Hammer & Anvil

“Come on Tank, keep up!” Rainbow Dash said to her pet tortious as the two flew over the town.

As she and Tank flew over the center of the town, she saw a familiar stallion trotting about.

“Oh look who it is.” She said. “Okay buddy, try to keep up.”

She then then zoomed down to the well-dressed stallion with her pet in toe.

“Hey, Jackboot!”

Jackboot did not respond, he continued to trot and looked around in a rather frantic manner.

Rainbow Dash grew concerned.

“Jack! What’s up?!”

The latter still did not answer.

“Come on Tank, something must be wrong.”

“Come on Spike, where are you?” Jackboot asked. “How could I be so foolish?”

As he trotted through the town, a sudden blue blur appeared in front of him.

“Jackboot!” The blur said.

Jackboot fell backward with surprise, his hat falling to the ground.

He looked and saw that it was Rainbow Dash hovering in front of him.

“Oh, Rainbow Dash.” He said. “Hello.”

“What’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked as Tank caught up behind her. “I was calling over to you. Are you okay?”

“Well I…” Jackboot said as he got up from the ground and put on his hat. “…no, I’m not alright.”

“What’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked, now standing on the ground.

“Well, Spike saw me and Rarity together and I think he’s heartbroken now.” Jackboot said. “Rarity and I are looking for him. You think you can help?”

“Sure, I’ll help you out.” Rainbow Dash said. “But, what do you mean by you and Rarity were “together”?”

“Is that really important right now?” Jackboot asked with annoyance.

“Well, it’ll help me understand the situation better.” Rainbow Dash answered. “So yeah.”

Jackboot sighed.

“Well, back in Canterlot…” He began. “…Rarity and I started to get really, well, friendly with one another.”

It didn’t take Rainbow Dash long for her to put two and two together.

“You two are a thing?” She asked with surprise.

Jackboot merely gave off a small smile and shrugged.

“That. Is. AWESOME!” The blue pegasus, throwing her front legs up. “I’m really happy for you two!”

Rainbow Dash then pulled Jackboot into a tight hug.

“Thank you…” Jackboot said with a strained voice. “…but anyway…”

“Oh sorry.” Rainbow said, letting the stallion go. “You were saying.”

“I helped Rarity get her luggage back to her boutique and I asked her if I cold kiss her again…”

“Again?!”

Jackboot gave Rainbow an annoyed look.

“Oh, sorry, go on.”

“…I asked if I could kiss her again, and apparently Spike saw it as we found small package of cupcakes in the hallway outside Rarity’s bedroom. So right now, she and I are looking for the little guy. Think you can help look for here?”

“Sure, I’ll help.” Rainbow said. “Where do you think he went?”

Spike didn’t know what to think as he sat alone under a tree at Sweet Apple Acres. Then again, it was pretty hard to think when he was crying uncontrollably.

“…R…Rarity…”

An apple fell and hit the ground with a noticeable thud.

Spike merely glanced at it before burying his face back into his claws.

“Oh, what’s wrong, pal?”

Spike looked around, tears still in his eyes, for whoever it was who spoke.

“Who…” He sniffed. “…who’s there?”

“Who’s there?” The voice asked. “You just looked at me and acted like I wasn’t there. How rude!”

Spike then looked back at the apple and noticed that it was different looking. Different, as in that it now had the face of the Spirit of Chaos himself.

Spike jumped when he saw the face blink.

The face then manifested onto the rest of the body.

“Sorry about that.” He said as he took a bite out of an apple. “You know I love making an entrance.”

Spike merely looked away.

“Leave me alone.”

This surprised Discord.

“What’s wrong?” He asked. “It’s rare that I see you like this.”

“I’m fine.”

Discord wasn’t convinced.

“Spike, you’re alone out here by yourself and you’re crying.” He said in a more serious tone. “Now tell, what is…?”

“I SAID I’M OKAY, ALRIGHT? NOW LEAVE ME ALONE!”

Discord was surprised by Spike’s reaction as he watched the purple dragon continue to cry.

He then sat down next to Spike and put his left claw on his shoulder.

“Spike, listen to me.” He said. “I’m your friend, and I want to know what it is that’s bothering you. And I don’t want to hear you say that you’re fine, because that little outburst you just had says otherwise.”

Spike sniffed as he looked at Discord, his eyes completely bloodshot.

“R…Rarity has…” He tried to say. “…Rarity has coltfriend…”

Spike could say no more and completely broke down as he grabbed onto Discord.

Discord wasn’t expecting Spike to grab onto him like he did, but given the situation, the last thing wanted to do is protest.

He softly patted Spike on the back.

“It’s alright Spike, let it all out.”

“So, how did you feel when you saw Rarity kissing Jackboot?”

Discord was now dressed in a suit and tie, a pair of glasses, and had a pen and notepad in hand. He sat down on an armchair while Spike lied down on a coach that would be found in a therapist’s office. There was even a small table with a box of tissues. Discord said earlier that he got the idea from a certain therapist he had met at one point, according to him, was named Wolf. Whether or not this therapist is a Wolf was yet to be answered.

“I felt, pretty bad about it.” Spike answered.

“How long have you had feelings for Rarity?” Discord asked as he wrote Spike’s answer down. “I assume long enough to have such a reaction.”

“I’ve known her since me and Twilight first came to Ponyville. I can’t believe it was so long ago.” Spike answered. “I still remember first seeing her. She was so beautiful.” He then paused and smiled. “Who am I kidding, she’s always beautiful.”

“I can’t argue with that.” Discord said as he wrote in the note pad. “But, how did you feel when you saw that it was Jackboot who was kissing Rarity.”

Spike’s smiled faded.

“I felt…” He had trouble answering. “…betrayed. I mean, I really thought we were friends. He knows that really like Rarity, but…” Spike sighed. “…I don’t know.”

Discord finished writing down in his notepad.

“Let me ask you a question.” He said. “Why is it that you waited so long to tell her how you feel?”

“I don’t know.” Spike said. “Well, there was that time I went a little crazy when I started hoarding stuff. But that I thought she really knew how I felt. Guess I was wrong.”

“And I assume you know that Rarity was going to meet a stallion eventually, right?”

“I know!” Spike shouted, unintentionally. “I mean, I know. I just didn’t think it would happen so soon.”

“Let me ask you a different question.” Discord continued. “Do you trust Jackboot?”

Spike looked at Discord with confusion.

“What?”

“Do you trust Jackboot?” Discord repeated his question.

“Of course I trust him, why wouldn’t I?” He said. “I don’t think Jackboot would do anything bad to Rarity. I mean he’s hard working, he’s cool, and he’s really just a good guy, to be honest. What do I need to worry a…”

It then came to Spike.

“…I think I see you’re point.”

“It’s not that you’re that worried about whether or not you’ll be with Rarity…” Discord explained. “…you’re more worried about who Rarity will eventually get to together with. Am I correct so far?”

“Actually yeah.” Spike said, now sitting up. “Just look at the other stallions she had crushes on. You have Fancy Pants who’s already taken, there’s Trenderhoof who was more interested in Applejack, and then you have Prince Blueblood who, from what I’ve heard is kind of a mule.”

“And then you have Jackboot”

“Who is actually a pretty decent stallion, unlike others.” Spike said. “I guess I really don’t have anything to worry about now.”

Before either of them could say anything more, they both heard a familiar mare calling over to them.

“Spikey Wikey!”

“Uh oh…” Spike said as he looked over at Discord. “…what do I do?”

“Just be calm, and tell her what we had just discussed.” Discord said as he made the furniture and his clothing disappear. “Good luck.”

As Discord was about to walk away, Spike got his attention.

“Oh and Discord…” He said. “…thanks.”

Discord smiled.

“Not a problem… …friend.”

Rarity trotted over to Spike as Discord strolled by casually.

“What are you doing here?” Rarity asked, noticing him.

“Just helping a friend out.” Discord answered.

Discord then disappeared, leaving Spike and Rarity alone.

“Spike, are you alright?” The latter asked.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” Spike answered as he approached the mare.

Rarity saw that he wasn’t as upset as she thought he might be. What did Discord say to Spike? She thought.

“Spike, I’m really sorry you had to find out this way. I didn’t mean to make you so upset.” She said. “I know how you feel about me but…”

“Rarity, it’s alright.” Spike said, interrupting Rarity. “If Jackboot makes you happy, I’m perfectly fine with it.”

Rarity was surprised by what Spike had said, but at the same time relieved.

She smiled.

“Thank you Spike.” She said as she pulled the little dragon into a hug. “No matter whom it is I’m with…”

She then kissed Spike on the cheek.

“…you’ll always be my Spikey Wikey.”