//------------------------------// // In Which Teenagers Ride a Train // Story: Shipfic Folder Series // by SS Nomad //------------------------------// The gentle rocking of a train in motion had always relaxed Spike. There was just something about the dull clatter of the wheels on the track and the idle rhythmic sway that never failed to draw him into a restful state, even into his teenage years. The ride back from Canterlot was never a particularly long one, but was always just long enough to lull him near to sleep. Lounging on the bench with his eyes closed, he let out a stifled yawn. His moment was interrupted by the sound of the door between cars opening and a familiar voice he couldn’t quite place, like he hadn’t heard it in a long while. She was grumbling about something, he couldn’t make out the details, an idle complaint about the state of the car she’d just come from. Blearily, he opened his eyes and sat up, looking over his shoulder to see the mare just behind him. Diamond Tiara looked immensely surprised to have found an adolescent dragon staring at her, but her shock wore off as she managed to recognize him despite his more angular features, “S-Spike? Well, I’ve got to admit I didn’t expect you to be the first familiar face.” Spike smiled back, his youthful cheer still quite alive, “Heya, Diamond. Wow, how long has it been? Your parents shipped you off to some boarding prep school, right?” Diamond’s sigh was enough confirmation of that, “Finally done with that waste of my time, just picking up a few of my old things before the semester starts up.” Spike settled back a bit, “Oh yeah? Where’d you wind up getting in to?” “North Manehattan Business,” Diamond Tiara replied idly, as if getting into a notable university was nothing to her, “It seems… well better than prep school at least.” The train jostled as it moved down the tracks, nearly tossing Diamond from her hooves. Spike reached out on reflex, catching her by the shoulder. Diamond seemed surprised, still reeling slightly from the near fall, but honestly far more distracted by the peculiar feeling of a scaled claw against her. Unsure exactly how to read her reaction, Spike slowly and awkwardly withdrew his hand. “Maybe you should…” Spike tried to pull the conversation along, looking around the car, “find a place to sit? Like, so you don’t fall over again?” Snapping back to her senses, Diamond looked him in the eye again, “Oh, yeah, right. Sorry, I just…” She made a bit of a show of looking around at all of the seats, plenty of open benches available, before sitting down on the one facing Spike. He watched the display with mounting confusion, his history with the mare leaving him rightfully suspicious. “So, are you coming from Canterlot?” Diamond spoke to break the silence. “Wh-” Spike stammered, “Yeah. I was just visiting Scootaloo. She goes to college there.” Diamond nodded awkwardly, “Yeah, okay, that makes sense. You two are…” Spike had no idea where she was trying to lead at first, but coughed out a confused and flustered, “Siblings. We are… Twilight adopted her.” “Oh!” Diamond replied in pleasant surprise, “That’s… good. I mean, for her. Well, all of you.” “...Yeah,” Spike agreed suspiciously, “Yes it… is.” They both sat there in strained silence for a while, Diamond clearly wanting to say something and Spike trying to piece together the conversation into anything other than what it obviously seemed. He looked down at the claw he’d caught her with, still unconsciously feeling her coat against his scales. Shaking his head, he looked back up to see her smiling embarrassedly. “Okay, wait, hold on,” Spike requested, leaning back against his bench and rubbing his face with his hands, “I’m clearly missing something here. What is it?” Diamond Tiara’s blush finally grew deep enough to be visible despite her pink coat, “W- what do you think it- Shut up!” Spike jumped in surprise at the change in tone, but this was a side to the young earth pony he was far more familiar with, “I just… I’m pretty sure I understand, but… what?” Diamond blew air through her teeth in frustration, looking out the window, “Oh, just be quiet. Going to an all fillies’ school is weird.” As the last piece fell in place, Spike turned away so she wouldn’t be able to see him laughing silently. Now things made sense. He steadied himself and turned back to her with a friendly smile, “Well hey, no harm no foul. Sorry for being dense.” Diamond struggled to hold back a smile as she held pose, staring out the window, “Well… I suppose just take it as a compliment.” Wry grin on his lips, Spike settled back against his bench and closed his eyes, “Will do.”