"Applejack, you're amazing!" Spike said, looking up at her. She flexed her muscles for him as he traced his hands over her arms.
"Well, I don't mean to boast, but if someone messes with "My Man," that's always gonna be the result," she said with pride. Spike grabbed her arm and started swinging from it like it was a monkey bar.
"You're the greatest Girlfriend ever," he said, dropping to the ground just to be swooped up by Aj. He wrapped his arms around her neck as he made out with her.
......
"Ahhhh, Humm, OooOOhhhhhh, Spike....R-Right there......Harder~
(Alarm clock buzzes)
"SPIKE~," Applejack moaned herself awake. She dripped with sweat on her bed, throwing the blank of her body. Silencing her phone, she wiped her brow and walked to her bathroom. She stood in her shower as she thought to herself, "Did I just dream that?" As she let the hot water awaken her mind and body, she still couldn't get that dream out of her head.
"Dang, nabbit. You think you would have just disappeared by now," she thought. Applejack did her best to forget it but couldn't get "him" out of her head. The way he talked, his looks, his smell, the list continued.
"For crying out loud, he's like a little brother to me...was like a little brother," She thought as she stepped out of the shower. Doing her best to forget, she put on her workout clothes. A simple green tank top and a pair of sports shorts would work. Taking the elevator, she noticed someone standing next to the hotel entrance.
"Twilight?" she said. The Alicorn jumped in her skin, turning to face her. "What're you doing up so early?"
"Oh, I've been getting into the habit of running in the morning. I may have wings, but I've had my legs far longer," she said, giggling at her little quip.
"I may not have wings, but I understand. Wanna go together?" she asked. With a firm nod, they soon found themselves running through the early streets of Canterlot—Applejack in the lead, with Twilight lagging behind her.
"Come on, Twi, kick it in ta high gear. It's only been 3 1/2 miles," the cowgirl said, barely sweating. She looked at her friend, panting up and down like a dog.
"S-Slow down," she cried out.
"How long have you been running for, Twi?" she asked, running alongside her.
"Only a (pant) couple of days! Spike said I needed to watch over my health more, and (pant) told me I should go running with him. He's almost as fast as you are...maybe," She finished.
"Really? Wow, that's mighty impressive for the cutey," she quickly slapped her with her hands, regretting her comment. Thankfully, Twilight was too busy panting to hear her. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued running alongside her.
"So, Twi? About the other day-" she mentioned.
"What?" she asked.
"Uhm, never mind," she said, resuming her usual pace.
Back on the train
"Alright, girls, listen up!" Twilight said, grabbing their attention. "There no easy way to say this, but, uhm- have any of you.
"Who here wants to fuck Spike?" Starlight interjected, stunning everyone for a brief moment. Twilight now glaring at her with her mouth agape. "What? There's no nice way to say it," she added.
"WHO? Sleep with the Runt? Me?" Rainbow Dash said, her face entirely red from embarrassment.
"That's a violation of my rights, I plead to Fifth; you can't make me say anything," Pinkie frantically said. To avoid saying anything else, she shoved all the desserts she had out into her mouth, pointing at her stuffed cheeks.
"I-I t-t-think h-he's c-cute, b-but...uhm......uhh" Fluttershy whispered, even more quietly than usual.
"Applejack, what about you? Do you have any..." urges" around Spike," Twilight said, noticing that she's been quiet the whole time. Everyone focused on her as she began to tremble, clenching her fists as tightly as she could.
"Applejack-
"Alright, Alright! I give, I concede, I want him to hog tie me and stuff his apple in my mouth, dammit, Happy!" she yelled out, he eyes widening, looking at everyone. Soon, one after another, all the girls raised their hands in defeat, Rainbow being the last one to do so.
"Look, I know it's a lot right now, but I promise I'll explain it all over the phone at the hotel," Twilight said.
"Phone? Why not now?" Rainbow asked.
"Because Rarity and Spike can't know." Starlight finished. "Look, we'll explain later; here they come," she said, as the sound of the bathroom door clicking open hushed them.
Flashback end
After running another 2 miles, Aj called it there for Twilight's sake, and they decided to stop at a nearby cafe to grab some breakfast. As they entered the cafe, they were surprised to see their friend Rainbowdash sitting alone at a table far away. They quickly joined her and ordered their food. During the meal, Twilight had to excuse herself to use the bathroom, leaving the other two alone for a little while.
"If I knew you were going on a run this morning, I would have joined ya," Applejack said.
"Same. So, you decided on where we're going on your day? Please, say clubbing!" She pleaded. She shook her head no and shrugged her shoulders.
"I haven't decided yet. Thought we could try going down to the beach or see some of the local movies," she said. As they discussed their plans, a young mare approached their table.
"Excuse me, ma'am." She kindly asked.
"Did you need any assistance?" she asked. The mare took out her phone and inquired, "Were you at the ice skating rink yesterday?" She looked over to Rainbow, who shrugged. "Yeah, I went with a few friends," Aj said, now seeing the mare jumping up and down in excitement.
"Can I please get a selfie with you?!" She begged. Flattered, the kind mare, agreed and had Rainbow take the picture for them. After the photo was taken, Rainbow offered to send her the selfie, but the mare had already left before she could finish, making AJ laugh at her failed attempt. Twilight returned to see the mare bouncing away from her table.
"Did I miss something?" she asked.
"Just an admirer," AJ said, Rainbow sulking in her seat. They talked for a bit more before paying and made their way back to the hotel when they were stopped at the entrance by a couple asking for a picture with Applejack.
"Oh, come on, that's two in a row." She said.
"Sure, I guess," she shrugged. The couple squealed after taking the picture.
"Well, I'm going to relax for a little. Call me when we're about to head out," she said. Riding the elevator up to her floor, she took a moment to reminisce about her brief conversation with Spike yesterday. She couldn't help but think about how warm he felt in her arms and the tingling sensation that ran down her back as she thought of his face. She was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into the old cleaning lady who was in front of her.
"I am so sorry, miss. I was just lost in my daydreaming," she said.
"It's ok. I remember what it was like to be in love also," the old maid said.
"L-LOVE. No, No, No, I'm not...At least I think I don't......I-I, I'm single," she blurted out. Embarrassed, she covered her face with her hat and walked to Spike's room door. She knocked, hoping to get an answer-
"I'm sorry, but if you're looking for that young man, he left about 30 minutes ago with that pretty purple-haired girl," she said. She scoffed after hearing her describe Rarity. Pushing her annoyance aside, she asked the older woman if she knew where.
"OHH, Right there."
"You like that, huh, Rarity!"
"Oh~ I do. Harder Spikey Harder,"
(POP)
"Ah~ Yes. Ohh Spikey, why didn't you tell me you were this good at giving massages," she said, lightly arching her back as Spike sat atop her. The two were relaxing by the poolside atop the hotel. This pool is reserved only for Premium hotel members, so they had the place entirely to themselves. And just in case anyone did appear, they hid with the large umbrellas, obstructing anyone's view of them.
"It would've been weird to just spring that on you, don't you think?" he said, digging his thumb in gently around her shoulder blades. She hummed in delight at his work.
"Does anyone know about this talent of yours? I guarantee if you showed Lotus and Aloe, they'd hire you on the spaahhh~ uhhmm~ right there," she said, trailing off.
"Apart from Applejack, you're the only other one," he said, thinking back to when he felt indebted to Applejack.
"A little lower pls, darling," she pleaded to him. He did as instructed.
"You're almost there, Spikey," She said. Growing nervous and flustered, he realized how far down she wanted his hands.
"B-But," he stammered. She grinned as she felt his hands vibrate on her back.
"Ah, Ah, Ah. You have yourself to blame for this one," she said. Spike thought to last night when he grabbed her ass while they made out.
"T-that was different. I was drunk on your...perfect body," he trailed off as he stared at her plump butt. Feeling a knot in his throat, he swallowed as she used her magic to help move his hands down. Finally connecting, he couldn't help but dig his fingers into her as she let out a small yet high-pitched moan to mess with the dragon. He fidgeted, snapping his head back at her, blushing hard as she laughed.
"That wasn't funny!" he said
"I'm sorry, Spikey. Maybe I overstep a tad bit," she said.
"Having fun, are you?" she said.
"Very much so,"
"You lucky I love you,"
"And how lucky I am," Just before he could lean in to kiss her, the sound of the elevator door dinging shut down all further intentions they had.
"Spike! You up here?" Someone shouted. They tensed their bodies as their heads peeked over the umbrellas.
"Crap! It's AJ! Hide," he whispered. "Applejack, what are you doing up here?" he said, jumping out from the umbrella and putting up a forced smile. Rarity glanced over the side.
"There ya are...Rarity isn't up here, is she?" She asked.
"WHAT!?! No. She's not up here. Just me...enjoying the pool. Why'd you ask?" Trying his best to sound convincing.
"I wanted to talk to you about something in private," she said, suddenly shyly rubbing the side of her arm. "Spike, you've known me for a long time, and we've shared so many good memories. Do you remember when you saved me from that timber wolf years ago?"
"Yeah, I'm sorry for making things awkward earlier. I just felt like I had to do something to repay you," Spike said, memories of him doing his best to assist Applejack flooding back to him.
"It's fine, Spike. Looking back on it, it was actually kind of cute," she said, reaching out to take his hand, seeing that his face was slightly red.
"Spike, do you remember that time you almost kissed me?" Instead of feeling embarrassed, Spike felt an intense heat building on his back, instinctively knowing why.
"Yeah, I remember. I'm also sorry about that. I was thinking of Rarity," he said, AJ's smile shrinking a little.
"Do you still like her, by any chance?" she asked, walking her fingers up his chest.
"Wait, you knew!?" he asked.
"Worst kept secret in ponyville. Now, Spike. Uhm, are you...seeing anyone right now?" Rarity's face grew pale. Hoping that Applejack didn't see through their secret.
"WHAT~? Phew, no. Of course not. Nobody is seeing me...I mean, I'm not seeing anybody," he got out, his face glowing red. Applejack listened to him rambling on about how "painfully" single he was. She grabbed his hand, cutting him off.
"Well, that's a darn shame. Cause if I were Rarity, I would give you a chance," she said, bringing his hand closer to her face. Spike froze, surprised by her actions, as she kissed his knuckles. He yanked his hand back, and they awkwardly stared at each other for a moment.
"Well, you have fun. I'd stick around, but I'm not exactly dressed for a pool party," she said, waving at him before pressing the elevator button. She gave him a wink before the elevator doors closed in front of her. Spike looked back down at his hand and then at the elevator doors.
"Weird," he said.
"You're telling me." Rarity said, stepping out from the umbrella and giving him a slight glare. He stepped back a little bit, almost falling into the pool.
"Sorry for not making her leave sooner...H-how much did you hear?" he hesitantly asked. She said nothing as she walked closer and closer to him, her eyes never leaving him.
"Enough..." she said. He gulped at nothing as her palm touched his chest. He could only guess what she would do next.
"Wait! Before you send me to my watery demise, at least grant me one final kiss." he jokingly asked, trying to lighten her mood. Slowly, she inched her face close to him, puckering her lips. Spike readied himself for her, expecting her supple lips to greet his own, but made contact with her finger instead.
"Not this time, Spikey-Wikey," she said before pushing him into the water. He popped up, wiping the water from his eyes to her, laughing to herself. He frowned as she wiped a tear from her face.
"Your face was priceless," she said. He ignored her, floating atop the water's surface. He looked up at the clear sky.
"For the record, that "almost kiss" happened during the diamond dog incident," he said, swimming to the edge.
"I'm not mad about the kiss," she said, settling down from her laugh.
"You're not? he said, surprised.
"Of course not...well, a little. But I can't shift any blame onto you for it. Plus, you did say you were imagining "yours truly"...but that's not why I'm upset." Spike looked at her, even more confused than he was before as she crouched down near the pool's edge.
"We agreed to keep our relationship a secret, but actually hearing you say you were single...you saying it just...set something off inside of me. It made me feel unwanted." she finished. He climbed up the edge, lifting himself out of the pool and taking her hands in his. Starting with her left, he kissed each of her fingers before switching to her right to do the same. Her face grew heavy as she felt his lips softly press on each other. He used her hands to sandwich his face, his thumbs massaging the back of her hands.
"I'm sorry I made you feel that way. I'm an idiot dragon," he said.
"No, I wasn't saying that." she quickly replied.
"I am. I panicked and rambled on, knowing you were right behind me. Whether it was unintentional or accidental, I never want to hurt you. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?" he asked. Rarity pulled him in, touching her forehead to his.
"Of course I can, you sweet silly drake," she said. Spike smiled softly before moving his hand down her side, pulling her in.
"Thanks. And I hope you can forgive me again for this.
"For wha-" Quickly, he shifted to her right side, shoving her into the pool. She let out a small scream as she made contact with the water. He savored the look of disbelief and surprise as she popped up from the water. His smile and laughter set free as she pushed her hair out of sight.
"My hair!" she exclaimed. "You'll pay for that when I get out of here!" But when she looked, he wasn't on the edge anymore. Suddenly, she heard a sound coming from the diving board. Spike was standing atop it, lightly bouncing on the board.
"You wouldn't dare," she playfully remarked.
"Cannonball!" he shouted as he splashed into the pool, sending ripples to every edge. The moment he resurfaced, she ambushed him, jumping on his back. They laughed together, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
As the group walked down the lanes of Canterlot, Rainbow admitted to Twilight, "I have to say, that wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be." They had just left the historical museum of Canterlot and had formed another circle around Spike, with Rarity standing a little closer to him than before, somewhat hiding him from the view of others.
"If only "we" didn't cause so much damage," Twilight sighed, shaking her head at the group.
"What?! Name one thing "we" did," she snarkily asked. Her friends yelled at her, "No," before Twilight snapped her fingers, making a list appear in her hands as they groaned in annoyance.
"For starters, How did you manage to get on top of a brontosaurus's skeleton, Pinkie?" she asked as everyone's head turned to look at her.
"I told you I don't know. One minute, I was standing there staring at its neck, then I thought to myself, "That looks so cool. I wonder if they ever picked up smaller dinosaurs like a crane and let them slide down it for fun." The next thing I knew, I was sitting on top of him...her...The dinosaur, I'm on the dinosaur's skull." she finished.
"I need to put a bell around you when we go out to a place like that. Speaking of bells, What were you thinking, taking down those saddle bells, Starlight?" Twilight said.
"The colors we're mix-matched on all but that one pair. I read that if you ring a pair of matching bells, you're granted good fortune. You can't tell me you wouldn't think the same thing and wanna test out your theory." Starlight remarked.
"No, I wouldn't. I would be smart and ask Celestia for more information before asking to test it." she remarked back.
"Well, I'll be sure to ask Spike for a paper and quill next time." She replied, winking at him. He shrugged it off as her being jokey.
"And Fluttershy, why were you arguing with the staff and fighting with security? You were the last person I expected to do something like this," questioned the speaker. Fluttershy clenched the sleeves of her shirt and muttered to herself, looking like she was about to burst a blood vessel.
"I can answer that." Rarity said, "Shy was trying to reason with the staff to "Remove" the stuffed animals that were on display. They were less than reasonable, and that's when things took a turn." she finished. Twilight sighed, now realizing why she was so bothered.
"I'd never thought I'd see a day where you'd pick a fight, Fluttershy," Rarity said.
"They started it. I finished it," She muttered loud enough for them to hear her, earning some shocked looks.
"And finally. How did you two get banned from the gift shop?" She said, looking over to Applejack and Rainbow.
"That Douche told me there's a limit to how much candy I could buy. And that Buck wanted me to pay ten Bits for a keychain. What I look like paying that price." They said.
"That guy seemed friendly to me," Spike said. "I walked in to buy me and Rarity a snack, and he gave me a handful of them for free."
"Wait, seriously," she said, smiling. "You got any more of those? I'm working up a storm over here." Rainbow said, rubbing her grumbling stomach. He felt for his pockets, shaking his head.
"Dang it, I'm starving," she said.
"There a place a few blocks ahead from here," Starlight said.
"Great! Race you there," Rainbow said before sprinting ahead. Eventually, they caught up and stood in front of a cafe with a bright sign above that spelled out "Daisy's Oasis." Upon entering, they were quickly greeted by a mare dressed in a maid outfit.
"Good evening, Mistresses and Master~. I'm Hollie Blueberry," she said.
"This is a maid cafe!?!" Rainbow shouted, a little too excited.
"Maybe we should find somewhere else," Applejack remarked, everyone but Rainbow agreeing.
Sliding over to Twilight's side, Rainbowdash whispered, "We don't have anything like this in Ponyville. There are fewer people here, and that means fewer eyes on Spike." Twilight's eyes lit up in revelation, and her behavior made a complete 180.
"Rainbow dash is right, for once. We should open up to this new experience." She said. Although a little hesitant, they agreed to give it a try.
"I did always wonder what it would be like to have a maid. Oh~ or a butler. This could be fun." Rarity said.
"I guess it's worth a try. Being called mistress sounds weird, though. Isn't there something else you can call us?" Aj asked of Blueberry.
She continued, "We can address you as 'My Lady,' 'Your Highness,' 'Master,' 'My Lord,' 'Daddy~.'" Focusing on Spike. He chuckled awkwardly, backing up slightly as he could feel her hungry eyes undressing him. Rarity noticed and stepped up, accidentally pushing Spike.
"If you could, please show us our table. We want to eat, then be on our way." Rarity said. Blueberry gulped at nothing, quickly walking her to the first empty table she saw. Everyone watched as she took the lead, Spike following behind her.
"Well, that was kinda menacing, right?" Starlight said. All their friends thought the same things.
"She was happy just a second ago. Maybe we should have gone somewhere else after all." Applejack said.
"Or maybe she's still up about yesterday. Having to share a room might still be bugging her," Pinkie said.
"Let's not keep them waiting," Twilight said. They all sat down at a table, side by side. Spike sat in front of Rarity, with Pinkie and Applejack next to them. Two unicorns in butler suits came out with a notepad and pencil. The one with scruffy hair reluctantly walked over to the other table, while the one with flat hair happily skipped over to Spike's table. As everyone read through the menus, the waiter focused his attention on Spike.
"Good evening, Master," he joyously said. "What will you be having today?" Spike glanced at the menu before noticing something.
"Um, aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, trying not to sound rude. The waiter blinked before looking at the rest of the girls.
"Oh, Good evening to your Mistresses as well." Spike's eyes widened as he glanced from the waiter to Rarity. His face lit up as he dropped his menu.
"What-uh, no." He stammered. "You're mistaken, I don't-" he paused, looking at Rarity again. "I mean, you can't just call them "Mistress." "My Lady" sounds more Beautiful to me," he said, rubbing Rarity's leg from under the table with his. This sudden act made her cover her face with the menu. Everyone briefly thought to themselves she was embarrassed. They were only half right, as Spike was the only one who knew how she was really feeling.
"Spikey! To think you could be so flirty. And in front of our friends in public, to boot. You naughty dragon." She thought. Meanwhile, Pinkie was starring at Spike. His words "My Lady" and "Beautiful" bounced around her head, like she does when she's throwing a party. Applejack, on the other hand, noticed how he didn't deny her specifically. She became delighted at the thought of Spike seeing her in a different limelight.
"Of course. Now, what can I get for you, Master?" he asked again. Spike picked up his menu again, doing a quick scan of it.
"I'll have the "King's delight" please.
"Oh, you flatter me, but sadly, I'm not on the menu," he said, placing his hand on his chest. Spike let out an awkward giggle, hard focusing on his menu.
"I'll have the "Princess's four-layered grilled cheese," and the "Apostle sub," please," Pinkie and AJ said. He said nothing to them, quickly writing it down before turning to Rarity, still covering her face behind the menu. Spike called her name, bringing her back to reality.
"Oh. Sorry, Spikey. I had my head in the clouds for a second they're. And I'm not even a Pegasus." she said, making him laugh. Noticing how real his laugh was compared to earlier, he let out an exasperated laugh of his own, gathering everyone's eyes in the cafe for a moment.
"That was hilarious. You, madam, I mean, My lady, are truly delightful. What will you be having?" he said, straightening himself out.
"I'll have the Hearts salad and a fruit bowl, please," she said. The butler nodded, bowing to them before slyly winking at Spike as he left with the other butler.
"Well, how was he?" The scruffy-haired unicorn asked.
"He's so freak cute. I'm so slipping my number on his receipt." The flat-haired unicorn replied.
"Ugh, I'm so jealous."
"Why. Your table has a Princess sitting in it."
"You wouldn't be saying that if you lost the coin toss. And what was that laugh earlier."
"He laughed at that mare's joke but barely chuckled at mine. "Maybe if I laugh," I thought, "he'll find me more..." appealing" if you catch my drift," he said. The stallion sighed to himself as they fixed the table's drinks.
"This is why I should have won the coin toss. If you want to catch someone's eye, you gotta let your true self shine," he said, casually flipping his hair. The sound of the bell rang as the chef announced the finished food. He seized the chance, snatching up the tray and four glasses of tea, silently mouthing "Watch" to him as he trotted over to Spike's table. He tried to intervene, but the bell sounded again, signaling another table's meal. The unicorn rolled his eyes as he grabbed the food, walking it over to a different table.
"Good Evening, Duke and Duchess. Here are your meals," he said, carefully placing down the trays.
"Thank you...wait. What happened to the other-
"They are other tables here, my lord. Us butlers tend to everyone. Although, if you wish, I could personally service you...and your Duchess as well, of course." he said, stammering at the end. Spike blushed, looking down at his sandwich before swallowing.
"Thank you, but it's okay. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble over me," he said, waving his hand.
"Very well," He said, placing their food and drinks down before leaving to cater to the other customers.
"Yay, the food here," Pinkie said, grabbing her grilled cheese and ripping it in half, watching as it stretched apart. Applejack enjoyed her sub, taking a sip of her tea. "Not bad," she remarked before turning back to her food. Rarity munched on her salad while Spike at his meal. As they ate, they talked about what other places they should visit while they were there. As Pinkie and Applejack traded ideas with the other table, an idea came to Rarity. Taking a bite of her fruit salad, she rubbed around his inner thigh with her foot, catching his attention.
"The fruit here is really fresh," poking a piece of watermelon with her fork. "Here, try some Spikey," she said waving it in. Spike obliged, leaning over the table and biting softly onto her fork, catching every in the cafe's attention. The sweet juices of the watermelon hit his tongue as he slid back into his chair. "Good, right?" she said, playing innocently.
"I don't know. It's got nothing on Sweet Apple Acres, but it's still pretty good. Maybe in need to try the other, just to be sure," he said, rubbing his for alongside her leg, returning the earlier gesture.
"They're some apples in here as well. Want to see if they're just as good?" she coyly asked, waving the piece of apple on her fork at him. Suddenly, A hand grabbed at her fork, surprising them both.
"Gladly," Applejack said, biting at the fork. The girl, watched as she ate off of the same fork he had freshly in his mouth. This little act Sparked jealousy in everyone around them. Handing the fork back to Rarity, she promptly wiped it off with her napkins.
"It's ok. But I'll leave them my family's card, you know if they want any real apples," she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin.
"I'm glad that you liked it, but I was actually giving that to Spike," she commented while finishing cleaning her fork. Applejack simply shrugged and said "My bad". She gripped her fork tightly as if she were squeezing the life out of it. Spike leaned back further into his chair, making eye contact with Pinkie as they both watched the scene unfold before them.
"Excuse me, Master," the butler returned, interrupting their squabble, holding a large metal tray. He was accompanied by the maid, Hollie Blueberry, whom Rarity noticed looked different. "Is she wearing makeup?" she thought, seeing that her eyes were directed at Spike. RShearity cleared her throat, causing Hollie to look forward and step back behind the butler.
"Is something the matter?" she asked him.
"On the contrary," he said. He looked over to the scruffy-haired butler, standing at Twilight's table, holding a similar concealed metal tray. In unison, They placed the trays down on the tables, swiftly pulling off the lids to reveal small bowls of ice cream sundaes drizzled off with chocolate, waffle cones, and sprinkles with a cherry on top of each one.
"That mare over there paid for everything, including the bill for you and your ladies," Blueberry said, pointing to a mare sitting by herself in the corner. She wore a long, draped, beige-colored dress and a large black hat. They all turned to face her, only to see the back of her head as she faced away from them, only waving the back of her hand as she sipped her drink.
"That's so nice. Could you please tell her thank you for us?" Twilight asked?
"Will do, My lady. Please enjoy," he finished, walking away with the trays as Blueberry walked over to the mystery mare. She watches as she whispers in her ear, hoping to see her face. One swift pull from the rainbow dash, however, closes her window of opportunity.
"See what I told you. Coming in here was a good idea. You should listen to me more often," she remarked, scooping away at her sundae. As both tables conversed in chit-chat, Spike peered in the direction of the mystery mare.
"What's wrong, Spikey?" Rarity asked.
"That mare. I don't know why, but I get the strangest feeling I've seen her before," he said. Rarity looked over as well, admiring her outfit.
"Well, whoever she is has wonderful taste," she said. Suddenly, the mare stood up and walked out of the cafe. Spike honed his eyes on her, trying to get a good look at her. As she cracked the door open, another couple walked in at the same time. The only thing he managed to see was a sliver of her gold earring as the sun hit her from the side. He scoffed at himself, unable to ever know who it was that paid him and his friends such kindness.
He picked up his spoon to dive into his sundae, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. However, he was taken aback when he noticed that his sprinkles spelled out a trio of phone numbers. He looked over at the maid, who was talking to the butlers that served them. They sheepishly waved at him while the butlers blew him a kiss, causing him to feel embarrassed. He then shifted his gaze towards Rarity, who was relishing her waffle cone. On the other hand, Pinkie had already finished her sundae and looked ready to take a nap. He side-eyed Aj, who was in the midst of trading waffle cones with Starlight for the cherry. He placed the same emerald he had from the day before on the table and said that he needed some air before leaving. Outside, he felt people's gazes on him as he stood next to the door, the same gazes he had seen in Ponyville and the Crystal Empire. The same whistles, clicks, and comments trying vigorously to dig past his scales.
"Can they not?" he thought to himself. "Why is it that everywhere I look and go, I feel so naked? Makes me wish I was-" The bell doors rang, spooking him. He looked to see Rarity coming out of the cafe.
"Are you alright, darling?" she asked as if she already knew the answer.
"I-I can't...I think I'm all adventured out today," he said, putting his hands in his pockets.
"I see. Do you want to head back to the hotel with me then?" she asked him, getting closer.
"What?"
"Me and you can go back to our room, watch movies, play cards, or we could do...other activities," she said, licking her lips. His tail stiffened, and his face flushed a bright red as he began looking in all directions.
"W-W-Well, I ugh, I...we can't just leave our friends...can we?"
"Hello, there. How are you doing today?" Said the friendly ticket boothstallion.
"One ticket to Canterlot, please. Keep the change, for I have no need." said the mare, placing a sack of bits on the counter.
"Thank you, and have a pleasant trip," he replied as she received her ticket from him. The mare promptly settled into her seat and pulled out a few pictures and a scroll with Celestia's seal. The pictures show off Applejack's knockout of a stallion at the ice rink. She examined them, then looked back at her scroll, carefully scrutinizing every detail of the writing. A twinge of nervousness rushed through her as she bit down on her bottom lip.
"If what she said in this letter is true, Then I have reason to fear what could ensue," she said, looking out the window as the train started.
[Player 2 WINS]
"Oh, yeah! Can't touch this!" Spike exclaimed as he celebrated his victory over Rarity by dancing on top of his bed. She observed him as he shook his hips and tail from side to side. Feeling embarrassed, Spike quickly sat back down, holding his controller tightly as he rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, good game, good game," he nervously said. Rarity couldn't help but laugh at his sudden change in demeanor.
"You're fine, Spikey. It's rather nice. Not losing, of course, but seeing this side of you! It's like I'm getting the chance to know you all over again," she said, setting her controller down on her bed. He smiled at her words, setting his controller down as well.
"Thanks again," he said.
"For what?
"This," he said, motioning to the space around them. "I didn't say it back at that cafe, but you for doing this for me really mean a lot," he said.
"Who said it was just for you?" she remarked, surprising him. She picked up her controller again, clicking the game's character select menu. "While the food was nice, the ponies at that cafe needed to work on their behavior. I always wanted to know what it was like to have a butler or a personal servant, but if they act like that, then count me out. I'm here because I want to be as well. Sharing this time with you alone, that's my cherry on top," she finished, choosing her character.
"Just like the sundaes," he said, picking up his controller and doing the same.
She snickered, "Yes, just like the sundaes. Was something wrong with yours? You didn't even touch it." she said. He said nothing. Once the match started, he paused it, excusing himself to the bathroom. He sat his controller back down before walking over to the bathroom door closing it behind him. She eyed his controller and then looked back at the door, then at the paused game. Quickly, she got out of her bed and tip-toed over to his. She flipped it over, taking the battery cover off before removing the batteries themselves and quickly sitting back down on her bed. Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text from their friends saying that they were on their way back. "Hopefully, they're all tired from sightseeing and want to stay in their rooms," she said hopefully, cutting her phone off.
Spike walked out of the bathroom, patting his damp hands on his shirt before sitting back down on his bed.
"Sorry for the wait," he said, picking his controller back up.
"No worries," she said as she unpaused the screen. Spike frantically tapped his controller, yelling at his character to move, but to no avail. Rarity held in her laughter as she decimated his character and won the match.
"My controller wasn't working. You got lucky," he said.
"Luck has nothing to do with it." she smugly said. She stretched her arms out, her shirt pulling up, showing her off her lean figure. Spike stared at her as she did so, which she noticed. "Eyes up here, Spikey," she teased, making him stare at the ceiling. His mind thought back to her teasing him just outside of the cafe earlier.
"You know when you said "Other activities," playing "Smash Mares'" was the last thing I had on my mind," he admitted to her.
"Ohh~" she let out, getting up from her bed and walking over to his. She slowly crawled atop his bed, making him press himself against the headboard as her hands planted themselves on each side of him. "And just what was it you thought I meant," she asked.
"N-Nothing. Just that, uh, you're actually really good at them," he said sheepishly. A little surprised, she leaned back some, gliding her fingers through her hair.
"Really, You're not just saying that, are you?" she said.
"No. You're really good. I honestly thought you didn't like video games. Especially fighting ones like this. Imagine my surprise when you asked me if I had any?" he said, leaning forward some.
"Well, not to brag or anything, but I do occasionally play a game or two with Sweetie every so often. At first, I couldn't wrap my head around playing such a violent game, but I played it for Sweetie's sake. It's actually kind of fun now. And the cosmetics and outfits on them are quite appealing." she said, looking back at the TV. "One time, Sweetie asked me to make her a costume based on her favorite character. I got so invested in it that I spent two whole weeks making one for her and two more for her Applebloom and Scootaloo," she said, sitting upright with Spike.
"That's so nice. Wait, can you make me one!?!" he asked with excited eyes.
"You seriously want "me" to make you one?" she asked. He happily nodded. Seeing Spike so excited about the idea of her making him a costume reminded her of the time they went to a Power Ponies Convention. She smiled in delight at the prospect of him wearing one of her costumes to such a large gathering. The compliments they would get, the questions asked, the fun they would have. "Alright. I don't see why not," she said as Spike planted a long kiss on her cheek. She froze, her eyes shot open as a red tint filled where he kissed her on both of her cheeks.
"Thank you, Rarity! Thank you!" he said as he stood up. As he talked about what he wanted to add to it, she rubbed the spot where he kissed her. Her heart raced, and her legs trembled as the room suddenly filled with floating hearts rising from the ground. The scales on Spike's body began to shine beautifully in her eyes, and his teeth shone like moonlight.
"What-what is this?" she questioned to herself. She placed her other hand over her heart. Mesmerized by his appearance, she extended her hand, wondering if what she was seeing was real or not. Abruptly, Spike dropped his phone as he talked. The sound shook her vision back to normal as she watched him bend down to grab his phone. While he checked for any cracks, he saw that the reflection caught her staring at him with her hand out. He grinned, swaying his hips from side to side, watching her eyes and hand follow his rear.
"Well, well~!" he said, startling her as he slowly stood straight. She looked away, pretending to see nothing. "Your eyes may say no, but your body," he said, grabbing her still-extended hand. "Say yes." In her panic, she snatched her hand back as she locked her gaze with his.
"I-I'm sorry. I-I was only trying to tease you for earlier. I didn't-" She sprang forward as she dragged him onto the bed. Her hands clasped at the sides of his face.
"Don't be," she said, hugging him tightly. He reciprocated, leaning into her embrace, taking in the smell of her hair and the natural fragrance. As he moved his hands, he felt something familiar through the outside of her pocket. In a swift action, he dug into her pocket, pulling out the batteries she had taken out earlier. He opens his hand as if presenting them to her.
"He-he," I don't know how those got there?" She awkwardly chuckled. He dropped them onto the ground, moving his hands near her shoulders.
"You cheated. You know what that means, right?" he asked, leaning in on her face.
"That I get a penalty, some sort of punishment perhaps?" she replied, closing her eyes and expecting a kiss. However, she felt his fingers tickling her from all sides possible. As tears streamed down her face, she laughed uncontrollably. Despite her pleas for him to stop, he continued to tickle her. She fought back, aiming for his neck and under his armpits. They both ended up rolling around, trying to gain control. They eventually rolled right off the bed, laughing as they hit the floor. Together, they looked at each other contently, holding each other's hands. Just as he brought her hand up to his lips, they heard a knocking at the door. They hurried to their feet in dismay, patting themselves off as if they were covered in dirt. Spike walked to the door as Rarity stood behind him. He opened the door, revealing all their friends.
"Hey, girls...when did you all get back?" he asked, putting up a forced smile.
"Just now," Rainbow said.
"How're you feeling? Twilight asked, holding her hands.
"Better, thanks. How'd the rest of y'all's day play out? See anything new?" he asked.
"We didn't go anywhere else?" Starlight said.
"You didn't?" Rarity interjected. "Then where were yall the rest of the day? Don't tell me you stayed at that cheeky cafe the whole time,"
"Buck, no. We just walked around until we got tired. Thinkin' about just chilling at the hotel all day tomorrow." Applejack said.
"That's a marvelous idea. Now, if you would excuse us, Spikey and I still have some Unfinished business," Rarity stated, resting her hands on his shoulders. He glanced up at her, clearly perplexed.
"Uh yeah. That's right. Unfinished business." he repeated.
"We can help, whatever it is," Fluttershy said.
"That's quite fine. I'm sure you wouldn't like it," she said, closing the door. Applejack stopped it, putting her foot in the way.
"By all means, do tell." She said, sounding a little aggressive. The two stared each other down as if lighting was coming out of their eyes. Spike couldn't help but interject, fearful of what could happen next.
"It's nothing—just a game of Smash Mares," he said, waving his hands.
"SMASH MARES!" Pinkie shouted. "I want to play." She pleaded, begging to be let in. Spike looked up at her again.
"(Sigh), I get 1st round," she commented, letting them in. Pinkie jumped in celebration, hoping inside first as everyone else followed shortly behind her.
"I thought you hated video games," Twilight said.
"Oh, Twilight, not you too," she said, sparking a laugh from Spike as he picked up the batteries he dropped earlier, handing them to Pinkie Pie. And so, they all played the night away, with everyone taking turns playing against whoever won the last match while trash-talking and encouraging each other at the same time. Pinkie ended up winning the most before secretly letting Fluttershy win the previous game as she struggled to play, pretending it was bad luck on her part. After about an hour or two, everyone went back to their rooms to settle in for the night, leaving Spike and Rarity alone once again.
"Come on, Smolder. I know you're faster than this," Ember said, flying next to her.
"Give me a break. I was just asleep less than 10 minutes ago before you came breaking into my dorm. You damn near gave my roommate a heart attack when you destroyed my door," she said, earning a smack on the head with Secpter.
"Language. " She scolded her. "I need to get to Canterlot. And I need you as my guide."
"WHAT!" She screamed angrily. "That's the Fucking reason you broke into my dorm, dragged me out of bed, and nearly gave my roomie a heart attack!" she yelled, earning another smack on the head.
"Language! And I'm sure that Changling friend of yours is fine," Ember stated.
"That's not the point. You don't need me for this. And if it's so "important," why didn't you tell, oh, I don't know," the only other freaking dragon in Ponyville?" she said. Ember swung her Secpter again. Smolder managed to dodge it, mocking her before she landed the second hit.
"AH, I didn't even curse that time," she said.
"That's not why I struck you," she replied. "Do you honestly think I wouldn't have asked him if I could have?...WELL!" she yelled, scaring her slightly.
"N-no"
"The reason I'm taking you is because of "that" Drake." Smolder's eyes widened at this shocking revelation.
"What?" she asked. Ember said nothing, instead speeding up as she flew further ahead into the distance.
"H-Hey, wait. You can't just leave me on a cliffhanger like that!"