The thing about maturity

by Scekkel

When we meet and when we part from people we love

The Thing About Maturity
Chapter 5 "When we meet and when we part from people we love"
By: Scekkel
My Little Pony © Hasbro

Spike and Twilight had almost reached the old tree within they had been living since Twilight came to Ponyville, so very long ago. Spike was a little uneasy going back into Ponyville. Their friends probably knew what he had done and why. He had a feeling that Rainbow would pick on him, at least when Twilight and Rarity wasn’t close. She was of course as anyone knew pretty full of herself. He had expressed his uneasiness to Twilight, but she had reassured him, that with recent events Rainbow wouldn’t be up to anything for some time, that she would have her hooves full. Spike attempted to ask her about it, and she assured him, that she would explain at a later point. But she also confessed that she had not had the time to tell anypony.

They had now reached the library, but Twilight suddenly stopped. “Spike, there is something we have to discuss before we go in, she said with a nervous look.

Spike looked confused at her. “What is it Twilight”?

Twilight sank once and took a deep breath. “Luna and Celestia came here yesterday evening, she started. “I had a long talk with both of them and it seems that Luna still has a hard time fitting in, she has after all been gone for a whole millennia. I can only imagine how much different the culture we live in today must feel to her.” Twilight closed her eyes for a few moments before continuing. “Celestia and Luna are very busy ponies and right now Celestia takes on most of the work and she has no time to teach Luna about all the things that have happened. That’s why they have asked me to tutor her in what has happened since she went to the moon.”

Spike looked confused over the sadness in her tone. Normally Twilight would be head over heels to teach someone about history and especially legal knowledge.

“So that’s why”, she opened the door to the library. “They have asked me to come to Canterlot.”

Inside the Library trunks and packs where spread around the common area. Some of them were neatly stacked in the corner, but other was still in the packing process, books and clothing hanging out of the openings.

Spikes heart almost stopped, it was too much to handle this. How could they travel to Canterlot now? Now that he had finally worked up the courage to ask out Rarity.

“Spike I really am sorry about this, but I will be gone for almost a whole year.” She continued with a hint of guilt in her voice.

“Wait what?” Spikes mind said. Did that mean he didn’t have to come with her? He looked at her with a puzzled look. “Does that mean I’m not coming with you?” Even though he would much rather stay.

Twilight sighed. “Yes Spike, that’s exactly what it means. It is not that I don’t want you to come, but I won’t force you, especially after everything that has happened the last few days. You should stay here and work things out with Rarity. The thing is that the princesses asked me if it was okay, but I cannot turn them down. I have to help them Spike, they don’t have anywhere else to turn without everypony discovering that Luna isn’t fit to run the country”

Spike had a weird feeling. He was not quite sure what to do, but he did not want to leave Ponyville, not now at least, but Twilight had to go, his sister who he had been living with almost since his birth. “Twilight I understand you have to go, but I will remain here. You are right I have to stay and talk with Rarity, and you know maybe it will be good for me to stay here and try out living on my own.”

“Oh Spike,” Twilight embraced him. She would have had to go either way, but it meant a lot to her to have Spikes accept. “Spike I am so happy you are okay with this.” Her eyes were filled with tears and she hugged him tightly until Spike thought he would never breath again.

Twilight walked in with Spike following and then closed the door.

“Now I will be gone for quite some time, but I think that I'll be able to see you at heartswarming, but until then I will remain in Canterlot.”

Spike wasn’t happy that Twilight had to leave him, but he was happy he could stay here and try out his luck on Rarity. When he thought about it, all this actually felt quite nice. He would have a lot more time on his hands, and the thought of living alone wasn’t unappealing and it was only for a year or so, so it wasn’t to strange.

“So when are you going Twi?”

Twilight looked up from the trunk she was preparing. “Well, tomorrow morning actually”

“Tomorrow!” “Why already leave tomorrow!”

Twilight looked at him with renewed guilt. “Well, Spike we have to start straight away. Luna has to start classes as soon as possible, and well I really want to get started Spike.

Spike could understand. This was her passion. The knowledge and the magic was Twilight in a nutshell. She was the kind of pony who couldn’t wait to get started on a new project, so he just had to accept the fact that his sister was leaving in the morning. “Okay, Twilight I understand.”

Twilight nuzzled him a bit “Thanks Spike, Thanks for being such a understanding brother.”

They both smiled. The feeling was mutual.

---

Later the same day when Spike knew Rarity would have finished her work for the day he wanted to go see her. Twilight had suggested that he should wait, but Spike had made up his mind. He wanted to go see her, and of he could work up his courage, he would ask her out as well. He walked along the dirt road until he came to the only florist in Ponyville, owned by none other than Roseluck. Roseluck, a yellow-colored earthpony with a rose as a cutiemark.

When Spike entered the shop he walked up to the counter, where Rose was taking care of another customer who wanted a very special arrangement for her sister apparently were about to get married.

When she was done Spike walked up to the counter and Roseluck looked happy to see him.

“Hello Spike, what can I do for you today” she said smiling.

Spike was a little nervous asking but tried to sound confident in his decision. “I would like a small bouquet”

Rose looked a little confused at him. “A small bouquet?” she asked.

Spike looked down, He did not really know what to buy. He wanted to ask Rarity out and thought that flowers would be nice, but he did not know which flowers he should buy her. He always heard people bought each other roses, but Twilight had said that roses were only for lovers and it would be better to start with something else.

Rose looked at the dragon. “Spike are you going to ask somepony out?”

Spike looked up. “How did you know”

“Well it’s the same every time a stallion comes in my shop to buy flowers for a girl the first time. They don’t want to seem too overwhelming, buy buying roses or something like that. So they always end up getting embarrassed.”

Spike felt a little more confident, that other ponies had the same worries as him.

“In the end it doesn’t really matter because mares are only happy to get flowers." She said while turning away from Spike to work on something on her worktable, while continued speaking with Spike. “Not many stallions give flowers anymore. It really is a shame though. I would love someone to give me flowers, but they always seem to think I get enough of that at work. The truth is that I hate chocolate, but they never seem to stop bringing it.

Spike looked up at her trying to see what she was doing, but as she stopped talking she suddenly turned around.

“Well this ought to do it.” She said handing Spike the bouquet in her hooves. “After roses, lilies are her favourites”

Spike looked a little confused. “Whose favourite?”

“Well Raritys,” She said. “Isn’t it her you are going to ask out?”

“Yes…” Spike said “But how did you…”

“Well Spike, it’s not really the best kept secret. We have all seen how you look at her, so I just kind of figured.”

Spike’s face became completely red and he couldn’t look Rose in the eyes. She chuckled. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of Spike, it’s actually quite cute.

Nonetheless Spike paid Rose without looking her in the eyes. He took the bouquet and said goodbye to Rose without diverting his eyes from the floor even for a second.

He walked the rest of the way to Raritys shop and knocked on the door.

Rarity had been upstairs trying on her new dress when Spike knocked on the door so she took it off on the bed and walked down there to open.

It was then that the butterflies in Spikes stomach became immense and he stood like pinned to the ground not moving a muscle, when Rarity opened the door with a smile.

She hadn’t seen Spike through the window.

She opened the door and saw him standing there with a bouquet in his hands. She became speechless for a second or two.

Spike suddenly landed. “These are for you Rarity,” he stammered.

Rarity took the bouquet but still didn’t say anything she just stood there with her mouth open. When suddenly… She hugged him.

Spike was startled.

“Oh Spike I’m so glad you are back,” she said in his ear. “Where have you been.”

Spike was actually kind of happy she cared this much, he had after all only been gone for a few days. Spike hugged back until she finally let go. “I’m sorry I made you worry Rarity. I was not that far away actually. I met Zecora in the woods and had become so dark, so I decided to stay with her and this morning Twilight came and we had a talk. She made me see how foolish I had been.” He looked down.

Rarity saw how down he looked and decided to let it go for now. “I am just glad you are back, my little Spikey-Wikey,” she said and nuzzled him.

Spike smiled.

They went inside the boutique and Spike sat down on the sofa while Rarity went to get a vase for the flowers.

When she came back she had a blue-colored glass vase with her. She planted it on the table and picked up the flowers she had left on the table. It really was a beautiful bouquet she thought, it was mostly lilies and some other flowers, but it was really quite gorgeous. “I do not think I ever told him that I like lilies. I wonder why he did not bring Roses.”

Spike opened his mouth as to speak, but not a sound came over his lips. He looked a away with a slight blush.

“Is something the matter darling,” she asked him.

“Well Rarity, I don’t know if you know but I kinda had a crush on you for a long long time.” He still did not look her in the eyes. “I really like you and I wanted to ask if you wanted to go on a date with me?”

Rarity smiled. “I would love to Spike”

Spike looked into the bright sapphire eyes of his love. He noticed something strange, they looked back directly into his. Always they would look at some fabric, plans or something else, never had they looked so intensely back into his own. His heart fluttered and one could almost hear it yell. “Yes!”

---

The next day Twilight had prepared all her baggage and her friends had helped her getting it to the station. Pinkie pie had prepared a quick farewell party on the day of Twilights travel, and invited them all. As the train drove into the station everyone had said their goodbyes and Twilight had stepped aboard.

While she saw the train drive out of the station she waved at her friends. They all had some tears in their eyes and Twilight could not fight her own anymore. As much as she looked forward to tutoring she would miss her friends immensely.

Twilight was convinced that Spike would be okay on his own, but she still had a nagging feeling about him being alone. Well there was nothing she could do. Last night when Spike have come home, he had told her that Rarity had said yes to go on a date with him, and they planned to go out the following Friday. Twilight was extremely happy for him. She herself had been feeling a little lonely about it later that night when she laid in her bed. She had actually never been out with anypony and had never really had any interest in finding a mate, but that night she felt lonely, she wanted somepony to call her own, somepony she could love and cherish just like Spike did with Rarity. Even though they weren’t together yet, she was sure they would work it out and become a couple at some point. It did not help that she had to leave her friends now. They always had had a comforting word when they talked about stallions, but now she didn’t even have that.

The train was on the edge of Ponyville and Twilight could see the big castle on the mountain far away.

Comments

[Richard79]

Bout time Spike!!