“Where is that draconequus?”
“This is the third Changeling invasion again!” Rainbow shouted in frustration.
“Or my wedding.” Rarity grumbled.
“Will you drop that! He is a Keeper and does not require supervision. This is a dragon problem so He of Hourglass is taking the lead. Although…” Harmony stopped as he began to wonder where Discord went to. He hadn’t seen him since shortly after the Choosing. Just another thing of an increasing long list of things for him to deal with.
“I think I see something!” Rainbow Dash shouted. She started to lift off but was held back by Applejack.
“Noh so phas.” Applejack objected her voice muffled by Rainbow's tail.
Harmony looked skyward in the direction that Rainbow was pointing. He could see a purple dot that was most likely He of Hourglass. Near that was a sickly red dot that was moving about erratically. It was still too far for his magic to effectively see better details but he could at least tell that He of Hourglass was following the red dot.
“What is he doing?” Harmony wondered outloud.
“Harmony?”
Harmony didn’t respond he was too busy tracking the movements of the red object and He of Hourglass. He lit his horn to try the sight amplification spell again. He could finally make out what the red dot was. It was an adolescent dragon. That made little sense an adolescent dragon would not normally set off territory wards.
He wasn’t sure given the distance but the dragon appeared to be injured. Given the irritated movement he didn't think the dragon would last much longer. Suddenly the dragon seemed to lose consciousness and started falling, fast.
“Bearer of Magic, shield, now!”
Twilight didn’t need to be told twice. She quickly conjured a purple shield that surrounded the girls. Harmony stood protectively in front with his horn glowing in preparation.
At impact a dust cloud rushed towards them. Harmony shut his eyes to it with his hooves helping in blocking. Coughing a little he blinked to see that the dragon had skidded through the streets before coming to a stop in front of him in an elongated crater. He had definitely came down full speed.
He of Hourglass roughly landed running a steps before coming to a full stop. His wings shimmered a moment before disappearing. Rainbow Dash’s, who was the only one besides Harmony who was paying attention to He of Hourglass, jaw dropped. Harmony could almost see the rage pouring off of him. The question was why he didn’t attack earlier and why he seemed to still be holding it back. His line of thoughts were interrupted.
“Is…” Fluttershy stuttered peeking around Applejack. “Is… he...”
Harmony peered downward at the motionless body in the crater. The head of the dragon was obscured by broken cobblestones. He could barely see that the dragon was breathing weakly, “Is he dead? No. He should be though with the amount and type of injuries.”
Something was familiar about this dragon. But he wasn’t sure. Careful he lifted the dirt burying the head so he could examine his features. Recognition came the moment he cleared the head of debris. “Garble!!?”
“Garble? As in Garble, Garble?” Twilight didn’t like that dragon but even this was… extreme.
“How can you possibly tell that? This dragon has so many injuries his mother couldn't’ recognize him… or want him.” Rainbow Dash smirked a bit. She didn’t like him either and while she knew what ever happen to him wasn’t cool a joke at his expense was.
“You're not far off Bearer of Loyalty at least for the wanting part…” Rainbow suddenly went red and saw something intriguing on the ground. “As for how I can, lets list them: red scales, overbite fangs, torn wings, and orange frills. If that is too generic he bears a very specific mark. As for a dragon’s mother she could tell by smell or magic… at least until the Choosing…”
“But, darling, he’s covered in ‘marks!’ None of which that I can see are particularly… unique.”
“This ‘mark’ is a magical mark that only a dragon or myself can see...” Harmony trailed off as he suddenly realized something. Liting his horn he scanned the dragon and found why He of Hourglass didn’t kill him outright. He visibly paled, “Something is very wrong…”
“What do you mean?” Twilight tried not to let Harmony’s lighten fur get her to pale as well.
“For starters he was not allowed to leave the Dragon Migration.”
“Wait, I thought that was once in a generation.” Twilight was confused how would that be so frightening to Harmony.
Harmony was already feeling a headache coming. He really needed to start Twilight’s education but he had other priorities to deal with first. “The dragon migration is always going on it just doesn’t pass through Equestria but once every fifty or sixty years. Enough about that… Take a look Bearer of Magic, and tell me what you see.”
She gasped before darkly adding, “dark magic.”
“Exactly. He of Hourglass that was what you felt, correct?” He of Hourglass nodded slowly,” I suspect that the dark magic overwhelmed the dishonor mark otherwise He of Hourglass would have had a different response and Garble would have likely lost his life.”
“But that’s barb-” The rest of Rarity’s retort was cut off by a glittering aura around her mouth.
Harmony eyed the aura. It made no sense as dragons don’t have auras. The closest was when they use fire based magic.
“I strongly suggest you shut it.” He of Hourglass let his fangs show visibly through a scowl. His claws outstretched sparks flowing from it towards Rarity’s mouth.
Interesting… Maybe the sparks are a representation of his magical field. Better not let Twilight know this.
“A mark of dishonor is the highest form of shame a dragon can have. Death would have been a more preferable option.” Harmony explained seeing that He of Hourglass was done talking.
“What did he do?”
“Dishonor me.”
“Huh?!?”
Ignoring the confused group of mares Harmony sighed heavily before speaking, “For the moment there is not much we can do. He of Hourglass, I would not normally ask you of this but given the circumstances…”
“It’s your mark not mine He of Harmony however the presence of dark magic in his wounds does concern me as well. Let me know the moment you find out anything of value. I don’t think I need to tell you but I will for the others. Keep him away from the library.” With that He of Hourglass stomped away cleary in anger towards the library.
“How rude.” Rarity shifted her head slightly into the air before turning to find Harmony right behind her with a cold stare.
“Bearer of Generosity once we get Garble stable you and I are going to have a private chat.”
Rarity gulped unladylike she remembered what happened that last time Harmony had a “chat” with one of them. Harmony kept up the gaze a bit longer before giving her a moments reprieve by moving around and down into the impact crater.
“Bearer of Kindness,” Fluttershy squeaked in response but managed to pull herself away from the rest and step closer to Harmony who was carefully pulling Garble out of the carter, ”You will need to help me take care of him until he recovers enough for me to ascertain what happened.”
“But what of the dark magic?” Twilight eyed Harmony struggling to counteract both the dark magic and a dragons natural magic resistance.
“He needs stabilization and rest before we do anything about that. The stress could kill him.”
“Do you know that being generous doesn’t mean you have the right to being ‘generous’ with your opinions. In the grand scheme opinions is nothing more than trash. For somepony who values being beautiful the way you belittle people is not beautiful. All that just because they don’t share you worthless idea of ‘culture’”.
Rarity was beginning to get a bit hot in the head. How dare this pony tell her the value of culture. Without culture how would society survive and not fall into barbarism?
“I have always despised the nobility.” Harmony snorted ignoring Rarity’s changing demeanor, “ Want to know why?”
“You know trash is disgusting right?” Harmony continued before Rarity could interject,” An icky, smelly mess. And no matter how much you try and dress it up or try and mask it with perfume in the end it’s still icky, smelly trash. Beauty without is useless without beauty within.”
“With very, very, very few exceptions nobles are just like I described. ‘Prince Blueblood,’ ugh, is the norm not the exception. You blind yourself from the truth because you care more about what they think of you, which is how much power and prestige can they get from being around you. Your friends care about what you are not what you can do for them. So I ask you what do you value? Trash or the treasures that come from true friendship?”
Rarity resolve broke as she burst into tears from the shock. She wasn't sure if it was from the rage, hurt, or from something else. Her mascara started to run staining her face.
Harmony scrunched up his muzzle in disgust at the display, “Stop your snobbery crocodile tears. They only confirm what I just said. Buck up. Start living your element and not the false facade of acting it or have you so easily forgotten the rainbow thread or how Spotlight fell in love with you? I have you know that Spotlight fell in love with you because he saw you living your element.”
“How…”
“How would I know that?” Harmony leaned in and whispered, “You are a bearer of one of my elements it’s my business to know these things.”
At that an uneasy silence came over the two of them. Rarity from the emotional beating; Harmony from weariness. Memories of the past flooded his mind. The warnings of the consequences if he gave up his harmony magic and placed them into the elements. In front of him was one of those consequences. He still felt it to be the right decision.
“You’re still grieving over Spike’s ‘death’,” Harmony sadly whispered breaking the silence. “Anger is an okay response. But to take that anger out on He of Hourglass is not okay.”
“I…”
Harmony put a hoof to her mouth to stop her from speaking further. ”Bearer of Generosity did you know there were two mares in this world that meant to world to him… so much that they both had a role in the name he chose? One was his big sister, Twilight, The other was what one would call a foalhood crush: you.”
Rarity jaw dropped. The ramifications of what Harmony just said completely floored her. Her Spikey-Wikey thought that highly of her. Her poor attitude... it was just too much for her brain to process.
“But I am still serious. Time to stop acting,” Harmony put a hoof to her heart,” and start living it.”
Rarity stood there still gaping as Harmony smirked before casually walked outside and out of sight.