A Bridge Between Brothers

by Rammy

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....