//------------------------------// // Tears, Tissues... Some Other Third Thing // Story: The One Where They All Turn Thirty // by Spike120812 //------------------------------// Tears, Tissues... Some Other Third Thing Sunny weather, clear skies, pleasant temperature, all symbols of a perfect day in Canterlot. Ponies all around the posh city were trotting about, going among their own personal business with a skip in their step. But that was the thing, ponies were going around with ease. The same could not be said for the anxious looking purple-scaled dragon sitting on a bench in Canterlot Station. He stood up and paced around, even stretching out his wings to let some of the tension out as he awaited a train with the four ponies he hoped would help him with today. Just as he thought about it, a loud and unforgiving whistle blew through the train station, signaling the arrival of his friends. “410 from Ponyville to Canterlot, now in station!” bellowed the speakers all around the station. The dragon awaiting the train swooped over to its front car. One by one he watched ponies come and go, and finally, there they were. “SPIKE!” The dragon found himself toppled over by a pink blur and constrained in her death-grip hug. “Hey, Pinkie. How was the trip?” “Great! And now we get to spend the whole day with you, Twilight, and the birthday mare herself!” Pinkie smiled as she continued her death-hold on Spike. “Woah there, Pink. Ah think you need to let the poor guy breathe.” “But I haven’t seen him in a month, Applejack,” Pinkie moaned to her fellow earth pony as she tried to hang onto Spike while Applejack pulled her away. “We all missed him too, Pinkie,” Applejack replied with one final tug on the party mare’s tail, effectively separating her from the dragon, who started gasping. “Nice to see you too, AJ,” Spike said after pulling himself up and giving the farm pony a hug. “Don’t forget me, dragon boy.” Spike looked up to see Rainbow Dash, already flying around in the air to stretch her wings. “As if I could, Rainbow,” Spike responded with a fist bump to the rainbow-maned mare’s cyan hoof. “Spike!” Spike looked down to see his other pegasus friend, a timid cream-coated mare with a pink mane that hung down in the cutest way. “Fluttershy!” Spike took hold of the pegasus in his own embrace, which she happily returned. “Wow, Spike. Sometimes I forget how big you are,” she whispered as she took in the sight of her dragon friend. It was true. Spike was no longer the short baby dragon he used to be. Now he stood nearly two heads taller than all of his friends, grew a marvelous set of green-membranous wings, and gained a good set of muscles. While he may have changed physically, even going as far as to say more intimidating, he was still the loyal, kind, and sometimes smart-aleck dragon he always was. “Thanks, Fluttershy.” With greetings out of the way, it didn’t take long for the girls to find that somepony was missing from their group. “Um, Spike, where’s Twilight?” Fluttershy asked. “She teleported to the boutique about an hour ago to finish setting up with Rarity’s family. Can’t really have a princess out and about without drawing a crowd.” “Makes sense,” Applejack voiced before another, more nervous question surfaced in her mind. “Speaking of setting up... um, how is Rarity doin’ with the whole birthday thing?” she asked nervously. Spike shuddered a little bit as images of how Rarity might be feeling flashed through his mind. “I have no idea...Twilight sent me to make sure you guys got here, so I haven’t seen Rarity at all today.” The other mares gave uneasy glances at each other. They all knew how dramatic Rarity could be, and how she reacted to certain things. Turning thirty wouldn’t elicit a very calm reaction out of the fashionista. “You girls got my message on what not to bring, or put on the cake, or cards, or presents, right?!?” Spike asked like he was Twilight about to explode from anxiety. “Sure did, Spikey,” Pinkie smiled widely as she pulled out a letter. “No thirty-related messages on the cake, cards, or balloons, only one candle is being used, and we got some extra tissues juuuuuust in case.” Spike’s mental checklist marked off everything he remembered in the letter and let out a sigh when it was done. He only prayed Rarity wouldn’t be too down when they showed up. “Okay,” he announced with a clap of his claws, “let’s go see the birthday mare!” *** The stroll from the train station to the boutique didn’t take too long, but it did bring back memories for the four mares behind Spike. They all remembered when Twilight ascended to royalty and had to move back to Canterlot with Spike. It was tough at first, but their friendship was too strong for some little move to break them apart. It was proven once again when Rarity made the move to Canterlot after her boutique business really took off. She set up shop, and was an instant success in the high-class city. For years, she stayed at the top of the fashion game. Designing, creating, and beautifying all of Canterlot, and of course, she had the help of her little assistant, Spike. Even if he wasn’t so little by the time she went to Canterlot. It was only a matter of time before the grown dragon’s undying feelings for the fashionista truly came out before they became a couple. It was the most magical time for both of them, an experience that had both its ups and downs, but never came short of treasured memories. Spike only hoped that today would be one of the more treasurable memories instead of one of the downs in their relationship. The group reached the boutique where whatever lay ahead still remained a mystery. It was time to see how Rarity was really handling turning thirty. With a hesitant claw, Spike reached out for the door. Without warning, the door flew open and slammed shut just as quickly with three ponies standing in front of it, looking like they just endured the apocalypse and were all on the brink of a mental breakdown. Spike and the others recognized the trio of ponies, Magnum, Pearl, and... “Sweetie Belle?” Spike asked the disheveled pop-star. With a twitch of her eye and ear, the ivory mare breathed her words heavily. “If I stay in there any longer, I’m gonna kill her.” “I love my daughter. I love my daughter. I love my daughter. I love my daughter. I love my daughter,” Magnum and Pearl repeated as they rubbed their temples. Spike and the others stood there in a shocked silence. “What happened in there?” Spike asked the twitching family. Pearl was the first to speak. She gave Spike a pleading look with trembling eyes. “Spike, deary, I say this because I love you like a son... don’t go in there!” “It’s just a number,” Magnum said as he adjusted his straw hat, “and she’s treating it like it’s the end of the world.” “The WORST! POSSIBLE! THING! To be more specific, dad,” Sweetie mocked with her best Rarity impression. “Where’s Twilight?” Rainbow Dash asked from behind. “Still in there. Hopefully still sane,” Sweetie Belle deadpanned. “Listen guys, I’ve dealt with my sister for twenty-three years, and if I go back in there without taking a break, it’s gonna stay twenty-three years.” The last part came with a half-seriousness that may or may not have simply been sibling threats. “So, I’m gonna take my mom and dad somewhere to relax a bit, and we’ll be back in an hour. IIIIIIIIIIIn the meantime...” With a flash of light blue magic from the mares of the family, Sweetie and her parents were on the other side of the street in a dead-set sprint away from the boutique. “... Good luck, SUCKAS!!!” The group of five watched Rarity’s family sprint out of their sights. Nervously, they turned back to the closed door. “Now or never...” with a hesitant claw, Spike opened the door to his marefriend’s home, and before him was a sight one who knew Rarity as well as he did could expect. Littering the over-decorated party scene were mountains of soaked tissues and numerous stained couch cushions. In one of the corners of the chaos stood Equestria’s fourth princess, looking like she was debating whether or not she should smack the wailing unicorn sprawled out across her ‘fainting couch.’ “WHY!? WHY!?” Rarity wailed on her couch as she blew into another tissue held in her light blue magic. Hoofsteps and footsteps brought Twilight’s attention to her approaching friends, each with their own nervous yet supportive smiles. “Heeeeeey, Twilight. Heeeeeey, Rarity. Happy birthday,” they congratulated the latter, only to be met with a pair of shocked and moist eyes. “What’s so ‘happy,’ about knowing you’re just a mare waiting for her glory days to crash down in the worst possible way?!?” Rarity asked back incredulously. “You get cake?” Pinkie suggested honestly while she held out the white and purple frosted confection. “Oh, sure! Cake. Another way to make me fat! Can’t eat like you were twenty, or so all the magazines say! Just another way of reminding me that I’m... I’m... I’m...” she held for a pause while putting a forelimb to her head. “...OLD!” The mention of that awful word sent the birthday mare into loud fits of sobs and tears. “She’s been like this for hours,” Twilight whispered with repressed anger laced within. Fluttershy came to the alicorn’s side to calm her down while the others tried to get Rarity out of her bawling state. “C’mon, Rarity,” Pinkie said, “Twilight and your family decked out the boutique just for you.” “And we came all the way from Ponyville just to see you, Rares,” Applejack pointed out. Rarity’s unfathomable waterfall of tears ceased after Applejack reminded her of the trouble her friends went for her. All she really wanted to do was crawl back into her plush pink bed and drown her sorrows while wearing a black cloak, but of course she had to have such good friends that wouldn’t let her sulk all day. A gentle claw on her shoulder drew her attention to the emerald green irises she had fallen in love with. “Rarity. I know you’re a little... ugh... not yourself right now, so how about we just try two hours for the party and if you’re still not feeling up for it, we’ll understand. Right girls?” Reluctantly, but understandably, the girls nodded their heads. Rarity acknowledged their nods with a small smile before looking back at Spike, then around the decked up boutique. Her family and Twilight really did a great job... her family! She already drove them away, and knowing she could drive five more ponies and a dragon away wasn’t something she wanted to say she did on her birthday, no matter how much she wished it wasn’t. Finally, she gave in with a loud sigh. “Okay, Spike.” “YAY! PARTY BACK ON!!!!” Pinkie squealed in an explosion of confetti. For a mare relatively close to thirty as well, she never lost her energy for parties. “But do you wanna get changed out first, Rarity?” It was then that Rarity took a good look at herself in one of the many mirrors in the boutique, and regretted it instantly. Her pink robe and slippers were stained from her crying, her nose looked like it had been wiped clean of its white fur, and her usually regal, swirled, purple mane stuck out in all directions. “This is what thirty has done to me!” *** After another episode of streaming tears, explosive wails and sobs, and more words of comfort, Rarity was back to her usual pristine self, save for the whirlpool of heated emotions swirling around inside of her. The gang sat by a fully-decked table piled high with presents brought in earlier and the birthday cake. “Happy birthday to you!” With the song done, an awkward silence lingered as Rarity looked on at the one burning candle on the cake, a blistering hate set on that one candle. “Uh, Rarity? Aren’t you gonna blow out your—” “I know that trick,” Rarity said venomously, cutting off Rainbow Dash’s question. “Use only one candle to try and cover up any trace of thirty on the cake. My mother used that trick on my aunt when I was five... It didn’t work.” Her gaze never left the single candle, and neither did her hate. A light-blue magic engulfed the candle, extinguishing the flickering flame. “I wish I had a bat,” she seethed, causing the other guests to back away. “Howwwww about you open gifts?” Pinkie suggested in an attempt to swerve the conversation. She brought out a bright pink box and hoofed it over to the birthday mare. “Betcha can’t guess who this is from,” Pinkie teased. Rarity just smiled a little and took the present. Out of it, popped confetti and streamers, a typical but enjoyable Pinkie present. After the party favor explosion, Rarity pulled out her gift, a newly released sewing machine, painted purple and customized with a small painting of diamonds. “Oh my goodness! Thank you, Pinkie,” Rarity breathed as she beamed at her gift. “Mine next!” Applejack offered with her own small box. Rarity took hold of it and from it, brought out a purple and white glass bottle. “Perfume!” Rarity beamed again as she took in the scent, apples and lavender. “It’s simply divine, Applejack. Thank you.” “There’s a card there too,” Applejack said with a hoof pointed at the open box. Rarity picked up the card with her magic and opened it. “For those nights when you just want to set the right mood. Happy Birthday, Rares! And Enjoy. -Applejack P.S. It works wonders! Try it out with Spike sometime.” “Okay. Thanks, Applejack,” Rarity thanked while hiding the red that spread across her face, but then curiously spritzed herself with her gift. ‘Might as well.’ “No problem, Sugarcube,” Applejack replied with a wink. Rarity then locked her sights on a bright cyan present decked out in a few rainbow designs. “And I’m guessing this must be your’s, Rainbow Dash,” she cooed as she brought it in front of her. “You bet, Rarity,” the cyan mare affirmed before turning to her side and whispered into Spike’s ear fins, “Thanks again for helping me choose the gift, Spike.” “Kinda had to, Dash. You kinda suck at choosing gifts.” “No I don’t!” Rainbow argued back with a huff. “You gave me barbells for one of my birthdays, and you wanted to give Rarity hair dye,” Spike retorted flatly. “As if she’d want that! She already thinks she’s pushing it at thirty.” “...Okay, so, maybe I’m not the best gift giver,” Dash admitted lightly. Spike just rolled his eyes and looked back at his smiling marefriend. He loved seeing her smile, and he was over the moon that she was smiling for the first time that day. “She’s happy again,” Spike whispered back to Rainbow Dash. “Wait till she sees the gift you helped me with,” Rainbow replied. “You remembered the card, right?” “Yeah, it’s on top of the—” Rainbow Dash’s eyes shrunk to pinpoints in nanoseconds and her mane seemed to lose some color. “Ooooh, there’s a card,” Rarity chimed as she began to take it out of its envelope. “WAIT!” Rainbow practically yelled out as she attempted to snatch the card away from Rarity’s hooves. “Don’t read that!” “Whyever not, darling?” Rainbow shifted her eyes back and forth rapidly, trying to think of something. “Ugh... I was just... ugh... thinking you should open the gift first?” she answered with a weak smile. “Oh, nonsense. I’ll get to that shortly, but first, I want to read the card.” Tearing away the last of the envelope with her magic, Rarity brought the card to her muzzle and read aloud. “Happy Birthday, Grandma.” Rainbow cringed when she heard the hurt in Rarity’s voice at the word “Grandma”. “You know what they say... Better to be over the hill... than buried under it. Wishing you a Happy Birthday, - Rainbow Dash” The room fell into a silence that could make Fluttershy sound like a drill sergeant. Rainbow cringed even harder once Rarity finished reading the card she thought would make a good joke at the time she bought it. The others looked at her like she was insane, Spike making a gesture with his arms that spoke, “What the hell, dude?” “Rarity, I’m soooooo sorry. It was supposed to be a joke and I—” “No. No, I get it. Just a simple... heartbreaking joke,” Rarity choked while repressing a sob. “No no no no no, see. You’re only thirty, and far away from being a grandma,” Rainbow tried to reason. “No, I know. To be a grandma, I’d have to be married and have kids first, but I don’t, but some ponies still think that I could be a grandma, and that’s why it’s so funny,” she said through quivering breaths. “I’m just gonna go and... wallow again.” With another sniff, Rarity broke away and ran off upstairs to her room, slamming the door behind her and falling onto her bed, leaving her guests in a stunned silence. Nervous shifting echoed around the room for a few seconds, and Rainbow Dash sunk down in her seat. “I’m so sorry, guys. I thought it would make a good joke at the time...” “WHY CELESTIA?!? WHY LUNA?!? WHY!?!?!?” came the wails of the distressed unicorn in the upstairs room. All eyes fell on Dash as she sunk further into her seat. Spike was seated next to her with half-lidded eyes and crossed arms. “All you had to do was buy the card.” *** A ring of the bell on the door of Carousel Boutique sounded off as three more relaxed-looking ponies enter the room, bringing a light breeze into the store with the smell of Spring. Sweetie Belle and her parents breezed on into the boutique with smiles and fresh faces, hoping to see signs of a successful party, but upon entering the living area, abandoned all their hopes. Sitting on the couch, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Twilight looked on at the pink mare trying her best to keep the party alive with what could only be described as the most ridiculous game of charades ever. “C’mon, girls. You really can’t guess what I am?” Pinkie inquired the sitting group. Applejack sighed out and lazily answered. “No, Pink. None of us can guess. What are you?” “I’m a donkey in Prance eating a cronut on the Hayfiel Tower, duh!” Collective annoyed sighs came from the mares on the couch as they sunk deeper into the plush cushions. The party had taken a turn for the worst after Rarity bolted to her room, and unless Spike could somehow work his magic on her, the rest of the day was gonna go by real slow. “So, I’m guessing you’re still on square one?” Eyes turned to Sweetie Belle and her parents before Twilight answered. “More like back at square one,” she said flatly. “It was supposed to be a joke. I thought it would be funny at the time,” Dash moaned as she buried her face in the arm of the couch. Creaking steps sounded as Spike made his way downstairs while massaging the sides of his head with his claws. “She’s not coming down. One second I’m telling her she isn’t old, she has nothing to worry about, next thing I know, she’s talking about having to find a retirement home and if she’s going to have to take a liking to Bingo.” “WHY CELESTIA!? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME!?!?” Rarity wailed out from her room, unknowingly earning the groans of all her guests downstairs. “C’mon, guys. We can’t leave Rarity like this. It’s her birthday!” Pinkie spoke. “That’s the problem, Pink,” Applejack retorted. “But Ah don’t see the big deal. It’s just a number, half of us are gonna turn thirty later on this year.” “Well, you know, Rarity,” Twilight reminded. “Well, I don’t care,” Pearl announced with a stomp of her hoof, “I’m not letting my daughter spend what is supposed to be a milestone in her life upstairs crying. Sweetie Belle.” Sweetie looked to her mother who had a gaze of slight maliciousness. “Let’s make some toast.” *** “Hmmm. Maybe I could just exile myself inside the boutique... or would that just be considered being a shut in? I could try and start a new life and say I’m twenty-six... no that’s preposterous... twenty-four.” Rarity stood by a mirror in her room, pondering her possible plans of exile that time after time never took off. “If I did, where would I go? Prance? Would I have to pack warm? Oh, the packing would be a monster.” She sighed at her barrage of questions that would go unanswered. She trotted to her bed and plopped down, making sure to avoid the mountains of tissues that littered her bed from earlier in the morning. In retrospect, maybe she had overreacted, but at the time, she just felt like utter crap, and she still did. Thirty. It was an age that some mares treat as just another number and another year, but for some, it brought out their worst. Rarity took in her room, her eyes landing on the many pictures that hung or were framed around her wall. “So young. So beautiful.” Her eyes darted to one photo in particular that stood by her bedside. One of her and her dragon. They were snuggled together on a hill with the widest smiles that made Pinkie’s usual grin look like a frown. She remembered the day that picture was taken, that beautiful day. It was the day Spike told her he loved her, and it was the day she told him the same. In her magic, she took hold of the photo and smiled at it dreamily for a few seconds before her smile faded and tears built behind her eyes. “Why would he still want me?” Painfully, she sat the photo aside to help prevent her tears from breaking loose. All she wanted to do was flop back on her bed and wallow in whatever it was ponies are supposed to wallow in. She dove into her pillow muzzle-first and took a few sniffs to hold back her tears. As she inhaled she took in a weird scent... something hot... something similar to food... something... burning. Rarity jolted out of her bed and bolted towards the door, flinging it open with her magic and made her way down the stairs to see a small trail of smoke that triggered her fire alarm. “What happened? Why is there smoke? What’s burning?” At the last step, she was met in the living area with concerned eyes from her friends and smug looks from her mother and sister, both of whom had smoking bowls of grey goop. Rarity’s eyes narrowed in an unamused stare. “Let me guess, toast?” “Uh-Huh,” Sweetie Belle chirped, “it was the only way to get you down here that wasn’t by force.” “Yes, well I’m down, now I’m going back up,” Rarity snarked back as she turned off the fire alarm with her magic. “Rarity wait!” came Fluttershy’s call. “We know you’re a little sad about your birthday, but—” “But you really need to get a hold of yourself, dear,” Pearl interrupted with a mother’s hidden annoyance. “I get that turning thirty is scary. I went through it too, but this is too much.” “Rarity, we just want to give you a nice party,” Magnum spoke. “Half of us are gonna turn thirty later on this year. You’re not gonna be alone in this, you know,” Rainbow Dash brought up. “Why are you so upset about turning thirty anyway?” Twilight asked. “Why am I upset?!?” Rarity asked back like she already expected everypony to know. “Because this is just the beginning!” The cocked heads and raised eyebrows in the room signaled for Rarity to continue. “I thought I’d never turn thirty, but here I am today! And it’s just the beginning. Now it’s thirty, next it’ll be forty! Then fifty! Next thing I know, I’m sporting ‘I don’t care’ hair, forgetting everything, ponies on the street will be calling me ‘lady’ or ‘ma’am!’ I’m not ready for that! And my mane! Not too long ahead, I’ll be dyeing it to try and hide the horrible patch of grey creeping it’s way down my scalp while at the same time trying to hide the wrinkles that keep popping up no matter how much concealer you put on.” The ponies in the room listened to Rarity’s rant, afraid to speak up at the scene unfolding. “And that’s not all! Oh, no. Then comes the tiredness, the wanting to stay in more, the groaning to get up or sit down, the three-day hangovers, then, finally, I’m showing up at Spike’s wedding, shoving the bridesmaids out of the way to catch the bouquet, hoping that I can snatch somepony half as good as Spike before I kick the bucket or risk becoming a crazy seamstress for the rest of my life!” “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait... my wedding?” Spike asked after Rarity’s borderline meltdown. “Oh come on, Spike,” Rarity said with a slump and moist eyes, “I’m already thirty and you’re still young. Look at you. Someone like you can have any mare or dragoness he wants. Why would you want to be with somepony like me when you can trade up for someone younger?” Before Spike had a chance to speak out, Rarity turned tail and sprinted up to her room and slammed the door, leaving the ponies and dragon in another awkward silence. After a few moments, Spike slumped back down into his seat with wide eyes. “I can’t believe she thinks that.” “I knew she was scared about turning thirty, but I didn’t know she was that scared,” Sweetie Belle breathed. “We’re only four years apart! And I’d never ‘Trade up,’” Spike said with air quotes. “Spike.” The dragon in question turned his head to his adoptive sister. “You do love her, right?” “Of course, Twi! I’ve loved her ever since we came to Ponyville!” “Then... maybe you should go tell her that. She’s really scared right now. Maybe all she needs is for her to know that you love her,” Twilight suggested. Spike gave a glance upstairs and heard the sobs from his distressed love. “I think she’s gonna need a little more than that... and I think I know the trick.” Spike reached over his back and dug out for something between his scales. “I was gonna save this for our anniversary, but I think now’s a good time.” From his back, he pulled out a little black box... the box. His friends all gasped at the sight of the box, each of them knowing exactly what it was. “Spike! You’re actually gonna do it?!?” Applejack gasped. “Uh-Huh.” “Aren’t you nervous?” Fluttershy quietly asked. “Yeah, but I was gonna be nervous anyway if I waited.” Something flickered in Spike’s mind that reminded him of something important. Quickly he turned to Magnum and cleared his throat. “Ugh, Mr. Magnum. I’ve dated your daughter for a few years now. I love her deeply, and I want to ask for your bless—” “YES! Do it! I’ve been waiting months for this!” Magnum beamed as he gave Spike a death squeeze between his forelimbs. “Pearl! Sweetie! Help him out here,” Magnum instructed to the two mares behind him. Without hesitance, Pearl and Sweetie Belle’s horns alighted their light-blue hues and encased Spike. Sweetie Belle shot him a wide grin and glimmering eyes before he disappeared in a flash of light. “See you in a few, bro.” *** Rarity sat on her bed, a tissue held in her magic to her eyes as she sobbed again. Her little meltdown a few moments ago not only made her reveal her true fears about today, but just made one of them in particular grow when she saw the look on the dragon they were about. Like the universe didn’t want her to have just a second of not thinking about the issue, a flash of bright light flooded her room before dropping a purple mass onto her floor. Rarity blinked a few times to see Spike trying to regain his balance as he stood up. “Spike?” “Hey, honey,” Spike responded as his bearings returned. “Spike, what are you doing in here?” “Telling you that I could never trade up.” Spike sat next to Rarity. He took her hoof and stared directly into her azure eyes as she looked on into his emerald irises and warm, inviting smile. “Rarity, I have loved you since the day I first saw you. I have loved you at your best. I have loved you at your worst. I loved you then. And I love you now. You are the only mare that I have ever liked, and I could never ever, imagine being with somepony else.” “But you’re so much youn—” “It’s only four years, Rarity.” “But I’m thirty now! How could you not even think of running off with some other mare or dragoness?” Spike took hold of her other hoof, urging her to stay focused on him. “Rarity, look at me.” Her gaze transfixed on her dragon, his smile still there. “You are the only mare I have ever wanted to be with. You’re scared of me running off? I keep thinking to myself that I must be the luckiest dragon in the world to have somepony like you in my life.” Rarity’s heart fluttered at Spike’s words. All the doubts she had melted with each syllable he spoke. “You mean it?” “You tell me,” Spike answered with half-lidded eyes. He quickly closed the space between them in a passion-filled kiss. Rarity let her eyes roll back as she took him in, savoring the taste she couldn’t get enough of. After a few moments, they parted with dreamy looks on each other’s faces. “Amazing,” was Rarity’s only word. Spike chuckled back as his face started to heat up and his heart quicken at what he was about to do next. “You know another reason why I’d never leave?” “Why?” “Because I’m about to do this.” Rarity watched with wide eyes as Spike got off the bed and down on one knee. ‘Oh my gosh! Is he?’ From some loose scales, he produced the little black box and opened it to reveal a finely cut diamond ring. ‘He is!’ “Rarity, you have made me so happy by just being my marefriend, and I want to do nothing but make you happy for the rest of my life...” Spike’s heart pounded against his chest, nerves going crazy, but locked on Rarity’s growing smile and glittering eyes. “...Will you marry me?” “YES! YES! YES! Oh, Spike, YES!” Rarity shouted with glee as Spike slipped the ring onto his fiance’s horn. Rarity lept into her dragon’s arms once he got up and the two embraced in their first kiss as an engaged couple. The sparks that flew and the passion between the two could never hoped to be matched. “We have a son!” “I have a brother!” “I have a sister!” “Way to go, Spike.” “Congratulations you two.” “About freakin’ dang time!” Spike and Rarity broke their kiss and looked to the door to see it wide open with their friends and Rarity’s family standing in the frame. All of the beaming at the newly engaged couple. “Thanks, guys,” Spike spoke while still keeping his and Rarity’s embrace. “You know what this means?!?” Pinkie asked as she reached for something behind her back. Pulling it out, she sent explosions of confetti and streamers from her party canon. “Happy Engagement/Birthday Rarity and Spike!” “That’s very nice, darling, but I was hoping to get a little more time alone with Spike,” Rarity replied, the later part coming out in a sultry tone heard only by Spike. “I got’cha, sis,” Sweetie Belle chirped with a giggle before closing the door and locking it with her magic, leaving the two lovebirds alone. “Why do they want to be alone?” Pinkie asked. The others answered with laughs at the pink mare’s obliviousness the the whole thing as they all headed down the stairs. “Hey! That’s still my daughter in there,” Magnum pointed out worriedly. “Oh, don’t be like that, honey. Remember when we first got engaged?” Pearl reminded with a devilish grin. “Oh, yeah,” Magnum answered with a laugh and his own smug expression, “ended up banned from riding that train ever again.” “Gross!” came Sweetie’s disgusted squeal that only elicited laughter from her parents. Back in Rarity’s room, the happy couple were busy in another passion-filled kiss that began to turn into something a little more. Rarity’s hooves moved all over Spike’s muscular back as Spike’s claws wrapped and felt through Rarity’s beautiful purple mane. He caught a scent coming from her, something wonderful that drove him crazy as he inhaled. “Best birthday ever,” Rarity breathed after they parted. “Best fiance ever,” he returned with a sniff. “Wow, you smell good.” “Oh? So you noticed,” Rarity playfully teased with a bat of her eyelashes. “Well... what shall we do about it,” came her sultry voice. Spike looked down at Rarity with half-lidded eyes and a wide smile. “I’ve got an idea in mind.” Rarity smiled seductively at this and even more when Spike swept her off her hooves and onto the bed, both of them knowing exactly where this was going. “Make me sore, dragon boy.” *** Present Day *** Rarity snuggled up to her husband as a round of “Awwww’s” and “Dawwwww’s” echoed in the bakery. “And that’s how Equestria was made,” Pinkie concluded with a smile, earning the confused glances of the ponies and dragon in the room. They all just shrugged it off as Pinkie being Pinkie. “I love that story guys,” Sweetie Belle chimed as she recounted the day she practically gained a brother. “Ah can’t believe Ah missed that,” Apple Bloom pouted. “That was so cheesy I could actually smell it... but it was cute,” Scootaloo admitted. “Isn’t it?” Rarity teased before giving Spike a peck on his cheek. “And like I said before, Sweetie Belle, turning thirty wasn’t the end of the world for me. More like a great beginning.” “Yes, well, I don’t exactly have a drakefriend to get engaged to. I’m still single and have a mountain of ponies thinking I’m gonna retire.” Rarity stood there, dumbfounded, her sister’s issues on turning thirty completely gone from her mind until now “...Okay maybe that wasn’t the best story to help,” Rarity agreed sheepishly. “Mine can help,” Rainbow Dash said proudly as she pounded her chest and flew over to Sweetie Belle. “So, you’ve got some doubters, big whoop, so did I. Ponies thought a Wonderbolt at thirty was only good for office work and introductory training... well I showed them.” “Oh! I remember that!” Scootaloo admired at her foal-hood hero. “I bet you do, Scoots. Why don’t you tell them?” Rainbow suggested. “Alrighty then.” Scootaloo cleared her throat and began. “It was a few years back in Cloudsdale...”