//------------------------------// // Chapter 2: Of Dragons and Ponies // Story: Beat of the Heart // by Short-tale //------------------------------// Luna was jolted by a bump underneath her. It hurt. Her whole body ached. She could tell immediately something was wrong.  Her body didn’t feel right. There was a heaviness to it that she wasn’t used to. She lifted her forehoof to her head but found it stuck; her only explanation was a clinking sound. She turned her head and opened her eyes.  The first thing that she saw was huge, sharpened teeth. She tried to back away quickly, but was held by the restraint on her leg. She looked closer at the teeth, and found the lips and face attached to them; they were red and covered in scales.  Her eyes refocused and put the images together properly. It was that horrid brute of a dragon that Smolder was with. What was he doing here? Where was here? Luna looked around to assess for threats. She found she was in the back of a cart padded with hay. The sky looked the same, but creatures filled the air. By the shape of their bodies, she could tell they were dragons.  Had this foal lunk kidnapped her to his homeland? Celestia would hear of it and race to her rescue. Not that Luna normally needed rescuing. But, for some reason, her ability to call her power did not work. The magic was gone! “Huh? What? Where am I?” the oaf next to her uttered.  “You?” the Princess spat. “Obviously we are in your lands. So the real question is, why have you brought me here?” “Whoa, whoa,” the dragon said, rubbing his head. “You are talking way too much. I have no idea where we are or who you are. I just remember some stupid pony festival Smolder dragged me to.” “Yes! Gar Gar, wasn’t it? You were with Smolder, is she involved in this plot too? I will have to inform Spike immediately of this offense.” “You leave my sister and her wussy boyfriend alone ok?” Gar Gar threatened with an offensive claw poke to the chest. “And the name is Garble. Not Gar Gar! Only Smolder can call me that… and her lame-o boyfriend I guess. When nodragon is around.” “If that is your attitude, I don’t think your superiors would appreciate the way you treat your captive.” “Look lady, I told you I don’t know you. Why would I kidnap somedragon I don’t know. Besides, I don’t answer to anyone.” Garble crossed his arms in defiance. His arm pulled the chain that connected their handcuffs and Luna nearly fell over.  The Princess tried to steady herself with her forehooves, only to look down and find her forehooves gone. In their place were strange, thin arms covered in scales. They were dark blue, as her coat had been. At the end of the arms were two clawed hands. Hands. Things that she had wondered about for millennia. She opened and closed each one, then tested and flexed each finger. The sensation was so new, so foreign that Luna nearly passed out again. “Hey, are you alright? Something wrong with your fingers?” Garble said with a raised eyebrow. “Am I alright? Am I alright?! Look at me. I have ...hands! And fingers! What have you done with my hooves?! Where is my precious mane?!” Garble began to laugh. He did so openly; no hand over his mouth, just wide-open laughter at the Princess’s plight. “What do you think you are? A pony? Mane. Pffft.” “I am a pony!”  “Huh? You’re the most dragon-looking pony I ever saw.” “Dr-dr-dragon?!” Now the princess couldn’t help it. The world blurred and darkness overcame her. She could feel her unfamiliar body flop into the wagon, and distantly heard Garble’s voice shouting, “Hey! You ok?! Hey! Can you hear me?!” Then the quiet, soothing darkness encompassed her.  *** The light returned and again Luna was unfamiliar with the surroundings. It was a room this time. With concrete walls, concrete floors, and even the ceiling was concrete. The only things that weren't concrete were the metal bars that lined one wall.  Metal bars?! It was a prison cell! They had kidnapped her. That wretched Garble had lied to her. But, then why was he sitting next to her in the same cell? And wearing that robe? “You awake there, ‘pony girl’?” he snickered unhappily.  “What has happened? Why am I in a cell if I am not a captive? What is your game?” Luna puffed her scaly cheeks in agitation. “There is no game. We were arrested. That’s all.” Garble sighed and lazily waved his hand. “A-A-Arrested! On what charge?!” “Public nudity.” “Nudity? Nudity! But I am a Princess of my kingdom and wear very little clothing. And you don’t wear clothes at all!” the Princess of Very-Little-Clothing protested.  “We’re not in Equestria,” Garble said flatly. “I don’t think we’re anyplace close. This place is really different. The dragons here are weird. They wear clothes and talk about friendship. It’s lame.” “Please,” Luna finally exhaled,” I don’t understand what you are saying. Tell me what has happened and where I am.” “Well, ‘princess,’ we’re in some place full of strange-acting dragons and no ponies. It all started after that weird flash of light from that stupid pony’s machine. The one that he said would send you to the past.” “Doctor Whooves’ machine,” Luna whispered to herself. Then she continued louder, “It must have been that wretched mail pony. She did this to me. I don’t know what I did to deserve such treatment.” “So that’s what happened,” sighed Garb. “That stupid pony blasted us both. The dumb doctor’s machine messed up or something and sent us here. So you were actually a pony before?” “I wasn’t just a pony,” exclaimed Luna. “I am Princess Luna, controller of the moon, Princess of Dreams!” “Eh” shrugged the lout. “So what. You’re just a teenage dragon now, Miss Princess of the Moon. And we just got busted being naked together. I guess that’s a bad thing or whatever.” “Another incident of proposed indecency! Must I be slandered in every realm? What sort of penance must I bear in this world for such an infraction?”  “Umm, that would be community service,” a gruff voice said from the other side of the bars. A larger dragon wearing a blue suit and an official looking badge stared at them with a disapproving stare. “You two whelps should take your shenanigans to the cliff side like everydragon else. We don’t like that kind of display in the middle of Craterlot. Now your sisters have come to collect you. You go home, and we’ll assign you the work later.” “Sister?” Luna jumped up with excitement. “Celestia is here?!” “Yeah, Luna, she’s right outside. To be honest I wouldn’t think a dragon of your standing would be... doing that with a delinquent like Garble,” commented the guard.  “Hey!” cried Garble. “I’m a well respected dragon. I was nearly king once. But I was tricked by that little half-pint my sister is dating.” “Spike?” said the guard. “You’re talking about one of the most famous dragons in the land.” “And your best friend,” reminded the small dragon sister as she approached. She looked exactly the same but wore a bright pink frilly dress. “Or should I say your only friend. You should treat him better, Gar Gar.” “What?! What are you talking about? I have plenty of friends. I’m one of the most popular dragons,” the annoyed Gar Gar pointed out. “Oh really? You push dragons around, bully them, call them names, play pranks on them, should I go on? Dragons hate that.” “Those are the most dragonish things I can think of,” Garble pleaded. “How could dragons possibly not like me?” “Did you get a bump on the head, bro?” Smolder inquired with a raised eyebrow. “That is exactly what I was about to ask,” called a familiar voice. “Sister!” Luna cried in excitement. “Surely if anypony can clear this confusion up, it…” Luna was struck dumb as a massive white dragon entered the room. She had a large quad-colored crest on her serpentine head, and wore a black cotton dress. Luna looked into the reptilian eyes, but still could see Celestia inside them. “You’re a dragon! We have not been teleported through time, we have been teleported to another dimension!” Luna felt her legs shake again and cursed this body’s lack of resolve. The darkness was coming again.  “Oh, don’t do that again, Your Highness“ Garble snarked. Luna felt the strong hand of the dragon on her back. She swooned slightly but recovered. She had to think. How could she return? Where was she in the first place? “Luna?!” cried the dragon Celestia. “Are you alright? Unhand her, you brute!” “Sister, calm yourself,” Luna said as she stood back up. “He is... a friend.” “Friend?” her sister spat. “Oh Luna, don’t tell me it’s true. Are you really dating this dragon?!” Luna’s mind whirled in thought. She quickly came up with a plan. “Yes.” “Wait! Wha?!!” Both Garble and Smolder shouted simultaneously, proving their familiar bond.  “Yes, Garble is my boyfriend,” affirmed Luna with a mischievous gleam in her eye. Garble was about to refute her but she glared up at him from her shorter position. She whispered to him quickly, ”We will need to work together if we are to leave this world. This will be more convenient, and arouse less suspicion when we talk. We must find out the conventions of this realm. You find out as much as you can, and I shall do the same.” “Uhhh, conventions? Like those things in lava pits?” “How this world works, you dolt!” Her frustration was released with a light bop to his head. “Oh, uh, right,” Garble mumbled and rubbed his sore head.  “A girl just hit my brother and he didn’t do anything back?!” gasped Smolder. “They must be dating.” “Is this true, Luna? What do you see in him?” demanded Celestia eyeing her in suspicion and disbelief. “It was Spike’s suggestion. He speaks highly of Garble. He told me underneath his oafish, haughty, lout-like demeanor exists a good dragon. So I wished to see that for myself,” explained Luna. “Or do we ignore the opinion of one of the more famous dragons now?” “Mmm, that does sound like Spikey,” Smolder pondered out loud. “Well, if you can tolerate this goof, I don’t see a problem.” “Well, I am glad that you have finally shown interest in that area of life, Luna,” Celestia said as graciously as she could. Each word felt like it was dancing on the head of a pin. “If you are content then I cannot see an issue. Perhaps Spike is correct. He generally is.” “Well, thanks, I guess. Umm, see you later, Snuggle-” Garble began then caught the eye of his “girlfriend.” “Er, um, Princess.”  Luna began to exit the cell when she caught a look from Celestia. Her mind spun as she tried to figure out what the issue was.  “Are you feeling ok, Luna?” her sister prodded.  “Look just because Garble might be your choice-“ “You are not standing and crawling oddly. Have you been doing drugs as well?” “What?! No?!,” Luna cursed this new body. She slowly stood up and found the sensation so jarring that she nearly toppled over again. She forced her new muscles to comply with her request. Then stiffly shuffled out of the cell.  “Are you..certain?” asked Celestia, truly concerned. “I will not judge you if you did.” “I am just…tired. The events of today were most unsettling. Can I please just…get dressed?” The group split into its respective families and Luna changed into the clothes Celestia provided. It was a black shirt with a band logo that Luna couldn’t understand the meaning of. What was Rwar?  With a shrug she placed it on, and the plaid skirt that accompanied it.  Celestia waited outside the police station with her arms folded. She opened her bat-like wings and waited until Luna followed suit. As soon as they were high up enough, Celestia let out a long-held sigh.  “Garble?! Really, Luna?! There were plenty of interested dragons, but you picked the most mindless, garish, crass dragon to ever live in Craterlot.” “Are you quite finished?” “Seriously, what do you see in him? Or are you trying to get back at me for something I did? Did I push you too much? I know things haven’t been the same since our parents died, but I’m doing my best. Thank goodness Starswirl the Bearded Dragon is there to help.” “Well,” Luna knew she had to choose her words carefully. Any slip up could cause her ruse to break and in this place who knows what would happen. “He is the most different dragon I have encountered.” “Always with the bad drakes,” Celestia said with a shake of her head. “Well, he doesn’t seem strong enough to hurt you nor smart enough to be conning you. So just be… careful with this one. I don’t want to see you injure another suitor. You’ll get as bad a reputation as him.” “I shall be careful,” sighed the moon dragon. This Celestia was as picky as the one at home.  Home. She had to figure out how to get back there. If she could not, then she would be stuck as a dragon forever. And probably end up with that numbskull just to not give up her own fabrication.  “Have you ever thought of different dimensions that could exist alongside our own?” “Dimensions?” Celestia said thoughtfully. “I suppose that could be a possibility. You learned this from Starswirl, no doubt. Just don’t end up like that kooky dragon Doctor Claw. He keeps saying he invented a machine to access those things.” “Doctor Claw. Hmm,” mused Luna, “perhaps I should speak with him.” “Well, you can do whatever silly plan you have tomorrow. Tonight you must be punished for your actions, and I don’t think Starswirl will go light on you this time.” Punished.As if she hadn’t been punished enough. But she said nothing and returned to her cave, following her sister’s lead. It was not the castle she was used to, it was just a large cavern with a small opening in the front. There were no guards, no fanfare at their arrival. They were not royalty here.  “What task must I complete?” Luna asked, expecting some sort of cleaning or similar drudgery.  “That is for Starswirl to decide,”said Celestia with pity in her voice. Luna swallowed hard; it had been thousands of years since the old wizard was in this position, and this was the dragon version. Who knows what he would do or say for such lewd behavior? The defeated dragon followed her sister through the long, vast caves. It felt like her own execution was imminent, but nonetheless she took that time to look at her surroundings. The cavern’s walls were painted in a way that was reminiscent of her true home, yet there were stand out differences. No windows, no carpets to catch your claws on. No crystal-based art.  Then she saw a mirror in the hallway. She gazed at her dragon self in wonder. She had a small body similar to Smolder but a little taller. Her snout had been replaced with a beak-like structure. A hard bony frill circled the top of her head that was the color her mane used to be. It was quite a shock. “Luna,” a deep voice called from a room loaded with books. It boomed down the hallway snapping Luna out of the mirror. It did not sound like the voice she was used to. Some of the cadence was there but it was much lower.  Luna entered the library and found a gigantic wyrm. The enormous form barely fit in the room. The little dragon wondered how he moved through the home at all. Its massive head swiveled and looked at his ward. Luna felt those eyes perceive more than just her mood. It was unsettling. Those wise eyes she knew were still there but the pool of knowledge was deeper. He turned back to the small book he was reading and sighed. “To be found in such a predicament is not befitting of one in your status,” the old dragon began. “I understand that one at your age has more hormones than thoughts in your mind. That is no excuse to give into them. Now, what would a fitting punishment be?” The mentor placed a mighty claw in his mouth in mock thought. “I could assign some menial task to show you the status you would have if you continue your impulses. But I don’t think such things will really help you. How about you reread the books on culture, history and science. That way you may remember your responsibilities as a dragon of nobility.” Luna couldn’t catch the gasp before it escaped her lips. It was the very information she needed. Did she just see a smile and wink from the old lizard? She shook her head and found the books he had indicated.  “I want a scroll on each summarizing the major tenets and major events please,” said Starswirl in an overly dry tone.  “I knew it would not be that easy,” sighed Luna. She detested writing assignments. She didn’t even know if the glyphs would be the same as the ones at home. Never mind the fact that she now had to write with her new hands. She noted she was the only one of them walking on all fours. She pushed herself upright and tried to maintain her dignity as she ambled forward.  The old dragon watched her with interest. A rumble seemed to fill the room and Luna wondered if it was a stifled laugh. She found the seat comfortable enough and sat back with the book on dragon culture. Luckily the glyphs were close enough and she could figure out the ones that weren’t in context. It didn’t take her long to grasp the language but she had studied draconic before.  The night wore on and Luna could feel these hands of hers ache. She wasn’t even sure which one she was supposed to be using. But both seemed to shake of their own volition and cause ink splatters on the parchment. It was in the wee hours in the morning when the weary dragon finally placed down her quill. Her mind whirled with the laws, and social moraes of this new world. The ways were almost exactly as her own in Equestria.  She started the dredge to a room she was hoping would be hers. The stupid face of Garble appeared in her mind. She chastised herself for being so rough with him. He grew up in such a different world that such brutality was both necessary and encouraged. Perhaps she should keep that in mind when dealing with him tomorrow. It was the least she could do in order to keep up this “girlfriend” charade. She wondered what sort of information the dragon would find and report back. *** “You dolt!” Luna’s voice shook with frustration as she found her little hand bopping him on the head once again. It must be the dragon hormones. She rarely lost her temper. But being trapped in a body that wasn’t hers had made her agitated.  “But that’s really all I found out,” Garble whined. “You had an entire evening and all you can say is that Spike does not meet your standards as a friend!” berated the dragon, shaking in annoyance. “I didn’t say that,”explained Garble with a quick glance around the schoolyard to see if any dragon was listening. “I said he was a wimp. But uh, I guess that can be ok...for a friend. Not that he is one.” “Arghh this stupid male posturing of yours is making me ill. I, on the other..hand , researched the customs of this world. We are in luck. They are exactly like those in Equestria,” Luna said triumphantly. “What?! I have to act...like a pony?! No wonder I wasn’t fitting in. These dragons have become soft!” “Soft! Soft!? Do you know how hard it is not to strike?” Luna explained.  “You mean how you just hit me?” “Err..well that was in error. But to be kind, that is much harder than to injure. I know because I used to hurt others,” said Luna, looking around as if Nightmare Moon was laying in wait behind every bush. “Trust me. That path of pain and arrogance is very easy compared to being civil when you don’t wish to be.” “Uhhh ok,” Garble shrugged. “But what do I do? Dragons in our world always act like that. I don’t know how to be… lame.” “Well for one thing you should listen to Spike more. But if you want to be taken seriously in this world you should place more care into your appearance.” Garble rolled his eyes. “Come on. I threw these lame clothes on, ok. That’s what I have. They’re weird enough to wear as it is.” He was wearing a varsity style jacket with a t- shirt and shorts. He stared at her with a frustrated uncertain expression. “Not your apparel. Your appearance. Stand up straighter. Stop slouching like a brute and curl your lip over your teeth,” Luna commanded. Garble actually obeyed each command until she mentioned his lip.  “Hey, we can’t all be born as pretty, and beautiful as you!” he snapped. Then quickly placed his hands over his mouth in surprise. “You think I-I am pretty?” gasped the shocked dragon. “In-in this form?” “What’s wrong with being a dragon?” “Well, these hands are quite...unusual. And the frill is heavier than my mane,” Luna began but stopped at Garble’s raised eyebrow. “I guess..I could get used to it after a while. I suppose I should change my attitude as well.” “Huh,” snorted Garble. “Even a princess can learn.” The new dragon was about to protest when a bell rang and all the dragons entered the school. Luna had never attended a school. It was a strange experience. The way her classmates stared and whispered. She caught words like “I can’t believe they’re dating” and “Garble showed up on time.” She was used to walking down a hallway with a lot of commotion but not used to blatant disrespect on their faces. It made her uncomfortable.  Garble placed his arm on her protectively. His contantance was stern. He was trying to stand straighter and his little lip tried to curl over his enormous teeth. Luna felt surprised but stifled a giggle watching the uncomfortable display.  “You do not have to try with your lip,” whispered Luna, with a smile. “Your teeth are fine.” The rest of the day was an exercise in restraint and concentration. The former princess of dreams was not used to daylight and being awake for it. Nor was she used to fighting through a droning dragon lecture. The top of her desk was growing bigger and bigger in her view. Soon it was all she could see.  “Care to join the rest of us Ms Luna?” the droning dragon teacher asked.  “Oh I am sorry,” Luna said with a head whip. She brushed the back of her neck with her frill. It caused her to jump.  “Now that the whole class is here. Pop quiz.”