Author's Notes:

...Okay so when I say I have a schedule...don't listen to me, and expect another one within two or so days.

High Moon Ch. 12:

Dragon’s honor

Just as the sun started to reach over the top of their heads, the seven young campers, and one young ‘adult’ mare were finally reaching the next campsite--which was an empty cave. Quill had already woken up by this point and was setting up her stuff in the cave while Dusk was out to gather firewood again. She didn’t feel the stinging pain of defeat, the only pain she felt was the one from being thrown around like some baby’s toy, but she wore it with pride.

Spike too had already recovered after hawking up the ghost heart and was chatting with the CMC’s while Quill made small talk with Dusk’s mares. “What, Diamond isn’t in Ponyville any more,” Spike asked, shocked by the news as her father was a major contribution to Ponyville, but glad to hear that no one has to put up with her rotten attitude any more.

“Yup,” Scootaloo said with a hit of too much joy but she had a reason to. “I was able to…convince her to leave Ponyville and go to her mom’s mansion out in Los Pegasus.” Scootaloo darkly laughed at the memory of getting into a real fight--not just some playground argument. “So I was suspended for three days, grounded for about a good four weeks, and couldn’t try-out for the Jr. Wonderbolts sport team.” Okay all of that sucked. “It was still worth it.”

“Scoots,” Spike walked over to Scootaloo and wrapped her in a tight hug. “You shouldn’t have let somepony like Diamond ruin your goals like that.” Scootaloo started to blush from the close contact with the drake while Sweetie was pouting.

Scootaloo fought through the blush to wiggle out of Spike’s surprisingly strong grip. “Okay Spike, it wasn’t that bad. Ms. Fleetfoot said I could try-out during fall-break, so I having until then to work on some awesome new moves.” Spike stared into Scootaloo’s eyes to see if she was telling the truth and found that she wasn’t lying mostly.

“Alright, but don’t go doing that again,” Spike said, not wanting to see Scootaloo let the choices of others affect her.

“Gee, thanks mom,” Scootaloo joked, getting a laugh out of Spike. “I’ll be sure to do that.” Spike chuckled while he scratched the back of his head. “So what exactly have you and Quill been doing for two months?”

“Huh, oh well…” Spike paused for a moment, remembering that Wolf told the both of them not to tell anyone where the temple or city ruins were at, and something about him wanted it to be secret for as long as he could keep it like that. “There’s training, potion making for me, hunting for Quill, and been reading about dragons.”

The CMC’s blinked a few times at what Spike said, but all of them pushed it aside, knowing that Everfree housed every mystery that one could think of. “Oh that’s cool, but why?”

Spike started to blush a little while he glanced over to Quill, who was laughing at a joke Jinx was telling, and happy to see her smiling after the bout with Dusk. “To be honest, I do it for Quill,” He started, smiling at the joy on Quill’s face while the crusaders looked on with curious looks. “That’s why we haven’t returned to Ponyville just yet, we don’t just want to be able to protect ourselves, but everyone back home.”

“Okay, but again, why?”

The drake turned back around to the CMC’s and looked each of them in the eyes, the same eyes that held wander, and the will to face any challenge that came their ways. The same one’s he’s been envious about for years. “I don’t know about Quill, but for me, I can’t just sit back any more while Twilight and the elements put themselves in danger. I can’t sit back while my friends are out there fighting to protect everyone and I’m stuck behind the library doors. And for now on, I won’t.”

All three of the teenagers stared wide-eyed at Spike’s sudden determination and sense of duty, none of them knew why, but it felt like a fire was burning in their chests. “So you guys can understand why we haven’t came back yet right?” All three of the CMC’s nodded their heads, Spike had a goal of becoming strong enough to protect them, and he couldn’t do that if he stay within the safety of the library. “Okay good, I’ve been trying to at least get Quill to visit, but she’s being stubborn about it.”

That’s when the three of them looked into each other’s eyes, never will the perfect moment to spring the plan on Spike will come up again, and they were sure not going to waste it. “Um…” Sweetie started, hoping Spike will have a different reaction than Quill. “Spike there’s something we’ve got to tell you...”

While the CMC’s were telling Spike of what has happened to the elements over the two month during their stay in High Moon, Quill was learning more about Jinx, Sketchy, and their almost three year-long relationship with Dusk “So...you work with Ms. Bonbon at her bakery,” Quill started, asking Jinx who gave an exaggerated nod. “And you’re working for Rarity as a sketch artist?”

“Well the way she puts it is inspirational ‘sketchista,’ but yes,” Sketchy answered while they all sat around the cave awaiting Dusk to return with the firewood--and his dinner. “However, I’ve noticed that she seems rather...base.” Quill quickly knew what Sketchy was talking about but didn’t interrupted her. “I’ve seen some of her old work, and it was simply amazing, but now however...it’s repetitive.”

“Repetitive?” After helping Rarity with her work for years, never actually doing any sewing like Spike, Quill couldn’t believe that Sketchy would describe it as ‘repetitive.’ “What do you mean by repetitive?”

“Well…” Sketchy thought back to all of the dresses Rarity have made since she got to Ponyville, which wasn’t much. “Same dull base colors, boring patterns, and one time she used a lot of purple sequence on one dress for no particular reason.” Great, now’s she caring. “I’ve took study under her to hopefully get noticed as a sketch artist but…”

Quill raised an eyebrow towards Sketchy as she started to become silent. “But?”

“But, I was thinking of just trying to make it out on my own, but again I don’t know.” Sketchy sighed, she liked working with Rarity, but if things continued on the track they were on now, her dream of being a famous sketch artist would surely follow Rarity down into the dark pit of despair.

“Oh come on Sketchy,” Jinx started, wrapping her arms around Sketchy, and pulling her into a hug. “It’ll get better I’m sure of it.” Sketchy giggled from her friend/lover’s reassuring nuzzle, which she returned with a pat on the head. “So, Quill, just how old are you and Spike?”

“Heh, um...we’re both eighteen, and our next one is in a few months.” I just hope this time we don’t go through that greed-growth. Even thinking about the uncontrollable surge of rage and greed swirling around Quill’s mind, making everyone around her look like a threat scared her, and she never wants to relive those events again.

“Aww, you two look absolutely just adorable,” Jinx said, reaching from Sketchy to pinch Quill’s cheek. Quill managed to wiggle out of the mare’s pinchy fingers, making both Jinx and Sketchy laugh a little. “And it sounds like Dusk was right, I’ve just turned twenty last week.” Jinx blushed, remembering the birthday ‘surprise’ Sketchy and Dusk had waiting for when she got to her house. “Dusk is the same age as me too, well a few months older, but still.”

Quill and Jinx shared a laugh while Sketchy rolled her eyes. “And that leaves me as the oldest,” She said, taking the job as the responsible one in the relationship. “Wonder what’s taking Dusk so long?” As if by command, Dusk started to emerge from the bushes with several logs under his arms with a bundle of fish tied together wrapped in his dragon-like tail. “Dusk, what took you so long?”

“Ah fave ta ght fise.” Jinx and Quill started to giggle at Dusk trying to speak with a large tuna-fish in his mouth while Sketchy flatly stared at him with an unamused look. “Waft?”

“Dusk, would you spit that out?” Instead of doing as Sketchy asked, Dusk tossed his head back to send the fish flying up in the air, and caught it in his mouth again to swallow it whole. Everyone watched as Dusk’s serrated teeth tore apart the fish and crushed the bones. “Really?”

This time Dusk swallowed all for the fish before speaking. “What, after that fight with Quill, I’m been really hungry.” Dusk walked over to the bare entrance of the cave and dropped the logs, along with the fish, guessing that it would be a good spot to set up the camp fire. “So what were you guys talking about?”

“Our ages,” Jinx answered in a mock matter of fact tone, that was enough to get Dusk chuckling as he took a seat in between the two of them, and wrapped them in his wings.

Jinx wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled in the halfbreed’s embrace while Sketchy started blushing but made no move to leave. “Ah I see, so Quill how are you feeling? Last time I was thrown around like that was when I was fighting my dad, and it wasn’t pretty.”

Quill rolled her shoulders around, moving joints back into their normal spots, and feeling just as she usually do after fighting Wolf. “Yeah I’m fine,” She answered, knowing doing any sudden movement was going to hurt, but none the less fine. “So is that how you learn to fight, from your dad, or was it something different?”

“Well,” Dusk paused, crossing his arms above Jinx’s head, and tilting his head in thought. “You do learn from those you respect,” Much of this Quill had to agree, she learned far more from Wolf than she ever had with Twilight or any of the elements. “and dad did show me a few things when it comes to fire-magic, but their was a few times where I had to figure things out on my own. But hey, that’s apart of life, I guess.”

“Heh, makes sense,” Quill said, slightly rocking back and forward while her legs were crossed underneath her, and her hands gripping them. “So what was with the whole rugby thing anyways?” Both Jinx and Sketchy cocked their heads at Quill, who still had a curious look on her face, and then turned to Dusk who had a more knowing look.

“Yes, we did hear you. In fact, it was one of the reasons Quill was able to dodge my dive.” Both mares started to blush in embarrassment, none of them thought that the two was able to hear their conversation during their fight, and forced Dusk to roll his eyes. “Anyways, it was two weeks after I had just transferred into Jinx’s and Sketchy’s school, after I had learned some rather...unpleasant news...”

Two years and six months ago in the Lunar Republics, three months before Jinx and Sketchy happily called themselves his marefriends, Dusk was forced to yet again transfer to the last school on his home island of Nebula. This school was his last chance to stay with his siblings and continued to enjoy the fishing trips, so he vowed not to get into any fights, but everyone has their backing points.

“I absolutely won’t stand for this!” Through the empty halls of the Fine Arts department of Dusk’s new school, Nebula High, his enraged voice echoed only to be heard by one of the few students that would actually approach him. “Who the fuck does that little bitch think he is!”

“D-Dusk p-please calm down,” A small pegasus mare, known as Arctic Winds, pleaded her friend as tears still continued down her snow white cheeks, and made her icy-blue eyeliner run. “I-it’s not t-that bad.”

Dusk wiped his head around towards the shaking teenager and blew out more smoke in her face. “Not that bad, not that bad!? Arctic, he fucking cheated on you for three years! How can that not be bad,” Dusk shouted at Arctic, making her shake even more as new tears started to from around her eyes. Once he saw what his voice was doing to her, Dusk closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath. “Arctic,” He sighed, still breathing out black smoke, but in a much more calm voice. “Go home. As fast as you can, get home, and stay their. Can you do that for me?”

“Dusk w-what are you-” Arctic was cut off by Dusk looking her straight in the eyes, a dark flame burned through the shining purple that she knew belonged to Dusk, and started to shake in fear from them.

Dusk placed his hands on Arctic’s small shoulders, forcing her tumbling to stop. “Arctic, please promise me that you’ll go straight home. Promise me.” Even if Dusk was one of her few real friends, Arctic was still terrified by the darkness in his eyes and tone, but still nodded her head. “Good, don’t worry. I’ll get everything straightened out.” Dusk surprised Arctic with a--strictly platonic--kiss on the forehead before leaving to go face her ex.

Arctic stood in the hallway, watching Dusk march off to the sports department of the school, and towards the rugby field. Words failed her before Dusk was completely gone and out of earshot and Arctic knew that it will be the last time she’ll be able to see Dusk at school any more.

Once outside, Dusk’s eyes locked onto the track and field area where the school’s reigning champions practicing for next season, and spared his wings to take flight toward them. Dusk eye, which have been trained to see through the murkiest of waters, located the captain of the rugby team.

Tall, muscles on near every inch of his body, slick black and red hair, two long deadly sharp horns on top of his head, and a face mothers couldn’t even love. Why Arctic ever went out with a half-brain minotaur was the last thing on his list of issues to deal with. As the ball was kicked high in the air, Dusk aimed his hand towards it, and shot it down with a massive bolt of purple lighting.

The entire team’s collective attentions--which couldn’t stay focused on one thing for too long--rose to met an enrage halfbreed that none of them knew. Dusk slowly landed on the ground with the team of minotaurs started to gather around him in a close circle. However, Dusk answered none of their demands as he only kept his eyes deadlock on the captain of the team.

“Who the fuck do you-”

“Shut up.” Some of the minotaurs flinched from the hollowness in the halfbreed’s voice. It had sounded as though a ghost was standing before them and not the dragon dog. “I want you to shut the fuck up and beg.”

The captain was the only one who remained unmoving from Dusk’s emotionless tone, that somehow still carried the rage to melt stone, but not like he cared. He was known throughout the entire republics for taking down other minotaurs--as they were the main ones to play the near suicidal game--that were twice his size, even putting most in the hospital for weeks, and forcing some to quit the sport.

So why should he fear something that was half of his own size? Because he never fought an alpha diamond dog with salamander dragon blood flowing through him. That’s why.

“Why should I?” Dusk kept his eyes buried underneath his black hair, his body trembling from holding back his rage, and small arcs of purple electricity arched across him. “Heh, look at you,” The minotaur joked, unimpressed by the violent display of dragon magic, but the same couldn’t be said for the rest of the team. “What’s the matter mutt, cat got yo-” The captain wasn’t allowed to finish his insult as Dusk launched a strong right-hook to his jaw, and from the sounds of snapping bone, broke a few pieces.

Everybull jumped back from the surprise sucker-punch and watched as their captain was thrown to the rough dirt ground. Dusk returned to the darkened look, breathing pitch black smoke, and holding onto his arm to keep it from shaking. “Either start running, or fight.”

“What are you idiots waiting for,” The captain minotaurs grumbled, fighting through the pain of his jaw being broken with the high rush of adrenaline pumping in his veins. “BRAKE HIM LIKE A FUCKING TOOTHPICK!” Not wanting to fall under the wrath of their captain the entire team of minotaurs charged at Dusk, who refused to look any of them in the eyes, and kept his head down as time for him started to slow with his breathing.

In fights, one-on-one, regardless of your opponent's strength, you have a chance of winning. By luck or your own power yourself, any challenge that is thrown your way, you still have the chance to come out on top. In wars, where two sides are pitted against each other, it is known that the side with the greater numbers have a higher chance to come out victorious. On even ground, any have the prospect of claiming victories.

The team of minotaurs truly believe that, and countless times before, have proven this fact to be true. Team after team, region after region, the Nebula High rugby team have proven that against any odds that they can come out as the victors. Now they were faced with their easiest challenge ever; taking on one lone halfbreed.

This will be over quick, they thought. There’s no way one dog could take them all on, they reassured. Better him than me, they guessed.

They were wrong.

In one massive flash of bright purple light, Dusk’s entire body vanished from thin air, and the dust kicked from the sudden surge knocked the minotaurs off their intended path of attack. By the time they were able to see again, Dusk was nowhere to be found. Not on the ground, not in the air; just nowhere as if he didn’t existed.

While he was searching with the rest of the team, the kicker--a lean and built minotaur--suddenly felt something pushing against his body, but shrugged it off as the wind.

He was wrong.

Without any explanation, all of the air in his body was forced to his throat in a soundless shout. Everyone turned to the kicker, given a shock when the found Dusk’s fist pushing against his chest, and remained rooted their. Suddenly, a strong, unnatural, wind blew the minotaur off of his feet, and straight towards two defensive ends.

Instead of being able to withhold the kicker’s weight, the two defensive ends were caught in his flight, and was thrown nearly halfway across the rugby field. Everybull slowly turned their heads away from their fallen brothers, in complete disbelief that someone like Dusk--who back then didn’t have half of the muscle tone as he does today--was able to knock back three of their teammates with ease.

Dusk’s purple fur started to darkened in tone, taking a sickly black color, and his magic grow in furiousity as his mood darkened. “Come on, fight. That’s all you meatheads are good for anyways.” Those close to him were the only ones to perceive his bloodthirsty words, craving nothing but to senselessly beat the minotaurs’ skulls against each other’s, and cold enough to freeze the hottest pools of lava. “Come on and fight me!”

“Give him what he wants,” One of the minotaurs shouted, charging at Dusk with his teammates following behind, and sure that he couldn’t pull of the same trick twice. Dusk jumped away from on of the minotaur’s horns and slammed his elbow into his back. Another one, trying the same tactic, met a worse faith as Dusk flipped over his head to grab onto his horns, and threw him into another charging minotaur.

Dusk didn’t ended his offensive as he turned around to connect his fist to a minotaur’s jaw, breaking it worse than the captain’s. However, he wasn’t able to see the minotaur sneaking up on him, and could not stop him from bring his fist down onto Dusk’s collarbone.

The blow was enough to dislocate the dense bone and bring Dusk to his knees in a pain filled roar. Another minotaur tried to follow up his teammate’s surprise attack by raising his foot over Dusk’s head to bring it down on top of it. However, even with more than half of his magic drained, he was still much faster than the slow meatheads, and had the strength enough to kick himself backwards.

Dusk shakily got up to his feet, forcing his collarbone to go back into place, and breathing out a massive cloud of black smoke. The ground soon became covered from the mass cloud of hot smoke before lifting up into the sky. Dusk opened his eyes, cocked his head, and flatly stared at the remaining twenty rugby players. “Is that it?” The words was enough to send the rest of the minotaurs charging with blind fury at Dusk as he returned the charge with a savage roar.

They started with twenty, twenty of the strongest minotaurs on Nebula--possibly all of the Lunar Republics--but soon started to dwindle. Twenty, thirteen, nine, five...their numbers rapidly declined until only a small three were left able to stand on their feets while Dusk himself was bleeding from his head and left arm, which was rendered useless after a minotaur was able to pick him up from behind, and slam him onto his left shoulder.

Now only able to see out of one eye with the use of his right hand, Dusk still had to take on three behemoth minotaurs, and one of them so happened to be the captain of the ruby team. Dusk locked eyes with the bull, both bloodshot, but still burning with a rage that couldn’t be measured by words. “Get him.” Besides those as the other two minotaurs, freshmens, charged at the halfbreed, but was stopped by Dusk using his wings to fly towards them.

They were unable to stop the speedy halfbreed as he delivered a flying kick to one of the freshmen’s faces, forcing his nose to cave in on itself, and a downward roundhouse to the other cracking his skull wide open with the heel of his steel-toe boot.

Both freshmen minotaurs fell to the ground at the same time Dusk landed on his feet. Dusk started to let out a small chuckle while the rugby captain stared at the halfbreed in pure disbelief. Of all the fight, battles, and other physical altercations he’s been in, the captain never met anyone so willing to overlook pain to their own body just for the pleasure of hurting others.

Only one word could possibly hope to describe the halfbreed in the right light. “Y-you’re a monster,” The captain said as he was now the only one left standing amongst the field of severely injured players. More sparks of electricity arched from Dusk’s body as he started to walk towards the lone minotaur. “S-s-s-stay back.” He turned to run away from Dusk but was stopped when again teleported in front of him, knocking him down to the ground.

Dusk continued to step forward to the frightened minotaur, the dark display of electricity never ceasing, and started to reach a hand out towards the bull’s head. However, luck was on the poor bull’s side as large fiery explosion erupted around them, knocking the minotaur captain unconscious and away from Dusk, and distracted Dusk long enough for another dragon diamond dog halfbreed to knock him on his back.

“What do you think you’re doing, idiot?” Dusk turned his head back to find the green eyes of his eldest alpha dragoness sister, Verdite Flare, sitting on top of him with a slight disapproving look on her face. “Dad is going to erupt when he hear about this.” Dusk tried to struggle against his sister’s powerful grip with little success. “You’re lucky that I was able to beat him here or he’d-”

“Or I would ‘erupt.’” Dusk’s eyes widened at the deep sound of his father’s voice, and cane his head to see the sky-blue and faded purple scales of his salamander father standing behind them with his older salamander brother, Siege Flare, standing next to him, and the familiar light-blue mane of Arctic hiding behind them. “Two weeks, you couldn’t go two weeks without causing some kind of commotion.” Dusk’s father started to walk over to him, each heavy step more treating to Dusk than the last, and he pushed through the pain in his body to try and escape Verdite's grip.

As his father slowly closed the gap between Siege and him, Dusk started to spit out sickly purple flames in hopes of scaring Verdite off of him, but all desperate attempts were useless. “You gave me your word that you wouldn’t do anything like this, you put your dragon’s honor on the line, but yet here we are.” Dusk looked up to his father, tears started to form from the pain of taking on the rugby team, from the guilt of breaking his word, and from the sense of failure--despite winning--devouring his soul. “Why do you do this Dusk, why can’t you-”

“Wait!” Dusk’s father turned his attention away from his child and to the teenage filly that alerted him of the situation. Arctic flew out from behind Siege and landed in front of Dusk’s father, and flared out her arms and wings in hopes of stopping the elder salamander. “Please Mr. Flare, It’s not Dusk’s fault,” Arctic begged, unable to see Dusk get into trouble because of her. “This is mine, I-I should have never told him, but I-I…”

The elder salamander dragon gazed into crying filly’s eyes then back down to Dusk as he continued the desperate attempts to escape from Verdite, and sighed. “I’m sorry.” Arctic snapped her eyes back to Dusk’s father’s dull-blue eyes while Verdite felt Dusk starting to tremble from fear. “But I simply can not overlook this.”

Dusk’s father started to reach his hand out towards Dusk as the young halfbreed closed his eyes knowing what was going to happen next. “Or you could reconsider.” The salamander again was stopped at the sound of another filly’s voice as a bright blue orb of magic began to form to the other side of the battle grounds.

Once the light had faded two teenagers--in the same grade as Dusk--stood, one looking towards the sight with a flat and knowing look while the other had her eyes closed. The filly with her eyes closed--a light-blue unicorn with a long two tone blue and green mane--slowly opened her eyes. “I did it? I did it,” She cheered hopping around the other filly with extreme joy. “Sketchy, hey Sketchy, I did it. I finally got the teleportation right!”

Sketchy, a white unicorn mare with three tone black mane pulled back into ponytail, adjusted her glasses, and patted the other filly on the head. “That you did Jinx, that you did, and just in time it seems.” Sketchy walked passed Jinx and towards Dusk’s father to look him up into the eyes. “You must be Mr. Flare,” She started with the same flat tone as she began.

“That I am filly, now if this is not important, I have a son to ‘talk’ to.” Dusk’s father moved back to reach out towards Dusk but again was stopped by Sketchy.

“You see,” She started, stopping the elder salamander’s moment with her flat voice, and producing a CD case from her back pocket of her black jeans. “That won’t be too necessary. This whole team was suspected to be taking magic muscle enhancers, I took it upon myself to reach this truth, and I have it right here in my hand.”

“And may I ask how is this important?”

Sketchy smirked, a dark smirk that only held malice behind it, and it was directed towards the minotaur captain. “Simple, Dusk here isn’t the only one’s that friends with Arctic.” Everyone turned their attention towards Arctic, who had already buried her head in Jinx’s shoulder. “I don’t really care for many of these meatheads either.” Sketchy touched her foot on one of the groaning minotaurs, getting him to roll over in pain in response.

Dusk’s father stared at Sketchy for a moment before breaking out in a deep chuckling roar. “Dusk, looks like you got the grace from one of the four makers, but don’t waste it.” Verdite followed her father’s silent command to get off of the injured halfbreed to allow him to stand up on his own.

“Dusk!” Arctic quickly removed herself from Jinx, pushed past Dusk’s father, and wrapped her arms around him to cry into his bloody shoulder. “Dusk, why? Why did you-”

“You broke my promise,” Dusk suddenly said, not registering Arctic’s words in his head, and continued before anyone could say anything to him. “Thank you...I’m the world’s greatest of idiots, and you should never listen to me when I’m angry.” Arctic stared into Dusk’s hazy bloodshot purple eyes, shocked, and glad that he wasn’t angry with her. “Thank you Arctic, you stopped me from doing something really stupid.”

Dusk soon collapsed in Arctic’s arms after being drain from taking on the school’s entire rugby team and coming out of the fight as a loser but still winning in the end with friends and family...

Dusk finished the story with a large puff of black smoke directed straight up in the air. During the story, Spike and the CMC’s slowly made their ways over to the other campers to hear the story for themselves, and was shocked by the length Dusk went for a friend he only known for two weeks.

He brought his head back down to the roaring fire that was started during the story-telling. Dusk reached for a tuna-fish cooking on a stick near the fire and took a bite out of it while everyone gathered their thoughts on the events Dusk had told them.

Some of the thoughts were telling them that Dusk was crazy for doing something so foolish. Others said that he was being a loyal friend. One even said that he was just doing it for the kicks, but one thing was for sure: “That was AWESOME!” Everyone turned towards Quill as she let her excitement get the better of her. “Heh, sorry,” She said after realizing what she did.

“Don’t be,” Dusk said, shaking his head, and taking another bite of the tuna. “It hurt like crazy, popping my shoulder back into place was the main thing, but yeah it was fun...for a little while.” Quill blushed and sat back down to allow everyone to go back to their own thoughts. “Man, dad was pissed so bad afterwards, but mom beat him to the punch. Literally, she punched me in the gut.”

Everyone started to laugh at Dusk’s misfortune of being attacked by his diamond hound mother. Even looking back on the memory had him slightly flinching from the rage in her eyes, also the strength of her fist, but he still knew she did it out of love...mostly.

“So what’s up with this dragon’s honor thing,” Quill asked, taking a fish for herself, and enjoying the different--yet welcomed--taste. “Is it like a dragon’s code or something like that?”

“Mmm...yes it is.” Dusk took a moment to think to himself of the best way to explain the dragon tradition that’s been passed down since...well...forever. “You see a dragon’s honor is like a code of truth. It tells what and how far a dragon is willing to go to get what’s theirs.” Spike realized that Dusk was talking about a dragon’s greed and was reminded of the horrible feeling of destroying a good part of Ponyville. “See, dragons, we live on greed. Like it or not, greed is a major part of our culture.”

Along with the twins, the CMC’s all cocked their heads at Dusk, and Applebloom raised her head thinking she was in class. “But Ah thought that greed was a bad thing,” She asked after Dusk acknowledge her question. “At least that’s what sis tells me.”

“Sometimes--okay a lot of times--it is.” Sweetie was going to question Dusk further before he continued. “However, there are times where greed can be a good thing. Think about any good thing that you all know, helping friends, getting work done, learning, anything. Greed allows you--or a dragon really--to focus on what they find important.”

Spike and Quill thought of all the things they’ve done in the past two months. Spike pushed his water-magic training to the point where ghost heart started to grow in his body, Quill nearly got herself killed several times performing a free-fall dive, and the both of them still fought over who protected whom.

It was greed.

It was their greed of wanting to become strong enough to protect not only each other, Wolf’s pack, but also one day become strong enough to protect everypony in Ponyville. It was from this greed that their dragon codes were forged, never giving up on a task--no matter the size--until it was completely done, and never looking back on a choice they made no matter how bad it seemed.

Dusk himself had this same greed. He couldn’t sit back and allow that minotaur captain to stump on Arctic’s heart like that, it didn’t matter if he had to take on the whole rugby team, Dusk was going to bring retribution to his friend even if it cost him his life.

“I wonder what Artie is doing right now,” Jinx openly asked, pulling everyone out of their thoughts, and gaining their full attentions. “Didn’t she say something about moving to Equestria too?”

Sketchy nodded her head, clearly remembering graduation, and everyone of their friends plans for the rest of their lives. “She did, but she also said that she was going to go to a two year art school first, but still I haven’t heard anything from her.”

“Hm…” Dusk placed his head on his chin in thought, remembering something important, but for some reason couldn’t put his finger on it. “Did she even tell us where she was staying?” Both Sketchy and Jinx opened their mouths to speak, however, they themselves didn’t know of Arctic’s moving plans, and was just as much in a guess as Dusk. “For fuck’s sake Arctic,” Dusk mumbled underneath his breath but still loud enough for Sketchy to catch it.

“Watch it halfbreed,” She whispered in a deadly tone that got Jinx giggling at from the usual power-struggle the two would put themselves through.

Dusk stood up from his seat with a stretch of his wings as they been firmly around his mares’ bodies for the last few hours. “Well…” He looked towards the setting sun and figured now was the best time to head to bed for the night. “Looking back into my dark past got me some kinds of tired,” He started with a big yawn. “I guess I’ll be turning in for the night.” Dusk throw the remains of his tuna-fish dinner into the fire and started for his tent, which was thankfully transported by Sketchy’s magic in one piece.

“I guess we should be heading off to bed as well,” Sketchy said, standing up from her seat, and preferring Dusk’s warmth over the camp fire’s. “Good night everyone, we got a long walk ahead of us tomorrow, and I think its best that all of you turn in as well.” Sketchy started for the tent with Jinx saying goodnight to everyone before following.

“Guess that does it for me too,” Quill started, standing up from her seat, and throwing her tuna-fish dinner into the fire as well. “Night guys, that fight with Dusk got me exhausted.” Quill followed the lovers into the cave where she had her makeshift bed set up rather close to their tent.

Once the dragoness was out of earshot, Spike turned back to the CMC’s to address everything they have told him about the elements, and how Quill treated the news. “Are you guys sure she was cold to them? I mean, I got her to at least think about going for a visit.”

“We’re sure Spike,” Scootaloo started in a low growl. “She was completely uncaring to everything we had to say, and what makes you think that she’ll actually go for a visit instead of thinking about it?”

A part of Spike actually believed that if she was given time, Quill would come around, but another said something completely different. However, Spike knew of the agreement the CMC’s made with her, and he also knew Quill would flip her lid if she even thought that they were trying to get them back home. “I don’t know Scoots, but the last thing I want to do is get her angry about it again. So this stays between us okay?” He couldn’t risk Quill becoming angry and distrusting of the CMC’s as they were the only ones she would talk to besides Dusk’s and Wolf’s pack. “Not a single word about this to Quill, I’ll handle it, can you girls promise me that?”

“Okay Spike,” Scootaloo started in a sigh, unable to think of a way around Spike’s pleas. “But something really needs to be done, ‘cus I don’t know how longer they can hold up like this.”

Spike nodded his head, knowing that something had to be done, but not sure if Quill should really be knowing about it. “I know Scoots, just give her time okay?”

“Fine Spike, but something has to be done, and soon.” Spike again just nodded his head as he got up from his seat to walk over to his makeshift bed. The conditions of the elements greatly upsetting him, not as much as the realization that he just broke his own dragon’s honor, but one way or another he will fix it.

With or without Quill.