Alezah’s and Nikta’s hatchdays were attended by many of the ponies, griffins, and thestrals they met around Canterlot. I even got to meet their “coltfriends.” It was obvious right from the start that they were afraid of me. Good.
However, we spent most of Nandak’s hatchday trying to change his mind about going out on an adventure. We all knew we wouldn’t be able to, so we got him maps and charts for his journey. I had gotten some old maps of ancient Equestria, and maps of places shrouded in myths from Princess Celestia. She was kind enough to make some copies. We also got him some underwing satchels to carry things like food and water.
That was a whole two days ago though. Nandak had been gathering supplies. He was now ready to take off.
“You sure about this?” I asked him as he hitched his brand new satchels underneath his wings. They were double canvas, metal buckles, and leather strapped satchels that ran along his sides, under the wings.
“Sure as ever,” Nandak said. He looked at Alezah and Nikta, both of whom were softly crying. “I'll be back in a few months. I'll be fine.”
“I know I'm just going to miss you terribly,” Nikta said hugging him.
Alezah stepped up next. “You come back safe and unharmed.” She hugged him tight and then backed away for Kii.
“I learned something for you,” Kii beamed. Her eyes glowed, and Nandak’s bags were enveloped in purple-aura-fire momentarily. “Now you can fit three times the stuff with none of the weight! I learned this from one of the books I got on my hatchday.”
“Thanks, sis.” Nandak hugged Kii. Once she stepped back, I stepped up.
“This is a map to a gemstone cache in the Badlands. Don't clean them out but, you may use some if you need to. Okay?” I tucked the map into a pocket of his, then I hugged him. “Take care alright?”
“I will,” he promised as we parted the hug. “Alrighty then. Goodbye, I'll be back in a few months.” He lifted off the ground hard and circled once, waving to us, before turning south and disappearing above the trees.
Knowing that Nandak was someplace I wouldn’t be able to help him out of trouble made me a lot more nervous than it should have. As much as I wanted to find a way to look in on him and make sure that he’s okay, I also knew that he needed to do things on his own out there; he couldn’t depend on big brother forever. So I bit back my overprotective instinct and focused on what was in front of me.
At the moment, that was a presentation to Princess Celestia and Luna, as well as the Mayor of Fillydelphia. A one Mayor Reuben. I was waiting with Dwiin outside the throne room.
“Speaker Krein, they are ready for you,” Raven said calling me into the room. It had taken a long time, but she’d finally gotten comfortable enough around me to look me in the eyes when she talked to me.
Stepping inside, Dwiin and I saw Celestia and Luna sitting on their thrones overlooking the room. Mayor Reuben was standing before them slightly off to the side as to not be directly in front of the princesses. I walked in front of them and bowed respectively. Dwiin mimicked my movements.
“Do introduce us to your new shadow, Speaker,” Luna requested.
“Princesses, I'd like you to meet Sergeant Dwiin Vahlok. My security consultant on this matter.” If I told them he was my guard, they might start asking questions as to why.
“We see,” Celestia nodded. “You have come to request access to the southern block of Fillydelphia. A whole section of the city which was abandoned and marked for demolition by the city. Isn't that right, Mayor?” Celestia asked.
“That is indeed the case Princess,” Mayor Reuben confirmed. “It has become troublesome maintaining the roads there, and nopony goes there due to its distance from available markets, its criminal activity, and the lack of a school in that section.”
“If it is completely empty, why not let the dragons go in and throw the criminals out?” Luna asked.
“I'm afraid we just don't have the Guards for something like this,” Mayor Reuben sighed. “The City Guard is stretched thin as it is, we can't spare any to patrol that section of the city.”
“Perhaps that is why the vermin nest there, because of the Guard's neglect of it?” Luna stated.
“Princesses, if I may speak?” I stepped forward.
“Yes, Speaker? Do you have a solution?” Celestia asked.
“Sergeant Dwiin and I have run the numbers, and we have already spoken to our Enforcer about this.” I took a breath. Time to sell my crazy plan. “We propose the first Equestrian-Dragon security force. Allow us to guard our own, while our forces learn from each other. At least until the Fillydelphia Guard can resume patrols on their own.”
“A kind of Guard Exchange Program. For educational purposes as well as security,” Dwiin commented.
The Princesses and Mayor Reuben all looked intrigued. “I’d like to speak to the City Council and Captain Valor before any decisions are made please Princess,” the Mayor said to the Princesses.
Celestia and Luna looked at each other and nodded. “Very well. We shall continue this next week at the same time. This meeting is adjourned.” Celestia tapped a hoof to the floor, making a resonating sound.
Dwiin and I started to head back to the Embassy. Dwiin was oddly quiet, and I saw his eyes traveling upwards a couple times as though his mind was running away from him.
“You're more quiet than usual,” I stated. “Something on your mind?”
“If I may speak freely, Speaker,” he asked.
“Dwiin,” I sighed. “In the short time I've known you I've come to call you friend. Friends share what is bothering each other. Please, tell me what's the matter.” I just realized I'm starting to sound like Celestia.
My guard thought in silence for a few moments, then swallowed. “Its Algae,” Dwiin admitted. “I must admit that I find myself caring for her. But I do not think she shares the same feelings.”
I shrugged my wings. “Perhaps you could try just telling her? She seems to like you well enough. You two got along better than I thought you would.”
“Perhaps. But I think she still likes Lieutenant Ash,” Dwiin said glumly.
Hearing his name made me bristle. “Trust me, my friend. You are ten times the dragon he will ever be. You have honor. He does not. I think Algae knows that too.” We turned the corner for the street the Embassy was on.
“I suppose.” He paused. “Why haven't you said anything to Niirah yet then?”
I stopped in my tracks. “I-I... u-um… I don't know what you're talking about.”
“For a politician, you aren't very good at lying,” he laughed lightly.
I shook my head. “I suppose we both are in the same club.”
“At least I have a chance though.” Dwiin paused, looking surprised by his own comment. “I have no idea where that came from, sir, I apologize,” he stammered.
Was he kidding? “Don't apologize for that one, that was a good burn. Bravo, you’re learning.” I clapped him on the back, smiling. “But enough of this. We need to be professional now.”
Resuming my mask of professionalism, I opened the door to the Embassy and we walked through the front door. It was a slow day so we only had a few staff members on-duty at the moment.
“Is there anything that needs my attention down here?” I called to Ferrite, a female stone dragon who was working as a receptionist.
“Nothing right now!” Ferrite called back, barely even looking up from her magazine.
“Alright!” I answered before going up.
As I took my first step on the stairs to head up to the second floor, we heard a screaming roar. Dwiin and I both froze for a second, then we charged up the stairs.
Ash had Niirah pinned to the ground, choking her with his claws and rending holes into her wings with his back claws. Algae was in the corner, her hind leg bent in an unnatural way, fear clear on her heavily bruised face. Ash looked up and reared back, preparing to send a blast of fire breath at Algae.
Dwiin didn't hesitate; he dived forward, putting his metal-like back and wings between Algae and the blast. The flames washed off his skin; he grunted in pain but didn’t move, guarding Algae with his body. I charged at Ash. He may have had training but I had experience fighting other dragons.
I tackled Ash off of Niirah. We rolled a few meters, then Ash shoved me off him. When we both got to our feet, Ash blasted me with fire.
I held my claws in front of my eyes to guard them against the flames The fire felt cold to me; curious. As soon as the fire ceased, I saw that he had closed in while I was blinded and was swiping at my face. I blocked it, grunting as he scratched my arm, and I grabbed his muzzle, keeping it shut with my opposite claw. My claws were glowing from the heat of the fire and I was burning his scales. Ash collapsed to his knees, shaking and trying to push me off him; he would’ve screamed in pain if I would let him, and his attempts to get me to let go only burned his claws.
I glanced over at Niirah. She was coughing and having trouble moving her injured wings. Then I glared at the dragon whose fate was in my claws right then. I wasn't mad. “Enraged” is a good word to use for what I was feeling in that moment. My scales were heating up like molten metal.
“Disgraceful! Dishonorable! Waste of a dragon’s soul!” I shouted as I brought his face close to mine. There was fear in Ash’s eyes. “I wish I could be there for the punishment the Enforcer will have in store for you. But I hope it's long and painful because you deserve nothing less!” I threw him into the floor.
He roared in pain, the kind of roars when those traitors were ‘branded,’ and lay still. Algae panted and whimpered, clinging to Dwiin. Niirah slowly got back to her feet; with a growl, she gave Ash a vicious kick while he lay on the ground, making him whimper. The Dragon Guards finally showed up, attracted by the noise. “Take him away. Have the Canterlot guard hold him for us until the Enforcer gets here.” I snarled.
“Speaker,” Dwiin said getting my attention as he stroked Algae’s scales, trying to calm her down. “Take a breath.”
I looked at myself. I was glowing red-hot. I started breathing like my friend asked me to. And breathing. And breathing.
Some RBI (Royal Bureau of Investigation) agents had arrived to take statements. We were standing around the two medical carriages that were sitting outside the Embassy. A unicorn pony was bandaging my injured claw. Dwiin was insisting that he was fine, and the black scoring on his scales was just carbon residue. Algae and Niirah had already been hauled off to the hospital half an hour ago.
The Guard were dragging Ash out of the Embassy in heavy chains, being held by multiple ponies. But he was in no shape to fight or resist; even from this distance, I could see the burns I made. Blood was flowing from his bandaged claws that he was forced to walk on due to his wings being bound and chained. The bandages on his muzzle were stained red, and there was a look of deep pain in his eyes. He deserved every ounce of it.
Dwiin finally escaped from the medical pony and came over to me. “I have a question.” He paused a moment. “If you’re both Fire Dragons, shouldn't he be just as fireproof as you?”
I looked at my claws, some ashes of Ash still on them. “That’s what I thought.” I hadn't cared in the moment. But now that I thought about it, it was bothering me. Not that Ash was injured, but that my abilities got so out of control that another dragon just like me was injured by them.
“We should go see the girls,” Dwiin suggested.
“Yeah,” I agreed, suddenly aware of how tired I was.
The RBI was still taking statements but I let the head agent know where I was gonna be should they need anything from me. I also told Ferrite to send everydragon home once the RBI was done with them.
Dwiin and I made our way over to Canterlot General. We stopped at a store to get them a thing or two. I got Niirah a can of jellied cranberry sauce; she once told me that she loves the stuff. Dwiin got Algae a tub of chocolate ice cream.
Canterlot General was decently sized, always busy with nurses and doctors running around like a crisis was going on. But it had a kind of peace to it. I can't explain it but there was peace to the chaos, a method to the madness.
I stepped up to the front desk. “We are looking for the two female dragons that were brought in about a half hour ago.”
“Let me see…” The receptionist checked a clipboard. “Second floor Room S-eleven. I recommend taking the stairs. The elevators aren't-dragon sized. We learned that the hard way today.” She winced.
“Alright then.” I didn’t want to know why that was an important lesson.
Dwiin and I started up toward the second floor. “Sir, are you alright? You haven’t been the same since earlier,” Dwiin asked.
I sighed and looked down at my bandaged claw. “I don’t usually lose my cool like that Dwiin. I pride myself on being civilized, on our evolutions as a species. Acting the way I did, it was animalistic instinct. I don't like it.”
Dwiin stepped through the doors to the second floor while I followed behind. “Personally, I'm glad you did. Niirah or Algae could have gotten hurt worse than they did.”
“Yeah. I suppose you're right,” I mumbled as we got to their room.
Looking in, my eyes went to Niirah first instinctively. Her wings were stitched up already, but it looked like she was coming off of anti-pain potions. I glanced over to Algae. Her leg was wrapped and iron rods were supporting the injury, lifting it up into the air. She didn't look comfortable. She also looked like she had been crying since she got here.
I stepped up to Niirah. “Hey there.”
“Heeeey.” She let out a very un-Niirah-like giggle and an overly happy smile.
“You alright?” I asked slowly.
“I'm gre-I'm great. They gave me the best potions for while the did stuff to my wings, and look!” She shoved a wing in my face. “All patched up captain.”
I laughed at her a little while she pulled her wing back in. “That's great. I brought you your favorite snack.”
Her eyes lit up with joy. “You are the best! But the doc said I can't eat until the potions wear off completely. But this is food number one!” She grinned wide.
“Is local anesthetic normal for bone corrections?” Dwiin asked. “Why not give Niirah the same thing?
“I don't know. When is the doctor coming back?” I asked.
“He asked me if there was anything bothering me other than my leg,” Algae mumbled, not looking at either of us. “I told him about the morning sickness and the weird cravings. He then asked if he could run a blood test. I said okay. He'll be back when he gets the results.”
“Do you mind if we stay with you?” Dwiin asked her, slowly taking her claw.
Algae looked down at their intertwined claws, then managed to smile quietly. “I don't mind if Niirah doesn't mind,” she said.
“You’re cute!” Niirah laughed, poking the side of my head.
“Wild guess here, but I don't think she minds,” I said sitting down beside Niirah’s bed.
So Dwiin and I stayed while the doctors ran their tests. Every now and then, a nurse would come by and check Niirah’s stitches and Algae’s cast. Slowly, Niirah came down from her “high.” When she did, she got really groggy and started drinking water like there was a drought coming.
“I don't want to hear about this ever again,” Niirah grumbled through her drinking straw.
“That you were high, or that you called Krein ‘cute’ several times?” Dwiin asked.
“Both,” Niirah shot him a glare. She looked back over to me. “Thanks for the cranberry sauce. I didn't think you knew that I have a can with every lunch.”
“I'm more observant than you think,” I smiled up at her. She grinned back.
“Ms. Hiilah?” The doctor called from the door.
“That's me, and please just call me Algae,” Algae waved a claw. Hiilah is her clan name? Hiilah roughly translated to Aquatic Dragon means “reef.”
“I have the results of your blood test. It's up to you if you would like the others here or not.” The doctor gestured to the rest of us.
Algae hesitated, rubbing her claws together. “They are the closest thing I have to a family right now, so I want them here.”
That was sweet of her. We are an odd looking family, I thought in the moment.
The doctor nodded. “We'll Algae, all your blood test shows it that you pregnant.” The doctor said casually. Algae froze as the doctor continued. “Congratulations. So you'll be allowed to leave before dusk tonight-”
“Doctor,” I said getting his attention. “Can we have the room please?”
When he looked up at Algae he could see the look of absolute fear on her face. “Oh. Of course,” he said realization slowly dawning on his face. He quickly exited.
Once he was gone Niirah started talking. “The only possible father is—”
“Ash. Ash is the father.” Algae finished the sentence. “I wasn't with any other dragons.” she started to cry, burying her face in her claws. “What am I gonna do?”
We were all quiet for a few minutes before Dwiin said something. “It's like you said. We are your family here. We'll help you however we can.”
I was more concerned about Ash. We had to tell him. He's gonna be a father, and he'll never get to see them. But then a thought occurred to me. What if we don't?