Across the street from the Ponyville Library, a pair of amber eyes trained themselves on the tree-like building before her.
Apple Bloom sat at the outdoor cafe. Her lips wrapped around a straw as she slowly drank her strawberry milkshake.
As she watched the front door of the library, part of her hoped to earn a cutie mark in spying. But her main priority was her best friend.
Eventually, the door cracked open, and a young white unicorn trotted out. Apple Bloom quickly ducked behind the table, and hoped Sweetie Belle hadn't spotted her. Then she remembered something. Looking up, she quickly reached a hoof over her head, and brushed back her giant pink bow.
The young filly continued to train her eyes on the unicorn as she pranced away from the building. A smile of abject joy was on Sweetie Belle's face, and it caused her best friend's heart to develop a hairline crack.
Once the filly was out of sight, Apple Bloom chugged the rest of her beverage and ran across the street.
Spike closed the door behind his girlfriend, and quickly walked back to the centre of the room, as Pinkie Pie hopped in from the kitchen, enthusiastic and joyful.
"So...Pinkie," Spike said. "Now that Sweetie Belle's gone, can tell me what you really think?"
The pink pony blinked several times before she replied, "Oh, um...I don't know."
Just then, the door slammed open and a young yellow filly stood in the doorway.
"Uh...hi Apple Bloom," the dragon responded.
She walked right up to Spike and pointed a hoof right in his face. "If you hurt my best friend, or her sister, I'll make sure you hurt just as much." She held her position for several seconds, before finally continuing. "Got it!?"
He smiled and nodded vigorously.
"So Apple Bloom, how's Rarity!?" Pinkie Pie said, desperately trying to change the subject.
"She's fine...and she loves him...a lot, and she wanted him to know it." She turned back to Spike. "But she's worried you don't love her back."
"Why!?" Pinkie asked.
"Last night, Rarity invited him into her home, and...he said 'no.'"
Spike interjected, "You think I should have said 'yes'?"
"Of course not!" she exclaimed. "Actually, I think it's noble. Applejack told me what most boys are like. I'm happy at least one isn't."
"Thanks," he said. "I just couldn't do that to Sweetie Belle."
Pinkie hopped over, "So you just want to be with Sweetie Belle!? Things are going so well, maybe you should be with Sweetie Belle!!!"
"What!? NO-I mean-"
Apple Bloom interjected, "So you want to be with Rarity?"
"No-I mean...yes-but...no..."
Pinkie turned to the filly, "we should stop confusing him."
Spike started walking away, "You don't want me to hurt either of them?"
"You'd better not!"
"...and...how am I going to avoid that?"
"Honesty," she said, closing her eyes and raising her chin. "If you tell them the truth, I'm sure they'd understand. We did."
"It's different Apple Bloom."
"You tell them, they'd appreciate your honesty, and will certainly forgive you-"
"-and ask me to choose right then and there," Spike exclaimed. "...and I can't."
A voice came across the room. "Well, then, we can try my idea!"
They both turned to the baker.
"What idea?" Apple Bloom asked.
"Well, you can date both of them!" She declared, spreading her hooves wide.
They stared at the mare for several seconds before Spike responded.
"How is that a solution?" he asked.
"You keep dating both of them at the same time! I mean, it's not like bigamy's illegal or anything!"
The front door slammed open again, grabbing the attention of all three occupants.
"Well, I'm never going to model for Rarity ever again!"
"Oh, Twilight, it couldn't have been that bad!" Pinkie exclaimed.
"Well, it wasn't bad, it was just boring," the unicorn explained. "I should have brought something to read."
She trotted toward the stairs but stopped inches from the first step, finally noticing exactly who was present.
"What are you three doing here anyway?"
Spike's eyelids lowered. "I live here Twilight."
"Right, but..."
"OOO!!! OOO!!!" Pinkie started hopping with enthusiasm. "We're helping Spike choose which unicorn he wants to dump-I mean date-I mean-"
Twilight held up a hoof. "I get it. So you know about this too Pinkie?"
"Yep, this little guy needs help and Pinkie Pie is always willing to help!!!"
"So, this could finally get resolved?" Twilight asked joyously.
"Yep! Spike should just tell them everything, and start a three-way relationship!"
Her eyes went buggered. "Um...Pinkie Pie," she said, recovering from the shock. "I don't think that'd work."
"Oh...why not?"
"Yeah," Spike replied. "I don't think that's a good idea, it just...doesn't feel right."
Pinkie Pie got confused, as Apple Bloom responded, "Well, he's probably right. I don't think Sweetie Belle would agree to that."
"Well, you don't know if you don't try!" explained the party pony.
"I don't want to be with both of them, I want to be with one of them. I just don't know who!"
Pinkie scratched her head. "Um...what!?"
The young dragon bowed his head and said, "It's hard to explain." As a claw came to his head, he cringed. "I need some fresh air," Spike exclaimed as he walked toward the front door.
Once everypony watched the dragon slip outside, Pinkie turned to her best friend. "What was that about?" she asked.
"Well, I'm not sure, but I think dragons are naturally monogamous."
"Really!?" Apple Bloom responded skeptically. "Because that's the last thing I would think."
"He doesn't want to be with both of them, he's just conflicted," Twilight explained.
"So he should just pick one and get it over with!"
"And somepony would get their heartbroken, and probably hate Spike forever!"
"Oh, they're not going to hate him!"
"Well, try telling him that."
"Well maybe I will!" Apple Bloom explained, quickly trotting toward the door.
As the young filly left, Pinkie turned to her friend. "Twilight," she asked. "Is there something you're not telling us?"
The young mare hung her head in despair. "Spike needs to figure this out on his own. If he just follows my advice, he'll blame me if it doesn't work out, and...he'll live his life completely in doubt."
Pinkie tilted her head. "Huh?"
"I know who he's going to pick, I've known Spike long enough to figure that out. But I can't tell him, if I do, he might not believe me. He needs to figure this out on his own."
"How is he gonna do that!?" The normally joyous mare asked, incensed.
"I don't know."