V: Fears Old and New
The gentle rocking of the train car was interrupted by an abrupt bump as the wheels struck some iron imperfection in the tracks. Rarity jolted awake, looking around and breathing hard. She had fallen asleep thinking of Spike, and it hadn't quite had the desired effect; her dream had been good at first, but it had degenerated into a nightmare, as dreams often do when ponies are stressed.
It had started well enough, the classic way dreams of love do for females. At the altar, dressed in her finest, kissing her love. Then on to scenes of home and children, sending Spike off to work, whatever his job might be at the time. She had chuckled in her dream, thinking that the reporter's hat had been too cliché. It had been so warm, so wonderful.
But Spike had not been a dragon. He had been a stallion, purple but with a green mane. She knew it made no sense, but the entire dream had been from a third-party view. From what she had been able to see, she doubted anypony had ever seen her that happy in her entire life. She doubted she ever had been.
But later in the dream, the unthinkable had happened. Spike, the real Spike, had shown up. Heartbroken and jealous, he killed the pony version of himself. He had accused her of loving an impostor, a fake. Even as she had watched, the body of the stallion-Spike she had so loved turned to ash, like burnt paper. He had been a figment of her imagination. Her happy life had been a facade, because she had pursued a false dream.
She shook herself slightly, to try and regain her composure. Her slight motion made her feel cold as the air wafted past the sweat beading on her neck. She shuddered yet again, and rose to make her way to the restroom. She needed to tidy up, she told herself. She felt... dirty. And it wasn't just the sweat.
The dream filled her thoughts, and she felt ashamed. It wasn't common for the subconscious to be a liar, but usually it was hard to understand the messages in dreams. Unfortunately, this one had been so straightforward. Too accurate. She did love Spike, could be happy with him, but she wanted him a way he simply wasn't. Her fears of him still danced about the inside of her skull. How could she be chasing after him, knowing that he would never be that magnificent stallion?
The Spike she loved was an impostor.
She looked at herself in the mirror, still beautiful, but clearly a mess. "What am I doing?" She muttered to herself, shaking her head. "I do love him... don't I?" she asked, her tone pleading for an answer from her reflection. Messy Rarity didn't answer, just looked at her with pity. Self-pity. Rarity didn't like that at all. She knew she loved Spike, but not the way he was. How was she still not over that? She wrenched her brain to come up with a reason besides fear, but she couldn't find one.
"Pull yourself together, dear," she sighed, feeling the shakes coming back on. She smacked the sides of her face lightly, just to bring herself back to reality. "It doesn't change anything. The only way to face this fear is to face him. To let him know how you feel, even though he is a dragon... Even though you wish he wasn't," she grumbled to her reflection. That last part was the issue. It wasn't convincing at all, even to her.
"Hurry up in there!" came a familiar voice from outside. It was Madam, clearly awake from her own nap.
Rarity threw open the restroom door and made her way outside, bobbing her head in apology. "So sorry, Madam. I guess I lost track of how long I was in there," she said, not really looking the old mare in the eye.
Madam didn't sprint right into the bathroom like Rarity had been hoping for, but just eyed her curiously. "I warned you that worrying would only wreck your mane again. Rough dreams?" she asked, her tone slightly accusing. Rarity sighed and opened her mouth to respond, but Madam shook her head and took a step closer to the restroom. "It'll have to wait a moment..," she said, her voice slightly strained as she finally made a break for the toilet.
Rarity allowed herself a nervous chuckle as she plopped down in a booth and waited. After telling Madam how she felt about Spike's personality, she expected a very solid reprimand from the old coot for being shallow. She'd already told the old mare that she was afraid of Spike, but this time it was different.
Madam came back out of the restroom and immediately plopped down across from Rarity. "Ah, much better. Alright deary, what happened? Tell Madam all about it."
Rarity didn't figure she had much choice in the issue. "I had a dream about him. We were happy together, the happiest I've ever been. But in the dream he wasn't a dragon. Then it got strange, and his dragon self showed up and killed the other pony version of him. Accused me of loving an impostor," she muttered quietly.
Madam eyed her curiously. "Sounds like your heart and your head still don't agree, Rarity. But the dragon in your dream is right. That other version of him you loved is just what you want to see, I think. But it's not him, dear. Can you really not handle that?" she asked grumpily.
Rarity shook her head. "I don't know. Like I said, I'm still afraid of him. And I don't think that can go away until I say what I have to say. But I don't know if I really want him that way, even if I do love him," she said, and braced for the incoming reaction.
Madam sighed in disappointment. "You're young, so it's to be expected. Honey, why are you chasing this dragon if you can't love him the way he is? It's one thing to love his personality, but that's not going to cut it. You need to get over this pony fixation you have."
Rarity looked at her sadly, but confusion was beginning to leak into her eyes. "What do you mean 'fixation'? It's only natural I should go after somepony who's... a pony," she finished lamely.
"Wrong. It's only natural you should go after whoever you love. It doesn't sound to me like you're after this dragon because you love him the way you should. It sounds to me like you just want to tell him you do," Madam said quietly. "You're being very selfish, my dear."
Rarity balked at that. "Selfish? Nonsense, I'm doing the right thing."
"For yourself. If you tell him you love him, but you can't because he's a dragon, how is that going to un-break his heart? That's what you're after isn't it? You just want him back in your life, one way or the other. You're only after what you can get out of this," Madam said, as if the thought made her sick.
Rarity didn't want to believe it, but it was too true. It was in her own head, her dreams, as much as it was in Madam's words. She felt her chest clenching in embarrassment, words of denial forming in her throat.
"It's okay, dear. Now it's not alright to feel that way, mind you, but you needed to hear it to correct it. If you can't love him the way he is, you'll only hurt him more if you try," Madam said quietly, comfortingly.
"But I can!" Rarity whined. "I can if I have to," she clamped a hoof over her mouth when she realized what she had said.
"Of course you have to!" Madam said with a huff. "How else could you love him? Buck up girl, and realize that what you want is right there. Sure it's a different style, but it's the love of your life," she said, pounding a hoof on the seat.
A different style. Those words rang too true in Rarity's mind. She should have known better, realized that all she wanted was to make Spike happy for her sake. Should have realized that a dragon was still alive, still able to love. Should have so many other things. But she hadn't. This love was the same as making a dress. Sometimes, for a design to really work, something just needed to be changed. Tweaked.
That something was her. The only thing not beautiful between her and Spike was... her. That struck her heart hard, but it also beat a little faster. This was it! What she had needed, what had been holding her back. She had known it all along, hated it, refused to say it. Somepony else had to.
It was her fault that things between her and Spike didn't work. And never would have, until now.
"You're... you're right. I'm the one who's holding me back. I wanted him to be in love with me at first, not the other way round. But it can't work one-way, can it?" she asked rhetorically.
Madam shook her head, still looking miffed about the whole thing.
Rarity sighed. "Alright then. I won't do it for me. Or at least I'll try not to," she said, raising a hoof in solemn promise.
Madam smiled. "That's all anypony can really ask for, dear. If you can't fix this, nopony can. Now then, the station should be coming up in a few hours, and you can't fix heartbreak on an empty stomach. Let's see where the meal car is," Madam said, completely dismissing the topic after that point.
Rarity agreed, following her happily. It was a good place to end it; there was nothing left to be said. She still felt miserable about it all, and knew she should. If she didn't she'd never fix it. But it was in her hooves now, and out of Madam's wise domain of experience. For now, Rarity intended to focus on getting her nerves built up for the task ahead.
Now she had two things to tell Spike that she didn't know how to say.
Celestia smiled as she looked at Spike curled on the study floor, sound asleep. They'd come back here again after dinner to bask in the glow of their new 'love'. She knew it wasn't love yet. But she could feel her heart beating like a drum looking at him, and knew that it would only take so long for real love to blossom there. But now she felt almost embarrassed. Old as she was, even she wasn't immune to the heartsickness of a young filly.
Even merely looking at him was exhilarating. He was sleek, grand, and powerful. She allowed her eyes to focus on the curves of his muscles. They were hard to make out under the pattern of his scales, but the way he was curled some of them were strained or stretched enough to be visible. Even for a young dragon he was truly strong. She liked that feeling, that he was strong in a way she wasn't. Stronger even than her magic, if he had to be. She had seen that first-hoof.
She never would have admitted it to anypony, not even her sister, but the feeling that Spike might be able to protect her was a warm one. She knew she didn't need it, that threats to the kingdom were all but ended since Discord had fallen. She knew that she was strong enough to look out for herself. Even so, she loved the idea that she didn't have to with Spike around.
It was a key factor in any relationship, she felt. To be able to depend on one another. And there weren't many out there that Tia could depend on like she could Spike. She smiled to herself as the big dragon mumbled something in his sleep, scratching behind his ear with a front claw, but never waking up. He wouldn't have a hangover today, she knew. They'd kept the drink to a minimum last night, neither wanting to dull the excitement of the evening with inebriation.
Still, it was getting on towards noon, and Fridays tended to be busy for her. She had plans to take Spike along with her on her duties for the day. They had discussed it before they'd gone their separate ways for bed, and Spike had been more than willing to accompany her. He had only asked that she try to open up a little. She grew a little sad, reflecting on that conversation.
He had told her that he didn't like the mask she wore around everypony else. He felt she was hiding from them, something Spike felt was unfair. She was so much more beautiful and happy the way he was allowed to see her. Why shouldn't everypony else get that gift?
She understood his feelings, to be sure. She didn't like pretending anymore than he liked watching it. But it was necessary. She ran the nation, and professionalism was demanded. After ages of keeping up the act, trying to project power and majesty, it came second nature to her. Even though she didn't like it, she doubted she could stop it. Spike had insisted it might be easier to be herself if she brought him with her. She certainly seemed open enough to him.
She let the less pleasant thoughts fade, and silently pondered what might be a fun way to wake her sleeping dragon. Smiling mischievously, and checking down the hallway behind her to ensure nopony was watching, she trotted close to him quietly. Tongue stuck out in mock concentration, she used her magic to pick up the tip of Spike's long tail. Gently tugging it, so as not to spoil her fun, she brought the tip of it right over Spike's nose. Giggling to herself, she let her magic fade, dropping his tail firmly, but not painfully, onto his nose.
Spike shot awake at the impact, swinging his head this way and that to find the culprit. His nose came end-to-end with Celestia's as he looked about. Still tired and confused, it didn't register what he was looking at until she spoke.
"Good morning, Spike," she chuckled, rubbing her nose gently on the end of his.
It finally clicked that the white blob at the end of his cross-eyed field of vision was Tia, and he smiled, rubbing noses back. "Good morning. In the future though, would you mind just giving me a little shake to wake me?"
"A little shake?" she asked, backing off a step so he could see her better. "Where's the fun in that? Besides, you weigh quite a bit. I'm not sure I could shake you," she teased.
"Oh, I get it. Spike's fat now, huh?" he asked with a huff, puffing smoke for effect.
Celestia scowled. "You know that's not what I meant. And don't puff smoke in the castle," she scolded.
Spike just smiled, and the two shared a laugh over their pointless antics. "Alright, so what's the plan for the day?" Spike asked, stretching his neck and back, his usual morning ritual.
"Well, there's a grand opening for a new bakery on the south side of town I'm expected to attend in about half an hour. That's probably how you and I will get our breakfast," she said with a small smile. "Then I need to stop in and see how the construction is going for the latest addition to the Royal Library. They've been at it for a couple days now, but it's quite the expansion; a new tower is going in to house some of Twilight's more important findings on magic."
Spike coughed in surprise as his breath caught in his throat. "You're giving Twilight a wing of the library?" he asked incredulously.
Celestia just nodded. "Of course. You're the one sending me all her letters, you can't tell me you never realized how many spells she's published. Besides, her reports on friendship aren't just for me. Quite a few ponies can learn from her adventures. Suffice it to say I was out of room to store it all," she chuckled.
Spike just rubbed his neck, still not quite sure how to take that. "Have you told her yet? She'll want to rush straight over to see it, I hope you know," he said, as if telling her might have a negative effect.
Celestia eyed Spike with mischief in her eyes. "Well, it's certainly not the only thing I haven't told her yet," she said, a clever smile making its way onto her face.
It took him a few seconds, but then Spike turned red under his scales. He hadn't even thought of what Twilight's reaction would be to his courtship with Tia. "Oh crap..." he muttered, rubbing a claw over his eyes in frustration. "I really dropped the ball on that one. Twilight's going to kill me." His last words came out as a groan, and he slumped back to the floor.
"Why would she?" Celestia asked, confused. "It's not like you're dating a terrible pony or anything," she said, her tone filling with mock vanity to try and lighten the sudden mood.
"No, nothing like that," he assured her, laughing a little at her false self-centeredness. It wasn't like her at all, and he couldn't help but find it amusing. "Just that I didn't tell her. She'll freak out when she realizes we've been together a few days before anypony let her know."
"A few days?" Celestia asked, puzzled. "It's only been one."
Spike now smiled mischievously. "The last thing I need on a day like today is a reprimand from Twilight. Trust me, if I have my way, she won't find out for a week."
They both shared a laugh at this. "I can see where you're coming from. Alright then, we'll just let her know later. Anyways, let's get going. I don't know about you, but I'm certainly hungry, and it wouldn't do to be late for the ceremony at the bakery." She took a few short steps towards the balcony, looking over her shoulder and smiling at him, quietly urging him to follow.
Spike grunted as he peeled himself back off the floor, then made his way after her. Together they launched off the balcony, soaring high and to the south. Spike had to make a conscious effort to pace her as they flew. Her wings were so much smaller than his, they could hardly move as much air. As a result, her natural pace was much slower than his own. He had no doubt she was likely more agile, or had a higher top speed, but in casual flight Spike would have to dial it down a bit.
Below them the city sparkled like a sea of gems. Ponies smiled up at them and waved; mostly to the princess, Spike knew. Even so, he was a part of that attention, and so he would return waving hooves where he saw them. It wasn't a long flight, but it was a magnificent one, the colors and the company all welcome so early in his day.
They alighted at the bakery with almost no trouble at all. Almost, because the street was crowded, and there was no landing room for Spike. Celestia had to land first and ask for a space to be cleared. Spike was glad his purple scales hid his embarrassed flush. It wasn't often he felt so conscious of his size, but whenever he did it was because ponies were being inconvenienced by it.
Celestia gave a little speech as the ceremony drew on, about how the store owners had really moved up from their corner stall in the open market downtown. She congratulated them, was more than happy to announce the opening of their new location, and performed various other niceties. Spike was a little disappointed to see the mask on, but he could see it melt slightly whenever he was included in her sight. He made it a point not to stand with her, then, but to stand amongst the crowd, so that her visage would soften, be more real.
It worked, with mixed results. Now and then she would consciously catch herself lightening up, and slap the mask back on with immediacy. But for the most part she was more like herself while she spoke, allowing various tones and gestures to accompany her speech that were usually held in reserve. Spike privately reflected that maybe, just maybe, it was all a show for him. To prove to him that she could be herself in public. Whatever the case, he was glad she was making the effort.
She cut the ribbon on the doorway at last, and ponies filtered inside. Spike was disappointed to find he could not fit inside the building, large as it was. If he had, at least five other ponies would have missed out. When Celestia made her way inside, she looked over her shoulder apologetically at Spike, mouthing the words 'I won't be long'. Spike smiled to himself, bittersweet about it.
This is how it would be with anypony he knew. A lot of waiting outside buildings while his love shopped, took care of daily business, or visited friends. Few structures could accommodate his size, and those that could weren't usually social sites. But he could be patient. He waited street-side, trying his hardest not to let the excitement and laughter filtering out from inside the bakery make him feel left out.
Celestia returned a short while later, the owners in tow, all of them carrying some kind of food item. Spike's heart was warmed slightly with the knowledge that he wasn't being excluded. The owners seemed a little shocked at his appearance, even though he had been in the crowd during the entire ceremony. Spike found that a little curious until the owners spoke up.
"So he's the guy, huh?" the stallion said, his wife looking from him to Spike. His tone was warm and friendly, almost congratulatory. Spike feared he knew what was coming, and it was only confirmed when Celestia spoke up. "Yes, that's him. We haven't been together too long, but he's out with me today to help with my work. I just feel so badly, since he doesn't fit in most pony buildings. Spike, this is Mr. and Mrs. Crumble. They're the owners, and they just wanted to try and accommodate you, even if their building can't," she said with a small smile.
Spike stammered, trying to regain his bearings. She was already telling ponies that they were together? What in the name of all things pony was that about? "O-oh, thank you very much. It's a pleasure to meet you both. I think I remember buying from you the last time I was in the city, but that would have been a couple years ago," he said sheepishly, as if he really should have come back sooner. He let the flow of the conversation distract him from his other thoughts.
"We thought you looked familiar. Not too many dragons get a free pass to Canterlot, eh?" Mr. Crumble said with a wink. "Anyways, you weren't so big back then. Why, if we'd known, we'd have built a bigger door," his wife added.
Spike just laughed and waved that comment away. "It's no trouble at all. The air's nice out here anyways. In fact, if your business does as well as it is today, you might consider building an outdoor deck or something," he recommended, his tone full of uncertainty that his idea might not be the best one. He knew a lot of locations in the city were pressed for space, so that might not be a viable option.
The Crumbles looked at each other and back to Spike. "That's a great idea! It would encourage business too, since most ponies get their goods to go. But if they can eat outside, they might be more likely to stay a while and order extra for the trip home when they're done." Mr. Crumble eyed him critically for a moment, then turned back to the princess. "I see why you like him. He's pretty clever, if you don't mind my saying so."
Celestia just laughed and stepped a little closer to Spike, leaning into him. "I think so too. Anyways, he and I have some construction to oversee at the library. I don't want to seem like we ate and ran, but duty calls," she said with a sigh, forcing a smile to let everypony know just how she felt about that.
The Crumbles laughed, the wife waving a hoof. "Don't worry, highness. We've got plenty of other customers, and you're a busy pony. We'll see you soon enough I'm sure. Let us know if you ever need anything for a feast or a party, alright?"
"I certainly will. Thank you both so much." With bows on both sides, the two parties split up. Celestia looked up at Spike to ask if he was ready to leave, but the look on his face concerned her. "Is something wrong?" she asked quietly.
Spike's face was caught somewhere between surprise and worry. When she spoke he seemed to snap back to the present, but clearly his mind had been somewhere else. "I-it's nothing major," he coughed, clearly a half-truth.
Celestia scowled. "Spike, you don't have to hide things from me," she insisted.
Spike spread his wings, sighing. "Let's just talk while we fly. It's more between you and me anyways," he said, looking around at all the ponies nearby.
Celestia nodded slowly, not sure where this was going, but willing to let him have his way. They took off again, heading back in the direction of the castle, but at a slower pace. "So what's on your mind?" she asked kindly.
"Just that... Are you sure you should be telling ponies that we're together?" he asked lamely, knowing it sounded wrong.
"Why not? Are you embarrassed to be with me?" she asked, and though the question was rather direct, her tone sounded as if she highly doubted that.
"No, it's not that at all, trust me," he said, shaking his head for effect. "It's just that it seems too soon. Is that strange? Besides that, I don't want ponies getting the wrong idea about you. I'm a dragon, and it might not be good for your public image," he said, looking straight ahead and not at her.
She zipped in front of him suddenly, scowling at him. "Spike, if I thought it would have an effect on my public image, I'd keep it a secret for a while too. But it doesn't; you saw how the Crumbles reacted. They're happy to see me with somepony, even if he's not a pony. I don't care that you're a dragon, and neither will anypony else. Sure it's a little strange, but then aren't we all?"
Spike sighed and nodded, smiling slightly. "I guess you're right. Still, I don't want to cause you any trouble."
"If you do, you'll be the first to know about it," she said with a laugh. With that settled, the two of them sped off again towards the library.
Spike still had some lingering concerns, but they could wait until Celestia was done for the day. They landed outside the library, underneath the tower in construction. Like the rest of the building it was made of resplendent white marble. The blocks used to build it were several hundred pounds apiece, usually taking three unicorns to hoist and position them. Another team of unicorns then fused the blocks in place, so that no seams existed in the structure. Spike silently marveled as he watched the work being done.
The foreman came over and greeted the princess. He greeted Spike too, having heard the dragon was staying at the castle from the guards. He and Celestia shot the breeze a while, mostly discussing the progress so far, expected completion dates, barring bad weather. All things Spike had expected to hear.
Somewhere, a whistle blew signaling break time. The pony teams dispersed for food, or just to rest up a little. Lifting those blocks wasn't easy on a unicorn, Spike knew. Out of curiosity, Spike wandered away from Tia and the foreman, and over to a pile of the stone blocks. Grabbing one by both sides, he hefted it to test its weight. It was definitely heavy, but not beyond his means. He took the block through a series of motions, up and down mostly to ensure that he could sustain the weight even under stress. Pleased, he put the block back down with a dull thud.
Behind him, the foreman whistled. "Well aren't you the strong one?" he said, thoroughly impressed. He smiled suddenly, the light of a challenge coming into his eyes. "Tell you what... Team two!" he hollered. A group of young unicorns formed up almost out of thin air.
"Yes sir?" they asked, all clearly exhausted, but willing to work still.
The foreman smiled. "How many blocks did you hoist this morning?" he asked, a fairly standard question for daily inspection.
"Seven, sir. But those were all the way to the top," they said, sounding proud of their work.
"Good job, fellas. Take an extra hour break," he said, smiling with mischief in his eyes. "This dragon here will take over until your breaks're done."
Spike shook his head in disbelief, and Celestia just giggled. "What? Why me?" he asked grumpily.
The foreman just smiled. "I just want to see what you're capable of. It's not every day you get to see a dragon. These are teams of three lifting these blocks. Now then, they did seven all morning. I want to see if you can do eight in the next hour. That's two every fifteen minutes. If you can do that, you're hooves-down the strongest critter I've ever laid eyes on. Now then, chop-chop," the foreman said, wandering away to oversee other groups.
Spike looked at Celestia as if he expected this was somehow her fault. She just shrugged, looking as surprised as he was. Still far from convinced that this wasn't her doing, he sighed to himself, muttering things better left unsaid under his breath. With a grunt he picked up the first block and took flight. All the way to the top, roughly eighty feet overhead. Not far by his standards, but that was straight up, weighing almost double his normal weight.
The block felt light in his arms, but his wings suffered from the added weight. He had to strain himself a little for the last five feet of the flight up, but all tolled he had the block up and in place in roughly three minutes. Thinking himself well ahead of schedule, he rested a little on his way down. He felt unbelievably light without that block now. He landed and picked up another, bracing himself for the burn in his wing-joints.
He had this one up in short order too, the burn slightly less as his muscles realized that they were just going to have to cope with this effort. The third and fourth blocks came a little more slowly, but after twenty minutes he was halfway to his goal. His fifth and six took almost half as long as the previous block had, and he began to grow worried. After thirty five minutes, he was only one away from calling a draw with the unicorn team. Below him, Celestia called for him to come get the next one, calmly cheering him on. That calm confidence that he could do this did wonders for him; much more than an entire screaming legion of ponies cheering him on.
The seventh block was placed with renewed vigor, but it still took just as long as the sixth had. He was breathing hard and his wings ached badly, but he only had one to go. He'd show that foreman just how strong he was. He basically dove to the ground, know that it would take all of his remaining ten minutes to wrestle that block ninety feet straight up. He hadn't taken it into his calculations that each block he placed would mean he had to haul the next one farther.
He huffed loudly the entire way, thoroughly exhausted. But at last he reached the pinnacle, shoving the block into place. His tired arms and wings barely had the strength to situate it, but at last he did it. And with not a moment to spare he knew. Below, Celestia called out to him, congratulating him warmly. Smiling to himself, tired but victorious, he circled lazily back to the ground. Ponies were grouping up to congratulate him on a job well done, but first was the foreman.
"I knew you could do it, bud. Now then, everypony could learn a lesson in diligence from this dragon here. I know you're not half his size, but he just did in one hour the same amount of work three of you can do in four. I feel like you could all push yourselves a little and really show me who's the best group. Now then, group two, you're back on duty. I want to see ten blocks by the end of the shift." The young unicorns groaned, but didn't complain beyond that.
Many ponies approached Spike, slapping him on the shoulder while he laid down and rested a minute. He was glad for the congratulations, and glad he had shown that the faith placed in him hadn't been wrong. He knew that a ninth block was well beyond his means though, and so he was happy to quit where he was.
Celestia wandered up at last. "See, what did I tell you? Everypony's happy with you around, seems like. No reason not to show them we're together," she said, suddenly, revisiting the topic from before.
Spike didn't have the energy to do much besides nod his agreement. "Alright, you win," he said with a laugh that turned into a cough. His diaphragm wanted nothing to do with that chuckle, and it wasn't shy about letting him know that.
Tia smiled and just sat down next to him, waiting for him to recover. "That really was impressive Spike. Even with all my magic, I couldn't have moved that many that quickly. You're certainly something," she said, smiling warmly at him.
Spike's heart soared at that. He was fascinated how much pleasure he got out of impressing her. But he certainly wouldn't complain. "Alright, I think I'm good. Just... no more flying for a bit," he said, wincing as he opened and closed his wings.
Celestia smiled. "Alright, fair enough. Come on then, let's head back to the castle. Unless somepony comes looking for me, I should be done for the day."
Rising from the ground, Spike followed after her, the two joking with one another and making their way back to the palace in the distance.
Rarity trotted through the streets, glad to finally be off that awful train. She couldn't recall the last time she had been in Canterlot; visits here were sporadic for her. She would come for fashion shows, or to collect orders for clients living in the city, but she never stayed long. If she stayed anywhere, it was usually by personal invitation at the castle.
She was making her way there now, eager to hurry and find Spike. She knew if she dawdled she would get cold hooves about it, so she fought her way through the midday crowd. Even in a rush, she had to admire the beauty of this place. She had always wanted to live here, but proximity to her friends came first, and so she had stayed in Ponyville. Still, many ponies waved to her, knowing who she was.
Aside from being a prominent designer, she was also an Element of Harmony, and few people had forgotten that fact, even years after the six friends' last adventure. She returned all the waving hooves warmly, allowing it to be a small measure of comfort for the rocky road ahead of her. She had a few words figured out that she knew she needed to say to Spike, but for the most part she had resigned herself to winging it.
The city faded around her as she came upon the open area just ahead of the castle walls. Guards manned their usual stations, nobles flitted to and fro. It was for Rarity as it had been for Spike; awe inspiring, yet familiar. Constant. This time it was different for Rarity though. Beautiful as the place was, inside waited a problem she was ill-prepared to confront. Even so, she had long since made up her mind, and so she approached the gates, smiling in her usual way to the guards.
"Rarity? Is that you?" one of the guards asked, smiling ear to ear. "Long time no see. What brings you up here?" he asked.
"About that, dear. I heard Spike was staying as a guest of the princess. I've some things I need to discuss with him," she said with confidence. That confidence wavered when the guard smiled at her strangely.
"Guest. I suppose you could say that. Yeah, they went out on business this morning, but they should both be back now. I think they came through the library gate, but go on in. Just poke around until you find them," he said with a warm smile, tossing open the gate. "As always, enjoy your stay."
"O-of course," Rarity replied, dumbfounded. Why did the guard make it sound like Spike wasn't a guest? That didn't make any sense. Supposing he had simply misspoken, she shook her head and wandered up the lane to the castle. Something didn't feel right to her.
She entered the front doors, wandering the halls here and there. She really had no idea how to navigate the castle, but she needed to find Spike somehow, so she just took paths at random, hoping to either hear him, or run into somepony with directions. She got the latter.
Rounding a corner into the meal hall, Rarity spotted Luna just finishing her lunch. Her confusion doubled when Luna spotted her and turned pale. Trotting up to the table, she cleared her throat. "Hello Luna. It's been too long."
"Y-yes, it has. We-- I haven't been able to get down to Ponyville much, and I never know when you're in town," the dark princess replied, her composure returning slightly. "Example being right now. I had no idea you were coming for a visit. What's the occasion?" she asked, fearing the answer she would receive.
"I'm here to talk to Spike." Rarity said, her tone firm. "There are some personal issues I need to discuss with him."
Luna sighed, shaking her head. "I was afraid of that..," she muttered.
"Pardon, dear?" Rarity asked pleasantly.
"Nothing. Spike's with my sister right now, probably up in the gardens. She likes to relax there when she's done with work. I would take you myself but I have... business to take care of," she said, rushing the lie badly.
Rarity scowled, now knowing something was up. "How do I get there?" she asked, trying to keep her tone mostly pleasant. But something was different here, and she wasn't being told what it was.
"Just take the hall back the way you came, and go up to the third floor when you reach the staircase. If you go left from there, you should be at the gardens," she said, her tone reluctant, as if she badly wanted to give her false directions.
Confused and suspicious, Rarity thanked Luna, and the two ponies went separate ways. She followed the directions to the letter, finally wandering outside into the garden area. Sure enough, somewhere in the maze, she could hear Spike's voice. But she couldn't make out the words. Curious, she went off in search of her draconic friend.
Spike and Celestia had come up to the garden, more at Spike's request than hers. He had a couple things he wanted to say to her; things he just needed validated in general. They sat under the same cherry tree he had first caught her singing under, Tia waiting patiently for him to start.
"Tia, I know this is sudden... but what happens in the future, between us?" he asked quietly, as if he were broaching a topic he knew he shouldn't.
"What do you mean, Spike?" she asked, puzzled by the question. She agreed, it did seem sudden if he was talking about what she thought he was.
"Nothing like marriage, or anything like that," he said, trying to put that assumption to rest. "But just in general, being an alicorn and a dragon together... You're fully grown, aren't you?" he asked, figuring she would be able to see where this was headed.
"Yes, I am. And Spike, I know you're not. You'll grow for a very long time, yet," she said, catching on. The thought hadn't really crossed her mind until now. She didn't like the idea that someday he might be ten, or twenty times her size. Fully grown dragons were rarely seen in Equestria, and so she had very little knowledge of just how large Spike would become.
"Well then... I know I'm jumping way ahead into this relationship, but if I get even bigger than I am already, how would... you know..." He muttered, trailing off.
Celestia blushed, knowing exactly the track his young mind was taking. "Spike, stop," she urged. "I know what you're saying, but that's not something we need to worry about now."
Spike sighed, shaking his head. "You don't understand, Tia. You don't need to worry about it now, but I do. Someday, I'll be too big to be in love with you anymore, won't I?" he asked, his tone all fear at that prospect.
Celestia shook her head, her mane rippling with the motion. "That's not true, Spike," she said, her flat denial rocking Spike back on his heels. "I know someday you'll be enormous, I just never thought of it until now. You understand that right? It didn't matter when we made this decision. And if years from now we're still together, it never should," she said gruffly, as if he were making a mountain out of a mole hill.
Spike groaned in frustration. "I understand that, but it doesn't change the fact that... Well anyways, like I already said." He grumbled, not looking her in the eye now. He didn't want to have this conversation so forwardly with her, especially since their relationship was still young, but it was bothering him. And she had told him he could tell her anything.
Celestia shook her head, knowing that telling him not to mention this wouldn't resolve anything. "Spike, love doesn't have to be a physical thing all the time. Besides, who knows? There might be ways to keep you from growing," she said, trying to deflect the topic.
"Like what? A magical spell?" he asked, suddenly intrigued by this prospect.
"I can't say for certain. I would have to look into it more, but it's possible," she said with a warm smile, glad to see the conversation changing her way. "Regardless, Spike, I could love you anyways, even if you were the size of a mountain."
Spike seemed a little nervous at the idea that he could even possibly get that big. "You're exaggerating right?" he asked, looking fearful.
Celestia just laughed. "About your size, yes. But not about how I feel about you. And there are other ways to physically show your love than... mating," she said, broaching the topic carefully, using her tone in such a way that Spike would know not to latch onto that statement.
"Like what?" he asked, doing his best to follow her voice and keep away from that particular subject. No matter the context, that type of discussion was far too early in their bond.
Celestia stood and came face to face with Spike, smiling warmly at him. "Like this," she said, kissing him gently.
Spike had never shared a kiss with anypony. The closest thing he had received was when he was little, and Twilight had kissed him goodnight on the cheek. His shock quickly melted into pleasure though as he kissed her back. It was strange, just due to the shapes of their noses, yet somehow it worked without being unpleasant. Unexpected as it was, to Spike it felt right. For a brief moment, time had stopped.
But when it resumed, a slight sound behind him promised that everything was about to go terribly, horribly wrong.
She saw it. It made too much sense now. The guards, Luna... They had all been acting strangely, and now she knew why. Rarity gasped as she watched Spike, the dragon she had come all this way to see, kiss Celestia, her friend and a mentor. Her shock was indescribable, but one word echoed in her mind.
Betrayal.
He hadn't waited for her. He hadn't considered she might come for him, to confess she was wrong, to tell him she loved him. He hadn't had any faith in her at all. And she hadn't deserved it, she knew. Yet she had expected it. Expected to come here and find him as she had left him. Sad, broken, waiting for her to come and save him from all the pain she had caused.
But instead he had been saved by another.
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked upon the most probable result of her failures as a friend and a lover. That he would find new love, because she could not love him. It made sense. But she hated it, because now, after everything she had gone through to get here, she was ready to tell Spike she loved him. Yet she couldn't.
Unable to look at the two of them any longer, Rarity turned and prepared to flee. But as she did, Spike turned her way, his eyes full of fear and pain.
"Rarity...?" he asked in disbelief.
Celestia looked around him, seeing her as well. She gasped, as if she knew exactly what was going on and was just as shocked by it as either Spike or Rarity. With her new love for Spike, Rarity wondered if perhaps she truly was.
Spike stepped towards her, but Rarity shook her head, eyes and throat both choked with tears. She ran from him, not out of fear, but out of sorrow. How could he? What had she driven him to? And how could Celestia?
"Rarity, wait!" she heard Spike yell. Even so, he didn't come after her. He was too shocked to see her there, too caught up in his own sudden feelings of guilt.
She ran harder, faster. Into the castle, through hallways, practically tumbling down flights of stairs. She wanted to hide. To escape. Whatever this nightmare was, she would wake from it soon. She was still on the train, she told herself. This wasn't happening.
This couldn't be happening.
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Luna: Ladies and gentlemen, our top story for the evening; a shit-storm has begun to form off the coast of this fic. We now go to Razorbeam, who has a live report. Razor?
Razorbeam: Luna, I'm here with the camera crew, and I've got to tell you, this is going to be one of the worst shit-storms I have ever seen. We're still about a chapter away from seeing this thing in full force, but a few people claim to have seen it touchdown in a few places already. If you live in the area, I recommend boarding up your windows and praying, because this isn't going to be pretty.
Luna: You heard it here first folks. Batten down the hatches and prepare yourselves for bad weather. This has been the New Lunar Republic news report at seven.
Enjoy.
I saw this coming.
alltheragefaces.com/img/faces/large/disgusted-oh-god-why-text-l.png
Youch, that was pretty much destined to happen.
>tired, time to go to sleep
>check my email before i head off
>The Heart of a Dragon has updated!
>fuck you sleep
Okay, I really hope this doesn't turn into a heated fight where spike hurts BOTH celestia and rarity, and ends up completely heartbroken.
427201 Pretty much sums it up. A fantastic chapter, might I add.
Is it bad of me to hope that Spike and Celestia stay together and he doesn't end up with Rarity? 'Cause you are doing a good job at making that paring work. Still good story and I hope that all the parties involved have their happy endings.
In the Name of Her Serene Majesty Celestia Everfree, Princess of the Sun, First Diarch of the Equestria Federation,
Celestia's Paladin: For Honor and Duty, For the Sun and Moon
Everyone grab some wood we got get the windows borded up now GO GO!
so yea your comment their hillarious and im so split damn it all spike deserves to be happy and all this dramas gota be killing him; oh well, can't wait for the next chapter keep it up!
(still hoping for the happy harem ending with the 3 of um, I know im a sucker for the happy endings )
With Celestia and Spike it feels real, like their relationship actually stands a chance. You wanna feel bad for Rarity but you can't, she screwed up and now she has to pay the piper.
As for Shit-storms, I live in South Florida I can handle a hurricane whether it be main of water and wind or in this case sadness and grief.
google.com/url?source=imglanding&ct=img&q=http://markwatches.net/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/glasscase.gif&sa=X&ei=exmCT46BEsHq0gHQmayFCA&ved=0CAwQ8wc&usg=AFQjCNHAW6uMcY7rSLMMZRd91uAVFxfesA
"I'M IN A GLASS CASE OF EMOTION!!!!!!!!"
Like a Twi-tard I'm picking team Spikelestia
fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/i/2012/098/b/4/princess_celestia_and_her_cake_by_johnjoseco-d4vgx0w.jpg
427201Couldn't have said it better myself
Also Celestia can move the sun across the sky, but has trouble lifting some concrete blocks when her student, a mortal unicorn, can lift a giant space bear whilst performing a varity of other tasks.....seems legit
Another amazing chapter. Shit just hit the fan. Looking forward to the next one.
427201
That was brilliant!
And yes, I'm talking of both the comment and the story.
img.ponibooru.org/_images/704a65b5c8298201d5bf89dfa0d01005/130303%20-%20animated%20big_macintosh%20brace_yourselves%20macro%20reaction_image%20shitstorm.gif
Oh sweet Jesus tamales in hell!
MAN THE HARPOONS, DISCORD'S GONNA BUST OUT ALL THE WAY FROM THE GARDEN IN LIGHT OF THIS SHITSTORM TO END ALL SHITSTORMS!
i.qkme.me/356am6.jpg
It has begun.
427356
Shush. It's my magic, I do what I like. The whole point is to make them comparable in strength.
You know, at first I really wanted Spike and Rarity to be together. But now all I can think of is, "Rarity better not mess this up for Spike and Celestia!" Great chapter.
Grrr. You are driving me crazy!
You first make it a Spike/Rarity story, now it's a Spike/Celestia story, it keeps switching and your writing style is awesome and a MEGA Cliffhanger has occured so, three things.
One: fim.413chan.net/toy/src/130184202731-4109_-_Futurama_macr.jpg
Two: img.ponibooru.org/images/8a/8ac139c555b0293394a17ae097a4c743
And Three: images.mylittlefacewhen.com/media/f/img/mlfw2963-130796838883.jpg
Keep it coming!
emotibot.net/pix/366.jpg
427389
To be fair, she's always moving the sun, doesn't seem like she'd really have much in reserve for other stuff if that's always going on.
This story just got 20% cooler
Awesome chapter! Although I hope Spike stays with Celestia, he deserves better than..... RARITY
. Can't wait for the next chapter! See ya! :D
Ho shits. This chapter... Only problem I had is that the time between Celestia and Spike was rather boring. The end did it for me though.
You really like keeping us from sleeping don't you? xD
Still, It's worth it!
427473
Yeah, not as much happening this time, but I really felt like building that up before I break it all down. Just some casual good feels thrown in there.
Daym son, shits gettin' real.
Dammit, I'm still holding onto hope for Spikity!!
427488 I feel ya. Give us a glimpse of a normal life and toss us into the shitstorm. Did a good job of that mang.
427488
I have a legitimate question when you break this into two endings are you gonna label them as so in the chapter titles or in a disclaimer at the top of the page?
427389
Apart from all of the "OMFG THERES A SHIT STORM COMMING!" comments which i will gladdly support there is a spelling error.
Celestia scowled. "Spike, you don't have to hid things from me," she insisted.
Missing E lol " to hide things from me "
Your welcome. :3
427575
Woot, thanks.
The story: "But when it resumed, a slight sound behind him promised that everything was about to go terribly, horribly wrong."
Me: "Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!"
The story: "She saw it. It made too much sense now"
Me: "SHIT!" *Walks away from the computer "shit, shit, shit......"
It was so difficult for me to read this part. I litteraly walked away from the computer for about ten minutes before I returned. It was soooo difficult, but I liked it and to give ME that kind of reaction, REALLY shows what a good author you really are.
Epic words of edvice:
KEEP ON THE GOOD WORK!!!!
Ninjazz - Oh, Heart, why do you feel so sore. Why does your rhythm change so quick. Why are are you so sad, Heart? Is it, because Razorbeam has just sliced you in two as his word sorcery forced you to choose between the magnificent Celestia or the beautiful Rarity, or is it the pain you can feel from Spike's torment?
Heart - Both.
Btw, some minor grammar mistakes and you forgot that Rarity did, in fact, kiss Spike on the cheek when Spike gave her that Fire Ruby back in The Secret of My Excess episode. Other than that, PERFECT!
at first i was like : go spikity
but then i was like : spike and celestia look good together
and finially im like this: GO SPIKELESTIA!!
427201 I have one thing and only one thing to say.
unnecessaryumlaut.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/damn_friday.jpg
fuck RARITY
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
celestia saw spike for what he really was right away 
he deserves her
427574
It will be made clear in chapter titles.
Shitstom? Pah, Canterlot has seen worse!
And, oh boy, am I looking forward to that next chapter!
Why did it have to be a bakery? Seem's like Canterlot is a castle surrounded by pastry and fashion.
Lol like i said before, Rarity had her chances and blew ti, her fault. Plus, i like this celestia and spike pairing, so pleaaaaaaasee keep them together..
427653
Because breakfast.
Attention Pony's of Ponyvile, Todays afternoon announcements Will be interrupted by the following BITCH SLAPPING!
427201 Oh Lawdy that comment was gold!
Another excellent chapter and as stated previously, the shit storm ain't reached full strength yet. Also I'm gonna along with some of the others in hoping Spike stays with Celestia since Rarity clearly still has some issues to work out and if her nightmare is anything to go by... she doesn't love Spike for the dragon that he is
i284.photobucket.com/albums/ll40/JazzEx022/dis_gon_b_gud.gif
oh my god, that was awesome, you go dawg
is that wat it is?
Great chapter as always. I must say when spike and Celestia are together it feels... real. Not like something that's being forced because a few feeling could get hurt. I was confused about the whole Celestia couldn't move the blocks thing but I just figured it was her trying to exaggerate in her congratulation of Spike to make him... wait for it... feel 20% better... Nope not a good one but oh well.
427668
So Celestia mooches of small shop owners and the occasional national dessert competition for snacks? What is the world coming to?
well rarity I hate to tell you but you had this coming
Spikelestia could easily become my favorite shipping couple. Am I the only one who feels absolutely no sympathy for Rarity? I think she is getting exactly what she deserves here.
You know, I'd be much more inclined towards Spikelestia, and this story altogether, if I didn't feel like the price of their happiness is Rarity's sadness; or, the other way around, Spike going back to Rarity and leaving Celestia heartbroken. Call me old-fashioned, but I really don't like heartaches by triangles. Of course, considering that is the keystone of this fic, one could wonder what the hay am I doing reading this... to which I can only say, I'm hoping for a happy ending, which would be everyone happy... something I'm not sure will happen, with momma shitstorm parking her car on the door, ready to step all over the garden.
Now, on the things I like: you develop the characters really well in a short amount of time, making the changes they go through believable. Without Madam's help (I wonder if they'll meet again, and if she'll have another advice for this situation) it would not have felt realistic that Rarity would develop her thoughts so much. And the Spikelestia relationship is well written too, showing them both with their own handicaps in thought and physique. Good job, once again :)
Best part of this chapter for me was the new report.
Looking forward to seeing the Shitstorm in full force.
Alright I'm back again. First thing first, typo time.
He was >breath< hard and his wings ached badly, but he only had one to go.---should be breathing me thinks?
Supposing he had simply misspoken, she shook her head and wandered up the lane to the castle. Something didn't feel >right now.<
The second one is just kinda me being weird about how that reads, but I think the word "now" in that last sentence should be "anymore" or "to her". Could also change the sentence to something along the lines of; "Still, she thought something didn't feel right." Now I'm by no means someone to take advice when it comes to writing or grammar, but I think it just reads kinda strangely because the phrase "right now" is usually used in a different context.
Now to the story itself. Loved it, loved everything about it. It was a little dull and slow but I think that the emotional roller-coaster you've been taking us along could use some slow moments just like anything else. And considering the drop coming up (NUCLEAR SHIT STORM DETECTED) I feel that's a good thing. Taking Spike out into the town to show him that, while people may be concerned with his presence at first, it can easily be overcome once they get to know him. And that everyone can become used to his appearance was beautiful. I especially loved the talks between Celestia and Spike. They feel so real and believable, all their worries and concerns are legitimate. Also the sex talk had me laughing, he is a teenager (I think?) for a dragon, and the fact that Celestia knew where he was going immediately made it even better, damn teens and their hormones
It was all handled amazingly.
Also one question, when you do the split ending (I remember you saying they would be 2-3 chapters long), do you plan on releasing them at the same time, or doing one then the other? If u release them at the same time, are you going to put out 2 chapters at once, one for each path. If not, which ending are you doing first.
428034
I'll probably release them together. Meaning gaps between chapters will take longer. Anyways, thank you for your review, as always; I'll make corrections shortly. Always glad to hear you like it, even when things slow down.
Cheers!