I'll Show them All

In Spike's room, the young teen who after showering up had changed into his tuxedo for Canterlot High's Dance Bash. Though initially left out of helping to decorate for the festivity despite being promised his assistance was needed he was granted permission to attend the dance regardless of his non-student status.

As Spike straitened his necktie he looked at his reflection in his closet mirror. While he admired how he looked he knew this was the only formal attire he actually had, and the only time he ever got to wear it was when he and the Sparkle parents attended an event held for Twilight's honor, her friends, or when visiting Shining Armor, Cadence, and Flurry Heart for some important family gathering. Other than that it was mostly left in his closet to gather dust, hence he had to dust it off every month just to make sure it stayed clean.

While Spike was partly excited to be attending the dance, he still partly felt all of this was nothing but pity from everyone just because he was left out of partaking in something he was promised he could be a part of.

“No! Don't think like that, Spike,” he told himself while shaking his head, “You're finally allowed to do something outside the house, don't start thinking it's because they treat me like a charity case.” he calmed himself and fixed his hair before there was a knock at his bedroom door.

“Spike, can I come in?” came Twilight's voice.

Spike calmed himself, and answered, “Sure, come in!”

The door opened up, and Twilight entered. Spike looked seeing Twilight was already all dressed up for the big dance.

As Twilight stood, Spike looked at her with a faint blush on his face. Though they were adopted siblings, he still couldn't deny how beautiful Twilight really looked when she got all dressed up. But knowing better shook the feelings off, as she spoke to him.

“So, how do I look?”

Spike knowing to be nice to Twilight since she made this possible for him, answered her, “You look beautiful, Twilight.”

“Oh, thanks, Spike,” Twilight said giving him a hug, which he returned, “You look very handsome yourself.”

Spike blushed from the compliment, “You really mean it?”

“Of course I do, silly,” Twilight giggled, but spoke in a caring tone, “Spike, I know you have your doubts about joining us tonight, but I promise you the girls and I are going to make sure you have the fun that you deserve.”

Spike looked at Twilight and saw the genuine look of sincerity on her face and felt like he could trust her, “Thanks, Twilight.”

Twilight smiled, before taking Spike's hand, “Come on, you know mom and dad are gonna wanna take plenty of pictures.”

Spike rolled his eyes knowing how their parents become paparazzi when there's something they want to capture for their photo albums. So they hurried out of his room.

And sure enough Twilight and Spike were getting their pictures taken by Velvet and Night Light from individual shots to the both of them together.

“Oh, yes! You two look so adorable!” Velvet cheered, as she took their picture.

“Indeed they do,” Night Light agreed, as the two blushed, “You know, Velvet, from this angle don't you think they'd make a cute couple?”

“Huh?!” Twilight and Spike asked in shock.

“Oh, you know I actually think they would.” Velvet cooed.

“Ugh!” Spike gagged.

“Mom! Dad!” Twilight scolded.

The adults laughed at their reactions, while the teens tried not to look at each other not wanting to see the other blushing. Suddenly a honking was heard outside.

“There's our ride! Come on, Spike!”

“Right behind ya!” Spike answered, as they hurried out the door leaving the parents smiling in satisfaction at how they could get their kids so easily flustered.

The two went outside to see a hover limousine, which left Spike surprised, “Wow.”

“You can thank Rarity for this.” Twilight said, as they got inside the hover limo to see the rest of the girls all dressed up for the dance.

“Hey, ya'll, good to see ya.” Applejack greeted.

“Twilight, you look fabulous, darling,” Rarity complimented her, before turning to Spike, “And Spikey-Wikey, ever so handsome.”

“Oh, go on.” Spike replied, while looking away deciding to tease her.

“No, really. I honestly think you look smashing, darling.” Rarity insisted.

“You do clean up nicely.” Rainbow admitted.

“Yessiree!” Pinkie smiled.

“Uh-huh.” Fluttershy nodded.

Spike relaxed, “Thanks, girls. You all look amazing yourselves.” the girls smiled at Spike's kind words.

“Hope you're ready for the time of your life, sugarcube, because that's what you're gonna get.” Applejack promised him. Spike hearing that started to feel more hopeful about tonight.

Soon the limo dropped them off outside the school, and they exited and walked to the entrance of the building. They went inside and walked for the gymnasium where the other students were already there or arriving.

Spike looked around the gymnasium seeing some students were gossiping by the snack tables or the regular tables, and some dancing away out on the dance floor as the DJ dropped some beats.

“So, this is a high school dance, huh?”

“It sure is.” Pinkie confirmed.

“I have been missing out.”

“Well, no time like the present, Spike.” Twilight said.

“Good evening, everyone.” came Celestia's voice, as she and Luna approached.

“Good evening, Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna.” the girls greeted them.

“Evening.” Spike greeted.

“Spike, it's so good to see you accepted the invite.” Celestia said feeling pleased.

“Well, who am I to turn down an invite to a school dance?” Spike asked rhetorically.

“We hope you all have the best of fun during the festivity,” Luna hoped, “Please excuse us.” and with that the two sisters left to check on other things.

“Well, come on, let's get our groove on!” Pinkie called, as they hurried to dance floor. Spike feeling an overwhelming urge to let loose hurried out to join everyone.

As the dance carried on, Spike started feeling better than he ever did in years, almost as if all the negative emotions he had been feeling were suddenly gone. He was finally able to have an actual conversation with some of the other students at the school without them talking about Twilight and the rest of the girls like other times Spike tried to befriend others. Some of the girls there even sounded like they were interested in Spike, which he really was enjoying the most. Watching not too far was Twilight and the girls who were glad to see Spike enjoying himself, and knew they were on the right track to making up for their times of negligence to him.

When a new song started playing the girls joined Spike on the dance floor with the others and were shaking it up.

“How do you feel, Spike?” Rainbow asked, as Spike was busting moves.

“This is the best night of my life!” Spike called over the music.

“We're so happy you feel that way!” Pinkie cheered, as they continued to dance.

Meanwhile close to the snack bar were two Mage-class teens a short stout boy named Snips and a tall thin boy named Snails both whose only formal attire at the dance was just a top hat for each of them. Snails currently had gotten his head stuck in his hat with Snips trying to pull it off.

“Harder, Snips, pull harder!” Snails pleaded, as his head was stuck in his hat.

“I'm pulling as hard as I can, Snails!” Snips answered, as he tugged on his friends hat.

“Hurry before I lose my air supply!”

“Well, you'll lose it faster if you don't shut up!” Snips reminded him as he kept on tugging.

Finally with one last big tug, Snips managed to pull the hat off Snails, but lost his balance and propelled himself backwards landing on one end of the snack table. This in turn caused the other side to catapult up sending the punch bowl at the end to fly upward and over to the dance floor.

One student looked up and saw it before announcing, “Everyone, move!” the students hearing that cleared the spot where the punch bowl started coming down. Unfortunately for Spike he wasn't fast enough to realize what was going on, as the punch poured out of the airborne bowl and splashed Spike soaking his hair and his suit.

Spike stood frozen trying to process what just happened to him, while the students who got out of the line of fire looked at Spike's reaction and where one started laughing, so many other started to laugh along. Spike looked around at the students laughing at him, the students he thought could've been his friends and some of the girls who sounded like they could've been interested in him, but seeing this all that hope was shattered.

Twilight and the girls got past the students and raced over to Spike, “Spike, are you ok?” Twilight asked in concern.

“You're not hurt, are you?” Fluttershy asked in worry.

“Spike?” Rainbow asked seeing he wasn't responding.

“Darling?” Rarity asked feeling worried.

Finally Spike screamed in anger before bolting out of the gym, surprising everyone, “SPIKE!” the girls cried, before looking over and noticing Snips was pulling Snails up to his feet and realized they were the cause of this.

“YOU IDIOTS ARE SO DEAD THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU!” Rainbow threatened the duo, before the girls ran after Spike. Snips and Snails being as dumb as they are looked at each other in confusion before Snails shrugged.

The girls made it outside the school and looked around seeing no sign of Spike, “Where'd he go?” Applejack asked.

“Don't worry, I can find him.” Pinkie spoke up as she sniffed the ground.

“Pinkie, what're you doing?” Rarity asked in confusion.

“Getting Spike's scent.”

“Pinkie, we don't have time for-” Twilight got cut off.

“Got it! This way!” Pinkie announced, as she hurried down the block with the girls following after her.

Meanwhile, Spike after his humiliating experience bolted from the school and ran as fast as he could back to his home. As he ran he was filled with so many emotions, humiliation, anger, betrayal, the list could go on. He finally got back to the house and unlocked the door and went inside.

Inside were the Sparkles relaxing on the couch until they heard the door open, “Twilight, Spike? Back so-soon?!" Velvet gasped, as she and Night Light saw only Spike and the state of him.

“Spike, what happened?! Where's Twilight?” Night Light asked in worry.

“I don't wanna talk about it!” Spike answered angrily, as he walked away.

As Spike walked he undid his tie letting it drop to the floor, before slipping his blazer off, undoing his shirt, and his pants until he slumped to the bathroom in his boxer shorts leaving his ruined tuxedo suit on the floor in a trail. Spike was then in the shower sitting on the floor of it huddled up as the water sprayed down on him while burying his face in his knees.

No sooner after Spike got in, Twilight and the girls arrived looking out of breath, “Mom! Dad! Did Spike come in?” Twilight asked hopefully.

“Yes. Twilight what happened?” Night Light asked.

“Why was Spike in such a mess?” Velvet inquired.

“Oh, it was horrible, mom,” Twilight began, “Snips and Snails through their messing around caused Spike to get splashed with the punch bowl.”

“What?” the parents gasped in shock.

“Everyone just started laughing at him.” Rarity added.

“I like a good joke, but that was not funny.” Pinkie put in.

“Oh, my son.” Velvet said in sorrow.

“So where is Spike?” Fluttershy asked the adults.

“He just went into the bathroom.” Night Light said.

Rainbow took notice of the clothing on the floor, “And stripped down before that?”

“He's obviously showering, Rainbow Dash.” Twilight noted.

“Oh, dear,” Rarity said, as she collected the piece of Spike's suit, “Spike really shouldn't leave his tuxedo on the floor like this, but given what just happened with him I won't say anything about that.”

The group waited on the couch, until they heard the sound of the bathroom door open. The girls saw Spike stepped out with his hair wet and wearing a purple bathrobe securely tied, and hurried over to him.

“Spike!” Twilight began, “We are so sorry that happened to you.”

“You didn't deserve to have that ruin your fun.” Applejack continued.

“And don't worry, I'll make sure your tuxedo is properly cleaned.” Rarity promised.

“Don't bother,” Spike answered coldly, “Just throw it away. I have no use for it anymore.”

“Spike?” Twilight and Rarity gasped.

“I'm never going back to that school again. Not for any reason.” he said.

“Look, the next time I see Snips and Snails I'll make them regret horse-playing around at the dance.” Rainbow promised.

“It doesn't matter,” Spike continued, “I never should've gone in the first place. Speaking of, you girls better get back there.”

“What?” Fluttershy asked.

“Don't let my bad night ruin yours.”

“Spike, we don't care about the dance, we care about you!” Twilight tired to reason with him.

Spike looked down and walked past them, “Just leave me alone!” he went up to his room.

“Spike.” the girls gasped.

“This was supposed to be a fun night.” Pinkie said in sorrow.

“One that was meant to be the best Spike ever had.” Rarity added.

“And in one act of someone's idiocy it all went south.” Rainbow finished.

“I failed him again.” Twilight looked down sadly.

“We all did, Twilight.” Applejack said, as they all shared the guilt.

In Spike's room, the humiliated boy lied on his bed sobbing in his pillow. He thought he was gonna have the best night ever, but in the end it all went to hell, and those he thought he could've been friends with all laughed at him regardless if they had no ill-intent by it or not.