//------------------------------// // Ch. 7: An Eventful Dusk // Story: Surrender // by Saekwaka //------------------------------// We walk together around the park. My adrenaline is taking over my entire body. I am really trying hard not to fidget, not to stutter, or to fumble. I have to keep cool, I tell myself. Rarity and I are just walking together. We are just on our way to gather more jewels. We continue to walk together in silence. Then, I begin to wonder, why are we going through the park to gather jewels? "Hey, uhm, Rarity?" I say, tentatively. "Yes, Spike?" She turns to meet my gaze. "Why are we gathering gems in the park during dusk?" "Well, dearie, if you'd rather leave for home, then perhaps we can wait until tomorrow to-" "No!" I blurt out, "That's not what I meant! I was just wondering if there were any gems here." "Why, most certainly not, my dear Spike! We are just on our way, which means we must pass the park!" We both halt at the fountain. The fireflies nearby swim around in the air, so effortlessly, it's staggering. Rarity is still beaming at me, and I am still left in awe. "We could sit at the bench for a minute, couldn't we?" I ask. She nods, then takes her seat at the wooden bench. I notice that I have become substantially taller. I've always known, but sometimes, just little things like other ponies sitting down remind me how much larger I am. I should mention that I'm only twenty inches taller, but still... "Aren't you going to sit, too, Spike?" She asks. I regain my senses, then climb up on the seat next to her. She smiles for a minute, then turns her head away. The snow-white mare drops her eyes to meet the ground, and sighs. Something is wrong.  "What's the matter?" She places her gaze into mine, and says unflinchingly, "Time is awfully short, is it not?" I ponder this for a moment. Short? As far as I know, it's been forever since last holiday, Nightmare Moon, and Discord... Since Rarity and I first met. "I cannot escape a certain... Feeling... I am experiencing." You and me both. "I feel defeated. Against the significance of time, I am but another corporeal existence in an ocean of change. Soon, 'change' will take me away, and allow another to take my place. Each second that passes tells me, 'time is running thin...' I don't want to leave." "What do you mean? You're not leaving, are you?" I ask, frantically composing arguments to convince her to stay. "Not anytime soon, Spike. But when so many years pass, my time will run out. I don't know how to spend the years inbetween, and I never knew that it would be so..." Tears begin to flood out of her eyes when she trails off. Make-up quickly smears her cheeks while tears flow in a furious river down her flawless face. My eyes grow wide, and I, not exactly aware of why, begin to cry as well. "Don't cry," I beg. She only responds by turning her cries into furious howls of remorse. Suddenly, I realize something, and when I do, a lump forms in my throat. Oh crap! I think. Rarity, I know you're hurt about something, but somepony will wake up and think I'm the cause of this... I freeze up, and tense every muscle in my body. What if... What if I'm causing her pain? I slide closer to her, and slightly tap her with the back of my claw, so as not to accidently scratch her. I really hope I'm not the reason she's crying. Somehow, I have to make this better; I just have to. "Why are you crying? Are you -uhf!" I grunt right as she falls onto my lap and wraps her hooves onto my neck, sobbing into my shoulder. Now, I'm not entirely sure why she's crying; all I know is, I want it to stop. And I also know that Miss Rarity is hugging me, and that I am holding her. Since I'm larger, her weight does not bother me in the slightest. Odd, since it's only twenty inches. "I-I d-don't want t-to leave! Spike, I can't tell you why, but I'm g-going to die, and I just can't..." She buries her face into my arm, and continues to cry. Gasping for breath, she repeats this process, following these are wails and moans of anguish. Whatever is bothering her, I silently steam, must end...  Completely relieved of shock, I wrap my own arms around her back (careful not to drift too low). With surprising strength, she grips me tighter and tighter, muffling her cries into my scale-plated chest.  I stop the flow of my own tears - I can't cry in front of her. Not when she's hurt. "Don't cry, Rarity. We can fix," I hiss the last word, letting smoke puff out of my nostrils, "whatever you're sad about. Please don't cry." When she only continues to clutch me and resume her violent sobs, I choose to remain silent.  I'm not sure why she told me this or what she's so worked up about; all I know is, I can stay here all night for her on this very bench holding her close to me. I would do it for her, and, a bit for myself. My heart flutters at the warmth of her body heat. And here I thought dragons were cold-blooded. Despite myself and Rarity's crying, I smile.  Then, forgetting my pledge to silence, I whisper, "You don't need to worry. I'll always be here. And if you leave, I'll find you, and I'll bring you back. No matter what, I'll always do my best for you. I'd look for you, even if it meant running to every corner of Equestria. I'd do anything for you." She sniffles, and looks up.  "No matter what the cost!" I nearly roar the rest of the words, but restrain the emotion boiling through me, and the temptation to release flames into the open air. Then, I wrap my claws gingerly around the back of her head, and pull her once again close to my heart. Don't let this moment end. I silently beg. Then, rage fills my thoughts. Whatever is hurting her will pay. I don't know what it is, but since I'm holding Rarity, it'll have to wait. She nuzzles me, then curls up in a tight, fluffy ball in my lap. As if to complete our embrace, I wrap my tail comfortably around her, and guard her while she sleeps.