"I can't believe I was so stupid." Scootaloo mumbled through her tears, head hanging low and resting on her knees. Having pulled up her legs to her waist and hugging them tightly, as if to shrink away from the world. On either side of her were her two closest friends, Apple Bloom sitting on her right and Sweetie Belle on her left. Each snuggled up beside her as they had taken refuge in their small tree house after the events at school today. The sun was already low on the horizon and both girls were concerned as they didn't want to cause a commotion by coming home late but also couldn't abandon their friend in this situation. "I fell for it completely. I should have known better. No one could love someone like me."
"Scootaloo..." Apple Bloom began but the necessary words to say to her friend were escaping her. She'd been doing her best to avoid all of this mess with these boys and relationships but now that both of them had blown up for Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo she didn't know what to do about either. "He's just a jerk. Don't let him make you think that way."
"He was just using me." Scootaloo sobbed. "I was probably just... just his 'in' so that he could move on to Sweetie Belle next." The hand that wasn't around Scootaloo of Sweetie Belle's was clutching her dress tightly. Not savoring the position she'd been put in from all of this either.
"I never would have accepted it." Sweetie Belle said. "I was so confused when he came up to me, I didn't understand what was going on until you showed up."
"I know... you're a good person." Scootaloo said to Sweetie Belle. "I just... I just thought that... maybe now... maybe I had something. Someone. That was mine and special to me. I thought..." She let the idea go and her friends kept close to her still. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom looking at each other, not sure what to do. While sitting in place struggling to comfort their friend there was the sound of a knocking against the wood of the tree house.
"I thought you pulled up the ladder?" Sweetie Belle asked Apple Bloom who looked just as confused as her.
"I did!" Apple Bloom confirmed, yet another knock hit the wood. This time it sounded like something was being thrown. "Sure hope it ain't Big Mac or Sis' come to tell us tah git outta the tree house." Standing up from her spot Apple Bloom approached the window to see the person on her property that was preparing to throw another rock. A familiar boy's face, but thankfully not the one she feared showing up the most. "What do y'all want!?" She shouted down, less than happy to see him.
"I want to talk to Scootaloo." Rumble shouted back up. Last she'd seen of him he had tackled Rain Catcher after he threatened to hit Scootaloo but once that happened the girls had made their escape. From the looks of the black eye and other scratches he had she didn't think he did too well in that fight.
"Well she don't wanna talk tah you. So scram!"
"Did you even ask her?" Rumble shouted back and Apple Bloom looked behind her to see that Scootaloo hadn't moved from her spot on the floor but must have certainly heard the shouting. Sweetie Belle just shook her head.
"Yep, yer not wanted. Git off my farm."
"I... I fought for her! I just wanted to ask if she was okay."
"Well she ain't. And you ain't helpin'."
"Don't I get to at least... say something after all of that!? Don't I deserve it!?" Rumble asked out loud, almost to the world at large. "I've been patient! I gave her her space and now that jerk Rain Catcher is gone. So why can't I see her!?" Apple Bloom was starting to ponder what she had in the tree house she could toss at him to convince him to leave, but before she could find ammunition to launch more people began to approach. Surprisingly this company was more welcoming than him.
"Okay, this is just embarrassing." Diamond Tiara spoke up from behind Rumble, Silver Spoon in tow behind her. "Are you really shouting that you deserve to see a girl right after she broke up with some guy? Like, for real? That's pathetic."
"Who asked you!?" Rumble shouted in a rage. "What's wrong with me being here right now!? Why is it okay for everyone else but me? Explain that!"
"Fine, if that's what you want." Diamond said, and Apple Bloom could see something in her expression, even from the distance of being up inside the tree house. There was a gleam of the old bully she used to be. "Because we know you're only here to get your dick wet. You understand, little boy? You think you're a super man for getting into a fight with some asshole at school and now she's going to leap into your arms because you saved her. But if you really gave a damn about her feelings you'd let her deal with them instead of trying to come here and collect your trophy. That's why you don't belong here."
"I... but... she... I just-"
"Rumble." Silver Spoon spoke up from behind Diamond. Her voice was softer and more even tempered than Diamond's had been. "If you really do care about Scootaloo, then you should go right now. This isn't the time, okay? You can talk to her another day, but right now isn't good. So, please?" Confronted with the wall of aggression that was Diamond Tiara in this moment and the honest request of Silver Spoon, Rumble hung his head down and walked away, all of the girls waiting until he was completely out of sight before they continued. "That was kind of rough of you, Diamond."
"Hmph, don't ask me if I regret it. You know I was right! He's been trying to get in her panties for a while now."
"Yeah but, maybe he's not as bad as you-know-who. I know you don't think all boys are bad."
"Whatever, he needed to go. Everyone can agree on that. Right, Apple Bloom!?" Diamond suddenly shouted up, catching her off guard. "Can you let the stairs down for us?"
"Uh... yeah, just gimme a sec." Apple Bloom agreed, stepping away from the window to exit the tree house and lower the rather complicated but sturdy stairs they had all built together for her tree house. Once it was down the pair climbed up and entered with Apple Bloom, seeing Scootaloo on the floor.
"Going that well, huh?" Diamond Tiara asked with a sigh. "Okay, you girls are relieved. We'll take it from here."
"What!?" Sweetie Belle asked in surprise. "We can't just leave right now! Scootaloo needs us!" She protested but Silver Spoon came over and knelt down nearby.
"I know it sounds kind of strange but believe me, this is better done if it's just the three of us. We... know a few things about what she's going through. And I think it's better if it's between all of us." Sweetie Belle looked distraught at leaving her friend behind, turning her gaze to Apple Bloom who seemed equally conflicted. The farm girl crossed her arms at let out a huff.
"So... ah got yer solemn word that yer both just here tah help, right?"
"I'll bet my tiara on it." Diamond said confidently, looking Apple Bloom square in the eyes. "Let me be the one that helps for once, please? I don't think there's many areas I can do that but this one... this is the one where I'm the best for the job."
"...fine. Let's go, Sweetie Belle."
"Really?" Sweetie Belle asked.
"Really, ah believe her." Approaching Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle both gave her a hug which she returned to them. Saying their goodbyes the two girls left, leaving Scootaloo with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. Her past tormentors and in particular the girls that "told her so" about Rain Catcher in the first place. She was understandably nervous as they now took the positions sitting side by side with her where her friends had been sitting before.
"So... the creep pushed you into it too, didn't he?" Diamond Tiara began, Scootaloo unable to respond. "I'm not sure how much you two did but just know that... Well, whatever it was there's nothing wrong with you for having done it."
"I... I let him touch me." Scootaloo began, shuddering a little and finding that two arms were there to comfort her by rubbing her back gently. "I let him touch me and... then... I put it in my mouth."
"So the same thing as me." Diamond Tiara said with a sigh. "I don't know how he was with you. I hope he wasn't rough or I'll crush his balls myself." Diamond said but Scootaloo shook her head.
"No... I... I did it for him. I just didn't... didn't think that right after that... the next day... the very next day!" She began crying and it was Silver that took her into an embrace this time, as Diamond Tiara watched, gathering her courage to continue to be the one that helps like she promised.
"Some guys are like that." Diamond said, looking at the floor of the tree house. "They just... get what they want and once they have it, they're done with you. I dunno what it is about some people but that's what they do."
"He said... he said we stopped but... I just didn't want to do more that night. I didn't think he meant that we'd stop us. Forever." Scootaloo sobbed and found some comfort in the embrace of the girl holding her.
"He knew what you meant, but he did it anyway." Diamond Tiara said. "It was similar to me. Only we argued the next time he wanted me to do it... then it was just over. No talk of a break up. He just found a different girl. Threatened to say I was easy and would take any guy if I even tried to argue with him. The fact that you yelled at him in school, that was pretty brave of you to confront him like that."
"I was just mad." Scootaloo answered and Diamond smiled a little, rubbing her back again. "Hey Diamond... when will it stop hurting?"
"I don't know. One day I just didn't care as much anymore. Then I saw what he was doing with you and it brought back all that old anger. Knowing he was trying to hurt someone else."
"Even if it was just me?" Scootaloo asked, feeling small and vulnerable."
"Yep, even if it was you. Don't think I'd let him get away with tarnishing such a cute and naive young girl did you?"
"I don't think I'm that naive anymore. Or cute." Scootaloo said quietly.
"Nah, you are. Deep down. He didn't take anything from you. Just... you've seen some things now. Things that I knew the other girls wouldn't understand the same way as us.
"Wait... so does that mean that, Silver Spoon did you-"
"Oh, no! Not at all." Silver Spoon said, trying to smile to comfort her. "He tried but I wasn't interested in the first place. And well, I'd heard about it before from Diamond Tiara so I figured it was okay if I was here too so you both weren't alone."
"If it wasn't for Silver I don't think I would have felt better about myself no matter what happened after." Diamond Tiara admitted, smiling across at her friend. "I just needed you to know Scootaloo: don't let him make you feel like a victim. If that guy doesn't want to date you anymore, his loss. You'll find someone better. And if you need to talk to someone about... y'know, that kinda stuff. We can be the ones that you talk to."
"Thank you Diamond." Scootaloo said, letting go of Silver Spoon so that she could hug her other friend. "I really appreciate you coming here to see me."
"Don't go telling everyone or they'll think I'm going soft." Tiara said, returning the hug.
"But I kinda like the softer you." Scootaloo said which made Diamond look uncomfortable at the compliment.
"Well... ugh... I'm at my limit for being sweet today." She said, letting the hug go gently and standing up. "Silver, you don't mind walking her back home do you?"
"You've got another detour?" Silver asked, sounding slightly annoyed at it.
"Just a little one. I'll make it up to you later, I promise."
"Fine, go on ahead." Silver relented, Diamond thanking her for it and waving off to both girls before exiting the tree house. The annoyed expression didn't leave her face as she exited and it got Scootaloo's curiosity peaked.
"What kind of detour is she taking?"
"Oh you know... the kind of detour we've been talking about." Silver Spoon said, leaning back against the tree house wall. "Boys and junk."
"You mean Snips?" Scootaloo asked and the annoyed expression left Silver as it changed to surprise. "Diamond kinda admitted it to me before that she's been seeing him but ... not? Like it's a secret or something."
"Yep, big old secret. Which means she's gotta have secret meetings. Just the two of them." Silver Spoon replied, a little bit of venom in her voice.
"You don't like Snips, huh?"
"I never really thought about him before. But it's not his fault, it's just... he took Diamond from me."
"Took her from you?" Scootaloo asked, feeling confused. "But you two are together all the time. It's not that bad is it?" She pressed on but Silver seemed even more depressed at the question. "Are you okay? I feel like there's something wrong."
"I'm supposed to be the one comforting you."
"Oh, yeah. Well, I'll be okay. I'd rather not think about all that stuff right now anyway. Plus it feels nice if I can comfort someone else too." She said with a smile. "Return the favor, y'know?"
"Diamond was right, you are a sweet girl." Silver Spoon said, letting out a sigh. "Can I tell you a secret?"
"Sure, you already know all of mine." Scootaloo answered.
"I… don't like boys."
"Like, in general?"
"Like as in I don't like boys like how the other girls like boys." Silver explained and it took Scootaloo a second to think about it. "I like girls."
"Oh. Well, that's not really a big deal right? I mean there's lots of girls that are just into girls." Scootaloo said to try and reassure her, not understanding why it was such a secret to keep.
"Yeah but... I really liked one girl in particular." Silver Spoon said.
"Oh yeah, who was it?" Scootaloo asked and Silver Spoon gave her a frown for not having caught up in time. "Wait... Diamond Tiara!?"
"Yep. I feel in love with my best friend, like an idiot would."
"I uh... wow. That's not what I thought you were going to say." Scootaloo replied, trying to wrap her head around it. "Did you ever ask her about it?"
"Yeah, before. She always says boys are idiots but she's not into girls. I've asked. More than once."
"Ah. Um... I'm sorry, Silver." Scootaloo replied, not really sure how to help in this situation. "I mean, you're really pretty. I'm sure you'll find a girl that makes you happy."
"Maybe... but it's just... watching her walk out the door really makes me have to understand to move on." Silver Spoon explained. "I'm sorry, I really am just dumping my problems on you."
"No no, hey, listen. I think I get it. It's sorta what I've gotta do too, right? That's what you and Diamond were telling me before." Scootaloo reassured her. "Just don't let these problems hold you back, right?" She asked her and got an unexpected response as Silver Spoon suddenly leaned in and kissed her on the lips. A kiss that she didn't return but didn't pull away from. When Silver opened her eyes to see that Scootaloo was looking directly at her she pulled back.
"Sorry!" Oh, why in Celestia's name did I do that!?" She shouted, covering her face. "I'm so stupid, what was I thinking!"
"Uh... Silver?" Scootaloo asked quietly, the silver haired girl's hands slowly pulling away from her eyes to look at the other girl. "Do you... like me?"
"Well... I don't 'not' like you." Silver admitted. "I just... we were talking about moving on and saying to get past old things and I just... I dunno why but I thought you were asking me to kiss you but then I realized that wasn't it at all. I'm so sorry!"
"It's... okay. I think." Scootaloo responded cautiously.
"Really?"
"I mean... I didn't dislike it. I was just surprised."
"Did you... want to try it again?" Silver Spoon asked and Scootaloo swallowed a lump in her throat. Did she? With her new friend and former bully? Did she want to keep kissing this girl?
"S-sure." Scootaloo answered hesitantly. "Let's um... let's try it again?" Scootaloo offered and Silver Spoon nodded her head, cuddling up next to her on the floor of the tree house. Leaning in to once again kiss their lips together.
Strangely, Scootaloo found it pleasant, but different than her previous experience kissing someone. Silver was so much more reserved, as if she was afraid to push things too far. Which put Scootaloo in charge of controlling the pace between them. When she opened her mouth to deepen the kiss she could feel Silver Spoon gasping a little but eager to accept. Their arms moving around one another and holding each other as they kissed further. Gently Scootaloo reached up and took off Silver's glasses, setting them on the floor nearby as their arms wrapped around each other tighter. When their lips finally parted and they backed up to look at one another Scootaloo could see the blush in her cheeks. "Wow... you're um... good at that." Silver confessed.
"I guess I did it a few times before." Scootaloo said. "Wait... was I your first kiss?"
"...yeah. Don't go telling everyone though." Silver Spoon admitted, looking more sweet and innocent with her glasses off. "So was it okay?"
"It was different. You're a lot softer to kiss. It's hard to explain."
"Do you want to do it some more?" Silver asked. "Wait, no, I shouldn't be asking that. We just yelled at Rumble for trying this and now here I am doing the same thing. It's... it's not right if I just-" Her words were cut off as Scootaloo pulled her face towards her and kissed her again. Silver's body relaxing into it and hugging her tightly. They stayed that way for a while until Scootaloo happened to open up an eye to see just how far the sun had gone down.
"Hey Silver?"
"Yeah?" She asked, almost dreamily.
"We should probably get home before someone comes back to the tree house looking for us." Scootaloo suggested and Silver blinked her eyes to look around, seeing how dark it was and realizing just how much time had passed.
"Oh! Yeah, I uh... I promised I'd walk you home." She said, reaching down searching for her glasses. Scootaloo handed them to her and she took them gratefully. The two girls rose up from the floor and exited the tree house together. Thankfully no one had shown up to see what they'd been up to so with that assurance they began walking through the apple grove back to town. "So um... you like girls too?"
"I guess I do." Scootaloo said, thinking it over. "I never thought a lot about it before today but... I guess I like girls and boys. At least nice ones." She said to her with a smile. "Say, that reminds me of something. Do you remember the pool party and Diamond's?"
"Yeah, the one where we got spied on?"
"Yeah and all that other stuff that happened. But I remember the swimsuit you were wearing was really really skimpy. Did you wear that because... y'know... you were trying to see which one of us might like girls?"
"Oh, that thing? Honestly I just thought it looked nice. I guess I didn't give much thought to how small it was." Silver Spoon admitted. "Did you like seeing me in it?"
"Well, it did look really good on you." Scootaloo admitted, wondering if she was really flirting with someone else already after a break up. If that was okay or not? But somehow this felt so much nicer than how things were before she didn't want to refuse it.
"Maybe I can um... wear it for you again some time?" Silver asked and Scootaloo admitted she'd like that. Slowly her hand reached out and Silver Spoon took it as they walked back into town together. Maybe this was a one time thing for them, right here and now. Maybe it could be something more? But Scootaloo was feeling confident again about herself, and in her friends, and that was the thing she was happy she could be sure about above all else.
"So, this is goodbye." Rarity said, standing on the train platform as the locomotive stood at the ready. Sun coming up over the horizon of the new day. Blueblood standing before her as the porters collected tickets and loaded bags behind them.
"Only for now." Blueblood said. "I understand that you can't come to the castle with me, even if I were to ask again."
"There's too much here that's important to me. So much that I can't give up." Rarity admitted. "I know this means you'll be accosted by all manner of maidens when you return as always."
"Well... whatever stories you may have heard of that may have been a tad... exaggerated. Possibly by my own words." Blueblood admitted sheepishly. "Truly no woman has ever made me second guess myself like you, Rarity. It's in the name, you're one of a kind." He said, earning a smile from her.
"Do find out how Twilight is doing for me, won't you?"
"But of course, I'll let her know of your concerns. It truly did surprise me to discover she wasn't here when I arrived. Or Celestia's little ward, Spike. They're probably enjoying themselves with my aunts I'm sure."
"I'm sure..." Rarity repeated. "Blueblood, listen. If you... if you hear things about me at the castle. Please try to remember the me you spent time with here. In this small little town."
"I can't imagine anyone would have a bad word of you back in the capital." Blueblood said and Rarity couldn't meet his gaze. "Regardless, nothing can affect my opinion of you."
"We'll see." Rarity said solemnly. His hand reached out and grasped hers, drawing her gaze back up to him.
"A kiss to remember you by?" Blueblood asked and the expression and blush on her face couldn't keep him from grinning wide at the sight of it.
"In public!? But... people will see! They'll talk!"
"That I got to kiss the most beautiful and talented woman in your town? Now that is a rumor I'd be honored to have about me."
"Hmph, you're still a shameless cad. Asking a lady such a thing." Rarity said, but pulled him in closer by his hand. "Only a gesture of kindness, don't get your head swollen by it."
"Perish the fear." Blueblood replied, the two sharing a kiss that did catch a few glances on that dimly lit morning platform. Though as the light from the sun began to shine on them that much brighter, the two separated again. First by the lips and then even more slowly by the hand. "Try to remember me when you become famous for your fashion and creations."
"Says the prince of the kingdom to a commoner." Rarity replied with a smile, waving to Blueblood as he boarded the train. Once he was out of sight she let out a sigh and turned back, heading home before she followed temptation onto the train with him. He was going to arrive at the castle and by then the news of Spike disappearing would become plain as day to him. She didn't know what Twilight would say to him about her relationship with Spike. If anything at all. Both had been gone from the town for days now and even after that strange night with Trixie they hadn't heard from the Princess or Twilight. Just the few royal guards that had seemed to up and vanish from the town after the incident.
Returning to her boutique Rarity locked the door behind her and climbed the stairs up to her room. Falling into the bed sheets she had so recently shared with the two men in her life. Wondering what either would think of her when they found out what she'd been doing with them. The house was terribly quiet and lonely and Rarity felt tired and vulnerable. But most of all she wanted all her friends to be safe and not have to worry for them. Letting herself relax she made a little prayer to whoever might be listening that these problems would all end soon enough.
The training area for the soldiers wasn't a place Twilight Sparkle found herself often at the castle. Only in the company of her brother, today being no exception to that rule. She stood aside as she watched her brother hold out his sword and concentrate his magic on it, coating the blade in the shield magic he was proficient in. "You're doing good so far, that's the easy part."
"Maybe to you." Shining Armor retorted with a laugh. "Stretching and shaping a shield to match a sword isn't the most natural way to use this magic."
"You'll notice the benefits fast." Twilight instructed him. "You've got the shape down now, right?" He nodded his head, clearly concentrating but seeming to have an easy enough time with the effort. "Okay, now just do what we practiced and it should work."
"Alright, here we go." Shining Armor agreed, wrapping both hands around his blade's hilt and focusing on it. Watching as the color of the blade changed from a clear, sparkling force to one that glowed red with flames dancing off the blade. "Hey, it worked!"
"I had no doubt." Twilight Sparkle said confidently as she wrote down the results on a pad of paper she was carrying. "You should be able to do that with all sorts of elements now." At her suggestion the red color changed to a deep blue as frost coated the metal of the sword. Again with some concentration the blade changed to yellow, electricity crackling along the metal. Though after that the force field around the blade popped like a balloon as Shining Armor caught his breath.
"Well that's a useful trick." Shining said, sheathing the blade once more. "Though with any luck I won't have a lot of reasons to use it."
"Preparation is always important in any task." Twilight lectured, something that normally her brother would complain about but he seemed more than happy to have her around helping him with his magical practice. Just glad to see her looking more alive and awake again. While she wrote down her results and the directions with how to recreate them for her brother she could hear footsteps approaching in the distance.
"Twilight." Cadence called out to her.
"Just a second, Cadence, I'm almost done here." Twilight said, continuing to write down her findings and turning her head to her sister-in-law. "So, did Celestia want us for lunch aga-"
"Hey." She was interrupted by the boy standing next to Cadence. Having entered the training yard with her but Twilight had been so engrossed in her work she hadn't noticed. Weakly he waved to her and so shocked was she that Twilight dropped everything in her hands.
"Spike?"
"Sorry I kept you waiting." Spike said sheepishly, looking away from Twilight's gaze. Which left him unprepared for when she ran at him and hugged him.
"Thank goodness!" Twilight sobbed, hugging him tightly against her chest. "Thank goodness! Thank goodness! I thought I lost you forever!" Overcome with emotion himself Spike hugged her back, unable to hold back the tears he'd been keeping inside. Cadence and Shining Armor stood aside, watching the two embrace over their reunion.
"You found him?" Shining Armor asked Cadence who shook her head in response.
"He just... walked into the castle and found me." Cadence explained. "And then asked if I could take him to where Twilight was. Just like that."
"Just like that." Shining Armor repeated in surprise. "We couldn't find him for the life of us but he walks in the front door without so much as an announcement. I'm almost impressed." As the tears began to dry up between Twilight and Spike she knelt down before him and held his face in her hands.
"Just look at you. Thank Celestia! Oh, you're probably hungry! I bet you need a bath. No, a doctor! We should get you checked up right away! I'll take you to-"
"Twilight." Cadence interrupted, approaching the both of them. "I think Spike is fine... physically anyway. But I agree he needs a meal and a bath."
"Oh, well then I'll just-"
"We should let Shining Armor take care of that part." Cadence intervened again. "You don't mind, do you Love?"
"Shouldn't take us too long. Wanna hit the showers, Spike?" Shining Armor asked, Spike looking between everyone and feeling an odd tension in the air.
"Sure... I'll be just a little while, okay Twilight?" Spike agreed and Twilight nodded, as he was led away from her by her brother. Leaving Twilight and Cadence outside together alone now.
"Cadence, what was that about?" Twilight asked seriously.
"That... was for your own good." Cadence said.
"What do you mean!? He's been lost for days and what, you think I'm smothering him?"
"Twilight, neither you nor Spike have dealt with what brought you both here in the first place."
"Who cares about all of that!? He's home now, he's safe. That's all that matters, now we can finally-"
"What? Go back to 'normal'? To the way things were?" Cadence asked her seriously. "Do you really believe that after everything that's happened? Right now it's just the two of you we're talking about here. We haven't even discussed how this will affect things with the rest of the town, not to mention Rarity and her sister from what you've told me."
"So... so what then!? Should we stay separated?" Twilight challenged, feeling an anger rise up in her that was surprising even to herself. "I can't do that. Not again."
"No, not at all. But you two need to reconcile. I'll set that up for you, okay?" Cadence offered, approaching her and resting a hand on her shoulder. "I know this has all been very painful for you, Twilight. I can feel it, inside of you. But unless we untangle this knot of issues you two have there's no way I can see things ending well for either of you."
"...fine. I'll... trust you." Twilight relented, realizing her hands had been balled into fists and slowly released their grip.
"Besides, I'm sure Celestia is eager to see him again as well. We should afford her that moment to reunite too." Cadence offered, leading her sister out of the field and back into the castle.
"I hope she isn't too rough on him. Princess Celestia has been acting strangely lately." "Strange? How?"
"Sometimes she seems lost in thought. Like she forgets where she is or what's going on around her. Not to mention all the late nights in that basement study of hers with that statue of Discord."
"Are you still sleeping in her bed with her at night?" Cadence asked and Twilight nodded.
"It comforts her, I think."
"I'll ask her about that later. I can only deal with one relationship issue today."
Sitting in a pool of magically warmed water, Spike groaned and let the heat soak in. Until now he hadn't realized just how much his body was waiting for a chance to recover. Something Damselfly had clearly been right about, he was pushing himself to his limits of what he could realistically do. The bathing room was rather large and usually reserved for the Princesses or their personal guests to use but considering his relationship with everyone in the castle he was allowed here as well, even if someone like Shining Armor would have actually been forced to hit the showers in the barracks instead like he had suggested to Spike back in the training grounds.
After having parted ways with Damselfly back at the train station the walk back to the castle was surprisingly calm and uneventful. The guards didn't even stop him when he entered, such a common sight was it when he and Twilight entered this place. From there it had been a coincidental run in with Cadence who had been more than happy to lead him back to Twilight. Someone he both really wanted to be near right now and was dreading to see again. There was going to be a serious conversation about what he'd done. Would Celestia get involved with it? Would Luna after how he acted towards her? The possibilities left him concerned enough that it was hard to concentrate on getting cleaned up.
"Room for one more?" A gentle voice asked, though the sound of someone else in the bathing area nearly made him leap out of the water. His hands dove down to cover himself as he turned to see the tall, rainbow haired woman standing in the bathing area and doing nothing at all to cover her naked body.
"P-P-Princess Celestia!?"
"Are you that surprised to see me, I do live here you know." Celestia said with an almost joking tone, entering the water of the large bath near him. As she slipped into the liquid it displaced and sloshed about with her resting within it.
"Um... should I... not be here right now? I can leave if you want."
"Don't be silly, this is exactly where we should be. Who else is going to make sure you're nice and clean besides me?" Celestia said, grabbing a pale off the ledge of the bath and pouring it over herself. Even after being doused in water her hair still seemed almost perfect. "Now turn around, I'll wash your back and hair for you."
"O-Okay..." Spike said, turning his back to the princess and feeling confused about her presence here. Ever since he was very young she had been taking care of him like a surrogate mother. But by the time he was old enough to work as Twilight's assistant and make decisions for himself their relationship had changed to a more respectful, almost adult relationship. At the very least he couldn't remember a time where they bathed together in the past where he wasn't too young to recall it. Soft hands pressed a bar of soap against his back, rubbing along his upper body, neck and shoulders. It was comforting even if he was trying very hard not to think about the naked woman behind him whose relationship was just as complicated with him as it was with Twilight Sparkle.
"You've got some cuts on you... and some bruises." Celestia said, looking him over. "Are you hurt?"
"Not really... I got a little banged up when I was traveling."
"I see." Celestia said, scooping up water in the pale and dumping it over his head. Scooting up closer behind him she nearly pulled Spike into her lap as she gathered shampoo and rubbed it into his scalp. "I understand you and Luna had a little argument while you were on your adventure."
"She mentioned that, huh?" Spike asked, wondering what exactly he was supposed to be focusing on right now. Though the feeling of her pressed against his back was very comforting and the fingers in his hair made him relax the more she stayed close to him. "I said some things I shouldn't have. Actually… I think I was really out of line."
"Mhm. I think you should apologize to her when she's awake. Can you do that for me?"
"Of course, if she's willing to see me I'll be happy to." Spike agreed, feeling more like a child than ever being treated this way.
"Though I should have been more... thoughtful about asking her to go find you. I never expected how your relationship with her would affect asking you to come home. It can be difficult to keep in mind so many different things." Scooping up another pale of water, Celestia put one of her hands over Spike's brow to prevent the shampoo from running over into his eyes as she poured the water on him. "You're going to talk with Twilight after this I'm sure?"
"Yeah. I'm a little worried about that though."
"Well, you two do need to talk things through. I can't stand to think of the two of you arguing with each other so promise you'll be a big boy and work things out with her, alright?"
"S-sure?" Spike said, feeling the infantile treatment he was getting was a bit more demeaning compared to what he expected from her.
"Now turn around and let's make sure your front and face are cleaned up as well." Celestia instructed, making Spike freeze in the moment.
"Uh... I don't... know if that's a good idea?" Spike commented.
"Nonsense, we want that cute little face of yours to be clean when you and Twilight see each other, don't we?" Something felt off with her words and Spike couldn't really understand what her intentions were. But he knew better than to deny the commands of the most powerful woman in the kingdom and so he turned around to face her in the water. Celestia smiled happily as she scrubbed his face with one of the towels nearby. Though the longer she did her expression changed. From confusion to realization and then as she looked down to see the full erection her earlier scrubbing had given him her eyes flickered with realization. "Oh. Perhaps... perhaps you are... too old for me to bathe you anymore."
"If you want I can... finish up on my own?" Spike offered as Celestia began to climb her way out of the bath, though still doing very little to hide her naked appearance.
"Yes, that... that would be best. I'll leave you to it then and see you at dinner. Okay Spike."
"Okay, Princess. Um... Thank you. For coming to see me. I missed getting to spend time with you as much as I used to."
"Likewise, Spike." Celestia said, walking into the next room to change back into her clothing. Spike waited for a while before finishing up in the bath, wanting to give her plenty of time to change back into her clothes and leave before he got out and had another nude encounter. Still he couldn't understand why she had come in here to see him in the first place, or treated him like he was a toddler still. The look of confusion in her face was something he wasn't used to and it unsettled him. Though he had more pressing matters to attend to. Finishing up his washing off Spike rose out of the water and returned to the changing room, putting on the same dirty clothes that he'd come in with since he didn't have a change available into anything else at the moment. Afterwards exiting the bath to see a surprised looking Shining Armor waiting for him.
"Hey Spike... So uh... I saw the Princess go into the bath after you."
"Yeah." Spike agreed, finding that apparently she must have just walked into the bath in front of Shining Armor like it had been perfectly natural. Either he didn't warn her or she had actually come there to bathe with him.
"So... what was that all about?"
"She wanted to make sure I washed my hair."
"...Okay! I guess... sure, why not. Let's get you going, Cadence and Twilight are already waiting." Shining Armor said, pondering why exactly Spike had been privileged to something that most men in the kingdom only dreamed of but it wasn't like Spike could have answered him anyway. Walking together through a few of the castle corridors eventually they stopped at one of the many meeting rooms within, small but adequate for personal conversations between anyone that may need the space. "Well, here you are."
"You're not coming in?"
"As Cadence explained it to me, this needs to be as private as possible and it might not be best that I'm around for it." Spike wondered just how much Shining knew about his relationship with his little sister and decided not to press the matter further. Instead he did as instructed and entered the room, finding that it had been set up with four chairs surrounding a small table that had a tea set with cups surrounding it. Across from him, at the far end of the room sat Twilight Sparkle looking at Spike anxiously. To his left was Princess Cadence who was sitting as well.
"Ah, good, Shining got you here in one piece." Cadence said casually. "Please, come in and sit down." Doing as instructed Spike closed the door behind him and entered, taking the chair closest to him and sitting directly across from Twilight Sparkle. "You can have something to drink if you like. It's simply peach tea."
"I'm okay for now." Spike said, looking across the table at Twilight. She seemed tense in her body language and was staring down at the tea cup in front of her. The silence in the room was heavy and it took Cadence to push things along.
"Well now it's about time we settled this together between you two, don't you agree?" Candace asked aloud and Spike looked between them, still feeling lost.
"What... are we settling?" Spike asked, Twilight finally speaking up to answer him.
"Everything." She said gravely. "About us. About what we're going to do after today. About what's the most responsible thing for us to do. About where each of us belongs… and doesn't." Twilight said, raising her eyes to meet his. "This will be about everything, Spike. There's no going back."