Solar Sovereignty

Knock knock knock!

“I’ll get it!” Pinkie Pie cried, dashing over to the door of Fluttershy’s cottage.

As she threw open the door, she saw the three bedraggled figures of Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity.

“Is Spike here?” Applejack asked. “We can’t find him anywhere.”

“Yeah, he’s here!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “But um… he’s kind of sad right now. He needs a little cheering up.”

“I know.” Rarity said softly, trotting inside.

On the couch, sipping the warm tea Fluttershy had made him, Spike looked up at the snowy unicorn, then looked away, biting his lip. Rarity shuffled awkwardly as she hung up her coat.

“Are y’all okay, Spike?” Applejack asked.

Spike gave a little shrug. “Yeah, I… I guess so.”

Applejack sat down, putting a comforting hoof around the young dragon’s shoulders.

“Y’all know we’re all here for ya.” she said softly. “And well… we all love ya. Right, girls?”

“Of course!” Fluttershy replied, giving Spike a gentle nuzzle.

“Yeah, you’re one of my favoritest friends!” Pinke Pie squealed.

Spike turned towards Rainbow Dash. “Hey, Rainbow… um… sorry about what I said earlier.”

“It’s okay.” Rainbow Dash replied. “You were just blowing off steam. And I… well, I’m not gonna get all mushy like the others, but… you’re a pretty cool friend.”

Spike smirked. He knew from the awkward look on Rainbow Dash’s face that that was the closest thing she would say to ‘I love you, too.’

Applejack turned towards Rarity, who was standing silently in the corner. “Rarity? Ain’t y’all gonna say somethin’?”

Rarity looked back at Spike, then awkwardly at the ground.

“Could you girls… give us a minute alone?” Rarity asked in an uncharacteristically soft and nervous voice.

The others all looked at one another, then nodded to Rarity and went into the kitchen. As she left, Pinkie Pie gave Spike a wink.

As soon as the others were gone, Rarity gave a deep sigh.

“Spike… I… I’m sorry.”

Spike shuffled uncomfortably, unsure of how to respond.

“S’okay.”

“No, it isn’t.” Rarity replied. “I hurt you deeply. And I cannot bear for that. I just….”

She shook her head confusedly. Sitting down on the couch next to Spike, she looked him right in the eye.

“Spike… I know how you feel about me.” Rarity said gently. “I’ve known long since before you told me. And I find it endearing. You’re charming, you’re loyal, and you know how to treat a lady.”

She broke her gaze, staring down at the cushions awkwardly. “Spike… I… I just don’t know how I feel.” she said softly, as Spike stared up at her with an inscrutable expression. “I… I just don’t know, Spike. I don’t want to get your hopes up, but… I just don’t know.”

She gently put her hoof on his hand. Spike gave a shy gulp. To his surprise, so did Rarity.

“You are the first… sadly, the only… person ever to truly declare their love for me.” Rarity stated. “And Spike… that really touches me. But… everything is just so different than I expected it to be. You’re young, even if only a few years less than myself. You’re not the prince or famous star that I expected I would meet, although you are more gallant than any knight I have ever met. And… it isn’t that I dislike dragons, Spike. I….” She looked about awkwardly, making sure the others weren't listening. “I looked up a couple books on the matter, and they spoke of Tirek placing a curse on some ponies and… well, long story short, dragons are actually closely related to ponies.”

Rarity wrung her hooves awkwardly. “So, um… it wouldn’t be beyond belief that a pony and a dragon could be together.”

“Why did you look that up?” Spike asked.

Rarity tried to look at Spike, but her gaze just couldn’t seem to meet his.

“Spike… I don’t want to get your hopes up. Everything is just so different than how I expected it to be. I just… I really do not know, Spike. Your feelings… my feelings… it’s all rather… unexpected.”

“Your… feelings?” Spike asked hesitantly.

Rarity sighed. “Spike… I know you want an answer, but… I can’t give you one. I can’t give one to myself. All I can say is… I need time. Time to sort this whole thing out. But Spike… I… I just want you to know… there have been times when I’ve lain awake at night, thinking of you. I don’t know how I feel, and I don’t want to give you false hope, but… well… oh, ponyfeathers.”

With a sudden twist, Rarity embraced Spike, and, quickly, gently, kissed him on the mouth. Spike’s eyes shot wide open in surprise.

Rarity blushed, and scratched the back of her neck with her hoof. “Well, um… just… don’t give up hope just yet, Spikey.”

Spike’s face lit up beet red. Then, with an elated sigh, he fell back onto the couch.

“Rarity… I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry, too.”

“Kiss and make up?” Spike asked with a joking grin.

Rarity gave a coy smile. “Well….”

Knock knock knock!

“I’ll get it!” Pinkie Pie squealed, leaping out from behind the couch.

Rarity’s face lit up bright red. “How long was she…?”

Pinkie Pie opened the door. Standing there in the rain, her mane bedraggled and her feathers ruffled, was Twilight.

“Is Spike here?” she asked.

“Um… yeah.” Pinkie Pie said awkwardly.

“Can I talk to him?”

Pinkie Pie looked back questioningly at Spike. Spike nodded.

“Let her in.” he said.

As Twilight came in, Rarity gave Spike a little pat on the head.

“I’ll leave you two to talk.” she whispered to him. She gestured for Pinkie Pie to follow her into the kitchen, leaving Spike alone with Twilight.

Spike and Twilight stared awkwardly at one another for a few moments.

“Spike?” Twilight said softly.

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Me, too.”

Twilight suddenly dashed forwards, scooping up Spike in her arms and hugging him tightly. Spike returned the embrace with equal strength.

“I was wrong to say those things to you.” Twilight said softly. “I was wrong in my train of thought, and I was wrong to be so foalish.”

“I was wrong to judge everypony else so harshly.” Spike replied.

“I love you, Spike.”

“I love you too, Twilight.”

Twilight set Spike down on the couch. “I learned a lot today.” she admitted. “I really had my eyes opened to just how blind and narrow-minded I was.”

“I kind of did, too.” Spike sighed.

“The real world isn't as simple as we wish it was, is it?” Twilight asked. “I’ve been a foal. I though with all my experience and learning, that I knew so much about friendship. Now I see that I’m just beginning to learn what friendship truly means.”

Spike chuckled. “Yeah, well… wasn't it one of those famous pony philosophers you like to read about who said, ’I am considered the wisest pony, for I alone admit that I know nothing.’?”

Twilight rubbed Spike’s head fondly. “You really are growing up.”

“That makes two of us.” Spike replied, snuggling against Twilight.