Fleur de Lis wants a taste of life outside the prim and proper walls of high society. Luckily, Spike is there to be her guide.
It's the night of the biggest fashion show of her career, yet all Fleur de Lis can think about is how she would rather be anywhere else. Just one night away from the prim and proper lifestyle she's surrounded by couldn't be so bad, could it?
Luckily, with Spike to chaperone her around town, she's able to see just how fun life can be.... at least for one night.
The sun shone through the bright-lit sales floor of The Canterlot Boutique. The smell of fresh linen chemically cleaned floors, and flowery fragrances lent itself to an environment of the most regal and pristine variety.
All of this was entirely lost however on the dragon sitting atop a chair in the room. He slurped down his soda and idly watched as Rarity, his closest friend, whisked her way around the mare she was trying to assist.
“You know, Rarity,” Spike said, nonchalantly eyeing the situation. “I may only be a nineteen-year-old dragon, but I'm pretty sure the dress might work better if it was hanging on the ground like that.”
Rarity flipped around and gave him a look that would send the devil himself running for cover. “I’m quite aware of that, Spike. I’m simply not in the hemming phase, yet.”
The dragon shrugged. “Alright, whatever you say. I’m just trying to help Fleur de Lis out. I’m sure she’d rather not trip over the dress when walking down the runway.”
The mare in question, who had been standing still for an obscene amount of time whilst being fitted, let out a soft snicker. “I appreciate the thought, Spike. Tripping and tearing this beautiful dress is the last thing I’d hope to do.”
Spike gave her a thumbs up and winked. “It’s what I do. I’m a giver.”
“Yes, well, have no fear, Fleur,” Rarity said, eyeing one of the many seams on the garment. “By the time I’m finished you will positively be the star of the show. I know how important this is for you and your career. Isn’t the lead editor of EquestriaTainment Magazine supposed to be there?”
“Yes, that is correct,” she stated with a soft sigh. “He and all the high-end nobles looking for the next face of fashion will be there.”
Rarity smiled up at her. “Well, I’m definitely happy for you, darling. And I’m ever so grateful you decided to come to me for your outfit. It’s really quite flattering.”
“Of course,” she replied. “Fancy Pants always raves about you and your work at our business meetings. I figured I’d take the time to see for myself.”
Rarity squealed with excitement. “Does he really? He raves? Did you hear that Spike? He raves!”
“Here we go…” the dragon whispered under his breath before putting on a smile. “Yes, Rarity, I heard. That’s great! You’re making a name all over the place, now!”
Rarity hummed quietly to herself, a smile of the utmost bliss plastered on her face. She danced around Fleur, eyeing her work with even more attention to detail. The mare at her mercy just let out a sigh and did her best to not move.
After a few more minutes of Fleur being immobilized, Rarity reveling in her own satisfaction and Spike continuing to watch the scenery in ignorant bliss, Rarity finally paused.
“Spike, dear?” she asked, turning from her work to the dragon.
“Yeah?” he responded, pausing the slurping of his beverage. “What’s up?”
“I need to run across town for but a moment to retrieve some golden sash.” Rarity rubbed her chin, looking at the garment. “Yes, golden would work beautifully. Would you be able to keep Fleur company until I return?”
Spike nodded. “Sure thing.”
“Excellent!” Rarity began trotting toward the front door. “Please provide her with whatever she needs! “
Spike shooed her out the door with a claw. “Yeah, yeah, I get it, Rarity. No worries.”
“Very good, dear. I’ll only be gone for but an hour at the latest. Ta-Ta for now!” And without a twist Rarity popped out the door.
…Leaving Spike and Fleur alone in the room. By themselves. In silence. With nothing to talk about.
“Ahem. Erm.” Spike cleared his throat, looking around the room, anywhere but the dressed-up mare in front of him. She seemed to be doing the same. “So…”
“Uh, yeah…” she replied, taking a sudden interest in the ceiling.
“Mhm,” Spike said, finding the ceiling quite interesting as well.
The awkwardness continued for a total of two treacherous minutes. If the air was any heavier the fabric of time and space would have imploded by this point, releasing untold terrors into the world. Luckily for both of them, Spike finally broke the silence.
“So, how about the weather?” he asked, finally bring his eyes to meet her.
Fleur let out a sigh, her gaze traveling down to the floor. “I hate this…”
Spike blinked a few times. “Really? I thought sunny and sixty degrees was rather nice for this time of year.”
“No, not the weather,” she corrected him. “This show tonight. This dress. The four hours of hooficuring. The whole thing is just stupid!”
This was the point where Spike was sure he must’ve said something offensive. Ponies don’t normally go on these kinds of tirades in front of strangers, do they? Then again. he’s seen Twilight fly off the handle for much less, so perhaps he should just roll with the flow.
“Umm, Okay?” Spike asked. “I take it you’re not a huge fan of the dress? I’m sure I can get Rarity to alter it. Or, you know, you only have to wear it for tonight, so—“
She shook her head and trotted over to him, stumbling over the said dress in the process. “It’s not about the dress, Spike. I just… I didn’t even want to do this whole thing tonight. Is it so wrong to want a night off from traveling, getting prettied up and being eye candy for the world to see! I can’t remember the last time I saw my own apartment!”
Spike stat stiff as a board on his box, the only movement coming from the occasional blink of his eye toward the now huffing and puffing mare. “Umm… that sucks.”
Fleur flung her head back, emitting a small growl, before walking back over to the area she was previously standing. Her head slumped down upon arrival. “I’m sorry for going off like that, Spike. I was just frustrated is all.”
“No, no, I get ya,” he said, waving a claw. “We all need to vent once in awhile. I do it at least three times a week! I’m just more or less shocked you’re saying anything. You’ve never really been much for words the first few times we’ve met. I was starting to think you were mute or something.” His attempt to lighten the mood fell on deaf ears.
“Well, I shouldn’t do it,” she stated, glancing over at him. “This is probably the biggest modeling event of the year. A dream come true for most ponies. But all I can think about is how uncomfortable this dress is and how long I’ve been standing here.”
Spike scratched the back of his neck. “I’ve never been one for modeling or anything, despite my good looks, so I can’t really sympathize too much. But, I gotta ask… Why not do something else, instead?”
Fleur widened her eyes a tad and looked at him. “Do something else?”
“Yeah,” Spike said. “If you don’t wanna go to the shindig tonight and would rather just chill, do that instead.”
“You know it’s not that simple, right?” she asked, shaking her head.
“Are you sure? It sounds pretty simple to me.” Spike hopped off the box. “Call up your agent, tell him you’ve got better things to do and go have a burger or something. Read a comic book. Take advantage of the technological gap in Manehattan and watch a movie. Whatever floats your boat.”
Fleur opened her mouth to respond but quickly shut it. After taking a minute to process what he had just said she let out a light chuckle. “I can’t do that. There are so many people depending on me to be there. My agent, the audience members… even Rarity.”
Spike shrugged once more. “Eh, the way I see it though, you’re letting down the most important pony of all, right now?”
“Let me guess…”
“Yourself!” Spike exclaimed, finishing her thought. “I’m not gonna pretend to know you personally or anything, but you don’t look like somepony who’s having a good time. You may as well change that. Better to disappoint a few ponies and have fun then please everyone but yourself. At least that’s how I look at it and trust me, disappointing superiors is one of my specialties.” He finished his pep talk of the century with a smile dripping with confidence and a wink to send it on home.
Fleur took a moment to respond. She looked all around the room before her eyes locked on the dress she was wearing. As they traveled up the beautiful tapestry of cloth and ribbon she found her eyes even more attracted to the front door of the shop. It was early enough in the afternoon that the sun was still brightly streaming over the paved brick streets. The town citizens, trotting, and smiling looked to be having such a good time in their freedom. No shackles.
She wanted it.
“Alright, I think I’ll do it!” She shouted, directly in the face of the dragon.
“Excellent… and loud,” he replied, rubbing his ear. “Now quick, go on and get out of here before Rarity gets back and flips out. Enjoy your freedom!”
Fleur rose a hoof, about to take her first step forward, but quickly put it back down and looked at Spike. “Um, Spike? I’m not really sure what to do? I’ve never taken the time to really explore the town before.”
“Hold on,” Spike said, shaking his head. “You don’t know the fun stuff to do in your own town? How long have you lived here?”
The mare blushed and shied away from a few steps. “Well, I’ve lived in Canterlot for a few years, but I spend much of time elsewhere. So, that has to count as an excuse, right?”
Spike sighed. “I guess it’ll have to. But, you know what? Sounds to me like you need a guide. And there’s nopony better equipped to show you around a bit then this dragon with the thumbs.”
Fleur gave him a weak smile. “You’d do that for me? I mean, you’re helping Rarity, so aren’t you busy?”
“Nah fam, we good,” he stated, waving his claw. “Rarity’s my best friend, so I tend to follow her around on jobs like this. But as far as actually being helpful, I don’t do much more than idle conversation.”
“I see,” she replied, turning her gaze back outside. It wasn’t ideal, exploring the city with somepony she barely knew, but he was offering and she wanted to see what there was out there. “Okay, Spike, let’s do it!”
“Perfect!” Spike gave her a wink. “Now, let’s get you out of that dress and have some fun! …And that didn’t come out the way I wanted it to.”
Fleur chuckled and slipped out of the outfit, leaving it in a heap on the floor. It looked a bit cruel almost, something so beautiful being thrown into a crumpled heap, but that’s exactly how she felt while being forced to wear it.
The pair dashed over to the front door, Spike holding the door open for her, and they walked outside.
The crisp, spring afternoon air wafted by them, taking the time to dance with Fleur’s flowing mane. It was not an unusual sight to see the sun’s brilliance, but to the mare, it looked just a little brighter… a little more beautiful than usual.
“Okay, Spike,” she said, bouncing in the air. “What do we do first?”
Spike rubbed his chin in thought but was interrupted by a distinct growling noise coming from Fleur’s stomach. “Hmm, it appears our decision is already made. Follow me.”
Fleur blushed but she was admittedly hungry, despite the fact she had already eaten her allotted two carrots for the day, so she followed along closely. “I suppose I could use some food. Where are we going? I do believe there’s a celery salad place just around the corner.”
Spike laughed aloud. “Oh man, that’s a good one. Nah, if we’re gonna do this freedom thing right, we’re eating at a place I approve of.”
“And what would that be?”
“You’ll see.”
Fleur looked down at the plate of food before her. Never had her eyes witnessed such an insult to all that is healthy and wholesome. Grease pooled at the bottom of the plate, it’s progress only being slowed by a paper towel separating said plate from the food.
But she couldn’t deny, it looked tasty… whatever it was.
“Spike?” Fleur asked, taking a moment to clear her throat. “What is this?”
Spike chuckled. “That right there is a genuine hayburger on a grilled, marble rye with house cut fries, deep-fried to perfection.”
“Ahh, I see.” The mare blinked a few times, eyeing the food. Her mouth began to water and the scent of it trailed through her nostrils. “I’ve heard tale of this hayburger before, but I wasn’t sure if it was real or not. Is it true what they say? That it has the power to bring smiles and destroy arteries at the same time?”
Spike took a large bite of his own sandwich and nodded. “You better believe it. You won’t find a more enjoyable heart attack anywhere else. Trust me, I’ve looked.”
Fleur couldn’t remember the last time she saw any morsel of food that wasn’t the epitome of health and dieting. To go from a carefully monitored diet of kale (or even the occasional apple on a cheat day) to a plate loaded with greasy food questionable repute was about as big of a culture shock as she could comprehend.
“Well, here goes nothing.” She levitated the sandwich up to her lips. As it got closer she could see the intricacies of the crunchy, toasted bread, the flakes of seasoning peppered across the hay… the spear-like pickle that seemed to have no business being there. She closed her eyes, opened her mouth and…
…It hit her like a bag of the most delicious bricks one could imagine. Her eyes popped open as if she had just bore witness to the golden spires of heaven itself. Her mouth was alive with the taste of sharp yet sultry morsels of hay, spicy yet savory bursts of seasoning and the robust flavor of rye bread holding it together in a beautiful package of flavor and satisfaction.
“Spike…” Fleur gently set the sandwich down, almost at a loss for words. “This. This is…”
“Good?” He asked, taking another bite.
“Amazing!” She immediately took another bite and fell into a blissful ignorance of the world once more. “I just… How did I go so long without this in my life?”
“I hear that a lot from the ladies,” Spike said, kicking back in his chair. He received a cock-eyed look from Fleur, causing him to sit back up in his chair. “Ahem, well, that was a joke. But, I’m glad you liked it!”
Instead of replying, Fleur greedily downed another bite, a smile of the most heavenly proportions on her face. She then popped a few fries into her mouth and her elation grew to new heights.
Spike couldn’t help but smile at the sight before him. There was something to be said about the beauty of seeing a pony at their happiest. “So, you’ve really never had food like this before? Ever?”
“No, I haven’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I’ve never even been allowed to step hoof around a place like this. My modeling agent wouldn’t ever—“
“No, no, no,” Spike exclaimed, waving his claws around. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I mean before all that. When you were a filly. I’m sure you had food like this a few times, right?”
Fleur shook her head. “No, I never did. My parents were just as strict as any agent I’ve had.”
“Oh, man… that’s cruel and unusual.” Spike shrugged. “I mean, everyone’s gotta bounce to their own beat, but I’d go crazy if I wasn’t allowed to eat junk food.” Spike reached down to consume another bite of food but was disappointed when his claw was met with naught but empty air. He glanced his eyes down to find that the food had been eaten. “On that note, I guess it’s time for some conversation.”
Fleur looked up from the remaining fries she was rendering carnage unto and addressed Spike, wiping crumbs from her mouth as quickly as possible. “Conversation? Uh, okay. About what?”
“I ‘unno,” he replied. “What do you usually talk about when hanging out with others?”
Fleur rubbed her chin. “Fashion, upcoming shows, mane stylists, magazines. The usual things ponies talk about I suppose.”
Spike blinked several times. “If that’s what normal ponies talk about I have a lot of social development skills to learn.” Spike slouched back in his seat. “Well, let’s try this from a different angle. It seems obvious you don’t talk about normal things much. So, what do your parents do for work? You mentioned they were pretty strict with you so I assume there’s a reason.”
“My parents?” Fleur paused for a moment. “Well, my mother was a theater actress. She… was never very good, or so the headlines would say. My father was a farmer, however. An earth pony.”
“A farmer and an actress?” Spike asked, scratching his head. “I mean, I guess opposites attract and all, but still… wow.”
She nodded. “Yes, it is rather odd. But, in regards to my earlier comment, my father was never really the strict one. He, uh, he wasn’t around a whole lot. We grew up on his farm and well, long hours took a rather quick toll on him. Between working and sleeping, I mainly associated with my mother and she was insistent that I maximize my beauty at every opportunity.”
“Really?” Spike nodded. “I guess I can see that, her being an actress and all.” The dragon patted his trim yet slightly squishy stomach. “Maybe if Twilight followed those ideals I’d have grown up a bit more in shape.”
Fleur snickered a big behind her hoof. “Heh, oh you’re nowhere near some ponies I’ve seen before. Although, I can’t speak for what counts as physically in-shape for dragons.”
Spike blushed and rubbed the back of his head. “Well, let’s just say that I’m not exactly the most prime example of draconic strength. “
Fleur was about to further the conversation but both were interrupted by a loud bang as the door to the restaurant swung open. Fleur and Spike both swiveled around to take a look at what caused the intrusion.
A pink unicorn stallion trotted in a confident smile on his lips, expensive-looking sunglasses covering his eyes. He had a black mane with a pink stripe running through it that he swung out of his face with a simple head jerk. Levitating the sunglasses off of his face, he winked at the mare working the cash register behind the counter.
“How ya’ doing, girl? You know what I like.” He then dropped a few bits on the counter and trotted off toward the restroom, leaving the mare blushing and giggling in response.
“Oh, gosh, not him…” Spike said, shaking his head.
“Who’s that?” Fleur asked, staring at the bathroom door behind which he disappeared to.
“That’s Poptart,” Spike said with a huff. “He’s quote, unquote 'Celestia’s gift to mares' and not exactly the nicest stallion on the block either. He’s trouble, trust me on that one.”
Fleur kept her eyes glued to the door a few more seconds before finally peeling them away and looking back at Spike. “I see.”
Having completely emptied their plates and food baskets by this point, the two were about ready to leave.
“So, you ready to head back yet?” Spike asked, dropping a few bits on the table as a tip. “I mean, you could probably have some time to chill at your apartment or whatever else you wanted to do.”
Fleur shook her head. “No way! I wanna see what else there is to do! Besides, you said you could be my guide for the afternoon.”
Spike nodded and smiled. “I suppose you’re correct. Well, what do you wanna do next?”
“I don’t know,” she said, scrunching her face in thought. “What else is there to do?”
Spike shrugged. “Well, later tonight I know there’s generally concerts and stuff going on. But for right now… oh, I know something you might like.”
“What’s that?” she replied, a small smile and wide eyes on her face.
“Well, I couldn’t help but remember how sick and tired you were of wearing those fancy dresses and stuff, so why not pick up some new clothes? You know, for fun!” Spike scratched his head for a moment. “Just a little ways away there’s actually a really cool clothing store that has everything. Why don’t we check it out and see if they have anything you like?”
“That sounds great! Let’s go!” Fleur clapped her hooves in excitement.
Spike began standing up out of his seat but was immediately knocked back down as a particular pink pony paraded past him.
“Watch it, loser,” Poptart exclaimed, trotting towards a table in the back. “Hold on a second.”
Poptart flipped around and made eye contact with Fleur who was turned around to look at him. “My, my, my… Aren’t you pretty? What say you and I go have some fun tonight, huh?”
Fleur seemingly lost in his dangerous smile, just fumbled around for words in her mouth. Luckily, Spike had a few to put a halt to the confusion.
“Beat it, bro,” Spike said, rising to his feet. “We’ve got plans, already.” Spike reached out a claw, helping Fleur off the seat and onto her hooves. “C’mon, Fleur, let’s get out of here.”
Poptart smirked as the two walked away. “Well hey, if you get tired of hanging out with that clown, come find me. I’ll show you a real good time.”
And with that, the two shut the door behind them and made their way to the next stop for the night.
Meanwhile at the boutique…
“Oh, you would not believe how beautiful this ribbon is,” Rarity said, levitating it behind her as she strode blissfully into the boutique. “Wouldn’t you agree, Spike?”
Her hears were met with complete silence.
“Spike, darling?” Rarity levitated the ribbon over to a nearby counter and looked around the room. “Fleur?”
She trotted a bit further in, eyes glancing to and fro in search of the lost friends. “Spike, Fleur… where’d you go? This really isn’t fun—“ And then she saw it. “AHHH!”
Rarity’s screech could be heard from miles away as she raced to the middle of the room, eyes glossing over at the sight of her beautiful dress slumped on the floor.
“W-What could have happened here?” Rarity said, tears flowing from her eyes. “What sort of terrible evil could’ve gotten ahold of poor Spikey-Wikey and Fleur? And how could they have left my dress on the floor!? The horror!”
Without wasting another breath, Rarity levitated the dress up onto a hanger and hung it from a nearby rack. If there was a terrible evil lurking about, she’d at least see to it they didn’t damage her clothes any more than it already had.
“Alright, Rarity, now that the dress is taken care of, what’s the next step? Fleur and Spike are missing and there’s a fashion show starting in only a few hours that you were supposed to bring said Fleur too. This isn’t so bad. This is… This is… This. Is. Horrible!”
Tears flowing from her eyes, Rarity dashed out of the boutique, making sure to lock the door behind her of course. She knew exactly where she needed to go and who she needed to speak with. Perhaps they weren’t lost after all. Perhaps they had gone off in search of further ways to enhance Fleur’s chances of winning the fashion show. Either way, Rarity was on a mission now and there was a pony she had to talk to. And with any luck, everypony would come out of this little disaster okay at the end.
Spike and Fleur casually walked down the sidewalk, sunlight beginning to fade into the blackness. Street lanterns were lit by this point, adding a soft luminescence to the scenery. It wasn’t particularly cold or hot, which made for excellent conversational weather.
“So, Spike,” Fleur spoke up. “How far away is this clothing store you spoke of?’
“Eh, just a couple more blocks down,” Spike said. “You won’t be able to miss it, trust me.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” she replied, a soft smile forming on her lips. “But, tell me, Spike. How do you know about all this fun and exciting stuff? You live with royalty so I’m sure you’re quite busy. How is there any time for fun?”
The dragon released a hearty chuckle. “Me? Busy? Psh, I’m a glorified roommate at this point. Granted, I’ve been known to save a Crystal Empire or two through random luck and undeniable charm… but for the most part, I just laze around and try to occupy myself. I found out about all this stuff around here because what else is there to do when I come with Twilight to her royal meetings?”
“Fair enough,” Fleur stated. “But, just out of curiosity, do you have any plans to try and do more for the Princesses? Couldn’t you become a Prince or something of that nature?”
Spike shrugged. “Eh, In the loosest sense imaginable I guess you could say I am one already. But, to be honest, I’m not really sure that life is for me. Politics, schedules… expectations. It seems more trouble than it's worth.”
“Heh, I can agree with that.” Fleur looked over at the dragon as they turned a corner. “So, if that’s the case, what do you wanna do?”
“Well, I…” Spike paused for a moment. “I don’t really know. I guess I never thought too much about it.” The dragon felt a bit of a shiver run down his spine. He had never been asked a question like that before. At least not since he was in classes with Celestia and Luna back in the day. He honestly didn’t have an answer. “What about you, Fleur? I can’t help but think you must have some aspirations in the modeling world to stay in the field for so long.”
“You could say that,” she said. “I always wondered what it would be like to reach the top of the modeling pole. Be on all the magazine covers and so on. For the most part, I’ve done and seen most of what there is to see. So, as far as that goes, I’m really not sure what else I can hope for in this career.”
“That’s definitely an interesting way of looking at it,” Spike said. “You work so hard to get somewhere, but what happens when you actually get there? Do you stop at the end of the road or do you find a new road to travel down?”
“Yeah,” Fleur said with a light sigh. “But I guess it wouldn’t be so bad to at least see what it’s like to finish the journey.”
“Yeah.”
An air of silence took over the two of them for the next few steps as they continued their trek down the sidewalk. Neither really knew what to say.
Except for Spike, that is.
“Well, this conversation just got real deep, real fast,” he said. “Remember, we’re here to have fun tonight. There’ll be plenty of time for self-reflection and inner-monologues when we’re both in therapy someday.”
Fleur let out a small chuckle. “I suppose you’re right. Let’s actually have fun.”
Spike winked at her. “No problem. Now, right around this corner…”
Fleur and Spike turned one more corner and their destination was in plain sight.
“That’s a clothing store?” Fleur asked, eyes agape.
“You better believe it,” Spike said with folded arms and a quirky smile. “May I present to you Canterlot’s hottest urban-wear shop, Fashionista le Freak.”
At the end of the sidewalk on the opposing street was a stone structure, aglow with bright neon lights and a lit up sign sporting its name in all caps. All in all, the pure wave of energy it was giving off just screamed mop-tops and acid washed jeans.
“This doesn’t look like any clothing store I’ve ever been to,” Fleur said, almost afraid to step toward it. “Are you sure this isn’t secretly one of those parlors of ill repute that are popular in Manehattan?”
“Heh, given all the moody teenagers that shop here it may as well be,” Spike stated. “But trust me, if you wanna shake up your style a bit, this is the place to do it. Do you trust me?”
Fleur looked at the place up and down once more and then looked at Spike who was wearing a soft but confident smile. “Okay, let’s do it. Let’s go.”
“Right on!”
The two quickly made their way down and across the street until they finally arrived at the front door of the store. Spike held the door open for Fleur, allowing her to step in first before following behind.
It was like nothing Fleur had ever seen before. Instead of the usually organized beauty of a high-end clothing store, everything seemed to be in a haphazard mess. Racks of various clothes were splayed across the concrete flooring. Neon lights flashed and danced across the walls and floor, providing just enough light to see what you needed to. Loud techno and rock music blasted through the store, adding a new layer of rebellion to the image presented. And that was just the atmosphere.
Just from what she knew of high-society fashion, she could tell that the items sold here were not of noble variety. She saw dresses and stockings that seemed barely long enough to even qualify for their intended purpose. Shirts with color combinations she couldn’t imagine would have ever existed were on display right in front of her.
It was so new. It was so strange. It was so… so…
“Amazing!” She cried out. “I cannot believe I’ve never seen this place before!”
Spike nodded his head. “You see? Told you you’d love it. Now, go be the angsty teen you never got to be before and pick something out. It’s on me.”
Fleur immediately paused her wonderment and glanced back at Spike. “Anything? On you? Are you sure? Really?”
Spike couldn’t help but laugh. It was like seeing a foal open presents at their birthday party. “Yeah, of course. For all the complaints I make, living with royalty does have its advantages. Get anything you want.”
Spike didn’t have a chance to blink before he was swept into a tight, spur of the moment hug. “Thank you, Spike!”
With a dash, Fleur de Lis started eyeballing every piece of clothing that she came across, sorting through every rack and gathering an obnoxiously large pile of things to try on.
“Heh, a high-society mare freaking out over clothes?” Spike shook his head. “I guess some things never change no matter where you come from.”
Meanwhile at a fancy mansion belonging to Fancy Pants…
“So, Rarity, let me get this straight,” Fancy Pants said. “You think aliens are responsible for the disappearance of Spike and Fleur?””
Rarity bobbed her head. “And throwing the dress on the floor. Let’s not forget that negligible act.”
“Ah, yes, I see.” Fancy Pants paused for a moment wipe his monocle on his shirt before continuing. “Well, I do value your creative thinking in the world of fashion, but I must say this notion seems just a tad implausible.” Fancy Pants wandered over to his easy chair in the living area of his home and took a seat, leaving a rather disheveled Rarity standing in the middle of the room.
“B-But,” Rarity began. “I simply haven’t the slightest idea of what else could commit such a crime. Taking away the most prized model in all of Canterlot and my poor Spikey Wikey to boot! No creature in all of Equestria could be so dastardly.”
Fancy Pants tapped his hoof against the armrests of his chair. “Rarity, my dear, has it possibly occurred to you that they left of their own volition?”
The white mare blinked a few times. “You couldn’t possibly mean…”
“That they decided to go explore the town and have a night of fun?” Fancy Pants stated matter of factly. “Yes, I’m sure that’s completely impossible to comprehend.”
“But what about the show tonight?” Rarity asked, eyes pleading for an answer. “It’s the biggest of her career! She wouldn’t simply abandon it for nothing!”
The stallion shrugged. “If she wants to make this decision, so be it. It’s not my job to tell her how to live, I just do my best to set her up for success. What she chooses to do after that is up to her. Frankly, given her recent pattern of distaste with the shows and glamour, I’m surprised it took this long.”
Rarity’s jaw hung to the floor. “No, I refuse to accept this!”
“Rarity, I appreciate you bringing this to my attention.” Fancy Pants looked at her with a soft stare. “It shows how kind you are at heart to care so much. But, I assure you, she’s simply out doing something for herself. Your friend Spike was probably just the catalyst in some way toward helping her reach the conclusion. When she turns back up I’ll go over the career ramifications with her. And don’t worry, I’ll still compensate you for the time and materials of the dress you were designing.”
Rarity rose her hoof to argue her point once more but dropped it. She simply couldn’t comprehend the idea that Fleur would abandon such a glorious career opportunity such as the one she was presented with. And to imply that Spike assisted her in this grand folly was insulting, to say the least. But, Fancy Pants had clearly made up his mind and there was no use wasting any more time when her best friend and Fleur de Lis could be in serious danger.
“Now, Rarity,” Fancy Pants said. “I’ll get in contact with the show coordinator and inform them that Fleur won’t be attending. I suggest you close up the shop and go back home to get some rest. Things will be okay.”
Rarity bit her tongue and simply nodded. “Yes, of course. Thank you for your time.”
With that, Rarity flipped around and trotted out of his home. Of course, she had no intention of going home. Not when her friends were in dire need of her. She was the Element of Generosity, after all.
Spike really wished he had a hoofwatch because now would be the perfect time to look at it to express his growing impatience in the clothing store. He should have known something like this would happen when she disappeared into the dressing room with more clothes than any pony, dragon or any creature would ever need for one lifetime. Luckily for him, growing up around mares his entire life had prepared him well for times like this. Even Twilight herself, Princess of Efficiency, was known to get a little sidetracked in a clothing store.
The dragon paced back and forth in front of the dressing room area, waiting and praying for any sign of movement from beyond. Now that he thought about it, why’d they need dressing rooms anyhow? Nudity was the social norm, after all. If anything, there be closed rooms for when you’re wearing clothes. That’d be a million dollar idea.
Before Spike’s mind could wander any further down the depths of insanity, however, music was brought to his ears in the form of the door handle shaking and finally inching open.
“Spike, be honest,” he heard Fleur’s voice say from the other side. “What do you think?”
Spike stretched out his arms and turned towards the door. “Alright, let’s see what’s going on he—” His jaw fell open.
Fleur stepped from behind the door revealing herself in totality… and she looked stunning. She had picked out a charcoal black dress, just short enough to accentuate herself, but long enough to still give off an air of formality. It had lace trimming that danced around her legs. Her mane was tied up in a ponytail with a matching black hairband and the front was parted to the side, hanging over one eye.
She certainly didn’t look the part of the fashion conscious model everypony knew, but she looked amazing nonetheless. Somehow, she managed to keep her mature level of beauty and grace while creating an undertone of fun and freedom that she was missing before.
Spike, who had now been staring for a borderline inappropriate amount of time at this point, finally shook his shock off enough to speak. Of course, all he could muster was a single word.
“Woah.”
Fleur blushed and walked toward him. “So, you like it then? I was having a hard time finding an outfit that worked my mane color and also fit so I just decided on black. I figured it kinda matches everything so….”
“It looks amazing.” Spike was trying everything he could to pull his gaze away from her, but easier said than done. “You look amazing, I should say. The clothes are good and all, but you look great, too.”
“Hehe, thank you, Spike,” Fleur said, brushing her mane out of her eyes. “I’ll take your compliment as a good sign considering you work with Rarity. You must know your way around a dress or two.”
“Yeah, well, I just call it like I see it,” he said with a grin. “Trust me. If you looked terrible I would’ve been just as honest.”
They both shared a laugh as they strolled to the checkout. Spike paid for the clothes as promised and they both exited, Spike especially happy to finally be moving on to another location. The store was cool, but you can only be in one spot for so long before a change is needed.
“So, where to next?” Fleur asked. “That is if we’re still planning on doing other things.”
Spike rubbed his chin. “Hmm, well, we definitely wanna give you a chance to show your new style off, don’t we?”
Fleur rapidly nodded.
“In that case…” Spike had a few things in mind but one finally clicked with him. “So, there is a little concert not too far from here. I think I mentioned it to you a bit earlier. But, the real question would be how much you’re willing to go out of your comfort zone tonight?”
“Well…” Fleur thought for a moment. “Things have been great so far, so why not push the envelope a bit more. Lead the way!” She looped a hoof around Spike’s arm, causing the drake to freeze up for a bit.
“Huh?”
Fleur chuckled. “I do believe this is the gentecolt’s way to escort a lady around Canterlot in the evening, is it not?”
Spike looked back at her hoof and then back up at her. “I guess so. Let’s get a move on, then.”
The two sauntered off down the streets, Spike leading the way and Fleur excited to see what else was waiting for her on such a wonderful night.
Meanwhile at the Canterlot Police Station…
“Aliens?”
Rarity looked over the counter at the police pony with a harsh glare. “What else could it have been? Will nopony take me seriously?”
The officer let out a sigh and took a quick swig of coffee. “Look, Miss Rarity, we know of your reputation as a hero in this land and we want to do everything we can to help you. But… this just seems to be a little far-fetched. Are you sure your friends didn’t just go out for a night on the town?”
“Arghhh!” Rarity screeched. “It simply isn’t possible. That would simply make no sense! I’m terrified that something has happened to them. Please, at least put out flyers, send a search team, anything! I’m terribly worried about my darling Spike…” A stray tear ran down Rarity’s face. “And Fleur is a good pony, as well.”
The police pony looked at her from across the desk and finally slouched back in his chair. “Alright, alright. If it’ll give you some piece of mind, I’ll send out some search teams right away to try and find them. If we do and there’s any kind of danger, we’ll bring them back here and inform you immediately. Okay?”
Rarity’s mouth dropped and she squealed with delight. “Oh, thank you, officer. Thank you so very much!”
“Yes, yes, of course,” he said. “Just, do me a favor and don’t go up to the palace and bother the Princesses with this. At least not until we’ve done our job first, alright?”
Rarity nodded and headed toward the door. “Of course. I shall be waiting at my boutique down the road in the meantime. Please find me there when you hear of something.”
The mare stepped out onto the streets and emitted a soft sigh of relief. With any luck, everypony would be okay and things would be back to normal sooner rather than later.
Spike and Fleur wandered down the lamp-lit sidewalks. Spike meandered a bit behind whilst Fleur ooh’d and ah'd at every building they passed. It wasn’t a particularly dangerous part of town, but he still wanted to keep an eye on the surroundings.
“I’ve never been to this part of town, before,” she said, voice trembling with wonder. “I didn’t even know there was a south side of the city.”
Spike nodded. “Yep! It’s not all glitz and glamour around these parts. Believe it or not, even middle-class ponies have homes and businesses here.”
Although it wasn’t anywhere near the metropolitan scene that Manehattan was, this part of Canterlot was a stark contrast from what the public eye was accustomed to seeing in the Canterlot Chronicle. Instead of lush mansions illuminated by the glowing crystals of Canterlot Palace, there were modest apartments, small brick homes and much more affordable looking restaurants.
Fleur took a moment to sniff the air, licking her lips. “Woah, what’s that smell?”
Spike paused and smelled for himself. “Hmm, I’d say that’s a grilled carrot dot… or a herd of stray cats. They’re pretty—” Spike was interrupted by a cast of cascading kittens crossing the concrete. “Yep, it was the cats.”
“Oh,” Fleur said, blushing lightly. “I guess there’s still a lot I don’t know.”
“You’re not wrong,” Spike said, putting an arm around her neck and pointing down the street. “But fear not, because where we’re headed, there’ll be so many new sights and senses you won’t know what to do with yourself.”
Fleur immediately perked up. “Really? I can’t wait. You said we were going to a concert, right?”
“Yep,” the dragon said with a nod. “There’s a place around here that books some decent shows from time to time. Like I said, if you really wanna try something new, you gotta see it. It’s gonna be awesome!” Spike hopped in the air, punctuating his excitement. “It’s been too long since I’ve been to a concert.”
“But, Spike,” Fleur said, “I’ve been to concerts before. I’ve seen Octavia at least three times at charity events. Why will this be any different? And how will we get good seats if we’re showing up so late?”
Spike chuckled. “This isn’t going to be like any concert you’ve been to, before, trust me. Now, let’s hurry up. It’s seven, so we should be in plenty of time to catch the headlining act for tonight.”
Fleur shrugged. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain on a night like this. He seemed to know what he was talking about and he hasn’t let her down yet.
“Lead the way,” she stated with a bright smile.
“Of course.” Despite the area not being the most beautiful part of the city, the night was beautiful enough to cover the lackluster sights surrounding the two. What would appear like rusted rooftops and cracked concrete during the day became a shadowed canopy and a winding trail beneath the darkness. At this point, the moon was hanging high and strong in the sky and the wind had calmed enough to lend just a soft coolness to the night air. The occasional rustle of the sparsely populated trees or the distant sound of a hoof on sidewalk provided the perfect ambience.
It was the perfect scene for a nightly stroll.
Spike, despite his best efforts to enjoy the scene as a whole couldn’t help but let his eyes draw to the pony in front of him. Fleur was beautiful, that was no question. Everypony and their grandmother knew that. She didn't get so far into the modeling business for nothing. But now… seeing her letting loose, dressed casually and actually getting to know her little by little, he couldn’t help but see her as a little more beautiful than usual.
Maybe it was the fact he was seeing her as a pony as opposed to on a magazine cover. Maybe it’s because he was getting to know her as a pony as opposed to a prop used to sell clothes. Either way, he liked it. It wasn’t a date, he knew that. But getting one-on-one time with her… was kinda nice.
“So, Fleur,” Spike spoke up, racing up to walk beside her. “I was thinking just a bit about what you mentioned earlier. What I want to do in the future and all that jazz.”
“Oh?” she replied, turning to him. “What’d you come up with?”
“Bear with me here, but how does SpikeCorp Inc. sound?”
Fleur stopped in her tracks and faced the dragon. “Umm, what?”
“Yeah,” Spike said, spreading his arms. “SpikeCorp, Inc.! I was thinking It might be kinda cool to run my own corporation. Be a big wig, wear a three thousand bit suit… the whole shebang.”
Fleur chuckled and started trotting forward again. “I can see that. What would be the basis of your company?”
“Hmm,” Spike said, scratching the back of his head. “I haven’t really thought that far ahead yet. It’d probably some kind of pyramid scheme. As long as I stay at the top I should be able to bring in a nice profit without having to do any actual work. That’s the Equestrian Dream, right?”
“That’s what the nobles would have you believe, for sure,” Fleur said, smiling and shaking her head. “Between looking fancy and congratulating each other on their investments, they don’t do much. Trust me, I’ve spent enough time with them, I know these things.”
Spike blushed slightly. “You know, can I be perfectly honest with you, Fleur?”
She nodded. “Sure. What is it?”
“Well, the nobles you just described… That’s honestly how I always imagined you were. Well, not specifically you because we haven’t ever really done anything together before. But I kinda just lumped you and the rest of Canterlot society together.” Spike let out a nervous laugh. “I guess you learn something new every day, huh? I suppose I owe you an apology of sorts. You’re honestly a lot more fun than I imagined.”
“No need to be sorry,” Fleur said. “In a way, you’re not wrong. You are who you hang out with, so I can’t blame you for making that assumption. That’s part of the reason why I’ve been wanting to get out and do something like this for some time. I wanted to break away from that crowd… at least for a little bit. You kinda pushed me over the edge.”
“I’m glad you did,” Spike said with a wide grin. “And I’m glad I could be of service. You wouldn’t be having such a fun night, otherwise.”
“No joke,” Fleur said. “I’d be putting my hours of prep to use by walking down an aisle and back for two minutes.”
“That’s it?” Spike asked. “I guess I figured it’d be a bit more prominent than that.”
“Oh, hardly,” she replied. “But, it doesn’t really matter right now, I suppose. Where is this concert venue you mentioned? I assume we’re almost there?”
“You would be correct,” Spike said with a sly grin. The dragon lifted a claw to a building just down the street. It was nothing if not worn looking. “Might I introduce you to Canterlot’s only underground music club… Star 69.”
The pair quickly sauntered over to the building. As they got closer, they could feel an echoing in their ears accompanied by a soft vibrating beneath them, as if something was punching the ground. The feeling got more intense with every step they took.
“W-What is that?” Fleur asked, eyes wide. “Is there an earthquake?”
“Nah,” Spike said, waving his claw. “That is the sound of brutal blast beats and unholy riffs. Sounds like they’ve got a more wild group playing tonight. They’re probably testing out the instruments as we speak. You think you can handle it?”
Spike and Fleur went up to the ticket booth where they were greeted by a middle-aged earth pony with a long shaggy mane.
“Asuh, dudes. Two of you?”
Spike nodded. “Yes, sir.”
“That’ll be eight bits,” the pony replied. “It’s gonna be a sick show. You and your lady friend are in for a treat.”
“Speaking of that, who’s playing tonight?” Spike asked. “We’re in time for the headliner right?”
“Yep,” he said. “It’s gonna be Mare of Maya. Absolutely crushing riffs and insane vocals.”
“Crushing riffs?” Fleur asked, looking between the two males. “What does that mean?”
“Oh, it’s your first show?” The ticket pony asked. “Well, in that case, I won’t spoil it for you. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
“Thanks bro,” Spike said before turning to Fleur. “C’mon, let’s go inside and try to get a good spot.” He gently took her hoof and led her inside.
The initial room was dimly lit and filled with the scent of alcohol. The venue doubled as a bar, of course, so it was expected. Ponies were lounged around all over the place, enjoying their liquor and chatting. However, as they progressed a bit farther in, the place really livened up.
The entire back area was a giant open floor with a stage at the far end. Several hundred ponies were cramped together as tight as possible near the stage and spreading backwards through the room. There were a few lights lit, just enough to keep yourself from tripping and just enough to illuminate the stage, which was covered with a giant curtain.
“Wow…” Fleur said as they looked over the room. “This is a concert hall?”
Spike nodded. “Yep, one of the best. The crowd goes crazy here. And the way the music flows through the room… perfection.”
“No seating?”
“Nope.”
“No waiters or attendants?”
“Not a chance.”
Fleur looked around at the surroundings once more. “Well, I imagine this could get exciting then. I’m curious as to what these ‘blast beats and riffs’ are that you mentioned. Do you think they’ll play electric guitar… or is it just an acoustic show?”
Spike once again took her hoof and led her down into the growing crowd of ponies. It was a bit harder to hear at this point so he leaned up to her ear. “Let’s just wait and see.”
Meanwhile at the Canterlot Boutique…
Rarity paced back and forth, practically punishing the ground with every thrust her hoof made into it. Her mane, although still gorgeous, was being more frazzled by the second as she continued to think about what could possibly be happening to her friends.
“Oh, why has there not been any word yet?” she uttered, spitting the words out. “Why, it’s been all of thirty minutes already! What do my taxes even pay for? Laziness and lunacy, that’s what!”
She sighed deeply and crumpled onto a conveniently located fainting couch. She made sure to supply one at every one of her shops in case the need arose.
“Oh, Rarity, how could you let this happen?” she said with a sniffle. “All you wanted was a piece of ribbon for Fleur’s dress. And of course, the evils of the universe preyed upon your generosity and whisked away poor Spike and Fleur for Celestia knows what purpose. Erm…”
She hid her face behind her hoof and contemplated the meaning of life for a brief moment. Why was she here? What did she do to deserve such pain? What would death feel like when Twilight finds out she lost Spike? So many questions… so few answers.
She let out a huff and rose to her hooves. “Come now, Rarity. Now is not the time for soul-searching and self-pity wallowing. That’s scheduled for three in the afternoon tomorrow, anyhow. Now is the time for action!”
Rarity dashed to the back room and rummaged through the small refrigerator she had set up there. “Aha!” she exclaimed, pulling out a tub of Oats n’ Berry Ice Cream.
She returned to the couch and spoon-fed herself, the sweet treat at least working as a band-aid solution for the time being. Maybe that was all that was needed and hopefully the police would show up at her door, dragon and pony in hoof.
“Here you go, Fleur!” Spike shouted above the rapidly growing crowd. “I figured you might like to try one of these canon shots from the bar.” Spike held out a clear plastic cup filled halfway with a bright orange liquid.
Fleur levitated it in front of her eyes and stared it down before turning to Spike. “I’ve never tried hard liquor before. Is it dangerous?”
“Nah, fam, you good,” Spike said. “Watch.” Without fear, the dragon tilted his head back and downed his own cup. He shook his head to get rid of the burn. “There, you see, I’m fine!” He punctuated his sentence with a hiccup.
Fleur took a long sniff of the liquid, the aroma of it smelling sweet all the while singeing her nostril hairs. “Well, it’s not exactly Maredonay Select… but here goes.” She tossed her head back and gulped it all down.
Spike watched with a grin as the initial sensation hit her. She twitched her head and started blinking rapidly, her mouth contorting into a pucker.
“So, how was it?” he asked.
“It was… was… strange. And sweet. And I think I want another!”
Spike’s eyes widened. “Heh, sure thing. I’ll go…”
All the lights in the room went out, leaving it in almost complete darkness.
“What’s happening?” Fleur asked, latching onto Spike. “Are we in trouble?”
Spike turned to her. “It’s time.”
A few small, flickering white light started emanating from behind the curtained stage, providing a softly lit backdrop. And then the first shadow of a pony could be seen as it passed in front of the lights and took a seat behind the drum set that was there. The crowd erupted into an ear-splitting cheer.
MARE OF MAYA! MARE OF MAYA! MARE OF MAYA!
Spike looked to Fleur to make sure she was handling the noise okay and to his shock and dismay, she was chanting along with everypony else.
“Mare of Maya! Mare of Maya! C’mon Spike!” She lifted his arm into the air with her hoof. Of course, he had no choice but to join in the festivities at this point.
“Mare of Maya! Mare of Maya!”
The entire crowd became one voice in their chant. And it only got louder as two other ponies walked onto the stage, their silhouettes picking up their guitars. Ponies all around began getting restless, some jumping up and down in anticipation, others just screaming as loud as they could.
And then the backlit lights on the stage flickered off.
A loud bass drop emitted, shaking the entire floor, followed by a loud voice echoing through the room.
“CANTERLOT!”
A bright flash of light illuminated the stage right as the curtain dropped from the ceiling, giving visibility to the band on stage. A guitarist on one side, bassist on the other, drummer in the back and the vocalist in the front, standing upon a speaker to overlook the crowd.
An echoing synth line began playing from the background, slowly getting louder by the second, increasing in tension to the point of shaking the stage.
“LET’S OPEN THIS PLACE UP OUT THERE! LET’S! GO!”
His final words were encapsulated by a crushing guitar riff, matched beat by beat with the thundering bass and sharp drumming. Confetti rained down and the entire crowd lost it, jumping up and down, running into each other, head banging, crowd surfing… the whole shebang. And when the vocalist kicked it into gear it only got crazier.
Between the brutal music, excessive volume and blistering screams, it was if the gates of Tartarus had opened up and the devil himself was hosting a party.
Spike was no stranger to this kind of environment, but he made sure to keep an eye on Fleur throughout the insanity. Unfortunately for him, she was no longer within his line of sight. He darted his eyes around to find her, but to no avail. He squeezed between the ponies, looking in every nook and cranny, but his efforts bore no fruit. But, just as victory seemed to escape his grasp, he found her… and he couldn’t believe where she was.
There she was, scarfing down another two shots of liquor she found Celestia knows where and pushing and shoving in the mosh pit with everypony else. It was insane to think that this pony was the same one dressed up in a beautiful gown in Rarity’s boutique only a few hours ago.
Spike was pretty content listening and watching the action unfold from his spot, but once Fleur turned around and made eye contact with him, it was all over. She dashed through the horde of ponies and latched onto his claw.
“Spike!” She screamed out. “Come on!”
Spike wasn’t sure what happened next, but as he was drug into the war zone, he didn’t care. It was as if the entire audience was one, him and Fleur included. Controlled chaos and musical violence saturated all of his senses. And the idea that Fleur was enjoying just as much as he was, if not more…
It was breathtaking.
After around an hour of play, the band paused the show for a brief break so the crowd could get refreshments and use the restroom and so on.
“Spike!” Fleur said, her hoof wrapped tightly around him. “This is amazing! I never knew there were concerts like this!”
The dragon nodded. “Yep! And they have ‘em here every week. If you’re ever interested in going again…”
“You’ll be the first one I look for to go with,” she said with a quick nuzzle.
Spike blushed and chuckled. “Yeah, well… For now, did you want anything else to drink? I was gonna head to the back real quick.”
“Sure!” she said. “Just get us something good.”
“Got it.”
Spike managed to escape the grips of the crowd to travel to the bar area in the back. There were a few ponies lounging around on the various bar stools enjoying their drinks. Spike walked up to the wooden counter and hopped onto a stool of his own.
“Yo, bartender,” he said. “I need two Freak-a-Leeks and a cup of water, please.”
“Sure thing,” he shouted back. “Coming right up.”
Spike twiddled this claws and drummed them against the counter while waiting. His heart was still beating at a million miles per hour from the night he’s been having so far. And seeing Fleur having just as much fun was the icing on the cake. Everypony deserved a night out where work and responsibility didn’t matter.
…Even a supermodel. A supermodel who might be hurting her career by even being here.
Spike shook the feeling off the best he could. No matter how much fun he was having all evening, he couldn’t escape the slight tugging of guilt at his heart. The voice telling him he might be doing something wrong, no matter how right it felt.
“Eh, it’s whatever,” Spike said aloud, shaking the thoughts off.
“For the love of Luna’s crotch titties, that modeling event was a total waste of my time.”
Spike’s attention was broken by two ponies trotting up to the bar. They both took a seat directly to his left. It normally wasn’t Spike’s habit to listen in to conversations, but at the same time, it kinda was. His ear perked at hearing the sound of possibly entertaining information.
“Oh dude, I know,” the other pony replied. “At least we made it here in time for the second half of the show. Better than nothing.”
“Yeah, but to spend money just to see Fleur, only for her to not show up… that was weak.” The other pony motioned to get two beers from the bartender before continuing. “After seeing her on all the magazines, I figured getting a chance to meet her would be pretty lit. But nope.”
Spike’s eyes widened. Ponies actually went to the show just to see her?
“Oh, c’mon man. She didn’t just ditch. You saw the flyers. She disappeared.”
Flyers?
The second pony continued. “Besides, bro, even if you did meet her, there’s no way she would’ve gone out with you.”
“That’s not what it’s about, bro! Even if she said no, getting rejected by a supermodel is just as cool to tell the boys back home about.”
Spike had since gotten his drinks from the bartender, but he stayed glued in his seat.
“Well, either way, I hope the police find her,” the second pony said, taking a swig of his beer. “A pretty mare like that… I’d hate to think what some psycho could be doing to her.”
Flyers? The police? A psycho?
Spike made up his mind. This was going too far. Not only was she hurting her career at this point, but now the police were involved and things could only get uglier from this point on.
Spike sighed as he hopped off his barstool. “And things were going so well, tonight.”
Why did those two ponies just have to deus ex machina their way in here to make me feel guilty?
Spike zipped his way back into the concert area, zig-zagging his way through the crowd. It took him a moment, but he was finally able to find the mare he was looking for… standing at the center of the widening mosh pit. Luckily the music hadn’t started up again yet, lest Fleur finds herself in the middle of a heated combination of violence and extreme dancing.
“Fleur!” he cried out, running to the center.
“Spike!” She called back, sloppily waving a hoof. It was quite evident she’d had a few drinks.
“Look, we gotta go,” he said, taking her by the hoof. “We gotta talk real quick.”
“But... “ she said, pouting and looking back toward the crowd. “They were just about to start again and I wanted to jump in on a wall of death.”
“Wall of—” He brought a claw to his face. “Yes, yes, there’ll be time for that later. But for now, we really need to skedaddle.”
She begrudgingly nodded and let him lead her out of the crowd. It was a battle fighting through the hordes of ponies and it hurt Spike with every step they took toward the door. Getting blue balled by himself wasn’t exactly how he predicted the night going. But then again, that’s how most of his other relationships ended, so why would tonight be an exception to the rule.
Spike and Fleur made it outside and away from the chaos at long last. They stood on the now mostly barren sidewalk. The occasional pony could be seen walking in the distance but it was late enough that they were alone for all intents and purposes.
“Spike?” Fleur asked. “What’d you need to say?”
“Well, I was just thinking that—”
“Wait, hold that thought,” she said, thrusting a hoof over his mouth. “I have something I would like to say first.”
Spike cocked an eyebrow at her. “Mrrf.”
She removed her hoof and smile. “I need to simply thank you, Spike. This has been, by far, the most enjoyable night I’ve had in years.”
Oh great. Now there’s unintentional guilt involved.
“Sure, my modeling career has been a success. And for the most part, I’m satisfied by my life choices. But tonight. Tonight. I experienced a whole new side of living that I never knew existed.” Fleur engulfed Spike in a tight hug, nuzzling his cheek all the while. “And I owe it to you. You’ve done so much for me without even knowing it. But, now you do.”
Spike could definitely smell the hint of liquor on her muzzle. Maybe that’s why all these emotions were coming out?
“Well, I’m glad you think so, Fleur,” Spike said, separating himself from the cuddly constriction. “But Fleur…” Spike began pacing back and forth, his claws behind his back. He really had no idea how to phrase what he needed to say.
“But what?” She replied, following him with her eyes.
Spike scratched the back of his head, took a deep breath and turned to her. “There’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just gonna say it. I have to take you back. Tonight is over.”
Fleur thrust her head back, her eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. “W-What? What do you mean?”
“Look, Fleur, you’re hurting your career by being out here, by being with me.” Spike shook his head. “Ponies are worried about you. They’ve sent the police looking and everything. Just by being here right now, you might be doing damage to your image that you can’t fix.”
“But Spike!” she cried out. “We were having fun! I was having fun, with you. I can’t even remember the last time somepony wanted to spend time with me just for fun! It’s work this or work that. And now you’re saying you want it to end?”
“No, that’s not what I’m…. Well yeah, that’s kind of what I’m saying.” Spike tried to walk closer to her, prompting her to back up turn her head away. “It’s not because we aren’t having fun, though. It’s because you’ve got responsibilities and a future to maintain. And frankly, I don’t wanna be the reason that it gets ruined. So let me take you back and you should probably forget this whole night ever happened.”
“No!” Fleur wiped a few visible tears from her cheek. “This isn’t fair!”
Without another word, she dashed off past Spike and down the sidewalk. Spike immediately flipped his head around and started running for her.
“Fleur! Come back! It’s dangerous out here!”
Spike ran as much as he could behind her… but she was fast, And he was slow. The math wasn’t good for him trying to catch her.
Meanwhile a bit farther down the sidewalk…
Fleur had slowed to a trot at this point, sniffling and trying to keep her tears in. If she had a pillow right now, she’d more than likely be screaming curses particularly offensive to dragons into it.
“Stupid dragon. Saying we’d have fun and just changing his mind like that.” Fleur pouted and kept walking.
She took a look around and quickly realized she had no idea where she was. She thought she recognized the brick buildings around her… but the more she looked the less she knew.
Part of her wanted to turn around and go find Spike, but part of her didn’t have any desire to see him at all. No, she’d just have to continue on until she found out where she was headed… wherever that was.
“Hey, you there.”
Fleur heard a voice from behind her and turned around to look at its source, expecting the worst. “H-Hello?” Her tense muscles relaxed ever so slightly upon seeing the pony, however. “Oh, it’s you. The pony from the restaurant. Poptart, right?”
“So you’ve heard of me?” Poptart replied, trotting up a bit closer. “Not surprising. Most pretty mares have.”
Fleur blushed and dropped her eyes to the ground. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yep,” he said. “But uh, I don’t think I caught your name.”
“Fleur de Lis,” she said. “But you can just call me Fleur.”
“Fleur? I think I can manage that.” He gave her a cocky smile and walked up beside her. “So, what’s a beautiful mare like you doing out here by yourself? Where’s that dragon you were hanging out with?”
“Spike?” Fleur shook her head. “He, uh, he decided he had enough fun tonight and… let’s just say he wasn’t what I thought he was.”
“Oh, that sucks,” Poptart said, taking a moment to flip his mane out of his face. “Some guys are like that, though. They don’t really do much besides think about themselves and what they want. Sounds to me like you still wanted to enjoy the night. Am I right?”
Fleur nodded. “Yeah, that’s right.”
“Thought so,” he replied. “Now, I was just on my way to a little hangout with some friends and in this town, as I’m sure you know, it’s really not cool to show up somewhere without a date. So, I’m just kinda hoping you might be able to help me out… if you’re not too busy, that is.”
Poptart held a hoof out her and put on a smile that melted her heart. She was about to reach out and grab onto his hoof, but she kept hearing that warning Spike gave her in the back of her head. He was dangerous or something. He certainly didn’t seem like trouble.
“I dunno,” Fleur said. “I don’t really—”
“Fleur!”
Both ponies flipped around and saw Spike running toward them from the distance.
“Let’s go,” Fleur said, giving one last sorrowful look at the approaching dragon.
“Ladies first,” Poptart said.
And just like that, they disappeared around the corner.
Spike finally reached the spot they were at, gasping and heaving.
“Argh… Poptart… Fleur… Ah!”
Spike had no idea where they were, but he did know one thing:
Fleur was in trouble and it was his fault.
I have to find her.
Meanwhile at the Canterlot Police Station…
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The Sheriff looked at the large stack of paperwork on his desk, still unfinished. “I guess it’ll have to wait. Come in!”
The door burst open revealing a white unicorn with a mane so unkempt it could be confused with a wild jungle. “You!”
“Ahh!” The sheriff squeaked, pressing back into his chair. “And I thought the devil was a red pony with horns.”
Rarity took a moment to compose herself before calmly standing at the opposing of the sheriff’s desk. “Sir, I did not mean to use you as the target for my rage, but there is something I must inquire about.”
He gulped and leaned forward in his chair once more. “Of course, ma’am. Go on.”
“WHERE ARE FLEUR AND MY PRECIOUS SPIKEY-WIKEY!?”
His military training and instinct kicked into gear as he leapt from his chair and under his desk.
“Ugh!” Rarity flipped around and stormed out of the office, giving the evil eye to every Police Pony she passed.
After she finally made it outside, she looked at the various “Missing” posters plastered around and shook her head. “I suppose a pony has to do things herself around here.”
With a glint in her eye and a hunger for justice in the pit of her stomach, she strode off, ready for action.
“Right this way, miss.” Poptart held out a hoof, allowing Fleur passage into the darkness that lay before her.
“What is this place?” She asked, looking through the doorway.
The building, in particular, they were standing by was a large but run-down brick structure, graffiti plastered all over the walls. They were really on the outskirts of town now. Frankly, it was hard to believe anything of value could exist near a place like this.
“Trust me,” Poptart began, “don’t judge a book by its cover. This is just my apartment building. It gets a lot nicer inside.”
Fleur cautiously stepped a hoof into it, biting her lip the entire time. She could feel slightly damp carpet on the other side, making her skin crawl at the mere idea of what germs could be nestled within its shaggy confines. Granted, she wasn’t one to speak after the antics she’d engaged in throughout the night. And besides, she wanted adventure and Poptart was ready to give it to her.
She took a deep breath and crept her whole body in. Poptart followed closely behind, making sure to shut the door behind them. It was completely dark now, not even a hint of light to be seen behind a single strand of moonlight creeping in from a crack in the wall. Fleur could feel her spine start to shake.
“Why is it so dark in here?” she asked, eyes peeled forward.
“Oh, sorry about that,” Poptart said. “Let me get that.” A soft click echoed in the room followed by a dim orange light. “Better?”
Fleur could finally get a stock of her surroundings. It wasn’t as bad as she initially thought… but given her expectations that wasn’t saying much. The floor was laden in a soft tan shag carpet littered with stains and various debris. The only way to go from their position seemed to be up as they were presented with a steep and hardly safe looking staircase.
“My place is just up the stairs,” Poptart said, trotting in front of her. “Follow me.”
Fleur took one last look around but ultimately decided to ditch her fears and nodded. “Alright.”
He led her up a few flights of stairs before the finally reached a thin hallway decorated with wooden doors on either side. It was just as dim and dirty up here as it was downstairs.
“My place is just over this way. Come on.” He waved a hoof over to a door a short ways down on the left.
As soon as they got near it, Fleur could hear shouts and laughter from the other side.
“What’s going on in there?” she asked, taking a step back. “It sounds like somepony is hurt”
“Oh, those guys?” Poptart chuckled and rolled his eyes. “Don’t worry. They’re my roommates and they’re just a little wild.”
He jiggled the handle for a moment with his magic before the door finally swung open. Fleur was immediately sand-blasted with the smell of cologne, alcohol and something she didn’t recognize.
“Guys!” Poptart shouted out, leading the way into the room. “Shut up for a second. We’ve got company!”
Fleur followed him in the door and was greeted with a full onslaught of a bachelor-level mess. Pizza boxes and beer bottles littered the floor. Random records were thrown about and the occasional piece of clothing was draped over a household item that need not have clothing draped over it. And at the center of the room was a musty, yellow couch with two other stallions laying on it. One was a black pegasus with purple highlights to his mane. The other was a grey earth pony with a blonde mane.
“Ooh snap!” The earth pony said. “You got a mare to come back with you again? I don’t know how you do it, dude?”
“Drugs, obviously,” the pegasus said with a dry tone.
“Pfft, you guys are just jealous,” Poptart replied. “Anyway, introduce yourselves.”
The black pegasus looked up from the magazine he was reading. “Note Pad. A pleasure to meet you.” His eyes immediately dropped back to this reading material.
The earth pony hopped to his hooves and took Fleur’s hoof in his own. He lightly planted a kiss on it and looked up at her. “And you can call me Dick Twister.”
Fleur nervously laughed and pulled her hoof away, making a mental note to sanitize that hoof for at least forty-eight hours at a later time.
“It’s a pleasure, I’m sure,” Fleur said, trying her best to not sound completely disgusted.
“Alright, step off, step off,” Poptart said, pushing his friend away. “Now, Fleur is our guest tonight, so let’s make her feel welcome, shall we?”
The three stallions all looked at each other with a suspicious grin. Fleur wasn’t sure what was about to happen, but at this point, she wasn’t sure she’d enjoy it… whatever it was.
“Now, first things first, let’s get this party started.” Poptart gently led Fleur farther into the room. “And trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
Fleur gulped as she looked at the three stallions surrounding her. She was still angry with him, but she kinda wished Spike was here right now.
A mission.
That’s what Spike was on. He needed to find Fleur, and when a dragon is on a mission of rescue and vengeance, there’s not a pony on this planet that can stand in his way or slow down his progress toward completion of his objective.
Except for one thing of course…
“Yeah, I’ll take two McHayburgers and a Large Freedom Fry.”
The employee standing on the other side of the order counter punched in his order and threw the bits in the register. “You know, dude… Ponies who order stuff in the middle of the night while we’re trying to clean are just the worst.”
“But… I’m a dragon,” Spike said, dejected as he walked away. Now he lost Fleur and his self-esteem.
After a few minutes, Spike got his food and took a seat in one of the many booths. He still needed to thank Celestia for legalizing twenty-four-hour restaurants. Sometimes, you just need junk food in the middle of the night.
While munching on his food, Spike’s mind was doing cartwheels trying to figure out where Fleur might be. He really knew nothing about Poptart other than the fact he was an obnoxious jerk every time they ran into each other on his trips to Canterlot. That and of course the stories he heard from the Princesses about all the times he tried to write bills that would allow mane-flipping to become an official sport.
“Curses,” Spike grumbled. “Where do I even start looking?”
He shoved a few fries in his mouth and drummed his claws. If only his life was a movie or something. If that were the case the answer to his problems would just fall out of the sky for the sake of plot convenience.
The door to the establishment flew open, revealing two stallions.
“Poptart is such a douche,” one of them shouted. “Backing out on us taking over the lease on his apartment..”
“Yeah,” the other spoke up. “But I’m not surprised. He’s always been kinda shifty like that.”
Spike squeed in his head. Thank you, universe!
“Hey, you two,” Spike said, getting up from his seat. “I’ve actually got a bone to pick with Poptart, myself. I don’t suppose you could tell me where to find him?”
The first stallion looked over at him. “What? Was he mowing your grass or something?”
“Eh, you could say that,” Spike said, scratching his head.
“What does it matter?” The other spoke up. “If you wanna mess with Poptart, be my guest. He deserves it. He lives a bit farther outside of town on Walnut Street. He lives in a busted up apartment building there.”
Spike took a moment to commit it to memory. “Walnut… got it! Thanks, guys!” And with that, he was gone.
“You think we should’ve told him he lives on the second floor?” One of the stallions asked.
“Eh, too late, now. He’ll figure it out.”
Meanwhile, a bit farther outside of town...
Spike raced down the street, darting his eyes back and forth between all the gloomy buildings. Even he hadn’t fully explored this side of the city and frankly, he had no idea what could be waiting for him around every corner.
“Oh, C'mon,” he said aloud, voice dripping with frustration. “What building is it?”
All the buildings frankly looked the same. Beaten down, musty, discolored, graffiti plastered and probably home to a meth addict or two.
Spike finally slowed down to catch his breath. If he was gonna find her, he’d have to think logically. “Alright, if I was an obnoxious college dropout, where would I live?”
He looked from building to building on the street. This one was too fancy, this one was too run down. Another had too many crack dealers in front of it but the last one… A middle of the road apartment, beer bottles smashed on the sidewalk in front of it, loud music playing from inside, lights on half the rooms despite the fact it was the dead hours of the morning…
“Bingo!”
He jogged over to the building as fast as his legs could carry him. He sized the building up the after he got to the front of it. I looked every inch of the part of a poor bachelor pad. In fact, if he was not mistaken, he could smell the weed and unwashed dishes already.
“Alright, Poptart, it’s go time.”
Meanwhile in Poptart’s room…
Fleur was taking deep breaths at this point. She could feel the nervous heartbeats quickening in her chest, timing to the beat of the sweat droplets pounding the floor around her.
I have to get out of here…
All she could hear were the loud voices of the ponies around her, yelling and laughing in the darkness. She needed to escape, she needed to get out. She needed… She needed…
Spike… You were right…
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Spike waited impatiently outside the wooden door, tapping his foot angrily.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He began to hear hoof steps shuffling around on the other side of the barrier and he steeled himself for whatever evil forces might be lurking on the other side of the door. Whatever nightmare fuel might be pumping into the engine of terror.
The door handle jiggled and the door swung open.
“Umm…” Spike said. “Does Poptart live here?”
A middle-aged pony with bags the size of large bags under his eyes shook his head and yawned. “No… I work early tomorrow, man. I ain’t got time for this.” He quickly slammed the door shut.
Spike grumbled to himself. “One room down... A bunch more to go.”
“Poptart! Please!” Fleur shook her head violently. “This isn’t what I expected! I’m leaving!”
“Psh,” Poptart sneered. “We haven’t even gotten to the best part! So, if you don’t mind, I think I’d like it if you stayed. How does that sound, boys?”
“Yeah!” His two minions shouted in unison.
Just as soon as they began moving toward Fleur, a loud banging on the door interrupted their progress. Poptart turned his attention from Fleur back toward the door.
“Who is it? We’re busy in here!”
“But not too busy for justice, I bet!” The door immediately crashed upon the words of heroism being uttered revealing Spike and all his glory standing on the other side, claw pointed to the perpetrating ponies. “Fleur, I’m here to… Oh no.”
Things were worse than Spike thought. Far, far worse. Not since he was forcibly trapped in a bubble of Changeling goo had anything so vile been presented to him.
“It can’t be!” His eyes locked on to Fleur who was sitting on the dirty sofa with a pleading look on her face. And surrounding her were Poptart and his subordinates, dressed head to hoof in armor and wizardry garb. “You’re playing Ogres and Oubliettes… version four! Have you no soul, Poptart?”
Fleur instantly leaped to her hooves and raced over to Spike’s side. “Spike! I’m so happy to see you!” She briefly nuzzled his cheek.
“Of course,” he replied. “I couldn’t very well let you get tangled up with these losers for too long.”
“Look, man,” Poptart said, removing his cape and hat. “This is my home and Fleur decided to come over because you weren’t cool enough. As far as I’m concerned, I think she should stay here with us. We needed a female guest player tonight, anyhow.”
“Yeah, I don’t think so,” Fleur replied. Her horn lit up and a sharp blast of magic shot toward the giant game board on the living area table, scattering the pieces to and fro. “Let’s go, Spike.”
Spike took one last second to wink toward the now flabbergasted stallions before he and Fleur made their way out. “Later, guys!”
As they walked down the hall they heard one last statement called out from the room. “You didn’t have to break the door! Our deposit is gone, now!”
Spike and Fleur trekked down the dirty, dusty sidewalks under the moonlight, few words being shared between the two of them. It was peaceful, quiet and relaxing. Three things the two of them needed right now.
“So, um…”
“Yeah, well…”
“Yep.”
After walking for a few more minutes, Spike finally shrugged off the silence.
“Fleur, I’m sorry,” he said.
“Huh?”
“Look.” He stopped walking and did his best look in her eyes. “It’s your life, you should be allowed to do what you want with it. Me telling you what you should do, especially when you’re having fun… that wasn’t cool. So, I’m sorry.”
Fleur kicked at the ground. “Yeah, well, I’m sorry, too.”
“For what?” Spike asked.
“I kinda overreacted,” she said. “I was so focused on the moment that I did really take any time to think about what you were saying. I guess as far as I thought about it, you were just saying I wasn’t supposed to have fun like that or… or that you weren’t having fun with me. I don’t know, I guess It’s kinda stupid.”
“It’s not stupid,” Spike said. “Well, I guess it kinda is. But then again, I was kinda being stupid, too. At least you could use alcohol as an excuse. The only one I have is being a male.”
“And that’s just as valid,” Fleur said stifling a chuckle.
The two carried on their walking back toward the civilized part of town, laughing under their breaths. After walking for awhile more, they finally made it back to the part of town they knew and loved. As they approached the sidewalk in front of Rarity’s shop, the place the adventure began, it was time for it to end.
“For what it’s worth,” Spike said, looking up at her. “I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. Concerts, missing pony flyers, hipster clothing shops, junk food… I’d say that was a full night.”
“Yeah,” Fleur said with a slight blush. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a night like that.”
Spike shrugged. “And I can’t imagine it’ll ever happen again You’ll go back to doing your modeling stuff, i’ll be going back to Ponyville and I’m pretty sure Fancy Pants will try and get my head on a platter when he finds out I was involved.”
Fleur chuckled. “You think your head is in trouble? Wait until I deal with him. This is not going to be easy to explain.”
“You don’t have to tell me, twice. Something tells me Twilight is gonna find out and let’s just say she’s a bit on the protective side.”
“I’ve heard stories about Twilight,” Fleur said with a laugh. “I’ll keep my hooves crossed.”
“Any help would be appreciated.”
The two stood there for a bit, neither wanting to be the one to utter the parting words. Unfortunately, somepony had to and Spike decided to take the reigns.
“Well, I guess this is it, then huh?” He asked, eyes toward the ground.
“I guess so,” she replied, eyes doing the same.
Spike let out a sigh. “I know this wasn’t a date or anything like that, but do you think we’ll ever be able to do this again? Well, not this night exactly, but you know… you know?”
Fleur looked up at him, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. “I, uh… I think I’d like that, Spike.”
Spike smiled. “Really? Alrighty then! Er, I mean… alright then.”
Fleur chuckled. “Don’t worry about it Spike. I’d act more excited too if my body wasn’t so exhausted.”
“Fair enough,” Spike said with a smile. “I’ll tell you what. While at the concert, I saw a flyer. Two weeks from now they’re having another band, Underhoof, come to play. Maybe we could go to that one, no stress or anything and just have some fun?’
“That would be amazing,” Fleur said. “Especially after you dragged me away from a— What was it? Wall of death?”
“Let’s do it then,” Spike replied. “I’ll meet you here, two weeks from now, five o’clock.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Both of them once again let silence take over, but this time, instead of an air of tension there was one of anticipation. The two brought looked at each other.
“Well, goodbye,” Spike said.
“Goodbye, Spike,” she said.
Fleur gently wrapped a hoof his back and pulled him into a hug, which he responded to by wrapping his claws around her neck. She finished it off by planting a soft kiss on his cheek.
And then they parted ways with a quick wave.
Spike watched her disappear around the corner before letting out a sigh and walking into the shop. He looked around at the clothes and everything almost the same way he left it.
“Yo, Rarity!” He called out. “Rarity?”
He looked around for a moment before shrugging it off. “I wonder where she went?”
A barren and empty desert lay before her. Where once there was a lush, beautiful paradise, now there was only the scent of death and hopelessness. No flowers, no trees, only harsh sunlight and dry air.
And this is where her journey would begin. The long road to vengeance and discovery began with the first step, and her step was heard. A lone crow’s kaw echoed throughout the sky followed by a lone tumbleweed traversing the landscape.
Rarity tightened her bandana, laced up her boots and took but a sip of water from her jug.
“I don’t know who you are or where you’re at, but I’m coming for you… and I’ll get my Spikey-Wikey back, too.”
