A 'Date'
"A practice date? I don’t know, Spike." Applejack said, seeing spike, who was on his knees, begging, as he held up both his claws towards his scaly chest.
"Please, please, please, please Applejack!" Spike said as he begged, "Just one small practice date. Once I do it, I’m sure I’ll have the confidence to ask Rarity out on a date!”
"Uh… Couldn’t you ask one of the others?" Applejack nervously answered while rubbing the back of her neck and trying to dodge the question.
"They were all too busy." Spike replied "Besides, I couldn’t think of any pony better than the most dependable pony in town." He began to give a big smile in an effort to convince her.
"I would, Spike, but I have chores that need to be done."
"Please, AJ, just this once, for me." His smile slowly faded turning into a small frown and his eyes a bit watery.
She couldn’t help but close her eyes to see if he would stop making that face. When she opened her eyes, they grew a bit bigger in shock.
"Fine... I’ll help" She surrendered, giving a little sigh.
"You will? Ha ha! Yeah! Thanks Applejack, you’re the best!" He said as he gave her a hug on her fore hooves.
Sighing again, though glad Spike was happy, she replied "Yeah. Meet me at the barn in a hour. I have to finish my chores first."
"Sweet! Thanks again, AJ." He let go from the hug and runs off.
"What have I got myself into?" Applejack thought to herself as she headed back to her chores.
As an hour went by, Applejack went to the barn, seeing Spike as he was putting on something on him.
“Okay, Spike, got everything you need for this practice date?” Applejack asked.
“Indeed I do.” Spike answered with a hint of smugness. He turned, revealing that he was now wearing a fancy black jacket with a white shirt, and finishing the ensemble with a neat little black bowtie. Applejack didn't say a word, but gave him the patented Applejack Inquisitory Eyebrow.
“Now, if you’ll follow me?” He began to lead her inside the barn. Inside it had changed, now looking like a makeshift restaurant. Applejack could barely believe her own eyes. looking around, seeing the windows covered making the barn feel like it was night, a table with two glasses and a single candle on top between them, plus a covered tray of food on each side of the table.
“Spike, how? When did you do all of this!?” Applejack said, stunned by the miraculous change.
“I had an hour to make things perfect, what else was I supposed to do? Now if you’ll be so kind, milady?” Spike said, offering his claw.
Applejack presented her hoof to him, recognizing the gesture. He escorted her to her seat. Once she was seated, Spike lifted the tray in front of her, revealing a freshly baked apple pie.
“Bon appetite.” Spike said, giving a little bow.
Applejack looked at the apple pie remembering the last time he baked a pie. It had looked very green, burned, and had some mane in the pie (where the mane came from, no one knows). but this time it smelled sweet, like it just came out of the oven and didn’t contain somepony’s mane. Applejack cautiously took a piece of the pie and tried it.
“What do you think, Applejack? I made it myself.” Spike asked eagerly waiting for her response
“It’s surprisingly good , Spike.” Applejack responded, giving him a smile. “I think Rarity will be impressed. How about a conversation, like you would ask her on the date?”
“Oh, right! Um… How was your day, ‘Rarity’?”
Applejack cleared her throat and (tried to) mimic Rarity’s voice. “Oh, you simply wouldn't BELIEVE the day I'm having, Spikey-Wikey.” as she began to whine a bit. Well, maybe a little more than a bit. “I wanted to put this particular ruby I found on this simply gorgeous dress, but it was than the worst thing happened. It was a tragedy! I was all out of rubies!” Applejack said, taking advantage of having an opportunity to mock Rarity.
“What did you do?” Spike asked, hanging on the edge of the seat.
“I had to use diamonds on the dress in an effort to make it presentable. I really need more rubies or it will a disaster!”
“I’d be happy to help find some rubies for you.” He said as he started to give her a lovely look.
“Oh, thank you, Spikey-Wikey. I simply don’t know what I’d do without you!” she said, patting his scaly head.
“Aw, shucks,” Spike said, beginning to blush a bit, “It's nothing for a lovely mare like you.”
It was strange. Applejack started to blush a bit herself when he said it. No pony ever called her that in her life. What did it matter, it’s practice! It didn't mean anything...
“Hey, Applejack, you okay? You’re turning a bit red.” he waved his claw in front of her face.
Applejack snapped out of her thoughts, looking back at spike. “I’m fine, Spike… Uh, how would you impress Rarity on your date?”
Spike went under the table, pulling out a box and opening it, showing applejack a large clear prism that started to reflect light on it, revealing a rainbow.
“I’m going to show Rarity this. It’s a rainbow prism, took forever finding this. I heard its really rare.”
“Spike, it’s beautiful. I’m sure rarity will love it.”
“I hope so.” Spike slowly frowned and gave a little sigh “What if isn't enough, though?”
“Sugarcube, I’m sure it’s enough.” Applejack said, putting her hoof on his shoulder.
“I've done so much already to get her attention, but it seems she still sees me as ‘Spikey-Wikey’.” He gave another little sigh as he closed the box, setting it down on the table “Why hasn't she noticed me?”
“Maybe if you show her you want to make her your marefriend, then show her you really lover her.”
“Believe me, I've tried… But, maybe it’s a lost cause...” he slowly moved away from her putting his head down on the table, staring at the box.
“Spike.” Applejack said softly
Spike looked up at Applejack with a small frown.
“I’m sorry AJ, this was supposed to be practice for me to ask Rarity out and I’m here moping. I should be happy. I’m here with a beautiful mare like you to help me.”
“Oh, it’s nothing, Spike.” Applejack mumbled, beginning to rub the back of her neck slowly.
“No, I mean it! You have more chores than anypony in ponyville yet you still agreed to help me. That’s a loyal friend.” He began to smile. “Any stallion would be lucky to have you.”
Applejack blushed. It would be nice to have a lucky stallion to be with, but who would like a hard working farm girl that doesn't have much, like other mares do?
“I’m kinda surprised you don’t have one already.” Spike added.
“Well, to be honest, Spike, I’m always so busy that i don’t have time to fool around.”
“Well you should. A mare like you needs a special somepony in her life.”
Could he be right? Having a special somepony in her life… Applejack thought about it for a minute, then stopped, looking back at the little dragon.
“I think you're ready to ask Rarity out.” Applejack said, changing the subject.
“You really think so?”
“I just know it.” Applejack said, giving a little smirk.
“What if she just laughs at me, thinking it's just some sort of childish crush and doesn't realize how much I love her?” He began to frown again as he picked up the box from the table, “Who’d like a silly love-struck dragon like me? I'm just useless.”
“Don’t say that Spike, you’re not useless!”
“I am…” He slowly started to head to the door, before turning towards Applejack. “Thanks for helping me, AJ.” He left the barn, leaving the farm girl alone.
When night had fallen, all the Apple family began eating their supper, except Applejack who hadn't touched her meal since Granny Smith served it. She stared at her plate for a while, thinking about Spike telling her to go and find a special somepony and tell how she feels inside and such.
“Something wrong, Applejack?” Granny Smith asked
“Nothing's wrong, Granny. I’m not hungry.” Applejack responded softly, not facing her.
“Are ya sick or something, sis?” Applebloom asked, after swallowing her meal.
“No, Applebloom, it's nothing...” Applejack said with a small, fake smile.
“I know that look on your face sugarcube… Does this have something to do with a special ‘somepony’ you're thinking about?” said Granny Smith with a smirk.
Applejack faced Granny Smith with a slight blush across her face. Every apple family knows you couldn’t hide anything when it comes to Granny Smith Parenting.
“Well… I guess you could say that…”
“My big sister likes somepony!” Applebloom shouted interrupted applejack “Who is he? Do we know him? Does he love apples?”
“Applebloom, that’s way too many questions for your big sister to answer. Right, Big Mac?”
“Eeyup” Big Mac answered before eating his meal.
“Tell him how you feel about him, and maybe you’ll find out he likes you back.” Granny Smith suggested, smiling
“But what if he doesn’t feel the same way, and already has a special somepony?” Applejack began to frown, and she began to look worried.
“Well, then-”
As Granny smith was about to answer her question there was a loud knock on the door. Applejack got up from the table headed from the door and open the it seeing spike holding a box with a orange ribbon on top.
“Hey Spike,what do you need?” Applejack asked.
“I just wanted to tell you that the plan work.” Spike answered with a smile “Rarity and I are going on a date”
“Well, that’s great Spike!” Something inside Applejack's heart broke upon hearing it. “Where are you taking her?” She forced herself to ask as she tried not to frown, but keep a fake smile.
“I’m taking her somewhere special where we can look at the night sky while having a picnic.” Spike had a bit of a lovestruck look, with little hearts floating in the air on his head. After a while he snapped out of it, and became serious. “I want to tell you… Thanks. Again. I couldn’t have done it without you, Applejack.”
Spike came close to her and hug her. Applejack paused for a while before hugging him back.
“No problem, sugarcube” Applejack muttered.
“Oh! I almost forgot. I brought you a gift.” Spike broke the hug and handed her the gift.
Applejack accepted the gift and began to open it. She picked it up and saw a shiny ruby shaped like an apple.
“When I was digging for the gift for Rarity, I found it. I was planning on eating it, but I thought of giving it to you. I know gems aren’t your thing, but I thought should get something to repay you for helping me conquer my fears to ask Rarity out. I hope you like it.” He said, giving a little nervous laugh and blushing a bit.
Applejack looked at the gem a bit, then back at spike, giving him a warm smile. “Thanks, Spike… This means a lot to me… Really.”
“Well… It’s what friends are for: helping each other.” Spike pointed out.
“Yeah… Friends… Hey, if ya need another practice date… I-I’d be happy to help again.” She asked giving a bit of nervous tone and rubbing her forehooves slowly.
“Well… I do need a bit practice. Does tomorrow afternoon sound good?” Spike answered.
“...yeah… I can do that.”
“Great, I’ll see you there, Applejack. Can you keep it a secret between the two of us? I don’t want anypony to know about it, they might think it’s embarrassing”
“Of course, sugarcube.” She gave a smile and patted his head.
“Haha… Thanks, Applejack. I better get going. Night, Applejack.” Spike waved goodbye and ran off.
Applejack waited until he’s out of sight before going back inside.
“... Yeah… Night.” she said to herself, and, letting out a sigh, headed inside.