"Rarity! Rarity, please open up. I want to talk," Thunderlane screamed from the front of her door. He'd show up at the Boutique calling for her for the past few days. He tried everything, from slipping letters under her door to trying to talk to her when she'd leave the friendship school—even coming in to "browse" her clothing. That last one only worked once since she banned him from entering ever again shortly after he left. The only thing option he was left with was to yell her name.
"For the thousandth time, Go Away. I have nothing to say to you," she yelled, covering her hands with two tiny cushion pillows.
"I'm sorry, whatever it was that I did. I'm sorry-
"Whatever you-" She stopped herself, her horn starting to glow. "No, calm yourself, Rarity. He isn't worth it," she told herself. She walked upstairs to her dressing room, closed her door, and began throwing herself into her work. Minutes passed as she tried to sketch out whatever had come to her mind, each being tossed into the trash. She sighed, thinking of a way out of her current dilemma.
"Rarity, you in there," Sweetie Belle asked, knocking outside her door.
"Yes, Sweetie, you can come in," she said, throwing away another piece of paper. Sweetie Belle entered her room, holding a plate of her favorite cookies and a glass of milk.
"Are you alright?" she asked her sister, setting the cookies on her desk. Rarity took off her red work glasses and put them to the side. She nodded to her, trying to reassure her little sister that she was okay. Having seen how her previous break-ups had played out, she immediately saw past her poker face.
"Maybe you should take to him," she said. She scoffed at her, talking over to her fabrics, pretending to choose a set to use.
"I have nothing to say to him," she said, crossing her arms. In her heart, she wanted to talk to him but not to listen to his apologies. She wanted to break up with him officially. No dancing around her words like she did a week ago but to say the words to him and move on with her life. But, every time she gathered the will for it, she'd instinctively grab the ring on her finger. Its touch drove away any semblance of the choice she had.
"Well, I'm heading to my room. Just call if you need me," she said, slowly leaving her studio room. Once the door closed, she looked over at the cookies she brought for her.
"Perhaps I could use a break. It's not like I've been able to focus anyway." As she took a sip of the glass of milk Sweetie brought her, she suddenly received a call from Twilight.
(Hey, Rarity. How are you holding up?")
(Right now, I wish I could lie and say I'm fine.)
(What's wrong, is it Thunderlane?)
(Yes, unfortunately. {sigh} I don't understand stallions anymore. You ask them to give you some space, and they choose to bother you every second of each waking hour.)
(You want to stay at the castle again? I can have a room ready for you in less than 10 minutes.)
(No. The only thing I want is for him to leave. I need to finish these outfits before next week, and with him Pestering me like this, I'm this close to running with Rainbow's idea and hiring a bodyguard.)
(A bodyguard, huh? That's not a bad idea. Hold that thought for one~ second. Spike, can you come here please?)
Rarity's heart skipped a beat as she heard Twilight call out his name, reminding her of the last time they spoke.
(FLASHBACK)
"Are you okay," he asked her, both having left Sugar Cube Corner after Rarity closed off Thunderlane from her personal life. She said nothing as Spike looked over to her, nervously munching on one of the sapphire cupcakes he bought from Pinkie.
"Spikey," she finally said as her Boutique came into view. She stopped walking, staring at the ground before peering up into his bright emerald eyes. The sun began to set as colors of orange and pink showed through. She shook her head before finally speaking-...
(END OF FLASHBACK)
Back in Rarity's room, a bright purple flash of light appeared beside her. Startled, she spilled her milk as Spike suddenly emerged from it. He was wearing a black tank top and black shorts with a green zig-zag going down the sides. Rarity eyed his appearance as he shook off the drowsiness from the sudden teleportation.
(Wha- Did you just-)
(Teleport Spike to "guard" you. Yes, yes, I did. Have fun!)
Spike glanced around and saw Rarity at her desk. He realized where he was and quickly took her phone to call Twilight, but she had already hung up. "Sorry," he apologized while giving her phone back. She grabbed it, briefly looking at it before returning to his outfit.
"It's fine, uhm. Why are you?" she said, motioning to his damp clothes, which she assumed were from sweat.
"Working out," he said, patting his bicep. "I "was" anyway, before Twilight suddenly poofed me over here," he said.
"That might have been my fault. I was talking to Twilight about how I was actually "considering" listening to Rainbowdash and getting a bodyguard," she said, nervously chuckling. Almost as if on cue, Thunderlane banged on the door again, calling out her name as she groaned in annoyance.
"What's that?" he said.
"The reason she impulsively teleported you over," she said, rubbing her temple. When she opened her eyes again, Spike was gone, her door left open as she saw the end of her spaded tipped tale exit her room. She chased her down the stairs as she saw him walking closer and closer to her front door. She called out his name, telling him not to let him in. He looked back at her with a more minor grin as he gave her a thumbs up, turning back to the door and slowly unlocking it.
"Finally. Thank you-Rarity?" he confusedly said, expecting his hazel eyes to lock with her Sapphire ones, but instead greeted with ones of Emerald. "Spike, what are you doing here?" He asked, extending his hand out for a fist bump. Spike said nothing and continued to stare at him. Feeling awkward, he retracted his hand and looked around Spike's frame to catch a glimpse of her. He smiled briefly before noticing how damp her clothes looked. Before he could call out her name, Spike suddenly spread out his wings, obscuring his view of her while shielding Rarity's presence. She gasped lightly as she realized what he was doing.
"Unfortunately, Rarity can't speak to you now," he said. Agitated by his interference, he looked back at him.
"Why?" he said, sounding demanding. Rarity could practically feel the intensity in the air. The tension grew as Spike's eyes began to slit—the first change on his face since he opened the door. Not backing down, he grunted as he balled up his fist. Before the tension could get any higher, Spike blew out a cloud of smoke right in his face. He winced from the pain in his eyes, backing up as he vigorously rubbed them. Spike grinned to himself as he let out a few fake coughs, bringing his fist up to his mouth.
"I'm Sorry about that. Dragon thing, I was trying to hold it in. Sorry for the scary eyes," he said, returning his eyes to normal and smiling.
Having regained his composure, he approached Spike again. "I'm sorry. I thought you were trying to pick a fight," he said, rubbing his head. Spike laughed and mimicked him.
"Anyway, She's busy," he said.
"With what? Adding some glitter to her makeup so she'd look prettier," he said, playfully nudging Spike's side, completely forgetting Rarity was behind Spike. Before she could open her mouth to rebut him, Spike spoke.
"If anything, she'd make the glitter more beautiful," he said, making her blush behind him. "But no, she's working on a project for the GGG. It's going to take a few days to finish, so she needs zero distractions," he said. Thunderlane acted as if he didn't hear him, looking for a way past him.
"That's it. She's just been making some dresses. If that is all, I can help with that," he finished, trying to duck past Spike's wing, only to stumble back as he used his tail to push him out. "Sorry, but I still can't let you in," he said, his eyes somewhat leering at the falter pegasus. Seeing the look in Drake's eyes aggravated the pegasus. He grunted while he dusted his shoulders off, smirking at him as he re-approached.
"Spike, you should be aware that Rarity and "me" have been in a committed relationship for some time now. I understand her "deeply," he declared, leaning in to speak in a low voice. Despite this, Rarity overheard him. She attempted to step forward and confront him, but instead, she stepped back, feeling repulsed. "I am more than capable of sewing two rags together," he boasted discreetly, aware of his crush on her. He expected Spike to back down and allow him in, but to his surprise, Spike smirked. He didn't waver in the slightest, as if he was the one being looked down on.
"Well, Rarity and I have been friends for even . "Longer," he asserted, whispering back to him in the same forceful manner. Rarity once again heard. A small quiver left her mouth as his voice traveled down her body. The insnaring feeling she had slowly ripping off her. "And, throughout those years, I've dug up gems, sorted her fabrics, polished her mannequins, and helped her make dress and suits alike. My knowledge and experience are the very reason I'm in here...and you aren't," he emphasized, leaning into his face. Before Thunderlane could open his mouth again, he continued. "But, if you think you can be a better assistant than me, try going to Friendship Castle and helping Twilight do her job. Here, I'll send a letter telling her you're on your way," he stated firmly, taking a quill from his pocket. Thunderlane jumped back, waving his arms and repeatedly yelling, "You win, you win," before he put the quill back in his pocket.
"Well, do you know when she won't be busy?" he said.
"Can't say, but for now. Suppose you be so kind as to leave us alone. We have work to do," he said, closing the door. As he turned around, defeated, Spike spoke one last time. "Oh, Thunderlane, one more thing-"
"Yeah,"
"I really am sorry about the smoke. I'm not a violent dragon; the only fights I start-
"Are in O&O. You said that already," he replied
"The only fights I start...are the ones I can win!"
(Door closes and locks)
"See, that wasn't so-" he stopped as he turned around to be enveloped by Rarity's arms. Surprised at first, he gladly accepted, slowly leaning into her hug as she nuzzled her head on his shoulder. Spike embraced the movement, holding the back of her head as he smelled a new scent in her hair. "Vanilla, I like it," he thought to himself.
"You didn't have to do that," she said, looking into his emerald eyes.
"I know," he said. He said, closing his eyes as he leaned in for a kiss. Rarity did the same before she once again recalled their last talk.
(FLASHBACK)
"I think we need a break as well," she told him. Spike froze in disbelief, dropping the unfinished cupcake he had in her hands. She looked down at her feet, closing her eyes as she continued. "I'm sorry, Spikey. But I have a lot I need to decompress right now. I'm glad you were with me earlier, but these last two days were a lot to take in. I don't think I'll be able to...focus if you're around me." She stood there, waiting for his response. She waited for words, expecting them to be filled with confusion or anger. Or both. She could feel her hands trembling, her ring tightening in her clenched hands as she braced for his reply.
"... okay"
"What?!!!"
"Okay,"
Rarity was stunned. She couldn't find the words to say to him. She stammered, nearly biting her tongue. She looked into his eyes. They didn't hold any anger or built-up resentment. She grabbed his face, examining him like a new gem she had unearthed.
"What're doing?" he asked, his face smudged by her hand still. She let go of him.
"I-uh... I-I couldn't believe your response," she awkwardly chuckled.
"I get it. I can't say I like being away from you, but your feelings are important," he said.
"Ough, well, I- uhm...thank you for being so understanding," she said, rubbing her shoulder. Spike moved closer to her, brushing away a stray hair from her face.
"Just promise me that we're still friends," he said.
"I promise," she smiled, giving him one final hug.
(END OF FLASHBACK)
"no," she said, pulling away from him and turning around, her back facing him as she crossed her arms. Her head sank as she slumped. Spike sighed, saddened by her actions, before approaching her. He closed his eyes quickly before walking past her, stopping at the stairs. She opened her eyes, seeing him waiting there with his hand extended.
"You coming?" he said. She smiled, taking his hand as they walked upstairs.
"We're done over here. How's it going with you, Fluttershy?" Applejack asked, walking over to her carrying a bucket of paint. As promised, after she and Big Mac managed to fix the Crusader's tree house, she returned to Fluttershy's to mend all the remaining broken fences.
"I just finished up over her, actually," she said, fanning her work. She looked over her restored yard as if the storm had never happened. She breathed in the smell of the freshly planted flower beds as she took off her gardening gloves. "Thank you so much for helping me out again. Now that all the habitats are fixed, all my animals can return to their homes now," she said.
"It's no problem. I reckon they're going to be real happy when they see it," she said, opening the door as dozens of animals poured out of her house. Her jaw dropped at the sheer number of them.
"You had that many of them critters?" she asked as they walked inside her home. Fluttershy blushed, a little embarrassed.
"I do now," she said. Applejack side-eyed her, confused. She blushed harder, curling her hair with her fingers. When that nasty storm hit us a week ago, some animals lost their homes in the forest. I could leave them out there, so I let them in," her voice growing quieter. Applejack patted her back, easing her nerves a bit.
"That was mighty kind of you. Must have been cramped in her thou," she commented.
"A little. Do you want to hear something?" she whispered. Applejack leaned in as she whispered it in her ear. Applejack burst into laughter, and Fluttershy giggled alongside her.
"No way, that's true. The bear was on the John," she said, clutching her stomach.
"With a Magazine! I think he was wearing my reading glasses Twilight bought me," she said, sitting on her couch. Applejack spotted down next to her, grabbing one of the apples she had sitting in her fruit bowl.
"Listen, Thanks again for the extra supplies. Applebloom can hardly wait to redecorate," she said, taking a bite out of the apple.
"I thought they would've done so already," she replied.
"They promised Pinkie a spot in decorating it, so they're waiting on her," she said. There was a slight pause as she looked at it before taking another bite. "She's busy planning a surprise birthday party for Rumble," she said. Fluttershy paused as she searched her memory for the name. She scratched, trying to figure out where she heard that name.
Having finally been given some peace, she ultimately began diligently sketching on a few designs while Spike checked over and approved the ones he liked, making small note bars for what colors, patterns, and fabrics would work best—hours passed as they managed their work. Standing up from his chair, he stretched out his arms and wings when he stepped on a balled-up piece of paper. Curious, he picked it up. It was a suit design. It didn't look too bad; he liked it much more than any of the other designs she handed him. Rarity, looking up from her sketching, noticed how intrigued he was. She pretended like she wasn't staring at him as he walked over. She took the paper from his hand, excited to see which of her designs he liked.
"Oh," she said, realizing she had thrown it away. Spikey, I can't use this. This one looks terrible. That's why I threw it away," she said.
"I don't think so. You need to switch your sewing pattern on this one," he suggested. "Maybe change the colors from white to blue while you are at it," She placed her hand under her chin and sifted through it.
"Oh my goodness, he is absolutely right. With a few minor tweaks, this piece could become a true masterpiece," she thought to herself, her mind already conjuring up new ideas to add to his own. She looked up at him, Seeing him munch on one of the few remaining cookies that Sweetie Belle had brought up for her earlier. Catching her gaze, he swallowed what he had, giving her a small smile.
"Sorry, I haven't eaten yet today. I'm starving," he said, tossing the rest of the cookie into his mouth.
"Really. Tell me, Spikey, what time is it?" she asked.
"It's Seven," he said, looking at the clock hanging from the wall.
"Well, what's say you and me go and grab something to eat then?" She said. He stammered to him as she stood up from her chair and stretched her arms.
"Just the t-two of us, by ourselves?" he stuttered. She giggled, thinking to herself, "How cute! And to think that this is the Drake who stood up for me so boldly earlier, now reduced to a blushing and fidgeting schoolboy on Hearts and Hoove's Day." She wiped away her smirk and straightened out her clothes.
"You're okay with going out with me, "Not like 'going out' like on a date, b-but 'going out' to eat." He clarified, anxiously shifting his tail. Seeing him like this made her want to kiss him even more than before, but she resisted the urge to kiss his flustered cheeks and instead settled for placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Yes, just two friends going out to eat," she said, unconsciously moving closer to his face. Spike followed up, moving his hands around her side, pulling her in. Although surprised, she didn't resist his advances but encouraged them as she pressed herself closer to him, when she suddenly felt something pressing her side. "Spikey. Is that a gem in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?" she slyed flirtatiously.
"He-he, can it be both," he said as his tail slowly wrapped around her side. At that moment, Rarity forgot everything weighing down on her, including the disheartening moment they had shared after Thunderlane left. She was only focused on whether to go out to eat or make out with him now. She made up her mind, closing her eyes as she moved in for a kiss. Suddenly, there was a knocking at her door, interrupting them. Spike let go of her as she opened the door, sticking her head into the hallway.
"Sweetie, can you see who that is!?" she shouted, hearing a confirming "ok" reply from her sister as she closed her door again. She looked back at Spike, taking a quick scan of him. "Let's get you a change of clothes first. You look like you're ready to run a marathon, much less eat dinner," she pointed out. He pinched at his shirt, feeling slightly embarrassed that he'd been helping her in his workout clothes. "I'll find you something," she said, exiting her studio and walking to her dressing room. When she returned, she handed him a green collared t-shirt and a pair of khaki pants.
"Here you are, darl-er, Spikey." she stammered, fidgeting with her fingers.
"T-Thanks"
...
...
"So, do I...need to leave or..."
"Wha- Oh, Right. Obviously, you need your privacy. That's just common sense," she said, slowly backing to the door. "Right, I'll j-just step out here for a moment," she said, closing the door behind her, slowly falling against the side of the wall, and she blushed in her hands.
Back in Cloudsdale, Soarin sat in his living room reading through a list of all the students' names, races, and interests. He didn't like working at home, but he tried to familiarize himself with them anyway so they'd feel welcome. It was only nice to do, after all. He leaned back in his chair, yawning as he picked up his favorite mug, which had the words "I ❤ ApplePie" on it.
"I wish Dashy were here," he said, sipping his coffee. As he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket, he picked it up without paying attention to the caller. "Soarin here,"
"Hey, it's me," Rainbowdash said. Surprised, he fell back in his chair, screaming as the coffee spilled all over him. Rainbow held her phone back from her ear, looking concerned. "Is this a bad time?" she asked.
"NO! No, I'm just uh- watching a scary movie," he said, stammering as he patted himself down with anything nearby. He grabbed an old jacket hanging from his door and used it to whip the coffee off his table.
"You hate scary movies,"
"I-I ugh, have the lights on."
"Oook, anyway. I need to talk to you. Can I swing by?"
"Sure, sure. Just let me know when you-
(DING-DONG)
"Get here." He hung up, quickly rushing to his room and changing his stained clothes for fresh ones, not caring what they were. He opened the door, looking well at how serious she looked. He tried to lighten her mood.
"Nice 'Thrashers' shirt," he said, leaning against his door as she approached.
"Thanks, Bubbles," she teased. He looked down at his shirt as she welcomed herself into his house.
"Hey, The power puff ponies rocked," he said, defending his choice of clothing.
"I didn't say they weren't." She replied, making her way to his couch, propping her feet up atop the papers he had.
"Hey, be careful where you put those," he warned. She quickly moved her feet, and he retrieved the papers underneath her.
"Sorry about that," she said, handing him the last piece. "Did I ruin it?"
"No, don't worry about it. This is just a list of all the students coming to the Academy next week. I don't know them like you do, but I still want to make them feel welcome," he said, sitting beside her. She looked at him in awe, impressed by his dedication to the field trip. "So, what brings you to "Mi~Casa"." he finished, putting on an accent. She gagged at his terrible language skills.
"Eww. Don't do that again," she joked, punching his shoulder. "But, I need your help with something. It's big. Like, ultra big." she said, exasperating the scale and its importance with her arms. Soarin nodded, sitting up straight. "I'm serious, Soarin.
"Okay, alright! I understand...what am I supposed to understand?" he confusingly asked. Rainbow took a deep breath, holding it momentarily to calm her frustration.
"It's about Thunderlane," she finally revealed. "Have you noticed him acting...different?" He scratched his head, thinking to himself before something came to mind. He told her about how he's been flying down to Ponyville a lot more than usual. He also asked if he knew of any good shops to visit.
"I would have tagged along with him, but I figured he was asking me so he could go with Rarity," he said. He continued, but Rainbow Dash didn't hear him, blocked out by her thoughts.
"Jewelry shops? Does that jerk think he can "buy" her forgiveness and get back together with her like nothing happened?" she thought, biting down on the inside. "I wish I could punch that jerk's mohawk into a chin strap, but I need to focus." She asked him a few more questions. "Any other places?" & "Do you know if he went alone?" Feeling uncomfortable, Soarin stopped answering, opting to ask his own.
"Why are you so interested in Thunderlane? This is starting to feel more and more like an interrogation," he said. She said nothing, scowling slightly at the floor. Soarin narrowed his eyes, zooming in on her face. Suddenly, he gasped and leaned back. "Don't tell me that you... like-like him," he said with a worried tone. She snapped her head up, disgusted by his remark. Unable to control herself, she slapped him, leaving his cheek slightly red, before storming up from her seat, rushing to the door, and flying off.
He held his face in his palm, cupping the pain as he looked depressingly at his open door. "Nice going, Feather-brain! Offend her more with your thoughtless words. She might punch you next time," he thought, belittling himself. Rubbing his stinging face, he opened his door when he suddenly felt something crinkle under his feet. He picked it up, thinking it was part of his earlier list of papers. However, the paper was smaller than his. "Must be Rainbow's," he thought, assuming she dropped when she stormed off.
He blinked surprisingly as he looked at the image on the paper - a photo of him and Rainbow celebrating together after her ceremonial promotion to commander. In the photo, both of them were wearing party hats and holding onto each other for balance with red cups in their hands. Still massaging his reddened cheek, he uncontrollably smiled, looking at her drunken face. "I should say sorry," he said to himself before closing his door.
We return to Spike and Rarity, who arrived at one of Ponyville's restaurants, The Green Hoof. "WoW. Okay, this is happening", he said as they approached the restaurant's doors. She chuckled, turning to him.
"Indeed, it is Spikey," she said. He gulped audibly and loosened his shirt collar, his face turning red. She smiled and reached for the door, but he suddenly grabbed it before her and opened it. He stood by its side and lightly bowed to her.
"Lady's first," he said. She happily walked in, unsurprised by his chivalrous actions. Spike has always acted as a gentledrake to his friends. But in her case, he always went that extra step. They quickly found a table and were soon greeted by a familiar face, for her at least. "Hi, Rarity," they said.
"Rumble?" she questioned. She looked at him, holding a pen and a notepad in his hand and wearing the restaurant colors on his clothes.
"Yup, Yup," he replied. He glanced at Spike, who made no expression, but his intense green eyes caused the pegasus to flinch. Rarity noticed the pegasus's reaction to Spike's gaze. "H-hello, you must be Spike," he said after recovering from the initial surprise.
"Yeah. Nice to meet you," he said, putting up his best smile and extending his hand. Hesitantly, he took his hand, gently shaking it. Although he relaxed them, Rumble could feel the carefully filed down claws touching his hands, making him sweat bullets. He awkwardly smiled and giggled to himself before Spike let go, feeling a little hurt by his current actions.
"Are you alright, sweetie?" Rarity asked, touching his arms. He was still fidgety and jumped again before snapping at her. He glanced back and forth between the two of them and his notepad before saying, "Yeah, yeah, uhm...here's the thing, how about I get someone else to serve you? I'm not feeling too well at the moment, he-he," before hastily walking away to another table, far out of sight. Still slightly insulted by his actions, Spike scoffed in his seat while Rarity tried to hold back a snort of laughter. Soon, a new waiter arrived and hastily took their orders—Spike ordering a burger and Rarity a salad. Once their plates arrived, they happily dug in. As she took a bite of her salad, she couldn't help but notice how much more relaxed he was compared to earlier.
"What, something on my face," he said, muffling his words with food in his mouth. She shook her head.
"No, it's just that you seem back to your old self again," she said.
"Hehe, can you blame me? How could I not have butterflies in my stomach? The "Rarity belle" is having dinner with me." he said with a smile, making her shy away and blush. As she looked away from his gaze, she noticed Rumble watching them. Spike also leaned to the side, curious about what had caught her attention. When their eyes met again, Rumble panicked and quickly scurried away.
"He "sure" seemed nice," he said sarcastically, looking in the direction he walked off to.
"Oh, don't be too hard on him; he couldn't help it," she said before she noticed his displeasure. She opened her mouth to speak again but stopped as she looked around the room. Turning back to him, she cupped her hand to her mouth like a school filly gossiping. "Rumble tends to freeze up when he finds someone... appealing," she finished, leaning back in her seat. Spike took a moment to think before he realized what she meant, and he blushed in embarrassment.
"Well, now I feel both flattered and stupid," he said. She chuckled at his remark as he joined her in her laughter. "If you don't mind me asking, how do you know him?" he asked. She stopped eating as memories of her 1st encounter with him filled her head. She had a nostalgic smile as she aimlessly stared at her salad, playing with the lettuce leaves.
"Rumble is Thunderlane's little brother." She revealed, making him choke on his burger. He quickly swallowed and took a sip of water to calm down. Rarity offered him her napkin, which he gratefully accepted. "I found out he had a sibling after our second date. He's a really nice colt, unlike his brother. That lying.....never mind, let's change the topic!" Rarity continued, nervously releasing the grip on her fork. Spike nodded in agreement, glad to move on from the awkward topic. "How have you been doing, Spikey?" Rarity asked, trying to lighten the mood. Spike smiled and slowly leaned into how he'd been helping Twilight with her duties and the upcoming field trip to Cloudsdale. He got excited when he mentioned how he found a new gem cave, which excited her even more so than him. They chatted for a while longer, already making plans to visit this new cave while savoring each other's company. For a little bit, the past became irrelevant to Rarity as she conversed with her gentledrake. It was only when Rumble appeared again with their bill that they realized the time.
"Here you go," he said, trying to figure out who to hand the bill to.
"I'll get it," they both said, their hands and Rumble's touching. Spike's atop Rumble's and Rarity's atop his. All three blushed as they snatched their hands back to themselves. Spike was the first to speak.
"I'll get it, Rarity. I insist," he said.
"No, Spikey. That's quite alright, I'll get it," she said.
"It's fine. It's only right I pay. Mine was more expensive anyways," he claimed.
"Please, Spikey. You and I both know I'm the expensive one in this relationship," Rarity said anxiously, covering her mouth with her hands and blushing heavily as both pairs of eyes fell on her. Rumble was the first to react, his mouth agape in disbelief. Hearing about this "relationship" suddenly made him question his brother's current position with her. "Did they break up? Why? What's going on here?" These were some of the many quick thoughts that raced through his mind at that moment. Meanwhile, Spike's heart danced as he blushed a storm. He probed his arms up on the table, holding his head while invisible hearts popped around him sweetly.
"I-I mean friendship! I'm the fancy yet generous one, and you're the selfless yet sensual- I mean sweet!-I mean, ugh, Give Me That!" she continued, snatching the bill and opening her purse to count her bits. Rumble took a step back, somewhat frightened by her zealousness.
"You're named Rumble, Right?" he asked. He tensed up when he heard the Drake call his name. He said nothing and nodded. "Here." Both Rumble and Rarity's eyes widened as Spike handed him a rather large gem.
"Wait a minute. They're actually was a gem?" She thought, thinking back to earlier at her Boutique.
"I can't take this!" Rumble protested, waving his hands. Spike grabbed one of them, making the colt blush. He gently placed it in his palm, closing it with his other hand.
"I misjudged you earlier, so please don't worry about it. Consider this both a tip and my apology," he said, standing up from his seat, apologetically nodding to him. Rumble fidgeted before bowing his head to Spike. After that, Rarity handed him the bill, and they thanked him before leaving. The trip back to her Boutique was quick, neither saying a word to one another. At one point throughout their walk, they accidentally bumped hands, startling each other as they bashfully shielded their gazes from each other. Once at Rarity's door, however, the silent wall between them broke.
"Thanks for dinner," he said.
"It was nothing, Spikey," she replied as she entered her room and placed her purse on the table. When she turned around, however, Spike was still standing outside. He starred off at the Sunset in the distance.
"It's getting late. I should head back," he said, turning to face her once last time. She looked at him, a little confused yet sad. "It was nice seeing you again. Even with being your "bodyguard," he said. A warm smile was the last thing she saw before he closed the door, leaving her alone in her living room. Whether it was the sound of the door closing or the last of his words bouncing inside her head, a long and unnerving silence played throughout the room as a thought formed in her mind. "He's...gone-" Suddenly, she sprung up from her seat, lunging for her door before swinging it open as she called out his name with desperation.
"Spike!~" she called, seeing as he had barely walked away. Seeing her panicked, he spun around to face her. She balled up her left hand and grabbed it with her other, asking, "Will you come back tomorrow too?" His heart skipped a beat when she asked, the light green scales on the side of his face flapping up and down. Walking up to her, he raised his hand and stuck out his pinky.
"Promise."
Spike made his way back to Friendship Castle. His mind is content and happy with the moments and memories of today. His steps were light, and he felt like he was in a play. Entering the castle, he sang in his head and danced around the living room. However, his happiness was halted by a pair of excellent words, "You're late." Spike recognized the voice and froze in his tracks. His once joyous demeanor faded into obscurity as he let out a sigh. His expression became serious as he turned to face them. "I didn't agree to your cryptic-ass letter and these sketchy-ass meetings if you were going to play hooky on me. What took you so long?" They demanded.
"I was busy. Even had a run-in with Thunderlane, thanks to you," he said, pulling himself a chair.
"Me? How?"
"When I told you to tell Rarity about getting a bodyguard, I didn't think it would actually happen," he said. "I thought it would encourage her to stay away from Thunderlane, pushing him further away from her if possible. This afternoon only proved my theory right," he silently thought. "She brought it up to Twilight, and, well, you can probably guess what happened from there," he said, gesturing with his hands. Rainbow appeared from the shadows, her eyes slightly puffy and with tiny bags under them. Spike winced at her appearance. "What happened to you?" he asked. She crossed her arms and blew a lock of loose hair away from her face.
"Does it matter?" she sneered, distancing her voice.
"Only if you let it," he said rather vaguely. She glanced at him, sucking her teeth before rubbing her eyes.
"I had a little......" disagreement" with Soarin. I'll patch things up with him soon. I don't wanna deal with it right now," she ended, sitting back down, Spike taking the seat across from her. Although he wanted to say something to her, he held his tongue. He felt like he was already asking a lot from her, considering what she's been doing for him since he sent her that letter.
"Okay, I won't pry any further," he said, locking his hands together as he propped his elbows up on the table. She nodded, "By the way, I don't know where they are. I felt like an intruder waiting for you to show up," she said.
"Did you find out anything," he asked, ignoring her comment. She sat up, leaning from the table.
"He has been visiting a lot of stores lately. Jewelry stores, to be specific, and he's high-tailing it out of meeting the past week. He's restless. A lot more agitated, too. I've been playing it off, pretending like I don't know anything, but I can't say if he's seen through my poker face yet. To top it off, it seems like nobody knows that he and Rarity split. He's gone dark on all media, too." she explained, hoping for some response from him this time. He only continued, however, to stare off vastly into nothing without saying a word.
"He probably didn't say anything to his brother either, considering how friendly he was at dinner."he thought. "Alright, enough about him. Time to focus on "her," he said, unclasping his hands. Rainbow bit her lip in aggravation as he spoke her next few words.
"I still don't know who she is," she said. Spike sighed, leaning back in his chair now. Suddenly, the room's air creaked with malice. She flicked up from her chair, flying in the air as she saw Spike suddenly standing next to the staircase, not even realizing he'd already moved. Her fight or flight instinct took over as a nasty image of a rampaging Spike from way back forged its way into her mind. He motioned for her to follow him. She balled her fist up, a tremor of uneasiness shifting down her back. Descending to the ground, she swallowed, following him closely behind. With every step she took, her skin crawled as he heart pounded. Never before did she feel such......fear. Her palms were sweaty, as was her brow, and before she realized it, Spike was holding a photo in front of her.
"I asked if you recognized them," he repeated. She unclenched her fists. Her hands shook as she took the photo. Upon seeing the face of the mare, however, the nerves she had dissipated as the veins on her body exposed themselves violently. Her blood boiled as she grinded her teeth. She murmured something to herself, inaudible to him.
"What was that?"
"I SAID, "OF COURSE I KNOW THAT BITCH!" She violently screamed. Balling up the photo, she threw it to the ground, stomping on it violently. Spike merely watched, waiting until her sudden burst of anger subsided.
"Well, while I understand where you're coming from, I just needed to know if you knew her," he said, picking up the paper.
"Wait? So, she's not our mare?" she said, somewhat embarrassed by her outburst.
"I never said that! I merely asked if you knew her," he said, unfolding the paper as he examined the mare in the photo. "If I remember correctly, at your promotional ceremony, both Soarin and Thunderlane were present, right?"
Rainbow thought to herself for a moment before nodding. "Yeah," she said. He held up his hand to his chin, muttering to himself as he paced around the room until he stopped, glancing outside his bedroom windows. Luna's moon shone brightly, with barely any nighttime clouds in the sky. Looking towards her, there was a gleam of the moonlight in his eyes.
"The day Rarity found out she was being cheated on was the same night that a thunderstorm occurred. And from what you said about him and his newfound personality (plus what I experienced today), it's most likely he split the ponyville weather system down the middle. That being most likely to whoever he would normally assign," he paused, snapping his fingers at Rainbow, "But also to whom he disgustingly cheated on with Rarity."
Rainbow was a profound shock. Hearing him create this theory based on Rarity's story, an accidental storm, and somehow theorize the problem at last week's meeting was rather scary to see, especially coming from him. She's always known him to be somewhat goofy. He's reliable and brave, sure, but this was entirely out of character.
"What's wrong?" he said. She gasped, realizing she'd been making a face too long.
"H-How-
"How do I know about the meeting?" he finished, catching her off guard again. "Dragons have a really good sense of hearing. I was there when Rarity dumped that feathered excuse. I overheard him say something about "getting an earful" and needing to relax. Another clue was...well, you.
"ME!'" she bellowed, rising to her feet with her right hand over her chest and her left hand clenched into a fist. Her teeth were grinding as she glared fiercely at the Drake. He approached her with his hand raised in surrender, but he wasn't intimidated. Despite his relaxed demeanor, she refused to back down from her fury. She slowly unclenched her fist before plopping back down onto the bed, her eyes still fixed intently on the Drake.
"Sorry, I meant to say your reaction just now," he clarified. "Everything else, you could say I inferred or, as Twilight would put it, 'made an educated guess.'" She knew he was lying or at least not telling her something. Although she wanted to ask him where he got his information from, Spike suddenly clutched his stomach and stumbled. He forced out a burp, and a scroll appeared from his mouth, along with the accustomed green fire. Rainbow caught the letter before it hit the ground, and she handed it to him without bothering to check the sender's name.
"Thanks," he said, taking the scroll from her. He opened it, slowly grinning as he read over its contents.
"What now?" She asked. He said nothing once more, grinning as he folded the scroll back.
"Right now, I have some more letters to make," he said, waving his scroll. "If you don't wanna help, you can head back to Cloudsdale and-" Suddenly, his words were interrupted by a rainbow trail that whizzed past him, leaving him in a literal spin. Shaking his head, he breathed a deep sigh, then sat down and stretched his arms and wings, releasing all his tension in satisfying cracks. As he reached for his quill to start writing, the image of Rarity flashed into his mind. The gratifying smile she wore as they shook Pinkie's warmed his heart. He set his quill down, placing all his papers into a pile before standing up.
"I should clean up and get some sleep. Don't want to break my promise by being late."