//------------------------------// // Act 6: Date Night // Story: Friendship is Failure #18: If I Can't Love Her... // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// ACT SIX By the end of the day… Fluttershy had been going about giving more of her Hearts and Hooves cheer to all the animals, and she was on her way back to the village to catch up with her friends, when she passed by Strings’ place and saw Spike helping the movers. He was even wearing a cute little uniform, cap and all, and did he ever look exaushted. “Hey, thanks a bundle kid.” the lead mover said, and he and his crew went off without even giving Spike any pay or compensation. Spike was too wipped out to protest, and he passed out. “Oh, Spike!” cried Fluttershy, and she dashed over and scooped him up. “You poor thing. Let’s get you some water.” She brought him back to the village and treated him to a much needed milkshake and donut at an outdoor café. “Boy, I tell you it’s not easy working for Twilight.” he groaned. Fluttershy couldn’t believe what Twilight had done to him and felt she owed him for this, especially when Spike had told her that she had confronted Strings in another one of her crazy schemes. “Twilight shouldn’t have done that. Strings is probably upset enough as it is. This would all be putting too much pressure on him. If he wants to go, they should all just let him go.” “Oh, but don’t you know?” said Spike “Strings is going to appear in show tomorrow.” “Pardon?” Spike explained that while he worked with the movers, Strings suddenly came home. He asked not to be distrubed as he had to prepare for his narrating role, and he had been inside his home practicing all afternoon. Fluttershy couldn’t hear him due to the soundproof walls inside. “Gosh, that’s awfully nice of him to take the job after all.” said Fluttershy “I guess,” said Spike, but he was still unsure if Twilight convinced or guilted Strings into conceding. Suddenly, he could see a big commotion happening down the street, where Rarity had her auction stand. It wasn’t long until sundown, and the top-bid would be Rarity’s date for tomorrow. That lesbian pony had returned to ensure that she had not been outbid, and then that nerdy pony had returned to place yet another bid putting himself back on top. “Oh, no you don’t!” snarled the mare “This one’s all mine.” and placed another bid, and Rarity was forced to confess “I am not of your kind! I prefer to date a male creature.” “…I’m a male.” Said the nerd, and he placed another bid, making a fullout tug-o-war for Rarity, which she found most sickening. Even Pinkie, Rainbow and Applejack were starting to feel like this was getting a bit out of hand. “We’ve got to do something!” cried Pinkie “We can’t.” said Applejack “Have you seen the bids?” Rainbow took a look at the clipboard! “Whoa! Even if we all combined what money we had together, we couldn’t get close!” “I’ll take that!” said the mare, and she bid again. “Think again!” spat the nerd. Rarity couldn’t take this. She would either be dating a nerdy and rather replusively mannered pony, or going out with a pony of her exact gender, and she couldn’t bear to think of what others would think of her beyond that. “Ten minutes left until time’s up!” Rainbow pointed out. Rarity screamed out, “Is there no pony that can save me from this horrible fate?!” Hearing her distress, Spike imedeatley felt all his strength just jump back to him at once, and he had the perfect idea how to save Rarity. He quickly whispered to Fluttershy. “Spike, I don’t think you should do that.” “Ah, come on. It’ll work, and it’s not like the Charity really gets affected by it.” Fluttershy was still unsure and stalled a bit, but after seeing how badly in distress Rarity was, and knowing she needed help; she agreed and flew Spike to the Crystal Palace. Ten seconds were left by the time they returned, and Fluttershy landed softly in the square. 5… 4… 3… 2… 1… …Spike just managed to make a dramatc leap over to the stand, grab the clipboard, and made his bid. Rarity gasped at the ammount. “…Twenty-thousand bits?!!” Many gasps were heard. The nerdy pony took a breath from his puffer, unable to compete with that, and the mare exclaimed “Wow! That’s a little rich for me.” Spike even handed in a cheque for the money he had bid to proove he wasn’t bluffing. Rarity was never so releieved in her life, and she made the offical announcement. “The auction is closed, and the winner is… Spike!” After a brief applauding, the crowds departed, and Spike sighed in huge relief that he had just made, while Rarity grabbed him, smothering him while going “Oh, Spike, I don’t know what to say. You’ve really helped so much this time. I thought I’d be in for a horrendus experience.” Spike could only sigh heveanly at all the smothering he was getting from his dream pony. “Uh, Rarity…” Applejack pointed out “You do realize you have to make good on your word now.” Rarity got a hold of herself and cleared her throat, “Oh, kind sir, you have won the honor of me being your special some-pony all day tomorrow.” …Music to Spike’s ears, and he stood tall and proclaimed, “I promise you, that I will treat you with every bit of respect, dignity, and give you a time to remember.” “Aww, that’s so sweet.” Pinkie said with a sniffle and wiped her eyes. Rainbow was very curious as to where and how Spike possible got that fortune to pay Rarity with. Neither Spike nor Fluttershy told them that it was the donation that Strings had given to the chairty. They both knew that taking it like that was wrong, but given that Rarity was desperate for help, and it the money was still just going back to the chairties anyway, no real harm was done, really. The next was a Happy Hearts and Hooves Day indeed. So much romance was in there air you couldn’t look anyplace without seeing it. Couples walking side-by-side. Stallions serenading their mare-friends out their windows. Flowers, cards, chocolates, even teddy bears were given as gifts. Every restaurant aqnd café were fully booked with reservations, and stores were sold out of everything. Rainbow Dash and some of the Pegasi, under Cadance’s orders had shapped some of the clouds into hearts, pony-cupids… Celestia and Luna had arrived in the Empire, being invited as VIPs for Cadance’s musical show that night. That very night, at the Crystal Theater, many well-dressed ponies were ariving; some by coach, others were just walking casually in. Twilight and Co were given special seats with the Royal Family, and they were all dressed up beautifully in gowns, and Shining Armor had his best red suit on, idential to his outfit form his wedding. Spike was there too, dressed in his cute little tuxedo and top-hat. A single corsage was clutched in his claw as he stood casually waiting for his own date to arrive. A small coach pulled up at the curb and Rarity stepped out, wearing an elegant red gown with light purple ruffles, a heart-shaped pendant around her neck, and her mane was beautifully brushed and curled at the edges. She looked positivley stunning, even her friends agreed. Spike had to do all he could to keep himself from drooling or faitning at the sight, especially she she looked at him with a flirtatious grin. Spike managed to keep himself together and graciously approached her, kissing her hoof tenderly. “Good evening.” Rarity giggled softly and allowed Spike to pin the corsage on her dress, and then they walked together across the carpet to the VIP entrance. “I still can’t thank you enough for this, Spike. I’d probaby be on the worst date of my life by now, and I suppose it serves me right for not thinking things thorughly enough.” Spike was just happy to have helped. Soon, they, alone with all their friends and the royal family were seated in a special balcony box giving them a commanding view of the stage. The musicians in the orchastra were tuning up their instruments. “Wow, what a full house.” said Pinkie. “I feel so honored to be sitting up here in the royal box.” added Fluttershy. Twilight was happy to share her expriences with her friends, but she was secretly hoping that Strings would be okay, even though she knew he was present in the theater that night as promised. Soon, the lights went out, and the audience simmered down in silence. The royal fanfar sounded and a pony announcer called out, “Her royal highness, and producer of this production, Princess Mi Amore Cadenza!” Thunderous cheers and applause filled the place as Cadance stepped out on stage in the spotlight. “You go, honey!” Shining Armor called to his wife. Cadance bowed to the crowd and announced, “Welcome, ladies and gentle-ponies, and a Happy Hearts and Hooves Day to you all. I am pleased that you are able to attend this perfomance tonight, especially because I have a very special suprise treat for you all that was not credited on the programes you received of the show. I would like to introduce our guest narrator for tonight, that singing and music legend you all know very well, and whom I am very thankful for being here. …Strings.” As strings walked out on stage, dressed up in a tuxedo of his own and his hair combed slick down, he received an excellent reception of applause and cheerful hoots. He bowed to Princess Cadance, with a fake smile. Twilight from way up in the royal box could already tell that Strings was uncomfortable of this. He then took his place behind a poduim and microphone where his music sheets and the lyrics to the numbers were. Cadance then announce the show to begin, and gave a short lecture on Love. “Love can bring forth the greatest of joy to many, but to some it can bring forth the greatest of sorrow, especially to someone who seeeks to be loved, but finds it difficult to achieve. This is a story of how love clashed to an individual pony, and changed his life many ways and many times over.”