The Days Passed

by SilverEyedWolf

Truthfully? End 2/3

Author's Note:

This is where I wanted the story to end up, eventually. When I started this journey I had a very clear goal in mind, and it muddied as time went on and I swayed between people's hopes and my own.

But I'm happy here, with this. I hope you can be, as well.

"Spike, if you keep trying to pull away, I'm going to sit on you," she warned. "I've seen Luna do it, so don't have me chancing Fluttershy's jealousy."

"Oh, you can go ahead Rarity," Fluttershy said with a smile, leaning over to press her side against his. "I've got his side, but there's so much that you should feel free."

Spike's head whipped up, the full extent of his neck allowing him to gaze at the wall above Rarity as he blushed.

"So, uhm, what exactly did you guys work out without me?" he asked.

"Nothing solid yet," Fluttershy said softly, reaching up to gently rub his neck with the frog of her hoof. "Not without talking to you first. We just established some boundaries between ourselves, so far; anything more we could talk about would be behind your back, so to say, so we're waiting on you."

He relaxed into her hoof a bit, releasing some of the tension in his neck and upper back.

"But you have talked about something," he said softly, looking over at the mare across from him, causing Rarity to blush and look away.

"We did," Rarity admitted. "We only talked about maybes, possibilities though. Nothing for sure, nothing concrete, at least not yet. Not until you could be involved, and not until you have settled your feelings, your thoughts."

Spike tried to think about that but merely blew some thin smoke from his nose as he shook his head.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

"I-I can't," he said, drawing himself closer to Fluttershy. "Rarity, I..."

"Oh, it's okay Spikey," she quickly said, trying to smile. "You don't have to decide right now, it-"

"I have, though," he said softly, looking at her with watery eyes. "We can be friends Rarity, but the-there's too much there, already," he said, shaking his head. "I, I can't be intimate with someone who saw me as a child, and then a monster, Rarity, I can't."

Rarity took in a deep breath, tried to say something, then took in another breath. "Oh," she said limply, mouthing more before taking another breath. "Oh," she said again, trembling as tears began to drop off the tip of her muzzle.

"I understand," she whispered, before she slowly stood and started to slowly walk away.

Luna was the only presence at the table to speak up, gesturing over a guard and whispering into their ear before they nodded and followed Rarity out.

"That was a heavy thing you have done, Spike Ignis," she said, standing and walking over to him. When he refused to meet her eyes, she leaned forward and gave him a firm hug. "It was a hard thing for you to have done, Spike," she whispered. "I respect your decision Spike. You should always be sure that you are healthy, before sacrificing yourself for others."

Sniffling, Spike wrapped his arms around Luna. "That sounds so selfish," he said, burying his face into her shoulder.

"It is," she whispered, "but you can't destroy yourself just to help those around you. How could you help those in the future, otherwise?"

Spike felt another set of legs encircle him, before he heard Fluttershy's soft whispering that it was alright, everything would be alright.

His heart cracking in his chest, he broke down again, this time surrounded by people he loved and who loved him.

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Spike straightened the jacket he was wearing, sighing as he looked into the mirror.

It had been years now since that somber dinner. Both he and Rarity had been to several psychologists, and had been able to speak freely and easily with each other in later sessions they'd had together. Through tears and a few heated counseling sessions, they'd become stronger friends then ever, though that passion he'd had for her never rekindled and she'd eventually moved on with her life.

He focused on his studies when he returned to Ponyville, learning how to control his emotions and transformations with some coaching from both Twilight and a captain stationed in Twilight's castle by Celestia to assist them. He never again lost his control, and when he did transform, it was never into that spiked, thorny form he'd descended into.

After he finished Captain Berrytwist's training he focused on his personal life, starting several hobbies and eventually becoming a trained archivist in Twilight's public and personal libraries. He eventually even found himself writing a script for a graphic novel adaptation of the first Daring Do novel, and found that he enjoyed scribbling scripts in between his duties under Twilight.

He stayed in his own apartment for seven and a half months, until he found that his resumed growth had forced him out of the small place.

Instead of moving back in with Twilight, he moved in with Fluttershy after a couple of long talks. The two of them grew ever closer until, half a year ago, Fluttershy had surprised him with the Question.

He'd agreed instantly, and now he stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the coat awkwardly until his tailor came in.

"Oh, please do leave it, Spike," Rarity said, using her magic to gently swat his paws away from where they worried at the ends of his jacket. "You'll wear it through before you even get to see her," she said as she threaded a dark strand of ribbon around the base of his neck, quickly trying it into a tight bow.

"Sorry," he said absently, his paws coming up to adjust his tie until her magic swatted him again. "Sorry," he murmured, fidgeting.

"It's fine, dear," she said with a breathy chuckle as she straightened his clothes. "Celestia knows I'd be nervous too."

"Will be," he corrected her, gaining a blushing giggle as she swatted at his leg. "How's things with your beau? Velvet, hrm, Emerald?"

"Oh, we're grand," she sighed, taking her own turn at fidgeting with Spike's jacket. "He nipped me a little too well a couple of nights ago and has been in the dog house, as it were, for it. You should teach him how you control yours, in the heat of the moment."

Raising an eyebrow, he glanced around before leaning over to whisper, "I'm not great at it either."

She snorted and pushed him away by his nose. "How vulgar," she pretended to complain as she giggled. "You know, I never will understand why you two pushed the engagement like this. I thought we had another month or two of planning," she complained, narrowing her eyes at a bit of embroidery on his chest and pulling out a portable sewing kit.

"Keep a secret?" Spike asked her. She lifted an eyebrow and nodded, crossing her chest and placing the hoof on her eye when he lifted both of his brows. "In about, say, ten and a half months, it'll be obvious."

Her eyes narrowed before widening. Her kit smacked into the floor as she gasped, "No! Really!?"

Chuckling, Spike nodded.

She sat on the floor and stared up at him with wide eyes and wider mouth for a long minute before emitting a squeal that would've deafened a diamond dog and launching herself up and latching around Spike's neck in a hug that would have put Harry to shame.

"Eeeeeeeeee, I'm so happy for you two!" Rarity squeaked into his chest as he held her, chuckling and shushing her in even measures.

"Hush, hush now, or ever canine in Ponyville will know," he said, laughing when she smacked his shoulder lightly.

"Oh, oh wow, Spike," she said, leaning back and gazing up at him with large eyes, perfectly made up with mascara and liner. "That's-"

A couple of instrumental notes sounded, and they both jerked at the noise.

"Oh!" Rarity gasped before lighting her horn, gathering the both of them in her magic and blinking the distance between them away, landing the two of them perfectly where they were supposed to be on the altar.

"Almost late," the judge muttered, nodding to Rarity. "On your big day, of all days."

"Thanks mom," he muttered back, rolling his eyes and straightening his back.

"You got it, sweetie," she whispered with a giggle, before she nodded to the ushers at the doors. They cracked the large slabs of wood, creaking open slowly.

The first three ponies between the doors were the flower fillies, a trio of beautiful grown mares reprising their roles from Cadance's wedding as they gracefully moved down the aisle, each shake of their baskets trailing multicolored flower petals.

Stretching his neck he caught sight of the mare of the hour, her long pink hair showing from beneath the not-quite-transparent lace. Her father stood beside her, the pale pegasus openly weeping joyous tears as he started walking with her behind the fillies.

His heart beat harder and harder as she neared him, parting with her parent at the foot of the stairs and moving up to stand beside him.

After a moment he heard her giggle as she reached up and threw her veil back over her head, nodding between them. "You should probably face the judge, Spike," Fluttershy whispered, winking at him as they both turned to face Celestia.

If Spike was being honest, he didn't hear a bucking word his mom said as the ceremony wound on; all of his concentration was on the mare beside him as he snuck peeks at her between long glances at the princess. As his gaze lingered on her, she looked at him and giggled before nodding back at Celestia, who gave him a long-suffering look.

"As I was saying," she called out to the congregation, to the merriment of the ponies there, "Spike Ignis, do you take this pony to be your wife? To-"

"Yes," he interrupted, blushing. "Ah, sorry, but yes, I do."

Rolling her eyes, Celestia dropped all pretense and raised an eyebrow at Fluttershy. "You sure about this one?"

"I am," she announced happily.

Celestia shrugged. "It's on you then. I announce you married, bound together by the strings of law and fate. Go, and be happy together."

The crowd cheered as Spike picked up his bride, deeply kissing the giggling pony he'd bound his life, his joy, to.

Comments

[Zolrak Osdidar]

Perfect, thats all im going to say. Next

[SilverEyedWolf]

10625938
Not today, probably not today. But soon

[chip43]

Interesting, thats the ending you were going to do. I thought you were leading to a harem with both rarity and futtershy. Still good though.

[SilverEyedWolf]

10626093
No, that's the last one I'll do, and it's also where the story splintered for me. When I was publishing these, there was a small but noisy push to have Rarity join the mix. I hadn't intended for it, but I went with the crowd and wrote it in for giggles/views.

Should have done that. Added too much too quickly, I think. Ah well, it's all experience

[DarkDMan]

Ok, I really liked that one. Even if the strong and heavy, sad feels at the beginning of the chapter.
All of this chapter is gold, Luna's heart-to-heart, the wedding, the future parents, and especially Celestia's lines!
I'm also reminded just how beautiful, Shy, looks in a wedding dress!
Alcor90, does really amazing artwork!

Onwards to 3! Even though I'm really sold on 2!

[SilverEyedWolf]

10626647
I know the artist you're talking about, filthy boy

((she really does tho XD ))

[Wing]

I can definitely see the original intent to end here. :3