Chapter 4
The lonesome dragon sat gloomily at the bar, clutching a miniscule glass of red cider within his talon like claws. He stared vacantly at it; musing sorrowfully at the demonic shape and size of his claws grasping the pony serving glass.
“Even when ponies accept me, I still feel like an alien sometimes,” he said drearily.
Spike had come to Olive Jack’s bar shortly after his conversation with Prince Blueblood. Despite having felt he “won” the argument with the licentious slime who dared to call himself of noble blood, Spike felt hollow and empty.
What was it that Twilight referred to it? Oh yeah…a pyrrhic victory.
He chuckled darkly to himself. Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence, Twilight and many other royals had consumed alcoholic beverages in his presence on numerous events. He always thought it was bitter and sour tasting and never got why any pony would pay hard earned bits to sip something so unappealing.
Now he knows.
“Guess I’m not that innocent little guy anymore, am I?” Spike sighed.
Try as he might, Blueblood’s words still echoed in his memory; stinging at his senses like a hive of hornets. None of this made any sense. Blueblood had everything a colt would want: gold, riches, wealth, power, and he lived with Equestria’s most cherished rulers.
So why, why does he want her too?
Everything about him made the purple reptile cringe in revulsion. His claws clutched the glass irritably, cracks forming under his crushing grip. Blueblood may be a pig but surely he could find a willing mare without much difficulty, he could get any girl from any country if he flashed his crown around.
Again…why does it HAVE to be HER?!?
“I’m already married to her,” he thought to himself. The dragon had earned a place beside his beloveds. He went through years of ponies ignoring his feelings, dismissing them as childish wishes and nothing more. There were times he felt like the universe was laughing at him; cruelly pouring hatred and delusions upon him like raindrops. It felt so cold. So suffocating; like he would drown in sadness and was doomed to remain alone and devoid of true love’s warmth.
“But then…she said yes when I asked her to marry me, so that’s gotta stand for something,” he said contently. A sad smile formed on his scaly lips. His grip on the glass loosened, he still hadn’t noticed the cracks.
After years of being ignored, rejected and corroded by others who made him feel ashamed for feeling such love; Rarity finally said yes. She agreed to his proposal and was wed in a beautiful, extravagant ceremony that made the stars themselves weep with joy. She was his and he was hers; a simple yet beautiful bond that washed all those ugly, pain filled years away like a bad dream.
“So then…what happened?” he said. Spike reached for his glass again and gasped as it shattered into dozens of shimmering shards soaked in red rum.
A few ponies turned to stare and gawk at the dragon’s carelessness. He looked to them and smiled sheepishly; feeling like an idiot. The ponies grumbled something scathing under their breaths and returned to their drinks, unaware Spike’s draconian ears picked up every nasty comment.
“Hey don’t worry about it Spike old buddy. It’s just a glass, easily repaired,” a gruff but friendly voice said.
Spike turned to the bartender and owner: Olive Jack himself. He was a unicorn, sporting a dark shade of lime green colored fur, hazel nut eyes, silvery combed hair. He wore a black suit with a white collar shirt, red bow tie and white cuffs with gold cufflinks. His cutie mark was a martini glass with foam pouring out from the top with a green olive on a toothpick poking out.
“Thanks Olive Jack, heh, guess I don’t know my own strength sometimes. Sorry about that,” the drake chuckled.
Jack magically placed the glass pieces back together; fixing it. He lifted up a wash rag with his hoof and wiped down the counter. Spike always admired Jack’s hospitality and professionalism. He was Donut Joe’s brother and had been told many stories of Spike’s adventures and their friendship when he and Twilight still lived in Canterlot. He was one pony Spike could always rely on to show him a friendly smile and offer an eager ear if need be.
“Pay no mind to those judgmental eyes my friend. You’re always welcome here, and as for the drink? It’s on the house,” he said.
“Awe come on, I gotta pay you something. I just broke you’re glass AND wasted one of your amazing drinks,” Spike offered.
“Tell you what, tell me why you’re so down in the dumps and we’ll call it even then.”
Spike flinched; should have seen that coming. He knew this is why ponies usually went to bars, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to talk about everything that’s been happening just yet. The drake would much rather have talked to his wife but she wasn’t at the castle and he hasn’t been able to find her since she left Blueblood.
“I appreciate it Jack, really I do, but I think there’s a mare I need to see first,” Spike said.
“Lucky for you handsome, that mare has already arrived,” a sultry female voice said.
Both Spike and Jack turned to the mare in question, she sat by the edge of the bar; looming lustfully in the shadows. Jack’s face turned beat red once he caught a glimpse of the woman’s encompassing beauty.
She was a Pegasus. Her fur was a scorching shade of hot pink with a sparkly white stripe gleaming down the center of her hair and tail. Spike’s eyes felt hypnotized by her steely blue eyes as they locked onto him like laser scopes. He found it impossible not to look at her dress, though in truth, it looked more like a bathing suit! The dark blue green dress clung to her figure tightly; leaving very little to the imagination. The curve of the outfit accentuated her flank as if it were a beacon designed to attract every hungry pair of eyes towards it. The mare’s cutie mark was a sapphire heart split into several sections that were all being tugged by puppet strings.
“Hello, hello; name’s Jem, Jem Fatale and you must be Spike the brave and glorious,” she paused to lick her lips; purring every syllable in a tempting manner. The sizzling, sensual mare winked at the perplexed dragon. She flipped her hair back and soaked up his scaly form with her leering eyes.
Olive Jack swallowed loudly; he looked to Spike who had the same bewildered look on his face. Spike looked away from Jem’s eyes drilling deep into his soul. He coughed nervously as a red blush faintly flashed across his cheeks, a blush he was quite ashamed of. No mare could ever tempt the dragon’s heart like his beloved wife could; but still, he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t feeling a few degrees warmer than usual. Everything about this girl and this situation made Spike grossly uncomfortable.
“Yeah uh…I mean…hi…no-I-mean…ugh…yeah, yeah that’s me,” Spike said fumblingly.
“Pleasure’s all mine big guy. Care for another drink? It’s on me,” she said; throwing in a saucy wink.
“Uh no thanks,” he raised his glass up, “already got one.”
“How about something to fill your tank then?”
“Eh not really hungry.”
“Who said anything about food, hot stuff?”
There it was…his cue to leave.
Spike stood up from his seat dramatically. He paid Olive Jack, turned his back to the temptress with wings and headed for the door. He grunted as he felt something tugging on his tail. Jem’s hooves were secured around the bulk of his tail like shackles. The look of lust in her eyes had turned angry, feral even. She looked more like a succubus than an angel. Off to the side, a dark teal unicorn mare with messy blue hair and pink eyes seemed intensely interested in observing Spike and Jem’s interactions.
“There’s no magic happening tonight, I thought I was clear on that. Would you please let go of my tail now?”
“What’s you’re damage man? I’m literally throwing myself at you and you’re bolting like I got swamp fever or something.”
“And I’m sure there are plenty of stallions who’d kill to be in this position but I’m not one of them. I’m a happily married dragon.”
“What’s your point? Not like the old lady has to know about it.”
Spike cringed in disgust. He couldn’t believe what she was saying; now he felt like he needed a 7 hour bath. Wanting to get out of this situation ASAP, Spike flapped his wings towards Jem Fatale and temporarily caught her off guard. He yanked his tail back forcefully but was careful not to use his full strength. This pony was a rotten tramp but he had no desire to harm her.
“You should be totally ashamed of yourself! I love my wife with all my heart and I would never do something so scummy. Learn to take a hint!”
The dragon turned to leave once more, but Jem Fatale refused to accept rejection. She’s never been rejected, never. All her life, she has been able to charm her way into any bedroom she wanted with a flash of her smile and a sway of her hips. The fact this loyal lizard resisted her charms was the greatest insult of all.
WHAM!
Jem Fatale speared the dragon to the ground with the force and ferocity of a raging bull. Spike dropped to the ground; his wings and tail knocking over a few tables and chairs as he landed on his back. He looked wide eyed at Jem Fatale. She was clinging to his belly like a leech, snorting and snarling fearlessly at the dragon’s shocked face.
“I’m sorry, are you actually turning down a sizzling hot piece like me?!?”
“Let me spell it out for you: I want nothing to do with you!”
Jem Fatale slightly stumbled back in horror. Those seven words wounded her deeper than any claw or fang ever would. She was certain her curves could tame this fire breathing beast, she was absolutely certain of it. This response was unacceptable!
“Oh yeah? Heh we’ll just have to see about that.”
Jem leaned in and forcefully kissed Spike with every ounce of passion and power her cherry scented lips could muster. Spike’s face immediately twisted in revulsion. He felt violated, his limbs desperately flailed to try and shove her off. Spike pushed her back long enough to speak.
“G-g-g-get off of me, what are you doing?!?” he sputtered angrily. Jem silenced him with another kiss. Spike pried her lips off him but Jem refused to take the hint and kept on trying to lock lips once more. “Just leave me alone already,” he grunted as crawled away from her.
“Oh come on, you know I taste better than that frigid, fat old cow of yours,” Jem scoffed.
“WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?!?”
Spike’s muscles suddenly froze as still as ice. He knew that voice, that voice has sent chills down his spine during many an argument. He gulped hard and slowly, nervously tilted his eyes towards the source of that shrill shriek.
It was Rarity. She stood there, on her hind legs, flexing her arms with bulging veins; huffing and puffing as if she had just run a marathon. She looked like she was going to burst into flames any second now. Her teeth grinding against each other; eyes consumed by rage fierce enough to make the Royal sisters flee in terror.
Jem looked unimpressed.
“R-r-r-r-rarity…I….I can explain…I swear…this-this isn’t what it looks like!”
“So, that’s your old lady eh?”
“Who are YOU calling old lady, and more importantly, what are your thieving hooves doing all over MY HUSBAND’S BODY?!?”
Before Spike or Jem could speak, the seductive Pegasus was enveloped in Rarity’s signature crystal blue magical aura. She squeaked as she was violently jerked towards the fuming unicorn. “COME HERE YOU!” Rarity hissed.
A violent fight broke out between the two mares, with Rarity easily being the dominating one. Spike, Olive Jack and every other pony in the bar watched; mesmerized by the fight erupting before their eyes. Spike cringed in horror and, at times, partially closed his eyes for fear of seeing what bone crunching blow Rarity would hammer into Jem Fatale next. During the commotion, the teal mare with the messy hair concealed something in her fur and quickly ran to the exit and left the bar. The pony seemed to have been waiting for a distraction like this to occur before she would leave.
“WHOA, whoa; take it easy lady! He’s just some guy,” Jem blurted out; crawling away from the crazed unicorn.
Rarity roared like a savage beast. Jem Fatale cowered in horror as Rarity picked up a trash can and held it above her head; whimpering as if she were about to be crushed by a boulder. Rarity dumped the contents of the can onto Jem, slammed the can over her head, then levitated her with her magic and drop kicked the Pegasus out of the bar in true Applejack fashion.
“Holy guacamole…that was…kind of awesome, I mean, I knew my wife was tough but damn,” Spike exhaled.
Confident the harlot was gone; Rarity flashed her sapphire blues towards her speechless lover. Spike felt all the color drain from his face. No villain or carnivorous creature Spike and his pony friends had faced ever came close to making him feel this scared.
“H-h-h-honey, Rares, m-m-my l-l-lady, please; I c-c-can explain.”
“I want every pony out of this bar THIS INSTANT…I need a private conversation with my husband.”
Olive Jack and every other patron in the bar vanished before a single drop of sweat could fall from Spike’s brow. He couldn’t believe Rarity managed to scare Olive Jack out of his own bar so easily! He gulped loudly as he stumbled back to his feet. Rarity’s penetrating gaze never left his line of sight, he never felt so powerless before in his life.
“N-n-n-now before you yell at me or-or throw something at me or anything like that, I just want you to know that what you saw is NOT what you think it is. I can explain everything,” he raised his claws up defensively.
“Ooooh I’m pretty sure I know exactly what’s going on Spikey, but by all means, let’s hear your side of the story,” she said flatly. Rarity magically pulled a chair out and sat down; crossing her hind legs. “I’m all ears, darling.”
Prince Blueblood sat in front of a long, jewel encrusted vanity mirror. His hooves were rummaging through a series of photographs. The photos brought a conniving smile to his lips, one that grew wider with each photo he flipped through.
“Oh yes, yes, these are positively exquisite. This turned out better than I could have imagined,” he chuckled darkly.
WHAM!
The prince squealed in fright. He saw his door was violently flung open by a white mare, a white mare with purple curls. Blueblood quickly hid the photos in a vest pocket and composed himself.
“Ah Miss R-r-rarity, what a surprise,” he said with a nervous laugh. Blueblood combed his hair with a swift brush from one of his hooves as he approached her. “Though that doesn’t mean your company is undesired, in fact, you’re exactly the pony I needed to speak to,” he said confidently.
“That’s strange, the guards told me you wanted to see me as soon as I came in,” she said sweetly.
“Ah oh uh um yes-yes of course, how silly of me to forget!” he said. The prince was careful to craft his reactions carefully. He was so excited about the photos he received; he almost sabotaged everything he had been working on with Rarity.
“Oh I’m sure you have a lot on your mind, darling. Being a prince can be quite time consuming I imagine. Now then, what is it you wished to speak with me about?” she asked, dazzling him with a sparkling smile.
Thankfully, it seems she was none the wiser to the truth of his plans. Blueblood was infinitely pleased to see that smile upon her beautiful face, it gave him a huge swell of pride and confidence deep down inside. “Unfortunately my lovely friend, I’m afraid my reason to speak with you is regarding a rather unpleasant matter,” he said glumly.
“I’m afraid I don’t follow. Whatever do you mean?”
Blueblood closed the distance between them. His proximity slightly surprised Rarity, she felt compelled to say something but didn’t. The prince raised his hoof and rested it on Rarity’s shoulder. Still, she remained silent. Her eyes traveled to that comforting hoof.
“Much as it pains me to be the bearer of bad news…I…I,” he bit his lip and turned his head to the side; voice trembling with dramatic tension. “I have undeniable proof that your husband is-is cheating on you,” he looked back to her with aching, wounded eyes.
“Um…I’m sorry…can you repeat that?” she squeaked slowly.
“I’m afraid it’s all true, so terribly, terribly true! Spike threatened me after our meal tonight. I was fearful that brute might do something savage, so I hired one of my most trusted aids to follow Spike and observe his actions in Canterlot. Wouldn’t you know it? My aid found him in a bar…ugh…I can barely stomach saying such awful words…sexualizing a young mare in public,” he said; raising his hoof to his forehead as he gasped.
Before Rarity could ask a follow up question, Blueblood magically levitated the photos he was concealing to Rarity. Her magical glow enveloped the photos as she brought them closer to her eyes for examination. Blueblood secretly smirked as the fashionista saw the damaging evidence before her very eyes.
“It appears he didn’t trust you to come here by yourself after all, or maybe, it’s just because he wanted to meet up with his mistress and continue this illicit affair under your nose. Who knows how long this has been going on, how vulgar. I’m so dreadfully sorry you had to find out this way Rarity,” he moaned brokenly. Blueblood closed the gap even further by hugging Rarity and resting his chin on her shoulder. “At least you still have me,” he said faintly.
“Thank you for showing me this Blueblood. I’ve suspected something unsavory was going on the moment I got here, now I have definitive proof. My suspicions have been officially confirmed,” she said; sounding unusually calm considering the situation.
Blueblood nuzzled against her neck, sighing contently. He basked in her scent and reveled in the smug satisfaction of knowing he had won.
“You truly are the WORST. POSSIBLE. PONY. EVER!”
Rarity leaned back one of her hind legs and slammed it between Blueblood’s legs with the fury and force of a sledgehammer.
CRACK!
Blueblood’s voice cracked almost as loudly as his lower extremities did. He collapsed to the ground; clutching his groin and writhing like a child who had skinned their knee. Rarity quickly brushed the shoulder where Blueblood nuzzled her vigorously with her hooves. She couldn’t wait to get home and scrub that spot with every cleanser and washcloth she had. The ivory mare looked remorselessly at the pathetic excuse for a prince. She should have known he was never going to change.
“Ra-r-r-r-rity OW how could you EEP do this to ACK me?” he whimpered pitifully. Every move he made caused him to wince in pain. “I thought that-that with your husband being exposed, you would-”
“Oh for Celestia’s sake, do you really think I’m that stupid?!? I know my husband and there is no way he would ever act like some faithless scoundrel who commits obscene acts with floozies in bars. The fact you think I would fall for such a deplorable stunt shows speaks volumes about what you truly think of me.”
“But-but the pictures, just look at them, look at how Spike and that mare are positioned! How can you not accept OW the truth when it’s staring you right in the UGH face?”
“Because I saw everything that happened.”
Blueblood’s eyes froze. He felt every muscle in his body turn to rigid ice. She was there, somehow, she was there and she saw Jem Fatale force herself onto Spike.
“But h-h-how?”
“Tipped off, darling, some pony told me to be at that bar and to watch for anything unusual. Imagine my surprise to see Spiky Wiky put in a compromising position while a pony with a camera snapping pictures and then fleeing the scene. Once I saw the photos you gave me, I knew it was you who set the whole thing up.”
Blueblood frowned miserably. He stood back onto his hooves; all signs of politeness and pain had vanished from his face. She was right, she had figured him out.
“You tried to make it look like Spike was cheating so I would leave him and be with you. You probably hired that mare too, placing her there at the exact same time as Spike and the photographer, didn’t you?”
“We looked so beautiful together, so perfect and natural. We could have been the perfect couple! I could have given you everything you ever wanted. We’d have been the envy of every couple in Canterlot…and you’re throwing it all away to stay with that wretched beast!”
“No…I’m throwing you away because that’s what you do with trash…you throw it away!”
“How DARE you speak to a prince like that!”
Blueblood’s irritable blue eyes exploded into a malicious frenzy of rage and hatred. No pony talked to him that way, not Spike and certainly not this prissy little mare! He lunged at Rarity, his hoof reared back to deliver a vicious strike across the mare’s smug face. Her eyes widened in horror, unable to move or react in time.
ROOOOOAR!
Spike emerged from the shadows and blocked the strike with one of his claws. Blueblood’s hoof landed harmlessly against the dragon’s thick, armor like hide. All color drained from the stallion’s face until he appeared whiter than Celestia herself. He squealed in fright, scrambling away from the roaring reptile.
“I warned you what would happen if you ever went near my wife again,” Spike savagely snarled.
Blueblood cowered tearfully, his back against the wall with his hooves raised in some vain attempt at protecting himself. Rarity reached her hoof out to halt her husband’s rampage but soon realized Blueblood was in no risk of being harmed. Spike stopped once he saw Blueblood had been reduced to a sniveling, sad stallion; too pathetic to punish even though he deserved it.
“You’re not even worth my spit,” Spike hissed; steam billowing from his nostrils.
Rarity’s tail curled lovingly with her husband’s; calming him down almost instantly. She smiled to him and his anger softened into a smile just as sweet and loving as his wife’s. They left the room and the castle joined in hoof and claw, not once looking back at the loathsome frog who dared call himself a prince.
“Hey Rares?”
“Hm? Yes Darling?”
Rarity looked curiously at his husband. Despite his bold and surprisingly attractive aggressive stance towards Blueblood, now he looked timid and unsure. He fumbled with his claws while his tail idly twitched.
“Are we um…are you and I…I mean after everything that-that…ugh…are we…okay?” he asked hesitantly. His lip quivered with anxiety. He was almost too afraid to ask that question, any other answer other than yes would devastate him and he had no doubt his face reflected those fears.
The alabaster mare smiled sweetly at her husband’s adorable face. She approached him, stood on her hind hooves and kissed him right on the nose. Spike blushed at that kiss; biting his lip to hide the goofy smile he knew was emerging.
“Yes my love; were okay,” she said sincerely.
Back inside the castle, Blueblood eventually calmed himself down. He stood back up, knees still wobbling from the pain in his lower regions as he made his way out of his room and into the hallway. “I don’t understand. Where did I go wrong?” he babbled to himself. He combed his frazzled mane back to its former glory, failing amusingly though. “I planned this out perfectly. She wasn’t even supposed to be there, no pony else even knew about this, so who could have told her to come to Jack’s bar?” he pondered aloud.
“Something troubling you, dear nephew?” a sweet voice asked from behind.
The prince turned around and saw the annoyingly familiar rainbow colored mane of his Alicorn aunt; the last pony he wanted to see right now. Celestia looked puzzled by her nephew’s disgruntled demeanor. His hair was frayed and frazzled and his coat was disheveled.
“It was you…YOU did this, I should have known,” he snapped.
Celestia was taken aback. She had no idea what had gotten into her nephew. Sure, he could be arrogant and a spoiled brat but never this hostile. “Blueblood, whatever do you mean? I saw Spike and Rarity walk out after I heard some shouting. Is everything all right?” she asked with curious concern.
“Everything is NOT okay. All of my hard work has been brought to ruin and you know exactly why,” he grimaced.
The sun princess smiled comfortingly and snuggled Blueblood close with a hugging hoof.
“I can see you’re stressed and frustrated; lashing out, I understand dear nephew. Don’t worry. Princess Twilight and I have gone over many lessons with managing your feelings and learning to-”
“Oh SHUT UP auntie!”
Celestia gasped in shock. Blueblood angrily shoved her hoof off and glared at her; blowing a few stray locks of his frazzled blond hair out of his face in irritation. He didn’t care that she was his aunt, or that she was the beloved sun princess, all he cared about was letting her know he truly felt about what she had done to his carefully laid out plans. Celestia’s warm eyes and voice slowly turned cold.
“I beg your pardon…do you care to repeat that…again?”
“I said shut up Auntie Celestia, I am in no mood to hear you drone on and on about frivolous things like friendship lessons and moral teachings. You act all innocent and high and mighty, yet you go behind my back and tell Rarity about my plan to frame her husband so I could convince her to break up with him and be with me. Rarity said someone tipped her off to the bar’s location. She even knew I paid Jem Fatale to be there, another ‘nugget of wisdom’ from my goody-good aunt no doubt. So just save it auntie, I already know everything.”
“You. Did. WHAT?!?”
For the first time in his life, Blueblood saw the dark side of his aunt; a side he was sure never existed in such a pure and loving pony. Celestia’s eyes flared with scorching fire, her wings flared out with a thunderous swoosh. Blueblood felt his hair flap softly from the sudden gust. The trembling prince didn’t understand. The way Celestia was acting, it was like this was her first time hearing all of this.
“B-b-b-b-but if it wasn’t you then how did Rarity-”
“Have you already forgotten you are nephew to two princesses, young Blueblood?”
His petrified eyes widened with realization. He knew that voice; he knew exactly who told Rarity now. Blueblood turned around and saw Princess Luna standing smugly behind him.
“Auntie Luna?”
“That’s the first correct guess you’ve made thus far. Not only were you wrong in assuming Tia was the one who informed the Element of Generosity to go to that alcoholic establishment, you were also wrong about Rarity knowing the true scope of your plans. I merely informed Rarity to go to the bar and observe from outside. I knew not of what you were planning until it unfolded before my eyes, the fact Rarity knew about you paying that mare to seduce her husband was a lucky guess.”
Blueblood had made a mistake, a horrible, horrible mistake! He thought he planned everything out perfectly, but not only did he lose Rarity’s heart to that dragon, he doomed himself by blabbing everything to Aunt Celestia…and screamed at her as if she were a lowly commoner pony!
“Blueblood…”
Hearing his aunt say his name such a voice made his body quiver in numbing terror. He gulped audibly, slowly turned around and looked at the menacing glare of his infuriated Alicorn aunt.
“Over the years you have seen many sides of me my dear, dear nephew. But let me assure you, only my sister has seen this.”
“Seen? Seen what a-a-auntie?”
Celstia’s wings flared up, raw magical energy crackled around her like fire and thunder. Luna’s eyes widened in surprise, as did Blueblood’s. His voice became a shallow, mouse-like squeak as all color drained from his face.
“YOU ARE GOING TO SEE ANGER LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE!” Celestia shouted.
Blueblood’s eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fainted.
END FLASHBACK
Rarity sighed contently, her quill ceases scribbling for a moment; hovering above her withered and worn diary. She levitated a cup of tea to her parched lips, took a sip and then resumed writing.
And just like that, everything was back the way it used to be…well…not precisely the same. I heard a rumor from one of the royal guards that Blueblood was sent to royal guard boot camp…and that he was being personally trained by Princess Luna herself. As for me and Spike, it is to you and you alone my dear diary that I reveal what happened at the bar after every pony left: Spike and I had a long, LONG overdue talk. He apologized for following me around Canterlot and for what happened with that sleazy mare I ejected. I knew he did everything in his power to refuse his advances, he knows I know but still; he apologized.
I apologized for even thinking about entertaining Blueblood’s sickening proposition. I told him I didn’t care about the money, I didn’t care if life would be easier with Blueblood; all I cared about was sharing every wonderful and woeful moment life has in store for us…together.
I think the reason I even toyed with the notion of living with Blueblood was curiosity. Curious of what it would be like to live a life in which my opinion is the only one that matters, I imagine a life in which I would not have to consider Spike, compromise with him, wait for him, cook for him, do anything for him.
I wonder if the fairytale life I dreamed of would have come true, if every desire, trinket and cushy comfort I desired would truly make me happy. Blueblood would be happy. I’m certain he’d shower me with gifts, high praise and make me a part of the high society I long to be one with.
My life would be perfect…despite the fact that…I am not perfect.
She paused to dip her quill into the open bottle of ink. She grunted as her belly rubbed uncomfortably against the desk frame, Rarity hated when that happens. Ever since their 2 children came into the world, Rarity had found herself with an unavoidable mound of pudge that plumped her belly out like a marshmallow.
“Maybe I really am fat,” she whimpered under her breath.
Spike entered the room; his toothbrush sticking out of his mouth surrounded by a foamy glob of freshly applied toothpaste. Rarity turned to her husband.
“What…what is it?” she put down her pen and rubbed her hooves against the sides of her face; trying to find some wrinkle or blemish he was looking at. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she asked anxiously.
“You’re beautiful,” he said simply. Toothpaste splattered onto the carpet by his prickly feet, spittle was now soaking into the carpet. His words made her oblivious to the mess.
Her cheeks turned a faint shade of pink. Rarity fumbled her words, trying to show Spike her added girth; attempting to prove him wrong. “But I’m…I’ve grown so…and then there’s-”
“Stop it, you’re perfect just the way you are,” he said a bit more firmly.
The drake lumbers on back to our bedroom; swishing and brushing his fangs more thoroughly. Rarity turned her gaze back towards her diary. She was blushing several shades brighter now. She shrugged her shoulders, pretending it didn’t feel good to hear him say that; failing miserably though.
Why doesn’t he see it, why can’t he see my imperfections? For example: my makeup application process is an exhaustingly long and complicated process. It takes hours for me to ‘put my face on’ so to speak. I do this thing where I apply this nasty smelling green gunk above my eyes to attach my lashes and give them an extra sparkle. It’s a disgusting, slimy, awful looking process and I loathe doing it but the final result is worth it. Still, no pony has EVER seen me go through all this; not even the girls know what I go through every morning. I had to have Spike swear on his soul he’d never tell another, and still after seeing me do it day in and day out for years and years…he still calls me his…his…beautiful bride.
He makes me feel unique and special, like my little existence somehow stands out among all the billions of others. He sees all the good in me, and is seemingly blind to all the bad. For so long I searched for the perfect man, the prince I dreamed of as a filly who would treat me like a lady. Date after date, I went through men like dresses; never able to find the perfect fit. How silly of me to not realize that Spike is now and always has been the one I have been saving my soul for. He may be a dragon but he loves me, wholly and unconditionally accepting of my entire being, everything about me; flaws and all.
I could have married Blueblood. I could have kept on looking and found a number of ponies that would match my ideal husband. But the truth of the matter is, I could search for a million years and never find anyone capable of such pure, selfless love as my husband. I’m not deserving of it, as easily annoyed as I am, as riddled with imperfection. I am not an easy pony to love, but he loves me anyway.
Rarity smiled and placed her quill back into the ink bottle. She closed the book and got up from her desk. A quick creak of the door and a peek inside her children’s room let her know they were snoring and snoozing comfortably in their little beds. She smiled blissfully and blew them a kiss as she closed the door.
After completing her nightly ritual of washing her face, brushing her teeth and rolling her purple locks up in bright pink curlers; she headed to bed. Spike was already asleep and in bed. She burst into another giggle fit seeing the swollen size of his body underneath the blankets; the bear like snores almost caused her to giggle as well. She used to dread those draconian snores of his, but tonight, she couldn’t imagine going to sleep without them.
As she snuggled up to her lovable, goofy dragon husband; she heard him snort something. She peeked her head over his body and listened closely. “Mmmm I’m so lucky to have you…mmm…don’t deserve you,” he mumbled peacefully.
Rarity felt like she was going to cry.
“Oh my dear, sweet Spikey-Wikey,” she cooed sweetly. Rarity kissed his cheek; watching him as he smiled dopily and curled his tail around hers under the sheets. “You have it so colossally backwards,” she whispered. “You could have loved anyone this much — someone more worthy and appreciative, someone not bothered by shed dragon scales and half chewed gem chunks. But for some reason, you chose me, and continue to do so every day, as quietly and casually as if it were reflex — as if loving unconditionally comes as naturally as breathing.”
She kissed him one more time before turning over, wiping more joyful tears away before placing her eye mask on and falling asleep.
THE END