In Ponyvilles famous bakery shop, Sugarcube Corner, Berry was taking care of the baby twins. Ever since the babies came, his responsibilities have doubled, but the energetic pony didn’t care, to him it was fun.
“Where’s Berry Bubble?... Here I am!” Berry was playing the usual game of 'Where’s Berry Bubble' with the twins, who still laugh whenever the pink pony jumped out from behind the door.
“Berry Bubble! Can you come down here?” Mr. Cake yelled from downstairs.
“I’ll be down in a minute!” Berry yelled back, he looked at the baby twins and smiled, “I’ll be right back,” he said giving a last silly look making the pegasus filly and unicorn colt giggle and coo he then turned and bounced down the stairs.
“Whatcha need Mr. Cake?” Berry asked
“I need you to help out our customer,” Mr. Cake answered, pointing at the dark orange baby dragon at who was standing behind the counter. He was on the tip of his toes, trying his best to look over the countertop until finally, he grabbed a stool to stand on.
“Hi Berry, my name is Quartz,” Quartz smiled.
“Wow, how did you get that look Scooteroll?” Berry asked.
“A dragon named Zir- Wait… how did you know that it was me?” Quartz asked confused.
“Silly Scooteroll, I could tell that it was you by the color of your scales are the same color as your fur, the spines are the same color as your mane, your eyes are still the same color, and your voice is still the same,” Berry answered smiling.
Scooteroll stared at the pink pony in disbelief, but shook it off, remembering that this is Bubble Berry.
“So, where did you get that costume? it's so lifelike!” Berry asked eagerly
“This isn’t a costume, I’m a dragon now,” Scooteroll said proudly.
“That’s a good one Scooteroll,” Berry laughed at the baby dragon.
“My name is Quartz! and I’m not joking, watch,” with that he took a deep breath and blew orange fire at the center of the room, he looked back at Berry, who was staring at him with wide eyes and mouth gaping open.
“That was so cool!! do it again! but on this candle,” Berry took out a candle from his mane.
Quartz rolled his eyes and blew fire on the candle, causing the wick to burn with orange fire.
“You really are a dragon! how did you become one?” Berry asked excitedly about the event he just saw.
“I’ll show you, follow me,” Quartz said motioning Berry to follow.
“Okie Dokie Lokie! Mr. Cake, I’m going out with Scoot... Quartz!” Berry yelled.
“Okay Berry, just make sure to come back before the evening rush!” Mr. cake called after him
“I will!” Berry waved
With that Berry followed Quartz outside to see how Quartz got turned into a dragon.
“So, Quartz? What’s it like being a dragon? Is it cool!!?” Berry said as he bounced along
“Heh, you bet it is! I don’t have to worry about cutie marks; my wings will grow out faster least that’s what I've been told, I can breathe fire now, you get it?” Quartz said
“COOL!” Berry cheered “I wonder how many new things will happen in this story in comparison to the one Hamcon made!” Berry enthused which just made Quartz glance at him weirdly.
“Who?... never mind I don’t wanna know…” Quartz grumbled not willing to deal with the odd explanations Berry gives.
Quartz finally got Berry to the Cutie Mark Crusaders clubhouse.
“So is there a flower that did this, or did Silver Bell learn a new spell?” Berry asked, literally bouncing in excitement.
“To answer those questions, that will be a no for both,” a male voice answered, the wind was whipped up as suddenly a cyan drake landed in front of Quartz and Berry, Quartz smiled at the dragon, while Berry was staring at the drake with wide eyes.
“Wow, Blitzy! you’re a super, duper, big dragon!” Berry said waving his hooves
“Yes, I am Berry... Wait, how did you automatically know that it was me?” Zircon asked.
“Don’t ask, he’ll tell you what he told me,” Quartz said just in time before Berry could answer.
“Okay then, just so you know Berry, I'm no longer Rainbow Blitz, my name is now Zircon” Zircon introduced himself. Now Berry was looking worried about his friend.
“Blitzy? why are you saying that?” Berry said with a tilt of the head
“Berry stop calling me that, I told you that’s not my name anymore.” Zircon said, narrowing his eyes getting a little tired of having to rehash his name.
“But it’s your name; you can’t just-“ Berry tried.
“Drop it Berry! I’m Zircon now, Zircon!” Zircon said getting irritated
“B-but Blitzy...” Berry said dismayed
“I SAID STOP CALLING ME BY THAT NAME! RAINBOW BLITZ IS DEAD!!” Zircon bellowed losing his temper. His shout scared Quartz and sent Berry stumbling to the ground.
Berry’s ears drooped, and his eyes were beginning to tear up, frightened.
“I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…” Berry stuttered
Zircon winced at the sight of his friend scared of him. This was the second time somepony cried, the first being Garnet, and now Berry.
“No, I’m sorry Berry, I didn’t mean to yell at you,” Zircon sheepishly admitted
“Are- are you telling the truth?” Berry said with a tilt of the head
Without thinking Zircon licked Berry, somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that this was used on baby dragons to cheer them up. “Yes Berry, I am telling the truth,” Zircon said trying to diffuse the tension.
Berry smiled and stood up, accepting the apology, but suddenly he was hit with intense pain.
“Agh! B-Blitz, it hurts!” Berry cried, shaking in pain.
For the first time today, Zircon said something that he never thought he would say. “oh crap! I-I’m sorry Berry, I didn’t mean to!”
Berry fell on his haunches as his mane and tail fell off, and a long scaly tail grew in its place, his teeth became sharp and predatory, and his tongue became forked.
“Bl-Blitzy, please make it stop!” Berry begged looking up at him; his pupils were now slits.
Zircon wrapped his tail around the changing pony to comfort him.
“I can’t Berry, just try to ignore the pain, it’ll be over soon,” Zircon said reassuringly.
Berry cracked a smile; he was glad that he had Zircon as a close dragon friend, that thought went unquestioned as his body was covered in scales and his forelegs morphed into dragon arms with claws. Two bumps appeared on his shoulder blades, then erupted into two pink leather-like wings.
Zircon stared at his changing friend with regret, he didn’t want it to happen like this, he didn’t mean to make Berry cry, and he felt terrible about inflicting the transformation prematurely like this, at least the others so far had a warning first. He felt like he made a member of his pack sad.
Bubble Berry felt his hind legs transform into dragon legs with claws, his neck stretched, and his ears shrunk into his head, and his muzzle lengthened into a draconic snout. The final changes appeared when his body began to grow larger and taller and his muscles thickened until he was just as big as Zircon.
Berry looked down at himself and gasped before staring up at Zircon.
“Berry are you okay?” Zircon asked, worried.
“Yes Zircy, I am, and don’t call me Berry anymore. Cuz my name is Rowan now! The author couldn’t think of anything else anyways” Rowan answered with a grin and a chuckle.
Zircon ignored that last weird comment “That’s good to hear, now go to the Everfree Forest with Quartz and stay with Lapis and everydragon else, I still have to get Elusive and Dusk,” Zircon ordered.
“Okie Dokie Lokie! And once we’re all awesome dragons instead of wimpy ponies let’s have a ‘YAY we’re dragons! Now we can all piggy out on gems! let’s party!’ Party! WOOHOO!” with that Rowan grabbed Quartz and flew into the forest excitedly chattering to himself and Quartz on what they need for the planned party, leaving Zircon behind to watch on in amusement before his expression became troubled.
“I hope my friends are all right,” Zircon said to himself.