//------------------------------// // River Guardian // Story: The Last Keeper of Harmony // by Rammy //------------------------------// "Hourglass? Why did you have to pick that place?" Discord groaned using a foam hand to facepalm his head. "I..." Harmony began but a series of howls cut him off. "No time, run!" Harmony spirited off for the stairs; the rest just stood in fear for a moment.  "You heard the pony, RUN!" Discord barked swatting at the frozen ponies.  With a jolt they made for the stairs, Spike still on Rarity's back.  Discord shook his head and mumbled, "I swear he's going to be the death of us all." before he himself took the rear. Harmony waited until everyone got to the top of the stairs. "It is easy to get lost in the deep Everfree so keep a sharp eye on the pony in front of you and keep especially a good eye on my coat." Everypony nodded in understanding and with that Harmony turned towards the deeper part of the forest and sprinted off at full gallop. "Oh, dear." Rarity fretted knowing her mane and coat would get ruined at the pace that Harmony had set. "No time to worry about your looks; just run!" Discord growled. The howling of the timberwolves only accented the truth of his words. Once everypony caught up to Harmony at the edge of the tree line Twilight's bookish curiosity got the best of her and yelled ahead to Harmony "What and where exactly is Hourglass?" "Hourglass is the name of the ruined city where Discord was born." Harmony yelled back. "Try and avoid talking... I'll explain more when we have a moment to rest..." With that no more words were spoken.   They only slowed down to skirt around groves of Poison Joke.  The pace never slowed down even after a few hours after no one had heard a single howl.  The only sound they would hear was the increasing panting as the hours slipped by. Spike was switched from Rarity to Harmony at a small break next to a creek to get a drink and catch their breaths. The flight continued on as the hours slipped into the afternoon. "Where are we going? This is not the right way to Hourglass..." Discord remarked after eying the position of the sun. "We need more help slowing down our tail." "Don't tell me..." Discord panting coming to a sudden realization. "Yes... River Guardian." Harmony himself panted, ignoring Discord's objection. "I... Said..." Discord wheezed no long able to protest. "Harmony, ah don't think we can keep up this pace much longer." Applejack remarked, observing the rest of the group. Harmony stole a glance back and noticed that what Applejack was saying was true. Both Applejack, whose hard work on the farm made the flight easier, and Rainbow Dash, whose athletic ability was legendary, seemed only slightly winded while the rest were looking like they were going to faint from exhaustion.  "Hence, River Guardian," was his only response turning his head back to the path. They traveled for another painful thirty minutes before anything changed. Applejack and Rainbow, the only two who had energy to look around could see a slight thinning of the trees. Soon Harmony slowed down to a slow canter and left the trail at an almost imperceptible bend.  After crashing through the trees for a few minutes Harmony and the group tumbled out into a clearing near a cliff. A river could be heard below the cliff. "We are here." Harmony stopped.  A collected groan and sigh of relief came as the girls collapsed in a bundle. Discord was so tired that he didn't bother conjuring anything and just rested heavily against a nearby tree.  "Spike time to get off." The barely awake hatchling stiffly slid off his back and limped over to the girls. "Rest for a bit everyone... We should be safe for the moment." Harmony, himself, took a few moments to rest. The normally moving colors of his coat had almost come to a standstill.  After catching his breath he went to stand by the cliff's edge.  He seem to just be staring off into the distance.  No one spoke for nearly an hour. Spike had fallen asleep while the rest, though just as tired, were too on edge to fall asleep. Harmony had never once moved or uttered a word for that entire hour. When He did everyone nearly jumped. "He comes." Suddenly a clearly annoyed thin purple dragon with blonde hair and a curly mustache popped above the cliff's edge. "I do find it rude to not announce that you are here." The dragon spoke crossing his arms. "I do apologize, He of Everfree River." Harmony bowed without taking his eyes off of the dragon. "Hmph." He of Everfree River stuck up his nose in disgust. "River Guardian, if you please." "Please forgive us we have been in flight since early this morning..." Rarity started before River Guardian stared at the very rude interruption coming from the pony pile. Harmony only casually glanced her way, stoic in his looks. "Do my eyes deceive me? Is that the pony from before that restore my beautiful mushtash?" River Guardian noted eying a very disheveled Rarity looking at him with bags under her eyes and her mane in a mess. " She looks absolutely terrible! Here," He handed a brush to Rarity, "this should help." "Thanks, darling." She weakly replied, grateful for the brush. "Now, what exactly is going on that would cause her to look like some tramp?" River Guardian turned his attention back to Harmony. Rarity hotely glared at him but quickly went back to her brushing. Without missing a beat Harmony deadpanned two words "Nameless One." A very undragonlike squeak escaped River Guardian at the mention of that ‘name’.  Everypony nearly jumped at it in surprise.  Harmony took a moment to glance at the river below and could see it churning unnaturally. "Well that is not good... not good at all..." Harmony looked back at him at this and noticed that it looked like he was about to do another undragonlike thing with his claws. "River Guardian I have a boon to ask of you." "Uh... ?" River Guardian snapped back to his old self." Yes, of course. What is it?" "Do you still have that river barge?" "Of course, but I don't see why you needed it." Tilted his head in confusion. "Oh, I don't need it, but..."  he motioned toward Rarity who was still busy fixing her mane. "Rarity needs it." "Oh, really?"  River Guardian looked towards Rarity who had now was staring back in a confused state. "I..." Rarity began but stopped when she saw Harmony nodding his head slightly. She then understood what Harmony was trying to do. "Uh... Yes, I do, we have a long ways to go and I would prefer a way that wouldn't mess up my mane again.  I find running for my life in the Everfree makes keeping up a good appearance a trifle on the hard side." "Try flying." River Guardian commented, clearly understanding, resting his head on his hands "I would be glad to give you some tips but I have a feeling that you are pressed for time... One moment, I'll be right back." At this he ducked down below the cliff. "Harmony, where did he run off to?" Rarity asked stepping out toward the cliff edge her mane and coat now looking much better. "His hoard... we are just above a cavern and one of its entrances." Discord took this opportunity to interrupt and complain. "Harmony are we going to be stopping by everyone of your dragon 'acquaintances'? Because, I swear, if Smokey makes a cameo I will have some words with a certain writer..." Harmony ignored the odd threat and sighed "No..." River Guardian then slide his head back over the cliff nearly causing Rarity to tumble backwards in fright. "I have the barged tied to a tree just down river." Looking at Rarity he smiled wide. "You look much better." "Why thank you." Rarity handing back the brush with her magic. "Is there anything we can do for you in payment for your kindness?" River Guardian looked a bit flustered at this tapping his claws nervously "I..." "Whisper it in my ear." She spoke noticing his embarrassment. River Guardian complied and moved his long neck to whisper into Rarity's ear. After a few minutes he returned to his previous position patiently waiting for her reply. After a moment Rarity took a deep breath and nodded slowly. River handed her one of his scales and without a moments hesitation she took it and chopped off her tail.  An audible gasped came from the girls and Spike.