//------------------------------// // Chapter Six: Keeping the Secret // Story: Together Forever // by CodenameOne //------------------------------// Foreword: so after about a month, maybe two, I finally continue this story! And with that, I bring an important announcement: this story will now be continued and new chapters posted on a regular basis! So, for the like 7 people that read this be happy and understand it from my position as I have to be in the right frame of mind to write this. *-*-* Chapter Six Keeping the secret A week had passed since Spike had come out to Twilight and she was still adjusting to the sudden revelation, still finding it hard to believe. Spike had loved Rarity for the entire time they had lived in Ponyville, fawning over the other Unicorn night and day. To hear him suddenly come out and say "I'm gay" made Twilight kind of suspicious; was it a prank? A dare? Twilight thought so, but when she remembered how bad he had been sweating and shaking when he told her made her believe otherwise; you can't fake that kind of fear. Twilight looked up just as she slammed first face into a road sign and slid to the ground, flopping onto her back and staring into the sky. "Ow" Twilight exclaimed, rubbing her head with a hoof. "You OK?" an all too familiar voice asked, the owner filling Twilight's vision as she looked down at the prone Unicorn. "Ughh, yeah, I'm fine, Rainbow Dash, I just walked face-first into a pole" Twilight answered sarcastically, shakily rising to her hooves. "Hey, don't get mad at me! It's not my fault you've always got your face in a book" Rainbow declared playfully, putting a hoof on Twilight's shoulder to help her stabilize. "Thanks, but I wasn't reading a book this time, I was just thinking about...about something" Twilight explained, rubbing her head to dull the pain. "Of course you were thinking about something; I mean, that's all eggheads do is think" Dash joked. "Yeah, yeah; so what are you doing out here?" the Unicorn asked. "Well, I'm supposed to be setting up clouds for a scheduled rainstorm..." Rainbow said, trailing off as she looked up at the sky. The sun was shining bright and visible, and there were only a few scant clouds here and there. "Well...you seem to be doing a wonderful job" Twilight teased sarcastically, earning a 'hmph' from the Pegasus. "Yeah, whatever" Rainbow said, preparing to take off, stopping when she remembered something. "Oh yeah, Rarity said she wanted to talk to you about a spa date." "What were you doing at Rarity's?" Twilight asked, confused. "Gotta go, bye!" Dash yelled, shooting off into the sky, her tell-tale rainbow streak behind her. Twilight blinked a couple times and said "weird" before heading off to Rarity's home and business, Carousel Boutique. "Where everything is chic, unique, and magnifique" the Unicorn said aloud to herself, earning a weird look from a stallion near her that she hadn't seen. The Unicorn smiled sheepishly and slinked away, her ears folded down as she got away as quickly as possible. Reaching the boutique Twilight knocked lightly on the door and the door soon opened, Rarity standing within the frame, a friendly smile on her face. "Hello, Twilight! Do come in!" Rarity exclaimed cheerfully, allowing the lavender Unicorn entrance to the boutique. "Well well, Rarity, what's got you so happy?" Twilight asked as the fashionista closed the door behind her, trotting away happily to the back with Twilight in tow. "Oh, nothing in particular. I'm just in a good mood, dear" Rarity answered. "OK... Anyway, Rainbow Dash told me that you wanted to talk to me about a spa date" Twilight said, opting not to ask why the brash Pegasus had been hanging out with the sophisticated Unicorn. Rarity lit up at the mention of the spa and said "aha! Of course! We do need to go on a spa date! I'll ask if Fluttershy wants to come as well." "I'm sure she'd like that." "Indeed she would. Sooo, how's Spike been doing lately? He's certainly grown into a handsome young dragon, has he not?" Rarity inquired. "Oh, he's been fine, and I will agree; he's quite handsome" Twilight answered; she already knew what Rarity was going to say next. "Very much so, if I do say so myself. In fact, I can't wait until he finally asks me out on a date. Poor dear has waited so long" Rarity exclaimed. Twilight wanted to tell her the truth. Wanted to tell her that Spike is no longer interested in her, much less her gender, but knew she couldn't; she made a promise to him and intended to keep it. "I'm sure he'll ask soon. Anyway, let's get going" Twilight said, eager to get to the spa. "Of course." The two left the boutique and headed over to Fluttershy's house, waiting patiently for her to gather whatever necessary things and give Angel a pile of carrots so big he would never be able to eat them in a million years before they left. Finally, after around twenty minutes of trotting around Ponyville, the trio arrived at the spa, ordered their usual treatment, and were whisked into the mud bath rooms. "I've been missing this..." Twilight said, trailing off as she closed her eyes and allowed the masseuse to apply the mud to her face and gently slip cucumber slices over her eyes. After the appropriate amount of time the masseuses cleaned their faces off and escorted them to the actual spa room, making sure the water was a perfect temperature before allowing the three mares to lower themselves in, courteously leaving them alone. "Ze towels are in the usual place, and when you're done vee vill have the hoof files all set up for you" Aloe said to Twilight and her friends. "Thank you" Twilight replied, leaning back in the tub. For around ten minutes the trio sat in silence, simply enjoying their time, when finally Rarity opened her eyes and said "so what has Spike been doing lately? I've seen him running around town for the past week; do you have him running errands constantly? For shame." Twilight opened her eyes and looked at the fellow Unicorn, shaking her head. "No, Rarity, he's just been really eager to hang out with a friend of his all the time" Twilight replied. "Oh? What kind of friend?" Rarity inquired, thinking that Spike might've found a different mare. "Uhhh, the normal kind" Twilight answered, a little confused by the question: what other kind of friend could someone have? "Oh, well that's good. It's always good to hang out with friends, yes?" "Yes" Twilight and Fluttershy said in unison. "Sooo, Twilight, why is it that you think Spike is taking so long to finally confess to me?" the fashionista asked. Twilight hesitated; what should she tell her? She made a Pinkie Promise to Spike, but yet... "Well, actually, Spike is-" Twilight started, cut off when Pinkie Pie pulled the nearby mirror apart like it was a curtain and appeared from behind it, startling Fluttershy as she yelled "FOREVER" before she closed the mirror and let it return to normal. "Uhh, I think Spike is just waiting for the perfect moment. He'll probably make it all romantic, too; like during sunset at the park" Twilight said, knowing the idea would make Rarity swoon and might get her off topic. "Ohhhh, that sounds heavenly" the white Unicorn declared, leaning back and pressing a foreleg to her forehead, a goofy expression on her face. "Maybe Spike has found somepony else" Fluttershy meekly suggested, regretting her statement when Rarity shot forward. "Fluttershy, how could you say that?! My little Spikey-Wikey has been pining after me for years, it's obvious he's still interested. Although... He hasn't been coming to see me as much lately. Maybe... Maybe he HAS found somepony else!" Rarity dramatically exclaimed, dreading the possibility. "Rarity, calm down, Spike's still interested in you, I know that for sure" Twilight lied. "He is?! Oh, thank goodness... Though I have to say I'd be happy for him regardless of who he ends up with, as long as it's a mare" Rarity stated, making Twilight's ears perk up. "What?" the purple Unicorn asked. "Well we certainly can't have any of those nasty coltcuddlers running around, can we? That wouldn't be right" Rarity responded. Twilight gulped and a bead of sweat trickled down her head, leaving her wishing Spike hadn't made her Pinkie Promise. "Y-yeah, of course" Twilight nervously replied. Oh boy, this is NOT going to end well!