Chapter 4 – A Confrontation
Snails walked towards Sweetie Belle and Spike with Snips by his side.
Snips whispered urgently to him. “I know your tired… and I know you’re mad… but please, dear, please… try to stay calm.”
Snails was somewhat shocked, even in his stupor, that Snips was sticking to the script of their practice date, but Snips words did seem to calm him. However, he kept walking towards Sweetie Belle and Spike. He didn’t have much choice… the front door was the only way out without using a fire escape. Going through the kitchen and out a back door might have been an option, but it was too late to turn around.
Sweetie Belle’s eyes went wide when she saw Snails walking towards her. Spike didn’t seem to notice anything wrong until Snails stopped in front of Sweetie Belle. Snips worked hard to both keep his distance while at the same time, offering close, silent support for his best friend.
Snails cleared his throat and spoke calmly. “Fancy seeing you here, Sweetie Belle…”
Sweetie Belle gulped slightly but also offered a timid smile. “Hi Snails… what are you up to?”
Snails gestured to Snips. “We just finished dinner… a nice outing as friends… what are your plans for the evening?”
Sweetie gave a warmer smile. “I believe that we are about to do the same, right Spike?”
Spike rubbed the back of his neck but didn’t answer her. Sweetie Belle stilled as the possibilities ran through her mind. His lack of an answer was quite telling, and not in a good way.
Snails couldn’t help but to butt in. “Of course he intended this to be a real date, not just an outing as friends. How could he not? You remain one of the best mares in Ponyville that doesn’t have a coltfriend. I dare say that you don’t seem to appreciate your own value. Of course, I shouldn’t be surprised… you wouldn’t wait for me to be able to woo you with your blatant statement of ‘Being able to turn me down being the highlight of your day,’ hmmm?”
Sweetie Belle turned red, from embarrassment or rage Snails couldn’t tell. He continued, not waiting or caring for her to reply. “I suppose that I’ll never be good enough for you, no matter how hard I try. I guess this is goodbye. I don’t want to speak with you again. And don’t count on anymore attempts at flirting from me. I’m done wasting my time…”
As both Snails and Snips started to walk away, Sweetie Belle grabbed onto him. “Wait! This is a simple misunderstanding, I swear.”
Snails did stop and he looked at her again. “I don’t think that it is. I’ll admit that as young adults, we are both still a little naïve… but it’s as humbling as it is cute as it is frustrating that you can’t seem to see a stallion’s intentions… even if the stallion is a dragon. You can’t see that he intends to bed you after this ‘date’?”
Sweetie Belle looked at Spike, noticing that he had grown quite red in the face himself.
Sweetie Belle was genuinely shocked. “Spike? Is what he said true?”
Spike nodded. “I’ve come to terms with the fact that Rarity will never love me… her recent dating of the other members of the Wonderbolts after Rainbow Dash introduced her to all of them being the final clue. I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Twilight’s court and a fair amount of time travelling with my recent appointment as the Ambassador of Friendship. We weren’t ‘close friends’ when I lived in Ponyville with Twilight, but we did spend some time together. I was hoping to pick up where we left off now that we’re both more or less adults. I did ask you out on a date, not just as an outing as friends… although I wasn’t expecting you to make love to me after a first date… I wouldn’t turn it down if you offered…”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes were as round as dinner plates. The moment seemed to take forever but she did turn back to Snails. “I don’t think I would have accepted the offer from Spike if I knew that this is what it was about. Can you forgive me, Snails?”
Snails shook his head, his exhaustion allowing a level of blunt honestly that he normally wouldn’t have been able to allow himself to use. “No. I can’t. We have known each other since we were foals. Long before Spike and Princess Twilight showed up in town. We went to school together. Played together. We helped each other some. And now we’re at the School of Friendship together. You never told me to stop trying to flirt with you, but you appear to be as big of a tease as your sister. You take enjoyment in using other ponies, just like Rarity used Spike for years, you’re using me for a cheap laugh. You have broken my heart even though it wasn’t yours to break. I can’t forgive you. And I won’t forgive you.”
Snails tried to walk away again but Sweetie Belle stopped him again. “Wait… we are both students at the School of Friendship. Our professors would be very upset if we couldn’t solve a friendship problem.”
Snails raised an eyebrow at her. “Oh? And what would our professors say, hmmm?”
Sweetie Belle cleared her throat. “Fluttershy… your boss, would say that it is ‘kind’ to accept an apology, even if you don’t want to, because it is wrong to force a pony to live in the misery of not apologizing or accepting the apology. And my sister would say that giving and accepting an apology is 'generous' because it reduces the burden of both ponies.”
Snails nodded. “That does sound like something they would say… however… Apple Jack would say that it is wise to be honest with your feelings even if it hurts the other pony because honesty is important. And Rainbow Dash would give me a high hoof for standing up for myself because being a doormat is uncool. That makes us tied. What else you got?”
Sweetie Belle glanced around, suddenly uncomfortable with the audience their argument had drawn. “Pinkie Pie would throw us a party and request that we remain friends. Emphasis on friends.”
Snails snorted. “And Princess Twilight would refuse to get involved, citing that she wouldn’t want to accidently order us to get married as the Princess of Equestria… but she would scold Spike in private for damaging our friendship. So we’re still tied.”
Sweetie Belle looked at Spike for support, but he shook his head. “Snails’ isn’t wrong. At the rate this is going… I will get scolded once I return to Canterlot. I can’t lie to Twilight.”
Sweetie Belle was racking her brain for a tie breaker saying from among the rest of the staff that would support her point, but Snails beat her to it. With a firm voice, he practically scolded her…
“Headmare Starlight Glimmer recently said that friendship shouldn’t come at the cost of violating your personal beliefs and compromising more than your comfortable with. I practically admitted that I loved you two days ago, and you brushed me off saying that we couldn’t date until you got a job, even though you’re not looking for one… as if I wasn’t able to financially support you as my marefriend or wife, even with my high paying government job at Fluttershy’s Sanctuary. It sounded reasonable, at the time, but it’s really not. Even with Snips being unable to successfully flirt with or court either of the other two Cutie Mark Crusaders… that shouldn’t have stopped us from dating. Maybe it’s my fault. I didn’t want to leave my best friend behind… alone. But it’s also your fault for not being able to tell me ‘no’ in a way that wouldn’t break my heart. You wanted me to flirt with you, you liked the attention… but you’ll never accept my affection. And this date with Spike proves it, whether you wanted to admit it to yourself or not. Maybe you didn’t think that anypony would call you out on it. Maybe you didn’t think that it mattered. Well. It matters to me. Please don’t cancel your date on account of little ‘ole me. I hope you have a wonderful evening. Take care of yourself.”
Snails walked out of the restaurant without looking back. He wasn’t crying but he was close.
Snips stopped in front of Sweetie Belle, a look of disgust plain on his face. “I hope you’re happy with yourself. I worked hard to make this outing as special as possible for him and you ruined it! You’ve tried so hard all these years to not be like your sister but you’re exactly the same! Attention whorse! Always wanting to be the center of attention. Always waving off offers that didn’t suit you. What’s next? Going to ask Snails to fetch you some rare gems just for a pat on the head? Or perhaps you’ll ask for advice that you’ll completely ignore? Or better yet… you’ll have him cancel all his plans to help you prepare for your next date with somepony else! I believe I’ll follow Snails’ lead and stop trying to flirt with Apple Bloom or Scootaloo… not that they’ll actually care. If you’ll excuse me… I have to go undo all the damage you’ve caused…”
Snips left the restaurant without a second look back.
Spike winced as Sweetie Belle visibly deflated. Spike rubbed the back of his neck. “What should we do now?”
Sweetie Belle shook her head. “I’m going home. You can do whatever you want.”
Spike hedged against her words… “Are you sure?”
Sweetie Belle practically screamed while closing her eyes and not looking at him. “I am not an attention whorse! I thought we were friends! This wasn’t supposed to be a date! You’ve loved my sister for years! You’re not allowed to just randomly dump your feelings onto me. I can’t be my sister and I won’t be my sister! Just go back to Canterlot, Spike. I’m done with you.”
Spike watched her walk away and he sighed. The maître looked sympathetic. “Would you like to cancel your reservation, or would you like to dine alone?”
Spike rubbed his face, a little upset. “I guess I’ll dine alone. No sense returning to Canterlot on an empty stomach. I’ll take a dragon specific menu please…”
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Snips caught up with Snails quickly enough after he had given Sweetie Belle a piece of his mind and he adjusted his pace to where Snails could lean against him as they walked. It would have normally been uncomfortable for a pony as short as Snips to hold up a much taller pony like Snails but today was no normal day.
It had been the best first date ever… until it wasn’t. It didn’t even matter that they were just friends and it had been a practice date for the ponies they had hoped to impress someday… ponies that were now seemingly out of the picture. Snips only had one job right now… get Snails home safely.
As for Snails… he wasn’t really paying attention to where he was going so Snips had to nudge him into the correct direction. Before long, they were back at Snails house. Snips led Snails to his bedroom and helped him get into bed, covering him up with the cuddle blanket that they had.
Snips cleaned himself up from the walk back and was trying to decide if he wanted to get into bed with Snails or just go home. They had discussed cuddling more. Cuddling until it felt natural. But… now just didn’t feel like the right time. He couldn’t take advantage of his friend.
Snips sighed and moved to let himself out of the room when he heard Snails sniffle. The sound forced Snips to pause and wait. It didn’t take long for Snails to shift in bed, and he turned to face Snips.
“Can you cuddle with me?”
Snips gulped. “Are you sure? After last night I’m not sure I trust myself not to have another weird dream with unintended consequences. The last thing you need is more to cry about…”
Snails gave his friend a weak smile. “I think that an accidental horn job in your sleep is more honest than an accidental first date. At least you won’t break my heart… will you Snips?”
The tremor in Snails’ voice was heartbreaking in its own right. Snips breath caught in his throat. All the memories of their foalhood passed by him. All the good things and the bad… every decision that led to this moment.
Snips swallowed any reservations and spoke with certainty. “No Snails… I won’t break your heart.”
With that… he crawled into bed with his best friend and went to sleep, holding each other.
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