Ch.2: Rarity's "True" Feelings

"Oh, Spike! It's simply marvelous!" Rarity cried as she admired the blue-sapphire-with-silver pin on the turquoise silk scar wrapped around the neck of one of her mannequins. "I don't understand how I could have missed this sort of idea." Spike just smiled modestly.

"Well, I figured that they might go together since they're both consisting of shades of blue," he explained. "So I figured I just put the pin on the scarf and see how it looks." Rarity then smiled down at the little dragon.

"Oh, you are truly a creative genius, my little Spikey-Wikey," she purred before kissing him on the cheek. Spike then felt his heart beat like crazy and his face flushed up from the feeling of her lips on his cheek. Oh, how he wonders if she feels the same way for him when he came close to confessing his feelings to her back at that incident with his greed-growth spurt…

"Oh, dear," he suddenly heard Rarity cry out with surprise. "Is it that late already? Twilight must be worried sick about you." Spike shook his head to clear it and looked up at the clock. 7:30 PM?

"Whoa, I can't believe I lost track of the time!" he replied before turning to Rarity. "Sorry, Rarity, but I have to get back home."

"I understand, Spike," she replied with a smile. "Just be sure to give her and Marvin my gratitude and regards."

"Will do," he replied, returning his smile. "See ya later, Rarity." He then went out the door to exit the boutique. As he headed back to the library, the little dragon couldn't help but twirl around all daydreamy. Ever since he came close to confessing his love to Rarity, he was starting to believe that she felt the same about him. After telling him how proud she is at stopping himself from destroying Ponyville, calling him her hero, and kissing him on the cheek, he's starting to believe that he's won his heart. Looks like Twilight was wrong about him not having a chance with the one who bears the Element of Generosity…

"Oh, now don't you look adorable?" Spike stopped when he heard a voice speak to him. Immediately recognizing it, he spun around to face the creature looking down at him in the light of the full moon.

"Discord!" he cried out in fear. "Wh-What are you doing here?"

"I only came to see you," the Draconequus answered as he admired his eagle talons rather calmly. "See how you're fairing." Spike then held up his fists, trying to be brave.

"Just because I'm small," he growled, "doesn't mean I won't go down without a fight!" Discord just looked down at the little dragon with a chuckle.

"You really think that's gonna work?" he asked him. "You're probably thinking that if Rarity comes out and sees you beat me up, she'll swoon over you, wrap her arms around your neck, call you a heroic dragon, confess her love to you, and pull you into a passionate kiss?" Spike still held his ground.

"I don't care what you do to me," he snapped. "You're not coming anywhere near the princess or any of my friends!" Discord only sighed in reply.

"There you go again, being your adorable yet naïve self." Spike started to lower his guard a bit with a bit of confusion to mix in with his anger.

"What are you talking about?" he demanded. Discord simply cracked one eye open at the younger creature.

"I'm simply stating that you don't stand a chance with Rarity, Spike," he explained. "Your chances with her are just slim, no matter what you do for her." Spike just glared at him.

"I don't believe you," he snarled.

"I don't expect you to," the taller creature stated with a shrug, "but it's the truth." He then floated around the little dragon so that a coil of his long body surrounds him. "Just answer me one question: Just what was Rarity's response when you told her how you feel about her?" He doesn't know why, but the odd look in Discord's eyes was making Spike want to answer him truthfully.

"Well, she stopped me before I could completely tell her," he answered, "and she just smiled at me with tears in her eyes."

"And she never said that she loves you back?"

"N-No…" With a smile, Discord snapped his fingers, and a white hand mirror appeared before the little dragon.

"What's that?"

"This mirror will allow you to look into the mind of the one whose mind you wish to look into," Discord answered. "All you have to do is hold it in your hands while thinking about that someone. And believe you me…it never lies." Feeling reluctant, Spike took the mirror into his hands while thinking about Rarity. Some colors began to swirl around across the glass of the mirror before they faded into Rarity standing in a spotlight within a dark area.

Spike can immediately see that the Unicorn of his dreams is very sad about something. She was frowning and appeared close to tears. Although her voice wasn't moving, he can hear her voice coming from the mirror:

"Poor little Spike. He has been so good to me ever since that dreadful incident with his growth spurt. I thought he was only being a good friend, but it turns out he's in love with me. I should have guess he was helping me so that he can be near me. Oh, but I can never love him back. It's not because he is a dragon and I am a Pony; it's because he's too young for me…I guess I have no choice. Tomorrow morning, I will go to him and tell him that don't love him back. Oh, how I hate to break his heart, but…"

Spike didn't hear anymore as he lost his grip on the mirror, letting it slip out of his hands before it vanished in a puff of lavender smoke before it could hit the ground. Rarity really doesn't love him back. After what he came close to telling her, she couldn't love him back just because he's too young for him?!

But…he was her hero…she kissed him on the cheek…Was she only being nice so he wouldn't beat himself up over almost destroying Ponyville?

Discord meanwhile watched as Spike fell to his knees with tears in his eyes, which were emitting the same swirling colors as the mirror was. Apparently, none of his Pony friends told him about his hypnotic abilities. He then lowered his head next to the little dragon's with a frown.

"What did you see?" he asked softly. "What did you hear?"

"Rarity…" Spike answered with a lump in his throat. "She…she doesn't love me…I'm too young for her…" He then buried his face into his hands, devastated over his loss.

"It's not fair!" he sobbed. "After all I've done for her, she won't love me back because I'm too young for her? Is that how everypony will think of me? That I could never be loved back no matter what I do?" Discord just patted his shaking shoulder in comfort.

"I know it hurts," he said softly, "but it's the truth. You can't find love here in Ponyville because you're a black sheep…an outcast…At least you'd fit in fine with Garble and his friends. Despite all that happened at that phoenix egg incident, they really want you back into their gang." Spike looked up at him with tears staining his face.

"They do?" Discord nodded in answer.

"Garble even said that although you were raised by Ponies, you're still a dragon. You can stay here and bear with not winning Rarity's heart, or you can meet up with Garble in the Everfree Forest and rejoin the gang." He then watched triumphantly as Spike's color became a little grayer.

"It's your choice…"