“Wow Pinkie!” Spike said between his guffawing. “That’s gotta be the most random thing I’ve ever heard!”
The pink mare shrugged, “What can I say? You can learn a lot when you’re at the bottom of the ocean with a pineapple. But what about you?” she nudged him. “Being your first time at the gala, what do ya think?”
“It’s okay I guess,” he looked around the ballroom. “Though I don’t exactly see why those tickets are so sought after.”
“Maybe it’s because we tend to shake things up,” Pinkie smiled before she looked up. “Hey, isn’t that guy the one who used Rarity as a pony shield for falling cake?”
“Huh?” the little drake looked over his shoulder to which he spotted a familiar-looking Prince heading his direction. Spike frowned, “Blueblood.” His expression didn’t change when the Royal Unicorn came up to him with a nervous smile.
“Good evening Sir Spike,” Blueblood nodded.
There was a pause before the purple dragon raised an eyebrow, “Can I help you?”
Blueblood’s eyes looked off to the side for a moment, “W-Well, I was hoping if I could have some time to speak with you… Alone?”
Spike looked over to Pinkie, who shrugged as she was just as confused as he was. “Why alone? Can’t you talk to me here?”
The prince’s cheeks took on a pinkish tint, “Not exactly, I would prefer if I could talk to you someplace else, like in the Royal Garden?”
Although suspicious, Spike sighed, “Okay. But for a couple of minutes.” Blueblood’s smile widen, showing his blinding white teeth, “And less smiling,” the drake added, and the light was quickly vanquished.
The two of them walked out into the hedges of the garden, with the prince’s guards closely behind.
“Oh, here we go,” Cloak muttered to his comrade. “Now here’s a gift-wrapped embarrassing moment waiting to happen.”
“With Spike in the line of fire?” Dagger questioned, “Isn’t that going a wee too far?”
“The recipe said that if that were ever to happen, all we have to do is to drag him off, lock him out of sight of the little guy for an hour, and he’ll be back to normal. If he does go too far, that’s when we’ll step in.”
The guards followed the Prince over to one of the fountains after Blueblood dismissed them; the two guards hid behind some bushes and listened on.
“Okay,” Spike folded his arms, “You got me out here, alone, so what do you want?”
Blueblood blinked, “What do you mean?”
“C’mon Princy,” the dragon frowned, “I haven’t forgotten about what you did to my friends. Especially Rarity and Applejack.”
“Who?”
“One of them is a white unicorn with a purple mane,” Spike deadpanned. “The other is orange, had a cowpony get up that was trying to sell her family’s food here a while back.”
“Oh…? Oh!” The Prince realized, “They… Those were your friends?”
“Yeah! From what I’ve heard, you were a huge jerk! Even Twilight was stunned how you were acting back there,” with a scowl, he clenched his claws tighter. “And don’t get me started for what you’ve done to Rarity. So what do you want from me then?”
The white Unicorn rubbed the back of his head, “Oh… Perhaps I’ve given off some unfavorable impression, have I?”
“Ya think!”
Blueblood winced, “P-Please, what exactly do you want me to do? Apologize?”
Spike’s gaze narrowed, “That would be a start. But that still doesn’t answer why you wanted to see me.”
“I wanna be with you.”
There was a very uncomfortable silence between them for a good three minutes.
“Why?” Spike finally spoke up what was on his mind.
The Prince smiled, “Because, I’m captivated by you.”
Now it was the little drake’s turn to blink. “What?”
“It’s true,” the stallion took one step forward while Spike took several steps backward. “I’m rather a fool that… I haven’t noticed you sooner.”
“Uh…” Spike looked up and down at him from the light of the fountain, “You feeling okay?”
Blueblood laughed, “Never better in my whole life. Though, I do wish I could make it up to you for not appreciating such a dashing, brave, and loyal gentledrake that you are, until now.”
The baby dragon took another step back, “Uh, wait a minute.” He held his arms up, “You’re not saying what I think you’re saying… aren’t you?”
Another laugh, “And, what do you think, I’m trying to say, good sir?”
“Are you telling me that you… you…” the slits in Spike’s eyes got very thin, “no way.”
“Oh-ho yes way!” Blueblood smiled. “I think it would be pointless to tell you that I love you.”
There was another uncomfortable silence, “I have so many questions,” Spike said, shaking his head.
“Fear not,” before the little drake could react, he suddenly found himself swept up in the Prince’s aura. “By the end of this night, all the secrets of my heart shall be revealed to you! Come, let us return to the gala for all the world to see!”
“No! Wait!” Spike waved his arms about as the Prince started to prance his way back to the palace. “Blueblood stop! What are you doing?”
“Showing off Canterlot my newly appointed consort of course!” the Royal Unicorn practically sang.
“I never consented to this!”
“Whoever said that my love needs to be conditional?”
“HELP!”
In the bushes, the two guards looked at one another, “Isn’t this going too far?” the Pegasus inquired.
His companion, however, grinned wickedly, “No, this is perfect.” Cloak’s horn glowed for a moment before popping a camera into existence, “Now this I gotta see.”
_*_
It wasn’t unusual for couples dancing at the gala. If anything when a waltz is playing, its commonplace to see mares and stallions caught in a slow dance, talking softly to one another. And although rarely seen, even couples who happen to be the same gender dancing wasn’t much cause for unwanted attention. What was, however, was the fact that not only was one of the only Princes in Equestria dancing with somepony, not only was it a male, but that one he’s trying to sway with the music is a dragon that’s trying desperately to get away from Blueblood.
“Let go!”
“Oh don’t be shy.”
“I mean it!”
“So am I.”
“Seriously, let go, they’re staring at us.”
“Ignore them when you have somepony as equally handsome right here.”
“You know I’m not into you.”
“So?”
“TWILIGHT!”
“Yes, I suppose we should let you’re… what is she to you again?”
“Let go of me!”
“You’re surprisingly a fussy dancer, aren’t you?”
“I don’t wanna dance!”
“But this is fun.”
“It isn’t to me. Gah! Where is Twilight when you need her?”
“Probably having fun somewhere else in the castle, much like how we’re doing.”
“Seriously, can you get any creepier?”
“Don’t be so panicky. You really should relax my dear.”
“How can I when you won’t let me go.”
“Not until the music is over.”
“That was twenty minutes ago!”
“I still don’t see the need to slow down.”
“Good Celestia! I swear I’m talking to a brick wall!”
“The best kind,” Blueblood grinned, only for Spike to try to pry himself harder than before.
“Seriously, what’s gotten into you?”
“I just happened to fall in love with a handsome drake.”
“When did this happen anyway? We didn’t as much as talk longer than five minutes in the past.”
“But I’m glad that we’re speaking now.”
“Is anypony gonna help me?”
“You know, I don’t see how you can be afraid of me. It’s not like I’m gonna drag you into my room to do anything indecent, it’s quite rude you know on the first date.”
“We’re not dating!”
“But you know it’s true. This is a great honor you know, being a consort to me and what not. So there’s no need of being so modest about it, shout to the world that we’re together.”
“I don’t want to be!”
As this was going on, Blueblood’s personal guards stood nearby, one of them was snapping pictures. Eventually, they were approached by a Canterlot noble in which he tapped Dagger’s shoulder, “Excuse me, but is this normal?” he pointed over to the prince.
“Nope,” the Pegasus replied, “But I admit that it’s a first.”
“I’ll say,” the noble looked on. “Whoever knew that his Majesty prefers the rougher sex. I say that it’s pretty brave of him to come out with his… that is his coltfriend, right?”
Cloak snapped another picture, “It is tonight.”
The noble’s eyes widen, “Oh my…” He started to step back, “I think its best we leave them be.”
When the Canterlot noble was out of the room, both guards looked at each other and tried to suppress a fit of chuckles.