I opened my eyes finding myself standing over a bridge looking down at the empty city of Detroit below. Lyra is with me since she asked me to take her through most of Michigan to find her leader. She stood beside me after she searched most of the buildings below.
"Find anything?" I didn't even look at her when I asked. I was getting tired of this but I promised I would do this for her.
"Are you always this rude to her?" I blinked the voice was different. At first, I didn't turn to look.
"Lyra what happens to your voice are you drunk again?" Whatever it was stood beside me I took a deep breath turning my neck to look at who spoke to me. What stood before me was a mare with a horn and wings. Glittering and she looked like the night herself. The mare stared at me herself at first I didn't wish to be rude to this mare. But my snarky self wanted to say something.
"Why Lyra you grew you turned to look like a sl." I was about to say the insult when suddenly a metal shoe or hoof smacked me in the face making me realize I am not dealing with Lyra anymore. I shook my head and finally look right into the eyes of the mare that look very unhappy with me.
"I see why Lyra warned me about you being insulting and very none female-like. Now you listen to me dragon I will not be insulted by you. In fact, I have come to help you at the request of Lyra. She cares so deeply about you I don't see why. You treated her so awful. I even begged her to return but she was convinced by Minuet to stay with you. You don't deserve that but I shall help you."
I took a deep breath this mare was reminding me of how harsh and unkind I was to Lyra. Now I am being unkind to her I closed my eyes and smiled weakly.
"I'm sorry but I have never met you before."
"That is because you're dreaming dragon."
I blinked I am dreaming why would I be dreaming. I remembered Lyra used her spell on me again to get me to sleep. I sighed she promised me she would never do that to me again. I didn't like the fact she lied to me but I wasn't going to upset this mare again.
"So Lyra did her spell again to force me to sleep." Closing my eyes tightly wanting to wake myself up I had a feeling though it might be wise to talk to this mare while I had the chance to. "How does Lyra wish you to help me?"
"Now before I help you. I'm Princess Luna the Princess of the night and it's my duty to come into your dreams miss Malla."
Luna? I remember Lyra telling me about her but I never thought I would grace her. I almost insulted a princess. The horror of that fact filled me with anger that I would be that stupid. But after a while, the anger left me. I felt maybe it was time to move on from anger.
"Maybe you could tell me what caused all this."
Luna rolled her eyes. "No, I am sorry you will have to learn that yourself someday miss Malla. I am only here to help you with things that you need help with."
I blew smoke out of my nose I thought it would be worth a shot to ask that question so I could finally understand what in the world happen.
"So how do you wish to help me then?"
Luna smirked. "First she wants me to train you into being a leader. Then she wants me to teach you how to fly. So I'm sure you're going to be asleep for a while. So you're all mine for the time being. Now first I shall teach you the best way to be a leader."
I nodded stood fully up on my back legs looking down at the mare. "I am willing to learn to miss Luna. Just I don't feel I am the right creature for leadership." I didn't feel I had the right to be one. I may lead a group in games called The Cognatus but how does that get you ready to lead a full community? It kind of makes no sense to me really. Maybe I will learn maybe I won't.
"Well, the first thing Malla. Listen to all those around you. There may be things you can't help them with. There are things you could try to help them with. I feel the best way to do it is lets say there is a murder. Now that doesn’t happen much in my world. Now I would say make sure you get all the info of the murder. Go through the best way you can. Then allow it to be easy for you. Now it's not easy to find or accuse some pony."
I nodded.
"Now you listen to all the questions you make sure they're all happy. Now you can't make everypony happy. You can only do what you. Can being a leader is not easy Malla. Teaching you is not going to be easy you will have to learn yourself. But all I can give is advice. I think its best for you to just sit listen and allow your heart and your mind to work as one. Love those that need it. Give kindness and happiness to those that really need it. If one is broken you hold them till they see you for who you are. That's all the advice I can give you."
I closed my eyes sighing nodding.
"I didn't expect leadership to be that easy to miss Luna. I'm happy you're willing to teach me and give me advice. I know that well I didn't treat Lyra that well." Looking away from Luna. "I didn't deserve her friendship the friendship she gave me feels empty for how I treated her. I look back on everything I said to her almost starving her."
Luna just sat there listening to me. I didn't know she would be that interested in hearing me out.
"We all have issues that we never wish to talk about miss Malla. I have some things myself. I had to get over Id rather not get into it but I learned that if I just stayed and listen to my sister what happen wouldn't have happened."
"Look Luna I will do my best to be a leader. But why is she searching for one? When she can just help someone become one?"
Luna chuckled. "That is why she was sent off course she was way of course and never meant to meet up with you. Lyra might have told you that she is well not that good at magic or other things? She never was treated well during the training and they never wanted to send her. But she convinced the others that she could."
I blinked she never was meant to meet up with me? She was meant to be somewhere else. Looking away I knew that I was surprised that wet met. The fact I took her bag."
"Luna, did she tell you how I treated her?"
Luna gave a nod. "Yes she told me many things but she never went deep into it. I thought maybe you would tell me why she cried so many times hmm?"
I took a deep breath looking back down to the city.
"I thought she was a tool. Just something to help me get to Michigan. I treat here so awful to the point I didn't let her eat anything or drink that much. I was too bent on getting there that I didn't think of her feelings. It was later after meeting Minuet and another she met that they showed me how stupid I was."
Luna tilted her head. "Well, I'm sure you're upset with yourself for how you treated her. But if you could go back and redo it would you do it again?"
I shrugged. "How would you act if you ask what in the world happen to the world and all she does is act like a dense pony thinking that she didn't need to tell me anything."
Luna laughed softly. "Hmm, I can understand your anger with her there. It's not wise to fully explain till you feel the mind you're telling all this is ready to understand what is going on. I can't tell you because what would that teach you miss Malla?"
I chuckled.
"It would teach me that asking questions I could learn myself, later on, would be a bad thing right?" She nodded.
"That's how some things work it's not always wise for me a princess to tell those how to think or what they can learn through just learning. Now flying on the other hoof is harder I'm willing to teach you that if you wish. Now I can't teach you how to breathe fire or how to use your dragon magic."
I nodded.
"I have learned I am not a normal dragon when I am near nature like hot areas I breathe fire. I noticed when I am in a nice wooded forest-like area. I feel more one with nature. When it rains it feels like it cleans out my system. It hurts as well if I am in a city like this for long."
The dark mare smiled. I could tell she was thinking in her head.
"Well, we don't know much about dragons in our world miss Malla. I doubt I could you one but I feel you should try to represent them show ponies that have recently turned from what they used to be into what you are now. Show them what it is like to be a creature that could maybe live forever. I understand that won't be easy for you are you willing to work with that?"
Looking away so that's what is going to happen to me? I'm going to see most of who I meet love and so on die. I maybe will see my family again. Looking back down the bridge to look down at Detroit. I don't remember Detroit having a bridge like this. Closing my eyes tightly thinking maybe I need to learn and then move along with being a help to those that change around Michigan.
"I'm willing to do just that miss Luna."
Luna had a small smile form on her face.
"I do warn you though it's not going to be easy my friend. I do hope you're ready for Lyra to leave."
I blinked I heard that right leave? My heart slowly broke why did she have to leave why?! I took a deep breath she is the only one that understands me. She is has been there for me. I have hurt her I have treated her like trash. I am sure Luna could see how I acted in my head with how angry I was I grabbed the metal growing angry.
"Malla!" She said in a very demanding princess voice. I felt the anger subside for a moment. I turned my eyes full of pain to look right at her. "I understand you're upset that she has to go. I know you don't wish her to but she needs to come home. There is only so much time we can be over on your side my friend. Besides your mind is open to me to allow me to talk with you. I can't tell you if there is more out there or not. I can only tell you how to do one thing."
I looked to Luna she is wise I wish I could learn more about her. It's rare though that I sleep at all. If I do my body has to be very tired before I can sleep.
"I don't sleep much at all when I do I sleep long. It's rare though Lyra normally forces me asleep with her strange spells. I don't fully understand why she uses that spell to get me to sleep."
Luna had a gentle motherly smile along her face.
"You did all you could to help Lyra find a leader. She found one in my eyes, my dear Malla. You need to see that yourself though. What she did to get you to sleep shows she cares for you Malla. Maybe you overwork yourself maybe you want everything to be a little to perfect. Now I am going to teach you to fly you will have to learn the rest on your own."
I nodded watching Luna while she jumped off the edge of the bridge flapping her wings.
"I don't think I could do that.." I tilted my head watching her how she flapped the wings. I got on the edge getting ready to jump off. I was like a parrot clinging to the railing of the bridge. I spread my wings it was hard to do since I had to get used to it.
"That's it now keep them out like that don't be scared and jump."
I closed my eyes jumping off the side feeling the wind under my wings.
"Now flap."
I tried flapping my wings it was very how to say bad I was able to keep myself from crashing to the road below. I felt muscles in my body being used that I have never used before. Of course with this being a dream I never thought it would hurt so much. Soon after though I seized up falling to the ground. Spreading my wings out again allowing the air to let me float down. I landed on the road panting deeply closing my eyes.
I heard hooves land beside I opened my eyes looking at Luna with a weak smile.
"Not bad miss Malla."
"Malla!!" I heard a voice screaming for me.
"It seems you are waking up. Remember don't stop flying don't stop listening to the souls and please give Lyra all the friendship. Because..."
The dream vanished before Luna could finish what she was about to say.
0000
I opened my eyes looking to Savannah who was trying to wake me up. I slowly stood up yawning looking to her seeing George and Wanda.
"Malla you have been asleep for almost a week. That friend of yours told us she put a spell on you to get you to sleep. I have her locked up in the break room."
I blinked staring at Savannah.
"Why would you do that to Lyra?"
"Hard to trust a creature that could do stuff like that Malla." George pointed out. Wanda nodded.
"I agree."
I was about to get angry but I thought to take Luna's words to heart. Be kind listen and allow them to tell you their reasons.
"I understand but she was with me through the entire trip. So can you please free her?"
The three of them just stared at me. They were used to my temper and me cussing every word. It will take a while to stop that of course and not be so angry and have a temper.
Savannah looked into my eyes blinking.
"Who are you and what have you done with that dragon that would get angry at the drop of a hat?"
I took a deep breath smiling. "Look I am sorry for how I acted and how I treated you three. I know I haven't been easy to deal with. I'm surprised you haven't just left and told me to deal with all this on my own."
George rolled his eyes. "Malla I dealt with worse people during Woodstock and all those times. Wanda here had to deal with her own family."
Wanda nodded. "Yes, sadly my family wasn't that respectful at all."
Savannah "With me it's normal to remember I am a marine. Now Malla we haven't found any other souls out there. We got some cows along with chickens and placed them in an area were the chickens. But we need to build a place for them. Are you willing to get your friend and help us with that?"
"Yes, I will talk to her. But did she understand why you wanted to put her in some cell?"
Savannah looked at the others they shook her head. "No she just started sobbing and we gave her Toby to silence her. Since we have no idea how to deal with a creature like her."
I wanted to lose my temper now. Just right now is not the time. I put my claw on Savannah's back smiling.
"Look I am sorry to you three again for how I acted. I will be out to help even if I have an episode alright?" Savannah nodded while I walked inside.
I heard Wanda say.
"Did someone brainwash her? Because she is suddenly kind to us."
I rolled my eyes going inside our new home hearing soft sobs in the locked break room. There was no ceiling over it so I could check on her. I saw her holding toby sobbing softly.
"Lyra." I softly spoke.
She looked up to me She was crying for a while it broke my heart. She just stared at me with a weak smile.
"Malla will you let me out please?"
I gave a nod unlocking the door with my claw letting her out she rushed out hugging me tightly.
"I met your night princess. You sure didn't sugar coat how I treated you. Also, she slapped me when I was about to insult her."
Lyra's ears pin to the back of her head. I could tell she was about to yell at me herself. So to not allow her to I wrapped my arms around her pulling her close along with my wings into a hug.
"Malla you're being too kind kinder then you're normally."
I looked away a moment closing my eyes sighing.
"She told me you will be leaving soon Lyra. I want you to remember me as someone that treated you with respect and not how I treated you."
Lyra smiled she placed her hoof on my face making me look into her eyes.
"Malla you will be a wonderful leader. I feel I did my job to help you. I will help you and celebrate everything with you till I have to go, my friend."
"Can you head outside they wish you to help with building a place for the cows as well as Chickens." Lyra nodded she trotted off. I watched her go off. I closed my eyes feeling empty again. I looked back at what Luna told me. I will be alright I need to not let things get to me or bother me. I looked down at Toby stroking him gently. I allowed him to do his own thing since I will not see him again in a few years.
"Malla we need your help please..." Savannah went silent as she saw the look of grief on my face. "Put her head down to my level Malla." I nodded doing that she stood on the back of her hooves holding my head in her forelegs. "Malla I understand that you have so much grief in that mind of yours. But we need you all of us need you to have a level head. I know it's hard for now we need you. We need your strong soul your strong mind and just need you."
"Alright, Savannah I try."
Since there was a park not far from us with a clean source of water. We took our cows out there thankfully for the moment we didn't need to make a barn or a place to hold them in of course we needed a place to also milk them but we could still do that. Then in the greenhouse area, we placed a fence with a coop for the chickens. After all that we took a break and George went to check if anything showed up on the Radio. He had a satellite phone with him since we were able to charge it.
"Malla!! " He yelled I quickly stood up rushing up the stairs to get to the radio area. He played a message for me on his phone.
"Hello, I'm Jenny Strong. I need your help I'm stuck in WRKR station since I heard your recording about what happened. Well, I have locked myself in this building. It's surrounded by wild dogs and most of them are in the building. So I could use your help. I have been here for almost three days. I would have contacted you sooner but I had to get the backup generator working before I could hear you. Now pl.." There are the sounds of dogs smashing into the door. "Please hurry!"
"Alright, George I am going to go with Savannah and Lyra. Stay in touch with us through the talkies."
I grabbed the talkie that I had strapped to a belt on my side turning it on. "Savannah Lyra meet me at the truck we are going on a rescue. I hope we get there in time."
I looked down at the satellite phone I had with me. I sighed at the fact I never used one before We found enough for the others. Just how are we going to find others?