Day One

It was a beautiful morning as Twilight Sparkle set the places for breakfast. "Spike, hurry up and eat your breakfast!"

"What is it, gemstones?" Spike asked, straightening up and looking excited.

"No, even better, Grass sandwiches!" she said, smiling down at at him. He groaned.

"Gee, how can I contain myself" he said, curling up and going back to sleep.

"Come on, Spike!" said Twilight. "You'll need all your energy for the Equestria Games today."

"The Equestria Games!" Spike snapped awake. He had completely forgotten about the games. Spike had been thinking about the events for months, making sure he had everything he needed. This week was important. This week was about Rarity.

He stood at the entrance to Games with his five pony pals, so nervous, he thought he was about to cough up a care package from Princess Celestia.. They were as usual, waiting for Rarity who was no doubt going through her whole wardrobe for something to wear.

"What is taking her so long?" whined Rainbow, lazily flying in loop-de-loops. "Its been hours!"

"I'm sure she is coming as fast as she can," said Fluttershy. "She'll probably be here any second. Trust me."

Half an hour later...

Rarity came trotting up in a fabulous dress and matching hat. "Sorry everyone, but I simply had to look my best for the Equestria Games," Rarity proclaimed.

"Where were you? We'll be lucky if the games aren't over!" Rainbow Dash said, shooting a look at Rarity before zooming towards the arena.

"Well I never," said Rarity holding her nose up high. She turned to the others."I wasn't that long was I?" Fluttershy, Applejack, and Twilight all just looked away, sheepishly.

"You took just the right amount of time to look your best, Rarity." said Spike, jumping up to look her in the eye.

"Really I thought she wasn't even going to show mmmph!" said Pinkie Pie before Spike slapped his claws over her mouth.

"Just enough time," he repeated.

Pinkie squirmed away from Spike and said, "We were all really bored while -"

"Hey Pinkie is that cotton candy?" interrupted Spike, pointing towards the venders.

"WHERE?" said Pinkie, jumping up and shot towards the direction Spike indicated.

Rarity, who had been watching this whole affair with some amusement said "Thank you Spike, I love Pinkie Pie, but she has a way of being a bit eccentric".

"Yeah," said Spike not really paying attention. Just one little thank you from Rarity was enough to make his heart flutter.

"Lets get a'goin, everypony," said Applejack. "We don't want Rainbow to blame us for ruining her day." They all followed her into the Arena. The event that had been planned for months was, of course, full of interesting things to do so everyone had something to entertain them. Rarity, Twilight, and Spike looked at the souvenirs, Pinkie Pie ate every sugary treat in sight, Applejack tormented the owner of the Ring the Bell booth with her powerful kicks, Fluttershy enjoyed the petting zoo, and Rainbow Dash bragged to all the other entries of the games about her Sonic Rainboom. All of Equestria had evidently gotten over Twilight's transformation as there wasn't a pony pleading for an autograph or kneeling. So even Twilight was having fun; spending time with her friends without an awkward feeling of separation or envy between them. Everyone was having a great time.

Everyone except Spike. He was stalling and he knew it. How was he going to pluck up the nerve and ask Rarity out on a date? She was popular, skilled, beautiful, and smart! She was practically royalty, she was so perfect. He, Spike, was a lowly assistant who was a cast out of his own race. He knew that for many reasons that's why his friends liked him so much; but it still nagged at him sometimes. He wondered if Rarity felt some of the feelings that he was feeling about her. She, in his opinion was the queen of mixed signals. She always treated him like a little brother, cute yes, but not in the way he wanted. But there were good signs too. He was her go to dragon when it came to dirty jobs and she had definitely kissed him on more than one occasion.

And, of course, there had been the time when he had turned into a monster and wrecked half the town. He had only stopped when reminded of his generosity. At least, that's what Twilight had said. He didn't think so. He was sure he had only stopped when he was confronted with his love for Rarity. Whatever had happened, it had changed him back to normal, but at the cost of them falling from the great height where he had been perched. As they fell, Spike looked into Rarity's beautiful eyes and had been prepared to reveal everything to her, but she, knowing what he was about to say, stopped him with tears in her eyes, and gave him a very knowing, very loving, smile. Though she believed the change was of generosity and nothing more, she still seemed to understand that it was from the bottom of Spike's heart. Afterwards she had kissed him and said that he was her hero. Hero! he thought. Yeah, right! But thinking of all these past signs didn't fill Spike with confidence. In fact, they filled him with serious doubts. What if Rarity didn't love him? What if she only thought of him as a little brother? What if she didn't like the fact Spike loved her and never wanted to see him again? What if he was kicked out of Ponyville and forced into a small, gemless cave because he dared to talk to the most beautiful pony in all of Equestria? Spike shook his head. He was being ridiculous. Rarity wasn't going to hate him and he certainly wasn't going to be kicked out of Ponyville just because he asked her out.

"Oh, Spike," said Rarity. "Would you like a souvenir?"

"Oh sure, thanks," said Spike as he quickly picked up a keychain. He made sure that it wasn't too expensive. Really, he thought to himself, What's the worst that could happen? Rarity would just say that she was flattered, but that we should just be friends and then she'll smile and then she'll just rip out your heart and break it to pieces.

He gulped. He was not ready. As he came to this less than welcome conclusion, a loud horn blew, signaling the start of the events. The ponies and Spike all regrouped and headed towards their seats for the events. Spike even made sure he got a seat next to Rarity but that unfortunately also put him next to Pinkie Pie. As the events started Spike saw that there was a pony selling Lemonade for eight bits apiece. He turned to Rarity nervously and asked "Um, would you like some lemonade?" Pinkie turned to Spike and said, "Yeah Spike, that would be great!" she turned to the others and yelled, "HEY GIRLS, SPIKE IS BUYING EVERYONE LEMONADE!"

"Oh, actually I was only going to buy one for Rarity." Spike said before realizing his slip. He quickly added "Because she was closest and I only have eight bits." Everyone was staring at him. Finally Rarity said "That's okay, Spike, you can give it to Pinkie. I need to use the little filly's room anyway."

"Yes!" yelled Pinkie jumping up in the air.

"Okay" said Spike, feeling downtrodden as he got up to make room for her to pass. Just for a second her coat touched his scales as she passed by. She quickly pulled away.

"Terribly sorry, Spike!"

He shuddered. He wished more than ever that Rarity was his date to the games and not just part of his party. Spike sat back down next to Pinkie Pie, who was drinking the lemonade and who, in Spike's opinion, was the last pony he wanted to buy lemonade for. Spike spent the duration of the events trying to talk to Rarity through Pinkie Pie's absurd chanting and cheering. Every time Spike tried to say something, Pinkie Pie would shout things like "GO,GO,GO!" or, "Get out of here!" or, "My grandmother can go faster than that!" As the day wore on the ponies all eventually departed. At last all but Spike were left standing outside the gate to the now closed games.

He had made excuses to Twilight so that he could walk home by himself. Today was supposed to have been the day he asked out the pony of his dreams. But, looking back, Spike seriously doubted he would have actually had the nerve to talk to Rarity let alone ask her out. As he walked home Spike started to feel glummer and glummer. I should have at least said something to her! He still had the keychain Rarity had given him in his claw. The thought that he had not only failed but was also given a gift as though to taunt how close he got filled him with frustration and self hatred. He angrily aimed a kick at a stone only to find out it was a hard rock buried in the dirt.

"SPIKE!"

As Spike clutched his foot and started hopping up and down he turned at the sound of his name. No one was there. He shrugged and turned around.

"Hey Spike!"

"AAHH!"

Pinkie Pie was right in front of him. She was close enough so that her muzzle was almost touching Spike's snout. Spike, forgetting he was holding his foot, jumped and toppled over.

"How's it going?"

"Terrific." Grumbling, Spike picked himself up off of the ground and dusted himself off.

"Wow, Spike, I had no idea you were so cheerful. If I had just stubbed my foot and fallen on the ground and was covered in dirt I'd be feeling pretty down. And not just because I was on the ground. I'd also be down because I was covered in dirt and in pain but then again I don't have feet I have hooves. Do hooves hurt less than feet? I think they do. Hooves are really hard but not too hard that they can't get hurt. Mom always said that hooves are hooves and that was that. What does she mean by that I mean why can't this be that or that be this and what is that anyway? Is it papers? Or frogs? Maybe it's dachshunds! I love dachshunds don't you? I also like Border Collies too! Do you think that Applejack would let me borrow Winona for alittle while? I mean they're so cute and they are so..."

At this point Spike had long since stopped listening to Pinkie, and was concentrated on going home and sulking in peace. He finally made it to his door and was just trying to find a way to end the conversation politely when something Pinkie said suddenly caught his attention.

"Not to mention your abysmal failure with Rarity today, that was just awful!"

"Wait, what?" Spike snapped, panicking as he did.

"Oh when you were trying to get Rarity in a good mood to ask her out and you failed dismally, remember?" She bounced slightly.

"How did you know?"

"You told me, remember? And Twilight too, we both kept your secret!" said Pinkie smiling proudly, looking at Spike.

"Was I that obvious?" Spikes asked.

"No I don't think so, at least none of the others seemed to notice."

"Did you tell them?", asked Spike.

"Of course not, silly, I Pinkie swore, remember?"

"Oh yeah" said Spike. He should have known better than to suspect Pinkie of breaking her patented Pinkie Promise. The last one that was broken resulted in a wagon chase.

"So, what's the plan, Stan?"

"What do you mean?" asked Spike.

Pinkie cocked her head. "How are you going to ask our Rarity out?"

"Oh, I don't know I was going to just ask her I guess..."

"WHAT? You can't just hope for the best and see what happens! You need a plan!" Pinkie stated it as though it were obvious which, Spike had to admit, it practically was. "And not just a good plan, and not just an amazing plan, not even a super luper calorific amazing plan of goodness!" Spike was astounded. "Well, what kind of plan do I need then?"

Pinkie Pie grinned. "You need a Pinkie Plan!"