//------------------------------//
// Chapter 38: Affections 
// Story: Spike of All Trades 
// by Ariamaki 
//------------------------------//

"So yeah, three pop-ups, three percent, even more blanked out UI than usual, they were filed away separately from my other improved Masteries under a 'Recent' header... I'd bet anything that these are from you three."

"Wait, so is that three different skills, or nine percent for one?"

Spike was already saying "Three separate skills" before he even thought about it... But when he did think about it he couldn't imagine any other result. Opening his Mastery interface proved his hunch correct: Three unnamed skills were now listed apart from all the others in a distinct category.

"Huh. Well girls, I guess that gives us something ta think about when we get home. Mebbe any new skills or tricks we've been workin' on? Could help go faster if we knew what it was."

"Yeah, I can think on it, for sure. First we need to unload all this crap... I feel better knowing we used all of it at least once, though."

"I'll say! It was hard coming up with a way to train with thirty unspooled yards of random string, but we got there! Also, we got there!"

Spike was going to correct Sweetie, but then he opened his eyes.
"You said that alrea... Oh you mean we're at the Clubhouse. Cute."

"I try!"

Back inside and all exhausted in one way or another, they started hauling things upstairs one arm-load at a time, Spike pitching in extra since he just got off of a break. Working together, it was easy to get everything back where it belonged and quickly too: Over the years the Clubhouse had gotten organized, albeit in a very Crusader-y way. Things had their places, but Celestia forbid any other pony try to figure out where those places were, or why.

"Welp, got all that taken care of with a bit of time to spare. You three doing much tomorrow?"

Apple Bloom sheepishly rubbed behind her head with one hoof.
"Yeah, actually... The rest of the girls are free."

Aaaah, well. It made sense: 'the rest of the girls' meant Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon, and neither of the two had what you'd call an easy or open schedule. Them being free was a rare occasion, so it took priority for sure. Even after things got patched up (or maybe even because of it) the Crusaders were way closer to those two than Spike was, so he made an effort to give them their space.

"Hey, no worries: You five do your thing, or things. Whatever it is you get up to and into."

Sweetie glared at him.
"I can't tell if that was a euphemism or not."

Over by the shelves, Scootaloo started laughing.
"I mean if it wasn't before, it sure is now!"

"Scootaloo!"

Spike didn't even bother stepping in, instead leaning back into one of the Clubhouse's cushions. Scootaloo wasn't backing down, and they were all still smiling and clearly messing around. This struck him as a regular topic for the three, even if it was his first time hearing about it. Apparently you can’t spend a few hours stabbing a guy without getting a little more free-spirited around him.

"What? It's pretty obvious how hung-up you all are."

"You just mean 'you', yeah?"

"Said what I meant, meant what I said. Isn't that right, Bloom?"

"Ah didn't... Euggh, no, I can't lie ta ya'll. That obvious, huh?"

"AB, if your crush were any more obvious Spike would notice it. Or worse, Diamond would."

Rather than taking offense, Spike just pulled out some of the smaller gems from his inventory, throwing them back like popcorn.
"I should probably object, but this is fun! Also you're not wrong: I wouldn't have guessed it. DT?"

The little farmpony buried her muzzle into her hooves with another groan.
"And ah can't do anything 'bout it! She's always so close to Silver, and..."

Sweetie's grin went wider at that, and she put a hoof on Apple Bloom's withers.
"I could totally help with that!"

"Could ya?"

"Oh sure. I'd just need to get Silver off into a corner and kiss her 'till she can't see straight-"

"That aint' helping!"

"Awww, isn't it though? She can't stop you from smooching Diamond when she's busy with me."

Scootaloo made her way over to Spike as he watched the entertainment.
"Great show they put on, huh?"

"I will admit it's pretty good. But I guess you're used to it, huh?"

"Ugh, yeah, for like the last year. I think it might have been that time we all went camping-"

"IT WAS!"
"NAIL, HEAD!"

"-so yeah. Anyways, I just sort of roll with it."

Spike couldn't help himself from feeling surprised at that.
"Don't you have anypony you like?"

"Everypony."

Spike rolled his eyes and turned to face the filly.
"Aw come on, that's a cop out and-"

Scootaloo stared at him with a strange expression, her eyes wide and her smile a bit too tight.
"No, I mean it. EVERYPONY. E V E R Y. All. The entirety! All the colts, all the fillies, you, most of the adults, Celestia, why is everypony hot‽ I never bothered complaining about it out loud because... What a problem to have, right?"

"...Was there a pause after 'Celestia' or were you like, using it as an exclamation? I have my subtitles off and she's kinda-sorta my mom so whether or not you’re attracted to her seems like a crucial distinction-"

His pegasus friend cut him off with a growl of frustration and stalked into the ongoing Sweetie-Bloom argument, eventually plopping herself down in the middle of it all and just letting the words wash over her. Spike finished off the last of his smallest gems, dusted his claws clean and weighed his options. He could leave this be and not say anything, let them talk it out... Or he could weigh in with his own romantic woes. Because he did have some crush-based news of his own.

"Topical interjection: Me and Rarity talked about my, uh, feelings towards her. Earlier today."

Instant silence, all three of the Crusaders stopping mid-sentences (they had been talking over one another by then) to stare at Spike. It was Sweetie who actually broke the silence, looking at him with a new and near-unreadable expression.
"Aaaand?"

"We, uh... nixed it. Neither of us thinks it'd be a good idea. Mostly. Or if it is, then not now, a-and-"

His explanation was cut off by the sudden hugs from the Crusaders, all three of them tackling him into a pile of fur and scales in the corner of the Clubhouse. At first he thought to protest, explain that it wasn't like that... But it was, if he was being honest. Even if it weren’t, it’d be rude of him to reject this kind of affection. He snuggled the girls right back, resting his chin on top of what was probably Sweetie's flank before they all settled down into a heap.

"...Crushes suck, huh?"

"Eeyup."

"Eh, I'll spit it out eventually."

"Every. Pony. All the time."

They lay like that for a bit, just relaxing in the cool evening air. Eventually the Crusaders climbed off and out from the pile, popping joints here and there, stretching legs and wings. After that Spike was out of excuses for lying around, so he got to his feet. They'd be parting ways for a bit, but it seemed like something was still left. The girls had helped him a lot, and he hadn't done much... 

Wait. He did have something for them, apart from character sheets and serving as a punching bag. But the more he thought about giving them their real gift now, the more it seemed like a better idea to wait. After all, right now it was just storebought goods, nothing unique. He could make it better, even moreso if he spent some time grinding or learning new skills.

"...They're not ready yet, but I did get something for you three to thank you all for today."

Some ponies would have expected a polite chorus of denials here, cries of "Oh you shouldn't have" and "You don't have to", but none were there to be had. The four of them had done away with that sort of thing years ago, realizing that it was just... cruft. It didn't actually make you seem more grateful or thankful, and it wasted precious time that could instead be spent with your cool new stuff. As it was, the Crusaders just nodded (and maybe perked up a bit) before he continued.

"I want to finish them up first, though, so give me... I dunno, a week or two? Depends how hard-won some of these skills end up being."

"Yeah, isn't that Alchemy thing still stuck in the teens of percents of being Level 1?"

"Regrettably? Yup. Still short of the teens if we're being technical: Twelve percent mastery."

"Blurfggh. Good luck with that."

Apple Bloom cleared her throat and pointed outside, the setting sun visible in the west.
"Speaking of good luck, aint' we gonna need some to get back on time?"

That was more than enough to get all of them hauling out the door, slowing only to close up shop behind them and make sure nothing was left behind. The doors swung shut behind them, and Spike led the pack as they began to trot and jog (respectively) out of the woods.