Gently Soaring Skies tiredly walked into the Council Chambers, her pink head spines drooping more than usual. The migration stop at her home of Hourglass had been unusually tiresome for her. The mating fight that killed nine dragons and gravely injured three was hard. It had taken all of her skill to save those three. As it was, one would be lucky if he would ever be able to fly again. Then, she had to deal with the back-to-back near-death injuries of Dragon FireWyrm, followed by Magic Dowser. That didn’t count History Seeker’s death…

Inside, Gently Soaring Skies could see Eternal Beats, Dragon FireWyrm, She of Hourglass, and her mate, Soaring Skies, all in a circle around the communication array. DragonWyrm Heart was nowhere in sight, which was much to her surprise, as he was the one that called the meeting, and she figured that she was going to be the last one inside.

Gently Soaring Skies walked slowly towards Soaring Skies and leaned into her mate, who pulled her in close so she could lean against him.

“You okay?” He asked as he nuzzled her affectionately.

“Yeah,” Gently Soaring Skies sighed wearily, “just really tired…”

Soaring Skies sighed in turn; he understood why his mate would be so tired. He glanced over at Dragon FireWyrm to see that he was still quite tired, though, from the looks of it, he was starting to recover from his near-death episode, and a bit faster than expected.

“How is Magic Dowser?”

“In a magically induced coma... He nearly lost too much blood…. Another second... A pony’s neck is not meant to be slashed… If he had warned me…”

“He probably thought you would have stopped it…”

The door to the Council Chambers opened once again, silencing the conversation. DragonWyrm Heart quickly walked in and closed the door behind him, adding a sealing ward to prevent further entry and eavesdropping. Not that he expected any, but he wanted to be safe, nonetheless. He sighed heavily as he joined the rest of the clan.

“Okay, now that we are all here, what is going on, DragonWyrm Heart?” Soaring Skies questioned as he eyed DragonWyrm Heart. Something was not right about his firstclaw, more than just tiredness… Hopefully the meeting would enlighten him on the reason. “I would have expected a clan meeting in two days, at the end of the Migration week here in Hourglass, unless...”

Soaring Skies slowly looked over at She of Hourglass, who was leaning against a now sleeping Dragon FireWyrm. The other clan members followed his gaze. None of them knew her Hoard Name, which was normal for females who join a clan by mating, as they don’t Choose in the normal sense of shouting. Usually, though, the female would reveal it at the soonest opportune time. Or, at least, it was expected. She of Hourglass had had several opportunities the past few days, but chose to not take them.

She of Hourglass… are you.. Um... that is… Eternal Beats fumbled as he tried to find the right words to question his clanmate, ones that wouldn’t come off as accusatory.

Glittery Soul Fire. Prey Brother first. Glittery Soul Fire answered, nuzzling Dragon FireWyrm awake.

Forgive me but I don’t see how you could have related the word ‘soul’ to Magic Dowser. Eternal Beats commented.

Did not. The Voice told. Glittery Soul Fire explained, still nuzzling Dragon FireWyrm, who was now awake, and nuzzling back.

That shocked the entire clan, minus Dragon FireWyrm. Glittery Soul Fire was picking up on Dragon FireWyrm’s proclivity to doing things, or having things happen, that should be impossible. They were aware that Magic Dowser had been visited by The Voice, but that The Voice, and not Glittery Soul Fire, would reveal her name, and that she had been delaying telling them becuase she wanted to tell Magic Dowser first. If there was any question to Glittery Soul Fire’s thoughts on Magic Dowser, it died right then and there.

“That is just fucking crazy!” Soaring Skies ranted. “This clan is filled with crazy impossible dragons!”

Come on, admit it. Eternal Beats teased in a sultry manner, eliciting a giggle from Gently Soaring Skies You love it…

“Fuck yeah…” Soaring Skies snorted in mild amusement, “but I don’t love the headaches! Now Firstclaw, are you going to tell us the real reason for this clan meeting, because I don’t think it was just to get Glittery Soul Fire’s name… Nice, by the way, I was wondering if it would reflect DragonWyrm Fire’s original hoard name, or his current one… Eternal Beats, you owe me a rainbow gem.”

Eternal Beats grumbled in annoyance at losing the bet, making a mental note to give Soaring Skies a ‘special’ rainbow gem in retaliation.

DragonWyrm Heart rolled his eyes. There were more important matters to discuss than who won a silly bet. “The Element of Magic has chosen a new bearer: Magic Dowser.”

“Well, duh.” Soaring Skies and Eternal Beats snarked in unison. Thier expression fell a notch when both felt DragonWyrm Heart and Dragon FireWyrm staring at them.

“The manner in which it became official is the issue…” DragonWyrm Heart sat down on his haunches and crossed his forelegs. “I spontaneously uttered in Draconic that he was the Bearer of Magic.”

What was left of Eternal Beats’ and Soaring Skies’ chipper mood instantly evaporated. Both what Firstclaw had said, and the way he said it, were chilling. Memories of the Keeper War, long since put in the back of their minds, rushed forward.

“Should we be preparing for anything, then?” Soaring Skies questioned, hoping that it was going to be nothing.

“It may mean nothing, or it may mean everything…” DragonWyrm Heart shrugged, also unsure; having new bearers for the Elements of Harmony was nothing to panic over just yet. There had been a few times in the years after the mane six bore them, that a single bearer manifested, after which nothing major happened. Though, from what he could recall, none were Bearers of the Element of Magic… Of course, it went without saying that if all six got new bearers, then it would definitely be cause for alarm. “Too soon to tell… for now.”

“And what of Twilight and Phoenix Wave?” Gently Soaring Skies wondered. She knew that both, especially Twilight, would want to know. “Shouldn’t we tell them?”

“No, not yet.” DragonWyrm Heart shook his head.

“Are you sure?” Soaring Skies pressed. He didn’t want his firstclaw repeating the mistakes that he had made with Glittery Soul Fire again, with Twilight and Phoenix Wave.

“Soaring Skies, you spend way too much time in the clouds…” DragonWyrm Heart pinched his brow.

“Hey!” Soaring Skies growled in annoyance. Just what he needed, a heavily overused play on his name and hoard. Managing the Migration was complex and detail oriented. An ‘airhead’ could never have managed it for a week, much less the two millennia that he had.

“How else would you have forgotten when the first post-Equestria bearer manifested? Now add the fact that Magic Dowser really is the Element of Magic’s bearer…”

Soaring Skies, along with the entire clan, minus Glittery Soul Fire, shuddered violently. That was not something he would wish on anyone, and, if it really was nothing, then there was no reason for Magic Dowser to be subjected to crazy Twilight. “Good point… And Phoenix Wave?”

“I need him to be focusing on his guarding duties, not worrying about his homeland.”

Soaring Skies blinked and tilted his head. Why would Phoenix Wave need to focus on guarding duties unless... “Are… Are you saying that you are actually taking up my offer, after being hounded for sixty years?!”

“Of course…” DragonWyrm Heart grinned. “The only reason I remained here was so I could be nearby, to be of help and keep an eye on Glittery Soul Fire… A load of good I was… but now that she’s an adult, and a clanmate, there is no reason to have to stay behind… besides, it will get Merc and Windjammer off my back about never coming and visiting the Southern Isles. ‘Where naked mermaids bask underneath a tropical sun, upon sandy white beaches.’’”

“I believe it was Soaring Skies, not the First and Second Claws of the Southern Isles clan, that said that. I swear there are days...” Gently Soaring Skies rolled her eyes. The claws of the Southern Isles were not ones to make sexual jokes; her mate, on the other claw...

“Well, I was trying to get our Firstclaw to at least try and find a mate, which is way easier out on the Migration, than just sitting here in the middle of the female dragon wasteland that is Hourglass.” Soaring Skies facepalmed.

“Yeah, but without a wyrm half, I don’t know if I will ever be able to find one…” DragonWyrm Heart sighed, “Much less be able to mate…”

Says the dragon that became a first growth adult dragon…after losing his wyrm half. Eternal Beats noted.

“True…”

“Then quit yah worrying, you warty old toad!” Soaring Skies slapped DragonWyrm Heart’s back. “Now that Dragon FireWyrm here has his own squeeze, he won't be distracted… maybe… in finding you a mate…”

“Soaring Skies, man,” DragonWyrm Heart facepalmed, “don’t wind up Dragon FireWyrm until he has time to recover! Sheesh!”

Wait, back up. Eternal Beats held out a claw, wanting to move the conversation back to a more productive topic. Usually, he wouldn’t mind Soaring Skies’ joking around, but, one, he agreed with DragonWyrm Heart. The still weakened Dragon FireWyrm needed more rest before getting wound up. Two, it was setting off his own instinctual itch to find a mate, and though he had no qualms scratching that itch he had other things that he needed to be focusing on first. Why would Phoenix Wave need to focus on his guarding duties? Dragon FireWyrm and I could easily watch your hoard, just like we did when you Slumbered...

“I would like the entire clan to go…” DragonWyrm Heart explained. “One, Eternal Beats, I’m sure you would like a mate, and it’s the easiest way. Two, I would like the opportunity to go, now that I don’t have any pressing obligations. Finally, whether or not a new Bearer of Magic is a precursor to problems local, global, or otherwise, this clan needs to be larger than it is… Hourglass is just too... empty…”

“We would need nearly a hundred dragons to…” Soaring Skies shook his head in disbelief. “No, I don’t see you or Dragon FireWyrm wanting that many…”

“No…” DragonWyrm Heart chuckled as he agreed, but his expression quickly fell. “I don’t, but even if I and Eternal Beats had mates, that leaves six… I have no idea how… you two managed for two thousand years.”

DragonWyrm Heart… Eternal Beats growled in irritation. The entire meeting, DragonWyrm Heart’s soul song had been somber, and he was sure that it had been that way for sometime. Whether it was over Glittery Soul Fire, something else, or both, he didn’t know, and didn’t care; it needed to stop. Can you please stop being depressed?! I can’t stand your soul song being that way, anymore.

“Sorry, Eternal Beats…” DragonWyrm Heart apologized weakly. Eternal Beats raised an eyebrow at the apology, but said nothing. DragonWyrm Heart knew that he had only pacified Eternal Beats for a short while. He would need to end the meeting soon. Luckily, he had only one last thing to address. “I’ll work on it. Anyways, back to the whole clan going on the Migration… Glittery Soul Fire, I know that you are not comfortable around others, so I will not force you to come. But, as you know, Dragon FireWyrm, as the secondclaw, has to come...”

Where mate go, I go.

“Okay, then,” DragonWyrm Heart clapped his forepaws, happy to know that he would get to spend some time with the whole clan, especially with Glittery Soul Fire, as he knew that their relationship would need some work. “It’s settled. Eternal Beats, prepare your hoard as if you are going into Slumber. Phoenix Wave, and maybe Twilight, will remain behind to guard our hoards.”

With that, the dragons dispersed back into Hourglass. Dragon FireWyrm and his mate, Glittery Soul Fire, headed to the forge so that Dragon FireWyrm could rest, while DragonWyrm Heart and Eternal Beats headed to their hoards to prepare them for their absence. Finally, Gently Soaring Skies headed off to check up on Magic Dowser, and Soaring Skies went back to managing the Migration.

I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in an unfamiliar place. I had expected to wake up either in the nest in the back of the forge, or in the Pasturelands. This was clearly neither. Plain white walls, and an extremely high ceiling, greeted me. A curtain surrounded the bed I was in. If I didn’t know better, I’d say I was in a hospital. The sounds of the curtain parting caught my attention.

“Ah, good, you have awakened.” Caretaker greeted me as she walked through the opening in the curtain.

“Where…” I croaked out weakly. I must have been out for a while, to have my throat so parched.

“Easy, easy,” Caretaker admonished gently, pushing me back onto the bed and holding out a glass of water with a straw in it. “Drink first.”

“Where am I?” I said after taking several wonderful, soothing sips of water.

“The infirmary next to the stadium.” Caretaker explained as she put the water down on a table, next to the bed.

I was right, I was in a hospital, but why did they take Dragon FireWyrm to the forge, instead of here? Also, why the curtains? I didn’t take the dragons as needing privacy for anything. Having seen waaay too many dragons having sex in the open, and not caring while perverts watched… Maybe they erected it just for me… but why so high?

The biggest question I had, though, was, why was I in an infirmary? The last thing I remembered before waking up was being in the forge with Dragon FireWyrm and Ruby...

Suddenly, everything came back to me, and I remembered why I would be in an infirmary. With a shaky hoof, I touched my neck. I felt a linear, and very tender, scar across my neck. I couldn’t say for sure without a mirror, but, judging from the amount of fur I could feel, the scar should be just barely visible.

“Congrats, Dragonbrother, you and Dragon FireWyrm are hatchmates…”

“My name is Magic Dowser…” I growled out in irritation. What was it, with dragons and being two faced with everything?

“Get used to it, Magic Dowser, Dragonbrother. For one, the title is one of high respect and honor... I could have warned you of the consequences, but something tells me that it would not have deterred you in the slightest...”

Caretaker was right, nothing she could have said would have stopped me.

“Minty,“ Caretaker called out, “he is awake.”

Minty came running in, and I cringed at how terrible she looked. Understandably so, as I had nearly died. Caretaker stepped back to allow Minty full access to me, and she rushed to my side, looking me over. She was particularly interested in my neck injury, given that she was moving my head around, presumably to get a good look at it.

I thought that she was done when she let go of my neck, letting me move my head back into a more comfortable position. What I didn’t expect was my head being slammed backwards and to the side. I knew from the my stinging cheek that Minty had slapped me with her hoof, hard.

“What were you thinking!? You could have died!” Minty yelled at me, tears flowing from her bloodshot eyes.

“He was thinking about becoming hatch…”

“I was asking him!” Minty snapped at Caretaker, who, to her credit, didn’t flinch.

“He wanted Dragon FireWyrm as a true brother, and he will do it one more time.”

Both Minty and I turned to stare at Caretaker. I was looking at her in shock, but Minty had one of murder. I had to suppress a shudder from it. I was so glad I wasn’t on the receiving end of it. Caretaker didn’t seem to be affected by the glare, probably because she knew she was right.

“Minty…” I tried to get her attention, but, for some reason, she didn’t hear me. I shifted to a sitting position and lightly touched her. “Minty!”

“What!” Minty snapped, spinning back to face me, and half startling me. She almost immediately cringed when she apparently realized that she had yelled at me. “What?”

“Caretaker… Caretaker is right…”

“Why!?” Minty finally spouted, after a few moments of shock. “Why would do this to yourself, not once, but twice!?”

“I wasn’t trying to kill myself…” I caressed Minty’s cheek, wiping a few of her tears away. “And I didn’t slash my throat, my hatchmate did…”

“Your... hatchmate…” Minty slowly questioned, her eyebrow raised in disbelief.

“It was the only way to become hatchmates, to be bonded as family… The slashing is some sort of dragon magic catalyst, I guess.”

Caretaker nodded at my correct assumption. Luckily, Minty didn’t see the subtle nod.

“But, why?”

“Because Dragon FireWyrm will do anything for my sister, Ruby, and has nearly died to give me a bit of closure… This scar is the sign of the bond that we share, the trust we share, and what we are willing to do for each other… He didn’t have to heal me of my burn scars, and yet he did… he didn’t have to risk dying just to give me some closure over Ruby, yet he did. I trust him to be there when I can’t be... When it comes to Dragon FireWyrm and Ruby…I would do anything... Anything... We are family afterall...”

Minty blinked a few times. I saw her hoof come up a second time, and I waited for it to connect like I knew it would. I did deserve it, after all. I resisted the urge to rub my face from the second slap. “That is for scaring me again and this is for being a loving brother.”

I was surprised by the kiss, but it wasn’t long before I leaned into it and kissed back. My face flushed hot with embarrassment when I heard a giggle, and realized that Caretaker was still there. Both Minty and I turned to see that Caretaker was already making a hasty retreat, still giggling. “I’ll give you two lovebirds some privacy.”

“Now…” I gently pulled Minty back to face me, “about that kiss...”