A couple of hours earlier, an emergency meeting was called in the throne room at the Castle of Friendship. Applejack and Pinkie Pie watched as Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew into the room. The two pegasi panted heavily on the spot. Meanwhile, Twilight and Starlight were outside, locking the doors and casting many silencing spells over the castle to prevent any risk of being overheard. The topic of today's meeting was to be kept top secret, and no pony would be allowed to interrupt its proceedings.
Twilight and Starlight soon joined their friends, where they had congregated around the large crystal table in the centre of the room.
Rarity was the last to join them.
She went to 'powder her nose' in a vain attempt to hide the mascara still running down her white cheeks. Each mare had taken their respective throne with the exception of Starlight, who was using a chair from the library, leaving Spike's vacant. This was a deliberate act of respect for the missing member.
Once everypony was settled, Twilight rose standing on her chair. "Hi everypony, I'd like to thank you all for coming here so quickly."
"Well yah said this was urgent, Twi," said Applejack. The country pony looked over at Rarity who was still sobbing into a very damp, silk hoof kerchief. "Can yah care to explain?"
"Yeah, Fluttershy was a little light on the details," Rainbow Dash added, still panting for breath. "I nearly got into a major sandstorm with Spitfire when she came onto the runway like that."
"Oh, I'm sorry, but it's just-" mumbled the yellow pegasus apologetically. She squirmed in her seat, remembering Spitfire's rant regarding protocol and safety. The Captain's voice still ringing in her ears.
"It's okay, Fluttershy. I'll explain everything," Twilight said reassuringly. Before speaking any further, Twilight turned to Rarity seeking permission to reveal the reason behind their summons. Wiping away the last remaining tear from her eye, she nodded weakly but held a firm look on her face. "Earlier today, Spike confessed his feelings to Rarity."
Rainbow Dash and Applejack sat with their mouths agape at the news. The two mares looked at Rarity and then their friends who all nodded in confirmation. Fluttershy dropped her head sadly, but Pinkie remained stoic. Applejack cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "So ... Ah'm assumin yah had to tell him the truth then?"
Rarity could feel the tears come once more, as she closed her eyes nodding sadly. Her friends looked at her then each other sharing their concerned and saddened expressions. "So what happened?" asked Rainbow Dash softly.
Before Rarity had the chance to speak however, Pinkie Pie placed a hoof over her shoulder to intervene. "I'll take it from here," she said reassuringly, earning a baffled look from everypony before she instantly returned to her seat. "After Spike confessed, Rarity couldn't avoid responding to his feelings honestly anymore and tried to let him down easy. But it didn't work, and instead it blew up in her face. Spike thought the reason was because of his age or the fact that he was a dragon, unable to accept that it is simply because she doesn't see him that way. Thankfully Fluttershy was there to comfort Rarity."
Pinkie paused to offer a high hoof to the yellow pegasus, signalling a good job. Unsure what to make of it however, Fluttershy just stared back in response. Not waiting for a second longer, Pinkie moved on continuing with the rest of the story. "Meanwhile at the library Twilight and Starlight were having this massive study session, but Twilight was distracted, because she was thinking about Spike, but Starlight didn't know that and didn't like being ignored so she decided to get her attention by pulling a prank that caused Twilight to have this massive meltdown of the most EPIC PROPORTIONS"- Pinkie throwing her arms up in the air emphasizing the lavender mare's reaction, "- which I must say well done," winking at Starlight before taking a long sip of a chocolate milkshake that appeared seemingly out of nowhere.
The others were stunned, looking between Starlight and Twilight. Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and even Rarity all snickered under their hooves at Twilight each contemplating the number of things Starlight could have said to agitate their lavender friend. Starlight looked at the others, blushing sheepishly and shrugging her shoulders at Twilight, gesturing another apology. Twilight's brow twitched as she fixated on Pinkie's last words, remembering the so called 'well done' prank. Offended that her response was taken out of context, she placed a hoof to her chest trying to demonstrate a calmer, more rational demeanor. "Excuse me Pinkie, but I did not hav-"
"Feeling guilty," Pinkie Pie continued interrupting the annoyed alicorn who was groaning in her seat, "Starlight, goes off to make afternoon tea to make amends, but then Spike comes home and asks Twilight to turn him into a pony thinking that was the reason behind Rarity's rejection. Twilight bluntly refuses to help him hoping to snap him out of his funk which may have worked except she misunderstood the severity of Spike's depression and feeling of loneliness. So he storms off mad and angry at Twilight, nearly crashes into Starlight on the way who doesn't realize what's just transpired."
As she gave the girls time to absorb the information, Pinkie placed a hoof under her chin questionably at a sudden realization. "Speaking of which... Starlight, I'm amazed you didn't hear any of that," said Pinkie pointing at the unicorn with a bewildered face. "Anywho, he has gone off to go find some other pony who he thinks can help him."
"So where is he now?" Applejack asked looking across the room, not expecting an answer.
"Probably Zecora's, but he'll probably bump into the Cutie Mark Crusaders along the way. And that is where things are up to now. I don't think he's taken anything yet but... we'll probably find out later."
The mares stood, jaws agape as Pinkie finished, digesting the information they had all been told. Starlight was the most amazed at how the party pony (who wasn't present at all) was able to recount the story succinctly and even fill in some missing gaps. The others had just simply acknowledged the peculiarity that was Pinkie Pie.
"So what do we do now?" asked Rainbow Dash keen to fix the situation.
"Twi, you know him best. What do you propose?" asked Starlight looking at her teacher with keen interest.
"Oh-oh! I know!" Pinkie Pie squeaked loudly jumping out of her seat trying to grab her friend's attention.
"I'm not sure, I've never seen him like this," Twilight responded unhelpfully. "Maybe we should talk to Princess Cadance.”
"Ah think he just needs time and space to think things over," Applejack suggested.
"We can't leave it like this. This could totally destroy a lot of friendships," Rainbow Dash interjected.
"Rainbow's right. He won't give up, and he'll just dwell over this moment, haunting him for a very long time," Twilight said analytically.
"Pick me! Pick me!" begged Pinkie Pie jumping in the background desperate to get a chance to speak.
"Maybe he can come over and play with the animals," added Fluttershy. "Whenever I get upset, I just snuggle a cute, little woodland creature and make myself feel all better."
"Yeah, I don't think that'll help him," chuckled Rainbow Dash, letting her friend down gently. "I could take him to see a Wonderbolt show."
"Please!" pleaded Pinkie Pie appearing randomly amongst her friends.
"Perhaps there's a memory spell we could use that'll help him forget his problems," added Starlight.
"Starlight!" responded Twilight, abhorrent by the proposition. "He needs to move on, not forget,"
"Kidding! I was kidding," she joked.
"I know! Why don't we throw him a party?" Pinkie Pie suggested springing from her seat and throwing confetti into the air.
"Listen, Ah know your heart is in the right place, Pinkie, but Ah don't think that's a good idea," Applejack said sternly, the party mare sinking back into her seat. "Spike wouldn't appreciate it now. That dragon just needs time to think and reflect. He needs to move on."
"But we need to cheer him up somehow," Pinkie said sadly, her mane deflating and losing its luscious curls.
Rainbow Dash crossed her arms, feeling unsatisfied. "I'm with Pinkie. It just doesn't feel right."
"Ah know bu-"
"We must throw him a party. It'll be a Spike appreciation party," interrupted a voice on the other side of the table. The girls all stopped, shocked and surprised at the source of the suggestion. Rarity had been quiet throughout the meeting, however, like Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, she felt the need to be proactive and support her friend. Especially given that she was the source of the dragon's heartache. "He needs to know how much he is appreciated and loved by everypony. Scales and all!"
"Are ya sure?" asked Applejack hesitantly, not wanting to dampen the mare's spirits.
"Absolutely!" she said assertively. "We'll invite eveypony he knows and show that stubborn friend of ours."
Twilight walked over to Rarity, who still looked determined. The girls watched Twilight raise her hoof as she pulled the white unicorn into a warm hug. "Rarity, I think that is the sweetest, kindest and most generous thing we can do for him."
Pinkie Pie jumped with glee. "This will be the best Spike appreciation party EVER!" she beamed, firing a shot from her confetti cannon.
The seven ponies looked at each other, filled with determination and purpose. "Alright girls, the party will be set in the next couple of days so we'll need to prepare.
"Let's make it a surprise party!" cheered Pinkie.
"I'll help you prepare your checklists," Starlight offered.
Twilight nodded. "Thanks Starlight, I'll especially need your help to organize the invitations seeing as Spike won't be able to."
"And I'll deliver them," shouted Rainbow Dash, a hoof raised in the air before landing proudly on her chest. "Dragon mail is going to be out of the question and I'm the fastest pony there is!"
"Sorry all, but Ah need to go back home to help Big Mac finish the chores," said Applejack walking towards the door, the others puzzled by their friend’s sudden departure. She turned just as she reached the door, and winked to her friends. "Plus Ah'll need to start cooking all sorts of food right away."
"Pinkie can you and Rarity make up the decorations?" Twilight asked the girls. Rarity nodded, whilst Pinkie saluted in full military attire acknowledging her royal duty.
And with that the meeting was closed, everypony now had their part to play. As they were making their way to leave, Pinkie pulled Fluttershy aside and whispered into her ear, "by the way Fluttershy, the Crusaders are going to ask you a favor later and whatever tactics those girls use. Just say no."
"Okay?" responded the yellow pegasus wondering what the Crusaders could want.