//------------------------------// // A dragons fears revealed // Story: A dragons fears // by redsopine //------------------------------// Smolder took a deep breath and began writing, Dear, Diary… I’m not exactly sure where I should begin. To be honest, I’m not even sure why I’m writing this! But I guess I need to express this stuff somehow, right? At least, that’s what Starlight says I should do… That said, if you’re reading this then I’m guessing you went snooping through my horde. Which you had better not be doing, Ocellus! Smolder sneered at what she had just written, disgusted by how paranoid it sounded. After scratching it out, she continued,It all started a few months ago, after Friends and Family Day. Ocellus and I sorta noticed something was wrong when Gallus randomly spaced out while we were talking to him. And then we met up with Sandbar and Yona who said he freaked out on them too! And then… And then Silver told us what happened. Smolder breathed slowly, calming her nerves and adjusting her tail to a more comfortable position. She then stretched her wings and claws before continuing to write, I was worried. Worried that he wasn’t okay… Worried that he was just lying again when he said he was… I wanted to believe he was getting better, but I couldn’t shake this nagging doubt that he wasn’t. Smolder paused, watching the candlelight reflect across her orange scales as she swallowed nervously. Of course, like Tartarus was I going to just do nothing! So,I started reading everything and anything I could on psychology, trying to understand how to help him. And for a time, he looked like he was getting better! He even joined the drama club; although I heard discord tried messing with him on his first day. He’s lucky Silverstream got to him first; otherwise, I would have mailed him to the Dragon Lands, using that letter trick Spike taught me. I’m not sure if that would’ve worked, but a girl can dream! And that jerk deserves getting dumped in a volcano after the stunt he pulled with those three nutjobs! Smolder stopped herself, taking a deep, shaky breath. A small teardrop hit the page before she could stop it. She then grunted and wiped her eyes, resuming writing. He really looked happy after that… And then he even kept working with Ocellus on that magic thing of hers! I don’t know the slightest bit about how it works, but Gallus must be pretty damn smart if he gets it. But after a while, I noticed something. I noticed how you started looking at him, Ocellus. You were falling for him, weren’t you? I flaming hate romances, but I’ve seen enough to know what that sparkly-eyed look of yours meant! But I wanted to keep it from him,so he wasn’t put under even more pressure! I mean, he already has enough problems to deal with! He didn’t need a possible fight with Silverstream hanging over him too! Especially since Silverstream told me she was just as paranoid that he wasn’t okay as I was! … I probably shouldn’t have shouted at her. Not when we’re both determined to help him. Smolder paused again to dip her quill into some ink. She then stretched a cramp out of her claws and warmed them up with a little flame. After a while,my fears faded a bit, so we started hanging out again. But it was always there though. Still,I was starting to get over my worries! That was until a few nights ago when you—Yes, you, Ocellus! I know you’re reading this, you little sneak!—decided to tell him how you feel and kissed him! And then it all came back even stronger! And then Silverstream caught you too! And then you all started fighting! And all I could do was just stand there while Silver ran off, and Gallus— Smolder slammed her diary shut just as another set of tears escaped and fell onto the cover. “This so stupid…” she sighed, casually tossing the book onto her already cluttered desk. Her gaze then wandered over the ocean of psychology books that still surrounded her, and after an intense mental deliberation, Smolder groaned wearily. “Don’t do it, Smolder! It is way too late for this crud!” she decided, climbing into bed. “I’ll just figure out what to do in the morning!” … Smolder slowly turned her gaze toward her door, staring in the direction of a certain somegriff’s bedroom. Gulping fearfully, she rolled over and faced her wall, praying that all of her friends would be there tomorrow. “That’s the last thing Smolder wrote in here,” Ocellus said, shutting Smolder's Diary and placing it carefully on her bed as Sandbar and Yona looked at Gallus with a mixture of fear and worry. “Gallus, Smolder wrote what happened that night, but… Then she just cuts off after saying your name,” Ocellus muttered. “Seriously!?” Gallus asked, gulping nervously. “She didn’t say anything else!?” Ocellus just shook her head. In the ominous silence that followed, Sandbar cast another glance over the hoarded books surrounding them. He then focused his gaze on particular book titled: How to Help the Struggling: A Guide to Preventing— “Gallus?" Sandbar spoke up, tearing his gaze away from the book, unable to even finish reading the book's title in his head. Wh-What did you do that left her so scared she couldn’t say it?” he asked, knowing and dreading the answer. “Why the peck does what happened weeks ago matter it’s not even related to the matter-at-talon we have to find out where Smolder went and Why she was so upset!” “Look at the books she has been reading!” Sandbar protested, gesturing around the room. “They’re all about helping creatures with serious issues!” “Okay, thank you for pointing out the obvious, Sandbar!” Gallus groaned, sliding a talon down his face in irritation. “Care to elaborate why that has anything to do with why Smolder ran off!?” “Silverstream said Smolder’s been freaking out over whether you were okay or not! A-And then there’s the fact she just cuts off...? She wrote literally everything else down, but not what you did!?” he groaned, frowning worriedly. “And that matters, why!?” “STOP IT! BOTH OF YOU!” Silverstream shouted, glaring at Gallus through glistening eyes. “Don’t you try to avoid this, Gallus! I remember what you said to Smolder that night!” she declared, watching as Gallus paled. “How you apparently thought you were better off dead!?” “Wait, what!?” Sandbar exclaimed, grimacing in horror. “When was this!?” “You were asleep,” Ocellus explained. “And now that Silver’s brought it up…? You never did explain why Smolder gave you that black eye,” she added warily. “Okay! Really wishing I had been told about this sooner!” he whined. Sandbar then shook his head clear, declaring, “But, regardless! Gallus, look!? With what you said that night, what Smolder wrote down about that night, and…this!” he stated, glaring sorrowfully at the books around them all. “And how afraid she was you’d get hurt a-and…?” Silver stopped talking, unable to say the last word. “Gallus…?” Yona finally spoke up, staring at him pleadingly. “What did friend do?” “I-I… I…” Gallus rapidly shifted his gaze between each of them, slowly stepping back as he worked to come with a suitable explanation. “I-I didn’t do anything!” he tried lying. “No, Gallus!” Sandbar yelped, barely controlling either the anger or the fear in his voice. “You don’t get to avoid us this time! What! Did! You! Do!?” “Nothing!” Gallus shouted, flaring his wings instinctively. “I obviously did nothing! See!? I’m right here!” he shrieked, forcing a strained smile. “Gallus? Please don’t lie,” Silver practically begged. “Not now…!” “I’m not— I can’t— I didn’t mean to—” Gallus stuttered, incapable of lying to Silver. To any of them. “I-I was just upset and seeing—saying! Things!” he corrected, flinching when every last one of them clearly caught his slip-up. “I really wasn’t going to do anything!” “That’s bullshit! And you know it, Gallus! Or did you forget what you shouted before giving me this!” Ocellus said as her right cheek glowed a faint green flame, dropping her illusion and revealing a small scar. "Y-You still have that!?" Gallus muttered, thoroughly disgusted with himself. “Ocellus told friends that cut healed!" Yona squealed, flinching at the changeling's discolored chitin. “Wait your saying Gallus gave you that cut but you told me and Smolder you caught yourself on a nail as you ran past it you lied to us why?” Silverstream asks confused Ocellus ignores all three of them, shrieking, “And then you considered doing something so stupid that Smolder actually had to hit you to stop you!" “No! I wasn’t considering anything! I-I was just upset— I wasn’t thinking— Cozy only—” Realizing what he just said, Gallus stopped and shut his eyes while the room went deathly silent. “Aw, peck,” he groaned, hanging his head low. “You saw that bitch Cozy Glow again!?” “It was just for a second, okay, Sandy!?” he answered, flinching when Silverstream held onto a nearby book pile in an effort to not collapse completely. “She hasn’t shown up for months, a-and—” “STOP LYING, GALLUS Please...! Please stop lying!” Silverstream begged,pulling Gallus into a tight hug and crying into his chest plume. Too dumbstruck by the situation and absolutely unwilling to lie to Silverstream, Gallus simply wrapped his talons around her, hanging his head. “Why-why does it matter what happened that night...?" he muttered in a low, sorrowful tone. "Why does everyone even care!? I'm- I'm still here! And all I’ve done is caused you all grief and pain!" he chuckled darkly, tearing up. “Why ... Why did Smolder even stop me?" As Gallus spoke, he failed to notice Silverstream's growing look of horror or Sandbar's building fury. Once the full meaning behind his words registered with all of them, Sandbar trotted over to Gallus from his free side, slapping a hoof across his beak before joining Silverstream in hugging their friend. “It matters to all of us," Sandbar whispered to Gallus, pain evident in his voice. "We’re not just friends, Gallus! After all we been though? We’re family... We're family, Gallus!" he repeated, holding the griffon even closer. "I've already almost lost my family once when Sombra took over Ponyville! I-" Sandbar paused, catching his breath and finishing, "Do you have any idea how you doing something like that would have affected all of us!?” “I- I'm-" Gallus sniffled, whimpering, "I'm sorry! I-It was only the one time! I wasn't even serious about it! I swear!" “One time too many, Gallus," Yona mumbled, shaking her head slowly. "But I'm better now! I really am!" he proclaimed truthfully. Sandbar shot a look at Ocellus who nodded slightly, lighting up her horn and sighed, disappointed. Before Sandbar could freak out over her reaction, she explained, "Everything's too muddled; I can't tell if it's genuine. Tch! Even now my spell can't solve anything!" she growled, angrily stomping a hoof. Sandbar just nodded slowly, turning back to Gallus. "Gallus? I told you once that I would believe you were fine if you said that you were." "But you don't? Do you?" Gallus guessed forlornly. He shook his head, stating, "No, I do. I believe you're okay! But if you actually considered..." Sandbar's voice hitched at the last word. "If you actually considered that...!? No. That wasn't okay! But, dude!? We're here for you! We are going to help you! Okay!? We are going to help you just like we're going to help Smolder! No more lies! Nor more hiding! You! Are getting! Help!" Sandbar asserted resolutely. "Understood." Gallus shared a glance with Silverstream, seeing only a silent plea reflected in her sparkling eyes. He then looked back at Gallus, blinking away his own tears as he nodded silently. “Good!" Sandbar whispered, leaning back into the embrace as Yona and Ocellus both joined in. The group sat like that for what could very well have been a quarter of an hour, but soon, the frantic clattering of hooves echoed down the hallway, growing louder with each step. “What the hay is that?" Sandbar muttered as the group broke apart. His answer came in the form of a heavily distraught Vellum Codex, covered in mud and twigs, barging into their room. "There you are!" he wheezed, unable to scream properly. While Vellum worked to regain his breath, a purple cockatrice soon flew into the room from behind him, perching on Silver's outstretched talon. “Edith!?" she asked, receiving a happy caw from the cockatrice in response. “Yes, that's your cockatrice friend! But more importantly, yes! We found her!" Vellum announced, still panting heavily. "We found her! And as you can probably guess...? She's at the Treehouse. Aghhh! Sweet Celestia! How does Professor Dash do it!?" he melodramatically bemoaned, slumping onto the floor and holding a hoof to his chest.