//------------------------------// // Chapter Seven: Worth. // Story: The Legacy of Harmony // by overlord-flinx //------------------------------// The hour of the coming high noon set upon the convoy headed by Fenix Dragonheart. The leader and watchman against the dwindling night, Fenix, kept his front and back legs folded under his armor clad body while he watched tirelessly over the vast plains. The sockets of his helmet that led to his eyes rang empty of nearly any life aside from the small periodic bats of the stallion's eyes blinking. Not a muscle of his body moved while he watched over his partners, his senses heightened by the possible threat of trouble. His nerves were steeled and his attention made to a fine point. To this end, it only took him a fraction of a second to break his stance, stand with a wide gait, and finally cast his iron strong glare in the direction of the first thing that caught his attention in his whole time of keeping watch the already passed night. Fenix stature was very much imposing; by overall size of the stallion and the sharp decoration of his signature armor. So much so, even his partners would let out a yelp from time to time when he went into a protective stance or was switched into an alert. By no means had they ever expected him to even think about hurting any of them; but fear is fear. Fear which Whooves was now filled with as Fenix bared down at him. Fenix immediately resigned his threatening stance and shorted the gap between his legs. "'Ooves... Nay'ya should be sneakin' up'n the watch..." Fenix huffed, the metal around his muzzle causing every word he said become echoed and slightly distorted. "Right. Sorry, Fenix. I'll try and tie a bell around my neck so you don't snap it next time I walk up behind you," Whooves answered with a genuine manner of speaking. A very odd thing for any pony to say, but something Fenix would have thought as criminal of Whooves didn't say it at all. Fenix turned back to watching his post, in turn also looking back towards the mountain that Ban had taken the princesses for his lesson to them. Part of the stallion worried that the princesses weren't safe, but the other half assured him in these moments of worry that Ban was trustworthy if nothing else. "...Think Ban's lesson sunk in on the small one or the older one?" Whooves asked out of nowhere. "If'n Ban did a rightful job, both of'm will learn the lesson..." Fenix answered with a solemn nod. They both looked to the mountain absent of visible life aside from a few thriving bushes or trees against the mountain side. "...I'd say that little Celestia filly got the message loud and clear," Whooves spoke up once again, "That Luna bird won't understand 'bravery'. Nope," Fenix turned to say something to his partner, but Whooves had already turned back to the small camp and was heading off. "Why'd'ya say that, Doc?" Fenix called after Whooves. Whooves sure enough stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder, smiling at his armor wearing friend. "Well it's simple, Fenix. You said it yourself, these two are the ones who'll set the future... Right sure both of them can't absorb each lesson. Six 'powers-that-be', six lessons. Three for each bird." "Aye? An' what does the goo' doc say'll be the lessons each lass will learn?" Fenix said flatly. "'Thinking' isn't knowing..." Whooves shot back, still smiling a rather complex smile at Fenix, "If you ask what I think, I'll tell you I don't know because I don't know. If you ask what I know, I'll tell you to remember what you know. Because my know isn't what you know even though I know you know the know I know is a no-no..." As impossible as it is to see Fenix's face, Whooves could tell he lost him, "Look... Complexities cut short: You'll know what I know when it's time for you to know. That's as simple as I can make it," Whooves bowed his head and started back towards the camp again. That was, however, before he heard Fenix spout an order from behind him. "Get your affairs in order, 'Ooves. You'll be takin' the lass off'a Ban's 'ooves when'n'if they come back..." Fenix's voice, though still dulled by his metal armor, came clear to Whooves. The young doctor spun around and shook his head frantically at his leader. "Oh-no-no-no-no-no-no-no! Na-uh! Not happening." Fenix stepped around Whooves and went on towards the camp while ignoring Whooves' words. "Happenin'. Like it er' not." An unmistakable chuckle came from behind Fenix helmet as he passed the doctor by. "But... But... Fenix, I'm no good with tykes! Why not Pallanen? He loves children," no matter how he pleaded, Fenix kept shaking his head and cemented his choice, "But... I don't even have a planner for what I'll tell them. I bet Ban had them do some sort of buffalo rite-of-passage with fire, and coal, and war paint... I can't compete with that!" "Turner..." Whooves froze when he heard that name spoken. Fenix looked over his shoulder, scraping his metal helmet against his breast plate in the process. "Did ya' not jus'a momen' ago say they'll learn 'all six lessons'? Thinkin' that counts a lesson from ya'as well..." Fenix voice was both firm and friendly when he laid down the law for Whooves. Fenix allowed Whooves a moment to collect his thoughts and left the doctor alone while Fenix himself walked away. Alone with his thoughts, Whooves started to scowl and bucked his back hooves against the dirt under him. "Wankers... He's right. Guess I'll... Make something up..." Doctor Whooves, the travelling apothecary and weaver of tales-of-interest sat himself down and started to ponder on just what he could impart on the two future rules of what he would come to know as 'Equestria'.