Sparity Shipping Mega Epic

by Mareity

– 1: Rarity Intervenes! –

‘Spikey?’

Rarity trod around the short hedges near the edge of the courtyard as she approached the fountain statue of Princess Cadance at its centre, levitating a covered basket as she did so. She didn’t see Spike, but Twilight had told her he was likely to be here. ‘Spikey-Wikey?’ she repeated, looking around, ‘Twilight told me you’d be here?’

No answer. ‘Perhaps Twilight was mistaken. Maybe he is in his room after all…’

‘I’m up here, Rarity,’ said the statue in Spike’s voice. Rarity looked up and could just about see the tip of Spike’s tail and one of his wings atop Cadance’s back.

‘Oh! Oh, of course, it stands to reason you’d be up high, whyever wouldn’t you be…’

‘Iunno.’ Spike’s voice was flat. ‘I flew up here.’

There was another pause. Spike didn’t move nor speak further. ‘I, um, I heard about you and Gabby… Gallus had words with me earlier today, and once I’d finished what I was doing I caught the first balloon to Canterlot I could. I thought you might need a little cheering up.’

A heaving sigh resonated throughout the courtyard. ‘Would you like to talk about it, precious?’ she ventured in response. When met with silence, she tried again. ‘I’ve been mining… I brought you some of those agates you like! The blue ones with the swirly insides?’

Still nothing more. Rarity tried one more time. ‘Spikey… Spike, please!’ she stamped a hoof in annoyance, ‘I know we haven’t made much contact the past few moons, but I am your friend and I care about you. Please, don’t shut me out... come down here and tell me what’s the matter. I insist.’

That did it. A few seconds later Spike glided down from the top of the statue to the side of the fountain Rarity was stood beside. Rarity looked him up and down – he looked as morose as he’d sounded and his eyes were a little pink. ‘Only because you have those gems.’ he sighed.

Good enough. Rarity plopped the basket on the side of the fountain and removed the cloth she’d been covering it with, showing Spike the goods. ‘It’s perfectly fine if you don’t want to talk about it,’ she said, ‘I understand, although I’m not sure why you haven’t spoken a peep to Twilight about your problems. She seemed a mite confused why I showed up here unannounced, you know?’

‘Twilight wouldn’t understand,’ said Spike, sitting beside the basket and plucking out a gemstone, ‘I’m not sure you would either, no offense.’

‘Try me, darling. Whatever it is, it’s plainly affected you both – you and Gabby, I mean.’

Spike munched down on his chosen gem for a minute. Rarity nestled on the grass alongside the petunias growing by the fountainside and watched – as she’d said, he didn’t have to speak if he didn’t wish to. Besides, despite circumstances it was nice to see him again after the last little while. She smiled.

Spike looked down at her after he’d finished eating, but he didn’t smile back. ‘We’ve split up. Well, I broke it off,’ he said, simply. ‘I couldn’t– I mean, I didn’t want to lead her on.’

Rarity’s smile faded into a concerned look, and she stood to attention. ‘Why, whatever do you mean? You both seemed to be on the same page whenever I saw you together. Whatever changed?’

‘Well… her cousin Gilda hatched a chick a few moons ago. A little girl called Gretel. Gabby’s visited them a few times and she’s gone nuts for her. I mean, I’ve seen her and she is very cute, but…’

Spike trailed off and glumly finished the gem he was holding. ‘But?’ asked Rarity.

Spike hesitated. ‘I’m a coward, Rarity. Gabby’s not subtle – she wants one of her own, more than one, and she won’t stop talking about it! “Oh, Spike, can’t you just see this room painted pink or blue? Maybe both?” “Spike, have you seen all the mommies with their adorable colts and fillies in Ponyville lately? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few of our own?” “Don’t you think it’d be great to just settle down in Ponyville and have kids, Spike?” “Does Princess Twilight have any books or spells for interspecies breeding?” And I thought I could wait it out, but I just, I couldn’t. I don’t think she’s going to let it go.’

‘Oh, Spike…’

‘I’m not ready to commit like that. It’s the truth. I mean, look at me,’ Spike gesticulated at himself from chest to toe, ‘I deny it, but I’m still… short. I basically haven’t changed since before I landed in Ponyville with Twilight all those years ago, wings aside. Being with Gabby was meant to be fun, and we’ve had lots of fun together the last couple of years, you know? But now… she wants to take things to another level, and just contemplating doing that is… I can’t…’

He trailed off again. ‘I see,’ said Rarity matter-of-factly, ‘Maybe Gallus was wrong about the twigs, then. He told me Gabby was building something with twigs near her home, and he was sure it wasn’t a nest when I asked, but some sort of art project…?’

‘Nah, he’s probably right… you know Gabby’s into wicker weaving, right?’

‘Not specifically, but I was aware she had an artistic streak.’ Upon reflection, Rarity realised what Gallus had described – a messy art project utilising sticks was not dissimilar to outfits she’d designed and worn during times of emotional duress herself.

‘Yeah, she’s good at turning twigs into stuff… she’s good at lots of things, really. The basket I’ve been sleeping in the last year or so was one she made me, though I’ve not even been able to face sleeping in it lately.’

‘That’s sad,’ said Rarity. Spike looked down, and there was a moment’s pause between them. ‘So... have you said any of this to her?’ she probed.

‘Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnno?’ Spike managed to draw that out for the better part of ten seconds, ending it with a pained croak.

‘So you haven’t split up at all, have you.’

‘Nnnnnnot officially. I bolted over a week ago now and I’ve been hiding out here since, waiting to stop burping up scrolls asking where I was, to tell you the truth,’ sighed Spike, a wobble in his voice, ‘I thought I’d feel relieved once the scrolls stopped, but I just… don’t. Feel. Much at all.’

Rarity side-eyed him sternly before speaking again, ‘Well, that’s a silly thing to say.’ She sat down close to him and looked intently, simultaneously levitating a gem out of her hamper, revealing his sad and slightly puffy visage to him in its reflection. ‘If you truly felt nothing about all this, well, I can tell when somecreature’s been crying and you, Spikey, have it written all over you. Don’t even think of denying it: a pony just knows.’

Spike didn’t answer. He bowed his head and looked like he was going to start doing just that all over again. Rarity inhaled sharply and felt a flush of scorn in her cheeks for a moment, which separated into frustration and pity as she furrowed her brow and scrunched her snout involuntarily.

She tilted her head back and spoke again, because he wasn’t going to and he had to be told. ‘Well, I hate to agree with you over this of all things, Spike, I really do, but you’re right – you are being a terrible coward. I don’t even mean not wanting hatchlings with Gabby – that’s a big decision only you can make, darling, and there’s no wrong one to make one way or the other if you’re sure about it – but if you’re leaving her you at least owe her an explanation! And you owe it to yourself, too, or you’ll regret it for the rest of your life! And yes, I know how long dragons live for before you even ask, do you really want that?’

Spike buried his face in his claws and muttered something. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that?’ said Rarity.

She could just about make out ‘I’m a disgusting little worm! I’m a pathetic little wi-hii-hiii-imp!’ in Spike’s blubbering as he repeated whatever he’d said the first time. Tears started to run through his claws onto the flowers as he pulled his knees into a fetal position.

‘Aww… oh, oh, come here, Spikey-Wikey.’ Rarity couldn’t bear to see Spike this sad, so she leant in to give him a hug. He wailed his self-pity right into her chest fur for a moment. His tears felt contagious, and Rarity had to steel herself before speaking again. ‘You are not pathetic, nor are you disgusting. And I don’t believe you are a worm, or a wimp, or a coward, even if you are doing a more than passable impersonation of one or more of those things by just hiding from Gabby like this.’

She continued, feeling the need to soften the blow somewhat. ‘Surely I mustn’t need to remind you of the Gauntlet of Fire? With Princess Ember? Or,’ she glanced overhead at the statue of Cadance, ‘The time you and Twilight saved the Crystal Empire from Sombra? That took guts, darling! And unless I’m mistaken, the crystal ponies hero-worship you even now for that! You’re a dragon of great courage when you need to be. I’m sure you can find it inside yourself to do the right thing.’

It took awhile for Spike to dry up, and he hadn’t really when he spoke again. ‘I, I, I d-d-don’t feel very, courageous, r-right now,’ he sniffled, ‘I just, I just don’t know what to say to her! “Sorry, Gabby, you thought we were gonna get married and have kids? Guess again, I’m a free dragon, babe! Ain’t nobody tying this reptile down! Sayonara, sucker!” She’d kill me, screaming for vengeance the whole time. I’d die by her claw.’

Rarity pulled back and put a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. ‘You can’t truly believe that. I mean, it’s possible you won’t be friends afterwards, that’s always a risk, but I know Gabby well enough to doubt these so-called murderous inclinations. She is a very nice girl. Although,’ she chuckled despite herself, ‘Maybe don’t use those exact words. Goodness knows a lady appreciates a smidge more tact than that!’

Spike’s next sigh sounded agonising. ‘I mean, you’re talking sense, Rarity. I could at least send her a letter,’ he deliberated. Rarity pursed her lips in response, and he took the hint, ‘No, no, you’re right, I need to actually talk to her. After two years together that wouldn’t be good enough, huh?’

‘You need to stop hiding, and she deserves that much, Spike,’ Rarity hopped off the fountain side back onto the ground and motioned at the agate she’d taken out of the basket earlier, ‘You both need the closure. You know, you’ve barely touched these! I thought they were your favourite!’

Spike wiped the tears from his cheeks and smiled, for the first time since they’d begun their conversation. ‘They are, I love these! Dunno if you’ve noticed, but I’ve been kinda off my food lately.’ He grabbed the stray gem and gave it a hearty munch. ‘Thanks for bringing them, though. I’m gonna have this one, then put them away and savour the rest later.’

‘You’re very welcome, Spikey. And if you don’t mind my asking, how do you feel now?’

Spike polished off the agate then replaced the cloth onto the hamper. ‘Better. Sorry I tried to ignore you then cried all over you. You were right, I’ve been bursting into tears off and on for a while but you got the worst of it. That’s, ah, about as bad as I get.’

Her front was somewhat damp from the dragon tears and snot, she realised for the first time, so she levitated a lacey hoofkerchief to wipe off as she spoke again.. ‘Quite alright. We all need a good cry sometimes,’ she replied, ‘I’d know.’

There was another pause. ‘Well, I guess I’m doing it,’ said Spike seriously, ‘Ending it with Gabby. Properly. Face to face. Celestia knows I’m not gonna enjoy it… but I need to do it. For me and for her.’

‘Just take care not to blame her for anything, Spike,’ said Rarity, ‘All that’s happened in this situation is, the two of you want different things from one another. It’s not wrong to want hatchlings, or to not want hatchlings, but attaining both of those things simultaneously simply isn’t possible, you know?’

‘When you put it like that… when did you get so good at this advice thing, anyway?’

Rarity rolled her eyes and tilted her head towards Spike. ‘I read too much mush besides my noir novels in my downtime, if you really must know,’ she said, ‘Romances and such. They have heart-to-hearts like this a lot in those books. It must be exhausting!’

‘You’re telling me,’ said Spike, picking up the hamper and flying towards one of the courtyard’s exits, ‘I’m all dried out after that. Guess I’ll be going to the back study to plan exactly what I’m going to do, or say. You wanna, uh, trot me over there or do you need to go now? I know you’re a busy mare.’

Rarity did need to finish stitching the dress for which she’d been gathering minerals before the end of the day, but it was still early afternoon and in the moment Spike’s wellbeing felt more important. ‘The next balloon back’s not for a short while yet,’ she answered, ‘I can spare a few minutes more for my favourite little dragon.’

‘So you’re leaving? Geez, for a second there I thought you were talking about me,’ Spike joked as they left for the study.