//------------------------------//
// Act 1: A New Return 
// Story: A New Flame 
// by The Zebra Hybrid 
//------------------------------//

Malefor groaned as he walked through the door of the wagon and was met with the two changelings with stoic expressions as Trixie was cuddled in a corner shaking uncontrollably and knocking things over trying to get as much things between herself and the changelings. Malefor then looked out the window and noticed two guards who seem to notice the commotion and started headed toward their direction.

Malefor cursed under his breath and moved as fast as the eye can see and covered up the blue unicorn's mouth causing her to sit still. "Trixie, in case you forgot the guards aren't supposed to know I'm here." Malefor whispered in the unicorn ear,"so screaming and throwing shit is not fucking helping."

Malefor took another glance out the window and saw the two guards turning the other way, he sighed in relief and released Trixie who had a scowl on her face. "Malefor, please explain to Trixie why those.....things! Are in Trixie sanctuary!"

"First off this is not your sanctuary it's a damn wagon, second these 'things' came here for help." scolded Malefor.

"And why should we? Those abominations almost took over Canterlot and caused chaos and terror throughout Equestria!"

Fade felt her eye twitch, "It's not our fault! We were starving and had no other choice after Celestia denied us!"

"As if you expect Trixie to believe in such a lie."

"It's the truth," simply said Shift.

"Trixie is not buying it, so you two can get out before I alert the guards."

"Trixie!" snapped Malefor making her jump in surprise, "They are telling the truth and if they didn't they wouldn't be standing here right now."

Trixie looked at Malefor with a shocked expression, "B-but h-how-?"

"Trust me I know." was all Malefor said before Trixie sat on her rump and looked at the changelings with an apologetic expression.

"Trixie apologizes for how she acted, it's just that she was caught off guard by your sudden arrival."

"It's alright," replied Fade, "It's not like it's the first time, but that's not why we're here."

"Then why are you here?" asked Malefor getting impatient.

"You know of our queen, Chrysalis, right?" asked Shift.

"Can't say I do."

"Well after our failed....attempt....in Canterlot, she didn't recover from the blast as well as the rest of us."

"How bad is it?"

Fade closed her eyes and shook her head, "She has a few broken bones including ribs, and internal bleeding."

"And since us changelings are low on the medical supplies to treat them," started Shift, "She's...dying."

Malefor kept a neutral expression, "Why don't you take her to the hospitals? I'm sure the ponies would be glad to help because of that love and tolerance bull shit. No offense Trixie."

Trixie only grumbled in response as she sent a glare toward the dark dragon.

Fade shook her head again, "Don't let that lie manipulate you. The ponies are anything but loving and tolerating, there might be some who question it but they don't do anything about it."

"So taking the Queen there was out of the question," added Shift, "Assuming the ponies would just lock her up and not do a single thing for her injuries."

Malefor had to admit he actually felt bad for the changelings, since he had the memories of James, he knew how it felt to be treated harshly just because you were different. He didn't particularly care for this Queen Chrysalis though, if she knew that her subjects, let alone her entire race, were starving then she should have known a full scale invasion would be a dumb ass idea.

But now these changelings would have no leader and will be destined to die and reduce until extinction. With the memory of them fading away like the dust in the wind. But what could he do? Did they think that he could heal their queen? If so they're going to be hell of disappointed.

"What do you need me then?" asked Malefor.

"Fade gave her brother a glance as he nodded in approval, "Well, a little while ago she heard about what happened in Canterlot between you that other dragon and the princesses. She was very impressed and tasked me and Shift to find you two, but when we heard that the guards lost track of the other dragon we set out to find you instead."

"Again, why me?"

"Because you're the only one powerful enough for the job. Malefor we need you to be the new ruler of the changelings."

Malefor was taken back at this. Him a ruler? He would have said yes right then and there but he had no idea how to rule a country. And why choose him and not some other changeling for the job?

"Why not pick another changeling?" asked Malefor.

"That is something.....we cannot tell you, I'm sorry. Queen Chrysalis left out that information." replied Fade.

"Excuse Trixie for the interruption," stepped in the showmare, "But if Malefor does become ruler, what does that make Trixie?"

Malefor raised an eyebrow and glanced at the unicorn mare, "Are you serious?"

"Yes, Trixie is serious! If one of Trixie's friends gets to be royalty so does she!"

"Who said we were friends? You're more like an annoying ass roomate."

Fade watched with interest as the two argued back and forth, "I swear you two act like a married couple."

Malefor and Trixie froze at the comment and turned toward the female changeling with their faces a bright crimson. The two quickly separated now noticing how close they were getting, but their faces still having angry expressions. Fade could only giggle at the two reactions as Shift still had a stoic expression plastered on his face.

"What do I need to do." simply said Malefor trying to ignore the comment from Shift.

Shift smiled in response, "First we need to get you to the Queen she would want to speak to you personally."





"James...Hey get up big boy."

I awake to the sound of Sam's voice, I slowly open my violet eyes to meet her green ones with a bright smile on her face. I sit up in the bed that I arrived in and let out a yawn. Sam giggled and sat next to me on the soft mattress.

"How was your sleep?" she asks.

I make one final stretch before answering, "Wonderful, I haven't slept that well in forever."

"That's good," I notice her expression fell a little bit," how's the others back...you know."

"Oh, you mean Earth," I say with a sigh, "The guys have been doing good, and your parents.....they don't talk to us anymore. But other than that everything has been going well."

"You know it's not your fault about what happened."

What does she mean? It was my fault, if I had just mind my own business we would have never have been here in the first place. She.....died because of me and I had to live through that.

"H-how?" I stutter, "You would've still been alive if I hadn't just listened to you and left that dick alone. And when I see you here.....it just makes it worse."

Sam put a claw on my shoulder as at look at her trying to fight back tears, "James do you feel that," I nod, "I am very much alive and to tell you the truth.....I don't think I ever died."

I look at her with a confused expression, "W-what do you m-mean?"

"Well, as the doctors were working with me one of them introduced himself as...what was it.....'The Merchant'."

I freeze at this, he was there!? How did he get there in the first place? And more importantly what did he want with Sam?

Sam continued, "He told me that he could help me get better, but told me when I recovered I wouldn't be able to walk again. I asked him if there was another way because I didn't want to put you through a situation like that. Unfortunately there was and....."

"There's no need to keep talking." I say softly knowing where this was going. I pull her into a comforting hug and we stayed there for while before separating, "Look on the bright side though we get to see each other again."

Sam smiles and wipes the tears from her eyes, "That reminds me, are we still...um..."

"I...don't know," I say with a light blush,"For now let's take things slow and just be friends. Then we'll see where we'll go from there."

She nods as she gets off the bed with me doing the same, "Come one," she says, "Drobot is waiting to introduce you to the others, plus we kind of have a little surprise."

"Surprise?"

She gives me a wink before walking off, "You'll see."





Sam leads me to the backyard of the mansion and the first thing I notice was the trees and hedges with different varieties of flowers blooming from them. There were also statues and cobblestone paths that stretched throughout the garden, as we walked through it I took a few glances at Sam who still had a smile pasted on to her face.

What is with her?

"What has you so happy?" I ask as she pays no attention to me.

"Oh nothing." She replies, "Hey James."

"Yeah?"

"Tell me about the friends you made in Equestria. What are they like?"

"Well, six of them are the Elements of Harmony-"

"You know the elements!"

I tilt my head to the side in confusion, "Yeah, I thought I mentioned them."

"You mentioned you knew OF the elements, not that your friends with them."

"Well I am, but getting back to your question there's Pinkie Pie who I think is related to one of the Looney Toons characters, then there's Applejack she owns a farm outside of Ponyville where she and her family grows apple for the town. Rainbow Dash is part of the weather control in Ponyville and probably the fastest pegasi around and Rarity owns her own boutique where she makes different kinds of clothes and all that fashion stuff. Then there's.....Fluttershy, well in her name she's...uh...shy she's the one that took care of me when I first got here and is one of the kindest mares you'll ever meet.

"She even let me adopt a dog too and to tell you the truth out of the six she is the only one that I'm....used to ya' know. Oh and can't forget Derpy and Dinky now. Derpy is probably the most adorable mare there she has this positive and cheery vibe about her, not as much as Pinkie Pie though, and her daughter who hangs out with three more fillies named Applebloom, Applejack's sister, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle, Rarity's sister are just as cute. I love those little rascals."

I let out a sad sigh, but Sam seemed to have heard it, "You really miss them don't you?" she asks.

"Yeah, I...just don't know how they're doing without me. Me and derpy were supposed to meet up, but as you can see that's not going to happen. I definitely can't forget-"

"Drobot are you sure about this?" said a familiar as my eyes widen and my heart starts to quicken with joy.

"TWILIGHT!" at that moment I spread my wings and flew at full speed through the gardens following the source of Twilight's voice. I could hear sam's faint voice from behind me either telling me to stop or slow down but I pay no heed to it, the only thing that was on my mind was finding Twilight.

"Did you hear that?" came her voice again, I let out a loud chuckle as I figured out the source of the voice behind a couple of bushes as I burst through them, but only for my smile to drop when I was only met with Drobot and two other dragons that I was familiar with. The one that was currently glaring at me had a dino shape figure covered in brown scales, with a clubbed tail and small horns on his head. The other was a white dragoness with a diamond shaped head, blue eyes and what appears to be actual crystals in her wings and on the tip of her tail.

"Hello, you must be James." said the white dragoness as I just stare at her, "excuse me, are you okay?"

"OH! U-uh.." I stutter hiding a blush, "Sorry. it's just you sound like a very close friend of mine."

"That's fine," she replies as she sticks her claw out, "My name is Flashwing and this is my mate Bash. Drobot here has told us a lot about you."

"Indeed," stated the Dino like dragon known as Bash, "Your not what I expected you to be."

I give Bash an uneasy look, "What do you mean by that?"

"You're far too...thin. I could break you like a toothpick, no wonder you've been getting your ass kicked."

"Okay, who the hell do you think you are? You don't know nothing about me!"

"Does it matter what I know or not?"

"Well, no...."

"Then drop the subject."

Flashwing gives Bash a disapproving look before glancing towards me, "Don't mind him he's just grumpy because of the trip."

"Trip?" I ask before Drobot covers her mouth with his claw.

"I recommend we wait for Sam to arrive before we start explaining." stated Drobot as on cue Sam came in for a landing almost out of breath. She sends me a glare for my little stunt from earlier as I give her an apologetic smile and rub the back of my head trying to give off the most innocent look I can.

"Thanks for waiting up." Sam says in a sarcastic tone.

"Sorry," I apologize, "So......what are we doing here anyways? Aren't I supposed to be training?"

The four dragons look to each other before nodding as my curiosity begins to grow, "James." started Drobot, "Me and Sam noticed how you adapted so well in Equestria so much that we decided to make a request to Ignitus."

Sam decided to step in, "Besides you training here  we asked for us to take you back to Equestria."

My eyes widen as I feel the butterflies go crazy in my stomach, "And what did he say?" I ask in eagerness.

"Ignitus approved," I was about to celebrate when Drobot stopped me, "but on one condition, due to your......status.....you will need to keep a low profile and...." he pauses.

"What?"

"To keep away from the ponies you grown connections to." simply stated Bash without a care in the world.

"Wait, I can go back to Equestria but I can't even see my friends!?"

"It's for your safety," added Flashwing, "trust me I don't like it either but it's too risky. Think about it if the guards somehow found out you were alive where would be the first place they look?"

I have to admit she was right, if I did just go back to Ponyville no doubt here will be a squad of guards waiting for me and I can't fight them off with most ponies probably not trusting me after the stunt back in Canterlot. Maybe if I'm gone long enough until things calm down a bit I could probably work things out with Celestia and maybe try to get Luna off this whole vendetta against dragons.

"Alright I see what your saying," I say softly, "but what about my training?"

"Me and Flashwing will be your teachers," said Bash, "we'll be teaching you the basics of how to use your elemental powers properly and also close quarters combat and agility." 

"While we're doing that," added Flashwing, "Drobot and Sam would be making sure that the no one recognizes and disturbs us during our exercises, plus trying to gain information on where this Malefor creep's whereabouts are. We'll be staying with an old friend in a city called Manehattan we already contacted her signaling her of our arrival where she'll house us for the time being."

I nod in confirmation, "So when do we leave?"

"A few hours," stated Sam, "We'll be taking the train to Manehattan."





After the few hours had flown by like dust in the wind Drobot, Sam, Bash, Flashwing, and I went to meet Ignitus before we departed. The orange dragon Oracle had told me and Sam to use our dragon names that we adopted instead of our real names for safety precautions. He then wishes us good luck and sends the five of us on our way.

We reached the train station where we requested 'special' tickets for transportation to Manehattan, Equestria. Once the train arrived the first thing I noticed was that it wasn't a passenger train but one of those trains that carries supplies and goods. We climb on and give the dragon conductor our tickets before he motioned us to a cart stacked with crate with who knows what inside.

Once the train starts to move I glance at my surroundings to see the Flashwing and Bash snuggled together and in, what looks like, a deep conversation, Drobot was sitting by the wall staring out the window, and Sam was.....fast asleep next to me. I could only sit there as she leans her head on my shoulder snoring lightly.

I groan now knowing the new situation I was in, how was I going to tell sam about me having feelings for Fluttershy, Derpy, and Twilight? Oh god, am I getting feelings for Sam too? I hear Sam purr in my side I glance at Bash who had Flashwing sleeping next to him also and gives me a wink before breaking contact.

With a defeated sigh, I decide to just think over the complication after a good nap. I lower my head and out of instinct I drape my wing over Sam's body pulling her closer as we both drift off to sleep. 

After I feel the train come to a complete stop after the three hours, I see Drobot, Bash, and Flashwing waiting by the door.  I look over to see Sam still asleep I shake her lightly waking her and tell her that we made it back to Manehattan.....Equestria. We get up to meet the others and I spot flashwing wing giving out what looks like trenchcoats and hats you see in those black and white detective films.

"Here put these on," she says, "It'll cause less attention to be on us, especially from the guards."

I nod and take the coat and hat and put it over my body and place the hat on my head, with the others doing the same. Once we all had our new attire on Bash opened the doors and the sounds of the city started to feel my ears.  it kind of reminded me of the Manhattan back at home but this one was....cleaner.

I also noticed that we weren't in a train station like back in Thedas, but a train yard. Which was perfect for us to enter the city undetected.  "Come on follow me," started Flashwing, "My friend shouldn't be that far from here if she still lives in the same place."

With a nod we follow the white dragoness out of the cart, I glance bask to see the dragon conductor in the caboose before giving me a thumbs up and starting the train before leaving. I glance back in front of me to see the rest already entering the city I quickly catch up to the group as we made our way on the sidewalk, watching ponies walk by going about their day.

I could only smile at the sight.

Because I was back.

In Equestria.

And I was going to be ready for Malefor.