A Bridge Between Brothers

Chapters

The Letter
The Worm
The Stranger
The Past
The Question
The Talk
The Summons
The Oathbreaker
The Untrusting
The Slave
The Envious
The Treaty
The Delay
The Umbrum
The Aftermath
The Sacrifice
The Proposal
The Declaration
The Manipulator
The Guest
The Chimera
The Fight
The Necklace
The Furious
The Gamble
The Worry
The Return
The Beginning
The Loss
The Shock
To Live
To Kill
To Reason
To Heal
To Inquire(Now completed and reposted)
To Comfort
To Dream
To Contemplate
To Decipher
To Fix
To Ascend
To Die
To Speak
An Awakening
A Confrontation
A Parting
A Pursuit
An Oasis
A Danger
An Impossibility
A Fight
An Uncertainty
An Invasion
For Reasons
For Panicking
For Knowledge
For Mysteries
For Listening
For Confessing
For Nightmares
For Failing
For Enraging
For Feeling
For Assisting
For Desecrating
For Destiny
For Atonement
For Ever
That Mourns
That Misunderstands
That Sings
That Itches
That 'Protects'
That Plans
That Ponders
That Returns
That Unveils
That Marvels
That Discovers
That Smiths
Vs Hallucinations
Vs Fear
Vs Memories
The Changling
The Results
The Summit
To Search(Reposted after completion)

The Letter

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I stopped my pacing as Doctor Head Scratcher entered the room.

"Doctor?" I asked worriedly. I had been watching as the pony psychologist talked with Spike for the past hour. Well more like passive observation as neither had spoken in over twenty minutes. I really hope that Doctor Head Scratcher would be able to help with Spike's depression. I had tried Zeccora first given her help when Spike he lost control on his hatchday. Sadly she was unable to assist saying something along the line that potions could not cure the ails of the mind. I think her rhyming can be more enigmatic then Princess Celestia.

"Sigh..." The doctor sighed as he rubbed his forehead. " Miss Twilight I wrote most of the books on the subject of psychology.. but Spike's... no pun intended a head scratcher... The problem is while a lot about ourselves as ponies are determined by nurture there is a part that is rooted in nature... Unfortunately I personally don't know anything on dragons outside of foal stories and hearsay..."

I suppressed a groan both from the pun and my building frustration. I knew this was going to be a long shot when I had Celestia contact him for me. But I had hope that if could help Spike it would have been the foremost pony in the field of psychology Doctor Head Scratcher.

"However, I think I can help Spike."

"I don't know how much I can thank you Doctor." I breathed a sigh of relief.

"It will be my pleasure Miss Twilight. This will be an interesting challenge... Now let's go into my office so we discuss further. I will have a nurse watch Spike until we are finished."

"Spike... I..." I muttered as I slowly opened the door to the Golden Oaks library. I had been struggling the past hour on the carriage ride home to talk to Spike but hadn't been able to get the courage to speak until we got home.

"Twi.. not now." Spike whispered not even bothering to look up as he climbed the stairs. "I just want to go to bed..."

I reached out with a hoof and was about to protest when I thought otherwise and lowered my hoof. I took a slow cleansing breath before walking over to my favorite reading spot to try and relax. Doctor Head Scratcher had said to not push and to be patient which is what I guess I'm going to have to do. No matter how much it hurts.

"Maybe rereading the Daring Doo books will calm me down..." I sighed, slowly easing myself onto a bean bag and pulling the first book in the series over to myself.

I had just gotten to the third chapter when something or in this case somepony crashed through one of the windows and into a bookshelf causing a book avalanche. I had just enough time to shield myself before getting buried. Once it ended I teleported myself on top of one of the book piles ready to chew out the culprit.

"Rainbow Dash! How many times..." My rant was cut short when I realized it wasn't the prismatic pony that had crashed into the library through the window but Ponyville's mail mare Derpy Hooves. "Oh hello, Derpy are you alright?"

Derpy merely nodded happily as she extracted herself from a pile of books. She quickly dug into her mail bag and pulled out a single letter, holding it out with her teeth.

"A letter? A letter for Spike?" I wondered as I took then idly examined the envelope, noting that it was addressed to Spike the Dragon, Ponyville library. That alone was unusual as Spike rarely received any letters, at least not though PonyMail. What was even more unusual was that there was no return address. "This is odd... and highly unusual. Normally you need a return address to mail a letter... right?"

Derpy merely shrugged before wordlessly trotting out of the library.

I just blinked and shook my head. I then moaned loudly as I surveyed my library. "And I just reshelved it yesterday!" I quickly levitated the books back into their places before climbing the stairs to give Spike the letter. With any luck maybe it contained something that would cheer up my number one assistant.

"Spike?" I softly called out as I slowly opened the bedroom door. I wasn't sure if Spike was truly asleep or not and didn't want to wake him if he was. I doubt Derby's noisy entrance woke him. Spike was a heavy sleeper when he wanted to be.

"Twilight... please..." Spike growled out not even stirring in his basket.

"Spike...you have a letter." I walked over and sat on the edge of my bed next to Spike's basket, holding the letter so he could see it.

"So? Probably just Pinkie trying to 'turn my frown upside down' with one of her exploding confetti filled letters..." Spike waved a claw in the air dismissively not looking up at it either.

"Doubtful, Pinkie is barred from using PonyMail to send those kind of letters after... you know what? Now that I think about it no pony as ever told me exactly why..."

"Fine..." Spike sighed as reached out his claw for the letter. With a single clean swipe of his claw he tore it open and unfolded the letter.

Dear Spike,
It has come to my attention that you recently joined the Dragon Migration along with three ponies. My guess is that you wanted to know more about who you are as a dragon... what it truly means to be dragon. However teenage whelps are not the best dragons to teach you that. I can help you with that if you wish but that will require a face to face meeting as there is a lot to discuss. I will contact you again when I am able.
~H.K.

"H.K.?" I questioned as i took the letter in my telekinesis and reread it quickly. "Who is H.K.? And how did H.K. know about us going on the Dragon Migration!? The only ones that know are the girls, the Princesses, and Doctor Head Scratcher."

"Probably just one of those bully teen dragons trying to 'apologize' so they can exact revenge or something..." Spike growled out in dismissal. It was clear he was not in the mood for anything dragon related anymore and especially anything related to those dragons. Not that I was in the mood to be dealing with those teenage dragons again either.

"Perhaps..." I mused, "but I don't recall any of them having a name beginning with a H or K... unless Clump spells his name with a K..."

Spike's eyes widen at that. He leaned over to check the letter again. "Your right... Maybe... Maybe Doctor Head Scratcher was successful in finding a dragon head expert."

"Maybe... except it's psychologist not 'head expert'." I slowly agreed, trying to hide my rising worry from Spike. I wasn't about to spook him with the fact that Doctor Head Scratcher would have notified me not him in this manner given I was Spike's guardian. Also there was no way the doctor found somepony this fast. Something was going on I just hoped that whom ever this H.K. was he or she was really only trying to help.

ബഐബഐബഐബഐബഐബഐ

What Twilight and Spike were not aware was that something had been listening in on them from the branches of the library. Now that Spike had read the letter its job was done and in a streak of yellow and red it flew off south.

Author's Note

Edited to be first person.

The Worm

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

I watch as a lone phoenix soared in the sky above the chain of volcanoes and barren rocky land the comprised the Dragon Lands. It was a place that most ponies would call a desolate and dangerous. But to me it was home of sorts. With a caw of excitement the phoenix quickly dived down and lightly lightly landed on my shoulders.

"Ah, Soots you have returned!" I smiled as Soots rubbed against my hood affectionately. "I take it then that he has read my letter?"

Soots nodded and cooed an affirmative.

"Good." I turned and walked into the darkness of the cave behind me. After many years of waiting the time had come. Time to see my brother...

A growl issued from me as I walked into the main cavern that served as my home. I could not see my servant anywhere in sight and I use that term lightly. It was bad enough that I have to take care of an insolent dishonorable brat but I have to do so while also returning to the land of my birth. Such a waste...

Soots, sensing my I ire decided to fly off to his perch to eat and get some rest. He knew what was about to go down and he was as usual not in the mood to witness it. He understood my ways but that did not mean he wanted to be around when the 'less then pleasant aspects' reared up.

I sighed in irritation when I finally came acrossed the scarred red and orange dragon formally known as Garble sleeping fitfully on a small pile of straw that was his bed in the hallway just outside the 'study'. He knew the rules no sleeping without permission.

"Get up worm." I roughly kicked the sleeping dragon.

Garble merely whimpered before curling even tighter. I then kicked Garble even harder causing him to wake up with a pained roar.

"What did I tell you worm about sleeping without permission?" I hissed.

"To not too." Garble ground out angrily not willing to meet me eye to eye. He was still acting like a prideful dragon and not the dishonored worm that he was. I wish he would learn his lesson a bit faster as I have better things to be doing then beat him to a pulp. He had better things then getting a beating.

"And what else do you say worm?"

"Dragons don't apologize." Garble spat out.

"You are correct dragons do not apologize its a sign of weakness but you are not a dragon," I stepped forward and even though Garble could not my the face under my enchanted cloak I could tell he could feel the fury emanating from the one he was to only call master. "Are you worm?"

Garble gulped as shrunk back in terror. He had already been on the receiving end of my fury several times already and if he was not careful he could lose more then his pride and freedom. He could lose his head.

"Sorry for sleeping... m-master." Garble gulped out an apology.

"Good. Now get packing we are leaving."

"Where are we going... Master?" Garble dared to question much to my chagrin. At least he remembered the master part.

"Equestria."

"E-Equestria!" Garble sputtered out in shock rushing to catch up to me as I headed to the lab. "But Master why would we go to where those namby-pamby...Erk."

Garble's complaint was cut short as I slammed him into the cave wall. He weakly tried to struggle against the purple and green swirling magic that I had wrapped around his neck cutting off his air. I may not like the ponies all that much but they are not to be insulted in that matter. Especially after the stunt he pulled with Spike.

"Finish your you sentence I dare you." I whispered my threat as I leaned in increasing the pressure on his throat to the point that he was unable to get any oxygen.

Just before he passed out I dropped him. He sputtered and coughed as he struggled to get his breath back rubbing his neck to try and deal with the soreness. It seems I'm going to have to rebreak him again along the way. Which means walking instead of the way I would have preferred.

I grunted indifferently motioning for Garble to follow before heading down the hall. Thankfully Garble made no further protest as he slowly followed close behind.

Author's Note

Edited to first person

The Stranger

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

Two weeks after the Changeling invasion Twilight had finally calmed down enough to allow me to go out on my own and get away from her. After the invasion everypony had been on edge myself included but I can't stand being coup up like her for weeks on end. Well I could if she would stop babying me constantly. I swear sometimes she can get a bit too wound up. I was afraid I was going to have to send another letter to Princess Celestia...

Send another letter... I sighed as I idly ran a claw across the pond's surface. Is that all I am good for is writing, sending, and receiving letters... I can even protect my friends... am all I good for is a lowly servant!?

"Having an existential crisis young dragon?" A male voice called out, startling me.

I nearly jumped from the shock of being snuck up on. I looked around but couldn't see anypony. "Who said that?" I called as continued to look around. I thought I was alone and I'm sure I wasn't thinking outloud... was I?

"Try looking up young dragon."

I slowly looked up to see a large white stallion unicorn lounging across on a branch of the tree. I cocked my head trying to get a good view of the pony. Outside of Rainbow Dash I was not aware of any pony that like to lounge in a tree like that. I'm a bit surprised that the branch had not broken off given that he appeared to be larger then Big Mac, maybe even larger then Celestia. Hard to tell with him being under a blanket and all. But that wasn't the only thing that caught my attention about him. He had strangely colored eyes and horn. I don't think I have ever heard of a pony having two different colored eyes and horn. Maybe he was a colleague or family of DJ Pon-3. Or maybe he's just one of those strangely dressed ponies that were lined up outside of what Twilight said were 'nightclubs' in Canterlot. But then when I looked harder at the stallion's eyes I backed away in fright.

His eyes they were slitted like mine and just like... Chrysalis!

"Stay away from me changeling!"

"A changeling? Me?!" The stallion started laughed so hard that he struggled to remain on the branch. I growled out in annoyance. It wasn't funny changelings nearly killed Twilight! "Wow that is hilarious, but, no."

"It's. Not. Funny!" I shouted. I had to protect Twilight and the girls... somehow... or at least find a way to escape... but how?

"Then what are you going to do about it?" The stallion smirked at me showing off his... fangs. Not really helping me think he wasn't a changeling or some other monster...

Monster... just like me...

"So tell me young dragon why the existential crisis?" The stallion questioned again before I could get any more depressed.

"What makes you think I have an extent... excess... whatever you said crisis?"

"Well you are a young dragon happily living among ponies and yet you are out here moping about being a dragon among ponies.... right?"

How the hay does he know that?! Is he a mind reader or something? "How...?"

"Kind of easy to figure out. You are the only dragon in Equestria after all. It has to be difficult to not have others of your kind around."

"O really!? What makes you think that? You don't know me!" I clenched my first as I yelled up at the pony who seemed to be unaffected by my anger. What makes this pony think he knows anything about me much less dragons! No pony knows much about dragons... "I like ponies and besides they are all that I have ever known... I don't ever want to be around another dragon as long as I live!"

"Really? You don't want to be around your own kind? Ever?"

"Yes, ever!" I growled out, turning away to look back at my scaly reflection in the pond. "They're cruel jerks that only think of themselves and their hoards!"

"What makes you think that?" The stallion question crossing his forelegs.

I sighed as thought back to those times. "Well there was that dragon that attacked me, Twilight, and Owlowiscious after I, uh, ate some of his gems... I sweared that I didn't know they were his! I was just hungry from... running away... Then I met some teenage dragons on the Dragon Migration. They insulted my friends and tried to get me to smash a phoenix egg! And when I refused to that they tried to kill us!"

"From personal experience I can say that teens can be cruel no matter the race. And what did you expect from that other dragon? You stole from him. I would be mad too if you stole from me."

I was about to object but then I remembered that Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were always getting after the CMC... and they are not yet 'teens.' And it was true that I had stolen those gems... accidentally... I also recalled that some ponies were quite... angry when I rampaged across Ponyville stealing literally everything I could grab. Maybe this stranger was right that dragons where similar to ponies except for one glaring detail...

"I guess so... but..."

"But what? What is really bothering you young dragon?"

"Well you see something happen recently on my hatchday... I never before then realized that I could get cool stuff just because it was my hatchdate. At first I was satisfied getting ponies to give me stuff but then I got greedy and being 'given' stuff wasn't enough and... I started stealing stuff. And all because I thought I deserved it... But the more I stole the more I had to have everything to collect and possess and not let anypony or anything take what was mine... before long I... I... I became a fifty hoof tall Rampaging... BEAST!"

I collapsed crying. My worst shame revealed to a total stranger... well not exactly. What I have not told anypony was I still feel that pull, to possess, to hoard. I can't tell them ever. Tell them that I have to be careful with everything I touch or look at. I don't want to be separated from my friends, from Twilight and I know that is exactly what will happen. Its so hard to not only day by day fight to not let the monster take over but to not tell them. My 'Rarity' doll helps a little as it reminds be of what really counts but I worry that one day it won't be enough.

"Interesting... but you don't look like a fifty hoof tall rampaging beast to me."

"Yeah..." I sniffed wiping the rest of my tears away. "A friend kind of snapped me out of it and I shrunk back to this."

"I see... how?"

"I don't really want to talk about it." I looked away in shame. It was bad enough that he got me to talk about that day but to talk about my ultimate shame... I will not.

"So then," The unicorn jumped down from the tree confirming my earlier assessment that he was at least as tall as Celestia. Sadly the blanket that was around him was actually a cloak which still blocked me from seeing his cutie mark... if he even had one. I suppose his large size eyes horn and fiery rainbow mane will be enough for Twilight or the royal guard to identify him. "Tell me, what are you going to do about it?"

"What is that suppose..." Why am I talking about this to a total stranger! "Who are you?"

"Don't you already know... Spike?" The unicorn smirked as he walked around the tree he had been lounging in.

Gah, this pony was as annoying... wait! I didn't tell him my name!

"Wait!" I cried out rushing around the tree after the unicorn only to find he was gone. I facepalmed. "And he's gone... Note to Future Spike: lay off the sapphires cookies as a midnight snack..."

The Past

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

"I don't really want to talk about it." Spike looked away.

"So then," I started as I jumped down from my branch. "Tell me, what are you going to do about it?"

"What is that suppose... Who are you?"

I smirked at Spike's question. It was a good question but not one that I was going to answer just yet. Well, not completely... I can't. "Don't you already know... Spike?" I asked as walked around the tree and activated an invisibility spell.

I had to suppress a chuckle as I watched Spike try and figure out where I went to. I had all I needed to get an unbiased assessment of him. It seems the he is approaching a very important juncture in the life of all dragons. It was good that I saw him on the Migration then. But something is troubling me. I should have known prior to that. I should have known the day of Spike's First Hoarding.

I am miffed that Celestia did not contact me about this. I know she knows how to get a hold of me Soots and Philomena are mates after all. I warned her that being hatched and raised by ponies may not suppress his dragon heritage! Clearly it was a mistake to give Celestia permission to let Twilight raise Spike.

Ten years ago...

The door to the chambers open slowly revealing the pony I came to see: The sun monarch of Equestria Celestia. I was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to head to bed. It must have been a very busy day as she didn't even notice me as she tiredly took off her regalia.

"I sensed a rainboom Celestia." I spoke, carefully moving from the shadows and into the light provided by the fireplace.

"Gah!" Celestia jumped in fright, her wings furling out. "Must you do that every time you show up!?"

"I wouldn't have had to if you kept me informed Celestia. Like agreed."

"I... I didn't think it was important." Celestia stuttered as she walked past me and to the window where the moon could be seen.

"THE ELEMENTS ARE AWAKENING CELESTIA!" I snapped. This was not the time for the standard deflecting the question. I was not a 'high and mighty,' 'most important' noble partitioning for something idiotic. "How is that not important?"

"I... I..." Celestia whispered. I felt bad for just a moment when I the glisten of tears dropping to the ground.

What is causing this reaction? She should be happy the time of the alignment was merely a decade away. It wouldn't be long before she would reunited with her sister Luna. If all went well of course. "You do know what this means? That you sister can be returned to you."

"I know..." Celestia sighed. "It's just so much after so long..."

"Yes, I suppose it could be..." I agreed leading to a prolonged silence.

"There is one other thing I should tell you..." Celestia began breaking the silence. "The egg you had me guard over..."

"Yes, what about it?" I narrowed by eyes. What is she hiding? She is hesitating.

"It hatched or should I say a pony hatched it..."

I nearly jumped with joy when she said that. This was wonderful news! I didn't think it would ever be able to be hatched. Damn rules of dragon magic... "So... my..."

"Spike..." Celestia whispered out before turning to face me, "Twilight Sparkle, the pony that hatched him, named him Spike."

"Spike..." I echoed. It's a good name... not one I would have picked but it was a nice dragon name nonetheless.

As the joy of the news faded a bit something began to bothered me. Why did she hesitate like she did? I have no qualms with the hatcher naming Spike. "Celestia what are you hiding? And don't say its because this Twilight Sparkle named Spike."

Celestia sighed and rubbed her forehead. "She hatched him at the same time that a Rainboom shockwave passed through Canterlot."

"Okay then its highly likely she's a Bearer of Harmony... might even be how she was able to hatch Spike..." I had always expected that the Elements might be part of the solution needed to hatch Spike. But I never could figure out how... Something I could figure out later as Celestia was still withholding something. "But as fascinating as that is you are stalling. So end this charade before I lose my temper...NOW."

Celestia gaze locked into mine. "Twilight is to raise Spike."

"Are you daft!" I scoffed. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Even if Twilight Sparkle is truly a Bearer raising a dragon as a pony could have disastrous consequences! Besides that, this is not part of The Draco-Equine Treaty."

"The treaty is exactly why I want her to raise him."

"The treaty doesn't allow this!" I countered. "Spike still has family! He must be returned to them. The treaty was for the ponies to guard a dragon egg and attempt to hatch it and if managed to be returned to his family. In reversea pony was to adopted by the dragons and live as one of them for life."

"And how one sided is that!? A pony raised as live as dragon but not the dragon!?" Celestia responded to my counter. "If we are ever to have true lasting peace both sides must come to the middle!"

"And it could backfire badly!!" I roared. "There are certain aspects of dragon nature that can't be nurtured away."

"And how do you know that!?" Celestia bellowed right back. "How can anyone know that!? Has it ever been tried!? How can dragons and ponies ever have peaceful relations unless both sides understand each other fully?! How?! When only the pony has to live as dragon and not the dragon living as pony!"

"Gah!" I hollered in frustration. "Do you know how hard it was to get as much as we did!?"

"Yes, I know..." Celestia softly spoke, walking past me and back to the window. "But we must try."

"Very well Celestia." I relented nursing a building headache. This could bite me in the ass but she has a point. It could strength the currently tenuous peace between Equestria and dragons or... It could cause an all out war. Dragon Lord Torch was not as pragmatic as his predecessor but in this case I think I could get him to agree to the modification if I add a certain stipulation. "But! If his dragon instincts awaken at any point you are to notify me right away, and he is to be returned to his dragon family to learn how to deal with them."

"I will."

"You had better... for your little ponies' sakes..."

Current day...

What stunt are you pulling Celestia? I wondered as I made my way to my camp through the Everfree. It was not like her to go back on her word unless something bigger was going on. I just had to figure it out without, hopefully, revealing all of my cards...

"Worm, find any more of those changelings?" I grumbled as I entered the clearing that housed our camp for the past two weeks.

"No master."

Damn. I was hoping to let off some steam. I knew it was a long shot. The chances of any changeling making it two weeks in the Everfree was slim. I groaned as I sat down by the campfire. I needed to think.

The Question

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I sighed in relief when Spike walked back into the library. I was so worried letting him out of the library after the recent invasion by the changelings. I only allowed him out today as it was because I finally figured out a way to allay my fears a bit. I had subtly placed a spell on one of Spike's head spines that can only be seen by me. Of course when he walked in I could still see the spell active on him.

Spike was about to close then door when Derby came crashing through the door and into him. They both somersaulted across the room before separating with Derby hitting the center table and Spike coming to a stop when he hit a shelf. At least this time Derpy didn't cause a book avalanche.

"You okay Derpy?" Derpy shook her head before nodding happily. I rolled my eyes. It wasn't surprising that she was okay. She gets into more accidents then Rainbow Dash and yet still manages to come out of them without a scratch. With her okay I checked on Spike who was still leaning against a shelf with my BBBFF's old toy guard helmet on. "Spike...?"

"Sire Spike at your Service my Lady Rarity." Spike mumbled out before passing out.

Yeah, he's okay. I thought as I suppressed a giggle. His crush on Rarity was always so cute and the helmet only made it cuter. I probably should get a picture of it for posterity...

I had just finished taking a picture when I felt a tap on my side. Derpy had a letter in her teeth and was gesturing for me to take it. Once I took it she smiled and somehow flawless flew out of the still opened library door much to my amazement.

I shook my head to clear my thoughts Derpy's miraculous exit before I got too distracted. I glanced at the letter now in my magic with curiosity until I noticed that it was addressed to Spike the Dragon, Ponyville Library. I quickly looked all over the envelope and as I suspected it had no return address just like the letter that arrived just before the invasion.

"Not this again." I growled out in irritation. After the last time I looked up PonyMail regulations and it clearly stated that all letters and packages must have some form of a return address even if it was merely the agent or office from where the letter was mailed. I needed to speak to Derpy about this.

"Wait!" I called out as I rushed out the door, but sadly Derpy was no where in sight. How can somepony so clumsy managed to disappear faster then Rainbow Dash? I will have to find her later right now the contents of the letter concerned me the most.

"Spike." I cooed as I pulled the helmet off of Spike and waved the letter in front of him. "You have a letter."

"Another letter!?!" Spike groaned, facepalming as he noticed the letter in my magic. "Fine, let's see what it is this time."

Spike quickly clawed the envelope open and began to read the letter within. I stepped around so I could read along with him. Much to my annoyance I could tell right away that it was the same writer from before.

"Dear Spike,

Growing up can be scary but have faith that in the end you will remain you. Dragons may seem beast like but most are quite honorable and noble.

~H.K."

"Who is this guy!?" Spike snapped, crumpling the letter in his frustration.

I looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. While I understand his frustrations and agreed with the 'who' part of the question there is no way to know that this H.K. was male.

"Or gal... it could be a gal." Spike sheepishly corrected before I could.

"Spike, mind if I have this letter?" I grabbed the crumbled letter in my magic. If am going to get to the bottom of this mysterious H.K. I'm going to need to run a few tests on it in the lab.

"Sure knock yourself out." Spike waved dismissively as he walked away.

I sighed as he slowly climbed the stairs. His depression was as bad as ever and if I think about It may have worsen since the invasion. I really hope that Doctor Head Scratcher's assessment about how long it could take to get the old Spike back was conservatively long. I want my friend and number one assistant back.

I groaned as my migraine suddenly got worse. This letter so far has eluded all my attempts to discover secrets it could contain. The ink was standard ink that could be bought anywhere same with the paper used. I even used several spells to figure out where the all the materials came from by analyzing its mana isotopes without success. Who ever this H.K. he or she really didn't want to be tracked down. I'm running out of ideas and I don't want to notify Princess Celestia just yet. I need some decent, calm, and subjective proof besides wild, emotional gut feelings. I don't want a repeat of the changeling invasion.

"Gah!" I yelled out as yet another attempt failed to produce anything of value.

"Maybe you should give it a rest Twi..." Spike suggested as he brought in a tray of tea and cookies.

I graciously levitated a cup of tea and took a sip. Tea would be helpful in giving me a moment to relax before diving back in. Princess Celestia always severed tea whenever I got overly frustrated... it was always relaxing when I was dealing with an overly difficult magic problem. I supposed it's better then her own habit of cake...

"No, Spike I won't rest until I figure out who or what this H.K. is." I rejected his advice as I eyed the letter with a burning passion. I will solve your secrets!

"But Twilight it's been three days!" Spike protested.

"Come on Spike, don't exaggerate it can't have been three days!"

Spike roared in laughter clutching his stomach. "Says.... Says... Future Twilight that is now Present-Future Twilight that went nuts when Future-Past Twilight warned Past-Past Twilight about a 'disaster'and lost all track of time... Remember?"

"Not funny." I grumbled. I really don't want to remember about that episode.

"Neither is you overworking...again." Spike smirked at me, crossing his arms.

I was about to correct Spike a second time when the sound of somepony knocking on the library door. I glanced over at the magiclock to see that is was early afternoon. It was normal library hours so why would anypony knock?

"I'll go see who it is." Spike offered, already rushing up the stairs and back to the main floor.

Who it is... I looked back down at the letter and to the signature: H.K. Could it be?

Author's Note

Please comment/like/fave.... Please :pinkiecrazy:

The Talk

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"Oh it's you." I growled out when I opened the library door to see the cloaked stallion from the pond a few days ago.

"How are you doing young dragon?" He asked, thankfully not making a move to enter the library.

"What are you doing here, H. K.?" I crossed my arms. I was not happy to see him.

"I see you figured out my riddle." H.K. smiled. I wasn't. Riddle my scaly behind.

"Kind of easy when your most recent letter mentioned something about dragons not being beasts right after I spoke to you about becoming a rampaging beast."

"Who is it Spike?" Came the muffed yell of Twilight from the lab.

I debated momentarily what to tell her. I had tried to tell Twilight that I know who H.K. was or at least what he looked like and that I had seen him several days before at the pond. Sadly, Twilight had a way of getting lost to the world when she went on on of her study benders. I was actuality was about to try and tell her again when H.K. knocked.

"Just a lost pony looking for directions to the Hay Burger." I yelled back, making up my mind. I had questions and he had answers and right now I didn't want Twilight to butt in just yet. But I wasn't going to be stupid either I was going to do this my way. In a public and safe place. No more useless and defenseless baby dragon.

"Just give me a second and I'll be right up."

"No, no need to Twi I'll take him there. Want me to bring anything back?"

"A number six, extra hay fries."

"Aren't you going to order?" I turned to H.K. who seemed indifferent at the menu options.

"No thanks, I am not hungry."

"Suit yourself." I shrugged before I grabbed the tray of food that I ordered.

"So really why such an interest in me?" I asked as we slid into a booth. "What are you pulling?"

"I'm sorry?"

"This is a plot straight out of a comic book."

"Comic book?"

"A story told mainly through pictures." I offhanded explained before I realized what H.K. was doing. "Don't change the subject! What you are really doing is getting into my head use me to get to my friends or to turn on them but I won't let you! I will beat you at you own game!"

"Hmm... I see. Well normally I would say that it is something you only hear about in stories, but alas, it can and has happened... more times then I would like to admit." H.K. gazed out the window for a moment before returning his gaze to me. Somehow during that time his eyes had became... tired. "Look young dragon, I can't make you believe that I have the best intentions no matter what I do...or say... In the end you and you alone will have to make a choice and bear the consequences. Whatever they may be."

"Then why are you being so secretive? If you wanted me to believe you had the best intentions you sure went about it the wrong way."

"It's... complicated young dragon." H.K. sighed rubbing his forehead. I hate it when ponies say that and in H.k.'s case it really irked me. "Ah, thank you miss."

"Ooh aren't you handsome and a gentlecolt too." A mare clearly the waitress winked as she placed a takeout bag on our table much to my confusion. I thought he wasn't hungry and for that matter when did he order this? "Maybe you and I can have a bite to eat sometime if you know what I mean."

"What is with mares these days?!" H.K. grumbled as the giggling waitress walked away. "The ratio of mares to stallions is nowhere near as lopsided as it was in my day. So why are they so drawn to me all of a sudden?!"

Really!? Seriously?! I raised an eyebrow and the clearly clueless H.K. I'm not a girl but even I could see why mares would fall head over heals with him. As Rarity would say: chiseled features and a toned body. "You really don't get out much do you? And what is with that 'in my day' line? Only old geezers use it and you sure aren't one."

"My dear young dragon looks can be be deceiving. Take Celestia and Luna, for example, they look as young as ever and yet both are thousands of years old."

"Don't you mean Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?" I questioned. I don't think I have ever heard anypony be so casual to refer to the two sisters without some sort of title preceding their names, usually 'Princess.' There is no way H.K. was on a no title bases with them.

"Well, I suppose could have used their titles," H.K. rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "but then I would really confuse you... well more then I already have... Never mind that they insist on being called Celestia and Luna..."

What!? How could using 'princess' be confusing!? This guy must be related to Discord somehow. Riddles, weird nonsense gibberish, and annoyingness. I half expect to be seeing cotton candy clouds raining chocolate milk any minute. My stomach can't handle all those letters again.

"I thought you said you weren't hungry." I noted trying to steer the conversation to something a bit less stomachache inducing.

"I'm not," H.K. answered sliding the bag closer to me, "but I do recall a certain dragon promising to bring back a number six with extra hay fries."

"I did didn't I?" I quickly opened the bag and saw that it really was a number six with extra hay fries.

I reclosed the bag and was about to thank H.K when I noticed that he was no longer sitting in the booth. I looked around the restaurant but couldn't see him anywhere. I had only glanced in the bag a second and somehow in that second he disappeared without a trace.

"Oh, come on!" I groaned. "Not this again!"

Author's Note

comment/fave/like/spread the word! Or crazed Pinkie will be your future :pinkiecrazy:

The Summons

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

Come on focus! I had been trying for the past hour to scry on Spike. But I could not seem to maintain focus. If I could even see him it was only with quick flashes or distortions of where he had been the past few days not where he was currently.

I poured a bit more mana into the spell and could finally see where he was. Spike was in an ornate room pacing and muttering. While I couldn't hear what he was saying due to limitation in the spell I was using it was clear he was pacing in worry and with a bit of anger as well. It had only been three days since I last saw him. Maybe he was still trying to figure out whether to trust me or not...

"Do you smell that?" I said as the spell shattered. Something had broken my concentration. Something in the wind.

"Smell what, master?" Garble asked after taking a few whiffs.

Interesting... I noted as I licked my hoof and felt the wind. There was dark magic in the air. Faint and to the north. Far to the north. Familiar too. Several things could be causing that... Sadly this means that Spike has ran out of time. His decision was now needed.

"Master?" Garble questioned, again.

"SHUT UP WORM!" I roared. "I'm thinking!"

If I saw the contents of the room correctly Spike was in Canterlot. No wonder I was having troubles he was at the edge of the limit for the spell or at least the limit that I could muster. What was he doing there instead of Ponyville? Did he decide to tell the Two Sisters and was still gathering courage to follow through or was there something else going on? Like the dark magic I detected? Spike was under guardianship of Twilight, one of the Bearers, 'Magic,' if I wasn't mistaken, after all. So maybe he was there because of her. Either way time to find out.

"I'm heading out." I said double checking my hood to make sure it was up. I didn't not want anyone to see my face.

I then prepared for a series of difficult teleports. Canterlot castle was warded against unimprinted incoming teleports. My magic was unimprinted and no way would I allow it to be either. With my preparations complete I started to teleport. A few teleports later and I had managed to teleport myself to Spike who was still pacing and muttering but I could not figure out what it was he was muttering about.

"Tell me young dragon what is amiss?"

"YOU!" Spike roared as he turned to face me. "This is all your FAULT!"

He then rushed me and started to pound my chest, crying. "I hate you! Ever since you showed up! You and that letter! And now... and now...They are there... not safe I can help! I'm NOT USELESS! I want... I need... so dangerous..."

"Dry your tears young dragon, calm down, and take a few deep breaths." I cooed trying to comfort Spike. He was so emotional that he was speaking in fragments and not enough for me to figure out what was going on.

Spike gulped a few times before he finally followed my advice.

"Now tell me what is going on?" I questioned. "Why are you here in Canterlot and not down in Ponyville?"

"Celestia summoned Twilight and her friends three days ago..." Spike began, sniffing a bit as he did.

"For?" I prodded Spike when he went silent. Clearly he was still not completely calmed down.

"Some sort of... test." Spike blabbered, confirming my earlier assessment. "She wouldn't tell me what. Just something about the Crystal Empire and that I couldn't... couldn't go, too dangerous. I'm mean what is the Crystal Empire!? And why can't I go with them? If they're in danger I need... I need... I can't lose Twilight..."

The Crystal Empire... well that explains the hint of dark magic in the breeze. So it's back. But how idiotic can she get!? Why would she ever think sending foals against Sombra was a good idea!? Unless she sent them with the Elements...

"Young dragon." I lowed myself down so I could be eye level with Spike. "I need you to think real hard. Did they take the Elements?"

"I... I... don't know... I mean...." Spike was beginning to cry again and I needed him to focus.

"Think harder." I pulled Spike's head so that he had no choice but look me straight in the eyes. "This could be life or death!"

"No...No...They did not." Spike shook his head, gulping. "I'm sure of it."

I slowly raised myself. It took all my training not to lash out magically. How dare that Oathbreaker... bitch... Gah! To let his go without reasonable protection to a clearly deadly situation. This is the last straw.

"Come young dragon we have an oathbreaker to confront." I growled preparing to teleport us both. The spells protecting the castle are too strong to let me teleport us to the throne room directly at least not without letting Celestia or Luna sense it... but I could get us fairly close.

"What do you mean..." Spike began just as I released the spell.

"...'Oathbreaker?'" Spike dizzily collapsed from the sudden teleportation.

I chuckled as I helped Spike back onto his feet. Sudden teleportation could be quiet disorientating. Luckily it will pass in a few seconds. It would also give me a second to see where we were in the castle. I glanced over to the door next to us and quickly determined from the hidden mana matrices on it that it was the side entrance to the throne room.

"Halt!" I rolled my eyes as we where suddenly surrounded by several guards, spears lowered. I don't time for this. "You are under arrest for violat..."

The guard didn't get to finish as I flicked them way with ease knocking them all out. No wonder the changelings were able to take over so easily. Centuries of peace has made the ponies lax and soft. Spears against a clear magic user, really?! Now for the door. I grinned maliciously. I now have something that I can vent my anger on without repercussions.

"Did you have to do that?" Spike snapped, gesturing over to one of the passed out guards. "They were just doing their jobs!"

"Yes." I smirked as I gathered up raw magic and attacked the matrices at the exact spots needed to overload them. Seconds later the door exploded in all directions kicking up a huge cloud of debris and mana.

"OATHBREAKER! You have much to answer for!" I yelled out as I stepped through the debris cloud and into the packed throne room, Spike right behind me. Perfect.

Author's Note

You know the drill... you pinkie promised after all :pinkiecrazy:

The Oathbreaker

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

"OATHBREAKER! You have much to answer for!" I yelled out as I stepped through the debris cloud that I created when I destroyed the door.

Perfect. This is just perfect for my needs I smiled as I saw the shock and scared expression from a line of parishioners. Exactly what I needed witnesses.

"Halt!"

"Not this again." I grumbled as I picked up every guard in the room and slammed them against the nearest wall knocking them out. Pathetic, just pathetic...

"Now, where was I?" I happily called out. I ignored the stares of the ponies as I approached the throne gesturing for Spike to stay behind.

I could see that the shock of my entrance and quick defeat of the guards had warn off enough for a few ponies attempt to get out which I was not going to allow. A quick zap of my magic flipped the polarity of a specific ward. The one that usually prevents intruders from entering so that now ponies could enter but not leave. It wasn't long before panic over came the ponies as they realized they could not get out.

"Princess save us!"

"I have to get out!"

"The door won't open!"

So far the Oathbreaker had been silently glaring at me. Even as the panicking increased. She knew I wasn't going to attack before I had some words.

CALM DOWN. I shouted using the Canterlot Royal Voice. Which did exactly what I wanted. At least for now... "You little ponies, at least for the moment, are safe. Now as for your Oathbreaker of a Princess..."

"What do you want Har..." Oathbreaker finally spoke up though she was unable to finish when I slammed her mouth shut mid word.

"You lost all rights to call me that when you broke your word Oathbreaker!"

"My question still stands..." Oathbreaker growled out when I removed the bonds on her mouth.

"You know the answer! You are found in violation of the treaty now twice and for that you and your ponies will pay dearly." I summoned my sword and held it in a battle ready position.

"I think not." Oathbreaker vowed, her mana charging at the tip of her horn.

So be it... I narrowed my eyes, waiting.

A second later Oathbreaker sent of a golden beam of magic at me which I easily deflect around me with my sword. She then tried two more time for me to just as easily deflect or sidestep them. She has lost all her battle prowess to attack me with such weak beams. I retaliated by sending two beams of my own back at her which she blocked using a shield.

I shook my head after I rushed forward and slashed the shield into pieces. I am beginning to see how Queen Chrysalis was able to overpower Oathbreaker. I was about to slash at Oathbreaker herself when a dark beam slammed the ground between us. I spun around to see that Luna was flying right at us her horn charging for another attack.

"Tis bad enough thou dare to attack mine sister but to steal that sword. We shall cut thee down." Luna dived towards me, her scythe materialized as she did.

"Unlikely." I chuckled as I prepared for her true opening attack.

Just as she was about to slash I hooked my sword in the nook of her scythe and did a back flip taking Luna with me as I did. I then dematerialized my sword temporarily sending her spinning back towards the crowd of ponies. Luna quickly corrected the spin I put her, landing with a skid. Quite impressive. It seems that a thousand years on the moon has not dulled her skills all that much. The problem was that while she was napping I was still training. Not that she was ever enough on her own to beat me. Speaking of that...

I pulled up a quick partial shield as Oathbreaker shot another beam at me and judging from the strain on my mana she finally was getting into the fight as the beam was twice as powerful as her earlier beams. I had no time to analysis anything more as Luna try once again to slash me. But all she got was air as I teleported away and shot several beams at Oathbreaker much to Luna's annoyance. Oathbreaker shielded herself from my attack though this time her shield cracked from the strain.

"Have thou forgotten us?" Luna shouted before she tried a third time to slash me throwing her scythe at me like a boomerang.

"I haven't, but I am not here for you." I answered back by grabbing the scythe with my telekinesis stopping its spin at the same time much to her shock. I enchanted it with mana flame then threw it just like Luna did but instead at Oathbreaker whom froze in shock. Looks like she remembered what mana flame could do if it hit her or her mana. The only way she could survive was to move out of the way without the use of magic.

"Sister!" Luna shouted.

Time seemed to slow down as she rushed to intercept. I could tell she was going to be too late to stop it and with Oathbreaker still frozen the scythe was going to connect. At least it was until Luna managed to clip the scythe with the very tip of her hoof causing it to wobble off track. Time then resumed when the scythe missed the top of Oathbreakers horn by inches, taking off the top of her throne and embedding itself in the wall behind it.

Suddenly I started to cough hard. Damn it, not now! I over did it again! I used too much mana too quickly. I stumbled onto one of my knees as a violent spasm rushed through my body.

"H.K.!" Spike yelled, rushing over to me as I vomited steaming pile of black goo.

"I'm fine young dragon." I waved the concerned Spike off. I only needed a moment to recover. My nausea slowly disappeared as I slowly got back onto my hooves

"H.K.!?" Luna questioned as she slowly approached us surprise on her face. "Did you say H.K. young dragon?"

"Uh, yes..." Spike shrunk back in fear.

I slowly shook my head just enough to prevent Luna from revealing anything further. Now was not the time for Spike to know anything more of whom I was. He was already emotionally in turmoil, and if he was going to be able to save them then he needed a clear head.

"Now... where was I?" I idly wondered before I remembered. The Oathbreaker. I picked up my sword and held it backhooved in my magic and I walked towards the throne this time unimpeded. "Ah yes, the Oathbreaker."

"So tell me... Oathbreaker. " I sneered as I made my way up the side of the throne and causally pressed my sword up against her neck. "Why should I let you and your precious little ponies live?"

"Your br..."

"Ah, ah, ah.." I stopped her. "You lost the right to mention him the moment you became an oathbreaker."

"H.K.!" Luna shouted in panic.

"Silence Bringer of the Night, I have words for the oathbreaker that is your sister."

"Please don't hurt her."

"That is still to be determined..." I called back to Luna before returning my attention to Oathbreaker. "So tell me why what made you sign your own death warrant?"

"But I had too..." Oathbreaker gulped as I pressed my sword into neck a bit more. "For him... for if she died... then he might..."

"Might what?" I narrowed my eyes at her dancing around my question.

"Do what Discord did..."

"Do what Discord did?" I questioned a bit confused on where exactly Oathbreaker was going before it came to me. My eyes widen as the realization hit me fully. "But there is nothing..."

"There is one way..." Oathbreaker interrupted.

"You don't mean?" I went wide eyed as I realized what she was trying to do.

"Yes."

"You thought I would say no!? That I would interfere?"

"No, not you..." Oathbreaker's gaze moved past me and to the crowd beyond.

I turned to match her gaze to see Spike standing to next to Luna worry etched on his face and his tail in his hands. I see... That is definitely a possibility especially if his dragon instincts fully awaken at the wrong time.

"That doesn't change the fact that you broke your oath not once but twice now."

"I had to..."

"You had to!? You really don't get it do you?" I shook my head at her blindness to the seriousness of what she had nearly done no matter how good the intentions. "Bringer of the Night do you accept?"

"Uh... Yes?" Luna hesitantly agreed, clearly not knowing what was going on.

"Good." I smiled as I teleported a copy of the Draco-Pony treaty to her as I walked down the throne. "Read, memorize, then burn this. You are now responsible to make sure that it is carried out for if a single letter is broken there will be war and I really doubt Equestria will survive a forenight."

"Come young dragon." I said as I walked past Spike.

"Where are we going?" Spike rushed to follow me after a moments hesitation. "And what makes you think I will go with you?"

"We are heading to the Crystal Empire to hopefully rescue Twilight."

The Untrusting

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"Come young dragon." Said H.K. as he walked past me and through the destroyed door that we had earlier come through.

"Where are we going?" I rushed to follow me after a moments hesitation. I'm still not really sure about this guy and even more so after what just happened. I mean why was so worried about H.K. a moment ago? "And what makes you think I will go with you?"

"We are heading to the Crystal Empire to hopefully rescue Twilight."

"After what you just nearly did in there you think I will rescue her myself." I angrily retorted. "I mean I was angry when Princess Celestia barred me from following Twi and the girls to the Crystal Empire but not enough to nearly kill her!"

"It was mainly for show..." H.K. shrugged as we walked down the hall.

"Mainly for show!?" I repeated out loud before I raised my arms in exasperation. "Mainly for SHOW!? You tried to behead her with a flying... sword, weapon thingy...."

"Scythe." H.K. helpfully supplied the name of the weapon, not that I really cared for the name of the weapon. "And trust me, if I wanted her dead she'd be dead with my opening move... most likely..."

"Whatever." I snarked at H.K.'s excuse. I will have to find out what exactly happened in the throne room later. I had a more important problem on my hands to deal with. "And I don't trust you. I will save Twilight without you. I'm sure I can get Princess Luna to help or somepony else. Any pony but you."

"Unlikely. It took Oathbreaker and Luna all of their might just seal him away and judging from the amount of dark magic I can sense Sombra is at least as powerful if not more then he was when he was sealed."

"Then I'll take the Elements." I countered. I was not going to have him come along if I can avoid it. The only reason I was following him was the easiest way to get to the Empire was for me to take the train and he just happened to be going in that direction. "They took care of Nightmare Moon and Discord easier why not this Sombra character?"

"You could but what if you are caught before you can find the Bearers?"

"I will fight." I puffed up my chest with pride but inwardly I didn't believe I could. I had dreams of being a knight but those were just that dreams... I knew I was a weakling. The Dragon Migration proved that.

"O, really, young dragon? Tell me this then, when was the last time you used your claws?" H.K. stopped and lifted one of my hands up, much to my chagrin, spreading my claws out. "I'd say never given how dull but manicured they are. Good for digging up gems in soil, but in a fight? Not so much."

"Wait!" Princess Luna called just as we were about to leave the castle. Amazingly none of the guards tried to stop us or even acknowledge us much to my surprise. The commotion in the throne room wasn't exactly quiet. Maybe word got out or something to leave us alone or something. The way Princess Luna and Princess Celestia talked and acted they knew H.K. very well.

"Yes, Bringer of the Night?" H.K. answered not even slowing down.

"Are you sure that you must take Spike to the Empire?"

"Tell me," This time H.K. stopped and turned to face Princess Luna, "did Oathbreaker tell you that she sent them there without the Elements?"

"What!?" Princess Luna went wide eyed. "Why would she do that.... unless... I mean if I recall right she does have a tenancy to make multiple contingency plans... She was always better at chess than I... Maybe she feared that if Twilight failed that the Elements could be used as a back up. "

"That would work except for one tiny detail." H.K. rubbed his hidden forehead. I think. Stupid enchanted hoodie even if it was a bit cool, too. Not that I would ever admit that outloud. "It takes time for them to find new bearers and in that time... well let's just say I doubt Sombra would not wait long for revenge. Once he his done with the Empire I can assure you he will quickly set his sights on Equestria. Equestria was responsible for his banishment afterall."

"Well can't you wield them?"

"No, I can't not, not anymore..." H.K. sighed. "I would die before I can even get one shot off..."

From there an uncomfortable silence fell over us. I started to dance on my feat as it dragged on. It dragged for so long that when Luna finally broke the silence with a sigh I nearly jumped out of my scales.

"I take it there is no way to persuade against having Spike come with you?"

"No." H.K. and I spoke as one. I leered at H.K. right afterwords. He was not coming with me.

"No, he is not coming with me." I stated with finality. My confidence in my statement, however, instantly evaporated when both H.K. and Princess Luna, well more Princess Luna then H.K, stared down at me.

"Young dragon, a word." Princess Luna said as she stepped over to the side of the hall. "There is something I need to let you know about H.K...."

"What's there to know? He's a jerk." I grumbled loudly not caring that H.K. could hear.

"You need to trust him."

"Really Princess Luna?" I facepalmed. "You are going to trust the fate of my friends and the Crystal Empire to him!?"

"Regardless of your opinion of him I could think of no one else besides my sister that I would have at my back in battle besides him. Please, just for now, trust him."

"Fine. Are we done?" I asked crossing my arms in irritation as Princess Luna failed to answer right way. "Princess Luna, are we done?"

"Yes young dragon." Princess Luna finally answered.

"Come, we have a train to catch." H.K. gestured for me to follow. Which I did after a moment of starring down Princess Luna to let her know my displeasure over this.

"Wouldn't it be faster to take a royal sky carriage since you are so chummy with the Princesses?" I gestured towards the sky port which was in the opposite direction of the trains.

"That might tip off Sombra..." H.K. shook his head. "Besides, I need time to fully recover, and if we are going to take on the master of shadow crystal magic we need to be at full strength."

"Fine." I sighed.

We were silent as we walked through Canterlot. I was too annoyed to really say anything and H.K., well I don't care why he was quiet, and really I would be glad if he never talked again right now. Thankfully the crowds were low so we made very good time to the train station. It was clear that we were expected as there was only one train with a single carriage attached guarded by an attachment of thestrals from the lunar guard.Odd... I thought why is the lunar guard here and not the day guard?

"Sir," One of the thestral guards ran up to us and saluted, "the train is ready to go on your command."

"Yes, I understand." H.K. acknowledged as he walked into the carriage. "I'll let you know when we are ready."

"What are we waiting for?" I grumbled in annoyance as I followed H.K. inside. "The sooner we leave the sooner we can rescue the girls. And the sooner I rid myself of you..."

"I am aware." H.K. answered as he peered outside the window, and from the looks of it looking for somepony, "but we need one more person to come..."

"Who?"

"Well, if the winds have been favorable and he moves as fast as he is supposed to then he should be here any moment..."

"Yes, but, WHO!?" I swear if he starts up the whole thing that Owlowiscious does...

My internal rant and rising anger was interrupted by the sound of banging and the carriage swaying a bit. What could have caused that?!

"Ah, right on time..."

I snarled as I suppressed the urge to cry out a third time. Must. not. ask. who. again. I looked around to see if could see whom this person was. I then I saw the shadow of something quite large fiddling with the knob at the back of the carriage. It didn't appear to be a pony, a minotaur maybe. Who ever it was I just hope he or she was less infuriatingly cryptic than H.K.

"Garble!?" I yelped in shock as the teenaged dragon stepped into the train carriage.

The Slave

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I was preparing some cockatrice on the campfire for lunch when I heard the call of a phoenix. I looked up to see the Master's phoenix diving down into the clearing. I wonder what he was doing all the way out here? I though Soots was not one to wander far from home.

"Hey Soots, what is it?" I smiled as he landed on my shoulder and rubbed his beak on the side of my neck. Soots was the one bright spot in my life with the Master.

I sighed as I saw a note tied to Soot's foot. Better see what the master wants.

Break down camp then fly to Canterlot (the city on the mountain). Find the train with my emblem on it and enter. Avoid being seen if possible.

I groaned after reading the note. It was bad enough we had to come to the pony lands but I have to go to the very heart of it was another thing altogether. I sighed. I'd better get started. I knew that Master would not suffer a delay and I really don't want to receive any more punishments.

An hour later I was flying high in the sky near the city that my Master mentioned, trying to find the train in question. I could see several trains but none of them had his emblem on it. I was getting really worried as time past but I breath a sigh of relief when I finally saw Master's emblem on a lone train.

I looked around for anyone watching the train. I went into a quick dive when it appeared that no one was particularly paying attention as I knew that it could change quickly. I only slowed down at the last second, slamming hard onto the back of the train.

I cringed as the train swayed heavily. I hope I don't get into trouble. Not wasting any time I quickly grasped the handle of the door to open it. Come on open I panicked as I struggled for a moment to open the door. Luckily the door quickly opened a moment later and I entered the carriage.

"Garble!" A familiar voice yelped out as I entered.

When I looked down to see the young dragon from the migration I back up in fear. Isn't my life hell enough? What kind of torture is my Master up to? Was it because I didn't get here fast enough or for slamming into the train?

"What happened to you?" Spike asked as he stepped towards me. He kind gaze was worse then the gaze of hatred that I got back on the migration, back when... I lost everything...

Several months ago...

"Gah, I can't believe that a bunch of cowardly namby pampy ponies and their lizard got away." I punched a tree in anger.

"And that is the only reason your still alive... worm." Someone from behind me growled out.

"The name's Garble..." I sneered as I turned.

My bravado faded almost instantly when I saw Dragon Lord Torch glaring down at me, the Bloodstone Specter in his claw. The comically small Bloodstone Scepter didn't seem so small though when its sharp edge was thrusted inches from my neck. "You are worm because I said so."

"And you are lucky..." Another voice called out. A figure stepped out from around the Dragon Lord. Causing my fear to escalate.

It was the the dragon only known by the title Keeper. One of the most powerful dragon warriors ever known but also the most secretive. No dragon knew what he looked like exactly as he was always wearing a worn enchanted cloak. All I knew was that he was from the pony lands at one point. If he was here I was doubly in trouble... If those angry glowing eyes were any indication.

Current

I shook myself out of the memory before it got to the worse parts and just in time to see that Spike was looking me over and specifically over all the scars that I have. Maybe the memories would have been better then Spike's examination...

"Master!?" I squeaked out hoping that Master would give me leave to flee from my shame. I could see a couple rooms at the front of the carriage, sleeping rooms if I'm lucky.

"'Master?!'" Spike questioned. I went wide eyes at this. Master hadn't told him? "Garble why are..."

"Pl-please don't ca-call me that." I stuttered, shaking in fear. I can remember every cut and bruise from Master for insisting on being called Garble over worm.

"And why not?"

"Because he lost his rights to be called by his name." Master helpfully explained.

"H.K." Spike spun around and advanced on the Master. "Explain. Now."

"The 'Worm' committed several grievous crimes unbecoming a dragon."

"Garble was a jerk yes but there is now way under Celestia's sun that he deserved this."

"Spike, please stop." I pleaded, hoping to save my hide from punishment. I could already feel the stings coming.

"No. I will not." Spike growled at me. "'Dragons may seem beast like but most are quite honorable and noble.' Those were your exact words H.K. What possible crimes could be so horrible to justify this kind of vile treatment?!"

"Attacking three ponies and yourself along with the attempt to get you to kill a sacred phoenix."

"All this over that?!?" Spike roared, advancing once again on Master.

I couldn't believe my eyes here was one of the strongest dragons I have ever know and here he was backing away from a hatchling like his life depended on it. Who is this Spike and how does he have such power over Master? I remember how he was at the Migration and this is not the same hatchling from then that was shaking in his claws even as he confronted me about the phoenix egg. In wasn't long before Spike had the Master pushed up against the far wall.

"Only a dishonorable beast" Spike sneered poking the master in the chest. "Would strip somedragon their name and torture them over something so minute! I don't know what Princess Luna was thinking but your battle skills are not worth it."

I gulped at the sudden silence. This is bad this is so bad. I am so diamond dog food!

I nearly jumped out of my scales when Spike hmphed and walked over to a bench, sat down, and stared out the window. It was clear to me that he was done speaking for now. Master seemed to hesitate before he sighed and went into one of the rooms at the front of the carriage.

This was not good. Whenever Master was like this I got hurt. That is unless... I headed this off, appeased him somehow... hopefully...

"Master?" I whispered as I entered his room.

I gulped when Master didn't acknowledge my entrance. Like Spike he was staring out the window at the passing scenery. It was hard to know exactly how he was feeling as his hood was enchanted to prevent me from seeing his face but thanks to me living with him even for as little as I have it was clear he was feeling down. Maybe this was a worse idea...

"Master?" I hesitatingly asked again.

"I am no longer you master," Master finally spoke up. "I release you from your service."

"But... I don't understand. I still have many years to regain my honor..."

"No, you do not." Master sighed. "Now leave me. I need rest."

"But..."

"I said OUT!" Master roared using his magic to shove me out of the room along with slamming the door.

The Envious

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"I said OUT." I spun around when I heard H.K. scream just in time to see Garble being slammed out of one the sleeper rooms.

"Garble!" I jumped up to go check on Garble who was passed out in the hallway.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Garble tried to shrug me off as he attempted to get up.

I wasn't so sure. He looked quite dazed from being slammed into the wall. I'm surprised that the train wasn't derailed from the impact. out of habit I tried to help Garble when he stumbled as he took his first steps.

"I said I'm fine." Garble growled out before flinching back. H.K. really did a number on him to get him to be scared of growling in mild anger.

"Relax!" I backed away to give Garble some space in hopes he would calm down.

Garble slowly walked over to one of the benches and sat down. He said nothing as he looked out the window. It seems he was as lost in thought as I was earlier. I decided to join him as I still had a lot to think about and it would be many hours before night fall and several days until we reached the Empire.

"I was jealous..." Garble suddenly whispered out.

"Jealous? What are you talking about!?"

"Of you." Garble answered, still looking out the window.

"I don't understand what do you mean you were jealous of me?"

"It was because you came from the ponylands the birthplace of him."

"Him? You mean H.K.?"

"There are tales among the dragons of the Wastelands... Of a dragon warrior without a face. Though small in stature can take on many foes many times larger... Whose name is unknown... and only goes by a title: Keeper... He is the one you call H.K. and the one I have to call Master..."

"Him?" I exclaimed. "But he's not a dragon!"

"What do you mean he's not dragon?" Garble looked at me like I had sprouted two heads. "Of course he is."

"But he looks like a pony!" Well except for the eyes... and teeth... I added to myself.

"You've seen what he looks like under his cloak?" Garble looked at me in shock before it faded into disbelief. "Probably just using a spell to mask his looks just like his cloak... You really have no idea do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you ever use your nose?! I mean you can smell, can't you? The smell from him is as plain as it can be."

"Smell what on him?"

"The fire that all dragons have."

"You mean the brimstone and ash smell?" I sniffed myself to and as usual I could detect the faint scent of ash and brimstone and just a bit of dusty books and ink. "But anything can smell like that given enough time. Twilight even has a slight hint of that..."

"By the Eternal Flames didn't your parents teach you anything?" Garble facepalmed and shook his head. "No the fire. The flame within all dragons. "

I sighed sadly. I wished I had parents but my egg was orphaned and abandoned. Twilight was my only family I had and she was more of a sister then a mother or father. There was times especially the past few months where I wondered what my parents. What they might have been like and how my life could have been if I was hatched and raised by dragons instead of ponies.

"But how can fire itself have a smell?"

Garble just shrugged.

"Gah, you are worse then H.K." I grumbled.

"I hope not..." Garble shivered.

"I'm sorry Garble I didn't mean in that way." I waved my arms frantically trying to backpedal my remarks. I didn't mean to hurt Garble by saying the he was really like H.K.... Just that he was just as cryptic not cruel... well mostly... well he was more of a jerk then cruel at the Migration.

"Its okay..." Garble murmured. "I know what you mean... By the way... The raid wasn't about smashing that egg it was about getting a phoenix as a companion. To have a phoenix companion is a big deal among dragons."

"Why?"

"Phoenixes are living flame. Have you ever tried to catch flame in your claw or capture it in a jar? It can't be done. In order for a phoenix to become your companion you have to prove yourself worthy."

"Not true, I once saw Twilight put some flame in a jar for one of her experiments."

"Gah!" Garble facepalmed. "You are dense you know that."

I growled out in irritation. I am not dense!

"What ever happened to that egg by the way?"

I smiled at that. It was the one bright spot in my life recently. "Oh, he hatched not long after I got home, named him Peewee."

"That is so cool, dude. You are so lucky to have a phoenix as a companion."

"Maybe," I sighed at a bittersweet memory. "But I gave him back to his parents a few weeks ago..."

"But, why?!" Garble blinked in surprise.

"Because... " I paused as a few tears fell, "Because I know what it's like to not know my parents... I couldn't let Peewee to also not know his parents... to not be raised by them... Sure Twilight hatched me but..."

"Wait you don't have parents... and a pony hatched you!?" Garble stared at me wide eyed. "Then that means..."

"Garble?" I panicked as Garble started to shake and lose all of his color. Why would the revealing that I was an orphaned egg hatched by a pony get this kind of reaction?! "Garble?!"

"I... I have to go sleep, yeah sleep..." Garble stuttered as he scrambled away and to a different sleeper room than H.K. and quickly closed the door behind him.

"Okay..." I scratched my head at Garble's strange reaction. "What's gotten into him now?"

The Treaty

ബഐബഐബഐ Luna ബഐബഐബഐ

"Sister we would have a word with thee." I spoke as I walked into my sisters chambers after raising the moon.

"Lulu you are doing it again." My sister smirked up at me from her tea. No surprise she was having some calming tea before bed given the events of the day. I would probably have to fend off some nightmares from several ponies tonight because of it.

I blushed when I realized that I had spoken in Old Equestrian. I was getting better but whenever I got emotional I tended to revert back to old habits. "Sorry Tia..."

"It is okay sister you will get it eventually. Now let me guess you want more information on the treaty?"

"Yes. Specifically why did H.K call you an 'oathbreaker?'"

Celestia sighed and put down her tea. This can't be good if she is putting down her tea. "You have the treaty still?"

"Of course. I wanted some clarification before I did as I was told and burn it."

Here is written are the Oaths to see if a pact of none aggression can be possible between the Wasteland Dragons and the Ponies of the United Equestrian Tribes. Once read and memorized by the Keepers of the Oath this is to be burned.

*A single dragon egg (once one is found that is suitable) is to be given to the care of the ponies. The ponies are to guard it and if possible attempt to hatch the dragon within.

*Once the dragon is hatched it is to be return to the Wastelands and to his/her family, if still alive. (If not, the care of the dragon is to fall to the current Dragon Lord.)

Amended: The pony by the name of Twilight Sparkle is hereby allowed to raise the dragon named Spike until such time as his dragon instincts emerge. When this occurs he is to be returned to the Wastelands to be trained to control his instincts.

*A pony is to be adopted by a dragon family and live out his or her days as a dragon forever disowning his or her pony heritage.

"Spike was the egg in question..." Celestia explained as she put the scroll down. "I broke my oath to give him back to his family when Twilight hatched him..."

"Then how did you managed to avoid a war!? Dragons have never taken lightly to those who dare break their Oaths..."

"I convinced the dragon 'Keeper of the Oath' that it would strengthen the chances of bonds of non aggression working if the young dragon spent some time with the ponies so that both sides could better understand each other..."

"So what other part did you break? I distinctively remember H.K. saying you broke it twice..."

"Spike's hoarding instincts awoke on his last hatchday a few months back..."

It took me a few second to process what my sister was implying but when I did my concern turned to anger.

"We know next to nothing about dragons! What madeth thee think it was remotely wise to ignore that? According to this treaty if Spike's dragon instincts he is to go to the dragons to be trained to master them. We see nothing wrong with it and all the good. Why would thee do something so obviously foolish!?"

"Because of whom his family is..."

"Who?" I knew dragons could be a bit 'rough around the edges' but once you got to know them most where quite good company unless things have changed a lot in the past thousand years... like always... That and I doubt the Spike would changed that much if his dreams were any indication. If anything it should allow him to finally become the knight he always wanted to be.

"His parents are long dead but his brother still lives..." Celestia paused as she started lightly petting her pet phoenix who had flown over from her perch and on to her shoulder.

"Tia..." I groaned. She was stalling. What could be so terrible to draw out her explanation like this!?

"His brother is H.K."

"Wait, what?" That was confusing H.K was our distant cousin and not a dragon.

"By the Dragon Code and the Oath in our Treaty says otherwise."

I blinked in further confusion before I realized that H.K. must have been the pony who had been adopted. Not surprising to be honest considering... considering the foul treatment he received when he was young... That still didn't explain why she would break her word. "But this is good! Why would you deny our oldest ally and friend his brother?!"

Celestia didn't speak but walked out to the balcony and gazed up to the moon. I joined her willing to wait for her to collect her thoughts. That was until I saw the glistening of tears flowing from her eyes. It was clear she was thinking back to the night so long ago.

"Ohh Tia." I cooed as I wiped the tears from my sisters eyes. "We art here. Drieth thy tears."

I let her cry for sometime without speaking. I alone knew all the pain and stress she suffered. To think I was once jealous of all the adoration she received. I never truly thought of nor understood the heavy weight that she was under, the mask of falsehood that she kept up in front of her ponies... That was until the night after I returned and all the parishioners and well wishers of the Day Court left leaving just us and the servants in the castle. She would not stop crying and apologizing long into the night and when she did sleep it was fitful and full of one worse nightmare after the next. Which went on every night for many weeks after.

"Now please tell me why you take such a risk?" I spoke softly after a while. As much I knew she was hurting right now I needed to know why. The fate of Equesrtia was very much on the line, if H.K was being truthful, which memory serves, he was. "Why Tia, why would you do such a vile thing and separate brothers. Did thy forget thine own pain after sealing we away? We can not imagine what it is and has been for H.K."

"Lulu you did not know H.K. as well as I do..." I nodded in concession. This was true and fair. Before the attack in the throne room earlier I had not seen him in well over fourteen hundred years. But then again he was always tended to prefer being alone. "H.K. has become more cold and angry over the years... and worse yet his hatred for ponies has only deepened... I couldn't risk that Spike... I'm sorry I... just could not risk that H.K.... our ponies are not versed in war as they were when we ruled from Everfree... I feared for them and felt I had to act. I... I..."

"We understand Tia..." I whispered softly as I wrapped my sister in a hug. "We have seen thine dreams filled with regret, fear of failure, and the loss of everything... But if you do not let me help those nightmares can become true..."

"I fear that they already have..."

"Have hope mine sister. The dawn will cometh soon..."

The Delay

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

I gazed sadly into the shield cut gem hanging from a necklace that I was holding up to my eyes in my magic. The arcanic raw mana within glowing brightly. It was all I had left of them... well not completely... but I fear that I may... The pure hatred I saw in his eyes... Damn you Oathbreaker! If you had only done as promised I could have eased him into our ways and not be forced to rush it... and then maybe one day ease him into the truth of who I was who he was to me... Now... it will never come...

My thoughts were broken when the train suddenly lurched hard. The sound of metal against metal assaulted my ears and as I looked out I saw a huge shower of sparks outside my window. Clearly it was coming from the brakes of the train, applied at great force.

What is going on? I wondered as I placed the necklace with the gem back inside my cloak and put my hood up. I knew we were getting close to the end of the line but why would they rush to stop the train so suddenly? We needed to approach the Empire as quietly as possible and this was not quiet.

I opened the door to the sleeper I had been in for the past two days and made my way to the engine. As I did Spike came out of his own sleeper, trying to rub the sleep out of his eyes. As for Garble he was no where to be seen. Probably hiding from me. He is still thinks I'm his master... it seems its going to take some time for to be convinced to stop.

"What is going on!?" Spike asked, yawning. I couldn't help but smile sadly. He was too tired apparently to realize it was me. Ever since he yelled at me about Garble several days ago he has been giving me the silent treatment.

"I don't know... stay here while I check with the engineers."

"Like I have anything better to do." Spike grumbled as I walked out of the carriage and into the blizzard.

I carefully climbed up ladder on the coal hopper, with all the snow the ladder was quite slippery. After a few times of almost losing my hoof hold I managed to get up to the top and worked my way down the pile of coal to the engine below where the two engineers, a unicorn and earth pony, were arguing hotly.

"It will!" The earth pony yelled.

"No, it won't!" The unicorn growled back.

"It will!"

What is going on? I questioned with the Royal Canterlot Voice, stunning both ponies enough to stop their arguing.

"There is something on the track. Something that won't come off with magic." The unicorn answered.

"Well you are trying with unicorn magic I say we use earth strength and smash it!"

"And I am telling you..."

Odd. I wondered as I looked out into the blizzard, ignoring the once again bickering stallions. At first the driving snow made it difficult to see anything but I kept at it hoping that my eyes would adjust or the winds would shift just enough so that I would not have to be forced to use magic. I needed every last drop.

My eyes narrowed as finally got a glimpse at what had stopped the train. About four hundred hoofs ahead across and around the tracks was numerous large black crystals jutting up from the ground. Sombra... The unicorn was right those crystals would not move in a normal fashion. It would take someone skilled in dark magic to be able to move or destroy them.

"How far are we from the Empire?" I questioned, still staring at the black crystals.

"Not sure exactly... an hour by hoof most likely." One of the engineering answered.

I sighed as he said that. An hour by hoof in a white blizzard could lengthen to many hours. Plus I was going to have to use magic to make sure we didn't walk in circles...

"Will too..."

"Will not..."

Gah! Ponies! I grumbled as the two began to fight a third time. No matter there was nothing more to be done here anyway. While I could remove the black crystal and fix the rails it would take more magic then just using a locator spell and walking to the Empire.

"Is everything alright Master?" Garble questioned fearfully as I reentered the carriage.

I cringed when I saw Spike give me the stink eye. "Garble, I am not your master..."

"He should have never been you slave!" Spike snapped. I nearly sighed as i watched Garble corner of my eye frantically trying to mime to Spike to stop. "I mean honestly! Only a tyrannical villain would do such an awful thing to another!? Honorable and noble my tail..."

I stood silent for several minutes to let Spike rant. It would be best for him to let off his steam now before we headed out into the storm lest he gets emotional and runs off unthinkingly or distracted and gets separated from the rest of us.

"Finished?" I asked once Spike finally stopped for a breath.

"For now."

"Good, it's dangerous to be emotional or distracted while traversing the Frozen North."

"We are in a train." Spike deadpanned. "How is that dangerous?"

"We are walking the rest of the way."

"What!? Out there!?' Spike exclaimed thrusting his arms towards the window. "But there is nothing out there but snow and more snow!? I don't think so."

"Well unfortunately the tracks have been severally damaged and will require specialists to fix which could take upwards a week or more... Depending on how much the rail line is damaged."

"What!? No. Twilight and the girls don't have a week!"

"Then we had best be off."

"But how are we going to find it?!"

"I know the way to the Empire." I shrugged. It was quite easy to locate thanks to the way the Crystal Spire acted like a magic focuser and amplifier. Of course that only works if one knew the mana resonance of the Spire which I did.

"Yeah, right." Spike snarked as he rolled his eyes. "According to Twilight it has not been around for a thousand years how can you know where it is in this mess?"

"It is easier than you think young dragon..." I replied, smiling. It was nice to be talking with Spike even if I could still see the anger in his eyes. "It helps too that it was I that informed Equestria of its fall to the Shadow King."

"But's that impossible! You are a mere unicorn! The only way you could possibly survive is through dark magic. I should know Twilight explained it to me that one time I... Either way you can't be that old!"

"As I said before young dragon, looks can be deceiving. I am only a few years younger then the Bringer of the Night, Luna and I never used magic dark or otherwise to extend my life..."

"But then how..." Spike growled out, his claws balling in his anger. "You know what, I don't care. Let's just get this over with. The sooner we get there the sooner we can rescue the girls and the Empire the sooner I can rid myself of you from my life."

With that Spike jumped down from the train and began to waddle away through the thick drifts and surprising in the general direction of the Empire. Garble was about to jump off the train after Spike when I touched his shoulder to stop him. Surprisingly he only flinched slightly when I did.

"Garble, a word please."

The Umbrum

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

Several hours of fighting the wind and snow we suddenly stumbled through an unseen barrier at the edge of the Crystal City proper. I was the first to recover as I had expected that this would happened as for the young dragons with me they were a bit more taken aback.

"Whoa..." Garble and Spike gasped in unison.

AS the two dragons where thrilled from the sight of the Crystal Empire I was not. This was bad as form a quick glance half of the buildings where infected by Sombra's dark shadow crystals. The only good thing was that it appeared that Sombra must be taking his time. The cloud of dark smoke that was him was moving up the main boulevard towards the Spire at a snails pace. Clearly he was doing this to maximize the fear in 'his' subjects. His arrogance could prove to be beneficial...

"There is something you both need to know." I spoke up capturing the young dragons' attention. "A thousand years ago when even Luna and Oathbreaker's full might failed to kill him leaving them with sealing as the only recourse somehow Sombra had managed to tie the Empire's fate to his own. So when he was sealed so too was the Empire. He needs to be stopped before he manages to infect the entire Empire once again..."

"How!? If Princesses Celestia and Luna could only seal him away how are we going to stop him!?"

"There is one artifact that might work since we don't have the Elements... The Crystal Heart. It has to be hidden somewhere in the empire... Mostly likely the Spire..."

"Sombra is an idiot pony for leaving something that can kill him around! He should have smashed it." Garble growled out.

"Sombra would dare not to destroy it or risk losing the Empire. It's what drives back the endless winter."

"Then what are we going to do?!" Spike wailed out.

"I am going to hold off Sombra while you two go find Twilight. Surely by now she has figured out something. Oathbreaker would not have her come here otherwise..."

"Enough talking!" Spike growled, already walking towards the Spire, Garble close behind. "The girls and the Empire need us now!"

I nodded in agreement before I headed towards Sombra.

I quietly walked up one of the sides streets with my sword in my teeth. I had to be careful that I didn't attract Sombra's attention too quickly. I could see a few ponies cowering in the shadows as I walk passed. I wasn't sure if it was from me, Sombra, or both. It didn't matter me me as I just had to make sure that Sombra didn't figure out what going on. If he suspected anything he would just ignore me and go straight at the Spire full speed. At least I was only a few blocks away from where Sombra was.

A few minutes later I was able overtook Sombra and slipped down the alleyway that connected me to the street Sombra was on. I took a deep breath as I made some last minute mental preparations to confront Sombra. Now the hard part was about to begin. Slowing him down long enough for Spike to find Twilight and for them to find the Crystal Heart.

"That is far enough Sombra." I shouted as I slowly emerged from the alleyway taking up a challenging stance in the middle of the street.

"You darezzz." Sombra hissed down at me from at top his crystal.

"I dare!" I yelled as I threw off my cloak. I was going to need to use every advantage I had against Sombra. Especially if he was going to use his smoke form and black shadow crystals to gain height.

"Alicornsss..." Sombra hissed in surprise as I unfurled my wings.

Gah I rolled my eyes in annoyance. His villainous lisp was already getting old, but I will handle anything to give me a moments rest or an opening for an attack. In this case an attack. I launched myself into the air and at him at full speed.

Sombra yelped in pain when I slammed full force into him. He stumbled down his black crystal and slammed into the cobble street below. I rose up in the air and then dive after him. Unfortunately Sombra recovered fast enough that I ended up slamming into the street as his body faded back into smoke.

He quickly reconstituted a few hoofs a way. A second wisp of smoke becoming the strangest sword I had ever seen. It was an long sword made from what seemed to be obsidian and it sported deep and sharp teeth along each edge. That was all I the admiring that i was able to do before I had to roll away as the sword came crashing down where I once was.

I grunted as I got back onto my hooves. The design of Sombra's sword clearly was not going to be practical in battle as I could feel the immense mana needed to force to the sword out of the street. However, as a torture device it would be quite effective. Case in point my left barrel now sported a series of long but fairly shallow cuts. None of which alone would be remotely be life threatening but it did send my nerves screaming in pain. I wish I had brought my armor but I left it back in the Everfree Forest in the rush to get here.

I would have tried to take advantage of this opening but Sombra sent a barrage of black crystals at me which I barely avoided by teleporting to the top of a near by house. A dark beam tried to slam into me but I deflected it with the flat end of my sword. Once the beam faded I retaliated with a beam of my own.

The beam went right through Sombra as he returned to his shadow form. But it didn't bother me as I sent one after another at him. I didn't give me a chance to do much more then to back up until i had him backed up again a wall. Excellent I got you cornered. With a wave of my horn I encased Sombra in a crystal shaped shield.

I let a grin creep up as I watched Sombra struggle against hard and failing to escape the shield. Suddenly I could feel my mana field wavier. I grunted in pain before I vomited up ash. I dropped my sword as I lost my ability to hold on to it. Not now!

"Who... are you?" Sombra gasped out as he stumbled out of the disappearing shield I had him in.

I returned to my full height, glaring at him. It seems he's lost the lisp though the strange echo was still there. It could only mean that he had stop playing around and was getting serious and curious. I could work with the latter... the former was not good as my illness was now aggravated and this battle was only half started.

"Oh come now Sombra, Shadow King," I grinned, thankful that Sombra's curiosity gave me time to recover, "as well versed in battle as you are you should know the sword I wield."

"Leafcutter the sword of the War Alicorn." Sombra's eyes widen in recognition.

Now that I felt better I rushed at Sombra using a spin attack as I got close enough. Sombra rolled to the side and tried to slash me in turn as I pass by him but I was ready. The purpose of the spin attack to fool my opponents into opening themselves for an surprise attack. I sent a massive electric charge along the ground. Before his attack could connect Sombra was knocked back by it right into a house. He it so hard that the house crumbled into the ground.

Sombra didn't take long to come out of the rumble, eyes ablaze in anger. "I will cut you down!"

I resisted the urge to smile as I effortlessly parried Sombra opening strike. His anger should make him sloppy leaving me a chance to hit him while he was in a corporeal form. Strike after strike blow and blow our bodies and swords danced. Neither of us able to break through each others defenses enough to do gain an advantage. As time went it on became clear to me why Luna and Oathbreaker were forced to take the desperate measure of sealing. Never before had even I faced an opponent such as the Shadow King... If only I was not weakened by the ash disease...

"Will you die ALREADY!" Sombra roared as we skidded away from each other after a particular long stalemate clash of our swords. He dismissed his sword and sent a massive mana beam right at me.

I skidded hard as I was pushed back by the attack, grunting as my hastily brought up shield began to crack. If I don't find a way to stop it... Sweat poured down my brow as I forced more mana into the shield. The cracks slowly closed back up. I then took began to push the beam back. I needed to get closer to have a chance. However, the beam and my shield suddenly failed at the same time nearly causing me to stumble.

I gasped as I fought to regain my breath, thankful to have survived. I looked over to see that Sombra too was also short of breath. I didn't get anymore time to recover when I could feel the familiar pangs in my stomach. A second later I coughed up a glop of ash and blood.

Great, just great. I grumbled before I threw up more of the ash. I nearly screamed as I violently and painfully shook. The spasms this time were the worst I had ever felt and I fell to the ground, nearly blacking out as I did.

"Oh, how the might have fallen." Sombra grinned down at me, licking his fangs.

I tried again to get up but I collapsed after only shakily raising a few inches. My vision was starting to spin and faded in and out of focus. Considering the amount of blood I have lost from all the cuts I had received so far coupled with all the ash I have vomited I should be unconscious.

"Your body is weak allow me to end it... slowly."

Sombra smirk only got more sinister as he took his time to approach me, his sword idly scratching the cobble street. He was playing with me thinking that I was done. But he was wrong. As long as I held breath I was not done.

"I may fallen down Umbrum." I growled out as I forced myself to stand slowly wiping my mouth of the gooey ash once I was on my hooves. If my time was today I was going to do so standing like the warrior I am. "But I am not beaten just yet."

"Please, you can barely stand. But I admire your determination. So I think instead I will end you quickly."

Sombra rushed at me his sword at the ready. I managed to just barely parry the first slash but the second I was unable to. I roared in pain as Sombra sword slashed into my shoulder the teeth along its edge shredding it to strips. I managed to slam Sombra away with a weak magic beam before I removed the sword with a sickening splosh. I quickly applied a minor healing spell with the last of my mana to stop from bleeding out. Not that it would matter in the end other then give me and them by extension a few more moments...

I breathed hard as I stood there glaring at Sombra who merely stood there watching me. I slowly picked up my sword from the ground in my teeth ignoring the pain in my shoulder as I did. I may be out of mana but I still could fight with my sword. However I nearly collapsed the moment I took a step forward. Much to my annoyance my body had reached its limit long ago and the adrenaline that had kept me going thus far, gone. At this Sombra neutral bored expression changed back to a sadistic grin.

I was about to resign to my fate when I saw the road below me glow in power. Even though I was so tired I let a smile cross my face as I saw it and the terror of recognition on the face of the Shadow King. Reckoning was at hand and I was still standing to see it.

"No. Nooo..." Sombra tried backing up. Suddenly the glow faded from the streets towards the Spire behind me. A wave of light then exploded outward engulfing everything. The last thing I saw was Sombra form shattering. "NOOOOOOO!"

Well done young dragon... my little brother...

The Aftermath

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I cried in frustration when my most recent attempt to get out of the trap I was in failed. If Sombra wasn't a megalomaniac dark magic user bent on enslaving all of pony kind I would have really enjoyed this challenge but I can't. The Empire, the entire world depends on me getting out of this trap and quickly. It was a mixed blessing as it was when I first heard and saw the mana flashes of a huge battle going on somewhere down below in the streets right after I got stuck. I don't know how my brother had managed to remove those black crystal from his horn but thanks to him I had more time to figure out how to escape. How much more I have no idea. My brother may be strong but even he can't last for much longer.

"Twilight!" A voice called out interrupting my mental calculation on a new plan to escape.

"Spike?" I wondered out loud before shaking my head. Spike was safely back in Equestria. Must be another one of Sombra's tricks.

"Twilight!" Spike voice called out again, this time much closer.

I growled out in irritation as I paced. I did not need another distraction.

"Yo, Twi."

"Look I've have just enough of you 'Sombra magic trap!' I..." My rant died in my throat as I saw Spike looking at me with a smug grin though a gap in the black crystals. "Spike! How are you here? Why are you here?!"

"Are you okay Twilight!?"

"I think so, but I can't get out of this magic trap." I demonstrated my problem to Spike by teleporting out only for the trap to force-teleport me back. "I need to get the Crystal Heart down to... But that's neither here or there what are you doing here?"

"Later Twi," Spike waved me off, literately, "where is the Crystal Heart?"

I gestured over to the edge of tower. The Crystal Heart had fallen out of my grasp right after the trap was first triggered. I immediately lost sight of Spike as I assumed he went over to the Crystal Heart.

"Ready Garble?"

"Gah, that is the worst smelling gem I have ever..."

Garble!? Who is Garble. What is going on!? "Wait! Spppppike!"

I got no response but a few tense moments later everything went to white and I could hear the sounds of shattering crystal.

Getting down form the top of the Spire was far easier and faster then getting to the top. Whatever the Crystal heart did also reinvigorated me by a small amount along with destroying Sombra magic traps. I could now teleport away. A moment later and I teleport down back into the throne room.

"Twily!" My brother called out galloping at me from the balcony to the side of the throne room. I rushed to join in in a hug. "Thank Celestia you are okay! When I saw Spike and that other dragon with the Crystal Heart I had feared the worse!"

"And I was so worried that Sombra had hurt you!" I sniffed as I nuzzle my brother affectionately. "I could hear the battle raging all the way at the top of the Spire!"

"But Twily that it wasn't me." Shining Armor pulled back from me, blinking in surprise. " I never left Cadence's side."

"Then who was it?"

"No idea. who ever it was they have our thanks in delaying Sombra long enough for Spike and Garble to get the Heart to us."

Garble... Garble... Where have I heard that name? That question though would have to wait. If it wasn't Shiny that had delayed Sombra the whomever did could be really hurt or worse.

"We better go investigate, whoever it was could be badly hurt. Do you by chance see where this battle was?"

"Uh Twi..." Came the sound of Spike's voice from behind me.

"Not now Spike." I snapped not even looking at him as I was so angry. But given he was here I was not going to have him leave my side and levitated him onto my back. Sombra was most likely gone but I was not going to risk it. "I can't believe that you would come here against my wishes!"

"Twi!" My Ponyville friends yelled in unison as they saw me.

"Girls!" I cried in happiness as we rushed into a group hug. I was so happy to see the girls and that they were okay.

"Shiny..." I looked at my brother after I broke form the hug, "can you take us there?"

"Take us where Sugercube?" Aj asked.

"Somepony was fighting Sombra, delaying he assault long enough for Spike here to get the Crystal Heart to safety. I fear he could be hurt."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"It's just around this stre..." Shiny's explanation paused mid word as Shiny, the girls, and I walked around a corner.

"Whoa..." Spike said from my back as we walked into a scene straight out of a war novel.

Whoa is right. The amount of destruction was extensive and looked like it ran across several streets. Almost every home around had cracks or mana scorch marks on them and one even was in rubble. The less I said of the streets themselves the better. I knew the battle was intense but I never thought it was this intense. With this much destruction it could be a while before we found the pony responsible much less any survivors.

"My heavens this is awful." Rarity gasped in horror.

"I'd say..." AJ agreed taking off her hat and placing it on her chest.

"Okay, here what we need to do." Shiny declared, motioning for us to get into a huddle, "Pinkie, Applejack, Rarity get over to that collapsed house and start carefully digging through the debris. Let's hope that the house was empty with it collapsed."

"On it." AJ nodded in understanding.

"Okie dokie." Pinkie Pie agreed as she somehow pulled out three hard hats and put them on AJ Rarity and herself.

"Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash," Shiny turned to them next ignoring Pinkie being Pinkie, "Check every home, street, and alleyway nearby for hurt ponies. If you find any take them as fast as you can to the hospital."

"Yes sir!" Rainbow saluted before dashing off, Fluttershy sheepishly following behind.

"Twi, Spike, and I will try and figure out what happened and hopefully find who was able to fight off Sombra..."

With nods of final agreement from the rest of us we split up to our respective tasks.

The Sacrifice

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I suddenly stopped and suppressed a gulp as I noticed something that set my fur on edge. Unlike in the rest of the city where we saw pockets of jubilation and partying from the crystal ponies here it was eerily quiet. As we walked further into the path of destruction the more uneasy both Spike and I got.

"I don't like this..."

"Neither do... EEEP!"

Spike slipped off my back when I back up in horror. I was glad I hadn't had anything to eat in a while as I suddenly felt very nauseated at the sight before me. A very large puddle of blood. Judging from the amount of it... I doubt... The source couldn't have gotten far.

As I was looking around I noticed there was also several pools of something... black. What is this stuff? I wondered as I carefully examined the goo. Could this be the remains of Sombra? I'd better take a sample to study just encase.

"Is... is he is really gone?" The sound of a stuttering and clearly spook mare echo across the street, or what was left of it anyway.

I looked around found a crystal pony cowering in a bush nearby. " You mean Sombra? Yes. By chance did you see what happened here?"

"Yes..." The mare squeaked out before hiding further in the bush.

"Relax..." I softly advised, mimicking the relaxation technique taught to me by Cadence. "and take a few deep breaths."

I watched as the mare repeated my actions a few time, smiling as the mare visibly relaxed.

"Now let's try again. What did you see?"

"A stallion fighting against Sombra."

"Okay... Do you know who this stallion was?"

"No... Whoever he was he sure wasn't from the Empire..."

That surprised me. As far as I knew the only ponies that where here from outside the Empire was the girls, Shiny, Cadence, and myself. "And how do you know that?"

"He was an alicorn... I thought male alicorns were myths..."

"A male alicorn!?"

"Well that explains that." Spike spoke up as he joined me, brushing off his scales from my earlier dumping.

"Spike, not now." I was not in the mood for his snark. Not now while I was still angry and we had an injured pony to find.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE, WILL YOU LISTEN!" Spike furiously roared at me, shocking me to silence. He had never yelled at me like that before even during some of my worse episodes... Want it need it *shutter*.

"Did he have a fiery rainbow mane?" I blinked in confusion as Spike asked the mare the very specific question.

"Yes." My jaw dropped when the mare answered with a shocked yes. How could Spike's very specific question be right!?

"And his horn... was it purple and green?"

"Yes..."

"Spike..." I began. Now I was getting a bit worried over this line of oddly specific and correct questioning. This was strangeness on par with Pinkie Pie.

"Twi you remember those letters? The ones sent to me?"

"Yes..." I slowly enunciated. I was pretty sure I knew where this was going and something told me I really wasn't going to like it.

"H.K. is the male alicorn."

"Dragon..." A gravelly voice complained. A voice I was sure I had heard, before but could not place just yet. "'H.K.' is dragon."

I spun to correct the pony as there was no way an alicorn could be a dragon... one could be either a pony or a dragon not both otherwise he or she would be kirin. I gasped in shock before readying my horn. There standing before me and looking down in irritation at me was a very familiar red and orange teenaged dragon. I remembered this dragon from the Migration and I was not going to be caught off guard by him again. I was about verbally confront him when I saw something that turned my stomach. All across his body were vicious scars. Some looked not only very painful but very recent. What happened to him?!

"What are you doing here Garble?"

"He is with me and you are to leave him alone." Spike stepped between me and Garble, giving me the look that I would have no say in this.

I raised an eyebrow at Spike. It appears I'm going to have to have an even longer talk with Spike after this was all over. For now we had to find out what happened to H.K. and find him before his injuries... Plus I had questions for H.K. about dragons.

"Twi, is right though, what are you doing here Garble?" Spike re-asked my question. "I thought you were going to stay out of sight."

"I was..." Garble looked around, whistling. "Wish I had seen this... I'm sure it was amazing!"

I groaned. Leave it to a dragon to wish to see a bloody battle like it was a Wonderbolt show!

"Pony what happened to him?" Garble growled out causing the mare to flinch back in fear. Both Spike and I facehoof in unison. Growling at a pony, and a scared one at that, was only going to scared the pony even more... I guess I should be glad it didn't prefaced it with 'namby-pamby.'

"It's aright miss he won't hurt you." I shot the dragon look to make him know that I was not going to suffer any funny business from him.

"Just before the Crystal Heart activated Sombra... Sombra had..." The mare turned green for just a moment. I glanced back at the blood and could guess at what could had happened in those final moments. "Slashed his shoulder nearly clean off.... the blood, oh the blood I... urk... I last saw him limping off in that direction."

I looked off in the direction the mare was pointing, trying to not also join the pony in throwing up. I could see a faint trail of blood going in that same direction. This is bad, this bad, bad, bad! That was away from the Empire and into the vast Frozen North. There was nothing out there! He have must have wandered off delirious due to blood loss!

I was about to call out for Shiny so we could gallop off to find H.K. before it was too late when I had to drop to the ground and cover my ears with my hooves. There was a loud piercing cry echoing about the street. I looked up and over to see that it was Garble causing it. A bit of orange flame erupted from his open maw. Luckily he was screaming into the sky. What in Celestia's name was going on!? The cry soon turned to a full fledged roar that almost sounded... sad.

"Garble what is wrong!?" Spike worriedly walked up to Garble as he fell to his knees as his roar ended.

Garble said nothing. But as I watched my eyes widen in shock. This dragon that had been a jerk and called us ponies weak and namby-pamby was crying. What could have reduced him to such a state? Please tell me it's not related to those scars...

"Garble?" Spike tried one again to get the dragon's attention.

"He's gone..." Garble whispered out barely loud enough for me to hear.

"What do you mean?" Spike questioned.

"The Eternal Flames shall burn brighter with his fire." Garble spoke mechanically as he rose back to his full height. His eyes now dry.

"Garble, I don't understand." Neither did I.

"If he is not already dead he is in the final throes of death."

"How can you possibly know that?" Spike asked the question I was going to ask. "He could still be alive! We need to go after him!"

"No, don't. When a dragon knows he is dying he wanders off to die alone. We must not follow or try to save him."

"But he's a pony, an alicorn stallion for that matter, not a dragon!" I protested.

"Yeah, I don't get it either..." Spike deadpanned.

"Ignorant namby-pamby ponies and pony raised dragon! He. is. dragon!"

"Fine. He's dragon!" Spike exclaimed in clear frustration. "Whatever!"

My mind was now buzzing with so many questions but the only one that I wanted answered right now was "But why would a dragon wander off to die?"

"A dragon's flame sometimes becomes uncontrollable after death and can caused the body to...uh... explode... or at least that's what I have been told."

I dry heaved at a mental picture of a dragon exploding in a mass of blood and guts. I think I prefer the pool of blood... Note for future Twilight: There are some questions that are not worth the answers.

"Spike...here..." Garble knelt down and pulled off a necklace with a shield cut gem attached from his neck and held it out to Spike who took it reluctantly. "H.K. said that if anything happened to him that you were to have this."

"I don't want nothing from that villainous jerk! I'm glad he is gone! I have no idea why you of all dragons are sad over it!" Spike yelled as he threw the necklace away before stomping away. I flinched back at the venom in Spike's words. This was not the Spike I knew. Could it just be anger over H.K. dying? I knew that each pony handled grief differently. At least according to all the research that I did on the subject when the topic of Spike's agelessness came up.

"Garble?" I asked as I could see that what Spike had said hurt him.

Garble said nothing as he walked over to were Spike had thrown the necklace and slowly picked it up. I really needed to know what is going on but I wasn't going to pry just yet. It was clear that both Spike and Garble were upset over the death of this H.K.. Maybe Celestia knows something about this H.K. pony. I mean a male alicorn!? This is big! This changes everything!

The Proposal

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I groaned as I popped my back. I had just placed Twilight in her bed and pulled up the covers so she wouldn't get cold. Twilight had finally collapsed in exhaustion after being up for four days straight trying to figure out what the black goo was. I understand her worry that it could have came from Sombra and that he could use it to revive himself... or corrupt the Crystal Empire as a final revenge... or something else. Who knows... But it doesn't do anypony any good to be so tired to the point that she passes out. At least now she will get some rest as she will probably be sleeping until tomorrow.

Now to see if I can find Garble. I still had not seen him since Canterlot and I needed to talk to him. I really should have stopped him and arranged a time and place to meet. He could be anywhere at this point. Maybe Pinkie's Pinkie Sense can help me find him...

"I see your jailer finally let you out." Garble's voice rang out as I exited the library.

"Hey Garble." I smiled as I looked up to see Garble lounging on one of the tree branches of the library, smirking down at me. Well this is good, I don't have to wonder around aimlessly. "Twilight has a tendency to go overboard when she's trying to solve a difficult problem. I sometimes have to threaten to burn her books just to get her to eat... or breathe..."

Garble chuckled at my explanation popping what I suspect is a piece of meat into his mouth much to my disgust. I get that dragons eat meat... the sharp teeth are a dead give away... but must he do that here and now!?

"What are you eating!?" I asked as I watch trying to not gag at the smell. Please tell me that he wasn't eating one of Fluttershy's

"Fire roasted cockatrice... Leg?"

"No thanks." I waved off Garbles offering before I got sick.

"Eh," Garble shrugged tossing the leg into his mouth with a sickening crunch. "your loss."

"Garble can you teach me to fight."

Garble nearly choked on his food from surprise. "You want me to teach you what!?"

"To fight." I repeated.

"But why!?"

In answer I looked at my polished and hooficured claws.

"Tell me this then, when was the last time you used your claws?" H.K. stopped and lifted one of my hands up, much to my chagrin, spreading my claws out. "I'd say never, given how dull but manicured they are. Good for digging up gems in soil, but in a fight? Not so much."

"I need to know how to fight as a dragon... Ever since the girls became the bearers of the Elements it's been one crazed dark magic user after then next... " I sighed. I'm not a unicorn so I can't use magic. I don't have wings so no flying. I don't even have the immense strength of a earth pony. "All I got is my flames and claws... and the only thing I can do with them is write and send letters... What am I going to do when the next villain tries to take over Equestria?! Write them into submission with excellent penmanship?!"

Garble just sat there and thankfully said nothing as I fisted the ground and cried. It was just so difficult feeling useless. When I finally was done with my tantrum I looked up to see that Garble was gazing off thoughtfully. Never thought I would see that from him... Didn't seem the type. Though lately he has been surprising me.

"I suppose I can help you not be a complete loser."

I facepalmed. Why must he always give such snide comments? At least I know its just him trying to hide his true feelings and not just him being a jerk.

"Come," Garble jumped down from the branch and waved for me to follow. "I know a place that is away from squishy softies living in flimsy matchsticks."

I rolled my eyes as followed Garble who eventually led me to the gemfield southeast of Ponyville. I just hope those diamond dogs from before leave us alone. I suppose if they don't I could just threaten to have Rarity come and 'visit.' Still can't believe that Rarity's drama queening was what saved the day... no wait, I could.

"Ready for a rematch half-pint?" Garble came to a stop holding out his tail.

"This again?!" I rolled my eyes. I needed help in learning to fight not play.

Garble groaned as he ran his hands across his snout. "Why did I ever agree to this..."

"I am beginning to wonder that myself..." I grumbled. "How does tail wresting help?"

Garble sighed as he withdrew his tail and began to wander around silently. I followed close behind unsure what Garble was looking for or doing. We finally came to a stop next to the cliffs where Garble started to sniff at various rocks rapping his knuckles of a few of them.

Okay... I could not see the reason for whatever Garble was doing. A bit odd. If he was looking for gems I don't know why he was doing it the hard way. The soil around here was loaded with gems and was not that hard to dig through.

"Use your tail and break open this geode." Garble pointed to a particular large boulder he had just finished examining.

I gulped as I looked at the very large rock that Garble wanted me to break with my tail. It was bigger then him! There was no way that I could break a small rock with my tail much less the one Garble was wanting me to smash. I looked back at Garble who raised an eyebrow at my hesitation. I could tell I wasn't going to able to get out of this. I took a couple of slow breaths and swung my tail with all my might.

"Yeoooow!" I screamed out, grabbing my throbbing tail. It hurt even worse then I had expected.

"Pathetic." Garble sneered. "But then again, the only tail wrestling match you 'won' was because your costumed friends threw the match."

"What does tail wresting have to do with breaking this rock!?" I growled out, annoyed.

Garble, without facing it, flicked his tail at the rock. As his tail connected there was an explosion of dust and for a moment I couldn't see anything.

"Whoa..." I breathed out in awe as the dust cleared. Garble had shattered the stone with just the tip of his tail like it was nothing!

"That." Garble smirked.

Yeah, yeah, yeah gloat it up...

A large shadow suddenly fell over the gemfields much to my surprise. I wasn't aware of there being a scheduled storm today. Could it be some rouge clouds from the Everfree? Or did Rainbow Dash mess up the weather again? I looked up and saw that it wasn't clouds but a very large dragon. I stared in awe before I realized that it was heading straight for Canterlot! This is very bad. I needed to warn Celestia but I had no scroll in which to do so!

"Come on Garble we need to get to Ponyville now! I have to warn the Princesses and I can't without a scroll!" I started running but stopped and turned when I noticed that Garble wasn't following. Garble hadn't even moved. He was still standing there staring at the dragon shaking like a leaf. "Garble! What's wrong with you!?"

"Dr-Dragon Lord T-t-torch..."

The Declaration

Author's Note

Had to add a new tag dark.... guess that's what I get for planning this as I go.

The Declaration

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I could tell that Spike was saying something but it was far off and echoy as all my attention was to the dragon in the sky. I could feel my flame become icy cold. Of all dragons that could be flying overhead it had to be him.

"Dr-Dragon Lord T-t-torch..." I stuttered out through my chattering teeth.

"Wait...' Spike muttered thoughtfully, "that is the same name that Celestia mentioned when we got back."

"He is the leader of the Wasteland Dragons..." I explained as I continued to watch Dragon Lord Torch, "and his temper is said to be greater then H.K.'s"

"All the more the reason we need to get to Ponyville so we can warn..."

A flash of light interrupted Spike and blinded us both for a moment. I rubbed my eyes to clear my vision only to see the fabled pony princess of the Sun, the Daybreaker standing in front of me. What is she doing here?! If she here to punish me was well for my roll in trying to hurt Spike and his pony friends?

"Celestia!" Spike exclaimed in shock. "There is a dragon..."

"I am aware, Spike. That is why I am here."

"What are we going to do Celestia?" Spike squeaked out, panicking.

"Hopefully just talk... which is why I came for you both."

"Us both?!" We cried in unison. Why would she need me of all dragons!? I could guess why she needed Spike.

"Please leave me out." I backed away waving my arms and readying to take flight. "If Dragon Lord Torch sees me then I'm worse then ash..."

"I am aware of Dragon Lord Torch's volatile temper... Rest assured I can stay his claw."

That I doubt... I grumbled, but dared not voice my doubts. A pony that can move the sun was not someone I wanted to make angry. I made the mistake of angering powerful beings once before and not again.

"Okay, but why must I go?" Spike asked. "Twilight and her friends make more sense especially after then managed to get rid of the sleeping dragon."

"It concerns you..."

The pit in my stomach twisted even worse at that. As I had guessed. So if Dragon Lord Torch was truly here about Spike a pile of ash would the good result.

"But I don't under..."

"I'm sorry, Spike," Celestia held up a hoof stopping Spike mid question, "but if we are going to get back to Canterlot in time we must go."

Before I could protest again Celestia's horn lit up and in a flash the world around us swirled into nothing then swirled right back. I wasn't able to take in much of our new surroundings as I doubled over with nausea. Gah, its worse then when H.K. first teleported me to his home. I think I can taste that cockatrice coming up. I like cockatrice but not that much.

"You okay Garble?" Spike waddled up to me as I attempted to not puke into a plant.

"Yeah, just I never did well with teleportation." I gasped out. "But Spike I must warn you... Do not for any reason... speak unless spoken to. Dragon Lord Torch will not tolerate disrespect of any kind..."

"Daybreaker!" Came the booming voice of the Dragon Lord.

"He is here..." I whispered rising back to my full height just as the Dragon Lord's gigantic head appeared in the balcony of the room we were in. I could see Celestia and another pony that I think from the dark blue fur and stary mane is the Bringer of the Night standing near the balcony. A third pony that I now knew as Twilight was standing next to Spike looking like she couldn't decide between being scared and worried.

"I want an explanation and I want it NOW" Dragon Lord Torch roared, his voice amplified by the Bloodstone Specter that was floating next to him.

Dragon Lord Torch's voice was so powerful that Twilight, Spike, and myself were thrown backwards across the room along with most of the furniture in the room. Celestia and the dark pony manage to remain standing still in the wind of his voice.

"Dragon Lord Torch, please, calm thy self." The strange dark blue pony spoke strangely. She was not Daybreaker. Is she trying to get on the Dragon Lord's bad side? Or worse side.

"SHUT IT!" Dragon Lord Torch roared his large yellow eyes slamming towards the dark pony. "Keeper would not have risked and lost his life for you furry rats on a whim. He wasn't our greatest warrior because he was reckless."

I pressed myself against the wall desperately glancing about for an exit. The rage of his eyes... It was just like that day... Please let the answer be something that would appease him... please...

"So I ask one last time Daybreaker." Dragon Lord's Torch's eyes turned back to Celestia. "Why did Keeper die for you rats!?"

"We are not entirely sure..." The dark pony spoke up. Why is Bringer of the Night and not Celestia answering are they idiots!?

"Bringer of the Night you are not the Keeper of our Oaths. My question is for the Keeper of our Oaths."

"Actually we are the Keeper of the Oath, not mine sister."

My jaw dropped at the stunned look on Dragon Lord Torch's face. What is going on here?

"A single Keeper of the Oath has limited ability to make changes to an Oath... that includes switching to a different Keeper of the Oath especially when the previous one is still alive. Any change with our particular Oaths requires final approval by me... so he must have made the change shortly before his death... The question is why..."

I cringed as I could smell the overwhelming stench of terror that now poured off the pony princesses. Why would that question out of everything cause that kind of reaction? Or did I just miss it because of my own fear?

"Typical prey..." Dragon Lord Torch growled out at the continued silence. "I will figure it out myself."

The same blood aura that surrounded the Bloodstone Specter started to swirled around Twilight and myself. What is this?! What is the Dragon Lord doing?! As quick as the aura appeared it left leaving me confused and relieved at the same time.

"Interesting... a purple pony rat and a worm..."

"HEY!" Spike snapped before he gulped in fear from Dragon Lord's sharp gaze.

"Hmph." Dragon Lord Torch grunted as his glare lighten or as much as it ever did with him. I let out a breath that I wasn't even aware that I was holding. That was until his eyes moved back to Celestia. His rage was so strong that I loss all control of my body. I wasn't the only one either as both Twilight and Spike lost her bowels then fainted. I wish I could faint myself, screw my manliness.

"You dishonorable wretch! You don't even have the honor nor courage to admit your crime..." Dragon Lord Torch whispered. I trembled as he talked. I didn't think whispering could be more scary then bellowing. "We are done here. This meeting is over."

"Thank you for your mercy." Celestia whispered out as the Dragon Lord Torch started to leave, much to everyone's relief. I was sure that I was about to join the Eternal Flames...

"Me leaving not a mercy puny ponies..." Dragon Lord Torch laughed. "As much as I would love to end you right here and right now, I know all dragons will scream to have a chance to end you. Sadly that will take time. Make your peace for the next time you see me it will be your end."

The Manipulator

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"What the...!" I sputtered as I was rudely woken up by a bucket of ice cold water.

"Spike, language." Twilight warned me, a piece of soap joining the the bucket she had used to wake me up in her aura.

"Sorry Twi." I apologized quickly. I don't want that punishment again. The last time she did that Celestia had decided to send a letter at the exact same time. Soap and dragon fire shutter.

Now that I was awake I looked around to see that we were still in Celestia's quarters, the room back in order. Celestia and Princess Luna were whispering to each other over by the balcony doors and Garble was pacing on the other side of the room near the doors to the castle. Garble looked absolutely terrified by the way he was wringing tail in his hands. What happened? The last thing I remember was Dragon Lord Torch dismissing my outburst before... I shuttered violently at the memory of his eyes... It made fiery Twilight look happy.

"War as been declared on us." Princess Luna explained. Celestia glared at Princess Luna for a second. It seems then that the two sisters were not in agreement on this.

"Why?" Twilight asked. I narrowed my eyes as I saw Celestia avoiding meeting either of our gaze. There she goes again. She is hiding again. I saw it with H.K. and again with Torch. What did she do this time?!

"There was a treaty, or Oaths to the dragons, between Equestria and the Wasteland Dragons. It was created in hopes to foster peace and understanding between our races. There are three parts to it. The first was a dragon egg was to be given to our care to be hatched, if possible..."

I looked down and burst into tears. It was worse then I had been told... I see why Celestia now said I was orphaned she didn't want me to know that I was given away that I was essentially abandoned. I was so distraught that I missed a question that Twilight had made. I looked up when Twilight put a comforting hoof on my back.

"There is a quirk in hatching a dragon egg... Until you were hatched it was thought that only a parent could hatch a dragon. Your egg, Spike," Luna walked over and knelt down and gave me a wing hug, "was given to us because you were orphaned..."

"So..." I sniffed, wiping away my tears. "I wasn't abandoned?"

"No, my young dragon." Luna smiled as she rose back up to her full height.

"However..." My rising spirit took a nose dive at that word. Luna expression turned dark when she glanced at Celestia. "When you were hatched you were supposed to be returned to your family..."

"What!?!" Twilight and I exclaimed. I could see that even Garble was shocked.

"Why would you take Spike away from his family!?" Twilight advanced on Celestia with every word. Celestia was so shocked that she actually stepped back. "What possible reason would you do that!?"

I wanted to know myself. My anger towards Celestia increasing.

"As I said before purpose of the treaty was to foster understanding in hopes that one day that ponies and dragons could get along or at least not antagonize each other... The third part of the treaty was that a pony volunteered to be adopted by the dragons and live out their days as a dragon never to return to the ways of ponies..."

"I see... If a pony learned the way of dragon that pony could explain the dragon culture to other ponies much more easily then a dragon could, given that most ponies instincts would scream at them to run away from 'big scaly monster predator.'"

"Exactly.' Celestia warmly smiled at Twilight. I understood that problem first hand... If it wasn't for the fact that everypony knew me so well and liked me so well along with Twilight's explanation about dragon greed I'm sure that I would have never been accepted back among the ponies... well mostly... there are a few jerks that still have problems with me... "The problem with this was its not the same in the other direction so I demanded that Twilight be your permanent guardian instead of being returned... How could we fully understand each other unless a pony and a dragon walked in each other races shoes..."

I clenched my fists so hard in my fury to draw blood. I loved Twilight as my sister but to be taken from my real family because Celestia thought it would better for a clueless pony to raise a dragon just to make the peace agreement more fair to ponies!? All that anypony had to do was to see happened on my hatchday to see how stupid that was! I can't believe this! All I am to her is a damn pawn to be sacrificed for her ponies never mind that Equestria is more then ponies! She did the same thing with Twilight and her friends! All she had to do was ask but instead she manipulates to get her way!

"With some persuasion Spike's remaining family agreed to the change with one stipulation..." Celestia sighed. I didn't like the hesitation. This was becoming a very annoying theme with her recently. "When your dragon instincts begin to emerge you were to be taken to the dragons to learn to control your instincts."

All the pain I suffered in the months after my episode on my hatchday! She knew what I needed but instead of sending me to the dragons she sends me to a clueless doctor! She breaks her word on an important treaty not once not twice thereby putting everypony in danger especially Twilight and her friends! It was then that I remembered something that H.K. had said to her, a word that describes her to a tee...

"Oathbreaker..." As I growled it out something in me clicked. A clarity of purpose I never had before.

Every fiber of my being was now screaming for me to kill Oathbreaker to have Oathbreaker's inner smeared on my claws the taste of Oathbreaker's blood on my tongue. But I held back. The only reason I stayed my claw was that I knew that Twilight really adored Oathbreaker. I didn't understand why she does but she does. I was not going to hurt Twilight by killing Oathbreaker, at least not yet. The moment that that changes however...

Suddenly Garble roared in anger and lunged at Oathbreaker with feral ferocity. He was just inches from Oathbreaker when the he was pulled away by Twilight's magic. She struggled with him as Garble continued to fight to get to Oathbreaker. Princess Luna then waved a spell over Garble and he fell unconscious. Twilight however kept him in a bubble of her magic. Smart move because unless Princess Luna put enough magic to overcome a dragon's resistance to magic he could wake up unexpectedly.

"What just happened?" Twilight questioned as she added some conjured straps to further restrain Garble. "He was fearful one moment and then the next crazed! Could Dragon Lord Torch have done something to him?"

"I don't know. Perhaps..." Oathbreaker spoke up much to my chagrin. To further my annoyance with her, her aura surrounded Garble for a moment before fading. "The Bloodstone Specter can do many things... but much of its abilities are unknown to me. For now we shall let him sleep."

Her talking did remind me of something. In order for Oathbreaker to send or receive letters from me she needed an anchor in my fire sac. I quickly brought up the anchor, a homemade Hearth's Warming Eve bobble with Oathbreakers name on it and threw it down in disgust. I smiled in satisfaction at the look of horror on Oathbreaker's face when I then smashed her trinket with my foot. I knew it was something special to her otherwise she would be unable to send me anything via my fire mail. The sad thing was I would never be able to have anyone use my fire mail again. I knew that Oathbreaker would manipulate them, like the cow she is, into reenabling herself to send mail to me. I can't have that or I might end up doing something to hurt my friends and I can't do that... I just can't.

"Spike why'd you smash that!?" Twilight exclaimed as she picked up the pieces of the anchor.

"I will not have an oathbreaker talk to me." I growled out as I watched Twilight attempt to fix the anchor. My smile returned as I saw Oathbreaker hurt face.

"I don't understand." Twilight questioned lowering the anchor pieces. I understand why Twilight was confused. I was ordered by Oathbreaker to not speak to Twilight about exactly how Oathbreaker sent letters to me and vis versa but now Oathbreaker's orders meant nothing to me.

"In order for Oathbreaker to send or receive letters to me via my fire Oathbreaker needed an anchor of highly sentimental value."

"Wait I thought she enchanted your breath to allow you to send letters to her."

"No, Oathbreaker did not. It's apparently some innate ability that dragons have. I don't really understand how it exactly works outside of the anchor..."

"Interesting..." Twilight noted, her eyes widening with glee. Crap... I shouldn't have said that last part. I knew that look. The I-must-know-everything-through-intensive-experiments look. "But, first, I have another more pressing question. Spike why are you calling Princess Oathbreaker, Oathbreaker?"

I blinked at Twilight's odd question. Why am I calling Princess Oathbreaker, Oathbreaker? I don't know what Twilight was yammering about and right now I don't care. Thanks to Oathbreaker I was going to have to have to work even harder. Not only will Twilight be in panic mode over the upcoming war... when ever that will happen... I am going to have to spend every other waking moment training with Garble.

The Guest

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"I love it when Princess Celestia comes to Ponyville!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, holding out her shiny hoof. "I got my hooves shined just like Rarity for the occasion. Ya like?"

"I certainly do!" Rarity awwed.

"So when is Princess Celestia going to get here?" Rainbow Dash grumbled. I rolled my eyes along with Rainbow Dash and AJ. Rainbow Dash, as always, was being impatient. The princess was a busy mare, especially right now, and would get here as soon as she could.

"She said she was bringing someone important along with her and that she would be arriving sometime in the early afternoon...Remember?" I reminded her in a flat voice. I was getting tired of telling her over and over. At my last count this was the seventh time in two minutes! I could set my hourglass to her!

"Yeah, but why is it taking her so long?" Rainbow Dash whined.

"Maybe it's somepony so terribly important, she still had many more terribly important things to do before she got here." Rarity noted as she continued to admire Pinkie Pie's polished hooves. "Speaking of terribly important things to do. We need to talk about Spike..."

Oh, no... I groaned. This could only mean more problems for me. Spike had been getting harder and harder to handle.

"So I ran into him yesterday. I was hoping to get his help digging some gems for a very important order but he said no! Even when I fluttered my eyes at him! Said he had go to train so that he could better protect us... It was quite dreamy, actually, to see such determination in his eyes..."

I resisted the urge to giggle with the rest of the girls. Spike's crush was well known by everypony and that Rarity could get the love sick dragon to do practically anything for her. To have her get dreamy over him saying no was a new one for them. For me, I was too lost in thought over the last part of what Rarity had said. It reminded me of what I saw the day we returned from Canterlot and I tried to keep him home and safe...

"I must do this Twi." Spike spoke, clenching his hands. I nearly gasped as I saw the tears falling. "If it wasn't for H.K. you and the girls would have been captured and possibly killed! I can't trust Oathbreaker to protect you. So if I have train hard to get better...

"But..."

"Twi, listen to me!" Spike pulled my muzzle into his face leaving me no room to look anywhere but into his eyes. "You and the girls mean the world to me... I don't want to lose you... not when I can do everything I can to stop it! Even if I have to become a beast to do so."

I dropped onto my haunches, stunned as Spike let go of me and walked out of the library. Spike had looked at me with such determination. What changed?! For months now becoming a beast again was he greatest fear! Could Dragon Lord Torch have done something more to him then the just the Oathbreaker outburst?

"What wrong with that?" Rainbow Dash countered. "The squirt could use some exercise to get rid of that pot belly of his. Baby fat my plot."

"Rainbow Dash! Can you please not be so crass!"

"Okay..." AJ stepped between them before a fight could break out. "but from the way you were wailin' it was like he was doin' somethin' wrong."

"Something wrong! Of course something's WRONG!!!" Rarity screamed shoving her face right into AJ with each word. "He got angry at me! He never does that! And his eyes... the coldness in his eyes... it was outright horrible!"

"Coldness in his eyes..." I repeated looking away towards the gemfields where Spike was, no doubt with Garble, training.

I knew what Rarity was talking about. Every time since that day. Every time Princesses Celestia spoke or was mentioned around Spike. Oathbreaker he called her and no matter which way I tried it was like he couldn't say Celestia's name anymore... And the coldness and intent of murder in his eyes... it was just like with Sombra when he attacked us outside the shield protecting the Empire. Garble was the same way only worse. While Spike would restrain himself Garble would fly into a rage.

"By chance did you say Celestia?"

"Yes, I do believe I did." Rarity scratched her chin in thought. "But, darling, how ever did you know?"

I sighed at this. I had hoped to avoid this a bit longer. I still was not sure how to explain to my friends what exactly was going on with Spike. As it was I was not sure it it was a dragon instinct or if Dragon Lord Torch had done something to them with the Bloodstone Specter. I'm just glad I had told Garble to stay out of Ponyville and away from ponies considering that unlike Spike he would fly into a feral rage, attacking anypony that mentioned Celestia. Luckily, Garble was more then happy to stay way from us 'softies.'

"Please do not mention Princess Celestia in anyway around Spike... it enrages him..."

"But why? I can understand the uncouth ruffian Garble, given his previous actions, but not my gentlecolt Spikey-Wikey..."

"Could it be some sort of dragon instinct we don't know about?" Fluttershy quietly brought up her opinion before hiding behind her mane like she had said something bad. My eyes widen at her figuring it out so quickly and being so upfront too. But then again, I shouldn't be too surprised with the way she is with animals. Not that Spike is a animal.

"I don't know fro sure..." I admitted, sighing in frustration, " H.K. was the only dragon expert known to the Princesses that was willing to come here... and with his death..."

"What about Zeccora?" Fluttershy questioned. "I mean, she did help before... when he got... big."

"Apparently, the only thing she really knows about dragons is dragon greed as it's a common problem in her homeland..."

The sounds of approaching wings caught my attention. The rest of this conversation would have to wait. It seemed that Princess Celestia was finally arriving. I looked up to see her arriving in a carriage followed closely behind by another. The occupant in that one shocked me. Why would she bring him here?! Princess Celestia seemed to be as calm as ever as she gracefully stepped out of her carriage lifting out Discord statue out of his as she did.

"With all due respect, Princess Celestia," I apologized as I walked up to Princess Celestia. "HOW COULD YOU BRING DISCORD HERE!? Your majesty."

"I'm fully aware that the last time Discord was here, he created serious havoc." Princess Celestia glanced at the Discord statue.

"If by 'serious havoc' you mean 'turning Ponyville into the chaos capital of the world...'" Rainbow Dash grumbled.

"...and tricking us all into being the opposite of our true selves..." Rarity added.

"And making yummy delicious chocolate milk rain all over the place without a single dollop of whipped cream to go with it anywhere in sight! Not a single dollop!" I rolled my eyes at Pinkie's silliness.

"Yes, I understand. But I have use for Discord's magic. If it can be reformed to serve good instead of evil. This is why I've brought Discord here, because I believe that you are the ponies who can help him do just that."

More like you need us to make him to help us in the coming war against the dragons. I added inwardly. I refrained from saying it out loud as Princesses Celestia and Luna didn't want to cause a panic yet. For now, only high ranking members of the guard and military would be made aware. Spike wasn't happy to hear that and, to be fair, neither was I. My friends and I were Bearers of the Elements, one of the most powerful artifacts in Equus and would be a target. That was until they promised to attach a squadron of 'plain clothed' guards in Ponyville and convene a Summit of Races in a months time, well, technically three weeks now. A Summit of the Races was a rarity and only for serious matters would and could one ever be called. The declaration of war would be made known then.

"But princess," AJ objected eyeing Discord with disdain, "how in tarnation are we goin' to be able to control the varmint?"

"With the Elements of Harmony, of course. Which I have right here," Princess Celestia levitated over a chest that opened as soon as it touched the ground revealing the Elements inside, "and I've cast a spell so Discord can't take them and hide them again. Now, I believe, Fluttershy, you may know best how to begin reforming Discord."

"Fluttershy?" Rainbow shouted, rising further into the air. "Really?"

"I realize that this is a tall order, but I wouldn't ask if I weren't confident you could get him to use magic obediently of his own free will."

Or desperate... I don't see how Fluttershy of all ponies would be able to handle Discord. I'm just glad Spike isn't here right now. At least Spike won't return, if the same thing happens like it has the past few days, until long past moon rise. It would give us time to figure out how to keep Discord being here a secret from Spike. I doubt Spike will tolerate Discord here especially if somehow he finds out it was Princess Celestia that had him brought here.

"And... you really think I'll know best how to do that?" Fluttershy weakly questioned.

"I do." Princess Celestia smiled warmly at her. "Now, I must return to Canterlot for prepare for the upcoming Summit of the Races. You may release Discord when ready."

The Chimera

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I refrained from grinning as Spike slowly got back into his fighting stance after I knocked him flat on his face for the umpteenth time today. He just doesn't know when to quit. Just like at the Migration. In another life I would be proud to call him brother. But... as it was I have wronged him too much to ever be considered that to him... I still find his easy acceptance of me a bit strange.

"Well isn't this just precious..." A male voice echoed.

That's odd. I thought we were alone and I didn't hear anyone approaching... I had to make sure we remained alone as we trained. I wasn't holding back and a pair of dragon fighting even ones as small as we were could easily hurt ponies who didn't have scales to protect them from our claws, tails, and flames. I still can't believe how brave or stupid those three ponies were at the Migration.

"That voice..." Spike growled out, looking about the gemfields. "I know that voice..."

"I don't see anyone..." I remarked as I joined Spike in his search for the source of the voice. I wonder if it was one of the diamond dogs that Spike spoke about that lived in the area. I, for one, had no idea who the voice belonged to.

With whomever it was not in sight so I tried to sniff him out. I cringed when I immediately smelled something... off. Whatever it was didn't seem natural. With Spike tense I readied my flame just in case this voice meant trouble. I made a promise after all and if he dies I will have failed...

"Garble, a word please."

"Yes Master..."

Master grumbled in irritation but did nothing as he held out a shield cut gem set in an oscillairum steel chain necklace. The gem smelled weird, unlike any I had ever smelled before... Between that gem and the type of metal in the chain this had to be very valuable and important to Master especially as I could smell his scent clinging to it heavily. "Garble take this. Give it to Spike if something happens to me..."

"But he doesn't like you Master! What if..." I questioned. I knew about Spike's feelings towards the master and given how little he knows what it means to be a dragon. I doubted that he would accept something, even something this valuable, from him.

"He must have it...' Master insisted as he pushed the necklace hard into my hands. "I took an Oath, Garble... that when he was ready... and though he is not as of yet... Just promise me, Garble, that if something happens to me you will make sure it gets into his claws even if he resists."

"I will."

"Thank you, Garble..."

Two weeks later and I still have not been able to give Spike the necklace. I had tried once already and failed... When I asked to come along I didn't tell him that I needed to come because of the promise I made but I also didn't lie to Spike either... even if I Spike had taken the necklace I had no where to go.

"O come now, surely you haven't forgotten little ol' me!?"

"Think, Spike, think!" Spike tapped his head. "Who is that voice?"

"Well if you are guessing John de Lancie then you'd be correct." I jumped back as the strangest creature I had ever seen rise out from the ground like a ghost and floated a few inches above the ground. The creature was long and serpentine and with a mismatch body from at least a dozen or so different animals. Only five of which goat, lion, eagle, dragon, and bat I recognized. The rest were too genetic or strange for me to know for sure. Something about him was familiar... like from a story my dam used to whispered to me when I was a hatchling.

"Discord! How in Tartarus did you get out!?"

"You can thank Sunbutt for that. She thinks I need to be 'reformed.'" I scratched my head at the conversation between the strange creature, Discord, and Spike. Also, who or what is 'Sunbutt'?

"More like Oathbreaker is desperate for help..." Spike growled out. My vision flashed red for a second as Spike said that. "I warn you, though, Discord, if you hurt Twilight and the girls like you did the last time..."

"Believe me, young dragon, I wouldn't dare, and if I had known last time..." Discord seemed to wilt at this admission, his body lowering to the ground. "Last time my release was intentional, as a test for Twilight..."

"Typical," Spike scoffed crossing his arms, "Oathbreaker manipulating everyone..."

"When I discovered what was going on I attacked Sunbutt for what she made me do. But I kept up the act in front of you so that I would be sealed away like before... I couldn't stand that I hurt you... my best friend's brother... I needed to be punished..."

"Wait!?" Spike exclaimed in shock. "You know my brother!?"

"Yes," Discord visibly brighten and by that I mean he suddenly was glowing. What is with this nut job? "He came to see me while I was imprisoned from time to time. Would turn those rats with wings into all sorts of things... Serves them right! Pooping all over me! I mean, I know I was a statue and all, but..."

I rolled my eyes as I decided to tune out the blabbering idiot. I looked down at Spike to see that he too was ignoring Discord. Though I think it was for a different reason then I. Spike had collapsed, crying. Don't blame the little guy. Being torn from his family like he was. Just like I was... Of course for me it was because I broke dragon code. He on the other hand didn't do anything...

"Discord..." Spike whispered, his words almost drowned out by Discord's ramblings. Thankfully he heard and stopped. I don't think I could stand much more of it. "Do... Do you know who he is and where I can find him?"

"Young dragon, are you telling me you don't know who your brother is!?" When Spike nodded Discord paled and by paled I mean he literally paled. I wonder if he is some long lost relative of Crackle...

The Fight

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"Wait!?" I exclaimed in shock. "You know my brother!?"

"Yes," Discord visibly brighten, glowing lightly. "He came to see me while I was imprisoned from time to time. Would turn those rats with wings into all sorts of things... Serves them right! Pooping all..."

What he said after that I didn't catch as I collapsed to the ground crying. I had figured that with Oathbreaker causing a war I would never find out who my remaining family was... I even feared that they would be killed or worse that I would be forced to...

"Discord..." I whispered, "Do... Do you know who he is, and where I can find him?"

"Young dragon, are you telling me you don't know who your brother is!?"

"No..." I admitted after a moment. For a split second there I wasn't sure I truly wanted to know, given that they let Oathbreaker manipulate them into giving me away. No family would do that unless... they considered me worthless. Maybe they thought I was tainted somehow by my hatching...

"Well, unless he recently changed it he has been going by H.K."

"What?!" Garble yelled in shock his gaze rapidly switching between Discord and myself.

I, on the other hand, blinked for a second before I bent over in full blown laughter. I really should have seen this coming from the Spirit of Chaos. He just could not help but tease with the answer before pulling the rug out. There was no way H.K. could be my brother. To begin with, he is pony, no matter how many times Garble insists he is dragon. Secondly, even if H.K. was my brother neither him or Oathbreaker said anything about us be brothers. Considering they were apparently in charge of the treaty they surely would know who my family was so that I could be 'returned...'

Garble looked at me with concern as my laughter turned bitter. Life just would not cut me a break... and it only has gotten worse as time has gone by...

"I should have known..." I frowned at Discord. "You just can't help it, can you? You tell me exactly what I want to know just so that you can get a laugh when you take it away."

"But it's the truth!" Discord grumbled.

"Yeah, riiiight," I scoffed. "and Applejack is secretly a changeling queen!"

"Look, Spike..." Discord sighed, turning to the side. Figures... he can't even be bothered to face me. "I suppose can't make you believe that I am telling the truth, no matter what I do...or say... Probably will think I am lying in the end... especially considering my past transgressions... But what ever you decide about me in the end I will respect."

Those words... I glared at him. They're just like H.K.s! First he makes a clearly false claim about who H.K is and now he mocks him by talking like him!? Does his cruelty know no end? I may have not trusted him when he was alive but without his sacrifice the Crystal Empire may have fallen and my friends may have been enslaved or killed!

"How dare you!"

"Hmm?" Discord tilted his head like he didn't understand me.

"How dare you mock him!" I roared, lunging at him. I'll teach this creature a lesson.

Discord was caught off guard by my lunge and tumbled backwards and hit the ground hard. I give him a chance to recover as I pressed my attack. And unlike with H.K., whom I merely use my fists and quite weakly too, I used every I had at Discord will all my strength, my claws, dull as they were, tail, teeth and even my fire. Soon all I could smell was his fur burning from my flame, only taste the iron in his blood as it splattered back at me, and only hear the sickening crack of his bones... And yet, Discord, never once did anything at all, never moved, never defended himself. It only made me more angry.

"Fight back!" I bellowed at Discord as he remained still even as I knocked out one of his teeth.

"No."

"Then at least defend your self!" I growled out, slashing his lion's arm particularly deep.

"No."

"Argh!!!" I roared jumping up onto Discord's chest. I lifted my hand high then brought them as fast as I could down towards Discord's neck. I'll teach him to be so infuriating!

As Discord had during the whole one sided fight he made no move to protect himself as my claws rushed towards him. I knew he knew where I was aiming and that if he didn't do something he would probably die. Come on, damn you! Move! Defend yourself! Teleport away! DO SOMETHING! ANYTHING!

With a growl of frustration I stopped my claws merely hair's length from Discord's neck. "No..." I whispered out. As infuriating and as big of a jerk that Discord is he did not deserve death.

"Wow." Discord grunted in pain as he slowly and painfully sat up, putting pressure on the deep cut on his lion arm. "For a librarian's assistant you sure can be quite vicious in a fight."

"Considering he's a dragon and I have been training him I'm not surprised." Garble smirked.

Why is Garble and Discord praising me!? Is it because I am becoming like them? Cruel jerks? As I looked down as my bloodied claws I began to shake uncontrollably. My claws may still dull as it would take time to length and sharpen, but even then I easily drew blood. If I had slashed hard and fast enough like I almost did to Discord... I would be worse then H.K. when he tortured Garble! To think I had accused H.K. of torturing Garble over something so minute and I was about to kill for...

What have I done!? What is wrong with me!?

"I... I... need to go..." I backed away a few steps before turning and running with all my might. I had to get out of here.

"Wait, Spike!" I could hear Garble call out to me but still I ran.

The Necklace

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

"Wait, Spike!" I yelled as Spike ran. I have no idea what gotten into him to flee like that...

"Leave him be... gah" Discord grunted in pain, clutching his chest. Looks like Spike did break some of his ribs... It actually surprising that Discord was still conscious.

"He really did a number on you..." I didn't think he had it in him to be able to hurt Discord this badly. It was clear now he has been holding back on me. If I told him once I told him a dozen times he is ever going to be able to fight at his peak he needs to come at me with his all...

"Yeah... he did..." Discord gasped out as he conjured some bandages and quickly wrapped up his injuries. "Now... on to the other reason I am here."

"Which is?" I asked guardedly. While I'm impressed by Discord's ability to take such a beating in stride that did not mean that I wasn't cautious about him. Especially with how weird he is.

"That necklace where did you get it?"

I was right to be cautious. Why of all things would he come here for that? No way that I would tell anyone about this necklace, minus Spike, even if this thing claims to be H.K.s 'best friend.' The only friend that dragon seemed to have was Soots... and with his master dead he would have flown off not to be seen again as is the way of phoenixes.

"What, did my reason for me being here stun you? I was not born yesterday, dragon whelp. That necklace does not belong to you it belongs to H.K.!"

My eyes widen in shock! How did he know!? Was he there in the Empire when H.K. gave it to me or when I first tried to give it to Spike?! Or is he a mind reader?

"I don't know what..." I stopped mid question when I was suddenly found myself tied up by red rope. I immediately tried to get out out, but the ropes were just too... Did he tie me up with ropes of licorice!? "What is the meaning of this?!"

"That necklace you are wearing. I'll ask you again. Where did you get it? You are too weak to have killed him... So... Did you steal it from him or did you 'acquire' it from a 'merchant'?"

I growled in frustration as I tried again to get out of binds. I did not know who Discord really was I was not about to let him know about the necklace. H.K. impressed upon me that it had to get into Spike's claws not who ever this guy is.

"TALK!" Discord bellowed.

I smirked as I looked at Discord. If he thought that yelling at me would work he was wrong. He was no H.K or Dragon Lord Torch. Actually his rage was actually quite funny. It might have work if he wasn't being so ridiculous. I mean red licorice ropes? Who does that?!

"Oh, I see, you think because my magic has so far been 'silly' that I can't be intimidating. Well, I can fix that real quick."

Discord snapped his eagle claw and the sky suddenly went dark.

Really that's all!? I smirked at Discord pathetic attempt at intimidation. Darkness? Really? Dragon's like myself live in dark caves!

Discord suddenly appeared next to me. "Look up."

I did as Discord whispered to me. A cloud of arrows was raining down towards me. Well that was interesting by not enough to make me talk. That was until a few of them slammed to the ground around Discord and I. They weren't arrows but ballista! If even one of those hits me I'm a goner! I closed my eyes as the ballista began to impact the ground more and more.

I shook as I could hear the whistling of the projectiles in the air and the shuttering of the ground from the impacts. I silently waited for the end. I'm sorry H.K., but it looks like I will fail...

Wait... It's gone eerily quiet. I opened my eyes and to my relief the rain of ballista ended before it reached me. I heard a snap of a finger and all of the ballistas disappeared in a flash of light leaving just me and Discord in the gem fields.

"And that's not all!" Discord yelled out biting his eagle claw and slamming it into the ground. "Summoning justu!"

Summoning Justu?! All I saw a cloud of smoke where Discord used to be.

"Tell me, young whelp, have you ever seen a fire salamander?"

My eyes widen in fear as the smoke cleared leaving behind a fire salamander. He managed to teleport a fire salamander here!? They were one of the few creatures that would dare try and attack a dragon and at my age one could easily kill me even without me being tied up! If I don't get out of the bonds and fast I would be a goner along with the necklace!

The fire salamander quickly saw me and with a roar rushed at me full speed. Too late! I had no chance now! It didn't even slow down as it slammed into me knocking me down. It was about to chomp down on me when it disappeared with a bang and a cloud of smoke.

"Now, where were we? " Discord pulled on his beard in thought as he walked up to me through the dissipating smoke. After that display of power I don't want to know what he was thinking. "I know! The necklace. Now. Where. Did. You. Get. It?!"

"H.K.... gave it to me..." I gasped out struggling to get the words out. The licorice ropes were becoming so tight that I could barely get more then a sip of air in. "Said to... give to Spike... if something... happened...to him..."

"For your sake dragon you had best be telling the truth..." Discord slowly walked up to me. The malice in his eyes somehow rivaling that of H.K. He lifted me up using his magic, reaching out for my head with his eagle claw. "Now don't worry this won't hurt... me..."

The next thing I knew I was back on the ground the licorice binding gone with a pounding headache. What the hell happened? All I could remember was Discord approaching me then whiteness along with excruciating pain.

"Why?" Discord questioned as he paced a few feet from me. From the way he was walking I don't think he noticed me awakening yet. "What did he see in you?"

I nearly gasped when I saw the glisten of something in his eagle claw. He has the necklace! But with his power how am I going to get it back!? Maybe I can rush him before he realizes...

"Oh, you are awake..." Discord stopped, looking down at me. Damn it, too late. "Sorry about the pain, I had to make sure..."

"What did you do?" I grunted as I painfully rose back to my feet. I may have lost the element of surprise but if I can get him talking maybe I can find an opening.

"I forced my way into your memories specifically the one in which H.K. gave you the Shield Glowstone to you."

I growled in irritation at that. Damn magic user... If only I was older then he wouldn't have been able to get in!

"Chill, man." Discord grinned, a long scarf and hat appearing on him in a flash. His breath visible like if it was cold outside. "I only saw the memory of H.K. giving you the necklace... nothing more. And looks like he finally enchanted it... Took him long enough..."

"Enchanted?" I questioned as Discord handed the necklace back to me. Is that why it smells weird? I sniffed the gem again before putting the necklace back on and concluded like before it was the gem itself... What did he call it? A Shield Glowstone? Shield obvious refers to the type of cut, but I have never heard of a glowstone before, and I was no slacker when it came to gem knowledge.

"Yes, enchanted..." Discord nonchalantly answered my question as he spun around and began to walk back toward Ponyville. "Never you mind that. Just do as H.K. requested and make sure Spike gets that necklace, one way or another."

Who is this guy?!

The Furious

ബഐബഐബഐ Fluttershy ബഐബഐബഐ

"Discord I'm about to make lunch is there anything..." I stopped in confusion as I watch Discord happily eating what looked to me to be a salad made with shredded paper. "Uh, umm, are you eating... paper?

"Am I?" Discord swallowed before nonchalantly forking more paper into his month. "Huh, how odd of me."

"Well, um..." I smiled as I slowly back out of the living room. I think it might be best to leave him to eat his paper while I fed my animals. "I, uh, need to feed my animals. If you need me just, um... holler..."

I quickly gathered all the critters food and dragged all it outside. With Discord in the house I was going to have to feed my animals outside. They were understandably afraid of him and scared animals will not eat. Except for Angel who never seems to get scared and has actually been a bit antagonistic towards Discord. I know Angel is trying to be protective of me, but If I am going to be able to get through to Discord I need him tone it down.

As I looked around I could see that even with the incitement of food all my friends were still cowering underneath any cover they could find. It seems even with Discord inside and me feeding them outside instead of inside my animals were a still bit too scare to come out. Maybe a little music should help them calm down enough to eat...

There's music in the treetops
And there's music in the vale
And all around the music fills the sky

DISCORD!

I eep in fright, diving under the chicken coop. Wait... That sounded like Twilight, a very angry Twilight. Discord what did you do now? I hope whatever he did this time I can calm down Twilight. I rushed inside my home to find Discord dodging a magic beam fom the mad unicorn.

HOLD STILL YOU BASTARD! Twilight roared trying to chase down the elusive draconequus. She was so angry that she was floating in the air, her fur completely white and her mane ablaze just like that day at the Froggy Bottom Bogg.

She attempted again to blast Discord with her magic but he was too quick and avoided it. I dove underneath the couch as another blast nearly hit me. What could Discord have done to get her this furious!

"But my dear... I did nothing!"

"You tore out all the reforming spells from the library!" Twilight roared, sending out another barrage of spells at him.

"That does explain the paper eating..."

"He ate them?!" Twilight screamed, scaring me further. I didn't think she could hear me with how quiet I made my remark. I didn't even realize I had said that out loud. "Ugggghhhh! DISCORD! How dare you eat pages from the books in MY library!"

Suddenly another blast from her horn broke the couch that I was under into pieces. If I don't do something my house and all my animals friends would be without a home! But with how furious she was I was going to need to use the Stare. I hated using it especially on my friend but I had no other recourse. "Twilight, calm down!" I stepped in front of her staring her down.

Twilight was just starting to calm down enough to return to normal when my front door was busted opened by Rainbow Dash. Stunning me and shocking Twilight down from her anger.

"Rainbow Dash!" Rarity whined as she walked in brushing her mane with a brush. "I must ask you not to do that again! My coiffure is very delicate and wind swept manes are not in season!"

"Quit your complain' Rarity." AJ scolded.

"Well, I never!" Rarity huffed.

"That was fun we should do it again!" Pinkie Pie suddenly popped up form behind me. How...

"Later Pinkie Pie..." AJ rolled her eyes. "We have a varmint to confront."

"Indeed."

"Now, um, slowly and calmly explain to us everything you think Discord did, uh, please?"

"Well to begin with, he tore out pages from the books at the library..."

"Who cares about some dusty old books..."

"Rainbow Dash! " I scolded Rainbow Dash. "Go on Twilight."

"Then moments later Spike stumbles into the library covered in blood spouting nonsense about being a monster and that I should put down. I have never seen him so distraught since his hatchday... and when I tried to find out why he thought that all could get out of him was Discord..."

"YOU... YOU... BRUTE!!!" Rarity screamed, her element already beginning to glow. "Lady or not I WILL RIP YOU TO SHREDS! LADIES!"

I gritted my teeth in disappointment and anger. I gave Discord some space and he attacks one of my friends!? Especially one that was having so much troubles as it was. I gladly let my Element activate, joining with the others. The rainbow beam was about to fly towards Discord when it dispersed without doing anything. I tried to reactivate my Element again only to realize I wasn't wearing it anymore.

"Uh uh uh no rainbow blasty necklaces." Discord tsked, holding our Elements in his hands. How?!

"Bwah!? HOW!?" Twilight exclaimed in shock. "Celestia put a spell on them so you couldn't take them away!"

"Ah ,the naiveté of youth, believing everything their elders say." Discord rolled his eyes. "Sunbutt can no more enchant the Elements as Fluttershy here can do the Sonic Rainboom."

"What are we going to do?! Without the Elements! Without the... " Twilight began to hyperventilate. I grabbed one of the paper bags that I had lying around just for this purpose and gave it to Twilight.

"Well.... You could act like I am 'reformed'..." Discord 'helpfully' suggested as he handed back our Elements. However, from the looks of my friends they didn't believe him... and frankly neither could I. "No?"

"Yeah, No! No way will we act like you're reformed! You hurt a friend of mine, and nopony," Rainbow Dash started to advance on Discord, accenting each word with a stab of her hoof. "I mean, no pony, hurts a friend of mine!"

"Pah-lease.' Discord pushed Rainbow away from him. "I didn't hurt Spike I merely told him of his family... Unsurprisingly, he didn't believe me so he attacked me and quite viciously too..."

"Yah don't look hurt to me." AJ glared at Discord. "Though I can fix that for yah!"

"Yeah!"

"I'm merely an illusion reinforced by a shield to make it seem like I'm solid..." Discord waved dismissively as his body began to fade away. "My real body should be here shortly. Fluttershy, while I can heal myself to a degree I will need your skill in first aid to recover the rest of the way..."

"Me? I..."

"Ugh... Why did you have... to live.. so far... from the gemfields..." I gasped when I looked over to see a heavily bandaged and bleeding Discord. He was clearly in terrible pain and looked like he was about to fall over. Thanks to many moons of experience dealing with injured critters I can tell he wasn't faking it either. It was quite common for a animal friend to fake pain it was in just so they could get more attention, mainly Angel...

"Oh, my..." I rushed over as Discord finally collapsed and managed to get under him just before he fell to the floor. With a bit of effort I carried him over to my only remaining couch and laid him on it. I slowly undid the bandages ignoring the gasping shocks from my friends. In my time helping the animals around Ponyville I had seen far, far worse then this... Though from a glance these injuries... Why did he come here and not the hospital?

"Discord you should go to the hospital!" I begged as I finished putting on fresh bandages and prepared to stitch up his arm.

"No..." Discord whispered out.

"But Discord..."

"My magic is already... healing the damage... the doctors... wouldn't know what to... what to do with my mix-matched body... Plus chaos magic... besides Twilight... I doubt... a pony... can... over... come..."

"Is he dead?" Rainbow Dash asked as Discord passed out.

"No..."I sighed at I watched Discord's shallow breathing. "He just passed out from his injuries..."

"As much as I hate to agree with him," Twilight grumbled, "Discord had a point... His chaos magic is hard to overcome..."

The Gamble

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"What do we do now?" Rainbow Dash questioned, eyeing Discord with suspicion.

"I have no idea..." I admitted.

"Don't worry, Sugercube, I'm sure you can come up with something..."

"I hope so."

I didn't believe Discord when he said that the spell that Princess Celestia used on the Elements was a lie. However, Discord's continued ability to mess with the Elements and all the reforming spells now eaten it was going to make the task of reforming Discord all the more difficult. I could create a new reform spell, but with Spike emotionally incapacitated it could take me sometime to create one from scratch. It already took twice as long then it should have to find those reform spells with him off training with Garble.

"You guys can go. I'll to stay here with Fluttershy and keep and eye on him."

The girls nodded their agreement before I rushed out of Fluttershy cottage. Between Spike's turn for the worse and figuring out a spell to deal with Discord I had a lot to do. I trusted that Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy could deal with Discord, and, if necessary, Rainbow Dash could get all of us in 'ten second's flat.'

"Darling I would like to come with you." Rarity trotted up to me. "Maybe, I can cheer up my my Spikey-Wikey up a bit while you figure out what to do about Discord."

"Thanks Rarity." I sighed in relief. With Rarity I would not have to worry about Spike as much. "That would really be helpful."

My mood soured once again as I saw that Spike had not moved an inch from where he was before, still bloody. This was bad... and it only got worse when Rarity screamed in horror as she walked into the library behind me. Spike wilted even further at the sound of his crush's scream. I growled in irritation at her, she was only making Spike feel worse.

"This will not do!" Rarity declared as she snatched up Spike in her magic and rushed him into the bathroom. "You need a bath! I can't have my gentle dragon dirty... One. Second. Longer!"

I giggled at the change in Spike's demeanor as he went from depressed to horror to lovesick in seconds. It was good to see him more himself for once, even if he was going to be tortured by clean obsessed Rarity. The problem was that I doubt it would last long. Damn it, you Discord! I had one last recourse left to me and it was going to be extremely dangerous.

"Rarity, can you keep Spike company for me while I go out?" I asked as I walked into the bathroom, trying not to giggle again.

Rarity already had the tub filled and was currently scrubbing Spike's head down, hard. I'm sure she was hurting him a bit but he was clearly too lovesick to care. I swear that dragon would sell his soul for Rarity, if given the chance.

"Of course darling, but, may I ask, where you are going?" Rarity questioned as she dumped some water over Spike's head, Spike clearly obvious to the soap getting into his eyes.

"There is someone I need to see..."

Or somedragon, to be more precise, but if I said that I'm sure they would either try and talk me out of it or come along. I just hope Rarity doesn't question me on whom I was going to see. Rarity did look at me like she was going to object, but, in the end, she nodded for me to go ahead and leave.

I quickly made my way into the Everfree Forest and towards the home of that green dragon. I was some distance into the forest when I realized that I probably should have waited a bit and asked for at least Garble or Rarity to come with me. I had only been to the cave of the dragon once before and that was at night, and I was following Owlowiscious who was following a ketchup trail in turn. Rarity could use her gem finding spell or Garble's nose to find a large source of gems as that dragon did have a huge pile of them after all...

I paused for a moment to reassess what I needed to do before it hit me. The cave was large enough for the dragon to stand up in easily which meant the cave should be visible above the tree tops. I teleported up to the top of a nearby tree and instantly regretted it. I fumbled in the air for a second before I managed to grasp the top of the tree. Of all the times that I wasn't a pegasus.

I took a few minutes to compose my self before I searched the forest for any rock or stone formation that was big enough to have a cave which given the height of the trees should be visible above them. I managed to find at least three candidates for the dragons cave. I cast a quick spell so that once I was back on the ground I could still find my way to the three locations I saw. I did not want to repeat what I had just done, if I could avoid it.

A few minutes later, I managed to make my way to the first mound of rock and breathed a sigh of relief when it had a cave entrance. Now I just needed to see if this was the cave of the green dragon... It was at this point that I realized how crazy stupid doing this was... If the green dragon heard about the Oaths being broken or if he was still mad about Spike...

"Hello?" I called out meekly. "Dragon?"

I waited for a few tense moments for a response. As the silence dragged on I began to regret not bringing Garble along as I had no idea how I could talk to the dragon. I could offend him right off the bat and he may then decide to not listen to me or worse try and kill me like before...

"HELLO? DRAGON?"

I debated after another few moments of silence on whether to move on or risk entering the cave itself when I could feel the ground shake from something large moving. I really hope that it's a dragon and not a ursa major.

"Well, if it is the fur ball that rescued the thief." The green dragon I had come to see growled out as his head poked out of the dark cave and into the sunlight. "You have two seconds to convince me not to have flame broiled rodent."

I gulped in fear at the burning hatred in his eyes. I really regretted now not bringing Garble... "I need help with Spike... the dragon hatchling that... ate some of your gems...he he..."

"And why I should care for a thief?" The dragon accented the last word with a blast of smoke.

"Because the... dragon H.K. or Keeper... is dead and I... Spike's dragon instincts are..."

"H.K. dead?" The green dragon interrupted me, another puff of smoke blasting me back a few hooves. "Impossible."

"I wish it wasn't so... I so badly need him... If what Garble, a dragon whelp, told me is true... after being nearly cut down while fighting Sombra H.K. walked off into the desolate Frozen North... He said that when a... uh, dragon... received a mortal injury in a fight that..."

"The Lone Walk..." The green dragon whispered or it would have been a whisper if his voice wasn't so loud to begin with.

The Lone Walk? Is that what H.K. did? I so badly wanted to ask but I dared not let my unrelenting curiosity get the best of me. So far the green dragon had not been 'friendly' and more short tempered then the red dragon we dealt with before.

"I see why you came... Our Oaths are not valid without a Keeper of an Oath from each side... so until a dragon volunteers to be our Keeper..."

I refrained from telling him that technically the 'Oaths' had been broken. If he reacts the same way as every dragon has so far I would be one very crispy unicorn, if I was lucky. The green dragon, however, stopped talking, seemingly lost in thought.

"So will you help me...Help Spike?" I dared to end the silence. "Please... I can't bare to see him suffer..."

"If he can't handle pain then he is no dragon." The green dragon eyed me. "Now, leave, before I hunger for a pony snack."

With that the green dragon returned to the darkness of his cave leaving me stunned outside. I came all this way to fail. How am I going to be able to help Spike now? A rumbling growl emanated from the cave as I stood outside the cave entrance contemplating what to do, prompting me to make a hasty retreat before the dragon decided to make good on his threat.

The Worry

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I yawned hard as I walked into the kitchen, made my way past AJ who was working on the stove, and to the coffee maker to pour myself some coffee. The girls had been trading off making breakfast for Spike and I the past two weeks to help us out. I was just glad it was AJ today and not Pinkie Pie. I'm having enough problems right now I don't need to add a sugar coma to it.

"Breakfast will be ready in a second sugercube."

"Thanks AJ." I managed to yawn out, taking a seat at the table.

"Spike havin' more nightmares?" AJ questioned as she put a plate of eggs, toast, and hay bacon in front of me.

"Yeah..." I grumbled as I took a long drink from my coffee. The last thing I need was to fall asleep into my eggs... again. "At least last night he only had two..."

Ever since Spike nearly killed Discord he has had horrible, horrible nightmares. Every. Single. night. Try as she could Princess Luna found herself struggling to stop them. There was concern between her and I that an actual Nightmare could manifest if something wasn't figured out soon. The problem was that while I would use a dreamless sleep spell on him his dragon resistance to magic made it very, very difficult to get it to work and safely. Too little power and it would fail or only partially work, too much and I could end up putting him into a coma or worse. I was surprised he was managing to stay awake throughout the day as well as he as been.

"See anything strange on your way here?" I asked as I started to wake up a bit.

"Not that I saw." AJ answered, putting down a plate of food for herself.

Great still no sign of Discord. Discord had disappeared without a trace two days after collapsing in Fluterrshy's cottage. The girls and I tried to find him for two days afterwards without success before we all admitted defeat and notified Princess Celestia. Somehow, and much to my relief and confusion, she merely shrugged it off saying she was not surprised that he would try and escape and that for now to keep our Elements on at all times just encase he returned.

Spike seemed, at first, relieved for Discord disappearing, but as time went on he fell into the worse depression that I ever seen him in. Even worse then in the days after his greed episode. All I ever could get out of him was one word answers and as charming as that can be Spike was no Big Mac.

"Anything from the Princesses?"

"No..." I sighed. "On either Discord or dragons..."

I had been sending letters to Princess Celestia everyday about dragons but time and time again all she would say is she did not know anything about further about dragon instincts then what she had already told me. Why did she do this?! My confidence In Princess Celestia had began to erode more and more as she refused to give me any answers. She had to know at least a bit more! Otherwise why would she risk so much by not letting the dragons know about Spike's dragon instincts? I mean, really, the Treaty didn't say that he couldn't visit or that it was going to be permanent. Matter of fact, the wording implied it was only going to be temporary. And if not, I'm sure Spike could have convinced his family to relocate so that he could be close... like to that cave that the red dragon tried to use to nap in. Anything would have been better then the prospect of a war...

Garble, unfortunately, wasn't much help either. He was only a few years older then I and apparently it was unusual for a dragon his age to even have wings. All the other 'teenage' dragons at the Migration were at least nearing their first century or more, the age when most would grow in their wings. Furthermore he was shocked when I told him about Spike's growth on his hatchday. He had never heard of a dragon going through one before having wings...and so very young. While all this was wonderful information on the life cycle of a dragon it did not help me deal with the associated instincts. This left me to try two more times to talk with the green dragon.

Bad idea, as both times I tried I found myself running for my life. When I asked Garble for advise after the third failure he looked at me like I was crazier then Pinkie Pie. Apparently it was a miracle that Spike wasn't tracked down and killed. According to Garble dragons had no tolerance for thieves and it shocked him that not only Spike had survived the encounter but that I had managed to survive speaking to him not once but three times. When I asked if there was a way to get back into the dragon's good graces Garble had no clue.

At least Garble was able to help me get Spike out of the library and at least do something, even all it was was to train. Well, sort of train, as Spike was only doing it half heartily. It was clear even to me that Spike was only going through the moves and every time Garble or I would try to encourage him he would merely look down at his claws. It was like he was flashing back to the day he nearly killed Discord. If he was a pony guard I would say he was having a PTSD episode, but I had no idea if dragons could get the same syndrome or not. I thought about having Shinning Armor come down and visit. Spike always looked up to him and wanted to emulate him. He was the reason, after all, that Spike always dreamed of being a knight in 'shining armor.' But he was so busy preparing for the Summit of the Races and the upcoming war. The security preparations and measures for the Summit alone would be much more then at his wedding.

Luckily the Summit would start in a few days. I just hope that I would be able to find the time during it to ask Shining Armor about Spike.

Author's Note

Like, Fav, Comment... or Crazy Pinkie is your doom! :pinkiecrazy:

The Return

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I groaned in pain as Garble once again knocked me to the ground. All this 'training' was pointless in the end dangerous even... My family gone... and without them to help me tame my dragon urges I fear that I may one day kill my friends... just like I nearly did with Discord. And if I got stronger all the easier it will become... I only continued because Twilight said it was good for me to be doing this but I was only going to do enough of to keep her quiet.

I'm glad that Twilight had me stay behind as she and the girls participated in the Summit. If I raged out like I did with Discord against Oathbreaker... Twilight could very well step between us and take the hit or I could get killed, devastating them... I'm not stupid Oathbreaker is very powerful and the guards are not slack in that department either. The only reason the changelings managed to take over Canterlot was the element of surprise and misdirection.

"There it is again!" Garble roared in frustration.

I looked up at Garble would had the look of an enraged animal backed into a corner. I wondered exactly what it was that was bothering him. Even in my state I could tell Garble had seemed a bit more distracted and annoyed then normal today. "Garble? You okay?"

"Yeah," Garble growled as he continue to glance about. "I just have this odd feeling we are being watched..."

"It could be the diamond dogs..."

"No, this is something... different. I can tell when those mutts are watching... too dumb to hide themselves all that well. Also that rainbow annoyance isn't around either as there was not a cloud in sight."

"No, she's off with the rest of the girls in Canterlot for the Summit."

"Could be Twilight... she knows magic..."

"Not likely... she doesn't know any scything spells otherwise she wouldn't have to use those very obvious disguises all the time..."

"Whatever..." Garble waved his claws dismissively. "Let's continue before I get more irritat..."

A bright flash blinded us for a second. As soon as the blindness faded Discord was standing there grinning madly. "Honey, I am home!"

"Gah!" Garble fell backwards by Discord sudden entrance. I too would have fallen backwards if I wasn't still already down on the ground from Garble's earlier 'attack.'

No.... not him, not now! Not with the Elements in Canterlot and out of reach! What am I going to do!? Even if I had a scroll, ink, and quill I could not send a message to Twilight! Gabrle seemed to be joining in my silent panic as he was shaking and clutching H.K.'s necklace like his life depended on it. Don't see how that would be of any help here. The only things known able to stop Discord are the Elements.

Well since there was nothing we could do about it right now the least we could do is find out why he was here. "Discord what are you doing here?"

"Well I was lounging about waiting for those pesky Elements to leave for the Summit in Canterlot. Not that it matters, I'll soon be crashing the Summit anyways..."

I slowly got to my feet as Discord yammered. Even though I despise Oathbreaker Twilight and the girls are there! Twilight is already stressed out worse then lesson zero and as had less sleep then during that one time she time traveled. "DISCORD...!!!"

If Discord was faze by my angry shout he didn't show it. If anything he seemed to to find it amusing, like always. Making it even more irritating was that Garble was giving me the same look as Discord. A smirking 'I know something you don't know.' I hate it when someone uses that look on me... usually Rainbow Dash. "What?"

Garble chuckled. "It's just that this is the first time in weeks that you have not been a moping, moper."

"I... Shut up!"

Much to my chagrin my stammering only make Garble and Discord to laugh harder.

"Odd," Garbles suddenly stopped laughing to look around again. "I can still feel like someone or something is still watching... and with Discord here..."

"Crrrrreeeepy..." Discord evil laughed, a flashlight lighting up his face.

I facepalmed. Discord's 'creepy' flashlight would have been more effective if it was dark... Leave it to Discord to be more ridiculous than Pinkie Pie. At least with her its endearing, Discord it just plain annoying. When he first escape he left me alone. But this time he only seems to be interested in me. "Why me!?"

"I thought it would be obvious, especially since I already told you... Your my best friend's brother."

"This again!" I snapped. "H.K. was a temperamental jerk, sure, but in the end he sacrificed himself to buy Garble and I time to save not only my friends but the Crystal Empire and Equestria as well! You just do anything and everything imaginable just for your sick pleasure! FOR A JOKE! There is no way you two could have ever been friends! I..."

I stopped when I felt Garble shaking claw on my shoulder. "I'd..dd ssstop... Spike... he..."

I was stunned at the way Garble looked. He was in absolute terror and the way he was fearing Discord was very similar to the way he feared H.K., too similar. I quickly looked him over for new recent scars or unexplained cuts but couldn't find any. Why is he so fearful of him?! Discord didn't do that much the last time I saw him did he?

"I know what I'm doing Garble." I said as I stared down Garble though inwardly I was chanting out 'I hope' over and over.

"Well," Discord shrugged, smiling happily, "at least this time you did not attack me..."

At least this time you did not attack me... I looked down at my claws seeing the blood and gore from when I had attacked Discord before. I was not going to do that again over mere taunts... even if he really did deserve it. If I was to be the knight that I always dreamed of then I had to fight and kill with honor with justice not vengeance and hatred... The only problem is I had no idea how to sort out my... stuff... Am I going though a dragon version of puberty?

But, first things first, there was a problematic draconequus to deal with. If I could keep Discord talking I could use that time to figure out a way to get the girls back here and thereby the Elements... And I already have a topic that I hope will keep him talking, maybe...

"Well then? Tell me. How can a being like you ever have friends?! Everything on you says you reveled in the pain and misery of others and for you own amusement! H.K. only seem to be misguided with his sense of justice..."

"I suppose it's understandable..." Discord sighed, looking off towards Canterlot in the distance. "After all history is always written by the victorious and powerful..."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"Very well..." With a snap Discord had conjured a rickety rocking chair which he sat in. He had also made himself look really old. He completed the look with an old granny wig and glasses on his head... "Gather around kiddies and I'll tell you the story the friendship of H.K. and Discord."

I facepalmed. GAH! I wish he wouldn't reinforce my image of being a 'baby' dragon. At least I wasn't the only one to suffer the humiliation of being referred in such a way as Garble was growling and grumbling about not being a 'kiddy.'

The Beginning

ബഐബഐബഐ Discord ബഐബഐബഐ

To understand how we became friends you must understand the tragedies, the shared pain, that surrounded us both and even surrounds you Spike... But for H.K. it started from the very beginning...

H.K. was born many millennia ago, long before the foundation of Equestria, during what is known as the Wandering Herd era. The events surrounding his birth were tragic... The many alicorn herds that once roamed the lands in and around what is now Equestria had been decimated by war. All that remained of the once proud race of alicorns was a single herd of three, H.K.s mother and two sisters Celestia and Luna. The two sisters' parents and H.K.'s father had die in battle eight months before H.K. was born... Leaving H.K. to be the last hope for the alicorns...

How many times do I have to say it H.K can't be pony!

He wasn't born dragon Garble...

But...

I may have time to kill before I go make Sunbutt's day 'the-best-day-ever' but not that much. So be a good deary and shush! Granny Discord will explain it soon enough...

However, tragedy would strike once again, for only minutes after H.K. was born his mother would die. Many rumors flew over why in the years that followed. Some said it was an old injury or poison others thought that she had lost all hope when her mate died and just didn't have the strength to handle the vigors of foallabor...

The cruelest and most frequent one was the one that claimed she took one look at him at died in disgust that she would ever birth such a freak. For you see, H.K.'s fur coloration was... in a word: chaotic. Normally, as an alicorn grows, the magic within them it usually becomes potent enough that their manes and tails will swirl about in an unseen wind. For him, it was different, he was born with such an extremely potent amount of magic that it effected all of his fur. Fate would say it was to given to bring hope and light to the last generation... Others would not. For his fur, at birth, was a brilliant rainbow that shifted around constantly. Most could not gaze at him without becoming nauseated.

Well That explains everything! Of course you would be friends with someone as painfully chaotic as you... except that's not how he looks... The only rainbow part about him is his fire like mane. The rest of him is white and his horn and eyes are purple and green.

Hmm... interesting... Even though he was capable of masking his coloration he never would for reasons I will get into in a bit. I have no idea what would cause him to change that stance... But that is not the reason for our friendship although it did make our first meeting less... 'stabby'...

Life was difficult for the remaining alicorns. Celestia wasn't even out of foalhood herself when she had suffered the loss of her parents. What made it worse was she now had to raise a newborn alicorn colt and her sister, who was only old enough to barely be able to use magic consciously, in a cold world. Thanks to the terrible war they raged, alicorns were not looked on as reverently as they do now .

Although H.K. was born into a world that not only didn't like him for being an alicorn but also because no pony couldn't even look at him without getting sick he never let that get to him. For all the vile hatred flung at him he never responded back with hatred but with kindness...

HA!

Spike you must understand the H.K. you know today is not the same H.K. that I once knew... You see, fear of pain can make you do stupid things, but grief, grief, can break you...

In time, H.K., when he was old enough, left the sisters and wandered the world trying to find his place... a meaning for his life. As he traveled the world he learn of many things, of different cultures, of magic, and of the past. He did all this while also protecting others by striking down evil everywhere he traveled. And, yet, for all this he still had a hole in his heart, a desire that plagued him. One in which he could not seem to find.

That was, until a fateful night which brought H.K. to a place that would change his life forever. He had been traveling for many days through the open and uninhabited grasslands south of modern day Zebrica when a great storm suddenly came upon him. The only cover for many miles was a single, lone mountain.

H.K. barely managed to find a cave on the side of this mountain when the storm hit. He originally planed on waiting out the storm before moving on but something in the back of the cave caught his attention. A strange glow of changing colors. This intrigued him and out of curiosity made his way toward it.

As he walked further inside he came across a sight that defied everything about magic he had learned up to that point. The cave had opened into a huge cavern comprised entirely of crystal, similar to the crystal caves beneath Canterlot, except these 'crystals' where unique. Known as glowstones or glowgems, these gems are the only known gems that will naturally become saturated with raw mana. It's this saturation of raw mana that causes their colorful glow.

However, H.K. was so enthralled by the strangeness of his discovery that he didn't know that he wasn't alone. A growl was all the warning he had before he found himself face to face with two very ticked off dragons. In his haste to get out of the storm and in his curiosity he had inadvertently stumbled into their hoard.

H.K. in his travels learned the biggest rule about dragons, a rule that all should know, never, ever, touch a dragon's hoard without permission. He knew better then to run so he did the only thing he thought was left to him. He closed his eyes and calmly awaited for, what he thought was to be, his execution.

What happened next H.K. didn't expect. For he could feel something scaly affectionately rub up against his muzzle. When he dared to open his eyes what he saw stunned him to his core. In their eyes was something he had never seen before... H.K. was so overwhelmed that he nearly collapsed, not from relief, but from the pure love that flowed from the eyes of those dragons to him and for him... For as they were about to kill him, they had noticed something. The color of H.K.'s fur shifted in the same matter as the glowstones of their hoard...

What is with ponies managing to survive against dragons?

Strange, just moment ago you were claiming that H.K couldn't be a pony.

I... uh...

Anyway, I can't claim to understand the way dragons think or their ways... But, having said that, you, of all dragons, should know exactly who those dragons were...

But... That's... You don't mean?!

That's exactly what I mean, Garble. Those dragons, the ones that H.K. stumbled upon, are Spike's parents!

Wait! Are you saying you knew my parents!?

I didn't say that. I knew of your parents... I never met them. Wish I had... I'm merely telling you what H.K. has told me of them...

Author's Note

Crazy Pinkie says fav, like, comment or she will sic Gummy on you :pinkiecrazy:

The Loss

ബഐബഐബഐ Discord ബഐബഐബഐ

So, let me see if I got this... Because H.K. looked like these dragons' hoard they spared him and if I'm hearing you correctly made him a part of their hoard!?

Well, in a nutshell, yes.

But that makes no sense!

Uh, well, I suppose so, but you do remember when I said don't understand how dragons think?

Vaguely.

Yeah, then, there you go. Now, where was I?

In time, the love that the dragons had for H.K. morphed from the love of his fur to the one of the pony underneath. It was the moment that the dragons offered to adopt him that H.K. realized that the one thing he was looking for and need but was never able to find was family...

Then why did he leave me with Twilight? Why did he let Oathbreaker talk him into.. into abandoning me...

He didn't abandoned you... the night he found out of your hatching he also visited me. I don't think I had ever seen him so joyful... He... He was so giddy that to this day I was sure he had a bit too much to drink. And he never drinks!

But that doesn't answer why.

Two things. One, H.K.'s life was not exactly 'safe for foals' or in this case hatchling and I don't mean by living as a dragon. H.K. had to be on the move almost constantly in order to deal with abominations like Nightmare Moon before they got too strong and destroyed the entire world. So, it made sense to keep you save in peaceful Equestria...

And the other thing?

Twilight is the other 'thing.' When he spied on you two the night he found out about your hatching he saw something that melted his heart. Even at her young age, Twilight was giving you the same look that his parents gave him. I believe you were sucking on her hooves.

Bwahaha! I knew you were a tail sucker but to be a hoof sucker too!

Just... just continue your story... before I die of embarrassment...

H.K. spent many years with his parents learning the true ways of dragons. But in time, his call to protect led him to travel once again. But he could not bare to be gone for long from his new home so he would go out and travel the world he always made it a point to come home whenever he could.

This went on for a long time, until tragedy cruelly showed his face once again. H.K. was finally returning home after a particular longer and more difficult then normal journey. Though he was quite tired, he could hardly contain himself as he walked along the hidden path that would led him straight to the cave entrance. The same cave in fact, that he had found on that rainy night many years before. His joy, however, turn to concern, then panic as he could feel and hear sounds of explosions coming from deep within the mountain.

H.K rushed in the main cavern to find his father already in the throws of death using his body to try and protect his mother. The glowgems, for an unknown reason, where detonating in a cascade… H.K. knew that the cascading explosion would only get worse so he tried to get them to leave, but no matter what he did they wouldn’t...

Of course H.K. couldn't, dragons don’t abandon their hoards…

Exactly right Garble. Seems there are some brain cells still under that bruised skull of yours.

Grr...

But, then, why was I able to...

What's that Spike?

...N-nothing!

But H.K. could not bare to lose them so he kept trying. Even after his father died before his eyes H.K. did not give up trying to get at least his mother out. But as with his father she too refused to leave… His pleas suddenly stopped when his mother directed his attention downwards. When H.K. looked down his sight fell upon a single egg. Apparently, sometime in his most recent travels they had managed to finally lay a single egg. In that moment, H.K. understood what he needed to do. With that understanding his mother used her finals breaths to sing something over the egg and then carefully held it out for H.K. to take.

Sing? Why would she do that at a time like that?

Yeah, dragons sing over the eggs they lay.... not sure why...

I believe in your tongue it's called... Egg Naming... I think... and I don't know why either... All I know is that you don't share it with just anyone...

Discord... do you... Do you, by chance know what she, my mother that is, sang?

I'm sorry, I don't...

H.K. carefully took your egg and teleported some distance outside the mountain. It was then that the cascade became critical and the mountain lit up brighter then the sun. He only had the time to throw up the strongest shield he could before the shockwave engulfed him.

The blast was so powerful that it effected the leys line for well over a thousand miles. Far enough that I felt the disruption while I was in Traxti City, a neutral, multinational city along the northern shores of the eastern continent. I was there enjoying the night life of the city when I felt the shiver climb up and down my spine stopping me dead in my tracks. What was that? It seems familiar... it almost feels like when... when...

Please not again!

I rushed south as fast as I could, but even using my magic to augment my speed it still took me two full days to reach the site of what I had felt. The sun was nearing the horizon when I came upon a huge plume of mana smoke which, after all that time, still clung to the air. Because of this, when I initially made my approach I was unaware the enormity of the situation. But when I pierced the mana smoke I nearly fell out of the sky in shock. Now I would not be one to normally admit this, but I was quite versed in the world's geography. I could put all the best tour guides out of business with all the secret 'paradises' I knew of...

Why am I not surprised? Of course, you would be an expert at geography. All the better to know the best places to hide!

Well, I can't deny that... but it does help with other things as well...

Where once was a mountain that stretched higher then Canter Mountain, that, admittedly, for me, never really tweaked my interest, there was nothing left! Nothing remained of it. All I could see was a smoldering crater.

What could have caused this? I shivered in fear as I noticed that all magic in area in and around the crater was gone. Even the ley lines seemed to be avoiding the area. How is that even possible?!

It was much to my relief, when I soon found H.K. standing on the edge of the crater, staring off into the distance. Probably was trying, like I was, to find out what had happened here. I, however, wasn't exactly smart when it came to the 'technical' aspects of magic, but if ever was a time to know the technical aspects of magic this would diffidently qualify. I hoped the he had already figured something out. Anything that could take out a mountain and mana was a force to be feared.

I slowly lowered my self down next to him, trying to keep myself calm. "H.K. do you have any idea what happened here?"

It was some time before H.K. finally answered. “They are gone…”

“They are gone?!” I repeated in confusion. The only thing gone was the mana in the area and of course the unremarkable mountain. Plus, far as I knew, no one lived around here for many miles.

I was quite concern by H.K. answer. I have been friends with him for several millennia by this point but he was not acting like himself at all. He wasn't the type to be cryptic when something serious was going down... at least not with me. “I don’t understand… and that is saying a-”

“Those BUCKING GEMS KILLED THEM!” I stumbled back from the sheer force of the raging roar that came from H.K.

I had never seen him so angry before, even after that we discovered that one town massacred for a vile dark magic ritual. His rage was so strong that even the air around responded, swirling around us. But all that didn't really answer my question. I just hoped that I could get it out of him without him turning his anger on me. "Killed who?”

“...my parents…” H.K. whispered so softly I barely caught it in the light breeze that still lingered around after his outburst.

H.K. was quite private about his family, but I one thing I did know was that his parents died long ago so he only confused me further. It was then that I noticed a purple and green egg lying in a pile of rags between his hooves. I couldn't think of a reason for H.K. to ever have a dragon's egg until what he had just said clicked in my mind.

"Are... Are you saying that dragons adopted you?!"

H.K. never responded, he just started balling, hard. All I could do was watch with concern and sympathy as H.K lowered himself to the ground, clutching, protectively, the dragon's egg. He would lay there sobbing and nuzzling the egg long into the night and far into the next day.

With a sigh I ended my story of H.K.'s early life. Spike looked like he was on the verge of crying. I don't blame him, I did just tell him how his parents died. I pulled up my fur on my lion's arm to take a look at my watch. Hmmm... took longer then planned... The rest would have to wait until after I crashed the 'party.' Enough time should have past for Sunbutt to not tell the Summit the truth. Plus this would give time for Spike to process everything I just revealed. And I don't have to tell my side just yet...

I was about to snap myself away when Garble walked up to me and whispered in a low voice. "Um... should I be worried about... you know... blowing up?"

"No. H.K. made sure that it would never happen again. Just don't forget what I said or I will blow you up."

Author's Note

Like, fav, comment otherwise FlutterRage will make you love me! :flutterrage:

The Shock

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

Four days! Four of shittiest days I ever had since my early days under H.K. That feeling of being watched was always around and not matter how much I tried to find whoever was doing it all I got for my troubles was one failure after another. I hated it. And thanks to that, I couldn't get any restful l sleep nor hunt properly.

So far I had not found any easily defensible locations nearby. The holes are out as I'm not dealing with untrustworthy diamond dogs and caves are out for the same reason. I dare not enter the forest too far as that left me dealing with way too many blind spots. That left me sleeping in a tree at the edge of the forest. In a tree! It's one thing for Spike but not me!

As for my hunger situation, normally I could catch prey quite easily, but between my lack of good sleep and that constant feeling in the back of my head I was letting prey slip through my claw way too often. I could eat only gems from the gem fields but they alone are not enough for the amount of activity I was doing.

TI would be so easy if I didn't promise... I sadly grasped the necklace feeling all the expertly carved facets on the gem. I still have not been able to give it to Spike like I promised. I just not been able to find out how to approach him... there was that one moment with Discord that he was beginning to return to the peewee I remembered... but then... I can't risk him chucking the necklace... Not with those dirt lovers around. If they got a hold of it I might never get it back.

As much as I rather be and do things on my own, I knew I wasn't going to last much longer without some help. And the only help I had access to was the ponies... ugh. I'm glad that I knew where Twilight and Spike lived, a large tree on the edge otherwise... Wait, the tree was on the west side of town... and I was east... Damn it! I really don't want to interact with too many ponies... Hopefully skirting around the edge of town will be enough.

I breathed slowly as I prepared for the the next step. I had managed to make my way to the western side of town without incident. Thankfully, the ponies were too spooked by the forest to be anywhere near it. Don't know why, it's just an typical, ordinary forest to me. Now I just had to make my way north between a bunch of trees with red things and the town...

I slowly but deliberately walked into the open. I didn't want to needlessly spook the ponies. I was almost to by destination when I dropped down, slamming my claws to my ears and cringing at a very loud piercing cry coming from my right. Damn it, I was so close!

I looked over to see three ponies staring at me in fear, one of them was even shakily pointing a hoof at me. Great... pink, pink, and more pink...

"The dragons are attacking!" The pink one of the right shrieked before falling over, passed out.

"It's a big scaly monster spawn of Discord here to eat our foals!" The other pink one cried out before joining the first in slumber.

"Run, before he causes the ground to become soap!" The pale yellow pony with a red and pink mane screamed, somehow dragging the other two ponies away at a speed I didn't think was possible. "Everypony hide!"

I rolled my eyes. What a bunch of namby-pampies...

"Halt!" A voice barked out from behind me. Great... even more ponies... Male and a bit angry from the sound of the voice.

When I turned I was surprised. I didn't see just a male pony but three, all decked out in bronze metal armor.Armored ponies? Well, maybe they aren't complete nampy-pampies after all... except for that brush on the tops of their helmets... what are they suppose to do with those? Fight against evil dust and grime!? I watched carefully as the three ponies then surround me glaring at me while they did. I smirked as they raised their spears at me. Three ponies with pointy sticks against one dragon? Well, I have to give them credit for their fearlessness... before I laugh at their stupidity. It's goign to take a bit more then that to stop me espically sense I don't see a win amoung them...

"By order of the Princess you are hear by under arrest." The one in front of me ordered, I think... its hard to tell who exactly is talking when all three look the same... fur, mane, hell even the armor looks the same...

"For what?" I resisted the urge to growl. I can probably take on the three ponies but I was trying to remain on the ponies good graces given I had no where else to go.

"For being a bucking dragon!"

I can't believe this shit. I eyed the ponies a bit, looking for an opening to attack so I could escape. I noted that every single one of them was staring me down, looking for any false movement on my part. That is, except for one part, my tail. Idiots... With practiced ease I whipped my tail around knocking all three ponies down before they knew what happened. I then rushed off before the ponies could recover.

Luckily, Twilight's home a short distance away. I burst through the front door and slammed it hard behind me, knocking a few books from the many shelves. Great, my friend is lives in egghead heaven...

"RAINBOW DASH!!!! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU TO PRACTICE AWAY FROM..." Twilight roared flying in from one the room upstairs. Whoa, she could almost outmatch my dams roar... The whole tree shook from the sheer force behind Twilight yell.

"Oh, it's you... Sorry about that, Rainbow Dash has been crashing into the library a lot lately trying to... oh, nevermind that, what are you doing here, Garble? I thought I told you that Spike was not coming to the gem fields for a few days..."

"You did, but I'm having an issue that I'm hoping your pony magic can help with."

"Uh, sure... what's the problem?"

"Well, I think someone is using magic to spy on me..."

"Interesting..." Twilight scratched her chin before pulling several books from the shelves. "I wonder if..."

"Wonder what!?" I growled out, annoyed that Twilight got sidetrack into reading books.

"Normally scrying spells can't be passively detected... it defeats the whole purpose. So either the caster botched the spell in some way or your dragon biology weaken the spell in a way to let you detect it..."

"That nice and all, but that is not helpful!"

"Well, if it truly is a scrying spell then we should be able to trace the mana back to the caster..." Twilight mumbled as she flipped through one book after another, "Another reason that scrying spells are constructed to not be easily detectable..."

Twilight was interrupted when the door slammed open. I looked back and sighed. It seems that those armored ponies from before tracked me down. Not surprising, I wasn't really hiding where I was going.

"What now!?" Twilight grumbled as she turned to face them.

"There you are you dirty little lizard..."

"Oh, for the love of... Guards! Stand down!" Twilight snapped, pulling the spears that they had lowered at me out of their grasp. "Garble is under the protection of the crown! Didn't you read about him in the dossier for Ponyville? I know he's in there; I wrote it myself!"

"But..." The lead pony sheepishly sputtered before Twilight glared at him in anger. She is so like my dam... "Sorry miss, Twilight..."

"Sorry about that Garble," Twilight apologized as the 'guards' sheepishly left one by one, "thanks to Discord broadcasting the Summit to every major city in Equestria ponies have been on edge about dragons..."

"Whatever." I shrugged. I really didn't care much about ponies to begin with as it was.

"Okay," Twilight exclaimed as all but on book flew back to the shelves. "I think I have the correct spell. Now, whatever happens, hold still. I don't know how much magic I have to use on you to get the spell to work..."

I watched as her horn glowed brightly for a few minutes. As it went on it was clear to me that whatever spell she was doing must have been difficult for her given the sweat that started to pour down her muzzle and the gritting of her teeth. Suddenly, with a grunt, her pink magic enveloped me. I nearly jumped as it did. I hoped what ever her magic was doing was working because her magic was causing me to inch all over.

"It had to be the Everfree..." Twilight facepalmed... facehooved? as the magic faded "Okay, let's go while we have daylight... The forest is especially dangerous after nightfall..."

Several hours later we were deep in the Everfree forest when we came upon a strange dead tree. It was not like any other tree in the forest so far. I think plants really look all the same to me... green.

"The spell was emanating from inside the remains of that large bog tree... Odd that there is one so far inside the Everfree..."

"I don't give a damn about a oversized veggie! I just want to stop being spied on!" I growled out preparing that largest fireball I could.

"Wait!"

"Fine..." I grumbled as I let my building flame die.

Twilight slowly walked around the tree taking a good look at it as she did. Its a tree... that's spying on me. I don't know why she insisted on looking it over. Stupid plant huggers...

When she made it back over she whisper shouted to me. "There is an entrance on the other side masked by some vines."

I jogged over to her and then followed her as she walked to the other side and pointed to a curtain of vines. I raised an eyebrow at the very poorly disguised opening. I pulled them aside and walked inside to find a hollowed out space similar to Spike and Twilight's home.

A large black pot bubbled away under a fire in the center of the room. Whatever was in it was smelt bad. Speaking of smell, I don't remember seeing or smelling any smoke outside. Twilight seemed more interested in other things and was currently inspecting the various jars that lined the walls along with the bunches of dried plants hanging all along the ceiling. What kind of a home is this? I didn't really care for plants and jars, but that pot.... that pot on the other hand...

Please do not be dragon cooking in there... Please do not be dragon cooking in there... I chanted as I slowly made my way to the pot.

I blinked as peered inside. It didn't contain dragon body parts but it did leave me confused. All that was in it was a pool of black liquid except for a bit of swirling color that looked almost like a dragon and something else... It reminded me a bit of the crude drawings I would make with the blood of the kills my dam brought in when I was a hatchling, except the rainbow colors part.

"Well I think we have discovered the source of your feelings of being watched." Twilight noted as she walked up and peered into the pot with me. "This looks like zebrian magic... but I didn't think it was possible for it to be mulitcolored..."

"What do you mean? It just looks like a pot with stuff in it."

"Well, if I'm not mistaken this image is being produce by a type of scrying spell using zebrian magic. Look, see, although a bit crude, it clearly shows a red and orange dragon, you, and a purple unicorn, I, standing next to a cauldron... just like what we are doing right now..."

"How perceptive of you." That voice, I know that voice!

I slowly turned to see the one person I never thought I'd see again in this lifetime. "M-M-Master?!"

Author's Note

Okay, time for a serious question how many, besides RadicalDishonesty, saw this coming... (please use spoiler tags)?

To Live

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

"How perceptive of you." I smiled as I complemented Twilight explaining the Zebrian scrying potion spell to Garble. Very few outside of the highest levels of the academia would have know that it was a zerbian potion spell much less a scrying potion spell. Nothing to slight the ponies for, but it was just that it was extremely uncommon for a zebra to be in Equestria and even rarer for a shaman, such as Zecora.

As expected, both froze then slowly turned to face me. Twilight appeared to be debating whether to be more shocked or more fearful. Garble, however, looked like he was going to lose his bowels..

"M-M-Master?!" Garble stuttered in fear much to my continued frustration. Always the stubborn one... I guess it's going to take just as much time to break the habit then it was to get him to do it in the first place...

"How many times must I tell you to stop calling me that Garble..." I grumbled as I removed my hood. No need to hide my face in front of Twilight and Garble, not anymore...

Garble was stunned to see my face. He didn't know that I was an 'alicorn' and not a dragon as he always insisted. Not his fault as I was always hidden beneath my enchanted cloak. Twilight surprised me, however, when she went from shock to recognition.

"Wait... You're H.K., aren't you?!"

"Yes, I am."

"But... how... you-you died, right? Garble said that when dragon are mortally wounded and unless that mare was exaggerating... This doesn't make sense!" Twilight sputtered in confusion before her expression darkened to rage. "If you where alive why didn't you let us know?! Thanks to your supposed death the dragons are going to kill us all!"

"It had nothing to do with my 'death!'" I snapped, gritting my teeth in order to keep my anger down enough before I set off another ash episode. As it was I could feel one bubbling up. "Your precious little princess broke the Oath between the Wasteland Dragons and 'Equestria,' not once, but twice! I managed to mitigate the consequences the first time as for the second... I 'died' before I could prevent the current outcome..."

"You don't look dead so that doesn't answer my question of why."

"Between the strain of the battle and the last sword slash from Sombra..." I sighed as I slowly pulled the rest of my cloak off. Garble, as expected for a dragon seemed to be in awe of my havily scared shoulder while Twilight turned a bit green. "I shouldn't be alive. As it was, it was a miracle that I hadn't died right there in the street..."

One month ago...

I gave a smug grin as Sombra screamed as his form shattered. Once I could see again, I slowly limped towards the west. I knew that with my injuries, coupled with the drainage of my mana, I only had the smallest of time before dying. The Crystal Hearts's wave had only restored the smallest amount of energy just enough that I think I can get some distance away. It was amazing enough as it was that I not had succumbed to them already.

It was slow going with only three working legs and my quickly sapping energy but I managed to leave the city by the time the effects of the Crystal Heart faded. As it did my energy drop dramatically and I collapsed, coughing up blood. I laid there for some time before I slowly got back up and continued.

I knew that I would die long before I made it to the mountains but that was not my goal. If I could manage, I would make my way to the series of caves nearby known as the Honeycomb Caves Complex. I doubt my body would be disturbed if I make it there. The area was a maze of canyons, gullies and caves and one could get easily lost within them without a guide as I wanted to avoid a bunch of buzzard giving my body away. An male alicorn body would probably be a curiosity at best or at worse used for dark magic... The Crystal Empire does not need another crazed pony.

I resisted the urge to stop and rest when I made it to the lip of the incline that lead down to the heart of the Honeycomb Complex. My vision was already starting to fade in and out and it was becoming harder and harder to get enough breath. Each step caused excruciating pain shot all over my body but on I walked down, ignoring the first couple of caves. I needed to go as far as I could...

I was some distance into the Honeycomb when I collapsed no longer having the strength to stand. Luckily I fell at the entrance of a cave. Only... a few more... hooves... With what was left of my strength I dragged myself into the cave. I slowly lowered my head to the floor as my vision faded to black...

The sounds of a crackling fire stirred me from my slumber and with a painful groan I opened my eyes.I looked up to see from bit of glittering from the crystal lined cave that I was at least still in the Frozen North. Wha? I'm still alive.... how? I could feel a dull throb in my shoulder, which was wrapped up, and my mouth felt extremely dry, but other then that, I seemed to be in good shape. Someone had clearly managed to bring me back from the brink of death. The question was who and why.

I silently sighed in relief when I saw my sword lying on the other side of the fire. From what I could see in the dim light it had been cleaned. I checked my mana reserves to find that I had a small amount. Much less then before I fought Sombra, but something was better then nothing...

The sound of someone approaching caught my attention, someone hooved if I wasn't mistaken. Given where I was it was either a crystal pony or a yak. I was surprised, then, when a small female buffalo walked into the firelight and fiddle with some bowls. What is a buffalo doing so far from home? I carefully studied her from half closed eyes. I don't know completely what was going on yet and whether she was an ally or not. From her size she was quite young to be on her own unless... It then hit me how a buffalo of her age should be a alone so far from her tribal homelands. She must be on a vision quest of some kind. It could also explain why I am still alive... but I needed confirmation.

"You are awake!" The buffalo whispered as I 'stirred' awake.

I opened my month as to talk even though I knew that I probably won't be able to without something to drink.

"No," The buffalo raised a hoof to 'stop' me from speaking. "Don't talk until you have drunk this."

I wordlessly let her help me drink from the bowl she offered. It was filled with something greenish and nasty, but I knew whatever it was it would help so I fought my gag reflex and drank the whole bowl.

"How long was I out?" I rasped out. My dry throat was helped by that liquid but it still felt like sandpaper.

"I'm not sure, at least two weeks..."

"Two weeks..." I echoed. That is a long time, but given my injuries I wasn't surprised. "May I ask you a more personal question..."

"Sure."

"Why are you so far from home?"

"I'm on a vision quest..." The buffalo blushed, probably in embarrassment over realizing that I would have no idea what that was even though I knew. "It's, uh, a coming of age ritual for my people..."

"I see..." I hmmed. Why would the Spirits of her people be guiding her to me? Why is it that I am the only one that can shoulder the entire world? It's tiring... "Young calf of the Stampeding People, the stars have cried out, and you have answered. The Spirits of the stampeding grounds are surely grateful for your service.”

At that the buffalo blinked at me incredulously, "How- How do you know that saying?!"

She was so shocked that it took her a moment to realize that I had not only had risen to three hooves but had grabbed my sword and was hobbling my way to the exit of the cave.

"Wait!" The buffalo cried out rushing in front of me to try and block my path. "You shouldn't move so soon..."

"I understand your concern, but time is not on my side anymore..." not that it ever was...

Present day...

"The young buffalo had managed to heal most of my injures but I was still quite weak. As such, it took me another week to make it back here. I only arrived a few hours before nightfall five days ago..." I sighed as I finished my tale of survival.

"You're an idiot." Twilight snapped after a moment of silence. Garble cringed as she said that but I merely raised an eyebrow. I didn't mind her assertion as she was not aware of my ash illness yet and what foreign magic could do when it was aggravated. As it was I'm not sure how the Crystal Heart was able to effect me in a positive manner. "If you lasted that long we could have healed you and we would not have a war coming!"

"In the state I was in you would have only killed me. The only reason the young visionwalker was able to help at all was because she was listened to the Spirits on how to heal me without killing me... not that it will matter much..."

"What do you mean?"

"She merely delayed my death. I probably will not last another month..."

"What did you see..."

"I saw a flock of crows swarm up into the sky and surround the sun, plunging the world into darkness. All I could see was their red eyes as they stared down at me. Then there was a sound like the howling of a coyote or the rushing of the wind. When I looked behind me and towards the sound, all I could see was flames everywhere. I ran, but no matter how fast I ran the flames always was right behind me and worse the crows started to dive down and attack me...

I then I tripped. I thought in that moment I was going to die right there, but nothing happened. A then voice called out to me: 'Little Strongheart... He must be found or flame will consume all...'"

To Kill

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"What do you mean?" I questioned. Outside the shoulder injury he didn't look for wear.

"She merely delayed my death. I probably will not last another month..." I raised an eyebrow. H.K. just merely shrugged at my disbelief. "You got me on a good day... I am quite ill without Zecora and my own skills I would look much worse...but enough of that, I want to know how you found me."

"When did you create the potion spell?" H.K. narrowed his eyes as I asked the question.

"Four days ago..."

"Well then, Garble noticed your potion spell."

"Odd... Garble is too young to be able to utilize his magic... unless... " The necklace that Garble had been wearing since the Crystal Empire lifted off of him in a green and purple aura. Odd, I had never seen or heard of a two tone magic aura from one pony before. H.K. turned over the necklace a few times before levitated it back around Garble's neck. "Hmm interesting... I see how now..."

I didn't it looked like a normal clear unenchanted gem... It should be glowing if it was active... If Garble explained it to me right the feeling of being watched was constant, something that zebraian potion spells could do, then the gem should have glowed the entire time.

"But..." Garble protesting, trying to give back the necklace. "I shouldn't have this... you only gave it to me if something happened and... what of your oath?"

"Keep it. It has decided that you are to be its guardian until its given to its true master. As for my oath it remains unbroken. I only need to make sure he gets it when he is ready... and, from what I can see, he is not. It will let you know when it's time..."

At that, my frustration over the strange not working as it should gem boiled over. "'It?' 'True Master'!??! 'When it's time'? What are you talking about?"

"Nothing you need to be concerned about."

"'Nothing I need to be concerned about...'" I roared in anger. I was Spike's caretaker. And clearly they where talking about him as I hadn't forgotten that Garble was given the gem H.K. to give to Spike if something would happened to him. Why would I not need to know?! "'NOTHING I NEED TO BE'...GAH!"

"You may be his guardian and hatcher but you are NOT a dragon nor his family!"

I was about to retort when H.K. hobbled to the cauldron and and threw up.

"Than what Discord said... Was it... true?" Garble took this time to ask a question. A question that was only mildly shocking given the source of it. I personally know that Discord only spoke warped truths or outright lies. The few times he ever told the truth has so buried under those two that it was impossible to see that it had spoken the truth.

"Your going to have to tell me what he said." H.K. mumbled, shaking a bit. "The scrying potion spell doesn't allow me to hear what's being said and is too crude to use to read lips..."

"Are you Spike's brother?"

"Yes."

"What!?" I exclaimed in shock. "You're Spike's brother?!"

H.K threw up again before answering very weakly. "Yes I am, but under no circumstances are you to tell him I'm alive..."

"What?!" I snapped once again, not caring that H.K. had suddenly take a turn for the worse. "Do you know how devastated he was when..."

"I do, more then you will ever know, I do..." H.K. whispered sadly. "All the more reason to not tell him... Let me ask you a question. How do you think he will handle finding out the one he thought died somehow survived only to learn he merely has only a month to live?!"

I stood there in silence over H.K. question and not because he was vomiting some more but because there was no clear answer that was good. When did raising a dragon become such a minefield?!

"Why..." Garble whispered breaking my inner thoughts and the silence that had fallen over us. "Why did you let me live?"

"Who said I did Garble?" H.K. looked up from the cauldron smirking.

"Huh?" Garble and I uttered. H.K. was more confusing then Discord ever was; Garble was clearly alive and I don't detect any necromancy taint on him either.

Then it hit me there was more the one type of 'death.' I examined Garble again. When I first saw his scared body I was mildly curious about how he got them but held my tongue as I felt it was probably not something I should pry into. But now, those scars... they didn't look like scars that were caused by an accident or fighting. They almost looked like... "YOU! YOU MONSTER! YOU TORTURED HIM!"

"Ladies and Gentlecolts I present the shining example of ponies: a bucking idiotic narrow minded pacifist herbivore who's is so stuck up her muzzle is permanently brown!" H.K. snarked.

I blistered at the implication of his insult. I was so angry that I could even smell my mane burning. My fury went ice cold, though, the moment that H.K. hobbled right into my face. The powerful flame of hate in his slitted eyes pierce me right to my core. "Get your shitty head out of you pretentious ass! The world has NEVER revolved around you damn ponies!"

Just as fast as before the hate was replaced with his more neutral expression. "Time I guess for your limited world view to shatter then... Dragon nature, unlike ponies, are ruled by the emotional instinctual heart not the cold rational logic of the brain. As such, they can and will take things to the extreme whether they 'want to or not'. What's more, their magic is tied to their heart. Now, as a student of magic, tell me something... how does one determine the power a pony will have?"

"Mental acuity." I said without missing a beat. Most ponies thought smarts equaled power but it was not. The reason why most ponies could only do telekinesis and magic related to their cutiemark well is because most spent a lot of time honing skills related to their cutiemarks to the exclusion of others, and, there by, their mental acuity for those spells and ones like it was stronger.

"So, tell me,'O Smart One' using what I said about dragons and tell me how one determines a dragons magic power?"

I went wide eyed at that. Dragons were already resistant to pony magic but to have it increase with emotion... How are we ever going to win much less survive against the dragons?!

"So she can be taught to think." H.K. smirked. "The power of ONE elder dragon can eclipse Oathbreaker or Luna... As such one can not play cutesy wootsy with a dragon..."

"Now, back to Garble... Dragon Lord Torch wanted to end him to make an example of him to deter any other dragon from ever thinking of doing what he did. I, on the other hand, thought differently..."

"What could he have possibly have done to deserve anything like that?"

"Phoenixes are living flame and are sacred to dragons killing one is a capital offense..." H.K. rubbed his chin in thought. "Let me ask you a hypothetical question. What kind of punishment do you think you ponies will clamber for if, Oathbreaker, let's say, was not only killed by cut into pieces and put on public display?"

A slow painful death...

"And now, thinking on that, what did Garble try to get Spike to do?"

"But why? I also tried to... You know..." Garble whispered.

"Because until you tried to goad Spike on to smash that egg I had concerns that Spike would struggle handling dragon culture after being among only ponies... and their stories that claim dragon as monsters that..." H.K. voice faded away for a moment though I couldn't tell if it was from sadness or the fact that he was vomiting again. "...but after the rocky start, when you insulted the ponies for being 'weak bunch of namby-pambies,' he warmed up especially to you... I had hoped then that through you... I saw you as worthy to be friends or even... brothers... I had also seen... the potential for you... to become a greater dragon warrior then I..."

Garble stood there in shock for a moment before collapsed, crying. If I hadn't seen him cry at the 'death' of H.K. I would have been shocked at the tears that where flowing down Garble's face. H.K. slowly hobbled over to Garble, it was clear that he was struggling to do even that as his strength had clearly been sapped from all the vomiting.

He stopped when he got to Garble, leaned down as much as he could, and then lifted the dragon's head with his horn. "Rise, Garble... and know that you are dragon."

"But Dragon Lord..."

"Is Dragon Lord of the Wasteland Dragons, not all dragons."

"Oh..."

"Now, Garble there is a zebra shaman living in the forest by the name of Zecora... Use your nose to find her and tell her 'The shield has blacken, the sword nicked.' She will know what that means... I need some time alone with Spike's caretaker."

Garble nodded and then quickly scurry off.

"H.K. what..."

Faster then I though possible H.K. whipped out a sword and rushed towards the far wall. But instead of slamming into the wall he stopped mere inches in front the wall. I didn't understand why he would do that until the air between the wall and H.K. shimmered for a second before revealing Princess Celestia. H.K., without seeing her, had stopped with the sword pressed up against her neck.

"Do you think I can't tell when you are hiding Oathbreaker!" H.K. hissed at her.

Author's Note

No one seemed to notice something different with an earlier chapter... let's see if one figures out what it is...

To Reason

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"Do you think I can't tell when you are hiding Oathbreaker!" H.K. hissed at Princess Celestia. "I knew the moment you walked in right before I started my 'ladies and gentlecolt line.'"

The sudden change and the insults out of left field... suddenly made sense. However, I can get being angry and letting your mouth run, Rainbow Dash does that all the time, but using me as a proxy is entirely different! "You were insulting her through me!?"

"I... " H.K. stammered before wilting a bit. "Mostly, I was also spouting generalities of ponies in general. You, however, are one of the few ponies that I have met that have managed to overcome most of your races shortcomings... Though if I had to guess it was your experience not only growing up with but also raising Spike that had more to do with it than anything else..."

"Fine, I understand." I grumbled at his non apologetic explanation, something tells me that it is the best I will get right now. "But next time don't use me as a proxy!"

H.K. looked at me with a neutral expression before nodding. "And what has you smirking?"

I was wondering that myself. Princess Celestia seemed really proud all of a sudden. I don't know why, if I had H.K.'s sword pressed up against my neck, I wouldn't do anything to aggravate him.

"I was right..." Princess Celestia smiled as she shifted ever so slightly. "It could be done..."

"Right about what?" H.K. questioned. "I never doubted that it was possible for a pony to raise a dragon... but only to a certain point. Once his dragon instincts awakened it would be too dangerous for him to be around non dragons until he learned how to handle the urges around those that would not understand why he had to do things a certain way..."

"But Spike hoarding stopped with help of his friends and..." Princess Celestia interrupted. Her smug smile fading only slightly as H.K put more pressure on her neck.

"You ignorant... you stupid little..." H.K. choked out as a black goo suddenly started to gush out of his mouth.

I was about to rush over when H.K. put a shaky hoof up. It looked just like that black goo from the Empire... Did Sombra do something to him in the attack just like he did with my brother's horn? Could this be related to his 'pending' death? After a moment of deep shaky breaths his head rose once again and stared right into Princess Celestia's eyes.

"You have the gall to ignore my expertise?" H.K. deadpanned. "Tell me can you cast zebraian magic? How do the minotaur magic tattoos work? Here is an easy one, how about the Elements of Harmony?"

I THINK I KNOW HOW DRAGON MAGIC WORKS CONSIDERING I'VE BEEN ONE FOR NINE MILLENNIUM!

I practically slammed into the ceiling in fright from H.K.'s sudden use of what was known as the Canterlot Royal Voice. That faded a bit when the black goo vomit began once again though, H.K., like before, quickly recovered.

"Oooh, surprised, aren't you?" I shrunk back from the evil grin that H.K. was giving over Princess Celestia's shocked face. I am really beginning to regret not having the girls come with me.. or some guards, or both. "I was adopted many thousands of years before you even asked about a way to get the dragons and ponies around Equestria to stop aggravating each other."

"So... I will say this one more time, but not for your benefit, Oathbreaker, but Twilight's. Dragon instincts aren't just biological but magical in nature, going right down to the soul itself. You can only suppress it from awakening. Once awakened, the dragon will have no choice but to follow said instinct to its conclusion..."

"We can always find a way to remove or..."

"Suggest that one more time, I dare you." H.K. whispered, pushing the sword in his hooved grip into Princess Celestia so hard that I could see blood beginning to drip. "It was that exact type of thinking that led your people to nearly destroy this world! Which I've spent the last nine and a half thousand years trying to fix, to atone for."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ten short years..." H.K. growled out. I wasn't sure what that had to do with my question, but, after everything I have seen, I was not going to test his patience by interrupting. "All it took was ten short years for your stubborn idiocy to unravel more of my work then every other dark magic user I have ever faced. I had hoped that living through the final horrific years of the Elder War would make you never want to risk doing anything that could cause another like it... But it seems I was merely dreaming..."

"Elder War?" I questioned after a few second of silence.

"A horribly, bloody war that saw the loss of tens millions of lives and reduced the three elder races to six individuals Discord, Oathbreaker, Luna, my birth mother, pregnant with me, and my adoptive parents..."

I turned pale. A war that cost not only the lives of millions but in essence wiped out three races as well! I almost joined H.K. when he started vomiting massive amounts of goo again. Thankfully it didn't last very long, much to my stomach's pleasure.

"Please tell me that you are wrong, please..." I begged, not wanting to think about the enormity of what he said. I even looked over to Princess Celestia in hopes that maybe it was an exaggeration, but one look told me that H.K. did not.

"I... can't...." H.K. gasped out between ragged breaths, showing for the first time signs of weakening and only further confirming the horror that I could feel rising up in me.

I quickly turned away as the blood, vomited black goo, and now the thought of all that death became too much for my stomach to handle and I ended up spewing the contains of my stomach all over the floor.

"Now..." H.K. suddenly perked up as I turned back, much to my surprise. I had no idea how he could keep going like he was. I know when I got sick like that I struggled to do anything much less hold a long winded conversation, mixed with shouting, while keeping a sword pressed up against somepony's neck... Not that I would ever do the sword part... I swallowed hard to shove down the bile that was already beginning to rise again. "Since we got the history lesson behind us.... what is the real reason you are doing here, Oathbreaker?"

"Discord..." Princess Celestia managed to gulped out as H.K. had one again pressed the sword into her neck constricting her ability to breath much less talk. "The Elements... they...

"What about them!?" H.K. growled out. "Come on, speak up!"

"The Elements aren't working!" I yelled out in panic. H.K. was putting so much pressure on Princess Celestia's neck that she was now bleeding quite heavily. If I didn't get him to stop she would die! "When we tried to stone Discord recently not only did they not stone him but he managed to gather their magic and aimed it at Princess Celestia! If we don't get them working again then what Discord doesn't destroy the dragons will!"

"So Discord used the Elements magic how interesting..." I gulped at the look he was giving me. It almost seemed like he was happy to hear the news. At least he stop cutting into Princess Celestia's neck. "The mistake you made is equating harmony for order... Wait... did you say you tried to stone him!?"

"Uh, yes..." I slowly squeaked out. Instead of shock he was glaring at me with almost the same force as when insulted Princess Celestia through me.

"Why?"

I gulped. I suddenly felt like my next words could very likely be my last. "He broke out of his prison... and then caused chaos all across Equestria! Making it rain chocolate milk from cotton candy clouds... Bunnies with long hooved legs stampeding over ponies and eating all of our crops... The ground becoming soap... The grass checkerboard patterned... Sent chucks of Ponyville into the sky... Had buffalo dance in tutus... And he even warped the personalities of a lot of ponies including those of my friends, turning them into jerks when we tried to stop him..."

H.K. blinked at me for a moment, stunned. He then turned and roared at Princess Celestia, splattering the black goo all over her muzzle. "DAMN YOU!! I OUGHT TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW! SCREW WHAT THE PONIES WILL THINK! And to think Twilight call me a monster!"

"That's because you are!" I snapped then immediately shrunk back when I realized that I snapped at a very angry pony wielding a sword. A sword he was clearly not afraid to use given that he had no problem making her bleed.

"Oh for the love of...." H.K. facehooved. "Enough! Do not presume to lecture me on dragon customs when it comes to how we punish! Dragons are not herbivores nor are they pacifists! Incarceration would mean very little to a dragon they take hundred year naps like it was nothing and spend most of their time awake lying on or next to their hoards! Maybe a fine! O wait, dragons don't have currency, they eat currency... How about community service! No that won't work, there isn't a centralized hub of culture. Dragons generally are solitary so no community to serve. And don't say the Migration as that only occurs every hundred years or so and its to help dragons find mates to he, he... It was a miracle you found specifically caldera that you did otherwise... well... I don't think I need to paint you a picture of that, do I?

No you don't... I thought as I felt my face burn. I can't believe that we could have stumbled upon something like that! Just the thought of it... I NEED BRAIN BLEACH!!!!

"I don't mind if you questioning of the ways of dragons, Twilight." H.K. sighed, either ignoring or not noticing my extreme embarrassment. Even Princess Celestia had redden from the revelation that H.K. gave. "I would be more then happy answer them but you need to ask to learn, to understand, not judge... It's bad enough that you ponies have a tendency to spout that all life is sacred but then become hypocritical to the point of condemning a carnivore to die a slow and painful death because their biology requires they eat meat."

"But we wouldn't..." I immediately countered. I mean had no problem with Owlowiscious and I knew that he needed to eat mice and other small animals when I adopted him from Fluttershy.

"Zecora told me she was ostracized and shunned just because of the way she looked."

"But that is not the same!" I protested. This was about the torture of Garble not the shunning of Zecora...

"Is it? What if she had been a friendly carnivore instead?" H.K questioned, his eyebrow raised. "Don't answer that! I know you know the answer, so I leave you to answer this one. Zebras are a herd race, and like all herd races they need to be around others. To be alone can cause mental degradation and insanity. It can be mental torture for them. And take it from someone who knows, mental torture is far worse then physical. So tell me, Twilight, what did your high and mighty pony town do to Zecora? What pain did she have to endure before a little filly stepped up to do the right thing?"

"I..." I stopped after a single syllable as I realized the enormity of what we did... and even though I was initially not alarmed by her I let my friends to... Oh by the stars! Why would Zecora... but we... I

It was at that very moment that Zecora entered the tree weighed down by a overflowing saddle bag. My thoughts spiraling even more. "Zecora! I am so sorry I... please forgive me...I..."

"I know not why you need forgiveness from me. You have done nothing wrong to me that I see..."

"Well you see... That is... well I..."

It was then that whatever was keeping H.K. going ended. He collapsed with a thump, his sword clattering to the ground next to him. "Thank you... for coming... Ze... cor... a..."

"Do you know what is going on with H.K.? He has been vomiting up this vile black goo." I asked as Zecora rushed over to inspect H.K.

"I know what is the goo, but the answer might make you go to the loo."
Zecora shook her head sadly before she looked up and noticed Princess Celestia. Her face morphed to one of pure hate.
"Get out you bucking princess bitch, or I can't heal without a hitch."

I was stunned at not only the venom in her voice but the cursing as well. Zecora was never like this before. Princess Celestia seemed to be shocked as well, her mouth half opened. For a moment I thought she was going to protest but she calmly she walked out without a word.

"My dear friend you should leave as well; I need concentration to make all go swell."

"She... stays..." H.K. muttered out before passing out.

Author's Note

Annoying chapter you wouldn't believe how much I had to cut, rewrite, or move to the next chapter.

To Heal

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"Zecora what can I do to help?" I asked, not wanting to sit idly while Zecora worked on H.K. I had already examined almost everything here, but I don't really want to move around with all that black vomit all over.

"Remove all this mess post haste, then help put on this paste. Use only hooves, no magic, on the male, or death will be the end of his tale."

I nodded and conjured a mop and bucket and quickly mopped away the black goo while Zeccora removed jar, after jar, after jar filled with something that even Rarity would describe as vomit yellow. Once I finished the floor, I grabbed the cauldron and dumped it some distance from the tree.

I nearly gagged as soon as I returned. Zecora was now massaging the yellow paste from the jars deep into H.K.'s fur. However, whatever it was smelled like a mixture of rotten eggs, burnt toast, and feces. I just hope that it really didn't contain any feces... I was very much aware that some of her potions did require more, 'exotic' ingredients.

"Breath through mouth, so that your stomach doesn't go south."

It helped a bit... at least enough that I think I could handle it long enough to help Zecora out. H.K was lucky that I was even willing to help. Personally, after what he did with Princess Celestia I would have left and never looked back. I mean, I know I don't know what exactly is going between H.K and Princess Celestia but was it really necessary to so violent with her? However, I desperately need help with Spike, and with him the only one that might be willing if he dies...

I gulped, mentally preparing myself for how bad the paste will be once I had it on my hooves. I dared not to do my normal method of panic reduction. With closed eyes I opened a jar and scooped some of the 'paste' onto a hoof. It tingled a bit and felt a bit slimy but I pushed through and mimicked Zecora. Thankfully Zecora was working on the side with the large scar. I didn't need anything more grossing me out.

The process of applying the paste was a slow one. The paste didn't go every far leaving me to scoop more and more of the stuff. I was a little worried that I might be using too much but as I watched Zecora she too was using about the same amount as I was. I quickly took stock on how many jars and my jaw nearly dropped. There was enough here to cover his entire body and at the rate we were going we would do just that.

We were just about to work on his flank when I noticed something. Something I had not even noticed before. H.K.'s flank was blank. He has no cutiemark?! I had been so focused on his injury or that sword of his that I had completely missed a very noticeable feature of his. It seems my mental list of questions was becoming even longer. I just hoped that he would recover enough so that I...

Suddenly H.K. sat up, screaming. Both Zecora and I stumbled back. He was clearly in pain, but the force of his roar, which was sounding an awful a lot like a dragon, was making the air to thrash about just like when Luna used the Royal Canterlot Voice. Just as suddenly, he stopped, vomited some of the goo again, then collapsed.

For a few moments all I could hear was my haggard breathing and my heart pounding. One would think that after all I witnessed today that I wouldn't be so frighten but it was so sudden and the roar of pain so strong.

"Is he...?" I finally spoke once my heart rate and breathing calmed down.

"I... am... okay Twilight..." I nearly jumped out of my fur when H.K. whispered. I was sure that he, at the minimum, had passed out. The way he was screaming he had to have been in immense pain but then he managed to stay standing after vomiting as much as he did. He slowly lifted himself to a sitting position before continuing. "Though, I think I cut my life in half... Zecora thanks for the timely help."

"Master shaman, do not thank one such as I, you have done more then I can repay, you opened my people's eyes so that they may see. To merely heal you now is not enough pay."

Master shaman? Why did Zecora say that? It, in no way helped with any of her rhythms. Zecora had told me that her people dealt with dragons all the time and then that ambassador at the Summit Zephyr seemed very mad at Princess Celestia for getting into a war with the dragons. Could it be that H.K. helped her people with their dragon problem? The reactions of the buffalo and the zebra at the summit were beginning to make more sense. I had already understood the buffalo's feelings on dragons thanks to when we delivered a tree for AJ's cousin in Appleloosa but I didn't have the story on the zebra's.

"None-the-less I thank you."

Zecora smiled a bit and nodded. "I must leave now, I am hungry for stew, and I still have many potions to brew."

"Of course Zecora, Twilight and I still have things to discuss in private..." H.K then continued in what appeared to be Zecora's native tongue.

My suspicions were confirmed when Zecora spoke a few words back. I watched quietly as Zecora then gathered her jars, nodded her goodbye, and left. I had so many questions and my mind was running through the list once again that I didn't even realize how quiet it was.

I nearly jumped when H.K. broke the silence. "Ask your questions, Twilight, I know that you have them..."

"But..." I began objected. After all that he went through even I knew he needed to rest not answer my very long list of questions. As it was, he really shouldn't be sitting up.

"This will be the last you will likely see and hear from me Twilight.... Once I have recovered a bit I will be leaving..."

"But I need your help with Spike!" I protested.

To Inquire(Now completed and reposted)

Okay somehow this chapter was published (stupid publish button!) way before it was ready so please reread it as it should now be actually be completed. How I didn't get any comments on its incompleteness I have no idea..

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"This will be the last you will likely see and hear from me Twilight.... Once I have recovered a bit I will be leaving..."

"But I need your help with Spike!" I protested, the volume and speed of my voice increasing as I went. "And the war too! You are the Keeper of the Oath for the dragons right? Can't you do something? And don't forget Discord I mean he did all that chaos and the Elements! If they won't work on them then they won't work on the dragons!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa slow down Twilight..." H.K. chuckled. I blushed hard when I realized I went into panic mode again before I huffed when I realized that I was embarrassed in front of him. I couldn't believe he was making light of this! "Okay...So it seems it's three big things then. Spike, Discord, and the war.. To begin with I can't help you with Spike..."

"What?! But his dragon instincts! He nearly destroyed Ponyvile once already, if another awakens... And for that matter how was Princess Celestia suppose to know what to look for!? How was I? What exactly are 'dragon instincts'!?" I spouted off another quick line of questions. I could feel my chest clinch with my rising panic.

"Oathbreaker, as a Keeper of the Oath, was told what those instincts are and what to look for. Clearly she never told you..." H.K. grumbled. "No surprise at this point..."

"Then why didn't you tell me!?"

"I am a dragon by adoption and that makes me a dragon not a pony and, unlike Oathbreaker here, I know not to even think of doing anything that might be as seen as violating it. You were to raise him not I. And being in contact with you would be seen as interfering and a violation of the Oath, annoying trust me... "

"But you sent those letters..."

"To begin with, it was Spike that reached out to the dragons themselves, with your permission, other wise why else would you allow him join the Migration? You did just merely watch from your pathetic disguise. So I could reach out in turn. Besides that, the letters came after Oathbreaker broke the Oath, though I wasn't aware of it at the time..."

"But why letters, and why so long after the Migration!?" I snapped, frustrated.

"Well, again, I wasn't aware that his instincts had awaken so I had time to figure out how best to reach out... I mean how do you reach out to someone you 'gave up'?"

I opened my mouth to speak but quickly shut it. He had a point one that even I couldn't answer and somehow I think that anything I could say would come out so wrong.

"I have two, maybe three, weeks left, Twilight, especially after today... It's not enough time to even begin to teach you even the basics of hoarding much less some of the others... although Garble can help you with those..."

"But Spike's hoarding seems to be under control..."

"Remember I said that once an instinct is awaken a dragon has no choice but to follow said instinct to its conclusion... It is not under control and will not be until his Choosing..."

"Well can't you at least quickly teach me the basics or give me a book?" I growled. I my frustration was growing at the lack of helpful answers.

"I'm sorry, Twilight, it's not something that can be learned in a book or taught in a classroom. I had to spend centuries living with and studying growing dragons before I was declared sufficient enough to be able to tell the differences between hoarding and not hoarding. Sometimes I envy the Dragon Heritage Memories..."

It took him centuries!? My mouth dropped. Just to learn the hoarding instinct? How long did it take for the others, whatever they were?! Also, 'Dragon Heritage Memories'... what is that?

"I'm sorry there is really nothing I can do... If the Oaths were still intact then you would be sending him to the Dragon Lord and he would be dealing with this..."

"But there has to be something I can do to help! Anything!" I cried out. Why is it that everything thing I do to try and help Spike fails? Why?! "I can't stand him so depress and lost...AND NO PONY OR DRAGON IS WILLING TO HELP!"

I couldn't stand it anymore and started bawling.

"He is like a brother to you isn't' he?" H.K. hobbled over and lifted my head. His eyes, which had been up to the point been cold and hard, had soften. Something I didn't think would be possible for one such as him. "I can tell...and not just by your tears... I was told by He of the Everfree about how you kept disturbing him for help. To boldly approach a dragon, especially one that had been stolen from, is either really brave or stupid... But, please, do not go speak to him again. There is a limit to his patience..."

H.K. then hobbled away, picked up his sword, looked at it for a moment, and then flashed it away. "I wouldn't worry too much about Discord. I believe now that he has forced Oathbreaker to face the music in his own way, he should, to the most part, leave you ponies alone. Though, knowing him, he is probably still hanging around, watching Spike."

What!? I paled in horror, my tears instantly forgotten. Spike was going through enough as it was, and he still get phantom stomach pains from all those letters Princess Celestia sent. He didn't need more...

"Relax, Discord is my best friend he won't mess with Spike." H.K. tried to reassure me from my horror.

I rolled my eyes as I growled out in irritation. "I believe that when he's in stone..."

"Well, like I said before, the Elements don't work just because you don't like chaos..." H.K. shrugged... or half shrugged as his scarred shoulder didn't move. "As long as he doesn't do chaos for 'evil' or malicious reasons then they will not work on him."

"Now..." H.K. sighed. "As for the war...I'm afraid, like Discord, you won't like my answer. I can't do anything about the war."

"Can't or won't." I growled out, gritting my teeth hard. H.K claimed he would answer my questions, but so far, they had been less then helpful!

H.K. sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Can't. It is clear that Oathbreaker will never accept her punishment, to be executed for her crimes, and even if she did her ponies would only continue the fight to avenge the death of their, never-can-do-anything-wrong, 'Goddess...' Twilight... when an oath is broken the only way dragons can stop is for her death..."

"Well can't they do something similar to what you did to... you know..." I hoped that H.K knew what I was implying because I really didn't have the stomach to come out and say it.

"Doubtful..."

"But there must be something, anything we can do." H.K. was right, while Celestia being killed in battle or executed would demoralize many there would be those that would bid their time and get revenge only to bring more violence on us... There just had to be a way to stop this war from ever beginning without losing any lives...

"I didn't say it was impossible... But it will take an extreme about mental strength to over come the beastial rage... and then you have to convince dragons that whatever 'death' picked is a strong enough of a death..."

"Can't you?"

H.K. looked at me in silence for a moment before speaking one word. "No."

"No? NO?! NO!?!?! The ponies are facing genocide and you said NO!?!?! I get you have some beef with Princess Celestia... but GAH!" I roared in anger. By the end of my rant I could smell my mane burning.

"The process would not even have began before I pass on from this world, especially as it would take another Oath... Good luck getting any dragon to trust any pony and there are only two, Luna and Mia Amore Cadenza, that have the lifespans to not have to go through the entire process every fifty years or so..."

So there is nothing that can be done then... I sighed in defeat. I had no idea what to do... nor could I research it out. There just wasn't much on dragons and what little we did have was purely conjuncture. I suppose Princess Celestia or Princess Luna might have some ideas... but something tell me that they won't be much better... I hate this!

"At least you still have some time to figure it out..."

"What do you mean?" I asked, choosing to ignore the fact that H.K. seemed to have responded to my unspoken words of despair. Figure what out? I could have all the time in the world and will get nowhere! I have nothing to work with and the only 'expert' is not only being unhelpful but is dying...

"There can only be one reason the dragons haven't attacked. Dragon Lord Torch is constructing a Gauntlet of Fire..."

"Gauntlet of Fire?" I repeated.

"It's how a new Dragon Lord is chosen. What it entails is not important, what is is that you have around eighteen months or so until they do attack. It will most likely take that long for Dragon Lord Torch to construct his gauntlet, call all of eligible dragons to participate, and for a new Dragon Lord to be chosen.... though I warn you, it could be less... And do not think of having Spike doing what I know you are thinking."

"But why not? If Spike managed to become the new Dragon Lord then maybe this whole war can be adverted!"

"First of all, it would be a big if of Spike becoming the next Dragon Lord of the Wasteland Dragons. Second... Oh how do I put it a way so that it makes sense..." H.K rubbed his forehead, clearly in thought. Great that could only mean more complicated dragon 'mumbo jumbo.' "Ugh... well, let's just say permanent memory wipe and leave it at that."

"Wait, are you saying..." I began, too shocked to continue. That would be far worse!

"Dragon Lord Torch basically knows nothing of his time before becoming the Dragon Lord." H.K. answered as he put his cloak back on. "All that remains was his personality. I don't think you need me to explain further do I?"

H.K. stood silently for a moment before turning and walking out. Luckily, by then, I had managed to shake out of my stupor enough to notice that he was leaving and quickly followed.

H.K. seem quite sure of himself as he didn't pause at all, immediately heading south and towards the deeper part of the forest. Something, in which, he, apparently, was none too pleased to have me do. "Head back to Ponyville Twilight, the deep Everfree is no place for a pony."

I rushed to keep up with H.K. who had somehow managed to increase his speed to a light trot. How, I don't know, between the undergrowth, his recent recovery from that goo stuff, and his shoulder he shouldn't be able to manage to go this fast. I needed him to give me more information to go with they vague unhelpful hints! "Wait! I need more...You can't just leave us! What of your brother!?"

At that H.K. stopped and looked back over his shoulder at me. "Go to the castle in the Everfree, hidden deep within its catacombs you will find a journal... But be warned, the cost may more then you may be able to bear..."

"I will do anything for Spike..."

"I knew that you were special Twilight... I knew it the night I saw you with Spike... But, then again, Tzirüstele Atülāja did choose you..." H.K. smiled as he walked into the darkness of the forest and disappeared. His voice echoed out a few more words. "Farewell and good luck..."

I stood there has H.K.'s final words echoed in my mind. It was then that I noticed that the light was fading fast and I didn't want to wander the forest at night. With a worried sigh I turned away from where H.K. disappeared and walked back towards Ponyville. I can wait until tomorrow to find this journal and what it may contain.

Author's Note

Okay 2 negatives in the span of a day is annoying... so I better be seeing some likes/fave/comments or I'll invite old Discord to 'visit' you.

To Comfort

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I sighed as I watched Rarity inspect another gem. She always used only the best gems in her work which currently was a black gem encrusted bowtie for me. Unlike the one that she duplicated for Owlowiscious this one was going to have emeralds on the knot and amethyst on the loops. I doubt she would give Owlowiscious another bowtie with that exact color combo… It, quite frankly, wouldn’t work and not because I’m being jealous again. I spent more than enough time around Rarity to know that green and purple would not go well with tan and brown feathers.

"There done!" Rarity exclaimed bringing over the bow tie with her magic and putting it around my neck. She then held up a mirror so I could get a good look at myself with it on. “So what do you think?”

“It’s nice Rarity.” I slowly touched the bowtie. It was one of her finest works I just couldn't build up the energy to praise her like normal.

“Only nice?” Rarity seemed disappointed in my remark and my mood further dropped.

Normally I would gush over everything Rarity did. She was always carrying herself with such grace and poise even when doing simple things as hoof stitching a garment for one of Fluttershy’s mice. And everything her horn touched outshine the sun. But I couldn't bring myself to care for her fashion right now even though the tie was wonderful. It was just that Rarity, like the others, had been trying to cheer me up the past few days with mixed results and I am a bit tired of it. I sighed as I thought back to what each pony did.

First it was Pinkie Pie trying to entice me with gallons, and I mean gallons, of sapphire flavored ice cream. Tempting, but I remember what happened to past-future Spike the last time I pigged out on ice cream. I can’t look at ice cream the same way thanks to that massive stomach I had for two straight days… the only thing worse was when Discord escaped the first time. Never could figure out a less violent way of burping letters. At least I'll never have to deal with that again.

Then Fluttershy had me join her and her animal friends for a picnic. I think maybe that she is hoping that I could find an animal companion as a friend or that playing with them who be relaxing. But... all that did was remind me of Peewee. I miss him so much right now. I could talk to him with without having to deal with the looks of pity. I don’t know what was worse, the looks of terror that I could remember from my rampage or the looks of pity on my friends faces… Especially from Fluttershy. She had that way with her eyes...

At least with those two had a certain genuine cheerful and innocent in their approaches.... Rainbow Dash.... not so much. I don't think Rainbow understood what constitutes comforting another... , which, I know, was not fighting. Quite frankly I didn't want to fight either but this was Rainbow Dash she wanted a chance to test her 'awesomeness' against me. I really should have not been surprised. She did spend a fair amount of time watching Garble and I spar. At least she didn't have set up a race or another Iron pony competition. My short stumpy legs are not built for racing and I know she would end up using her wings somehow... Wish I had wings myself but Garble wasn't exactly clear about how he got his... What it is with dragons and being mysterious!? At least I knew I could get them.

The worst, though, was when it was Applejack's 'turn.' She never got a chance to do anything because the Cutiemark Crusaders took one look at me and decided to get their dragon cheering up cutiemarks 'yay'! I thought Discord was chaos incarnate! At least with them they meant well. I will say this though I will never snark about about their 'overblown' reputation again. They completely wore me out. How their sisters deal with them I will never know. In the end I ended up being carried back to the library by Applejack and put to bed, or basket in this case.

Speaking of my basket, sleep sounded real good right now. To curl up under the covers and sleep away so I don't have to deal with all of this crap going on. Discord on the lose, the impending annihilation by the dragons, my own greed problems, and overly 'helpful' mare who mean well but don't have an idea and wouldn't understand even if I told them what I am going through... I know that the girls mean well, trying to cheer me up, but I'd rather they didn't dote on me so much. It was making me feel like it’s my hatchday all over again and I never want become that monster again… The thieving of everything in sight… to take and defend to the death what is mine… I hate this! I both wanted and not wanted to hoard to make things mine, but I can’t. I care too much for my friends to ever let myself even lose myself in that feeling again.

The only good thing was that all this attention was keeping me from dwelling on Discord's 'story,' at least, too much... H.K. being my brother and the death of my parents, it had really gotten to me. I knew that it was just him trying to get under my scales but… I just I couldn’t get out of my mind everything he said. What if he wasn't lying? And if he wasn't lying then why did H.K. never tell me he was his brother? Why did he leave me in Twilight's care and not take me with him? I love Twilight as a sister, but all my life I had wondered about my dragon family. Who they were like? Were they jerks like Garble was, or were they were fearless and noble? Or was it really just Discord getting amusement out of my misery?

The pain... the greed, the fear, the hopeless... will they never end? Will the carefree happy days ever return? Heck I miss those long, tiring and boring book reshelving days. I hate those days...it meant a lot of work that really wasn't necessary but I loved to be so helpful to Twilight... I...

Suddenly I could feel Rarity's hoof gently lifting my head up a handkerchief in her magic. She then gently use it to dry the tears I wasn't even aware had been failing down my face. "I'm sorry Rarity... I..."

Rarity caressed my check before pulling me into a hug. "It's okay my little Spiky-Wicky..."

How? How can you be sure? I silently questioned even as I snugged further into her embrace.

To Dream

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"...and the valiant knight slew the monster and saved the princess..." I closed the book as Spike had long ago fallen asleep curled up up again my stomach. There was no need to read outloud any further I reached down and nuzzled him. He never could make it to the end of my stories. But then again he is only a baby still.

"That brings back memories..."

"Princess Luna?" I questioned as looked over to see her smiling down at me. Wait... why am I back in Canterlot and why is Spike looking younger... "Am I dreaming?"

"Yes, you are."

Ah, that explains the jarring change. The last thing I remember doing was pouring over Starswirl the Breaded's journal. I must have fallen asleep at my desk... again. I need to stop doing that. I just hope I'm not drooling on it. "Why are you here?"

"I apologized for interrupting your nostalgic good dream but I needed a change of dream after dealing nightmare after nightmare... As you can imagine, I have been quite busy the past few days dealing with all the nightmares from Discord's stunt at the Summit..." It was then that I noticed the bags under Princess Luna's eyes. I still can't believe H.K defended Discord! "That and I was curious as to why your dreams tonight have been better then they have been the past few months..."

I blinked at that I didn't realize I was having bad dreams all that much... I mean my sleep had been poor but I don't recall too many nightmares... She must had been ending them in a way that I wouldn't remember... "Spike has been having terrible nightmares almost nightly for months!"

"I am aware..."

"Then why haven't you dealt with them?" I snapped. " You are the Princess of of the Night and of Dreams are you not?"

"Yes, I am, but..." Princess Luna sighed. "I think, maybe, I should show you... You might even be able to help when I have been unable to..."

"Show me what?" I questioned, biting back my second question for a moment. I don't know any dream magic how could I help the foremost expert on dreams!?

"Follow me." Princess Luna stomped twice and a door appeared. It looked very similar to the Golden Oaks library door minus the candle. She opened the door and began to walk through. I followed

"Where are we?" I questioned in awe as I looked about. It looked like we were in the midst of the stars themselves. I looked down to see that even pathway we were standing were comprised of stars. The illusion, however, was lost a bit by a hallway of doors that went on forever in either direction.

"A mental representation of the realm of dreams... Each star represent a single dream and the doors you see are the doorways into each dreamer."

All of a sudden I felt like I really shouldn't be here. It felt like I was invading the privacy of every dreaming pony... especially with... certain.. types of dreams... even though I wasn't even currently in a dream... I think. At least the doors were nondescript enough that I had no idea who the dreamer could be. Luna merely smirked at my reddening face before she jumped down to a lower pathway that had no doors.

"To begin with..." Luna started as I jumped down to join her, "to enter most dreams it's as easy and simple as opening a door. However a pony can resist my entry. When that happens the door will be 'locked...' Sometimes its because of mental damage or being in a magically induced coma... but lately its because there are still many that are worried that I will... that I'm only fooling everypony... that the Nightmare has not been purged from me... So when I encounter a 'locked' dream I merely end the nightmare..."

"Luna, I..." I whisper out, but stopped. I knew that Princess Luna was struggling with huge feelings of regret and shame over her actions as Nightmare Moon and to hear that ponies would rather have nightmares then to get help from Princess Luna... but what could I even say to help her when I couldn't encourage Spike?

"'Tis okay Twilight..." Luna smiled weakly as she waved my concern away. "I know it will take time for my reputation as Nightmare Moon to fade... I shall endure through it..."

I wanted to say more on that but Luna didn't look like she wanted to talk anymore about it so I decided to steer the conversation back to the matter at hoof. "Okay, but none of that explains why you haven't been able to help Spike..."

"As you know, not only are dragons resistant to pony magic, but their minds are not the same..."

I lost the rest as I noticed the light rapidly fading away and the air(?) or whatever place had become heavy and obsessive. It felt like I was trying to walk through deep water... It was similar to the feeling of a large spell about to be casted. What is going on? What is causing this? I looked over to see that whatever it was was also affecting Princess Luna. I didn't really want to interrupt her but I was really beginning to worry. "Uh... Princess Luna, I don't mean to interrupt but why is it darker here?"

"Usually it indicates a very strong nightmare nearby... one that could break free from the dreamer and infect other dreams and given enough power even break the barrier to the waking world... ." Princess Luna explained, coming to a sudden stop. "I can go no further... You must go ahead and attempt to enter Spike's dream alone..."

"But I know nothing of dream magic!" I protested. "I don't even know where to begin!"

"I will assist you from this side. Once you are inside all you have to do is get Spike to realize he is dreaming. Once Spike's dream becomes lucid he will have control and can eliminate the nightmare himself. Just try and be careful in how you make him aware if you jar him too much it may shatter the dream. There is a limit to my ability to keep dreams stable especially from outside the dream..."

I gulped in nervousness but nodded in understanding. Unlike Princess Luna, who was quite confident that I could help, I wasn't so sure. Not only did I know very little about dream magic but this felt was a huge invasion of his privacy. It was one thing for Princess Luna but me? Also this oppressive weight that was pressing down. I didn't see Spike's dream anywhere and I could only assume it would get harder as I got closer... But I had to help so with a deep breath I slowly continued on.

It wasn't long before the darkness completely enveloped me. I began to panic a bit as I didn't know where to go now in the complete darkness. I gulped when I finally made out a faint, sickly green light in the distance. In light of how dark it was around and the green glow it was quite creepy and reminded me of the changelings but I had no where else to go so I headed towards it. Soon I could make out the source of the glow, a wall of green flames. It reminded me of Spike's fire... could the entrance to Spike's dream be represented by this wall of green fire? Seeing no other choice I took a deep breath and walked through the flames.

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

Foolish prey thinking they can stop us!

I growled in feral excitement I slunk around the prey town. I could smell where they hid. The delicious smell of fear was overwhelming strong and good. My meal today was going to be extra tasty all that would make it better would be having my claws caked with squishy gore and the smell of iron in the air and the screams. Oh, the screams! I grinned as I snagged a quivering foal from a nearby bush and popped the snack into my gaping jaw, moaning. I couldn't stop myself it felt so good to kill and the meat tasted so good.

"Spike!"

I knew that voice! NO!!! She can't see me like this no... never! I looked down to see that it was Twilight walking up the road towards me.

Why are you letting our plaything out of the hoard!? Insolence! You must teach her her place!

"Spike! Please stop!" Twilight yelled out, avoiding my claw.

"You are mine! As my hoard you don't have the right to talk back to me!" I roared as I managed to grab her.

"Spike! Calm down and think!!" Twilight grunted as she squirmed in my hand before vanishing.

How!? my mouth dropped when she appeared back down on the ground. She didn't teleport! She couldn't! I made sure of that long ago!

"This is just a dream! Think!" Twilight shouted as she avoided my tail swipe.

I roared in frustration. To think that not only would my my hoard escape my grasp but to be so disrespectful to try and talk to me without my permission!

"Spike, please!" Twilight begged, floating in the air to look me straight in the eyes.

She can't fly... she has no wings and her horn isn't lit... she can't do that unless... My eyes went wide when I realized she was right. No, this is worse! If this was a dream then this is the true nightmare, and worse, somehow, Twilight had entered it!!! I have to get out of here! How!? Did she figure out dream magic!? This is so bad she saw... she saw... I had to escape! But this was a dream, there was no escaping here! The best I could do was wait this out and escape the moment I wake. I hope...

"Leave me alone!" I roared sending a bout of flame at her. Twi, please forgive me...

"SPIKE!" Twilight shouted as she teleported away from my flames. "You are merely dreaming! You are in control of this dream! You don't have to be the beast!"

Yes, I have to be I can't... I thought even as my monstrous form shimmered away to my normal form. Not that it would help, I knew I was just as dangerous and as monstrous in my usual 'baby' form. At least in this form I could hide until the accursed dream ended... I hope... I really hope dreams don't work like in that one issue of Power Ponies... Then I need to flee...

"Please stop Spike! I'm trying to help!" I stopped in shock. Twilight is still wanting to help after what she just saw after what I did!? I know this is just a dream but...

"But why would you even try to help a beast like me?" I whispered out not daring to look up at Twilight.

Suddenly I was knocked back, my check burning. I looked up to see that Twilight hoof was extended. I was stunned, Twilight had slapped me! I could see Rarity doing that but Twilight!? Also, I didn't know you could feel pain in a dream.

"I don't care if you are were worse then King Sombra himself!" Twilight growled as she stomped right to me slamming a hoof into my chest. "I will not stop trying to help! You are my number one assistant, a friend, and, in a lot of ways... I think of you as my little brother... Besides this is only a bad dream..."

"No, it's not just a bad dream! You don't understand I..." My voice faded out... how can I tell her that... Suddenly I could feel Twilight gently embracing me in a hug.

"No, I don't understand what it means to be a dragon Spike..." Twilight softly spoke as she nuzzle my head. "And I may never, but I do know what it means to be your friend. And if you don't get anything out of this know this, Spike, I'm not giving up and neither should you... we will get through this... somehow..."

Yeah... if only... somehow...

To Contemplate

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I groaned happily as I felt a few bones popping as I stretched. For the first time in a week I had a goodnight's sleep. The feeling of being watched ended shortly after I returned to the gemfields after notifying the zebra as H.K. requested. I had then fallen asleep shortly there after. I knew I was tired, but not that much, if the position of the sun was anything to go by it had to be early afternoon.

I stretched a second time and jumped down from the tree I had been sleeping in. I shivered a bit when a slight breeze blew by. I was going to need to find a place to stay soon. It was not too cold yet, but it wouldn't be long before snow would fall and I really don't like to be out and about in snow. A cave would be best. There was a couple of mountains not too far away that might have a cave or two in them. But it would mean that I would be further away from Ponyville and Spike...

I sighed as I walked into the gemfields and sat down on a boulder. I really didn't feel like looking for a place at the moment. I just wanted to relax for once. I could take care of it tomorrow after all. Yesterdays' revelation from H.K. echoed in my mind.

"Dragon Lord Torch wanted to end him to make an example of him to deter any other dragon from ever thinking of doing what he did. I, on the other hand, thought differently..."

I slowly traced a claw along some of my scars. Before they were a source of shame... any dragon would know just from looking that they were not from a fight but now... now they seemed to carry something else.

"I saw you as worthy to be friends or even... brothers... I had also seen... the potential for you... to become a greater dragon warrior then I..."

I smiled as I remembered those words. A greater dragon warrior then H.K. Maybe one day other dragons would want to be scared up like me just to...

"What is wrong with you!?" I suppressed the urge to jump from the suddenness of Spike's voice. I looked over to see that somehow in my contemplation that Spike had managed to sneak up on me. Wow Spike is getting good... nah. I must have relaxed a bit too much after being overly vigilant. "You are ogling your scars from H.K.s torture like they are a badge of honor or something..."

"A badge of honor, eh?" I smirked. "Yeah, they are."

Spike blinked once, twice then facepalmed. "Oh for the love of... Why am I not surprised? Whatever, keep your weird obsession with scars."

"I can't help it if your too girly to think that scars are cool."

"I am not girly!" Spike roared, his checks reddening. Too easy. "And I think scars are cool it's just that yours are from torture not from a fight or an accident."

I titled my head at Spike. He seemed to be doing a bit better. he would have not given me such an awesome reaction yesterday... "You're feeling better. Did those girly activities that your guardian made you do help?"

"Garble!" Spike growled angrily, but I could see his eyes twinkle. "No... Twilight with the help of Princess Luna came into my dreams..."

"Well, whatever happened it made you less mopey."

"A bit... I guess..." Spike sighed. "But she doesn't understand that what she saw wasn't just dreams but urges that I have all the time..."

I shrugged. "You're a dragon, they are ponies of course they have no idea... The only one that did was H.K...."

"I suppose so... can we talk about something else?"

I frowned at Spike's downturn. It looks like he was still having troubles over H.K.'s death... But I made a promise to H.K. so I will remain silent on his survival. I touched the gem on the necklace. Maybe, soon, I can finally give Spike this necklace.

"You know of any place that I could stay in that will be out of the weather and out of the way of the ponies?"

"Well..." Spike scratched the side of his head in thought. "There is that cave at the top that mountain over there... I'm sure it's okay as the dragon that had been sleeping there was driven off by the girls some time ago..."

I blinked in disbelief. How could a group of mares, mares manage to drive off a dragon!? They are clearly not fighters and it would have taken force to make a sleeping dragon move off. You know what.... I don't care. It was a place for me to winter... It was fairly close by and also out of the way. The only bad thing was Spike had not yet grown his wings and climbing a snowy mountain was dangerous...

Bah, I'll figure that out later, time to eat. I sniffed around for a deposit of gems and soon found one. I quickly dug up a small amount of gems and stuffed them into my mouth. That small amount wasn't going to cut it especially since I could see Spike drooling from the corner of my eye. He really needs to learn how to sniff for gems...

I sniffed around for some more and managed to find a large boulder geode. When I cracked it open a small pile of gems fell out. I grabbed hand full and started to munched down on them. I was about to pop the final gem in my hand, a sunstone, into my mouth when stopped and took a second look at it.

The sunstone was an exceptional example of the gem, very strong, clear, pure yellow color. It's quality reminded me of the Ruby that was in H.K.'s sword. I held the gem near my wrist for a bit examining how it looked next to my scales and imagining it embedded in a metal clawed glove. Now if I could figure out how to create one and find another sunstone of similar size and quality...

"Whath are you thoing?" Spike questioned with his mouth overflowing. He really was impressive with the amount of gems he could stuff in that little mouth of his.

"You think Twilight will allow me to borrow a book on weapon making?" I asked, still examining the sunstone.

"I think she might have a book on blacksmithing in the restricted section..." Spike murmured. "But why would you of all dragons want a book?!"

"As you already know I always admired H.K. growing up... I always wanted to be like him... a fierce dragon warrior... still do. But how can someone called themselves a warrior without a weapon... or armor... sure my tail and claws are weapons and my scales armor but that just makes me like every other dragon..."

"I suppose so... to be honest, I always wanted to be a knight. To defeat evil and rescue damsels in distress..."

"A knight?" I raised an eyebrow, just barely resisting the urge to snort. "You are so girly."

"I am not!" Spike spouted out, his whole face red.

To Decipher

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I yawned a bit as I sipped on my coffee. For some reason I was having some problems waking up this morning. At least things have gotten a bit better the past month, at least partially. The talk Spike and I had in his dream helped but there was still times when Spike mood would be down, and he remained very guarded around me or the girls. I wish he would open up a bit more but something told me to be patient with him on this.

"Twilight I'm heading out to Garble's now!" Spike called out from the main library floor.

"Just make sure he keeps his sooty claws off the book this time Spike." I yelled at Spike as he was leaving.

I was surprised when I learned from Spike that Garble of all dragons would want to borrow a book. I was so surprised that I originally laughed as I had thought for sure that Rainbow Dash had somehow bribed Spike to say that for a joke. That was before I realized that Spike was being serious. I ended up consents for Garble to 'borrow' the book as long as Spike was with the book. I wasn't sure about how safe the book be in Garble's claws given that I don't think he knew about common book borrowing etiquette and the last thing I wanted to do was to have to replace another book due to dragon fire. As it was I already had to repaired one of my books because Garble got soot on his claws then turned the pages. I shouldn't been surprised given that he had borrowed a book on blacksmithing but I had hoped Spike would pay better attention but I think he got too caught up in helping that he forgot to make sure the book stayed safe.

"I will!" Spike shouted back.

I sighed as I heard the door to the library closed. With him gone I could work on the journal again. The secrets of the journal had proven to be difficult to decipher. Sometimes it was because Starswirl had scribbled something in the margins or there was a smudge. Other times it was because Starswirl would reference a spell he was creating or of artifacts he found that I didn't immediately recognize requiring me to borrow several rare scrolls from the Canterlot Archives just to cross reference. I may be a fan of Starswirl but even I didn't know everything of his by heart.

In the end I managed to fully figure everything out but the last few pages. Those pages contained one unknown and semmingly incomplete spell that I assumed was his and well as information that seemed to be on the Elements. Sadly because of the legendary and mythical status of the Elements there was next to nothing on the Elements that I could find that could confirm what Starswirl was writing. Though practically everything he wrote on them was either something I had already guessed or knew already...

That left me to mainly try and figure out the other half of the spell. Its placement in the middle of Starswirl's notes on the Elements was very intriguing, however, so far, it had become an exercise in frustration. There wasn't any missing pages nor was the rest just not visible because of fading or smudging. I had made sure to check for that after making that mistake with the Crystal Heart. The phrasing mad it cleat that it was part of a spell but I had gone through every book and scroll written by Starswirl or about him and there is no reference to this spell anywhere. Not even a spell array that one needed to construct a spell array before writing the rhyming part of the spell.

My ears perked up when the library door opened once again and Rarity called out. "Twilight, darling, are you here?"

"I'm coming." I shouted up the stairs, quickly conjuring away the journal and my notes. I don't want to risk forgetting about it and getting an earful from Spike later.

"What brings you here?" I asked as I entered the library proper.

"With winter coming I was hoping to get some inspiration for my new winter line..."

"Let's see fashion, fashion... Ah, here." I pulled out several books on fashion and levitated them over to Rarity.

"Thanks Twilight... uh, where is Spikey-Wikey?"

"He's with Garble..."

"I see..." I had to stop a giggle as it was clear that Rarity really wanted some help from her favorite gentledragon. "I understand needing to have an older male to look up to but why that brute of a dragon Garble?"

I sighed. I understood Rarity's disapproval of him. He was still a bit of a jerk and was quite a bit more rude and insulting then Rainbow Dash.

Rarity must have noticed my discomfort as she quickly asked me an unrelated question. "Are you still working on the journal we found?"

"How did you know?" I blinked in surprise.

"Twilight you are quite predictable." Rarity smirked as she raise an eyebrow. "You always are working on that journal every time Spike goes to see Garble."

"I see... yeah, I am... I have managed to decipher everything but a partial spell... which has alluded all my attempts to figure it out. Worse still I am running out of resources to check. I'm beginning to think that the spell is lost to time..." Which was beginning to frustrate me. I hate not having the answers... more so because H.K. had said that this would help me... unless there was more then one journal hidden in the catacombs...

"Darling maybe you should give it a rest."

"I can't Starswirl knew about the Elements!"

"He did?"

"Yeah, let me show you." I teleported the book up and turned to the page with the partial spell.

"Hmmm it does look like he did..."

"Did you notice that partial spell is in the middle of the notes on the Elements?"

"I noticed... Darling could this be another contrived puzzle like the one protecting the book? What was that phrase again... Tzrüstel Atülājal?"

"I..." Why didn't I think of that!? The strange phrase, that Rarity had butchered, which was needed to open the door protecting this journal, was not spelled out at all on the engraving, something that any good riddle or puzzle creator wouldn't do. Even Discord's riddle when he stole the Elements didn't break riddle logic I had just over thought it. So, maybe, the other half won't appear unless I tried to do something illogical like cast the incomplete spell. It was something that most unicorns outside of impatient foals would never do as it would normally never do anything... "From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled."

Both Rarity and I looked around to see that nothing seemed to have happened. I quickly scanned the book taking particular attention the the final pages to find nothing new. Nope that didn't work... Why H.K.? Why? You directed me to this book for a reason so what was it?! I wish I could contact him for assistance but true to his word he had completely disappeared without a trace. If he was spying on us like before he was hiding it too well for me to detect. That, and if his prediction of his death was accurate, then he was no more...

To Fix

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I sighed as Rarity left. She had a lot of work to do to prepare for her winter fashion line and could not spend anymore time trying to help me with the spell. Not like there was much she do... It just wasn't her area of expertise. I glared at the book in annoyance. "Tzirüstele Atülāja?"

I wasn't too surprised when nothing happened. Maybe I should get some of my calming tea before I commit bookicide. It wasn't even lunch and I was already stressed out almost as bad as lesson zero...

I had barely made it into the kitchen when a huge crash came from the library. I groaned knowing that there could only be one reason for that. Rainbow Dash had used one of my windows as a door... I would invest in enchanted windows but I'm concern that it would end up hurting Rainbow Dash more then shattered glass. I still have no idea how with how many times she has done that she hasn't gotten seriously cut.

I walked into the library to see that it had been Rainbow Dash. She had managed to knock out nearly every book of the shelves in the library. Why of all days today?! This means I wouldn't get any time to work on the journal.

"Rainbow..."

"Twilight... the ponies..." Rainbow Dash gasped out in clear panic. "They... they..."

"Calm down Rainbow Dash, take a few breaths and then tell me what is going on." I coached even as I fought myself to keep my own panic down. If Rainbow Dash was panicking it was bad.

Rainbow Dash didn't get a chance before Rarity burst into the library, also in a panic. I didn't think white fur could pale as much as her did. This was bad.

I moved around the shaking Rarity and took a look outside. Everything seemed normal until I noticed that something weird about the ponies walking about. What is wrong with everypony?! Those were the creepiest smiles I had ever seen and why does everypony have the same mane style?! It was then that I saw that everypony had the same cutiemark, an equal sign. "What the...!?"

"I know smiles and these aren't smiles." Pinkie frowned as she did her usual popped out of nowhere to insert herself into the middle of a conversation. Normally that would be annoying but it this cause it was good. It meant one less pony affected by whatever was going on.

It was then that I saw Applejack and Fluttershy galloping up to us. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that both of them appeared to be normal. At least that meant we could use the Elements... maybe... they had stopped being reliable every since we released Discord months ago...

Fluttershy eeped as Pinkie Pie pulled her flank towards her and examined her cutiemark. "This one is clean!"

"Pinkie Pie..." I groaned. I was about to scold her when I could hear the sounds of drums. I looked around as the residents of Ponyville started to sing a marching song.

Life is a smile in Ponyville
Our cutiemark's the same
Because we do not separate
Ourselves by more than name

Life is a joy in Ponyville
We're all equal here
No one is superior
And no one shakes in fear

There's just too many differences
That lead to disarray
But when you learn to act as one
It's like a holiday

In Ponyville, in Ponyville
We don't complicate
When you learn to simplify
Life is oh, so great

Join in our utopia
Come out of the dark
Banded by equality
By our cutie mark!

It took me a few seconds for me to fully registered what I had just heard. The entire town had song a heartsong. A heartsong!

"That is the creepiest heartsong ever..." Pinkie Pie growled out.

"Ain't that the understatement of the day." Applejack commented.

I nodded in agreement. This is so bad and I can't even contact either Princess to let them know what was going on! Of course how can I even explain to them that I had somehow brainwashed Ponyville, again!

"This is all my fault!" I wailed as I began to pace. "I shouldn't have tried to cast that spell!"

"Its not your fault Twilight there was no way you..." Rarity tried to comfort me.

"Maybe the Elements would restore the ponies of Ponyville..." My voice fled when I saw something that shook me to my very core. The Elements had gone dark! How?! Even when Discord had messed with our minds the Elements where never affected... the spell! It had to be the spell! But how?! Nothing in the phrasing of the spell indicated that the Elements were going to also be effected and how could they even be effected in this way!? Even when we had been 'discorded' they never went inert!

I quickly pulled out the book again and quickly went to the page that had the spell to reread it again just to be sure. From one to another, another to one. A mark of one is singled out alone, fulfilled. A spell had to rhyme and this one didn't...Wait... if I took out the word fulfilled then it would rhyme! But why would Starswirl have such a vile spell in his book? Obviously it was a failure, but it's dangerous...

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" I cried slamming my head on the table. I fell for an old trick! A vile one at that. I think the only reason that us girls weren't affect was because of the Elements... which had gone dark...

"Twi...?" Applejack questioned, worriedly.

"I can't believe I fell for it!" I exclaimed, facehooving. "It's an old trick to punish thieves..."

"Okay..." Rainbow Dash grumbled at being lost, "How do we reverse it?"

"I'm not sure..." I would have said try the Elements but they had lost all there color and had become completely inert.

Was this the cost that H.K. alluded to? "But be warned, the cost may more then you may be able to bear..." No! I refuse to believe that the cost would be this! Clearly he meant that I, not everypony around me, would bare the cost... whatever it was...

Suddenly H.K.'s voice echoed in my mind. "The mistake you made is equating harmony for order..." My eyes went wide when I realized that what I was seeing with Ponyville was order... forced harmony... agreeing required free will... true harmony was different ponies coming together... then it hit me. Starswirl had hidden a spell within a spell within a fake spell! One that required me to write a response to the first half! With a flourish I wrote after the first part of the spell. "From different marks together, together in harmony. With harmony, there is magic without end."

At that the Elements began to glow brightly much to my relief even though I had done nothing to activate them. But as nothing bad seemed to be occurring I just closed my eyes to the ever strengthening light and waited. I had to have the faith that all would be well. When I opened them I found myself in a familiar surroundings, a void filled with stars.

This looks like the dream realm... Was that all that that the spell does?! All that for this how can being able to enter dreams going to help us? The ponies of Ponyville were brainwashed not suffering from bad dreams!

“Well it seems you have managed to figure out the spell.” I spun around to see H.K. smiling down at me. "Welcome Bearer of Tzirüstele Atülāja to the Astral Plane."

Author's Note

TAKE THAT STARLIGHT GLIMMER! Worst. villain. ever... actually she was meh it was mainly this line I LOATHE: "I don't know why my friends and I are so important to Equestria." Really? REALLY Twilight!?!? Nightmare Moon, Tirek, Discord twice and then the quasi times with Sombra, and Starlight the first time.

To Ascend

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

“Well it seems you have managed to figure out the spell.” I spun around to see H.K. smiling down at me. "Welcome Bearer of Tzirüstele Atülāja to the Astral Plane."

"You had me go all the trouble the past month just to learn how to use dream magic!? How is that going to help?!! I could have had Luna teach me!"

H.K. snickered, shaking his head. "No, this is not the realm of dreams, Twilight. This is the Astral Plane... The dream realm has no set look it always looks like whatever the dreamer mentally projects. You really have to learn to not jump so quickly to conclusions Twilight."

"Oh.." I mouthed. "So what is the Astral Plane?"

"Nothing you need to know about at this point." H.K. waved my questioned off. What is with this guy and being so dismissive?! "The only thing you need to know about the Astral Plane right now is that it will make it easier for the spell you cast to work."

"Easier for the spell to work!? That spell was vile! And a face to face meeting was so not worth the cost."

"The spell vile?" H.K. questioned, his face scrunched up in confusion. "I don't think so. Though I suppose it could seem that way but its merely a test of the..."

"This isn't a time for a test!" I snapped, not caring that I had cut off H.K. "Sure Spike is doing a bit better but there still the war looming and I don't see how making mindless carbon copies ponies out of my friends and their love ones suppose to help! It's evil! Evil! I was willing to bare the cost alone to help Spike and Equestria, but THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BARE IT!"

H.K. facehooved, shaking his head. "When I warned there was a cost... one that you may not be able to bare... that wasn't it."

"Then what was it!?"

"You will see soon enough."

"Must you do that?!" I ground out, frustrated as his continual dodging of my questions with excuses and sly wording.

"Do what?"

"Be infuriatingly vague and mysterious about everything." I growled.

H.K. sighed heavily, suddenly looking very old. "Yeah, I know... I prefer being blunt..."

"Then why are you doing it!?"

"Because I'm trying to ease you into what the world is really like. The world outside of Equestria is less... utopian. Plus I doubt you would have cast the spell if I told you the cost... especially if you managed to cast it before I died, which you have..."

"I am not a foal H.K." I grumbled, rubbing my forehead to try and get my headache to go away. "Please have enough respect..."

H.K. raised a hoof to cut me off. "By both dragon and Alicorn standards you are merely a child and will be for decades to come."

"I am not a dragon nor an alicorn."

"And yet, not only are you raising a dragon, Twilight, you are also trying to prevent a war with them. To dragons you have to prove yourself worthy not by words, but by actions... if you hope to find a way, if you hope to earn their respect you have to earn it on your own hooves without me coddling you along..."

"Now, as I was trying to say, the spell is a test of the heart Twilight..."

"H.K., your body, its fading away!" I screamed out, interrupting him. His body was becoming translucent before my very eyes. I had no idea how fast he was vanishing or how long he had been. I also had no idea how long it would be before he would disappear completely as I wasn't sure if time was moving at the same rate here as in Equestria.

"Yeah, I know..." H.K. whispered sadly, "My soul is fading away because I am dying... when I fade completely away here..."

"But you didn't die the last time you thought... are you sure this isn't just you being pulled away from this plane and back to Equestria?" I hoped for the later if only to get more time to ask questions! WHY DOES HE DO THIS!?

"Last time it was because of very lucky intervention... this time... I made sure there wouldn't be..." H.K. chuckled. My mouth gaped in shock. I couldn't believe that he would be happy that he was dying! "Twilight time is running short but there is one thing you must do above anything else the moment you leave this place. You must burn the journal completely and scatter its ashes, to the far reaches of Equestria if you can. You don't want anypony to ever attempt to cast that spell, ever."

"But the spell it..." I began completely flabbergasted that H.K. wanted me to destroy a book much less what has to be the most historically valuable book that Starswirl the Bearded ever wrote. Also if I had a chance of reversing whatever happen to the ponies of Ponyville I needed the original spell. "The ponies..."

"Nothing happened to the ponies of Ponyville just your perception of them." H.K. cut me off, much to my annoyance.

"How can you possibly know that!?"

"Because the spell was created by me not Starswirl." H.K. grumbled. "Just, please, do what I ask. I had that journal hidden for a very good reason. The risk of another pony suffering the same fate as Starswirl the Bearded is too high!"

"The same fate as Starswirl the Bearded..." I echoed. I had always wondered about his fate. I had merely thought it was lost because of the chaos that occurred shortly afterward with Discord but now...

H.K. sighed, looking off at nothing in the distance. If I didn't know better it looked like he was remembering something that he regretted. "The spell is soul magic..."

"Soul magic!!?" I roared readying my horn to knock H.K. out. Forget that he was dying I was going to kill him right now. Soul magic was the only class of magic that still carried the penalty of death for even the most minor of usage. If Princesses Celestia or Luna heard that I had cast it, even though I wasn't aware, I would be lucky to only be banished to Tartarus. It wasn't me over reacting like with the want it need it spell either. Soul magic was that bad. "YOU HAD ME CAST A TYPE OF SPELL THAT EVEN A INSANE DARK MAGIC USER WOULDN'T TOUCH! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA..."

My anger vanished to be replaced instantly by cold terror as H.K.'s fiery mane flared up like an actual flame. I could feel his rage pressing down on me, choking me. A archaic wind blew around us. When he finally spoke he sounded terrifyingly like a demon from the depths of Tartarus. "Do not presume to lecture me Miss I will do anything for Spike! I know the dangers of soul magic far more then anyone alive!"

As fast as H.K.s transformed he turned back. I took some time to get my heart rate and breathed down. Everytime I think he have top his previous terrifying visage he surpasses it.

"The Elements protected you from the negative effects of the first half of the spell. Normally what you thought happened to the ponies of Ponyville would have become your fate if you didn't figured out the response to the first half fast enough. Sadly, Starswirl... he didn't have the Elements nor did he understand harmony in the same way as you have. In the end he became a happy nondescript pony in every way: nondescript cutiemark, nondescript magic ability, nondescript voice, etc. The effect was total, all the way to his soul, and as you already know, soul magic is irreversible... He became unremarkable because being remarkable and different wasn't orderly. You can't be different and be orderly, blagh."

"Oh, wow, that makes me feel so much better..." I snarked before breaking down into sobs. To think that my hero had succumbed to a fate like that. It was just horrible.

"I suggest that you talk with Oathbreaker to get the full story... Sadly, we don't have any more time as the spell has finally begun its work. Soon you will ascend into an alicorn..."

"What!?" How would becoming an alicorn help? And who said I wanted to be an alicorn?!

"I am not one to mince my words... nor flab my gums just because I can. I know you can piece it together otherwise you would have never figure out the puzzle to get the journal much less the spell."

"But I don't under..." My words faded as an orb of magic flew out of my chest and started to circle around me. Wait what is going on!? My panic rose as more joined the first and I was lifted up and away from H.K. who only smiled at me, oddly sadly.

It was then I realized something, something awful. Magic couldn't make something out of nothing even soul magic you needed some sort of template especially with soul magic and a change on this level would... I stared at H.K. in horror. NOOOOOO! I have to stop this now! The magic, however was soon was too bright for me to see anything anymore I also didn't have a clue how to stop it.

What have I done?!

"Be a better sibling then I... Sister Twilight..." H.K. whispered out as I was lost sight of him in the bright, swirling magic.

To Die

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I watched as Garble tested out his metal glove claws on a couple of wooden boards slicing through them like a hot knife through soft butter. I still couldn't believe that merely thirty days ago he started blacksmithing for the first time. A sword or spear would have been an easier first time project but he went straight to something that was considered fairly advance and to do it so well was surprising.

"Bah! Still not good enough."

"I couldn't understand..."I questioned as I picked up a sliced piece of wood. "The claw cut through those boards like they were nothing."

Without warning Garble slashed my arm with the metal claw.

"WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU THINKING?!" I roared at Garble scrambling to get some distance from him. The slash didn't do any damage but it did sting.

"Relax you baby." Garble rolled his eyes crossing his arms. "There isn't even a scratch on your overly polished scales. My regular claws could do more damage... I want to have a weapon that is badass in more then looks... Sadly, I can't figure out the the combination of metals that comprises Leafcutter and none of the alloys in any of the books smell right..."

"Leafcutter?" I asked.

"It's H.K.'s sword..." Garble explained as he took off the metal claw. "I have no idea why he called it that, Bleeding Thorns is better... Leafcutter? Why!?"

Of course... I facepalmed. I should have known that it had to be a weapon of H.K.'s. I swear he is as bad as most ponies are with Oathbreaker... However, it had been several months since H.K.'s death and he had only been with H.K. for a few months before that so it was possible he was not remembering correctly. "Are you sure you remember the smell right?"

"I could never forget the smell..." Garble sighed as he trace a claw along some of his scars. Please don't tell me... I inwardly groaned as I tried not to stare at Garble's actions. "I got to know that sword very well as Leafcutter is what H.K. used to give me my scars."

I said don't tell me... I grumbled, facepalming.

I was about to verbally berate Garble when a familiar flash caught my attention. Both Garble and I looked over to see that it was caused by Twilight. I knew something was wrong the moment I saw her. She looked extremely disheveled, and, unlike normal after teleporting, at least for her, she seem disorientated. The last time I saw Twilight this messed up was during that whole want it need it fiasco. Great, what is she overreacting to now... wait, when did she get wings? I thought that the wing spell was too difficult to be practical. Why would she use it when the cloud walking spell was much easier?

"Spike! I KILLED HIM!" Twilight gasped out as soon as she saw me. I had to fight back a cringe. She looked even worse then I thought.

"What?" I spouted out in disbelief. "Twi, you are making no sense... did you accidentally mess up that special tea blend of Zecora's again?" Or did Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie prank her with powered poison joke again... I added to myself. I was not happy with those two when I found out. I like pranks as much as the next pony/dragon but I don't like dealing with an overreacting, panicking Twilight.

"NO, I KILLED H.K.!"

I blinked as Twilight collapsed at my feet sobbing. What could possible make her think she did that!? I sighed as I ran my claw through her mane trying to get her to calm down. If I didn't I doubt she would listen to what I needed to tell her, to remind her. Remind her that H.K. didn't die because of her. He died because of Sombra's evil and Oathbreaker's negligence.

"Twi... H.K. died months ago after he battled with Sombra and wandered off into the Frozen North remember? Garble, uh, what was it call again, that thing H.K. did after the battle?"

However Garble didn't answer me right away and he also seemed to be zoned out. I was about to repeat myself when he finally answered. "The Lone Walk..."

"Yes, but... he... he somehow survived... and... and... last month we... we... found him..."

I went wide eyed when she said that. When I looked over to Garble and frowned. The way Garble was trying to avoid eye contact with me was odd. He was clearly hiding something.

"Garble..." I growled threateningly.

At that Garble flinched. The only time he would ever do that was with H.K. It was then that I realized that Twilight was not spouting nonsense at least for the part that she killed H.K. H.K. must be alive... The question I now had was, "Why!?" I could understand Garble remaining silent but Twilight? Though maybe H.K. threatened her like with Oathbreaker... I hope not, because if he had...

"He told us not to and after after what he did to Oathbreaker I... I..."

I breathed out slowly. I could be angry later. Right now I needed to get Twilight to calm down. "Why do you think you killed him?"

"He... had me...hic find a journal..." Twilight started to hiccup, making it even harder for her to explain what was going on. "In...hic In... it was a spell... he said hic would help but... it... he was... so sihic... sick... dying.. acthicually... the spell put too hic much strain on him..."

I put a claw on Twilight's muzzle to stop her. I had heard enough. It was clear that once again Twilight had jumped to the wrong conclusion. However, if H.K was deathly ill like Twilight said we need to find him and fast. Sick ponies and high end spells do not mix. "Where is he?"

"I...I don't know... When found him a month ago it was because he was using a zebraian scything spell on the gem around Garble's neck."

I looked at the gem glinting around Garble's neck. Why would H.K. use that spell like that on that gem? It was then that I remembered something that Garble told me about the gem. "H.K. said that if anything happened to him that you were to have this." So he wanted to keep and eye on me? I suppose I could understand that but why conceal the fact he was alive? I clenched my fists in anger. I can understand the Lone Walk to a degree but if he had been incorrect in thinking he was dying why did he hide from me?! Didn't he know how much... how much I needed him?

I watched with narrowed eyes as Garble slowly took off the necklace and held it out for me. I stared at it for a moment before I reached out and took the necklace. If this gem was how H.K. was spying on me and how Twilight found him before then Twilight should be able to find H.K. through it once again.

"Twilight use the gem like before and take me to him, now." I growled out, holding out the shield gem necklace by the chain.

"But..." Twilight whimpered out a weak protest.

"Twilight just do it!" I snarled, slapping her.

Normally I would never use such a method but if what even a bit of what Twilight had said was true we needed to act now. I'll apologize later. Twilight gulped in a bit of fear which made me cringe a bit. Yeah, I would have to apologize later... But she managed to straighten herself out enough to do what I asked and a second later we both teleported away.

I blinked away the temporary blindness from a hastily casted long range teleportation to see that she we were in a forest and from the look of the undergrowth and trees it was clear to me that we were somewhere deep in the Everfree. A large rock outcropping was nearby. I just hope we weren't near that dragon's cave. I don't think that dragon will be please to see me again and I don't have anything with me to appease him, if that was even possible.

"Was this where you last saw him?" I questioned hoping that in her haste she managed to cast the teleportation spell properly.

"No..." Twilight shook her head looking about in a mixture of fear and curiosity. "He was living in a large bog tree when we found him... and the last time I saw him he was walking into the deeper area of the forest... Outside of being in the Everfree I honestly have no idea where we are..."

Crap! Maybe I should have let Twilight collect her self a bit more. While we could climb the nearby outcropping to get our barrings the Everfree was quite large and it was possible we would be unable to find any landmarks for Twilight to use to teleport us out. Also it was possible that Twilight could be off the mark and we could be miles form H.K. I just hope that wasn't the case as I walked up to check the outcropping for an cave. If H.K. was around he would most likely be in a cave.

"Twilight over here." I called out when I found a small cave hidden partially by a curtain of vines.

I pulled the vines aside and walked into the cave with Twilight right behind me. I gasped in shock when my eye adjusted to low light and I saw H.K. lying on his side in the back of the shallow cave. Twilight sobbed twice before collapsing. Understandable as H.K. looked absolutely horrible, worse then Twilight ever looked when she went into one of her manic episodes. His fur was matted with large patches missing and his fiery rainbow mane was pale and unmoving. It also looked like he hadn't eaten in some time as I could make out a few of his ribs. What happened to him? I slowly took a step forward unsure if he was still alive.

As I stepped forward I nearly slipped on something slimy and sticky. Please don't be blood. I begged as I slowly looked down to see puddles of something dark. It seemed a bit too dark for blood but then again not everyone had red blood... What is this stuff? I lifted some of it up so I could get a better look at it. Wait... I know this stuff! There was pools of this stuff in the midst of the aftermath of H.K.'s and Sombra's battle.

"No no nooo nonononono." Twilight suddenly started to blubbered out between her continued sobs. "I did kill him!"

I sighed as I shook my head. While I really hoped that H.K. wasn't be dead I knew we had to get closer to be sure. As I got closer I could just make out a raspy breath. He was still alive, if only, barely. But other then the raspy breath there was no indication that he was even aware that I was right next to him. "He's alive Twi..."

"Thank Oathbreaker." Twilight sighed in relief.

I growled as she spoke her name though I could understand her slip up in her relief. Most ponies, even her, adored Oathbreaker.

"Do you know what could be wrong with him?" I asked even though I could guess dark magic from Sombra. H.K. never seemed ill when I was with him before the Crystal Empire.

"I don't know... But the last time he vomited all this ashy goo Zecora was the only one able to help..."

...use me...

"Wait," I waved for Twilight to wait. I leaned in hoping that I could better hear him. "I think H.K. is trying to say something. H.K.?"

The only thing I heard though was a few raspy shallow breaths. I was about to tell Twilight to go ahead to get Zecora when once again I heard something.

...use me...

"H.K. what do you mean 'use me'?" I asked, trying to keep my increasing concern from leaking through. There clearly had to be more because 'use me' made zero sense.

However, H.K. said nothing further. Worse still I could see H.K.s eyes glassing over. No, don't you die on me you jerk! In frustration, I slammed my fist which had the shield gem in it onto H.K. barrel. As soon as the gem and my arm touched H.K. barrel my arm suddenly felt like I had plunged it into wet concrete. When I attempted to pull my arm away I found that I couldn't! The shield gem started to glow just like the Elements of Harmony when they activated. Crap! This was bad! I had no idea what the gem was going to do, and worse I couldn't let go of the gem nor move my arm away from H.K.

"TWILIGHT, HELP!" I screamed out trying to reach out to Twilight who was trying to reach out to me but was being pushed back by the increasing mana wind. Unfortunately her wings were not helping either.

"I'm trying Spike!" Twilight shouted over the roar of the mana.

I turned to try once again pull myself off of H.K. while I knew that Twilight would continue to try I had to get my claw unglued or there may not be much Twilight could do. Being around a gifted unicorn like Twilight for so long made me familiar with mana pressure but this was far beyond anything I had ever felt from Twilight. I was becoming afraid that the mana pressure could possibly be more then she could counter.

As the mana pressure and light kept increasing I could feel my strength fading fast. I cried out one last time before I collapsed, exhausted. The last thing I remembered was Twilight screaming.

To Speak

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

I looked around a bit confused. I suddenly had found myself standing in the middle of a forest, a forest that wasn't the Everfree, at night. Not someplace that I had expected to be... unless both dragons and ponies were off on what the afterlife was like. Which I highly doubt, so that meant I was pulled from the Astral Plane, and even in my weakened state only someone very powerful could have done so.

I puffed out a sigh. There wasn't much for me to do about it but to walk along a prey trail that went through the underbrush nearby. I could fly above the forest but that would expose me and until I knew more of what going on I wanted to avoid that. I just hope that whomever did this was benevolent. While I was capable of defending myself in most cases I was literally moments from death when I last saw Twilight, and if this was a mental plane I would be vulnerable at that moment. There was a lot I knew that in the wrong hands or hooves could spell the end of the world.

As I walked though the forest I began worry I could not hear nor see any sign of a single animal. This would only happen if something had scared or killed everything. My unease and concern only increased the further I walked. The silence was just way overbearing and it seemed like it would go on forever. I sighed in mild relief when I finally could make out what looked to be a clearing in the trees ahead. As I got closer I slowed down. This was mostly likely a trap. One that I really had no choice but to trigger, but I was not going to be caught unaware.

As I approached the meadow I examined it within the treeline for a few minutes but could not see anyone or anything so I stepped out. With me no longer under the thick canopy I could finally get a good look at the sky, or what little I could given that the only thing visible outside of the roiling thunderclouds was the constellation most commonly know as Draco. That helped me a bit on whom could have down this... I was either dealing with a dragon or one that identified with dragons in some way. It also meant I was most likely dealing with a dark magic user. Damn it.

I tensed, readying myself for anything, as the stars of Draco began to shift around then fall towards the meadow. It appeared that whomever had brought me here was about to make his or her appearance. As I has expected the stars plummeted to the ground on the other side of the meadow in a brilliant flash of light.

I blinked to clear my eyes to find that a male spark dragon was standing in place of the stars. A spark dragon I knew very well even though the glowstones had always masked his coloration. When his spade tail with its tip missing flinched into my sight it only confirmed it. My anger burned as I readied myself to fight. I don't what game was being pulled but I was not going to let whoever was doing this to dishonor my father in such a way.

However, my anger evaporated as soon as the dragon opened his mouth and spoke. "Sveiüi, tēls."(Hello, son)

I was stunned. No one could ever speak anything but the truth using Draconic, and only two beings could ever call me that using Draconic. I hesitated a second more before I rushed up to my father and began to nuzzle his foreleg, crying. It had been so long since I last saw him dying to shield Mother from their exploding mountain hoard. Life became really hard after that and as I tried and failed over and over to hatch my brother's egg it only got worse. I had lost all hope when the Oaths were originally agreed upon.

But then, it happened, my brothers egg had managed to be hatched. For the first time in a long time I felt like maybe I could have a normal life once again. That there was a light the end of a long tunnel. But, then... I should have paid better attention! If only I had...

I nearly choked up when I felt my father's head reach down and nuzzle the top of my head. "Father, it's been so hard without you and Mother I..."

"It's okay son, but, I am not your father... not exactly..."

I raised an eyebrow as I looked up. Father was not one to be this enigmatic. Actually, if memory serves he was never one for word puzzles or riddles. The only time he ever came close was because if he was trying to explain something obscure about dragons.

"I don't..."

I HAVE MANYNAMES AND TITLES YOUNG HARMONIOUS KNIGHT...

I shrunk back in terror. Never had I ever felt so much power and been in so much fear just from hearing someone speak. My father's voice had suddenly become like millions of voices speaking as one and yet I could hear every single one of them!

BUT THE ONEYOUMAY KNOWIS THE VOICE.

I breathed hard as I tried to collect myself once he was done speaking. I was in the presence of the equivalent of the dragon god The Voice! I was so not worthy of that!

"Relax." My 'father' once again spoke.

Relax?! How can I relax I was ? I'm not sure how much those stories of The Voice's might were truthful or not but after just a display of his power through his voice alone... Things only got worse as the the forest around us suddenly erupted into a towering inferno. While dragons were fire prove I was not but when I attempted to cast a fire proofing spell my magic was painfully short circuited by a claw on my horn.

"No, don't."

I gulped in fear but listened. Though I immediately questioned listening when a roar of a dragon echoed out. A feral roar filled with rage. It was as if it was coming from everywhere all at once. It means that flames could very well be dragon generated which was far worse then just regular flame and I was told to not do anything. I just hope this dragon could be calmed down without a fight, otherwise...

"Do you see him?" The Voice calmly questioned.

I squinted as I tried to pierce through veil of flames to see whomever The Voice wanted me to see. My jaw dropped when the flames shifted just enough to see a dragon within the flames. The dragon was white with round rainbow head spines and a purple and green trident tail weapon. This dragon looked just like a dragon version of me. I didn't know if I should be annoyed or flattered.

Why is he so ticked off? I idly wondered. As far as I could tell we were not in any dragon's territory. It was one of the first things I checked when I first suddenly found myself wherever this place is. The dragon strangely remained inside the flames, pacing and staring at me with hatred. Why? It was clear that he wanted to attack but it almost seemed like he couldn't walk past the wall of flames. How? The flames shouldn't stop him from coming after us. It was like he was trapped or something. Was The Voice protecting me and why was this dragon so mad at me of all dragons? As far as I knew I had done nothing wrong to him.

"From the moment he was born thousands of years ago he has been imprisoned in those flames, unable to escape." The Voice explained, answering one of my silent questions.

"What!?" I shouted, snapping my eyes up to The Voice who was merely stared off toward the still roaring dragon. "Who would do such a thing!?"

Without missing a beat The Voice looked down at me and answered with one word. "You."

"But that's imposs..."

"Tu, Harmonious Knight, ieslotzīti vithu." (You, Harmonious Knight, imprisoned him.)

I nearly collapsed in shock once The Voice reinforced what he said with Draconic. I couldn't deny it now. I had imprisoned a clearly innocent dragon for thousands of years! There was only one thing I could to absolved myself of my crime. I walked up as close as I could to the flames and laid down on my stomach splaying out my legs and making myself as flat as possible. I took a single long breath and waited. I just hoped this dragon would make it fast.

As soon as I had laid down I could hear the sounds of something, most likely the dragon, rushing towards me. I resisted the urge to cringe or shake in fear as a dragon roared right into my ear. I knew that excruciating pain would be next as the dragon had free reign to slash, bash, and tear me apart. What came next surprised me. Something, most likely the dragon, was nudging me, almost as to beckon me to rise. But I would not rise. To imprison a being like him, even accidentally, for no reason... Garble imprisonment was punishment this, this was just wrong...

"Only a dishonorable beast" Spike sneered in pure hate at me poking me the chest. "Would strip somedragon their name and torture them over something so minute!" Spike was right, I am just a beast...

A growl of annoyance came from whomever was trying to get me to rise. It made no sense to me as to why would he so quickly forgive me. I had imprisoned him since birth he was well within his rights to tear me apart while remained as limp as I could.

"Why don't you rise?" The Voice questioned me. His voice seemed so close that I he must have managed to approach without me knowing. Although to be fair, I was focusing very hard on keeping myself perfectly still.

I remained silent. Only a dishonorable beast... Spike's voice echoed in my mind once again. I almost didn't react when I felt the tail of the dragon worked his way around my barrel. I did, however, let him raise me up back onto my hooves.

"Open you eyes and see the truth."

I opened my eyes to see the dragon with the same green and purple eyes that I had staring right into me. That alone surprised me but what really got me was that the eyes that had before been filled with murderous rage were filled with joy. The dragon stared at me for a moment longer before blinking. With a huff and a light shake of his head he turned around and bounded off towards the forest, leaving me very confused. The actions of the dragon was a bit odd... but then, considering the length of his imprisonment... and the way too close for comfort parallels between us... I wonder...

"He only wanted to be free. That's all he ever wanted from you." The Voice noted as the white dragon faded from view.

I looked up at The Voice. Something about this screamed of a test. "Was this some sort of final test? That I had to prove myself a dragon... before you would escort me to the dragon afterlife?"

The Voice blinked at me for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Now why would I do that? You are my son, Harmonious Knight, you have already proven yourself worthy long ago when you managed to complete the Rite of Guardianship. Besides, you are not neither dead nor dying."

The only word that I could manage to think of was how? How am I not dead or dying? I suppose it could have been The Voice given how powerful he is, at least, according to Dragon Lore... Then there was that vision from the Spirits of the Stampeding Peoples... It bears repeating though, why can't anyone just let me die? I made sure that Twilight ascended giving the ponies a much higher chance to survive. What more could I have done, dying as I was? This was annoyingly confusing.

"Before you ask it was not I that saved you from death... it was your brother."

"How!?" I spurted out, even more confused then before. Spike had not Chosen he can not actively access his magic outside of his messaging fire!

"The gem necklace..." The Voice sighed out. "It's actually the only reason that you and I can speak..."

I gaped as The Voice said that. I knew the gem had powerful spells in it, but what??! I thought it couldn't it stop me from dying from the ash illness as that gem was one of the first things I had tried! If that wasn't enough, it also summoned The Voice as well!?

"I have a task for you Harmonious Knight..." The Voice seemed even sadder as he continued to speak. "And I must ask for forgiveness as well..."

The Voice... asking me for forgiveness?! What the fuck is going on?

An Awakening

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

Zecora calmly was sipping on her tea as I paced in her hut. I know her calm demeanor was masking her irritation for the trench that I was creating in her floor but I just couldn't calm down. After that what happened in that cave... I was just on edge. When Spike slammed that gem onto H.K. and they were enveloped in the magic pouring from the gem... I thought I had lost Spike. But when the magic faded away leaving a knocked out Spike and a revived, though unconscious, H.K. I sighed in relief, if only for a moment.

I figured that Spike probably was just passed out from mana overload just like what happened to my friends and I when we first used the Elements of Harmony. It was H.K. that I was most concerned about as he was at death's door when we found him. I quickly took both into my magical grasp and did a series of teleport jumps to Zecora's hut. She was the only one that I would trust to help Spike and I doubt anypony but Zecora could help H.K.

It wasn't until I had laid H.K. down in Zecora's hut and had a moment to collect myself that I noticed that the scar on H.K.'s shoulder was gone. I became really curious when instead of fur covering the shoulder it was covered with pearl white scales. He also was no longer emaciated. The change in him was eerily familiar to what happened to Luna... Unfortunately I knew I wasn't going to know exactly what happened to him until he woke up. Hence why I was pacing. I needed to know that I wasn't responsible for... I needed to know that H.K. was truly okay.

I flew to the ceiling in fright when H.K suddenly awoke and sat up with a large gasp.

"H.K.!?" I stuttered out as H.K. looked around.

I immediately regretted opening my mouth as H.K. spun towards me growling. I shook in fear as H.K. stalked towards me. I had seen this kind of look before from the predators in the Everfree. He was looking at me like I was a meal. However, just as fast he stopped and blinked, the feral animal look fading from his eyes.

"Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja?" H.K. questioned... I think. He spoke in a language I did not know outside of the last two words and had no idea the meaning of those two.

"H.K.?" I squeaked out not sure what to think. Between the unknown language and the 'you tasty' look I wasn't sure if H.K. was okay or not. I really hope that my concern about brain damage was wrong and H.K. was just disorientated. "Are you okay?"

"Jā."

"H.K. in riddles you speak, a different spoken tongue is what we seek."

H.K. blushed. "Sorry... I... trouble talk now... give moment..."

Even though my head was swimming with questions I nodded my understanding. While I waited I decided to check on Spike. He had been out for quite some time now and I wanted to make sure that he was still merely passed out. I knew that with mana overload it could take up to several hours for the pony, or dragon in this case, to wake up. The problem I was facing was that dragons naturally napped for long periods of time which could mean that Spike could be out for days... or maybe not, I didn't know. I really wish I knew more about dragon biology.

"What happened?" H.K. suddenly asked after I finished examining Spike.

I was stunned by him asking that question as I was going to ask that! But I dared not to answer him as I had seen first hoof how much of a temper H.K. had. If he found out that I had told Spike...

"I am not mad at you for telling Spike..."

I eeped in fright, backing away a few steps instinctively. H.K. had figured out the truth without me saying a single word. I struggled to believe H.K.'s assurance. I had witness how easily he angered, especially when someone went back on their word.

I flinched when H.K.'s wing wrapped around me. "Please relax thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja if you had not told Spike I would not be alive and well right now... He healed my ash illness... something I had for thousands of years and tried over and over to heal and was never able to do so. I just need to know what happened to better understand how."

I fought hard to calm myself down, but I just couldn't. I kept flashing back to when H.K. had Princess Celestia slammed up against a wall, his sword pressed to her neck. Except instead of her it was I with the sword pressed to my neck.

"Atcktūsties thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja" H.K. whispered and I immediately relaxed, much to my confusion. "I was already dying, nothing you did changed that..."

"I know, but I tend to panic and jump to wild conclusions..." I blushed as I remember both the time I created a friendship problem and the time I went back in time.

"It's okay, just start from the beginning."

"Okay." I gulped before quickly going through the calming technique that Cadence taught me. "Well it began the moment I left the Astral Plane. I had to do something to try and fix what I thought I had done so I teleported to Spike who was with Garble and confessed... Spike he... he ordered me to find you like before... which I was surprised when it worked... I was about to get Zecora when Spike stopped me saying that you had whispered out something but all he could get from you was 'use me.'"

"Wait..." H.K. gaze slammed into me, his eyes widening in shock. "He heard 'use me'? Are you sure?"

"Yes... I was unable to hear you, but... he seemed sure...."

"Interesting..." H.K mumbled as he turned away rubbing his chin with a hoof.

"H.K.?" I inwardly groaned when H.K. responded to my concern by waving his hoof dismissively. Why am I not surprised? H.K. always seemed to leave me hanging.

"Spike should awaken soon. Using the gem in such a way for the first time clearly was a bit overwhelming for him... Make sure that he keeps the necklace on at all times..." My eyes narrowed has H.K. stood up. It was clear from what he said and the way he said it that he was about to leave.

"Whoa, whoa, no. You are not running out on him again." I stepped in front of H.K., blocking his way out of Zecora's hut. I knew him enough to know what he was doing, and I was not going to stand by again and let him. I just hope that he doesn't use his magic to bypass me... or his sword...

"What do you need?" H.K. grumbled. "I have something that requires my attention."

"What of Spike your brother!?" I snapped, gesturing towards Spike. "What of him? He's right there behind you! Why must you be such a coward?"

"DON'T TEST ME Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja!" H.K. roared at me. I gulped when I saw the telltale sighs of dragon flame forming in the back of his maw. What happened to him? First the scaled shoulder and now flames from his maw? It was like he was biologically becoming more and more dragon.

Just as quickly H.K.'s expression soften. "It is not safe for me to be around pr- ponies right now..."

"Then you can stay with Garble." I countered his feeble excuse. "Spike needs you around, especially if what you said about hoarding was correct. He had nightmares for weeks after his hatchday and I don't know how to help him other then support him. Also with you now alive you could help with the coming war..."

"I am aware of Spike's struggles which is why he needs the gem necklace... it will guide him to where his heart already is."

I rubbed the bridge of my brow in frustration. As was typical with H.K., he was being infuriatingly unhelpful, but I had a feeling that it was probably all that I would be able to get out of H.K, at least about that. The war on the other hoof... "And the war?"

"For now, I will have to leave that to you and Spike. I have other things to do that are just as pressing."

"How is imminent genocide not the most pressing matter?"

"Which is exactly why I other matters to attend to..."

What!? Can you for once not be enigmatic H.K.!

Author's Note

Let's see if this time someone notices...

A Confrontation

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I groaned as I groggily awoke. I looked around to see that I was in Zecora's hut. I was not expecting to be here as the last thing I remember was the ever brightening light surrounding me in H.K.'s cave. As excepted I could see thatZecora was here along with Twilight. If any of the other girls where here I couldn't tell. I watched a moment as Zecora calmly balancing one hoof on her pole while Twilight paced. That was not good. Twilight and pacing was never good. "What happened?"

"Twi... can't... brreeathe!" I wheezed out when Twilight rushed me and hugged me a bit too tightly.

"Sorry Spike..." Twilight blushed as she let me go. "When you were enveloped in that mana surge along with H.K. ... I... I..."

"Twi, relax I'm fine..." I cooed as I wiped away Twilight's tears. Unfornatlly I knew that it was not really going to help as I needed to ask a tough question. "Twi... I need to know... H.K. is... Twi... I saw his eyes glass over... just like... Twi... is he dead?"

"No, he is not dead... that gem somehow revived him and..."

I started bawling once Twilight said H.K. was alive. I had no idea know why I was crying so hard. I still don't know for sure if Discord was saying the truth that H.K. was truly my brother or not... but I had to know... What really became of my family... why I was left with Twilight... H.K. was the only one the would know those answers... And I thought I had lost him only to find that I would have if it wasn't for the gem necklace that was still clutched in my hand. It was just overwhelming.

My wild emotions was interrupted by a knock on Zecora's door. I looked out a window to see that it was nighttime. Who would brave the Everfree at night? I looked over to see that Zecora was holding her staff in an aggressive manner while Twilight was sweating nervously. "Twilight? Zecora?"

"Normally I would say do not fear, but the Sun Princess is here..."

"What is she doing here?" I growled in anger.

"She is here for me..." Twilight whispered out, sobbing a bit. "To... banish me from Equestria... At least, I hope..."

"What!?" I exclaimed in shock. I don't see Oathbreaker doing that considering that she has allowed Garble and I to remain in Equestria even though I want to and will kill her and Garble tried once already. "Oathbreaker wouldn't banish you for using a wing spell..."

"It's not a wing spell, Spike... I... I used soul magic!"

"What do you mean?" That made no sense. Twilight knew not only how dangerous soul magic was but the legal consequences of using it. She would diffidently not do anything to displease Oathbreaker, it just wasn't in her character... yet.

"It was a spell that H.K. said would help me help you! I...I... I had no idea it was soul magic until it was too late!" I was floored. Why would H.K. have Twilight cast a soul spell?! Surely he knew how dangerous that class of spells were! No wonder Twilight thought she had killed him. "I hope that by throwing myself at Princess Oathbreaker's mercy that I... that I..."

I clenched my claws in anger I was not going to let Oathbreaker take Twilight away. Twilight had friends here and ever since she moved to Ponyville had finally began to get out of the library every once and a while and have fun... have a life.

I stepped between Twilight and Oathbreaker as she entered Zecora's hut. I was a bit taken back when she entered alone. I was expecting a few guards at least. Not that she would need them. I hate to say this but Twilight was a bit of a pushover in a fight and loved Oathbreaker too much to do anything against her and even if she did Oathbreaker was quite powerful.

Oathbreaker flinched when she looked past me and saw Twilight's wings. For just a split second I could see outright terror in her eyes before her usual calm mask returned. That got my attention. Why would Oathbreaker be in terror over Twilight and could this mean even more trouble? Whatever the reason I was not going to let Oathbreaker do anything to Twilight and I was going to make sure she knew that.

"You leave Twilight the buck alone Oathbre... ack....ow, ow, ow..."

"I can forgive you for your dragon instinct that makes you hate Princess 'Oathbreaker,'" Twilight hissed at me as she twisted my ear fin, "but I will not have you use that language!"

"Sorry, Twi..." I whined an apology out, hoping that she would let go of my ear fin, which she thankfully did.

"Twilight is not in trouble." Oathbreaker spoke up softly, strangely looking at me and not at Twilight. Why is she looking at me? Don't convince me, convince her.

"But I... soul magic..." Twilight spurted out completely confused. She wasn't the only one, as I too was confused. I was sure that she was going to be in trouble, and that I was going to get my chance to kill Oathbreaker with the least amount of hurt on Twilight's part.

"What was the spell's wording?"

"I... 'From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled'..." Twilight fell silent after that, much to my confusion. That's it? I'm pretty sure that spells are suppose to rhyme.

When I looked over at Oathbreaker she once again appeared... troubled. "The spell you cast was a version of H.K.'s ascension spell."

"Ascension spell?" Twilight questioned, thoughtfully. Oh no, I know that look and the way she asked... manic Twilight warning... Pony your crazy stations! "What is that? I have never heard of that type of spell. I suppose that's possible given that that's soul magic and the extreme restrictions to even study anything on soul magic... I..."

Oathbreaker raised a hoof and Twilight almost immediately stop blabbering. I was not going ever admit it but I was thankful to Oathbreaker's ability to stop Twilight's mania so easily. "Ascension spells transforms a pony, no matter the tribe into an alicorn down to the very soul. The spell, like all soul spells, are very difficult to create as each ascension spell must be created individually using the spell creators soul as a template. It is also the only soul spell that is legal to cast."

"But I studied the laws on all classes of magic as part of one of my thesis. There is no law that allows its usage... including accidental use!"

"It's an ancient alicorn law, far older then Equestria... Created to prevent... problems when an alicorn took a non alicorn wife or husband..."

Twilight went immediately red at that. I snorted before bursting into laughter. H.K. and Twilight?! Husband and wife? No, not in a million years... Though I could use this information to blackmail Twilight out of doing work... or to stun her out of one of her manic episodes.

"But he said that Starswirl had first tried using that spell..." I didn't think Twilight could get any redder but somehow she did. I was a bit taken back, H.K. didn't seem to be the type to be a colt fodder though what do I know about that? He was always quite evasive about everything, especially about himself. I got more 'information,' if you could call it that, from Discord.

"No H.K. was not that type... he doesn't even like ponies... Starswirl was..." Oathbreaker sighed sadly, "He was Luna and I's consort."

"What?!" Both Twilight and I shouted in disbelief. Twilight knew everything and I mean everything about him and being her assistant I in turn I knew everything about Starswirl the Bearded. There was zero records that even hinted at that possibility.

"Starswirl was a private stallion and scholar by nature and didn't like the idea of being in public for being consort to two 'goddesses.' His role as a trusted adviser to us was a way for him to be close to us without ponies suspecting a thing..." Oathbreaker choked out, tears falling down her muzzle.

I rolled my eyes at the display. She dared to cry over losing her consort. What of my family that she stole from me? What of them? "Leave." I growled out. I had reached my limit with Oathbreaker and with Twilight being safe from being in trouble I didn't want to see her any longer less I reach my breaking point and kill her now.

"Spike, I..."

"I don't want to hear your honey coated turds." I snapped breathing a bit of my flame to make sure Oathbreaker knew I meant business. "Just get out before I say screw to Twilight's feelings and kill you right here and right now."

Luckily for Oathbreaker she nodded her understanding and quickly left. With her gone I could get back to the topic of what happened to H.K. which had taken a back seat when Oathbreaker showed up.

"Where is H.K. Twilight?"

Twilight blinked and looked at me in confusion before what I had asked clicked. "I don't know."

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at her. I doubted that, especially after hiding his survival from me. She had to know at least something. "Twilight..."

"I don't know Spike! He left and didn't say where he was going!"

"Why didn't you stop him!?"

"How, Spike!? How? I saw how powerful he was even when he was deathly ill... and now that he is healed..." Twilight shuddered violently. "All I got from he was that he was leaving Equestria then he took off so fast that he created a rainboom. Spike, a rainboom! That was hours ago Spike. He is most likely well beyond teleportation range and if he truly left Equestria we need to be prepared, which we are not! Who knows how desolate the lands are to the south of Equestria are, assuming he kept going in that direction!"

That coward! Every time he runs away!

A Parting

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"Are you sure a pack full will be enough Garble?" I questioned as put my last hand full of gems into my backpack and closed its top. I really hope it was enough because I don't think I couldn't stuff it any further. It could be some time before we find more gems.

"Yeah, at least for a few days especially if I can hunt successfully... but Spike you do realize you may have to eat meat right? If you puke on me even once you are walking the rest of the way. I don't care if we end up finding H.K. all the way on the other side of the world."

I gulped. I really hoped it would not come to that. The idea of eating a previous living thing was not a prospect I was looking forward to but we needed to get out of here fast without tipping off Twilight so I couldn't cook up any high calorie trail mix.

I swung the now fairly heavily bag onto my back and adjusted the straps to make sure that it was on tight. I did not want to lose the bag in the air. I was about to climb on Garble's back when I saw some ponies, familiar ponies, walking towards us. I sighed and I pinched my brow. The entire gang was here. I should have known I wouldn't be able to leave without Twilight knowing. I wanted to leave without telling her because I knew that she would either follow or try and stop me and from the looks of the saddle bags on them, follow.

"What are you all doing here?" Garble grumbled.

I, however, had a different question. "How did you know?"

"You had that same look when you decided to join the Dragon Migration." Twilight explained.

Of course... I would. I facepalmed. But just as I could be read by Twilight so too could I read her. "You can't come."

"But it could be dangerous!" Twilight protested with nods of agreement from the others.

"Which is why Garble is coming with me. It was real easy to convince him to come too... he's just as bad of a fanboy of H.K. as Rainbow Dash is fangirl to the Wonderbolts. Equestria needs you here to wield the Elements. I am not that important to Equestria."

"But you are important to us Spike..." Fluttershy whispered out.

"I know..." I looked down in shame, "which is why I need to go... I scared out of my scales that I will transform like I did on my hatchday and somepony will get hurt or killed..."

"But darling, you changed back when you saw the fire ruby and remembered who you were... your heart is not that of a beast..."

"You don't know that!" I sighed when I realized I had roared at my friends and specifically Rarity. "You don't know that... What if it my memories doesn't work next time Rarity? Or what if I inadvertently get a taste for blood and instead of grabbing everything in sight due to greed I attack ponies thinking there are prey to be eaten?"

I cringed and looked down as Rarity turned green. I hated being so blunt about it to her especially but I needed her to understand the depth of my concern. The rest of the gang was almost as bad. Only Twilight and Fluttershy managed to not turn completely green. Twilight because she had witnesses one of my nightmares and Flutttershy... I'm going to guess because Fluttershy had to deal with carnivores on a regular bases. That manticore being the best example that came to mind.

"Spike... I..." Twilight stuttered. "H.K. said...before he left that the gem necklace your wearing will guide you to where your heart already is. You don't need to go find him..."

My heart already is!? I facepalmed at the absurdity of the riddle or maybe it was from the change in Twilight's tactics. "How is that suppose to help!?"

Twilight went goldfish on me for a few moments which only proved my point. The other girls seemed to be at a lost.

"Don't look at me." Garble growled out."I'm still in shock with how Spike managed to get his First Hoarding so damn early and without his wings... I have never heard of any dragon doing that and I was considered a prodigy for getting my wings at twenty!"

"You know, you never did explain that fully to me."

"You earn them..." Garble shrugged causally before grumbling. "I don't know! It's different for every dragon I guess?"

Oh great, we are getting off topic which, though I'm sure was accidental, will serve Twilight's purposes in delaying us. If we didn't leave soon the sun will set making all the more easier for me to 'change my mind.' I had already slept on it. I was going.

"Okay, okay as much as we all want to know how I could get wings myself included now is not the time for that! I need to find H.K. and you need to stay here. Garble is more then enough to protect me." Besides having you come along will slow us down... I added, though to myself.

Various grumblings of disbelief rose from among them with Rainbow Dash being the most vocal. A bit odd, giving that she seemed to be okay with Garble training me and seemed to enjoy watching us. Was she watching us with more then one thing in mind?

"Do you question my ability to protect Spike?" Garble growled out in anger.

"Considering what you tried to do last time, I do!" Twilight and I winced as Rainbow Dash accented her disapproval with several taps of her hoof on Garble's chest. All those scars caused by H.K.... "

"Rainbow Dash! Enough." I ordered as I pushed Rainbow Dash away from Garble who looked ready to flambe Rainbow. "Garble will never even think of doing something like that again."

"Yeah, right." Rainbow Dash snarked, rolling her eyes.

"The scars that are all over is body were caused by H.K. because of what Garble attempted to do to us. Garble would not want to incur more wrath from him again." I explained with Twilight reluctantly nodding in confirmation.

"WHAT!?" Everypony exclaimed in shock.

"You poor thing..." Fluttershy cooed out in concern, much to Garble's annoyance.

"Ugh..." Garble spat in disgust.

"Besides that..." I continued my plea, rescuing Garble from diabetes via Fluttershy, "there are very few beings that would dare attack a pair of dragons and if needed Garble can fly us away from any danger. Finally, a pair of dragons won't stick out as much as six ponies outside of Equestria..."

"But what if you get separated or... or..." The rest of whatever Twilight was going to say was lost as she began to sob.

I sighed, maybe I was too hasty before in vowing not to let anypony be able to use my messaging flame again. Twilight was clearly wanting me to be safe like any good big sister would want. Here I was for the first time actually leaving home without her. My earlier quest not counting as she ended up stealthily following me.

"What do you have Twilight?"

"Huh?" Twilight sniffed, confused at my request.

"Something sentimental between us..." I clarified, holding out my hand.

At that Twilight eyes lit up and she pulled off her saddle bag and began to rifle through like a madpony without magic, stunning me. It took a lot to get her to forget to use her magic and here she was doing it just so she could always have a way to keep in touch with me.

"Uh, Spike ah get wantin' tah have a memento of Twi, but..."

"Here." Twilight cut off AJ, much to the shock of AJ.

My eyes widen when I saw what that memento was. Not only was it our favorite bedtime story when I was still very young it was the very copy that Twilight used. It had been read so many times that the binding was falling apart. I was beginning to see what really was going on in Twilight's mind. She was afraid that I was growing up and leaving her while I was afraid that by growing up that I would end up having to leave her. I guess neither of us really wanted to be separated from each other...

I carefully took the book in my grasp and blew my flames over it which quickly became nothing but ash. The girls gasped in shock as I burned the book. They were further confused when Twilight didn't snap at me for 'destroying' such a sentimentally valuable book.

"The book is fine." I explained, trying not to smirk at the various expressions. "I needed it so that Twilight and I can exchange letters using my flame. Now... will you let Garble and I go, alone?"

The girls looked at each other and appeared to have a silent conversation before facing me again, all of them smiling.

"Ah'm convinced. Ah think you will be fine." AJ spoke up with the others added their agreement with nods.

"Pinkie Promise." I growled out crossing my arms. I didn't trust them considering what happened when I left on a previous 'quest' though in the end I was grateful for them following.

After a few moments of hesitation the girls minus Twilight did as I requested. "Cross my heart and hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye."

I sighed in relief. I knew that they would not dare break the promise. That just left Twilight. "Twilight?"

"No, I can't..." Twilight shook her head, tearing up. Even with a way of communication it seemed that she still couldn't bring herself to let me go...

"Twilight..." I walked up to her and caressed her cheek. I knew this was going to be hard, it was hard on me but I could not have her come. "Please..."

"Okay," Twilight finally whispered out. "Cross my heart and hope to fly stick a cupcake in my eye."

"I love you, Twi." I smiled as I turned away though inwardly I was fighting back my own tears. This could very well be that last time I saw her. While I was sure Garble could keep me safe it was my own inner turmoil that worried me. There was a chance that my worst fears about myself would be true... and if that was the case... at least there was letter writing...

"I love you too, Spike.... Please come back safe."

"I will." I promised.

A Pursuit

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I stretched up against the large boulder behind me and yawned. I watched Spike who was sitting across from me roasting some of his gems in the camp fire. Before I met Spike I never knew that one could even 'roast' gems to make them more flavorful. Of course, according to Spike, for whatever reason dragon fire doesn't work to roast gems. But then it does makes sense as why would any dragon but a dragon raised away from dragons ever use any flame but their own? Actually I don't know any dragon that cooks any of their food. Burn their food sure, but cook, no.

Before long Spike grabbed a ruby from the flames and gnawed on it it was a bone. It made him appear to be a dog. I was tempted to tease him about it but decided against it. Something had been bothering me the past two days. I had no idea where we were going exactly figuring that Spike would direct me. But he had be unusually still and on at least three separate times Spike had actually fallen asleep on my back. How could he direct me on where to go if he wasn't paying attention to where we were going?

"So... Spike... can you explain exactly where we are going... And before you protest I'm not stupid. It's clear to me that you have not paying attention to where we have been flying the past few days..."

Spike didn't answer at first, idly clawing his gem necklace. I was about to prompt him to answer when he finally spoke. "South..."

"Just south?" I raised an eyebrow.

Spike nodded, looking down and away from me.

I facepalmed. I don't care if he didn't know exactly where H.K. was but I needed him to be honest with me. If all he had was a general direction fine, but I needed to know so I could look for any signs of H.K. or look for towns or villages that might have seen him pass through.

"Any idea other than south?"

"No... and there is a chance that H.K. went south to fool Twilight..."

"Maybe he went home..." I muttered, almost to myself.

"You know where he lives?" Spike sat up looking at me in shock before it very quickly faded. "Of course you do..."

"It was a bit to the south... west of the migration grounds I think. I can't say for sure H.K. never let me leave his cavern."

Spike pinched his brow. "Well there goes that idea..."

I said nothing more and I turned over to get some sleep. I mean what could I say? And I didn't have any idea what to do either. I might have said something about him being an idiot and rushing in without thinking, but I then I did the same thing once...

I groaned as I awoke. I really hate falling asleep out in the open like this. How can I get enough sleep if the sun wakes me up before I'm ready and so painfully?! I looked over to see that Spike was still fast asleep, the sun seemingly not bothering him at all. Lucky bastard.

"Up at at it Spike." I growled out.

I raised an eyebrow when my fairly loud wake up call didn't work. A heavy sleeper, eh? I knew a trick that my parents used on me when I didn't want to get up. I grabbed him by the tail and lifted him off the ground. But Spike for some reason didn't wake up stunning me. I had picked up Spike by his tail and he was still asleep!? I get the appeal of sleeping as much as the next dragon but we are out in the open and not on our hoards... and the tail was one of the most sensitive parts of a dragon!

I smirked as an idea came to me. I reach out and bit his tail. This was enough to finally wake up Spike who preceded to scream and flail about. I rolled my eyes as I dropped him unceremonious to the ground.

"Hey what's the big idea!" Spike roared at me rubbing his tail. I rolled my eyes. I didn't bite that hard.

"Quit being a baby." I sneered. "We are not in the land of lollipops and rainbows anymore. There are dangers out here remember!?"

Spike merely grumbled in response.

"So... do you wish for us to continue south?" I asked Spike as he picked up his backpack. Now that I wasn't so tried I could get the clarification I didn't get last night.

"Yeah, might as well... at least until we find a village or city... H.K. had flown off at such a high rate that he created a rainboom...."

"Rainboom?" What's a rainboom? Is that the ponies way of saying thunder? Because if it is...

"It's a rainbow explosion that occurs when a flyer goes fast enough to break the..." Spike scratched his head as he struggled to remember whatever word he was trying to say. Not that it would matter, as I would have no idea what it meant anyway. "I forgot what it was... Twilight would remember... Apparently Rainbow Dash is not the only one that can do it..."

"H.K. never seemed the type to be flashy or... so... namby-pamby..." Who would want a rainbow trailing behind them!?

"Yeah, I can think of several others ways to disappear that's a lot less flashy... and I can't fly or use magic! Either way, somepon-someone is bond to see a moving rainbow in the sky.... if he went this far south at that speed..."

"Whelp," I clapped to snap Spike out of his lowering mood. I hate it when Spike get mopey and I was not going to have a mopey Spike on my back. "Nothing more we can do but search. So stop moping and hop on we don't got all day."

"Yeah, I suppose..." Spike sighed as he climbed onto my back.

I sighed as I took a running leap into the air. Stupid mopey Spike...

An Oasis

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

Ponies thought that because dragons were fire breathers and swam in lava that they didn't need water, not true. We need water and right now both Garble and I were in bad need of some water. My mouth was so dry from lack of water the past four days that my tongue seemed to be forever glued to the roof of my mouth. I knew that Garble was doing worse. He was too 'manly' to admit but it was clear if we didn't find a water source soon... I would gulp if I had the saliva to do so.

Unfortunately, neither of us knew the first thing about finding water in deserts and we had been fooled by mirages several times already. So when I saw a patch of pale green in the distance to our right I was skeptical. But with our mounting desperation to find water we had to try so I tapped on Garble's shoulder to get his attention and pointed in the direction of the spot of green I saw.

"I see it." Garble rasped, his flight path already shifting towards it.

It wasn't long before I could start seeing individual palm trees. So far so good. I noted. My hope rose a bit more as we got closer and it was looking to be less and less of a mirage but an actual oasis. But we had been here before... Garble nearly collapsed as he landed at the edge of the oasis knocking me off.

"Is it really there?" Garble whispered out, panting hard. Even if it wasn't I had a feeling that Garble was going to need to rest before we could move on.

"It had better be really there." I grumbled as I picked myself up and dusted my scales off. I walked up and knocked on one of the palm trees, sighing in relief. Not a mirage. Now to find the water...

As I walked through the grove with Garble right behind me I realized that thee oasis was larger then it appeared in the air. This was good because there was a large amount of water here.... somewhere... It could be difficult to find depending on how long their roots grew and if the water reached the surface or not. I could send a letter to Twilight and ask... At any rate we would at least have shade...

It wasn't long before we broke though the trees and almost stumbled right into a large pool of water. I was tempted to rush ahead to the pool of water but Garble seemed leery. I just hope that his leeriness was just that and we weren't about to have trouble.

"There is a dragon here." Garble hissed, suddenly putting his arm out with his metal claw in front of me. Not that the metal claw would be helpful but the dragon may not know that...

"Uh, do dragons hoard water?" I whispered out, tensing slightly. Please say no. I know Twilight won't be able to help me escape this time and we are basically out in the open in the middle of the day. No trees, underbrush or darkness to hide in discounting the oasis of course but it was not that big.

"No... I mean why would any dragon want to hoard water!?"

"Garble we are in a desert which has very little water..."

"Uh..." Garble rubbed the back of his head with his free arm. "Good point..."

"No dragon would dare..." A soft spoken voice suddenly called out.

Both Garble and I tensed up even more. I slowly eyed the trees along with Garble, trying to find whomever had spoken. The problem was I could see no one. I tried to sniff for any hint but that was no help either. I just had no idea what I was smelling. I was really jealous of Garble's skill with his nose. I mean sure I could smell just as well but that didn't mean I knew what I was smelling and where is was... unless is was something to do with cooking.

Garble suddenly groaned.

"Garble?"

"Great another namby-pamby... are you sure you were the only dragon to live in Equestria? Discounting H.K. of course..."

"I'm sure..." It was one of the first things Twilight and I looked into when I first really wondered about dragons. According to census records going back at least four hundred years I was the only one. The dragon in the Everfree Forest apparently didn't count as the forest was merely a protected state of Equestria and not part of Equestria proper and the dragon in the mountain had to be evicted due to smoke right after he moved in. "But, I don't understand..."

"I didn't notice it before..." Garble sniffed some, "but there are scents from at least a dozen different dragons all several hours old... with one exception..."

Garble casually gestured to a particularly dense grove of palm trees. I looked over and could see a dark scaled teenaged dragon hiding in the deep shadows. From the body language of the dragon it appeared he was hiding out of shyness or fear. Oh great, a fluttershied dragon... Wait a dragon being shy? Okay... Now I'm really confused and a bit annoyed. Why didn't I find this dragon over Garble and his cronies? Then again if he is as shy as he appears...

"Is it because of some ruling of Dragon Lord Torch?"

The dragon in the trees didn't speak up in response but slowly shook his head side to side. Definitively a fluttershied dragon... It was odd, though, as I thought that Dragon Lord Torch was the leader of the dragons.

"Meh, probably wasn't something that was need a ruling by the Dragon Lord..." Garble dismissed the situation, kneeling at the waters edge and cupping some water.

"I thought he was like the ruler of dragons or something... Wouldn't this be something he would rule on?" I asked. I wasn't quite ready to risk drinking the water, unlike Garble.

Garble snorted. "Do you really think Dragon Lord Torch would have that kind of time or have patience to being dealing with shit like this all the time? He would not tolerate whinny dragons who always needed him to deal with their disputes... not that any dragon would... It's probably a just an oath made by the dragons that live near by."

"But what about the Migration? I would guess that at least some dragons would pass through here. Wouldn't he have to make a ruling about that?"

"I don't think the Migration would go through this desert... too little water and not enough prey. Besides that, everydragon would be too busy trying to impress females to fuck." Garble shrugged as he took another drink.

"Wait, are you saying that..." I could feel my face burning with embarrassment as I fought vigorously to get ride of the images assaulting my mind. I don't need that again! Ugh. I had to take notes, NOTES when Twilight decided I needed to understand 'the Parasprites and the Breezies.' "Was that why you were there?!"

"What?" Garble looked at me, horrified. "No."

I raised an eyebrow at that. I didn't take Garble as one of those types... if the Migration was about that and he wasn't there for that... and he was horrified at my suggestion...

"If you are thinking what I think your thinking I will flambe you right now and damn be the consequences."

A Danger

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

I watched carefully as the two dragons, a red and yellow whelp named Garble and a purple and green hatching argued. I found it a bit odd... The way they were arguing it made them sound like they were siblings. I thought that usually only one egg at a time was hatched... that the parents would wait until Choosing before hatching the next. I suppose it could be more common among the dragons from wherever this two were from. I'm sure that they are not from around here.

Most dragons from around here would only come to the oasis near dawn or dusk, the same times when prey was the most active and easiest to hunt. I, however, preferred silver over the desert or grassland prey which meant I didn't need to come here during those times. Which was really good as I really felt uncomfortable around the others. The only reason I came here was it was the closest source of water to my home. The next closest was a bit too far for my liking.

"You know we could ask him..." The hatchling spoke up suddenly spoke up and catching my full attention.

"Do we have to?" Garble complained.

Please don't... I silently agreed. The only reason I remained was that I was in need for water. I had originally plan to quietly and quickly leave the moment they arrived at the oasis but then Garble and found me out. I suppose I could have tried to flee but my scale color is very easy to spot out in the open sky and land around the oasis.

"Well, he is a local and the first po-person we have seen in a week. If he hasn't see or heard anything at least he could tell us how to get out of this stupid desert!"

Now, that I could do... and it sound like they are in a hurry which means that I would be very soon alone. I didn't mind the young hatchling but Garble reminded me too much of every other dragon I had met or knew... minus my dam and sire.

"Excuse me... uh..." The hatchling stuttered as he addressed me, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "Wow, Rarity is going to kill me..."

"Doubtful," Grable growled out, rolling his eyes, "that pony wouldn't do anything that might mess up her awful mane of hers."

"Hey!"

"It's true." Garble shrugged, clearly not caring how much his words were angering the hatchling.

"Garble!"

"I still can't believe that any dragon would find a pony attractive especially one like her...

The hatchling facepalmed and shook his head. I flinched back when he returned his attention to me. "Anyway... my name is Spike; this is Garble, a friend of mine."

My eyes widen as I looked over the two dragons again. That surprised me they didn't seemed to be the type to be friends. I hesitated in speaking up again even though Spike seemed to be a kind dragon... Luckily, he seemed to be patient as the silence between us lengthen. Garble, meanwhile, seemed to be getting more annoyed by the second.

"My n-name is Silver." I finally stuttered out, blushing hard in embarrassment.

"Cool name." Spike smiled, giving me two thumps up. "Did you see a rainbow moving across the sky a little over a week ago?"

I blinked at that. How can a rainbow move? A moving rainbow made no sense. "Huh?"

Spike groaned, dragging his claw across his face. "Figures... How about this... did you hear anything like a swooshing whistle?"

"Swooshing whistle?" I titled my head as my confusion only increased.

"Like from someone flying really fast..."

At that I nodded in understanding. That made more sense then a moving rainbow and something I had heard recently near one of my favorite napping spots. I loved to fall asleep outside when it was windy and the winds around Terra Hourglass were always spectacular, that was until about a week ago. I don't know who or what was caused it but I had suddenly been awoken by something that one could call a swooshing whistle. I got out of there fast, not knowing who or why someone was racing around like that near Terra Hourglass. I had not been there since.

"I may have heard something like that near Terra Hourglass..." I admitted, looking off in the direction of Terra Hourglass.

"Terra Hourglass?" Spike questioned in confusion. I looked at Garble to see that he seemed to be just as lost as Spike. This did confirm my suspicions, that these two were not from around here as I couldn't see how anyone that lived anywhere nearby wouldn't have heard of Terra Hourglass.

"It's an... uh.... mountain to the south of here. Can't miss it... its the only one for hundreds of miles..."

"Thanks Silver." Spike thanked me before turning away. "Lets go Garble before the trail gets any colder."

I tensed a bit as Garble grumbled a few words that I couldn't make out but sighed in relief when he turned to follow Spike out of the oasis. I could now have the oasis to myself. Having the two dragons appear out of nowhere had tired me out emotionally and all I wanted to do was fly home . Fly off... Oh no!

"Wait!" I called out rushing out of the safety of the shade. As much as I would rather remain in the shade until they left I could not just let them go without telling them of the dangers of traveling south. "I... I should come with you the area to the south of here is extremely dangerous."

"Gah!" Garble moaned slapping his face so hard that I could hear it.

I was feeling the same way as Garble. Why did I volunteer to escort them to Terra Hourglass?! All I really needed to do was tell them what to look for and what to expect then let them go on their way...

"What is so dangerous about the area to the south?" Spike softly question, glaring hotly at Garble.

"The area just to the south is known as the Salt Flats... the ground there is... thin and unstable... Even someone as light as you Spike could cause a massive hole to suddenly appear..."

Spike paled and shook in fear from what I said. I could understand as he had no wings so he had zero chance if the ground broke.

"Bah, I can just you carry over." Garble grunted waving a claw dismissively at my warning.

I frowned. It wasn't that bad as long as one knew when the Flats began and ended and made sure to fly well past it. However, my concern changed from the Salt Flats to Terra Hourglass. While carrying Spike over the Flats was the only safe way to cross it if Garble over shot by too much, kept going, and saw Terra Hourglass while still flying... It could very well kill them both and I liked Spike.

"Yes, you can but, um," I gulped as Garble stared at me, hard. "I still think it's best I come until you at least get across the Salt Flats..."

"Fine." Garble grumbled leaning down to let Spike climb on his back. "Let's just get this over with."

Author's Note

Welcome Silver, oasis shotz 678's Dragon OC, to the story. (though he made a cameo like appearance in the previous chapter)

On that note: I am not accepting any more dragon OC's except for the ones already given to me or are from the Keeper series(if I get permission to use those in this story)... I have enough for now and anymore could bloat up the story... at least for now...

Also it takes time for me to make sure I get the feeling for writing someone else's OC (I have the OC 'owner' review the first few chapters with a character until I think I have it down pat)

Lastly I be old changeling except me hunger for comments so comment for I will trap you in goo and suck it out of you MWHAHAHA... :pinkiecrazy:

An Impossibility

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

So high... so dizzy...

I've prided myself for having never once experienced vertigo even when Rainbow Dash took me for a 'ride' at near sonic rainboom speed. However, for the past hour I felt ill at ease as I just couldn't stop visualizing that the ground far below us opening up and me falling into a dark bottomless pit. I just hope that we get to safe ground soon. I had hoped we would land the moment we went from the sand and dry sun baked earth of the desert to light rolling grasslands but we did not.

I was about to ask about when we could land when Silver called out. "We should land now..."

"No, we keep going..." Garble growled out. "It's faster this way..."

"No, we really should land..." Silver repeated with a slight tinge of fear in his voice.

I could feel a shiver run up and down my back. Unlike Fluttershy, who was not only shy around others but also had an wide range of fears including flying, Silver just seemed to be shy. (How Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy managed to become friends as fillies mystery to me.) This was the first time that I could detect fear from him that was not related to being shy... Now that I think about it, all Silver had to do was tell us when to we could safely land and let us be on our way but he burst out of his hiding place spouting that he could come to make sure we got past the Salt Flats... there must be something big to make him overcome his shyness like he did.

"Garble, please, just land..." I begged. Besides whatever was spooking Silver I really needed to get onto the ground before my dizziness got worse.

"Ugh, fine!" Garble growled out in irritation, diving down to the ground.

The moment we got to the ground I jumped off of Garble and started kissing the ground in thanks, not caring that Garble was groaning in revulsion. I was tempted to dig in the soil and shower myself with it but felt that would be a bit too much ammo for Garble to tease me with.

"Are you done?" Garble sneered as I got up and dusted myself off.

"Yes." I grinned happily knowing that my cheeriness would irritated Garble, who, as I expected scoffed and looked away.

"Okay Mrs. Scaredy Dragon lead the way... and make it snappy!"

I shook my head. Garble was being especially difficult today. First at the oasis and now here... I think we are going to need to rest soon before Garble blows his top. At least with the grasslands we should have better luck finding water... hopefully.

As we marched through the grasslands I began to realize that it was a good thing that we were walking... after being in the air for so long in past few days my legs were a bit sluggish... I think the only reason I managed to keep up was that Garble seemed tired from flying nonstop with me on his back the past few days, not that he would admit it.

It was late in the afternoon when I noticed something ahead that didn't look right. There was a single large mountain in the distance, which in of itself wouldn't have meant much except that it looked like someone had scooped it up, flipped it upside down, and stuck it back into the ground. I repeatedly blinked and rubbed my eyes as we kept walking thinking that maybe I was seeing a mirage. If it was a mirage it was the oddest mirage I had ever seen... So odd that it occurred to me that it was a trick of Discord's... Discord had done something similar before though not quite on this scale... If only hadn't noticed that Silver sideways glance at me. It was as if...

But how can Discord have that kind of power? Even when he was making Ponyville the Chaos Capital of the world he had to actively keep the chaos chaotic. At least that what I recall from glancing at Twilight's notes on the incident and with the way Silver was nonchalant about the mountain it had been like this for some time... At least I could see now why Silver was so concerned. If Garble had freezed up in shock while in flight at seeing whatever I was seeing and I fell off...

"What the hell..." Garble shouted gesturing to the 'mountain before grabbing Silver roughly, "What are you pulling?!"

"It's... you see... the mountain is Terra Hourglass..." Sliver stammered, trying to make himself as small as he could.

"Listen you namby-pamby miserable excuse for a dragon..." Garble lifted Silver up by the throat, his mouth glowing with dragon fire.

"IT IS REAL!" Silver choked out in fear. "I DON'T KNOW HOW, BUT IT'S AS REAL AS YOU AND ME!"

"Garble! That is enough!" I snapped at Garble who, in a huff, let go of the shaking dragon. As I had feared, Garble had reached his limit.

"I'm sorry for Garble's... outburst." I cooed, trying to calm down the coughing dragon. "Its just that we have been fooled by numerous mirages before we found the oasis..."

"By-by the saaaands it'sss not a mirage." Silver stuttered, though it was clear that he was at least beginning to calm down.

"Okay, okay I believe you..." I rubbed my brow trying to rid myself of the headache over the implication that I was really seeing a mountain upside down. "It's just... ugh... I am soo glad Twilight isn't here right now..."

I shuddered as I got flash backs to lesson zero and to that week when Past-Future Twilight tried to warn Past-Past Twilight about a danger that wasn't a danger... When Twilight wasn't being manic her studiousness wasn't so bad but when she was however... I shudder again as I fought to resuppress even more memories.

"Maybe the top... bottom... bottom-top... whatever would give us a way to survey the area..." I muttered to myself. I needed to plan our next move as it had been a week since Silver had heard what may or may not be H.K. That and if I didn't check it out Twilight would go crazy and I don't wish crazy Twilight on anyone... though she would most likely go crazy over its impossibility... I wonder if Discord was originally from around here... "Are you calm enough lead us again to where you heard the sound?"

"Uh, sure..."

"Good." Garble grumbled. "Can we fly now?"

Silver gulped before quickly nodding and taking off, clearly not wanting to incur more of Garble's wrath. I quickly got onto Garble's back and nearly fell off when Garble leap into the air before I was fully on him. Luckily I was able to latch on more fully before that happened. I was going to have to have a talk with Garble later. Right now I doubt Garble would listen. Thankfully with us back in the air Garble seemed to relax, if only a bit.

It was less then ten minutes later that Silver began to circle an area that was fairly close to the mountain, a distance that seemed to be able the same as from Canterlot to Ponyville... I think. I could be wrong given the fact that the mountain was flipped and that as we got close I had to avoid looking at it without getting a sense of vertigo... first the Salt Flats and now this. If this wasn't Discord's homeland I would never eat another gem... ever... might even take up Garble's offer of meat...

"Will you make up your mind!" Garble shouted his irritation rising again.

"Silver is this the place?" I asked trying not to groan at Garble's continued hostility towards Silver.

"Yes... I think so."

"It had better be." Garble growled angrily.

"Garble..." I warned.

Silver loudly gulped before quickly dived down followed by Garble and I. So rushed was Silver that he nearly tripped as we landed in the grass. I sighed as jumped down from Garble waiting as Silver quickly glanced about, seemingly to double check.

"Yes, this is the spot." Silver nodded with approval.

"Good." Garble huffed, crossing his arms.

"Now, Silver when..." I paused mid question when I heard a sound that I knew all too well. It was the sound of someone or something moving at sub sonic rainboom speeds. And judging from how it sounded... My eyes went wide as I look up to see a dark object falling from the sky right at us!

"Scatter!" I screamed as I attempted to scramble away from the rapidly approaching object. I just hope that both Garble and Silver took what I said to heart and ran for cover. Getting hit by a fast moving object is no fun and this one appeared to be larger then Rainbow Dash.

I had just enough time to move a few hooves away and cover my head when I was knocked down by the shockwave of something slamming into the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut as clumps of dirt pelted by back. I waited for a second after everything went silent before picking myself up and looking around. A long trench was a merely three hoofs behind me. I sighed in relief as I saw both Garble and Silver looking around, neither looking worse for wear.

I looked down and at the end of the trench sprawled out and half buried in the dirt was a black dragon. Okay what is going on? I groaned as I facepalmed. First a fluttershied dragon and now a Rainbow Dash? I swear if we run into another 'mane six' clone I am going to go insane.... If this isn't a Discord ploy... No... I hope not, please not. I am not in the mood for him or his antics. I slowly walked up silently hoping that the dragon wasn't dead. I knew that crashing at that speed...

I let go of my held breath when I saw the tell tale signs that the dragon was breathing. So far so good. I glanced back to see that Garble seem unconcerned and was even smirking, clearly having a laugh over the crashed dragon. While Silver seemed to stay back, nervously wringing his claws. I was unsure completely what to think though I did quickly back away when the dragon suddenly groaned and slowly rise.

"What the hell are you three assholes staring at?" The dragon growled out as when he noticed us. At least I assume it was male. It was at that very moment that I realized that I had never seen a female dragon much less heard one... Either way I could not help but think Rainbow Dash the Dragon.

Author's Note

Fave, like, comment... comment please :pinkiesad2: I always like it when I get comments :yay: or maybe it's when I get paid... :moustache:

A Fight

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I growled angrily at the black and ice blue dragon. He nearly kills us because he can't fly and he calls us assholes for staring at him.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fucking fine." The dragon snapped, spooking Silver and making Spike flinch. I clenched my fists, I could care less about the wimp 'Silver' but if this dragon tried to hurt Spike in anyway... Unfortunately my metal claw is currently in Spike's pack as I didn't have enough time to grab it before I had to dive out of the way of the crashing idiot.

"Sorry..." The dragon sighed out an apology. "You'd be ticked too if you where shot out of the sky for no reason..."

I raised an eyebrow 'shot out of the sky'? Yeah, right. And so quick to apologize too!? Well, at least he isn't a complete wuss like Silver.

"Shot out of the sky?" Spike questioned, scratching his head in confusion.

"Yeah, I was trying to figure out about the city up on the top... bottom... Damn it! THAT MOUNTAIN MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE!"

I nodded my agreement to that. The mountain definitely made no fucking sense, not that the new dragon was making much sense he didn't look like he had been shot out of the sky, even considering his crash landing...

"There's a city up there!?" Silver shouted in shock.

Both Spike and I stared at Silver. I was about to snark on how he didn't know that but then I remember that this dragon was more prey then apex predator cowering in the trees of the oasis like he did.

"Yeah, I know..." The new dragon shrugged. "I don't now why anyone would want to live on an impossible mountain, but...

"No, you don't understand. " Silver shook his head. "I have lived here my entire life the only villages for hundreds of miles around are Port Klippfisk and Hell’s Gate and those are on the coast!"

I snorted at Silver's assertion. How could he know that when he was afraid of a pair of dragons, neither of adults!?

"Well, I am telling you there is a city up there..." The new dragon shrugged nonchalantly.

"Yeah and I secretly love frilly pink dresses." I snarked as I rolled my eyes. First Silver and now this nutcase. He clearly has crashed one too many times on his head. It would explain how is left horn was smashed up against his head before it curled around his right horn...

Wait a minute... something felt off... this whole scene seemed too consequential. To begin with these dragons looked... too similar. Both were black with flashy belly scales so close in color that they had to be brother. Then the whole... act was way too close to what I and my 'pack' did with Spike...

Damn it! I can't believe I fell for the act! I had to get out of here with Spike and fast. However, with the new dragon's speed I doubt I could get Spike out of here without him overtaking us unless I knock him out first. At least the newer dragon had the same tail weapon as Clump meaning I knew how to counter it with ease. Silver, on the other claw, I was less sure on. His easily spooked act could mean that he could be sneaky and underclawed with his attacks and the crescent moon tail weapon could easily tear through my scales if I wasn't careful. It would be best to take him out before the new dragon. I don't like having no idea what his capabilities were. After all, there was a reason I had Spike play all those games.

"Spike behind me." I whispered flatly hoping that I could get Spike behind me before these two dragons completely caught on that I caught on.

"Garble?"

"NOW!" I roared.

Spike finally complied and stumbled behind me. I wasted no more time as I quickly pounced on Silver. To my shock and mild relief Silver yelped in surprise before I knocked him head over tail with a hard smack of my tail. I didn't wait to see if he was knocked down before I rushed the new dragon. The new dragon was ready as he calmly side step my claw swipe and countered with a swipe of his mace tail. I wasn't too surprised that he would avoid my initial attack and counter with his tail with a grin I jumped over the tail.

My eyes widen in shock when the tail I had just jumped over immediately reverse direction and smacked me in the shins nearly knocking me over. I roared in pain and frustration as the dragon gave me no quarter as he swiped at me with a claw. Unfortunately for him I managed to blocked it, unfortunately I had not suspected he would also use his overly large wings like pair of clubs and smacked me over the head with them. I growled as I shook off the sudden dizziness and retaliated with a tail whip and claw swipe at the same time. However, the dragon jumped backwards into the air avoiding both. I had no moment of rest as he flew around me faster then I could blink and smacked me in the back and face first into the ground.

I snarled furiously as I quickly spit out a glob of blood and picked myself off the ground. Whoever this dragon was good... too good. He was not only had speed but he also knew how to use it in a fight. I was going to have to up my game. I swiped at him with my left claw while wiping my tail in the opposite direction. Lets see you dodge this... I smirked slightly when my tactic worked and my claw missed but my tail swing hit. I frowned though when he very quickly recovered and countered with his own claw and tail.

"I haven't been in a fight this good in ages!" The new dragon laughed as he dodged my next attack. "Twixt'd's the name speed and stealth is my game."

I roared as I flung myself at him. I didn't care what this ninny's name was he was toying with me! Forget protecting Spike I was going to kick this smug dragon's ass into the ground!

"ENOUGH!" Spike roared.

I stumbled at the force behind Spikes yell, so much so that it left me vulnerable to Twixt'd's tail strike which knocked me flat on my back. Much to my surprise Twixt'd did not take this opportunity to continue his attack but stopped and looked over to his right. I looked over to see Spike glaring at me and Silver standing next to him favoring one of his legs and grimacing in pain.

"I don't have time for you two to find out which one of you is the bigger stal- drake! H.K.'s trail is cold by over a week!" Spike snapped.

"D-did you say H.K.!?" Silver stuttered as he looked down at Spike, his eyes widening.

"Yes." Spike answered bitterly.

"As in the dragon warrior H.K.?"

"Yeah..." Spike answered looking up at Silver suspiciously. I too was skeptical as Silver didn't seem like the dragon that would know about H.K. much less being enamored by him. Silver is a coward and H.K. is a battle harden badass. "Did you by chance see him recently?"

"Uh, no... it's been ... twenty years since I saw him."

"Drats."

An Uncertainty

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"So... what is so special about this H.K. guy?"

"Seriously?" Garble spun towards Twixt'd, flinging his arms in the air. "How can you not know about him?! I could have understand Silver but you!? A fighter as skilled as you?"

"Oh, fuck off." Twixt'd snapped. "I have better things to do then fanboying like a shrill girl."

Garble jaw dropped before he grumbled in annoyance. I had to suppress a snort at Garble's irritation and Twixt'd's clever insult. I'm glad I wasn't the only one to call out Garble's odd hero worship of H.K. However, if I didn't nip this in the rear I suspect that Garble and Twixt'd would come to blows again, or at least Garble would find himself losing fight again. "Garble, focus, we have to find H.K."

"Fine." Garble huffed, crossing his arms. "Get on Spike, might as well fly up and check it out."

"I wouldn't fly up there if I were you."

Garble snorted with amusement. "Well maybe you shouldn't had annoyed them with your reckless, noisy flying. Speed and stealth my butt."

Twixt'd eyerolled. "I only got here a few hours ago... and I only started flying at high speed to avoid getting shot out of the sky... not that I managed that..."

I raise an eyebrow. If it wasn't Twixt'd that frightened Silver a week ago... Could it be? I turned to looked up toward the mountain 'Terra Hourglass' in thought.

"Wait..." Silver slowly chewed. "It wasn't you flying near here about a week ago? I mean... you were making the same sound that... woke me up..."

"No... I was flying over the ocean a week ago..."

Interesting... so it wasn't Twixt'd that woke Silver... so it was still possible that it was H.K. The weird thing was that H.K. seemed to be the private type. A city, whether it wasn't there before or not, would draw attention to himself. It just didn't make a lot of sense... If the city was false why would he put up such a elaborate illusion? He was just asking someone like Twixt'd to investigate...but then again... If could be a real city that Silver wasn't aware of given that he was the type to avoid others. And of course there was a chance that it wasn't H.K. and going up there could be trouble...

I sighed I touched the gem that was around my neck. "H.K. said...before he left that the gem necklace your wearing will guide you to where your heart already is. You don't need to go find him..." But I do need to find him... Besides the war that was coming I needed to why... why he would abandoned me... the only family he had... if Discord's story was true... I need his help with my dragon instincts vague riddles was not going to cut it. This wasn't like getting a discovering ones talent and flash a cutiemark. This was a very serious problem so I had to take the risk... but I wasn't going to go up there without a bit more information.

"Are you sure you weren't flying in a restricted or 'no fly zone'?" I questioned still looking up at the mountain trying to keep my hopes in check.

"And how the hell would you know something like that?" Twixt'd stared at me in surprise. "No offense, but you do not have your wings yet."

"Twilight and I studied up on Equestrian flight regulations over cities after dealing with Rainbow Dash crashing into the library and messing up all our hard work one too many times... For being a city of clouds populated only by flyers most would think that they 'had the freedom of the skies' there is a surprisingly number of rules that limit where and when one can fly particularly near the weather factory."

"I suppose that is possible... still... I've never known any place to skip the warning and go straight to the shoot first ask questions later part..."

"If there was even a remote chance that H.K. was there or that he passed through or by the city I have to try." I stated in finality as I gazed over at Twixt'd.

Twixt'd stared back at me, his expression unreadable before he blinked and sighed. "H.K. must be really important person for you to find to take a risk like you are about to..."

"Yes... Yes, he is..."

Twixt'd sighed again. "There was a wooded area near on edge of the mountain... it should provide some cover... if we wait until sundown..."

"No... if we are caught sneaking around at night they may think we are up to no good..."

"Not only that, there is no 'we.' Just Spike and I." Garble growled as he thumbed at Silver he flinched at being suddenly thrust into the spotlight. "He only came to help find this location..."

"No," I shook my head. "Silver should come."

"What?!" Both Garble and Silver shouted in shock and fear respectively.

"If we don't find H.K. or this city..."

"I'm telling you there is a city up there!" Twixt'd stomped in anger.

"No offense Twixt'd, but we don't know you, you are not from around here, and you did fall out of the sky..."

"I am never going to live that down!" Twixt'd mumbled angrily.

I had to suppress a snort and from the way Garble was grinning I had a feeling that Twixt'd's was right. However we were getting off topic and I wanted to get to this supposed city before nightfall we needed to leave right now. "I'm sorry Twixt'd, Silver... it's just that if there truly is no city up there I want to visit either Port Klippfisk or Hell’s Gate to get more supplies I don't want a repeat of our trip through the desert."

"Um, okay..." Silver gulped and nervously wrung his claws. "If you think you need me I guess I can come..."

"If you think you are going without out me too you are sadly mistaken!"

"Fine," Garble humphed, "but if blockhead causes us to be attacked I will help them ground him but this time permanently..."

"Pfft." Twixt'd shrugged. "Whatever makes you feel better."

I shook my head as I climbed onto Garble's back. Those two traded insults worse then whenever AJ and Rainbow Dash got a bit too competitive. I suspect that the two would become fast friends too... if they didn't kill each other first.

"Hey!" I grumbled as Garble took off a bit too fast to follow Twixt'd.

"Oh be quiet baby." Garble growled.

I sighed. Garble was really ticked. Today was just not his day... with nothing for me to do and with Garble not in the mood for anything I quietly observed the mountain as we followed Twixt'd. As we flew up along the east side of of the mountain saw that Terra Hourglass even had trees growing upside down on it. At this point I would not be surprised if I saw animals walking on it like normal...

"Babies first..." Garble sneered as Twixt'd slowed to a stop just below the 'top' of the mountain.

Twixt'd growled but said nothing as he slowly rose above the lip of the mountain. He remained hovering there for a few moments looking around.

"Well?" Garble shouted up after a few moments of waiting for Twixt'd to give the all clear. I was a bit surprised that Garble didn't just rush ahead.

"It's safe." Twixt'd finally called back as he disappeared from sight.

"Finally..." Garble muttered as he sped up and over the lip.

I rolled my eyes as we rose up to see that the mountain 'top' was also forested. Nothing about this mountain was remotely correct. I even wasn't surprised to see that we had managed fly up next to a road that went right up to the edge of the mountain. At least this did give credence to Twixt'd's claim of a city and if we walked along the path maybe we won't get attacked like Twixt'd had been before.

"I don't believe what I am seeing." Silver gasped out.

"Of course you wouldn't." Garble facepalmed and shook his head. I slide off his back and onto the road before Garble could do anything to silver while I was on him. I was a bit surprised that he only seemed slightly annoyed with Silver.

"It would probably be best if we walked along this path. It should make us not only appear non threatening but like we aren't up to something."

"Walking..." Garble sighed as he followed me.

"Baby..." Twixt'd snarked.

This is going to be a loooong walk... I facepalmed as we walked into the woods.

Fortunately my predication of a long walk with the two dragons duking it out in some way never came to pass as both Garble and Twixt'd made no more antagonizing remarks. This made are trip through the forest much faster then I had anticipated. So fast was our trip through the forest that I was taken off guard when we suddenly broke through the trees a mere ten minutes later. Off at a distance of about a mile was a city, just as Twixt'd had claimed.

"I don't believe it..."

An Invasion

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"I don't believe it..." Silver whispered out.

Garble mumbled something under his breath, knowing how irritated he has been it was probably a curse or too. I just sighed and rolled my eyes. At least Garble didn't get violent over it, yet, but if we didn't keep moving to distract Garble I had a feeling he would get violent.

The city ahead, at least from what I could see as the sun was beginning to set, appeared to be about the same size as Canterlot. The center of the city had several pyramids like those depicted from the Daring Doo series. Near the center of city was a tall tower that looked like spring. Scattered around the city were numerous obelisks. It didn't match with the rest of the city

As we got approached the outskirts of the city I started to feel uncomfortable. Something was off but I could not quite put my claw on it... I was not the only one as I could see that Garble and Twixt'd were starting to tense up and Silver was beginning to wring his claws which only made my unease grow.

"Where is everyone?" Silver nervously questioned, glancing around.

My eyes widened as I quickly looked around. Silver was right! There was noone out and about. This was not good. Even the small town of Ponyville has ponies out and about at this time and this city was at least as big as Canterlot! What was worse, I couldn't see a single light on. Not a single streetlight or lit window.

"I don't like this..." Twixt'd whispered.

Neither do I... I thought.

Things didn't get any better was we entered the outskirts of the city. The buildings, probably homes from their sizes, looked just like the blocky plastered homes I saw in the Palomino Desert when Twilight and her family went there on vacation one summer. They even had similarly geocentric designs painted on them.

I blinked when I suddenly noticed my breath was visible. When did it get so cold and so quick...ly... I gulped as I fearfully looked about. This was just like what happens in comics when the hero encountered a place of evil... I could feel a violent shiver run up and down my spine as I watched the shadows around us seemingly move.

Please just be from the sun going down. Please just be from the sun... I silently chanted hoping that it was just my imagination and not something bad like Sombra somehow surviving the blast from the Crystal Heart and was here to enact his revenge.

I let out a very unmanly squeak as hundreds of glowing yellow eyes blinked into existence in the shadows. "Uh, Garble..."

"I see them..." Garble softly growled.

Silver gulped. "We have to get out of here."

I was silent agreeing but I could see no way to escape but up as the shadow demons thingys had now surrounded us. It was at that exact moment that one of the creatures broke off the rest and attacked Silver, slashing a shadowy claw over Silver's tail. Silver screamed in pain and terror taking off in a frantic attempt to escape.

"Wait, don't!" Twixt'd yelled out trying to reach out and grab Silver but failed as Silver zoomed past him.

Silver roared as a beam of light flashed from a nearby obelisk and hit him. He hobbled in the air for a second longer before a second beam hit him and he crashed back into the street.

"Silver!" I rushed over to the downed dragon.

Silver groaned in pain as I carefully touched his shoulder which was red and bleeding from where what I assume was where the mana beams hit him. Unfortunately it was the only response I could get out of him.

"Leave him. We need to get out of here..."

"I'm not leaving Silver behind!" I snapped as I backhanded Garble's claw away. "Besides where can we go!? We are surrounded, Garble! And if we try and fly up those obelisks will most likely shoot us out of the sky like they did with Twixt'd!"

"Then we must fight." Twixt'd growled out his mouth already glowing a pale blue.

Garble cracked his neck. "Finally..."

I facepalmed. I figured we would need to fight but to be happy for a fight?!

I picked up as much of Silver as I could and dragged him towards a nearby wall. I wished I could do something more for Silver but I had nothing in my pack that could be used as a bandage. The best I could was make him comfortable. I had just managed to get Silver propped up when the shadow demons once again began to attack.

"Son of a..." Garble roared in pain when a shadow pounce on him after phasing right though his claw slash. "Those things can pierce our scales!"

"No DUH!" Twixt'd snarked before he spewed a ball of flame at another shadow demon.

"Well I thought..."

"Your an idiot!" Twixt'd growled between fireballs. "Silver's scream wasn't a girly scared scream it was a pained scream!"

I couldn't believe it. They were verbally fighting while psychically fighting against shadow demons! At least their flames seemed to hurt the shadow monsters. But for every they snuffed out three more would take its place. What was worse was we were being slowly pushed back and there was no place left for us to backup.

Suddenly, and very painfully, a light enveloped us. At first I thought that somehow Shinning Armor had followed us on Twilight's request because the light's color was similar to Shinning's shield but as my eyes adjusted I realized that it wasn't a dome but a pillar of light. Not something that I was aware that Shinning could do or would do. It would have made more sense for him to shield us in a dome first. At least whatever it was was repelling the shadow demons for a moment.

Several more columns of different colored light appeared joining the first one. Something about the colors seems oddly familiar... I didn't get much time top contemplate this as the now six pillars of light suddenly merged becoming white. The light brighten before fading away. I blinked as I found myself now trying to adjust to the sudden darkness. As it did I could make out a figure standing in the midst of the fading light.

"What the hell?" Twixt'd growled in irritation.

"H.K!?" I called out still unable to get a clear view of the figure.

"Stand back. I'll deal with the shadow demons." The figure spoke. He, at least, sounded like H.K...

I rubbed my eyes to get the final spot out of my eyes to see that it was indeed H.K., a sword hovering in his strange purple and green aura. He seemed almost relaxed as the shadow demons began to surge forward now that the light show he had created had faded away

Night falls, darkness reigns
A coldn wind rises
Will one ever see the light?
Who will stand up an' fight?

My mouth dropped at what H.K. was doing. This wasn't the time for singing! This wasn't a giggle at the ghosties a la Pinkie! Whatever these shadow demons were they could really hurt us!

"What the fuck?" Twixt'd exclaimed in shock. "Why is he singing!?"

I just facepalmed. I mean what could I even say!? It just was making no sense... almost to the point of Pinkie's Pinkie Sense. It didn't help when H.K.'s fur started to glow in beat to the song he was singing. I had seen strange things occur when a heartsong was sung but that was usually related to ponies dancing to the tune and somehow knowing the song... This was something I usually saw when Pinkie sung and that was just typical Pinkie being Pinkie.

Hack, slash
A red thirst
Parry, thrust

I never thought it was possible for a heartsong to be so dark and gory... I groaned as I watched H.K. act out the song as he sung. At least when his sword arced through the shadows it dispelled them. Further more H.K. seemed to be pushing them back.

Blood an' gore drips
My sword thirsts
Without a single word
You shall see my glory unfold

Hack, slash
A red thirst
Parry, thrust

Suddenly all I could hear was heavy breathing. The sudden change from the sounds of singing and battle to almost nothing was jarring. I opened my eyes that I wan't even aware I had closed and looked around. There was not a single glowing yellow eye to be seen, much to my relief. Still have no idea why the song with the fighting... I saw how powerful H.K. was both when he 'fought' Oathbreaker and Princess Luna and from the aftermath of his battle with Sombra... Why would he need something like a heartsong?

H.K. sighed as the sword he had been using flashed away. He then spun and walked eerily calmly towards me. I took a step back. I knew what was coming he was just too calm and after what just happened there was no way that H.K. was truly calm. Worse I knew better then to try and ease his anger like I would with Twilight with a sarcastic quip.

"What are you doing here!?" H.K. roared at me in fury, his rainbow mane wiping around. I was right...

Author's Note

This was an annoying chapter to construct (and no not because of the singing)

For Reasons

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

“What are you doing here!?” H.K. roared at Spike, his rainbow mane wiping around like it was suddenly windy. I had not seen H.K. this angry since that day... That day that I tried to get Spike to smash that phoenix egg. I had expected H.K. to be a bit angry especially after saving our scaly hides from those shadow demons but not stone cold furious.

I felt awful for Spike the full force of H.K. fury was not something I would wish on any dragon. As expected Spike was shaking in fear and could only whimper in response.

“H.K...”

I immediately regretted trying to help Spike as H.K. spun on me. I was wrong before he looked even more furious then he ever was with me. I could see a white light coming from the back of his mouth. “I was not talking to you Garble!”

As H.K. bared down on me I suddenly flashed back to my days as a worm under his ‘care.’ I could feel every beating and cut all over again. Every sneering insult replaying over and over...

“You're H.K.!?” Twixt’d sudden exclamation thankfully pulled me out of my nightmarish flashbacks as well as removing H.K.’s gaze away from me and on to him. I gulped when he huffed. "I don't see why Spike would need someone like you."

But much to my relief H.K. merely gave Twixt’d a hard glare who merely returned in. But as time went on and nothing happened I started to feel a sense of unease building again. So when H.K. snorted I nearly jumped out of my scales.

“We shall talk about this later...” H.K. flatly remarked as he bent down and picked up the unconscious Silver. “Its not safe out here.”

“But you slaughtered those... those things while singing! Singing!” Twixt’d complained in disbelief. He looked over at both Spike and I in confusion. I shrugged as I had nothing. I didn't understand the singing either and from the way Spike was shivering he was still in shock from H.K.'s gaze.

H.K. didn’t answer as we walked away deeper into ever darkening the city. The moon was peaking over when he walked into a large building near the strange spring tower. I blinked a bit when H.K. horn lit up allowing us to see the inside of the building we had entered. I looked around to see that we were in a large non descriptive room with three corridors leading off in three directions.

I didn't get any chance to look around further as H.K. didn't slow down, immediately taking the left corridor. We walked down the left corridor I noticed that the door at the end was interestingly off it hinges. It was becoming increasingly clear to me that something beyond the shadow demons was wrong with the city. Besides those creatures I noticed that there was alot of dust and dirt caking everything and as much as I didn't care about dirt I knew that most other races had issues with their homes being in a mess. Then there was things like that door... it wasn't the only door I had seen that was off their hinges, broken and in pieces, or missing all together

"Is this a library?” Twixt'd whispered to himself as we entered the the room beyond the broken door. "Why a library!?"

I had to agreed with Twixt’d’s confusion, there had to be better places to stay then in a library.

“I have my reasons for being in the library... So I suggest you remain in this building.” H.K. growled out as we passed row after row of bookshelves filled with books and scrolls.

“So what are we, prisoners?” I cringed at Twixt'd accusation. Twixt’d didn’t know H.K. like I did otherwise he would not dare to push him when he was angry.

“Leave and die. Stay and live. I don’t care either way.”

“You don’t care!?” I cringed as Spike bravado seemed to have returned. “Is that why you left Equestria to be destroyed!? Is that why you... you... abandoned me?"

“If you want to be a sheltered brat go back to Equestria. I don’t have the time for this.” H.K. coldly shrugged, not even looking over at Spike as he turned down one of the aisles without slowing.

I nearly tripped over my feet in surprise. That was not the H.K. I knew. Sure he was as hotheaded and strong as any dragon could get but with Spike not so much. He loved Spike as if he was the crown jewel of his hoard. Hell Spike was able to tear into H.K. without any reciprocation when he found out how H.K. (was rightfully) treating me... and then when Twilight and I found H.K. in the Everfree he seemed just... devastated over Spike being hurt over is 'death.' What happened to H.K.?

Spike, however, was livid but he appeared to be unable to come up with any to say as he just opened and shut his mouth until he finally just huffed and crossed his arms. I'm sure if it wasn't for the fact that we were following H.K. and he was supplying the only light in the darkness he would not even look in H.K.'s direction.

I was further confused with H.K. when he lead us through another door that led to another large circular room. This one, along with bookshelves lines the wall, had a large hoard of gems and coins in the center, glistening in the light of several lit lanterns. Where did he get some many gems in such a short amount of time? Did he just decide to move his hoard for some odd reason?

The problem was that both made no sense to me as I don't ever remember H.K. having this many gems or coins and he never seem all that interested in them either. Of course, he never allowed me much freedom in his old home so it was possible this was his hoard and I never saw it as it was located where I could not go...

H.K. gently put down Silver next to the hoard and pulled out some cloths from a nearby desk that I had missed in my initial glance around the room. He slowly cleaned Silver's wounds which looked much worse in the light of the library. The claw marks on his tail were so deep that his tail was nearly shortened. That wasn't the only terrible injury Silver had. The area that he was hit by those beams, his shoulder, looked almost... burnt. Odd, given that dragon scales are very resistant to heat even magical heat.

“Is he going to be okay?” Twixt'd asked, eyeing Silver's grievous injuries.

“Yes... " H.K. sighed after wrapping up Silver's tail and turning to the shoulder area. "His tail will scar and he will have to refrain from using it for a while... He should count himself lucky though that none of the mana beams hit him in the wings...”

I shuddered at the implication of those words. To lose a part of a tail was one thing for a dragon but to lose ones wings... would make them no dragon at all, just a wingless lizard. Even a wimp like Silver didn’t deserve that.

"Whelp I guess there is nothing left to do but sleep..." I raised an eyebrow as Twixt'd yawned and walked over to the edge of the room and curled down on the floor. What dragon, besides Spike, would not want to sleep on gems?

"Great, another dragon that doesn't care..." Spike grumbled to himself as he laid next to Silver. A moment later he too was asleep snoring lightly.

H.K. grunted as he pulled out a scroll from the desk and started to write. I watched for a while not sure what to do... H.K. didn't seemed to care that I was watching him but after yawning a few times I decided to take advantage of the gem pile and shifted some of into a make shift bed before curling down. As uncaring as Twixt'd comment sounded he was right there was nothing we could do right now.

I was about to fall asleep when I noticed a flame circling fire near the ceiling above. I narrowed my eyes to get better look only to see that it was H.K.'s phoenix companion, Soots. I rolled my eyes as Soots dived down and landed on H.K.'s shoulder. I should have know that Soots would be here.

I shrugged it off and was about to finally fall asleep when H.K. spoke up. “Soots take this to Thesējs tho Tzirüs...ugh... I mean Twilight...”

That caught my attention. A scroll, probably the one that he had been writing on, was now rolled up and floating in H.K.'s weird green and purple magic. Soots head titled a bit at the scroll before he cawed. H.K. smiled for the first time tonight at whatever the phoenix had said. “Yes, you may Soots...”

“Um... H.K. Spike can... can send Twilight your *yawn* letter through his fire...” I yawned out as Soots carefully took the scroll in his beak.

“Interesting...” H.K. noted as Soots flew off with the scroll, “However, I have my reasons for this method.”

What possible reason would he have for such a slow method?! It would take the phoenix at least a week to fly to Equestria while Spike’s fire would get the letter there in mere moments. But I was unable able to dwell it any further as I soon was fast asleep.

Author's Note

Yeah H.K. is pissed... for reasons...
I wrote this chapter... for reasons...
And RadicalDishonesty will hate H.K. even more.... for reasons... :rainbowwild:

For Panicking

ബഐബഐബഐ Silver ബഐബഐബഐ

A throbbing pain in my shoulder and tail tugged at the edge of my mind. I groaned as I opened my eyes to try and figure out why I was in pain. For that matter, I don't remember falling asleep or anything. The only thing I could figure out immediately was that it was dark, my eyes blurry from sleep and pained tears, and I was inside a building of some sort.

"I would suggest to not move much." A voice spoke softly as I winced from trying to move. "You lost a lot of blood, nearly lost your tail and your right shoulder is badly burnt."

I hissed in pain as looked over too see a white figure, but as my vision was still blurry from sleep I couldn't tell exactly who it was. I slowly brought up my claw and wiped the tears and sleep from my eyes. What I saw then, in my clearing vision, was surprising. There, standing nearby at a desk reading a scroll, was what I assumed was an oddly white narwhal equine reptile male chimera. He had a rainbow mane and his eyes matched his green and purple striped narwhal horn.

Out of all the many, many chimeras that I had seen over the years, usually merchant traders along the Great Salt Road, none of them ever looked quite like him. To begin with, it was my understanding that chimeras were never mix of land and sea. Not only that, the reptilian parts of him were not clearly defined large body parts like the torso or head but in patches like his shoulder.

"What happened?" I asked, not wanted to irk the chimera by staring at him for too long. I could vaguely remember the glowing yellow eyes in the darkness and something attacking me but nothing else until I awoke where I was now.

"Not entirely sure... you were unconscious when I rescued you. However, judging from your injuries you were attacked by shadow demons and then shot at least once, maybe more, by a defense obelisk."

Defense obelisk? Shot? Does he mean those black towers all over the city? I wonder if that was what shot Twixt'd out of the sky... But then none of them attack us while we walked through the city so how did I... unless... I must have panicked... again. But if I panicked and got seriously injured what about... "Spike, Garble, Twixt'd!"

"They are fine." The chimera sighed as he looked past me.

I carefully glance over my shoulder to see Spike sleeping soundly with a blanket wrapped around him. Garble was a short distance away also sleeping on a pile of gems. I could not see Twixt'd anywhere but it was possible that he was out of sight on the other side of the hoard. Either way it was a relief that they weren't hurt, even Garble... Wait, gems? Hoard!?

I shot up at that even though I had to bite back a roar of pain. I really didn't want alert the dragon owner that we were here sleeping on his or her hoard! We have to get out of here but carefully.

"Relax, or you will reopen your wounds..." The chimera calmly ordered not even looking up from his scroll that he was still reading.

"But. We shouldn't be here! This is a dragon's hoard!" Now that I was fully awake I could faintly smell an unknown dragon on the gems and even coming from the chimera... probably a helper or servant... rare but not unheard of at least for the dragons around here. Apparently it's more common in the eastern lands, I think. The faint smell on the gems was a bit odd as a hoard was usually thick with the scent of the dragon but then again the dragon may have just moved. It would explain why I had no idea there was a dragon up here. I do every I can to make sure I knew where every dragon was in the Untamed Wilds after all...

The chimera raise a eyebrow and looked at me from over the scroll. He then sighed and but it down. "

"Don't you understand!? You could get in trouble, deadly trouble, with your master or worse just for rescuing us! To intrude on another dragon territory like this...much less the hoard !If I had know that this was a dragon's hoard here I'd... I'd... I would have t-told them..." I tried to get up again but the pain from my shoulder and tail forced me back down.

"Master?" The chimera questioned, raising his eye brow even more.

"I didn't mean offense I... I..." I stuttered as I realized what I had implied. "I wasn't implying that you his... or her slave or something hehehe... It's just that I can smell dragon on you and faintly on the hoard as well... probably the lesser gems... not that its bad or anything! I wouldn't want strangers near my more valuable parts of my hoard either..."

"Interesting..." The chimera droned as he rubbed a hoof on his chin, "You are not a 'typical' dragon are you?"

"Yeah..." I sighed sadly, blushing a bit at being called out. "I'm a bit... uh... shy and the others... consider me a bit cowardly... and weak... even though I can and will fight decently once I have a moment to get into the right state of mind..."

I sighed as I began to fiddle with my claws going silent as my embarrassment got to me. I really do not do well being put on the spot like this. And to a complete stranger! Even if said strange was my savior...

The silence drag on for some time and was beginning to get really uncomfortable. I was getting so nervous that I nearly jumped when he suddenly spoke up. "There may be more hope then I thought..."

More hope then he thought? What does that mean?

"But I would not worry about you being in or I getting into trouble..."

"But the defense obelisks and shadow demons..."

"Broken and an infestation." The chimera shrugged as he returned to his scroll.

"Oh... but... uh... Are you sure? No trouble?"

"Jā."

I blinked in shocked before my brain caught up and remembered that a select few of the chimera traders knew a bit of draconian. Usually only a word or two... yes, no, hello, things like that. The language was a bit difficult for non dragons to learn or at least that's what I've heard.

"You should go back to sleep. It's still deep in the night and you need rest in order to heal."

For Knowledge

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

I watched through the corner of my eye as the injured dragon whelp slowly relaxed and fell asleep. Just in time too as I finished translating the scroll that I had been working on while we had talked. While the scroll had some useful information that I may need to use it was not really what I hoped it would be. I sighed as I put the scroll in a drawer before I slowly walked over to check the whelp's bandages. With all the moving he had done it was possible that he reopened his wounds. Thankfully I found that he did not so I turned my attention to my brother who has sleeping close by.

I sighed as I watched Spike drool in his sleep. I had dreamed of watching my sibling sleeping soundly in his own pile of gems... raising him... watching him grow into dragon that would make our parents proud... but it was not to be... not that I regret giving Spike into Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja's care. As far as I have been able to tell she has done a wonderful job raising him, especially with such limited information. I just regret that I didn't pay more attention when Oathbreaker technically first broke the oath... it was just that she did have some very good points I did have a very dangerous life even for a dragon. A life of a dragon warrior is not the best for raising hatchlings...

On that I had to get him out of here. Hourglass City was just not safe and would not be for some time. To begin with, I had yet to figure out how to shut down the malfunctioning defense grid. In of itself it wouldn't be a problem if I didn't also have to deal with the massive infestation of shadow demons. Conversely the shadow demons themselves also wouldn't be a problem if the defenses grid had not be active for the last ten thousand years making the lay lines the swirling around the mountain extremely unstable and strained. Any use of active magic right now could not only cause a cascade effect that would instantly vaporize life within sight of the mountain it could irreparably disrupt magic globally. It was a huge risk as it was when I had to use a very powerful spell to save the young dragons. Luckily I'm very good at heartsongs allowing me to use its magic to mitigate my use of active magic...

"Do you know of this mountain?" The Voice asked as as a miniature version the upside down mountain Terra Hourglass appeared, a multitude of blue lights swirled up and around the mountain.

"That's Terra Hourglass, it, along with its twin, Aqua Hourglass, are the leyonic poles of the planet. On top is Hourglass City birthplace of Discord and the once capital of the Draconequui before they were wiped out in one fell swoop by a spell developed and use by the alicorn sisters' parents..."

I nearly jumped when several angry roars of a dragon interrupted me, echoing out among the trees. What has gotten into the dragon now? Nothing I had said had really much baring on dragons... unless he had a particular disdain for them, which would make little sense given my birth race... but then again nothing about this 'meeting' has made much sense...

"Correct..." The Voice sighed one the roar ended. "Though the Hourglasses are far more then just leyonic 'poles' they also in are, in simplistic terms, my anchors to your plane..."

I growled in anger. I already could see where this was leading to. Active magic of a high enough caliber can effect ley lines causing anything from surging, fading, to 'jumping' where the ley lines snap around like a rubber band. Given the high concentration of ley lines that were also in constant movement would only magnify any damaging effect along multiple ley lines. So when those two imbeciles decided to cleanse the planet the draconequui... They are lucky my biological parents got to them because if I had they would have not been given the luxury of a quick death...

I shook my head as I pulled myself from my memories I had work to get back to after all. I slowly turned, walked back toward the side door, and back into the main section of the library. I have so much to do and so little time after all. I walked many rows until I finally found myself at the bookshelf that I had marked with chalk. As I had done with several other bookcases I systemically and carefully scanned each book or scroll I came across, mentally making rudimentary translations, looking for one that had something that could help me.

"Calm down son." I blushed in embarrassment when I felt The Voice's accented his words with several licks down my back. I know The Voice is father to all dragons and that he has appeared to me as my father because he contains my father making him my father doubly... but this is just weird... and I am way too old for this... was way too old the first time... Though I won't admit to anyone that I missed the feeling of being comforted like a hatchling...

"So... they are, in essence, losing themselves to the beasts within..." I whispered sadly at what The Voice revealed. I had noted the slide in the dragons but I had figured it had to do with the aftereffects war but I had never thought it was directly tied specifically to the final moments of the war... At least now the dragon's roar made more sense...

"Ow." I cringed as my ear was flicked hard by the tip of The Voice's tail. I know he knows how sensitive a ponies ears could be there was no need to treat me like a foal that had made a crude, impolite remark.

"That is not correct and you know it." The Voice chastised me. "The beast within a dragon does not war with the sapient consciousness... Though I suppose the analogy has its merits in this case..."

DAMN YOU DISCORD!!! I mentally roared in fury and frustration. Once again I found that an entire shelf was filled with a random assortment of scrolls, letters, and books ranging from how to make cheese, to a spell on changing color perception, and finally to a love letter. How that one got in here I didn't want to know. Not that it mattered, none were of any assistance.

So irritated was I at this problem that I found myself nearly spewing out fire. A few sparks had even managed to leak out of my maw before I clamp my mouth shut.

I breathed heavily for a few minutes trying to calm down. Ever since Spike revived me with the shield glowgem my emotions have been extremely volatile and I found myself especially getting really angry far more easily. That in of itself wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't also now capable of spewing fire.

I will be glad when Smaug arrives in little over a week, if the winds are favorable... I desperately need his expertise in finding what I need. Sure I could get lucky to find the right book or scroll on my own but if my very low estimate was correct I had well over a million scrolls and books to search through. Normally that wouldn't be an issue as any decent library would have some easily figurable pattern, but thanks to Discord not a single scroll or book are in any proper place.

I understand it wasn't Discord being a jerk by messing with the Grand Library he was just trying to starve off boredom/insanity after finding himself alone after his entire race was wiped out by those... insects!

I gulped and shut my mouth hard when I saw again a white glow coming from it. For the second time in a short while I was about to burn the place down with my fury. I really need to mediate but I just don't have time. There is just too much work to do and on top of that I have to now keep an eye on four young dragons... Speaking of the young dragons, one of them, Twixt'd, if the injured whelp's outburst was correct and not him spouting deliriously, was eyeing me from the shadows. He was quite good at it even using his black scales to his advantage to hide. He was even paying attention to make sure his much easier to spot grayish-blue belly scales were hidden.

I had noticed him watching me a while back but ignored him as at first I had figured he was curious or was unsure how to approach me after our less then ideal introduction. However, by the way he was watching me with suspicion told me otherwise. I suppose that to be expected from a dragon like him. I would rather just ignore him and continue my work but he could prove to me more problematic then Garble ever was unless I did something to allay his suspicions. I knew there was nothing I really could do drive off Spike until the injured whelp is healed enough to fly.

"Twixt'd is it?" I nonchalantly called out. "Tell me, what is an orphaned street urchin from Traxti City doing this far from home?"

For Mysteries

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

"Twixt'd is it?" I nonchalantly called out, keeping my face towards the bookshelf. I didn't want to spook the whelp too much especially as I needed to get some answers from him about who he was and what he was doing not only here but with Spike and Garble. Twixt'd was an unknown variable and a potential loose cannon and that was something that could spell disaster. "Tell me, what is an orphaned street urchin from Traxti City doing this far from home?"

"How the fuck could you possibly know that? Are you reading my mind?" Twixt'd exclaimed as he walked into the light still coming from my horn before growling softly, "Damn high and mighty magick users thinking they can do whatever they want because they were born with special abilities from the gods..."

Yep, the word 'magick' among several other things I had observed from the whelp only confirmed it for me. He was diffidently a street urchin from Traxti City. That is very concerning. I pass through Traxti City a lot in my work with my most recent visit a mere three years ago. And even with my infrequent visits I do get mail whenever they needed consultation on anything major especially if it was dragon related. Though to be fair it's not something they would likely consult me over as while street urchins are a concern they are considered more of a nuisance then a major problem.

That doesn't excuse my failure in finding out about a dragon urchin. I make a point to be on good terms with those on the streets. It's surprising the amount of useful information that I can get from them especially with dark magic issues. Conversely it's a sad how many will ignore them like just some litter on the street then the people they are. For most they didn't choose the life and would get out if possible...

I sighed. "While I am more then capable of casting such a spell to read minds... I did not and will not."

Twixt'd snorted in amusement but said nothing.

I watched him for a moment before I continued. "To begin with, you have a slight accent. One that I have only heard among current or former street urchins from Traxti City. Now, it's quite possible that you picked it up beings friends with them but as there are no dragons that live in or near Traxti city... too big and busy... that leaves only one reasonable possibility: you are one."

Twixt'd snorted. "Really? You expect me to believe that you can tell all that from how I talk?"

I blinked and shook my head. I'm not surprised that he still disbelieved me. I suppose I could have added that he didn't recognize my name 'H.K.' but there are some that don't know that name all that well most notable were the Wasteland dragons as well as ice dragons and sea serpents. I'm not as well known among the sea serpents for obvious reasons: I can't swim. As for the ice dragons, they were not easy to visit given the remote and inhospitable lands they call home and my condition had only made it worse.

"Does being the Cloaked Shadow help?"

Twixt'd raised an eyebrow. "You're the Cloaked Shadow?"

"Jā."(Yes)

Twixt'd eyes went wide for a moment before they narrowed even more then when I first saw Twixt'd watching me. That only confirms my suspicion that he was really young when he was orphaned but made my failure in noticing him even worse.

I sighed, looking at him straight in the eyes. "I just spoke draconic... It's the language of the dragons and something that a dragon with parents would definitively know... But the fact that you thought it was mind magic only confirms you were orphaned at a young age... and only highlights my failure..."

That stunned him and for a second I saw the real Twixt'd underneath the slowly fading suspicion before it game back full force. "Why would you care?"

"I know what it is like to be orphaned and despised for being something that was beyond their control." I whispered sadly as I silently recalled my foalhood. "I can't recall a single street urchin who didn't at least dream of a better life... with family... food... shelter... love... or at least getting a single look that wasn't pitied filled or judgmental... I also know how guarded they can be when opportunity comes to get out of the tough streets... if anything good comes along... its always too good to be true..."

"Do you take me for a pigeon?" Twixt'd finally spoke up after a long pause.

I chuckled a bit at the street lingo for a sucker. He really is only making it more apparent that he was an orphaned street urchin. It was not easy for any street urchin to accept another out right. One just did not last long on the streets if one wasn't careful about who they trusted. Twixt'd, though, was being especially cautious... except in one area: the young dragons now sleeping in the research rotunda. Which was one the questions I needed answering but first: "Tell me, how old are you."

"Why don't you just cast a spell and read my mind." Twixt'd growled out, crossing his arms hotly

I rolled my eyes. "Please just answer my question."

"Two hundred give or take a year or ten... " Twixt'd finally responded, shrugging, "it isn't something I really cared to pay attention to..."

I nearly sputtered in shock. Two hundred!? He is TWO HUNDRED!!!? I almost didn't believe it, but I could find no deceit in his answer even though he was a bit guarded about giving it. That meant he had to have been on the streets/on his own for nearly his entire life to not know of the Draconic language's abilities. How the buck did I not find out about him? A dragon hatchling/whelp would stick out like beacon of light on a moonless night in Traxti City even after considering that as a major neutral multinational city-state with a port there is a massive amount of transients passing through the city every day.

But then again, he was very skilled at using his scales to hide. He had even made sure to use his wings to cover up his easier to see belly scales. A product of being on the streets, no doubt, and maybe the reason he was never found out. As it was, if I hadn't been hyper diligent about watching the shadows in the library for any shadow demons that may have slipped past the wards I may have missed him. Alas there was nothing I could do about it now.

This lead me back to the question I had before, what was he doing so far from Traxti city? I get escaping the hell that was living on the streets but going this far? If all he knew was the streets for that long, it would be very difficult for him to adjust to any life not on the streets... Could it have something to do with the injured whelp? Contrary to Spike's remarks Twixt'd really did care as he would not have sincerely asked if the whelp was going to be okay otherwise. His nonchalant response to my affirmation merely seemed cold. But that brought up something else even more confusing: his reaction towards me.

“You're H.K.!?” Twixt’d huffed. "I don't see why Spike would need someone like you."

He held his glare at me even after witnessing my display of power and under my own glare. For someone like him to put himself in the line of fire like that was way out of the ordinary especially considering how well he remained hidden from me. Out of sight out of mind was a survival tactic that one learned real fast. I may not know how long Twixt'd knew the injured whelp but I do know that with Spike it had to be in the order a a few days at the very most. Spike and Garble would have had to have left Equestria shortly after I did to get here as fast as they did and I don't see Twixt'd meeting them in Equestria. Especially given how tense the Equestrians are right now with dragons.

However even with all this mystery over Twixt'd I had to suppress a smile of joy. If Twixt'd motives were as pure as I was beginning to suspect then Spike finally had dragon friends that were really friends. After his disastrous first impression at the Migration and his fears over becoming a 'beast' I knew that he would struggle with his dragon heritage even with my words of engorgement. But now, with both the injured whelp and Twixt'd, I think that might change.

For Listening

ബഐബഐബഐ Twixt'd ബഐബഐബഐ

I blinked as H.K. reacted to my age by trying to spit out a non existent drink. Why would my age be that surprising? I may not know much about my own race but I did at least know that dragons lived a very long time. Of course I may be just wrong about his surprise as it was infuriatingly hard to read him. Not only was his emotions erratic he wasn't given off any of the normal emotional smell cues I would expect. Even the most flat, stoic person I could at least depend on my nose when my eyes failed.

The only thing I could think of was it was because of what he was, a land and see mixed chimera which I didn't know it was possible. I did find that the smell of salt that tended to over power a lot of other smells... Either that or he was using magick. Considering I could not smell even a hint the ocean on him I bet magick. I hate that. It's for the weak...and the lazy. A shortcut for those that unwilling to do the work to better themselves...

"Forget it Twixt'd, H.K.'s a jerk and not worth it..." I nearly jumped at the suddenness of Spike's voice. I glanced behind me to see Spike walking out of the shadows. How did he get here without me knowing? Was I that lost in my thoughts and why am I dropping my guard so much? This is exactly what would get someone hurt or killed on the streets...

"But then why...?" I questioned. I was getting a bit annoyed at all the strangeness that I could not pin down and all of it surround H.K.

"Because H.K. is the only one that I know that knows anything about dragons and the only one that can prevent a war..."

H.K. growled softly at this. "Damn it Twilight..."

"You leave Twilight the buck out of this!" Spike barked, interrupting H.K.

"Shut the buck up and listen!" H.K. snapped. "I tasked Twilight in finding out a way to deal with the war as I can no longer help and unlike you, Spike, I trust our sister to deal with it."

Our sister?! How can a chimera and a dragon be siblings? Unless... 'I know what it is like to be orphaned...' So then H.K. wasn't just spouting the perfect story... at least for the part about being an orphan. At least now I understood why Spike was so intent on finding H.K... H.K. was Spike's brother by adoption.

"One, horse dung on not being able to help." Spike darkly countered, crossing his arms. "Two, Twi is not and never will be your sister."

"Whatever..." H.K. growled before turning away and going back to browsing the shelves. "Please tell me she at least told you about using the gem..."

"And that it will guide where my heart already is. Yeah, yeah, yeah... So very helpful." Spike snarked with a roll of his eyes. "You know, I'm really getting tired of you being mysteriously vague all the time. I swear you are just as bad as Oathbreaker..."

If I wasn't already getting used to H.K. seemingly volatile behavior I probably would have backed up like Spike did when H.K. instantly spun around and stomped up to Spike glaring at him hard. Oddly, his mane was whipping about like it was windy just like when he was fighting those shadow demons. "Do not compare me to that bitch."

Spike impressively was showing a lot more bravado against H.K. then before when H.K. rescued us from the shadow demons merely flinching in reaction. "Then stop acting like her! Heck I already have two maybe three of the five dragons, assuming I'm 'magic,' needed for the dragon equivalent of the bearers of the Element of Harmony!"

"What the buck are you talking about!?" H.K. spurted out after a moment of silence.

"Don't be so coy, H.K., you know exactly what I'm talking about! This is so like when Twilight warned Oathbreaker about the return of Nightmare Moon and all she had to say to Twilight was to 'stop reading those dusty old books! ...and make friends!"

"The gem is not the Elements of Harmony!" H.K. hissed, gritting his teeth hard. "You know what, I don't have time for this! I've got a world ending cataclysm that requires my complete attention but instead of being able to devote my entire time looking into a solution I have to babysit an injured wimp, an suspicious orphan, a disgraced worm, and a dragon hatchling that won't listen with a damn death wish!"

"Hey!"

"Shut it." H.K. snapped. "This mountain along with its twin are the leyonic poles of the planet. Every ley line begins or ends here. The ley lines are currently under extreme stress and I have only a few clues to go on in order to fix it... You live with a unicorn so I don't think I need to paint you a picture what will happen if say the ley lines cascade?"

Spike mouth dropped his scales paled and his began to shiver violently. Whatever H.K. was saying really bad or at least sounded bad. "Well you are finally thinking with your head. If any magic including you message fire is used willy nilly you will vaporize every living thing for miles around the mountain then will cascade along every leyline in the world..."

I couldn't help but to snort at that. It was just so ridiculous. There was no way Spike could produce fire of that scale... no one could... maybe a couple hundred full grown dragons... And don't get me started on H.K. obvious use of magick.

"Something funny young dragon?"

"I can see why Spike thinks your a jerk. Magick users are always making up the rules as they go."

"Oh really?" H.K. questioned, raising an eyebrow at me. "New flash, young dragon, you are a 'magick' user. Every time you fly or use your flame you passively use magic. And you will care about the ley lines when your body is no longer fire resistant, or you fall out of the sky, or you fire stop working at all, or your scales become brittle and shatter at the slightest touch! You may think magic is for chumps but everything and everyone on this planet is connected by it."

I rolled my eyes. If that rant was suppose to change my mind or scare me or whatever he was trying to do. I was about to scoff when I saw Spike. Somehow he looked even worse, his eyes like glass and unresponsive. "Spike... are you okay?"

"He'll be fine... the shock of what is going on was too much..." H.K. shrugged as he lifted the nonresponsive Spike on to my shoulders much to my annoyance. I didn't mind helping Spike out but I didn't like the fact that H.K. had been the cause of Spike's current mental state. "Take Spike and go back to the gem pile. I have work to do and it will be dark for several more hours. Until sunrise the shadow demons will be on the prowl."

Author's Note

This chapter was a pain in the rear end! I could triple the size of it with all the content I had to throw out due to too much exposition, tonal issues, or characterization flaws, etc... I haven't had this much trouble with a chapter since that HK VS GH chapter in Dragons of Hourglass...

For Confessing

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I was only partially aware of what was going on as Twixt'd carried me away. All I could think on was how cold H.K. was. I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. With how nonchalant he was about scarring Garble it was only a matter of time before he would come after me... But I had to try and save the ponies... and I failed... and now all that I love...

I wasn't even aware that we had reentered the room where the gem pile was. It wasn't until Garble whispered that I realized where we were. "What happened?"

I blinked in surprise. Did he hear us all the way back here? I didn't think we were quite that loud. But then again maybe sound travels really far here like in the Canterlot Archives. I got into trouble a few times for getting a bit too excited reading my comics while Twilight was busy with whatever had her interest that week...

"H.K. tore into him hard..." Twixt'd grumbled.

"Yeah... H.K. does have a temper..." I cringed as Garble traced a few of his scars idly. "Wait... did I hear you wrong? Did you say H.K. tore into Spike!?"

I slipped down off of Twixt'd and slow walked to and picked up the blanket that had been put on me earlier. By whom I don't care... I just needed some reminder of home, of Twilight, right now even though I could feel both pairs of eyes watching intently.

I understood everything H.K. had said. As Twilight's number one assistant I picked up a lot of things related to magic. Thanks to that I understood how magic could infer with ley lines and vice versa. Even more so if the this was the fabled leyonic poles as H.K. claimed and it seemed possible given the absolute impossibility of an upside down mountain. It also would be a real concern if there really was something wrong with the ley lines. I get needing to fix whatever was wrong with the ley lines and fast... but that didn't mean he had to be so cold about it...

"'I have to babysit dragon hatchling that won't listen with a damn death wish!' That's what he told me... that what he thinks of me..." I sighed, not daring to look up at Garble and Twixt'd. I don't need to see their pity... "I don't have a death wish... I'm just trying to save my friends and their love ones! I mean what's the point in saving the world when there was no one left in it!?"

"Are you saying that H.K. wasn't just spouting nonsense in some vain attempt to scare us?"

"No, he wasn't." I shook my head shivering a bit at thoughts of cascading ley lines. I remember when Twilight had gotten all worked up when I shrugged over It was one of the few times that Twilight's neurotic panicked ranting wasn't over the top and unrealistic... well it was still over the top. "Well, maybe... But if this is the leyonic pole and there is something wrong with them then what H.K. was said is a real possibility."

"So what now?" Twixt'd asked after a long awkward silence.

"I don't know..." I sighed. "I came here to get his help with a war and well as something... personal... and clearly he doesn't care about either. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised..."

"Okay... forget the personal whatever for a moment, war?! How can a single chimera help in a war?!"

"No, not you too!" Garble whined, facepalming. "He is not a chimera!"

"Garble, enough." I grumbled, pinching my brow. "It doesn't matter whether he's a chimera, dragon, breezie, or the bucking Smooze from the 8th dimension, war has been declared against my home Equestria! Luckily, so far fighting hasn't broken out yet, but it's only a matter of time."

"Why?"

"Because the Wasteland Dragon's Oath was broken by the namby-pamby Oathbreaker pony princess..." My jaw dropped as Garble explained. It surprising that Garble managed to hold it together to finish his sentence. Every other time Oathbreaker was brought up he went into a feral rage. To be fair, though, I had troubles not doing the same.

"Okay, not what I meant..." Twixt'd pinched his eyebrow. "Wasteland Dragons, Oathbreaker pony princess?"

"'Oathbreaker pony princess' is one of two rulers of Equestria and the Wasteland Dragons are...uh... Garble what exactly are the Wastleland Dragons?"

"A bunch dragons from all over this continent under the nominal leadership of a single dragon known as the Dragon Lord. What's to know?" Garble shrugged.

"Okay..." Twixt'd drew out rubbing his forehead. I felt the same way. I mean what kind of an answer is 'What's to know!?' "Let me get this straight, a bunch of dragons are mad over a pony breaking an oath, fine. But a war!?"

"What!?" Garble spouted in disbelief. "Did your brain get damaged at the same time as your horn!? Didn't your parents teach you anything?! And I thought you had it bad Spike..."

I just sighed and rolled my eyes at Garble's jab. He was really bad at spouting the wrong thing and the wrong time... It was clear it hurt as I could see that Twixt'd had one of those thousand hoof stares... 'a suspicious orphan...'

"Twixt'd, please don't take this wrong... when H.K.... are you an orphan?"

Twixt'd crossed his arms, and narrowed his eyes at me. "That is none of your business Spike so drop it."

"Oh, come on." Garble huffed, waving a claw dismissively. "Spike is also an orphan and I'm disowned so spill it already."

Twixt'd slowly blinked seemingly surprised at what Garble said. For a long moment Twixt'd just stared before he turned away.

"It been so long and I was so young..." Twixt'd began. It was clear that he was crying. The shaky voice, the turning away, it was the exact same thing Shinning Armor did whenever he got emotional and was trying to keep up his manly reputation in front of others. Never did work as you had to be Pinkie Pie levels of oblivious to not know he was crying. "Try as I might I can't even remember what they looked like or sounded... all I can recall was my name... Black Ice... At least you had friends... I had no one... living on the streets... It's everyone for him or herself more so if you didn't 'fit in.' To stand out on the streets brought unwanted attention."

"Great I went from the top of the hoard to hanging with a bunch misfits." Garble grumbled hotly.

"You had a choice Garble..." I ground out. Sometimes I wanted to wack Garble for his inconsiderate remarks but I knew that it was only a mask to hide his real feelings... sort of like Twixt'd's and Shinning Armor's turning way so no one could see them crying...

"Yeah... and I have the scars to remind me..."

"So, now what?" Twixt'd questioned after another long awkward pause. I was glad he changed the subject away from Garble's scars. I really don't like Garble's one moment cringing at the them next being all lovey-dovey.

I took a long breath. "I honestly don't know... I really didn't know when we left Equestria... I don't know now! All I do know is that H.K. somehow knows what's what and is the only one that can fix it... and I don't even know why I know that! Or think the he will fix it! He's a coward that runs from everything that should be important..."

"Well, kid, personally I think he's not worth it brother or not... but I left Traxti City with no idea where to go or what to do... What I do know is I like you guys... you especially Spike... So I'll be with you while you figure it out. Besides someone has to protect you kid. Garble sure cant..."

"Hey!"

"I don't need protecting." I humphed.

"Yeah, you do." Twixt'd and Garble countered much to my annoyance.

For Nightmares

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

I ignored the five pairs of eyes watching me as I paced the library. I know why they are here but I need to pace... I do my best thinking when I pace.... that and I'm just really, really worried. To begin with Spike left Equestria to go find H.K. two weeks ago and I have not heard from him since. To makes matters worse I had no way of contacting him back... in my mini relief that Spike could send me scrolls I had forgotten that it went two ways... I had no idea how Princess Celestia was able to send Spike scrolls in return.

Even knowing that it would tick off Spike I thought about contacting with the Princesses and was about to make a trip up to Canterlot until I saw this mornings headlines. I had stopped some time ago reading them as I got tired of reading the doom and gloom and the speculation with the coming war... or not war, depending on the paper... But this time it got my attention.MASS FOALNAPPINGS: The dragon's first move or another changeling invasion? Discord must be reveling in all the chaos he caused...

"I can't take it anymore!" Rainbow yelled. "Will you stop pacing!"

"Rainbow Dash!'" Applejack admonished the prismatic pony before turning to me. "Twi' Ah know yah worried about Spike but you can't just stay in here pacin' and mutterin' all the time..."

"I'm trying to figure that out..." I gestured to a map of Equestria I had tacked onto the wall along with all the information I had on the foalnappings. "I'm sure it's not dragons... All three incidents were in daylight and in areas that would be hard for dragons to sneak in and out of without being noticed... It also doesn't seem like something a dragon or group of dragons would do anyway..."

"I knew it was those damn bugs!" Rainbow Dash growl while punching on hoof into another.

"The evidence seems to point to that possibility but I'm not completely sure... I just don't have enough data..."

"Well we can't just stand around here doing nothing!" Rainbow grumbled. "What about your spell?"

"It hasn't been tested! It wasn't like there was any living changelings in Equestria after Shinning Armor managed to recast his spell and that is assuming it is the changelings!"

"Girls..."

"Well we can't just do nothing at least cast that spell over Ponyville."

"Girls..."

"I can't produce that shield for very long..." I rubbed my forehead as I was beginning to get annoyed at Rainbow Dash inability to see I'm trying but had nothing as of yet, "a few hours at most, especially over the entire town..."

"But you said your magic is stronger now." Rainbow Dash argued now getting into my face.

"Yes, that's true..."

"Then do it!" Rainbow Dash roar right in my face.

"And when I collapsed with mana exhaustion after six point three five hours?" I yelled, shoving my own muzzle back at her. "Ponyville is not Canterlot or the Crystal Empire both lie over a ley nexus and... both cities were built to help the defenses cast and maintain spells like that!"

"GIRLS!!!"

I spun to stare at Fluttershy who was clearly regretting shouting to get our attention as she was trying very hard to shrink behind her mane.

"WHAT!?" I flinched as I realized I had just snapped at Fluttershy. "Sorry... what is it Fluttershy?"

"Um, a phoenix just flew in the window."

"A phoenix?" I wondered. "Maybe its a summons from Princess Celestia for us to help in dealing with the foalnappings... or a spell... or maybe..." I blinked when I saw the phoenix siting on a windowsill. Odd, I don't remember having a window open. Also, even more curious, it was clear that it was not Philomena.

"Ain't tha' Princess Celestia's pet phoenix, Philomena?"

"No this phoenix is more masculine then Philomena..." I answered narrowing my eyes to see if I could recognize it (not that I knew that many) or figure out why it was here.

"Pee Wee then?"

"No, that is a mature phoenix... phoenixes don't reach maturity until they are three or four years of age..." I was sure it also wasn't Pee Wee's father but I had only seen him from a distance when Spike returned Pee Wee to his parents' care so I could be wrong. I looked over to Fluttershy in hopes she could figure out why the phoenix was here. "Fluttershy can you find out why he is here?"

"Um, I can't... he has a scroll in his beak."

I mentally facehooved at not seeing that he had a scroll in his beak. How did I miss that? The phoenix then flew off the windowsill and circled the room a few times before landing on the stallion bust, fluttered his wings, and stared at me.

Okay... Not creepy at all...

I began to become truly uncomfortable as the phoenix continued to stare me down. Suddenly he bobbed his head once then twice, both in my direction. Was he trying to give me the scroll? I mouthed 'me', putting a hoof to my chest. Sure the phoenix had entered the library which was where I lived but it was possible it was trying to deliver the scroll to one of my friends who happened to be in the library right now, like Fluttershy. I got my answer, however, when he bobbed his head again.

I raised an eyebrow as I took the scroll from the phoenix. Who would send me a scroll like this? My curiosity quickly turned to horror as I read the very short message within.

Prepare thyself, Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja, I shall be entering your dreams soon. You have much to answer for.

"I... I... need to lie down..." I managed to speak out before I slowly walked up the stairs and to my room only vaguely aware that my friends were protesting my leaving them. I wanted to help but there was nothing I could think of... And now with H.K. contacting me in the way he did and the wording... I had seen his anger first hoof and even though it would be in my dreams... I'm going to need a lot of Zeccora's calming tea, a cold compress, and some time alone...

I hummed lightly wrote worked on a difficult equation on one of my chalkboards. If I managed to get this figured out I will have proven...

*Snap*

"Drats... Spike could you get me a new piece of chalk?"

"He's not here..."

I yelped as I was not expecting any company. I turned to see that it was H.K. "H.K.!? You scared me what are you doing here?"

"I'm here because you failed me." H.K. frowned lightly before it morphed into a sinister grin."For that I'm going to kill you."

This is a dream...

"But I think I should pluck your wings one feather at a time... and stuff them into a pillow!" H.K. hissed as his rushed forward and slammed me onto my back.

Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja... you are not in danger...

"You know I've always wondered what pony flesh tastes like..." I cringed as H.K. licked my face with his long serpentine tongue.

Think Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja does this seem real?

I looked away in disgust trying not to look at H.K as his saliva dripped down off his sharp teeth and out of his open maw.

"Oh come now my treat. I am a dragon I need to eat."

Think Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja. Does this seem like H.K.?

The strange voice was right this wasn't the H.K. I knew... what little I knew of him... A viscous sadistic killer, yes, but a rapist, no. With that realization I realized I was in a dream a nightmare of a dream and... I'm going to be sick...

Banish the image Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja.

I closed my eyes and took a slow breath like Cadence taught me and when I opened my eyes I was sitting alone in the library with nothing out of place.

"H.K.?"

Yes Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja, it is I, and we are going to have a little talk.

For Failing

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"Where are you and why are you talking in my... head? Well, I mean, of course you in my head. That is I mean... ugh... you know..." I don't how one could get a headache while dreaming but I could feel one coming on if I continued down that line of thinking... It was like trying to explain or understand Pinkie Sense...

The distance between us is at the very edge of my range for me to contact you using this method. Because of that you can't not see me, nor I you.

"So um... about your letter..." I squeaked out. The way H.K. was 'talking' was making me really nervous. How can he be so eerily emotionless? It was never a good sign when somepony that was easily angered to be calm when he or she wasn't normally calm.

You bucking screwed up Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja... and I can't for the life of me can't figure out if you bucking care or not."

"You smug coward!" I roared, looking around for him. He dare think that I don't bucking care!? And to accuse me with no emotion!? I can get him screaming, growling, roaring, anything but nothing. "You abandoned your brother, again, when he needed you most and then you expect me to fix the war with nothing to work with! And you accuse me of not caring!?"

What did I say about testing me Thesējs tho Tzirüstele Atülāja? You think that because this is a dream that you are safe from my wrath!? You accuse me of abandoning him but at least I didn't let him gallivant off to try and find me without a guide. And don't you dare tell me you felt it was okay that Garble was enough! There are far more dangers outside Equestria then a higher chance of getting into a brawl! And he knows about as much as about the lands outside the Wastelands as you ponies know about lands outside of Equestria... less actually...

There are only two other places more dangerous for the uninitiated then the Untamed Wilds that they crossed: The Aqua Hourglass and the Razorback Expanse. Now I know you have never even heard of those places but the Everfree Forest is barely in the top twenty most deadly places of the world...

I paled. A place far worse then the Everfree and Spike had to cross it!?

It was through dumb chance and luck that both managed to avoid death at least three times.

At I started to shake in fear three times!? I was so worried that Garble wasn't going to be enough because exactly what H.K. had revealed. I only agreed because as dangerous as it could be for Spike both of us needed to find H.K. and quickly. He was our only reliable source on dragons besides Garble, whose knowledge on dragons was understandably lacking given his age and uncaring attitude unless it was something he really cared about. I know because I grilled him for hours when I attempted to get more information to help Spike after he nearly killed Discord. Reminded me a bit of Rainbow Dash and anything not sports related.

For someone who claims to need my help you sure don't act like it. Half the time you question, dismiss, or do the opposite of what I tell you to do... Do you know why I left the war to both you and Spike not just you?

I sighed as I rubbed my forehead. Somehow I knew the answer was going to be just as convoluted and infuriatingly vague like everything H.K. ever said.

The treaty or Oaths was designed to foster trust between the Wasteland Dragons and Equestria to show that it was possible for dragons and ponies to get along. Trust was lost when Oathbreaker broken the Oaths... And yet... even broken the goals of the Oaths worked. Demonstrating this to dragons would have been something that could have been used to stop the war or at least lessen it... but with Spike no longer with you... its going to be more difficult.

"It wouldn't be more difficult if you had been at least a bit less cryptic!" I snapped in frustration.

Question: which would cause you more worry the potential end of everything or Equestria being wiped out by angry fire breathing dragons?

"What kind of a question is that?" I grumbled as H.K. continued to do exactly what I was annoyed about.

The one where there is a global leyonic cascade that could occur at any moment unless I find a way to stop it.

"But that's im..." I sputtered in shock. "But that's only a... your... you have to be lying."

Es theeslu lelīzs... Am I one to lie about something like that?

I gulped as I somehow knew that H.K. wasn't. It was like when I begged him that he was lying about horrors the Elder War and Princess Celestia confirmed it only this time his words were enough. Not only that as I quickly went back to everything I could remember clearly about what H.K. said he never seemed to outright lie just hesitant to reveal everything...

Look, I get you are scared out of your mind...

"Scared out of my mind? Scared out of my mind!?" I screamed as I started to hyperventilate, "I'm way past that. I was nervous when I let Spike go with Garble to find you. I was worried as time went on and he never contacted me. I was scared when your letter arrived. I became terrified after you told me Spike nearly die three times trying to find you along with an actual global leyonic cascade being imminent! And don't you dare tell me what I know you are going to tell me."

What? That being scared was okay but to press on or to suck it up and quit being scared? Or are you expecting me to spout some personal story that may or may not be true to demonstrate I understand? Why bother, you don't listen to me anyway.

I gritted my teeth in anger. He may still be 'speaking' in an emotionless way, but it was clear he was being sarcastic. I'm so tired of dealing with him. 'Prince' Blueblood would be more tolerable right now. At least Blueblood had no real ability to do anything to ruin anything outside of Rarity's coiffure. H.K., on the other hoof, was going to get a lot of ponies killed.

"At least I'm trying to do something useful and not running away every time you think you are dying! Maybe if you hadn't stupidly faked your death in the Crystal Empire everything would still be okay!"

Oh yes, I faked my death in the Crystal Empire just for the fun of it! Better yet, I kept trying to hurt myself because I get sexual gratification from nearly dying. Those two statements, if you can't tell, are lies.

I huffed and roll my eyes as I avoided the urge to mutter 'No duh.'

I fought tooth and claw to remain alive even as my ash disease was slowly killing me all just so that I could... I almost lost all hope to see him hatched... For the first time all dream I could hear emotion coming from H.K. and he sounded... almost like he was... sad. Spike is all I have left of my family... My biological father was murdered before I was born and my injured mother died from the stress of my birth. Then my dragon parents died from a massive mana cascade in front of me... which... I could nothing to stop... "nothing... I... I... never... I didn't want Spike to have go through what I've had to go through..."

I involuntary stepped back as a wave of anguish and guilt slammed into me as H.K. spoke out loud for the first time during my dream.

I've done the best I could and I've sacrificed all that I ever wanted to keep him safe and happy... I blinked at the sudden return back to the emotionless 'in my head' style of speaking. But my life is extremely dangerous for myself much less a defenseless hatchling and it's not like the next Sombra or Nightmare Moon will stop just because I have a hatchling to raise. You do the math.

"I'm sorry...I... I... didn't..." I apologized, unsure what else I could say in light of what H.K. told me.

Shut it. Your false pity disgusts me. We are done here.

Author's Note

What a nightmare to write... I had to cut so much or rewrite so much of this that I could probably have enough material for 3 or 4 chapters... so difficult to get the tone right... mainly toning down H.K. by a lot or cut out the info dumping....

For Enraging

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

Shut it. Your false pity disgusts me. We are done here.

I awoke suddenly with a gasp, throwing off my covers as I sat up. What have I done! I was just trying to not only save Equestria but help my little brother. But what I ended up was nearly get him killed! And a global leyonic CASCADE!! A leyonic pole was merely theoretical much less a global cascade!

Question: which would cause you more worry the potential end of everything or Equestria being wiped out by angry fire breathing dragons?

Okay, Okay... I took a few long deeps breaths like I was taught by Princess Cadance. It helped a bit but I knew that I would need the special calming tea of Zeccora's especially if I was going to get through the day without completely failing apart worse then Lesson Zero or when I panicked over Future Twilight's interrupted warning...

With a tired sigh I made my way down into the kitchen and started the water for the tea. I nearly broke into tears, however, when I opened the jar that had the tea but found it empty. I frantically pulled everything out of the cupboards only to find I truly was out. Hopefully Zeccora will be home today.

I blinked as I stared at the entrance to a familiar cave. "How did I get here?" I gulped. I was meaning to go to Zeccora's! Her hut was no where near this section of the Everfree. I quietly back away hoping that the dragon wouldn't notice that once again I was intruding... I knew from experience and H.K.s words that he would not be happy to see me.

"YOU!"

I froze in terror. I knew that voice... and it was not the voice I wanted to hear. I slowly looked upward to see a pair of large glowing yellow eyes.

"Please is there any reparations I can make for Spike's thievery?" I stuttered out as I tried to get my legs to move as the dragon stomped out of the cave and into the light. I knew that he harbored great hatred towards not only Spike but myself as I was his guardian and responsible for his actions as well as my repeated begging.

To my surprise that stopped him dead in his tracks. I had pleaded for absolution for Spike several times before... so why did my request for it stop him this time!? What was different this time against every other time?

I resisted the urge to gulp or whimper as the dragon leaned towards me examining me. I started to sweat nervously as his silent examining continued for some time, nearly gagging when the dragon suddenly huffed a bit, his putrid hot breath washing over me.

"Your crown..."

"My crown?" I question in confusion before I realized he must have meant the Element of Magic on my head. But I couldn't give it to me as without it the greatest defense Equestria had would be gone. Furthermore it wasn't mine to begin with as it belong to Equestria, not me. I was merely its bearer...

"Yes, the crown." The dragon growled impatiently.

"Well... you... see... I can't..."

"You cant? YOU CAN'T!? YOU FILTHY THEZOTS WRETCH!" The dragon roared,spewing a scream of flame at me.

I yelped in terror as I barely dived out of the way and flung up a hastily construction shield bubble which thankfully was strong enough to hold up against the flames. Unforuntally the dragon saw this and switched to pounding and slashing the bubble with his claws which caused cracks to form. I was able to pour mana into my spell to dispel the cracks. however, I started to panic as the dragon's attacks steadily became stronger and the cracks bigger, longer and deeper. If I didn't find a way out of this soon...

It was then that nearly lost concentration on my shield spell when my element suddenly slipped off my head. Something in which shouldn't happen easily as my horn helped keep it up. My shock of the Element then rising into the air and spinning quickly, sparks of magic flying off of it made me lose my hold on my spell. The dragon seemed to notice this as it tried to reach out and grab it to only be shocked back by the Element of Magic.

How!? This is impossible! The Elements can't work on their own!

The dragon roared and shot a stream of flames at it and by extension me. I managed to throw up a shield again but lost it in stunned shock again as the Element glowed in power and spun around somehow pushing the flames back.

RUN!

I had no idea where the voice came from or how he or she(though it sounded a bit more masculine then feminine) was controlling my Element but I was not going to argue or ask questions, not with the threat of a ticked off dragon still looming over me. At least I was finally able to move, spinning around so fast that I nearly tripped over my own hooves. I quickly detangled myself and took off at a full gallop back in the direction of Ponyville. Whatever was going on was not likely to keep the enraged dragon in check long.

My fears were confirmed when I could hear the roar of the dragon echoing about the forest, sending flocks of birds into the sky around me, followed by the crashing of trees. I glanced back and nearly regretted it immediately. The dragon was nearly right on top of me. He was so close in fact that I could feel his hot putrid breath wash over me. If I didn't get some distance his flame breath could overtake me before I could do anything.

"Come on..." I grunted as I tried to teleport but only managed to get a few sparks to fly off my horn.

I sighed in relief when after a third attempt I was able to make an emergency short range teleportation. But my relief was short lived when I looked back and saw that the dragon was still coming straight for me though I was far enough ahead that I could not yet see him directly though the trees. It was clear that he was not going to let me go... I stumbled again as I scrambled to continue gallop away before the dragon could catch up.

"You know you ponies really need to stop agonizing dragons... unless you like the smell of barbecued pony in a weird fetish sort of way... maybe if you were 'Lady Gems' or 'Rainbow Crash.'"

I yelped in surprise before I growled in irritation at the dragonquus that was lazily flying next to me or more accurate was lounging on a flying hammock. Of all the times for him to reappear it had to be when I was running for my life... Though, knowing him as I do, I'm he deliberately picked now of all times to reappear. I was running in terror, unable to concentrate enough to pull off, for me at least, a simple teleport, and separated from the rest of the girls so I could not use the Elements against him. Not that it had worked the last few times... "Not now..."

"So here I was relaxing in a hammock, this hammock to be exact..." Discord started rambling against my objection. If I wasn't still trying to run for my life I probably would have snapped at Discord for going off on a completely random tangent during a serious moment. When Pinkie Pie did it at least it was endearing... because she never did on purpose and with any sort of malice or condescension. "...sipping lemonade from a potato you know like you do while in a hammock when I was rudely knocked off by the roar of an angry firebreather."

"Well I'm sorry but I wasn't planing to even be near the dragon of the Everfree much less anger him into a murderous rage." I breathlessly grumbled.

If I wasn't breathing so hard I would have sighed in relief as Discord made no more comment, leaving me to concnertae on trying to get out of my predicament. From what I could tell I still was quite deep within the forest.

"Sooo... why are we running?" Discord casually remarked after a few quiet moments.

Really?!? I inwardly groaned. I had just explained... Wait why don't I hear the sounds of trees being smashing and uprooted or the irate bellows of a dragon on a rampage?

So what can I say except you're welcome

Discord smiled as he started to sing much to my chargin.

For the dragon I pulled away from you
There's no need to pray, it's okay
You're welcome!
Ha, I guess it's just my way of being me
You're welcome!
You're welcome!

Discord being helpful and with a dragon!? Ha! His idea of helpful a complete joke! With a huff I turned away to head back to Ponyville. I wouldn't trust Discord to bake a cake much less an deal with an enraged dragon!

"Oh, that reminds me..." I gasped, as Discord flashed in front of me pulling out my Element from a silk top hat like a stage magician.

I snatched the Element away and was about to berate him for taking it when a familiar blur of blue slammed into Discord propelling and embedding him into a trunk of a nearby a tree.

"BRING THEM BACK!" Rainbow Dash roared, accented her words with hard jabs of her hoof.

"Bring whom back?" Discord 'innocently' questioned, grinning like a mad mare.

"Don't play dumb you mixmatched bastard! The foals you foalnapped!"

"Oh, yes, anything that is remotely perceived as chaotic is my fault!" Discord snarked as he extracted himself from the tree truck. He ignored Rainbow Dash who moved to block him by passing through her like a ghost from one of Spike's monster stories. "I know nothing about any foalnappings and thanks to your sun kissed asshole of a leader I... I should have never let her talk me into... The only reason I remain anywhere near you..."

Discord paused for a second before he looked down at me, his eyes narrowing. "Where. Is. He?"

I said nothing in turn as I merely returned his glare. I knew exactly who he was asking for and after what he did to Spike the last time there was no way in Tartarus I was going to tell him anything about Spike much less his current whereabouts. Not that I had any idea where he was anyway...

I yelped in pain and surprise when Discord grabbed me by the horn and lifted me off the ground. "Where is Spike?"

"Hey, you leave Twili-mhmph."

"Zip it." Discord hissed as he literately zipped closed Rainbow Dash's mouth then hogtied her. When he turned back to me I nearly lost it in terror. The look of Discord was giving me was far worse a murderous dragon. "Well?"

"I... I'm not sure..." I gasped out as I desperately tried to escape but with Discord holding me by my horn in the air I just couldn't latch onto anything with my hooves nor could I get my magic to work.

"You're not sure? You're his guardian are you not?"

"Yes, but..."

"But, what?" Discord narrowed his eyes further. "I suggest you tell me what I want to know, and stop stalling, because if you thought I was sadistic before when I was merely 'playing' with you... I am far worse when I get serious."

"Rainbow Dash!" I screamed out it terror as Discord demonstrated his 'seriousness' by snapping into existance various swords, knifes, spears, and other sharp weapons in the air all pointed at and slowly descending towards Rainbow Dash. "You monster!"

"Then ANSWER ME!"

"He's with H.K.!"

"Why?"

I blinked. Why would he be so interested in Spike anyway considering Spike nearly killed him? If he wanted revenge he had ample opportunities before now...

"Whatever... I'll find out myself..." Discord shrugged before roughly dropping me to the ground. The sudden drop and pain momentarily stunning me. "Don't make me save your butt again..."

At that Discord snapped his claw and disappeared in his typical flash. Thankfully, he had also flashed the weapons and Rainbow's bindings away with him except he had apparently decided to get one more cruel joke in and flashed in a pile of garage in place of said weapons which Rainbow was promptly buried under.

"Are you okay Rainbow Dash?" I asked as I helped her out, doing my best to not think of what might be in some of the garbage bags.

"Yeah..." Rainbow Dash grumbled out as she removed a banana peel from her face. "We should have smashed his statue like I suggested..."

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait got a bit.. stuck there for a while

For Feeling

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

Breath in...

....and out...

Breath in...

...and out...

I opened my eyes and sighed. In my anger with Twilight I had ignited several small grass fires around me. With a practiced ease I snuffed out the fires. Ever since I was revived my control of my emotions and my magic was getting worse... Something that no one could afford. If I lost control at just the wrong time or the wrong way while in Hourglass City I could set off the very thing I'm trying to stop.

I raised my gaze to the south and to Terra Hourglass, barely visible in the twilight before dawn. But there was more then just my emotions and magic spiraling out of control, I was dealing with Spike and his friends... If the situation wasn't so dire I would probably laugh at my circumstances. Hopefully, Smaug gets here soon before...

I shook my head to dismiss my darkening thoughts. It would not help to go there as it would distract me from the work I still had to do and I had enough distractions to deal with. With a heavy sigh I began the long, grueling flight back to Hourglass.

Two weeks ago...

"And I must ask for forgiveness as well..."

I tried several times to form anything but I found my self unable to make a coherent sound. This was contrary to everything I understood about The Voice, essentially a god to all dragons. Why would he need to ask me for forgiveness it made no sense. And the shame in those words...

"I am responsible for you parents death."

"Hu... da... buh..." I sputtered in disbelief. "Wh... What!? Why would you say that? It, it doesn't make any sense. It was an accidental cascade cause by a natural instability in uncut glowstones!"

"Only partially correct..." The Voice sighed as he turned away from me, "In simplistic terms thousands of years ago my anchor to this plane, the leyonic pole over Terra Hourglass, was suddenly damaged. Something that had happened before, but, this time, it was so bad that I could no longer use it... Your parent's hoard was the only alternate that able to keep me anchored... but it couldn't handle the flow of my essence and over time... it became... unstable..."

My eyes narrowed as I looked up at my 'father' my mind already guessing when, why, and how his anchor was damaged. "When did this happen?"

"Just before your birth ten thousand years ago..."

At that, I shook as my vision redden. I knew exactly what had happened and who as truly to blame. "If I ever find a way into the Pastureland I will drag every..."

HarMoNIOus kniGHt!

My rage become as ice as I flattened myself in fear.

"Have you forgotten what it means to be a Dragon warrior?"

"...No..."

I took a long cleansing breath as I reached out to feel the ley lines swirl around me from on top of the Spiral Spire. With practiced ease I checked one by one every single one of the hundreds of ley lines that swirled up from below. To my cautious relief, by the time I had examined the last one I had found no changes to any of the ley lines. Not that it was a reason for celebration as there was still well over thirty ley lines that were strained at or near the breaking point. Worse still the exact tipping point was unknown even to me. It was possible it would take a massive spell on the level of raising or lowering the celestial bodies or it could be a simple raising of a quill using magic.

I slowly opened my eyes, sighing hard. I was still at a lost on what I could do. If it was only one ley line I could ease it back from the break but I was dealing ley lines surrounded by hundreds of others and given their close proximity any change in one ley line could ripple into the ones around them. If only I had a schematic of what the ley lines used to look like or any information on how ley lines work when at this concentration. That should have been easy but the library was in complete chaos. I have a suspicion that Discord had messed with the library after the disaster that killed his entire race

As I was thinking on this I looked down to Spike's gang. Twixt'd and Garble were currently sparing against Spike. Something they had been doing everyday since their arrival. Silver, who was still dealing with the injuries he received, was resting against a wall of a building, watching. I hide a smile as Twixt'd suddenly picked up Spike and gave him a noogie much to Spike annoyment that only grew when Garble also gave him one. With an angry growl Spike squirmed out of Twixt'd's hold. But I could see Spike mouth slightly upturn as he turned away from them.

I was so proud of not only Garble but of Spike as well. If they weren't endangering themselves needless along with the planet I would be down there, helping, though my fighting skill was well beyond Spike's capability right now. But then I knew that what he wanted my help for I couldn't help him with. I don't trust myself near him right now. Neverind he had to deal with his feelings that are developing for his hoard basically on his own otherwise he would never truly be able to discover what his hoard was. It was just like a pony trying find his or her cutiemark. Then, there is the war that is wrapped up in that...

I told Twilight exactly how to deal with both but it's clear from our talk last night that I should have spelled it out a bit more. At least when it came to the gem around Spike's neck. But, at the time, with what I knew, I was not going to risk even a second more then I did. Now... well, that's the irony of hindsight...

It was at that moment that I noticed that Twixt'd was gazing back at me. I was too far away to read his face but I could guess what he was thinking. It wasn't very long before Garble and Spike noticed Twixt'd's staring and looked up in my direction. Both jerked in surprise at seeing me before Garble's expression turned a bit more neutral and unreadable and Spike's darken. I knew how bitter he was...

I held their gazes for a moment longer before I let myself be the first to blink as I slowly turned away. I didn't want them to see that I was fighting back tears, not now. I remember long ago conversation I had with a griffon commander. It boiled down that is was easy to lead a war while parenting was comparatively harder, but doing both were nigh on impossible. It was only a broad stroke on the truth but it was one of rare times that someone from a mortal race truly surprised me with the depth of their wisdom. Of course, it was one of the reasons for my bending over backwards to allow Twilight to raise Spike. For all the good that did...

As I turned to walk down the Spiral Spire, so I didn't activate Hourglass' defenses, I noticed a speck in the distance. It couldn't be a bird as there were no birds native to the Untamed Wilds that could fly above Terra Hourglass so that only left a few options. I squinted to get a better look and saw that the speck was purple. Smaug... I sighed in relief. With that I rushed down the spire and headed off the intercept Smaug before he got too close.

For Assisting

ബഐബഐബഐ Smaug ബഐബഐബഐ

I sighed in relief as my goal was finally in sight. A week of flying all day really was really taxing on the wings. I hadn't felt this sore since that buffoon became Dragon Lord of the Wasteland Dragons. There is more to dragons then their flame or brawn and then to flaunt their superior power to a supposedly 'weaker' race by making all dragon fly long distances together and far closer to the the lands of the ponies... It's counterproductive to reason for the Wasteland Dragons and the Migration. If only 'Dragonlord' Torch wasn't such a lazy ass he would realize just how much worse of an insult that being a 'clod' really was.

I grumbled, though, as realized i had to now now figure out exactly where to go from here. H.K. was not exactly clear on where I was to go... Which was both par for course and irritating. I was used to H.K. keeping a lot close to his firesac as were to be expected with being our generations Dragon Warrior but could he at least been a bit clear on exactly where to meet...

To the Shaman of the Hollowed Fire Mountain

Greetings,

I'm sure you have heard of Terra Hourglass, the upside down mountain deep within the Untamed Wilds, I require your skills and talents on a matter of dire importance at that location. Your immediate assistance will be most appreciated and rewarded. I shall explain more fully once you arrive.

May your hoard shine and your claws remain sharp.

I require your skills and talents on a matter of dire importance at that location. Again, where exactly was the question. Terra Hourglass was a massively large mountain, one of the largest in the world. It would take some time to do a through search. I slowed to a hover as I groaned at not insisting on more information. As ironic as it would be for me to say it, I'm getting to old for this.

It was then that I noticed something taking off from the trees on top of the mountain. My rising relief quickly faded as what I thought might be H.K. turned out to not be what I had expected. Though, to be fair, I had never seen H.K. fly or his true form.

Instead of a dragon I found myself being approached by what I could only describe as a rainbow mane, white furred alicorn stallion. Except for the oddly fanged teeth peeking out of his mouth, silted pupils, and the right shoulder covered with scales. And the Heterochromia eyes?! I sighed as I could only begin to think what was on the mind of what I assume was a changeling with such a spectacularly flawed disguise confronting a fully grown dragon such as myself?! A hatchling or whelp I could see... But an adult?! I'm not sure whether to commend it for its bravery or shake my head over its stupidity.

"Greetings Shaman of the Hollowed Fire Mountain."

Well, at least it knows how to properly greet me... I thought, but to know that particular greeting... I surreptitiously took a whiff of 'the changeling's' scent. To my mild surprise and now irritation, it smelled like my friend. I knew that smells could be, at least to a point, mimicked, but this was by far the best mimicking I had ever witnessed. Something is going on whether for ill or not was not clear yet. For now all I could do was be ready for anything while also not letting on that I suspect anything...

"Es eslu H.K., thevis forlas laithītājs."

"D... Dragon Warrior H.K.?" I stuttered out, trying not to laugh as I attempted to reconcile what I was seeing with what I knew. H.K. looking like a pony was not what I expected. But then again, dragon magic was finicky to those without patience...and dangerous... I just never thought H.K. would be one to be so recklessly stupid... A pony?! No wonder why H.K. was oddly small and always cloaked.

"Laugh about it later..." H.K. grumbled, turning around and flying back towards the forest then landing.

I sighed in relief as I landed behind him and followed, thankful to be off my wings though wondering bit why we were walking through the forest to our destination. My curiosity increased a bit as the trees thinned out to reveal a city in the distance. A city? This was not what I had envisioned would be his territory... if it was... Also while we were still some distance away I couldn't help but notice that there was something that seemed off about the city as well.

As we enter the city it became clear very quickly that it had been abandoned some time ago. But the feeling I had before only grew... it was almost as if like something sinister was watching us. H.K. had better not needed me for what I was beginning to suspect was needed. He knew I had I lost my taste for that after... after...

"Shadow demons..." H.K. flatly spoke as if nothing was wrong. "There is a massive infestation..."

I raised an eyebrow, shadow demons are fairly easy to deal with and I know he could handle even a 'massive infestation.' So why hadn't he?

My grumbling questions was put aside as we walked into what I would assume was the town square with the spring like tower in its center. On the other side was a small gang of whelps sparing with a purple and green hatchling. I narrowed my eyes as I watched the sparring. It was a bit odd for any worthy parent to allow a hatchling to hang with a whelp much less a gang of them...

The sparring quickly came to a stop as we got closer. The red whelp and a bandaged black and silver whelp seemed to flinch at my gaze but the black whelp with the horn deformity, however, was eyeing me, much to my annoyance. That was nothing when I noticed something about the red whelp that gave me the most pause. His entire body was covered with scars, which seemed too... orderly. It was almost as if... "Ormagoden."

"Leave Garble alone Shaman of the Hollowed Fire Mountain, he has atoned for his dishonor." H.K. snapped.

"If you say so Dragon Warrior H.K." I growled out making a mental note to keep a close eye on the whelp none the less.

"Come..."

My gaze lingered a moment longer before I turned to follow H.K. into the darkness of the large building to the south. "I didn't take you as one to mentor a gang. Especially with one that was 'formally' dishonored."

"I'm not and if I had it my way I'd drive them out..." H.K. commented as he led me down a large corridor to the left.

"Then why don't you? You are within your rights."

H.K. stopped and turned to me in mild surprise. "Wait, you thought this was my territory?"

He snorted then started laughing, "No, it's not..."

"Do you know how to passively feel ley lines?"

I raised an eye brow at H.K. abruptly ending his laughter with a seriously posed, yet rhetorical, question which obviously was related to why he needed me. So, what was wrong with the ley lines here that he would need my help with that? I slowly relaxed as let my senses reach out and was almost overwhelmed by the shear number of ley lines swirling below. It was like looking straight at the sun immediately after walking out of a darken cave. I pulled back but could not see anything... Not deterred I kept at it until I finally noticed a bunch of ley lines, a few dozen, that seemed a bit different from the rest. I focused on those, assuming that whatever made those ley lines to appear different was what H.K. wanted me to see, and when I saw what had made them different it I nearly lost it in terror.

"By the Eternal Flames! How did this happen, and why would you allow a hatchling so close to this kind of danger?!" I nearly roared. "How can you be so irresponsible Dragon Warrior!"

"A spell... cast during It." H.K. calmly, yet coldly answered. I resisted urge to flinch. There was only one event that H.K. would use the word 'it' in such a cold manner, The Elder War. How he knew it was a spell from then I hadn't the slightest clue, I just knew better then to questioned it, not if I wanted to live. "And as for the hatchling, he was suppose to be safe with his sister while I attempted to deal with this... but... with war brewing between Equestria, where they live, and the Wasteland Dragons... He is hoping I could help..."

Why am I not surprised? I sighed as I pinched my brow. And as much as I would like to know more I knew that whatever had set it off was going to be migraine inducing and stupid. Something that I was not ready nor wanting to deal with just yet. "So, how exactly can I assist?"

"The defenses of Hourglass City, specifically those black obelisks, are malfunctioning and actively putting strain on the already stressed ley lines. We need to find anything that could tell us how to shut them down without setting off the imminent leyonic cascade. On that note, I also need anything and everything on the leyonic pole beneath Terra Hourglass... I have dealt with ley lines before but never at this scale. Both will prove to be challenging as not only is the library older then I am, with a vast majority written in dead languages or dialects, but not a single book or scroll are in their proper place..."

I blinked as I stepped into the chamber behind the door. It was clear at a glance that a challenge might be a bit a of an understatement. "H.K.... how many artifacts does this library contain?"

"If I include the archives a few million."

Great... This will be like finding a rainbow gem shard in a hoard pile of rainbow gems...

Author's Note

Smaug (minus the name :trixieshiftright: ) is a creation of shagohad12 from his story Children of the Star (do check it out)

For Desecrating

ബഐബഐബഐ Smaug ബഐബഐബഐ

I kept my gaze on the scroll I was 'translating' as H.K. walk by mumbling as he did. I had never seen him so agitated or frustrated and he was progressively getting worse as the the days dragged onto a week since my arrival. First it was the mumbling every couple of hours which I ignored as even I was myself becoming increasing frustrated by the massive task that could take months if not more because of the complete disarray the library was in. But then on several occasions I could detect the faintest hints of aborted fire breath.

I waited for him to leave then quickly but quietly followed him. I manged to make my way to the foyer just as H.K. neared the top of the 'Spiral Spire.' Just like every other time... He had given an explanation that he needed to keep a close eye on the ley lines and that it was easier to 'feel' the leyonic pole from the top of the Spire, but then he would stare down at the gang. At first I thought he was keeping an eye on Garble but it became clear over time that he was actually watching the hatchling.

"As for the hatchling, he was suppose to be safe with his sister while I attempted to deal with this..."

It wasn't safe here so why couldn't he drive them off or send the hatching back? I'd seen him fight full grown dragons without the use of flight, flame, or even his sword Leafcutter! He clearly trusted Garble, even though he bares the scars of a dishonored one, so it wasn't a case of lack of wings to return the hatchling to his sister...

Normally I would ignore all this as none of my business but I could tell he was losing control. Something that I understood and, yet, didn't. He was acting more like a hurt and mewing whelp then the Dragon Warrior he is. Why he didn't leave and vent? I could easily remain here and monitor the hatchling and the ley lines while he went away and did whatever he needed to cool off. His lack of restraint risked not only my life but the life of the entire world. I was going to need to confront him like he did for me after... then... but how?

I was still figuring that out when less then an hour later H.K. once again walked towards the exit. If I was going deal with H.K. now would be the time as time wasn't on anyone's side. I quickly moved to block his exit.

"Why did you call me here?"

"I needed you to speed up deciphering..." H.K. grumbled as he tried to move around me.

"No, you don't." I interrupted, pinching my brow. "This clearly is a ancient library of Chimeraian origins and for a race that is so chaotic their language, both spoken and written, has remained very stable over many millennia. While the script here appears to be the oldest I have ever seen it's still not that far off from the modern Chimeraian. I can probably find a dozen or so from Hell's Gate or Port Klippfisk who could help you that wouldn't also help themselves to trinkets."

For a moment I thought that H.K. would deflect my questioning but he then let out almost defeated sigh. "When was the last time you checked the Dragon Heritage Memories and compare really compare them to what you have written down?"

"Watch it Dragon Warrior." I growled out, not liking where he was heading. I was not happy to be reminded of then, of my loss. If he thought that he could use that to stop me he was sadly mistaken and suicidal.

"When, Shaman of the Hollowed Fire Mountain."

My eyes narrowed, of course I knew when. I could count it out to the exact day, hour, and second. "Enough of your games." I hissed, "Just state your reason plainly!"

"I need dragon magic."

I sat back in shock of the absurdity of what H.K. just said. He needs dragon magic!? I had seen him summon Leafcutter and teleport around like it was nothing, and teleportation takes a ton of magic and concentration. Something that is hard for any dragon, even I, with all the runes I have carved on my scales I struggle to do it. Then there was the very weak ward he placed on the library.

I didn't get a chance to voice my confusion as I was distracted by the sudden sounds of what seemed to my ears to be lots of books and scrolls shifting around.

"Is it... did I..." I stuttered in panic as I looked around to see scrolls, books, and other artifacts float up then spin or zip around. I was sure I had not used magic, but, in my anger... Sigh, being vaporized by a ley line cascade was not how I pictured my death.

"No.' H.K. gulped as his shakily looked around. "But it mostly likely will... as I doubt he will listen to reason."

"He?"

"Grab Spike, the hatchling, and flee to Equestria... with any luck you will get far enough away before the cascade..."

Flee?! How is that going to help? What is going on!?

DESECRATOR! A voice angrily shouted. Or at least it seemed be be shouted. With the amount of mana in the air the word seemed to vibrate deep into me so I couldn't tell for sure.

"Shaman you need to leave," H.K. whispered, "now."

I, however, had no chance to do anything as a massive flash of light engulfed the entire library, blinding me and knocking back from the shock. It took a moment before my vision returned and when it did there was a male mix-matched creature of at least ten different animals hovering not too far from us glaring down at H.K.

There was only one creature that I know of that looked like that: Discord. What the self proclaim 'Spirit of Chaos' was doing here or how he got here I knew not. Last I heard he was imprisoned in stone in the land of the ponies. None of that matter though, because if Discord was causing the mana build up we had to stop him fast before he set off the leyonic pole all without setting it off ourselves.

"Discord I-" Whatever H.K. was going to say was cut off as the draconequus rushed forward and grabbed him by the neck.

"Do I look like a bear named Pooh?" Discord sneered as he lifted up H.K. into the air with H.K. struggling in his grip. "I might, might have forgiven you if you had been here alone... But a gang of laughing teenager dragons?! No. There is nothing you can say that will save you from my wrath for disturbing the final peace of my people!"

His people? Final peace? What is going on!? I found myself suddenly torn between assisting H.K. in battle and doing as he requested. Though I wasn't torn for long as I suddenly heard his voice booming in my head.

GO!

For Destiny

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"I still can't believe you insist on teaching him something so girly as dancing." Garble grumbled for the millionth time as I was going through the stretches that Twixt'd had taught me.

"For the last time, asshole," Twixt'd cursed, faceplaming, "it's parkour, not dancing, and in order to not strain something he needs to stretch and work on his flexibility..."

"Look at me prancing around like a little fairy!" Garble sneering, fluttering his eyes like a girl while doing an extremely poor impression of ballet. "Avoid me and my girly aura or else!"

"What lovely dancing... Garbilenia."

"Why you little..."

I sighed and pinched my brow as the two started to trade punches along with the verbal barbs. It was like watching a dragonized version of Applejack and Rainbow Dash when then got a bit too competitive, only way more physical...

I wonder how the girls are doing... I so wanted to send a letter but given how my message flame worked in comparison to regular flame I couldn't. I suppose I could have had Garble fly my to a place far enough way so I could quickly send a message but... While I doubted H.K. lied about the leyonic cascade as he always left out information not outright lie about what he does say, I wouldn't put it past him to 'conventionally' fix it while I was gone then slip away. I hated that.

"I wish they would not fight like that..." Silver mumbled as I walked over to where he was resting.

I shrugged in defeat as I sat next to Silver. As much as I wish the same I had long given up breaking them up. It became clear very quickly that both needed it to let off steam and even though it was very rough, even rougher then at the Migration, I never got the impression that either one where truly trying to hurt the other. If anything it seemed to only strengthen the bond of friendship between them. Garble needed friends after what happened to him... I was just tired... Tired of the weight of everything... and the lack of help from the one person who should be helping.

"Don't loss hope Spike."

"That is easier said then done..." I sighed, trying not to look at Silver nor his injuries. It wasn't so bad when they were bandaged but they came off for the last time last night leaving the red scarring tissue out in the open. Why does every dragon worthy to be my friend have to be so scared? Garble by H.K., Silver by those shadow demons and Twixt'd by the streets I would assume...

My thoughts were interrupted by the ground shaking the ground causing me to stumbled onto my back.

"What the hell is going on?" Garble yelped out as he fell forward to be caught by Twixt'd

"I have no idea..." I stammered out as I try to get back on my feet with the continuing shaking.

Fearfully, I couldn't see anything that could be causing the earthquake which I hoped meant it was just a normal earthquake and the mountain finally decided to act like a normal mountain and not because the cascade that H.K. was so worried about was about to happen.

It was then that the one-eyed adult dragon that both Garble and Sliver had called a 'shaman,' who had 'joined' us and H.K. a week back, came rushing out of the library and towards us. All I knew it was he was in cahoots with H.K. especially after Twixt'd pointed out that the dragon was also watching us nearly everytime that H.K. was. If he was coming out of the library like that then it means... Oh, Tartarus no.

"Spike you are to come with me." He ordered as he approached us his wings already flaring out for flight.

"Not happening grandpa." I answered, crossing my arms. Even if it was the worst case senerio I was not leaving without H.K.

I yelped as the shaman attempted to grab me. I was almost caught off guard by how fast he was but I managed to jump back before to the surprise of him I jumped on his closed fist and ran up his arm.

"Go Spike!" Twixt'd laughed out as I somersaulted away from the shaman's other arm.

"Insolent whelping, stay out of this!" The shaman growled out.

I took advantage of Twixt'd distracting the shaman to jump off the back of the shaman and scramble away. I knew with how fast he was in trying to grab me I would have to book it like Rainbow Dash to have a chance. I could alreadying hear him spinning around before I heard a roar of frustration. I glanced back to see that Twixt'd had grabbed one of his wings and was pulling down with all his might.

I yelped as a large explosion knocked me down. I shook myself as I tried to get up, my ears ringing. I nearly lost it when I looked and saw that the explosion had come from the library. As the dust settled I could see H.K. on the ground with Discord floating above him. The look he was giving H.K. was one of murder.

"I'M GOING TO ENJOY KILLING YOU!!!!" Discord roared, rushing after H.K. with comically large balloon hammer that I'm sure only looked harmless.

"H.K.!" I screamed out rushing towards them. As much as I wanted to smack H.K. around I needed him alive, Equestira needed him alive. Why does the fate of the world have to rest of the shoulder of such a cowardly jerk like him!?

"Wait, don't..." The shaman cried out trying to stop me once again, but I slide under and past the shaman claws. I don't know how I could stop Discord before he killed H.K... or worse... but if I didn't do something H.K. would 'die' and use it as cover to run away yet again!

"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Discord screamed before his hammer slammed into H.K. sending flying into the wall of the building on the other side of the Plaza.

I shivered in fear as I felt the air itself beginning to vibrate. From experience I knew that it could only mean one thing. If we don't get out of here at Rainbow Dash speed chances are we wouldn't... I rushed forward again.

"And you didn't think to contact me!?" Discord growled out as I breathless neared them. I'm so glad for all the sparring I had been doing otherwise I would have never had the stamina to get past the Shaman and rush here.

I gulped as I looked up at H.K. He was bleeding hard from several cuts and one of his eyes had started to swell over and with the way he was hit I suspect he had at least a few broken bones. I don't know how resilient alicorn's where in comparison to most ponies but he looked bad.

"I didn't exactly have time and you are not exactly an easy person to contact!" H.K. snapped before groaning as he slowing got onto his hooves, dust and debris pouring off of him. "But even if I could I wouldn't have told you anything on what I was doing nor where I was going."

"What!?" Discord sputtered out after blinking several times. "This is Hourglass City the final resting place of the once proud Draconequui race and I am their last scion. I deserve to know what is going on!"

I groaned shaking my head. Great, even to the 'Lord of Chaos,' H.K. was an arrogant, manipulative, cowardly slimeball. Though I shouldn't be surprised for if he did it to me his 'brother' how much more would he be with his supposed 'best friend'?

"Have you forgotten why you were stoned?" H.K. countered looking away from Discord. Was that shame I saw? "They shouldn't pay for the crimes of those long since dead..."

I snapped to attention at that. Why Discord was stoned? Crimes? They? I always thought it was because he was causing endless unrest and unhappiness with his powers of chaos. Was Oathbreaker responsible for more then just keeping me away from H.K.? Not that she had much to worry there. H.K. was doing a very good job in pushing me away on his own.

"Are you saying that... that... THEY ARE REPONSIBLE FOR THIS AS WELL!?"

H.K. signed then looked straight at Discord. "Yes."

At first Discord looked like he was blow his top just like Twilight but then after a second he deflated and floated slowly to the ground... I stood there stunned, I had never seen him so small before. It was a shock to see someone that was as nearly as arrogant as H.K. would ever be like that.

"It's not your fault..." H.K. put a hoof on Discord's shoulder.

"But... it was... if I had only..." Discord sniffed out, tears flowing down his face.

"No, " H.K. shook his head as he put down his hoof, "I should have tried... but I was afraid, and I just didn't want to lose you again... I have lost too much already as it is..."

H.K. turned away as he began to cry. A war raged in me on whether it was crocodile tears or genuine tears that were falling.

"What can we do now?" Discord whispered out. "I can feel the imbalance of the ley lines reaching critical and I am no good at this kind of thing."

"What I always do Discord what I have done since the day I found my emblem." H.K. voice faded as his gaze rose to the top of the Spiral Spire. "My purpose."

"But..."

"Discord do you remember what I said was greatest action one can do for his friends?" H.K. quietly asked, still looking up towards the top of the tower.

"Yes, but..."

"Just do what you can to shield Spike..." H.K. requested as he galloped towards the tower and reaching it, began to climb.

What was he trying to do going up the tower... No. No. No, no no no. Not AGAIN!

"Let me go!" I roared as I struggled to get out of Discord's grip. "H.K.!"

H.K. stopped looked back at me and merely smiled before continuing his steady march up the Spiral Spire.

"Yeowch!" Discord yelped as I bit his paw and ran forward.

I didn't get a step in before I heard a snap and found myself tied up. I scoffed as I looked down to see a rope made from candy wrapped tightly around me. If he thought licorice rope was going to hold he had anoth... Urk... I quickly spat out as much of the candy as I could before I lost it and throw up from the awful taste of the licorice. That cheat! He made sure that the licorice, which I really hope wasn't but strongly suspect was dirty diaper, was so bad that I wouldn't be able to bite it off.

"Let me go!"

"No." Discord responded as he dragged me back towards the shaman and my friends.

"Shaman, I..." Discord began as he tossed me at Garble who caught me and quickly tore through my bindings.

"If you do anything funny you'd better hope that the raw mana gets you before I do."

"Noted..." Discord gulped as he turned back toward the tower, now bright from the funnel of mana crashing down on it like lightening.

I tried to push forward only to be blasted back by the wind that was now blowing at us. With a grit I tired once again, then a third time before before I collapsed in defeat, sobbing. There was nothing I could do and worse I could see that both the Shaman and Discord were struggling against the tide of raw mana that was now arcing around. I had not magic, what chance did I have? WHY MUST I BE SO WEAK!??!!!

...throw me...

"H.K.?" I wondered. I had long since lost sight of him but somehow I could almost hear him calling out but there was no way that I should be able to hear H.K. or anything for that matter over the roar.

...throw me...

Why is he...? I suddenly remembered the last time something like this happened. Back when Twilight and I found H.K. dying in that cave in the Everfree. He had said 'use me' then...

I looked down at the gem that I had been wearing for the past couple of weeks. Could it had been some protective enchantment that activates when H.K. is in peril?

I growled in frustration at that. The only reason I kept the gem as it was the only thing I had that could track down H.K. We just got real lucky that we found H.K. in the way we did, to find that when H.K. left Equestria heading south he stayed in that direction. I remembered that last time this had happened that somehow H.K. survived... So I threw the gem with all my might towards the Spire. I just hope that it won't be the biggest mistake of my life and if H.K. somehow escapes I swear I will find a way to drag him back to Equestria to help. And then...

For Atonement

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

"I'M GOING TO ENJOY KILLING YOU!!!!" Discord roared, flying at me with a balloon hammer he had snapped into existence, which I knew was far more deadly then its foalish looks would indicate.

"H.K.!" I could hear Spike screaming in the distance. I really hope that Smaug managed to have grabbed Spike and was flying away...

To my horror it was then I could see a visible raw mana stream erupting out of the ground in the distance. Please be that Spike was screaming from Smaug clutched claws and they are already flying out of here... It seemed that Discord also saw it as he looked at it then at me, his rage even higher.

"WHAT DID YOU DO!?" Discord screamed but I had no time to answer before his hammer slammed into me sending me crashing into the council building.

"I was trying to stop it..." I gasped out, fighting to get my breath out. I nearly lost it again as I caught Spike nearing us. Worse still the air was starting to vibrate from the quickly intensifying mana. A glance over with my remaining good eye I could see that Smaug was already struggling against it, his rune carved scales flaring up. Damn it! This was not good... If I don't talk down Discord and quickly...

"And you didn't think to contact me!?" Discord growled out as he stalked his way to me. To my relief I could tell that his resolve was cracking. Now I just had to break it fully so that I could get him to Smaug and maybe they could make their escape with Spike in time. Which was already going to be harder by the second as I could feel without trying more of the ley lines overloading.

"I didn't exactly have time and you are not exactly an easy person to contact!" I snapped before groaned from the pain as I slowly got onto my hooves. Every part of me was screaming in pain. I had not been in such a one sided fight in so long. Not that I was fighting all that much. I had broken a promise after all and the danger of the ley lines... "But even if I could I wouldn't have told you anything on what I was doing nor where I was going."

"What!?" Discord sputtered out after blinking several times, his confusion further lessening his fighting spirit a bit before it roared back. "This is Hourglass City the final resting place of the once proud Draconequui race and I am their last scion. I deserve to know what is going on!"

"Have you forgotten why you were stoned?" I countered looking away in shame. I knew why and it pained me when I had to let Oathbreaker and Luna do what they had to do. If only I hadn't told him exactly who had killed his entire race then maybe he wouldn't have ended up being sentenced to stone for over a thousand years. "They shouldn't pay for the crimes of those long since dead..."

"Have you forgotten what it means to be a Dragon Warrior?"

"Are you saying that... that... THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AS WELL!?"

I signed then looked straight at Discord. "Yes."

I resist the urge to relax as Discord clutched his fists tightly and his face redden from rage. A quiet 'calm' Discord was never good. It meant he was really planning and nothing was worse the focused and organized chaos, not when you have made enemies of said chaos. Thankfully, it wasn't very long before the rage rushed out of him to be replace by deep melancholy. He slowly fell to the ground curling to make himself small.

I knew he was feeling. He thought that this was the Chaos 'Calamity' all over again but this time global and not confined to Equestria... That the coming cascade was somehow his fault not mine and my biological people's.

"It's not your fault..." I put a hoof on Discord's shoulder to try and comfort him. I should have put a warning ward on the chance that Discord might have come here after being freed again... It may have given me time to head him off to explain... I just didn't think... I wasn't thinking... Not like I should have... Like what was needed.

"But... it was... if I had only..." Discord sniffed out, tears flowing down his face.

"No, " I shook my head. If I hadn't been making so many basic but critical errors that I knew better than to make the past few weeks... "I should have tried... but I was afraid, and I just didn't want to lose you again... I have lost too much already as it is..."

And now I was crying... What is wrong with me!? Why couldn't get my emotions in control? I hadn't been this volatile emotionally since after I lost my parents...

"What can we do now?" Discord whispered. "I can feel the imbalance of the ley lines reaching critical and I am no good at this kind of thing."

"What I always do Discord what I have done since the day I found my emblem." I said as I turned my gaze to the top of the Spiral Spire and to the plan that was quickly forming. It was going to be tough as Discord was so much better on creating spell on the fly the I am. At least I can say that if I'm successful I will finally finish what my parents began and atone for all the crimes the alicorns perpetrated during the Elder War. "My purpose, My destiny."

"But..."

"Discord do you remember what I said was greatest action one can do for his friends?" I quietly asked steeling myself for what was to come, what I was about to do.

"Yes, but..."Discord began to protest.

"Just do what you can to shield Spike." I interrupted Discord, knowing if I was going to succeed I could delay it no longer and I knew that Discord would try.

Without another word I galloped towards the tower before he could have a second to try to stop me. Reaching it I climbed onto and began the long climb up.

"H.K.!"

I stopped and looked down to see Spike. I smiled before continuing my steady march up the Spiral Spire. Stay strong Spike... I hope and pray you don't become me...

There. I thought a second later as the last pieces of the spell came to me. I lit my horn and began the chanting the spell I was going unleash. It was going to have the slimmest of chances at working much less stopping the cascade, but I had to try... no matter the cost.

As I got higher and higher though I found my self slowing down. The adrenaline had finally worn off from my fight with Discord, slowing me down and then the mana was also pushing back harder. Before long I couldn't move another step.

Come on push through! I gritted as I pushed more mana to my horn. I had to get to top. Only there, at the top of the Spiral Spire, could my spell work. I could feel my bones, many which were broken groan, and the smell of my horn burning, but ever so slowly I got a hoof to move forward, and just as slowly the the next.

How long it took I don't know but I nearly collapsed as reached I the top of the tower. I had made it, and the spell was complete, ready to be released. I took one last deep breath to steady myself then released the first part of my spell. I watched as my aura reached out towards the nearest ley line and latched on.

Come on... I grunted as just as slowly it latch on to another then another. That's it, come on just a few more...

As the spell was reaching its limit at the fifth one I began the next part and mentally pulled. At first nothing happened so I push harder and harder until I nearly lost it from the pain and strain until finally the ley lines began to move toward me, but not fast enough.

"I WILL NOT FAIL!" I yelled as I pushed what little I had left to get them to finally accelerate towards me.

I barely managed to activate the final part of the spell just as the ley lines crashed into me.

I screamed in agony and nearly lost the spell as every cell of my body burned at the fury of the raw mana. Even the pain of the Rite of Guardianship wasn't this bad. But somehow I still held on, grabbing on to more of the broken and wild ley lines and pulled them through me and down the Spiral Spire.

I could feel my body being vaporize second by second and yet I held on. I had to keep going... I had to... For Spike and the world...

I roared in defiance even as all faded to white.

Author's Note

Another chapter so soon after the last one? Shocker I know, I have been running a bit slow since August... hopefully I can get the next one out fairly quickly before I get another premature 'Gary Sue' comment... :twilightangry2: :facehoof:

For Ever

ബഐബഐബഐ H.K. ബഐബഐബഐ

Wait, what? Why am I back here? I pondered as I looked around to see that I was a strangely quiet forest. The last time I was in a place like this I was on the cusp of death and was only saved because of the Spike's shield gem. This time there was no way that the gem had any chance of saving me... Great power the gem had, but not against dozens of ley lines. Never mind that Discord had pulled Spike, along with the gem, back away from the tower and thus away from me... With nothing else to do I began to walk through the trees, and if everything goes like last time then after a short walk I should enter a clearing.

As expected it wasn't long before I broke through the trees and into a meadow. I looked up to see storm clouds obscuring the sky except for Draco, confirming that I was in the same place as before... Wherever exactly that was... It still didn't explain why though.

I only managed a few steps further before I could hear the roar of a dragon and though it was faint it sounded like it was the same white dragon from before. I also wasn't entirely sure, but he sounded pissed. I stopped and waited and not a moment later a second roar broke out again only much closer. Much to my chagrin it seemed to be coming from all directions leaving me unable to tell where he was coming from. At least I could confirm he was angry, though again I found myself wondering why.

I kept looking around, ready for anything, which was good as a moment later he burst though the trees behind me, roaring as he did. A quick look made confirm my eairler guess that he was mad and somehow he looked even more enraged then before. Unfortunately, this time I didn't have a wall of flames to 'protect' me.

Speaking of flames I had to immediately jump to the side, barely missing the dragon's flames, flames that were extremely odd and something that I had never seen in a dragon in a combat situation, a two toned flame. And more specifically green and purple. What is with this dragon? To my surprise he did not slow down jumping right through the flames, using it as cover to try and pounce on me.

Damn, he is fast... I noted as I rolled to the side, avoiding his claws. But why was he attacking me? I freed him, which according to The Voice was all he ever wanted.

I yelped as I was suddenly pulled back and onto my haunches. I looked back to see that he had some how snagged my tail with his trident tail wrapping it around like spaghetti on fork?! How'd he managed to do without me knowing and in one fell swoop? For one being imprisoned for so long he knew how to fight claw to hoof with me and dirty too as he immediately slammed his claw against my head.

"I don't understand! I freed you!" I yelled out as I leapt away from another valley of flames and quickly sidestepped the pounce that came from the opposite direction that one would expect.

"If only that was true..." A voice echoed out.

I know that voice. It was the voice of my father or, to be more accurate, The Voice as my father. I looked around trying to find the source, which was hard given that I was still under attack by the dragon. I finally caught him behind me and he looked disappointed and almost... sad. Understandable as not only I failed him but I did something, again, that no dragon would dare to do... even though I have no idea how.

"So why did you go back on your word?" He casually asked as the dragon and I continued our fight.

"I don't even know how I 'imprisoned' him the 'first' time!" I snapped, dodging a tail swipe followed by a burst of flame.

"You don't see it?" The Voice tilted his head. "I would have thought that it would have been clear..."

"I didn't exactly have time..." I paused as I was nearly butted by a crown of horns. "Time to figure out the puzzle of him when I..."

"He is you H.K..." The Voice explained, interrupting me, "or at least should have been..."

What?! I blinked, completely lost. I didn't have to be Luna to see the uncanny parallels pointing to the distinct possibility of him being some sort representation of me but for him to be, be but also should have been?

I hissed suppressing a cry of pain as the dragon took advantage of my distraction and slashed his claws painfully and deeply across my flank. Thankfully the Voice snaked down his head, blocking the dragon from attacking further. Though I wasn't sure if that was better at he it almost felt as he was looking through and past my mind and to my very soul.

"...and I don't mean figuratively or symbolically."

"What?!"

"He was to be you." The Voice repeated, gently putting a claw on my injury for a second before rising up to his full height.

"What?!" I repeated, almost not noticing that my injury was partially healed.

"Your soul can't withstand being apart of me... and with you dying... My Eternal Flames will burn your soul to ash."

"Are you saying..." I gulped, my mind already going to the worst of possibilities.

"Jā, trīz, jūsu tvēsele cktārtrauüs cktastāvēt."

"...trīz, jūsu tvēsele cktārtrauüs cktastāvēt."

Soon, your soul will cease to exist...

...your soul will cease to exist...

..cease to exist...

The world around me spun for a moment before I collapsed, unable to stand under the weight of what he said. I now knew why I was here but it was far worse then just dying, my soul would soon cease to exist, no Pasturelands, no dragon afterlife... no any afterlife, just nothing... "But you said that I was worthy because I passed the Rite of Guardianship." I countered, desperate to find a loophole, hoping that somehow there was some mistake on The Voice's part.

"I said you were worthy not that you would be able... you need to be dragon in soul not just be touched by its magic..."

"You knew that this could happened when you sent me didn't you." I flatly challenged. Though I wanted to be angry, I wanted to rage, but I just couldn't. Even if I had been told I would have still gone. I just wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I let the world burn just to save myself.

"Yes... No parent should lose a child and... and... it never should have..." The Voice choked up walking a few steps away from me and looking up at Draco. "As you know the Rite of Guardianship gives the ability of a sibling to hatch their siblings. But given you are an alicorn it had an additional effect on you."

"An ascension spell..." I whispered out as figured out where he was going.

"After a manner. Though much more riskier and harder given that a dragon and pony soul are very different... far more different then going from one... tribe to another..." The Voice explained patting my double's head, who had stalked up while he was talking and leaned into him.

"What should had happen was that a blank dragon soul was to be birth within you then over time the two would resonant to the point that they essentially become the same. It was then, and only then, like sand in an hourglass, the essence from the alicorn half would fall away..."

I glanced over to look at my double who was now staring at me. Our eyes locked for a brief moment before he blinked and and turned away.

"But it didn't work like it should have... It was only in times of great peril, when your life was but a flicker, when your defenses were down, did you and he... I may have been able help if I was still tethered... then maybe..."

I sighed, looking down in shame. I failed the task he gave me and worse I'm not even sure at this point if I stopped the leyonic disaster or not... "I'm sorry, I failed... I just wasn't able to..."

"Failed? I can feel the warmth of the flames of my children... the secret voices of their hearts..." I hardly could hear what he said. 'Feel the warmth of the flames of my children... the secret voices of their hearts...' The way he was talking he made it seem that he was reconnected to the living plane? How!? I suppose it was possible that the cascade was all that was needed... Not that I had any idea how to retether him as it was. "However, if anything, you did fail your brother Spike..."

"I know..." I sighed. "I wish I could have done things diff..."

A large ember like those that sometimes fly out of a bonfire had floated in my face, surprising me. Where did that come from?! Did the wild fire that was once here return? It was when a second one floated up, right in front of my nose that I realized where that ember came from and what it meant.

"It is beginning..." The Voice spoke, his voice trembling as we watch more embers rise into the sky and disappear.

"Can I lie with you like we used to one last time?" I whispered, trying not to tear up again. I just didn't want to think about what was to come, I didn't want to think at all. I just wanted to just be family... for a bit longer...

ബഐബഐബഐബഐബഐബഐ

The white dragon watched as The Voice closed his eyes allowing a single tear to crash down his snout. Then, without another word from either The Voice took H.K. in his paws and placed him on his head, slowly laid down, and curled up.

They did nothing but sit there and watched as more pieces of H.K.'s soul burned away. before long H.K. was gone as a final ember floated up. The Voice reached out to, but before he could touch it it darkened and faded away. He kept his claw stretched out for a moment before he withdrew it, clenching it hard.

It was then that the white dragon back away in fear. He knew the power The Voice possessed and he had no idea what he might do in his anger. He nearly fled in fright when The Voice let out an anguished roar that shook him to his nonexistent bones. Than in a look that would haunt him for a long time The Voice gaze snapped down to him. Within those fierce eyes he saw the Eternal Flames themselves.

Izvēlies!

That Mourns

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"What the fuck was all that!?" Twixt'd shouted. At least I think it was him and I think he was shouting it was hard hear him with...

Wait... The howling and the blinding light were gone! I slowly removed my claws from my ears and opened my eyes. Which I immediately regretted as not only was everything was blurry it was also spinning to the point that I could feel my lunch coming up for round two. I grunted in pain as my ears decided to join in the assault and ring painfully.

"Can I be put back in stone please?" Discord's voice, even though I had removed my claws from my ears, still sounded far off.

The shaman said something in return but I couldn't hear as the ringing increased for a moment along with my nausea.

"No you don't understand... only he did..."

I breathed a sigh of relief as the ringing finally faded away and my vision cleared. Allowing me to get my barrings. As I looked around I found to my shock very little destruction. Sure there was some columns of smoke from what I would assume was other parts of the city but the plaza, the very center of what I assumed was the dreaded leyonic cascade, seemed to be still be in one piece. And don't get me started on the Spiral Spire. How that of all things managed to look like nothing happen was beyond me...

"How are we alive?" Silver echoed what I had been thinking.

Now more then ever I wished I had paid a bit more attention to some of Twilight's rantings about the laws of magic. Stupid inattentive Past Spike making it Future Spike problem who is now Present Spike. Not only that I wish she was here as she would at least have an inkling of what happened and how we survived... or at least could figure out what and how. But not that it would matter in the end there was no way H.K. could have survived he took on the ley lines directly... could he? He had come back from certain death before... and the tower seemed to be intact...

The problem was that the coils of the Spiral Spire where quite large and I was so short I couldn't see much. So if he was passed out or hurt on or behind one of the coils he was likely to be out of sight... Curse my short, wingless useless stature!! But the more I look the more I swear there seemed to be something odd about the inside and bottom of the tower. Was that there before? Could it be...?

"H.K...." I whispered in shock as I realized that whatever it was was white not the grey with a slight rainbow shine that reminded me of bismuth crystals.

"Wait!" The shaman called out as I ran towards the tower but I ignored him as I needed to see if that really was H.K. I was seeing.

I bit back a shout as Discord suddenly shoved his way past me and through the coils when I stop at the foot of the tower. I guess I shouldn't be too harsh as I know that if it was H.K. that I saw that I had no hope of pulling him out but at least he could have gone around me or above me. Discord was only in there a second before he back out carrying the unconscious body of H.K.

I shuttered in shock and mild disgust when I saw the state of H.K.'s body. All of his fur was gone and his skin had been burnt to a point that it looked scaly. I think... raw mana burns aren't like normal burns and those, I'm sure, were not caused by heat. I know because of all that times that I had to patch up Twilight or myself after one of her magic mishaps. But this was far beyond a simple mild raw mana burn. If Twilight was here, she would have a better idea of exactly what to do. "Is he?"

Discord put H.K. gently down on the cobble street. His lips quivered for a second before he shook his head. I breathed in and out hard several times, suppressing my urge to wail in frustration. I knew what happen the last two times he had died... both times were fake outs and I wouldn't put it past Discord 'assisting' H.K. to fool us, especially me a third time.

I moved to the side as the shaman slowly bent down and put a paw on H.K. slowly feeling over his body for what I knew not. Something to do with magic, at least, as I could see some of his runes glow. For a small moment it seemed maybe that he was merely trying to figure out what to help H.K. but that was dashed as he withdrew his paw, sighed, and said a very familiar phrase. "The Eternal Flames shall burn brighter with his fire."

"He's not dead." I flatly countered crossing my arms.

"Hatchling..."

"No!" I growled out slapping away the shaman's claw. "Twice now he has 'died' and used that as cover to run away! I will not let him make it three times!"

"Hat-Spike... he has no pulse."

"So?" I snapped. "He could be using a spell or something..."

"Hatchling there is no mana pulse and that is not something that can be hidden..."

It was at that moment that H.K. suddenly sat up with a loud gasp. Even though I knew it was coming I still fell backwards, rolling my eyes when I caught the various shocked and disbelieving expressions on everyone's faces. Fool me once... Much to my increasing irritation he even acted on being disorientated blinking and swaying his head around and not noticing that he was surrounded by Discord, the shaman, and my friends and I.

"H.K." I hissed as I got back to my feet.

H.K. gaze snapped to me and as he turned to face me he slowly shook his head and crocked out a single word. "No..."

"What?" I narrowed my eyes. What does he mean 'no'? What kind of puzzling, cryptic mind game was he pulling this time?

"H.K... is... gone..."

I blinked once, twice, then roared in anger. "You are worse then Discord ever was! You always knew with him that... he was never sincere but you always managed to sound... to sound..."

"You don't... under... stand."

"Oh this again! Then explain plainly!!" I snorted then rolled my eyes before faceplaming. "Why do I still try? It's clear that you will never care enough to give me a straight answer."

"I sorry..." I heard H.K. trying to apologize as I turned and walked away.

"Sorry? Sorry!? You... You..." I stammered out in anger, turning to face H.K. Though my rant stopped as I could hear something or someone starting to sing. Great, a heartsong.

"No, no. No, no, no... Please..." Discord cried out, shaking H.K. in a panic before he slid down in a sobbing heap at H.K.'s feet.

I groaned at Discord theatrics. It was just a heartsong... and one that oddly wasn't being song be anyone... not song by anyone... What the?! "What or who is singing?"

"So rare that I have only read descriptions of it." The shaman whispered in awe looking to the sky for some reason. "I never thought I would ever hear one..."

"Hear one what?" I snapped, annoyed at the non answer answer.

"The Song of Mourning... that is... only sung once... when.... when..." Discord tried to explain but his sobbing returned, drowning out his words again.

"When the one a phoenix is bonded to dies..." The shaman grumbled as Discord sobbing turned to wailing. "And once finished it flies away never to be seen again... Young one, as much as you may try to deny it... H.K. ir liris."

"You are lying..." I even though I somehow knew that it wasn't a lie. I recognized that language from before and every time it was spoken I just knew what was said and that it was not a lie.

"To speak or hear Draconic is to speak or hear truth no matter how much they may want it be otherwise... H.K. ir liris."

H.K. ir liris.

H.K. is dead.

...is dead.

That Misunderstands

Author's Note

A mild warning for the upcoming chapter. This story outside of a few minor sections has been 1st person narration. This chapter is no different however the narration is... disjointed... and on purpose. It should, however, still be readable... Though to lessen your suffering I let this chapter be shorter than normal... (Normally I make sure a chapter reaches 1-1.1k before posting which this chapter would have reached with any other narrator aka without a disjointed narration.)

That Misunderstands

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

I watched brother break heart. Not friend friend begging prey. Fire bird song make soul hurt make all hurt. Brother hurt most. Not sure how fix. Will fix, must fix.

"Spike wait!" Red whelp yelled when brother run.

"You all best be going after him..." Adult purple dragon growled. Louder growl when whelps not move. "Now!"

Watched whelps run. Wanted to go... comfort brother... but brother hurt by him not want me. No warning on ground seeing sky. Purple dragon claw on stomach.

"Who are you?" Purple dragon growled. Looked angry. More weight, pain. Hard breathing.

"I... don't know." No name...

Izvēlies! Father word shout in head.

"Don't play coy with me demon! The only reason I didn't roast you the moment and I don't now is..."

"Leave him alone!" Not friend friend failed at moving claw.

"You, who called H.K. a 'desecrator' for 'disturbing the final peace of your people' don't understand what is going on?" Purple dragon roared at Not friend friend. "This is necromancy."

I growled. Not that. I meant to be. That made not meant to be to be. Not dead! I never dead... Hated like dead, yes. But they not know... no one knew. Not even one trapping. Alone, trapped. Pain, tortured. How show... I looked for showing... anything... little around. Only rocks. Looked at rocks long. I think might work.

"This is not necromancy..."

"H.K. is dead and the only..."

"I KNOW WHAT NECROMANCY IS YOU BUCKING LIZARD!" Not friend friend roared like dragon before sad. "Draconequui have a natural feel for imbalances in mana."

"Which you clearly lack as you failed to notice the obvious strained ley lines."

"Don't remind me... H.K. was my only friend... I should have known that he would not break his promise unless... unless..." Tired of Purple dragon and Not friend friend arguing. Head hurts. Words hard think harder to say. Never think, talk before. Need to find word. Make understanding. "Doesn't matter! What ever this is its not necromancy... I know how that feels intimately. This more of an... how did H.K. describe it? Something about an mana echo... of the soul..."

I not Echo!

"Still sounds like necromancy to me."

"Thē."

"No? What do you mean 'no'?" Purple dragon stared.

I grabbed rock. Almost dropped rock. Rock feel strange. Everything strange. Can feel now. Soul forest no feel feel. Grunted to get Not friend friend attention. Not friend friend and Purple dragon look. I put rock in Not friend friend paw.

"Rock me, paw H.K." I said hiding rock inside paw. "H.K.... trap me."

Not friend friend still for time. Then head shook. Confused. Purple dragon too confused. Then mad.

"Why am I even listening to this abomination?!" Purple dragon growled. "You want to listen, fine. I have ley lines to check for stability and then I'm out of this damned place! I don't care for what H.K. was going to give me it's not worth it! Not worth it... But if whatever that is is not dealt with before I leave I will make you wish that you had stayed stoned!"

I growled as Purple dragon left. I know hurt. I no it. Not to be dealt with.

Fire bird song louder, reaching end. Soon song and fire bird gone. It beautiful. Eyes and heart watered. I not like H.K.... This not what I wanted. I made to be him and him me. Not alone again. Now alone... lost...

Izvēlies!

Closed eyes at long cry. I knew what meant. Opened eyes to sky. Fire bird flying away. Fire bird song softer then gone.

Not friend friend crying again. He looking where fire bird flew. Know he blamed self. Killed by prey spell... not fight. H.K. doomed like prey... he die anyway.

"You not blame... prey long dead blame."

"I know what you were trying to do H.K. One last assurance and comfort that it wasn't my fault. You were a good friend... If I had remembered that before... The shaman was right... why am I talking to a soulless mana echo as if you are still here...?"

Light blind me. Once light gone Not friend friend gone.

I growled, angry at Not friend friend. Not his fault! I not H.K. I not message. I not soulless! Bah! Not matter now. He gone. Now brother matter more.

That Sings

Author's Note

There is an incoming song that is different then what I've done in the past. Usually I construct the lyrics part of songs from scratch (Most when wanting a character to sing either post the lyrics straight down or ponify only a few words... Lazy, lazy)... I've never been able to get any music to accompany any of my songs, mainly because I have no idea how to make music, even with a music studio software, and I have struggled to find a song that the music accompaniment matches my lyrics...

That was until I stumbled onto this song which tonally fits what is going on however I'm not quite there yet on purely my own lyrics(getting them to fit with the music in a way that can be 'sung') So while I used my own wording as much as possible using the original lyrics as a template there are pieces of the original song remaining (mainly in the chorus and bridge)

That Sings

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

"Spike..." Silver whelp spoke for first time as sun was setting. "It's getting dark we should head back..."

"Knock yourself out." Spike shrugged.

"Spike only the library is warded against..."

"So? I am not going back..."

"Spike be reasonable."

"I DON'T CARE!" Spike roared spewing fire at whelps. "I'M NOT GOING BACK THERE!"

Was then that one with bent horn... not sure what name was... Wasn't paying attention to part of conversation... saw me. I was surprised took this long for whelp find me. Not been trying to hide just stay enough away until figure out what do next. Least now getting easier to think, words both spoken and thought coming faster, though head still pounded.

"What are you doing here?"

"I... will pro...tect him."

"Like the way you 'protected' him by throwing him away?"

I growled swiping tail at whelp. He saw coming as he dodged it. He was not able to dodge wing smacked him on chin from below.

"I am not H.K.!" I hissed building fire in back of throat.

"Twixt'd" Garble whispered, one of his claws on whelp with bent horn shoulder. "Don't push it... Something tells me who ever this dragon is he far outclasses us."

"If you hurt him like H.K..."

I grumbled as I turned away to Spike. I will never be like H.K.! I will never be like H.K....

Spike sniffed and shifted a bit. That was the first time since the whelps left at sunset that Spike had moved or made a sound. Was he starting to fall asleep or... Humming? That I was not expecting. Why humming?

I know I'm probably better off with Twi'
Than havin' a brother who didn't know
What he had when he had it
And now I only have scars that you gave me
Never again, I just wish I could forget you were never alive
I wish it wasn't midnight, standing in the cold
Saying to myself, you tried everything you could
When only thing to do was keep hoping.

And here in the middle of the night I can still hear you
But now I miss you, and I just wished you were a better brother
Because I never get to say goodbye to you
But why do I bother?
But now I miss you, and I just wished you were a better brother
A better brother

I know I'm probably better off with Twi'
Than also needing a brother who ran away at the sign trouble
And it’s always on your terms
I hung to every single word
Hoping it might turn sweet
Like I had always dreamed of
But your cowardice, I can hear it now
When you walked away from me like you’ll always be around
You pushed me away like I was worthless of your time
Boy, you never thought you’d die...

Spike singing faded to sobs much to my confusion. It was clearly Spike's soul was pouring out in song form so why stop when it was clearly far from over? I've never seen a soul song end abruptly like this unless something interfered or... oh...

And here in the middle of the night I can still hear you
But now he misses you, and I just wished you were a better dragon
Because he doesn't know why you had to go
Like the phoenix flame
And he misses you, and I just wished you were a better dragon
A better dragon
Better brother

You held onto your pride because in the end it’s all you had
And he gave you his best and we both know you can’t say that
You can’t say that
I wish you were a better dragon
I wonder what we would’ve become
If you were a better dragon
We might've become a family
If you were a better dragon
You would’ve had treasure
If you were a better dragon

Yeah, yeah

And here in the middle of the night I can still hear you
But now I miss you, and I just wished you were a better brother
Because I never get to say goodbye to you

And like phoenix flame
He does miss you, and I just wished you were a better dragon
Better dragon

I wonder what we would’ve become
If you were a better dragon
We might've become a family
If you were a better dragon
You would’ve had treasure
If you were a better dragon
Better dragon

"So are you H.K.'s sick idea of a replacement?" Spike finally spoke after a long pause.

"Yes and no."

"Well you got the talking cryptic part down pat." Spike snorted in fake amusement. "Now all that is left is to leave in the same way... which I really hope you do."

I sighed. I wasn't trying to be cryptic but how does one say that yes I am in a way his replacement but that it wasn't H.K.'s idea... If anything he fought against it much to my frustration. "I am not H.K.'s sick idea of a replacement."

"You should go back the disjointed speaking. It makes it easier to be cryptic and lie by omission two of your favorite ways of talking."

I groaned in exasperation. Thanks to H.K.s cowardice Spike's trust of him and thus me was non existent.

'...a blank dragon soul was to be birthed within you then over time the two would resonant to the point that they essentially become the same. It was then, and only then, like sand in an hourglass, the essence from the alicorn half would fall away...'

Though I only understand parts of it myself and I had no idea how to explain it without confusing him more... I have to try. "There is a magic ritual known as the Rite of Guardianship. Its purpose is to give a sibling the ability to hatch a sibling..."

"Newsflash Twilight hatched me and unless 'magic surge when I got a cutiemark' is the dragon way of saying 'Rite of Guardianship.'"

Cutiemark? What is a Cuitemark? Whatever that is doesn't matter because whatever that is I know it has nothing to do with the Rite... I think... "Yes, our sister Twilight hatched you, but..."

"Twilight is not 'our' sister." Spike snapped at me.

"The giving of your egg for the Oath was out of desperation. H.K. had been trying for centuries before hand to hatch you. I know because I witnessed every soul crushing attempt."

"Oh yes he was also desperate to hatch me that it was soul crushing... then explain why he allow the Oathbreaker to manipulate him into giving me up..."

"I don't know why..." I was always okay with Twilight. It was one of the few things he got right with Spike... giving him into her care... But then why he didn't end Oathbreaker's life then like he should or at least kept a much closer watch?

Instead of a expected snarky response from Spike all I heard was the soft sound of snoring. It seems that Spike had finally fallen asleep. I'm surprised he managed to remain awake this long. I suppose this gives me time to figure out the missing information and maybe rebuild some trust so that he is receptive to the truth of who I am, how I came to be, and the ultimate fate of H.K.

Izvēlies! The Voice's final word to me echoed in my mind again and I think, now, I know how to respond. H.K. and I were the same in one way, we loved our brother. If only H.K. had done better job at demonstrating that... better at being a loving brother...

"H.K...."
You held onto your pride because in the end it’s all you had I softly sung as I nuzzled Spike who was still crying even though he was sleeping.
And Spike gave you his best and we both know you can’t say that
You can’t say that
I wish you were a better dragon
I wonder what we would’ve become
If you were a better dragon
We might've become a family
If you were a better dragon
You would’ve had treasure
If you were a better dragon

Es Izvēlies Tvēsele Uzuthszrēüs.

That Itches

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

I swear if Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, or both, most likely both, put itching powder in my bed again I'd... I opened my eyes and my irritation was momentarily replaced with confusion. My blanket is light blue not light purple...and leathery? Also why is there so much light in my room? The window faces away from the sun... This seemed a bit too elaborate to be a prank from those two so maybe Twi was sleep casting again? She had a tendency to do that when she got extremely stressed and she had to be extremely stressed between the threat of war and with me... not... being...

Suddenly it came back to me, I was not in Equestria much less anywhere near the library and my bed. Last thing I remember was talking to the white dragon that looked like H.K. but really wasn't H.K. because he was dead or something... Yes, I understood that 'H.K. is dead' spoken in draconic meant that he was dead but yet here he was alive in front of me but as a dragon. How can he be dead but not dead at the same? Could he have been reborn like a phoenix which would mean that he technically is alive again, right? Ugh, headache.

Wait! I know when I had fallen asleep I was near the edge of the mountain... so then where am I now? And also, why am I glowing!?

Okay what is going on? I wake up to a burning itch, my scales, for whatever reason, are glowing, and I am cocooned in something that looks leathery... Please let it not be from a Ogres and Oubliettes monster... Please let it not be from a Ogres and Oubliettes monster... I chanted inwardly I slowly reach out to touch the leathery 'blanket.'

"Okay... okay I'm up." Came a familiar deep voice except more gravely and muffled.

"Whoa!" I shouted in shock as whatever surrounded me was suddenly no longer there and I tumbled to the ground.

I looked up to see what I thought was a blanket cocoon was really the leathery wings of the 'white dragon' from the day before. A quick glance around told me that I was in the same spot as last night.

"Who or what are you?" I demanded fighting back the pain of the becoming all too familiar headache...

"I am dragon as for who... that's a bit more complicated as..."

"No, stop. I don't want the long compli... " A really painful spasm ran up and down my spine, cutting of my rant mid word. This burning itch is already so infuriating that I want to scream! "Complicated stupid non answer especially with this burning itching that will not stop!"

I backed up a step in mild disgust as the dragon suddenly shoved his nose right up to me sniffing long and deep. Why was he sniffing me like a dog?!

"I'm not sure..." He shrugged then scratched his head like a dog. I swear if he starts barking or panting with his tongue... "Come, if the shaman is still here he might have a better idea then I."

I was about to protest when I heard a loud growl. Grrrreat I'm hungry on top of itching... what's next? Holes all over my body like changelings?! A sudden urge moo like a cow and give milk?!

"I suppose it has been awhile since you last ate... I wonder how that will be like..."

If I wasn't so itchy and now hungry I would have made some snarky remark how strange and creepy that phrase was. For now all I was willing to give him was a weak. "Whatever."

If the white dragon was concern about my indifference he didn't show it as he turned around and became to walk back towards Hourglass City. I will never admit it to my dying breath but I eyed every tree we past daydreaming that they were oversized back scratchers.

Where is every dragon at? They weren't outside in the plaza and I don't see them in here either. I had originally thought it is possible that they were sleeping on the other side of the gem pile, but I knew that wasn't the case when they didn't pop up when one dragon shaped gopher started tunneling through it, making all sort of 'happy' noises. It would have been almost comical if it wasn't for the fact it was H.K., 'not H.K.' and the infernal itching that still would not stop!

At least the I could deal with my hunger by popping a few gems into my mouth. I was about to grab another handful of gems when I heard the tale tell steps of the shaman. Please, please tell me he knows whats going on and even better if he can stop it.

"So the lazy ass finally decided to step down... I just hope whomever takes over is better then him... Ha."

"What are you talking about?" I asked as the shaman sat down next the gem pile.

"Scales glowing along with a burning itch?" I nodded slowly. "It's how the Dragon Lord of the Wasteland dragons summons his dragons."

"But I am from Equestria!" I protested as I used a quartz cluster that had a particularly long crystal to sooth my aching shoulder blades.

"True, but if this is what I am sure it is then this is a summoning for all eligible whelps within range of the call for the Gauntlet of Fire which will determine the next Dragon Lord. Strange, though, you are not a whelp..."

"Spike is more whelp then hatchling... possibly more..." The white dragon answered, popping out from the pile. I cringed when he put a ruby and emerald into his mouth. As festive those two are for Hearth's Warming they are only good when gazed upon not when eaten together... shutter... "mmm rubies and emeralds is such an interesting contrast between..."

"You!" The shaman roared smashing a fist down on the pile missing the dragon and sending coins and gems flying all over the place.

"I am not the result of necromancy!" The white dragon yelled as he back fliped away from a claw swipe.

"Lies!" The shaman roared before spewing a large stream of flame.

"Es theeslu theürolathciāla rezultāts..." The dragon repeated in draconic. I really got to learn that language if only to snap Twilight out of her frequent manic episodes. Being set back to magic kindergarten I mean come on! "I am the result of the Rite of Guardianship."

The look that the shaman gave the dragon reminded me of Twilight when she first encountered Pinkie Sense. "I should have just left yesterday..." He finally groaned after a minute. Sadly I knew how the shaman felt except replace 'yesterday' with 'never should have come...'

All this talk of the white dragon origins, who wasn't H.K, but was H.K., but wasn't, was not something I could care about right now, especially as I didn't need a headache on top of my itching. If what the shaman said about it was true maybe if I go to these summons and maybe if I become Dragon Lord I could stop the war before it started...

"So... about this Gauntlet..."

"You are not going anywhere near the Gauntlet of Fire." The white dragon snapped, stomping right up to me, angry.

"It's a great honor and responsibility and you have no right to..."

"Shut it." The white dragon hissed. The way he said those two words that reminded me of the fury that H.K. unleashed the night that we arrived. It apparently was enough to stun the shaman as he backed up a step.

"Brother," The dragon softly spoke as he turned back to me, "if you survive whatever challenge put forth by the Dragon Lord, and that is a big if, given the high number of deaths that are common, and if you managed to then somehow claim the scepter you won't remember me, your sister, the fact that you have lived with and loved ponies, or anything, but your name."

"What are you saying?!"

"Young dragon," the shaman sighed, clearly not happy about the white dragon said, "the scepter will destroy all of your memories."

"That just sick! Why would any sane being think that total memory wipe is a 'great honor!!'" I roared in horror and frustration before I collapsed, exhausted. "Why was I cursed being born into a race that thinks that is okay? Or torture... or..."

"What matters more my brother?" I shuttered as the white dragon put a claw under my chin and lifted my head. "The who, the what, the how, and the why of the Dragon Lord or the vengeful conflagration that is about to consume your home, your friends, your everything?"

That 'Protects'

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

"Twixt'd if you just let me..."

"Will you shut the fuck up!" Twixt'd growled. "It's hard enough to concentrate with this cursed magick causing me to glow and itch I don't need you whining like a new born pup clambering for his bitch's milk."

"And if you let me, you know the only one not glowing and itching, investigate we might find where Spike is faster." I snapped back.

"You know maybe... maybe we should go back and check the library?"

"NO!!!" Twixt'd roared at Silver who shrunk away. "For all we know they are responsible not only for this magick curse but his disappearance!"

I shook my head. I get that he had a distaste for magic ,'or magick' as he calls it, but that was not reason to get his nuts all twisted up in a bunch. Silver is probably right. Spike probably got hungry and the white dragon led him back to the library and we just somehow miss them. Gah, now I'm thinking like an old fart! Maybe it would have been better for Dragon Lord Torch to kill me...

"Hey, where the hell are you going?"

"To check out the library." I called back. Unlike the paranoid Twixt'd I was not worried about the white dragon running off with Spike.

"What matters more my brother?" I managed to round the pile of gems just in time to see the white dragon put a claw under Spike's chin and lift his head, clearly to his discomfort. "The who, the what, the how, and the why of the Dragon Lord or the vengeful conflagration that is about to consume your home, your friends, your everything?"

"YOU LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I nearly jumped at the sound of Twixt'd roar. Where did he come from?! The little sneak must have managed to tail me all the way back without me knowing.

"Hey!" I yelled out as I was nearly bowled over by what I assume was Twixt'd as I doubt the mass of black was Silver.

I managed get back onto my feet in time to see that it was really was Twixt'd and he was about to do something very stupid. In that brief moment that I nearly lost my balance the white dragon had wrapped Spike tightly around in his tail, hunched his back up and was flaring his wings. It was something I had seen before...

Back when I was a hatchling my sire once took me out to teach me some of the finer points of hunting manticores when we ran into a mother and her cub. She was doing the same thing as the white dragon was doing. My sire told me this was a warning form the mother one that I had to heed unless I wanted to be serious hurt. It was strange to see him act like a feral creature and not a dragon.

Twixt'd clearly didn't know or see the signs I saw as he didn't even slow down. Worse still was while Twixt'd was fast the white dragon had to be way faster. As fast as H.K. was or is... I'm not really sure what exactly the dragon was... All I knew was that H.K was dead and yet alive through what I assume was some weird reincarnation rebirth, or something... I figured that he would tell us in good time or not... If he was anything like H.K....

I winced as in the next motion the dragon had punched Twixt'd in the stomach then grabbed him by the neck. It looked like he was squeezing quite hard as Twixt'd was only weakly fought against it. Between having all of his air violently expelled followed by being choked I would think it would make it very hard to put up a fight.

"I would think very hard about accusing me of hurting what is mine again." The white dragon hissed before he slammed Twixt'd to the floor. I reflexively traced the scars on my arms. Twixt'd got lucky...

"Twixt'd!" Spike yelled, squirming out of the dragon's grasp and running to Twixt'd. "Are you okay?"

Twixt'd managed to nod between alternating bouts of gasping and coughs.

"What in Tartarus is wrong with you?!" Spike roared angrily, stomping right up to the white dragon who didn't even flinch. "You could have killed him!"

"Protecting what was his..." The shaman commented before turning away and walking into the hallway that lead towards the back of the library. I raised an eyebrow, something about those words seemed familiar but in what way?

"And he's gone after giving a half baked answer why not?!" Spike grumbled as he facepalmed. "'Protecting what was his' and 'hurting what is mine...' Let's be clear 'not H.K. but is H.K.' I AM NOT 'YOURS!'"

The white dragon sighed heavily. "If you haven't eaten do so now we've got a long flight ahead."

"And what makes you think I or anydragon would go with you!?" Spike snorted, crossing his arms.

"The Wasteland dragons are preparing to select a new Dragon Lord and if H.K. prediction holds they will attack shortly after that. Now I admittedly may be personally indifferent to Equestria's fate but you are n..." The white dragon suddenly paused and looked hard at Spike. "Where is your gem necklace?"

"I don't know..." Spike shrugged.

The white dragon narrowed his eyes. "You don't know?"

"Spike..."

"I threw..." Spike sheepishly rubbed the back of his head as he looked at me. "I threw it into the layonic vortex."

"YOU DID WHAT?!?!" I shouted in shock. I knew Spike had mix feelings about the gem necklace but to just throw it away?! "How... Why would you do that!?"

"Let it go Garble..." The white dragon ordered.

"But..." I objected could tell that it hurt him to have Spike lose the gem necklace like that.

"I said let it go." The white dragon snapped before he walked away, leaving just Spike, Twixt'd, and myself alone.

"You don't have to come..." Spike repeated for the third time as we made our way out of the library.

"And leave you with him!?" Twixt'd snorted. "Not happening..."

"But..."

Twixt'd held a claw out then put it to his lips. It was then that I could hear the muffled sounds of a conversation. As we approached the outer door the voices became clear.

"How is your shoulder?" Came the white dragon's voice.

"A bit stiff..." Silver's voice answered, "but I think it will go away with some flying."

"Good, it's a week or more to Equestria."

What? Silver is heading to Equestria? Why?

"Wow... I'm not sure that..."

"Done eating?"

That made us jump in surprise. He found us out? I am I know we weren't that sneaky, but still...

"He fucking did it again!" Twixt'd whispered.

Both Spike and I snorted in amusement much to Twixt'd's annoyance. I looked to Spike to see what he wanted to do. He looked at me for a moment before shrugging and walking out. Okay then. I stepped out to see Silver and the white dragon standing near the entrance. Silver seemed a bit apprehensive while the other seemed to be almost bored.

"Done eating?" He asked again, scratching his ear like a dog.

"Yes." Spike growled, rolling his eyes.

"Then let's fly. Silver in front."

"What?!" Twixt'd exclaimed, shocked. "He is the weakest flyer, no offense, especially with his injury."

"Exactly."

At that Twixt'd starting to blubber trying to get a syllable out. I would have teased him for acting like a dumb fish except I was doing the same thing. Having the weakest flyer in the front would not only slow us down it could hurt Silver! He needs to be in the back or in the middle which would allow him to ride the wake making it easier for him to fly.

Spike was the first to manage to spout out something coherent. "Are you trying to hurt him!? His injury hasn't healed fully!"

"I have a question for our hunters in this gang. When you go out hunting for prey... Do you go after the herd or the one that is lagging behind or breaks off from the rest?" Spike blanched as the white dragon explained. I shook my head. One of these days Spike I'm going to get that out of your system. I don't care if we can eat pony food and gems only, sharp teeth are for meat not for grazing in the grass with your ass in the air. "From what I have seen, war is the same... and if we want to get out of it alive then we must do as prey do only better. Also Silver is native to the Untamed Wilds and know its dangers intimately. Now fly, we are wasting daylight."

"But the obelisks!" Silver objected, his wings clamped tight onto his back. I could feel myself tense up... I remember how fast those obelisks shot Silver out of the sky.

"Are not working, now fly."

That Plans

ബഐബഐബഐ Twixt'd ബഐബഐബഐ

I thought that they would never fall asleep. Silver was the first. No surprise there, he really needed more rest before trying to fly as far as we did. Spike was the last holdout. He just sat there staring into the fire, brooding. Something that he did all the time since I met him but tonight it seemed worse the normal. I could guess why... or whom...

'What is his,' 'what is mine...' I've heard those same lines from pimps, gang leaders, and drug lords when they threaten or killed anyone that 'worked, for them prostitutes, 'mules,' etc. They treated them like disposable property, it was disgusting. To think that I once looked up to the 'Cloaked Shadow.' All that talk about be orphaned and despised and understanding was just talk to lower my guard or trip me up. He was no better then those scumbags and I needed to find a way to get Spike away from him...

I doubt I could grab Spike and just fly off. He would probably chase us to the ends of the world. That was unless... Hurting him enough for him to back off much less killing him would be hard, though, as the dragon was an extremely skilled fighter and was fast, too fast. The only way I could have a chance was surprising him, but for Spike... I could not and will not let him go through what I did on the streets of Traxti.

I looked up to the dragon, thinking. He was standing guard on a large rock that rose out of the ground at an angle elevating him above everything else. Worse still the moon was high in the sky blanketing the ground all around him with light. Even though there wasn't much cover I was sure I could sneak up on him... I had to try... before it was too late.

It had been slow going but I managed to make my way within a few dozen yards from the dragon without tipping him off.

"All he sees and hears is H.K...." The dragon suddenly spoke.

I fought the urge to gasp, gulp, or stop breathing. If I did I would surely tip him off that I was nearly upon him. It was possible that he was merely talking to keep himself awake while by talking out a problem they were facing. It seemed to be a common thing for night guards in Traxti City to do. It usually had something to do with their mates...

"And now I need to do something that will only reinforce that..."

Okay, it sounds like he's psyching himself to do something that I assume Spike, and thus I, would not like. Par for course for the guy.

"Who do you say I am?"

Damn it... did he see or hear me? I wondered as I kept myself still. There was a slim chance...

"You are no longer around the campfire."

Damn it, he did out me. It getting very infuriating. How was he able to do that over and over!? Twice at the library and now here?! I had waited until everyone was in a deep sleep, I waited until the fire was down to only a few coals so that he wouldn't be able to see if I was still there or not, and I made even sure that as I approached I did it with slow and steady low to ground movements. Heel to toe, heel to toe. I even doubly made sure that I hid my belly scales especially with them still glowing. I did everything possible to mask my approach and yet he still noticed me.

Fucking magick! It had to be magick! I HATE MAGICK!

"Well?" The dragon slowly turned his head just enough that I could see his purple eye glinting in the moonlight. "Who am I?"

"Fucking magick, magicked H.K. something, something so now he can't be named H.K." I growled, waving off the stupid question. I mean what kind of a question is 'who am I?' anyway? He clearly isn't suffering from a blow to the head even though he should suffer from a few. "How the hell should I know, and why should I care?"

"I could see how one could say that." The dragon nodded his head as turned away. "He and I look very much alike... we sound alike... but we are not the same being. I never was H.K... though I was suppose to become him if things had gone the way they should have... but it never happened so hence the question 'Who am I?' Until... Until I woke under that tower I had no name, no identity, no sentience, and with my purpose gone... Instead of being fully whom I was suppose to be I've had to piece it together from what little of him that I do have..."

I raised an eyebrow... maybe I was wrong about the blow to the head... He had been acting oddly ever since we found him passed out at the bottom of the 'Spiral Spire' after that massive... 'explosion.'

"I wish I had at least retained H.K.'s annoyingly analytical mind that somehow was able to have multiple trains of thought going on at one. How can anyone have multiple trains of thought going at once and not lose one or get them mixed up!? Worse, it would never shut up!"

Yep, bat shit crazy...

"I won't lie Twixt'd, Equestria's chances of survivability before H.K. died and loss of Leafcutter and the shield gem were low as low as we are to the moon. But now... The only reason I don't personally lead the dragons to burn Equestria to ash then burn the ash is Spike. Spike loves ponies... He is fighting between the instinctual call to end them for breaking an oath and protecting what is his. Then there is the fact that I have no magic ability besides flame and flight that all dragons have."

"And what you call what you did that night when we were attacked by those shadow creatures smoke and mirrors? A trick of the light?"

"I am dragon, H.K. was pony." I rolled my eyes he puffed a bit of white flame as if to demonstrate this fact. "Pony magic is different then dragon..."

I scowled as I crossed my arms and leaned back a bit. What a pretentious twit. I am not fooled, but with my plan ruined for the moment I might as let him mouth off. As infuriating as he is, letting him stoke his demented ego might clue me in on something, anything I can use to save Spike from him.

"I will be leaving with Garble before sunrise...alone." I narrowed my eyes. The coward was abandoning his 'brother' again. As much as that was enraging me it also gave me the opportunity to get Spike away from him and his influence. He's got Spike so messed up in the head that he thinks that Spike 'needs' him. "Garble is a blacksmith... I'm hoping that Garble can use H.K.'s extensive notes on blacksmithing to create something that will give the Wasteland Dragon's pause... pause enough to save what is Spike's..."

"And you are telling me this why?" I couldn't help but ask. Why would he tell me all this? He knew that I didn't trust him and here he was telling me exactly what he was about to do.

"I need you to take Spike back to his sister and protect him with the same zeal as you always have, like a dragon."

"Like you, a coward?" I sneered. "Never."

"You are young and an orphan... so is Spike. Both Garble and Silver have better understanding of what it means to be dragon. In some ways even more then I..." The dragon chuckled as he passed me. "Whether you realize it or not you see him as yours but not in the same way as I."

I pumped my fists angrily as the dragon jumped down from the rock and headed towards the campfire. Forget protecting Spike from him I want to kill him, slowly.

That Ponders

ബഐബഐബഐ Silver ബഐബഐബഐ

I shivered as I tried to warm up by rubbing my arms, even with the fire I found myself cold. I had thought that nights in the Untamed Wilds could get cold but, here, in the Everfree Forest, it makes those nights seem warm... I felt a bit jealous of Spike who not only had a blanket but was also sound asleep. How can anyone sleep so soundly with it this cold? Speaking of that...

I looked over to see Twixt'd leaning against a natural stone pillar some distance from the fire, staring off into space. He didn't look even a tad bit cold. How could he not be cold by now? He had to have been leaning against that pillar for some several hours now.

I sighed. Speaking even more of the cold, things had been icy between Spike and Twixt'd ever since their fight after Garble and the white dragon left in the middle of the night without warning. In the week since then I think they have only exchanged maybe a dozen words each. With Equestria, according to Spike, only a few hours away...

I breathed slowly before I got up and walked over to Twixt'd. "Mind...mind if I join you?"

Twixt'd shrugged but said nothing.

I smiled nervously as I stood next to Twixt'd looking everywhere but at him. "The stars are so different here..." I lamely whispered after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah..."

I groaned inwardly. This is going to be harder then I thought...

"And you just let him go!?" Spike yelled, waking me with a start. I looked over to see him waving his arms at an annoyed Twixt'd who was leaning back with his arms crossed. "I don't have the gem necklace anymore! So I have no way of tracking where he could have gone."

"So? You don't need him. He's not just a jackass he's a manipulative jackass that's using you. He doesn't care for you, at all."

"You think I don't know that!? Do you think that this is the first time he's done this? Or worse?" Spike snapped poking Twixt'd in the stomach. "Did Garble ever tell you why he is scarred the way he is?"

I admit I too was curious as for why. Given the extensive and meticulous scarring I had figured it was some botched attempt to emulate a shaman's scale carvings but the way Spike was talking it sounded like it was something else.

"H.K. carved him up using Leafcutter for trying to incite me to smash a phoenix egg and then trying to attack me when I refused."

I gulped, hard. Killing a phoenix was a capital offense. No exceptions as far as I knew, and while he didn't kill one the fact that tried to incite another to kill a phoenix... How is Garble still alive? And why was he allowed to be in the company of the very one that he tried to get killed!?

"And as much as I'd like to tie him in unbreakable chains and throw him down the deepest, darkest pit in Tartarus to rot for all eternity Equestria needs him."

"Bullshit."

"You just don't get it." Spike shook his head. "We are not talking about the streets of Traxti City! We are not talking about the griffon eyries or the minotaur tribes, both of who understand or like violence. We are talking about peaceful violence shunning Equestria that has not seen a war in centuries! The only reason the recent invasion by the changelings failed because was Chrysalis couldn't help but to monologue like a comic book villain. Then you add that dragons are highly resistant to pony magic!"

By the end Spike was crying and when Twix'td tried to reach out Spike flinched and backed away.

"Without H.K., or whatever he is now, They will be slaughtered... My friends, my family nothing but ash..."

"Spike... I..."

"Let's just go..." Spike whispered, not even looking up. "There is no point staying here..."

"Do you know what he told me?"

I blinked in confusion as Twixt'd's sudden question pulled me out of my thoughts. "I'm sorry?"

"Do you know what he told me?"

I racked my brain but I wasn't even sure exactly who 'he' was much less what 'he' told him. Did I miss more then 'Do you know what he told me?' Has Twixt'd been talking for a while and I only just now noticed? "Uh... no..."

"That I saw him as mine..."

I blinked, hard. Okay... not following... Even as an orphan living on the street I would have thought he at least heard a few rumorsof how dragons are possessive. But then again this was the first time that he's opened up like this and I was not going to shut him down by stating the obvious or asking a stupid question. If he need time to express his thoughts I could wait. Though I hope it wouldn't be too long, because as much as the cool air was helping my shoulder I didn't need to be numb everywhere.

"It wasn't a 'mine' the way he said it was like Spike was just property... a slave."

I flinched at that. Slavery was considered appalling and dishonorable, to be one or to own one. Something that no dragon would do to another... except... I got the impression that there was an extreme upon extreme circumstances that would allow it... Maybe that is what happened to Garble...

"You are my friends... Spike, Garble, you... You guys aren't my slaves or minions, to boss around and do with as I please..." Twixt'd sniffed, I could see tears glistening down his face. "I just remember cruelty of the streets... Life was hard enough doing whatever you need to survive, to not starve, to not get too sick, to get enough shelter from the weather, to see the next sunrise because you were, in the eyes of the city, worthless garbage to be thrown out and be forgotten..."

What could I say to all that? I understood a bit of where he was coming from but I never had to worry about my next meal... or shelter and while I was picked on I never was in that much danger of my live being taken... well until Hourglass City. How did I not know about that city before?!

"But then..." Twixt'd started up again but where he was sad before he was now angry, a slight growl in his voice, "you got those that preyed on the weak because they could and... and H.K., white dragon guy, whatever he is is just like them..."

Twixt'd voice faded away into an uncomfortable silence, a silence I had no idea how to end. It was clear that Twixt'd really cared about Spike he just made a mistake. But I knew that anything I said would been seen as hollow. Unfortunately the cold was starting to really get to me as my teeth began to chatter. At least it would give me a flimsy excuse to change to topic to something a bit less depressing.

"How can anyone stand this cold?" I muttered as another shiver racked my body.

"This is nothing," Twixt'd chuckled. "Traxti City is a port city along the Northern Sea, it could get really cold... I remember a few bad winters when it was not uncommon to find someone frozen solid and fused to the ground by morning. Or buried by snow so deep as to not to been seen for months when it finally warm up enough for the body to smell..."

Okay, not a better topic...

That Returns

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

RUN

I idly chewed my right front hoof as I once again looked over the information I had gathered about the Elements. Everything from myths to observations that and numerous noninvasive test I had conducted which I then condensed into short facts then onto several lists on the chalkboard in front of me. In particular interest to me was everything that H.K. said and anything mythic in origin. I knew that myths and legends usually started from or had a grain of truth to them. The trick was to find that truth. The problem? There was next to nothing that I hadn't already knew about and nearly all of the rest was wild speculation or contradictory.

RUN

"Twilight, darling, are you down here?" Rarity's voice called down from the basement entrance.

I sighed and I rubbed a hoof across my forehead. I was not in the mood for interruptions... those were scheduled for later... unless I lost track of time, again. A quick glance at the clock on the wall told me that no I had not lost track of time. At least this would gave me a opportunity to examine Rarity's element side by side to my own, number 32 on the list I had created.

"Yes, Rarity I'm down here." I tiredly called up.

I cringed as I looked around to see that she would have some difficulty in finding me. Stacks upon stacks of books and scrolls were pilled almost to the ceiling, covering almost all the floor and filling every shelf and alcove. Not only that, every crevice was stuffed with scraps of papers. This was worse then when I was attempting to figure out what Future Twilight was warning me about.

"Sorry about the mess..." I chuckled embarrassingly as Rarity stumbled around my maze. "Usually Spike would be here to assist me in organization when I binge research..."

"Darling I was hoping that maybe... ack." Rarity yelped as she struggled to get a straw piece of paper off of her hoof. "Twilight, you have been hold up in the library for a week now... The girls and I think you need a break... I was thinking a spa day."

"I already have a break scheduled for later today." I waved off her concerns, floating over my schedule for Rarity.

"You scheduled a mere one hour break..." Rarity deadpanned, eyeing me over the top of the scroll. "and 4.1 hours for sleep!? Even when I'm on a pressing deadline I make sure to get my beauty sleep which is more then 4.1 hours... The last thing I want to do is mess up a dress because I was too tired to see clearly. What possible research are you doing that requires this much dedication?"

"The Elements of Harmony..." I gestured to the chalkboard. "This is a list of everything I have discovered about the elements both from statements that H.K. gave me, myths, and my own observations and experiments."

RUN

"So you are hoping to find out why they are not working properly..." Rarity mumbled as she walked up to my pitiful list, looking it over.

"This is just the bullet points, but..." I sighed, "Yeah, there isn't much..."

It was then that there was another knock on the door of the lab. I grumbled as I looked up to see a royal guard, most likely one assigned to Ponyville, eyeing my mess with trepidation. I sighed as I walked around Rarity. It seems that I was not going to get much done on my list today. "I'd better go see what he needs."

The guard seemed to be relieved that I was coming to him instead of him having to try and get through my research binge mess with his amour. That was at least good news because if it was dire he would not have waited for me to come to him.

"Ma'am," The guard saluted before continuing, "three dragons have been spotted walking out of the Everfree."

"Do you think?" Rarity looked up at me hopefully.

I shrugged. It was possible that it was Spike, Garble and H.K. but then again this could be just a coincidence. The only way though to find out was to follow the guard. "Lead the way."

And just as the guard had reported there were dragons now currently standing in the field between Ponyville and the Everfree. Only there were two not three... where the third was I knew not, but to my disappointment neither dragon was Garble. Both were black not red and orange. I had hoped for Garble and Spike and, yes, even to a lesser extent H.K. but at least they were not doing anything threatening, just standing there, if only a bit tense. Well the one with bluish grey belly scales was being tense as the second, the one with silver belly scales, seemed more nervous or scared... Where was the third one reported by the guard?

This could prove to be a major problem. If the guard's report was right and there was three and the third one is now missing and if these two were planning something or were a part of some nefarious scheme... they could be covering for the third. Okay, don't panic, get more information. The tense one had a bent horn, probably from a fight of some sort possibly with the other whose tail was bandaged. Both had their wings spread out in such a way that they could be blocking the third or merely preparing to fly way. Also of note was a strange glow about them almost as if...

"Officer why are you restraining them?" I asked the commanding officer, glancing at the assembled guards for any glowing auras.

"As per your orders, ma'am, no dragon of minotaur size or smaller was to be detained unless they show clear hostile intent."

"And have they?" I raised an eyebrow as my cursory inspection showed none of the guards using active magic.

"No, they have done nothing but stand there since they were spotted."

How odd... After the overzealous of some of the guards with Garble I made sure that every guard that was assigned to Ponyville knew what they could and could not do in relation to dragons, personally. That was after I had the three responsible reassigned. But none seemed to be doing anything so why then was there a faint glow around them similar to a unicorn's aura? Could this be related to why they are here?

As I tried to figure what the best course of action should be one of the dragons moved just enough for me to notice that there was someone standing behind them. Someone that looked like Spike. "Spike?" I whispered out, not sure if my eyes were deceiving me or not. It didn't help that he too was glowing like the two teenaged dragons.

"Twilight?" Spike called out as he pushed past the dragons' wings.

"Spike!" I cried out rushing forward not caring about the sudden alarm among the guard.

"Twilight!" Spike yelled as he ran towards me.

"Spike..." I sobbed as I pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm, hic, so glad you're home..."

"Same here Twi..."

I don't know how long we remained hugging but I didn't care. To have Spike back after so long... and from the looks of it in one piece. But I knew it needed to end and I had a million and counting questions I wanted to ask. I sniffed as I pulled out of the hug.

"So," I sniffed again trying to get my still roiling emotions under control, "where's Garble? And H.K.? Were you able to convince him to come back with you?"

"H.K.'s dead." Spike coldly shrugged. "Well maybe deadish would be more accurate. Can't tell considering how many times he's 'died' before... As for Garble I have no idea ask him..."

I sighed slowly, closed my eyes, and rubbed a hoof across my forehead. And of course, H.K. died but not died again... "Maybe... maybe we should go to the library and we can talk about it." I hope I have enough of Zeccora's calming tea...

That Unveils

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I groaned as felt something lightly tapping me on the shoulder pulling me out of a particularly enjoyably dream. A slight crack of my eye told me that it was still dark and thus too early. I grunted before I rolled over and was about fall back asleep when I felt something poke me again. When I fully opened my eyes I gulped back a yelp. The white dragon was staring me down and for a moment I flashed back to my days under H.K.'s 'care.' Though H.K. tended to be very violent whenever he woke me.

I stared at the white dragon jerked his head back and to the side before walking away and taking off. Clearly he wanted me to follow him, but why? I looked around to see that both Silver and Spike were still asleep. Twixt'd was no where in sight but then again he was so distrustful that I've yet to see him sleep. My guess he was off somewhere else out of sight but close enough to keep an eye on us.

I shook my head of those thoughts as I jumped into the air and followed the white dragon. If he was anything like H.K. he would not tolerate wasting time 'thinking.' I figured that the white dragon merely wanted to speak to me away from prying ears. But as we fly out of sight of the campfire I slowed down. If we kept going we risked getting lost as it was I was concerned that we were already 'lost.'

"Where are we going?" I questioned as I slowed to a hover. I was not going a wing beat longer as we were more then far enough away and he was still going.

"To the Wastelands." The white dragon growled in irritation as he too slowed to a hover and turned to face me.

"What!?" I shouted in shock, nearly falling out of the sky. Nevermind that I didn't see a good reason to go there at all there was the small problem that without H.K. I could be killed because of my dishonored status, even if it was 'lifted.' I suppose the white dragon could pass off as him given he sounds almost like him but there was still risk there. If we ran into any dragon that happened to know what H.K. really looked like... "I don't think talking with Dragon Lord Torch would be a good idea. And what of Spike, Silver, and Twixt'd?"

"They are heading back to Equestria." The white dragon explained, rather calmly to my surprise. After what happened with him and Twixt'd back in Hourglass both had extremely short fuses to the point of nonexistence.

As much as I was glad to not be on the receiving end of his wrath I could not understand why he was abandoning Spike, again. If he was a whelp I could get it, but he was still a hatchling! And he doesn't have the same excuse as H.K. had the last time... I hope. "Why are only you and I going to the Wastelands?"

"I need your expertise in blacksmithing." The white dragon tilted his head in confusion like i somehow was suppose to know.

"Umm..." I blinked trying to comprehend the reason. I don't recall telling H.K. about my blacksmithing. "I have a forge in Equestria..."

"Can you recreate Leafcutter?"

"No, I can't..." I sighed in defeat, looking down at my metal claws. Sure, they were skillfully made, but they were not any better then my natural claws, in actuality they were worse. Now, if it was made from the same stuff as Leafcutter... "But what does that have to do with us flying to the Wastelands?"

"I have neither the skill nor the time. Maybe if I paid more attention..." The white dragon murmured. "I wish he was still around... As much as I loathe him almost as much as Oathbreaker... Oathbreaker for separating me from my bother and H.K. for being indecisive and thus screwing around with Spike when he most needed him. He has abilities and knowledge that I do not..."

Then why can't you get the book, scroll, or cave drawing instead of sneaking off without a word in the middle of the night! I huffed, rubbing my forehead. Somehow I don't think I'm going to get through to him... I really hope I don't regret this... "Okay... fine. Lead the way."

I could feel my heart racing as we touched down outside the entrance to H.K.'s cave. Even with several days preparation for this moment I found that even outside it it was bringing back memories, memories that I didn't want to have relive. Which only got worse as the white dragon didn't even pause as he walked into the darkness. With a deep breath I stepped in and followed. No use in being namby-pampy and delaying it.

As we walked deep into the mountain my sense of foreboding only increased. Was this some sort of ploy by the white dragon to begin anew the torture? I mean I knew that H.K. released me but I was not sure of the dragon. Worst still was the months of dust on everything along with stale air. It just added to the creepy vibe.

I groaned when the white dragon finally stopped and stood in front of a random bookshelf in the library. Yep. We came all this way for a book! He could have gotten whatever book needed and not dragged me here or left Spike like a thief in the middle of the night! I sighed as I watched the dragon stare at the bookshelf for a few minutes before randomly pulling books off the shelf only to immediately put them back. My irritation morphed to confusion when after several books I realized he wasn't just pulling books out and then putting them back as if they were the wrong book. The way he was putting the books back in seemed a bit too meticulously... wrong.

Suddenly the white dragon stopped and spoke for the first time in days. "H.K. thought you could become a better Dragon Warrior then he was. I think otherwise..." He leered at me from the corner of his eyes. My early fears of this being a ploy were starting to sound to be real. "What I am about to reveal to you must never be revealed to anyone or written down. You do and I will kill you. You abuse this knowledge and so help me Es tevi thozalithāšu. A true death Garble not the symbolic death you went through with H.K., am I clear?"

I gulped hard. I know that H.K. was dead but with exception of his eating the way the white dragon carried himself and spoke it was like he was still alive. "Crystal."

He looked over me a bit longer before putting back the book he had in his paw. As soon as the book touched the shelf there was a faint rumble and the entire shelf slide down into the floor revealing a tunnel. Now all the weird book shuffling made sense. Clearly whatever was down the tunnel was important. H.K.s hoard most likely.

To my bewilderment the tunnel merely lead to a small mostly empty room. Outside of a few knickknacks and a tapestry depicting a lone mountain the only thing of note was a set of amour. Not what I expected from a hoard room. At least the armor look cool even though from its general shape it looked like it was meant for H.K.

Was this what he needed help on? I wondered as I took a closer look at the armor. I suppose I could attempt to hammer to fit him but there was enough difference between a dragon and a pony that it would be easier to start from scratch.

"It smells just like Leafcutter!" I exclaimed in excitement when I caught a whiff of it's smell. If this amour was anything like Leafcutter it was no wonder H.K. became a Dragon Warrior! But why did he favor using only Leaftcutter and a mere cloak? I don't recall any stories of him donning anything other then a cloak. It wasn't because of the looks of the armor.

My excitement, however, quickly faded as I realized a problem the same problem that had plagued me when I was making my metal claws. "Damn it, this still is not helpful... I can't figure out what makes it smell like it does."

"Here."

I turned around and raised an eyebrow at the small ornate chest that the white dragon was holding out for me. Okay... It only got stranger when I opened it and saw a single dragon scale along with a small chuck of metal. A dragon scale and a small metal nugget? What does that have to do with anything? I wasn't going to even ask why they were inside what one could call a jewelry box.

I mean why put it something like that? The dragon scale wasn't remarkable. It was faded and brittle looking, clearly a shed scale. The lump of metal wasn't much better as it looked like just ordinary steel. A quick sniff confirmed that it was a simple steel alloy. One that I was familiar with. Why was the white dragon showing me this? If the the white dragon knew he wasn't saying anything. He was too busy staring at the tapestry. I rolled my eyes. Of course, no help from you... With a huff I slammed the box shut.

Wait, what? In the moment that I shut the box I notice, something faint, something very familiar in the movement of air. I quickly snapped open the box and took a much deeper smell. "Dragon scales!? That's it?! That's what makes Leafcutter so sharp, so deadly?!"

That Marvels

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

"Dragon scales!? That's it?! That's what makes Leafcutter so sharp, so deadly?!"

The white dragon shrugged as he took the box from me. "If that is what you think..."

"You said you had' neither the skill nor the time'" I growled, frustrated at him once again treating something he, himself, said was serious as a joke. "So how about instead wasting time having me play guessing games tell me how to make it since you seem to know so much about it. Aren't you the phoenix like reincarnation of H.K. or something?"

"In a way I was suppose to be... but I am not." The white dragon whispered as he ran a paw over the armor. "H.K. died before it could be completed."

What? I nearly fell over in shock. He didn't snap? The white dragon not being H.K. but looking/acting just like him and having that pointed out had been touchy subject before now. This was the first time that he responded with subdued sadness over frightening rage. He was still spouting confusing nonsense though.

"Not that it matters as the armor and sword weren't made by him. It was made... made by... it doesn't matter..." I could almost swear he sniffed at least once as he explained. "The point is I don't know anything other than the armor and Leafcutter have something to do with dragon scales and steel alloy. How exactly is something you will have to figure out..."

I grumbled in irritation as the white dragon took hold of the armor without another word and walked out of the room.

"You ready?"

I sighed as I looked over at the small pile of scales that I had gathered from hours of scouring all the halls and rooms that I had been in during my days under H.K.'s 'care.' There was barely enough to fill a typical water bucket. It was a... pitiful amount. I suppose that I could remove scales the hard way but I'm not sure freshly shedded much less forcefully removed scales would become brittle or flammable enough to work with. I really hope that it will be as simple as 'melting' scales in the alloy and I don't have to do anything special to them beforehand...

"Yeah, I guess so..."

The white dragon looked me over before leading me once again through the maze of chambers and tunnels that I was unfamiliar with, dragging the armor with him.

This mountain is emptier then the space between Crackle's head! I snort in amusement as I followed.

My jaw dropped when the white dragon finally stopped. He had lead me to a forge and not just any forge but the forge of my dreams. It had everything one would want as a blacksmith and more! Not only was there what looked to be a mini blast furnace to go with several more basic ones but there was one on the end that really got me excited: a crystal forge. A crystal forge! It was the only type of forge that could handle any metals that were magical in nature without damaging said nature of those metals, mostly gold, silver, platinum, oscillairum and mithril. Not that I cared for any of those besides the last two as the first three were too frou-frou and soft for anything other then food or bedding.

If anyone ever asks I crackled heartily and not like a girl as ran my hands over the crystal forge feeling the coolness of the crystals. I licked my lips in anticipation. What marvelous things I could forge here! But that won't mean anything if I don't have fuel and raw materials. I can only do so much with my own flame.

I slowly gazed around the forge, hoping to see where the storage was. Let's see... The forges lined one wall with the anvils in front of them the tools were hanging either above the anvils or near the forges. In one corner there are series of polishing wheels. It was in the other corner next to the passageway that lead to the forge and behind what I would call a pile of junk that I saw a door leading, I hope, to a storage room.

I slowly opened the door and stepped into the dark room. I whistled as the crystal lights glowed, lighting the room. It was a storage room just like I hoped, but, man, was it huge! At first glance, I counted over two dozen large hoppers that, judging from their sizes, could have easily held the hoard pile that I and the rest of the teenage dragons had back on the Migration. Along the back wall was a line of barrels each over flowing with different gems.

As I examined the hoppers to see what they contained I found myself even more envious of H.K.s forge. Every hopper was full to the top with either fuel, ore, or chucks of metal ready to be forged. No self respecting forge would not, at least, have a bit of everything... but at to have them at such quantity?! I don't want to know how long it took H.K. to stockpile all of this. With a heavy sigh I loaded chucks of steel that I wanted into a bucket and walked back into the forge.

"Here are a few books on blacksmthing that I found in H.K.'s library." The white dragon spoke, holding out some books as I put down my bucket next to the crystal forge.

When did he get those? I don't remember seeing him with any books. I shoved that question to the side as I happily grabbed the small stack of books from the white dragon, eager to see what I could learn from them. Maybe I could finally get some useful information. Sure, the books that Spike got for me were okay but they were sorely lacking on information on weapon and armor crafting. My excitement evaporated when I found that the books proved worthless as they were written in languages I was not familiar with. I was about to give up on the last book and put it to the side with the rest when I saw a diagram of a sword that gave me pause. It looked just just like a simple, stripped down version of Leafcutter.

"Can you read this?" I displayed the book opened to the page in question for the dragon to see.

"Every fourth word at best..." The white dragon shrugged, laying down next to the armor that he brought from the secret hoard room. "I never saw a reason to learn to read."

"Grrrreat..." I snarked. I would ask how he managed to figure out that these were books on blacksmithing but I don't want the headache of another strange answer, I had enough to do as it was. Like figuring out how to combine dragon scales with steel in the right way to recreate the metal that comprised the armor and Leafcutter...

Speaking of figuring out... how do crystal forges work again? I remember reading the details once but it had been a while... Something about crystal forges didn't use normal fuel like wood or charcoal. I grit my teeth as I struggled to remember. As my mind remained blank my anger flared.

"YOU STUPID FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!" I roared, clenching my fists hard and kicking the ground in frustration. "HOW DO YOU WORK!?"

My anger evaporated when I remembered that I wasn't alone. "What are you looking at?" I growled at the white dragon, trying to masked my embarrassment.

The white dragon blinked slowly before turning his gaze fully to me. "I am meditating, not 'looking.'"

"Meditating?" I deadpanned, crossing my arms.

"I don't dare interfere with what is yours by staring you down like a hawk stalking her prey." The white dragon waved a paw before sighing and lowering his head onto his forepaws. "Also, I'm still trying to figure out who I am..."

You and me both... I rolled my eyes as I turned back to the forge.

That Discovers

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

"Interesting..." My eyes snapped over to Garble. He had pulled out a nugget of steel from the forge and was eyeing it. "It's not melting."

It was the first time he had spoken since finally getting the forge to start some hours ago. I assume, it was quite hard to tell time passage without being able to see the sky. It reminded me in a bad way of my time in the forest with H.K.

I was about to roll over and get back to sleep as metal not melting wasn't all that fascinating. Even I knew that different metals did have different melting points so clearly this was just a case that he just need to increase the temperate in the forge. Suddenly, there was a noise of metal hitting metal and something ricocheting off of one of my ear horns.

I roared, spinning to face Garble. "GARBLE! I Will..."

My head tilted as I looked as Garble who was just standing there, mouth agape, a broke hammer in his paw. While I ticked I I wasn't that mad, was I? I lifted my neck to get a better look and saw that not only was the hammer in pieces but so was the steel nugget. That was interesting... but since when does steel break like that? I reached out and grabbed a piece only to find that it was still just hot as if it just came from the forge. Hot and brittle?!

"Garble." I softly spoke as I put the piece I had grabbed back onto the anvil. Garble, however, seemed to still be too stunned to acknowledged. "Garble."

"GARBLE!" i shouted which finally got Garble's attention. "Figure it out later... Remember why we are here."

"Right... right." Garble snapped to attention. "To forge something that can save Spike."

I shook my head as Garble went back to the forge. We weren't doing this to save Spike as I was sure he was in no danger. What Spike called his that was a different matter. That was who and what we're here for.

I stared at one of the pieces of the armor, a greave, according to Garble, carefully examining every facet of it trying to figure out its secrets. Garble's frustrations had been mounting the past few days and I hoped to help, if only to get his grating ranting and irritating pacing to stop. Unfortunately, I could only remember mere flashes, moments of time of the armor. H.K. had long since stopped using the armor in battle when I born? Created? Spawn? I still had no idea what to call the moment I came into being. I was a soul within another soul and had no body for my own until H.K. soul burned away.

"I GOT IT!" My concentration was so great that I nearly jump in a start from the shout. I looked over to see that Garble was holding out a chuck of steel in a crystal tong, sniffing it deeply. "Yep, it smells the same!"

Then just like Garble had done several times before slammed a hammer down on it and like nearly every time before the hammer shattered. I rolled my eyes as I stepped to the side to avoid the pieces. This time, much to both of our fascinations, only the hammer shattered. The chuck of steel seemed to have no visible damage. This was good as it meant he was making progress. (And maybe will stop ranting and pacing...)

With him making progress I felt I no longer need to examine the greave so I bent down to reattach it to the armor stand. But when I did I notice something odd. The talons on my paw holding the greave appeared to be filed down. How?! When did that happen? I blinked as my mine raced. The only thing that I did was...

I idly ran a talon across the greave and as ran my talon across I saw a fine dust . The only and a quick look back at where I had scratched the armor showed nothing. I knew the armor was dragon resistant (otherwise why would they be made for H.K.?) but to be nigh on dragon proof!?

"WHAT!?" I sat down as Garble suddenly snatched my paw and began rolling it around, examining my talon closely. "Dragon claws can cut through diamond, the hardest natural gem known like it was warm butter and this armor withstood a scratch from your claw like it was nothing!? This must be how H.K became a Dragon Warrior. I mean, seriously, wearing this H.K. would not only almost look like a dragon but was nigh invincible against them. And to think I am..."

"Stop withholding important information!" Garble suddenly roared, slamming my paw away.

"I'm not intentionally withholding..."

"Bullshit." Garble snapped, poking me in the chest. "That's you whole shtick. You say a half truth in a cryptic manner and then when you are called out you claim innocence or some other fucked up, wacky reason you can come up with!"

"Well you got the talking cryptic part down pat." Spike snorted in fake amusement. "Now all that is left is to leave in the same way... which I really hope you do."

"I'm hoping that Garble can use H.K.'s extensive notes on blacksmithing to create something that will give the Wasteland Dragon's pause..."

H.K. didn't have extensive notes on blacksmithing he kept most of his knowledge in his head. But I didn't want to do like H.K. did when he flew off to deal with the layonic pole, merely say he had a more pressing matter. Spike deserved to know the reason I needed to leave for a while... even if that reason was not the full truth...

"Hey where are you going?" Garble called out as I turned to leave.

"Out." I growled out. I needed time, alone, to think.

The sky was awash with deep red and oranges as I stepped out of H.K.'s cave. A slight haze and ever faint smell of smoke was in the air. Clearly the gathering of the Wasteland Dragons for the Gauntlet of Fire was in full swing. Time for Garble and Equestria was running out.

I sighed heavily as I laid down to watch. I made a promise that night when I Chose... to do better than H.K. but... am I living up to that promise, to my hoard, my name? I know I have so much to prove to Spike and the ones he calls friends and family but am I doing enough? Am I going about it in the right way? It's so difficult to figure it out even with my name guiding me.

"However, if anything, you did fail your brother Spike..."

"I know..." H.K. sighed. "I wish I could have done things diff..."

I wish you were a better dragon

Es Izvēlies Tvēsele Uzuthszrēüs.

"Hurry Garble..." I muttered as I looked off in the direction of Equestria. "I need to get back to Spike..."

Author's Note

Comment, like, fave... In the order (especially the first)... pllllllease :pinkiehappy: :pinkiecrazy: :flutterrage:

That Smiths

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

"Will you hold still!" I barked as the white dragon shifted again as I trying to check that my latest piece of armor, a greave for his right foreleg, was formed correctly. The metal was still quite hot and could warp if he moved just right. Of course I wouldn't have had to do it this way if I could make changes to the metal's form and shape after cooling. But for some dumb reason once the metal cooled too much I could no longer make any changes.

The white dragon grumbled but finally stop fidgeting. What am I doing scolding him like hatchling!? I inwardly groaned when I realized what I had just said. I just sounded like my dam... since when did I become the responsible one here!?

Shaking those thoughts away I carefully blew some flame on the greave to keep it hot and slowly positioned it within an inch of the white dragons shin. I sighed in relief as it appeared to be perfectly formed. A good thing too as this would the last piece I could make... for now... Well, there was enough scales left to make maybe a single greave or cuisse... I swear, why would anyone name a piece armor to sound like someone saying I need to take a 'wiz' while holding back a sneeze. But the problem was that I didn't have enough to make a matching pair.

I did have enough that could recreate my bladed gauntlet but I have yet to figure out how to make a blade with the scale steel alloy. While I can create a basic sword shape by pouring motel metal into a mold I would need to use a grindstone to get it sharp. Something I can't seem to do with the metal just yet... if it was even possible...

"Are we done?" The white dragon growled as I slowly lowered the greave into a barrel of water to lock its form.

"Yeah for now..." I absentmindedly waved the dragon away. Maybe if I pour...

...

Easy... easy... I inwardly chanted as I slowly pour the molten mixture into the already half filled mold. If any air bubbles got in it could weaken the blade to failure.

...

I smiled as I inspected the blade. I could see a wavy dividing line between the steel towed the edge and the special scale steel mixture towards the back. It looked similar to the way Leafcutter looked although it was patterned differently. While I wouldn't have the cutting edge of Leafcutter the blade was protected from damage if I had to block or parry a blow.

...

I sighed as I put down my polishing cloth. My newest bladed gauntlet was finished. All three blades were sharped to a razors edge, the sunstone removed from my old gauntlet and set in my newest own and every part put together and polished to a gleaming perfection. All that was left was to try it on for the first time.

I shivered as I felt the cool metal slide over my scales and I lightly took hold of the grip. With a deep breath to calm myself down I slowly took a few swings to get a feel of it. Every movement I felt like the gauntlet move with me like it was merely an extension of my arm. And to think I made it myself with my own hands with such skill after just recently rediscovering a lost alloy that is extremely difficult to work with.

And this is only the beginning because I will find all the secrets of this alloy and that knowledge will be mine! Mine to find, mine to have, mine to guard and keep. And it would be way more glorious then gems, trinkets, gold, silver, mere bedding and food. Why would I hoard such simple things as those? What is the point of that? But this... this was something entirely else and I could protect what was mine...with what was mine. What was mine...

Es Izvēlies Letāls Thazs.

An inviting warmth instantaneously washed over me as soon as I thought that. I... he remembered the warmth from before... Back when he... Garble.. I grew wings and became a whelp. Knowledge that I knew that Garble didn't know told me suddenly filled my mind, warning me that it would be best if I lowered myself onto fours. As I slowly lowered myself to the ground I realized that I had my gauntlet on. I could try to remove it but I knew that would have very little control over my movement until my body finished morphing. I just hope that I don't damage my gauntlet or my leg during my growing.

After a few moments I could feel that my body was done growing but the warmth didn't fade like it should have it kept building especially right around my foreleg that had my gauntlet on it.

IT BURNS!!!! I roared in agony as the heat spiked. The pain was worse then anything H.K. had ever done.

"Red dragon!" I heard the white dragon shouting, I think. I couldn't tell for sure as my pain was drowning out everything.

Then just as fast the pain came it suddenly vanished and I fell to the floor, out cold.

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

"What happened?" I groaned as I regained consciousness. Last thing I could remember was being in H.K. forge and... This is not H.K.'s forge.

All around me was deep shadows, cast from the dim glow of various pools and streams of magma. It looked like I was in a volcanic cavern but that made little since because as far as Garble recalled H.K.'s mountain was ironically one of the few mountains in the Wastlelands that wasn't volcanic either currently or in the past.

Obsidian? I wondered as I picked up the piece on stone that I had stepped on. Strange... The obsidian only added to the list of oddities since I woke up. The volcanoes around the dragonlands rarely produced obsidian... something about lava content and slow cooling. Where the fuck am I?!

"In simplistic terms: a representation of your soul." A young giggling feminine voice echoed.

"Show yourself!" I roared angrily, frantically looking around for the source of the voice. It would be a good opportunity to try out my new bladed gauntlet on whoever was stupid enough to kidnap me.

"Up here." Came the voice again. I looked up and, there, sitting on top of a nearby basaltic pillar was a young grey and yellow spiked female dragon.

The dragonness was too young to have brought me as it was clear from her posture that she was still a whelp. And now that I think about it, it was possible that this was H.K. doing. There was some sort of mana surge that occurred right after I Chose and I wouldn't put it past him having some sort of ward that brought me here.

"Hmmm... adamantine steel.... grade one from the looks... not bad." I nearly stumbled led back in surprise as the dragoness was suddenly in my face, roughly twisting my right foreleg around sniffing then tapping my bladed gauntlet. It was as if she didn't understand personal space. "And magically fused to your body in such a way that your soul sees and has made it as a living part of your body. A rare feat for a dragon..."

My bladed gauntlet is fused to me?! I blinked staring down at my gauntlet pull my foreleg away from her. I had noticed during her forceful appraisal that something seemed off about it but I had merely chalked it up to my metamorphosis from a whelp to a drake. That my growth and change in posture from bi to quad had warped my perspective a bit.

"You used your own scales didn't you?" I jerked up from my self examination in surprise. I could see someone guessing that it was the scale steel mixture, 'adamantine' steel she called it, but to know that it was my own scales that were used? "That's what I thought. Between that and your Choosing it would have facilitated the fusion..."

No one should know who I am my name is mine and mine alone. I decided if I want others to know that this... How dare this 'dragon,' which I'm sure is not a dragon, imply that she knows. I roared angrily rushing towards her.

SĒTĒT UZ LEJU LETĀLS THAZS

And just like that I went from about to attack to sitting down roughly. When she shouted it was like thousands of Dragon Lord Torchs shouting all at once with the power of thousands of Bloodstone Scepters behind it. All of which told me I had to sit down. To be able to do that to me, a dragon!? She either had to be powerful mage masquerading as a 'weak' whelp or in possession of a powerful enchanted item... like the Bloodstone Scepter... Her possessing the Bloodstone Scepter could explain how she could possibly know my name and command me in such a way. I think...

"Things will become clearer in time who and what I am Letāls Thazs... especially now thanks to... thanks to Harmonious Knight..."

"Harmonious Knight?" I murmured. Could she be referring to H.K.?

"Yes..." The dragoness sighed heavily. "But that's not important now Letāls Thazs what is important is that you help the one you know merely as 'white dragon' and Spike deal with the Oathbreaker."

I cracked my knuckles, chuckling darkly. That was the plan from the beginning. Maybe the white dragon or Spike would let me use my...

"No one will being killing her." The dragoness raise a hand in objection.

"What?!" I roared. How dare this... this thing try and protect an oathbreaker!

SŪT LIERĪZS.

Again, in an instant, I went from shaking in fury to wanting to high tail it out of where I was like some mewing kitten except that I had had been compelled to calm down. I think I'd prefer dealing with the fury of Dragon Lord Torch or H.K. right now then the fury of whoever this... creature is.

"Yes, death is the only recourse for one who breaks an Oath but you should know from Garble's experience that does not necessarily mean sending one into the next life. As much as you and..."

"Fine," I growled, turning to walk away. "But do me the favor of leaving me out of this." If I couldn't assist in ending the Oathbreaker's life why help? Why taint myself and my armor, my hoard, over such a dishonorable action? Not ending an Oathbreakers life? What does this dragoness... creature think she is? Powerful as she clearly was to go against the very law of mana that dragons are bound to uphold and maintain was ludicrous.

"I'm sorry, I thought you wanted to be a Dragon Warrior. Or was that merely a childish dream of Garble's?"

I stopped, turned back, and stared down the dragoness in disbelief. "Just who the fuck are you?"

"The Voice, Letāls Thazs, The Voice." The dragonness smiled as everything suddenly faded to black.

Author's Note

Comment plz. :pinkiehappy: Don't make me sic crazy Pinkie on you :pinkiecrazy: . You know I will :trollestia: .

Vs Hallucinations

ബഐബഐബഐ Letāls Thazs ബഐബഐബഐ

My eyes snapped opened from a sudden lurch. Wait, what? I blinked in confusion as I saw that I was lying in the back of a cart slowly moving through a lightly wooded area. Okay... This was not H.K.'s mountain nor that weird cavern. How did I go from H.K.'s forge to that strange cavern then to here? Wherever here was... Or was the lava cavern with the strange dragoness merely a dream/hallucination caused by what ever happened when I Chose?

"Where are we?" I questioned, noting with some irritation that it was the white dragon pulling the cart. Well, carts actually, a second cart was tied to back of the one I was in.

"The eastern edge of the Everfree." The white dragon answered while stopping and pulling off a tangle of ropes from his shoulders.

The eastern edge of the Everfree? I wondered as I stepped out of the cart, noting that there was actually two carts. How long was I out?! The Everfree was some distance northwest of H.K.'s mountain which led me to why the eastern edge? If he truly is heading towards Ponyville and his brother like I am sure he is why wouldn't he take the path straight through like H.K. and Garble did before? Sure the forest was thick, but it was also vast and it should still be faster to go straight through then to skirt the very edge... Unless... Unless he was looking for dragons in flight...

"Okay, that explains why you are here, but why am I here?" I groaned as I felt a headache forming. Too many questions and I just know, somehow that the damned white dragon would only give vaguely and infuriating non-answers like always.

"Garble, not you, had permission to be there. Not that there is anything left to go back to." The white dragon nonchalantly answered as he walked to the back of the cart and began to fumble with the ropes tying 'my' cart to the second cart. "I collapsed every tunnel and cavern within H.K.'s mountain. I doubt even a diamond dog pack could find what is left..."

WHAT!? I nearly shouted in shock. Why would he do that?! Not only did he had the ideal location for a hoard the maze tunnels and caverns to even get to his hoard would make all but impossible to find. Even with Garble's memories I would have troubles.

"Garble's old gauntlet, various failed experiments, and the blacksmithing books are in the crate. The crystal forge is underneath the rug." I blinked as I peeked under the rug in question and saw that the crystal forge really was under the rug. How was he able to move it on his own without magic and without damaging it? If I'm recalling correctly what Garble read about them crystal forges were very touchy about being moved. "I don't care about the rug, crate, or cart, do with them as you please."

I raised an eyebrow at this. Why be so generous? What was the catch? No dragon would just give anyone anything much less one such as myself something so valuable even if he seemed disinterested in blacksmithing... Unless... "If you think that this... gesture of yours makes up for dragging me along without asking me you have another thing coming.

"Would you have rather I had left you in some random cave?"

"Obliviously." I grumbled, folding my forearms in annoyance.

"And how may I ask was I suppose to know that?" The white dragon countered, raising an eyebrow. "You were out cold from whatever that mana surge was and I wasn't going to dolly around waiting either, not when my brother was in danger."

I opened my mouth to protest but closed it when I realized that as much as I was annoyed he was right... but now that I was awake I could voice what I wanted and what I wanted was...

"Help the one you know merely as 'white dragon' and Spike deal with the Oathbreaker."

Yeah... no. There was no way I was going to let anyone use that metal to help an oathbreaker! I don't care that Garble was a friend to Spike.

"Fine, whatever, but you are not taking my arm-." Faster then I could blink the white dragon had swept his tail across my legs, knocking me off my feet, grabbed me by my throat, and flipped me onto my back.

"You forget your place red dragon. You are not Garble and I asked him not you to make it for me." The white dragon warned as he tightened his grip on my neck. "I am taking the armor Garble made with me."

I growled angrily fighting to get out of his grip. That metal is mine! I will not let the white dragon taint my hoard!

"Do not test me red dragon." He hissed, squeezing so hard that I was beginning see spots. He then leaned down and whispered into my ear, "Also, fun fact, I know how to undo the metal, do you?"

He... knew? What am I thinking!? Oh course, he would know! He is just like H.K., stringing everyone along for his own purposes! A lying, deceptive snake! Well, fuck this, fuck him!

"I thought you wanted to be a Dragon Warrior."

And fuck that!

"I wonder what would happen to you with the gauntlet now fused to you body like it is..." The white dragon mused as he released me.

THAT'S IT!! Garble was naive idiot wanting to be a Dragon Warrior! It's clear to me that there is no honor in it. He can have the damn armor at least until I can find out how to destroy it and if he does not deal with the pony oathbreaker like he should I will...

"Help the one you know merely as 'white dragon' and Spike deal with the Oathbreaker."

Stupid female dragon apparition! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!!

"I'm not in your head."

"Yeah, right." I growled roughly, irritated that I apparently shouted out the last part. The sooner I got away from the white dragon the better. "Just piss off and leave me alone!"

"Help the one you know merely as 'white dragon' and Spike deal with the Oathbreaker."

ROAAR!!!

DAMN IT! I cursed as the white dragon once again grabbed me by the throat and lifted me off the ground. I would be impressed that he managed to lift me off the ground as much as he did given our similar builds and sizes but this was the white dragon and I could feel myself losing consciousness.

"Es acktruthāt ruthāt cktrātā uz cktrātā." He hissed before dropping me roughly.

Then you had someone do it for you. I grumbled inwardly, coughing and rubbing my now very sore neck.

The white dragon sighed, facing away from me and towards what I assumed was Ponyville. "Was it like having multiple Dragon Lord Torches all shouting at once?"

SĒTĒT UZ LEJU LETĀLS THAZS

I shivered as I remembered the first time the dragoness shouted in draconic.

"The Keeper and Giver of Memories, Ancestors to all Dragon Kind, The One that Gave Utterance to Mana, The Voice." The white dragon finally uttered. I resisted the urge to back way as the white dragon suddenly stared me down. Before he had been almost disinterested, even while threatening me, but now he seemed... focused. "You now have a choice: do as The Voice has said and walk the Path of the DragonWyrm that all Dragon Warriors walk... or not."

"Help the one you know merely as 'white dragon' and Spike deal with the Oathbreaker."

"I thought you wanted to be a Dragon Warrior."

"...Dragon Warrior."

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait... I ended up on a reading/Skyrim binge

(I would but a Skyrim meme here something along the lines I used to be a writer like you but then I took an arrow in the hand but I'm too lazy to put that on a screenshot...)

PLZ LIK COMMENT AND FAV or I will sic Pinkie Pie at you and make you wish it was only an arrow to the knee that ended your adventuring career :pinkiecrazy:

Vs Fear

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

"The Element of Magic spoke Spike." Twilight insisted, tapping a hoof on one her many thaumatic equations that I never had a hope of understanding.

"It spoke to you?" I deadpanned, trying not to sigh, groan, or give away my frustration. I don't want her to start that rant again. It wouldn't bother me so much if this wasn't the seventh, or was it the eighth? (I lost count) time she had rambled about the Element of Magic 'speaking' in the past hour!

"Well, not in the traditional sense..." Came the same response that always came after my 'question.'

I suppressed a groan as, like every time before, she then went on explaining, again, what had happened, in excruciating detail. All of which I'm sure was some crap Discord came up with to drive her and thus me bonkers. I will burn that draconequus to ash the next time I see him! At least she acting more like classic Twi-I've-been-researching-for-days-and-forgot-to-get-any-sleep than I'm crazy Twi-I'm-overreacting-over-nothing-aka-you're going-to-like-my-ratty-doll!

"... and adding the negative azimuth on the fourteenth moo-" *Thunk* I nearly jumped when, in mid word, Twilight collapsed snout first onto the floor.

"Finally" I muttered as I grabbed a pillow and a blanket from where I had hidden them. I had begun to wonder if the double dose of sleeping potion I slipped into her coffee was actually going to work or not. It wouldn't be the first time that Twilight powered through exhaustion and a sleeping potion.

With practiced ease I laid the blanket over her, carefully lifted her head onto the pillow, and crept out of the basement.

"Great..." I snarked as I closed the pantry door. I was hoping to cook Twilight a full, real meal before she awoke. I really need to remind Twixt'd that he cannot hoard all of the food just so that he can play Batmare non stop. At least he was merely brooding like Batmare in the upper branches of the library and not acting out on his paranoia... yet.

It was a few mintues before dawn so if I hurry I could get to SugarCube Corner just as it was about to open. I could get at least some pastries. If I was lucky, by the time I was done it would be late enough that some of the produce stands at the market would be open. Pastries, while a good start, was not going to be enough. Twilight needed far more then just sugar.

"Wait, Spike," Silver whispered as I tip toed towards the library door. I barely managed to suppress the urge to yelp loudly from the sudden sound of his voice. How a whisper could sound so loud I don't know.

"Silver," I groaned, pinching my brow. I had hoped that Silver would still be asleep so that I could leave without being given the 'but its too dangerous' speech. "I'm just going to go to Sugarcube Corner for some pastries because somedragon has raided the pantry again!"

"You shouldn't go outside. The ponies, I can smell their fear!" Silver anxiously tittered, looking out the window, "Fear for us for dragons... and it hasn't let up since we got here! If... If they are anything like the... the feral herds of gazelles..."

"Silver, they are not feral creatures." I countered, trying not to sound too annoyed. It was bad enough to have to deal with manic Twilight but two paranoid ninnies on top of that. My bed sounds so good right about now.

"Yes, I know that, but instinctively, Spike, deep down they are herding prey animals. If they are forced into a corner like they are sooner or later..."

I sighed staring down at the door knob. Sadly, I knew deep down he was right. Heck, it had happened already once with Garble. Though that was caused more by guards who knew better and not the, minus the flower trio, townponies flying into a true panic. Not that I was going to tell him that or Twixt'd... especially not Twixt'd. If he knew he might do something stupid... Rainbow Dash stupid...

"Look, if I leave now I can run there and back before most ponies even wake up for the day."

"Please be careful." Silver finally whispered after a moment of silence.

"I will..."

"You're up a mite early there Spike." AJ commented as I walked past her stall in the market place. From the looks of it she was almost set up for the first ponies of the day. Sadly, it was still a few weeks too early for the first harvest of apples so all she had was various types of apple themed preserves which was, ironically, one of the few things that Twixt'd hadn't taken from the pantry.

"Yeah... Twi's on a research rampage... " I yawned as I came to stop. AJ gave me the 'of course she is' eye roll as she continued to set up her stall. "I had to slip a double dose of instant sleeping potion into Twi's coffee."

"That bad?" AJ winced, nearly dropping what looked to be a jar of spiced applesauce.

"Ehh." I shrugged. "It's only a bit worse then when she went back in time... Still a ways off from another Lesson Zero..."

"Yah sure yah don' need help?" AJ eyed me hard, an eyebrow slightly raised.

"Trust me, I got it." I smiled as I waved off her concern, turning away. "But I'll let you know if she needs the full friends intervention."

"Okay, Sugarcube I trust yah..." AJ relented before she called out as I walked away. "Jus' make sure yah not eatin' all the ice cream again!"

I groaned as my stomach growled from more then just hunger. Stupid Past Spike. Will I ever live that down?!

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when I walked into SugarCube Corner. The smells of freshly baked goods drifting in the morning air had begun to drive me mad with hunger. I really hope I can manage to get the pastries home without eating them all...

"Hiya Spike!"

"Gyah!" I yelped, nearly jumping out of my scales from Pinkie's sudden appearance and greeting.

"Here you go. A half dozen Sorry-I-drugged-you cupcakes, half a dozen banana nut muffins," Pinkie Pie hooved over a box with a large paper sack on top of it before I had a chance to catch my breath from my scare. First Silver and now Pinkie! "Oh and I slipped in three sapphire cupcakes..."

"Also I got you two large thermoses... Or is it thermi? Thermisses? filled with a nice hearty veggie soup my Granny Pie used to make for overwork ponies aaaand a couple of fresh loaves of bread."

I blinked once then twice, trying to process what Pinkie just said. How did she not only know that I drugged Twilight but that I was wanting to make her a meal but couldn't? You know what? No. I don't want to know.

"Thanks... Pinkie." I yawned hard and cringed when I noticed something as I yawned. "Uh, Pinkie... did you forget something in the oven again?"

"Nah!' Pinkie giggled, pulling out a ticking timer from her mane, with her mane. "The birthday cakes for a party later this morning have ten more minutes of baking. Besides, I never burn cake. Never!"

Then what...? I sniffed a bit more, noting that it wasn't really the type of smoke that came from burning food or from a campfire. It was more like... Oh, please no... not yet! It's only been a day! We aren't ready, Twilight isn't ready, we don't have a solution! The smell of smoke increased as I rushed outside. I gulped as I noticed the blood red sun rising from the horizon, a light haze of smoke hugging the ground. I could only think of one thing: the dragons must have begun their attack.

Author's Note

Gah that took too long... hopefully i can get the next one up much faster.

Vs Memories

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

ENOUGH!

I blinked as I suddenly realized I standing in my basement laboratory. Nothing odd about that except it was now inexplicably outside in the square in front of the library. Was I so deep in my research that I kept going while Rainbow Dash, Pinkie or mostly likely both (with help from Spike I'm sure) managed to move my lab piece by piece as an intervention prank!? I hope not, because this isn't like when I went back in time or when I tried to find a friendship lesson for an arbitrary deadline! There was an actual quantifiable rational threat!

"Mine apologizes for not ridding thou of thine nightmare sooner..."

"Princess Luna? Nightmare?" As I looked around the signs that I had been dreaming became apparent, besides the fact that Luna was flying down from the moon in the middle of the day, metaphorically speaking. I just hope that when I fell asleep I didn't mess up any of my notes... again.

At least this gave me a perfect opportunity to talk to a former bearer about the Elements! Now what should I ask? I quickly searched through everything my subconscious had reproduced but my glee quickly turned to despair. I couldn't find the list of questions I created for Luna! Of all the things!

"Interesting..." I looked up to see that Luna was looking at my chalkboard that dealt with the Element 'speaking.' Perfect

"I've been meaning to ask you about the Elements. Back when..." I began before I paused to quickly go through the calming exercises Cadance taught me. "Back when you wielded the Elements did they ever... uh speak to you? Verbally-telepathically-or-metaphysical?"

Princess Luna seemed a bit taken back, blinking a few times before finally giving a tepid answer. "We are not sure..."

I squashed the urge to sigh in disappointment. I had hoped that she could shed some light on what I experienced with the dragon and my Element in the forest. Maybe Spike was right and it was just a trick of Discord's... or exhaustion or both. No! No, there has to be reason besides that! I just know I'm missing it somehow.

"But," Luna stomped twice and suddenly every thing around us brighten into white. "There is a way..."

I blinked as the whiteness dimmed enough for me to see again. Luna must had moved us out of my dream as I was no longer standing in the middle of my lab but inside what looked to me to be a a cave. At least I think it was a cave. The demarcation between the starry sky that was the dream realm and the cave was not clean so it was possible that I was in a cavern, canyon, quarry, or it could just be a simple rocky outcrop. Worse still everything looked look fuzzy and kept coming in and out of focus, the starry dream realm occasionally over taking rock. It reminded me of some of the very first films ever made, overexposed and constantly going in and out of focus.

I nearly jumped out of my fur when Princess Celestia walked right through me. I backed up just as two Princess Lunas joined her. Wait, two!? My head snapped back as I did a double take.

"Relax my young Twilight 'tis only mine memory though quite faded..." One of the Luna's explained. "Thou art merely seeing mine memories some fourteen hundred years ago. Even for alicorns 'tis a long time..."

Ohhh... At a closer examination it was clear which one of them had to be a memory construct. Princess Celestia and the other Luna's coat and mane seemed to be a bit dull. Furthermore both look a bit haggard with their fur was matted and scuffed in places.

"The Tree of Harmony." Memory Princess Luna gasped.

I followed the memory construct's gaze to a very interesting crystalline tree in the back of the cave. Carved into the trunk was a sun and crescent moon similar to the ones of the Princesses' flanks. But what really caught my attention was the Elements of Harmony. Even though they looked different there was no mistaken those were the Elements embedded into the branches. But what were they doing in a crystal tree?

"Are you sure?" The memory Luna nervously questioned as Princess Celestia flew up towards the Elements embedded in the tree.

I know things are becoming desperate Tia... but... this could backfire badly!

I nearly jumped out of my fur at the sudden booming sound of Luna's voice. Which was strange given that neither one's lips where moving... Oh that's right, this is Luna's memories so that must be her inner dialogue.

"It was the only means we found by which we can defeat Discord and free the citizens of Equestria..." Celestia countered as she began to remove the Elements. "And even without these elements, the Tree of Harmony possess a powerful magic. As long as that magic remains, it will continue to control and contain all that grows here."

Luna hoof stomped twice again and the cave faded away to a familiar sight, one of which I couldn't help but let out an amused snort. For a being that claims to be the Spirit of Chaos his shtick hasn't changed a bit. This looks exactly how Ponyville was when he first escaped.

"Oh, this is so much fun. How about a game of 'Pin the Tail on the Pony'?" Discord grinned, holding what looked very suspiciously like Princess Celestia's actual tail.

I was right as Celestia gasped when she looked back to see that it really was her tail in Discord's grasp. "Play time is over for you, Discord." She glared angrily at the draconequues.

"Oh, I doubt that." Discord noted, munching on what looked to be similar to sunflower seeds, which I wouldn't be surprised if they were not seeds but something completely ridiculous. "Hungry?"

"Suit yourselves." Discord shrugged when the Princesses merely glared harder at his offer.

A look passed between the sisters and out of Celestia's saddlebag came the elements: magic, kindness, and generosity in Celestia's aura with loyalty, honesty, and laughter in Luna's.

Let's hope that H.K. was right...

"Oh! What have you got there?" Discord exclaimed, tossing away his bag of 'seeds,' leaning forward as the Elements hovered around the Princesses.

"The Elements of Harmony." Princess Celestia explained as the Elements began to spin around the two princesses.

"With them, we shall defeat you." Princess Luna added as the Elements speed up to a intense white, a shell of mana forming around them.

Discord rolled around in his throne, laughing. "You should see yourselves right now. The expressions on your faces. So intense. So sure of yourselves. Hilarious!"

"We are afraid that is all..." Luna spoke after memory Discord was stoned.

My mind was buzzing from what was revealed. While none of it explained what happened to me specifically it did give me another line of inquiry. There had to be some relation between the Elements of Harmony, the tree, and why the Elements were not functioning as expected... like talking to me! The problem was I had no idea where this 'Tree of Harmony' was... "Luna do you remember where the Tree of Harmony is?"

"If nothing has transpired in the intervening years, a cave near our old castle."

My eyes widen in shock. The Tree of Harmony, the source of the Elements, was in the middle of one the most disharmonious, dangerous places know to pony-kind!? I mean it makes sense for the Elements to be in a hard to reach place but to be there!? Well at least that explains why Princess Celestia had no issue giving the Apple family a land charter so close to the Everfree without having a guard detachment or even building a fence!

"Is that why-" I stopped mid question as a strange ripple past through us. "What was that?"

"Luna wait!" I called out as Luna suddenly galloped out into the sea of stars.

How can I run out of breath while dreaming!? I thought as I finally caught up to her some time later.

"Luna what-" My question died as large a group of lights blinked out in front of me and given the alarm on Luna's face it was clear that whatever just happened was not normal. Was this related to the strange ripple?

"Normally a pony doesn't go from dreaming to wakefulness in a flash. And even with those demon boxes being so popular... to have that many at once..." Luna muttered as she paced.

"Princess Luna?" I questioned, trying to not let my voice betray my building worry.

"We shall send a messenger to waken thee if thou art needth. For now thou art to" sleep.

"No, wait! Princess Luna I can hel-"

The Changling

Author's Note

Change the story to 1st person the first two chapters are edited with this in mind

The Changling

ബഐബഐബഐ Garble ബഐബഐബഐ

I groaned as I popped my back. After dragging a wagon full of supplies over rough terrain for over two weeks with little rest is hard and infuriating. I am a dragon not a pack mule! Alas, as much as I would like to complain out loud I know what will happen if I do. I was just glad, though a bit surprised, when 'Master', shutter, suddenly stopped in a middle of a forest clearing. It is only early morning and until now we had only stopped for water, food, or rest. I know it was much too soon to be resting even if my back was killing me. Also there was no water here and usually it was late afternoon before we paused for food.

The answer for the stop came to me when 'Master' suddenly teleported to the top of a nearby large boulder by the edge of the clearing that was just large enough to clear the tree tops. Once on top of the boulder 'Master' scanned the horizon for a while, clearly getting his barrings. I ignored him as I was going to enjoy what little rest I could get. However when he didn't come down after a while I began to worry. I'm used to 'Master' staring off into the distance but ever since we left his cave he had been more distant. Something that concerned me as it could mean trouble for me. I always got it worse when he got into one of his moods.

"Master?" I questioned carefully, hoping that he was not in a sour mood.

"Stay here and make camp." 'Master' called down. "I shall investigate the nearby pony villages. I shall be back before night fall."

"Yes, Master."

I sighed in relief when 'Master' jumped down from the boulder and disappeared into the trees. For a moment I considered taking this opportunity to escape but I knew that it would be pointless. He was quite skilled at tracking... and his rage... his rage could rival an elder dragon. Besides I am was too tired to get far anyway.

Al least it didn't take me long to set up camp to 'Master's' exacting standards. Which left me sometime I hope to sneak in a nap. It had been a long two weeks after all.

The sound of an explosion woke me up with a start. I really hope that it was not 'Master' on a rampage. I looked around to see what exactly could have caused it only to hear a large crash toppling several trees near by. A flock of spooked birds fly overhead. I tensed up even more. Hopefully, whatever caused it wasn't coming my way.

My jaw dropped in shock when a pony of all things walked into the clearing moments later. I was not expecting that given what 'Master' said about the reputation of the forest. Something I which I had scoffed at until we got attacked by a flock cockatrices. Stupid stone staring creating chickens! Good eating at least.

"Please, help me..." The pink horned pony gasped out nearly collapsing at my feet.

Now why would I help a namby-pamby pony out? I crossed my arms in annoyance. Thanks to three ponies and a wretched hatchling I was now less then dirt to the eyes of every dragon around. I was sorely tempted to end this pony but I feared 'Master' more then I hated ponies.

I was about to tell the pony to scram when I smelt something... off about this pony. I think. I have only been up close to ponies a few times. This pony smelled too 'clean' from what I can remember. That and the crashing of several larges trees from where the pony came from.

"Please... I'm hurt... I need food..."

I crossed my arms before scoffing. "I see plenty of grass eat that."

"No... I need food." The pony stumbled closer much to my displeasure.

"Gah, I don't care what Master says you are a bunch of..." I stopped when the pink winged pony spazed out for a second before falling to the ground with a sword in its back.

"Damn parasitic changelings!" 'Master' growled out as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Master!?" I gasped in shock as he pulled out his sword with a sick spat out from the dead 'changeling' this was not like him at all. He was not one to insult ponies. "Changeling?"

"Take another look at our 'guest'" My 'master' gestured downward to the dead pony.

"What the!?" I stepped back in revulsion seeing that the pink pony was now black with holes all over. Green blood and not red was oozing out of the hole in its back. "What the hell is that!?"

"An insect like equine shapesifter that feeds on the love and other positive emotions that ponies produce for substance and power. Vile things."

"But I'm not a nam... a pony...."

"True, but this changeling was in a bit of a spot and severely injured from crash landing after being flung at high velocity dozens of miles. I'm amazed it had any mana left for a disguise."

"Flung!? By what?!?

"By ponies."

"What?!" I yelled out in disbelief. "Impossible! No pony could fling something this big that far!"

"At yet they did..."

Earlier...

ബഐബഐബഐ ??? ബഐബഐബഐ

It wasn't long before I cleared the remaining of the Everfree lowering my hood. I knew that ponies, would be skittish if I popped out of the Everfree and left my cloak fully on. Especially if the pink shield encompassing Canterlot was more then just for show. I looked around a bit more to see if anyone was around before
I began to trot to the nearby town of Ponville. With any luck I would get my answers there.

This is odd... I wondered as I walked through town. Why would every store be closed and no pony in the street? I don't recall there being a pony holiday today. Though it has been a while... The pink shield came back to mind and my concern rose a bit. Could everyone be in hiding because of that? Or is it me? Maybe I should have fully decloaked instead of just lowering my hood, even if I don't like being in public without it.

"Well aren't you a handsome hunk." Said a sultry female voice to my left. I would have jumped from the shock if I hadn't trained myself over the years to still my instincts.

Training, however, did not prepare me for being called 'handsome,' especially from a pony, much less a mare. Then again I do look much different then I did in my youth. I sighed as I glazed at my reflection in a nearby shop window. I suppose my heterochromic eyes, the left green and the right violet, along with my spiky mane which not only constantly moves in an unseen wind but shifts through the color spectrum could be seen as roguish. But unless coloring one's horn was in vogue again my very long horn, which alternated along the spiral like between violet and green, killed the look.

"So... are you taken?" The mare looked at me dreamily. "Please tell me no..."

I resisted the urge to facehoof. First time back in pony lands in well over a millennia and I get hit on by a lovesick mare. Something in which I have never had to deal with before. Maybe tastes have changed or this mare is overly desperate.

"Sorry miss, but I am not interested in any relationship right now."

"Well can l at least interest you in a magazine?" The mare looked at me batting her eyes.

Like that would ever work. I groaned inwardly. I was about to walk away when I noticed that beside the magazines there was several papers available including one that could prove helpful, The Canterlot Trot

"I would like one of these. How much?" I gestured to the paper I wanted.

The mare glanced down at the paper that I indicated. She then sighed dreamily again. "Five bits you dreamy, dreamy you."

Bits? I wondered. Since when has it been bits? I had no 'bits' but I did have gems that could be traded, hopefully. With a flick of my magic I placed a large sapphire on the kiosk counter.

The mare glanced at the sapphire for a second and for a second I wasn't sure it was going to work until I heard a very high pitched squeal. One look at the mare told me that it was maybe a bit much as the mare sported a manic grin.

Gah! worse then dragonesses... I shook my head as I quickly walked away from mare before she could recover enough to do something I would regret or worse.

As soon as I felt that I was sufficiently in the clear I took a look at the headlines, or in this case a single headline.

Canterlot Royal Wedding Today

Hmm... that would explain it... bah nobles... I spate in indignation. I never like the nobles. As Garble liked to say they are a bunch of namby-pambies... and that was being nice. Still it would be best to check just encase there was more going on. Lets see...Some Alicorn by the name of Mi Amore Cadenza and the Captain of the Guard a Shining Armor. Odd, I wasn't informed of any new alicorns in Equestria. Celestia is going to have explaining to do... Blah blah blah blah unknown threat?! Really? I wonder...

I looked back up to Canterlot and saw that the shield was gone. Okay... Before I could think further the the shield suddenly and explosively reappeared. My eyes narrowed as I watched several black streaks in all directions from Canterlot. A few of them were heading right into the Everfree. Not wanting to head to Canterlot just yet I headed back to the Everfree and the direction where some of the black streaks were being flung to.

I was about to give up figuring out where those black streak went when I heard something crying out. That sounds like the cry of a pony... What is a pony doing in this place? The Everfree is not exactly safe place for one to be wandering. I slowly walked towards the sound so that I could check it out discretely. I was not going to let my return to Equestria become known to the Two Sisters... at least not yet.

I speed up when a came across a line of broken tree tops and branches. Something had crash landed at high speeds and from the smell of sap very recent too. I followed the path of destruction for some distance until I reach its end.

There lying at the foot of a tree was the crumbled form of a tan pegasus stallion with what appeared to be a broken wing and foreleg. Clearly the source of the cries I heard and the destruction. I narrowed my eyes as I approached. I was beginning to suspect what had happened but I needed confirmation.

"Oh thank Cr-Celestia someli-pony found me." The pegasus breathed a sigh of relief when he saw me.

"Well this is a treat, I have not see your kind in a while." I snarked. Now the shield and the wedding made sense.

"Kind?" The pegasus questioned. "But we are both ponies! Please help! My legs and wing are..."

"Well..." I drew out thoughtfully waving a hoof dismissively, "your double wrong actually..."

"What!?" The pegasus tried to get up again but the collapsed once again from the pain.

"First of all you are are not a pony but a parasitic love sucker known as a changeling... I must say it was quite brilliant to take over the Equestrian Capital during a royal wedding. The amount of love available would have been heighten because of it but something went wrong didn't it? The ponies managed to repelled you with such force to send your entire hive flying in all directions..."

At that the pegasus' expression turned angry before being enveloped in green fire and changing to the black holed insect pony that I expected. It hissed at me as soon as it was done with its transformation.

"Please!" I rolled my eyes at the pathetic display as I conjured up my sword. "Hiss all you want! It will be the last thing you ever do. My sword is quite thirsty for blood and I think you will do just nicely."

"Figures..." Garble grumbled. "Too weak and scared to get their claws bloody.. so they hide behind a shiel..."

Garble wisely shut his mouth when he noticed my raised eyebrow. Ponies were not weak per say, but given their herbivore nature they did prefer more peacefully solutions to conflicts, at least in comparison to dragons or griffons. "You really are going to need to learn not overestimate the ponies. Sadly this is going to complicate things a bit..."

The Results

ബഐബഐബഐ Spike ബഐബഐബഐ

When Garble's revelation about the fate of H.K. I felt numb. I could not believe that he would die like this. I may have not liked him, I may have not trusted him but he... he... Then Garble tried to give me a necklace from him!? I angrily threw away the gem necklace that Garble tried to give me and stumped away. The nerve of the jerk. Just like that cloak of his always hiding and evading...

I grumbled as I waited by the sky carriage that was taking us back to Equestria. With the tracks severely damaged by Sombra we where heading back in a royal sky carriage. This meant I had no privacy to sulk in peace. I don't think I can stand the looks of pity from girls for much longer. The only good thing about the ride in the carriage would be a relatively short trip.

"Hey, Spike."

I looked up to see Garble and smiled weakly. That was until I noticed that Garble was wearing the gem necklace from before. But why would he keep that thing? H.K tortured him! Whatever, he can have it.

"What do you need Garble? Your 'master' is dead you should be free to do whatever you want..."

"I have no home..." Garble sighed. "No place to go... When I became... I lost everything... no dragon will want me around."

"So you want to come with us?" I smirked when I saw Garble become flustered. "Sure, why not, that is if you don't mind 'namby-pamby' ponies."

"As I said before I was jealous... I don't know how but somehow H.K. while being around softies had became a warrior without match... Maybe then I can find a way to be accepted by dragons again..."

"Well, you have me. I will 'accept' you... as a friend." I smiled as I held out my hand for Garble to shake.

Garble hesitantly reached out and shook my hand.

Garble took off the moment we landed back in Equestria. I think he is uncomfortable around large amounts of ponies... I suspect it was because of H.K.'s treatment. Either that or he just need to get away from the girls before he lost the rest of his ' fierce dragon credibility.'

"Miss Twilight and party." A solar guard unicorn ran up to to us and saluted just after Garble flew off. "The Princess is waiting for you in the throne room."

"She wants all of us and not just me!? Oh this is so bad!" Twilight panicked. "I didn't complete the test properly! I was suppose to at the end do it alone..."

"Relax Twilight..." I rolled my eyes as Twilight was beginning to wheeze from her panic. You would think after 'lesson zero' she would know by now that Princess Celestia was quite forgiving. Besides I think in this case saving the Empire was more important no matter whether she saved it 'on her own' or not.

"Yes, darling everything will be aright." Rarity added

"Really?" Twilight questioned nervously. "You really think so?"

"Uh huh." The girls agreed in unison. I merely nodded.

Somehow Twilight had managed to fall into complete panic as we walked into the throne room. Princess Celestia was, as always, calmly siting on her throne. As we began to approach her I looked around. The last time I was in here there was scorch marks and shattered wood and glass everywhere. From the way it looks now they managed to fix everything since I was last in here. Good too, otherwise Twilight would diffidently be in full crazed mane mode.

"Welcome back Twilight..." Princess Celestia warmly started as we came to a stop a few hooves away from her throne.

"Did you know there was a male alicorn!?" Twilight blurted out before Princess Celestia could finish her greeting.

Wow. I facepalmed. A whole two seconds before she burst. This has to be a new record for her.

"I..." I managed to see a subtle change in Princess Celestia's expression. Only someone that knew her personally could have caught it and right now I doubt Twilight noticed. Not when she was in a million questions a second mode. Princess Celestia eyes had flashed recognition before changing to fully feigned shock. She is hiding something. "Cadence, Luna, and I are not the only alicorns to have walked Equus... there used to be many..."

"What happened to them?"

"Now is not the time to discuss that chapter of history." Princess Celestia gazed out one of the windows, her waving mane and tail slowing ever so slightly. "What brought on this sudden question?"

"An alicorn was seen engaging Sombra in combat."

"I see..." My eyes narrowed at Princess Celestia I could tell she was trying to find a way to deflect Twilight away from the truth. Just like she did with Nightmare Moon.

"Quite stalling Celestia..." I growled out.

"Spike!"

"Well she is!" I snapped ignoring the fury that was building in Twilight's eyes. "She knows exactly who this 'alicorn' is, don't you Princess?"

"I know you are upset over H.K.'s death," Twilight angrily whispered, shutting my mouth with her magic. "but that is not an excuse for being snippy with Princess Celestia!"

No, it was a perfect time. I'm sorry Twilight about this... I apologized as I reached up and smacked Twilight in the horn.

Twilight yelped and fell backward. It was very painful to flick a unicorns horn when they were casting. But it was the only way to end her spell. I knew I was going to get punished for it later but right now I don't care. Celestia is hiding something and everytime she does Twilight is put into a dangerous situation. I get that she's a Bearer of Harmony and that it comes with the territory. But withholding information in such a way she has is just wrong. Twilight and her friends need to understand what they are getting into otherwise one of theses times no knowing something because Celestia withheld it will kill them...

"Well good news for you princess he's dead!" I sneered.

My smug expression faded as I watched the reaction of Celestia. I didn't think that white fur could get any paler. How could his death scare her more then when he was alive? Who was this H.K. person!? She was so sacred that her aura momentarily flickered as she quickly composed a message on a scroll. She then whistled and her pet phoenix shortly flew in landing on her shoulder.

"Philomena take this letter to Dragon Lord Torch as fast as you can fly."

"Princess what is going on?" Twilight finally spoke up as the shock of what I did and the reaction of Princess Celestia faded.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Celestia waved off Twilight's concerns with a weak smile.

I watched Twilight eyes as they questioned over pressing her for more but then she just nodded in understanding. I, however, was not going for it. Celestia has left it to lucky chance once too many times. Well no more. Since Princess Celestia would not pony up and do what is right to help protect Twilight I will. Sadly without H.K to help I will have to resort to the only other person to have known him that I could trust, Garble. That is, if I can find him. I wish he had said where exactly he was going when he flew off...

The Summit

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"Will you quite squirming Rainbow!" Rarity snapped as Rainbow once again bristled her wings. "It's really irritating!"

"But I'm sooooo bored!" Rainbow groaned, a bit on the loud side. Luckily l had anticipated that this might occur and had put up an invisible one-sided muffling spell around us when we first arrived at the Summit. The last thing I wanted was the disproving glares from all the ambassadors or worse Princess Celestia.

We were currently watching the Summit from the upper public gallery of the Canterlot Supreme Court. Of course, the public wasn't allowed to be here right now which was good as the gallery was a bit small hence Rarity's irritation over Rainbow's fluttering wings.

"Enough!" I snapped then flinched. I had over reacted again. It was becoming more and more common the longer I failed at finding a solution to Spikes' woes. "Sorry... I'm just..."

"Its okay sugarcube," AJ put a comforting hoof on my shoulder, "we know how bad its been for yah lately..."

"Enough of this prattle," The wizened zebra ambassador yelled out over the chattering. If I recall from correctly his name is Zephyr but I can't be sure with his name plate facing away from me. "Arbitrator Justice can we officially begin the Summit?"

"Looks like its finally gonna to start." AJ commented as Arbitrator Justice officially called the summit to order.

"Finally! Maybe something more interesting will happen..."

"I hope so! I didn't pop all this popcorn for nothing!" At that Pinkie Pie thrusted her face into a large tub of popcorn that had in, usual Pinkie Pie fashion, come out of her mane. I suppressed the urge to growl out in annoyance again. I had to remember that she wasn't aware of the real seriousness of what was coming...

"Uh, Pinkie..."

"Yes?"

"Uh... I give up. Hoof some over." I rolled my eyes at Rainbow Dash's deciding if you can't beat them join them. If it wasn't for my concern over Spike I might allow Pinkie to 'turn my frown upside-down' Celestia knows I could use some cheering up... but I can't...

"Now, Riser of the Sun why have you called this Summit?" It looks like Zyphrer wasn't going to beat about the bush and wanted to get right to business

For a moment Princess Celestia merely stared him down before she sighed and looked downward. "The dragons have declared war..."

If someone dropped a pin I'm sure ponies would have heard it all the way in Manehatten with how quiet it got. I wasn't expecting Princess Celestia to cut to the chase so quickly. When I looked around the room for the reactions of the various ambassadors I found myself surprised a second time. I expected fear or disbelief on the shocked faces of most of the gathered ambassadors but what I didn't expect was that two of them seemed almost... angry. That was until I remember that the buffalo high respected the dragons and zebras, at least from what I could understand from Zeccora, deal with them regularly.

"Wait, I thought zebras only talked in rhyme..." Rainbow Dash whispered, breaking the deafening silence. I was kinda of surprised she latched to that 'oddity' over the revelation that Celestia gave about the dragons. Though given her overinflated bravado I guess I shouldn't be too surprised.

"They do not. The only reason Zeccora does it is because when she first learned Equestrian she learned from a rhythmic spell dictionary."

"Then why does she still... yah, know..."

"Habit mainly..." I shrugged. There was more to that but right now we needed to refocus...

"Well? Answer us Sun Riser. Dragons, as a rule, tend to be solitary outside of the Migration so what got them to band together to declare war?"

Every eye fell on Celestia again who seemed seemed to have recomposed herself since when Zephyr first questioned on the reason for the Summit. Now it was on to whether she was going to openly admit about breaking the treaty or not. Though if she admitted right now she could very likely lose the good will of the buffalo and zebras... and we need as many allies right now... Lets just hope that her diplomatic skills are are good as her reputation says they are...

"Recently the Crystal Empire returned when the seal on Sombra ice prison weaken enough for him to escape. When he did the curse was also lifted upon on the Crystal Empire allowing it to return as well. When I learned of this I dispatched Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, Caption Shining Armor, and the Bearers of Harmony to deal with the situation. While they managed to defeat Sombra, Dragon Lord Torch took issue..."

Well that is a lie... sort of...

"Well, that is a lie..."

I blushed red in embarrassment when I heard 'well that is a lie' audibly. Did I just say that aloud by accident!? I looked around in horror over my accidental outburst but instead of everyone staring at me, as I had expected, everyone was looking around randomly. Celestia and Luna were particularly tense... Wait, I put up a muffling spell, so then...

"Come out, Discord." Luna growled out, "Thy exuberance for chaos ends now!"

"When I am good and ready Luna..." Came the disembodied voice of Discord.

It seems Princess Celestia was right, Discord couldn't help himself. Now he just needed to reveal himself so we can put him back in his stone prison.

"I must say you crafted a very good lie there Sunbutt... But then again you have had many years of practice, haven't you?

"Discord..."

"I would have thought Luna, being the Alicorn of the Night and of Dreams, would have done better job crafting a tale but then again she was the previous Bearer of Honesty..."

"Discord quit thy blabbering and cometh out!"

"Oh, very well..." The sound of Discord's signature snapping echoed across the chambers before the chandler suddenly dropped from above and shattered into Discord when it hit the ground. If I hadn't dealt with Discord's shenanigans before I probably would have jumped like everyone else. I looked up to see, as excepted, that the chandler was still in its place. Wait, why does this place even have one?! "I do have other things to do today after all..."

It was at that moment, while Discord was facing Luna, that Celestia subtly looked up in my direction. It was time to activate the Elements and get Discord contained. With a silent nod to let her know that I saw I began to carefully bring the Element's magic to bare. The Elements gave off a well known glow and if we were going to manage to stone Discord we would need him to be unaware of what we were doing.

I sighed in relief as we managed to connect our Elements together. I slowly breathed out one then twice. We had managed the first half now the second half. I took careful mental aim and let the Elements do the rest. I held my breath again as the rainbow magic rushed in and hit Discord square in the back...

My mouth gaped as I watched Discord continue to 'talk' to Luna like nothing happened. But this is impossible! How!? The rainbow blast did nothing! The last time we tried using the Elements Discord stopped us by removing the necklaces from us. Now he just shrugged it off as if the magic from the Elements where merely warming his back! He didn't even notice the flash of light!

"Come on Twi, let's try again and see if we can't rope this slippery varmint."

Discord glanced back at us shook his head and facepalmed. "The very definition of insanity..."

I ignored the slight and the fact that he had apparently noticed and yet ignored us when we hit him the last time. I channeled the Elements' magic once again and let it lose at Discord. Discord seemed absolutely bored by this and made no attempt to do anything other then give a fake yawn before the rainbow blast hit him again.

This time something even more impossible happened, the Element's magic had not only once again not done anything to Discord but was now swirling around him lazily. This was not making any sense! The Elements are called the Elements of Harmony for pony sake! Discord is the very antithesis of it!

"WHAT THE BUCK!!!?!?" Rainbow Dash cried in frustration over Discord still standing, still like nothing had happened, and, although, I didn't approve of her cursing, I had to agree.

"Discord I don't know how you managed to overcome the Element's magic..."

"My dear Sunbutt, I did nothing to overcome them... and quite frankly..." Discord started to laugh. "I find your lack of understanding laughable."

"Discord you..." Whatever Justice was going to say was promptly snuffed out by a bow that suddenly appeared around his muzzle with a over sized note that said Do not open until Frabjous Day, whatever that meant...

"The Elements have no reason to stone me... you on the otherhoof..." At that the rainbow that we had fired at Discord swirled up to his eagle claw. I shook in fear. If that truly was the rainbow blast then if it hit Celestia... it could...

The Summit once again fell into a deathly quite as Discord and Celestia glared at each other. Celestia with her horn now aglow and Discord with the Elements magic around his pointed claw.

I breathed a sigh of relief when Discord finally broke the stalemate lowering his claw, the Element's magic fading from it. "But... I think I'd rather see your blood pool to the ground and watch those pretty little eyes of yours dim to nothing..."

I could see in the corner of my eye both Rarity and Fluttershy faint as one with a loud thump. Between the utter coldness in his voice and the imagery I don't blame them for fainting. But, then again, I was there when Dragon Lord Torch gazed in fury at Celestia. This was hardly anything in comparison. Of course, when I'm done with Discord...

"Princess of the Sun," Zephyr angrily broke the silence once again, "It seems you have a lot more to explain! How is the Avatar of Unrest not only free from his prison but your supposed all powerful Elements the one thing the only things supposedly able to contain him not able contain him?!"

"Well, that's my cue to go... tah tah!" With that Discord flashed away and the Summit turned into chaos as everyone started to shout over each other, ignoring Justice's frantic gaveling and shouts of order.

"Man is he good!"

"Pinkie..."

Author's Note

Finally got this annoyingly difficult chapter out... sorry for the wait.

To Search(Reposted after completion)

Encase you missed it once again I had to repost after publishing this chapter in an incomplete form when I didn't want to... Why are the edit and publish buttons right next to each other??? I will be switching to GDoc or Word from now on to hopefully to prevent this from happening again.

ബഐബഐബഐ Twilight ബഐബഐബഐ

"So let me get this straight,"Rainbow Dash rubbed her forehead, 'You want us to not only go to the Castle of the Two Sisters, in the middle of the Everfree no less, but also go down into the catacombs? And all because somebody told you there might be something of value there?"

"Yes."

"Normally I'm all for adventures and exploring in dangerous and 'scary' places like Daring Do but don't you think this might be a ploy by Discord?"

"Ah have to admit Twi, it sounds very suspicious." Applejack admitted when I remained silent to Rainbow Dash's concerns.

“The Elements won't work on Discord and we have the threat of annihilation looming over our heads from the dragons. What would you do?” My irritation only grew when non of my friends would even look at me much less answer me. “WELL!?”

"Twi, darling, please clam down." Rarity flinched for a second when I spun around angrily to face her after she put a hoof on my shoulder. "We are just concerned. You have been a bit... uh, frazzled lately and we are worried it might be effecting your judgement a bit."

I..." I debated on whether to tell them that is was H.K. that told me but that would probably make it only worse... None of them ever met H.K. and the his dislike of Princess Celestia and liking of Discord would not help. "I know it's just... I worry for Spike and nothing seems to be working... and... then trying to deal with the dragons and Discord on top of that... at this point I would even risk that this is a Discord ploy..."

We have been searching the catacombs for hours with no luck in finding anything. I'm glad that Rarity had brought some thread and I had the wherewithal to enchant them so we could find our way back. The catacombs were, surprisingly, very extensive. If I hazard a guess it had to be at least twice the size of Caterlot Castle and the Castle of the Two Sisters combined. The only thing we did find in all that time was bat friends for Fluttershy.

Wait, the bats live down here maybe they would know something.

"Fluttershy do you think that you could ask the bats if there are aware of anything unusual down here?"

"Um, sure..."

"Why didn't we think of this earlier?" Rainbow Dash facehooved as Fluttershy spoke to one of the bats.

"I have know idea..." I agreed, shaking my head.

"Oh... um... thank you. Can you, maybe, um, lead the way?"

With nods of agreement we followed the bats for some distance and eventually into an area of the catacombs we had not even reached yet. How big is this place!? I think my earlier estimate was very low. They eventually lead us down a dead end.I could just make out a large engraving at the very end.

Getting a bit closer I could see that it looked just like the depiction of the Elements of Harmony in Predictions and Prophecies. Odd. It also appeared that the outer Elements could be pressed. Of course a puzzle to go with the maze like catacombs... at this point I wouldn't be surprised to run into a zombie pony. This, of course, had to be protecting the journal H.K. told me about. Now to figure out how to open this.

If the Element of Magic was the last to be activated maybe it was the same here but that still left one hundred and twenty different combinations I could go through all one hundred twenty but I can't tell if there isn't some sort of trap tied to it. The rest of the castle had traps but given my source's violent behavior I wouldn’t be surprised that this is trapped, and, unlike the rest, be deadly.

When the five are present, a spark will cause the sixth Element to be revealed. Could it be in order listed? No that book is fairly recent and these markings as clearly quite old. Of course that begs a question how did that artist depict this engraving so closely? There has to be more! Maybe only the elements can be used? I wished that H.K. had given me more hints other than the catacombs... maybe I missed something on this etching...

It was when I looked at the etching at an extremely angle that I noticed what I had missed, very faint writing. What I had originally though where the embellishing swirls around each of the gems was actually very stylized letters, and not only letters but whole words. Though the word order was off… If I reorder them...

"Press in order, speak the name." I think I know the order but what name? I couldn’t see any other clues, at least none that can be easily seen...

"What is that supposed to mean?" Rainbow Dash exclaimed, frustration building in her voice. It sounded like she was getting antsy over the lack of progress. I don’t think she realizes just how much time in real life it would take Daring Do to figure this out. A lot can happen in a paragraph after all.

"Well the pressing in order mostly likely refers to the order of the outer elements, probably in the order of the phrase ‘press in order, speak the name there’. As for the ‘speak the name,’ however, I have some ideas but nothing concrete..."

With nothing left to lose I went ahead and pressed down on each gem as indicated then hesitantly called out. “Magic?”

"Well, that worked..." Rainbow Dash snarked when my attempt failed.

I rolled my eyes at Rainbow Dash. At least it appears that nothing terrible happened and it even looks that the remaining element buttons stayed pressed. But what is the name that is needed? “Elements? Elements of Harmony? Laughter, Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Magic?”

Again nothing! I must be missing something else... but WHAT?!
"Why does every immortal being have to use wink, wink riddles?!!!"

"Twilight?" Fluttershy squeaked out worriedly after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"I'm fine." I reassured her and the rest of my friends. "I just needed to vent for a second."

Okay, think. Princess Celestia had merely told me to make friends when I warned her of Nightmare Moon which was what was needed to defeat her. Then when Discord hid the Elements and told me how to get them back with a riddle that I ended up over thinking... So I am probably overthinking this and something that H.K. said would be the key. What was it that he said?

"I knew that you were special Twilight... I knew it the night I saw you with Spike... But, then again, Tzirüstele Atülāja did choose you..."

Why would he say 'Tzirüstele Atülāja?' Until then he never once spoke anything other then Equestrian except a few words to Zecora in her native tongue. He also directed me to the catacombs and clearly he wanted me to find something here... I wonder...

"Tzirüstele Atülāja...?"

That must have been the 'name' needed as the ground rumbled a bit and then the wall with the Element engraving slide into the ground.

"But, wuh?" Rainbow Dash sputtered out her jaw dropped. "You just spoke gibberish and now it opens?! What kind of idiot makes a puzzle like that!?"

I shrugged I had no idea either why it opened now either. H.K. was quite vague as it was and I never heard anything like 'Tzirüstele Atülāja' before. Whatever language it was was not know to me and I heard a quite a few different languages during my time in Canterlot.

"Oh great, we went through all this trouble for a book?" Rainbow commented as we walked into the small chamber which only contains a nondescript pedestal with a book upon it.

I growled in frustration. Normally I would get after her for that but I think she it was just her being disappoint that it wasn't something more along the lines of an artifact a la Daring Do. I don't think she realizes that good spellbook could be just as valuable as an enchanted 'bobble.' I held a hoof up to make sure that no pony got too close. I alone approached the pedestal readying a shield. Just because we got this far doesn't mean that there wasn't something at the end.

I turned green when I got closer and realized that it wasn't bound with faux leather but real leather. Please let it not be pony. Unfortunately, and maybe thankfully, I couldn't tell for sure. I looked around the pedestal and couldn't detect any traps or other mechanisms. The hidden location, the puzzled door, and the leather biding, the protections for this particular book was exceptionally fiendish. I just hope that this was worth it. We desperately need something that could help us with Discord or the dragons, or both. H.K. may have faith in Discord but I don't.

I carefully touched the book and quickly withdrew it. Yep, I saw right, it was real leather, but more importunately nothing seemed to have happened. I slowly reached out again and opened the book. Once again nothing. I breathed out a sigh of relief as I approached a bit closer to see what the book contained.

At first it seemed to just be a journal filled with various notes on a wide variety of subjects, which in of its self was interesting, it was the hoof writing that caught my attention the most. A hoof writing that I knew more than Spike's or Princess Celestia's! This was.... this was...

"Great, Twilight's eggheading out again..."

I blushed at Rainbow Dash's remark. I must have zoned out again. "Sorry about that, but this journal contains notes from Starswirl the Bearded, one of the greatest spell inventors of all time! If there was a pony that ever lived that could help us now it will be him!"

Now, I just need to figure what in here H.K wanted me to see. For that matter, why a bound journal filled with notes from Starswirl? Starswirl did explore a bit when he was young discovering many magical artifacts... Could there be something that Starswirl found that he only wrote about in here? It was possible, a lot was lost in the years during Discord reign over Equestria...

Author's Note

3 negs in a row? Come on!