Ch.19 - Migration Lag
"Shored up sides?"
"Check."
"Camouflage netting?"
"Check."
"Fire Extinguishers?"
"Double Check."
Sapphire hummed unhappily as she looked around. "Dragon deterrent?"
Summer, Windrunner, Scarlet, and Honey all looked over the edges of the trench and scanned in all directions.
"No check," Scarlet said.
"She'll be here," Summer said in an attempt to assure the pegasus but the worry was clear in her voice. "There's nothing in Equestria that would make her miss this."
"She did make most of the trench yesterday," Windrunner pointed out.
"Good thing, too," AJ said as she finished shoveling. "Otherwise we'd've been doing this all week."
"She might have just gone home to get a drink," Scarlet added.
"Mom looked kinda distracted," Squeaks piped up, "like when she's thinking a lot."
Sapphire stroked the filly with a wing. "You don't think she'd do something reckless during something like this?" she asked Summer.
The white unicorn could only hum unhappily. "Windstorm said he was leaving on a migration, so..." she trailed off. This could be the event that would lead Midnight to her father; she would do something reckless if it meant finding him. That said, Summer had seen a great deal of change in her daughter and while she might be doing something she hadn't told any of them about, it was sure to be planned to keep them all out of danger. Perhaps she was just checking in on Autumn and Orange along with the others in Berry's shelter?
A small smile grew as she thought about that. Midnight really was a great big sister to Autumn, even if she did allow her to play in mud and swim in park ponds.
"I don't see any dragons yet," Ember said from Forest's back, binoculars held tight against her face.
'Midnight's not the only one out here looking for someone,' Summer thought.
"Me neither," AJ agreed.
"Me neither neither!" Pinkie said, her binoculars flipped backwards.
"Actually, I'm rather glad about that," Twilight said. "I wouldn't want to draw unnecessary attention to ourselves." That was aimed at Rarity, who’d shown up to the trench with a red carpet, confetti, and announcing herself at the top of her voice.
“Just because this is a dirt trench does not mean one shouldn’t dress her best,” Rarity said, pulling out a compact with her magic and looking herself over once again. “And where is Fluttershy? I haven’t seen her all day!”
“She… didn’t want to come,” Twilight said, looking sympathetically over at Rainbow, who flinched and rubbed her stomach. “She was very insistent about it.”
Twilight was kept from further explanations as a large shadow and the sound of large, leathery wings passed overhead, catching everypony's attention. At first, Summer and Sapphire thought it was Midnight, but a quick look up showed that it was the first of many dragons emerging from a nearby cloud bank.
It was a truly awesome sight. Dragons of every shape and size by the dozen were overhead, their massive bulks actually blotting out the sun at times. While the others either "oohed" and "aahed" or watched in amazed silence, Summer was on the lookout for two specific individuals. 'I hope Midnight's seeing this,' she thought as she looked for a black body with a blue belly and horns among the oddly colorful horde of fire-breathing beasts above. She knew dragons came in colors other than black and blue, due to Windstorm's description of other wyverns and Spike, but she hadn't expected some to be so bright or flashy.
"Amazing," Twilight said.
"Bad-flank," said Scarlet.
"Formidable," agreed Rarity.
"And a bit fierce," Honey said, hunkering down further into the trench.
"You know it," Spike said, handing her a muffin from his tea cart. "We dragons are a force to be reckoned with."
Scarlet snickered while Rainbow did her best to keep her laughing low. "You got that right Spike; that's the scariest apron ever!"
Spike looked down at what he was wearing, then glared back at Rainbow. "Hey, blueberry stains are a pain to get out! I'd like to see how long it takes to get some out of your coat and feathers!"
"I completely agree Spike," Rarity said, "and your look is unique! You don't have to look like other dragons."
"Or act like them," Twilight agreed.
"I... don't act like other dragons?" Spike asked,
"And I think we can all agree that's for the best," Sapphire said, still looking around for Midnight. "I think the greed-growth incident is proof enough of that."
Spike sighed. "Yeah, you got a point there."
"What's greed growth?" Ember asked innocently.
They all froze. While Midnight had never gone through it, something they all chalked up to her wyvern ancestry, they had no idea if that extended to kirins born from dragons.
"We'll... explain later," Summer said, catching Forest’s eye.
"Besides, in that outfit you're just the cutest thing ever!" Rarity gushed.
"C-Cute!?" Spike sputtered, embarrassment clear on his face. "Dragons aren't supposed to be cute!"
A strong gust of wind blew through the trench as an even darker shadow shot by, lower than the dragons.
"I bet Midnight would agree with me!" Spike said as they recognized the newcomer.
"Oh..." Summer moaned as she watched the wyvern climb to meet the migrants.
To their surprise, she didn't push herself into the stream of dragons. Coming to a hover several lengths away, her head moved from side to side as if she was looking for something in particular. Several dragons looked her way and either looked forward again, ignoring her, or narrowed their eyes.
"What is she...?" Sapphire started.
"Excuse me!" Midnight called out. "Have any of you seen a wyvern named Windstorm? I really need to speak with him!"
One dragon studied her, then snorted. "Wyverns don't migrate with dragons," he said with a tone that said not to push it.
Either not catching the tone or ignoring it, Midnight continued. "He said he was joining the last migration! One of you must have met him!"
"Well we didn't!" another one snapped. Now several more were turning their attention towards her and none of it looked pleasant.
"And even if he did try to migrate with us," yet another added, "he wouldn't get to try a second time!"
"But he said-!" Midnight pressed.
"Then he lied!" a fourth interrupted, already fed up with her presence. "Dragons and wyverns don't do anything together, much less migrate! Now beat it!"
He shot a flame at her, which Midnight ducked away from, going to a lower altitude but still staying in the air and looking up at them. Satisfied with her reaction to being told off, the dragons continued on their way, ignoring the wyvern that looked increasingly lost, her head and eyes still searching the stream of dragons.
Summer wanted to call her down, to get her in the trench and tell her... tell her what? If she was being honest, she had always felt that the migration thing had been a lie; even looking for Windstorm today was just some errant last hope for closure. Midnight, on the other hoof, had genuinely believed she was finally going to see her father again.
Beside her, Sapphire flapped her wings uncertainty. "I'll get her..." she began.
"No," Summer said, gently but firmly laying a hoof on her whither, "she won't leave now, not until she has to change back." Sapphire saw Summer's eye become wet. "Let her see this out."
For another half hour Midnight stayed in the air, moving from place to place and hovering like a giant hummingbird, looking more lost and agitated by the minute. At last she ducked away one final time and flew off over the Everfree, looking confused, distracted, and dejected.
-----------------------------
They found her in bed when they finally got back to the house. Midnight was curled up in a nest of blankets, sheets, and pillows with her wings covering her head and shoulders from sight. Arina was perched on Midnight’s back, rubbing it with a leg and trying to comfort her owner.
Summer tried to say a few comforting things but all she got in response was a few high-pitched grunts.
Squeaks and Sapphire had more success. Once Summer left the two had come in and immediately Midnight gathered them both onto the bed, each under a wing. They spent several minutes just nuzzling each other, Midnight making her growl-purr noise and Squeaks squeaking in response whenever her mother’s muzzle rubbed her. Then Midnight wordlessly shifted Squeaks to between Sapphire and herself, pulled them both in tight with her wing, laid her head down on a pillow and closed her eyes. Squeaks did the same, sticking her head into the crook of Midnight’s neck, and in a few minutes they were both breathing in the rhythm of sleep. Sapphire had Arina fetch Windrunner, told the other pegasus to come get her in another hour if she was still there, then laid her own head down muzzle to muzzle with Midnight’s and let sleep take her as well.
-----------------------------
“I’m sorry,” Midnight said after dinner. She had picked unenthusiastically at her plate of mashed potatoes, deer meat, and green beans the entire time, then went to the couch and tried to act like she wasn’t depressed by reading a book. When Sapphire and Squeaks joined her and Sapphire saw she hadn’t even turned the page yet, Midnight gave up.
“For?” Sapphire asked gently, resting her head against the kirin’s neck.
“For acting like this. I should have known better; mom did…”
“And how were either of you supposed to know how today would turn out?” Sapphire asked.
“I just…” Midnight grimaced and hit the cushion. “He was supposed to be there! That’s why he said he left!” Her voice hitched and a tear began to pool at the corner of her eye. “All these years that’s all I’ve had to go on! If he’s not with the migration…”
Sapphire and Squeaks nuzzled her until her breathing returned to normal. “You’ll find him,” Sapphire assured her.
“No idea how…” Midnight said, her head falling to the side as she absently stroked Squeaks’ head.
This was no good. She wanted to just crawl back into bed and not come back out but she couldn’t do that. Squeaks, Sapphire, Windrunner, Honeysuckle and everypony else relied on her too much for her to just crawl into a corner somewhere and lay around like a wet lump. She already felt childish enough for giving her mother the cold shoulder earlier.
With a deep breath, she packed her sadness and frustration away for a future talk with Sapphire, looked at the clock over the kitchen doorway, and kissed Squeaks on the head. “How does a few stories before bed sound?”
“Okay,” Squeaks agreed, nuzzling her back.
As the filly got up and went up the stairs to get ready, Sapphire held Midnight back with a wing. “Do you…” she began.
“Tomorrow,” the kirin told her, laying a wing across her back. “I’ll feel better by then. Just… let me be a little more selfish tonight, please? I just need more time to think.”
Sapphire nodded and kissed her. “I’m here when you need me.”
The stories Midnight read to Squeaks and the hug and kiss goodnight they shared were therapeutic enough that when Midnight got back downstairs, she didn’t feel as tired as she had before. She was even able to go through several games of Go Fish with her housemates before finally retiring to bed.
“You sound like you’re feeling better,” Sapphire noted as they settled down in bed together. For the night they’d keep the nest Midnight had made of the bed but it would be set back to order in the morning. Speaking of which…
“Midnight?” Sapphire asked quietly once they were settled.
“Hmm?”
The pegasus bit her lip. “Just… out of curiosity, let’s say you did meet your dad today; what would you have done?”
Midnight blinked and raised her head. “What do you mean?”
“I mean… your dad would have been migrating, so he would have left as quickly as he arrived. You’ve been looking for him for so long… would you have gone with him?”
Even in the darkness, Midnight could see the pools of orange looking up at her. “Would you have left us for him?” was the unspoken question.
“No,” Midnight said, pulling Sapphire into a tight embrace. “Ponyville is my home; you and Squeaks are my family; I just want to find him for closure, that’s all.”
Sapphire nuzzled into Midnight’s neck. Her family; her heart soared at that. “I guess I’m being selfish again, making it sound like you’d choose between us like that…I’m just worried that you’d leave to find him like you did when you left Summer.”
“No, I’m sorry I’ve been acting like I have to make you think that way.” She bent her head and hooked the bridge of her muzzle with Sapphire’s so that they were looking right into each other’s eyes. “I would fly around the world to find my dad... but I would sooner face a hundred Discords alone to get to you and Squeaks. Please, don’t ever forget that.”
“I won’t.” Sapphire tilted her head back so they could kiss. “Goodnight; sweet dreams.”
“I hope I’m in them,” Midnight whispered back.
Sapphire hummed happily as they drifted off to sleep.
-----------------------------
“So, back to work then?” Windrunner asked, having finished the last of her eggs and toast.
“I won’t hold it against you if you want to keep dragon gazing,” Midnight said, having finished her own meal and skimming through the daily paper. “It’s a rare thing to see, so I’m told, but I’m getting back to work.”
“I’ll get back to work with you,” Windrunner said. “I can still see the dragons from the forest if I really want to.”
Midnight hummed at that. The first thing she’d seen out the living room window that morning was the smaller but steady flow of dragons from the south. For a brief moment she had panicked that her father might have passed by in the night but she pushed it down. It was obvious how her mood was effecting everypony around her and she wouldn’t let it continue.
“Actually,” Sapphire said, raising a wing, “I wanted to talk with you before you went out today. It has to do with what we talked about last night.”
“Alright,” Midnight assented, raising a curious eyebrow at her marefriend. Once the breakfast dishes were cleaned and Windrunner had opened the front up and Honey brought Squeaks over to Ember’s, Midnight met Sapphire in the living room. “What’s wrong?” Midnight asked quietly, bringing her wings forward to shelter the two of them.
Sapphire bit her lip. “When I asked you what you would do if you found him, part of why I asked that was because I thought of something. I’m… still not sure I want to say it. I know you said you’d come back no matter what but… but what if you can’t? What if something happens to you and you can’t make it back home? That’s what I’m scared of most of all.”
“And a tree could fall on me in the forest; you aren’t scared of that,” Midnight pointed out as she pulled her close.
“That’s different! We could find you in the forest! If you followed the migration, maker knows where you could end up!”
“Follow the migration?” Midnight echoed. “Sapphire, what…?”
“What if he’s already there?” Sapphire asked. “What if he took a different route and is already where all these dragons are migrating to? You were so depressed at first I thought I’d come up with a way to give you back some hope but then… I got scared you wouldn’t come back.” She looked the kirin in the eye. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I don’t want to lose you. I don’t want to tell Squeaky you’re never coming back.”
Midnight nuzzled her. “Getting a bit extreme on me, don’t ya think? You’re starting to worry me, you know.”
“I blame my mother,” Sapphire said with a sigh, nuzzling her back. “I think I’m turning into her.”
“That would explain the clinginess,” Midnight agreed, “but you know I’ve faced worse than a long hike; we all have, and those times weren’t by choice. At least this time I’ve got some idea about what I’d be facing. And what about when I went looking for Ember? You didn’t get anywhere near as clingy then.”
“I knew where you were going and you had others with you.” Sapphire sighed. “I just... are you going to go then?”
Midnight looked down at her, staring into her orange eyes and contemplating every reason to and not to go. Before she could give her an answer, Honey stuck her head into the room.
“I’m sorry,” she said, seeing she was interrupting, “but Twilight, Spike, Rarity, and Rainbow want to see you. They say it’s important.”
Midnight sighed and kissed Sapphire on the tip of her muzzle. “Duty calls,” She said with a weary half smile.
“Duty calls,” she agreed and the two followed Honey to the front. Arina zipped from her hiding spot and climbed up to her perch on Midnight’s head.
“Good morning all,” Midnight said as she entered the store front. “One of the dragons decided the town would look better on fire?”
“Good morning,” they chorused, “and, no, the town is fine,” Twilight said. “Speaking of which, how are you feeling this morning?”
“Better,” Midnight admitted. “But if the town isn’t on fire, then what can I do for you? Important usually means something’s gone wrong.”
“Nothing this time, thank goodness. Actually, we’re here for Spike,” Rarity said, gesturing to the small dragon.
“Not getting grabby again, are we?” Midnight asked mock seriously.
Spike gave her an unamused stare back.
“No, nothing like that,” Twilight said. “You see, last night Spike got curious about dragons. We did as much research as we could but nopony has ever really done any in-depth study on them. We couldn’t find anything to help him.”
“That’s when I decided to join the migration and find out what dragons are really like,” Spike said and for the first time Midnight realized he had a stick with a picnic blanket tied up on the end, the same kind wandering ponies usually had.
“We were hoping you could keep an eye on the little guy,” Rainbow added.
“We talked it over,” Twilight said quickly before Spike or Midnight could say anything, “and we also think that your dad might have taken a different way to the migration spot. Princess Celestia said that dragons follow different paths to it depending on where they start. You could still catch him.”
Midnight looked between Twilight and Sapphire. “Great minds think alike,” she said with a smirk. Sapphire blushed. “Sapphire and I were just discussing this before you all came. Spike, how long to you plan to be there?”
“As long as it takes to learn to be a proper dragon!” He said, a determined glint in his eye.
Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow all gave her pleading looks.
“I’m not sure I can help you then,” Midnight said. “If I go, I’d only stay until I found my dad and said what I have to say. I have responsibilities here at home; I can’t just up and leave for who knows how long.”
“So, you can’t go with him then?” Rarity asked. “You’ll forgive me, Midnight, but I don’t think that Ponyville will suffer a firewood shortage if you leave for a few weeks.”
“I also have familial responsibilities,” Midnight said. “I’m not going to up and leave my daughter for that long, nor my marefriend, and my mom and Orange have clients and will need somepony to watch Autumn; how often is Sweetie Belle over at your house that you can up and leave town for that long?” She felt a wing drape across her back and she looked over at Sapphire.
“What if you only stayed a week?” She asked, looking a lot less concerned than before. “Spike can send a letter when you arrive, you two stay there looking for your dad and learning about dragons, then you send another letter when the week is over telling us you’re coming back… or not.”
“Stay in communication in case something goes wrong, you mean?” Midnight asked with a knowing smile. It was a great idea; if something happened to one the other could go and get help. Alone, Spike might not have been able to write a letter in time and Midnight might have lost her dragon fire lighter. “That’s a much better plan than just harrying off after a pack of dragons willy-nilly. And we will be coming back.” She gave Spike a look that broke no argument.
Her ear flicked as one of Arina’s legs rubbed against it and another idea came to her. “And Arina can stay here as well.” The spider began to chirp unhappily. “Our shared sight is faster than any letter and if things do end up bad enough we need a search party, it would be easier to find us if you could see the same landmarks we do.”
“I think it’s the best way to make sure Midnight and Spike come home safe,” Sapphire added. “Besides, what if these two get stuck and only you can go for help? By the time you manage to get all the way back here and let us know what’s going on, we could have already sent out a party and found them.”
Arina chirped some more, then let out one last, long chirp and deflated in defeat.
“That’s my girl,” Midnight smirked.
“So, you’ll go then?” Rainbow asked.
“Go where?”
They all looked towards the kitchen door to find Squeak and Ember peering up at them. The two must have come over to get a toy or game.
“First, does Forest know you’re over here?” Midnight asked. Both nodded and when they told her they were sure, she told them what they were talking about.
“I hope you find grandpa,” Squeaks said.
“I hope so too, baby girl,” Midnight said, nuzzling her.
“Can I ask you something?” Ember asked conspiratorially. When Midnight nodded, Ember backed up into the kitchen more, then whispered into the older kirin’s ear. “Can you look for my dad, too?”
Midnight smiled and winked. “You got it.”
“So, you’re going?” Windrunner asked.
“...Yes,” Midnight finally said. She gave Windrunner a meaningful look and the pegasus returned it with a barely noticeable nod. As First Lieutenant, she’d keep things from spiraling out of control here at home; easier now with more than just herself to rely on. “Let me get some things packed and we’ll get on our way.”
It didn’t take very long; a few sacks of gems, her armor pieces, just in case, paper and pencil for writing letters, and some photos to show her father what had gone on in her life since he left and she was all set to go.
“Please, remember to write,” Sapphire said as they all stood outside to wish them good luck.
Midnight kissed her. “Paper and pencil is at the ready. And let my mom know what I’m doing.”
“Of course.”
She looked over the two foals sitting between Sapphire and Forest, who came over when she heard what was going on. “And you two; behave yourselves. I don’t want Sapphire or Forest telling be how the cupcake hit the fan while I was gone.”
“Yes ma’am!” They both chorused.
“You don’t need to look for Long Spine,” Forest whispered when Midnight was done hugging the foals. “You have your own father to find.”
“If I don’t find my dad, possibly the only wyvern out of hundreds of dragons, on the first day, then what else am I going to do all week?” Midnight asked. “Besides, she needs her dad, too.”
Forest nodded, then Midnight turned to Spike. “Ready buddy?”
“Ready!” Spike said, giving her the thumbs up.
She lowered herself to the ground. “Then hop on; I ain’t walking all the way.”
Spike clambered up, careful not to knock her saddle bags off. When he was secure, Midnight got up and spread her wings. Everyone called out goodbyes one more time as the pair took off, both returning the sentiments and that they’d be back soon.
As they flew on under the stream of dragons and Ponyville got farther away, Midnight couldn’t help a feeling of excitement compete with her unease of leaving. After all these years, she finally had a solid lead.
-----------------------------
Following the dragon migration turned out to be surprisingly simple as there were always at least a few dragons overhead to guide the way. What wasn’t simple was how they followed them. Midnight flew just over the treetops in order to avoid being spotted by the dragons above but that meant that her normal way of flying, by gliding and using thermals, was useless. This meant that she needed to fly like a pegasus and constantly flap her wings. Her training with Windrunner had boosted her endurance to an hour of flying like this but she still needed to stop and rest for at least an hour before going aloft again. At night they rested for two hours before going aloft so as to make sure they never lost the trail of flying flamethrowers. On a few lucky occasions they managed to hitch a ride on a passing raft and some mountain goats, who bleated insistently as they carried the kirin.
“As if I’d eat them,” Midnight huffed on their next break after flying down the opposite side of the mountain. “Only an idiot bites the hoof that feeds them.” Speaking of food, the two had set up on a couple of logs for a quick bite to eat and Midnight punctuated her statement by ripping into the roasted squirrel she had skewered on a stick.
Spike only shrugged as he ate his own snack of gems, doing his best to avoid looking at the remains of the tree-dwelling rodent.
“It’s been a few days now,” Midnight continued after she swallowed her bite, “and I think we’ve left Equestria.” She craned her neck to look over the other nearby hills towards the blue strip that was the waters of north Celestial Sea. If she flew high enough, she could probably have made out the Griffish Isles. “We should be almost there… I hope.”
“So, what are you going to say when you find your dad?” Spike asked as he sucked on an emerald.
Midnight shrugged. She’d always imagined how reuniting with her father would go but age and cynicism had diminished the glorious reunion into what would more than likely end up as nothing more than a social call. “Tell him what’s happened to me over all these years. How much I missed him, how I ran away, that I’m now living in Ponyville, that he’s a grandfather. I’ll just catch him up then go looking for Ember’s dad.”
“That’s it? You don’t want to say anything else to him? You don’t want him to come back with you?” Spike asked, surprised how dull Midnight imagined things would go.
“Honestly Spike? I’m not sure what I want,” Midnight confessed. “He’s been gone for so long and I have a family of my own now.” She stared at her food for a long moment, then took a rather vicious bite out of it. “For whatever reason he never came back; no matter what I’m going back. I don’t care if he tells me he found a whole island of kirins, I have a home and family that’s more important.” She took another bite of squirrel. “What about you? Are you really planning to stay with the dragons until you think you’ve learned enough? What if they tell you there’s things you can only learn in far off lands? What then?”
Spike swallowed the gem he’d been chewing on. “I… didn’t really think about that. Do you think they will?”
Midnight shrugged. “If I were in your place, I’d learn as much as I can during the week we’re here and then head home. Yeah, they’re your kind, but they don’t know you like Twilight and the others do. Twilight is your family, right?”
Spike nodded. “Yeah. She hatched me, after all, and her family is mine, too. I guess they’d really miss me if I didn’t come back for a long time.”
Midnight took a final bite of her food and nodded. “You bet they would. Come on, we better get back on the move.”
“Right!” Popping the last bit of the gem in his mouth, Spike settled himself back on Midnight’s back and the kirin took off.
-----------------------------
It took them the rest of the day and the entire night (thanks to a now broken alarm clock and days of wonky sleep schedules, they ended up sleeping for six hours instead of just two) but by dawn the next morning the two were flying just above the canopy of a forest below a mountain range practically covered in dragons.
They’d finally reached the end of the migration.
“Finally,” Midnight wheezed, dropping to the ground under a tree hosting a nesting pair of, of all things, phoenixes. “Damn, stupid alarm clock… I just want to go back to sleep.”
“Come on, Midnight! The dragons are all right there!” Spike insisted, motioning up at the horde.
“Exactly, and this thing’s just started,” the kirin sighed out, her eyelids drooping. “I’d also like to point out how much more sleep you got while on my back. They shouldn’t be going anywhere soon.”
“But, your dad…”
“Will be better chewed out if I’m not nodding off in front of him. I think this is the best place for us to split up anyway,” she looked up at the nest above her, “I think phoenix nests are rare enough we can use them as landmarks, so why don’t we use this as the place to meet back up? That okay with you two?” she called up to the nest.
Above, the phoenix parents-to-be, who had been watching the two creatures below their nest, looked at each other and seemed to shrug. With twin caws of what sounded like acceptance, they both ducked back into the nest.
“Thanks,” Midnight called after them.
“So, you’re just going to sleep here for now?” Spike asked.
“A little bit, yeah. One more reason is that I don’t want to search around as a kirin and I’m too tired to transform right now.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier for your dad to recognize you if you were a kirin?”
“It would be easier to spot a full-grown wyvern in all this,” Midnight said, motioning at the crowd of large dragons above, “and being bite-size isn’t a good place to be if I tick one off. A little rest and a bite to eat afterwards and I’ll be better. Now, stop wasting time; you’ve got a letter to send and dragon things to learn.”
“Alright, well, good luck finding your dad then! See you soon!” Spike said as he walked toward the mountains, his pace picking up as he got closer.
Midnight watched him go through a cracked eyelid. “Good luck to you, too, buddy,” she murmured.
Just as she was about to clock out, she felt a weight land on her head. Cracking her eye open once again, she found herself eye to eye with one of the phoenixes, it’s head upside down to look at her. “I didn’t mean you when I mentioned food,” she said, “but if I feel something wet and nasty on me, I’m testing that immortality you’re so famous for.”
The phoenix just stared back at her for another few seconds, cooed, then straightened back up and stayed perched on her head. Midnight snorted, then drifted off to sleep.
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Wait, what? Two chapters in less than a week? WHAT KIND OF MADNESS IS THIS?!?
One I love, that's for sure!
Two chapters this close together?!? It’s a Christmas miracle.
Just pulling ur leg
The cliffhanger!
Hmm... she's looking for Ember's dad based on a description. Don't we have the description of another kirin's father?
9142276
wait what do you look like again?
9142276
We don't speak of him. Not past that one chapter.
Seems to me that most dragons don't really like wyvers all that much... I forsee problems in the future
9142284
Darn. I'd love to see Midnight rip him apart.
Another chapter already? Awesome!
I actually rather hope that they find both Windstorm and Long Spine. Yeah, it may mean that that particular chapter is closed, but it will open up all manner of new paths and I think it'd be interesting to see more dragons coming around.
Also, I hope that Garble and his buddies get a beatdown from some dragons that aren't complete asses. Spike could use some good examples amongst dragons. It wasn't until he accompanied Luna and met Mina in her comic shop that he met some decent dragons, but that's from the comics and not necessarily considered canon by everyone.
gets done reading the last chapter...ok time to wait for the next....see update...looks at school work....looks at chapter....look back at school work...darn it hold on i got to adult for a bit
Yay, new chapter. So when's the next one coming, because you can't just leave us on a cliffhanger
9142294
I'm sure most of us would
9142432
At my current pace and a three-day weekend coming up... I'd say Monday or Tuesday
9142363
schoolwork?
Unless you went back to college (or going for a PhD), y'all ain't adultin' yet
Trade places?
media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/b7/db/36/b7db36003cbfa2604340d057aee861f4.jpg
What's this? What's this?
A new chapter is out
What's this?
There's Midnight in the air
What's this?
I can't believe my eyes
I must be dreaming
Wake up, Hunter, this isn't fair
What's this?
Awww
Alright, we NEED a fanart of Midnight riding a goat. It would be the most epic thing ever seen since that time we saw Robert Downey Jr riding a pony in Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
And thus, we have the confirm that phoenixes are badass creatures. I mean, we already saw them chasing off a group of young dragons to protect their nest. But using a grumpy kirin as a perch? That's ballsy.
Will Midnight proclaim herself Queen of the Hoard and brutally beat a bunch of teens in the process? ... I hope so.
"Hail to the Queen, baby!"
But the real question is: will we see Twilight, Rarity and Rainbow Dash dressed as Crackle's cousin?
(the first time I saw that scene, I laughed so hard I almost fell from my chair)
some how i have a feeling this is not going to go good.
disappointment is defiantly going to happen.
at the same time i think Midnight has made a friend in the phoenix.
9142484
double majored as a welder and a mechanical engineer actually. wish i could write as well as you do but i guess i get to play with the really big toys instead so it works out.
Does this mean wyverns have their own country independent from dragons?
9142486
First off, thank you for the laughs
Second, I'll put that on my "needs artwork of" list. I might even have it as a two or three panel comic if I can save up the money (The Super Star Destroyer is coming out for Star Wars Armada and I'm getting two, which, at $200 a pop, will need money saved up for)
Third, I'll also put "phoenix perched on grumpy kirin" on the artwork list.
Fourth, I hope I don't disappoint in the next chapter
9142661
yeah
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but the arc welder hurts like a bitch
9142721
In a sense. Wyverns live in clans while dragons mostly live alone (yes, it has been established that there are dragon lands, however this story ends with season 4 so anything brought up in the show after that point is subject to this draconequus' whim and personal preference)
9142482
Okay Ink, but don't push yourself too hard. There is no sense in getting burned out.
9142845
t for ten months, spinning my wheels! Given half the chance, I driving this wave of productivity until the engine blows!
Burn out?
I've been stuck in s
At least then I'll feel like I've earned a rest
And don't get me started about everything else I need to catch up on!
9142900
I get that, but at the same time if you drive yourself too hard it will be much worse next time. And I'd rather not see you go through that.
As for catching up, yeah I'm kind of there myself right now so I get it.
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Watch?
*Checks over tank*
I do not know this word
Hmm, if I remember right Ember was from a one night stand between Forest and Long Spine right? So if he doesn't even know he has a child he might actually want to go visit her. Not sure how you'd play that out, but it'd sure be interesting. Also, ya think there'd be any confusion if Midnight mentioned she was looking for Ember's father? Especially considering there's "Princess" Ember, who's father is the current Dragon King. Might be a fun little misinterpretation if some of the Dragon's think Midnight is there on orders of the Dragon Princess... And it'd be pretty epic I think if Midnight actually met the Dragon King.
Also, yeah, epic laughs from the image of Midnight riding on a goat... aren't they like, sapient, or something? There were some working for Iron Will right?
If any of the canon dragons from this episode are nice, I say it would be Crackle.
9144931 Crackle is... special. Very special.
I apologize if you mentioned this in a previous chapter, but what's the difference between a wyvern and a dragon?
9149718
While I don't recall of the details Ink put together there is this one I do remember. one of the big differences in this case between dragons and Wyverns is that for a wyvern their friends and family are their "hoard" and they are viciously territorial about them.
There are a number of things too, but Ink can better inform you of those than I can.
This promises to be interesting, looking forward to the next update.
9149718
Dragon
Wyvern
Does that answer you question?
9162263
Is this a whoosh? They look identical. As a matter of fact it looks like two different pictures of the same character.
9163056
Actually no, one is a model from Arc and one is something someone drew.
The difference between a wyvern and a dragon is wyverns dont have forearms they have wings instead, while dragons have both wings and forearms.
9163390
Ok, now I understand. Which leads to the next question. The dragons in this chapter act like there's something about wyverns they can't stand. Do we know what it is? Will we find out what it is? Will it just be another Noodle Incident?
9163705
Nah they haven't explained it in either of the stories yet, although they might explain it in the next chapter
9142115
Madness?..This!IS!SPARTA!!
Actually this is Equestria.
Oh, pardon me. Which way is Sparta, then?
Head west and you'll reach it in three days.
My thanks!
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9163705
Gentlemen, my apologies for getting back to you so late, work has been whipping me into a... blind, homicidal rage? Yeah, let's go with that.
*takes a deep, calming breath*
Anyway, as to your inquiry: dragons and wyverns are cousins in the Witchingverse (I believe that goes for cannon mythology as well, but who on this site cares about cannon?) and the reason they dislike each other is as follows (I could have sworn I brought this up before, but on the off chance I didn't I've got the perfect character to bring it up next chapter):
Wyverns find dragons to be selfish and greedy while dragons see wyverns as weak for needing other wyverns (living in clans) and stuck up for, according to the dragons, looking down on them.
And there's also the physical traits that Zapper brought up. I base my wyverns off the dragons from the movie Reign of Fire.
9165505
Thanks for the info.
nice to see you're back
Why even bother, Midnight's dad has made no attempt to be in her life so she shouldn't waste her time and hope on him.
Leaving some poor bear to put out their fire.
This has been a super amazing read. I really hope she finds her dad. Super excited to see what happens next. Especially with your version of the AU being so interesting and different. I wonder if spikes outcome is going to be any different?
You know, from what I've heard, Kirin are now MLP cannon! They look a lot different than Midnight, but I chalk that up to Midnight being a first generation Kirin while the others have interbred for a long time.
9191369
Actually, that will be addressed in season 3
9191577
Generally yes, but in this case, my head canon for us bat ponies is that we're an off shoot of pegasi that has existed since before Equestria, and our native tongue is based on old pegasus, something that isn't really compatible with them being a creation of Luna.
Speaking of languages, old Pegasus is still in use, it's the language of choice for weather operations internal documents for much the same reason why in RL Latin is still used in science. Modern Equestrian is derived from the original Earth pony language, while Olde High Equestrian came from the unicorns as did the royal hierarchy.
Other canon, Equestria uses a base-12 numbering system. Since ponies are four legged, it would make sense that their language would be divisible by four. Four is too small, twenty is too big, so that narrows us down to base 8, 12 or 16. Sixteen is still a touch too big, and as a writer, eight is too confusing to readers, so 12 it is, with • and ⊃as the additional characters.
Equestria has a six day week with 5 weeks in a month, 12 months (or should that be 10 months in a year) and 362 days in a year
Luna is the passionate one. Celestia may be an incredible tactician, sometimes stopping wars before they start, but there is a reason Luna led the army. Whether its fighting, music, painting or many other arts, Luna is passionate about it. A patron of the arts, she 'discovered' many of the famous authors, artists, composers and such. Because of this, after some time and at someone's suggestion, she changes her Night Court from a formal court to holding court with friends and fellow artists.
Canterlot, formerly Canterville, a unicorn settlement at the base of Mt Canterhorn, a place where several ley lines cross. When Everfree fell after the battle between Celestia and Nightmare Moon, the unicorns of Canterville offered her a free fully furnished castle, no strings attached (yeah, right, why do you think the nobles are so stuck up?). My donut shop is located in the Shadows District of lower Canterlot, so named as it was in the shadow of the mountain when Canterville was first built, and was the low end neighborhood. When the castle was built, that shadow fell on the neighborhood too. Always the ghetto, it's population has ranged from migrant workers during the castle building, to immigrants from friendly nations, and now the nox (bat) ponies are starting to move in.
Law enforcement in Equestria consists of City Guard in major cities. The City Guard is a combination police force and militia, and are expected to hold the line if necessary in an attack. Smaller towns, villages, hamlets, etc use whatever they choose or can afford, watch ponies, sheriffs, police, constables (I'm thinking of putting Odo in one of my stories, just have to work out his name), marshals, etc.
There, one big pile of head canon for you to enjoy.... Well, except for that bat pony name, I'll share ifn you want her.
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Fascinating stuff.
9191369
That's been my thinking too, same with hippogriffs
Which is still weird
10068097
Well we know what happened to one pony that got too close so...
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Chewing and crunching noises