As Spike leaned over the village's little bridge, the memory played, over and over in his head. It kept playing, never stopping and never letting up it's assault on the teenage dragon's head. Even his friend Pipsqueak couldn't stir Spike from his haunting memory.
"I'm sorry my dear Spikey, I just don't feel the same way." Rarity said at the door to her home/boutique. Spike put on his best poker face.
"O-oh..okay Rarity." Spike said, his voice slightly faltering. "So...the date meant nothing?" Spike added in.
"Of course it did, it's was like a test run, I'm truly sorry, but your just not for me, you're still my favorite dragon, but that's all you will ever be to me." Rarity said to Spike.
Spike turned away coldly and ran away from Rarity's home. He couldn't break down in front of her, no that would just be too shameful.
"Wait Spike I didn't mean it like that!" Rarity shouted after Spike.
"I always thought it was my age." Spike said to himself, his eyes swelling with tears. "Maybe I was just too young." Spike blinked, a few tears dropped into the small river that flowed beneath the bride. "Now I see, she won't ever love me." Spike let out a long a drawn out sigh.
"Come on mate, It's been like what, ten years? You need to git over her." Pipsqueak tried his best to lift Spike's emotions. Pip really hated when Spike got sad over not being able to ask out Rarity, but now that he actually got a date and got shot down...this was the worst Pip has ever seen Spike.
Pip could remember when Spike told him Rarity said yes. Oh the look on that drake's face. He was so happy, now he looks as if he has lost everything. Pip began to think on what could help Spike forget his bad time. And like that it hit him, what better way to get rid of a sad memory, than alcohol!
"Hey Spike, lets go to Berry's Bar!" Pip exclaimed as he grabbed his friends arm, and tugged him across the street. "I'm sure that after a few drinks, you will forget all about her!"
Spike wasn't paying attention to the stallion that was pulling him into the bar, the only thoughts that went through his head was. 'What could I of done.' Spike asked himself this question.
'Should I of been more romantic? Like Shining Armor waited on Cadence. Should I have waited like he did.' Spike was sat down at the bar, but his mind was still racing with what could have been. A small realization struck him. 'No, I did wait, I waited for ten years!' Spike thought angrily. 'Forget her!'
Pip was watching the concentration that Spike wore on his face. Spike's face went from sad, to shocked, and then angry. Pip was starting to think bringing Spike to the bar wasn't the best of ideas.
Spike sat up straight, his former slouched position completely gone. "Ms. Berry! Five cups of your best juice!" Exclaimed Spike.
Pip saw the drastic change in Spike, Pip couldn't tell whether to be happy at his friends mood change, or be worried at how much juice Spike just ordered. Two cups were enough to get Pip wasted, and Spike may of been a teenage drake, but her still wasn't that much larger than Pip.
"Comin riiight up!" As Berry Punch herself said that, five cups of juice were slid down the bar and stopped right at Spike's spot. How berry could slid cups like that and manage not to spill a single drop was beyond Pip, but right now he couldn't worry about that, Pip had to worry about how Spike just downed the five cups in the blink of an eye.
As Spike set down the last of the five cups, he let out a mighty belch. "That'l show Rarity!" Spike said out loud. 'Rarity.' Spike thought.
Pip looked at the sorrowful face of Spike, Pip began to remember something his dad told him as he turned the legal drinking age.
"Son, the one thing you never should do, is drink when you're angry or sad, just trust me on this, it only leads to bad things."
Pip took a small gulp as he watched his dragon friend stumble out of the door, Pip turned and placed the appropriate amount of bits on the table and chased down Spike. On his way out he spotted a high up grey mare holding a cello. The mare's eyes were red and puffy as if she had been crying for quite some time, but Pip couldn't give her any sympathy, Pip was already busy with the problem he just created.
Spike was twirling around in the street shouting on about having nothing. Pip could only watch as his friend stumbled along the railings of the road.
"Maybe if I go to her, she will take me back!" Spike said to himself as he stumbled towards Rarity's home. Unreasonable thoughts coursed through his head, as the alcohol filled his belly.
"Spike, come on your better off without her." Pip said as he caught up with Spike.
Spike couldn't form any more words as the liquor began to take more effect within his body. As Spike slurred on his words he trudged onward.
Pip grew incredibly worried about his friends. Pip knew that if he had to step in physically he couldn't do anything to actually stop Spike. Only a few people could stop Spike with little or no force. "Mate, don't do anything stupid!" Shouted Pip as he turned and bolted for the library. His hooves besting on the dirt road madly.
Spike called out Rarity's name several times. He called for her hoping he could get a reply, but all he got for an answer was nothing. 'Nothing.' Spike thought. That's all he had.
. . . . . . .
Pip banged on the library door. Pip bit his lip as he heard hoof steps slowly draw near, the door opened to reveal a tired looking Twilight.
"Pip? What are you doing it's like three in the morning." Twilight said with a yawn.
"It's Spike!" Exclaimed Pip.
Now, Twilight was tired, she had just been dreaming about Flash Sentry and her having a nice little date when out of nowhere a loud banging jolted her out of her sleep, but after hearing that Spike was in trouble, the sleep that lingered in her mind was instantly cleared out.
"Where!" Shouted Twilight.
"He's heading for Rarity's!" Replied Pip.
"Explain on the way, we gotta go!" Twilight rushed past Pip and headed straight for Rarity's home.
Pip explained the situation at hand, he explained how Rarity told Spike that she didn't feel the same way, Pip told Twilight that after trying his hardest to cheer up Spike he gave up and decided to turn to alcohol, in the end it was a stupid idea he admitted but Pip just wanted to help his friend.
. . . .
Spike stumbled onto Rarity's doorstep, he raised his clawed hand and tapped his knuckles on the door. After a few seconds the door swung inward to reveal Rarity.
Rarity looked at the sight. There in front of her stood Spike. Drunken, Crying, Broken Spike. She felt a small pang in her heart. Not five hours ago she told him she felt nothing for him, but now that he stands in front of her heartbroken, and grief stricken.
Rarity noticed the dirt on his feet, it looked as if he stumbled and dragged his feet on his way here. Did he really feel so bad? Did she really matter that much to him
"I love you Rarity." Spike somehow managed out. Even through his liguored up thoughts, he knew his truth. He loved Rarity, and nothing can replace his love for her.
Spike waited for Rarity to respond. He waited for her to say something, anything! But Rarity just stood there, saying nothing.
Spike could feel his heart sink, his throat felt as if it was closing up, his eyes welled up with tears, even his lips failed him as he tried to mouth out words.
. . . . . .
Twilight saw Spike standing in front of Rarity, she could see the look of pain on Spike's face. Twilight looked at Spike sadly, she could tell that Rarity declined him again. Twilights horn began to glow as she dragged the drake towards her.
"Time to go home Spike."
"Twi?" Spike asked, his scaly cheeks shining from the tears that leaked from his eyes.
"Shhh, let's just go." Stated Twilight. "Pip you can go home, I have it from here okay?"
"Yes ma'am, could you tell me how he is doing tomorrow?" Asked Pip.
Twilight nodded and Pip made his way for home.
"Twilight." Spike choked out.
"Yeah Spike?" Twilight replied.
"She said nothing." The little drake said, his voice sounding empty.
"Huh?" Twilight didn't understand what Spike had meant.
"Nothing."