I look up from the book after reading a little about Wanda to the others. I look at the children, a gentle smile forming on my face.
“What to learn from what happened with Wandna there is something we all suffer from. But she suffered worse because she lost her family. When I read this I had to ask Malla how bad it got and she told me. I will be going back to Malla soon in the story. But before I fully started reading again I asked Malla questions about Joe.”
I look at the many young eyes looking at me.
“There are many rumors in our world. But none of us left this area to see if they were true. Only traders know and they don’t always tell the truth. We don’t have a right to leave our community till we fully honor those who came before us.”
I glance at the tree.
“Not many of us are zebras and many elders are zebras and other races. We need to remove our faults and issues before we head back into the world. Like Wanda, we need to move on and let our hearts accept. But with Wanda, it was harder for those who came back. It was much harder.”
A deep sigh releases from my mouth. I don’t want to go into what is next but I have to. I feel the best way to move on with the story is to talk about Malla again.
“I am going, to be honest with you, all the early days of Dragon’s Rest were peaceful. I am not going to skip the bad issues. That is not a good idea so you can understand how good it was and then how bad it got. We need to focus on the good and then allow ourselves to get to the bad to learn.”
I go back to the book.
“This time we will be learning about Savannah. She has much so do the others but she has more than they do. It wasn’t because of the love the two had, it was because Savannah was the one keeping them from falling apart.”
The zebra filly lifts her hoof.
“Yes, sweetie?”
The little one giggles standing up again.
“You’re not just saying this because you think zebras are better than every other race?”
Well, that hit me harder than I thought and everyone laughed.
“Well not the reason Savannah was the glue she used to be in the military of the humans and you learn heavy leadership and if you see things out of whack you do what you can. Most of the guards you see around us have been trained by her decedents and I am sure she has some more decedents around us.”
They look around.
“What about George or the others would they have descendants here?”
I chuckle.
“Yes.. but I can’t tell you who they are because I promised Malla I would never tell others who are related to the founders. I wish some of Malla’s little ones were here but I will be honest Malla was never much of a parent. The elders know but we all agree it will be safer for them if no one knows.”
I turn the page to Savannah’s part.
“Now here we go. I have gotten used to this new body, it's something I never thought I would say.”
_______________
August 25th 2015
It hasn’t been that long since I returned. But we are doing everything to find others. Lyra Malla’s friend and I went to the airport to see if we could find anything. Malla was on her own and I was unsure about the dragon.
“So Lyra tell me what is Malla like?”
Lyra looks at me confused.
“Why do you ask?”
It was strange to me that she was able to drive a car pretty easily. I watched her use the magic in her horn to drive and turn.
“Well, I will be honest with you. She seems to need someone and I want to be that someone.”
Lyra smirks
“So you want to be her Somepony?”
I laugh at the words Somepony.
“Well, I am attracted to very strong women. I know she wasn’t a female till she changed to one.”
Lyra laughs
“I find it strange we are having this conversation when the conversations Malla and I had were her telling me how useless I am and me having to sneak into the truck. She almost left me behind, she stole my harp from me and she did so much to upset me and I just took it. It hurt me sometimes but most of the time I took it.”
I nod
“I think the issue is that she wasn’t able to handle it. Change for some people or creatures is not easy for them to handle. I am just worried about how she will act when she finds out we won’t be able to save or help everyone.”
Lyra’s ears droop.
“Yes, thankfully we only met Chris on the way. We never saw any lost children or went into hospitals. I did everything I could to make sure she kept on her journey. Even though half the time we stopped somewhere she stole things.”
I chuckle when we finally stop at the airport and it’s been years since I have been here. I remember coming here during the time of hot air balloons. Lyra gets out of the car and opens the locked fence and we drive onto the airport heading to the old warehouse near an old bomber museum.
“Malla told me she used to come here with her family and watch hot air Balloons I am amazed at how close we are to your new home. But why did we have to drive so far to get into this airport as you call it?”
The walkie-talkie comes on since it’s time for the others to speak. Thankfully as we drove we listened to Jenny speak and it kept us from losing it.
“Hello, George and Wanda here. I think it’s time for you to contact Malla. But we found batteries and sadly that is all we found and I think we found enough to last us awhile.”
I nod, lifting the talkie to my mouth.
“I will but we will look through this area first. There is a warehouse and a few cars here. We might find some interesting things.”
I lower the talkie by my side. Lyra uses her magic to break the locks on the warehouse and when we go inside we keep old photos on the wall of all the balloon festivals that happened over the years. Including the fact many objects are here and we both notice a door and it’s a bunker door. I head to the door and knock on it and it’s a world war two bunker door. I doubt it’s ever been used and we leave looking around more finding uniforms piled neatly in plastic.
“Ooo let's take these I could make these into something impressive.”
Lyra laughs and while we carry the uniforms into the car I turn quickly I swear I am being watched. Looking around quickly I notice a camera that's turned off but I swear I just saw it moving. I shrug my shoulders and head back to the car.
“Alright, maybe I should contact Malla.”
I lift the walkie-talkie and speak into it.
"Malla?"
A few seconds later.
"I am here on top of western Michigan university college. I haven't searched for anything yet. Have any of you found anything?"
Whoa, she is pretty far right now. I am amazed she is at the university.
"George and Wanda found batteries. Lyra and I found uniforms we could use for later. But we are mostly looking for first-aid canned food that would last forever. I don't wish to use anything we have now. But I feel that you need to look through these schools, Malla. I know it's hard for you. I know you feel you might be alone."
A few seconds later.
"I am fine Savannah. I have been listening to Jenny and she is telling those on the outside that we are searching for them. I feel it's a lost cause Savannah if we can't find a way to get the power back on. We will never find any new souls unless. Savannah. Send a message to Jenny to tell her this. Tell anyone who is listening to go to Woodland park nature preserve."
A deep sigh comes out of my mouth and Lyra hovers the satellite phone to me and I smirk at her and she dials the number for me.
“This is the British bat. I am alone right now to deal with the bollocks and bugger all. How may I help you?”
I laugh
“Jenny, it’s Savannah Malla, would you like to send others that call you to Woodland Park Nature preserve any bites so far?”
Jenny goes silent for a moment turning down the music.
“No, but I will do so. Is this all you need or anything else?’
I think for a second, shaking my head.
“No”
Jenny moves a bit to the microphone and I hear her.
"I have been given new instructions from our dragon leader. To those who are listening, go to Woodland park nature preserve. They will be setting up a few tents there and one of us will be there now and then. So if you wish to be found go there. I am very sorry, my friends. I wish I could be of more help. But I sadly can't be with how this new world is. Now for more music for those that wish to be happy."
I chuckle
“Thank you, Jenny.”
Jenny hangs up and goes back to doing what she does best-playing music.
“Alright thank you, Lyra you’re a bigger help than Malla gives you credit for.”
A gentle blush forms on Lyra’s face and chuckles.
“Thank you.”
She puts the phone back into the car and turns it off.
"I am going to try flying. If I don't answer back It means I crashed and I need you to come and get me."
I let out a sudden gasp hearing this and Lyra stares at me. Why would Malla risk her life to fly?
"What?!"
I hear George yell out
"Malla, don't you might get badly hurt.”
A second after
"I need to feel good about myself George I need to prove to everyone around me I am not a joke. I need to show that I can be strong for you guys. I need to be strong. I can't just keep sitting in the background sobbing and crying. I need to be the leader you need me to be."
Her words hit me hard. I glance over to Lyra who laughed at her. Why would anyone laugh at Malla? She doesn’t deserve to be treated that way. She has mental issues, and many have mental issues who told her all this that she was a joke and such?
"Malla we don't laugh at you Lyra stop her."
Lyra takes the walkie-talkie into her magic>
"Go ahead, Russell."
My mouth hangs open a gap she just said to Malla to do it. She also used Malla’s human name.
"Russell the sweet kind dragon I met with such a soft heart. Please do what you feel you must. We can't stop you from proving yourself, proving your worth my friend. Prove yourself and fly."
Lyra lowers the walkie-talkie and looks at me. I felt a rage coming over me. I could hear the others upset.
"Why didn't you stop her, Lyra?!"
Wanda was losing it. I was too. I was about to say something but Lyra winked at me. Then she uses her mouth with no words to say. Since she knows I can read lips. ‘Malla needs to know we love her and respect her. She needs to do these things or she will always be the dragon who randomly destroys things and could hurt someone.’
It hits me that she is correct and I cut her off before Lyra could say anything to Malla.
"We can't"
I blurt out into the talkie
"Lyra is right, Malla needs this. She needs this more than she needs us right now. Malla is a creature that has instincts that are harder for us to understand than most. She wants to prove herself she wants to be there and strong for all of us. I don't feel bad for her for wanting that. But if she does get hurt it's her fault. We will be there to pick her up."
I hold my breath after my words and I pace Lyra just sits there watching me. I think she knows I am very worried about Malla.
“Don’t worry Savannah dragons in my world are very strong. I doubt crashing will hurt her. She could learn from this and learn even though hurting herself will help her get stronger and able to fly more.”
I stare at the unicorn she is correct I don’t know everything
"Well, I didn't fly that well,"
I heard her words on the talkie
“I dropped to the ground with style.”
I laugh
__________
The future Glyph
I move from the book standing in front of the young ones.
“I would keep reading on from there but the rest is pretty private between friends and It talks about adult subjects. I don't want any young ones getting ideas. Now it’s time to get some lunch and go with your parents and after we will come back for more.”
I look up hearing a storm and I make sure to move the book a bit so it won’t get wet.
“We will make sure to set up tents so no one gets wet while we listen to enjoy your lunch.”
Everyone leaves to go eat and Blossom stays behind standing beside me looking into the book.
“Ah, I see why you stopped talking about Malla’s heat, joking, and drugs. Huh, these humans are strange creatures. Now you are coming with us to eat lunch, Glyph.”
I shook my head
“No, I am going to help some of the other elders to finally seal the cave. We can’t have anyone going down there and we need to keep it sealed just in case we ever get attacked; that is the only place to hide. But I mostly requested it to honor Malla.”
Blossom smiles and flies off. I trot over to the cave and the others have started Crystal the female diamond dog elder hammers away at the wood to seal the cavern she looks at me smiling and I join in by helping lift the boards and using my hoof to hammer it in.
When we get done Black Rose a unicorn mare elder takes paint and on the board writes these words. ‘In the name of the founders of Dragon’s rest. Malla, Savannah, George, Wanda, Ted, Randell, Jenny, and Lyra. We seal this cave to honor their memories and their conviction for Dragon’s rest.’
A smile forms across my face as the others leave and I watch the paint dry. I turn away to head to lunch. I feel this is the best way to honor our founders and adding Lyra was the icing on the cake.
I look back seeing some young ones look at the words and they play pretending to be the founders. Oh if they only knew maybe when the time is right it will be opened again and we all can learn more about the founders of Dragon’s Rest
{More to come}