Dragons of Hourglass

by Rammy


How One Restores Honor

“Garble until you learn what the right and honorable thing you should have done this mark will remain.”

What was the right honorable thing?

Why did the Dragon Keeper keep me alive? Especially after I gave my recollections on the attack. The code would have compelled him to execute me for being a Dishonored One. His actions reminds me of He of Harmony’s odd ways of following the dragon code...

I remember back when I first met the Dragon Keeper. I thought ‘How could a pony hatched dragon be the Dragon Keeper?’ In my pride I thought that he would be weak just like those frail ponies. Even more so after he had spared the life of a phoenix egg.

The phoenix egg… That‘s what started this all. Saving an unprotected egg… that would have stay that way… Wait… How could I be so dense?


Harmony watched the sun as it rose above the horizon. The dawn of a new day did nothing to ease his pain from the news of the massacre of the Dragon Migration. After his outburst yesterday he had left to go ‘vent’ in the forest just outside the city. There was enough toothpicks now for every mare, stallion, colt, and filly in Canterlot a thousand times over. Not helping was the dreams ─nightmares really─ that had been interrupting his sleep for the past 6 weeks. It was only a matter of time before someone, mostly likely Discord, would notice his sleep deprivation.

Harmony sighed, stretched, and took flight heading back towards the city to deal with Garble. He didn't know what to do. The dishonor mark required Garble to stay with the Migration but with that no longer an option it put him in an interesting position. Removing the mark but would negate the purpose of it. He could also modify it but in what way? Harmony decided to take a circuitous route to give him time to further think.

Nearly an hour later Harmony hooves touched the ground. He could hear a heated argument from inside the house.

“Yah, right, I say…” Rainbow's rant was interrupted by the entrance of Harmony.

“Harmony! Thank Celestia your back! Garble knocked out Fluttershy and ran off!” Rainbow's wings twitched from her anger. “I knew he was trouble.”

A glare from Harmony made Rainbow shrink a bit in shame. He turned to examine Fluttershy. “Bearer of Kindness are you okay?”

“I’m fine. He startled me more than anything.” She tried hiding behind her mane as Harmony continued to scrutinize her.

“Now onto to Garble. Any idea…” Harmony stopped mid sentence as a thought came to him. He knew exactly what Garble was doing and he only had a short time before it would be too late, if it wasn’t already. “O, of all the idiotic, stupid ideas… If He of Hourglass doesn’t kill him I will!”

“Harmony?” Twilight asked as Harmony pushed past her.

“No time.” Harmony yelled as he took off at full gallop towards the library.

“Wait! Harmony!” Twilight called out but Harmony was already out of sight

“We best go after him.” Applejack trotted off.

“Must we?” Rainbow complained.

“Yes.”


“Harmony!”

Harmony turned his head to see that all six Bearers were running towards him, except for Rainbow who par for course was flying. Harmony merely returned his gaze to a sight near the doors to the library.

Garble was lying facedown facing towards the library. He arms and legs spread out. It was truly a demeaning position. Rainbow flew right to him and was about to pick him up when a rainbow aura rudely pulled her away.

“Hey! What is the meaning!”

“Must you always go head long into things without thinking?!”

Rainbow grumbled before and idea brighten her expression. She returned to Garble. “Garble, you need to get up and out of here before…”

“He will not respond to you.”

“Why not?!?” Rainbow was now getting angry. She flew right into Harmony’s face pointing an accusatory hoof at him. “Is this another stupid dragon rule!?”

Harmony kept a blank face but inwardly he was seething. “Yes and the rules may seem ‘stupid’ but they are necessary.”

“As necessary as a horn on a pegasus.” Rainbow spat.

“Hey!” Twilight snapped.

“Dragons are ruled by emotions. Alot of the dragon code is designed to help regulate the negative consequences. Unless you like raging dragons?” Rainbow dropped to the ground at that. “I thought not.”

“Ther’ah hav’ to be somethin’ we can do.”

“Keep a look out for He of Hourglass. I will attempt to get Garble to be reasonable.”

“Not likely…” Rainbow shrunk at Harmony's angry snort. “Hehee...”

“Garble if I wanted you dead I would have never given you the mark of dishonor.”

“I see that now.’ Garble responded but remained where he was laying. “However I must do this to restore my honor even if it means my death. I see no other way as I can no longer give atonement to the one that… the one that...”

“This is all amusing but why are you in the ‘lying-death’ position?” He of Hourglass appeared suddenly crouching near Garble with an amused expression upon his snout.

“He of Hourglass! I did not see your approach.” Harmony exclaimed trying to hide his fright at the dragon’s sudden appearance.

“Of course not, I masked my approach with an invisibility spell.”

Harmony was surprised. That was not something a dragon could do easily given all the variables required masking a living being. A dragon’s magic was based on power not order as such it was much harder for a dragon to do any precision spell. Nevermind that most dragons would find that a bit dishonorable to be sneaky.

“Dragon of the City of Hourglass I have dishonored the one known as Harmony and have brought shame to you by being here…”

“Yes, I know that.” He of Hourglass chuckled. “But, I will not kill you.”

“I have the mark…”

“Garble, what mark?” Harmony was momentarily stunned by He of Hourglass’ use of Garble’s name instead of the title Dishonored One. But a quick look at Garble caused a corner of his mouth to move upward.

“The mark…” Garble stiffly shifted to see that Harmony was smirking and holding up a conjured mirror. Garble stared at his reflection, dazed. The mark of Dishonor was gone. “But… I… How?”

“Should you or should I explain it?” He of Hourglass stayed crouched but looked upward towards Harmony.

“I will. You met the requirements for it to be removed.”

“But I did nothing…”

“On the contrary,” Harmony interrupted, “you were willing to lay down your life in repentance.”

“Repentance?”

“I think we both know what you’re repentant about.”

“Um...Yeah...” Garble slowly got to his feet. He avoided looking at He of Hourglass as his feelings of shame still prevented him from looking at the dragon.

He of Hourglass rose to his full height before asking a question, “Garble what do you plan to do now?”

Garble didn't have an immediate response for that. He figured that he would be nothing but a black mark on the cobblestone street. There was nothing he could think of except one. “I want to help.”

“Why?”

“I owe you a life debt for not killing me earlier. You spared my life when it should have been forfeited.”

He of Hourglass raise a brow at that. While that was true that Garble did owe him a life debt, he was not interested in having anydragon owing him a life debt. “No.”

“Okay.” Garble bowed and turned to head back to where he had been recovering.

He of Hourglass was shocked. He was expecting for Garble to get incensed and in someway ask ‘why?’ not to accept it outright. He looked over to Harmony who was also shocked but showed a bit of pride as well. That was enough for He of Hourglass.

“Wait.”

Garble turned around to face He of Hourglass. “Yes, He of Hourglass?”

“Don’t call me that.”

Garble blinked. “I… “ He stopped when dawned on him what he was really meaning.

Harmony was just as confused as Garble was for a moment. However, unlike Garble, he didn’t know what He of Hourglass was really saying. He eyed both dragons as they stared at each other. He couldn't figure out what was going on. Then Garble moved closer to He of Hourglass so that only a few feet separated them. Suddenly he could see the sparks on He of Hourglass ripple then swirl outward surrounding both him and Garble.

Harmony went wide eyed. He saw that look before. A Choosing?! Harmony instinctively shoved his Bearers behind him and erected a magic bubble shield. He could feel pounding from hooves against his shield. He ignored that as he tried to figure out what to do. Normally he would teleport them out but to teleport that many at once with the chaotic leyonic interference would be extremely difficult and he didn’t have the time to muster the necessary concentration. No way would he have them run as it could cause the dragon to attack. Staying of course also carried that risk. Doomed no matter what.

The sparks continued to swirl around the two dragons. For a moment Harmony thought maybe he was wrong about a Choosing about to happen. He had only seen one Choosing so that did make it possible that he was wrong. Either way, this was odd.

Harmony barely made out a nod between the two. He ears went flat as he was sure of what was next. Garble and He of Hourglass roared together in Draconian. At first their roars where grating but then a subtle shift and the roars began to harmonize. As the sparks spun faster a few broke off and flew right at Harmony. He nearly jumped back in surprise but relaxed when they didn’t touch him but swirled around him. Okay then...

The roaring dragons stopped. The sudden silence deafened Harmony. However the silence only lasted a second as He of Hourglass roared in Draconian followed by Garble.  Harmony recognized what He of Hourglass roared. He heard it once before so it had to be his Hoard Name. Which meant that Garble just roared his.

Harmony swore that he heard the words metal and claws when Garble roared his Hoard name. He shook that from his mind figuring that it was his mind playing tricks. Definitely need to get better sleep. As for everything else, this Choosing seemed unusual not that he knew exactly what a typical choosing was like. But he didn’t have time to dwell on that oddity as a more pressing matter was now upon him. There was no way that this dragon would be as mellow as He of Hourglass.

He of Hourglass was smiling at the red dragon formally known as Garble. Harmony could not see anything different. He wasn’t surprised given that Garble was a whelp. For a moment the red dragon didn’t move. Suddenly it turned and noticed Harmony and the others.

He growled threateningly. Yep, not as mellow. Harmony flung his wings outward in a display of aggression. “Dragon, I am under the protection of He of Hourglass. Stand down.”

“I did not give you ponies any protection.” The red dragon’s maw glowed. He of Hourglass facepalmed.

“I… Wha…” Harmony was completely lost. This was completely new and nothing was making any sense. He had no idea how to respond properly to that as he couldn't think of any relative dragon code that was appropriate.

“Enough. Go Hoard.” He of Hourglass moved himself next to Harmony growling in irritation.

“But…” The red dragon grumbled not taking his eyes off of Harmony and the Bearers.

“I said HOARD!” The roar from He of Hourglass was so loud and powerful that it momentarily threw Harmony’s concentration off shutting down his shield around the Bearers. The red dragon puffed a bit of smoke then lept into the air.

“Whoa, remind me to never anger a dragon.” Rainbow yelled unable to hear.

“What?”

Why me? Harmony facehoofed as he quickly cast a healing spell on everypony.

“Uh… What just happened?” Twilight asked now that she could hear something besides ringing.

“The birth of a clan.” He of Hourglass responded eying the red dragon now circling the city.

“Clan!?” Both Harmony and Twilight exclaimed.

“I’ll explain more later. However, it’s time for everypony to leave as it is no longer safe to remain.”

“No need to tell me twice.” Rainbow muttered.

“Come, gather your stuff. We leave within the hour.” Harmony motioned for the others to follow him. Rarity and Pinkie Pie were attempting to get a frozen in mortal terror Fluttershy to move. Harmony noticed this and added, “Don’t worry you should be fine if you stay near me.”

“Not you.” He of Hourglass put a hand on He of Harmony’s shoulder.

Harmony turned back, completely confused. “Uh… come again.”

“I need you here… I need help finding any and all dragons that might be of assistance. I assume you also have a decent firemail network.”

Harmony eyed He of Hourglass for a few seconds before shrugging. “Very well. It does finally give me a honorable reason.”

“Reason for what?” Twilight asked.

“Spoilers.” Discord shushed. Pinkie Pie giggled, nodding in agreement.

“Ugh.” Twilight facehoofed. Harmony couldn't help but chuckled at her annoyance.