Chapter 43

Celestia and Strong Shield reappeared in the barracks, the guards moved towards Strong Shield but Celestia raised a hoof

“No he has… complied” Celestia looked at Strong Shield before turning away “He is free to leave”

Strong Shield marched from the barracks, not looking at anypony or saluting the princesses, the guards all exchanged nervous glances

“So where is Dave?” Twilight asks, Shining Armour was sat beside her still rubbing his throat

Celestia looks over at Luna “We can go tomorrow when the storm calms down… we are heading east”

“Hold up, why can’t we go?” Rainbow Dash flaps her wings and flies over to the princess “how far has he gone?”

“Strong Shield merely said that ‘we will know when we see it’ whatever he means by that” Celestia shook her head

Luna hummed before looking at the girls “I think it would be best if they returned home to Ponyville” she managed to sneak a quick wink to her sister

“But what if you find Dave?” Fluttershy whispered from behind Pinkie Pie, she shot scared glances at all the big, strong guards that moved around the barracks

“We will let you know and I am sure that Dave would want to come see you” Luna smiled and the girls all nodded “Just go down to the cartridges and the guards can take you all home whenever you please” she smiles as the girls leave

“I have to go now” Celestia shakes her head as she spreads her wings “I can’t sit around waiting”

“No wait like Strong Shield said, you owe him that much” Luna frowned as the white alicorn reluctantly folded her wings again

Celestia sighed, “I regret removing him from the guard” she shook her head “So are you going to come and search for Dave tomorrow?”

“Yes I will come with you” Luna tried to hide a frown “After all it is for Dave’s sake”

Meanwhile…

Strong Shield sat alone, the soft sound of music floating from a young filly musician in the corner, a pegasi was sitting in the corner, a black hat pulled down, hiding his eyes

“I’ll take another,” Strong Shield groaned as he tapped an empty glass forward

The bartender trotted over and poured another glass of cider “are you alright? I never seen you before and at this rate you will be drinking my business dry”

“I’m fine” Strong Shield grumbled, “My son ran away that’s all”

The bartender nodded “Ah alright” he continued to wipe the dirty glasses left from previous patrons, the door creaked open and two muscular earth ponies walked in, they were both brown and one had some stubble around his chin

“Two ciders” he ordered as he sat down, he swayed which sent the signal that the duo were already drunk “Anyway I was telling this little runt that if I caught him again I would break him in half”

The companion laughed as he swigged his cider “Yeah well those beggars need to be… b-beaten” he slurred his words as he leaned on the bar

The filly missed a note as the two drunks laughed again, she looked nervously at the bartender who just replied with a reassuring nod

Strong Shield looks at the filly before drinking quickly and pushing his glass forwards “I’ll have it bottled please” he said in a calm tone “is that your kid?”

“Yeah she wants to play for the princess when she is older, I let her play down here and the customers seem to like it” The bartender places the bottle in front of the retired guard and takes the bits left on the bar

Another roar of laughter causes the filly to make another fault, the pegasi twitches his head so his eyes can scan the room, he sniffs as he drops his head again

“Can you keep it down? I’m trying to listen to the music” Strong Shield gulps down his bottle of drink and places it on the bar

The drunk stallions snort “Sorry grandpa, do you help getting out of your chair?” the stallion with the stubble chuckles “besides I can play better, watch!”

The drunk stallion begins to stumble over to the filly that freezes in terror “Hey don’t touch her!” the bartender says loudly, his frown fades as the stallions look at him

“Oh yeah? And who is going to stop me?” The stallion smirks

Strong Shield sighs and stands between the bartender and the drunk “I think you had better leave while you are still awake”

The stallion laughed as he began pacing over to the unicorn “Are you gonna make me leave?”

Strong Shield slides the bottle slightly along the bar, he grabbed the stallions head before slamming it onto the bottle top, it slammed into his forehead and the bottle became covered in cracks

The other stallion watched his friend fall to the floor and began to charge at Strong Shield, the guard swatted the bottle and it completely shattered, send broken glass into the drunk’s eyes

Strong Shield waited until the charging stallion reared its head in shock before dashing forwards and bringing his hoof into his throat

As both drunks rolled on the floor in pain Strong Shield levitated them out of the bar and onto the rainy streets, he sat down again before levitating the broken glass into the bin

“Well that was impressive Mr?” The Pegasus hopped onto the chair besides Strong Shield

“Shield… Mr Shield” Strong Shield shook his head “I ain’t a sergeant no more”

“An ex-guard?” The Pegasus rubbed its chin “I think I know someone you could use you talents… just how good are ya?”

Strong Shield rolled his eye over the cocky black Pegasus “I’m guessing that you are part of a small gang ring in Canterlot, you can’t do much besides look scary with that hat which was on sale, and so you need me to provide muscle”

“Wha? How did you get all that” the pegasi leaned away in shock

“I’m the best” Strong Shield chuckled “Besides why else would you spend an hour with one drink in a small business unless… you plan to wait until it is quiet before you shake the owner down for ‘protection money’ and you seated yourself close to the filly for intimidation purposes”

The pegasi attempted to run out the door but the door had been blocked by a couple of drunks that had been laid outside a few moments ago, as the pegasi bounced off the solid door, Strong Shield darted over and kicked him in the back of his head and he was knocked unconscious

“Ahh… vigilante justice” Strong Shield sighed “Don’t worry I’ll take them to prison, have a good day” he nodded to the shocked bartender as he levitated the unconscious group behind him as he headed back for the castle

“Well that is certainly a story to tell” The bartender smiled to his daughter

Meanwhile…

Dave sat opposite the red dragon “So… Garble is it? What do you do until you’re old enough to go and live in solitude?”

“Meh we just have parties and stuff, you?” the dragon stretched his back with a loud crack

“Kinda the same” Dave ran his fingers through his hair “Except I don’t classify gems as party food”

The dragon chuckled “Sucks to be you” he shuffled closer to the human and whispered quietly “Want to see something cool?”

Dave chuckled as he stood up “Sure let’s go, beats sitting around” he followed Garble over to the edge of the cliff before stopping

The red dragon took flight before turning to look at Dave “Well what are you waiting for?”

“Yeah I can’t fly” Dave crossed his arms and the dragon grabbed him

“Don’t worry I got ya” The dragon smirks as he dives to the base of the mountains, they pass through the storm clouds and are greeted with a light rain “Storms almost gone… perfect time” the dragon slyly grins

“Perfect time for what?” Dave asks, not sure if he wants to know the answer as the question as they land in a bush

They both poke their heads out and the dragon starts grinning, Dave meanwhile spat some berries out his mouth

“Dirty pervert” Odio chuckles “Ah well at least we have good seats”

“Wha?” Dave’s eyebrows drop in confusion but as he turns, they raise in shock “Oh…”

“I love mud baths” Garble grins as he looks at the large mud pit that has formed and the various female teenage dragons relaxing

Dave looks at the excited dragon “Why did you bring me along? I’m not a dragon”

“You’re my wingdragon! You keep tubby busy while I work my moves on the others” he combed his head scales back

Dave shook his head “I’m your wingman? Screw that I am not going to try and put any moves on any dragons”

“Fine just come along, you will be a great conversation starter” the dragon rolled his eyes as he dragged Dave from the safety of the bush “Hey!” he called to the girls as Dave got to his feet

The female dragons all turned their heads, they inspected Garble but their gazes quickly shifted to Dave

“What is that?” a black female dragon with long spikes pointed

“Be rude, they will leave you alone!” Odio blurted before Dave opened his mouth

Dave frowned as he crossed his arms “None of your damned business!” the dragon next to Dave smiled nervously

The girls all looked at each other, a dark green one smiled to its friends “It’s feisty… I like it” the other girls all nod

“Oh fuck” Dave facepalmed as Odio began laughing loudly

“HAHA You actually fell for it!” Odio managed to breathe between fits of laughter “Dragons are naturally greedy, aggressive bastards and you actually believed me!”

Dave groaned as he was pushed towards the group of girls “Actually can I sit out on this?” he pleaded but received a nudge from Garble

“Nice work dude, we are totally in!” He says excitedly, but Dave failed to match his enthusiasm as they neared the group “I knew you were helpful!”

“Brilliant” Dave sighed sarcastically as he stopped at the edge of the bubbling mud “Wait… how hot is this?”

“Nice and boiling” The black one breathed a dark flame into the mud and it boiled ferociously “Why don’t you both join us?”

The red dragon eagerly dived in while Dave stayed at the side “I’ll pass” he waved his hand

“Come on dude” Garble shot Dave a look that pleaded for help

Dave rolled his eyes “fine, but I am not getting in WHAA!” Dave didn’t notice a long black tail wrap around his legs and drag him quickly into the searing hot mud “Oh ssshhhhhit” Dave groaned quietly as he felt the mud wrap painfully around him

“Too cold?” The black one asked as she released Dave from her grip, Garble was holding back a chuckle

“Nope… just right” Dave smiled bravely but glared angrily at the dragon responsible for bringing him down the mountain

“Say her claws look nice and sharp, or mention how her tail is strong enough to bend iron” Odio chuckled “Or how about she has a venomous glare that poisons your heart”

Dave sat against the edge of the mud bath, Odio made the mud feel cooler out of sympathy as he laughed

“So where do you come from? You don’t look like any type of dragon to me” The black dragon slithers closer for a sniff of Dave “And you certainly don’t smell like one”

“No… Really?” Dave groaned sarcastically but that only gained a smile

Odio managed to stop laughing after a few minutes “You know, why don’t you stay with this reptile? I can’t stand the princesses and the elements are becoming a bit of a drag”

Dave rubbed his face, slightly smudging it with mud as he began to think of Celestia

“Oh shit I shouldn’t have said anything” Odio sighed “Well don’t worry I am sure she is doing fine… alone… without you”

Garble was laughing along with the females and managed to sneak a wink at Dave “This is great isn’t it?”

“Yeah kinda” Dave groaned, he looked awkwardly at the black dragon beside him, he could have sworn something was rubbing against his ankle

There was a loud cracking of rocks and a sudden wind picked up, Dave turned to see Adamas landing behind them “Having fun?” he asked with a raised eyebrow

“No” Dave grumbled as he climbed out, the rain washing the larger pieces of mud from his body, his trousers still held onto the brown mud tightly “What are you doing here?”

Adamas hisses at the teenagers as they begin to lean over and listen to the conversation “The time to meet the elder has arrived, I have been set to collect you”

“Woo!” Dave cheered as he climbed onto Adamas’ outstretched claw “would it be too much if I yelled ‘for glory’ as we fly?”

“Yes” Adamas glared as he flapped his wings and held Dave tightly

As they flew, Odio began to play the Skyrim theme music in Dave’s head, much to his irritation “What?” Odio asks innocently over the noise “It fits perfectly!” he continued to play as they flew back up to the mountain peak