“Right this way, miss.” Poptart held out a hoof, allowing Fleur passage into the darkness that lay before her.
“What is this place?” She asked, looking through the doorway.
The building, in particular, they were standing by was a large but run-down brick structure, graffiti plastered all over the walls. They were really on the outskirts of town now. Frankly, it was hard to believe anything of value could exist near a place like this.
“Trust me,” Poptart began, “don’t judge a book by its cover. This is just my apartment building. It gets a lot nicer inside.”
Fleur cautiously stepped a hoof into it, biting her lip the entire time. She could feel slightly damp carpet on the other side, making her skin crawl at the mere idea of what germs could be nestled within its shaggy confines. Granted, she wasn’t one to speak after the antics she’d engaged in throughout the night. And besides, she wanted adventure and Poptart was ready to give it to her.
She took a deep breath and crept her whole body in. Poptart followed closely behind, making sure to shut the door behind them. It was completely dark now, not even a hint of light to be seen behind a single strand of moonlight creeping in from a crack in the wall. Fleur could feel her spine start to shake.
“Why is it so dark in here?” she asked, eyes peeled forward.
“Oh, sorry about that,” Poptart said. “Let me get that.” A soft click echoed in the room followed by a dim orange light. “Better?”
Fleur could finally get a stock of her surroundings. It wasn’t as bad as she initially thought… but given her expectations that wasn’t saying much. The floor was laden in a soft tan shag carpet littered with stains and various debris. The only way to go from their position seemed to be up as they were presented with a steep and hardly safe looking staircase.
“My place is just up the stairs,” Poptart said, trotting in front of her. “Follow me.”
Fleur took one last look around but ultimately decided to ditch her fears and nodded. “Alright.”
He led her up a few flights of stairs before the finally reached a thin hallway decorated with wooden doors on either side. It was just as dim and dirty up here as it was downstairs.
“My place is just over this way. Come on.” He waved a hoof over to a door a short ways down on the left.
As soon as they got near it, Fleur could hear shouts and laughter from the other side.
“What’s going on in there?” she asked, taking a step back. “It sounds like somepony is hurt”
“Oh, those guys?” Poptart chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry. They’re my roommates and they’re just a little wild.”
He jiggled the handle for a moment with his magic before the door finally swung open. Fleur was immediately sand-blasted with the smell of cologne, alcohol and something she didn’t recognize.
“Guys!” Poptart shouted out, leading the way into the room. “Shut up for a second. We’ve got company!”
Fleur followed him in the door and was greeted with a full onslaught of a bachelor-level mess. Pizza boxes and beer bottles littered the floor. Random records were thrown about and the occasional piece of clothing was draped over a household item that need not have clothing draped over it. And at the center of the room was a musty, yellow couch with two other stallions laying on it. One was a black pegasus with purple highlights to his mane. The other was a grey earth pony with a blonde mane.
“Ooh snap!” The earth pony said. “You got a mare to come back with you again? I don’t know how you do it, dude?”
“Drugs, obviously,” the pegasus said with a dry tone.
“Pfft, you guys are just jealous,” Poptart replied. “Anyway, introduce yourselves.”
The black pegasus looked up from the magazine he was reading. “Note Pad. A pleasure to meet you.” His eyes immediately dropped back to this reading material.
The earth pony hopped to his hooves and took Fleur’s hoof in his own. He lightly planted a kiss on it and looked up at her. “And you can call me Dick Twister.”
Fleur nervously laughed and pulled her hoof away, making a mental note to sanitize that hoof for at least forty-eight hours at a later time.
“It’s a pleasure, I’m sure,” Fleur said, trying her best to not sound completely disgusted.
“Alright, step off, step off,” Poptart said, pushing his friend away. “Now, Fleur is our guest tonight, so let’s make her feel welcome, shall we?”
The three stallions all looked at each other with a suspicious grin. Fleur wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but at this point, she wasn’t sure she’d enjoy it… whatever it was.
“Now, first things first, let’s get this party started.” Poptart gently led Fleur farther into the room. “And trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
Fleur gulped as she looked at the three stallions surrounding her. She was still angry with him, but she kinda wished Spike was here right now.
A mission.
That’s what Spike was on. He needed to find Fleur, and when a dragon is on a mission of rescue and vengeance, there’s not a pony on this planet that can stand in his way or slow down his progress toward completion of his objective.
Except for one thing of course…
“Yeah, I’ll take two McHayburgers and a Large Freedom Fry.”
The employee standing on the other side of the order counter punched in his order and threw the bits in the register. “You know, dude… Ponies who order stuff in the middle of the night while we’re trying to clean are just the worst.”
“But… I’m a dragon,” Spike said, dejected as he walked away. Now he lost Fleur and his self-esteem.
After a few minutes, Spike got his food and took a seat in one of the many booths. He still needed to thank Celestia for legalizing twenty-four-hour restaurants. Sometimes, you just need junk food in the middle of the night.
While munching on his food, Spike’s mind was doing cartwheels trying to figure out where Fleur might be. He really knew nothing about Poptart other than the fact he was an obnoxious jerk every time they ran into each other on his trips to Canterlot. That and of course the stories he heard from the Princesses about all the times he tried to write bills that would allow mane-flipping to become an official sport.
“Curses,” Spike grumbled. “Where do I even start looking?”
He shoved a few fries in his mouth and drummed his claws. If only his life was a movie or something. If that were the case the answer to his problems would just fall out of the sky for the sake of plot convenience.
The door to the establishment flew open, revealing two stallions.
“Poptart is such a douche,” one of them shouted. “Backing out on us taking over the lease on his apartment..”
“Yeah,” the other spoke up. “But I’m not surprised. He’s always been kinda shifty like that.”
Spike squeed in his head. Thank you, universe!
“Hey, you two,” Spike said, getting up from his seat. “I’ve actually got a bone to pick with Poptart, myself. I don’t suppose you could tell me where to find him?”
The first stallion looked over at him. “What? Was he mowing your grass or something?”
“Eh, you could say that,” Spike said, scratching his head.
“What does it matter?” The other spoke up. “If you wanna mess with Poptart, be my guest. He deserves it. He lives a bit farther outside of town on Walnut Street. He lives in a busted up apartment building there.”
Spike took a moment to commit it to memory. “Walnut… got it! Thanks, guys!” And with that, he was gone.
“You think we should’ve told him he lives on the second floor?” One of the stallions asked.
“Eh, too late, now. He’ll figure it out.”
Meanwhile, a bit farther outside of town...
Spike raced down the street, darting his eyes back and forth between all the gloomy buildings. Even he hadn’t fully explored this side of the city and frankly, he had no idea what could be waiting for him around every corner.
“Oh, C'mon,” he said aloud, voice dripping with frustration. “What building is it?”
All the buildings frankly looked the same. Beaten down, musty, discolored, graffiti plastered and probably home to a meth addict or two.
Spike finally slowed down to catch his breath. If he was gonna find her, he’d have to think logically. “Alright, if I was an obnoxious college dropout, where would I live?”
He looked from building to building on the street. This one was too fancy, this one was too run down. Another had too many crack dealers in front of it but the last one… A middle of the road apartment, beer bottles smashed on the sidewalk in front of it, loud music playing from inside, lights on half the rooms despite the fact it was the dead hours of the morning…
“Bingo!”
He jogged over to the building as fast as his legs could carry him. He sized the building up the after he got to the front of it. I looked every inch of the part of a poor bachelor pad. In fact, if he was not mistaken, he could smell the weed and unwashed dishes already.
“Alright, Poptart, it’s go time.”
Meanwhile in Poptart’s room…
Fleur was taking deep breaths at this point. She could feel the nervous heartbeats quickening in her chest, timing to the beat of the sweat droplets pounding the floor around her.
I have to get out of here…
All she could hear were the loud voices of the ponies around her, yelling and laughing in the darkness. She needed to escape, she needed to get out. She needed… She needed…
Spike… You were right…
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Spike waited impatiently outside the wooden door, tapping his foot angrily.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He began to hear hoof steps shuffling around on the other side of the barrier and he steeled himself for whatever evil forces might be lurking on the other side of the door. Whatever nightmare fuel might be pumping into the engine of terror.
The door handle jiggled and the door swung open.
“Umm…” Spike said. “Does Poptart live here?”
A middle-aged pony with bags the size of large bags under his eyes shook his head and yawned. “No… I work early tomorrow, man. I ain’t got time for this.” He quickly slammed the door shut.
Spike grumbled to himself. “One room down... A bunch more to go.”
“Poptart! Please!” Fleur shook her head violently. “This isn’t what I expected! I’m leaving!”
“Psh,” Poptart sneered. “We haven’t even gotten to the best part! So, if you don’t mind, I think I’d like it if you stayed. How does that sound, boys?”
“Yeah!” His two minions shouted in unison.
Just as soon as they began moving toward Fleur, a loud banging on the door interrupted their progress. Poptart turned his attention from Fleur back toward the door.
“Who is it? We’re busy in here!”
“But not too busy for justice, I bet!” The door immediately crashed upon the words of heroism being uttered revealing Spike and all his glory standing on the other side, claw pointed to the perpetrating ponies. “Fleur, I’m here to… Oh no.”
Things were worse than Spike thought. Far, far worse. Not since he was forcibly trapped in a bubble of Changeling goo had anything so vile been presented to him.
“It can’t be!” His eyes locked on to Fleur who was sitting on the dirty sofa with a pleading look on her face. And surrounding her were Poptart and his subordinates, dressed head to hoof in armor and wizardry garb. “You’re playing Ogres and Oubliettes… version four! Have you no soul, Poptart?”
Fleur instantly leaped to her hooves and raced over to Spike’s side. “Spike! I’m so happy to see you!” She briefly nuzzled his cheek.
“Of course,” he replied. “I couldn’t very well let you get tangled up with these losers for too long.”
“Look, man,” Poptart said, removing his cape and hat. “This is my home and Fleur decided to come over because you weren’t cool enough. As far as I’m concerned, I think she should stay here with us. We needed a female guest player tonight, anyhow.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Fleur replied. Her horn lit up and a sharp blast of magic shot toward the giant game board on the living area table, scattering the pieces to and fro. “Let’s go, Spike.”
Spike took one last second to wink toward the now flabbergasted stallions before he and Fleur made their way out. “Later, guys!”
As they walked down the hall they heard one last statement called out from the room. “You didn’t have to break the door! Our deposit is gone, now!”
Spike and Fleur trekked down the dirty, dusty sidewalks under the moonlight, few words being shared between the two of them. It was peaceful, quiet and relaxing. Three things the two of them needed right now.
“So, um…”
“Yeah, well…”
“Yep.”
After walking for a few more minutes, Spike finally shrugged off the silence.
“Fleur, I’m sorry,” he said.
“Huh?”
“Look.” He stopped walking and did his best look in her eyes. “It’s your life, you should be allowed to do what you want with it. Me telling you what you should do, especially when you’re having fun… that wasn’t cool. So, I’m sorry.”
Fleur kicked at the ground. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry, too.”
“For what?” Spike asked.
“I kinda overreacted,” she said. “I was so focused on the moment that I did really take any time to think about what you were saying. I guess as far as I thought about it, you were just saying I wasn’t supposed to have fun like that or… or that you weren’t having fun with me. I don’t know, I guess It’s kinda stupid.”
“It’s not stupid,” Spike said. “Well, I guess it kinda is. But then again, I was kinda being stupid, too. At least you could use alcohol as an excuse. The only one I have is being a male.”
“And that’s just as valid,” Fleur said stifling a chuckle.
The two carried on their walking back toward the civilized part of town, laughing under their breaths. After walking for awhile more, they finally made it back to the part of town they knew and loved. As they approached the sidewalk in front of Rarity’s shop, the place the adventure began, it was time for it to end.
“For what it’s worth,” Spike said, looking up at her. “I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. Concerts, missing pony flyers, hipster clothing shops, junk food… I’d say that was a full night.”
“Yeah,” Fleur said with a slight blush. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a night like that.”
Spike shrugged. “And I can’t imagine it’ll ever happen again You’ll go back to doing your modeling stuff, i’ll be going back to Ponyville and I’m pretty sure Fancy Pants will try and get my head on a platter when he finds out I was involved.”
Fleur chuckled. “You think your head is in trouble? Wait until I deal with him. This is not going to be easy to explain.”
“You don’t have to tell me, twice. Something tells me Twilight is gonna find out and let’s just say she’s a bit on the protective side.”
“I’ve heard stories about Twilight,” Fleur said with a laugh. “I’ll keep my hooves crossed.”
“Any help would be appreciated.”
The two stood there for a bit, neither wanting to be the one to utter the parting words. Unfortunately, somepony had to and Spike decided to take the reigns.
“Well, I guess this is it, then huh?” He asked, eyes toward the ground.
“I guess so,” she replied, eyes doing the same.
Spike let out a sigh. “I know this wasn’t a date or anything like that, but do you think we’ll ever be able to do this again? Well, not this night exactly, but you know… you know?”
Fleur looked up at him, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “I, uh… I think I’d like that, Spike.”
Spike smiled. “Really? Alrighty then! Er, I mean… alright then.”
Fleur chuckled. “Don’t worry about it Spike. I’d act more excited too if my body wasn’t so exhausted.”
“Fair enough,” Spike said with a smile. “I’ll tell you what. While at the concert, I saw a flyer. Two weeks from now they’re having another band, Underhoof, come to play. Maybe we could go to that one, no stress or anything and just have some fun?’
“That would be amazing,” Fleur said. “Especially after you dragged me away from a— What was it? Wall of death?”
“Let’s do it then,” Spike replied. “I’ll meet you here, two weeks from now, five o’clock.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Both of them once again let silence take over, but this time, instead of an air of tension there was one of anticipation. The two brought looked at each other.
“Well, goodbye,” Spike said.
“Goodbye, Spike,” she said.
Fleur gently wrapped a hoof his back and pulled him into a hug, which he responded to by wrapping his claws around her neck. She finished it off by planting a soft kiss on his cheek.
And then they parted ways with a quick wave.
Spike watched her disappear around the corner before letting out a sigh and walking into the shop. He looked around at the clothes and everything almost the same way he left it.
“Yo, Rarity!” He called out. “Rarity?”
He looked around for a moment before shrugging it off. “I wonder where she went?”