The five stages of being turned down

by Charzoid

Stage 1- Denial

Time seemed to fly as it was already the day of the wedding for Rarity and Fancy Pants.

Spike agreed into being the ring bearer at the wedding with the best happy face on for Rarity he could muster. The couple was getting married in front of a large white gazebo with gold accents on its edges and corners, walking up to an pearly white stone gazebo, with 2 rings on a purple pillow in his claws. There were song birds sitting on top of the roof that were singing a soft melody, almost like a lullaby in the background. A small well-dressed crowd surrounded them consisting of half of ponyville, plus his closest friends included. Even he himself for some weird reason was dressed up in a small green tuxedo that he didn't remember wearing a few seconds ago.

Standing at the center of the gazebo were none other than Fancy Pants and Rarity. Both dressed in the latest outfits from Rarity's wedding dress line. She was in a beautiful white dress with sequins on the sleeves and a long train to it. He was in an off grey tux with black buttons on the sleeves. Neither, really seeming to be paying much attention to the officiant until he asked for the rings.
Just then as all eyes were on spike to present the rings, Fancy Pants suddenly started to snarl and shake violently. His eyes turned from light blue to yellow. The sound of the stallion's bones cracking could be heard as he stood on his hind legs and began to morph his hooves into paws. Then his fur turned from white to grey while his snout formed that of a dog's with pointy teeth. Before the eyes of everyone the once gentle stallion was now a big diamond dog that was about to attack the bride. Only one thing came to mind for Spike at that moment.

"Don't worry Rarity I'll save you!" Spike shouted, then proceeded to shoot a fireball at the beast. The fireball didn't seem to do much other then make Fancy Pants laugh at the young dragon's attempt to attack.

"I say small drake, was that weak flame really suppose to hurt me?" The former unicorn Fancy Pants chuckled evilly. He then pounced at spike who to his credit was just fast enough to jump out of the way in time. Using his tail like a whip when Fancy Pants missed on the second attack, Spike whipped Fancy Pants hard with his tail at his ankles which knocked him over some. The momentary feeling of success in landing a blow to him was short lived however when he was hit from behind
Someone had thrown the pillow he was caring a few seconds ago to hit him hard in his ear. He turned to see the last pony he thought would be helping this beast.

"Spikey wikey, don't you dare hit my husband!"

It was Rarity who for the most part seemed oddly still and silent throughout this point. Only the thing was now, where the unicorn Rarity once stood was what looked like the diamond dog equivalent of her. As he gazed at what use to be his Rarity a thought suddenly occurred to him. Why was everyone being so quiet throughout this? Even with occasional chaos with discord around becoming nothing new for ponyville at this point something like this should be warranting at least some amount of panic from those watching. With that thought in mind he turned around to discover that now the entire crowd had somehow transformed as well into ugly diamond dog versions of his friends.

The crowd, Fancy Pants, and even Rarity all started to advance on him with cold eyes and snarling muzzles. He was outnumbered and didn't know what to do other then run as fast as his legs could carry him to the nearest building. Luckily sugarcube corner wasn't that far. He quickly got inside and started locking the door. The howls and clawing of his attackers could be heard from the other side of the door. How all this was happening he still wasn't sure. After a while the clawing and howling stopped. Everything seemed quiet for a few minutes. Spike decided to take look out the window but just before his claw could touch the curtain he felt the whole building start to shake. He now had a bad feeling on what he was about to see out the window.

Looking out the window he saw nothing but miles of open space and no diamond dogs to be seen. He felt the house suddenly lurch as if being turned around which he realized it was. Holding the house her now giant palms, was the diamond dog Rarity. Either both the house and him shrank or she grew giant and was now holding the house with him in it. Spike was so horrified and confused by all this he didn't know what to do other than stare at her in fear. Fear was the last thing he thought he'd ever feel when he looked at Rarity.

She looked down at him for a brief moment and he thought he saw the same adoring look she gave him when he was given a gem as a present by her for the first time. The look lasted a moment but then was replaced by a mischievous grin and her raising the house above her head and opening her mouth. It clicked in his mind to slowly on what was about to happen. She then tilted it and shook the house just enough to send him flying out the window then into her mouth. Spike tried to grab her uvula but it was too slippery and he fell into the dark pink abyss that was her throat.

He then woke up holding himself in his basket bed and checking he was all in one piece. The nightmare was just so weird and yet felt real at the same time. Should he take it as a sign that maybe something was bad about Fancy Pants? Twilight did tell him once that she read about how some weird dreams could hold meanings like that. Briefly the thought of it meaning he was to weak for Rarity since she was on the side of his attacker ran through his mind but he brushed it off. He had done plenty for her over the years to let her know how strong she was and she always complimented him when he did good. Sure he had some moments where he let greed for things like gems get the better of his judgment but that couldn't mean anything serious. It looked like morning right now so it was a good time to test the idea.

"Maybe it was a sign! I should keep a closer eye on Fancy Pants to see if he's truly the gentlecolt he is in public events."Spike thought this as he made his way to the door. He failed to notice that Twilight was watching him.

"Spike? Where are you going?"

Even though they had a guard to make them breakfast now and keep them company for it, spike usually stuck around in the morning to eat with them. He just got his heart broken yesterday and she was worried he would do something reckless in response. The fact that he was now walking out so early in the morning while dressed in the costume he wore when she caught him trying to frame owlowiscious didn't help matters.

"Oh! Morning Twilight,I was just heading out early to.....help Rarity with the wedding plans."
It was the first excuse to come to his mind.

"Then what's with the outfit?" She asked.

"Just thought I'd try out a different look today is all. You know how Rarity says its almost a crime to not change your look up every once in a while."

"Are you sure you're not still upset about Rarity and Fancy Pants? I understand if you still are, everypony knew how much you cared about her and all.

"No, no, I thought it over last night and I'm totally fine with her being with somepony other then me. All I care about is seeing her happy. Now if you'll excuse me I gotta get to Rarity's before Fancy Pants. You know to congratulate him and help with stuff."

All while he was talking he was backing up hastily to the door. He wasn't sure how much of what he was saying that she was buying. Before she could reply he exited the castle just as the guard that usually joined them for breakfast came into the room. Balanced on one of his orange wings were three plates. He looked at the door curiously and then to his princess. His expression was telling her that he'd been eavesdropping on their chat just then.

"Your grass pancakes with toast are ready Princess Twilight but if you want to skip breakfast and check on him, I wouldn't blame you." he said

"Thank you Flash Sentry and you're right I do need to check on him. Stay here and tell anyone who comes by to see me that I'll be out for a little while please." Twilight asked

"Will do Princess Twilight.” Flash replied with a small salute as he watched his princess gallop through the door.

Spike at this point had already found the town's hot air balloon to get to Rarity's house faster. What he told Twilight wasn't completely a lie since he did wanna help Rarity while keeping an eye on Fancy Pants at the same time. Under his top hat he had brought some binoculars to make sure Fancy Pants didn't beat him to Rarity's house. He wanted to test just how loyal to Rarity he really was. He was gonna trick Fancy Pants into a few really dumb tasks that any other stallion would refuse and see how fast he refuse then see how fast he gives up. After all no other guy could be as loyal to Rarity at her most extreme requests like he was.

He eventually spotted his target not to far down the street and approaching Rarity's so he kicked the balloon into full speed and made it just before Fancy got close enough to the house.

"Hey there Fancy Pants, Rarity asked me to tell you about some things she'd like you to pick up for her today. If you don't mind that is." Spike said

"Oh no problem at all good drake. What tasks does she need done?” Fancy Pants replied with a smile.

"First she needs wool from the ewes in the crystal empire, then a few roses from the Everfree forest, and last a few diamonds from a cave also in the Forest.” Spike listed.

"Well, it should be most interesting to see what she makes with all of those.” The stallion said cheerily before turning around to start his quest.

What he didn't know though was that spike was following him from a distance.

At the Crystal Empire

The train ride to the crystal kingdom was an uneventful but relaxing one. As Fancy Pants got off the train to the Crystal Empire he couldn't help but marvel at the city's beauty. Even though he had seen it a few times before the Equestria games it was still a great sight to behold. As he walked to the where he remembered seeing the sheep farm on his first time tour of the place he couldn't help but be curious as to what Rarity would need these random items from such random places. The wool he could understand since it was a bit out of the way but the other items could be easily bought around her own town. On top of that Spike had an oddly strained smile on his face when he told him the list of items. He had been around many phony ponies and usually a face like the one he received was usually used when lying. What would Spike have to lie about though? Unlike Canterlot ponies the residents of ponyville never needed a reason to be insincere for the most part and he never thought he gave Spike a reason to be.

When he first met Rarity she wasn't completely honest with him on her friends but when she told him the truth he was more then happy to get to know the heroines of equestria. They were a very random mishmash bunch of mares that he was kind of surprised at how well they got along. Even though he himself tried to get along with ponies of all walks of life, he found most liked sticking to one clique of sorts or another. Some for reasons of feeling more secure and comfy with like-minded individuals or the more juvenile reasons of feeling one breed or species as being to good for the other. It made him happy that ponyville wasn't such a place and that Rarity wasn't such a pony. Spike seemed to be an equally friendly character like most that lived there and even though they didn't speak often he thought of them as friends. Even if Rarity hadn't actually sent him out here for these items and this was some sort of prank on the little dragon's part he wouldn't hold it against him. He needed the exercise anyway and then maybe grab a few tasty corn on the cobs for the ride back.

The ewe farm wasn't to much farther and Fancy Pants could see the colorful herd of little ewes getting closer. In fact you could almost say they seemed like they were coming his way now that he noticed the gap between himself and them closing rather rapidly. Squinting through his monocle he realized it wasn't his imagination and that the ewes were in fact stampeding in his direction. Not sure what to do he decided to try something he read in one of those daring doo books he read where she used a net to stop a stampede of mutant sized worms. Though he had no net on hoof at the moment, he did notice two blue mail boxes and a watermelon sales pony with a large and rather long tarp on it. It was extra hot out for watermelons so it made sense the size of the tarp and he would be sure to return it later.
"Excuse me my good sales pony but do you mind if I might borrow that tarp of yours for a moment? I promise it will only take a few minutes.” Fancy Pants asked the vendor.
"For 5 bits sure but I'm gonna want 5 more if you rip it up.” Replied the vendor to Fancy Pants.
He agreed to pay and quickly got to work setting things up with his magic. One flaw of almost everything being made of crystal in this empire was a lot of things were slippery so tying down or sitting down on some things were tricky. Fancy Pants only had time to figure out how to secure the bottom of the tarp around the bottom of the mail boxes when he noticed the ewes were now closing in on where he was. The best thing he could think of doing now was to levitate the top part of the tarp just high enough that it didn't smother the ewes and hopefully not to low that they'd just jump over.
As the ewes approached at frantic speed a good portion did stop completely when they hit the tarp shield. A few more smart ones how ever did hop over it with some surprising leg strength. A few pegasus crystal guards and a golden colored crystal earth pony soon arrived as well. The earth pony looked particularly tired from all that running and it was safe to assume from his cutie mark that this was the owner of the ewes. Once he caught his breath he began to speak.
"Hi I'm Cotton Gym and thank you so much for catching my ewes mister.” said Cotton.

"Greeting, I’m Fancy Pants and it was no trouble but I'm afraid a few out maneuvered me. They seemed exceptionally afraid of whatever it was that frightened them into this frenzy.” Fancy replied.

"That's the odd thing about this. My ewes were as relaxed as can be one minute then some kind of green ball of fire came out of no place and scared them. Odder still I know I Ieft the gate to the pin closed earlier and something opened the gate leaving claw marks. I heard there might be snow wolves roaming outside the empire but I didn't think they could open gates." Said the farmer with panic on his face.

Fancy Pants had a good guess what type of "wolf" performed such an act. He didn't think Spike would take a prank so far as to scare animals like this. The drake seemed to have a rather mean sense of humor. None the less he didn't want to get Rarity's little friend in trouble.

"Don't worry good stallion I have a feeling this was all but a harmless prank likely done by some mischievous unicorn teens. I remember some teens doing similar at a dog show I once attended. They used a re-sizing spell on a cat and had it run around after the dogs for chuckles. No one got hurt luckily." Fancy Pants said this to calm the farmer down.

"Oh, well in that case thanks again then. Is there anything I could do to repay you?" Cotton offered the nice stallion.

"Well actually yes I actually would like a few balls of your wool if you please.” Fancy Pants asked with a smile.

Not to far above from this little conversation neither noticed as a purple alicorn was flying overhead. An upset expression on her face while the small dragon she was carrying with magic had an irritated look on his own.

Author's Note:

And chapter 2 is finally here! I made a few changes to my first chapter thanks to the editing help of a guy/girl named Blue Blaze{COMET}. To anyone who thumbed down my story but is reading this anyway,please don't hesitate to tell me what specific errors you see and things you dislike so I can attempt to improve. Thank you to those of you who commented and added this to your favorites. I appreciate the support.
Despite it being kinda the theme here for this story the only thing close to romance I've ever experienced is with a crush I had in high school which I eventually got over. Sorry ahead of time if for the most part I don't seem to portray how the characters feel very well.

Comments

[TheWorstDiscord]

Isn't fleur de lis or whatever already Fancys wife?

Other than that I like this story. Though I hope you don't have that stereotypical thing where the guy who liked the girl first does some stupidly embarrassing thing like objecting in the middle of the wedding, and that Spike will either be mature about it or you have Rariy like him too or something. I really am just irritated with how many movies/shows/stories have done it.

[Charzoid]

4978004 Oh no none of that's gonna happen. I hope to make Spike more mature by the end of things.

[TheWorstDiscord]

4978190 YES!

[Charzoid]

5174465 I appreciate that but I have no amazon account. If you came here from the link in my post then and are interested in helping me out more personally through what you think should be done for the chapter then PM me.

[DanvilleBengal]

4978190

Personally I think the only way that Spike will be able to accept that Rarity is somepony else's wife instead of his special somepony would be for Spike to get a Special Someone just for him. I get that his heart is shattered because Rarity will no longer be in his life in a romatic sense. (And to be honest, there never were any sense of romance brewing in the first place, it was always platonic and poor Spike just refused to see it). But I truly believe that to heal a broken heart, you need another hear to do it. I see the Sad tag is in there for a reason. I just wish and pray that by the time that it gets to Acceptance, Spike's got a mate for himself and that mate would be his world just like he will be that mate's world.

And honestly Twilight, I get that you just want Spike to understand that he didn't have a shot at Rarity in the first place, but honestly, the Princess of Friendship needs to learn a bit of tact. Just my opinion.