Author's Notes:

It's here, the time we've all been waiting for. Sid is on spring break! Party time, which is mainly going to be me cranking out more chapters as they come to my head. I already have major events planned out, all I need to do is get them set up, but you'll see what I mean soon. Also I wanted to know what you all would think of this new upload schedule: every Friday, or the following Wednesday? I don't want to bare you all down with chapters but I want to get as many as done as possible. Anyway I'll let you all go on now.

-Till next time!

High Moon Ch. 11:

Heart’s Will

“...and so I was like, ‘Let him do it,’” Dusk laughed as he was telling a story about a fishing trip his father and brothers did to help feed the family and to strengthen the bond between each other. Spike and Quill intensely listened to the wondrous tail of the periodic fishing trips as the CMC’s and Jinx had a hard time breathing from laughing so hard while Sketchy rolled her eyes from already hearing the story along with Jinx. “Man I telling you guys, I’ve never seen Volt so scared before. He stop taking a bath for hours!”

Everyone, even Sketchy, had shared a laugh at Dusk’s younger brother after he was tricked into swimming with a school of tuna fish, and became deeply horrified by the already fearful fish. “Oh man, he was flailing around like a scare wet cat, and those tuna fish were driven into a mad frenzy!”

“Hahaha...Dusk that’s so mean,” Quill said, wiping a tear from her eye while Spike fell back on his log along with the CMC’s. Dusk continued to laugh while his and the twins’ food, which was pieces of rabbit meat for the dragons and fish for Dusk, cooked in the roaring fire that fought against the cool air of the nighttime. “So you guys really did fishing trips like that all the time?”

Dusk nodded his head while the bright red embers from the campfire was reflected in his deep purple eyes. “Yup, dad would wake us up on any given weekend, load us up in the family scooter, and head out to the open sea.” A soft reminiscent smile stretched across Dusk’s face at the memories of fishing with his father and brothers, sharing stories, and jokes to pass the time while they caught enough fish to feed the family for weeks before the next fishing trip.

“Do you ever miss it?” Attention was drawn to Spike as he had already dusted himself off and straightened up to ask a rather close to heart question. Dusk chuckled a little before reaching out to the stick with a cooked-brown fish speared at the end and raised it to the moon above.

“You never forget your first family,” He started, remembering the quote his father told him and his other siblings before they left home to live out their own lives. “Those perish first years of life with the ones that cared for you, will follow you for as long as you breath.” Quill bit her lip, his words held more truth than he could ever hope for, and a part of her wished he wasn’t right. “Our knowledge, our love, our instincts, are passed on from one generation to the next in a great big cycle that’s been called over the many years as life.”

Dusk finished as he brought the fish down to his jagged teeth and took a massive bite out of it. Everyone watched as the halfbreed happily munched down on the fish, thinking about their own families and friends, and all of the good and bad times they spent with each other. No matter how hard she tried to fight it, Quill was thrown into the past with living with Twilight, and as much as she hated it, there was moments she was glad to be living with the alicorn.

Spike was in the same spot, however he was more welcomed to the thoughts, warm bed, able to eat gems at any time he wished--mostly--and the friendly smiles of the elements and everypony else. However still, his time in High Moon was just a cherished, and he’ll never regret making the choice to stay.

“Wow...t-that’s beautiful,” Sweetie Bell softly said, wiping the tears that started to from around her eyes, and feeling bad for every time she and Rarity got into an argument.

Dusk initially missed the teenaged unicorn’s question as his teeth was already cleaning the fish of much of its body but soon opened his eyes towards her. “Really?” An exaggerated nod came from everyone around him, making him bust out in a quick laugh. “You all should know, my dad was stone-faced drunk when he told us that.” Again everyone shared a good laugh amongst each other, quickly strengthening the bonds between them as friends again, and will always hold these memories with each other.

“You had a crazy life you, know that,” Quill joked after everyone had mostly calmed down and starting eating themselves. “Hey you said that you and your siblings trained with each other right?” Dusk looked over towards Quill with a curious look on his face but still nodded his head. “And you all sparred with each other right?” Again another nod, followed by Spike becoming nervous where Quill was going with it. “Well I was wondering if we could have a match tomorrow.”

Everyone’s gazes were transfixed on the dragoness as she was openly changing the strongest creature she knew besides Wolf and everyone awaited Dusk’s response. “A sparring match,” Dusk asked in a chuckle, getting a firm nod from Quill who wasn’t going to back down. “Hatchling, that’s not a smart idea.” Quill was going to further question him before Dusk got up from his seat in between Jinx and Sketchy and walked over to a thick tree. “For one, I can tell I’m older than you since you two are still worried about your ancestors. For two…”

Dusk placed his right hand on the tree and started to push against the rooted behemoth. At first, the tree refused to move, but as Dusk’s claws started to dig into the dark-brown--almost black--tree bark, loud cracking sounds ripped through the forest. Soon one, two, three of the tree’s roots started to be uprooted from the hard dirt ground as the tree started to lean forward.

All aside his marefriends, sat and watched in mind-shocking awe as the tree started to move closer to the ground before falling away from Dusk’s hands, and onto the adjacent tree behind it.

Turning around, Dusk wiped the bits and pieces of tree-bark in his scale-like fur hand as he walked back to his seat, and wrapped both of his mares in his wings. Dusk continued to ignore the shocked looks on the CMC’s and Spike’s faces as he turned his head towards Quill. “I can do a lot more than that.”

While everyone was shocked by his strength, Quill felt as though a fire erupted in her chest as she stood up from the log, and looked Dusk straight in the eyes with an unyielding passion. “So, that will just make it more fun for me when I beat you.”

Spike shot up from his seat with a wide eyed expression on his face at his sister’s near suicidal choice. “What Quill are you-” However was stopped by Dusk breaking out in a chuckle.

“Well aren’t you a little headstrong dragoness,” He started, seeing much of his younger sister Wave in her as well the fire in her eyes. “Okay fine, why not? You want to know what a real dragon is supposed to do fine, I’ll show you. But, don’t expect me to treat you like kin.”

The determined smile on Quill’s face didn’t falter, nor yield, to Dusk warning. In fact it only grew in size and meaning. “That’s supposed to stop me?” Dusk again chuckled at the dragoness’s confidence and knowing any time spent around her was going to be an interesting one to say the least.

“Alright, tomorrow morning. You, me, no magic, and as much time as it take before one of us cries uncle. How’s that sound Ferox draconis?” Quill along with everyone else raised collective eyebrow towards Dusk, which he answered without much thought. “It means ‘the aggressive dragoness,’” He said after calling his sister Wave that for most of their cubhood.

Quill smirked at the title she was given as she thought it suited her just nicely. “Quill Ferox Dragul, I like it, and tomorrow can’t come any sooner.” Quill finished off the rest of the rabbit meat that was on the stick and reduced the whole thing to mere ash. “Better rest up halfbreed, ‘cus come to tomorrow, your butt isn’t going to know where to be kicked next.” Quill marched off to the stuffed sleeping-bag that was rushed to be put together, but was fixed up by Blaze’s magic. However before Quill could reach the makeshift mattress, Dusk had one last thing to say.

“Than may the wills of our hearts clash into a heated fire that engulfs the world.” Quill turned back to look at Dusk standing and walking over to his tent with his marefriends in tow. Soon, after they all got comfortable in the tent, Dusk went to zip it up, but not before cutting one final glance towards Quill.

Sparks of heated rivalry arched from their eyes, burning brighter than the campfire that fought off the cold, and with a will that could move mountains. Dusk ended the sparks by zipping up the tent to rest up for the much anticipated mock-fight tomorrow and Quill did the same, bidding everyone goodnight before closing her eyes.

The CMC’s turned their gazes towards Spike, who waved off their worries, and turned in for the night as well. He knew even a sparring match with Dusk was still dangerous for Quill, after trying to take Wolf on himself, and failing to land a single blow on him while Quill was able to do something to him.

As the crusaders turned in, using the same kind of large tent as Dusk, and after Spike put out the fire with some water in a boar-hide pouch on his side, Spike took a spot on his makeshift bed right next to Quill--still a good distance away so he doesn’t ‘sleep-grope’ her. I’m not going to let you fight on your own Quill, like it or not, we’re in this together, Spike thought to himself before closing his eyes to have enough energy to take on Dusk with Quill tomorrow.

While the younger members of the camp was--supposedly--drifting off to sleep, Dusk was undesirably kept awake by Sketchy as she again filled the role as the ‘responsible’ one by chewing him up about agreeing to fight Quill tomorrow. “Are you crazy,” She shouted in a hushed voice as to not alarm the others. “What were you thinking? Oh wait you don’t.”

Dusk, who was taking off his jacket to get comfortable enough to sleep--if Sketchy would let him--rolled his eyes at his mare’s usual insult for when she thinks he does something stupid. “I was thinking that Quill is due for some real knowledge about dragons.”

“But Dusk, you’re only a halfbreed,” Jinx pointed out, already had let her long mane down, and removed her jacket so she could sleep in her light-purple tank-top. “Right?”

Again Dusk was forced to roll his eyes, but this time with a chuckle following after. “Yes, but as far as I can tell, I’m the closest the twins have ever been to another breathing dragon.” It wasn’t much a rumor to all that dwell inside of the republics, that Equestria wasn’t the home for many dragons, and if it was, they were the more traditional kind. “So I want to let them know as much about dragons, without reading about it, as possible. You see where I’m coming from here right girls?”

“Aww,” Jinx started, wrapping her arms around Dusk’s body, and nuzzling into his hardened chest with a slight purr. “Dusky is trying to be a big brother to them.” Dusk blushed when he realized that Jinx was right about what he was doing for the twins seemed to be him filling in a missing big brother role for them. Well it made sense, seeing as he had two younger siblings and another two older ones, putting him in the middle, and making him the perfect one for the role as ‘big brother’ for the twins.

Jinx lifted herself over Dusk’s shoulder to look at Sketchy, who was sitting behind Dusk in one of the corners near the door to the tent. “Sketchy let him do it, Dusky won’t hurt Quill anyways.” She lowered herself towards Dusk’s ear, close enough to where he could feel her hot breath. “Right Dusk?”

“Heh, um...right. I hadn’t plan on hurting her, um...Jinx?” Dusk had to fight back a shiver from Jinx trailing her hands down to the base of his wings but still making them twitch upon the softest of touches. Sketchy caught onto what Jinx was up to and lighted her horn, placing a sound-proof barrier around their tent, starting to sneak up behind Dusk to wrap her arms underneath his wings and around his chest. “G-girls I really-”

“Shh,” Sketchy started while Jinx toyed with Dusk’s right ear. “Calm down, if you have to fight Quill tomorrow, than you have to relax.” She moved to Dusk’s other ear to nibble on it with her teeth while her hands danced across his chest, trailing along the dense muscles that had grown from his highly active life back in the republics.

Jinx’s fingers circled around at the tightened muscle in Dusk’s wing-base, forcing his body to shake from the slight ping of pain that the tight muscle placed on his back. “She right Dusky, your wing-muscles are really tough. No wonder you’ve been complaining about flying around, well let us fix that.”

“J-Jinx its fine, we don’t have to-” Dusk’s pleas were heard only by the tent’s walls as both mares used their collective weight to push Dusk to on his stomach, so they could ‘relieve’ the stress in his wings, and have a little fun with their half-blood lover.

While the older mares were enjoying the benefits of their close relationship with Dusk, the CMC’s however were going over a much more serious matter, but all plans were placed on hold for now as Sweetie Bell was caught again day-dreaming about the sudden attractive Spike.

“Sweetie Bell,” Scootaloo said, clapping her hands in front of the love-struck teenager, and snapping her out of a heart-filled dream of the drake. Sweetie blinked several times, still having troubles telling the difference between reality and her fantasy world with Spike. Scootaloo shook her head at the other crusader, already having caught her do this several times in the past, and multiple times today alone. “Gezz Sweetie, if you want to ask Spike out then just do it, or I will.”

The pegasus’s half threat was enough to fully grab Sweetie’s attention as she stood up and shouted, “No!” The other two crusaders immediately shushed, not wanting to face the fury of Quill who was--no doubt--planning for her match tomorrow, or the wrath of Dusk after his display of frightening power. Sweetie covered her mouth, hoping that the late move would stop the sound of her shout from leaving the tent, but no one was that fast.

Well maybe Dusk, but that’s a different case.

“Sorry,” Sweetie said with her head hanging low after a few intense moments of waiting. “It’s just that,” She sighed, knowing that there wasn’t a need or point to lie to herself, or her best-friends. “Before, I could look at Spike without thinking much about it, but now...I mean just look at him.”

Scootaloo rolled her eyes, as much as she wanted to agree with Sweetie, they still had to focus on getting Spike to somehow make a connection with the elements again so things could at least start going back to normal. “Whatever Sweets, you have a crush on Spike, we know, but can we focus a little here?”

“I do not have a crush!” Again the other two had to shush a blushing Sweetie before she continued. “I don’t have a crush on Spike, I just really, really, really, like him. As a friend.”

Again Scootaloo rolled her eyes, taking a seat back down on her bright orange sleeping-bag, and deciding to move the first meeting of the camping trip onwards. “Whatever,” She started with a dismissive hand, making Sweetie stick out her bottom lip in a pout. “So as I was saying, I think we should let Dusk and his herd in on the plan.”

The other two crusaders placed their fingers to their chins in thought. After seeing how close the twins became with Dusk, how nice Jinx is, and how persuasive Sketchy can be as she got Sweetie Bell to reconsider turning down singing lessons with a famous pop-pony, it made since. In fact it seemed dumb not to tell them of the real reason for the camping trip.

However, they wasn’t so sure about how they would take being tricked into going on the trip, but on the other hand, they didn’t really think that they would be too mad. Upset maybe, mad? Hopefully not.

“Okay I’m in,” Applebloom said, liking how easier it’ll be if Dusk would know, and how easier it will be for him to get the twins to come back to Ponyville. “What about you Sweets?” Applebloom and Scootaloo turned toward Sweetie Bell only to see the same dreamy look in her eyes. “Sweets?”

“Huh, oh um...yeah sounds good to me,” She quickly answered before she was too deep in the bright emerald-green eyes of Spike. “Well night girls.” Before Scootaloo could call Sweetie Bell out for day-dreaming about the drake outside of their tent, Sweetie was already in her light-pink sleeping bag, and with fake soring to hopefully convince the other two that she was asleep by the time her head hit the thin pillow.

Still, Scootaloo tried to call her out for being too engrossed with the fantasy of being in Spike’s strong arms, but Applebloom stopped her and said to just leave it for the long morning that’s ahead of them tomorrow. It’s not fair.

Celestia’s bright sun...wasn’t even over the horizon before Spike was already up and at the near by river to do as Lily had told him and practice his water-magic during the camping trip. Once he was close enough to the river-side, a new idea entrained Spike’s mind, not once had he actually tried to mediate in water, and it made a bit more sense to do so. Spike walked into the chilly stream of water and pierced the soft muddy ground with his tail.

Soon, he was in the Zen position, and instead of the usual one orb of water, three separate orbs started to form around him. One taking a spot in front of him, another to his right arm, and a final one behind his back. However that wasn’t the only thing that has changed. Inside of Spike’s mind, the expansive lake felt...larger somehow, and a sickly black dead-wood tree stood might and proud in the background.

Spike didn’t see it of course, his eyes remained closed to continue his training, but he could feel the tree’s presets. Dead, stagnant, doubtful, and reclusive; a perfect reflection of his old life.

Spike pushed through these feelings to retain whatever focus that wasn’t wasted on the tree. Slow, breath slow, He recited in his head, calming his nerves, and forgetting his surroundings. However, the tree still managed to steal some of his attention as it started to take further root in his lake, and spreading his sickly branches outwards towards him.

Every inch of movement from the tree branches, sent another shiver down Spike’s spine, and his hold on the orbs of water started to flatter. His breath became shaky and ragged, as though his own throat was trying to collapse in on itself.

A small ripple in the darkening lake was enough to send him out of his mind and back into the real world. Spike’s sight was near pitch black, far too dark for the raising sun in the horizon, but as the black tendrils started to fade from the corner of his eyes, Spike was horrified by the sight.

In his right hand, a twisted frozen scythe--whirling all the a way around him-- and the jagged blade was mere inches away from a shocked Dusk’s face as he had one foot in the lake. Both males kept their eyes locked on the frozen weapon, as it could have easily cut Dusk’s head off, and as it shimmered with the faint light of the sun rising behind Dusk.

Spike didn’t know what to make of the chilling scythe made of complete ice but had no feeling in his hand. “Whoa,” Dusk started, scaring Spike as he started to trembled from a wave of uncertainty flowing around his head like the very stream he was in. “Spike, didn’t mean to startle you like that man.” Spike, now somewhat back into his right mind, threw the scythe far away from him and into the stream where it shattered like fragile glass. “Hey man are you alright? You scales were turning dark, and you were breathing heavily, but still had a twisted smile on your face.”

Dusk placed his hand on Spike’s shoulder, shocked to find that his scales felt completely frozen, but the drake was still standing. What the, he...he should be dead by now as cold as he feels. Unless… Spike was suddenly pulled out of the lake by his shoulders as Dusk lead him to one of the long wooden log seats and was sat down by him, facing away from everyone’s tents, and to the clear opened path head.

“Stay their Spike,” He said, rushing towards his tent as his mares were still asleep. Once Dusk was in the tent, he reached into his bag, and started to look for a special spice his father made him carry with him to Equestria.

During his search, both Jinx and Sketchy--who slept in the same sleeping bag--was awakened by their lover’s commotion. “Grr, Dusk what is it,” Sketchy asked, only to not be given an answer as Dusk found what he needed, and left out of the tent without a word. The two mares looked at each other with curious glares, both wondering what got Dusk in such a rush this early in the morning, and left out of the tent to find out for themselves.

Once out they found that Spike was sitting on a log, facing away from them as Dusk poured some of the spice into a water bottle, and gave it a good shake. “Drink,’ He said in a grim tone that matched the one from yesterday. Spike’s hand reached out for the bottle, and by what Sketchy could tell, was in a forced matter not of his own.

Spike soon started to drink the pale-red water with Dusk tipping back his head to make sure he drank all of the spice in the water. Which happened rather quick, as for some reason, Spike was really thirsty, and continued to drink until there wasn’t anything left in the bottle.

Dusk took a step back from Spike, holding out his hand towards his mares to tell them to do the same, and awaited for the spice to take effect on Spike. Slowly, Spike’s purple scales started to darkened again as he doubled over from unforeseen pain, and tears started to from around the corners of his eyes. It felt as if his whole body was being weighed down by some unknown force; the same from the lake.

He opened his mouth to scream from the tremendous pressure on his body. But, instead of his cracking voice, a bright--near white hot--green flame erupted from his mouth, and refused to allow him to close it. The green flame was loud enough to wake the others as they were given the early morning surprise of Spike spewing fire much hotter than he’s ever before.

Quickly the flames ended with Spike hawking up black gobs of some sticky of goo on the ground and continuing to cough uncontrollably. “Spike!” Quill along with CMC’s started to run over to the fallen drake, however was stopped by Dusk teleporting in front of them, and glaring into their eyes.

“You can’t touch him yet,” He started in a dark voice that scared the CMC’s and made Quill even more worried about Spike. However, he refused to answer these worries as he started to make his way over to the small pool of black goo, but stopped for a second to check on Spike. Dusk placed his hand over the scales on Spike’s back, only to feel the immense heat coming from his body. Good, that should keep him going for a while now, but no I’ve got to deal with it.

Dusk moved from Spike’s body as he was wheezing for air, and walked in front of the puddle of black goo. “You think you’re so clever, preying upon the young, and weak when their ancestors can’t defend them. Well I’ve got something for you…” Dusk reached into the puddle, still warm from crawling around in Spike body for who knows how long, and pulled out a swarming mass.

“W-what is that?” Dusk turned his head back to Spike while the black mass in his hand was still trying to escape. As he continued to look down to Spike, the quickest of flashes from a dark memory from his cubhood, flashed through Dusk’s head, and the memory alone was enough to make his grip around the black mass tightened to the point small high-pitched screams could be heard from it.

Dusk willed his magic to flow throw his entire right arm, sending an massive segue of purple and black electricity to the black mass, causing its screams to rip through the cleanse, and incinerated the black mass until it was nothing but a hardened misshapen stone. “Animam cordis, the heat’s ghost, and nothing any more.” Dusk dropped the stone to the ground and crushed it underneath his foot. Black smoke lines started to flow from the stone and straight up into the raising sun.

Dusk bowed his head slightly before saying, “Kerber, molimo vas da ovaj zli duh daleko od ovih zemalja. ‘Cerberus, please take this evil spirit away from these lands.’” After a few moments of silence Dusk started to walk over to Spike and help him up from the ground while his scaled-fur provided him some protection from the burning heat from Spike’s body. “Spike you okay?”

“Y-yeah,” Spike answered, rubbing his sore throat, and was followed by a rough cough. “C-can I get something to drink?” Dusk looked over to Sketchy and gave her a nod to silently tell her to do what Spike asked. She sighed but still left to the tent to grab another bottle of cold water.

Dusk then helped Spike to sit down on the log behind him, he then turned to the CMC’s and Quill. “Do any of you have a towel or something like that?” Sweetie nervously raised her hand as Rarity had forced her to pack enough towels for all of them--minus Spike and Quill, since none of the elements knew the twins were coming on the camping trip.

“Could you go get it Sweets and dip it in the river, then bring it here after you ring-out the excess water.” Sweetie Bell nodded her head and went to do what Dusk asked, knowing if anyone knew what to do about Spike, it was him. “Quill, could you bring Spike some food, I’m sure he’s hungry.”

“Right, but I want a full explanation of just what the fuc- freak that thing was.” Dusk nodded his head towards Quill, her slight anger was understandable after the rude awaking, and thought nothing of it. “Spike just...just try not moving.” Quill dashed over to his bag that had a supply of apples and other fruit just incase they ran out of meat while Sweetie Bell was returning from the river with the wet towel.

“Is he going to be alright,” She asked, handing the towel to Dusk, and stepping back when he motioned her to do so.

Dusk slowly--with as much care in the world--placed the towel on Spike’s back. The very moment a single wet inch touched his scales, visible lines of steam came off of his body, and forced him to grit his teeth from the slight pain. “Now he is,” Dusk finally answered Sweetie Bell’s question after the towel was laid on top of his head, making it look like he had a stuffy nose, was trying to clear it up with steam.

As Quill approached with a few apples in her hands, everyone else too approached the recovering drake, and all had questions for Dusk. “What’s wrong with him and what was that thing,” Quill demanded after Dusk tried to reach for an apple but was denied as she pulled them away.

“If you give me one I would be able to,” Dusk quipped, snacking an apple from Quill’s arms, and placing it in front of Spike’s nose. The drake sniffed the dull-red fruit before shooting his tongue around it and pulling it into his mouth to crunch down on it. All aside Dusk, flinched from the munching sound as Spike chewed the apple--and hardcore--whole. “Great, he’s eating that’s a good sign, but it’ll be awhile before he could move on his own.”

“I’m going to ask again. What is wrong with my twin brother,” Quill shouted at Dusk, feeling helpless that she didn’t know what was wrong with him, and tired of not having that answer.

Dusk turned toward Quill’s fiery eyes, burning with a bottle rage that was in danger of boiling over, and sighed. “He’s just tired, properly from overusing his elemental-magic, and not really working on conditioning his body to take the added magic that’s growing in him.” Dusk took another apple from her hands and placed it in front of Spike’s face again, only for him to repeat the same savage munching. “Spike,” Dusk paused to allow his words to make it through the thick cloud of fog blanking Spike’s mind. “What do you mainly do for training?”

Spike didn’t respond right away, not like his cloudy mind would allow him to, but slowly words started to from. “Mostly meditation and position making...w-why?”

Dusk nodded his head in response already seeing how that would cause the ghost heart to grow inside of Spike. “Because, you can’t just work on you magic, and leave your body behind Spike. There needs to be balance or else…” Dusk jabbed his finger at Spike’s stomach, making his spit out another gob of the black mass from before. “That will consume you whole,” Dusk finished, pointing a finger at the black mass, and blasting it with a bolt of lighting. “So until you have your first growth-spurt, don’t try meditating in the water. Okay?”

“Y-yeah,” Spike answered, much faster than before which was a good sign of his speedy recovery. Sketchy soon re-emerged from the tent with a bottle of water in her hands, she walked over to Dusk, and handed the bottle to him.

While Jinx was catching Sketchy up with everything that happened and what Dusk said, the halfbreed himself was busy making sure that Spike drank enough of the water, and continued to eat the apples. “So Dusk,” Quill started, sitting down next to her brother, and taking the job of feeding him the apples. “How you know all of this, you don’t seem like the type to read a lot.”

Dusk started chuckling at Quill’s observation, impressed that she was able to make guesses like that only after knowing him for only one day. “You’ll be right, I really don’t like to read many things unless I have to, but…” Dusk paused again, the same dark memories flashing through his head made it slightly harder to continue, but his pressed on any ways. “But, I had a friend--okay cousin but only by marriage--who had went through the same thing.”

“W-what happened to him?” Dusk looked over to Spike, starting to see the similarity, but one thing separated them.

“Her.” Both Spike and Quill blinked for a second, confused to what Dusk was talking about, but soon was cleared up when he continued. “It was--or rather--is a her. Dimsi was her name, flying wasn’t her game,” Dusk laughed at his own mean joke about his winged-dragon cousin, who couldn’t fly as well as she should. “Dimsi, Dimsi was a weak flyer, and we we’re lucky to hear from her for weeks.” Dusk started to shake his head at remembering how Dimsi’s parents would allow her to lock herself in her room for day, even weeks, at a time.

“The only times we did hear something from her, was when she--and this is going to sound ironic--practicing her wind-magic.” Spike’s eyes started to widened at the thought of a dragon--who had their wings--not being able to fly, yet still having wind-element while Quill had to force back a giggle. “It got so bad that she had to move from her island to ours, where my dad made sure she did more than just read and practice all day.”

Man, she sounds like Twilight, Both twins thought to themselves, not knowing for once they could agree on something.

“However,” Dusk cut through the twins’ thoughts as his expression turned rather dark. “It was too late by then, and Dimsi would have die that day if it wasn’t for my father’s quick thinking. Also his hidden supply of piperis vulcanici.” Just thinking back to Dimsi’s normally bright golden and pure white scales turning a into a sickly pitch, forced Dusk to shake from the dark memory.

Her sudden anger towards everything, her inability to control herself, the ferocity of her magic, and how she lashed out towards everything that was around her. It started out as a sickness, just like the common-cold; something anyone can pull through, but she didn’t. Dimsi’s health and attitude started to deteriorate at an alarming rate, soon she was too sick to even move on her own. But one day, when her parents were able to visit, Dimsi walked out of her room--something of a rarity of its own--but when her mother, a pegasus mare, tried to embrace her daughter, Dimsi lashed out in a cyclone of wind.

She would have torn apart the house if it wasn’t for Wave shoving her out and the rest of her halfbreed siblings holding her back until their father returned. Dusk took a deep breath to force the memories to be put away deep into his mind again. “Spike, for now on, add some kind of heavy workout to your training routine alright?”

“Okay, I understand.” Spike didn’t have to be told the whole story before he knew how serious Dusk was about the matter. He down the rest of the water and tossed up the apple in the air so his tongue could extend around it and pull it to his mouth. Dusk started to laugh at the drake’s silliness while Quill shook his head. “So...no fight today huh?”

“What are you talking about,” Dusk asked in a mocking tone and with a raised eyebrow. “Of course there’s going to be a fight.”

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah Spike,” Quill said, hopping from her seat, and taking off her green jacket that was down to only one sleeve. Sweetie blushed when she saw torn pieces of her purple tank top barely covering all that it should be. “The world don’t stop for you and neither do I!”

Dusk, who still wasn’t wearing his jacket-shirt, stood up from his seat and walked away towards the slightly charred path with Quill following. “Sorry Spike, that’s the way the world works, and it was the way I was raised.” He placed his right foot outwards with the other one staying behind him while his hands remained at his sides.

Quill smirked, not caring if his fighting-stance was weird to her, and got into her own. She raised both hands up with her claws at the ready and her legs spread far apart; the same way as when she hunting.

Everyone watched in silence as the two of them locked eyes and awaited for the other to make a move. Spike tried to stand up, but was stopped by a sharp pain ripping through him from the sudden movement. No, I can’t fight like this. He sighed at the misfortune of being unable to assist Quill with the sparring match. But, in his condition, he would be in her way, and so was left on the sidelines.

For now.

A strong morning breeze rushed through the campsite with Quill following it as she rushed forward towards Dusk. She brought her right hand low to the ground and started to bring it up as she closed the distance between her and Dusk, who has yet to move.

As she started to get closer, Dusk closed his eyes, and took in a slow breath while Quill took that as a sign of insult towards her. “You’re mine!” Quill started to use the forward moment that she’s been building up during her charge to swing her hand towards Dusk’s head.

However, the moment Dusk opened his eyes again, Quill initial attack missed it’s target as Dusk used his left foot sidestepped under her hand and to her opened left side. With her now wide open, Dusk dragged his right foot on the ground towards Quill’s, and shoved his left hand on her back--somehow missing her wings.

Quill was sent tumbling forwards to the ground, repeatedly rolling around in the dirt, but was able to recover by slamming her claws into the ground. By the time she was able to look up again, Dusk was already standing in the same position as before, and the smirk on his face sent her into a blind rage.

Quill again started to charge at Dusk, this time making sure to watch his movements closer, and aimed her fist to his chest. However, even if she changed tactics, Dusk was able to still sidestep her attacks. Quill didn’t allow him time to counter as she unloaded a fury of attacks, mixing in kicks, and elbows in her barrage.

Through, her attempts were all for nothing as Dusk backpedaled out of her reach, and punished her when she tried to bring her leg down in a ax-kick. Dusk moved his head out of the way so he could cross his wrists over each other to block the kick. His hands wrapped around the sides of Quill’s ankles, provided her from moving away as their eyes locked dead on, and she knew that she was in trouble from the look.

Dusk confirmed her worries as he pivoted on his right foot, picking Quill completely off the ground, and tossing her to where the hard dirt met the green forest. However, after being in a similar situation before, Quill used her wings to slow her unwanted flight, and was able to give a good flap of her wings to turn around mid-air.

When she landed back on the ground, Dusk wasn’t anywhere to be found, but she could feel that he was somewhere close. That’s when Quill noticed that there was a shadow being casted over her, she knew it couldn’t be a cloud covering the sun, and she leaped to her side.

Just as Quill thought, Dusk came crashing down to the ground from an attempt of a surprise aerial attack, however failure was the last thing on his face as he turned his head towards Quill. Quill glared back, not surprise that Dusk was able to crush the ground underneath his feet, but still shaken by the fact. “That’s how a real dragon does an ax-kick, by the way.” Dusk’s mocking tone only served to further Quill’s rage, causing her to charge straight at him, and again unloading a barrage of attacks with more fury than ever before.

Everyone still just watch as Dusk dodged all of her attacks with ease, even growing bold enough to use her own momentum against herself, and sent her constantly tumbling to the ground only for her to get back up again.

“This can’t be fair,” Scootaloo said as Quill missed another roundhouse kick and was punished for it by Dusk sweeping his leg from underneath her. “Dusk’s way too fast, how is she going to do anything if she can’t land a hit on him?”

Sketchy sighed as Dusk sidestepped another punch from Quill so he could grab her arm before she could pull it away and flipped her to the ground. “You know Dusk didn’t always used to fight like this.” The CMC’s turned their heads towards Sketchy, missing Quill being shoved to the ground again. “Back in high school, about what, a few weeks of him being transferred in as a new student, Dusk got into a serious fight after school with the entire rugby team.”

“Oh,” Jinx exclaimed, not from Dusk again grabbing Quill’s writs to deliver a quick jab to her ribs and a throw to the ground, but from remembering what Sketchy was talking about. “Yeah I remember that, over half of the team was put in the hospital, and all Dusk got was a broken arm and collarbone.”

Applebloom’s and Sweetie Bell’s jaws fell open as Quill was thrown up in the air with Dusk following close behind. “Seriously, t-the whole team,” Scootaloo asked, being the only one to remind able speak, and turning her head back to find Quill giving case to Dusk.

“Yup.” It seemed in the air is were Quill was able to get the upper-hand on Dusk as her slender wings gave her a speed and maneuverability advantage while he only had height. “However, Dusk didn’t get in any trouble as the whole team was suspected for using muscle enhancing spells and pills.”

“Wow, that’s bad,” Scootaloo said as Quill was able to out maneuver Dusk and get behind him. “So what happened next?” Quill pushed her wings as hard as they would go so she could grab onto Dusk’s tail, in hopes of returning the favor for being thrown around during the entire fight, but her hopes were dashed as Dusk shut his wings closed to flip Quill with his tail.

Sketchy placed a finger on her lip while Quill was recovering from the head-over-heels spin out with Dusk diving straight towards her. “Well on top of being expelled from school.” Quill managed to recover in time to shove Dusk’s head towards the ground. “Having to say in the hospital for a few weeks.” After recovering, Dusk quickly returned the favor by wrapping an arm around Quill’s midsection, and throwing her higher up in the air. “And some facing criminal charges.” Quill was able to stop her flight, only to be met by Dusk as he went on the offensive. “None of them will ever be allowed to play a sport ever again.” To avoid his fists, Quill closed her wings tight, and entered into a free-fall dive with Dusk following quickly behind. “Some of them needed it to, trust me, I’ve seen their grades.”

“So what Dusk was doing it for the school,” Sweetie asked, not knowing much about sports, or stuff like that.

Sketchy shook her head while Quill managed to block Dusk’s kick. “No not-” Sketchy was cut off by Quill roughly landing back on the ground, using her claws leaving a deep crevices in the rocky ground, and coming to a skidding stop while Dusk gently landed on the ground. Quill tried to stand on her feet, the simple task proved to be as challenging as it was fighting Dusk, and she could tell that he was barely trying; just like Wolf.

And just like Wolf, Quill was able to land a few good blows on Dusk, but again like Wolf, he was able to brush them off to deliver retribution for her costly mistakes. Why? Why, they...they aren’t even trying, but here I am giving it my all and I can’t even do anything to them. Quill’s right hand began to tightened into a fist that--undoubtedly--can destroy any balder in her way, but yet couldn’t move fast enough to land a hit on Dusk. Take me serious, know my power, and stop treating me like a kid!

Quill let out a desperate cry as she charged towards Dusk, only able to move at half of her speed, and was no where near as fast enough to even hope to land this hit on Dusk. But she was still going to try.

Just like at the beginning, Dusk closed his eyes, but this time it was followed by a sigh. Right when Quill was going to deliver the blow, Dusk lunged forward, diving under her fist, taking her face in his hand as well as hooking his right foot with her’s, and pushing his hand down taking Quill with it.

In all honesty, the fall didn’t hurt, what hurt was the fact that Dusk was able to do it with his eyes closed, and it made Quill question everything she had done over the two months in High Moon. “Quill,” Dusk started, opening his eyes, and looking down toward the defeated expression on Quill’s face. “You’re really fun to fight.” The words shocked everyone, especially Quill, as they watched Quill be thrown around like a ragdoll all day. “I wish I had your burning will when I was your age. I would have won more fights if I did.”

That’s when it made sense to Quill, neither Dusk nor Wolf started out where they are now, no one does. The two of them had worked for years fighting and working on their talents before they got to where they were at and they still are working for a higher goal.

Yes hatchling, the half-blood is right, Quill’s ancestor started after observing the fight through Quill’s eyes the entire time. Nothing is mastered in short two months. Even this half-blood’s power took him years to reach, and you too will take time before you grow, but this is the will of the world.

Quill started to get off the ground, a new fire taking hold in her chest, and her resolve not only being re-instilling in her heart but also finding a new meaning. Winning, it didn’t mean a single thing if you didn’t have the will to stand up when you fall, and failure was meanless when you had the heart to bare its heavy weight.

Dusk allowed a smile to break the stone look on his face, he could feel Quill’s drive not to win, but to let him know that she was deserving of the honor of calling herself a dragoness. “Come on Quill, show me.” Show him hatchling. “Show me that fire burning in your chest.” Show him your will. “I want to know the power you carry.” Let him know. “The resolve that make you see what is important to you.” Show him why you work so hard. “Let me see your heart’s will!” Do it Quill!

Both Dusk and Quill charged at each other, full steam, no doubts, and with their heart’s wills burning brighter than the very sun rising over their heads.

“I can’t believe how close it was,” Jinx said as she skipped down the dirt path after the fight between Quill and Dusk had ended with Quill fainting after finally landing a strong blow to Dusk’s chin, leaving a cut mark along his cheek as a sign of her own victory.

However, the strenuous battle, and being tossed around before hand, had drained Quill of most of her energy. Even as she was passing out from fatigue, Quill had a smile on her face, and she had every right to.

“Too bad Dusk was holding back,” Sketchy said, carrying Quill’s stuff on her back while Dusk carried the unconscious dragoness, and Jinx using her magic to carry their stuff with the CMC’s--mainly Sweetie--helping Spike walk.

Dusk started to laugh, no longer caring if Sketchy was going to be mad at him, and turned his head back to the group. “Barely.” Everyone did a double take towards the halfbreed as he continued down the path as though he couldn’t feel their collective stares. “Come on, we still need to make it to the next campsite before it get’s too dark.” Dropping her head in annoyance, Sketchy continued to follow her lover with Jinx still happily skipping behind, and the CMC’s plus Spike also in tow.

No one noticed the soft smile growing on Quill’s face.