Very Special Somedragon

Chapter 6

"OK, Spike," Spike said fiercely to his reflection the following evening, straightening the red bow tie of his black suit, "This is it. Your chance to impress Rarity on Hearts And Hooves Day! Hmmm. Maybe I should wear some gems. I know Rarity likes gems. But maybe it wouldn't suit me. I don't know, maybe I should—"

"Hey, Spike!" called Twilight Sparkle, poking her head in through Spike's bedroom door, "Are you coming or what?"

"Uh, yeah," said Spike, tearing his eyes away from his reflection and sprinting over to the door to join Twilight, who was wearing a deep blue dress with star patterns on, and diamonds studded round the edges. "Do I look OK?" Spike asked Twilight, in a panicked voice, "Is my tie straight? Is it the right colour? Oh, what would Rarity think if I—"

He was abruptly cut off as Twilight placed a hoof over his mouth. "Spike," she said, smiling, "Rarity just loves you to bits. She won't care what colour your bow tie is."

"But Rarity's the queen of fashion!" exclaimed Spike, "If I don't dress right, maybe she'll think I don't care about fashion! And if she thinks I don't care about fashion, she'll think I don't care about her! Oh, what am I going to—"

"Oh, lay off, Spike," chided Starlight Glimmer, who was standing beside Twilight in a creamy lilac dress decorated with pink sequins and gems, with a white sash, "I think Twilight's paranoia might be rubbing off on you."

"Hey!" said Twilight, mildly annoyed.

"What?" said Starlight, innocently.

"You're right," said Spike, breathing heavily, "I've gotta stop worrying. It probably won't be that bad. Right?" he asked them, desperately.

"Spike, Rarity adores you," said Starlight, rolling her eyes, "I'm pretty sure it'll be perfect."

"Yeah," said Spike, heavily, "I'm sure it will."

...

"Everything's gonna be fine, everything's gonna be fine!" gasped Spike, breathing into a paper bag as he, Twilight and Starlight headed towards the Carousel Boutique.

By the time they reached the front door, sweat was running down Spike's brow, and he was shaking like an earthquake. He slowly reached up his claw to knock, but then snatched it back!

"Oh, for goodness sake, Spike," said Twilight, impatiently, "I'll do it."

She knocked on the door with her hoof, and a few hoofsteps were heard from inside before it opened. Spike's jaw dropped as his eyes fell upon Rarity. She wore robes of shimmering purple, with sparkling trails of thread sewn across it and rubies and amethysts studded into the hem. Her mane was tied back with a shiny blue sash, and her ears were pierced with earrings the shape of raindrops. She wore four unblemished glass slippers on her hooves.

"Twilight, darling!" beamed Rarity, "And Starlight, too! And..." she chuckled, "Spikey-Wikey."

Spike's mouth was hanging open, a trickled of drool dangling from his mouth, and his eyes open as wide as saucers.

"Spikey-Wikey," said Rarity, giving Spike a tap on the forehead, breaking him out of his daze.

"H-hey, Rarity," Spike said, dreamily, "You look beautiful. Even more than usual. Are you ready to go?"

"Almost," replied Rarity, levitating up some perfume and spraying a puff onto her mane, "There. Perfect."

Soon they arrived at the Hearts And Hooves Day party in the town hall, and when I say it was a party, I mean it was a party. Streamers and banners decorated the entire town hall, with shades of red and pink to represent the holiday. A huge banner reading Hearts And Hooves Day was hung over the stage, on which Octavia was playing a beautiful tune on her violin. Heart-shaped cakes were laid out on the food table, as well as bunches of daisies and daffodils and a variety of different punch flavours. Dozens of couples were beneath the stage, dancing to Octavia's music. Starlight Glimmer spotted Sugar Belle and Big Mac among them.

"Hey!" called Starlight, "Sugar Belle! Over here!"

"Oh! Starlight!" beamed Sugar Belle, walking over with Big Mac, "It's so good to see you! It's been ages!"

Sugar Belle was one of the ponies from Starlight's old village, Our Town, who had all fallen victim to her distorted conception of "equality" and had their cutie marks removed. But thanks to Twilight and the others, Sugar Belle had regained her cutie mark and later, Starlight's friendship.

"It's good to see you too," said Starlight, embracing the pink pony, "How are you doing?"

"Wonderful," replied Sugar Belle, "Thanks to Big Mac's apples, business is really looking up in my bakery."

Big Mac blushed. "Eeyup," he said, smiling, and nuzzled noses with Sugar Belle.

"So," said Sugar Belle, flirtatiously, "Where were we, Big Mac? Dancing?"

"Eeyup," said Big Mac, blushing, and they both headed over to the dance floor.

"That looks like it might be fun," said Rarity, catching Spike's eye.

"Then..." said Spike, smiling, "Would you like to dance? With me?"

Rarity laughed. "Why of course, darling," she smiled.

The others watched as Spike and Rarity headed over to the dance floor and began to sway to the tune of Octavia's violin.

"Love," said Twilight and Starlight, amusedly.

A little while later, Discord arrived, wearing the same swanky outfit he had worn to the Grand Galloping Gala. He snapped his fingers. A spotlight lit up over him, and a shower of glitter rained down from the ceiling.

"Oh, I just love making an entrance," he chuckled to the Smooze, who slithered in after him, wearing its usual top hat and bow tie.

Nearly everypony in the room gasped in horror in sight of the Smooze!

"Oh, don't mind them, Smooze," Discord said, patting his friend on the head, "They're ponies. They gasp."

"Hey there, Discord!" yelled Pinkie Pie, bouncing over to him, "Hey, Smooze!"

"Pinkie Pie!" greeted Discord, "I believe my guest has something for you."

"Ooh!" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, looking at the Smooze.

The Smooze stuck its hand inside itself and brought out a bunch of flowers that had a lot of green ooze on them. He gave them to Pinkie Pie, who gasped in delight!

"Hearts And Hooves Day flowers WITH weird creepy green slime all over them?" exclaimed Pinkie Pie, "That's the BEST kind!"

The Smooze raised his hat to her.

"Awwww, you're just a little sweet pea, aren't you!" cooed Pinkie Pie, giving the Smooze a noogie, "Come on, Smoozinator! Time to Smooze up this dance floor!"

She grabbed two hooffuls of the Smooze and yanked him over to the dance floor.

Discord rolled his eyes, amusedly, as Pinkie Pie and the Smooze began to dance, then went off to find Fluttershy. He looked all around the party but couldn't find his best friend. "Excuse me," he said, stepping in between ponies, "Coming through. So sorry. Excuse me. Hey there, pony pals," he said, striding up to Twilight, Starlight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, Discord," laughed Starlight, "Nice outfit."

"Thank you, Starlight," replied Discord, "Tell me, have you girls seen Fluttershy anywhere?"

"No," said Twilight, shaking her head, "Maybe she decided not to come. She doesn't like noise, after all."

"Not come!?" exclaimed Discord, "Why that's insane! She told me she couldn't wait!"

Just then, Octavia finished her violin tune and bowed to the audience, all of whom clapped and cheered.

"Thank you, Octavia," said Mayor Mare, as the curtains closed, "Now we have a pegasus who wrote a special song of her own to sing for us tonight."

She extended her hoof and walked off the stage. The curtains parted and a yellow pony with a pink mane and a three-butterfly cutie mark stepped out onto the stage.

"Fluttershy!?" exclaimed Discord and the others, incredulously.

The background music started up. Fluttershy looked at her friends, then took a deep breath, opened her mouth and started to sing.

"Every day of the year we are all the best of friends.
And we all know the truth, that our friendship never ends.
But at this one time of year
When we all gather here
To celebrate the day when our love and friendship wends...

True love, they say, is our life's big mystery...
But we see on this day, it's a thing for you and me...
We'll see each other through
And we will never rue
The day of the year when we let our hearts go free...

And even when we want to hide,
There's a fire that burns inside.
It flows through all our hearts and souls,
Spreads love to stallions, mares and foals.
This very special time of year...

The light of our love is all shining out today...
From a box of chocolates or a rose bouquet...
Through the comfort and the pain
Through the sunshine and the rain
Your wish will come true on this very special day...

I wake on this day with a smile for me and you...
As the sun shines bright, everypony follows through...
All the pains in your heart relieve
And we will still believe
In this one special day when our love is pure and true...

And even when we want to hide,
There's a fire that burns inside.
It flows through all our hearts and souls,
Spreads love to stallions, mares and foals.
This very special time of year..."

Fluttershy finished her song with a series of outstanding vocals, then smiled shyly.

The crowd erupted with cheers and applause! Discord's jaw quite literally dropped to the floor. The next moment, he summoned up a dozen copies of himself to clap harder! Fluttershy's cheeks flushed pink as she heard all the cheers for her.

"WHOO WHOO WHOO!" yelled Pinkie Pie, bouncing up and down on top of the Smooze, splattering all the nearby ponies with green slime, "THAT WAS AMAZING, FLUTTERSHY!"

"Oh...oh thank you..." Fluttershy said, blushing furiously as the whole audience clapped for her, "Thank you everypony...oh please...you shouldn't have...oh thank you..." She bowed and walked offstage.

"Whoooooo, Fluttershy!" yelled Pinkie Pie, grabbing Fluttershy in her hooves and throwing her into the air as the other seven gathered round to cheer.

"That! Was! Awesome!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash!

"Fluttershy, that was amazing!" said Twilight, "Did you write that song yourself?"

Fluttershy nodded. "All it takes is the right tune and a little time and patience," she said, "Although I did ask Zecora to help me with some of the rhyming. You know how good she is."

The others laughed.

There was a flash of light, and Discord appeared next to them, wearing a judge's uniform. "Splendid performance!" exclaimed Discord, clapping his lion-and-eagle hands, enthusiastically, "On the scale of one to ten, I give that one a fifteen!" He held up a large 15 on a stick. "I'm sure you all agree," he said, looking at seven other Discords sitting at a judge's table, who held up 15s too.

"Oh," said Fluttershy, modestly, "I'm not that good."

"Oh, Fluttershy, will you stop all of this false modesty," said Discord, in disgust, "It'll never get you anywhere!"

"OK," said Fluttershy, smiling, "I guess I am pretty good."

"And you got over your stage fright," exclaimed Applejack.

"Uh huh," said Fluttershy, smiling, "I guess once you just start singing, you kind of forget about it."

"GROUP HUG!" yelled Pinkie Pie, and pulled the six ponies, the baby dragon, the draconequus and the Smooze into a bone-breaking group hug!

They all gasped for breath when Pinkie Pie released them!

"I think I'm going to need an inhaler!" gasped Discord, massaging his throat.

"This is the best party EVERRRR!" yelled Pinkie Pie, before bouncing back to the dance floor with the Smooze.

"Will somepony get this ooze off of me!" whimpered Rarity, who had been right next to the Smooze during the group hug.

Spike gasped! "It's OK, Rarity! I'll do it!" He whipped out his handkerchief and didn't stop until Rarity was clean of Smooze slime. "There!" he declared, "Looking just as beautiful as ever!"

Rarity looked down at her spotless self and smiled. The way Spike had instantly rushed to her side and the careful way that he had gotten her clean. He really did care about her.

"Thank you so much, Spikey-Wikey," smiled Rarity, nuzzling the baby dragon on the cheek.

Spike blushed. "H-hey..." he laughed, giddily, "Y-you're welcome, Rarity. Great job on the singing, Fluttershy."

"Thanks. But I think I've had enough excitement for one night," Fluttershy said, smiling, "I'm just going to go and sit down." She trotted over to the food tables and sat down.

"Tea, Fluttershy?"

Discord popped out of one of the tureens. He vanished and reappeared on the chair opposite, then snapped his fingers and two cups of mint tea appeared in front of them.

Fluttershy chuckled. "I'd like that very much."