Odyssey of a Thief

by Carapace

Breath of Stone 1. Dragons Don't Whine

There truly was nothing like a massive she dragon’s piteous warbling.

Twilight had heard her fellow student and longtime nuisance, Sunset, do her best to talk her ears off with some silly notion or other of proprieties and legalities of her acquisitions; she’d dealt with Rover, Clifford the Big Red Boor, and their pack’s alleged “singing”; and she’d heard an infant Spike shrieking for Celestia or Luna to give him attention.

But none of it compared to the scene her lover made in the middle of The Skylark’s deck when her seasickness took a turn for the worst, her stomach launching into a full, open protest of her continuing situation.

Twilight sat by Hadkhûna’s side, gently stroking and nuzzling her scaled belly like her mother would when she felt sick. A low rumble deep within the pit of the she dragon’s chest spurred an ominous gurgle. “Do you need a barrel?”

“Don’t have anything to vomit,” came her lover’s reply, her voice small and weak. Hadkhûna’s massive claws twitched, ghosting over her coat. Twilight could feel her shivering. She leaned in close, pressing her cheek against her lover’s side.

Her heart dropped into the pit of her stomach. The she dragon felt cold, clammy. Her beautiful scales had turned from opulent white with those lovely pale blue diamond markings and purple-gray belly to sickly green-white and gray.

Honestly, Twilight wasn’t entirely sure which worried her more. The coldness, perhaps. Hadkhûna had only ever been warm. Warm enough to never need a blanket even at high sea.

Skittershy came hurrying up, her steps barely more than a rustle, laden with as many towels soaked in warm water she could find. Enough to cover her thorax and both of her arms, but only just so that she might cover half of Hadkhûna’s belly. “I couldn’t find much else,” she murmured, her lip clenched between her fangs.

“Anything will help her at this point,” Twilight replied with a small smile. “Thank you.”

The spider mare nodded once. Then, she turned to look over her shoulder. “Angel,” she said softly. “Could you please help mommy put towels on Aunt Hadkhûna’s belly? I need you to be gentle and not bounce.”

Angel Bunny, the little hellion though he could be, didn’t argue. He gave a little wave of his paw, then leapt from the spider mare’s shoulder to land on Hadkhûna’s belly. Giving his landing spot a little pat, he held his little paws out and beckoned Skittershy to toss him the first of her towels, then shuffled off to find a good spot to cover.

A rush of wind and steady beating of mighty wings tickled Twilight’s ears. A shadow fell upon them and heralded Melodía’s call, “Did what I could to keep the wind low and sea level, but anything less is gonna leave us stuck!” She touched down beside Twilight, looking between she and the moaning she dragon with a slight frown.

Though there was certainly no love lost between the pair, Melodía at least seemed to recognize that Twilight held her close, and so too did Skittershy, for whatever reason that rated so highly.

“I don’t suppose there’s any chance you could bring a front through to warm her?” Twilight asked.

The storm siren shook her head. “Not without bringing a bunch of storms through to lead up, and that’ll make it a lot worse before it gets better for her. Best I can do other than curbing the wind is chasing off the clouds.” Casting a look toward Hadkhûna, she called, “How you holding up, little one?”

“Terribly,” Hadkhûna groaned. “I’d like to die, please.”

“Figured. Sorry, but this is about all I can do. Warm isn’t my thing.”

A rumbling whine came in reply, then, much to Twilight’s surprise, a single claw shifted to brush affectionately against Melodía’s side.

Enough to earn a hint of a smile. “You’re welcome.” Melodía eyed Twilight a moment. “Gonna need to borrow you a second—don’t even think of rolling over, you. I’m just gonna talk with her.”

Hadkhûna’s sapphire eye bored into the storm siren, both untrusting, yet cloudy and weak. She was jealous and protective, like any dragon. More so, perhaps.

Twilight trotted over and planted a soft kiss upon her cheek. “I won’t leave you. If we do cuddle, it’ll be right here at your side in case you need me, love.”

Thought discontent shone in her eye, Hadkhûna gave a little rumble of assent and leaned into Twilight’s touch. Then, she closed her eye once more and turned to lay the side of her head against the deck.

Quietly, Twilight tip-hoofed over to where Melodía awaited beside Skittershy. With a muttered thanks for her help to the spider mare, she followed her second love—what an odd thing to say—a short distance away, to a spot near the stairwell down to the bunks.

“Right, this is good enough,” Melodía said. She drew in a deep breath and flicked her tail. “Far be it from me to play nursemaid to Enzun’s whelp, but you love her and I love you. That’s enough for me.”

“I appreciate your help.” Twilight offered a shaky smile. “If it’s too much trouble, I’m—”

Rosy eyes flashed. “It’s enough for me. I said it, and I meant it.” The storm siren shook her head. “I’m not complaining that you’ve asked for my help, I’m telling you that she’s not going to do well on this crossing if we keep going like this.”

Her blood ran cold as ice. “What do you mean?” Casting a glance back at Hadkhûna, Twilight bit her lip. “It’s just seasickness, isn’t it?”

“Do you know why Enzun Okun and Hadkhûna never crossed the Sea of Ardor after my mom expelled them from Equestria, Twilight Sparkle?”

Twilight shook her head.

Melodía returned a thin smile. “Boasting aside, they are both formidable—your lover more so than her father, despite his greater size. However, with their might and stature comes a price. They cannot fly the distance, and they cannot abide the cold.”

A lump of ice sank into the pit of Twilight’s stomach. “How bad can it get?”

“She needs to be warmed, and soon.” The storm siren shook her head. “As much as I know of the great serpents, I didn’t realize it could get quite this bad. If I’m right, her seasickness has developed into something far worse for her kind.”

“But she was just fine yesterday!” Twilight protested. Her eyes flitted between her lovers, guilt crept into her heart at the time she spent apart from her first. “You two were arguing and fighting, just like the day before!”

In those rosy eyes, a flicker of regret shone. Whether at Hadkhûna’s state or seeing Twilight in such pain, she couldn’t say. But when Melodía spoke, her voice carried with it a melancholic note that made her feathers bristle, “Sickness doesn’t care for that, and you know that well, Twilight. Your scaled lover is ill, gravely so. If she’s lucky, my suspicion will be wrong. If not, then she is fortunate that we’ve not passed the Isle of Bubbling Springs.” The storm siren looked to the sickly dragon’s form for a moment, then back to Twilight. “She may annoy me, but she’s not her father and his sins are not hers. Your lover needs to be warmed, at very least. The Isle of Bubbling Springs will do her well either way.”

Twilight bit her lip. She knew very little about medicine beyond a few rudimentary healing spells, and even less about dragons. Dragons of Hadkhûna’s sort? Nothing but the fact that they were insanely powerful compared to their lesser kin.

Like, comparing Celestia, Luna, and Cadence to a newborn foal.

She did a bit of quick figuring, her ears twitching as comprehension dawned upon her. “You want her to rest in the springs,” she said.

Melodía nodded once. “The springs cure most ailments and will at least offer some relief if she’s taken a turn for the worst. For the rest?” She flicked her tail and sighed. “The healers on the island would be able to say for certain. We have favorable relations, they and I.”

A good option, then. The best she could think of, given the circumstances.

“Please tell Headwind that we’ll need to adjust heading for the Isle of Bubbling Springs,” Twilight said after a moment’s thought.

“Of course.” With a swish of her tail, Melodía made to turn and kick off the deck to find the captain amongst his kin in the shrouds.

Before she could, though, Twilight stepped in close and planted a kiss upon her cheek, right at the corner of her mouth. “Thank you.”

The storm siren stood stock still a moment, her eyes wide and the slightest hint of rosy pink bleeding into her cheeks. Her feathers fluffing, she ducked her head and said, “Don’t mention it.” A smile tugging at her lips, she glanced back over her shoulder and added, “Though, if you do feel like you have to, I wouldn’t say no to you being under my wing for a bit in those springs once she stops her caterwauling.”

Hadkhûna gave her tail a weak lash of indignation. “I do not caterwaul or whine!” she protested, making as though to rise. “Dragons such as I are above such—hurk!”

Skittershy skittered over by her head and placed a hoof upon her snout. “You aren’t doing anything until we get you feeling better, you silly dragon!” she scolded. “The only reason you get off this deck is when it’s time to go below at sundown!”

Another decidedly-not-a-whine sounded from deep within her chest, but Hadkhûna didn’t fight her. She shivered and leaned into the spider mare’s touch, mumbling something inaudible under her breath.

The three remaining mares shared matching looks of concern. “Yeah, I’ll tell him to double-time it,” Melodía said. Without another word, she kicked off the deck with an upward swell of wind and clap of thunder and went zipping through the shrouds and rigging in search of Captain Headwind.

Twilight, meanwhile, hurried back over to Skittershy and Hadkhûna’s side. She came skidding to a halt by her chin and sat, nuzzling softly and stroking with a gentle hoof as she whispered encouragement and promises of affection shared once her health improved.

All the while, the little alicorn sent silent prayer to any who might listen that her lover’s suffering come to a swift end.

Comments

[Friendly Lurker]

Spacing got weird after you added the missing ûs and ís. Also, you named Hadkhûna’s father Enzun Okun in this chapter, but he was introduced as Enzun Onuzn in Red Sky of Morning 3. Also, in the first two Red Sky chapters and possibly elsewhere, Hadkhûna has sometimes been spelled Hadhkûna.

Here’s hoping the hot springs will lead to a quick recovery for Hadkhûna.

[Ri2]

Huh. Melodia's actually somewhat tolerable this time. Still not exactly pleased Twilight's...'accepted' her affections, but...well, if she continues acting like this I'm not complaining.

Also, poor Hadkhûna. I wonder what new friend they'll meet at the springs? 'Breath of stone' makes me think of...catoblepas?

[Spamotron]

Breath of Stone, are we perhaps about to visit the mythological equivalent of the Pie Family Rock Farm?

[Oberth Effect]

Awww, the fight got off-screened

If I’m right, her seasickness has developed into something far worse for her kind.

Of course it can't be just as simple as seasicknesses.

On the other hand, perhaps we'll meet the next member of Twilight's haremparty among the healers on the Isle of Bubbling Springs?

Wonder if there are going to be any fun things Captain Headwind and his crew will get to experience on the Isle. He's probably already had the adventure of a lifetime ferrying a miniature apocalypse across the ocean, but things can always get more interesting. I hope Twilight has a bonus for him on the other side; it would be well-deserved.

[PFisken]

Time for the classic harem anime episode - Hot spring.

[hydra30]

If the inhabitants of the Isle Of Bubbling Springs know what's good for them they won't charge

[Dracon_Pyrothayan]

> Breath of Stone

Well, we need to pick up Applejack and Pinkie Pie. Which one's next?

[JMP]

Glad to see Melodía's acting civil. Hell, helpful even. Although Hadkhûna doesn't really seem like she's in a good state to move, so I'm not sure how they're going to get her into those springs.

[Lore Horse]

I'm kind of on the fence about the fight not being shown. On one hand I'm glad it's not shown because while fighting can be enjoyable a lovers spat type deal is not my cup of tea, but on the other hand watching Twilight throw herself in between a dragon and a siren in the middle of a fight because she's afraid of them hurting each other would have been heartwarming.

[Vaguely Demented]

If Twilight knew a shrinking spell she’d have a lot less problems.

[Blood Rarity]

[Neece]

Twilight had heard her fellow student and longtime nuisance, Sunset, do her best to talk her ears off with some silly notion or other of proprieties and legalities of her acquisitions;

How dare Bacon Horse to call out on Twiggles' thievery? The nerve!

[terrycloth]

10199229
Or a spell to turn dragons into hamsters.

[Vaguely Demented]

10202428
The shrinking spell would have been handy in a number of situations not involving dragons though.

[FanOfMostEverything]

Breath of Stone. Interesting. The only thing that comes to mind in terms of petrifying breath are D&D gorgons. That is, giant bulls made of stone rather than hideous women with snakes for hair, because no one told Gygax and Arneson "Medusa" wasn't the name of the entire species. Though, to be fair, Pegasus was originally a proper name as well.

But I digress. The meaning here could be less obvious. And given how both earth ponies are unaccounted for, this could believably apply to either of them. I'll have to wait and see... though Pinkie's the one with rocks in her blood, and they say Laughter's the best medicine...

For now, best hurry to those hot springs and keep bulking out the harem. We have tropes to enforce!

[Greenstaroftheplane]

Can't wait for the next chapter

[Forthwith]

Well, this was one hell of an adventure to get caught up on. I think I like the Den of Thieves arc best simply because it's Twilight at her most Princess of Thieves. I wasn't expecting the harem route after reading the one-shot version, but I'm laughing, smiling, and otherwise enjoying the story every step of the way, so I'm down with it. And post battle flings are pretty great.

[Carapace]

10265733
Honestly, that's probably accurate. It was ... odd at first, but writing her as a character who doesn't win because of plans but because she's just insanely good at [INSERT RANDOM IMPROV GIMMICK] in the middle of a heist. I think when brainstorming this, I recall mentioning to a friend that I wanted her to be the equivalent of "rocks fall, you're fucked" but less about the power we know she could wield and more because she pulled a rabbit out of a hat and set it in front of you, and you, being curious, came close to examine it, and were thus surprised when it exploded in your face.

I have problems. Send help.