Spike's Last Chance
The years of failure were like a scar for Spike, one no amount of magic could erase.
Everypony was at the party. The six Element bearers, their families, their friends from all over Equestria, even the nameless strangers who would only stand in the background and do nothing. It was like all of Equestria was there. They were all older, years older, with the six bearers now fully grown mares and their younger siblings mares themselves. The mass of ponies were in a grand party hall in Canterlot the size of a palace, which was decorated with marble statues and ice sculptures and equipped with a fountain in the entrance room as well as ceiling windows which lit the dance halls with the moon's dim light.
On every wall and corner were posters and banners, all with phrases like, "Good Luck, Rarity!" and "Good Bye, Rarity!" Spike kept his eyes away from them.
He too was at the party, but sat alone at a table a full room away from anypony else. His room had no ceiling windows, nor were the lights on. His table held no drinks or food, just him. He frowned with his elbows on the table and his hands holding up his head. Not even a sigh escaped him, only silence. His eyes were focused on the room in front of him, the dance hall, where the residents of Ponyville talked and laughed. There stood the one pony Spike couldn't free his eyes from, the only pony that mattered.
Rarity stood surrounded by her friends and family and chatted as they all held their hooves around each other. She had aged so much since Spike had first laid his eyes on her, but even now, it like the first time to him all over again.
It always was.
Sure, everypony at the party was smiling and laughing, Rarity included, but Spike could tell without trying that it was just a mask. Every smile, every chuckle, it was all as fake as Mayor Mare's mane color. With every chatter a feeling of sadness came along with it, a sense of dread. Spike made no such mask; the dread had entered him long ago, and he made no attempt to fight it.
After all, how could he fight the truth?
The events of this night had begun a few months back, when after a trip to Manehattan, Rarity had announced that she had put in her resume and went for an interview for one of the biggest fashion firms in Equestria. Getting accepted there would've immediately made her one of the biggest names in fashion in the kingdom, if not the biggest. She of course squeed as she told everypony, even though she was as doubtful and over the top as ever about her chances of making it. Then, a few weeks later, a letter arrived in the mail. She was in. After inching her way to the top, she had finally done it. Her dreams were realized.
Her home was now Manehattan.
It took a while for that fact to sink in; the rush of a life completed after all does last for quite for a while. Spike realized it first. He had already come to terms with the fact that she may one day move when she got an offer to temporarily stay during a previous visit to Manehattan. That, of course, was given to Coco Pommel, but the fact remained. Rarity was only temporarily resident of Ponyville from then on out.
Rarity almost gave up the opportunity when she realized what it would mean, but of course her friends convinced her otherwise as only a fool would give up such an opportunity. That's when the cold truth set in for Spike. He'd only be able to see her a few times a year, if that, as she'd now be busier than ever. And who knows what kind of stallions she'd meet there. Rich, successful, handsome, stallions.
That wasn't what killed it for Spike though.
Long distance relationships could work, at least that's what he had heard. He asked Twilight to ask Rarity what she thought of them.
"It's not going to work."
That's all Twilight said when she came back.
Saying Spike was mad would be an understatement, but at who could be mad at? At Rarity, for finally fulfilling her dreams? For finally getting happiness? The others? For wanting what they knew was only best for their friend? No, there was only one person to be angry at.
Himself.
Year after year had passed, and still he didn't said a word to her about his love. He had so many chances, so many wasted chances. If he had just worked up the courage just once, who knows where his life could've been now.
A life with Rarity was now nothing more than fantasy, but there was still one more chance for him to tell her how he felt.
Tonight.
The party was all he had, and would ever have before the two of them moved forward into a new chapter of their lives. Countless chances had already been wasted, but tonight, failure was no longer an option. But of course, even now, with the tick of the clock only moving forward, Spike sat alone, silent, and without a word said to Rarity.
He had actually promised himself that he would say it as soon as the party began. That chance had already been wasted, as well as every second he sat doing nothing and stared at his friends partying it up one last time together. His heart and mind were set on the mission, but like always, his spirit had other plans.
You have to do it... You have to do it... You have to do it...
That was how he spent the party. Claws clenched, heart pounding, but he never once got up from his dark corner. Seconds turned to minutes, minutes into hours, and like no time had passed at all, the moon rose higher and the party drew to a close.
"Yer ride's here, Rarity!" Applejack yelled.
Spike snapped out of his comatose. Everypony but Rarity, her family and Twilight were already out, with the rest about to go outside as well. They began walking to the exit.
You have to do it... You have to do it...
Spike jumped up out of his seat and ran into the other room, "Hey guys! Wait up!"
Twilight, now an alicorn of Cadence's height, stood beside Rarity and turned around from the dragon's yell. "There you are! Where have you been all night?! Seriously, you had me worried!"
"You know... just partying... Guess I was partying so hard you didn't see me," Spike said, chuckling.
"Let's hope not..." Twilight said.
Spike kept his chuckle going but kept his gaze fixed on Rarity, who stood silently behind Twilight. Her family was beside her, sharing her frown and silence. They all kept their eyes away from Spike.
"So... uh Rarity, you're leaving now, huh?" Spike felt like slapping himself across the face. Way to open up on a high note, Spike!
Rarity put her eyes on the dragon's. "I'm afraid so, darling... My ride is already here and I'd rather not keep him waiting. Time is invaluable, after all." There was a lack of emotion in her voice; it was as if a lifeless robot was talking.
'Oh..." Just say it! Do it! "So... you're really going through with it, huh?" Spike said.
"Spike..." Twilight said, glaring, "We've already had this talk. This is not the time for this."
Rarity walked past Twilight, same lifeless face, and to the dragon. "I'm sorry, Spike... I truly am," she wrapped her hoof around him and squeezed, "But this is just the way our lives will have to be."
Now! Now! Now! The voices kept on pounding and were all Spike could feel; the hoof around him may as well have been air.
No further words were said, and Rarity removed her hoof just as quickly as she had put it on. She began walking away with her family. Twilight gave the frowning dragon one last look, and too walked away.
Now once again alone, Spike clenched his claws, Why can't I just do it?! with his eyes squeezed shut. She was right there! It's just a few words... a few words! I love you... I love you... I LOVE YOU!
He stayed frozen with his thoughts as his only company for the next minutes. It was only when a heart chilling sentence was said did he open his eyes.
"Bye, Rarity!"
Spike charged outside, through the doors, to where the final farewell was being held. A chariot stood on the road ahead with an already impatient driver. All around were layers of ponies from Rarity and her friends' adventures and lives, with an empty pathway made for the mare of interest to walk to her vehicle of departure.
Rarity was in the near end of the pathway, closer to the party hall, and surrounded by her family and her friends. Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Twilight and her, they all had their eyes closed as they held on to each other in one collective embrace.
The hug ended. "Keep on kicking flank over there, Rarity," Dash said, hoofbumping her shoulder.
"Yeah," Applejack said, "Don't let no sadness get in the way of your dreams... We'll always be friends... no amounts of miles or nuthin' is changin' that!" The rest of them nodded.
Rarity let out a single tear, "Why, I don't even know what to say right now... I-."
Twilight put her hoof over her friend's mouth, "You don't need to say anything... We understand... We always will."
Rarity gave one last smile at her friends, and began walking towards her ride, "Farewell, my friends, my family... until next time."
Spike was a statue. He just continued watching as his mare took step after step away from him. Even the thoughts that once held a stranglehold over him were gone.
"And where have you been?!" Dash yelled, looking mad.
"Yeah!" Pinkie popped out of nowhere, "You can't just let her leave without saying goodbye!" Pinkie picked him up,
"W-What? No!"
And planted him in between Rarity and the carriage. "No need to thank me!" Pinkie said, before jumping away.
Spike was now on the floor with Rarity standing over him and everypony he had ever known staring down at him. The only thing that came out of his mouth were nervous chuckles, but regardless of his current state, it was time to finally let it out. He could feel it, like the world itself was calling out to him. The crowd held its breath, moon shined on the scene and eyes of his beloved gazed into his. Spike took one last breath and looked Rarity in the eye,
"W-Well bye, Rarity... I guess..."
There was no reaction on Rarity's face, only a hint of sadness. A sharp pain cut through Spike's heart; he would forever be a failure.
"Bye..." Rarity said, toneless, as she continued past him to the carriage. Once there, she sat down with her face pointing straight and away from the window, away from Spike. He would never again get to see those eyes. The carriage began driving away from the scene, with Spike still on the floor staring into himself.
"Nooooo!" He shot up and charged after the speeding vehicle, his eyes burning with a green flame.
Spike charged faster as he got closer and in a few seconds was side by side with it. "Stop!" He jumped in front of the driver, snorting a green smoke, and stood unmoved as the vehicle sped towards him.
"Whoa!" the driver hit the brakes with all his might, stopping mere inches in front of the dragon.
Rarity jumped out of the vehicle with obvious anger on her face, "Spike! What is the meaning of this?!" she yelled as she walked towards him, glaring, "I'm sorry, Spike, but I am not willing to miss this opportunity-!"
Her glare disappeared.
As she was yelling, Spike had run to her and put her in his embrace. Both of his arms wrapped themselves around her body, caressing her gentle coat with every movement. For the first time all night, she smiled.
Spike held his face next to hers, so close that any closer their noses would've touched. For a second all they did was bask in the silence, and stare.
"Rarity..." Spike said, still staring into her, "I've thought for so long how to say this... but there is no way... except to just say it..."
The ponies from the party all crowded around the scene. Spike saw each one of their eyes staring and judging, but didn't care.
"Rarity... I love you," Spike said, his face inching ever closer to his mare's, "I always have... from the first day I came to Ponyville... I don't know how else to say it... I just do, and always will..." A single tear dripped down Rarity's cheek as her eyes watered up.
A frown came over Spike's face, "I've always kinda had a feeling you liked me too, but I still never said anything.. I-I-ugh! I always thought I had no chance with a mare like you, so I was better off not asking... cuz... cuz..." Spike clenched his claws with watery eyes of his own, "I couldn't handle being told no... I just couldn't... I-." Rarity put her hoof over the dragon's mouth, silencing him.
"Spike... you never had anything to fear..."
Spike could only smile as he heard her soft voice.
"I would've said yes... I would've always said yes..."
"R-Really?" Spike said.
Rarity rested her head on Spike's. The other's eyes was all they could see, and all they wanted to. "Of course, darling," she said, "All you had to do was ask."
The two put their hoof over the other. Coat or scale, hoof or claw, it was the same feeling, a feeling so repressed for so long. Rarity felt her Spikey-Wikey's cheek, each scale, each tender little dimple she always loved, like it was the last time she ever would.
It was the last time she ever would.
She pushed herself away from the dragon, "Forgive me... please... I would have gladly been with you had my life not taken this direction... but now... I'm sorry... but we simply cannot be together."
"But Rari-!" Spike shouted, before being cut off.
"No buts..." Rarity glared, "I'll be in one part of Equestria and you in the other... I'm sorry, dear, but seeing each other once or twice a year does a relationship not make!"
"But it can!" Spike nearly fell to his knees, "You can come here twice a year, and I can come to you two more times... see, that's four! Four's a relationship, right?!"
"Spike..." Rarity said, glaring even harder.
"I'll go with you! Yeah, I mean I got nothing going for me here anyway... I'll be your assistant... I'm good at it, real good! You know that! Yeah... see... it can work..."
"Spike!" Rarity stomped the pavement, "Just stop it... I am not going to have you throw away your present just for a future with me... Your friends need you, much more than I do."
"R... Rarity..."
"Perhaps..." Rarity looked down, "Perhaps if this was before... perhaps if you asked me back when we still had a chance... then we could have had a future... but that future is done." Rarity slowly walked back to her seat, head down, and sat. "Driver... to my new home."
The driver nodded, and began galloping away.
Rarity kept her eyes on Spike as she disappeared into the night. Spike could only watch back without a word to say or think. There was nothing left, nothing to say, nothing to think.
The last he saw of Rarity was her turning around towards the darkness. One second she was there, in his sights like always, and the next, replaced by shadows. He waited another second. She didn't come back. She never would.
Spike's friends came rushing to the dragon, encircling him. They all no doubt told him how sorry they were and how things would get better, but he couldn't hear a single word, nor did he want to. No matter how many positive words, how many hugs, how many kisses or parties he got, the truth of his life would remain. He didn't get Rarity.
He never would.
If only he had asked her earlier; that's all he could think about. He had so many chances, years worth. A lifetime's worth. Any one could have been the one. He just needed one.
Only he was to blame. Only he would always be.
Spike took one last look at the darkness, and saw the shadow of the carriage disappear.