Two Sides - Chapter 1 (1/2)

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Spike walked through the halls of Twilight’s castle. He had grown quite tall, finally exceeding the height of his own companions. However, much to his dismay, his tail had not grown more than a few insignificant inches.

As he walked through the halls, his golden royal guard armor shone eloquently. It seemed to be more ornamented and honorable than typical royal guard armor. Clung to his shoulder beneath the armor, was a cape. It draped over his shoulder and back, only reaching to his mid-back. Upon the cape, was Princess Twilight’s mark: the stars.

Spike clearly held renowned status.

As he walked down a long hall to his destination, he found it strange that there were no guards here. There were always at least four on duty, guarding the hall. He shrugged it off.

Finally, he reached his destination: the large double doors he stood in front of would lead into Princess Twilight’s throne room. He was summoned here, by her, without much notice.

“I hope it’s nothing too serious… I’m exhausted, and was just about to finally get some rest…” Spike thought as he yawned, as he pushed the doors open. The second he pushed the doors open, they immediately swung back, knocking Spike back through the air with power.

He skillfully flipped through the air, and landed with a simple slide of his feet. He rushed towards the door, expecting that Twilight was in trouble. As he forced himself in, he realized what was happening.

“Another frantic breakout?” Spike thought, as he watched the situation unfold.

Twilight ran to and fro from various books, scribbling various notes. Her magic was fierce with anxiety and excitement, creating a strong, forceful wind in the room.

“That’d explain why the doors closed back so hastily. All that wind!” Spike thought. He shook his head and sighed.

“Twilight, relax!” Spike yelled, as he side-stepped a flying book. He looked behind him, and saw that the book dented the wood of the double doors. Spike duly noted that he shouldn’t let anything here touch him, not with that much power.

“I’m here!” he yelled again. His voice had clearly matured; it hadn’t gained a significant increase in terms of bass, but the maturity was very present.

Twilight eyed him briefly, before returning to her frantic darting around the room.

She began to utter incoherent ramblings, as she waved her hands around. Seeing him seemed to be her signal to release the pent-up stress and frustration, as the magic aura emanating from her only grew with its frantic and excited behavior.

The forceful wind her magic was creating intensified.

Spike shielded his eyes. Just as he looked up again, a book whacked him in the face. Spike laid on the floor, sighing with frustration.

“I thought I told her to seriously work on her frantic breakouts…!” Spike thought in frustration, feeling the bleeding wound on his forehead, and the bruise forming upon and around it.

“Alright exhausted body, bear with me for just a bit longer.” Spike thought, as he got up.

Spike dashed through the dangerous whirlwind of items, dodging and weaving, and if so needed, barreling through incoming projectiles.

Finally reaching Twilight, he grabbed her by both shoulders firmly. He then emanated his own, pure-white, magical aura, that combated Twilight’s own. His aura, and powerful presence, seemed to shake Twilight out of her frantic-trance.

Spike then waved his hands, as the magical aura left his body, and preserved the throne room to its previous order, even preserving the books being used, as well as Twilight’s notes. Twilight watched with great surprise at his magical affinity.

“Spike!” Twilight exclaimed.

As Spike’s magical aura died down, he panted heavily, stumbling and dropping to one knee. His nose leaked blood, and as he coughed, blood leaked over his bottom lip.

“Spike?!” Twilight exclaimed again, kneeling beside her best royal guard, and grabbing him in worry. Spike took her delicate hand with reassurance, and smiled.

“It’s alright. I was doing intensive magic-training before you summoned me, so stopping you just made me push my limits a little bit.” Spike breathed, as he used a handkerchief to clean the blood.

Some years ago, he had discovered that he was capable of manifesting the magical ability within him similar to how Twilight and other magic-users were able to. He took advantage of this, along with his passion to protect Equestria, and trained it ever thoroughly ever since.

Twilight’s face immediately flushed with guilt.

“Oh gosh, I’m so sorry!” Twilight gasped, hands over her gaping mouth.

“It’s fine, Twilight. What’s wrong, why’ve you summoned me?” Spike asked, giving a small chuckle.

“I should’ve known! You’re already too busy, what with being the Royal Guards’ Champion, and with all that training-!”

“Twilight, I said it’s-,”

“And you’ve told me to work on my bouts of franticness! But I’m always-,”

“Twilight-,”

“Gosh, and what with-,”

Spike grabbed Twilight by the shoulders again, a bit more firmly this time. She was clearly overtaken with guilt.

He removed one of his hands, and instead, cupped her chin with two fingers, lifting her head up so that she was forced to look directly at him.

“Twi: it’s. Fine.” Spike said slowly, with a stern gaze. Although he was annoyed and frustrated with her, he didn't like seeing her beat herself up.

Twilight seemed to relax under his direct gaze. She unconsciously drifted closer to him, his being providing her with an inexplicable comfort.

“So, what is wrong?” Spike asked, removing his hands, which, unbeknownst to him, displeased Twilight.

“It’s that damned Thief again!” Twilight said, walking over to her books, as the heels of her slippers clacked against the marble floor.

“Thief!? You mean the greatest thief of all time?!” Spike said, as his eyes lit up with excitement and hope.

“Miss Bejeweled is out of hiding!?” Spike exclaimed with intense excitement, like a dog reuniting with his owner after weeks of separation.

Twilight was terribly displeased with Spike’s excitement for the Thief, which Spike seemed to be oblivious to.

“It… it would seem so. She’s making a move for the final royal jewel. I was just informed that last night, Luna’s guards were incapacitated, and her jewel stolen during her sleep throughout the morning. Celestia’s own is all that’s left, and she’s likely headed there right now. Her growing connection with the Inspiration Manifestation has made her more than just a formidable foe, I’m not sure Celestia can combat her alone. She might actually pull off that world-domination thing if we don’t act quickly, Spike! If she gets these jewels, it’s all over!” Twilight said, the franticness of her voice rising again.

“So it’s the greatest thief versus the greatest hero, once again, huh?” Spike said, clutching the sword on his hip, as his excitement only grew. However, behind the excitement was a much stronger emotion, hidden behind his jittery smiles. An emotion that caused his heart to jumpstart with flutters.

“Will you catch her this time?” Twilight asked, turning to Spike. She looked him directly in the eyes, which triggered a slight caution within him.

“Don’t I always try my best?” Spike asked, looking back at the ruler of this region, his princess, and his commanding officer.

“Dunno… There’s something still nagging at my intuition… It’s about last time…” Twilight said. Spike’s excitement curbed, as his senses shouted at him to avert the focus of the conversation. However, there was nothing else he could think to divert to.

Spike sighed. “Are you still stuck on that? Look, she’s the sneakiest person around, it only makes sense she’d be spying on her enemies or something!” Spike said, getting defensive.

Twilight noted his behavior mentally.

“No… For her to know what transpired at that very moment… She couldn’t find out on her own…” Twilight said, her gaze staring deeper into Spike’s being. Spike slightly averted her gaze, looking just slightly beyond her.

“So you’re suggesting I’d toss away all these years of duty and allegiance to you, my liege?” Spike asked.

Twilight was silent, only continuing to stare. Her look of interrogation turned to something else, though.

“Why did she seem so jealous about it, then?” Twilight asked, with a look of desperate curiosity. The kind in a child’s eyes when they know they’re being lied to.

“Twi, you know the relationship the three of us had, and my history with her… It only makes sense that Miss Bejeweled would be jealous.” Spike defended, shrugging, as he backed up slightly.

“Yeah? Then why did you sympathize and comfort her about it?” Twilight asked, looking up with those prying, desperate eyes.

Spike’s being rushed with guilt, as he looked away. He searched himself for an answer.

“Because… she was on old… friend…! I felt bad…?” Spike said more as a question than a statement. He avoided her hurt-gaze.

Sighing with clear disappointment and a hint of betrayal, Twilight turned, hands on her hips. She pointed her thumb over her shoulder, towards the door.

“You’re dismissed.” She said. Spike gave a sigh of great relief, and rushed towards the door. Just before he could begin to push it, he heard Twilight once more.

“And one last thing, Spike?” Twilight asked.

“Princess?” Spike responded.

“My intuition’s never wrong or totally inaccurate. We both know this, correct?” Twilight asked. Spike’s fist tightened with a mix of emotions, including guilt, as he knew where she was going with this.

“Perhaps, then, my newfound exponential progression in magical affinity may be tampering with its effect on me.” Spike said, fast forwarding the conversation.

Twilight sighed, shaking her head. She decided she would end it.

“If I find out you’re lying to me again… Let’s just say that I can’t keep protecting and advocating for someone who associates with a traitor and global threat. Please be considerate and keep that in mind.” Twilight said, with genuine pain on her voice.
Spike said nothing, as he walked out, the doors slamming behind him.

He pulled out his handkerchief once more, and stared at its decoration. A single, large, beautiful cerulean gem, surrounded by many other, smaller gems, of the same color.

Spike grinned, staring at the handkerchief. He’d get to see the reason that he’d stayed in the Guard for so long again. His reason for training so hard. His reason for fighting so hard to keep Equestria safe.

“That’s ironic… Fighting so hard to keep such a thing safe…” Spike thought, laughing to himself. But to him, she was worth every risk, and every danger.

Twilight would never tell it to him directly, but he knew: if he had been caught associating with such a traitor, he’d be convicted for treason. And that meant he’d either fight the entire nation of Equestria like Miss Bejeweled was doing, or be captured and executed.

Suddenly, Spike burped up a green fire, as a letter fell into his hands.

“Be alert, Spike. I’m issuing an order for the Guards to prepare for a large-scale migration to Canterlot, so that Celestia may have aid. I want you to lead it. When do you think you will be ready?” the letter read, in Twilight’s hand writing.
Spike withdrew a pen from his armor, and wrote back on it:

“Three days. One to travel to Canterlot, another to do some heavy reconnaissance and assess Miss Bejeweled’s most likely plan of action(s), and another day to return and rest for the event. I know time is of essence, but she will definitely take time to properly plan out her course of action, so I think we have a few moments to spare.”

Spike, pleased with the letter, blew a green fire over it, as its ashes tracked their way to its recipient.

Spike figured it would be best to leave immediately, before somebody got the bright idea of following him.

[Some hours later…]

Spike had on simple black clothing with a hood for concealment, should he need it. His armor and sword were elsewhere, and he wore no armor. A simple dagger was strapped to his back, concealed by the clothing; however, an unnoticeable slit in the clothing allowed for an easy unsheathing of the weapon for use.

Spike, without any word to anyone within Twilight’s province or the region she ruled over, left quickly and quietly. He rushed through the woods, making his way to a particular place, where his actions could be unseen.

“I’ve got three days… just three days to pull this off and catch up.” Spike thought, as he dodged and weaved around the several trees, ducking and hopping over foliage, branches, and other growths.

As he ran, he heard more shuffling behind him. He slid to a stop, suspicious that he was being followed. He spotted an opening in between the leaves of some trees.

Gripping the dagger clung to his back, he dashed for the opening, placing his hood over his head.

As he jumped out into the opening, leaves flying in his path, he stopped, standing in wait.

The forest rustled again, and out from the area came another hooded figure. This one wore extremely baggy clothing, but it was not hard for Spike to deduce that she was a woman.

Her hands, nor her feet could be seen, as the baggy clothing seemed to engulf them in darkness.

Spike’s heart rushed with adrenaline: two shady figures out in the night, confronting each other. The figure stepped closer to him, but Spike held his hand out.

“Take not another step, miss. If you do, I can’t be held responsible for your wounds.” Spike said simply, beneath his hood.
“I believe it’s you who should be worried.” The woman stated.

“Just hand over any valuables, and I may consider sparing you.” The woman said, sending a chill into Spike. However, that chill only continued to excite him, as he held his fists out.

“That’ll be your worst mistake.” Spike said, as the two circled each other cautiously.

Suddenly, the figure dashed up towards Spike, twisted in the air, her foot approaching Spike.

Spike held up his forearm, and blocked the kick. It was quick, but powerful, as the shockwave of the impact shook his body.

“She’s no amateur! That speed, and that power…” Spike thought, as the woman kicked off of his forearm.

As she flew back through the air, Spike jumped after her, fist cocked back. Just as he punched, she rose a magical barrier, blocking the attack. Both landed back on the ground. A small, light-cerulean magic aura, outlined with a delicate emerald green, glowed around the woman.

“And a magic user, huh…?” Spike thought, raising his guard further.

“I wonder if I’ve picked the wrong fight?” Spike thought, considering that he was wasting his time, and should just retreat.

Lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed the woman falling towards him from the air.

He saw the tip of a shiny metal within the baggy hole of her sleeve. With quick reactions, Spike unsheathed his own blade, and the two clashed, as sparks flew.

Spike, with great strength, stunned the woman by pushing her arms away with a powerful slashing motion during the clash. He took the opportunity to immediately kick the side of the woman, who slid across the dirt with great velocity.

As the dust fell again, she looked up, removing her arms from her side. She had blocked the attack. Suddenly, the figure seemed to disappear and appear again in front of Spike. She made a slashing motion at his neck that Spike seemed to barely dodge as he leaned back, bending his knees.

He jumped back massaging his throat and tugging on the tip of his hood.

“Close shave! Know where I can get my claws sharpened, too?” Spike said to her in a joking manner.

“You remind me of my friend. He has terrible humor.” The woman replied.

The two ran at each other again, and clashed blades again and again, trying to get the upper-hand.

She stabbed, and he slid past to slash; she jumped back from the slash, only to jump off of a magical barrier she created behind her to launch off with another stab towards Spike; Spike created a magical barrier of his own to block the slash, and shoots a beam of destructive magic at the woman; the woman ducks under the beam, and shoots her own at Spike’s head; Spike leans back, bending his knees greatly, as the tip of his hood catches fire from the destructive magic.

Both jumped back from one another.

“You’re clearly no newbie.” The woman stated.

“I could say the same about you.” Spike replied.

Both stood in the moonlight of the cloudless night, Spike trying to determine his next move.

Both seemed to just run at each other again, blades in hand.

They both stabbed at each other’s heads, and both inched their necks to the side, dodging the blades. The blades, however, did stab into either one’s hood.

Both simultaneously turned the sharp side of the blade to the other’s neck.

“You’re half dead.” Spike chuckled.

“Yeah, well, so are you.” The woman laughed back.

Suddenly, both slashed, whilst ducking. The forward motion of slashing tore their hoods off, and they both stumbled onto each other, falling over.

The blades clinged and clanged away, as they fell out of reach.

However, that was the least of either of their concerns, as both stared into each other’s faces with great surprise.

“Holy, shit, I can’t, believe it…!” Spike said, in great surprise at who his opponent was.

“You’ve been gone for so long…!”

Spike uttered but one more sentence, but was interrupted, by the woman sinking their lips into a passionate kiss with no prior warning…

Of One Coin - Chapter 1 (2/2)

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They had referred to her as many things: a thief; a murderer; a slut; a whore; a threat. Some even referred to her as more positive things: a hero; an inspiration; a courageous vigilante; and her personal favorite: motivation.

She liked the last one, not because of the referral itself, but because of who saw her as that. The name that she was most commonly called, however, was…

Miss Bejeweled, the Greatest Thief in Equestria.

She stole money, jewelry, property, and if the case called for it, sometimes even people and lives.

She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t ever plagued by guilt at some points throughout her career, but she used one of her favorite lines to keep herself motivated.

“I’m a Thief, but I keep what I steal.” She thought to herself, as she snuck through the settlement in the afternoon shades.

There was one particular thing she had stolen a long time ago that she had no intent of ever giving up. It was, in fact, the very reason why she grew to be Equestria’s biggest threat; simply because she wanted to keep what she stole. It was her motto and her doctrine. Something she would always live by.

She closed in on her destination, looking for a particular person. She snuck around the crystal walls of a castle, and then looked around for an easy-enough entrance.

Spotting two chatting guards, she found her distracted opening.

Walking up to the two guards, who seemed unbothered by her presence, she quickly took advantage of their laid back attitude: she elbowed one with great strength in the throat, damaging his windpipe, and thus his ability to breathe, as he fell unconscious. She knocked the other one unconscious by bashing his head into the crystal wall of the castle.

She dragged both the unconscious entities behind a bush, where they likely wouldn’t be found for a few hours, or until someone noticed their disappearance.

She ran to the castle quickly, observing it up and down. She looked at one window and proceeded to scale it, determining that it was her destination. As she jumped in, she found the room empty, much to her dismay. She didn’t bother to loot anything though.

“Objective updated… Let’s find my target. Good thing I have the next best idea of where to look!” Miss Bejeweled thought to herself.

She snuck through the halls, ducking and dodging past the eyes of patrolling guards. She found the hallway leading to the place where she suspected she might find her target. The only problem was the four soldiers standing guard, halberds in hand.

Miss Bejeweled formulated a quick plan, as she knew this castle was the last place she’d want to be discovered in.

As a magical aura coated her body, she felt power rush through her.

With great and immense speed, she boosted forward before any of the guards could realize what was happening.

She then smashed the two middle guards’ heads together, knocking them unconscious on impact. Using the staff of the halberd, she then swung with great strength into the backs of the heads of the other two, knocking them unconscious before they could prepare to engage her.

The magic aura around Miss Bejeweled died, as she took a long breath.

“I’ve gotta keep its use limited…” Miss Bejeweled thought, feeling an uncomfortable grip on her soul and being.

She dragged the bodies into a nearby room, which seemed to only be a storage room. She then ran down the hall, and faced two giant double doors.

She heard a small commotion behind the double doors. As she snuck in the doors, unnoticed, she saw the cause of the commotion: it was Princess Twilight, with her franticness being aroused by a letter she read. Her finger skimmed over it with great speed and excitement.

As she read the final line, she jumped up in frantic-excitement, writing away furiously. She snapped, as the piece of paper she wrote on was sent off.

Miss Bejeweled was confused at her frantic-behavior. Surely, this wasn’t what she got like every time the kingdom was faced with a threat or problem.

“I can’t believe Miss Bejeweled is back!” Twilight said in a low breath, as she began to write away furiously, and peck through several books.

Miss Bejeweled was baffled.

“Does my presence affect her this much? Or is it because of what I now possess…?” Miss Bejeweled thought, observing the Princess.

“She’s got to go down! Or else, Spike’ll…!” Twilight began, before her words turned into inaudible mumbling.

“Spike, the Greatest Hero in Equestria? What about him…?” Miss Bejeweled thought, her interest piqued by the mention of her greatest rival. She tried to sneak closer, in attempt to eavesdrop.

However, as her inaudible mumblings continued, a powerful aura of magic arose from her being, tossing and flinging items around the room.

Whatever she was thinking and / or talking about was irritating and frustrating her, and only excited her magical aura in an uncontrollable manner.

Miss Bejeweled ducked under a flying projectile from the magical force. Every time she tried to advance, the magical aura only grew stronger and more frantic. Soon, Miss Bejeweled figured it would be best to wait the ordeal out, as she sat behind a desk.

She drilled two small holes through it, using her magic, so that she could observe the situation for the time-being.

[Some minutes later…]

Finally, Miss Bejeweled sensed another presence in the room. As she peeked through the holes in the desk, her eyes widened, and her heart thumped with adrenaline.

“It’s him! Spike, my greatest enemy!” she thought excitedly.

She watched, as Spike and Twilight interacted. In a minute, Spike seemed to kill Twilight’s frantic-breakout, and the two talked.

Miss Bejeweled’s watched with unmoving eyes, as Spike held Twilight’s hand and chin tenderly, talking in the most soothing voice she had ever heard to her.

She tried to listen in on the dialogue between them, but she could barely hear anything.

Suddenly, she heard Twilight yell, “It’s that damned Thief!”

Miss Bejeweled couldn’t help but chuckle, amused that her reappearance caused so much dismay in the Princess.

After some more talking, and what seemed like a heated situation, her target, Spike, had finally left the room. Miss Bejeweled, the second Twilight turned to begin writing a letter, jumped out of the balcony of the throne-room she was in, and slid down the crystal wall of the castle into the courtyard.

She decided to hide herself in the tree in the courtyard, as it had a direct overlook of the main exit of the castle. This way, she could stalk her prey the second it left home…

[Some hours later…]

Miss Bejewled was just beginning to fall asleep of boredom, when she spotted a hooded figure dashing out of the castle in black clothing similar to hers, but much less baggy.

“A thief running that fast from the castle?” Miss Bejeweled thought. She looked back, disappointed that she’d have to give up her target for a while.

“I’ve got to chase him, and steal that loot!” Miss Bejeweled thought, taking off after the dashing figure. She followed him for some time through the woods. He seemed to notice her following him though, as he jumped out into an opening, where she would no longer be able to discreetly follow him.

Knowing that her presence was known, she walked out, making sure her face was concealed. The thief’s face, too, was concealed.

Miss Bejeweled began to walk to the figure, but was stopped as he gave her a warning.

“Take not another step, miss. If you do, I can’t be held responsible for your wounds.” The man warned.

Miss Bejeweled chuckled. A lowly thief, giving her such a high-and-mighty warning… Preposterous!

“I believe it’s you who should be worried.” Miss Bejeweled said beneath her hood.

“Just hand over any valuables, and I may consider sparing you.” Miss Bejeweled said. However, the man simply held his fists up, and uttered one sentence.

“That’ll be your worst mistake.”

Before anything else could be said, Miss Bejeweled dashed forward with great speed, and jumped, giving a twisting motion, kicking at the man. The man quickly brought up his forearm to defend, taking the powerful kick with seemingly no repercussion.

“He’s not weak, at least.” Miss Bejeweled thought, gauging how seriously she’d have to take the low-class thief.

She kicked off his forearm, sailing through the sky. Before she could land, she was surprised to see this thief already over her, fist cocked back.

Thinking quick, she made a magical barrier to block the impact, as both landed again. They both studied each other briefly, before Miss Bejeweled jumped over him, holding a blade within her sleeves.

Catching on, the man withdrew his own blade, as both clashed blades. However, Miss Bejeweled was quickly overpowered, as the man pushed back with a great slash, opening up her defense.

She was just quick enough to block most of the damage of the kick the man gave to her, sliding to a stop a few dozen feet away.

Annoyed that she almost took a direct hit from such a low-class thief, Miss Bejeweled dashed with great speed, and slashed at the man’s throat.

The man, with great reflexes, leaned back, dodging it. He then jumped back, tugging on his hood.

“Close shave! Know where I can get my claws sharpened, too?” the man yelled to her in a joking manner. Miss Bejeweled chuckled, but only very briefly.

“You remind me of my friend. He has terrible humor.” The woman replied.

Again, the two dashed at one another, exchanging a series of blows, slashes, and attacks. They seemed to be toe-to-toe, before both finally jumped back from one another.

“You’re clearly no newbie.” Miss Bejeweled stated, feeling herself get tired.

“I could say the same about you.” The man replied.

Without another word, both dashed at each other again, stabbing at each other’s heads. They both barely missed one another.

Both of them then aimed their blades at one another, their blades stabbed through the other’s concealing hood.

“You’re half dead.” The man chuckled. Miss Bejeweled smiled, respecting that whoever this low-class thief was, he could find amusement in such a dangerous situation.

“Yeah, well, so are you.” Miss Bejeweled laughed back.

Suddenly, both ducked while giving a powerful slash at the other’s neck. Both dodged, but the hoods were sliced off.

The forward-motion of the slashes caused both to stumble, and the blades to be flung out of reach.

As both fell onto one another, Miss Bejeweled couldn’t believe that this “low-class thief” was who he was!

“Spike!?” Miss Bejeweled thought in surprise, unable to talk, as she was gasping.

However, he seemed more surprised than her.

“Holy, shit, I can’t, believe it…!” Spike said with great surprise at the revelation of his opponent.

“You’ve been gone for so long…!” he continued. Miss Bejeweled only had one thing on her mind though: not uttering how long it’s been, not catching up, none of that. Just, one, thing.

“Rarity, I’ve missed yo- mmph!”

Spike was interrupted, as she brought their lips together into a passionate kiss…

Rage of a Thief - Chapter 2 (1/2)

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“Rarity, I’ve missed yo- mmph!”

Miss Bejeweled couldn’t bring herself to not kiss the soft lips. As she opened her eyes briefly, she saw Spike melt into the kiss, fueling her confidence and drive to continue.

After the long kiss had ended, she pushed Spike onto the bottom, and straddled his lap. Spike grew a heavy blush on his face with how fast Miss Bejeweled was advancing.

“Wait, Rar-,” Spike attempted to say with urgency, but was interrupted by Miss Bejeweled, as she brought their lips together once more.

She had been separated from him for too long, and her mind had never left him. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t a bit too desiring of his presence at the moment.

Spike, despite his previous urgency, could do nothing but move along with her movement. Miss Bejeweled loved having him at her will.

She slowly pushed him down, hand on his chest, leaning over with him, wanting to stay in the kiss.

Miss Bejeweled had missed Spike a great deal – she proceeded to drag her hand down under Spike’s hooded shirt. She smiled with delight, as her hands traced over his body.

She shifted herself slightly, still straddling his body, and heard a small moan. All movement stopped. She looked at him with a smile of accomplishment and pride, whilst he looked back with a completely flushed face, and a look of embarrassment.

“Turned on alr-?”

“Shut up…” Spike muttered, looking off slightly.

Miss Bejeweled shuffled again, as Spike inhaled sharply. Suddenly, he grabbed both of her forearms, and looked at her sternly.

“Rarity-,”

“Must you call me by my slave-name, Spike?” Miss Bejeweled asked with slight annoyance.

Spike smiled, pulling her closer by the forearms. She stopped, their faces only a few inches apart. She could feel the heat in her cheeks, but nonetheless, her face expression was unchanged.

“I don’t know when you’ll realize that Rarity is such a beautiful name. Befitting of only a woman such as yourself. So, as much as I please, I will always call and refer to you, as Rarity. Okay, Hun?” Spike said, as the heat in Miss Bejeweled’s cheeks only grew hotter.

“F-fine… Rarity it is.” Rarity sighed, looking off to the side, with crossed arms.

“Anyways, like I was trying to say, before you started… doing… y’know…” Spike began, clearing his throat.

“Um, this isn’t the best place to be right now. We’re dangerously close to home, and knowing Twilight, she probably either has guards patrolling the perimeters, or decided to follow me herself.” Spike said, in a hushed voice.

“So this whole catch-up thing, is gonna have to wait… Can’t you take us somewhere a bit more… private?” Spike asked. Rarity grew a suggestive smile.

“Private, you say?” Rarity asked with a small chuckle.

“For goodness sake, Rarity, I’m being serious! Our hoods are destroyed; if we’re caught together right now, that’s it for my career!” Spike said, with more urgency.

“Oh please, that career is nothing more than a charade influenced by an elaborate ruse. Please, Spike, don’t tell me you grew so attached to your status and title?” Rarity said, rolling her eyes.

Spike’s brows furrowed with a small twitch. “Excuse me?” Spike said, hands on his hips.

“Oh Spike, don’t play silly. We both know the true meaning behind your title, and your affiliation.” Rarity said, looking into his eyes with solemnity.

Spike glared. “What I’ve been able to do with this name, this-- this status? Is leagues beyond the senseless thievery, killing, and extortion you often commit. So excuse me, if I grow attached to the actual good I contribute to this world.” Spike said, becoming heated.

“S-senseless!?” Rarity stammered.

Rarity scoffed. “Oh yes, because the Princess you serve is so obviously concerned with the total goodness of her state: have you forgotten what the Badlands look like, Spike? Gryffindor? Have you forgotten what she’s made me?” Rarity asked, becoming angry herself.

She lifted the side of her baggy pants, showing her thigh. There was a mesh of burned and scorched flesh, where there should’ve been her cutie mark.

“Did you forget this, too, Spike, hm? Or are you only capable of remembering your own pains?” Rarity said, her voice rising, as she gestured to the wound.

Spike huffed. “You didn’t have to fight back. You had brought it on yourself. I had a better option, but you and your goddamn pride!” Spike said, crossing his arms as he met the wound with an unsure face.

“Spike, yo-- are you seri-- you can’t be-,” Rarity stuttered with anger, as she stomped over to Spike, showing him the wound again.

“She tried to strip me of my fucking identity so she could make me a nobody! My cutie mark, Spike! Do you know how disrespectful, and disgraceful that is, for a woman!? She ruined my beauty! You think I asked for that when I stood up for myself!?!” Rarity yelled, totally furious.

“I knew coming to see you was a mistake! Twilight’s already brainwashed you, I don’t know why I continued to try with you. You can’t stay neutral forever, Spike. And it seems it’s becoming clear which side you’re on.” Rarity said, steamed.

Spike immediately grabbed her arm, but Rarity quickly slapped it away.

“Don’t touch me! Go back to your princess. That’s where you belong, clearly. I’m going home to prepare for the final one. Have fun carrying on that charade of a job, meaningless as it is.” Rarity said, walking off.

She looked back briefly, her anger subsiding only slightly, being replaced by a mix of worry and care.

“And good luck heading for Canterlot with that army. I’d keep the numbers to a minimal, if I were you. You’ll have less families to disappoint, that way.” Rarity said coldly, before she finally walked off.

[A few hours later…]

Rarity trudged through the treacherous terrain of the Badlands, trying to get back to her home on the offside of a village of Changelings.

“The nerve of Spike… The nerve!” she grumbled to herself out-loud, clearly still annoyed at the altercation.

She closed in on her home, hidden in some hard-to-navigate hills.

As she reached her small home of stolen riches and plundered loot, she saw what seemed to be smoke and fire coming from the village she was not far off from. It stood out in the night sky.

“Must be a fire… Hope they can handle that mess.” Rarity shrugged, as she opened the door to the house. She immediately jumped back in surprise, as she found a young changeling boy laying there, severely wounded. She also noticed that a number of her riches were gone.

“Oh dear, what’s happened!?” Rarity said urgently, gently shaking the young changeling.

He coughed. His eyes were a ghastly pale against his jet-black skin. He had 2 arrows sticking from his body, and was bloodied terribly.
“B-Bejeweled…” the changeling groaned, desperately grabbing her arm.

“T-t-the Queen…!” he wheezed, pointing towards the village.

“Yes, yes, tell me all about it after I patch you up!” Rarity said with urgency, as she got up to go get her first-aid kit.

However, she was grabbed quickly. The changeling shook his head, tears running down his face.

“C-Chrysalis… s-she needs you… more…” The changeling coughed. His eyes were desperate and sad.

Rarity simply nodded, and began to head for the door. She heard stumbling behind her, and turned. The young changeling boy was standing in a crooked manner, no doubt a result of his injuries.

“Stay here. You have to rest.” Rarity said simply, putting her hand onto the doorknob.

“No.” The changeling began, as Rarity turned once more.

He ripped one of the arrows out of his leg, and loaded it into his own bow.

“I can still… fight… The Queen… she needs everything… she can get…” the changeling gasped, stumbling forward.

Rarity looked the boy up and down. An arrow to the leg, and the back; he was still determined enough to walk all this way to recruit her help, and was willing to reenter the battlefield despite near-fatal injuries. She smiled.

“What’s your name, young man?” Rarity asked, standing, and clutching the dagger sheathed upon her thigh. She began to slide it across her finger, as her finger bled profusely.

“S-Skrix…” Skrix muttered, as he stumbled weakly.

Rarity grabbed his hand, and sliced one of his fingers as well, as it bled.

She held their two fingers together, as they bled into one another.

“Stay alive. If you can, I promise that once I bring Queen Chrysalis back here safely, that she recognizes your grit and featly. But, for now…” Rarity began, as she swept him off of his feet with a simple, weak kick.

He fell and smashed into the ground with an ‘oof!’

“You are no use to her in your current state. You’re better off guarding the premises. Just listen out for anything out of the blue. I’ll be back.”

Rarity said. Just before she finally walked out, she heard the changeling weakly call out:

“Thank you, Bejeweled…!”

“That’s Miss Bejeweled, to you.”

Rarity smiled, and winked just before she closed the door.

[Some minutes later, upon the outskirts of the nearby village…]

As Rarity closed in on the small village, it became very clear that it was under some sort of attack. She clutched her dagger, and prepared for the worst.

As she entered the village, she noticed fallen and destroyed Royal Guard caravans, in that familiar gold pattern.

Her brows furrowed. “The Kingdom of Equestria, huh? So help me Celestia, if I see her mark on any of these…” Rarity thought to herself, as she moved past the road of destruction.

As she rushed past the walls of the village, her heart sunk. She saw many dead changelings, and other suffering that she couldn’t spare time to help: she knew finding Chrysalis was not only Skrix’s best interest…

Her being filled with guilt, as she saw Changeling guards impaled with swords and left for dead. Their crimson liquids shined in the moonlit sky and small fires. Rarity kept pushing on, as her eyes met the many destroyed houses, with slaughtered families inside.

The more bodies and suffering she rushed by, the guiltier she began to feel: she knew why this village was being attacked. She knew Queen Chrysalis made the deal, but she didn’t think it would come to this…

She began to just run looking only forward: her soul couldn’t bare the guilt of knowing that the ulterior motive of this attack was herself.

Finally, she reached the inner-village, where the guards seemed to be. At the center-square, Queen Chrysalis was seen, several arrows in her being, bleeding from several cuts all over her body, and was clearly severely injured.

Still, she stood defiant against the small army that stood against her. Rarity stopped, her eyes fixating with an unknown hatred upon one figure that stood in front of the army, against Queen Chrysalis.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle…” Rarity thought with bitterness.

Rarity watched what was happening, carefully planning her moves.

“Face it, Chrysalis: your village is destroyed, your people have been slaughtered, and your ‘Champion’ was nothing but a runaway when it came down to it. You’re finished.” Twilight taunted, as she took one step forward, her fist engulfed in her magical aura.

“You’re wrong, Twilight Sparkle. This isn’t over, this will never be over! You’ve gone mad with power, over a small feud that could’ve been solved had you actually maintained the slightest remembrance of the Magic of Friendship!” Queen Chrysalis shouted back, using her magic aura to eject the arrows that riddle her body, leaving behind only holes that oozed with her blood.

Twilight suddenly shot out a powerful beam of magic that hit Chrysalis directly. Strongly, Chrysalis simply endured, being pushed back on her feet a great deal, as the smoke rose from her body, and from beneath her feet.

“You, have no right to be speaking! You know nothing! About how that bitch stole what I spent years trying to attain! So you shut your mouth speaking about affairs you have no business in!” Twilight yelled, as her magical aura grew more unstable and agitation.

“Now I won’t ask again, Queen of the filthy little bugs: where, is, Bejeweled?” Twilight asked.

“If you play your cards right, you might get off with only some extended prison-time.” Twilight chuckled.

“You, are a sick ruler. I would do nothing to help you.” Queen Chrysalis said.

“One more bug exterminated from this planet then, I suppose.” Twilight shrugged. She extended her wings, and immediately appeared in front of the tall Queen Chrysalis with great speed.

She held her palm to her forehead, as it began to glow.

“Bye-by-,”

With not another moment’s notice, Rarity’s heel connected with Twilight’s jaw, as Twilight flew back dozens of feet, crashing into a nearby building, collapsing upon her.

“I wonder who’s that ‘bitch’ she was talking so bitterly about?” Rarity said, cracking her knuckles.

“Took you long enough…” Queen Chrysalis said, dropping to her knees.

“I’m sorry.” Rarity said, eyeing the mass amount of guards now aiming their weapons at her, ready to attack on command.

“You’re here now. It’s fine, we can still win.” Chrysalis said in a huff, clearly exhausted and injured.

Rarity turned to her. “No, I’m sorry, about this… I knew it was bound to happen, but not like this. Not with so many… losses…” Rarity said, holding her hand out to help Chrysalis up, remembering the mess of bodies and destruction she saw. Her eyes were shiny.

“Wipe those tears out your eyes, they make you look disgustingly weak. I knew what I signed up for.” Chrysalis said with a small smile, as she grabbed Rarity’s hand, helping herself up.

“Wanna sit this one out, dear? You look pretty banged up. And with several more holes in your body, might I add.” Rarity said, half-jokingly.

“Not a chance. Did you hear how much shit that ignorant Princess had uttered?” Queen Chrysalis replied.

“Oh, we can both have a go with her. Think she runs that mouth too much for her own good.” Rarity chuckled.

Suddenly, the building that collapsed upon Twilight scattered, as she stood up with a powerful magic aura emanating around her.

“Guards. Execute both of them. We have confirmation that Queen Chrysalis is, indeed, concealing and harboring the Global Threat.” Twilight said coldly. Her eyes met with Rarity.

A cold silence ensued between the two, as both began to confront one another.

Just before the words could be uttered, and the onslaught could continue, a loud shout ensued, stopping everything in its tracks.

“Huh?” Rarity, Chrysalis, Twilight, and the guards wondered, turning to the side.

“I said…!” the figure went, out of breath.

“WAIT!!!”

The girls were dumbfounded.

“Spike!?” both Rarity and Twilight yelled in surprise.

“How did you find your way here so quickly!?” Rarity yelled. Spike was full-clad in his royal-guard armor and cloak, which means he trailed to the castle and back in such a short-time, surprising Rarity.

“What are you doing here!?” Twilight yelled. She expected Spike to still be away on business.

Spike was silent. He walked past the Royal Guards, who saluted. He walked past Twilight, who was silent. He walked up to Rarity, who was surprised.

Assessing the situation, Spike sighed deeply.

“Spike, what’re you doing here?! I thought you were doing reconnaissance in Canterlot!” Twilight yelled, more than annoyed that her plans were interrupted.

Spike sent a cold glare back towards Twilight.

“And I thought you were prepping an army for migration to Canterlot, not to a small village undeserving of this-- this massacre!” Spike shot back. Twilight backed down immediately, guilt rushing into her being.

“B-but, Miss Bejeweled! She’s right there!” Twilight said, pointing at Rarity.

“That, Princess, is not our concern right now. Our concern is with the safety of the people, first, and right now, we have many wounded and suffering. Guards? Get on it.” Spike ordered.

They stood, looking between Twilight and Spike.

“B-but they’ve been aiding the enemy!” Twilight cried out, pointing between Queen Chrysalis and Rarity.

“We have no viable proof of this, Twilight. If this is going to be your story for wreaking havoc on an innocent village, then we must do better as protectors of Equestria.” Spike stated.

“Guards! Did I not give the orders already!? Help the sick and wounded, pronto, their lives are on your shoulders!!!” Spike barked with ferocity, as the guards immediately rushed past Rarity and Chrysalis, aiding whoever they could.

Suddenly, Twilight fell to her knees, and held her head in her hands, as tears silently fell from her chin.

Spike began to walk slowly towards her.

“Spi-,” Rarity called, but was interrupted by Spike putting his palm to her face.

“Waterfalls when the tears cascade. Begone villainous scum.” Spike said in a feigned coldness, walking forward to attend to Twilight.

“He’ll be in trouble. Should we, stick around or something?” Chrysalis asked.

Rarity smiled, her eyes fixated on Spike.

“Miss Bejeweled?” Queen Chrysalis asked.

“O-oh, no… Have you seen that woman when she’s emotional? Let’s get the heck out of here while we can! Follow me!” Rarity urged, as they rushed past all the guards helping whichever changeling they could.

[Some minutes later, back near Rarity’s home…]

Rarity helped Queen Chrysalis through the hills to her home, as she was severely injured.

“You know… I really am sorry, Chrysalis.” Rarity said, looking down.

“If I hadn’t calculated the risks, I would not have offered my services. Relax, Miss B.” Chrysalis said, referring to the nickname she gave her. The two were clearly quite close.

“If I had known, I would’ve been there much sooner to prevent as much of it as possible, you know that, right??” Rarity asked, the guilt rushing inside of her.

Queen Chrysalis pushed off of Rarity, as they both stood face-to-face. Chrysalis, however, towered over Rarity, being much taller.

“Rarity, the changelings are my people. I am the one who should feel guilty, not you. I decided to put them in this danger, not you. Their will is my own. They were prepared for this, just as I was. Drop the useless sympathy; losses will occur when traversing a path as our own. You have my services, you should not feel guilty for using them. Now come, to your home.” Queen Chrysalis said strongly, despite her wounds, moving forward.

Rarity followed, the guilt still residing within her. Nonetheless, she trudged forward, figuring that she’d just have to get over it.

After some minutes, they finally reached her home hidden in the erratic hills.

They opened the door, and Chrysalis’ eyes immediately met with Skrix’s own, who lit up upon seeing his Queen safe and sound.

“Chrysalis!” he said with excitement. However, as soon as he got up, the wound in his leg immediately felled him again.

“Agh!” Skrix grunted, as he swiftly crawled over, and hugged Chrysalis’ leg.

Queen Chrysalis was unsure on how to proceed in the situation: Skrix had often made her uncomfortable with his constant show of affection beyond a level of subject-to-ruler.

“Y-yes… I am safe…” Queen Chrysalis said, lowly and uncomfortably.

“You should really learn how to crack out of that bug-shell, Chrysalis.” Rarity said, playfully patting her back.

“This little guy went through hell to inform me of the situation, you know. I mean, just look at him; and he’s still alive, at that.” Rarity stated.

Queen Chrysalis hummed thoughtfully, as her long, slender tongue circulated around her lips.

“Is that so…? That means he’s strong then, wouldn’t you say, Miss B?” Chrysalis asked, her gaze turning to Skrix, which made him slightly uncomfortable.

Rarity was confused. She nodded slowly.

“Yes, I suppose so. But I really should be attending to his wounds, and yours, so if you don’t mind-,” Rarity began, walking to get some supplies, but was stopped by Chrysalis, who emitted a small, green magical aura that slowly began to heal her wounds.

“No, that’ll be fine. He’s strong, right? You’re sure, Miss B?” Chrysalis asked again, still looking down at Skrix with hungry eyes. Skrix was uncomfortable, backing away, until his back hit a wall.

Rarity only became more confused. She began to worry, seeing Skrix’s concerned face.

“Y-yeah, I’m sure… Say, C-Chrysalis, you’re not the type to eat your own for energy or something, a-are you?” Rarity asked, preparing to defend Skrix.

“If he’s strong, then that means he’s perfect for breeding material.” Chrysalis finally said, as she diverted some of her magic aura to his own wounds to heal them. Skrix grew an enormously blush on his face, as he immediately covered his pants.

“Celestia’s Sun…” Rarity said, face-palming.

With no prior warning, Chrysalis immediately dissipated all of her clothes.

“If you don’t mind, servant… We lost many souls today, so we need to get busy.” Chrysalis said in a demanding manner, calling him over with her finger.

Skrix nearly fainted at the site.

“You get right down to business, huh? In my house, at that…” Rarity said, a small tint of red on her cheeks that Chrysalis had unclothed so swiftly.

Chrysalis turned, offering the full view to Rarity.

“I thought you might’ve wanted to join us after all that playing we d-,”

“No-no-no-no-no-no-no, that’s fiiiiiiiine!” Rarity squeaked, immediately growing a huge blush herself as she rushed out the door, slamming it behind her.

Rarity stood outside the door, holding one hand deep in her hair, and the other clenched in a fist as she crossed her legs.

“Blast that woman, and her voluptuous body!” Rarity mentally cursed. She calmed herself down with a few quick breaths, and decided she’d start moving to her next destination before she could hear moans on the other side of the door.

Though, she was expecting to hear and release those sounds herself soon, if life went her way for just a little while.

She jumped atop her house, and looked over the horizon facing away from the village: there was, amongst it all, a single collection of mist in the desolate, sandy plains in the uninhabited Badlands.

Rarity jumped off her house, skillfully sliding and jumping down the backside of the hills, making her way to the collection of mist…

[Nearly half-an-hour later…]

Rarity reached the outskirts of the mist, patting herself off. She entered it fearlessly, and after a long time of walking through it, she reached the inside: a single hill laid beneath the mist, with a cascading, calm waterfall.

Rarity walked up to the waterfall, and used her magic to split it into a curtain, as she jumped through to the back of it. The waterfall closed behind her, as she laid her eyes on her prize.

She cooed upon seeing the sleeping Spike: so protected in his royal-guard armor, yet so innocent and defenseless in his sleep.

She was about to sing his name out to wake him up, until she suddenly remembered the argument she had before.

“Perhaps not… Maybe I’ll get him to apologize, first…” Rarity thought, still upset at their earlier argument.

“Called me here, and you couldn’t even stay up for my arrival?” Rarity said loudly, shifting Spike out of his sleep.

He looked up, helmet still on.

“Apologies if doing hard, honest work makes me a bit tired.” Spike said with a low, seemingly uncaring voice.

Rarity was taken aback; Spike never usually responded to her sassiness with this behavior. She decided she would push, nonetheless.

“Honest work for Princess Twilight? I don’t think that fits.” Rarity said, crossing her arms.

“I work for the people, not for Twilight. Get it straight, hm?” Spike said, standing up and unrolling a paper.

Rarity could see he was clearly edged. She decided she would divert the mood.

“So, uh… Waterfalls when the tears cascade? Seriously? Goodness, you can’t get any cornier!” Rarity teased, chuckling.

“It got you here, didn’t it?” Spike said, shrugging. His behavior began to unnerve Rarity.

She decided to try and diver the mood a different way, knowing the one surefire way she could force Spike to open up, or at least change his attitude.

“I don’t imagine you called me here for just another argument, hm?” Rarity asked, as she seductively walked over to Spike, and ran her hands over the chest-plating of his light-armor.

“Actually,” Spike began, stepping back from Rarity.

“I did. I just have some information from Twilight that might prove a bit useful to you.” Spike said, dryly.

“Oh? I-is that so…?” Rarity said with a small stutter; usually, in one of the few times they had privacy, Spike was much happier and ‘happier’ to see her. The sudden coldness sort of threw her off, emotionally.

“B-but that can wait, right? I mean, it’s been a while since we’ve-,”

“Look, Miss Bejeweled, do you want the info or not? I’m on a tight schedule.” Spike interrupted.

“Spike…?” Rarity asked, concerned and a bit hurt that she had been rejected twice now.

“Is something bothering you? Did I do something wrong?” Rarity asked, her face wrenching into worry and rejection.

“It’s f-,” Spike began, but stopped himself, turning. He shook his head furiously, before turning back to Rarity.

“God, has being a lone thief for so long killed your social skills!? Gah, I just wanted you to apologize for what you said!” Spike yelled, obviously annoyed.

“A-apolo-?”

“My career is not just some charade, and my status and title are more than just the result of your little altercation with Twilight and our attempted collaboration at fixing that, are we understood?” Spike said firmly, standing face-to-face with the now submissive Rarity.

“… I-I’m sorry… I know you work hard, I was… I don’t know, I was just upset, I guess… I-I’m sorry…” Rarity said in a small whimper, afraid t
hat she was on the verge of losing her relationship with Spike.

“Thank you! Now I can stop acting like this!” Spike said, his mean coldness immediately dropping, as he rushed up to hug the whimpering Rarity.

“I hate making you feel like this, but you’ve gotta understand what you’re saying when you get caught up in your emotions… I love you, Rarity, but I really do work hard to ensure that this world is a better place. Not just for the people or Twilight…” Spike said, as Rarity’s whimpers slowed, Spike’s warmth comforting her.

“I work hard making it better for you, too… So when you called it a charade, made it seem like it was fake, that really hurt…” Spike said, his hug tightening.

“I… I really am sorry, Spike… I-,”

“Shh, I know. It’s alright, I accept all your apologies. I’m sorry, too, Rarity. I could’ve been more thoughtful and considerate in my words, too.” Spike said, pulling away.

“It’s fine, Spike… I love you, Spike…” Rarity said, prompting him to repeat it to her, so she could hear it again.

“I love you, too, Rarity. You won’t ever be alone.” Spike said.

Those words seemed to calm Rarity, as both sat down against the wall in the small cave behind the waterfall.

“We should live together out here one day.” Rarity said, resting her head on his shoulder, which was thankfully, not the one with much armoring.

“We should.” Spike agreed, holding Rarity’s hand.

More minutes of silence followed, before Rarity decided she could wait no longer.

“So, like I was saying…” Rarity began, crawling to kneel in front of the sitting Spike.

“I don’t expect you came all this way just for another argument, did you?” Rarity asked, her tone more seductive, now that she wasn’t using it to just diver the mood.

“P-Perhaps, I didn’t…” Spike said, as Rarity removed his helmet, tossing it aside.

“You know, there are two things you always fail to remember once we get our privacy…” Rarity said, caressing his jaw, as she crawled over to straddle him.

“Oh boy… And, uh, what’s that?” Spike asked, as red flushed to his cheeks.

“One, that a lady should never make the first move…” Rarity began, as she began to close the distance between their lips.

Rarity began to half-moon her eyes, beginning to feel that familiar, addicting feeling in her heart, knowing Spike was caught in her spell.
“Second… You should never make a lady wait for anything…” Rarity said, as she finally kissed Spike…

Resolve of a Hero - Chapter 2 (2/2)

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“You’ve been gone for so long…!”

Spike couldn’t describe the enchanting spell Rarity had over him. As her lips met his, he melted into it, his body pulling into hers.
The kiss ended, as Rarity pushed Spike onto the bottom, straddling his lap. Spike couldn’t help but blush, despite having done this many times over.

However, as much as he enjoyed this, his intuition bit at him: Rarity had infiltrated the castle in pursuit of him, meaning that she had to immobilize at least some guards. Surely, that was noticed by now, and that means they’d be on high alert for at least the rest of the day.

Meaning, they could be found, and they weren’t exactly disguised anymore after the altercation.

Plus, there was the issue of explaining what they’d be doing next, now that he knew what Twilight would be planning in terms of Rarity’s recent heists.

“Wait, Rar-,” Spike attempted to say, but was interrupted by the lusty woman atop him bringing their lips together once more.

Spike, full-well knowing the urgency, couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by her touch and movements. He almost hated that she was so alluring and perfect.

She slowly pushed him down, hand on his chest, leaning over with him.

Spike gave a small exhale, as Rarity’s hands went underneath his hooded shirt, and traced over his body. He tried not to indicate he was enjoying it too much.

However, that failed as Rarity shifted herself over him slightly, causing him to release a small moan. All movement stopped, and Spike felt his body heat up in embarrassment, as he looked off to the side.

“Turned on alr-?”

“Shut up…!” Spike muttered, still looking off to the side. He wanted to remove her, but the warmth of the in-betweens of her legs, sitting directly atop his own was, admittedly, causing him a desire for more.

Rarity shuffled again, as Spike inhaled sharply. Spike then immediately grabbed both of Rarity’s forearms, looking at her sternly. He didn’t want to get too aroused, as they weren’t in the safest of spots at the moment.

“Rarity-,”

“Must you call me by my slave-name, Spike?” Rarity asked with slight annoyance.

Spike smiled, as his mind formulated his feelings into words. He pulled her close by her forearms, smiling. It was Rarity’s turn to blush now, though her face expression stayed still.

“I don’t know when you’ll realize that Rarity is such a beautiful name. Befitting of only a woman such as yourself. So, as much as I please, I will always call and refer to you, as Rarity. Okay, Hun?” Spike said from the bottom of his heart, making Rarity’s blush only intensify.

“F-fine… Rarity it is.” Rarity sighed, much to Spike’s favor. But more important things were at hand.

“Anyways, like I was trying to say, before you started… doing… y’know…” Spike began, still flustered by the thought and actions a bit.

“So this whole catch-up thing is gonna have to wait… Can’t you take us somewhere a bit more… private?” Spike asked. Admittedly, he would like to do a bit more than just catch-up, but now just wasn’t the time or place.

“Private, you say?” Rarity asked, chuckling. Spike groaned.

“For goodness sake, Rarity, I’m being serious! Our hoods are destroyed; if we’re caught together right now, that’s it for my career!” Spike said, wanting them to move out as soon as possible.

“Oh please, that career is nothing more than a charade influenced by an elaborate ruse. Please, Spike, don’t tell me you grew so attached to your status and title?” Rarity asked, rolling her eyes.

Spike’s fists clenched. He took his career very seriously, and fought to protect every creature in Equestria from evil. That, included Rarity herself.

Spike’s brows furrowed with a small twitch. “Excuse me?” Spike asked, hands on his hips.

“Oh Spike, don’t play silly. We both know the true meaning behind your title, and your affiliation.” Rarity said, looking into his eyes with solemnity.

Spike was taken aback by how little regard she had for his work, especially when he tried his hardest, even for her. His eyes fell into a hard glare.

“What I’ve been able to do with this name, this—this status? Is leagues beyond the senseless thievery, killing, and extortion you often commit. So excuse me, if I grow attached to the actual good I contribute to this world.” Spike said, becoming heated with her disrespect. Truthfully, he didn’t mean everything he said, as he knew Rarity’s true intentions, but his anger clouded his judgement.

“S-senseless!?” Rarity stammered.

She then scoffed. “Oh yes, because the Princess you serve is so obviously concerned with the total goodness of her state: have you forgotten what the Badlands look like, Spike? Gryffindor? Have you forgotten what she’s made of me?” Rarity asked, clearly becoming heated as well.

She lifted the side of her baggy pants, showing her thigh. There was a mesh of burned and scorched flesh, where there should’ve been one of her two cutie marks.

“Did you forget this, too, Spike, hm? Or are you only capable of remembering your own pains?” Rarity said, her voice rising, as she gestured to the wound.

Spike crossed his arms. He hated being referred to as if he was selfish.

“You didn’t have to fight back. You had brought it on yourself. I had a better option, but you and your goddamn pride!” Spike said, looking down at the wound. He still felt guilty that it happened the way it did, but still…

“Spike, yo-- are you seri-- you can’t be-,” Rarity stuttered with anger, as she stomped over to Spike, showing him the wound again. Spike sighed internally.

Spike was about to speak again, but was stopped, as Rarity’s angry onslaught continued.

Spike tried to grab hold of her arm to calm her down, but Rarity quickly, and violently, slapped it away.

Spike was hurt by how sternly she had yelled ‘Don’t touch me!’

He looked at her walk off, feeling his anger be somewhat replaced by regret.

She said one last thing, before she disappeared into the forestry.

“And good luck heading for Canterlot with that army. I’d keep the numbers to a minimal, if I were you. You’ll have less families to disappoint, that way.”

Spike trudged through the forest slowly, making his way back to the castle so he could properly prepare for reconnaissance. He felt immense regret, as his mind focused more and more on the argument.

Every angry comment and crease of Rarity’s face burned into his mind along with the guilt of what had led up to these days of rivalry between himself, Twilight, and Rarity.

Spike shook his head.

“There’s no way you could’ve changed it…” he told himself aloud, trying to make himself feel better.

“I just had to go and retaliate like that, huh? God, this job really is just a charade…” Spike thought, as he punched a passing tree angrily, leaving a large dent in its trunk.

His mind raced over all his past experiences, struggles, victories, losses, but there was one particular memory that stood out.

…

Spike, just a small recruit in the Royal Guard, stood against a fellow Royal Guard, preparing for a sparring match. He had been in the Guard for days, but was making no foreseeable progress, and was on the verge of being removed.

All opponents were equipped with small wooden poles with hilts, representing a dagger, as they were being trained on how to handle small weapons first.

Their commanding officer, Shining Armor, watched them. With a blow of a whistle, he yelled “Begin!”

With that, Spike engaged his opponent. He stabbed, but his opponent simply jumped out the way. Spike then slashed, but the opponent ducked, and jumped forward, tackling him. Spike tried to block the impending stab, but miscalculated, as he felt the wood poke into his neck.
“Spike!” Shining Armor yelled, shifting urgency into Spike’s being. He stood immediately, stiff.

“Front and center!” Shining Armor said. Spike walked past all the others, continuing their scuffles.

“Again, you were the first taken out. I know you passed fitness, but you’re just not keeping up. You sure this is right for you?” Shining Armor asked.

Spike’s heart thumped harder, knowing what Shining Armor was hinting at.

“Yes, I-I’m sure! I can do this, I know I can!” Spike said, still stiff as ever. He just needed another chance.

“I’m not too sure, Spike. Maybe it’ll be better to try again another time… You’ll be holding us back at this rate.” Shining Armor said, reserving the sugar-coating.

Spike’s heart shattered, as his posture loosened involuntarily.

“O-oh…” Spike muttered. He had left Ponyville for training all the way in Canterlot, had been here for months, leaving family and friends in Ponyville, to be told he wasn’t cut out for the job.

That hurt.

“Look, Spike, it’s just for the better-,”

“I understand, sir. I’ll give Twilight your best regards.” Spike said, turning, before Shining Armor could see the shininess in his eyes.

Shining Armor put his hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

“Never leave before your CO dismisses you, soldier. Listen up, Spike…” Shining Armor began.

“No matter what you do after this, there’s a very important question you need to always ask yourself before, during, and after every battle.” Shining Armor said.

“Do you mind answering that question for me now?” Shining Armor asked.

Spike nodded, forcing the tears in his eyes back. He’d rather not show any more weakness today.

“What do you fight for?” Shining Armor asked.

Those words seemed to trigger rusty gears in the back of Spike’s mind. He had been so focused on succeeding here, that he had forgotten the very reason he had come in the first place!

His mind tipped back and forth through every thought, as any sign of sadness dissipated, being replaced with ambition and determination.

A small white aura seemed to flicker around Spike’s being, as his presence suddenly felt more powerful.

“Well? What. Do. You. Fight for?” Shining Armor asked again.

Spike shook his head, as his fists clenched.

“I can’t answer that. Not even for you, sir. But I can show you my resolve. I just need one final chance.” Spike said. Shining Armor caught on to the new air around Spike, watching as his aura sparked up weakly.

Shining Armor stood back, not thinking that Spike was capable of their kind of magic. He nodded, pointing out at the best Royal Guard in the recruits so far: Flash Sentry.

“Sentry, you’ll be sparring with Spike!” Shining Armor yelled, as Spike picked up one of the hilted wooden poles off the ground.

“Him? Really?” Flash Sentry asked, with an unsure face.

“Should be easy, right?” Shining Armor said with a smile. The smile, however, quickly disappeared, as Spike looked just over his shoulder towards him with a fiery glare.

Spike stood across from Flash Sentry, both ready.

“Begin!”

Flash Sentry lunged forward, but Spike side-stepped it with ease, as he held his own pole to Sentry’s neck, his defenses being completely bypassed.

Not satisfied, Spike took his pole away, and jumped back, wanting to prove himself again. Flash Sentry became more alert, realizing that Spike was certainly different now.

“What,” Spike thought, as he ran forward, his ambition only growing stronger. He roundhouse kicked Flash Sentry back, who only barely caught himself, preparing himself for the again-approaching Spike.

“Do,” Spike thought further, the ambition increasing, as he slashed upwards. Flash Sentry attempted to block it, but Spike smashed his pole into pieces with the sheer, newfound strength.

“I,” Spike continued thinking, as the ambition grew with his thoughts. He delivered three swift punches: two to his body, and one to his face, as Flash Sentry began to fall backwards.

“Fight For?” Spike finished, as he kicked Flash Sentry’s knee, forcing him to fall towards Spike, who then brought the pole with furious strength and speed towards his neck.

*Tcht!*

A powerful wind was released, as Spike’s movements stopped completely. Spike looked up to who had disobeyed his movement, and was taken out of his trance, as he saw the stern look on Shining Armor’s face.

“Ambition, Spike, is important. But we shouldn’t let the vehicle drive the rider, should we? You’ve proven yourself.” Shining Armor said, letting go of Spike’s wrist.

Flash Sentry had passed out on the ground, his neck bruised terribly. Although Spike never made contact, the force alone was enough to cause him injury.

Spike looked at his own wrist: burned and bruised by the power Shining Armor needed to stop it. He was surprised that he was capable of so much!

Shining Armor smiled, as he knelt down to whisper to Spike.

“I take back what I said. You’ll do great, kiddo. At this rate, they may end up holding you back!” Shining Armor chuckled.

“I’m glad you were able to remember what you came here for. You’ll make a great addition to the Royal Guard.”

…

Spike looked up into the night sky, deducing that although he may have only gone to the Royal Guard with one thing in mind, he fought for many other things, as well.

So even if his career did happen to be a “charade”, he knew that the experiences, the struggles… Those were all real. He made this career real. And Rarity was not going to make it seem like it was all for naught.

Nodding to himself, he promised himself that he’d make her apologize when he saw her next, and then would apologize himself as well.

However, as Spike finally returned into Ponyville, he realized something was off: there were much fewer guards on duty, especially considering that the break-in should’ve been discovered by now.

Spotting a patrolling squadron, Spike called them over.

“Guards! To me, quickly!” Spike yelled out with urgency. There were confused at first, not recognizing Spike outside of his armor. However, they soon quickly recognized the green, scaly face, and rushed towards him.

“So sorry, sir! Didn’t realize it was you outside of your glorious armor!” one of the guards apologized.

“At ease, it’s fine. I am off duty at the moment anyways, technically speaking.” Spike said with a small chuckle.

“But sir, evil is never off duty, so neither are we, right?” one of the guards asked.

“Absolutely right, soldier. Good job, and that’s where the technicality lies. However, there is something much more important at hand at the moment. Why are so few of you on guard?” Spike asked.

“Didn’t you hear? Princess Twilight Sparkle’s gone and suited up for battle herself: she issued an immediate response, as she’s found a good lead on Miss Bejeweled’s whereabouts in the Badlands. She’s leading an assault in hopes of following up on the lead.” One of the guards said.

“Oh no… Did she give a specific area, anything like that??” Spike asked, urgency on his voice.

“N-not that I know of…” one of the guards replied.

“Thank you, Guards. Back to duty, I’ve got to prepare for departure.” Spike said, rushing past them with great speed.

He ran with incredible speed through Ponyville, to the castle. Rather than running through, he simply jumped up directly into the window with great strength, rolling into Twilight’s throne room.

He saw a myriad of papers strewn about. He began to look through them feverishly.

Upon a few minutes of reviewal, he found out that one of Rarity’s customers were paid off by Twilight to stalk her back to her home.

Spike gave a sigh of small relief, as he read that the buyer alleged that Rarity was staying directly within the Changeling village within the Badlands. He knew this to be inaccurate.

However, he knew it wouldn’t be long until they found out that wasn’t true.

Spike rushed to his quarters, grabbing his Royal Guard armor. He quickly suited up, sheathing the sword upon his hip, and darted off for the Badlands, running at top speed through the night…

[Some Time Later, On The Outskirts of the Changeling Village…]

Spike rushed into the village. He then stopped, realizing that an unbalanced battle clearly took place.

Changelings lay around him, slaughtered, their bodies riddled with blood.

Spike’s fists clenched hard. He was too late. He felt not for the Changeling Guards who were killed, but only for the innocent Changeling Villagers, who were murdered and slaughtered.

He saw a Changeling mother, with a gaping hole in her back. She was hurdled over her child, who presumably died to the same thing that impaled her.

Spike was disgusted by the show of force and brutality. They didn’t deserve this!

His fists clenched so hard, that his nails extracted blood from his palms, as it leaked from his knuckles.

“Twilight…” Spike said, with a deep anger in his voice. He took off full speed, rushing through the city to find her.

In just a minute of high-speed running, he saw three figures about to square off in a 2v1.

He called out, in his tired breath, for them to stop, but was unheard. Sucking in some air, he tried again.

“I said…!”

“WAIT!!!”

Every figure seemed to be dumbfounded by his presence.

“Spike!?” both Rarity and Twilight yelled in surprise. Spike only glared at both the girls, walking forward slowly.

He heard them asking him questions, but he was too angered by the unneeded show of force and brutality to even process them correctly.
He stood in the center, between Twilight and the Royal Guards, and Rarity and Chrysalis.

“Spike, what’re you doing here?! I thought you were doing reconnaissance in Canterlot!” Twilight yelled with clear annoyance.

Spike sent a cold, angry glare directly into Twilight’s eyes. They both knew why he was so pissed off.

“And I thought you were prepping an army for migration to Canterlot, not to a small village undeserving of this-- massacre!” Spike shot back. Twilight backed down immediately, guilt rushing into her being.

“B-but, Miss Bejeweled! She’s right there!” Twilight said, pointing at Rarity.

Spike was unconcerned with Rarity.

“That, Princess, is not our concer right now. Our concern, is with the safety of the people, first, and right now, we have many wounded and suffering. Guards? Get on it.” Spike said, holding back his anger.

They stood, looking between Twilight and Spike.

“B-but they’ve been aiding the enemy!” Twilight cried out, pointing between Chrysalis and Rarity.

“We have no viable proof of this, Twilight. If this is going to be your story for wreaking havoc on an innocent village, then we must do better as protectors of Equestria!” Spike stated.

Spike turned to the guards, enraged that they had not begun to move already.

Suddenly, Twilight fell to her knees, and held her head in her hands, tears silently falling down her chin.

Spike watched with a mixture of pity, disgust, and concern. He began to slowly walk towards her.

“Spi-,” Rarity called, but Spike was quick to stop her, not concerned with her for the time being.

“Waterfalls when the tears cascade. Begone, villainous scum.” Spike said in a tone that he thought would make Rarity leave immediately.

He walked on forward towards the crying Twilight. He stood tall above her, hands on his hips, and his brows furrowed in anger.

“Stop crying.” Spike said dryly. Twilight looked up at him with her shiny, puffy, crying eyes.

“Because you know what you did. I’m not going to just hug you and say it’s alright again, Twilight. You’re going too far.” Spike said, as Twilight’s tears only poured further.

“E-e-every t-t-time… I-I g-g-get so cluh-close…!” Twilight sobbed.

“S-s-she ruins it! Every time, S-Spike, every… time…!” Twilight cried.

Spike couldn’t help but feel his heart soften, seeing her break down; but that wasn’t what he wanted.

“Pick yourself up, Twilight. When you’re done crying, I’m coming back to lecture the living hell out of you for this mess. These lives lost, are on your shoulders. Remember that.” Spike said, as he walked off, despite Twilight reaching for him to stay.

Needless to say, he was furious with her.

Sighing, he began to make his way to the location planned, as he figured that the Guards were okay on their own to help the village begin their recovery…

[Some Time Later, Further Off In The Badlands…]

Spike trudged through what seemed to be a never-ending mist. Finally, he reached the other side, and laid his eyes upon the majestic waterfall.

Stretching and yawning, he curtained the waterfall with his magic, walking under it, into the small cave behind it.

He sat down against the wall, laying his head back, thinking.

“Remember, no Mr. Nice Guy. Be assertive!” Spike thought to himself, nodding in agreement with himself.

“And don’t let her convince you until you get what you want!” Spike thought to himself, nodding further.

“She was wrong to say what she said, and needs to apologize! Don’t be all soft and nice like usual!” Spike thought to himself, still nodding.

Soon, he found his tired body nodding off into sleep, the tiredness of training and all that travel without rest now seeping into his body.

[Some minutes later…]

“Called… here… up for my arrival…?” was all Spike heard, as he was ripped from his nap.

He looked up, helmet still on. He was about to greet her, but then remembered what he told himself, and adjusted appropriately.

“Apologies if doing hard, honest work makes me a bit tired.” Spike said, forcing a cold shoulder. He saw Rarity pause for a few seconds, clearly caught off-guard.

“Honest work for Princess Twilight? I don’t think that fits.” Rarity said, crossing her arms.

“I work for the people, not for Twilight. Get it straight, hm?” Spike said, as he cringed internally at the aggressive sassiness, unrolling a piece of paper.

Rarity was silent, obviously surprised at his attitude. She paused for a good while.

“So, uh… Waterfalls when the tears cascade? Seriously? Goodness, you can’t get any cornier!” Rarity said, with the most forced chuckle Spike had ever witnessed.

He sighed internally. She was trying to diver the mood rather than just confront the situation. He wouldn’t let it happen.

“It got you here, didn’t it?” Spike said, shrugging. He could see his behavior getting to Rarity.

After another pause, Rarity seemed to try again.

“I don’t imagine you called me here for just another argument, hm?” Rarity asked, as she walked over to Spike with a sway in her hips, and a drip on her voice that nearly drove Spike crazy.

However, he refused to be turned to her will, and stepped back.

“Actually, I did. I just have some information from Twilight that may prove useful to you.” Spike said dryly, trying to calm himself internally.

“Oh? I-is that so…?” Rarity said in a terribly disguised painful realization. Her stutter and voice-crack shot an arrow through Spike’s heart. He didn’t like seeing her like this.

“B-but that can wait, right? I mean, it’s been a while since we’ve-,”

“Look, Miss Bejeweled, do you want the info or not? I’m on a tight schedule.” Spike interrupted, more for the sake of not wanting to lose himself thinking about ‘that’, than just for keeping up this little act.

“Spike…?” Rarity asked in concern. Spike could feel her worry from where he stood.

“Is something bothering you? Did I do something wrong?” Rarity asked. The look of disappointment and sadness in Rarity’s eyes killed Spike’s heart.

“It’s f-,” Spike began, but stopped himself, turning away from Rarity.

“Dammit, I almost broke! No, it is not fine, and you let her know that, dammit!” Spike thought to himself, furiously shaking his head, turning back to Rarity.

“God, has being a lone thief for so long killed your social skills!? Gah, I just wanted you to apologize for what you said!” Spike yelled.

“A-apolo-?”

“My career is not some charade, and my status and title are more than just the result of your little altercation with Twilight and our attempted collaboration at fixing that, are we understood?” Spike said firmly, standing face-to-face with the now submissive Rarity. He was very serious, despite his heart being softened by her pained face.

“… I-I’m sorry… I know you work hard, I was… I don’t know, I was just upset, I guess… I-I’m sorry…” Rarity said in a small whimper. Spike’s heart wrenched, but he released huge sigh of relief.

“Thank you! Now I can stop acting like this!” Spike said, finally dropping his act of meanness. He hugged the whimpering Rarity.

“I hate making you feel like this, but you’ve gotta understand what you’re saying when you get caught up in your emotions… I love you Rarity, but I really do work hard to ensure that this world is a better place. Not just for the people, or Twilight…” Spike began, as Rarity’s whimpers slowed, much to his pleasing.

“I work hard to make it better for you, too… So when you called it a charade, made it seem like it was fake, that really hurt…” Spike said, tightening his hug.

“I… I really am sorry, Spike… I-,”

“Shh, I know. It’s alright, I accept all your apologies. I’m sorry, too, Rarity. I could’ve been more thoughtful and considerate in my words, too.” Spike said, pulling away.

“It’s fine, Spike… I love you, Spike…” Rarity said. Spike smiled. He knew why she said that again, despite him just telling her that he loved her.

“I love you, too, Rarity. You won’t ever be alone.” Spike said, in hopes of killing her fear of loneliness, which seemed to flare up every time she expected to lose him for good.

Much to Spike’s happiness, those words seemed to calm Rarity, as they both sat against the wall of the small cave behind the waterfall. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

“We should live together out here one day.” Rarity said, resting her head on his shoulder.

“We should.” Spike agreed, holding Rarity’s hand.

More minutes of silence followed, as Spike’s thoughts began to hit the gutter.

As if on cue, Rarity got up.

“So, like I was saying…” Rarity began, crawling to kneel in front of the sitting Spike.

“I don’t expect you came all this way just for another argument, did you?” Rarity asked, her tone becoming an impossible-for-Spike-to-resist seductive.

“P-Perhaps, I didn’t…” Spike said, looking into Rarity’s eyes, as she removed his helmet, tossing it aside.

“You know, there are two things you always fail to remember once we get our privacy…” Rarity said, caressing his jaw, as she crawled over to straddle him. Spike felt his heartrate speed up greatly, being excited by her movement.

“Oh boy…” Spike began, trying to regulate his breathing.

“And, uh, what’s that?” Spike asked, feeling his cheeks light up with heat.

“One, that a lady should never make the first move…” Rarity began, as she began to close the distance between their lips.
Spike, being caught in her spell, simply sat there, his eyes sunken into a half-moon, and his lips reaching forward ever so slightly, wanting her own.

“Second… You should never make a lady wait for anything…” Rarity said, as she finally closed the distance…

Loving You Is Dangerous

by TyRex

Two Sides - Chapter 1 (1/2)

Of One Coin - Chapter 1 (2/2)

Rage of a Thief - Chapter 2 (1/2)

Resolve of a Hero - Chapter 2 (2/2)