The Big Outlander

by Locus Amoenus

The unreaded letter

The day was as sunny as it was planned for a sunny day in Ponyville, a few immobile clouds were in the sky giving its shadows to the ground. Below a particularly big shadow, there was a checkered red & white blanket on a picnic setting with many ponies having fun, all except one (who wasn’t even a pony).

Twilight approached carelessly to Spike, but her tone nor words were regular.

-Spike, what’s wrong?- Said Twilight trying to not look worried- you are acting weird since... why did you arrived later to the picnic anyway?

-You’ll see Twilight, I received a letter while you were preparing everything in the morning on the house.

-But Spike! You know you must give me Princess Celestia’s letters as soon as they arrive!- That tone nor volume were careless and called everypony’s attention.

-It was a different kind of letter... I...I’ll explain you in the night. Hey Rainbow! Wanna play with the ball!?

-S-Sure Spike!- Rainbow was taken by surprise but assumed that the right thing to do was to follow him- You’ll never win!

-What’s wrong with the lit...- What’s happening with Spike?- Fluttershy cutted Rarity in the middle of her phrase.

-He-he’s okay right?- Now she was trying to return to her quiet former self.

-Yeah, hehe- Twilight was trying to gain some time to think- He’s just sad because he ate all the ice cream yesterday, and he knows I won’t buy more until the next week.

The Picnic was as nice as always, the conversation was already lost, but Pinkie Pie wasn’t talkative always. Many times during the meeting, her friends saw her lost in her thoughts, but... “She’s just being Pinkie”.

As expected, Spike lost against Rainbow Dash again, but this time he was not him, he accept the failure without whining and then he mostly played with Peewee.

This picnic ended earlier than previous picnics, but felt like it was longer... everypony was concerned about Spike, but they knew the only one who can talk to him was Twilight.

-Well everypony, this day was as lovely as always- Applejack did great finishing the picnic- It’s getting dark and I need to do some applebuking really early in the morning, Macintosh had to do almost all the work by himself because of me.

-Oh I forgot!- I must do a super duper big shipping of gaiters! and
I only have two days left!. Goodbye everypony!- And so on, she went sprinting.

-I have to heal a poor deaf bat. He needs to feed his family.

-I wanna do a morning session of flight, so I must sleep well.

-Well girls, see you tomorrow. Let’s go Spike...

Both of them walked slowly. Only the quiet sounds of the night were present and such silence was solid, uncomfortable... two words were said by Twilight, trying to break the silence, but they just add impatience to both, and so on they walked faster.

At least the silence let Twlight concentrate and think... Which kind of letter was so important that needed somepony else to deliver it!?. Why The Princess didn’t send it trough Spike? Was she in trouble? Was she monitored? The letter will be safe in the house? When we arrive, the house will be a mess and the letter won’t be?

-Twilight, open the door, where are at home- Spike waited some minutes before saying that-

-Oh! Sorry Spike.

Twilight unlock with the usual Open Spell. Nothing changed. The hinges sounded the same. Then she slowly started to open the door, afraid of what would be inside, or how mess up the house would be.

-Twilight! Is something wrong?- Spike didn’t understand what was delaying her friend so long-

Such words did work at least. Twilight rammed into the house with a little squeak. She crashed with a big pony’s head, and laid on the floor with her eyes closed, fearing the worst, and the worst happened.

-Um... Twilight, that’s our wooden sculpture... of... a pony.

-Oh! you are right Spike, hehe- Twilight had a terrible terrible red blush on her face, and a little bump, that looked like a second horn below the real one- Spike! stop laughing! Is not funny!

-Oh Twilight! another bump more and you will look like that old animal from the big book.

-WHAT! are you saying that I look like a triceratops!?

-That’s the name! And that piece of wood stuck in your horn sure helps- Indeed, Twilight looked like a mess with her mane all shaggy, a now-green bump, a red blush and a pony’s wood mane stuck on her horn. She wasn’t even able to use magic to clean her up!

-Spike!

-Oh... sorry Twilight, let me help...

Well... Spike pulled and Twilight went back... You should have been there! What a scene... Oh! of course Twilight managed to free from her prison, but launched herself into the next room in the process.

-Oww... that’s gonna hurt in the morning- And Spike was laughing again- What Spike? What now!?

Guess what! Oh, I’m tired and I want to go to bed, just tell me. No, guess! Spike! I don’t want to guess anything today. Oh com’on, a good clue is “T”. “T”? Yeah, It starts with “T”. “T”...

-OH FOR CELESTIA’S AND LUNA’S HEAVEN'S SAKE!- Screamed Twilight in anguish- I just... I’m going to bed.

-Yeah, me too, all this day got me tired. Can you believe I almost win against Rainbow Dash today?- Lied Spike while they were going upstairs.

-Sure Spike, 2 - 10 is a hard match.

-But! but... I’m improving a lot!

-Yeah sure- Said Twilight grinnin- Let’s go to bed champ. Tomorrow I want to know why my cookies suddenly disappeared.