Emerald

A white unicorn stared at her watch. It was almost midnight. Where was he?

Rarity sighed. Ever since the last attack on Equestria, Spike had finally come out and admitted his feelings to her. It was sweet even adorable when he asked her out on a date. He wasn’t just a baby dragon anymore, in fact, he had grown into that respectable grown dragon that everypony had come to love, including Rarity. Rarity agreed to the date and fell in love with him in the process. She wanted to proceed to date him and perhaps go further and start a family with him in the process, but something had come up.

Suddenly a dark shadow loomed over Rarity. Instead of being frightened, Rarity recognized the shadow of Spike and smiled.

“Spike. You’re late.” She said. He only grinned and held out flowers. They were roses which her favorite. That made telling him even harder.

“I’m sorry. Twilight was testing out a new spell and I got caught up in it.” He said happily. “So why’d you want to meet me here of all places? This is where we first met.”

“Yes Spike.” She said daring herself to look up at his face. Oh it was too painful! She couldn’t bear to look in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, noticing the way she was staring at her hooves. “Did something bad happen?”

“Yes.” Rarity said forcefully. She didn’t want to do this. But… she had to.

“What was it?” Spike asked all panicky. “Did you hurt yourself?”

“In a way.” Rarity muttered.

“Huh?”

“Listen, I-I think we should break up.” Rarity stuttered and Spike took it like she expected him to. He screamed. More in shock than anything else and when he calmed down, he was very unhappy.

“Ha ha. Nice prank Rarity.” He laughed weakly. “Stop trying to give me heart attacks.”

There went the denial. What was the next stage of sadness again?

“I’m serious Spike.” Rarity said sternly. “I’m not joking.”

“Why the heck are we breaking up?” Spike asked angrily. Right. Next was anger.

“I’ve been offered a job in the Manehatten fashion industry. This could be my big chance!” Rarity said. “I’m sorry Spike, but this is very important to me.”

“What about us?” Spike asked. “Am I important to you?”

“Yes, but this is a once and a lifetime opportunity! I can’t miss this chance! Besides, there are other stallions.” She said, but Spike frowned.

“So you don’t care about me? I thought that you loved me! Now I know that I was just another guy.” Spike said and turned away.

“Spike, please, it’s not like that.”

“Then what is it like? Huh? Do I mean nothing to you?” Spike shouted at her. “I thought you loved me. I thought you cared. Twilight was right. I shouldn’t have dated a friend. I’ll only get my heartbroken.”

“Spike.” Rarity whispered. “Please, it’s not like that.”

“No, it is.” Spike said and crumpled his hands into fists. “At least, I’ll never have to see you again.”

“Spike!” Rarity yelled as he ran off into the night. She collapsed on the ground while crying and quietly yelling his name as if she knew it wouldn’t make a different if he heard her or not.

“Spike…”

*******

Spike stared at the calendar. Twilight passed him in the hall, but said nothing. It had been many years since Rarity had left Spike and despite her visits to Ponyville, he refused to visit her. He stroked the calendar every morning, probably reminding himself of the day that him and Rarity broke up.

Spike had finally had the guts to ask Rarity out. Only a few months later did she tell him that she was leaving. It broke his heart. She left her friends and him. He was especially sad.

Their friendship, whatever was left, was torn apart. Twilight accepted that not all friendships could be mended after a few years and left him to his own devices. He took five minutes to stare at the calendar every morning. It reminded him that Rarity was never coming back. Then he went for his morning coffee.

This particular morning was no different from any other. Spike would help Twilight clean then he would follow her to the train station. Rarity was coming for a visit. It didn’t matter though; they weren’t really friends anymore. She was just another pony and he was just another dragon. However, Rarity was bringing a surprise. Twilight thought he shouldn’t show up, but their friendship was already such a mess anyways that he didn’t care. Besides, he was a little curious as to what this surprise might be.

He prepared himself for the emotional turmoil that he would feel later. He may have accepted her being gone, but it didn’t mean he didn’t care anymore. He walked out of the house and straight into somepony.

It was Spitfire, the only temporary Wonderbolt this town had for the time being. Wonderbolts were being placed in every town by order of Princess Celestia for some odd reason. Twilight didn't understand why and she had even asked Princess Celestia who refused to say why.

“What’s up, Spitfire?” Twilight asked. Spitfire backed off him quickly, knowing that he was very grouchy in the morning and then turned to Twilight with a look of warning on her face.

“The weather team’s preparing a serious storm today, Twilight. I just thought I’d warn you.” She said and flew away to warn the nearest and next citizen of Ponyville.

“Well, I guess Rarity will just stay with us. Her boutique has gotten a little dried up and we have no hotel.” Twilight muttered her plans aloud. Spike frowned.

“And I’ll stay with Fluttershy while she stays.” Spike muttered. Twilight looked up at him with an angry face. He may have been older and taller, but that didn’t stop her from giving him the angry mother look.

“Oh no you don’t. I understand that you will never make up with Rarity, but you’re not leaving either. She has an important guest with her and you have to be there to meet with her.” Twilight said. “So man up.”

Spike only sighed and went quietly with Twilight to train station. The train was already there and Rarity was waiting on the platform. She was a gorgeous as ever with her purple curls and dazzling eyes. Spike tried not to get lost in her gem like eyes. He instead rudely turned to look up at the sky.

“Hello!” Rarity said happily and hugged Twilight. “Spike?”

Spike ignored her again and she sighed. Perhaps she was hoping for a hug? She wasn’t going to get one ever.

“Alright. Then I would like you two to meet, Emerald.” She said with a smile. A white unicorn walked up to them, floating two suitcases in the air.

“Hi. I’m Emerald.” Emerald said with a smile. She was almost identical to Rarity except for her jagged green and black mane that only went to her shoulders, tail that was extremely short and her purple eyes. Her cutie mark was an emerald.

Twilight shook her outstretched hoof. She put out a hoof towards Spike, who shook it.

“So you’re a friend of her?” Spike asked with a point at Rarity. Emerald frowned and Rarity stared at her hooves as if she was embarrassed.

“Nah. She’s my mom.” Emerald said casually. Spike gasped and clutched his chest. No! Perhaps if there was a little spark of hope in his chest that they could be together, it vanished. She had a daughter. He no longer had any more chances and might as have died on the spot.

“WHAT?” He shouted, vibrating the train station with his cry of shock and surprise. Everypony on the train station turned to stare at him.

“She’s your daughter? You’re married?” Spike asked in shock and anger. Twilight almost grinned. He was finally talking to her, even if it wasn’t a good conversation.

“Yes, she is.” Rarity replied. “No, I’m not married.”

“Then who’s her-”

If looks could kill, then Spike would have been dead. Emerald shot him a look so deadly, he felt death actually stop his heart for a spilt second. She turned back to her mother as if nothing had happened and smiled. Spike wanted to slap her. There was nothing to be happy about. Today was a terrible day.

“Spike.” Twilight asked, noticing the look. “Why don’t you and Emerald head back. Leave Rarity and I to talk.” Before he could protest, she added, “That was an order, Spike.”

“I’m not your servant.” He muttered.

“What was that?” Twilight asked.

"I said, I'm not your servant!" Spike yelled at her. She stared up at him.

` "I never said you were. I just want you to give Rarity some space. You're acting very rude." Twilight said. "So please leave us."

Spike stomped off the train station with Emerald trotting behind him. As soon as they were out of earshot of the two mares, Spike finally turned on Emerald in anger.

“Why did you stop me from asking Rarity about your dad?” He asked angrily. She looked him up and down before answering. She seemed so calm compared to him.

“Because I tried asking that. Funny, I don’t even know my own father.” She laughed dryly. “She got extremely upset. So I avoid that question.” She said and came up beside him.

“I can’t believe she left me.” Spike said and clutched his heart again. “I thought she loved me.”

“What are you, an old boyfriend?” She asked. He nodded truthfully and she stopped to tap her chin thoughtfully.

“What if you’re my dad?” Emerald asked while Spike rolled his eyes. “You are the last guy she ever talks about.”

“She talks about me?” Spike asked hopefully. She rolled her eyes.

“On occasion.”

“Impossible. You’re a pony. I’m a dragon. You look nothing like me. Besides, she would have told me if…”

“What?” She asked looking at him.

“She… I told her I didn’t want kids.” Spike said with realization. “On the night of our last date, she asked me if I ever wanted a family and I said no. She might have thought that we could never have a family and ran away with someone else.”

“That’s also possible.” Emerald said. “But aren’t you a dragon? And shouldn’t that…oh wait.”

“What?” Spike asked. She had paused and looked around. There wasn’t anypony around, probably because of the incoming storm.

“I’m only… half pony.” She admitted. Spike stared at her in shock. “I’m part dragon.”

“What?” If Spike was drinking water, he would have spit it out at that point. “How?”

Her horn glowed and her tail disappeared. It was replaced by a long white dragon tail, complete with spines and a pointed end. He stared at it for a few seconds with his mouth open. He shut his mouth but was still as shocked as ever.

“I didn’t want anyone to freak out.” She said, placing the illusion over her tail again.

“Does Rarity know?” He asked in a hushed whisper.

“Of course she knows! She’s my mom! She taught me the illusion spell for my tail!” She whispered back. Spike stopped and she stopped too in front of a giant tree castle.

“Well, this is the place.” Spike said and opened the door. “Welcome to Twilight and mine’s house.”

“It’s so freaking huge!” She said, looking around. “And there are so many books! What is this, a library?”

“Actually, yes.” Spike said. “It is.”

“That’s so cool.” Emerald said. “Hey, can I take the illusion spell off my tail in here?”

“Sure.” Spike said.

“Hey Spike…”

Spike and Emerald turned around to see Rainbow Dash frozen behind them. She looked at Emerald and raised an eyebrow.

“Who’s that?” She asked, pointing at Emerald.

“Rarity’s daughter.” Spike stated plainly. “Why are you here, Rainbow?”

“Rude.” She said. “I’m here because Rarity wanted me to give Emerald this.” She put down Emerald’s suitcase. “So… what are you?”

“Oh. I’m a longma!” Emerald said happily. Rainbow still looked confused and Emerald sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Half pony, half dragon.”

“Oh. That’s makes sense.” Rainbow said and with one last glance at her tail, she smiled at her.

“So longmas are a thing?” Rainbow asked.

“No. One hasn’t been born for a thousand years.” Emerald said like it was no big deal. “We live a long time, but whatever!”

“Okay.” Rainbow said slowly. “So Rarity knows about longmas?”

“Duh.” Emerald said.  “I mean Princess Celestia did foalsit me a couple of times, so yeah.”

“Princess Celestia foalsat you?” Spike asked in awe.

“Yeah. I guess I’m half dragon so maybe I’d was a problem? I guess buildings aren’t exactly fireproof, right?”