Flames

by Olakaan Peliik

XXIII - Sparks By Fire

“This is absolutely amazing!” Olakaan was saying, looking ecstatic. “The princess is suggesting that your soul's connection with your past lives is so strong that, your past self is trying to communicate with now you for some reason. You said that all you said was ‘Find us,’ right?”

“That’s all of it.” I had gotten done telling him every detail of the dream that I could recall. He was positively giddy at the idea of contact with ourselves from our past lives. But since he still knew almost nothing about this, everything he could suggest was all speculation and theories.

“Is there any way to speak with Princess Luna? I would love to speak to her about this, considering I know so little about the dream realm. Actually, the only dragon that would have known about the dream realm is one of the authors of those spellbooks Kii has now,” he rambled on.

“I might be able to get an audience with Princess Luna tonight, but she is a busy mare. You sure that Princess Celestia can’t answer these questions?” I realized how dumb it sounded after I said it.

Olakaan rolled his eyes. “If I wanted to avoid sunburn she would definitely be the Princess to ask.”

That was kinda harsh. I didn’t know he had that in him. “Alright then, I’ll send a message ahead, when I get to the embassy, I’ll—”

“Aww... you have to work? I thought we were going to the Canterlot Library?” Olakaan whined.

“I did promise you that didn’t I?” I almost forgot. “Do you really want me there with you, though? When I stayed with you back in the Dragonlands I asked you a lot of questions. You got annoyed with me.”

“Oh yeah. I almost forgot. Well, I’d still prefer to not go alone, I might get lost. Perhaps one of your guards then? As long as they don't bother me too much.” Olakaan suggested.

“That is an excellent idea. Let’s get going, shall we?”

---

“Who’s most interested in books?” is what I had said to the guards looking for extra hours, and assignment pay. Needless to say, I don’t think I’ll get any volunteers next time I try that little trick.

With Olakaan occupied and supervised at the Library, and Kii at school. I was free to get some work done. The only issue was that I really didn’t feel like working. I don’t know I just felt empty inside for some reason. But why? I have everything I can think of, except…

“Hey boss, I have… whoa, you don’t look happy,” Algae said, poking her head in, I could see a bump forming on her belly already.

One thing that sucked about dragon hatchlings: you have to wait thirty-six months to meet them. Algae will only carry the eggs for about three months out of the total time. After laying them, though, it’s all temperature management, and making sure the fragile little eggs are safe for the remaining thirty-three months it’ll take for them to hatch.

“What makes you say I’m not happy?” I glared at her. “I have my family, I have a job where I serve my kind. Why wouldn’t I be happy?”

“Mind if I close the door so we can talk?” Algae asked. I just motioned a claw for her to proceed. She entered fully and closed the door. “I think I know why you think you’re happy, but you’re really not.”

“Are you gonna start making sense or are you just gonna keep talking in riddles?” I asked.

“Hush, I’m making a point!” she almost snapped. I sealed my mouth. “Ahem… You finished your goal,” she said in a quieter tone.

That wasn’t a whole lot to go off of. “I don’t get it.”

“Your whole purpose of coming here, to Equestria, was to ensure Kii’s safety, right?” she asked. I nodded. “That emptiness you’re feeling, it’s because you finished your task. Did you really not have any aspirations other than that?”

I thought hard. I couldn’t think of anything at the moment. “I guess I hadn’t thought that far ahead,” I admitted.

“Might I make a suggestion?” Algae added with a rather shy smile. “I’ve seen how you look at Niirah.”

I groaned. This again?

“And I’ve seen how she looks at you when you’re not looking,” Algae continued.

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

“Methinks she likes you,” Algae said. “But given her past, I think she is confused on what exactly she is feeling. Did she ask you to go to her performance yet?”

“She did, but she was all awkward and not herself when she asked,” I told her.

“You know, you should ask her on another flight today. She told me she enjoyed the last one you two went on.” Algae said standing and going to the door.

“You and Niirah talk a lot, don’t you?”

“Of course we talk. We’re some of the only girls in this office.” She stopped at the door momentarily. “You know she’ll be here for the afternoon shift. I really suggest taking her on a flight.”

“I’ll think about it,” I said to her just before she left.

When did she become an expert in relationships?

---

I couldn’t work up the nerve to ask Niirah for another flight that night, no matter how much I internally berated myself at my cowardice. Instead, I arranged a meeting with Princess Luna later that night, then went to go fetch Olakaan.

Kii was at a study group/sleepover at Hex’s house with a few more of her friends, so she wouldn't be home tonight.

“So to recap, what is it I told you?” I asked Olakkan as we started up the street to the castle.

Olakaan had a bunch of notes from the various books he read throughout the day stuffed in some bags he had with him and was currently trying to keep them all from tumbling out onto the ground. “Bow respectively, not submissively. Speak clearly, don’t ramble. Don’t mention Nightmare Moon,” he listed off.

“That sounds about right. Other than all that, just be yourself,” I nodded. We stepped up to the gates. “Hey Walker, how’s the family?” I said, stepping up to one of the gate guards.

“Evening, Ambassador. The family is fine, same as always. Pass please?” he asked.

I gave him my pass to be examined. “And a guest.”

“Political, personal?” Walker asked.

“Um, educational? We have a few inquiries to ask the Princesses,” I said, unsure of my answer.

Walker studied Olakaan, who was still trying to keep all of his notes in his bag, then shrugged. “Well, your pass checks out as usual. Go on in, and you know the drill with guests in the castle.” He opened the gates.

“I do indeed. Have a nice night.” I said farewell to the guard.

“You as well Ambassador,” Walker called after me as we walked through.

After a few steps, Olakaan stepped up beside me. “You know him?”

“Not really,” I shrugged my shoulders and wings. “He’s just there almost every time I come here. I only talk to him for a minute at the most each time.”

“Oh, okay then,” Olakaan shrugged as well, and we went into the castle without any more conversation for a few minutes.

There were fewer guards on duty at night. I didn’t like coming here at this hour, it was too quiet. I got Olakaan his guest pass and went straight to where a castle assistant led us. A dining space, smaller than the one I saw my first night here. Looked like it was meant for meetings over food.

Olakaan cleared his throat. “So where do we sit?”

“Umm…” I thought a moment. There were four seats, two on one side and two on another. All identical. “Probably best if we sit farthest from the door, but let’s wait for the Princesses before we sit.”

We didn't have to wait terribly long, as the Princesses were always punctual. Soon enough, three of Celestia's guards and three of Luna’s guards entered the room. They said nothing as their VIPs walked in.

“Speaker. A pleasure to see you so soon,” Luna spoke clearly.

I bowed politely. “You as well, Princess.” I stood straight. “Allow me to introduce Olakaan, keeper of what all Dragonkind has learned over the many millennia we’ve existed.”

“All that was recorded anyway,” Olakaan said after I finished. “An honor it is to meet you both.” He bowed as we had discussed.

“Shall we sit?” Celestia suggested. We all nodded in agreement and went to sit. “My sister was very unclear as to what this meeting was about.”

“Krein had a vision as he was dreaming and we are just trying to figure out a few things,” Olakaan fired off.

“Oh, my. That sounds interesting,” Celestia turned to her sister with an interested expression.

“The Speaker here received a message from a previous life,” Luna said, gesturing with her hooves. ”As you know, sister, connections to the past like this are not uncommon, and such connections to be present for others should be expected.”

I looked over to see Olakaan scribbling on a paper with each word the princess said.

Celestia nodded. “I know full well that visions of the past are common. But I have never seen them in anypony other than magical beings.”

“I have traversed the dream realm much sister,” Luna said to her sister. “This was no simple vision the Speaker had. It was a message from himself in a past life.”

“You said that in the dream realm, there was no such thing as time,” I recalled her saying. “Could you explain?”

Luna lit up her horn and created a little demonstration with star-like lights above us. “This was how Nightmare Moon came to be in our time. My sister knows this only because I told her so.”

She organized the lights in three sections along a line. “I rule over the dream realm. To do so I can send my consciousness forward and back in time.” She lit up each light as she spoke. “It is how I am able to manipulate dreams as I do: I join my mind and magic to the dream and therefore a temporary connection is established.”

She hesitated before continuing. “But if I or someone else merely exploring the dream realm travels too far in either direction in time, dangers will arise. Such as the darker version of myself from the past for example, who was able to use the connection to overtake me with lies and false promises.” Luna lit up a red star at one end of the line of stars to emphasize her point.

This was information she had no real reason to share with us. “Why are you telling us this?”

“I’m telling you this because something happened in a past life of yours, that is affecting you here and now,” Luna told me gravely. “I will not be able to protect you from it every time. Instead of showing up as a nightmare, your dreams look like memories, therefore I won't be able to stop it every time.”

“So in other words, it will happen again?” I asked.

“I can almost guarantee it.” Luna nodded. “What else do you remember from the dream? Perhaps your scholar here can put that information to use.”

“Yeah, you didn’t really put too much detail into the other you when you explained it to me,” Olakaan added. “Other than that he was older, and turned into a skeleton at the end.”

“What do you want me to say?” I shrugged. “He was older, looked almost exactly like me except…” I blinked. There was one detail that I somehow forgot. “He wore a bracelet of some kind. It was on him the whole dream and was the only thing that didn’t deteriorate when that me turned into a skeleton.”

“Color?” Olakaan asked.

“Brown leather, a red gem embedded in the leather,” I recalled.

“Did it have gold around the gem and edges?” Olakaan asked, frowning.

“I don’t remember,” I shrugged.

Olakaan was silent for a minute, before starting to gather his things. “I have to get back to my Athenaeum. I need to look into this. If we can figure out how to communicate with our past lives, we will have access to knowledge lost to modern dragon kind.”

“Is it really that important that you have to leave now?” I asked.

“Yes!” Olakaan almost shouted at me. “I apologize Princesses, but I really need to look into this. I do hope I can write you both and ask questions if I can?”

“Of course.” Celestia smiled. Luna nodded. “Could one of you please guide him out of the castle?” Celestia asked her guards.

One nodded and opened the door back out into the hall. “Thank you, both for allowing me to visit. Your home is truly amazing. Farewell.”

Olakaan followed the guard out. The princesses looked to me. “I think I figured out where Kii picked up her love of books,” I nodded.

That comment earned some slight laughter from both Celestia and Luna. “Well, I know we didn’t get a chance to have our meal here, but I think I’ll turn in,” Celestia said, rising to leave.

“I should be at home anyway,” I admitted.

“And I have much to do.” Luna agreed.

“Goodnight sister. Speaker.” Celestia and her guards left first, followed by Luna. I left last and made my way out of the castle, and then made my way home. I wasn’t looking forward to sleep, not after seeing that dream, vision, message, or whatever it was and knowing it would come again. Instead of going home I found myself wandering the city.

I eventually realized that my claws were leading me towards the Embassy. “I still have some papers to go through anyway,” I muttered.

This place was quickly becoming a hiding place for me. As I approached I saw that lights were on. Dwiin probably just left on the lights again. If this kept up, I was going to have to take the electric bills out of his paycheck.

I unlocked the door to enter and relocked it behind me. I made my way up to my office, opened the door, and discovered the lights were on for not the reason I expected.

“What are you doing here shouldn't you be home with your sister?” Niirah asked from her desk.

“She's at her friend's house. Shouldn't you be at home too?” I asked.

She seemed to deflate. “I couldn't sleep. Nightmares. So I came here to see if there was any work I could get done.”

Algae’s voice came back to me: Ask her for a fly. She might’ve been stressed. But a fly is a perfect way to burn that extra energy we both have.

“Wanna go for a fly?” I kinda blurted.

“Huh?” she asked, looking confused.

“Let's go fly,” I said, speaking a little more carefully. “Be dragons again. Not, a secretary, or an Ambassador. Just the wind under our wings, and the moonlight to light our way.”

She stared at me for a moment, then clapped her claws together mockingly. “Very inspiring. But no, I think I just want to stay here.”

I turned away. “A shame.” Was gonna leave it at that. “Because if we raced again, I would’ve beaten you.” Curse you, big mouth.

I heard her get up. “You’re on. Here to Ponyville?”

We made our way outside. “Actually I was thinking, there are these caves in the mountains just on the other side of Ponyville. We could race to those.”

“Alright. Then what happens if one of us wins?” she asked as I locked up the Embassy.

I thought a moment. “How about, loser has to fulfill a request of the winner's choosing. Within their capabilities of course.”

Niirah smiled. “I know exactly what it is you’re getting me.”

“Oh, that confident, are we? Well, we'll see about that.” I readied my wings.

“Ready?” she asked.

I smiled. “Set.”

She started to move. “Go!”

We both bolted up into the sky with a jump and mighty push of our wings. Enough to stir up a cloud of dust in the street behind us.

We flew towards Ponyville. We followed the train tracks, flying steady but still with great speed. It was a beautiful night: Luna’s moon shone brightly in the sky allowing us to see the entire landscape before us. I caught up with Niirah.

“It’s nice out, yeah?” I asked, taking in the sight.

“Luna really knows how to put on a light show,” Niirah agreed.

I couldn’t help but stare at how Niirah’s scales caught the moonlight. It’s like she was a star flying right next to me. Niirah noticed me staring though.

“What are you looking at?” She looked to see if there was something behind her.

I cleared my throat. “Nothing really, the moonlight just makes you look really pretty.” Did I really have to say that? Stupid big mouth.

She blinked and looked away from me. “Well um... thank you. At least your view from last place will be nice then!” She pushed her wings and pulled ahead fast.

“Oh no, you don’t!” I did the same and kept on her tail.

Ponyville was coming up, and our chosen finish line just beyond. We flew low and skirted the trees; I felt my talons hit some leaves every so often, making them rustle loudly.

When we got over Ponyville we had some fun with the taller buildings, weaving around the buildings. Well okay, she was weaving around them, I’m a little too big for that.
I just stayed above her and watched her have fun.

As we left the airspace above Ponyville, we had to avoid a large house made of clouds floating just outside Ponyville. I flew alongside Niirah as we started to approach the mountains. I saw a little cave about three fourths the way up the mountain.

“First one to that cave wins!” I called out pointing to a nice outcrop.

“That'll be me!” Niirah said excitedly as she pulled ahead again.

I got above her and the cave then dropped straight down and pushed as hard as I could, letting gravity pull me towards the ground. I flew over her and landed at the cave a mere second before she landed behind me.

“Darn it!” Niirah stomped loudly. “I had it all planned out too,” she panted.

I was a little tired as well but I hid it better. I gave her a big grin.

“So what is it you want?” Niirah asked bitterly about losing.

I thought hard. I could force her into a date with me. But something tells me that might not go my way. I looked around, and I noticed that this spot was sheltered well enough from the wind, and had a great view of both east and west horizons. This would be a good camping spot.

“How about camping out for the night?” I said, shrugging.

She raised her brow at me. “Really? That's it?”

“Yeah, come on, it'll be fun. I'll get some firewood. You make the fire pit. You already ate right?” I looked at her waiting for a response.

She thought about it for a few moments, then shrugged. “I did already eat. Go get firewood.” She started to gather rocks.

I jumped off the little ledge and into the small forest below. Once I got down there I started grabbing the biggest pieces I could find. Ironwood is the majority of what I found, I made several trips.

Once I amassed enough wood for the night, I put some wood in the pit Niirah had made and lit the wood on fire. We both settled on the cave side of the fire, sitting a few feet from each other.

“You excited about your upcoming performance?” I asked her.

She shifted her wings. “Yes, but also nervous. What if nopony likes my songs?”

“Then you just keep going. Right?” I asked.

“I suppose. How are you so sure of yourself? You don’t doubt.”

I scoffed. “Oh, if you only knew.”

“What do you mean?” she looked at me in puzzlement.

I frowned, then sighed. “I have found that lately, I've been...I guess unhappy is the correct word. Oh, sure as far as my job, and family is concerned, I know exactly what I'm doing. But my own happiness? I'm totally lost,” I explained.

“How so?” Niirah suddenly became curious.

“I don't know anything about wanting something for myself.” I know I'm a Dragon. Greed should be second nature.

She shifted. “Perhaps... it may be time you found a mate?”

The dragoness I admire advising me to find a mate. As funny this situation was to me I merely smiled. “Well, what about you? No young males lining up to meet you?”

She grinned. “I think I keep scaring them off, not to mention my brother is the Enforcer, and one of my best friends is the Speaker to Lord Torch himself. Perhaps they're just afraid of the company I keep.”

“Aww. I'm one of your best friends?” I asked her, pretending to look emotional.

She smacked me over the head with a wing. “Don't let it go to your head! Also, don't tell anydragon. I have a certain image I’m trying to keep.”

“Ah I see,” I said, rubbing the back of my head where she’d cuffed me. “Well, then I’ll keep your secret.”

She smiled, just before a gust of wind caused her to shiver. “I’m not so sure this was a good idea. I'm never gonna get to sleep in this cold.”

I looked at her with confusion. “You’re half Ice Dragon. Shouldn't the cold not bother you?”

“I’m also half Shadow Dragon. Just because I can survive extreme cold, doesn't mean I enjoy the cold. I prefer warm weather.”

I rolled my eyes. “Come on,” I lifted my left wing for her to get under. “I can keep you warm.”

She gave me a deadpan stare. “You wanna cuddle?”

“You want to be comfortably warm? Fire and Stone Dragons naturally produce heat, remember? You want to be warm or not?”

She slowly stood and came over. “You don't have to be rude about it.” She laid down beside me and I draped my wing over her back.

“Better?” I asked. She just nodded as she looked away for a moment. “So I have a question.”

“Hmm?” She turned back to me.

“Assuming a male is brave enough to talk to you, after knowing me, Dwiin, your brother and so on. If he asked you on, let's say, a date for example. What would your reaction be?” I asked.

She scrunched her nose. “I guess it would depend on how he asks. Until it happens I won't really know. What about you?”

I shrugged. “I don't know. I kinda imagined myself being the one to ask her when I found her. We'd have to spend our lives together so I would like somedragon who I get along with.”

She leaned away from me a little to look at me like I was crazy. “You like the idea of mating with the same dragon for the rest of your life? We dragons live long lives, you know. You might get bored.”

I looked into the fire. “Well, yeah, I know. Being with the same dragon for several thousand years may not sound good to you, but I like the idea. Waking up every morning to a face you love. Having a partner for all that time, a dragon you can trust forever. Sounds like a few thousand years to be well spent if you ask me.”

Niirah was silent for a moment, then shrugged. “Huh. The way you put it, that actually sounds really nice.” She looked at the stars briefly. “Well, we should get some sleep.” She put her head on top of her claws, facing away from me. “Goodnight.”

I did the same. “Goodnight.”

---

I awoke to feel far better than I had the previous morning. I was comfortable, in spite of being on rock. I haven't slept that good in a while. I didn't move, I just opened my eyes to look around.

The morning sun had yet to hit us. Us? Oh right. I turned my head a little to see Niirah pressed against my side, trying to get as much warmth as possible. A content smile across her features.

Yeah, I am definitely in love with this dragoness. I thought. I sighed, realizing the little annoying voice in my head was right once again.

As much as it pained me to wake her, I had to; she might wake up first and get mad at me even though I had nothing to do with her being so close to me.

I shook her with the wing that was still draped over her. “Niirah. Niirah, it's time to get up.”

She slowly woke up and yawned. When she realized how close we were, her eyes widened and she quickly scooted away. “I guess I got cold,” she said, getting up and moving into the sunlight and stretched.

“Did you at least have a good time out here?” I asked, stretching myself.

“You know what?” She shoved me playfully with her wing. “I did. I can't remember when I slept that well.” She hesitated, then she hugged me. “Thank you.”

I stiffened in surprise for a moment. “You're welcome,” I said slowly and hugged her back. “Alright let’s go, and see if we can get some breakfast.” I parted the hug and leaped off the little ledge. Niirah followed.

We flew toward home. As we flew we zigzagged around the clouds and laughed as we flew around a group of pegasi, who stopped in mid-air to stare at us. As we got closer to Canterlot, I got to wondering.

“Say. What were you gonna have me get you if you won the race.?” I finally asked.

Niirah flew beside me. “Oh, there is this beautiful harp at this music store. I want it so bad.” She made a forced frown, jutting her lower lip out. It made her look adorable (though, of course, I’d never say that out loud).

“Let's go take a look. I wanna see it.” I smiled.

She smiled wider than she already was. “Alright! Follow me.” She turned toward a particularly busy part of Canterlot.

I followed her. If I wanted her to like me enough, I needed to show interest in her interests right? We landed just outside a music shop. Niirah excitedly went inside.

Entering the shop, I took note of the smell. Smelled like stained wood. But I found it nice, oddly enough. “Hello, Mr. Brio!” Niirah smiled at the unicorn owner who was tuning a violin.

“Ah, Madame Lahvirn,” the unicorn said in a thick Prench accent. “I haven't seen you in a few days. Are you well?”

“I am, yourself?”

“Indeed I am. Are you here to play the Harpe De Glace?”

“I am.” Niirah turned and went over to where the instruments were displayed in the store. She stepped up to a white harp and waved me over. “This is what I wanted.”

It was made of ivory, this much I could tell. But it had carvings of dancing dragons across its features. “This is a Prench harp?” I asked, calling the shop owner over.

“It is,” the shopkeeper said. “The story goes the original owner of this harp liked to travel and came across a group of dragons in the north that danced in the sky for some kind of ceremony. She played for the group and in return, the dragons carved their whole family into the harp creating this.”

I looked closer at the carvings. More than one of the dragons carved into the harp had feathered wings, and several others had ice-like spines going down their backs. At the bottom of the harp were carvings of what looked like eggs. On the edges of the harp surrounding the strings were lines of dragon script. I couldn't read it though. She probably stumbled upon an ice clan and shadow clan performing a mating union: not a marriage but celebrating the joining of bloodlines. “How old is this harp?”

“A few hundred years. Why?”

“The dragon script is too old for me to read, so it’s definitely older than me.” I wondered if Olakaan could’ve read it.

“I just think it’s beautiful.” Niirah touched the harp gently like it was fragile. It looked well taken care of though. “May I?” she asked Mr. Brio.

“Please. I enjoy listening to you play.” He returned to his seat at the front of the store.

Niirah took a seat beside the harp and started to put her claws in position. After a moment of mental preparation, she started to pick at the strings.

I instantly found myself frozen in place, hypnotized by the music. She was really good. Not only did her claws give her a unique sound, she also had the phalanges on her wings to pick at additional strings for more wondrous music.

A crowd started to form around Niirah and the harp and ponies were drawn in from the street just to listen. I stepped back a little and stood over with the shopkeeper. As I watched her play, I knew what I needed to do.

I waited for her to be done playing. As soon as she finished, the crowd started applauding and cheering, complimenting her on her performance, much to her obvious surprise and embarrassment. While she was occupied, I spoke with Mr. Brio.

“How much would it cost me to get her that harp?” I asked.

“Oh, it’s pricey. It’s why I haven't sold it yet. Five thousand bits,” he said.

That was high. But I could afford it. I was starting to think I needed to really get to that gem cache after this though. “Can you throw in delivery and keeping it a surprise?” I held out a claw to seal the deal.

He shook. “Done.”

“You’ll have the bits, and delivery information by tomorrow.”

Niirah’s little crowd had dispersed, and she came over to me. “Isn’t it great? I wanna have one like it one day.”

I smiled on the inside. “Who knows, maybe some record company will hear you play at this performance you have, and you’ll be able to afford it?”

Niirah laughed quietly. “I like to dream but that is a little much for me. I’ll just be happy playing every once in a while right now.” She leads the way out of the shop and back into the street.

“We’ve been gone for a while now. We should be getting back to our friends.” I started toward the Embassy.

“Yeah, you're probably right.” She followed beside me for a while. “I should actually go talk to my therapist, I haven't been in a few days. See you later?”

“Of course,” I smiled at her.

She smiled back. “Bye!” she lifted off the ground and flew off. I watched her leave. I didn’t like having her leave me. But I had responsibilities to get back to.

Author's Note:

Took me long enough! Sorry this too so long I had a lot going on, I'll explain in a blog post.

Comments

[ShadedTz]

So... Cute together...