//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 - Quick Snack before Tears // Story: A Lost Diamond in the Rough // by Umi Chou //------------------------------// ~A Lost Diamond in the Rough ~ Chapter 2- Quick Snack before Tears Rarity and Spike stood in awe at that the bat pony that stood before them. Spike never seeing one before in his life, and Rarity.., well, she hadn't seen one before either. Spike just gazed at the her wings, and wondered how she flew. Rarity, meanwhile, was amazed at her dark grey coat, and her fluffy ears. "My goodness! You're a.. bat pony." Rarity says after composing herself, but then quickly adds," Why, I don't mean that in a bad way, of course. Not that there is a bad way.. or a bad form of that. I'm sure." A slight sigh escapes her. "And your wings! They're just like a bat! I mean, you are a bat pony- but still! Oh, does that mean you can't see us very well, too?" Spike suddenly questions instantly without worrying how it would convey. Jaden looks at the two a bit confused, and was taken back by the sudden attention. "I.. uhm.. no, I can see fine. We're not like that. But, it depends on the kind of bat ponies.. there are different kinds... I mean, uhm, well not that many... but still." She looks back as she finishes, then blinks as they both suddenly stare intensely. "Different.. kinds?!" Spike says first, suddenly excited to know. "Wow, I read about you guys before, but only a few books had any information." He then shrugs, recalling how he read them one time back at the library. Rarity, on the other hoof, was simply adoring her coat. But, notices how the bat pony was a complete mess. Of course, the poor thing was crying just moments before! She then taps Spike gently,"Now, Spike. Let the lady breathe." She says, trying to tell him not to ask so many questions. Jaden only blushed, slowly looking away as she lowered her head. "I.. don't suppose.. you have any food with you?" "Yeah, our kind of food. But if you want I could go get you lots of moths-- " Spike pitched in before Rarity covered his mouth. "Yes, of course~ You can join us in our little picnic." Rarity says toward Jaden with a large smile before turning slightly away from her. "Spike, we have to be careful about what we say. She's not a bat. She's a pony, too!" She whispers to him. Spike nods, giving her a wink in understanding. "Gotcha." The two then innocently smile towards Jaden, and leave to set up the picnic. Or, rather, Spike left to go set up the picnic. Moments later, after the blanket had been set down and the dishes were set, Rarity served the main course. "Now, I know it isn't much.. but it was last minute, so do forgive if it isn't perfect." She says as she passes each serving. Spike just smiled as his eyes almost shifted to hearts,"Oh Rarity, anything you make is perfect!" Rarity only smiled, before gasping slightly. "Oh! I almost forgot yours, Spike." She says as she goes into her basket. Although she didn't have many gems to give him, she made him a special sandwich filled with little bits of leftover gems she had leftover from her workshop. They were too small for her to use. "There." She said as she handed it to him. Spike soon took a big bite out of it as soon as she gave it to him. "Mmmmnn~ T-hanks Rarity." He said as he ate. Jaden gave a soft giggle at the two, then looks towards the food that Rarity gave her. "Uhm... may I ask.. what is in our sandwiches?" "Oh, that's perfectly fine dear. I added a few things to ours... like, oh, let's see now... daffodils, a bit of sugar, a hint of mint, and a touch of parsley. " She says with a smile, softly taking a bite out of her sandwich. Jaden just smiled, too, soon eating hers as well. The three keep eating as Rarity served one more dish afterword, then gave everyone a drink of water. Even though there were only three of them, they were getting along nicely. Spike was the first to finish seeing as it took him no time to finish off his sandwich. "So, Jaden - that is how you say it, right? - I was wondering.. I read that you travel with your families. Or, sometimes within your own groups called 'colonies'. " Spike says, rather curious she was alone. Jaden paused, her smile fading. Rarity gave a pause, too, worried for the young mare. "We do..." Jaden says after taking a moment to answer. "I'm just... just... " She stops, her eyes beginning to water. Rarity puts aside her dish, moving towards Jaden as she sat beside her. "You don't have to tell us.. but we're here for you, dear." She says, gently putting her hoof against the mare. Jaden only sniffs, looking towards her. "I-I...I-.." She stutters, before suddenly crying like before. Her head leans into Rarity, and she, in turn, holds her as she cried. She couldn't just sit there, after all. She had to be there for the poor thing. Oh, Twilight... AppleJack... if you were here, you would know just what to do. Fluttershy would at least be better at these sorts of things. Rainbow Dash, well.. I'm not so sure what she'd do. She thought to herself, knowing that Pinkie Pie would almost panic on how to help the poor bat pony. Spike sat awkwardly across from them, but kept silent. He went ahead and grabbed the dishes as he helped clean up. Jaden cried into Rarity until her eyes hurt too much to cry anymore.. but her head still lowered against her, now just embarrassed she had done so. She just met the pony, and was already crying into her arms. "I.. I'm sorry..." Jaden mutters, wiping her eyes. Rarity shakes her head, fixing her mane as most of it curled from the long hour of crying. "No worries.." She said, thankful she packed her brush. After she finished brushing her own hair, she brushed a little of Jaden's too. Spike had fell asleep half-way through the ordeal since there wasn't much he could do, and he was tired. A nap suited him just fine, as he laid there curled up into a tight ball. "Heh, how long... has he been asleep?" Jaden asks, seeing Spike. "Oh, he must have been tired. Poor Spikey-wikey..." Rarity coos, moving over as she used the picnic blanket to cover him up. The sleepy Spike taking the blanket as he smiled within his dreamy state. Jaden looked away from the two, and towards the exit of the cave. It had gotten into the late afternoon now.. though she wasn't sure the exact time.. Rarity turned towards Jaden, not sure what to say.. but it was she had to help her. "Jaden, I know we haven't known each other for long, but ---" Rarity tried to say.. "I left my colony.." Jaden interrupts, slowly looking up to Rarity. "I didn't leave, really.. they left, and I stayed behind... but, it was my choice to. I wanted to stay behind." She said next, looking down now. "Jaden.. why.. did you want to be left behind?" Rarity asked next. She took a long moment, then looked further outside the cave. "Because... I couldn't face them. The night before they left... I.. I confessed to a.. well, you'd call him a young stallion, that I loved him. Everyone was so surprised and almost teased it constantly... and he... he just walked away. It took me many months to gather the courage to tell him, and he didn't say one word at all that night." She pauses... looking to her wings. "I'm the smallest of the colony, and I'm not the brightest. I know I'm not as great as he is... so... he must think of me as a fool..." Her eyes lowered once more. "How could I just leave with them if I couldn't see him again without crying.. or with the others constantly picking at me for liking him or questioning if I loved him... The same morning they left... a storm came through and I used the rain as cover to leave before they left. I came back to the cave.. and I've stayed here ever since... " Rarity waited, slowly forming her words. "Well, I can't say what he may think of you.... or what they think of you," She says, more assuringly as she continued," but I, for one, know that you're simply delightful, Jaden. You're just fine the way you are." Jaden slowly looked towards her, giving a small smile. "You really think so?" "Of course I do." Rarity said next, hugging her.