The young man sighed. He ran a hand over the smooth side of his head. Then both hands through the strip of green hair that was left. He missed the shaggy hair that used to fall around his ears already, and it had only been an hour. Still, he had needed to do something. He'd had the same hairstyle since he was fifteen.
Sighing again, he focused his attention on the rest of his features. Deep green eyes, an averaged sized nose, and a smile that wasn't quite even was what he was met with. He ran a finger along his earring. That was new, too. A silver dragon wound from the earlobe, around the cuff of his ear, and ended with its head resting where the top of his ear met his face. It shown brilliantly against his dusky skin.
With a third sigh, he shook his head. The haircut had been a mistake. He had thought it would make him look cool, but he didn't like the way it looked or felt. Running a hand through the strip of green again, he shrugged. Twila was a powerful soul-folk, but he knew that even if she could, she wouldn't grow his hair back. It's a good lesson for you, she would say.
Of course, his adoptive sister's friends would like it. Or at least, two of them would. The one that was most important to him, though, would hate it. And there wasn't anything he could do in the time before her party downstairs.
It wasn't supposed to be like Twila's friend Pinkie's parties. Those were normally full of loud music, punch, sweets, and dancing. The ones planned by her, though, were normally quieter affairs. As much as he loved Pinkie's parties, the others always seemed more important to him. At least there wasn't streamers and confetti everywhere for him to clean up later.
Someone knocked on the door downstairs, and he heard Twila groan. She constantly complained that it was a public library, and as such the public could come and go as they pleased during visiting hours. She had given up getting them to understand that ages ago, though. They had lived in the library for five years now, and very few people actually entered without knocking.
"Hi Twila," Pinkie's excited voice came from below. "I know this is Rarity's party and all, but I was thinking, and she never ever decorates. So, I have my party cannon, we could maybe decorate? I'll set it on small and low?" He imagined her mischievous grin as she tried to talk Twila into decorating the party.
"I don't know. I don't think Rarity would appreciate it." Twila sounded unsure, even as she said it. "She'll be here soon, maybe we could ask her then." Silence followed, and he knew Pinkie was giving Twila her best pouty face. The hyperactive girl was the only person who could bend Twila to do anything. "Well…maybe just one streamer and one piece of confetti?"
"I don't think so," a third voice said. His head snapped back up to the mirror. Wiping non-existent dirt from his face, he mentally rejoiced. If Pinkie had been allowed to start, it would have been a full scale Pinkie Party in less than five minutes. "I'd rather not have all of that hanging around. I told you all, this isn't a party, really. More like a tea. I just have some very important news to share."
"Awesome," a fourth voice said, "everyone's already here! AJ and 'Chy and I were just going to see if you needed help setting up, but if we're all here…"
"It's party time!" squealed Pinkie.
Making sure his Mohawk looked as good as it could and his earring was still in place, he nodded to himself and walked down the stairs. He heard Rarity explaining once again that it wasn't a party and then everyone heading into the kitchen.
He walked through the library part of the library and into the kitchen with the others. Twila and all five of her best friends were seated around the small table. Twila herself sat with her back straight, her straight purple hair fixed the same as always; down, the natural pink stripe contrasting nicely with her ebony skin, and nearly matching the pink in the star symbol on her cheek that signified her as a soul-folk. To her right, Isabelle Dash sat on the floor. Her back was leaned up against Twlia's seat. Her hands were folded behind her, absentmindedly running her dark fingers through her rainbow colored hair. Clearly visible was the rainbow colored lightning bolt coming from a cloud on the back of her neck, where the sky-folk's symbols appeared.
Next to Twila and Dash, Pinkie was seemingly bouncing in her seat. The mark of three bollons on her hand seemed to float as she drummed her fingers on the table and she nodded her head, her mass of curly pink hair about half a second behind the rest of her. Sharing a seat with her fellow earth-folk, Jack Apple sighed. The farmer's blonde hair was tied back in a ponytail. She kept looking at Pinkie every few seconds with a glare, but the other girl didn't seem to notice, even when the hand with the symbol of three red apples tightened into a fist.
Seated next to them was Chylene. The quiet girl seemed to notice the tension between Jack and Pinkie, even if Pinkie didn't herself. Her shoulders were hunched, allowing the three butterflies on the back of her neck to show, and her head down as she peaked at them from time to time from behind her long, softpink hair.
And next to Chylene was Rarity. Her beautifully coiled purple hair fell gracefully down her back. A small smile slipped onto his face as he looked at her. The three diamond mark on her cheek, the blue of her eyes, the dignified way she held herself, nearly kept him from looking away. It would have, too, had Twila not noticed him enter.
"There you are, Spike. Do you want some tea?"
He nodded and walked around the table to get the tea cup Twila offered him. He glanced at Rarity as he took a sip, to see her frowning at him.
"Yes, well, since we're all here, I had some very important news to share." She took a deep breath and let it out before continuing. "As you all know, my fashion line is growing and becoming more widespread." She paused and looked around. When no one replied, she nodded. "And more and more, I find myself having to go on trips to Camelot in order to meet with clients and, in some cases, the trips are extended.
Spike nodded, remembering how she and just returned from a month-long trip. "It is for that reason that I have decided to…" She paused, her smile falling. She looked around the table, at all the faces focused on her. "I'm moving to Camelot."
Barely stopping himself from spitting out his tea, Spike froze. She couldn't move. She just…couldn't. Then he wouldn't be able to see her anymore. Then…
"What?" Pinkie asked, standing from the seat so quickly she nearly uprooted Jack.
"Actually," Dash said, standing as well, "if we're talking about all this stuff, I've kinda been invited to join the Wonderbolts. I was trying to find a cool way to tell you guys but…yeah." Dash grinned, even as she rubbed the back of her neck. "'Course, I'll still have my home here, but training and stuff is all in Cloudsdale."
Spike backed up against the cabinets slowly, sliding down to the floor. The room was abuzz with talking now, and it sounded like someone was crying and someone was yelling, but he barely registered any of it. His head was spinning, his stomach had left his body, and he felt like lead was coursing through his veins. He knew it would happen eventually; they all had. They were young and still had their whole lives ahead of them. At least half were destined to move away from this little rinky-dink town.
Still, he took in a deep breath and let it out. Then again. He looked back up at the group to see both Rarity and Dash with their arms around Pinkie, who had tears streaming down her face. Twila looked as lost as he felt as she watched the three girls. He didn't see Jack or Chylene anywhere.
"Hey, Twi, where'd the other two go?"
Twila shook her head. "Chylene just ran out. I don't know…Jack tried calling her back, then chased after her."
Spike moved into one of the empty chairs. Pinkie had stopped crying now. Rarity held the other girls face in her hands, talking to her quietly. "It isn't like I'm moving very far away. A short train ride away. You can come visit me whenever you'd like. And," she added, before Pinkie could interrupt, "I'm not moving tomorrow. I have to find a shop and a place to live. I need to ensure I'll have clientele. I just wanted you to be aware of what was coming up."
"You're still leaving, though. I…you're one of my best friends, Rarity. And you're leaving me."
Rarity sighed. "Diane Pie, you listen to me. I am not, not, leaving you. I will come visit, you'll come visit, and we will write." Standing straight, she furrowed her brow. "I had no idea this would be so…" Giving up on finding the word, she shook her head. "I'm sorry. I thought it would be best if the news were known as far in advance as possible." Sitting in the last empty seat, she put her face in her hands. "I didn't mean for this to be so terrible for everyone."
"Hey. Hey Rare? And Dashie?" Rarity and Dash looked at Pinkie. She was being so timid, so quiet. "I just…I know you guys have to go. I don't expect you to stay here forever. I think it's really great that you're both getting what you've dreamed about for so long. I'm just going to miss you." A small, sad smile appeared on Pinkie's face. "I know it's silly, but I can't help it. You guys are going to so be very important someones now, and I can't help but think that I'll just be forgotten. You'll have new friends who aren't…me."
"Pinkie," Dash almost groaned. "How could we forget you?"
Silence settled over the five people gathered around the table. Though she wasn't making any noise, Pinkie was tapping her fingers on the table, her smile slowly growing with every beat. Rarity, Twilight, and Dash were looking at her, concerned, but unsure what to say. Spike sighed.
Rarity turned to face him. "And you. Don't think I didn't notice. What on earth have you done?"
Nervously running a hand through his hair, Spike offered a surprised shrug. "It's just a haircut. Don't you like it?"
Rarity shook her head. "No. Not at all." Scowling, she reached across the table and ran her hand through his hair. "I do hope you plan on letting it grow out?"
Spike nodded. His heartbeat picked up as she ran her hand through it again, a thoughtful look on her face. "I was just trying it out," he breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.
"And the earring?"
He shrugged.
She ran her hand through is hair one last time before pulling it away. "Are you okay with all of this?"
He swallowed, wanting to tell her no. That she couldn't go. She couldn't go and leave him. That he wouldn't know what to do
if she didn't make his heart beat fast every day, if she wasn't there to make him smile just by walking into a room. He wanted to beg her to stay with him.
"I think it's great that you're expanding."
She smiled and grabbed his hand."Thank you, Spike."
It might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn he saw a flicker of sadness in the smile.