Arc 2: The Seeker – Chapter 4: Different Names For The Same Thing
Back at the Manehatten train station, the group arrived to find the location barren. With Twilight going up to check the train schedule, the rest lounged among the empty benches.
Twilight returned to the group, "The next train to leave for Vanhoover is tomorrow morning at six. Until then, we can wait here and even get some sleep."
"Really?" Rainbow Dash remarked, "Sleep here? Are you serious, egghead? This isn't exactly ideal for sleeping."
"If ya wanna find a hotel to rest at, Miss Rainbow Dash, by all means ya can pay fer our stay," Big Mac joked with a sly smirk.
"On second thought, maybe this isn't that bad after all," the pegasus reconsidered. With Dash's comment, the group of ponies and the dragon settled down for a quick snooze before the train was to arrive.
Spike, who had some difficulty staying asleep, woke up. Raising his head, he looked around the vacant train station to see all of his pony companions fast asleep except for one, Twilight Sparkle. He sat up and slowly waddled over to her.
"Twilight?" the purple dragon mumbled, "What are you still doing up?"
The purple unicorn was sitting on the floor, carefully organizing and spreading out the pages of the book they were given from the librarian unicorn just an hour earlier, "Oh, hello, Spike. I'm just carefully organizing the pages of The Dragon Mythos. An interesting work, I must say. I wish I could have met this author, Dr. Nesier Lien, he seems to be very knowledgeable about the subject. From what I can read of this old book. I'm sorry, I was getting carried away, is something troubling you, Spike?"
The small dragon didn't seem bothered that the mare babbled, "It's fine. I was just thinking of about….all of this…."
"All of what?" Twilight turned to her assistant, giving him her full attention.
Spike sighed, "Well, this whole journey, ya know? This thing we're all on in hopes to find out just what I am and where I come from. It makes me feel…."
"Scared? Fearful? Anxious? Terrified?" Twilight tried to fill the blank.
"I was just going to say worried, but those all fit just the same," the dragon seemed annoyed that Twilight hit the nail on the head with how he was feeling.
"Spike, it's okay to be afraid of what we don't know," the purple pony explained, "If we knew what would happen to us at anytime, it would be wonderful, yes. However, it takes the thrill away."
The dragon was puzzled, "The thrill?"
Twilight laughed softly, "It's something that Rainbow Dash would say. What I mean is the fear and the anxiety causes everypony to expect the worst in frightening situations. But the fear of the unknown is what drives us to learn, to explore, to venture into something that we thought never before we could do."
"She's right, ya know," a low voice added.
With a jolt, Spike turned to see an awoken Big Macintosh slowly trotting over towards them.
"Ah'd be lyin' if ah said I haven't had mah fair share of scares, "Big Mac continued, "But ya gotta be strong an' face yer fears head on. In fact, ah'm afraid of what might happen on this trip mahself, but ah know ah gotta stand tall and strong not jus' fer me, but mah little sister an' everypony else."
With a smirk, Twilight spoke, "See, Spike? You're not the only one."
"For real, Big Mac?" Spike was bewildered.
A small smile appeared on the stallion's face, "Eeyup."
With a sigh and a small nervous laugh, Spike spoke, "Guess I am worrying too much. I mean, this is a trip that's supposed to be good and all, huh?"
"That's why you wanted to do this after all. Now, you should get some rest, the train arrives in a few hours," Twilight replied.
"Okay then, night guys," Spike smiled as he went back to the bench to sleep.
Big Mac and Twilight watched as Spike walked away. The red stallion then quietly talked to Twilight, "Did ya find anything in that book, Miss Twilight?"
"I did find something that concerns me," the purple mare admitted, "but I'm not going to make any conclusions until we find this Dr. Retev. I just hope some of the theories in here are just speculation."
Looking at where Twilight had placed her hooves on a few of the ripped pages, Big Mac gave a concerned look to the mare in response to what he had read.
TO BE CONTINUED