Dragon-Hearted

by Marion330

First Steps on the Road to Recovery

"The dragon was all like this. And the manticore was all like this," Scootaloo attempted to mimic a manticore's roar. She mimed the event with her hooves, shaking and bobbing them when she deemed appropriate.

She continued the narration up to current time where Sweetie Bell, Applebloom, and she were conversing in the CMC tree house.

"Well, where is he now?" Sweetie Bell asked.

"We were barely able to move him he was so heavy, even with Twilight's help!" Scootaloo held her hooves far apart, indicating the size of the dragon. "He wouldn't fit anywhere but your barn, Applebloom."

Applebloom stirred at the mention of her name. "Wait! That big dragon is staying at my house?" She questioned.

"Yeah," Scootaloo yawned, not sharing her friends’ slight concern. "Whelp, it’s getting kinda late. I'm gonna go check on my dragon friend before I leave. You guys want to come with?"

"I can't. Rarity wanted me to be home before too late, so I gotta go." Sweetie Bell answered.

"I'm just gonna clean up the clubhouse and go to bed. I gotta get up early tomorrow morning to help Applejack." Applebloom added.

"OK then. See ya later!" Scoots waved and left her two friends in the clubhouse.

It was starting to get late, and the sun was already setting. She was going to have to do this quick. She hopped on her scooter and propelled herself off towards the Apple family barn.

________________________________________________________

The dragon had barely fit into the barn. The dragon's tail was jutting out at an odd angle, but the dragon didn't really seem to care. It just sat there unable to gather the energy to even begin to move. So there the dragon sat.

Scootaloo arrived at the barn while Twilight and AJ were finishing an argument. Scootaloo halted around the corner from them, and couldn't help but eavesdrop.

"I'm not trying to be cruel Twi. It’s just whenever something big goes wrong, my family's barn always seems to get dismantled or destroyed in some way. I've had to raise that barn again three times this year, and I will not be responsible for what happens to him if he burns it down. He might not even destroy it, he's just gonna bleed on everything."

"Fluttershy and I did everything we could in our power to stop the bleeding, but I still don't understand how my healing spell didn't work. Either way, you just have to keep him for the night. I got Spike to write the Princess, and she should be coming in the morning, hopefully."

Applejack took on a worried look, "Let’s hope she has a plan because I don't know what I'm gonna do with a full grown dragon on my farm."

Twilight patted AJ on the back, "I'm sure she'll have a plan, she always does."

The two friends parted, and when the coast was clear. Scootaloo slipped into the dark inside the barn.

_________________________________________________________

It was pitch black inside the barn. Scootaloo inched in, trying not to make any noise.

"H-hello," Scootaloo whispered.

The darkness shifted, and two gigantic amber eyes opened. An ethereal glow of wisdom seemed to flow from the old eyes.

"Never mind, wrong address. I'll just be going now..." Scootaloo shifted into reverse, backing away towards the door.

"Wait, little one." the dragon's voice shook the barn, but felt comforting at the same time. "Were you not the small creature that helped me against the manticore pack?"

Scootaloo relaxed, feeling oddly at ease near the huge beast. "Yes, my name is Scootaloo."

"I thank you...Scootaloo, for your help. If you had not intervened, I may not have left that clearing." The dragon shifted, and grunted in pain. "My name is Atticus."

The dragon extended out a claw, and Scootaloo gave it a reproachful bump with her hoof.

"Pleasure. But helping was no problem. It was just the right thing to do," Scootaloo shrugged.

"If only more creatures in the world could see things that way," The dragon chuckled, warming the air in the barn by at least three degrees.

"Well, I just came by to see how you were doing. I heard Princess Celestia may be coming by tomorrow. If you have any other questions, she'd be the one to ask. Good night!" Scootaloo edged to the door, and the dragon watched her as she exited the barn.

_________________________________________________________

"Princess?! I need to speak with you!" Wing Tip, the equestrian ambassador to the griffins, rapidly knocked on her study door.

The door opened, a slightly perturbed Princess appeared. "Ambassador, what could you possibly need to talk to me about at 2:00 in the morning?"

"I need to talk to you about that dragon incident in the Everfree."

"What is there to talk about? I'm going to see what I can do tomorrow. And that will be the end of it."

"But that won't be the end of it! That's the problem! I warn you, Celestia. If you give help to that dragon at all, the griffins will see it as favoritism. You cannot help that dragon! Doing so would endanger everypony. Who knows, the griffons might see it as a pledge of allegiance!"

Celestia thought about Wing Tips warning, "Would an act of kindness really cause such retaliation?"

"That, Celestia, not even I can tell. These next twenty-four hour period may decide the future of a peaceful Equestria. I would suggest sending the dragon away, but that is my opinion. The choice is up to you. An act of kindness plunging us into war, or an act of self preservation to keep the peace." Wing Tip bowed, and turned away from the Princess. "Good night, Celestia."

Celestia looked back into her room at the clock and murmured, "And good morning to you..."

Celestia looked at the letter unrolled on her desk, and began to wonder what the correct course of action would be.

_________________________________________________________

"It's becoming dangerous for her and the hatchlings here, so I need you to do one last thing for me. I want you to take them to the Everfree forest. You must promise to guard them with your life."

"I will."

You would lie to your own son-in-law?

"No!"

Liar! You said you would protect them, but where are they now?

"Shut up!"

Here you lay safe, while your daughter dies a slow, bloody death.

"That's not true!"

Do you know otherwise? You call yourself a father, HAH!

"I said SHUT UP!"

_________________________________________________________

The dragon rose from its nightmare, cold sweat running between his remaining scales. He felt a little weight where it wasn't before.

The little orange filly rested up against his soft underbelly. She laid sprawled out on top of a hay bale, snoring irregularly.

He ran a single claw through her hair scratching her head. The filly yawned and shifted, making the injured dragon smile.

He just sat there, waiting for the sun to come up. It was obvious that he was not going to have a good nights rest. He made sure not to disturb the little one. He laid still for many of the early morning hours. Hoping this 'Princess' could help him find his love ones, or at least point him on his way.

_________________________________________________________

The celestial princess neared the main six, who were standing near the entrance to the barn.

"He's inside, Princess," Twilight said.

"Good, but you must accompany me. I have to talk to all of you as well," Twilight looked confused, but she and her friends followed her into the barn.

The CMC were in the barn, conversing with the ancient dragon and climbing on him using his scales. The dragon stopped playing. The CMC spotted the group of older ponies and dismounted, they were waved to the corner. They removed themselves, mumbling about 'letting the grown-ups talk'.

"I assume you are the dragon I've heard so much about?" Celestia said.

"If you are the great Princess I've heard so much about. My name is Atticus," The dragon reverently bowed his head. "I wish to ask a favor of you, If I may. I-"

"I'm afraid I must stop you there, elder dragon. I wish to help you, but I cannot," Celestia face twisted in disappointment. She turned to the six friends, "And neither can you. I am told I am in a rather delicate situation with the Griffon diplomats. Any action taken by Luna, any of the element bearers, or myself may be seen as an act of signing off my allegiance with your kin."

The dragon drooped in dismay, "Is that so?"

"I'm afraid so. The bearers may be able to help, but not significantly enough to get you healed enough to leave you to your devices." Celestia was saddened, but wasn't showing it much.

"Celestia," Scootaloo had left her friends in the corner, now in the midst of the conversation.

"Yes, Scootaloo," The sun monarch responded.

"You said that you can't help and the element bearers couldn't do enough on their own. What if Sweetie Bell, Applebloom, and I helped him?"

"I suppose with supervision periodically by Twilight you could help him, but you must move him somewhere he won't be seen."

"Simple, he moves into the west orchard. It's near our clubhouse, and it boarders the Everfree," Applebloom added from the corner.

"Well, it’s obvious you want to help. You convinced me." Celestia admitted. "But only until his wounds heal, after that he must leave." Applebloom and Sweetie Bell rushed to Scootaloo's side.

"So we can keep him?" Sweetie Bell asked. Celestia nodded in answer.

The CMC jumped in the air and hoof bumped, "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER DRAGON DOCTORS!"

Atticus watched the eager fillies, wondering how long his first day in Ponyville was going to be.

Comments

[applejack2357]

Hmm.... I have a feeling this will not end well for Equestria..... Great story so far! Can't wait to read more!

[eldersword35]

cool, usually stories involving dragons don't end well, good story though.