As Discord’s magic began to wear out, Rarity began to wonder what her Spiky could have planned for in case his heart was to be broken.
“Whatever would he do if I never realized his love for me?” thought Rarity. Soon, she gasped as a terrible thought crept into her head. “What if he planned to ki-”
“He didn’t,” remarked Discord, pulling Rarity out of her spiral into despair.
“How did you kn--…. mind reading spell.”
“Oh, how you know me so well,” answered Discord, “Don’t worry, the thought never crossed his mind.” Rarity breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.
“But you won’t like the alternative,” said Discord in a semi-dark tone, annihilating Rarity's newfound peace
“Whatever do you mean?” asked Rarity fearfully as her heart began to beat faster at the thought of something worse than Spike’s death. Discord's magic finally stopped and revealed a hallway filled with strange creatures walking on two legs. “What in Equestria are those things?!” she exclaimed.
Discord could only laugh as Rarity hid behind his dragon tail, “These are…. oh, what was it Lyra called them again? Oh yes, Humans,”
“Well, is that not a pleasant surprise? Lyra was right,” said Rarity as she thought back to all the times other ponies would make fun of Lyra for her theory on humans. “Wait! Is this the place Twilight was telling me about? The one that had parallel versions of ourselves?”
“Why, yes it is,” answered Discord as he turn his paw into a telescope and look through it the wrong way, “Thar she blows! Human Rarity and lovesick puppy off the port bow!”
Rarity quickly turned in the direction Discord was pointing and saw that Discord was completely accurate on his description of herself holding Spike in her arms.
“You mean to tell me she still has no clue about your feelings?” asked the human version of Rarity as she placed Spike on the ground long enough to get her books out of her locker.
“Eeyup,” answered Spike, trying to imitate Big Mac, “She still doesn’t know.”
“But in your last letter, you told me you were going to tell her. What happened?” Spike only looked down at his paws, too ashamed to answer.
“Discord, whatever does she mean by letters?” asked Rarity as she watched her human counterpart pull out several papers with Spike’s claw-writing on it.
“Spike would write letters to her and tell her about you,” answered Discord. He then conjured up some of the letters to show to her.
Dear Rarity,
I took your advice and tried my best to find someone new, but I can’t. No matter how much I try to find somepony else to love, I can’t. I love my Rarity, and it hurts me that I can’t tell her. Literally! My heart aches every time I see her and don’t tell her about my love for her. I’ve tried to tell her how I feel many times, but every time I do I choke up and give up. Got any new advice for me?
Sincerely,
Spike”
“How much does it hurt him, Discord?” asked Rarity as she continued to read the letter.
“More than you could imagine,” Discord replied.
Rarity only had a stern expression on her face as she thought about what kind of pain he goes through for her. “What was his plan?” she asked.
“She was,” answered Discord as he pointed to the human Rarity, who was scratching Spike’s ear. “I still don’t see why he would want to.”
“What do you mean?” asked Rarity, surprised by Discord’s comment. Discord quickly transported her back to the Royal Castle courtyard, where he showed his past self talking to Spike.
“What do you mean, you won’t turn me into a stallion?!” asked Spike in anger. Past Discord could only laugh at the young dragon's anger.
“I’m sorry, but I’m under strict orders by the princess not to turn anypony into anything,” said past Discord as he hung from his thinking tree.
“LIAR!” yelled Spike, almost burning the tree with a jet of fire, “I've seen you transform some of the guards into animals when Fluttershy visits.”
“True, but what proof do you have?”
Spike was almost at his breaking point; smoke started to spew out of his nostrils. “JUST TURN ME INTO A STALLION!!!” he yelled as he breathed another jet of fire at the same time.
“I’m sorry, but I won’t.” Hearing this shattered Spike’s heart into pieces--his plan was completely ruined. Spike then ran out of the courtyard and back to the garden; bawling his eyes out.
“Spikey…..why do you want to be a stall--” said Rarity before Discord put a talon to her lips to silence her.
“Just watch,” instructed Discord as he pointed to the still-crying Spike, who was sitting on the large fountain.
“Thats it! I give up!” yelled Spike, not noticing Princess Cadence walking by the garden. Cadence slowly walked into the garden to see the crying dragon.
“Spike?” asked Cadence in a concerned tone; Spike didn’t even bother to hide his sadness this time. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” answered Spike as he continued to cry on the fountain.
“Spike, how long have I known you?”
“As long as I can remember,” answered Spike, still refusing to look at Cadence.
“So, don’t you think I can tell when something’s wrong with you?” asked Cadence. Spike only response was a shrug of his shoulders. “Tell me what's wrong.”
“I lost my chance,” answered Spike in an emotionless tone, “Again.”
“Your chance at what?”
“Twilight’s magic mirror failed and Discord wouldn’t turn me into a stallion.”
“Spike, why in Equestria would you want to be a---” Cadence quickly realized why Spike would want to become a stallion. “Oh, I see.”
As Spike just stared aimlessly at the ground with Cadence's wing across his back, Rarity began to put the pieces together to figure out why Spike would want to be turned into a stallion.
“He was going to go through the mirror as a pony, wasn’t he?” asked Rarity, already knowing the answer to the question.
“Yes,” answered Discord. Hearing this caused Rarity’s heart to feel as if a great weight was being pressed against it. “Which is why I didn’t do it.”
“But, why not? This whole time you have been showing me all the pain he went through for me, and the one time somepony could ease his pain, you said no!” yelled Rarity in a mixture of anger and sadness.
“It was not my decision to deny him,” said Discord, defending himself, “For once, I didn't tell a lie. Celestia told Luna, Cadence, and myself not to transform him into a stallion.”
“But why?”
“Because we believed that one day you would eventually wise up and see that he cares and loves you unconditionally.”
“You….all of you thought that?”
“Yes,” answered Discord. Rarity could feel the pain in her heart increase as she remembered all the times she could have seen Spike’s affection and ignored it.
“He was going to leave to be with the alternate version of me, wasn’t he?” asked Rarity as she looked on at Spike, who was still talking to the princess of love.
“Yes.”
“Would he have been happy if he did?”Discord only turned Rarity attention back to Spike and Cadence.
“Spike, have you really thought this through?” asked Cadence in a concerned tone.
“Of course I did!” said Spike in defense as he stood on the fountain’s seat, “All I had to do was be turned into a pony, which I doubt you will, and go through the mirror. Then I can be with Rarity.” Discord could only slap himself for Spike’s lackluster plan.
“But would it still be the Rarity you love?” Cadence asked. Spike stood with his mouth wide open, trying to think of a rebuttal; when he could not, he sat back down on the fountain. “Spike, I understand how you feel, but you just need to be patient.”
“But….but I've waited so long,” said Spike as tears started to roll down his cheeks, “How much longer?”
“I know you have, but true love is patient Spike,” said Cadence as she wiped the tears from his eyes. “Don’t worry, I have a feeling you won’t have to wait much longer.”
“Not anymore,” remarked Rarity as she wiped tears from her eyes. “Spike, all you have gone through...I’m so sorry.”
“You know, the pain of waiting for you to love him was not the only thing he struggled with,” remarked Discord as he handed her a hanky. “He also faced persecu--”
“Show me,” said Rarity in an emotionless tone. Discord was curious to why Rarity was so determined to see more.
“You don’t even want to know what it is first?” Rarity only shook her head in response, still looking at Spike as Cadence continued to encourage him to pursue Rarity, “Okie-dokie.” In a puff of steam, Discord changed into a conductor’s uniform and then pulled out a large train schedule. “Next stop, Manehatten!”