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."