//------------------------------//
// Chapter 13 - Stuck 
// Story: Quest For Harmony 
// by destinedjagold 
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	I'm tired... I'm so darn tired... My sprint soon went to slowly dragging my hooves until I unceremoniously dropped myself on the forest's floor beside a large tree near the edge of the forest, where I lay my head on the side, and my vision is facing the War Plane a few meters away.

Spike crawled off of my back and walked in front of my face. He bent down and looked at me with concern. "Y-you're just tired, right?"

I'm breathing heavy and slow, and I could barely feel any parts of my body, but I managed to flash him a weak smile...for his sake. He seemed to be slightly satisfied by it, though.

"I'm going to go and look around." He stood up and turned his back on me. "I'm not sure if we were running away or going back to Unicornia..." For a baby dragon, he sure is smart. He looked over his shoulder and stared at me. "I won't go far, and I'll be right back, 'kay?" I slowly mouthed the words 'okay', and he sprinted towards the edge of the forest, but he slowed to a careful walk when he got close.

He leaned behind a tree on the edge of the forest, and slowly poked his head to look around. He studied the surroundings for a short while before running back to me. A loud crackling roar of thunder echoed through the land before he reached me.

"Yeah, we're away all right." He said with a smile. He suddenly grabbed the tree beside where I was lying and removed a few loose barks from it. "I'm going to make a fire."

"B-bad idea..." I forced myself to say those words. It's cold, and it's raining heavy, yes, but, "smoke m-might give away our location, Spike..."

"Oh yeah..." he sighed as he slowly played the bark with his claws. He found a root sticking out of the tree, and sat on it, facing me. We were quiet for a short while until he groaned irritatingly after a drop of water fell on his nose. "This will not work," he complained as he stood up. "I'm going to find a nicer and drier place for us to rest for a short while."

"N-no need, Spike," but my words reached deaf's ears as he ran away. I sighed. I slowly forced myself to crawl nearer to the base of the trees, and rested my head on the root where Spike was sitting earlier.

Spike being gone for a moment gave me some time to think of myself. There are so many questions I've wanted to ask about this place, but I haven't found the time to ask them to anyone. I was and still am busy finding a way to get back. That is, of course, my top priority. And that made me ask myself another question: why is Spike following me? Or better yet, why is he tagging along with me? Sure, he had this fight with his mother-figure, or maybe Twilight's his sister-figure? I'm not sure. Anyway, I think he decided to tag along because...I dunno... But I think I should tell him where I am really heading. I don't want him to be broken when I tell him that I can't bring him along to my world, if however, I can go back. Hm... I wonder where'd I go next if the castle in the Everfree couldn't send me back... Sigh... No, I'll trouble myself with that later. Right now, I need to concentrate on getting there. Though I need to tell Spike about t---

"I found a good hiding place!" came Spike's excited voice from afar. I looked to where the voice came from, and saw him running towards me, though he's having a hard time since the muddy earth was slowing his pace. "Come on! Follow me!" he said after reaching me and helping me up on all four. "It's not far, so don't worry, 'kay?"

...I'm...starting to wonder why...he is taking care of me...so much.

---

I am now lying on the dry earthy ground inside a large hollow under the very large tree. Spike went out after he helped me settle on a spot I found comfortable. He said something about going out to gather some food for me to eat. He's been out there for almost ten minutes now, if my counting is precise, that is.

"I'm back!" Spike's cheery voice came, and he soon came inside, and put a variety of fruits on the ground in front of me. "Heh, sorry if I took so long."

I shook my head with a smile. "No problem." I eyed a very delicious-looking green apple. "T-thanks Spike." I quietly said as I grabbed the apple with my hoof. I still don't know how I am able to grab stuff with my hoof.

"Meh, it's no big deal," Spike shrugged and grabbed the pear. He took a large bite and chewed on it cheerfully. "I haven't ate something fresh in a long time!"

I wanted to ask him a few questions now, but I guess that'll have to wait. I think my body's too tired and exhausted to even register how hungry I am. I've been like this before, and at that time, when my body finally was able to register any sense of feeling, hunger really struck me hard, and it made me faint. It was also during my graduation practice in high school. Since then, I always eat if I feel hungry.

We took our time to satisfy our hunger as we ate in silence, where only the faint thunderous roars up above and the heavy rain-shower from the clouds are the only noise that we could hear.

Finally, Spike sat down next to me and leaned on the wall, rubbing his stomach as he burped. "Ah, that hits the spot..."

I nodded in agreement, as I took a bite on another apple. "H-hey Spike..."

"Hm?" Spike replied, not opening his closed eyes or removing his smile.

"Why are y---I mean, uh, I hope this won't sound offensive, but uh, why are you, y'know...tagging along with me?"

"Ain't it obvious?" Spike replied, still with a smile and closed eyes. "I wanted to help you with..." He opened his eyes and looked at me in confusion. "Uh... What exactly are you doing anyway?"

Obviously, he's clueless. Might as well tell him everything here and now before anything else disturbs us. "Well, I'm trying to get myself back home..."

"Oh," Spike quickly replied, cutting me from continuing, "I see. That's cool." And his features lit up. "Hey! Can I come and live with you?" I was about to reply when he turned his head and stared at the droplets of rain from the upper-part of the entry way. "I-I know it sounds sudden, but," he turned back to me with a sad frown, "I-I don't really wanna be living by myself..." He then looked down on the ground. "...and I don't want to go back to Twilight."

I took a deep long breath, and quietly sighed. "Spike," I began, catching his attention as he looked at me, "I can't. I mean, you can't..."

"Why not?"

I quickly replied, since it looked like he was about to add more. "I live from another world." And there, I said it.

Spike looked at me as though I suddenly became stupid or crazy. He shook his head. "Did you hit your head pretty hard or something?"

"No Spike," I then looked outside the entrance, "but what I just said is true." We became quiet for a long while: myself staring outside, and Spike still looking confused at me. I took a breath and sighed. "Can you keep a secret?" He slowly nodded. "O-okay. Well, hm..." Where to start...? "Spike," I said as I looked at him, "what I'm going to tell you, it'll be only between you and me, 'kay?" He nodded, looking half interested and half doubting. I stared back at the entrance. "I'm from...another world. I am not a pony. Well, I wasn't a pony before I suddenly came here. I don't know how I got here, but I really want to go back home." I then looked at him. "Remember that light from Princess Celestia?" He nodded. "She talked to me," I continued, moving my gaze back outside, "and told me of a way for me to get back home. That's where I'm going, Spike. I'm going to the Everfree Forest."

"You know that place is dangerous, right?" Spike suddenly asked, and I nodded.

"I'm willing to take my chances, just to get back home." I took a breath and sighed again. "I miss my family... And I really think they're worried sick right about now."

"I see..." Spike's only response as he turned to the ground. "...but I find that hard to believe, by the way..."

I nodded in agreement as I rubbed a hoof on his back. "I know-I know... It's...up to you if you'd believe me or not. But I'm going there, anyway."

Spike was quiet for a while, and it was making me worry. Is it a bad time for me to tell him the truth? Maybe, but he needed to know anyway, and I'd prefer to let him know now than later. Saves the trouble of angry shouting and such things later on.

"Can I..." Spike said quietly, though he didn't move, "...still come with you?" He then looked up to me. "I mean, just until, y'know, when it's time for us to part?"

I may not be a psychic, but even the blind could see the purple dragon's fighting back his tears from coming out. I really hate seeing people cry. I really do. I always ended up in a lot of trouble when I was still younger, since I always beat those guys who makes my brothers cry. I slowly wrapped my hooves around the dragon's neck, and brought him into a hug as I rested my chin on his head. "S-sure you can, little bud..." Little bud is what I always call my youngest brother if he's feeling down.

Spike sniffed and slowly tried to push me away. I let him go, and he wiped a tear from his eye. "I don't like too much drama..."

I chuckled lightly, and so was he. At least I've taken care of that now, and, I suppose I'm stuck with Spike for a little bit longer. Not that I'm complaining.