//------------------------------// // Chapter 50: Migrations Again // Story: The Last Human // by Blackdragn18 //------------------------------// Time to prepare for my trip. The dragon migration is tomorrow. I say preparations but all I really mean is having some cupcakes since I don’t have them for a few weeks and grabbing a bag of gems. Every year I bring several rare and delicious gems. Sometimes I share them with some other dragons but I usually just enjoy them over the course of the migration. I was preparing to go to bed. It takes a lot of energy to fly nonstop for several days. I had just finished packing the gems when I heard a knock at my door. Hey, for once someone has the decency to visit before I fall asleep. I headed to the door when I opened it Celestia was standing there with a scroll. “Hey for once you didn’t wait till 1 a.m. to bug me. So what do you want?” “Twilight sent me a letter that is addressed to you.” She levitated the scroll over to me. “Since when does she send me letters?” I opened up the scroll and began to read. Dear Sean, As you know the dragon migration has begun and I was wondering if you could take Spike with you. He’s having a bit of an identity crisis and I think having another “dragon” would really help. Thanks a lot. I’ve spent more time in Ponyville this year than I ever have. Things just keep making me head down here. Anyway, I got some sleep then headed to Ponyville. I got to Twilight’s tree and opened the door. Inside the place was littered with books. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight were all there. “Sup guys.” I walked in waving to them. “Sean? What are you doing here?” Spike looked honestly confused. “I’m here to take you on the migration. Every dragon needs to experience this. Now let’s go it’s a long flight.” “I’d rather not fly.” “Why?” “I’d like to actually make this journey not just on your back.” “Fine.” I want to punch him. It’s a four day walk! Oh well, I’ll never hear the end of it if I let him take the trip alone. “You ready to go?” “Yeah, let’s go.” “Come on Spike! You’re the one who wanted to walk.” We had been walking for a day now and Spike was beginning to lag behind. “I’m tired, can’t we take a break?” He was dangling his head and shuffling a few feet behind me. “No, I’m a very important dragon and we’ve still got three more days.” Then I heard a thud. I looked behind me to see Spike had collapsed. “Really? Bolas!” I walked up and picked him up. I put him in the backpack I had the gems in and continued walking. Luckily, since I don’t have to worry about Spike lagging back I can pick up the pace. Great, now I’m getting tired. Since I was able to sprint I managed to cut down the distance drastically. Should only take one more day, which will only put us one day behind. I think that I deserve to rest. I climbed up a tree set my backpack on the branch above me and fell asleep. Before I dozed off I swear I heard a twig snap and some whispering. Weird. “There it is Spike.” The volcano was finally within view. “Should be maybe a two hour walk.” “Great let’s go.” Spike ran down the hill we were standing on. “Spike, wait up!” I ran after him. Once we were a pretty close to the volcano I decided it was time to transform. So I took on my dragon form and Spike and I headed off again. “Ok Spike, when we get there I’m going to give you a backstory, play along and you’ll be fine. If you have any questions during this migration just ask me.” I picked him up and put him on my shoulder. When we finally got to the top of the volcano I roared and all the dragons in the volcano turned, when they saw it was me they all stood up and roared. As I headed for my special cave some of the usual kiss up dragons followed. “Lord Bolas why are you so late?” One of the asked. “Because, my nephew Spike here wanted us to walk.” I pointed to Spike. “Nephew? I didn’t even know you had any siblings.” “Yes, I had a sister. Her dying wish was that I watch over him and take him on the migration.” “Oh, well hello Spike.” One of them waved at him. “Hi.” “Well that’s enough small talk. I’ll be in my cave.” I turned and walked into what made most caves look like tiny holes in a wall. “Alright Spike, so that’s your cover. Remember, here I’m Nicol Bolas and you are to address me as that.” “Right.” “Alright now go mingle.” I followed him out of the cave. When I got outside I headed for my makeshift throne at the top of the volcano. I sat down and watched as Spike headed for a pack of teenage dragons. I got a little angry when I saw them messing with him. Maybe I should turn into a younger dragon and go guard him. Then I saw a dragon that caught my attention. It was small and green and kind of snakey and derpy. The part that caught my eye was the fact all its legs were different colors and its wings were feathered. “Something wrong Lord Bolas?” One of the dragons next me asked. “Yes, bring that green one to me.” I pointed at the strange dragon. “Yes sir.” He came back after a minute carrying the dragon in his hand. It was wiggling trying to get free. “Here you are.” I held my hand out and he dropped the creature into it. “Let us go freak!” It yelled at me. That voice sounded familiar. I brought it up to my face and looked closer. It had eyes in its head and chest! What is this thing! “I’d watch my mouth if I were you whelp. Insulting a god can be a dangerous thing.” I was still trying to figure out what this thing actually was. “Tell me, what are you supposed to be?” “We’re a dragon.” That was a different voice, again it sounded familiar. Ok, so it has multiple different colored legs, feathered wings, multiple voices and eyes in its mouth. “Last I checked dragons didn’t look like weird caterpillars.” I then grabbed its head and tried to tug it off. “Cut it out Sean!” Now I definitely know that one. “Twilight?” “Yeah, and Rarity and Rainbow.” “Why are you here, and why do you look like a poorly made insect?” “How dare you! I worked hard to make this costume.” “Well you should have added some sort of boots and wing covers. That’s how I spotted you. Still, why are you here?” “To watch Spike.” “I thought that was my job.” “Yeah but you can’t watch up close like us.” “Alright, go back to playing dragon.” I put them on the ground. Well Spike seems to be fitting in nicely, meanwhile the ponies continue to make me lose faith in the next generation of dragons. Looks like I can finally relax. I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. “Hey, Grandpa!” Spoke too soon I guess. I opened my left eye to see a dragon looking up at me from the middle of the crater. Looks like it’s time to shame another young dragon. Seriously, why do they keep coming? I always win. I also don’t get why they insist on calling me old, I’m only 918 years old. No time to think about that I guess. “What?” “I challenge you!” “To checkers?” “No! This migration you’ll be dethroned.” “Sure I will.” I stood up. Then I flew down to him. “You ready? Or do you want time to make an apology speech after I smack you around?” He charge at me and I dodged. I kicked the dragon in the stomach sending him flying back. He already had a black eye and some missing spines on his head. He recovered from the kick surprisingly fast and lunged at me. I side stepped when he ran past me I grabbed his tail and spun him around until letting go and throwing him into a wall. “You done yet? Or do you need some more?” I cracked my knuckles as I walked towards him. “This isn’t over yet.” He lunged at me. And clawed at my stomach, likely going for some organs. Sadly all that happened was he scratched my armor. Which actually ended up filing down some of his claws. “Ooh, nice try. My turn.” I took my fist and punched it through his stomach. I heard him cry out in pain before I pulled my hand out and he fell to the ground gasping. “You don’t looks so good. Let me see if I can help.” I picked him up and pulled one of his wings off. I put it in the hole I had made. “No that doesn’t fit, let’s try an arm.” I slowly dismembered him until he was just a torso with all his limbs and wings scattered all over the place. “Someone clean this up. He’s bleeding all over my nice clean volcano!” Now that that’s done I may as well check on Spike. I looked over to see him and those little friends of his talking and pointing at the dead dragon. He seems fine. Now maybe I can gets some rest. I flew back to my throne and sat down. I think I deserve a nap. “Come on Spike let’s go.” The red teenager ordered impatiently. “I don’t know maybe I should ask my uncle first.” He pointed to Sean who was asleep in his chair. “What are you a baby? You don’t need to ask some old dragon for permission. Now come on.” “Ok I guess.” “Lord Bolas wake up.” “Huh?” I opened my eyes to see a dragon shaking me. “What do you want?” “You should know that your nephew and a few of those teenage dragons have flown off.” “What!” I jumped up. “Where’d they go?” “I don’t know sir. Perhaps one of the whelps will know.” “They better.” I flew over to where the pack of young dragons was standing when I got there I shrank myself to their size. “Hey! Where’d your moron friends go with Spike?” They all looked at me stuttering but none answering me. “If I don’t get an answer in the next ten seconds none of you will live to see the next migration.” “Phoenixes! They went to steal eggs from a phoenix nest.” One of them shouted. “Where?” “Into the forest, that way.” He pointed his finger behind me. “Thank you. Also, if Spike is injured at all it’s all your heads.” I grew to my normal size and flew off. Note to self, next time get them to give better directions. I mean in the forest that way is not that useful. I had taken the form of a phoenix to see if it helps me find some others. So far it has not been helpful. Until I saw a flash of light and I heard some crashes. I followed the sound to find three of those young dragons stuck in a tree. They pulled themselves out and I followed them. After a while they came to a clearing where they found Spike with an egg. I was perched on a nearby branch watching. They yelled at him to smash it chanting. Then Spike refused saying how he was once an egg too. That sounded so stupid. Then they tried to grab the egg from him and Twilight and her friends showed up. Spike gave some speech about being a pony. I face winged at that. Then they all ran and the teenage dragons gave chase. Twilight and the group managed to teleport away and that’s when I decided to confront the dragons. “Hey!” I flew down to the clearing and turned into the smaller dragon me. “Lord Bolas!” all the teenage dragons bowed. “I’d save the formalities. They won’t help you.” “What do you mean?” the red one asked. “What I mean is you messed with Spike. That is not tolerable.” “What are you going to do?” “You have one minute before the hunt begins.” I looked at my wrist. “The hunt?” “Yep, I’m gonna hunt each of you down until you’re all dead. If you survive the night you get to live.” “What!” they all said in unison. “You heard me. 50 seconds.” “Let’s go!” the skinny purple one and the tubby brown one started to run. “Guys, he’s not going to do anything.” The red one who seemed to be the leader looked at me with a smug look. “Wanna bet?” I took my tail and wrapped it around his neck, then I tightened till it snapped. I looked at the other two. “You have 30 seconds. I’d get running.” I was flying over the tubby brown dragon as he ran through the forest I was in the form on an eagle. He and the purple one decided to try and split up and if they survived they were to meet in the clearing where this had started at, dusk. Sadly it won’t work. After a few minutes of following him I decided I should kill him now. I swooped down. The purple dragon paced in the clearing. Where was he? His friend was supposed to meet him here by now, it was almost sunrise. Maybe Nicol Bolas had gotten a hold of him. No, he can’t think like that. Then he heard a twig snap and looked in the direction it had come from. He was shaking in fear. Suddenly his brown friend burst from the tress breathing heavily and looking behind him in terror. “You made it. I was beginning to think he had gotten you.” His friend just kept breathing heavily. It made sense, he had never been the most athletic of dragons. He turned his back to his friend pointing to where sun was going to rise soon “Look, the sun is almost here, we’re safe.” “You sure?” “What?” He began to turn to look at him but as soon as he had could see him a blade stabbed through his stomach. He looked and saw that the brown dragon’s eyes were green. “No. We were so close.” The brown dragon began to transform until it was Nicol Bolas looking him in the eyes. “True, but close only counts in horse shoes and fireballs.” He then pulled his arm out of the purple dragon. “Thanks for the fun game. You and your friends really livened up this migration.” He stepped over the dying dragon and walked into the forest leaving the young dragon to die. Alright, now that that’s done I can head back to the volcano. When I got there a few dragons came up to me asking about Spike. I explained that those teenage dragons he had been hanging around scared him off and I would have to hunt him down after the migration. They also asked where the other dragons had gone. I explained they attacked Spike so I returned the favor. I then headed to my cave to go relax and enjoy some gems, which aside from the ones I brought from home several dragons offered as a gift to me. Some even gave me things like gold which in the end help keep the royal vault filled. I went to the stack of gems lay down on my back and began to eat them like popcorn before dozing off. The rest of the migration was uneventful, usual stuff. Some other young dragons challenged me, I killed them, got some more gems, slept, and spoke with some other dragons. Then once the two weeks was up we all went our separate ways. I decided to check on Spike so I made a quick stop in Ponyville. I got to Twilights house and let myself in. I looked around but couldn’t see anyone. “Hello!? Anyone home?” I stood in the door way for a minute until I heard some footsteps. Then Spike came down the stairs with a baby phoenix on his head. “Hey Sean, what are you doing here?” “The migration ended so I figured I’d come see how you were doing.” “Oh, I’m fine. Look I even got a new friend.” He pointed to the phoenix on his head. “Nice. Well I just came to see if you were Ok. Don’t worry next migration will be better.” “I don’t know if I’ll go to the next one.” “Ha like you’ll have a choice.” I turned and walked out the door then I flew home.