A Rare Occurrence

Spike paced back and forth, clenching a bouquet of roses and holding it behind his back. He glanced over to his right, the posh, glimmering structure that was Carousel Boutique standing over there and under the sunlight. He tiptoed with each step, his teeth chattering in unison, until he turned the opposite direction with one heavy step.

Quivering, Spike let out a monstrous gulp. He wanted to dine with the love of his life, Rarity. That perfect blend of elegance, sympathy, and wit made Spike's heart thump faster and louder just thinking about her. And for today, it also made beads of sweat trickle down his face. This was a date as far as Spike was concerned. What do ponies, or even dragons, do on dates? That was what Spike kept thinking of as he continued walking. Rubbing his chin, Spike froze in place. Starting a date requires a good introduction. A first impression, as Twilight would call it.

"Ahem. Good evening, Rarity. Nice weather we're having," Spike muttered to himself. Looking directly up at the sky, Spike noticed that a mass of fluffy, light gray clouds covered a good chunk of the world above. Only a speck of blue sky was visible. "Of all the days the Weather Patrol decided not to make it clear skies, it had to be this one." Spike clenched his teeth and looked back towards Carousel Boutique. A quiet sigh escaped his lips. Spike cleared his throat. Perhaps a change in tone might work. Rarity's the romantic type, so maybe I should act romantic.

"My precious Rarity," Spike orated as he bowed and bobbed his eyebrows, "you look so marvelous today. Your white coat is like that of a calm, snowy day. Your eyes outshine all of the stars in the sky. And your gorgeous mane makes my heart flutter like a butterfly. You are the only one who completes me."

Spike cringed upon finishing his speech, his face becoming taut and his eyes wincing. He stuck his tongue out and pretended to hack up something. That had to be the most embarrassing thing he had done since that time he had to 'sing' the Cloudsdale Anthem. And, if Spike's memory was being truthful, his screeching that day before a crowd was legendarily brilliant compared to what he just spat out. "Singing is out of the question as well," he added.

Lowering his head, Spike shuffled towards Carousel Boutique's front door. "Here goes nothing," he muttered. "Maybe I should just play it straight. I may as well get this over with. Rarity won't get mad, right?" Shivering as a cold sensation ran down his spine despite the warm air circling around him, Spike raised his empty claw towards the front door.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

Every knock sent nails into Spike's eardrums, but after the knocking had passed, silence filled the environment as not a single chirp or rustle could be heard. For each second that went by, Spike leaned closer towards the front door. Taking a few steps as to not lose his balance, Spike found himself almost kissing the front door. He recoiled and stepped back, rubbing his mouth as to make sure that he didn't actually kiss it and get dirt on his lips. Spike couldn't imagine explaining to Rarity or Twilight Sparkle that he pecked Carousel Boutique. The thought of such a discussion was enough to get Spike to smile sheepishly. Whatever little bit of joy or humor Spike could think of loosened his body, but he knew that there wasn't time for fun thoughts. A clicking noise echoed into his ears as Carousel Boutique's door opened up, and waiting on the other side was her. There was the most glamorous mare in all of Equestria to Spike.

Rarity!

"Oh, hello there, Spikey," Rarity greeted as she stared into his eyes. Spike twiddled his claws as he was unable to avert his gaze from the unicorn. "What brings you here this evening?"

Spike let out a brief chuckle. His claws' twiddling sped up and his legs wiggled. "Well, um, I was just in the area," he answered with an unsteady tone. "And I just wanted to stop by."

Rarity paused. She swished her tail around for a brief moment. "Well, it was kind of you to drop by, darling." Tapping her hoof on the ground, Rarity paused once more. "Well, I guess I shouldn't delay you in reaching wherever you're headed. Is there—"

Spike raised his claw up in the air, his eyes wide open. "Wait a second." He bounced up and down with a stern expression adorning his face. "I'm not in any hurry, because I'm almost there."

Rarity cocked her head. "Almost there?" She rubbed her muzzle. "Hmm. I'm guessing that Carousel Boutique was your destination, wasn't it?"

Spike bobbed his head at a fast pace. His muscles tensed up, the stress producing a searing pain that coursed through his body. As Spike moved his lips, not a single syllable left his mouth. Time slowed around Spike as his eyes shifted about. He observed the nearby bushes and neighboring houses, all of which were mute. Returning his vision to Rarity, Spike simply nodded once again, biting his lip.

"Is everything okay, Spike?" Rarity asked with a grim expression. "Is something bothering you?"

"I'm fine," Spike answered, shaking his head. "I don't know how else to say this, but I want to, well," Spike's voice trailed off until it became just a series of inaudible murmurs.

Shrugging, Rarity raised an eyebrow. "Want to what?" In a gentle manner, Rarity placed her hoof on her chest. "Spikey, it's probably nothing to be concerned about. I promise I won't go berserk or anything like that."

Gazing into Rarity's starry eyes, Spike felt the tension in his muscles dissipate. A tingling sensation in his gut told Spike that Rarity was being genuine with her promise. Then again, she was a loyal friend. What am I waiting for? She can't be lying.

"I want to have dinner with you!" Spike blurted out, thrusting the bouquet in front of Rarity's face. Rarity stepped back a bit to avoid having roses cover her entire visage, but she had a warm, graceful smile nevertheless. With a light blue aura enveloping her horn, Rarity took the bouquet.

Rarity twirled her flowing, purple mane and waved towards Spike. "Spikey, you're more than welcome to stop by for dinner. Why would I say no to something so innocent and fun?" Stepping into Carousel Boutique with an elegant stride, Rarity waved her hoof towards Spike. "Don't be timid, Spikey. Come on in."

Grinning, Spike followed Rarity inside Carousel Boutique as an electrifying sensation coursed through his veins. Everything was going much better than expected.

I should have known that Rarity would've let me in no matter what. Spike closed the door behind him upon entering, which echoed a soft clack in the room. The fluffy carpet beneath him felt like a cat's fur to an extent, though Spike never really knew what cats felt like. Given how Opalescence always hissed whenever anypony other than Rarity or Sweetie Belle approached her and displayed her claws on occasion, Spike figured it would be best to not try and find out. He knew how painful it was to have any of his scales sheared off forcefully, even if it was due to a pony and not a cat, and that wasn't something he wanted to discover again.

"You find my carpet to be comfortable?" Rarity inquired. "It was designed by some of the best in the business over in Prance. I'd adore having some more items like that, but having only one of those will do for now."

Spike nodded attentively, his gaze still fixed on Rarity. At least he knew what to get Rarity for the next Hearth's Warming. "Yeah, it's great," he replied. "You've got the best house ever, but everypony already knows that."

Rarity covered her lips and giggled, her cheeks turning a rosy red. "Spikey, you're making me blush. I appreciate the sincere flattery, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that I have the best abode. But still, thank you very much."

"You're very welcome."

Twisting his head around some more, Spike scanned every bit of the room he stepped inside. Three tan mannequins were pushed off to the side, all of them lacking clothing and had a sparkling luster to them. Notes, presumably of sketches or whatever designers kept notes of as far as Spike knew, were all neatly stacked in a bookshelf next to titles such as Great Fashion Designs in History, Encyclopedia Equestria, and Radiance: The Complete Collection. Other than the third, unexpected title, Spike didn't bother at focusing on them for even a second. At least the bookshelf was spotless, as were virtually everything inside Carousel Boutique.

"I appreciate how much you adore Carousel Boutique," Rarity said elegantly. "But let's head on over to the dining room. We wouldn't want to delay this occasion any further, right?"

Spike nodded on instinct. "Of course," he answered without a second thought. With a skip in his step and hearts in his eyes, Spike tiptoed towards Rarity. Following Rarity towards the dining room, Spike couldn't help but lick his lips as images of what he might be feasting on popped into his mind. His nostrils picked up the charred, mouthwatering scent of hayburgers, so he at least knew one item that would be on the list. Whatever it would be, Spike's stomach purred as the anticipation swelled inside of him. But the most important part of all was that he'd be doing it all with Rarity.

And nothing would spoil it for him. Unless. . .

"Hi, Spike!" a squeaky, but familiar voice shouted.

"Sweetie Belle is here, too?" Spike inquired.

Rarity didn't bother to say a single word and only gave Spike a deadpanned look.

"Oh, right," Spike continued with a taut smirk. "Of course that's Sweetie Belle's voice! Who else could it be?"

"Do we have another visitor?" an unfamiliar, gruff voice asked.

"Indeed, father," Rarity called out.

Father? Of all the things that could have happened, this had to be the worst possible thing. Cringing, Spike closed his mouth shut and continued to follow Rarity closely behind. How am I supposed to express my love for Rarity when her father is here? Spike quivered some more and chattered his teeth. Perhaps he'd get frostbite when this whole ordeal was done, even if it was a warm day. Think, Spike. Try to act natural. Play it cool. If he questions me, I have to give him a calm and collected answer. It'll be easy. Spike felt his heart sink into the abyss. The lovestruck gaze that once adorned his face transformed into a sour, wide-eyed stare.

"Rarity, who's your little friend here?" a tenderly voice asked.

It belonged to a pinkish unicorn with a purple mane, though unlike Rarity's, it was all tied up into a bun-like shape. Sitting next to her was a white unicorn stallion with a handlebar mustache and a slick, brown mane. Both were sitting by the table at one end, with Sweetie Belle sitting at the opposite end with a goofy, wide grin on her face. Spike assumed that these were Rarity's parents with Sweetie Belle, and even though both had warm smiles, Spike could sense his chest twinge.

Spike's lips squiggled about. He also wanted to say something along the lines of him not being small, but he knew that saying nothing that might offend would be the best choice.

"Mother, father, I'd like you to meet Spike," Rarity responded, stepping out of the way so that everypony could get a good look at him.

Remember, act natural. That was what circulated in Spike's brain in an endless loop.

"Hi, Spike!" Sweetie Belle cheered as she waved her hoof. "It was so nice of you to come by!"

Shifting his eyes towards Rarity's mother and father, Spike let out a quiet gulp. He blinked, knowing that he'd have to respond in some manner. "Um, roar?" Spike peeped in a quiet tone.

Covering her lips, Sweetie Belle let out a giggle. "Oh, Spike. You're so funny and adorable."

"I know." Spike feigned a smirk and a laugh. Turning to Rarity's parents, he straightened himself out and cleared his throat. "It's, um, nice to meet you."

"It's nice to meet you as well," Rarity's mother said. "My name is Cookie Crumbles," she pointed towards her husband, who twiddled his moustache, "and to my right is Hondo Flanks."

Cookie Crumbles? That has to be the most ill-fitting name for a mare that I've ever heard of. I mean, she's pink for Celestia's sake. Spike couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the pair and remain silent. Both Cookie and Hondo mimicked Spike's bemused expression right down to the blank gazes. Spike, now grinning like a clown, took a deep breath. "Well, um, it's a pleasure to meet you."

Leaning closer to Cookie, Hondo whispered something in her ear, the conversation a mystery to Spike. Cookie nodded at regular intervals with a straight face, though she would sometimes break into a smile on occasion. Perhaps they were talking about how poor of a match Spike would be for their daughter. That was all that Spike's brain zoned in on, ignoring any other possibilities. Those murmurs tightened Spike's throat more and more as they continued, strangling what little confidence he had left. And then, he saw both Cookie and Hondo leaving the table.

"We're just going to get the food back in the kitchen," Hondo explained. "We'll be right back."

Nodding to confirm, Rarity trotted closer to Spike. "Understood, father."

Spike looked up at Rarity, whose warm smile tugged at his heart. Glancing back over to where Cookie and Hondo were, Spike counted the seconds that passed until they were gone. Those were the longest, restless seconds of his life. It made helping destroy King Sombra's Crystal Heart look like foal's play in comparison. Once Cookie and Hondo were outside of the room, Spike counted an additional three seconds before bringing his attention back to Rarity.

"Rarity," Spike whispered, albeit in an agitated tone, "you never told me that your parents would be here." He placed his head as close to Rarity's chest as possible without touching it. His eyes shimmered and his lips puckered as he looked upwards.

"But you never told me, or even Sweetie Belle for that matter, that you'd be coming today," Rarity said. "My parents were confirmed to be visiting today, but you kind of just showed up out of the blue."

Spike's shoulders sagged, his mouth sealed shut.

Rarity patted Spike on the head in a gentle fashion. "Spikey, coming to join us was a wonderful thing for you to do, but it still came out as a surprise." Placing her hoof back on the ground, Rarity continued. "I can understand if you're a bit nervous about my parents being here, but they do mean well. They're some of the nicest ponies you'll ever meet once you get to know them a little better."

"As if," Spike muttered inaudibly. "I was hoping this would be a date."

Rarity cocked her head. "What was that?"

Spike shuddered, his cheeks blushing. He recognized how fortunate he was for Rarity to not understand him. "Uh, what I was saying was 'I hope this is great'. That's what I said. Sorry if you didn't hear me." Spike rubbed the back of his neck. "I was just a little nervous." Nodding, Spike formed a sheepish smile. "That's all."

"I hope that it goes brilliantly as well, Spikey." Rarity raised her hoof and rubbed her muzzle. "Hmm." She closed her eyes, her static and stern posture leaving an impression on Spike. Then again, any position Rarity took would draw his eyes towards her at some point. "Well, I guess we can talk about it later."

Spike winced as he felt his heart disintegrate inside of him. "Talk about w-what?"

"It's nothing too important," Rarity reassured. "It won't upset you or anything, and I can guarantee that. It's just that now is not the time for such a conversation."

Sensing his heart burst back to where it once was instead of being stuck in a bottomless void, Spike nodded and grinned on instinct. "Got it," he replied. Maybe today wouldn't be the most awful day ever after all. Maybe it would be just normal awful.

"Spikey, I still want you to promise me one thing."

Bobbing his head, Spike gazed into Rarity's eyes. "Anything for you, Rarity."

Rarity cracked a smile. "I want you to be on your best behavior while my parents are here. You probably already knew that, but I wanted to remind you if you had forgotten or were unaware that such an attitude is important."

"Of course!" Spike straightened out his body. "Why would I ever be rude to your parents?"

"Well, whenever someone is nervous, they may accidentally say or do the wrong thing. I know that you wouldn't hurt their feelings on purpose, but I don't know that mother or father know that about you." Lifting her foreleg up, Rarity gently rubbed Spike's head once more. It felt ticklish and warm for some reason. Rarity then gave Spike a glamorous wink that made his heart bubble up. "I have a lot of confidence that you'll do great, Spikey."

With a skip in his step, Spike danced towards Rarity with a wide grin and shimmering eyes. "I know I can do it. All for you, Rarity!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Cookie said as she reentered the room with Hondo, "but I do appreciate your enthusiasm."

Cookie levitated five plates with one hayburger resting on each plate. Two of the hayburgers were quite large, but not too overwhelming to where it no longer looked delicious. Two additional hayburgers were slightly smaller than the rest and the fifth and last one was the smallest of all. However, all of them were of an appropriate size and produced a mouthwatering aroma that filled the dining room. Spike couldn't help but lick his lips. Gems may have been his, or any dragon's, delicacy of choice, but the brilliance of the meal before him was too appealing to resist.

"Time for dinner," Cookie chimed with a grin as she set the plates.

Spike jumped over to one of the empty seats next to Rarity. Gazing down at one of the medium hayburgers, he twiddled his claws for a moment before reaching out and grabbing it. A searing fire coursed through Spike's hands upon touching the bun, causing him to let go in a flash and wave his claws in the air.

"Careful," Hondo said in a cheerful tone. "You should let them cool off a bit."

Ruffling his eyebrows, Spike rubbed his stinging hands in the hopes that they would cease aching. "You could have said that earlier," he quipped in a sarcastic tone. He covered his mouth, his hands still aching, and blushed. "Oh, um, my apologies."

"It's nothing." Hondo let out a reserved chuckle. "If anything, I should be the one apologizing, but I accept yours."

Spike shrugged and raised an eyebrow. "Um, thanks."

Spike looked over to where Sweetie Belle sat, who stared at her small hayburger attentively. "Sweetie Belle," he said. She shifted her attention towards Spike and nodded. "How has your crusading gone? Any discoveries or stories you'd like to share?"

"Well, Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and I are no closer in finding our cutie marks," Sweetie Belle said with a solemn tone at first. She then perked up and a bright grin adorned her face. "But I just know that were going to find them soon!"

"I know you'll get your cutie mark one day."

"So do I," Sweetie Belle squeaked. "Anyway, Diamond Tiara is still being a brat when it comes to cutie marks, but Silver Spoon has been a bit more reserved from what I can tell."

Tilting his head, Spike couldn't help but raise an eyebrow and twitch his ears. "What do you mean?" Silver Spoon being less rude didn't strike him as something he'd hear, but it piqued his curiosity nonetheless.

"I mean, she's been rather quiet ever since Twilight Time was a thing, and most of her jabs seem, what's the word, less rude."

Spike shrugged. "Is there something more to her?"

"I don't know. Maybe?"

Wait a second. Spike shifted his attention towards Cookie and Hondo, who were both conversing amongst each other. Spike scratched his chin and blinked a few times. If there are more to ponies than meets the eye, if Sweetie Belle's story of Silver Spoon the bully is accurate, then perhaps there is more to Rarity's parents that I'm not seeing. Spike froze in place as a flash materialized within his mind. Maybe I should just be myself and not worry about what will happen. His lips cracked a wide smile. His eyes twinkled. His muscles loosened. That's what I'll do. There's nothing that could possibly go wrong here.

"It's time to chow down, everyone," Hondo announced out of the blue. Levitating his hayburger using his magic, Hondo opened his jaws and took a large bite, chewing and licking his lips as he grinned.

The rest of the ponies followed suit and chowed down on their meals. Spike, however, simply grabbed his hayburger and examined its contents with a fixed stare. There were two warm, round buns that enveloped some hay, and that was it. There was nothing spectacular about the hayburger regarding its design, but it made Spike's stomach growl.

Spike took a small bite of the hayburger and chewed down on it. The taste was an unexpected, but pleasant, softness. It was neither bitter nor spicy, and it wasn't even dry or juicy. It just was. Even if it didn't have the crunchiness and fruitiness of the gems Spike ate on occasion, it was still passable. Looking around the room and glancing towards the other ponies, Spike noticed that they were all humming sounds of dining pleasure as they ate. Every one of them had the wide smile that Hondo had from before. Spike looked down at his hayburger and took another bite. It wasn't bad, but how he'd describe its taste was a fog in his mind. Still, he had to say something.

"These hayburgers are fantastic!" Spike shouted into the air, his expression taut and wide-eyed. "They're as hot as Rar—" Spike cut himself off. Looking over to Cookie and Hondo, who both had raised eyebrows, Spike slapped his mouth and his cheeks flushed. "I mean, um, they're quite delicious. They're like a warm, rare gem."

Hondo shifted his eyes around for a moment. He shrugged before staring back at Spike. "Um, I'm glad you like them," he murmured.

Shivering, Spike sensed his muscles constrict once more. He let out a loud gulp and noticed Hondo's fixed stare, which only served to violently tug his heart even more. "M-me too."

Nodding, Hondo resumed eating his hayburger. Cookie froze for a slightly longer period of time with a bemused expression, but she too returned to her dinner as though nothing had happened. Despite this reversion to normalcy, Spike still sensed a chilled, awkward tension in the air and in his body.

So that's out of the question. Spike's shoulders sagged a little. Reaching out to his hayburger, Spike resumed eating with the others, but his mind continued to buzz with no sign of halting. What the heck am I supposed to do in the first place? Why am I even here? Opening his jaws as wide as he could, Spike took a gigantic bite of the hayburger, devouring as much of it as possible. I may as well get this over with. What a mess. With four more gargantuan chomps, Spike consumed the entirety of the hayburger before him. His eyes darted around the table as he glanced at everypony present.

All four ponies, Cookie in particular, were gazing at Spike with pale expressions. Shuddering, Spike sensed his soul being touched by the stares somehow. "What? I was hungry," he defended. Spike shrugged and tilted his head. A stern look with puckered lips formed on his face. "Haven't you ever eaten something really fast?" he asked in a soft tone.

"Well, we've just never seen anyone eat so fast," Hondo replied. "I'm actually quite impressed."  He let out a short snicker. "And to think that I was a fast eater. Anyway, you remind me of someone, Spike."

"I do?" Spike let out a sigh. Any method of avoiding further embarrassment was welcome at this point. "Do you mind telling me later?"

"Sure."

"Back to the subject of food, you are quite the eater, Spikey," Rarity added. "Do you want anything else?"

Spike shook his head. "No thanks. I'm good."

Raising her hoof and placing it closer to Spike, Rarity gazed directly at him with a warm smile. Her gleaming, sapphire-like eyes tickled his heart. "Spike, is everything okay?"

Spike nodded as fast as he possibly could. "Of course I am," he rebutted. "I'm having a wonderful time here."

"Are you sure? Because you do look quite anxious."

Sensing drops of sweat drip down his face, Spike's throat tightened. "I'm totally sure," he replied with a short breath.

A sudden knock echoed in the kitchen. Shifting his eyes towards the source of the noise, Spike noticed a fluffy, white cat prancing around the floor. It was Opalescence, her glowing green eyes twinkling as she leered at Spike with a fierce scowl. Of all the beings to show up, it had to be her. Spike bit his lip as Opal crawled closer towards him. Her tiny claws looked like daggers as far as he was concerned, and as they glinted under the light, Spike couldn't help himself from shivering even more.

Opal jumped towards Spike, who winced as the cat began its trajectory. Not feeling anything soft or sharp glance his scales, Spike blinked to find Opal right in front of him. She looked up at Spike and tilted her head, her deep frown able to rival Nightmare Moon's in scariness. Time slowed to a crawl, and Spike withdrew as Opal remained static. A few more seconds passed, and Opal simply shrugged and crawled around Spike, minding her own business.

I never want to experience that again. Spike breathed a sigh of relief. What is with that cat?

"Worried about Opalescence, Spikey?" Rarity inquired with a smirk.

Crossing his arms and returning to a relaxed posture, Spike nodded. "A bit," he stated. Spike let out a brief chuckle, his answer being an understatement in reality.

"To be fair, a lot of ponies who know Opal are a little are intimidated by her." Rarity stared down at Opal, who was swishing her tail about and purring on occasion. The cat looked up to Rarity, the two locking eyes, and simply crawled out of the dining room without further incident. "She's still wonderful company, even if she can be a tad aggressive at times."

Spike rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess she is," he said hesitantly. Why am I even trying. This 'date' went south the moment it started. Maybe I should just keep quiet and to myself.

And as the dining progressed, that was what Spike exactly did. Rarity caught up with what her parents were doing and there was some discussion about the different things Sweetie Belle was learning in school. It was something regarding the founding of Equestria, which caught Spike's attention. Despite this, all he did was twitch his ears and made sure that his mouth remained shut. Any questions thrown his way were, to his relief, simple enough to answer with just a nod or the shake of a head. Every second of conversation that went by felt like a minute long, every minute feeling like an hour. Spike took solace in knowing that getting involved in something embarrassing, an activity he was all too familiar with, was at an end for today. But his heart still ached and his muscles twanged. Thirty more minutes went by, and Rarity's parents got up from their seats at last. The torment would soon be at an end.

"Thanks for having us over," Hondo said with a smile. He rubbed his mustache for a moment and stretched his forelegs. "That was some excellent food."

"It was a lot of fun as well," Cookie added. "She shifted her eyes towards Spike, the latter's throat tightening. "Spike, I understand if you were nervous, but it was a pleasure meeting you."

Spike raised an eyebrow, his heart skipping a beat. "Huh?" Of all the things that Cookie, or anypony for that matter, could have said to him, that was the last thing on Spike's mind. Why would she say that? Spike rubbed the top of his head. "Um, thanks?"

"No, thank you," Hondo said. "Look, I can tell that you adore Rarity."

Jumping in place, Spike's eyes widened. "You can?"

"Well, it's kind of obvious, Spike." Hondo trotted towards Spike with a warm smile. He knelt down to him and patted his back. It was hard, but not overly so to where it was uncomfortable. "I can see in your eyes that you mean well. Just promise me that you won't get too out of hoof."

Spike nodded slowly. "Um, I'll try, but why are you treating me like this? It doesn't add up."

Hondo laughed. "Well, I can see a lot of myself when I was younger inside of you, Spike." Letting out a sigh, Hondo's lips curled into a pleasant smile. "I remember my first date with Cookie Crumbles. It was a disaster."

Spike's jaw dropped. "It was?" Massaging his eyes, Spike couldn't erase the shocked visage he wore. "But you're married now."

"We were both nervous wrecks that day," Cookie elaborated. "We both ordered the wrong things at the restaurant we went to and didn't know what to say." Cookie blushed. "Frankly, I'm surprised that we even tried again for next time, but it went brilliantly that time. When I first met Hondo's parents, I felt so nervous that I almost cried."

Spike's mouth remained agape, not a single word leaving his mouth and into the air. Maybe it isn't hopeless. Perhaps I just need to mature even more, and then the next time I meet up with Rarity, things can go smoothly. I just need to be patient and prepared. Spike closed his jaw shut and his eyes shimmered. "I think I get it now," he said unconsciously.

Rarity cocked her head. "What is it?"

"I just need to take this one step at a time." Spike turned to Rarity's parents and gazed towards them. "Cookie Crumbles, Hondo Flanks, I'm sorry that I wasn't on my best behavior that day. As you said, I was so anxious, and I may have done things that I shouldn't have."

"Apology accepted, Spike," Hondo replied. "I appreciate the fact that you're learning so much. It's a wonderful sight, I must admit."

"Thanks, Hondo."

"You're welcome," said Hondo. Trotting alongside Cookie, Rarity's parents approached the front door and waved. "Goodbye, everyone."

"Goodbye," Cookie added.

"Goodbye," Rarity, Sweetie Belle, and Spike said in response. The door clacked as it closed. Just like that, Carousel Boutique was now occupied by only three bodies.

Rarity turned towards Spike, trotting towards him with a grin. "As for you, Spikey," she stated in an elegant tone. "How about we meet up next week and we can discuss when and where our date will be?"

Spike gasped. His heart rose up to his throat, his body tingled, and his eyes twinkled.

"It'll just be the two of us," Rarity continued. "It'll also give you plenty of time to hone your skills. Are you up for it?"

"I totally am!" Spike answered without hesitating.

"Excellent!"

Spike formed a radiant grin, one so bright that it could burn a pony's eyebrows off. As ideas began forming in his brain as to what he should apply for this occasion, he skipped around in circles. There was no doubt as to how next time would go. Spike knew it would be a success.

And to think that I thought this would be the worst day ever.