//------------------------------// // Onward to Oasis // Story: The Last Keeper of Harmony // by Rammy //------------------------------// "Wake up, Spike." Twilight shook him slightly. Spike rolled over mumbling, "Five more minutes..." "May I?" Discord asked Twilight. She eyed him suspiciously but nodded consent. Wiggling his hands in excitement, Discord first popped his knuckles in front than behind. He floated up a bit producing a bucket. He eyed his target then dumped the contents onto Spike. "What the!" Spike jumped up as soft vanilla soft serve dripped down his scales. "Oh, shucks, I forgot the cone!" Discord snapped his paw in frustration. "O, well..." he shrugged. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash went wild with laughter. Twilight and Rarity both gave them dark looks. However the corners of their mouths strangely struggled to stay down. Spike glared at everyone leaving the worst for Discord. Sighing he quickly licked all the ice cream off. "Oh, Darling, that is.... ewwwww." Rarity blanched. Discord sprayed disinfectant from a large arousal can he produced out of a handbag that had, of course, appeared out of nowhere. "Discord! *cough*" Twilight yelled trying to clear the air around her magic. Instead of blowing the disinfectant away her magic seemed to produce confetti which promptly flew all around them. "Harmony did warn you." Discord spurted failing at not laughing. "Don't you dare...." Rarity exclaimed seeing the giant fan Discord had produced. Her objections were too late as Discord flipped a switch blowing the disinfectant, confetti, and sand away which, of course, messed up her coat. "Okay now that you 'cleared the air'. What are we going to do about Harmony?" Twilight asked miffed at Discord antics in the light of Harmony being unconscious. "I will carry him, for now. Later I'll put him on a stretcher and two of you girls can take turns. We can't stay in one spot in the desert for too long... it's too risky." Discord picked up the alicorn keeping him lightly wrapped in the blanket. Cradling him in his arms he gestured for them to follow. "Twilight remind me to never let Discord to carry me like that." Spike whispered into Twilight’s ear. Twilight only shushed him quietly trying not to giggle. For days they traveled the endless desert. Discord would begin and end each day with Harmony in his arms. Two of the girls would volunteered to take the stretcher during the afternoon.  A third had to occasionally carry Spike who couldn't go as long as the rest due to his smaller body and legs.   The terrain changed as they went.  Midway through the second day they started seeing sand dunes and by sunset they were walking over the sand dunes.  A sandstorm blew through during the morning of the third.  Discord tied ropes to everyone and they told them to continue. On the fourth day, with thanks, they noticed that the terrain was becoming more flat again. Also early on the fourth day of their march Harmony finally stirred enough to whisper. "How... loong... how long this time?" "Four days." Discord answered keeping his eyes to the horizon. "Where are we?" He weakly shifted to get a look about. "A days walk to the Oasis before the Salt Flats." Discord replied. Harmony whispered even softer. "Good, let’s... let's hope Scorpan is still alive." "I hope so too, otherwise the next time you will die." At this, Harmony passed out again. Discord sighed and shifted Harmony to better carry him then continued the long march. The sun was low in the sky when Rainbow muttered, "I think this dessert is getting to me that is the tenth mirage today alone.” Discord squinted his eyes, "That is no mirage. That is the Northern Oasis. We will be stopping there to hopefully meet an old friend." "Please tell me its not another... dragon..." Fluttershy fearfully squeaked. "I doubt it... If he is still alive Twilight might have an heart attack in excitement..." "EEEEEEEEE..." Twilight squealed in delight already mentally going over a list. "And who might that be?" Discord rubbing his brow of sweat in exasperation. "You ponies are going to be the death of me!" After an hour they had entered a stand of palm trees surrounding a small clear lake. A small stone house stood on the other side of the lake. Though everyone was tired, they were all curious as to who would live so far out in the middle of not only nowhere but in a very dangerous and wild desert. Discord walked up to the door of the house and knocked loudly.  After a few moments a tall male gargoylish creature opened the door to greet them. He stood on two pawed feet, had bat wings, and a lion like mane.  The mane and fur, though brown, was streaked with grey. He spoke looking straight at Discord, "Discord??! What are you doing here? I..." he stopped when he noticed Harmony on a stretcher between Rainbow and Applejack.  Gently moving around the ponies he picked up Harmony and walked back towards the open door to the home... Taking a quick glance through the open door Twilight noticed that the inside of the house was huge.  How is that possible? "Harmony did tell you about the magic of the Untamed Wilds, did he not?" the gargoyle spoke answering Twilight's unspoken question. Stepping into the house "Well, come on in." "What am I? A block head?" Discord responded to the slight, reshaping his head into a square. "You are more likely not to tell them to get some sort of amusement out of it." “Touche,” Discord grumbled.   The gargoyle turned to face his guests who he noticed were admiring the grand entrance. A spiral staircase led to a second floor.  Various hallways and corridors went off in all directions. Leading them down a side hallway he spoke to everyone as a whole "By the way my name is Scorpan, and I welcome you to my home." "Scorpan? By change are you the Scorpan!?" Twilight nearly screamed in delight. Spike and Rainbow Dash rolled their eyes, trying not to laugh. Scorpan chuckled lightly at Twilight's burst of giddiness, "The one and only. I might relate some stories later, but first let's get Harmony into the den."  Turning around a corner in the hall he opened a door and stepped into a cozy room.  There were a couple of comfy chairs and a couch near a fireplace. He placed Harmony gently on the couch, covered him up, and then placed a log into the fireplace.  Looking around for a match and finding none he turned to go get one when he saw Spike. "A dragon hatchling?!?"  Scorpan exclaimed but then added, "That is odd..." "What is so odd about it?" Twilight piped up, incensed. Spike didn't react having had long given up getting upset over ponies being in shock when seeing him with the girls. "That he is a hatchling and not a whelp or an adult." Spike lowered his head at this, nearly in tears. Noticing Spike's changed demeanor he quickly added "My apologies, young one, I'm not familiar with curtsies given my hermit ‘status’ for centuries." He thought for a moment then he figured a way to cheer him up, "Why don't you light the log for me?" Spike nodded and went over to the fireplace and blew his emerald green fire on the log until it was lit.  Scorpan grabbed a few logs from a nearby stack and gently placed them on top of the now burning log.  Without another word he left the den, the Bearers moving to the sides to allow him passage.   A moment later he returned with a bowl filled with water and a stack of rags.  He pulled a chair closer to Harmony and placed the bowl and rags on the end table.  He took a rag, dunk it gently in the bowl, then wrong it out. He gently dabbed the sweat from Harmony's forehead. Speaking softly he asked, "How did this happen?" Discord, with a few interruptions from an excited Twilight, recounted the events of the past few weeks. Scorpan spoke nothing, listening intently.   It was only after Discord had finished the tale that he spoke.  Turning to face the sleeping alicorn," You foolish alicorn. How can you complete your work if you keep trying to kill yourself." Standing up he turned to look at his other guests. "We should go into another room so we can get to know each other better without disturbing Harmony." "Can I stay with him?" Spike asked not taking his eyes off of the sleeping alicorn. Scorpan looked at Spike. Seeing his pained face and knowing that he could not persuade him otherwise "You can. We'll be in the room across the hall if you need anything." Without another word spoken everyone walked softly out of the room leaving Harmony and Spike alone.