As Spike explained to Twilight what had happened, the unicorn pony stood perfectly still, an impassive look on her face.
"...And then the spell wore off, and Rarity got really mad and chased me out." Spike finished the tale despairingly. "Come on, let's hear it."
"Hear what?" Asked Twilight.
"You know, the big lecture about how what I did was wrong, and how lying is bad, yadda, yadda, yadda..." Spike said resolutely.
"Seems kinda pointless, really." Declared Twilight. "You already know what you did was wrong, and you're sorry for it. There's no point in me repeating what you already know."
"So, what are you going to say?" Asked Spike.
"That you should go back to Rarity's and straighten this whole thing out." Said Twilight simply.
"Back?" Gasped Spike. "After she nearly buried me under a mountain of clothing materials? No way!"
"You have to." Said Twilight. "If you don't, you could lose Rarity's friendship forever."
Spike sighed in defeat. He hated it when Twilight was right, which, unfortunately, was most of the time.
"Okay." He breathed deeply. "Back I go. If I don't make it home, you can have the box of emeralds I hid in my basket."
Spike once again made his way through Ponyville to the Carousel Boutique. Taking another deep breath, he knocked on the door. The door opened a tiny crack, through which a beautiful blue eye peeped at him.
"Go away." Said the eye's owner bluntly.
"Please, Rarity." Spike pleaded. "I just wanted to..."
"To what?" Hissed Rarity. "Play another horrible joke on me? No, thank you!"
Rarity tried to close the door, but Spike, thinking quickly, blocked it with his foot.
"Rarity, please." Spike winced. "Just let me in for five minutes, and I'll explain everything."
"Very well." Huffed Rarity, opening the door fully. "Five minutes, and I had better like what I hear."
Spike hobbled into the Boutique, foot still throbbing from its encounter with the door.
"Well?" Rarity prompted. "I'm waiting."
"Look Rarity, I never meant to trick you." Spike said honestly. "Twilight found this spell that could turn me into a pony for a day. I thought it'd be fun to try it. Then I bumped into you in the street, and you said I was handsome, and charming, and, and... I just couldn't help myself!"
"But why go to such extremes?" Rarity asked testily. "Why all the elaborate trickery?"
"Because... Because I..." Spike swallowed hard. He had to tell her, for the sake of their friendship, if nothing else. "Because I really like you... a whole lot."
"Oh." Rarity mumbled, taken aback. "I see."
"I thought this would be my big chance." Said Spike. "The only chance I'd ever have to express my feelings for you."
Rarity sighed deeply.
"First of all, I'm grateful you could be honest with me." She declared. "And I am flattered that you like me, really I am. But you're a dragon, and I'm a pony. I'm sorry, but it would never work between us."
"Yeah, I know." Spike admitted, tearing up. "It's just... You're so beautiful, and kind..."
"Yes, I am." Smiled Rarity, patting him gently on the head. "And you're so sweet and helpful. Which is why I'm so glad to have you as my friend."
"Yeah, friend..." Spike sighed ruefully.
"Now, now, don't be so down." Rarity smiled, putting a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "I'm sure one day you'll meet a lovely lady dragon that you'll want to spend the rest of your life with. And in my opinion, she will be the luckiest lady dragon in the whole wide world."
"You really think so?" Spike asked hopefully.
"I know so." Smiled Rarity. "Until that day, you just keep that chin up."
"Thanks, Rarity." Spike wrapped his arms around her neck. "I'm glad to have you as a friend, too."
After their hug ended, Spike wrung his tail nervously.
"So, am I... forgiven?" He asked.
"Of course." Smiled Rarity. "Just don't do it again, okay?"
"Okay." Chuckled Spike.
As he made his way back to the library, Spike felt strangely jubilant. He had just found his crush on Rarity to be totally unrequited, but wasn't the least bit sad over it. Moreover, the simple fact that she was still his friend filled him with great joy.
That night, Spike was helping Twilight with organising some scrolls.
"Hey, Spike." Twilight smiled. "How about you write tonight's friendship report, considering you're the one who learned the lesson today?"
"Okay." Spike smiled back.
After dipping a quill into an ink bottle, Spike began writing on a blank scroll, speaking the words out loud as he did:
Dear Princess Celestia,
It's me, Spike, who's writing today's friendship report. Today, I learned that friendship and love are both very powerful and beautiful things, but you shouldn't sacrifice one to gain the other. True friendship can be as wonderful as true love, and just as meaningful and long-lasting. I learned the hard way that trying to switch between the two can be tricky business, and that if you can't have someone's love, you should just be happy with their friendship.
Your faithful servant, Twilight Sparkle's faithful assistant,
Spike
"How was that?" Spike asked upon completion.
"Very good, Spike." Smiled Twilight. "I'm sure the Princess will enjoy reading it."
Rolling up the scroll, Spike breathed in deeply, then exhaled, releasing green fire from his mouth, which reduced the scroll to ash. The ashes wafted out of the window and into the night sky, heading towards Canterlot. Once they arrived at Princess Celestia's sitting room, the ashes would then reconstitute themselves back into the completed scroll, ready to be read.
"Well, I think I'll turn in for the night." Yawned Spike. "I'm really tired."
"I'm not surprised." Smirked Twilight. "You've had a busy day."
"Tell me about it." Sighed Spike. "From here to Carousel Boutique and back, twice in a single day!"
"At least you had four legs on the first lap." Sniggered Twilight.
"Don't remind me." Sighed Spike. "Being a pony's too much bother for me. I think I'll stick to being a dragon, thank you very much."
And with that, Spike stumbled upstairs, walked up to his basket, and collapsed face first into it, lapsing into loud snoring almost immediately.
The End