If It Makes You Happy...

by Silent_Witness

Rating: everyone
Tags: Twilight Sparkle, Sad, Applejack, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Rarity, Romance, Spike
Length: 5392

Spike has always had a crush on Rarity. But in an instant, his dreams are crushed by a force even a dragon is powerless against: Love.

From the moment they met, Spike has had a crush on Rarity. And for such a long time, it seemed that she reciprocated his feelings. But in a single moment, all of that is taken away from him. And in spite of all of his strength, Spike finds that there is something even a dragon is powerless to fight against:
Love.

NOTE: Although this story set after the events of Dovahkiin, no knowledge of that story is required to enjoy this piece.
Artwork by Blackgryph0n.

Published 2014-07-04 05:40:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-07-04 05:40:02 UTC

If It Makes You Happy...

If It Makes You Happy…

By: Proteus-92

A small bell rang as the boutique door opened. The orange pony who opened it knocked her hooves against the welcome mat before stepping inside. “Rarity!” she called. “Rarity, Ah’m here!” She looked around- the sign in the window said the boutique was open, but its proprietor was nowhere in sight.

Then, she heard a muffled “Just a moment!” A door on the far side of the boutique opened, and Rarity stepped though. Her coat- and her front hooves in particular, were coated in dust, which she hastily tried to brush off herself. In spite of that, she somehow managed to maintain her perfect image.

“I’m terribly sorry, but I need to step out for a moment,” Rarity said into the doorway, still brushing herself off.

From somewhere beyond the doorway, Applejack heard Spike ask, “What, why?”

“I need to take Applejack’s measurements for her new Grand Galloping Gala dress. I’ll only be gone for a few minutes- just keep rearranging the shelves like I showed you until I get back.” Rarity shut the storage room door, and turned to face Applejack. “I’m terribly sorry about that, dear. We were supposed to have finished sorting the new shipment before you arrived.”

Applejack quickly looked away as Rarity looked to her to hide that she’d been staring. “That’s… alright.”

“Just have a seat over by the mirrors, dear. I’ll be with you shortly.” Applejack did as Rarity asked, and took a seat near the mirrors. She watched the fashionista slide on her glasses- though she never held much interest in fashion, Applejack thought that with a different frame, Rarity would look very good in glasses.

The white mare returned to Applejack. “Alright darling, try to hold still.”

That was much easier said than done. Applejack shuddered as Rarity gently ran her hooves across her shoulders, her back, her flank… she knew those touches were nothing more than Rarity taking her measurements, but her touch was so soft…

“Well, that does it for the back. Now to the front,” Rarity came to Applejack’s front, and placed the measuring tape against her chest with her magic, before tracing her hoof along its edge. Applejack shuddered.

Rarity noticed. “I know this is hard, dear, but I’m almost finished. Just give me one more minute.”

Before she realized what she was doing, Applejack lifted up a hoof and rested it on Rarity’s shoulder.

Rarity stood. “Hmm? Applejack, is something wrong?”

Applejack said nothing, but merely rested her other hoof on Rarity’s other shoulder.

Rarity looked at her, worried. “Applejack… you’re frightening me.”

Applejack remained silent. Her breaths became heavy, and her heart raced in anticipation of what she was about to do. She opened her mouth, but words would not come, no matter how hard she tried to force them out. So, Applejack decided if she couldn’t tell Rarity, then she would show her.

She pulled Rarity closer, while leaning in at the same time… and their lips touched.

Rarity’s eyes widened, and she let out a surprised “Mmph!”… but she didn’t pull away. So Applejack pressed on, opening her mouth and pushing her tongue inside Rarity’s mouth. Rarity’s tongue pushed against Applejack’s own, and she slowly closed her eyes…

It was at that moment that the door to the storeroom began to open. “Hey Rarity, where do you want me to-” But Spike’s froze when he saw the sight before him, and the metal frame he was holding slipped out of his hands.

The sound of the frame clattering against the floor caught the two mares’ attention. Rarity pulled away. “Spike?”

Spike said nothing. He simply stared at them in stunned silence, tears already flowing down his face. Then, he shut his eyes and sprinted to the boutique door, tearing it open and dashing into the street. “Spike, wait!” Rarity called, running after him. But by the time she reached the street, he was nowhere in sight.

Applejack ran to Rarity’s side. “Rarity, Ah-” she began.

“Later,” Rarity interrupted. “We have a much more urgent issue to worry about.”

A furious thumping sounded from upstairs. Twilight sighed, before placing her test tube back in its holder. She hurried the basement stairs, but the knocking didn’t cease. “Hold on, I’m coming!” She called. Finally, she reached the ground floor. As she pulled the front door open, Twilight began to say, “Could you please not knock so hard? You’ll-”

She fell silent as soon as she laid eyes on who was outside: Applejack and Rarity. The two of them were sweating and breathing hard, as though they had just finished a long run. Between breaths, Rarity said “Please… please tell us… that Spike’s here.”

“I thought he was still at the boutique with you,” Twilight replied. “But I’ll go check.”

She turned and went upstairs, calling, “Spike! Rarity and Applejack want to see you!” There was no answer. And when she reached the upper level, Spike was not there. So she went back downstairs and said to the two mares, “Sorry, he’s not here.”

Applejack brought a hoof up to her face. “Oh, this ain’t good…”

Something about Applejack’s tone unsettled Twilight. “Wait, what happened?”

Both Rarity and Applejack hesitated. But then Rarity began to speak, “Well, I was taking Applejack’s measurements for her Grand Galloping Gala dress when… she kissed me. Then Spike-”

“Wait wait, what?” Twilight asked, stunned. “You and Applejack… kissed?”

Rarity stammered, “Yes, but- …C-Can we talk about this later?”

“Well where is Spike now?”

“…We don’t know,” Applejack replied. “After he saw us kissin’, Spike ran off. We were hopin’ he’d be here.”

“Wait wait wait… Spike’s missing?” Twilight began hyperventilating.

Rarity stepped forward. “Twilight, please, calm down. We can help you find him, but-”

“You stay where you are!” Twilight snapped. “You’ve already caused enough damage!” With that, she bolted past the two and headed towards the town hall.

For several moments, Applejack and Rarity stared after Twilight in silence. Then, Rarity looked to Applejack and said, “I do realize that this may not be the most appropriate time, but… would you care to explain what that kiss was about?”

Applejack looked down, shuffling her hooves nervously. “Ah… Ah’m sorry, Rarity. It’s just that… I’ve been meanin’ ta… ye see, it’s…”

But before she could say anything else, Rarity said, “I think I know what this is, dear. Come.” Rarity entered the library; Applejack followed. When she reached the center of the library floor, Rarity sat. “Have a seat, please.”

Applejack sat. Rarity was silent, resting her hoof on her chin as though carefully considering her next words. Then, Rarity began to speak.

“…As you know, I have made several visits to Canterlot over the course of my career. During one of these visits, it became fashionable to… associate with ponies of the same sex. Being the fashion-conscientious pony that I am, I of course immediately set out to find a partner. But, the morning after I brought another mare to my hotel room, I realized something- it may have been the fashionable thing to do, but it wasn’t… it wasn’t me. So, I did something that I had never done before, and something I hope to never do again- I turned my back on this trend, and I was happy to do so. And so long as I live, I will never allow myself to become involved with that trend, or any trend like it.”

Applejack looked to the floor sadly. Of course, Rarity was much too straight-laced to ever have an interest in her. All she’d succeeded in doing was ruining their relationship.

But the farmpony looked up in surprise when Rarity continued on. “But…” she said. “But… you have something that mare did not, Applejack. We may have had…differences in the past, but through it all, you are, and always have been, my friend. And, because you are my friend, I am willing to try and make this relationship work. For your sake.”

“Ya’d… ya’d do that for me?” Applejack asked, now on the verge of tears.

Rarity nodded, smiling. “Of course I would, dear.”

Applejack’s heart soared for a moment… only to come crashing back down when she remembered one significant detail. “But… what about Spike? How’re we gonna break the news ta him?”

“Spike is very mature for his age. I’m certain that once we explain the situation, he’ll be much more understanding.” Rarity stood. “But we won’t be able to provide any explanations if we can’t find him.”

Applejack hesitated. “Ya heard Twilight, didn’t ya? She said ta stay here. And she was mighty upset with the both of us.”

Rarity stopped and looked back. “Be that as it may, it is our fault Spike is missing, and we need to take responsibility for our actions.” With that, Rarity continued to the door; after a moment’s hesitation, Applejack stood and followed.

“Alright, listen up!” the Mayor shouted. “We have a report for a missing dragon! I want the standard grid pattern, ponies, and check each grid thoroughly! Now move out!”

The weather team scattered in all directions. The Mayor then looked to Twilight. “If the weather team finds anything, I’ll let you know immediately. In the meantime, you should head home.”

Twilight barely heard the Mayor as she racked her brain, trying to figure out where Spike may have gone. When the two had still lived in Canterlot, there had been times when they’d disagreed on certain issues. If their argument had grown especially heated, or Twilight had made an especially scathing comment directed toward him, Spike would scamper off and disappear to brood or mope. But Twilight soon found that he always went to the exact same place, every single time- the observation deck of Solaris’s Tower, the highest tower in the entire royal palace. Normally, Twilight would begin her search there… but there was one problem with that plan.

They weren’t in Canterlot anymore.

But the memory did give her an idea. She looked to the sky, eyes peeled for a familiar rainbow streak. As soon as she spotted it, she waved her hoof frantically, trying to catch its attention.

The rainbow streak banked, and came to a stop a few feet in front of her. “Whatever you wanna say Twilight, make it fast,” Rainbow Dash said. “The Mayor’s already breathing down our necks as it is.”

“Rainbow, I need you to do a flyover of the town and take note of the highest places you can find,” Twilight said.

“Why?”

“Just call it a hunch.”

“Alright.” Rainbow spread her wings. “I’ll see what I can do.”

“Meet me back at the library, alright?”

“Can do.” And with that, Rainbow was off.

Twilight began to move as well, but not to join the search- rather, she headed back to the library, as the Mayor suggested. Even she had to admit that in her current state, she would probably be more of a hindrance than a help. Before long, she reached the library, but as she approached the door, she could hear Applejack and Rarity speaking to one another. She strained her ears, and heard Rarity say “Of course I would, dear.”

Twilight couldn’t believe her ears- Spike was missing, and yet Rarity and Applejack were busy… cozying up to one another. She threw the door open with her magic and strode in, immediately coming face-to-face with Rarity. “Twilight, dear!” she said in surprise.

“Oh, I’m sorry if I’m interrupting your ‘private time,’” Twilight spat.

“Twilight, that isn’t fair,” Rarity protested. “That’s not at all what was happening.”

“You’re right, it isn’t fair,” Twilight replied. “You knew how Spike felt about you. You knew, and yet you still strung him along. Was this how you planned on breaking the news to him?”

Applejack stepped forward, furious. “Now don’t ya dare say that this was Rarity’s fault,” she snapped.

“Oh, so this is your fault, then?” Twilight snapped back.

The two glared at one another, until the library door swung open and Rainbow swooped in. “Twilight I-” she suddenly stopped when she saw what was happening. “Whoa. What’s goin’ on here?”

“Nothing,” Twilight replied. “What did you find?”

“The four highest places in town are the Mayor’s office, Carousel Boutique, Sugarcube Corner, and here. I had a quick look at the mayor’s office, but he wasn’t there- and I’m guessing you guys already checked here and the boutique.”

“But what about Sugarcube Corner?” Applejack asked.

“I asked Pinkie to take a look. …She couldn’t find him.”

This was not news Twilight wanted to hear. “…Rainbow Dash, is there anywhere else you can think of? Anywhere at all?”

“Well, there’s one place. And that would be the bluffs just outside of… town…” Rainbow Dash trailed off, before she turned and shot out the door.

“What?Bluffs?” Rarity asked, terror creeping into her voice. “You don’t think… Spike couldn’t possibly do something so rash… could he?”

“No…” Twilight replied, a little doubting herself. Spike had never tried to… jump back in Canterlot, but then again, the observation deck of Solaris’s Tower was surrounded by a metal mesh to prevent ponies from doing just that.

“Well what’re we waitin’ fer? Let’s go!” Applejack said.

But Twilight replied, “No.”

“No?” Rarity asked, incredulous. “Twilight, I understand that you’re upset, but Spike had nothing-”

“I’ll go get him,” Twilight continued. “No offense, but I don’t think Spike would be too happy to see either you or Applejack right now.”

Rarity opened her mouth to protest, but thought better of it and replied, “…you raise a fair point.”

Twilight could feel Spike’s presence long before laying eyes on the young dragon. It was the same as when they’d been younger- a heavy, oppressive cloud which seemed to drain the happiness out of everything nearby. She wasn’t sure if had something to do with his being a dragon, or if she merely had a talent for sensing his moods.

It wasn’t long before she found him- he was sitting a few feet away from the edge of the cliff, with his back turned towards her. He was almost completely motionless.

“There you are,” Twilight said.

Spike didn’t answer.

“Spike… I heard about what happened. At the boutique. Between Rarity and Applejack.”

Still, Spike didn’t answer.

She approached and sat down next to him. “Do you wanna talk about it?”

Spike did not reply.

“That’s okay. You just need some time to digest it all.”

There was no reply.

Twilight stood again. “We should head home, Spike. It’s getting late.”

No response.

“…don’t make me carry you home.”

Spike didn’t reply, but he did do something- he pushed himself to his feet, turned away from the cliff, and began to walk back to town. His shoulders were slumped, he shuffled his feet, his arms hung limply at his sides… but what really troubled Twilight were his eyes. They were dull, lifeless, devoid of any sparkle or light.

Twilight got to her hooves and followed, keeping a close eye on Spike the entire way.

“Girls, I’ve already told you, Spike doesn’t want any visitors,” Twilight said.

Sweetie Belle stomped her hooves impatiently. “But he’s our friend! And right now he needs our love and support!” The young unicorn’s comment earned her odd looks from Apple Bloom and Scootaloo.

“I’m very sorry, Sweetie Belle. But Spike says he wants to be left alone right now. I have to respect his wishes.”

“But-”

“C’mon Sweetie Belle, let’s just leave ‘im alone,” Apple Bloom said, putting a hoof on her friend’s shoulder.

“Yeah,” Scootaloo said. “Where’s the fun in hanging out with somepony who cries all day?”

Sweetie Belle gave her friend a dirty look, but ultimately relented. “…okay.” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo trotted away, with Sweetie Belle reluctantly following.

Twilight shut the door and turned away, only for another knock to sound. Exasperated, she turned and yanked the door open with her magic, saying, “Sweetie Belle, we’ve been over this. Spike doesn’t want-”

The mare standing outside her door most certainly wasn’t Sweetie Belle. “Oh. Applejack. I wasn’t expecting you.”

“Hey Twi,” Applejack said. “The girls been givin’ ya trouble?”

“No…” Twilight stepped aside to allow Applejack inside. “…Well, Sweetie Belle has. Just last night, I caught her trying to magically pick the lock on the library’s front door! Can you believe that?”

“What? Why?”

“Her heart is in the right place, but Spike told me he wants to be left alone, and I have to respect his wishes.” She sat down. “How was your date, by the way?”

“Not too good, Ah’m afraid. Ah know you told us not ta, but Rarity and Ah spent most of the night worryin’ about Spike. He might be tryin’ ta act all big and like it don’t bother him none, but Ah know all this’s been rough on ‘im. …How’s he been holdin’ up?”

“How would you define ‘holed up in the attic?’ After he saw you off before your date, he headed up there and hasn’t come out since.”

“He’s been up there fer two whole days!? Oh Rarity ain’t gonna like that- she’s been worryin’ herself sick about him.” Applejack was silent for several moments, before asking. “…Can Ah talk ta him?”

“Spike said he doesn’t want to see anypony right now. He said he needs to work through this on his own.”

“Rarity and Ah never got a chance ta explain how things between us are gonna work ta him. Ah figured we owe ‘im that much, at least.”

“I…” Twilight’s ears flattened against her head. “…alright. Just… don’t get too offended if he doesn’t want to talk.”

Twilight led Applejack to the upper level. Then, using her magic, she took hold of a string hanging from the ceiling and pulled it- a trapdoor in the ceiling opened, and a ladder dropped down. Twilight nodded wordlessly to Applejack, and the farmpony then began to climb the ladder.

A few moments later, Applejack stepped into the dusty attic. She was surprised- neither Spike nor Twilight had ever mentioned the attic before, but seeing as how it was filled only with dust-covered boxes, she supposed there wasn’t much of a need. “Spike!” Applejack called. “Ah need ta talk ta ya!” There was no answer, so she began wandering through the rows, searching. And soon enough, sitting in the dust and the cobwebs in front of a small window, she spotted the scaled back of a small, purple dragon.

Cautiously, Applejack stepped toward him. “Spike?” He didn’t look back. “Ah know Ah’m prob’ly the last pony ya wanna be seein’ right now. And Ah understand if ya don’t wanna say nothin’ ta me. But Rarity and me… we’ve been talkin’, and we figured ya deserve ta know how things are gonna work between the three of us.”

There was a brief silence. Applejack was just about to continue, when Spike suddenly said, “I saw this coming, you know.”

Applejack cocked an eyebrow in confusion. “Huh?”

Spike sighed. “…When Twilight and I first came to Ponyville, and I met Rarity for the first time, I thought she was the most beautiful, most amazing pony ever. And I still feel that way. But even though I helped her at the boutique, and got her presents and stuff, there was always a part of me deep down that always knew…” he took a breath. “…that always knew Rarity didn’t like me the way I liked her. Maybe… maybe I should’ve paid more attention to that part of me.”

Spike finally looked back- Applejack could see that his eyes were reddened by tears, absent of any sparkle of happiness. “I’m not upset with you, you know. Or with Rarity. You can’t help who you fall in love with- I couldn’t help falling for Rarity, and she couldn’t help falling for you.” He looked away again. “If you really think about it, this whole thing was my fault. If I’d just asked Rarity how she felt about me, maybe we could have avoided all of this. …But that’s all in the past now.”

There was another, much longer silence, before Spike continued. “All I ever wanted was to make Rarity happy. And as long as she’s happy, then that’s all that matters to me. I’d hoped that we could… be… together, that I’d be the one to make her happy.” He tucked his legs against his chest, curling himself into a ball. “But… I’m… not. And that’s… okay. I mean… things like this… they happen and… and you just h-have to move on…”

“Spike…” Applejack removed her hat, before sitting down next to the young dragon. “Ya got it all backwards. It was me who fell for Rarity… not the other way around.”

He looked up to the farmpony. “What?”

“Ah was surprised too, when it happened. Ah didn’t believe it at first. Ah didn’t wanna believe it. Growin’ up, Ah’d always been told that feelin’ that way about another mare was… wrong. But, Ah’ve never met a stallion Ah liked that way. Never met another mare Ah liked neither, fer that matter… least, not ‘til Ah met Rarity.”

Her ears flattened against her head. “Ah know what Ah did at the boutique wasn’t the best way ta handle things. And Ah know that it weren’t fair ta you, or ta Rarity. But what happened happened. And she and I decided we were gonna… how’d she put it… test the waters.” She put a hoof on Spike’s shoulder. “I know seein’ us be together is gonna be hard fer ya, Spike. I know yer prob’ly feeling all sorts a things right now. But ya don’t hafta pretend ta be happy when yer not.”

Applejack then stood up. “Well, Ah should be goin’. Make sure ta let Rarity know yer alright.” With that, she stood, and returned to the trapdoor.

For a moment, Spike looked on as Applejack descended the ladder. Then, he turned away from the trapdoor, grabbed a nearby scroll and a piece of charcoal, and began to write. For several minutes, his claw flew across the paper, until finally, he finished his letter. He rolled it up, and in a plume of emerald-green fire, it was gone.

At that moment, the ladder creaked, and Twilight entered the attic. “Spike?” she called. “Are you alright?”

“Over here, Twilight,” he replied.

She made her way over to Spike. “There you are. So, what did you and Applejack talk about?”

“Nothing much,” he replied. “Just how things are gonna be between Rarity and her.”

Both Twilight and Spike were silent for several moments, before Spike asked, “Twilight? Can… can I… say something… bad?”

Twilight approached Spike, and sat down next to him. “Sure.”

He lowered his gaze. “…I hate her.”

“Who? Applejack?”

Spike nodded slowly. “Yeah. I mean, I had my eye on Rarity for so long, and I worked so hard trying to get Rarity to like me… and then Applejack just sweeps her off her feet just like that. It isn’t fair. Doesn’t… doesn’t anything I did count? Why do I have to lose after coming so far? It… it isn’t… it’s not fair.” Spike’s voice took a much harsher tone on the last word- in response, a prominent crack appeared in the window across from him.

She looked to him. “Spike, that isn’t how it happened. You know that, don’t you?”

He sighed. “I do. But… it doesn’t make me hate her any less.”

Twilight bit her lip, her eyes darting around the room as she tried to think of something to say to comfort the young dragon. “Listen,” she began. “I know how much you like Rarity. And I know how hard all of this is for you. You probably feel like things are never going to get better. But they will, I promise you. You’ll see.” She patted him on the shoulder, before she too left the attic.

Several moments passed in silence. Then, Spike grabbed another scroll and began writing another letter. “Sure they will…” he said mostly to himself, not believing even one word he said. “Sure they will.”

“Spike, please don’t do this,” Twilight pleaded. “Running away never solves any of your problems.”

“I’m not running away,” he replied. He picked up a rubber duck and looked at it, before setting it back down. “Look, their date got ruined because they spent the whole night worrying about me.” He placed a small notebook on top of a handkerchief laid out before him. “I just wanna give them some space so they can focus on their… relationship.”

“You could at least tell me where you’re going.”

“I don’t know.” Spike placed a number of gems on top of the handkerchief, next to the notebook. “But I think I’ll make a stop in Canterlot first. The Princesses might be able to help me figure all of this out.”

“Spike…” Twilight began. But then, she sighed in resignation. “…How long will you be gone?”

An ink bottle and a number of quills were placed on top of the notebook. “Not sure. Probably a couple weeks. I’ll try to be back before the end of the month.”

“A couple…” Twilight sighed again. “…Just be safe, okay Spike?”

He tied the handkerchief to a stick, before slinging it across his shoulder. “I will.”

“Now come here.” Without waiting for him to come, Twilight approached Spike and wrapped her forelegs around him. It was with the utmost reluctance that she let him go. “…What should I tell Rarity and Applejack?”

“You don’t have to tell them anything.” Spike held out the scroll he had written the day before. “Just give them this. Hopefully, they’ll understand.”

As soon as Twilight had taken the letter, Spike walked to the door. Just before he opened it, he looked back to her. “Well…” he began. “…I’ll be seeing you.” And with that, he stepped out, closing the door behind him.

Spike walked down the street, alone. He passed a few ponies on his way- some waved, and he gave a halfhearted wave in return. Deep down he hoped he wouldn’t run into Applejack, or Rarity, or any of his other friends- he knew that if they saw him, they’d assume he was running away and deliver him back to Twilight. But before long, he reached the edge of town, having encountered none of his pony friends.

Mount Canterlot rose high above the landscape before him- the city for which it was name clung to its side, glittering in the sunlight. But the view brought little happiness to him. A heavy weight rested on his heart, and he was uncertain if there was anything that could ever lifted.

He resumed walking, but after a moment, he could hear the sound of hooves clopping on the road behind them. He ignored it, until a familiar voice said to him, “Hey Spike.” The young dragon stopped, and turned to face the source of the voice: Sweetie Belle. She looked at his bindle. “Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah,” he replied. “I’m gonna be leaving Ponyville for a little while.” Spike resumed walking.

She caught up to him. “Is it ‘cause of what happened between Applejack and Rarity?”

“No,” he replied quickly. “…Well… a little. Yeah.”

“I’m sorry things didn’t work out between you and Rarity.”

“Don’t be. It was mostly my fault anyway.”

She looked to him. “How come?”

“If I was just honest about how I felt, maybe… maybe this wouldn’t have happened.” He shook his head. “But whatever. It’s done now. Nopony can do anything to change it.”

“It’s okay, Spike. You’ll find someone else.” She was silent, before she said, “If it helps you feel better… I still like you.”

He shook his head again. “C’mon Sweetie Belle… you don’t have to say things like that to make me feel better…”

“But I do like you! I do!” she cried, stomping her hooves. “It’s just… I never said anything because you liked Rarity! And because the others always made fun of me for it. But now I can do this!”

Sweetie Belle reared back on her hind legs, rested her front hooves against his chest… and Spike a small kiss on the lips.

Almost as soon as it had come, Sweetie Belle pulled away. “I really like you, Spike,” she said. “You’re smart, you’re really funny, and the others would kill me if they heard me say this, but it means a lot to us when you help us out.”

Spike looked into Sweetie Belle’s eyes for several moments. Her eyes sparkled, and a wide smile broke across her face… but it rapidly faded when he looked away. “Sweetie Belle,” he began. “I… I’m really sorry, but… I… I can’t accept your feeling right now. I just… need to be alone right now.”

Slowly, Sweetie Belle let her forelegs fall from Spike. “Okay…”

Spike began to turn away, but Sweetie Belle suddenly called, “Wait!” So he looked to her again.

“…Don’t look so sad, okay? Things will be okay. You’ll see.”

Spike didn’t reply right away. Sweetie Belle looked at him, worried, until he smiled at her broadly. “You’re right. I’m sure everything will be just fine.”

“That’s the spirit!” She then turned away. “Bye! Be safe!”

He watched her trot away happily. Everything will be alright, he told himself, over and over again. Everything will be alright…

But in his heart, Spike knew that it wouldn’t.

Dear Princess Celestia,

For a long time, I thought that love was just about liking someone a lot, or buying them presents, or being there to support them when they were sad. But over the last couple of days, I’ve learned that love- reallove- is being able to sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of somepony else’s.

You might not have heard yet, but Rarity and Applejack are… a couple now. They told me they were just trying things out, but I have a feeling that their relationship is going to be very, verylong-term. And, I’m okay with that. We’ve all talked it over, and I’m okay with everything.

But here’s the thing.  I want to be happy for them, I really do, but every time I see them together, I can’t help but resent Applejack. I can’t help but feel like she… stoleRarity from me.

I know that that’s a terrible, selfishthing to think, and that’s why I’m going to be leaving town for a little while. I don’t know where I’ll be going, and I don’t know when I’ll be back, but I just need some time to sort out all these feelings, and I don’t think I’ll be able to do it here. And, I want to give Rarity and Applejack some space, so they can focus on their relationship, and not have to worry about me. Their first date got ruined because they spent the whole night worrying.

I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. If you’ll let me, I think I’d like to pay you a visit. With how old you are, you probably know a lot about dealing with loss.

Your subject,

Spike

Applejack, Rarity,

By the time you receive this letter, I won’t be in Ponyville anymore. I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but if I’d told you that I was leaving in person, you’d never have let me go. A lot’s happened over the last couple of days, and I’ve been trying to figure everything out, but I don’t think I’ll be able to do it here. I just need some time away from Ponyville to think. But don’t worry about me- you know that I can take care of myself. Just try to focus on your relationship.

Rarity- I want you to know that I’ll always treasure the time we spent together, even if it wasn’t for very long, and even if we weren’t as close as I’d hoped we’d be. And I hope that we can still be friends.

Applejack- If you care for Rarity as much as I think you do, then cherish every moment you spend with her. And cherish her. She’s a lady- she deserves to be treated like one.

I wish both of you the best of luck in your new relationship, and take good care of each other. Know that whether it works out or not, I’ll be behind you one-hundred percent.

Sincerely,

Spike