A purple alicorn knocked three times on a firmly shut door that lead to the room of a certain purple assistant. The look on the princess's face said that she was deeply concerned about her oldest friend. He had come home nearly two weeks prior, silent and solemn. He said nothing as he breezed past her like a ghost, locking himself in his room where he stayed ever since, only coming out for food or bathroom.

Twilight had had enough though. She understood and respected that he was upset about something, but two weeks was where she drew the line. She was going to get to the bottom of this even if she had to force it out of him.

Using her level minty-five lock pick skills, she made the lock bend to her will. She flung the door open, instantly spotting the ball of scaly moping called Spike at his desk, pencil in hand, apparently drawing something.

"Spike! I've tried to be patient, I've tried to be understanding, but you smell like manticore dung, and you're starting to scare me. So either go outside and get some air, or tell me what the buck has got you so down in the-"

"Sweetie Belle doesn't trust me so I broke up with her and I want to be alone," he said in one neutral breath, not taking his eyes from the paper under him.

Twilight's eyes widened, gasping like she had just found an old castle full of older books.

"You did what!?"

Spike put down his pencil and turned his head toward Twilight.

"I broke up with her."

"But you two are like quills and ink! Why would you break up with her!?"

Spike felt his irritation boil up.

"I already told you, she doesn't trust me."

Twilight cocked her head.

"Doesn't trust you? Doesn't that sound like a silly reason to break it off with her? Couldn't you try talking it out?"

"Look! It doesn't concern you, and you wouldn't understand anyway, so just drop it!"

Twilight's ears shot straight up as her eyes narrowed.

"Doesn't concern me? How dare you….How dare you say that to me!"

Spike soon realized that in his anger he had said the wrong thing, turning his head away from his friend in shame.

"After everything we've been through together! After all the enemies we've fought, all the hardships we've seen together, and you have the nerve to say it doesn't concern me!?"

Spike looked back at her, this time with regret in his eyes.

"I…I'm sorry, Twilight. I didn't mean that, I'm just a little…upset," he confessed in a defeated tone.

Twilight couldn't stay mad at him, even when he was acting like a teenage brat. She strolled in, siting down next to him and placing a hoof on his shoulder.

"No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pried. I understand that you're getting older, and Celestia knows that I'm no mother."

Spike turned to the pony princess, giving her a hug. Twilight hugged him back, knowing that he needed the affection.

"No, you're not, but you've done a great job despite," he commented warmly

Twilight felt a prideful tear roll down her cheek. Since the beginning she had been more of an older sister than a mother to her number one assistant, but she had watched him grow and mature, and after all the years, she liked to think that she knew how it felt to be a mom.

"I may not know the details, but I know that you care a lot about her, and I'm sure she feels the same. I can't tell you how to handle it, but I think that it would be a shame to let those feelings go to waste."

Spike pulled away, nodding at the wise advise.

The pencil on his desk rolled a few inches to the left, over the numerous drawings of marshmallows.

"Sweetie Beeeeeeelle! It's a beautiful day. Why don't you get out of that room and go play with your friends?"

Pearl had tried rousing her little girl from behind her locked door, but for two weeks now she had only seen her daughter between coming and going to school.
The only other indication of Sweetie being alive was the empty tray of food left outside her door that pearl had left for her.

It was obvious to the veteran mother that something was amiss with Sweetie, and after waiting for two weeks, she couldn't wait any longer.

Sighing, she produced the secret key she kept and unlocked the door. Sweetie would most likely be mad at her mother's intrusion, but she couldn't wait anymore.

"Sweetie, are you awake?"

Sweetie was laying on her bed with her back to the door. Pearl couldn't see her face as she looked out her window, but she was sure that it was sad and lonesome.

"Hey there, muffin. Ready to tell me what has you so down in the dumps?" She asks, walking over and sitting on the edge of Sweetie's bed.

Sweetie only exhaled deeply.

"No, mom," she said flatly.

"Did something happen between you and Spike?"

Sweetie grabbed a pillow with her magic, using it to cover her face as she groaned sadly.

"I thought so."

Sweetie peeked over the top of the pillow.

"Well, aren't you going to hound me with questions?" Sweetie asked her mother.

"Do you want me to hound you with questions?"

Sweetie gave her mom a sarcastic glance.

"No."

"Exactly, dear. Me and your father have always believed in letting you and your sister be the girls that you want to be. I'm not going to force you to open up to me. My wish is that you'll come to me when you're ready to talk."

Sweetie turned over, smiling at her mother. Pearl used a hoof to brush Sweetie's mane.

"Now, how about getting outside?"

Sweetie frowned.

"I don't want to, mom. I just wanna lay here until I turn old and gray," she stated sounding depressed.

"Well, what with being your father's shade of white I don't think you're far off," Pearl stated sarcastically.

Sweetie couldn't help but giggle. Pearl smiled, leaning over and giving her a kiss at the base of her horn.

"Oh! Before I forget, your sister wants you to come over to give her a hoof."

"GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Celestia perked up from her book, looking over at Philamina who was busy pecking at her bird seed.

"Did you hear that?"

The phenix looked back at her master, shrugging her wings.

"Meh, oh well."

~The Carousel Boutique~

Rarity sat at her sewing machine, gently using her hind hoof to operate the peddle. While she was under a time schedule, she couldn't keep her eyes from wandering to the right at the glum teenage mare who was snipping lengths of ribbon.

It was obvious to her that something was amiss with her beloved little sister.

Sweetie kept snipping ribbon like a robot, but her mind was miles away. She couldn't take her eyes off the emerald colored ribbon. It reminded her of someone.

"I do thank you ever so much, Sweetie Belle. Spike has decided to take a leave of absence, though he didn't say why."

"Uh, huh," she replied blankly.

The fashonista continued her sewing, mulling around for an idea of how to probe the young pony for more information. Luckily, Rarity was a master at gossip, and the art of getting it out of others. This situation would require more tact though, since it was obviously a sensitive matter at hoof.

"And how is your dashing special some drake, hmmm?"

Sweetie shot a spiteful glare at her sister's back. It was almost like Rarity was provoking her.

"I don't see what business it is of yours," she sneered at her sister, causing Rarity to cease her sewing.

She spun around in her stool, wearing a shocked look like a new hat.

"Sweetie Belle?"

Sweetie kept her cold glare as she locked eyes with her sister.

"You heard me. Why would you care about how me and Spike are doing?"

"Why? You're my little sister, and Spike is my friend. Why wouldn't I care?"

Suddenly Sweetie got up, taking on a defensive stance.

"Well isn't that a shock! Miss. Rarity, so lovely and fashionable! Miss. Rarity, the envy of every mare! Miss. Rarity, who every stallion wants, concerning herself with the meager lives of us little ponies! Well if you're sooo worried, then why don't you go talk to Spike!? I'm sure he would just love to talk to you!"

'SLAP!'

Sweetie's reeling was abruptly put to an end when Rarity's hoof came down to knock some sense into her.

Sweetie was frozen in shock from the strike to her cheek. In all her life Rarity had never raised a hoof to her. Not even the time when she used all her gems on a painting, and shank her sweater, and cleaned up her inspiration room.

Rarity stood over her, her chest out and a stern look on her face.

"I have NEVER held myself in a higher regard than others, and I will NOT be spoken to by my own sister when I'm trying to find out what is wrong with her."

Sweetie felt a swelling of rage, but it soon dwindled to feelings of self loathing and sadness. First she had driven away the one she loved with her selfish jealousy, and now she had barked like a rabid orthrose at her own sister.

Tears, hot and burning filled her eyes, her throat constricting with the tightness of her chest.

"I-I'm sorry….I'm so sorry, Rarity," she apologized, keeping her head down out of shame.

Rarity could never stay mad at her little Sweetie, and she instantly began to hate herself for hitting her.

"No, I'm sorry, Sweetie. Now, what on earth has you in such a tizzy?" She asked in a softer tone of voice.

Sweetie sniffed hard, trying to calm down a bit.

"S-Spike…broke up with me."

Instantly, Rarity's hooves held her cheeks, making her look up at a very serious Rarity.

"Did he hurt you!? Did he touch you inappropriately!? I WILL DESTROY HIM!"

Sweetie was….afraid, to say the least.

"N-no, I kinda, well…he heard me say that I thought he would leave me…for you."

Rarity stepped back a bit, her face saying 'uh-huh'.

"Y-you think that I'm the worst, don't you?"

Rarity levitated a chair over and took a seat.

"Well, I think that you're very foolish, Sweetie Belle, but that's besides the point. Let me ask you something, do you remember the first time you met Spike?"

Rarity took a seat on one of the manny fainting couches.

"Uh, I guess. You took me over to the library the day after Twilight moved in."

"That's right, and do you remember what happened next?"

Sweetie released a deep exhale, searching her memories of that day.

"Oh! Spike came down the stairs holding a stack of books, and if I remember correctly, he took one look at you and fell head over claws."

Rarity giggled.

"What's so funny?"

"Well, Sweetie, you're right about all but one thing."

"What?"

"Spike didn't look at me and fall over, he was looking at you."

The idea alone was ridiculous. Back then, Spike was so obsessed with Rarity that he would have plucked out his own scales if she had asked it.

"How could you tell? We were standing right next to each other."

Rarity gave her little sister a knowing smile.

"Believe me, Sweetie Belle, a lady can tell."

"Ok, so what? That doesn't mean that he doesn't still have feelings for you."

"Sweetie, a boy does not take a fall like that for just any girl. He fell hard like that for you."

It was both metaphorical, and literal, and suddenly Sweetie saw Spike in a new light, and herself. Sure he was gaga for Rarity when he was young, but hat was because he was young. She felt like the biggest fool in town at that moment. She had clung to her anxieties and worries like a bad security blanket, when all along Spike had done nothing but think about her.

"Oh Rarity, you're right. He's done nothing but stand by me, and all I did was drive him away."

Rarity ran a hoof over her soft poofey mane.

"Don't fret too much, Sweetie. I've made my fair share of mistakes when it comes to matters of the heart. What's important is that you admit your mistakes and make amens."

Sweetie lowered her head, rubbing a foreleg with the other.

"I…I can't," she stated defeatedly.

"Pardon?"

"How can I possibly make amens after what I've done?"

To this, Rarity chuckled.

"Oh, Sweetie. You're a girl, darling. All you have to do, is go galloping to Spike, give him a big hug, and apologize."

Sweetie lowered her ears, looking skeptical.

"And that'll work?"

"Ho-ho, Sweetie. Look who you're talking to."

The two sisters embraced in a big hug before Sweetie charged out the door to her destiny.

Rarity flipped her mane as she turned to continue her work. Opal shot her a mean mug from her basket, which Rarity noticed.

"What? I couldn't concentrate with her moping like that," she explained nonchalantly.

The prissy kitty continued to give her an ugly glare.

"Oh, come on! Those two not being together would be like a hoof knit scarf without a matching tiara, darling."

While Rarity made excuses to her cat like some crazy cat lady, (give her time), she couldn't help but feel melancholic at her own inner thoughts. The deep truth was, that Rarity did have feelings beyond friendship for Spike. She had since the day that he and Twilight walked up to her in the town hall.

But she had hidden those feeling down in her heart…for Sweetie Belle.

She had known since their first meeting that they were meant to be together. After Spike fell holding the books, Sweetie giggled, and Spike blushed with a very obvious look in his eyes.

She regretted nothing. She was happy that her little sister had found her special some drake.

Even if it did hurt sometimes.

Sweetie swiftly galloped through Ponyville, the sight of the castle in the distance as her goal. By the time she reached the front door at the trunk, she was sweaty and out of breath. She straightened up, using a hoof to straighten her mane before proceeding.

She knocked three times on the crystal petrified door, hopping that someone answered.

The sound of hooves approaching caused her heart to skip repeatedly.

She held her breath as the door slowly opened, revealing a purple alicorn.

"Why hello, Sweetie Belle," she greeted.

"Oh, hey, Twilight. I was, uh, wondering, if uhhh-"

"You were wondering if Spike was here?" The princess finished for her.

"Well….yes…"

The older mare couldn't help but smile at her.

"He's right upstairs, Sweetie."

"Thanks, Twilight!" She said as she rushed past Twilight and up the stairs.

She curved around corners and dashed down hallways till she came to Spike's door, thinking to herself "I rely gotta learn how to teleport".

With all the swagger of an action movie hero, she bucked the door open, a startled dragon standing from his bed and throwing something to the side.

"What the-Sweetie Belle?"

She charged, pouncing on him, wrapping her forelegs around his neck and her hind ones around his waist, plastering her mouth to his. The shocked dragon made small sounds of distress before using a claw to gently push her face away.

"Sweetie, what in the wide wide world of Equestria are you doing here!? I told you tha-"

"I know, I don't care! I'm sorry, Spike. I was just being a big jealous ninny. Please forgive me. I promise I'll never doubt you again."

Spike calmed a bit, seeing the sincerity in her eyes.

"Sweetie Belle, I………I missed you so much," he confessed, sounding like he was happier beyond words.

He kissed her back, using a claw to hold up the soft marshmallow butt he had been thinking about, and running the other claw through her bouncy curls. Sweetie melted into him, allowing her eyes to open slightly so she could see the adorable look on his face.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted what it was that he had been reading before she charged in.

It was a magazine. On the cover was a white unicorn wearing some very sexy black lingerie and presenting her uncovered rump.

The cover read "Pearl White Mares".

Instantly, Sweetie broke the kiss, looking from the magazine to Spike, who was blushing from embarrassment.

"Spike, were you reading….porn?"

"Uh, well….a guy gets lonely?"

She felt her cheeks blush, giving the big perv a big hug.

"That is the sweetest thing."

Spike scratched the back of his head in confusion.

"You're actually ok with it?"

Sweetie pulled back, giving him a big smile.

"Spikey, you're "reading" porno mags about white unicorns. You must have missed me a lot, you poor thing."

The both shared a silent moment before laughing together.

A smiling alicorn watched from a partly opened door at the heartwarming sight of two young teens in love. She slowly slid the door closed, turning to go get herself a cup of tea.

Spike went in to kiss Sweetie again, when she stopped him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, hoping that he hadn't done anything wrong.

Sweetie fidgeted a bit in his arms, looking shy about what she was about to ask.

"Um, Spike? S-since its been a while since we last were together, I was wondering if maybe I could, I mean, if it's ok-"

"Sweetie, if you want something, all you need to do is ask."

"Can I spend a little time with mister Belly Bell?" She asked, cheeks red and thighs pressed tightly together.

Spike chuckled a bit, nodding and filling Sweetie with joy. He laid siting up on his bed, while Sweetie positions herself over his round stomach.

"H-hello mister Belly Bell, I missed you," she said to his belly in a romantic voice.

"What's that? You missed me too? Oh, you are so sweet!"

She used a hoof to draw little circles on his chub, revealing in the delightful feeling of his scales. She leaned in close, nuzzling her cheek against her belly lover.

"Oh, mister Belly Bell, I love you too. Huh, a kiss? W-well, if that's what you want. Of course! I'll kiss you whenever and as much as you want."

She closed her eyes, planting her lips on the side of his belly, using her tongue in the kiss like she was kissing Spike. Sweetie had been suffering withdrawals from the time she spent without Spike's belly. Some nights she had dreams about it, having to change her sheets when she woke up.

Spike watched with a accepting smile from above, using his left claw to gently stroke her head, while the other moved slowly while she was distracted to cover up a packet he had on his desk.

The cover of the packet: 'Ponyville high school entrance exam. A study guide'.

Sweetie continued to kiss and pillow talk to her second lover, while Spike wondered how he survived so long without her.

Author's Note

to be continued