bitterly and turned around; glaring hate filled daggers at the vanishing dragon. “How dare you! You’re beneath me; you will always be beneath me. If you satisfied her like I know I would, she would have never agreed to this weekend in the first place. You can walk away like you’re some big tough guy, but in the end, you’ll never be anything more than that puny little lizard my auntie brought for show-and-tell,” he bellowed.

“If that’s true then why did she pick me over you?”

Blueblood’s enraged silence brought a smile to the dragon’s face.

“Guess that makes you a pretty crappy prince if the gruesome monster won her heart in the end.”

Spike finally walked out of view; leaving the disgruntled prince to wallow in the stinging pain of his final words. Blueblood couldn’t stand it. He felt insulted, like his royal title had been stripped and he’d been reduced to a mere commoner in a matter of minutes. Of all the strange things that existed in this magical world, none baffled him as greatly or as painfully as how that reptile had cemented his place in his auntie’s eyes so naturally.

“You forget something Spike, I’m a changed pony. I’m no longer the high maintenance pretty boy who needs his coat groomed round-the-clock. But you…I know you still have an ugly side to unmask, and it’s high time Rarity sees you for what you truly are,” Blueblood sneered venomously.

The prince made his way back to the castle. As he left, a pair of luminous teal eyes appeared within the murky shadows of the night. Princess Luna stepped out into view. She watched Blueblood curiously; intensely, wondering whatever he could have meant by that statement.

“I must report this at once, she will most certainly want to know about this,” Luna said.



To be continued…