//------------------------------// // Intro: Those with and without scales // Story: Draconic Troubles // by Davesknd //------------------------------// My Little Pony belongs to Hasbro, Lauren Faust and all the wonderful people making this show for little girls for people from 17-30. Let's all thank them! "Tree sap? Ah understand the pine needles, but the sap?" "I guess we are not supposed to be Cutie Mark Crusader door wreath-makers!" Sweetie Belle mumbled, very disappointed and very sticky. "More like wreath-wreckers!" a sage voice commented from under the bathtub. "Next time, try putting your monstrosity on the door, not the only part of the library that still produces sap." Twilight lovingly put more soap into the filly-filled tub. "Maybe you should try to find something less… exotic?" "Like?" the fillies asked in unison. "Getting clean?" Twilight offered, scrubbing the one crusader closest to her. "That sap must have been decades old… It's almost amber!" "Amber?" came the voice of a hungry dragon from below. "Wait a few more millennia, Spike. Now be a nice guy and get me some… forget it! Bring me some of the iron wool you use on your scales!" "But we don't have any scales, Twilight!" the trio wailed. "Tough love, ladies! You want to be clean?" Several painful minutes later, three battered fillies were patched up, while a slightly wet disciple of magic and friendship returned a book on first aid to its shelf. "So, what shall we try next?" "How about dragon feeding?" Spike offered "Just ask Twilight to show you, so you get the hang of it, and then repeat!" "A pretty transparent attempt, Spike," Twilight called from below. "And who wants an eating dragon on his flank? Or a full bowl?" "Hey, I don't eat from a bowl… usually… most of the time!" "That's because your food hardly ever makes it to any kind of dishes. You usually let it disappear first," Twilight said as she returned to the bathroom. "Oh, Twi, not in front of the l-" the young dragon started, but never finished his complaint. A puff of green fire emerged from his mouth and formed a sealed letter. "Can't these letters ever arrive when I'm not talking?" Spike muttered as he unrolled it. "Maybe you girls should think about your future crusades somewhere else," Twilight said with a bit of nervousness and curiosity. Post from the princess was a mixed blessing. She liked hearing from her mentor, but it usually wasn't a positive message… at least when it wasn't an immediate answer to her reports on the magic of friendship. The crusaders left surprisingly quietly. "To my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. Knowing you, I assume your studies concerning the magic of friendship are coming along nicely. It is my duty to inform you that I received word from a dragon. Unlike the last one we encountered, this one is interested in passing through our beloved Equestria. I have been asked to offer him a rest in Ponyville, for it is considered—WHAT?" Spike interrupted himself. "This is neutral ground? What a rip!" "What is it, Spike?" Twilight asked, obviously surprised by her assistant's outburst. The young dragon pouted at her. "We dragons are highly territorial, Twilight. That's why I didn't come with you to drive the red one off. He would have kicked my tail, or worse: just stayed, to spite me." Spike rolled his eyes "My territory is Canterlot. And I assumed living here meant that I had claimed Ponyville as well. But apparently this is neutral ground!" "And what is that supposed to mean?" the lilac unicorn asked. "That means that I am supposed to let that guy stay and not pretend that I just allow him to stay for a favour." Twilight's eyes open in slight surprise. That did explain a lot about Spike's behaviour. And the behaviour of that one dragon in the Everfree Forest. "So… what does the rest of the letter say?" "Oh, right." The dragon cleared his throat and continued: "So please inform the rest of Ponyville. And Spike, please remain unseen. I worry that your presence might offend or even encourage the traveller to claim Ponyville." Spike finished the letter through his teeth: "I'm sorry that we have to take precautions such as these. Please remain calm and keep Fluttershy on stand-by, just in case. My heartfelt regards to my faithful student and to you, Spike. Yours dearly, Princess Celestia of Equestria." Twilight had taken a bit of distance from her assistant. The last time she had seen him this angry was just a day before he tried to frame an owl and ran away. "So… I guess we'd better tell the others," Twilight offered. "Yes. Ponyville has to be defended!" he spat. "Let's call FLUTTERSHY!" The unicorn winced slightly as the little dragon waltzed past her. She followed quietly and very worried. Spike was really angry now. Somewhere outside, the two overheard three voices: "CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS DRAGON EXPLORERS!"