Ponyville’s Tiny Librarian
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Chapter 10
Dragonshy
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part 4
“She really pushed herself into your stomach?” Cadence asked, her mouth agape at the griffin. “So you hunted her and ate her and now you’re… friends?”
“Pfftt,” Gilda scoffed, “Twilight beat me at my own game and got out like it was no big deal.”
“That’s right, and it was fun! We really need to do that again one day,” Twilight said, still perched on the alicorn’s head.
Cadence frowned. “No way, little missy. I told you not to get eaten again, so don’t even think about it. Promise me this won’t happen again.”
“Fine fine,” Twilight grumbled. “I promise.” She chanced to see Big Mac glance at her briefly, and she waved at him with a smile.
Right behind Big Mac was Overwatch, trying very plainly not to show her annoyance as she glanced at Fluttershy again, who seemed to have been glaring at her this entire journey. The unicorn turned back ahead with a deep breath. Just ignore her. Once this mission is over, I’ll find out what’s gotten into her, she thought.
Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, was looking at Fluttershy in disbelief, caught in a world where the meek pegasus was actually marching off to help defeat a dragon.
“Big Macintosh?” Cadence called, trotting closer to the stallion.
“Eeyup?”
“How did Twilight do as an apple farmer? Was she a good worker?”
“Eeyup.”
“Did she really try to heal your wounds?”
“Eeyup.”
“Do you really like Twilight?”
“Eeyup…” Big Mac blinked a few times before turning to the alicorn, his brow furrowed.
“I knew it!” Cadence squealed. She swung her head, tossing Twilight off onto Big Mac’s head instead. “Of course it was love!”
“L-love?” Twilight balked as she struggled back to a sitting position. “What are you talking about?”
Cadence giggled. “Oh Twilight, you didn’t see every time Big Mac looked at you when your head was turned away, and lest we forget, he did volunteer to join you on this dangerous adventure in Applejack’s stead.”
Twilight dropped down to Big Mac’s nose and looked into his eyes. “Is that true?”
“Ye… nop… ye...umm,” the stallion stammered out.
“Big Macintosh,” Cadence said with a hint of smugness. “Has Twilight been visiting your farm often after she returned from Canterlot?”
“Ee-eyup.”
“And has she been spending more time researching and working with you or Applejack?”
Twilight’s face flushed red as she used her magic to seal Big Macintosh’s mouth, but he simply pointed at himself.
Cadence smiled cheerfully. “Just like I predicted.”
Overwatch popped in next to Cadence, a wolfish smile across her muzzle. “Well well now, I thought I caught the hint of Hearts and Hooves chocolates in the air,” she said with a knowing look at Twilight. “Looks like opposites do attract. Just watch out when you kiss her, big guy. She did promise not to get eaten again.”
The guard suddenly stumbled, and when she turned to look back up at Twilight, the tiny unicorn was smirking at her.
“Careful, everypony,” Twilight said. “We should watch where we’re going. It’s quite a long fall from here.”
Overwatch smirked back. “I’m pretty sure no one who lives in Canterlot could profess to a fear of heights. Twilight, you’ve probably fallen from higher places than this in your free time.”
Twilight shrugged nonchalantly. “I might’ve.”
Gilda raised an eyebrow. “You told me you had wings before, Overwatch,” she said, before looking down the mountain face. “Wanna show us how well you can fly?”
“Sure!” the unicorn guard replied cheerily. “Once my wingpony gets back from his little forward recon in a few seconds, that is.” She turned forward expectantly just as an armored shape flew in from out of view.
"There’s a lot of loose rock all over this area,” Steel Blade said as he came in for a soft landing in front of the group. “We’ll definitely risk getting caught in a landslide if we continue this route, but there’s a cave that looks like it’ll lead us directly to the top of the mountain. C’mon, it’s not far."
Sure enough, there was a cave, wide enough to admit the entire group without issue. Everypony nodded as they walked inside, and Cadence brightened up her horn and illuminated the way in. Overwatch trotted forward to whisper something to Steel Blade, who looked back with a raised eyebrow at Twilight’s new seating arrangements.
It was only a minute or two into the cavern before Overwatch stopped with a noticeable clack of her hooves on the rock, followed shortly by Gilda, whose hackles seemed to be on edge. “We have visitors,” the unicorn guard stated, her horn lighting up
Everypony looked around in confusion, finding little of notice.
“What do you mean, Overwatch?” Steel Blade asked curiously, but before he could react, a flurry of dark shapes entered the light Cadence’s horn emitted. “Diamond dogs!”
Before the group of ponies could form any sort of defense, the diamond dogs bodychecked the different ponies into separate tunnels, easily outnumbering the intruders.
“Applejack, remind me again, why are we here in the boutique instead of rescuing Rarity from those giant dogs?”
Applejack frowned as she tried her best to utilize Rarity’s introductory lessons to sew together a bit of material to hold several gems and metal fragments in one piece, a pathetic imitation of a half-plate armor. “Rarity’s bein’ held hostage by a buncha troublemakers, and with all our friends off facin’ that dragon, we gotta be prepared to deal with this ourselves.”
She wiped the sweat from her forehead as she finished, hitting her creation with a hoof before thrusting the armor onto Spike and herself. Only seconds after Spike reoriented himself, he also found a lance made of gems in his hands.
“Ya always wanted to play the knight. Here’s yer chance.”
Spike sighed. “Are you sure we can pull it off? This armor and weapon you made doesn’t look too reliable.”
Applejack nodded. “Nah, Ah punched it. It’s good enough. The worst that can happen is Rarity beatin’ us up for committin’ a fashion crime or somethin’,” she stated with a dismissive shake of her forehoof before she turned to the third party in the room, a tied-up diamond dog. “Now listen here, partner. Ya want gems, we want Rarity back.” She picked up a bag full of gems she found during her search for Rarity. “Ya lead us to our friend, and alla these are yours.”
Every dragon flinched as their lord crashed against the stone floor, creating a massive crater. Boulders and gold coins rained all over the cavern. Blood streamed from between the cracks in the Dragon Lord’s once pristine scales.
Above the titan was Luna, kept aloft by her battered wings. Her face was covered in bruises as she struggled to keep her eyes open. The aura around her horn weakened before vanishing completely. Her fur and legs bore several burns alongside two large lacerations, one across her belly and the other across her left two legs and her side, luckily missing the wing.
The alicorn was bare, her battered armor lying scattered in tiny pieces over the battlefield. One of the young dragons was holding half of her crown in his claws as a souvenir.
“Wilt… thou… yield?” Luna asked, breathing heavily.
Despite his battle wounds and almost-broken neck, the Lord rose, his giant hands sinking into the stone as it supported his massive weight. “Yield? I won’t yield to a tiny creature like you without showing you the power of a true Dragon Lord!”
Luna’s eyes widened as she saw the beast inhale. Her wings flapped urgently as she tried to escape the wind pulling her into his mouth. She lit her horn and turned around as a wall of flames covered half the tunnel, giving her little room to dodge. She grit her teeth, teleporting out of the way.
She reappeared behind her foe, gritting her teeth and wiping the red liquid from her muzzle. Looking up, she noticed droplets of melted stone started to drip from the ceiling.
She flew towards the wounded part of the dragon’s neck, sending beams of her magic into the cracks as blood started to escape them. Several drops of lava splashed against her, held a breath away from contact by a thin, midnight-blue alicorn aura.
Yelps of pain followed as the Dragon Lord turned around laboriously, too slow to stop Luna from circling around his neck, and delivering yet more blows on the weakened parts of his body. His large horns, flanking his head like shields, still weren’t enough to protect his head.
“Enough!” he shouted, slamming both of his claws into the ground. He jumped up and slammed a fist into the ceiling as he blew out an inferno from his mouth. Boulders and magma rained down across the cavern as dragons jumped to avoid the oncoming apocalypse.
Luna had weathered most of the storm with a barrier, but the moment she released it, she was seized by a giant fist, squeezed for a few seconds and thrown against the stone floor, creating another a crater in the crater.
Dragon Lord jumped up again, this time leading with his shoulder as he fell towards his opponent, but before he could make contact, the alicorn turned into black mist. He blinked in confusion as it seeped out from under him to float in front of his face, reforming itself into a very angry black alicorn, slightly taller than the one he was fighting a moment ago. His moment of hesitation was met with a barrage of spells against his eyes, followed by a thin beam piercing right through the damaged scales on his neck.
Nightmare Moon shuddered and fell into one of the craters on the ground, her body falling heavily against the cracked stone. The Dragon Lord rose into a kneeling position, his hands keeping him from toppling over as he breathed heavily.
“Will you.. finally yield?!” Nightmare Moon shouted as she rose to a sitting position after a long struggle, her forelegs trembling.
Dragon Lord wiped the blood dripping from his neck before lowering his head to the exhausted alicorn. “Will you?”
The alicorn shook her head, and the Lord laughed, pushing the miniscule pony who rolled against the stone. Nightmare Moon dug her hooves against the stone to slow down before righting herself.
“I like you, tiny princess. It would be a shame to crush you between my fingers if we continue this battle,” he spoke with a calmer voice, still wearing an amused smile.
“And it would be a shame to get rid of the world’s greatest masseuse,” Nightmare Moon said back, rolling her shoulder. “I had a kink in my neck that’s been bothering me for millenia.”
He chuckled. “You have impressed us, not just with your power and fighting spirit, but your bravery as well.” He wiped the rubble, dust, and broken scales from his body before walking towards his scattered piles of treasures. He glanced at the dragons and said, “Gather my treasures and clean the rubble. I want this place back to how it was!”
The dragons bowed and did as they were told, scampering off into the far reaches of the cavern.
“This fight is over. Let’s talk,” he said, exposing his giant hand. “On my title as Dragon Lord, I shall not hurt you further.”
Nightmare Moon shrank, and her black fur turned midnight-blue. Luna spread her wings and flew, landing on the exposed hand.
She bowed. “Thou hast given us glorious battle and fought bravely and with honor. Let both our races live in peace.”
The giant dragon scratched his chin, before dipping his head slightly. Every dragon dropped to their knees in an instant. “Don’t expect more of me, tiny princess. I’ve only ever bowed to the last Dragon Lord.”
“Tis satisfactory,” Luna said as she stood up and winced, biting her lip. She glanced quickly at her foreleg and hind leg, both of which were in dire need of medical attention.
“Wilt thou agree to cease the attacks on Equestria? Mayhap even agree to an alliance?” Luna asked, maintaining her regal poise despite her pain.
Dragon Lord looked upon his dragons and said, “Those who will dare to put a claw upon ponies will meet my wrath! Go and spread my decision!”
Luna turned around and added, “And our wrath as well!”
The dragons who weren’t cleaning up spread their wings and flew towards the exit, following the order.
Dragon Lord looked upon the princess and said, “I will spread the news of our glorious battle. Your ponies will be safe.” His eyes narrowed as he added firmly, “However, I will not ally our kind with yours just because you proved your might. You will need to prove the strength and power of your race before I will consider allying with such tiny and meek beings.”
“We understand, and I believe we have but such a proof in the works, if we only just wait.” She gestured to the guarded cake, surrounded by exhausted Royal Guards who had done their best to intercept any incoming rock fragment or melted stone with a little help from the nearby dragons. “Care for a slice?” She lit her horn, slicing off five pieces, one for each guard, before levitating over the biggest one.
Each guard took a bite, though their eyes scanned for any gems scattered in the pastry. Luna simply sank her teeth into the delicious cream, chewing through a gem with abandon.
The Dragon Lord’s stomach rumbled, and he licked his lips. “With pleasure.”
Great great great!
I have a feeling the dragon lord will LOVE Twiny's attitude and come to really respect her just as much if not more then he does luna
Fluttershy not freaking out and glaring at Overwatch? I'm guessing Changling.
8615920
A few others had the same idea a while ago, and it was hinted at. I don't remember specific chapters though.
Twilight and Big Mac are falling in love... I like it! Count on Cadance to make things move.
The diamond dogs are going to feel it in the morning...
Of course, tiny Twilight would fall for the biggest stallion in town. I should have guessed!
...wait... does this mean the event in 'Hearts and Hooves Day' won't happen in this story?
8611868
Your waiting is over. Read to your heart's desire.
8615900
I'm not sure. For Dragon Lord she would be smaller than an ant, not exacly someone he can comunicate with. Unless Twilight return to her full size, I don't see their interactions working out.
8616133
Cadence may be a jack of all trades in terms of abilities and experiences, but love is still her special talent.
Against group lwith so many powerhouses, certainly.
8616268
What can I say, Twiny love big things, or she like feeling smaller than everything around her. Big Mac is a perfect much in this regard.
Still, size is just one of things atractive for the little mare. Twilight always admired hard work and strength of character, and she greatly respect the apple family.
Maybe not, or maybe it will but with diferent outcome and particpating party. You can never be sure.
An interesting and enjoyable chapter. I think my two favorite bits are when Cadance does what she does best - playing matchmaker - and the results of Luna fighting the Dragon Lord.
8615920
8615985
Hints and teases here, there, everywher!
But never comfermation oneway or the other.
8617820
True, so so true.
Everything shy of an actual volcanic eruption. Nice.
My suspicions were correct: Twilight's developing a vore fetish.
8615920
I do believe Fluttershy and Overwatch are changelings, yes.
8621293
I wouldn't call it a fetish, considering she did it on purpouse only once, and she did it because she thought she was a challenge. if anything, it's just Twiny being Twiny.
8621319
Well it's been obvious Overwatch was a Changling since her first or second scene in the first fic. There's even a fic somewhere with her as the main character confirming it. But Fluttershy wasn't one but now she's acting out of character meaning she's probably been replaced.
8621366
Twilight scanned her a while back and noticed something odd, and respected her request not to delve further. It's possible another changeling has replaced her, but even canononically she IS capable of being firm on occasion-it just rarely shows up during season 1.
8621366
Maybe Fluttershy always was a changeling.
8623413
What about the magic in her eyes? Twilight saw the magic that was concentrated in Fluttershy's eyes. So, shouldn't it be possible to be mage-sight (magesight?)?
8623413
Never was a fan of those kinds of stories. Or even half changeling ponies. Cause well kind of spits on Canon
8689167
How do you figure? Well pre-Season 7 suckfest Ling's.
Lings can take the form, and magical abilities of any species, are shape shifters, and can be anyone, at anytime.
But they are capable of friendship. So plausible for them to be an Element Bearer. Outside of Honesty.
8689167
Eh we all have to different tastes as I for one like those just as you don't and I respect that.