The Equestrian Odyssey - A Tale of Two Worlds

by Kamahido


Chapter 1 - A New Man

In a flash the spell is finished. No one speaks. Eventually Arc turns to Ember.

“Did… did it work?”

Ember nods as she blushes heavily. “Y-y-yes it did.”

He slowly steps back and looks down at himself. His shirt is torn and his pants are literally bursting at the seams.

“Uh… how bad is it?”

Sereb gestures to the vanity mirror. ”You should see for yourself.”

Arc walks carefully over to the mirror. Each step appears forced and deliberate. As he nears the polished surface he looks himself up and down. His hair is gone. In its place are two horn nubs growing out of his forehead. Arc opens his mouth to see two rows of sharp teeth. His arms are thick with new muscle mass and his legs appear at nearly twice their previous girth. Rose is the first to respond.

“It would appear the transformation was a success.”

Arc chuckles as he puts a claw to his blue hued scaled face. “I can’t believe it! I’m… I’m a dragon!”

Sereb nods. “Truthfully I did not believe it was possible.”

Ember grins as she walks over to Arc. “And a good looking one as well!”

“My scans show you to be doing much better, Arc.”

Arc stretches. “I feel better too! In fact, I feel as if I could take on ANYONE right now!”

Sereb frowns. “Are you certain you are alright?”

Ember puts a hand on Arc’s shoulder. “Easy there. You’ll need to get used to certain… um… changes.”

Rose points at Arc’s legs. “Such as not being able to fit into his old clothes?”

“That too, but…”

Arc rips what’s left of the shirt from his chest as he flexes the muscles in his legs. The tatters of his clothing fall to the floor.

“Guess I don’t need these anymore.”

Rose looks confused. “Are you okay, Arc? You were always most insistent on clothes.”

Arc turns away instinctively. “Yeah. That might have been a bit premature.”

Sereb steps forward. “I can run downstairs and fetch some of Xenos’ clothes for you.”

“Good idea.”

Sereb turns to leave the room. Ember checks out Arc’s tail and grins.

“Take your time, Sereb.”

The wolf quickly heads to the basement. He walks over to Xenos’ bunk and pulls a set of clothes off the shelf. Xenos opens his eyes and sits up.

“Hey, what’re you doing?”

“Arc is in need of clothing.”

“Oh? I didn’t realize we were so behind on laundry! But maybe you should grab someone else’s clothes. Mine are a lot bigger than his are.”

“These should fit him now.”

“Now?”

Sereb nods as he turns back toward the stairs. “Yes. I just turned Arc into a dragon.”

Xenos watches Sereb walk up the stairs and close the door behind him. He lays back down and rolls over.

“I must really be sick! There’s no way I just heard that.”

A few minutes later Sereb returns to Arc with a pair of pants and a shirt draped over his back. He walks them over to Arc.

“Here you are.”

“Thanks.”

Arc picks up the pants and steps into them, careful not to tear the legs with his claws. He pulls them up slowly and frowns.

“Something is wrong here.”

Rose tilts her head to one side. “What is?”

“I can’t seem to get them up.”

Ember sighs. “Arc?”

“Yes, Ember?”

“You have a tail now, remember?”

Arc turns around and looks down. “Oh… right. Forgot about that.”

Rose giggles. “Shall I cut a hole in the backside to accommodate your new appendage?”

Arc thinks for a moment before removing the pants. “No. I don’t want to ruin Xenos’ favorite pair of blue jeans.”

Sereb nods. “You have another idea?”

“I do.”

Tossing the pants back to Sereb Arc reaches for his ring and pulls out his Magic Robe. Putting it on he turns back to the others.

“There. Now I’m covered.”

Ember frowns. “That you are.”

Arc sniffs the air. “Is anyone else hungry?”

Sereb nods. “Just you, I, and Ember.”

“What about the guys?”

Rose shakes her head. “Last I checked they were still bedridden.”

“They going to make it?!”

“Yes. Their condition is certainly improving. Albeit slowly.”

Arc breathes a sigh of relief. “Good. Then let’s get some supper.”

He leads the group down the stairs to the Kitchen as he sniffs the air hungrily.

“What smells so good?!”

Rose smiles. “I’m cooking a chicken.”

Ember grins. “It smells great!”

Sereb smiles hungrily. “That it does.”

Rose pints to the already set table. “Why don’t you three have a seat? My scanners show the food is nearly ready to serve.”

Ember does so. “Thanks, Rose.”

They sit down as Rose pulls the pan out of the oven. She begins transferring the meat from it to a serving dish.

“I also made a salad to go with this.”

Ember laughs. “Didn’t think the meat would be enough?”

“It was intended for Arc’s squad. Had they been up for it, that is.”

Arc smiles toothily. “We’ll eat it! I’m starving! Can you hurry up, Rose?!”

Sereb looks confused. “A bit impatient, Arc?”

Arc turns to him angrily. “I haven’t hardly eaten yet today!”

Rose nods. “I’ll hurry!”

Ember frowns. “Calm down, Arc. Like I said upstairs, there are a few things you need to know about dragons now that you are one.”

“Can’t it wait until after supper?!”

“I suppose so.”

She moves to stand up.

“I’ll get the salad out of the refrigerator. Arc, can you get the drinks poured?”

He sighs heavily. “…fine.”

A few minutes later they sit down to their meal. Arc eats a large portion hungrily.

“This is good, Rose!”

Ember nods. “That it is!”

Sereb looks over to Rose. “I too enjoy this.”

“Thank you. I’ve come a long way since my first meal with you, Arc.”

“I guess you have. But honestly, at this point I’m hungry enough to eat dog food!”

Ember glares at him. “Yeah… we need to talk, Arc.”

He does not look up as he continues eating and drinking. “So talk.”

“Being a dragon is more than just sharp teeth and scales. It’s a cultural and biological mindset. A way of life.”

“Well, it also makes meat taste better!”

Ember sighs. “I can’t argue with that. But you need to know a few things about your new body.”

Sereb turns to Ember. “Really? Are humans and dragons so different?”

Rose nods. “Mentally and physically, yes.”

Arc frowns. “Fine. Elaborate, Ember.”

“All dragons, especially males, have a bit of a… superiority complex.”

Arc laughs. “Not me!”

He turns to Rose and tosses her his empty glass.

“Fill that up for me.”

Rose stands up. “Okay.”

Ember takes the glass from Rose. “You don’t notice any changes, Arc?”

Arc rolls his eyes. “Actually yes. That glass has gone from full to empty.”

“I mean in YOU, numbskull!”

“Other than complete physical metamorphosis I’m still the same old me, right?”

Ember shakes her head. “No, Arc. You’re kinda being a bit of a…”

Rose looks to her. “A what, Ember?”

Sereb looks to Arc. “I believe the word you’re looking for is ‘jerk’.”

“WHAT?!”

Ember nods angrily. “Yup. That’s the one.”

Arc appears irate. “All I did was ask her to fill the glass up!”

Ember glares at him. “You threw it at her without even saying please! And that’s after comparing her meal to dog food!”

“I was just hungry! Besides, all I did was ask her for a refill!”

“No you didn’t ASK! You TOLD her!”

“Why should I…?!”

Ember interrupts. “See?”

Arc drops his food and looks down, slightly embarrassed. “I… what’s happening to me?! Am I sick?”

Sereb shakes his head. “No, Arc. You are simply acting like a normal male dragon.”

Arc turns to Ember. “Is that true?”

Ember nods. “Pretty much.”

“Wow. Now I know why you didn’t want a mate from the Dragon Lands.”

“This is a lot to take in, Arc. I was born and raised a dragon. But you’ve only been one for about fifteen minutes.”

Arc looks up to Rose apologetically as he takes the glass from Ember. “Sorry about this, Rose.”

“It’s okay, Arc.”

“I’ll try to be more polite to you in the future.”

He turns to Ember.

“Can I assume there’s more to being a dragon than being cold-blooded, scaly, and easily angered?”

There is a tense silence as Ember frowns.

“Sorry.”

Ember narrows her eyes. “Yeah… you’d better be.”

She sighs and shakes her head.

“But that really is how dragons are. Do you remember how I acted when we first met?”

“Kinda gruff and on edge all the time, I guess.”

“Do you know why that was?”

“Because we were in Tartarus?”

Ember shakes her head. “No, Arc. Because that’s how a female dragon acts.”

“Come again?”

“You saw it from me, from my father, and from all the dragons in the Dragon Lands. We’re all kinda… jerks, like Sereb said.”

“I don’t understand. You’re nothing like that now though.”

“That’s because you showed me there was another way. I learned that I didn’t have to be what my heritage had taught me. In the end I was free to choose my own path. And that path was with you and the Equestrians.”

Sereb nods. “Dragons and the members of my tribe are very similar.”

Rose raises an eyebrow. “Really? I didn’t see that back in the Dragon Lands when you fought your brother.”

“I was always considered an outcast. Different from the others. While I tried to toughen myself up, something was always holding me back. Or so I thought at the time.”

Arc looks confused. “What was?”

“Morals, civility, and a desire for peace.”

Ember turns to Sereb. “But that’s what makes you… YOU!”

Arc nods. “Yeah! You’re quite the partner, Sereb. You, me and Ember make quite the team!”

Rose smiles. “You three complement each other’s weaknesses and amplify your strengths. It’s been quite interesting to observe.”

Sereb chuckles. “I too have enjoyed the journey. But the question before us now is… where do we go from here?”

Arc sighs. “Ember. I need you to teach me how to be a dragon.”

“Trust me. You don’t.”

“But I do. That way I can understand what I need to work on, what to avoid, and how to keep a level head.”

Ember frowns. “Are you sure? I mean, you might not like it.”

Arc looks down at his claws. “At the moment this is what I am, Ember.”

Rose shrugs. “For now, I suppose. It will most likely take some time, but your body should be able to cleanse itself of the toxin now.”

“Well, in the meantime I’ll help you, Arc.”

“Thank you.”

They finish supper and head up the stairs. A few steps up they hear Cybil’s alarm clock go off. Ember turns to him quickly.

“Let’s get to the basement! She can’t see us like this!”

Arc grins. “I have an idea.”

He grabs Ember and Blinks them into the bedroom as Cybil opens her door. They reappear in the center of the room. Arc looks down at Ember as the sound of footsteps pass by.

“There we go. Now we can… Ember?”

Ember’s face is a deep shade of red

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yes! I’m fine!”

Arc lets go of her. “Good. I thought you were feverish again.”

Ember shakes her head nervously. “Nope! Now then, shall we get to work?”

“Sounds good.”

Ember spends the next two hours talking to Arc about dragon physiology, traits, powers, history and emotions.

“So when you sneeze, DON’T be channeling magic!”

Arc nods. “Yes. I don’t really want to accidently breathe fire on someone.”

“Yeah. You might badly hurt someone.”

“But you and I are resistant to fire, right?”

Ember nods. “Yes. It’s not uncommon for dragons to swim through lava back home.”

Arc looks to her, wide-eyed. “You’re kidding! Have you ever done that?!”

“Years ago, yes. It’s kinda a juvenile thing though. Oh right! About fire breathing! It’s considered… um… rude to intentionally breath fire on another dragon.”

Arc raises an eyebrow. “But we can’t be burned by it, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Then why…?”

Ember blushes. “It’s just not done?!”

“Uh… okay. Does it hurt?”

“N-no. Not at all.”

Arc removes his robe and looks down at his chest. “I don’t think I can do this myself. Do you think you could, Ember?”

“Do what?”

“Breathe fire on me.”

Her pupils shrink. “Wh-wha-what?!”

“I just want to know what it feels like. Please?!”

“B-but…!”

“Just once. I know you said it’s not something we’re supposed to do, but you and I are friends and I won’t tell anyone.”

“Oh… um… okay. But just this once, okay?!”

“Sure.”

Ember sits there looking at his chest for a moment before opening her mouth and letting out a weak stream of flame. It hits Arc’s chest and wraps around him before going out. Arc grins.

“That actually felt really good!”

Ember blushes again. “D-did it?”

“Yeah. I don’t know why dragons don’t do that all the time!”

She looks away nervously. “I… I’ve never felt it before. Do you think you could do the same thing to me?”

“Sure.”

Arc looks down at Ember’s chest and breaths a light blue stream of flame at her. Ember lets out a small squeal of delight and smiles broadly.

“That was amazing! Do it again!”

“Okay.”

He does so. Ember makes a similar sound. He looks to her, concerned.

“You sure that doesn’t hurt?”

Ember blushes but smiles broadly. “Not in the least! Do it again!”

“Ember… I?”

“Please! It’s amazing!”

“I will. But first I think I need you to tell me why this is so taboo to dragons.”

Ember turns away. “I… I don’t know!”

“You do though, don’t you? I mean, there HAS to be a reason.”

She sighs. “Yes.”

Ember turns away from Arc and looks at the wall.

“It… it’s part of dragon’s… mating rituals.”

“WHAT?!”

“I guess it would be the equivalent of what ponies and humans call… ‘foreplay’.”

Arc looks away, clearly embarrassed. “I… I see.”

“I’m sorry for deceiving you. But I… I just want you SO much! Even more so now that you’re a dragon!”

Arc puts a hand on Ember’s shoulder. “Ember. Can I confess something?”

“Um… sure.”

“I… kinda knew that.”

Ember turns to look Arc in the eye, bewildered. “You did? How?!”

Arc blushes heavily. “Becoming a male dragon has certainly made me more… physically adept to my situation. But… I… um…”

He pauses for a moment before continuing.

“I … since the transformation, I’ve… just had one thought in my head.”

“What’s that?”

“To… to make eggs with you.”

Ember grins broadly as she wraps her arms around Arc’s neck.

“I feel the same way, Arc! Now that you’re a dragon, there’s nothing preventing us from…!”

“I can’t.”

Ember looks at him, confused. “Can’t… what?”

“You know. Mate with you.”

“Sure you can! We’ll figure it out together!”

“That’s not what I mean. This isn’t love. It’s just overwhelming lust caused by my newfound dragon greed.”

“But… but that’s okay! I want the same thing!”

Arc shakes his head. “Please stop, Ember.”

“My dad will be okay with this if that’s the problem. In his eyes, you and I are practically mates anyways.”

Arc’s pupils shrink. “Uh… he doesn’t think you and I… um… you know.”

Ember shrugs. “He never asked. But like I told you before, mating is rather open in dragon society.”

“That may be. But…”

Ember smiles and sighs. “I understand. If you don’t want to I won’t try to force it on you.”

She looks up at the clock.

“It’s getting late. We should get some sleep, Arc.”

Arc nods as he leans over to turn off the bedside lamp. “Yes. Tomorrow I’m going to find Minerva after all.”

Ember nods as she lies down. “And Cherry.”

“Right.”

Ember sighs as she covers them with the blankets. “I’m sure she’s just fine.”

Arc nods as he stares up at the ceiling. “Yeah. But right now I feel the same way I did when she died.”

“You do?”

“Yes. That feeling of loss and emptiness. The knowledge that she was gone was just so… so hard to come to terms with.”

Ember takes his claw in hers. “We’ll find her together. I promise.”

“Thank you, my friend.”

Arc sighs and rolls over to face the wall.

“Good night, Ember.”

Ember is silent for a few moments before rolling over to Arc and pressing her body against his.

“Ember? What are you…?”

She sighs contentedly. “Just let me have this, all right? It’s my first time sleeping next to another dragon.”

“You like this?”

Ember rests her face against Arc’s bare back. “Very much so.”

“Ember?”

“Hm?”

“To be honest with you, I do too.”

Ember happily whispers in his ear. “Good night, Arc.”

“Good night.”