Bad things happen to cheating ponies.

by PinkV5

The following day

As the sun began to rise and its rays gently filtered through the window, Rarity awoke, annoyed by Celestisa's wake-up call washing over her. She tried to shake it off and go back to sleep but found it impossible to relax. Eventually, she gave up and decided to start her day, heading to the bathroom to freshen up. She splashed her face with water, trying to shake herself fully awake. It was then she realized...she wasn't at the boutique.

With dread dragging in her voice and her hands mowing through her hair, she uttered, "Oh, No," as the realization hit her. In a jolt of profound shock, she swung open his bathroom door, glancing around at everything in sight. There was a large Power Pony poster pinned to the wall, a bowl of gems sitting atop a wooden desk, and a shelf holding pictures of her friends.

"I can't believe what I've done. I'm a terrible mare," Rarity whispered to herself, her voice trembling with regret. "How could I use Spike like that? He's been nothing but kind and selfless to me. And what did I do in return? Betray him and his feelings for me in the worst possible way! How could I do that?" Her eyes began to tear up as she continued to berate herself. "I'm ashamed. I feel so, so, disgusted with myself. I'm...I'm..." She trailed off, her voice cracking, as she walked over to one of the pictures on Spike's shelf, staring at it while wiping away her tears.

"This was the day we opened the friendship school, but somethings off," she thought. She held the picture closer, noticing Spike's eyes were focused on her instead of the camera. "He...he's looking at me," she said, her tone becoming softer. Rarity ran her hand over his image. "Oh, Spikey," was all she could say before she heard the door clicking open behind her. Rarity froze in place, scared to turn around in fear of it being Twilight or Starlight. The smell of pancakes and syrup danced, filling her nose.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." he sang.

Rarity turned around in relief, walking over to his side. "Oh, thank Celestia. I was afraid you were Twilight for a moment." He hugged her before they sat down, passing the breakfast tray to her. "Breakfast in bed. You shouldn't have," she said.

"Of course, I should. And you don't have to worry about Twilight; I told her you were here." Upon hearing his words, Rarity choked on her pancake.

"What? Why?" She grabbed him by his shoulders, shaking him like a rag doll until she suddenly gasped. "You tell her about...us...and last night?" She said, cupping her mouth in fear.

"EWW! No! Twilight's basically my guardian. I just told her you're here," he explained. "It's not my place or story to tell about why you're here. I wouldn't do that to you," he added. Rarity lowered her hands, gripping them in her lap as she tried to think of what she should say to her.

"Will you help me? I don't know if I'll be able to keep my composure after yesterday's dinner," she asked. Spike grabbed her fork, getting a large piece of pancake before feeding it to her.

"Of course I will. What's a gentle drake for if they can't help their lady?" he said. The last of his words scratched something inside Rarity's head. She looked down at her ring, a reminder of her (technically) current boyfriend, before glancing at Spike. She took a few more bits of her pancakes, enjoying the taste of the fluffy creations while pushing away her thoughts.

"I washed and placed your clothes in the bathroom," he said, handing her her breakfast.

"Thank you. I most certainly can't be caught wearing Twilight's pajamas leaving the castle. I would be the laughingstock of the town." she said, waving her fork.

"Well, I think you look good in them," he said, rubbing his neck.

"You think I'd look good in anything," she replied, waving a piece of pancake covered in syrup in front of his face. He gently grabbed her hand, opening his mouth as his tongue slowly wrapped around the pancake, pulling it off from the fork's prongs and into his mouth. She looked on as he neglected to chew, swallowing it whole. She could feel herself blushing, remembering just how insane his tongue had driven her the previous night. As he finished swallowing it, he leaned into her side.

"True," he whispered into her ear, "even more so without anything...like right now." Rarity froze, realizing she'd been naked the whole time. Squealing in embarrassment, she ran into the bathroom squealing. Spike couldn't help but laugh hysterically as the door closed behind her.

"You-You...Naughty-Perverted Dragon!" she cried out.

"I'm sorry, Rares. I thought you were like that on purpose," He said, settling down from his laughter. Stepping over to the door. "I thought you were teasing me. Or that you just preferred sleeping naked." he could practically feel her glare through the door from that last bit.

"I "Prefer" sleeping in "My" nightgown, Not pajamas covered in high-school math homework! And most certainly Not bare-mare naked. I'm not a barbarian," she screamed.

"I sleep naked sometimes. And I'm not a barbarian," he said.

Sighing against the door, she replied, "I know. You're a dragon."

"A dragon who loves you!" he sang, pressing the side of his face to the door. "Why?" She subconsciously muttered to herself. She glanced around the bathroom in a startle, wondering where the noise came from, completely unaware that she was the one who said it. The thought, however, dissipated quickly as she felt her heart thumping loudly in her chest. That same scratching feeling in her mind arose once more.

"Hey, are you ok in there?" Spike asked, concerned by her awkward silence. Rarity opened the door, covering her breasts with her arm. "Are you feeling alright?" he asked again.

"I'm fine, darling. Nothing to get scared over," she assured him, petting the top of his head. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a morning routine to do." she gave him one more hug before closing the door. Walking into the shower, her body raved as the hot water rinsed away most of the sweat, grim, and... other bodily fluids covering her coat. She closed her eyes, bringing her fingers to her lips. She couldn't help but smile as she re-imagined the passionate kisses he gave her. The tingles she felt around her neck where he nibbled, the carnal pain and tender lickings around where he bit, and the proof of it all still present around her neck and shoulders. As she hummed to herself, she unconsciously grabbed the shampoo bottle and opened it. The snap of the cap made her open her eyes as an unpleasant memory filled her head.

"I love all that bougie shampoo your sugar mama has./i]" The words uttered by her boyfriend's new lover cut like a dagger through Rarity's thoughts and her heart. She stood frozen, the bottle of shampoo slipping from her grasp and clattering onto the shower floor. She gripped the wrist of her trembling hand with her other, trying to steady her focus. She reached for the bottle, raising it over her head, but her grip was too tight as the thick liquid sprayed directly into her eyes. A loud scream left her lips, and she stumbled out of the shower, frantically snatching a towel from the rack. Hearing her cries, Spike immediately stopped what he was doing and rushed inside to her aid, instinctively asking if she was alright. He carefully wiped the shampoo from her eyes and led her to the sink, running cold water over them. Once most of it was out, he slowly let go of her, giving her some breathing room. The burning in her eyes is still present but a lot more bearable now.

"Open them slowly," he asked. She did as she was asked, her eyes red and watering lightly. He grabbed her towel and patted the outside of her eyes with the damp part.

"That better?" he asked. She nodded. Rarity looked up at him, her eyes still fuzzy. Although she didn't realize it, she was hugging Spike tightly, almost refusing to let go. They stayed like that for a moment before she let go of him.

"Thank you, Spike. T-that was rather unexpected of me," she said. Before she could say anything else, Spike stopped her, waving his hand.

"I'm just glad you're alright," he said. He kissed the top of her horn, making her whimper lightly. Noticing this, he grinned at her.

"Was that a whimper?!" he said, a little surprised. Blushing, she turned her head.

"My horn is just sensitive," she said. Spike surprised her, kissing her cheek this time, intensifying her blush. He chuckled as she walked back to the shower.

"Just be more careful, OK? If it happens again, I'm jumping in that shower with you," he said, closing the door behind him. Rarity dropped her to her knees at the thought of them sharing the shower. She glanced over to the bathtub. Eliciting thoughts of Spike washing her with soap bubbles censoring their exposed areas like in those TV shows Pinkie watches. She shook the thoughts away and resumed her shower, this time without incident.

Meanwhile, Spike resumed his paperwork, feeling a mixture of relief and accomplishment pass over him. As he was ready to send it over, he heard a buzzing noise coming near his bed. Curious, he paused. It was Rarity's phone buzzing. He immediately wished he ignored it, however. It was Thunderlane, spelled out in all caps with hearts and kisses on both sides of his name. Spike couldn't help but feel an immense rage constructing itself around him as he stared at the profile picture of Rarity kissing him. His fangs fully exposed, his eyes slit, and his nose flared in anger.

"How could you hurt someone so loving? So sweet and beautiful? So generous and faithful?" he pondered aloud to himself. Spike picked up the phone ring and let it ring in his hands as he wondered what he should do. Eventually, the phone stopped and fired up again. Controlling his urge to break it, he swiped left and set it back down where he found it. He took a deep breath, letting the anger subside. Once he could feel his eyes return to normal, he immediately snatched the stack of papers he was working on and sent them off using his fire.

---

"Soarin"

"Present"

"Thunderlane"

"Present"

"Rainbow Dash,"

"Present," Having completed all the tests and trials and her previous achievements acknowledged before joining the Wonderbolts, Rainbowdash found herself in a meeting with fellow wonderbolts, led by Spitfire, Leader of the Wonderbolts.

"Alright, everyone. Today's report is really short and sweet, like our paychecks," she said, earning a laugh from everyone. "Alright, everyone. But First, I wanna acknowledge our newcomer, Commander Rainbow." As Spitfire acknowledges her name, Rainbow Dash stands at attention, planting her right hand across her heart. Rainbow Dash could feel the eyes of her superiors glancing over. She was scared or nervous; however, she was proud to be recognized by so many of her idols, now comrades and friends. Some even gave respective nods to her.

"At ease. Now, I received a letter from Princess Twilight Sparkle that she's planning a field trip to the base. Naturally, 'cause I wanna look good, I accepted the proposal." She said, getting more laughs out of everyone. "Commanders Soarin, Rainbow Dash, and Thunderlane, I want you three to be the guides. We could use this chance to inspire non-ponies to join the future Wonderbolts. Questions?" She asked. Rainbow Dash eagerly glanced over to an even more excited Soarin.

"Settle down, you three, 'cause only two of you are in the green," she said, their happy look almost melting off their faces. "I received a letter of complaint from the higher-ups about the percentage of rain in Ponyville. In contrast, Manehattan and Cloudsdale are in the right numbers. I know I'm getting a streak of white hair now, but my age hasn't affected my tolerance for screwups. Ponyville's levels were in the clear for the longest time. That alone says something, considering all it's been through. What with all the chaos and mayhem. And in just a single night, its perfect streak was RUINED!" She yelled, banging her fist against her podium, making everyone flinch. "I also had several reports of unaccounted thunder and lightning in ponyville. Control over last night was registered under you, Commander Soarin. Report." She finished.

"Major Spitfire, I was briefed about the reports of lightning and thunder this morning. H-However, I remained posted off the east and south wings of Ponyville while the reports were issued for the north and west wings," he finished. Although Soarin appeared calm, everyone could tell he was nervous. Spitfire had that uneasy air about her when she received bad news. Thunderlane stood up and patted his shoulder. Not being the center of attention anymore, he relaxed and sat down.

"I can answer for the rest. I recommended that he choose my Second in command over the control of the North Wing and my 3rd over the West Wing," he said.

"Remind me who your Second in command is," She demanded sarcastically.

"Sergeant High winds," he answered.

"Ahh~ that's right. And there's the problem. Tell me, "Why in hell" were the wings "split" between two different ponies instead of having Only Sergeant High winds watch over things." She demandingly asked.

"M-my 3rd in command wanted more responsibility, so I-I used this as a test to see if she could handle things independently." He replied.

"I know who she is. And she's damn lucky she even got this chance to begin with. So, why don't you tell your "3rd in command" to get her act together, or I have to "Talk" with her sometime." Rainbow Dash couldn't help but shiver as the word "Talk" left her mouth. Spitfire finished going over the remainder of the list and dismissed everyone.

"I am so pumped to show them Cloudale! The best part is that Thunderlane will be so distracted by Rarity, Soarin, and I can..." Rainbow's thoughts trailed off as she noticed Thunderlane nervously biting his nail. While packing up, Rainbow approached Thunderlane and tapped his shoulder, startling him.

"You ok?" she asked him. "You seem a little out of it there. Major kinda went a little in on you there earlier, too,"

"O-Oh, yeah. I'm fine. I was thinking...about someone," he stammered.

"Ugh, go get a room with her already," she jokingly said, punching his shoulder. Thunderlane gave her an annoyed look, running out of the room before flying off into the distance in a fit.

"Weird," she whispered. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around to see Soarin standing there with the biggest smile she had ever seen on him.

"Whoa, what got you so happy?" she asked.

"Oh, you know, just a little thing called, "The Freest Work Day Ever!" He quoted. The duo danced together in place, throwing their arms in the air as if they were in a rave.

"You can say that again. I get to show off my awesome job, hand it out with my friends and my best bud, and we get extra pay!" she said, pretending to make it rain on him as he danced.

"This is going to be awesome. Did you know she was planning this?" he asked.

"Nope. This is the first I've heard of it, but I don't care. She was probably gonna tell me anyway. Heck, I'll bet she pulled some strings to have "US" as the guides." she finished. The duo stopped they're dancing, grabbing the last of their things before taking off into the sky.

"Feel like eating. I'm starved," Soarin said.

"I'm always down to eat! Got any place in mind?"

"We could hit up Sky Garden. Think they're open?"

"I'll check," she said, taking out her phone. "Huh, a missed call from Rarity. Why so late? Eh, I'll text her later," she thought to herself.

"I'm sure they're open. Hey, wanna race there?" Rainbow asked. Soarin looked at her in disbelief before responding sarcastically.

"Do you think I'm stupid or just challenged in the noggin?" he said.

"Both," she replied, pretending to adjust non-existent glasses.

"YOU'RE RIGHT!" Soarin yelled before darting off, leaving a trail of blue behind. Rainbow watched him go, grinning to herself.

"I'll give him another 10 seconds," she chuckled.

---

Buzz, Buzz, Buzz,
(Can't talk right now, leave a message.)
("Hey, babe. We need to talk. I just got told off by Spitfire about you stirring up the Weather near the North and east wings last night. I thought you said I could trust you with more work. If you ever want to see yourself sitting at the Commander's table, you need to listen to me. Call me back when you get this.")

Thunderlane hung up the call before gripping his phone as he descended into Ponyville. He quickly returned to Carousel Boutique. Once inside, he hung his wonder bolt uniform on a nearby mannequin before hopping into the kitchen. To his surprise, he found Rarity's younger sister, Sweetie Belle, along with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, stuffing their faces with mint chocolate ice cream. The trio looked like they were crying and sleep-deprived, with heavy bags hanging under their eyes to show it. The three of them froze as they locked eyes with him.

"Please don't tell Rarity!" they all said in unison. He grinned at them, crossing his arms.

"I'd be willing to keep this sensitive information secret...if you pass me one of those pints," he said. The girls looked at each other, then back at him. They form a tiny group huddle, Applebloom popping her head up at him as they whisper.
(Ahem)
"We accept your offer." Sweetie Belle said, sliding him a pint at the end of the table. He cracked it open, the sweet smell of mint chocolate entering his nose before taking a spoon to the pint.

"So, what going on? You three look tired." He asked. They froze once again, none willing to say anything.

"We're fine." They said together.

"Yeah, no. If you're going to lie, look the pony in the eyes. They might believe it next time." he said, annoyed.

"Fine. It started back at the farm...

---

"So the whole place came up in flames?!" He asked.

"Not the whole place, but the fire burned our tree house," Applebloom said.

"We wanted to help, but Applejack...said we shouldn't worry about it," Scootaloo said.

"So we're here. Not worrying about it. Perfectly fine!" Sweetie said.

"At least you guys weren't hurt," he said, trying to cheer them up.

"Help yourselves first. If you can't help rebuild it, go out and buy new things for the tree house once it's fixed?" he said. The idea sparked renewed energy in the group as they exchanged excited glances.

"That's a great idea. We should get a ping pong table."

"Or maybe one of those fancy schmancy discos Pinkie uses."

"We could make it a party clubhouse," The trio squealed in delight as the ideas filled their head. But, as if cued by the sound of Thunderlane dropping his spoon, they all realized one thing they were missing.

"We don't have any money," they all said. Suddenly, an idea popped into Scootaloo's head.

"Hey, sweetie. Any Idea when your sister's coming back? Maybe she can loan us some bits.?" Scootaloo asked, throwing her pint of ice cream into the trash, making a "Swish" sound.

"Oh, She told me she was working overtime at the school. Though, she might be somewhere else by now," he said, tossing his ice cream pint into the trash can. All of the Crusaders looked over to Thunderlane as if sharing the same body.

"Can you call her and ask if we can borrow some bits?" Sweetie Belle said. Feeling annoyed yet compelled by their pleading puppy dog eyes, he conceded. Taking out his phone, he dialed her number. The Crusader surrounded him as the phone rang in his hands. Once it stopped, he held it close to his ear, expecting to hear her signature catchphrase. To his genuine surprise, however, he heard her voicemail.

"Huh," he grunted.

"Huh. Is that a good "Huh" or a bad "Huh," Scootaloo asked.

"I just got left on voicemail. That's the first time I've ever even heard her voicemail. She always answers, "My calls," He called again, the Crusaders watching once more as it rang. Once the phone stopped ringing, he placed it on speaker.

"Hey, babe. You didn't answer the first-

(You have reached Rarity Belle. I'm terribly sorry I can't answer you right now so please leave a message.)
Beep

Thunderlane grew more agitated by this. The Rarity he knew always answered his phone calls immediately, regardless of the reason. Whether It be making plans for dinner, needing to borrow money, or calling to tell her he was coming over. She was always at his beck and call. He wanted to curse; however, one quick glance at the Crusaders ("Specifically Sweetie") reminded him that he wasn't alone. With a deep exhale, he looked at them and said, "No luck."

"Well, that sucks. Now, where are we going to get the money?" Applebloom said. Thunderlane stared at his phone, still upset for wondering why she didn't pick up. If Sweetie Belle was right, then does that mean she no longer wanted to be with him? Was she planning on cutting him loose?

"No, Stop thinking like that. She must have dropped it or something. Or maybe it broke. No need to get worked up over one missed call. For now, I'd better think about what to do with them." he thought, looking back to the Crusaders. An idea popped into his head. He left the Crusaders, telling them he needed to use the bathroom. As he left the kitchen, he quietly walked up to Rarity's room. Opened the door, he walked over to her dresser, pulling its doors open. Pushing her dresses and many outfits to the side revealed a small cubby door. He forced it open, revealing stacks of bits perfectly lined up showing themselves. He emptied some of it out before putting everything back to its original state.

"This will keep me on Rarity's good side. And if she notices anything, I'll just say Sweetie took it for herself." He thought, closing the door. As he walked to the stairs, he noticed one of her dressing room doors was open. He went to close it when something caught his eye. He opened the door, showing a small row of mannequins lined up side by side together. He noticed something hanging from one of them. He walked over, englamoured by its size as he touched it. "Oh damn. A gem this size is worth a fortune...I bet it'd look good around her neck." he said just before leaving the room as if he was never there. He returned to the kitchen. Pulling out one of the bits from his pockets, he flipped it in the air before catching it.

"Who's up for a shopping trip?"

---

Upon returning to the Castle, Rarity recounted yesterday's events to Twilight with Spike sitting by her side. Although they decide to spare some harassing details and what happened after they "supposedly" went to sleep. Twilight listened intently and only interrupted when Rarity's eyes began to water halfway through. Spike took over for her, offering her a tissue as he finished the story.

"I-I'm so sorry, Rarity. That sounds horrible." Twilight said, passing her a cup of tea as she finished wiping her eyes.

"It's ok, darling. Like Spike told me, "You have nothing to be sorry for." I just need time to digest this, is all," she said.

"Do you plan on telling the others before you-you know?" Twilight hinted.

"Know what?"

"Break up with him. Through him out. Kick him to the Curp. Other literature similes." Twilight acted out, making body motions as she did.

"I do plan on telling everyone. And, yes, I will be "kicking him to the Curb...but-" She stopped, fidgeting with her fingers.

"But what?" Twilight asked.

"I-I think...I think I'll have a talk with him first!" she said, shocking the both of them.

"Wh-

"WHAT!?!!?!!!" He screamed, silencing them. He stammered for a second before taking a breath. "But he hurt you! He doesn't deserve to be with someone like you for another day," he shouted. As Twilight looked at Spike, a little too taken aback by his dramatic change in demeanor, Rarity's expression never did.
She stood up, took his hand, and slowly sat back down with him, never breaking eye contact.

"Yes. He hurt me in a way I didn't even think possible. And while I know I can never forgive him for this, I find myself in this headlock of unawareness by him. He used me. That much, I know. Well, now I Want something from him. To admit that he cheated on me. I want to know if his love for me was real. If there ever was any love, to begin with. But I refuse to believe that every moment with him was a lie. You can call it greedy if you want, but I need to hear this." She finished. While Twilight was baffled by her reasoning, Spike continued to look at her, wearing the same expression "still" expression she saw during dinner. He let out a small chuckle, gathering their attention.

"If you're gonna go calling yourself greedy, you might as well be part dragon," he said, slowly leaning into her.

"Well, I guess I do have a little dragon in me. At least now, anyway." She giggled, moving closer to his face."

"Uhm, Are you two okay?" she asked with a confused tone. The pair froze, quickly backing up from each other and facing Twilight.

"All good. What about you, Rarity?" Spike said, sweating.

"Perfect on my part, Spikey. A little heartache won't stop me." She said, putting up her best smile.

"Alright then...Now, last question: Did you guys hear anything weird last night?"

---

"That sounds horrible. Did anyone get hurt?" said Fluttershy to Applejack. After she and Big Mac managed to get the Crusaders out of the tree house and put out the fire, she shod'd them away so they could rectify the damages. She hasn't slept since. So she traveled over to Fluttershy, hoping to get some supplies from her so she could focus.

"No. Thank Celestia for that, I tell you what." AJ said, downing the coffee Fluttershy made her.

"And how is Applebloom taking this?" she asked.

"Not good. I think I might've been a bit too harsh on them. It was one of those "at the moment" kinda of deals. She's probably at Sugar cube corner stuffing her face with a milkshake right about now. It doesn't matter if it's 8 am in the morning or bedtime. She's always ready for one," she jokingly said.

"So, how much stuff did you need?

"Not much. Just some extra nails, screws, etc. I want to make sure this new tree house is one that can last. I wanna finish this up before the harvest rolls around," she said. They stood up, walking out to Fluttershy's shed. On their way, AJ noticed how torn apart her yard was.

"Sweet Crab Apples, Shy. Did the storm do this?" She asked. She sighed, looking over at her maned animal habits.

"Last night's storm wasn't supposed to be too bad. Once I realized how damaging it was, I gathered all my animal friends inside for the night. Once it all cleared, this was what was left." She finished, wiping a tear from her face.

"I'm sorry, Shy. Tell you what, after I fix up the tree house, I'll come over and fix your habitats for you," she said. Fluttershy unlocked her shed door, revealing all her gardening tools, worker gear, and food stock for her animals.

"Oh, no. I don't wanna be a bother," she whispered.

"Shy, it's impossible for you to be a bother. What are friends for if we can help each other out?"' She said, swinging her arm around her shoulder and hugging her.

"Well, okay. I guess I could use help with the fences leading to the...oh My, I completely forgot!" She said.

"What, What is it?" Aj asked.

"I need to go to talk to Rarity and see how it went!" she said. Applejack gave her a confused look, raising her eyebrow. "Take whatever you need, bye!" she said before darting back inside her house, grabbing her purse and phone before leaving for Sugar Cube Corner. Opening her phone, she noticed a missed call logged under it. It was from Rarity.

"She called me so late at night?" she thought to herself. Though she couldn't understand why, she had an uneasy feeling in her stomach.

---

Rarity and Spike walked down the streets of ponyville, the morning passing into the evening. The surrounding shops open up, ready to try their luck, while the market opens their booths, ready to do the same. The streets (although a little more barren than usual) were filled with locals conversing in conversation, taking a stroll, or simply enjoying the now sunny weather.

"Well, that was awkward." Rarity said, having managed to "escape" Twilight's questions.

"You're telling me. For how smart she is, I'm glad she bought our "Ghost movie" story," he said, stretching his arms over his head.

"It is mostly our fault. Though I was rather...vocal last night." she blushingly admitted. Spike looked over at her, walking a little closer.

"Yeah, I guess we did kind of get lost in the moment." Spike twiddled with his fingers before rubbing the side of his arm. "I-I, do you...?" he stopped, frozen in place. Rarity looked over at him.

"What the matter, Spikey?" she said. Spike could feel a knot forming inside his throat. He had questions filling his mind. "What are we now? Do you regret last night? Was that a one-time thing?" Out of all the questions he wanted to ask, the one he wanted answered the most...was if she loved him back. He opened his mouth, but the sound of Rarity's phone dinging silenced him.

"It's Fluttershy, She wants to meet up at Sugar Cube Corner. She probably wants to know about-" Rarity paused, thinking of what she could say. She didn't want to reveal that she planned on asking him to the gala, but she couldn't just say something now...could she?

"She's texting about...why did I call her yesterday? Yes, that's what she wants to talk about," she finished, swinging her arm like a sailor. He looked at her funny but shrugged it off.

"Mind if I tag along?" he asked.

"Spikey. I understand your concern about me, but I'm pretty sure I can handle a casual chat with Fluttershy of all ponies," she stated.

"I know. I just want to be there for moral support. Like with Twilight. I'll just be an arm's length away if you need me. That and I wanna get some of those sapphire cube cakes Pinkie makes," he said. Rarity tried to think of a way to deter him, but one look at his face and the thought melted away as she unconsciously draped herself around his arm. He blushed, enjoying the feeling of her firmly pressed against him. She gazed up at him, the sunlight accentuating his purple scales.

"Has he always been like this? He's so...alluring to me now. His scales don't feel rough or rigid but surprisingly smooth. And his eyes - I've never seen a shade of green so perfect before. His arms are slim, yet I can feel their fibrous strength. I can only imagine how powerful his wings must be," she pondered. Suddenly, an idea came to mind, and she whispered it to Spike. He grinned, happily agreeing before walking off to a nearby alley with her. He scooped her up in his arms as she clung to his neck. Opening his wings, he pushed himself off the ground. Rarity let out an enthusiastic scream as he took her to the sky.

"This is amazing!" she screamed out as Spike flew past a tall building, making curves around it, trying to impress her.

"You're telling me. I didn't touch the ground unless I had to after my molt. Hey, Wanna fly through the clouds?" he asked. She eagerly nodded; Spike flew up higher into the sky, passing through the fluffy white clouds as she cheered in delight. He parked himself on one, holding her firmly so as not to drop her.

"Hey, huh," he said hesitantly before continuing. "Did Thunderlane ever take you out like this?" She paused for a brief moment before answering him.

"A few times. But, never like this. He couldn't carry me for too long before getting tired-" She stopped, looking down to see exactly just how high up she was. "I don't have to worry about that with you right now...Do I?" she scarcely asked. He nodded no as she let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you for doing this for me," she said, locking eyes with the drake.

"Anytime," he said, returning her soft gaze. They sat there for a few more moments when a small cloud breezed past Spike's face. Rarity fanned most of it out of the way when she suddenly burst into laughter.

"My, My, Monsieur, What a distinguish mustache you have there," pointing at the mustache-shaped cloud on his lips. He chuckled, playing with the cloud on his lips.

"Thank you, my lady. I grew it myself," he said. Out of nowhere, that itching feeling returned in her mind, and with a vengeance. The words "my" & "lady" entangled themselves inside her head. With a regretful tone, she asked Spike to bring her back down. Seeing her discomfort, he quickly blew the cloud off his face and descended back down, just outside of Sugar Cube Corner.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

"No. I just didn't want to keep-
(Doorbell rings)
"THUNDERLANE!"

---

The place went quiet as Rarity locked eyes with Thunderlane. He smiled, walking over to her. "Rarity, babe. Where've you been?" he asked, planting a rather long kiss on the side of her cheek. She glanced over to Spike, whose rage was equal to her initial shock. Gathering every ounce of willpower he had, he forced himself to relax. Finally parting his lips, he said, "I called you earlier today. Twice. Why didn't you pick up?"

"I-I didn't know you called me. But I'm happy I ran into you," she said.

"I'd be happy to run into me too," he said before turning his attention over to Spike.

"Spike. How's it hanging, bro?" he extends his hand out for a fist bump. Mentally biting down his lip, Spike returned the gesture, trying his best not to hit too hard.

"I'm good. Same as always," he replied.

"Are you sure? You look different since the last time I saw you," he said, moving closer to him, getting awkwardly closer to his face. He managed to resist the urge to charr his face with his fire. Before anything else could happen, they heard an all too familiar voice squeeing towards them. "HI, YOU GUYS!" Wearing her signature cupcake party apron, jeans, and size to small pink baking apron, Pinkie Pie jumped over the top of the counter, doing a backflip before grabbing Spike and Rarity into a hug.

"Good to see you two. Spike, it's good to see you too; let me guess. Did you guys want to buy party stuff for the Crusader's new clubhouse, too!?! YES! I KNEW IT WHO WOULDN'T WANNA HELP OUT THOSE CUTE-" she stopped, Rarity's finger pressed against her lips.

"Good to see you two, Pinkie. What was that about Sweetie and her friend's clubhouse?" Rarity said. In a pink flash, all four of them found themselves sitting at a booth, with Pinkie sitting next to Spike and Rarity sitting next to Thunderlane. Spike could do nothing but watch as he slid over to her, wrapping his hands over the side. He wanted to jump across the table and make him stop. He didn't know how long he could keep his composure. Rarity removed his hand herself, however.

"Not now, Thunderlane. This is serious," she said, quickly glancing over to Spike, lightly tapping him with her foot under the table. Following her lead, Spike managed to relax a bit more.

"What the-she barely calls me by my real name anymore. It's always "darling" this or "deary" that." he thought.

"OK. So, long story short, Their Clubhouse was struck by lightning last night in that nasty old storm. Poor things aren't even allowed to help rebuild it, So they're shopping for fun new things to put in the new one. Now, be honest with me. I was thinking of "Pool Table Party Treehouse," but now I'm thinking of "Ping-Pong Party Treehouse." What do you think?" she asked.

"What do I think? Is Sweetie okay!?!" she frantically asked.

"They're fine! They're currently playing through everything they bought right now. I even gave them a discount since they promised I could help with the decorations." she said.

"Oh, that's very kind of you, Pinkie. How much do I owe- oh dear? My purse!" she panics, realizing she hasn't had it since yesterday.

"It's fine, Rarity. I'll pay for it." Spike said.

"Are you sure?" she asked him. But before he could respond, Pinkie interrupted.

"Y'all are fine~. Thunderlane already covered it." Pinkie said, pulling out a rather long receipt from her hair. She looked at him dumbfounded, seeing him puff out his chest.

"You paid for all of their stuff? You don't even leave tips when we go out to eat," she said, crossing her arms. His eyes widened, awkwardly rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Well, I felt bad for them. It's not a big deal. Not for a Thunderbolt like myself, anyway." he said, running his hand through his mohawk.

"HaHa~! Not only did I buy everything they asked for, but I also flicked my hair back. I know you Love It when I do this. No doubt in my mind your-" Once he opened his eyes again. He saw her rubbing her temple, embarrassed. Confused, he double-backed on his thoughts. He knew what he was doing was checking off every box for her, but she looked...embarrassed of him.

"Ugh, Spikey-could you please inform Pinkie about "Breakfast"?" she asked of him. Spike caught on fast, jumping up from his seat to lead Pinkie Pie away.

"Okie-Doki-Pony! You two love birds have FUN!" She said, hoping along with Spike. He merely hummed to him as he walked away with her, knowing what he was about to tell her.

"Lovebirds! Don't you just love the sound of that?... Babe-" Rarity got up from next to him, now sitting across from where he was sitting.

"Thunderlane. I need to ask you something," she said.

"Sure, lay it on me," he said.

"Were you seeing anypony..." before" we started dating?" She asked.

"W-what? No, I, I promise. Up until I asked you out, I wasn't seeing anypony. Hehe ~ Why'd you ask?" he frantically stammered out.

"I find it hard to believe a Wonderbolt such as yourself hadn't become friendly with anyone," she questioned. He shuffled in his seat, trying to shake his nerves off.

"Well, many tried. But they weren't my type! I like my women like you like your wine. Strong, yet sweet." he said, making hand gestures.

"Don't you mean "bougie" wine?" she interjected.

"I-I guess? Kind of weird to say it like that, don't you think."

"On the contrary. I overheard a mare just the other day say it about me, and I have to agree. I do own a lot of things one can call "Bougie." Like all of the shampoos I buy." she finished. Thunderlane muttered to himself her words before his mind thought back to last night. He began to sweat, unable to hide his unease.

"What's wrong, dear? You looking rather unwell?" Rarity asked.

"Ughh, y-yeah. I'm good. Just feeling a little tired from this morning, is all. Got my ears chewed off by Spitfire at a meeting," he replied, peering off.

"Maybe you should go to the spa sometime. Their "Seaweed wraps" do wonders for the skin." she quoted.

"S-Sure. Sound like fun." he stammered. Rarity stared at him, letting off a sigh to gain his attention. She took a quick glance around the room, catching a glimpse of Spike, trying his best not to glance over to her. Seeing him sitting there gave her the boost of confidence she needed.

"Actually. I think I need a break as well."

"Really. Maybe we could-

"I think you misunderstand. I "Need" a "Break." He looked at her, a mixture of nervous and puzzled.

"You mean from work, right?" He said, trying to touch her hands across the table. She closed her eyes, a single tear leaving her as she retracted her hand.

"I mean, I think it's best if we spend some time...apart. Focus on other things. Maybe with "other" people?" She hinted. At that moment, Thunderlane's heart sank as his worst fear was actualized.

"Other" people. B-But, I don't want other people. Screw other people! I-

"Enough!" she snapped at him, causing a few people to turn their heads. Rarity paid them no attention and instead directed her gaze at Thunderlane, who appeared startled. "Please, I just need time to myself. I thank you for helping Sweetie and her friends, but-?"

"But what? I still love you, which is why I'm so confused. Aren't I good to you? Good to your family? I'm a Wonderbolt, for Celestia's sake. Or am I just not bougie enough for you now? Is that it, "Ms. 'I need a prince charming'?" he said, his words cutting into her. Her hand over her heart, she fought off the urge to yell at him. Realizing he had crossed a line, he tried to plead with her that he didn't mean it, but his words fell on deaf ears.

"If you ever even cared about me...then you'll give me my space," she said, walking off to the door. Spike eyed her as she proceeded, quickly inhaling the cake she offered him before grabbing the box of cupcakes he wanted and following her out, something Thunderlane noticed as he stared at the two of them walking out of the door.

"I can't believe it, after everything I had to deal with to get close to her. She wants space away from me. ME! I spent all freaking morning buying her annoying ass sister and her friend's stuff, and the first thing she comments me on is me not leaving tips. Why would I want to leave a tip? That's my money?" He folded his arms across his head as he sat back down at his table. "This is just perfect. After months of growing close to her, she decides just to dump me...no. I can't let her slip away from me. I'm going to; I don't know...Why don't I know?" As he continued to brood, the sounds of the doorbell rang again. He popped his head up, thinking it was Rarity.

"Evening, Pinkie," Fluttershy said, walking up to the counter to greet her friend. "Is Rarity here?" she politely asked.

"Was here? She and Spike just bounced, leaving "him" all alone too." She said, pointing a finger at Thunderlane, who sat head back down.

"Oh my. She just left?" she asked.

"And for good reason! If it weren't for the pinky promise I made with Spike, I'd have already shot him out of my cannon......Into another cannon!" She said, slamming down her hand, causing the poor pegasus to jump.

"I should say something," she commented. She tried walking over to him but was quickly stopped by Pinkie grabbing her hand.

"You should see Rarity. She needs it 100x more than that jerk does." She said before slowly biting into a cupcake. Fluttershy stared for a second before hesitantly agreeing and walking back outside.

"What happened last night? Oh, I hope she's doing ok."

---

As Rarity arrived home, she slammed the door behind her and threw her phone onto a nearby table. Letting out a heavy sigh, she slumped over her couch. Her cat Opal hoping atop her chest.

"Why did I think that'd make me feel better? I feel even worse now. What was I even expecting? Him to suddenly reveal that he was cheating on me with some-some, hussie pegasus. And WOW, talk about discretion. Dropping breadcrumbs about your knowing was really smart, Rarity."[i/] She thought, sighing as she gripped her couch pillow. She lay there, pondering away her thoughts. Her mind fluxed away over memories of them together. How could she have said or done something to him that made him want another's affection over her own? Perhaps he lied and was already seeing someone before he approached her, and she was the secondary. She couldn't help but feel annoyed over that thought. Her mind drew up a few more things before she heard the sound of her doorbell ringing. As Opal jumped off her, she walked over to the door, hoping it wasn't Thunderlane here to cause another scene. To her delight, it was Fluttershy who was holding a box in her hands.

"Flutter, nice to see you," she said. Fluttershy opened the box. A Spinach and cauliflower crust pizza treated her nose with its fragrance.

"Wanna talk?"

---

"A little to the left. No, my left Mac. There, place it right there," said Applejack. Big Mac gently set down the new CMC Sign he made, now perfectly hanging outside their semi-finished treehouse. "Alright, let's stop here and finish up the rest tomorrow. Sound good?"

"Eeyup." As they loaded the equipment into a wagon, AJ felt her phone buzzing.

"Hold on, Mac. I need to take this," she asked. He nodded, stretching his arms and legs. He absentmindedly placed a piece of hay in his mouth and leaned against an apple tree. He looked up at the sky. The orange and pink pigment relaxed him as it acted as a daily reminder that he did well and could relax like he is now once he got home. Suddenly, "HE DID WHAT!?!!?!!!" Her powerful voice made the nearby birds flee, and Big Mac scrambled up the tree in fear.

"THAT NO GOOD, PUNK-ROCK, FEATHERED, CHICKEN CHOKING, VARMIT! I'm ON Ma Way Dash. Tell Rarity I'll be there in two shakes of a lamb's tail, flat. (Beep) Big Mac, where do we keep our bullwhip?" She demanded. Big Mac could say nothing. The man of few words was lost for even a simple shrug of the shoulders.

"You know what, never mind. Ma and Pa made me with two hands. That should be enough. Can you finish up here? I have to get to Rarity's place. Its a "girl thing?" She asked, smiling as if nothing she had said earlier was relevant.

"(gulp), E-eeyup." he managed.

"Preciate ya, Mac." She said before taking off. Big Mac looked around him, seeing all the tools and wooden planks he needed to load up.

"Crapapples"

---

At Carousel Boutique, all of Rarity's friends, save Twilight and Spike, were present as she retold yesterday's events one final time, Pausing only to eat her food. Any tears she had left were carried away earlier by Fluttershy when she first arrived. Upon hearing the story, Rainbow Dash's immediate reaction was to confront Thunderlane. Pinkie Pie was more than happy to help her, seemingly pulling out a pair of boxing gloves from thin air. Rarity pleaded with them not to cause trouble, to which they reluctantly argued.

"Well, if I can't punch him, then who am I gonna punch?" she said angrily.

"Nopony is getting punched, sadly," Applejack said. Rarity thanked her before standing up and wiping her hands with a napkin.

"I need to powder my nose. I'll be back in a second," she said, walking off to her bathroom. Her friends continued conversing while Fluttershy grew lost in her thoughts, looking aimlessly into her drink. Applejack was the first to notice her distress.

"Shy, what's wrong?" she asked. Fluttershy remained silent, but her hands began to shake. Applejack called her name, spooking the poor pegasus and spilling her drink. AJ took the cup from her hands and cleaned up the spilled tea.

"...She's still wearing her ring," she whispered. The group froze, their eyes narrowing as the atmosphere grew heavy. Before anyone could say another word, the sounds of the bathroom door opening and closing caught their attention.

"Apologies for the...what's wrong with you all?" She asked, seeing their faces forcibly making a smile.

"Nothing's wrong/Nothing at all, everything is PERFECT!" Pinkie exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm, practically bouncing in her seat. Rarity took a quick glance around the room and noticed everyone nodding along with wide grins on their faces, except for poor Fluttershy, who looked as uncomfortable as ever.

"Flutter, did something happen?" she asked. She let out a long "uhh~" sound as she glanced at the rest of them, who were all either shaking their heads no or making Xs with their hands.

"I, uhm, spilled my drink," she eased out, pointing at the dirty napkins Applejack was holding.

"Oh darling, don't worry about that. No use is crying about spilled milk or Iced tea in this case," she said, using her magic to take the napkins and throw them into the trashbin.

"Sorry again," she said.

"Please, Flutter. You have nothing to be sorry over. If anything, I should thank you." she replied.

"You're... happy she spilled her drink on your table," Pinkie exclaimed.

"Wha-No, I mean thank you for coming over. All of you. You're the greatest friends I could have ever hoped to have," she said, placing her ring hand over her heart. Everyone couldn't help but look at the ring, wincing the longer they looked.

"It's no problem," Applejack said, tilting her hat over her eyes to cover her teary gaze. "What're friends for," she said, everyone nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, and I promise you that jerk won't get a foot near you when you come to the Wonderbolts academy in Cloudsdale," she said. Everyone looked at her confused, eyebrows raised, and mouths slightly open.

"Aww crap, Twilight didn't tell any of you guys either?"

---

An hour passed as everyone left for their homes, Rainbow Dash being the first of them. However, instead of flying directly home, she chooses to hang around the boutique or above it. She perched herself atop a small cloud in the distance, just high enough not to be seen. She couldn't help but feel the need to watch her friend's back. Out of nowhere, she saw someone walking up to the door. She squinted her eyes, trying to make them out.

"Oh. It's just Sweetie Belle," she said, kicking her feet up and folding her hands behind her head. She looked up at the night sky, sulking to herself.

"Ugh, go get a room with her already," The words she once used as a tease now coming back to haunt her. "...I feel so stupid now," she said, clenching her fist beneath her. Suddenly, a flash of green fire appeared in front of her. She screamed and pushed through the cloud, dispersing it. As the fire diminished, something from its smoke caught her attention. Before it could fall any further, she caught it.

"A Scroll? I know only one guy who can do that," she said. She was expecting the letter to be from Twilight. But, as she opened it, she saw Spike's signature at the bottom. It read

"To Dashy,

Knowing you, you're probably asleep, drooling over your pillow. But if by some miracle you're awake, come to Friendship Castle. I'll be waiting in the meeting room. And if you're reading this in the morning, meet me at the School of Friendship. I'm planning something, and I need your help. You're the only one who I can rely on or, rather, the only one who would be willing.

Sincerely, Spike"

Rainbow Dash read over the letter again, not liking how ominous it sounded. Nevertheless, she tucked the letter into her pocket before jetting over to Friendship Castle.

"You better have a good reason for making me leave her side right now, Runt."

Author's Note:

And just like that, Spike's Plan has been set into motion.
How will this play out?
Will Rainbowdash agree to help him?
And who is the Mister Mare?
And as always, leave your ideas and thoughts in the comments.