Chapter 6: Dirty Little Secrets
The moon glowed high above a garden surrounded by Greek pillars. Several dozen ponies of the elite class had come for the family ball. Their gentle conversation echoed in the night air as they gathered in their own small groups to discuss their views on various topics. Each one dressed in exquisite attire and dresses to show off their status. However, as a new group was announced entering the ball, all eyes turned to the entrance.
The first to enter was a young filly wearing a white dress covered in pink trim. A ribbon was tied on her back, and she wore a pair of matching white shoes. In her pink and lavender mane was a tulip ornament that accented her young and innocent face.
Following to the left of the filly and slightly behind was an older mare, but a maiden none the less. The maiden had beautiful violet hair that curled down and wore light blue eye shadow. The dress she wore was from the Shadow Spade series. It was a white silk dress with gold trim on its sleeves. Like the smaller filly, she also wore flower ornament, but it was gold in color and its petals were open.
As the two ponies saw they had captured the attention of most of the ponies at the ball, Rarity leaned down to her sister. “Now remember, it’s all about presentation. Show them that you belong here. You are the star. And above all, mingle,” Rarity whispered to her sister.
“Mingle. Got it,” Sweetie Belle nodded. She then assumed a regal posture similar to Rarity and made her way slowly inside with her head held high with a gentle smile across her lips. As she did, she could hear the compliments of other ponies as they whispered how cute her dress looked. Her confidence rose as she continued to search for ponies closer to her age. After a few moments, she saw a few fillies who were slightly older than she was, but not quite adults. Using the lessons Rarity had taught her, Sweetie Belle strolled over to them.
Rarity smiled as she saw her sister make her way to a group of fillies. As she watched her sister, she remembered the time when Sweetie Belle had attended her first Grand Galloping Gala. “Oh…How much my little sister has grown,” Rarity whispered to herself.
“I look ridiculous,” a voice groaned.
Rarity turned her head and looked back toward one of the pillars that lined the outside of the garden area. She did not see Spike but could tell he was probably hiding behind the closest pillar to her. “Come now, Spike. You look dashing. Won’t you please come into the light?”
Spike sighed heavily as he hesitantly stepped out of hiding. A small scowl decorated his face. He was wearing a light blue suit with a ruffled white shirt and bow tie along with matching pants. Though the clothes fit the occasion, Spike was never one who liked to dress up extremely fancy. He would be willing to wear a simple suit to an event, but the clothes on him seemed a little too fancy for his liking. Especially the hat he had to wear that had a feather coming out the top. “I look ridiculous,” Spike emphasized again.
“Spike. Precious Scales. You wouldn’t want to deny me the chance to show off my new design trends, would you?” Rarity asked as she lowered her head to Spike and batted her eyes affectionately.
“Well…no,” Spike said as he found himself captivated by her spell.
“You have nothing to fear, Spike,” Rarity assured him, “Now please follow me. A lady does need her escort after all.”
Spike looked down at his clothes again. He then looked to the crowd of ponies around him. Already he could see a few ponies giving him a surprised look at his appearance. He could even hear a few ponies whispering about him. He then looked to Rarity who only smiled back, waiting patiently for him to come to her side. “At least I’ll be at Rarity’s side,” Spike thought to himself. Deciding to swallow his pride, Spike made his way to his maiden.
“Just relax and think that you belong here,” Rarity instructed him, “I’m sure everyone will think you look quite dashing.”
Spike let out a sigh as he decided to put his trust in Rarity. She did know more about such events than him. He could also see that some ponies wore similar designs to the suit he wore. With any luck, he could quickly blend in and go unnoticed.
X=X=X=X=X
As the party continued through the night, Sweetie Belle began to have second thoughts about the ball. During her first Galloping Gala, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had been there with her and helped provide some company. Now, Sweetie Belle found herself alone amongst the party guests. It wasn’t that she didn’t try to make friends. She had found a few ponies that were a few years older. However, due to a combination of being a few years younger and coming from a country town, an awkward rift had been created between them. In the end, Sweetie Belle politely excused herself and looked for something else to occupy her time with.
As she wandered the garden, she looked to one corner of the area to see Rarity discussing fashion with the future bride and groom. She could not hear what they were saying, but their faces showed that they were engaged in a pleasant conversation.
She could also make out Spike standing at Rarity’s side. Though Sweetie Belle knew Spike had been reluctant at first to enter, it appeared he had gotten over his apprehension and was now trying to blend in as Rarity’s escort. On the occasion he did speak, he made himself appear regal like a prince or an important ambassador. However, anyone who knew Spike would clearly see through his charade.
“What a showoff,” Sweetie Belle thought.
Reluctantly, Sweetie Belle wandered to the nearest buffet table. At the very least, she could find something to eat until the main course was brought out. It was not like she had anything better to do. As she neared the buffet table, Sweetie Belle stood up on her hind legs and propped her front legs on the table. She was hoping to find a small assortment of appetizers like the ones found in Ponyville. Instead, she was met with disappointment.
Although there was plenty of appetizers on the table for everyone, they were meant to fit Rarity’s taste rather than her own. The buffet was composed mostly of cucumber sandwiches and a type of caviar. There was also an oat dip, but Sweetie Belle stuck her tongue out at it. She often wondered how ponies, especially her sister, could eat such stuff.
In fact, why did Rarity like it so much?
Sweetie Belle’s eyes then caught sight of another buffet table off to one side that was being kept away from the guests. Her eyes lit up as she saw an assortment of small cakes, chocolates, and some fruit. It was obviously the dessert buffet for after the main course. However, as Sweetie Belle eyed the tasty treats, she wondered if it was possible to grab just a quick bite. No one would notice, right?
Deciding to follow her stomach, Sweetie Belle took a moment to survey her surroundings. After a moment of scanning the area, she was grateful to find that most of the ponies were huddled in their own little groups or too busy to notice her. If she climbed under the tablecloth of the appetizer buffet, she could then-
“Doesn’t that dress look so cute on that filly?”
Sweetie Belle froze as she heard the voice.
“It does. If I’m not mistaken, I think she arrived with that famous fashion designer,” another responded.
“Huh?” Realizing the voices were talking about her, Sweetie Belle turned to the source. It did not take long for her to spot two ponies walking towards her. One was a light lavender pony with light sandy blonde hair. She wore a yellow dress with white trim. The other pony was cherry red in color and had a dark purple mane. Like her companion, she was also wearing a fancy dress, but it was blue in color. She also carried a saddlebag that was draped on one side.
The lavender pony was the one that approached Sweetie Belle first. “Excuse me, but by any chance would you be associated with Rarity, the famous fashion designer?”
“Uh…Yeah. She’s my sister,” Sweetie Belle answered, unsure if she should be talking with the ponies. However, Rarity had asked her to mingle with the guests.
“I knew it. They look so alike,” the cherry pony cheered to her companion.
“Cherry Pie!” the lavender pony scolded. She then turned back to Sweetie Belle. “Sorry if we startled you. My name is Sandy Fashion, and this is my friend, Cherry Pie.”
“My name is Sweetie Belle,” Sweetie Belle introduced herself.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. We’re actually writers of a new magazine called Filly Fashion,” Cherry Pie said happily.
“Filly Fashion?” Sweetie Belle asked. She was familiar with a few fashion magazines that Rarity read and was pretty sure Filly Fashion was not among them. “Never heard of it.”
The two ponies noticeably frowned and appeared heartbroken as they looked to each other for a moment. They then returned their gaze to Sweetie Belle. “We know. We only started two months ago,” Sandy Fashion replied, “We’ve been trying create articles on the latest fashion craze to help our magazine get off the ground.”
“And let ponies know what’s hot and what’s not!” Cherry Pie added.
“Well, that too,” Sandy Fashion reluctantly admitted while keeping her sophisticated appearance.
“Are you reporters? How did you get in? Are you friends of the bride?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Sandy is actually the bride’s cousin,” Cherry Pie explained, “We came here hoping get an idea as to what ponies preferred to wear in such events and see if we could predict the next fashion craze.”
“However, we didn’t expect to see the famous fashion designer, Rarity.” Sandy continued.
“Was she responsible for creating your dress?” Cherry asked as she moved her head to peer at Sweetie Belle’s outfit from different angles.
Sweetie Belle was flattered that they were impressed by her dress. It had taken her hours of peering through countless selections before she had finally made her decision. “Actually, I picked it out. Rarity helped me decide.”
“From the look of it, I think some extra ribbons were added on to the original design. The trim has also been changed. Its remarkable craftsmanship,” Cherry said after examining the dress.
Sweetie Belle admitted the dress she originally chose did look a little plain. At the time, there were not a lot of white dresses that could fit her when she and Rarity went shopping. Instead, Sweetie Belle had chosen her favorite dress and asked Rarity to make some changes per her instructions. “Rarity wanted me to look my best, so she added a few ribbons and trim on it.”
“I’m kind of surprised Rarity is not wearing anything new. If I’m not mistaken, the dress Rarity is wearing came from her old lineup for Shadow Spade,” Sandy Fashion said as she looked back towards Rarity.
“But that brand was so popular. It makes sense she would want to bring it back,” Cherry Pie added.
“I suppose…” Sandy replied in thought, though there was some hesitation in her answer.
“My sister was hoping to complement my dress, so she chose something similar to wear,” Sweetie Belle explained.
Cherry Pie took a moment to look over Rarity’s dress and compare it with Sweetie Belle’s. “She’s right!” Cherry Pie said after a brief moment, “The dress on her and the one on Rarity would complement each other!” Cherry Pie then started to dance in place as new ideas formed in her head. “Ooh! Twin sisters wearing complementing dresses at the ball. We can make that the title to our next article!”
“We’re not twins,” Sweetie Belle plainly replied. She admitted that she had some resemblance to Rarity, however she preferred to use her own natural beauty rather than augment it like Rarity.
“They are obviously not the same age either. They are not even the same height!” Sandy Fashion commented to Cherry Pie.
“Well…It’s a title in progress,” Cherry Pie nervously laughed when she realized the title would not work.
“My apologies. She gets a little too excited at times,” Sandy Fashion said to Sweetie Belle.
“How can I not get excited? This is the Famous Fashion Designer Rarity we are talking about!” Cherry Pie said to her friend as she danced in place.
Sandy Fashion shook her head in disgust before turning back to Sweetie Belle. “But back to the topic at hand. Do you think you and Rarity could pose for some pictures? It would help our magazine a lot.”
Sweetie Belle was again flattered that they wanted to photograph her new dress. She suspected Rarity would also be open to the offer. She knew her sister loved to show off her designs and pose in front of the camera. “I’ll ask if she’s interested,” Sweetie Belle replied.
“We appreciate this,” Sandy Fashion replied, “This could help our magazine a great deal.”
Cherry Pie then turned and looked back to where Rarity was standing. “Do you think we should also include her bodyguard? His suit matches well with the dresses.”
“Bodyguard?” Sandy Fashion asked in curiosity. She then turned and looked over to Rarity and for the first time noticed the small figure standing near Rarity. “You mean the dragon?”
“You mean Spike?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Is that his name?” Cherry Pie asked.
“I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to see a dragon here. But he looks a little small to be a bodyguard,” Sandy Fashion continued. She then averted her eyes in thought. “Spike…Where have I heard that name before?”
Cherry Pie’s face lit up the next moment as a realization hit her. “Wasn’t he the dragon that accompanied Princess Twilight? She said he was her assistant.”
Sandy Fashion’s face lit up in realization. “That’s right. I remember now. He was at that Grand Equestria Pony Summit,” Sandy Fashion said as she remembered the event. Her face then faulted as she remembered the rest of the event. “But wasn’t he responsible for destroying the gem statue dedicated in the ceremony?”
“Actually…I think he did that twice?” Cherry Pie responded.
It took Sweetie Belle a moment to recall the events the two ponies spoke of. She remembered how Rarity had told her the story of how Spike was part of the events of the summit and had assumed the role of ‘princess’ when Twilight was too exhausted to carry out her duties. It was not one of Spike’s finer moments since he ended up flooding the palace and destroying the gem statue…twice. She was sure Spike meant well in whatever he did, but probably got a little carried away in his duties. “That’s him,” Sweetie Belle laughed nervously.
“I’m kind of surprised Rarity would allow a dragon near her boutique. Wouldn’t they be considered a fire hazard,” Sandy Fashion commented.
“He is Princess Twilight’s assistant. Having him around would show how close Rarity is to the princesses. Perhaps she is using him as a marketing strategy,” Cherry Pie countered.
Sweetie Belle knew that dragons were still not generally well received in Equestria. They were known for being fierce and hard to approach. Though Twilight was trying to form a bond between dragons and ponies, it was a slow process for the two to accept one another. Still, Spike proved that such a union was possible, and Sweetie Belle believed he deserved better recognition. “Actually, Spike isn’t Rarity’s bodyguard. The two of them are actually seeing each other.”
“WHAT?!” both Sandy Fashion and Cherry Pie turned to look down at Sweetie Belle in surprise.
“Spike and Rarity have been dating,” Sweetie Belle repeated.
“Wait,” Sandy Fashion said as she still tried to wrap her head around the concept, “Are you saying that Rarity is actually dating a dragon?”
“Mmm-Hmm” Sweetie Belle nodded happily.
The two ponies looked back at Spike and studied his appearance. “But he looks…so young,” Sandy Fashion said.
“Isn’t he a baby?” Cherry Pie asked.
Sweetie Belle gave the answer some thought. She did know that Spike had undergone a Molt that was a symbol in dragon culture that he was old enough to be on his own. However, she was not sure how that could be translated into pony years. In truth, for some unknown reason, Spike had hardly grown at all during the years she had known him. “Actually, I’m not sure how old he is.”
Sandy Fashion and Cherry Pie looked to each other in shock. Neither one was sure on how to address the situation at hand. There had never been a dragon and pony relationship before. In fact, with dragons being the nemesis in all the ancient tales, the idea of a dragon and pony being together seemed quite farfetched and….unnatural. And yet as they looked at how Spike stood at Rarity’s side, they could see that Spike appeared to be more than just a bodyguard. He wasn’t watching over Rarity’s safety but posing and talking with her. They even caught a glimpse of the two laughing together.
Could the young filly be telling the truth?
“Are you two okay?” Sweetie Belle asked as she saw the shocked expressions on their faces.
Sandy Fashion took a moment to shake her stunned expression from her face. “Sorry. It’s just that…well we never heard…It’s just…Umm,” she stuttered.
“It just seems…‘strange’…for a pony and dragon to be together,” Cherry Pie filled in for her friend, “You don’t seem surprised, Sweetie Belle.”
“Well…Spike has been at my sister’s side since they first met,” Sweetie Belle smiled.
“That long?” Sandy Fashion asked. Based on what she was hearing, it sounded to her like Spike and Rarity had been dating since Princess Twilight had moved to Ponyville. “I’m amazed no one noticed that the two were dating.”
“I was surprised myself when I found out. Rarity only told me recently when we were on our way from Ponyville,” Sweetie Belle replied.
“They managed to hide it for that long?” Cherry Pie whispered to herself.
Before the conversation could continue, another voice called out from the crowd. “Sweetie Belle. They are going to be serving dinner soon.”
All eyes turned to see Rarity walking up with a smile on her face. Trailing slightly behind and off to the side was Spike.
As Rarity neared Sweetie Belle, she took a moment to look over the two ponies that were accompanying her sister. She had been a little worried earlier when she thought Sweetie Belle would have a hard time fitting in. However, she was glad now to see her younger sister was now mingling with the guests. “I see you’ve made some new friends. Would you care to introduce them?”
Sweetie Belle nodded in approval. She then pointed to each of the ponies in turn. “This is Sandy Fashion and Cherry Pie. They were wondering if they could take a picture of us.”
“We are part of a new magazine called Filly Fashion. We were hoping you would allow us to include you in an article we are doing,” Sandy Fashion said.
Rarity took a moment to recall if she ever heard of the magazine before. “If I’m not mistaken, that magazine only started a few months ago.”
“Yes. But we’ve been having trouble getting our magazine started. It would be a great help if we could include you in one of our articles,” Sandy Fashion replied.
“We saw how your dress and Sweetie Belle’s dress complement each other. May we take some pictures?” Cherry Pie asked excitedly.
Rarity saw no harm in the request. Although she knew the magazine was not popular yet, there was no reason not to help the two ponies. At the very least, the opportunity could advertise some of her fashion designs. “Of course, darling. It would be my pleasure.”
Cherry Pie danced excitedly in place. “This is so exciting!” she squealed happily. She then reached into her saddlebag and pulled out a camera. “Would it be okay if we took a picture now?”
Rarity nodded her approval. “Very well,” she said as she assumed a simple stance of raising one of her front legs up and turning her head to the side.
“We will need you in the shot too, Sweetie Belle,” Sandy Fashion instructed.
Sweetie Belle quickly raced to her sister’s side and made a pose to complement Rarity’s. After the first photograph was taken, the two switched poses and another was shot was taken. After a few more pictures had been made, Rarity and Sweetie Belle stopped posing for the camera.
“Thank you, Ms. Rarity!” Cherry Pie said excitedly.
Sandy Fashion then quickly stepped in. “Do you think we could take a few more pictures with you and…Spike?”
Rarity was still caught up in the thrill of modeling. “I don’t see why not.”
“Me?” Spike said in surprise. Of all things, he never would have expected that he would be in the articles of a fashion magazine. Especially since the suit he was wearing could never fit a pony.
“Of course, Spike,” Rarity encouraged, “Let them see who you really are.”
Spike happily jumped to Rarity’s side as Sweetie Belle took her place off to the side. As he did, Spike assumed a pose where he placed his hands on his hips and held his head high to instill a look of confidence. Rarity turned her head towards Spike and looked at the camera with half lidded eyes so that she appeared as a fair maiden of sophistication.
Cherry Pie took a single picture. “Thank you.”
Rarity smiled happily and nodded. “I hope these pictures can help your magazine.”
“I’m sure they will,” Cherry Pie replied.
Sandy Fashion then addressed Rarity. “So, are you and Spike really friends with each other?”
Rarity was a little hesitant about giving the answer, but decided to give the same answer she once gave to Twilight. “Spike is very special to me. He and I have been friends for a very long time.”
“We’ve known each other since I moved to Ponyville,” Spike added.
“Really?” Sandy Fashion replied. She was now getting the impression that what Sweetie Belle told them earlier was true. That Rarity and Spike had met years back and fell instantly in love with each other. Yet somehow Rarity had managed to hide her involvement with the baby dragon for all these years. However, before she could ask more questions to confirm this, an announcement was made.
“Now if every pony would please take their seats, we will begin serving tonight’s meal.”
Rarity took a moment to look at the announcer before turning to Sweetie Belle. “We better get to our seats,” she then looked to the two other ponies. “It was nice to meet you.”
“It was a pleasure to meet you,” Sandy Fashion replied.
Rarity then turned to Spike. “Come along Spike.”
Spike happily took his place next to Rarity as she led Sweetie Belle to their assigned table.
As the three companions disappeared into the crowd, Cherry Pie turned to her friend. “Do you really think Rarity is having an affair with the dragon?”
“It certainly looks that way,” Sandy replied.
“But he’s so young. I mean…Aren’t dragons supposed to be as big as buildings when they’re full grown?” Cherry Pie asked.
Sandy was no expert on dragons, but she remembered seeing pictures in books that showed that dragons could grow fairly large. Even the young Dragon Lord Ember easily stood over most ponies by at least a head, and she was supposed to be small for a dragon. “Maybe we should look into this closer.”
“How so?” Cherry Pie asked.
“Well, we can’t assume anything yet. Maybe we should ask around and see if Rarity really is dating Spike,” Sandy replied.
Cherry Pie looked back in the direction Rarity walked off in. “It just seems so…I don’t know…”
“Strange?” Sandy asked.
“Well…yes,” Cherry Pie replied, “I mean…a pony and a dragon. That’s never happened before. Is that even…well…natural?”
Sandy had to admit to herself that the idea was farfetched. Until recently, the idea of ponies and dragons talking with one another was not widely accepted. Ponies had been taught to fear dragons in the past. They had been considered monsters that great pony heroes would overcome. Though Sandy admitted that Spike appeared to be the exception to the rule, he was still a dragon. Sandy couldn’t help but wonder what other ponies would think if the truth was revealed. Needless to say, such gossip would easily grab the attention of every pony in Canterlot. Maybe in all of Equestria. “I think we should ask around Canterlot. Maybe some pony can verify this story. It would make an interesting amount of gossip for our magazine.”
“You really think so?!” Cherry Pie squealed in delight.
“Yes.”
To Be Continued…