Twilight was in her library, reading her books - like always and taking notes while Spike frantically cleaned the castle.
The Princess let out a sigh after the fifth time Spike lifted Twilight up - while she was on the chair still - and cleaned. When he put her down, Twilight closed the book she was reading. "Spike, the castle is spotless, you can stop."
"I just want everything to be perfect for when Rachel moves in." Spike said.
Twilight ended up using her magic to make him stop moving. "Spike, Rachel's been here many times, times when the place was a wreck. I'm also excited that she's going to be living with us." She said calmly as she brought the dragon over to her. "It's going to be fine."
Spike nodded. "I hope so...I love Rachel and I want everything to be done right for her when she moves in."
Twilight sighed and forced him to sit down. "Spike, calm down, seriously. She seen the castle a mess. She made bigger messes with her painting. Remember when Starlight and Trixie had a magic battle and we all ended up changing into different animals as Rachel walked in?"
Spike grimace in memory. Spike ended up turning into a dog - yet again, and the two couldn't change anyone back for three days.
On the bright side, Rachel adored doggy Spike and they had fun playing games and loved the snuggle around the open fire. (and NO they did not sleep with each other in that form, that's just sick -.-')
"You know, this move in means you two are getting really serious." Twilight smiled as she lets him go and returned back to her books. "I won't be surprised by the end of the year, you'll ask her to marry you."
Spike stiffened at that. "Huh?!" he looked at her. "It's a little early to talk about that." Spike coughed at that, scratching his neck in a nervous motion.
Twilight giggled. "I'm teasing."
He glared at her before leaning back in his chair.
"Hey, don't give me that look." Twilight said as she jotted a few notes in her notepad.
Spike rolled his eyes before he looked to what Twilight was writing down. He saw a scribble drawing of a bracelet with what looked like jewels outside of it. "What are you doing?"
"I am making Rachel a Welcome Home gift. It's actually Rarity's idea. Each of us make Rachel a gift instead of throwing her a party. " Twilight said. "Starlight's already getting the materials for this."
"What is it exactly?" Spike asked as he leaned closer to it.
"It's called the Crystal Gauntlet." Twilight said as she continued to take notes.
"Um...it looks like a bracelet, not a gauntlet." Spike pointed out.
"I know, the naming thing is a working process." Twilight sighed softly as she sat back. "But it has some magical properties to it."
Spike raised a brow. "You going to put magic in it? Give Rachel powers?"
Twilight nodded. "Why not? Given the fact she was attacked by a unicorn six months ago, it'll be nice to have her something to fight back against it if she was in that situation again."
Every time he's reminded about what happened, Spike let out a low growl. He was surprised that he hasn't told anyone the truth to anyone. If he did, Rarity would be ruined forever - if she hasn't already with her bad luck.
Then he remembers what Rachel did before he came busting in and chuckled. "Rachel managed to fight off those ponies."
"Well, this bracelet should help her level the playing field somewhat." Twilight smiled. "If this works, then it'll be ground breaking."
"For...humans to have magic?"
Twilight nodded. "Well, yeah eventually. So I guess this makes Rachel a test subject."
Spike narrowed his eyes at her. "Um...I don't know how that'll be good." He was very skeptical that humans could handle magic.
"I know humans tend to abuse any power they get due to their past. But I'm sure there are reasonable humans like Rachel to use it responsible." Twilight smiled.
Just then, Starlight teleported into the room with an armful of stuff.
"Twilight, sis...have you thought of this through?" Spike asked her. "If this experiment you're tempting to use my girlfriend as a lab rat goes wrong and she gets hurt-"
"Don't worry, Spike." Starlight said as she put the stuff on the table in front of them. She dug into the bags and pulled out a black crystal. "We'll keep an eye-" The crystal in her hand consumed her arm in this inky black substance. "Um…" She shook it off but it wasn't coming off. When she hit her hand on the table, the table collapsed by the strength of it.
Twilight smiled nervously at Spike. "We'll make sure she won't get hurt...why don't you go to get lunch while Starlight and I-" Starlight's black strong arm started hissing. "- deal with this."
Spike made a face, he's so used to the strange magical mishaps that it doesn't phase him anymore… He sighed before getting up and heading out of the door, seriously rethinking of Rachel actually living here at the castle. He wanted to protect her from getting hurt with all this magic stuff like last time.
Then again, his girlfriend's tough….
Shaking his head, he strolled out of town. It was time to eat…
Now for dragons, it's no secret that they hunt for their meal. Looming over the Everfree forest, Spike hid among the tall trees to watch the forest below wearing only his pants. He discarded his shirt and shoes due to the fact it was much easier - and reasonable - to hunt without them.
Though it's common knowledge among the ponies that dragons eat meat, Spike tries to be discreet about it, thus ridding of his shirt so he wouldn't show any blood stains on it. Without his boots, he can run faster without 'em on anyway.
'Cause out here, for only a moment, Spike's a predator. Sure he could possibly eat gems all day long, but to get that necessary protein dragons need, they need to eat meat. They all began eating meat once they went through the molt. Even after years of evolution, they still stick to their primordial instincts.
Crouched on a sturdy tree branch, Spike scours the forest floor in search for his prey. He was in the mood for something with a bit of a fluff. He could hunt for a deer and he'll be satisfied for a week but after Fluttershy got scared of seeing it's carcass the last time he hunted, Spike had to turn down on his killings. Trying his claws on a bear… yeah he wasn't ready to tangle with those creatures just yet.
He looked for a raccoon when he spotted a lone sheep just walking aimlessly through the woods. Judging by the apple burned onto it's bum that it was one of AJ's. These guys are notorious of escaping their pens.
And, sorry Applejack, but Spike's hungry and wants something that's fast and very much filling for his growling stomach.
Spike waited for the animal to get within well of his sight before he jumped right on top of it. The sheep baa-ed and screamed, trying to get away but the dragon held on to it. After a clean sharp twist of the neck, the sheep lay limp in his arms.
Quick, clean, painless. Now most dragons would eat their prey while they are still alive, something about the meat taste much sweeter or something, but Spike always killed his catch as a sign of respect and so they wouldn't suffer. He sat the dead animal on the ground, kneeling right in front of it. Spike made sure no one would walk up on him while he feasted, doubling to make sure any of Fluttershy's friends don't go and rat him out. When satisfied, Spike dug into the fluffy fur of the animal and began eating it.
Tearing into the raw flesh, using his teeth to tear the the muscles and meat, Spike feasted over the sheep for a good half an hour, eating the meat and organ till there was nothing but scraps. After he ate, he discarded what was left around the forest so the timber wolves could eat it.
Satisfied his hunger, spike headed out to Zecora's hut. When the dragon got to the door, he raised his fist to knock, Zecora called out from the other side.
"Before your fist become sore, why don't you just come through the door?" Zecora asked him. A smile could easily heard through her words.
Spike chuckled before he entered the home. The native zebra was over her cauldron, wearing a rather thin shirt that only covered her supple breasts, a ripped skirt that was up to her upper thighs, wearing her many bangles and armbands all over her body. The slithe zebra was cooking something good.
"Whatcha cookin'?" Spike asked her as he walked over to one of her many shelves filled with various potions and elixirs. He reached up and grabbed the one with his name labeled on it. The elixir was a special type of soap that'll help wash the smell of raw meat and the blood off his scales.
"My old family recipe that is easy to chew. A very, yummy vegetable and beet stew." zecora said as she took a taste of it.
Zecora was one of the few beings in his life who don't mind seeing him in this bloody state. Surprisingly, Rachel was one of them. Spike was hunting in the Evergrove, he had hunted a deer and as he was about to kill it, an arrow suddenly pierced it right in it's head, killing it instantly. Spike was scared for a moment till he smelt Rachel before she walked out of the push with her bow and arrow on hand with a confident, sexy grin on her face.
That's only one of the many, many reasons why he loves her.
"The spring is free, my young Spike. You must go out and bathe as much to your delight."
Spike nodded as he head out back to the spring so he could wash the blood and grime off.
As he washed, what Twilight said echoed in his mind. I won't be surprised by the end of the year, you'll ask her to marry you. He groaned deeply.
Great, now I'm thinking that...too early! Spike thought as he sunk in deeper into the spring.
Rachel's moving in, so what's the big deal? They wouldn't have to waste energy to see each other every other week. No more talking with phone or computer, she'll be there every day with him… Her beautiful smile basking down at him when he wakes up in the morning, the smell of her scent filling his senses. The thought of being with her sent blood down south of the dragon as he continued thinking of her and what Twilight said.
Spike quickly dunk his head into the water and growled loudly. The water ended up heating up, creating bubbles in the spring.
Marriage was too early, he declared. They only have been dating for six months….
But… still, first it's moving in….then it's that….
Meanwhile, Rarity was working on a new design for the umptheenth time as customers come in...and bought the clothes she made in courtesy of her friends' design drawing.
Tired of using them as a clutch, Rarity attempted to work on her skill.
As she worked on the neckline, the pencil she used snapped, scratching along the page.
"UGH!" She snapped, taking the paper, crumpling it up into a ball and throwing it into the trash bin before slamming her head on the desk. "I am sick and tired of being in this funk." Rarity muffled into the pearl white face of the desk.
Rarity planned on her big come back by the end of the month. A line debuting a Medieval theme of knights from stories based on centuries ago. If she couldn't come up with the line and bring them out during the show and nab some new customers, Rarity will have no choice but to close down her shops forever.
Facing her worst nightmare - her desire was gone.
Rarity turned her head towards the pictures on her walls. Spotting Spike in the sea of photos. Back when he adored modeling for her, being a part of the shows. The one photo prior of the cruise, Spike was dressed in a rather a black-blue suit with silver lapis and feather-like texturing on the jacket. For that moment, Rarity had to modify his wings to match the raven theme. The outfit showed off his well built physique, sporting a rather camera loving smile.
Rarity's heart skipped a beat everytime she looked at that photo. The photo was at least two years old…
Before the cruise...before she became a victim of a sexual assault. Thanks to Dr. Psyrina Colt, the therapist she was seeing, her losing her fashion mojo was an ongoing process of depression from her being raped by that disgusting human male.
"If you continue to go down on this depressed, pity state, your rapist will win." Psyrina told Rarity once. She even told her that in some cases, victims meet with their attacker in prison, seeing them locked up in a cage would show that they don't hold the power anymore… Rarity wasn't ready to see him...not yet.
One thing has changed however since the cruise: her love of Spike. She couldn't help but get jealous over Rachel, seeing Spike happy.
Oh how she missed Spike coming over every day. Rarity felt ashamed to have used him all these years. Never giving him the attention like his girlfriend was giving him.
Since nothing would making spike leave her and come to Rarity, Rarity tries to focus on her fashion.
Which was a poor, failed attempt. Determined to find a solution, Rarity got up, grabbed her purse and took off towards Twilight's castle.
Her heeled hooves clicked together as she walked down the street. Along the dirt path that would lead to the shiny castle.
"Twilight must have something that could help me." Rarity told herself when she went through the front door as she always had.
"Twilight? Darling, are you here?" Rarity called out.
There was a loud bang coming from the library that caused the unicorn to jump with a shout. "What on earth was that?!"
"Where the fuck did you get this one?!" Twilight's voice carried off loudly through the castle, followed by sounds of magic beams being shot out.
"In the place where I got the rest!" Starlight shouted off as well, followed by more magic beams being used. "These crystals are voice sensitive with a certain spell. What we said activated one of them!"
Rarity pushed her purple curls out of her face before she walked towards the library. Another day in this castle, apparently. Upon reaching the library, Rarity nearly shitted bricks.
An Ursula Major...a fucking Ursula Major was inside attacking Starlight and Twilight.
"Maybe I can wait." rarity said, stepping away from the fight.
The princess and Starlight fought against the beast. The powerful giant creature roared, using it's strength, it's claws and teeth to attack. The two powerful ponies floated above the massive creature and tried to contain it in here.
"What did we say to bring it out?!" Starlight asked Twilight as they continued to shoot magic at it.
Which was pissing it off even more.
"From the list, uh…..Cormariursula!" Twilight remembered and spoke it out loud.
The creature roared before it faded away. The galaxy-colored crystal faded to dark, along with so many crystals they had tested and discarded due to the fact that they were too dangerous to be presented for a gift.
Rarity slowly poked her head in. "Is...is it safe to come in?" Rarity asked with a whimper.
"Oh, hey Rares." Starlight said breathless before she and Twilight dropped from the air and landed on beanbag chairs they've been using.
"Give us...five minutes." Twilight groaned. Both of them were worn out.