After a long explanation that lasted until twilight, the reason behind Hammerheart's predicament was truly clear to the mares. Though not everything was explained. Hammerheart preferred to keep, specifically, the part where he slew the hunters to himself.
"So hunters shot you out of the sky?" Rainbow Dash said.
Hammerheart nodded. "Aye, very much so."
"That's why you weren't comfortable when we first met." said Fluttershy. "That's why you didn't trust me, or anypony else."
"True, but you were a strange case." Hammerheart said, looking at her. "There's somethin' about ya that makes me wonder a lot."
"So, now that you've got your wings back, are you gonna head back home?" Twilight asked.
Hammerheart's smile turned into a look of sadness, and he turned his head towards the north. "I..." he sighed, "I don't have a home, really."
"Ya don't?" said Applejack, "Ya don't have a cave or mountain ta live on or anythin'?"
Hammerheart shook his head. "No. I've been on the run for years now." He said.
"On the run from what?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Authorities." Hammerheart revealed.
"Authorities?" said Twilight, "You're in trouble with the law?"
"The Dragons' Law, aye." He said. "They believed me to have committed thievery and murder of a condemnable degree. Now they want me head on a stick, and me hide on a table."
"So, why did you come here to Equestria? To Ponyville?" Rainbow Dash asked, getting a little angry. "You're putting everypony here in danger!"
"Because no Dragons dare to attack or visit these parts of the world." said Hammerheart. "They know about the Princesses and these 'Elements of Harmony' that reside here, and they know their powers could easily drive them out or destroy them if they get too close for comfort."
"So, as long as you're here, they can't come after you?" said Twilight.
"Aye. Course, they'll never forget about me, and they won't stop huntin' 'til I lie dead at their feet." Hammerheart said.
Fluttershy stepped up. "I won't have that." She said. "You can stay here, with me, for as long as you want."
Twilight and the others looked to her, thinking she had lost her mind.
"Fluttershy, are you crazy?!" said Twilight. "He can't stay here!"
"Yes he can." Fluttershy said defensively, "As long as he doesn't go into town, he'll be fine."
The five mares looked to each other. Having Hammerheart living here while he was being hunted by other Dragons was dangerous. Worst of all, if the citizens saw him, panic would ensue amongst the town. But if what he said was true, that they will not come anywhere near town while they and the Princesses still lived, then maybe it could be possible. In they ended, they all decided to trust in Fluttershy's statement.
"Alright. If Fluttershy says it's okay, then it's okay." said Twilight.
"Right." said Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie in unison.
"Thank you, Twilight." Fluttershy said before hugging the Unicorn, who returned the favor.
The sun was beginning to set. Twilight and the others decided to call it a day.
"We'll be heading home, now." Twilight said. "You two take care, alright?"
"We will." said Fluttershy.
"Course." said Hammerheart.
"Later, Fluttershy." said Applejack.
"See ya." said Rainbow Dash.
"Have a good night." said Rarity.
"You two play nice." said Pinkie.
The five mares left Fluttershy's property, leaving her and Hammerheart alone. They both just stood in silence until Hammerheart spoke first.
"So, I guess I'll be sleepin' on the dirt tonight?" Hammerheart asked rhetorically.
"Sorry, but I'm afraid so." Fluttershy said. "You don't mind, do you?"
Hammerheart chuckled. "Course not. I've slept in worse conditions than this."
"Right..." Fluttershy rubbed the back of her head with a sheepish grin. "Well, you have a good night's sleep, alright?" She started heading back to the cottage. Hammerheart nodded, and Fluttershy went around her home and inside. She fed the animals late dinner, headed upstairs, and into bed.
It was midnight, and Hammerheart was still awake. He had gathered some stray pieces of wood, piled them up, and set them ablaze. He laid near his fire, hoping just staring at it will bore him to sleep. Hammerheart looked up to the top of the cottage. He could smell Fluttershy's scent coming from up there. He wondered if there was more to her and her friends than meets the eye.
Suddenly, a chilling breeze blew in his face, which turned into a gust that blew out his fire. Hammerheart stood up and took a battle stance. He could smell something else was nearby, something cold and dark. In fact, it felt a little too familiar.
"Hammerheart..." said an eerily deep echo.
Hammerheart could normally pin-point where something was if it made a normal sound, but the fact that it was an echo made things more challenging.
"Hammerheart..." the deep echo had narrowed down for Hammerheart to finally get a sense of direction. It was coming from the forest. Hammerheart looked towards the Everfree, and saw two shining yellow eyes standing nearly as tall as himself. The owner of the eyes stepped out from the forest, and into the moonlight.
It was a Dragon, but a very preposterous looking one. He had a dull black serpentine body, thirty feet long, with small vestigial wings on his back. He had a small head with a short, broad snout. His teeth stuck out from beneath his lips, and he had a row of horns on his head that looked like a rising sun from up front. A piece of obsidian, shaped like a diamond and the size of a kiwi fruit, adorned his forehead. His left talon looked like it had been torn off from the forearm down, and he had covered it with a big leaf tied by a vine while holding it with his other talon.
"I bring tidings most dire..." He said with a deep english accent.
Hammerheart's eye dilated as he recognized this Dragon. "Zaurus?" He whispered. "What happened to ya?"
Zaurus stepped closer until he was five feet from Hammerheart and stopped. "I have seen past the curtains of the future, and beheld nothing... but Armageddon." Zaurus dropped to his knees in pain, and Hammerheart kneeled down to his side. "Yet hope still shines." Zaurus continued, "You hold all our lives in your claws." Hammerheart raised his eyes. "And though your races' justice demands that you die for sins you have never committed, you are the only one who can save us all."
"Wait a bloody minute," Hammerheart said before he stood back up, "what do you mean that I'm everyone's only hope of savin' their lives?!" He got angry. "It's been four and a half years! You come crawlin' to me like a dread null and-"
Zaurus grabbed Hammerheart's left wing and pulled him closer. "Little time is left! You must believe me!"
Hammerheart did not know how to tackle the news. Zaurus grabbed the obsidian on his forehead, pulled it off, and gave it to him.
"Somewhere around here, there is a liquid with magical properties." Zaurus explained. "Put this obsidian, which has my memory engraved within, into the liquid, drink it, and see what I bore witness to." He slowly backed into the forest's darkness. "The salvation of the world rests on your shoulders..." He vanished, and the last word echoed many times before fading to silence.
Hammerheart was left alone, holding a piece of obsidian in his claws. "Salutations to you, too..." He said to no one anymore. If he was to see what Zaurus saw, he would need to find whatever this magic liquid was. But if the future was doomed for oblivion, he was not sure if he wanted to see it, but there was nothing to it. For now, he opened his jaws, stuck the obsidian into a pouch under his tongue, and tried to go to sleep.
Though it would probably be a restless night for him.
The next morning, Fluttershy woke up and stretched her legs until they popped. Though they were practically painless, she still winced at the feeling. She got out of bed and headed downstairs to do her usual morning routines of feeding, watering, and whatever else needed to be done around the house.
Meanwhile, outside, Hammerheart had also woken up. The sound of animals making a ruckus inside the house caught by his super hearing, plus that brief meeting with Zaurus, had left him with only five hours of sleep. Fortunately, being as he was a Wyvern, one day of little sleep would not bother him in any way. But there was still that obsidian Zaurus had given him last night that held his memories. If he was to see them, and learn more about this doomed future, he needed to find this magical liquid. Where ever it would be.
Fluttershy came around the house and went to see how Hammerheart was doing. When she saw that he was not looking tip-top, she grew a little concerned.
"Morning, Hammerheart." She said, "Did you sleep well last night?"
Hammerheart looked to her with a deadpanned expression. "Well, kinda... sorta.. I don't know." He said.
"Well, if you need more rest, feel free to just sleep in if you want." said Fluttershy. "I'm gonna go see Twilight and see how that potion of hers is coming along."
The last sentence caught Hammerheart's attention, and he perked his head up upon hearing it. "A potion, you say?"
"Well, uh, yes. Twilight's been studying it since she first made it. We don't know what it does, yet, but I'm sure she might have found out today."
Hammerheart thought about what this potion was. Then he remembered the magical liquid that Zaurus mentioned. "Do you think it could let someone see into the future?" He asked.
Fluttershy raised an eyebrow in confusion to his question. "I... don't know. Why do you ask?"
Hammerheart got up off the ground and stretched until his limbs snapped, crackled, and popped from five hours of stillness. "I really need to see if it can let someone see into the future." He said after relaxing his body.
"Oh, sorry, but I'm afraid you can't come into town, remember?" said Fluttershy.
Hammerheart's face and body froze upon remembering that. He then stomped the ground and snapped his toes in confounded euphemism. "Cripes! Is there a way you could get me some?" He asked.
Fluttershy simply shook her head. "I don't think Twilight will let anyone use it unless they get really special permission." She said. Hammerheart just sighed and hung his head low in disappointment. Fluttershy came in closer and placed a caring hoof under his jaw. "Don't worry. If it'll make you feel better, if Twilight finds out what the potions does, I'll come back and tell you everything. Is that okay?"
Hammerheart looked at her and just did not change his grumpy expression. "Sure, whatever." He deadpanned.
Fluttershy smiled, oblivious to his blunt sarcasm. "Alright. I'm heading out, now. Be good, and stay here." With that said, she turned tail and trotted to town, leaving Hammerheart by himself. Well, sort of by himself.
He looked around and noticed most of the animals were either curious or scared senseless of his presence. He almost did not feel like a truly welcomed guest. If these animals soiled themselves because of him, he could only imagine the fear he would invoke amongst the ponies in town.
Hammerheart sat on his tail base and went into deep thought. If he just went into town and to the place where the potion might be, the citizens would freak out, and most likely call in someone to get rid of him. And the last thing he needed was more spears impaled in his hide. He was not a very stealthy species of Dragon, so sneaking into town was out of the question. Hammerheart then remembered the clouds. He could bring clouds down very low and create a smoke screen that would obscure the ponies' sight. He could then fly over, sniff out Fluttershy and her friends, and be able to get what he needed without causing anymore trouble. He looked up into the sky, and it was a sunny day, no clouds in sight. Hammerheart slapped his wing on his face and growled in frustration.
This was probably going to take a while.
Meanwhile, Fluttershy had just arrived at the library. She knocked on the door, which magically opened, and she walked in to see Twilight, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Pinkie standing by the table. On the table, six small bottles filled with what must have been the potion stood.
"Oh, good morning, Fluttershy." said Twilight. "I was just about to send Rainbow to get you, but you're here, which is fantastic."
"Morning, Twilight." said Fluttershy, "How's it going?"
"Splendid!" Twilight said with a sunny smile, "After finally working up the guts to drink this potion, I now know what it does."
"Oh wow, really?" Fluttershy said, pleased to know that she had finally figured it out. "What does it do?" Fluttershy walked in closer with the others as they looked at Twilight, eager to be shocked by the reveal.
Twilight simply gave a smile of pride. "This potion actually lets whoever consumes it see into the past and/or future."
The five mares all gasped from their awaited shock and awe.
"Are you serious?" said Rainbow Dash. "That stuff actually lets you see into the future?!"
"And the past, yes." Twilight added. "And it lasts for as long as the consumer wills it to." She turned her attention to the small bottles on the table. "I have one for everypony."
They turned their gaze to the bottles, and then back to Twilight. "So, what did you see when you drank the potion, Twi?" Applejack asked.
"Well, for my past, I saw when we all first met each other." They all looked up as they remembered that fateful day. "And as for my future?" Twilight could not help but rub the back of her head and give a sheepish grin. "Well, it's hard to say, but it was something about being rewarded with princesshood."
They all became wide eyed with disbelief, but it was Rarity who dropped her jaw from the reveal.
"Unbelievable..." She whispered.
"Now that's one heck of a future, Twilight!" said Pinkie, who was the first to relax after a few seconds to except the news.
Twilight chuckled and then cleared her throat. "So, who else wants to see her future or past?" She said as she levitated up five bottles and presented them to the mares. They each took a bottle in hoof.
Fluttershy then thought of something. "Um, Twilight?"
"Yeah, Fluttershy?"
"Is it okay if I take the spare bottle home with me for Hammerheart?"
Twilight sighed. "I'm afraid not. I don't know how a Dragon would react to drinking this. It could maybe cause problems."
Fluttershy just sighed in defeat, and they all drank their potions.
Back at the cottage, Hammerheart had finally come up with a very stupidly crazy idea. He knew he was going to be thrown out of Equestria for what he planned to do, but if it meant seeing what Zaurus saw, he was left with little choice.
Hammerheart stood straight up in place to his full height, stretched his wings to their full length, closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath.
Angel came running up to him from below and started to violently shake a fist at him from yesterday.
Hammerheart could hear the nuisance, but could feel his whole body surge with the energy that gave him his stamina. When he felt everything rush to his heart, his eyes shot open, he crouched down, his back arched backwards, and he shot into the air. His takeoff sent Angel rolling back and smacking into the trunk of the house.
Hammerheart was sky high. He kept ascending until he was at an altitude high enough for him to not be spotted so easily by the ponies way down below. He sniffed for Fluttershy and her friends' scent. He was not high enough for their scent to evade his nostrils. In fact, when he closed his eyes, he could see the invisible trail that would lead him to them. When he picked up their odor, and found their scent trails, he closed his wings and dropped from the sky. He was falling so fast, his descension created a loud whistle.
The citizens could hear the faint sound of his whistling casually grow louder and louder. When they looked up, they could see something heading straight for the library.
After thirty seconds of falling, Hammerheart dived right into the treetop of the library.
The mares, who were talking about what they saw after drinking their potions, shrieked from the ceiling suddenly collapsing. But when the dust cleared, they saw that it was Hammerheart who smashed through the ceiling.
"Hammerheart?!" They shouted in unison.
Hammerheart shook his senses back into himself, and saw a small bottle sitting on the table. Figuring it was the potion, Hammerheart opened his mouth, and his tongue shot out and seized the bottle.
"Hey, wait, don't take that!" Twilight objected.
Hammerheart ignored her. With the potion in his grasp, he pulled the obsidian out of his mouth pouch and dropped it in the bottle. He then swallowed the whole thing with a forced gulp.
Rainbow Dash flew up to him and smacked him across the face. "Are you crazy?!" She yelled.
"What the hay was THAT for?!" Applejack joined in.
"You could've killed somepony! Or us!" Twilight scolded.
"Be happy that never happened." Hammerheart argued. He could feel something slowly spread from his stomach throughout his body.
Fluttershy flew up to him with a solemnly mad look in her eyes. "Hammerheart, I told you to stay at my house while I was gone." She said. "Why did you disobey?"
"Because there's somethin' I need to see that only I can stop!" Hammerheart yelled, making Fluttershy retreat from his raised voice. "If I don't find out before it's too late, we're all gonna..." The feeling had completely engulfed him, and he fell silent. His eyes started to glow white, and he became still as a statue.
The six mares stared in confusion upon seeing him like this.
"Uh, Twilight, did this happen to you or us when we drank that stuff?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"No." She replied, "This must be how Dragons react to the potion."
Fluttershy began to fear for Hammerheart's life. "We've gotta do something about this!" She said panicky.
But Twilight held her back. "There's nothing we can do but wait for him to come to." With that stated, they just stood and waited for Hammerheart to regain consciousness, however long that would take.