//------------------------------// // Return to Hourglass // Story: Dragons of Hourglass // by Rammy //------------------------------// “He of Hourglass has recalled us back to Hourglass.” Quartermaster said as Harmony landed in the designated meeting clearing. “Did he say why?” Harmony inquired. I wonder why he sent the orders to Quartermaster and not me… Well I am my own when it comes to Keeper things… maybe this is a clan thing. “No idea, but I’m glad. I’ve been away from my forge for way too long.” “Fair enough. It’s not my place to question his motives... when it comes to the clan anyway.” “I see you found another dragon and this time a female whelp.” Quartermaster noticed the pick whelp landing right behind Twixt’d. “Well aren’t you the handsome one.” Tierra teased in a sensual way. “Taken.” She of Hourglass growled poking the whelp with a claw to accent her irritation. Without missing a beat Tierra added, “Don’t worry, he’s not my type, but I can give you some tips to really get those scales really red.” “Oooo…” A wicked grin crossed She of Hourglass’ snout. “Tell me more.” Harmony stifled a chuckle but Twixt’d had no desire to hold back and roared out in laughter. Quartermaster only crossed his forelegs hotly grumbling something about sexy dragoness team ups. She of Hourglass smacked Quartermaster lightly on the top of his head. “You hush. You know you’ll like it.” At that Quartermaster red scales got even redder. For just a split second it cross his mind to skip the preamble and dive right in with her. But the guffawing of a certain whelp soured it too much. Harmony could no longer hold back as he watched Quartermaster get flustered in two ways and joined in with Twixt’d who was now wheezing from the force of his laughing.   “So how how we getting to Hourglass? Didn’t you say that it was across the ocean?” Twixt’d asked. “I don’t think there is a boat that could handle all of us.” Tierra commented. “No you are right.” Harmony agreed. “We’ll have to island hop. How strong is your distance flying, Tierra?” “Fair. I went on a few legs the Migration a while back… By chance, will the Migration be anywhere nearby on our way to Hourglass? I would like to ask He of the Flight some questions…” A blinding flash interrupted Tierra. “Uh… where is Harmony…” Tierra questioned once she rubbed the spots out of her eyes. “The Migration is a touchy subject for him and it’s He of Harmony.” Quartermaster looked off to in the distance, smoke beginning to rise. He of Harmony you need to stop… You avenged them. You have done right by them... “He of Harmony!? He only said Harmony... of course he was…oh, whatever. He of Harmony it is. But why would the Migration be a touchy subject?” Quartermaster returned his attention to the dragons around him. “Because a minotaur processed by an amulet containing a spirit of a power dark magic user massacred the Migration at the Chimney Arch Desert and he blames himself for failing to stop it.” “WHAT!?!” Tierra could hardly believe her ears. The Migration was gone?! Harmony sighed. “I’m sure in your adventures you came across magical artifacts that you had to destroy because they were too dangerous for anyone to have even for someone with pure intentions like yourself.” “Take me to him.” “What?! I don’t think…” “TAKE. ME. TO. HIM!” Tierra repeated roaring. She didn’t care the Quartermaster was full grown and could crush her like a bug. Quartermaster was about to say no again when his mate nudged him. He looked at her and just by looking at her eyes he could tell that she thought that Tierra knew what needed to be done. Quartermaster sighed. “Very well..:” After a minute of flying Quartermaster and Tierra landed in what appeared to be a war zone. Trees were all over the place either burnt up or shattered like toothpicks. Harmony was in the center angrily taking out his frustration on a very charred large boulder. “I take it that Quartermaster told you what happened.” Harmony whispered before he shot another magic missile at the boulder. Tierra watched for a few moments before it got too much for her. “ENOUGH!!! Where was this supposed confident Keeper that even with my dagger tail end pressed to his throat was still in complete control?” “THAT WAS A LIE!” Harmony roared, sending a concussion of magically charge air outward in his anger. His mane and tail whipped about in a non existent wind and his shifting colored fur went wild. “THAT DARK MAGIC USER WAS A PONY! MY RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE CARE OF! I tried for months and years after his last defeat to make sure he was truly gone… and he wasn’t. He of the Flight and everydragon at the Migration paid the price of my failure!” “Did you do everything that you could to prevent it?” “I…” Harmony was caught off guard by Tierra’s simple question. “Well did you?” “Yes… but,” Harmony tried to counter. “But nothing! All we can do in our lives is the best we can. If the truth is that you did everything you could within your power and knowledge then quit lying to yourself thinking you could done more and beat yourself up over that lie.” “Now tell me again, did you do everything to stop the minotaur from being possessed?” “Yes... I...” “No. A truthful and simple yes or no.” She snapped. “Yes.” “When you discovered what happened did you do everything to stop it from happening again?” “I… suppose so…” “No guessing. Yes or no.” “...Yes.” “Well, there you go.” Tierra gasped as the alicorn fainted dead away. “He of Harmony!” “Not again…” Quartermaster facepalmed. He checked the alicorn to see an orange flame along with the other flames. “He’ll be fine after a bit… But how did you know what to say to him?” “I had the same problem once…” Tierra looked tiredly down at the passed out Harmony. “Tierra is right…” A voice uttered. When Harmony spun at the sound of his dragon brother he didn’t get a chance to speak anything before he found his muzzle shut by Spike’s hand. “You have to let go of the self told lies that hold you back. You did alright by me. You did everything possible to make sure Sombra never returned… sometimes our best efforts are fruitless but that doesn’t make us failures Harmony. What makes us failures is giving up when we make mistakes or beating ourselves over things we had no control over.” “One to go Harmony… One to go…” Spike’s voice faded to silence and Harmony vision faded to black One month later… “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m so sick of flying.” Twixt’d whined. One whole month of flying from near dusk to dawn had really taken a toll on him. It had taken a toll on everyone, but they had remained silent. “Well, Hourglass is only a few hours away, but first we must stop at the Northern Oasis.” It wasn’t long before Quartermaster, She of Hourglass and Tierra banked to the south while Harmony and Twixt’d banked north. After another hour of flight Twixt’d could see a stand of palm trees surrounding a small pond of water. Harmony started to descend and a few moments later landed next to a small house. Twixt’d landed a second later. “Nervous?” Harmony guessed, seeing the dragon wring his claws a bit. “What if he doesn’t accept me?” Harmony understood his worry and unlike Nova Twixt’d was in worse shape. He let out a huff of air. “Then neither of us shall be entering Hourglass City.” “But isn't that your home?” “Technically, no...” Twixt’d could hear a hint of sadness when Harmony said that but said nothing. “But I wasn’t kidding when I said I saw potential in you, and how can I see that come about away from you? Scorpan will have no problem having us in his home.” “Harmony! Long time, no see.” A voice called out from the house. “He of Music?!?” Harmony spun around and was immediately pulled into hug by He of Music. “I see you guys must have been talking with Scorpan.” He of Hourglass stepped out of the shadow of a nearby palm tree. “He of Music was. I was enjoying the warm day.” Somehow I doubt that… Harmony rolled his eyes. “Sure… This is Twixt’d. Twixt’d this is He of Music and He of Hourglass of the Hourglass Clan.” “What are you doing weirdo?” Twixt’d snapped when He of Music pushed himself from Harmony to grab Twixt’d pushing the side of his head to different parts of the whelp. “Twixt’d…” Harmony warned. “Well, he’s kinda creeping me out.” Twixt’d squirmed uncomfortably. After another moment He of Music withdrew, and He of Hourglass followed him some distance away. “Okay, what is going on?” “Well, He of Music just used a talent of his… And I suspect that He of Music is discussing what he heard with He of Hourglass.” “What do you mean ‘what he heard?’” “Firstclaw, I know you no longer care about what he is hiding but…” He of Music glanced back towards Harmony. “But I was curious how cutiemarks could change someone’s song.” “And?” “His song is nearly healed.” “WHAAAT?!!” Golden DragonHeart yelled in shock. He shrunk back when he noticed that Harmony had heard his outburst and was glancing in his direction. After a moment Harmony went back to talking with the young whelp. “What?!” He asked again, this time in a subdued whisper. “His heart is becoming whole again…the pain, the hurt, it’s no longer affecting it.  However, it seems to much quieter than before. I almost had to strain a bit hear it.” “Meaning?” “No idea. I’m not an expert on cutiemarks and how it affect one’s song. This may be typical just before a cutiemark fully manifests, or it could mean…” Eternal Beats trailed off. “...that he is dying.” Golden DragonHeart finished what neither one really wanted to say. Before his heart understood hoarding this would have made him go crazy in worry and become possessive to the point of damaging his hoard. Now it just meant that he need to make sure that for whatever time he had left with Harmony that it was a good one. He decided to change the subject to the other issue. “What did you hear in the whelp?” “Just what I always wanted and needed a useless hair blow dryer…” Twixt’d rolled his eyes at his snark and He of Hourglass’ ‘poor attempt’ at intimidation. “I could have told you that that tactic wouldn’t work on him.” Harmony facehoofed while shaking his head in disappointment. “He is fearless just like you said. His respect for others however leaves much to be desired.” He of Hourglass rubbed his chin for a while before finally giving a sigh. “Very well... I will allow him in the city on a probationary basis.” He got right up growling in Twixt’d face. “You are to stay with a certain distance (which will be shown to you) from He of Harmony’s house. He of Harmony must escort you if you need to go elsewhere inside the city. If you need to hunt for food(if you are a meat eater) or need to stretch your wings you are to take the designated road out of the city. Under no circumstances are you to fly within or above the city. Finally there are two dragons within the city you are to stay away from. One is black and green the other orange.” “And if I don't?” Harmony facehoofed. “THIS!” He of Hourglass roared as he knocked Twixt’d off of his feet before surrounding him in a sphere of green fire. Twixt’d curled into a ball as the sphere closed in on him. Just before the flames reached him they disappeared. “I may not have the finesse of He of Harmony but I do have enough battle experience to know how to make sure you get exactly what you deserve. Don’t think for a single moment that you can escape me with your expert flying skills.” Twixt’d was still trembling as he sideways commented to Harmony. “He is scary when he wants to be…” “You have no idea.” Harmony recalled when He of Hourglass ‘ordered’ him to rescind his judgement. “But he is right, you lack respect for others. Something you need to work on… I don’t see you breaking your cursing habit it’s too ingrained, but, at least, you should know how to address dragons especially if you plan on living in a city of them.” “I‘m beginning to debate if it is worth it or not…” Twixt’d admitted. “Hmph.” He of Hourglass grumbled. There might be hope for him yet…  “I would like to speak with He of Harmony alone. He of Music, meanwhile, will escort you to Hourglass.” “Let’s go Twixt’d,” He of Music called out to Twixt’d. “He of Hourglass and Harmony shall join us after a bit.” “Fine.” Twixt’d moaned before walking towards He of Music. He of Music rolled his eyes before he took flight. Twixt’d looked back at Harmony for a moment. Harmony nodded for him to go on. “I hope I haven’t made a huge mistake…” Golden DragonHeart gave a heavy sigh. “It’s a risk…” Harmony shrugged, “but you are the Dragon Keeper. This is the kind of thing Keepers do. He was a street urchin with no idea what it means to be a proper respectable dragon. This is not much different than trying to restore those dragons Hoard Names…” “Ugh. I know…” Golden DragonHeart rubbed his face before giving Harmony a sideways glance. “and lecturing…” “Sorry… But it’s kind of the unofficial role of an experienced Keeper; to be there to advise inexperienced Keepers on these things. I wouldn’t have been as good as a Keeper as I am otherwise.”   “Why else do you think I asked what you thought was keeping the dragons from harmony? I value your insight into these manners… You have ten thousand years on me and it’s not the same as maturing in the code… it’s more…” “Guess work?... Gut feelings? Yeah, I know. It will become easier to understand those and you are right it’s not like maturing in code its wisdom through experience… not magic… though I will admit that I wish sometimes it was by wisdom through magic.” Golden DragonHeart let out a stress relieving puff of smoke before deciding to let it go for now. “Let’s go. I know its been a long trip, and I am sure you’ll want to sleep a long time.” “Before we head off, I would like to formally request to be allowed to have permanent residence within Hourglass.” Golden DragonHeart gave Harmony a curious look. “You never needed to request that because as far as I’m concerned you already have one. But I’m curious, why the formal request?” “It’s been ages since I had a place to call home, and because I’m finding out more and more that I consider the clan as family. The family I never had… the family that fills my dreams… the family that I could call my own…” As Golden DragonHeart listened to the reasons that Harmony was giving he could feel his heart break. For the first time in his life he wanted to curse The Voice. He now knew exactly what would bring Harmony to harmony but the magic of dragons prevented him from doing what he knew was right. A pained growl issued from his clenched mouth. “If only I could have you truly join the clan… If there was only a way to do so…” He fell to his knees crying and punching the ground in anger. A roar of pure anguish erupted from him. His lamentation came to an abrupt end when he could feel the hoof of Harmony on his shoulder. He looked up to see that Harmony’s eyes glistened with his own tears. “Golden DragonHeart, brother, you already consider me a clanmate in your heart, and, for me, that is all that matters.” Harmony gaze rose in the direction of Hourglass. “Come, I long to finally come home.”