I dedicate this story to Susan D. If I was Spike, she would be my Rarity.
Thank you for teaching me how beautiful love can be, how it can bless anyone and how important it is to protect it. Take care, you hopeless cutie.
PROLOGUE
The freezing wave of blizzard howled throughout the mountain range as the sole unicorn mare was fighting with all of her might to march in the storm.
'Sweet ever-loving Twilight ! How did I possibly ended up like this ?' she thought to herself.
It was more of a rhetorical question than anything, with annoyingly obvious answer: she didn't take into account the unpredictable nature of the mountain weather. Being born into a society that controlled the weather could make one pretty lazy when it came to planning the journeys with unpredictable weather patterns.
Still, she cursed under her breath, lifting her legs in a persistent walk, weakening little by little every passing minute.
She needed to find some kind of shelter, and she needed to do it fast.
"Hold...on !!!" she wheezed in the shaky, misty exhale.
Frost started to cover her mane. Unbelievable, just an hour ago the side of the mountain was pleasantly warmed by the rays of the sun.
The way down wasn't long...but she felt that it was still beyond her capabilities. If only she could teleport down there...
Her body was shaking as she wobbled her way through the vortex of snow and wind.
Suddenly, her legs gave up beneath her and she fell face to the growing pile of whiteness
"No...just...a little...more.."
A few strands of burgundy mane fell over her eyes before all the world went black
****************
Rocks, ash and the sound of cracking fire
Mare's eye slowly opened wider, looking through the surroundings with half-concious state of mind.
"Am I dead ? Or maybe I am just hallucinating, out there, in the blizzard ?" she thought anxiously
She slowly rise up and discovered that she was wrapped up in a few blankets.
"All right, that does not feel like death at all. But anyway, how did I get here ?" she pondered quietly
Her nostrils twitched, as she felt the the sharp, yet nice aroma that seemed to flow from behind the rock formation nearby.
She slowly poked her head from the side of the obstacle and gasped.
She was in a spacious cavern. But the weirdest thing wasn't the fact that she somehow found herself here, not being frozen to the death outside. It was the fact that the cavern was clearly not some wild, desolate place. A part of th cave was wild, with a breath of wild, untamed beauty:
But the fragment she was in was much different. It was certainly inhibited, that was too little to say. It had a small library shelf, a large mattress in the middle and a desk with a set of quills and scrolls.
"It is far too...civilized that one would've expected in the mountain cave" the unicorn muttered to herself.
In her focal point was small fire, with a pot set over it.
To her horror, she found herself salivating. Fighting with the storm drained her from all energy and repeated growling from her stomach didn't help...
If only she could have the taste of that brew...oh stars, it smelled so good...
'No I really shouldn't..you shouldn't sneak in in the strange place, tasting something of an unknown origin" she tried scolding herself.
She slowly approached the pot.
"Maybe...just a little taste" she whispered, preparing herself to levitate a portion of the liquid to her mouth.
"Careful, it's not ready yet" came a deep voice.
Mare slowly turned around, to find herself to be overcast by a huge shadow
"AAAAAAAH !!!!" she screamed, leaping over the boulder once again.
Large dragon came into the light. He wasn't enormous, like some legendary ancient dragons, but still very massive. His body and leathery wings blocked the entrance as he marched towards the fire, carrying some firewood
"I am sorry I left you alone" his voice rumbled through the cave once more "But I had to get to my storage to get some more wood. Otherwise, the fire would most likely die down"
He eyed the mare with amusement.
"Why are you hiding ? It is not like I am going to eat you." he teased.
Mare blushed and strolled from behind the boulder
"O-Of course I knew that" she huffed, trying to hide her embarrassment" Since Dragon Lord Ember and Her Majesty Princess Twilight Sparkle are friends, both races are in peace for many decades now. It's just...I've never seen dragon this big. You just startled me and..."
Dragon smiled, waving his claw.
"Don't apologize. I had plenty time to read about instinct and behaviorism. I don't blame you".
He took some of the brew into the massive bowl and tasted it with reptilian tongue.
Grinning widely, he showed rows of sharp teeth as he nodded with approval
"Yeah, that will do" he filled the second bowl and handed it to her "Come on, try it !"
Slowly and carefully, unicorn approached the fire and caught the bowl in a telekinetic grasp.
"I am sorry that I tired to eat without your permission" she said sheepishly.
Dragon smirked at her, clearly amused.
"No worry, I was preparing it specifically for you. When I found you, you were on the verge of getting serious frostbite. I am not affected by this level of cold but I knew right away that something had to be done to properly warm you up".
Another blush graced the white cheeks as the mare tried to regain her composure
"I...see. Thank you greatly for your kindness" she looked at the soup with reluctance.
"It's herbal, don't loose your head over it. Plus, you think that I would poison you if I saved you before ?"
Mare didn't say another word and began slowly sipping the brew.
Her eyes lit up as she started to drink with pleasure.
"This is really good ! You are a great cook !"
Dragon beamed with pride
"Ha, I have years of experience"
The unicorn was about to indulge in the warmth of the generous gift when she looked at her host with wide eyes
"Oh, I am sorry. I didn't even ask your name. How rude of me"
To her astonishment, the big dragon looked...ashamed. Looking closely, she finally identified the feeling on his face as the insecurity mixed with fear.
"I am sorry too, but my name must remain hidden. It is sort of my policy this days. Don't take it personally" he rubbed his claws together. In that moment, he had more resemblance with a embarrassed filly than one of the most strong and ferocious creatures on the planet.
Mare blinked a few times before saying
"Oh...well, who am I to question my savior. I guess you have good reasons..." she smiled coyly "but that won't stop me from doing my part."
She reached her foreleg towards the dragon
"My name...my full name... is Serenity Iridescence. But friends call me Iris, and after what you did for me, you of course can call me that too"
And yet again, in that short moment, dragon's eyes changed. It was only for a while, but the gaze of the dragon filled with deep, lingering sadness.
The flicker of longing quickly disappeared as the drake grabbed her foreleg with his claw
"Nice to meet you Iris" he said with glee.
Then he looked at her again with curiosity.
" I have a question for you too, if you can answer me..."
Iris finished her bowl and nodded her head
"Sure, ask away"
"What where you doing up here ? A young mare, all alone in the mountains..."
"Oh, that's easy "She gestured towards her saddlebag, that was laying on the ground behind them " You see, I am a painter and I travel various solitary places to capture their beauty and find myself. All my life I wasn't really sure who I am and what am I supposed to do... you know, that sort of artistic thing. I am trying to capture this wonderful world, to preserve it for eternity. But each and every place changes when I return there and I always had this feeling that I fail at my job. What if I won't be able to see it all in my life?"
It was the weirdest thing really, sharing her fear and dreams with someone she just met. But during Her Majesty's reign, it was a custom to assume that the other had good will. The Council of Friendship spent years establishing the serenity the ponies and the other races were now living in and it would be most disrespectful to trample that work by distrust.
Dragon was quiet for the moment and then he exploded with laughter
Iris stared at her bewildered before shouting
"W-Why are you laughing ? Is that how are you treating someone after they reveal their secrets ?"
She pouted at him.
Dragon's laughter slowly ceased to echo in their hiding place. He looked at her with strange merriment
"I am sorry, I wasn't making fun of your goal. In fact, I truly admire it. It's just..." he took a deep breath and sighed, shifting his gaze from the mare to the fire "You really remind me of someone I know from the past...I swear that you and her are just like reflections. And that includes similar dilemmas concerning your lives' mission."
The unicorn raised an eyebrow, her eyes widening
"Really ?" she whispered " Someone similar ?
Dragon nodded, with a distant, melancholic look
"You have no idea how much"
Iris gave a quick glance towards the curtain of the snow, swirled around by the wind, before asking a question
"Would you mind telling me about that creature ? Since we are stuck here anyway..."
Dragon remained motionless for a few moments before shifting slightly and nodding his massive head
"The story you are asking for is a really long one "he said, loosing himself in the fire once again" But to stick to the details that may be important to you, let's say that it all began one summer evening, in Canterlot Gardens..."