The Harmony Scrolls V: Manerim

Author's Note: I've had much help from my good friend, The Shadow of Death. Thanks Shadow! :D

Alex and Rainbow Dash arrived in Ponyville feeling pretty confident about their trek up the 7,000 steps to Crystalvale. Alex paid the carriage driver who had brought them there with a handful of bits. "Thank you." The driver said, and set off in the opposite direction back to Whitetrot. "Crystalvale is an ancient place, Alex. Old as Hearthland, the land which all ponies migrated from, 5,000 years ago. We have a holiday dedicated to it and the founding of Equestria, Hearth's Warming Eve." Rainbow Dash said, her hooves clopping on the gray flagstones below her. "Every year they celebrate it in the Celestia City, with a play and other Festivities. The city is beautiful at that time of year, the snow falling on the neat and clean streets, the big red bows decorating every door. I wish I could take you to see it, Alex."

Alex smiled and looked at Rainbow Dash, his eyes twinkling. "I'd like to go see it myself, Dash. It sounds almost like Christmas, a human holiday." Alex went on to explain the joyous holiday in great detail, from Christmas trees to Santa Clause. "Santa Clause?" Dash exclaimed. "So he just gives gifts to little children?" Alex laughed. "Well, he's a myth, so no. The parents do that."

"How long do you think it'll take to get to the monastery, Dash?" Alex said, craning his neck to look up the gargantuan mountain. "I'm not sure, Alex. I've never made my way up the path myself. Very few people are allowed at the monastery. It is a great privilege to be able to speak with the Greybeards. Though quiet, the Mistress there is a well educated scholar on the dragons and their language. Some say she is the daughter of Aruventus, the goddess of wind, air, and animals. She certainly has a way with nature."

"Well, once we travel this path, we'll be free to speak with her. 7,000 steps, if I remember correctly." Alex said, recalling his adventures in Skyrim. "We should get moving then. I'd like to get there before nightfall."

Alex and Rainbow Dash crossed an arched bridge and started making their way up the path, killing the time by talking. "So, why did you kiss me that other day, Rainbow Dash?" Alex inquired, blushing madly and trying to look away. Rainbow Dash frowned and looked out across the horizon, admiring Celestia's beautiful sun. "I...I honestly don't know myself, Alex. I guess I couldn't think of a better way to thank you at that moment. I'm sorry." She said, also blushing.

"It's alright. In fact, that was a great kiss." Alex said, blushing harder. "We should really do it again sometime." Rainbow Dash laughed. "We certainly should, though I think it would be best to reach Crystalvale right now."

"We should be getting close by now. We passed the 4th etching an hour back, and the 5th one signals the monastery is near. God, I can't wait to warm up when we get inside. It's f-r-reezing up here..." An hour passed and it got colder as they traveled up the path, and it began to snow heavily. Thankfully, though, when they turned a corner, they could see Crystalvale through the unrelenting snow. "Th-thank Luna..." Alex heard Rainbow Dash say through chattering teeth.

Alex opened the door, to let Rainbow Dash in, then quickly shut it behind him. It was warm inside, much to the pair's pleasure. Alex and Rainbow Dash held their hands and hooves over a smoldering fire. "Oh, um, are you the Dragonborn?" Said a timid voice from nearby. Alex and rainbow dash turned to see a pale yellow pegasus pony with wavy pink hair. "Yes, I am. You are the ones that summoned me, correct?" Alex said, staring at the yellow pegasus. "Well, um, yes. My name is Fluttershy..." She said quietly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite hear you, could you repeat that?" Alex said, smiling. "My name is, um, Fluttershy..." She whispered, trying to look away from Alex. "What?" He said, starting to feel bad. "Uh, I believe her name is Fluttershy, Alex." Rainbow Dash said. "Well, I've answered your summons. What do you need of me?"

"We learned of your ability to slay dragons and absorb their power. To prove that you are, um, Dragonborn, demonstrate your power to us." Alex inhaled and exhaled, then inhaled once more, and shouted. "FUS!" Fluttershy and the other greybeards stumbled backwards and quickly got back up. "Oh! Your shout hit my wings!" Fluttershy giggled. "Try not to, next time, okay?" She said, still giggling and blushing madly, trying to hide her obvious wing-boner.

"Now that you have demonstrated your power to us, you need to learn to focus your shout, I mean, if you don't mind..." She said, looking away again.

"Mistress Sun Beam will now teach you the word "Ro", or balance, in the Dragon tongue." Sun Beam stepped forward projected the word of power, Ro, onto the floor. At first Alex only had the vaguest idea of how to read the word, but gradually the intrinsic meaning, the true nature of the word revealed itself to him. He knew, instinctively, how to call upon the word's power just as he had done before.

"Good. You learn quickly, Dragonborn. Where it may take others years to learn even the simplest shout, it is in your blood to know the Tongue of the Dovah, allowing you to learn quickly." Fluttershy explained, turning around to walk in the other direction. "Now follow me please, if, um, you don't mind. We'll practice out in the courtyard for the next shout, Whirlwind."

Alex and Rainbow Dash followed Fluttershy and the others outside to the snowy courtyard, which by then it had stopped snowing. There was a certain tranquility in the air that made Alex feel at home. "The next shout we are going to be learning is 'Wuld', or Whirlwind. Mistress Sun Beam and Shadow Cloud will demonstrate it for you."

Sun Beam trotted over to a large gate, while Shadow cloud stood still, waiting for the gate to open. "BEX!" Sun Beam shouted, which then Shadow Cloud shouted, "WULD!" And flashed forward in the blink of an eye. Immediately after she shouted, the gate closed. "Now, Shadow Cloud will give you her knowledge of the word, 'Wuld'." Fluttershy said, and backed away.

Shadow Cloud approached Alex and closed her eyes. He could hear the word being chanted in his ears, over and over again. Blue sparks encircled him, lifting him from the ground.

"Excellent. Mistress Sun Beam, over by the gate, um, if you don't mind...." The cream colored unicorn trotted over to the gate happily. "BEX!" She shouted, and the gate opened. Alex inhaled and shouted. "WULD!" He shot forward like a bolt of lightning, and the gate closed behind him just as he stopped. He walked back over to Fluttershy.

"Excellent. That's all we'll practice for today. Now, I have special task for you. In Hjalmarch, There is an old Hearthinian ruin known as Ustengrav. Inside, is the horn of Moonflower Wind Walker, founder of the Way of The Voice. Retrieve it, and return it to me. Then we can further your training in the Way of the Voice. When we go back inside, I could give you an enchanted map of Manerim, which can show you where you are and where you want to go."

"Thank you, Fluttershy, for assisting me in learning new Words of Power." Alex said, hugging her. Alex heard a 'POMF' and released her. Fluttershy was once again blushing madly with her wings fully erect. "Oh, it's no problem, really...you and Rainbow Dash could sleep here tonight, I mean, if you want."

When they got back inside, Fluttershy gave him the specially enchanted map and a few red bottles, which Alex assumed were potions of healing. When Alex was putting the map and potions in his bag, Rainbow Dash approached him. "You know, I think Fluttershy has a crush on you. I've never seen a pegasus get a bigger wing-boner than the one she had when she was around you!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

Alex stared at her blankly for a minute than continued to pack his bag. He closed the flap, took off his clothes and then got into his bed, thankful that it was warm and comfortable.

Rainbow Dash got into the bed adjacent to his and sighed. "Something wrong?" Alex asked, turning over. "Nothing, I was just thinking about Fluttershy, that's all..." She said. "Oh. Good night, then."

"Night."