//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: Of Age // by paleowriter //------------------------------// Chapter 12 Spike's heart felt like it was crumbling into as many pieces as there were gold coins in their cell. Rarity was sobbing at the bottom of his gem pile. Sobbing! To top it all off, despite being surrounded by more gold and gems than he'd ever seen in his life, Spike couldn't get himself to grow. It just wasn't working. Not when he knew Rarity wasn't safe. For a moment there had been the smallest urge to snatch up one of the bigger gemstones next to his left foot, but Rarity's tears squashed that desire down completely. Another sob escaped the unicorn on the cave floor, and Spike couldn't take it any longer. He slid off his gem pile and walked over to her side. A nasty looking harness was padlocked onto her, and Spike knew that Rarity must be not only uncomfortable in it, but horrified at all the rust and dirt caked into the thing. "I'm so sorry, Rarity. I told them that I wouldn't let myself grow if they didn't set you free, but then…then they decided differently," Spike said, his tone dropping lamely at the end of the sentence. He raised one hand to gently pat Rarity's shoulder, then lowered it without touching her. He wanted to comfort her, but given that he was the reason she was in this state, he wasn't sure she'd want his comfort. Rarity looked up at him through watering eyes. "Spike, the last thing I wanted was for you to come here and be forced to change. Promise me you won't let them turn you into something you don't want to be, even if they do set me free." Spike wasn't sure how to respond. "Rarity…" Even talking quietly, their voices had an echo effect through the cave. "I don't think I can make that promise. I have the power to fight off gargoyles, if I could just grow big again." "Spike, no!" Rarity gasped, her eyes flying open. "Fight the gargoyles? Y-y-you?" she stammered, struggling to pull herself upright. "No, you can't!" Spike narrowed his eyes at her strong reaction. "Wait. Why not me?" Spike asked. Don't go there, Rarity. Not you, too. "Because, because…because others can handle it!" Rarity exclaimed, looking completely aghast at the thought. She continued to struggle to stand. "You can't put yourself in danger like that. I simply won't allow my little Spikey-Wikey to get hurt!" "Won't allow your…?" Spike took a deep breath, steadying himself and resisting the urge to clench his fists. He tried his best not to let his offended feelings bleed too much into his reply. So she doesn't think I'm dragon enough to take on the gargoyles, either. "Maybe you don't know what's been going on out there, Rarity, but someone's got to stop the gargoyles. They've invaded Equestria! They're going to suck up power from space rocks and make a bid for the entire world! We can't exactly just sit around and let that happen." Apparently he didn't do a fantastic job keeping his emotions masked, because Rarity's blue eyes now shimmered with a glint of iciness. "Well, excuse me if I've been out of the loop. It's not as if they deliver the Ponyville Express to dragon prison cells," Rarity huffed, falling back to the floor in a heap. Spike winced. "And even if you're right and someone does need to stop them, that someone does not need to be you—ugh! This harness!" She kicked her back legs uselessly along the rocky ground. "It is impossibly heavy!" Rarity's horn began to glow, and Spike realized she was trying to alleviate the weight of the harness with her magic. Then… "Ow!" Rarity gasped. Her horn went bright, and then went out completely. "Rarity!" Spike exclaimed, reaching for her. He tried to tug at the harness, but had no idea how to help remove it. "Oh, Rarity…we have to get this off you," he said. They could argue about his abilities to fight gargoyles later. Spike hadn't realized just how much of a burden the harness was for her. He'd seen her pull huge cartloads of jewels, what was going on…? "Better watch out. That harness is specially designed to suppress unicorn magic and energy," a gruff voice said from the cave entrance. It was Spike's green-scaled guard. "Hey!" Spike spun. Rarity peered out from behind him towards the cave entrance. "You take it off of her, right now!" "Under strict orders not to," the green guard replied, blowing a lazy smoke ring out over the cliff. "Suppress my…wait, whatever you do mean?" Rarity asked. "Why only now? If you were going to block my magic, why not do it earlier?" A bead of sweat fell down the side of her face as she tried to stand once again. "Earlier you weren't around our mutual friend here," the guard gestured back at Spike. "Can't have you using that unicorn magic to brainwash him into not doing his job." "Brainwash him!" Rarity looked appalled. "Like that's even possible!" "Actually…" Spike said, thinking back to Twilight and the sea serpents. "It uh…sort of is." And is sort of creepy. "We've had a long history with unicorns," the guard said. "We know what your kind is capable of, and we don't take any chances anymore." "Well, really!" Rarity sniffed. "You may have a long history with unicorns, but you clearly haven't a long history of respecting ladies." "Rarity, maybe I can figure it out," Spike said quietly. Rarity looked at him, and he tried to give her a reassuring smile. Truth was, he was still a mixed basket of emotions towards her, especially regarding her views on how well he could handle himself against gargoyles, but that didn't mean he wouldn't find a way to set her free. Spike set to work on the harness, quickly finding the padlock. The keyhole was oddly shaped, and Spike looked around, trying to see if there was some tool in his new hoard that he could use. Then, an idea struck him. "Hey, guard!" Spike said. "Yeah?" the green dragon replied. "You're supposed to get me whatever I want, right? So I start growing?" Spike asked. "Wasn't that what that Rojo guy told you?" "Yes…?" The guard raised an eyebrow slowly. "Then I want the key to this lock!" Spike demanded. "Hah!" the green dragon laughed. "Nice try. You can have anything else, kid. No keys." The guard turned around again, blowing another smoke ring. Spike kicked at a rock on the cave floor, dropping the padlock. "Well, it was worth a shot," he grumbled. "A valiant effort, dear," Rarity said. They smiled at each other. Spike's anger at her faded for a moment. Honestly, as horrified as he was that she was in this situation at all, and as offended as he was that even Rarity doubted his ability to fight, it was good to see her. He'd missed her. "Don't worry about me," Rarity told him, still lying on the ground because of the awful harness around her. "I'll find a way to get them to take this thing off of me. I've already made some in-roads here, after all. Though…where did Moxie go…?" Rarity looked out of the cave, her expression falling. She shook her head. "Oh well. In the meantime, maybe you could fill me in on what's been going on? However did you get here? And how did you know I was here?" It seemed Rarity was willing to put their argument aside, so Spike would, too. He sat down next to her, and began to explain. "Well, I guess it started after we separated in the Everfree Forest. I woke up the next morning and found Sweetie Belle missing…" Rarity found she couldn't speak right away when Spike's tale was over with. Oh, Sweetie Belle… Her eyes threatened to start watering again. At least her sister was being taken care of. She could think of nopony better suited for the task than Fluttershy. But to be so badly burnt… Rarity looked out of the cave, over the ocean. Smoke billowed over one of the cliff edges, probably from a volcano, given the nature of the rock around them. "Thank you for updating me, Spike," Rarity quietly said. "It seems a lot has happened." Spike nodded at her side. Rarity worked to wrap her mind around it all. Stef'an, terribly hurt. Her own sister wounded. Their friends split up. The gargoyles, readying for a major attack, and possibly growing in strength through the use of meteorites… Her gaze fell back on the little dragon at her side. …and Spike, trading himself to the dragons in what he thought would be an exchange for her. Trading himself so he could grow to match the age of his egg, and fight the gargoyles for his species. Couldn't he see that the dragons were just using him? That they didn't care? And that she did? Rarity shut her eyes. How did it all end up like this? All she'd wanted to know was if there was a feasible way for her and Spike to be together. That was all she'd written to Princess Celestia about. And now… Well, here you are. Together at long last, a sarcastic voice laughed at her inside her head. Happy? No, she answered herself, resting her chin on her front legs, still lying on the cave floor. I am most certainly not. "Spike," Rarity began. She hated to bring the topic up again, but she couldn't let it go. Enough horrible things had happened already. She might be trapped in a cave and her magic unusable because of some old rusting harness, but she wasn't completely powerless. She could still keep Spike from turning huge and greedy again. Spike always fell to her persuasions, given enough pressure. Well, except for that time he decided to go on the dragon migration…but that was just one instance, and this won't be like that. Right? "Please…I know a lot has happened, but you can't let them force you to grow unnaturally. You just can't," Rarity said. She scrunched her front hooves up towards her face, looking to appeal to Spike's weakness for her pouts. "Those awful dragons just want to use you. That's why they want you to change. You really don't have to do this!" Spike just stared at her, stubbornly crossing his arms. "Haven't you been listening at all? I do have to do this." Okay, so maybe this is more like the dragon migration situation than I'd realized. "No, you don't," she argued, abandoning the pout and resorting back to logical reasoning. "We can find another way to stop the gargoyles, Spike. A way that doesn't involve you putting yourself in danger!" Spike sighed and stood up to begin pacing. "Rarity, I can actually help this time," he said. "I won't be the lame guy in the way or the baby left home at the library to let others fix things. There's actually something I can do. I can—" "Darling, please," Rarity interrupted, reaching one hoof forward—admittedly a little desperately by that point. "Just listen to reason." "I want to help!" Spike growled, stamping his foot. He glared down at her and Rarity fell silent, actually shaking under his gaze. A new set of tears waited to spill from her eyes. Spikey…Wikey? "I—that is-that I—" Spike resumed his pacing, his brow creasing in distress. "Listen, if I turn big, I can fight off a lot of gargoyles at once, and maybe help protect everypony I care about. I can't do that when I'm small. If I turn big, then maybe I can keep the gargoyles away. Don't you see?" "But…but then what?" Rarity asked. Behind her, torches were lit at the cave entrance in preparation for nightfall. "You'll just…stay like that? Forever? Keeping the gargoyles at bay as a huge, greedy beast of a dragon?" The gems in their cell began to glimmer with reflected firelight, and Rarity noticed that Spike's eyes did as well. Spike threw his hands in the air. "Maybe! I don't know! I haven't got that far!" Rarity looked up at him, wishing she could stand up and have more of a position of authority, as she was accustomed to with Spike. But the harness barely allowed her to budge, and she was trapped, held against the ground. "Spike…please." Rarity realized she was begging, but couldn't stop herself. "We can't lose you like that. I can't—" Spike looked at her sharply. "You can't?" Oh dear. She hadn't meant to let that slip out. Rarity's already-parched mouth felt even drier than before. She frantically tried to come up with some way to twist her own words, but they were already out there, hanging between her and Spike. His fire-reflecting eyes fixed on her with such intensity, that Rarity found it hard to breathe. Well. If there was any chance that owning up to her feelings would keep Spike safe, then now was the time to stop hiding them. Rarity dropped her head, unable to look him in the eye as she prepared for what she knew she had to say. Her hooves shook so bad, they almost looked blurry against the stone floor, and she really hoped Spike's guard wasn't listening in too closely. "I can't lose you, Spike. Please," she whispered. "Not when I've only just started realizing how much you really mean to me." Spike's mouth dangled open, gawking at the unicorn in front of him. He was as stunned as if he'd been in the danger-zone during one of Rainbow Dash's sonic rainbooms. Was she…did she…could she…? Half a million questions swirled through his brain at once. "So…this isn't about not believing that I can fight off gargoyles?" Spike found himself asking. Ugh! He wanted to smack his head into the wall. Of all the things to ask, you go with THAT? Rarity just told you she…that she…! "Oh, goodness no!" Rarity looked back up at him. "Spike, I saw firsthand how powerful a grown dragon you could be! I'm sure you could take on enormous numbers of gargoyles! But if you do, you might end up hurt, or you might…" She lowered her head again. "You might not be able to turn back. You might stay like…" "Like a monster," Spike finished for her, still reeling from her earlier words. She doesn't want to lose me… "Oh, I wouldn't say monster," Rarity pushed at some dirt on the ground, looking far more self-conscious than he could ever remember her being in all the time he'd known her. "You'd just be doing what dragons do, after all. You know, rampaging, roaring, hoarding things…that whole business. If you were a monster, that would make all dragons monsters, and that's a rather unfair label, don't you think? I mean, really?" She was rambling. Spike was still frozen in place. Rarity was rambling. "Anyhow, the point I'm trying to make is that I don't know how we'd ever get you…back. I don't know what did it last time…" "You did," Spike said. Had she really never known that? "Oh." She locked eyes with him for a moment, and judging by how wide hers were, Spike realized she really hadn't known it was because of her that he went back to his normal size after his Ponyville rampage. He wondered, as their eyes didn't move from one another's, if her heart was beating as quickly as his. Rarity cares about me. She…she needs me. She's nervous around me. Have I fallen into some alternate universe where everything is the opposite of what it normally is? What's happening? "So…" Rarity said carefully, still looking into his eyes. "If you were to grow again, and I was there to ask you to return to your normal self, would you be able to do so?" Spike's heart squeezed in his chest. Yes, he wanted to say. Yes, yes, in an instant, Rarity, I love you. "I don't know," he found himself saying instead. "See…that big, scary version of me technically still is me. Maybe it's time I embraced that." Stupid, stupid, stupid, he berated himself, finally tearing his eyes away from the unicorn. Of all times to obsess over personal identity… Rarity opened her mouth to object, but then shut it again. Eventually, she nodded. "I…I suppose I can respect that. It is your body and your mind, after all. Who am I to tell you what to do with it?" Who are you? You're my everything. "You should be whomever you chose to be, Spike," Rarity conceded, her voice just above that of a whisper. Spike felt everything inside him twist like a pile of yarn Opal had gotten into. Make that thorn-covered yarn. Make that exploding thorn-covered yarn. He couldn't take it anymore. It was just too much. Knowing that Rarity not only cared, but accepted him for whichever choice he made about himself...knowing that there was only one way to keep her safe and that was to turn into a creature that might not even remember Rarity, much less love her as he did… The tears spilled out from his eyes, as if he had no more room in his skull for anything else now that it'd been overwhelmed with so many thoughts and feelings. "Rarity…" He threw his arms around her neck, holding her tight. His forehead bumped up against the rusting harness she wore, and the reminder of her imprisonment just made him sob harder. Rarity felt numb, and yet was intensely aware of the dragon clinging to her like some sort of scaly winter scarf. She put a hoof to Spike's back, wishing once more that she could stand upright rather than lying awkwardly on the floor. "It's alright, Spike," she managed to say. "It'll be alright. You…you do what you need to do, and I'll be here for you, darling." She swallowed down her real emotion, caressing the dragon's back, and leaning her head against his little shoulder. Spike shook, tremors moving through him from the tip of his head, through his toes. Rarity had hoped to calm him down, but the emotional floodgates were open. The poor dear was terrified and unsure, that much was obvious. And her confession of feelings probably hadn't helped to stem his confusion. Way to go, Rarity, she chided herself. Trying to help him by convincing him to stay small just because you told him to. Manipulating him by revealing your feelings at what was probably the worst possible time… Rarity's heart ached, and so did her face as she struggled to keep her tears back. What were you thinking? Rarity wished she could go find a hole somewhere to curl up in and hide so she wouldn't accidentally hurt him more. But she couldn't pull herself away from him, because when it came down to it, all she actually wanted to do was hold him close and cry in return. The thought of Spike choosing to grow and remain huge had shot an icy shard of panic straight into her heart. Last time he'd been that way, he'd been so unruly that he'd practically forgotten all his friends, and lost all respect for their emotions and belongings. He couldn't really want that again, could he? Though…it is only natural to want to accept oneself for who one is. Maybe this really is something Spike needs to do. And maybe I need to stand aside and let him make his own choices. She shuddered. But if he turns into what he's hoping to turn into, the dragons might abuse him as an ally. He might end up seriously hurt, or worse… Rarity blinked, practically begging her eyes to stop tearing up already. Hadn't she cried enough today? Spike, I promise, I'll stay by your side. You can do whatever you think is best, but I'm going to be with you to make sure you're safe. Why, if anything happened to you…I…I…! The horrible thought crumbled what was left of Rarity's fragile emotions. "Oh, Spike." Rarity choked out a sob of her own and finally gave in to her tears. She clung to him tighter, and the two of them shook together. Rarity wasn't sure for how long they held each other, but it was well into the night when the crying stopped and the last of their tears dried up. Back out at the cave's entrance, the guard had changed, but sadly Moxie wasn't the replacement. The dark sky told her they'd long missed sunset, and eventually Rarity had no choice but to shift her legs a bit underneath her to avoid cramping. The harness creaked as she did so and Spike awkwardly pulled back, giving her room to move. The removal of Spike's body from her side was like a cold splash of water. The night air moved into the gap between them, making her shiver. And for some reason, it was then that Rarity became fully self-conscious of what she'd revealed to Spike earlier. The little dragon stood near her, rubbing his arms, and she desperately wanted to go back to holding him. But the idea of asking to do so made her so horrifically tongue-tied that Rarity wasn't sure she'd ever be able to speak again. Goodness, asking would only remind him about what I said about…about…well, about not wanting to lose him! Rarity's heart raced. There'd be no getting around it anymore. It'd be confirmed. Oh dear. Oh dear, dear, dear. How did I ever let that get out? How do I face him now? I told him I… She could feel her face flushing, and she turned away from the dragon to look out at the moonlight. "Rarity?" Spike asked. "Yes?" Rarity replied. She didn't trust herself to say anything else. "No matter what happens with me, I'm going to make sure you'll be okay," he said. "I'll make sure you're safe." She glanced back at him. He stood in a moonbeam, determination coloring his face. His eyes were out on the horizon, watching the shooting stars. "I know, Spike," she replied quietly. And she really did, she realized. It was a truth she'd come to accept over the years without ever fully recognizing she'd learned it: Spike would keep her safe, and she would keep him safe. That was just how things were. Watching Spike in that moment, Rarity finally made peace between her mind and her heart. Spike was the dearest, noblest soul she'd ever met. He cared deeply for her. More than she deserved, based on how she generally treated him. Moxie's words from the night before floated through her head. "I don't see a problem." And neither do I, when I really think about it. Rarity felt a small hint of a smile come on. Why shouldn't we be together? He cares for me, I care for him…what's stopping us? Outside, not even a cricket chirped, and Rarity's question was answered. Nothing was stopping them. Rarity took a deep breath, taking in the cool air and blinking a few times, feeling oddly content for being in their current predicament. It was a refreshing change of emotion. "Spike?" she asked. It was time to be open. It was time to give Spike what he deserved. "I'm afraid this harness won't let me move very far. Perhaps you could come closer again? It's going to get chilly tonight." Spike's moonlit expression went from bold and determined to flabbergasted and panicked in under a second, and the poor dear fell backwards in shock. Rarity giggled as he flailed, trying to stay upright and only just managing to do so because his own tail caught him. "Oh, Spike," she said, shaking her head. "Relax. I'd just like to, ah…" Rarity felt her blush returning. She should've known she wouldn't be able to keep up the air of non-embarrassment for long. "I just think it'd be nice if we…well, if you really do grow into a giant dragon soon, then this might be our only chance to…that is…" Oh goodness, Rarity, stop stammering, you're making this out to sound like a far more indecent proposal than it actually is! "That is to say, could we maybe go back to holding each other again? At least for the night? I…rather liked that." "Yeah," Spike said, nodding dumbly. "Yeah, of course." He took a few steps back towards her, and tentatively put an arm around her neck again. "You are simply adorable when flustered, you know that, dear?" Rarity asked, wrapping her hoof around him. "Me? Flustered? Puh, I've never been better," Spike boasted, giving her a small grin. "You, however, are sounding more than a little flustered." "Moi?" Rarity scoffed. "Don't be ridiculous," she said. But she couldn't stop a sigh of contentment from escaping her as he settled down next to her, leaning into her side. This was right. This felt right. "It will be nice to have tonight at least, I guess," Spike said, his tone changing to something far more grim. "Tomorrow, I need to try to grow again." Rarity swallowed, then nodded. Shutting her eyes, she rested her head against his. "And if that's your decision, then I'll help you." She hated the words coming out of her mouth, but she knew they were true. She really would help Spike do anything he decided he needed to do. Spike chucked a ruby across the cave, snorting out puffs of smoke. It wasn't working. Why wasn't it working? "Give me another gem!" Spike ordered, just as they'd decided he should. Asking politely wasn't how he'd grown the first time, after all. Rarity, guarding "her" pile of gems, put a hoof to her forehead in mock distress. "Don't you dare take any more! These are mine!" Spike dashed over and grabbed a gem, running back across the cave to shove it in his stack. The smallest sensation of wantneedwant coursed through him, but before he could grasp it, it was gone again. Spike sagged his head in defeat. "No fair! You leave these gems alone, mister, they belong to me!" Rarity goaded, dramatically tossing her mane. If Spike hadn't been so frustrated that this entire ploy wasn't working, he'd have been more amused at how much Rarity had gotten into her role. But instead, all he could feel was disappointment. "You can stop, Rarity. I give up." Spike kicked at his gem pile, scattering several of them across the cave. He caught one and tossed it into his mouth, chewing and then swallowing. "I just don't know what else to do." She dropped her act and frowned a little in concern. "Maybe it's not working because you aren't actually taking anything new?" Rarity suggested. With a full night's rest and a good breakfast in her, she had a bit more strength today and was actually managing to stand with her harness. She took a step towards Spike so as to gently place one hoof on his shoulder. "Maybe we need to have you demand more from the guard again?" But they'd tried that already. The guard had brought them item after item after item, and while each tickled at Spike's greed, none managed to capture it the way he'd experienced on his birthday. And he wanted so badly to grow this time. He needed to grow. It was just… Spike glanced at the hoof on his shoulder, then up into Rarity's eyes. He knew the problem, even if he didn't want to fully admit it. Last time he'd grown huge, he'd nearly hurt Rarity. And with her still kept here, he felt like he'd be betraying his own decree that he wouldn't grow at all as long as she was a prisoner. That was all there was to it, really. Spike knew it, and knew he'd have to own up to it eventually. He couldn't grow with Rarity around. His feelings for her went against everything that made him greedy, and were now just compounded by the understanding that she felt something in return. Spike turned from Rarity and nodded decisively. She needed to go. And at that thought—the thought of sending her away from him—something in his chest growled. Rarity's hoof flew off Spike's shoulder. "Spike!" she exclaimed. "There! You did it! You're a little taller!" Spike froze in place. He was taller. He'd felt it. No. His face paled. "You did it! You—oh," Rarity bit her lower lip. "Oh, no, you're back to being your regular size again." Spike stumbled away from the unicorn, clutching at his chest. He'd almost let his greed focus on Rarity. He grabbed at the wall. No. He'd never allow that to happen. Never again. You have to get her away. She has to go free. For her own safety. That was the final straw. It was time to take action. "Guard!" Spike demanded, marching up to their cell bars. "Go get Rojo! Tell him I've figured out how to grow!" Spike caught Rarity's inquiring eye as his guard flew away with the news. He couldn't bring himself to share his revelation with her. She looked at him, her head tilted in an innocent curiosity that reminded Spike of her little sister. But Rarity's eyes revealed a sadness that Spike had never seen in Sweetie Belle. As much as Rarity told him that he could be what he wanted to be, he knew she didn't want to see him turn into a beast again. Frankly, he didn't exactly want it either. But what choice did he have? "Rarity…" he started. But then a surprisingly familiar feeling began to rumble in his throat, and green flame burst forth. A scroll fell to the cell floor and Spike's eyes flew open. A letter from Princess Celestia! "Is that what I think it is?" Rarity gasped. "Yeah," Spike replied, just as shocked. "It must be a reply from the message Twilight had me send yesterday morning." All thoughts of getting himself to grow and setting Rarity free were pushed aside for the moment. He picked up the scroll and walked it over to Rarity so they could read it together. Dear Twilight, My sister has spent the night analyzing the meteor threat, and it is unfortunately far worse than even you had feared. By midnight tomorrow night, the largest pieces of the asteroid collision will head our way. These must be what the gargoyles are waiting for, based on your brother's assessment of their attack strategies so far. The good news is that with Pinkie Pie's help, we've managed to keep the gargoyles from acquiring much of Equestria's rocky resources. The bad news is that it has taken most of my strength to do so. I am uncertain how helpful I will be in redirecting these meteors, though I will do what I can during the day when my power is greatest. While my sister has been working with Rainbow Dash to defend our innocent civilians, which is our number one priority, she will spend the tonight attempting to avert the incoming debris to a new course as well. With her manner of powers, I believe she will be far more effective than I. However, I worry that even she may not be powerful enough to simultaneously move the moon, defend against the gargoyles, and reroute thousands of meteors. It is thus that I ask for your help, Twilight Sparkle. We will need your magic to assist in moving each rock away from our world, and out of the reach of the gargoyles. If they manage to absorb the largest pieces headed our way tomorrow evening, I do not wish to imagine what horror they would unleash. My dear student, I am sorry to share this burden with you. I would not do so if I didn't know that you could rise to the occasion. Sincerely, Princess Celestia Spike and Rarity looked at each other when they'd finished reading. Spike's mind reeled. This was not good. "Whatever shall we do?" Rarity asked. "How do we let Twilight know?" At first, Spike didn't know how to answer, but then he realized there was a simple solution—one that fit into his current plan pretty much perfectly. Spike closed his eyes, and pushed the letter at Rarity. "We'll let her know, because you'll take this to her." "I—what?" Rarity blinked, stumbling back a step and nearly losing her balance under her harness. "You're going to leave, Rarity," Spike said. "I can't…I can't grow with you here. It's just not working. Once they understand that, they'll have to set you free." Rarity's mouth hung open. Spike rolled the scroll back up and tucked it behind her ear, giving her one last hug. Then he wordlessly stepped away, picking up a gem and squeezing it. It was for the best. It was all for the best. Rarity spent several moments just staring at him. Finally, she found the words she'd been searching for. "Spike, I—" "So what's this I hear?" a voice interrupted Rarity. The cave rattled as a couple dragons landed just outside. She glared at whoever it was that had just arrived. Turquoise scales shimmered at the edge of their cell, and the door swung open with a clang. "Rojo," Rarity said, not bothering to keep the malice out of her voice. Her head still smarted from where he'd hit her. The dragon stepped into their cell, dropping to all fours to fit. "You've figured out how to grow, have you?" he asked Spike, completely ignoring Rarity to snort a puff of smoke over Spike. Spike nodded. Other than his little purple hands shaking by his sides, he held his ground well against the brute. Rarity had to admire his nerve, even as she fumed that he'd decided on a plan of action without consulting her—a plan of action that involved sending her away! Couldn't he see that she needed to be here, with him? Admittedly, she couldn't think up another way to get Princess Celestia's message to Twilight, but it sounded like there was more behind kicking her out than just turning her into a delivery girl. An ill feeling took hold in Rarity's stomach. She did not like where this was going. "So why haven't you grown yet?" Rojo demanded, slamming a fist into the cave wall. Rarity ducked her head instinctively, but luckily none of the stalactites fell. Spike gave Rarity one last sorrowful look, and her heart felt like it was tearing straight down the middle. "Because I can't do it with Rarity here," Spike explained, turning back to Rojo. "When she's here, I care too much about others. About…her. And as long as I'm worried about her safety, I don't think I'll ever be able to give into my greed. She has to go." "But…but Spike," Rarity gasped, unable to keep quiet any longer. He was sending her away, and somehow she had to stop that from happening. She had to! "Without me with you, how do I know that you'll be safe? How do I make sure the other dragons don't use you as some sort of awful gargoyle punching bag? If I'm gone, how do I help you?" Spike stared at the floor. He had no answers for her, and his silence cut through her like scissors through silk. Her horrible harness began to weigh on her once more, and she found she could scarcely take a step forward towards the little dragon, no matter how badly she strained to do just that. Rojo, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes. He finally looked over and acknowledged the unicorn. "Interesting," he mused. "Maybe that guard of hers really was onto something…" Moxie? Rarity thought, feeling a rush of betrayal. Not only was her heart breaking, it was getting trampled on. "So it's more than just infatuation," Rojo stated, turning back to Spike. "It's not just a romantic notion you hold in your raised-by-ponies fool-brain." He shook his head, dumbfounded. "I didn't think it was possible, but it seems that this…pony is actually your choice for a life-mate." Spike had his chest puffed out proudly, about to respond, but then paused and raised an eyebrow. "My…what now?" Rojo didn't clarify, and Rarity figured it was just as well. She wasn't sure she could take hearing Spike declare his lifelong devotion to her. Not when they were about to be separated for Celestia knows how long. Not forever, she pleaded internally. Not separated forever. I'll find a way, Spikey-Wikey. "That does change things," Rojo said. "Well, what it really means, is that you need to set her free!" Spike demanded. Rarity felt like she was watching all this unfold from some far-removed tower. This couldn't be real. This couldn't actually be happening. She wasn't ready. She'd known Spike was set on growing to match the age of his egg, but she wasn't ready to say goodbye like this. Rojo laughed. "Perhaps I should. Having her here hasn't helped you along, in any case. And a life-mate isn't something to be hoarded." It all happened so fast. Rarity was pulled out of the cell by her chains in what seemed like an instant. "Spike!" she managed to call out one last time. She tried to force her way out of her chains with a burst of her magic, but then her head felt as if it'd been filled up with sand. Perhaps it was because her heart had just exploded in a million pieces inside her. Rarity's horn flickered out, and her legs fell limp at her sides the moment she'd tried to kick. No. No! SPIKE! Claws gripped her, crushing the harness against her coat. Reality blurred, and the edges of her vision were lost to her. She and Spike looked at each other—he was all she could see. Rarity tried desperately to say with her eyes what she wasn't able say out loud. Don't get yourself killed. Don't forget who you are. Don't forget who I am. Don't forget how much you mean to me. She couldn't tell if he comprehended any of her silent pleas. And then she was in the air, being flown away. He would have to face whatever came next on his own. And she might never see the Spikey-Wikey she'd grown to care for ever again. Spike punched straight through a pile of gems as soon as the other dragons left. Letting out a scream, he dove into another, kicking like a foal having a tantrum. Rarity… His eyes watered. At least she'd be safe now. Even if they hadn't been able to say a real goodbye. He burst out a massive jet of flame towards the wall, wrapping his arms around himself and collapsing on the cave floor, his mouth searing. He just wanted to squeeze himself out of existence. What was he doing? Was this what he really wanted? Spike wiped at his eyes, trying to settle down. Rarity was gone. He had gotten what he wanted, at least in that regard. She was safe. Safe, somewhere he might never see her again. The least he could do was to do the job he originally came here for. He let himself scan the piles of gems, working to calm his breathing. He had to do this. He was past the point of changing his mind. It took a moment, but eventually, the twinkle of a gem got his attention. Need. Want. WANT. Unlike when Rarity was near, this time, the urge didn't disappear. The feeling remained, and with new determination, Spike grabbed. And then, he grabbed something else. And something else. And with each gem he grabbed, it became easier and easier to grab another. It was as if his desperate, coursing emotions fueled his desire to keep everything close to him. If he couldn't have Rarity, he'd have every other thing he could get his claws on. Want. WANT. Spike wanted things. And nopony was there to stop him from taking.