Rarity laid in her bed in a cold sweat, her eyes darting across the room before they eventually fell onto the mannequin that held its stationary position in the corner of her room..
The white unicorn sat up, the unpleasant feeling of cold washed over her as she looked down at her duvet.
“…”
She couldn’t speak.. the dream had fully overwhelmed her mind. She could still see Spike’s tears in the window.. No matter what he did, she knew she couldn’t ever feel the same romantic attraction that he felt for her. She knew her heart was beating for Maud and Maud alone.
It still didn’t make sense to Rarity.. she never knew she could feel this way about the monotone rock enthusiast.
Maud might not be as sophisticated as the Canterlot elite ponies or what she had imagined her true love to be but Rarity knew she wouldn’t change Maud at all. Those turquoise eyes lit Rarity’s heart on fire with every slow blink Maud gave.
Rarity couldn’t help but think if Maud could ever feel the same way as her.. would she? Could she?
The white unicorn laid her head back onto her pillow as she turned towards the window; the stars greet her with every twinkle and glisten. Before she knew it; her eyes began to close as the warmth of her bed and fatigue overwhelmed Rarity.
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As the sun shone brightly in the sky and down on the Equestria inhabitants, Maud’s own mind was racing. What The Crystal Heart had told her was boggling her mind and psyche. Maybe a visit to Pinkie Pie would calm her down? Pinkie was known to cheer any creature up with her spontaneous behaviour.
After she had readied herself for the day and grabbing her saddlebag, Maud made her way out of her camp, out of Ghastly Gorge’s cruel exterior and towards the train station.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When Maud had arrived in Ponyville after a couple hour train journey, she walked through the busy street. At the corner of her eye, she saw a very familiar lilac unicorn with a curled purple mane and tail. Her friend, Starlight Glimmer. The unicorn had her hooves wrapped around another familiar unicorn with a blue coat.
Maud knew Starlight and Trixie haven’t been dating for that long and she could tell the two had a very loving relationship with one another.
Her train of thought was interrupted by a blur of pink and when it crashed into her.
“HI MAUD!” Maud was met by the sky blue eyes of her sister, Pinkie Pie.
The gray pony gave her own usual monotone welcome. “Hello, Pinkie Pie.”
Pinkie couldn’t handle her excitement, she was certain Maud would be gone for a while as she studied, her grin was ear to ear. “What are you doing her, silly filly? I thought you’d be busy with all of the studying!”
Pinkie could tell there was something bothering her sister but she didn’t know what.. “Maud? Are you okay?”
Maud snapped out of her inner thoughts and back to Pinkie. “Oh.. umm.. I..”
Pinkie gasped with shock, her pink hooves wrapped around her sister; protecting her from any ‘danger’.. “Did somepony at The Crystal Empire hurt you!? Did they call you names?! Ooohh when I-“ Pinkie was shushed by a gray hoof to her mouth.
“No Pinkie, I’m fine. I think..” That alone spent trouble brewing for Pinkie Pie..
Pinkie narrowed her shining blue eyes.. “What happened on your trip..? Did the crystal ponies ask you to show them your eyes?!”
Maud shook her head slowly. “No but.. it does have something to do my trip and The Crystal Empire.”
Pinkie couldn’t handle the suspense and immediately pulled Maud into Sugarcube Corner, up the stairs, into her bedroom. Gummy sitting on her bed, a thought never going through his mind.
“What is it? What is it?! WHAT IS IT?! THE SUSPENSE IS KILLING ME!” Pinkie impatiently squealed, Maud had to cover her ears from the high pitch shrieking.
Maud sighed and sat on the floor in front of her pink sister; her eyes glistening. “The Crystal Heart showed me my… my future..”
Pinkie soon stopped her shrieks, the confusion washing over her like a tidal wave. The Crystal Heart could do that? Maybe she should Twilight about it later.. “Your future..? What did you see?! Did you see rocks?! Because you love rocks!”
Maud shook her head again, debunking every single thing that came out of Pinkie’s mouth. “No.. I saw me.. being married..”
That made Pinkie’s jaw drop, she could swear Mr and Mrs Cake could’ve heard the audible thud of Pinkie’s jaw hitting the floor.
“Married?! To who?! Who did you marry?! Do you have a new special somepony?”
Maud sighed. “I don’t know.. all I know that their fur was white as snow..”
Pinkie pondered after hearing a brief and vague description of Maud’s future spouse. “Hmm.. MAYBE YOU MARRY DOUBLE DIAMOND?! wait no.. I’ve never seen you with or talk about him.. MAYBE WHITE LIGHTNING!? No.. she’s too busy with weather patrol. OR EVEN RARI-“
The cut off name sent Maud’s heart racing and a faint but barely visible blush on her gray cheeks.
Pinkie continued to ramble on about Maud potentially being with Rarity. “OH MY CELESTIA! You and Rarity would be so cutesy wutesy together! You both like dresses; gems, mining, it all makes sense! But how are you gonna get pass Spike?”
“Spike? The little dragon?” Maud tilted her head. Pinkie nodded with an awkward smile. “Yeah, Spike. He had a MEGA size crush on Rarity!”
Maud was not surprised by that. She was pretty sure Princess Celestia and Luna knew of Spike’s not-so-secret crush on the fashionista. “Does she feel the same?”
Pinkie sighed softly and shook her head. “No.. she said Spike is too young for her. I can see where’s she’s coming from, he’s classed as a BABY dragon. I know dragons age slower than ponies but if he were a pony, he’d most likely be a young colt.”
The thought of unrequited love was a feeling Maud was all too familiar with. She felt it with Moonlight Raven and it did hurt when she saw Moonlight loving another pony.
Before Maud could respond; she was interrupted by another voice coming from downstairs.
“Pinkie Pie, darling! Are you home?”
It was Rarity! The white unicorn looked around the first floor of the bakery, not seeing her pink friend. “Mrs Cake, is Pinkie Pie home?”
The blue earth pony nodded as she tends to Pound and Pumpkin Cake. “She’s upstairs, deary. Would you like your usual red velvet cupcake?”
Rarity nodded with a bright smile on her face but soon she was met by little purple claws. “Hi, Rarity!”
That voice was all too familiar. Spike. Why was he here by himself? Where was Twilight?
Rarity turned to the little purple drake with an awkward smile but tries to hide her uncomfortable behaviour. “Hello, Spike.. I..-“
Rarity was cut off by the young drake and his claw to her lip. “So listen, I know you’re very confused right now.. what with that rock farmer tainting your mind.. but don’t worry, Rarity! Spike is here to defend you and your beauty from the evil that is Maud Pie!”
Rarity rolled her eyes, annoyed by Spike’s persistence. When would he take the hint? She already rejected him. “Maud? She’s not evil, Spike. Wherever did you get that idea from?”
Spike huffed, folding his arms with a glare on his face. “Oh come on, Rarity.. what do you see in her?! She’s boring, she’s monotone, she’s just.. she’s just Maud!”
Every insult sent a hidden dagger to Maud’s heart. Why was Spike being like this? What did she do to offend? She couldn’t recall anything..
Rarity was about to speak again but was interrupted yet again by Spike as he held her white hoof. “Rarity, me and you are meant to be together.. we are soulmates, you and I.. We can be happy.. why can’t you accept that I love you..?”
The white unicorn huffed in annoyance, her eyes staring daggers at the young drake. “Spike, we can’t be together! You are too young! You’re a BABY dragon!”
Spike groaned, his green eyes soon spot Maud peaking down the stairs with Pinkie Pie.
“You! You’ve stolen Rarity from me!”
The little drake ran past Rarity towards the staircase, glaring at his love rival. “Rarity is meant to be with ME! Not you!” He pointed a claw at Maud. She didn’t show it but her feelings were very hurt. Pinkie wrapped her forearm around Maud’s shoulder, annoyed by Spike’s petty insults.
Before Spike could go off on another tirade; Maud walked down the stairs, past Spike and towards the front door. Her eyes on the floor as she trots.
Rarity immediately walked over to Maud and stood in front of her, not letting her leave the bakery. “Darling; I don’t know what Spike is talking about but don’t let it upset you!”
Maud gave a faint sniffle as she looked up at Rarity.. her eyes glistening with tears.
“Maud..? Darling..?” Rarity felt her heart breaking when she saw the tears in Maud’s eyes. “Don’t cry, I-“
Maud sighed sadly before she looked back at the envious little dragon. “I’m sorry for coming.. Pinkie, I’ll see you another time..”
Maud moved Rarity out of her way and walked out of the bakery with her head down.
When Rarity couldn’t see Maud anymore, the tears started flow down her cheeks, staining her mascara. “MAUD! COME BACK! MAAAAAUUUD!” Rarity wailed, tears falling onto the floor beneath her.
Spike walked over to Rarity and smiles gently, flexing his arm. “Well; just call me ‘Sir Spike’! I just rid the bakery of pure evil. Aren’t you proud of me, Rarity?”
The white unicorn snarled before she let loose. “HOW COULD YOU DO THAT?! Spike, you can have feelings for me all you want but do not EVER be hostile to the pony I have feelings for! I’ve never seen you act like this when Trenderhoof or Blueblood were mentioned, I’m ashamed of you, Spike!”
Spike soon felt the reality sinking in.. what had he done? Rarity had feelings for Maud.. and now he has done nothing but insult the gray pony into leaving.. this was his fault. The young drake soon looked over at the equally as annoyed Pinkie Pie.
Rarity continued on with tears in her eyes and some rolling down her cheeks. “I do like you as a friend, Spike but what you’ve just done wasn’t fair at all.”
Rarity took a bite of her red velvet cupcake and placed two bits onto the counter for either Mr or Mrs Cake to collect.
Spike soon left the bakery with his own head down and running down the path towards Twilight’s castle. The little dragon had tears of his own as he sat down on the entrance of the castle.
“I feel like a jerk..”
Spike sniffles, wiping tears away. “I should apologise to Maud.. it wasn’t her fault..”
Spike stood up and wiped the last tear away from his scaled cheek. He looked all over town for the gray mare, even asking ponies if they had seen her.
The young drake soon found himself face first into a feathery chest. “Oh, sorry!” The little dragon said with guilt on his face but then he realised who it was..
“Hey Spike!” It was… Gabby!
Spike smiles widely as he saw his close friend. “Hey Gabby, uhh.. have you seen a gray earth pony with a purple mane?”
Gabby pondered a bit. “Hmm.. sounds familiar.. did she have a frock on? Straight purple mane?”
“Yeah, yeah! That’s her! Have you seen her?”
Spike looked up at his friend with hope in his eyes.
“Yeah, she was heading towards the train station. Do you wanna fly over and see if she’s there with me?”
Spike nodded and immediately the duo took flight into the sky.
“So what happened?” Gabby turned to Spike, her eyebrow raised. Spike turned back to her and sighed. “You know Rarity? The white unicorn that stopped us from spending time together?”
Gabby shivered, the behaviour on Rarity was horrible. It even made her uncomfortable. “Yeah, why?”
Spike gave a guilty sigh before speaking once again. “I got jealous and insulted her crush.. I feel horrible about it so I wanna apologise before she leaves!”
Gabby’s beak dropped slightly, her eyes widening alongside. “Woah.. I knew you liked her but woah.. hopefully she hasn’t left yet!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
She sat down on the bench alone.. waiting for the Friendship Express to take her back home. Tears staining her gray cheeks but she wiped them away. She looked at the train tracks; waiting..
“MAUD, WAIT!”
Spike called out as he and Gabby landed beside one another; guilt ridden by his awful behaviour. He walked over to the gray mare, tears in his eyes.
“Hey uhh.. I’m.. I’m really sorry for all of that..”
Maud’s eyes widen slightly as she turned to the young dragon. “…”
Spike sighed sadly before he took a seat next to Maud. “I don’t know what came over me.. I was jealous.. of you.. because I lik- liked Rarity.. you’re not evil.. I..”
Maud sighed gently.. “I know how it feels.. having a crush on somepony who doesn’t love you back.. Is Rarity okay?”
The little dragon shook his head.. “She’s.. she’s really mad at me.. I should’ve not said all of that about you.. I really am sorry..”
Gabby soon felt sad too.. it was horrible to see Spike upset and guilty.. she stood beside him, her eyes focused on the saddened dragon.
Maud sighed again, focused on the little drake beside her.. “I’m.. happy you’ve realised your mistake..”
Before she could keep talking, Spike looked up at her.. “Do you like Rarity back..?”
It surprised Maud.. did she? Did she like Rarity back? Admittedly Maud did find Rarity incredibly beautiful.. even more beautiful than any rock, mineral or crystal she’s ever seen..
“…. I.. I don’t know..”
Spike knew she needed help.. Rarity and Maud deserved to be happy.. he knew it.
“I won’t be mad.. I promise..” Spike smiles gently, patting Maud on the back.
After a brief moment of silence; the gray mare soon spoke again. “…. Yes.”
Spike turned to her, his eyes wide! “What?” Had he heard right?
Maud nodded, confirming Spike’s question. “Yes.. I do like Rarity…”