White Veilby MellowSoulChaptersVitalityForwardShiftDandelionOfferingProgressionInterludeDistanceSparkInterlude (Part 2)VitalityIt took a week for Spike to Finish the novel. The fantasy elements intrigued him to an extent, but the raunchier text made it difficult for him to want to progress. For a book of Rarity's caliber, from his perspective, it was underwhelming. When he stopped by the shop to drop it off, he was surprised to see Rarity's husband. They had passingly acknowledged each other before, but never formally spoken. "Hey! Spike, right?" "Yeah." "How's it goin'?" "Just stopped by to return something." Rarity exited the back room and joined them in conversation. "By the look on your face, I assume you've finished it," she noted. "Hey, isn't that that old book you threw me for a loop with," the stallion asked. Spike raised an eyebrow. "You read it, too?" "Oh, man! That was the strangest experience of my life, and probably the most hilarious!" "Can someone please explain?" "We met three years ago," Rarity began, "I was selling some of my newest dresses, and he was looking for something for his daughter's prom night. Like you, he was extremely nervous and uncomfortable in social environments. I helped him pick out a dress. At the time, I had just purchased that book you're holding there. We started chatting casually, and I came up with a brilliant, albeit devious plot." "She lent me the darn thing, and boy, let me tell ya', was that somethin' else!" "I'm still lost." "Simply put, it's a psychological shock," Rarity continued. "Psychological shock?" "Do you know what I heard in your voice when you called me last week? It's something you've been lacking for quite some time." "I have no idea." "Passion, dear! You were passionate about defending your ethical position and maintaining your good standing with Twilight." "Passion, huh..." "Think carefully. For that one moment, when you lost your patience with me, your desire to preserve life and limb made you forget your initial reservations about our friendship, did it not?" "Well...I guess so..." "Twilight wasn't the only one worried about you, you know. We've all been wondering where that spark of life has been. You were living the existence of a ghost in a flesh suit." "I know..." "Why?" "I don't think there was any real reason. After a while, I just kind of pulled back from society. Didn't really feel like there was anything left for me to do." "That's absurd! There must be something for you to do in the outside world." "Honestly, Rarity, who I was as a kid and who I am now are two totally different people. The version of me you were most familiar with isn't around anymore. I'm not enticed by high class society or concerned with winning affection like I was back then, and I'm not sure this new me is someone you guys would really care to be around." "You changed. It's a normal part of growing up. It doesn't mean you should retreat into apathy and wait to die. You would be wasting the most precious gift anyone can receive: the gift of life - the opportunity to achieve happiness with the limited time you have." "Have I really been wasting my life...?" "You have." "...You're right. How could I have been so blind...?" "It's not too late. You can still turn things around." "But how...?" "Why not start small? Have you thought about finding a new hobby?" "Not lately, but when I was fifteen, I did think about doing some skating for a while." "Did you?" "No. It was just a passing thought at the time." "I wholeheartedly believe you should pursue it. There's nothing to lose by trying." "You know what? Yeah. I'm gonna' go for it. Worst case scenario, I break something and have to call it quits, and my scales are pretty resilient, so..." "Do what you feel is right. You're a mature adult now with a strong moral compass. Concentrate on your goals and your life. There's no telling where it will lead and what it will lead to." "...Thanks, Rarity..." ForwardUsing the majority of his savings, Spike purchased a skateboard from one of the shops in town. Being that he was a beginner, he chose a board with strong grip tape to help with his balance and overall stability. When he returned home, Twilight happened to be downstairs getting a drink from the refrigerator. "Hey, Spike." "Hey. What's up?" "Rarity called while you were out." "How's she doing?" "She told me about your conversation yesterday. I feel awful. I owe you an apology." "What for?" "Back then, when I warned you about the...Ummm...Adult entertainment industry, I never made an informative case against it. At the time, I was too upset to think clearly about the whole situation." "So...What's the deal?" "Well, the objectification argument can only go so far because women have done the same thing. The real problem is how they treat the people who produce the media for it. Many of them never see enough success from it to put food on the table and pay their bills, but even worse, some of them are forced to take part in it against their will, and there's nothing to help them cope with the resulting trauma afterwards. Some of them end up turning to narcotics to try to numb the pain." "Oh, jeez..." "I know if you had known, you would have avoided it of your own free will, but no one really takes the time to have honest conversations about this stuff." "Why?" "Because it's uncomfortable. That's one of the biggest reasons problems are never solved. No one wants to say anything, and when they do, their solutions are...Extreme...To say the least." "Makes sense, I guess..." "Anyway, at the end of the day, I don't want you to have to suppress your sexuality. I just don't want anybody getting hurt in the process." "I'm with you a hundred percent on that." "So...You're gonna' take up skateboarding?" "Yeah." "Is it for fun, or...?" "For the time being, at least. If I get decent enough at it, I might try to go pro." "That's really cool." "I was about to get some practice in now. Wanna' tag along? Need someone to make sure I don't bust my ass too bad." "Sure. Just let me tell Flash." "By the way, I heard you guys the other night." Spike made a circle with his thumb and index claw to express approval. Twilight gave him a comically sour look which defied all known emotional boundaries. "That is so wrong." "Now we both feel weird." "Touche." Over the next three months, Spike perfected his balance, along with a few basic tricks. Rumors began circulating of a contest several towns over. The winner would receive a five hundred dollar cash prize. Feeling confident enough to take his skills to the next level, Spike registered that same July. "You think you'll be able to win," Twilight asked over dinner the night before. "I dunno. I'm doing it more for fun than anything." "Well, the people who enjoy what they do often end up making a name for themselves," Flash encouraged. "The way I see it is, skill comes with practice, but there's no point if you're bored doing it." "That's a good mentality to have." "Thanks for dinner, guys. I'm gonna' try to get some sleep." "We'll handle the dishes. Night, bro." Spike went upstairs to his room. "You really think he has a shot," Twilight wondered. "If he can take failure and rejection in stride, he can do anything he sets his mind to. I'm almost envious." "We should look out for video footage." "Definitely." Spike woke up at six the next morning. He took a shower to help himself wake up before brushing his teeth and getting dressed. He chose a simple set of clothes: a white t-shirt with a necklace and black wristbands, black jeans, and black shoes. He knocked on Twilight's door again. "I'm out, guys. I'll be back sometime between ten and noon." "Hell yeah, bro," Flash cheered groggily, "Kick some ass for me." "You know it." Spike arrived just in time to witness the crowd gather. The event was minuscule in scale, yet despite this, there was a surprising turnout. There were concession vendors and an audio system set up which happened to be playing one of his favorite bands to skate to: Bullet For My Valentine. "This is gonna' be good." Not wanting to attract too much attention to himself, the dragon stood off to the side. "If I remember right, each skater takes the ramp in the order they were registered in. I'm number four on the list. Wonder who else is here. Guess I'll see soon." Around 7:30, the registration committee announced the beginning of the contest. Spike observed each skater before him intently. It was clear they were skilled in their own rights. The third skater, a dragon like himself, pulled off a back flip seconds before the end of the three-minute timer. He was up next. "Well, this can only go one of two ways." Spike climbed to the top of the ramp. The sun beat down on him more intensely than it ever had before. He could already feel himself sweating. With calculated precision, he slid onto his board, cleanly dropping onto the body of the incomplete cylinder. "Not too bad." After building momentum, he executed a trick, using the front of the board to hang from the edge before rolling back down. On his next trick, he launched himself off the board, flipping it three hundred-sixty degrees before reattaching himself to it. He knew none of the tricks in and of themselves would be particularly impressive to seasoned riders, but he hoped his precision would lead them to believe he had some form of potential or another. When the timer reached zero, the judges tallied his score. He left the ramp for the next competitor. He was completely blindsided by what followed next. "Everybody havin' fun," the announcer inquired through the megaphone. The crowd broke out in a unified mass of energy, "We know who you guys have really been waiting for! Carolyn Venus, get on up here!" "Carolyn...? Wait a minute...Is she...?" A white mare approached the ramp. Her attire consisted of a t-shirt, blue jeans, and pink sneakers. Her mane, a blinding shade of blonde, extended over her left eye. The eye still exposed was a bright, entrancing blue. There was no mistaking her collected, self-assured demeanor. "The city champion...?" Carolyn shot forward with a speed unparalleled. Right off the bat, she performed an impressive feat which combined an edge grind with a semi-circular slide. Even though he saw it right in front of him, Spike didn't believe it. "Holy crap...I'm such a newb." None of the other competitors approached anywhere near Carolyn's level of skill. As expected, her scores were the highest out of all of theirs. While everyone gathered around her to celebrate her victory, Spike hung back, deciding his presence would pile on unnecessary strain to the the frenzy. When the spectators eventually dispersed, Carolyn strolled towards him. "You're the new guy, right?" "Yeah." "I was watching you earlier. You're really good." "Thanks." "Most of the skaters around here are more competitive than I really care for. It was refreshing to see somebody let loose for a change." "You could tell?" "Anyone else would've tried to pull off sloppy stunts beyond their skill level." "True." "I was actually wondering if you'd be interested in learning some of the more technical stuff sometime." "Really?" "Yeah. I'm interested in seeing what you can do with a little more practice. What's your email?" "VampireCount_666@solaris.net." "Sick, dude! That's killer! My solaris account is ButterflyMoth, all one word." "Got it." "By the way, what's your name?" "Spike." "Somebody with a badass name and email address? Must be my lucky day." "My sister and her boyfriend are waiting for me back home. Can we get in touch later?" "Sure thing." "Cool. I'll see you around, then." "Sounds like a plan." Spike ascended into the air and flew away. "He seemed kinda' nervous..." "Sorry you didn't win," Twilight offered in consolation. "It's no big deal." "You're taking it well," Flash noted. "The chick who won said she'd teach me some stuff. We traded email addresses." "No wonder. You got beat by the best so you could become the best." "What's her name?" "Carolyn." "Is she pretty?" "Yeah, I guess..." "Looks like Rarity's advice wasn't so far-fetched after all." "Huh...?" "Oh, nothing. Don't mind me." "So weird..." ShiftSpike practiced on his own for the rest of the week. When Saturday rolled around, he received a message from Carolyn. "About to cruise around the park. Wanna' come? I'll show you some moves." "On my way." "Sorry to keep you waiting," the dragon apologized. "No worries. To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting you to show up at all." "Why?" "You seemed really anxious the other day." "It was my first time out in a while. I was kind of a hermit for a few years." "Anxiety. Gotcha'." "What'd you want to show me?" "I noticed you like to do a lot of lip and small air tricks. You've got a balanced style between street and vert. Your biggest hindrance is your limited arsenal. For example, you can spin the board around pretty good, but you're only using basic kick flips and heel flips. You should try mixing the angle of the board up a bit more." "How?" "Watch me." Carolyn moved to the other side of the road. She mounted her board and pushed forward before jumping down the hill's decline into the grass. As she did so, she kicked the back of the board, flipping it backwards at a diagonal angle before landing in perfect sync with the object. "See? It's pretty easy, but it already opens up a ton of ways to mix stuff around. Give it a try." Spike successfully landed the trick, though his landing was noticeably sloppier. "You'll get better the more you keep at it. We'll try a lip trick next. Follow me." Carolyn led Spike to a set of train tracks on an upward slope. "This ties in to what I said before about changing the angle. Instead of keeping the board straight, you can use your weight to shift it horizontally." Carolyn built her momentum before stopping on the right side of the tracks. She pulled her hips to the side, changing the board's direction ninety degrees before meeting Spike back at her original position. "Any trick can be broken down into steps. You can add more based on your position and the position of the board. It's better to be careful not to add too many until you've had time to practice, otherwise you'll be bailing - hard." "Thankfully, cracking bones isn't really my forte." "Yeah, 'cause you're covered in scales, you lucky fuck." Spike couldn't help but laugh at the casual employment of profanity. Spike and Carolyn practiced for three more hours. Spike in particular felt he learned a lot from the experience. "Hey, have you eaten anything yet," Carolyn asked. "Not since this morning." "I know a killer pizza joint in town. It's on me." "I'm game." "Awesome." "So you're from a few towns over?" "Yeah. I live on the outskirts." "With your sister and her boyfriend, right?" "Yeah." "What do you guys do?" "Twilight's an engineering major and mathematician. Flash was a soldier in the guard, but he left after they started dating." "Twilight...The name sounds familiar." "She published the universal equivalency theory five years ago." "Twilight Sparkle...!?" "That's her." "Her formula completely changed the way we understand the universe! That's so crazy!" "Definitely." "What about you?" "I'm a big mooch." "No kidding?" "I've been thinking about getting into skating professionally, though." "You're gonna' need some serious street cred and a lot of skills." "I know, but I have nothing but time on my hands. May as well try to be productive. What you showed me today will help a lot." "How long have you been skating?" "Three months. You?" "I started two years ago. I looked into some of the more well-known skaters and thought it'd be interesting to try." "I did the same thing. I was interested in the punk and metal culture surrounding it. Dragons have a predilection for that kind of stuff." "Let me guess - some of your favorite bands are Bullet For My Valentine, His Infernal Majesty, Lamb of God, Heaven Shall Burn, and Children of Bodom." "How'd you know?" "They're on every skater's playlist." "Yours, too?" "Duh." "I actually got into them before I was interested in skating." "Okay, hipster. What took you so long to get with the program?" "The whole drug thing, mostly. Back in the day, everybody was getting hooked on heroin, cocaine, and meth. I didn't really wanna' deal with it. Figured it'd be best to wait until they started getting clean, ya' know?" "I can see that." "So what about you? I'm curious about the life of Ms. Grand Champion." "Not much to tell. Grew up in the suburbs like everybody else. Learned how to weld from my dad. After I started skating, I designed custom decks for the vets around the area. Between competing, welding, and graphic design, I've built up some cash reserves of my own." "That sounds pretty neat. Think you could show me the ropes sometime?" "If you're up for it." "By this point, I'm pretty sure Twilight's sick of having me around the house." "Is she one of those uptight types?" "Nah. She's usually cool, but she has her days." "We all do." "Anyway, thanks for today. I should probably get back before she starts getting worried." "Hit me up later." "You got it." DandelionCarolyn awoke to the scent of bacon pervading the air. She stretched her limbs and groaned before rolling off the bed onto her legs. "Well, that's one thing off my bucket list." Silently, she crept through the door leading into the hall. Spike was in the kitchen standing over the stove. She snuck up behind him and wrapped her forelegs around him. "Morning." "Hey..." "You okay?" "Yeah. You?" "Better than that." "That's good. I was worried I might've got a little too rough last night." "Nope. It was just the right amount." "You're funny." "Wanna' hear something hysterical?" "Whatcha' got?" "I've been dreaming about getting laid since I was sixteen." "Fifteen for me." Carolyn hacked up a lung at his response. Spike put the spatula down and turned around. He knelt before his flame. He brushed her bangs which covered her left eye to the side. "Hey, gorgeous. Where have you been all my life?" "Avoiding you on purpose until you got the biggest hard-on ever." "Blunt and direct as always." "Would you have it any other way?" "Nope." They shared a gentle kiss. Carolyn's ear twitched. She hadn't noticed the TV was turned on. "What band is that?" "7 Angels 7 Plagues." "Why do I feel like I've heard them before?" "The EP came out when we were little. You might have heard it when it was new." "'Until the Day Breathes and the Shadows Flee, huh? The art looks pretty old school." "It came out in 2000 I think." "Damn. That was when everybody wanted to skate." "You ever notice how extreme music always pops up around the same time skating sees a surge in popularity?" "Teen angst is a hell of a drug." "Interestingly enough, this is one of the few heavy bands Twilight actually likes." "Probably because of the progressive rock elements. Sounds like they did something similar to Hopesfall." "Evergreen Terrace, too." "Wonder why they stopped making stuff like this." "It was kind of a trend more than anything at the time, but it's one of the few trends I actually thought was kind of cool. 7 Angels in particular had lyrics similar to stuff you see a lot in gothic rock. They just made it heavier." "You did strike me as a mixed personality. I guess you follow all sorts of alternative scenes." "Goth, metal, emo, punk - whatever I really feel like at the time. There were other groups back in the day that mixed gothic rock with death and doom metal. First ones that come to mind are My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Pyogenesis, Anathema, and Katatonia. Most of them changed up their sounds later." "You know a lot about this stuff." "I secluded myself for ten years. Had to do something to pass the time." "For what it's worth, I'm glad you came back." "So am I." Spike and Carolyn hugged each other tightly. The comfort their contact brought one another was far beyond description. "I should get home after we eat. Twilight's probably worrying her head off right now." "We'll skate later." "Yeah." The leaves crunched beneath Spike's shoes as he approached the house he shared with Twilight and Flash. "Here goes..." The door was locked. He pulled his key from the pocket of his jeans. "I'm home," he called out. There was no reply, "Must be out. Guess I'll have to take my tongue lashing later. Fun," He climbed the stairs to his room. Twilight and Flash made it home a quarter after five with groceries in tow. "Spike, are you home?" The dragon stepped back down. "Hey..." "You look down. Did something happen?" "I figured you'd be mad about not getting in touch last night." "I can take a guess what you were doing. How was it?" "How was what?" "Don't try to play dumb. You're a terrible liar." "All I can say is, what I suspected is true," "And what would that be?" "Now I know why you and Flash go at it so often. Can we drop it now, please?" "Fair enough." "I swear, sometimes you're way too curious for your own good." "I can't help it." "If you say so." Spike helped Flash and Twilight put the food away before going back upstairs. On the desk next to his bed, there was a notebook. He rarely wrote anything down unless he was deeply lost in thought. Now was one of those times. He opened it to a page marked with 7 Angels 7 Plagues lyrics. Next to them, he wrote something new. "I wonder if she likes dandelions..." OfferingSpike was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of his phone alerting him to a notification. He rubbed his eyes. "Carolyn..." He unlocked his screen to see her message. "I can't sleep...I wish you were here." The dragon typed a response on his device's virtual keyboard. "I miss you." "I miss you, too." "I've been thinking about you." Carolyn replied with a picture. In the photo, she lied on her side. Her shirt was partially lifted, revealing her abdomen. "Wanna' see more?" "Hang on." Spike sat upright. He took off his own shirt and opened his camera. He snapped a shot. "Had to get comfortable." "Naughty boy. <3" Carolyn followed up with a secondary image. Her upper body was completely bare. One foreleg enclosed around the shoulder above the other, as if to say "I feel your presence". Spike responded in kind. He held a hand against his cheek. "My vampiric king." "With your kiss...I have awakened from death...My princess..." Carolyn sent one final photo. Her exposed eye was shut. Spike could only assume the eye she kept veiled was closed as well. She covered her mouth, extending her free hoof down towards her bed. "I think you know what to do." "And you don't?" "Smartass." "...Rest well...Sweet dreams..." "And you, my dearest..." "I'll be dreaming of you until the break of dawn's first rays..." "Morning, Spike." "Morning, Twilight." "Are you headed out to see Carolyn?" "Yeah." "Think you'll be able to practice without getting too distracted?" "Hardy har har." "I'm just saying. It might be a bit awkward to try to skate with an erection." "Keep it up. See what happens." "What are you gonna' do? Shave my mane in my sleep?" "Sure. Let's go with that." "Boy, get on up outta' here." "See ya' later, bro," Flash voiced. "See ya', dude." Spike plucked a dandelion which swayed gracefully next to the house before flying off. Spike's appearance as he flew nearer to Carolyn became more contented than anyone would have believed possible. The lids of his eyes lowered into a state of dreamy wakefulness, as though he was seeing something most others could not. "Hey...," the Pegasus spoke meekly when he arrived. She blushed with a smile, rubbing her shoulder in playful embarrassment. "I brought you something." "You're cheeky, ya' know that?" "Oh?" "7 Angels 7 Plagues - Dandelion. You thought I wouldn't figure it out?" "Au contraire. I was hoping you would." "Corny, but...I love it..." "Really?" "Mm-hm." "I know we came out here to skate, but I was wondering if we could just talk for a bit." "Sure." "Do you remember what Twilight said over dinner the other night?" "She said a lot." "About my way of thinking, I mean." "Yeah." "I don't know if there's a way to say this without sounding completely batshit crazy, but for a long time, I've felt a deep connection with the spiritual plane." "You mean the esoteric plane beyond ours?" "Yeah." "How long have you felt that way?" "Since I was five." "That's a long time." "From time to time, I'd catch glimpses of things that couldn't possibly be here. Sometimes they'd show up as sentient shadows, other times I would see disembodied faces." "Did you feel like they were threatening?" "No. That's the weird part. As I got older, the vibes I got off them became more benevolent." "What was the strongest energy you ever felt?" "When I was fifteen, I went to visit Rainbow Dash late one night because she needed help with something. On the way there, I got this strange feeling that I was being watched, but I also knew somehow that whatever was watching me didn't want to hurt me. Right after I felt that, I saw into the spirit realm for the first time." "What did it look like?" "Imagine an icy blue stream defying the laws of physics. It's still flowing, and you're floating in the middle of it. Gravity is barely a fraction of what it is here. The air is cool, and you feel calm and at peace." "That's an eerily vivid description. It sounds like you were really there. You think it was an out-of-body experience?" Spike shook his head. "I was still on the road, but what I saw converged with our reality, like they were interlinked." "I guess it makes sense. If there's more than one level of existence, it stands to reason they'd connect with each other." "I know what was following me that night." "What was it?" "I didn't believe it at first, but after we...Ya' know...Had sex...I knew for sure." "I don't understand." "It was you. Your life force crossed paths with mine years before we met." "Are you serious!?" "Dead serious." "No way..." "I spent so much time trying to figure out what happened not realizing all I had to do was give it time." "I don't know what to say...I'm a little freaked out right now." "I am, too. I kept asking myself why things escalated between us so fast." "There was little to no hesitation on my part, either..." "You can be honest with me. Do you regret what happened?" "I don't think so. I mean...I had fun...It felt great...And we were laughing..." "There's one thing I regret." Carolyn gazed into Spike's eyes. Her own were filled with worry. "I regret not being honest." "Honest?" "We were excited to try something new - something neither of us had ever done before. Because of that, I lost sight of what we were doing it for. It wasn't a truthful expression of how I felt." "How...How do you feel...?" "I care about you a lot, and it took questioning my mortality to recognize that." "I...I care about you, too." "Maybe we can try again; for real this time." "I think I'd like that..." Spike lit one of the candles Carolyn kept in her bedside cabinet. He placed it atop the wooden surface. He turned around and wrapped his arms around her. She placed her hooves on his shoulders. Their kisses were softer than those of their previous encounter...More tender. He pulled her onto the bed by her waist, unzipping and removing her jacket. At first, Carolyn was hesitant to exert her control, concerned she would move things along too quickly, but Spike's body begged to differ. She felt him stiffen beneath her. She welcomed this, although she herself was uncertain as to why. "I can return the favor from last time." Spike swiftly declined. "I want to see you - fully and completely in all your divine splendor." Carolyn nodded. She reached down to undo his belt. He placed his palm on her cheek. She tilted her head, locking his touch, allowing it to imprint itself into her long-term memory. She held it gently with her hoof. "Why does this already feel so much better than before? What's going on...?" "Carolyn..." Author's Note "I PRAY THAT YOU FIND THE PEACE THAT YOU'VE BEEN LONGING FOR!" -Hopesfall, The End of an Era Progression"You weren't lying." "Hm?" "I felt everything. The spiritual connection...It was all true." "I wouldn't lie about something like that. For the first time in a long time, I have a reason to try to make something of my life. You helped me become stronger than I ever could have been on my own." "I feel the same way. I thought I'd just do enough to get me by and live a quiet existence until the day I stopped breathing, but there's so much more life has to offer. I'm only just now noticing it." "The world can be a scary place sometimes. That's why we have to keep moving forward." "Yeah..." "Let's take the long way back today." Carolyn buried her snout in Spike's chest. He held her ever closer to him. Spike and Carolyn skated side by side through each town leading back to Twilight's house. It was like a scene from a movie. At one point, either as an act of affection, playful banter, or both, Spike twirled her around him and lifted her into his arms. The unorthodox blend of traditional dance and contemporary recreation could have caused stars to bow, falling from the sky from the beauty of it all. "Did you guys have fun," Twilight asked with a smirk on her face when they entered the residence. "You could say that," Spike remarked, "We learned a lot." "Oooh. Sounds juicy." "I just came to pick up something." "Where are you going?" "Rarity's. I have a favor to ask her." "How long's it been since you last saw her?" "Since I gave her that book back." "Has it really been that long already?" "Looks like it." "Have you met her yet," the Alicorn asked Carolyn. "Not yet." "Spike had a bit of a thing for her back in the day." "Really? What happened?" "I...Actually, I don't know." "We were never really on the same wavelength," the dragon admitted, "Our mental and emotional states were too different. It wasn't anyone's fault. That's just how things go sometimes. In some ways, I'm grateful she wasn't like me." "Some things are for the best." "I owe her and Rainbow Dash more than they'll probably ever know. Without them..." Spike turned to face Carolyn. "I wouldn't have you..." "Rainbow Dash?" "It's a long story. I'll tell you later." Spike went up to his room. He opened his closet and took out a long, black duster coat. He put it on and went back downstairs. "We'll be back soon." "I'll be here, pondering everything I thought I knew about the world." "Rainbow has a habit of getting into your head, doesn't she?" "I guess so." "Spike, darling! It's been far too long, and dare I say, you look as dashing as ever." "Hey, Rarity." "And you must be Carolyn!" "Nice to meet you." "The pleasure's all mine! I must say, I was quite curious to see what creature would be the one to capture Spikey-Wikey's heart in my place." "I was wondering if you could come up with a few t-shirt ideas based on this." Spike showed the fashionista his phone screen. "'Hopesfall'?" "It's the art from their second album The Satellite Years. I guess if you want to categorize it, it could be considered cosmic fantasy." "This is outside my normal area of expertise, but I think I could whip something up." "Thanks. I'll send the photo as a reference." "Excellent." "By the way, have you seen Rainbow Dash around lately?" "Just yesterday, as a matter of fact." Rarity sighed. "She tore her uniform yet again. One of these days, I'm going to run out of sewing needles permanently because of her antics." "When you see her again, tell her I said hey." "I shall." Rarity got to work immediately. Curious about the nature of the design, she pulled up the album to hear for herself. While she was usually a classical kind of gal, she would occasionally dabble outside her genre of choice. She paid close attention to the opening instrumental, Andromeda. She immediately recognized the name as belonging to the milky way's sister galaxy. The melodies overcame her like an ocean wave. "Perhaps I've been overlooking rock much too long. How could something with so much grain be so masterfully crafted? I could very well see myself being lulled to sleep. Curious indeed..." When Spike and Carolyn returned to Twilight's that day, they relaxed and unwound themselves in Spike's room. Carolyn played video games on the dragon's console. Meanwhile, Spike was scribbling notes down in his journal. Rarity's intervention several months earlier and Carolyn coming into the picture were operating the gears of his mind. An idea was beginning to form. "An angel soaring down from space...Wonder...Kindness...Adventure...Love...Within..." InterludeSpike and Carolyn decided to watch a scary movie. While they watched, Spike continued to jot down notes in his journal. "Whatcha' writin'?" "I had an idea for a book." "What's it about?" "Here. Take a look." Carolyn scanned through the scribbled words. "It's about an angel who figures out what masturbation is?" "Remember when I said Rarity helped me find you?" "Yeah." "Well, a few months ago, I went to her asking for help talking to women. I was really nervous, being new to the dating scene and all." "How'd that pan out?" "Not good at all. It felt really forced an unnatural. I was a wallflower the entire time I was around town. I went back to tell her it wasn't working out." "What happened?" "She gave me a book she said might help. Turns out it was, among all things, an erotic novel." "Well...Um...That's different." "That's what I said. Anyway, her real goal was to shock me out of my slump using reverse psychology." "Judging by where we are now, I guess it's safe to say it worked." "She's a crafty one. Gotta' give credit where credit's due." "I might be able to help with this." "What'd you have in mind?" "I figured you'd know since you're the philosopher." "I'm stumped on this one." "Think: if your original issue began within, what tool could change your perception?" "I don't know." "Self-love, dingus." "Self-love...?" "We met because you stopped forcing yourself to do something that wasn't working. You shifted your focus to self-care and self-improvement through skating." "Ohhhhh! Now I gotcha'." "Taking care of your own body and mind can amount to significant changes in your future. Try having your main character use self-love as a means of coping with her feelings of alienation from the rest of the world." "How?" "Have her take herself out. Maybe she could go to a fancy restaurant or go see a movie by herself. Have her buy one of those silver cross necklaces you see in stores all the time and make it her personal symbol. Hell, make the masturbation scenes more intimate and spiritually focused like she's connecting in a new way with her creator. The only limit is your imagination." "I hadn't thought of it that way. That's really interesting." "Do you have a name for the story or character yet?" "Not yet." "It should be something introspective and personal. A porno book inspiring critical thought and soul searching would make some serious waves in the literary world. Who knows - maybe world peace will be achieved through religious jacking and jilling." "HOLY FUCK! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Spike wheezed and clobbered the floor next to him. "Don't have an aneurysm on me, now." "I think you broke me!" DistanceSpike lied on his bed, eyes closed, earbuds turned up to max volume. He listened intently to one of the thousands of metal bands he had saved to his phone. This was the norm in the passing hours of his day-to-day life. The last nine years of his life had been an unusual experience to say the least. He gradually lost interest in hanging around other people. Other than helping Twilight and Flash around the house, most of his time was spent sleeping. Even his gaming habits had severely diminished. Twilight believed these changes to be symptoms of depression, but Spike quickly put those concerns to rest. He pointed out to her that other than his mellower attitude, nothing else had changed. There were no outbursts of irritability, and he wasn't going out of his way to isolate himself. More than anything, it all seemed to boil down to happenstance - a sort of natural progression which resulted from mundane environmental factors. Still, the dragon couldn't deny that something felt like it was missing; like part of him was incomplete in some way. This is what he often pondered. A little later in the day, Spike left his room. He knocked on Twilight's door. "Come in." Spiked creaked open the door and peeked through. "I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back soon." "Where are you going?" "Rarity's. Wondering if she might be able to help me get out of this funk I'm in." "We'll be making dinner soon." "I'll be back before then." "Alright." "See ya' later." He returned the door to its original position. Spike entered through the door of Rarity's design shop. He didn't see anyone around. "Is she in the back?" No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when she surprised him from the the side room. "Spike! It's so good to see you, darling!" "Hey, Rarity." "How long has it been?" "Two months, I think?" "Right - when you came to pick up those bandages for Fluttershy. How is she faring?" "Pretty good, last I knew." "Good to hear. So, what brings you here on this lovely day?" "I was hoping for some advice." "Really?" "You're well-versed in matters of the heart, right?" "Well, I do rather pride myself on my knowledge of such affairs. Is there some special lady you're trying to captivate?" "Not at the moment, but it's something I've been wondering about. My interest in dating and stuff like that never really surged like most peoples' when I was a teenager." "Yes. Your libido in particular was unusually low for a dragon." "Yeah..." "By any chance...Was it because of what happened between us...?" "I don't think so. I knew that was a long shot from the start. Looking back on it now, I think it was more infatuation than compatible attraction." "Then...What do you suppose it could be?" "Twilight thinks depression, but that doesn't sound right either." "I would think not. You're strong, handsome, kind, well-off, and you possess an ever-expanding array of skills. In general terms, you are the absolute embodiment of many women's fantasies." "What should I do?" "Perhaps a more proactive approach couldn't hurt." "Proactive in what way?" "Well, in my own experience, women feel most comfortable talking to men in social settings." "I follow you so far." "We tend to fancy attentive listeners who are able to contribute to conversations when needed." "So basically the guy initiates the conversation, the woman responds, and the guy follows suit?" "That seems to be social convention. Don't be surprised if it feels rather awkward, especially the first time around." "I'll give it a try." "Just try to relax and let things flow as naturally as possible." "Thanks, Rarity." "Of course. Feel free to drop by anytime if you need more advice." "I will." Over the next several days, Spike hung around the local clubs and public events which occasionally ran through town. However, his indifference quickly transformed into anxiety. As a child, it was second nature for him to interact with people outside his usual circle, but later down the road, he was given a harsh reminder that randomly chatting with a stranger was often considered unnerving by many. Given that he wasn't a consumer of alcohol by trade, there was little to ease the discomfort of a first conversation. As a result, he kept to himself the entire time. Being alone with his thoughts was where he felt most at ease. He eventually ended up visiting Rarity again. Upon entering the shop, he patiently waited for the sole customer to exit before speaking. "How did it go," the unicorn asked. Spike shook his head. "I couldn't do it, Rarity. It's too weird, especially nowadays." "Why do you say that?" "The world's changed since we were younger. Bothering random people, regardless of the context or environment, isn't looked on very kindly anymore. Common courtesy dictates minding your own business, ya' know?" "I see." "So...What now?" "I'm rather stumped myself. This is quite the paradox we've found ourselves in. I never considered the possibility social anxiety was linked to moral principles." "Hm..." Rarity weighed her options. "I have an idea." Rarity disappeared into the back room. Seconds later, she returned levitating a dark brown book. "Give this a read." "'Thorns of Drusilla...?" "Romance novels are popular among a variety of demographics. Perhaps learning from the mind of another will make the transition easier." "Would something like this work in real life?" "There couldn't be any harm in at least giving it a read." Spike gripped the assortment of pages firmly in his palms. After dinner, Spike retired to his room. His computer provided the only source of light. "Guess I should start reading..." The dragon placed his head against the board of his bed. He opened the first page. Unlike many other books, it did not begin with a preface or message from the author. "Guess they wanted to draw people in immediately..." The story was set some time between the dark and medieval ages. It centered around the main character, Drusilla Lynold, a wealthy former governess who had grown bored with her daily life. "Yep. Classic Rarity." The first few paragraphs were simple world-building; a monologue by Drusilla which mentioned her forbidden lust for one of her former employers. By the fifth page however, the descriptions became noticeably more...Risque... "Wait...Huh...?" Spike quickly closed the book. "That was unexpected! Um...!" Unable to comprehend what he had just read, he put the book under his pillow. "Not talking about this with anybody. No, thank you." He readjusted his body, pulling the comforter over him. "Nice prank, Rarity. Not cool..." He closed his eyes. "Twilight's gonna' kill me if she finds this..." Spike called Rarity the next day. It was clear by the tone of his voice he was not amused. "Hello?" "Why did you send me home with smut?" "Forgive me, darling." "I'm not sure you're understanding the severity of the situation here. Remember what you said before about me being well-off?" "Yes. I remember." "This house, that money; it's all Twilight's. I get kicked out of here, I'm not gonna' have anywhere to go." "Surely she wouldn't react in such an extreme manner." "Have you met her?" "You must be privy to her late-night intimacies with Flash by now." "What they do is none of my concern." "Calm yourself. I believe I can help you, but I need you to trust me. There is a method to my madness." "If I get caught, this is on you." "I'll take full responsibility should the need arise." Spike sighed in relief. "Thank you." "Finish the book. This is a crucial step." "Fine. Whatever." "Please, don't be too cross with me," Rarity pleaded, "I don't mean you, Twilight, or Flash any harm." "It's alright...I'm sorry, okay? You're our friend, and I should know better." "I'll see you soon." "Yeah..." Spike hung up. He held the phone against his brow. He felt ashamed of himself for his behavior. "Damn, man..." SparkCarolyn called on Spike to help her with several jobs. One was a welding job repairing a metal lawn chair that's spinal support had snapped off. Another was a graphic design gig. The client requested a simple star design with a hollowed out interior. Carolyn applied the base layer, staining the bottom of the board solid black. Spike painted the star on by hand. Between jobs, they each made a around three hundred bucks. The more time Spike and Carolyn spent together working and practicing their skating, the closer they grew. Soon, they found themselves hanging out at arcades and shops just to be around each other. Eventually, the moment of truth arrived. Spike sent the first email this time around. "Hey. I was wondering if you'd wanna' come over for dinner tonight to meet Flash and Twilight." "Sure. What time?" "Can I pick you up around six?" "Sounds good." "Cool. I'll see you soon." "Later, lover boy. <3" Spike's face turned a dark shade of red. Was she just joking, or... "Does she know...?" "You have a bad habit of keeping girls waiting, you know that?" "Looks like it." "Well? A gentleman should lead a lady to their destination, should he not?" "Hop on." "That's more like it." Carolyn wrapped her forelegs around Spike's shoulders. "Hey, after dinner, you wanna' catch a movie," the dragon asked. "I'm a little short on cash." "Who said you were payin'?" "Well, in that case...I'd love to." Twilight prepared a dish of steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, and rolls that night. Spike was salivating before the plates hit the table. "It's nice to finally meet you," Twilight said, "I was beginning to worry you were a figment of this loon's imagination." "Welp, I'm here and in the flesh, unless Mr. schizo here has the most vivid imagination ever." "You're calling me crazy when you treat cooking like chemistry class." "I do not...," Twilight protested. Spike gave her a skeptical look, "...Fine...Maybe a little." "So you guys met at the skating contest a couple weeks ago," Flash inquired. "It was my first time seeing him there. He was acting all shy. I thought it was cute." "That's funny, because the way he described it, you kicked his rear into next Sunday." "I do have a good year and nine months on him." "That would explain it." "Right now I'm trying to kick him into shape for next year." "How's that going?" "He's got a long way to go, but he's committed and receptive. Dedication is the most important factor." "That's how it goes." "So you're a welder and graphic designer," Twilight inquired. "On a case-by-case basis. My schedule's pretty flexible." "Guess that's something you two have in common." "Hey, we're pursuing careers we're happy with. That's the important thing, right?" "Absolutely. Since we're on the topic, I think Spike would make an outstanding philosopher." "I think so, too." "Between us and our friends, he was always the deepest thinker. I can provide insight into physical reality, but his emotional and spiritual knowledge far exceed anything I've ever seen." "What about your other brother?" "Shining? He's a commander in the guard. From what he's told me, it's usually a pretty boring job." "Must mean he's good at it." "He's unquestionably gained a certain level of respect from the other soldiers." "I don't doubt it." Spike and Flash cleaned up and washed the dishes. While they were busy, Twilight and Carolyn spoke quietly among themselves. "So, tell me the truth...Do you like him?" "When he was watching me, there was a brief moment where we made eye contact. Do you know what I saw?" "No. What?" "Yearning..." "So you see it, too..." "Aside from my family, no one's ever treated me with the same acknowledgement and acceptance as him. I don't know why, but...I feel like I can trust him." "He never had the chance to meet his biological family. My mom and dad raised all of us together. If I'm completely transparent, I was always closer to Spike than I was to Shining." "It has to be your influence. That's all I can think of." "Maybe." After the movie, Spike and Carolyn returned to the mare's apartment. She settled onto the living room couch. "I had fun tonight." "I'm glad. I didn't know what to expect with those two." "Hey...Can I ask you something?" "Go for it." "Do you...Like spending time with me...?" Spike's expression became softer and warmer than she had ever seen before. "Of course I do. You're the first real friend I've made since I was twelve." "Have you maybe thought about being something...More than friends...?" "Why do you ask?" "Because..." "...You have, too?" "Maybe...When I was alone, there were thoughts..." Spike moved closer to her. His smile became playfully mischievous "What kind of thoughts...?" "Thoughts that weren't exactly...Decent." "And what did you do about them?" "Do I have to say...?" "Well...You could always reenact them." "...You jerk." They pulled forcefully towards each other. Their lips involuntarily declared war, as if on instinct. Spike lifted Carolyn into his arms. Their minds were fueled by the deafening screams of everlasting desire. "...Let's go to the room," Carolyn purred. "Are you sure?" She nodded. Spike carried her to the back of the complex, freeing one of his claws to turn the knob before pushing on. They broke their charged exchange long enough for Spike to take off his shirt. He left on the necklace he wore the first day they met. Carolyn removed the garments covering her torso as well. "You're a Pegasus?" "Didn't want anybody to think I was cheating during competitions. That's why I kept them covered - so I couldn't use them." "Smart." Carolyn lied back on the bed. Spiked traced down her stomach, occasionally scraping his fangs against the skin beneath her fur. He longed for her; flesh, blood, and soul. All other images erased themselves as they became lost in intimate caresses. Spike kissed Carolyn's hoof in an act of ritualistic affection. "Tell me what you want." "...To fuck you until you're comatose." His carnal request was all she needed to hear. Over the course of the night, Spike offered his missing half a total of twenty neurologically-frying orgasms - one for each year he'd had to live without realizing her existence. Halfway through, they were forced to pause in order to re-hydrate, but such a small interval was quickly forgotten as they lost themselves twice over. Every ounce of negative pressure held within their cells dissipated, nowhere to be found. While their bodies unraveled in primal hunger, their minds were consumed only by loving concepts and perceptions. The next afternoon, Spike could barely remember what happened; that is, until he saw Carolyn's form next to him. "Oh, crap...Twilight's gonna' be so pissed I forgot to message them last night..." The dragon watched as his lover inhaled and exhaled in exhausted harmony. "I should make sure she's alright. I'll worry about Twilight later..." Spike leaned over. He kissed Carolyn's forehead and got up to get dressed. "I'll be out there if you need me..." He could've sworn he saw what resembled a smile cross her features. "...I love you..." Interlude (Part 2)Spike put his notebook down and paused the movie around the halfway mark. "Hey, you gettin' hungry?" "I can eat." The dragon pushed himself off the ground. "I'll be back in a minute..." "...Wait." Carolyn reached for her lover's hand. He stopped in his tracks. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. Why do you ask?" "You looked kind of upset when I read your journal." "No. I'm fine." "I'm really proud of you. You know that, right?" Spike's expression again became warm. He knelt down next to Carolyn. "I'm proud of you, too. You're always getting better at your skating, your art, and your welding. Seeing you live for growth and improvement is what made me want to change." "I've changed too. I used to feel like a punk who had no real goals or ambitions beyond my small town. You taught me I could be so much more than that, and I love you for it." "I love you, too." "Prove it." "How?" "Kiss me." Spike crawled onto the bed. He held himself above Carolyn. She bit his lower lip to signal her true intentions. He broke the kiss long enough to remove his shirt. "This is the first time we've done it in your bed." "Gonna' have to pay Twilight and Flash back for all those awkward nights I was up late." "Looks like your dick agrees with that sentiment. Jeez, do I really turn you on that much?" "If you only knew." "I ain't complainin'." Carolyn's eyes filled with concern. "Ya' know...I'm worried someday we won't be like this anymore." "Yeah, right. The day that happens is the day I castrate myself." "I'm gonna' hold you to that." "This one's a Pinkie promise." "How weird is it this is our third time fucking and I've barely met any of your friends?" "Oh, you'll see 'em sooner or later. Pinkie in particular has a habit of popping up when you least expect her. For all we know, she's watching us right now." "Let's not disappoint her, then."
VitalityIt took a week for Spike to Finish the novel. The fantasy elements intrigued him to an extent, but the raunchier text made it difficult for him to want to progress. For a book of Rarity's caliber, from his perspective, it was underwhelming. When he stopped by the shop to drop it off, he was surprised to see Rarity's husband. They had passingly acknowledged each other before, but never formally spoken. "Hey! Spike, right?" "Yeah." "How's it goin'?" "Just stopped by to return something." Rarity exited the back room and joined them in conversation. "By the look on your face, I assume you've finished it," she noted. "Hey, isn't that that old book you threw me for a loop with," the stallion asked. Spike raised an eyebrow. "You read it, too?" "Oh, man! That was the strangest experience of my life, and probably the most hilarious!" "Can someone please explain?" "We met three years ago," Rarity began, "I was selling some of my newest dresses, and he was looking for something for his daughter's prom night. Like you, he was extremely nervous and uncomfortable in social environments. I helped him pick out a dress. At the time, I had just purchased that book you're holding there. We started chatting casually, and I came up with a brilliant, albeit devious plot." "She lent me the darn thing, and boy, let me tell ya', was that somethin' else!" "I'm still lost." "Simply put, it's a psychological shock," Rarity continued. "Psychological shock?" "Do you know what I heard in your voice when you called me last week? It's something you've been lacking for quite some time." "I have no idea." "Passion, dear! You were passionate about defending your ethical position and maintaining your good standing with Twilight." "Passion, huh..." "Think carefully. For that one moment, when you lost your patience with me, your desire to preserve life and limb made you forget your initial reservations about our friendship, did it not?" "Well...I guess so..." "Twilight wasn't the only one worried about you, you know. We've all been wondering where that spark of life has been. You were living the existence of a ghost in a flesh suit." "I know..." "Why?" "I don't think there was any real reason. After a while, I just kind of pulled back from society. Didn't really feel like there was anything left for me to do." "That's absurd! There must be something for you to do in the outside world." "Honestly, Rarity, who I was as a kid and who I am now are two totally different people. The version of me you were most familiar with isn't around anymore. I'm not enticed by high class society or concerned with winning affection like I was back then, and I'm not sure this new me is someone you guys would really care to be around." "You changed. It's a normal part of growing up. It doesn't mean you should retreat into apathy and wait to die. You would be wasting the most precious gift anyone can receive: the gift of life - the opportunity to achieve happiness with the limited time you have." "Have I really been wasting my life...?" "You have." "...You're right. How could I have been so blind...?" "It's not too late. You can still turn things around." "But how...?" "Why not start small? Have you thought about finding a new hobby?" "Not lately, but when I was fifteen, I did think about doing some skating for a while." "Did you?" "No. It was just a passing thought at the time." "I wholeheartedly believe you should pursue it. There's nothing to lose by trying." "You know what? Yeah. I'm gonna' go for it. Worst case scenario, I break something and have to call it quits, and my scales are pretty resilient, so..." "Do what you feel is right. You're a mature adult now with a strong moral compass. Concentrate on your goals and your life. There's no telling where it will lead and what it will lead to." "...Thanks, Rarity..."
ForwardUsing the majority of his savings, Spike purchased a skateboard from one of the shops in town. Being that he was a beginner, he chose a board with strong grip tape to help with his balance and overall stability. When he returned home, Twilight happened to be downstairs getting a drink from the refrigerator. "Hey, Spike." "Hey. What's up?" "Rarity called while you were out." "How's she doing?" "She told me about your conversation yesterday. I feel awful. I owe you an apology." "What for?" "Back then, when I warned you about the...Ummm...Adult entertainment industry, I never made an informative case against it. At the time, I was too upset to think clearly about the whole situation." "So...What's the deal?" "Well, the objectification argument can only go so far because women have done the same thing. The real problem is how they treat the people who produce the media for it. Many of them never see enough success from it to put food on the table and pay their bills, but even worse, some of them are forced to take part in it against their will, and there's nothing to help them cope with the resulting trauma afterwards. Some of them end up turning to narcotics to try to numb the pain." "Oh, jeez..." "I know if you had known, you would have avoided it of your own free will, but no one really takes the time to have honest conversations about this stuff." "Why?" "Because it's uncomfortable. That's one of the biggest reasons problems are never solved. No one wants to say anything, and when they do, their solutions are...Extreme...To say the least." "Makes sense, I guess..." "Anyway, at the end of the day, I don't want you to have to suppress your sexuality. I just don't want anybody getting hurt in the process." "I'm with you a hundred percent on that." "So...You're gonna' take up skateboarding?" "Yeah." "Is it for fun, or...?" "For the time being, at least. If I get decent enough at it, I might try to go pro." "That's really cool." "I was about to get some practice in now. Wanna' tag along? Need someone to make sure I don't bust my ass too bad." "Sure. Just let me tell Flash." "By the way, I heard you guys the other night." Spike made a circle with his thumb and index claw to express approval. Twilight gave him a comically sour look which defied all known emotional boundaries. "That is so wrong." "Now we both feel weird." "Touche." Over the next three months, Spike perfected his balance, along with a few basic tricks. Rumors began circulating of a contest several towns over. The winner would receive a five hundred dollar cash prize. Feeling confident enough to take his skills to the next level, Spike registered that same July. "You think you'll be able to win," Twilight asked over dinner the night before. "I dunno. I'm doing it more for fun than anything." "Well, the people who enjoy what they do often end up making a name for themselves," Flash encouraged. "The way I see it is, skill comes with practice, but there's no point if you're bored doing it." "That's a good mentality to have." "Thanks for dinner, guys. I'm gonna' try to get some sleep." "We'll handle the dishes. Night, bro." Spike went upstairs to his room. "You really think he has a shot," Twilight wondered. "If he can take failure and rejection in stride, he can do anything he sets his mind to. I'm almost envious." "We should look out for video footage." "Definitely." Spike woke up at six the next morning. He took a shower to help himself wake up before brushing his teeth and getting dressed. He chose a simple set of clothes: a white t-shirt with a necklace and black wristbands, black jeans, and black shoes. He knocked on Twilight's door again. "I'm out, guys. I'll be back sometime between ten and noon." "Hell yeah, bro," Flash cheered groggily, "Kick some ass for me." "You know it." Spike arrived just in time to witness the crowd gather. The event was minuscule in scale, yet despite this, there was a surprising turnout. There were concession vendors and an audio system set up which happened to be playing one of his favorite bands to skate to: Bullet For My Valentine. "This is gonna' be good." Not wanting to attract too much attention to himself, the dragon stood off to the side. "If I remember right, each skater takes the ramp in the order they were registered in. I'm number four on the list. Wonder who else is here. Guess I'll see soon." Around 7:30, the registration committee announced the beginning of the contest. Spike observed each skater before him intently. It was clear they were skilled in their own rights. The third skater, a dragon like himself, pulled off a back flip seconds before the end of the three-minute timer. He was up next. "Well, this can only go one of two ways." Spike climbed to the top of the ramp. The sun beat down on him more intensely than it ever had before. He could already feel himself sweating. With calculated precision, he slid onto his board, cleanly dropping onto the body of the incomplete cylinder. "Not too bad." After building momentum, he executed a trick, using the front of the board to hang from the edge before rolling back down. On his next trick, he launched himself off the board, flipping it three hundred-sixty degrees before reattaching himself to it. He knew none of the tricks in and of themselves would be particularly impressive to seasoned riders, but he hoped his precision would lead them to believe he had some form of potential or another. When the timer reached zero, the judges tallied his score. He left the ramp for the next competitor. He was completely blindsided by what followed next. "Everybody havin' fun," the announcer inquired through the megaphone. The crowd broke out in a unified mass of energy, "We know who you guys have really been waiting for! Carolyn Venus, get on up here!" "Carolyn...? Wait a minute...Is she...?" A white mare approached the ramp. Her attire consisted of a t-shirt, blue jeans, and pink sneakers. Her mane, a blinding shade of blonde, extended over her left eye. The eye still exposed was a bright, entrancing blue. There was no mistaking her collected, self-assured demeanor. "The city champion...?" Carolyn shot forward with a speed unparalleled. Right off the bat, she performed an impressive feat which combined an edge grind with a semi-circular slide. Even though he saw it right in front of him, Spike didn't believe it. "Holy crap...I'm such a newb." None of the other competitors approached anywhere near Carolyn's level of skill. As expected, her scores were the highest out of all of theirs. While everyone gathered around her to celebrate her victory, Spike hung back, deciding his presence would pile on unnecessary strain to the the frenzy. When the spectators eventually dispersed, Carolyn strolled towards him. "You're the new guy, right?" "Yeah." "I was watching you earlier. You're really good." "Thanks." "Most of the skaters around here are more competitive than I really care for. It was refreshing to see somebody let loose for a change." "You could tell?" "Anyone else would've tried to pull off sloppy stunts beyond their skill level." "True." "I was actually wondering if you'd be interested in learning some of the more technical stuff sometime." "Really?" "Yeah. I'm interested in seeing what you can do with a little more practice. What's your email?" "VampireCount_666@solaris.net." "Sick, dude! That's killer! My solaris account is ButterflyMoth, all one word." "Got it." "By the way, what's your name?" "Spike." "Somebody with a badass name and email address? Must be my lucky day." "My sister and her boyfriend are waiting for me back home. Can we get in touch later?" "Sure thing." "Cool. I'll see you around, then." "Sounds like a plan." Spike ascended into the air and flew away. "He seemed kinda' nervous..." "Sorry you didn't win," Twilight offered in consolation. "It's no big deal." "You're taking it well," Flash noted. "The chick who won said she'd teach me some stuff. We traded email addresses." "No wonder. You got beat by the best so you could become the best." "What's her name?" "Carolyn." "Is she pretty?" "Yeah, I guess..." "Looks like Rarity's advice wasn't so far-fetched after all." "Huh...?" "Oh, nothing. Don't mind me." "So weird..."
ShiftSpike practiced on his own for the rest of the week. When Saturday rolled around, he received a message from Carolyn. "About to cruise around the park. Wanna' come? I'll show you some moves." "On my way." "Sorry to keep you waiting," the dragon apologized. "No worries. To tell you the truth, I wasn't expecting you to show up at all." "Why?" "You seemed really anxious the other day." "It was my first time out in a while. I was kind of a hermit for a few years." "Anxiety. Gotcha'." "What'd you want to show me?" "I noticed you like to do a lot of lip and small air tricks. You've got a balanced style between street and vert. Your biggest hindrance is your limited arsenal. For example, you can spin the board around pretty good, but you're only using basic kick flips and heel flips. You should try mixing the angle of the board up a bit more." "How?" "Watch me." Carolyn moved to the other side of the road. She mounted her board and pushed forward before jumping down the hill's decline into the grass. As she did so, she kicked the back of the board, flipping it backwards at a diagonal angle before landing in perfect sync with the object. "See? It's pretty easy, but it already opens up a ton of ways to mix stuff around. Give it a try." Spike successfully landed the trick, though his landing was noticeably sloppier. "You'll get better the more you keep at it. We'll try a lip trick next. Follow me." Carolyn led Spike to a set of train tracks on an upward slope. "This ties in to what I said before about changing the angle. Instead of keeping the board straight, you can use your weight to shift it horizontally." Carolyn built her momentum before stopping on the right side of the tracks. She pulled her hips to the side, changing the board's direction ninety degrees before meeting Spike back at her original position. "Any trick can be broken down into steps. You can add more based on your position and the position of the board. It's better to be careful not to add too many until you've had time to practice, otherwise you'll be bailing - hard." "Thankfully, cracking bones isn't really my forte." "Yeah, 'cause you're covered in scales, you lucky fuck." Spike couldn't help but laugh at the casual employment of profanity. Spike and Carolyn practiced for three more hours. Spike in particular felt he learned a lot from the experience. "Hey, have you eaten anything yet," Carolyn asked. "Not since this morning." "I know a killer pizza joint in town. It's on me." "I'm game." "Awesome." "So you're from a few towns over?" "Yeah. I live on the outskirts." "With your sister and her boyfriend, right?" "Yeah." "What do you guys do?" "Twilight's an engineering major and mathematician. Flash was a soldier in the guard, but he left after they started dating." "Twilight...The name sounds familiar." "She published the universal equivalency theory five years ago." "Twilight Sparkle...!?" "That's her." "Her formula completely changed the way we understand the universe! That's so crazy!" "Definitely." "What about you?" "I'm a big mooch." "No kidding?" "I've been thinking about getting into skating professionally, though." "You're gonna' need some serious street cred and a lot of skills." "I know, but I have nothing but time on my hands. May as well try to be productive. What you showed me today will help a lot." "How long have you been skating?" "Three months. You?" "I started two years ago. I looked into some of the more well-known skaters and thought it'd be interesting to try." "I did the same thing. I was interested in the punk and metal culture surrounding it. Dragons have a predilection for that kind of stuff." "Let me guess - some of your favorite bands are Bullet For My Valentine, His Infernal Majesty, Lamb of God, Heaven Shall Burn, and Children of Bodom." "How'd you know?" "They're on every skater's playlist." "Yours, too?" "Duh." "I actually got into them before I was interested in skating." "Okay, hipster. What took you so long to get with the program?" "The whole drug thing, mostly. Back in the day, everybody was getting hooked on heroin, cocaine, and meth. I didn't really wanna' deal with it. Figured it'd be best to wait until they started getting clean, ya' know?" "I can see that." "So what about you? I'm curious about the life of Ms. Grand Champion." "Not much to tell. Grew up in the suburbs like everybody else. Learned how to weld from my dad. After I started skating, I designed custom decks for the vets around the area. Between competing, welding, and graphic design, I've built up some cash reserves of my own." "That sounds pretty neat. Think you could show me the ropes sometime?" "If you're up for it." "By this point, I'm pretty sure Twilight's sick of having me around the house." "Is she one of those uptight types?" "Nah. She's usually cool, but she has her days." "We all do." "Anyway, thanks for today. I should probably get back before she starts getting worried." "Hit me up later." "You got it."
DandelionCarolyn awoke to the scent of bacon pervading the air. She stretched her limbs and groaned before rolling off the bed onto her legs. "Well, that's one thing off my bucket list." Silently, she crept through the door leading into the hall. Spike was in the kitchen standing over the stove. She snuck up behind him and wrapped her forelegs around him. "Morning." "Hey..." "You okay?" "Yeah. You?" "Better than that." "That's good. I was worried I might've got a little too rough last night." "Nope. It was just the right amount." "You're funny." "Wanna' hear something hysterical?" "Whatcha' got?" "I've been dreaming about getting laid since I was sixteen." "Fifteen for me." Carolyn hacked up a lung at his response. Spike put the spatula down and turned around. He knelt before his flame. He brushed her bangs which covered her left eye to the side. "Hey, gorgeous. Where have you been all my life?" "Avoiding you on purpose until you got the biggest hard-on ever." "Blunt and direct as always." "Would you have it any other way?" "Nope." They shared a gentle kiss. Carolyn's ear twitched. She hadn't noticed the TV was turned on. "What band is that?" "7 Angels 7 Plagues." "Why do I feel like I've heard them before?" "The EP came out when we were little. You might have heard it when it was new." "'Until the Day Breathes and the Shadows Flee, huh? The art looks pretty old school." "It came out in 2000 I think." "Damn. That was when everybody wanted to skate." "You ever notice how extreme music always pops up around the same time skating sees a surge in popularity?" "Teen angst is a hell of a drug." "Interestingly enough, this is one of the few heavy bands Twilight actually likes." "Probably because of the progressive rock elements. Sounds like they did something similar to Hopesfall." "Evergreen Terrace, too." "Wonder why they stopped making stuff like this." "It was kind of a trend more than anything at the time, but it's one of the few trends I actually thought was kind of cool. 7 Angels in particular had lyrics similar to stuff you see a lot in gothic rock. They just made it heavier." "You did strike me as a mixed personality. I guess you follow all sorts of alternative scenes." "Goth, metal, emo, punk - whatever I really feel like at the time. There were other groups back in the day that mixed gothic rock with death and doom metal. First ones that come to mind are My Dying Bride, Paradise Lost, Pyogenesis, Anathema, and Katatonia. Most of them changed up their sounds later." "You know a lot about this stuff." "I secluded myself for ten years. Had to do something to pass the time." "For what it's worth, I'm glad you came back." "So am I." Spike and Carolyn hugged each other tightly. The comfort their contact brought one another was far beyond description. "I should get home after we eat. Twilight's probably worrying her head off right now." "We'll skate later." "Yeah." The leaves crunched beneath Spike's shoes as he approached the house he shared with Twilight and Flash. "Here goes..." The door was locked. He pulled his key from the pocket of his jeans. "I'm home," he called out. There was no reply, "Must be out. Guess I'll have to take my tongue lashing later. Fun," He climbed the stairs to his room. Twilight and Flash made it home a quarter after five with groceries in tow. "Spike, are you home?" The dragon stepped back down. "Hey..." "You look down. Did something happen?" "I figured you'd be mad about not getting in touch last night." "I can take a guess what you were doing. How was it?" "How was what?" "Don't try to play dumb. You're a terrible liar." "All I can say is, what I suspected is true," "And what would that be?" "Now I know why you and Flash go at it so often. Can we drop it now, please?" "Fair enough." "I swear, sometimes you're way too curious for your own good." "I can't help it." "If you say so." Spike helped Flash and Twilight put the food away before going back upstairs. On the desk next to his bed, there was a notebook. He rarely wrote anything down unless he was deeply lost in thought. Now was one of those times. He opened it to a page marked with 7 Angels 7 Plagues lyrics. Next to them, he wrote something new. "I wonder if she likes dandelions..."
OfferingSpike was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of his phone alerting him to a notification. He rubbed his eyes. "Carolyn..." He unlocked his screen to see her message. "I can't sleep...I wish you were here." The dragon typed a response on his device's virtual keyboard. "I miss you." "I miss you, too." "I've been thinking about you." Carolyn replied with a picture. In the photo, she lied on her side. Her shirt was partially lifted, revealing her abdomen. "Wanna' see more?" "Hang on." Spike sat upright. He took off his own shirt and opened his camera. He snapped a shot. "Had to get comfortable." "Naughty boy. <3" Carolyn followed up with a secondary image. Her upper body was completely bare. One foreleg enclosed around the shoulder above the other, as if to say "I feel your presence". Spike responded in kind. He held a hand against his cheek. "My vampiric king." "With your kiss...I have awakened from death...My princess..." Carolyn sent one final photo. Her exposed eye was shut. Spike could only assume the eye she kept veiled was closed as well. She covered her mouth, extending her free hoof down towards her bed. "I think you know what to do." "And you don't?" "Smartass." "...Rest well...Sweet dreams..." "And you, my dearest..." "I'll be dreaming of you until the break of dawn's first rays..." "Morning, Spike." "Morning, Twilight." "Are you headed out to see Carolyn?" "Yeah." "Think you'll be able to practice without getting too distracted?" "Hardy har har." "I'm just saying. It might be a bit awkward to try to skate with an erection." "Keep it up. See what happens." "What are you gonna' do? Shave my mane in my sleep?" "Sure. Let's go with that." "Boy, get on up outta' here." "See ya' later, bro," Flash voiced. "See ya', dude." Spike plucked a dandelion which swayed gracefully next to the house before flying off. Spike's appearance as he flew nearer to Carolyn became more contented than anyone would have believed possible. The lids of his eyes lowered into a state of dreamy wakefulness, as though he was seeing something most others could not. "Hey...," the Pegasus spoke meekly when he arrived. She blushed with a smile, rubbing her shoulder in playful embarrassment. "I brought you something." "You're cheeky, ya' know that?" "Oh?" "7 Angels 7 Plagues - Dandelion. You thought I wouldn't figure it out?" "Au contraire. I was hoping you would." "Corny, but...I love it..." "Really?" "Mm-hm." "I know we came out here to skate, but I was wondering if we could just talk for a bit." "Sure." "Do you remember what Twilight said over dinner the other night?" "She said a lot." "About my way of thinking, I mean." "Yeah." "I don't know if there's a way to say this without sounding completely batshit crazy, but for a long time, I've felt a deep connection with the spiritual plane." "You mean the esoteric plane beyond ours?" "Yeah." "How long have you felt that way?" "Since I was five." "That's a long time." "From time to time, I'd catch glimpses of things that couldn't possibly be here. Sometimes they'd show up as sentient shadows, other times I would see disembodied faces." "Did you feel like they were threatening?" "No. That's the weird part. As I got older, the vibes I got off them became more benevolent." "What was the strongest energy you ever felt?" "When I was fifteen, I went to visit Rainbow Dash late one night because she needed help with something. On the way there, I got this strange feeling that I was being watched, but I also knew somehow that whatever was watching me didn't want to hurt me. Right after I felt that, I saw into the spirit realm for the first time." "What did it look like?" "Imagine an icy blue stream defying the laws of physics. It's still flowing, and you're floating in the middle of it. Gravity is barely a fraction of what it is here. The air is cool, and you feel calm and at peace." "That's an eerily vivid description. It sounds like you were really there. You think it was an out-of-body experience?" Spike shook his head. "I was still on the road, but what I saw converged with our reality, like they were interlinked." "I guess it makes sense. If there's more than one level of existence, it stands to reason they'd connect with each other." "I know what was following me that night." "What was it?" "I didn't believe it at first, but after we...Ya' know...Had sex...I knew for sure." "I don't understand." "It was you. Your life force crossed paths with mine years before we met." "Are you serious!?" "Dead serious." "No way..." "I spent so much time trying to figure out what happened not realizing all I had to do was give it time." "I don't know what to say...I'm a little freaked out right now." "I am, too. I kept asking myself why things escalated between us so fast." "There was little to no hesitation on my part, either..." "You can be honest with me. Do you regret what happened?" "I don't think so. I mean...I had fun...It felt great...And we were laughing..." "There's one thing I regret." Carolyn gazed into Spike's eyes. Her own were filled with worry. "I regret not being honest." "Honest?" "We were excited to try something new - something neither of us had ever done before. Because of that, I lost sight of what we were doing it for. It wasn't a truthful expression of how I felt." "How...How do you feel...?" "I care about you a lot, and it took questioning my mortality to recognize that." "I...I care about you, too." "Maybe we can try again; for real this time." "I think I'd like that..." Spike lit one of the candles Carolyn kept in her bedside cabinet. He placed it atop the wooden surface. He turned around and wrapped his arms around her. She placed her hooves on his shoulders. Their kisses were softer than those of their previous encounter...More tender. He pulled her onto the bed by her waist, unzipping and removing her jacket. At first, Carolyn was hesitant to exert her control, concerned she would move things along too quickly, but Spike's body begged to differ. She felt him stiffen beneath her. She welcomed this, although she herself was uncertain as to why. "I can return the favor from last time." Spike swiftly declined. "I want to see you - fully and completely in all your divine splendor." Carolyn nodded. She reached down to undo his belt. He placed his palm on her cheek. She tilted her head, locking his touch, allowing it to imprint itself into her long-term memory. She held it gently with her hoof. "Why does this already feel so much better than before? What's going on...?" "Carolyn..." Author's Note "I PRAY THAT YOU FIND THE PEACE THAT YOU'VE BEEN LONGING FOR!" -Hopesfall, The End of an Era
Progression"You weren't lying." "Hm?" "I felt everything. The spiritual connection...It was all true." "I wouldn't lie about something like that. For the first time in a long time, I have a reason to try to make something of my life. You helped me become stronger than I ever could have been on my own." "I feel the same way. I thought I'd just do enough to get me by and live a quiet existence until the day I stopped breathing, but there's so much more life has to offer. I'm only just now noticing it." "The world can be a scary place sometimes. That's why we have to keep moving forward." "Yeah..." "Let's take the long way back today." Carolyn buried her snout in Spike's chest. He held her ever closer to him. Spike and Carolyn skated side by side through each town leading back to Twilight's house. It was like a scene from a movie. At one point, either as an act of affection, playful banter, or both, Spike twirled her around him and lifted her into his arms. The unorthodox blend of traditional dance and contemporary recreation could have caused stars to bow, falling from the sky from the beauty of it all. "Did you guys have fun," Twilight asked with a smirk on her face when they entered the residence. "You could say that," Spike remarked, "We learned a lot." "Oooh. Sounds juicy." "I just came to pick up something." "Where are you going?" "Rarity's. I have a favor to ask her." "How long's it been since you last saw her?" "Since I gave her that book back." "Has it really been that long already?" "Looks like it." "Have you met her yet," the Alicorn asked Carolyn. "Not yet." "Spike had a bit of a thing for her back in the day." "Really? What happened?" "I...Actually, I don't know." "We were never really on the same wavelength," the dragon admitted, "Our mental and emotional states were too different. It wasn't anyone's fault. That's just how things go sometimes. In some ways, I'm grateful she wasn't like me." "Some things are for the best." "I owe her and Rainbow Dash more than they'll probably ever know. Without them..." Spike turned to face Carolyn. "I wouldn't have you..." "Rainbow Dash?" "It's a long story. I'll tell you later." Spike went up to his room. He opened his closet and took out a long, black duster coat. He put it on and went back downstairs. "We'll be back soon." "I'll be here, pondering everything I thought I knew about the world." "Rainbow has a habit of getting into your head, doesn't she?" "I guess so." "Spike, darling! It's been far too long, and dare I say, you look as dashing as ever." "Hey, Rarity." "And you must be Carolyn!" "Nice to meet you." "The pleasure's all mine! I must say, I was quite curious to see what creature would be the one to capture Spikey-Wikey's heart in my place." "I was wondering if you could come up with a few t-shirt ideas based on this." Spike showed the fashionista his phone screen. "'Hopesfall'?" "It's the art from their second album The Satellite Years. I guess if you want to categorize it, it could be considered cosmic fantasy." "This is outside my normal area of expertise, but I think I could whip something up." "Thanks. I'll send the photo as a reference." "Excellent." "By the way, have you seen Rainbow Dash around lately?" "Just yesterday, as a matter of fact." Rarity sighed. "She tore her uniform yet again. One of these days, I'm going to run out of sewing needles permanently because of her antics." "When you see her again, tell her I said hey." "I shall." Rarity got to work immediately. Curious about the nature of the design, she pulled up the album to hear for herself. While she was usually a classical kind of gal, she would occasionally dabble outside her genre of choice. She paid close attention to the opening instrumental, Andromeda. She immediately recognized the name as belonging to the milky way's sister galaxy. The melodies overcame her like an ocean wave. "Perhaps I've been overlooking rock much too long. How could something with so much grain be so masterfully crafted? I could very well see myself being lulled to sleep. Curious indeed..." When Spike and Carolyn returned to Twilight's that day, they relaxed and unwound themselves in Spike's room. Carolyn played video games on the dragon's console. Meanwhile, Spike was scribbling notes down in his journal. Rarity's intervention several months earlier and Carolyn coming into the picture were operating the gears of his mind. An idea was beginning to form. "An angel soaring down from space...Wonder...Kindness...Adventure...Love...Within..."
InterludeSpike and Carolyn decided to watch a scary movie. While they watched, Spike continued to jot down notes in his journal. "Whatcha' writin'?" "I had an idea for a book." "What's it about?" "Here. Take a look." Carolyn scanned through the scribbled words. "It's about an angel who figures out what masturbation is?" "Remember when I said Rarity helped me find you?" "Yeah." "Well, a few months ago, I went to her asking for help talking to women. I was really nervous, being new to the dating scene and all." "How'd that pan out?" "Not good at all. It felt really forced an unnatural. I was a wallflower the entire time I was around town. I went back to tell her it wasn't working out." "What happened?" "She gave me a book she said might help. Turns out it was, among all things, an erotic novel." "Well...Um...That's different." "That's what I said. Anyway, her real goal was to shock me out of my slump using reverse psychology." "Judging by where we are now, I guess it's safe to say it worked." "She's a crafty one. Gotta' give credit where credit's due." "I might be able to help with this." "What'd you have in mind?" "I figured you'd know since you're the philosopher." "I'm stumped on this one." "Think: if your original issue began within, what tool could change your perception?" "I don't know." "Self-love, dingus." "Self-love...?" "We met because you stopped forcing yourself to do something that wasn't working. You shifted your focus to self-care and self-improvement through skating." "Ohhhhh! Now I gotcha'." "Taking care of your own body and mind can amount to significant changes in your future. Try having your main character use self-love as a means of coping with her feelings of alienation from the rest of the world." "How?" "Have her take herself out. Maybe she could go to a fancy restaurant or go see a movie by herself. Have her buy one of those silver cross necklaces you see in stores all the time and make it her personal symbol. Hell, make the masturbation scenes more intimate and spiritually focused like she's connecting in a new way with her creator. The only limit is your imagination." "I hadn't thought of it that way. That's really interesting." "Do you have a name for the story or character yet?" "Not yet." "It should be something introspective and personal. A porno book inspiring critical thought and soul searching would make some serious waves in the literary world. Who knows - maybe world peace will be achieved through religious jacking and jilling." "HOLY FUCK! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Spike wheezed and clobbered the floor next to him. "Don't have an aneurysm on me, now." "I think you broke me!"
DistanceSpike lied on his bed, eyes closed, earbuds turned up to max volume. He listened intently to one of the thousands of metal bands he had saved to his phone. This was the norm in the passing hours of his day-to-day life. The last nine years of his life had been an unusual experience to say the least. He gradually lost interest in hanging around other people. Other than helping Twilight and Flash around the house, most of his time was spent sleeping. Even his gaming habits had severely diminished. Twilight believed these changes to be symptoms of depression, but Spike quickly put those concerns to rest. He pointed out to her that other than his mellower attitude, nothing else had changed. There were no outbursts of irritability, and he wasn't going out of his way to isolate himself. More than anything, it all seemed to boil down to happenstance - a sort of natural progression which resulted from mundane environmental factors. Still, the dragon couldn't deny that something felt like it was missing; like part of him was incomplete in some way. This is what he often pondered. A little later in the day, Spike left his room. He knocked on Twilight's door. "Come in." Spiked creaked open the door and peeked through. "I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back soon." "Where are you going?" "Rarity's. Wondering if she might be able to help me get out of this funk I'm in." "We'll be making dinner soon." "I'll be back before then." "Alright." "See ya' later." He returned the door to its original position. Spike entered through the door of Rarity's design shop. He didn't see anyone around. "Is she in the back?" No sooner had the thought crossed his mind when she surprised him from the the side room. "Spike! It's so good to see you, darling!" "Hey, Rarity." "How long has it been?" "Two months, I think?" "Right - when you came to pick up those bandages for Fluttershy. How is she faring?" "Pretty good, last I knew." "Good to hear. So, what brings you here on this lovely day?" "I was hoping for some advice." "Really?" "You're well-versed in matters of the heart, right?" "Well, I do rather pride myself on my knowledge of such affairs. Is there some special lady you're trying to captivate?" "Not at the moment, but it's something I've been wondering about. My interest in dating and stuff like that never really surged like most peoples' when I was a teenager." "Yes. Your libido in particular was unusually low for a dragon." "Yeah..." "By any chance...Was it because of what happened between us...?" "I don't think so. I knew that was a long shot from the start. Looking back on it now, I think it was more infatuation than compatible attraction." "Then...What do you suppose it could be?" "Twilight thinks depression, but that doesn't sound right either." "I would think not. You're strong, handsome, kind, well-off, and you possess an ever-expanding array of skills. In general terms, you are the absolute embodiment of many women's fantasies." "What should I do?" "Perhaps a more proactive approach couldn't hurt." "Proactive in what way?" "Well, in my own experience, women feel most comfortable talking to men in social settings." "I follow you so far." "We tend to fancy attentive listeners who are able to contribute to conversations when needed." "So basically the guy initiates the conversation, the woman responds, and the guy follows suit?" "That seems to be social convention. Don't be surprised if it feels rather awkward, especially the first time around." "I'll give it a try." "Just try to relax and let things flow as naturally as possible." "Thanks, Rarity." "Of course. Feel free to drop by anytime if you need more advice." "I will." Over the next several days, Spike hung around the local clubs and public events which occasionally ran through town. However, his indifference quickly transformed into anxiety. As a child, it was second nature for him to interact with people outside his usual circle, but later down the road, he was given a harsh reminder that randomly chatting with a stranger was often considered unnerving by many. Given that he wasn't a consumer of alcohol by trade, there was little to ease the discomfort of a first conversation. As a result, he kept to himself the entire time. Being alone with his thoughts was where he felt most at ease. He eventually ended up visiting Rarity again. Upon entering the shop, he patiently waited for the sole customer to exit before speaking. "How did it go," the unicorn asked. Spike shook his head. "I couldn't do it, Rarity. It's too weird, especially nowadays." "Why do you say that?" "The world's changed since we were younger. Bothering random people, regardless of the context or environment, isn't looked on very kindly anymore. Common courtesy dictates minding your own business, ya' know?" "I see." "So...What now?" "I'm rather stumped myself. This is quite the paradox we've found ourselves in. I never considered the possibility social anxiety was linked to moral principles." "Hm..." Rarity weighed her options. "I have an idea." Rarity disappeared into the back room. Seconds later, she returned levitating a dark brown book. "Give this a read." "'Thorns of Drusilla...?" "Romance novels are popular among a variety of demographics. Perhaps learning from the mind of another will make the transition easier." "Would something like this work in real life?" "There couldn't be any harm in at least giving it a read." Spike gripped the assortment of pages firmly in his palms. After dinner, Spike retired to his room. His computer provided the only source of light. "Guess I should start reading..." The dragon placed his head against the board of his bed. He opened the first page. Unlike many other books, it did not begin with a preface or message from the author. "Guess they wanted to draw people in immediately..." The story was set some time between the dark and medieval ages. It centered around the main character, Drusilla Lynold, a wealthy former governess who had grown bored with her daily life. "Yep. Classic Rarity." The first few paragraphs were simple world-building; a monologue by Drusilla which mentioned her forbidden lust for one of her former employers. By the fifth page however, the descriptions became noticeably more...Risque... "Wait...Huh...?" Spike quickly closed the book. "That was unexpected! Um...!" Unable to comprehend what he had just read, he put the book under his pillow. "Not talking about this with anybody. No, thank you." He readjusted his body, pulling the comforter over him. "Nice prank, Rarity. Not cool..." He closed his eyes. "Twilight's gonna' kill me if she finds this..." Spike called Rarity the next day. It was clear by the tone of his voice he was not amused. "Hello?" "Why did you send me home with smut?" "Forgive me, darling." "I'm not sure you're understanding the severity of the situation here. Remember what you said before about me being well-off?" "Yes. I remember." "This house, that money; it's all Twilight's. I get kicked out of here, I'm not gonna' have anywhere to go." "Surely she wouldn't react in such an extreme manner." "Have you met her?" "You must be privy to her late-night intimacies with Flash by now." "What they do is none of my concern." "Calm yourself. I believe I can help you, but I need you to trust me. There is a method to my madness." "If I get caught, this is on you." "I'll take full responsibility should the need arise." Spike sighed in relief. "Thank you." "Finish the book. This is a crucial step." "Fine. Whatever." "Please, don't be too cross with me," Rarity pleaded, "I don't mean you, Twilight, or Flash any harm." "It's alright...I'm sorry, okay? You're our friend, and I should know better." "I'll see you soon." "Yeah..." Spike hung up. He held the phone against his brow. He felt ashamed of himself for his behavior. "Damn, man..."
SparkCarolyn called on Spike to help her with several jobs. One was a welding job repairing a metal lawn chair that's spinal support had snapped off. Another was a graphic design gig. The client requested a simple star design with a hollowed out interior. Carolyn applied the base layer, staining the bottom of the board solid black. Spike painted the star on by hand. Between jobs, they each made a around three hundred bucks. The more time Spike and Carolyn spent together working and practicing their skating, the closer they grew. Soon, they found themselves hanging out at arcades and shops just to be around each other. Eventually, the moment of truth arrived. Spike sent the first email this time around. "Hey. I was wondering if you'd wanna' come over for dinner tonight to meet Flash and Twilight." "Sure. What time?" "Can I pick you up around six?" "Sounds good." "Cool. I'll see you soon." "Later, lover boy. <3" Spike's face turned a dark shade of red. Was she just joking, or... "Does she know...?" "You have a bad habit of keeping girls waiting, you know that?" "Looks like it." "Well? A gentleman should lead a lady to their destination, should he not?" "Hop on." "That's more like it." Carolyn wrapped her forelegs around Spike's shoulders. "Hey, after dinner, you wanna' catch a movie," the dragon asked. "I'm a little short on cash." "Who said you were payin'?" "Well, in that case...I'd love to." Twilight prepared a dish of steak, green beans, mashed potatoes, and rolls that night. Spike was salivating before the plates hit the table. "It's nice to finally meet you," Twilight said, "I was beginning to worry you were a figment of this loon's imagination." "Welp, I'm here and in the flesh, unless Mr. schizo here has the most vivid imagination ever." "You're calling me crazy when you treat cooking like chemistry class." "I do not...," Twilight protested. Spike gave her a skeptical look, "...Fine...Maybe a little." "So you guys met at the skating contest a couple weeks ago," Flash inquired. "It was my first time seeing him there. He was acting all shy. I thought it was cute." "That's funny, because the way he described it, you kicked his rear into next Sunday." "I do have a good year and nine months on him." "That would explain it." "Right now I'm trying to kick him into shape for next year." "How's that going?" "He's got a long way to go, but he's committed and receptive. Dedication is the most important factor." "That's how it goes." "So you're a welder and graphic designer," Twilight inquired. "On a case-by-case basis. My schedule's pretty flexible." "Guess that's something you two have in common." "Hey, we're pursuing careers we're happy with. That's the important thing, right?" "Absolutely. Since we're on the topic, I think Spike would make an outstanding philosopher." "I think so, too." "Between us and our friends, he was always the deepest thinker. I can provide insight into physical reality, but his emotional and spiritual knowledge far exceed anything I've ever seen." "What about your other brother?" "Shining? He's a commander in the guard. From what he's told me, it's usually a pretty boring job." "Must mean he's good at it." "He's unquestionably gained a certain level of respect from the other soldiers." "I don't doubt it." Spike and Flash cleaned up and washed the dishes. While they were busy, Twilight and Carolyn spoke quietly among themselves. "So, tell me the truth...Do you like him?" "When he was watching me, there was a brief moment where we made eye contact. Do you know what I saw?" "No. What?" "Yearning..." "So you see it, too..." "Aside from my family, no one's ever treated me with the same acknowledgement and acceptance as him. I don't know why, but...I feel like I can trust him." "He never had the chance to meet his biological family. My mom and dad raised all of us together. If I'm completely transparent, I was always closer to Spike than I was to Shining." "It has to be your influence. That's all I can think of." "Maybe." After the movie, Spike and Carolyn returned to the mare's apartment. She settled onto the living room couch. "I had fun tonight." "I'm glad. I didn't know what to expect with those two." "Hey...Can I ask you something?" "Go for it." "Do you...Like spending time with me...?" Spike's expression became softer and warmer than she had ever seen before. "Of course I do. You're the first real friend I've made since I was twelve." "Have you maybe thought about being something...More than friends...?" "Why do you ask?" "Because..." "...You have, too?" "Maybe...When I was alone, there were thoughts..." Spike moved closer to her. His smile became playfully mischievous "What kind of thoughts...?" "Thoughts that weren't exactly...Decent." "And what did you do about them?" "Do I have to say...?" "Well...You could always reenact them." "...You jerk." They pulled forcefully towards each other. Their lips involuntarily declared war, as if on instinct. Spike lifted Carolyn into his arms. Their minds were fueled by the deafening screams of everlasting desire. "...Let's go to the room," Carolyn purred. "Are you sure?" She nodded. Spike carried her to the back of the complex, freeing one of his claws to turn the knob before pushing on. They broke their charged exchange long enough for Spike to take off his shirt. He left on the necklace he wore the first day they met. Carolyn removed the garments covering her torso as well. "You're a Pegasus?" "Didn't want anybody to think I was cheating during competitions. That's why I kept them covered - so I couldn't use them." "Smart." Carolyn lied back on the bed. Spiked traced down her stomach, occasionally scraping his fangs against the skin beneath her fur. He longed for her; flesh, blood, and soul. All other images erased themselves as they became lost in intimate caresses. Spike kissed Carolyn's hoof in an act of ritualistic affection. "Tell me what you want." "...To fuck you until you're comatose." His carnal request was all she needed to hear. Over the course of the night, Spike offered his missing half a total of twenty neurologically-frying orgasms - one for each year he'd had to live without realizing her existence. Halfway through, they were forced to pause in order to re-hydrate, but such a small interval was quickly forgotten as they lost themselves twice over. Every ounce of negative pressure held within their cells dissipated, nowhere to be found. While their bodies unraveled in primal hunger, their minds were consumed only by loving concepts and perceptions. The next afternoon, Spike could barely remember what happened; that is, until he saw Carolyn's form next to him. "Oh, crap...Twilight's gonna' be so pissed I forgot to message them last night..." The dragon watched as his lover inhaled and exhaled in exhausted harmony. "I should make sure she's alright. I'll worry about Twilight later..." Spike leaned over. He kissed Carolyn's forehead and got up to get dressed. "I'll be out there if you need me..." He could've sworn he saw what resembled a smile cross her features. "...I love you..."
Interlude (Part 2)Spike put his notebook down and paused the movie around the halfway mark. "Hey, you gettin' hungry?" "I can eat." The dragon pushed himself off the ground. "I'll be back in a minute..." "...Wait." Carolyn reached for her lover's hand. He stopped in his tracks. "Are you okay?" "Yeah. Why do you ask?" "You looked kind of upset when I read your journal." "No. I'm fine." "I'm really proud of you. You know that, right?" Spike's expression again became warm. He knelt down next to Carolyn. "I'm proud of you, too. You're always getting better at your skating, your art, and your welding. Seeing you live for growth and improvement is what made me want to change." "I've changed too. I used to feel like a punk who had no real goals or ambitions beyond my small town. You taught me I could be so much more than that, and I love you for it." "I love you, too." "Prove it." "How?" "Kiss me." Spike crawled onto the bed. He held himself above Carolyn. She bit his lower lip to signal her true intentions. He broke the kiss long enough to remove his shirt. "This is the first time we've done it in your bed." "Gonna' have to pay Twilight and Flash back for all those awkward nights I was up late." "Looks like your dick agrees with that sentiment. Jeez, do I really turn you on that much?" "If you only knew." "I ain't complainin'." Carolyn's eyes filled with concern. "Ya' know...I'm worried someday we won't be like this anymore." "Yeah, right. The day that happens is the day I castrate myself." "I'm gonna' hold you to that." "This one's a Pinkie promise." "How weird is it this is our third time fucking and I've barely met any of your friends?" "Oh, you'll see 'em sooner or later. Pinkie in particular has a habit of popping up when you least expect her. For all we know, she's watching us right now." "Let's not disappoint her, then."
