New friends at Carousel Boutique
Carousel Boutique was the hub for Rarity and her fabric, she was Ponyville’s premier designer of any article of clothing an animal could want or need. This morning had brought in two very unique creatures. She’d spotted them wandering down the main street of Ponyville. Her jaw dropped open and her mind started to drift with possibilities. “Darling, I’m still in shock...um Wild Rose, was it?” Rarity said to the pink unicorn with a flowing red mane and tail. Her eyes were like Spike’s emerald gaze with flecks of light green that seemed to sparkle. She’s such a unique unicorn and her rose scent is simply divine.
Wild Rose nodded. “So, tell me why are you in shock?” Her gaze drifted around the shop, and she spotted her friend and companion Rogus surveying the shop, he’d sniffed out Rarity’s stash of gems she like to keep in a closet. Her eyes were fixed on Rarity again. “I think Rogus found where you keep the gems at Rarity.”
“Oh, I don’t mind him having a few. To be honest darling, I keep many around for Spike.” She found her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink. A unicorn and a dragon…”
Rogus turned to Rarity. “Thank you for being so kind.” His blue eyes had a similar look to Rarity’s eyes. His green skin was a bit lighter than the spikes on Spike. He had a fluffy look about him; she hadn’t been able to find scales on him like Spike.
Wild Rose grinned; she’d noticed that Rarity had been watching Rogus. A name echoed in her head. “So…who’s Spike?” The second she asked noticed the expression on Rarity’s face change, a slight smile, and a dreamy look. “If I had to guess he’s someone special.”
Rarity summoned her unicorn magic and opened the door where Rogus was at. The sound of Rogus's deep voice reminded her of how Spike sounded now, being older and a now and a few inches taller than she was when she’d rise on her back hooves. She turned back to Rogus. “Oh not at all darling, I’m always kind to a fellow dragon.”
Wild Rose had noticed that Rarity had been avoiding her questions this only served to fuel her curiosity.
Rarity cleared her throat as Rogus grabbed a few amethyst gems and walked over and lay down beside Wild Rose. I should have answered her more directly…but…seeing them… She noticed Wild Rose and the grin on her lips.
“Can I guess that you’re shocked to see another dragon and unicorn walking around together? A fellow dragon. Rarity’s words echoed in her mind. “If I also had to guess, I’d say Spike’s a dragon like Rogus.”
Rarity recalled the comment she’d made to Rogus about helping him out. “He is darling, I’ve known him…for well years.” Clearing her throat she took in another whiff of Wild Rose’s rose scent, she added. “So are um, you two an item-” She heard Rogus start to cough, he’d just placed an amethyst gem into his mouth. “Oh…forgive darling, for being so blunt-” The sound of the front door of her Boutique opening up had made her look up, and so had Wild Rose and Rogus.
“Hey, Rarity?”
Wild Rose happened to glance back at Rarity and noticed that her ears had perked up followed by a warm smile on her lips. Someone she knows. The thought echoed in her mind.
“In here Spikey.” Rarity called out like she always had when her eyes widened. I’d forgotten about my guest, slip of the thought tongue.
“Do I smell…roses?” Spike asked and he walked inside, his nose up in the air.
Wild Rose got a good look at him, he was all purple with dark green eyes and scales. So this is Spike. She thought, it was the only logical conclusion she could make. “You’re Spike?”
Spike paused at the sound of the new voice and spotted, someone new setting beside Rarity on her red couch. His gaze fell on another dragon lying beside the other unicorn. “Um…yes…” Tilting his head he was trying to make sense of what was going on. “So um, who is your friend Rarity?” Spike asked taking another sniff of the air.
Wild Rose had swished her tail again at the time Spike started to sniff the air.
“This is Wild Rose and Rogus.” Rarity said and then felt her heart start to beat a bit faster now that Spike was around. He walked up to her and stood on the other side of her while she was seated on the couch.
“We just happened to be walking down Ponyville, Rogus had heard about it. So we decided to follow a road that would lead us here. Then Rarity spotted us and invited us in, she seemed a bit shocked.”
“Hum…another unicorn and dragon. So are you two…” Spike started to ask when Rogus took in a breath.
“Friends,” Rogus spoke up, he wasn’t about to be embarrassed. “Her and I are just friends.”
Spike nodded. Same with Rarity and I. He looked at Wild Rose when something she said clicked. “Shocked? Why did Rarity look shocked…” He put a claw on his forehead. “Never mind, I get it. I had been the only dragon in Ponyville.” So another dragon and unicorn as friends.
“She’d mentioned your name and her face turned a little pink when I’d asked who you were.”
Rarity's mouth dropped open when Wild Rose said that. “Darling…” She noticed a grin on Wild Rose’s face. I trotted right into that one. Yet have I always been avoiding it, it’s obvious that he likes me. And I am always happier when he’s around.
“Is that true Rarity?” Spike asked and was rewarded with those alluring sapphire eyes of hers looking directly at him. He could see a slight pink hue returning to her cheeks.
“Well um…” She swallowed a lump in her throat. Why should I keep denying it…he makes it obvious… “Yes, darling, it’s true.” She could hear her heart echoing in her chest.
“You’re using your rose scent again aren’t you Wild Rose?” He’d been doing his best to ignore the scent of her, but it was impossible, and he could tell it was affecting Rarity and now Spike.
“It’s not magic Rogus, it just helps creatures relax and open up a bit easier. It’s gotten me out of quite a few perils, it’s also how you first found me.”
Rogus blew out a breath. He wasn’t about to deny that.
“It’s been such a divine scent, Rogus. I know that flowers naturally affect the moods of creatures. I see nothing wrong with it.” Her gaze fell on Spike.
Spike couldn’t help but smile. “Nothing wrong with…us?” A thought hit him at that moment. “Mind I grab a gift I gave you a few years ago.? Trust me I know where it’s at.”
Rarity smiled. “Of course darling, I wouldn’t mind wearing such a gift.” She’d been thinking about Spike as she’d often done, it hadn’t been the first time. She’d had on the Fire Heart Ruby before she spotted Wild Rose and Rogus and figured she should take it off so she could focus more on the unique guest she’d invited into her home.
Spike disappeared into one of the rooms.
Rarity took in a breath. “Wild Rose, darling I’d been thinking about Spike, I do this often. This was before you and Rogus showed up. That rose scent just helped me relax as Rogus said. I feel…better…”
“Held back for a while?” Wild Rose asked.
“Quite, I had remained friends for years as I watched Spike grow up, I’d gotten closer to him, but I kept anything else to…well…myself-” She heard a little gasp behind her and turned around to see Spike with his jaw open. “Um…how much did you-” She noticed the redness of his cheeks.
“Rarity, dragons have very good hearing.” Spike said and found his voice was a bit higher than normal. He had a small box held in his claws. “So…what did you hold back exactly?” He asked opening the small decorative box revealing the same Fire Heart Ruby, he’d given her all those years ago.”
“A perfect heart-shaped ruby?” Rogus could feel saliva pooling in his mouth forcing him to swallow.
“Claws off Rogus,” Spike said as he took out the ruby that had been placed in a gold necklace that Rarity had worn the same day, he’d given it to her. He looked at the necklace around Rarity’s neck and closed the claps. An idea struck him and before he could mentally talk himself out of it, he went for it. He slid his arms down around Rarity’s neck and placed his muzzle beside hers. With his heightened hearing he could hear the thumping of her heart grow even louder. “I’ll take your louder heartbeat as you don’t mind.”
Rarity felt her lungs contract, for a few seconds, she’d forgotten to breathe. This was something that Spike has never done. She thought and it had caught her totally off guard. “I…I…um…” She found that her mouth was dry.
Wild Rose and Rogus had watched the show of affection with Rarity and Spike. She’d lifted her tail and waved it right in front of Rogus’s nose so he would take in the full scent of her rose-scented body. She watched his eyes darken in color. “I could use a hug.”
Rogus's vision was starting to cloud over. He knew her tail was where the aroma was strongest. “I’ve resisted…it could lead to…more…”
“You’ve wanted to…”
Rogus nodded his head, and he could feel the warmth on his cheeks. “More…I’ve held back for respect to you.”
Wild Rose’s jaw dropped open. “A gentle dragon.”
“Same as my Spikey-Wikey.” Rarity said enjoying the feeling of Spike’s arms still around her neck and shoulders.
Wild Rose glanced over at Rarity. “So…it’s a dragon thing?”
“Guess, so.” Rarity tilted her head onto Spike’s arm. “Oh, Spike and I have hugged before…though I must say he’s never hugged me like this before.”
“Are you objecting Rarity?” Spike slid one of his claws up to her chin and started to wiggle his index claw back and forth.
Rarity’s eyes widened at the feeling of his claw scratching her chin. A flood of emotions when through her body. She could feel her head spinning and melting into his warm scales. “Mag…magic…magical claws…” Her body started to shudder at the sensation Spike had created.
Spike glanced over at Rogus. “Dragon claws seem to have a strange effect on unicorns, just look at Rarity.”
Rogus grinned and noticed that Wild Rose was staring at Rarity. “Wild Rose, could I give that a try?” He asked.
Spike had stopped using his index claw on Rarity, she managed to regain her composer. “Mmm…give it a try Wild Rose.” Her head was still spinning.