Dragons of Hourglass

by Rammy

Path of the DragonWyrm

Second Day of Judgement

---

“I brought a cake so we can celebrate properly!” A party cannon went off behind Pinkie, showering the Friendship Council with confetti. She giggled and then pulled out the mentioned cake from her mane.

It was a sheet cake decorated with diamonds and sapphires with the words ‘Happy-first-successful-defense of-hoard-and-first-growth-now-a-quadruped-dragon EB’ on it.

“How?!?” He of Hourglass puzzled. How she would know that? Then he noticed the initials on the cake. “EB?”

“She knows my Hoard Name.” EB grinned as he explained. “It’s her special ‘nickname’ for me.”

“Eeyup.” Pinkie Pie mimicked Big Mac, giggling. Then Pinkie Pie slide the cake forward and it somehow appeared in the Council of Harmony Chambers.

“Ba…” He of Hourglass brain went full tilt.

EB laughed at He of Hourglass’ confusion. He knew exactly how Pinkie was doing what she did but he wasn’t going to spoil it. “Don’t even try. Harmony’s Bearer of Magic tried once and it didn’t turn out well.”

“Now, before we dig in, I heard that you have been having ‘issues.’” Pinkie accented the last word with a conspiratorial whisper and hoof quote.

He of Hourglass frowned a bit at the reminder of his recent lack of judgement and control. He felt so much shame in breaking the code but this punishment was not helpful. It felt like Harmony hated him. While he like the Bearers he was not please being forced to socialize with them. And how is this going to help him control his greed over Harmony? Greed was a natural part of being a dragon.

”So…. we need to turn that frown uuuuuupside down! EB? You have an idea?”

EB smiled wide as he pulled his bass guitar off his back and sat back on two legs starting to play. Pinkie Pie started to sing.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need
A friend will be there to help them see

EB now joined in with her.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need
To see the light that shines from a true, true friend

Pinkie Pie danced a bit then pointed to He of Hourglass with her hoof before she started the first stanza.

Harmony said you needed help
You’ve been trying hard, doing what you can
Would you try, just give it a chance
You might find that you'll start to understand

A true, true friend helps a friend in need
A friend will be there to help them see
A true, true friend helps a friend in need
To see the light that shines from a true, true friend

He of Hourglass was tearing up at the feeling of friendship just gushing from the two singers. Now EB took a turn singing a stanza.

You are in trouble
We are here by your side
We can try to do what we can now
For together we can be your guide

He of Hourglass could no longer deny the pull of the very powerful soul song from two naturals and joined in during the final chorus.

A true, true friend helps a friend in need
A friend will be there to help them see
A true, true friend helps a friend in need
To see the light! (To see the light!)
That shines! (That shines!)
From a true, true friend!

“It’s an oldie, but a goldie…Pinkie zipped up next to He of Hourglass, put a hoof to the side of her face, and loudly whispered, “Actually the author was too lazy to come up with a completely new song.”

“What?” Both dragons questioned to which EB added. Okay, that, wasn’t soul song magic...

---

One week later.

---

“Can I be frank Golden Heart? What we are doing is only a stopgap. I admit I don’t know what goes on inside the mind of a dragon and never will. However I have been thinking for the past week on this and I think I know how to help you.”

Golden Heart was a bit annoyed that a piece of his hoard was giving him advice but he swallowed his pride just enough to ask, “How?” The change in his mind started to creep back in. Mine.

“Tell me about Harmony.”

“Huh?” Golden Heart scratched his head, confused. “Well he’s a Keeper… uh…an alicorn...”

“No, no no nonono….” Twilight shook her head. “That is what he is… Let’s try this a different away. What is his favorite food? What does he like to do when not about Keeper business? What are his dreams and aspirations. Who does he look up to?”

Golden Heart blinked then looked down in shame. This was all the answer that Twilight needed. Now she knew exactly how to help him.

“You are Golden Heart right? I suspect a simplistic meaning of it being similar to the phrase ‘having a heart of gold?’”

“It’s crude, but close enough.” Golden Heart grumbled. Now she doing the ‘what does your name mean’ routine. I already got that from He of Music...

“Then you aren’t hoarding the wrong thing about Harmony?”

“What do you mean?”

“You are hoarding the what of Harmony not who Harmony is to you as a friend or brother...” Twilight stop talking seeing that Golden Heart was deep in thought.

She’s right… but to be my name I need a bond with someone… I must have more of him for he is mine… No... that’s not it… how can I have more of him? The only thing I truly have of him is the bond we share as brothers, as colleges, as friends … The bone we share….. Mine... the bond is mine. Yes, mine. In that moment, Golden Heart mind and heart irrevocably changed. His greed rose to new heights and he was glad as he knew his greed would never diminish again. Before he would avoid using the word mine with force behind it when talking about his hoard. He knew he never would be so weak about his hoard again. For what dragon would be? He couldn't understand why he didn’t say it like that before, at all times.

Thinking of his hoard as his was intoxicating. He also couldn't believe he ever allowed anyone tell him how to hoard. He knew exactly the right way to hoard. Yes, I am dragon. I alone know how to properly hoard my hoard. A shiver of ecstasy went over him as he thought that. I will protect the bonds I share with others. No one shall take those bonds from me without my okay. NO ONE. Those bonds are “mine.”

“Golden Heart!” Twilight trembled as she thought he was going into the growth again. What she didn't know was this was different. “You have to fight back don’t let it take over you-”

“I AM DRAGON! DO NOT PRESUME TO LECTURE A DRAGON ON HIS HOARD!” Golden Heart roared at her before ending the connection from his end.

Twilight shivered in fright not only at the roaring dragon but the fact that the dragon said ‘mine.’ She had just enough sense in mind to quickly send an error filled note to He of Music. She didn't have time to have her usual care with it as she knew that every millisecond would count.

Hhe of Music Help!

he of Hourglass is goin into the initial stage agan and think its evolvg past tat.

A long, scary moment later, the signal on Spike’s old throne pulsed. She quickly tapped the center and the image of the Hourglass Council returned with He of Music smiling.

He of Music was calm as he spoke, “He’s not going into the beast growth that I can assure you.”

“It sure sounded like it was…”

“Tell me word for word of what was said in the moments before.”

Twilight used a calming technique that she was taught long ago. Slowly, but surely, she told He of Music everything.

“Well, this is good news actually… And it confirms what I heard from his song.” He of Music inwardly was miffed that when he tried the whole ‘what does your name mean’ routine he had failed but she didn’t… Maybe it was the way I went about it?

“Good... NEWS!!! HOW COULD THAT HAVE BEEN GOOD NEWS!??” He of Music was about to answer when Twilight again yelled, “GOOD NEWS?!”

“Since you witnessed slash caused it I will try to explain…” He of Music rubbed his head sheepishly as he couldn't think he could... but he said he would try... “Uh, but, how will I put this in a way that you, as a non dragon, would understand… It doesn't help that you are not as well verse in dragon ways as Harmony is...”

“He is maturing as a dragon… and in this case he has matured in how to hoard.”

“Mature in how he hoards!? What does that mean?”

“I don’t truly know, I have not matured in the way of hoarding yet… I just know what it looks and sounds like... To be frank, most dragons don’t ever mature in hoarding.”

“Why don’t they?”

“It’s one thing to know it here.” He of Music pointed to his head before he pointed to his heart. “It’s another to know it here. A sign of a dragon becoming mature in something is when he or she takes something from his or her head to his or her heart. My guess most find it not worth the time or effort.”

“So is there a big difference then?”

“Yes. I will use Greed Growth as an example. When a whelp or hatchling goes through that growth (if they do) everything around them becomes just “things” to have with no rhyme or reason and they will just pile it all together not carrying if anything is damaged or not. Mature dragon hoarding is not that. It’s directed at special things that the dragon sees as valuable and he will take excellent care of it for however long he has it even if it can only have it for a short while.”

“Sounds just like normal adult dragon hoarding.“

“What did I say?!” He of Music facepalmed as Twilight was, as he figured, confused. “While I understand what hoarding is I still don’t know what it means to be mature in hoarding. I can only say that the difference from mature hoarding and immature hoarding is like the difference between an adult hoarding and a whelp or hatching in greed growth hoarding.”

“This is confusing… and makes little sense…Like Pinkie… Let’s just stop before my migraine gets worse.” Twilight popped a pill from her council room stash before tiredly sitting back down on her throne. “Can you at least tell me if He of Hourglass is safe from beast growth?”

“No, not by a long shot…” He of Music shook his head. “Not by a long shot… For now, the danger is past, but until the curse of the ‘Nameless One’ is lifted he is vulnerable. More so because it nearly happened once already.”

Twilight gave the usual laid back dragon that had just demonstrated a lot of wisdom a sly eye glance. “You know, you never seemed the type to be so knowledgeable.”

“I’m a quick study…” He of Music proudly stated.

“When you want to be?” Twilight asked, looking innocently.

“I am so going sic Pinkie on you for that.” Twilight paled visibly from He of Music’s threat and he smiled as he got the last laugh.

---

Present

---

“It seems so different now.” Quartermaster commented after he was flashed into the Harmony Council chambers.

“You are way bigger than the last time…” Harmony panted as the strain of teleporting a full grown dragon into the Council of Harmony, “and this is a joyous occasion and not marred by…” Harmony paused as he attempted to come up with the right world. He gave up quickly and just hoof quoted, “’bad things.’”

Harmony then teleported She of Hourglass. She turned a bit green and Quartermaster gently rubbed her back to help ease her discomfort. Harmony then downed half a ash vial. The ash illness was beginning to annoy him more than the Magic Wasting Disease ever did.

A portal appeared and a moment later and He of Hourglass and He of Music stepped through. He of Music’s headphones were off his ears and it looked like he was struggling to resist the urge to got nuts again. He of Hourglass, however, seemed to Harmony to carry himself differently, with confidence.

Did it work? Harmony wondered as he watched him.

It had been agreed on to allow She of Hourglass take the lead so she was the first to speak. “Hello He of Hourglass and He of Hourglass.”

Harmony almost facehoofed. It was apparent that Quartermaster didn’t tell her about his problem. You just love to see me squirm don’t you Quartermaster? Harmony eyed Quartermaster who was trying to look innocent and failing miserably.

“Whoa…” He of Music jaw dropped after hearing the musical sound of She of Hourglass’ voice. Harmony and He of Hourglass held their breath. They were not sure if He of Music was about to say something really stupid. “You sure know how to pick them Quartermaster.”

He of Music nearly yelped as Quartermaster put his head down in such a way so one of his large eyes look right at him. “I’m not sure whether to say thank you or smack you with my larger claws.” Quartermaster eyed He of Music for a second longer before he began to walk to the other side of the chambers where his mate was chatting with her Firstclaw. As his tail went by it accidentally hit He of Music on the head. “Oops, sorry He of Music.” Quartermaster lied when He of Music roared at him. “Still getting used to my new body.”

Harmony shook his head in a mixture of amusement and annoyance. “Please, not here you two…For that matter, what is with you two? You never were like this before. You are starting to act like…” Harmony facehoofed as he stated the obvious reason, “actual clanmates.”

“He no longer has you as a target.” He of Music deadpanned, rubbing his aching head.

“Trust me, I’m still a target, but I know what you really mean.” Harmony smirked as he was now called outsider by Quartermaster as a teasing gesture and not an insult.

Harmony casually sat on his throne the dragons mingled. It was apparent to Harmony that He of Hourglass was going out of his way to talk to each dragon separately for a while. He especially spent quite a bit of time with the newly mated pair, together. Harmony could only think of it was about the shudder inducing ‘miracle’ he was forced to watch. The three dragons suddenly fall to uproarious laughter and somehow Harmony just knew it was about him being embarrassed.

After a while the dragons broke up with the mates showing signs of being overtired. He of Hourglass walked up to Harmony who was now resting on the floor. “We need to talk.”

“Sure. I assume privately, right?”

With a nod a portal opened and He of Music reluctantly stepped through. Harmony began the hard process of getting Quartermaster and She of Hourglass back. He of Hourglass noticed the sweat on the alicorn’s brow as he concentrated so he sent some of his sparks over and it boosted Harmony’s power enough so that he was able to teleport both dragons with ease.

“Thanks, Golden Heart, I needed that help.”

“Now, about that Judgement.”

Harmony suspected what was coming but still gave the customary, “What about it?”

Golden Heart eyes erupted in magic flames and he stomped right up to Harmony. “It is to end… NOW!”

Harmony tried to back up but his back legs gave out. He could do nothing but watch as the fire, enraged dragon eyes bored into him. But as he became transfixed on those eyes he realized that the fire was inside of him and that he was seeing the inner flame of the dragon’s soul through the eyes. He had only been under this gaze twice before and it meant that the dragon was about to say something from the heart not the head. This could only mean that Golden Heart was about to say something mature.

Golden Heart touched a claw to his heart and then touched a claw to Harmony’s heart. A light, like a cord, appeared connecting the alicon on one side and the spark dragon on the other.
“THIS IS MY HOARD!” Golden Heart held up the shimmering cord of light that connected the two. “THIS BOND IS A PIECE OF MY HOARD. NOT YOU. THIS.” He held up the bond again before he let the light cord fade away.

“I DONT CARE WHAT THE COUNCIL HAS SAID OR THIS PATHETIC PIECE OF LAVA SHIT YOU CALL A JUDGEMENT NO ONE TELLS ME, A DRAGON, HOW TO PROTECT MY HOARD!”

Golden Heart’s rage diminished enough for him to speak normally. “Mine. The bond is MINE. Mine to protect and mine to nurture.” He sighed as he collected his thoughts. “You are not dragon so I will explain this as best I can. Everytime I think or speak of my hoard there is force behind the word my or mine. I can’t even look at you or think of you… with... that... word… It’s just not possible as my mind can’t make the connections anymore. The only way I could is if I think of the bond we share then and only then can I say or think mine with any force or power. The key there is the bond we share.”

“Dragons are magical creatures, He of Harmony, we mature magically physically and in certain magically mentally. Yes, we mature in the way all creature do with time and experience. However, there is a second maturing that a dragon goes through: his understanding of the dragon code… Magic maturing… uh, how to explain it?” Golden Heart put a hand to his forehead in thought before he dropped his hand in a clenched fist. “Gah! It is like trying to explain to a rock how to breath because without experiencing it you will have no grid for it... Uh, I guess all I can do is tell you the explainable part. The specific code that I broke when I said you were mine like some crazed whelp or hatchling in greed growth... I’m literally unable to break that code ever again… unless I succumb to the dreaded beast growth and I mean REALLY succumb.”

Harmony had waited for the dragon to finish as he knew that he would have had no chance to interrupt and to interrupt would have been detrimental to his health. It took a bit for his mind to start back up. He knew he needed to end the judgement because to Harmony great pride Golden Heart finally knew in his heart how to hoard. Hoard in the right way not hoard as most dragon incorrectly thought. “Judgement is rescinded… By the way, Golden Heart, I was told about this before… How else could I tell the difference between a beast growth ‘mine’ and a dragon mature in his understanding of hoarding ‘mine’? Kind of important for me to know so I didn't break code myself thinking that a dragon was entering beast growth when he or she wasn’t.”

“You knew... I… huh?” Golden Heart wasn’t expecting this. After what he found out earlier he figured that an extremely important (as in life or death) part of the code was not properly relayed to Harmony. But from what Harmony had said, this was not the case.

“I think you may have misinterpreted my whole ‘why you broke code speech’ when I said that I didn’t know what part of dragon that caused the breakage (as it wasn’t the challenge direction I was expecting) along with when I said you didn’t want to say ‘mine.’ I knew that you actually wanted to say mine but if I admitted that I knew that you really did... well…” Harmony and Golden Heart shuddered at the unspoken meaning. “I think, also, there was a desire to explain because of your earlier discovery of my lack of knowledge on how dragons mate and you thought that, again, an important part was not relayed to me like it should.”

“Remember I was warned about intangible hoards? When I was given that warning I MADE sure I had all the necessary knowledge. (I threaten a challenge.) I knew that because of the type of hoard you had that you were at very high risk for beast growth. I nudged you here and there when your immaturity or personality caused you to panic over my various illness or become upset in thinking you were useless.” Golden Heart blushed in embarrassment over the memories of those times. “I knew that pushing a dragon too far was not going to help. If anything, it would have increased your frustration because of your immature understanding and make you do something you would have regretted like challenge me. We both know how that would have ended. Sadly, I still failed and you went near beast growth on me.”

Harmony was starting to tear up as he continued. “The judgement was my last, desperate attempt to get you to mature in your understanding of how to hoard before the beast growth overcame you. Giving you the mark could have shamed you into understanding the code but the bond between us would have broken. I’m a Keeper of Harmony, remember? My duty, like yours, is to bring about harmony not break it… if possible.”

Harmony started crying uncontrollably as his bottled emotions poured out. Golden Heart went up to him and hugged him. He knew that hugging Harmony would strengthen his bond and by extension increase the value of his hoard but he also knew it was the right thing to do nonetheless. After a bit Harmony stopped crying as he felt better. A warmth went over Golden Heart as he felt his hoard increase.

“Thanks, I needed that… I…”

A power came over Harmony like a tidal wave choking out what he was about to say. His eyes went white with arcane power. Golden Heart eyed him carefully not sure what was going on but not concerned enough yet to be spurred into action. Again, Golden Heart saw an image of a dragon in place of Harmony for a fraction of a second.

Why does that keep happening to him? Or maybe it’s just me... I swear I see a dragon for a split second but when I look it’s just He of Harmony…

Harmony rose in the air and pointed to the dragon. No more you are no longer to be the dragon known as Golden Heart for you are Golden DragonHeart.

A rush of power overcame the dragon and he fell to his knees. Whatever was happening to him because of the power was painful, too painful to remain standing or to think. Thankfully, the pain was very short lived and after a few seconds it began to diminish. As the pain lessen enough for his mind clear, he no longer couldn’t see himself as Golden Heart anymore. And he had to invoke his name just like at his choosing.

“Yes, I AM Slozszelts CktüisSirts. I AM DRAGON!” He roared and a stream of green flame accompanied it.

The high from his new name quickly wore off as thoughts on how this could have happened swarmed in his mind. He just changed my name!? That name is never placed on a dragon unless he is chosen as worthy to take the Path of the DragonWyrm. How did he know that? Not only that but how was he able to invoke it!? How!?

As control came back to Harmony and he slowly lowered himself back down, the only thing he could think of was. What in Tartarus did I just say!?! Before he could do anything else, however, he could feel the embrace of unconsciousness beckoning him.

I just got my hoard straighten out and he tries fainting… Golden DragonHeart facepalmed, the issue of the Path of the DragonWyrm forgotten. He waved his hand and a spark went right over the Harmony healing him. “Harmonious Knight, brother, are you okay?”

“Uh…” Harmony still felt very woozy as he answered. “Did somepony get the cutiemark of the pony that just ran me over?”

“You just had to use a corny line…” Golden DragonHeart pulled Harmony into a headlock and gave him a noogie. “Yeah, you're okay.”

“Hey!” Harmony angrily protested, pulling himself out of the headlock. “Why’d you do that?”

“One, I believe it’s a sign of affection between two close males. Two, it was the easiest way to get you to snap out of your stupor. Three, I need more in my hoard and I will increase my hoard one way or another.” Golden DragonHeart smirked as he felt the warmth again.

Easiest my flank! Harmony thought before he asked for clarification on the last part. “We are talking about size and strength of the bonds that you already have? Like the one between you and me. Or are we talking new bonds?”

“Does this answer your question?” Golden DragonHeart grabbed Harmony for another noggie.

“Hey! I ought to…”

“What?” The dragon shrugged. “Will the poor baby waby pony colt do cry to his Bearer mommies?”

“Oh, you snarky little…” Harmony sneered before he noticed that the dragon was trying to get away. “HEY! GET BACK HERE!!!”

Author's Note:

Phew another loooong chapter and one that went through a lot of rewrites. Some from trying to get the continuity to work. The whole Golden Heart coming at Harmony. It was originally much darker but then GDH would shift too far too quickly from being similar to Spike (personality-wise remember?)

Comments

[Nameless cow]

Aww, that last part was kinda cute