A Dragon's Confession

The next morning, Spike woke up to find himself back in his room. He looked around for a brief moment, then he just dismissed it and just decided to get dressed, brush his teeth, and have breakfast. After getting dressed, he walked out of his bedroom and proceeded to go to the bathroom to brush his teeth. Along the way, he bumps into Courtly Aristo.

"Hey there. Do you know where Rarity happens to be?" he asked in a polite manner.

Seeing him was almost enough to get a rise out of Spike, but he held back his anger and replied,

"She's in her room."

He gave him a polite thank you and walked, but before he left, he said,

"How was your day with the princess?"

Spike stopped and turned around. He replies,

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He proceeds to just walk away, but Courtly Aristo follows him and held him against the wall. He says,

"I asked you a question dragon. Now be a good boy and answer it."

"Dude! Get off me!" Spike shouted, trying to break free of his grasp.

"Not until you answer my question."

"I don't have to tell you anything! Now let me go!"

"Oh, don't be like that. I just want to talk to you. Get to know the dragon that I'm speaking to."

"Oh really?! You think you're all high and mighty with your good looks, charm, charisma, and all that other garbage, but your just another show-pony who just wants a peek at Rarity!"

"And you don't?"

Spike was stunned at his remark.

"Listen to me, and listen well, dragon. She doesn't love you. All that she requires from you is your service and obedience. Do you really think that she would date a pathetic creature like you? All you're doing is setting yourself up for more disappointment."

"Shut up! You don't know anything about me, nor will you ever know anything about me! Rarity loves me! We have been close ever since I moved to Ponyville! She is-"

"Your girlfriend?"

Spike was now at a loss for words at this point.

"You really know how to tickle my comedic side. She doesn't love you. She doesn't notice you. She doesn't even congratulate you for your efforts. Now let that all sink in... slowly. Think about what-"

"Hey!"

They both heard the shout from across the hall. It was Starlight. She came over to them both in a calm, yet angry manner.

"What are doing to Spike?" she asked in a calm, yet enraged manner with her horn glowing.

"Oh nothing. We were just talking, getting to know each other since he's friends with Rarity." he said as he tossed him to the ground really hard.

Spike was reeling from the pain after the drop.

"I just realized something... you're even more pathetic when a mare has to come to your rescue. And she is no exception."

Before he left, he says in a taunting manner,

"Face it... she never loved you. That is a fact."

He then proceeds to walk away like a bat out of Tartarus. Starlight proceeded help Spike get up from the ground and she asked,

"Are you alright?"

"My arm is ringing, but no harm done." he replied.

"Just what was that all about?"

"He was threatening me to stay away from Rarity, but I'm not afraid of him. He's only full of hot air."

"Hmm. Will you be okay?"

"I will. Just don't tell anypony what happened, all right?"

"But what if he-"

"Please...! Just don't. And if you see Celestia... tell her that I just want some time to myself."

Starlight knew that Spike didn't want his pride to be wounded any further, but she didn't want to subside. If Twilight or anypony else, let alone Celestia, know, it would only hurt him even further and he never hear the end of it. Out of reluctance, Starlight replies,

"...okay."

The two parted ways as Starlight proceeded to got to Twilight while Spike continued to walk to the bathroom... alone. Spike felt nothing but angry for Courtly Aristo, not only for telling him to stay away from Rarity, but also hurting his pride as a dragon and telling him that she would never love him as her boyfriend. It was all boiling inside of him like a cooking pot getting ready for a grease fire. He wanted to hurt him, but how could he? He is in love with Rarity, but he didn't want to destroy their friendship over somepony. Thinking more about it just agonized him even more and he didn't want to think about it.

Meanwhile, Twilight was walking around, trying to figure out what to do with her day. Just then, Starlight showed up and caught up with her.

"Good morning Starlight. How is my favorite student doing?" Twilight asked, twinkling with joy.

"I'm fine, but there's something I have to tell you. It's about Spike." she said.

"Huh?"

"He told me not to tell you, but I can't do this."

"Starlight, what are you talking about?"

"If I tell you this, you can't tell Spike nor Celestia nor anypony else."

"You have my word. Now tell me."

Taking a couple deep breaths, she explains about what happened this morning and Twilight was entirely in shock and awe at what happened to Spike. She says,

"Why would Courtly Aristo do this to Spike? He was-"

"He was threatening him. I saw what happened. I was walking across the hallway and he held Spike against the wall."

"I believe you Starlight, but we can't just attack him. He could-"

"I know...! I just... I just don't want Spike to be hurt any further."

"I know you don't Starlight, but if we intervene, it would only damage his pride as a dragon."

"So you're telling me that we should let him-"

"No... but if we don't let him handle this on his own, it could do more than just hurt him. So for now... just stay on the sidelines and see what happens next."

Starlight disagreed with Twilight's choice of letting Spike fend for himself. He was her friend and she wanted to help him, but she knew perfectly well what Twilight was telling her.

"Fine. But nopony is to know about this." she said reluctantly

"You have my word Starlight Glimmer."

The two then walked out of the castle and proceeded with their day like everypony else. It was all mesmerizing, knowing what happened to Spike, but they chose to keep quiet about it and never tell another pony about what transpired this morning.