“Wow, he’s worse than Twi…”

“Doswer…”

“May I suggest smacking him and then…”

Suddenly, a hoof slammed into my face, knocking me out of my stupor. “Minty! Wha..?” My protest died as her lips smashed into mine in a quick kiss. Before I had a chance to lean in and return it, she had pulled away, much to my disappointment.

I blushed in embarrassment when I then noticed that I had not only Minty looking at me in concern, but Scorpion and DragonWyrm Heart, as well. Not that I was all that happy to see those two right now, especially DragonWyrm Heart. I looked around to see that I was still in the arena, an empty arena.

“What happened?” I looked around, confused. How long was I out, to make it so that not only did the dragons in the stands leave, but all the … bodies had been cleared away? I couldn’t even see any sign that there had been a fight where blood was spilled. Did I just imagine all of that carnage? Also I can see that the arena is lit up with a daytime spell of some sort because I know we had arrived in Hourglass near sundown and right now it looks like midday.

“You zoned out, Dowser.” Minty explained.

“I did?” I tried to remember the last thing that happened, and all I could remember was seeing that white dragon having scars… I reached up to feel my face, and felt only fur… “It really happened…”

“If by the…” Minty turned greener and gulped hard. “...death battle? Then, yes.”

It was at that moment that I remembered that Ruby had run off after I was healed. I looked around again, and saw that she was nowhere in sight, and that meant that she was alone, in a city of killers! I needed to find her!

I was about to rush off when I noticed that, even though I was running, I didn’t seemed to be moving at all. I looked down to see that my legs were moving but I wasn’t, which confused me until I saw the same glitter aura that had stuck Minty and me to the couch yesterday.

“Relax.” DragonWyrm Heart gently spoke. “She’s not in any danger. She just needs some time alone to get her head on strai…”

“Let me go, you psycho killer!” I snapped at DragonWyrm Heart, cutting him off mid word. Both Scorpion and DragonWyrm Heart flinched as I said that, but, after what I saw today, both of them deserved it.

I growled in irritation as he lowered me back to the round. As much as I didn’t want to agree with DragonWyrm Heart, he was right. Ruby would need some time alone. It was how she dealt with things, going for a walk and leaning against that crystal castle... Still, I didn't want her to be alone around dragons.

Except maybe with that white dragon… I guess… He never once pushed Ruby to do anything… and he did heal me of my physical deformity. Which I’m grateful for… as it did remove the physical reminder of what Ruby did (sort of). I had looked for ways to fix it myself, and the only thing that I could find that could heal me was a substitution healing spell, which obviously was what the dragon… Although I really wished he had said what he was going to do beforehand, instead of grabbing me the way he did…(and why did he have to use his flame to do it?)

I groaned as my head started to pound from the mental strain of thinking too much.

“That being said, Ruby won’t be alone for too long. I have Thirdclaw going after her…” DragonWyrm Heart started up again.

“WHAT?! That foul mouthed dragon!? If you think I would allow him anywhere near my sister after what he called our mother!”

“He is looking for Ruby because he is going to apologize to her for calling Elegant Prose a ‘bitch.’ In the meantime, I need you three to stay here...”

“Oh, no. I’m not staying here. Ruby might need some alone time to think but I’m not risking…”

DragonWyrm Heart quickly cut me off by pinching my mouth shut between his claws. I would be impressed at his skill of doing that without injuring me with his very sharp claws if I wasn’t so angry at him.

“One, you think all dragons are nothing more than barbaric killers! The city has over six hundred dragons lounging or wandering about. In your current frame of mind, you are liable to snap at even the friendliest gesture. I don’t want you to end up instigating a fight…” DragonWyrm Heart facepalmed. “Why am I even bothering any more… Just stay here, as it will be easier for you to be reunited with Ruby, because the first place she will probably look for you is here. I’ll have Phoenix Wave bring food suitable for ponies… I need to lie down for a while.”

“Good riddance!” I shouted as DragonWyrm Heart took off for the city.

I sighed as I slumped down onto my haunches, physically and emotionally exhausted. “Things are just moving way too fast…. I can neither follow nor remember half of what has been going on or said...” I muttered.

<I’m sorry, Magic Dowser. We had planned to…>

“WILL YOU SHUT UP!” I roared at Scorpion. “I am sick and tired of listening to you and your kind’s honey coated words.”

“Magic Dowser, calm down, you're being irrational!”

“Irrational. IRRATIONAL! How the fuck…” My rant was cut off by another slap to the face from Minty.

“Enough!” Minty glared at me. “Ruby is already in enough turmoil as it is! She doesn't need more from a raging overprotective nincompoop!”

“But I… the… dragons..”

“Now! You listen and think!” Minty poked me in the head with her hoof. “Is a predator evil because it must eat to survive?”

I was stunned. Minty was using the same argument against me that I had used against Ruby just prior to us leaving on this, in hindsight, ill-advised trip.

“But…”

“Does that make them vile, evil killers?”

“Does it?” Minty pressed.

“No…” I finally admitted. My face fell in shame.

Minty pulled me into a hug “I know that you are trying to look out for Ruby, like any good brother… but Ruby is old enough by pony standards to take care of herself… and, as hard as it may be, we need to at least give these dragons the benefit of the doubt… or we are no better than the ponies of Castle Town that make hurtful comments just because she’s different and scary looking...”

“I know…” I sniffed, “and I’ll try... for Ruby.”

Minty pulled my face up with her hoof and kissed me again. “Now that is the Magic Dowser I fell in love with.”

I ran and ran. I didn’t care where I went, as long as it was away from anything dragon. The problem was that they were everywhere, and I think I fled in the direction of the city, instead of the outlining area that I was sure would give me the privacy I need. I remembered, from when I flew in earlier, that the city only covered part of the bottom of the top or bottom of the bottom that is actually the top of the bottom... ugh, headache… Though I do think it's a bit cool that a mountain would say ‘fuck you’ to gravity…

It wasn’t long before the crowds of dragons thinned to nothing, and I was in the middle of empty streets. It did make running easier, but I was soon lost as all get out. I don’t know how long it was before I finally broke through the outer rim of the city, and into an orchard of some sort. What kind I have no idea as the moon had not risen far enough to illuminate it well enough even with my eyes. Nonetheless, I was glad. It was a place that was not likely to have anydragon visit, I hoped, and a place that reminded me, at least somewhat, of home.

After what has transpired in the last few days, I think I just want to go home. Home to the cottage near the Everfree, and on the edge of Castle Town. Hell, the ponies of Castle Town that are semi-hostile sound comforting, right now.

I slowed to a walk as I continued through the orchard until I found a good-sized boulder that I could lean against. It wasn’t the Crystal Tree Castle, but it would have to do. I just needed to get my head on straight, though that was going to be easier said than done. My thoughts were a swirling mess, and my emotions, a mass of confusion, and I had no idea where to begin.

I mean, why did all of this have to happen to me, and why now, of all times?

Why did that voice start mocking me? Why the compass, and why that dragon in my dream?

I cried a bit as my thoughts went to when I found out my father was killed by DragonWyrm Heart… Though I'm still a bit mad at DragonWyrm Heart… thinking back to when I yelled ‘murderer’ at him earlier today… it just feels like I shouldn't have said it… When I found out and … mutilated him… most of it was thankfully a blur… I do remember that I don’t think I had roared out anything, until I busted through that door… And yet, it was like he had already known why I was so rage filled… And he took it all... lying as flat as he could in a posture of someone throwing themselves at the mercy of the court… except he was throwing himself at me… and those three words…. ‘Yes, I did’ held so much pain and remorse…

I didn’t want to be a monster; and yet, wasn’t that what I was, scaring someone like that…? How could revenge not be an act of monsterhood…? I mean, there had been many a time when I wanted to get back at the town for all those hurtful remarks, not just to me, but to Magic Dowser and my mother… but if I did that, then I would really become the monster that they all thought…

And what I did to him… I shook my head, trying to get those particular thoughts out of my mind.

I sighed as I rubbed my face. It seems like everything is conspiring against me… except… That white dragon…

He was scary looking, and had been part of that vicious fight, judging from all the blood and stuff that clung to him… and yet… he didn't hurt me; he seemed to want to help me… by not only keeping me safe, but healing Dowsy of those scars…by taking them on himself!! The scars that were a constant reminder of what I had done to him… and I don’t even know him! Why would a stranger do that for me? And I didn’t even tell him about it, and yet, it was like he knew it was exactly what I needed...

When I gazed into that white dragon’s two differently colored eyes, after he had healed Dowsy of his scars. It was like I could see straight into his soul… I could not see any maliciousness, just love, care, and concern, and all of it directed at, and for, me! That I was the only thing that mattered to him.

I felt strangely drawn to him… to like I had be with him… that he would protect me... yet I was also so afraid… as if I would lose control, if I kept staring… I don’t want to lose control, not again...

Ugh! Why does life have to be so complicated!!