To Be A King: King Garble

Thunder and lightning. The latter struck first while the former boomed second. Rain poured furiously from the sky, making a racket as it hit the ground through the humid and growing murkiness that was the atmosphere. Quite a bit of time had passed since Garble had left and Draut was actually starting to get a little worried. Whenever Garble was royally pissed, he’d always storm off on his own to get some time off to calm down.

He’d just disappear for almost an hour at most and when the time came to look for him or when he chose to come back, something always seemed to be broken or destroyed during his “cool off time.” What it was exactly that he was wrecking, wasn’t what had the dragon on edge though.

It was the amount of time that had passed.

The portly dark blue scaled dragon paced back and forth, occasionally glancing out of a random crevice that acted as a window whenever he passed by it.

It’s been almost an hour, where is he? Yet, the only reply he was given was just the simple sound of rain.

A couple feet away, sitting on crude grey thrones of hard dolomite was Brock, Rugilith, Ikris, and Stool. None uttered a word as their burly blue friend stomped back and forth in impatience.

Draut was never really the type that liked being kept on hold in these types of situations. Five minutes of pacing back and forth, a loud snort of embers fly by and Draut finally decides he’s had enough worried pacing and just drops into his seat. “Where the heck is he?”

“Why exactly are we waiting for him? He told us to give him space. I don’t think, sitting here, waiting not too far away from the main entrance is going to do anything but tick him off even more.” The amaranth dragoness said, commented really.

Draut merely grunted in response. He knew that. He knew Garble and his antics. They’d been together since they were hatchlings, so duh. That was obvious. It’s just... he couldn’t help it.

He hadn’t seen Garble this angry before in a while. Not since that whole situation with that baby dragon and those ponies.

As far as he could recall that’d been quite some time ago.

Thinking about what Garble was up to, right now as the rain pounded away at everything, made Draut shift uncomfortably in his seat of stone. Rugilith had a point, but there was something about all of this that just told him--

“We should probably stay here just in case- y’know, in case he comes back and is looking for us or something.” Brock had said, practically reading the larger dragon’s mind.

There was a moment of awkward silence that filled the room. Silence that was overpowered with the pounding of rain, the flash of lightning, the howl of wind and the boom of thunder.

Every dragon in the room busied themselves with something as time just went on. Ikris sat lazily, staring at the glowing crystals that made up their ceiling. Brock twiddled with his thumbs. Draut just focused on a window, and Rugilith remained tense.

“Well. I guess I’ll ask it if no one else will.” Stool’s voice came, breaking the spell that kept everyone quiet. “What exactly do you think made Lord Torch and the princesses say that Garble was an unfit Dragon Lord?”

“We don’t know what they were conversing over. We just heard them say it because we were farther in the front. We don’t know the context of what they were discussing so we shouldn’t be making baseless assumptions.”

“Oh, please Rugy. You and I both know, that LT was talking about Garble.” Brock interjected.

“No.” she firmly answered. “You and the others assumed he was talking about Garble.” She calmly replied. “I...I don’t doubt, he wasn’t. I have my own reasons for believing he might or might not be, referring to Garble but I don’t think we should assume he was, in the case that we are wrong. We only heard a few words out of an entire conversation that we were clearly not a part of, and as I’ve already said before”, her gaze now directed away from a window and onto Brock. “We don’t know what they were talking about.”

Brock not satisfied with that answer or excuse as he took it, made an attempt to reply only when he opened his mouth to speak he found no words he could use to start an argument. Instead his mouth just stayed slightly open then would purse now and then when he thought he had something but couldn’t find the right way to phrase it. After about a minute of this constant attempt to rebuttal, Brock’s maw clamped shut and he decided to end his side of things with a frown.

That frown turned sour with displeasure when he saw Rugilith giving him the subtlest of smirks behind that inexpressive facade.

“Can we please stay on topic?” Stool’s voice interjected before an argument could start. “It’s good to know you aren’t making baseless assumptions Rugil, but let’s look at things in a different light. Let’s say what we heard and what we’re all thinking now, actually happened. If and I’m just saying if, Lord Torch and the leaders of Equestria had been talking about Garble then they probably would be talking about his position or maybe even his future as a figurative head. Right?”

A round of nods from the others was all Shrnouwel needed to continue.

“Alright then. Let’s say Torch did say Garble was “unworthy” somewhere in this conversation-”

“We don’t know that” Rugilith interrupted. She would have said more but the look Draut shot her, made her cease any further engagement.

“Thank you”, Shrnow said to his cousin. Draut nodded and waved a claw for him to continue and continue he did. “I understand you’re a bit reluctant to suggest Lord Torch would say such a thing Rugil, but for the sake of this conjecture  let’s say Torch did say Garble was ‘unworthy’, why would he say that?”

“We already know ‘why’, Stool” Ik answered. “We all know Lord Torch still hasn’t fully recovered from what happened with Princess Ember. I mean, four months isn’t exactly a lot of time to cope plus I don’t blame him. Still though”, Ik’s tone changed “ya gotta admit if he did say that because he somehow felt Ember’s death was tied in with Garble winning, then c’mon. That’s pretty low, even for him.”

“Whoa, whoa whoa whoa.” Brock cut in. “Who said anything about Garble having something to do with Ember’s accident? We all know she drowned, Lord Torch confirmed it himself.”

“I know that, but we can’t just rule that out.” Ikris answered. “ Sides, you, Draut, and I, were all there when we saw that look he gave him. You know the one. Right before he sent us all down with the other dragons to Magma’s Summit. I wouldn’t doubt it if he was a little ticked that Garble or anyone else for that matter became Dragon Lord aside from her.”

“Okay no.” Draut’s firm tone stated. A tone that very well implied he did not like the current route of this conversation..

Stool didn’t say a word when he heard that tone. It was the a tone he hadn’t heard in years. The no-no tone didn’t ever welcome anything friendly. And the silver palulu decided to keep his mouth shut as his cousin shook his head in disagreement to what Ik was saying.

“No?” Ik repeated, in a very confused voice. “What- what do you mean, ‘no’? Draut, we all saw that. You can’t sit there and tell me for a second that you don’t think that it’s even slightly impossible that Lord Torch could be blinded by, I don’t know, grief or maybe even possible distrust, where somewhere along the line in that conversation he might’ve said somethin’ a little demeanin’ towards Garble?”

Draut hunched over in his seat and didn’t reply for a good five seconds. “No.” He said again, straightening out and shaking his head. “That’s just not how I see it.”

“So you’re basically sayin’ you think I’m just making this stuff up?”

“I’m saying what your words imply are making it sound like Lord Torch is an inexperienced hatchling, when he’s been Dragon Lord longer than any of us have been alive. You make it sound like he’s throwing a passive tantrum rather than make it sound like he has a real reason behind any of this.” Draut simply replied.

Ik stared through the lemon yellow drapes that covered a large portion of his eyes in complete disbelief. After what felt like seconds, he sported a sneer. “You have got to be kiddin’ me, right dude? Like, seriously? You can’t tell me, you’re boner for Lord Torch is what’s making you say this, right?”

If Shrnouwel hadn’t been even slightly upset for his cousin at that very second, then the certain change in temperature certainly punctuated his distaste at such a remark.

Then again it could just have been the rain.

“Save it Stool, my beef isn’t with you” Ik warned, his gaze never once leaving Draut who now levelled his glare.

“Excuse me?” Draut asked. He leaned forward a bit in his seat, lightning making itself well known from the distance of a window as everyone’s shadows flashed in briefly before the room’s light from multiple fluorescent emeralds took charge again.

“Say that again.” Draut dared. “My what, for what?”

“You heard me ya giant lout.” Moving away from his own throne, Ik slowly inched closer to where Draut sat. “You’ve always admired Lord Torch, heck”, a claw circled around aimlessly at them all. “Who hasn’t in this room? But you’ve always had a spot for the guy in your heart and we all know it. You’re lettin’ that blind you.”

The blue dragon’s maw clenched shut when his friend stabbed his shoulder with a claw and then shoved it, to make his point. He and Ikris fixed each other both with expressionless stares. Silently daring the other to make a move that even meant to start a fight.

If they had a clock, a minute would have ticked by as their silent bicker with simple looks ended, with Draut’s long sigh. He hated when Ikris might be right. It always came back to annoy him at some degree he couldn’t help later on in the future, particularly with Ik going on to remind him how right he’d been and how wrong the former was.

“Fine. Whatever”, Draut griped. He took a second to lean back into his seat before continuing. “I still don’t think you’re right. But suppose Lord Torch is a bit biased, that doesn’t mean he’d call Garble a unfit successor just because of what happened to Ember. There has to be more than just that.”

“And let’s not forget Lord Torch did exempt every drakon of having anything to do with Princess Ember’s unfortunate demise.” Rugilith added.

Ik scoffed and moved back to his seat. “Right. So what then? If he doesn’t blame Garble or isn’t mad about the end results of the Gauntlet, what could make him say that?”

“I have an idea.”

Every dragon in the room turned their attention towards the alabaster gates in  front of them, where jade green polished scales now leaned on. Aldera stood with her back against the rough frame of the door, watching the others with interest.

When the shock had settled, Stool sighed a frosty breath of air. “Don’t do that. We thought that was Garble.”

“If you’re worried about Garble listening in our conversation, then you should be paying more attention to your surroundings” she advised with a playful flick on the silver drakon’s snout.

“Our conversation?” Brock inquired, at the remark.

“I’m in on it now, aren’t I?” she answered smugly. Taking her place between Rugilith and Brock, she beamed at the others. “What are we talking about?”

Draut had to rub his temples after hearing that, while Rugilith just shook her head. “You don’t even know what we were talking about?” The annoyance in Ik’s voice was clear as the storm outside, but went completely ignored by the jade dragoness.

“Your point?”

“Why did you say, you ‘have an idea’ when you don’t even know what we’re talking about?” Brock asked.

“We’re getting off topic guys.” Stool reminded.

“I’ve been reading those books the princesses gave us and stories that Princess Twilight sent over and I learned moments like these are perfect for dramatic effect” Aldera shrugged. “Get over it” she instructed. “And while you’re doing that, fill me in.”

The collective sigh that left everyone’s muzzle didn’t go unnoticed. “Alright already, next time I’ll just ask what you’re talking about instead of trying to make things a little interesting. You’re talking about Garble, I got that, but what is the topic on?”

“The topic is on what we heard yesterday.” Draut informed, though he sounded a bit more tired then engaged.

“Oh. I see.” Aldera paused. “This is about Lord Torch mentioning something about ‘being unworthy’ and how Ik and Brock automatically assumed it was about Garble, right?”

Stool confirmed with a nod, and the “hey” both males shouted went without a response, while the “Thank you” from Rugilith earned the amaranth dragoness a claw bump.

“Anyway, I came in here because I heard shouting. Didn’t think you all were just talking about that. Since we’re on the topic though how far did we get?”

“We,” Brock corrected. “Were getting along fine till you decided to drama it up. Seriously, take a break from reading those books already you’ve had your snout stuck in them all day.”

Aldera shrugged the suggestion off and moved the topic back into focus. “If we’re talking about that then I do have an idea about-- hey I am being serious this time!” she scolded at Brock’s eye roll.

“Enlighten us” Stool stated.

“Gladly. Look we all know, Lord Torch takes the Dragon Lord position seriously. Ever since Garble made us his ‘generals’,” two claws punctuated, “Lord Torch has made sure with every session Garble gets, he gives us something similar if not close. And we all know by now how he gets the moment he sees any of us slacking, right?”

A group nod. “Good, I’d be surprised if someone forgot” she innocently said as she “innocently” looked between Brock and Ik. “Lord Torch clearly doesn’t want any of us slacking. And I’m sure that goes double for Garble, who is his successor. I’d just say it’s tough love. We should all know what that is.”

“You can’t tell me you don’t doubt he wasn’t a little upset about Garble being the Dragon Lord? I mean, he had that look in his eye for like four days after Garble’s inauguration!” Ik started.

“You're forgetting that was also the same week we put Princess Ember to rest. I don’t care what any dragon says or what our past says about Lord Torch and the wars he fought in long after Equestria’s stability was upset during Nightmare Moon’s defeat, that was his daughter. Even if he is a statue, he’s still bound to express something even if it is symbolic or hard to notice on the surface.” The jade argued.

The pitter patter sound of rain and thunder filled the room. That was a... strong claim.

“I can’t say I don’t see why,” Shrnouwel finally said. It wasn’t laced in anger nor any other negative form to imply insult. It was just a neutral statement.

Every eye turned on him, but despite the sudden attention Shrnouwel didn’t seem to care that much. “I’m just saying; I know Garble’s trying but, the past four months haven’t exactly been his best. Two months ago we were doing nothing, but hoarding minerals and gems and storing them across various caves. We only gave a portion to the dragon’s that helped us, because they were the ones that scouted those areas in the first place and we haven’t done a single thing with that treasury since Lord Torch asked Garble to quit before we ran out of 'barren islands' to loot.

”On top of that all that those gems we took, aren’t being used by anyone. Garble never even announced we have this treasury to any of the neighboring territories. They’re just sitting there in that cavern west of Rocky Enclave. Plus, Garbe hasn’t really done much to get all the other dragons in this particular region, to pay him much attention. As far as we know, all he’s done so far is just take lessons, skip a few, and go to meetings, two of which we were invited to. He hasn’t really changed anything so no one as far as we know seems to really notice or care

“If anything I’d guess that had something to do with Lord Torch’s reasoning. After all if you’re going to get the other dragons to listen to you, don’t you need to get them to notice you first?” And with that rhetorical statement done, Stool sat back and waited for someone to bring up a rebutter.

No one did though.

It was just as good no one tried. Because soon enough the sound of steps could be heard, hastily approaching them about a minute or so after the palulu had finished speaking. Not a second later and Garble had burst in through the doors, heaving heavily, absolutely drenched.

“Guys!” His cry stopped anyone from saying a thing. “I’ve got an idea I think you’ll love!”

“You want us to do what?” Draut asked.

Garble now sat in his throne at the head of the room. His generals all facing him with mixed expressions from each individual. He knew this would be their reaction, he hadn’t expected anyone to just simply follow with his thought process but whether it was the blood rushing through his head or sparks of anger that still filled him, Garble was determined to see that his generals saw his way of thinking.

“No, no, no.” Stool interrupted before the Dragon Lord could say another word. “Don’t repeat it. Please, just don’t. You must have hit your head on the way here right? Tell me you hit your head.”

A pseudo smile was the only reply Garble gave Shrnow. “Haha, very funny, but no. I’m not joking, I’m serious.”

“Dude, I feel the same way you do about ponies and all but, that’s pretty harsh.”

“I’m with Ik on this one.” Brock joined in. “We can’t fake a war with Equestria and then act like we’re the heroes. Where’d you even get this idea?”

“Does it matter?!” A cloud of smoke dipped and twisted in the air, at Garble’s sudden outburst.

Brock slowly raised both his claws up defensively, when he noticed the scepter hum with static.

The shift in atmosphere was instant. Everyone noticed it almost immediately as their friend now glowered at their other ally.

“Garble”, a scowl turned in Draut’s direction. “Take it easy, okay.” Draut spoke gently. “You’re acting a bit” he winced as he tried to search for a better word but couldn’t find the right replacement, “crazy.”

Muscles in Garble’s maw clenched at that remark and his grip on the scepter tightened. “Garble” another voice, lighter and calmer yet feminine. His eyes swivelled over to Rugilith who was now slowly rising from her seat.

The careful nature everyone around him now donned went completely over the teenage dragon’s head. Somewhere in the back of his mind he felt like they were judging him at this very moment and that seemed to spark a sense of fear in him that his closest peers might even think he was unworthy. All those feelings of doubt and concern were allayed when courage and stubbornness sprung forward to beat that fear into submission before kicking it to the curb.

“Garble, you’ve got to take it easy alright. You’re just stressed right now. You aren’t thinking straight.”

“I’m fine!” he snarled. He hesitated from speaking anymore when he saw how Brock took a quick step away from him.

Swallowing saliva, Garble closed his eyes tightly and exhaled. Let's try this again. “Forget about me, what about the plan? Hiring anyone to take some of our profit wouldn’t be a problem. The Diamond Dogs, maybe even one of those guilds in Canterlot, heck we could even try South Dragosis, plenty of dragons in those areas that are obsessed with priceless objects. It’s not that hard if we just gave it a chance!”

“Dude!” Ik shouted on even level. “Think about what you’re saying. Waging war on Equestria now, after all this time and everything we’ve recently done would ruin your image if the princesses or anyone else for that matter found out that we planned this whole thing. Sides, Lord Toch won’t let you--” Ikris was silenced immediately by Brock’s claw.

Smoke, embers, and teeth. Garble’s scowl turned into a look of pure repulsion as that word found its way back into his head yet again. Before he could even stop himself he was yelling.

Screaming, all in attempt to ignore that hateful word. “He can’t do anything! I’m the Dragon Lord now. Not him, me! And if he doesn’t like it he should’ve said something himself before he ever gave me this scepter!”

“Garble!”

Ha! Look at you. No better than that drake, Spike.

“Garble!” he heard another voice call.

Throwing a hissy fit like a hatchling!

“Dude this is so not cool!” Ik’s voice came from somewhere. Garble wasn’t sure. His eyes were closed now that his building headache had turned into a migraine.

“Garble, you’ve got to calm down! You’re making the scepter react to--” the rest of Stool’s voice was drowned out by a buzz.

Garble felt it. That power. That power he’d felt in Torch and that power he still felt whenever he was around him. The scepter was humming. It hummed and buzzed, reacting to his anger as part of his subconscious told it to silence all his worries.

Garble was unaware of what he was doing. He didn’t know he was telling the scepter to make it stop. Make his doubts and all his concerns disappear or at least lighten the burden, so that he could become the ideal dragon he knew he could be. As strong as Torch and as formiddable as Metriosa.

The dragon he felt he could become.

He didn’t realize he was making the scepter react to his emotions, unlike a wand that reacted regardless of whether it was being used for a spell or not. The scepter was of different craft. It answered his call, and before Garble even knew what was happening.

He sent a powerful blast of magic into the air that the ceiling was barely able to contain.

Bits of debris rained down on everyone, while Garble was practically knocked to the ground from the force of the blast.

Stunned, confused, dizzy. The world spun round and round while Garble felt as if all his strength had suddenly been drained. The scepter’s glow slowly died as far as he could tell from the fading of red, he envisioned through his closed eyes. His headache had somehow calmed down, but now his whole body felt sore.

When Garble finally opened his eyes, all he saw was the murkiness that his outburst had caused.

The cave was clouded, green luminescence flashed on and off as the emeralds that gave the room light all flickered to calibrate from the sudden shock. Within a minute, light flooded the room once more and Garble could hear distorted noises making their way towards him.

Not wanting to look weak, he tried to get off the ground but his arms shook with the effort before he collapsed back to the cool stone beneath him.

“Garble!” Aldera’s voice came from miles away. “Garble!”

“I think he’s unconscious. Dude! Snap out of it!” Ik said.

“Garble! Garble! Gar-”, everything doubled in distance before all that was, was silent as Garble slipped away into an unconscious embrace.

As Garble passed out, his grip on the scepter became weaker and finally, he let it go.