Chapter 5
"Ughhhhh..... stupid pony dragon slayer...." I mumbled, grabbing my head to stop the banging of drums inside of it. Slowly opening my eyes, I see.... alot of darkness. Hell, I can't really see anything at all.
"Hello? Any other stupid animals that want to kill me?" I shouted. Well it's true so far. Lets count, we had dog-humans, lion bat scorpion mix, ponies, a griffin, and I think that dragon ate me, meaning that I'm right now.....
"Dead........."
I felt myself stand up, while at the same time trying to grasp the situation of me apparently going on to the next life. I can't really be dead can I?
"Well shit. All I see is blackness, I feel a bit ripped off."
"Then allow me to shed a little light on the situation." I heard a feminine voice said.
That voice, wait a second!
Before I could respond, A bright shining light shined underneath my feet, blinding my eyes, forcing me to bring my arm shields to block my face. Once the light faded, I opened my eyes to see that I was standing in the middle of what looked like a sun platform. What was more noticeable was that I wasn't a red dragon anymore, but I was actually my human self again, and still in my swimming suit!
"Well I do hope this is better than the darkness. Sort of reminds you of that one game you keep playing doesn't it?" The feminine voice said. Where is that voice coming from? Then again I am dead, so what's the point of finding out.
"Three things: One, you're not dead, just in a coma state while someone heals that poison you have in your system, so don't be all depressing right now. Two, I'm actually right behind you."
Turning my body, I see that it was the women that was sunbathing back on earth, this time fully clothed in a white summer's dress, wearing a sun hat as well, covering most of her hair.
"And three, You have a reason to live, don't you?" The women said, with a bright smile.
Part of me wanted to relax from that smile, but my body just seemed to tense up, remembering what she did to get me to Equestria, or wherever I was at.
"Oh relax will you," She pouted, "I just want to talk while you're in this coma state. No need to get so tensed." She waved her hand in front of her. Just as she did so, she summoned a coffee table and two arm chairs facing each other.
"Please sit. We need to talk." She smiled.
With not much options, I took the seat closet to me, while she did so as well. Once she was seated, a tea pot with two cups appeared on the table.
"Would you like some tea?"
"How are you doing this?" I asked, ignoring her question.
"Hm? Oh well this isn't real at all. There are actually many different ways to call this, but let's just call it "daydreaming" for the sake of it. Now then, would you like some tea? Or I guess I should say imaginary tea, now that you know?" She giggled.
"Um.... sure, I guess." I had no idea how to respond. I'm in a coma, meaning I must be still alive. This women isn't threatening me, or torturing me, so I guess I'm safe for now. She also did say that someone is healing the manticore's poison that's in my body, but who?
"You'll find out later," She replied, sipping her tea. "Now let's get down as to why I even brought you in this world, seeing as I wasn't actually that specific when we first met. Then again, you were desperate to find, um... Drew was it?"
"Actually," I said, grabbing my tea cup and blowing on it. "I would like to know your name and why your showing up again, seeing as complete strangers went and took me and my brother away, I might as well get those answered." I wanted to steer the conversation so I can know more of about this lady.
"Yes... I'm quite sorry about that, but you looked like you needed help, and this is why I'm talking to you now. Plus I was a little busy preparing for the gala. So I thought I would take a small break." She replied, seeming a bit tired. I guess she must be really busy planning out this gala thing.
"Anyways, my name is Princess Celestia, one of the rulers of Equestria. I control the sun and look after all my little ponies, doing my best to protect them"
*PHHHHTTTTTTT*
SHE CONTROLS THE SUN?? Oh god, remind me not to get on her bad side. I knew she was a goddess or something like that, but not one that can control the sun...
Oh shit, I just spilled tea all over a princess......
I'm dead.... So very, very dead.
"Relax. It's imaginary tea remember?" She laughed, suddenly being dry again. "Now all joking asides, I need to clarify our contract a little bit. So, once you do find your brother and see that he is safe and sound, you have to be part of a certain game I'm a part of. In fact, you being in this world has already made you a part of it, but I just want your consent this time."
"So there was a catch." I said, putting the tea down. "And what are you talking about? I'm going to stay with my brother once I find him and see that he's happy. That is my purpose."
"Do you really believe so?" Celestia said. "If I recall correctly, he wished to be a pony, while you are here, as a dragon. As much as I would like for you to visit Equestria, you can't really stay unless you want some of my ponies to revolt against you. That and the other chess masters would think your just a waste of space for not even participating and force me to just send you back."
So I'm in the same world as my brother but I can't even stay with him? What a load of bull!
"Relax please." She said with a soothing voice. "You can still visit him, you just have to be careful with the ponies you run into. Besides, we're going off topic a bit. So do I have your agreement to partake in this?"
I thought for a moment, thinking of different scenarios with their own outcomes.
"What would happen if I declined?"
"I would have to send you back to your world, back at the same place from where you last were, but with no recollection of any events that had transpired to you here." Great. So I would be back, but have no memories of anything that happened here. Just peachy.
"What would happen if I accept, but don't follow your rules and just stay with Drew once I find him?"
"Then your brother would be endangered by the ponies he's with, as well as the dragon slayers that you have met earlier, along with other pieces that you might meet." Another wonderful conclusion. That wouldn't help with protecting Drew at all, just have more harm than good.
"What are the other pieces you're talking about?"
"Ah ah ah. I can't really tell you much, all I can say is that there are other's like you in this world as well, part of the game I was talking about. Some that other gods have brought, others that I brought myself." So there's other people here like Drew and me? Guess I should watch out for them. Humans aren't the most nicest of creatures. Then again, neither are any of the other creatures I have met here so far. So why....
"Why are you even helping me?" I asked, this one being the most curious of all my questions. "Surely a princess from a completely different dimension that also controls a part of the solar system, wouldn't really want to help someone like me get their brother back."
Celestia's smile slowly turned into one of regret and sadness. She gently placed her cup down and stood up, walking around the sun platform.
"I had a sister lost from me once, but not in the same way as yours. It may not be the exact scenario as yours even, but I still know the pain of having your sibling gone, the feeling that you should protect them because you're the older, stronger sibling, but also feeling powerless to bring them back. I have my sister back now though, after a thousand years of waiting. I'm happy now that I'm back with her, but I still have the memories of regret, for not doing anything sooner, or even doing something different to prevent her from leaving."
She.... has a sister? And even with all that power, to control the sun, to rule a kingdom, she still couldn't do anything to prevent her sister from leaving her. She had to wait a thousand years as well? Thats.... wow.
"Hehe, it's a bit funny actually. Usually Luna does all of these dreams states, but your one of my pieces, so I thought it would be fair that I get to talk to you. Although we do have little time left." She said, looking down at the platform.
I look down as well to one side of the platform being engulfed in darkness clockwise around the sun platform. Wow, guess there's a time limit to this "day dreaming."
"So, to keep time short, I'll ask again: Do you officially accept to be part of the games, once you find your brother that is?" She said, having that genuine smile again.
"Heh, sure. I accept then. I'll keep playing as part of the games once I see that Drew is safe. On two conditions though: One, that I have some kind of power to show me where Drew is, and two, that once I do find him, I can see him at least once a month, to make sure he's still safe and sound." I may not be able to stay, but I still want to see him. I still think these rules of not being with him are stupid.
Celestia put one hand on her chin, the other on her elbow, thinking about the conditions to our contract.
"Alright, I accept your conditions. You can see Drew once a month, after you have found him." She starting walking towards where I was seated. "As for finding him, I don't know his exact magic signature, seeing as how discord was the one who sent him here. So, I'll do this instead."
She went up to my face, her face only a few inches from mine. I could honestly feel her breath on me. It was actually kinda hot. She's... she's not gonna kiss me is she?
Before I could do anything though, she flicked my left eye so hard, that I fell with the chair backwards.
"GAHHH!" I yelled. "What the hell was that for?" My left eye was really starting to hurt at first, but was then calming down a bit.
"You now have the ability to see other humans while in my world. Since the magic signature is different for humans than from other creatures here, you should be able to find Drew easily. Be warned though, once you do find your brother, it will disappear forever. So don't get too used to it. Don't want anyone being too overpowered now do we?" Ouch, still didn't have to hurt so much. Some way of getting power. Wait, speaking of powers.
"I actually have one more question." I said, standing back up with my left eye covered. "When I was a dragon, what the heck was on my arms? I mean it's pretty durable, feels tough yet lightweight, and has a certain aura about it. What's it made out of?"
"Well, since you have a sense of protection for your brother, I decided to give you a pair of shields that will be attached to your body, like a knight piece. I also did a little something special with it: I made it out of meteorite. So what you basically have is a space rock attached to you. What I didn't foresee was that it would drain your magic fuel for your fire breathing, and have it end up in your hands. That's why you can only do sparks instead of a full fledged flamethrower. What I also didn't know was that it would turn your fire black like the shields itself."
........ So my awesome shields.... is stopping me from my love of fire breathing?
FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
Wait actually, black fire hands are still pretty cool too.
Hmmmmm, Fire hands with space shields or fire breathing. Fire hands and shields or fire breathing.... Ok fire hands and shields wins this time.
"Oh my. Well our time is up. I should get going, I have to go back to the gala and attend to my guest. I have a feeling it's going to be quite the party this year. Good luck with your search for Drew, William. Or should I say Komodo now." She giggled, turning to leave, seeing as the sun platform was starting to lose some light. Before she walked off though, she turned back grinning like a..... troll. This can't be good.
[Stop song here]
"Oh I almost forgot. Are you sure you like hmmmmmmmm bananas?" She said trying to sound innocent, pointing her finger at me. Oh god, not this again. Quick, you said yes last time and that didn't really work out, sooo...
"Um... No." I said cautiously. Please be right answer, please be right answer, please be right...
"Well I know where you can't find any bananas?" Her finger was now starting to glow white. Oh god, I screwed up roya....
Before I could finish thinking, I was suddenly flying through the darkness, seeing as the platform was no longer there. I heard Celestia's words right before I fell.
"ON THE MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON~!"
********************************************************************************
"NO! GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVIL BANANANA!" I screamed, waking myself up from a nightmare. I'm.... I'm alive? Oh thank goodness. I'm grateful for the princess's help, but that banana thing, just scares me. I'll never look at fruit the same way again after that dream.
As my heart slowed to a steady pace again, I looked around my surroundings to see that I'm at a mouth of a cave. I must have been sleeping against the wall of it this whole time. I also appear to be back as my dragon form, with the map still attached to me, but not my gems or bits. Which reminds me, I'm still as hungry as a horse, or maybe it's pony here. I gotta ask Celestia the next time she visits my "daydream" to see if they even have any horses, rather than just ponies.
The sun was still up, having the cave be illuminated by some of its ray. The cave appears to be in a mountain, seeing as I can see over the vast landscape. And let me tell you, the landscape is not that pretty.
There's little to none trees anywhere, no water in sight, the skies have spots of gray clouds overhead. If anything, this place was a desolate wasteland. Looking to the inside of the cave, I spy..... The purple dragon from earlier, sleeping with a pile of gems behind it.
I know there's a giant dragon nearby, but those gems look oh so appetizing. Carefully getting up, I rise and start to tip toe towards the gem pile, only to be stopped because something had caught my tail. Looking behind me, I see that a pile of boulders were on top of it.
It wasn't until I say my tail, that I felt the pain from all the boulders on it.
"OW OW OW OW..." I said between my shut teeth. I don't want to wake the dragon but my tail is REALLY starting to hurt from the pressure.
"Well, looks like someone is finally awake." I heard a scratchy voice said from the mouth of the cave. Turning slowly, I was soon faced with a white dragon with a green underbelly and wings folded to his side. His green eyes were staring at me, surprised that I was even awake now. He seemed to be carrying some heavy metal buckets in each hand. He walked closer to me, then set a bucket down in front of me.
"Here, drink up. Your probably thirsty as tartarus." The white dragon said. He then went to sit on the opposite side of the cavern, drinking from his bucket.
I sat and stared at the bucket, wondering if it was poisoned or not. I took a sniff out of it. Nothing oddly bad about the smell. I look down at it, to see my reflection on my face, then gasped a bit in surprised.
I expected a dragon's face, sure, but what I did expect was that I would have meteorite in the middle of my head, with it being crystal shaped as the shield, but more curved, going behind my head. I guess I have a stronger head than most dragons. My right eye was yellow, with a reptilian look to it, but my left eye was different. It had a sort of red symbol on the yellow. I couldn't tell what it was though. I must have been staring at the bucket of water for awhile now cause the white dragon was looking worried.
"It's not going to kill you. Just drink the water or else I'll take it back. Water is pretty scarce around here." The white dragon said, finishing up his bucket of water.
Well, no pain, no gain. With this mindset, I drank the water carefully. Once I was content that there was no actual poison in it, I drank the water hungrily, satisfying my thirst.
"*cough* Thanks *cough cough*." So I sort of drank the water a little bit too fast. I was thirsty ok?
"Who *cough* who are you?" I said, clearing my throat. Is this dragon the same one from earlier, and if so, what happened to the dragon slayers?
"Hm? Oh well, my name is Rex Emerald and that dragon over there is Firewing, but I just call him gramps, cause... well, he's my gramps." The white dragons smirked.
"Right... Well my name is Komodo. Your um... gramps, how is he? He didn't seem to look well last I saw him." I looked at Firewing, still seeing his wings torn, looking like ragged cloth on sticks. By the looks of it, he seems pretty tired, and probably doesn't look like he's going to be able to fly anytime soon.
"He's fine. Those damn dragon hunters shot his wings off with poison filled arrows. His wounds healed a bit, but I don't think he can fly for awhile. And what about you? What were you doing in a mess like that?"
"I know as much as you. One minute, I'm laying down in a burning forest. The next, I'm falling from the sky with your gramps falling with me. It's pretty weird actually. I'll have to ask him something once he wakes up." Like why the hell was I falling with him. Oh god I'm feeling the pain in my tail again. Stupid rocks.
"By the way, where the hell are we?" I said while I went to take off the rocks from my tail.
"What, you mean you don't know? Where have you been living this whole time?" Rex said. Um..... can't really say I'm not from this world, that would make me seem crazy. Guess I'll be playing the amnesia card then.
"Actually I don't know. All I remember is my name and that I'm a dragon. Anything else is just a blur." I said, sounding as confused as possible.
"Amnesia huh? Yikes, that's pretty bad, especially for a dragon. All those years of living, just wiped away from your memory. That is, until you can remember again." Great, now I have to remember at some point and tell him a fake past.
"Anyways," He continued. " Your at the home of the dragons, known to some of the equestrians as "The Badlands". We do whatever we can to survive here. Some rarely leave and go to our neighboring countries such Equestria, for a greener, peaceful life. Others go to Gem Fido, to have some of those diamond dogs dig gems for them. By the looks of it, you could use a few." He said as I took the last rock off my tail.
He went over to the pile that was near his gramps, who was still sleeping, and grabbed two handful of gems. My mouth was really watering now. I'm going to take a wild guess and say that gems are a dragon's food source or something, remembering from that gem staff that tasted oh so much like cherries.
"Here, have some." He offered, giving me one of his handful. I hungrily accepted the offer and began gorging myself in the rainbow colors of gems. Let's just say that they tasted SOOOOO GOOD after almost starving myself for the first day. Apples, Grapes, heck I think one tasted like steak, but it must be the hunger making me think that.
"Heh heh, hungry eh? Well, considering you also had poison in your system, I can see why." Rex said, taking a bite out of a ruby. Wait, I was poisoned, so how am I better?
"If you're wondering why your better now, it's because I had had my sister help with some magic to heal both you and gramps. She's really quite good at it. I can barely do much, but then again I prefer physical contact, like what I did with those dragon slayer wannabes. Sent them packing with their tails between their legs." He snickered.
He..... single handedly drove the dragon slayers away? Why is almost everyone in this pony show a badass? I definitely feel a bit of regret for not watching the show a bit sooner.
"Of course, I didn't do it by myself. Had my some of my friends help me with some of them. Then they helped me carry you and gramps back here." Ah well, so much for being a badass. He did still save my ass, so I should be grateful for that. What other info can I get from him...
"Hey, it's getting late, and as much as I would like to answer and ask more questions, we should get some sleep. Sun's going down and we need to rise early if we want to get back to the hoard." Rex said. He went to the mouth of the cave, then spread his wings to full height. "I'll see you tomorrow, at sunrise. If stuff tries to attack, you can handle yourself right?" He's leaving? I guess he wants to go back to his sister or something. At least he knows where his sibling is.
"Of course. I can handle myself." I said trying to sound like I can handle anything. I don't really think I could, but doesn't hurt to try and sound like I can.
"Heh, right. See you tomorrow then." And with that, he flew out of the cave and into the landscape below. The sun was now starting to set between some mountains. Guess I should sleep as well.
Finishing the last of my handful of gems, I laid on the best pile of dirt I could find. It actually wasn't as bad, seeing as my scales cushioned my back a bit. Laying down, I rest my eyes for once and actually tried to get some sleep, now with a full belly and no poison in my blood.
Things are starting to look up. Tomorrow, I'll see if I can get a feel for the area, hopefully get some more information of the place. The map could be a bit useful with locations. I still have to ask the Firewing why he grabbed me from the forest. I'll do it tomorrow though.
Don't worry Drew, things are actually looking up for once.
*SNOOOOOOOOORRRREEEE*
....Something tells me I won't be getting that much sleep thanks to 'gramps'.
"GAHHH! Those stupid dragons! We lost profit because of them!"
"Hey, don't worry Mix. We got 3 already, so that's still better than none."
"OH SHUT UP FLARE. Why not you just drink yourself to death, seems to be the best thing your good at."
"Hey! I resent that!"
"It's true though. You should be more careful on how much you drink."
"Not you too Heck! Why I oughta..."
"QUIET! ALL OF YOU! It doesn't matter if we lost some of those damn dragons today, we can always get them later. For now, we turn in what we got, then try and see if we can't find that shield dragon again. By the looks of it, probably high value shield he has."
"He did have poison in his system, so maybe he's already dead?"
*CREAK*
"Gentlecolts"
"Who the hay are you and how did you get on this airship?"
"Now please, no need to point your weapons at me, I just came here to offer you a job."
"Why should we take a job from YOUR kind?"
"Because I pay very handsomely"
*CLANG*
".....That's... That's alot of bits..."
"And there's more if you do what I ask."
"And what is it that you want us to even do?"
"Simple, just capture a certain pegasus in this village, but make sure that you cause some chaos and destruction while you're there to get people distracted."
"But that's a pony settlement!"
"And we don't do jobs that don't involve capturing or killing dragons."
"Oh trust me. Once you do what I ask, there will be a dragon. A very angry dragon. I believe you met him already."
"What's the purpose of this?"
"To simply capture a pegasus for me. While you can attack or kill to your heart's content against this dragon."
"I don't know about this Lancelot..."
"Quiet for a minute Flare. This dragon, do you know his name?"
"He has two names actually, but I believe he will only recognize one while he's here."
"And that name is..."