A Foxglove incident.

Chapters

Chapter 2
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6 part 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Rarity was sitting at home enjoying one of her rare days off. No worrying about any deadlines to fulfill or order to complete. And most certainly, no evil dictator or magical disaster to ruin it. All was at peace.

"Ahhh, now this is relaxing. No stress, no weirdness, no monsters. Just me, my finest tea, my new A/C set on full blast, and my favorite movie, "Beauty and the Beast," Rarity said to herself. She took a sip of her tea, reaching for her remote when a slight boom sound scared her, spilling her tea on her all-red couch. She looked over, A/C producing smoke. She sighed heavily before pausing her movie and unplugging it.

"This is the last time I buy anything on sale." She said. Rarity pulled out her phone to call a repair mare, but the line placed her on hold. She waited patiently for over an hour before hanging up and cursing herself for ever buying the A/C. Suddenly she remembered Spike knew a thing or two about fixing things, so she decided to call him.

(Who is it?)
Hi Spikey. It's Rarity
(Rarity! Hi!)
I'm not bothering you, am I?
(I was taking a nap.)
Oh, I'm sorry.
(No, no. I'm wide awake.)
Ok. Well, I wanted to ask if you could help me fix something.
(Is it for an order or something?)
No, no. It's just that my A/C blew a fuze, and I thought you could help.
(Ok. I'll be over there shortly.)
Oh, thank you, Spikey. See you soon.
(ends call)

40 minutes later

(Knock, Knock, Knock)

"Coming," Rarity said as she walked to the door and peeked through the hole. Spike waited outside patiently. As soon as she opened the door, she gave him a small yet warm hug. Spike returned the gesture and embarrassed her with his look as she backed off to give him room to walk in. She wore a simple outfit consisting of blue jeans and a purple sweater with a heart-shaped cut in the middle, which gave her ample bust air. She motioned for him to come in, snapping him back to reality.

"Hey, Rarity. I'm sorry it took so long to get here," he said. Rarity thought nothing of it and offered him something to drink.

"No thanks. I'm kinda full for now," he said.

"Well, alright then, Now. For the reason why I called you over here," She said, turning over to her A/C unit. Spike took a quick look at it while talking to Rarity. A few minutes pass as they engage in playful banter before Rarity asks something that catches his attention.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, how was the lunch?" She inquired. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He refocused his attention on the A/C and discovered the problem. Rarity noted his silence.

"I found out what the problem was. Your condenser coil is broken. They're cracks on the side of it. I can go out again and buy you a new one," he said.

"Oh, don't worry about that. I can order one online. Just put everything back together and place it somewhere upstairs for me, please." she said. Rarity walked to the kitchen and poured herself another cup of tea as Spike moved her A/C upstairs. She sat on the edge of the couch and set her tea on the table. Right before unpausing her movie, she remembered her ceiling fan would work as a substitute. Spike placed the broken A/C unit in her closet before walking downstairs. He saw Rarity standing at the bottom, flicking a switch on the wall. Distracted, he slipped on the steps and fell. Rarity noticed him at the last second and tried to catch him but was too slow. Spike crashed into her, knocking both of them down.

"Uh, my head is spinning." Rarity rubbed her head. She could feel a heavy weight pressing against her chest, slightly warm and large. She opened her eyes, and Spike had his head boated into her breasts. Her face was red. She shoved him off her, breathing deeply. She glanced over to the drake, inching closer to his head. She turned him over and found him unconscious. Worried, she dragged him onto her couch and laid him across it.

"Spike, deary. Can you hear me," She said. She tapped his face, waking him with slight pain throbbing in his head. He opens his eyes to her sapphire pair staring right back at him. Blushing immediately, he tried to sit up, but his head denied him, forcing his still. She placed her hand on his cheek, leaning in closely. Just inches away from his face. He could feel himself shaking in his scales. He closed his eyes, tensing up before feeling her hand leave his face.

"That was a nasty fall just now. You don't have any visible bruises, thank goodness," she said. Spike opened his eyes to see her smiling with a slight blush filling her cheeks. He then realized that she was holding his head in her lap. She combed her hand down his head, massaging his green scales as she did. Spike couldn't help but hum out of pleasure as she did.

"Are-are you...Purring right now?" Chuckling as she spoke. Spike's face ignited red, embarrassed he could only mutter out the words, "It's a dragon thing."

"Don't be embarrassed Spikey-Wikey. It's cute. Well, I think so anyway." She said. She unpaused her movie, and the two stayed like this for a while as it continued.

"I'm happy you called me today," he said.

"I am too-

"No, I mean, like really, really, happy that you did. Lately, everyone's been acting very strange. It's nice to know that you're not acting any differently," he said, thou part of him wouldn't mind if she did. He might even love it.

"Strange? Strange how? Are we talking Applejack wearing heels or

"Crystal Empire," was all Spike said. Rarity winced before nodding, still rubbing his head. Spike took a minute to explain what he's been through all day. From the time he was walking to running into Cherry and how everyone was looking at him.

"Sweet Celestia. I'm so sorry about that. Wait, so was Cherry acting strange when you were talking to her?" she asked.

"Yeah. The most notable was when she...uhm. Never mind." he ended.

"Spike. What happened?" She asked. "It's ok. If it's something displeasing, you don't have to tell me. I would never force anything on you." She said.

"Just give me a sec," he said, moving his hand to his chest. He took a few breaths before telling Rarity how Cherry had tried to cop a feel on his butt. He explained how unsettled it made him feel as tears began to form in his eyes. He hated crying, especially in front of someone he knew. He hated it even more in front of Rarity. He didn't know why, but he couldn't stop them from approaching. A similar "incident" happened in the Crystal Empire that always left him feeling wounded when he thought of it. Rarity knew how much it affected him and leaned the dragon upwards, gently hugging him from behind. She rested her head on his shoulder. "How could she? That is highly inappropriate, not to mention underhanded and sleazy. Next time I see her, she's getting a large piece of my heel up her-" she stopped, feeling his body tense for a moment. Spike pulled away from her hug as he wiped his face. He turned around to face her but was stopped by Rarity's finger on his lips.

"Please, take all the time you need, Spikey. There's no rush or pressure for you to speak right now," she whispered. At that moment, a wave of intense warmth washed over Spike's entire body. His knees weakened, and his heart thumped wildly in his chest. His whole being was fixated solely on her, blurring out everything else in the room as a white haze. Her last words reverberated sharply within his mind, playing on a loop at a rapid pace until finally -

"I love you."

Back at friendship castle, Twilight and Starlight were reading books in Spike's room.

"Did you find anything yet," Starlight asked, wearing one of Spike's T-shirts.

"Nothing so far. There's got to be something in these that can help us," she replied, popping out of Spike's blanket.

"Maybe we should, Hey! What gives you the right to lay on his bed?" she shouted. Twilight stuck her tongue out quickly before covering her face with her book. Starlight scolded her before continuing her book. She skimmed the paragraph and discovered something.

"Hold on. I think I found something!" She said, catching Twilight's attention. "Ok, listen to this. This book says that "theirs a flower called foxglove that was originally poisonous to anyone who came in contact with it. However, a young Zebrian of unknown origin discovered that it could be used to suppress a mares heat cycle. It's noted here that they only grow in places where magic is abundant in nature."

"Zebrian. Maybe Zecora knows more about this stuff," Twilight said.

"Right, but we should dress for the occasion, right? I think Spike has some clothes we can borrow. He wouldn't mind. Right?" she said.

"I know you're playing me, but your right. Let's look," she said. The two looked through his closet and found pairs that they liked. As they walked throughout Ponyville, they reviled in the smells of the jackets. When they arrived at Zecora's, they wore their pleased faces as masks. Twilight knocked on the door.

"Twilight. What a plesant suprise. And, Starlight is a sight for sore eyes. To what do I owe this pleasure, perhaps in need of my work for an adventure?" She rhymed. She looked at the two and noticed their attire but didn't question it.

"We were hoping you had something to help with heat," Twilight said. Zecora welcomed the two inside to take a seat.

"So your heat cycles are becoming unbearable, I see. Luckily, Spike and I made a remedy," She said. She grabbed two glasses and walked over to her cauldron, filling up the cups. She passed them and placed a re-sealed her the cauldron.

"I'm surprised both of your heats are active simultaneously. Did something happen that caused this so spontaneously?" she questioned.

"That's the weird thing. We think Spike might be the cause of this." Starlight said. She was about to take a sip, but Zecora stopped her.

"I must finally be aging, I see. Could you please repeat what you just said to me?" She rhymed.

"Zecora, listen. When Spike came home today, I could feel myself becoming flustered and nervous around him," Twilight said.

"Yeah. When I saw him, he was sleeping, and I felt like my body was flaring up. My mouth was watering. Yes, I know it sounds like Idiocy but-

"Now, you both crave the drake's intimacy?" she finished. They blush as she read them both like open books. They glanced at each other before looking up at Zecora. The blushes from their faces disappeared as they stared at her, her face filled with concern. They looked at each other once more.

"Zecora, do you know something," Twilight asked. She only muttered to herself, saying, "How could I have repeated my mistake......It must have been when I sneezed on the drake." Starlight raised an eyebrow, ready to say something but decided against it and waited until she was done.

"You two listen well to what I say. For ponyville will soon be in disarray," she said. The two listened in closely. She told them how the drake helped her make a potion to sedate her heat and how her sneeze splashed Spike with the potion. She then proceeded to tell them a story.

When I was a young zebra, I discovered a flower
Many thought it dangerous, but I foresaw its power.
Through many trials and tests, I discovered something beautiful,
But when I told my people, they believed it unimmutable.
I ignored their warnings and created a potion of suppression,
To aid thy fellow mares when their heat caused internal aggression.
One day, my griffin friend came to me whom I loved with my life,
Told me she was to be sold away and made someone's wife.
I gave her the potion so she could avoid producing kin.
Little did I know, however, what I created was my gravest sin.
The night of her marriage, she drank my creation,
With no children being produced, Her husband used his imagination.
He realized later on how all around her lusted for her body,
So he tied her up in town and gave her to everybody.

The two girls gasped at her story, rivers of tears falling down their faces. Twilight couldn't imagine the pain the poor griffin endured. Starlight looked up at the ceiling in an attempt to halt her tears.

"Zecora. That wasn't your fault. You only did what you could to help the person you loved," Twilight said. However, her words could not reach Zecora as she stormed into her quarters. "I think we struck a nerve," Starlight said. Zecora left her room after presumably splashing water on herself and resumed her talk with them. During that time, they both agreed that it was best to avoid the topic and talk about it with her when their current storm passes. They tried to refocus their attention on Spike, but Zecora intervened.

"When I first made that potion, I created it only for my kind in mind." She said.

"Since Spike's a dragon, the effect must have varied. That must be why everyone was acting so differently toward him. They're all lusting for him." Twilight said.

"Yea. Zecora, does the potion have a time limit?" Starlight asked.

"It stays as long as a mare's heat lasts. Unfortunately, the effects won't dissipate fast. As I stated before, I tested my potions many times over. It was only until 'she" drank it, however, did I discover what lay lower. The only one who is immune to this desire of lust is the one who he loves. All others will slowly fall victim, losing what makes them doves," she finished. Her words engraved themselves upon the two of them as a gruesome question bloomed in Twilight's mind.

"What would happen if people find out who he loves? Or know already, for that matter?" She asked, beads of sweat forming down her face.

"Then there are only two options one can make. One lesser and one greater, both will cause heartache,"she said. Twilight and Starlight listened carefully to her next few words and were baffled by how to react. She gave them a few potions before they took their leave. On their way back, the two conversed about how to move forward.

"I still can't believe it. Our only options are to lock both Spike and Rarity away for two weeks until Zecora's heat ends or make every person in ponyville believe Spike's in love with them so they don't try to off Rarity." Twilight said, chewing away at her thumb.

"Remember what Zecora said. If we do choose plan B, by the time her heat ends, everyone will realize that that love was fake. We don't have enough potions for everyone, either. It took her a month to make what she had already."

"I know, but I'm not worried about their hearts. I'm worried about Spike's. Rarity will know that Spike loves her, and he'll end up being the heartbroken one." Twilight said. Starlight could think of what to say. Then, an idea came to her head.

"What if they don't know?" She said. Twilight looked at her. "We'll tell them that you and I won tickets to a paid vacation in Canterlot or something. We can watch over them in secret, and nobody will be the wiser. And with how many ponies they are in Canterlot, the chance of them running into him again is the same as running into a stranger. We can even get the rest of the girls in on it, so nothing happens, either. It's foolproof." She said. Twilight ran it over in her mind. The idea sounded foolproof, but she needed it to be concrete. They talked it over until they returned to friendship castle.

"Ok, Deal. We can work out the details tonight. As soon as Spike gets home, we'll tell him-

"Tell me what?" said a familiar voice. They glanced over to Spike and Rarity sitting together in the living room, with Rarity sitting on Spike's lap as the TV played slow Jazz music. Rarity smiled at them before waving. They did the same with forced awkward smiles.

"What did you wanna tell me...and why are you two wearing my jackets?" he asked.

Chapter 4

Thanks to the Princess, Twilight and Starlight managed to get everything for a hasty 2-week stay in Canterlot. At first, she worried her other friends wouldn't join them. Surprisingly, all of them relished the thought of leaving Ponyville for a while—the next day at the train station.

"Thank you again for planning all of this, darling. Sorry if we ruined the surprise," Rarity said, crossing her legs.

"Ohh, it's no biggy. It makes for a great excuse- I mean, escapade to re-visit Canterlot again," she said, trying to sound as convincing as possible.

"He-he, yeah. For the record, there really was a bug on the floor! You know I can stand those creepy crawlers," she said shyly. Having been caught by Twilight and Starlight in a rather "private" moment yesterday, saying there was a bug was the only believable thing she could think of. They both awkwardly laughed it off and turned away from each other, hoping something would settle this awkward silence. As if someone was listening, they heard a familiar voice calling out to them.

"Hey, y'all. Sorry, we're late," Applejack said. Behind her, the rest of the girls walking together with their suitcases in tow. And on time, too, as the sound of the train pulling in made them all stop talking and gather everything. As Twilight showed an attendant their VIP tickets, Spike offered to carry Rarity's belongings, which she happily accepted. To anyone else, including their friends, this was him simply acting as a gentledrake toward her. But, for the two of them, it was different, for every tiny action they did for each other now had a new set of feelings behind them. Once he finished placing everything away, a random mare who was passing by him "slipped" and spilled her drink all over his shirt.

"Oh my, I'm so sorry. Here, let me get that for you, handsome!" Pulling out a small cloth and rather firmly pressing down on his shirt, unwantedly going lower as she did so. Visibly uncomfortable, he tried to gently push her away, saying, "That's ok, you don't have to." The mare, however, proved to be insistent on helping. Before he could say anything else or accidentally push her too hard, Rarity grabbed him by his hand.

"Come on, Spikey. You can freshen up in the bathroom," she said, gently leading him away while giving a stern look to the mare before closing the doors to the first class. As the girls discussed their plans for the destination, Rainbow suggested going clubbing, while Fluttershy preferred visiting a zoo. But their conversation came to a halt when Twilight reminded them that they couldn't make any plans until everyone was present, realizing that Spike was still cleaning himself in the bathroom.

"Spikey sure is taking a long time. Maybe someone should go check on him?" Rarity suggested. "I'll go!" said everyone, saving Twilight and Starlight. Twilight looked at her friends as they stared at each other like rival predators over a piece of meat. She glanced over to Rarity, who leaned away in fearful astoundment. She cleared her throat.

"Rarity, could you check in on him, please?" she asked, grabbing her friend's attention. She nodded, the girls sighing on the inside as Rarity got up and walked to the restroom. She quickly knocked before entering and closing the door behind her once she got an okay. The moment Twilight saw the door closed, she knew she had to ask them fast. "Alright, everyone! Listen up," Twilight said, slamming her hand down on the table as she stood up from her seat. "This is very important, so pay attention."

"Thanks again, Rarity," he said. She patted down the rest of the stain from earlier to where it was just barely visible.

"You're welcome, Spikey. Don't mention it. I-um-mhmm~!" she tried to say before Spike grabbed her hand, bringing their lips together. She didn't resist as the drake savored the taste of her. Rarity relished this tiny moment of intimacy, as she thought getting this close to him while on this vacation would become close to impossible. They stayed like this for a few more moments before breaking away, leaving her in a daze.

"You're very welcome," she said. Though he lacked experience in kissing, he made up for it with vigor and love. She chuckled before reaching into her bag, pulling out a towelette to wipe his face from her lipstick.

"You surprise me there. I thought you wanted to refrain from..."physical amity" while we're dating," she said.

"I thought so, too. But after thinking over this trip some, I couldn't stop thinking about how hard it's going to be getting to spend time with you," he paused, bringing her in until their noses touched, "being close to you like this. And, when I heard you knocking at the door, I...I wanted to get close to you again," he said.

"Aww~. That's so sweet. I assure you, darling. You and I will have time to spend with each other. Our moments may not last long, but they'll be ours," she said, cupping his face with her hands before pecking at his lips one last time. He sighed with contentment, parting from her embrace.

"We should probably join them now. I think my shirt's all good," he said. She looked down at his shirt and could vaguely see the outlining of his abs coming through the damp cloth. She blushed before turning her head and saying, "Let's. They might catch on to us if we take any longer," she joked, nudging his shoulder. The two walked back outside to their seats, and the rest of the girls (following Twilight's plea) did their best to show any attention to Spike.

When they finally arrived in Canterlot, they were greeted by a mare wearing a black suit with two bodyguards coming out of a limo. She said, "Greetings to you all. My name is Grey Tulip, and we'll be your escorts via Princess Celestia's orders." The two guards took all their belongings as they entered the limo, Except for Spike.

"Excuse me, forgive my abruptness, but may we get a selfie with you?" she asked him. Not seeing the harm in taking a picture, he gave his okay. One of the guards took out a phone and counted down from three.

"3.2.1. Pucker up!" the guards said.

As the phone flashed, Spike was surprised from all sides as the bodyguards and the mare kissed him. They thanked him as they got into the limo. Spike felt conflicted, not knowing how to respond. He rubbed his face and hurried into the limo, hoping to sit next to Rarity. He was too late as she was sitting next to Pinkie and Twilight. In the end, he ended up sitting next to the bodyguards. Rarity could only watch from a distance as she saw how awkward it must have felt to sit next to them. As they drove, the girls opened up a bottle of champagne Pinkie found and partied. During the fun, one of the guards tried to wrap their arms around him but was stopped by Applejack.

"I know y'all was hired by Her Majesty, but you should lighten up some. Play with us a bit," She said' sounding more threatening than playful. They said nothing and straightened themselves out. Spike mouthed a "thank you" to Applejack. She gave a wink before turning her attention back to the girls. When they finally arrived at the Hotel, Spike grabbed his and Rarity's belongings and dashed to the head desk. The stallion there greeted them before noticing Spike and directed all his focus on him.

"Here are all of your room keys. And here's yours, handsome. Say, are you doing anything later? Cause I go on break around five-"

"Thank you, but we all made plans around that time," Twilight said. She snatched the keys away and B-lined to the elevator. Pinkie stuck out her tongue at him before the elevator door almost closed on it. She passed everyone their keys as they reached the top floor. She told them to go ahead and unload all of their things before meeting back downstairs around six. They all walked to their door before Spike realized something.

"Uhm, guys," he said. They looked over at him next to Rarity.

"Everyone is supposed to get a separate room, right?" he asked.

"Yeah. Yours should be room 912," she said.

"Twilight. That's my room," Rarity said. Twilight's eyes widened.

"Oh no. I think I booked a couple's room," She panicked.

Spike looked at Rarity, who was biting down hard on her lip. Her concealed excitement read as animosity to the others. Before shaking her head and saying, "It's ok, darling. I don't mind sharing a room with Spikey here. It's not like he's a stranger or anything," trying to hide her glee. In the end, she sounded displeased.

"Are you sure?" Twilight asked. She nodded before opening her door with Spike following her. As soon as Twilight finished putting up her things, she formed a Private group chat to explain to the rest of the girls why she really booked this trip.

:rainbowlaugh: For once, I would have liked it if we could've lounged out and partied without something weird like this happening.

:fluttershyouch: Did you hear how Rarity spoke? She's probably upset with having to share a room.

:ajsmug: Considering she already shares a home with Sweetie. She must have really wanted some privacy.

:twilightsmile: This might be for the best.

:pinkiehappy: Why?

:twilightsmile: If one of yall were paired with him...you know!

:ajsmug: ...Point taken. Let's hope they're doing well.

Back in Rarity's room

"Ha-HA~! I can't believe our luck," she said, hugging him tightly, jumping up and down together on top of her bed. She screamed out in excitement. They collapsed together on the bed, his frame beside her.

"Thank you, Celestia," he said as they soft laughed together. "So, what now?" he asked her. Rarity looked to her side, glancing at the clock.

"I don't know. We have a couple of minutes to kill before we head out," she said.

"Wanna talk?" he said.

"About what? she replied,

"I meant, can you talk? About yourself?" he corrected. She sat up, confused by his words.

"You just want me to talk?" she asked.

"Yeah. It can be about anything. Your business, how you keep your hair so luscious, stories of things you did as a kid. Stuff like that." he said, moving to sit beside her.

"You-you really want to hear all of that stuff. I don't want to bore you with my life history." she rubbed the nap of her neck, thinking he was pulling her leg. That was until he placed a hand on her leg, making her jump at the sudden touch.

"You're anything but boring," he paused for a split second, scratching the side of his temple. "Plus, it helps that I love the sound of your voice also." he finished. Rarity couldn't help but coo over his sweetness, blushing as she grabbed at his resting hand.

"Alright. But don't say I didn't warn you," she said. They both lay there as she shared her likes, dislikes, and the stories behind them for the next few minutes. He already knew some of the things she shared, but he didn't mind listening again. He enjoyed how passionately she spoke about everything. He tried not to interrupt her, but he couldn't help asking about a few things here and there. Rarity didn't seem to mind; rather, she enjoyed the fact that he was interested. Whenever she usually spoke about herself to other stallions she was seeing, they would tune her out or talk about themselves and their supposed achievements. This left her either forced to believe them or bite her lip throughout the conversation. But with Spike, their connection was far stronger, and the truth in their words was visible. Soon, her one-sided story turned into a questionnaire as she reveled in the attention he was giving her. She would have loved to continue, but her phone's alarm went off. It was signaling that it was 15 minutes to six. She let out a sigh as she shut it off.

"We should get ready," she said. "Who knows what Twilight has planned for us."

"Yeah, I hate to think how she'd react if something else went off schedule," he said.

"What?" she asked.

"Well, usually whenever she'd make plans, I'd be the one to double-check over it. Even last-minute things like a grocery list, but since she planned this in secret, I couldn't," he answered.

"You don't think she mad at herself for marking us down in the same room? Maybe she's upset because of what I said." she thought aloud. Spike held her hand.

"Hey, you did nothing wrong. Mishaps happen now and again. She'll be fine the very next day," he reassured her. "I know Twilight, and she can handle this."

Twilight told everyone that she marked down all of the fun places in Canterlot for them. The 1st one they're heading to is Canterlots Ice Skating Ring. Twilight said she remembered her parents taking her and her brother as kids. As they made their way to the ring, Spike noticed that everyone was acting the same as the people back in ponyville. All the rest of the girls got a glimpse of what Twilight told them over the chat about what Spike said that day. They unconsciously formed a bubble around him as they walked. When they finally reached the ice skating ring, he let out a sigh of relief. They slipped on their skates and played on the ice.

"Having trouble," said a voice. She turned her head to see a tall, green-haired stallion behind her.

"No, I'm just waiting on someone," she said.

"That's cool, that's cool. Mind if I wait with you?" he said, moving closer. She backed away, saying, "That won't be necessary. He'll be here shortly," trying to dissuade him from advancing. He ignored her, arrogantly taking a seat next to her.

"Come on, babe. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if-

"BABE! OK, I tried being nice, but clearly, we don't speak the same language!" she was outraged. The people nearby looked over at her.

"Alright, I'll leave. Can't imagine what kind of guy w-would wh-wanna..." he trailed off after seeing Spike arrive next to Rarity. The stallion felt his heart racing as he looked at him. "Holy Celestia. Who's that?" he thought to himself, little hearts in his eyes.

"Did I miss something?" he said, confused. Rarity looked at him and shook her head, her anger subsiding.

"No, I solved it myself," she said. The two skated away and joined their friends on the ice. While he was gone, Spike had bought a scarf at the counter to avoid people's attention. Around two hours passed by. Before long, nearly no one was left skating. They all decided to head back and eat.

"This was so much fun," Fluttershy said.

"Pretty cool moves out there, Pinkie. You gotta show me how you did that sometimes," Starlight said.

"Ahh, It was nothing...JK, I was awesome," she joked, earning a laugh from everyone. They all gathered their things and headed out.

"Hang on, I think I dropped my wallet," Spike said, checking his pockets. He went back to the ice ring to look.

"We'll help you look sugar-cube," AJ said. They checked around the ring to no avail.

"We're was the last time you had it," Fluttershy said.

"Maybe I dropped it when I bought this scarf," he said.

"Then we'll check the shopping stall," Twilight said. While the girls left for the stall, Applejack hung around Spike to help search near the ring.

"Hey, this yours," someone said. He glanced around to find the stallion from earlier holding his phone.

"My wallet! Thank you!" he said. He grabbed it and was fixing to walk over to Aj when the stallion suddenly grabbed his hand.

"Hold on, aren't you gonna thank me?" he said, grinning.

"But I did," he said back.

"Nah. I'm not talking about a verbal thank you," he said. Spike rolled his eyes on the inside. He pulled out a couple of bits, but the stallion declined them. Annoyed by his greediness, he pulled out a large emerald he was planning on eating later instead. The stallion's eyes lit up for a second in surprise, but rebutted this, too.

"Well, what do you want?" he asked him.

"Your number would be great," he said. Spike grew annoyed and walked away. The stallion snatched his arms and violently yanked him backward.

"Hold on now, we ain't done-" he was cut short as Spike delivered a strong kick to his stomach. Spike didn't even realize he did until he heard him whine in pain. Applejack rushed over after hearing the commotion. The stallion covered his stomach. He looked up to see a panicked Spike. In the stallion's mind, he thought, "Playing hard to get, huh? I like that." He rushes at him with open arms and a nasty perverted smile plaguing his face, ready to not let go this time. Applejack stopped him with a clean punch to his chin, falling flat on his back. She looked over at him, breathing rapidly.

"Hey, Surgarcube. You good," She said to him. Spike managed to compose himself and took smaller breaths.

"I-I didn't mean to...thanks," he managed to say. She smiled at him before tipping her hat down, her arm around his shoulder as they walked. When they regrouped with the girls, Applejack told them what she did before Spike explained what happened. Rainbow complemented how he made him buckle with one kick, cheering up the drake before he shifted the credit to Applejack. As they talked, Spike quietly pulled Applejack to the side.

"What's up, sugar? Still shaky about earlier?" she asked him.

"No...a little, but I'll be fine...When he grabbed me, I- didn't mean to. I didn't even realize that I kicked him until-" He stopped, feeling her hand on his shoulder.

"You reacted. I know you're still shaky about it all, but you have us for a reason. You can talk to me. If anything, that creep had it comin'. That kick of urse is pretty impressive, too. I could've mistaken you for an "Apple," she said.

"Thanks, AJ," He said, Hugging her tightly. Rarity glanced over from the group to see Spike holding her. She bit her lip in frustration and left for their room.

Later in Rarity/Spike's room

Spike and Rarity sat down on the bed and enjoyed the sushi platter room service brought up. Rarity scrolled through her phone as she ate while Spike watched TV. Afterward, she left to take a shower. It took about 40 minutes before she came out. The water straightened out her hair.

"It's all yours now, Spikey," she said, Looking at her bright-eyed and blushed Drake. She wore a see-through purple nightgown with pink undergarments. She grinned before taking the towel off her head and winking at him. He quickly got up and rushed into the bathroom. She chuckled and made herself comfortable on her bed. About 20 minutes passed before Spike came out, wearing a plain white T and some black briefs. Rarity whistled, making the drake turn his head in embarrassment. She motioned over for him to lie down on the bed.

"Well, today was...eventful, wasn't it," she said. He hummed in agreement.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"A lot better, that's for sure!" he replied.

"Yes, well... never mind," she said. Spike looked at her before asking, "What is it?"

"I just...I wish I stayed behind with you. I would have taught that creep some manners," She said, surprising him.

"He got want he deserved in the end, though," he said.

"I know Spikey, but it's the meaning behind the matter," she said, leaning up. "I'm mad because I wasn't there. You showed up when that jerk was bothering me, but instead of me being your lady knight, it was Applejack! I'm mad at...I'm mad at myself," she said. She looked up, infuriated that her desire was unfulfilled. He tried to say something, but nothing could come to mind. Instead, he cut the TV off and hugged her gently, looking into her eyes as they slowly fell on the bed. She strapped herself around his belly. Rarity felt her frustration subside and flipped herself atop the drake, smothering his head with her bosom.

"I promise to be your lady knight next time," she said.

"I'd like that," he said, popping his head from her breasts.

"Thank you. Now, can I ask you something?" she said. He nodded, his hands stocking up and down her sides. "Still thinking we're moving too fast?" He paused for a moment before continuing his massage.

"Maybe a little, sure. Do I want to slow down? Not right now." he said, rubbing his nose to hers. Feeling playful, she tried to smother the drake again. Spike managed to pull himself up, leaning on the headboard. He pulled Rarity closer to him, locking his lips with her once again. Only this time, he was bolder and more intense. She let out a few soft moans before he tried to retreat for air. Spike switched tactics and kissed around her neck, lightly biting her as his hands moved down her body. He massaged her lower back, occasionally using his thumbs to dig into her sides. She let out even more moans of pleasure as she surrendered herself to his work.

"Dear Celestia! You're making Aloe and Lotus' look bad, Spikey," she told him. He then advanced down her back, reaching her flank. He looked over at his lover, brimming with pleasure.

"Did I ever tell you I love you?" he said, delivering one last kiss on her lips.

She hummed in delight, saying, "You could mention it more."

"I promise, my dear," he said.

"Dear!" she said, surprised.

"Too cheesy. Or is it too bland, 'cause I thought about diamonds since they're so tasty, but-" She shhh'd him saying," It's perfect!" She slid down, resting her head atop his chest. "You're really warm," she said, nuzzling closer.

"You too," he replied.

"Spikey"

"Yeah"

"C-Could you share this bed with me, at least for tonight?" she asked him, her voice trembling lightly

"I'd like that," he said with a yawn, tightening his grip on her as she relaxed to the sound of his heartbeat.

"Good night, Spikey," she said.

"Good night, Rarity, he said. The two then drifted off to sleep, embraced in each other's arms.

Chapter 5

"Applejack, you're amazing!" Spike said, looking up at her. She flexed her muscles for him as he traced his hands over her arms.

"Well, I don't mean to boast, but if someone messes with "My Man," that's always gonna be the result," she said with pride. Spike grabbed her arm and started swinging from it like it was a monkey bar.

"You're the greatest Girlfriend ever," he said, dropping to the ground just to be swooped up by Aj. He wrapped his arms around her neck as he made out with her.
......
"Ahhhh, Humm, OooOOhhhhhh, Spike....R-Right there......Harder~

(Alarm clock buzzes)

"SPIKE~," Applejack moaned herself awake. She dripped with sweat on her bed, throwing the blank of her body. Silencing her phone, she wiped her brow and walked to her bathroom. She stood in her shower as she thought to herself, "Did I just dream that?" As she let the hot water awaken her mind and body, she still couldn't get that dream out of her head.

"Dang, nabbit. You think you would have just disappeared by now," she thought. Applejack did her best to forget it but couldn't get "him" out of her head. The way he talked, his looks, his smell, the list continued.

"For crying out loud, he's like a little brother to me...was like a little brother," She thought as she stepped out of the shower. Doing her best to forget, she put on her workout clothes. A simple green tank top and a pair of sports shorts would work. Taking the elevator, she noticed someone standing next to the hotel entrance.

"Twilight?" she said. The Alicorn jumped in her skin, turning to face her. "What're you doing up so early?"

"Oh, I've been getting into the habit of running in the morning. I may have wings, but I've had my legs far longer," she said, giggling at her little quip.

"I may not have wings, but I understand. Wanna go together?" she asked. With a firm nod, they soon found themselves running through the early streets of Canterlot—Applejack in the lead, with Twilight lagging behind her.

"Come on, Twi, kick it in ta high gear. It's only been 3 1/2 miles," the cowgirl said, barely sweating. She looked at her friend, panting up and down like a dog.

"S-Slow down," she cried out.

"How long have you been running for, Twi?" she asked, running alongside her.

"Only a (pant) couple of days! Spike said I needed to watch over my health more, and (pant) told me I should go running with him. He's almost as fast as you are...maybe," She finished.

"Really? Wow, that's mighty impressive for the cutey," she quickly slapped her with her hands, regretting her comment. Thankfully, Twilight was too busy panting to hear her. She breathed a sigh of relief and continued running alongside her.

"So, Twi? About the other day-" she mentioned.

"What?" she asked.

"Uhm, never mind," she said, resuming her usual pace.

Back on the train

"Alright, girls, listen up!" Twilight said, grabbing their attention. "There no easy way to say this, but, uhm- have any of you.

"Who here wants to fuck Spike?" Starlight interjected, stunning everyone for a brief moment. Twilight now glaring at her with her mouth agape. "What? There's no nice way to say it," she added.

"WHO? Sleep with the Runt? Me?" Rainbow Dash said, her face entirely red from embarrassment.

"That's a violation of my rights, I plead to Fifth; you can't make me say anything," Pinkie frantically said. To avoid saying anything else, she shoved all the desserts she had out into her mouth, pointing at her stuffed cheeks.

"I-I t-t-think h-he's c-cute, b-but...uhm......uhh" Fluttershy whispered, even more quietly than usual.

"Applejack, what about you? Do you have any..." urges" around Spike," Twilight said, noticing that she's been quiet the whole time. Everyone focused on her as she began to tremble, clenching her fists as tightly as she could.

"Applejack-

"Alright, Alright! I give, I concede, I want him to hog tie me and stuff his apple in my mouth, dammit, Happy!" she yelled out, he eyes widening, looking at everyone. Soon, one after another, all the girls raised their hands in defeat, Rainbow being the last one to do so.

"Look, I know it's a lot right now, but I promise I'll explain it all over the phone at the hotel," Twilight said.

"Phone? Why not now?" Rainbow asked.

"Because Rarity and Spike can't know." Starlight finished. "Look, we'll explain later; here they come," she said, as the sound of the bathroom door clicking open hushed them.

Flashback end

After running another 2 miles, Aj called it there for Twilight's sake, and they decided to stop at a nearby cafe to grab some breakfast. As they entered the cafe, they were surprised to see their friend Rainbowdash sitting alone at a table far away. They quickly joined her and ordered their food. During the meal, Twilight had to excuse herself to use the bathroom, leaving the other two alone for a little while.

"If I knew you were going on a run this morning, I would have joined ya," Applejack said.

"Same. So, you decided on where we're going on your day? Please, say clubbing!" She pleaded. She shook her head no and shrugged her shoulders.

"I haven't decided yet. Thought we could try going down to the beach or see some of the local movies," she said. As they discussed their plans, a young mare approached their table.

"Excuse me, ma'am." She kindly asked.

"Did you need any assistance?" she asked. The mare took out her phone and inquired, "Were you at the ice skating rink yesterday?" She looked over to Rainbow, who shrugged. "Yeah, I went with a few friends," Aj said, now seeing the mare jumping up and down in excitement.

"Can I please get a selfie with you?!" She begged. Flattered, the kind mare, agreed and had Rainbow take the picture for them. After the photo was taken, Rainbow offered to send her the selfie, but the mare had already left before she could finish, making AJ laugh at her failed attempt. Twilight returned to see the mare bouncing away from her table.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

"Just an admirer," AJ said, Rainbow sulking in her seat. They talked for a bit more before paying and made their way back to the hotel when they were stopped at the entrance by a couple asking for a picture with Applejack.

"Oh, come on, that's two in a row." She said.

"Sure, I guess," she shrugged. The couple squealed after taking the picture.

"Well, I'm going to relax for a little. Call me when we're about to head out," she said. Riding the elevator up to her floor, she took a moment to reminisce about her brief conversation with Spike yesterday. She couldn't help but think about how warm he felt in her arms and the tingling sensation that ran down her back as she thought of his face. She was so lost in thought that she almost bumped into the old cleaning lady who was in front of her.

"I am so sorry, miss. I was just lost in my daydreaming," she said.

"It's ok. I remember what it was like to be in love also," the old maid said.

"L-LOVE. No, No, No, I'm not...At least I think I don't......I-I, I'm single," she blurted out. Embarrassed, she covered her face with her hat and walked to Spike's room door. She knocked, hoping to get an answer-

"I'm sorry, but if you're looking for that young man, he left about 30 minutes ago with that pretty purple-haired girl," she said. She scoffed after hearing her describe Rarity. Pushing her annoyance aside, she asked the older woman if she knew where.

"OHH, Right there."

"You like that, huh, Rarity!"

"Oh~ I do. Harder Spikey Harder,"
(POP)
"Ah~ Yes. Ohh Spikey, why didn't you tell me you were this good at giving massages," she said, lightly arching her back as Spike sat atop her. The two were relaxing by the poolside atop the hotel. This pool is reserved only for Premium hotel members, so they had the place entirely to themselves. And just in case anyone did appear, they hid with the large umbrellas, obstructing anyone's view of them.

"It would've been weird to just spring that on you, don't you think?" he said, digging his thumb in gently around her shoulder blades. She hummed in delight at his work.

"Does anyone know about this talent of yours? I guarantee if you showed Lotus and Aloe, they'd hire you on the spaahhh~ uhhmm~ right there," she said, trailing off.

"Apart from Applejack, you're the only other one," he said, thinking back to when he felt indebted to Applejack.

"A little lower pls, darling," she pleaded to him. He did as instructed.

"You're almost there, Spikey," She said. Growing nervous and flustered, he realized how far down she wanted his hands.

"B-But," he stammered. She grinned as she felt his hands vibrate on her back.

"Ah, Ah, Ah. You have yourself to blame for this one," she said. Spike thought to last night when he grabbed her ass while they made out.

"T-that was different. I was drunk on your...perfect body," he trailed off as he stared at her plump butt. Feeling a knot in his throat, he swallowed as she used her magic to help move his hands down. Finally connecting, he couldn't help but dig his fingers into her as she let out a small yet high-pitched moan to mess with the dragon. He fidgeted, snapping his head back at her, blushing hard as she laughed.

"That wasn't funny!" he said

"I'm sorry, Spikey. Maybe I overstep a tad bit," she said.

"Having fun, are you?" she said.

"Very much so,"

"You lucky I love you,"

"And how lucky I am," Just before he could lean in to kiss her, the sound of the elevator door dinging shut down all further intentions they had.

"Spike! You up here?" Someone shouted. They tensed their bodies as their heads peeked over the umbrellas.

"Crap! It's AJ! Hide," he whispered. "Applejack, what are you doing up here?" he said, jumping out from the umbrella and putting up a forced smile. Rarity glanced over the side.

"There ya are...Rarity isn't up here, is she?" She asked.

"WHAT!?! No. She's not up here. Just me...enjoying the pool. Why'd you ask?" Trying his best to sound convincing.

"I wanted to talk to you about something in private," she said, suddenly shyly rubbing the side of her arm. "Spike, you've known me for a long time, and we've shared so many good memories. Do you remember when you saved me from that timber wolf years ago?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry for making things awkward earlier. I just felt like I had to do something to repay you," Spike said, memories of him doing his best to assist Applejack flooding back to him.

"It's fine, Spike. Looking back on it, it was actually kind of cute," she said, reaching out to take his hand, seeing that his face was slightly red.

"Spike, do you remember that time you almost kissed me?" Instead of feeling embarrassed, Spike felt an intense heat building on his back, instinctively knowing why.

"Yeah, I remember. I'm also sorry about that. I was thinking of Rarity," he said, AJ's smile shrinking a little.

"Do you still like her, by any chance?" she asked, walking her fingers up his chest.

"Wait, you knew!?" he asked.

"Worst kept secret in ponyville. Now, Spike. Uhm, are you...seeing anyone right now?" Rarity's face grew pale. Hoping that Applejack didn't see through their secret.

"WHAT~? Phew, no. Of course not. Nobody is seeing me...I mean, I'm not seeing anybody," he got out, his face glowing red. Applejack listened to him rambling on about how "painfully" single he was. She grabbed his hand, cutting him off.

"Well, that's a darn shame. Cause if I were Rarity, I would give you a chance," she said, bringing his hand closer to her face. Spike froze, surprised by her actions, as she kissed his knuckles. He yanked his hand back, and they awkwardly stared at each other for a moment.

"Well, you have fun. I'd stick around, but I'm not exactly dressed for a pool party," she said, waving at him before pressing the elevator button. She gave him a wink before the elevator doors closed in front of her. Spike looked back down at his hand and then at the elevator doors.

"Weird," he said.

"You're telling me." Rarity said, stepping out from the umbrella and giving him a slight glare. He stepped back a little bit, almost falling into the pool.

"Sorry for not making her leave sooner...H-how much did you hear?" he hesitantly asked. She said nothing as she walked closer and closer to him, her eyes never leaving him.

"Enough..." she said. He gulped at nothing as her palm touched his chest. He could only guess what she would do next.

"Wait! Before you send me to my watery demise, at least grant me one final kiss." he jokingly asked, trying to lighten her mood. Slowly, she inched her face close to him, puckering her lips. Spike readied himself for her, expecting her supple lips to greet his own, but made contact with her finger instead.

"Not this time, Spikey-Wikey," she said before pushing him into the water. He popped up, wiping the water from his eyes to her, laughing to herself. He frowned as she wiped a tear from her face.

"Your face was priceless," she said. He ignored her, floating atop the water's surface. He looked up at the clear sky.

"For the record, that "almost kiss" happened during the diamond dog incident," he said, swimming to the edge.

"I'm not mad about the kiss," she said, settling down from her laugh.

"You're not? he said, surprised.

"Of course not...well, a little. But I can't shift any blame onto you for it. Plus, you did say you were imagining "yours truly"...but that's not why I'm upset." Spike looked at her, even more confused than he was before as she crouched down near the pool's edge.

"We agreed to keep our relationship a secret, but actually hearing you say you were single...you saying it just...set something off inside of me. It made me feel unwanted." she finished. He climbed up the edge, lifting himself out of the pool and taking her hands in his. Starting with her left, he kissed each of her fingers before switching to her right to do the same. Her face grew heavy as she felt his lips softly press on each other. He used her hands to sandwich his face, his thumbs massaging the back of her hands.

"I'm sorry I made you feel that way. I'm an idiot dragon," he said.

"No, I wasn't saying that." she quickly replied.

"I am. I panicked and rambled on, knowing you were right behind me. Whether it was unintentional or accidental, I never want to hurt you. I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?" he asked. Rarity pulled him in, touching her forehead to his.

"Of course I can, you sweet silly drake," she said. Spike smiled softly before moving his hand down her side, pulling her in.

"Thanks. And I hope you can forgive me again for this.

"For wha-" Quickly, he shifted to her right side, shoving her into the pool. She let out a small scream as she made contact with the water. He savored the look of disbelief and surprise as she popped up from the water. His smile and laughter set free as she pushed her hair out of sight.

"My hair!" she exclaimed. "You'll pay for that when I get out of here!" But when she looked, he wasn't on the edge anymore. Suddenly, she heard a sound coming from the diving board. Spike was standing atop it, lightly bouncing on the board.

"You wouldn't dare," she playfully remarked.

"Cannonball!" he shouted as he splashed into the pool, sending ripples to every edge. The moment he resurfaced, she ambushed him, jumping on his back. They laughed together, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

As the group walked down the lanes of Canterlot, Rainbow admitted to Twilight, "I have to say, that wasn't as terrible as I thought it would be." They had just left the historical museum of Canterlot and had formed another circle around Spike, with Rarity standing a little closer to him than before, somewhat hiding him from the view of others.

"If only "we" didn't cause so much damage," Twilight sighed, shaking her head at the group.

"What?! Name one thing "we" did," she snarkily asked. Her friends yelled at her, "No," before Twilight snapped her fingers, making a list appear in her hands as they groaned in annoyance.

"For starters, How did you manage to get on top of a brontosaurus's skeleton, Pinkie?" she asked as everyone's head turned to look at her.

"I told you I don't know. One minute, I was standing there staring at its neck, then I thought to myself, "That looks so cool. I wonder if they ever picked up smaller dinosaurs like a crane and let them slide down it for fun." The next thing I knew, I was sitting on top of him...her...The dinosaur, I'm on the dinosaur's skull." she finished.

"I need to put a bell around you when we go out to a place like that. Speaking of bells, What were you thinking, taking down those saddle bells, Starlight?" Twilight said.

"The colors we're mix-matched on all but that one pair. I read that if you ring a pair of matching bells, you're granted good fortune. You can't tell me you wouldn't think the same thing and wanna test out your theory." Starlight remarked.

"No, I wouldn't. I would be smart and ask Celestia for more information before asking to test it." she remarked back.

"Well, I'll be sure to ask Spike for a paper and quill next time." She replied, winking at him. He shrugged it off as her being jokey.

"And Fluttershy, why were you arguing with the staff and fighting with security? You were the last person I expected to do something like this," questioned the speaker. Fluttershy clenched the sleeves of her shirt and muttered to herself, looking like she was about to burst a blood vessel.

"I can answer that." Rarity said, "Shy was trying to reason with the staff to "Remove" the stuffed animals that were on display. They were less than reasonable, and that's when things took a turn." she finished. Twilight sighed, now realizing why she was so bothered.

"I'd never thought I'd see a day where you'd pick a fight, Fluttershy," Rarity said.

"They started it. I finished it," She muttered loud enough for them to hear her, earning some shocked looks.

"And finally. How did you two get banned from the gift shop?" She said, looking over to Applejack and Rainbow.

"That Douche told me there's a limit to how much candy I could buy. And that Buck wanted me to pay ten Bits for a keychain. What I look like paying that price." They said.

"That guy seemed friendly to me," Spike said. "I walked in to buy me and Rarity a snack, and he gave me a handful of them for free."

"Wait, seriously," she said, smiling. "You got any more of those? I'm working up a storm over here." Rainbow said, rubbing her grumbling stomach. He felt for his pockets, shaking his head.

"Dang it, I'm starving," she said.

"There a place a few blocks ahead from here," Starlight said.

"Great! Race you there," Rainbow said before sprinting ahead. Eventually, they caught up and stood in front of a cafe with a bright sign above that spelled out "Daisy's Oasis." Upon entering, they were quickly greeted by a mare dressed in a maid outfit.

"Good evening, Mistresses and Master~. I'm Hollie Blueberry," she said.

"This is a maid cafe!?!" Rainbow shouted, a little too excited.

"Maybe we should find somewhere else," Applejack remarked, everyone but Rainbow agreeing.

Sliding over to Twilight's side, Rainbowdash whispered, "We don't have anything like this in Ponyville. There are fewer people here, and that means fewer eyes on Spike." Twilight's eyes lit up in revelation, and her behavior made a complete 180.

"Rainbow dash is right, for once. We should open up to this new experience." She said. Although a little hesitant, they agreed to give it a try.

"I did always wonder what it would be like to have a maid. Oh~ or a butler. This could be fun." Rarity said.

"I guess it's worth a try. Being called mistress sounds weird, though. Isn't there something else you can call us?" Aj asked of Blueberry.

She continued, "We can address you as 'My Lady,' 'Your Highness,' 'Master,' 'My Lord,' 'Daddy~.'" Focusing on Spike. He chuckled awkwardly, backing up slightly as he could feel her hungry eyes undressing him. Rarity noticed and stepped up, accidentally pushing Spike.

"If you could, please show us our table. We want to eat, then be on our way." Rarity said. Blueberry gulped at nothing, quickly walking her to the first empty table she saw. Everyone watched as she took the lead, Spike following behind her.

"Well, that was kinda menacing, right?" Starlight said. All their friends thought the same things.

"She was happy just a second ago. Maybe we should have gone somewhere else after all." Applejack said.

"Or maybe she's still up about yesterday. Having to share a room might still be bugging her," Pinkie said.

"Let's not keep them waiting," Twilight said. They all sat down at a table, side by side. Spike sat in front of Rarity, with Pinkie and Applejack next to them. Two unicorns in butler suits came out with a notepad and pencil. The one with scruffy hair reluctantly walked over to the other table, while the one with flat hair happily skipped over to Spike's table. As everyone read through the menus, the waiter focused his attention on Spike.

"Good evening, Master," he joyously said. "What will you be having today?" Spike glanced at the menu before noticing something.

"Um, aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, trying not to sound rude. The waiter blinked before looking at the rest of the girls.

"Oh, Good evening to your Mistresses as well." Spike's eyes widened as he glanced from the waiter to Rarity. His face lit up as he dropped his menu.

"What-uh, no." He stammered. "You're mistaken, I don't-" he paused, looking at Rarity again. "I mean, you can't just call them "Mistress." "My Lady" sounds more Beautiful to me," he said, rubbing Rarity's leg from under the table with his. This sudden act made her cover her face with the menu. Everyone briefly thought to themselves she was embarrassed. They were only half right, as Spike was the only one who knew how she was really feeling.

"Spikey! To think you could be so flirty. And in front of our friends in public, to boot. You naughty dragon." She thought. Meanwhile, Pinkie was starring at Spike. His words "My Lady" and "Beautiful" bounced around her head, like she does when she's throwing a party. Applejack, on the other hand, noticed how he didn't deny her specifically. She became delighted at the thought of Spike seeing her in a different limelight.

"Of course. Now, what can I get for you, Master?" he asked again. Spike picked up his menu again, doing a quick scan of it.

"I'll have the "King's delight" please.

"Oh, you flatter me, but sadly, I'm not on the menu," he said, placing his hand on his chest. Spike let out an awkward giggle, hard focusing on his menu.

"I'll have the "Princess's four-layered grilled cheese," and the "Apostle sub," please," Pinkie and AJ said. He said nothing to them, quickly writing it down before turning to Rarity, still covering her face behind the menu. Spike called her name, bringing her back to reality.

"Oh. Sorry, Spikey. I had my head in the clouds for a second they're. And I'm not even a Pegasus." she said, making him laugh. Noticing how real his laugh was compared to earlier, he let out an exasperated laugh of his own, gathering everyone's eyes in the cafe for a moment.

"That was hilarious. You, madam, I mean, My lady, are truly delightful. What will you be having?" he said, straightening himself out.

"I'll have the Hearts salad and a fruit bowl, please," she said. The butler nodded, bowing to them before slyly winking at Spike as he left with the other butler.

"Well, how was he?" The scruffy-haired unicorn asked.

"He's so freak cute. I'm so slipping my number on his receipt." The flat-haired unicorn replied.

"Ugh, I'm so jealous."

"Why. Your table has a Princess sitting in it."

"You wouldn't be saying that if you lost the coin toss. And what was that laugh earlier."

"He laughed at that mare's joke but barely chuckled at mine. "Maybe if I laugh," I thought, "he'll find me more..." appealing" if you catch my drift," he said. The stallion sighed to himself as they fixed the table's drinks.

"This is why I should have won the coin toss. If you want to catch someone's eye, you gotta let your true self shine," he said, casually flipping his hair. The sound of the bell rang as the chef announced the finished food. He seized the chance, snatching up the tray and four glasses of tea, silently mouthing "Watch" to him as he trotted over to Spike's table. He tried to intervene, but the bell sounded again, signaling another table's meal. The unicorn rolled his eyes as he grabbed the food, walking it over to a different table.

"Good Evening, Duke and Duchess. Here are your meals," he said, carefully placing down the trays.

"Thank you...wait. What happened to the other-

"They are other tables here, my lord. Us butlers tend to everyone. Although, if you wish, I could personally service you...and your Duchess as well, of course." he said, stammering at the end. Spike blushed, looking down at his sandwich before swallowing.

"Thank you, but it's okay. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble over me," he said, waving his hand.

"Very well," He said, placing their food and drinks down before leaving to cater to the other customers.

"Yay, the food here," Pinkie said, grabbing her grilled cheese and ripping it in half, watching as it stretched apart. Applejack enjoyed her sub, taking a sip of her tea. "Not bad," she remarked before turning back to her food. Rarity munched on her salad while Spike at his meal. As they ate, they talked about what other places they should visit while they were there. As Pinkie and Applejack traded ideas with the other table, an idea came to Rarity. Taking a bite of her fruit salad, she rubbed around his inner thigh with her foot, catching his attention.

"The fruit here is really fresh," poking a piece of watermelon with her fork. "Here, try some Spikey," she said waving it in. Spike obliged, leaning over the table and biting softly onto her fork, catching every in the cafe's attention. The sweet juices of the watermelon hit his tongue as he slid back into his chair. "Good, right?" she said, playing innocently.

"I don't know. It's got nothing on Sweet Apple Acres, but it's still pretty good. Maybe in need to try the other, just to be sure," he said, rubbing his for alongside her leg, returning the earlier gesture.

"They're some apples in here as well. Want to see if they're just as good?" she coyly asked, waving the piece of apple on her fork at him. Suddenly, A hand grabbed at her fork, surprising them both.

"Gladly," Applejack said, biting at the fork. The girl, watched as she ate off of the same fork he had freshly in his mouth. This little act Sparked jealousy in everyone around them. Handing the fork back to Rarity, she promptly wiped it off with her napkins.

"It's ok. But I'll leave them my family's card, you know if they want any real apples," she said, wiping her mouth with her napkin.

"I'm glad that you liked it, but I was actually giving that to Spike," she commented while finishing cleaning her fork. Applejack simply shrugged and said "My bad". She gripped her fork tightly as if she were squeezing the life out of it. Spike leaned back further into his chair, making eye contact with Pinkie as they both watched the scene unfold before them.

"Excuse me, Master," the butler returned, interrupting their squabble, holding a large metal tray. He was accompanied by the maid, Hollie Blueberry, whom Rarity noticed looked different. "Is she wearing makeup?" she thought, seeing that her eyes were directed at Spike. RShearity cleared her throat, causing Hollie to look forward and step back behind the butler.

"Is something the matter?" she asked him.

"On the contrary," he said. He looked over to the scruffy-haired butler, standing at Twilight's table, holding a similar concealed metal tray. In unison, They placed the trays down on the tables, swiftly pulling off the lids to reveal small bowls of ice cream sundaes drizzled off with chocolate, waffle cones, and sprinkles with a cherry on top of each one.

"That mare over there paid for everything, including the bill for you and your ladies," Blueberry said, pointing to a mare sitting by herself in the corner. She wore a long, draped, beige-colored dress and a large black hat. They all turned to face her, only to see the back of her head as she faced away from them, only waving the back of her hand as she sipped her drink.

"That's so nice. Could you please tell her thank you for us?" Twilight asked?

"Will do, My lady. Please enjoy," he finished, walking away with the trays as Blueberry walked over to the mystery mare. She watches as she whispers in her ear, hoping to see her face. One swift pull from the rainbow dash, however, closes her window of opportunity.

"See what I told you. Coming in here was a good idea. You should listen to me more often," she remarked, scooping away at her sundae. As both tables conversed in chit-chat, Spike peered in the direction of the mystery mare.

"What's wrong, Spikey?" Rarity asked.

"That mare. I don't know why, but I get the strangest feeling I've seen her before," he said. Rarity looked over as well, admiring her outfit.

"Well, whoever she is has wonderful taste," she said. Suddenly, the mare stood up and walked out of the cafe. Spike honed his eyes on her, trying to get a good look at her. As she cracked the door open, another couple walked in at the same time. The only thing he managed to see was a sliver of her gold earring as the sun hit her from the side. He scoffed at himself, unable to ever know who it was that paid him and his friends such kindness.

He picked up his spoon to dive into his sundae, hoping to catch a glimpse of her. However, he was taken aback when he noticed that his sprinkles spelled out a trio of phone numbers. He looked over at the maid, who was talking to the butlers that served them. They sheepishly waved at him while the butlers blew him a kiss, causing him to feel embarrassed. He then shifted his gaze towards Rarity, who was relishing her waffle cone. On the other hand, Pinkie had already finished her sundae and looked ready to take a nap. He side-eyed Aj, who was in the midst of trading waffle cones with Starlight for the cherry. He placed the same emerald he had from the day before on the table and said that he needed some air before leaving. Outside, he felt people's gazes on him as he stood next to the door, the same gazes he had seen in Ponyville and the Crystal Empire. The same whistles, clicks, and comments trying vigorously to dig past his scales.

"Can they not?" he thought to himself. "Why is it that everywhere I look and go, I feel so naked? Makes me wish I was-" The bell doors rang, spooking him. He looked to see Rarity coming out of the cafe.

"Are you alright, darling?" she asked as if she already knew the answer.

"I-I can't...I think I'm all adventured out today," he said, putting his hands in his pockets.

"I see. Do you want to head back to the hotel with me then?" she asked him, getting closer.

"What?"

"Me and you can go back to our room, watch movies, play cards, or we could do...other activities," she said, licking her lips. His tail stiffened, and his face flushed a bright red as he began looking in all directions.

"W-W-Well, I ugh, I...we can't just leave our friends...can we?"

"Hello, there. How are you doing today?" Said the friendly ticket boothstallion.

"One ticket to Canterlot, please. Keep the change, for I have no need." said the mare, placing a sack of bits on the counter.

"Thank you, and have a pleasant trip," he replied as she received her ticket from him. The mare promptly settled into her seat and pulled out a few pictures and a scroll with Celestia's seal. The pictures show off Applejack's knockout of a stallion at the ice rink. She examined them, then looked back at her scroll, carefully scrutinizing every detail of the writing. A twinge of nervousness rushed through her as she bit down on her bottom lip.

"If what she said in this letter is true, Then I have reason to fear what could ensue," she said, looking out the window as the train started.

[Player 2 WINS]

"Oh, yeah! Can't touch this!" Spike exclaimed as he celebrated his victory over Rarity by dancing on top of his bed. She observed him as he shook his hips and tail from side to side. Feeling embarrassed, Spike quickly sat back down, holding his controller tightly as he rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, good game, good game," he nervously said. Rarity couldn't help but laugh at his sudden change in demeanor.

"You're fine, Spikey. It's rather nice. Not losing, of course, but seeing this side of you! It's like I'm getting the chance to know you all over again," she said, setting her controller down on her bed. He smiled at her words, setting his controller down as well.

"Thanks again," he said.

"For what?

"This," he said, motioning to the space around them. "I didn't say it back at that cafe, but you for doing this for me really mean a lot," he said.

"Who said it was just for you?" she remarked, surprising him. She picked up her controller again, clicking the game's character select menu. "While the food was nice, the ponies at that cafe needed to work on their behavior. I always wanted to know what it was like to have a butler or a personal servant, but if they act like that, then count me out. I'm here because I want to be as well. Sharing this time with you alone, that's my cherry on top," she finished, choosing her character.

"Just like the sundaes," he said, picking up his controller and doing the same.

She snickered, "Yes, just like the sundaes. Was something wrong with yours? You didn't even touch it." she said. He said nothing. Once the match started, he paused it, excusing himself to the bathroom. He sat his controller back down before walking over to the bathroom door closing it behind him. She eyed his controller and then looked back at the door, then at the paused game. Quickly, she got out of her bed and tip-toed over to his. She flipped it over, taking the battery cover off before removing the batteries themselves and quickly sitting back down on her bed. Suddenly, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was a text from their friends saying that they were on their way back. "Hopefully, they're all tired from sightseeing and want to stay in their rooms," she said hopefully, cutting her phone off.

Spike walked out of the bathroom, patting his damp hands on his shirt before sitting back down on his bed.

"Sorry for the wait," he said, picking his controller back up.

"No worries," she said as she unpaused the screen. Spike frantically tapped his controller, yelling at his character to move, but to no avail. Rarity held in her laughter as she decimated his character and won the match.

"My controller wasn't working. You got lucky," he said.

"Luck has nothing to do with it." she smugly said. She stretched her arms out, her shirt pulling up, showing her off her lean figure. Spike stared at her as she did so, which she noticed. "Eyes up here, Spikey," she teased, making him stare at the ceiling. His mind thought back to her teasing him just outside of the cafe earlier.

"You know when you said "Other activities," playing "Smash Mares'" was the last thing I had on my mind," he admitted to her.

"Ohh~" she let out, getting up from her bed and walking over to his. She slowly crawled atop his bed, making him press himself against the headboard as her hands planted themselves on each side of him. "And just what was it you thought I meant," she asked.

"N-Nothing. Just that, uh, you're actually really good at them," he said sheepishly. A little surprised, she leaned back some, gliding her fingers through her hair.

"Really, You're not just saying that, are you?" she said.

"No. You're really good. I honestly thought you didn't like video games. Especially fighting ones like this. Imagine my surprise when you asked me if I had any?" he said, leaning forward some.

"Well, not to brag or anything, but I do occasionally play a game or two with Sweetie every so often. At first, I couldn't wrap my head around playing such a violent game, but I played it for Sweetie's sake. It's actually kind of fun now. And the cosmetics and outfits on them are quite appealing." she said, looking back at the TV. "One time, Sweetie asked me to make her a costume based on her favorite character. I got so invested in it that I spent two whole weeks making one for her and two more for her Applebloom and Scootaloo," she said, sitting upright with Spike.

"That's so nice. Wait, can you make me one!?!" he asked with excited eyes.

"You seriously want "me" to make you one?" she asked. He happily nodded. Seeing Spike so excited about the idea of her making him a costume reminded her of the time they went to a Power Ponies Convention. She smiled in delight at the prospect of him wearing one of her costumes to such a large gathering. The compliments they would get, the questions asked, the fun they would have. "Alright. I don't see why not," she said as Spike planted a long kiss on her cheek. She froze, her eyes shot open as a red tint filled where he kissed her on both of her cheeks.

"Thank you, Rarity! Thank you!" he said as he stood up. As he talked about what he wanted to add to it, she rubbed the spot where he kissed her. Her heart raced, and her legs trembled as the room suddenly filled with floating hearts rising from the ground. The scales on Spike's body began to shine beautifully in her eyes, and his teeth shone like moonlight.

"What-what is this?" she questioned to herself. She placed her other hand over her heart. Mesmerized by his appearance, she extended her hand, wondering if what she was seeing was real or not. Abruptly, Spike dropped his phone as he talked. The sound shook her vision back to normal as she watched him bend down to grab his phone. While he checked for any cracks, he saw that the reflection caught her staring at him with her hand out. He grinned, swaying his hips from side to side, watching her eyes and hand follow his rear.

"Well, well~!" he said, startling her as he slowly stood straight. She looked away, pretending to see nothing. "Your eyes may say no, but your body," he said, grabbing her still-extended hand. "Say yes." In her panic, she snatched her hand back as she locked her gaze with his.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I was only trying to tease you for earlier. I didn't-" She sprang forward as she dragged him onto the bed. Her hands clasped at the sides of his face.

"Don't be," she said, hugging him tightly. He reciprocated, leaning into her embrace, taking in the smell of her hair and the natural fragrance. As he moved his hands, he felt something familiar through the outside of her pocket. In a swift action, he dug into her pocket, pulling out the batteries she had taken out earlier. He opens his hand as if presenting them to her.

"He-he," I don't know how those got there?" She awkwardly chuckled. He dropped them onto the ground, moving his hands near her shoulders.

"You cheated. You know what that means, right?" he asked, leaning in on her face.

"That I get a penalty, some sort of punishment perhaps?" she replied, closing her eyes and expecting a kiss. However, she felt his fingers tickling her from all sides possible. As tears streamed down her face, she laughed uncontrollably. Despite her pleas for him to stop, he continued to tickle her. She fought back, aiming for his neck and under his armpits. They both ended up rolling around, trying to gain control. They eventually rolled right off the bed, laughing as they hit the floor. Together, they looked at each other contently, holding each other's hands. Just as he brought her hand up to his lips, they heard a knocking at the door. They hurried to their feet in dismay, patting themselves off as if they were covered in dirt. Spike walked to the door as Rarity stood behind him. He opened the door, revealing all their friends.

"Hey, girls...when did you all get back?" he asked, putting up a forced smile.

"Just now," Rainbow said.

"How're you feeling? Twilight asked, holding her hands.

"Better, thanks. How'd the rest of y'all's day play out? See anything new?" he asked.

"We didn't go anywhere else?" Starlight said.

"You didn't?" Rarity interjected. "Then where were yall the rest of the day? Don't tell me you stayed at that cheeky cafe the whole time,"

"Buck, no. We just walked around until we got tired. Thinkin' about just chilling at the hotel all day tomorrow." Applejack said.

"That's a marvelous idea. Now, if you would excuse us, Spikey and I still have some Unfinished business," Rarity stated, resting her hands on his shoulders. He glanced up at her, clearly perplexed.

"Uh yeah. That's right. Unfinished business." he repeated.

"We can help, whatever it is," Fluttershy said.

"That's quite fine. I'm sure you wouldn't like it," she said, closing the door. Applejack stopped it, putting her foot in the way.

"By all means, do tell." She said, sounding a little aggressive. The two stared each other down as if lighting was coming out of their eyes. Spike couldn't help but interject, fearful of what could happen next.

"It's nothing—just a game of Smash Mares," he said, waving his hands.

"SMASH MARES!" Pinkie shouted. "I want to play." She pleaded, begging to be let in. Spike looked up at her again.

"(Sigh), I get 1st round," she commented, letting them in. Pinkie jumped in celebration, hoping inside first as everyone else followed shortly behind her.

"I thought you hated video games," Twilight said.

"Oh, Twilight, not you too," she said, sparking a laugh from Spike as he picked up the batteries he dropped earlier, handing them to Pinkie Pie. And so, they all played the night away, with everyone taking turns playing against whoever won the last match while trash-talking and encouraging each other at the same time. Pinkie ended up winning the most before secretly letting Fluttershy win the previous game as she struggled to play, pretending it was bad luck on her part. After about an hour or two, everyone went back to their rooms to settle in for the night, leaving Spike and Rarity alone once again.

"Come on, Smolder. I know you're faster than this," Ember said, flying next to her.

"Give me a break. I was just asleep less than 10 minutes ago before you came breaking into my dorm. You damn near gave my roommate a heart attack when you destroyed my door," she said, earning a smack on the head with Secpter.

"Language. " She scolded her. "I need to get to Canterlot. And I need you as my guide."

"WHAT!" She screamed angrily. "That's the Fucking reason you broke into my dorm, dragged me out of bed, and nearly gave my roomie a heart attack!" she yelled, earning another smack on the head.

"Language! And I'm sure that Changling friend of yours is fine," Ember stated.

"That's not the point. You don't need me for this. And if it's so "important," why didn't you tell, oh, I don't know," the only other freaking dragon in Ponyville?" she said. Ember swung her Secpter again. Smolder managed to dodge it, mocking her before she landed the second hit.

"AH, I didn't even curse that time," she said.

"That's not why I struck you," she replied. "Do you honestly think I wouldn't have asked him if I could have?...WELL!" she yelled, scaring her slightly.

"N-no"

"The reason I'm taking you is because of "that" Drake." Smolder's eyes widened at this shocking revelation.

"What?" she asked. Ember said nothing, instead speeding up as she flew further ahead into the distance.

"H-Hey, wait. You can't just leave me on a cliffhanger like that!"

Author's Note

While writing this chapter, I couldn't help but think what characters the Main 6, Spike, and Starlight would consider their Favorites. So I created a list below based on their personality and whatnot. But please, tell me what you guys think their favorite characters would be.

Twilight's favorite would be Paultena cause of her wisdom and magic.
Fluttershy's would be Isabelle cause she finds her cute and cause she is helpful.
Rainbowdash is Sonic cause of his speed and his one-liners.
Applejacks would be Ken cause she can relate to his love for his family, honesty, and strength.
Pinkie Pie's is Mr.Game and Watch. (Come on...it's obvious why)
Rarity's Favorite is Bayonetta due to her accent, sense of fashion, and flare.
Spike has two favorites. The 1st is Ridley because of how cool he looks, and the Second is Cloud cause of his selflessness.
And Starlight's Favorite would be Trainer cause Trixie made her watch Pokemon.

Chapter 6 part 1

Morning dawned on Spike as he woke from his slumber, feeling something pressed against the back of his head; two things actually: soft yet firm, like two giant marshmallows. He slowly opened his eyes, the red dots of the alarm clock spelling out the time for him. It was 8:30.

"Ignore," he thought, slowly rotating his body around, his face now smashing against the two marshmallow-like cushions. He caught a whiff of their scent. He picks up the smell of shea butter mixed with sapphires. He nuzzled himself further into the source of this intoxicating smell. "Smell so nice!" he thought, taking a deep breath. He grabbed hold of what he believed to be his pillow as he cozied himself into it. He was surprised to feel that same embrace wrapping itself around him. He opened his eyes, blushing heavily as Rarity's breasts enveloped his face, the source of that luscious smell. Instead of rearing his head back, he closed his eyes again and drifted off to sleep.

"MMmmHH~" she uttered, squeezing his body as she nuzzled herself against him further. Another hour passed before the sounds of someone knocking on their door rocked them from their slumber. Their cozy solace ruined, Spike forced his body to move, answering the door.

"Alright, I'm coming," he said definingly, stomping his feet as he approached. He yawned, stretching his back as he grabbed the doorknob. Once opened, he was embraced in a giant hug, his face smeared by his assultant.

"Good~ Morning! Ready to get this party started," Pinkie said, swishing him side to side in her embrace. Wiggling his way out of her bear-hold, he caught his breath before confronting her.

"What? Pinkie, do you know what time it is?" he said.

"Adventure time!" Spike palmed himself before he was suddenly grabbed by Pinkie, trying to drag him away to the elevator.

"Hang on, Pinkie!" he shouted, snatching his arm away. He wanted to reprimand her for waking him up, but one look from her pleading puppy-dog eyes dismissed his anger. "At least let me put some clothes on," he said.

"Eh-he, my bad," she said, watching him walk away. As he retreated, Pinkie, discreetly taking out her phone, snapped a picture of his backside. "He-he! This is going string to the cloud." she thought, smirking happily.

Once back in his room, Spike meticulously brushed his teeth, paying extra attention to his fangs. He changed into fresh clothes and was about to leave his room when he suddenly heard Rarity groaning in her sleep. He looked back, the covers covering only half of her body, exposing herself to the cold air. He pulled them back up, gently lifting her head as he fluffed her pillow and placed his own on her side to grab, smiling as he watched the tension on her face relax. "I love you," he whispered softly in her right ear before gently kissing her cheek. As he walked back to a waiting Pinkie, he thought to himself, "It's nice being able to say that so easily again." As the door closed behind him, Rarity slowly opened her eyes, grabbing at his pillow tightly.

"I love you too, Spikey."

Having barely slept last night, Rainbow groggily woke up as the sunlight fell on her eyes. "Ya Couldn't just let me sleep in today, huh Celestia?" she muttered, rubbing her eyes. She exited the bed and stretched her wings, arms, and legs. Then, she walked to the bathroom, picked up her toothbrush, and brushed her teeth vigorously. After finishing, she looked at herself in the mirror and admired her physique. "AWW Yeah, Can't no pony touch this," she said when the image of Spike suddenly appeared in her head. Embarrassment pooled over her as she lowered her arms, exited the bathroom, and changed into a pair of black shorts and a tank top.

"Ugh, I need to get him out of my head," she said. She left her room and arrived at the hotel's workout center. Looking around the room, She grinned to herself. Not a soul in sight. She walked over to the bench press, loading around 75 lbs on each side. She took out her phone, taking a picture of herself before her workout.

She exclaimed, "Oh yeah, this is definitely going on my blog!" and posted it immediately. She scrolled through her latest posts, all from when they boarded the train to yesterday, and noticed that most of the responses and comments were heavily focused on Spike, with people talking about his looks and asking if he was single. Initially, it began harmless, but the replies turned increasingly unpleasant as she read further down. Eventually, everyone was demanding she only take pictures with Spike in it. Irritated, she blocked a few people and made her account private, turning off the comments section. To vent out her frustration, she sprinted at full speed and added more weights to her workout for the next half-hour.

"Who do those jerks think they are? They're my friends, and it's my blog! If they don't have anything nice to say about them, then I don't need them. I'm no damn show pony. I don't cave into demand just because of some mean words. I'm Freaking Rainbowdash. And so what if most of my pictures didn't "always" have Spike in it!?! If I want to take pictures with Spike, I will! YOU KNOW WHAT-" She screamed, dropping her dumbells onto the ground. "I'll go see what he's doing right now,"

Inside the hotel game room, Spike and Pinkie Pie were engaged in an intense battle of wits and minds.

"G9!" Spike confidently said.

"NO! You sunk my last battleship," Pinkie cried out, dramatically wallowing on the ground over her defeat. As Spike celebrated his victory, a bright light flashed in the corner of his eyes. He looked over but saw nothing. "I don't understand. I was winning. By a long shot! How'd you do it?" Pinkie demanded, wanting to know how she was beaten.

"That's classified information, I'm afraid. Better luck next war," he bragged as another flash of light gleamed from the corner of his eyes. He turned his head again but found nothing once more. Pinkie looked up from her wallowing, seeing him stare off.

"Something over there?" she said, making hand binoculars.

"No, No, I just thought I saw something. Wanna play again?" he asked, setting the pieces back up.

"Nah, I wanna see what else they have in here," She shook her head, springing up to her feet. She toured her eyes around the room before spotting something, squealing in delight. "OUH, ouh, ouh, Wanna have a dance battle," she said, pointing over to the dance machine.

"Maybe later," he said nervously. Suddenly, a rather loud growl emanated from her. Pinkie giggled, patting her stomach.

"How about some breakfast? We can have that dance battle later," he said, getting up from his seat. Pinkie didn't move, however. Her imagination was taking over. As if out of a Telenovalia, she pictured herself in an all-white dress, a veil covering her eyes as she stared at her imaginary husband Spike, dressed head to toe in full Military gear, towering over her in size. War had broken out, and Spike was desperately needed. "My dear Pinkie, don't cry," He said to her, his Spanish accent thick and present as he lifted the veil. "We will have that dance later," He finished as he leaned in for a kiss. As their lips met, Pinkie could practically hear Spike saying her name.

"PINKIE!" Spike shouted, shaking her back to her senses. She shook her head vigorously, her cotton candy-like hair poofing up. She patted it down back to normal before giving Spike a thumbs up.

"Geez, Pinkie. You had me worried for a second there. Did you hear me?" he inquired. Pinkie nodded as she finished adjusting her fluffy hair. "Señor Spike was worried about me!" she thought to herself. Leaving the game room, another sudden bright light flashed, blinding both of them this time. They turned together, but once again, there was nothing visible.

"What was that?" she asked.

"Let's just ignore it," he said, continuing his path. Pinkie kept glancing at him, unable not to admire his physique. Her eyes scanned him up and down, taking in all she could. From what foot he stepped with to how his tail swayed. She slowed down just enough to get a good look at his butt when she suddenly slapped herself, leaving a red print on her face.

"Mosquito, he-he," she awkwardly said to a startled Spike. She rubbed her cheek as she tried her best to look forward and not at him.

"Come on, Pinkie, pull yourself together. He is one of your Bestist friends. You can't lose sight of that... Of course, Aj crossed that border yesterday. And it's not like Rarity wants to be with him. She doesn't even know how tunnel-visioned she is over every "Showpony" and "Snob" she meets. If it weren't for her living rent-free in Spike's heart, she'd be feeling the same way as me...wait, that makes no sense. I drank that weird chug-jug-looking potion Twilight gave me, so I should be-"

"Excuse me, miss," some asked. Pinkie returned to her senses, now seeing she was holding a small menu book, Spike sitting across from her—a mare with brown colored hair holding a notepad, ready to take her order. Pinkie nervously laughed before quickly scanning her menu, frantically ordering the first thing she saw. The mare bowed to the both of them before walking off, indiscreetly shaking her hips as she walked past Spike, hoping he would notice. He bluntly ignored her, focusing on how odd Pinkie was acting...well, odder than usual.

"You feeling ok, Pinkie?" he asked.

"Huh, oh uhm, Yep-a-duper-onie," she chuckled awkwardly. "Hey, uh, sorry if I...kinda sorta forced you to wake up just to hang out with me," she finished. Although he was a little upset, remembering how comfortable he was in bed with Rarity, he chose not to hold it in front of her.

"Don't sweat it. You should probably apologize to Rarity, though," he said. Pinkie felt like pulling out her hair as she was verbally reminded about her friend's "predicament," sharing a room with the girl of his dreams must be a blessing from Celestia herself to him. A small part of her felt glad, however, knowing she had woken her up from her "beauty sleep" in the process.

"Right~Anyways, you still good from yesterday?" she questioned back, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah. I'm ok. That whole cafe thing wasn't sitting right with me. And apart from getting my hid tossed around playing SmashMares against you, Yep-a-duper-onie," he mimicked her, forcing her laugh out, her tiny piggy snorts elevating his own laughter.

"Did I ever tell you your laugh is contagious," he said. She paused, blushing heavily from his sudden words. "Oh my gosh, Oh My gosh, Oh My Gosh. He likes my laugh. Wait, calm down, Pinkie. He's always liked it. Be cool~."

"No," she said, blushing heavily as she hid her face with her hair.

"Well, it is. I wouldn't even know what you were laughing at or about; I'd still join you," he chuckled before finally stopping when he noticed her slouching in on her chair. "Are you feeling ok, Pinkie?" She nodded. Unconvinced, Spike glanced around them, noticing how the few patrons close to them stared and whispered behind coveted hands and menus, only looking away after he made eye contact. Seeing his reflection in his cup, he muttered "Is-is it me?" Although she didn't hear him, Pinkie could see his displeasure, but before she could say anything to cheer him up, a voice called out his name from afar. They looked at the entrance, seeing Rarity waving. Pinkie looked back at Spike; his eyes lit up like New Year's as she strutted over. Pinkie uncovered her face, holding something of a forced, happy look, somewhat unpleased to see their "friend."

"Morning, Pinkie," she said, frilling her finger at her. "Hello, Spikey," she said, taking a seat next to him. "Thanks for letting me sleep in," she said.

"But of course. You looked so peaceful. I didn't wanna disturb you," he bashfully said. As the two of them talked to each other, Pinkie's presence was seemingly forgotten to the duo as she silently watched them converse. Although she didn't like it, she had to admit that Rarity had a way of grabbing his attention. She looked at her clothes: her black and white high-neck-sleeved crop top and ripped denim jeans highlighted all her figures while somehow still making her modest. She felt almost forced to look down at her clothes. Her bright pink-neck knitted tank top and trousers didn't exactly bring that "pop" aesthetic that Spike found attractive. Suddenly, two plates were dropped off onto the table. A large plate of blueberry pancakes drowned in syrup, and an omelet with a small fruit bowl and a mixed berry muffin.

"I didn't order these," Spike said, pointing at the bowl and muffin.

"Just a little something extra from that table over there," she said, pointing at two mares wearing floral dresses across from them. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know there'd be more partons joining you," she said, noticing Rarity and apologizing.

"It's fine. I'm not really hungry in the mornings," Rarity said.

"But I am," said a voice from above. Rainbow Dash was flying above them before slowly plopping down onto the ground and pulling up a chair. "I'll have what he's having, hehe," she said.

"Dashy, when did you get here?" Pinkie said, biting down on her smile, everyone oblivious to her displeasement.

"Just now. Got a text from Rarity that breakfast was on," she said, crossing her legs. The waiter mare walked away, repeating the same swaying motion from earlier. Spike again ignored it while Rarity rolled her eyes.

"Rarity called you......hooray-!...are the rest of the girls coming?" she said.

"Don't care; too hungry," she said, slumping back in her chair. Spike leaned away after catching a whiff of her sweat. "See something you like?" she teased, flexing her bicep. But before he could defend himself, Rarity's stomach growled loudly.

"I'm sorry," she said, interrupting herself with a slight cough. "Maybe I am a bit hungry," she added, glancing at their breakfasts.

"Here," He slid over his fruit bowl and the muffin. "I only asked for the omelet anyway," he said.

"Thank you, Spikey," she said, happily taking the food from his hands. Her joy was short, however, as multiple cups and glasses spilled all over her body. "Aaaaagh," She screamed, leaping to her feet from the excitement. Spike got up immediately, grabbing napkins from the table and handing them over to her. Pinkie and Rainbowdash snickered momentarily before joining in to help the waitress, who was trying to hide her laughter behind her hands.

"I'm so (snicker) sorry! I didn't see where I was going," the waitress apologized, lying through her teeth as she picked up the glasses from the floor. Rarity refrained from saying anything as she wiped her eyes. Ponies sitting at nearby tables had watched the scene unfold. Spike couldn't help but hear their remarks and comments as he assisted Rarity with her soaked clothes. "Did you see her face? Priceless!" or "That's what happens when you try too hard," and "He so sweet for helping her, lucky bitch." The last comment set Spike off. Unable to bite his lip closed any further, he turned to face them.

"Don't you all have nothing better to talk about!?!" he snarled, hushing the ponies silent. The waitress cowered in shame on the floor after seeing his face.

"I'm heading back to the room," Rarity said nonchalantly before walking out.

"I hope you all enjoyed yourselves," he said just before chasing after her.

"Hey, waitress," Rainbow said, panning to the mare. "Next time, be more careful. And you can forget my breakfast too. I just lost my appetite." She finished by waving the waitress off. After she left, Pinkie pushed her pancakes away, crossing her arms as a thought entered her mind.

"Glad the others aren't here."

Cutting over to Canterlot Palace, Ember and Smolder arrived after flying nonstop overnight. Once they reached the palace, Ember walked over to the four guards stationed at the front gate. "Halt, no one is allowed near the......t-the-" The guards stopped their unison speech as Ember stared them down, her eyes honed like shaped blades, as if ready to cut them down like a guillotine. Without saying a word, they all slammed the bottom of their spears against the ground as sweat dripped from their heads, parting way for the duo.

"Smart choice, ponies. I'm in no mood to enjoy your "pleasantries." Come on, Smolder," she said, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her inside.

"Oww, watch it." she rebuttled, snatching her hand away. "I can walk just fine," she said. As they approached the second door of the palace, a group of servants, along with the palace headmaster, came out to greet them. They offered them both refreshments and gems to eat, but Ember ignored them. The headmaster of the group tried to lead them to a waiting room, but Ember shooed him away. In contrast, Smolder grabbed a few gems for herself, stuffing them in her pockets as she walked past them.

Now, can you finish what you were saying?" Smolder asked.

"Didn't those ponies teach you any manners?" Ember replied.

"Ugh, Can you "please" finish what you were saying?" she corrected.

"No."

"What? Then what was the point in saying "please"?"

"To see if you "actually" learned anything."

"You can't be serious?" she said. Smolder could have sworn she saw her grin before she suddenly sped up. Smolder hounded her with her insistence on finishing explaining why she was dragged out of her dorm and forced to fly all the way to Canterlot in less than a night. Her wings were sore beyond belief, and she was tired. She felt like an explanation was demanded now more than needed. She stayed quiet all the way up until they reached the Royal conference room. In one swift motion, Ember pushed open the massive doors, revealing both Celestia and Luna sitting atop their twin thrones. Luna reading what looked like documents while Celestia sat facing Ember. Stepping into the throne room, Celestia used her magic to close the doors behind them.

"Dragonlord Ember! I figured that was you causing such commotion," she said.

"You don't seem surprised to see me," Ember said, hoisting her scepter in the air as the gem in the center began to shine. "I take it you already know as to why I'm here?" she finished.

"Unfortunately...I do."

Back at the hotel, Pinkie sat alone in her room, eating from a bowl of candies.

"Don't y'all have anything else to talk about." "I hope you all enjoyed yourselves."

"He looked so scary," she told herself, shoving another candy into her mouth. Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door.

"Pinkie, open up," Rainbowdash said, banging on the door. She opened it, Rainbow letting herself in. "We gotta talk," she said. Pinkie sat down beside her, offering her a piece of candy. She waved it away.
A small moment of silence played before Rainbow broke the silence.

"Did you see that look he had?" she said, making her remember how angered he was.

"Yeah. I never knew he could look so...so...

"Cool!" Pinkie went wide-eyed as she looked at Rainbowdash, baffled, her eyes practically sparkling. She could have sworn they were talking about a different Spike altogether. "Oh, come on, I know how it sounds, but that look he shot to those guys," she grabbed at her arms, stroking them up and down. "I got shivers!" she said, her body trembling, sporting a look of excitement mixed with ecstasy.

"UHHH~," was all she could say.

"Well, I thought it was cool. Shame about breakfast, though...Hey, wait a minute?" she said. What were you doing eating with Spike? "Alone!?!" she said, heavily emphasizing. Pinkie fidgeted for a second, trying to come up with an excuse but to no avail, only managing to make noises. Rainbow's eyes narrowed down on her, practically seeing through her.

"What? Can't we have breakfast with one of our friends?" she said, defending herself. She felt confused and embarrassed and replied, "Well, you could have at least invited me," while crossing her arms.
"I-I...guess I could have done that," she added with a pause, looking away in embarrassment. "Yeah, I'd appreciate it if you did," Rainbow said, also averting her gaze. They stayed like that for a few more moments before Rainbow broke the silence.

"So, ugh, what did you guys do? she hesitantly asked. She looked over at her, a little surprised by her sudden interest. Rolling with her newfound interest, she told her about how they spent the morning in the game room, talking passionately about how much fun it was and how he promised to dance with her.

"You two were going to have a dance-off; now that I gotta see. What else happened?" she asked, fully invested in the story.

"Well, after that was when he said we should get something to eat. We got there, we ordered, and he said I had an "amazingly cute laugh...and," she paused, looping her hair in her hands, blushing.

"And what? What else happened," she said

"She showed up," she spat out, her words filled with a tinge of jealousy and displeasure. "We were having fun until she waltzed in with her pampered hair and fancy clothes," he continued with a hint of bitterness in his voice. Rainbow chimed in, "And that accent!" Pinkie snorted in agreement and laughter. "Exactly, who does she think she's fooling?" She grabbed another piece of candy, popping it into her mouth before a sudden thought came to mind. "Hey, we aren't being mean, are we?" she asked.

"What?~ No. Friends pick on each other all the time. If they can't take a joke, then that's on them, like earlier, when that waitress spilled those drinks on her. Sure, we laughed, but we still helped her, right? she pointed out. "I guess, but-" Rainbow groaned in annoyance, interrupting her. "No more but's Pinkie. You see, even when she isn't here, she's killing the mood, like at the cafe," she mentioned.

"Oh yeah. She acted like a jerk to Spike there, too. Actually, she's been acting like a jerk ever since we got here. If any ponies acting mean, it's her," she said.

"Mean? Try cold; He must be going crazy sharing a room with her," Rainbow said.

(Sigh)"Yeah, it makes me wonder if he wants a new roommate-" she stopped as a lightbulb clicked in their heads. They looked at one another, the quiet of the room disappearing as they waited to see who would do something first.

"UGH! I just remembered! I haven't had breakfast yet! See you later, Pinkie!" She said, making a break out of the room, but Pinkie sprang from her bed and caught her by the wings. She rushed in front of Rainbow, closed the door, and pulled her back, causing Rainbow to fall to the ground and rub her head. As Pinkie slammed the door shut, Rainbow felt a fire ignite inside her. She jumped up, puffing steam from her nose, and swung open the door. She tackled Pinkie while she eagerly knocked on the door. They wrestled together on the ground, pulling and shoving at one another just outside the door.

(Creaking noises)

"Oh deary me," said the elderly maid, walking out from one of the rooms. Behind her, she had a cart full of cleaning equipment, bed sheets, and pillowcases. Embarrassed, they released one another and patted the dirt off themselves. "Are you two ok?" she asked, slowly walking over.

"We're fine. We were just..uh, roughhousing and got a little carried away," Rainbow said, taking tiny pauses to think.

"Yeah, we just got bored, uhm, waiting on our friend," she pointed at the door.

"Oh, that's a relief. I thought you two were fighting. Friends shouldn't fight, after all. Good to know these old eyes of mine were playing tricks on me." She finished. Rainbow and Pinkie rubbed the back of their necks and their arms, feeling bad for tricking the old mare.

"Sorry for the scare, Miss," Rainbow said, with Pinkie nodding in agreement.

"It's all ok. You gals were having fun. Like that Drake and his mare friend," she said. The old mare grabbed her cart and slowly walked towards the elevator. Rainbow and Pinkie's eyes widened as they flicked their heads toward the elderly maid, rushing to the mare's side.

"What mare friend?" Pinkie asked.

"No, you're asking the wrong thing. What did her cutie mark look like?" Rainbow asked.

"Alrighty, I'm coming out now," Rarity said, finishing changing out of her dampened clothes as Spike waited beyond their bathroom door. "Well?" She said excitedly, gave him a little spin, and struck a pose for him at the end. She opened her eyes, seeing little reaction from him. "What? Do you not like it?" she asked.

"Huh, no, no. I do, I do," he said assuringly.

"Are you sure? You don't like it, do you?" she said, pinching at the sides of her blouse. She sucked her teeth, pulling on her shirt. "I knew it; I knew I should have sprung for-.", "Rarity, It's beautiful," he said, taking her by the hands. "You look beautiful." She smiled, his sweet words falling on her ears.

"Well, say something sooner, you silly drake," she teased.

"Sorry. I'm still a little bothered by earlier, is all," he admitted, rubbing his shoulder. She spoke, remembering how violent his voice was compared to now.

"Spikey," she said to him, when suddenly, she a loud rumble roared from her stomach again. This changed their mood, making Spike chuckle looking at her blushing face. "Don't laugh," she said, playfully slapping his shoulder. "Forget it," she waved away. "Let's just go get some food already." Spike nodded.

"So, what do you feel like?" he said, grabbing the room phone as she walked back into the bathroom.

"Definitely, not room service," she replied, to which he quickly dropped the phone back down. "I didn't get dressed, Again, for nothing." she walked back out, her purse now in tow as she grabbed Spike's hand. Speeding out of their room, they nearly bumped into an old maid walking out of the hallway. "Sorry," Rarity said, walking around her to the elevator. The doors closing behind them, Spike looked down at their hands, his heart beating faster by the second. "Her hand is so soft," he thought, gently tightening his grip. Her eyes widened for a moment, widening briefly before doing the same.

"How are your hands always so soft?" he blushingly asked.

"I moisturize every morning. A lady has to try her best as often as possible," she remarked, tightening her grip on his hand. Spike cleared his throat, unsure of what to say next when his own stomach suddenly rumbled. Rarity giggled, fan covering her mouth.

"I didn't even get to taste my omelet earlier," he said.

"You'll get to do more than just taste your food this time around, I'm sure-" She said.

"Oh, I already know what I'm ordering," he interrupted, his excitement surprising her. She wasn't offended, however, rather interested as she asked him, "And what is my Spikey mood for?"

"Pancakes! Stuffed with gems and stacked as high as possible!" he exclaimed with his hands. What about you? Any favorites in mind?" he asked of her.

"French toast sounds divine right about now, or maybe some crepes topped with powdered sugar and chocolate," she exclaimed, her hands on her cheeks as she drooled over the delicious thoughts. However, with the sound of the elevator ding and the slow opening of the doors, they look out to realize they are in the lobby. They looked at each other, then back to the lobby, then back to each other when Rarity gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh, this is embarrassing. I must have clicked the wrong button, My fault Spikey," she admitted while reaching for the correct floor button when Spike's hand fell onto hers.

"Wait," he said.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Suddenly, Spike pressed the top floor button, bringing them back to their room floor. "What is it? Did you forget something? If it was your wallet, darling, you don't need it. I'm more than capable of-

"Will you go out with me!?!"

"W-What!?!"

Chapter 1

Deep within the Everfree forest, our favorite friendly drake was out gathering items for Zecora for a special potion for herself to help mitigate her heat. Zecora's people's heat cycle is far more robust than regular ponies, and even though she lives away from everyone in a secluded area, she didn't want to leave anything to chance.

"Hey, Zecora. I'm back with that root you asked for." He said, entering her enormous hut. Every time he enters her home, he's always amazed by the number of items and ingredients she has. He walks over to her, next to the cauldron she commonly uses for potion-making.

"I thank you again, young drake. Now the potion we shall make," she says in her rhythmic speech. Spike always wanted to ask her why she speaks like that but never bothered, thinking it might come off as insulting.

"Ahh, it was no problem. But why did you ask me specifically? Not that I mind or anything, but uhh... you know. Just curious." He says, fumbling his words some.

"I am not a "pony" as you can tell. That's why you're needed, to help with this spell. I can feel my heat approach, my sanity hanging by a thread. If a pony were to help me in your steed, the outcome I would dread", She finishes. Spike manages to make the best of her rhymes and couldn't agree more with her. Zecora throughs the root he collected into her cauldron after breaking it into pieces. This causes it to boil and stem out a brownish smoke cloud.

"The last we need is a dash of smashed foxglove seed." She says. Spike walked to her bartop, where she displayed her spices and homegrown herbs. He grabs the jar and hands it to Zecora. She opened it and used a teaspoon to measure the mashed-up seeds, bringing it close to her face, making sure it was just right. However, she reared it too close and caught a whiff of the pungent odor the mashed-up seed made. She lets out a violent sneeze. Spike stood on the opposite side of her cauldron. He was splashed with the mashed-up powder and the incomplete potion itself. Zecora, quick to recover, covered her embarrassed/blushing face. He whipped his face with his hands and patted away the liquid on his legs.

"Bless you." He said. Zecora offered him a handkerchief and re-did her measurements without any sneezes. The potion becomes clear as water, and the steam goes from brown to white. Without hesitation, much to Spike's surprise, she plunges her head into the water and drinks. She flicks her head back up and swallows the remaining potion in her mouth, with a loud gulping noise following.

"So...did it work?" he asked. She looks over to the drake and pauses for a moment before returning her gaze. A grin plagued her face.

"The potion has worked. I feel lighter below my core. Thank you for all your help & sorry about before." She said, giving him a small hug. He hugs her back and bids her farewell.

On his way back to the Crystal castle, Spike found himself at the center of attention. In the beginning, he was oblivious to the attention he was receiving. Just some simple waves and glances from bypasses as he walked by. But, as he got closer to home the people grew in boldness. The mares were winking at him and staring him down. He felt like he could feel them touching his body as he walked. And, from the stallions, he received whistles and waves. Sure, he's received many a dozen of these similar actions by the people in the Crystal empire. He's always chalked them as fan-based actions over anything else. But, to receive this kind of affection from the people of his hometown was weird. Feeling overwhelmed, he started walking faster. Just enough to get him home quicker without drawing even more attention. The moment he met the doors, he slammed them shut behind him.

"Is it me or is everyone acting weird...er than normal in Ponyville?" he said aloud.

"Spike? That you?" said a voice in the distance.

"Yeah. I just got back from Zecora's. Where are you? I need to ask you something." he said.

"In the kitchen," she replied. Spike walked to the kitchen. There he saw Twilight eating a vegan sandwich while reading what looked like a heavy Chapter book. Spike pulled up a seat next to her after making himself a cup of water. Upon Twilight seeing him, however, she felt an indescribable feeling of nervousness and passion for the drake. Almost as if she was-

"So, what did y-you w-wanna ask me?" she said. Spike noticed she sounded a little different but left it alone.

"Have you noticed anything strange with anypony lately?" he asked, taking a sip of his water.

Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "W-What do you mean by strange? Like Pinkie pie strange or sudden High School Musical strange?

"Try Crystal Empire strange. I passed Mayor mare on the way home. She winked at me right before blowing me a kiss. I didn't know how to respond, so I just waved and smiled," he said, taking a big gulp of water. All the while, Twilight watched him as he drank.

"Wow. T-That's ugh,...new. Did...did anything else happen." she asked, hiding her face with her book.

"Yeah. All the mares were winking at me, and the stallions were cat-calling me. Did I do something to hurt Discord's feelings or something?" he said. He let out a heavy sigh of disdain and stood up.

"I'ma go take a nap. Wake me up in an hour, please?" he asked, taking one more sip from his cup before walking out.

As he left the room, Twilight instantly found herself stuck asking questions. She took a sip from her cup of water "Why was I feeling nervous? Why did I jumble my words? Why was I blushing?...... Wait a sec,...I didn't fix myself a cup of- ...AHH! WHY THE HELL DID I DRINK THAT?...and why am I regretting spitting it out?

Twilight sat in her office space, still reading her book from earlier. However, she found herself constantly re-reading the same page over and over again.

(Whining/ noises) "Ugghh, I can't stop thinking about him. What is wrong with me right now?" she said. While Twilight tried to focus on her book, Starlight knocked on her door.

"Huh. She must be nose deep in one of her new books," the unicorn thought. Starlight has been staying inside the Friendship castle for quite some time. She has been learning what friendship truly is and a lot of magic from Twilight.

"Well, I'll leave her be. I wanted to see if she wanted something from the store. I'll go see if Spike wants something," she said. The magic apprentice made her way up the stairs and dawned near the drakes room. She lightly knocked on the door, pushing it open, leaving a rather large crack open. She stepped inside slightly.

"Hey, Spike. I'm heading to the...t-t-the......Sweet Celestia!" she manages to get out. Before her eyes, the dragon was sprawled across his bed, with his rear plated in the air. Starlight let her eyes wander all over his body, ranging from his "cute" face to his "cute" rear.

"How come I've never noticed how cute he is?" She whispered. Starlight could feel her mouth salivating.

"What are you doing?" asked a voice. Starlight felt herself jump in her skin and quickly turned around.

"Twilight! Ohh, sweet Celestia, you scared me," she said, smiling. Twilight just blankly stared with her arms crossed. She cleared her throat.

"Well, I was about to ask if he wanted something from the store. I tried asking you earlier," she said.

"I was reading earlier but couldn't get into it," she replied.

"Pfft, figures you were...wait. WHAT," she shouted.

"You could get into reading. YOU. Yeah, ok. And I'm Celestia. Nice to meet you," she said, holding out her hand. she smacked her hand away.

"Yes. That's right. It happens to people sometimes.

"Normal people, maybe. I've caught you reading a book about the history of paint. Twice!" she exclaimed.

"Well, it happened. Now step aside, please. I need to wake up Spike. He Personally asked me to wake him after an hour has passed." she said, a small amount of sass left around that word. Upon hearing those words, Starlight felt a cold bitterness in her mouth.

"Oh, you don't have to do that. I can wake him up. I was about to ask him a question anyway. Why don't you Try reading again? Maybe you can get half of the book finished this time!" she wittily replied. Before either of them could say anything else, however-

(RING, RING, RING)
(RING, RING, RING)

Both girls jumped and hid behind the door, peeking through the crack. Spike woke up and stretched his arms before grabbing his phone.

Who is it?
(listens)
Rarity! Hi!

Both girls rolled their eyes in annoyance, " Course it's Rarity."

I was taking a nap.
(listens)
No, no. I'm wide awake.
(listens)
Is it for an order or something?
(listens)
Ok. I'll be over there shortly.
(listens)
(ends call)

Spike hops out of his bed and rushes out of his room. Practically swinging open his door, he races downstairs and leaves the castle. To avoid getting caught, Twilight flew above the height of the door while Starlight used her magic to do the same. They land after seeing him leave.

"What do you think rarity wants him for?" Starlight asks.

"Three guesses. Either gem hunting, something involving fashion, or they're going out shopping together," she said.

"Rarity's lucky to always have Spike at her beck and call, don't you think," Starlight said.

"Yeah. I know what you mean. She is...
(tire screeching noise)
Hold on. Time the Hell out," she shouted, startling Starlight.

"Woah, what's wrong?" she asked.

"This. Us. Right now." She said. Starlight just looked confused. "Think Starlight Think," she said.

"What are you going on about? I-

"Answer me this, when you think about him, does your heart start beating fast?" she asked.

"Ye-yeah. But-

"When you saw him sleeping, what did you feel?" she continued.

"I...I felt. I don't know. I felt a sense of-

"Passion! Maybe nervousness?

"Well, maybe not nervousness, but yes. I did feel myself getting excited being relatively near him. Is something wrong with me?" she questioned.

"Not you. Us. And if I'm right (which I usually am) so is everyone else," she finished. Starlight took a moment to breathe as she listened to Twilight retell what Spike told her after he got home.

"So, everyone in their mama wants to get down with Spike. Did I hear that all right?" Starlight said. Twilight nodded in kind.

"We should go after him then. Who knows what crazy might do to him?" Starlight insisted, rushing to the door before being intercepted by Twilight.

"Whoa, hold on. This is Ponyville we're talking about here. I'm sure My Spikey will be fine. This isn't the Crystal empire. You and I can figure out what's causing us to feel like we're stuck in heat in the meantime." She said. Starlight raised an eyebrow, almost questioning her reasoning. She was gonna ignore it, but then a realization hit her.

"Who the heck says he's your Spikey, ugh, I mean...your Spike. He could be mine too." She argued, closing the door to Twilights Study.

Spike walked through the streets of ponyville once again, off to see his hard-time crush, Rarity Belle. In Spike's eyes, she was the image of perfection and beauty. He felt like he was walking through the air when she came around him. So, to earn her affection, he responded to her every beck-an-call as often as possible. Sure, he knew others thought he was playing a losing game but, to him, even something as small as a glance was enough. And he'd be lying if he said that he wouldn't love it if Rarity ever acted as the crystal ponies do to him.

"Hey Spike!" shouted a voice from afar. He turned his head to see Cherry Berry walking up to him. Spike's known all of the people here in Ponyville for a long time, but he's only ever spoken with Cherry now and again. He thought it was weird that she was running up to him so suddenly, considering how everyone else was acting, but he ignored it cause she was his friend.

"Hey, Cherry. Nice to see you again," he said.

"Thanks. where you off to?" he questioned, swaying her hips as she walked next to him. Spike noticed this and shuffled away slightly. It didn't help as she immediately walked closer again.

"Uhm, Just heading to Rarity's," he finished. A loud scoffing noise could be heard right after he said that. He turned his head to her, and she looked down at him smiling. "Just clearing my throat," she said, making a fist next to her mouth and letting out some fake coughs. Spike ignored it, against his betterment, to question her. The two walked in silence for a moment as Cherry slowly wrapped her arm around Spike's shoulder. Finding it creepy, he moved her arm as politely as possible without trying to look mean. This
also didn't help as she countered by changing targets from his shoulder to his hips.

"Oh, I know. Let's get lunch. My treat," she said, now holding Spike by the waist.

"Sorry, but I told Rarity-

"Oh, pretty please. We've never really gotten the chance to talk you know. Besides, I'm sure she'll be fine waiting for you for a bit.

"I...I guess it'll be fine," he said. A big smile dawned on her as she jumped in place, hugging Spike.

"But, only for half an hour. Deal?" he said. He held his hand out to her, but she ignored it and wrapped her arm around his hip as fast as she could. "Deal," she finally said. She speed-walked with him attached to her to the closest cafe she could find, only slowing down as they got close. Upon getting closer to the entrance, Spike could feel the peering eyes around him. He recognized those eyes that gazed upon them, for he had the same eyes before. He had those eyes every time he saw Rarity going out with someone. Eyes's filled with anger and jealousy. Only this time, he was the subject of the starring. He thought,"I didn't realize that Cherry was so popular. Maybe they think we're on a date. Wait, does she think this is a date? I hope not.".

"Hey Cherry, maybe we should head somewhere else. Someplace with fewer people," he pleaded. Cherry glanced at him with a smile before saying, "Relax, they're just jealous I'm having lunch with the AMAZING PERSON YOU ARE," She said, practically screaming that last part. He then realized they weren't jealous or angry at him but at Cherry. He thought, I should hurry and finish this quickly. They entered and were greeted by a pink and yellow-haired mare with a green apron.

"Hi there, Welcome to StarBuck. What can I get you?" she asked, making eye contact with only Spike. She batted her eyelashes before Cherry snapped her finger in front of her face. The mare shook her face and shot a glare at her. Not wanting a fight, Spike spoke up.

"Whatever you recommend!" he managed to say. The clerk and Cherry stopped their staring contest and looked over at him.

"Of course sir. Someone as modest as you would love you, I mean, would love our Spyro Frappuccino." She said. Cherry took over and ordered two of those, along with some fruit hand sandwiches before walking back outside. The two sat down at a table with an umbrella, and Spike sent a quick message to Rarity explaining that he bumped into Cherry.

"So Spike, what been going on with you? Is anything exciting happening recently?" She said, clasping her hands and tilting her head. He set his phone down on the table.

"Oh, nothing. Taking a break from teaching at the school for a while. Helping out some friends here and there or just relaxing in general," he said. They talked for about 5 minutes before the mare came out with their drinks and sandwiches, Spike being noticeably larger than Cherry's. She was going to say something, but Spike stopped her.

"Why don't you have mine, Cherry? I'm not feeling all that thirsty anyway," he said. She gasped just loud enough for him and the mare to hear her before thanking him. Grabbing the cup, she glared at the mare before taking a sip. Spike ignored Cherry's behavior and pulled out a small ruby to give to the waitress as a tip.

This is a tip?! Not only is he hot, but he's loaded. She thought. In most parts of Equestria, the common currency is bits (aka coins), so someone paying in gems often symbolized that they were very wealthy. The mare saw this as a chance to get her get back at Cherry and dropped the metal tray she was holding to make a scene.

"Sir, I couldn't possibly take this tip. It's too much," she said, acting aloud enough for others to notice them.

"Please. I insist. I don't carry bits around with me anyway. Besides, you look like a hard worker. You deserve it." he said. Everyone was quiet after hearing the mare's sudden "fumble" and listened/watched. Spike could hear them whispering. He heard things like "that's so sweet," "he's cute and loaded," and "That mare he's with struck oil dating him." That last piece displeased him. Burying down his emotions, he smiled warmly at the mare. She felt like her heart could melt. All the while, Cherry could feel herself falling for the drake harder than she did before. Seeing such a generous side of him made her only want the drake even more than before. In her eyes, the sunlight couldn't be at a more perfect angle, highlighting his radiant smile, his scales glistening as if he jumped out of a hot spring. She crossed her legs in delight as she fumbled with her hair. The waitress bowed before taking the tip, picking up the tray, and walking away.

Spike and Cherry talked for about ten more minutes, all while Spike tried to find a window to address the oddball in the room. If she thought this was a date. He looked down at his phone before realizing it had almost been half an hour.

"Oh crap, look at the time. It's been fun, but I gotta get moving," he said. As he grabbed his phone, Cherry grabbed his hand.

"I have to get-" Spike found himself unable to say anything else as he felt something soft pressing against his face. His eyes widened as he realized Cherry was kissing his cheek.

"Thanks for the awesome lunch. Maybe, we could do this again sometime?" She said. She enveloped Spike in one last hug and tried to cup a feel of his soft yet plump-looking rump. Coming back to reality, he blocked off her hand with his tail and lightly hugged her back. He felt a cold shiver forming down his spine and his heart beating uncontrollably and uncomfortably fast, with a rather unpleasant memory forming in his head.

"Yeah, I'll uhh, think about it sometime. Bye," he quickly finishes before dashing in the direction of Rarity's Boutique. After Spike left, people that were watching gathered around Cherry as she tried to finish the drink Spike gave her.

"Was that your Boyfriend?" They all asked in different ways. She only gave them one reply.

"Not yet."

Author's Note

Hello everyone. I'm happy to be back writing to you all. Lots of stuff has happened in my life since the last time I posted anything. I suffered a loss in my family, and I'm currently adjusting to college life. But I'm going to be making an effort to try and stay up to date. Pls, let me know what you guys might like from me and how I can improve these fun stories.

Chapter 3

"I love you."

Those were the last words that left Spike's mouth before a deafening silence filled the room. Rarity's face froze with surprise. Spike's was that of fear, regret, and embarrassment. Neither could tell how much time bypassed them. The only thing that woke the two back to their senses was a knocking sound at her door. Spike shot up in surprise, and Rarity stiffened like a board. They momentarily glanced at each other, their faces lighting up briefly before she took the initiative and walked to the door. She looked through the door's window hole, seeing Double Diamond standing on the other side. Rarity glances back at Spike, quickly looking away from her. She took a deep breath and cracked open her door.

"Good evening, my lady," he says. Spike cringed, hearing his loud voice saying that. He covered his ears to drown him out.

"Hello to you as well, Double," she replied. Her voice was as bland as she could make it.

"Did you ever get my letter?" he asked, inching closer to the door.

"Yes. (unfortunetly). I did, and my answer remains the same," she said, subtle nods of vexation as she spoke.

"Oh. I...I see. Well, perhaps you could-
(Door closes and locks)
He uncovered his ears, slowly opening his eyes to see Rarity fuming about Double's sudden appearance. She patted her chest, taking one more deep breath before returning to her seat next to Spike. They sat in silence, once again, for a brief moment before crossing their eyes again. Spike wanted to look away, to hide his shame for what he said. He wished he could lie as he used to and play it off as a joke, but his better nature denied him the escape. Instead, he could only continue to hold himself together in front of the mare he loved.

"I'm sorry." Rarity said, finally managing to say something. Taken aback by her words, he looked down on himself forever, saying those three cursed words to her.

"It's ok. I'm the one who's sorry. That was all my fault anyway," he said.

"Double Diamond's been harassing you also?" she asked. Spike blinked, processing what she said. He looked at her and raised an eyebrow at her. "Wh-No, he hasn't. Why?" he said, standing up, his tone changed to match his expression, now coated with concern and protectiveness. Rarity chucked and told him to relax. He sat back down, feeling a little more at ease.

"I'm sorry because of him is what I should have said. For the past few weeks, I've been getting letters and presents from my "secret admirer." It was flattering at first. But then, he revealed himself to me. He convinced me to give him a chance, and I allowed him to take me out to dinner. Needless to say...it didn't end well. I told him it would be best if we remained friends, but now he's-

"Being a creep about it." Spike finished. Rarity couldn't help but nod in agreement. She was going to continue, but a question cleared itself in her head again. One that she was going to ask before the Double question shoved its way out of her mouth. Clearing her voice, she shuffled over to Spike, blushing at the sight of her moving closer.

"Why did you feel sorry earlier?" She asked. All of the previous emotions Spike had felt earlier came back with a vengeance. Every muscle in his body tensed up as he recalled his words. They echoed in his head like an evil chant on a loop. He spoke his talk while he tried his best to swallow his still-beaten heart.

"I-I......I'm s-sorry for earli-ier. I-I didn't want you to-to......to find out this way," he cried, his hand on his chest. His body felt heavy. His blood ran cold, and he could feel himself being swallowed by everything around him. All while in the corner of his mind, he knew that she was watching him. Both his mind and his heart told him to run. To look for someplace warm and safe. Before his body could react, however, Rarity had already rested her head on his chest, her arms wrapped around him.

"How did you want to tell me?" She asked, her hands now linked together behind Spike's back. He could feel her soft breath through his shirt and smell the mixture of lavender and vanilla in her hair. His heart and mind, finally relaxing, granted him the clarity he wished.

"I don't know. I can't remember. Being able to tell you that has always seemed like a fairy tale to me. I just...didn't wanna tell you like that." he said. Rarity gazed up at him, her eyes begging the drake for something.

"..."

"Well, are you going to keep a lady waiting?" She said. It took a moment before Spike caught on to what she was saying.

"Wait. Like, r-right now. L-L-Like this." he said, Rarity still clipped to him. She pouted before blowing air at his face, closing his eyes. He opened them to see her still making a cute pouty face, intentionally puffing up her cheeks as she did so. Spike tried his best to repeat his words but always ended up tongue-tied. He couldn't manage to repeat it.

"I can't," he admitted. He felt ashamed. Here he is, in front of his lady love, and he's unable to repeat three simple little words when she's asking for it. Rarity stopped her pouty face and started laughing, unintentionally teasing the drake. He blushed as she laughed.

"Spikey, could you wait right here for a moment?" She said, letting go of him and proceeding upstairs. Spike thought, "Was she just messing with me?". When she returned, Spike was surprised to see what she was holding.

"Do you know that out of my entire collection, this is still my favorite piece to wear?" she said, holding the ruby heart he gave her on his birthday. Much to his delight, He was pleased that she kept such good care of it over the years. She placed it in the dragon's hand before saying, "Put it on me." Feeling his nerves attack him again, he trembled at her words.

"Oh-, O-Ok." he managed. She turned around and pressed her back on the drake's chest, sticking her head forward and exposing her neck. With his shaky hands, Spike looped the collar-like necklace around her. She turned back around and grabbed his hands.

"Now, will you tell me?" She said, sounding demanding yet yearnful. Pressured, he closed his eyes and recalled him saying those words. Like mantras, he spoke them quietly, almost imitating Fluttershy. He opened his eyes and met her gaze with his own. The feeling of dancing through the air returned to him as if they'd never left him.

"I Love You." he finally said, pouring his heart into her waters. Rarity smiled, wiping his face of earlier tears before asking another question.

"For how long?" She asked.

"Since I first saw you," he said.

"Have you ever felt like this for someone else?" she asked.

"Never. I don't think it's even possible to find someone who makes me feel this way," he replied.

"What do you feel when you see my cutiemark?" she asked.

"Hungry," he said, earning a chuckle from his lady. In his head, every question she asked him became so clear. Not a moment went by where he needed to think of what to say or how to say it.

"Can I ask you something now?" he pleaded of her. She nodded.

"Will you, or rather, Do you accept my feeling?" he begged of her. She slowly let go of his hands and brought them to her chest, making his face turn completely red.

"To be honest, I always knew you loved me," she said. Spike opened his mouth, but she stopped him asking him to let her finish. "That day you transformed, I heard you say you had a crush on me. A tiny part of me always thought you did, even before your birthday. As the days passed into weeks and eventually months, I thought you would move on and get over me, learn to love another, or accept someone else's love in kind. But when I saw you hanging out with Gabby, I realized how jealous it made me, and I finally understood something. I realized why you devoted so much time to making me #1 on your list. Because that day, I did the same thing." She finished. Before Spike could interject, Rarity made her move first and connected her satin-like lips with his own. The sudden action hit him like a bombshell as he flew back into the sofa. She smiled and laid herself atop his build. She kissed him again, caressing his neck and playing with his scales. Spike was unable to move as thousands of thoughts rushed through his head. Wide-eyed, he finally let go and closed them, taking in the smoothness of her skin on his body while his hand moved through her hair. As the two of them got into it, they were interrupted by Sweetie Belle unlocking the door.

"Hey, Sis, can I borrow 20 bits from-

(Intensive Starring)

Neither party knew what to do. On one side, you had a star-shocked little sister walking in on her big sister face-hugging the Princesses/her's part-time assistant. On the other, you have two people whose hidden feelings have been un-earthed, halted by a sudden "friendly" intrusion.

"Oh my Gosh................. I owe Applebloom so much money," Sweetie said. Rarity broke off her kiss, making a small wet "plopping" noise as she did. Her face erupted red, and in her panic, she screamed, "GO TO YOUR ROOM." Scared, her little sister rushed upstairs, locking her door behind her. Rarity sat back down and hid her face with her hands. Spike moved next to her and held her as she gathered herself.

"You should go talk to her," he said.

"I know. That was a bit rude of me. She didn't deserve to be yelled at like that," she replied, taking a sip of her cold tea.

"Will you be leaving her soon?" she asked.

"If it's alright with you, can I stay for a while? I was hoping we could talk a little more," he asked of her. She chuckled at him before standing up, her hand rubbing under his chin, making him wince.

"I'll be back as quick as I can," she said.

About ten minutes passed as Rarity dealt with Sweetie Belle. When she came down, Spike was quietly napping on her sofa. She took out her phone and snapped a picture, making it her screen saver. After that, she gently nudged him awake.

"Enjoy your nap, Spikey?" she said.

"Sorry. I didn't know how long you would be talking to her," he said.

"It's alright. I don't blame you. After I apologized, she had a lot of questions to ask. For my sake, I limited her down to 5. But enough about that. Where were we?" she said alluringly. She kissed him again, leaning into his embrace. Brushing away at each other lips, they groped at one another lightly.

(Knock, Knock)

"OH, COME ON," Rarity screamed. She left the sofa, stomping her way over to the door before coming to her senses and taking many deep breaths. She looked through the hole again, seeing Double holding a bouquet of Begonias. She heaved before looking back at Spike.

"Who is it this time?" he asked.

"Double Diamond again. Usually, If people kept coming to my shop, I'd welcome the business they bring. But, not only is it my day off, they're ruining my time with you," she said, blushing.

"Why don't we just...you know...leave," he said. A light bulb went off in her head.

"That is a wonderful idea! I am closed today, after all. But where should we go? She asked him.

"Easy. Friendship castle. Nobody's going to look for us there." he said excitedly. "Oh, Is my little Spikey eager to continue? She said, grabbing her bag and one of her signature red Bernet.

"M-Maybe," he admitted. She handed him a jacket, much to the drake's confusion.

"To hide your face deary. I figured from what you told me, you'd prefer it if people didn't give you the bedroom eyes and cat-call treatment," she said. He grinned and quickly put it on. She coupled with the drake's arm before taking her secret backdoor to the boutique.

As they made their way to the Castle, Spike enjoyed openly locking arms with Rarity. They did catch a few glances from the townspeople, but they were mostly looking at her. After all, she was beautiful. When they finally arrived at the castle, Spike opened the door for her like the gentledrake she proclaimed him to be. She walked inside and hung her hat on a stand. However, the moment Spike took off the jacket, she pounced on him. She jumped into his arms and started kissing him on his neck. He managed to carry her over to one of the chairs in the living room. He sat down, Rarity now sitting in his lap. She moved up from his neck to his chin and finally his mouth, playfully biting at his bottom lip. Spike happily surrendered to her assault, letting out small winces of pleasure as she invaded. She did this for a few more moments before halting her assault. She took out her phone and started playing slow jazz music.

"There we go. Just a little something to set the mood," she said. As she went in for round two, Spike stopped her.

"What's wrong, Spikey? Did I hurt you or something? Maybe biting your lip was taking it a bit too far," she said, bringing her hand to her hip lips.

"No, no. It's not that. I kind of liked it. It's just, I've dreamt of this for a long time, and as much as I would LOVE to continue this, I'm wondering if we're moving too fast," he said. Rarity thought for a moment before understanding where he was coming from. To her, she was playing her cards perfectly. But Spike's just now learning how to play. She had experience in the dating field, so she thought of how impactful this must be for him to swallow.

"I just wanna know where you and I stand. Now that we know how we feel about each other and all," he said.

"I see. Maybe, I have been jumping to the gun a tad too early. Your right. Maybe we should reframe from overdoing the physical contact with each other for the time being." She said. She was about to get up, but Spike grabbed her hand.

"While I agree, maybe we could tone down only the kissing for now. I-I...I like holding you," he said, looking at the floor, blushing. She found it adorable and planted one last kiss on his lips before leaning into his chest.

"Then perhaps we should wait to tell our friends, let alone announce our newfound connection to Equestria. Who knows how they'll react to it? " She said. Spike agreed. Many people would think she was using Spike, considering their history. Or that himself would be the subject of many an angered man for the lady's affection. They were very famous around Equestria for all their past actions, and as much as the masses loved them, they knew that they were someone out there to talk about they wouldn't care and slander them without a second thought. It would be the talk of the century. A 5'9 dragon going out with a 6'0 unicorn is already a name worth an article. But considering their history and status, they'd be hounded forever, especially by the media. He pushed the thoughts away and returned his attention to Rarity.

"So, this means we're dating now, right?" he begged of her.

"Of course we are. All be it in Secret. We'll tell them soon, but right now. I'd much rather enjoy you holding me," she said. The two sat together, reveling in each other's warmth. Everything was perfect until they heard the door open.

"Ok, Deal. We can work out the details tonight. As soon as Spike gets home, we'll tell him-

"Tell me what?" He said. Twilight and Starlight walked inside, wearing two of his jackets and holding many glass bottles. They glanced at Spike and Rarity sitting together in the living room, with Rarity sitting on Spike's lap as the TV played slow Jazz music. Rarity awkwardly smiled at them before waving. They did the same.

"What did you wanna tell me...and why are you two wearing my jackets?" he asked.