Under Appreciated

by TheNix


Chapter 6

Spike and Rarity started spending some time together. A couple of times a week Spike was invited to hang out with Rarity and her friends. They might walk around downtown Ponyville, or eat out at a restaurant, or have a study session. Spike loved these days even though he was going out with Rarity. In fact even when they hung out Spike never really felt he got equal attention from Rarity. She didn't seem to talk to him much in the group. Everyone else int he group seemed to love having Spike around though.

Often when Rarity's group hung out everypony would window shop downtown. Nopony had much money though so they just looked. Spiked noticed that Rarity always wanted to stop by to see the same pair of silk leggins from the same shop. They were very pretty and very fancy but quite expensive. This gave Spike an idea though.

Spike started spending the weekends doing odd jobs for spare bits. He was determined to save up for the silk leggings Rarity wanted and ask her out after everypony graduated highschool. Spike began painting fences, making deliveries, picking up apples, and running shops among other jobs. Slowly he filled up his Celestia bank. Graduation was coming up and Spike had enough bits so he took it to the shop when Rarity wasn't around and bought the leggings. The next time the group went to the story Rarity was horribly confused and upset that somepony bought them. Spike grinned and laughed too himself but didn't give it away since he wanted it to be a surprise.

For graduation everypony had a practice run first at school. It was obvious that most ponies were nervous but the practice run was fast and just instructional. That weekend the real graduation occurred. In front of Ponyville town hall a stage was set up with room for everyone to wait in alphabetical order. Spike sat in a chair while most ponies stood. Before the ceremony actually started Spike chatted with his neighboring ponies. Everypony had a smile on their face. Soon they would have no more high school and would be free. That was the immediate thought although for many ponies they would either study further, or go to work.

As the ceremony started Principal Mare started giving a speech on stage. Nopony really listened although they sat quietly and stomped at the end to show their appreciation. They also got a speech from local motivational minotaur Iron Will. As the graduating ponies got more bored they started whispering to each other but the whispering got loud enough to hear by the speaker. "Hey! You ponies better listen up or your life might blow up. You might be graduating today but that doesn't mean you are here to stay. The world needs more productive ponies and you better be ready to produce", instructed Iron Will.

Eventually the speeches were over and every pony went up to get their degrees. Everyone was in their rows again when Principal Mare declared them graduated and everypony tossed their cap in the air. A loud celebration ensued and the high school that night became the spot sight of the senior party. This was a controlled party to keep the newly graduated ponies from going to worse parties.

The Senior Party had many things going on. There was a "casino" where you could play casino games for fake money, a magician doing small tricks for everypony, and a dance floor with a dj. Spike tried out a little bit of each part of the party but then started looking for Rarity. Spike found her with her friends around a punch bowl but dragged her away from the group for a moment. "Rarity, could you meet me here tomorrow. I want to give you something here tomorrow. I know you will appreciate it."

Rarity smiled and said, "Sure, I can be up here tomorrow around noon. I don't have any plans yet. I like surprises so I hope it's good." She walked back to the group and Spike went on his way.

That night Spike made his preparations putting the leggings into a nice box with a ribbon around it. With care Spike set it into the bag he would bring it to the school in. He didn't want Rarity to even see the box until the last moment. He tried to sleep with his excitement but it took a couple of hours before he fell asleep. That morning he could hardly eat his breakfast but around noon he took off for school. This time his backpack didn't have books in it, just one precious box.

He waited a little bit as Rarity was fashionably late as usual. They were mostly alone in an open space where the cafeteria used to be. Spike set down his backpack and got out the box. Rarity saw it and got an excited smile. A few ponies stopped at a distance to watch what was happening as Spike got more serious.

"I'm going away after I graduate. I'm ready to work and start my own life. I only have one more chance to ask you and I hope you've seen the true me over this past semester." Spike got out the box holding his present. He held it out for Rarity. "Will you be my special somepony?" Spike asked.

Rarity took the box. She untied the fancy ribbon that made up the bow, then opened the fancy box that held her present. She saw the silk leggings she was wanting from the store. "How did Spike know?" she thought to herself. They were even a deluxe edition with gems going around the ankles.

Rarity stared at them for a minute with her heart fluttering, then realizing the situation tossed them over her back on the floor. She really didn't want to toss the leggings but she knew that's what she had to do to convey that she didn't want to be his special somepony. It was kind of instinctive and she regretted it as soon as she did it. Spike saw the leggings land and his face turned to an expression of depression. He wasn't angry or enraged, just depressed, then accepting. Spike didn't shed a tear, in some ways this is what he expected, just not what he hoped.

"Goodbye Rarity", Spike said turning to leave. He walked slowly out of Ponyville High School for the last time. Rarity just watched him walk with each step making an echoing tap against the tile floor. She thought about everything that happened this semester. She thought about all the times Spike made her laugh, helped her out, was there for her. She thought about how Spike changed from a lonesome loser to a cult hero. The thought about how happy he made him. Why did she always ignore Spike? Sure she had a reputation of being high class but did that matter? Did her reputation make her happy?

Rarity felt her heart quiver. It had only been a few minutes but she already felt an emptiness in her that only Spike could fill. She knew she would miss Spikes influence on her life. His companionship and love that nopony else could offer. Regret hit her hard and she immediately wanted to run after Spike. What kept her still standing in the entrance to the school was her own stubbornness. She had decided the first time she saw Spike that it was a person she would be uninterested in for the rest of her life. Did that matter? Can't she change her mind? She realized in that moment that it wasn't worth it and she had changed her mind.

A few tears blurred her vision as she started to run out of the school. She stopped for a second and looked at Spike's gift still sitting on the floor. For a few seconds she was indecisive on whether or not to pick it up. She hesitated then continued running after Spike leaving his gift. She didn't see him outside as it had been several minutes since he left. She realized she had no idea where he lived. She started running in the direction she thought he lived in but saw no sign of him. She did come up to his friends Snips and Snails though.

"Where is Spike?" she demanded.

"Dah, we don't know where he is right now", said Snails.

"Yeah he was supposed to be with you", chimed in Snips.

"Well I don't know where he went when he left me. Where does he live?" asked Rarity.

"He lives that way in a tree house with his mother Twilight", said Snails pointing.

After seeing the direction she took off. Eventually she came to the tree house with a sign post marking that Twilight Sparkle lived there. Rarity knocked on the door and Twilight answered. "Hello Ms. Twilight. Would Spike happen to be here?" asked Rarity.

"I'm sorry, but Spike left a bit ago. He's going to be an apprentice in Canterlot. Are you one of his friends? I hope you got to say goodbye, but if you haven't got to you might head to the train station. Maybe his train hasn't left yet."

Rarity thanked Twilight and took off yet again, this time for the train station. After a quarter of the way there Rarity was tired, her hair was a mess, and she was actually sweating. SWEATING! Her makeup was running a bit from the tears and sweat. She started to slow down and cursed her flabby flank. When she was getting close she could hear a train whistle and picked up her pace. The train was in the final minutes of boarding and ran on board without a ticket.

She searched the car she was on desperately but didn't see Spike. She ran through one more car and couldn't find Spike either. She stepped off the car and asked one of the attendants, "Have you seen a baby dragon get on recently?"

The attendant thought about it deeply for a second and said, "Well I do remember a purple dragon. He got on the last train though. He was going to Canterlot, this train is going to Phillidelphia."

Rarity looked heart broken as she had her hopes up but then they just dropped. Was Spike out of her life forever? She didn't know, but she knew the next train for Canterlot didn't leave for another week. She decided to reflect on things as she walked home. She remember Spikes leggings and headed back towards the school. As she went back to where she last saw spike she found 2 of her leggings on the lip of a nearby trashcan. She grabbed them then asked the janitor what happened to the other 2.

"Oh I threw them in my first trashbag, but it got full before I picked the other 2 up", the janitor explained.

"So where is the other trashbag?" Rarity asked.

"In the incinerator," he explained simply.

Rarity stared in horror. Half of her last memories of Spike were gone. Saddened she took her two leggings and walked back to her house. She laid in her bed and had a soft cry to herself because of her regret. When she was able to get herself together though she decided to make something special with her leggings. She decided she was going to go look for Spike in Canterlot.

A week later she was on a train for canterlot. She only had the day to look for Spike but she wanted to try her hardest. As she stepped off the train she realized quickly that she was lost. She walked off in a random direction. She decided to stop at a cafe thinking maybe Spike would of have stopped by. She walked up to the table and a waitress came by. "How can I help you?" asked the waitress.

"I would like a cup of camomile tea if you have it please", responded Rarity. Once the waitress came back with her tea Rarity stopped her from walking away and asked, "Actually have you seen a baby dragon that recently moved to this city? He is purple and green and should of got off the train about this time last week."

"I do remember a dragon like that. He stopped by here for a snack as soon as he arrived. He talked about you, I think."

"Oh, what did he say?" asked Rarity.

The waitress looked away. "Ummmm, actually you might not want to know..."

Rarity blushed. "Yeah, I guess it wouldn't of been nice. I'm trying to make things up though. Do you know where he is?"

"I've only seen him that once, but I would look at our town hall for his name. They should have records of him", suggested the waitress.

After finishing her tea and leaving a nice tip Rarity was off to town hall. When she arrived it certainly was busy but she was able to see a secretary of records. She asked about Spike and the secretary checked the records. Knowing that Spike came a week ago helped speed up the process and the secretary came back with information. "Your Spike is an ambassador from Ponyville to the kingdom. He is a very important person. If you want to see him you will need to file a request with Canterlot and have it approved by Spike for his free time", explained the secretary.

Rarity was surprised. Spike really has moved on, and to such a great position. She could have been living with him in Canterlot as part of the elite. She kicked herself again but reality set in. She didn't have the ability to see him right now and headed back to the train station for the train home. Maybe she'll be able to see him in the future, maybe she should leave him alone after what she did to him. All she could do now is learn from her mistakes.