//------------------------------// // A Parting // Story: A Bridge Between Brothers // by Rammy //------------------------------// ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ "Are you sure a pack full will be enough Garble?" I questioned as put my last hand full of gems into my backpack and closed its top. I really hope it was enough because I don't think I couldn't stuff it any further. It could be some time before we find more gems. "Yeah, at least for a few days especially if I can hunt successfully... but Spike you do realize you may have to eat meat right? If you puke on me even once you are walking the rest of the way. I don't care if we end up finding H.K. all the way on the other side of the world." I gulped. I really hoped it would not come to that. The idea of eating a previous living thing was not a prospect I was looking forward to but we needed to get out of here fast without tipping off Twilight so I couldn't cook up any high calorie trail mix. I swung the now fairly heavily bag onto my back and adjusted the straps to make sure that it was on tight. I did not want to lose the bag in the air. I was about to climb on Garble's back when I saw some ponies, familiar ponies, walking towards us. I sighed and I pinched my brow. The entire gang was here. I should have known I wouldn't be able to leave without Twilight knowing. I wanted to leave without telling her because I knew that she would either follow or try and stop me and from the looks of the saddle bags on them, follow. "What are you all doing here?" Garble grumbled. I, however, had a different question. "How did you know?" "You had that same look when you decided to join the Dragon Migration." Twilight explained. Of course... I would. I facepalmed. But just as I could be read by Twilight so too could I read her. "You can't come." "But it could be dangerous!" Twilight protested with nods of agreement from the others. "Which is why Garble is coming with me. It was real easy to convince him to come too... he's just as bad of a fanboy of H.K. as Rainbow Dash is fangirl to the Wonderbolts. Equestria needs you here to wield the Elements. I am not that important to Equestria." "But you are important to us Spike..." Fluttershy whispered out. "I know..." I looked down in shame, "which is why I need to go... I scared out of my scales that I will transform like I did on my hatchday and somepony will get hurt or killed..." "But darling, you changed back when you saw the fire ruby and remembered who you were... your heart is not that of a beast..." "You don't know that!" I sighed when I realized I had roared at my friends and specifically Rarity. "You don't know that... What if it my memories doesn't work next time Rarity? Or what if I inadvertently get a taste for blood and instead of grabbing everything in sight due to greed I attack ponies thinking there are prey to be eaten?" I cringed and looked down as Rarity turned green. I hated being so blunt about it to her especially but I needed her to understand the depth of my concern. The rest of the gang was almost as bad. Only Twilight and Fluttershy managed to not turn completely green. Twilight because she had witnesses one of my nightmares and Flutttershy... I'm going to guess because Fluttershy had to deal with carnivores on a regular bases. That manticore being the best example that came to mind. "Spike... I..." Twilight stuttered. "H.K. said...before he left that the gem necklace your wearing will guide you to where your heart already is. You don't need to go find him..." My heart already is!? I facepalmed at the absurdity of the riddle or maybe it was from the change in Twilight's tactics. "How is that suppose to help!?" Twilight went goldfish on me for a few moments which only proved my point. The other girls seemed to be at a lost. "Don't look at me." Garble growled out."I'm still in shock with how Spike managed to get his First Hoarding so damn early and without his wings... I have never heard of any dragon doing that and I was considered a prodigy for getting my wings at twenty!" "You know, you never did explain that fully to me." "You earn them..." Garble shrugged causally before grumbling. "I don't know! It's different for every dragon I guess?" Oh great, we are getting off topic which, though I'm sure was accidental, will serve Twilight's purposes in delaying us. If we didn't leave soon the sun will set making all the more easier for me to 'change my mind.' I had already slept on it. I was going. "Okay, okay as much as we all want to know how I could get wings myself included now is not the time for that! I need to find H.K. and you need to stay here. Garble is more then enough to protect me." Besides having you come along will slow us down... I added, though to myself. Various grumblings of disbelief rose from among them with Rainbow Dash being the most vocal. A bit odd, giving that she seemed to be okay with Garble training me and seemed to enjoy watching us. Was she watching us with more then one thing in mind? "Do you question my ability to protect Spike?" Garble growled out in anger. "Considering what you tried to do last time, I do!" Twilight and I winced as Rainbow Dash accented her disapproval with several taps of her hoof on Garble's chest. All those scars caused by H.K.... " "Rainbow Dash! Enough." I ordered as I pushed Rainbow Dash away from Garble who looked ready to flambe Rainbow. "Garble will never even think of doing something like that again." "Yeah, right." Rainbow Dash snarked, rolling her eyes. "The scars that are all over is body were caused by H.K. because of what Garble attempted to do to us. Garble would not want to incur more wrath from him again." I explained with Twilight reluctantly nodding in confirmation. "WHAT!?" Everypony exclaimed in shock. "You poor thing..." Fluttershy cooed out in concern, much to Garble's annoyance. "Ugh..." Garble spat in disgust. "Besides that..." I continued my plea, rescuing Garble from diabetes via Fluttershy, "there are very few beings that would dare attack a pair of dragons and if needed Garble can fly us away from any danger. Finally, a pair of dragons won't stick out as much as six ponies outside of Equestria..." "But what if you get separated or... or..." The rest of whatever Twilight was going to say was lost as she began to sob. I sighed, maybe I was too hasty before in vowing not to let anypony be able to use my messaging flame again. Twilight was clearly wanting me to be safe like any good big sister would want. Here I was for the first time actually leaving home without her. My earlier quest not counting as she ended up stealthily following me. "What do you have Twilight?" "Huh?" Twilight sniffed, confused at my request. "Something sentimental between us..." I clarified, holding out my hand. At that Twilight eyes lit up and she pulled off her saddle bag and began to rifle through like a madpony without magic, stunning me. It took a lot to get her to forget to use her magic and here she was doing it just so she could always have a way to keep in touch with me. "Uh, Spike ah get wantin' tah have a memento of Twi, but..." "Here." Twilight cut off AJ, much to the shock of AJ. My eyes widen when I saw what that memento was. Not only was it our favorite bedtime story when I was still very young it was the very copy that Twilight used. It had been read so many times that the binding was falling apart. I was beginning to see what really was going on in Twilight's mind. She was afraid that I was growing up and leaving her while I was afraid that by growing up that I would end up having to leave her. I guess neither of us really wanted to be separated from each other... I carefully took the book in my grasp and blew my flames over it which quickly became nothing but ash. The girls gasped in shock as I burned the book. They were further confused when Twilight didn't snap at me for 'destroying' such a sentimentally valuable book. "The book is fine." I explained, trying not to smirk at the various expressions. "I needed it so that Twilight and I can exchange letters using my flame. Now... will you let Garble and I go, alone?" The girls looked at each other and appeared to have a silent conversation before facing me again, all of them smiling. "Ah'm convinced. Ah think you will be fine." AJ spoke up with the others added their agreement with nods. "Pinkie Promise." I growled out crossing my arms. I didn't trust them considering what happened when I left on a previous 'quest' though in the end I was grateful for them following. After a few moments of hesitation the girls minus Twilight did as I requested. "Cross my heart and hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye." I sighed in relief. I knew that they would not dare break the promise. That just left Twilight. "Twilight?" "No, I can't..." Twilight shook her head, tearing up. Even with a way of communication it seemed that she still couldn't bring herself to let me go... "Twilight..." I walked up to her and caressed her cheek. I knew this was going to be hard, it was hard on me but I could not have her come. "Please..." "Okay," Twilight finally whispered out. "Cross my heart and hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye." "I love you, Twi." I smiled as I turned away though inwardly I was fighting back my own tears. This could very well be that last time I saw her. While I was sure Garble could keep me safe it was my own inner turmoil that worried me. There was a chance that my worst fears about myself would be true... and if that was the case... at least there was letter writing... "I love you too, Spike.... Please come back safe." "I will." I promised.