//------------------------------// // The Decision // Story: Convicted Hearts: The Dragons Stone // by SaphireHoyt //------------------------------// I sat still in the canopy of the Everfree, staring out into the bright green meadow. After spending so long in a forest of dark green pine trees, my eyes hurt just looking at the maddening colors of the flowers. I looked at them, like I was a ghost staring at something I could no longer have. I have condemned myself to this fate. The fate of the Dragon Lord. I turned my head away from the flowers and remembered what was at stake. It was all about the Dragon Lordess. It was all about her. End her suffering, and end her misery. It was something me and the voice in my head could agree on. It was the universal constant between us. I gave a small sigh, until I saw Zecora trotting back up from Flutter Shy's cottage with a soft yellow Pegasus following behind her, and my back pack on her back. She looked around and gave a small whistle, and I whistled back, before jumping down. I was wearing a pair of torn pajama pants and a coat. I was wearing the stuffed animals I had still around my neck. i smiled as I landed, and Flutter Shy gasped. "What are you doing here?" I covered her mouth and motioned her to hush, and backed further into the darkness of the forest, not to be freaky but to be more comfortable. "I'm here because I need your help, and I'm scared to be in the meadow, because someone might see me. You can stay there, but I can't be to visible." I stared at her and felt my heart begin to hurt a little. I needed someone to tell me I was going to be OK. Zecora was someone I could rely on enough to support me if I needed it, but I needed someone who didn't think I was to young to make the choices I made. I remembered Diamond Shine, and the way she would probably be worried about me right now. It made me feel bad sometimes, but I tried shove it down. I closed my eyes and struggled to smile as I tried to look at Flutter Shy. She was looking worried as Zecora brought me my back pack. She trotted across the gap I had left with a small roll of her eyes. "Your back pack is here, although I'm not sure what if inside you hold so dear." She dropped it into my hands as I opened it up, smiling at my various supplies. My notebook, pack of pencils, a sharpener, some empty water bottles. I smiled excited as I looked at her. "Wh... What do you need me for?" She looked at me in slight fear as I smiled at her and shook my head as I sat down. I smiled as I put everything back inside. "You're amazing with animals, and you can get them to help us with my mission." She looked fearful at my words, so I sighed and clarified more. "I'm... I'm going to fulfill the prophecy. I made the Dragon Lord promise not to take over Equestria." "You want to WHAT?!" I jumped and hid behind the tree, getting on edge as I eyed the woods around me. "SHH! I- I had contact with the Dragon Lordess, and.. If you saw her the way I did... You'd understand! She's in constant pain, and constant emotional turmoil. She has been for thousands of years. I'm not letting her suffer any longer!" I felt tears sprout in my eyes when I looked at her. "I'll go by myself if I have to, but I'd really rather not go without a friend." Flutter Shy looked at me with a look of disbelief. She looked at Zecora, and then looked back at me. Then back to Zecora. I sighed and looked at the ground below my now bare feet, my shoes having been torn and ruined by the days of walking I had endured. I looked at her with a look of sadness, with a smile to match my tired eyes. "It's... It's OK. We don't need you to follow along with us." She looked almost pained as I wiped my face of my tears sniffling a little. "I'm ready to go, Zecora." I turned away and began taking short defeated steps. I felt tears drip from my eyes and down my face. "W-... Wait!" I froze at the sound of the voice. It wasn't Flutter Shy, but it was different. It was familiar. I slowly turned and shook as I looked at her. It was Diamond Shine. How had she gotten out of the castle? How had she found me? How did she know about me heading to Flutter Shy's home?! "I'm coming with you! You left without even telling me where you were going, and you at least owe it to me to let me come to see our friendship through to the end!" She was trotting up to me, quickly, and looking a little angry as she approached. It was touching as I looked at her. "It was hard enough to quit my job once you were gone, and so was tracking you. But finding out about this?! This is unacceptable! You didn't even trust me enough to tell me your plan! That hurts you know! Thinking you can't trust me! Well I have some news for you, kind sir, you are not going any further without me in your-" Before she could finish, I had cracked up laughing, trying not to seem rude. I hugged her as I laughed. I was grateful that she was here. My laughter turned from laughs and slowly grew into sobs. "Well, this is heart warming, but I must offer you a warning." She looked directly into Diamond Shine's eyes and stood tall. "Once the choice is made and the journey begun, there be no turning around and to home you go." "Well I'm not going back without my friend. It may be strange, but I refuse to leave." She nodded to Zecora and I gave a small hiccuping laugh as I listened to them talk. Diamond turned to Flutter Shy and held out her hoof. "If you don't come with us, we might die out there." Flutter Shy looked at me and then at Zecora, and then back to Diamond, who had offered her hoof for Flutter Shy to take. I felt happy tears prick my eyes. "I'll come with you. Give me time to collect supplies." She smiled with an irony stance. I nodded, and Diamond smiled too. "I'll head to the market and get food and water for the trip. Flutter Shy, you head out and collect other survival materials, and Zecora will get some healing potions and sickness remedies. We'll meet back here in five hours." They nodded. "Savra will stay here and watch for anyone who's back early, and then we'll be able to head out soon." Everyone nodded solemnly, and I did too. It's finally time to head for freedom.