//------------------------------//
// Fight! 
// Story: The Smokeless Flame 
// by BIGBLACKINTOSH 
//------------------------------//

It had been a whole three days since we left the remnants of Dustown. We were only able salvage a little bit of dragon’s scales. Thanks to the spell Sheytan pulled off, there was almost nothing left. Ten scales. Thats all that we could recover from that damn thing. 

We were halfway to our destination, Dekand hollow, a diamond dog den north of Ule’s village just barely in the southern rainforest. According to Ule, his village and the den had always had a good relationship. In fact, the village and den have worked in harmony ever since he was a calf. But when he was there last with his motley crew, the small town was nearly destroyed and his family nowhere to be found. 

Ule had said they would have tried attacking the den then and there but Tick-tick and Terk had  reminded him taking on half army wouldn't be a good idea. After traveling up Blackrock mountain, (the mountain we were coming from) they had planned to enlist the Kings to help. Well...At least they’re getting a lot more than they bargained for. After getting the details from Ule, I started making my way to Herpy in the forge. 

Herpy was hunched over a workbench he had brought on board, examining a blueprint for a tricked out boat. I snuck up behind him and tapped his shoulder, making him jump in surprise. He turned around, scowling. “Gods dammit, what have I told you people about bothering me when I work?” he asked angrily, faster than the speed of light.

I smirked in amusement. “Oh, I know. Its just too damn funny not to,” I replied laughing. 

Herpy rolled his eyes. “Okay, so you’ve succeeded in scaring the crap out me. What do you want?”

I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms. “What happened at your place before we got there?” I asked.

Herpy stared at the ceiling in thought. He shrugged. “Heres the short version. After you left, Jill came back to town looking for me. She wanted me to make this “key” as she called it,” he said using air quotes.

“What did it look like?” I asked curiously. Herpy wordlessly took out a pen and paper and started started drawing on the workbench. When he was finished, I nearly fell to floor laughing. The blueprint like drawing was that of a key-blade.

I held a fist over my mouth, trying to block my laughing. “So, what happened next?” I asked.

Herpy put away the drawing and continued. “When she asked me to make it, I of course said that I don't do forgeries, though I did recommend another blacksmith to her. Her reaction was to thank me for my time and send that regenerating freak to my door!” he shouted, offended. 

I chuckled and got off the wall. “Don't worry, we’ll make her pay. Hows the plans for the boat coming along?” 

Herpy beamed, but quickly scowled. “That boat is called The Falcon! And its upgrades are coming along nicely,” he replied going back to his blueprints. The boat we saw docked before going to fight the dragon was Herpy’s baby project, The Falcon. He had been working on it for about two years and was insistent that we take it with us. In fact, his only condition of his joining was that we help complete it as much as we possibly can. I came out of the forge room to hear Tick-tick and Boom-bewn messing around with a balista. 

The balliste on the ship were kind of different from most you read about. These ballistae on the combat deck were what I like to call anti-shp guns. Like an AA gun, the shooter would sit in a chair attached to the ballista’s swivel. allowing he or she to look in the same direction as the bolt. Oh yeah, the bolts were huge. Each one was about big as my arm and each tip was a massive cone of steel. 

Boom was sitting in the driver’s seat while Tick-tick was pulling a lever to pull back the launch string. Boom-bewn was clapped her hooves with glee as a bolt appeared in front of the launch string. Boom giddily grabbed and pushed the lever, launching the bolt out of what I’m just going to call a window.

I wondered why the ship had so many windows, considering they’re structural weaknesses. Sheytan said had explained when the battles start, she lays down sheet of armor to protect the spot using a hydraulics system similar to one in the cargo bay. 

The bolt launched into the open air and suddenly caught fire, and landed in the lake below. The moment it hit the water however, it exploded into fiery shrapnel. Boom clapped again, almost jumping in the seat. Tick-tick started laughing and suddenly stopped when he saw me watching. 

“Oh hey, sup cap,” he greeted, loading another bolt.

“Hi!” Boom shouted, launching the bolt again. “Yay!” she shouted, clapping.

I stared at her curiously. Ever since we picked up the group, Boom had been going ot of her way to make an explosive from anything. The only thing that quells her pyro streak is to let her on one of the ballistas. Tick-tick must have been keeping her busy for the day. I wondered if she was always like this, but then again her cutiemark is a explosion.

“So I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” I began.

T.T. loaded another bolt nonchalantly and turned to me,  raising his eyebrow curiously. “Well, ask.”

“What's the deal with Boom? Why does she talk like that?” I asked bluntly. 

Boom launched another bolt, clapping giddly. Tick-tick stared proudly at her, smiling. “Now thats a story. See, when we were little, growing up in Bitsburg, the only thing we had to do to pass the time was putting stuff together. One day, Boom decided to mix some powder she found with a sparkler stick and put them in a tin can. Long story short, it blew up in her face and we had to take her to the hospital. Doc said she had some minor brain damage and was lucky to even have her face. Oh, I may had gotten a wipping from dad that night, but, as soon as Boom got home and saw her cutie mark, she started repeating her new favorite word,”

Boom launched another bolt and watched it explode. “Boom!” she giggled.

“That was a long time ago though. She can in fact speak normally, its just simpler to speak like this. That and she can't get enough of saying it,” he explained.

“Damn right. I mean uh, boom!” she said nervously.

“So how did you get yours? I asked looking at his egg-timer adorned flank.

He looked back at it himself and smiled. “Oh. See, after I saw Boom do it, I decided, why not do myself, but better! So I did the same thing she did and made a powder bomb but, unlike Boomy here, I made a makeshift primer pin and hooked the whole thing to a egg-timer. Again, blew up in my face, but that was because I cooked it too long. Papa Shortfuse was not happy to bring me to the hospital, but changed his tune when he saw my emblem,” he explained, proudly. 

I stared at the twins, dumbfounded and a bit surprised. I hadn't known these two for at least two days and he just told me their cutiemark story. That was something I had been wondering about. All these people (creatures, whatever its my story) I’ve barely known for even a day trusted me with their lives. Even when I didn't tell them I didn't have so much as a plan, Vito followed me to face a black dragon. Which I know now to be one of the toughest dragons on Equestria. 

Some would consider this cool, having such power over people. My brother would, he always talked about having his own squad and how he would be a great leader. Me, after hearing Tick-tick spill everything on how they got their cutiemarks, got weirded out at the fact he shared it with me so easily. 

I thanked him for sharing and went down to the crew deck, planning to sleep away the rest of trip. Instead, on my way to my room I heard a whispering argument. The voices were in low tones, but I could somehow still hear. I leaned against the wall separating the mess hall and the elevator lines, pressing my ear to the wall to listen in.

“What are you talking about?” said a voice I couldn't place a finger on. 

“I’m saying, we need to consider our options,” said another.
“NO, you're saying that we should-” the opposing voice shushed him.

“Did you hear that?” he asked. “Someones just came onto the deck. We’ll talk later,” he said hurriedly and walked away. The sound of footsteps ran through the deck but were drowned out by the sound of, “CHINGAO!” someone yelled.

I finally had enough and emerged from behind the wall and looked right and left. In front of me was a long banquet table. To the left side of the room was the door to my extravagant bedroom. To the right side was the cooking stations, where Terk was burning something. Terk stood over a burning pan. I got closer to the griffon, making sure not to let him see me. As he tried fanning the flames coming from the pan.  I suddenly placed my hand on his shoulder, smiling in anticipation. 

I was not disappointed.

Terk let out a very un-manly scream and span around, almost smacking me with his wing. I ducked and rolled on the floor laughing my ass off. Crow scanned the room for his assailant and looked down, scowling. “Dude...Que demonios, you sneaky fucker?!” he shouted to me.

I wiped a tear and pointed to the smoke behind him. “Your whatevers still burning,” I said flatly.

“Shitshitshit!” he swore under his breath and went back to fanning the flames. I got off the floor and observed Terk’s fruitless efforts. The flames weren't dying out, threatening to light the ceiling ablaze. Luckily, I had a new spell to test out. 

Ever since we left, I had been looking deeper into my magic. Like most RPGs and Harry Potter bull would have people believe, magic was powered from words. I could make simple fire and elements with just Signs. But, after flexing what little Arabic I knew, I discovered my magic could be amped with the correct words. After burning my some of my claimed sheets and walls, I had made up some new phrases.

I raised my hand and hovered it directly over the flames, earning a wide-eyed stare from Terk. “Ma-khud nur,” I whispered into the smoke. The smoke and fire immediately reacted and started curling around my arm, somehow being absorbed by the plates and into my body. I had never tried something like this, and almost recoiled at the sight of my arm absorbing the smoke.

Terk however, just backed away with a horrified look on his face. 

I stared at my hand, amazed and smiling. “Oh, this is so going on my fetish list,” I said to myself, turning to Terk. “Before I forget, did you hear two guys talking a few minutes ago?” I asked. 

Terk shook his head. “Na, I’ve been trying to cook for the past half-hour. Haven't heard a soul on this deck,” he replied, confused.

“Damn,” I swore under my breath, yawning. “Thanks. I’m going to take a nap,” I said, turning towards my room. “Oh and if anyone tries to wake me up, I’ll cut their balls off,” I warned, walking to my room.

“Whatever you say. De miedo chica,” I heard him say as walked across the room.
                                                ***

I flopped onto my slightly scorched bed, sinking myself into the dark sheets. It was fairly late in the morning, approaching noon. I didn't care though, that phrase I made up took a lot out me and according to Sheytan, we’d be at Dekand hollow in a few more hours. I closed my eyes, waiting for the bliss of sleep.

Thats when the ship started tipping, nearly sending me over the edge of my bed.

“Thats it, somebody’s balls are mine!” I yelled at the ceiling.

Gh0st ran barged into my room just in time for the room to slant, resulting in him being launched at me. “Whoashit!” he yelled before giving me the most forceful hug of my life. When the ship  realigned, he was laying next to me, smiling nervously. “Um, yeah. Somethings wrong with She,” he said bluntly.

I almost ignored what he said and kicked him out of the bed. He landed with a loud thud and quickly ran out of the door. I facepalmed and tried talking to She telepathically like she did at Dustown. It was really difficult to concentrate on one person when my environment kept moving so damn much, but I did. 

She? Sheytan! What the hell is going on? I yelled at her in my mind.

I’m...Trying...To keep us afloat...So to speak, she strained. Every word she thought sounded strained, as if she was lifting something heavy and talking at the same time.

What's wrong? I asked.

The magic...I pulled at...That town...Drained most of my reserves, she strained.

Reserves? What, do you run off batteries or something?

Do...I really...Need to point out...The ball of magic below you?

I quickly jumped out of my bed and hopped on an elevator line down to the core level. Apparently a lot of people had the some thought and decided to check it out too. Crow and Vito stood on the balcony overlooking what used to  be a huge ball of magic.The was now small insignificant blue ball no bigger than my head.

“She, what can we do to get this thing back to full size?” I asked the ship.

You...need to...get...Lapis lazuli...This is...What sustains me, she thought to me.

Seriously...Lapis?, I thought back, a confused look spreading across my face.

There is also...Conflict, she strained.

Conflict?

Fighting...Us of the Legion feed off it... Its what sustains our power...You do too Jann. As weak as you are, you too can feed off this.

Crow started looking worried and Vito couldn't take his eyes off the small magic ball.

“What's going on and why the hell did that ball shrink?” he asked me frantically.

I rolled my neck and sighed. “Apparently, Sheytan’s running low on batteries. She needs lapis for some reason to get back to full strength,” I explained, though I’m pretty sure he stopped listening after I said lapis.

Crow’s eyes went wide as saucers and turned a weird navy blue. “Did you just say lapis?!” he asked frantically, getting in my face. 

I calmly place a single finger on his beak and pushed him away. “Moving on. Anyway, we’re not going to find any in time to get us to Dekand Hollow,” I started.

Crow went back to normal and hung his head while Vito pushed past him to get my attention. “So  what are we going to do? We’re still at least a day away from the den.”

I rolled my neck and walked over to the elevator lines. “Tell everyone to go to the training room ASAP,” I ordered before hopping on a line going up.
                                                ***
“Okay people. As you felt before, She’s having a tough time flying. Now, from what I’m told she can basically feed off the energy that comes from fighting. So, in order to keep her in the air long enough to get us to our destination, we're going to need to spar. So, anyone who wants to, stay. Everyone else, get started on lunch,” I announced.

Everyone who didn't want to fight left with no argument. Only ones who stayed were Ule, Nightheart, Gh0st  and Crow. 

“So, how we doing dis?” Ule asked.

I rubbed my hands together, giggling. “My dear minotaur, that is simple. All of you will fight until submission using whatever weapons you wish so long as you don't cause any permanent damage,” I explained. “Now everyone pair up. Last creature standing, fights me.”

“Crow and Nightheart, go!” i shouted.

Everyone separated, giving space to the combatants. Crow and Nightheart backed away from each other, drawing their weapons. Crow with his claymore and Nightheart with his krogan warhammer.

“Alright bird, you ready?” he asked, raising his hammer.

“Bring it, furry!” he shouted, taking a bipedal stance.

They both the ran head on to each other head-on, yelling at the top of their lungs. Their weapons met and a small bubble of energy formed at the meeting point, earning a wide eyed stare from both combatants. The bubble exploded and a wave spread across the room. As powerful as it seemed, it didn't do much but stager Nightheart and Crow.

Crow shook his head. “Well...I don't know what that was, but it was awesome,” he stated before ducking under Nightheart’s hammer. 

“Your forgetting where you are, lets go!” he shouted, raising the hammer over his head. Crow intercepted the blow, using both claws to hold up the strike. “You asked for it!” Crow replied, pushing Night away. And so they fought.

The fight went on for an hour, giving me time to analyze both of their fighting styles. Which is to say they had none at all. The basic principle for both of them was to keep swinging until the other stopped moving. Neither had any restraint, no control. Luckily, both of their strengths seemed to match. The fight finally ended when Nightheart landed a lucky strike on Crow’s hilt, sending the sword to the floor. 

Crow held up his claws in surrender. “Dammit! Nice hit man,” he said disappointed.

Nightheart took out a cigarette stopping to say, “Dito,” before putting it in his mouth. Before he walked over to a wall to lean on, he gave me a quick glare. I wondered for a second what that glare was for, but then remembered I had another fight to spectate.

“Alright, Ule, Gh0st. You guys are up next!” I announced.
Both of them stepped into the middle of the room. Gh0st took out his naginata, twirling it in the air before grabbing it with his teeth. Ule simply cracked his fingers, getting in a low stance.

Gh0st put down his weapon, confused. “Um, isn’t this a bit unfair?” he asked, uncertain.

Ule punched the ground, steam puffing from out of his nose. “Me don't need teeth to chew you out lickle one!” he retorted. 

Gh0st shrugged and just like last time, charged head on. Same with Ule. When they met, Gh0st with his naginata and Ule with a double haymaker, another bubble formed at the meeting point. From it, there was another staggering explosion, along with another shockwave. Ule fought like a brute, taking wide swipes in order to trip up his opponent. Gh0st was surprisingly nimble and would jump and flip over Ule strikes. The fight ended when Ule finally caught Gh0st mid-flip and held him upside down by his rear hooves.

Gh0st flailed in Ule grip before surrendering. “Alright you got me. Now put me down!” he demanded.

Ule wordless smiled and put Gh0st down. Gh0st picked up his weapon and stomped into a corner, grumbling. Ule stepped back into the center of the room, getting back into his stance. Nightheart however, came out of his corner running, hammer in hand. He jumped, bringing the hammer down first. Instead of another energy bubble, a green wave of energy came from the impact, taking Ule off his hooves. Ule floated in the air a few seconds before Nightheart brought down his hammer again. This time, the minotaur slammed on the ground. Ule was effectively, out.

Everybody stared at Nightheart, jaws hanging. 

He chuckled and nonchalantly lit another cigarette, leaning on his hammer. “Does this count as a win?” he asked coyly.

My eyebrow twitched and I smiled. “Oh definitely. Crow, Gh0st take Ule down to the sick bay. We may not have a doctor, but he’s going to definitely need aspirin. Nighty, you get ready,” I ordered.

The boys obeyed and dragged Ule out of the room. “Um, how are going to get this guy down the shaft?” Gh0st asked Crow, curiously.

“Don’t question it. Lets get out of here before they start fighting,” Crow replied quickly.

They left the room, leaving me and Nightheart alone. For a good minute, we just stood there giving eachother a look bordering on a death-glare. For some reason, his eyes were filled with anger. I recognized the glare, it was the same one he had when he staring at his mother’s bed. It was somewhat lighter than it was back then, but it was the same one.

I took out my knife and split my focus to my left hand, preparing a low power spell. “Okay, you are going to tell me what is wrong with you,” I demanded.

He smiled, amused. “Not before you come at with all you got!” he shouted brandishing his hammer. 

I sighed exasperated. “Alright then, ladies first,” I said before charging at him. He did the same. Right before our weapons met, I shouted, “Dohkaar!” Turning myself into a puff of smoke. I had learned this trick accidentally when I was experimenting how far I could push my shapeshifting powers. Long story short, I screwed up and ended up learning how to do this at will at the loss of my stamina

Being a puff of smoke was like not being there at all. Nightheart passed right through me, his angry glare turning to confusion. It was a bit difficult, but I stopped and turned around. “Islaah!” I shouted, turning back to normal, quickly taking out my knife. I wrapped my arm around his throat and pushed the blade against his adam’s apple.

He gulped nervously. “Well, that was a bit anticlimactic.” he said, scared.

I kicked in the back of his legs, sending him to his knees. “Now tell me what the hell is going on,” I demanded.

“You nearly got me burned you idiot!”

I raised an eyebrow curiously. “Okay, you are going to explain to me how you get burned. You're a freaking dragon. Or at least half of one. You need to explain this to me. Now.”

Nightheart's glare softened. “You can't see them can you? Of course not. I guess I cut the fur too well didn't I?” he asked himself. He placed a claw on his chest, ruffling what I thought were black scales. “The black on my chest isn't scales, its burned fur. Under the fur, I’m still fireproof. Despite that though, I can feel the pain of being burned.When heat hits me, its as if my entire body is ready to turn to ash, but won't. It drove me to the brink of fucking insanity. I cut my burned fur in this shape to seem more natural, ya know. Not much of point when I don't get out, right?” 

“If thats the case, then why do you have a problem with me?” I asked.

“Because I knew this. Mom never let me forget that I’m not fireproof. Yet, I followed you into the maw of a black dragon. You, someone who I barely know. You, who somehow got me to follow you after not even a day! I don't know why I did that stuff, I really don't. That's why I wanted to beat the tar out you. To beat the reason out,” he explained.

What kind mother does that! Not even dad was that much of an asshole. Actually...let me take that back, I thought, recalling a bad memory.This is the reason I felt so weird about this stuff. I’m...I’m controlling them. Making them forget their limits, I thought.

I took my blade off his throat and gave him a hand up. He stared at my eyes curiously, as if trying to read them. I hugged him tight, surprising him. “I’m sorry. I’m just...New to this. Leading. I’ve never had so many people listen to me before. I promise, I will never put you in a situation like that again,” I said, hugging tighter.

Nightheart hesitantly hugged back. “It’s...Okay. I’m sorry for acting like that. It won't happen again Idilah,” he apologized.

Although he couldn't see it, I was smiling. But not a heartwarming smile, acknowledging the fact that I was hugging a boy. No, it a cold knowing grin, thinking of the new possibilities of my powers...