It’s been a couple of days since Spike bumped into Rarity at the private royal garden. He has visited the gazebo from the garden whenever he is on his way to or back from Twilight's private study to his room but hasn't found her there. A couple of times he has considered dropping by to visit her at Canterlot Carousel but figured that she must be very busy at the moment and he can't ask any pony else if they know about her hanging out in the royal garden because of his promise to her.
Thus, for the most part, Spike has reluctantly accepted that he is going to hardly if ever see Rarity again. He began to take to heart how saddened she sounded when she said she would like to see him again. He wondered if she said that thinking it's going to be impossible to see each other in the same place because of how busy she is at her shop or perhaps something else. Maybe the stress of handling the shop is starting to become too much for her and that’s why she was carrying canned cider and chocolate. Or perhaps she has a handsome, high-class boyfriend and they are just going through a rough patch.
Spike shook the last thought from his mind, thinking it’s just his crush on her getting the better of him. It was a terrible habit for years that he would secretly worry about Rarity getting together with some other guy like Prince Blueblood, Trenderhoof, and even Capper for a brief time when he, Rarity and their friends were in Kludgetown. He knows he was being childish over how much he dreaded the idea of Rarity dating either of those guys even when he pretended to be happy for her.
It’s his twelfth full day back in Canterlot and Spike is exiting his room in Canterlot Castle feeling fully rested. He makes his way to Twilight’s old study where Moondancer is heading there as well. The unicorn walks to the entrance and takes out the key with her magic before turning her head to see Spike heading her way.
“Is having you come here just to read and study with me going to be a regular thing?” she asks with a smirk.
“I think so,” Spike answers with a chuckle.
“Well, at least we have that cleared up,” Moondancer says as she unlocks the door.
The mare and the dragon enter the study and Spike stops only a few steps inside to admire the inside. Even though he’s already been here every day since he came back, he feels a childish sense of nostalgia to see the study that he helped Twilight at for the first several years of his life. His thoughts are interrupted, however, when he hears Moondancer clearing her throat.
“So what are you studying today?” she asks half-teasingly. “The History of Ogres and Oubliettes again?”
Spike chuckles as he remembers reading the history of the board game Ogres and Oubliettes yesterday just to remember the days when he played the game with Discord and Big Mac.
“Nah, I think I should look at something a little more serious,” he says. “Does this place still have the first three volumes of Celestia’s solo reign after Nightmare Moon’s defeat?”
Moondancer scoffs in amusement.
“Does Celestia love butterscotch filling in her daily slice of cake?” she asks as she uses her magic to take three large books out from a shelf and place them in Spike's hand. Spike struggles to hold the books up due to their weight as he makes his way to a table and begins reading while Moondancer takes out a couple of books with her magic and begins reading at the table from the other side of the room. For a while, the two of them read in silence until Moondancer remembers something.
“Oh hey, Spike, do you remember two of Twilight’s students from the School of Friendship, Sandbar and Silver Stream?” she asks looking at Spike
“Yeah, I remember,” Spike says with his eyes still glued to one of the books he's reading.
“Well, I learned from my last letter from Twilight's that they are dating now,” Moondancer says.
Spike diverts his eyes from his book and looks at Moondancer shocked.
“Dating?” he asks.
“Yeah. Apparently, Sandbar has been staying with the Hippogriffs for the past couple of years and that led to him forming a relationship with Silver Stream,” Moondancer explains.
Spike blinks one before scratching his head.
“Huh,” he says. “I never would have imagined those two together.”
“Really?” Moondancer asks slightly surprised. “They sound like a cute couple from what Twilight said in her letter. It seems Sandbar is there to keep Silver Stream calm when she needs to be while her personality helps him loosen up.”
“I guess that makes sense,” Spike says before he gives his friend a small smile. “But hey, if they're happy, then that's great for them.”
“I agree,” Moondancer says before she frowns and scratches her chin in thought “Although, I imagine it will be hard to be together with the fact that they are totally different species. Other creatures will probably look down on them.”
“Why do you say that?” Spike challenges. “I thought Equestria has become more diverse when it comes to ponies getting along with other creatures ever since Twilight founded the School of Friendship.”
“It has, but dating somecreature who is a different species is something else entirely,” Moondancer says adjusting her glasses. “No pony or any other creature has ever done that in the history of Equestria. I know there are ponies like Twilight who won't care and it seems like the Hippogriffs don't mind, but even in Equestria, not every pony shares Twilight’s views about friendship with other species much less the idea of friends of different species falling in love.”
Spike frowns at this information and looks down at the table. He never thought about the idea of interspecies relationships becoming an issue before. He especially never thought of the idea of him dating a pony becoming an issue, not even when he was growing up fawning over Rarity.
“I guess that would be a problem,” he admits.
“It probably would be worse here in Canterlot,” Moondancer says before turning back to her book. “Take it from a mare who has lived here all her life, Spike. If the nobility finds something so out of the norm, they’ll treat you like a fate worse than death and socially outcast you within a blink of an eye.”
Spike winces at his friend’s words. The thought of how that kind of relationship can hurt you socially sounds dangerous for someone like Rarity. He suddenly begins to imagine if he did woo her to become his very special somepony before he left for the Dragonlands. She probably would have lost a lot of clients and her career would have been ruined beyond repair. He would never want something to cause her to destroy her career even for his happiness.
“When you put it that way, it's probably a good thing that only Sandbar and Silver Stream are taking that risk,” he says. “I mean imagine if a dragon gets together with a pony even if it's a well-known dragon like me.”
Moondancer notices what Spike is this thinking and gives him a supportive smile.
“I don't think it would be as big of a problem for you, Spike. You are after all somecreature who has helped save Equestria multiple times, so I don't think it would be as big of an issue for most ponies,” she says before chuckling. “In fact, with your popularity at the Crystal Empire, I bet all the Crystal Ponies would want your wedding to be at their home. Maybe they'll even build a statue of your wife right next to your statute.”
Spike chuckles back at her joke. It's no secret among his friends that the Crystal Ponies practically worship him for the number of times that he’s helped them whether it was aiding Cadance and Shining Armor defeat King Sombra, saving everyone during the final event at the Equestria Games or helping Thorax become friends with them. There hasn't been a time that he has visited the Empire without the crystal ponies showing endless praise to him. In fact, on the train ride to Canterlot, he had to hide under his seat when the train was briefly stopping at the Crystal Empire in order to keep his return a secret.
His thoughts are interrupted, however, when he hears Moondancer sighing.
“Still, with your case put aside, it would be extremely difficult for dragons to have an interest in forming a relationship with a different creature,” she says. “Dragons are not the most friendly creatures and even with some of them going to the School of Friendship, there’s not many who really learn to be friendly as you, Smolder or Dragon Lord Ember.”
Spike frowns and nods in agreement.
“Yeah,” he says. “It would be very difficult. Maybe the most difficult case of them all.”
**********************************************************************************
The next day, Spike wakes up from his bed and hears the sound of raindrops. He lifts his head up to see the rain falling down through his window. He smiles at the pretty sight of the gray clouds covering the view of Equestria. His mind begins to drift as he has an idea.
“I've been hoping to see Rarity at the gazebo for days now but she hasn't been there since,” he thinks. “Maybe somehow the rain plays a factor as to whether or not she’s going to be there.”
With an optimistic feeling in his heart, he gets out of bed, takes a shower, grabs his backpack containing some of the books he borrowed from Twilight's study yesterday and his umbrella, and heads out for the royal gardens. The raindrops fall heavily on his umbrella as he walks down the tower steps and makes his way to the gardens.
As he walks through the garden path, he sees the gazebo in the private section at a distance. Despite the raindrops covering his vision, he sees a figure sitting at the gazebo. He squints his eyes and smiles to sure enough see Rarity sitting on her hump while holding up canned cider and her knapsack lying next to her. She stares at the sky glumly again while taking small sips of her drink. Spike’s smile falters briefly as he notices how much she’s still not her normal energetic self. He takes a deep breath before he walks over to her with a serene smile on his face which catches Rarity’s attention. The beautiful white mare smiles again at the sight of the purple dragon and puts down her cider.
“Well, good morning, Spike,” she says warmly.
“Good morning, Rarity,” Spike says while scratching the back of his head. “Uh...lovely weather we’re having?”
Spike mentally kicks himself in the head for saying something so dumb. Luckily, Rarity giggles lightly at his response, which puts him at ease.
“Yes, I suppose the garden looks lovely despite the rain,” she says with a small smile as Spike sits down. “Though I wonder what you would be doing outside on a day like this. If I remember my Spikey-Wikey, he would use this weather as an excuse to stay in bed or have a nice, hot, 7-hour bubble bath.”
Spike blushes at he calling him by his nickname again. He casually takes out one of the books from his backpack and clears his throat.
“I just thought a quiet read here in the gazebo would be really nice,” he says. “Uh, what about you, Rarity? You aren't usually somepony who would be outside when it’s raining either, leastways while you can make some more fabulous dresses.”
Rarity’s smile weakens and she looks down on the floor.
“I’m...skipping work,” Rarity says. “Just decided to unwind after managing the business.”
“And having some canned cider while at it?” Spike asks. “Not exactly something that is in your normal diet.”
“Oh, and you know all about how a lady must keep her figure?” Rarity asks with her eyebrow raised.
“Uh, no. That’s not what I meant at all.” Spike says waving his hands.
“Well, if you’re suggesting that I eat something, will these do?” Rarity asks.
She unzips her knapsack with her magic and a large collection of chocolate bars fly up in the air with a blue aura surrounding them. Spike looks at the display shocked and uncomfortable at her display.
“I can see in your eyes that you think I’ve gone crazy,” Rarity teases.
“Uh, no...no I think…” Spike stammers.
“Sppiiikkkkeee, you know better than to lie to me,” Rarity says in a warning tone.
Spike rubs his arm ashamedly, confirming Rarity’s suspicions. Unexpectedly, however, Rarity merely lets out a soft giggle.
“It’s alright Spike,” she says softly. “I assure you, nothing is out of the ordinary with me. Just found some new...quirks like everyone else.”
“Really?” Spike asks.
“Promise,” Rarity says with a weak smile.
Spike looks at her unconvinced with her explanation, but smiles and nods as a sign of letting the matter go. Rarity nods back before looking away to watch the view while sipping more of her cider and opening a bar of chocolate while Spike begins reading. The two of them are silent for several minutes before Rarity glances at Spike’s book.
“A history book about Celestia’s solo reign?” She asks in confusion.
“Yeah, thought I would just read stuff like this to give me ideas about what I want to do with my life,” Spike explains.
Rarity covers her mouth with her hoof and giggles lightly making Spike look at her in confusion.
“What?” he asks.
“Oh, forgive me, Spike,” she says. “It’s just that I’ve never seen you so interested in books like that before. I guess I’m used to seeing the small you reading comic books and getting excited about the Power Ponies facing some supervillain. Seems like you really have grown up.”
Spike chuckles bashfully and his cheeks heat up, making Rarity giggle again only with her voice sounding high pitched like it used to be.
“There he is,” she says.
“There’s what?” Spike asks bashfully.
“There’s the adorable little dragon I remember,” she says. “Always bashful to a tee when I give him a compliment.”
Spike covers his face with his book knowing that his cheeks are turning even redder by the second. He hears Rarity giggling again, making him feel even more bashful. And yet, despite his shy state, he finds himself smiling at the sound of her laugh. They sound genuine and full of life the more she giggles the way he remembers it so many years ago. It’s as if laughter is helping her come back to her normal self.
“Oh, I remembered something,” he says, lifting his head to face Rarity. “How are things going with all of our friends in Ponyville?”
Rarity winces and she stops in mid-laughter and she falls back to her gloomy state. Spike’s heart sinks as Rarity looks away from him.
“I’m afraid I haven't been in touch with most of them in a while, Spike,” she confesses. “I write to Fluttershy as often as I can, but not a lot has changed for her or any of our friends in Ponyville that she can talk to me about. Just her enjoying living with the woodland critters while Rainbow Dash is with the Wonderbolts, Pinkie Pie and Applejack are working hard at Sugarcube Corner and Sweet Apple Acres and Twilight is still managing the School of Friendship. None of us have had a chance to get together in ages.”
“Oh,” Spike says sadly before his face lights up. “Then I guess you haven't heard about Sandbar and Silver Stream?”
Rarity turns her head to face Spike again and tilts it in curiosity.
“What about them?” she asks.
“According to Moondancer, they're dating,” Spike says.
“Aaawwww, really?” Rarity asks suddenly acting excited like a giggling school filly. “That sounds adorable!”
Spike looks at her with interest.
“So you don't think the fact that they are different creatures is an issue?” he asks.
“Of course not, darling,” Rarity says plainly. “Why would I? I think the idea of finding love with someone who is a different species is rather exciting and at the same time very romantic.”
“You do?” Spike asks surprised.
“Of course, darling,” Rarity answers with a gleeful look. “If you and the other person mean that much to each other without worrying about the logistics about what you are then it's clear you love them for who they are. That sounds about as wonderful as romance can get, don't you agree?”
Spike smiles at her response.
“Yeah, I do,” he says before he remembers the rest of his conversation with Moondancer. “But wouldn't it also cause problems socially? I mean no one has ever done what Sandbar and Silver Stream have done before and people can have issues with that.”
Once again, Rarity’s face falls and she looks away sadly. Spike immediately regrets what he said even though he doesn't know why Rarity is sad this time.
“I suppose you're right,” she says in a dull voice. “That would cause a serious problem for somepony.”
Spike mentally kicks himself in the head for causing Rarity to return to her depressed state. He wishes he didn't say anything to bring her back to her lifeless act.
“But it wouldn't matter as long as the couple is happy, right?” he asks, desperate to make her smile again. “I mean with so many different creatures coming to Equestria now, there may be others who might follow Sandbar and Silver Stream’s example and they will have all their family and friends to support them, right?”
For a moment Rarity doesn't say anything. Then, she gives Spike a small smile.
“Yes, you're right, Spike,” she says.
Spike smiles back until Rarity looks away and frowns unconvinced. It's clear that he keeps striking a nerve with her that must have something to do with her depressed state. He turns back to his book, but deep down his mind is only on what could possibly have happened to Rarity. Could she have had a fallout with Twilight and most of their friends in Ponyville and that’s why she moved to Canterlot and is only in touch with Fluttershy? Did she consider falling for someone who is not a pony and received social backlash for it?
Suddenly, Rarity closes her backpack, finishes her drink and gets off her bench.
“Well, I better head back,” she says.
“I thought you were skipping work,” Spike says feeling a little down.
“I was until the rain stopped,” Rarity says with a weak smile. “That’s the deal I made with myself. I only skip work when it’s raining.”
Spike frowns at this, hoping he would have more time with Rarity, but gives her a smile and nods.
“I see,” he says pretending to be cheery. “Well, then I guess I’ll see you here again soon. I mean it’s bound to rain someday.”
Rarity nods and says, “I’m looking forward to it Spikey-Wikey.”
Spike blushes lightly at the nickname making Rarity giggle again in amusement. He smiles sincerely for a moment as the laugh sounds like the Rarity he once knew. The mare takes out her umbrella and gives the dragon a happy look before she walks out of the garden. Spike watches her go until she is out of sight and sighs in thought.
“So she only leaves Canterlot Carousel when it’s raining,” he says in thought. “I wonder why she would do that. It’s not like her to hold off on making dresses. Is she just going through a dry spell when it comes to inspiration or is there something else going on? And what is with her constantly bringing hard cider and chocolate to the royal garden?”
The more he thinks about it, the more confused he is and wants to ask Rarity about it despite knowing she likely would say that it’s related to her complicated matter. But then he remembers how when she was laughing and talking about when he was younger, she felt more like herself and he smiles.
“It does seem like my presence somehow helps her act more like herself despite whatever is wrong with her,” he thinks. “Maybe what she needs is a friend to ease her mind while she’s dealing with whatever is troubling her. And since she barely talks to any of our friends apart from letters with Fluttershy, that might have to be me.”
At that moment his eyes light up at that idea. His smile changes to a determined smirk as he makes his decision.
“Then that’s what I’m going to do,” he says to himself. “Rarity needs a helpful friend to be around for her and that’s what I’m going to be. So every time it rains, I’m going to come here and just sit with Rarity just so that she has a friend. We might do nothing but read while she drinks cider and eats chocolate, but it won’t matter because I’m going to be there for her just like I was years ago.”
Spike’s smirk falters slightly and he scratches the back of his head.
“But that might happen very rarely though,” he says with a sigh. “I mean who even knows when it will rain again?”
Little does the young adult dragon know that it’s the beginning of Canterlot’s rainy season.