Chapter 3: Decisions
“Why do I ALWAYS get the short end of the stick?” asked Spike in frustration. The baby dragon stomped down the street carrying a basket and a list, mumbling furiously to himself. Ponies all around looked curious at the strange violet figure puffing along the road, so small it nearly dragged the basket on the floor.
He let his mind drift back to how he got himself on this errand. After Argent left, they began the tedious and obnoxious task of cleaning the library. It was a good thing there were six of them, but Spike felt sore and really tired, which rendered him nearly useless as a helping hoof. Eventually they finished and the girls said their goodbyes, to Spike’s immense relief. He could finally go back to bed and if he was lucky, back to that unicorn-dream version of him. Unlikely, but it never hurts to hope a little. As he made his way up to his bed, he heard Twilight shouting for him.
“What?” he said in a grumpy voice. All the falling and moving around were starting to take its toll on him. He really needed a warm bed.
“Spike, I need you to go to the market square and buy me some supplies. Because of yesterday’s party and the treatment we gave you and Argent, we ran out of a few things,” said the purple unicorn. Her voice came from behind a scroll where a quill was magically scribbling a list.
“Oh, come on Twi! I’m tired, can’t you do this?”
“Sorry, but I promised AJ I would help her clean Sweet Apple Acres. They have lots of trees there, so the place must be a mess,” she said, placing the list on a basket. Twilight levitated a bag.
“Here’s a bag of bits. There should be more than enough for everything we need, so why don’t you buy yourself a treat?” she proposed, smiling kindly at her foster brother.
Spike grabbed the bag and looked at the basket. Shopping was so tedious, but perhaps he could buy some chocolate ice-cream with emerald sprinkles on top. And maybe it would cheer him up a bit and make him forget their unpleasant chat from the day before. His gut froze as the memory returned.
Twilight headed towards the door and opened it with her magic. However, she stopped a moment and gave Spike one final look.
“Don’t drag yourself down too much, okay? You know I’m there for you.”
“I know...,” he said with a wave of his hand. “Now get going, AJ’s probably waiting for you.”
“Got it. Love you, little guy,” she said, closing the door.
Spike sighed. “Love you too, Twi,” and that was the end of his remembrance.
“Give me a chocolate ice-cream. TWO balls, EXTRA emerald sprinkles,” ordered Spike when his turn in line finally came. If I’m shopping, I’ll damn well get a nice treat for all my trouble!
“Here ya go Spike,” said a brown colored pony as he handed over an ice cream cone that had small glitters of emerald sprinkles all over it. “Just don’t eat it too fast or ya gonna get a brain freeze like last time.”
“Urgh, don’t remind me,” said the violet dragon, grabbing his cone and giving it a lick. He smiled as the sweet flavor of chocolate mixed with the freshness of the emerald invaded his taste buds. This combo always makes me feel better. I don’t even remember why I was sad in the first place. He noticed some giggling coming from a table nearby. A couple, a stallion pegasus and a mare earth pony sat there, drinking a glass of milkshake. There were two straws, one for each pony, and they consumed their cold beverage as they looked into each other’s eyes passionately.
Spike looked at his cone and back at the couple. He felt a sudden sting in his chest, but decided to walk it off. It would do no good to dwell on such feelings. He gave his dessert a lick. For some reason, it didn’t taste so sweet anymore.
Spike checked the list once more. He had finished it faster than expected. Twilight was probably still helping Applejack, so that meant he had the rest of the day to himself. What should I do, then? During his spare time, he would visit Carousel Boutique, but now... no, that wasn’t an option. With no clear way of where he should go, the violet dragon kept wandering aimlessly.
Spike’s internal debate about his destination came to a sudden halt when his nose met with a wall of fur.
“Ouch,” Spike rubbed his nostrils to clear away the stinging pain. He looked up and saw a pair of vibrant grey eyes looking down at him. A dark blue face with scars all over smiled at him with all of its teeth.
“WAAAAHH!” Spike jumped back, throwing all of his things in the air.
“I must say, this is getting old rather fast,” answered Argent.
Spike took a few breaths to calm himself down. His heart was beating as if he had just finished the Running of the Leaves. Not fun. “Why do you have to keep scaring me?”
“I am sorry, but I do believe I am not at fault this time. You were the one who bumped into me, after all,” scolded the grey-eyed unicorn.
“Oh, yeah. Sorry about that,” said Spike. He looked down and saw his things scattered about. With a sigh, he began picking them up.
“Here, allow me,” said the scarred unicorn, using his magic to gather all of the items and placing them in an orderly manner inside of the basket.
“Thanks,” said Spike, grabbing the basket. Spike noticed the unicorn still wore the improvised bandages. I wonder why he hasn’t changed them yet. “Can I ask you something?”
“Hold that thought, young dragonling,” the unicorn turned around and trotted towards an old green earth pony with an apple pie for a cutie mark.
“Madam Smith, I believe I have found your lost money,” said the stallion, levitating a small red purse from his saddlebag.
“Why, thank ya young’un. Very kind of ya to go out of your way to help an old pony like mahself.”
“It was no trouble at all, madam. If you ever need more help, do not hesitate to summon me.”
“Ah will. Best be going mah way now. Drop by sometime and Ah’ll make you some apple jam,” said granny Smith as she walked away.
“Will do madam!” replied Argent, waving his hoof. Spike raised a brow at the scene.
“So, your question?” asked the grey eyed unicorn.
“Oh, right. What are you doing here? I thought you had gone back to your camp.”
“Oh, I did. But I noticed I was short of supplies and came back to town to replenish my stock. I found quite some quality goods, even if the salesponies were rather...,” he trailed off, trying to find the proper word.
“Terrified?”
“Not my favorite choice of words, but I suppose it describes them very accurately.”
“Hehehe,” chuckled the violet dragon. Spike raised his hand to give his ice cream a lick, but realized it was nowhere to be seen. He started to look around.
“Per chance you might be looking for this?” asked Argent pointing at an ice cream cone with its contents spilled on the ground.
Spike stomped the floor. “Ah, fooye!” he complained. Now his ‘try-not-to-think-of-how-you-will-never-be-able-to-be-with-Rarity’ ice cream was gone. And no money left either.
“What a shame, it did look rather tasty,” commented the stallion. “I have a proposition to you, young Spike. I will purchase a new dessert for you and, in return, you could keep me company and tell me more about Ponyville. What do you say?”
Spike widened his eyes and grinned with joy.
“Mister, you got yourself a deal!” said the violet dragon offering his hand.
“Yes. It’s a deal,” said Argent, accepting the baby dragon’s hand in a shake.
“And there’s also the Everfree Forest. You should stay clear of that place, seriously,” Spike said, pointing a spoon to Argent, who sat on the other side of the table, listening patiently. “There’s all sorts of stuff there. Manticores, Cockatrices, Timber Wolves. It’s too dangerous,” Spike stopped a moment to think. “I guess that’s it for the big places around here,” he said before taking a spoonful of ice cream and shoving it inside his mouth.
“I understand. I shall try to avoid that area, if at all possible,” said the unicorn with a nod. "But what about that building we passed earlier? The purple and indigo one. I believe I saw miss Rarity in there."
Spike choked on his ice cream. “I-I don’t know...,” he said nervously. “Anyway aren’t you going to eat anything?”
“I had quite the breakfast before. Miss Pinkamena insisted I tried a few treats at Sugarcube Corner this morning. She was very... persuasive,” he said, shivering at the memory.
“Yeah, she normally is. And speak of the devil...,” commented Spike, standing on his stool and waving his hand. “HEEEEEY, PINKIEEEEE!”
The pink mare was hopping down the street when she stopped mid-air at Spike’s calling. Still afloat, she turned her head to look at the baby dragon waving at her. With a huge smile on her face she switched directions, faced towards their table and resumed her hopping.
"Hey there Spike! You having a chat with Argie here?" she said with a cheerful voice.
"Well, I was-- Wait a sec... Argie?!" he asked giving Argent a shocked look. The unicorn let out a sigh.
"I tried, but no matter what my arguments were, she would not give up on the moniker. Eventually I was convinced it would be easier to just accept my cruel fate," he said shrugging.
Spike kept alternating between looking at Pinkie and Argent, completely dumbfounded at the situation. When all of a sudden...
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! THAT'S HILARIOUS!" yelled the violet dragon, bursting into laughter. "YOU... ARGIE... I JUST... BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!" joined Pinkie. Prose rolled his eyes and stood there, waiting for their outburst to fade. After a few minutes, Spike and the earth pony were finally able to speak full sentences without giggling.
"Oh boy, that was great! I love a good laugh!" said Pinkie, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. "But why were we laughing?"
The other two looked at her in disbelief. Spike looked at the dark blue unicorn and shrugged. "It's just Pinkie, you'll get used to it."
"I see...," he replied, placing a hoof on his chin. He looked at the rose pony. "But I could not help but notice Miss Pinkamena, why are you here and not at the bakery? Were you not supposed to be working at this hour?"
"Oh, today is Mail Day. My family at the rock farm sends me a letter every other week to catch up on stuff. And I send them cupcakes, muffins and all sorts of goodies!" she said, shaking her hips to emphasize her saddlebags, from where a sweet aroma of freshly baked goods could be smelled.
"Man, those sure smell good," said Spike with a watering mouth. "Hey Pinkie, can I...?"
"Sorry Spike, but these are for my parents. So no-no for you mister!"
"Ah, fooye," he said crossing his arms.
Argent chuckled a little. "I do believe you have had your share of sweets today, young Spike. Perhaps it's about time to stop."
"And it's about time for me to get going! My letter's probably already there!" said the pink mare, turning around and materializing a helmet and a bouncy ball out of thin air. She put on the head protection and jumped on the rubber sphere, causing it to bounce up and down and moving forward. She waved a hoof at the other two. "See ya later, alligator!"
"Later Pinks!" replied Spike
She giggled. "Not you silly! I was talking to Gummy!"
"Gummy?" asked Spike. Suddenly, a scaly head with expressionless purple eyes and a party hat popped out from his ice cream bowl. It jumped out of the bowl onto the ground and walked away.
The unicorn and baby dragon looked at the alligator until he was lost in the distance.
"Well, that certainly was... peculiar. Never a dull moment around Miss Pinkamena, correct?"
"You bet," agreed Spike. He looked at his ice cream bowl and pushed it away with a disgusted face. That was enough ice cream for a while.
"Anyway Spike, you have told me a lot about Ponyville, but there's something that caught my attention," he said turning to face Spike again.
"And what's that?" he said as he raised his spoon, contemplating his reflection as he searched for any emerald sprinkles still left on his teeth.
"I thought it was odd that you avoided looking at the excessive passionate couple right behind me throughout our entire conversation," said Argent, pointing a hoof in the general direction where the same couple Spike saw earlier were still snuggling and kissing.
Spike dropped the spoon and gasped. "I-It's just your i-i-imagination," he said trying to fake a smile.
"Right, my imagination. Then explain to me why you have told of every single place in town, but when I mentioned the large, purple and indigo structure you dodged my question?"
“Li-like I said, you’re just imagining things!” Spike felt the same stinging pain from before. The same pain he felt whenever anything about Rarity or romance was mentioned as of late. Was it going to be like this from now on? Spike shuddered at the thought.
“Oh, look who’s here: Miss Rarity in the flesh. Hello!” said Argent with a smile on his face as he waved his hoof to somepony behind Spike. The violet dragon froze in place. Rarity, there, now? Of all possible times, this was the worst. He could make a run for it... And that would help you HOW? He had to be brave, and brave he would be. Spike slowly turned around, his best poker smile on his face.
There was nopony behind him.
Spike kept looking for a moment until sudden enlightenment hit him. He turned around to see a sly grin on the big scary face of Argent Prose. He had played a trick on him. A good one, too.
“So, now I know there IS something amiss between you and miss Rarity and that the issue in question is a very delicate subject to approach.”
He’s good, thought Spike.
“Shall I deduce everything clue by clue or will you give me the honor of being your confidant, young Spike?” said Argent, leaning a bit over the table and staring deep into Spike’s eyes. He turned away. He had been found out. But if the cat was already out of the bag, why not just be done with it?
“Alright, I’ll tell you. But you gotta keep it a secret!” said the baby dragon, slamming his palms on the table to emphasize his seriousness.
Argent only nodded in agreement.
“Okay...,” Spike took a few breaths. “Ever since I came to Ponyville - an year ago, I think - I’ve lov--” he stopped a second to correct himself. “liked, Rarity. She’s beautiful, kind, lovely. I couldn’t stop thinking about her,” his said, feeling his heart flutter at the mere mention of his diva.
“I see. Young love is truly a wonderful thing. You must cherish her very dearly to be so infatuated by her for so long,” he commented. “However, I sense a hint of trouble in your speech. There is more to it than just simple heart sickness, right?”
“Right,” and here it was. The ugly part of the story. He didn’t want to say it, but he had to come to terms with his reality. The sooner he accepted it, the better. “Yesterday, Twilight... you met her. Purple unicorn, very smart, likes books.”
“Yes, I do remember her, specially the part of her horn pointing dangerously in my general direction, but carry on.”
“Well, she came to me yesterday to have a talk. About me and my feelings for Rarity. It wasn’t a surprise, really, she does it all the time. But this time, it was worse. She had information that proved that a dragon and a pony, could never be together. It just wouldn’t work, she said,” Spike looked away, facing the ground. Funny how a pile of dirt seemed so interesting to him when he was on the verge of losing his calm and cry his eyes out.
“Well, it only seems logical. But whatever the complications, you should not give up on your feelings. If you are certain you can make miss Rarity happy, than go after what your heart desires.”
“Yeah, but how can I? After what Twi said... I’m not sure I could make it work.”
The dark cerulean pony raised his head and looked into Spike’s eyes again, his own vibrant, shining grey eyes piercing the dragon’s gaze.
“Young Spike, shall we play a little game?” asked the unicorn.
“A game? Now?”
“Yes, it is a favorite of mine, perfect for such occasions. It allows one to let one’s mind to simply drift off into thoughts and wonders,” he said, a smile creeping on his face. “It’s called ‘Pretend’.”
“Let’s pretend, for a moment you are not yourself, but somepony else,” he continued, waving his hoof to emphasize Spike. “By that I mean you are physically not Spike, but rather a, shall we say, pony?” his smile grew a bit wider, or so Spike thought. “You have your personality and wits, but you are a unicorn.”
“Well, that would be pretty weird,” said Spike scratching his chin in thought. Argent sure was a tough unicorn to follow, as tough as Twilight during one of her rampants.
“Yes, it definitely would,” agreed the unicorn with a nod. “But I have not reached my point yet. If you were a unicorn, but still had your personality, would you have a chance of winning over miss Rarity’s affection?” his smile was definitely growing wider, Spike was sure of it now.
The violet dragon’s face grew warm as he blushed at the thought. He wasn’t one to just go about turning beet red at silly jokes like those, but being asked so upfront a question like that was unusual.
“I’m waiting young Spike, what is your answer?” asked the scarred unicorn with a mocking tone. Spike felt a pinch of anger towards him. He was having a blast, wasn’t he? If he’s having fun, then I’ll give him fun!
Spike jumped on his chair and puffed his chest out. "Yeah, of course I could. I'm sure of it!"
"Oooh, confident, aren't we?" said Prose, chuckling. "All say similar words when I play this little game, but very few could live up up to them."
The baby dragon slammed his palms on the table. "But I mean it! I would definitely make a great coltfriend for her. I'd take her out every chance I got to do fun things and I'd meet her with a flower in hoof. But most importantly..." he stopped to gasp for air. "I'd never make her cry and if she ever did... I'd do everything to make her happy again, no matter what."
Argent looked at the violet dragon intensely. Spike felt the same judging looking as the time the unicorn first opened his eyes.
The baby dragon sat down. "Yeah, but I mean, come on, there's no way I can become a unicorn," he said leaning on his elbow over the table. He just stayed that way, watching the sides of the road where a few couples could be seen walking up and down. He let out a sigh. Pretending was fun while it lasted.
"Says who?" said the dark cerulean unicorn.
Spike's eyes widened as he quickly turned to stare at the stallion. Argent placed his elbows on the table and joined his hooves, staring seriously at Spike. A heavy silence fell over the table as the two stared at each other.
"Come on Argent! Don't try to pull a fast one," he retorted with a wave his hand. "Pinkie's done all sorts of pranks on me, you're not gonna get me so easily."
"You doubt me?" said the unicorn raising a brow.
"Of course. I mean, come on, making me a unicorn? That sounds like something out of an old ponies tale."
"Young Spike, from the time we met until this very moment, I have never been so serious. Just look into my eyes and you will know it to be true."
The violet dragon looked at him. His silvery eyes sparkled as always, but there was something else. There was something behind those shining pupils that simply irradiated... honesty. For all of his mocking remarks, Spike couldn't believe what he was saying now was a lie. Why, he did not know, but he just felt Argent Prose was a pony he could trust, somepony willing to help him anyway he could.
The unicorn leaned back, taking a deep breath. He turned his head and raised his hoof, calling for a waiter, who walked towards their table, pen and paper in hoof.
"A cappuccino, if you would be so kind." The waiter wrote his order and trotted away. "Now that you are convinced that I speak nothing but the honest truth, shall we proceed to more serious issues?" he waited a moment looking at Spike. Snapping back to reality, the baby dragon nodded in agreement.
"As I said before, it is possible for you to become a unicorn. There is one particular spell, unfamiliar to most of the magical community, capable of such a feat."
"But... if it's so easy, why didn't Twilight research it before?" wondered Spike.
"Perhaps she did not consider the possibility. A transformation spell of this magnitude does seem far fetched after all," the waiter returned carrying a platter with a cup of steaming coffee. He placed the order on the table and left. "And even if she did, I highly doubt she would be able to cast it, not with her skills as it is. Magic as her talent or not, she is much too young to be able to perform it properly." answered the scarred unicorn, levitating the hot beverage towards his mouth and drinking a sip. “Ahhh,” he sighed, smacking his lips and savoring the dark brown liquid. “This is heavenly.”
Spike was a storm of emotions. Relief at the unicorns words, fear of the sudden change, but most importantly, confusion. How could such a gem just drop on his lap? it was a miracle knocking on his doorstep. It was too convenient. Prudence told him to tread carefully, but... the offer was a way out of his binds, it was everything he could ever wish for. I can be with Rarity? The possibility sent his heart aflutter. There was no way he could simply say no, but he needed more information.
"So... so it's possible? I can become a unicorn?"
"Yes, young Spike. And with that you could woo miss Rarity and, if you play your part well, perhaps a more intimate relationship."
Spike sunk his claws on the underside of his chair, chipping away the wood. The idea had him so excited, he could just jump around cheering and screaming.
"But there is one worrisome bother," he took another sip and placed the cup on the table.
"What is it? The spell's complicated? Or is it dangerous? Please don’t tell me I’ll turn into a newt if it goes wrong!"
"Oh, no, no. The spell itself is not so complex. Well, for me that is."
"How come?"
"I thought it was already clear?" questioned the unicorn, raising an eyebrow.
"Sorry, I'm a little slow with this magic stuff."
"Oh, my apologies, I did not realize. This spell I speak of is an old enchantment long forgotten. However, being the excellent traveller I am, I came across it some time ago. It is very exhausting, but apart from that, no need for concern," Argent narrowed his eyes and pierced Spike with a serious gaze. "However, it will cost you, young Spike. It will cost you something you hold very dear and it will impact those around you quite heavily."
Spike felt his brow cold from his sweat. He gulped, but there was no saliva to wet his throat. "What do you mean?" asked the violet dragon.
"I would be turning you into a unicorn from who you are. You would have the body of one while sustaining all of your memories and emotions. Essentially, you would be, for a lack of a proper word, 'ponified'."
"However, it means that, even if you are still yourself in essence, 'Spike the baby dragon' will be gone from Equestria. Although you are not dead, you might as well be."
"But I'd still be me, right? I could just tell everypony and--"
"You must not," interrupted Argent, raising his hoof in objection. "If you do that, everything will be for naught."
"But... why?"
"The essence of this plan is starting a clean slate. You would be a strange pony, new in town. Your chances with her would be fresh and you could work your way into her life as a dashing unicorn. If you unmask yourself, your status will be reset to how you are now: a friendly baby dragon."
Spike leaned on his chair and sank his chin into his chest. That was big, really big. He finally had a chance to be with the lov-crush of his life, but it would cost him... everything. His house, his job, his friends...
His friends. His family. Twilight was all he had, his one true relative. She would be devastated. He could talk it over with her and get her to understand. He shook the thought away. If he tried it, she would start a scene and it would become that much harder to do it. He was already having trouble coming to an answer, that would only add more guilt and sadness to all of this. What if he just went with the plan and came clean with her later? That would never work. Twilight Sparkle is a unicorn of great power and somepony you could trust, but last time she tried to keep a secret, things didn't go as planned.
Spike snapped back at the sound of Argent's hoarse voice.
"I understand this is a lot to digest in very little time. Because of that, I will not demand an answer right away. It is best that you think things over and come to me when you have reached a decision," he levitated the sweet that accompanied the cappuccino and ate it. "After, and only after, you have pondered and weighed all of the elements involved in this complex equation."
Spike mimicked Argent as he rose from his seat. The dark blue unicorn removed a few coins from his saddlebag and placed it on the table. They both started walking and as they passed the waiter who had brought the cappuccino earlier, Argent handed him a few more coins.
"It was delicious, thank you very much."
"Thank you, sir. Please, do come again."
"I shall," The unicorn and baby dragon started walking down the street. They were silent all the way, no one daring to mention their conversation, until they reached an intersection.
"This is where we part ways. My camp is set on the hills out of town," he pointed a hoof to the hills on the right end of town.
"Oh, I gotta go this way. Have to take these back to the library," he said lifting the basket.
"Yes, you must. I apologize for delaying you for so long," the stallion bowed and turned around to walk away, but stopped all of a sudden. He turned his head and looked at Spike over his shoulder with a concerned look on his face.
"Young Spike, be wise. Many have found themselves in a position akin to yours and I can assure you: rash decisions led them to terrible outcomes."
The sun shone a warm red light throughout the land as the almighty ruler of Equestria ended its shift to give way to her sister's bright moon. Shining spots of bright light already dotted the sky, glowing high above Ponyville. The scenario provided a beautiful sunset that lighted Spike's path as he walked back home. The violet dragon carried his basket and remained in deep thought, being his steps the only noise reaching his ears. The words of the strange pony named Argent kept repeating on his head.
He could become a unicorn. A chance of lifetime just, literally, knocked on his door. If he agreed to undergo the spell, he would be able to start anew regarding Rarity. As much as he hated to admit it, she did not see him as a possible coltfriend. A cute, helpful baby dragon, but never a love interest. He could win her heart, he could achieve his dream of being with her.
But he would lose his friends.
"It's not like I'm REALLY losing them," he said to himself. "But I won't be Spike anymore. Guess that's pretty much the same."
There was no easy way out. If he chose the transformation, he had a chance with Rarity, but would lose his friends. However, choosing his friends would deny him his happiness in love.
Let's face it, I'm doomed to like ponies. he let out a sigh. I was raised by ponies, I live in a town of ponies, my whole life I've been surrounded by ponies and my first lov-crush is a unicorn! I'll NEVER find a marefriend-dragon or whatever you call a female dragon you date!
Engrossed in his internal monologue, the violet dragon walked down the dirt path, completely lost in thought. As minutes went by, he found himself on a stalemate. There was no way he could decide. Unless something changed his thoughts, he would never be able to come to a conclusion.
“This is simply DIVINE my dear! I’m a completely new mare!” said a mare voice filled with joy. A voice that Spike knew all too well. He looked up and found himself under the window of a white building with a purple ceiling. The sign of a bright yellow mare with silky mane was hanging on the front. There were a horseshoe and five green flowers adorning the image. He was in front of Ponyville’s famous and only spa. What was he doing there? Was he so focused in his debate he had wandered around town? Most likely. And that voice belonged to...
Rarity! Reflexively, Spike hid himself under the window. What are you DOING?! You should be going away! But even with his self-scolding, he remained still.
“Thank you for bringing me here Rarity. You weren’t kidding when you said this was relaxing,” said a second mare voice. Spike instantly recognized it as the one belonging to his foster sister. Wasn’t she supposed to be helping Applejack?
“Not at all darling, it’s always a pleasure. Besides, did you SEE how your mane looked after tending the fields with Applejack? Why, it was so horrid I just HAD to lend you a hoof.”
“Well, it wasn’t so bad, but this is really good. This bath is doing me some wonders. Especially after the stress from last night,” splashing sound came from inside the building.
“Oh right, which brings to mind a topic I wanted to chat with you: What do you think of that strange unicorn?”
“Argent? I don’t know... he’s sort of weird. I mean, he saved Spike and all, but he’s just so...”
“Nefarious?”
“Kind of, yes,” replied Twilight. Spike had to give an agreeing nod. He was a nice pony, but his looks sure didn’t help him win many friends.
“Well, but you have to admit: he has his charms.”
“What do you mean?” Yeah, what do you mean? thought Spike.
“Come on now, dear, I’m sure a smart pony like yourself MUST have noticed his muscles. Very well-toned I must say.”
“We-well, I guess he is... well built...”
“And I saw you glancing at them from time to time.”
“WHAT?!” yelled Twilight. Spike heard a lot of splashing from the room. “I-I did not!”
“Oh, don’t deny it dear, it proves you have good taste, that’s all.” said Rarity with a teasing tone. Spike took a look at himself. He felt a pinch of jealousy of the grey eyed unicorn.
“Oh yeah? Well, if you think he’s soooo gorgeous, why don’t you go for him?” challenged Twilight. Spike’s eyes went wide. That conversation was taking a very dangerous course.
“No need to tease me to hide your embarrassment, darling. But if you must know, he’s just not my type,” Spike heard the clapping of hooves and the clattering of cups and plates. “Thank you Aloe, the tea smells wonderful. We are going to be here awhile more, is that a problem?”
“Not at all madam, take as long as you like,” replied a strange voice as its owner walked away.
“Wait a minute, what do you mean ‘he’s not your type’? You just said he is good-looking.” wondered Twilight.
“Well, he is, but he's just not my cup of tea. No pun intended,” said the white unicorn, giggling.
“Then what is your kind of stallion?”
“Let me think...,” Spike heard more clattering of china as Rarity raised her cup. Or at least he thought she did. If I was taller I could see what they are doing. Maybe see more than that..., Spike blushed at the thought.
“My perfect stallion, what a topic. Well, I suppose he would need to be kind, gentle, funny, caring. Good with house chores, that’s very important. A good cook wouldn’t hurt either. Trustworthy and romantic. Somepony ready to be there for at the drop of a hat.”
“That’s so weird...” said Twilight.
“What is it dear?”
“It’s just... this ‘perfect stallion’ you described. He sounds a lot like... Um, nevermind"
"Come on, tell me!"
"Um, he reminds me of somepony, but forget about it."
Spike raised his head and perked his ears.
"Oh dear, don't do this to me! If you know somepony who is my perfect stallion, you HAVE to tell me!"
"It's nopony really..."
A lot of splashing came from the room as Rarity (or so Spike believed) seemed to move closer to Twilight.
"Aren't we friends dear? Please, please, please, PLEASE, tell me."
"Um, okay. this stallion of yours sounds an awful lot like... Spike,” the violet dragon’s ears sprung up at the sudden mention of his name. Atta girl, Twilight! He celebrated internally. However, his joy was crushed at the sound of laughter. A high-pitched, joyful, happy laughter.
Rarity had started to laugh.
“Surely you're JOKING dear,” said Rarity in between giggles.
“I’m serious. Look: who else do you know that is kind, gentle, funny and caring? He takes care of most of the housework and you know how good he is in the kitchen."
"Well, his cooking yesterday was unexpectedly delicious, coming from somepony so young," Spike smiled smugly at the compliment.
"And one other thing: who else goes running to your side when you call for help? You say his name, he appears by your side in a split second. And do I have to mention the Diamond Dogs?” asked Twilight as she concluded her explanation. New hope burned inside of Spike as his foster sister defended him. She really WAS on his side after all.
“Well, I... I can see your point dear,” stuttered Rarity. Was she embarrassed? Hard to tell. “But really, Spike? Don’t take this personally, he is a wonderful dragon, probably the best I’ll ever know. But to me, he’s just, well... my Spikey-Wikey.”
Spike felt his heart stop for a moment. Just... Spikey-Wikey? That’s all he was?
“And just because of that there could never be anything between you two?” questioned Twilight.
“I’m afraid so dear. After all, he is a dragon and I’m a unicorn. I’m not sure it could ever work!”
Spike dropped his basket and fell on his knees and hands. He couldn’t believe it. The exact same thing Twilight had said came from Rarity’s mouth just now. She thought they could never be together. He always had the feeling she didn’t look at him the same way he looked at her, but to hear it from her very lips was devastating. He could already feel the lump on his throat building his tears, so he closed his eyes in an attempt to hold them back. He wanted to shout, to cry, but if he did they would find him and that would only make things more awkward.
“But you are right in a sense, Twilight: I do wish for somepony like Spike,” she said. Spike opened his eyes with a gasp. She continued to talk, “If only I met a dashing stallion that had his traits, oh, how wonderful would it be.”
“Well, maybe you’ll find him someday. Equestria is a big place after all.”
“I suppose. Well, and what about Shining Armour and Princess Cadence, any news from them?”
“Oh, they are doing well, sent me a scroll about a week ago. They are enjoying their honeymoon and traveling about. Last week--”
Spike ignored Twilight’s words as he picked himself from the ground and the basket as well. That was enough for him. Straightening his back, the violet dragon resumed his walk back home.
The tears were gone. Simply disappeared. He wasn’t sure how, but he knew why. It was actually very simple. All of this time, his infatuation for the mare had troubled his heart and mind. For nearly twelve months he had spent days wondering how to approach her, start something more. It consumed him, day and night, his mind filled with thoughts of her. But he was always in a stalemate, never moving his relationship forward, always in confusion. However, his mind was now clear, his decision made. And there was no time to waste.
He arrived at the library very quickly. Night had already fallen by then and the sky was filled with glittering stars. Spike dropped the basket in front of the door, grabbed a quill and a bottle of ink from inside of it and started to write on the back of the shopping list. After he was done, he put everything in their right place. Turned around and walked.
His figure disappeared into the night as he made his way to the hills out of town.
AUTHOR'S NOTE
As always, big thank you to Cheesesauce and TheWattsMan. You guys rock.
And to you, my dear readers, for sticking to the story until now. Things will get hairy from here on out and expect the end to be... oh, spoilers!
I would like to extend a note to everyone who's been sending me e-mails and commenting on the story. You guys are the whole reason I keep on writing this story. Or anything for that matter. Your words of encouragement, complements and the occasional joke saying you want MOAR are my fuel, my motivation, my desire to keep going. To some it might not mean much, but every little word counts, even a small "I liked it" works wonders on me. That is why any author writes: to bring joy and strong emotions to the readers.
On a side note, keep an eye out for another story I'm working on. It'll be an oneshot, not based on the universe of Violet Fire. Completely cut off from it. I got the idea a while ago and it's stuck on my head. It'll be a sad, comedy, adventure(?) story. Not gonna say much about it, just that it is based on a song from one of my favorite bands. Not trying to be a hipster here, but if you're not brazilian and/or into rock, you probably never heard of it. *puts on hipster glasses*
And it's advertisement time baby! Big thank you to the people at SALT. Cheesesauce is from there and Ravendagger too. The place works wonders with proofreading and editing. Got a story, but unsure if it's good or not? Give SALT a shot! They do it amazingly fast and are excellent at their job. One warning though: they don't pull any punches. Be prepared to get your story torn to pieces by all sorts of comment. But don't worry: it's not like they are being mean for fun, they are just VERY severe. It's 'tough love', what can you do?
Anyway, until next time! Ta-ta!
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Please Good Sir/Madam may we have another?
674780
That would be sir. I like being called sir, makes me feel like a sir
But I won't make promises I can't keep. College is getting really ugly right now. My biggest project is due in 2 weeks and then I'll have finals. Funny how the finals are the things I'm least worried about
But after that, you can expect chapters pouring in, I can guarantee it
Oh boy, this is tagged sad so I might as well prep myself for the feels.
674842
Ohhh, you'll see
Spike sounds all bad.
3.bp.blogspot.com/-pZqmbLCt4e0/TVhmJ4y0n2I/AAAAAAAAAKM/YCMOnz_RrLk/s1600/7550674-deal-with-the-devil.jpg
674862
Sounds all bad? What do you mean?
"Um, okay. this stallion" This needs capped so does Granny Smith.
"there for at the drop of a hat" you need a me after for.
Great chapter though, ah Spike the best laid plans of ponies and dragons. Also silly Spike ponies are always naked.
Oh lordy lord spike be making a deal with the devil
674868 Sounds like a deal with the devil to me. whatever it is its good so far.
675139
Not quite, but you're getting warmer
675234 DISCORD
675320
Sorry to break it to you, but although Discord is a favorite character of mine because of the excellent voice acting, he will not be featured in this story. Or any other.
If it helps, I made a video using him as my inspiration, right here: Discord's Nightclub
Sheogorath? Haha (From the elder scrolls universe)
I can see where this is going, and I can't wait for more.
676110
Chapter 4 is cooking as we speak! Just took me a little nudge in the right direction, that's all
Fantastic Chapter.
Keep up the good work and I can not wait to see what events unfold due to Spike's desiction
Great read so far! Can't wait to see the next piece! What a heart breaker for Spike tho! Makes me upset at my favorite pony
(Rarity response:
problem?)
676885
my reaction to your comment:
gamertagpics.com/users/g/Gr/Grunt_Monkey/tumblr_lf9anfsIkv1qaz3q8.gif
Thank you so much. And yes, I'm a bit emotional. Just finished writing a scene that should make the readers snivel a bit. I know I did. And I'm writing the goddamn thing!
memeorama.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/obama-not-bad-story-bro-meme.png
... yeah ill just leave that there
fc09.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/084/2/1/mlp_spike_wtf_is_that_____by_imsokyo-d4txdxc.png
Spike after the conversation of Twi and Rarity
682230
Wow, did you draw this? Awesome
Actually no
, I wish y was so talented. But the drawing is super badass 
682620
agreed...
676240
Sweet! Can't wait for it!
Just a heads up on Chapter 4
Why do I have this strange feeling that Argent was in spike's position before?
Finally got a chance to sit down and read the new chapter! Phew! Wow, I like where this is headed. Poor Spike...his feelings are just getting trampled on, it'll be hard to blame him for choosing to "ponify" himself.
Again, you've done a great job here. Spike's voice in particular is strong.
And I really do like your OC, Argent. I'm torn trying to sort out his motivations, though.
And I can't have been the only one here to think: The violet dragon froze in place. Rarity, there, now? Of all possible times, this was the worst.
Possible.
TIme.
This might be an mistake.
Uh huh... I WONDER who could have POSSIBLY already fulfilled THOSE criteria.
Ah haha... just you wait until he's not there anymore and then we'll see if that holds up. It's only the 3rd chapter so far.