Of Dragons, Drakos, and Ponies

by newHelm

Learning Drakos

Spike stood opposite Fancy Pants and Blueblood in an open garden of the castle. Spike's ward and the drakos Duke, Sun Tail, stood to the side next to a large red drakos guard, Red Claw, the drakos general.

Spike stood battle ready, a wooden short sword in hand. "I know why you wanted a dual. You can't persuade me to change my mind."

Blueblood held a practice fencing sword in front of his face with his magic. "Who said anything of the sort cousin, I merely need to disgrace you to let off some steam. It will be like when we were kids."

"Ha, not likely. I'm much better now."

Fancy Pants stood with a wooden broadsword. "Are we going to stand here or are we going to fight?"

Blueblood rolled his eyes. "It seems our mentor is in a hurry to lose."

"I may be old, and slightly disabled, but I am more then capable to lay you two upstarts on your backside."

Blueblood jumped, thrusting at the older pony. Fancy left the blade resting on his shoulder and simply caught the blade in the cross. He thrust the hilt into Blueblood's nose and chuckled. "Good thrust, but too much force made you lose balance and you couldn't recover."

Blueblood wiped his nose as Spike jumped over him, bringing his sword down in an arc. Fancy turned to his side and raised the sword over his head. He threw Spike's sword back and swiped his legs as he landed, tripping him.

Fancy Pants laughed as the two stood up. "Magnificent, improvement from you both, but reckless. Blueblood, remember, there is no true advantage. Every advantage is a disadvantage. I'm old yes, but that gives me experience. Spike, you're fast, but remember to keep control. Steady does it just as well."

Sun Tail looked to Red Claw as the three continued to do battle. "General, the ponies are excellent warriors. Is that why we lost to them?"

Red Claw smiled at the inquisitive young drakos "Yes and no. This pony is an exception to them all. They had by far more in number. They are indeed good warriors, but they fight in packs. No one pony fights alone. Even our king, who fought for the ponies had a partner. A red pony they called the Silent Blade. On their own they are to be feared, but together, they are a true nightmare. Do you understand?"

"I believe so. Thank you sir."

"To question is a true gift. You are welcome."

"Sir?"

Red Claw rubbed his Duke's head. "A pony philosopher once said that. To dream and question leads to understanding and learning. Betterment of ones self is the only true way to better our world. I bettered myself by watching these ponies. Their notion of friends may be a weakness at times, but it is their greatest strength."

"Is that why you started the rebellion against the duke?"

"No." Red Claw sighed and looked down at his claws. "I did that after I had met his majesty in battle. He nearly sacrificed his life to save one of his troops. He was only about the size you are, and a terrible warrior at the time, but he flung the pony out of the way. The previous duke was the offender, and gouged out a portion of the side of his face. You can still see the scar. What's more, he attempted to keep fighting to allow the retreat. He would have died, had the Silent Blade and reinforcements not arrived. He had the true heart of a drakos. I do not follow him because he is king, but because he is good. You know this, he has taken you from hard existence and given you a home."

"I do not know if it was founded though. I can not be duke. I am not good enough."

"And that is why you will be fine. You will also have me and his majesty to help you."

"Thank you."

Spike walked forward, tired and looking sore. "Hey you two. What you up to?"

Sun Tail beamed. "Philosophy!"

Spike placed a hand on his head. "Great I love philosophy. I had a great teacher."

Applejack walked through Canterlot next to an orange drakos. They were looking at different fruit stands.

"So Shimmer Tongue, how ya been doin with the garden?"

Shimmer Tongue sighed. "Not so well my friend. My Apple trees just will not grow big enough. I must be doing it wrong."

Applejack smiled at her drakos friend. "Probly. But at least they didn't die on ya. You're sure improving. When this mess blows over, I'll stop by and take a gander."

"Thank you, how is Lady Rarity by the way?"

It was Applejack's turn to sigh. Not so well. I'm scared she won't make it."

Shimmer Tongue went to try and comfort her friend when a tomato smashed into her face. Her head flew to the side from the unexpected assault. She sneered at the offending dark blue pony as she wiped the juices off of her face. "Why would you choose to attack me as I walk! What have I done to you?"

The pony stood glaring. "We don't want your kind here lizard. Crawl into your hole and die!"

Shimmer Tongue went to reply but Applejack placed a hoof on her to silence her. "Ain't worth it sugarcube. Ain't worth the time a day."

Shimmer Tongue just bit the insides of her cheeks as Applejack lead her off.

When they were out of sight, Shimmer Tongue roared. "I was never even in the war! Why attack me!?"

Applejack placed a hoof on her back. "Don't let it eat ya sugar cube, they just angry, need somepony to take it out on. It's wrong, but that's what war does. Anger and distrust cause all kinds a problems. Pin it on the poor saps close enough that they can blame."

"Yeah well I'm not some poor sap, I could rip him in three. He's lucky that pony law is so forgiving. In Fangthom, he would have been given the choice to face me in mortal combat, or flogging and hung over the city square as a coward till I chose to let him down."

Applejack stared aghast. "That's barbaric! Why would y'all do that?"

Shimmer Tongue glared. "Honor, vengeance, anger, take your pick. It has been wonderful AJ, but I can take only so much insult to my culture. Have a good day." She left a stunned, shocked Applejack behind. Lost in her confusion.

Silver Tooth was an odd sight to begin with, but bouncing up and down next to Pinkie Pie only amplified it tenfold. From a distance, he looked majestic with his silver scales and slender body. Nothing like the brutes the ponies believed the drakos to be, until they got close and saw how scared he was. One eye was perpetually closed by a scar that ran over it and over his lips, giving his smile a malicious look. A large went from his shoulder to his hip across his back and three of his fingers on his front left claw were missing. Thousand of smaller scares covered the rest of him. He was known by all warriors for never using a weapon except his claws and teeth. His kill rate is incomparable, and has no better friend then Pinkie Pie.

Silver Tooth stopped in front of Pony Joe's doughnut shop and stared transfixed. "Pinkie Pie, what is that delicious lookin circle? May we try some?"

She hopped around in excitement. "Yeah! I haven't seen Doughnut Joe in like forever. You'd like him!"

When they walked through the door, all eyes turned to Silver Tooth, not a welcoming smile anywhere.

"Hey Joe!" Pinkie was leaning on the counter, waving hysterically at the pony in back. When Joe came out, he nearly dropped the tray of doughnuts he was carrying.

Anger covered his features. "What the hell is he doing in here!"

Pinkie just smiled. "He's my friend! Silver Tooth, meet Pony Joe, this is his place, he cooks the best doughnuts ever! Toothy here wants to try some of your awesome doughnuts!"

Joe glared at the drakos. "We don't serve his kind here. Get out!"

Pinkie deflated as she stared at the floor. "But, but why?!"

"It was his kind that killed my brother!"

"But he's not bad! He didn't-" She frantically searched around the room for help but everypony just glared.

Silver Tooth just placed a claw on her shoulder. "I will just leave. They would not understand, nor accept my honor."

Joe spun and glared even harder. "Your honor?!! Understand?!! We were at war moments ago and now you expect honor and understanding?! My brother died protecting his species, his ponies! You'll get no sympathy from me devil!"

Silver Tooth bowed till his head touched the floor. "I want no sympathy, nor will I give it. My father died believing he was protecting his own. He was deceived, I was deceived. In that, we lost our honor, and I give what little I have left to your brother. I have had no greater honor then to face the courageous ponies. They had more fear then any race, yet more resolve. It was an honor to loss to you, and I pray to Shadowfang that your brother looks on in peace. His goal accomplished."

Pinkie watched as pools of liquid covered the floor under her friend's face. "They thought we killed the king, and Spike when he was an egg."

Joe deflated, depression sinking in. "Everyone out. Please just leave me." Joe levitated a picture from a high shelf and brought it to himself, tears landing on the glass.

Pinkie Pie was lead out by Silver Tooth and they sat on the side of the road. When Pinkie next spoke, she was hysterical. "Why?! What just happened?! He's mad, you're sad, why can't we just smile and get along?! How can I get a pony to smile after his brother dies?! How can you smile after your dad died?! What do I do? Why are you not angry? Is there really any point to it all!?" She was huffing and crying when she finally calmed down.

She shook her head and wiped her eyes. "Sorry, I'm a very passionate pony. I can get out of hoof at times. That was wrong of me."

Silver Tooth shook his head at her. "Nothing wrong with anger and sorrow. It passes over time. While neither disappears, over time, it gets easier. While I'm still angry, and very sad over my dad, I found something to keep me going. At first it was to redeem my father and I, but now I have a pony better then that. You have shown me a better way, a more honorable way to fight. Hope is the greatest strength and weapon, and it starts with a smile. I can smile now thanks to you. With time, and help from a friend, maybe he can to. Come on, we have a lunch date soon. Can't keep the good news locked away forever."

She smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be there soon. Go on without me." When he was gone, she turned to the store as Joe locked the front door.

He turned back to look at her. "I heard the lizard from inside. He's right ya know. Sorry I yelled at you, you didn't deserve that."

The corner of her lip turned up slightly. "It's fine. You must be really mad, and sad. Sorry about your loss, I couldn't even imagine."

"Two years and it still hurts like dragon fire. Like he said though, hope for tomorrow is a strong thing."

"And a smile can bring about all kinds of funny goodness. Maybe I could throw you a party one day, we'll make it a happy haircut day or something. To get a smile from you."

"You just did. Thanks Pinkie, you're a good friend." A small smile appeared on his lips and he walked away.

Pinkie, a smile on her own lips, went to meet her friends.