//------------------------------// // Chapter Eight // Story: One Sided Crush // by Arctofire //------------------------------// Spike stared out into the Everfree Forest, eyes glazed over as he became lost in his thoughts. He sat at the border between the forest and Ponyville, his clawed hands on his chin and his back slouched over. Emerald eyes blinked back crystal tears, and he sniffled a bit, wiping his nose with the back of his arm. Luna’s moon shone down upon him brilliantly, casting his reflection on a nearby puddle of water. He found himself glancing at it, oddly fascinated with his features. I just don’t understand. Where did I go wrong? He closed his eyes as he tried to remember everything up to that point. I tried to act as a gentleman would. I helped out, gave her roses, took her on a date… He clenched his hands into fists as a wave of anger took hold of him. All I ever did was appreciate her! And she threw it all away. She never cared for me, never appreciated all my efforts! I’m probably worth less than the dust on her dresses to her! His mood grew more somber. And… perhaps that’s for the best. Maybe… maybe it wasn’t going to work. That doesn’t matter! his angrier side continued to argue. She lied to me; lied to my face! All those times she said ‘Thank you, Spikey-Wikey;’ they were all without heart! She wasn’t thanking a friend; she was thanking the hired help! Is that all that I am to her? Hired help? More tears fell down his purple features, but he didn’t blink them away. He stared at his reflection in the puddle, willing an answer to form, knowing that one wouldn’t. *** Twilight had been watching from a safe distance when Rarity confessed to Spike. When the baby dragon ran off, she feared the worst, and was quick to question Rarity. The alabaster unicorn told her that Spike had not taken it well. After a moment of consideration, Twilight decided to go after Spike. Rarity followed her from a safe distance. Twilight saw the baby dragon sitting on the dirt road that led to the Everfree. At first, she worried that he was considering running away; yet, he appeared to not want to move. Cautiously, she approached, her hooves stamping lightly on the ground. She sat down next to him, both of them staring out into the Everfree. Neither said anything, choosing instead to keep to a solemn silence. Out of the corner of her eye, Twilight saw that the dragon was fighting a wave of emotions beneath his somber expression. Anger clashed with sadness, hatred fought with depression. Spike could not battle these emotions on his own; and she realized that if she didn’t do anything, he would lose not just this battle, but something even more valuable. She knew he wouldn’t like the next few words out of her mouth, but she realized that they were necessary. “Spike… Rarity still likes you.” “Don’t give me that, Twilight!” the dragon suddenly exploded, glaring at Twilight with fire in his eyes. She did not flinch under his startlingly menacing gaze. “It’s not true and you know it!” She didn’t say anything to that, allowing him to vent. “I’ve always helped her out! Always did my absolute hardest to make her happy! ‘Oh, Spikey-Wikey, could you be a dear and fetch me some gems?’ ‘Sure thing, Rarity, it would be my pleasure!’ ‘Thanks, Spike! By the way, I don’t like you!’” He gave a disgusted snort. “Some thanks that was.” He fell silent for a moment, Twilight looking at him with pity in her eyes. “She never liked me,” he finally whispered. “I was nothing more than a drone to her. Something to be manipulated, to be used…” He could no longer hold back the emotions within him, and he started to cry. His voice started out as sobs, before dying away. His body shook with no sound as the well of emotions flooded, his entire being flooded with his soul’s passion. Twilight wrapped a hoof around him and held him close, letting him cry into her soft fur. “Spike,” she said quietly. “I’ll say it again… Rarity still likes you.” He did not respond, gripping her fur weakly. She continued: “Perhaps not in the way you had hoped for, but she still cares for you.” She took a moment to remember that fleeting childhood memory she had when she had gone to talk with Rarity. She managed to grab hold of it, and it became vividly clear in her mind. She remembered the feelings of times past, the fast-paced beating of her heart when he came into view, the nervousness that always built up inside of her. She wasn’t sure if Spike would understand, but had to try. “When I was a little filly,” she started, making Spike look up at her, “back in Canterlot, there was this… colt in my school. He was cute, charming, and witty.” She sighed as she remembered. “He was everything a girl could have asked for. He was always a gentleman, holding open doors for us, placing his jacket on puddles to let us cross. “I… had a crush on him. A big one at that. It was my first true experience with ‘love.’ I wanted to confess to him; but I didn’t know how. I was scared, but managed to work up the courage to try. “On Hearts and Hooves Day, while we were making valentine cards in class, I addressed mine to him. When he wasn’t looking, I slipped the card into his locker, hoping he would find it the next day. I went home with butterflies in my stomach, wondering if he would understand what I was feeling. “The next day, he confronted me about the card. He was very understanding, and had long been aware of my crush on him. He wasn’t mad that I liked him; he was flattered. But…” Twilight looked away, prompting Spike to ask, “But what?” She took a slow breath before continuing, “But he didn’t feel the same way about me. He thought of me as a friend, nothing more.” “Despite his careful wording and endeavour to make sure that he didn’t come off as sounding callous, I was heartbroken. My first crush, not reciprocating my feelings towards him… It was a lot for me to take in. I told him it was okay, but inwardly I felt horrible. I wasn’t sure whether to feel anger towards him, or myself, if I was supposed to feel anger at all. “I wanted to scream, to cry, to yell; but I didn’t. So, as calmly as I could manage, I thanked him for his honesty, and left. I went home… and absolutely bawled my eyes out. “My mom came in, asking what was wrong. I told her what was, and she sat down on my bed next to me and held me close. She told me something I’ll never forget: “‘Love is a strong emotion, and one of the richest and most pure of feelings out there. And when two ponies feel love for one another, a relationship is born. But relationships are never one-sided; there are two ponies involved, so two different perspectives. You may feel love for somepony, but they must feel love for you as well. It’s just as much about the other pony as it is you.’ “Spike, I know your crush on Rarity is strong. You have to accept that she doesn’t feel the same way for you. But you also have to remember that that doesn’t mean she doesn’t like you. She still cares for you.” Twilight looked at Spike, a caring smile on her face. He wiped his eyes as he considered her words. “… y-you’re right,” he said, looking up at her. “I… I shouldn’t have pressured Rarity into going out with me. In my blinding love for her, I didn’t see that she was uncomfortable with it all.” He let out a slow breath. “I’ve been such a fool. I should never have done all those things. I should have realized that Rarity was growing wary of me.” Twilight held him close, neither saying a word for a few minutes. They stared back out into the Everfree, though the atmosphere was much calmer. All that pent-up rage and frustration Spike had was gone, replaced with a soothing sense of peace. *** Rarity had been watching the whole conversation with tears in her eyes. While she knew that what she did was right, she couldn’t help but feel guilty for causing the baby dragon so much pain. She was glad that Twilight had come along when she did. It appeared that the purple unicorn had calmed Spike down immensely, and Rarity felt a bit confident. She started to approach, but then Spike asked something that struck a chord with her. “Twilight,” Spike asked, “after all I’ve done… all the things I’ve done to Rarity… all the dates, the love-talk, the gift-giving… do you think I’ve lost her as a friend?” He was suddenly wrapped up in the foreleg of another mare. He looked up, and gasped in surprised when he saw who it was. “R-Rarity?” She nodded, smiling through her tears. “Spike, even after all those things you’ve done, I would never forsake my friendship with you.” “B-but why?” “Because you're my friend as much as ever; no more, no less.” Spike cried into her coat, and she cried with him, every emotion rushing out like a swirling river. Twilight came over and hugged them gently, smiling as she did so. The road to love is never easy, she thought. But the journey is more important than the destination. The friendship you create with everypony you meet on your journey of love is just as important and finding that love yourself. Luna’s moon shone brightly on the trio, illuminating happy tears, as the three took the next step in their journey.