Dragons of Hourglass

by Rammy

The Hatchling

“There is general unrest in Traxti City, but I can’t make head or tails the source. The city is larger the Manehattan, multiracial, in neutral ground, and… between three major powers… If that city goes to Tartarus there could be war between those three and possible a fourth if the war damages the nearby sea with is likely... I might be able stop it but without knowing the source or sources…” Harmony paused as he rubbed his massive headache.

“We need Discord… I suspect that the unrest has magical element to it, but as I no longer have harmony magic I can’t sense where (if there really is a magic element to it)… I could probably find the source with enough time… or not. I suggest that for now leave this up to Celestia until Discord is found or returns.

“I trust your judgement on this matter He of Harmony... I will send a scroll on what is going on in Traxti City as soon as we are finished here. Continue onward with guiding They of Hourglass. I just hope He of Laughter will be found soon… Okay, enough of this.” Golden DragonHeart pinched the brow of his snout. “It’s been a month since your last report and nearly three since we talked about anything not Keeper related.”

“Well, we do have an hour before I need to head off to meet up with They of Hourglass. It’s just so weird it’s like night and day with you. The whelp has truly become the dragon. Just three months ago you would have gone berserk over my injury… of course I had troubles getting you not to panic while I was in Equestria which is so not Traxti City. And no way could I have been able to have communication silence for a month.”

“You are going into lecture mode there…” The dragon commented trying not to smirk at one of Harmony’s quirks.

“I am?” Harmony blinked before he blushed an apology. “Oops…Sorry…”

Golden DragonHeart waved him off. “I’m fine with a couple months, because I know that my bond with you is strong enough to stand even with longer absences. Also we are heading into war injuries are the norm and death is also possible not just for you but for the entire clan. Which I would rather avoid, but I will not stop you or anydragon else from doing what is right... Still, a month or three without speaking is not the same to us as ones like the Ascended One’s friends…”

“Now who’s lecturing, brother?”

“I…” Golden DragonHeart facepalmed. Harmony started to laugh at him, and it didn’t take long for the dragon to join in.

After a long time they managed to stop themselves. Harmony couldn’t help but smiled at his brother. This is what family should be like. Golden DragonHeart smiled back at Harmony thinking the same thing.

His smile faltered a bit when he remembered something that he had been wondering about. “I have been meaning to ask, why do you keep calling me by my titles and not my name when we are alone?”

“Uh...” Harmony sheepishly rubbed the back of his head nervous over the reason, “because I’m a bit afraid of fumbling it.”

Golden DragonHeart raised an eyebrow, inviting Harmony to explain in more detail. “Well, Golden Heart was easy to say, but with your name now being Golden DragonHeart I find your name is not as easy on my tongue. I’m having troubles of the H part of the your name. I don’t think you would find it funny if I inadvertently called you Golden DragonTheart would you?”

“No, I wouldn’t have, but…” Golden DragonHeart suppressed a snort.” Dragon… *snort* ‘TH’eart? I…*snort* Bwahhaa...”

Harmony became flustered at this. I hope that he never finds out about what poison joke does to ponies… or does to me for that matter. Last thing I need is for him is to come up with a punny ‘nickname’ based on my name and side effect… and why does this sound familiar?

---

Harmony stepped out of the Council of Harmony and took off flying to the south. A glance at the sun’s position told him that he was running a bit behind schedule.

I hope Quartermaster isn’t waiting on me… Though I suspect he and She of Hourglass will find something to do and I don’t want to be around for that. They of Glowstone Caves were never as frisky… Harmony shuddered that his mind went that way faltering a bit in his flight.

What is that? Harmony wondered just as he managed to correct and focus on his flying. It appeared to be something or someone on the edge of the cliff ahead. The same cliff where he was to meet They of Hourglass. Judging from its movement it was definitely alive, but he was having troubles seeing what it was.

I really should have been a bit more careful in Traxi… Harmony, for the millionth time, chastised himself. At least my sight will fully return in a few days. Harmony rubbed each eye in turn trying to get his vision to clear further without losing any flight. A dragon hatchling? What is it doing on an edge of a cliff like that?

His answer came a moment later when the dragon took a running leap right off the cliff. Buck. Harmony cursed as he tore into a steep dive to catch the falling hatching. What was he thinking! Purposely jumping off the cliff! He’s not a whelp; he can't fly!

The hatchling was nearly to the ground when Harmony was finally able to catch him in his magic. Harmony quickly shifted his flight and began to to flap hard to get both of them back to the top.

“What brown sticky feather are you doing!?” The black dragon cursed, thrashing about trying to get out of the grip of Harmony’s magic.

Harmony ignored the hard core griffon curse for the moment and stated as if it should have been obvious, “Saving your life, young one.”

Now that he wasn’t focused on saving the life of the hatchling, he could get a closer look at him. His voice had confirmed that. The hatchling’s primary scales was black. A beginnings of two horns peeked out from the top of his head. It appeared that his tail would be a mace with spikes when he grew up, but, as it was, it was hard to determine. When he finally let go of the hatchling he could see the grey blue underbelly scales.

“What were you thinking!!? Jumping off the edge of a cliff as a hatchling!” Harmony snapped as soon as said hatchling recovered from his rough landing on top of the cliff.

“None of your business.” The hatchling asserted, glaring at Harmony with his icy blue eyes.

“Your parents should have told you to not do something so stupid… For that matter, where are you parents?”

“None of your business.” The hatchling repeated in the same smug attitude as before.

“Can I at least get a name young one…” The hatchling gave him an annoyed look before Harmony face hoofed. “No…” Harmony waved his other hoof. “Don’t tell me…none of my business.”

“Well you can be taught… what a surprise.” He snarked.

The hatchling walked back to the edge of the cliff again and just as Harmony was preparing to catch him again he sat down with his legs hanging over the edge. Harmony barely made out a disappointed sigh. I get it... he wants his wings… He smirked. They always want to grow up so fast. There is something about him… a quality...

The heavy thumping sounds of an large flying dragon approaching got Harmony’s attention. This should be interesting… Harmony thought at the pending arrival of They of Hourglass.

“More of your friends?” The hatchling commented still looking out to the forest below.

“Something like that.” Harmony commented as the wind around them picked up as Quartermaster made his landing with She of Hourglass right behind him.

Quartermaster eyed the hatchling suspiciously. “Outsider, what is with you and wayward dragons?”

You have no idea... Harmony facehoofed. Wait, how did he know...

“Outsider!!??! Your name is Outsider!? Well, that explains a lot. Makes sense. You probably get run out of everywhere you go for butting in when or where you are not wanted!” The hatchling nearly lost his footed as the ground rumbled as Quartermaster stomped right up to him.

“No one, but, no one besides me calls him OUTSIDER!” Quartermaster roared full face at the hatchling. Somehow the hatchling managed to remain upright and smirking. This only infuriated him further to the point that that a glow could be seen coming from deep within Quartermaster’s open maw.

She of Hourglass wasn’t thrilled about the hatchling either but she needed her mate to calm down before he did something to make He of Harmony mad. She put a claw on his shoulder which was enough for him to lower his anger. He looked back at her, his anger melting to affection. He silently sent his thanks.

“It that all you got you big lug? A bunch of…” The hatchling’s further insulting was interrupted by something suddenly whacking the back of his head.

“Do you like barbecue?” Harmony asked sternly when the hatchling turned about growling at the alicorn.

“What kind of a stupid question is that, and why da’ hit me?” The hatchling was getting really annoyed at the intrusive whatever the guy was.

Harmony narrowed his eyes, getting his face right up into the hatchling's face. “You keep up your insults young one and you…”

“Black Ice.” Black Ice interrupted. He hated being called ‘young one.’ He also didn’t like his own name, but it was so much better than being called ‘young one’ over and over... He smirked when Harmony backed up, taken aback by his revelation… “Name’s Black Ice.” He repeated just to be sure he was heard and understood.

Harmony raised an eyebrow at his name. Black Ice? Can’t sure at this stage but he must be part Ice Dragon. He figured it was that or that he was from one of the arctic regions… Though it still meant there was a high chance of him being part Ice Dragon… No way he’s full Ice Dragon with that coloration. “If you keep up your insults, Black Ice, Quartermaster will make sure you are Black ASH.”

For a second Harmony could see genuine fear coming from Black Ice before it changed back to his usual smug self. But there was something else that he saw. He wasn’t sure but there was something redeemable about what he saw. This hatchling was no Quartz. No, this Black Ice was a Garble. He just needs the right push… which means… sorry Quartermaster… also note to self: Keep him away from He of Music, Bearers of Joy and Loyalty, and most of all… Discord. Somehow I see him giving them ideas for pranks and... Harmony shuddered in fear before he got to the matter at hoof.

“I suggest if you want to live to choosing that you, at minimum, learn how to address a dragon properly. The red drake is Quartermaster and his mate, the sea serpent next to him, is She of Hourglass, and if you wish to remain on Quartermaster ‘good side’ call me He of Harmony.”

“And why should I give a damn about you or your rules?”

“Because, Black Ice, you are coming with us.”

If Quartermaster had been drinking he would have done a spit take. This cursing, smug, rude hatchling is coming with us? What are you up to outsider? Whatever it is, though, I will follow along… for now.

“Bwhaha… I don’t think so.”

“That wasn’t a request. Quartermaster?”

“With pleasure.” He chuckled, cracking his knuckles before he roughly grabbed Black Ice.

Author's Note:

A cursing, rude, smug hatchling and QM this should be interesting...

ANY Q's, comments, or thumbs up (PLEASE THUMBS up) don't make me sic Pinkie on you...