//------------------------------//
// – 16: Turning Pearshaped – 
// Story: Sparity Shipping Mega Epic 
// by Mareity 
//------------------------------//

Rarity couldn’t suppress a chuckle as she finally encountered Spike for the first time all morning. After knocking upon his dwelling’s door first thing and finding his room vacant, she’d spent the morning keeping an eye out to no avail, even after visiting King Thorax with the inquiry and using his scroll burner as a makeshift locating device. Despite no reply, The king in the yellow pine tree jersey and cobalt neckerchief she’d bestowed upon him two days prior had assured her that he’d seen Spike shortly after firstlight, taking a trip to one of the Changeling Hive’s lower echelons alongside Chitin, their designated guide.

Thus assured and also faintly famished, she’d been sidetracked by breakfast with Yona and Sandbar as they all checked in with Ocellus and her family, who had been more than happy to cater for their friends that morning. Rarity herself had provided a caramelised pear tart she’d procured from a bakery halfway up the Hive during her search, which had been quite the pleasant, familiar thing in this somewhat strange place. Changelings had quite the sweet tooth, it turned out, although they had a habit of shaping their wares’ crusts around the confection in question’s featured fruits. She found that rather charming, if a mite impractical for slicing into even portions.

Lively conversation had, among other things, touched upon the Hive’s evolving Hearth’s Warming traditions, the current professional activities of Gallus and Silver Stream in Canterlot and Cloudsdale respectively, and of course, the short performance Ocellus and her troupe were planning for the evening. Once they’d dined and the youngsters had taken their leave, after she’d thanked Ocellus’ folks for their hospitality Rarity had redoubled her effort to find her dear Spikey-Wikey, and now she had.

He was lying on an ornate lounger in an unguarded milk-white walled alcove with a low, black ceiling constructed from hardened twigs and bug spittle ensconced deep within the Hive’s ground floor, bathed in amber light from orbs peeking out from the mesh. The chair was crafted from a jade frame with an adornment of plush blankets and cushions, and Spike wore his ambassador medallion, a pink towel over his belly and an opaque pair of shades; scarlet-rimmed, star-shaped lenses rather than the continuous opacity of the ones Sandbar had worn en route here at the start of the week. For her part Rarity wore nothing, having mostly divulged herself of her attire due to the damp warmth trapped by the atmosphere surrounding the Hive, although she kept the golden clasps on her ankle and ear, and had adorned herself with satin pink ribbons tied in bows at the base of her mane and her tail.

‘Darling, there you are!’ she laughed, trotting up to him, as well as the changelings fanning him with giant leaves and the stork attending him with drink refills, ‘Somecreature’s getting the pampering he’s plainly been craving the past couple of days! I had similar myself yesterday, and it was most invigorating!’

The attendants all watched the pair as Spike sat up from the splayed, lazy position he’d been indulging himself in for who knew how long, giving the dragon and unicorn a little space as they talked. ‘S’up, Rarity. One of these yours?’ he grinned, tightening the towel around his middle and gripping two neatly-furled scrolls in the claw that wasn’t caressing the neck of a cocktail glass with a little umbrella and the iridescent purple-green liquid he’d halfway imbibed, ‘Chitin invited me down here yesterday, and I wanted a bit of, uh, unrestrained pampering, so I skipped breakfast with you guys…”

Rarity raised an eyebrow, not unkindly as she beheld the half-dozen changelings inhabiting this alcove, as well as the stork holding a bunch of grapes in its beak above his head, who she supposed was Chitin.

As it transformed back into that very changeling with a green flash, she chuckled in their general direction, ‘You are all quite the picture, doting over Spikey like that. Spike, I brought a slice of the tart I took over to Ocellus’, ah, cell for everycreature!’ she said, extracting its crumby remains from the folded foil tin she was carrying in her saddlebag and encircling Spike, ‘We all found it quite enjoyable, and I  couldn’t leave you out entirely. Have you eaten yet this morning, sweetheart?’

Spike hopped off the recliner, slung the towel over his shoulder and took to the air, flying towards Rarity as she levitated the tart in front of herself. He peered at it. ‘Oh, nice. You get this from the bakery up the way? I’ve seen these on display,’ he asked, licking his chops for a second before looking up at her, ‘These guys gave me a marbleberry and banana smoothie with a side of gems for breakfast, but I’ve still got room.’

‘Okay, guys and gals,’ he addressed the changelings present after a short pause, ‘This has been incredible, really, but I’d like a bit of space to catch up with Rarity, if there’s no objections… we need to talk about something. Equestrian business. Feel free to invite me for another, uh, massage anytime, though!’

The changelings present murmured among themselves for a few seconds before saying their goodbyes and dispersing, Chitin alone still hovering nearby. ‘Do you require my services as a facilitator further, ambassador?’ she asked with wide eyes and a bowed head.

Spike chortled, then shook his head with a claw raised. ‘Nah, you’ve already done plenty… I appreciate your guidance, Chitin, especially since you invited me down here, but… no, this is private business between Rarity and me. I know our way back to our chambers, so you’re free to do whatever else.’

‘Oh, is that so?’ asked Rarity, her ears pointing back in disappointment, ‘Couldn’t we dally for just a moment? Maybe there’s somecreature else who’d appreciate another massage? The one I received from the stags over near the mud pool yesterday was very luxurious, I still feel most, ah, effervescent!’

Chitin inhaled with a nervousness that Rarity couldn’t ignore. ‘Ah, no, I do have other duties for the king that must be taken care of, Mr. The Dragon. You know where to find me in the interim. Good day to you too, Ms. Rarity. See you at the acting troupe’s show later,’ she said, before buzzing after a couple of the other changelings.

As Chitin left, Rarity hopped onto the recliner, resting her rump on its lower end as Spike sat back down beside her, popping his shades onto his forehead. She observed that his scales were looking quite shiny under the amber light of the alcove, certainly an after-effect of whatever oils they’d used. ‘So. A massage, you say? Involving all those changelings? Nothing strange involved, was there?’ she asked with an amused snort.

He snickered. ‘Nah, the most I can tell you is a couple of them transformed into some kinda spiky ball things and rolled around on my upper back and shoulders for a bit. Otherwise they just spoiled me rotten… you know how they’ve been since we got here, all waiting on us wing and hoof, luxuriating in the lurve it generates…’ Spike grinned, inhaling of the pie can, ‘Which is fine, I ain’t doing much with it if it’s just gonna seep out my scales or whatever, they can have it. Ooh, boy, I can tell this’ll be great. Sure you wouldn’t like a drink and a small slice of this, Rare?’ he inquired, ‘There’s still half a jug.’

She raised a hoof to her mouth and giggled. ‘No, I’ve had my fill of tarte tatin aux poires for one morning, but I wouldn’t mind slaking my thirst, my darling,’ she said, magically taking a cocktail glass as Spike slowly poured her a portion, ‘And I suppose they held the fireberries this time… so, I can’t help noticing you’ve got another scroll besides the one I sent inquiring as to your whereabouts from Thorax’s burner there. Word from Equestria, I presume?’

Spike sighed, though not in discomfort. ‘Yeah, something from Twilight I got first thing. Nothing to worry about… news about the whole Meus thing, actually,’ Spike elaborated, unfurling it in both claws. He cleared his throat before continuing, ‘Mostly good with some, uh, minor concerns. I’ll read it to you. “Hey Spike, Twi here. Hope everything’s going well at the Changeling Hive and you’re not drinking too much weird fruit juice with who-knows-what added to it!” …Cram it, Twilight, you’re not my mom… “Anyways, great news! Starswirl’s had a breakthrough regarding the magic mirror and the shadow ward on the stained-glass window since Stygian finally answered his scrolls. Our betentacled worries might be over sooner than expected! He’s successfully crafted neutralised shadow-infused crystal necklaces that we’re testing at the castle now to make sure they’re safe. Wearable protection until things are straightened out should come in handy!”’

‘Oh, that is good to hear,’ Rarity interrupted with palpable relief, ‘The most galling aspect of that dreadful creature’s presence was the paranoia; knowing it was out there and worrying that it could emerge from some heretofore unbeknownst magical portal to get you was a most unpleasant prospect…’ she stopped herself, then sipped her glass before tipping her head and continuing, ‘Forgive me, precious. Do continue.’

‘No, no, that’s fine. I was pretty glad to read that myself, but yeah, there’s more, slightly less good news. Quote, “So that’s the good news. The less good news is that while things have been holding up at the Crystal Empire, there have been reports of sightings of strange lights and sounds around the trail up to Yakyakistan. We’re sure now that Meus dwells somewhere between the two places when it’s not inside the matrix, and the blizzards have only gotten worse since we visited last month. Shiny and Cadance say everything is fine within their borders for now but they’re keeping security “Canterlot Wedding” tight. Anyway, enjoy your vacation with Rarity! Speak soon! –Your faithful Princess, Twilight Sparkle.” Unquote.’

He rolled the scroll back up as he looked up at Rarity, who had been daintily slurping at her glass, and she returned his serious glance. ‘Well. Less a downturn of fortune as much as confirming our collective fears, then. From everything that’s gone on it’s no great surprise that it inhabits around, ah, what I suppose are the foothills of the Yaket Range around the Frozen North, but I still wonder how it made that first transmission between Cadance’s looking glass and the magic mirror in Canterlot without anypony there noticing? It’s not exactly a subtle beast, and the Crystal Heart operates primarily to keep the worst of the cold out of the citadel, you know?’

‘Who knows?’ shrugged Spike, ‘Subtle it’s not, but it’s patient… Twilight reckons it got through their defenses some time ago and just kind of chilled out inside the mirrors for a while, and that it might have access to other portals besides. If we’re lucky, we’ll be rid of it without needing to know the details. Anyway,’ he licked his lips, ‘I think I’m done here for now. Where are the ki– uh, I mean, your assistant, and the rest? You had breakfast with Ocellus’ folks at their cell, you said?’

‘Darling Yona was positively gleeful about the short musical they’re performing in front of the entire Hive tonight, so we chit-chatted about that and other things while we ate honeysuckle pancakes and the tart you have in your claws, mostly. She’s ever such a deft hoof with Ocellus’ siblings, you know. The first time we saw them I privately questioned if they’d survive the encounter, but I think she took Pharynx's warning to heart, and she does like to tell me of her own younger brothers back in Yakyakistan,’ Rarity said, faintly distracted, ‘Ah, aren’t you going to eat that tart, Spikey? It’s lovely outside and I was rather hoping to spend a little time with you out on the crags once you’d eaten…’

‘Sure, I’m not that bothered about dwelling on affairs back home while we came here to enjoy ourselves, but I wanted to be alone with you. Kinda feels like we’ve been apart a lot in the daytime for the past couple days for one reason or another,’ said Spike, dipping a claw into the tart and delicately removing a pear slice before putting it to his forked tongue. He shivered from the sweet frisson it caused him before sucking it in entirely, before adding, ‘Yow! That’s very good. I’m surprised you went with pear over apple, though. Has your absence from Ponyville really made you forget our local produce so soon?’

She laughed. ‘To the contrary, Spikey,’ said Rarity, answering him straight, ‘I was thinking specifically about Applejack when I made my selection, actually, on account of her dear mother, not to mention it was one bit cheaper. The only true downside is that it’s, well, less round, since they shape their confections the way that they do. Proportionately I took care to be certain I sliced it evenly, but that’s why your piece is rather, ah, slender.’

Spike inspected it, holding it in both claws as he realised it was indeed in danger of flopping stickily into his lap. ‘I can live with an, uh, a linear slice. Might be better with a spot of cream though, if you brought any?’

Rarity giggled again, before clarifying with a doting smile and a stroke of his frills, ‘I did not. Now, eat it all up! My dear little Spikey-Wikey needs his strength, does he not?’

‘You’re darn right he does,’ Spike said, before diving face-first into the slice, Rarity watching him demolish it with one hoof over her mouth with no small amusement. Spike snaffled the long, triangular wedge from its thin end, rapidly hoovering up the fruity topping with a big grin all over his face. Gleaming droplets of fruit syrup flew through the air as he had his wicked way with it, showing it zero mercy.

He paused halfway through his devourment and looked up at her, licking the golden goop off his face as his expression fell from greed to mild shame. ‘Uh, sorry, Rare. My appreciation of these baked goods must look, uh, very uncouth to a lady of standards.’

‘Keep going, precious. I’m here to deliver you a breakfast dessert, not judge table manners,’ Rarity said with a broad smile, producing her monogrammed hoofkerchief and giving her raised foreleg, which had received a light smattering of the tart’s juices, a wipe. ‘Besides, I’m willing to let it slide this once since you plainly appreciate it. They have all kinds of cakes and tarts in that shop, you know! Pinkie and the Cakes would be very interested in taking a look for themselves if they were ever to visit! They're a little more delicate than the cupcakes and such they trade in, but that’s not a bad thing!’

Spike resumed eating, more self-conscious this time despite Rarity’s assurance. ‘No, I should take my time. I just forgot myself, is all, and if we’re taking a little time out together I kind of wanna down it and go. With all the activities and such the changelings have going on, not to mention my ongoing business with Thorax, we’ve become kind of separated the last couple days, y’know? Yesterday I only saw you before dinner for a little while when we bumped into each other at the vase throwing and flower arrangement craft time.’

Rarity snorted in contemplation as Spike encroached upon the crust of his slice with very sticky fingers. ‘Quite true, unfortunately. Yes, I was with Ocellus and the other youngsters, working out the right costumes for their musical, ahead of that. A lovely creative exercise it was, too, though it was mainly costumery for Yona and Sandbar since changelings can just change their outfits in a flash if need be…’

She looked at the ceiling before changing the subject. ‘And that seminar. Pottery is a funny business, isn’t it? At first I feared it was about literally throwing vases and breaking them like one of those dreadful performance artists in Manehattan, but, well, I suppose that exposes my ignorance somewhat. You wiggle a pile of clay on a spinning plate while shaping it with your hooves, and so long as you take care, voilà! A flower pot! A slightly wonky one, true, but for a first try mine wasn’t the worst, with your guidance…’

‘I mean, you can have the one I made if you want it. That pink vase with the blue roses I gave you back in Canterlot was actually one I brought back from my last visit here, I don’t think I mentioned that,’ said Spike, a drop of syrup dribbling down his chops, ‘I picked up a tip or two from Gabby the times she threw a few pots when she dabbled with that, so I’d already had some practice. She said claws make keeping the form easier for dragons and griffons than it is for changelings or ponies, not to mention she showed me how to lacquer evenly once you’re done.’

Rarity’s eyebrows raised, but she couldn’t suppress her slight amusement.. ‘Is that so, sweetheart? I don’t doubt she was very good at it. I confess I assumed the last one you gave me was, well, store-bought from somewhere or other in Canterlot.’

Spike’s smile faltered. ‘Nope, made by yours truly, and yep… yeah, she sure was. You know Gabby taught me a lot of things, what with being, uh, naturally gifted and all. So,’ he brightened up, ‘You want it? Whaddaya say?’

‘I already have the pink one, and I am rather fond of it, but… well, if you insist, Spike, I don’t doubt I could make use of another. I suppose your nimble little claws are rather useful for detail work…’ said Rarity. She gave him a half-lidded smile as she observed that.

Spike took the hint, having now finished his slice of tart, and he blushed as he considered touching Rarity with them before pausing. ‘Heh, I… uh, Rarity, could I borrow your hoofkerchief for a moment? I kind of got syrup all over my “nimble claws”, speaking of which.’

Her smile widened, and then she moved in. Instead of levitating it to him as he’d expected she held him in a magical hold without warning, simultaneously holding the black, silken rectangle in question as she held it up to him and gave him a series of wipes of his cheeks and jaw as she laid him back onto the recliner.

He waved his claws in urgent resistance as she mother-henned her favourite little dragon. ‘Not just your claws, Spikey-Wikey. You’re not going to sully your special somepony’s fur with that, precious!’ she chirped blithely as he struggled, ‘We should find a pool to wash you off in after that, really. Then you can give me your own little massage further along, no?’

‘Oh, yes,’ Spike responded once he’d stopped resisting her sudden hold, as she removed the mess from his face. The surprise aside it wasn’t actually that bad to suddenly get forcibly cleaned up, but Rarity’s standards were unimpeachable given her day-to-day cleanliness. He knew full well that it was much too early in the day to risk matting her fur with tacky fingers; as far as he knew, a minute before midnight was likely too early. At any rate, it was best to keep his distance until he was properly washed again.

Nonetheless, she seemed to be quite enjoying giving him an impromptu wiping down, he noticed, and he giggled as he looked at the bit lip and raised eyebrow upon her lightly pink face as she held him somewhat near her, but far away enough not to risk actual physical contact. ‘I mean, sure. I know where we can get the worst of this off,’ he continued, ‘They’ve got that tank of soapy water they’ve been piping through to our rooms not far from here. Let me go and I’ll show you. There’s a faucet on it.’

‘Alright, dearheart,’ Rarity giggled demurely before releasing him and putting her soiled hoofkerchief back in her saddlebag, then giving him a kiss on the forehead. He took to the air just in front of her, holding his claws in front of him carefully, and she added, ‘Yes, yes, lead the way, darling! This thing could use cleaning itself now, anyway!’

The two of them left the amber-lit alcove behind as they rejoined the busier artery running through this part of the Hive’s basement, rubbing shoulders with, or having near misses overhead with, a moderate bustle of changelings going about their business. ‘It’s not far,’ Spike said, ‘Chitin showed me yesterday, it’s just down here.’

‘Yes, about her… didn’t Chitin seem rather, ah…’ Rarity wanted to mention what she’d noticed earlier, but just this once the word didn’t come to her, ‘Ah, a little strange just now? I’ve only seen her with you since she first showed us to our chambers.’

‘Yeah, I had noticed. Her liking of transforming into funny birds aside Chitin’s pretty by-the-book, and I think she’s avoiding being in the same room as the two of us together, given Thorax’s proclamation after we arrived,’ Spike explained, turning around an increasingly blue-mottled, curved wall, the spots seeming to emerge from beneath the white of the corridor they’d just been in, ‘Oh, here we are already. It seemed further yesterday.’

‘Hmm, I see… but she also asked if you needed her services further instead of simply leaving. I do wonder…’ Rarity pontificated out loud, ‘Oh, let me lend you a hoof with that.’

Spike landed, then outstretched his grubby claws under the tap affixed to the humming cylindrical tank they’d found. Rarity gave it a turn with her horn magic and he spent a moment lathering them up before standing aside. ‘Alright, all clean. Uh, wonder what?’

Rarity lined herself up with the pouring water and likewise gave her hoofkerchief a proper clean before lightly wringing it out, before responding. ‘That she may be, ah, denying it of herself for some unbeknownst reason, perhaps. Heaven knows there are a few changelings around who’ve felt rather delicate in the event of us, ah, “being sweet together”, as Thorax put it. A great deal don’t have that reservation, but…’

‘No, no, I think I agree,’ said Spike, turning the faucet off and facing Rarity as he took to the air again, ‘I’ve noticed it. There’s gotta be some mixed feelings going on throughout the Hive about love stuff. Thorax made that pretty clear during the proclamation besides. Not that anybug here dislikes it, just…’

Spike trailed off. ‘Well, that was a good part of the reason I wanted to take a walk with you outside the Hive, darling,’ Rarity giggled, ‘My understanding is that you’ve got the morning and much of the afternoon free, have you not? There’s the play tonight to attend and, ah, I believe Counsellor Freelove’s weekly feelings forum is at some point this post-meridian? But otherwise…’

‘I mean, that’s optional, but we should definitely go if we’re not occupied,’ Spike chuckled, ‘Thorax will be there, anyway, so I’d like to check in with him then. The feelings forum is one of the changelings’ big social things like the pot-luck, and I think a bit of, uh, cultural and emotional exchange through it would be great! Maybe getting a thing or two about ourselves out in the open would be to the, uh, more nervous changelings’ benefits?’

‘Now that you mention it, we have grown used to being somewhat clandestine in our relationship through necessity, Spike. And you’re quite right, there’s no easy hiding our feelings for one another from the changelings… and perhaps that repression is agitating a few of them, like poor Chitin. Yes, we definitely should attend!’ Rarity nodded before sighing, ‘But first, why don’t we get outside as soon as possible. I only caught a whiff of cloud when I came calling at Thorax’s throne before, and it is nice out, if slightly muggy…’

‘Sure, Rare. Let’s head upstairs,’ said Spike, running a now-pristine claw under Rarity’s jawline. She bowed her head towards Spike in response, looking at her favourite little dragon as she blushed quite involuntarily, nuzzling against his claw before batting her eyelashes at him as she pulled away just a bit.

While the coast had been clear the past two minutes there was a family of three changelings fluttering nearby as they did that, and to a bug they immediately sensed the sudden spike in affection emitted between the visitors. The youngest of the trio spun around in midair and cycled through several colours in rapid succession, starting at cobalt blue and ending up glowing neon orange after her father held her steady. ‘Hey you two, get a room! She’s a sensitive grub!’ he harrumphed.

Rarity straightened up at the admonishment. ‘Oh dear, a fine illustration of the issue at hoof,’ she sighed before waving, ‘Our apologies! We’ll be out of your, ah, frills momentarily!’

The family flew off, unamused, and Spike put his claws over his face and his shades back over his eyes as he cringed. ‘Let’s go for that walk right now, Rare. I don’t really wanna cause problems in the neighbourhood.’

Rarity flop-sweated for a second before turning back to him with a sheepish grin, and they both nodded. ‘Of course, Spikey. I can’t wait to be properly alone with you. So… a short hike, then a check-in with the youngsters at the amphitheatre, then this feelings forum, then the play… it’s still early, so as long as we keep time on the important appointments, if we get swept up into something we’ll be perfectly fine, methinks. Now, lead the way!’


–––✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*💎*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧–––


Spike flew to the top of the cliff, only a little way overhead and still wearing his star-shaped shades and medallion as Rarity trotted a few paces behind. While they’d followed a pass north and down, then uphill, the Changeling Hive still dominated the landscape; there were still a few changelings about, but nothing on the level of activity as back there. It stood to reason that if they wanted legitimate quiet time together, a hike was the way to go.

‘Are we there yet, darling?’ Rarity asked, and Spike slowed up as they reached the crag’s apex. A common feature of the swaying, grassy open hills of the area surrounding the Hive was these shallow but alarmingly ragged, dark artificial extrusions that once violated the landscape, carved by the changelings back when they were but black bugs that knew no other way but Chrysalis’ régime of domination and fear. Like everything else in the Hive’s vicinity, an air of a fresh start now reigned upon them, and nowadays they felt much less like hostile ebon edifices and more like gently rolling rocky cliffs.

The one they’d just wandered up opened into a vista of glorious autumnal shades and colours. The basin surrounding the Hive having rapidly reforested itself the past few years since Chrysalis’ defeat meant that the once-ashen plains were increasingly interspersed with growing foliage, bushes and saplings encroaching from the neighbouring woodland. Early interlopers that had bothered the changelings after their change in leadership, such as maulwürfe and other burrowers, had churned up the cracked landscape enough that the soil had become more amenable to plantlife than it had been for some time, although they had largely stuck to the lower levels of the area. The crag was squarely before the plain with a light smattering of young trees decorated in gold and red around its edges. While there were a few changelings visible in the middle distance, flying a way overhead, for the most part it was silent aside from the rustle of the grasses swaying in the wind.

Rarity gasped as she saw it all rise into view. It wasn’t unlike Ponyville just before the Running of the Leaves they’d both attended with their friends a moon or more back, although these trees had just started to shed of their own accord, unregimented. ‘Ah! We are here!’ she chirped, picking up the pace to get a better look.

Spike landed with a hop and a skip upon a rock that was just right for sitting upon right near the edge of the crag, leaning out a little as he stretched his legs and rested on his arms. Rarity trotted up to him, stopping for a moment as she beheld him and the outlook beyond; with his wings still outstretched against the shining late morning sun, his silhouette struck quite the pose as he peered out to where her gaze too was drawn. For a second she saw in his profile a, well, perhaps not bigger, but certainly a more serpentine version of himself, and she admired him even after the illusion faded from her eyes.

‘So much here has changed,’ he breathed after shaking each leg a few times, and she walked to his side as he sat on his rump properly. ‘I mean, I’ve seen it all before the last time I came around here, but this is new for you, right?’

Rarity plopped herself down upon a soft tuft of grass on the crag’s otherwise bare crest, slightly beneath where Spike was but effectively level with him. ‘Changed for the better without a doubt, darling. The changelings have truly made a good shot of reinventing themselves after… all the old unpleasantness. It’s wonderful to see, and this view, well… we should have brought a picnic or somesuch!’

‘I’m still working off that tart you gave me, but something light would have been nice. Eh, missed opportunities. We can head back whenever you want, Rare,’ Spike said, rubbing a claw on her neck.

She looked up at him with wide eyes and a scrunched muzzle as he did that. ‘Spike, we just arrived at this very scenic spot! I won’t starve for a few hours yet, precious! Ocellus’ parents were quite generous with the pancakes and grilled oats. I’ll be fine… besides, we’re not so far from the amphitheatre from here. There’s an all-day concessions stand, of all things, down there for the troupe and audience, and they do smoothies like the one you were having, besides.’

‘Yeah, we just got here, alright,’ Spike grinned, and he leaned over his rock above her. She shifted herself downwards a little, lying on the ground upon her back as he crouched, and her beribboned ponytail flowed back on the stark rock surrounding her chosen grass tuft as she shot him a little smile. ‘Oh, you’re… you are a very pretty pony, Rarity,’ he said, his grin spreading ever wider.

She giggled. ‘So you keep saying, Spikey-Wikey, and you know I do my utmost to keep up that appearance. It’s truly lovely to be out here with you.’

He hesitated for a moment, then laid onto his belly as he dipped a hand down to her brow, his claws feeling the hard outline of the golden clasp around the back of her ear. She inhaled as her eyes narrowed, and she leaned into his tickly fingertips with a catlike purr. He felt a little sad as he interleaved strands of her hair between his digits, though in a good way – a piquant sensation of desire weighed upon his heart just enough to be noticeable, a wishful feeling of unfulfillment as his love squirmed happily in his light grasp.

While he understood full well the reasoning behind their current arrangement, the past few weeks since the encounter with Meus near Maud Pie’s dwelling had only made the fire of his affection for her rise, to the point that sometimes, it felt like she was something he could never have even when they were together like this – indeed, their closeness right now belied that he only felt it all the more strongly. Logically he recognised the irrationality, the improperness, the downright greed of such, but an increasing part of Spike wanted more than this. As Rarity reacted to his touch he wished he could take things further, but he didn’t dare break his word to her.

With that thought on his mind he looked into her eyes with narrowed pupils and a knotted brow, an intense look on his face as his grooming travelled south from her ear to her chest via her neck. She blushed as she looked up at him again, stretching and drawing all four hooves upwards, and sighed, ‘Aw, Spikey… you’re a very handsome, sweet, terribly darling little dragon yourself, dear. Ah, it’s soft and dry in the grass down here, precious-pants. Won’t you join me for a little snuggle?’

‘Of course. Let’s snuggle real good,’ Spike stated, losing none of his intensity as he spoke. She laughed, then raised her front hooves towards him. He let her pick him up, then draw him down to where she lay. He couldn’t help himself; he held her tightly around her shoulders as she nuzzled into his ear frills and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. ‘Oh man, Rare… no kidding, this feels wonderful. When’s the last time we just relaxed like this?’ he asked, raking his claws down between her shoulders.

Rarity scrunched again and looked at the sky in contemplation, then answered his rhetorical question. ‘Before Nightmare Night, I think,’ she pontificated, ‘The last while’s necessitated being on somewhat high alert thanks to that dreadful Meus creature… we’ve had plenty of occasion to be together, albeit with ponies or other creatures in the vicinity rather than by ourselves. It’s truly marvellous to have some quiet time together for the first time in quite the while…’ she trailed off as he nuzzled into her neck, then sat up with her back against the rock as she concluded, ‘And if what Twilight wrote holds up, we should be able to relax somewhat once we’re back home.’

He looked up at her, his gaze relaxing. ‘It is really nice, Rarity. Though I hope nobug all the way out here senses, uh, us too much.’

She placed her hooves onto his shoulders and pushed him off of her a little, fixing her gaze onto his with a serious look. ‘Oh, so do I. You know, sweetheart, I do worry if our little arrangement isn’t an imposition upon the changelings at large, much as it was on that poor grub we just disrupted, or as you suspect it is upon Chitin. They welcomed us expecting the usual, platonic, friendship, as well one would, given our histories as champions of Equestrian friendship and harmony. But what we’ve brought with us verges upon, ah… well, you know what I mean, don’t you?’

‘I don’t fully understand how it works. The changelings themselves are still working it out,’ said Spike, ‘But they do have a laboratory of sorts where they give volunteers a test once in a while, somewhere underground. Back before it was just, suck love out of anything wherever you could take it, survival of the fittest kinda thing, you know? Things are more nuanced for them now they’re, uh, good.’

Rarity gave Spike a perturbed sideways glance. ‘Yes, changeling society is still somewhat in flux, but they’ll work it out with Thorax’s guidance. I still can’t believe Chrysalis kept them in the dark about their reproductive abilities, you know. That’s a whole other level of controlling!’

‘Yeah, nocreature saw changelings forming family units coming, but they’re completely capable of it. Always were.’

Rarity paused. ‘And in its suppression, I suppose they’re all, oh dear, I shouldn’t say it aloud, I don’t wish to make a great big thing about it, but… well,’ her voice dropped to a whisper for a moment as she blushed a little, ‘Related. Not that it seems to be an issue for them overall, the younglings I’ve seen around have been perfectly well turned out… possibly things are different for insectoids.’

Spike inhaled through his teeth. ‘Yeah, yeah they are, and I couldn’t say. But it’s not as if they’ve got much choice either way, y’know? Once it came out that they wouldn’t die out without Chrysalis after all, Thorax got some kind of nutritional régime he borrowed off of Twilight organised in an effort to mitigate any, uh, complications going forward. I don’t know the details, but it seems to be working alright. The grubs around the Hive seem healthy so far.’

‘Barring Thorax’s voiced concerns about their societal impulses, at any rate,’ said Rarity, ‘But the old will always worry about the differing ways of the young in any society, I suppose. There is the love sensitivity issue, but that appears to be unrelated to generations…’

‘Mmm,’ Spike pondered, ‘Speaking of which… dunno about you, but I’ve been feeling kind of repressed on account of keeping things on the down-low lately. There’s no hiding our feelings about each other around the changelings, but if, uh, we’re sending out mixed signals, it might even things out a bit to come clean at the feelings forum like you suggested, y’know?’

Rarity cleared her throat, sitting upright and depositing Spike onto the grass with a light rustle. ‘Agreed, Spikey. Moreover, I’d wager they’re a little more open-minded around these parts than back home. I’d feel much more comfortable getting things out in the open around their Counsellor Freelove and that Elytron fellow, than laying myself bare before the judgement of, say, Spoiled Milk’s sewing circle, even if her social purchase around Ponyville has diminished somewhat of late.’

‘You mean since Filthy Rich divorced her,’ Spike deadpanned, closing his eyes and bedding down on Rarity’s chest again, ‘No, I hear you. While we haven’t hidden it very hard – I mean, it took Yona about five seconds to figure us out the day after the race – it probably would benefit us, and everybug here, to express it aloud. Changelings don’t really judge so long as you’re pure-hearted about your sentiments.’

‘Good to hear… plus, I needn’t worry about selling clothes to them, on the off-chance they do,’ Rarity said blithely, before raising her hooves to her mouth in alarm at what she’d expressed, ‘Oh, drat it… I must come off as rather selfish, saying that aloud!’

Spike shook his head a little sadly, but his smile didn’t diminish. ‘Rare, you’ve made it plenty clear the past couple of moons that you’re just protecting yourself. Heck, you’re protecting me. I understand, even if I get a bit frustrated once in a while. No need to apologise. I couldn’t reasonably ask for more.’

Rarity’s countenance became noticeably withdrawn as she patted Spike on his side, an indication that it was time to climb off. He obeyed, rolling into the grass as she leaned against the rock. She put a hoof on the ground right beside him, and he put his claw on top of it.

There was a pause before she said, a faint wobble in her voice, ‘I’m waiting for you, Spikey. A lady understands the virtue of patience. But sometimes, I… it can be difficult, even if I try not to show it much.’

‘Tell me about it. I just hope I’m worth the wait,’ said Spike, looking at the cerulean sky overhead and holding Rarity’s hoof tighter. After another pause he looked at her and added, ‘I guess it’s a little easier for me than it is for you, in that aspect. I already know you’re perfect.’

She chuckled, wiping a tear away before slumping south slightly, turning to her favourite little dragon with bunched cheeks and a sparkle in her blue eyes. ‘A little confession for you, darling. Promise not to tell?’ she asked in a plaintive tone.

‘Of course not, Rare. What is it?’

‘You know that Burnferno fellow you read a story about to Starlight and myself after we first tangled with Meus? Since then I’ve been having the strangest dreams about him taking me away in the middle of the night, ah, in a good way. It’s all a bit silly, but… how do I put this delicately? He is my type. I may be rather attracted to a fictitious dragon…’

Spike raised an eyebrow, and he couldn’t help baring his fangs in a grin as he returned Rarity’s gaze. ‘Uh, I won’t pretend that’s not kinda a weird thing to tell me, Rare, those paintings on the covers are, uh, just illustrations. Surely you’ve got pics of hunky stallions on the covers of your bodice-ripper romance novellas?’

‘Quite so, yes, but they’re not you-adjacent,’ she said, now turning fuschia-pink around her cheeks and ears, ‘As I say, it is rather silly, I know it’s simply a fantasy, as are they. I don’t expect you to bulk up overnight into a flexing dragon warrior… I just can’t help romancing about it somewhat, related to yourself, I suppose. My idle mind runs away with itself in the small hours once in a while, that’s all. Not very perfect of me, is it?’

Spike chortled, blushing in turn as he looked at his swirly knees, kicking his feet together. ‘I shouldn’t really be surprised. You’re an idealist, Rarity, and Burnferno just feeds into that. Anyway, that guy earned his big muscles the hard way, you’d know if you read his origin stories. You don’t just transform into that one day, so temper your expectations of me a bit…’

The fire in Rarity’s cheeks ebbed away a little as she inhaled. ‘Well, it helps me to think more about a nice thing like that, and less about some of those terrifying Spikealikes I saw in the magic mirror. But you’re quite correct, and don’t fret, darling. I’d accept you even if you became the size of a Manehattan skyscraper all in one go. As I said that day, you’d still be you, and I already like you very much. I know how I can get about appearances, but it’s truly what’s inside you that makes you special, sweetheart.’

He leaned against her, and she wrapped her arms around him in a sideways cuddle, pressing her ear against his forehead. ‘That’s fair,’ he sighed, ‘And I really do appreciate your confidence in me. Thanks, Rarity. For everything,’ he closed his eyes and let her soothing embrace swell over his worries, ‘For being the pony you are.’

‘And you have my eternal gratitude besides, Spikey-Wikey,’ she breathed, ‘For being my favourite little dragon. That won’t change.’

She gave him a smooch on the cheek, a lingering one that separated with an audible smacking sound, and Spike responded with a raked claw down her shoulder that made her shiver. They stayed like that, listening to the birdsong from the trees below as they lost track of time.

‘Well, I suppose that was a rehearsal for speaking at the feelings forum later,’ Rarity eventually chuckled, ‘A forthright proclamation of what we mean to one another. I do feel less pent-up, emotionally, now we’ve taken time to, ah, smell the roses together.’

‘You smell of roses, no surprise there,’ Spike replied pointedly, prodding Rarity on the foreleg affectionately, ‘And yeah, I’m glad we talked things out a bit. There’s nothing wrong with a bit of distance while we do stuff apart, but we’re not mind-readers just yet.’

She squirmed and purred as he put his claw back on the sole of her hoof, then yawned. ‘That’s too bad, dear… I’m thinking of something in particular I’d like for you to do right now,’ she said. The sun caught her eyes as she looked up at him, and he got a good look into her seemingly bottomless pupils before she squinted away, bowing her head but still keeping eye contact as his grin broadened.

He had a pretty good idea what she meant. ‘You never got that massage before, huh… I mean, if it’s not too late, just say the word,’ he snickered, wiggling his fingers, ‘I’m always down for a bit of scritching on my special somepony.’

‘Go on, then,’ Rarity’s voice cracked as she stood, lifting herself up onto Spike’s platform, and he helped her up as she kept her hold on his claw. ‘I was nice and limbered up by those big stag masseurs yesterday so I’m not all that tense, but changeling hooves just aren’t the same thing as your deft little claws.’

Spike let go of her hoof, taking to the air before likewise sitting back on the rock. He removed his shades to get a better look at Rarity, admiring as she looked as sensuous and pure as the deep blue ocean. ‘Anything for you, Rarity,’ he crooned with glee, before brushing her mane aside and giving her a gentle kiss behind her undecorated ear that made her recoil slightly, squeaking with delight.

She sat on the rock with her forelegs stretched in front, looking back at him with her head over her shoulder. ‘Oh, sweetheart… work your magic on me, on this lovely warm day…’ she said, with her eyes closed and an inviting purr in her voice.

The next few minutes were positively blissful as Spike gave Rarity an eager go-over around her shoulders, neck and back, down to from where her tail sprouted. Much as she’d grown accustomed to his trimmed, yet still pointed, nails raking against her fur and the skin beneath it as his palms gently but thoroughly pressed her flesh, she’d hardly tired of it – something about his touch stimulated her with an undeniable frisson up and down her spine that spread throughout her body as he gave her muscles a gentle kneading.

She kept her breathing measured, but it soon became undeniable that Spike’s claws were giving Rarity an incredibly pleasant reaction. He sat cross-legged behind her with his wings outspread as he rubbed and scratched, working himself into a quiet zen state as he concentrated, absorbed by his own motions. Up and down, around in circles he went with an intermittent squeeze with his thumbs, paying close attention to her every contour to the exclusion of anything else around them.

While she hadn’t been exactly tense before, despite not being the deepest tissue massage Rarity nonetheless could feel sweat beading on her brow. She bit her lip as Spike proceeded to rake his fingers up and down the line of her back, trying not to show it, but still wanting more. There was no way she was about to tell him to stop while she felt this good, although she silently felt she should.

They both fell silent, as they tended to whenever they did this, with Rarity emitting a little “ooh!” or an “mmm…” once in a while as any tension she had in her body melted away beneath his claws and the warmth of the sun that laid a golden glow upon them both. A gentle breeze brushed over them, and the only sounds besides were the swoosh of the grass and the chirping of birds in the trees. Rarity felt her cheeks burn, as well as the rising fire in her belly, and she was surely on the verge of feeling, well, even more blissful than she already felt.

When Spike’s digits glided along where her sides joined her hips, she reached her limit, despite her best efforts. An electrifying tingle sizzled up from the base of her spine not far from where he was rubbing her flesh, feeling for all the world as if some sort of seismic reaction had been triggered by his deft touch. It was involuntary; her ears slanted and she bucked backwards as she tipped her head back, yelping a strained little ‘Ohhh, darling…!’ open-mouthed and with her ponytail spilled back, her abdomen quivering as she tensed up. She pressed her hooves hard against the crag as she continued to groan and breathe, not quite in control of her actions as her mouth changed to a huge grin that spread across her entire face.

Spike backed off with alarm as her back right leg reacted to her heightening reaction, thumping the rock repeatedly like a rabbit as her eyes rolled and she growled with pleasure. After a few seconds more he resumed his efforts more vigorously before the window of opportunity passed, giving her a good scritching up and down her toned back and flanks. Her growls  gave way to a series of little hiccuping gasps, but Spike soon had to abandon his massage altogether in an effort to keep her upright by her waist as she started to fall forward, although the vibrations from her pounding motions made it hard.

The sudden tension spike she’d experienced soon subsided, and with it went the wherewithal to stay upright. Spike tried to keep his claws on her as she collapsed onto her belly with a delighted groan, and he let her go as gently as possible with an ambivalent grin on his face. ‘Wow. Well then,’ he said as she lay inert, faintly perturbed but with no small glee in his voice, ‘Are you okay, Rare?’

Rarity raised her head from the hooves upon which her chin had come to rest, shooting Spike an abashed, red-faced expression as she covered her mouth with her hooves. ‘Goodness me, Spikey… that came upon me all at once! That’s certainly never happened before! Oh, you must think me rather, ah…’

Spike chuckled; he would have been lying if he’d claimed not to have enjoyed watching that. ‘Don’t apologise, Rarity. I won’t tell, and I don’t think that was something to be ashamed of. Uh, do you need a minute? Maybe we should, uh, stop that for now.’

‘I rather agree,’ Rarity exhaled, ‘About stopping, I mean. Erm. Thank you for making me feel very good with that, Spikey-Wikey, but I, I, ah, ableh,’ she sputtered.

Spike backed off, planting his tail onto the brink of the crag as he looked her square in the face. ‘Take your time, Rare. As long as you need.’

She looked back at him, her embarrassed expression changing to that of languid amusement as her cheeks returned to their usual pristine white. After her breathing returned to normal, she tipped her head. ‘I’m unsure if I have the energy to move now, Spike,’ she said, smiling yet slightly teary-eyed, ‘You’ll need to peel me off this rock, I dare say!’

‘Sounds like a challenge. Alright then!’ said Spike. Rarity tittered as he got on his knees and put both claws on her far side, one around her chest and another upon her flank in an effort to roll her over. When she realised he was serious she put in the effort to roll herself and make it easier for him as her laughter intensified, although Spike’s own strength was enough for the most part. With a squeal she shifted onto her rump and back, and Spike’s claws lingered where he’d pulled her over. She looked up at him, those big eyes again gleaming in the sunlight as he moved one from her torso to her brow, just above her horn.

He gave her a wide-eyed, earnest and happy look as he gave her horn a rub for good luck, finding it quite warm to the touch despite his resilience to heat. She exhaled sweetly as he did it, feeling relieved as he dispersed her feverish sensation between his index claw and thumb, ‘Oh, Spikey-Wikey… this isn’t entirely unlike those dreams I just told you about,’ she breathed.

He buried his other claw into the thicker fur of her chest with a toothy grin. ‘Heh… I try, Rare,’ he whispered, before giving her a kiss on the cheek, not unlike the one she’d given him earlier, ‘But I’m not Burnferno just yet. Give it time.’

Rarity raised a hoof to Spike, and he gave its underside a tender caress with the thumb that had been stroking her horn. She raised her head towards him, and they exchanged a gaze that was equal parts adoration and awkwardness.

Suddenly, Rarity’s ears pricked, and she jerked her head towards their view overlooking the plain below. ‘Thank goodness, something to properly change the subject! Can you hear that, Spike?’ she asked, an enforced perky trill in the voice that had remained a relatively low purr just a few seconds ago, ‘Somecreature’s nearby. I think I know who, too!’

‘Huh?’ Spike uttered, his eyes widening as he listened for anything over the twittering of birds. Sure enough, he soon detected a lower, more tuneful sing-song sound, a louder melody that seemed to be practising scales from low to high, echoing from the trees below. ‘Oh, yeah, I hear it now. I haven’t heard anyone singing here besides Ocellus and her gang… is it one of them?’

Rarity stood up, twirling twice on all fours as she tightened the bow on her mane and made herself slightly more proper. ‘It is, but you haven’t met her yet. It’s definitely coming from the plain… why don’t we fly off this crag and I’ll introduce you?’

‘Sure, we should call this a day for now,’ Spike said, feeling the heat himself despite doing his best to contain it, ‘It’s probably for the best.’

‘Well, perhaps we can continue after the feelings forum once we’ve both cooled off, darling. We still have plenty of time, and we’ve just had plenty together here,’ Rarity said, wiping her brow, ‘You do understand, don’t you?’

‘Of course I do, Rare. Alright, then… you’re alright holding onto my claws as I make a descent, right?’

She looked down, scanning for where the song emanated. ‘We’re only a tad above the highest of the trees from here, we’ve a clear line downwards and I trust you not to let go, if that’s what you mean, Spike. And if you need a little boost, well, my horn is at the ready to give us an uplift. Take my hooves, sweetheart?’

‘Gladly,’ said Spike, as he flew overhead, and did just that as she held them aloft. Rarity pealed with laughter as she ran to the precipice on her hind legs and took off, and Spike flapped his wings rapidly as he took her full weight, nonetheless swooping down towards the basin as her legs kicked in front of her, the Changeling Hive towering in the mid-distance in front of them as its spires glinted in the daylight clarity.

He held her steady, and it was a far cry from that day on the stairs in Canterlot, no near-miss crash landing this time; their descent lasted the better part of a minute, with no threat of colliding with a stray rock nor bough. Around the midway point Spike looked down at Rarity, whose laughter had quietened. ‘All good down there, Rare? How’s the view?’ he chortled, maintaining his grip.

She kept her eyes forward, laughing again. ‘Exquisite! The best darn seat in the house, Spike! You seem to be doing well up there, besides!’

He redoubled his flaps. ‘Yeah, I got this. I might need your assistance to land, though – I still have trouble sticking the landing sometimes!’

As he said that, the singing started again, closer this time. ‘Well, I’m prepared for that. Ah, steer us to the left somewhat, precious! I’m certain that song is coming from thataway!’ she instructed.


	–––✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*💎*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧–––


In time they touched down on the grassy plain near a path, not far from a grove of half-shed trees to the west. Surely enough, his approach was a little faster than normally comfortable for a soft landing, but Rarity was able to compensate with a sparkle of her horn that slowed them enough that she was able to land on her hooves without much impact. Once she was down, Spike let go, and she stood back on all four legs.

As Spike landed on the ground, Rarity immediately pranced towards the grove, looking up at the trees. ‘Trochanter?’ she called, ‘Trochanter, darling? Ah, what species of tree are you this time?’

The singing stopped as Rarity trotted in circles for a moment, her body following her neck as she looked around.

‘I’m an aspen today,’ came a quiet voice.

Spike too looked around, before long noticing a pair of silver eyes appear on the pitted bark of a tree that was significantly smaller and leafier than most of its half-skeletal fellows. He toddled up to it, extending a claw as he showed off his ambassador medallion. ‘I see you over there. Uh, Rarity tells me your name’s Trochanter? I’m Spike, the dragon. Sounds like your, uh, cibarium’s better? We could hear you all the way up on that cliff!’

A branch waved to him. ‘Hi, Spike, I know who you are. Ocellus talks about you a lot! And Ms. Rarity, too. Hey again, Ms. Rarity.’

‘It is good to see you again, although, ah… can’t you transform so Spike can see your, ah, true form?’ Rarity asked politely.

‘Nope… I like to be a tree,’ Trochanter mumbled coquettishly, ‘I feel more comfortable practising like this. Animals like me to be a tree, too, even if I can’t grow fruit or nuts.’ As if to make the point, a red squirrel appeared from nowhere and hopped up into her lower boughs.

‘You know, we know a certain somepony back in Ponyville who’d like to be a tree,’ Spike laughed, raising a claw, ‘Well, it’s fine, I’m not fussy.’

‘You’ll need to change into something else soon enough, Trochanter… aren’t you getting prepared for the musical tonight? I presume that’s why you were practising all the way over here, no?’ Rarity pressed, faintly annoyed that Trochanter refused to introduce herself to Spike properly.

The changeling tree swayed in the breeze in response. ‘I was, and I was keeping it quiet in case I overdid it again, but… well, I felt you two up there a little while ago, and it made me want to sing louder! You know, you really do give off strong love vibes when you’re together! Boscis told me but I didn’t really believe it until now.’

‘We’d not been together alone for a while! It was an accident,’ Spike protested before elaborating, ‘We’re aware some changelings are sensitive to it, so we were trying to be private.’

Rarity relaxed, circling twice then planting her rump near a tree stump with some wildflowers growing from its bark as she spoke. ‘Yes, ah… we were intending to attend the feelings forum a little later with the intention of clearing the air; so we were, shall we say, practising the same as yourself? Which was fine while we were talking about our feelings towards one another, but Spikey here simply insisted upon a light massage, which, well… we may have not known when to quit, as they say. A reaction like that at point blank around a large group of changelings would definitely be trouble for some!’

Trochanter giggled as Spike crossed his arms, pouting at Rarity in response to her gentle blame. ‘I have heard a few rumblings around the Hive about you two since you all got here. I thought Yona and Sandbar had a good thing going when they’re getting all lovey together, but you… woof, you can cut yours with a knife. Well, no matter. Now you’re here, want to stick around and listen? I’d appreciate some feedback.’

Rarity blushed, then swallowed her embarrassment. ‘Ah, gladly, darling. We were heading over to the amphitheatre after this for a check-in with your troupe and grab a bite to eat, anyway.’

The aspen’s gut growled for a second. ‘Nice idea, I haven’t eaten since breakfast myself,’ said Trochanter, ‘I could really go for a nut bar or two. Spike, I heard you like the giant grub they served at the pot-luck the other night? They have corndogs made of the same stuff, if you’re interested at all?’

Spike glanced at Rarity to gauge her reaction, though she remained sanguine, without the sickened look he’d expected. ‘Sounds great with ketchup and another one of those smoothies. Anyway, show us your stuff, Trochanter. I’m told you can really belt it out, uh, no pressure or anything.’

‘No, it’s fine. Practising with a small audience now helps me deal with a bigger one later,’ she answered, ‘Make yourselves comfortable while I give “Cycles of the Moon” a go. It’s the song I sing after the part with the bicycles, before Yona takes the stage to end the play… there’s a few high notes I’m still getting the hang of.’

‘That’s an interesting choice,’ said Spike, raising an eyebrow as he took a seat on the stump where Rarity had nestled, ‘Cute wordplay, too. Uh, I never asked what the play’s gonna be about? Tell me more.’

The squirrel that had been hopping around in Trochanter’s boughs stopped chittering, and gave Spike a pointed look before speaking. He realised it had emerald green eyes he recognised as it said, ‘Our artistic pursuits tend to be less narratives and more mood pieces where we stretch our transformation abilities a bit, but this one’s loosely based around moon phases and visiting the moon in search of bunnies…’ it paused and looked as awkward as a squirrel reasonably could before exclaiming, ‘Oh, breezie toots! I gave myself away too early! I was meaning to scare this little sapling here when she least expected it.’

‘I knew it was you anyway, Dearlove,’ Trochanter said nonchalantly, ‘Are you going to change back and join the others or do you want to stay up there? Maybe you can join in. You know the words.’

Dearlove snorted. ‘Sure, I need the practice too anyway.’ She inhaled before bursting forth with a melodious, ‘Mi-mi-mi-mi-mi…’ straining slightly, then hacking. ‘Egh! Blech. Yeah, I definitely need to brush up on singing while changed into something else. A duet, then, Tro-chan? “Cycles” works pretty well like that! Singing each line alternately takes the pressure off a bit, besides!’

Rarity laughed, leaning against Spike’s stump. ‘Ah, to be serenaded by a tree and its resident squirrel while paying a visit to a distant land, eh Spikey? Quite the new experience!’

‘Yeah, and not the first today,’ he said, mostly to himself, but loud enough for her to hear. Rarity reached up and pressed his forehead with her hoof for a moment, and he blushed as she scrunched at him, not altogether angrily but enough to make the hint clear beyond a doubt. ‘’Scuse me… let’s move on from that for now! By all means, we’re both all ears.’

‘Thanks, Spike. Alright, Dearlove, let’s get started,’ said the tree, to which the squirrel responded with a nod. ‘One, two, three, four… “We once were told the moon must fall, yet here we are, from dark to light~…”’ she began, in a boisterous soprano that came as a surprise following her demure tone.

Dearlove continued in a higher tone, but not so high as to clash. ‘“We’ve been so bold to travel here, and everybug’s filled with delight!”’

The pair continued. As one dedicated patron of the arts, and one slightly less so non-respectively, Spike and Rarity took in the rehearsal as the two changelings alternated, mostly paying attention and sitting up straight this time rather than distracting one another, despite the temptation. After this it was nearing lunchtime as they caught up with the rest of the troupe alongside Yona and Sandbar, and over the afternoon… well, they were prepared for their proclamation to the Hive before the play commenced. And after that, who knew?


–––✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*💎*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧–––