Drinks to Dragons

by Odd_Sarge

A Colt

Blinkie and Powder Keg’s Skyfall Emporium was eerily silent, a first for the establishment in over a year. Prospectors had long stopped coming to the Dragon’s Maw, but the outcasts and travellers looking to gear up had never ceased to find their way to the shop. However, ‘tonight is special,’ was the phrase yelled by Powder Keg as he quite literally threw out any customers moseying around the store in the late afternoon.

“He’s beautiful,” Flotsam cooed, brushing a hoof over the little colt’s whitish mane. She looked up at Blinkie, who sat there holding her colt. “What’s his name?”

“Ignited Whisper,” Powder Keg spoke softly as he came up from behind Blinkie; he laid a hoof on her withers and peered down at the sleeping flame.

“He looks just like ya.”

"Tibbs'!" Tempered Steel yelled; the minotaur was swiftly suppressed by Flotsam's hoof.

The unicorn wore a broad smirk as he approached the assembled Dragon Mawlers. “Hope ya don’t mind that I let myself in.”

Zipping over, Xencarn slung a hoof around Tibbs' neck. “Glad you could make it.”

Tibbs nodded. Once.

“Where’d you get the name from?” Tempered Steel asked, his powerful voice dimmed by the new underwhelmingly soft tone Flotsam had assigned him.

“Igneous is from my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather.” Almost everypony stopped to stare at the mare as she concluded her monotonous statement.

Firelight had committed to counting on his hooves as he sat on the floor. He looked up from the wooden boards after a few moments of thought.

“Pre-war?”

Blinkie nodded slowly, much to Firelight’s astonishment.

He went once more over the calculations mentally. “She’s not wrong…” he muttered in fascination.

“And Whisper comes from…” Powder Keg hesitated. He squeezed his eyes shut and took in a slow, deep breath. He opened his eyes again, a smile plastered across his mouth. “Whisper comes from mah brother.” Tempered Steel patted gently on Powder Keg’s back, smiling at the unicorn.

“Can I…” Aurelia pushed through the edge of the circle and crouched down in front of Blinkie, right beside Flotsam. “Can I hold him?”

The mother blinked, then carefully brought her forelegs out in front of her.

Aurelia pulled the three-month-old newborn, equally as careful, from her mother’s grip and settled down onto the floor, sitting cross-legged. She stared in amazement at the sleeping foal’s orange face. Deep down inside of her came a mature thought, one unfit for someone of her age, but fitting for a dragon. 'I want this.'

Firelight tapped Xencarn on the shoulder, pulling the necromancer out of his reverie. He motioned subtly for Xencarn to follow him, and the two went off a little ways from the others in the dimly lit room. Xencarn was curious of what Firelight was dragging him away for, and immediately made this known once the two had settled down into opposing seats at a small table.

“What’s up?” Xencarn asked. Firelight held up a hoof.

“Keep it down, it’s one thing that Ignited’s sleeping.”

“Alright.” Xencarn cleared his throat, and repeated in a much softer volume, “What’s up?”

Firelight’s features turned serious. “It’s about Tibbs.”

Xencarn glanced over at the pale green unicorn, who sat smiling just a little outside the circle. Xencarn glanced back at Firelight.

“I need you to track him. I know you do that with some of the ponies in the Death Clan, so that’s why I’m asking you.”

Xencarn nodded, understanding where the doctor was coming from. “Why, though?”

“He’s been going somewhere. I’ve tried accompanying him each time he went to leave, but he kept telling me that it was a, and I quote, ‘job that only I can take care of.’”

“Don’t you have a little faith in him?” Xencarn looked back at Tibbs. “I mean, he was working against us for a bit, but he’s cool now.”

“It’s not that I think he’s working against us,” Firelight began, looking at Tibbs alongside Xencarn. “I think he’s doing something for us. I just don’t know what.”

“Maybe it’s a giant surprise party,” Xencarn joked, returning eye contact with Firelight. “With a giant cake.” He leant back a little in his chair, licking his lips. “Mm, cake.” Firelight smacked Xencarn on the hoof, hard enough to cause a sting of pain. Xencarn bolted upwards in his seat and pulled the offended hoof away. “Ow?”

“This isn’t a joke, Xencarn.” The zebra was suddenly compelled to stare into Firelight’s eyes as he was glared down. “He’s been coming back from each trip looking paler and paler each time.” He gestured with a point of his head at Tibbs. “And he’s started doing these coughing fits just recently.”

“Maybe he’s just sick?” Xencarn immediately regretted his statement.

“He’s not just sick; he’s been getting paler for months.” Firelight sighed, diverting his attention to the table’s clean surface. “Look, I'm sorry about the way I’m acting, but I’m worried, you know?”

Xencarn sighed as well, nodding slowly. “I know where you’re coming from.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“I…” Xencarn chewed the inside of his cheek, looking back at Tibbs as he began another quiet coughing fit. “I think it’s worth the risk of breaking my trust with him if it's for his health.” Firelight smiled lightly, placing a comforting hoof on Xencarn’s withers.

“Hey.” Xencarn looked back. “You would’ve been a great doctor. You know that, Xencarn. Think of it like the Death Clan; you care for their learning, their health, their safety. Just do it for Tibbs.”

“I got it.”

“It’s a boy!” Javolt shouted as he burst in through the doorway. “Am I late?”

Two things happened immediately; Ignited Whisper awoke from his nap and began crying, much to the dismay of everyone within hearing range, and Powder Keg was suddenly in Javolt’s face.

Xencarn shook his head slowly as he watched the cybernetic-donkey get dragged by his metal claw out of the shop for the third time. As Xencarn stood to grab the liquor and properly begin the Dragon Mawlers’ annual get together, one thought coursed through his mind.

Javolt, Javolt never changes.