It was a nice, sunny day in Ponyville. The citizens were happy that wonderful events that happened in Equestria. The defeat of Discord, the god of chaos, the Changeling Queen Chryslis, the marriage of Shining Armor and Princess Mi Amore Cadenza (or Cadence), and the reunion of the loyal sisters after a 1000 year banish of Princess Luna to the moon. The ponies in Ponyville were also celebrating a special birthday to a pony. They were sure that this birthday was going to be the best to remember because of one party pony.
At the Mr. and Mrs. Cake's bakery shop, there was a celebration going on; it was Rarity's birthday. The fashion unicorn was full of excitement that everypony pulled off a party for her, especially her friend, Pinkie Pie. The ponies were having a blast.
“Oh, thank you all so much for this party." said Rarity happily, "I love it."
“No problem." Pinkie Pie cheered, "I'm an adept party pony after all."
Rarity looked around the room and saw others enjoying the party. She drank her favorite beverage as she began to felt something strange in her spine. She didn't knew what it was, but it was an odd feeling that she never felt before. The unicorn scanned the crowd for awhile and realized something was wrong.
"Hey Twilight dear," she approached to one of her friends, "Where's Spike?"
“He should be coming." her friend responded, "He was going to check on something real quick when I left."
“I hope he comes before I blow out the candles. I never want Spike to miss it."
“Don't worry, Rarity. I'm sure that he's on his way."
Rarity looked at her friend and gave a gentile smile.
“Wow!” exclaimed a rainbow mane pegasus, "I can't believe this party turned out to be perfect!"
“I know Rainbow Dash. This party has my favorite games, music, and treats. Not to mention the decorations match the cake and my beautiful mane.” Rarity then brushed her mane a couple times.
“Well, lets get this party going!” Pinkie Pie jumped cheerily as she landed safely in the air before she stepped to the ground.
***
An hour went by, Rarity grabbed another drink as she taken another glimpsed around the room and saw no sign of the baby dragon.
“Twilight,” worried the birthday pony, “Where's Spike? He should be here right now.”
“Let me go check on him at the library.” said Twilight.
“Please do so.”
Twilight headed towards the library, where Spike was at the whole time. She entered the library and saw that some of the books were on the floor. The unicorn never recalled taken out any books before headed towards Rarity's party. It made her a little upset that her assistance made a mess, but there was no time to make a fuss.
After she put the books away where they belong, Twilight turned around and looked at the stairs.
“Spike. Aren't you going to the party?”
The library was quiet as a ghost town.
“Spike. If you're hiding right now, this is not a good time."
No response from him.
Maybe he's in the room. Twilight thought to herself.
The librarian unicorn went to her room, wondered if Spike was in there. When she reached to the room, she saw the dragon layed face flat on the floor with a book on his right hand side and a present on the other. Twilight became a little upset because of this.
“Spike how can you be sleeping when Rarity's is having a party?” she asked angerly.
The dragon gave no response back to Twilight.
“Spike? Are you playing a trick on me?”
No answer.
“Spike... you okay?” Her voice began to lose the anger.
The unicorn went closer to the baby dragon and tapped his back. Instead of waking up, Spike reminded motionless.
“Spike.” the sound of Twilight's voice began to crack.
She rolled him as she moved the two items away and noticed his eyes were closed. The unicorn placed her ear to his chest to checked his heart rate and made matters worse, there wasn't any heartbeat. In a matter of seconds, Twilight slowly raised her head, made a few steps back and stared at him. She was horrified that this happened to Spike. Many questions roamed her mind about this tragedy, but one thing was certain. Spike, the number one assistant of and raised by Twilight Sparkle, the one who always send letters to Princess Celestia about royal stuff and lessons about friendship, was dead.
"So... that's why."
~ ~ ~
“Why?! Why it has to happen on my birthday?!” whined Rarity. "Not my Spiky-Wiky!"
Twilight told everypony about the death of Spike at the party. The ponies felt so deep in despair that they left the party, making the birthday celebration to an end. They all left the bakery, leaving the six ponies alone in the building.
“I'm sorry Rarity, but it happened so fast.” said Twilight. “He acted so weird lately and he kept on telling me that to never stop being yourself and live your life as much as you can.”
“Huh? Spike told me the same thing the other day.” Pinkie Pie raised her eyebrow. “I asked him why, but he wouldn't tell. I didn't knew what he meant, but I Pinkie promise him about it.”
The rest of the mares exchanged looks.
“Same here.” said the yellow pegasus.
“Matter of fact, he said that to me as well the other day.” The orange pony titled her hat.
“Same.” said Rainbow Dash.
“What?” cried Rarity. "He told you all that he was dying, but didn't tell me."
She, then looked at the ground as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"Why Spike?"
"We didn't know about it." Twilight went in front of her friend. "He didn't tell us that he was dying. He just... didn't want us to react. That's all."
The birthday pony cried onto the floor as the other five ponies remained silent for a while. All of them exchange looks once again and didn't knew what to do. Spike acted strange in the past week and was dying; yet, the ponies didn't had a clue what was happeing to him. They could've spoken up for it, but it was too late.
“I'll inform Princess Celestia about this.” The purple unicorn sighed sadly.
***
It was matter of time when the news about Spike had spread all over Equestria. There were sadness all over the land and it wasn't for sure how Equestria felt sad for a single dragon. Ponies guessed that it was something cruel for the baby dragon.
At the funeral, everypony went that the dragon knew in his life. The Mane Six, Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, Shining Armour, Princess Celestia and many others. Even the dragons that Spike didn't really like paid their respects since the news had spread into their terrortory. Surprisingly, they Pinkie promised that they wouldn't bother anypony during the service. Despite that, everypony was feeling sad, especially Rarity.
Before the casket was put down into the ground, Princess Celestia went up towards it as she looked at the crowd of ponies and dragons.
“Hello everypony." she spoke calmly as she tried to withdrew the sadness. "We are here to say our final farewell to Spike, a baby dragon who was an assistant of my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. He was different from the other dragons from what we described them. He was funny, cute, and a lovable friend to us."
The princess paused as she blew her nose to a tissue.
"I... never had the chance to explained him where he was from or even his biological parents. It felt like yesturday that I received news that a dragon left an egg at the gates in Canterlot. I never understood why that dragon did it, but then the school of gifted magic wanted the egg for a new student and I believe you know who that pony is."
Everypony looked at Twilight.
"Though he didn't knew them," she continued, "his friends treated him like if he was part of their family. He had touched the hearts of those who loved him very much. Spike, will be in our memories and in our hearts forever and ever.”
Everypony clapped as Princess Celestia finished her speech.
"Now, I would love to present the unicorn who taken good care of him from his hatch. My faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
Ponies started to applaud as Twilight went in front of the crowd.
"Thank you, Princess." said Twilight. "Spike, was a-"
One speech later...
“Thank you Twilight for your wonderful speech.” said Princess Celestia as the unicorn joined the crowd. "Now, lets have a moment of silence to honor Spike."
Silence crept through everypony for a minute, but it felt like hours for some.
“Lower the casket.”
The casket began to lowered down to the ground. As the casket lowered down into the ground, everypony threw a flower to the casket. One by one, each flower was thrown within every other second. By the time the casket was into the ground, the casket was barely noticeable. Ponies made their farewell and left. Things in Ponyville will never be the same...for Rarity.
***
Months after the death of Spike, Rarity wasn't quite the same as she was used to. She lost her clumination of the effort when designing clothing, she only went to spas whenever she felt like rather than going every week, and always felt bombardant. Her friends knew that Rarity was going through deep depression and wished there was something to make her happy. They tried to cheer her up before, but nothing seemed to worked. Anything couldn't make her better.
Or so it seemed...
One day when Rarity was cleaning her workshop, she noticed a present on top of a table. She examined the gift and it was the present that Spike should've gave her on her birthday. Twilight must've gave it to her after the memorial, but Rarity was too depressed to even looked at it in the following months.
She stared at it for awhile and began to walk away.
“I must not open something that came from some dragon didn't came to your birthday.” she said with a diva attitude. “It will hold me back from my work. I just can't.”
Rarity looked at the present once more and it was still there. She was curious what was inside. Was it jewels? Clothing? Paper? The more she thought, the more she tried to resist it.
“No Rarity. Spike didn't say good bye to you. So don't even try to peek what's inside.”
She looked away for a second and looked at it again. Rarity knew that she wanted to open it. She was grinding her teeth, sweating, and was twitching from her legs. From there, she couldn't handle it anymore.
“Okay. Just one peek won't hurt.” she startled.
Rarity grabbed it and opened it slowly.
I wonder what he gave me, Rarity thought as she slowly opened it.
When she opened it, she only say two things: a teddy bear with a blue ribbon and a card.
“A teddy bear? How sweet!” said Rarity. “The ribbon matched my mane.”
She puts the teddy bear aside and opens the card.
“Rarity, I know this isn't much, but this teddy bear shows how much you are a great friend. Spike.”
Rarity looked at the teddy bear and grabbed it by her magic.
“Okay, I have my fair share.” sighed Rarity.
Just as she puts away the teddy bear and the card, she noticed something else inside the box. By her magic, she pulled out two pieces of paper. Curious as she was, she read it.
Rarity,
If you're reading this, I'm already dead. Tragic news you may say, but it's okay. I'm in a better place now. Before I tell you why it's okay, there are few things I need to tell you.
For the past week, I've been acting strange. It was because I was diagnostic with a rare dragon flu called "Scale Fluenza". It was unprecedented to all ponies and for dragons as well Also, it's uncurable disease for dragons to get, though, ponies won't be infected by it. I must've ate something that was disguising. Probably the last oatmeal I made.
Well, I looked up the disease in a medical book and luckily, the book had it. Scale Fluenza contained few symptoms; coughing, itching scales, dry mouth, drowsiness, and loose eye vision. As I looked it up, it said that most dragons would live up to seven days. I was so scaried that if I tell everyone about it, you guys would go extreme measures to save me. Because of this, I accept my fate and the next seven days, I have been saying my farewells.
It's pretty much now that I haven't told you my good-bye. Well, here's why.
I was afraid to tell you because if I did, I may say that I had a crush on you since we first met at Town's Hall. You were the one who made me stop going on a rampage the other day. I was planning to tell you soon, but since this disease was making me worse by the hour, I decided to write it on this paper. I love you so much Rarity. I always dreamed that one day, we'll get married. But now, we can't.
(Second Page)
Since we couldn't be together, there's only thing left to tell you. If you do whined up having feelings for me, that's fine; however, there's a problem. You'll not be satisfied that I'm not with you in this world. So, here's you got to do for me. Go out and find somepony that treats you like a princess. On a second thought, more like a queen. That special pony will appreciate who you are and what you do. He will be there right next to you when you're in trouble. He'll have manners like no other gentlecolt and most importantly, he'll say "I love you" everyday. I don't mind it though. I just want the best of you.
Now since that's done, I'll say this like I said to the others. Never change who you are. You are special. You are you. Live your life how you want it. Make yourself happy by doing things that makes you and your friends smile. Never stop and don't look back. Just keep moving forward. I may be a dragon with a few words, but I was raised by books and knowledge.
My time has come, Rarity. I don't know what lies ahead, but I'll bet its a happy place. All you can eat jewels and gems in paradise. Anyway, I hope you find what you're looking for. And I wish you a happy birthday.
Your one and only,
Spiky-Wiky
After Rarity finished reading, she folded the papers to thirds as she sniffed.
“Oh Spiky-Wiky," she cried. "I... love you too."
Rarity cried for an hour in her room while she snuggled the teddy bear tightly like never before. She couldn't believe that he had a crush on her after all this time. From all the signs that he love her, she was so blinded by the truth. Why didn't she noticed him before?
She slowly turned to the teddy bear and looked at it.
“Oh Spike." she said with despair. "How can I live without you?”
As she cried, Rarity got up and looked at herself in the mirror. For a while, she stand there and starred at the mirror. Then she remembered that she must move on and cannot look back.
“Spike's right." she sniffed. "I must move on with my life. He's counting on me and I must not stop."
She then looked at her window and saw the sun outside.
"As Celestia as my witness, I, will, move on.” She said with such pride and bravery.
Rarity felt so good when she said it. She began to jumped for joy around her room. She never felt this way since her birthday. It was like if she had a celebrity in her shop and ordered her finest clothing. The joy made her felt so alive.
As Rarity jumped around, she came towards the mirror and stopped as she looked at herself.
“The first thing to do is get a pedicure.”
The unicorn puts the teddy bear on her bed as she walked out her room. She turned around and looked at the teddy bear. She smiled and went downstairs to leave her home. When she reached the bottom floor, the pony saw unfinished designs in the area. Within a flash, she used her magic to finished them all. She didn't care how fast she was going nor how she was doing it. All she cared about was that she felt happy. Once that was done, she left the building, humming and skipping towards the spa. Rarity was officially back to her ways.
Fin
Author's Note
There. Done.
