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// Heating Up 
// Story: Rainbow Dash's Foolish Prank 
// by Troyjan 
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Spike was relieved. If any-pony that was around in that moment was going to save him from this dilemma, it would have to be Rarity. Spike mustered up the will to carefully slide away from Flutter Shy’s embrace, and stood back onto his feet. The rhythm of Rarity’s hooves continued until they were visible atop the stairs above. The rest of Rarity was visible soon after. However, Spike immediately noticed that there was something rather unusual about Rarity’s appearance.
Rarity’s eyes were closed as she held her muzzle high, walking in a confident, deliberate matter. That type of demeanor was not too unusual or unexpected of Rarity when matters were serious. What was, however, was her attire. Spike had often seen Rarity wear her own designer dresses, and various other miscellaneous attire she had for a multitude of different situations. However, Spike had never before seen her dress in anything like the attire that she had on now.
There were many strange social norms in Equestria society involving clothing. The clothes a pony wore in public, if any were worn for that matter, were often just another means of expression. Choosing to wear certain articles could come off as rude or provocative, while wearing nothing at all was almost always acceptable. It did not need to be said that Rarity always took great effort in maintaining her appearance, and took great pride in doing so. Being the renowned clothing designer and fashionista she was, Rarity always strived to appear positively exceptional. It was her professional duty after all, that both she and all her clothing designs were viewed exceptionally against even the highest standards of upper Equestrian society. In order to fulfill such a duty, Rarity had to be aware of every norm, trend, rule, taboo, tradition, and custom there was in pony culture that involved clothing. This left no doubt to Spike that Rarity’s choice of attire was in every way intentional as it had been expertly selected.
Rarity had applied a dark layer of eye liner and eye shadow instead of the more subtle light blue eye liner she casually wore. Her long, regularly maintained, purple mane was not hanging free in luscious curls as it normally did, but was tied back behind her head by a silver hairband. Piercing her ears were two matching sets of small, silver earrings. Most prominent was the matching black corset that tightly fitted along her whole body. Bringing the whole look together were the tight, black, fishnet stockings that she had over each of her four legs, which reached down to her ankles and pressing into her thighs. Lastly, Rarity had put on a tight, cloth band around her neck.
Rarity reached the bottom of the stairs and turned towards her company. When she opened her deep blue eyes, Spike was immediately caught by her stunning gaze. Rarity sauntered over towards the others, her seemingly bored and uninterested expression only adding to her bravado. Spike remained completely still, unable to look away as his maw hung slightly agape.
“Step aside ladies, I shall take things from here”, ordered Rarity, in an authoritative voice.
“Oh my”, whispered Flutter shy, as she got onto her hooves and slowly backed away. The others also began to step aside, as Rarity continued her advance towards the dragon. Towards her dragon.
“Watch out every pony, the deva, has arrived”, announced Rainbow Dash.
“Well, I guess I can’t compete with that”, admitted Starlight, eyeing up Rarity.
Applejack let out a loud whistle as Rarity passed in front of her. “Darn Rarity aren’t you a pretty sight”, she commented.
Rarity continued her stride, appearing to utterly ignore her friend’s remarks. Her eyes were now fixed onto Spike as Spike’s own eyes stared back. She moved right up in front of him, before stopping. Spike hunched over his larger frame once more to meet Rarity just above her eye level.
“Let us get this done and over with, shall we Spike”, offered Rarity.
“But, Rarity, how could you-, why would you-, isn’t this-…?”, Spike sputtered, before trailing off.
Rarity turned her head, and waved a hoof in front of Spike’s muzzle. “Hush now, Spike”, demanded Rarity. “Rainbow Dash told you everything you need to know. If you will allow me, I shall get us started. Now sit.”
Spike, like a trained animal, immediately sat onto his haunches as he was told to. Conflicting urges once again coursed through his mind, urges now several times more intense than those he felt before Rarity had arrived at the scene. Years ago, he would have been elated to be in his current circumstance, being in the close embrace of the one pony who he had adored far above any other. But things have changed. Spike had changed. Rarity had most certainly changed. Spike was still a fair bit pleased to be in his current situation. How could he possibly not want what was still, in his eyes, the full attention of the most beautiful mare in the world? But in this moment in time, Spike questioned if he truly wanted Rarity for the right reasons, or if it was wrong to want her as he did.
“But Rarity”, Spike murmured. “I thought- I thought you said you d-didn’t think of me like that. Now y-you’re…”, Spike said desperately, failing to finish yet another sentence.
“Don’t take any of this personally Spike. We all know about the feelings you had for me in the past. Like Rainbow Dash said, this is just a test. Think nothing more of it”, explained Rarity. “Now, lay down Spike”, she ordered, in deeper, more demanding tone, staring at him with the same bored, unphased expression as before.
“But-”, Spike said reactively.
“Do as I tell you, and lay down!”, commanded Rarity, now sounding very annoyed. She took another step closer, now inches away from Spike.
“You better listen to Rarity, Spike. You sure don’t want to upset her now”, taunted Rainbow Dash, as she flapped her wings to hover in the air, looking down at the scene from a higher angle.
“I agree. Spike, if a fine mare you know comes up to you, and tells you get down, you darn sure better get down”, warned Applejack.
Despite being more than three times Rarity’s size, the one with long claws, sharp teeth, and fire breath, Spike was still mentally defenseless in this circumstance. He didn’t stand a chance to Rarity’s alure. For just a brief instance, Spike had practically lost autonomy of his own body as he couldn’t stop himself from caving to Rarity’s demands. Spike laid down on the floor flatly on his back as he was ordered, spreading his wings out to the sides, stretching out his arms and legs, and completely exposing his underside. His heart loudly pounded in his chest, and his breaths were noticeably heavier. All the scales on his face burned as brightly as they possibly could, as Spike’s conscious retreated behind a cloud of blissful anticipation.
“Good dragon”, said Rarity, in a somewhat pleased tone. Rarity began to walk over Spike’s body, with her left and right hooves on opposite sides of him. She continued to saunter over the obedient dragon, slowly swaying her hips, and careful not to step on Spike’s wings. Spike could feel the hairs hanging beneath Rarity’s underside gently brush the scales along his underbelly.
By this point, the entirety of Spike’s girthy, eighteen vertical inches, had been on full display for all to see. If Rarity had even taken notice of such a detail, she certainly didn’t seem even the least bit phased by it. The other ponies in the room were standing around them, now completely silent.
Standing over Spike’s chest, Rarity roughly mounted her front hooves onto Spike’s shoulders, pinning down his neck and arms to the floor. She leaned forward and moved her face just above Spike’s. Rarity hooded her eyes, and gave the sultriest smile she could muster. “I know you’ve wanted this for a long time, my sweet, sweet, Spikey-Wikey” whispered Rarity.
Rarity used the nickname. That same embarrassing yet endearing nickname that she gave him when they first met. The one that she still used from time to time. A thin trickle of smoke escaped from Spike’s nostrils as tiny flames burned deep within his throat. Spike closed his eyes, relaxed his neck, and lowered his head on its side onto the floor. “I’m all yours Rarity”, Spike whispered.
Rarity looked up and spotted Rainbow Dash, who immediately gave her the cue. It was time for the final phase of the plan. Rarity immediately leaped backwards, away from Spike. Pinkie Pie, Flutter Shy, Applejack, and Starlight Glimmer, who had slowly stepped away towards the walls of the room, quickly opened the drapes of the windows to Rarity’s first floor estate, flooding the room with light. Before Spike could react to the incoming sunlight, before he could even open his eyes, Rainbow Dash had already flown into position, directly above him. She took out the small digital camera she had hidden in her mane, aimed it downward, and pressed the trigger. A bright flash of light filled the room.
“LATE APRIL FOOL’S!!”, yelled Rainbow Dash, joined by Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Flutter Shy, Starlight Glimmer, and Rarity. Spike immediately opened his eyes in bewilderment.