Twilight Sparkle didn't know what to think and what to feel at this very moment. Her heart sunk deep into her chest, aching with uncertainty. Eyes locked onto the child before her silently. After all, he was just a baby after all.
“You can't leave.” Twilight swallowed the tight lump in her throat, eyes stung with the formation of fresh tears.
Spike felt his scaled back rest against the nearby wall of Twilight's study. He clicked his claws across the stone surface in deep thought, emerald hues burning like lit embers in the dark. He knew the dream was over. He had to stick to his own desires or risk losing them forever.
“I wasn't asking.” His reply was calm and straight to the point.
Twilight felt her hooves tremble with each uneasy step towards her baby brother. She felt a forced laugh escape her muzzle. “What will you eat? Where will you live!?” Twilight dashed towards the doorway blocking it.
“That's just it, I don't know.” Spike walked over to the unicorn, flashing an awkward little grin.
“And I'm excited about that.”
Twilight lifted her hooves, each tightly placed onto his shoulders with force. She made herself larger than him, looking down upon him with disappointment. Her eyes locked on his angrily, wings extended out, adding to her now towering silhouette.
“I will not let you travel outside Equestria without a plan! Traveling with complete strangers who could easily abandon you at first light!!” Twilight clenched her hooves on his scales tight.
“Strangers!? They're my kind!!” Spike sternly spoke in a confident booming voice to his sister.
“My brothers and sisters! I've dreamed of traveling with my family, to learn about my culture!!” He watched the towering alicorn slowly shrink in size, Twilight lowering back to his level.
“I'm your family! This is your culture!!” Twilight lifted her hoof as it struck her brother across the face sharply.
Spike stumbled shocked, his cheek burning from the surprise strike. He felt a surge of emotions flood his very being, claws curling inward to jab his palm. Calming his nerves, he took a deep breath, exhaling a long stream of cream colored smoke from his nostrils.
“I'll never forget all you've done.” Spike cupped her cheeks tenderly, gazing deep into her own.
“The things you've taught, the lessons I've learned.” Her forehead met his.
Spike smiled wide with respect and gratitude of years passed. “The love, I'll never forsake the love.” He placed a kiss atop her head, tears rolling down each violet cheek.
“Spike…” She sobbed.
“But I need to go.”
“...” Twilight gave silent little weeps.
“I need to fly across that long horizon to understand my kin.” He wrapped the shivering little pony in his arms, squeezing her tight with all his warmth.
“Leave, but know my answer is no.” Twilight pulled away from his embrace, hooves stumbling side to side, before she reached her scroll covered desk slumping over.
“Twilight…” His claw extended towards her crumpled frame.
Twilight lifted a few books in a glow of magic. The hardbacks were thrown violently across the room. “Just go!” She screamed between sobs, Spike dodging the books heartbroken.
Spike nodded as wings stretched out to their maximum potential. He watched his sister become silent in the room, eyes shifting to the empty night sky above. Without another word, he bolted off into the endless darkness, leaving only a streak of green smoke trailing behind.
Volcanic vents fired scalding steam into the crisp air, dragons of every kind laughing as they chilled out in the lava pools scattered across Ember's Peak. Some relaxed in private Jacuzzis, while others swam in the much deeper vats up the mountain.
Smolder huffed with worry as she waited for her friend to arrive. Watching the empty sky for any sign of his presence, hoping all went well and that his talk with Twilight was productive. Suddenly, Spike exploded out of a nearby cloud, gently landing near his dragoness confidant.
“Did she give her blessings?” Smolder flashed a fang filled grin.
Spike nodded a no, eyes filled with a silent pain. Smolder simply pulled him into a hug, letting the drake know that this wasn't the end. Many new experiences were coming soon, and she was excited to share them with him.
“It'll be fine, I promise.” She whispered in his ear delicately.
The mountain rumbled underneath their feet as the roar of eruption lit up the darkness, cheers echoed across the summit. The dragons delighted to start the journey out of the borders of their homeland, to explore the old country and grow closer to their ancestry.
Smolder squealed happily as she fluttered higher into the air, groups of dragons rushing past her in a blur of vibrant colors. “C'mon, it'll be beautiful!” She screamed down to the drake as he hesitated to move forward, his heart cracked.
“Fly!” Twilight sobbed as she darted out from the opposite skyline, cheeks soaking wet as she came crashing beside her brother.
“Twilight!!” He tried to speak, worried she might have broken a hoof.
“I'm sorry, you do deserve to explore the world! I'm just scared that I'll lose you…” Twilight rushed to explain as the beating of dragon wings hummed around them loudly.
“...”
“But I can't keep you to myself, I can't steal your life…” She placed a hoof over his chest tenderly.
“I...”
“Come fly with me. I'll always be right here.” She rubbed the area over his heart with a genuine smile of joy.
Spike felt tears fill his eyes, trickling down each cheek as he lifted to Smolder's side. Silently letting his love be known, he waved bye to his sister and began the journey of a lifetime. Finally, he found where he belonged.
Twilight smiled on the mountain's edge as they faded from view, with a flicker of her horn. The night sky lit up by magical starlight.
She would let her magic guide him till the day he found his way home.
