PrologueView OnlineHeart of FirePrologue“Are you sure you'll be alright?” Twilight Sparkle asked Spike for the umpteenth time as she paced the planks of the Ponyville train station. For the better part of half an hour, the princess had been nervously wearing a groove into the platform with her pacing. The young dragon cocked an eyebrow at the nervous alicorn and folded his arms. “Of course I will be, Twilight!” he said with a laugh. “This is hardly the first time you've left me on my own. The question is: are you sure you'll be alright?” he asked. Despite his smile, his voice sounded as nervous as Twilight looked. Twilight let out a sigh and sat down, the concern in her friend's voice cutting through her inner excuses. “Y... yeah, I think so,” she admitted with with an embarrassed smile. “It's just that this is the first formal event I'll be attending without any of the other princesses being there and I'm not sure how well I'll hold up to the scrutiny of the nobles.” “You'll do fine, I just know it!” Spike replied, smiling at her sympathetically. “Especially with a pony in the know like myself to run interference if need be,” came a musically elegant voice from behind the pair. Spike whirled around and felt his heart leap into his throat as his eyes fell upon Rarity, the unicorn in her latest summer ensemble, magically towing a small cart packed high with luggage. As she drew near, he struggled to not simply lose himself in adoration of her. Not today, today was too important to lose focus. "My apologies darlings, but I had to settle up matters at the boutique," Rarity explained, glancing up at the swirling clouds of steam that drifted overhead. "And not a moment too soon, I would have hated to spoil things today by forcing us to take the evening train." Twilight rose to her hooves. "Perhaps it might have been better, I'm really nervous about this whole thing. More than I even though I would be," Twilight admitted with a frown. Spike waved a claw dismissively. "You've got nothing to worry about! You're a princess, you've saved Equestria, you..." he found himself cut off by the sudden blare of the train's whistle. "We should be getting aboard Twilight," Rarity said, gesturing to the door to the car before giving the little dragon an affectionate pat on the head. "Though Spike is correct. You shouldn't be so nervous. This is just a small formal party, a meet and greet for the nobility." Twilight smiled, though it was more in defeat than anything else. "I know, that's what I'm afraid of. I've gotten a taste of what the nobility is like at the Galas. It didn't leave a good impression on me," she explained, before entering the car and putting her head out of one of the windows. "We'll be back tomorrow evening Spike, don't start another land war in the main hall while we're gone!" Spike chuckled at the memory of Discord's version of their roleplaying game. "Nah, we're planning a naval battle for the next time," he said teasingly as Rarity entered the car alongside Twilight. "Besides, we don't have our game tonight. It's Tuesday, Discord's got tea with Fluttershy and Big McIntosh is too busy digging that new well." A shrill whistle and a sudden lurch put the train into motion and Spike watched and waved, shouting goodbyes and encouragement to his two friends they vanished down the tracks. Once they were no more than specks, the young dragon's expression changed into a look of conspiratorial glee as he spun around and bolted for the castle. As he ran, he ducked and dodged, weaving through the ponies that were going about their early morning errands. He knew he had but one chance at this, that today was it. With Starlight in the Crystal Empire working on a friendship lesson and Twilight and Rarity both in Canterlot, he had the castle all to himself and he rushed through the double doors and up the stairs, ducking down one of the outer hallways. Starlight may still have had trouble navigating the many similar halls and rooms the palace had to offer, but Spike had learned the layout almost perfectly. All those hours of organizing for Twilight were about to finally pay off. He skidded to a stop in front of a simple tapestry flanked by a pair of potted plants. It looked just like any other bit of decoration in the place and only one who knew the layout of the other halls would have a clue that what should be here was a door. Spike glanced around nervously, as if any moment he might be discovered. However he was alone, not even Owlowiscious was around to pester him and he cackled like the villain of one of his comics as he slipped behind the curtain and into his hidden room. Inside the small chamber, little more than a storeroom, Spike had assembled a makeshift alchemist's lab. A large pot on a small bundle of sticks served as a cauldron while a series of bottles and reagents sat nearby next to a full-body mirror. On an overturned box next to the pot, an old book sat propped open, its pages filled with arcane script. The young dragon lit a candle with a quick breath of dragon's fire and closed the door behind him. He set it down on the box and began to grab the reagents, reading over the pages several times. He had to get this right on the first try. It had been difficult enough to slip the old potion book out from under Twilight's scrutiny. Fortunately her focus on Starlight's lessons had left her with little time for the obsessive organizing of books she used to do, or at least as often, and that had provided her assistant with the opportunity to abscond with this hopeful treasure. "Transmutagenic Tonic," the young dragon read out as he lined up the ingredients and set the sticks ablaze with a single breath. Following the instructions, he continued to read aloud as, one by one, he added each item to the pot. First add strands of a pony's hair, Mixed with Heart's Desire, Add Powder from a Ruby rare, All boiled with Dragon's fire. The ingredients congealed into molten mass as he continued to read, watching in surprise as they began to liquefy, turning into a bubbling crimson broth. Checking over the instructions, Spike's face split with an excited grin. All was going perfectly. He turned the page and found no further instructions, but only a strange warning. By moonlit cycle mark the shift, By daylight shall it fade. Until all the brew is drained and gone, lest a painful price be paid. "Huh? That's it? I thought there would be more..." he muttered to himself, checking the pages of the book. However he found nothing else about that particular potion. Glancing nervously at the bubbling broth, he carefully dipped a ladle into the mixture and brought it to his face. This was it, no turning back. However the young dragon hesitated a moment, knowing full well that if this didn't work and he had brewed some kind of poison by mistake, then there would be nopony to help him. Still, he had to chance it and, bringing the ladle to his mouth, drained it. Spike let out a gasp as the near boiling fluid ran down his throat. Though scalding temperatures was nothing to a dragon, the numbness that followed the spicy-sweet tasting potion took his breath away. For a single horrifying moment, he thought that he was going to die. He couldn't breath, his body felt like it was being torn apart. He flailed his limbs and fell backwards, knocking over the candle which sputtered out on the floor. He rose, desperately bracing himself on anything as he found his breath returning to him in deep gasps. He struggled to the door, illuminated in the flickering light of the fire and as he pushed it open, daylight poured into the room. Spike glanced back into the room and caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He stared at his reflection and as his mind registered what he saw, he began to laugh in triumph.
Chapter 1: Society and SecretsView OnlineHeart of FireChapter 1: Society and SecretsFormal events in Canterlot were always glamorous affairs; scenes of well dressed mares and stallions mingling to the accompaniment of gentle music. With a calendar year full of such parties, balls, dances and lesser galas, even the unfortunate socialites that failed to gain entrance to the grander events still had their chance to show their quality. Unfortunately for Twilight Sparkle and Rarity, the true quality of most of the ponies they were surrounded with was a perfect mix of self preservation and overblown pride, coated with a thin veneer of politeness. Though the evening had started with promise, the duo had already run the gauntlet of sycophants, flatterers and pompous fools before the gathering had subdivided into quieter cliques towards mid evening. "Well, that's twenty minutes of my life I will never get back," Twilight grumbled as a particularly opinionated member of the elite trotted off with a slightly frightened expression and all the grace and delicacy of a spooked manticore. The princess levitated a half full glass to her lips, hoping the beverage would take the bad taste out of her mouth from having spoken with him for so long. "Well, at least this one didn't begin by proposing political marriage like the last three," Rarity said wryly. "Though if he had chose to go into more detail on his thoughts on The proper place of the hornless in society, I might have done something very unladylike. You calling him inaccurate and ill informed was putting it mildly." Twilight chuckled as she finished her drink, setting down the glass on a nearby table. "Believe me, if he hadn't beat a hasty retreat when he did I was going to give him a full lecture," the alicorn muttered, a decidedly hard gleam in her eye. The overbearing noble had been just aware of how close to crossing the line he was, but Twilight silently promised herself the next one to start talking such rubbish would not get off so easy. She took a moment to look over the assembled guests, many of whom she spent the better part of the night greeting as one noble caught her attention after another, each trying their best to act as if she was their best friend or that they alone were the last sane pony in Canterlot. Though by the end, she strongly had her doubts about the mental state of most of the ponies in the room. She glanced over to Rarity, who had helped spare her from the worst of it, filling her in on each socialite as they came. "You know," Twilight mused. "When it comes to the who's who of Canterlot elite, you have about as much comprehensive knowledge as I do about magic." The fashionista almost visibly puffed up with pride, the delicate feathers that adorned her latest masterpiece rising from her collar like the tail of some ethereal peacock. "Darling, should it surprise you?" she asked with a sly smile. "After all, it is in my professional and personal interest to be fully armed against this pack of Timber Wolves in pony's clothing," she said, sweeping her hoof at the assembled crowd before adding with a laugh "Although, that may be unfair to packs of Timber Wolves everywhere." Twilight laughed and levitated a pair of fresh drinks from a nearby serving tray and passed one to Rarity. "I might have to agree with you on that one," she admitted, her eyes falling on one of her would be ‘suitors’, a tall unicorn that was old enough to be her father and whose only redeeming quality was that he had served in the guard. "It seems like everypony here is trying to get something out of me," she muttered sadly, "Either some royal favor or to make it seem to their peers like I'm supporting their opinion on something without knowing what the opinion is first or..." Twilight let out a sigh and her wings drooped a little. "...or they're destroying my faith in relationships," she admitted at last, looking over at Rarity who was staring at her with a raised eyebrow. "It all seems to be nothing more than a transaction to them, an arrangement for power and favor, nothing more." "Yes, it does seem that way at times," Rarity conceded, taking a sip from her glass before giving Twilight a gentle smile. "However it isn't all like that. Your brother and Cadance, for instance, found true love and, although they may be an extreme example, there are many ponies who find happiness." Despite her own words, Rarity frowned a little and looked into her nearly drained glass. "Though it is often in spite of the nobility that they do," she admitted more quietly, before her smile returned. "At least tonight hasn't been a total loss, you did get to reconnect with those old teachers of yours, er, Style and Scribble I think you said their names were?" Twilight chuckled and shook her head, a smile creeping back on her face. "No, no. They were professor Swift Stylus and Professor Solemn Scribe, teachers of Runic Enchantments and Advanced Scrolls, respectively," she corrected, staring at her friend incredulously. "I'm surprised you forgot so quickly, both of them are members of two of the oldest families in Canterlot." "Yes, well," Rarity began defensively, though her smile was still there. "As I was trying to make light of earlier, I learn what I can about the social elite and, prestigious as they are, both of them weren't exactly what I would consider as my usual clientele. I mean, my stars, darling. The jacket Professor Scribe was wearing had to be at least a decade out of fashion!" "Longer than that I'd imagine," Twilight agreed, searching the crowd for either of the venerable scholars. "I wouldn't be surprised if he has only ever owned one suit." Having failed to see either of them, she glanced back at Rarity, whose gaze seemed focused on something in the crowd before shaking her head and looking away. "Rarity, I've been meaning to ask," Twilight began, drawing the attention of her friend. "You don't seem to be enjoying yourself tonight and well, you seem almost bitter about it. Did..." The unicorn interrupted her friend, raising a hoof sheathed in a delicate shoe that gleamed with silver. "There is nothing you have done, nor has anything specific happened to put me in an off mood, Twilight dear," she said soothingly. "I'm afraid I've been growing more than a little jaded towards what was once a dream of mine, ever since our first Gala, if I'm being honest." Twilight could only listen sympathetically as Rarity went on. "If I seem out of sorts, it's because I've realized how flawed that dream was and how fleeting. These ponies are the elite of Canterlot, with family lineages and titles going back centuries and you know what? I have found nearly all of them to be deplorable," she lamented, staring at her drink with a sour expression. "With remarkably few exceptions, every time I have had to interact with high society and actually get a chance to see underneath the glamour, I've found that it is less appealing than the last." An uncomfortable quiet fell between the two friends as their gloomy thoughts hung in the air. After a moment of letting nothing but the noise of the party fill the air, Twilight spoke up. “Perhaps it’s me,” she mumbled, her brow furrowed with thought. “What? Darling no, you…” Rarity started to say, her eyes wide with shock and concern at her friend’s statement, but she was cut off when Twilight locked eyes with her. “No, wait, hear me out,” the alicorn said, waving a hoof frantically before glancing out at the crowd. “Your other experiences aside, you’ve been by my side this whole night and, ever since I’ve set hoof in here, the only ponies we’ve met are those that were either old acquaintances of mine or who were looking to get something out of me.” “That’s true, I suppose,” Rarity conceded, uncomfortably glancing away from Twilight’s earnest gaze. While she couldn’t find fault with her friend’s logic, she still felt guilty about agreeing with it. “Now,” Twilight continued, in the tone she reserved for friendly lectures. “I think if you went out into the crowd on your own, got a chance to be in your element where you can focus instead of worrying about me, then I think you’ll have a better time tonight,” she concluded, matter of factly. “Darling, I am not about to ‘ditch’ my friend, as the saying goes,” Rarity objected, but relaxed as a genuine smile spread across Twilight’s face. “You won’t be ditching me Rarity,” she said, glancing towards the trickle of ponies arriving from the main entrance. “I’m telling you to go enjoy yourself. I’ve gotten enough experience tonight dealing with these high and mighty nobles that I feel more than comfortable holding my own and, who knows, maybe you’ll find that one special and rare somepony that makes the night worthwhile.” Rarity couldn’t help but chuckling. “I see you’ve started reading those romance novels I gave you,” she teased, to which Twilight could only sheepishly nod her head. Sighing in mock defeat, Rarity set down her glass. “Very well. As you have been such a dear to give me the freedom to escape this unpleasant parade, I am duty bound in friendship to make the most of it,” she said with a dramatic flourish of her hoof before trotting off into the crowd. Freed from her station at Twilight’s side, Rarity navigated the little clusters and islands of ponies that surrounded her. The hall was one of many that formed part of Canterlot’s palace and it was split into two levels, the upper running around the perimeter of the room with a musician’s gallery at the back and the lower being mostly open space with trio of wide steps connecting them. Rarity glanced down into the ponies that occupied the lower level of the hall, most were either new arrivals or taking advantage of the livelier music to dance and she couldn’t help but smile bittersweetly at the grace that came when so many were following the formal steps. In contrast, the ponies in the upper area of the hall were almost immobile, carefully gathered into small groups that spent most of the night never leaving their small cliques. Still, it was in this unfriendly atmosphere that Rarity began to maneuver herself. A new client here, an acquaintance there, a brief discussion with the special somepony of so and so who was wearing one of her designs. Like a fine thread, Rarity wove her way between cluster after cluster, talking, gossiping and networking. While she may not have enjoyed the evening thoroughly, she would at least leave it satisfied, without having wasted a single step or word. The unicorn was so in the zone and focused on her targets that it was a complete shock to her when she collided with another pony. “Ooof! Oh my, I…” Rarity had nearly fallen over from the force of the impact, but a hoof rose to catch her, sparing her a severe amount of embarrassment. She took a half step back and did a quick check of herself to make sure nothing was out of place before looking at the other pony. “My apologies, I should have been watching where I was going.” The voice was kind, though edged with nervousness and Rarity was momentarily stunned at the appearance of its owner. The stallion was an earth pony wearing a simple formal jacket that just barely began to cover his heart-shaped cutie mark.. His coat was a rich purple and his brushed back mane and tail were of a light green, but what struck Rarity most were his eyes, two pools of emerald green that seemed, to her, very familiar. She couldn’t help but stare as a single thought burned inside her mind, the thought that if Spike had been a young stallion instead of a baby dragon, he would look like the pony before her. Twilight’s parting words came flooding back to her and Rarity couldn’t help but begin to thread together a deeper meaning out of everything. Was this what Twilight had meant? Did she find some spell to turn Spike into a pony so that the two of them could have a date? Or was this something more innocent, just a way to allow them to have a pleasant night together, a gallant rescue from the foul experience the night had been so far? An embarrassed blush crept into the unicorn’s face as she realized that the pony had been speaking to her since the collision and was now asking her something with a concerned look in his large eyes. “Oh, my apologies dear,” she said, quickly regaining her composure. “I was er, rather lost in thought for a moment.” The stallion let out a sigh of relief and a nervous smile crossed his face. “That’s good, I was afraid that I had caused you injury Lady… er…” he trailed off, as if unsure of the name. Rarity smiled mysteriously, looking at him through half-lidded eyes. She was more certain than ever that she had figured it out, after all, he even sounded like Spike might if he was the same size. Still, it would not do to worry him by becoming lost in thought again. “Rarity, my name is Rarity” she said gently, taking the moment to get a better look at him. Spike certainly had made for a handsome stallion, she had to admit, though it could be seen as almost cruel to entertain this as anything serious. Still, it would be a shame to have all of his and Twilight’s efforts go to waste. “...and what, may I ask, is your name?” The stallion bowed his head respectfully. “Fire Heart,” he replied, his smile never fading, though a nervous blush was creeping into his cheeks. “I had been rather lost in thought myself,” he said after a moment. “Again, I offer my sincerest apologies for…” “Nonsense,” Rarity said quickly, cutting him off. “You apologised for that little collision already and we were both to blame for that, I think,” she continued soothingly. She could see the poor dear was nervous and the last thing she wanted was to make him panic. Fire Heart visibly began to relax, relief clearly written in his eyes as Rarity wondered just how prepared Spike was for this disguise. It wouldn’t hurt to tease and test him a little, after all, she wasn’t going to make this too easy on him. Batting her eyelashes, she took a step closer to the stallion, wearing an almost predatory smile. “However, if you feel you do still owe me an apology, in the interest of showing how a proper gentlecolt acts, you can make it up to me by keeping me company for a time,” she cooed sweetly, causing the poor stallion to turn into a veritable tomato. “Umm… er… ah,” Fire Heart could only stammer at first, petrified by both Rarity’s invitation and her intensely hypnotic stare. With extreme effort, the stallion managed to regain his composure and smiled uneasily. “Of course Lady Rarity,” he managed to say without stammering, offering his hoof to her. “It would be my honor and pleasure to accompany you.” The unicorn accepted and fell into step alongside him as they maneuvered to a less crowded part of the upper floor. All the while, Rarity found herself stealing glances at her companion. If his appearance wasn’t enough, the way his eyes lit up when he glanced at her and his Fire Heart ruby cutie mark had convinced her more than ever of her suspicions and left her feeling more than a little guilty that she was leading him on. Still, she reasoned that tonight must have been as much for Spike’s benefit as for her own and, although there would likely be a very, very awkward conversation when this all ended, a part of her heart was saddened by the knowledge that it would end. It was nice to be reminded of her dream. “So, Fire Heart,” she began when they had finally found a place where they could talk comfortably. “If I may ask, what does your cutie mark mean?” she asked as innocently as she could while admitting she had taken a good look at her companion’s flank. “I know that gemstone rather well, but I’m curious as to what significance it holds for you.” “Of course, Lady Rarity, I’d be happy to tell you,” Fire Heart replied without missing a beat. “It symbolises my passion and drive to excel, to push myself to my limits at whatever I set my heart on achieving and to go beyond them when my heart is on the line.” Rarity listened intently with a pleased smile. It was a good answer, plausible, yet vague enough to not require a specific skill set and, in her opinion, suited her dear Spikey Wikey to a T. She was suddenly taken aback as the stallion took a step towards her as he went on, unconsciously taking up her hoof in his. “Wherever my heart leads, Lady Rarity, I’ll follow it, no matter the consequences, no matter the risks.” The fashionista’s eyes had risen to meet his at the conviction in his voice and she felt a heat rise in her cheeks at the stallion’s touch. For a terrible, fleeting, moment she wanted to give in to the illusion as all her little fantasies about what romance should be flooded her thoughts. It took all of Rarity’s self control to keep herself from blushing like a filly on her first date and she found her gown suddenly restrictive and far too warm. “V...very impressive, Fire Heart,” she managed to say, forcing herself to focus. If she got lost in the moment and let things go too far it could be a disaster. “I must admit that it suits you well, very well,” she said with a slight waver in her voice as she took a step back, withdrawing her hoof. Despite her words, Rarity’s body language told a very different story and Fire Heart’s expression fell almost immediately, his nervousness returning. “My apologies, Lady Rarity, I did not mean to make you uncomfortable,” he muttered, looking away from her as his ears drooped. “I will leave, if you wish me to.” Rarity watched his change in demeanor with a mixture of guilt and regret and found herself beginning to panic. “No!” she exclaimed, a touch more loudly than she intended, causing Fire Heart to wince. “Er... no,” she repeated more quietly, followed by a polite cough. "I was just surprised is all, I’m fine, really,” she insisted, staring earnestly up at the stallion. Inwardly, a part of Rarity’s mind scolded her. After all, this little faux-pas would have been a perfect way to end the charade before it went further. However, there was a part of her that was glad she didn’t take the opportunity. Still in command of the moment, Rarity caught a glimpse of something that gave her an idea and her smile became slightly sinister. Not far from where they were talking, Twilight Sparkle stood in an aggressive pose, glaring daggers at an overdressed noble mare who was quickly beating a hasty retreat. Rarity could only guess at what had set her friend off, but a distraction was desperately needed for all three of them. The unicorn’s eyes moved back to her nervous companion and when she spoke, her voice was all poisoned honey. “Fire Heart, I was wondering,” she cooed, hoping to calm him down. “Did you come to the party alone? I would hate to think I’ve been keeping you from your friends.” To her surprise the question seemed to make the stallion more than a little nervous. “N… no, Lady Rarity,” Fire Heart began, adjusting the front of his jacket. “I arrived alone and while there might be a few familiar faces in the crowd, I wasn’t planning on meeting anypony tonight,” he explained as his expression softened, a smile forming on his lips. “I was quite fortunate to have shared in your company tonight.” “I’m glad I’ve been able to make your night more enjoyable,” Rarity replied, finding it easier to keep her cool than before with her mind focused on seeing any cracks in Spike’s disguise. Overall, she had to admit that she was impressed with his performance, the little dragon hadn’t let anything slip that couldn’t be explained away. Still, the time to test the other half of this little conspiracy had come and Twilight, Rarity was certain, would not be able to be as plausibly deceptive as Spike had been. “However, I did arrive in the company of one of my dearest friends,” she went on, gesturing towards Twilight. Fire Heart’s eyes had followed Rarity’s bejeweled hoof and visibly began to grow nervous when he saw just who she was pointing at. “P..Princess Twilight Sparkle!?” he stammered, his eyes darting between the royal alicorn and the unicorn in front of him. “Indeed!” Rarity replied cheerily, putting on her most innocent expression. “Would you care to meet her?” she asked, pleased with the reaction she had gotten from him. If he was reacting this way he must have realized the game was up. “I wouldn’t want to impose,” the earth pony replied shakily, taking a nervous step back. Perspiration began to bead on his forehead as he looked for a way out, but standing where they were, his only escape would be to take a flying leap to the lower level and aim for the punch bowl to break his fall. His fate was truly sealed however, when he felt the insistent tug of unicorn magic on his collar. “Oh, it will be no trouble at all!” Rarity insisted, pulling him along behind her. “Before I bumped into you we were both having such a dreadful time. I’m certain she’ll find it a relief to have the chance to talk with a proper gentlecolt,” she explained, relaxing her magic when she felt him begin to follow her with a sigh of resignation. “In fact,” she went on, unable to contain her excitement at seeing Twilight try and explain her way out of things. “I’m certain you’ll be talking like old friends in no time!” For her own part, Twilight Sparkle, Princess of Friendship, had endured just about all she could of the gentry and, with Rarity being safely distant to spare her any embarrassment, had begun to tell the more unpleasant ones just what she thought of them, titles or no. Fortunately, the most stuck up ones were also the ones that clung to their titles the most fiercely and few were willing to challenge a princess, though some unlucky ones tried. Fresh from her latest mini lecture on socioeconomics, Twilight had a feeling of satisfaction usually felt by warriors after victory in battle. She tensed for a moment, one ear turning to listen as she heard a fresh pair of hooves approaching and whirled around to meet them, eager to put another ill-informed, stuffed shirted, entitled snob in their place. Instead, her brain came to a screeching halt as she tried to process what she was seeing. It was her friend, so that was good. She had a pony following her, but she did not look irritated, that was also good. Visibly relaxing, Twilight smiled at the pair. “Rarity, glad to see you made it out of the fray alright. Who’s your friend?” she asked with a smile, turning to greet the unicorn’s companion. “Twilight, this is Fire Heart,” Rarity explained, keeping a close eye on her friend before turning to the earth pony beside her. “Fire Heart, this is Twilight Sparkle,” she introduced, though found herself surprised. For all her expectations, the reaction each pony had for the other was decidedly different from what she had thought. “P… princess, it is an honor,” Fire Heart stammered, bowing his head low and refusing to look her in the eye. Though it wouldn’t be obvious at a distance, it was clear that the stallion was almost terrified of the pony before him. Twilight’s reaction was one of unease and she nervously tried to wave away the display of prostration. “No need for titles, Fire Heart, any friend of Rarity is a friend of mine,” she said quickly, adding “Please rise, there’s no need for you to bow,” just in case the pony didn’t quite get the message. Rarity watched as Fire Heart rose from his display of fealty and noted that Twilight’s demeanor had changed to one of searching curiosity. As the alicorn took a good, close look at the earth pony, Rarity also couldn’t shake the fact that Twilight was staring at him like she would stare at a rare book she wasn’t allowed to open. “Twilight darling,” she said coolly, “You’re staring and I think the poor dear is afraid he’s offended you.” “Oh yes, sorry,” Twilight apologized, snapping back from her focus as she realized the pony in front of her was sweating with fear. “I’ve probably started to earn a reputation for biting ponies heads off,” she admitted, rubbing the back of her neck with her hoof. “I don’t, really and…” Rarity only half listened to Twilight’s rambling apology and a feeling of doubt began to eat away at the back of her mind as her eyes darted between the princess and Fire Heart. Twilight could be a decent actress at times, but this was far beyond what she expected. “Was it possible…” she muttered to herself as she tried to reassess the situation. Whatever her doubts, she could see that things were deteriorating into social awkwardness and with Twilight’s apparently recent sparring with the socialites present, Rarity could not allow things to collapse completely. She had wanted the charade to end, to enjoy the evening with two of her closest friends and to have a long talk about it afterwards. However, between Twilight’s scrutiny and Fire Heart’s visibly growing terror, a small seed of doubt had begun to take root in Rarity’s mind. She had to do something, anything to stabilize the situation. From the corner of her eye, she saw just such an opportunity. “Twilight, dear,” she began, drawing the attention of both her companions as she gestured to a finely dressed pony that was approaching. “If I’m not mistaken you’re about to be introduced to Lord Adder and I think it would be best if I take my friend well away from the blast radius,” she explained sympathetically. “That bad, huh?” Twilight asked as Rarity nodded and glanced at the dark maned unicorn, who had paused only long enough to sneer at a nearby servant before continuing in the trio’s direction. “I think moving to a safe distance might be a very good idea,” Twilight said before glancing back at the earth pony, “It was very nice to meet you, Fire Heart. I hope we get a chance to meet again in less confrontational circumstances,” she said with a warm, apologetic smile before turning in the direction of the oncoming noble with a gleam in her eye that sent a chill down Rarity’s spine. Rarity led her companion away from the princess and the verbal duel that was about to happen. While she hadn’t noticed it at first, her companion was physically shaking and kept glancing around as if searching for an escape or, perhaps, for somepony in the crowd. “My stars darling,” she said, unable to hide the concern in her voice. “Whatever is the matter? You’re shaking like a leaf.” Fire Heart, to his credit, managed to stop shivering, “Lady R...rarity, I… um, that is…” he stammered, unable to look the unicorn in the eye. So it seemed the moment had come at last. “Fire Heart,” she began, a serious edge in her voice. “Is there something you’d like to tell me?” she asked, searching his face for any hint of revelation. “I, er…” Fire Heart replied, before shaking his head and looking around. “Let’s talk over there, the balcony is more private,” he said, gesturing to one of the outdoor balconies just beyond a set of ornate glass doors, affording the attendees a breath of fresh air and a view of the gardens. Rarity gave her friend all the time he needed as they stepped out into the night air. Luna’s charge hung full and bright in the sky and, with the echo’s of music filtering out from the hall, the unicorn felt a thrill go through her. For a moment she wanted to give in to her old fantasy, to let the romance of it all to sweep her away. A bittersweet smile formed on her lips as she glanced at the earth pony. It was better to get this over quickly. Fire Heart took a deep breath and for fleeting moment, met Rarity’s eyes. “I… I’m sorry for causing a scene, Lady Rarity. I panicked when you introduced me to the princess and…” A flash of annoyance crossed Rarity’s face and she could not help but frown. Spike may have been willing to cling to the illusion, but Rarity was ready to have it all out. “Why?” she asked, cutting him off. “Why are you so nervous, what are you trying to hide?.” For a brief moment the stallion tensed and then hung his head low. “I’m not supposed to be here,” he said, continuing before Rarity had a chance to prompt him again. “I’m not a noble, I’m not anypony special. I was able to slip in midway through by following in a large group.” Rarity’s eyes were wide and questioning, she had not expected this answer and listened intently as the stallion continued, daring to look at her. “I’m just an aide to a fairly high ranking noble mare, little more than a glorified secretary,” he admitted, shame burning in his cheeks. “While I was on my own I could blend into the crowd, but when I suddenly found myself in the company of such a stunning and graceful mare, I realized that I would be under more scrutiny,” he explained, causing a Rarity to blush in the moonlight. “Then when you brought me to meet the princess,” he continued with a heavy sigh. “I was certain somepony would recognize me and call me out. It would have been embarrassing for you, her highness and I would certainly never be able to show my face in Canterlot again.” Rarity’s mind was reeling and a storm of emotions swirled inside her. This was not the confession she had expected to hear. A part of her still clung onto her original assumption but more and more the doubts and, more insistently, the hope that she had been wrong boiled to the surface. She realized with a start that if she was wrong, then what had she been doing the whole night? Leading on a strange stallion, toying with him, by his own admission putting him at risk of social ruination for not only himself but also his employer, whoever she may be. Even more mortifying, she had been close at several points of flatly accusing him of being a baby dragon in a pony suit. No, she had to be certain, or at least more certain before she made any further mistakes. “With all those risks,” she began tentatively, trying to get her own bearings and figure out just who she was talking to. “Why seek me out? I find it hard to believe our little ‘encounter’ was just a mere accident.” A change seemed to come over Fire Heart as he stared at her. Though the fear and doubt still seemed to cling to him, the conviction and emotion he had spoken with before returned, pushing through the gloom. “It wasn’t an accident, Lady Rarity, and I will not apologize for taking that risk. I saw you moving through the room, as graceful as a snowflake in winter winds and saw that wherever you stopped, the room seemed to brighten.” A warmth filled Rarity, creeping from her barrel up to her cheeks as she realized one detail that had been lost. While Spike could be very flattering, he never had spoken like this. The baby dragon lacked the mannerisms and vocabulary this stallion had displayed through most of the night. It was another nail in the coffin for her assumptions and as the stallion poured out his heart, she found her own feelings responding in kind. “It was worth the risk, worth any risk,” he continued,”to have gotten the chance to be in your company for even this short time, Lady Rarity and I understand that I…” He was stopped mid sentence by a gentle hoof on his lips. Rarity knew full well where that last train of thought was going and she would not stand for it. “You have stated your reasonings very well Fire Heart. However, I am not going to let you excuse yourself in this manner.” The stallion stood frozen in place as Rarity withdrew her hoof, smiling up at him. “While I enjoy hearing my name spoken so formally, we can dispense with the ‘Lady’, I am not of noble birth myself and among my close friends, just Rarity will do,” she stated, earning a nod of understanding from the stallion. “Given that,” she went on, doing her best to clear the air. “It might no longer surprise you to know that, while I can appreciate the legacy of noble titles, when it comes to who I keep company with I don’t really care if you’re a noble or not.” For the first time that evening, she saw Fire Heart truly relax. “As you wish, Rarity,” the stallion said, smiling at her as he offered to guide her back inside. Rarity accepted without hesitation and the pair returned to the golden glow of the hall. “Perhaps we should held to the lower floor?” she asked, nodding in the direction of the nearest stairs. “The atmosphere up here is a little too... intense I think.” “Indeed,” Fire Heart agreed, happy to be away from the closer scrutiny of the nobles around him. The pair descended the stairs and stayed close to each other, smiling and passing the time with inconsequential talk as they escaped the press of the more numerous nobility. Once they had room to breath, the stallion looked at Rarity and smiled invitingly. “Perhaps now that we…” His words were cut off by the sound of a large bell ringing the time and the appearance of a large group of fashionably late arrivals. Fire Heart visibly scowled at saw the parade of finery and sighed. “Forgive me, but while I had hoped to have more time, I must go,” he said with an air of sorrowful urgency. A pained expression crossed Rarity’s face and she looked up at him. “Really? Why?” she asked, a feeling of loss gripping her heart. “Must you go?” “Yes,” he said sorrowfully. “While I know I cannot cause you any shame, I still have to think of my duties,” he said grimly, glancing around to the other ponies spread thinly about them. “Even with so sparse a crowd, I may be seen for what I am and I cannot lay down my responsibilities to her.” “Your employer?” Rarity asked, any remaining hopes crushed as she saw him nod. At last, she gave a sigh of resignation. “I understand,” she conceded, stepping away from him, though her heart could not let go so easily. “I wish I had something to write on, I could at least give you my address,” she lamented, glancing to nearby tables in the hopes of finding a pen and paper, but seeing none, the unicorn’s poise began crumbling as she grew ever more frustrated. Rarity turned her eyes back towards Fire Heart as the bell tolled out for the second time. “Will I ever see you again?” she asked hesitantly, though her heart lightened when she saw his smile. “I sincerely hope so Rarity,” he said with a gentle grin. “You told me where your shop is in Canterlot, I’m sure I can find some way to get a message to you,” he promised, reaching out and holding her hoof in his. “I…” Whatever he meant to say was lost as Rarity lifted her head and kissed him gently before backing away, a gleam of satisfaction in her eyes as she blushed fiercely. “Now it’s a sealed promise,” she said with a serious edge in her voice, though her eyes blazed with affection. “Go and don’t leave a lady waiting too long, it’s the height of uncouth behavior.” Bowing in acquiescence, Fire Heart took his leave and Rarity watched him cautiously make his way out of the party. His exit was hardly what she would call graceful, but it wasn’t meant to be. She could tell by watching him that he was trying to avoid drawing the attention of the group of ponies that now were surrounding Princess Twilight and when he at last slipped out the door, Rarity released the breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. With her head still spinning and not knowing what was real anymore, the fashionista turned and made her way back to her friend, intent on either rescuing Twilight from the nobles, or the nobles from Twilight.
Chapter 2: The Morning AfterView OnlineHeart of FireChapter 2: The Morning AfterThe first and only thought he had was that the darkness around him wasn't dark enough. For a creature born with night vision, even the faintest light was enough to see by and for Spike, who felt like his head had been used as a hoofball, a candle burning a mile away would have been too much right now. In the darkened chamber, the thin ray of sunlight that slipped beneath the door seemed to boil with churning colors. The shimmering aurora brought pain that ran through every one of the little dragon’s scales and joints. Tenderly, he tried to rise to his feet but found himself oddly balanced, as if his front legs were too short. Why was his center so off? Then, as if he had been struck by lightning, it all came flooding back to him. The potion, the sight of a pony’s face in the mirror, the train ride, the party… the KISS! Spike leapt to his feet, wincing in pain as he staggered over to one of the candles, lighting it with a quick breath before turning to face himself in the mirror. In it, he saw his usual draconic self, unchanged and unaltered, save for the oversized collar of the jacket Fire Heart had worn. The rest of the clothing lay rumpled on the floor, but Spike paid it little mind. “Did… did all that really happen?” he asked his reflection, half expecting it to answer back. “Did I really pull it off? Did Rarity really kiss me!?” His claw pressed against the glass and he stared at himself, fighting through the clouds in his head. Little by little it came back to him, every detail, every moment, and he couldn’t help but let his smile grow wider and wider with each memory. “Rarity,” he mumbled, sliding down against the mirror and letting his head rest against the cool glass. “It was perfect,” he concluded, before striking a fist into his palm. “NO! It was better than perfect! It was amazing!” As the memories returned to him, the energy and thrill of the evening returned to him as well. It had been so much different than he had expected. His mind had been clear and more alert than ever, his words came to him more easily. As the night had wore on, he had found himself able to keep pace with Rarity on a level he had always struggled with in the past. “Did the potion make me smarter?” he wondered before leaping to his feet with a shout. “The potion!” He raced over to the little pot, now long since cold from sitting overnight. As he held up the candle to peer inside, he could see that it was still half full of the shimmering crimson liquid, looking for all the world like liquefied rubies. Spike set down the candle, grabbing a bottle and, with agonizing care, drained the contents of the pot into it. Before he stoppered it, he held it up, watching the liquid shimmer in the dancing candlelight as he considered what it had really done. It wasn’t just some illusion or simple disguise. For one evening, a scant few hours, Spike had lived as a pony, a stallion. It had not made him smarter, he was fairly certain of that, but it had given him maturity, comprehension and something more. He took a glance down at his blank hip and an odd mix of understanding and uncertainty filled him. “Fire Heart,” he whispered. The name had come to him in the journey from the castle of friendship to the train station. It had felt right, purposeful, like the name was his and had always been his. Spike glanced to the bottle again, a strange swirl of emotions in his chest. “Was that really my cutie mark?” he asked the potion, half expecting it to answer. Even if it had been just part of the disguise, the ruby on his flank had seemed to almost guide him as truly as his own mind and heart did at other times. Even when he had spoken so passionately to Rarity about his talent and purpose, he felt as if his cutie mark was telling him what to say. Still euphoric from the evening before and slightly disturbed at how changed he had been, Spike slipped the potion into a hidden corner of the room and carefully peeked out into the hall. Though everything seemed to be alright, his memory of how he got home was more than a little fuzzy. The presence of a return train ticket timestamped around midnight in his jacket at least told him part of the story, but there was still a chance he might have been caught and just didn’t know it. Spike, if he was being honest, couldn't even be sure of what day it was, let alone if it was still morning, as he made sure his secret room was still concealed. However, as he carefully made his way down the hall, the young drake began to relax. The sunbeams shining across the tops of the western bookshelves told him it was still morning and a glance at the date of the paper left on the castle step was enough to convince him everything had truly gone to plan. He had been gone but a single night. “Let’s see,” he muttered to himself after grabbing some breakfast. “Twilight and Rarity should be back on the afternoon train and that leaves me with, let’s say… five hours to do my chores and errands,” he concluded smugly as he started going over his checklist of tasks. However, as he began to read through the list, the paper began to unfold... and unfold... and unfold, until nearly a three foot long, itemized list lay at Spike’s feet. Sweat began to bead on the little dragon’s forehead as he stared at everything Twilight had intended him to do over the last day and a half. “Well, heh, maybe the train will be delayed?” he asked himself hopefully with a nervous chuckle. The hope only lasted for a moment before dying the death that all procrastinator’s dreams must and with a sigh of resignation, Spike pushed aside his breakfast and rushed to try and make up for lost time. *** A few hours later and with several miles left to cover, the Canterlot express rumbled its way across the countryside, putting Equestria’s capital far behind it. Within one of the many passenger cars, Rarity watched the flowered hills and forests roll past, her vision broken only by the occasional puff of steam from the engine. Yet, despite having provided her much inspiration in the past, the unicorn’s mind was far from focused on the the picturesque landscape. Instead, she was still back in the hall, the low roar of a hundred little conversations in her ears and a pair of blazing green eyes staring into hers. Letting out a sigh of frustration, she glanced over at her companion, struggling to ask the question that burned in her mind. For perhaps the hundredth time, Rarity considered putting it off until they were home. After all, she put off pressing Twilight with her suspicions during the ball, as well as after, and then of course in the morning and again at the train station. Each time, delaying the inevitably awkward conversation was perfectly justifiable. It couldn’t be helped that Twilight had, as a princess must, entertain dignitary after dignitary and suffer the inevitable bout of exhaustion and headache that followed. It also would have been a poor topic of discussion when both of them were less than astute in the morning hours, or likewise in a rush making sure everything was ready for the journey home on time. It wasn’t as if they had been in private then either, oh no. They hadn’t been well rested either, sitting in the comfort and seclusion of a private room, with nothing but time between them to discuss such an important and delicate topic. Not like now. Not like they had been for the last hour or so once the train was well underway. Then again, Twilight did seem very focused on her crossword puzzle, so perhaps this wasn’t an ideal time after all. Hanging her head dejectedly, Rarity was forced to admit that she had put things off long enough and steeled herself for the task. “Twilight, darling?” she began, looking at her friend nervously. “I was wondering if I could ask you a question, or rather discuss something about last evening.” Twilight looked up at her friend and smiled. “Of course Rarity, what’s on your mind?” she asked, , laying down the paper. “Well, do you remember the young stallion I brought up to you? The one named Fire Heart?” the unicorn began, trying to find the best way to prompt Twilight without sounding accusatory. The alicorn tapped her chin and thought for a moment before replying. “Umm, yes. Tall, green mane, purple coat, very nervous?” “Yes, dear. Him,” Rarity confirmed in a polite deadpan. “What did you think of him?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “Oh! Um,” Twilight replied with a surprised expression on her face. “Well,” she continued, gathering her thoughts. “He seemed nicer than most of the other ponies I met last night. Though I really didn’t get to talk to him much before tha…” “Yes, I remember the meeting,” Rarity interrupted, before giving her friend an inquisitive look. “Did he remind you of anypony, or should I say anyone, at all?” she asked, carefully studying Twilight’s reaction. However, the alicorn only looked confused and more than a little annoyed at Rarity’s interruption. “My apologies dear,” Rarity quickly continued, trying to sooth her friend. “I suppose I shouldn’t dance around the subject, but when I first laid eyes upon him I was almost certain that he was…” she said, trailing off until finally sighing in frustration. “That he was actually Spike disguised as a pony.” Twilight’s initial reaction was one of surprise, closely followed by reasoned understanding as Rarity’s odd behavior had been made clear. “Now that you mention it, there were some distinct similarities between them,” she said, trying to recall the details of her brief interaction with Fire Heart. “...I take it that means you didn’t transform Spike into a pony?” Rarity asked with nervous directness. A mix of fear and hope filled her and she was no longer certain whether yes or no would be a better answer. Twilight shook her head. “No, I didn’t turn Spike into a pony, Rarity and even if I did, transfiguration magic like that shouldn’t have lasted the night.” she explained as Rarity found herself glancing back out the window at the distant city they had left behind. Her brow furrowed, the unicorn turned back towards her friend. “Discord perhaps? He certainly has shown to have the power to pull off a stunt like this,” she offered, though the alicorn seemed unconvinced. “Likewise,” she continued, clinging to her train of thought like a lifeline. “He has been far friendlier with Spike of late since joining their game,” she reasoned, though Twilight only shook her head in reply. “I doubt that,” Twilight replied, gesturing with her hoof as she explained her thoughts. “If he was behind it, then there would have been some joke, some punchline or some sort of embarrassing disaster. I don’t think he would just turn Spike into a pony freely to have a nice night out, at least not without being there himself to cause at least a little mischief.” Rarity found she agreed with Twilight’s assessment. While it was certainly possible for the lord of chaos to work such magic, to have let the night go so perfectly would have been wildly out of character for even the reformed Draconequues. The more Rarity thought about it, the more she realized that the night had not gone perfectly. It had been pleasant if awkward at times and overall, was fairly mundane if she was being honest of her view of the evening. That alone was enough to exonerate Discord, at least for the moment. “If not him, then who or what?” Rarity asked, a hint of trepidation in her voice. The princess could only shrug in response. “Almost anything’s possible Rarity,” she began, levitating the paper into the air and, with a flash of magic, the black and white pages swelled into a book, bindings and all. “Traditional transfiguration magic is complex, draining and above all else... “ she halted in her speech for a moment and let the magic release from the book. “...temporary.” she concluded as the tome became a mere newsprint once more. “While this effect can be made longer lasting or even semi-permanent, the magic is at best a physical illusion. It would have been closer to Spike wearing a pony costume than what I remember encountering,” she concluded before giving her friend a searching look. “Did Fire Heart say or do anything that gave away his identity?” Rarity stared at her hooves, unable to look her friend in the eye. “No, I must admit, he did not,” she said with an air of finality. “Aside from his appearance and, well, a whole host of little details that were, in hindsight inconclusive, I can’t recall a single moment that ‘gave him away’. Truthfully speaking, dear,” Rarity went on, a wavering unease in her voice. “By the end of the evening I began to have my doubts.” Twilight Sparkle smiled sympathetically at her friend. “Rarity, with all of that,” she said, picking her words carefully. “Is it at all possible that this pony just happened to, coincidentally, share some physical qualities with Spike?” The unicorn let out a sigh as she again stared out of the window, seeing the first glimpses of distant Ponyville peeking out from above the trees. “I can’t deny the possibility,” she admitted after an uncomfortable moment of silence. “After all, Fire Heart seemed about as honest as anypony that was there and, I must admit, was far more eloquent in his speech than Spike usually is.” “Then I think we have to consider that as being just as plausible as the possibility of complex transformation magic,” Twilight said as Rarity shrunk back, knowing where this was going. “While we can’t conclusively rule out some obscure magic, it simply being a coincidence would be a far simpler explanation.” The alicorn watched her friend nod slowly in agreement and again stare out the window with a sour expression. “Why does the simpler solution bother you so much?” Twilight asked after the silence between them began to grow uncomfortable. Rarity didn’t respond at first, but closed her eyes and gathered her thoughts. Eventually, she turned to face her friend with a worried expression. “Because, darling, I no longer know what to think. Last night I was so certain that it was him when we bumped into each other and I spent the rest of our time together trying to get the truth out of him,” she admitted with a huff. “If that wasn’t Spike, it means I was in the company of a stranger. A stranger, I might add, who I spent the night alternating between interrogating and leading on!” Twilight could see the anger in Rarity’s face, the fear and the hurt. Anger that was neither directed at this Fire Heart, nor Spike, but at herself. “Rarity, if this bothers you so much, why not ask Spike when we get back to Ponyville?” “That is, quite possibly, the most disastrous thing I can possibly do,” Rarity said in a hard voice, her blue eyes shimmering with emotion. Seeing the look of confusion in her friend’s eyes, the unicorn’s expression softened slightly. “Twilight, dear, we both know how Spike feels about me. If I were to accuse him of being Fire Heart and it turns out he wasn’t, it would destroy the poor dear.” Twilight glanced away from Rarity’s piercing stare as the unicorn went on. “You know I’m right,” Rarity insisted. “I doubt there are many ponies who could survive a blow to the ego like that, to know that somepony they care about spent an enchanting evening with their double.” Twilight nodded her head slowly in agreement. If they wanted to confirm their suspicions, then they would have to do it without tipping off Spike. However, the more the princess of friendship thought, the more she realized that verifying the identity of Fire Heart was a secondary issue. She looked over at her friend and gathered her thoughts. “Rarity, we do know Spike’s feelings, but what about yours?” she asked hesitantly. “What about your feelings towards him? If it turned out that it was Spike in disguise, what would you do?” “I honestly don’t know,” Rarity admitted, feeling suddenly exhausted from the whole event. “I adore Spike, I really do, but he’s not... well, he's far too immature to be… What I mean is…” Rarity found herself struggling with her words, unable to say how she felt or how she felt she should feel. Despite her struggle and to her surprise, Twilight was wearing an expression of understanding. “Everything feels right and wrong at the same time, doesn’t it?” the alicorn asked with a faint smile. Rarity nodded, listening intently as her friend went on. “While it’s not quite the same, I often have mixed feelings about someone I met in the other world. He exists here too, but the knowledge that he is and isn't what he should be... what either of them are, it holds me back.” The train gave a shuddering lurch as it began to pull into Ponyville Station and both Rarity and Twilight gave a start at the sudden jolt. As they pulled to a stop, Rarity looked over at her friend. “I suppose I shall just have to wait and see how things progress, one way or the other,” she said resignedly, levitating her luggage from the storage racks above their heads. Twilight nodded, collecting her own bags as the train finally came to a stop and the pair made their exit. Squinting against the bright sunlight, Twilight looked around her. The platform was all but empty, with few ponies waiting to board or to receive travelers. Still, as her vision cleared, the alicorn seemed unable to locate her number one assistant. "Odd, I told Spike what time we'd be arriving and I don't..." Her question died abruptly as she heard her name called out. Her ears twitching, Twilight turned in the direction of the sound. There, sitting on a shaded bench at the end of the platform, was Spike, a friendly grin on his face as he waved at the two mares. "There he is," Twilight sighed, a faint smile on her face as she trotted towards the little dragon. "Right on time." "What, you doubted me?" Spike asked, cocking an eyebrow. "I told you you everything would be fine," he added, finally sliding off of the bench. Cheerful as his demeanor was, it was all spike could do to keep his breathing steady. A full morning of sprinting from place to place to get everything done made his legs feel like they were on fire. "I'm sorry Spike, but I still worry at times," Twilight replied sheepishly as stepped into the shade of the station's awning. Accustomed as she was to Spike's behavior, the alicorn couldn't help but notice that the little dragon seemed to be over-exerted. "Everything alright, Spike?" "Yes darling, you do seem a touch winded," Rarity chimed in, a gentle, if slightly melancholy smile on her face. She had been silent during the exchange between Spike and Twilight, mulling over her thoughts and feelings. She could certainly think of one reason the little dragon might be tired and decided to test it once and for all. "Did you not get enough sleep last night?" she asked pointedly, her eyes flashing to meet spike's own. Spike quickly closed his eyes and waved his claw dismissively. "No...no, just taking care of these chores and it's hot today," he said quickly, waving the scroll. If he looked Rarity in the eyes now it would be all over. He already felt the pressure and it was clear that she suspected, but he if he looked at her, she would know, and he would know that she would know and she would know that he knew that she knew and it would ruin just about everything. Spike was saved from blowing his cover by a sudden gasp and look of shock from Twilight and both he and Rarity turned towards her as her lavender magic snatched the scroll from his hand. "Spike... where did you get this?" she asked, unrolling the large scroll and scanning through the lines. "Um, the end table by the stairs? Where you always leave the to-do lists?" he answered nervously, scratching his head. "Did I do something wrong? I know I didn't get most of the things done that were on the list and I'm sorry but it was just so much to do and..." Twilight looked up from the scroll as Spike's voice took on an almost pleading tone. "Spike, I meant for you to take the other scroll... the one that was a third the length of this one," she explained, waving the long document around in the air. "This scroll was the master to-do list for the entire weekend!" "Oh... uh, oops?" the little dragon apologized with a blush as the princess continued to stare dumbfounded at him. Rarity turned her attention from the exchange and began reading over the tasks that had been checked off. Half, or close to half of them had been marked and the fashionista could only shake her head. "Twilight, weekend chores or no... is it really necessary to go to Sofa and Quills twice in as many days?" "Actually yeah," Spike deadpanned as both mares looked at him. "She goes through a lot of quills and ink, even more if Starlight and Trixie are over." "My writing habits aside," Twilight huffed, as a look of annoyance crept into her face. "Spike," she began, her expression softening. "...you've done nothing wrong. In fact, I'm impressed... though it does look like you may have overdid it a bit." "Heh, maybe," Spike admitted before suddenly feeling the familiar hugging sensation and warmth of Twilight's magic envelop him as he was lifted to his usual station upon the alicorn's back. "Well Rarity, we'd better get going," she said sadly. "Despite Spike's overachieving, there's still a few things I need to personally see to before nightfall." The fashionista smiled in reply. "Yes darling, of course," she said, giving both of her friends a wide smile before turning to make her own way home. As she reached the edge of the platform and took her first few steps into town, the unicorn sighed as if a great weight had been lifted from her back. The familiar sights, smells and sounds of her home seemed to dull the feelings that had been swirling inside her for hours. The questions and suspicions were still there, but so far removed from the glamour of Canterlot, they didn't seem so pressing. Her mood lightened and her worries dulled, Rarity made her way home. Author's Note Well... here it is, my long neglected chapter two. Obviously I failed in my efforts for last year as I only got about halfway through this chapter before a lot of real life stuff shook things up.
Chapter 3: Letter from the HeartView OnlineHeart of FireChapter 3: Letter from the HeartLife in Ponyville had a tendency to slip back into a routine, no matter what weirdness seemed to grip it, and life for Twilight and Rarity was no exception. Both Princess and Fashionista had returned to their respective works and, as days slipped away into weeks, the events of that night faded into the background of their thoughts. For Spike however, it was another matter entirely. Sleepless nights and long planning had led him to phase two of his master plan. A plan of intricacy and delicacy. A plan that would take all of the cunning and guile worthy of a dragon to pull off. A plan... that seemed to have devolved into the little dragon banging his head against a desk surrounded by crumpled scrolls. "Owe..." Spike groaned as he shook his head. "Why can't I think!?" he grumbled as he turned, leaning on the makeshift desk he had smuggled into his little hideout. Despite its humble beginnings, the room looked like a proper alchemist's lab now. With a few thin shelves lining the walls and the potion pot sitting in the middle of the floor. The potion itself, shimmering the color of rubies in the candlelight, sat upon an end-table, safe from any mishap. "This is all your fault," Spike growled, scowling at the bottle as if it could answer back. "Don't play innocent with me," he went on, pointing the end of his quill at it. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have spent the last two weeks sneaking around setting up post office boxes here and in Canterlot!" True to its nature as an inanimate object, the potion remained silent in the face of the tirade, though that did little to quell the young dragon's anger. With perfect stillness, as it had no ability to move under its own power, the bottle remained where it was, even as Spike advanced upon it. "I almost got caught doing it too!" Spike snarled, reaching up and grabbing the bottle as he glared into it. "Fortunately, with Twilight having me help her sort the incoming mail, I was able to keep her from seeing the confirmation letters," he explained smugly, his features shifting into a self-satisfied grin. The moment of pride didn't last long however and the young drake's features returned to their previous look of anger. "Still, it was too close." Spike's scowl softened as he stared at his distorted reflection in the glass. "All that... and for what?" he asked, turning to glance sorrowfully at the desk and crumpled parchments. "To get stuck trying to write a letter that doesn't sound stupid." No matter how hard he tried, no matter what books he borrowed and read up on to help with his writing, Spike just couldn't seem to find the words, or rather the right words. Even the best of what he had written still sounded childish, a dead giveaway of his scheme, despite his constant improvement. Now, after wasting reams of parchment, he couldn't figure out why it was so hard. It had been easy to be eloquent as Fire Heart. It had been easy as Fire Heart. Spike's eyes went wide as the realization hit him and he raised the bottle up, his eyes twinkling with the possibilities. "...Twilight's pulling an all-nighter, she won't need me until morning," he whispered, his green eyes darting about in the dark. "Starlight's asleep, nopony will find me here. I could do this..." "I can do this," he repeated, trying to steady himself as he shakily pulled the stopper from the bottle. He wouldn't admit it, but the prospect of transforming again scared him. "Just a little sip, enough for one letter," he whispered as his expression changed to one of confidence. The crimson fluid touched his lips and he carefully sipped. A sweetness, a faint burning sensation and numbness followed each other down his throat as he put down the bottle. He hadn't expected the pain the first time around, but this time he thought he was ready. As the fire and numbness spread throughout his body, he realized how wrong he was. Cast in the full light of the room, Spike's body began to jerk wildly as he writhed in agony. Front and back limbs burned as they stretched and Spike could barely keep from crying out as he felt his knees and elbows bend backwards. He watched as, one by one, each of his claws withdrew, fusing into the solid shape of hooves and he heard the indescribable sounds of each of his spines elongating, only to shatter, splitting apart into strands of green hair. Staggering, gasping for breath from lungs that seemed too powerful and cold, Spike tried to rise to his hooves, but his head was spinning and he collapsed to the ground. For a moment, he caught a glimpse of his reflection, torn between dragon and pony as his reptilian irises widened into fearful circles. Fangs blunted, scales splintered into fur, and his tail withdrew, leaving long strands of green that had once been his lower spines to form a lustrous tail of hair. Then, all at once, the nightmare ended. The stallion Spike had become laid upon the floor, gasping for air as a strange sensation, a calming warmth, enveloped each flank. Glancing back towards his hindquarters, Spike smiled as he saw his cutie mark and felt the gentle reassurance its presence provided. Fire Heart rose to his hooves and brushed back his mane, staring at his reflection, or rather, Spike stared out of Fire Heart's eyes to see his reflection. "I never noticed feeling this disconnected before," the stallion murmured to himself as he raised one hoof and then another. Perhaps he had been too focused on the evening, on Rarity, but now that he had time to really think about how he felt, the drake turned stallion found that it wasn't so dissimilar to wearing a costume, though one that filled him with a sense of purpose like never before. "Heh, I must admit, I make for a dashing pony," Fire Heart chuckled to himself, turning around several times and striking various poses. "It's no wonder Rarity was won over by my charms," he mused, before turning his attention to his earlier letter writing. "Though there will be time enough to show off for her later, first I have to win her heart..." *** "Whew," Rarity sighed in relief as as she carefully wrapped up her latest creation into a shipping box. "While I do enjoy the creative process, I'll be glad to have a small breather," she thought to her herself as she filled out the label. While the customer's final fitting was still needed, that could be handled by Sassy Saddles along with any minor adjustments. Glancing out the window, her eyes fell upon the tall spires of distant Canterlot. There was a weariness in the unicorn's eyes, though her wandering thoughts brought a satisfied smile to her face. While her thoughts had sometimes drifted back to that night, to the strange young stallion and her suspicions about him, her mind had been more often focused on the other ponies she had met with. They were her contacts and clients and, as her depleted stores of fabric and thread attested to, more than one of them since that night had resulted in a commission or order. She regarded the parcel she had just finished sealing with an appraising eye. While some of her recent work had taken mere days, simple alterations of fabrications of her existing designs, this little number had taken nearly a month to complete. Like all her creations it was a work of art and she had, as always, given her all to it. "Perhaps a bit too much," the unicorn muttered aloud, failing to suppress a yawn as the effects of several near sleepless nights began to set in. While it would normally be the height of unprofessionalism should she be caught, Rarity couldn't help but doze now that she had a calm moment to herself. Caught in the embrace of wakefulness and sleep, the unicorn nearly leapt up in a panic as a knock came from the door of the Boutique. Her eyes practically rattling in her head as she calmed herself down, Rarity quickly straightened out her mane and coat with a wave of magic. "Cooooming~" she called out musically as she opened her door and started in with her usual spiel. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique, where everything is... " Rarity began, but stopped abruptly when she saw who it was on the other side. This was no customer, or at least not today. A familiar, if unfocused pair of soft yellow eyes met Rarity's and the unicorn backed up, welcoming the pegasus in with a wave of her hoof. "Good afternoon Ditzy Doo," she said with a warm smile. "You're right on time, I just finished a package I need delivered." The grey and yellow pony nodded, landing as she entered the shop and looked around. Ditzy Doo always liked it when she had an excuse to stop by the Boutique, it always fired her imagination. With all the frills and glamour that dripped from each of Rarity's designs, a mare could lose herself for hours just thinking about the wonders around her. Still, she had a job to do and Ditzy Doo shook her head to clear the fantasies away before taking another look around the room. Her gaze eventually fell upon the package and she tucked it safely under one of her wings. "Got it, Rarity, this going to somepony local?" she asked. The unicorn shook her head. "I'm afraid not Darling, it's bound for Canterlot," she explained before smiling apologetically. "Also, I'm afraid I have to forgo your usual tip this time." One of Ditzy's eyes turned to regard the other pony and the mailmare couldn't hide the disappointment in her voice. "...no muffins?" she asked, having looked forward to trying the more artisanal baked goods Rarity usually kept in her cupboards. The unicorn shook her head. "Unfortunately no. I'm afraid my little sister and the crusaders took my offer of providing snacks for one of their meetings rather liberally," she explained with a look of annoyance. "My cupboards are bare of every cookie, biscuit and muffin there was," she huffed, her anger rising. "The little brigands even managed to make off with my stash of marshmallow delights!" The words cut the air like a thunderclap and, for a moment, Rarity could only remain frozen at how much she had raised her voice. Ditzy Doo, for her part, could only stare at her in muted awkwardness. Shrinking back like a withered flower, a blush on her cheeks, Rarity coughed daintily. "That is to say, I'd be more than happy to make it up to you later on," she said with an apologetic smile, regaining her composure. "It's alright, maybe we can meet up for lunch some time," Ditzy Doo replied with a sympathetic smile. After a moment, her expression changed to one of embarrassed shock. "Oh! I almost forgot to give you your mail," the pegasus explained, pulling out a small stack of letters and setting them on a nearby counter. "Alright, I better get going if you want this sent out on today's train," she said, nodding to the package under her wing. "Have a good day Rarity." "You too dear, and yes, I think we should definitely do lunch soon," the fashionista replied, turning to check her mail as Ditzy Doo left the shop. Her magic flowed over one letter after another, sorting it or dismissing it in turn. "Bill, Bill, thank you card from client, You may have already won seven million bits," the unicorn rattled off, tossing the junk. Her eyes lit up as she saw a small picture of the Crystal Empire. "Oooh, a postcard from Coco Pommel, seems she's enjoying her vacation," Rarity mused, turning over the small picture once or twice before her eyes lit up at the last letter. It was a formal looking bit of decent stationary, addressed to her but with the Canterlot Boutique's address. "...and that just means one thing," Rarity said aloud with a predatory grin, slicing open the envelope with her magic. "A new order from a new cli..." Her words died softly on her lips as she read the opening words. My dearest Rarity, forgive this uncouth stallion for taking so long to write. For a full minute, the unicorn could only stare in shock as a flood of memories and conflicted emotions welled up within her. This had all been a charade, hadn't it? Spike had his fun but couldn't seriously be expected to keep up such a ruse, or could he? Or, or was this real? These and a thousand other little hopes, fears and thoughts swirled about the fashionista's mind as she managed to focus enough to read. While I could lament the muses for leaving me, condemn myself as a coward, or blame my duties as distracting, I will not. The simple truth is that I could not find the right words. Everything I wrote was too grand, or juvenile, or desperate. Despite your insistence to the contrary, you are a true Lady, worthy of every praise such a luminary deserves. Yet, I am no poet, and my efforts to write in a way I felt was worthy of you have failed. So I will instead write from my heart and hope that my fears will be trod underhoof. There is more than just beauty within you, and I felt that we held something special for even a few moments that night. If I am wrong, then I ask that you relieve me of my delusions. If I am not, then I dare not write what I hope for fear of jinxing it. Right or wrong, I desire many things. Yet at this moment, when I fear I have acted too late or presume to much, I ask but one thing from you. Your words. If it pleases you, write to me. Let me know if you are well, if you are unwell. Ask me questions, answer what questions I may ask. Tell me if I am still dreaming or if I need to wake up. I wish to be a part of your life, even if it is not in the manner I truly wish, even if it is but for a little time. Yours if you wish it, Fire Heart Rarity held the letter shakily in her magic as she read and reread the words, a blush slowly turning her cheeks to pink, then red. The unicorn had been caught well and truly off guard and, within her, a knot of nervousness began to form in her gut. The letter wasn't perfect, it was flawed, very flawed, and full of insecurities and fears. Slowly releasing a breath she hadn't realized she was holding, Rarity's mind tried to drag itself out of the feelings the letter brought out of her. It had left her feeling touched in a way she had never truly felt before, but the elation was mingled with all the suspicions and uncertainties that she had spend most of the train-ride home grappling with. "I need some air, to clear my head," the unicorn muttered, staggering out the front door in a daze before she regained her focus. "I need perspective, I need to decide my next move... I need to talk to Twilight about this," she declared, her eyes snapping up from the letter to fixate on the crystalline walls of the Castle of Friendship. Folding the letter up with her magic, Rarity headed off to seek counsel from her friend.
Chapter 4: Reviewing the SituationView OnlineHeart of FireChapter 4: Reviewing the Situation"Twiliiiiight!" Rarity whined impatiently, watching as the other mare scrutinized the precious piece of paper with the aid of a magnifying glass. "Will you stop examining it and just read the letter? Please!?" "I will in a moment Rarity," Twilight assured her friend, never taking her eye off the page. "I doubt it contains anything as straightforward as an admission from Spike," she mused, "Otherwise, we would be having a very different conversation right now, and I can gain a great deal of information from the letter itself, beyond the words upon it," Twilight explained, turning the paper over in her magic. "I want as many details as possible before I risk clouding my analysis with any sort of emotion." Rarity accepted her friend's explanation with a huff of impatience, her eyes glancing towards the front door of the castle. She felt fortunate that Spike had been dragged along on one of the Crusader's escapades, as it allowed her to continue avoiding a direct confrontation. However, even as her gaze fell back upon Twilight, the unicorn couldn't help but think her friend was taking far too long to form an opinion. Twilight, apparently oblivious to Rarity's growing unease, continued in her examination of the letter. Every detail could provide a clue, every oddity a piece of information and the young princess seemed determined to pry every secret from it. "Cloth based paper, tight threads, decent quality material," she muttered, catching Rarity's attention. "It's not the most expensive paper out there, mind you, but it is good quality paper," she clarified, "Clean edges, no staining, no watermark," Twilight continued, rattling off each detail as she came across it. "...alright," Rarity said after a moment, her eyes narrowing. "So aside from the fact that it isn't personalized stationary, we can only tell what? That it likely didn't come from a noble or somepony watching their budget?" she asked, earning a nod from her friend. "Correct," Twilight confirmed, as she continued her examination. "...however, it is the sort of paper that somepony who works for the nobility, such as as a scribe or aide might use. It's also the right sort of paper to use in books," she added, watching as Rarity rubbed her forehead with her hoof in exasperation. "Well, that certainly narrows things down, doesn't it?" she asked sarcastically. "I'm sorry Rarity, but the paper really could be from anywhere. Doubly so as we just have a post office box as a return address," Twilight confirmed sadly, before looking over the letter again and frowning. "Interesting." "What is it darling?" Rarity asked nervously, her frustration forgotten as she moved in closer to see what her friend was focused on. Twilight, it seemed, was finally examining the writing, but rather than processing the content of the words, she appeared to be dissecting their physical construction. "Hmm, I will say this much," the unicorn began evenly, careful not to jump to any conclusions. "This writing is similar to Spike's. However, there is one major difference," Twilight quickly clarified when she saw that Rarity was about to interject. She held out the paper to Rarity and highlighted the script with her magnifying glass. "These words are cleanly written, no smudging, no scuffing on the paper," the alicorn said as she looked to see if her friend was following along. Seeing the raised eyebrow Rarity was giving her, Twilight let out a sigh. "Spike writes by claw and he tends to drag his wrist as he writes, or at least, when seated at a desk he does. This always leaves faint scuff marks on the paper," she explained. "Additionally, when combined with other distinct features this script has, I have my doubts that he wrote it." Rarity waited a moment, but it seemed her friend wasn't going to clarify without out a gentle nudge. "...and those other features are?" the unicorn inquired, barely able to contain the frustration in her voice. Twilight's ears drooped and she looked away from her friend. "Rarity, please understand, I'm not a hoofwriting expert," she began apologetically, glancing back at the unicorn. "However, Spike's been my number one assistant since he learned how to write and, well... I know what his writing looks like." Rarity shifted on her hooves uneasily. While she had a feeling where Twilight was going with this, she had to be certain, she had to know. "Go on dear," the unicorn said quietly. "Please explain." "At a desk or not, Spike writes quickly, with his lines close and his letters thin in a manner similar to hornwriting," Twilight explained, causing her friend to nod in understanding. "Perfect for lists and note taking, I assume?" Rarity offered, her lips forming a small smirk. "I think I can guess where he picked up those habits," she teased, earning a chuckle from the alicorn that seemed to ease the tension in the room. "I won't deny I helped him learn," Twilight replied, gesturing with her hooves to try and explain. "For most ponies though, mouth writing doesn't lend itself well to that. A stylus held in the mouth tends to move almost in wide, fluid strokes... just like script in this letter does." Rarity tried to imagine Spike having the patience to write something using his mouth, or at least to fake such a thing with his claws. However, the idea seemed increasingly absurd the more she thought of it. "I suppose that's it then," she said coolly, though Twilight shook her head. "Lets not jump to conclusions yet Rarity," the alicorn said as she finally started glancing over the actual meaning of the letter. "I don't want to give you a false impression based on something that could be explained as easily as Spike finding somepony else to write for... oh, oh my." Rarity watched the bookish pony's eyes widen as she read, and the fashionista smiled at the visible war going on between Twilight's inner scientist and the hopeless romantic Rarity was certain lay hidden inside her friend. From the blush that had taken to Twilight's cheeks, it appeared the scientist was losing. After a few attempts at rereading the letter, Twilight levitated it back to her friend and sat down. "...I have reached my conclusion," she said flatly, glancing upwards apologetically towards Rarity. "Had I listened to you and just read the letter first, I could have saved a great deal of time." Somehow, against all odds, Rarity managed to keep the 'I told you so' buried deep inside herself. After all, this was no time to put undue pressure on her friend. "It's alright darling," she said, trying to keep the strain from her voice. "However, if it's not too much trouble... Would you tell me what that conclusion is!?" The unicorn practically shouted the last words before shrinking back and offering an apologetic smile as her voice took on a much sweeter tone. "Pretty, please?" Twilight looked away and a shameful blush crept into her features. "This letter is highly unlikely to have come from Spike. The verbiage is wrong, the tone is wrong..." "How can you be so certain of that?" Rarity cut in, looking curiously at her friend's change in demeanor. Twilight let out a sigh of defeat. "Spike will never forgive me for this if he finds out..." the princess said hesitantly, her magic flaring as the door to the map room slammed shut. "However, I've seen the sort of letters he's tried to write to you before." Rarity raised an eyebrow at her friend, a knowing smirk on her face. "Snooping? Why Twilight, I would never have suspected you of all ponies." "Well, it wasn't like I went looking," Twilight said sheepishly. "There were a number of crumpled up drafts near a wastebasket in his room and I just happened to look at them before throwing them out," she explained, rising to her hooves and regaining a measure of composure. "They were... well, really badly written and most of them were attempts at poetry." "Most of them were rather juvenile declarations of what he saw as your best qualities, while a lot of others were fanciful boasting of how he intended to woo you," the mare went on, seating herself on her throne. "That tonal difference, combined with the other observations I made leads me to conclude that it is highly, highly unlikely that Spike wrote this letter." Rarity nodded, taking in a deep breath as she digested this truth, though she clung on to a single spark of uncertainty. "...could you conceive of how it may have been him?" she asked her friend with a faint, if weary smile on her face. Twilight shook her head. "He would need an accomplice... to both coach him as well as do the actual writing for him," she said, though the mare frowned as she saw her friend's expression. "Rarity," the alicorn said somewhat sternly. "This Fire Heart has reached out to you," she said, her expression softening. "In friendship if nothing else, he deserves a reply." Rarity nodded as she reread the letter again. "Yes, but what reply should I give him?" she wondered to herself as she felt a mixture of fear, hope, warmth and guilt well up inside of her. "Spike will be heartbroken if this goes further..." she said quietly as Twilight nodded in agreement, even as a look of determination crept into Rarity's eyes. "However, It would be beyond crass to leave this young stallion heartbroken as well," she said, trotting towards the door of the castle. "Oh? What do you intend to do?" Twilight asked as he friend trotted out. "Why darling, isn't it obvious?" Rarity asked with a turn and flourish of her tail. "I have a letter of my own to write~" she sang as she took her leave of her friend and headed for home, her uncertain feelings on the matter subsumed by a strange excitement. It was an unusual sensation for the mare, a shifting set of feelings that lay somewhere between the drive and energy of one of her moments of inspiration, and the swooning flush of her romantic instincts. What kept it off balance, however, and what kept Rarity's pace at at brisk trot, rather than an unladylike gallop, was the unshakable uncertainty of it all. Even as she drew near the boutique, the unicorn could not help but glance at the letter again, running through Twilight's observations of it and trying to reconcile her conclusions. The fashionista's own instincts continued to keep the seed of doubt and suspicion well lodged in her mind, but she had no choice but to seriously consider that Fire Heart was... exactly the charming young stallion she had met and not what she suspected him of being. She didn't bother turning the sign of her shop back to 'OPEN' as she entered and headed straight for her room. Until she acted on the thought in her head, she wouldn't be able to focus on anything else. Scissors, thread, fabric and designs were swept away in a cerulean glow as stationary, an inkwell and the precious letter took their place. Rarity's eyes fell upon the script and, for a moment the seed of doubt was silenced as a strange, halting laugh bubbled up from within her. Within a moment, the normally poised and practiced mare was giggling like a schoolfilly over a crush. It passed as quickly as it had come, but it left a warmth inside of her that had been missing for a long time. Azure magic flared to life and a single feather began to dance across the ivory and sapphire stationary, though like a rehearsing ballet dancer, it was halting, forever starting and stopping as draft upon draft was consigned to the wastebasket. Finally, after many attempts, Rarity took a deep breath and looked down at her writing with a pleased expression. My dear Fire Heart, Do not be so concerned by the long delay in writing. I can quite sympathize with your feelings. Woe be the heart when the mind cannot bring its feelings to life. I confess, the delay may have been fortunate, as I have been so wrapped up in my work these last weeks that I have had little time to dwell on anything approaching personal. Yet now, with distractions gone and a clearer mind than I might have had, I can easily give you my reply. You are not delusional my dear, at least no more than I. I too felt something special that night. Just what it may be, or may lead to, I cannot be certain and, like you, I fear to give voice to it. As for my words, forgive me if I act against my element, but if I am to share then I need your words in exchange. It is only fair. This letter bears my home address in Ponyville, write to me soon. The unicorn paused as she reached the end of the letter, gently tapping the end of her quill against her chin. "Hmm, now how to close it out?" She murmured before a smile graced her lips as her eyes fell upon a bottle on her desk. With more than a little pride, Rarity simply put her name to the document with with every elaborate flourish she could think of. Returning the quill to it's holder, the mare's cerulean magic wrapped around the bottle that had caught her attention. As it floated above the letter, the bulb on the back of it compressed and a fine cloud of perfume spread across the page. It was an enchanting, enticing scent that Rarity hoped would keep the magic of that first meeting alive as they both pursued this uncertain ground. After all, it was the scent she had worn on that fateful night.
