//------------------------------// // twenty // Story: Jump of the Iron Dragon // by tosety //------------------------------// I was getting restless. It was nearing the middle of my second day in the field and the weather was feeling like snow was coming. I had quietly voiced my concern about Steelskin being caught out here in a snowstorm to Rainbow Dash, but she gave me the enigmatic answer of ‘We’ll just leave a hole in the cloud for you.’ Miss Sweetheart also came by with a paper she wanted a talon mark on. It was something related to officially adopting Steelskin. She also said she needed to talk about the suitability of my cave. I smelled donkey and tensed up involuntarily. Looking around, I saw my attacker being led by a unicorn guard. “I have come to apologize and offer restitution to you and the citizens of ponyville.” The donkey humbly bowed to me as a unicorn guard stood behind and to his right. I smelled mind control magic. Looking into his eyes, I could see that while the influence appeared to be slight, the donkey had obviously been ‘adjusted’. I took a moment to control my rage and make sure it did not affect my voice. “I accept your apology, but now I must go.” I quickly launched myself into the air and flew to my cave. My side was screaming agony as partially healed muscles protested the sudden exertion. I knew that I was setting back my healing by a substantial amount, but I could not let this cruelty go uncontested. My cave was how I left it and my treasure in the middle of my sleeping area was only missing the few bars that Steelskin and Twilight had brought me. This calmed me down a little as it removed the fear of intruders that had been building during my recuperation, though I was still in danger of losing control. I quickly ate enough iron bars to sustain me on my journey and started my flight to Canterlot. Mind control as a punishment? I never dreamed that ponies could be this barbaric. No, I should have guessed. Ponies are herd animals, so it would stand to reason that they would value conformity above all else. I took the extra time I had during my flight to grow my full battle plate and adjust it to be more resistant to magic. Especially my head. Soon, the mountain city was in my sights. I made for the largest of the windows of the castle. They had images of what I took to be great battles represented in the glass. Cries from the guards erupted all throughout the battlements as I approached. They were apparently manning (ponying?) some seige type weapons which I ignored until I needed to avoid some large wooden projectiles. I rewarded them with some spikes through their weapons. I noticed Twilight and her friends in several windows just before I ripped three of them apart as I crashed through them. I saw the petitioners scatter and the royal guards charge at me. I ignored the spears and magic bolts as I roared my rage at the white horse sitting on the throne radiating the now repulsive aura of motherly affection. The mage bolts from the unicorns were irritatingly painful. The spears were not felt at all as they bounced off my plating. “What barbarism do you perpetrate in this nation?” I screamed at Celestia as she sat there with her unreadable calm. “Guards, please leave Tallic alone. He is angry about something and needs to talk with me.” Celestia turned from her guards and looked at me again. “Please tell me what has happened, dear Tallic.” ”Mind control magic! The donkey had his mind taken from him!” “Ah, yes, I make sure to be informed of the times when conscience alteration is necessary. It was not mind control, just a very gentle reformation spell.” I sat glaring death at her. The main bulk of my rage had been vented, so I no longer needed to scream at her. “All the spell did was to fix a damaged conscience.” Her calm arrogance caused my anger to flare again. “Is that what you would have done to me if I killed that egg stealer?” I changed my tone to a cold and ruthless whisper. “Would you have taken away my mind?” “What would you have me do to the one who attempted your murder? What would you have me do to the one who carelessly put innocent civilians in mortal danger? What would you have me do to the one who was ready to kill Steelskin? Would you rather he be executed, or have him rot in a dungeon for the rest of his life?” She spoke with quiet strength. “Yes, either of those would be better than to lose your very mind.” She paused for a second, possibly thrown by my answer. “I will not execute my little ponies.” Her whisper held a hint of danger. “It would have been better for him if you had! You have no right to take away free will!” I was in danger of losing control again. ”I will not sit back and watch as they fall into the trap that claimed my sister!” Her self control broke and tears fell from her eyes as she grabbed me in her magic and thrust me against a wall. The building shook with the force of the impact. I wanted to spear her through the heart. She took a moment to compose herself again and looked at me with eyes I could understand. “I am sorry that you do not have telepathy, for then I could show you how minor the change was. It was literally putting something back the way it used to be... like gluing the handle back onto a broken teacup. However, I do understand your anger and your... concern, but if you cannot trust me, then you must at least accept that this is the law of the land.” She took another breath before continuing. “How would you feel if that thunder gem that I am told you refused to dodge, had hit and killed some of Steelskin’s friends? We cannot allow that kind of disregard for life...” Her voice dropped to a pained whisper. “But neither can I imprison anypony again.” Her voice regained its strength, but stayed dangerously calm. “I have trod the path of the tyrant. It is a path I have vowed to never set hoof on again. Never again shall I execute, never again shall I imprison away from the light of my sun.” I sat there, pinned to the wall, sulking like a hatchling that had been told to stay in their cave. I had exhausted my reasoning, but could not accept hers. Now was the time to accept that we were too different. Both of us found the others’ idea of justice to be vile and disgusting. I hung my head in defeat. “I accept your rule over this land... I just ask that you never use it on me. If you ever feel the need... please execute me... It would be kinder.” She released me gently and her voice returned to the kindness of a friend. “I will not do that. I doubt that I shall ever have to do more than give you a lecture, but if I do deem it to be necessary, I promise you that I shall exile you to the dragon lands rather than use anything you deem to be mind control.” “I will accept that, but I have lost all respect for your rule.” I sat there, staring at her with resignation. “I am sorry for that, and again, I wish I could show you how very gently and slightly we fixed his conscience. Even with somepony as cruelly dangerous as he was, we rarely do this. Even then, we tread very lightly and carefully, seeking only to find the original state and return their conscience to that.” Her eyes spoke of compassion and regret. If it were not for the horrors I had seen, I may have even been swayed by her words and that look of sorrow. I noticed that her horn had not stopped glowing when she released me from the wall, and as I looked, I saw the last bit of the windows fuse itself back into place as if I had never broken it. “And Tallic, please use the dragon entrance next time.” She nodded to a set of doors easily large enough for me to fit through. “You will find my guards much more accommodating if you do not break windows when you come to discuss things with me.” She gave me a sad smile with her farewell. I got back from school to find Tallic gone. In his place was the donkey that attacked us. Tears of rage ran down my face as I charged him, ready to make him hurt as bad as he made Tallic hurt. I was caught in a unicorn’s grip, hooves unable to touch the ground, but that wouldn’t stop me. I sent my foreleg out and caught him full in the face. When my legs were grabbed, I started twitching them until I was encased in a shield bubble that I pounded on until I ran out of strength. “You done yet?” A unicorn guardspony was looking at me angrily. “What’s he doing here, and where’s Tallic?” My fear and worry pushed out my anger and I broke down in tears. “I came to apologize, Tallic flew off towards Canterlot after I apologized to him. I also wanted to tell you yourself how sorry I am and I want to find a way to make it up to all of you.” The donkey rubbed his jaw where I had hit him as he spoke. “I forgive you.” It slipped out before I even knew what I was saying. Mom had made it very clear that you should always accept an apology even if you’re going to stay cautious around them. I sat back on my haunches as I realized what I had just forgiven him for. I wanted to hurt him even more, but you don’t take back forgiveness. The only thing left for me to do was sulk as the mule thanked me and walked with his guard back to Ponyville. Taking a moment to gather clean magic from the environs surrounding Canterlot castle, I flew as gently as I could back to Ponyville. I was making use of air currents more than I ever had before and, while it helped, I was still in pain during the entire flight. My thoughts inexorably drew me back to the 'Paladin of Happiness’. ~~~ “Oh, ho, ho,” Heartgourger laughed at me in response to my threat. He stayed at the entrance to my cave as he continued his lecture on enforced ‘happiness’. “Squashing me won’t give you the lasting happiness that this kingdom requires.” At the word ‘requires’ his staff erupted in a blinding light. All concerns were washed away and I sat there in a blissful stupor. “Come, dragon, time to head into town and make this spell permanent.” I happily followed him like a puppy. As we walked down the main street, I saw vacant smiles all around me. It is so nice that everyone is happy... No! it is not good... ...but everyone is so happy and content... The staff... After a great deal of back and forth with myself, I won back my mind enough to reach out and grab his staff in my talon, snapping it like a twig. Instantly, my mind cleared and I eliminated the threat in front of me with a wet splat. Everyone around me smiled pleasantly except one slightly more aware one that gave a happy shout. I grabbed as much iron as I could find, raiding the blacksmith and the armoury, and flew back to my cave. I grabbed a boulder and sealed myself in for the remainder of my time there. ~~~ Ponyville lay ahead of me. It no longer looked as inviting as it had. I adjusted my course to fly over it on my way back to my cave, trumpeting my presence so that Steelskin would know I had come back. I settled myself on my hoard and glanced over to the spot I had hollowed out during a moment of loneliness. I wonder if my outburst at Celestia will negatively affect that adoption application Miss Sweetheart had gotten my signature on. Drifting off into a healing slumber, I sent out a quiet thanks for her change of heart. Celestia sat on her throne and smiled, glad to be given a thank you from one of her subjects. She closed her eyes and whispered “You’re welcome, Tallic.” Pulling out a scroll and quill, she began to compose a letter before a frown replaced the smile. “No, ‘tis better he not know about this link with the residents of my land... he may take it the wrong way. With a sigh, she returned her scroll and quill to their places. I sat shivering in the grass. I knew it wasn’t true, but I was almost panicking with the fear that he was never coming back. I fought back the tears and the lump in my throat. I felt a hoof on my back. I looked up and saw Mister Brennan and noticed it was that strange ‘hand’ thing humans have on their forelegs. I didn’t trust myself to speak. I was pretty certain I’d start sobbing like a baby if I tried. I laid my head back down on the grass and closed my eyes. "It's hard when the ones you care about leave, I know... But you have to remember, sometimes it's for us. Sometimes they come back." I really didn’t want to hear him making my fears sound more reasonable. My body started shuddering with the sobs I was holding back. His voice perked up. "Or sometimes you just have to follow them and slap them upside the head for being so stupid. The trick is figuring out which it is." Matt ruffled my mane. That actually made me feel a little better. If he... I couldn’t even think it... but at least I could run off and find where he went and yell at him for leaving me behind. I might even be able to get Mister Brennan’s help tracking him down. I was able to give him a teary eyed smile as I thought about a knight helping me hunt the dragon and drag him home. "Don't worry, he'll be fine, he's not about to leave you under my care. He wouldn't dare die on you if it meant me taking responsibility for you." I gave a little half sob, half chuckle at the thought of him adopting me. Yeah, Tallic would have a fit. Just then, a shadow passed over us and I heard Tallic give his little bugle. I looked up to see Tallic and watched as he flew towards his cave. Needless to say, I scrambled to my hooves and chased after him. I ran around the town so that I wouldn’t run into anypony. I stumbled more than once because I kept my eyes on him instead of where I was running. Just before I left the field, I remembered to turn back and call out my thanks to Mister Brennan. Miss Introspective trotted up to Matt. “Thank you so much for that talk you gave him. I was concerned he was going catatonic with everything he witnessed.” Tears welled up in her eyes. “We have yet to find a way of safely reaching those who have closed off the world... We end up having to wait and hope they come back to us.” “Nah, he wasn’t at that point yet. Would’ve woken up on his own once he heard Tallic. That dragon’s his whole world,” Matt responded. “Greetings, Doctor Whinnicolt.” Celestia stood at the door to his office at the Canterlot Psychiatric Ward. “Princess.” The unicorn bowed briefly. “What do I owe the honor of your visit?” “Simply put, Tallic has expressed concern over our method of treating Oté. I consider it necessary, as he was the injured party, to have a formal investigation into the decisions relating to his treatment. Due to the unique nature of this case, I have decided that I should handle it myself.” Doctor Whinnicolt looked a little nervous at this. “Yes, most certainly...” “Do not worry,” Celestia said reassuringly as she ushered him into his office. “You have served Equestria wisely and compassionately for many years. All I am looking for is the notes on why a reformation spell was deemed to be necessary, details of the spell, and the observations on its particular effect on him. This is only to try to set Tallic’s mind at ease and not because there is any concern on my part about your handling of this case.”