Under the Purple Hood

After a weekend full of alcohol, dancing and total debauchery on the part of the Harmony girls, Monday morning arrived. In Applejack's car, all the girls were in, since most of them were in no condition to drive. With the exception of Applejack, Twilight, Pinkie and Sunset, the rest were half asleep in the back seats of the red pseudo-van of the earthling cowgirl.

"God, what a weekend," Sunset said with a half smile.

"Hey, any word on the guy Fluttershy got into the bathroom with on Saturday?" asked Twilight

"I think he's still in the hospital dehydrated." Said Applejack laughing

" She should psyche herself up that when someone screams, please stop, I can't take it anymore! She should stop!" laughed Sunset

"It has been one of the most amazing weekends of my life! We've been drinking, dancing, flirting, being ourselves, no pressure, no T-Wings, free, FREE! It's been a long, long time since I've been like this."

"If since last night for you is a long, long time, then yes." Applejack said with a smile.

"I think all of us here should thank you for being brave enough to tell Flash four truths, Twilight," Sunset said, putting her hand on her shoulder from the back seat. "If you hadn't taken the plunge, we'd still be shacking up with that scum."

"I might have done it," Twilight said as they stopped at a red light, stepping to the side, the hooded figure on roller skates, hands tucked in his center pocket, to which the four girls, took notice and looked at him tenderly. "But it's someone else we have to thank."

Spike, who was standing next to Applejack's van, listening to music with his headphones, turned his head, to see in the passenger seat Twilight, who was looking at him with a smile. At the sight of her green eyes, a blush spread across her face.

The nomag smiled and skated back to school as soon as the traffic light turned green.

The four awake girls, watched him silently as he went in their same direction.

"This trip, we have to get to talk to him" said Applejack.

"If possible, without trying to rape him" teased Sunset.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, how funny Sunset" said Applejack dryly.

The four laughed as they continued on their way to the high school.

"We have a lot of things to thank that boy for" said Twilight "But also...apologize for so much."

"I'm sure he'll forgive us Twilight" said Sunset comfortingly.

"Whether he''ll forget is another thing" said Pinkie "But forgive us, for sure."

"I just hope that someday we can make it up to him..." said Applejack.

"Sure we will girls." Said Twilight

Applejack's van arrived on time at the school's parking lot, well before the start of classes.

The only people in the small park in front of the school at that time of the morning were the mythical statue of a stone horse and Spike, who was leaning against it, smoking a cigarette and staring at nothing.

Sunset quickly got out of the van and went to the nomag.

"Sunset!" shouted Twilight from the passenger seat, "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to talk to him" she said without looking back "It's about time to start thanking him...especially me."

Spike, even realizing that the unicorn was approaching him, didn't move, since he knew that at that hour, there wasn't a soul on the street and at the institute, there was only Discord, Celestia and Luna.

Sunset, leaned right next to him on the horse statue. Without a word, Spike pulled out his pack of cigarettes and offered one to Sunset.

"Thanks..." said the girl lighting it with a finger.

"I've been dating you undercover for six years" said Spike "I know when to give you a cigarette Samantha."

"It's nice of you to give it to me without telling me in a Sunbrust voice about how bad tobacco is." She said chuckling as she took a puff

"I had to act right..." said Spike still looking straight ahead "I know you'll all be pissed off and hating me... but it was a matter of life and death... when we get back from the trip, I'll let you give me the beating of my life, relax."

The sadness and fear in Spike's words, left Sunset stunned.

"We don't hate you Spike..." said Sunset "It's just... it's complicated all this..."

"More complicated than throwing the Dimond Dogs down the stairs?" said Spike with a half-smile, which made Sunset smile

"You haven't forgotten..." she said with a great joy in her heart.

"How could I forget the first friend I ever had in this place?" said Spike, looking at Sunset with a smile

They both stood smiling at each other for a few seconds and looked ahead again to take another puff.

"Who'd go back to those old days..." said Sunset wistfully.

"Those are beautiful memories... that unfortunately won't be coming back..." said Spike pulling his hood up tightly, throwing the cigarette away and heading towards the entrance of the high school. "Goodbye Samantha... congratulations on getting rid of those bastards..."

The hooded boy, under the watchful eyes of Sunset and the three remaining girls, who had gotten out of the van to meet their friend, entered inside the place, disappearing from their sight after crossing the glass doors.

"How are you Sunset?" asked Twilight worriedly.

"Well *sniff* at least *sniff* I've felt again for a second *sniff* the same, as *sniff* in those days together with him *sniff*" Sunset Shimmer said crying, without looking away from the door.

The three girls hugged her, also with tears in their eyes, comforting each other.

Discord, Celestia and Luna, watched from a window at the girls.

"Spike deserves to finally be happy..." said Celestia without taking her eyes off the girls hugging each other.
"I just hope they don't screw up before their time," Discord said seriously.

"Please dear..." said Luna "Stop for a second thinking about the money, get excited about what we see... those girls really love him."

"I know... but love is a double-edged sword my wives..." said Discord worriedly.

In the teacher's lounge, which is where they were, having coffee, it was silent.

"We're not going to be able to stop them on this trip from getting close to him" said Celestia "We know the girls, nothing is going to stop them."

"I know, but they have to tread carefully" said Discord sipping his cup "Even if they got rid of the T-Wings, they're not going to give up... they're going to have their plan complicated... and Spike too.

The two alicorns hugged the Draconequus on both sides with their wings.

"Let's have faith dear." Said Celestia "Let's trust them..."

"We have no other choice..." said Luna

"Unfortunately..." said Discord sighing "I know that too..."

Gradually, the students began to arrive at the institute and they all gathered around the corkboard in the main hall, looking at a piece of paper with the names of the winners of the contest and the rooms they had been given.

"This is bullshit!" cried Zephry "They didn't even have the decency to give me a room with a sea view! I'm sure it's my little sister's doing, she was always jealous of me.

"No doubt" said Snips "There's been a big fooling around here."

"We were the best!" said Snails "They don't appreciate good art."

The T-Wings walked into the high school and seeing the big crowd at the corkboard, they approached curiously.

"On top of that, they give the best room to that magic-less scum..." said Zephry "I'm going to have a few words with my sister."

The three friends angrily walked off towards the Harmony's locker.

The T-Wings, approached the corkboard after hearing Zeprhy, then looked at the list engrossed.

Winners - Rooms
Spike Drake - Iconic Suite/Otemanu O.W. Suite
T-Wings - Penthouse Suite/Herenui O.W. Suite
Octavia&Vinyl - Penthouse Suite/ Herenui O.W. Suite
The Dazzlings - Edge Villa Suite/ Poerava O.W. Suite

"What?!" shouted Flash angrily "We've been beaten by that nomag!"

"It's an outrage!" yelled a group of unicorns.

"He's cheated!" shouted a pegasus.

"He must have threatened the Harmonys!" shouted a group of earthling

"Let's get him!" shouted Soarin "He will die in terrible suffering!"

"Yes!" shouted everyone as they followed the T-Wings to the front to kill Spike.

A loud whistle stopped the entire enraged orde of students, as they turned around, Thunderlane with a smile, walked slowly towards his friends.

"Guys...guys..." he said almost laughing "Don't you guys realize what's going on?"

Everyone stared at the pegasus quizzically, the T-Wings being the most.

"It's all agreed" said Thunder pacing among the annoyed students "By me, the girls and the T-Wings."

"Well I don't remember having..." said Cheese somewhat lost.

"All this" said Thunder interrupting his friend "It's for this trip, to be one, that that nomag scum, will never forget... revenge is cold and sweet... but it has to be well prepared so that it tastes better."

His Machiavellian words made the faces of the students, turn from angry to complicit, with devilish smiles and confident looks.

"Let's just say it will be his last will and testament" Thunder finished.

The students cheered for Thunder and quietly, they dissipated, leaving the T-Wings in the hall, who approached their friend.

"Why did you do that?" said Flash in annoyance.

"This is between me and the nomag" said Thunder seriously "I don't want him either to be killed before his time, or for anyone to get in my way and that...goes for you guys too."

Thunder took off down one of the corridors, puzzling his companions.

"What the hell is wrong with him?" asked Flash angrily "He's been acting weird for a few days."

"Yeah... he doesn't even seem to care that the Harmonys have left us." Said Soarin

"Maybe it has something to do with the nomag...he keeps talking about him" said Sunbrust stroking his goatee.

"I think the fight left him touched guys" said Caramel adjusting her cowboy hat.

"I wouldn't put it past him" commented Blueblood haughtily "That magic-less scum left our friend in a very bad place."

"How about we play a dirty joke on that wigger?" said Cheese as he pulled out a metal cylinder with a built-in clock "This stink bomb will remind him what happens when you mess with the T-Wings."

A malevolent grin formed on the earthling, but Flash took the bomb from him.

"No way" said Flash "Thunder has said that even we shouldn't get in his way...we'd better figure out how to fix it with the girls..."

"How about we take advantage of the trip?" said Soarin "Beach, sun, alcohol... the ideal spot."

"Yes, but alone we can't do it... we need the help of the only being we have by the balls" said Flash smiling knowing who he meant.

"The nomag" they said at the same time malevolently.

In the lockers, the Harmony girls were getting ready to enjoy the rest of the days before the trip, in which, there were no more classes and they could roam freely around the high school, using the classes they wanted and organizing whatever they could think of or simply, go to the forest to relax or not go at all. The girls were taking everything they had inside the locker out, cheerful and giggling as they slyly watched Spike do the same with his locker, his headphones blaring.

"I wonder what he's listening to..." wondered Twilight flirtatiously with her magic, she made the song the nomag was humming resonate in her head and passed it to her friends' heads as well.

"Uh" Pinkie said with a smile " He likes the classics."

Pinkie began to dance a little and sing along to the song, as she snuggled up to her friends and pointed at Spike every time the song sang the catchy refrain, making the girls blush, as they imagined Spike as a Don Diablo. In the end, they all ended up singing along to the song without the nomag even noticing. Near the end of the song, the girls were interrupted by the presence of Zephry Breeze and his two perverted friends, who kept gawking at the girls' bodies while Zephry's face, showed deep embarrassment.

"What the fuck are you doing?" said the pegasus interrupting them from their waking dream.

"Zephry!" they shouted at the same time in embarrassment.

The nomag, closed the locker and looked puzzled at the ten boys, who were now watching him silently. Feeling uncomfortable, he settled his backpack and walked towards the high school exit.

"May I know what you want?" said Flutters to his brother.

" I wanted to talk to you sister" he said angrily facing her "I know the envy you've always had for me is as big as this planet, but you could have put your pride aside and given me the place I deserve next to my Dashie on the cruise and at the resort in Bora Bora!"

"I can't believe it," Dash muttered, holding his palm to his forehead.

"I know!" the pegasus replied "I couldn't believe it either that they didn't put us together!"

They all at once bumped foreheads with the palm of their hand.

"Zephry really... you are..." said Shy with great frustration.

"What am I?" said his brother vainly "A legend? I know, but if I am, I don't understand what you are doing giving the jackpot to that shitty nomag!"

"That's right!" said Snips and Snails at the same time.

Fluttershy, grabbed her little brother by the ear and pulled him towards her.

"Ouch! What are you doing, I'll tell mom!" complained the pegasus.

"Listen to me Zephry!" she said holding his ear like an angry mother "We gave the award to the nomag because, one, he played all the instruments by himself, two, his voice is awesome and three, his song didn't make any reference to any of us giving you a blowjob did you get it now!"

Fluttershy pulled her hand away from his ear forcefully to which he, in pain, tried to calm it down.

"How envious sis" he said haughtily "Let's get out of here guys! Some people don't appreciate art."

Zephry started walking, but Snips and Snails gawked at the Harmonys, which put them in a very awkward situation. Zephry, as his sister did earlier, grabbed them both by the ears and pulled them with him in his direction.

"Like father, like son" said Applejack as she watched Zephry take Snips and Snails away.

Shy went back to her locker to continue picking up her books, still annoyed by her brother.

"He really gets on my nerves" said the pegasus with annoyance "It's amazing that we're blood brothers."

"I still doubt that to this day, Fluttershy," Sunset laughed.

"If it wasn't for the birth certificate, I would doubt it too" said Shy closing his locker and leaning against its door.

"Well" said Dash as she finished emptying her locker "Days off girls what do you want to do?"

"I had thought about us going to the amusement park at StarsWrill Mall" said Pinkie "Does that sound like a good idea?"

"Sounds perfect to me" said Rarity "Maybe we could also take... you know..."

"Spike?" said Sunset

"What a super hyper fantastic idea Rarity!" said Pinkie excitedly "I can already see myself riding Fright Fly with that little guy."

They all looked excited, even Twilight, but Applejack closing the locker brought them back to reality.

"And how do we go with him without everyone in the mall thinking he's kidnapped us or threatened our lives and calling the police because seven magical girls are with a nomag?" said the cowgirl seriously.

"Well with the changeling belt silly" said Pinkie cheerfully "You give it back to him and let him get ready for a day full of excitement!"

They all looked happy, but Applejack, with a sad expression, put the backpack down and opened the large pocket of the backpack. From it, she pulled out the changeling belt, completely broken, crushed and torn from what happened on the date.

"Oh come on!" said Rainbow Dash with disappointment "Are you serious, can you tell me what we do now Applejack?"

"I don't know... do any of you know military engineering?" said AJ putting a hand behind her head.

Sunset and Twilight stared at the belt, thinking, as they looked at each other, they smiled and nodded at the same time.
"Girls, Spike may not be accompanying us to the amusement park this time," said Sunset taking the belt. "But nothing will spoil his vacation."

"When Shinning took the police competitive exams he had to learn how 'Discord's inventions' work. I'm sure he has a blueprint of the changeling belt." Twilight said with a smile.

"What if he asks you what you want it for?" said Dash not too sure.

"I'll tell him it's for external studies of the institute." Said the alicorn smiling "I think it will be ready for the cruise... until then... I'm afraid if any of them wanted to make a move..."

"We'd have to follow him into the forest." Shy said smiling "That's where he always goes after school, I'm sure he's there now."

Dash's watch beeped, again disappointing the pegasus, who had intended to go to the forest.

"Oh no!" said Dash "I forgot there's a soccer game today for the days off. Applejack and I have to go."

"We have to go see Shinning, see if hopefully he'll give us the blueprint and we can get on it as soon as possible." Twiligt said along with Sunset.

"I promised my boss that I would be free today morning to open the boutique... what a bummer" Rarity said looking at her phone at the conversation with her boss.

"I have to go to the cheerleading squad at the soccer game...what a chore" said Pinkie Pie sadly.

"And I have to go to the animal sanctuary..." said the pegasus dejectedly.

"Well," said Sunset trying to recover her spirits, "Think that in the afternoon we are going to the amusement park and that in no time the cruise ship will arrive and then we can make a move."

The girls perked up a little when they heard her and each went off to do their own thing. Unbeknownst to them, the Dazzlings heard them all from the next hallway.

"We're not the only ones interested in that nomag," Aria said with a wicked grin.

"No doubt, this is getting very interesting." Adagio said with the same grin

"Sisters, does it make you take a walk in the forest?" said Sonata with the same expression.

"No doubt" replied Adagio and Aria at the same time.

"Very well Harmonys. Let the conquest begin..." said Adagio confidently as they walked down the hallway towards the exit.

Spike walked slowly through the forest, along a small path that led to the side of the Griffstone cliff. On the same bridge where, some time ago, he saved Scootaloo from throwing himself off, he stopped to look out to sea. The place was very lonely and there was usually no one around. He took off his hood and left his tousled hair in the air while he lit a cigarette and leaned, relaxed, on the railing of the wooden bridge. There, looking out to sea, a smile spread across his face.

"Heh... who would have thought that after so long I would be like this again." He said to himself excitedly "Maybe... no... it's stupid... but what if... no... they all deserve better than me... I wish I was different... like the others... but I never stop being who I am... although... you never know... but this is impossible."

Spike took a couple of puffs in silence as the sea breeze coming from under the bridge caressed his face.

"If only everything were different..." he said gloomily "You might not even have to pretend to be my friends...and really be it...Dazzlings...."

Spike turned only to see the three sirens who had slowly approached towards him without a sound, leaving them completely confused.

"Do you have eyes in the back of your head?" asked Sonata in bewilderment.

"No..." he said smiling and taking a puff "I just have very good hearing..."

The three sirens, leaned on the railing opposite Spike and he stayed on theirs, the four of them looking at each other from both sides of the bridge.

"Why do you want to know about my family?" the nomag asked the sisters, who were silent. "No lies..."

The three of them, though they had already thought about what they were going to tell him, were caught off guard by his reaction and his calmness, which left them speechless, looking at each other not knowing what to do.

"I know you want to send me to prison to be queens of the city... and it's a good plan... the only nomag in Canterlot, locked up by the Dazzlings sisters... good headline for the newspapers..." said Spike still smiling.

"Why are you smiling?" asked Aria somewhat puzzled "You caught us even before we tried to trick you again."

" Why am I smiling... why am I smiling..." he said again looking out to sea "Why not smile? We just graduated, me at fifteen... it's a wonderful day and we're going on vacation to Ponynesia soon... What's the reason I shouldn't smile?"

"It's just that we've never... seen you smile before..." said Adagio, a bit spellbound by Spike's face.

"And what do you think of my smile?" said the nomag, somewhat teasingly.

The three were at a loss for words and a blush ran through them, making them even more nervous.

"I know why you girls do it... being the baddies of the school... the investigation of my family..." said Spike "It must be hard to live in the shadow of a father who cares more about his job than his daughters..."

The three mermaids were completely stunned.

"Svengalop should stop by the house more so he'd realize what three wonderful daughters he has..." said Spike taking one last puff before tossing the cigar over the bridge.

"You...how do you know?" said Aria between angry and frightened, forming as her sisters, who were speechless, tears in their eyes.

"You investigate me... I investigate you... fair deal..." said Spike without removing his smirk "And you know what else? Screw your dad... he may be the most in demand manager of all... but the father of the year award... he doesn't get it."

Spike picked up his pack of cigars and offered one to each of the sirens, who took it.

The four of them, stood talking on the bridge for a long time, ending up sitting on the wooden floor, smoking cigar after cigar and drinking a couple of cans of beer that Spike always carried with him in his backpack.

"Dad was never around for Christmas..." said Adagio "Not even when Mom died..."

"Parents are sometimes more of a burden than a support aren't they?" said Spike as he drank from the beer can.

"I don't know... maybe if we did something big... he could..." started to say Aria as a tear fell from her eye. "It was all stupid..."

"I don't see it as stupid..." said Spike as he finished his can and lit a cigarette "It's normal... if it's any consolation... if I hadn't listened to the Harmony's and Crusaders... I would have eaten it in the chips that you wanted to be my friends... you're good."

Spike's grin, made all three of them blush and a giggle escape them.

"Just out of curiosity... Spike... your father... William Afton... do you know anything about him?" asked Adagio.

Spike took a big puff on the cigar and exhaled slowly as he stared off into nothingness.

"No" he said with some sadness "And thank goodness... because then you would have a reason to imprison me..."

"Would you kill him?" asked Sonata worriedly.

"Without a second's hesitation" Spike said seriously looking her in the eyes.

"So... horrible... was that what he did?" asked Adagio after a few seconds of silence.

Spike didn't answer, just nodded.

"That son of a bitch better be hiding deep inside whatever hole he crawled into...because if he comes out and sees that street rat's tail I'll kill him." She said with rage in her eyes

The three sisters, looked at each other, somewhat bewildered and going, for the first time in their lives, blindly not knowing how to act.

"Hey... Spike... Louis... Fancy Pants... did he have anything to do with all this?" asked Aria "If you don't want to answer... no need... we're not going to investigate any further... it's just to take the doubt away."

Spike looked at them and took another big puff on his cigarette.

"I'm afraid you're going to have to keep the doubt..." said Spike with sadness in his eyes.

The three girls, looked down at the floor and Sonata, without saying anything to her sisters, not even looking at them and startling them, got up and walked over to the nomag. When she was next to him, she sat down and rested her head on his shoulder, surprising the boy.

"It's normal that you don't trust us... but I speak for me, I... really... I would like to be... your friend... it's the first time that someone doesn't see us as mermaids and if as living beings... thank you Spike..." said Sonata snuggling next to the nomag, which made him a little nervous.

" It'... it's all right... Sonata" he said a bit tense.

"You're not used to physical contact are you?" said Sonata in a sweet voice to which Spike didn't answer "Relax... it's okay... you've been through a lot... I feel like giving you a hug but... I guess you're not ready for that yet... are you?"

Spike shook his head as he took the last puff on his cigarette.

"Don't worry...anytime you want a friend hug...you know where I am." Sonata said getting up with a smile and offering him her hand to help him back on his feet, to which he accepted. "We don't have anything to do here anymore girls... we should go."

"Uh... yeah... we'd better..." said Aria getting up along with Adagio and going the same way they had gone leaving Spike on the bridge, watching them leave.

"Spike!" said Adagio from the beginning of the bridge "Thanks... for everything..."

Spike smiled and nodded to the sirens who walked back out onto the path.

After losing sight of the bridge, Aria and Adagio approached Sonata.

"Nicely played sister" Adagio said with a smile.

"And we thought you were dumb when we found you" said laughing Aria

"I'm not playing girls" said Sonata seriously.

"What?" said the two of them in unison

"That I...what I told Spike on the bridge is true...that's why I was speaking for me, not for all of us..." she said looking at them with her arms crossed.

"You're kidding right?" said Aria "You can't be that dumb. It' s the nomag!"

"As if it's a pelican!" shouted Sonata shocking both sisters. "And don't give me that stuff about being the queens of the city because I don't believe it. I know you and I know that you too have felt more comfortable than in all our lives."

The two sisters said nothing, folded their arms and Adagio leaned against a tree.

"Fuck... it was so simple... What happened?" said Adagio holding his palm to his face.

"It has happened, that for the first time, someone has cared about us..." said Sonata

"It pains me to admit it Sonata... but you're right" said Aria as a real smile formed on her face "God... so long looking for a parent's attention to make us feel better... and we just needed to talk to a friend... on a bridge over a cliff..."

Adagio was still saying nothing, leaning against the tree and looking at the ground, until she too had a smile forming on her face.

"If you notice... it's almost dusk..." said the older sister smiling "How long have we been talking to him?"

"More than two hours for sure..." said Sonata.

"And more than four..." said Aria "If he even gave us a part of his sandwich to eat..."

"Besides without realizing it... we have been talking about our tastes... hobbies... what we want to become tomorrow..." said Adagio

"Did you see his face when Sonata said that she wants to be a firefighter?" laughed Aria.

"Hey, he supported me" she said laughing too "He supported all of us. When you told him you wanted to be a rock star, Aria, and when you told him you wanted to be a government minister, Adagio."

"It's really been amazing this time with him... he's a good person... and when we've talked... about dad... I've never felt so supported..." said Adagio as she looked in the direction of the path that led to the bridge. "Girls... I think... and without hesitation... that finally... after a long time... we have found a friend... and hopefully... a future boyfriend."
Sonata and Aria stared at each other excitedly.

"We're going to keep investigating that bastard of a William... but not to end up with Spike behind bars..." said Adagio confidently

"I like where this is going..." said Sonata determinedly.

"Me too," said Aria approaching along with Sonata to Adagio.

"Spike deserves revenge on that bastard." Adagio said as she looked at her cell phone in the mail, until she opened one that read "C.H.S. Internship Scholarships." "The Harmony's are ahead of us in their conquest... but the battle is not lost... and if my intuition doesn't fail me... that Fancy Pants knows something... and look... one of the scholarships, because of our grades... lets us do internships in his company when we return from summer vacation..."

"And in the meantime?" asked Aria

"We have to make a difference with Twilight and her friends... they never talk or see him with him in public... it will be different with us." Said Adagio "This cruise will be a big advantage for us."

"They may have tremendous bodies and powers... but there is one thing they have that they need above all else... their status." Aria said with a smile.

"Too bad we don't give a shit about status... right?" said a smiling Sonata.

"True" said confident and at the same time Adagio and Aria.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bridge, Spike was still tense and looking out into the depths of the sea.

From a small pocket in his backpack, he pulled out a cell phone that was turned off. It was an old phone that could only make calls, and when he turned it on, there was only one contact: F.F.P. Spike, determined, dialed the number.

At the top of the tallest tower in Canterlot, The Fancy Tower, was a huge white-colored designer office. The modern bookshelf to the right of it was filled with books on cybersecurity, robotics and programming, as well as architecture and engineering. The desk, also white, with a late model computer, a bottle of 1906 Whiskey in a glass design bottle, held a photo frame with a picture of a unicorn with blue hair and a blue French mustache, posing next to a beautiful unicorn with a pale pink mane and a thin face. The same unicorn in the photo was on the terrace of the office, drinking from a crystal glass, whiskey on the rocks. The unicorn was tall (1.90m), about fifty years old, dressed in an elegant gala black suit, with Italian loafers, also black, and a blue tie and black stripes. In the inside pocket of his blazer, he had a gold pocket watch, which he observed through the picture next to it, which was the face of the unicorn in the picture on the desk. On a plaque on the right side, you could read the name of the man, Francis "Fancy" Pants, who, with his light blue eyes, scanned every inch of the pocket watch photo before putting it away.

Then, his phone began to ring.

"Yes?" said Fancy Pants "Fancy Pants speaking..."

"Hello Francis..." answered Spike on the other end of the phone.

"Louis?" said the unicorn worried "Is that you?"

"If I'm calling you it's about something important Francis... so listen to me carefully... the Dazzlings know my father's name." Spike said seriously to the unicorn

Fancy Pants, dropped the crystal glass with the Whiskey and walked into the office.

"What are you saying?" said Fancy upset "That's impossible... no one knows... we made sure of it, that everything disappeared... What happened, who are the ones who know?"

"Calm down and listen to me, Francis" Spike told him very seriously. "It's my fault. A few days ago, I beat up Brutus Thunder... I think he recovered some of his memory... because he called me by my real name... and he remembered about the accident... it seems that the Dazzlings heard him and have started to investigate, I don't know how, but they know that you had something to do with it..."

Fancy, stunned, stood dumbfounded and nervous. He sat down in his red, padded chair and from one of the drawers, pulled out a box of cigars.

"It's impossible Louise... we made them all forget what happened..." said Fancy worriedly as he lit a cigarette and began to sweat "If all this is revealed..."

"Nothing is going to be revealed Francis..." said Spike as he walked through the woods. "You leave Brutus and the Dazzlings to me... luckily I've connected with them... they're nice girls and I think... I have a good feeling... you make sure nothing else gets out... find whatever clue they found online to incriminate you and delete it... and by the way... give Fluer a kiss for me... hope to see you soon."

Spike hung up the call and continued walking through the woods, along a path that was almost eaten up by vegetation.
Fancy Pants, got up from his chair and picked up his phone. He walked out onto the terrace as, shakily, he brought the cigarette to his mouth to smoke while he dialed a number: Discord.

"Discord..." said Francis as he heard him pick up his cell phone.

"Fancy?" asked a puzzled Discord "What's wrong?"

"Brutus remembers what happened... and the Dazzlings are investigating..." he said in a shaky voice

"It can't be..." said Discord also flabbergasted

"Louise has said he can handle it... but if not... do you think we should alert...?" said Fancy Pants exhaling the smoke from the cigar, after another puff.

"No!" said Discord "Spike must not know he's still alive...he's never let us down that boy...he won't now...trust him like I do Fancy Pants...you know he's capable."

Fancy, took a very strong puff, relaxing and exhaling it through his nose and mouth at the same time.

"I know... I know and love that boy very much... I know he'll be able to work it out... anyway, give me an update if anything happens Discord..." said the unicorn more calmly

"I will old friend, I will." Discord said before hanging up the call, leaving Fancy Pants looking out over the horizon at the setting sun towards the Griffstone cliffs.

"I know you can only be in one place right now Spike..." thought the unicorn with a smile "Don't worry... I'll see to it that no one ever knows what happened... that fateful night..."

Spike, came to what looked like a road, which was full of weeds coming out of the cracks in the asphalt. He had arrived at a kind of abandoned neighborhood, with four buildings of about seven floors of apartments each and in the middle of what looked like a square, there was an establishment, abandoned like the others, but unlike the four buildings of residents, this one had a police cordon on the door, faded by time and above the front door, there was an old sign bearing a banner, which showed the head of a brown bear, with a top hat and a bow tie in black. Below that letter was the name of the establishment, which was a fast food restaurant: Freddy Fazbear's Pizza and Games.

In the wee hours of the morning, at Twilight's house, all the girls were asleep in the large living room they had, except for Twilight, who had gone up to her room to put up a picture they had bought at the amusement park, the seven of them riding the Fright Fly roller coaster, a dive coaster they loved. She placed it right next to a bouquet of lavender, the same one Spike, disguised as Flash, had given her on that date. Twilight gazed at it as a smile ran across her face.

" He has good taste." Said a voice from the doorway of the room.

Twilight turned to find Fluttershy.

"Shy... I didn't want to wake you." Twilight said going towards her.

"No you didn't, I can't sleep... do you want some tea?" said the pegasus.

Twi smiled and nodded her head.

They both went down to the kitchen quietly and put some water to boil with fresh herbs like thyme and mint, which they had from a small vegetable garden in the backyard.

"Excited about the trip?" asked Fluttershy to Twilight.

"Quite a lot actually" said the alicorn as she went behind the bar and Shy sat on one of the stools. "It will not only be a chance to relax but also to do some research on the ancient tribes of Ponynesia."

"And to get to know the local wildlife, I'm really looking forward to scuba diving, although I'm a bit scared of it." Said the pegasus with a smile

"Well, take Dash with you" said Twilight "I'm sure she'll get it out of you..."

Shy was silent as she touched her hair with a finger.

"Although I guess it's not Dash you want to take diving." She said with a cheeky smile, which made, accompanied by a grin, Fluttershy's face redden.

"Do you think he'll accept?" said Shy "I want to start doing things with him... well, things I've already done with him, but without any disguise involved... you know? I don't care about my status... I want to be with him, with the real Spike, I want to meet him, walk around holding his hand and tell people who ask that he's my boyfriend and yes, he's a nomag... I remember the times 'Thunder' came to help me at the sanctuary... I should have known that someone like that bad pegasus wouldn't get his hands dirty helping a helpless animal..."

The pegasus' face grew sad at the thought of how blind she had been. Twilight at that moment grabbed her hand.
"Hey Flutters..." she said in a soft tone "Don't feel bad... even Applejack was tricked by those undesirables... and I've been a blind one... and... I want to be with him..."

"But?" asked her Shy curiously.

"Everyone expects the bearer of magic to know how to carry her position... Cadence always tells me that I have to be a good martyr for all the people of this world, that when my time comes, I will be the supreme knower of magic and that carries a great responsibility and above all... that people believe in me... if my status is damaged... I will have disappointed everyone..." said Twilight sadly

"That's silly Twilight" Shy replied "You, in your personal life, are who you want to be and you are with who you want to be with and whoever doesn't like it, look the other way... in fact, if people see you with Spike... maybe the nomags wouldn't be so persecuted and labeled by society... maybe all this is a good thing Twilight.

The water came to a boil and the alicorn gently picked up two cups and poured the tea into them.

Both of them, in order not to disturb, decided to go outside, to the small terrace with the iron table. There, in the moonlight, Twilight pulled Sunset's pack of cigars out of her pocket and took one.

"Twilight!" said Shy, a little upset.

"It's not usual, I promise...it's just that on occasion, it's quite craving." Twilight said apologetically.

With one of her fingers, she lit the cigarette with a small charge of energy generated in the bud. Fluttershy, watched as she took the first puff and relaxed. Without saying anything, she grabbed a cigarette as well and asked her for a light.

"What?" said the pegasus, "You're right. There are times when you feel like one. It's not the first time I've smoked."

Twilight, surprised, held out her finger with the small charge and lit it for her. Shy took a big puff and exhaled at high speed all the smoke.

"I get the feeling this is your first time smoking, but tobacco smoking," Twilight said looking at her with suspicious eyes.

"Why do you think I was so happy at the autumn party?" said Fluttershy with teasing eyes.

"I was saying that friend of yours, Treehugger, had a weird vibe." Twilight said smiling.

They both started laughing quietly so as not to wake anyone up. Shy then looked at her friend, looking worried.

"There's something bothering me Twi...and I don't want anyone else to hear it...I'm too embarrassed..." said Shy with a blush.

"You're afraid of killing Spike... aren't you?" said Twilight "And not exactly with your hand or your powers."
Fluttershy touched her mouth worriedly.

"I'm addicted Twilight... one of the reasons I used to date Thunder was because... he had plenty of it and could last for hours without asking me to stop... but he..." said the pegasus as she took another puff on her cigarette.

"More knowing that... he's most likely a virgin..." said Twilight as she interspersed puffs with sips on the tea.

"What do I do Twilight?" he asked her fearfully "It's getting stronger and stronger my cravings... you know when I get obsessed with a target... the longer it takes me to hunt it down... the more intense I am later..."

Twilight stood for a few seconds thinking, looking up at the sky.

"You have two choices Shy... hold back forever... or pray that nothing happens to him..." said Twilight looking at her friends with concern.

Shy was silent as she sipped a bit from her cup.

"I won't be able to hold back forever Twilight... sooner or later, I'll have to... this trip besides... it scares me... I'll see him on many occasions shirtless and I... I don't know if..." she said almost on the verge of tears.

"Fluttershy... trust yourself... and everything will be fine" the alicorn told her holding her hand. "Besides there are other boys on the boat and on the beach that you can bleed dry without regrets..."

"But none like he is..." said Shy looking up at the stars.

"You're right about that..." said Twilight "It's the first time I'm going to do something completely unsure..."

"You're not alone Twi, we're all going to do it." Shy said, taking a puff and a sip of tea.

"Whatever the status...like you said...I'm determined...we deserve it...Spike deserves it..." said Twilight confidently to herself.
From the bushes in the back garden, footsteps began to be heard, to which both friends stood on guard. The light illuminating the terrace made known the intruders who had sneaked into their house.

"Dazzlings!" said the two friends, gritting their teeth as they saw Adagio, Aria and Sonata appear.

"This is breaking and entering, Adagio, you and your sisters better leave." Twilight said angrily.

"Oh easy Twilight, we come in peace," Adagio said with a chuckle.

"So, killer mouth and book eater want to attack Spike...huh?" said Aria.

"The other day, you threatened us, Fluttershy, now it's our turn." Said Sonata facing the pegasus with her arms crossed "If you ever get that wet mouth near Spike, I'll make you remember why butterflies live so little."

"Wait... you..." said Twilight in astonishment as she saw Sonata's eyes give off concern. "You girls are really after him..."
This surprised Fluttershy as well, who gaped open-mouthed.

"Exactly... and unlike you, we just came from spending the afternoon with him, talking and I can tell you, he's the most wonderful guy I've ever met... we won't let him escape... and with us he's already confident... with you what is he? afraid?" said Aria walking around her sisters.

"Do yourselves a favor and get away from him" said Adagio facing Twilight "Don't make this harder for us, you'll only make things worse."

The three sisters were about to leave, until the door of the house opened.

"So it's war," Dash said from the threshold, having the rest of the Harmony's behind her, looking determined.

"Exactly pelvis smasher" said Adagio "And you don't want to get into a war you can't win."

Dash walked up to Adagio and faced her.

"We'll see who gets the win, fishface." The rainbow-haired pegasus said angrily.

After a few seconds of silence, the Dazzlings transformed and flew out of the garden, disappearing into the moonlight.
"Since when did this become a competition?" asked Pinkie.

"Since those floozies have taken an interest in Spikey-Wikey" said Raarity with her arms crossed "I don't know what they'll want with him...but let's not let them do it."

"They won't touch a green hair on Spike, that I promise you Rarity." Twilight said without taking her eyes off the moon.

Days went by and the Dazzlings and Harmony, when they met, around town or at school, looks of hatred and defiance were in the air. However, none of them had seen Spike since that day.

For his part, the nomag was in his apartment. Gathering plans and materials needed for the expedition he was about to face. With one day to go, everything was ready.

At that moment, there was a knock at Spike's apartment door. The nomag, slowly approached the door and opened it, encountering Fancy Pants.

"Francis" said Spike in surprise.

"May I come in?" the unicorn asked him.

Inside the apartment, Francis sat down on the couch as Spike pulled two cans of beer out of the fridge.

"What brings you here Francis?" the nomag asked him as he sat down next to him.

"I wanted to see if you had everything ready. Do you need anything else? Hooks? Strings?" asked Fancy Pants as he opened his can of beer.

"It's all set Fancy," Spike said as he opened his computer and showed her the coordinates of the island. "I just need Discord to get me some powerful transport to get me these miles from Bora Bora to the island."

"I'm sure he'll be able to do something," Francis said as he gave him a friendly pat on the back.

Fancy Pants then saw under Spike's sleeve, the cuts on his wrists, which made his face take on a sad expression.

"Hey... Louis..." said the unicorn "About those girls... the Harmonys... you really like them... don't you?"

Spike said nothing, just, stared at the computer screen.

"Who told you about them?" asked Spike.

"Discord." said Fancy "I don't want you to get hurt Louis. You're the closest thing I have to a son..."

"Don't worry about me Francis...I can handle myself..." said Spike without looking him in the eye.

"I know... promise me, other than abiding by the mission... enjoy the trip... and if it makes you happy to spend time with those girls... do it. But be careful... please." Fancy told him as he pulled from the inside pocket of his blazer an object wrapped in a handkerchief. "I want you to also...take this...it's just a precaution."

Spike took the object and pulled it out of the handkerchief, revealing a shotgun.

"Don't worry," Fancy Pants said as Spike held the gun in his hands. "It's not registered, it's like it doesn't exist, plus it has frequency jammers in the casing, they won't detect it when you get past security."

Spike stared for a few seconds at the gun and with a serious expression looked at Fancy Pants.

"Did something happen Fancy?" he asked holding the gun in both hands. "Don't lie to me."

Fancy looked straight ahead with concern as his hands began to sweat.

"I didn't want to worry you the other day when you called me on the phone but..." said Fancy looking back at the nomag "A few nights ago they tried to hack into our surveillance camera server. Luckily the programmers were able to stop the attack..."

"What did the hackers want?" he asked her in his usual monotone after a few seconds.

"Some videos... from the... security... camera... at the... commercial port" he said not knowing how to tackle the subject "Specifically from the night you burned down the Rich family's industrial warehouse..."

Spike fell silent. He grabbed his pack of cigarettes and lit one, trying to keep his mind from going into overload.

"You think it was them?" he said as he exhaled the smoke.

"Or someone worse..." the unicorn said worriedly.

Spike took a long puff that was accompanied by a long plume of smoke, which he propelled from his mouth.

"Don Bruto..." he said with the last of his breath before taking another puff immediately.

Fancy merely nodded.

"Even if they had gotten the video they wouldn't know who I am" Spike said scratching his head.

"I know" said Fancy "But they would have identified you from something else."

Fancy then looked at Spike's purple sweatshirt, knowing that thanks to it, he is easily identifiable.

"Maybe this vacation... you could change your style..." said Francis even knowing that what he will receive from that sentence is a resounding no, in the form of a cold stare from the nomag " Yeah... not an option."

"If anything happens, I'll be able to defend myself." Spike said leaning back on the couch.

"Please... carry the gun... for what might happen..." said the unicorn.

Fancy got up from the couch and headed for the door.

"By the way" said before leaving the unicorn "What the Dazzlings found was an old newspaper clipping that we missed...it's taken care of. Good luck... Spike..."

The unicorn opened the door and walked out of the apartment. Leaving Spike with the gun in his hand, staring at the door.

A few seconds later, the nomag stood up, still holding the gun in his hands, and went to the window. On the other side of the street, a huge sky blue limousine was waiting for Fancy Pants along with a few bodyguards, who opened the door for him and drove out of that suburban neighborhood.

Spike stubbed out his cigarette butt and walked around the kitchen/living room area twice. With the handkerchief he rewrapped the gun and put it in the suitcase with the scanty change of clothes he was carrying.

Shortly thereafter, the nomag left the apartment in the direction of the city with his headphones on, listening to music without his noticing that a person in a trench coat and long-brimmed hat was watching him from inside a bar.At that moment, the figure grabbed a cell phone and began to call someone.

" Boss" he said without taking his eyes off the nomag as he left "I think it's him, but I'm not quite sure. I'd need to sneak into the servers again to be absolutely sure."

"Until some time from now that will be impossible, the handsome Pants has reinforced his server's firewall." said a female voice "In the meantime, stick to his ass like a limpet got it?"

"Loud and clear" said the mysterious figure hanging up the phone and asking for the bill for the iced coffee he'd had. As he left the bar, he ducked into a nearby alleyway, never taking his eyes off Spike.He opened his trench coat and with a flick of his wrist, the changeling belt he was wearing, transformed him into an earthling with black eyes and black hair, dressed in a white t-shirt, a blue colored wool jacket, dark jeans and red sneakers.

The day arrived, the commercial port of Canterlot, at the cruise terminal, the seniors were grouped together, waiting to be allowed to board the imposing ship Celebrity Edge. The students' families were waving goodbye and wishing them a happy vacation. The Harmony's, were saying goodbye to a large group of people, including the Pie family, Fluttershy's parents, Rainbow's parents, Rarity's parents, Sunset' parents, the Crusaders, Granny Smith and even Shinning Armor.

"Well Twilight" said goodbye her brother, uniformed as always "Enjoy yourself a lot, don't drink too much, no drugs and of course, if you hook up, you immediately have to tell your best friend-brother forever. ok?"

"Don't worry Shinning" he said laughing "When I get back I'll tell you everything that happened."

"Everything?" she asked him in a questioning tone, lowering one eyebrow and raising the other.

"Yes tiresome" he said rolling the eyes with a smile and hugging her brother. "Too bad dad and mom couldn't make it."

"They send you lots of hugs and kisses from Phillydelphia too Twi" Shinning said with a smile.

"I'm going to really really really really miss you daddy, mommy, Limestone, Marbel and most of all you Maud my little sister! Said almost crying Pinkie Pie "I love you all!"

Pinkie started hugging all her sisters and her parents, who stood static and with no emotions reflected on their faces.

"We love you too Pinkie" they said at the same time with monotone while forming a very slight smile.

"It's amazing that they really are family" Sunset murmured to Dash.

"I'll say" she replied without taking her eyes off them.

"Rarity daughter, are you sure you have everything you need?" asked Selene "Coockie" Crumbles, Rarity's mother to her daughter

"Yes mom, don't worry" said Rarity carrying a huge heavy suitcase "I'm carrying all the essentials, my dresses, my jewelry, hair straightener, hair dryer, my shampoo, my bubble bath gel and a picture of us."

"Try not to spend all day at the spa daughter," her father, Maurice "Hondo" Flanks, jokingly told her, winking at her.
"No promises" Rarity said jokingly, winking back at him.

"Aw sis how envious" Sweetie Belle told her "Promise you'll bring me something from there?"

"Only if you don't get in too much trouble" she replied to her sister as she hugged her.

"I'll do my best" said Sweetie laughing.

"Be very careful Fluttershy, my daughter, there are a lot of mosquitoes there so put on your repellent." Said Mrs. Breeze, her mother, to Fluttershy.

"Be calm mom, everything will be fine" she said hugging her mother.

"And please, daughter" asked her father, Mr. Breeze "Take care of your brother please, don't let him screw up too much."

"Okay...but I don't know if I can do much" she said as she watched her brother Zephry as he tried to hit on the girls of Crystal High, taking a slap from one when he grabbed her ass.

"Applejack" Granny Smith called to her granddaughter as she handed her an apple "For you to take now, boats make you very seasick and it's best to have something in your stomach so you don't get an energy slump."

"Thank you Granny Smith." He said it taking the apple and hugging his grandmother.

"What are you going to do?" asked AB "With... you know..."

" Don't worry about that Applebloom, we have everything under control" said Applejack confidently.

"Enough to keep him from jumping out the window?" said Granny Smith teasingly.

"Granny!" said embarrassed Applejack

"Just kidding dear...I hope he can swim" said a little worried Granny Smith to which Applejack just rolled her eyes

"Well daughter" said Windy to Rainbow Dash "Remember, no drinking before breakfast."

"And train those legs well for the Wondercolt championship" Bow reminded his daughter.

"Don't worry, I've seen the running track they have on deck, it's awesome, it's even got a slope!" said Rainbow Dash smiling before hugging both her parents.

"Dash, one thing" Scoots said to her as she motioned for her to come closer and whisper in her ear. "Is it fixed?"

"Of course it is" Dash answered him "Twi and Sunset have done a good job."

Discord, who had changed his attire to a red swimsuit, yellow flip-flops, Hawaiian shirt and straw hat, caught the attention of the students from both schools.

"Students, please go to security now" said Discord with a smile "And for those of you from Crystal High School... Principal Cinc has already left so as soon as you get inside the boat you can take off those horrible uniforms!"

Everyone at Crystal High started whooping for joy and cheering for Principal Discord, as the vast majority hated their dark purple uniform with white shirt and black pants, which they were forced to wear even on excursions out of the country.

"Well... I guess it's time to go" said Sunset as she hugged both her parents.

"Stay out of trouble daughter" her father told her.

"And don't skip any meals" her mother told her.

"It's all under control" she replied with a warm smile.

The Harmony's, dragged the suitcases with them to the security checkpoint and began to line up.

"I'M SUPERHIPPERMEGA EXCITED!" shouted Pinkie Pie with joy "WE'RE HERE!"

Out of effusiveness she started wiggling Fluttershy, grabbing her by the shoulders, making her dizzy.

"But what do you have against me Pinkie?" she said before falling backwards from dizziness, but before she hit the ground, Rarity levitated her with her magic preventing from falling.

"Well, that's how you train for wave wiggling" Sunset said jokingly to which they all laughed.

"Hey, have you girls seen anywhere around...you know" said Twilight trying not to let anyone in front or behind them in line hear them.

"No" said Applejack looking down the line for him with her eyes "I didn't see him come in anywhere."

"You don't think anything happened to him?" asked Dash.

"I hope not..." said Rarity worriedly.

Then, through the terminal door, the purple hooded figure came into view, leaving the people there speechless, including some of the students' parents.

"Is that a nomag?" commented one of the cruise line's security guards.

"What's a nomag doing here?" whispered the people from Crystal High School.

"That thing isn't coming with us is it?" asked a Crystal student pegasus to a CHS student.

"Unfortunately yes, it's a... agh, classmate" replied the pegasus.

"No way" said a unicorn student.

"Those things should be shot for everyone's sake" said a father "Daughter, don't go near him!"

The port security, at once, left their post, interrupting the queue, all coming out gun in hand.

"DON'T FUCKING MOVE NOMAG!" an earthling security shouted at him "GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS UP!"

Spike, showing no emotion whatsoever, heeded and put his hands up as he pulled off his hood.

"ON THE GROUND NOW!" he shouted back to which Spike heeded as a bunch of security pinned him to the ground.

"SEARCH HIS SUITCASE!" he shouted to his comrades " SURE HE'S CARRYING A BOMB!"

All the parents, students and people there, upon hearing that, ducked to the ground in fear as a red warning light went on. Between the loud sounds and the screams of the frightened people, the Harmony and the Dazzlings, who were a few people ahead of them, stood and watched as the police mistreated Spike, putting their knees in his face and handcuffing him, just for showing up, feeling horrible for the times they abused him, while the T-Wings watched with pleasure what they did to Spike.

Among all the hubbub, the earthling with the changeling belt, who was sitting hidden, reading a newspaper, spotted one of the Celebrity Edge's butlers who ran to hide in the bathroom. He calmly went after him, staying inside the restroom, just him and the steward.

Security was about to open Spike's suitcase, which worried the nomag inside, for what they might do to him if they saw the gun.

"There's not going to be any need for this!" suddenly shouted Shinning Armor, flashing his badge "I'm Deputy Police Commissioner Sein Sparkle!"

Shinning began to approach the security patrol, who were slowly pulling away from Spike and releasing his handcuffs. Shinning helped Spike up until he was able to stand.

"This nomag has come with me" lied Shinning "He's completely harmless and one of the best students at Canterlot High. There's no need for any of this."

All of the somewhat annoyed security handed the suitcase to Spike and returned to their post as the red light and sound stopped.

"Are you okay Spike?" whispered and worriedly asked Shinning.

Spike didn't answer, just nodded, pulled his hood back on tightly and as if nothing had happened, headed for security, who ushered him through first as they didn't trust him.

The Harmony, Dazzlings and Thunderlane, did not take their eyes off him at any time while they searched him.

The x-ray scanner passed Spike's suitcase and seeing that there was nothing in it, they were very disappointed.

"He's clean," said the head of security, pissed off and mumbling.

Spike then grabbed his suitcase without looking back and went to the gangway leading into the ship.

From the bathroom and without anyone noticing, out came the steward, who was wearing the changeling belt that he quickly hid behind his white uniform shirt, while he put on the matching blazer with his badge that read "Armando". In the bathroom, unconscious and handcuffed, inside one of the cubicles, was the real Armando, who had been robbed of his identification badge and his cruiser's staff card.

He looked like a pegasus with red hair and blue eyes, tall (1.80m) and somewhat muscular.

The Harmonys stared at where Spike had gone, until Twilight turned to see her brother, who smiled at her and waved goodbye.

Leaving the terminal, the Harmony family members were preparing to return to their homes, so they made their way to the parking lot.

"It's unbelievable that they let a nomag get on the same cruise ship as our daughter," Bow said.

"I've been about to go to the line and take Rarity out myself" Hondo Flanks commented back to him "Just imagine what that beast could do to our little girls."

"You're telling me," said Eugenne "Igneous" Rock, Pinkie's father, with his usual grumpy face, "I don't understand how you didn't let him get caught, Shinning. Those things don't even have feelings."

"You don't know that Eugenne" Shinning replied dryly "Just because he's a nomag, doesn't qualify him as a criminal. What's more, I'm sure he's a beautiful person."

"If anything happens to my daughter because you saved his ass, I know who to blame," Bow told him with a sly look.
The group split up and Shinning had parked the squad car next to Granny Smith's old van, so they ended up walking back together with AB, the three of them heading that way.

"You since when do you know, son?" he asked Shinning.

"Know what?" he asked him somewhat puzzled as they approached the vehicles.

Granny Smith didn't answer, just looked at him with prying eyes.

"Oh... I see I'm not the only one..." said Shinning with a half smile. "I could ask you the same question."

"An old woman is not as easily fooled as many think, least of all with an absurd disguise." She said with a smile "From minute one, I already knew that the one with my granddaughters was no blonde-haired earthling or Caramel."

Applebloom didn't understand anything and turned her head from Shinning to her grandmother in bewilderment.

"I honestly, know the real Flash, in my life I would have let him date Twilight...but that boy...that boy is different" he said smiling "The only times I've seen Twily cry is when she was dating the real one. I've kept it a secret for years and when I see Spike going alone while on patrol, the thing I most want to do is go with him for coffee and have a game of cards like at family dinners..."

"Wait!" said Applebloom "You guys knew all along it was Spike?"

Both adults looked at AB and started laughing.

"Yeah, kind of sorta did," said Shinning laughing.

"I was hoping you would open your eyes on your own" said Granny Smith "That's why I didn't say anything."

"I didn't want to upset Spike" said Shinning "He's already having a hard enough time without adding to it the worry that someone knows his secret."

"Well, you could have given us a clue..." said Applebloom, crossing her arms.

"Don't feel bad Applebloom," said Granny Smith, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You found out when you needed to find out."

"It only remains to see how events unfold..." said Shinning looking at the imposing cruiser from the parking lot "And above all, don't let those mermaids get in the way."

"There's a full-blown naval battle coming up isn't there?" asked Applebloom to Shinning.

"Absolutely" said with great seriousness the unicorn.

The students went through the security checkpoint and passed the gangway to deck two of the huge cruise ship. There, the excited students passed through the last checkpoint, where they were handed their room cards and went straight to them. Waiting at one of the large elevators were the Harmonys, who were eager to get into the Iconic Suite.

"This ship has everything!" said Rarity excitedly reading the map of the ship "Three different pools, one reserved only for those who have a suite, art gallery, theater, three discos, one outdoor, luxury spa... this is going to be faaaaaaaaaaabulousooo!

"You're telling me!" said Dash excitedly "I've seen the piece of gym it has and the hot tubs everywhere! Something tells me it's going to be this unforgettable.

"I think we even have hot tubs in the room." Said Applejack "One inside and one outside."

"Mmmmmmm you can smell the drunken nights in forty degree water already, grumettes!" said Pinkie in a pirate accent which made them all start laughing.

As they laughed, the Dazzlings stood next to them waiting for the same elevator, which made them all stop laughing.
"For us don't cut it," Adagio said looking at them casually as he pulled down the red sunglasses he was wearing. "You are completely indifferent to us."

"You're not going to sour our cruise Adagio." Twilight told him in a threatening tone "Neither us nor Spike did you understand?"

"Sour Spike?" said Aria taking off the green sunglasses she was wearing and approaching Twilight while biting a sideburn.

"Darling, we're going to make him enjoy it like he's never enjoyed it before."

"We'll see about that Aria" Dash said stepping between her and Twilight "You don't deserve the little guy at all."

"Oh, and you do, don't you?" replied Sonata taking off her blue sunglasses "Sure... since you treated him so well..."

The elevator arrived before the atmosphere got any hotter than it should have, but when both groups went to enter, they found themselves facing Spike, who hadn't even noticed their presence as he had the volume of his headphones on full blast and his hood up.

The Dazzlings determinedly, as well as the Harmonys, entered inside the elevator, each group on one side of Spike, who stared at the floor without a word. Fluttershy then pressed the button for decks eleven and twelve.
The elevator doors closed and began to rise slowly, in absolute silence, which only made the situation more tense when it was broken by the elevator's music.

Everyone in the elevator remained silent and motionless, awkward about the situation. The elevator was going up slowly, still on deck four. The one who was having the hardest time at that moment was Fluttershy, who unconsciously, after pressing the button, stood next to Spike, who after scratching his head, dropped his hood without realizing it, leaving his green hair in the air and impregnating Shy's nostrils with his body scent. She began to sweat and shiver, her eyes unable to tear themselves away from Spike's body or his hair. In Fluttershy's head, images and ideas of raping the nomag right there began to come to her, which, did not go unnoticed by any of those present. She looked quickly at the elevator buttons, to see how much farther it was to the twelfth deck, but they were only halfway up, on deck six.

"CAN'T THIS DAMN ELEVATOR GO UP FASTER!" she shouted to herself in her thoughts.

Her hand, unconscious and trembling, began to reach up, intending to grab the nomag by the hair, following her primal instincts. However, Shy's eyes met Aria's, whose gaze said it all.

"If you touch a single hair on his head, I will break you into a thousand pieces" the mermaid was saying with her eyes to Shy and even though Shy wanted to stop, her hand, involuntarily moved towards Spike's head.

In her other hand, she then noticed how something grabbed her, being this Twilight, who tried to calm her down.
"Breathe softly and look straight ahead" she told him telepathically "Instincts don't rule you, you rule them Fluttershy."
Shy closed her eyes and gently breathed in and out. When she opened them again, she stared straight ahead. Her right hand, the one she was going to grab the nomag with, went down until it was relaxed again.

A few seconds later, the elevator reached deck eleven.

The Dazzlings seeing that it was their deck, stepped out without a word, glancing back before the elevator doors closed, only to give them one last murderous look.

"Fuck, that was one of the most tense moments of my life" said Pinkie telepathically.

"You're telling me" said wiping the sweat from AJ's forehead.

"Do you think he noticed?" asked Rarity looking at Spike, who was still saying nothing and looking at the ground

"I don't think so" said Sunset "He's got the music on full blast, I doubt he even knows we're sharing an elevator."

The lift finally reached deck twelve, Spike being the first to exit and go to the front without looking back. The girls behind him said nothing, just followed him to the end of the hallway where rooms 12100 and 12101, the Iconic Suites, were divided.

Next to the doors, there were two people, one per room. In the one on the left, a unicorn with gray hair and violet eyes, adorned with a friendly smile and on the other side, in the other suite, was Armando.

"Hello Harmonys" began the unicorn "It is my honor to be your butler during the whole trip to Bora Bora, for anything you want, my name is Jason, but you can call me Light Lanter or just Lanter. Just dial 001 on the phone in the room and I'll be here in no time."

"Thanks Lanter" said Rarity with a smile.

"No, thanks to you for all you've brought over the years, heroines" she said with a big smile, taking the room card and opening the door for them "Welcome."

The girls filed in, the last one being Fluttershy, who saw Spike and Armando, who weren't talking, they had been staring at each other with furtive glances, both knowing something was wrong with the other.

"Nice sweatshirt, nomag," Armando said dryly.

After a few seconds of silence, Spike looked down to see his changeling belt, which he recognized as soon as he saw it.

"Nice belt, pegasus" Spike said dryly.

Shy looked at him worriedly for a few seconds until he noticed a hand on her shoulder.

" Something wrong Miss Fluttershy?" asked Lanter to the pegasus.

"Oh, nothing Jason," she said with a smile before entering the room.

Armando and Spike were still saying nothing. Their gazes were getting more and more suspicious until, without taking his eyes off Spike's, Armando opened the door to the suite.

"Enjoy the journey," he said in a threatening tone.

"I will" the nomag replied as he entered his cabin.

Once inside, Spike glanced at the door as it closed behind him, with the pegasus glaring coldly at him.

In the Harmony's Iconic Suite, they were all stunned because of the large room they had been given.

"GOD! GOD! GOD! GOD! GOD!" squealed Pinkie as she ran up and down the room. "Two hot tubs, a day bed on the terrace, two bathrooms and what a terrace, did you notice the terrace!!? It's going to be the best vacation of our lives!"
"I have a feeling someone is really excited..." said Sunset with a half smile.

"Is there a free minibar?" said the earthling looking through the furniture in the room until she found it in the bar cabinet under the TV in the living room, which, was stocked with alcoholic beverages. "THERE'S A FREE MINIBAR!"

At that moment, Pinkie opened one of the bottles of gin and, with a loud thud, began to drink it until she finished almost half of the bottle, immediately, like a wolf, she began to howl, which caused everyone to laugh except for Shy, who had gone out to the terrace. Twilight noticed this and went after her.

Shy was looking out over the railing towards the sea, saying nothing, letting the sea breeze gently hit her hair as she took a deep breath.

"Hey..." said Twilight approaching her pegasus friend.

"Hey..." she answered her back as she stood next to her.

They both looked straight ahead, gazing at the big blue in front of their eyes.

"I almost lost control..." said Shy as she grabbed her shoulders with her hands "I don't know... I don't know if I can hold on much longer..."

"You did great Fluttershy, you can control it perfectly, you just need to think of something else" Twilight told him worriedly
"But for how long?" said the pegasus "You know this is not like with the others, I really can't control it..."

"It's not your fault Shy... maybe if you... told the others what happened to you, we could all find a solution." Twilight told her
"There is no solution for this Twilight, you know it perfectly well..." said almost crying Fluttershy "And no... I don't want to tell the others... it's too embarrassing for me..."

"It's okay Shy... but we are your friends... and we love and support you." Twilight said as she put her hand on his shoulder and gently wiggled it. "Problems, between friends, are solved sooner...you think about it."

"Even if I told the others and you all tried to find a solution you know there's only one way... and I'm scared..." said Shy as a tear fell from her eyes

"When the time comes, I'm sure you won't do it Shy, you won't kill him... you have to trust yourself, you control your impulses..." he said with a smile while she wiped her tear, to which the pegasus smiled.

Over the cruise ship's loudspeakers, informative music began to play to get the attention of the passengers.

"Good morning everyone." A female voice began to say over the loudspeakers "In twenty minutes, the presentation will begin in the main theater. We strongly request that all passengers gather there. Thank you all very much."

"We'd better get going Shy" Twilight told her as she slowly walked into the room again.

Fluttershy took one last look at the sea, smiling and determined, before following the alicorn inside.

Upon entering, Rarity, Sunset, Rainbow and Applejack were staring dumbfounded at Pinkie, who had already annihilated half a minibar.

"That liver needs to be donated to science." Rainbow Dash said as she watched an entire bottle of rum go down in one fell swoop.

"This is going to be awesome!" the earthling kept repeating.

As Shy and Twi walked in, they also stared at Pinkie and all the empty glass bottles everywhere.

"You know the party hasn't even started yet, right?" laughed Twilight to her.

"Oh please Twi, of course I know silly" she said with a mischievous grin "This is just the warm up!"

The girls giggled and Applejack picked up Pinkie, who was on the floor drinking from a new bottle like a baby bottle.

They started to walk out of the room in the direction of the elevator. Twilight, who was the last to leave, looked towards Spike's door, waiting for him to come out, but he didn't, so she had to head for the elevator as well.

Spike, for his part, was in the room, placing the luggage he had, distributed throughout the various closets and drawers. Placing it, he saw the gun Fancy had given him. He unwrapped it from the handkerchief and took it in both hands. In front of him, near the large bed in the master bedroom, was a mirror, he looked at himself with the handgun and pointed it at his reflection with a serious expression. He loaded the trigger and slightly twisted the gun a little to the right. At that moment, someone knocked on his door. He unloaded the trigger and quickly hid the gun in one of the drawers of one of the furniture in the living room. Slowly, he approached the front door of the large suite and opened it, only to take a hard punch, from Flash's hand, that left him half knocked out on the floor.

"Hello nomag" he said with a devilish grin "Enjoying cruising?"

Flash walked inside the cabin along with the rest of the T-Wings.

Spike, sprawled on the floor, and with a bloody nose from the blow, tried to get back up, only to take a kick to the stomach, from Cheese, before he could get up.

"We need to talk to you, nomag," Flash said, closing the cabin door.

Caramel, grabbed the boy by the neck, squeezing him and leaving him practically breathless. With a jerk, he violently released Spike, throwing him onto one of the couches in the living room as each of the T-Wings surrounded him, except for Thunder who seemed more distracted and amused than pissed off, sat down on the large couch in the room across from Spike, without a word.

"Listen to us well, you dirty rat," Blueblood said tugging at his clump of green hair "The issue that my mates and I are concerned with is the following. I don't know if you are aware that the Harmony's have left us..."

"And that couldn't be" said Soarin "Harmony and T-Wings can't be separated."

"It's like oil and water" said Cheese "Always together."

"The... the... water... and oil... can't... get... together because of their... components... not good... example" said Spike as Blueblood kept pulling his hair, only to get punched in the gut.

"Don't you fucking correct me nomag!" yelled Cheese throwing another three punches at him and Blueblood making him hit his head on the white wooden table in front of him.

"That's the last time you talk back to a superior being without his permission, you filthy nomag!" yelled Blueblood angrily at him.

"The thing is..." said Flash interrupting the unicorn and the earthling "You, before this trip is over, you must have gotten them to fall in love with us again."

"Put your belt back on, nomag" said Sunbrust "And charm them for us."

"I'm... sorry... but... I don't have the belt..." said Spike with a small gash on his head that made the blood gush out of him, staining him all the way down to his cheek.

"We don't give a shit about that," said Caramel, who grabbed him hard by the hair and pulled him up, opening the gap a little wider due to the pull "We don't care how the fuck you do it nomag, but you better hope those girls fall back in love with us or you're dead."

"Are we clear?" said Flash with a grin.

"Crys...talline..." he said writhing in pain and grabbing Caramel's hand to keep gravity from opening up his gap any further.
Abruptly, Caramel let go of him and headed for the door with the others except Thunder who was still on the couch, staring at Spike. They left without even realizing that their friend was still inside. He after a few seconds of still watching him, got up and headed for the door.

"Tick tock Louis, tick tock... your time is running out and not the one the T-Wings put you precisely..." he said before exiting through the door frame "Enjoy every second... as if it were your last..."

With a slam of the door, again Spike was left alone and half lying in the middle of the middle of the room, leaning against one of the large windows, where he rested his head as he gently touched his head wound and squeezed it to stop the bleeding that had stained half his face. As best he could, with his free hand, he reached into his pockets and pulled out his pack of cigarettes, lighting one.

" Neither... on a... fucking... cruise ship..." he said regretfully as he took a big puff.

All the students were gathered in the large main theater, expectantly. The Harmony's, seated, couldn't stop looking at the doors, to see if they could make out Spike's hooded figure, however, he was nowhere to be seen.

"Is he still in the cabin?" said Rarity worriedly.

"I guess after what happened at the terminal, he's not going to dare come out for the whole cruise." Said Applejack looking straight ahead sadly

"You two have it fixed don't you?" asked Dash to Sunset and Twilight

"Yes, all set" said Twilight with a smile.

"We'll leave it at the door for you as soon as the presentation is over." Said Sunset

"No" replied Applejack crossing her arms "I'll deliver it to him myself."

The girls were dumbfounded as they listened to their friend.

"Are you sure Applejack?" asked Fluttershy.

"Totally... I must... apologize for what I did" said the cowgirl "Besides, someone must convince him to talk to us..."

"Please" said Pinkie Pie putting her palms together as if she was praying "Get him to meet us, please, please, please, please."

"I'll do everything in my power Pinkie" she said with a smile.

The Dazzlings, a few seats further back than the Harmony's whispered.

"They're gaining on us Adagio... we have to do something and fast" said Aria.

"I know...I wonder if Spike's ever had a sleepover?" said Adagio with a grin.

"Doesn't look like it..." said Sonata "And it sounds like a great plan."

The three nodded, laying the first plan to approach Spike.

"Something's bugging me..." said Aria suddenly.

"What?" asked Adagio curiously.

"Where are the T-Wings?" said Aria and Dash at the same time, each to their own group

"No idea" replied Shy to Dash "I fear the worst..."

From the front door of the theater, the T-Wings entered with a huge smile, dazzling the Crystal students and receiving cheers from the Canterlot students.

"Look at Flash's hands..." remarked Adagio to her sisters.

"An abrasion," said Twilight, to whom Pinkie had asked the same question.

"Those bastards must have beaten him up... again..." said Dash gritting her teeth.

"They won't touch him again" said Sonata to her sisters, in the conversation they were having " Once he's with us..."

"...They're not going to hurt him again, I swear on all the precious jewels in the world." Rarity said with a big determined expression, finishing the same sentence Sonata had blurted out with her sisters.

Both groups of girls, you could tell they were angry with the T-Wings, who three of them looked at the Dazzlings winking at them and the other four, smiled at the Harmony. The two groups did the same thing, frowning, which left them unsettled.

The lights of the theater were turned off, causing everyone to remain silent until a song began to play, accompanied by a spectacle of lights, videos of the ship and the crew, as well as to the rhythm of the song, acrobats, neon light suits and a DJ appeared, creating an incredible choreography worthy of an electronic music festival.

A unicorn woman then, appeared from a raised platform from the floor, dressed in white ship captain's outfit.
"Welcome aboard!" she shouted through a microphone as all the passengers praised her for the incredible show and presentation of what they can do on the ship. "I am your captain and like the rest of my crew, I am here to serve you and make our voyage unforgettable."

Everyone squealed again with excitement, Pinkie being the most, she had even pulled out of nowhere, some cheerleader pom poms.

"To make your experience even more incredible, on all decks you are allowed to smoke and drink as much as you want." Commented the excited captain. "Our security staff will be there to assist you at all times. As if that wasn't enough, we are pleased to say that this year, on the Clebrity Edge, in the casino, you will not only have the classic games, but an entire arcade with the latest virtual reality technology!"

Everyone began to get even more excited about what this incredible journey was going to be.

"As soon as you leave this theater, on the resort deck, The Club nightclub and the Eden macrodiscotheque will start playing the hottest music and the most succulent alcholes. The buffets are open twenty-four hours a day, as are the luxurious fashion stores, the art gallery and the spa." Said the captain

Rarity on hearing that was amazed, as were Dash and Pinkie on hearing about the nightclubs.

"Of course too, this trip will be one to remember, so on board, the only rules to abide by are, no entering staff-only places, no fighting and most of all... HAVE AN AMAZING TIME!" said the captain with an incredible smile.

"And for those of you who are wondering" she said a little more seriously "The nomag will be no bother at all, as he has committed to not leave the cabin during the whole voyage!"

This last, made all the passengers jump for joy and squeal with relief that they would not be encountering the nomag. However, the Dazzlings, the T-Wings and especially the Harmony, went cold and their expression changed radically.

"We have to give him the belt as soon as possible" said Applejack to which they all nodded and without anyone noticing, they stealthily fan out of the theater while the others danced to one last electronic song that brought the presentation to a close.

"That's going to complicate things for us..." said Sonata to her sisters who could only nod.

The T-Wings, were seated and hesitant.

"So what the fuck do we do now?" asked Soarin "If the nomag doesn't help us, we'll never have those little asses for dinner again."

"We could try to conquer them ourselves..." suggested Sunbrust to which he received cold stares from the rest of his friends " Yeah... not a very good idea..."

"Listen" said Flash "This trifle doesn't change anything, if that powerless bastard doesn't get us back with them, he's dead, let him get on with his job."

Everyone nodded in agreement at that point and began to enjoy the show.

The bathroom of Spike's suite was stained with small drops of blood as, looking in the mirror, the nomag bandaged his head while disinfecting the wound with rubbing alcohol. As he wiped the cotton, Spike's body extremized from the sting of the cicatrizant and slowly, he passed the bandage around it. The door at that moment rang.

Fearful that it was the T-Wings again, Spike slowly approached the door, but not before discreetly picking up the gun. He put it behind him, tucked into his pants and covered by his purple sweatshirt. With his right hand, he grasped the knob while his left hand firmly gripped the handle of the gun.

As he opened the door, he could see that the caller was Applejack, who was carrying a beige cardboard box in her hand. Looking her in the eye, Spike let go of the gun handle and finished opening the door.

Applejack was startled and shocked to see the bandage on Spike's head.

"What do you want?" said Spike coldly.

"What happened to you?" said Applejack quivering her lip.

"I tripped" said the nomag determinedly.

"Like hell you did" Applejack scowled back at him "I can tell by the look on your face that you're lying."

"What do you care?" she snapped back at him

"Stop being like that Spike" Applejack said stepping inside the room and setting the box down on the large lunchroom table after closing the door "It's just you and me here, we broke up with the T-Wings, you can stop acting all indifferent to us."

"Why should I huh?" he replied dryly turning his back on her and looking out the window

"Please" she said dryly "I can tell a mile away that you don't want to be like that with me, I know you love us, that you care for us and want the best for us."

"And what do you know what I feel or think Applejack?" he said with anger in his eyes.

"Because I refuse to think that for the last six years you've just been an actor Spike" the earthling said fervently, leaving the nomag speechless.

After a few seconds, she walked over to Spike and looked at his wound. Squatting down, she brought herself up to his face, whose eyes dared not look at her.

"It was them wasn't it?" asked Applejack somewhat tenderly and gently touching his face across her cheek. Her hand, being practically his face, made him turn his head away, even while straining to stop her. "Why did they do that?"

"You know perfectly well why Applejack..." said the boy with desperation in his eyes "And even if I wanted to, I don't have the means to pull it off... so I'll probably... end up dead as soon as I step foot on Canterlot again..."

Applejack was silent for a few seconds and without warning, she hugged the boy tightly, scaring him a little and lifted him to her feet. Spike, suspended in the air, held by the earthling's arms, still showed no emotion, the only thing he did in order to comfort himself, was to rest his head on the girl's shoulder, which surprised her and she couldn't help but smile.

"Nothing is going to happen to you Spike, I promise." She said with a soft tone

She slowly let go of him until she returned him to the ground.

"I was coming to apologize...for what happened the night of the date..." she said somewhat embarrassed by what she did
"Don't worry about it Applejack..." said Spike dully.

"And because... I think we have a pending talk... all of us... with you..." she said going towards the box "I know you might not want to... and it's normal, if you don't come... we won't take it the wrong way, but... we'd all look forward to you coming over to the Garden Cafe in a little while...

"Even if I wanted to, I can't leave the cabin." Spike said somewhat sadly

"Spike the nomag can't... but no one can stop Patriot "Greenfire" Fly from enjoying the cruise" he said with a smile as he pulled the changeling belt out of the box.

Spike was surprised to see his invention repaired, he walked over and picked it up, noting that they had managed to fix it.

"I hope Twilight and Sunset's effort was worth it..." he said with a small chuckle "Took them long enough to repair it completely."

Spike looked up at the earthling wordlessly as she headed for the door.

"We'd be so happy to see you..." said Applejack as she opened the door, but quickly broke away from it and headed for the nomag, whom she gave a kiss on the cheek, causing him to blush. Hurriedly, she turned back towards the door and left, leaving Spike in the middle of the living room, at that moment, a faint smile formed on his face.

Some time later, in the Rofftop Garden, the seven Harmonys were listening to the pleasant jazz music that contrasted with the reggaeton music of the pool. Twilight, Fluttershy and Rarity, were drinking tea accompanied by an assortment of pastries, Sunset and Pinkie were drinking a long coffee while also snacking on pastries, Rainbow and Applejack, were already on their second beer while eating chips from a bowl.

"So do you think he'll come?" asked Dash taking a sip of his beer.

"I have no idea... he looked pretty badly hurt..." replied Applejack while eating some chips.

"This time the T-Wings have gone too far is that their way of solving things?" said Rarity indignantly.

"I think it's the only one they know Rares... besides we shouldn't be surprised, whenever we had a fight they always resorted to him..." said Twilight with a big disappointed expression while finishing one of the pastries.

"And not satisfied with that, they threaten him with death... they disgust me" said angrily Shy.

"So the usual" said Pinkie with a serious expression as she sipped her coffee angrily "Either we go back to them, or they kill him... what a piece of shit".

"You're telling me" said Sunset "And not pleased, there's the Dazzling's also hovering over Spike like the bloodsuckers they are."

"By the way" said Pinkie "What is it they wanted to find out about him?"

"According to the Crusaders, his past, specifically, his father" said Applejack "Honestly and without malice I say it...I too would like to know what happened to his father and brothers...not to accuse him of anything, but to get to know him."
"Oddly we' ve been dating the same boy for six years and we know nothing about him except for what Sunset told us" Twilight said as she stirred her tea spoon

"And without giving him a measly kiss" said Dash finishing the second brew "And practically hugging him."

"He owes us six years of love and cuddles and I intend to claim it" said Pinkie laughing.

"Cheers to that sis" said Dash chinkin' her coffee and the new bottle of beer a waiter had brought her.

"No jokes girls" said Twilight finishing her tea "Maybe this is the last chance to get answers and really get to know him...I just hope he accepts the invitation Applejack."

"I hope so too Twilight..." said Applejack as all the Harmony's faces took on a sad expression.

Unnoticed by any of them, a person approached them.

"Is there room for one more?" asked the person, turning out to be Patriot which made them all suddenly cheer.
"Patriot!" they all said at the same time cheerfully.

"Please girls" said the earthling with a smile as he pulled up a chair and sat down with them "Call me Greenfire, Patriot sounds very formal."

"I thought you weren't coming" said Applejack with a smile.

"Well" she said as she ordered a waiter a beer "I'm unpredictable AJ..."

Just then, the T-Wings, appeared in the Rofftop Garden.

"Are you serious?!" said Blueblood angrily "Is that asshole here!!!?"

"Who?" asked Cheese curiously

"That jerk who's with our girls" he said angrily "Patriot Fly, the pleb who goes with Rarity to that filthy lunchroom."

"He's gonna shit himself" said Flash as he made his way to the girls' table only to be stopped by Sunbrust.

"Don't you remember one of the only rules?" said Sunbrust "No fighting on board."

"I'm not going to give him any smack, just a wake up call." He said gritting his teeth

"Let's not make a world out of this," said Thunderlane, smoking a cigarette, "That earthling is no danger to us, and besides, I want to enjoy the cruise to my heart's content. Let's get out of here."

The T-Wings, though annoyed, decided to leave, except for Flash, who rabidly stared at Patriot for a few seconds before returning the way they had come.

Meanwhile, Patriot, happily commented with Dash about one of their dates where they ended up sneaking inside the mall.

"I still remember when Dash said to me: "But fly, they'll see you!" he laughed, "I could only think: How do I fly? Do I put a rocket up my ass?"

They all started laughing.

"For the record, you were dressed as Soarin" she said wiping a tear of laughter from her face "And good thing you went into the air conditioning duct, otherwise, we would have been caught by the guard."

"I earned a cold because of you and two showers to get the cobwebs off just so you know" he said laughing as he pointed at Dash menacingly between laughs.

"And whose idea was it to sneak into the mall?" said Dash drinking from his beer.

"Tuche" said Patriot sneeringly.

"Patriot" said Twilight with a smile "I realize that... you look exactly the same right now as you did when you were meeting us dressed up as our exs."

"Did you want me to act like Flash?" she said defiantly and throat clearing "I'm here babe."

As he mimicked the tone, settling into the chair and putting a cigarette in his mouth he made them laugh loudly.

"You're amazing... Spike..." said Twilight tenderly.

"It's weird... to have someone call me by my name... especially you girls, until just now I didn't even think you knew my name." She said somewhat sadly

"Hey... I don't want to touch any sensitive subjects or anything" Pinkie said "But... Why do you act different when you wear the belt? I don't mean when you had to save your ass from the T-Wings but, as a Patriot....".

The earthling was silent for a few seconds, grabbed the beer and in one fell swoop, finished it.

"Patriot... it's everything I can't be... when I put on this belt... I'm free." He said in a sad tone

Dash, who was next to him put a hand on his shoulder comforting him.

"That's really sad..." said Shy sadly.

"Yeah... it sucks..." said Patriot looking off into nothingness, but immediately changed his face to a teasing one "Anyway, on to something else What's the worst fuck you ever had with the T-Wings?"

"Pfff... where to start" said Applejack humoring him, since they didn't want to touch on sensitive subjects at that moment "I think the worst one... was the day after our fourth anniversary. I swear it was just, brushing him with one hand, all over him, without being naked or anything and krakatoa!"

Everyone exploded in laughter.

"You laughed at the Big Bang explosion, didn't you?" laughed Patriot.

"What's worse, is that afterwards, he fell asleep with an unbelievable satisfied face" laughed Applejack "He looked like a dog when you scratch its ear."

Again, the laughter did not stop while they narrated the anecdotes, under the unnoticed sight of Armando, who, hidden behind a flowerpot, listened to what they were saying. The pegasus' phone rang and he turned away from the group, looking over the railing at the great sea and how they were slowly moving away from Canterlot.

"Report," the voice said dryly through the phone.

"The boy has a changeling belt like mine, no doubt he was the cause of the fire, I've heard him say so while narrating anecdotes with the Harmony's." Said Armando

"Son of a bitch" said the voice on the phone angrily "Don't take your eyes off him for a second. If the Harmony's are friends of his, he'll be harder to take out. Tonight I'll make another control call."

The person behind the phone hung up, leaving Armando looking out to sea, before returning to his post. But he was interrupted by a unicorn, also dressed as a waiter.

"Armando!" said the unicorn "What are you doing here? Your turn is now at the Fine Cut Steakhouse restaurant. Fly away Come on!"

"Yes sir" he said dryly as he raised his wings and began to fly inside under the gaze of his companion.

Meanwhile, the Harmony and Patriot continued to comment on the anecdotes.

"And well..." said Pinkie laughing "Let's see, I know I love cheese, but I wasn't expecting some roqueforo rings on the end."

"No!" laughed Patriot as she made a disgusted face "Gross please! But tell him to take a shower!"

"Cheese's nickname suits him huh?" said Pinkie capping off the anecdote with one of her jokes.

"We talk about us a lot" said Dash taking out a cigarette and offering it to Patriot "But you don't say a word, what was your worst fuck?"

"When I've had two, I'll tell you which one I thought was the worst" said Patriot as he lit his cigarette.

"So... nothing, you nothing" asked Fluttershy with a blush.

"Being the only nomag in town doesn't open many doors or legs really" joked Patriot while taking a long puff "They don't fool me though, they're just afraid to face this body of crime I hide behind the belt."

"I'm guessing you were afraid the last time a girl got on you" Rainbow Dash said jokingly as she pointed at Applejack, who turned red

"Hey, she caught me off guard, at that moment I understood what gazelles felt when being stalked by lions" said Patriot laughing.

"But there's something I don't understand..." said Rarity "Any boy would kill to have even five minutes of pleasure with us... and you're the one who's had it on a silver platter on many occasions and you haven't done anything, not as Patriot or anyone else Why?"

"Other than because if the T-Wings found out, you'd have to visit me six feet under, in a pine box...well because it's not that simple, just look at you girls...and look at me, it's like if a mouse has to kill a titan, how does he start, where does he get his hands on it, is his little sword going to do more than tickle it or is it going to use it as a toothpick? It's complicated from my perspective." Patriot said with a chuckle.

"Well" said Shy with seductive eyes as she ate an entire pastry in one bite "You could just let yourself go."

"Uhhhh" they all said laughing

"Don't play with fire Shy" he said winking at the pegasus, teasing her "That then there are consequences."

"Same" she said with a teasing tone "I want to burn..."

Patriot looked her up and down with playful eyes.

"You'd end up charred darling" he said imitating Rarity causing them to let out a laugh.

Patriot finished her beer in one gulp and stood up.

"Well girls...it's been an amazing time but I better get going, you'll want to do things and I'm just being a bother." Said Patriot with a somewhat sad expression as he left.

"Wait, wait, wait" said Sunset getting up and grabbing his hand, which made him blush "What's this about now? We were having a good time..."

"I'm not denying it Shamara...but it's best that you not be seen much with me...not even disguised as a Patriot...it's not good for your status or for me...I've loved sharing this time with all of you...but it's better for everyone that it stays that way." Said the earthling letting go of Sunset's hand, leaving everyone stunned and Sunset in tears.

"Please... *sniff* it's the first time in years... *sniff* I'm really talking to you again... *sniff* don't *sniff* take it away from me now." She said sobbing, causing Patriot to stop turning his back on them.

"I'm sorry... I really am..." he said just before he left, leaving most of them bewildered, others sad, and Sunset heartbroken, so they got up from their seats and went to comfort her.

"I can't *sniff* ever *sniff* get him back" she said as they all hugged her, feeling the same sadness she did.

"I assure you you will" said Applejack confidently "We all will..."

Patriot as he turned the corner of the Rooftop Garden, leaned against the wall and after slamming his clenched fist against it, began to walk without looking back.

"Fuck..." was all she could think out of anger and helplessness.

Some time later, the Harmonys split up to do different activities on their own. Applejack and Rainbow Dash went to change in the cabin to head to the main pool. Pinkie, to cheer up Sunset, decided to visit the new virtual reality area in the casino. Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight, accompanied Dash and Applejack to the suite where they changed into swimsuits to head to the suites' private pool. The three of them, had reserved the space for a while so they could be alone in that area. When they arrived, all three were wrapped in towels, wearing nothing underneath.

"You'll see girls" said Rarity as she carried a basket of lemons and orange slices into the pool "This is the ultimate in relaxation therapy. I got them to turn the water temperature up to forty degrees so the citrus will have more effect."

Rarity, poured the fruits into the water, causing a pleasant aroma to coat the area. After that, the three of them took off their towels, leaving their bodies out in the air as they went into the water.

"Are you sure no one will come in?" said Shy looking both ways in case anyone appeared.

"Don't worry dear, until tonight, this space is for us alone." She said as she dunked her head into the water and relaxed, resting back on her arms on the edge of the pool that looked directly out to sea.

"I just hope the T-Wings don't show up by surprise" Twilight said with an annoyed tone as she approached her unicorn friend, followed by Fluttershy, both adopting the same posture as their refined friend.

"Those pigs are on the resort deck, probably snogging some drunken girl." Shy said.

The three of them sighed at the same time and were silent for a few moments. Twilight turned and looked up at the sky.
"Why is he like that?" she asked her friends, who turned to look at her.

"You know why..." said Shy "What are we going to do? It's clear that... something's up... but if we don't go back to those bad boys..."

"He gets killed..." said Twilight, sighing.

Rarity, thinking again, looking at the big blue, took a heavy sigh.

"What we are going to do is very simple girls..." said Rarity determinant "He has never been able to enjoy life hasn't he? Well, we're going to make him enjoy it, make this cruise and this trip a break from what his life has always been."

"And how are we going to do that?" said Twilight "If he doesn't even want to spend time with us."

"He wants to spend time Twilight" said Rarity "And you know it, we all know it."

"The pain in his words when he left Sunset crying at the Rooftop Garden gives him away." Said Fluttershy

"Exactly" said Rarity "Spike, on his own, won't do anything, so we'll have to make him have no choice."

"What if he gets spotted by the T-Wings with us?" asked Twilight "Even if he looks like an earthling it's still a disguise, it doesn't give him the magical abilities."

"For that, we are the seven most powerful girls on the planet by his side to hit them where it hurts the most if they try anything." Said with a confident smile the unicorn.

The other two smiled as well.

"But you have to know where he is first." Said Shy "And tell the others."

"Don't you remember that we're mind connected?" suddenly boomed Applejack's voice in the heads of the three of them.

"I like the plan." Said Pinkie Pie "I call first dibs."

"We saw him taking a walk through the art gallery on our way to the casino." Said Sunset, who looked a little more animated "As soon as we finish this game of Zombie VR, we'll go after him."

"Look out!" said Pinkie "Zombie at three o'clock!"

"Alright girls, if that's all clear, let the fun begin." Twilight said with great confidence.

Armando, freed from the restaurant's meal shift, strolled through the ship's Grand Plaza, in search of the hooded man transformed into an earthling, however, music, coming directly from The Club disco, caught the pegasus' attention. As he peeked through the half-open door of the place, he glimpsed a spectacle of students, creating an incredible private orgy that Armando could enjoy with his eyes. The naked bodies of girls and boys, kissing, penetrating, licking each other, began to make Armando's blood flow faster and faster, increasing his heartbeat, causing his eyes to turn violet, his mouth to open and his veins to begin to adopt the same bright tone as his eyes as he watched the churning of buttocks, boobs and pelvises, one against the other without stopping. With a great force of will, he looked away from the door, going to the adjoining wall and giving himself continuous and light blows to his head while his own heartbeat resounded in his head.

" Control yourself!" he thought over and over again "Control yourself! Control yourself!"

Armando, ran out of there, trying to calm down as sweat ran down his head and down his neck. Almost panting, he managed to reach a quiet area of the ship, where there were only two people. When he looked up, he could see Patriot, who, holding a glass of wine in his hand, was looking at him suspiciously.

Slowly, the pegasus rejoined him again and passed by the earthling, without taking his eyes off each other. Patriot stood watching as the pegasus walked off through the art gallery without stopping and disappearing after crossing a corner.

"That guy is not clean wheat..." thought Patriot "I'm going to have to be very careful."

Patriot looked again, at the painting he was looking at before he ran into Armando. It was a postmodernist painting, modern art. It was just a green blob in the middle of white, surrounded by what looked like, purple arches. Below the painting, on a small gold plate, was the title "There is much more than meets the eye" and the author "Lucky Magic".

"What a stupid thing to say" muttered Patriot, unaware that from behind, someone was approaching him.

"You're telling me" said a voice, turning out to be Pinkie Pie, who was holding a bottle of tequila with two shot glasses in her hand. "It looks like a three-year-old did it. I'll never understand modern art. Rarity says it's a new way of expressing emotions, but I just look as if a penguin, with painted paws, has walked across the canvas."

"Art is subjective Pinkie" said Patriot with a slight smile "What are you doing here?"

"Can't a pretty, flirty, fun girl walk around the art gallery with a tequila in her hand?" she said with a smile.

She started walking beside Patriot, looking at the paintings in the exhibit.

"It's kind of weird to see a party girl like you in these quiet places." Patriot said as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it.

"I like to party like the best" she said as she opened the bottle of tequila and poured the two glasses "But, if there's one thing I like more than partying...it's you."

Patriot, looked at her somewhat perplexed as she handed him one of the shots and stole a cigarette.

"You're not getting rid of us that easily, Spike," she told him as she also from the earthling's pocket, removed his lighter and lit the cigarette.

"Did I not explain myself before?" she said with a sad expression as she looked away from him and looked at another of the paintings, this one being ten different colored spots spread across the blank canvas. "It is better for all of you to forget me. I must not be seen with you."

Pinkie stared at him as he took a long puff.

"You're a bit of a party pooper Spikey" he told her with a half smile "And something this serious, you can't just make up your mind because yeah."

The earthling walked towards him, causing him to slowly walk backwards until Patriot was backed against the wall.
" I propose you something." Said Pinkie "A friendly competition. If you win, we'll all leave you alone forever. We'll never come near you again, not even to ask for a glass of water."

Pinkie raised her shot glass for him to chink with his, by way of a handshake, but before he collided, she pushed the glass away a little, preventing him from doing so.

"But if I win..." said the earthling as she brought her face close to Patriot's, finally coming within inches of each other's mouth and looking into each other's eyes. "From now on, anything, which any of us, including the Crusaders, propose you to do, you can't refuse. If we ask you for a date, you give us a date, if we ask you for a kiss, you give us a kiss, and if we ask you to talk to us openly with your heart in your fist about what that little genius head is hiding, you do it...Deal?"

Patriot, going heart racing, feeling the great temptation to touch Pinkie's lips, which gave off a pleasant cotton candy scent, raised his shot glass, as temperately as he could, pushing the earthling away from him.

"I'm a guy of my word" said Patriot "If I lose, so be it, but if you lose Pinkie, I expect you to keep your word too."

Pinkie smiled as she bumped her shot, with Patriot's shot.

"You know me," she said after downing the entire shot of tequila and a shiver ran through her, "I always keep my Pinkie Promises."

Pinkie provocatively and intentionally, as she turned to leave, brushed her large peach-shaped buttocks against Patriot's crotch and walked forward provocatively.

"At the Rooftop Garden at 23:30" she told him without turning around and without stopping "Don't make me wait."

Patriot watched as the girl disappeared past the art gallery. Then, he took a big puff, and looked again at the painting from before. He saw that the author was the same as the one in the green dot. The colors reminded him of something. They were violet, red, pale pink, blue, a mixture of mustard yellow and red, orange, deep purple and the remaining three were a mixture of two, orange and purple, pale yellow and red and the last one deep purple and violet. The painting, called, "Redemption and Peace" drew much attention from the disguised nomag, but he quickly looked away and continued walking.

"I won't keep you waiting, Pinkie Pie," he said after downing the shot of tequila like water.

Night came early to the Celebrity Edge cruise ship. The passengers, without stopping to drink and smoke, gathered in the different restaurants, the most crowded of all, the large open buffet. There, the Harmonys, with the exception of Rainbow Dash, watched as Pinkie devoured hamburgers and fries non-stop.

"Pinkie dear..." said Rarity somewhat surprised to see Pinkie eating it all "Don't you think you should... eat something less?"

"I CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT ENERGY TONIGHT RARITY!" yelled the earthling at her without stopping eating "WE'RE PLAYING ALL OUT TONIGHT!"

"Well, there you have a point." Applejack said as she ate her plate of pasta and drank cider. "Hey...have any of you seen Dash?"

The six girls looked around and she was nowhere to be seen.

"Didn't you two leave the room together earlier?" asked Twilight.

"Yes" she replied after taking a big gulp of cider "But she came back telling me she had something important to do and not to wait for her."

"Mmm... how strange everything" said Sunset suspiciously.

A few tables over, Soarin was looking at the Harmony table worriedly, while his friends had six girls from Crystal High School on top of them, kissing non-stop.

"Anybody see Rainbow?" he asked his friends.

Blueblood, parting his lips from the girl's for a few seconds.

"No," he said before continuing to kiss her.

"I don't like this at all..." said Soarin clenching his fist and teeth.

"Relax Soarin, they'll be back with us soon..." said Thunder as, from under the table, unnoticed, he penetrated the girl on top of him, who's eyes, were completely blank.

"I'll make you stop thinking," said one of the girls to Soarin, who reached under the table and pulled down his pants, making the pegasus's mind go blank as she ran her tongue over his manhood.

On the last deck, there was practically no one. Patriot, strolled up to the Rooftop Garden Grill, the most exclusive restaurant on the ship. With the pleasant jazz music, you could see how that corner of nature had taken on an orange hue. There were few passengers there. All of them couples. At one of the tables, Vinyl and Octavia were holding hands and drinking a glass of wine while tasting a steak. At another, a unicorn and a pegasus were kissing romantically in the moonlight and a last couple, two earthling males, were holding hands romantically.

Strangely, Patriot looked at a piece of paper that had been left for him on the door of his room.

"9:30 p.m. at the Rooftop Garden Grill."

"Why have I been cited here?" thought Patriot "Who did this?"

One of the waiters, approached the earthling with a pleasant smile.

"Patriot "Greenfire" Fly?" he asked him by name.

"Yes..." he said somewhat quizzically "It's me."

"Come in with me, your date is waiting for you." Said the bartender as he communicated with his hand to go after him.
Patriot, doubtful, followed the waiter to the back of the boat, where there was no one and they had set up a table, with candles around it, two trays with food and sitting on one of the chairs, looking out to sea and the big full moon reflecting the sea, was Rainbow Dash. She was wearing an incredible black dress with white glitter that recreated the figure of the pegasus. She wore shiny black heels that matched her black earrings that had two red pearls, almost the same as the one on her necklace. Her lips, painted dark purple, already enhanced her striking eyes, which she had painted lightly with eyeliner.

"Enjoy your private date, Mr. Greenfire," said the waiter before leaving.

Rainbow Dash gently turned her head and stared at Patriot.

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to sit down?" she said with an almost angelic tone.

"I... uh..." she said speechlessly as she saw how stunning Dash had become.

"I know" she said smiling "This would stick more with Rarity but... I wanted to surprise you."

Patriot was walking over to the chair to sit down, but then, she with her finger raised, denied moving forward.

"Belt off..." said Dash smiling.

"But what if..." said Patriot nervously.

"No one's coming in... and if they do come in, they'll deal with me." Dash said with a confident, warm look on his face. "Take off your belt... I want to finally go on a date, with the real guy who loves and cares for me."

Nervous and not quite knowing what he was doing, Patriot placed the belt needle in the center, untransforming himself back into Spike.

"If you were already keeping me short before... now I don't even count," Spike said jokingly as he sat up, which caused Dash to chuckle slightly.

"Well...being short has its advantages Spike." She said with a big smile.

"What's this all about Dash?" asked Spike as he gazed at the pegasus' face.

The pegasus silently poured two glasses of wine and took a sip of her own.

"It's... a little gesture... to thank you for all you've done for me over the years... I know if you win the competition tonight I won't have a chance so..." said the pegasus with a somewhat sad tone.

"You have nothing to thank me for Dash...I did it because that's how I am." Spike said

Dash smiled and took a breath.

"I want to ask you straight up...if you don't want to answer...don't...but I want to ask you." Dash said shaking her lip and hand from how nervous she was "Spike...are you in love with me...with us?"

Spike, stone-faced, not knowing what to say, stared at the pegasus, who was nervous, unable to look directly at him. The nomag pulled back his hood and took a large sip of wine.

"Because we are... we always have been." Dash said fearfully "I have been... and we have always been so blind... we have always been so afraid to acknowledge the truth... especially me, who was along with Pinkie, the first to realize everything... afraid, every day, without wanting to acknowledge it, I would go to fuck Soarin, each time with less and less desire, because when I took off his shirt and went to his pants, there was not that belt... that belt I wanted to tear off and find me behind it... you."

From the pegasus' eyes, tears began to fall.

"No one has ever made me feel what you made me feel when, disguised as Soarin, you took me for walks, to competitions... on trips... to my house... and every day I saw that belt I just wished you would give me a kiss.... I just asked for even one kiss... one that never came... I'm a tough girl, you know that, especially when you had to eat the fights I had with Soarin... but you, Spike, you made me soft at heart. " Dash said looking into his eyes and into his windblown hair. "I still can't forget about the sauna...every time I remember what Soarin did to me...I feel dirty...but then, your image comes to my mind, calming me down, telling me that everything will be okay..."

Spike didn't say anything, he just stared at the pegasus, who was brushing away her tears and still didn't dare to look at him. The nomag, took another sip of wine, finishing the glass.

"Yes..." Escaped from his mouth hesitantly as his hand trembled.

"What?" said Dash in surprise

"Yeah...of course I am Dash...I'm crazy about you girls...all of you...every single date I've been on with each of us, I've had the will to live again." Spike said as he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "Do you think I haven't wanted to kiss you Dash? That I haven't wanted to go without the fucking belt clutched in your hand? Do you really think I wouldn't want to die drowning in your body? Do you really think I didn't fall on fire every time you played a joke on me, or challenged me to some competition or something? Do you really think I wouldn't have wanted to get out of the sauna benches and kill that son of a bitch who doesn't deserve you, who doesn't deserve all of you?"

Dash was speechless, not knowing what to say. She could tell how his heart filled with joy.

"Do you really think Dash, that I wouldn't wish to be with you all this trip and the rest of my damned life?" he finished as tears formed in his eyes "But I can't... I can't let that happen, I can't let the world do to you what they do to me day in and day out. I would never forgive myself if you didn't make the Canterlot City soccer team for dating a nomag... I can't do it, it's what I want most in this world... but I can't Dash... I can't..."

Silence reigned in that private area, creating an imaginary invisible wall between the two.

"Is that what you wanted to hear?" said Spike wiping away tears "You wanted me to answer...I already have..."

"Spike...we can be happy..." she said not quite knowing what to say

"We can't Dash... not with you or anyone... I'm a nomag... you're the Loyalty bearer... the pegasus with the highest sports output in the world, teams are killing themselves trying to get you in their cast... You're beautiful, funny, strong and smart... you could have anyone you want... Why me?" said Spike seriously to her

Dash couldn't answer, she just started crying again.

"You know what I want to do most right now Dash?" said Spike to him "What I want most is to kiss you... for confessing your love to me, for this wonderful date with two of my favorite dishes, Tacos al pastor and entrecote with fries... for simply being you one of the reasons I'm still alive... but I can't kiss you, because if I kiss you, I won't be able to stop kissing you anymore, the T-Wings will see it, your reputation will end as well as my life... that's why I can't Dash."

Again, silence returned, Dash wiped his tears and tried to regain a smile.

"Well... since, you can't... at least... let's both enjoy this date... please..." she said refilling both glasses with wine.

"All right..." he said brushing away his tears as well "Let's enjoy... our company."

They both toasted and began to eat.

After a while, they tasted the food in front of them. The conversation was pleasant and warm.

"It may sound like a joke, Spike," Rainbow said, sipping her glass of wine, "but from minute one, I suspected you weren't Soarin."

"Come on" said Spike laughing "I'm a good actor, I'm sorry to say, I might as well get an Oscar."

"I swear" said Dash laughing "First date, Park of Light, Soarin, in high school, obsessed with sports, I challenged you to a race to the end of the park and we weren't even halfway through and you collapsed on the ground."

They both laughed at that memory.

"The excuse I gave you was a good one wasn't it?" said Spike laughing as he pulled out two cigars and offered one to Dash.

"I got injured" said Dash mimicking him "The old trusty".

"Didn't that excuse save Pinkie times in PE?" said Spike smirking as he took a big puff.

Rainbow couldn't look away from Spike, as her whole body, filled with a jolly warmth at having the nomag in front of her.
"What's wrong?" said Spike with a slight blush as he realized she kept looking at him with tender eyes.

"Nothing... I'm sad that this is going to stay here... that we won't have other dates... that I won't be able to know you..." said with a sad tone the pegasus "You have always been there for me, for Scoots... for all of us... from the shadows helping us... thank you... thank you for everything you have done and that I know, that in the future you will also do... I wish you would lose that competition..."

"I wish I'd like to lose it too... but I wish more for your well being" said the nomag looking her in the eyes.

An alarm on Dash's cell phone made her mood finish plummeting.

"It's time isn't it?" the boy asked her, to which she simply nodded.

They both got up from their private place and saw that the entire deck was empty, no crew member and no passengers were there. The lights were all off. In the middle of the Rooftop Garden, stood the girls, being illuminated by Sunset Shimmer, who had wrapped her entire body in flames.

"Where is he?" asked Pinkie worriedly "He's always usually on time..."

"And I still am Pinkie..." said Spike, appearing along with Dash.

"Dash?" said Sunset Shimmer, she being a human fireball.

"I was just saying where could you be" said Applejack with a suspicious smile

"I just... wanted to go on a date with him... before this..." she said as she approached her friends, who looked at her enviously.

"You could have already warned" said somewhat annoyed Fluttershy.

"Well yes" said Rarity also annoyed.

The atmosphere was getting hotter because of the envy so Spike approached the group of friends.

"Before you kill each other out of jealousy, we'd better start the competition." Spike said, causing the girls to blush in embarrassment.

Pinkie then approached Spike with an ice crystal in her hand and handed it to him. The piece of ice, had what looked like a fingerprint scanner on it, but was actually a button, when pressed, a huge ice surfboard unfolded.

"Do you like surfing?" asked Pinkie as with her feet, she created an ice board just like his and hovered in the air. "This board needs no land, no water, not even touching the ground to be useful, as it passes it generates an ice rink. Fun don't you think?"

The earthling moved around Spike on top of the board to let him see that in its wake, for a few seconds, it generated a small ice rail that magically disappeared.

"I like this thing" he said hopping onto his board "And yeah... I love surfing."

They both walked over, to the edge of the ship's railing and stood upright on it, keeping their balance. Twilight behind them, approached them to give the instructions for the competition.

"It's very simple," she said in a presenter's tone. "You will have to make a full lap around the boat along the bottom, going down right now in a fall, pick up speed while surfing so that on the second lap, you can make it in one jump back to this position. First one to get here is the winner."

Pinkie then held out her hand to Spike with a smile.

"May the best one win, Spikey," she said warmly to which Spike smiled and gave her a handshake.

"On your marks..." said Twilight giving the start "Ready... go!"

When she gave the go, Pinkie immediately went up on the board, straight into the water, however Spike, without getting on the board, closed his eyes and dropped the more than forty meters of fall and, at barely two meters, got on the board and took momentum as if it were a whip, overtaking the earthling.

"He's good" thought Pinkie as he performed behind him, the first tight turn that went around the nose of the ship "But I'm more so, I plan to win this race."

Along with the board Pinkie dove into the sea water, surprising Spike as she emerged in front of him, performing a zero gravity turn. As she stayed ahead, she smiled and blew him a kiss as she picked up speed on the board. This made the boy blush, which caused him to smile and start skidding very close to the water with the board to pick up speed.
They were both very close to each other as they made the second turn, this time at the stern of the boat. There, on deck, were the Harmonys cheering Pinkie on with all their might.

"You can do it Pinkie!" shouted Applejack.

"'Go Pinkie!" shouted Sunset as she threw a couple of flares with her hands as a firework.

Rainbow, looked wordlessly at the two, hoping that Spike would let her win.

"Please, let her win," the pegasus was saying without any of the others noticing.

Down below the boat, they had already made it past the first lap of the boat, and were hot on each other's heels. Their competitive gazes were penetrating and when they stood side by side, it only increased the competition between them.
Soon, they reached the bow again, Pinkie was overtaking Spike on the left, but when they reached the turn, he grabbed the edge of his board with a handgrip and helped himself to a wave coming in front of him and spun into the turn. When he was upside down, he stayed there for a few moments, his face facing Pinkie's face. Spike at that moment, smiled and winked at her, pulling her forward.

"So those we got huh?" thought Pinkie with a determined smile.

They were both approaching the last turn. Twilight with her magic, had prepared a ramp behind this one to make it easier for them to jump onto the deck.

Spike was leading the race before reaching the turn, but meters before he got there, Pinkie overtook him using the force of one of the ocean waves as a boost. As she pulled in front of the nomag, in her mind everything began to slow down.

" What if... I let her win... it would be a victory... I could date them... they love me... I love them... it doesn't sound so bad..." the nomag thought as he thought about different moments of his life together with them, every date he had with each of them, including the Crusaders, like fleeting Flashbacks. But then, a bad feeling got the better of him, as he imagined how they were caught with him, how the Apple family and the Dash family's companies ended up bankrupt, how the crowds booed Twilight, how no college wanted to have Sunset, how the Crusaders were beaten to death day after day for dating a nomag, how Rarity loses her job and ends up begging on the street, how Pinkie, not wanting anyone to go to her parties or be with her, ends up committing suicide, hanging from a rope, how Fluttershy is raped and beaten to death, all for dating him, for dating a nomag. "No... no! I CAN'T LET THAT HAPPEN! I DON'T PLAN TO RUIN YOUR LIVES FOR HOW SELFISH MY HEART CAN BE! I'm sorry girls...I'm really sorry...BUT I WILL WIN! FOR YOU!"

With determined eyes, around the bend, grabbing hold of the boat, with impulse, he shot off like a whip towards Pinkie, who was already coming up the ramp, but because of Spike's speed, she lost her balance, falling into the water. Spike grabbed the board by the nose before jumping, which made the board go up perpendicularly while spinning non-stop. Reaching the height of the railing, doing a somersault, he landed right in front of the Harmony's, who could only keep their mouths open.

"I win," he said, staring at them.

Pinkie, helped by a column of water, climbed up to the deck where Spike was waiting for her. She, not knowing what to say and with great sadness forming on her face, stared at him.

"It's been... a lot of fun Pinkie... but I won," she said as she turned the board back into a small piece of ice and handed it to her.

"Yeah... it's been fun" she said smiling as she watched him offer her the piece of ice. "You can keep it... as a farewell gift."
All the girls, tried to hold back tears, however, none of them could.

"It was all great girls... really... I hope you enjoyed the trip very much..." said Spike pocketing the ice chip in his sweatshirt pocket. "It's been fun reminiscing together... the date with you Dash... unbeatable... and Pinkie... it's been amazing the ride... wish we could share tricks..."

"Maybe *sniff* someday... if you want to *sniff*" she said as she tried to brush the tears away.

"I wish Pinkie...I wish," said Spike who also had a tear fall. "Thank you *sniff*... for playing with me... *sniff*"

The nomag, put on his hood and briskly walked out of there, heading for his room. Sunset, turned off, leaving the Harmony's in darkness, who now, were only illuminated by the moonlight as a mood of sadness swept through the empty Rooftop Garden.

"It's over... *sniff*" said Sunset as she rested her head sadly on Twilight's shoulder, which caused a huge group hug to form between them, whose silhouettes were reflected on the huge and sad full moon.

Inadvertently, Armando was watching everything that happened from the other side of the deck. Watching that there was no one around him, the pegasus, put the hand of his changeling belt in the center, untransforming and revealing his true form.

He was incredibly tall (2.18m) with strong abs, his eyes, sky blue contrasted with his greenish insect hair, his demonic wings extended beyond his strong arms. He wore nothing from the waist up, his lower half being covered by what looked like some sort of black pseudo armor like his wings and the two horns coming out of his head, thus revealing that in reality, he was an Incubus, a male Succubus.

The Incubus's phone rang and he picked up.

"Control call" said the same old voice through the phone "What happened?"

"I confirm the Harmony's link to the hooded one... it will be hard to kill" said the Incubus.

"That will complicate our job." Said the voice "Don Bruto wants him dead and if those girls protect him, things will get very ugly."

"I will keep watching him to see his weak points my queen." Said the sex demon looking ahead at the great ocean.

"Don't fail me Thorax... we all trust you, Don Bruto the most." Said the Succubus queen through the phone.

"Yes Chrysalis, your highness... over and out..." said Thorax determinedly.