//------------------------------// // Hope is All You've Got // Story: My Son, My Soldier, My Hero // by That_Random_Pony //------------------------------// "I hope this is important."  Jerosh waved for his younger brother to follow as they walked through the humid corridors. "Reku'un is somewhere in galaxy 17-3, and I believe planet A2 would be the best place to look." The monitor above the door swirled open and revealed a cerulean "eye" that scanned the two. The blue light turned green and slid the door to the side.  "I'm aware," Jaqeluu said. "Why have you called me?" "The energy of the Ashla, brother," Jerosh snorted with annoyance. "And I'll ask that you keep your patience. Reku'un is fine." "When or if the horde finds them before us, he couldn't survive the first wave," Jaqeluu snarled. "We could rescue him now and bring him back." "To where?!" Jerosh roared. "Loki'ir is gone! Herod! Heraj! If we make the mistake of going and possibly leaving our forces to the horde, we'll have no way of creating a force to stop them! The mutts will kill the men, women, children, and Signa! If the Signa can grow up with the boy, they'll be efficient warriors with bonds as brothers! If you want, go! Have the soldiers catch you and Reku'un and you can forsake our kind!" Jaqeluu glared right into the face of his elder, even if he himself was supposed to be the wisest of them. With a sigh, Jaqeluu shook his head and placed a hand on his brother's left shoulder. "Forgive me, Jerosh. I want to do what is best, but I just worry." Jerosh placed his right hand on his little brother's shoulder as well. "You're forgiven," he smiled. "I'm worried as well. But you worry too much. It's unbecoming of an Oracle." Jaqeluu smirked. "Thank you. What is the plan?" They reached a closed set of doors, the same monitor allowing them access to the area of the ship only the five brothers had. Jerosh brought his brother over to the galactic map and placed the holographic images of their fleets on the grid. "Ignoa, Romak, and Inkot are near Loki'ir, along with thousands of fighters and cruisers. They have the bulk of our weaponry, and Protiiglo Ramak as well." He scrolled across the map to the moon of a desert planet. "Urur, Nitank, Heffrep, and Totok are stationed on the moon of Subak. They have millions of fighters and warships guarding the young and newborn Signa. The Council is with them also, so they can be set before our primary." "Which is the fleet near Sobalkan space," Jaqeluu said. Jerosh nodded, bringing up the image of hundreds of Dreadnaught class ships drifting through space. "If our operations are to be successful, we'll need them." "Which is why you, Fermot, and Agner will be going to get them," Jerosh told him. "Derekosh and I will talk with the Council, and we'll meet with the fleet near Loki'ir. You know how unpredictable he can be. Understand?" "Yes, brother," Jaqeluu nodded. "We should go now, before the horde can ready themselves."                                                                                       Draco sat in the grass on the outskirts of Ponyville, looking out into the night. He and Moon had just finished explaining Ember's past with them, which was a clawful for her. She had no memory of fighting the griffons, no memory of Moon, nor of him. All the years he spent with her… the years spent training, talking, laughing, smiling… the times she nuzzled him… hugged him… and the kiss she gave him in the tent. All of it… …gone. He wiped away a tear and ran his hand through his hair. His nose picked up on Twilight's scent, and no sooner did the unicorn sit beside him and lean into him. She nuzzled his cheek briefly, and let him scratch her head while looking into her eyes. This was the sort of thing Ember had done for him for so long, but before that, she did this for him, and before then Rainbow… well, not really. "After all the three of us have been through… all that crap in the Empire. Like it never happened." It was part sadness and part anger. "If I had just gotten to her in time… mabe if I didn't just rush ahead like an idiot she would've-" Twilight placed a hoof over his mouth, smiling gently and nuzzling him. "It could be worse, Draco. At least she made it back okay," she smiled. Barely. "I'm sure she'll warm up to you again," Twilight assured him. "You're the same since we met. Just bigger." Draco shook his head with a small laugh and nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm sure she will," he said.  But… will she love me back? Will she even see me that way? With a small sigh, Draco hugged her close. "Thanks," he said softly.  A small blush crept over her cheeks as she hugged him back. "A-Anytime," she barely managed to say. "S-So… are you going back to Canterlot?" Draco shrugged, thinking deeply. King Draco had been informed that the war was over, the dragons were helping Shadow and Peck, and that Ember was recovering in the hospital. He hadn't been told that she had slight amnesia. Now, he wasn't sure what to do. Maybe take Ember back home… but she felt something for him once, she had to have. And he knew he felt something for her, it was the one reason he wasn't going back to his mother or sending her back.  "I'm gonna have to stay, maybe try and help Ember remember," he said. "Maybe if she's around close friends she'll remember." Twilight nodded, sighing with content as Draco scratched just behind her ear. "Maybe she needs to see something from her past," Twilight suggested.  Draco hummed quietly thinking back to somewhere of interest. "I don't know… but maybe I can do without it," he said. He glanced down to her, adoring the sparkle the night sky put into her eyes. It gave her a feminine beauty she lacked as a filly, but she was no filly. She was a grown, beautiful mare. Her coat was brushed thoroughly and her mane just as. His nostrils were loving the sweet smell coming from her, and her soft coat under his arm warmed him in the cool night air. He smiled as soft snores started leaving her, then picked her up and walked her to the library. Luckily, the door was open and he carried her to her bedroom. There was a guest room and some other rooms filled with books, and then a room with a smaller staircase leading to what he assumed was her bed. He tucked her into bed, watching her sleep for some time before heading out for the nearest motel.                                                                                        Moon waited for Ember to fully grasp her situation, which she did very quickly, as he expected. "So… you're saying that we three have grown up from the age of twelve, while you yourself have remained over a thousand years old." Moon nodded. "And… Draco's mother is Princee Celestia… and your mother is Princess Luna." "Yes." Ember's wings twitched uncomfortably as she paced around her hospital room. "And we've trained for a war ever since Draco lost his caretaker, which my father agreed to by training me and halting our advances." Moon nodded again. "And we won… but I was injured? And what about him? He was mortally wounded you said." Moon turned away as he recalled the dozens of arrows and spears he saw puncture Draco's body, but none slowed him. "He's… resilient. Moreso than a dragon, I believe," Moon shrugged. "And after I was hit, and Draco killed the Emperor… he carried me three days in a row?" Ember questioned. "And three nights. He reunited with his mother, as did I, then we came back and found you this way." Ember sat back down, her arms crossed and her tail swaying in thought. "I… I don't remember either of you," she said lowly. "I remember… screams… and bodies. Lots of them. But not much else." A small grin appeared on Moon's snout. She had been there for most of his anger massacres, so it meant she at least remembered some of that. "It is a start," he nodded. "Hopefully it'll come back with time. I'll leave you be. Goodnight, Ember." The dragoness nodded as the lunar wolf departed, and she laid back in her bed. The creature… Draco, as everypony called him, sounded like a force to reckon with. Not only that, but he sounded just as kind. She still had trouble believing that he defeated an entire army on his own, and the "other side" of him sounded just as ridiculous. But, hearing it from Draco before just sounded… true. Gods above knew why, she trusted him much more than Moon or the ponies. Even if it sounded ridiculous, she couldn't bring herself to believe it wasn't true. Maybe she did know him? Or they were friends once? Without my memory I'm as useless as a hatchling. Maybe if I remain near Draco and Moon I'll regain my memory. He looked… heartbroken when he saw I couldn't remember. Were we an item? Mates? I doubt he'd find much interest in a dragoness over a mare. But they are the only way I'll ever find my way, and since father knows I'm here and he hasn't sent a battalion, perhaps I can trust them. She looked out the window, then closed her eyes. Hopefully.