//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Blooming Travels // by Soniclink137 //------------------------------// Spike and Apple Bloom both reached a distance from Ponyville. When they both reached far enough to where Ponyville was fully visible on the horizon they both turned back to take one final look at it. And while looking at the town that was once their home, both the drake and the earth pony had to hold back new tears. “Well this is it,” Spike said. “No turning back now.” “Yeah…” Apple Bloom said. She turned away from Ponyville and started walking forward feeling the early morning dew on the grass across her hooves as she walked. “Ah recken it’s time ta go.” “Alright, but I have one question,” Spike said. Apple Bloom stopped to look at him. “I left a note on the library door stating that I ran away and as soon as Twilight finds that note she is going to send the Royal Guard after me. I’m hoping that because she is in Canterlot right now and Rainbow Dash is also with the Wonderbolts in Canterlot that I would be long gone before the message reaches her, but it is possible I’ll be caught. And if you’re with me then they’ll bring you back to Ponyville too. So are you sure you want to come with me? I already said I’d go with you, but do you want to risk that?” “Spike, why are ya even askin that?” Apple Bloom asked. “Do ya honestly think that Ah didn’t know we might get caught? Ta be honest even before Ah happened ta pass by ya Ah was thinkin that mah sister might ask Twi and Rainbow Dash ta try and find me. So Ah’m ready for that.” “Alright, I just want to make sure,” Spike said as he started walking himself. He caught up to Apple Bloom a few seconds later at which she started walking. “If you’re still set on heading to the San Palomino Desert I’d rather come with you anyways, but I wanted to make sure you’re fine with it.” “So the desert really is that bad huh?” Apple Bloom asked. “What do ya know about it?” “I’ll tell you when we get there,” Spike said. “Don't worry too much about it since obviously ponies have gone through the desert plenty of times. It's just a dangerous place to go alone without knowing what you’re getting into. So I'm traveling with you to make sure your safe. It’s not like I really had someplace to go anyways.” “Alright, Ah was just wondering,” Apple Bloom said. Spike nodded. “Anyways ponies are probably starting to get up and I’m pretty sure by now your family have noticed you’re gone. Which means it won’t be long until a search party comes for us.” Apple Bloom’s head snapped up and she turned it around to look back at Ponyville and the sun that is slowly rising behind it. “Alright we should probably run,” Apple Bloom said. “It’ll help get some distance for us.” “You sure you can keep up with me?” Spike asked. “Might Ah remind you who was the fastest when we played chase back when we were kids,” Apple Bloom said with a smile. “Sure you’d win by usin some crafty stuff but Ah was always the fastest. Ah’m more worried about you.” “Well I might not be faster than you, but I know I have more endurance than you,” Spike said. “Is that a challenge?” Apple Bloom asked. “Alright, just try ta keep up.” Apple Bloom got in a quick ready position that looked more like she was ready to pounce, with her forehooves outstretched forwards and her flank held high in the air. Spike unfortunately happened to be on the wrong end when Apple Bloom did that, resulting in his purple face getting a few red spots and him quickly looking away. The earth pony filly took advantage of that and got a quick head start. “H-hey that isn’t fair!” Spike said as soon as he recovered and started running after her. “All’s fair in love and war!” Apple Bloom called back. “But this isn’t either of those!” Spike said. Apple Bloom just smiled as the two continued to head south across the grassy plane. Spike chased after her, but naturally he wasn’t nearly as fast on his two feet as Apple Bloom was on her four hooves. So the distance between them became larger and larger as they went along. As they ran across the grassy plane with no landmarks in sight save for Ponyville far off in the distance at nine-o’clock they showed no sign of fatigue. Both Apple Bloom and Spike made it 20 minutes, 30, and continued onwards longer than that without wearing down at all. The only thing that had happened was Apple Bloom knocked the smile off her face and instead had a look of fierce competition. Apple Bloom was feeling really confident as she knew she was far ahead. Sure her legs were starting to feel a little sore from all the running, but she figured she still had enough in her to run for a while at the pace she was going. She’d pushed herself farther before on one of the rare times she was actually able to help out on the farm. At least she was confident until some purple suddenly appeared over her head. Spike was flying by a few feet over Apple Bloom’s head, much to her shock and annoyance. The drake of course flashed a smile at Apple Bloom as he passed by. After Spike managed to pass her he slowed down a bit to go at Apple Bloom’s speed just to show off. “Hey, that isn’t fair!” Apple Bloom said. “All’s fair in love and war,” Spike said back, mimicking how Apple Bloom responded to the same statement earlier. Apple Bloom could have responded with what Spike said the third time, but she had better things to do. She knew that if Spike continued flying he would easily beat her. If she picked up the pace she could probably run as fast as Spike was flying, but her endurance was starting to wear thin. So Apple Bloom did something that was admittedly stupid but she didn’t really care. With a powerful kick from her hind hooves she leaped up and aimed for Spike’s back. Apple Bloom landed her belly on Spike’s back, wincing in pain as her underside hit Spike’s backpack and more importantly his spikes. Spike himself was surprised as suddenly some extra weight landed on his back. His wings started flapping rapidly to compensate but they weren’t strong enough to carry the weight of Spike and Apple Bloom at the same time. So Spike fell down for a few seconds before skidding across the ground until he came to a complete stop. Spike himself was fine from the impact because of his hard scales, but Apple Bloom’s herself wasn’t so lucky. “Ow!” Apple Bloom called out in pain. “Well that’s what you get for jumping on my back while I was flying,” Spike said. His face was scrunched up in pain from the impact even though he wasn’t hit very hard. “What gave you the idea to do that anyways?” “Ah don’t know,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah just figured it would be a way ta get you down. Ah didn’t figure it’d hurt that bad.” “Well you did land on top of scales on my back, and your hooves did drag across the ground when we landed,” Spike noted. “So yeah, I’d assume that hurt. Are you ok?” “Yeah, Ah think Ah’ll be fine,” Apple Bloom said. “But Ah bet Ah’ll be feelin the pain on mah stomach for a while.” “Well good,” Spike said. “Can you get off my back then?” Apple Bloom felt the heat rise to her face as she realized the position she was in right now. Apple Bloom lifted up her legs, feeling how stiff they were from previously dragging across the ground, and walked backwards to get off Spike. After Apple Bloom got off Spike, the purple drake stood up on his own two feet and brushed himself off. “You should be glad Twilight made it so nothing can happen to the items inside my backpack,” Spike said as he turned towards Apple Bloom. “Otherwise it would probably be leaking water and trust me, watered down gems taste horrible.” “It makes a difference?” Apple Bloom asked. “You’d be surprised,” Spike said. “Sure there are some gems where adding a little water actually makes it taste better, but most of the time the water cleans off some of the salts left on the gem and those salts go amazingly well with the gem.” “I’ll uhh…take your word for it,” Apple Bloom said. She gave a nervous laugh, really having no idea what he was talking about. “Sorry,” Spike said, his face falling. “I sometimes forget that I’m the only one who eats gems around here.” “Well Ah…Ah guess it’s just because our teeth aren’t strong enough,” Apple Bloom said quickly to cheer him up. “Ah’m sure what you’re saying is right.” “I wouldn’t know,” Spike said in a melancholy tone as looked away. “I’m the only dragon I know. I can’t really tell you whether that’s common opinion or not.” “Spike…” Apple Bloom said as she tried to find the worlds. “Are…y’all…” “Yes I’m fine,” Spike said. “We should probably stop for a few seconds to catch our breath and maybe eat.” “Alright,” Apple Bloom said. “But Spike…if ya need somepony ta talk to, y’all know ya can talk to me right? Ah won’t judge you.” “Apple Bloom it’s…not something that you can help with,” Spike said. “Just…don’t worry about it. You’ve got your own problems and I have mine. Anyways we don’t have time to talk about this. We haven’t even reached the river in between Ponyville and the desert and it’s already the afternoon. It’d be good if we at least reach the river by nightfall. Then hopefully we can reach the desert within a few days.” Apple Bloom wanted to stay on the subject and try and get out of Spike exactly what was bugging him, but she knew if she pushed any father Spike would threaten to leave, and possibly actually leave. So as much as she didn’t like it she decided to go on Spike’s change of subject. However the earth pony filly hoped this wasn’t the last time she would be able to bring it up and get it out of him. “Is it that far away?” Apple Bloom asked. She reached with her head into her right saddle bag and grabbed out a map. With her hooves she spread out the map in front of her and Spike. “The desert doesn’t look that far away.” “Well that always happens on maps,” Spike explained. “They shrink it down so you can see everything. Like…for an example look here.” Spike pointed to Appleoosa on the map. “Appleoosa looks like it’s really close to Ponyville on the map, but it takes a day for just the train to reach there. The desert is just a bit farther then Appleoosa and we’re on foot. You should have expected it would take a while just to reach it. And of course that’s just reaching it. It’ll take even longer to cross it. You’re not going to reach Phoenix for a while Apple Bloom.” Ah never knew that it would take this long, Apple Bloom thought. Aw horseapples! Ah was plannin ta go to Los Pegasus in a few days, not Phoenix in a few weeks! This is gonna take way too long! But Ah…guess Ah should count that a bit lucky. Spike said he’d stick with me until Ah get myself situated in Phoenix. Ah don’t really want ta head that far, but that means Ah have that much longer ta get Spike ta talk to me. And then…maybe Ah can help him. And if Ah help him…maybe Ah can get him ta head back to Los Pegasus with me. Apple Bloom reached into her bag to grab out an apple—just one so she could conserve as much food as she could—and some water, and Spike reached into his bad to do the thing, bar replacing the apple for a gemstone.They both dug in to their respective food in order to regain some of the energy they lost. After a few minutes of eating they both got back up and nodded to each other before starting on the road again. “Hey uhh…Spike,” Apple Bloom said trying one more thing. “If you…need to talk. Remember, one of the lessons Twilight learned is friends can help ya figure out some of your problems.” Spike stopped for a few seconds. “Apple Bloom…” Spike said without looking at her. “Twilight is one of my problems.”