A Gem in the Night

by BandNerdMafia

Reflections, Part Two

Rarity had been galloping for hours. Her hooves ached with the pain of a missed opportunity; the chance to give her princess back the baby dragon she had cared so much for. The mare knew that she could make this right. All she needed was another moment with Spike. All she wanted was another chance to make him see just how much Twilight missed the little guy. However, one thought continued to ring through her head. 'I just wish I knew where I was headed. This forest is such a dark and dreary place at this time of night.' As if Celestia herself was listening in on the unicorn's thoughts, a streak of light cast itself over the treetops. Rarity had spent so long trying to find Spike, the sun was starting to rise over Equestria.

Abruptly, upon seeing the small patch of daylight, the severity of just how long Rarity had spent trotting to who knows where had dawned on her. The mare was lost, and dreadfully so. She stopped in her tracks, no longer able to determine which way was the right way to go. As her eyes darted through the forest, panic had begun to take over her thoughts. 'I have no idea where I am! I don't even know which way I'm going, or if I've just been galloping in circles! Even if I did find Spike, how would we get back to Twilight? What if I never find her in this dreadful forest? What if nopony ever finds her? What if nopony ever finds me? What if we never see each other again?'

The white mare was not about to give in to fear. 'Keep yourself together, Rarity. You've never been one to fit the damsel in distress cliché in any meaningful way; don't you dare start now. If you have any chance of finding Spike, you'd better pull yourself together!'

Instead, she was given a different chance. By nothing more than dumb luck, a small gleam of light reflected out of a small opening in the cliffside near the white unicorn's path. 'There appear to be hoofprints leading into that tiny cave.' Rarity looked closer before correcting herself. 'No, not hoofprints. Spike was here.' She finally had a clue as to where the dragon had been.

Inside, she found a few quills, some ink, and a small cache of gems. 'That must have been what I saw in the forest.' Rarity thought to herself. 'Of all of the things to bring me here, it just had to be gems. How quaint.' Just beyond the pile of jewels, however, laid the true treasure of Spike's temporary abode. 'A book? Twilight had said there was something odd missing from the library the day he left...' The book began to glow a sweet sapphire. Rarity lifted the book with her magic and began to open it.

It was what appeared to be a journal. However, it was no ordinary journal. Nearly every page, and there must have been hundreds, Rarity estimated, contained a picture of a young filly or colt, a date, presumably a birthday, and a brief list of favorites: favorite color, favorite food, favorite toy, and an address. 'Quite a few of these addresses are the same...' Rarity thought that was very peculiar. 'It's perfectly reasonable for a few of these foals to have the same address, but as much as a dozen of them on average?' After looking more closely at the pictures within, the mare realized just why that would be. 'Wait, I recognize these places... They're...' The generous mare almost dropped the journal to the floor. 'Orphanages! Now why would he... Unless...' Rarity looked over the small cave once again. 'Spike's been going from town to town, collecting gems and using them to buy toys for little fillies and colts!' The mare produced a smile so wide even Pinkie Pie would have thought it odd. Rarity knew she didn't have to worry about Spike any longer. The gleeful unicorn continued to flick through the journal.

Just as Rarity was about to reach the last page, a small scrap of paper had fallen out of the journal. It was a picture of Rarity, Twilight, and Amethyst the day the white mare had given birth to the adorable little foal. 'This was the very same picture Twilight had given to Celestia that day...' Written on the picture, in the dragon's handwriting, was just one sentence. "Don't forget them." Everything in Rarity's demeanor changed. The marshmallow mare had come into the cave thinking she discovered a way to find Spike, but what she had actually found was something much more special, and also much more troublesome.

'How could I have forgotten? I was so worried about bringing Spike back I left Twilight alone in the wilderness. My Twilight. Alone, and most likely so very afraid. I was so determined to set things right I left her positively in shambles. When she needed me most, I aided Spike. When she needed me most, I yelled at her. When she needed me most, I ran away.' A new determination filled the white unicorn in way she never knew possible. Stomping a defiant hoof into the ground, she made a promise to herself. 'I don't know how I'm going to find my Twilight in this forsaken place, but damn it all, I'm going to try, and nothing is going to stop me.'

Rarity never breaks her promises.

"I never did, you know. I never forgot you guys." The unicorn would have been concerned, but even after all these years, their first encounter in the forest just hours earlier had proved one thing; his voice would always be unmistakable.

"I know, Spikey-Wikey. I know." As much as Rarity wanted to catch up with her former admirer, now simply wasn't the time. 'Twilight must come first. Always.' Just before returning to the woods that had made her lose her way both in heart and in hoof, the mare turned, placed the journal in his hands, cleared her throat, and prepared to say one final sentence, knowing full well she may never see the dragon again. "We never forgot you, either." Rarity put her right hoof forward, indicating her intent was not to stay any longer. "And we never will."

Spike hung his head low in regret, the guilt from his years of absence finally realized. The dragon looked up and opened his mouth to speak, but the white unicorn was gone. Deciding it needed to be said anyway, he let out a simple, "I'm sorry." and collected his things. "Maybe there are some orphan griffins who need some toys..." The dragon looked out into the wilderness, and made a promise to himself. "I'll come back someday. I don't know when, but I'll come back."

Spike never breaks his promises.