Generous Gifts

by BlazzingInferno

Moonlit Truth

Spike had it all wrong. Ponyville in winter wasn’t picturesque, at least not late at night while trudging through waist-deep snow. He hurt nearly everywhere, and wherever he didn’t hurt he was numb. A whole day of walking and worse lay behind him, and grasped in his claws was the same slip of paper that he’d started with. Against all reason and logic, he still had Fluttershy’s name. He’d visited every pony who could possibly have Rarity’s name, all except for one.

He made a fist and pounded on the boutique’s door. “Rarity? You’re home, right? We need to talk.”

He stared up at the dark sky. Fresh snow was falling in moonlight. Under better circumstances he would’ve called it beautiful, or even romantic, considering whose doorstep he was on. Not tonight. Tonight he’d gladly roast the snow out of the sky, not to mention any and all Hearth’s Warming decorations in sight.

The door in front of him creaked open, and Rarity peered through. Her sleep mask was perched on her forehead. “Spike? I must say it’s rather late for a lady to accept a gentledragon caller, don’t you thi—”

“I know what you did.”

She stared at him, dumbfounded. “Pardon?”

“Remember the whole ‘gift exchange’ you convinced all our friends to do this year for Hearth’s Warming?”

Rarity held a hoof up to her mouth. “I… I can explain, Spikey.”

He crossed his arms. “I’m listening.”

She shut her eyes and sighed. “Come in out of the cold, won’t you?”

Spike followed her across the threshold and shut the door. The shop felt even warmer than Fluttershy’s cottage. The dim candlelight illuminating the dresses on display gave him fleeting romantic thoughts, and once again he pushed them aside. “You drew your own name, Rarity, and you didn’t tell any of us! You rigged the whole thing!”

Rarity bowed her head and gave a deep sigh. “You’re correct… May I ask how you… happened upon this discovery?”

Spike held out the paper he’d been clutching. “Because I’ve been trying to trade for your name all day! I walked all over town for you, but nopony had your name. At first I thought it was some kind of mix-up, but then I remembered whose idea the whole gift exchange was.”

She nodded. “As odd as this may sound, I do in fact have a very good reason for orchestrating all of this.”

“Why? I… I really wanted to get you something great for Hearth’s Warming, Rarity. We’ve been spending so much time together lately and… I just don’t understand. Why do an anonymous gift exchange? Why rig it?”

Rarity walked to the nearest dress on display and slid her foreleg along the neckline. Her hoof caught on a small loop of string, and she plucked it off the dress with her magic. The string, and the price tag attached to it, floated through the air and landed at Spike’s feet. He stared down at the considerable number of zeros on the tag.

“Spike… Most of the dresses I sell are quite extravagant, both in appearance and in price. Such is the nature of the fashion industry, but… what I mean to say is, I’m a pony of considerable means. I could quit making dresses right now and eke out a frugal existence for many years using my savings. Some of our friends, however… Some of them aren’t as fortunate as I am, and yet are unwilling to accept all but the smallest forms of financial assistance that I could offer. I don’t begrudge them for it, but it pains me so when anypony falls on hard times.”

She returned the price tag to its respective dress and took a seat on the floor facing it, her ears limp and her back hunched. “I’ve come to dread this time of year. I simply detest burdening all of our friends with the task of buying me gifts. I work so very hard at being generous, and this end-of-year season makes me feel that I’ve failed, that I’ve somehow amassed more possessions and wealth than I’ve given. I’m sure that isn’t actually true but…”

She sunk to the ground and hid her face. Her whole body quivered as she wept. “Just once, I wanted Hearth’s Warming to pass by, guilt free…”

Spike ran to her side and, after a moment of apprehension equal to her distress, placed a shaking hand on her back in what he hoped was a comforting gesture. “I’m… I’m sorry Rarity. I’m sorry this season is so hard on you. But… but I can’t let you go through with this.”

Rarity looked at him with mascara-stained disbelief. “But—”

“We’re your friends. We like giving you stuff, and you deserve a nice Hearth’s Warming gift just as much as the rest of us. I can’t let you get nothing for Hearth’s Warming Eve, that’s just awful.”

She grasped one of his hands between her hooves. “Please, Spikey-Wikey! Receiving nothing from anypony is what I want more than anything this year. Please just let me give myself a trinket out of my jewelry collection like I’d planned. I can’t bear another winter racked with guilt!”

“But that’s not what the gifts are about! They’re supposed to show how much we all care about each other, that we spent time getting something that’ll make somepony we care about happy. Isn’t that…”

She stared into his eyes. “Spikey?”

“I’ve… I’ve got an idea. If you trade with me your name for Fluttershy’s, I swear I’ll make this the best Hearth’s Warming Eve you’ve ever had.”

Rarity’s sniffling ceased, and she lowered her eyebrows. “I most certainly do not need the sewing machine that you’ve been eyeing.”

Spike shook his head. “It’s not like that, I… How did you know that’s what I was going to get you?”

She managed a coy smile. “I do notice more than the contents of shop windows during our walks through Ponyville, Spikey-Wikey.”

He blushed. “Well… I-I won’t get you that. I swear I won’t spend a single bit on your present. It’ll be what gift-giving is really supposed to be about, and that’s it.”

He held up the slip of paper with Fluttershy’s name on it. “And Fluttershy could really really use some warm winter clothing. Her cottage is like a freezer.”

Rarity sighed. “I certainly can’t let Fluttershy freeze… but you must promise that you won’t go out of your way for me. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive…”

Spike nodded. “I promise I won’t do anything crazy… No more than I already have, anyway.”

Comments

[DragonRaiderX9]

I...had not considered this angle. And just yesterday I was wondering why Applejack and Fluttershy being strapped for cash was a plot point.

Well done. I expect warm fuzzies in the conclusion.

[Hillbe]

A cinnamon twist.

pre08.deviantart.net/0ce0/th/pre/i/2015/268/d/0/main_six_spike_by_hillbe-d9awxnf.jpg

[Olden Bronie]

This is a truly wonderful story...I surely didn't expect this twist. I'm eager to see how Spike does this!

[mrk]

I know that feel, Rarity. I have very understanding friends who don't begrudge me for the fruits of my labor, but I always wonder: do they envy? Or worse, do I tempt them to envy? I try to be generous where I can, but I know the dangers of just giving people money.