Spike opened up the small piece of paper, and read it aloud:
“Do not let your foundation fall. Seek a reminder amidst friendship’s halls?”
Flitter tilted her head. “What does it mean by ‘your foundation’?”
“Probably something to do with our... relationship,” Spike replied, gesturing between the two of them as he spoke. “Not sure what it’s talking about in the second half, though. All the clues up until this point sound like we’re going to meet somepony, but this one… it could be either or.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Do you go to visit a friend for a ‘reminder’?” Spike asked.
Flitter hummed to herself, patting her chin with a forehoof, before shaking her head. “Nah. Not many reasons to do that.”
“Exactly my point, but knowing Twilight, she would probably still have us meet somepony to make this clue ten times more difficult.” Spike groaned. “Looks like we got a hard one here, Flitter.”
To Spike’s surprise, Flitter nuzzled his leg. “Lemme see the clue,” she demanded, forcing Spike to scrunch down to give the pegasus a better look. Flitter’s eyes scanned it and gasped. “Spike, this isn’t hard at all!”
“What do you mean?” Spike said as he stood tall once again.
Flitter rolled her eyes. “Of course, you wouldn’t know this. Spike, that’s totally the School of Friendship.”
Spike’s eyebrows lowered. “I mean, I kinda gotta know that with the ‘seek a reminder at the friendship halls’ bit, but what reminder would help our foundation not fall—”
Suddenly, Spike’s snout was booped to a close. Flitter had flown up to his mouth just to shut him up. This was new.
“Spike, do you know about the new statue that was built on school grounds?”
Spike shook his head and pulled Flitter’s hoof away from his mouth. “Even though I’m super close with Starlight, I don’t hear much about updates to the school. I gave up teaching there once I took on more responsibilities at the castle. Why?”
Flitter groaned. “Dude, this was huge news when it got put out there!” She threw her forehooves up while she kept hovered over the ground. “They put it up just a couple years ago after some students were discriminated against by ponies outside the school! Headmare Starlight wanted to ‘cement the values of what friendship truly meant’ by sending a stark message to those who did this to their students… literally made out of cement.”
“So, in a sense, Starlight erected a statue to give these ponies a polite reminder on what it meant to not be racist?”
“Yeah, pretty much,” Flitter muttered, her voice trailing off. Her cheeks became flush. “You know how I over-explain things.”
“Nope!” Spike replied, chuckling. He got a slight tap to the head for that one. “Ugh, soon I’m going to have to have a blacksmith make me some armor to protect me from you, Flitter.”
“Oh, you’ll live!” Flitter said, throwing a hoof at him nonchalantly. She smirked. ”Besides, I don’t think there’s a blacksmith that could help you with that.”
“You’d be surprised,” Spike began, rubbing his head. “I know some ponies… ponies that can make armor harder than dragon scales. It’s pretty cool, to be honest, but a bit pricey.”
“Especially for defending yourself from little old me?” Flitter said, fluttering her eyelashes at him. Her forehooves had been clapped together under her chin just for that added effect, one that Spike noticed very well. She giggled at his deadpan expression. “Oh, Spike, you’re too cute sometimes.”
“Not sure about that one, Flitter,” Spike muttered. He reached out and grabbed the pegasus in his arms, pulling her close.
Flitter didn’t push his buttons further. She sunk into his embrace, her eyes fluttering to a close.
Spike sighed and walked away from Fluttershy’s sanctuary, taking Flitter with him.
The two had walked a good while before Flitter had a rather oddball thought enter her mind:
“What if somepony sees us?”
That thought had shattered her desire to stay in Spike’s arms.
“Spike,” Flitter said, wiggling in Spike’s arms. “Put me down, please.”
Spike tilted his head. “Why? What’s wrong? Do you need to fly for a bit?”
Flitter nodded rapidly. “Yeah, got an itch in my wings that I need to fly off, you know?”
“Hehe, yeah,” Spike said, looking away. He let go of her rather unexpectedly, which made her flop on the dirt path with a squeak.
Spike’s eyes widened. “Oops! Sorry, Flitter. Didn’t mean to just drop you like that! Thought you’d just open your wings and take off—”
Flitter shook her mane free of the dirt she had before glaring at her, growling. “Spike! You could’ve given me a warning before you did that! I’m a pegasus, not a cat. I wasn’t born with perfect balance.”
Spike just shrugged. “You need a warning? I thought you were a tightrope walker in a past life!”
“You sir, make no sense sometimes,” Flitter began. She rolled her eyes and let out a huff. “Ugh, why do I love you so much, Spike?”
The couple suddenly froze in place. Flitter covered her mouth with both of her hooves, while Spike turned his gaze skyward. Two clouds passed them by—
Before Spike could process anything, his lungs were being invaded by a giant dust cloud. The dragon hacked up a lung and a half before he recovered, turning his gaze to that same sky that distracted him.
There, Flitter was. She was flying above him, sticking her tongue out. He tilted his head.
“What was that for?”
“Nothing, nothing at all,” Flitter replied. She hovered down beside him, smirking. “Just had to make sure you were paying attention.”
“Hey, I wasn’t the one who admitted their love just now—”
Flitter practically shoved a hoof in his mouth. The rest of what Spike was going to say was blocked out. He groaned.
“Don’t say it. I know, I did. Was a bit too early and—”
Spike shook his head, and grabbed Flitter’s hoof. He pulled it out of his mouth and said, “I mean, if you truly feel that way, I won’t make fun of you out loud.”
“Oh really? Maybe I’ll have to ask Twilight if she could cast a spell on me to read your mind.”
Spike raised a brow. “Yeah, like she’ll give you that willingly.” He was about to say something about Twilight being totally unable to replicate that ability, since Celestia wasn’t willing to divulge how to do it when he stopped and looked at Flitter. That flower of hers was still in her hair. Thankfully, it hadn’t gotten too battered from that whole love-dust incident. It just needed to be… fixed a bit.
Too bad she was a bit too far away from him for his liking.
“Hey, Flitter?”
Flitter gave him a small smile. “Yeah, Spike?”
“Before we go to the school, could you just humor me for a second?”
“As long as you don’t try to drop me or throw dirt in my mane, then sure, what do you need?” Flitter said, hovering closer to him.
Her eyes widened as she saw a claw of his slowly reach for her mane. She felt his fingers move strands of her hair, while his claw rubbed up against her ear. It twitched in response, and that familiar heat that bothered her the entire day seared right onto her cheeks.
He was fixing the flower in her mane.
Why couldn’t he do this earlier? Did she have to send smoke signals to Spike in order for him to fix her mane?
Flitter sighed. Knowing Spike, he’d probably interrupt that as a forest fire, or worse, an opportunity to make a forest fire.
“There, all done.”
Spike let go of her mane, smiling at the work he had done. Her flower was now in place, and not covered in dirt. He gave her a whistle.
“Spike!”
“What? I’m admiring my work,” Spike replied.
“Well, you can admire your ‘work’ later, we have to get to the School of Friendship!”
Spike looked at the sun. She was right. The sun was still setting, and setting fast. “You’re right! Let’s get going!”
Spike unfurled his wings and spread them proudly.
Flitter whistled. “Wow, didn’t know your wings were that big.”
Spike just brushed her comment off. He was more focused on the journey now. As long as they didn’t hit the Townhall or the Castle on their way there, they’d get there in time.
But knowing his luck, they’d both hit the Castle on accident.
It took them a few minutes to fly to the school. They landed near the school’s entrance, the large, gold-framed glass door standing tall and closed.
Spike walked up to the door and tried to open it, but the door did not budge. Not even a centimeter.
“Door’s locked?” Flitter asked, strolling on up behind him.
Spike turned his head towards Flitter and nodded. “Yep. Looks like they locked it up for the day. They probably closed it so the students could enjoy the event too.” He took in a deep breath. “So, where’s this statue?”
“Well,” Flitter began, walking to the right of the entrance. “It’s kinda on this second story balcony on the right side of the school.”
Spike followed her with a brow raised. “You mean our right, and their left?”
“Yes, Spike,” Flitter said, groaning. “Glad you understand the concept of a ‘point of view’. Was worried there for a second.”
“Sorry,” he replied. “I’ve always said I have two right feet and claws. I get stuff backwards all the time.”
Flitter shook her head. “I believe the phrase is two left hooves… or claws in your case.”
“Nah, I’m left clawed.”
She made a conscious decision to ignore his nonsense and kept her gaze forward, centered on the route to the statue. They walked up the steps to the balcony area, where the main object of their clue stood proudly in the light. The statue, which Spike thought Flitter was lying about, was a cement giant heart. Under the statue itself was a gold plaque with some words engraved on it.
“Huh… I really don’t know why I didn’t hear about this.”
Flitter looked at the plaque and sighed. “I don’t know how you didn’t know about it either. Must’ve had your head buried in all those taxes.”
Spike groaned. “Don’t remind me. After today, I’m going to have to deal with them tomorrow.”
“I’m glad I don’t have to deal with looking them over. I just pay them,” Flitter bluntly said. She giggled at Spike’s blank expression. “Don’t worry, you’ll survive.”
“Oh boy, I can’t believe you used that on me, now.”
Flitter laughed. She laughed so hard she fell into one of the nearby benches. She landed in a fit of giggles and feathers, but she didn’t mind the slight discomfort in her back. Nope, not at all. The laughter made her numb to the pain.
Spike rolled his eyes. She was on one, right now, and Spike wasn’t going to entertain it for the very moment. With all the lovey-dovey stuff they had going on, Spike had nearly lost focus on what they were supposed to be doing: beating the ever-living heck out of Cloudchaser and Poptart. True, he and Flitter were doing well now. They weren’t faking this whole relationship thing, They were actually… sort of… kind of… liking each other, maybe even loving each other? Spike wasn’t too sure on where he stood yet. He knew that he liked her for sure, though, and somehow, he managed to take a mare who wasn’t interested in him and make her totally interested in him. This was uncharted territory for the dragon given his usual track record, which looked almost as bad as the Cloverland Browns win total last year.
That had to mean something, right?
Spike’s gaze gravitated towards the plaque. He squinted, his eyes darting over the text.
It read as followed:
“The School of Friendship will not reject anycreature, regardless of who they are and what they may do. This school is based on the Founding Principles of Friendship: respect, trust, and love, and will continue to do so even in the midst of prejudice.”
Spike let out a whistle. Man, Flitter was right. This was a very serious ordeal, one that made Spike make a note to himself about not making Starlight Glimmer this mad.
He looked down to see if there was anything else, when he noticed that there was a little note taped underneath it. Wouldn’t this count as defacing school property?
With a quick flick of the wrist, Spike snatched the note and read it.
“For those who are here for the Scavenger Hunt, you must discuss with your partner what truly makes your relationship worth it to you. And don’t skip out on this; we’re watching.”
Spike’s eyes widened. He looked around, looking at every crack and cranny that he could possibly fit a camera in, but he found none, at least without having to fly up to check the rest of the building.
Flitter eyed Spike from afar, watching as his face went from happy, to blank, and then finally, to a more downcast sad look. She knew the situation was serious too. This was all water under the bridge now, but Starlight knew this was a perfect opportunity to teach something to her students on how to behave, on how to instill friendship. It also seemed like a more somber note to a scavenger hunt.
Spike walked up to Flitter and quietly sat down. The mare sat up, quickly making sure to keep herself covered. They sat in silence for a bit: Spike looking at the sun’s slow descent, while Flitter watched Spike’s face, her concern only growing as his lips sagged.
“Spike, are you okay?”
He didn’t respond, only staring off into the distance.
“Spike?”
“I know we talked about us, but do you think we know each other well?”
Flitter scrunched up her muzzle. “Well… you’re royalty, so I know you hang out with the Princesses and—”
“I’ll take that as a no,” Spike said. “And I don’t know much about you, Flitter.” He felt his heart slowly fall. “Like, we agreed to do this whole scavenger hunt thing as essentially strangers and now… we kinda just… like each other.”
Flitter understood why he felt the way he did. Now she felt the guilt creep into her heart. She didn’t mean to make him feel this way, but here she was, making him feel like crap anyway. She felt like the worst pony on this side of Equestria, and it was all her fault. Why couldn’t she fix this for him?
Wait…
She could fix this! All she had to do was prove to Spike that they did have a foundation, if she could label it as one. It was unconventional to say the least.
Just… how could she prove it?
She playfully nudged the dragon with a hoof. “Just because we’re new to this whole thing doesn’t mean we don’t have a foundation.”
Spike snapped over to her, his head tilted. “What do you mean? Aren’t we literally just two strangers who just fell in love over a scavenger hunt?”
“I mean, when you put it that way, yes,” Flitter said, grimacing. She cleared her throat. “But Spike, this is all a matter of perspective.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
Flitter threw a wing around Spike’s form, bringing him close. “You remember what I said to you when we were exchanging the flowers? That you’re big and strong and a bunch of other awkward stuff?”
“Yeah,” he replied. “I speak awkward as a second language.”
“Well, in a way, that’s our foundation!” Flitter hopped in the air to emphasize her thought.
Spike, meanwhile, scratched his head. “Awkward conversation and biting sarcasm?”
“Mhm,” she stated with a nod. “It may not be the biggest or most impressive foundation, but it’s what’s pulled us together. We’re both so awkward and snarky it’s like the universe meant for us to find each other, even if we get on each other’s nerves.”
Spike began to nod. “Yeah, I get it. It’s not the most picture perfect, romance-novel-esque foundation…”
“But it’s ours,” Flitter said, nuzzling his arm.
Spike smiled and gently brushed his claw over her mane. “And I guess if that’s our foundation, then getting to know each other and such is like building the house on top of it. One step at a time, right?”
“Agreed.”
“Well, in that case,” Spike said, rubbing his chin, “I guess we should do what the note says and talk about why this ‘relationship’ of ours is worth it to us. You did the flower thing first, so I guess I can take lead on this one.”
Flitter giggled under her breath. “Okay, go for it, Spike. Let me have it.” She did her best eyelash flutter for emphasis. “Make me your mare.”
“Oh great, now I have expectations,” he replied with a chuckle. “Well, let’s see here. You’re funny. That’s a big thing. You’re really cool, too. I respect any mare that digs heavy music.” Spike furiously rubbed his chin, trying to think of more. “You’re also really cute.”
Flitter blinked. “You think I’m cute?”
“Oh yeah,” Spike said with a wave of the claw. “No disrespect to your sister of course, but you definitely got the good genes. I mean, you got that adorable face, beautiful coat and let’s not forget that awesome bow that just pulls it all together. And then you have your sweet voice which is just the cherry on top of the Flitter sundae.” Spike smiled. “All in all, I’d say that you’re quite easy on the—”
He was cut off by a swift kiss to the lips by Flitter. Once again, she flew up just high enough to reach his face. Totally worth this. After the quick kiss was over she levitated back down and gingerly smiled up at him.
“Thank you, Spike,” she said, nervously kicking at the ground. “Nopony ever really seemed to pay much attention to me. It was always my sister, what with that rockstar hair and toned flank. I just… I don’t know. That meant a lot.”
“Psh, whatever, I’m just telling you the truth here. Nothing more, nothing less.” Spike gently put a claw under her chin and guided her eyes up to meet his. “You’re beautiful, Flitter. You can be annoying, but you’re a beauty and a great pony to boot. That’s why you’re worth it to me.”
Spike released her face from his claw, leaving her to just blush and try to look away before he noticed, but it was far too late for that. She let out a large sigh and sat down on her flanks. She tried to find some words to say in response, but couldn’t. It was hard for her to find the right way to describe how Spike’s words made her feel, but suffice to say it was pretty darn special. Finally, she found a stallion that liked her more than her sister. It just so happened though that this stallion was a dragon. But eh, who cares if it took a little interspecies dating to get where she wanted to go. Life can be weird like that sometimes.
“Well,” Spike spoke up. “Now it’s your turn. Why does this relationship mean anything to you? Why is it ‘worth it’?”
“Oh boy, now I have to follow your sappy monologue,” Flitter said with a chuckle. “Let’s see here: you’re tall, relatively strong looking, you have a nice face, and not to mention you’re pretty toned.” Flitter took an extra moment to scan her eyes over the dragon. By gosh, he was pretty handsome.
“Uh-huh, go on,” Spike said with a smile. “I already know I’m hot.”
“Take it easy, Spike,” she retorted with an eyeroll. “But to be honest, I think the thing that I appreciate most about our short time together has been how much attention you’ve actually paid to me. How much attention you’re still paying to me. LIke, you actually seem to care what I think and feel about things. That’s not… that’s not something that happens a lot in my life. It’s a nice change of pace.”
A brief moment of silence held in the air between them. Spike never really thought he was doing anything special. He was just being himself and listening to her talk throughout the day. I mean, sure, he did care about what she had to say and her feelings, but he didn’t realize he was doing anything special. He was just showing her some respect.
“I know I’ve said it before,” Flitter continued. Her eyes turned downcast. “But my whole life it was like nopony ever really listened to me. Even when Cloudchaser and I were kids, she got all the attention. Her ideas mattered and ponies listened to her. They still do. Meanwhile, it’s like I’m just a background character in a cheap romance fanfiction. I talk, but I get ignored. I speak up, but I get talked over or completely brushed to the side in favor of whatever Cloudchaser is saying or doing. It’s always been that way and it seems like it always will be.” Flitter felt a bit of a knot in her stomach as she resurfaced so many memories in her head. She turned her face up from the ground and looked at Spike. “But you make me feel like I matter. After one day, you’ve probably paid more attention to me than anypony has in the last year. That’s why this relationship is worth it to me.”
Spike wasted no time and immediately knelt down to pull her into an embrace. Her soft fur collided with his warm scales, creating a tight and heated bond. Flitter loved it. She burrowed her muzzle into his neck and just took a moment to breathe. Why was she so close to crying? She wasn’t sad. She couldn’t be sad over the stupid stuff she was just talking about. Wait, why were there tears coming out? Oh great, now Spike would think she was lame.
“Flitter,” Spike said, gently pulling back from her. He used a claw to wipe away the few stray tears from her cheeks. “You matter to me. I promise.”
She simply nodded and wiped another tear away on her own. “I know. Thank you, Spike.”
Spike gingerly stood up, helping Flitter to her hooves as well. “I’ll tell you what,” he began. “I think we aced this clue. Memories, sappiness, past regrets, tears… we gave it the works.”
Flitter laughed a bit between sniffles. “Yeah, Spike, I think you’re right. If anypony actually is watching us they’re probably gagging from all the cringiness.”
“True that,” Spike replied. “Now we just need to go find the next clue. It’s our last one!”
Spike took a few moments to search over the statue to try and find the other clue. His search came up empty, however.
“Well, I’m honestly not sure where it’s at,” Spike said, scratching the back of his head. “I can’t find it. I simply can’t.”
Flitter rubbed her chin. “Hmm, have you checked the other side of the paper you picked up that had the instructions on it? That seems reasonable, right?”
Spike immediately held up the paper again and flipped it over. Of course, she was right.
“Welp, looks like I have to bow to your wisdom again,” Spike stated. “Here it is.”
Flitter hovered in the air enough so she could see the clue, too. They both read it aloud together.
“A place most unnatural it may be seeming, but you’ll discover a change that will show love’s true meaning.”
“Any idea?” Spike asked, looking to the side at Flitter.
“Nope, you?”
“Nope.”
Flitter settled back down on the ground. “Welp, it’s the last one so it figures that it’d be challenging.”
“Yep,” Spike replied. “Looks like we have our work cut out for us.”
“Agreed.” Flitter stomped a hoof into the ground. “But we can’t get behind. We still have to win!”
“Right,” Spike said as he balled his claws into a fist. “Maybe we need to take this piece by piece and figure it out that way?”
Flitter nodded. “Okay, so what do you think ‘unnatural’ means?”
“Well, I know it’s not just ‘not being in accordance with nature or consistent with a normal course of events’ and—ack!”
Flitter had bopped him on the head this time with a hoof. “Didn’t know you were a mobile dictionary, Spike. You’re right, though… and—”
Spike gasped through his pain he had garnered from Flitter’s hoof. “Accordance with nature, Flitter!”
“Yeah, and?” Flitter asked with a raised brow. “What’s that got to do with a place most unnatural it may be seeming—” Suddenly, her eyes became the size of saucers. “Oh…”
“Now you get it,” Spike said, nodding. He brought her close. “We just have to head into the Everfree Forest and uh…” Spike flipped opened the note again. “...discover a change about love?”
“Spike, the Everfree Forest makes sense, but we have no idea where this love thing is going to be at.”
“Well, all I know is that I like you and clearly if I just bring you along, something will just magically happen like it always does in this crazy world,” Spike concluded with a shrug.
Flitter groaned. “You know what, maybe I am in a fanfiction and—”
“Stop, you’re going to give me a headache with that metaphysical talk,” Spike interrupted, leaving Flitter to sheepishly hide behind her wing.
“Sorry,” Flitter said. She nuzzled his leg. “It’s just an aching feeling I have. Besides, there’s no way that’s a possibility!”
Flitter chuckled.
Spike didn’t.
The awkward air filtered through Flitter’s lungs. She let out a dishonest laugh that mixed with a tension-easing cough, one that she hoped would get Spike’s glare off her shoulders, but alas, she was still getting that look of disdain she felt when she had stolen a cookie out of the cookie jar.
Then, Spike looped an arm around her.
Flitter looked up and saw those lips craning up.
“Ready to head out and find some love?”
Flitter nodded. “Although we don’t need to find love, Spike.”
“You’re right,” Spike replied, giving her a squeeze. “Glad we figured that all out.”
“Make that two of us.”
The two walked away from the school, their heads held up high, and their feet and hooves on solid ground.