Shut up Rarity...
The next morning Spike had been hard at work, trying everything to ensure he looked presentable, that he looked as handsome as possible. Today was a big risk, a gamble and Spike knew it. He was finally going to ask Rarity out. He had often dreamed of this moment but things had taken an odd turn. Spike was doing as much as he could to suppress any thoughts that tried to push their way through. He'd promised himself not to think of Fluttershy, that it would serve no purpose. He was already nervous, he really didn't need a guilt trip right now. Yet as he stared into the mirror, admiring his efforts to spruce himself up, to prepare himself for what was to come, he could feel his doubts creeping around in the back of his mind.
Teeth? Clean. Scales? Sparkling. Tuxedo? Charming. Ready? No...
He frowned "Come on Spike!" he said to his reflection "What's the matter with you? You said you were going to ask Rarity out, so get out there and do it!", he puffed up his chest and marched out the front door, before locking it behind him. As soon as it closed behind him though, he had to resist the urge to run back inside.
Okay Spike, you can do this, just one step at a time.
He walked down the street, raising his head high. He couldn't have picked a better day, Rainbow Dash and her flight crew had scheduled a sunny day and they had certainly outdone themselves. Spike chuckled, he imagined that Rainbow Dash must have been putting in extra effort today, in a bid to get home and hide as soon as she could. The fact that he could see two pegasi rolling around in the clouds, laughing like crazy, seemed to confirm this. He had decided that it would be best to turn up with a gift so he made a detour and began heading over to the market, secretly thankful for the delay.
It's just my luck really
He thought to himself, his pace slowing.
The first time I ask anypony on a date, when I finally decide to ask Rarity on a date...
He managed to stop himself.
NO! I've got to stop all these doubts, I have to do this.
He decided it wouldn't do him any good to dawdle, that it would be better to get this over and done with. With renewed vigor he carried on down the street to the market.
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Fluttershy stumbled out of her bed. She went into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mane was a mess, her face covered with the dried tears she hadn't been able to hold back. She looked as tired as she felt, all night she had laid in bed awake, making her plans for today, psyching herself up. She ran the taps and filled the sink, using a cloth she wiped the dirt from her face and all the misery, doubt and worry seemed to wash away it. She smiled "Okay Fluttershy, today you stop being nervous, enough dealing with everypony's problems, enough of being a doormat, today is all about what you want."
And I definitely want this!
Fluttershy started to sing as she worked, she combed her mane meticulously, clearing out the knots that had formed over night, until it once again flowed like a waterfall. She washed it, towel dried it and combed it again. She then collected her scissors and started making a few careful cuts, clearing up any split ends. Next, she gave her tail the same treatment and began scruntinising every little detail, fixing anything she could. Finally stepping back from the mirror, her natural beauty restored, she allowed herself a little schoolfilly squeal of delight, before trotting downstairs and out the door. Her animal companions watched her as she left, skipping gleefully down the road and into town.
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"Good morning Spike, your looking rather charming today!" said Rose, the florist as she began setting up her stall for the day.
"Thanks, you open yet Rose? I need to buy some flowers" Spike said twirling a bit in his claws.
"Hold on, nearly finished" Rose unloaded the last basket of flowers from her cart "There we are now, what can I interest you in? We have some lovely magnolias in this week, or perhaps you'd like some petunias?" She said pointing to a basket of vivid pink flowers
Just like Fluttershy's mane... Spike's head shot up No no no! Dangit Spike you promised yourself that you weren't going to do this!
Rose noticed the shocked expression on Spike's face "You alright deary? she asked.
Spike coughed "Y-yeah I'm fine, more than fine actually I'm great!" he said with a nervous laugh.
Rose cocked an eyebrow at him, before deciding it really wasn't any of her business. "Did you have anything in mind?"
"I'm not really sure, I mean I don't know what she'd like..."
Rose's eyes lit up "She?! Oh I see... That's why your wearing the tux! You're going to ask out your very special somepony aren't you?"
Spike blushed deeply "Yeah..."
She clapped her hooves together "Well I think that's great news! Who is she?"
"I'd rather not say..."
"Right, right I get you, none of my business, oh this is so exciting," she said squealing.
"Yeah, tell me about it... wait aren't you a little creeped out?"
"Whatever do you mean Spike?"
"Well when I told Applejack, she just thought it was really weird, me being a dragon and everything."
"Oh pish" she said flapping a hoof at him "What does she know? It's not like I see her anywhere near my stall on hearts and hooves day, love is love as far as I'm concerned. Nopony complained when my cousin Cherry Blossom married a griffin."
"You don't say..."
She leaned in closer "Just between you and me, there's a rumor going around that Little Miss Honesty doesn't exactly care for the traditional anyway, word is she plays for the other team, if you get what I mean" she winked.
Spike just laughed nervously
What the buck is she talking about? Applejack doesn't play hoofball.
"Aaaanyway, do you have any recommendations?"
"Oh let's see, well you can't go wrong with roses, but oh they're so cliche! Maybe daisies? I don't know they're usually seen as the schoolcolt's choice, she's a mare, not a filly right?" Spike nodded "Okay so no daisies. What about a carnation, no those are for long term couples normally, turn up with one of them when you ask them, they're gonna freak out a bit, I'm afraid I don't have any Wildflowers, they're quite rare, not to mention expensive. It's not the season for sunflowers, how do you feel about tulips?" She said gesturing to a basket on the stall.
Spike saw the yellow and pink flowers and his mind began to drift again, he shook his head to stop himself "No, no absolutely not!"
"Why?"
"She's, she's allergic I think, I don't want to take any chances." he lied.
"Well how about a lily or a lilac?"
Spike shook his head, then Rose got an idea "I've got just the thing, I know I said roses are cliche but this one is extra special!" She ducked her head under the stall, rummaging around she pulled her head up clutching a box in her teeth. She placed it on the stall. "This is a very unique flower, they're not grown anywhere in Equestria!" She pulled the lid off of the box. Spike gasped when he looked inside, there, resting on a bed of silk was a rose, a blue rose. He picked it up carefully, not wanting to break the stem or disturb any of the petals which seemed to shimmer as he slowly turned it in his palm.
This is perfect! Beautiful, a rarity in it's own right. A rarity for Rarity, from Spike.
"W-where did you get this?"
"Like I said Spike these don't grow in Equestria, they have to be made. It's a lot of work, a unicorn takes a white rose, they're easy enough to grow and performs magic on it to turn it blue. Normally to make one of these, you'd leave it in water containing a lot of blue dye. As the plant takes up the water, it absorbs the dye. It looks pretty at first but soon the colours fade. Not a very good metaphor for a relationship if you ask me. Fortunately I'm friends with a rather gifted Unicorn over in Canterlot who found a much better, albeit more expensive way to do it." Spike stopped staring at the flower, returned it to the box and put the lid back on it. "You see, she discovered a way to transfer colours from one object to another, it's a tightly guarded secret so don't bother asking me how it works. This particular Rose get's it's colour from a sapphire, that's why it glistens in the light. It's probably why you couldn't stop yourself staring at it either" she said with a chuckle. "What do you think?"
"It's perfect! I'll take it!"
"Excellent, that'll be 50 bits please" she said holding out a hoof expectantly.
"Oh..."
"What's the matter?"
"I don't have that much" staring at his feet as he kicked the dirt in dissappointment.
Rose smiled at him sympathetically "Well, tell you what, I'm not about to go raining on your parade, you've already got enough to worry about." Spike looked up at her "I'll cut you a deal, you give me what you have now then I'll stick the rest on a tab, as long as you promise pay me back when you can" Spike smiled as she handed him the box.
"Thanks Rose!"
"Don't mention it" She laughed, then stopped abruptly, shooting a dirty look at him "Seriously, don't. This is a one time thing, if word get's around that I'm giving out flowers for nothing to first time romantics, I'll have ponies badgering me with all kinds of stories to get free flowers."
Spike nodded in acknowledge. Miming zipping his mouth shut, he dropped his bag of bits on the table and began walking once again towards the boutique.
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Fluttershy found herself skipping into town, passers-by doing a double take, thinking Pinkie Pie had dyed herself yellow, only to be even more shocked to see that it was Fluttershy. She could hear them whispering as she passed
"I think she's finally snapped"
"That can't be Fluttershy!"
"Skipping through town, oh get a life"
Normally she would have backed off slowly, whimpered, or even started crying but today she just didn't care. She waved to the ponies she recognized, some waved back, some just gawped at her in surprise. She saw Derpy Hooves and her coltfriend flying up above, he desperately trying to stop her flying into things as they delivered the mail together, she always thought they were a cute couple.
I hope it's like that for me...
Fluttershy had no idea how he'd managed to grow wings but ignored it and carried on skipping down the street, humming a delightful tune. She couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so happy, not even the day she discovered the world and woodland creatures below cloudsdale back when she was a little filly. She stopped humming however when her little solo became a duet, looking across she saw Pinkie Pie skipping along side her, still humming a tune. When she realised that Fluttershy had gone quiet she opened her eyes with a saddened expression. Both ponies stopped skipping, Fluttershy was still smiling but was a little perplexed at her friends behaviour. Even though nopony could understand Pinkie Pie and it was pointless to even try.
"Aw why'd you stop? That was fun!" said Pinkie beaming.
"Sorry, you just surprised me Pinkie."
"Oh right, hehe sorry. Everypony keeps telling me I do that, I mean I've tried to stop it but I can't, I heard you humming that song and you were skipping! You, Fluttershy skipping through town! It sent my Pinkie sense for a whirl, I knew another doozy was coming on but I didn't expect that, I was actually on my way back to the Cakes with supplies but then I saw you and I thought I have to join in because singing and skipping is so much fun! Especially when you do it at the same time! I remember this one time where I had the whole town skipping on the rooftops and singing and it was so much fun!" She took a big breath before continuing. "So what you doing?"
"I'm on my way to the library" Fluttershy said, her head hurting slightly from having to keep up with Pinkie's incessant ramblings.
"Oh are you going to see Spike? I remember that Twilight came and asked me to watch him and she said no parties, but I was all like how can he not have a party? It's the first time he's been left all alone, besides she didn't make me Pinkie promise not to have a party so I thought we could have a party and just not tell her, a secret party, not one of those secret party's Colts get before their married though, what're they called? Bachelor parties! I wanted to go on on of those but they told me it was a guy's only thing, which is a shame cuz I like all sorts of parties and I really wanted to go, they tried telling me I wouldn't enjoy myself but how couldn't I enjoy myself at the party, I even managed to have fun at the gala even if nopony else did. It's kinda more like a surprise party, except we don't tell the one who would be surprised, although she'd probably be very surprised if she found out, but whose going to tell her? Guess I'll have to make everypony there pinkie promise not to tell her, do you want to come Fluttershy?" she asked shaking slightly from excitement, a wide grin plastered across her face.
Fluttershy woke up from her trance, her mind shutting itself down for it's own protection "Sorry Pinkie, I zoned out there for a minute, what did you say?"
"I said do you want to come to the secret party I'm throwing Spike? You have to promise not to tell Twilight otherwise it won't be a secret"
"Yes I'd love to come, you always do the best parties Pinkie." she said with a polite smile and a nod of her head.
And I'd get to spend more time with Spike!
"Okey Dokie Lokie, well I'd better go, Mr Cake said he'd be really mad if I was late again getting deliveries back, gotta go." she said jumping into a barrel. When Fluttershy looked into the barrel she couldn't see any sign of Pinkie or the supplies.
It's just Pinkie being Pinkie, don't question it just move on...
Smiling once again, albeit with a headache she resumed her journey back to the library.
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"Okay nearly there." Spike was walking down the road, the elaborate pillars of the boutique were coming into view. "C'mon Spike you can do this, you can't back out now."
"Why, you talking to yourself?" Her head popping out from behind a street lamp.
Spike jumped up, almost dropping the precious rose he had bought. "Gah Pinkie, don't do that?"
"Sorry, sorry, I scared you didn't I? I've got to stop doing that... So anyway why are you talking to yourself? The doctors told me to stop talking to myself so much, I don't think you should start. What's in the box? Why are you wearing a tux, no one's getting married, are they? I don't think so I mean I would have remembered baking a wedding cake..."
"PINKIE!" Spike shouted, he didn't want to but he found stunned silence was the only way to keep her quiet and even then it wasn't for very long. "Okay so before you nearly gave me a heart attack, I was actually on my way to Rarity's"
"Why?"
"Take a wild guess" He said motioning to his tuxedo and the box he was carrying.
Pinkie Pie stared at him wide eyed. "Oh! Ohhhhhhhhhh" then suddenly here expression dropped "Ohhhhhh" she said, an unusual sadness on her voice.
"Pinkie is something the matter?"
"Yes, I mean! No, no nothing's wrong."
Get out of there Pinkie, you promised not to tell anypony, you can't break a Pinkie Promise, you're Pinkie, if you break a Pinkie promise... Move, move, move, move!
"Er Sorry Spike I have to go, like right now. I think I hear the Cake's calling me, they'll be wanting these supplies I have see ya!" and with that she rushed off becoming a pink blur. Spike just shrugged his shoulders and carried on his way.
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Fluttershy arrived at the library and knocked eagerly on the door, quickly checking that her impromptu skipping hadn't messed up her mane. She breathed on her hoof and sniffed.
Mmm minty fresh and my mane's as good as it's going to get, oh I'm so nervous.
She giggled again before standing perfectly still as she waited eagerly for the door to swing open. After a couple of minutes she knocked again but got no reply. She called out to one of Twilight's neighbours "Excuse me, erm if you don't mind, could you tell me where Spike is please, I need to talk to him?"
"You mean the dragon?" replied the neighbour, Fluttershy nodded "Yeah I saw him head down to the market a while ago, he must've been doing something important, cuz he was wearing a tuxedo, you don't wear that 'cept for special occasions."
"Thanks" said Fluttershy, who began to follow after Spike.
I wonder why he was wearing a tuxedo? And what was he doing down at the market?
Her eyes widened, she felt a surging wave of euphoria and began skipping again.
Maybe he's gotten all dressed up for me! I'll bet he's down there right now buying me something nice. Oh I can't wait, I have to get over there now!
She began to run towards the market. As she arrived Rose caught sight of her and called her over, "Hey there...Fluttershy, is that you?"
"Oh yes good morning!"
"Well don't you look absolutely stunning, who've you gotten all dressed up for?"
Fluttershy blushed "Oh no-one" she said playfully, pawing the ground.
Rose winked "Well it seems everypony's getting spruced up today, I saw Spike here not 5 minutes ago, wearing a cute little tux."
"You've seen Spike?"
So he has been down here!
"Yes darling, I have."
"Well what was he doing?"
"Now that would be telling" she said turning her head and looking back with a smile.
"Oh please" Fluttershy pleaded.
"I guess I can't refuse a bit of gossiping, he was down here buying flowers, looks like that little dragon's finally found someone to be his very special somepony"
Fluttershy had to bite her lip to stop her desire to shrieking in delight.
Flowers! He's bought me some flowers, oh he must really, actually like me!
Calmly she said "Oh that's nice, good for him."
"Yep he got my last special rose, poor dear could barely afford it. I couldn't bear to ruin his plans though so I cut him a deal..." she slammed her hooves over mouth realising she'd said too much.
"Oh don't worry your secrets safe with me, do you know which way he went?" Fluttershy said, Rose pointed down the street Spike had walked down, Fluttershy smiled and began to hum again as she skipped away.
"For Celestia's sake Rose, know when to keep your mouth shut." grumbled the disgruntled florist.
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Spike walked up to the door of the boutique, his heart pounding, he knees felt like jelly. He took a deep breath to steady himself and began practicing what he would say.
"Hey Rarity, nice weather we're having, no that's stupid. So I was wondering if you were busy tommorow? No come on you can do better than that... I was just walking by and thought I'd ask you a little question... No come on, what am stuck in a cheesy romance novel? What's wrong with "Will you go on a date with me?" Maybe I should just say that, cut out all the corny stuff." He took another deep breath. "Okay Spike you can do this."
He went into the box and pulled out the rose before reached for the large door handle, when he could hear loud voices inside.
I really shouldn't eavesdrop... But I have to know who's in there with her I don't think I'd have the courage to ask her out if she has company. Maybe I should come back later? No, no I said I was going to do this today, I'm doing it today. Still I need to know who she's talking to, maybe just a quick listen wont hurt.
He pressed his ear to the door. He could hear Rarity's voice
"I told you, I'm still not entirely comfortable with everypony knowing yet!"
Knowing what? Who's she talking too?
He got his answer when he heard a second voice, a male voice.
"So what am I to you? Huh? Am I just the means to an end?"
"Don't give me that, you know I love you!
She...loves...him?! WHO IS THIS GUY! I know I've heard that voice before.
"And yet you don't tell anyone else that do you?"
"Why do you want everypony to know, can't you just be happy that you know?"
"I want everypony to know because I'm sick a havin to make reasons come and see you! You know where everypony thinks I am right now? At my sister's hospital bed!"
B-Big Macintosh!!!
"Well maybe you should be there, it's clear that you don't want anything else to do with me!"
Big Macintosh sighed "Why do we always do this?"
"What?"
"Fighting?"
"Simple because you're a thick skulled farmhand..."
"...and you're an uptight princess"
"Yes, but I'm YOUR uptight princess and don't you ever forget that."
"Eeyup."
Spike couldn't listen anymore, he told himself he wouldn't get upset if she wasn't interested in him but to find out like this?! Spike could feel the tears welling up in his eyes. He looked at the rose he'd bought, it's beauty doing nothing now except to taunt him. Angrily he crushed the stem in his hands, the thorns drawing blood, before casting it aside where it landed on the doorstep. It was still sunny outside, but as he walked home, it felt like Spike had his own little raincloud following him all the way back.
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Fluttershy walked up the road still humming and skipping merrily
Oh I just can't wait, a rose from Spike, how romantic! And he looks so cute in that tux of his. This is going to be just perfect!
She decided it would be best if Spike didn't see her acting so immature and slowed from a fast skip to a brisk trot.
I wonder where we'll go on our first date!? Oh I'm so excited, maybe he'll take me to see a movie, or we could go to that new diner that opened up in town, Derpy said that place was brilliant! Or maybe a quiet picnic in the park, watching the sun rise in the morning! It would be just perfect, I can't contain myself
She stopped, her excitment bubbling she had to let it out, or she'd be too jittery later on. She let out a yay much louder than ever before, the ponies walking by her actually heard it! She carried on, her mind conjuring up all sorts of magical dates, locations, activities, even whole meals right down to the last detail.
Then she caught sight of him, wearing his little tuxedo, carrying a large box under his arm.
Ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh there he is! Should I go over, or should I wait for him to come to me, maybe if I call out to him, it'll save him walking all the way back to my hut!
Then she froze, her joyful expression replaced by one of fear and dread.
Wait where's he going! My hut's in the opposite direction, it look's like he's! Nonononono!
Fluttershy ducked into an alley and peered around watching Spike, she saw him arrive at the door to the boutique, retrieve the sparkling blue rose from it's box, he was fixing himself up and reaching for the door handle.
Fluttershy couldn't watch anymore, she darted her head back round the corner
"N-no..." her lips began to wobble, tears began to stream down her face
H-he's going to her, to Rarity! But why?! Why!? How could he do this to me?! Doesn't he care? Doesn't he see that she's always going to turn him down? I-I can't deal with this...
Silently, Fluttershy ran, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her, her sorrow pinning her wings to her body, her tears leaving a trail in her wake. When she got back to her hut, she slammed the door shut and screamed, she screamed as loud as she could, she screamed until her throat felt hoarse and ran upstairs, slamming her bedroom door shut. She flung herself onto the bed, crying into her pillow. Angel and the other animals, crept in through the open window and cuddled her, though their efforts were of little comfort to poor Fluttershy, who found herself once again, crying herself to sleep.
Author's note: Don't go giving me any grief, I already feel terrible for putting Fluttershy through all this. Just leave me alone and wait for the next chapter alright? I'll make it up to her. Until then I need to go find someplace to cry...
The lyrics are somewhat relevenant so here's Something to listen to...
As for Big Macintosh? I know I said I wouldn't go against canon and I meant it but in my opinion the end of the Heart's and Hooves Day episode they were just messing with the CMC, I don't think they actually got together afterwards. As for why I stuck him with Rarity? I'm a bit sick of reading poor quality SpikeXRarity FluttershyXBigMac stories, granted there are a few gems out there, as far as originality goes though they're a dime a dozen. So boring to read.
Shut up Rarity...
I suck at thinking up Pony names, so I used Rose, the florist Pinkie Pie talks to in "A Friend in Deed" as the florist here. Kinda makes this chapter put too much emphasis on the word Rose, so can somepony please come up with a better name to use?!
The flowers she lists off and her opinions/observations are based on this: Top Ten Romantic Flowers
Also Cherry Blossom is the name of the G3 Pony that Cheerilee replaced in FiM, the two are not affiliated in anyway. I used the name purely because it was flower related.