The Morning Report — The Lion King
After helping Fluttershy with some of the animals in her magic backpack, the two left her magic sanctuary to get some shut-eyes. After collapsing in bed, Spike was once again having another dream of his forgotten past.
Spike finds himself inside a throne room, with the alicorn from his previous dreams, sitting on top of a huge throne. Standing next to the door of the room, was none other but his uncle Scorpan, as a gargoyle.
Just then, the door opens up as a tall white unicorn colt entered the room, with his head held high. The colt has blonde mane and tail, both appearing well groomed and all. When the colt opens his eyes, Spike could see they are blue. There also appears to be a compass imprinted on his flanks. For attires, the colt appears to be wearing only a white tuxedo. Though Spike couldn't put his fingers on it, there's something he doesn't like about the colt.
"Good morning auntie," the colt greeted.
"Good morning Blueblood," Princess Celestia replied.
"Checking in with the morning report."
"Fire away."
With that, Blueblood went on with the status regarding to the ponies' current relationship with the yaks, griffins, zebras, donkeys, and a lot of others. Unexpectedly, Blueblood breaks out into a musical number, resulting a slight grin of from his aunt.
The Morning Report — The Lion King
Spike looked and noticed his past self, as a three year old, running into the room, chasing after a tiny parasprite.
Scorpan took notice and asked, "What're you doing Spike?"
"Pouncing," Spike replied, after a failed attempt to catch the bug.
"Let an old pro show you how it's done," Scorpan whispered, as he begins on instructing Spike on what the boy needed to do.
Blueblood was still singing to notice what Scorpan and Spike were doing when.....
*POW!!!!*
Spike jumped on a surprise Blueblood, resulting a laugh from Scorpan, older Spike, and Celestia. Spike soon took over the song, while a displeased Blueblood got up, dusting himself before he was repeatedly jumpscared by the boy, who keeps changing between a dog and a dragon.
"That's very good," Scorpan chuckled.
"Very good?" Blueblood exclaimed in outrage. "How could you encourage such a behavior to the likes of him? Not becoming of a prince I'd say!"
"Now Blueblood," Princess Celestia giggled. "You should learn to have some fun once in a while."
Blueblood looked, seeing his aunt expecting an answer from him, "Sorry auntie," Blueblood began. "I've just don't do well with this 'fun' sort of thing." With a huff, Blueblood took his leave.
"I hope you will someday," Celestia looked solemnly, while older Spike nodded in agreement.
'He's quite the ray of sunshine,' Spike thought, before his dream ended.
Early morning....
The sun has yet to come up, when Spike started to stir himself awake. His heightened sense of smell, picked up the sweet scent of tea brewing, which got him awake.
"Mhmm," he sighed, as he followed the sweet scent, back into the kitchen and sees Rarity, in a purple nightgown with her cutie mark and blue ribbon, making a cup of tea. "Rarity?" Spike asked quietly.
"Oh, good morni-" Rarity turned and was shocked at what she saw.
"What?" Spike asked, before turning to the refrigerator, looked at his reflection to see.... "AH! Dogface!" Spike screamed, before concentrating and turned himself back to normal. "Oh, I'm so embarrassed." Spike moaned, covering his face with his hands.
"Oh, come now darling," Rarity comforted the boy. "It's not that bad."
"Really?" Spike asked, peeking through his fingers.
"Really," Rarity smiled, before she pulled a seat for him to sit in. "What're you doing up so early by the way?" she asked.
"I was just sleeping," Spike answered uneasily, "When I smelled the sweet scent of the tea you're making."
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Rarity apologized, before she quickly went over to turn the boiler off. "I never knew you had such a strong nose."
"Oh, it's fine," Spike assured. "I mean, I could use a cup of tea to start the morning."
Rarity smiled as she poured them both a cup of tea, and they sipped, while conversing, "So darling, how are you feeling as of late? Anything coming back to you, Spikey-Wikey?"
"Just slowly," Spike replied. "I mean, I'm starting to remember meeting Fluttershy for the first time, and the time we rounded up all of Newt Chimera's creatures. But so far, that's all I can recall."
"Really?" Rarity inquired. "How come?" Spike explains the whole story, about how he first saw Peewee, in the kitchen, for the first time in ten years, and how Fluttershy took him down into her magic backpack and such.
Rarity nodded in acknowledgement, before feeling a little jealous when he told her about Fluttershy kissing him on the cheek. Then, an idea struck, "Wait here darling," the girl said. "There's something I want to show you," Rarity took her leave, before she came back with a purple velvet box. Sitting beside the boy, Rarity opened the box, revealing a glittering, glass slipper, with a heart-shaped ruby embedded on it.
"Wow!" Spike gasped in amazement. "It's so pretty!"
"It's certainly," Rarity smiled. "And do you know what makes it more beautiful?" Spike shook his head. "It was our gifts to each other," Rarity smiled in nostalgia. "My most cherished possession. It feels like it was only yesterday."
Past
It was during the Grand Galloping Gala, when a young Rarity was attending with her parents, and by chance had a first run in with Prince Blueblood. At first, Rarity thought it was true love staring at her in the face, however, she learned the hard way that not all princes are charming than the ones in fairytales, for the next few hours of mingling with the prince, she learned that the only thing royal about him was that he was a royal pain.
It wasn't long before a crestfallen Rarity was, tearfully, running through the halls of Canterlot castle, covered in cake frosting and all. She didn't look where she was going when she crashed into a younger Spike.
"Whoa!" Spike exclaimed, "Are you al-" Rarity simply ignored Spike as she got up and made her tearful exit. "right?" Spike looked down to see that a glass slipper was left behind. "HEY!" He called. "You forgot your shoe! Hey!" But it was no use. The pony had already disappeared without a trace.
Just then, Flare Heart arrived, "Prince Spike!" the colt cried. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah Flare," the boy replied. "I'm okay. I just found something that was lost."
The Next Day
A saddened Rarity was out and about in the busy streets of Canterlot, buying a few knitting supplies, along with some fabrics, when she took notice of Prince Spike, helping a donkey with a broken cart.
'Oh my,' she thought. 'Is that, Prince Spike? And is he....helping?'
Spike had just fixed a wheel in place, before the donkey made a few test pulls, satisfied with the outcome, "Good luck with your search for Matilda, Mr. Cranky," Spike said.
"Thank you young prince," the donkey smiled lightly. "And good luck with your search for that mare."
"Will do," they exchanged hoof and hand shakes, before they both went their separate ways. Needless to say, Rarity was a little surprise at the kind gesture Spike was giving to the donkey.
'Oh get a grip Rarity,' the little filly said in her thoughts. 'Prince or not, he's still not one of your kind. And you simply cannot be seen socializing with the likes of him,' She took another look at the prince, seeing how kind he is to the ponies around him, despite some giving weird looks behind his back. 'Still, he is rather nice and all.' She looked at some of the ponies he just passed. 'And no pony seems to have a problem with him. Well, a few that is....'
Rarity decided to follow Spike around, seeing the young prince, treating every ponies with kindness and equal respect as he greeted the morning with them. Spike stopped by, seeing a younger Applejack, and bought an apple fritter from the stand, when a skinny, homeless little filly came up to him, begging for food. She watched in surprise, to see Spike generously giving the filly the apple fritter he had originally planned on eating, before he turned to buy another one.
"No need sugarcube," Applejack said, before she pulled out a hot plate of apple fritters. "This one's on me."
"You sure?" Spike asked, looking hesitant.
"Absolutely." Applejack confirmed. "Your generosity to that filly is payment enough for me."
"Okay," Spike said, taking the food with him, before he grew a tail and cleverly tossed some bits into Applejack's tip cup. Applejack chuckled in amusement as she watched the Dragon Prince leave, while Rarity stood aghast at the prince's generous motive.
Rarity continued to follow Spike around, secretly watching as the young prince made every pony's days, simply by greeting them, or helping them with certain problems. For instance, a little filly was falling from a tree while trying to get her cat, when Spike came running and caught the filly just in time, before he jumped into the tree and got the filly's cat down. Another incident in which Spike's proven his heroism, again, was when a pony, named Hayseed Turnip Truck, was falling while cleaning windows, after the ropes of his harness snapped. Spike jumped on a nearby wall, kicked off, rocketing himself beneath the falling pony, and caught him.
"Phew, my very life just flashed before my eyes," Hayseed groaned, before he turned to the prince. "Thanks for the save your highness."
"No problem," Spike groaned, before his legs gave way and he collapsed beneath the pony.
Rarity smiled as she continues watching Spike, treating every pony equally, as opposed to how Prince Blueblood had once treated her at the gala. Spike's last stop was down the streets of Restaurant Row, when he happened upon a homeless pony, who was shivering from the cold, and starving to death. Rarity smiled even wider as she watched Spike giving up his royal coat for the homeless pony, leaving him with only a white dress shirt on with frilly laces at the sleeves, before he went into a nearby restaurant called, The Tasty Treats, and came back out with a cup of soup for the said pony.
Rarity turned around, leaning against the wall, placing her hoof over her heart, sighing dreamily for Spike, 'Oh how could I be so blind?' she thought. 'He may not be a pony. But he's ten times the stallion I've dreamed of.' Rarity looked back to see Spike and the pony exchanging friendly talks, and laughs, along with Spike telling the pony that he is welcomed, anytime, in the castle of Canterlot.
Spike later met up with his mom and cousin in the center of Canterlot.
"Any luck with your mysterious pony?" Princess Celestia asked.
"No, not yet," Spike replied, slightly disappointed."But every pony else are all well and taken cared for mom," Spike smiled with pride.
Celestia nodded, before Prince Blueblood rolled his eyes, "Oh I still don't understand why you keep wasting your times around these commoners," he groaned.
"Hey, it beats sitting around in the castle all day and talking to yourself in the mirror!" Spike countered, before turning to his mother, "Oh, and speaking of, there's a new restaurant that just opened up on Restaurant Road. It's called the Tasty Treat, and the food there are grrrreat! You've got to try them tonight, while they're still hot!"
"Oh please," Prince Blueblood began. "The last thing a high caliber equestrian official, such as I, would do is enjoy a foreign peasant dish."
"Blueblood!!" Celestia scolded.
"Forgive me auntie. I was just voicing my opinion."
"Well, you will also do well to keep some of your opinions to yourself," Celestia scolded, before she looked back at Spike.
"So what do you say mom?" Spike asked eagerly.
"I'd love to try it out sometimes, Spike," Celestia frowned. "But I'm afraid I have a lot of work to do and can't make it tonight."
"Oh," Spike frowned, while Blueblood flashed a smug grin in his way.
"I wouldn't mind accompanying him!" a voice called, revealing itself to be Rarity, herself.
"Well well well," Blueblood smiled, stroking his mane back as he went up to the mare. "M'lady, I'm-"
"I wish to speak with Prince Spike, if you please," Rarity said, walking past the shocked Prince Blueblood, and stepping forward to a lovestrucked Spike. "Good afternoon, your highness," Rarity bowed, before she looked up with a smile. "I am Rarity. And I don't mean to intrude. But I couldn't help but overhear your desire of a special outing at this Tasty Treats. So if it's no trouble, then may I be of your acquaintance this evening?"
Spike, snapping out of his loving trance, stuttered, "I-um, well I-"
Celestia smiled, "I think that's a splendid idea." With a push of her wing, she nudged Spike forward. "Have a wonderful time with your filly friend, Spike." Celestia teased.
"Mom!" Spike tried to protest, but finds himself blushing upon staring into the filly's beautiful sapphire eyes. "So," Spike began hesitantly. "Shall we?"
Rarity giggled, as she magically pulled the boy's hand, "We shall," With that, they took their leave, while an irritated Blueblood watched them leave.
The two kids were later at the said restaurant.
"Welcome to the Tasty Treats," the restaurant's host, Curiander Cumin greeted. "Ah, Prince Spike!" Curiander Cumin exclaimed. "Returned so soon?" the stallion quickly took notice of Rarity. "And I see you've brought a guest."
"Indeed I have," Spike smiled. "Allow me to introduce you to, Rarity."
"Pleased to meet you sir," Rarity smiled.
"Ah, such a pleasure to meet you too," the stallion smiled, before he directed the two to a seat. "Now, for today's special, we have a curried oat cake."
Spike licked his lips, smiling, "We'll take one."
"And a grass sandwich that has been marinated overnight in a mustard dijon dressing."
"Sounds interesting," Spike said, though a little disgusted about eating grass.
"And for you young lady?"
"I'll have whatever he's having, thank you," Rarity replied, as the stallion walks into the kitchen.
"Jasmine! Saffron!" Curiander called. "We need a curried oat cake and marinated grass sandwich!"
While the two were waiting for their meal, Rarity decided to strike up a conversation, "Ooh, this is a splendid rose," Rarity smiled, directing Spike's attention to a rose in a cup, on their table.
"You mean, this rose?" Spike asked, picking the flower up from the cup. "Yeah, it is," Spike smelled the flower, before he turned to the girl. "And do you know what else is splendid about it?"
"What?" Rarity asked, slightly frighten as she recalls a similar incident from before.
"It goes well, with your eyes," Spike answered with a smile.
Rarity giggled in relief, "Oh darling."
"Here let me," With that, Spike careful placed the rose in Rarity's mane, before he looked, marveling at the mare. "Fabulous."
Rarity giggled lightly, until their dinner came, courtesy of a beautiful mare named Jasmine, and a filly around Rarity's age named Saffron Masala, and the two ate.
"So," Spike began. "How long are you staying in Canterlot?"
"Just only for a few days," Rarity answered, before her eyes widen, "How do you know I'm not from around here?" she asked.
"I kinda memorized the faces and names of all the ponies living in Canterlot," Spike answered, scratching the back of his head. "It's part of my training to being a prince."
"So is that why you were walking around, greeting and talking to the ponies?" Spike nodded his head in response. "And I thought you were just being nice."
"I am being nice," Spike replied. "Mom and uncle have always been going on about how every pony plays an important role in life. Big and small. And that every pony in Equestria are all family, and as the Dragon Prince, it will be my job to make sure that every pony's well and taken cared for."
"How noble of you," Rarity smiled in admiration.
"Heh, that's me," Spike chuckled, munching on his oat cake. "Prince Spike, the noble dragon, following his dragon code of honor." The two chuckled.
After a while, the two were done. Spike paid for their meal, before they left the restaurant.
"Well, thanks for spending the afternoon with me, Rarity," Spike smiled. "Hope to see you around?"
Before Rarity could answer, a scream was heard, "What was that?" Spike asked, as a light grayish cerulean unicorn filly with brilliant vermillion mane, a little taller than him, came running. "What's going on?" Spike asked the girl.
"My-my home," the unicorn panted. "My family! We were attacked! By a creature! A monster!"
It wasn't just any monster, it was the work of Beezen, one of Equestria's most wanted criminals. In appearance, Beezen was a tall, green-skinned man, with a long pointed nose, gray hair, red eyes with slit pupils, and long fingers that almost resembles spider legs. For attires, he wears a long, flowing, black robe with red trimmings, a long purple cape tied by a ruby, golden ornament at the front.
The evil wizard, had just brought a piano to life and turned it into a ravenous monster, with fangs growing from the inside. The monster piano repeatedly chomped it's "mouth" furiously at the ponies it was chasing, as the wizard laughed evilly with glee.
"Stop right there!" a voice called out, revealing to be Scorpan, and some of the royal guards. "Surrender Beezen! You're surrounded!"
"Same for you," Beezen smirked, snapping his fingers, to reveal a pack of furnitures, instruments, and clothes turned monsters, surrounding the gargoyle and guards. "Now my monstrous minions! ATTACK!!" With that, the monsters all pounced.
[The Myth - 03. Battle Preparation]
Scorpan, roaring like a lion, charges forward, leading the royal guards into the fray. Scorpan made the first strike, as he kicked a flying hat monster away, before he was grabbled by a scarf that became more snake-like. Luckily, Flare Heart shot an disarming spell, knocking the scarf off, before he shot a fireball, burning the scarf into nothing. Suddenly, an enchanted disembodied fencing uniform appeared, holding out a sword, and challenges Flare Heart to a duel.
With a smirk, Flare Heart levitated a sword of his own from the scabbard, hanging on the side of his armor, "En Garde!" the colt challenged the uniform, clashing their swords together.
Spike and Rarity soon arrived, seeing the event unfolding before them.
"Oh my!" Rarity gasped. "What should we do? Prince Spike?" Rarity turned and sees the Dragon Prince was nowhere to be seen. "Young prince? Your highness?"
Scorpan was busy tussling with the monster piano when Beezen entered the fray, preparing a dark spell on the gargoyle, from behind.
"Heads up uncle!" Spike, in dragon form and clad in his suit of armor, called out, using a clothesline as a zip-line, and kicked the wizard in the face.
Angered, Beezen was about to fire an offensive spell on the dragon, only for Scorpan to grab the wizard from behind, thrashed him around and tossed him into some crates nearby, "Good move Spike," Scorpan smiled, as the dragon gave him a high five.
"My," Rarity gasped. "He's certainly quick on his feet. That and the way he changes costumes. He certainly has a nice sense of style."
Uncle and nephew, together fought the monsters off. An accordion with lobster claws tried to grab Spike, but Spike fought its claws off with his rapier, before Scorpan squashed the monster with a sofa monster. Suddenly, a giant oven, with the furnace as its mouth, and frying pans as its eyes, pipes for the arms, jumped out of a store, breathing fire and all. The monster jumped after Spike, who rolled out of the way, before he parried with the monster's arms with his rapier.
Flare Heart had finished his duel with the enchanted uniform, before he noticed Spike's battle with the monster. Thinking fast, a jet streams of water shot out form Flare's horn, dosing the monster's fire, as well as causing it to rust. Suddenly, the boys found themselves surrounded by pony mannequins, with open cuts on their faces resembling jaws with jagged teeth, and angry red eyes. The very sight of these monsters were enough to make Flare and Spike yelp, but still they stood their grounds.
One of the mannequins jumped at Spike, but the little dragon blocked its attack with his rapier, before he forced it away. Then, another jumped at Flare Heart, but the colt was able to catch it in mid-air with his magic, giving the rest of its comrades a chance to get the jump on the colt.
"Flare!" Spike called. "Behind you!"
The colt reacted by levitating his catch before its pack members, which resulted in several rounds friendly fires being shot. The mannequin got mad at its comrades for hitting it by mistake, that it spoke something gibberish to its members. Flare and Spike could only look at each other in confusion, shrugging their shoulders in response.
Then, as if things couldn't get any creepier, a pony doll, with a knife in its mouth, snuck up to the boys from behind, and throws itself at Flare. Luckily, Spike had heard it coming and quickly shot a fireball, stopping the doll in its track, giving Flare the chance to strike it with his magic, disarming the doll of its weapon, before it was, accidentally, stomped on by one of the mannequins.
"Watch where you going you fool!" the doll shouted angrily.
The boys kept on battling the mannequins, while at the same time, using some of them as shields against the attacks from the whole packs, thus earning some more angry gibberish from the dummies. "WATCH OUT!!" the boys shouted, pointing to some mannequins behind each other. With that, the boys quickly blasted magics at their targets, throwing several kicks and punches, literally saving each other's backs.
Soon, the angry pony doll from before got up, and was about to pounce on Flare when, "Behind you!" Spike shouted, causing Flare to leap and did a spinning, blazing kick to the doll.
"Can we be real?" the doll asked the readers, in a daze. "If I were a random dude named Charles Lee Ray and I have his soul, I'd totally win over these two. I would, I know I would."
As the fight went on, Rarity, watches in awe, making mental notes at Spike's unique fighting style, as he fought alongside the royal guards, and his gargoyle mentor, 'This battle not only shows how brave he is,' Rarity thought. 'It shows, he cares for the well beings of others.'
[End of Mad Dummy OST/ The Myth OST Resumes]
Suddenly, Beezen appeared behind the filly in a flash of fire, "Well, what have we here?" the wizard smiled evil, grabbing the filly by her tail.
"Unhand me you crook!" Rarity screamed, flailing her hooves, smacking the wizard square in the mouth.
"You're going to be sorry for that!" Beezen threw the filly into a wall, had Spike not leaped forward to catch the filly. Beezen pointed his wand at the two, preparing a dark spell with a glow of crimson magic, only for Flare to fire a magic bolt, blinding the wizard, causing him to misfire, blowing up a chunk of a building nearby.
Flare quickly fired a disarming spell at the wizard, only to be blocked by an umbrella monster, causing the spell to rebound, knocking the unicorn off his hooves, as his helmet flew off. After regaining his vision, Beezen was about to fire another spell, but was interfered when Spike breathed fire, scorching the wizard's face, giving Flare the chance to recover his helmet.
Furious at the heroics of Spike and his friends, Beezen fired a spell at the young Dragon Prince, which exploded upon impact with his armor, sending Spike flying into Flare Heart, and causing the glass slipper to fly out of his cape.
"The slipper!" Spike shouted, flying forward, catching the slipper in his hands.
"What slipper?" Flare asked.
"Is that my-" Rarity was interrupted when Beezen fired an offensive spell at Spike, which missed him by a hair, as the spell struck the slipper instead. The reflective structure of the slipper caused the spell to split up into various beams, conveniently striking the monsters, returning them to normal.
"NOOOOOOO!!!!!" Beezen screamed in defeat, before the guards quickly handcuffed the wizard in magic restraints, "I really should've made my escape, instead of yelling...." he admitted in defeat.
The guards later escorted the wizard to prison. The unicorn mare, named Sassy Saddles, was reunited with her family, while Scorpan, as a human, was left to contend with Spike and Flare, "Excellent job, you two," the man smiled. "You've never ceased to amaze me."
"I live to serve and protect Equestria!" Flare Heart saluted, while Spike looked at the colt, proudly.
Scorpan soon took notice of Rarity, who slowly came out from her hiding spot, "And who's this young lady?"
"I'm Rarity," Rarity smiled. "And it's an absolute honor to meet you, General Scorpan, as it is to meet Prince Spike, here." the filly bowed her head in respect, as the dragon and man both chuckled lightly, taken in by her mannerism.
"And what am I?" Flare Heart asked, feeling neglected. "Chopped liver?"
Rarity turned to the colt and answered, "Oh, but of course," she smiled. "How silly of me. You were wonderful too darling."
"That's Flare Heart," Spike smiled, placing his hand around the colt. "Royal guard in training, and my trusty sidekick."
"Yeah," Flare chuckled hesitantly. "Sidekick," he muttered.
Scorpan soon brought the kids out of their meet and greet moment, "Now, if I'm not mistaken," he began. "The two of you must've been in the middle of an outing of sort. Or was fighting Beezen part of your plan?"
Spike and Rarity both retold the whole story about their outing with the gargoyle, who couldn't help but listen in amusement, even more when Rarity revealed how much she would like to spend more time with Spike for the day, which surprises Spike, his mentor, and his best friend.
"I see," Scorpan responded at the end of their story. "Well kids, you two go on ahead with your evening. But be sure to be back in time for dinner, Spike." The man warned, before he changes back into a gargoyle. "You know how Celestia gets when you're out too late."
"Will do uncle," Spike replied, as the gargoyle flew away.
As Spike left with Rarity, Flare had a look of envy, concealed by his helmet.
Soon, Celestia's sun was barely over the horizon, when the two arrived at the top of a cliff, overlooking the sunset beauty of Equestria below.
"What'd I tell you, huh?" Spike inquired. "Ain't it a sight to behold?"
"Oh, it certainly is your highness," Rarity smiled.
"No need to be so formal with me," Spike smiled, turning to the filly. "Just Spike will do. We're friends, right?"
Rarity looked at Spike, eyes glimmering, "Do you truly mean it?"
Spike nodded, "Absolutely."
Rarity blushed, "Then, is it alright if I could also refer to you as, Spikey-Wikey?"
"Spikey-Wikey?" Soon it was Spike's turn to blush. "If that's what you want, then Spikey-Wikey it is then."
Rarity smiled, before she recalled the glass slipper she saw earlier, "By the way," she began. "That glass slipper that fell out of your cape. If I may ask, where did you get it?"
"Oh," Spike pulled the slipper in question out to show it. "I found it when some pony crashed into me, at the Grand Galloping Gala," Rarity winced, knowing whom Spike was referring to. "They were in such a rush, I didn't get a good look at their face or cutie mark. But they left this behind, and I've kinda made it a personal mission to find its owner and return it to them."
"Oh how sweet of you," Rarity smiled. "But how do you plan on finding this pony in question?" she asked.
"Well, the last thing I remember seeing, was that their color was white and purple," Spike answered. "Kinda like yours. And judging by their size, the pony I'm looking is a girl.....kinda like you....and they smelled like....cake frosting. Not to offend or anything."
"Oh, no hard feelings, I'm sure," Rarity dismissed. 'Clearly, Prince Royal Pain is to blame,' she thought, before she inquired, "But, by chance, were you expecting something in return once you've found them?"
"Nope," Spike replied honestly. "Just the satisfaction of returning a pony's lost belonging is rewarding enough for me."
'He's not only sweet and brave, but he's also selfless and valiant!' Rarity squealed mentally. 'He really is a true prince after all!'
"Hey Rarity?" Spike asked. "I hope you don't mind but," Spike held the glass slipper out for the filly. "Would you mind, trying on?"
Rarity smiled, while blushing, but complied as she raised her front hoof as Spike slowly put the glass slipper on in a perfect fit. "Whoa!" Spike gasped. "It was you, this whole time?!" Rarity couldn't help but giggle as she nodded in her head in confirmation. "Well I feel sheepish." With that, Spike comically turned himself into a sheep, before he quickly changes back, resulting in a burst of laughter from Rarity. "I mean, wow! Who'd thought, my new friend today, is actually the same pony I've been looking for?"
"As silly as it is for me to say this," Rarity blushed. "Maybe it was destiny that brought us together."
Spike chuckled, blushing equally, "Yeah. Must be." Spike suddenly found himself embraced by a joyful Rarity.
"I really don't know what to say, but thank you," Rarity smiled. "Thank you, Spikey-Wikey."
Spike blushed at the girl's pet name for him, as he returns the embrace, "You're welcome."
The sun was completely set, as the moon was slowly rising up, when the kids were later walking down a street in Canterlot, which was in the middle of a festivity. Feeling the groove, Spike started to tap his feet to the music, before he started to shake his whole body with the song. Rarity looked and giggled in amusement at the boy's enthusiasm before she started shaking her body to the beat of the music as well.
Spike took notice, and smiled, "May I have this dance?" he asked, being the gentleman he is.
Rarity giggled, "You most certainly may," With that, she accepted the boy's hand.
Meanwhile, Princess Celestia and Prince Blueblood were walking down the streets of Canterlot, with Scorpan and some Royal Guards, including Flare Heart, close by, when they came across the festivity going on. It didn't take long before they came across a crowd of ponies. Curious at what the fuss was all about, Celestia and Blueblood looked, and watch in surprise to see Spike, dancing with Rarity in perfect sync, and singing along to the music.
Princess Celestia watched in pride, seeing her son, dancing and making some pony, besides her, happy, while Blueblood could only scowl in jealousy, recognizing Rarity to be the mare he once "courted" at the gala. Furthermore, some of the royal guard, Flare Heart included, couldn't help but sympathize with the prince, since Spike was dancing with a beautiful mare. Scorpan in the meantime, smirked, "Well done, Spike. Well done."
By the end of the song, Spike and Rarity both struck a pose, as the ponies around them all clapped their hooves in applause. Spike and Rarity both took a moment to catch their breathes, before Celestia, Blueblood, Scorpan, and some of the guards trotted over. Seeing the officials, the ponies all bowed their heads in respect.
"Mom!" Spike greeted, running up to the alicorn princess.
"Afternoon sweetie," Celestia smiled. "That was quite the show you and Rarity put on."
"Oh, it was nothing," the kids replied, modestly.
"Rarity!" two voices called, revealing itself to be a unicorn couple, trotting over.
"Mommy! Daddy!" Rarity greeted.
In appearance, Rarity's mother, Cookie Crumbles, has a pale fuchsia coat, with a grayish indigo mane don up in a bun, light cornflower blue eyes, and three broken cookies for a cutie mark. For attires, she simply wore a yellow handkerchief. Rarity's father, Hondo Flanks, has a light gray coat, with a well groomed dark brownish mane, and a big bushy mustache, similar to Scorpan's as a human, brilliant cerulean eyes, and three footballs for a cutie mark.
"Sweetheart," Cookie Crumbles smiled. "That dance you did with Prince Spike was incredible!"
"You certainly learned a thing a two from me," Hondo Flanks smiled. "I'm so proud of you honey." The stallion soon turned to look up at Spike and bowed, "And I can't thank you enough for showing our daughter such a good time, your highness."
"Feeling's mutual sir," Spike replied. "Your daughter is quite the lady, and a good friend too, I might add."
"Hmph," Blueblood huffed in disagreement. 'Why couldn't she be the same with me?' He asked mentally.
"Oh Spikey-Wikey!" Rarity giggled, playfully shoving the boy.
"Spikey-Wikey?" Celestia asked with a smirk. "Who's that?"
"Why Prince Spike of course," Rarity answered. "He's given me permission, as a friend, to refer to him as Spikey-Wikey!"
"Is that so?" Flare Heart asked, nudging the prince on the shoulder. "Spikey-Wikey?" the colt joked.
"I think it's adorable," Celestia smiled, before she pinched her son's cheek with her magic. "I should've called you Spikey-Wikey years ago!"
"Come on you guys!" Spike whined, turning himself into a puppy, covering his face, as it turned red in embarrassment.
Everyone, except for one, couldn't help but laugh the night away as they enjoy teasing Spike, with his new nickname. Or should we say, "pet" name.
After a few days later, it was time for Rarity to return to Ponyville with her parents. Spike was there, along with Princess Celestia, Scorpan, Flare Heart, and Prince Blueblood.
"Before you go Rarity. I want you to have this," Spike said, presenting the girl a beautiful ruby in the shape of a heart. "It's a fire ruby. I've been aging for quite some times, and I'd like for you to have it now."
"Thank you Spike," Rarity smiled. "I'll treasure it, always," She quickly gave the prince a peck on the cheek, before she left with her parents.
Spike rubbed his cheek, where Rarity had kissed him, before he sighed, "I'll never wash this cheek ever again," Princess Celestia chuckled in amusement, along with Scorpan, while both Blueblood and Flare Heart looked on in jealousy.
Present
Rarity sighed in nostalgia, while Spike looked at the Fire Ruby in bewilderment, "Wow!" he gasped. "That was from me? And I gave it to you?"
"Indubitably," Rarity nodded, as she continues, "I was so inspired by your act of generosity, to me, and to all the ponies of back home, that it drove me to become the generous girl I am today."
Spike chuckled, looking away, "Wow. I'm quite an inspiration to you, huh?"
Rarity smiled, before it disappeared, as she recalled the day, when tragedy struck.
A bolt of dark magic was shot, aiming straight for Princess Celestia from behind.
"NO!" Spike shouted, jumping in between the spell and Princess Celestia. "MOTHER!!!!" With a crack of thunder, Spike was struck to the head, fell to the ground, as a human, unconscious.
"SPIKE!!!!" Celestia screamed, while several ponies stood, horrified at what had transpired before them.
On the day when Spike was leaving for New York, with Scorpan, Rarity was among the ponies bidding farewell to the comatose boy, just as some other creatures arrived to pay their respects. The guards were carrying the boy on a flatbed, when Rarity ran out, to hold the boy by the hand. She was quickly instructed to go back in line, with the rest of the younger mane six.
After she arrived home in Ponyville, with the Mane Six, a crestfallen Rarity was beside herself, crying into the sheets of her bed, sobbing, "Spike...no! It's just not....fair!" she looked up, seeing a picture frame of herself, with the Dragon Prince, as kids, hugging and smiling together. "Why did you have to leave? It's just not fair!" With that, she continued to cry even louder and harder in bed.
After several hours, her mascara looked beyond repairs, her eyes were stained red, and the filly was drowning her sorrow in a bucket of strawberry flavored ice creams. A gleam from the moonlight, caught her attention, as she looked to see a glass display, containing her glass slipper, together with the Fire Ruby Spike had given her. The filly walked over, and looked at the items, and sniffed, "Well.....at least a part of you... is still with me.....Spikey-Wikey."
Present
A waterfall of tears were flooding out of Rarity's eyes, as the girl held the Fire Ruby embedded glass slipper, closed to her chest, while Spike sat beside her, looking at the girl's sudden change in mood. Thinking fast, Spike pulled the girl in a loving embrace, as whispered some words of comfort, "Rarity, it's okay. We're together again. You don't have to worry about losing me ever again."
Rarity sniffed a few tears, before she returned the embrace, tighter, "Thank you Spikey-Wikey. I needed to hear that," Rarity smiled slowly, cupping her hands on his cheeks, Rarity brought Spike closer to her face. "Come here you," With that, Rarity kissed Spike on the nose, causing the boy's face to turn red, and his eyes flashing the color of the girl's magic.
"Well, I'm definitely not forgetting this one," the boy said dreamily, resulting in a chuckle from Rarity, who shed a few tears of joy.
