Twilight was sitting in her room, thinking.
’What can he do if they’re always together? Twilight couldn't think of a solution, so she rested and let her thoughts flow to clear her mind.
Spike made his way back to the room, being careful not to wake up Luna when he opened and closed the door. He led next to Luna on the bed and started gently caressing her cheek, and then starting stroking her mane.
“Mmm,” Luna cooed as she snuggled closer to Spike and slowly opened her eyes.
“Hello gorgeous,” Spike smiled, as did Luna
“Hello handsome,” they both chuckled and sat up.
“How was your sleep?” Spike asked Luna, who was rubbing her eyes.
“It was the best one I’ve had so far, and yours?” Luna asked.
“Same, it’s always amazing when I’m holding or snuggling into you,” Spike said, smiling.
Twilight was still resting when she had a thought.
’Maybe I can get it for him, but I don’t know if he’ll like or worse, if she’ll like it…’
Twilight started to think, then it hit her.
“Celestia!” Twilight got down from her bed and made her way to Celestia’s room.
Twilight knocked on Celestia’s bedroom door.
“Come in!” Twilight walked in, ready to tell Celestia her idea.
“Twilight, have you heard the news?” Celestia said quite excitedly.
“About Spike proposing to Luna, yes I have, and that’s why I have come to see you,” Twilight explained.
“Why? Is something wrong?” Celestia said, concerned.
“Spike came to me and asked me to give him away, which I’m honoured about, but he has also asked what he can do about getting a ring without Luna finding out, or his exact words were, ‘but I need to do it in a away, where Luna doesn’t find out, whether that is buying one when she is not with me, and/or doing it without looking or being suspicious’, but I have an idea,” Twilight said, smiling.
“And what would that be?”, Celestia asked curiously.
“Well, since they're always together, I considered getting the ring myself at first, but I don't know if Spike and/or Luna will like it. Then I realised you know them better than anyone else.”
“Well, I suppose I do,” Celestia thought for a second, “So, you were thinking that I should go and get the ring for Spike?” Celestia smiled.
“Yeah, because you know them so well, you know what they’ll both like, especially Luna,” Celestia was smiling, but then a thought entered her head.
“I don’t mind, and I think it’s a good idea, but if they’re always together, how do we let Spike know we’re getting it, have gotten it, or even give it to him?” Twilight’s smile dropped a bit. She hadn’t thought of that.
“I… don’t know,” Celestia and Twilight started thinking of ideas, a couple of moments passed before either one of them spoke.
“Maybe we could Spike a signal, one that Luna won’t notice,” Celestia brainstormed.
“Sounds like a good idea, but what could the signal be?” Twilight asked.
“Maybe a play on words, I’ll think of something,” Celestia stood up and walked towards her bedroom door.
“Where are you going?” Twilight asked, watching Celestia walk past her.
“To tell Spike and Luna that you and I are going shopping,” Celestia smiled.
“But Celestia Spike said he wanted it to be—,” Celestia stopping, smiling and raising her hoof. cut twilight off.
“I am aware, we’re not telling them what we’re shopping for. Follow my lead,” Celestia continued walking, Twilight nervously followed.
“Can I tell you something, Spike?” Luna asked.
“You can ask me anything, Luna,” Spike replied.
“When I showed you the bracelet I made, I thought you might want to eat the little gems,” Luna let out a slight laugh.
“I wouldn’t do that, I gave you the treats, so they were yours, and the gems are yours,” Spike smiled before continuing, “Plus, I don’t need gems, I have you,” Luna smiled, looking at Spike with pure love.
“Well, I may have my bracelet, but I have my perfect little gem, right here,” Luna said, pulling Spike in for a hug, which Spike instantly returned. A knock on their door interrupted their hug.
“Come in!” Luna said, loud enough, so anypony on the other side of the door could hear her. Celestia opened the door, with Twilight standing next to her.
“Hello, you two, everything okay?” Spike asked.
“Yes, everything is fine, we just came by to say we’re going out shopping, just in case you came looking for us later on,” Celestia started, Twilight knew it was her turn to talk.
“Yeah… I haven’t been to Canterlot in a while, so Celestia thought she’d take me around some shops.” Twilight hid her nerves very well.
“Yeah, it has been a while, so I am going to be showing her a whole ring of shops,” Celestia’s emphasis on the word ring was more ‘a lot of shops’ rather than ‘Spike we’re getting the ring’, but Twilight still instantly got the reference and looked and Spike to see if he also understood the reference. Spike looked at Twilight and smiled a second later, signalling he understood. Twilight smiled back.
“Okay, thank you for letting us know, sister,” Luna said, oblivious to her sister’s wording or emphasis.
“Alright, well, we’ll leave you two to it,” Celestia said while closing Spike and Luna’s bedroom door.
Twilight and Celestia made their way to high street and stopped in the first jewellers to have a look around. Once they entered the shop, they went in different directions. Twilight looked in a glass case and found a white gold ring with little diamonds embedded around a beautiful diamond in the centre.
“Celestia, I think I found an option.” Celestia came over and saw Twilight pointing at the white gold ring.
“Oh, Twilight, I forgot to tell you, my sister doesn’t like the traditional diamond ring, she prefers something darker, although she’d like the white gold ring, she won’t be a fan of the diamond,”
“Wow! I’m glad I didn’t go with my first thought. I would’ve been so wrong,” Twilight said, relieved Celestia was there. After about five minutes, they didn’t find anything, as ninety-nine percent of the rings were traditional. The two princesses stopped by the next jewellers, it was very similar to the previous one, which didn’t give them much hope, but they decided to look around, anyway. Another few minutes go by and no luck. Twilight and Celestia tried many different jewellers and the rings they came across were either traditional, too plain, had diamonds mixed in and the worst kind of all, fake. They didn’t want to give up, but they were running out of shops.
“Celestia, what are we going to do?” Twilight asked worriedly.
“I’m sure we’ll find something soon,” Twilight was about to reply when she saw something twinkle out the corner of her eye, she looked across to see what it was and it was an… interesting looking shop that seemed to sell a lot of different items, one of those items being rings.
“Celestia, look, that place sells rings,” Celestia looked at the shop, and was unsure, but knew not to judge a book by its cover (or a shop by its interior).
“It’s worth a try, I mean, none of the traditional jewellers seem to have what we’re looking for,” Celestia said with a chuckle. When both alicorns walked into the shop, a mare with a tanned coat and brown mane, which had blonde streaks, was standing behind the desk, and was stunned. She’d never thought in a million years royalty would visit her store.
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to ask, since there is a lot of stuff in here,” Twilight said, walking up to the counter. The mare behind the desk got more nervous as Twilight approached. She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself the best she could.
“How can I help you today, your highness?” her voice was still shaking.
“Hello, yes, I hope you can. We’ve visited almost every jeweller here in the high street, we’re looking for a white gold, onyx engagement ring. Would you perhaps have one of those?” The mare seemed delighted. She guided both Twilight and Celestia to the rings and pointed out the only onyx ring she had. The ring's design amazed both Twilight and Celestia - an onyx held by a cloud shape turned sideways with two infinity signs crossing both sides of the onyx. It was perfect.
“Is it real?” Twilight asked Celestia. The white alicorn picked up the ring and inspected it after a second or two, her eyes widened.
“It’s real,” Celestia smiled. Twilight turned to the tanned mare and smiled.
“We’ll take it, how much?” The tanned mare was happy that she had what the princesses were looking for and went to the desk, with Twilight and Celestia following.
“Let’s see…” the mare was tapping the till, “I can sell you that ring for one thousand bits.” Twilight and Celestia looked at each other and nodded. After sorting out some bits, the princesses paid five-hundred each for the ring. The tanned mare put the ring in a black box and gave it to Celestia with her magic.
“Thank you,” Celestia smiled.
“Thank you so much,” Twilight said, also smiling.
“No, no, thank you, your highness—es,” the mare got more nervous after her pause. Celestia and Twilight looked at each other, then looked at the mare and smiled, which calmed her nerves a bit.
“You’re very welcome,” Celestia said before leaving the store.
“I can’t believe how perfect that ring is,” Twilight said, after leaving the shop.
“It’s like it was meant to be, and the gem is perfect for Luna,” both Twilight and Celestia started making their way to the castle, stopping in a couple shops on the way, so it looked like they actually went shopping.
They made it back to the castle with a bag each and hid the bag with the ring in one of the two bags.
“Now, there’s just one more obstacle,” Celestia said before entering the castle.
“What’s that?” Twilight asked.
“Giving the ring to Spike without Luna seeing,” both alicorns looked at each other and smiled, knowing they’ll come up with something.