//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: Rarity: How's Her Relationship with Spike? // Story: Celestia and Luna Regret Playing Truth or Dare // by Diamond_Emblem //------------------------------// Starlight stared in frustration as Spike clambered back onto his bed. She vaguely noticed Rainbow Dash had spun the wheel, but she wasn't focused on her. Spike loves this game, does he now? Starlight mused angrily. A small part of her asked, Does he love it as much as me , uh, Ember? I mean, he couldn't possibly love me. Starlight could remember the days Spike had made her laugh. She remembered vividly how much fun they had had at the Ponyville Tavern one night. She remembered with perfect clarity the day she had started falling for him. Starlight also remembered the day that shattered her fantasy. "Hey, Starlight! I'm back from the Dragonlands!" Starlight had been in the middle of reading another friendship assignment. #11: Learn more about your friend. What's their favorite color? Where did they grow up? What kind of hobbies do they have? She moved them aside, glad there was an excuse to ignore them, and beamed as Spike entered her room. "I missed you!" she said. "You've been gone for days. I'm going to guess your mission is over?" Spike nodded and said, "It was worth a good three-day trek, to and from." He gestured for Starlight to rise. Starlight got out of her seat and followed Spike out of the room. They had been planning to go to the park when Spike came back from his journey, and that was where they were going. She couldn't help but smile all the way there. Even though there wasn't much conversation between the both of them on their way to the park, just being near Spike was enough. It was two weeks ago when she started...feeling something towards Spike, sometime after Princess Flurry Heart was born. She had felt the same thing toward Sunburst but in a much friendlier and lighter way. Her feelings for Spike were different. More intimate, perhaps? And certainly stronger. Starlight presumed, because of these feelings, she couldn't get Spike out of her head. It was nearing dusk as they headed to the park. Starlight glanced around and saw other ponies were watching as they passed, whispering. Some seemed to smile and giggle. If they were thinking the same thing Starlight was...She couldn't help but blush at the mere thought. Minutes later, they arrived at the park. Few ponies were there, which made their night out seem more like a date. This is anything but a date, Spike thought. Starlight probably doesn't feel the same way I feel about her. "So, tell me about your trip," Starlight said. "How was it?" "A little time-consuming, but it was worth it," Spike replied. "I had to go to the Dragonlands because a new Dragon Lord was needed. I competed in it. I had to! If I hadn't the dragons would have run wild, destroying Equestria!" "And how did you do that?" Starlight asked. "I had to get the bloodstone scepter from a volcano and get there first before anyone else," Spike explained. Starlight became confused."If you got the scepter, then why are you here? Shouldn't you be taking care of the Dragonlands?" "No," Spike replied. He smiled, sending butterflies into Starlight's stomach. "I have a home here, and I've got a bunch of friends! Wouldn't ever want to leave Ponyville." Blushing, Starlight asked, "Is there any other reason?" This time, Spike blushed. "Well..." he said, shrugging. "Oh! I almost forgot. I had the help of a dragon named Ember. She's the daughter of the old Dragon Lord, and she's the one in charge of the Dragonlands now." Starlight froze. "Ember?" she asked. "How is she?" "She's awesome!" Spike replied eagerly. "Even though she didn't want my help at first. Ember warmed up to me, and I became her first friend! Because of our alliance, we were able to get to the scepter. And I thought I was a goner when Garble showed up. Star, you should have been there to see Ember fight him! She also rescued me when I thought she wouldn't! Goes to show dragons can be friends. Twilight isn't the only one who's good with Star?" Starlight had completely stopped. Her lip trembled slightly and her ears were down. "Are you okay?" Spike asked worriedly. "No," Starlight replied. "I'm feeling a little dizzy. I need to go back to the castle." "Oh," Spike said. "Here, I'll come with you " "No thank you," Starlight interrupted fiercely. "I need to be alone right now." "Oh," Spike said dejectedly. "Then are we still on for tomorrow's baseball game?" "I don't know," Starlight replied, turning away from Spike. "I'll tell you tomorrow." "Starlight " But Starlight was gone. Once she was out of sight, Starlight began galloping back to the Castle of Friendship. Before she knew it, Starlight was crying. What was I thinking?! I'm out of my mind! Of course Spike would fall for somedragon after getting his heart broken by Rarity! Starlight screamed in her head. Spike watched as Starlight left the park. He was speechless, his heart slightly broken. He plopped himself on the ground and took out a fire ruby necklace. It was smaller slightly smaller than the one one he had gifted Rarity, but this one was encrusted with diamonds on the perimeter. "Today was probably a bad day to ask her out," Spike said to himself. "Maybe it's too soon." Ever since that day, everything between Spike and her went downhill. Starlight canceled on several more days, and Spike soon found out that she was writing more letters than usual with Sunburst. Then the fighting began... No, Starlight thought, shaking her head. I refuse to think back. She half-heartedly munched on some hay fries as the ponies were announced. "Alright! Rarity! It's your turn," Rainbow Dash announced. "And the players who will make suggestions for you are Twilight, Luna, and Fluttershy!" "Truth!" Rarity exclaimed. "Twilight, darling, go ahead and ask me a question!" Twilight was about to yell, Have you and Fancypants kissed? But she suddenly noticed how Spike and Starlight stole glances and glares from one another. It wasn't possible, but could something be brewing between Starlight, Spike, and Rarity? Was there a love triangle going on? Definitely unlikely, since Rarity was dating Fancypants...But she had to try. "How is your relationship with Spike?" Twilight asked. "Oh! I'd like to know as well," Luna said. "I never knew in the first place Spike had a crush on Rarity." "And I am interested to hear how the two of you have been doing with each other," Fluttershy said. Rarity frowned. "Three ponies and you all ask the same question?" she asked. "No fair!" "Fair," Twilight said. "Hmph!" Rarity stuck her nose in the air, causing her horn to hit a star. "Then I suppose I shall tell you how things are going between Spike and I. "As all of you know, Spike confessed his feelings for me during our first game of Truth or Dare," Rarity began. "Luna and I did not know," Celestia pointed out. "Hey, how come you two are still in your incognito forms?" Rainbow asked, hovering over them. "It requires a vast amount of energy to transform back into our real forms," Luna explained. "We must wait until we have regained enough energy." "And these forms are really comfortable," Celestia added. "Rarity?" Spike asked. "I didn't confess my feelings to you. Somepony else must have!" "Er, yes, that's right," Rarity said. "Anywho, I learned Spike had had a crush on me for over a year. I told him we could not be together, for I did not feel the same way about him! My feelings went to Fancypants. Ever since then, Spike and I have become closer friends! I don't ask him to help me in the boutique anymore, and if he offers, I turn him away. We've spent some time discussing some fashions designs and if gemstones is a yes or no since they are in season. And I've begun learning several interesting facts about gemstones! All thanks to Spikey." Spike and she exchanged smiles. "To answer the question, everything between Spike and I is splendid!" Rarity concluded. "Alright, let's see who's next!" Rainbow said. "Hold on," Twilight interrupted. The players turned their heads to Twilight. Fluttershy was the one who asked, "Hold on for what?" "I just...want to see what Spike says!" Twilight replied. "You know! To see if he agrees with what Rarity said." Spike raised an eyebrow as Twilight asked, "So, Spike? Is what Rarity says true?" "Well, yeah," Spike replied. "Everything's a lot better than it was before." "So, you don't write letters to Ember all the time?" Starlight suddenly asked. Spike's eyes widened in surprise, but he said, "When I'm working with Rarity or doing something else, I usually sneak in a letter to Ember." Starlight glared fiercely at Spike as he smugly ate some hay fries. Twilight glanced back and forth between the two. Even Cookie Dough whimpered, as if she didn't like what was going on. Okay, so the problem doesn't seem to be coming from Rarity, Twilight thought. Her eyebrows furrowed. But how does Ember play into this? "Um, how about we find out who goes next?" Fluttershy asked politely, petting her puppy. "Just a minute," Celestia said. "Ugh!" Rainbow Dash groaned. "Come on, already! I wanna see who goes next!" "Spike, when was the first day you had a crush on Rarity?" Celestia asked. Spike played with his fingers and pretended to remember. "Uh...the Summer Sun Celebration last year?" he said sheepishly. Rarity's jaw dropped. "Wha ?!" she exclaimed in shock. "And you no longer have a crush on her?" Luna asked. "Nope!" Spike replied. "Wouldn't want to keep my friend from dating a stallion she really likes." "Really, now?" Starlight asked. She raised an eyebrow and said smugly, "And if I like Sunburst?" Spike's eyes widened in surprise. The other ponies giggled and whispered, Celestia whispering, "I ship it!" He crossed his arms. "That's your problem, isn't it?" he asked. "I don't have a problem," Starlight spat, turning away from Spike. Was it Twilight's imagination, or did Spike seem to frown unhappily as Starlight did so? No matter what, I will find out what's going on with Starlight and Spike, Twilight mused, even if it takes the entire game to discover the problem. Tonight was supposed to be a night of laughter and fun and bonding, but walls were thick between Spike and Starlight, and she feared they would grow thicker if she didn't do anything about it. Twilight gently lifted a quill, a bottle of ink, and parchment from under her bed, writing down a few notes as Pinkie Pie spun the arrow.