//------------------------------// // Chapter 2 // Story: Kung Fu Dragon 2 // by CartoonNerd12 //------------------------------// Discord was setting up for another day in the shop as he sighed in boredom. "Oh, goody… another day selling second-rate pranks to a bunch of whiny brats… I swear, why anyone has kids is beyond me…" Suddenly, there came a knock on the door and he shouted out, "We're closed! Come back in an hour!" there was a pause before the knock happened again and he growled while getting to the door, "I told you to come back-" he stopped when there was no one there but when he looked down he saw a basket with a purple egg that had dark purple spots in it. He picked up the egg and examined it, "Hmm… how very odd… Someone has left me a dragon's egg. The question is why…?" he looked around and saw no pony else anywhere and put the egg back in its basket and stated, "Well, someone is going to have to come back for it because I'm certainly not going to take care of it…" Suddenly, out of nowhere a beam of light shot at the egg and it broke apart revealing a tiny baby dragon yawning then it began to suck its tail. Discord was beside himself by the sudden development and grumbled as he picked up the dragon. "Fine, I'll bring you inside for today, but tomorrow, you're going straight to the orphanage." The baby cooed and reached for his beard to play with it. "Hey, hey! Claws off the beard!" Tears welled in the baby's eyes and he started to wail. That made Discord winced at the sound. "Okay, okay, okay! Calm down!" he quickly rocked the babe but he ended up rocking him too much as it caused the dragon to burp a large amount of fire making Discord's face charcoaled. The baby giggled. Discord eyed him for a bit before he slowly smirked. "Uh, well, aren't you the little scamp…?" The baby cooed as if he agreed with him. For the rest of the day, Discord decided to keep the shop closed so he could tend to the baby dragon that came at his doorstep. He soon began to see how chaotic the child was and needless to say being the spirit of chaos and disharmony he was growing attached to the tiny thing. His magic was able to take care of the dragon while he was busy or when night came, sleeping. By the time the next day came, he was in the kitchen feeding the baby his bottle. But when those cute little green eyes stared at him, the draconequus made a decision that would impact him for the rest of his life. And he told the baby as such. "You know, kiddo, it's a dull and unchaotic world out there… Full of boring ponies who rather suck the fun out of everything… So how about you stick with me and I'll show you how to have excitement and hilarity?" The baby giggled. "Now you're talking! See? So from now on, just call me Daddy!" The dragon let out an excited squeal. "Now, we just need to give you a name… Hm… Spike seems fitting, don't you think? It's both cool and fierce!" The baby clapped its hands. "Spike it is then!" he tickled his new son's belly making Spike giggle. "My little dragon…" he said in baby-talk, "Oh, we are going to have so much fun together! Just you and me!" Baby Spike kept on giggling. Adult Spike sat across the kitchen table in utter amazement as Discord finished up his story. "And so we did, up until you became the Dragon Warrior of course…" he made a sniffle and turned away, holding his paw to his face. Spike gaped, "Dad…? Are you crying?" "Of course not! I just got something in my eye, that's all!" but the sniffling said otherwise and when he was done, he faced the grown dragon. Spike inquired, "So that's it? You just found me outside the shop?" Discord nodded, "That's right." he summoned a coffee mug feeling the need to drink something strong after telling such an emotional story. "But-but… that can't be it! There's got to be more!" "Well, there was the time you ate my priceless gem vase that was imported from Maretonia…" he sighed, "Look, son, your story may have a weird beginning but look at all you've done since then! You're the Dragon Warrior for goodness sakes!" "But that still doesn't explain where I came from or who am I… And I have to know…" he got up from his seat and went to Discord giving him a quick hug, "Thank you for telling me this…" he went out of room. The Crystal Empire gleamed in the bright sunlight. The crystal ponies went about their day feeling happy and prosperous. And none was happier about this than the rulers of this fair kingdom as they watched their subjects from a single balcony overlooking the entire city. Princess Cadence, Prince Shining Armor, and their five-year-old daughter, Princess Flurry Heart smiled at the sight before them. Cadence spoke, "The Crystal Faire is almost upon us and we'll have to start planning soon." "Ooh! Can we get a Ferris wheel again like last year?!" Flurry asked in excitement. Shining chuckled, "We'll see… Your mother has big plans for this year so we may not have room for it." Cadence rolled her eyes playfully, "Har-har…" and nuzzled her husband's head. Flurry smiled at her parents' affection for each other and figured life couldn't be better than this but when she looked to the horizon a black cloud grew closer to the Empire. Her parents saw the cloud as well and squinted at it. Shining voiced, "Odd, the weather ponies said nothing about a storm today…" But when the cloud got closer it started to make weird shapes and soon the older royals realized that it wasn't a cloud at all… Cadence shouted, "Flurry, get inside! Now!" The young alicorn was confused, "But why, Mommy?" Shining gravely said, "The Empire is under siege by the Changelings…" "Changelings? What are Changelings?" "I hope you'll never find out… Now go inside, quick!" Cadence ordered. Flurry did as her mother said and ran back into the castle but she didn't go far as she hid behind some couches so she could overhear what was going on from the balcony. Below the castle, everyone was panicking from the siege and ran for cover. Shining Armor and Cadence wished they could ease their ponies' fright but even they weren't sure what was going to happen with this incursion. "Stay close, Cady." Shining told her. "I'm not going to get replaced again, Shiny…" "I'm not going to take that chance." A nasty voice filled the air, "Aw, I see you're still that sweet sickening couple I met seven years ago, during a certain wedding…" They looked up to see the Queen of the Changelings herself, smirking away. "Chrysalis!" Cadence hissed. "Hello, Princess… I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd invade…" she turned to Shining and pucker up her lips, "How about a kiss for your old fiancée?" Shiny huffed, "Hey! You took my real fiancée's place and hypnotized me so I wouldn't be able to do anything to stop you!" "And it nearly worked too, had a certain meddling little sister not get in the way…" "Twily saw right through you from the beginning!" Cadence added, "And it was your own folly for having her find me so we could stop you in time!" "A mistake I shall soon remedy. Once I take this kingdom, I will start my plans to conquer all of Equestria!" The alicorn spat, "You are no match for our love, Chrysalis, and the Crystal Heart will help with that!" The queen gave a smug look, "Ah, but legend tells that the Crystal Heart must be powered by the crystal ponies to renew the spirit of love and unity…" she looked down, "And judging how my subjects are tormenting yours, I don't think they'll be up to renewing anything…" The prince and princess looked on in horror. The changeling spoke the truth. Without the Heart being renewed in time for the Crystal Faire, the Heart would grow weak and powerless… The bug queen still looking smug said, "But… I will make you a deal… if you surrender your kingdom to me now, I will let your ponies do whatever makes them happy enough to power the Heart once and in awhile so that it doesn't grow weak…" Cadence and Shining exchanged looks. As much as they wanted to fight, there were just too many Changelings to fight off especially if those Changelings can change into different things including ponies so it would be too tricky to know who was who. It was a risk they could not take at this moment. Chrysalis had them right where she wanted them… They lowered their heads with them both saying, "We surrender…" Flurry could not believe what she heard. Her parents had always been fighters they had completely surrendered even though they hadn't been under siege for ten minutes! The queen smirked, "I knew you would see it my way…" she ordered two Changeling guards next to her, "Thorax! Pupa! Take these prisoners to the dungeons until I think of the appropriate method of dealing with them…" she grinned evilly at the royals. They scowled at her as they were forcibly taken inside by the changelings. Flurry kept herself hidden as she watched her parents being dragged away. But the guard, Thorax suddenly stopped. Pupa inquired, "What is it?" Thorax said, "I thought I sensed a great amount of love in the room…" Pupa pointed to their captives, "You're probably just too close to these two, after all it was their-ugh-love that defeated us in the first place…" Thorax unsteadily said, "Yeah… maybe that's it…" they kept on going not realizing they were being carefully followed by a small alicorn princess. Cadence and Shining Armor sat in their cell with gloomy expressions on their faces until they heard a psst sound and turned to see their daughter outside their bars. "Mom, Dad…" she whispered. "Flurry!" they quietly shouted. Cadence sighed in relief, "Thank goodness you're safe…" Shining said seriously, "But she won't be for long if she stays here…" Cady nodded, "Right…" she said to her daughter, "Flurry, honey, you have to get out of here… Get to Canterlot, warn your Aunt Twilight." "I don't want to leave you guys!" Shiny said sternly, "You have to… All of Equestria is in danger. Your aunt, the Elements of Harmony, and the Dragon Warrior have to know…" "Can we count on you, sweetheart?" Cadence pleaded. Flurry gave a look that seemed to resemble her aunt's determination. As she stated, "Yes! I won't let you down!" she blew a kiss to her parents and ran out of the dungeon, being careful of the changeling guards around. She was so close to getting out of the castle when she accidently bumped into a changeling and the two of them gave out a yell alerting some of changelings nearby. Flurry knew then she had to use her wings and flew out of castle. Thorax, the one who bumped into her asked Pupa as they saw the princess flying away. "Should we alert the queen?" "Are you crazy?! If we let it slip that another princess was in the castle this whole time, she would punish us greatly! No, we go after her ourselves!" he buzzed on, leading the charge with Thorax behind him and about five other changelings.