The soft buzz of tiny wings, the hum of a scooter, and the squeak of a wagon's wheels had been, for quite some time, a staple anthem in Ponyville's daily life, often followed by yells, explosions, and the occasional sing-a-long. Those sounds were, however, becoming rarer as, well, those specific musicians were growing a little too-
"I'll smack you again if you call me fat one more time!" the young mare sitting in the wagon growled. The ends of the red bow keeping her matching mane in place bobbed gently in the wind.
"All I said was that the two of you could stand to lose some weight," panted the pegasus on the scooter, her wings blurred as they forced her and the wagon's passengers forward. A couple of cerise feathers fell to the ground.
"Hey, you see this?" The earth pony flexed a foreleg. "All muscle."
"Then maybe you won't mind pulling for a change," the pegasus grumbled as she continued to struggle.
"No, no, no," the unicorn squeezed beside the earth pony mare protested, making huge sweeping gestures with her forelegs that sent the curls in her mulberry mane bouncing. "Scootaloo, don't you remember the last time Apple Bloom got on a scooter?"
"Sweetie Belle, that was literally years ago," said Scootaloo said.
"Yeah, and you think she's improved?"
"Hmm. Yeah, good point." Scootaloo sighed. She watched as a wrinkled old stallion pass by them, whistling as he casually walked. "Alright, this isn't working," she said, her wings slowing down before drooping in defeat. "Look, you know I hate calling it quit, but I feel like my wings are about to fall off."
"Guess that's another chapter for the Cutie Mark Crusaders comin' to a close." Slowly, Apple Bloom pulled herself out of the wagon and gave the old cart a pat. A few flecks of peeling paint stuck to her hoof, and she shook it clean.
Sweetie Belle joined her in the streets. "Hey, you think Princess Twilight's got some sort of spell that make us little fillies again? I mean, it'll only be, what, a few years?"
"Or what about a spell that just made the two of you as light as feathers?" Scootaloo suggested. "Or me super strong?"
"What about somethin' that'd make the scooter pull itself?" Apple Bloom asked. While Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement, Scootaloo frowned. She rolled slowly beside them as the three made their way through town.
"I don't know," Scootaloo said, "I don't think I'd have as much fun if I wasn't the one in control. Maybe if it was Rainbow Dash pulling us, or maybe a griffin or a dragon, but the griffin'd have to wear armor and the dragon needs to be at least as big as a house."
"Hmm, you know, Spike's birthday is next week."
"Sweetie Belle, we are not gonna to get Spike presents to make him grow just so you don't have to walk through Ponyville anymore," Apple Bloom interrupted with a roll of her eyes.
"Hmm."
"Scootaloo, no."
The pegasus threw her front hooves up defensively in front of her face. "Hey, you've got to admit it would be pretty awesome. Spike could finally get presents again, and we'd get a dragon ride. I'm kidding, kidding," she added, waving away Apple Bloom's glare. "What, you really think I want to fight off a grown dragon for my scooter again?"
"Well, you did brag about about it for weeks the last time," Sweetie Belle said. She stepped forward and posed with a hoof raised dramatically in the air. "Scootaloo, defender of scooters, winners of tug-of-wars against dragons," she trilled, winning laughs from Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.
"Now that'd been an interesting cutie mark," Scootaloo said between chuckles. "Speaking of cutie marks..." She looked up and squinted at the clock tower in the distance. As the longer of the two limbs shifted, she frowned. "Geez, we're going to be late."
Apple Bloom followed Scootaloo's gaze and nodded. "Yeah, we'd better hurry," she said. "Don' wanna keep them waitin' too long, 'specially if we want time for milkshakes."
"Milkshakes? Oh, shoot!" Dust suddenly flew into the air as Sweetie Belle broke into a trot. "You two go on ahead," she called over her shoulder. "I forgot my bits at home!"
"Wait!" Scootaloo shouted back. "Isn't Rarity's closer? Go ask her!"
"Ooh, yeah." Digging a hoof deep in the dirt, Sweetie Belle spun herself toward the tall decorative building standing out among the duller houses and less extravagant shops, keeping her momentum largely uninterrupted. She waved at the disappearing figures of her friends as they began to run as well, their direction toward the massive gingerbread house in the town's center.
"Look out!"
The warning turned Sweetie Belle's head around just in time for her to recognize the figure she was about to collide into. There was a sudden flood of purple, then stars, followed by a cloud of dirt as she fell back. "S-sorry, Spike," Sweetie Belle mumbled, her head still shaking. "Wasn't, wasn't paying a, attention."
"Yeah, I noticed." The dragon groaned as he slowly got back onto his feet and dusted off his scales. He offered a claw and helped the unicorn up.
"Thanks," Sweetie Belle said, slowly reorienting. She blinked a few more times to clear her head.
"Be more careful, okay? Somepony could've been seriously hurt." Spike sighed as he picked up a small bundle from the ground and gently dusted it off. "So what's up?" he asked. "Another typical Ponyville style disaster?"
"No, or at least not yet," Sweetie Belle answered. "See, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and I, we promised the Cake twins we'd help them this afternoon get their cutie marks, and, well, we're running a little late."
"Okay, but Sugar Cube Corner's in that direction," Spike noted, pointing. "Not over here."
"Yeah, but we also planned for milkshakes afterwards, and Mr. and Mrs. Cake won't serve us for free anymore, but I forgot my money, and it's my turn to pay, so I'm headed to Rarity's to borrow some." Sweetie Belle frowned. "So I guess I caused a traffic accident over milkshakes. Sorry."
Spike shrugged. "We've been through worse, for worse reasons." The two continued down the street, toward Carousel Boutique. "Remember the bunny stampede?"
"Yeah." Sweetie Belle winced. "I can't believe five ponies were hospitalized because of that." The boutique drew closer. "So what's with the package?" she asked, pointing at the bundle Spike held in his arms.
"Oh, my old suit. I found it while cleaning out my closet, and, uh, I tried it on to see if I could still fit." The dragon blushed. "I, uh, couldn't."
"So you need Rarity to make you a new one?"
"Well, no, not right now. I'm sure I'll probably need a new one eventually, but for now, really, I just want to get this suit fixed up." Spike looked down at his bundle. "I know I can't fit anymore, but I've got some really nice memories with it. The Grand Galloping Gala, Shining Armor and Princess Cadence's wedding, Twilight's coronation."
"You can't fix it yourself?" Sweetie Belle asked, to which Spike shook his head. "Really? I just figured, since you've spent so much time with my sister, she'd have taught you a thing or too."
"There's a few things I've picked up, sure, but there's no way I'd be able to fix a suit."
"So it's more than just a tear? Well, I'm sure it won't be a problem for Rarity." They arrived, stopping at the foot of the door. The ring of a bell echoed through the shop as Sweetie Belle pushed open the door and led the way inside. "Rarity?" the younger unicorn called out. "Hey Rarity, where are you?"
Spike stepped forward and looked around. "Weird. Rarity's usually already here ready to greet clients."
"Maybe she's busy working on a new design," suggested Sweetie Belle. "She's been distracted with something pretty big recently, you know."
"Yeah, maybe, but don't you think she'd still say something or maybe close shop." Spike followed Sweetie Belle deeper into the store. "You sure she's home?"
"She should be. Come on, maybe she's in her private workroom." Sweetie Belle hurried through the boutique with Spike right behind, stopping before a solid door at the end of the hall. She raised a hoof and knocked twice. "Rarity, you in here?"
Silence answered her. Sweetie Belle pushed forward.
"Hey, are you sure we should be intruding like this?" Spike asked, casting a glance to each side. "This is her private workspace, isn't it? I don't want to see anything I'm not supposed to see."
"Oh, come on, I know you've been here plenty of times to help Rarity."
"Yeah, but that was always with Rarity, with Rarity's permission. "
"Here, I'll just take a quick peek." Sweetie Belle opened the door just a crack, then stuck her head through for a peek inside. "Oh, wow."
"What? What do you see?" Curiosity overcame his reservations, and Spike found himself trying to look past Sweetie Belle's shoulders. The door suddenly swung open, giving her eyes plenty opportunity to take in the scattered pony-shaped mannequins wearing tattered clothes, the rainbow of fabrics thrown haphazardly over benches and the floor, and pieces of paper with scrap designs crowding around overflowing waste baskets.
"It's so clean."
"Yeah, I, wait. What?" Spike blinked. He followed Sweetie Belle's gaze, expecting to find a cleared desk or a blank sheet of parchment. Finding nothing but mess, Spike turned to Sweetie Belle. "Clean?"
"Yeah, I can actually see the floor. It's like she hasn't been here for a while. Weird." Sweetie Belle hummed. She walked forward and picked up one of the crumpled balls of paper and unraveled it. "Hey, I recognize this design. It's an old one, like really old. Hmm."
Spike opened his mouth, ready to add to the speculations, only for Sweetie Belle to interrupt with a gasp. Before he could ask, Sweetie Belle was already pushing him out of the room. "Whoa, hey, what's is it?"
"I just heard a toilet flush."
"You did?" Spike cupped a claw around his ear. "I don't hear anything."
"Yeah, I know, you're not supposed to, but trust me," Sweetie Belle said. "Anyways, let's get out of here before we mess something up."
As they shut the door to the room, another door was flung open, Spike heard that at least. "Hey, you think that's Rarity?" he said.
"Maybe." Sweetie Belle headed to the source of the sound, with Spike close behind. Suddenly, there was a clamor of stomped hoofsteps. Loud and forceful coughing came soon after, growing louder as the two continued through the boutique. Then, there was a flush, the unmistakable sound of water being pumped and forced down the bottom of a toilet bowl, though soft enough that Spike might have missed it if he hadn't been listening so intently.
The sounds of water running down a faucet and splashing into a sink were getting louder and more clearly. Spike and Sweetie Belle saw the light from the room before seeing the ajar door. The sink and additional bathroom amenities were visible for only for a second before the light went out, and out stepped an exhausted looking Rarity. Her eyes widened at her approaching guests, and what little color her face held drained away. She quickly ran her hooves through her mane, trying to smooth it out more evenly.
"Sweetie Belle, and Spike," she said, managing a weak smile. "What a surprise. I mustn't have heard you come in."
Spike looked away, rubbing the back of his head ruefully as Sweetie Belle simply shrugged. "Yeah, weird. I mean, we knocked and called for you and everything," the younger unicorn said.
"Sorry for, well, inviting ourselves in like that," Spike said, stepping in front of Sweetie Belle. "It was, I mean, yeah, I guess it was pretty rude to not wait for you to let us in."
"Hey, I'm not sorry." Sweetie Belle grinned. "I live here too, kind of."
"Yes, and I'd wish you'd at least help with the housework," Rarity said. She raised a hoof to her mouth and stifled a yawn. "Oh, pardon me."
"Hey, I totally help around here," Sweetie Belle protested. "Like, um, laundry! Yeah, laundry."
"Yes, well, Opal really, really doesn't need anymore sweaters." Rarity shook her head, only to stop herself as the motion began to dishevel and undo her quick mane fixes. "Now, was there something you needed?"
"Oh, right!" Sweetie Belle clapped her hooves together. "I need to borrow some bits. I left mine back at Mom and Dad's. Don't worry, it's just for milkshakes, and I promise I'll pay you back this time," she assured.
Rarity stared at her sister with a raised eyebrow. "You couldn't just return home for your bits?"
"I was in a rush. The Cake twins and the rest of the Crusaders are waiting for me right now, so I still kind of am. Anyways, your place's closer than Mom and Dad's." Sweetie Belle's lower lip stuck out, and she forced her eyes to quiver and water. "Come on, Sis, please."
Rarity sighed. "My purse is in the kitchen, let me just--"
"Kitchen, got it, thanks!" Sweetie Belle vanished, leaving behind echoes of hoofsteps as she sprinted through the boutique. "Bye Spike, bye Rarity, see you later!" Spike and Rarity heard the younger unicorn say before the front door slammed shut behind her. The door's echo lingered for a few seconds, then silence. Rarity suddenly found interest in the floor and her hooves as Spike looked to the side.
"So," both began, then immediately stopped.
"Sorry, I just--"
"No, no, you--" Rarity took a breath. She looked up. "I, um, I see Sweetie Belle left without you. You two aren't here together?"
"What? Oh, no, we just bumped into each other on the way here," Spike explained. "Um, is everything okay?"
"Okay? I'm doing fine. A little busy perhaps, but I'm doing well." Rarity's forelegs crossed and rubbed together as she stared at Spike. "Why do you ask?"
"It's just, well, I don't know. We haven't talked since we, er, since you came back from Manehattan. I just wanted to--"
"I'm fine."
Rarity hadn't meant to sound so forceful, and the sudden silence that followed made her question her own defensiveness. She glanced up and was relieved to find surprise on Spike's face and not hurt. Her comfort grew as the dragon began to smile.
"Oh, good. That's good. But, um, anyways, I actually do need some help. I found my old suit, and, uh, I found out I don't fit." Spike unraveled the bundle, revealing a collage of torn fabric with loose strands spewing from the seams. "I was hoping maybe you'd be able to fix it." He laughed dryly. "Pretty silly, huh?"
Rarity pulled the tattered cloth toward her. Spike's shamed expression was visible a the massive gash in the center. "Is this the jacket?" she asked, lifted the remains of what could have been a sleeve.
"Yeah." The dragon placed a claw around the back of his neck. "Yikes, I didn't realize how badly damaged everything was. I just heard a rip and came here." He winced. "Sorry for wasting your time."
"This is an old suit, you said?" Rarity asked as she returned the suit's remains.
"Yep." Spike held the cloth up and smiled at it. "Wore it at our first Gala together. Together, with our friends, I mean. Or, at least, together at the end of that night."
"I remember." Rarity found herself smiling at the memory, at the circle of friends around a plate of donuts, at a charmless prince with his charming face painted with cake. She quickly composed herself and returned to a neutral expression. "Yes, that was quite a night."
"Yeah. A while ago too." Spike shook his head. "Not sure what I was thinking, thinking I could still fit."
"And you do have another suit to wear, don't you?"
"No, I don't actually. I'm never really invited to anything fancy so getting another one never really crossed my mind." Spike chuckled. "I'll probably get another one made the next time I'm in Canterlot."
"Oh, from a specialty tailor? Stallion Apparel perhaps?" Rarity inquired.
"From the castle, actually. Princess Celestia gave me this one herself," Spike said. "Twilight and me, when she was just the princess's student, we had a dinner with a bunch of important professors and, well, I needed a suit so, yeah. It's actually how I know Hoity Toity."
Rarity's eyes widened. She lifted the ragged cloth and stared. "Hoity Toity made this?"
"I think he helped design it. It was one of the lost jobs he did while working for Princess Celestia. You know, before he took off and did his own thing." Spike held out a claw. The fabric floated into it, and Spike began to fold the suit's remains back into a neat bundle. " Anyways, sorry for bothering you." He turned to leave.
"Spike?"
Spike stopped. He turned back to Rarity. She opened her mouth.
"Nothing, it's nothing," she said, looking away. "Have a good day."
"Oh, okay." Spike made his way through the boutique, toward the front door. He placed a claw around the handle. "Bye. See you around." The door opened. He stepped forward
"Your birthday's coming up, isn't it?"
Spike turned to find Rarity standing only a few behind him. "Sorry, what?"
"Your birthday," Rarity repeated. Slowly, she approached the dragon's side. "It's soon, correct?"
"Yeah, yeah," Spike confirmed with a nod. "Why? What's up?"
"It's just, I was hoping to get your gift while in Manehattan," the unicorn explained. "I understand that the publishers of the Power Pony comic books are located in Manehattan and had planned to pick up a piece of memorabilia for you. Of course, I then had to go cut my trip short." Rarity frowned.
Spike raised his claws and held them palms forward. "Hey, it's fine," he assured. "I mean, something like that would have been awesome, sure, but I don't blame you for leaving Manehattan so early. It's not your fault."
"You're too understanding, Spike. I could have gone and gotten your gift before attending to my own wants."
"Well, yeah, I guess, but you didn't know things were going to turn out that way," Spike argued. "Hindsight's what, twenty twenty?"
"True, there's no reason to continually dwell on the past," Rarity said with a nod before frowning and raising a hoof. "But the issue remains. I don't have a birthday gift for you."
"Birthday gift? Don't worry about that, I'd happy with just about anything from you," Spike said, waving a claw dismissively. "Seriously, just spending time with you is fine."
"Of course you'd say that, you're too kind. But that won't work this year," Rarity declared. "Spike, I would like to make you your new suit."
"A, a suit? Wow, I, I don't think--"
"Come now, you don't think I can?" Rarity sniffed. "I'll admit, dress making may be my forte, but--"
"No, no, that's not it," Spike said hurriedly. "I just, I mean, making something for a dragon isn't easy. Not saying you can't do it or anything" he quickly added, throwing up his claws defensively, "but I just don't want to give you more trouble. I'm sure you have plenty of projects already, and--"
"Spike, I assure you," Rarity began, her tone sharp with an air of finality, "this will be no trouble at all, especially for a friend."
"O-okay, if you say so." Spike ran his claws against his collar before swallowing. "So, uh, would now be a good time, or should I come back tomorrow?"
Rarity blinked. The sudden question caught her off guard. "I'm sorry, come back tomorrow for?"
"You know." Spike gestured down along the sides of his body. "The, you know, the measurements. Yeah, you're going to need those, aren't you?"
"Measurements!" Rarity nearly shouted, causing Spike to take a step back. She cleared her throat and, with her voice lowered, continued: "Yes, of course, measurements. Yes, you're right. Perhaps, perhaps, yes, perhaps tomorrow, no, now, yes, let's start as early as possible. Let me just get cleaned up and, come in, and let me find my measuring tape. Just, one moment please."
"And maybe we could come up with some design ideas too?"
"Yes, of course. I'll have to find my sketchbook, some charcoal. Now, I was thinking, black does work, it always does, but perhaps you had another color in mind, something that'll complement your scales."
Rarity's nervous mutterings carried on even as Spike followed her back inside the boutique.