Spike glanced around the darkened room and instantly spotted Twilight and Rainbow Dash. They were waiting by a podium, which Rarity soon walked behind. She led them off to a table across the room that was candlelit and had a bouquet of roses in the center of it. Spike glanced around and he could see Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie talking over by the door that led to the kitchen, and that was it.
'I wonder who's my date?' he asked himself. He looked up at Rarity with a small smile, "So... who's my date Rarity?" he asked in earnest.
"Oh Spikey Wikey, trust me. The two of you are going to have a smashing time tonight." Rarity said with a smile.
"Okay, but who is it?" Spike asked again.
"Um, hi Spike." a voice said from behind the podium.
Spike gulped and watched as Sweetie Belle walked out from behind her sister. She was wearing a light pink dress with matching shoes, that was undoubtedly created by her sister. Sweetie Belle uncomfortably shifted her weight around while smiling at Spike.
Spike waved his claw, "Um, hi Sweetie Belle. Um, you look...," his eyes locked with hers and he could see his reflection in her green eyes, and for the first time he actually didn't care about Rarity shooting him down, "beautiful." he finished in a whisper after a moment.
He shook his head slightly and held out his claw, "So are you ready?" he asked softly.
Sweetie Belle visibly brightened, "YEAH!" Sweetie yelled before she cleared her throat and said in a quieter tone, "I mean, yes I am." she said with an awkward nervous smile.
Rarity squealed as she clapped her hooves together, "Excellent! I'll show you to your table!" she said excitedly.
Rarity led Spike and Sweetie Belle to a table on the opposite side of the room from Twilight and Rainbow Dash and floated two menus over to them.
"Your server should be here soon to take your order." Rarity said pleasantly.
Spike watched Rarity walk away, and looked back over to Sweetie Belle who was smiling. Over her shoulder he noticed Twilight looking at him so he waved to her. Twilight nodded and smiled, but Rainbow Dash turned around and waved to Spike while making kissy faces at him.
Spike made a disgusted face and stuck his tongue out, which made Sweetie Belle turn around to see what Spike was upset about. Sweetie Belle caught Dash in the act of making the face and blushed, but she still blew Rainbow a raspberry while Spike put his thumb on his nose and wiggled his other talons.
Pinkie Pie hopped over to Twilight's and Rainbow's table and cleared her throat, "Ahem. If you're finished playing, may I take your order?"
Rainbow Dash smiled awkwardly at first, but soon it became a genuine one.
"Yes. Um... I'd like a glass of water, and a Celestia Salad please." Twilight said calmly while glancing at her menu.
"Your drinks have already been taken care of and should arrive shortly, but one Celestia Salad coming up, and what about you, Rainbow Dash?" Pinkie Pie asked in a surprisingly calm voice.
"I'd like a Manehattan Salad with the works, and a side of cheese sticks." she said while licking her lips at the thought of the fried cheese.
"Alrighty doodie dandy! I have one Celestia Salad, one Manehattan Salad with the works, and one order of cheese sticks." Pinkie said reading off her list and waiting for a confirmation from Twilight and Rainbow Dash.
"Yep. That's it, unless you want something else Twilight?" Rainbow asked tenderly.
"No, I'm fine." she answered with a smile.
"Okay it'll be out soon."
While Pinkie was taking the other tables order, Spike tried making small talk with Sweetie Belle.
"So, um... how's the crusading going?" he asked slowly.
"It's... going fine. How's the library doing?" Sweetie asked.
"Fine. Just fine." Spike sighed.
Sweetie Belle looked around the room briefly before resettling her eyes back onto Spike.
"Sweetie, if Rarity forced you to go on this date, I'm sorry. I just..."
"Stop right there Spike." Sweetie interjected, "Rarity didn't ask me to do this. I saw what happened earlier at the boutique, and well... I saw how hurt you were, and... I just couldn't stand it." Sweetie said.
"What? Why?"
"The look on your face. You looked like you thought that nopony cared for you, but that's not true." Sweetie explained.
"Yeah, I was pretty bummed out. It's a good thing that I have Twilight to talk to." Spike said with a small smile and a glance in Twilight's direction.
"She's not the only one who cares for you, you know?" Sweetie asked as a small blush appeared on her face again.
"Yeah I guess Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and even Rari..." Spike was cut once again, but this time he was cut off by Sweetie leaning across the table and planting a small peck on his lips.
"I care about you." Sweetie said with a red face and a smile.
Spike's eyes were the size of saucers, and his mouth went slack. He shook himself out of his daze and gulped nervously.
'I think I was chasing after the wrong sister.' he thought to himself.
"Spike? I didn't do something wrong did I?" Sweetie asked in a worried tone.
"No. Not at all. I was just caught off guard. I mean um... heh... I don't know really what to say." Spike admitted out loud.
"Well what do you want to do?" Sweetie asked.
Spike thought about it for a moment, but he suddenly shot across the table and kissed Sweetie Belle who squeked in surprise. Before chuckling against his lips. This sound caught Twilight's attention who looked over to see her assistant leaning across the table, kissing one of her friend's sister.
"Spike." she said sternly, "Arm's length distance."
Rainbow Dash looked over her shoulder and started laughing as Spike ignored Twilight and continue kissing Sweetie. Twilight's horn lit up and she forced Spike back into his chair. Spike stared dejectedly at Twilight for a few moments before returning his attention to Sweetie Belle.
"Twilight?" Rainbow Dash chuckled, "Leave the little dude alone. We're here for us. He can handle himself, and I highly doubt that he would do something that Sweetie wasn't comfortable with."
"It not that I'm worried about. I don't want Rarity catching him doing that. There's no telling what may happen." Twilight said without taking her eyes off of Spike.
Rainbow Dash reached her hoof out and stroke Twilight's cheek, "Twilight, you have to let him grow up. I know that you think that your the only family he has, and that you have to protect him from the world," Rainbow Dash smiled, "but you can't always be there for him. Right now he doesn't need his big sister. He doesn't need his mother, and please don't take this the wrong way, but he doesn't need you tonight." Dash said without letting her smile falter.
Twilight's mouth was frozen in an "O" shape as she realized that Dash was right. Spike didn't need her right now. He needed to be allowed to make his own decisions.
"You're right Dash, but those two are not spending the night with one another. Not until we know they can be trusted." Twilight said sternly.
"Oh yeah, of course." Rainbow Dash agreed.
Twilight glanced back over to the other table and saw Pinkie Pie taking their orders before happily bouncing away into the kitchen. Soon Twilight and Rainbow's orders were brought out to them, and a bucket of ice with a dark green bottle was placed in from of them.
Twilight's eyes widened with realization, "Is that..."
"Yep," Pinkie Pie said quickly, "champaign, all the way from Prance! Rarity said it's really good on a first date!" she chirped happily.
"Wait you guys aren't..." Rainbow started before pointing to the table behind her.
"Dashie! We would never! They're getting sparkling water, silly filly!" Pinkie gasped.
"Sorry! Sorry! Just wanted to make sure." Dash said defensively.
Pinkie Pie hopped over to the other table and dropped another bucket of ice towards the center of it. She began to hop away when she heard a voice call out to her.
"Pinkie Pie! This is the sparkling water!" Dash exclaimed before laughing.
Pinkie Pie quickly ran over to Spike's and Sweetie's table and snatched the glasses away from them, "Sorry guys, but you can't drink this." she said apologetically.
She grabbed the rest of the bottle and ran it over to Rainbow Dash and Twilight, grabbed the bottle of sparkling water, and ran it over to Spike and Sweetie's table.
As she was hopping back to the kitchen she chortled, "Nailed it!" before disappearing into the kitchen.
The rest of the evening went off without a hitch, the food was wonderful, the atmosphere mesmerizing, and the after dinner show, which was provided by Fluttershy and some of her animal friends, was spectacular.
The group was finally walking home after helping return Sugarcube Corner to its normal state. Rainbow Dash had her wing draped over Twilight, and Spike had his arm over Sweetie's shoulders.
As they approached the tree library Spike and Sweetie turned around, "Where are you two going?" Twilight asked the two.
"I was hoping to spend the night with Sweetie Belle." Spike said.
Rainbow Dash opened her mouth to speak but was stopped by Twilight, "Yes. It's fine, but you two sleep in different rooms." she said to Spike.
"Of course!" he exclaimed happily.
As the two disappeared in the darkness, and Twilight opened the door to the library, Rainbow Dash turned towards her, "I thought you didn't want them spending the night together?" she asked.
"I thought about what you said earlier, and realized that you were completely right. Spike doesn't need me as his mother or his sister all the time, and now he needed a friend," Twilight said as she entered the library, "besides, we still have much to do together." Twilight said in a seductive tone.
"Oh r...really?" Rainbow asked in a slightly unsure tone.
Her only answer was being levitated by Twilight's magic and carried to Twilight's bedroom.
The entire way all Rainbow could think of in her excited state of mind was, 'Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh! This really is going to be the best day of our lifes!'
~Fin~