A Faraway Land.

Chapter 16

A Peaceful Picnic

"Wake up James!" I felt something small jumping on my chest. "Wake up! Come on!"

"What's going on?" I open my eyes to find Spike jumping on my chest. "What are you doing spike?"

"I am trying to wake you up, but you are very hard to wake..."

"I have been working my butt off all week spike. Give me a little credit..." I sit up and spike rolls off my chest.

"Hey! what was that for?" Spike quickly got up.

"That should teach ya..." I chuckled. "Yo spike... I saw a bowling alley a couple of days ago... If we go; you wana be my ball? You roll very well."

"That's not funny... Besides do you remember what we are going to do today?"

"Umm... Let me think for a second." I tried to remember, but all I could think about were those damn apples. "I am pulling a blank Spike. Fill me in."

"You are suppose to be going on a picnic with Rarity, Fluttershy, Twilight and me." Spike crossed his arms. "And you are running late... Twilight went out to get some food ready. She will be back any second now..."

"Ohh... That's right... Oh crap..." I quickly push the blanket over Spikes head. "I need to get ready!"

"Hey! Why did you do that!?" Spike struggled in the heap of the blanket.

"Sorry Spike." I pull the blanket out from over him. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Ya I can tell... You have been acting like this all week..." Spike gave me a worried look. "Is something wrong?"

"No Spike. I am fine. Just a little tired. Remember I use to be a military man; not a farm hand. I will get use to this life soon. It will just take some time." I gave Spike a smile.

"Well... Alright if you say so." Spike made his way downstairs with me.

The past week I have been working on Applejacks farm. I managed to get a total of 83 bits. Twilight had to get me a bag for my money a couple days ago. Today would be a good day to ask Rarity about how she got the ruby. Going off the topic a little. I have a weird feeling about this week, but I do have good news. The burning in my shoulders is completely gone now. I am happy about that.

"Hey Spike. What am I going to be carrying?"

"I don't know what Twilight is going to be bringing. Let's wait for Twilight before we start packing stuff." Spike said as the door opened.

"Hey Spike. Is James up?" Twilight asked while she closed the door.

"Ya he is awake."

"Hey Twilight. What are we going to be bringing with us?" I asked while putting my boots on.

"I already have everything packed and ready to go." Twilight did a final look around the room to make sure she had everything. "Are you both ready?"

"Ya I'm good to go!" I quickly ran down the stairs and up to twilight. "What would you like me to carry?"

"Can you carry the basket and the towels?" Twilight smiled.

"You got it." I went by the door to pick up the stuff.

"Spike! Hurry!" Twilight yelled.

"I'm coming! I'm coming..." Spike rushed into the room.

"You ready for a ride Spike?" I asked

"Sure am!" I picked spike up and set him on my shoulder. "Looks like we are ready Twilight. You lead?"

Twilight opened the door as Spike and I made out way outside. Twilight followed close behind.

"So Twilight. Are we going to pick the others up?" I asked as Spike sat down on my shoulder.

"Nope. They should be making their way to the spot now." Twilight looked up at Spike. "So you have your own little perch now Spike?" Twilight laughed.

"What are you talking about Twilight?" Spike shot Twilight a confused stare.

"I think she wants to know when you started to ride my shoulder." I laughed.

"Oh. I don't know. I just jumped up here a couple of days ago. I wanted to see how it is from this high up." Spike brought a claw up to his chin. "Ya... that's it."

"We have had a week of beautiful weather. I am very impressed." I adjusted the towels in my arm.

"Rainbow Dash has been very thorough about keeping the skies clear. She got a lot of talking to when that odd storm came in." Twilight looked like the was deep in thought. "In fact, that was the first time I have ever seen a storm like that. Have you seen anything like that in your world?"

"I have... Only once." I looked up at the sky as I see birds flying around.

"When was that?" Twilight asked.

"I saw it the first day I came to Equestria." Twilight stayed quiet for a good ten minutes.

"So James... Do you regret coming here?" I looked at Twilight while we walked. I noticed her ears where down.

"Naa... I made a lot of new friends here." Twilight looked at me and i gave her a smile. "It's not all that bad here. The food could be better, but other than that its nice."

"That's good to hear!" Twilight quickly perked up. "I have some food I know you are going to like! I can't wait till you try it."

"It's not flowers or grass is it?" I asked.

"Nope!" Twilight's walk turned into a slow skip. I t was obvious she was happy about something.

"We are here!" Twilight said while we made our way past some bushes. "Hi Rarity! Fluttershy!"

"Hello Twilight, James, Spike. Glad you could make it!" Rarity smiled.

"Hi James." Fluttershy said.

"Hey Fluttershy Rarity." I smiled as I set the stuff down on the blanket. "Nice place for a picnic Rarity. Thanks for the invite." I looked to the side. "What's the couch for?"

"You didn't expect me to lay on the grass did you?"

"I guess not..." I picked Spike off my shoulders and set him down.

"Spike, could you get everything set up please." Twilight opened the basket and looked around.

"Sure thing Twilight." Spike started to set up the plates.

I walk over next to the blanket. I sat down and laid back in the grass. I tried to remember how long it has been since I took a break like this. I looked up at the birds as they flew freely. Fluttershy came into my view. I turned to look at her.

"What's up Fluttershy." I smiled.

"What are you thinking about James?" Fluttershy sat down next to me in the grass.

"Well; Looking up at the birds. It reminds me a lot about me when I was training to fly." I watched Fluttershy as her eyes grew bigger.

"Can you tell me when you where training to fly?" I looked on at her as she started to tot a little excited. "You don't have to if you don't want too." Fluttershy started to look sad.

"I don't mind. What do you want to know?" I asked as she got excited again.

"Everything." She smiled.

"Well I don't remember everything, but I do remember a lot about training."

"That's okay." Fluttershy interrupted."

"Every man and child in my world has always wanted to be free. I was no exception. I lied about my age to join the military. They didn't care; our country was at war." Fluttershy interrupted.

"Why do you have war where you are from?" Fluttershy gave me a frightened look.

"I heard a saying before. War is when the old and the wise trick the young and stupid into fighting. I never understood why we went into some wars. I guess we just wanted their stuff."

"Oh. Please continue." Fluttershy smiled.

"Well... I got in no problem. I got through school as fast as I could. I knew I wanted to fly when I saw the Blue Angels at an air show." I looked at Fluttershy as her eyes got bigger again.

"What are Blue Angels?"

"Well... I like to think they are among the best flyers in the world." Fluttershy interrupted again.

"So they are like the Wonder Bolts." Fluttershy's eyes started to glow in excitement.

"Ya. I guess." Honestly I didn't even know what the Wonder Bolts were. "The first training exercise I did in a real plain; it was in the Pacific Ocean. Radar was acting funny and I had no idea where I was. I ended up over a Chinese carrier."

"Chinese?" Fluttershy asked.

"Yep. It is one of hundreds on nations on my planet." I smiled. "When I flew over the carrier. They responded with a squad of their own plains. I think they where called The Mighty Dragons. It was their new jet. Trust me when I say this. When people are trying to kill you. You turn rookie to ace in no time. I took out all three of them. All that happened was damage to my wing. It wasn't too bad; I just couldn't hit supersonic."

"You killed them?..." Fluttershy was about to cry.

"What?..." I laughed. "No. they ejected before it was too late for them. I don't think telling you the rest would be too good for you. If you were about to cry about that story. The next one would send you running home." I chuckled." Long story short. Accidents happen and you have to deal with them." I gave Fluttershy a smile. I looked to my other side and I saw both Twilight and Rarity. I'm guessing they were listening to my somewhat short story. "The food ready?" I gave them a smile.

"Hu? Oh yes the food is ready." Twilight smiled.

"So what is there to eat?" I got up and sat down on the blanket with a plate in front of me.

"You will see." Twilight smiled and levitated a sandwich on my plate.

"Alright." I looked at the sandwich for a moment. Then to Twilight and back to the sandwich. I picked it up and looked inside the sandwich. "Nice. Peanut butter and jelly. Thanks Twilight." I smiled and took a bite. "So Rarity... How did you find that ruby?"

"I found it at Rambling Rock Ridge. It was at the mouth of a small cave." I watched Rarity take a bite of her sandwich.

"So where is that?" I asked.

"It's about a 10 minute walk east from Ponyville." She said while taking another bite of her sandwich.

I had to think about that for a while. She found it while at Rambling Rock Ridge. If so, someone else might have lost it. That or Rarity found in among dead bodies. Something didn't add up.

"Did you find it on the ground?" I waited for an answer.

"Yes. I found it on the ground at the mouth of a cave." Rarity gave me a strange look. "Is something wrong James?"

"No nothing is wrong. I am just curious. Do you mind if I ask you what where you going to use the ruby for?" I finished off my sandwich. I looked at Rarity as she turned red. "Never mind. I'm sorry you don't have to tell me." Rarity looked relieved. I turned to look at Spike. "Hey Spike. I am going to go swimming. You want to join?"

"Umm..." Spike looked at the ground. "I don't know how to swim..." Spike gave me a disappointed look.

"No problem. You wana learn?" I asked

"Would I!?" Spike quickly jumped up. "Let's go!"

"Alright Spike; let's go." Spike was quick to follow. "You two want to join us?"

"That's alright darling. I'll pass." Rarity smiled.

"You go on James I am fine." Twilight raised a hoof and motioned me to go. "I wanted to talk to Rarity about something."

"Alright. Your loss." I turned and made my way to the lake. "Hold up spike! Let me take my clothes off."

"You know Rarity. James is very determined to find you another ruby." Twilight took a drink of water. "He has been working his hoofs off at Applejacks farm all last week."

"I know darling. I told him he didn't have too." Rarity looked at the ground.

"Don't feel bad Rarity. I have been with him for two weeks now." Twilight smiled. "He is very reliable. All he wants to do is help you."

"I know, but those rubies are hard to find. How do you think he will fine another?" Rarity asked.

"I dont know." Twilight put her hoof to her chin. "I bet if there is a way. I know he will find it!" Twilight smiled.

"I agree with Twilight. James is very kind." Fluttershy smiled

"Hey Spike... You ready?" I whispered to spike.

"Sure am. Let's do this..." Spike whispered back.

"Alright hop up on my hands. I will use my arms and legs to push you off." I bent my knees and put my hands on my shoulders. "Ready Spike. Don't mess this up... You only get one shot."

"Got it." Spike jumped up on my hands and turned to Rarity. "Hey Rarity! Watch this!" Spike yelled as loud as he could at Rarity. Rarity, Twilight and Fluttershy looked at us. "Now James! Go!"

"You got it!" I quickly jumped while pushing spike in the air.

"Spike!" Twilight yelled as Spike launched twenty feet in the air. "Spike!"

"Spiky Wikey!" Rarity yelled.

"Oh my..." Fluttershy covered her mouth.

"Nice air spike! Don't mess this up! Remember one shot!" I yelled at spike as he went into freefall.

"Got it!" Spike yelled.

"No Spike! Head first arms straight!" I painfully watched as spike did the worlds biggest belly flop. "Oh man Spike..." I covered my mouth trying not to laugh. "You okay little man?" Twilight ran up to me with Rarity and Fluttershy.

"I'm okay!" Spike waved at us. Spike started to swim to shore.

"Why would you do that to my Spiky Wikey!?" Rarity yelled.

"Why did you do that James?..." Twilight asked.

"Umm..." I looked at Rarity then turned back at Twilight. I bent over to whisper in Twilight's ear. "Spike wanted to impress Rarity. I think it worked."

"I'm fine Rarity." Spike said. "I wanted to do it."

"Oh... Okay then." Rarity smiled. "Oh! I have a great Idea! Let's do this again and invite every pony."

"That's a great idea Rarity." Twilight looked up at me. "Are you going to come too James?"

"I cant... Sorry. Me and Spike have something we have to do." I turned to Spike and winked at him. "Right Spike?"

"Right!" Spike nodded.

"Okay. Well we should get going. I have some studying to do." Twilight said. We picked up and called it a day and what a relaxing day it was.