//------------------------------//
// Breaking Hearts and Eggheads 
// Story: An Unconventional Challenge 
// by RaijingtheClockworkPony 
//------------------------------//

	Fluttershy opened her eyes and saw a sky of a deep purple greeting her from her nap. She shifted a little and felt something lying across her chest. She looked down and saw the pink leg of her friend Berry draped across her. She followed the leg to his chest and she stopped at that for a moment studying it. It was broad like all stallions as well as surprisingly defined. Maybe all that hopping is good for you. She giggled and continued up the stallions body to look upon his smiling, but sleeping, face. 

Fluttershy rolled over off of her back and was now facing the stallion. She nuzzled him gently for a moment then pulled away. Berry was still sleeping. He's really cute when he smiles. Fluttershy smiled as she nuzzled him again. She had never felt so safe outside in the growing dark. Normally she was already at home at this time but with Berry she felt no need to go anywhere. 

Oh, I don't want to wake him but we should get headed back to town. Mr. and Mrs. Cake would be so worried if he didn't return. 

Fluttershy poked him softly, barely even touching him. She poked him again a few times but stopped as she watched him breathe deeply. She cuddled close to him and sighed contently. 

"I don't want this to end but we should head back. Please wake up."

As if by magic Berry's eyes snapped open and he gave a small snort. 

"Pancacks!"

Fluttershy jumped slightly at his sudden outburst but quickly began to laugh at his word of choice. Berry smiled down at her and hugged her a little tighter. 

"Hey there Flutters. I think we dozed off there."

Fluttershy nodded. "Yea... I think we should head back. If you want to I mean."

Berry started to get up. "Well I would like to stay here with you but I think I should get you home. It gets cold out here at night."

As the pink stallion helped Fluttershy up he noticed that she was muttering to herself. "What was that?"

Fluttershy blushed deeply. "I think we could stay warm together."

Berry felt his cheeks warm as he smiled at the yellow mare. "I would like to but I couldn't keep you from your animals."

Together they packed the basket and set off down the road. It was far too short of a walk for both of them as they spotted Fluttershy's cottage in the distance. As they walked over the small creek in front of her home Fluttershy stopped the stallion on top of the small bridge. 

She looked into the bright eyes of the pink stallion and smiled at him. "This was a really nice day. I know we sorta slept through most of it but it was still very thoughtful and kinda cute. I guess what I'm trying to say is thank you."

Berry smiled back and waved his hoof as his cheeks grew red. "I had a great time. I can't remember the last time I had such a great nap. Maybe we shou—"

The pink maned mare placed her hoof on his lips to silence him. "Next week, meet me here. I want to show you something really special to me." 

Fluttershy leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "Hold onto that for me?"

Berry stood there unable to do anything more than mumble a simple response. "Sure. No prob."

Fluttershy blushed and gave him a second kiss on his other cheek. "You can keep that one. Return the other to me next week okay."

With that she left the dazed and now smiling Berry standing there and headed towards her house. She took one last glance at him before she walked into the house to see him rubbing the cheek she kissed second. She let out a content sigh and decided that the following week couldn't pass fast enough. 
                                                                                                                                                                                       

Elusive wasn't feeling that good. He felt sick to his stomach as he looked out the large windows of his shop. He watched from the distance as Berry walked across the street with a loaded basket, heading for Fluttershy's cottage for their first date. Under any other circumstance he would be happy for his friends but at the moment his mind was focused on the purple dragon that would be arriving soon to help him. 

I... can't do this to her but if I don't then she'll have her heart broken by somepony else. I have to do this to soften the blow as much as I can.

The snow white stallion sighed and walked over to a small work table that held a tiny chest. He opened it and looked at the amulet that was made from a large heart shaped ruby. Elusive picked it up gently and smiled as he thought about how Spines had given it to him despite the fact that she had spent years aging it so she could eat it on her birthday. 

"And she gave it to me out of kindness and love. A love I can't return to her."

Elusive felt his heart tighten a little as he put on the amulet. He knew he had to do this and it wasn't because he was in the middle of a bet. He had been meaning to do this for a long time but could never bring himself to do it. Elusive heard the door to the front of his shop open with the ring of a bell. 

"Coming!"

Elusive moved to the front of the store and was met with the beaming smile of a young purple dragon. "Hi Elusive! Twilight said you wanted some help and that you needed me to help you, so here I am."

Elusive forced a smile to his lips. "Perfect. I needed some help with cleaning the back room." 

The stallion followed the young dragonesses gaze to the amulet on his chest. She smiled at him with her large emerald like eyes. "I like the necklace."

Elusive smiled back, this time a little less forced. He had picked up on the joking tone she had used. Of course she liked it. She was the one that gave it to me. Elusive turned towards the back room as one of his hooves rubbed the ruby absent mindedly. 

"I do too. Now come along I still have a room to clean."

The pair walked into the back room. Spine noticed that the room wasn't to dirty beyond the normal clutter that Elusive had while he worked. She didn't mention anything as they started cleaning the room. Minutes passed in silence as they cleaned and re-cleaned the room. 

Elusive kept walking around the room moving things slightly then moving them back. Spine noticed the worried look on his face and saw that he was muttering to himself. 

"Elusive, are you alright? You seem kinda tense."

The white stallion stopped where he was and shook his head. "I'm not. I need to talk with you about something and it's not going to be pleasant for either of us."

The stallion pointed for them to move into the kitchen. They both sat down at the table as Elusive looked at her with his eyes misting. 

"Spine I don't know how to say this and I really wish I did. I know about your crush on me."

Spine's eyes went wide for a moment as she began to wring her claws together. "Wh-What crush I-I don't ha—"

Elusive held up his hoof and his eyes became slightly misty. "Please. I know that you've had a crush on me since we first met. You have been so kind to me and generous with your time since we became friends that it was impossible for me not to know."

He paused for a moment and took a steadying breath. "And that's why this is hard for me. I know that this isn't something you want to hear but it has to be said. I can't be the stallion you want me to be."

Spine's eye grew frightened. "What do you mean?"

Elusive sighed heavily and swallowed. "We can't ever be together. I just can't be the stallion you deserve, even if I tried my hardest we just couldn't work."

The dragoness's eyes began to water as her world came crashing down. She felt her heart tighten almost painfully as tears spilled down her cheeks. This couldn't be happening to her, not after all the time they had spent together.

Elusive used every ounce of control he could muster to keep himself from crying as well. He hated himself for making her cry like this. 

"This isn't because I don't like you. You have been the kindest friend I could ask for and it hurt me to say this but I think you deserve a stallion or even a dragon that will treat you the way you really deserve. They could show you love that I just can't and I want you to be as happy as possible."

Spine placed her head into her hands and sobbed silently. Elusive got up from his chair and moved to the side of the crying dragon. He gently placed his hoof on her shoulder and a moment later he felt her hug him tightly and she cried into his coat. He hugged her tightly and lost control of himself. Tears came down his face as well. 

"I'm so sorry I had to cause you this pain. Please forgive me."

Spine looked up at him and spoke in a choked voice. "I-Is is because I'm a dragon?"

Elusive shook his head. "No! I would never turn down true love on something as stupid and simple as species. If I fell in love with a griffon then I would love them no matter what. I can't return the feelings you have for me and... I've been so selfish lately. I've taken advantage of your kindness and for that I can never be sorrier for my actions."

Elusive paused for a moment. "You have been the most generous friend I could ever ask for."

Spine hugged him a little tighter and muttered into his fur. "I forgive you. Does this mean we can't be friends anymore?"

The white stallion shook his head and returned the hug. "Of course we can still be friends. I wouldn't give up our friendship for the world."

A minute silently passed, only broken by the softening sobs of the young dragoness. Elusive used his magic to teleport a handkerchief to himself. He tapped Spine gently on the shoulder and gave her the cloth. She took it with a small smile. 

"Thanks."

She blew her nose on the cloth and wiped her eyes. Elusive sat there for a moment before he spoke in a soft tone. "I wanted to tell you something else as well. I've been trying to start a relationship with a mare in town."

The dragoness looked up at him with surprise in her eyes. "Is it somepony I know?"

Elusive nodded. "You know her pretty well but there's a reason I wanted to tell you first before we go public. It's because I trust you and since I had to hurt you like I did I think you deserve to know first." He paused for a moment and looked into the emerald eyes before him. "Can you promise me that you won't be mad at her in any way? This was my choice and I don't want her to suffer for it."

Spine wiped her eyes again and nodded. "I'm not mad at you a little upset but not mad. Like you said our friendship is really important and I cherish it. I promise not to be mad at her either, whoever it is."

Elusive hugged the dragon fondly and smiled down at her. She really was the most generous friend a stallion could ask for. "Okay. I'm dating Applejack."

Spine looked at him for a moment as a smile made its way onto her scaled face. "That's wonderful. I hope you two are very happy together." 

Elusive nodded in thanks. "Me too. I'm still really sorry I had to cause you this harm."

Spine waved it way and placed the handkerchief on the table. "I said I forgive you. Don't worry about it. I need to get back to the library, I'm certain that Twilight will need me to clean something or to rearrange a shelf. I'll cya round Elusive."

As she turned and started out of the kitchen Elusive called out to her. She stopped in the doorway and looked back at him. 

"You're still my little Spiney-Whiney to me."

She smiled back at him and nodded. She merely looked at him for a moment then walked out of his sight. The young dragon made it to the door to the boutique before tears began streaming down her face again.
                                                                                                                                                                                       

The Following Monday


A cyan pegasus landed on a small cloud just above Ponyville with a small groan. Blitz was mad. Not at anypony that had done something wrong or stupid, Celestia help him his weather team wasn't helping that, but at himself. He had gotten himself into a bet that was time sensitive right as half his team was contracted to help out the Fillydelphia team with a few days of rain. 

Now I'm three days behind and Berry is in the lead! He's never even dated a mare before and now he and Fluttershy are a couple. Still I've finally got some time off to get some time in with her and win this bet.

Blitz stretched his legs and spread his wings out as a sly grin came over his face. This was going to be easy. Nearly every mare in town wanted to spend time with him and most of those even wanted to get intimate. The cyan stallion landed in front the tree building that served as the local library.

He walked up to the door and opened it up. After all, the library was open at the moment and Twilight was working there. Blitz strode in with a confident swagger and a cocky grin. 

"Hey Twi! You in here?" 

The voice of the lavender mare met his ears. "Blitz that you? I'll be right out I just need to finish this shelf."

Blitz made his way towards the back of the library and spotted Twilight using her magic to hold up what looked like a hundred books while she dusted the shelf. Blitz walked up to her and grabbed a feather duster that was lying on a small table. 

Twilight looked over and noticed him moving to help her. "Thanks. I can't believe how much dust the books can get in such a short amount of time."

Blitz ducked under a book with the title There and Back Again: A Comprehensive Guide to Travel in the Dragon Kingdoms. The stallion sighed for a moment then began dusting the shelf with her. They finished the shelf quickly and the books floated back onto the shelves in perfect order. 

"I thought Spine was the one in charge of cleaning the shelves... where is she by the way?"

Twilight motioned for him to follow him into another portion of the library. They walked towards the kitchen of the tree and sat down at the table. Twilight pointed at the stairs in the other room. 

"She's upstairs. She came home Saturday after helping Elusive over at the boutique. She came back crying but wouldn't say why. I asked her if it had something to do with Elusive but she wouldn't tell me anything. I'm worried that they might have had a fight or something."

Blitz looked up the stairs for a moment. Twilight sighed and used her magic to set a kettle on stove and started the fire. 

"She's been in her bed crying for the past to days. I'm giving her some space for now but I'm really getting worried."

Blitz shrugged. "Hmm... I hope it's not a fight but we won't know until one of them tell us." 

Silence fell between the pair as they looked up the stairs. The moment was broken when the kettle began to whistle. Twilight got up and got a small box of tea bags. She looked over at Blitz and showed him the box. 

"Would you like some tea?"

Blitz shook his head. "Not my drink. Do you have any soda?"

Twilight nodded and pointed to a high cabinet. "Up on the top shelf, I keep it out of reach of Spine. She tends to overdo it on the sweets."

Blitz nodded. He remembered the gallons of ice cream Spine had eaten when Twilight freaked out over the whole future Twilight thing. He floated up to the shelf and grabbed a orange bottle. He landed and lifted the bottle to show Twilight.

"Orange soda? I hope Applejack doesn't mind."

Twilight chuckled. "I had her over the other day and she was surprised that I bought it. She said I was helping her aunt and uncle out." She sat back down and watched him as he sat down and opened the bottle. "So what did you come over for?"

Blitz put on a cocky smile and his voice grew suggestive. "I was hoping to... spend some time with you. You know, hang out for a while. Just you and me. Alone."

Twilight took a small sip from her cup and looked at him for a moment confused. After a second her eyes widened and she jumped up from the table. "Ohh! I have a perfect idea of what we should do."

Twilight placed her cup down on the table and ran off into the other room. Blitz sat there for a moment surprised at how easy this had become. I wasn't expecting it to be this easy... I hope she's not like this with all stallions.

Blitz took a sip of the fizzy orange drink and smirked to himself. 

"I just got this yesterday and I think you'll really like it!"

Blitz turned and was met with a book cover in his face. He needed to only read the title to get excited. "Is that...?"

Twilight nodded. "Yes it is!"

Blitz gently took the book from her hooves and held it like it was a sacred artifact. "Daring Do and the Temple of Darkness. This isn't supposed to come out for at least another two weeks! How did you get a copy?"

Twilight beamed at him. "Princess Celestia knows the author personally and she gets the newest books before any other pony. When I was younger the princess and I would read them together and talk about the story and characters. I haven't had the chance to do that for three books now."

Blitz quickly read the back cover then looked up at the unicorn. All thoughts of hitting on her and flirting had vanished the moment he saw the book. The small frown on her face made him think for a moment.

"Would you like to read it together Twi?"

Her eyes brightened instantly. "Really? That would be wonderful!"

Blitz smiled at her. "Yeah since neither of us have read it we can find out all of the twists together."

Twilight blushed a little. "Well to be honest... I've kinda read it three times already. I was planning on reading it again tonight actually."

Blitz's smile faded a little. "Oh... well I guess I could read it alone then. I mean if you already know—"

Twilight shook her head and placed her hoof on his. "No! I mean, no I would like to read it with you. Its still fun to read a story with some pony you know. I promise not to spoil anything."

Blitz's smile came right back and he tapped the book. "So where are we gonna read this bad boy?"

Twilight looked thoughtful for a moment then glanced over to a door in the main room. "We can head down to the basement. I have an old sofa down there that's really comfortable. Should be nice to sit on and read."

They headed down into the basement of the tree. Blitz looked around at the large room that had a few machines sitting near the center of the room and plenty of sciencey things that he couldn't identify sitting on tables round the room. Off in one corner of the room sat a small red couch that Twilight was settling in on. 

Blitz sat down next to her as she levitated the book in front of them. "This one has a small prologue talking about the events of the last few books. Do you want to skip that or...?"

Blitz thought about it for a moment and shrugged. "I guess we could get into the mood before we hit the first chapter."

With that the pair read the book in silence cuddled next to each other as their minds were filled with the deeds of a very daring mare.