Something Changed
For next few days, the pattern continued. Spike would waken early to finish his chores with Twilight early then off he was to Sweet Apple Acres. No pony suspected anything of it, his new developing feelings for the Stetson hat-wearing pony but not even he could comprehend it. It was kind of giant leap, almost complete opposites that he found himself torn over. One a “proper” lady, gentle and exquisite, the other a hard worker, a pony that is no stranger to dirt or physical labor, yet both had found a spot in his heart. However Spike knew that he held Rarity in a higher place, his feelings for only increased over time since he first fell for the dress maker when he came to Ponyville. He also knew that the only reason her comment hurt so much was because of the fact that his feelings had grown so strong.
Said unicorn, unfortunately, was swamped with orders from Canterlot. This year’s Grand Galloping Gala was a mere two month away and after six mares had displayed the young designer’s work, many of the posh mares’ from the regal city wanted such custom dresses. Between measuring the clients and price negotiations, the white unicorn had no time to revisit the library-tree-house and apologize to Spike. Her work was slowed as her usual assistant no longer present and her mind was busy thinking of how hurt the young dragon was.
Spike was just then thinking of her in turn, he had heard of the multitude of orders she had received. Rarity had been swamped with work before but he was always there to lend a hand… err… claw. She always remembered to thank him kindly with a handful of gems to eat when he returned to his home. He was tempted to go help her but two thing had stopped him: for one, he had promised to help Applejack with this year’s apple harvest which was currently in full swing and secondly, the heartache but that was only an excuse, deep down in his heart, Spike knew he had already forgiven his beloved unicorn. Even with the knowledge that Rarity had wanted to apologize, the purple dragon could not help but feel hurt still. Though the work took his mind off of it, it would take some time before he was fully healed.
“You alright there, sugarcube?” Applejack asked, seeing the dragon lost in thought.
“Yeah… I’m ok,” Spike answered.
“Got somethin’ on your mind? You looked like yer miles away…” the country pony commented as she sat next to the purple dragon.
“Just thinking of Rarity again…” Spike replied, still staring off into the distance.
“I heard she’s up to her mane in dress orders,” Applejack said. “She might be needin’ some help, you know…”
“But what about you, I made promise to help you out here. The apple harvest is just started,” the thoughtful dragon said.
“Spike, ya’ve helped a lot more than Applebloom these past few days…” the blond earth pony paused.
“Hey!” her sister interrupted her.
“Umm… what are ya wearin’, Applebloom?” Applejack asked, looking at her sister’s colorful, tight outfit, complete with mask.
“We’re tryin’ to get our Cutie Marks as professional wrestlers! We even got Iron Will to help train us!” Applebloom exclaimed as she pointed at a crude wrestling ring.
“Iron Will’s Assertiveness Workshop… has not been doing so well…” the Minotaur said as they looked towards him.
“Ok…” Applejack turned her attention back to Spike. “Anyways, what I was tryin’ to say is that you’ve helped enough around here. Besides, I’ve got Big Macintosh to help me this year.”
“Eeyup!” the large, red stallion said as he bucked all the apples off a tree with a single kick.
“I’m sure she’d appreciate your help a hay of a lot, Spike,” the apple farmer said as she rubbed his head.
“I don’t know…” the dragon said quietly, still pondering the idea.
“I reckon it would do both of you some good to see each other again,” Applejack added. “It’s better to deal with your problems, Spike, than to run away from ‘em.”
“You’re right!” Spike said as he began running back towards town. “Thanks, Applejack! I promise, I’ll be back to help once Rarity’s work is done.”
“Don’t ya fret none, Spike,” Applejack replied. “There’s always something to do around the farm. You won’t be missin’ much.”
The young dress maker was hard at work, sewing, trimming, thinking of new designs. However, her mind was still preoccupied with the young dragon. She noticed how big and lonely her shop was recently. Usually, her part-time assistant was there to help her out with whatever she needed, which also included just being there, keeping her company. She did not ever think of what the little things that Spike did here and there could add up to.
“OOOOOOOOOOOOOH!” Rarity moaned as she cleared her workstation of all the materials piled on it. “What have I done!? I have driven away the best assistant-no-best friend a pony could ever ask for!”
Her conscience was ebbing at her all the while as she thought of all the bad things she ever did to him. Whether it was something as simple as being short with him during times of stress or yelling at him for dragging in mud into her shop. Yet, throughout it all, he stayed with her and served her however he could. That was true dedication, true loyalty, maybe when Twilight had declared him the new Rainbow Dash it held some truth.
“Oh! What I wouldn’t give to have my little assistant back again,” the white unicorn said as she lied on her “drama queen” couch. After a while of lying there, eyes closed, the unicorn decided to get back to work only to notice that the very same dragon she had been asking for back. “Spike!?”
The little purple dragon had listened to the whole thing. He had been waiting for Rarity to realize he was there. He had brought his wagon filled with gems, though it was greatly reduced from his eating.
“SPIKEY-WIKEY!” Rarity hugged the young dragon. “I’m so sorry! I don’t know how you could ever forgive me but I promise I’ll make it up to you somehow!”
“It’s alright, Rarity! I forgive you,” Spike said and though he hugged her back, the hug somehow was not as enjoyable as he remembered.
“Are you quite sure about that, Spike?” the unicorn said, letting the young dragon fall back onto the floor.
“I’m sure, Rarity… I heard you needed some help, so here I am!” Spike said with smile.
The hurt from the incident seemed to disappear after hearing her dramatic conversation with herself. His smile confused the young dress maker as she thought that he had been using working at Sweet Apple Acres as way of avoiding her and yet, he came to her, offering his help during her time of need. What she found even more odd was how he asked for nothing for the hurt she caused, he usually tried to squeeze a kiss out of her every chance he could. She found it adorable and occasionally humored him with a peck on the cheek but this time, Spike seemed to have no intention of doing so.
“Ok… well, we should get started as soon as possible, Spike. We have many orders to get through and we’re going to need more gems than these…” Rarity said. “But thank you, Spike, they will definitely help.”
“Hey, Spike!” Twilight said as she greeted her assistant at the door. “Looks like someone had a busy day…”
The dragon rose his finger as if to say something, only to collapse face first onto floor. Twilight was worried but soon heard the little dragon’s snore and immediately knew that he had been exhausted by the work he put himself through. Carrying him off and tucking him in his small basket-bed, Twilight let Spike get his well-earned rest.
So he has forgiven Rarity, so que the Romantic Tension.
I feel like Rarity is going to get a little jealous of Applejack when Spike starts working for her again.
1927850
Eh... Well, I don't try to offer spoilers so you'll just have to read to find out.
1927035
Tension indeed. Tension that we will see for a couple of chapters to come.
1927002
Don't be so quick to jump to conclusions, now!
1924383
Well, the next chapter's up. Hope you enjoy it!
1924337
Po' Twilight indeed!
1922697
Hmm... MallaJong, huh? I don't know if I want to compare myself to him, whether for the better or the worse. He is quite a bit more popular than me, I am just a rookie compared with him on that. I'm familiar with his stuff, I like it. I'm glad you like my work. Thank you!
1922315
Thanks for the compliment! I do have to say that it was a bit of a stretch but I would tend to agree with you.
1922288
Thanks for not giving up on this fic, I'll try not to disappoint!
1922220
Cool, I hope I can find some good ones to read too. Don't know what you found wrong with MallaJong, I only read parts of his works but I liked them, with a few reservations, but all in all, I liked his work.
1922147
Dat irony!
1922059
Patience pays off and the new chapter is up!!!
This story has had it's first official thumbs down!!! It's a true story now!!! Or as a friend of mine said, "Someone is jelly." Either way, I'm not even mad, bro. I'm just glad that so many people liked the story. Thanks for the support guys!
BOO! HISS! BURN HIM!
Calm down everyone. He's simply going to update over a longer period.
Now this was a great update. Rarity seems a little... Put off, by Spike simply coming to help her. Don't know might be a small detail but I feel something there.
I found a few errors, I hope you don't mind if I point them out here...
I think you mean "I made a promise"
The correct word here would be "lay". Lied means to have told an untruth. (Yes, it's a confusing word, try a quick google search.
There are several other places that could be cleaned up a bit, but over all it's an excellent chapter.
I still feel you were a bit heavy handed for the ApplexSpike, but this part with Rarity was beautiful. It gorgeously illustrates that even though Spike may truly forgive her, and despite what he may even want, some things are simply not that easy to fix.
You now have my unreserved thumbs up good Sir!
Also, if you would like a pre-reader / proofreader I would be glad to offer my services.
1928880
I'm pretty sure that's a significant detail you noticed there!
Rarity has always known Spike as a dragon whom worshiped the ground she walked on, and now he shows up as simply a friend. And she may not realized this quite yet, she can tell that "something changed".
1929269
I hope it is drama has always been fix for me when it came to laugh department.
1928880
Well, you still have one more update to look forward to. Don't worry, I'll try to not procrastinate on writing. Just for you guys!
1929184
Well, the first mistake you caught is correct and I'll go and fix that now. The second is technically correct, since a person "lies" down, "lie" is used when talking about people. While "lay" is directed to an object, like "The girl laid her books down on the desk." And also, I'll never mind when people spot some mistakes in my story that they want to point out.
And if you're really interested in being a pre-reader, sure. I could always use an extra pair of eyes to catch some errors before I humiliate myself by posting. You can message me for more details.
1929269
As a wise pony, with his "fancy mathematics," said "Eeyup!"
1929723
I see this word confused so often it's scary.
You are 100% correct with your description of lay, but what most people don't realize is that "lay" is not only the present tense as you described it, but it is also the past tense of "lie"
Here is a good reference
Anyway, I'm finished with my grammar rant now, and ready to enjoy the next update!
hahaha poor spike xD a lot hard work to do , a really great chap c: !!!!!!
Lol to funny I've was following this story on fanfiction but never got around to read it. It's very good cant wait for the next chap
This chapter wasn't so much rushed as it was riddled with missing words/letters. The entire first paragraph is a mess, but let's look at just the first two sentences.
Yeah, there's a lot of work that's needing to be done here.
Spike's a hard working dragon, that's for damn sure. Good for him Few errors but nothing major, shit is about to get real
I only beleive this when I see it.
There are already 2 known instances where her generosity doesn't apply, proving that Rarity can be pretty tight, oblivious and disregarding to paying someone for work, not to mention manipulating.
1st: The gem hunt.
Spike gets charmed into helping her dig up the gemstones. He goes as far as to fill her entire carriage with jewel, does all the dirty word for her.
How much does she so generously give him as a reward?
ONE gem stone, plus a pat on the head.
That's less then 1% of the entire carriage, and not a kiss on the cheek, lips or a hug, just a pat on the head.
2nd: Taking care of everyone's pets.
Even though he didn't take it seriously when everypony was gone, he did tell them, especially Pinkie with "it doesn't come cheap", that he was expecting payment for his work.
Everypony pays him a fair amount of gemstones, with Fluttershy bringing one extra big.
Rarity though? She gives him a fragment of a ruby, extra small like a toothpick, and THAT only after giving him tons of conditions and requirments for treating opal properly, with her ending up ogling herself in the mirror instead of paying spike promptly, like she wasn't even expecting to pay.
It takes rainbow dash to remind her of it.
She on the other hand, extracts a Fire Ruby, shaped like a heart and as big as his head, that he grew for his birthday, out of him, by using her 'Charms'.
How is all of this, fair treatment? How is she being generous in these circumstances towards spike?
The answer is: Not anyhow.
I died of laughter. So now I'm haunting you.
6232692
GENIOUS!!!
Oh hell no, not more of that yahoo forgiveness crap.
6008672
We all know she's a bitch but some fics go to far with this characterization.
Luckily this fic doesn't but I do agree with you.