Story Ideas #6: A Dragon Abroad · 4:31am May 15th, 2020

If I had taken the trouble to write this one during Season Six, I could have really gone somewhere with it, but I think it's too late now.

Here's how it would have started:

From: Princesses Celestia and Luna of Equestria,
Canterlot Palace, Canterlot, Equestria
To: Dragon Lord Ember,
Cave #1 in the Wall of Absolute Power, Draconia
Greetings and Salutations!
It has recently come to our notice that you have become the current Lord of All Dragons. May we wish you a heartfelt congratulations and cordially invite you to Canterlot Palace for a meet and greet on the upcoming 10th of Spring, 1003 C.R. (18,783rd Year of the Dragon Reckoning), at noon. It is our wish that the three of us get to know each other better, in hopes that we might be of use in the future should any of the three of us should ever wish to obtain advice from an outside party.
We wish to make it quite clear up front that you are not obligated in any way to accept this invitation. Equestria and the Dragon Lands are their own independent entities. We have no power over you, and you have no obligations to us whatsoever. In addition, it is rather early in your reign, and it’s possible that you have internal matters to arrange before a meeting such as we suggest would be feasible, even if you wished it. The power of a dragon lord to control her population is quite limited...perhaps with our counsel you might be able to change that. Or it may be that you just wish for us ponies to keep our business to ourselves. If that is your final decision, please return the one-size-fits all Royal Protection Amulet and plus-one pass to us at your earliest convenience, along with your preference if you ever wish us to contact you again. We are acutely aware of dragon sensibilities towards such things as “casual conversation” and “friendship”, and the last thing we would desire was to give you the slightest suggestion that we were forcing your claw in any way, shape or form.
Also, we wish to apologize for delivering this letter, the rather large Royal Protection Amulet, and the plus-one pass to you via your own flame. Owing to the current state of affairs between our two nations (a state we do not blame you for in the slightest), we find that this is the only reliable method of mail transport between ourselves and yourself.
Eagerly awaiting your reply—whatever it happens to be, we are
Your Alicorn Correspondents,
Princesses Celestia and Luna
P.S. Oh, and please convey our heartfelt apologies to the three other dragons we passed this message through by mistake as we tried to ascertain your precise location. Don’t worry, though—we know exactly where you are now.

From: Ember, Dragon Lord
Cave #4 in the Wall of Absolute Power, The Dragon Lands
To: Spike the Dragon, Care of Twilight Sparkle, the Equestrian Friendship, Princess of
Castle of Friendship, Ponyville, Equestria
I just received the most terrifying non-threatening note in the history of non-threatening notes, and now it seems that I will be visiting your friend’s fellow princesses, Celestia and Luna, in Canterlot, on the 10th.
The invitation they sent allowed me to bring a guest. I took one look at my neighbors in the bank of caves that I live in, and realized that nobody would be a better choice than you.
It may surprise you to know that I have never had the occasion to visit Equestria before, which leaves me quite ignorant of the habits and customs of the many, many, many ponies I will be running into on the way to Canterlot. I mean, would just flying all the way to Canterlot be considered threatening behavior? I could walk, but my subjects would probably insist that I travel in a carriage of some sort that they’d want to pull, and that brings up the whole “bringing dragons I wouldn’t trust to not get into a fight with a funny-looking rock into the heart of Equestria” issue all over again.
So if you could please meet me at Border Checkpoint Gabardine at dawn in two days’ time, I will really owe you one. Feel free to bring any ponies and pony transport that you think might be best.
Sincerely,
Ember
P.S. I’m totally serious about that “owing you” bit.