A complex wave of emotions coursed through Rarity. Joy, fear, relief, anger, confusion, all were present in the swirling storm coalescing in her chest.
“Would you like to come in?” she stammered, hoping to buy herself some time before Autumn expected a coherent reaction. Rarity magically flipped the sign on her door to “closed” and Scootaloo’s social worker followed her wordlessly to the kitchen. Once there Rarity set about preparing some tea, thus continuing to avoid having to give a response.
“I’m here to talk about how you want to handle the transition,” Autumn said carefully, sitting down at the table. “Treble and Lily would like to break the news, and we think it’d be good if Scootaloo was ready to move in sooner rather than later. These things can be difficult, especially for Scootaloo, and the quicker we can make the process happen the easier it will be for Scootaloo to get adjusted.”
Rarity balked, the two tea cups she was levitating from the cabinet faltering in midair. She thought about her initial impression of both Lily and Treble. They didn’t seem to be terrible ponies; if they had been a pair of alcoholic child abusers then Rarity would have no problem digging in her heels, and she’d be entirely justified in doing so. But they weren’t. By all outward appearances, they were a loving couple looking to add a child to their family. Who was she to deny them that? And why would she want to?
Because Scootaloo seems happy here, well happier anyway. The idea that the Boutique might actually be the best place for the little orange pegasus began to take root. No, it wasn’t Rainbow Dash’s house, but she had begun to develop her own bond with Scootaloo. It was mostly poker based, but bedtime and dance lessons were part of it too. And if Rarity was being totally honest with herself, she found herself enjoying the psuedo mother role she had fallen into more than she thought she would.
Searching for a reason to preserve the status quo, she finally settled on one, while Autumn patiently drank his tea.
“Do you really think this is going to be any different than any of the other homes Scootaloo has moved into?”
Frustratingly Autumn didn’t answer the question. “It’s not my job to try and predict the future,” he said taking another sip of his tea. “They seem to be a kind, loving couple. I dug through their past with a fine toothed comb and found nothing that raised even the slightest red flag. If I thought they weren’t sincere about trying to be good parents I’d show them the door. But as far as I can tell, they are; that’s all I can ask for.”
“I’m sure you thought that about Scootaloo’s last foster parent, too,” Rarity replied, a little more snidely they she intended.
But Autumn ignored the dig and just nodded. “Maybe, but I don’t really have any other options.”
“What if you did?”
“Excuse me?” Autumn asked, putting down his cup of tea.
“What if there was another pony who wanted to adopt Scootaloo? What would happen?”
“That depends.” Autumn said carefully. He stopped himself before he went off on a tangent about the nuances of custody laws. “If there’s an honest dispute, two families that genuinely want what’s best for a child, the case is heard by an arbitrator. In this case I would make a recommendation as her case officer and Scootaloo would have to testify who she’d prefer to live with. Since my recommendation would be highly contingent on what she wanted, it’d basically be her choice.”
“I see.”
“Yes, but I don’t have two families vying to adopt her, I have one.”
Rarity found the words spilling out of her before she could even consider their full implication. “I’d like to adopt her.”
She wasn’t really expecting Autumn to gush with praise, Oh that’s wonderful. I know this is the best place for her, but she also wasn’t prepared for the reaction he did give. “No you don’t,” the stallion said fixing Rarity with a firm stare.
“I beg your pardon? Are you actually deigning to tell me what I do and do not want?” It was more a reaction to having her wishes challenged then honest anger, but Rarity still found herself grinding her hooves into the ground beneath the table.
If Autumn noticed the change in Rarity’s tone he didn’t say anything. “I’ve seen this before. A temporary foster parent grows a little bit attached, decides it’s up to them to save the child from some imagined horror, and volunteers to adopt even though they haven’t really considered what it’s going to mean. It’s called a savior complex, and it always ends with heartbreak. I will not put Scootaloo through that.”
This time Rarity was unable to conceal her anger. “I do not have a savior’s complex!” she shrieked, her nostrils flaring. “If I wanted to save something I’d go get myself involved in whatever imbroglio Twilight’s managed to get herself into. In fact, knowing Twilight I’ll probably be dragged into whatever is threatening Equestria this week, anyway!”
Being a social worker was not a job that came with a lot of “perks”. The hours were long and the pay was miserly. You were perpetually overworked and the work you did manage to get done was unlikely to result in fame or adoration. On top of that, it was pretty much guaranteed that you would encounter some truly horrific situations that would shake anyone’s faith in equinity. One only chose social work as a career because every so often there was a scared, helpless child whom only you could help, and you got to actually tangibly help them. Autumn’s first boss had taught him that the satisfaction of seeing a child grow up happy and healthy because of your actions had better be enough reward because it was likely to be the only one you got.
But there was one other thing Autumn enjoyed about his job, it gave him very thick skin. There was no good way to remove a child from a toxic home. Bad parents, even terrible parents, still loved their kids, albeit in a very hard to understand way. And like any pony would, they treated an attempt to take thier kids away as a grievous insult. No matter how carefully the situation was handled it resulted in a pony screaming at him with levels of rage and hatred that he was sure he would never be able to match about anything. And the child was often angry and scared to boot because he or she was being taken out of the only home they knew.
But when the knowledge that a pony would literally kill you if there was a weapons within forelegs reach hung in the air, and you had to compartmentalize that fact and respond calmly because responding with righteous anger would only bring more emotion and volatility to a situation that had too much of both; well once you did that a few times, someone being mildly perturbed at your word choice wasn’t a big deal.
Rarity just sat there, glaring daggers at him, waiting for him to respond.
He sighed; Rarity did have a point despite her emotional reaction. A temporary foster parent removing the temporary from their title wasn’t unheard of, and either way Rarity was a citizen asking to get the long process of adopting an eligible filly started. It was his job to do the due diligence, but he still needed to be sure that this was something Rarity really wanted, and right now it didn’t seem like she even knew that herself.
“I will consider your application, provided you take this week to really think about if this is what you want. You do that, come visit me next Monday and if you still want to adopt, we can talk about how to proceed.”
“Fine,” Rarity said using the same clipped manner she reserved for unruly stallions at after parties. “I trust that until we do meet you will delay whatever transition you have planned.”
“I will.”
“Well then, if there is nothing else…” Rarity said glancing toward the door.
Autumn nodded, again if he wasn’t used to ponies saying significantly worse things to him he would have been offended. “I’ll show myself out.”
Her boutique once again empty, Rarity sat in her parlor room, opting to keep the sign flipped to closed. She scooped Opal up in her hooves and carried her over to the couch, absentmindedly stroking her cat’s fur.
As much as she was loathe to admit it, she had uttered the words I’d like to adopt without really considering what that would mean. Rainbow’s objections, of all ponies, echoed in her head as she thought about her own reservations. I have plans, and none of them involve dragging a kid around with me.
Rarity didn’t have plans in the same way Rainbow did; in many ways she was already living her dream. She was the proprietor of her very own specialty dress boutique; ponies came from all over to order dresses designed and sewn by her. Canterlot was only a quick train ride away, and even going to Manehattan wasn’t particularly onerous journey. The reason she didn’t move to one of the bigger cities and open her shop in an area that was more accessible to her rich clientele was because she didn’t have to. She liked Ponyville, her family and friends lived there and her clients were perfectly happy to come to her for a fitting session. She had no doubt that if she moved to Manehattan tomorrow to open up a shop it would be a success, and because she didn’t have to wonder if she could hack it in the big city there was nothing particularly alluring about the bright lights.
But what if one day there was? She took two trips to Manehattan a year, one in the fall and one in the spring to participate in the fashion expos and galas that marked the changing of the fashion season. Two weeks out of fifty two didn’t seem like a reason to uproot her life. But if she adopted Scootaloo she wouldn’t just be making her own decisions she’d have somepony else's wishes to consider.
Then there was the fact that she would be a single mother, Scootaloo would most likely grow up without a dad.
Rarity took it for granted that she would meet a charming stallion and get married one day. But being a single mother with a small child was not a quality most stallions were looking for. And while she was sure that she wouldn’t want to be with any stallion who would reject her because she had a child, it was still an obstacle. And didn’t Scootaloo deserve a father of her own? If nothing else, Rarity was sure she could never fill that role.
It was no secret to anyone who knew him that Hondo Flanks had always wanted a son. So, when Pearl gifted him with two daughters instead he channeled all the energy he planned to use teaching his son how to play hoofball into being the best father to little girls he could be. He attended tea parties as the guest of honor and let his daughters paint his hoofs. Rarity had put bows in his mane and styled his tail, and he always wore a gigantic smile on his face while she did. The way his mustache still tickled when he offered her a nuzzle always brought her back to a simpler, happier time. Rarity loved her mom, but she absolutely adored her dad. If her own experience was anything to go by, depriving Scootaloo of that relationship seemed wrong somehow.
She looked at Opal, hoping for some form of reassurance but her cat remain fixated on the wall. If anything Opals's concern was that the petting seemed to have momentarily stopped. Autumn is right she thought; she needed think long and hard about this, before she committed to it.
Sadly, her thoughts are true. And like good old Remi said in Ratatouille: "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should." I'm hoping she chooses to keep Scoots. Being a single parent is still very rewarding, but I hope more that she really does choose what's best for Scootaloo.
wow I have a mom!
Hay Scoots need a dad?
Wut I'm cool.
no diapers either!
pre05.deviantart.net/956a/th/pre/f/2015/245/2/6/first_born_by_hillbe-d986vyb.jpg
you should get more than 700 likes. . .
I never really thought about it, but that does seem to be a problem when you become a foster parent. You become attached to the child, and then when they are adopted, it becomes hard to consider anyone else raising them. Especially if you've raised them for a long period of time, or know the child very well. But sometimes, you need to step back, and ask yourself if what you're attempting to do, is what's best for the child.
yes she does have thinking. The dad issue is actually solved through RD. She's a tomcolt and very sports oriented. and single parent while tough but she has a leg up. Her friends, they can always lend a hoof and they all know Scoots already.
ANd she is right. she is living her dream and that dream won't take her to so many places that RD's would. Yes she should think but i bet she will still go on. She knows Scoots problems and has ways of dealing with them and Scoots truts her.
hoping to buy herself some time before Autumn expected a coherent reaction. Rarity magically flipped the sign on her door to “closed”
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move down a line.
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6390123
Yep, Rarity has a stallion [by almost every measure] in her life that'd make a great dad. He [if Twilight ever got around to paying him] has a steady job, is versatile, domesticated [making her life infinitely easier], and intelligent. That and Rares already knows he likes her. So Spike would be a good pick, if she has to go the dad + mom route.
And 6390184 is right in that Rainbow Dash already pretty much fits in the dad relationship dynamics with her being a tomcolt, and sports orientated. So that's two entities in Rares life that can fit that bill.
6390303
Except that Spike is quite young himself. And regardless of what qualities he has
as a potential caregiver, his age likely won't look very good on paper.
And hasn't Rainbow Dash already expressed a lack of interest in becoming Scootaloo's
parent? There's more to being a dad than occasionally setting aside some time to
go out and have fun with your child.
Honestly, I'm fine with this story going either direction as long as Scootaloo is willing to give Treble and Lily a fair chance instead of pushing them away, thus guaranteeing that they give up. Plus, being Lily's kid comes with two pretty awesome aunts as a package deal.
derpicdn.net/img/2012/8/21/79358/full.png
6390303 Fixed thanks
6390369 Here's the thing the only reason Dash rejected the idea of adopting Scoots is because as a wonderbolt she would be going from place to place and she doesn't want to drag scoots with. She feels that wouldn't be fair to the filly. But the times she is in Ponyville she would be there for Scoots. Rarity can do the day to day care but Scoots is nearly as much as a tomcolt as Dash so they would hang out often doing stuff that would usually be decribed to father son bonding. Dash loves Scoots but just can't be the main caregiver.
6390303 Spike. Because it would do wonders for Scoots to have a dad that is at most a year older or two.
Sometimes Sparity shipping goes waaay too far.
6390369
it's not the age of the car but the mileage
with all Spikes done with everypony he would be an old fert and worn out......
6390369
I think Rainbow Dash's objection was to being the sole parent to Scootaloo; primarily because she knew being a Wonderbolt would be incredibly unfair to Scootaloo, as she wouldn't be able to be home much. But if she didn't have to go it alone, it's a different story.
6390369
Rainbow Dash is still family. And stated that she'd be more than happy to still be Scootaloo's big sister. The fact that she has masculine qualities makes her an impromptu male role-model of sorts.
As for Spike. He has the job of several adult stallions, and has since prior to Ponyville (what with being Twilight's number one assistant). Has adult friends, doesn't go to any school (weither that's in part due to the fact that he's adult enough mentally to not need it, or has already finished college level schooling alongside Twilight is anyone's guess). So age really isn't that much of a problem.
6390421
Above Post. We don't really know his age. Add onto the fact that he's hit adult hood twice. Has a different developemental stage than ponies, and unlike school age children. Works, and holds down technically several jobs daily. Makes him a well off role model. And if it was about his "apparent age". All Twilight would need to do is hit him up with magic, or for him to find a horde that'd shape shift him to both the "apparent age" and the physical form he sees himself as [in the fantasy and dream sequences he has].
So no. It's not too far. At least on the bit where you take into account. A) Not a pony; B) has adult responsibilities already; and C) has the same adult friends Twilight has [pre and post NMM], with no child based friends. [Technical D) Already has at least a college level education. If not from being taught from Celestia herself along side Twilight. Then as her assistant to her studies and learning along side Twilight as she grew up.]
6390419
You're welcome .
6390464 Please don't bring the fan theories about Spike into it. Those can be torn to shreds with any glimpse of logic. The only way you can have Sparity is if you ignore canon in favor of your headcanon where Spike is not a child. That's it. In-show he has no "adult" responsibilities that a smart kid can't do. He cooks from time to time, but he's usually baking stuff for himself. I don't know about you, but at 10, I was able to cook a lot of stuff and often did. He knows where the books are, but the one shown doing the organizing is actually Twilight. He's only been left in charge of the pets. He ran away from home to confront Teenager Dragons who were obviously older than him. Seriously... he can be smart for a kid, but he's still a kid. Stop trying to ship him every time Rarity makes an appearance, especially for a story that has nothing to do with it. He hasn't even been mentioned.
Edit: Additionally, he is more likely home-schooled than having a college education, which we see no hint of and given his effective age in the story is all but impossible unless by age 1 he was able to go at the same level of instruction as Twilight was at the time, but we see plenty of instruction from Twilight. He's effectively an Apprentice.
6390464
6390456
But is Rainbow Dash potentially being away a lot, and yet making claims to being
anything besides an honorary sister and role-model anymore fair to Scootaloo,
even with somepony else taking up the role of primary caregiver?
Those moments when you know what you want, but you say it before you're conscious of the desire.
Then you spend the rest of the day/week/life asking yourself if you're really really sure.
6390496
Show canon and logic that'd tear it to shreds.
Heres my reasons where that is wrong:
http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Spike More to the point. He does organize and tend to the library.
- He is seen when not acting as a Scribe, or messenger. Cooking [he has cooked for Twilight and her guests in Twilight Time, his serving of tea for the girls, and is the only one shown near the kitchen ever.]. Or working for Rarity [when her sister is at School mind you]. He's reading or eating. But most of his time is spent working along side Twilight.
http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Spike#Lauren_Faust Faust herself said Celestia trained and raised Spike.
- There were no children brought into face Sombra. Unless you think bringing a child to face a Dark Magic Tyrant is something that Celestia and Luna would approve on? Not to mention the fact that his actions directly led to saving the Crystal Empire. Could you do that as a kid? And would your parents agree to let you face a dictator who enslaves others, and has the ability to kill you in seconds, or torture you for fun as a child? Is that really what happens to kids nowadays?
- 95% of the time we see him it's him working. Just For Sidekicks or Spike At Your Service [some of the worst writing ever. Even the Owlycious episode was pretty crappy], being the exception of compotently [and crappily written]. And even those he was mostly working an adults job. And there is a difference between working a full time job, and the not even part time job kids hold down.
- Every friend he has is an adult. Every one.
- He's the hero of a nation. For his actions during a conflict that would've ended with them enslaved, and many innocent ponies hurt otherwise.
- He acts as personal messenger between Celestia and others.
- Was trained and raised by Celestia personally.
- Homeschool is your head canon not fact.
___________________
PS: Your talking to a person who personally dislikes everything about Canon Rarity. Very few Rarity's make me like her in any capacity. But look at 99% of all Spike Ship fics.
Not just Rarity. But Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, the few freaky ones with Twilight. All of those ponies are one's he's friends with. Interacts with on a constant level. As an equal. And he has no friends or ships that don't require him into logic twisting shifts to work out. Since he doesn't interact with the CMC in any meaningful manner. Outside of Twilight Time and Just For Sidekicks.
But he's dragged into adventures with the adult ponies. Works with or for the adult ponies. And has in canon hit adult hood twice. TWICE. Saying he's a kid is false. Especially since he doesn't age as ponies do, or in any consistent manner. Not counting mental age, and intelligence.
Seriously either he's an adult [which he's been an adult dragon more than once], or the Mane 6 as well as Celestia love endangering children for the lolz. Take your pic.
6390507
Sure she'd be away alot. But still, while not a caregiver, is still a pony in Scootaloo's life. As for male role model.
There's only one that makes sense atm if it has to be male. Any others are either going to come across as forced [if it's not built up], or as one of Rarity's many, many fantasy's gone horribly wrong. I mean seriously that girl goes crazy over the idea of a male [Bluey giving her a romantic fantasy life. Tenderhoove's shrine / alter.] but takes 0 time to actually see them as an individual.
6390706 Nope. Not doing this here. I can dismantle every one of your arguments there by PM if you insist but I'm not derailing the comment section here past this point.
You are really, really great at writing ambiguity. Once again you have a two sided argument where each side has their powerful justifications. Every time a new chapter comes out I wonder to myself, "which way will the story go now?" Every time I make a prediction, and 80% of the time I'm wrong. This time I actually thought Rarity would want to adopt her, but never expected a conflict like that. Once again, beautifully written, your wordplay is improving massively. Looking forward to the next chapter!
6390706 He's a child. As a child, I did most everything you've listed for Spike. Most of my friends were adults or at least several years old than me. I'd been cooking for myself and others since around age six. I could read well above my grade level.
Sorry, he's still a child - show confirmed baby at that. He's just an exceptional child apprenticed to an even more exceptional sister/mother/best friend thing.
I really pity Autumn. It's so obvious that he wants to do the right thing for Scootaloo yet time and time again it seems like fate just doesn't want to give him any satisfaction from his efforts.
Ah well, at least he gave Rarity some decent advice which she's taken properly to heart.
6390879 yeah he's got a rough deal. I don't want him to be a villian, but I don't want him to be a gary stu either. So if all his problems get solved without any sweat onhis part and everypony loves him all the time then I haven't done my job.
Slight, little error that I hope you don't mind me pointing out. You deserve each and every one of the likes for this adorable story. Lastly, I know Rarity has to consider the challenges that could come from permanently adopting Scoots, but like you put it,
and I think she wouldn't mind having Scoots in to keep her happy.
6390464
It's true we don't know his exact age, as his or anyone's age is never outright stated in the show. The best we get is Fluttershy saying she is a year older then Rainbow... or was it Pinky, Someone correct me on that if I'm wrong.
I would outright disagree with the fact that he is an adult. Reason for this is that he was hatched by twilight when she was what I assume is around the CMC's age. That being my guess 6 - 10 years old. Given that fact and I highly doubt that Twilight is 30+ years old, she is more likely somewhere between 18-23. So by my calculation Spike is ether around the CMC's age or a early to mid teen. So no he is not an adult by legal standards.
I'm just bringing this up because I want to know what you mean with retching adulthood twice?
Because as far as I see it, he did it one during the Greed induced growth spurt, Sure he became an adult by "Dragon" Standards. But that it.
Well yeah, he grow up around Twilight and Celestia, it's not a stretch to say that he picked up more then a little from them, as a reason behind his more "Adult" Mental stage.
What are these "Several jobs" your speaking of? He is Twilight's assistant That's it.
Now Spike is a good role model (most of the time), He is hardworking, dedicated and helpful, But I would not say that those things are signs that he is an Adult. Early to mid teen yes, but not an adult.
Okay fist the "hit him up with magic" is both a stupid and potentially dangerous idea. Not to mention not doable as Twilight herself said in the Magic duel with Trixie. Age spells are very complicated spells that even Twilight is not capable of performing, Be it against pony or a dragon I find it hard to see this even working.
Second, "find a horde that'd shape shift him to both the "apparent age"" Would still most likely be a teen dragon, not to mention that I can see several things going wrong with that plan. Also the fantasy and dream version of himself is at best just that, Dreams and fantasies to impress Rarity.
But that still wont make him an adult in the eyes of the law. He can act and have as many if not more responsibility then Twilight but he would still not be an adult. Reason why he is still refereed to as a "Baby dragon" is because he is, His mental state, responsibility friends and education means shit when it all comes down to the fact that he is a miner. In the context of this story he would be considered a Brother figure to Scottaloo more then a father figure.
6390120 Because of the nature of their relationship, maybe Rarity should ask Scootaloo what she wants.
6390303
TGE, even in the show he is referred to as a baby dragon. He is an infant. Even if he was of age in pony years (he's not), he's still not of age for a dragon. If there was another race sharing Earth with us that was mature by year ten and dead by year thirty, would you let some adult of that race marry your ten year old daughter?
C'mon man, there's no legitimacy to Sparity. You know that. It's entirely a headcanon ship. Hell, we've got more canon legitimacy for Lyrabon than we do Sparity.
6391465
Everytime Twilight calls him that he says he's not. Then you have this:
img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130830145203/mlp/images/3/30/Spike_newborn_ID_S1E23.png
Baby Dragon. Note Spike looks nothing like this, and in those fic where Twilight [who hatched his egg, and he lives with] is his surrogate mother. Mothers always say their children will be there babies, no matter how old they are.
img2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140709021014/mlp/images/5/5c/Spike_ID_S4E24.png
[Current Spike.]
vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/3/3d/Spike_gigantic_head_sticking_out_spire_cropped_S1E23.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/480?cb=20111209132726
Adulthood first time. Before being regressed by Celestia back into form from image one.
vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/0/0f/Spike_tries_to_take_the_scooter_from_the_CMC_S2E10.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/640?cb=20111213005353
Teenager.
Note that the large group of Teens there had their technical "shared" horde that they fought over with adult dragons looking over them to make sure they didn't mature wrong. But dragon age is never what it seems. It can be biological, induced by enough magic, or more often than not, is determined by the stash a dragon possesses.
vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/b/b5/Spike_roars_S2E10.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/640?cb=20111213005627
Even older.
vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/mlp/images/2/27/Spike_triumphantly_roars_after_abducting_Rarity_S2E10.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/640?cb=20121017102637
Adulthood twice.
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Then you have this bit of common sense.
Would you take a baby to a War Zone? Or half the dangerous missions he's been on [not a whole lot, but quite a few]? Or would you have kept the baby / kid with the (CMC / Celestia / Somewhere safe)? I mean letting him face Discord as Loyalty 2.0, bringing him along to face Sombra [even Cadance and Shining didn't put their hoof down]. So no. Not a baby dragon. The above images are proof enough of that.
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6391355
Look at above post.
And Dragons don't age linearly. Nor in anyway the same as a pony. Nor hit developemental milestones the same spots as ponies do. Especially since Celestia raised and trained him to be Twilight's assistant. Then sent him to work for Twilight when he finished later on in his life.
Babies / children don't hold down full time jobs, have a complete education [a freaking ruler of the nation trained him personally according to Faust], and face the dangers he's been part of.
6390866
Look at first post. And
Most. Try All of Spike's friends. Has a complete education. And Twilight calls Spike a baby. He says he's not. As a mother figure, it's her obligation to always see him as her little one. And I highly doubt you faced down a Mad God as a child. Nor did you work as a Scribe / Assisstant full time. Nor did you face a tyrant that almost ended all you cared about. Nor were all of your friends college level or higher. Nor were you trained and raised by the President / Your nations leader, until you could work full time by that rulers reckoning.
So no. Not a child, and you didn't do most of what he could do. Sure, you did "chores". I doubt you did a majority of house cleaning, on top of cooking, of top of organization, on top of scribe work.
And on your free time. I doubt you did full time manual labor digging up wagonfuls of gems with a shovel, or let people stab you with needles to be used as a literal pin cushion. Seriously I doubt you did anything Spike does, as much as he does it. Even at your age now.
6390716
Doesn't matter. Since you just have head canon, and a massive hate for that ship. So I'll drop it, since anything you try is just you ignoring Canon with your raging hate-on for SpikeXAdult ships. I showed Spike's age throughout the series. Linked Lauren Faust's own words on the subject [Aka. Trained him until he was ready to work full time as an assistant]. So anything further will be a waste of both of our times.
Have a good day, and no hard feelings.
6391686
He says he's not a child. Like any child saying they're not a child when you call them a kid. You're really stretching here, TGE.
And we don't know if the Greed Growth was age-related at all. For all we know it's a magi-biological reaction when a dragon first gains their hoard, so they can protect it before they're fully mature enough to do so on their own. It'd explain why he was feral while other dragons could reason and speak if they desired. If their age was based on their hoard, the teenagers would NOT have pooled their hoards together to eat, because they'd be giving up their own age and strength.
Also:
Does this sound like an adult to you? Transcript from Dragon Quest, speaking with the teenager dragons. Who pointedly note Spike is not as physically mature as they are, even if you take their quips about his age to simply be bullying even though he did not refute their claims and effectively reinforced them.
Twilight literally meant he was a baby dragon (to the point he couldn't even keep awake for the Summer Sun Celebration in episode 2, like a small child). The first image you linked was what fantasy typically terms a 'hatchling', as in having just come out of their shell. Spike is currently at the 'whelp' stage of life, comparable to the maturity period we'd call toddler to 'young child'.
The points you listed are very vague and open to skewed interpretation, TGE. While I typically agree with you, Spike is not an adult. He's not even what you'd call a teenager. All canonical signs point towards pre-teen in pony/human years, and with a race as long-lived as dragons seem to be, that apparently still qualifies as a baby. In every way that matters when discussing a romantic relationship, Spike is a child. Sparity is not viable canonically unless Rarity becomes a pedophile. I think most of us had crushes around his age then, too. I certainly did. No teenaged girl or adult woman returns the involved romantic affections seriously of an underaged boy's first crush unless it's in the bad way. He is a baby of his species. His age is comparable to the CMC's linearly* , even if his maturity is closer to the Mane 6's... or at least Rainbow Dash's. Would you canonically ship Big Mac and Sweetie Belle? If not, then Sparity has no canon foot to stand on, and will always be headcanon with no canon support - Spike will have to be aged up in Sparity unless it's a foalcon fic.
*When we see Twilight hatch Spike we see nothing of Applebloom or Sweetie Belle in AJ or Rarity's memories suggesting they were too young to be outside or weren't quite born yet (likely the former as when AJ sets out from home she has a picture frame of what might be her parents, and her parents were not there to stop her or see her off - suggesting they were already dead by this point shortly after what would have been AB's birth), but unless you're saying Twilight and the girls are all about middle-aged, he can't be more than 10-ish.
Let this be the end of it, please. This story's comments need not be hijacked further.
6391769
His first growth was when Twilight shot him full of magic. His second growth was a horde. But yes we do know that Greed = Growth. Since in Just For Sidekicks Zecora warns Spike against being greedy. All the adult dragons we see in the show. They have massive hordes. The teenagers. They have a lot of mini-ones. And eating gems from their horde isn't getting rid of their age. They are bringing that gem into their bodies, just in a different form.
As for the ones that can be reasoned with. They were raised by dragons. Dragons who knew what to do, how to do it, and what needed to be taught. Spike was raised by ponies who know nothing about dragons. Even Zecora's knowledge is limited. So no, Dragons don't age linearly. And their age has so many variables to it, that they can't be thought of as the same age as ponies. Or aging in the same way as us humans do.
Just isn't happening. Especially to a species who can age up or down multiple times, have many different outcomes to their forms, and many different things that can be considered a horde. Which has a different growth rate (probably). Even then a big enough dose of magic can boost age just as well as a horde.
So no. Not a kid (and those teenagers were both bullies, and natural dragons. With hordes and everything. Spike is long past being a hatchling. But hasn't had the same growing environment a healthy, normal dragon would. I seriously doubt those teenagers hit adulthood multiple times do to pony ignorance / an unguided, non-draconic lifestyle. )
I tried. Returning everyone to this good fic now, which contains nothing pertaining to the previous comments! Enjoy Scootalove drama starring Rarity and everyone's favorite orange orphan! No, everyone's favorite orange orphan with wings, not Applejack.
6391360 Sure that would definitely be needed, but Rarity should also really think hard about what she's offering and what the other couple is offering. That's the tricky part, being objective about what would be best for Scoots over what she wants to happen.
6391686
Dude, There is so much blindness in what you pointed out (And not only to me) that I'm getting a headache and it would take me all week to point everything out.
So I'm gonna leave this discussion whit this.
Say what you want, think what you want but Spike is an always will be a child to pre-teen unless the show clearly say that Spike is otherwise.
So you can harp on about his mental state and what have you that he is an adult until the end times or your blue in the face (whichever comes first) But it will only be seen as Headcannon, and I'm okay with that.
You can say that he had retched adulthood twice, But there is a flaw in that argument you clearly don't see. Now I'm not going to point it out because I actually believe your smart enough to figure it out given enough time.
6392076
Actually there isn't a flaw. Not with dragons not needing to age linearly. Dragons don't age in canon like ponies do, nor like humans do.
Then there's this undeniable point. Spike ships aren't considered foalcon. By readers.
Simply put, and I'm ending this discussion on all future comments.
The best thing about Spike is he's writer's putty. He can be any age, and stage of development, whatever a writer needs and wants, and with how the writers of the show play loose with his character. The same fits with any fic. He can ship with any adult in the show [and does in 99% of all of his ship fics], or the CMC without it being considered pedo, or creepy, or morally objectionable. And with how he can be molded physically in the show. If the write needs him to age up, or change. It has precedence to do so.
And no my comments weren't weak. But those haters of Spike ships, or only want to see him as a child. That'll be their head canon, good for them. I'm leaving it as he's Writer's Putty [and how I personally use him], and however any writer wants to use him is good. Or if they want to use him.
If this writer uses Spike shipping then those who hate that, they can either enjoy a still amazing fic and ignore it, or leave. If the writer doesn't use him, as long as their is some build up rather than throwing an OC / random stallion into the fic, and make a ship with that. I'm all good [it's all about foundation and a good probability of it working out, rather than throwing genitalia of any gender at a pony and saying "There, it's a proper ship.".] And this writer is pretty freaking awesome, so I doubt he'd just up and throw an OC, or random pony at Rares if shipping ever touches this fic with a 10 ft. pole.
I'll be honest, I'm not really comfortable with Rarity's talk (well, thought) about Scootaloo needing a father figure. It seems to carry the unfortunate implication that a traditional nuclear family with a father and a mother is just better than other kinds of families.
6392352 I suppose that is not an unreasonable interpretation, though the way I hope I wrote it was that Rarity had a wonderful relationship with her Dad and she would want Scootaloo to have one too, not a value judgement against single parents
6392352
6392370
Seconded. I don't think she meant it in a way that makes it seem one is better than the other. While single parenting is perfectly fine, and leads to well adjusted children, (I'd like to think of myself as well adjusted, anyway) there are inherent difficulties involved. She's still weighing her options.
6391686 Sorry, you're not debating - you're trying to drown out any dissenting opinion to yours.
Allow me to dismantle your first point and ignore you from here on out.
You're a little lost on the word "baby". You seem to think that a "baby" can only look like a new born (which is what Spike is in that picture). You also seem to be judging the term based on human growth stages. Please note (as can be seen from that picture you so helpfully provided) that Spike is, in fact, not a human, but a dragon. Since dragons taking 100 year long naps is canon, it's pretty fair to say they likely live a long time. Such a long life span changes what qualifies as a "baby" in their species growth and development cycles.
And using Spike's opinion of whether or not he's a baby is just silly. EVERY child has stages they go through where they insist they are not so little or young as the adults say. Children don't get to define their own terms because they've got no experience, frame of reference, or knowledge about it. They're kids - they're just trying not to be.
See ya later.
6394966
Again, look at my last post on the topic.
You're argument is invalid.
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About time she finally admits her feelings over Scootaloo and Rarity tries to adopt her herself.
This means that once the adoption goes through, Scootaloo can call Sweetie Belle 'auntie'
Well, it's not like Rarity is lacking for choices as to whom to leave Scootaloo with if she has to go on another save-the-world adventure, anyways
I dunno why I love these single parents fics.
Lets hope Rarity finds it in her heart to truely go through with the adoption.
Preferably before it's too late.
6395827 Can you imagine how akward it would be, to have one of your best friends who is also within your age group, suddenly become your "aunt" overnight?
6396323 ...Yes. On a side note, though, AB is Scootaloo's aunt in one fic.
I'm very glad Rarity just blurted out she wanted to adopt Scootaloo without thinking about it, shows her heart is in the right place! I will laugh quite a bit if Rarity starts evaluating every stallion she knows as possible dads for Scootaloo. Not that she needs to get hitched, but it would be amusing to see. I do think she should talk to her own parents and get some advice from them.
This story is magnificent! Eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
Saying all of that in 2K words... it's like watching someone make a car and I have no idea how.
6402695 umm yes?
Why couldn't Rarity ask her parents to adopt Scootaloo instead?
6403286 Probably because they already have Sweetie Belle to take care of, and they seem to frequently dump her onto Rarity. They aren't bad parents, bu they're hardly the kind of parents Scootaloo deserves.
: dooooooooooooooooooooo eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!
: But-
: dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!