Prologue
“So...Twist, you work at the candy shop with Bon Bon?” asked Spike, desperately trying to save the last remains of an absolutely horrid date. The mare on the opposite side of the table readjusted her glasses for what had to have been the millionth time tonight.
“Oh yes! I’ve been Ms. Drop’s apprentice for a couple of years now. After I got my Cutie Mark, I really didn’t know how I could hone my skills. I’m very grateful for the opportunity she’s given me.”
“Mmhmm...” responded Spike. The dragon couldn’t even pretend to be the least bit interested in what his date was saying. He had asked the red maned mare out on a whim, not even thinking that she would actually agree to go out. From what he had heard around town, Twist had just broken up with her coltfriend. Under normal circumstances, Spike would not go for somepony only recently single. Not after what happened last time...
With a sigh, the drake aimlessly played with the spaghetti on his plate.
It wasn’t that Twist was unattractive, she had been grown out of the dorky filly of her youth. The Earth Pony had even taken speech therapy to get rid of her lisp. No, it wasn’t her looks that Spike didn’t like. It was....
Spike’s eyes narrowed as he came to a realization. Why didn’t he like Twist? The drake went through the trouble of asking her out, going as far as to reserve seats at one of the most acclaimed restaurants in Ponyville to make a good impression.
The conundrum baffled Spike to no end. His mental warfare was only stopped by the voice of his date.
“But enough about me. Tell me about yourself, Spike.” said Twist.
Spike snapped back to reality to answer the mare. “Oh, I’m no one special.” answered the drake. “Hatched from an egg, faithful assistant to a Ms.Twilight Sparkle, and...well you know the rest.”
Spike swirled a fork around his noodles. They were far too cold to eat by this point, but anything was welcome to distract him from the events of the night.
Twist, sensing Spike’s obvious disinterest in the date, cleared her throat uncomfortably.
Spike sighed uneasily. “Listen Twist, I’ve wasted enough of your time as it is. I’m sorry, but I think we should just-”
“TWIST!” suddenly called a voice. Spike, the mare in question, and just about every other dining patron turned towards the front of the restaurant. There, a lanky yellow unicorn stallion stood levitating a bouquet of roses.
“Snails?” asked Spike in surprise.
The yellow stallion galloped towards the drake and his date. “Twist! I’m so sorry I forgot our anniversary” he cried. He shoved the roses into Twist’s face. “Please! Forgive me!”
Twist turned away, her nose in the air. “It’s too late Snails.” she said. “You had your chance and you blew it. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m on a date with Spike.”
Snails turned towards the drake, who offered a nervous wave at the stallion’s uneasy gaze. “Spike!? How could you steal her away from me?” he asked, tears starting to form in his eyes.
Spike resisted the urge to facepalm. “Listen Snails, it isn’t that serious between-”
“AAH!” yelled Snails, suddenly pouncing on Spike. The poor drake barely had time to react before he was thrown out of his seat and onto the floor. Snails pinned the dragon down. “Let me have her Spike! Don’t take her away!” he cried.
Spike squirmed under the weight of the stallion. “Get off of me!” he yelled.
By this point, the skirmish had gained the attention of the restaurant's staff. A waiter approached the three with a less than amused look on his face. “If you’d be so kind as to take your soap opera somewhere else.” he said. “We do not allow fights in this establishment.”
In an instance, the stallion had booted the three out of the restaurant, and onto the streets of Ponyville.
Spike rubbed his head, both in annoyance and in pain.
Twist slowly rose to her feet. “Oh! Are you okay!” she asked.
Spike nodded his head. “Yeah, I’m a little-”
“Snails! Speak to me!” cried Twist, cradling the head of the unicorn.
“Twist? Is that you?” asked Snails dramatically. “Come closer Twist...”
Twist nuzzled the yellow stallion affectionately. “Oh Snails, I forgive you!” she cried.
“That’s all I ever wanted.” answered the yellow unicorn. His hoof over his forehead dramatically.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” asked Spike, shocked at the display.
Twist finally stopped fawning over her lover and acknowledged the dragon’s existence. “I’m sorry Spike, but my heart belongs to Snails.” she said, cradling the colt harder.
Spike’s eyes twitched. “I-I-don’t even know how to respond to this.” he said. As time went on however, it appeared he wouldn’t need to. Twist’s cuddling soon turned into hugging, which turned into kissing, that turned into...more passionate things. Spike stood there in awe as he watched the two go at it. He awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
“I’m just going to go.” he finally said. Without even waiting for a response, Spike quickly shuffled away from the scene.
_____________________________________________________________________________
The walk back to the library seemed unbelievably slow. Spike’s feet scraped the ground like a hoe plowing through the fields of Sweet Apple Acres. He loosened the bow tie he was wearing, no need to look like a gentle-drake now.
The drake looked up to the starry sky. For a Friday, the night was still fairly young for debauchery. Not that Spike was going to do anything of course, but he did enjoy having the option.
Eventually, the dragon reached the humble establishment of the ‘Tribary’. Digging into his scale pocket, Spike fished out his key. Serves me right I guess, at least somepony went home happy. he thought, raising the key to the lock.
The moment the key touched the lock however, the door suddenly swung open, catapulting Spike a few feet away.
“Ouch!” he shouted as he landed on the ground hard.
“Oh Spike!” called a voice.
The dragon in question slowly rose to from the ground, only to then be pulled into a tight hug by his adoptive sister.
“T-Twilight! I c-can’t breathe!” Spike managed to say, his lungs desperately trying to salvage the little oxygen they had left. With an audible sigh, the purple unicorn released Spike from her deadly clutches.
“Spike! Where were you! You said that you’d be home by 11 PM, it’s...” she checked a watch that was on her right foreleg. “...11:05!”
Spike rolled his eyes. “Twilight, calm down! I was taking the scenic route home, it’s no big deal.”
Twilight’s eye twitched. “No big deal?! Well the last time I thought your disappearance was ‘no big deal’, you were about to be killed by the Unicorn Mafia!” she pointed out.
Suppressing a facepalm, Spike walked past Twilight and into the library. Their home/workplace had received a large makeover over the time of a few years. Not only was it significantly larger, but Spike had finally convinced Twilight to give him his own room. As a growing young dragon, Spike needed his personal space.
The only source of light in the library came from the flickering fireplace that illuminated the room in an orange glow. Winter would be beginning soon and the fireplace wouldn’t just be used as decoration.
“Yeah yeah, I know Twilight, but that was a year ago.” assured Spike. “Ever since the ‘Vinyl Scratch Incident’ as you like to call it happened, you’ve been extremely overprotective of me. I appreciate the concern you have, but I need some freedom Twi!”
The dragon took off his black blazer and hung it on the nearby coat rack. After taking off his shoes, Spike took a seat on the couch, his muscles practically melting on the soft cushions. He let out a satisfying groan as he finally relaxed for the first time all night.
With a sigh, Twilight soon took her own seat on the couch next to Spike.
“I’m just worried is all...” said Twilight, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Just think of what could’ve happened if Shining Armor didn’t organize that raid on the mobster’s headquarters. You could’ve been hurt, or worse!”
Spike closed his eyes, deep in thought about what Twilight had said. A few days after the ‘incident’, Spike had convinced himself that the experience wasn’t as bad as it seems. However, deep down Spike knew his guardian was right. He could’ve died that night, he should’ve died that night. In all honesty, it didn’t make sense that the drake survived the ordeal.
Perhaps that was why he chose to go out with Twist tonight. His foal napping had taught him that life is short and that you should live it to the limit. A date was still a date after all, even if it was with someone he had no feelings for.
As if reading his mind, Twilight decided to turn her attentions on the dragon’s unfortunate activity of the night.
“So Spike, how was your date?” she asked.
“We...didn’t have a connection.” he said, giving a half truth.
Twilight frowned. “Well I’m sorry to hear that...you’ll find somepony someday.” she promised.
“Yeah...” Spike repeated. “...someday.”
There was an uneasy silence.
“Well, I’ve had enough of tonight. I’m off to bed.” declared Spike, rising off of the couch. “I’ll see ya tomorrow, Twi.”
The lavender unicorn smiled. “Have a good night’s sleep.”
Without another word, Spike began his ascent up the stairs. His body felt unbelievably numb, as if his muscles were coated in a thick layer of glue. It seemed that going on bad dates took a lot out of a dragon, Spike was no exception.
Half collapsing in his bed, the drake spent his last few minutes of consciousness praying that his love life would improve from the utter train wreck it was today. That, and that him sleeping would erase the awful image of Snails and Twist display of affection.
Meanwhile...
This night would’ve been perfect. Luna’s evening sky was decorated with a countless number of bright beautiful stars. The restaurant's classy demeanor carried around a presence of elegance, a presence that the young mare seated at one of the tables found herself enjoying.
Yes this would’ve been a perfect night, if only this wasn’t the night Silver Spoon had to tell the truth.
"So exactly what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Thunderlane, as if sensing something amiss."Whatever it is must be important enough for you to drag me to the fanciest restaurant in town."
Silver Spoon shifted her glasses nervously, refusing to meet her colt friend's uneasy gaze. The two had been dating for just under 3 months, if this was to go any further, she would have to be honest with him.
"Well...I really like you," she began. Thunderlane put a smug grin on his face. "But I figured I needed to come clean with you."
The grin fell. "C-Come clean?" the Pegasus asked nervously. Silver Spoon nodded.
"You see Thunder...” Silver Spoon paused, trying to find the right words to say. “...I have a very...special job."
1 Hour Later...
Sadness? No, that wasn’t the right word to describe how she felt. Silver Spoon was beyond to sadness at this point.
Silver Spoon practically collapsed on her bed. The tears were gone, but the sheer weight of the night still depressed the mare.
The newly single Earth Pony relaxed deeper onto her bed.
"There truly is no love for me, is there?" she asked out loud. The universe didn’t dare answer back.