After a few more minutes of saying nothing much else, the four of them emerged to a wide, breezy field of wild grasses and the autumnal blooms Rarity had mentioned as far as the eye could see off to the west. The other two cardinal directions away from the trail gave an overview of Ponyville and a rolling eyeful of the slopes bending towards the highlands, decorated with more and more trees and bushes the farther away you looked from the fields that awaited the approaching racers’ combined efforts. Some of the ponies that had gone on ahead of the rush had already set their mats and lunchtime spreads out for lunch, and more were approaching from the same way the group had come. As Bulk had advertised there were hayburger and drinks stalls with chairs and tables set up, alongside a chugging generator on a side lane by the main road for anycreature who hadn’t brought their own lunch. He noted with surprise that Peach Melba and her father, Melon Tang, had come down from the capital city to attend the latter shop.
Spike and Rarity broke off their prolonged side-hug as Fluttershy and Pinkie laid down their hamper. Pinkie bounced along ahead, pointed a hoof at the road and said, ‘This is it, right, Spike? I’d hate to think everypony took a wrong turn somewhere! We’d all miss the rest of the race! Just think of the poor racers who’d think we’d abandoned them!’
‘Oh, dear, that would be so sad!’ Fluttershy said, laughing a little.
Spike landed on the grass and laughed, a little more than he’d meant to as Rarity smiled warmly at him. ‘No, this is the place,’ he said, earwigging for Bulk Bicep’s commentary for a moment and hearing that the runners were nearing the forest exit, ‘We’ve got ten minutes or thereabouts to get all set up and they’ll come roaring along for sure!’
‘Would you like me to lend a hoof laying the picnic mat again, Fluttershy?’ asked Rarity, to which Fluttershy replied in the affirmative. ‘Well, a horn actually. It’s easier that way.’ Then she levitated the checkered rug out from the hamper and, with a neat unfold and a swift flap, laid it onto a flat part of the field close to the road opposite the stalls.
While everycreature waited for the race to pass by, Spike poured out some cactus juice for the hamper-bearers before checking what Fluttershy had brought along, seeing orange and pomegranate juices, mineral water and a kind of herbal drink that smelled like grass. ‘Eh… nothing here that I really wanna drink, I’m sorry…’ he apologised, ‘Is it okay if I go drop a few bits on a smoothie at the stalls?’
‘Not at all… that’s why they’re there, isn't it?’ Fluttershy said.
‘You surprise me, not wanting cactus juice, Spike. Name/juice combo!’ said Pinkie. The three ponies waved Spike off as he flew over to where the Canterlot plaza ponies were mixing and serving drinks.
He greeted Peach Melba cheerfully, commenting on Rarity’s message and doodle that she’d had put into a cheap wooden frame and displayed on the shelf behind her, before ordering a large fireberry, blackberry and watermelon smoothie with a squirt of cream and a shiny white pearl on top. He took two straws as he recalled what Rarity had said before about acquiring the taste for the first of those ingredients – this was a possible opportunity to wean her onto them, rather than the concentrated stuff Smolder had been guzzling down that day in the library. It was an open offer he wanted to make, anyway – if she said no, he got to enjoy a smoothie as big as his head for the next while, after all, but given the gentle warmth she’d just shown him on the trail he doubted she would.
He was about to return to his fellow picnickers with the red concoction when a voice in his ear cried out, “Spike!!!! How’ve you been? I haven’t seen you since you visited my digs the other week!”
Two years in a relationship with her meant that Spike had been effectively inoculated to Gabby’s sudden and violent overenthusiasm fed into his ear with no warning. He turned around, holding his smoothie in both hands just a little more tightly than before, and saw Gabby grinning at him, looking rather claws-on with Button Mash, who was plainly immensely enjoying her attention. ‘I almost didn’t recognise you wearing that jacket!! Who made it?’ she continued, ‘Me and Mashy here, he’s my new special somepony by the way, we were just going to grab a drink and they sell them here and they’re the smoothie guys from the stall in Canterlot you liked and you’re also here! Isn't that just nutso??’
‘Hey, Gabby, Button Mash again,’ said Spike, holding his drink with one claw and casually flicking a clawgun gesture with the other. ‘Yeah, I didn't know Peach and her dad were gonna be here, but I'm glad they are… they’re yet to disappoint me, drinks-wise. And the jacket’s one of Rarity’s – she made it for me last week!’ Spike was slightly disappointed by Gabby’s assertion that she’d not recognised him – it said his name right there on the back!
‘Rarity, really?? That’s so cool, she’s one of the best!! You know, Mashy, we need to get you dressed up sometime too! Ever thought of getting a new hat, baby?’ she asked, playfully spinning his propeller.
‘I kinda like–’ Button Mash started, before Gabby interrupted him.
‘Oh, your current little hat’s fine, it’s cute, I really really like it, but oranges aren’t the only fruit in the world, you know? I could probably make you some new ones myself, how hard can it be??’ She turned back to Spike and said, ‘Speaking of which, you’re so good at choosing flavours here, what would you rec for Mashy?’
Spike looked at Button Mash as Gabby put her claws around his waist, and considered a generic suggestion for a second – this was a slightly silly question she’d posited, to get him to basically guess the tastes of a pony he barely knew. ‘Uhh… well, do you like bananas, Button Mash? They cost a little more but you can't go wrong with ’em with just about anything here!’
‘Banana…’ Button Mash repeated, rolling the word around in his mouth as he peered at the sandwich board by the stall that listed the available mixes. ‘Nah, I gotta work myself up to getting the banana. Cherry, strawberry, though, those go down easy. I don't much like orange… do they sell pretzels here?’
Spike jabbed a thumb behind him at the jar filled to the brim with pretzels on a shelf behind the counter. ‘Sure do. Go nuts, my colt… uh.’ Halfway through that second sentence Gabby embraced Button Mash and swung him around a hundred-eighty degrees to their left as she kissed him on the lips, and Spike looked on with disquiet as they continued to kiss deeply just a few feet away from him – it had taken him a few moons to work his way up to that when he’d been with her. ‘Uhh… should I… leave you two to it…?’ he asked after a few more seconds had passed.
Gabby giggled as she broke off their mouth-to-beak and acknowledged Spike for a moment before rushing to the counter, claw-in-hoof with Button Mash. ‘Sorry, we’re just so in love we can’t help ourselves sometimes… let’s go get something, Mashy! Don’t order cherry though, I’ll get one on top of mine and you can have it! Otherwise I’ll be getting something random!! Peach Melba can surprise me! See you later Spike, say hi to Rarity for me! Toodles!!’
Button Mash looked back at Spike with a smug smile, which Spike returned with an eye-roll before turning away. ‘Have fun with her while the fun lasts, kid…’ he muttered to himself before crossing the road and returning to where his friends were running around near their mat and hamper, playing a permutation of tag with Fluttershy’s birds. His mind stayed on that chance meeting with Gabby, though – he couldn't be sure whether or not she’d intended to provoke him with her new coltfriend or if she was simply oblivious to how he could be offended by her waving her new, quite young very special somepony at him.
Spike hadn't lied to Sweetie Belle and Rarity earlier when he’d insinuated that he was over Gabby; he was, thanks in no small part to Twilight and Rarity’s love and support. Sisterly love and practical assistance on Twilight’s part, and… well, her sincerest emotional support besides, something good was happening between him and Rarity, he was sure of it – her acceptance of “Rare” as a term of endearment on the trail on the way here just now went some way of confirming it to him – but he didn't appreciate the mild paranoia she and Button Mash had left him with. Gabby acted like it but she wasn't a hundred-and-ten-percent perky sweetness, he’d been with her long enough to know that. Although she denied it there were certain emotional survival mechanisms even a griffon like her engaged with within their own society by necessity lest their peers ate them alive, figuratively speaking.
He’d heard the stories, from her and Gallus, although he’d never experienced the worst of it – griffons tended to be on their best behaviour when they wanted something, which they often did at a diplomatic engagement unless they were intentionally playing hardball, which they also often did. Dragons like, say, Garble and his gang were fairly up-front with the pummelings if they didn't like you, whereas griffons were altogether more into passive-aggression when displeased by a perceived interpersonal slight. Had Gabby, Gabby of all griffons just passively aggressed against him, he couldn't help wondering? Her sunny demeanour was so different from most others of her species he’d known that he’d thought her above that sort of behaviour before, and he was still fairly sure that she just wasn’t capable of being truly spiteful, but he nonetheless felt a seed of suspicion germinate in his mind, and not just about that, either…
The more he thought about it the more annoyed he became, but the more he doubted himself, too – what if it had been an entirely innocent exchange on Gabby’s part, and he was imagining anything more than that due to his own insecurity? It was possible, maybe he wasn’t as over her as he thought, maybe it’d been easier to cope with seeing them together from afar than it was having them make out right in front of him, maybe he was just a little jealous that it was Button Mash who got to feel those claws raking over his fur and that beak against his lips, now, maybe maybe maybe…
His ruminations regarding Gabby were interrupted by a collision that almost sent him flying, and not in the manner to which he’d become accustomed, when a squealing and laughing Pinkie Pie, chased by one yellow and one blue finch with Rarity not far behind, bumped into him. ‘Oof!’ she shouted as she caught his smoothie in midair, ‘Oh, I’m sorry Spike! We were playing Birdie with Io and Callisto here!’
Spike dusted his jacket off as Pinkie firmly deposited his drink back into both his claws and gave him a pat on the head. Rarity trotted up to him and gave him a concerned look. ‘Oh, Spikey-Wikey, are you alright, darling? I got swept up in the moment and I suppose none of us here were paying attention to anything besides this game! It is very fun, though…’
‘I’m good. It takes more than that to keep a good dragon down, you know that, Rarity,’ he said.
Rarity noticed the hint of fragility in his voice, but decided to let Spike bring it up himself later rather than to accost him about his feelings for now. ‘I suppose so, dear… ooh! You’re not going to drink all of that yourself, are you? It’s enormous!’
‘Well, you know how we were talking about fireberry wine before? They had some at the stall – the berries, not the wine, I mean – and I thought, uh, maybe you’d like to try some that didn’t try to kill you? It’s a melon and blackberry mix, I held off on the gems this time. If you want some, you’re very welcome to share.’
Rarity smiled and looked into Spike’s eyes so deeply that when he looked back he could swear he could see the fibres of her irises through his own reflection in her corneas for a second. ‘Oh, that’s so thoughtful, Spikey!’ she said, almost bouncing with happiness, ‘I’d love to give it a little non-royal taste test, and I’ll be sure to give you my honest feedback! That is, provided I don’t die from it… which I won’t, like I said ponies are a little, ah, more delicate with the stuff.’
Spike plopped the smoothie into the hamper to keep it cool. ‘Sweet! I didn’t really want to drink all of it myself. Mind if I join you girls with your game ’til the racers come by?’
‘You don’t have to ask, silly, anycreature can play the flight role if they’ve got wings!’ said Pinkie Pie, ‘But we need an even number. In fact, we need another flier so Fluttershy can play!’ She gestured towards the pony in question who was making a little daisy crown for Angel, not minding her current exclusion by necessity, but she turned to Spike and smiled as Pinkie filled him in.
‘You’ll have to explain the rules to me,’ Spike laughed as he flapped his wings to gain a few feet of altitude, ‘Is it just chasing each other or is there more to it?’
Now that he was back with his friends, Spike’s gloom about Gabby simply didn’t concern him as much, although his mind was now filled with thoughts about Rarity… she’d kissed him earlier and it had felt different to the other times. Maybe he’d just imagined that little lick she’d given his cheek in the almost-second her lips had made contact, but he didn’t think so… now he was dwelling on that and feeling a whole different set of feelings, fuzzy nice ones rather than lowkey resentful ones, and he could feel his heartbeat rise just as it had then.
The rules to the game weren’t very complicated but he had trouble paying attention as Pinkie explained in her default peculiar, roundabout manner. His focus was instead inevitably upon the radiant pearl-white mare standing by his side in this field, surrounded by the red and yellow leaves blowing by the grasses and flowers, the heather and sage she’d promised but other autumnal blooms besides swaying in the warm breeze, happily smiling as her mane wafted likewise and her clothing twinkled in the sun… she truly was beautiful, and he regretted not telling her that when the moment was right earlier.
Once Pinkie had given a general outline of the rulebook with a couple of interjections from Rarity they all played together with the birds for a little while, and although Spike broke a rule at one point (his own fault for not giving Pinkie his undivided attention, he admitted) nopony was concerned. He chanced a look around the field a couple of times during the second game, seeing amidst the crowds of Ponyville’s denizens among the grasses and flowers several kites flying nearby, in particular three clustered together – a sparkling blue box kite, a grey-green diamond kite and a glittering metallic dragonfly – that he recognised as Trixie, Pinkie’s older sister Maud Pie, and Starlight’s kites from the times he’d accompanied them in the past.
Elsewhere he saw Princess Skystar and Smolder racing one another in airbourne circles not all that far away in the field opposite from the stalls, Skystar in particular conspicuous from the assigned hippogriff bodyguard dressed in black struggling to keep up with her, and to the left of his view from that he saw the Cutie Mark Crusaders having their own picnic with Yona and Sandbar, who’d dropped in for a visit. He noted too that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had parked themselves at one of the tables by the hayburger stall, slouching against their chairs, reading sad poetry from a black book and looking like they were having fun looking miserable. They were a stark contrast to the Ponyville florists, Daisy, Rose and Lily Valley, happily frolicking in the pansies and begonias nearby with manes bedecked with petals.
Before the second game was over, a series of distorted “wub”s preceded Bulk Bicep’s next major announcement as the balloon hoved into view once more. ‘WATCH THE ROAD, EVERYCREATURE, THEY’RE APPROACHING FAST! KEEP THE TRACK CLEAR WHILE THEY BLAST ON BY! RAINBOW DASH IS IN THE LEAD AGAIN AFTER APPLEJACK SKIDDED WILDLY OFF THE PATH A SHORT WHILE AGO, SILVERSTREAM’S BACK IN FIFTH PLACE WITH SHOESHINE IN FOURTH AND LEMON DROPS THIRD, AND THE SISTERS ARE… WELL, SEE FOR YOURSELVES! YEAH!!’
All the plants surrounding the audience swished loudly enough to drown out their voices as the breeze picked up noticeably, and the ground began to shake as all present congregated around the sides of the road for a glimpse of the race. The only voices that could be heard clearly above the overall din were definitely Gallus and Gabby, hollering their support for Silverstream in chorus in between alternating synchronised eagle screeches.
All was as Bulk had reported, near as anyone could tell from the miasma still following in the racers’ wake, Rainbow Dash going full pedal-to-the-metal as if she meant to perform the world’s first ground-based Sonic Rainboom while Applejack ran head-first just a few paces behind, looking incredibly determined to beat her soundly to the finish line. As everypony cheered, they just about raised their volume enough to surpass the windy ambience flowing over and around them all.
Further back, Celestia and Luna had somehow caught up from earlier and were in what looked to be ninth place, but they had somehow found themselves inside a gigantic perforated hamster ball and were rolling frantically left and right, both trying their hardest not to skid off the trail again. ‘LOOK AT THOSE PONY PRINCESSES GO! IS THERE A RULE AGAINST THAT?? THERE’S GOTTA BE! DOES A HAMSTER BALL COUNT AS A VEHICLE??! WHETHER THERE IS OR NOT NOPONY’S SURE HOW THEY GOT IN THERE, FOLKS, BUT IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING FOR ’EM, THEY’RE IN NINTH UP FROM LAST AND NOPONY CAN STOP ’EM! BELIEVE ME, A FEW HAVE TRIED ALREADY!’ cried Bulk, accompanied by an electronic blarp or two, ‘AND PERSONALLY, I’M ALL FOR UNORTHODOX METHODS OF PROWESS! SCREW THE RULES!! YEAH!!!!’
They didn’t look happy about their method of prowess, though; Celestia cast a wild-eyed look at Fluttershy as they spun past at high speed and cried, muffled through the plastic, ‘Fluttershy – Discord!! This isn’t–!!’ Then they were gone, leaving anypony who had happened to hear her plea wondering if they had heard anything at all.
As the racing ponies left and Bulk continued his spiel, Rarity turned to Fluttershy and said, ‘Darling, did she just–?’
Fluttershy nodded. ‘She did… oh, darn it! We had words about this before last year’s race! Discord!’
She looked up at the sky expectantly for a few seconds, but there was no reply. ‘Discord, sweetie, why don’t you join us for a nice salad bowl and pomegranate juice?’ she tried again.
A claw appeared in the air and drew a circle that made a “pop” sound as it tore a swirling blue portal behind the girls, and a moment later Discord stepped through, wielding a bear trap in both paws before sealing the tear shut again. ‘Yes, yes! I suppose I could do with a break from my, ahem, my daily duties! It can be tough, working in mysterious ways!’ he exclaimed, obviously proud of himself.
Everycreature present looked on as he leaned over to Fluttershy who, despite sorely needing a word with him, greeted him with a little kiss on the snout. ‘So, how’re my little angels today?’ he asked, as Angel himself stuck out his tongue and pushed him back a little.
‘Having a wonderful time at the races so far, honeybunch…’ replied Fluttershy as she smiled and looked up at her chaos god fancyman, ‘Although I’m not sure about some of the participants! Are you, um, I don’t mean to accuse or anything but, are you pranking a certain pair of six-legged racers?’
Her smile faded into a scrunch as Discord guffawed. ‘Haha, yesss! I was called upon to prank the princesses-as-was by somepony earlier! The part I was born to play, I mean, insofar as chaos gods such as myself are born, if you know what I’m saying. Yes, I’m having quite the day just being me, nocreature else I’d rather be!’
Fluttershy’s gaze didn’t break from Discord, but it became sterner with the rest of her expression. ‘Discord… I don’t think Celestia and Luna are enjoying it as much as you are. You should let them actually, um, survive the race.’
A ball-and-chain suddenly attached itself to Discord’s horse leg. ‘Fluttershy, I am quite surprised at you, telling me to suppress the primal essence of my being! I can hardly help it if I’m a sometime beneficiary from others’ misfortune! I need chaos to exist, you know? There come times when I must go my own way!’
‘I understand that, sweetheart,’ said Fluttershy, ‘But we talked about this. Pranking one or two ponies, or anycreature for that matter, repeatedly, well, it can really hurt them, in mind or body. Like you said, neither Celestia nor Luna are princesses anymore, and they can’t, um, take what you dish out like they used to, and they came to Ponyville today for a nice time. Let them have it… please?’
Discord couldn’t resist when Fluttershy asked him nicely; it made his heart melt like the butter after which she was coloured. ‘Oh, Fluttershy… I suppose you’re right, I mustn’t victimise the less talented,’ he said with utmost sincerity, hesitating a second before snapping his fingers, disappearing his bear trap, presumably sending Celestia and Luna falling to the ground a way away as their rodential chariot vanished, and suddenly bringing two very happy, panting border collies to his heels. ‘I’ll call off the dogs. But it’s as I say, somepony very nearby invoked me specifically to prank them most amusingly! I was just doing her bidding!’ He pointed at Pinkie Pie with the thumb of his griffon claw and whispered, ‘She did it. It was the pink one.’
Pinkie didn’t seem bothered by his betrayal, instead giggling in mild embarrassment. ‘Yeah, it was me, Pinkie Pie! Well, I did want them to have a funny accident or three, but nothing serious! Gotta say, though, you’ve lived up to your end of the deal already. I don’t suppose that was a safe bear trap, was it? Probably best to quit while you’re ahead, Discord my draconequus.’
‘In my defense, they’re further ahead in the race than they otherwise would be without my interference, and they’d be safe from a bear trap inside a hamster ball, but the point has been made. They’ll have an entirely unchaotic, ball-less rest of the race, I swear it,’ said Discord, hand-on-heart.
‘Thank you, Discord,’ said Fluttershy sweetly, ‘Although they may have risked disqualification with that stunt. Anyway… now you’re here the offer’s still open… can I offer you a salad bowl? It’s got croutons! And onions, your favourite!’
‘That sounds as delightful as you, my little butterbug,’ said Discord affectionately, extending his lion’s paw and giving Fluttershy a caress beneath the jaw. She responded with a bowed head and a blushing smile before leading him and his dogs to her hamper for a light lunch.
Spike and Rarity looked on at a distance as the pair shared their salad lovingly, and one of the collies licked Fluttershy’s face as she rubbed its belly while the other barked and jumped around excitedly. ‘Cute,’ said Spike, ‘Discord’s lucky she’s so patient…’
‘He can be, ah, awkward, but a little kindness always goes a long way with him and Fluttershy has spent some time as its element, after all,’ said Rarity. ‘Ah, I almost forgot… who won that last game? Was anypony keeping track?’
‘Fluttershy and Spike just overtook you and Io at the last moment, Rarity my mareity!’ said Pinkie, ‘Four captures to three. Me and Callisto only got two, so congratulations to both of you! The students outperform the mistress!’ Then she high-hoofed both of them and said quite quickly, ‘So… you two gonna drink that drink Spike the Dragon did done dragged from the drugstore to the “darling” mare?’
‘Uh, drugstore…? Oh yeah, the smoothie! C’mon, Rare, let’s give it a try, shall we?’ said Spike, motioning towards the picnic rug where Fluttershy and Discord were basking in the warm sun, surrounded by small animals and ironically enough an island of tranquillity surrounded by the hustle and bustle of all the other picnicking creatures, ‘After you.’
Rarity giggled, ‘Such a little gentledragon… why yes, I’m rather eager to try that! Those ponies at the stall are that filly Peach Melba you introduced me to and, I presume, her father? I haven’t easily forgotten the simply scrumptious one she made me that day in Canterlot! They must be highly regarded… did you arrange for them to come today?’
‘No, actually, I was surprised! I guess somepony else at the castle took notice and invited them down here for the event, which, no complaints from me,’ said Spike as Rarity led him back to where Pinkie had just taken her place. Once they’d taken their places, Spike gave Discord a nudge. ‘Hey, Discord. Hot enough for ya today?’
Fluttershy smiled demurely with her eyes closed as Discord carefully placed the leafy crown of pink, yellow and purple begonias he’d just crafted onto her head, around her ears and mane; not ones he’d picked, rather ones he’d willed into existence, inspired by the daisy chain she’d made for Angel. ‘Yes, greetings, my humble dragon compadre. That warm breeze is keeping things so tediously regulated, don’t you think? But it’s just right for my dear little pony friends, so, I suppose it’s fine…’ he grinned at Spike, who returned that with a friendly look that nonetheless dared him to try changing the weather and see what happened next. ‘What? I wouldn’t dream of whatever you think I’m dreaming of, Spike!’
‘Oh, Discord, this is lovely… I'm so happy to be with you like this…’ Fluttershy sighed as she stroked one of Discord’s dogs’ silky fur idly, and he fed her a grape. Spike wasn't perturbed by the display of affection this time – maybe it was the “boiling frog” effect at work as the pair of them had slowly but surely become more and more comfortable being lovey-dovey around one another over the last year or so, he pondered. It certainly had jarred him less than Gabby and Button Mash had before.
‘I wouldn’t object to a little chaos-induced chocolate rain here and now, but I accept that I am in the minority on that topic,’ said Pinkie, ‘It’s a perfect day for a picnic, really!’
‘That it is, the weather patrol did an exemplary job ahead of the race,’ said Rarity, watching as Spike rummaged through the hamper to locate the valued smoothie, ‘But it’s just warm enough with this sweater and these legwarmers in tow that I for one am ready for this! Lay it on me, Spikey!’
She smiled and clapped her hooves as Spike handed her a straw for drinking, but as they each popped theirs into the concoction Spike raised a finger and said, ‘Hold up, royal taste tester time. I’ll just make sure this is fine for you.’ He took a slurp and swished the mouthful around his mouth for a moment before swallowing, then smiled and gave Rarity an “okay” claw gesture. She put her lips to the tip of her straw and Spike watched as the red liquid rose through it into her mouth, and as she then paused for a moment to contemplate her feelings about the taste. Her eyes widened a little and her cheeks flushed for a moment before she drank the mouthful entirely, then detached from her straw, snorting before speaking again.
‘Ooooh! That’s spicy but it’s not bad!’ she exclaimed, breathing through her mouth and fanning herself with one hoof, ‘I suppose it was somewhat silly of me to think this would cool me down, wasn’t it?’
‘If it’s too much for you, you can stop,’ said Spike, but Rarity took another couple of sips.
He watched a bead of sweat trickle down the side of her face as she spoke again, her face too becoming pinker. ‘No, no, it’s perfectly fine! It’s delicious, really, it, ah, intermingles nicely with the blackberries, and it’s nice to actually be able to taste the fireberries this time. My, ah, delicate pony palate was somewhat overloaded by Smolder’s drink at the time, you know? Anyway, how is it for you, darling?’
‘Peach did good, I reckon,’ he smiled, ‘I wasn’t so sure about the watermelon at first but I figured water, fire, one might cancel the other out a bit and give you an easier ride? Anyway, it’s a perfect beverage for a day like today, for me anyway! Like I said, if it’s too much…’
Rarity giggled. ‘I don’t think that’s really how it works, but I’ll be fine, Spikey-Wikey. And thank you for your concern, but a lady such as myself knows her limits.’
The two smiled at one another, and Spike noted that Rarity’s mane was getting a little matted by her perspiration for the first time today; not messy as such, her curls remained intact, but between that and the breeze catching it out in the open she had gained a strangely wild, windswept aspect in his eyes. He didn’t say anything in case she became self-conscious and attempted to correct it, right now that wasn’t what he wanted, he wanted to behold her like this, in a way she barely ever showed anycreature else. It certainly didn’t make her any less beautiful than when her mane was immaculately coiffed as far as he was concerned, and it hadn’t lost its usual volume at all.
Rarity looked back at Spike with eyes half-lidded, noticing that a strand or two of her mane had definitely fallen over her muzzle from the sweats she was experiencing – fortunately she was fairly sure they were diminishing the more she tried the juice. It was good stuff, she hadn’t lied, but she was going to need to take a break shortly… she took one final, long sip before as she tipped her head downward Spike’s adorable, adoring toothy smile, and felt oddly at peace. Like Discord and Fluttershy nearby they had found their calm in the eye of the whirlwind that was this event, attended by a few hundred ponies as it was. He was such a sweet dragon, truly… she felt her heart beating faster inside of her chest and her cheeks flush further, but not from the smoothie this time.
She exhaled, involuntarily sighing. ‘Spikey, precious… why don’t we finish this together, sweetheart?’ she asked with a smile that made her flushed cheeks bunch.
‘Of course, Rare…’ Spike replied, returning Rarity’s half-lidded expression. The two of them rubbed snouts briefly as they both inserted their straws through the cup’s dome into the remaining two-thirds or so of their shared drink, and Rarity placed her horn neatly beside the frills on top of Spike’s head. Her concerns regarding the heat from the drink didn’t matter right now, it was bothering her less and less the more she drank, while she became more and more preoccupied with the intense warmth she was feeling from this closeness to her favourite little dragon. They both slowly supped from the clear cup, savouring their togetherness as the pearl bobbing atop the cream float slid downwards to its base.
Suddenly Spike had a strangulated look on his face for a second and gripped Rarity’s hoof as his nostrils smoked and he gagged, before a scroll just as suddenly shunted itself out of his mouth into his straw. He removed it from his mouth with an irate look on his face, and Rarity couldn’t stifle a laugh as he exclaimed, ‘Oh, for pony’s sake! Twilight, you really know how to ruin the moment!’
Pinkie had whipped on some shades and taken to sunning herself while partaking of some of the chocolate pretzels Fluttershy had denied her back at the town square, looking completely unconcerned while her friends had gotten all mushy on both sides around her. She sat up with a bounce, leaned towards Spike and asked as she propped her shades on her forehead, ‘Is our mighty ruler on her way back, Spike?’
‘In ten,’ sighed Spike as he read the scroll, ‘The way’s officially been cleared and the puckwudgies have been moved back into the forest. Nocreature’s gonna get brutally spined or spin-dashed now. Well, I guess that’s good.’
‘Oh, it is,’ said Fluttershy, looking up from where she’d been nestling on Discord’s serpentine body, ‘It’s good to know Twilight helped them find their way home!’
Spike forced a smile; Fluttershy wasn’t wrong, but he’d kind of been in the middle of something. He was about to turn back to Rarity but she addressed him first, saying, ‘Aw, Spike, you’re not having much luck with messages today, are you darling?’
‘Ten minutes… that’s enough time for me to go see Maud and Mud Briar, and Starlight, Starlight’s filly, Starlight’s husband, Starlight’s other friend who is not my sister, et cetera!’ said Pinkie Pie, ‘No offense but you’re all a bit involved with each other right now and Maud’s a bit more fun?’
‘We’ll be ready for more games soon, Pinkie,’ said Rarity, ‘I’m sure Maud will be simply ecstatic that you went to see her, and have you checked in with little Luster Dawn lately? She’s getting bigger!’
‘Big enough to stomp Ponyville! She must be stopped before she becomes too powerful,’ intoned Pinkie Pie before bounding away, ‘Well, seeya soon, gals! And Spike!! And Discord!!!’
As Pinkie departed Rarity looked at Spike and, figuring he was still slightly sore at the interruption, levitated the pearl out of what was left of the smoothie. It hovered in the air, cream slowly dripping off it as it was surrounded by a sparkling blue aura. ‘Maybe this’ll make you feel a bit better. I think this is yours, dearest… heavens knows I can’t eat a pearl!’
His irritation evaporated immediately. His smile broadened into a sincere one and his eyes followed the pearl as Rarity levitated it in front of his face. ‘Yeah… just a little of what I fancy, Rare,’ he sighed, then opened the hatch as Rarity, slightly unco-ordinated and getting a drop or two of cream onto his jacket collar, popped it into his mouth with a wide-eyed grin on her face. He was sure it wasn’t intentional on her behalf, but was reminiscent, to him, of all those times Gabby had fed him the cherries from her sundaes when they were out on dates… a tradition she was likely continuing with Button Mash, if what she’d said earlier at the smoothie stall had registered correctly.
This really wasn’t the time to think about Gabby, though, not while Rarity was right here with him. She ruffled his frills with one hoof as his cheek bulged and he sucked on the pearl she’d fed him, like the jawbreaker it essentially was to his draconic palate. Then she gave him a peck on the forehead as she pulled away before giving him a satisfied smile. ‘So… how does it taste?’ she said as he cracked the pearl into two with his fangs, ‘I’ve always had a certain curiosity how your gems, my gems included, taste to you, you know!’
‘It tastes like a pearl,’ Spike said unhelpfully, before realising he probably should elaborate for her benefit, ‘It’s kinda like somepony milked a clam then added something earthy. It’s pretty good – kind of sweet, kind of fishy.’
‘That’s fascinating… ever since I met you I’ve always strongly suspected you were privy to an entire world of flavours and sensations that ponies simply aren’t around gems… we’re doomed only to think they’re gorgeous little geegaws.’
‘They’re so much more than that, Rarity. We pop ’em like candies but there’s more to ’em besides… I mean, they’re important nutrition to dragons, after all! One of our major food groups! Without ’em we’d be starved of some of our innate magic and that wouldn't end well – I suppose we can get by on plain igneous rocks but, what self-respecting dragon would wanna live life like that?’
‘Truly? I must confess I wasn’t aware,’ Rarity said, looking into Spike’s gleaming, honest eyes with fascination before looking at the tipped-over cup containing what was left of their drink, ‘You simply must tell me more later. Shall we finish up for now?’
‘Gladly,’ smiled Spike, crunching down the last of his gem before setting the drink upright. ‘I think this was your straw?’
Rarity felt as if she should be more concerned about oral hygiene regarding who’d been drinking from which straw, and ordinarily she very much would have been but after a moment’s thought decided that just this once, it wasn’t a great concern. ‘You brushed your fangs this morning, didn’t you?’ she asked, to which Spike nodded twice, ‘Quite good… so long as it’s you, that’s more than good enough for me, sweetheart. Now hand over a straw, either one.’
Spike did so and, once Rarity had wiped hers clean of any potential dragon spittle, they resumed drinking the dregs of the juice, making it to the bottom before long. Neither wanted to admit it to the other but there was a faint dirty thrill in the possibility that they had switched straws – in Spike’s mind, it was almost as good as a kiss, a real one rather than just one on the cheek or forehead, and for Rarity, well, she normally would never risk catching somepony’s diseases like that! But, she rationalised, Spike wasn’t just somepony, literally and figuratively speaking, he was a little dragon, one who was very dear indeed to her, one she was increasingly unable to resist… while she was managing her portion of the smoothie just fine those fireberries were making her belly as well as her mouth and gullet hum with warmth and she couldn’t lie to herself, faintly aroused besides, and losing herself in Spike’s eyes the way she was wasn’t helping.
One or both of them made a protracted slurping sound as the last of the drink was drunk, and that was that. Once she was sure she was all done, Rarity exhaled and, blushing brightly, stuck her burning tongue out. ‘Well, that was lovely, although I might need a towel to dry myself off just a tad!’ she said before removing her sweater, checking the saddlebag she’d dumped on the picnic mat earlier for anything more sizable than her hoofkerchief, and finding a pink flannel for her sweaty neck and brow.
Spike watched Rarity intently as she sopped the thin veneer of sweat off of her shoulders and flicked her mane with an upwards jerk of the head, her curls bouncing as she did so. She closed her eyes and sighed as she tossed her mane, droplets of sweat glistening in the autumn sun, then gave it a few strokes with her hooves, a couple of sweeps at the front and a few more on the sides and behind, in an effort to renew its usual perfection. Something about it felt very intimate – he felt as if he was catching a fleeting glimpse of a new side of her that was somehow more beautiful than he’d ever dared imagine.
Then she looked at him again with wide eyes, as if expecting something more. He almost didn’t dare speak, but then reminded himself that it was ruder to stare than to speak one’s mind. ‘Rarity?’
‘Yes, Spikey?’
Spike inhaled before letting it out. ‘’Scuse me if this is forward, but… you know when I said you looked really pretty wearing the sweater…?’
‘My memory’s not that shot, Spikey, I most certainly do… why?’ She was smiling again, those big blue eyes probing him as he sat down close by her.
‘Well… it’s you. You look so beautiful in anything. You look just as beautiful now when you’re just wearing nothing at all.’ Spike had had a serious look on his face until this point, but as he said that a smile crept across his face.
Rarity laughed and looked down at her back legs as she sat back down. ‘Well I do try my best to look my best, and I’m flattered that you’re so forthright about your appreciation of my continuing dedication to fabulousness, truly I am… but you know, I am still wearing my legwarmers! I’m not entirely nude!’
Spike chuckled in turn, his smile spreading further. ‘That you’re not… maybe I’m crazy, but sometimes I think the more you wear, the hotter you are!’
‘Well of course, that’s why I removed my sweater just now, I was feeling slightly peaky with it still on after all that spicy smoothie! I’ll put it back on once I’ve cooled off a bit… it shan’t take long with this wind about.’
Spike leaned closer to Rarity, intoxicated by the heating emotions he was feeling for the shining diamond he beheld, enough that he didn’t pay attention to how she shrunk back ever-so-slightly as he did so. ‘That isn’t what I meant, Rare… I mean you’re hot… you know what I'm getting at…’
Rarity’s smile shrank back as she did. ‘Spike, I, I’m not sure I… what are you doing?’
She felt butterflies batting around in her tummy as Spike leaned in further and put a claw on her shoulder. ‘Rarity… I mean you’re the most beautiful mare in the world, you’re so gorgeous it drives me crazy… and I'm gonna do something I should’ve done a long time ago!’
Her eyes widened and darted left and right with a sudden fear. ‘Spikey darling, don't!’ she just managed to blurt out before he went for the attack, grabbing her with one claw around her lower shoulders and the other caressing her neck, then squishing his lips against hers, a gentle but forceful smooch at first opening up into a full-on kiss. Her knees weakened and she felt herself start to melt against him, but she didn't reciprocate initially – Spike’s tongue at first found itself tickling her mostly-clenched front teeth.
A smorgasbord of emotions blistered through Rarity’s head as Spike’s kiss intensified and she found herself mellowing farther into it by the second, her eyes closing, her chest pressing against him, one of her ears twitching and her lips beginning to pucker and part to meet him on his terms. She wanted to, truly she wanted this, she really liked this, being like this with Spike was unlike anything else, there were some real fireworks happening between them in this instant and it felt wonderful, so wonderful, his kiss was so fiery and his claws felt so good against her neck it sent shivers down her spine! And yet, and yet she shouldn't, she mustn't, not now she couldn't, no, no, no, no, absolutely not, not yet…!
Before things could progress any further Rarity used as much of her diminishing will as she could muster to detach Spike from her face. A blue glow manifested around both her horn and her favourite dragon as she suddenly forced him away from her, as gently as possible while still firmly depositing him back on the picnic mat a short distance away.
Once he realised what had just happened Spike looked up at Rarity and saw her face had turned slack and pink, her mouth open and her tongue lolling from her jaw as she panted for a moment before looking directly at him. Then it began to contort with shock, horror, excitement, intense overjoyment, burning indignation and dire regret simultaneously, and likewise turn every colour of the rainbow – red, then purple, then yellow, green, blue, orange for good measure besides. After a moment of that her countenance turned even brighter pink, and she closed her eyes and scrunched her muzzle like he’d never seen before, before finally calming herself and returning to her normal pearly white. Then she swallowed, let out a slow breath and gazed at Spike with pursed lips.
‘Uhhhhhhh…’ said Spike. He was fairly certain he’d just messed up big time.
‘No,’ Rarity said simply and with a blank expression, before wiping her mouth, smiling and standing up to briefly scan the middle distance to make certain nopony in the crowd had been paying attention to what Spike had just done. It looked like the coast was almost clear, although Discord was sitting and resting his chin on his paw and claw, watching the two of them with a twinkle in his yellow eyes as Fluttershy obliviously petted one of his dogs and sipped on a glass of fizzy orange juice containing a small pink parasol.
‘Rarity… Rare, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t’ve…’
‘Shouldn’t’ve what, darling?’ said Rarity, feigning cheer, ‘There’s no need to apologise, that smoothie was very nice despite the hot spice, dear. Now that we’re all done,’ she magiced her sweater back over her head, ‘I should check in on the girls! Sweetie and Yona, and their good friends over there, I mean, of course. As for you, Twilight will be back any minute… she’ll be rather happy to see you again, for certain! Here, I mean, with the, ah, lovebirds and their menagerie over there. Not with me.’ That last sentence was so pointed Spike felt it like a needle to the heart.
He didn’t have the gumption to protest or respond further, his shoulders slumping inside his jacket as Rarity turned tail and trotted off towards Sweetie Belle’s party. It suddenly felt a little too big for his frame.
Discord leaned over to Spike as he watched her leave. ‘I do say, I believe dear, sweet Spikey-Wikey just struck out!’ he said with a chuckle.
‘It’s not funny, Discord. Oh, oh man…’ tears formed in Spike’s eyes, ‘I just… ugh. I thought I was, I thought she was ready…! Ah, shoot… why did I have to pressure her like that? I just wanted…’
Spike sat down and leaned against the hamper. ‘I’m sorry, Spike,’ Discord said with rare sympathy, putting his lion’s paw on Spike’s shoulder, ‘For whatever it’s worth, I’m sure she’ll come around if you just speak with her later… your fashionista belle has seemed rather doting on you lately, I do notice such things! Although it does seem a mite unfair how she reacted to that, after kissing you a few times today herself…’
‘But not on the lips,’ said Spike morosely, ‘That made all the difference. Heck, I knew that. That’s why I did it. …I’m an idiot.’
‘Speaking of which, furthermore, you surprise me… moving on from Gabby…’ he emphasised the name to signify his irritation with the griffon in question as a shadow approached overhead, ‘...so quickly, I always took you for the slow and steady type… oh, here comes our dear monarch!’
Spike looked up and wiped the tears from his eyes as Twilight descended majestically once more, down onto the picnic mat. He pondered whether he should tell her what had happened between him and Rarity for a minute, before deciding to wait until after the event at least. She could tell something was wrong from the look in his eyes, not to mention Rarity’s absence.
Fluttershy looked up from her doggies and her juice, at Twilight, then at Spike, then at Discord. ‘Oh dear, did something happen?’ she asked, realising that they all had rather stern expressions to varying degrees.
–––✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*💎*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧–––
The rest of the Running of the Leaves passed by at a fair clip, but as far as Spike and Rarity were concerned the fun was over. Rarity definitely kept him at hoof’s length for the remaining duration, friendly enough to keep up appearances but rebuffing his immediate attempts at reconciliation with distant, sweet smiling denial, nowhere near the closeness they’d enjoyed for its first half.
The race ended in a two-dozen-place tie as – and Discord swore up and down it was not his doing – everycreature somehow became tangled up in a ball during the final stretch back downhill to Ponyville that also managed to ensnare a couple of small trees, a length of wooden fence and several sheep, as well as Bulk Biceps and DJ Pon-3 in their balloon. After a little deliberation Twilight declared that everycreature had won and awarded them all medals, which largely seemed to satisfy all attendees, except for some consternation between Applejack and Rainbow Dash about which of them had rolled over the finish line first, and Pinkie Pie who had had her heart set on getting that milkshake off of Fluttershy. Even then, that point became moot when Fluttershy offered to take her for a big strawberry one regardless of the outcome anyway.
As the sun started to set and everypony started to head home, Rarity took her leave of her friends with Sweetie Belle and, after dropping her sister off at their parents’ house, returned to the Carousel Boutique. She’d barely unpacked her saddlebag with an increasingly heavy heart when a scroll materialised in front of her. It read:
“Rarity, I’m real sorry about today. Can we talk later? Pretty please? ~Spike 🔥”
Her face crumpled with sorrow as she read that. With a choking sob she laid face-down on the nearest chaise-longue, cuddled a squat red throw pillow to her chest and face and closed her eyes, her lower lip trembling and a mascara tear trickling down her cheek, which was shortly followed by more. After sniffling into it for a few minutes she wiped her eyes and resolved to get back to him in the morning: it would never do to leave things like this, and after all, her door was always open to Spike no matter what.
–––✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*💎*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧–––