Day Three Rarity

Rarity hadn't slept all night. She was still thinking hard.

I can't. I just can't. He's Twilight's assistant. He's my friend. He doesn't like me like that. He likes Sweetie Belle.

Suddenly a crushing weight fell onto Rarity's heart. She was distraught. She wanted… Well… she wanted Spike. She had gone over the whole thing in her head last night. She had paced the floor, laid in bed, gotten glasses of water, and chewed on her tail as she had a furious battle in her mind over what had happened and how she felt about it. In a way it had almost felt easy simply being angry at Spike. At least then she was not overcome with complicated feeling and emotions and the kind of thing that Rainbow Dash called "Girly Stuff". But now with what had just happened racing through her mind, she had at least come to the conclusion that it was much more complicated than that. Spike had been acting strange true, but after showing such kindness to her by combing her mane so she wasn't embarrassed and even taking time to learn a new trick just for her, she couldn't honestly think he was unkind to her. Her realizing that Spike had not actually said or done anything cruel or heartless at all only furthered her sense of shame and guilt at being mad at him.

He was only trying to be nice to me. Just because it was for a reason I don't like doesn't mean it's rude.

She smiled to herself, feeling a little bit better after reaching this thought. But almost immediately, other thoughts formulated.

Why don't I like it? Why don't I like the thought of Spike trying to be nice to me? Maybe it's because I'm protective of Sweetie Belle and I don't want her to get hurt and maybe lose a friend in the process?

But it suddenly hit her that maybe the reason that she didn't like the idea wasn't that Spike was trying to impress Sweetie Belle. Maybe it's because he wasn't trying to impress her.

No that can't be it. Can it? Spike is my friend. I love him like a brother. Right? It's just natural to want to see Sweetie Belle courted correctly that's all. She just wanted Spike to be nice to Sweetie Belle, not her. To be kind to her. To be gentle with her. To give her up and move on. No! Not that!

That's not what I want. And Spike should know better. He's a sensible dragon. He knows not to try to suck up to me. Everypony knows that you don't try to impress the sister. You impress the pony you….

And suddenly it hit her so vast and beautiful she marveled that she had never thought of it before.

Spike doesn't like Sweetie Belle. He likes me! He wasn't trying to suck up to me so I would give him a blessing. He was just trying to be nice to me so he could––. Well… could what?

Ask me out? Swear his undying love for me? Kiss me as we romantically rode off into a sunset? Well if that was the case then he didn't do a very good job of that, did he?

But as Rarity was just starting to think of what to do next, her reason caught up with her. She was getting ahead of herself. There was no reason or evidence to support the idea of Spike having feelings for her that were anymore then brotherly. All he had done was try to buy her a lemonade, brought her cat, and combed her mane. That was hardly grounds for undying love. He could just have been trying to be a good friend.

I need to think of a way to check if he is looking for something more serious. If he isn't, then I will just have to accept it and if he does, then.…What will I do then?

Say yes? Do I want to try something?

A fleeting image of her and Spike lying on a stretched out picnic blanket at sunset crossed Rarity's mind. Suddenly a whole range of wild and terrifying ideas flooded her mind. Spike and Rarity at a fair, at a coffee shop, having dinner at Canterlot.

But what can I do to see if he feels the same way? I'll just have to think of something I suppose. First I have got to find Spike. That shouldn't be too hard. He's always helping Twilight whenever I need him. I'll go check at the library first.

She combed her mane, but on a hat, and left. A few minutes later she was outside Twilight's library. She knocked on the door and waited for a few minutes. She paused. It didn't usually take this long for Spike or Twilight to answer the door. She looked into the window of the door and saw Twilight rushing around the library franticly. She was running back and forth from room to room. Rarity noticed that she always came back to read a book in the middle of the mess and chaos every time she passed it. She saw no sign of Spike and, after seeing the crazy look on Twilight's face, decided she would be better to go check somewhere else. She looked all over Ponyville and finally found him on the bridge that she had kissed him on to make him feel better about destroying half of Ponyville. He looked terrible. His eyes were puffy and he looked like he hadn't eaten all day.

"Spike?" said Rarity. Spike jumped and looked around.

"Oh. What do you want?" He said grumpily.

"I was just wondering something."