1/2 Cup of Flour
Chapter 5
Steam billowed out as the door swung open. With a satisfied grin, Spike stepped out of the bathroom with one towel tied around his waist and another around his head. Whistling cheerfully, the dragon removed the cloth wrap from his head and used it to dry the moisture that clung stubbornly to his face.
"Nothing beats a bubble bath," he said contently, stretching his arms toward the roof. "Sorry about the wait, Rainbow. We can--Rainbow Dash?" Spike's smile swiftly vanished as he looked around. The entire hall was practically deserted, the sole exception being Spike himself. "Rainbow?" he called out again.
His only reply was from his own echo.
Spike's frown deepened, and he crossed his arms. "Maybe something came up, and she had to go home," he thought aloud. Spike began to blush. "Maybe I shouldn't have soaked for so long. Oh well." The dragon sighed and made his way through the hall and toward the stairs leading down. "I'll look for her after cleaning up the kitchen," Spike decided.
As he walked, a loud rumble rang out through the castle. Spike winced and patted his belly. "And maybe I'll just finish up that patch of pancakes we started. Hopefully, Twilight won't mind brunch for lunch."
He stomach protested again as Spike began to imagine a table full of breakfast items. He saw bowls of sugary cereals with marshmallows and sliced bananas. His mouth started to water at the projected images of fried eggs and cheese and mushroom omelets next to plates of cinnamon French toast drenched in thick maple syrup. He could almost smell all those stacks of delectable waffles and pancakes with toppings piled mountain high; strawberries and blueberries, zap apple jam and preserved persimmons, pineapples, shredded sapphires and cheese, butter, honey, smoke, rubies--
Wait...
Spike sniffed at the air again and started running toward the kitchen. His eyes grew wide and his pupils thinned as the smoke could now be seen as easily as it had been to smell. Spike's face became a significantly lighter shade when a soft cough came out of the kitchen along with the smog. Spike held his breath and rushed into the blacken kitchen, only to find himself tumbling back out as a sudden gust of wind forced him back.
"Ack, well that was a bust."
Spike shook his head and rubbed the stars away from his eyes. "Rainbow Dash?" he said, staring at the snoot covered pegasus whom was folding her wings back against her sides. "W-what were you--what happened?"
Rainbow grinned shyly and rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, you know," she said as nonchalantly as she could. "You were taking too long so I decided...well, you know."
"Do I want to know?" Spike asked, looking over Rainbow toward the room's interior. Most of the smoke had been cleared away thanks to Rainbow Dash and what smog remained was slowly leaving through an opened window. Spike marched past Rainbow and toward the burnt loaf on the countertop.
"I know I said I'd try to be a little more patient, but you took so long, and I thought--" Rainbow Dash sighed. "Sorry."
Spike shook his head. "It's okay, I'm the one who should be sorry," he said. "I shouldn't have taken so long. I mean, I knew you were waiting for me and needed my help and I--" He sighed. "Sorry."
The silence in the room grew heavy as the two allowed their apologies linger in the air. Rainbow lifted her head and broke the awkward reticence by saying, "Well, I, uh, kind of need another bath. I couldn't get that stupid apron on and kept getting egg on me. Oh, and you're out of eggs by the way, thought you'd like to know."
"That's fine," said Spike. "We needed groceries anyways." He approached the hard black lump on the counter. "So, uh..."
"Yeah, I know," Rainbow Dash said glumly. "It sucks, you don't need to rub it in."
"What happened?" Spike asked.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Fine, we can try again later. First we'll clean up here and--" The dragon drew in a sharp breath of air as he clipped his shins against the oven door. Spike bent down to shut the oven only to pause and sniff. He wrinkled his nose as the harsh acrid scent of smoke drifted up his nostrils. "You didn't."
"I tried using the stove, really, I did," Rainbow exclaimed wildly. "But I kept burning myself and couldn't get a grip on the pan. The recipe just said to cook it for a few minutes over a medium heat, I figured..." Rainbow's voice trailed off into an unconfident whisper. Her shoulders slumped. "It was dumb," she said. "Maybe we should just call it a day, I'm exhausted."
Spike made no reply. "Look, I know I shouldn't have touched the oven without you supervising," Rainbow began, lifting her head. "It's just--" Rainbow Dash blinked. She squinted at Spike with her mouth partially opened as he climbed onto the counter and reached for the burnt block of pancake batter. "Spike, what are you--"
Rainbow grimaced as Spike took a large bite out of her creation and began to chew. She watched Spike shove his mouthful to one cheek, then to the other. His thin slender tongue slithered along his teeth, collecting black crumbs that dotted those sharp pearly whites, before retreating back inside. At last, he swallowed, and Rainbow Dash followed the partially digested food with her gaze as it traveled down Spike's esophagus as a little bulge in the dragon's neck.
"How was it?" Rainbow asked. Her cool and collected tone failed to hide the shaking and nervousness in her voice. She cleared her throat and said more loudly, "Come on, how bad was it?"
Spike frowned. "Well, it was burnt," he analyzed.
"Yeah, I can see that." The pegasus rolled her eyes and nodded toward the charred cake that could have been mistaken to be a piece of charcoal. "Anything else?"
"I meant it's burnt, even on dragon standards," Spike explained, clawing at his tongue. "Seriously, it was like eating coal, only without the indigestion and gas. I couldn't taste anything but ash. Just...wow." Spike shuddered. "I haven't tasted anything like that for years."
"Wonderful," Rainbow Dash groaned. She let her chin fall onto the tile floor and covered her head with her forelegs. "There's no way I'm feeding anypony that. Maybe I can just pretend I'm sick on the day of the bake sale." Rainbow sighed and closed her eyes. "This is hopeless."
Rainbow felt something pat against her side. She opened her eyes and found her young instructor leaning over her with a small smile and a claw outstretched. "Come on, Rainbow," Spike said, "you can't give up now. I haven't yet, so you can't either."
"You're the one who tasted that thing I made," Rainbow grumbled, but even as she did so, she slowly sat back up. "If anything, you should be the one who knows how hopeless this is."
"Aw, everypony messes up when they first start," declared Spike. "It's like...I know, like flying!"
"Flying?"
Spike nodded. "Yeah, flying. Twilight wasn't, well, a very good flier when she first got her wings, remember? She was always crashing into clouds, and trees, and the ground, and she couldn't stay in the air for more than a couple of minutes, she kept landing face first or on her back."
The tips of Rainbow Dash's lips gently tilted upward. "I remember," she said. "It was painful just watching her."
"Yeah, but now Twilight's a great flier!"
The pegasus made a face. "Eh, great's a little generous."
"Okay, well, she's definitely a lot better now than she was before. My point is that Twilight eventually got better, and that's because she kept practicing over and over again." Spike pounded a fist into the palm of his open claw in emphasis. "It's the same deal here. I'm sure you could get the hang of cooking if you just practiced. Well, that and stop messing with the oven," the dragon added with a rueful grin before becoming serious again. "I mean, you're the Rainbow Dash, the future Wonderbolt extraordinaire, the only pegasus in history who's been able to do a Sonic Rainboom. You're not going to stop after burning a few pancakes, are you?"
Spike kept his claw stretch toward her as he waited for her expectantly. Rainbow grabbed hold of the extended limb and climbed up onto her feet. "Heh, yeah, I am Rainbow Dash," she said proudly, her head up high. "I've beaten monsters, fought off storms, and saved Equestria more times than I can count, and there's no way I'm going to let something like cooking get the best of me!"
Before Spike could stop her, Rainbow jumped up and performed a loop in the air. She landed on the counter, scattering cooking materials. "That's right, I just need practice," she said with a smirk, kicking her failed attempt with her hind legs and sending it into the wall "You're looking at a future Wonderbolt and master chef. Come on Spike!" Rainbow laughed. "Let's do this!"
Spike looked around the dirty kitchen and sighed. "Maybe I should keep my pep talks for just Twilight. At least she keeps her ego in check," he whispered. In a louder voice, he said, "We should probably clean up first and restock on supplies. We need to buy more eggs." Spike jerked his head toward the three cartons filled with brown and white shells. "And flour," he added, noting the torn bag Rainbow had just kicked off the counter. "And milk. And a new frying pan. And sugar. And--"
*
"Do we really need a new pack of sponges?" Rainbow complained, looking over Spike's shoulder to peer at the checklist he held. The parchment fell all the way to his feet, and Spike struggled to avoid dragging it in the dirt.
"Those stains on the wall have to be cleaned off somehow," Spike insisted, frowning.
"Can't Twilight just use her magic or something?" Rainbow Dash suggested. She hovered just above Spike's head and followed him into Ponyville's marketplace. As the two passed the first stalls, Rainbow turned her head and stared at the screaming attendants offering their produce at anypony that wandered too closely. Nearby dainty housewives argued furiously with burly farmers over the price of cabbages, carrots, and cherries. The hard clack of solid gold being tossed on tables on every and all fronts rang out like hammers on anvils.
"Yeah, maybe," Spike began over the chaotic clamor of the market, "but she's kind of busy right now, planning the bake sale and everything. You know, princess stuff." Spike carefully rolled the parchment up. "Okay, there's a lot of stuff we have to get so I'm thinking we should split up," he said, pulling out a small sack and counting the shiny coins inside. "Here," Spike said, giving Rainbow Dash several of the bits. "You start with the eggs, then he milk, then the--"
"Wait, wait, hold on."
"Don't worry, I made you a copy of the list," Spike announced, holding up another scroll.
"No, not that," Rainbow said, shaking her head. "Just..." She landed and slowly turned in a complete circle. "Where can I buy eggs?"
"There's a stand next to the milkmare's stall."
"And where's that?"
"Next to the horseshoe maker?"
"And where's that?"
"How do you not know where the horseshoe maker is? He's next to--" Spike closed his mouth and stared at the pegasus walking beside him.
"What?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed. "What?"
"You have been to the marketplace before, right?" Spike asked hesitantly.
"Of course," Rainbow said fiercely. "Just not to this part."
"What part?"
"You know." Rainbow bit her lip and whispered, "The groceries."
Spike stopped in his tracks. An elderly mare bumped into him and began to swear angrily, but Spike, as he looked at his companion in bewilderment, didn't seem to notice her. "You don't buy groceries?" he said, awed. "What do you eat?"
"I eat out," Rainbow declared proudly, puffing out her chest.
"What, like all the time?"
"Yep."
"How in Equestria are you not fat?"
"I work out," Rainbow Dash said defensively, her eyebrows slowly slanting toward her snout. "Look, why am I even here? I told you, I don't have any bits on me, I can't pay for anything."
"And I told you, I need help carrying everything back to the library." Spike winced. "I mean, the castle," he corrected. "I was also kind of hoping we could split up, you know, to cover more ground and finish this quicker, but if you don't know where you're going..." Spike shrugged. "Well, it can't be helped, but at least you can still help me carry everything."
"Fine, I can do that," Rainbow said. "I guess I do kind of owe you and Twilight. So, where to now?"
"Well, first is eggs--"
"Can't we just go to Fluttershy's place for those?" asked Rainbow. "She's got chickens."
Spike shook his head. "We need a lot of eggs, and there's only one place in Ponyville that sells them in bulk. Come on," Spike said, motioning Rainbow forward before diving into the crowd. Rainbow Dash followed as closely as she could, pushing and shoving her way through the mass of ponies.
"Is it always this crowded?" she shouted.
"No, not usually!" Spike called back. He seemed to be having more difficulty than her at navigating. "Then again, I'm normally with Twilight so..."
Rainbow Dash waited a moment for Spike to continue. "So?" she prompted, glancing over her shoulder. She could see ponies of all shapes and colors but no little purple dragons. Rainbow swiftly came to a halt. "Spike?" she called, ignoring the grumbles of the shoppers that pushed by her. "Hey, Spike!"
A scaly arm emerged from the sea of bodies and waved weakly. With two wing beats, Rainbow Dash was in the air, and she hurried to the waving claw. She grabbed it and slowly pulled Spike out of the mob.
"Th-thanks," the dragon said meekly, clutching to Rainbow's leg so hard he was shivering. "T-Twilight let's me ride on her back when we reach the market center. She always told me it was to keep me from getting lost. I always called her silly." Spike released a half-hearted chuckle. "Guess she was right."
"Yeah, guess so." Rainbow winced. "Hey, uh, not that I'm complaining here or anything, but you mind loosening your grip?" she asked. "I think you're cutting off my blood flow."
"Oops, sor--"
The instant Spike released Rainbow's leg, he fell like a stone. Rainbow Dash fell faster, catching the dragon on her back before either could hit the ground. "I didn't mean let go," Rainbow said, rolling her eyes.
Spike rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Sorry, I thought I was hurting you," he said.
Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Please, you need to try harder than--yah!" She screamed and her wings sprung out stiffly. The screams intensified once Spike added his own cries as Rainbow lost control and the two spiraled toward the ground. More screaming joined their own as the crowd below dispersed in every direction to avoid the incoming pegasus. Moments she and Spike could collide with the ground, Rainbow Dash craned her entire body upward. Her wings flapped furiously, pushing air against the ground and slowing their descent. With one last mighty wing beat, the pegasus shot back into the air like a rubber band.
"What did I say about the wings and the claws?" Rainbow shouted, glaring at her shaking passenger. Her face was red from the effort, and her breathing was in short bursts.
Spike timidly unwrapped his arms from her neck "Sorry," he muttered. "It was an accident, I swear. I was just looking for something to hold on to."
"What, does Twilight normally let you grab her wings when she flies?" Rainbow demanded, her glare as unrelenting as ever.
"Hey, I just brushed a feather. It's not my fault your wings are so sensitive," Spike answered. "And no, I don't, that'd be dumb and dangerous and Twilight stopped me after the first time."
"Well fine, what do you grab when Twilight flies with you?" asked Rainbow.
"Oh, I, uh, sort of kind of, you know, hug her."
"Hug her?" Rainbow repeated.
"Yeah, kind of," Spike said, slowly turning red. "At least, that's how Twilight always explained it to me."
"Well then, what are you waiting for?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Huh?"
"Listen, I don't want to waste the entire day buying supplies when we could be practicing, and flying'll be way faster than walking," Rainbow said. "We can at least avoid the crowd anyways, so hurry up and, ngh," she groaned, "hug me."
Spike gulped. "You sure?" he asked warily.
"I'd rather not have to stop and catch you every five minutes, so yeah. Just...don't go overboard, okay?" Rainbow Dash requested. "Like, try not to choke me."
"Well, if you're okay with it." Spike leaned forward and extended his hesitant claws. His fingers interlocked tightly with each other over Rainbow Dash's front, giving the pegasus an odd scaly necklace. A strand of blue hair for, her mane tickled the dragon's nose, forcing Spike to lower his head against Rainbow's neck. "Is this alright?" he asked.
"Can you move a little closer to the front?" said Rainbow. "Your claws are digging into my chest, and it's a little tight."
Spike leaned closer, burying his cheek in blue fur.
Rainbow sniggered. "Hey, that tickles!"
"S-sorry," Spike quickly said, freezing in position. "So, uh...oh, there's the miller. We need the flour."
"Where?"
"The brown tent with blue stripes on your right," described Spike.
"The one next to the pole with a bunch of flags on it?" Rainbow asked, placing a hoof right above her eyes.
"Yeah, that one."
"Got it, hold on," Rainbow Dash warned before the two shot through the air like an arrow released from a bow. Instinctively, Spike pulled himself closer to Rainbow, hiding his face in her fur as she dived toward the earth. He shut his eyes as the ground got nearer. His jaw began to pain from how forcefully his teeth were clenched as he waited for the impact.
"So, what'll be?"
"Huh?" Spike opened his eyes and stared back at the stocky stallion looking at him. The earth pony wore a brown rounded cap and a bored expression. His cheeks were white with powder, as were his legs, chest, and flanks. A cutie mark of a gray stone wheel peeked out from beneath the powder.
"Well, buddy, what'll be?" the stallion repeated, waving a hoof over the large heavy sacks sitting at his feet. Each one had the simple design of a stalk of wheat, just like the one the stallion was carrying in between his teeth.
"Hey, Spike," Rainbow whispered, "you can let go now."
"Right." Spike quickly jerked away his claws and removed his head from Rainbow Dash's neck. "One bag of flour, medium sized please."
"Medium sized?" Rainbow gave Spike a look of confusion. "Just medium? You really think that going to be enough for practice?"
"One medium sized bag o' flour," the miller announced, dropping a bulging burlap sack larger than Spike into the young dragon's arms. Rainbow Dash's legs buckled, and she began to sag under the sudden addition of weight.
"That's a medium?" she said as she recovered. With wide eyes full of disbelief, she stared at massive bag of flour Spike held.
"Yep," Spike said as he reached into the bag of bits and tossed a few into the air. The miller caught them all with a sweep of his tail. "What, haven't you seen these before?"
"I don't buy flour, remember?"
"Yeah, but what about that prank you pulled last week?" Spike asked.
"Pinkie Pie bought the flour," Rainbow Dash explained. "I just thought she just had so much because she's Pinkie." She rolled her eyes and started to walk. "Alright, let's hurry this up before I collapse. What's next?"
"We could always drop the bag off at the castle first," suggest Spike. "I mean, if it's too heavy--"
"Who said anything about anything being heavy?" Rainbow challenged, her teeth grinding together. "I'm fine, just tell me where to go next."
"Uh, well..." Spike turned his head and looked side to side. He sat up as straight as he could with the massive flour sack in his lap. "Let's see..."
"Tell me we're not lost," Rainbow groaned.
"We're not lost," said Spike, biting the tip of a claw. "It's just, Twilight and I go through the market in a certain order. Starting in the middle of the market's a bit confusing. I mean, we just skipped, like, four other things we needed."
"Seriously?"
"Uh huh." Spike shaded his eyes with his palm and squinted. "Okay, we need milk, and I can see the dairy stand over there. Might as well pick up some butter too."
Rainbow Dash tried following the dragon's gaze. "Where?"
"You see the stall with a red canopy?" Spike asked, pointing. "The one next to the pink pony and the white unicorn?"
"You mean the pink pony waving at us that looks an awful like Pinkie Pie who's coming this way right now?"
"Ye--"
"Hi guys!"
Rainbow Dash stumbled backwards with a shout in response to Pinkie Pie's sudden appearance in front of her. Her passenger yelped as he fell back, grabbing instinctively at Rainbow's mane to save himself. More screams fill the air as Rainbow cried out in pain and Pinkie Pie screamed for the sake of joining in.
Spike had released Rainbow Dash's mane almost as soon as she had screamed. He barely had time to regret the decision before Rainbow arched her back and launched both him and the flour into the air. Luckily, the bag of flour survived the landing relatively unscathed; Spike served as a surprisingly effective cushion.
"Spikey-wikey!" the dragon heard a mare say in a familiar posh voice. He felt the weight of the flour lift from his body and the cool aura of magic help him up. A white unicorn with a intricately curled violet mane stood before him, her lips pursed in concern as she dusted him off. "Rainbow Dash," she said, frowning at the pegasus who had calmed down, "was that truly necessary?"
"Hey, it's not I did that on purpose," Rainbow Dash grumbled, kicking at the dirt.
The unicorn shook her head and turned to Spike. "Are you alright, dear?" she asked. "You're not hurt, are you? Where's Twilight?"
"I'm fine Rarity," Spike said weakly, blushing as the unicorn continued to fuss over him. "Really, I'm alright."
"Very well then," Rarity conceded, giving the dragon space. Pinkie Pie giggled and Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes at the disappointment in Spike's features as Rarity stepped away. "Odd, is Twilight not with you today?" she asked, looking around.
"Not today. She had a meeting with the mayor," Spike explained. "You know, for the bake sale."
"Ah, yes." Rarity nodding approvingly. "It's quite amazing how generous dear Twilight's being, donating an entire section of her castle to house a new library for Ponyville. Truly amazing, but not all that surprising, really." She smiled warmly at Spike before turning to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus had been snickering at some joke Pinkie had made.
"And how have you been, Rainbow Dash?" Rarity asked, giving her friend a quick appraisal. "I must say, you look marvelous. Rainbow," she said with a sly grin, "have you been visiting the spa without telling me?"
"What?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed in disgust. "No, no way! What in Equestria gave you that idea."
Rarity held her hooves up. "No need to be so defensive, darling. It's just that I noticed how shiny your coat is today. A new shampoo, perhaps?"
"And it smells like blueberries," added Pinkie Pie, planting her snout in Rainbow's mane and sniffing. "You smell just like Twilight!"
"I-is that right?" Rainbow Dash chuckled nervously as she backed away from Pinkie. "That's j-just crazy. Me, smell like Twilight. Ha, what a laugh, eh Spike?" She jabbed playfully at Spike's stomach.
"Wait, blueberries?" Spike groaned. "That's Twilight's favorite. Great, now we have to pick up some more--"
Rainbow poked the dragon a little harder, cutting him off. With sweat streaking down her face, she turned away from the grumbling dragon rubbing his sore belly and towards Rarity. The look Rarity gave her, with her eyebrows raised ever so slightly and her head tilted just an inch to the side, dissolved all the half-baked excuses Rainbow had set on the tip of her tongue. Her heart froze as she saw a small smile spread across Rarity's face.
"Rainbow, dear, there's nothing to be ashamed about," the unicorn said. "I understand completely. I mean, who could resist bathing in a castle? Tell me, were the baths made of crystal? Ooh, of course they were!" Rarity squealed and hugged herself. "I can't even imagine the feeling, soaking in warm water, surrounded by dazzling gems reflecting the light of a scented candle."
"Uh..."
"Ooh, ooh, do you think the tubs are as big as the jacuzzis from the spa?" Pinkie Pie said, hopping. "We could have a pool party in the castle!"
Rainbow Dash shot Spike a pleading glance as Pinkie and Rarity chatted and giggled around her. Spike shrugged helplessly, shaking his head anxiously. Suppressing a groan, Rainbow cleared her throat and said, "Well, it's been great catching up and all, but me and Spike got to dash." She quickly went to Spike's side and tossed the dragon onto her back, grunting as the bag of flour plopped onto her. "So, uh..."
"Wait a minute, dear." Rarity stopped Rainbow with an extended hoof. "Me and Spike?"
"Really?" Rainbow Dash grumbled. "Fine, Spike and I. Happy?"
"Hardly," Rarity declared flatly. "It sounds like the two of you are here together." She sighed before turning to Spike. "I must admit, I am a bit envious."
Spike tired to leap off of Rainbow's back. The heavy flour sack anchored him down however. "W-wait, you got it all wrong," he said, panicking. "We're not--"
"You must tell me your secret, Spikey. How in Equestria did you get Rainbow Dash to agree to shopping?"
The rest of Spike's wild protest left the dragon's mouth as an uncommitted wheeze. "Eh?"
"I've been trying to convince Rainbow Dash to show me around the new shopping district in Cloudsdale for months," Rarity explained. "I heard whispers about a boutique that sells dresses spun from repurposed clouds, and I've been absolutely dying to discover how, but every time she gives me the same excuses. 'Oh, I have to work this weekend', 'Tank's trying on new shells this afternoon', 'I can't shop on days that start with the letter T, it's a medical condition'."
"Hey, teedayitus is total legit," retorted Rainbow.
"Of course it is, dear," Rarity said, smiling. She looked up into the sky as Rainbow grumbled and gasped. "Oh my, I hadn't realized how late it was. I best be off now," the unicorn announced, giving Pinkie Pie a quick hug. "I'm so sorry I have to cut our little shopping trip short."
"No biggie," Pinkie Pie assured, patting Rarity's curls and watching them spring back up. She giggled. "I should probably head back to Sugar Cube Corner anyways."
"And I'm sorry we couldn't talk longer," Rarity said to Rainbow and Spike. "Oh, and Spikey? Might I bother you for a favor? My sapphire supply is running rather low. I was wondering..." Rarity fluttered her eyelashes. "...perhaps the two of us could go gem hunting later today?"
"Gem hunting," Spike repeated dreamily, his voice light and slightly slurred, "with you?" The dragon swayed and threatened to topple from Rainbow Dash's back. "Of course I--"
"Can't."
Everypony turned and stared at Rainbow, who quickly looked away. "He can't," she said, rubbing her shin awkwardly. "Spike's busy this week."
"I am?" Spike felt Rainbow Dash's sides stiffen underneath him and his eyes widened with realization. "Oh, right," he squeaked. "Sorry, Rarity." The dragon kept his face downcast, refusing to look up at the unicorn's surprised expression. "I'm busy."
"Oh."
Spike's grasp on the flour tightened, coating his scales white. "May I ask what you're so busy with?" he heard Rarity inquire. He couldn't tell if it was curiosity in her tone or hurt. He opened his eyes and ventured a glance, hoping to find a clue in Rarity's features. She wore a simple mask of indifference, betraying nothing. Her lips slowly pressed together and the tips were raised slightly. Had Rarity seen Spike's discomfort and tried to reassure him with a smile? If anything, her smile had the opposite effect, and the dragon began to fidget nervously.
"It's..." Spike turned to Rainbow Dash. The moment their eyes met, Rainbow quickly swiped a hoof across the front of her throat and shook her head rapidly, only to grimace in pain and grab at her neck. "It's a secret," Spike finally mumbled numbly to the ground.
"A secret?" Rarity said, staring as Rainbow massaged her neck, groaning obliviously every time it made a sharp crack. Once she noticed Rarity's narrowing gaze, Rainbow immediately straightened herself and tried to lean to the side in a laid back manner. Spike and the heavy bag on her back made the motion look stiff and awkward, rather than the natural appearing action she had hoped. The artificial grin she wore faltered as Pinkie Pie moved forward and added her glare along with Rarity's.
Finally, Rarity's appearance softened. "Well, Spike, I'm sure whatever you have planned with Rainbow Dash, it must be important," she said, reaching out and gently stroking the top of the dragon's head. "Another time then?"
Spike raised his head and stared. "Y-you're not mad, are you?" he asked, rubbing his feet together nervously.
"As long as the two of you aren't scheming for some awful prank," Rarity assured, laughing. The mirthful sound was cut short, however, as Rarity's scowl returned, directed toward Rainbow. "Seriously, I do not want to return home and find my floors covered in fake vomit or something just as childish, and I most certainly wouldn't appreciate it to find Spike taking up some of your less desirable habits."
"Huh? Oh!" Rainbow Dash turned her head and coughed to the side. "Yeah, s-sure, no problem."
"Hmm," Rarity hummed, regarding the grinning pegasus with slitting eyes. "Very well then," she said with a sigh, glancing up at the sun. "I suppose I shall see you all later, ta ta."
"Bye Rarity," Spike called, waving at the unicorn's retreating figure
"Yeah, see you around," Rainbow said, waving as well. Once the purple of Rarity's tail finally disappeared from view, Rainbow Dash released a long exhausted breath. "That was way too close," she said. "Seriously dude? A secret?" Rainbow snorted. "You couldn't have made something up?"
"I tried," Spike hissed back. "Believe me, I really tried, but I couldn't think of anything with Rarity staring at me like that. My mind just went blank. You don't think she knows what we're doing, do you?"
"Not sure. She probably knows we're doing something together but not what." Rainbow groaned. "And knowing Rarity and gossip, the whole town'll learn about this before the weekend."
"So?" Spike asked.
"So then everypony in town will know that I'm hanging out with you."
"Yeah, so? How's that suspicious?" The dragon crossed his arms. "We're friends, right? We're supposed to hang out."
"Yeah, but with other ponies too," Rainbow Dash explained. "I'm mean, when was the last time the we actually had a one-on-one together? Also, you refusing Rarity and gems to spend time with some other mare? Yeah, even if that mare's as awesome as me, that's going to look suspicious."
"And then it'll only be a matter of time before somepony figures out what secrets and lies the two of you are up to."
"Yeah, exact--" Rainbow Dash swallowed. Spike hadn't spoken; the voice she heard belonged didn't belong to him. It was a mare's voice, obvious even when deepened by a concerning amount of venom and disgust. Slowly, and with Spike, Rainbow turned toward the pink pony wearing an uncharacteristically grim glower as she leaned over the two.
"H-hey Pinkie," Rainbow Dash said slowly, doing her best to smile. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Oh, long enough to hear everything you two said," Pinkie Pie declared cheerfully, her scowl disappearing and replaced with a grin as her mane expanded suddenly like a balloon. "So, what are we planning?" the pony asked. "Another surprise birthday party? Ooh, is it Twilight's? No, wait, is it Princess Luna's? Is it mine? Oh, I bet it's mine!"
"It's..." Rainbow Dash wagged her head side to side and chewed on her lip for a moment. "...a secret. Yeah, a secret," she finished confidently, nodding as if in affirmation while Spike planted his face into the center of his palm. "It's a secret."
"A secret huh?" Pinkie Pie shrugged. "Okay, you two have fun," she said before bouncing off.
"Hold on, you mean you're not going to ask us what the secret is?" Rainbow Dash asked, stopping the mare. "I-I mean, not that I want you to or anything," she quickly added as Pinkie Pie spun around and stuck her head forward while Spike smacked himself in the forehead again. "It's just kind of, I don't know, suspicious."
"Silly Dashie," Pinkie Pie giggled, throwing her foreleg around Rainbow's shoulders and Spike's neck. "If you have a secret just between the two of you, then as a good friend I should respect your privacy and leave it alone."
"Wow, Pinkie," Rainbow Dash said, staring at her with eyes wide with awe. "That was--"
"Besides," Pinkie Pie continued, releasing Rainbow and Spike, "I'll just put Spike in a dark room with a painfully bright lamp and a bowl of gems and make him confess later."
"--what?"
"Have a nice date, you two." Pinkie gave Spike a pat on the head, flattening the green ridges. "See you soon, real soon," she said, grinning widely before hopping away and vocalizing.
"S-she's probably just joking, you know," Rainbow said, her nervous chuckle demonstrating a lack of confidence in that assurance. "I mean, sure, Pinkie might be crazy, but she wouldn't kidnap somepony just to make them spill a secret."
"She's done it before," said Spike with a shiver. "So, uh, I know I promised you and everything, but if Pinkie Pie catches me..."
"Right!" Rainbow shouted loudly, drawing the attention of a few passersby. "Shopping! What's next on the list so we can finish up here and return to the safety of Twilight's crystal rainbow castle of friendship and locked doors?"
"Maybe we should just go now," Spike suggested, looking behind him warily. "Hey, what did Pinkie mean--"
"I still need practice, and the sooner I figure out this whole cooking business, the sooner we can stop worrying about this whole thing," Rainbow whispered. "So what's next?"
Spike took out the list. "Milk," he read. "Dairy's at the red tent over there, and we can get some butter too. But--"
"Right, hold on," Rainbow warned before galloping off toward the diary stand. Spike barely had time to lean forward and keep himself from falling off as each thundering step sent a jolt up through his spine.
The red canopy grew larger and drew closer. "Hey, Rainbow?" he whispered softly and hesitantly as they approached. "What do you think Pinkie meant, have a nice date?"
Rainbow Dash came to a sudden stop, launching her passenger into the display table exhibiting a pyramid of milk bottles.
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That ending.
Later that day... a certain mare writes about her Dairy store
I find that sentence funny for some odd reason.
How would he know that it's not a blue tent with brown strips?
That reminded me of this:
i.imgur.com/GtYMfvk.png?1
*Dairy
Great chapter as usual! Can't wait for moreeeeeee
Dragon Swag!!
Rum by me again why Spike is agreeing to help Dash when she's just being this much of a dismissive jerk.
5159058
Because regardless of her attitude, Rainbow Dash is still a friend, and Spike's not the kind of dragon who'd let a friend get in trouble when he could help.
Still, I'll try to ease off on Rainbow's jerkiness.
5159307 Bad excuse. There are limits for everything, including patience with "friends" such as she is being right now. That kind of "friend" is the one you dump behind you and don't look back.
5159336
We've seen that kind of behavior in the show. I'm not entire sure how I've written Rainbow is really any different from how the ponies treat Spike in canon.
Well, for me this story is good enough. Keep it togheter!!
Ha funny
5155824 YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5193148
ME!!!!!
5193928 Do you know who I am?
5196241
HOW DID YOU FIND ME?!
5197123 Didn't I tell you? I'm a professional stalker.
5197206
(that emoticon goes with literally every sentence)
ME TOO!
seriously, how did you find me?
5197293 Idk I just happened to see your pony icon and yeah.
5197587
Dem stalking skills tho. *claps vigorously*
5198053 guycodeblog.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/clutch/2012/04/riker.gif
Great job Pinkie. That was Awesome!!! I can't wait to read what happens next. Great chapter.
Whoops, two months late!
Great so far, I can't wait for more!