“You must be joking Spike dear! You can’t possibly give me all this!” Rarity stared at the three gems awestruck. Spike had given her a similar one long ago; a red heart shaped one, but now before her lay a little treasure trove of the beautiful gems. A heart shaped emerald, topaz and a magnificent heart of onyx!
The gems must be worth a small fortune! Yet here the teen dragon stood, blushing bright red with embarrassment, simply giving the platinum pony them! Rarity looked him straight in the eye. “Why Spikey?” the dragon quickly seemed to grow quiet, seeming to find great interest in the sketches and dresses that surrounded them in Rarity’s boutique.
“W-well...” He began, not sure how to proceed. “You loved the last one so much... I thought when I found these... Seeing as you probably don’t have the old one”-
“Don’t have it?!” Rarity asked he mouth agape. “Why wouldn’t I have it dear?” She bolted to the other side of the room and rummaged within a small chest. “Hmmm...somewhere... it’s jussst HERE WE ARE!” She spun back around, her horn glowing to hold the golden necklace in place.
Deep in the centre of the golden band lay an enormous red ruby heart. Spike stared incredulously. “Y-you kept it?!?”
“Well of course I kept it! It was my first ever gift from my little Spikey Wikey!” She trotted over and gave him a light peck on the cheek. Sending the teen’s heart soaring in triumph! “I just don’t wear it that often unless for a special occasion, something that beautiful should be saved until the right moment!” She trotted back to the chest to replace it.
‘You have no idea how right you are!’ Spike thought as he watched the dazzling pony move, her twisted locks fluttering on the light breeze coming through the window. Holy Celestia, she was beautiful! She didn’t know the significance behind the gems. So now was the time to tell her.
“Uhhh...Rarity?”
“Hmmm?” She asked, replacing the necklace back to its respective place.
“I don’t suppose you know much about dragons do you?” He asked tentatively.
“Other than they are sooooo cute!” She bounced over and pinched his cheek affectionately with her cloud of magic. “And that they grow up to be quite dashing!” She said admiring the dragon’s quickly building form.
Spike laughed awkwardly. “W-well... you see, there’s a reason some gems grow in the shapes of hearts.” Rarity’s eyes widened.
“Really? Why is that?”
“Well, it was in a book Twi gave to me...” Here it goes! “They’re called heart-stones. And they are only able to be formed when a dragon breaths fire over them. It takes weeks after they’re heated for them to reform, but when the dragon has feeling for another creature, depending on how strong those feelings are, depends on the strength of the magic of its fire, and the speed and quality of the new form of the gem.” It was long winded, he was sure he had bored her. Yet Rarity looked at him, if anything with even more interest!
“Is that so? That’s truly amazing Spike! I never knew!” She smiled, taking another look at the three gems before her. Then her head snapped back to dragon in realisation. “You mean...you?” She nudged one of the gems with a hoof. Spike blushed, and nodded. “O-oh...” Rarity said, slightly crestfallen. “So that means you have feelings for...”
“Yeah.” Spike said bashfully. Rarity stood there silently, staring at the gems. So they weren’t for her? She was simply an observer, meant to approve the little trinkets. She didn’t know why she felt so...disappointed. Of course the dragon was going to find love eventually. Yet why did she feel so surprised that it had finally happened?
This was spike, Spike! The little dragon from a few years ago who had now grown up unbelievably quickly due to his growing collection of treasures. Spike she had known since he had first arrived in town with Twilight. And in all that time, she’d never thought of him in a romantic kind of way.
So why did she suddenly feel this wish of being noticed by the dragon now?
The idea that Spike had found someone he cared for enough to create these stunning gems hurt her heart slightly. It ached at the thought that it wasn’t her he’d made them for, but somepony else. He’d made her one, so he’d obviously once felt that way about, but now, now that he was older...
“Rarity?” the dragon asked, sounding slightly worried. Rarity glanced up.
“Yes Spike?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm. He didn’t say anything, only pointed slowly to her face. Rarity lifted a hoof, and felt a single pearly tear drip onto it.
She whirled around, not wanting the dragon to see her like this. She sniffed hard. “They’re beautiful Spike. In fact, after what you just told me, any girl would fall for you in a second once you explained that to them!” Spike frowned at the back of the purple maned pony, what did she mean ‘any girl?’
“So you like them?” He asked cautiously.
“Yes.” She said, her voice squeaking slightly, “I love them, they’re beautiful!” Spike sighed in relief.
“Thank goodness!” Rarity sniffed again, trying her best to keep her voice sounding happy.
“Why don’t you go and give them to her then Spikey?”
Spike frowned. “Uhh,” Hadn’t she realised? “I... just did...” Rarity froze. What? Her? Really? Slowly she turned to look at the dragon. He felt a little awkward with the all the talking about love and stuff, but it was about time Rarity knew! He raised his arms to his sides giving a shaky smile, his facial expression one that said “There you have it.”
Rarity’s lip began to tremble slightly as she looked at him. Spike dropped his arms to his sides and approached her, now concerned. “Rarity are you ok? You’re crying!” the platinum unicorn gave a slight nod of her head, unable to speak as her eyes glistened with tears. Happy tears. As Spike crouched in front of her she leaped forward and embraced him tightly. The sudden impact made the dragon tumble backwards to the floor. With a soft bump the two landed softly on the pine floor of the boutique.
They lay there, holding each other. The platinum pony, and the ever loyal dragon who had adored her since her first saw her. Finally holding one another, finally happy, finally together!
.....
“Oh! Jeez I’m sorry little guy!” said a deep growling voice, though strangely filled with kindness and concern. Apple Seed looked up to see the smiling face of Mr. Spike the dragon. Apple Seed bounced up with joy at the sight of the interesting creature.
“No worries sir! I’m fine, how are you?”
“Oh it’s you Apple Seed! I’m good thanks, how’s it going little guy?” asked the friendly dragon. Seed was half hoping to get one of the dragon’s famous piggyback rides, being the tallest creature in Ponnyville, he towered over everypony, making him extremely popular with the younger filly’s and colts.
Before the little country colt could ask however, a new pony appeared to the dragon’s side. “Spike dear, what’s keeping you sweetheart?” The mare stopped when she saw the little colt standing with the dragon. “OH! Apple Seed, how nice to see you dear, how’s your mother?” asked the stunning Rarity.
“She’s fine ma’am.” The colt responded robotically. As she smiled, Seed noticed a little bundle wrapped over the unicorns shoulder, which in turn made him smile.
Just peeping out of the many folds of the bundle were two stunningly green eyes. As they spotted him, a mouth filled with surprisingly developed teeth -for one so young- smiled and gurgled up at him. At the sound of the noise, Rarity grinned warmly and slowly trotted over to the copper colt to allow the green eyes to see him better.
Seed reached up and tickled the small babe under the chin. “Heya Ruby!” He cooed to the little hybrid. Now she was closer, Rarity and Spike’s child’s face was in full view. She had fur like her mother, white and pure, but the tips of each strand were tinged with the purple of her father’s scales. Her teeth were slightly sharper than the average pony baby, and more importantly had seemed to come out far faster than usual.
“You remember Apple Seed don’t you sweetie?” smiled the platinum pony. The small baby filly let out another pleased gurgle in response, smiling broadly as Seed retracted his hoof.
“Not to interrupt this tender moment,” Said Spike sarcastically rolling his eyes melodramatically. He winked at the colt who smirked back at him. “Twilight’s been looking for you little guy, she says she’s found a book on...irrigation?”
“REALLY?! Sweet!” His face then fell, “But my mom asked me to go and speak to Miss. Rainbow Dash.” He thought for a moment, right time to get going. Finish mom’s job then go get the book!
The young colt bolted from the town centre now filled with stalls and shops without so much as a goodbye to the happy couple and their child.
“Always in a rush that one.” Laughed Rarity.
“Just like his mother.” Agreed Spike, and the two continued their shopping with the happy little Ruby clung to her mother’s chest.
He tore his way through the crowds, jumping, ducking and weaving his way around legs and carts. He could do this, and yet he couldn’t run down a hall without falling?! Suddenly the forest of legs vanished as Seed pierced the perimeter of the crowd. He was on the other side of the town centre, only a short distance from his destination.
After a few turns in the road, and a few of his signature shortcuts, Seed reached that last stretch. The house wasn’t too far away now! It was huge! Built on the outskirts of Ponnyville, Rainbow Dash had created a home just as flashy and boasting as the Pegasus who lived within it. This is where Rainbow Dash and her family lived.
Seed now approached the home. A twisted metal stare case had been erected for none flying ponies who needed the weather pony’s assistance. He climbed them quickly two at a time, he wasn’t likely to fall; he made this trek almost every day to hang out with his best friend anyway. When he reached the top, he glanced over the front garden bellow him. The grass on which he had been playing only a day ago was scuffed and marked. He could still see where they had decided to wrestle, Seed swelled with pride, he had won of course! Then his swagger faded as he realised how narrowly he had succeeded in the showdown.
So he simply resigned to getting to the door.