“So all this time you’ve actually been some kind of high-tech android? Hiding in plain sight?” Scootaloo queried as she pushed her scooter down one of the ramps in the Ponyville skating park.

“Pretty much… though, I swear it wasn’t for any nefarious purposes!” Sweetie Belle replied. “I just… well, as I said, whoever made me this way seemed to really want me to believe I’m a normal pony… so, that’s just how I acted.”

Her friend spun herself around to ride down the ramp backwards, then hopped into the air and spun her scooter in a circle, before landing and riding it down to the flat part of the ground. Sweetie snickered as her vision promptly analysed the move and matched it to a list of stunts, identifying it as a ‘Caballerial’.

“Whoever made you… hmmm… I wonder.” Scootaloo carved her way across the long, curved arc part of the park next, heading towards a set of steps with a long metal rail mounted atop the center. “You know, I’m guest speaking at a seminar in Phillydelphia next month on bringing out one’s hidden potential. Something to try and motivate more foals into trying their hooves at sports.”

Sweetie perked her ears and her glowing eyes expanded as the orange pegasus ground up onto the railing, sending a shower of sparks all across the steps. Sweetie knew that wasn’t at all good for the rail, or for one’s set of wheels, but having Rainbow Dash as her surrogate sister and mentor, Scootaloo had developed a bit of a flair for showmareship.

“I know Rarity has you running her boutique here, but… seeing as that’s still in the process of being rebuilt, would you have any interest in being a guest speaker there too?” Scootaloo queried as she headed for the curved handrail along the edge the park next.

“A guest speaker? How? I mean…” Sweetie let her questions hang so her friend could do likewise, mounting the handrail and hanging onto her scooter as it slid across the metal like greased lightning.

“Well, why not? I mean, you’re a pretty blatant case of somepony who’s got a lot more going for her than some might have thought at first.” Scootaloo replied. Sweetie narrowed her eyes as her friend flew off the rail, letting go of her scooter and letting it spin in a corkscrew manner under her hooves as she sailed through the air. Even if her stunted wings had meant the pegasus was never going to be able to fly properly, she’d shown a strong and admirable spirit in never letting that get her down. Since joining the Wonderbolts or taking on other typical aerial pursuits were now out of the question, Scootaloo had turned to her talent with her scooter, using her skills to start making a fairly lucrative career as a stuntpony and professional athlete.

Sweetie had to acknowledge that there was a pretty strong aesop to be taken from that as her friend hit the ground and headed for the ramps again.

“Because I’m a robot?” She asked, not to be mean, but just to clarify what Scootaloo was getting at.

“Well… that too. I meant more from just our experiences together as the CMC.” Scootaloo replied as she flipped on and off the ramps, doing several more tricks. “We all thought we had some unknown hidden talent, yet when we were proven right, it was in a form none of us expected.”

Sweetie furrowed her brow. From where he was sitting on a nearby bench flicking through a magazine, Spike spoke up.

“While I get where you’re coming from, Scoots, I don’t know if Sweetie is ready to start parading her true status around yet. Even if it’s no longer a secret, we’d prefer not making too a big deal out of it.” He said, catching a querying flash from his marefriend’s eyes. “That is, unless she wants to.”

Sweetie turned back to Scootaloo as she finished up her practice stunts. Truthfully, she still wasn’t sure where she stood, now that everypony was learning the truth about her. On one hoof, her programming parameters still indicated that maintaining a low profile was paramount, yet on the other, so far, one of her closest friends, and one of her former enemies, had taken her revelation as no big deal, her other closest friend was having a fairly normal conversation with her…

And the dragon she’d pledged her love to had already confirmed he still loved her back. Really, at this point, what reason was there to keep trying to shy away from attention?

Sweetie recorded and catalogued each of Scootaloo’s moves. If she wanted an example of a pony who wore their unusual status on their sleeve, there it was, right in front of her.

“Let me think about it. I know Rarity wants to discuss something with me as soon as she’s back from Manehattan… and really, if I’m going to be traveling anywhere, I gotta make sure Spike is available to come with me.” The robot unicorn said, smiling as Spike lowered his magazine and looked at her. “If he wants to still be by my side, I can’t really leave him behind… even if it’d only be for a few days.”

Spike snorted and scooted over to sit by his beloved cybernetic beauty.

“Like I’d let anything keep me from going with you. If it’s what you want to do, just say when and I’ll be right there with you.” He replied, kissing her on the cheek. Sweetie promptly lit up like a Hearth’s Warming tree, her horn, flank, and joints all exploding with light for a brief second. Scootaloo pulled up beside her friend and smirked.

“Bit of warning,” The pegasus said as she pulled off her helmet, “if you’re going to be that open about your relationship, folks might want to ask about that during the Q&A. A dragon and pony dating each other is unusual enough, but a dragon and a robot pony, well, there will inevitably be a lot of curious minds wanting to know more.”

Scootaloo brushed back her flowing length of mauve toned hair. “That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with it… actually, it kinda makes me a bit envious.”

Sweetie giggled in the same manner both of them remembered how she giggled, just one more sign that, a machine she may be, but beneath all the hardware, she was still the same mare.

“The offer to hook you up is still open, you know. I’ve got plenty of names and phone numbers from Rarity’s contact list.” Sweetie replied. Scootaloo looked unsure.

“I… well… I’m sure I’ll find my special somepony in due course. Right now, I’ve got my career to focus on.” Scootaloo replied. “And I’d really like to avoid another incident like with that thestral stallion.”

Now Sweetie looked confused. “What? Why? He was the son of one of Princess Luna’s Night Guards, and a rising steeple runner! An athlete like yourself, and pretty tasty to look at too! I assumed he’d be a good match!”

“He was also barely 16 at the time! You know what they call a pony like that? It’s called jail bait!” Scoots sighed. “I appreciate the effort, Sweetie, but I’d prefer to not have my date end up landing me behind bars.”

Sweetie’s eyes dimmed, a low whirring noise coming from deep within her chassis.

“Well, he looked older than that when he came in for a suit fitting. Must’ve been the coiffed mane...” She muttered.

Scootaloo giggled. “Hey, you got yourself a fine match there. Just hold onto him, and I’ll eventually find some pony I can do the same with.”

Scootaloo put her helmet back on and remounted her scooter. “As for right now, it’s getting late, and didn't you say you two actually have a date tonight?”

Sweetie blinked at them, checking her internal clock.

“Oh, yeah!” She exclaimed. “Come on, Spike, we gotta get to the restaurant! Our reservation’s in five minutes!”

Spike looked to the horizon, gauging the distance between himself and said restaurant.

“Five minutes...I think I can swing it!” He said.

“Huh? Swing what? Spike what are you… OOOOH!” Sweetie meeped as her dragon grabbed her and spread his wings, taking off into the air like a rocket.

“Yikes!” Scootaloo stumbled back from the blast of the sudden take off, seeing her friends be reduced to small blips in the air in mere seconds.“Well that’s either going to end disastrously, or fantastically.” The pegasus sighed. “Either way, damn romantic move there, Spike.”

The dragon grit his teeth as he flew as fast as he could towards his destination on the other side of Ponyville. In record time, he spotted the restaurant, the ‘Field of Gold’, and dove in for a landing. In his arms, Sweetie’s mind was fritzing out with the sensation of being literally swept off her hooves, again, and the feel of Spike’s powerful body against her back, while her barrel was caressed by the brush of the passing air.

It almost made up for the impromptu crash. Spike overshot his landing area and ended up sending them both tumbling head over heels, past the maitre’d’s podium and into a hedge surrounding the eatery.

“Oh! Uh, good evening sir, and ma’am?” The tuxedo toned earth pony cautiously replied as dragon and robot extracted themselves from the shrubbery. “I… erm… trust you both are okay?”

Spike sheepishly coughed up some leaves while Sweetie shook branches off her side.

“Yeah… uh… I think?” The dragon grinned awkwardly. “Erm… reservation for Spike, table for two?”

The maitre’d turned and checked his notes for the evening.

“Ah yes! Right on time.” The stallion swept up two menus and gestured for the two to follow him. “We thought you might like a place near the stage. It’s open for all tonight.”

“Sure, thanks… erm…” Spike looked at Sweetie as she continued picking pieces of wood and sap off her flank. “I… uh… I am so sorry! Rainbow’s been running me through how to compensate for added weight during takeoff and landing, so I thought… well… uh…”

The dragon’s face turned a delightful shade of violet as the maitre’d showed them to their table.

“Okay, honestly, I didn’t know what I was doing. Just seemed like the most affectionate way to make sure we wouldn’t be late and… I mean… err…”

Sweetie Belle sighed and bade her gentledrake to sit down.

“Spike, it’s fine. Honestly, that was… heh, quite a rush.” She giggled. “Besides, if you recall, I crashed into multiple trees and bushes and other parts of the terrain during my years as a Cutie Mark Crusader. If anything, this is more nostalgic than it is embarrassing.”

Spike nodded, yet still kept his tight, awkward smile.

“Regardless, uh, could we get some water here and a few towels? Just so Sweetie can clean herself up?” He asked.

“But of course. One moment, sir!” The maitre’d trotted off, letting Spike exhale in relief at his professionalism. Behind him, the band started up a tune to help cover for the uncomfortable moment.

“Well, regardless… I also remember how much you hated always ending up covered in sap, so…” The dragon cleared his throat as Sweetie fixed him with her robotic eyes.

“Would it help if I mentioned it’s not as bad as before? Since I don’t have my fur covering, there’s less for it to get stuck to.” She giggled again as a unicorn waiter approached levitating a pile of towels and a pitcher of water in his magic. “And… well, it’s hard to feel mad after being in your arms again.”

Spike’s awkwardness faded slightly at that. The waiter poured a glass of water for both him and Sweetie, then left the robot to soak the towels and wipe the rest of the sap off.

“Still, Rainbow’s been kind enough to train me on her off time to master these wings. All those hours of practice, and still…” Spike unfolded one of his leathery appendages, giving it a shake. “I should be more apt at using these now!”

Sweetie pulled a particularly big glob of amber adhesive off her neck, dabbing the area dry and sighing.

“Well, I should have perfect control over all my bodily systems, yet how often over these last few days have I come close to blasting you in the face with my cannons whenever you… well… make me feel so loved?” She asked.

The awkwardness promptly descended on Spike again, though this time it was for more pleasant reasons.

“True I… uh… I mean… touche?” He bleated, earning himself more cute laughter from his marefriend.

“How about you buy me a drink and we’ll call it even? I notice they’ve got quite a varied cocktail menu here.” She said, levitating the aforementioned document up so she could read it.

“Heh, sure, take your pick.” Spike smiled with a heavy sigh. “Think I could do with one myself to steady my nerves…”

***

“So you think that’s why Rainbow is so averse to ponies touching her hooves?” Spike queried as he speared another cube of delicately seared cheese, tomatoes and toasted bread onto his fork.

“Yeah, she tries to make it sound like some foalhood aversion, but when Lotus and Aloe insisted upon trying to groom them after she got them all scuffed up… well… I dare you to interpret this face I saw her making any other way.” Sweetie did a ridiculous expression with her mouth hanging open in a large O shape, her tongue hanging limply out of it, and the light in her cybernetic eyes dimming so they looked glazed over. Spike clasped his hand over his mouth to stifle his giggles.

“I guess that explains why she seemed so shaken when we were practicing landing and she accidentally grazed her hooves through that patch of loose rocks. Huh, makes me wonder why she doesn’t have the same reaction whenever she’s walking around normally…” He mused. The lights on Sweetie’s horn grew brighter as she smiled in apparent embarrassment.

“Well, I could explain how normal sensory input differs from the more intense stimulation of an apparent erogenous zone… except we’re in public here.” Sweetie turned around, noticing none of the other diners seemed to be paying her much mind. Spike noticed that seemed to both calm her, and make her look more embarrassed as the lights on her body glowed brighter as well.

“Course, if you really, REALLY want me to go into further detail…” The robot whispered while batting her eyelashes. Spike looked sorely tempted for a moment, then just popped his fork into her mouth.

“Much as I love seeing you want to be more outgoing, maybe we should save that for later.” The dragon smiled as he speared some more of his marefriend’s meal. “Come on, you’ve spent enough time sharing gossip with me and barely touched your food. Seeing as your body actually needs it, I’m not letting you go hungry!”

Sweetie swallowed then felt her circuits flicker with more new sensations as Spike slide another forkful into her mouth.

“I don’t actually require nourishment as often as you do, my body just makes use of it as it’s available.” She said, before letting out another giggle. “Seriously, Spike, you don’t have to feed me.”

“Why not? It’s cute, and you’re clearly enjoying it.” He said, waving another forkful of sweet cheese, veggies, and crisp bread in front of her nose. “Truth be told, I’m still loving how at ease you are at being out in public.”

Sweetie looked at the offered food, her nose frantically sniffing the rich scents. The levitation beam shot from her horn and yanked the fork out of her gentledrake’s hand, allowing her to slide it in her mouth without his aid. Spike looked crushed. Sweetie just smiled.

“Well, give thanks to our friends for that. Not that I wish to be detrimental to Scootaloo or Applebloom, or Diamond, or anyone else… but I thought they’d be more averse to seeing the real me.” The robot unicorn said. “Now that they’ve proven me wrong, I feel… an overriding urge to just show myself off, to see how many other ponies will accept me as just another mare, albeit one who’s mechanical rather than organic! Only...”

Sweetie’s brow furrowed.

“Only I’m not sure how I could do that more than I already have so far.” She said. Spike’s eyes slowly drifted to the stage, an inspired smile stretching across his mouth.

“Hmm… let me see if I can inspire you then.” He said. Wiping his mouth, the dragon rose and walked over to the band, whispering something to them then mounting the stage. Sweetie watched as he tapped the mike and cleared his throat.

“Good evening everyone! My name is Spike, Number One Assistant to her royal highness, Princess Twilight. With your permission, I’d like to do a little number that… I believe best summarizes my feelings for a certain special somepony here tonight.” He began, nodding to the band. The keyboardist began to play a rather retro-sounding intro, something that definitely sounded, to Sweetie, like it had come from 20 years ago.

The robot unicorn closed her eyes as her ears began to whirr back and forth. She could swear she knew this tune… from when Spike had first tried to...

I can’t fight this feeling any longer.
And yet I’m still afraid to let it flow.
What started out as friendship has grown stronger
I only wish I had the strength to let it show

Sweetie’s eyes snapped back open upon hearing Spike’s voice.

I tell myself that I can't hold out forever
I said there is no reason for my fear
'Cause I feel so secure when we're together
You give my life direction
You make everything so clear

Sweetie looked up at the stage, her circuits crackling with electrified data. This was the same song Spike had sung when he first tried to ask her out, one day when he’d come to see her at the boutique. He’d said he’d had something he wanted to say to her, only he didn’t know how to put it in words… so he’d asked Pinkie Pie if he could borrow her karaoke machine and try to use music instead.

And even as I wander
I'm keeping you in sight
You're a candle in the window
On a cold, dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

Sweetie’s vision flickered as her CPU pulled up a video of that time. In one eye she saw Spike on the stage putting his heart into his voice. In the other she watched a playback of him doing the same from so many months ago.

The robot’s hooves began wading at the tablecloth as she felt herself start to react in almost the same exact way now, as she had when Spike had first made his feelings for her clear.

And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars, forever..

The band’s drummer played out the last word with a particularly heavy beat upon his instruments. Sweetie felt her body rumble in turn, though whether that was from the beat, or the synthetic pumping apparatus that functioned as her heart overclocking itself, she couldn’t determine.

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crushing through your door
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

The guitarist picked up the solo interlude that followed, allowing Spike to lower his mic and smile at his marefriend. Sweetie placed a hoof to her chest, feeling it rumble loudly as her body did its thing in simulating the same reaction she imagined most mares would experience in this situation. Spike gave a small gesture to the space next to him on the stage, nodding an unspoken request at Sweetie as the solo part ended.

My life has been such a whirlwind since I saw you
I've been running around in circles in my mind
And it always seems that I'm following you, girl
'Cause you take me to the places
That alone I'd never find

Sweetie looked to the empty part of the stage, catching what was being asked. She looked at everyone else, ran a simulation of what she could best estimate happening if she granted her gentledrake’s request.

And even as I wander
I'm keeping you in sight
You're a candle in the window
On a cold, dark winter's night
And I'm getting closer than I ever thought I might

The band heralded the final repetition of the chorus with a properly big strike of both strings and keyboards. Sweetie felt herself shiver terribly, leading her to finally slam her hooves on the table and stand up.

And I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
It's time to bring this ship into the shore
And throw away the oars, forever

Both dragon and robot now sang together, Sweetie feeling her mind just surge with unimaginably intense exhilaration as she heard her voice sounding as clear and fine as ever.

'Cause I can't fight this feeling anymore
I've forgotten what I started fighting for
And if I have to crawl upon the floor
Come crashing through your door
Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore

Sweetie slowly mounted the stage, singing the last few lines with all her heart as Spike took her hoof and helped her stand by him. The band played them off as the pair hugged.

“Still works like a charm, I see.” Spike whispered as Sweetie buried her face in his warm pecs.

“Well, seeing as this time you actually remembered the lyrics properly… yeah… kinda hard to resist.” She sighed, feeling the heat of her drake’s scales infused into her circuits and wiring. “Okay, you charmed me up onto the stage. How are you going to follow that up?”

Spike grinned like he’d just won the lottery.

“I’m glad you asked.” He said while turning to the band. “Boys?”

A more upbeat, and even older sounding intro tune began. Sweetie’s ears again whirred in recognition.

“Seriously?” She asked, feeling herself smile as Spike just shrugged.

“Consider it a declaration and a promise between us, for the future.” He replied before launching into the song.

Don’t go breaking my heart. He sang. Sweetie rolled her eyes and felt her smile growing uncontrollably wider.

I couldn’t if I tried. She sang in return.

Oh honey if I get restless. Spike teased.

Baby you’re not that kind. Sweetie assured.

The band played a quick interlude, during which time Sweetie leaned up to whisper in Spike’s ear.

“You are a complete and utter dork you know.” She said, before kissing him on the cheek. “And I will never forgive you if you change that.”

Spike gently nodded he never would as he leaped into the next verse.

Don’t go breaking my heart. He began again.

You take the weight off of me. Sweetie replied.

Oh honey when you knocked on my door. The dragon reminisced.

Oooh, I gave you my key. His beloved robot followed.

Oooh hoo, nobody knows it! They both hinted to the audience, turning to lock eyes with each other.

When I was down. Spike continued.

I was your clown. Sweetie replied, prompting the drake with another round of ‘Ooooh hooo!’

Nobody knows it! Nobody knoooows...
Right from the start
I gave you my heart

The two sang together, then Spike stopped, feeling himself quiver in delight as Sweetie actually took a step forward.

I gave him my heart! She declared to the diners. Several of the other ponies looked to Spike, then to her. Sweetie’s mind sizzled again as she caught several expressions that were tinged with envy that the two souls on stage were this head over hooves for each other.

So don’t go breaking my heart. Spike prompted her again. Sweetie placed her hoof on her chest as a gesture that she was about to say the utmost truth.

I won’t go breaking your heart. She sang, turning to Spike as the music picked up in tempo.

Don’t go breaking my heart! The two commanded, swearing in the same breath that they never would.

***

“Well, I’d say we need to do that more often.” Spike replied as the two walked back to Twilight’s castle. “Been too long since I got to hear you sing with such passion.”

Sweetie rubbed her chest, feeling the heat was still there and her heart pump was still hammering away.

“It’s been too long since I remembered what it feels like to really carry a tune. Where I know I’ve just got my voice perfect and am hitting every note flawlessly. Celestia, it’s such a rush!” She gasped. Spike smiled as he pushed open the front doors for her.

“Pinkie still has that karaoke machine, you know. In case you want to revisit a few other tunes...” He said. Sweetie giggled as she stepped into the grand foyer.

“Ooooh, way ahead of you two! I knew you’d want it as part of your celebration!”

Dragon and robot turned to see the foyer was set with picnic tables, half-inflated balloons, streamers hanging from the walls, and boxes full of other party stuff. Pinkie zipped into view, brandishing her aforementioned karaoke machine.

“Granted, the celebration won’t be until tomorrow, but I had so many good ideas I had to ask Twilight if I could get started now!” The pinkie mare smiled maniacally, then immediately lowered it to a more sympathetic level. “I figured we could skip the surprise this time. You two have had more than enough of that in the last few weeks.”

Spike and Sweetie looked around at the quasi-festive decor. From a side door Twilight walked in, looking resigned to the mess.

“Twi, you really agreed to this?” Spike asked, getting a shrug.

“In fairness Spike, if I’d refused then Pinkie would’ve found some other way to celebrate this. Besides I hear you and Sweetie have already made the first steps towards introducing our friends to Sweetie’s true status. I figured we might as well let the rest of Ponyville at least see her for who she really is.” Twilight replied. Spike looked to his marefriend, who likewise had to giggle and shrug.

“It’s kind of hard to argue with that, especially considering we just showed ourselves off to an entire restaurant of ponies.” Sweetie hummed softly. “And only about 35% of them seemed unsettled by a robot and dragon singing a duet.”

Pinkie went wide eyed.

“35%? But… that’s terrible! We gotta get that down to zero! To let everyone know you’re the sweetest and coolest electronic equine around!” She exclaimed as her eyes went wider. “Oooooh, ‘electronic equine’, I gotta remember that one for the invitations!”

Pinkie zipped over to one of the boxes and dug out a pile of cards and envelopes.

“Twilight, I’m going to need your study for the next few hours!”

Twilight raised her hoof, then lowered it as the pink mare was already past her and galloping down the hallway.

“Well at least she’s doing this now, when everything is done for the day and I’m ready to just curl up with a huge stack of books. What about you two?” The alicorn sighed.

Spike checked the time, and the state of the party to be.

“Well, if we’re expected to continue giving a good impression tomorrow, then sleep is probably a good idea. That is...” The dragon turned to his beloved unicorn. “Are you okay with this? I mean, Scootaloo and Applebloom were one thing but an entire party?”

Sweeties glowing cybernetic eyes dilated several times as the lights around her horn slowly rotated in thought.

“A few days ago, I’d have said no… but after tonight? Heh, Spike, if you’re brave enough to swoon me with song in front of everypony and declare I’m yours… I feel like I can manage.” She replied. “Just, yes, let’s get some sleep. I need time to compile my input from today… see if there’s anything I did that might make ponies uncomfortable or afraid of me.”

Spike looked at her reproachfully.

“Based on the reaction at the restaurant, I’m pretty sure you don’t need to worry about that. I mean… aside from that 35%, but that’s hardly a majority...” He said. Sweetie swivelled her ears and sighed.

“I know, but… I’ve spent my entire life being super careful about keeping my true identity concealed. It’s a bit hard to overwrite that parameter now that I can’t.” She giggled. “I suppose you could call it a case of old habits dying hard.”

Spike smiled and kissed his marefriend.

“Well, if you need some more reassurance it’s all going to be okay, you know where my room is.” He said before ascending the stairs to the aforementioned chamber. Now that he was older, bigger (at least by a small amount) and had wings, his usual basket bed wasn’t really sufficient for his needs. While he still kept it as a sort of memento (being one of the few things that he’d managed to recover from the destruction of the Golden Oaks Library) it now sat at the foot of a proper king sized bed, in a room that was equal parts regally fancy crystal decor, and utterly geeky comic and game memorabilia. Posters and collectibles from the stories Spike had adored as a child lined the walls and shelves, another tidbit to make Twilight’s castle feel more like what the dragon remembered as home. As much as he appreciated having the new deluxe accommodations, it was comforting to know not everything around him had to change.

The dragon let out an amused snort as he pulled the thick quilt back and got underneath its heavy, warm cover. How ironic that he was now having to apply that philosophy in triplicate for his marefriend, to show Sweetie that, while her life was indeed going to change quite a lot, she could take some solace in knowing there would still be constants.

Like him.

The dragon let his wings flop open as he rested his head against the pillows. Part of him still felt things might be moving too quickly… but at the same time, the most important souls in Ponyville seemed adamant about proving themselves as the most accepting community in Equestria. They’d taken Twilight’s ascension, Tirek’s attack, the bugbear incident, the changelings, and so many other unusual developments in stride. In the broad scheme of things, finding out one of their number was a super-advanced machine wasn’t that much of a drastic surprise, and assuming the rest of the town could follow Applebloom, Scootaloo and Diamond’s lead...

Spike let out a long exhale and folded his arms under his head. If Sweetie wasn’t worried about this then he wouldn’t be either.

At least, he was pretty sure she wasn’t worried about it...

Spike’s head fans turned as he heard his bedroom door slowly creak open, turning to see the robot unicorn in question stepping in with a more apprehensive look on her face.

“Sweetie?”

The unicorn closed her eyes, lightly grinding her hooves against the crystal floor in indecision.

“I’m sorry to ask this, but I just realised: if we’re going to basically be the center of a party tomorrow, that’s pretty much going to cement our status as a couple isn’t it? To everypony in town, I mean...” She said. Spike furrowed his brow.

“Yeah, I’d imagine that’ll be the case.” He said, sitting up as the light from Sweetie’s glowing eyes shot out across the room to envelop him in their gaze.

“And, you’re okay with that?” She asked. Spike looked even more confused.

“Of course I am, Sweetie. Why would you think not?” He asked. The unicorn’s horn lights sped up, her joint lights glowing brighter as if simulating a blush.

“I… don’t know. I just...” The unicorn’s ears rotated down as she winced. “As much as I’m prepared to face it, it’s still a big step.”

Spike nodded and smiled as he pulled the covers open. “Well as I said, if you want some reassurance...”

Sweetie smiled and trotted over to climb into her gentledrake’s bed, letting him again embrace her and hold her reassuringly.

“I know, and… thank you, Spike. Thank you for everything!” She whispered, feeling her body again surge with electricity as Spike kissed her softly on the lips.

“My pleasure, Sweetie. Always was.” He replied, lying back down and cradling his beloved robot. She nuzzled further into his chest, letting his heat scramble her epidermal sensors in all the right ways.

"And if there's anything else you want to do, you know you only have to ask." Spike added, smirking as those glowing robot eyes swiveled to meet his own, conveying that Sweetie did indeed have something else on her mind.

"Well..." She began.

Author's Note

Okay finally I think it's time to post this. Been messing with it constantly for well over a month, feeling like it needed something more, only in true fashion I could never figure out what.

I guess this is the point where I turn to the readers for that all important question: is it time now for clop? I did leave the option open when I started this series, and the more I think about it, the more I have to admit it probably needs to happen at some point. Better now that I'm late with it than never eh?

Regardless, I hope this new installment made the wait worth it for everyone!