Chapter 14: Dragon's Keep
Its been so long til the Castle was completed, rarity and her team was doing the finishing touches to the place before I went to settle in. Twilight also agreed to move in with me, since its not far from ponyville. She has her own room with its own library. I will have a amazing view.
Other than protection of the area, the castle itself provides a good point for new guards that are being trained for royal duties. I also have a town setup just outside the boarder of the protected forests, there was a major gem mine out there. Rarity almost passed out on in spike when she learned of them. A rail system will be made to the town from the Castle.
Granol the Griffian has a room of his own in a tower so he can keep a good eye on the forests. The animals normally stay near the castle, which Fluttershy and her team made sure there where enough homes near the castle to ensure they will be safe.
Spike and myself where heading to the castle together to check if all the final checks but it seems that what we saw was some action at the castle. Spike held on as I went faster to see whats happening.
Some of the guards where trying to remove a dragon from the castle that seemed to take home in the center of the courtyard, a large pile of chesture is placed that the dragon was standing on. Rarity was hiding behind a block of stone that seemed to fall out of the castle wall.
As I landed spike fell off me and rarity catched him, "Sorry spike... whats going on Rarity?" I asked.
Rarity placed spike down as he was blushing, "It was just terrible, She came down to make her nest here as the castle looked beautiful to her standards, which I was flattered but we tried to get her to leave. Granol was knocked out when the fighting started and Fluttershy couldn't reason with her." She recalled.
Granol had a large lump on his head and was upside down. Fluttershy was hiding in the forest. The guards where trying to fight.
"EVERY PONY MOVE BACK!" I shouted in a royal fashion which all the guards did just that as I walked to the Dragoness. She was pretty large with emerald scales and horns, spines on her head where short and white.
"Well another pony to have fun with." She stated.
"Why are you here?" I asked in demanding tone.
"Well well... how demanding are we, I take it your the prince that had this castle made... Lovely place, I will love living here." She grinned.
"What would it take to get my castle back?" I asked trying to get a diplomatic solution.
"Unless you have a male dragon that can sweep me off this pile, your not getting me from nudging from my nest." She smiled.
"I see, why my castle anyway? I thought dragons prefer high and caves to make their nest." I wondered.
"I prefer to have some view when I wake up, I hate seeing a cave wall." She grunted. "begone." She used her wings to make a insane gust of wind which threw me pretty far in the air with rarity and spike a few of the ponies half way to ponyville. Once I recovered from the blast midair I grabbed spike and rarity from crashing to the ground.
"We got to talk to twilight. We are heading to ponyville." I told every pony.
We got to library, which twilight was packing up her stuff. I busted into the room letting rarity and spike down.
"Hi... Was the visit to the castle ok?" Twilight asked.
"No, It wasn't, it seems that a dragoness is using the castle as a nest. She will only freely move if a male dragon removes her." I stated as a few of them look at spike, "I don't think she would like a small dragon getting her attention... She seeking a relation with a male Adult dragon, It will have to be a strong one."
"Well... We don't know any adult dragons that work with us, they might just stick around afterward." Twilight added.
"Its Awful that we can't get her out of the castle before she does more damage?" Rarity asked.
"There is a way..." I stated.
"How?" Spike, Rarity and Twilight asked.
"Well there been a researcher by the name echo hart, he just released some details of new transformation spells. I met with him a few days ago when I was in Canterlot." I informed going into a flash back.
I was in the royal library as I ran into him, "Oh sorry prince... I didn't mean to bump into you." He panicked when he saw me. He was a navy blue Unicorn with white stripe in his mane.
"Don't worry, it happens... your researching transformation spells?" I asked.
"Yes, My name is echo hart … Dr. echo hart." He bowed, "I found ways to make transformation spells become more effective based on whats needed but overall it takes much focus to do. If you want more details use this book I written." He stated.
The flash back ended I pulled the book out of the library shelf, I started to read on how to use strong transformation.
"Ok, Spike I need a scale of yours and Rarity, I will need a diamond of the best quality you got. I will compensate for it. Twilight you will have to cast a part of this spell as I keep it united. I will change myself to a dragon to get rid of her." I stated.
"Are you sure, It will be hard to change you back and you dunno what personalty effects you will have if you get changed into a dragon." Twilight warned out of worry.
"I know the risks, I know that Fluttershy will be terrified of me but it has to be done to keep the castle safe. I will have to be careful. " I stated as Spike gave me one of his old scales, "That will work, I just need that diamond, I hope rarity can part with one." Which Twilight started to read the spell.
"To be careful we will need to do this outside... I don't think it would help if your transforming into a giant creature in a small house." Twilight added as rarity came in with a small locket box.
As she opened it a glow came from the box, "This is perfect Rarity, you sure you be able to part with this?" I asked.
"To get rid of a nasty dragon from Equestria." Rarity added. "Anytime, Diamonds are not in this year."
We all head outside into a open area near ponyville, ensure I don't cause damage. I took my hat off as well with my crown so they are not damaged. Twilight started the main spell as I grabbed the diamond and spike's scale. A white sphere enclosed me as twilight was finished with her part.
"Lets back up, If he going to change he will need room." Twilight said as the group trotted away from the sphere that started to grow and taking form.
"Darling, If he changes will he look like spike?" Rarity asked.
"I don't know, the sample may only give the bases of the spell but not the finishing from.. It can fail and nothing changes then nothing lost, this spell is the safest transformation spell that Ethan found." Twilight said as she covered her eyes as the form started to glow highly as it grew to the size of a adult dragon the from popped as a white dragon with no spines but a mane and white scales and large feathered wings the tail was long and pointed with feathers at the end. The crystal horn was now 2 horns in the back of Ethan's head, he fell asleep.
"Oh my word, how wonderful of scales and feathered wings... even a dragon, Ethan looks radiant as always" Rarity complimented.
"Wow, that's amazing." Spike said.
"Lets not spook him, we don't know if he will be the same Ethan we know of." Twilight warned.
I started to awake, I slowly opened my eyes being the same like spike but still with the same eye color. I got up dizzy I tried to keep my ground as I never been so large before. I stood pretty big, my muzzle alone could have a pony laying on it. Something was different about me, I was much more worried. I checked I didn't step on any pony. It was almost I became more like Fluttershy in the process, I might have triggered a personalty change in the spell.. I knew I should be careful but a part of me was screaming at me to be super careful.
"Is Every pony alright... I didn't hurt any pony?" I said out of impulse, even when I was aware no pony was hurt. My voice was much more stronger than normal but It was still like
"We are ok Ethan, how about you." Twilight asked me.
I grabbed my tail "I think I am like Fluttershy... not like there nothing wrong with that. Its that I think Fluttershy as I good friend I don't think wrongly about her... oh boy..." I face palmed myself to stop talking.
"That's Fluttershy alright... I wonder... where is she anyway?" Twilight said.
"But..but... um, I don't think Fluttershy wants to see me..." I stated.
"No Excuses..." Twilight demanded.
"Ok..." I said in defeat placing my head down then laying down.
It wasn't long til twilight was bringing Fluttershy she was clearly trying to run away but twilight use holding her with her magic.
"Fluttershy, relax... Its Ethan..." Twilight tried to reason.
"Ethan isn't a dragon... he is a stallion..." Fluttershy rejected.
It seemed to make my eyes water, "It is me Fluttershy..." I cried, which made Fluttershy confused to see a dragon crying because of her.
"Oh, please don't cry... I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, I am so sorry." Fluttershy apologized as she petted me on the head. "I should have listened to my friend more and believed her..."
"Your just scared of dragons, That can't be helped, I am sorry making you feel uncomfortable" I said feeling better.
"Not your fault, It was me being insensitive to your feelings..." Fluttershy apologized again.
"Ok, ok, you are both sorry." Twilight finished our duel of forgiveness.
"Sorry" Fluttershy and I responded.
"Fluttershy, since you are convinced, and you know of the dragon at his castle. He might need your help to be brave." Twilight stated.
"Are you sure? I mean she is very happy in that place." I stated.
Rainbow dash came over to find Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight to get together to handle the dragon at the prince's castle just to find ANOTHER dragon near ponyville.
"DRAGON! Get out of here!" Rainbow dash shouted as I covered my face.
"RAINBOW STOP!" Twilight shouted as she grabbed rainbow before she could harm me. "That's the Prince."
"What? How can our... why is he cowering in terror?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Well the spell to change him into a dragon had... side effects." Twilight explained.
"Now we have a Flutterdragon now?" Rainbow dash asked as I smiled with a squee. "If you want to get the other dragon out of Equestria you need to be mean."
"roar?" I made a sound.
"Louder." Rainbow demanded.
"roar." I made a sound.
"LOUDER." Rainbow demanded.
"Roar." I made a sound.
"Well we are doomed..." rainbow dash fell to the ground in defeat.
"Oh lighten up Rainbow, You don't need brute force to get a unwanted guest out. Grace and respect will be effective." Rarity added.
"There nothing wrong with some good ol diplomatic action." twilight agreed.
"urgh.." Rainbow dash grunted.
It wasn't long til I was coasted to fly to the castle, dropping off every pony at a safe distance. It seemed that all the guards had to fall back they can't deal with the one dragon yet two.
Something in my head just snapped.. It seems I wasn't worried about any pony getting hurt as they where pretty far away. I was very angry with this dragoness in my castle. I had stream coming out of my noses than smoke.
"Oh, what do we have here? " She wondered, "Oh a strong dragon like you going to remove me from my nest.. there is room for two."
"Seriously not interested." I stated.
"ahh, well maybe if you want to fight me then" She stated as she trackled me, "don't give up to easy."
I booted her off me by throwing her into the air, she recovered as she glided down.
"Go Ethan Go!" rainbow dash shouted.
"How barbaric..." Rarity stated as she watched still interested.
"I can't look." Fluttershy hid covering her eyes.
She tackled me again but in the speed she came crashing at me I flipped us and I pinned her.
"Why are you trying to nest here?" I asked.
"So I can stay away from other dragon couples." She grunted, I kept her pinned.
"So you came to Equestira without introducing yourself, just taking whatever you want." I stated.
"Yes, Isn't that how we dragons are?" She asked.
"It wouldn't hurt if you just asked." I stated.
"I shouldn't need to ask anything from ponies, they are weak." She growled.
"But yet there hardly any dragons in Equestira why is that?" I asked which placed he in a bind.
"I will leave." She gave up.
"Why would I have you leave?" I asked.
"But I thought..." She was dumfounded.
"Now, If you want to be in Equestira, that's fine, just don't use my castle as a nest." I stated.
"YOUR castle? I thought it was a Princes castle... you changed yourself to a dragon?!" She was shocked.
"Yes, I am that same prince you pushed away with a gust of wind. Now, If you REALLY need a place to stay, then we can arrange something. " I offered.
"Don't worry about it, I will take my hoard and leave." She got up and kissed me, "But I might come back to see you again." which took me by surprise she grabbed her hoard in a large bag and took off.
The group came to me once she was far away. I started to become fluttershie.
"TWILIGHT LETS GET ME BACK TO MY NORMAL SELF NOW!" I shouted which twilight agreed before I became like fluttershy again.
Twilight kept the book handy for that propose to reverse the spell before it became harder to revert. Which I remained in the same spot as she started to focus on the main spell as I closed my eyes. A white form encased my body as it broke into a brust of white mist as my alicorn form remained everything as it posed to be. I opened an eye to see if it worked then the other eye.
"Good that went perfectly... now to... check the castle." I stated then with a sigh as I looked at my castle, some of the towers where destroyed and the garden was damaged. Some holes here and there.
"Twilight get all the teams together, we need to get this finished and see if everypony is alright." Spike suggested.
"Right, I think the Prince wants this fixed up as we will be behind schedule." Twilight stated.
"Eeyup." I stated as some of the castle broke off.
It wasn't long til all the guards and crew came back to finish the castle and get the damage replaced. It was going to take a few days a hard labor to get back on time before more staff come to live in the castle.
"Well what was it like being a dragon?" Spike asked me with all the building going on he had nothing better to do.
"Well It was empowering, I was much stronger.. though I had no interest in hoarding or anything with greed... because I made sure those traits didn't effect me but it replaced them with traits that where not mine." I answered.
"I felt protected, Maybe because I never knew my real mother. Twilight and all the ponies have been my family. You becoming a dragon, showed me I won't be a monster... I can be a guardian for Equestira." Spike explained as I rubbed his head slightly.
"Its a good thing, someday you will realize that you need to be strong in heart even in dark times. Your friends may not be there and you might be alone. Having those memories will help you become a dragon you want to be." I stated with some annoyance.
"... something bugging you?" Spike asked.
"Well it seems that out all these times, my guards have been unable to handle protecing me... I keep on protecting myself or getting them out of trouble. I have to change myself that could destroy Equestira. I hope the council knows what they are getting at." I stated.
"Well, maybe its a way for you to get stronger in leadership... maybe you need to teach them how to protect you." Twilight stated walking to us.
"They could be more useful to get ponies safe in a devastating event." I stated.
"Well maybe..." Twilight added, "I hope you can't wait to see the new library."
"I heard it will be amazing, but I haven't seen it myself.. It would ruin the surprise." I stated.