Chapter Preview: Temptation of the Clam · 12:23am Oct 10th, 2020
Coming Next Week
And we've had nothing but fun up to this point, currently gazing up towards the yellowing sky as the shades of evening steadily began asserting over the clouds. Both parent and child relaxed, laid on the grass of a certain hill of ours and just taking a good breather after a whole day of nothing but family fun.
"If only Twi- Er, Mom was around today." Spike's cheerful voice perked up from my right, the young dragon laying beside me comfortably as we enjoyed the view of the progressively darkening skies. "We should do these again, with her, when she has more time off from the School of Friendship."
Hmm...
I glanced from the corner of my eye to the suddenly pensive dragon. "Are you upset she's so busy these days?"
"...A little." Spike shrugged, green eyes searching the clouds. "It's not her fault, overseeing an entire school and all, but I do often miss the days when she just had more free time, you know?" A long sigh eclipsed the silence for a moment, one I was accustomed with.
Shifting myself slightly, I resumed my gaze up to the sky in my own perspective. "That's one of the many unfortunate consequences of aging, I'm afraid, Spike. It's natural for Twilight to seek the crave of busying herself and finding some goal worth striving for through hard work and occupation. Everyone feels that crave to do something the older they become."
"Even you?"
"Hm, knew you were gonna ask that?" We both shared a humoured smile, before I answered the thoughtful question proper. "Yes, often as I like to show a love for sleep and procrastination, that doesn't mean I enjoy being lazy and doing nothing at all. The difference between your mother and I, Spike, is that Twilight has the better ambition and confidence of stepping out of her comfort zone to promote something she believes in, which is friendship."
One of many countless reasons to admire that mare, all things considered. Spike continued humming, as though humouring that statement while I sensed the exact skepticism. Exhaling through my nostrils air of laughter, I smirked to the young dragon and continued with reassuring matter of fact.
"Don't always take my laments regarding growing up to be a bad thing, though. It's different for everyone, you included. It's no one's fault but my own for getting the short end of the stick in life."
"Dating a Princess, getting magic unlike anything Equestria's ever seen before, transporting to another world and having the best of friends anypony could ask for?"
"Well, prior to all that." I cocked my head, acknowledging that amused observation from the chuckling Spike, widening my own grin. "Growing old is mandatory, yet growing up is optional. There's no hurry to decide when one goes in life, Spike, despite what some paranoid people may assume. Twilight's busy these days because she wants to help others be happy, and thus decided to grow up enough to open her own school, in her own time. You will never have to feel pressured by any of us to decide where to go in life."
As if the gratified blazing from his heart wasn't enough to express himself, it shone through those bright, green eyes. "Good thing then that I've already chosen what I want to do in life from now on."
Yeah, they all say that at about your age, son. But we can have that conversation at another point in time. I smiled, hurmouring the lad while laying down contently on the warm, coaxing grass yet again, hoof on shirt's belly to begin driftly closing my eyes, while Spike finished the rest of his sentence.
"Though you've got a point about growing up being optional; honestly I question maturity when she tried to steal the pearl."
"Yeah..."
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My eyes snapped open. "What now?"
This chapter looking promising already .