Wanderlust

by DwarvishPony

8. Artful Avoidance

Previously, back in Ponyville...

"I can't believe ye'd let Spike go on his own, Twi. It just seems like a bad idea." Applejack complained in her southern drawl. "What if something happens to him?"

"I know, Applejack. I'm worried too." Twilight responded, regretting letting Spike go to begin with.

"He could get hurt!"

"I know." The princess responded.

"He could get lost!"

"I know!" Twilight raised her voice a little.

"He may never come back!"

"I KNOW!" Twilight shouted at her friend. "But what was I supposed to do?"

Applejack hadn't come over to berate Twilight Sparkle. She'd come to make sure her friend was doing alright. Spike had left early that morning, and Twilight had let him go. Applejack knew, deep down, that the whole situation hadn't been easy on her friend, but worry for the young Spike made her question the decision to let him go alone.

"Shoot, Twi. I dunno. I just expected you ta have a plan. I'm sorry." Applejack rubbed her temple with a forehoof, trying to think of the words she needed to say to make Twilight Sparkle feel better. Nothing readily came to mind.

"To be honest, Applejack, I never thought Spike would want to leave home. I thought he was perfectly happy here. He's never really showed signs of wanting to leave Ponyville before."

"'Cept fer that time he went migrating" Applejack pointed out, instantly regretting the words.

"Well, yeah. But that was different. Spike was trying to find a family. He didn't realize that he had a family here in Ponyville. This is... different. I've never known Spike to want to go on his own adventures before."

Applejack frowned at the salad that had supposed to be her dinner with Twilight. Applejack had come over with the intention to make Twilight feel better. Instead, she'd accomplished the opposite. She opened her mouth to say something, but closed it when she couldn't think of the magical words to fix Twilight Sparkle's dour mood.

"I think part of me expected Spike to be home by now. Like he'd realize that travelling Equestria wasn't a good fit for him and he'd turn around and be home in time for supper." Twilight said to her own salad. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Spike's been craving adventures. I mean, before we put the Elements of Harmony back, Spike used to go on almost all of our adventures. After I became a princess though, I guess he hasn't been as involved with things. Especially with the Cutie Map sending us around Equestria. I don't think the map even has a way of saying 'Spike needs to go with you.'"

"Ah get where yer comin' from, Twi. I do. I just think its a mistake to not have anypony go with the little guy."

"I know. So do I. But you didn't see Spike's face. If we followed Spike, he'd be devestated." Twilight flopped forward with a groan, her face landing in her salad in a very unprincess-like manner. Then her head shot up just as quickly. "That's it!"

"Beg pardon?" Applejack asked, not following Twilight in the slightest.

"Spike would be mad if anypony followed him. But he can't get mad if the one to follow him and keep him safe wasn't a pony!" Twilight was positively dancing at her idea.

"But... who'd follow him if it wasn't a pony? I can't think of anypony who could follow Spike and keep him safe that wasn't-" Applejack narrowed her eyes at the princess. "This is the part where you ask if Winona can follow Spike, isn't it?"

Twilight's only response was to beam at her friend with a smile wide enough to give Pinkie Pie a run for her money on Ponyville's Scariest Smile award.

Author's Note:

Current Location: The Past, Ponyville

Holy cow, two chapters in a day! Someone check for the other signs of the End Times!