Little Scars

by take flight

I- Blaze

Spike sat in the waiting room, head hung low. His claws clutched a simple bouquet of flowers. An expression of absolute grief clouded his face. The scene broke Twilight’s heart. In the past hour, she had tried, unsuccessfully, to arouse some sort of multi-syllabic reply from the dragon. Finally, the unicorn stopped pacing, trying one more time.

“Spike, are you sure don’t want to get anything to eat?” Despite her efforts to advance a conversational tone, her words felt hollow and empty. The dragon shook his head, eyes affixed to a point on the tile floor. His grip slackened on the flowers; petals drooped onto the ground.

“Alright, Applejack and I are going to grab a bite. We’ll be right back.” She nuzzled the dragon softly before departing, the sound of hoofsteps fading as she trotted down the hall. The room returned to its quiet equilibrium- the dull thrum of the air conditioner, the occasional voices of the doctors and mares that staffed the hospital.

The dragon stretched and stifled a growing yawn, feeling every muscle in his body groan in protest. This was, he thought, the worst he had ever felt. Grief, sadness, and anguish all coalesced, forming a heavy pit that hung in his stomach. His heart ached, stung by rejection. A pain he thought he had escaped long ago.

Rarity had simply refused. His eyes watered just thinking about it. Of course, he followed her wishes, staring wistfully as her friends all bid her a speedy recovery, entering her hospital room with arms laden with gifts.

It drove Spike to insanity. Was he good enough? Maybe he was gone for too long. He was foolish for thinking a mare as stunning as Rarity would hold out for him...

Twilight was the last one out. Her face was cheerful, and she made assurances that Rarity was recovering quickly under the able care of the doctors. But her magenta eyes were downcast and bitter, and she knew better than to hide emotions from her closest friend.

“She...doesn’t want to be seen. You know how sensitive she is about her appearances.” Her voice cracked. The dragon simply nodded, looking over head to a point on the horizon.

The dragon held onto a meager scrap of hope. He planned the scene in his mind- the bright sun, Rarity’s warm smile, the tight embrace. And so he waited for the entire day.

The hospital waiting room was a place of endings. Only this time, it wasn’t a life that was dying, but a love.

His shoulders slumped forward. He sighed, idly examining the flowers he clutched in his hands. The deep purple lilacs, so breathtakingly beautiful when he picked them, had wilted and faded over the course of the day. They hung dejected, barely clinging to a drooping stem. He snorted, dashing them against the ground.

Yesterday, life was so simple. How quickly things change.

Twilight’s lecture circuit had her traveling across Equestria for the past year. After visiting Ponyville, she asked Spike to keep her company over the last leg of the tour. Spike packed his bags and taught Big Mac and Fluttershy the basics of running a town library. They gratefully took the opportunity.

He had bid Rarity farewell on the library balcony, surrounded by Luna’s impeccable night. He promised he would return shortly. She promised she would try not to miss him too much. They held each other through the night, eased into the comfortable silence that graced only the closest of lovers. Sunrise came too soon.

And so their relationship progressed to one of words and distance. Spike wrote letters of hope and longing. Rarity replied with words of courage and wisdom.

He hated it. The masks of stoicism and composure he was forced to wear. The endless lectures, the pointless formal dinners, the uptight social gatherings. But he saw the absolute joy that graced Twilight’s face. She was living her dream. So why wasn’t he?

They finished in Canterlot, Twilight wrapping up her series with a final discourse that packed the castle lecture hall. Ponies from all over came to listen to the most powerful magician in Equestria. Spike smiled and made polite small talk. It felt fake.

Rarity, I’m coming. This night will be the last we’ll be apart.

Celestia had insisted they stay for the night, in Twilight’s old quarters. The dragon bed he once occupied was many times too little- he settled by making a nest of sheets and pillows. Flashing turquoise eyes, as deep as the Equestrian ocean, haunted his dreams.

It was the Mistress of Dreams that had woken them, storming into the bed room, her face etched with concern. A freak electrical storm, she explained, had ravaged Ponyville. There were fires. One Element was missing. Spike felt an uncharacteristic murmur in his heart as Luna mouth formed a single word. Rarity.

Luna summoned her personal carriage, giving the pegasus explicit instructions. Fast as possible. No stops. May the stars guard you, she had wished. Spike managed a wordless hug, gripping the Princess of the Night in a tearful embrace.

The lunar wind was behind them that night. Equestria’s provinces zoomed by, towns looking like specks of dust below them. They made it there before dawn broke. Spike half-ran half-stumbled to the Carousel Boutique, heart pining. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were picking through the rubble, eyes glazed with tears. Rarity had been rushed to the hospital.

There was the sound of light hoofsteps, drawing Spike from his miserable reverie. “Mr. Spike? Miss. Rarity requests your presence.”

Spike’s heart twisted. He followed the nurse obediently, weaving through the hallways of Ponyville General. They ducked under a low doorway that read Burn Unit. His stomach clenched. He felt like throwing up. “Miss Rarity is inside.” She motioned to the door with a single hoof and trotted off.

Spike mustered up the tattered remnants of his courage, emotionally steeling himself. Gripping the doorknob with a claw, he slowly entered. The door swung shut behind him with a small click.

Two lights illuminated the room in a pale, sterile glow. A side table was littered with flowers, cards, and books.

Rarity herself was sitting up, facing away from the door. A low moan, “I’m so sorry Spike.”

The dragon closed the distance, enveloping her in a deep hug. She drew away, her body tensing. Burns scissored her back in angry red coils of knotted, scarred flesh. Her once lustrous mane hung limply, patches of it burned and ragged. Bandages covered her seared hooves.

“Please don’t look at me,” she whispered thickly, pulling herself into a fetal position. “...I can’t stand it.”

Spike leaned in, gently nuzzling her shoulders and neck. Her perfumed, feminine scent was masked by metallic tang of smoke. He caressed patches of unmarked flesh, his touch light and tender, like a mare cleaning a newborn.

When his attentions reached the nape of her neck, she drew back further, curling up in a corner of the hospital bed. “Don’t look,” she pleaded weakly.

He combed her mane, gently unknotting twists of ragged, patchy hair and smoothing them out. His mind had slowed down, relishing the simple pleasure of contact. In his mind, her previous actions were forgiven.

Finally happy with the state of her loose curls, Spike began to massage her shoulders, gently kneading his claws. She sighed gratefully, tension escaping her body.

And then they returned to silence. The silence of lovers communicating through touch. The perfect simplicity of it, thought Spike. The unexpected romance that lurked in the most unwelcome, the most unforgiving of places.

He reached her neck and cautiously stroked it, his sensitive claws running over a patch of jagged flesh. Rarity tensed, but didn’t draw back.

It was a sign. He leaned in to kiss her, so gently, on her neck. But Rarity had other ideas, she turned, and caught Spike’s lips with her own.

Every cell in Spike’s body came alive. His mind surged. He wanted to suspend time in that moment, frame and store it forever, the perfect scene.

She drew back first, lightly panting, her turquoise eyes glittering.

A single, deep burn stretched from neck to her right eye, scoring half her face a dark red splotch. It was like she was wearing a half of a grotesque mask. The mare drew back from Spike’s silent gaze, shielding her face with her bandaged hooves.

Spike reached out a claw, stopping her. He began speaking unsteadily, words formulating in his mind. “Some called our relationship love at first sight.” The dragon reached out, carefully wiping away her hears.

He continued. “But, I didn’t fall in love with you for your mane, or your fur, or your face.” He smiled gently. “I fell in love with the kind, generous, sweet Rarity. The one that has always existed.”

“Oh Spike.” She threw her forearms around his neck, clutching him, sobbing freely and deeply into his chest. “Please forgive me...” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. “Earlier I-”

The dragon shushed her, raising her chin and gazing into her eyes. “You are beautiful Rarity. You always have been, and always will remain so. Remember that night, a year ago, when we finally confessed our love for each other?”

She nodded slowly, face flickering with confusion.

Spike continued, drawing in closer, breathing in the scent of her mane deeply. The smell of smoke had disappeared. “Remember what we talked about?”

“Scars.” She whispered. “But these...are more than ordinary scars.” Sadness crept into her voice. “These can’t be hidden.”

Spike silenced the troubled mare again, gently nuzzling her face, tenderly stroking the patches of burned flesh. “Don’t,” he finally breathed. “Let them see you.”

She opened her mouth to protest.

“These are no different than the tiny scars that mark all of us,” he said. “No matter what you look like, everypony knows the inner Rarity. The generous, beautiful, sweet Rarity. The Rarity we all love.”

Tears dripped freely, seeping into Spike’s chest. His breath caught in his throat.

Spike hugged her closer. She was more beautiful than ever.

---

A/N:

As always, thanks for reading. Your tracks/comments/reviews keep me writing.

I have one more chapter planned for this story.

Comments

[spikethed]

take god you told use how much you have planed nothing agianst you its just im a big spike fan because i can relate to the dragon and i hate when people write storys mounths pass and im still tracking

[take flight]

236794

I'm not sure I comprehend your comment, but yes, the update will arrive this week.

[Alastor Sweetcrow]

236794 Punctuation isn't your friend, huh?

236824 Thanks for the update, I look forward to seeing more! Poor Rarity!

[kbrony]

this is a very thoughtful story, i can tell that you put some hard work into it, considered it tracked and thumbed!

[Cottonmouth]

Interesting twist.

[Drake2010]

Once again, you bring a truly emotional chapter on Sparity, highlighting the true emotion in their relationship. Very well done, sir.Very well done.

I can't wait to see what you've got in store for the final chapter.

[kharnes]

this just confirms your huge talent and dedication for writing storys
i,m amazed how beautiful this story is. the phasing was right, the athmosphere was right, the feelings were right.

everything was perfect from start to finish.

i think i have a picture that describe how i feel, wait a moment sadanduseless.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/681.jpg

that should cover it.... oh before i forget. FIVE STARS and thumb up

[nerevars]

God, this is so beautiful. Though I don't really know what happen with Rarity or what happen in one year after they confess their love but the you can show how much love they have at that moment, great job!

[ajaysallthat]

This is a lovely story
Its always wonderful to find a ship-fic with such true unbridled (pony humor) love
You sir/madame, are a genius
have some cake
t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQEIOZUrY_KvUIAnrsC0vOeL8WqVeHJ6ZXeLkiAh9dtQrQm8hD6PQ

[Fury of the Tempest]

And that was even more well written, well thought out and cute!

[awesomespike]

w....what happen to rarity?

[jroetzer]

one more chapter? doesn't fool me, i count 7