OF THE COLOR PURPLE
CHAPTER ONE – JUMP
Inspired by – Being Purple by AppleGothic
_Spike_
A pony sized dragon snuggled deeper into his glorious woolen blanket. Sleep had gracefully washed over the slumbering creature. Its dreams, as now per normal, were no longer the creation of his alone. Since Spike’s eighth summer, he had felt a graceful connection in his slept. Often he found himself mindful of another being drifting alongside him; together dreaming. They couldn’t talk, but when they dreamt, they dreamt as one; eventually sharing a single entity to create their fabulous world of thoughts. Sometimes they would share fond memories, viewing the strange ponies entangled with the other’s life. Occasionally, they would even draw; creating vibrant works of form and color. But as of late, things had begun to change. Their dreams had become increasingly vivid; increasingly complex. No longer were memories merely voices and sights; but emotions. Sharing experiences became more complete, more tangible to them. The prior week had been especially livid, to say the least. The dreams led to a feeling of loneliness that tortured both the souls it touched. When awake, Spike’s body had been pulling him west; as if a bird wanting to escape the chill of winter. He was a fly to the light; overtaken by the urge to heed its call.
Spike was abruptly shaken from his slumber, "Spike...I need you to take a letter," Twilight cooed.
Only slightly woken, Spike drearily shuffled from beneath his sheets. Maneuvering to the desk, Spike’s claws pinged across the solid maple floor. Shadowed by Twilight, he groggily moaned, "Whenever you’re ready Twi’.”
"Dear Spike..." Twilight began.
"Dear...Spike," his eyes drifted shut.
Twilight signaled her friends to step from the library’s shadows. With a nod from Twilight, a hardy cheer of "Happy birthday," boomed.
Spike’s eyes snapped open, "What!?" He gasped; his balance failing. A small cascade of tinker tape and confetti sparkled before his sight as a brilliant display of plushy smiles filled the sparsely lit room. Six sets of loving eyes embraced the Dragon’s gaze as it looked to their respective faces. Legs holding, Spike’s face embraced a chipper hue. He was happy. He was happy his friends stood excitedly before him, glistening as if spheres of the finest crystal. And he was happy that they cared for him as much as they did. But even now; heart aching, tears welling and feelings overwhelmed, his newest instinct betrayed the moment. As if the most interesting thing had just occurred outside the window, Spike’s head swiveled to stare into Luna’s savory blue night. Even now, the message echoed loud and clear. And under his breath, he let the word flow…
“West.”
_Amethyst_
A poking sensation joisted the youth from her somber sleep. With a soft whine of defiance, the equine sized dragon forced open an eyelash laden lid. Her sight caught glimpse of a guilty brown hoof that sat attached to a gleaming, giddy mare. "Ammy, I need you to help me with a note,” the creature warmly stated.
"Huh?" The purple dragon rustled awake; sight shifting upon the near-blind pony before her. One impromptu, "what’s up?" later, and the young mare had begun a radiant giggle. A smile now firmly planted in place, another sentence slid from the pony’s lips; "would you please assist me in writing a letter Ammy?”
Amethyst yawned gracefully, carried herself upward onto glimmering white claws, and hulked across the solid oak floors to a writer’s desk nestled into a corner. The room itself was large and sprawling. Books endlessly lined the shelf heavy walls; filled with generations of legal documentation. Amethyst had been and was the draconic assistant to the energetic Ms. Terrlane Wright, the local records keeper. The two lived cozily within the historical town hall, a large building with an acute Prench influence.
Amethyst glared with indifferent eyes at the empty inkwell that stood unchanging before her."Hey Terra, we’re out of ink."
The mare, looking less than a wee-bit nervous, sputtered, "O-oh...okay. I think that Green Meadow mentioned something about extra cases yesterday."
As she gave the dragon a sheepish smile, Amethyst unceremoniously rolled her eyes. “Got it. I’ll be back in thirty," she said, shuffling to the door. "You sit tight and I'll-" Amethyst voice trailed off sharply.
She had opened the entryway to a crowd of devilishly grinning ponies. "Surprise!" They cheered in unison.
Amethyst gawked blankly at the group. Despite shock effectively numbing her to the world, Ammy noted the presence of limbs, wrapping about, into a warm embrace. The visionless mare whispered sweetly into Amethyst’s ear, "Happy Birthday, Ammy...and thank you for everything." The dragon let loose a tiny tear as a kiss planted itself upon her left cheek. If the mare could see, she might have noticed Ammy’s eyes drift as a pang of wonder ripped across her face. But alas, the pony knew all the same; if only for the fact that lay laden beneath the dragon’s breath…
“East.”
__Spike__Three hours later__
Wisps of wind hissed through library’s open window. Spike sat stagnantly upon the window’s frame. Twilight, with worried eyes, approached the blank faced dragon. "So… how are you feeling?" She asked with a nervously twinge in her smile.
Spike had been with a thoughtful expression for nearly a week. Twilight was no stranger to Spike’s dreams. She had been the ears to his worries since the dragon was born.
Spike didn’t even register the question at first. Gathering his wits, he voiced what little thoughts he could scrape into coherent sentences. "Pretty Good...but I…” Spike sighed as his head turned, eyes shot to the floor, and then back up to meet Twilight’s.
“I know it sounds weird Twi’ b-but the feeling’s just there.” Spike threw his hands skyward and let himself fall backward onto the couch. He continued, “I’m just curious ya’ know? Why am I being practically drawn to nothing? There’s a desert for about thirty miles west! No man’s land! Nothing! Zilch! Zip! Nada!” Spike let out a frustrated moan as he rubbed his eyes with both palms.
Twilight had heard this same argument for over a month. Spike was seventeen. He needed to explore. Twilight figured that it might as well be now. The world was large, and Spike had been confined to a small rural town with nothing but books to show him what lay outside its borders.
Twilight gave a hefty smile as she trotted over to Spike, planting a light kiss on his forehead. “Take a leap of faith." With that, she began a quick assent into her loft. The desert was no threat to a dragon, both Spike and Twilight knew this firmly. Cold blooded and strong, crossing the geographic body would be no more difficult than a foal crossing a sandbox. An excursion of this sort would offer Spike’s life nothing less than experience with freedom. Spike sat speechlessly, his mind in tangles. “Just do it,” he thought; mind beginning to ease. Content, he quickly slipped into sleep. “Just do it.”
__Amethyst__
Amethyst sighed lightly, an untouched slice of cake on a plate sat clenched between her ivory claws. Brooding heavily in a kitchenette chair, she muttered to herself quietly, "I could never do that to her."
Crippled visually as she was, Terra had managed to make her way to Amethyst. Knowing the normally social dragon was alone had been enough to tip her off. "Is there something the matter?" She questioned with a warm, motherly tone.
Amethyst remained unmoving, still deep in thought. A moment passed before she allowed her head to lull backwards, permitting a beautiful view of the stark white ceiling. “It just won’t let up. It’s…it’s ridicules!"
She points her claws out accusingly to the East, “Something just wants me to go. But why… why would I want to wander around some desert? I have studies. I have responsib-" The dragoness was silenced by a hoof gently touching her lips. Terra simply gave her a motherly smile, saying, “You’ll never know unless you go and see.”
Amethyst looked back to her disabled friend with shock, "I could never do that to you...who'll care or yo-" Before Amethyst could finish her sentence, Terra interjected, "Green Meadows will stay with me Ammy. She and I have always been close, and I think we’d both like to spend some more time together. And besides, my eyes are getting taken care of in a week. tops! I won't really need a guide after that, and you’d just be sitting around here board anyways,” she finished with a smirk.
Terra wiped away a tear that Amethyst hadn’t noticed rolling down her cheek. A chocked chuckle emanated from the dragon as she silently said, “Thanks for understanding.”
The mare just stood there smiling, “Any time Ammy. Any time.”
__Spike__
Spike moved fluently in the morning rays, the sun peaking over the eastern mountains. He stretched his lean, toned structure. Powerful, distinct muscle repelling beneath his skin. Spike’s scales were a dirty green, darkened with age. His wings had grown into proper instruments of flight; finely tuned by generous practice. He had grown a great deal in the past decade; now standing nearly equal with Celestia. His goodbyes had been somewhat rushed; managing to address, minimally, his closest circle of friends. The farewells included a somewhat extended goodbye from a teary eyed Rarity, who marveled at how the once crush stricken dragon had “bloomed.”
But now, standing in the morning’s gleaming light, Spike’s heart had begun to race. Every nerve in his body tingled with excitement. If he had wanted to go West before, he was shuttering to do so now. There was no need for thought; Spike began his journey into the jungle of sands.
__Amethyst__
Sun skimming the mountains, it rose solemnly before the pink purple dragoness. A long, low shadow trailed behind her. Stretching her toned legs and elegantly constructed neck, Amethyst was now more than prepared for the trip that was set to embark. Unfurling her wings, the light created a spectacle to be seen; embracing Amethyst’s body and highlighting her brilliant streaks of color and shapely form. She stood at an imposing high; challenged that of the solar princess. And now, albeit without reason, the gentile pull of the east was replaced seamlessly with a powerful tug. Every piece of her being commanded that she move to the force’s will. One step turned into two. Two into three. Three into four. She began her trek upon the empty lands, no reasoning need other than the feeling at hand.
__Spike__
Spike shifted purposefully as he entered the sands; smoldering grains grinding between his open toes. The desert had brought about a calm that pulsated in adversity to his previous sense of urgency. Only now did he take note of the glorious high-noon sun beating down upon his scales, “Feels like a heated silken blanket,” he stated blankly.
"Or a soothing mineral hot spring," came a content female voice in reply.
Responding without thought, Spike cooed, “Mmmm, sounds wonderfu-“ He froze; cold tingle traveling up his spine.
Spinning around in confusion, and nearly thirty miles away, another dragon had just mirrored an eerily similar sensation.
…
…
“Hello?”
A/N: Oh dear lord, I promise to never jump around in a story so much as long as I live.
PS: It's a single click to you, but mean the absolute world to me! Please rate <3
