Woo new chapter. To be completely honest idea what's going to happen in this chapter, nothing I think of seems workable so I'm just gonna type and see what happens…..you know, I haven't had Pinkie do anything fully Piknie-ish yet….. I'll see about checking that out.

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Spike woke up and saw that sun was already high in the sky. "Oh no," he said to himself, "how could I sleep in this late?" He jumped up and began cleaning up the library. 'Wow,' he thought, 'it's a good thing Owlicious is here, I'd never finish if I had to clean everything this late.'

Spike put the last book back onto the shelf and set his duster down on a nearby table. "There, done." He looked around and realized that he still hadn't seen Twilight or even a note saying where she was. "Well that's odd," Spike said, scratching his scales, "she usually at least leaves a note. Oh well I guess I'll go see how Rarity is doing." The small dragon thought about their date the night before. 'More like this morning,' Spike thought, remembering how bright out it had been when they got back.

He shrugged and continued on his way. As he passed Caramel's house he paused and smelled the flowers Caramel had been working on lately with Lyra. He bent over and sniffed the flowers, they were still small but he could easily smell the fragrant blossoms. He straightened out to continue on his way when a pair of hooves suddenly covered his eyes.

"Guess who?" he heard Rarity say behind him.

Thinking quickly, Spike shot his arms out behind him and spun the mare around to where he was leaning over her. He was about to kiss her when he realized that it wasn't Rarity he was holding.

"Well," Pinkie Pie giggled in her normal voice, "someone sure is a little frisky." She began rubbing a hoof up and down Spike's chest, "I heard you two had been on a date after me and Twi left you for Rarity to find."

"That was really mean of you two," Spike said, trying to ignore the warm feel of Pinkie's body against his. She held tight and wouldn't let go. 'She's so soft,' Spike thought despite his efforts, 'it's like holding a big warm puffball.'

"You know Spike," Pinkie said, holding on with one leg and rubbing his chest slowly with the other, "It would always be great to have such a big strong dragon around."

Spike managed to pry Pinkie off of him. "No Pinkie!" he said loudly, amazed at her behavior, "I'm with Rarity. What's gotten into you?"

"Oh nothing, silly," Pinkie said, rubbing her nose against Spike's face, "I was testing you. Just remember, if you break Rarity's heart, I'll break you." She bounced away giggling leaving Spike very confused.

He shook his head and continued walking, but he couldn't help a strange thought from popping into his head. He started a letter to Princess Celestia, 'Dear Princess, the worst things about having thumbs is that they can be broken.' He tried clearing his head and noticed that Pinkie had left a piece of paper stuck to him:

Spike,

Pinkie and I are going to be working together on a few projects for a while. Don't worry; we have it all under control. Consider this a little vacation.

-Twilight

P.S. I heard about you and Rarity. You sly little dragon you.

Spike felt his face flush as he finished reading the letter. "Does everypony know about that now?" he asked aloud, not really expecting a response.

"Know about what?" Fluttershy asked, coming around the corner with a small basket balanced between her wings.

"Oh hey Fluttershy," Spike waved and fell into step by the yellow pegasus, "it's nothing really."

"Oh, okay." Fluttershy said softly, "I was just going to pick up some more lettuce, we're nearly out and Angel isn't very happy about it."

"Where is he?" Spike asked, looking around to spot Fluttershy's usual companion.

"Oh, he's resting he threw a bit of a fit when I wouldn't give him any ice cream for breakfast and he hurt his foot."

"You know Fluttershy you really should stop letting him boss you around so much, isn't that why you went to see Iron Will?"

"Yeah, but Angel doesn't boss me around, he just makes sure that I do what I'm supposed to. Sometimes I get too nervous and I just leave without finishing my errands."

They continued walking and were nearing the marketplace when Fluttershy said, "So, ummm, Spike-"

"Yeah?" he said, wondering what the shy pegasus could be thinking about.

"Well, it's just that I heard that you and Rarity were, um," she leaned in very close, "that you two were dating." The last words were in a whisper almost too quiet for Spike to hear. He looked at his friend, confused. Fluttershy seemed to shrink back a bit. "I was just wondering if you-"

"Yeah?"

"Well, if you two really were."

"Well, me and Rarity did go out last night, so I think we are. I was just going over there right now."

`"Oh, okay Spike. See you later I guess." Fluttershy hurried off, looking slightly red.

"See you Fluttershy." Somehow, talking to Fluttershy about it made Spike feel more embarrassed than he was when Rarity had found him. 'What could that pony be thinking about?' Spike shrugged and continued towards the Carousel Boutique. As he waddled along he saw a grey blur as a pegasus shot by stuffing letters into random mailboxes.

Spike opened the door of the boutique and a light ringing sang out from the bell above the door. "Just a moment," Rarity called from deep within the shop. Spike peered into a nearby mirror and tried to straighten his scales out a little. "Welcome to Carousel Boutique," Rarity said coming out of a storeroom near the back, "where everything is-" She saw the purple dragon standing by the door. "Oh Spikey!" she interrupted herself actually jumping in joy.

"Hey Rarity," Spike said giving the fashionista a hug. "Whatcha workin' on?"

"Oh nothing," she said, "I was taking it easy today after such a late night." She fluttered her eyes, "you're such a little Romeo."

Spike blushed and looked down at his feet. Rarity didn't seem to notice; she walked away and began reorganizing some papers. "I was just reviewing my inventory and seeing if I needed to order anything."

"You know," Spike said, "I could help out around here for a while if you want. Twilight and Pinkie are doing some stuff together for a while so I'm freed up." He showed her the note that Pinkie had taped to him.

She scanned it quickly, 'oh good,' she thought, 'Twilight isn't upset about it.' "Well, I'm done with everything I was supposed to do today," she said frowning. Rarity sat for a moment, lost in thought. "Idea!" she suddenly yelled as her face lit up, "let's go on a picnic, we can take Sweetie Belle and her friends." She added in a quiet voice as they heard muffled cheers come from behind the door to the stairway, "they've been driving me crazy in here."

"Spike looked over and saw that the door was open a crack and he saw three sets of eyes watching them. They seemed to notice and quickly pulled away from the crack. "That sounds like a good idea." He stopped when he heard little kissing noises coming from the door. He saw the cutie mark crusaders all squished into the doorway, it was opened slightly more now, and they were all making kissy faces at Spike.

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"Wow," said Spike rubbing his stomach, "you're a great cook Rarity." They were sitting across from each other on a topaz lined blanket made to look like a patch of grass. The gems were all carved to resemble small flowers and Spike couldn't help but chew on one several times during the meal. The three fillies were running around trying to get their cutie marks.

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SKY DIVERS!" they all yelled at once. Rarity looked around in alarm and saw Scootaloo jumping off a cloud.

Rarity looked down a little and shook her head as Scootaloo was caught by her friends. Turning towards Spike, "thank you. It's just like making clothes only you can eat them."

"Oh," Spike said, "I never thought of it like that." It made perfect sense to the dragon though and he began picking at another cucumber and tomato sandwich.

"Though I can think of some clothes that I could make that are edible too." Rarity leaned in towards Spike. He froze as he realized what she was talking about. His face was nearly black as blood rushed to it and he seemed to be paralyzed. Rarity started laughing and pushed Spike over.

When Rarity finally stopped laughing, several minutes had passed and her face was very red. Spike was still several shades darker than usual and was having trouble looking Rarity in the eyes. 'That's probably a good thing,' he thought as she burst into renewed laughter. 'She keeps laughing whenever I do.'

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had finally come over to see what all the fuss was about. Rarity managed to recount the story in between gasps as Spike sat fiddling with his tail.

"What? Ah don't get it," Applebloom complained looking confused. Scootaloo had started laughing almost as hard as Rarity and Sweetie Belle was staring at her sister in shock.

"Rarity!" she said, looking very stern, "that's not something we talk about outside of the house, remember?"

"Oh I know but look at Spike's face, it's too much!" Rarity and Scootaloo were now holding each other to stay up.

"What? What are you gals talkin' about?" Applebloom asked, seeming frustrated at being left out. Scootaloo came over and whispered a few words in her ear. Applebloom's face paled a little and her mouth fell open a few inches. "Rarity! You little pervert."

"What?" Rarity asked, finally able to stop laughing. She sniffed, "they're very popular amongst wealthier ponies." "Besides," she said," I wanted to see how much Spike knew. I really wasn't expecting him to grasp it so quickly."

Spike seemed even more uncomfortable at this. "I- uh that is I- I mean…"

"That's quite all right dear, just remember to keep your hands where I can see them from now on." Rarity gave Spike a little wink. She looked up and saw the sun was already setting; bright streaks of color filled the sky. She pointed this out to the others and they began cleaning up the picnic while watching the sky.

Bright pinks swirled out from the sun and mixed with pale lavender streaks. These slowly faded to roses and oranges as the sun set further, the rest of the sky now changing to match the mixing colors. It was as though a huge kaleidoscope had been broken and thrown across the sky. Turning around, they saw the moon slowly begin to rise, small tendrils of shadow seeming to radiate out from it as the sun's light left. For a few seconds, the western sky was filled with streaks of color that mixed perfectly into the star studded ebony of the eastern sky, the two seemed perfectly balanced.

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The four ponies and Spike cleaned up the picnic and stuffed it all back into the basket which Spike insisted on carrying. They arrived back at the boutique just as the sun was a sliver on the horizon.

"Did everypony remember to ask if they could stay over this time?" Rarity asked as she ushered everyone inside. "I don't want Applejack or Rainbow Dash showing up in the middle of the night looking for you again."

"I did," Scootaloo said as she ran inside, "Rainbow said as long as I don't try any stunts without asking first I can stay wherever."

"I asked too," Sweetie Belle said as she trotted through the door.

"No you didn't," Rarity said acting like she wouldn't let her in.

"Huuuuuuuh! Rarity, can I please stay at Rarity's house tonight?"

"I don't know, I think she seemed kind of busy," a little smile crossed Rarity's face as she teased her sister.

"Please?" Sweetie Belle's eyes grew twice as large as normal and her bottom lip was stuck out.

Rarity seemed to think it over for a minute before she said, "okay, but if I heard you messed up her work again you're going to be sleeping at Twilight's house. And you know the kind of stories she reads you."

All three of the crusaders shuddered as they remembered their sleepover at Twilight's house. She had forced them to listen to her read out of 'Fungi; the Decomposers of the Macroscopic World' for more than two hours before letting them go to bed.

"Ah couldn't find Applejack so ah left a note on her bed. Granny Smith said it was okay, but you know how she gets." Rarity nodded and let the yellow filly in.

"What about you Spike?" she asked, her eyes gleaming slightly, "aren't you going to stay over too?"

Spike shook his head, "I shouldn't Twilight could finish with Pinkie early and then she'd need my help." "Besides," he said, seeming slightly worried, "I haven't seen her since Friday morning. She didn't even sleep in her bed last night."

"But it gets so lonely here after the foals go to bed," Rarity had a slight whine in her voice, as though desperate for company.

"Well," Spike said coming in, "I suppose it couldn't hurt."

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Later that night after the three fillies had crashed in various places in the living room, Scootaloo covered in paint from an incident while playing 'Go Fish' earlier, Rarity walked over to Spike.

"So," she said, her voice seeming much smoother than usual, "did you have any plans for tonight?" Spike was at a loss for words when Rarity began walking into one of her storerooms. "I'll be right back," she said softly.

Spike waited for a moment, unsure of what he should do. He was on the verge of going to see what Rarity was doing when she came out of the room wearing a short black robe.

"Come upstairs," she said, "I've got something to show you."

Spike followed her up the stairs. He managed to catch a glimpse of the room Rarity had left, he saw rolls and rolls of a thin gauzy fabric, and several outfits that seemed only partly done, though prices were already one the tables by them.

As they reached Rarity's room, Spike thought he saw a glow around part of the robe and it twitched to the side for a second. He saw the same gauzy fabric from below, only there seemed to be less of it than there was on any of the other outfits. Just as quickly as it moved it closed again, cutting off Spike's view. He caught himself drooling as he approached the door.

They went into the room and Rarity closed the door softly, leaving them in the dark for a few moments. Spike felt something rub against his face and he squinted to see what. Rarity pulled him into a deep embrace and began kissing him. Spike's entire body went limp and he hung there in Rarity's hooves. He jerked in surprise when he felt her tongue slide across his, but soon came to like the feeling.

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Okay sorry it took so long. I really wanted this one done last night. Oh well, hopefully chapter eight will be done before I go to bed…. Though in retrospect I have been finishing these chapters quite quickly compared to the ponies whose fanfic I usually read.

I think I'm starting to like the pattern of Pinkie story then Spike and Rarity; I may keep that up for as long as I can unless you guys don't like it. From what I've seen though you guys do. Plus with separate chapters, it kind of keeps the two stories separate until they actually do mix.

OMG! In the scene when the CMC heard what Rarity had said to Spike I was trying to find a way to end the awkwardness. Clearly it couldn't be Twilight, Pinkie or Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy would probably just make things even more embarrassing. Then I thought, 'Oh Applejack could come by to pick up the girls.' *starts typing* "Wait a second…. APPLEJACK WAS CAUGHT BY PINKIE LAST CHAPTER!" . stupid fanfic

Also, if anypony wants, I could try and take the last scene a little further, idk. I didn't think going that far went very well with the rest of the story, though I'm sure you can tell what happens next. Plus I wasn't entirely sure how that scene would play out, so review and tell me what you think.

One last thing before I'm done talking, has anypony else had this problem? I've started hearing 'somepony' and 'anypony' whenever someone says 'someone' or 'anyone'…. It scared me the first time but I'm getting used to it.

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