Chapter 8: Ride the Current
Chapter 8:
Ride the Current
Pinkie Pie hopped along streets of Ponyville happily chattering away as Rarity followed after deep in her thoughts. She was tired, but she had no hope or wish for sleep. She still felt anxious, if relieved, after hearing the news of Spike’s condition from the vet on her way out. She wanted to go in and visit him, but it seemed Scootaloo had already laid claim and Pinkie Pie was being annoyingly persistent about this party idea of hers. After promising herself she’d make certain to drop in later, and give Spike the scolding he properly deserved for his unnecessary self sacrificial display the night before, she followed her overly exuberant friend. Honestly she had to admit to some curiousity about Pinkie’s unusual amount of excitement over this.
Of course nopony would be surprised by Pinkie Pie going overboard about something. Being easily excitable was as deeply embedded into her personality as the spirit of laughter she embodied. This, however, this was beyond extremes even for her. She wouldn’t stop talking about it all the night before, and even when Spike had shown up with those awful tears all over his scales Pinkie had only waited a few minutes before getting right back to this party of hers. That wasn’t like her. That wasn’t like any of her friends. Normally they’d have all daunted on the friend in question for hours, and so Rarity couldn’t help but wonder what had Pinkie Pie so focused on this.
“Moreover, I wonder if I could make the announcement tonight. With everyone in such a festive mood, I’m sure my news will be the perfect cherry on top for this celebration.” She thought quietly to herself. She had been putting off the announcement for so long now, looking for the most opportune moment. Unfortunately, there just didn’t seem to be an opportune moment to tell your friends you were moving. It had all come down to the wire, and now she had to tell them sometime this week, it might as well be in the spirit of celebration.
“Sorry Rarity, did you say something?” Pinkie asked with a small look of concern. She obviously noticed Rarity had been untalkative during their stroll, and made up enough conversation for them both to drive off any form of awkwardness. Rarity was thankful for her thoughtfulness, but not for her skills of observation. She would have preferred to let Pinkie continue her conversation for one.
“Oh it’s nothing dear, just a passing thought, that’s all. Now about this party, you said you invited everypony in town already?”
“Yep! At least... kinda.”
“Kind of?”
“Yeah, I didn’t actually send out invitations this time, most ponies just asked if they could come, and of course I said yes. The more the merrier, right? Eventually I got asked by everypony in Ponyville!”
“Come now Pinkie, not everypony stops by Sugarcube Corner, there must be some that haven’t been invited yet.”
“Well duh,” She rolled her eyes. “Most of them asked me when I was putting up decorations on the street corners.”
“Decorations? On street corners?” This caught Rarity’s attention immediately as the pair of friends turned the corner to the town center. She felt her jaw go slack as she took in the sight before her.
It was amazing how much effort and work had gone into its making. Pinkie Pie was a professional party thrower with a penchant for party paraphernalia, and the provincial premiere promoter and planner of party projects and pastimes. Give her a half hour and you’d have a fun get together, give her half a day and you’d have everypony in town hidden in wait for the ultimate surprise party, give her a week and you’d have a ‘Best Party Ever’ quality party.
It had been several weeks since Rainbow Dash let her students loose to try to find their own way around their flight blocks, and Pinkie Pie had been planning this event since that very moment, constantly giving more and more to its ever reaching, ever-lengthening tendrils. Her decorating had long since moved past the confines of Sugarcube Corner and spilled out into the streets. Streamers galore criss crossed overhead, baskets of confetti lay ready to be thrown, hats with tiny wings glued to their edges sat in piles, sheltered by a single tent by the fountain. This wasn’t all, there were balloons by the hundreds, maybe thousands! It was a chaos of colours thrown everywhere, on every tree, roof, and street lamp, as if Pinkie Pie had set up a barrage of party cannons that besieged the area for every single day she was preparing.
Knowing her friend as well as she did, she knew that this could very well be the case, but Pinkie Pie had made a most dreadful mistake.
“Pinkie... what have you done?”
“Y-you don’t like it...?” Her lip quivered as she asked, she couldn’t remember the last time somepony didn’t like one of her set ups, maybe that gala years ago? The changeling queen? But she hardly counted, this was one of her best friends though! How could-
“Like it? I love it darling!” Rarity interrupted the pink pony’s thoughts, “but this isn’t a party you’re throwing, why it’s a full on town festival! Oh Pinkie, it just a perfect idea!”
“A festival?! Oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh-oh-my-gosh! I love festivals!” She jumped in the air in glee before pausing with a thought, “Wait, I’ve never thrown a festival before, what do I do?”
“Don’t worry about anything, I’m here to help!” Rarity smiled, rubbing her hooves together as she plotted. “Get Mayor Mare, tell her we’ll need the stage, an encampment of coloured tents, and all the lights and lanterns you can find. Oh, and the Cake family, we’ll need catering of course. Don’t spare the expense! I’ll help donate the means. With some good use of design principles, I’m sure we can probably extend these streamers along all the nearby roads leading to the town center. We can get a theme of colours going too, Pinkie Pie, lets make these streets shine!”
“Yes! This is going to be so great!” Pinkie took off towards the Mayor’s house leaving only a friend-shaped dust cloud in her wake.
“No Pinkie, not great.” Rarity smiled, as her inspiration went into overdrive, streamers floating off their previous perches and beginning to move themselves around to the fashionista’s whim. “This will be Magnificent!”
******
Flickering lines of multi-coloured paper lanterns hung down, lighting the roadways of the small country town. They were strung from building to building as evening slowly gave way to the approaching nightfall, the darkening sky only highlighted their soft glow, leaving their presence more prominent than before.
The crowds found themselves gathered around the center of town, as the Cake family had put together an outdoor buffet and were happily catering to the towns ponies. They walked along the streets taking in the thousands of assorted decorations and enjoying the atmosphere.
The festival had been going on for an hour now, starting late in the evening, as it was only then Rarity was satisfied enough with her adjustments to Pinkie Pie’s work to let anypony that wasn’t involved with the preparation anywhere close. It was more than worth it. Every fixture in the surrounding area had been done up in vibrant colour patterns that left their audience captivated by the coloured lights reflecting and refracting off them through intelligent use of a series of gemstones that were sewn along them. Never one to settle for less, the scene was made perfect when she managed to convince a couple pegasi new to their wings as well, to every once in awhile, do a fly by that left a small shower of glitter and confetti on the festival below. Rows of striped coloured tents were put up in circles, each storing tables with games and activities for the younger ponies in attendance, and tables piled with confectioneries for those with a sweet tooth.
Among the many tasty treats and punch bowls provided by Sugarcube Corner, was several many layered cakes that looked like they belonged elsewhere when placed among the professionally made coloured pastries. They sat almost untouched as the treats around them disappeared and were replaced. It was beside them that Rainbow Dash stood, grinning proudly. Beside her stood Spike and Scootaloo, who were messily enjoying the only pieces missing from the large amateurishly made desserts. Had you asked the duo at her side, both would have declared it the best dessert available along the many tables, and so they did to any pony that would come by offering their congratulations. The same congratulations that was written in Rainbow Dash’s sloppy hoofwriting written in frosting on top of the cakes at their side.
“I still can’t believe you made all this!” Scootaloo complimented the cook one more time as she scarfed down another piece in a single gulp. “It’s fantastic!”
“Well, I did have help.” Dash laughed as she thought back to the kitchen as Pinkie Pie flashed back and forth between bowls of cake mix, to oven, to a mess of ingredients all over the counter, and back to the bowls. Rainbow Dash continued to sluggishly stir one of the mixes as the pink pony bounced around, her thoughts on the troubles facing her fledglings rather than any amount of baking. “A whole lot of help.”
“Mmm!” it was the only response either of the two had gotten from the injured dragon since the cakes were first brought out. Maybe it wasn’t as well made as the other desserts spread across the banquet tables, but the cake’s representation of their success made it taste so much better. It was the sweet taste of victory over failure, and it was a taste the fledglings would remember forever.
The cakes were brought out when the announcement of their official entry into the Fledgling Flier Competition had been made just a bit ago. Turns out Rainbow Dash already had the applications set up and ready for their signatures. She offered one to each of her team members for signing, presenting her own application with theirs on stage to a cheering crowd. Shouts of congratulations and whistles could be heard among the large amount of applause that followed. The three member flight party had been shaking hooves ever since the cutting of the cake.
Rarity soon stole their thunder however, as she followed the news of the fledglings first flight with the dramatic reveal of Sweetie Belle’s acceptance tour with Sapphire Shores as her new apprentice a few moments after, including all the dates and places she’d be singing. While riding on the coattails of the excitement drawn by that incredible surprise, she had also finally announced her own great surprise with the Grand Opening of Canterlot’s Carousel Boutique and her ensuing relocation to the capital of Equestria. This new information took the festival by storm, and lessened the crowds around the new flight party significantly. After all a couple new fliers weren’t really anything new, but their local fashionista’s move to Canterlot and her little sister’s claim to fame at Sapphire Shore’s side left the town eager to shake their hooves and wish them their best.
“Leave it to Rarity to steal the show.” Dash smirked while shaking her head, “That mare never changes. If it isn’t sprouting wings during my competition, it’s announcing her grand opening and her sister’s beginning as a rock star on the same night my fledglings grab air.”
“Yeah really! We’ve been working towards this for weeks, what gives?”
“Oh come on, Rarity’s been working towards this for years Scoot! I think she wins on that front.”
“This was supposed to be our party though, the cake even has our names on it!”
“Don’t even try Squirt, you’re not gonna make a dent in that.” Rainbow Dash waved a hoof in front of the lovestruck dragon’s face as he watched the unicorn dreamily from afar. The hoof went unnoticed.
Scootaloo face hoofed.
“Hey there Scoot! Come on!” Apple Bloom squeezed through the crowd, “How yah gonna jus’ stand here like that? Everypony else is gonna congratulate Sweetie Belle before we do!”
Scootaloo looked up at Dash and gave her a big pleading smile.
“Go ahead.” Dash laughed, “I think we’re pretty much done here. Everypony’s forgotten about us anyway, and I’d like to go say my goodbyes to Rarity too. Party harty Squirt! We’ll skip training tomorrow and pick up the day after.”
“Yes Captain!” Scootaloo saluted quickly before scrambling off with Apple Bloom.
Sweetie Belle had quickly become the star of the night, which left her feeling horribly nervous with the crowds gathering around, demanding to know how it all happened. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo were in the middle of rushing to her side, but were caught up in the surprise pleasure of watching Diamond Tiara’s stunned expression. It was probably one of the very rare times the rich little filly was ever left speechless and Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were enjoying every second of it.
Rarity would have been glad to help her sister deal with the cluster of ponies surrounding the young unicorn, but alas she was also surrounded. Her closest friends had each run over to hug her in turn and offer their congratulations while bearing tear streaked cheeks mixed with happy smiles. Each understood this had become a farewell party for them. Everypony knew it was coming of course, the frequent trips out of town on business, and the ever growing stockpile of clothing designs she’d take with her were signs nopony could miss. Even so, it all just seemed too sudden and too fast for the close knit group of friends.
“I’m going to miss you all so much!” Rarity attempted to hide the sniffle that went along with the wetness that stung her eyes. “I suppose I should have said something sooner, but I wanted to be sure before saying anything.”
“I’m going to miss you too.” Fluttershy sobbed gently into her shoulder as Rarity wrapped her into a hug in attempt to comfort her.
“We all will.” Twilight Sparkle’s voice cracked a little, as she wiped away a tear of her own and placed a hoof on Rarity’s free shoulder.
“Sure will.” Applejack smiled widely, but pulled her trusty hat down over her eyes, hiding them from view, “but ain’t gonna be nopony more proud of yah than us. Yah really did it, it’s hard tah believe.”
“You promise not to forget me?” Pinkie Pie cried uncontrollably into a polka dotted hanky, before blowing her nose loudly.
“Of course not Pinkie Pie. What pony could ever forget you?” Rarity felt her heart tug at her chest at the question, half insulted at the mere thought, the other half of it twisted with emotion that Pinkie would think so. “How could I ever forget any of you?”
“Then... then you promise not to be mad at me either?”
“Darling! Why in Equestria would I be angry with you?”
“Cause you’re leaving us behind cause we’re not upper class and elite like Canterlot ponies, so now you’re moving away so you can be with them, and its following your dream so we shouldn’t be sad, we should be happy! But I’m still sad cause all I can think about is how I won’t be able to see you again for such a long time, and now I know whenever I walk past the Carousel Boutique I’ll know you won’t be there anymore, and it’ll feel empty, and I’ll feel empty, and I’ll be all sad, but since it’s your dream you might think I’m sad cause you’re following it, but that’s not it, it’s just that I can’t figure out how to be happy that you’re leaving!” The Pink pony barely stopped to breath, her voice rising in pitch further and further until the last sentence was all but a squeal. Next thing she knew, Rarity’s second shoulder was suddenly occupied by a mess of pink curls, while her normally happiest of friends broke down and bawled, gripping her neck in a hug of her own.
“Please don’t be mad cause I can’t be happy that you’re leaving!”
“Oh Pinkie Pie...” She never finished the sentence. There was nothing she could think of to say, maybe there was nothing that could be said. Sometimes words were not what was right. She hugged Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie fiercely. Breaking the news to Spike before she left some weeks ago was nowhere near this hard. He was so delighted to hear the news. She remembered how excited he was, how hard he had hugged her, and how that boyish grin had spread across his face afterwards.
“Give her some space Pinkie. You always over dramatize these things.” Dash finally caught up with the others. “She’s not going forever, and Canterlot’s not so far we can’t visit her.”
“Easy for you to say Dash. Ain’t none of us can jus’ take off whenever we want tah up and go to the capital. Trains take time tah schedule, and there’s too much work tah get done round the farm for me to make common trips there and back. Not tah mention the bits involved…”
Pinkie Pie sobbed harder at that and Dash fell silent.
“Not helping.” Twilight whispered to the farm pony who had the decency to blush a bit.
Arguing with Rainbow Dash was just easier than saying goodbye. It was a comfort zone she would prefer right about now. Applejack had grown so close to the girls over their years together they felt almost as inseparable as any other part of her family. Turns out inseparable wasn’t the right word to use though, because here was one of them parting ways, and Rainbow Dash had almost done the same just two months previous.
“It just got me thinkin’…Twilight’s gonna head back tah Canterlot someday under Princess Celestia, Rainbow Dash is gonna fly off tah Cloudsdale to be a Wonderbolt, eventually jus’ ain’t gonna be many of us left here in Ponyville. Even little Spike might go lookin’ fer somethin’ else, and who knows where he’d get to? Li’l fella might end up goin’ back to the dragons at some point. Ah know it’s selfish, but Ah can’t help thinkin’ how many of yah Ah’m gonna lose?”
Even Rainbow Dash looked somber at the truth painted all out in front of them like that.
“None.” Rarity suddenly declared. The others all looked over to her for an explanation, and she felt the need to clear her throat a little before continuing.
“You are not losing me. You will not ever lose me. It might take more time for us to see each other then it used to, but I am, and will always be your friend. You cannot choose between following your heart and following your dream, you need both to be happy! And if you’re not going to be happy there would be no reason to follow. Canterlot is my dream and my friends… you are my heart. I will find a way to help you when you’re in trouble. I will find a way to celebrate with you when you’re happy. I will find a way to still be apart of your lives while I’m away. I don’t care if I have to drag Canterlot back here with me brick by brick on my back! I. Will. Find. A. Way.”
Rarity emphasized each word as she squeezed Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie one more time before releasing them and moving to look Applejack in the eye.
“And if you all feel as strongly as I do, I know you will too! We will find a way together.” She looked around to the others gathered around her. “Just as we’ve always done whenever things became difficult or looked impossible.”
“She’s right!” Twilight Sparkle smiled confidently, her mind suddenly ablaze with ideas of places to research magic that could help. “It’s just like any other problem we’ve faced. And with all of us working together…”
“-it doesn’t stand a chance!” Dash finished for her, a winning grin replacing any gloom that began to set in.
“Yeah, guess we’ll jus’ deal with it all as it comes. We’ll lick this problem yet!” Applejack pushed her hat firmly back in place.
“I-I’ll still miss you, but I know I’ll see you soon. And I’ll make sure to write as much as I can!” Fluttershy added in with a small smile.
“And in the meantime we’ll make the most of every tiny teeny tinsy insy little second!” Pinkie Pie sobbed one last time as she wiped her cheeks.
“Yes, lets make certain it is a party we will all remember.” Rarity agreed, “I am sorry to have dampened the mood. I was under the impression it would have simply made everypony more excited, instead it just soured what was supposed to be a very happy time.”
“Ah’d call it more bittersweet than sour.” Applejack interjected.
“Of course we’re excited for you Rarity.” Twilight agreed, “We’re just a little put out at what it all means for us.”
“Yeah! I mean come on, who’s not gonna be heartbroken about a friend saying goodbye?” Pinkie sniffed a little as she finally began to calm down a smile beginning to edge its way back into her expression.
“Who Indeed?” Rarity frowned, remembering all too well how she got this impression. A memory played back in her mind. One of a certain dragon smiling and hugging her tightly at a train station after she shared the news with him. A certain dragon that she noted was not within the immediate vicinity. A certain dragon, she also remembered, who had always found ways to be busy during her multitude of farewell parties Pinkie Pie had thrown for her when she first began her commutes to the big cities.
She turned to gaze back towards the congratulatory cake table and noticed it was suspiciously empty. Rainbow Dash was here of course, and Scootaloo would be off somewhere with Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom as always, so just where was Spike?
“Excuse me girls, if we are to make every last moment count, we should do it with all of my closest friends. Don’t you think?”
“Well duh!” Pinkie rolled her eyes rudely as her full smile had found its way back to her face. “That’s why I invited everypony in town after all! I didn’t want to leave anypony out.”
“But I didn’t tell you about this announcement before hand Pinkie. Don’t you remember what this was all for?”
Pinkie stared at Rarity like she had two heads. “Well yeah, I threw it for Scootaloo’s and Spike’s first flight!”
“Well it won’t be much of a First Flight Party without one of the guests of honour, will it?”
“Yeah, where is the li’l fella, anyway?” Applejack looked this way and that trying to catch a glimpse of something long, tall, and purple.
“Don’t know, I thought he’d be right behind me.” Dash began to hover above the ground and look around.
“Ugh. Did he do it again?”
“Did he do what?” Fluttershy asked so quietly Twilight probably wouldn’t have heard her if she hadn’t been learning to constantly keep an ear out for her new part time assistant.
“He does this every time Rarity has a farewell party.” Twilight explained with a sigh. “He’s probably by the bridge close to your house.”
“What? Why would he go all the way over there?” Fluttershy was taken aback, that was clear on the outskirts of town! He couldn’t be further away from the party and still be in Ponyville’s borders.
Twilight considered answering but decided against it. It was something fairly personal to him after all. At the same time she wasn’t about to let him run off from his own party either. He had worked so hard for tonight, she figured he deserved a reward, and she couldn’t think of anything he’d likely enjoy more than what she had in mind.
“Rarity, maybe it’d be better if you go and get him.”
“Yes. I believe I will. Take care of things while I’m gone girls, I’ll be quick as I can.” With that Rarity disappeared quickly into the crowd.
“Well, what’s everpony waiting for?” Pinkie Pie pulled out her cannon from seemingly nowhere and pulled its string sending a loud bang and another cloud of sparkles, confetti, and streamers into the air. “Lets keep this party going!”
******
“Ah can’t believe this is it.” Apple Bloom leaned heavily on the railing. The trio of close friends had found their way to a balcony in the town hall, overlooking the events below. They mostly came in to hide Sweetie Belle from her crowds of new admirers, but soon found they were enjoying having the night to themselves for a little while. Up above the lantern’s glow and beneath the twinkling stars, they had stared out over their little home town, just pointing and laughing at each different locale and recalling the variety of mayhem they caused within.
“Yeah, I know.” Scootaloo agreed, hovering above the railing, “How can Ponyville look the same as it always has when it feels like everything’s changing so much? It just seems weird.”
“That’s because it isn’t the town that’s changing, it’s us.” Sweetie Belle sighed joining Apple Bloom at her side. She gave a nervous smile and waved to a couple of the ponies below that called out to her as she came into view. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this.”
“They’re jus’ startin’ tah see what we all figured out a good while ago is all.” Apple Bloom announced with her nose stuck up in the air, exaggerating an amount of haughtiness that would never suit her. It had its intended purpose, drawing a fit of giggles from of her friends. Unfortunately they ended with an unwelcome sniff from Sweetie as she covered her face with her hooves.
“I’m s-sorry,” her attempt to stifle the sobs left her trembling. “I d-didn’t want to *sniff* end it like this. It’s just, this is it, this…this is our last night! I w-wanted it to be happy…but I can’t… I just can’t…”
The weeping unicorn found herself gathered into a hug by both of her friends.
“S’okay Sweetie Belle. Everything’s gonna be alright, you’ll see.” Apple Bloom beamed, fighting back against the contagious emotion that left a sting in her eyes.
“B-but I don’t even know when I’ll get to see you again!” The sobs came in uncontrollable bouts now as she cried into Apple Bloom’s shoulder. “I won’t be back for a whole year! It only took a few months to change this much, who knows where we’ll all be in a year?”
“I know where we’ll be.” She Scootaloo's grip tighten from behind. “We’ll be right here, with the biggest banner you ever seen, ‘Welcome Home Sweetie Belle!’ written right across it. We’ll be cheering with the whole town at our backs.
“Oh Scoot, I’m s-sorry.” Sweetie let Apple Bloom go, wiping her eyes as she look at her. “W-we never did manage to find your Cutie Mark… and now… Now I won’t be here for when you do.”
“Yeah, that is pretty rotten luck. I would love it if you were both here and we earned it together, but hey we got two out of three, that ain’t bad, right?” The frown that was beginning to take shape across her muzzle was chased away suddenly as she flew up above the balcony, attempting a neat-looking loop in the air, if stumbling a little unstably at the end of it, causing her to slip out of her wing beat, and force her to catch herself on the outside of the railing.
“Not quite there yet I guess.” She gave her friends a sheepish smile before accepting their help to pull her back in. “But I will be, and that’s all thanks to you Sweetie Belle! Maybe you couldn’t help me find my special talent, but without you I’d still be stuck on the ground for who knows how long? The only reason I even have a chance at the Fledgling Flier Contest is because of you! No pony can take that away from us, and honestly it’s more important than any other talent to me.”
“Eeyup!” Apple bloom grinned widely as she copied her older brother. “Besides, I went an’ missed that, Ah guess it’s only fair of yah tah miss out on this. It’s mah turn, and Ah plan on gettin’ Scoot’s Cutie Mark soon as can be. Ah even came up with an idea ‘bout how tah go about it! I was workin’ on it while you two were out reachin’ for the sky.”
“You did?” Sweetie Bell finally managed to get her tears under control, assisted by her curiosity towards this new revelation.
“Eeyup!” She giggled again as she trotted over to a pillar, “Or at least Ah think so. Way Ah see it, we went an’ tried pretty much every skill known tah ponykind. Scoots is practically a pro on her scooter at this point, but it ain’t actually got ‘er anywhere. Ah’m figurin’ the reason we couldn’t find her talent is cause it might be a skill ain’t nopony’s ever tried before.”
She took out the hidden object from behind the pillar, it was a long oval board the length of her, with flaps on either side controllable by two pedals where hind hooves would fit. The strange thingamajig was adorned with a large bow.
“What the hay is that?” Scootaloo asked, uncertain what to think of it.
“Yah remember the time we tried surfin’?”
"Ugh. How could I forget? We all ended up rocketing off the beach and landing in bristle bushes. I was picking those things outta my fur for weeks!"
"Yeah, but yah were actually doin' pretty good 'til me and Sweetie Belle crashed into yah. Well I was thinkin', since yer flyin' now, yah could try cloud surfin' or some other way of includin’ it in yer stunts! I call it a sky board!"
"Cloud surfing? How would that even work?"
"Well, yah build up speed at first, jump on the board, and yah know, try usin' it like yah would yer scooter."
"Don't you think it's a bit too heavy to fly with?" Scootaloo ran her hoof along the smooth, polished surface, "I mean it's wooden right? Surfing works because wood floats on water. That doesn’t work so well on air."
"Don’t knock it til yah try it. ‘Sides it ain’t as heavy as it looks. It's made of two different types of wood. The parts yah can see is Redwood, tough as nails so yah can be pretty rough with it, but that's just a casing. Inside it's all hollowed out Balsa wood, very light, and I filled it with a ton of holes too.”
“I never heard of Balsa wood.” Scootaloo began testing the board’s weight. “Wow, that is pretty light.”
“Yah wouldn’t have. It don’t grow ‘round these parts. We were workin’ with a buncha foreign materials tah look at the barn designs for Appleoosa. Balsa wood is one of ‘em. It weren’t much good for the barns though, so we got plenty left behind to work with.” Apple Bloom explained as Scootaloo laid the board down and began messing with the pedals. “Now, this is still pretty much a work in progress, especially the wings an’ flaps. After yah give it a go, we’ll work out adjustments so it’ll work better for yah.”
“If this works, it’s going to be the most awesomest thing in the world! Way to go Apple Bloom!”
Sweetie Belle moved back as her friends began to talk about the gift, using this chance to collect herself. She quietly watched on as they chatted back and forth, discussing the details of Apple Bloom’s latest crazy idea on how to get their cutie marks, no wait... just Scootaloo’s. Even after a year’s time she still had to catch herself on that, reminding herself that she was no longer on that search for her talent and was just assisting Scootaloo’s on hers. She was trying so hard not to break down tonight because she wanted the memories they would make to be exactly like it was right now. Her friends smiling and laughing, a new crusade in the making, everything they were, and everything they had become, captured in these last moments together.
If she could freeze a moment in time, this would be it. At the same time she wanted to join in, but it seemed like it was all a little too surreal. It felt like a dream stolen from her most treasured years that would break if she disturbed it. Like interacting with it would somehow leave the scene fading away and she’d awake on the chariot, on her way to the a whole new life on the road, surrounded by strangers and crowds. If it was an illusion she never wanted it to see it end, but the interruption came on it’s own.
“Woah!” A thump sounded in the darkened hallways at her back, and would have been startling if it didn’t coincide with a familiar scratchy voice she’d hear greeting her every time she entered her sister’s boutique in recent years. It didn’t appear to grab the attention of her friends away from the curious contraption, so she turned to meet the invading interloper as he got back to his hooves, rubbing his horn from where he’d fallen on it.
“Ouch...” The greenish blue unicorn brushed the dirt out of his freshly short-trimmed orange mane. His black beady eyes reflected strangely in the dark as he scanned the shadows of the hall for something he must have dropped.
“Snips?” Sweetie Belle took a tentative step towards him, “Are you alright?”
“Huh? Oh yeah, I’m fine.” He closed his eyes and stuck out his chest as if he thought tripping and falling on his face was somehow an impressive feat as long as he was okay afterwards.
Snips had grown huge since his school days, in spite of being one of the shortest ponies in her class. Now he was closing in on Big Macintosh in height, but where Apple Bloom’s elder brother was pure muscle Snips had gone another route. His girth had increased almost as much as his height, leaving him with the same portly frame as ever, he was just tall now to go along with it.
Even so he cleaned up well. When she first discovered his talent for cutting out patterns and hired him on the spot, Rarity also gave him a makeover that he was forced to maintain for employment’s sake to this day and likely ever onward. His orange mane was now trimmed short to more of a crew cut, and his tail combed out and hung straight down. It was strange to see him without the suit Rarity had tailor-made for him as well, she guessed he didn’t wear it outside of work which was too bad in her opinion. He looked really good in it. It was doubly strange to see him alone though.
Friendly, welcoming, and as excitable as ever, Snips’ attitude didn’t change much either, except in that he had grown more reserved about displaying his tendency towards being a fan foal publicly. Everypony had Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to thank for that she guessed. Without much in the way of blank flanks in their age group, the two bullies had to look for new reasons to justify putting themselves above others. The pudgy and slow Snips and Snails grew as high priority on the victim list as the Cutie Mark Crusaders ever were. Right now Snips was missing his second half, and it was almost unnerving to see him alone outside the shop without his best friend at his side. That’s what prodded Sweetie to ask her next question.
“Where’s Snails?”
“I uh... don’t actually know?” Snips frowned rubbing his chin in thought. “He’s never home lately. I don’t know what he’s been doing, but whatever it is, he’s been busy at it for the last couple weeks day and night. I was hoping to meet him at the festival tonight, but I haven’t seen him yet if he is here.”
“So you came up here looking for him?”
“Well, yes and no. I came to see if I could spot him in the crowd from up here, but I also came up because I saw you guys waving from the balcony. You guys were all busy though, so I figured I could give you your going away present later, that’s when I fell.”
“A farewell gift?” She smiled at the unexpected thought. “Snips! You didn’t need to do that!”
“Yeah I did.” He answered a bit nervously as he smiled back, then his eyes went back to the dark floor searching quickly as he clumsily felt around. “But I just dropped it around here!”
“Then just light up your horn, silly.” Sweetie Belle did just that and found a well polished wood stained box right beside her hooves, a chip freshly taken off a corner of it, and its shine now somewhat scoffed. “Is this it?”
“Sure is.” He stood back up brushing the dirt off his stomach.
“Whatcha got there Sweetie Belle?” Apple Bloom trotted around the corner with Scootaloo after noticing the absence of their third member and the voices from the corridor.
“Snips got me a parting gift!”
“Re-he-he-heeeally?” Scootaloo snickered with a wry smirk as she eyed him suspiciously.
“Oh stop, it’s not like that.” Sweetie Belle looked down at the wooden box, and opened it. Her eyes went wide as she looked in, stunned into silence.
“I, uh... hope you guys like them.” Snips pointedly looked away as Scootaloo continued to eye him up and down, not believing for one second this was anything but like that as Sweetie put it. She was still thinking of some teasingly witty commentary she could use when Apple Bloom called over to her.
“Scoots, check ‘em out!”
“What the-?” The pegasus glanced over, and her jaw dropped as Apple Bloom held up something familiar that none of them had seen in a very long time. A golden silhouette of a pony rearing back over the crest of a blue shield, all set against the backdrop of vibrant red cloth . It was their Cutie Mark Crusader cape! Or at least it could have been at some point. All the material was the same, even the rare specially made golden thread on the inside. Well, all the same except for the stitching being more professionally done now and it was no longer a cape. Just lengthy rectangular woven fabric, with two others rolled up inside the wooden box just like it.
“Snips! Oh my stars! I can’t believe it! This must have took so much time!”
“Nah.” He shook his head, once again taking on that boasting demeanor before finishing with a quiet mutter, remembering how much the woven gold had taken out of his savings, “Took more bits than it did time.”
“There’s three of them, did you make one for each of us?” Scootaloo looked at the other two left in the box.
“They’re not all the same.” He corrected waving his hoof dismissively. “I made them each different styles and lengths so they could be worn differently. Other than that, I gave them to Sweetie Belle. If she wants to give a couple away, you’ll have ask her.”
Scootaloo and Apple Bloom whipped their heads around to Sweetie Belle, gigantic pleading smiles plastered across their faces. They didn’t need to speak a word, Sweetie Belle answered with a smile twice as big.
It took a few minutes to decide who would get what, and a bit of advice from Snips on how to fold and tie them to make it work. When they were all finished, Apple Bloom had replaced her trademark hair bow, Sweetie Belle wore hers as a new neckerchief that hung down over the front of her chest, and Scootaloo had folded hers up and wrapped it around her left foreleg just above her knee.
“Alright! Cutie Mark Crusaders, ride again!” Scootaloo shouted sticking her hoof high up in the air.
“Yeah!” Unicorn and earth pony shouted in unison as they met the risen hoof with their own.
“I’ll warn the town disaster’s coming.” Snips grinned.
“Us the disaster?” Apple Bloom arched an eyebrow at him. “Ah’ll freely admit we got intah some spots more often than not, but Ah don’t think all our capers combined amount tah one romp in the woods by you two.”
“Yeah, really.” Scootaloo agreed quickly, “The biggest thing we ever did was ruin a parade, you guys dragged an Ursa Minor into the middle of town square. I don’t think they really compare.”
“Well Snails and I do have a motto of quality over quantity mayhem.” His words were laced with a small amount of bravado as he pretended to adjust an imaginary tie that sent the three crusaders into a fit of giggles.
“Where is Snails anyway?” Scootaloo looked around, wondering much the same as Sweetie Belle earlier. She was about to receive the same response from Snips when Apple Bloom answered.
“He’s probably still out the farm. Ah’ve hardly seen ‘im leave the fields fer the last two weeks. Ah wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t even know ‘bout all this tonight.”
“The farm? What’s he doing out there?” Eager at the new information, Snips looked excitedly to the farm pony for answers.
“Ah don’t rightly know. Ah asked , but Applejack jus’ told me tah nevermind ‘bout it, an’ tah let him do his thing. From what Ah can tell though, he’s jus’ doin’ what he’s always done, playin’ with bugs.”
“Well I’m going to go see what he’s up to. Have a goodnight girls.”
“Snips, wait!” Sweetie Belle rushed over and hugged him as tight as she could. “Thank you so much. You made tonight perfect.”
“Shucks Sweetie... It isn’t that big a deal.” He felt the heat in his cheeks as his face flushed red.
“It is to me.” She hastily whispered into his ear before placing a quick peck on his cheek. After releasing him, he stumbled off, barely able to stutter out parting words as he clumsily made his way out. Sweetie Belle felt her own cheeks tint pink as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom came up on either side of her.
“Now what d’ya think that was all ‘bout, Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom purposefully talked right over Sweetie Belle’s head, making the poor unicorn clench her eyes shut in embarrassment.
“I don’t know Apple Bloom. I mean it isn’t like it was like that after all.” Scootaloo chided mercilessly until Sweetie Belle’s face was as red as Snips. “We wouldn’t want to take it the wrong way.”
“Well ‘course not! Where would we go an’ get any idea of that sort Scoot?”
“I know, right? It isn’t like he’s spent so much time working with her sister, they’d have plenty of chance to get to know each other.”
“An’ it ain’t like he seems sweet on her or nuthin’.”
“Oh just stop!” Sweetie Belle finally shouted much to the laughter of her friends. She put her hoof up to her neck, tracing it along the cloth. “This was just incredibly thoughtful!”
“Well Ah’ll give yah that.” Apple Bloom nodded “He went and gave all of us momentos.”
“Yeah, honestly that’s great Sweetie Belle!” The pegasus gave her a light punch on the shoulder. “You should have told us he had a crush on you sooner.”
“I didn’t know... I still don’t know if he does. ”
“Why would he go through all this if he didn’t like yah like yah?”
“Because he might understand about tonight? It was a farewell gift after all. He knows I’m leaving tomorrow. He’s known for awhile, we couldn’t really hide it from him, he was helping in the Boutique at the same time Sapphire Shores showed up. Besides, it’s not like anything would work out for me and him with me leaving. But he’s known Snails even longer than I’ve known both of you, and they spent as much time as they could together. Rarity has been talking about eventually moving him to Canterlot within a year or two depending on how business goes, and Snails still hasn’t made any progress towards his apprenticeship at all. Maybe he understands what it might be like to leave a best friend behind, even just a little.”
“S’pose that’d make sense why he went an’ waited til last minute like this.” Apple Bloom said uncertainly.
“No way Sweetie Belle. Trust me, he’s totally crushing on you! A filly’s gotta have an instinct about these things.”
“Yeah, ‘cause any of us wrote the book of love.” Apple Bloom snorted sarcastically at Scootaloo with a roll of her eyes. “Face it, Sweetie’s right. We don’t got no good way of knowin’ whether he’s gotta crush on ‘er or not.”
“Maybe not.” The unicorn felt her blush come back in full force and looked up to smile at her friends. “But now, I might just have one on him.”
******
True to her word, Rarity moved down the streets of the village at a trot with only a quick stop to pick some boxes up from her boutique and drop them off at the library, but it was more than the wish to meet up with Spike that hastened her pace. If she was honest with herself, it was the quiet and the dark putting the extra push into her step. As friendly and welcoming the small town might be, everything seemed very unfamiliar and strange with the streets so empty and the lights in all the doors and windows out. So many ponies had come out to enjoy the events in the town center that the houses around here almost seemed abandoned. The further from middle of town she got, the more sparse the houses, and the bleaker her home town seemed. It was an unnerving feeling to say the least.
As she came up to the bridge where she was hoping to find Spike, her heart sunk to find it as empty as everything else. Her pace slowed as she trotted across, looking around. Had he gone back? Did she miss him? Was Twilight wrong, did he just go home? She should have thought to check his room at the library while she was there!
“Spike?” She called out hesitantly; no longer sure there would be a reply. “Spike, are you here?”
“Rarity?” His answer came floating from below, all at once she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She hadn’t missed him. Twilight’s exact words came back to her. He was by the bridge, not on it. She squinted, trying to look for the location of the voice, but she didn’t spot him in the shadows along the small river banks.
“Where are you Spike? I can’t see you.”
Rarity managed to catch a small shadow of movement before a flash of green flame pinpointed him briefly. She’d never really been aware how well the purple shade helped him hide in the shadows or how the green spines blended in so easily with the grass. She moved off the bridge slowly, cautiously picking her way around the muddy areas.
“Whatever are you doing all the way out here? Your party is going on without you!”
“It’s not exactly my party anymore.” The dragon rolled his eyes, but smiled to show he wasn’t angry. “Our flight team was kinda lost in the background after your announcement. It’s Sweetie Belle’s party, and yours now, and you know it. The better question is why the hay you’re all the way out here. Ponies are actually gonna notice you missing.”
Rarity coughed slightly as her mind raced for a topic change. It had indeed become obvious the news she brought had completely upstaged theirs. Really, there seemed no point to denying it, and she did feel bad about doing so. Still, she felt she had no choice. Sweetie Belle would be leaving in a day, and her family wished to spend their last day together. It was not only her last chance to announce it, but also the only stage she’d come across that truly fit such a grand announcement.
“I’ve ruined your big night and I’ve really no good excuse.” She sighed, “I really am sorr-EEP!”
Her hoof slipped out from under her as she missed her next step along an unexpectedly unlevel area of ground. She just barely managed to catch herself, steadied by a quickly darting dragon tail that shot out for support. Spike stood, reaching a claw over to help her past the depression in the riverbank.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes, thank you.” She treated him to a smile that quickly brought a blush to his face, visible even in the dark.
“N-no, it was my fault anyway.”
“Your fault? Oh Spike don’t be silly, how could my slipping be your fault?”
“I should have warned you, I knew there was a rough patch there.” He frowned, before sitting back down. “I was the one who made it rough.”
He stretched out his tail. Rarity blushed herself, though hers was not near so noticeable. She wasn’t sure what he meant by his made it rough comment nor could she really think of any reason anypony would want to make an area rough. She did however recognize how his tail wound itself into the same position it was back in Aqua’s cave; an open invitation to sit beside him and still remain out of the grass and dirt. She decided to take him up on it, gingerly stepping around the tail before laying down on it and leaning against him.
“You do know I am deeply sorry to have stolen your show?”
“Yeah, you never would have walked away from all that if you weren’t.” He shrugged it off, “Besides, learning to fly really isn’t that big of a deal, you and Sweetie Belle leaving is! It changes everything for so many. It deserves to be celebrated with a huge party like that!”
“Still, it seems like it lessens your accomplishments and I am so proud of you my Spikey Wikey~! You worked so hard, went through so much, and you learned so fast! It really is astonishing.” Rarity stared up at the sky, for the first time noticing just how bright the stars were without the village lights diminishing them. “A couple days swimming practice then the next thing I know, you’re flying!”
“And who knew the only possible creature anywhere around that could teach me? Who risked her life to take me to meet him?” Spike chuckled and she felt his mirth rumble through him. “How exactly could I be angry at you for anything? The only reason I can fly is because of how far you went out of your way for me.”
“Then why aren’t you celebrating with me? We should be with everypony else, celebrating our accomplishments together!”
“Yeah, sorry about that, we can go back now.” Spike began to stir, only to notice Rarity had no intention of moving from her spot on his tail. He also noticed she was glaring at him and he began to understand that just because he wasn’t angry about anything didn’t mean she wasn’t.
“Spikey Wikey?” She began sweetly and finished with a tone of seriousness. “You are not going anywhere until you answer my question.”
“Uh, why?” He swallowed a lump forming in his throat, quickly looked around for any kind of excuse, putting his hands up in a gesture normally reserved for asking someone to wait. Rarity had no intention of paying the gesture any heed.
“Yes. If you’re not upset that my sister and I have stolen the party from you, then why are you not celebrating with us?”
“I uh… don’t like crowds?” He tried. Her flat look told him she wasn’t buying it.
“You? Don’t like crowds? You announce at every Running of the Leaves Festival, and volunteer to narrate at almost every play. You have learned to play pianos and instruments just to be on stage with Pinkie Pie when she decides to sing. You, my dear Spikey Wikey, take almost every chance you can get to display yourself and your talents of which you have many. One of the most recent I’ve discovered is a skill for deception. I always knew you had a tendency towards fabrications here and there, but I had no idea how good you had gotten at them.” Rarity’s tone had become very serious. “I’m also quite certain it is not a skill you should be proud of having practiced as much as you have.”
“I wasn’t lying I was just-”
“Liar.”
“What?” Spike blinked in surprise at the blunt insult.
“A fraud, a con artist, a phony, a charlatan, and a sham. I could go on if you wish, and I have every intention of doing so until you admit to your deception and tell me the truth.”
“I-I’m not, I just-I mean…” The response became stuttered as the look on Rarity’s face only grew more and more stern. At last Spike grimaced and his whole body slumped back into the dirty grass. “I just want you to be happy…”
“I know.” He felt her hoof pat against his back. “I appreciate it probably more than I let on, and now you know how I feel when you’ve been lying to me. Do I seem happy?”
“No. You look… disappointed.”
“Probably the most disappointed in you I’ve ever been.” She agreed. “So now that you’ve seen how poorly deceit worked, let’s try this again. Why is it you do not wish to celebrate with us?”
“It’s because I don’t feel like celebrating, and I know how horrible that is. I’m supposed to be happy and excited for you! But really the last thing I want is… I mean I don’t want to… I just don’t want-”
“-to say good bye.” Rarity finished.
“Yeah, that.” He grumbled. If she already knew all the answers why did she want him to say them out loud? “Your commemoration party should be a real blast! Just like Pinkie Pie planned for tonight! The last thing anypony would want is a down in the dumps dragon spoiling all the fun.”
“Spike, what if I told you that Pinkie Pie was bawling on my shoulder not ten minutes ago, and there wasn’t a dry eye amidst any of my friends?”
“R-really?”
“Well no, our darling Rainbow Dash didn’t seem too upset or shocked by the news,” Spike thought he could feel those piercing blue eyes peer into his soul, leaving him fiddling with his claws and looking away. “Which leads me to believe a certain friend of mine wasn’t able to completely keep our little secret.”
“She’s the only one I told! Honest!” He put up his hands as if to physically fend off any further verbal probing. “She just came by that night asking if I wanted to learn to fly and well, I wasn’t really that interested, and when she kept on about it I kind of snapped at her. Not just the upset kind either, the snarling, tense, and ready to pounce kind. She knew something was up and I thought I kinda owed her an explanation…”
“That was my fault.” Rarity shook her head remembering the mix up in her words at the train station vividly. Celestia’s words echoed through her mind, and not for the last time. Dragon, not pony. It was no wonder the Princess was so keen on pushing that impression on her. “It was a mistake to let that slip, and even more of one to ask you to bear that secret all on your own. I’m far more to blame for that than you were. I should have known better. You, more than anypony, can’t afford to keep your feelings all bottled up Spike.”
“Yeah, I know. That’s another reason I came out here, if I tried to pretend to be happy the whole night, who knows what I’d do?” He sighed. “I’m a dangerous creature.”
“Spike…” Her voice trailed off, not quite sure what to say. Instead she glanced down at the grass, using the pause in conversation to grant herself some faint light to see by, her horn glowing softly, casting shadows along the unlevel river bank. With the light came clarity on his earlier words. He really was the one that roughed up this area. They were both lying curled up together in the footprint of the monster that ran wild throughout the town. The very crater he stared down into from the bridge that day when she stood by to comfort him.
She recalled the event and those leading up to it so well. The fire ruby he’d given her during the week, learning he’d never truly had a birthday party before (which gave Rarity some suspicions that Princess Celestia had an idea of what might occur), the work she put into designing the cloaks for everypony, being ponynapped and carried to the cliff sides, and the fateful fall and Spike’s attempt to confess on the way down. She scooted up closer to him, nuzzling happily against his cheek. He seemed taken aback by it, and she laughed softly at his surprise as she felt his body go tense.
She thought about the events for weeks after, and had long decided the fire ruby was actually the least touching deed he’d done for her that week. Even as a berserk beast of greed, when all he’d done was go around hoarding whatever he could find, she was what he’d come for, stealing nothing else from her boutique. Not even a single, solitary jewel from the abundance of choices he was given there, he had only come for her. To know that she had broken through to him when every other one of his other friends had proven completely ineffectual. They were all something to be ignored as a minor nuisance, but he had stopped to listen to her. He reflected on her admonishments, and then the monster disappeared. She understood her words were worth more to him than even Twilight Sparkle’s, the sister he took so very much pride in. He thought he was going to die, so he raced to speak his mind.
She stopped him because she had to. She couldn’t stand the idea that something so wonderful was going to be rushed, and seem lessened for it.
She stopped him because there was no reason to continue, she already understood what he wanted to say. She had known about his crush and used it to her advantage time and again, but now that she had learned the lengths he was willing to go for her, whatever he wanted to say would be woefully underwhelming compared.
Most of all, she stopped him because she had no answer to give him, touched as she was. There was so much nopony knew. What was dragon life like? What if he wanted to go back and find love among his own? What about his goals? He didn’t even know what they were! What if their dreams were so different that they drove each other apart? This mess of speeding thoughts and a thousand more had moved her hoof to his lips, keeping his feelings unspoken, and yet the message was received louder and clearer than words could convey. She fell with him that day but she hadn’t fallen for him, not just yet.
At least, that’s what she told herself. She was no longer certain it was true, so much had changed, and she began treating him very different after that. The feelings they shared during their fall was a secret only they knew. She wanted to keep it that way, but she could not help letting her heart slip through the façade in bits and pieces. Rising to his defence when the others would tease, noticing the adorable quirks, habits, and talents he had from his waddling to his determination, the protective urge, and sickening feeling when she thought he was in danger… By the heavens she’d gone as far as to challenge other dragons for his safety with nothing but her bare hooves!
She felt him finally relax beside her after a few minutes of comfortable silence. She looked again to the stars trailing across the night sky, the moon looked so large as it hung just over the horizon, and the reflection of stars on the river as they sparkle and spin.
“How did she take it? Rainbow Dash I mean, she was alright with it, wasn’t she? She didn’t hold it against you? I will speak to her about it if you would like me to.”
“She said it was one of the coolest things she’d seen.” He couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Ah yes, that definitely sounds like her. I suppose she didn’t even shed a tear when you told her that I was moving?”
“She already had it all figured out. As far as she was concerned you were only a few hours away by air. She’s probably going to come visit whenever she likes. Isn’t that awesome? No matter how far your friends move away, if you can fly, you can still be close to them!”
“That’s why you’re learning?” Rarity’s eyes went wide as his true motivation hit her, she swore she could feel her heart skip a beat. “That’s why you’re going through all this trouble? I thought you were just doing it for this competition for Scootaloo, but your whole reason behind it all is just to come visit me?”
“I uh… well.. kinda?” the dragon suddenly grew very interested in the night sky, that very striking blush on his cheeks practically glowing from the heat of the accidental confession. She felt her eyes tear up, putting her hoof to her chest in some vain hope of calming the loud, tumultuous hammering within. This time it was an uncomfortable silence that reigned over them as they both searched for something to say, both waiting for their hearts to quiet a little.
“Dangerous.” The word slipped quietly from her lips as she smiled, a thought dancing lightly upon her mind. “You know, there are many a mare among high society that would have their hearts set aflutter by an admirer with an air of danger to them.”
“…you think so?”
“Why most certainly! How many tales are there of young handsome soldiers, noble knights, and rugged heroes sweeping them off their hooves? Each one is just as daring and courageous as the next, and they face down trials and threats of all sorts for the sake of love and kingdom. If Twilight owned them all, I’m sure the library would have to take up half the town!”
“Maybe but they’re all just a bunch of fiction, right? Just stories, works of imagination, and misrepresentations of what really happened at their best.”
“There is some truth in every tale Spike. Even in the most fantastic of fantasies!” She stood up and began to pick her way back up the river bank, watching for the hidden crevice in the grass. “We need to make a stop by the library on the way back. Princess Celestia has left a gift for you in answer to your letter. The part about finding your dream? She had an idea about it, and I think now would be the most appropriate time for you to see it.”
“You read my letter?” He also stood up and began following, wondering just how much of his private word with home was actually private now.
“She offered it to me to read in exchange for reading the one you made for me.”
“She read that?” He shut his eyes and grimaced. Somewhat worried she expected him to start scribing all his letters the same way… it had taken him all week to write that! He spent the nights he finished picking up after Twilight, trying to think of just what to say and how to scribe it to perfection! If every letter had to be like that he’d never be able to leave his room! He was allowed to stew in his thoughts quietly as he trailed after Rarity on the way back to his Ponyville home.
Upon arrival into the library, there were several boxes lying just past the entryway. He gave them an inquisitive look, they were just old cardboard boxes filled with who knows what.
“Go ahead Spike.” He felt the unicorn prod at his side, urging him along with a smile. “Open them!”
“Okay, I’m going, I’m going.” This whole thing felt strange to him, but Rarity seemed very excited about it. He frowned as he kneeled down, removing the lid from the first. He slapped his palm against his forehead upon seeing the contents, taking out a crayon coloured picture of an imaginary him, full of muscle, a lance at his side in a red cape, looking very heroic.
This is what it was about? Maybe the Princess got confused. He didn’t actually mean his childish pipe dreams, he wanted to know her advice on a life goal! Now he just felt stupid. He took out the next picture; it was a messily coloured purple dragon in guard armour, looking very knightly and noble, and the one under that was a rugged adventurer. He chuckled as he looked at each one, remembering the scenes that played out in his head that went along with them.
In an instant they each began magically pulling out of his grip, as well as the pictures from the other two boxes, each box filled to the brim with a purple dragon in a variety of stories. Saving foals, facing large threatening monsters, preventing disasters, even getting the mare! Hundreds of them floated around in the Rarity’s magical grip.
“She told me you always had a dream Spike. She was worried you might have forgotten what it was. There are more boxes like these you know? I couldn’t even take them all with me! When you were young, you were as devoted to this idea as I was to fashion, Twilight was to magic, and Rainbow Dash to the Wonderbolts. It was all that you thought about, all that you played at being, and everything you aspired to be.”
“Yeah, but they’re just storybook heroes, that’s not exactly a profession like a clothes designer or a stunt pony.”
“Of course it is Darling! They’re just more specialized than your old hatchling dreams. Look here, you’ve drawn yourself stopping a lava flow and saving ponies in this one! Oh and here’s one of you flying some foals from a flooded town.” The drawings she referred to floated over for his viewing. “Why this is just disaster prevention and relief! There are many ponies trained for that very thing.”
“That’s true, isn’t it?” He reached up to pluck them from the air to look at them fondly.
“And what about this one, where you’re fending off this bear?”
“Heh, I remember that, I had a whole story in my head where I was out searching for some ponies that got lost in the woods.” He grinned at the recollection. “I had to save them from all kinds of monsters and stuff, and bring them back to town”
“Search and Rescue then! Why I’m sure you’d be wonderful at that. And here’s one where you’re saving a family from a fire! Wouldn’t you make an excellent fire pony? You’re even unharmed by fire!”
“Wow… yeah, I guess I would, wouldn’t I?” A cocky grin spread across his face at the thought.
“If you work as hard as you worked at learning to fly, I’m sure you’d be wonderful at any number of these Spike! And I can most certainly attest to your courage.” The pictures all began neatly placing themselves back into the boxes. “You should browse through them the very next chance you get to yourself, look into the different careers, and see which you believe will suit you best. You might just find what you’re looking for.”
“Alright! Yeah, I’ll get right on this!”
“Well I would hope not tonight. We’ve still a party to attend,” Rarity slid into a suggestive smile, fluttering her lashes persuasively. “And I was dearly hoping a respectable suitor might just gather the courage to ask me to dance.”
Spike was tripping over himself to hold open the door for her as quick as he could, offering her his arm while trying not to stutter. “I-if you’d do me the honour?”
“Such a gentledrake.” She draped a hoof around his proffered arm and the two made their way outside. A quick claw snatched a top hat from the nearby coat rack before the library door closed behind them, a quiet girlish giggle following after.
Stats
Page generated in 0.034 seconds
Total duration
869 users online
1,327,311 hits today, 2,280,440 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Not I was thinking but that idea was just as good. I think most of us had those kinds of dreams at some point or another. I wonder which he would choose. I'm hoping for adventurer/stunt dragon. As an adventurer he would be able to do multiple jobs that go into many fields. Since Spike has many talents I think he is more along the lines of a Jack of all trades.
The feels, man. The feels.
2494255
Thank you!
2495255
I won't leave you hanging on that! Though what the trio will be doing after the competition won't be revealed until the very end, considering that is what this whole story is leading to. I think I also completely cleaned up for you the reasons why Rarity stopped him from confessing. Hope it was to your liking!
In the mean time Spike's Dream everybody! Slapping your foreheads for not guessing it yet?
"Re-he-he-heeeally," and now all I can think of is Jim Carrey
Everything's so perfect and sweet! It's always nice to have the fact Spike is, in a sense, living in a society that thinks of his kind as monsters. The thought would be pushed onto him, even if they weren't referring to him. Those last few scenes...
Everything was quite well played, especially Rarity inserting a lesson she recently learned from a particular sea serpent. Top hats are cool.
Personally, with the way Equestria comes under fire once every few months, a knight seems like a realistic job to me.
P.S. Spike's fear of Celestia making him always write like that was both hilarious and completely understandable.
2495384 Looks like I can do nothing but wait and see what you come up with next time.
2495381
They make life worth living!
2496627
Aaaaaaalllrighty then!
I enjoyed writing Scoots and Apple Bloom teasing her so much!
I think I write them all thinking less monster and more a complete unknown of what makes him do what. He turned into Godzilla over a birthday party, where else could one small well intentioned favour turn wrong?
And you caught Rarity bringing her own lessons to front! Coolness, I wasn't sure if people would.
Knights are cool, but is that what Spike would want to be? As a soldier he might have to kill things, and I don't think that's quite his style, I have something in mind, but that's a wait and see thing!
Spike would become a REAL scribe if that happened
I hope you enjoyed your dose of Sparity!
2497814 Well, I mean pony society as a whole, not necessarily the girls.
I don't know man, the girls seem to get by just fine not killing things.
Quite a bit
2497903
Also true! But knights aren't the elements of harmony either, so anyone's guess? Of course, so far all Equestrian guards have been woefully inadequate at everything...
I think Shining Armour got Captain out of pure ability to not be useless.
2498014 That, and not looking eerily like the stallion next to him. Probably creeps the hell out of Celestia... or she's secretly cloning them, one of the two.
2498042
Maybe she chooses them based on physique alone, than has them dye their fur?
2498215 Psh, jezz, that makes cloning sound sane
2498275
Sane? This. is. Equestria! *Soldier tries to kick you into a ball pit before klutzing out and landing on his face*
Also only men in the military? For shame Celestia, for shame.
2498360 Actually, there is a female guard shown at one point. I think she's a Unicorn, but for the life of me I can't remember what episode.
2498580
Guess I'll just have to rewatch them all to find out, oh woe is me.
2498690
Hmm...so Spike's dream is to be a knight....why did I not see this before??? Even in canon, Spike's always wanted to be a protector, the guy that gets the mare, the one that is able to help save lives.
I wonder if this means that the Royal Guard is ready to accept a dragon as one of their ranks. I know that if that is the ultimate destiny of Spike, he's gonna have at least 10 incredible references--The three Princesses (mommy
says hi, Spike), the mane 6 (including his "implied" marefriend, his coach the future Wonderbolt, and his adoptive sister), and Shining Armor (his adoptive bro and Captain of the Guard). Hell, by the time's it's all done, I think he could also include Sapphire Shore's protege (Sweetie Belle), a future potential Wonderbolt (Scootaloo), and possible the most influencial character in Canterlot that has not already been mentioned in FancyPants ( I know, he hasn't been really written into the story, but I have a hunch that Spike has a connection with him and nopony never even mentions it, similar to how he has a connection to Hoity Toity).
If not a Royal Guard for all of Equestria, how about as Ponyville's draconic protector? I would love to see how Equestria would handle it when ponykind discovers that their greatest treasure and shield is a creature that for millenia was the complete opposite of what they deal with?
Hell, by the way Spike acts, his existence might be the stepping stone for mending relations between dragons and ponies, where one day the two species would prosper together in harmony....
oh gawd, da feelz!
this makes me cry, but in a good way. The story has been keeping me locked into it to the point that Comments are moot unil I'm done. You, sir, deserve a TARDIS of internets. 
And then Twilight invents a cross continent teleportation system so that her friends never have to remain apart, accidentally revolutionizing Equestria society on the side.
3430933
That unicorn would too! You know it, and I know it! On the other hand she does seem to be the only one powerful enough TO teleport. Then again they do seem to have the ability to make powerful inter-dimensional portals out of decorative mirrors. Perhaps a not so inter-dimensional one? Hmmmm..... Well, I'll let Twilight figure it out. she's the guru for that sort of thing after all.
Amazing story, and there still more!
Will continue after a short break.
3484909
So much more! I hope you enjoy the second half as much as you have the first!
My name is Biker Dash...
You killed ScootaBelle...
Prepare to die.
*pulls out a rapier and a 17th century costume*
(gotta do it right)
My name is Biker Dash...
Ah, this is one of those infrequent stories that knows the core of true romance. As with many things in writing, subtlety and that gradual give and take foster the relationship. And at the core of it all is deeply and fundamentally understanding the characters' hearts and minds. It is through the mind's expression of itself through word and action that we come to know a person; so to is this true for any well-written fictional character.
Not to mention, Spike and Rarity somehow feel right... I don't know, maybe it's the notion of a dragon and unicorn falling in love... when the dragon would usually consider a unicorn a delicacy.
6234525
While I do love me some Princess Bride reference, I 'did' forewarn Belle's parting previously. I hardly think that qualifies me as a certain 6 fingered villain.
6253538
This, a thousand times this. I've read many a romance fic and story, but so many seem to be missing something very important. Love is not created in a vacuum. Most writers take their current ship and put them into a scene together then let nature run its course, except, that's not natural at all. Other things are always happening. Trying to disclude the outside world from the situation or sweeping it under a rug makes characters feel far less real.
As for my Sparity vote? I just find them perfectly complimentary. They're both romantics at heart, they both enjoy a taste for the upper class, and have a desire to acquire pretty rocks. But also their personalities clash in the most interesting ways!
One is prone to greed, the other is too focused on gaining prestige. One has perfect manners, the other will happily find their supper in the trash when no one's looking. One is a beauty, the other is a beast.
It's a tale as old as time (if you'll excuse the pun) and has a chance to become a re-telling of a well-loved classic tale. I often wonder why people get their heckles up so much about these two.