//------------------------------// // Turbulent Waters // Story: The Last Keeper of Harmony // by Rammy //------------------------------// Harmony so wanted to facehoof but he knew that it would be insulting to River Guardian if he thought so lightly at what Rarity just did.  Of course he just had to have a second cutting to match the other half of his purple mustache! River Guardian carefully took the cutting and dived under the cliff again. “So where exactly is this river barge?” Twilight asked stealing a glance over the cliff. Harmony pointed to a trail off to the left that seemed to lead to the river below. “Most likely down that trail but we will need to wait until RIver Guardian is back before going.  It’s rude to leave without letting our host know.” “Indeed.” Rarity nodded in agreement. River Guardian slid back into view, “Is everyone ready then?” "Yes we are Come on, everypony, time to go. I'll take the rear."  Discord bowed and began to walk down the trail with the rest following shortly behind. Once everyone started down the trail Harmony sighed heavily and began to follow.  River Guardian glided along next to him. "He of Harmony..." River Guardian spoke. Leaning in closer he whispered. "Is the hatchling the Dragon Keeper of Harmony?" Harmony stopped and whispered back, "Yes." "He is a bit young and what of the memory wipe?" his last two words barely audible. Harmony began to walk down the trail again before answering "No idea... his abilities are beginning to manifest and he is the correct age for it to occur..." "What do you mean 'correct age'?" River Guardian paused for a moment staring at Harmony. "He is twenty-seven." Harmony causally responded. "Twenty.. seven!?" River Guardian gasped at this covering his mouth in shock. "HOW!?" "I have a theory. Which I will relate when time is more on our side." "Very well, He of Harmony, don't disappoint me." River Guardian shook a single claw in disapproval. Harmony laughed, "I see you still haven't forgotten some of your dragonified pony mannerisms." "Well I am a bit rusty since the Pony Princesses abandoned that castle... I miss those days." He ran a claw slightly though his hair in embarrassment. "You would." Harmony shook his head stifling another laugh. At this Harmony noticed that they had transversed the trail and were standing by the barge. The river barge was utilitarian in looks but very sturdy.  He could see that it had been recently repainted in a light blue hue.  On the side of the engine house the words "U.S.S.Dragonfly" painted in a very flowery script. Discord put his, and disconnected at that, arms to his hips in mock annoyance.  "’Bout time you got here." "Can it, Discord,” Harmony shot him a dark look,” and not a word about the name of the barge." "You spoil my fun." He pouted, then climbed on board with a captain's hat smartly placed on his head, " I call captain!" He trotted off quickly to the engine house. "How do you stand that annoyance?" River Guardian quipped blocking a side of his face with a hand. "Many years of practice." Harmony shook his head. Too many, sometimes. "Centuries would be more like it," River Guardian commented somewhat to himself tapping a claw on his check in thought. How close, you are... Harmony inwardly chuckled. Stepping onto the barge he spoke. "River Guardian we must take our leave. Mind you that the timberwolves and cockatrices are in a rampage." "Thank you for the warning." River Guardian bowed and dove into the river and out of sight. The wave from his dive pushed the barge into the river's current. Harmony untied the now taut rope with his magic and the barge lurched a bit then started to drift down the river.  He looked around to check up on his charges. Pinkie was on the edge making funny faces with her reflection. Rarity, Spike, and Twilight were laying down together already drifting off to sleep. Applejack was in the engine house helping Discord while Rainbow Dash was laying on top staring up at the clouds. Fluttershy was sleeping against the wall of the engine house. Rest while you can it only gets harder from here. Harmony took this opportunity to get some sleep himself. Harmony could hear giggling...  For a moment, he was confused as to where the giggling was coming from. Then he remembered.  Slowly opening his eyes he could see the girls laying on a blanket giggling about some story that Harmony was unsure of. "How long have I been out?" he called out groggily. "Nearly two days." Discord chimed loudly walking up to Harmony from behind. "You have overexerted yourself again." "Discord now is not the time for that," noticing that the girls were now staring at them silently. Discord leaned down and harshly whispered. "Harmony for once I get to chew you out. We can't afford you going overboard. Spike has not Chosen yet and as such we are in a very precarious position." "Don't you think I know that?" Harmony snapped back at him nearly growling. "Now leave me be." "No." Discord stated defiantly crossing his arms. "What!?!" Harmony nearly yelled then lowered to a whisper when he noticed that the girls were starting to look worried. "Did I just hear you say no?!?" "I did, and I will say it again." Discord flatly told him. Harmony said nothing but glared hotly at him. "You know what? Enough of this! Council Chambers. Now." Discord grinding his teeth in frustration. Harmony eyed the girls for a moment and nodded. Discord snapped a claw and Harmony and himself disappeared leaving six very worried and confused ponies behind. Blinking slowly Harmony saw that they were in a round chamber. It was softly lit with twelve throne like chairs encircling half of the room. Ornate windows showed that the chamber was somewhere in the Plane of Harmony. Nine of the thrones had what appeared to be multicolored fireflies lazily floating above them. Behind him he knew there where was a double door that lead into the Plane of Harmony. He only had a moment to adjust to the change before Discord lay it on him, hard. "What the buck do you think you are pulling Harmony?" The alicorn only stood there expressionless letting Discord get into his multicolored muzzle. Discord breathed heavily waiting for a move on Harmony's part. They stood staring at each other, one in anger, the other somewhat smugly. Harmony was the first to flinch lowering his eyes a bit. "Loss for words, eh?" Discord yelled multicolored smoke pouring out of his ears "Well I have some for you, brother. You are to stop carrying this load alone. You hear me? Quit acting like you the only Keeper!" "Says the one who went crazy and caused disharmony for years in Equestria?!  You have a lot of nerve to say that!  I did fine all those years." Harmony yelled back his coat and mane suddenly going wild. "That may be so, but you weren't dealing with his return!" Discord pointed at him threateningly. "Weren't hav-ving to deal with his r-r-return!" Harmony stuttered in rage. "That's horseapples and you know it. You should have been doing your job and maybe..." "Am I going to always going to have your disapprove over my head for my errors that I've been trying to fix!" Discord butted in not letting Harmony continue the line of his rant. "I..." "You know for being a Keeper of Harmony you are sure lacking that right now." a voice spoke. "How did you get in here?!?" Harmony glared down at the voice seeing Spike near the doors. Discord's only response was to rub his eyes in frustration. Spike seemed to not be perturb by the look the alicorn was giving him. "No idea." Spike shrugged. "No idea. NO Idea!! I..." Harmony spouted angrily. Spike could almost swear that if he was Twilight he would be in flames right about now. "This 'slowing down' is accelerating!" Discord interrupted pulling an ice pack out of thin air and placing it on his throbbing head. A hissing sound could be heard as his pained expression soften slightly. "Y'ah think!?" Harmony sarcastically snapped back. "Okay, enough!  What is going on?" Spike growled. Getting no response he continued "What kind of game are you two playing? Him," shoving his thumb claw back in Discord's direction "I could understand. You however... I'm beginning to wonder if there is such thing as a Keeper of Harmony." Discord put a reassuring paw on Spike's shoulder "Spike, Harmony is a Keeper of Harmony. I'm afraid that you don't know the whole story... What Harmony and I carry is a burden not to be taken lightly nor given to another lightly...' He was interrupted by an increasingly angry and feral Spike. Harmony moved forward looking into Spike's eyes for a moment "Discord it's not what you think. It's something that I will need to discuss with Spike, privately." "Very well... But we are not through talking," with a huff Discord left. Harmony looked off at one of the thrones sadly then spoke softly. "Having troubles finding a name?" Instantaneously. Spike deflated his anger that had been building up disappeared and in defeat he hung his head, crying. "Oh, Spike" Harmony pulled the defeated, broken hatchling near him allowing him to cry into his coat. "Just listen okay?" Spike nodded into Harmony's fur, sniffing. "I can't solve this for you. I wish you didn't have this burden. No dragon hatchling should have to go through this... I wish The Bearer of Magic could help but we both know she can't. No one can help. This is something you must figure out on your own." "But we are running out of time we may have lost the timberwolves and cockatrices but that was with the help two adult dragons and yourself. I'm just a helpless 'baby!'" "You are not as helpless as you think Spike." "Yes I am! I need to find the right name quickly before... before..." He choked off the rest, unable to speak the horrible thought. "Hmm.." Spike looked up at Harmony who was looking off into the distance clearly in thought.  His coat had slowed to a melancholy pace.  He slowly turned his head and stared back at Spike. "You remember what I said about the first thing that a dragon hoards? "Yeah..." "Well what do you hoard now?" "But you said that..." Rubbing his spines out of reflex. "Listen, Spike!" Harmony admonished "You want to protect your friends ... your family, right?  Spike nodded, confused "To protect them from harm?" Spike nodded again even more confused "And what does a dragon protect?" Spike seemed to finally understood and nodded resolutely "Well there you go. Choose wisely, Spike." Spike nodded again and drifted off to sleep, exhausted and with that he disappeared. "Spike, choose wisely..." Harmony spoke again even knowing that Spike was gone. "Choose wisely..."