Another jump... I wonder who will try to kill me here?
I looked around at the forest I was surrounded by, noting the bits of cave that were close enough to me to be brought along.
First, find an unoccupied cave.
Second, do not get my hopes up about seeing either of my adopted sons here. Better yet, do not hope for anything.
It had been about twenty-five jumps since I had the ability to be self sufficient rather than stealing my meals or demanding tribute. Both tend to get the locals annoyed and eventually leads to a hero or angry mob. That is a lesson I have learned the hard way. I shook my head, remembering all the times my pride and greed got the best of me as a wyrmling.
I made the decision to walk rather than fly so that I could keep a low profile. There was no need to advertise the fact that there is a ‘dangerous monster that needs to be killed’ in these parts.
A day of exploring yielded one cave, occupied by some sort of magical saber-toothed ursan beast four times my size. I think I shall pass on that one. Also found were a few magically animated wooden wolf-like creatures and some sort of twist on a displacer beast. There was the scent of another dragon, but it seemed far off and was not fresh. I estimated it to be on the other side of the forest and probably indulging in a century nap.
I finally decided to hunker down for the night and make myself a hollow.
I’m so sick of this! Why did my mum and dad have to die, but not me? It’s so lonely in the orphanage. Miss Sweetheart barely even talks to me and nopony ever wants to play with me. I’m younger than most of the kids here, and I’m sick of the kids my age staring at my cutie mark and telling me how jealous they are of it. I finally got so sick of it, I beat up my bunk-mate, and now everypony is gonna hate me.
How can they not when I bucking beat up a colt for complimenting me?
~~~
”You want my cutie mark? Maybe you should ride a train when it jumps the rails!” I shouted as I dragged him off the top bunk and began stomping on his face. “Do you want to see the two adults that love you the most get smashed against the sides of the train car? Do you want to see their broken bodies in your dreams?” The older kids quickly dragged me off of him and held me down. Robbed of the ability to put actions to my words, my voice rose to a screech “Every time I close my bucking eyes I see my dad’s neck facing the wrong bucking way! Now I have this bucking cutie mark to constantly remind me every time I bucking look at my bucking flank!”
At this point, Miss Sweetheart came in and started treating the cuts and bruises on my bunk-mate’s face and forelegs while I sat panting and crying.
~~~
Where can I go? Everywhere I could think of, I’d just be dragged back to the orphanage and have to look at Rocksford and Miss Sweetheart until I’m of age. Since nopony will ever adopt a bully like me.
I wonder how much trouble I’m in for beating him up? I doubt they’ll even bother with my swearing after the damage I did to Rockford’s face.
“Guess the only place for me is the Everfree, hopefully I’ll get eaten quickly and won’t have to starve to death,” I muttered to myself as I trudged off under cover of night.
After walking for a while inside the darkness of the Everfree, I started having second thoughts. Getting eaten was no longer sounding like a welcome thing and I started noticing eyes watching me. After a few minutes of this, I started trembling with fright. I heard a twig snap behind me and thought I felt hot breath on my tail.
This is it, you’re gonna get what’s coming to you.
My courage completely failed me. I ran mindlessly, trying to escape phantom dangers and accusing eyes.
I was just settling down after moving my hoard to a barely acceptable shallow pit I had dug when a tiny equine creature came tearing through the forest, bleating with terror and ramming right into my side. The thing had a grey coat with a mane dyed teal.
Obviously a show pony and probably quite valuable to its owners. It hit me so hard, I expected its neck to be broken, but it just dazed itself enough to stop running. It was cute, but that usually did not stop creatures from becoming my lunch. As I pondered whether it would make a decent mouthful, I suddenly heard words.
“I don’t wanna die, I miss you, mommy and daddy, but I’m too scared of dying.”
The voice was coming from the... pony... no, colt. This was definitely a very young pony, and it was talking. Moreover, its... no, his crying was no longer the mindless braying of a frightened animal. The sound was most definitely the anguish of an intelligent being.
I am glad I was not hungry.
I started humming in the way that calmed down my adopted sons those many, many decades ago, and the little colt settled down enough to look up at me.
Of course, he immediately cowered in fright, covering his eyes again. But after a few moments he must have wondered why he had not been eaten yet and looked at me closer. I changed my humming into a song.
Hush now little one,
Darkness comes, night doth fall.
Rest up weary one,
Grow now your metal scale.
Sleep now little one,
Night has come, sleep does call.
Strengthen now weary one,
‘Morning we conquer all.
Yes, it does not translate all that well, but it had the desired effect. Namely that his look of confusion changed to a look of wonder as he whispered “You can talk?”
“Yes little one, and I am as amazed at your ability to speak as you are of mine,” I whispered as I stroked his cheek reassuringly. “Why are you running through this dangerous wood?”
“I don’t wanna talk about it,” He mumbled.
I could see the guilt in his eyes so, for now, I decided not to press it. “I can understand that. I shall not press you tonight, so sleep now.”
I can guess he is a smart one, as his discomfort showed how clearly he understood my statement. “Do not worry, little one. I am very understanding.”
“O-okay”
“Well, then, let us exchange names, little hatchling. You may call me Tallic.”
“I’m Steelskin,” The little colt answered.
“Your name is quite the match for your coat coloration," I commented, hoping to settle him down some more "Well then, Steelskin, let us get a good night’s sleep, then talk about our troubles in the morning.”
I can’t believe I crashed into a dragon! He felt like a brick wall and running at full tilt, it reminded me of the battering I got in the train wreck. I was really scared when I first realized what it was, but it started humming like mommy does...
Did.
I couldn't help but sob like a little baby when I was reminded I’d never see her again.
It asked me why I was running, but I just couldn't answer. It said it was okay, just like dad always did, but I was prepared this time and kept from crying.
~~~
I must’ve been sleeping, ‘cause I woke up shrouded by its wing. It was moving carefully, like there was some sort of danger coming close.
“Your people have come, do you wish them to know you are here?”
“Please don’t” I whispered.
I was awoken by the sound of a dog barking, which is never a good thing. I was reassured by the tone of its barks. It sounded intelligent and happy, more like a tracking dog than the rabid, snarling, bark of bloodthirsty hunting dogs. They squish easily enough, but their handlers are usually well armed and psychotically brave. When it came into sight, I was even more reassured. It was well groomed and seemed more intelligent than most humans I have encountered. Not that that would be saying much. After the dog came three ponies and two humans. Bipeds, at least. I was only guessing that the future tech knight was human since his smell was muddled with all the technology on and in him.
Just looking at that armor made me want to squish him.
“Go away,” I rumbled, the menace in my voice making it a threat.
I took a second look at the ponies and noted their diverse coloration.
“Ahm sorry, Mr. Dragon, but we’re looking for a young colt who ran away, and Winona here seems to think he’s with y’all,” the orange pony drawled.
I thought for a moment. With a dog, they would be certain to know that the little colt was with me, and how she referred to the dog, it was obvious she respected it far more than most handlers.
“I will not talk to knights. Go away. End of conversation.” I glared even harder at the knight.
"Knight? I'm no knight, I'm also not here for a fight. I'm just trying to make sure everyone gets home in one piece."
That little fewmet, he is keeping his hand right by some sort of weapon and trying to act all nice.
“You are wearing armor, therefore you are a knight. Since you are arguing with me, I want that human gone as well,” I replied, motioning with my talon towards the unarmored human.
“M...mister d...dragon... I...I know you have Steelskin under your wing. C...could you p...please... le...let us talk to him?” The yellow pony stammered so badly that I did not even need to smell the fear radiating from her frail body.
That is enough. These creatures have officially worn out their welcome. I rose up, careful to keep the little colt hidden and safe.
”GO NOW!” I roared. ”I hate humans and will not tolerate their presence!” To punctuate my statement, I shot multiple foot long spikes from my mouth into the ground at their feet.
The humans drew their weapons. Apparently the knight has some sort of ‘gun’ and I think I saw the other one’s sword change shape. Finally, no more pretense. I shifted myself into a more aggressive stance, ready to squash the knight if he looked like he was going to use it. I had faced some pretty nasty versions of those things, some of which would have killed me with one hit if they had found their mark.
The purple pony...
wait, was that a horn on her head?
The purple unicorn stepped forward into the freshly spiked area. “I can understand anger, but you have no right to exclude an entire species just because of the actions of a few who have wronged you. In fact, I don’t know how... you could... even know... about... humans?” I could see the gears turning, although my limited knowledge kept me from knowing just what was clicking into place.
My interest temporarily calmed my rage and I took a moment to find out what she was thinking.
“If you hate humans, then you must have met some before...” The purple unicorn slowly stated.
Thank you miss obvious ...but I think I shall refrain from breaking her train of thought.
“And it seems you haven’t met Alex or Matt, so...”
“What are ya sayin’, Twi?” The orange pony interrupted.
“I think this dragon is a jumper.”
The two humans were distracted from eyeing me like a trophy by this statement. They stared, slack jawed, at ‘Twi’ like utter buffoons.
I clapped my claws together in a parody of the human gesture, my eyes twinkling with mirth. “Bravo, bravo, at least someone here has something inside their tiny skulls. Now, if you do not have anything more to say, please let me get back to sleep, I have a lot of burning and pillaging to do in the morning.”
Okay, so that was not the most intelligent thing for me to say... actually, maybe it was. Both humans paused for a minute like they understood it was sarcasm. They did not stand down, but they relaxed their stances to a noticeable degree. The ponies, on the other hand, got quite skittish.
I brought a claw to my muzzle. “I was joking. Why does everyone see me and immediately think I will burn down their village or eat their maidens? Oh yes, I forgot. I am a dragon and all dragons do that” I realized too late that I had revealed my little guest as he let out a frightened squeak and the yellow pony ran towards him.
I quickly put down a claw to stop her.
That was the plan, at least. A plasma bolt almost scorched my muzzle. That is what I get for taking my eyes off a knight with a gun. I jumped forward and quickly crushed him under claw. His armor gave a satisfying crunch as I ground him into the dirt.
Yes, I admit, there is something quite nice about the squish and crunch of a knight.
Before I had my normal remorse over killing another intelligent creature, I felt a small projectile hit my chest and saw the other human in a throwing stance. On his face there was a look of... regret? I felt electricity course from that spot, causing me to lose all control of my body. I cursed the combination of my conductive muscle and bone structure and the magical nature of the electricity that caused it to continue to course through my muscles rather than dissipate quickly into the ground.
As I fell to the ground, twitching violently, a magical attack enveloped my head and froze my body. Her attack was both powerful and focused in a way that spoke of intensive training. Worse yet, she did not seem to be struggling with the initial casting.
That unicorn is definitely a force to be reckoned with, I will need to watch my step if there are more that are that powerful.
That is, if I get out of this alive.
I saw the yellow and orange ponies dragging Steelskin away and I fought with all my might against the combined effects of the magical restraint and the electrical confusion of my muscles.
The unicorn, I was relieved to see, was struggling against my mental push. The human watched me warily, like he was unsure as to how to proceed. The colt, Steelskin, knew exactly what to do and was kicking and biting like an enraged animal.
I did not envy the adults trying to restrain him and I was pleased that someone other than I was getting hurt.
Alex stood there weighing his options. His sword was quickly dissipating its charge and Twilight looked to be having trouble holding her spell. Matt was seriously injured and couldn’t use his blaster and Applejack and Fluttershy had their hooves full trying to hold back a thrashing colt.
He could kill the dragon by setting his knife to full lethal mode, but what if it could be reasoned with? He could let it go, but that would leave them all open to its wrath. The town would also be in danger. He looked over at Twilight and tried to figure out whether she would be able to continue holding it while he tried to reason with it.
A single drop of sweat ran down his temple. That and the licking of his dry lips showed his turmoil. The consequences of any choice he made weighed on him.
"Alert. Unit condition critical. Immediate assistance required," An electronic voice stated from Matt’s direction.