"Your kind has popped up briefly across the millennia, though never in large numbers for obvious reasons. Last time I remember hearing about a longma popping up was centuries ago," Celestia explained, going through the opening section of the book. Various artworks of ponies that had dragon parts, all different as some had leathery wings and others horns sprouting from their skull.
"Wait, longma?" Spitfire asked as she studied all the various ponies coming by as the Princess flipped pages.
"It's the original name the eastern ponies gave your kind, their cities lay on the same island the dragonlands are on after all so most of the rare times a pony-dragon hybrid sprung up it was there. They have a few very interesting myths surrounding the hybrids there," The princess explained. "Here in Equestria, they were mostly misidentified as a kirin since some would have similarities with them."
"I was about to ask, why does Spitfire not show more of these draconic traits, Princess?" Twilight asked, noting the clear absence as things like spines on the seemingly normal pegasus.
"I don't know," Celestia answered simply. "It might depend on the traits of the father or it's completely random what traits will pass on. There haven't been exactly a lot of cases to study."
"Right... well, I'm not complaining about it," Spitfire spoke up. "I'm perfectly happy looking just like a pegasus."
"Of course. Now, as I alluded to back when we saw each other, you are not the first of your kind I have crossed paths with. Only it has been a terribly long time since that was last the case," Celestia smiled.
"I wanted to ask about that... Official history does not mention any dragon-pony hybrids directly, but the amount of information on them shouldn't be this extremely scarce."
"The last one seen here in Equestria was Almost five centuries ago, I attempt to keep knowledge alive but even I have my limits," Celestia admitted to her two little ponies. "There are many facts lost to time and my memory isn't flawless either. That and there have been many times in the last millennia where forces have actively tried suppressing information for their own gain."
"The nobility?" Spitfire guessed, Celestia gave her a nod to confirm the Captain's suspicion. "Sounds about right for them," she growled.
"I'd defend my ponies but can't deny some of them let themselves fall to very low points at times," the Princess grimaced, shaking her head and flipping the page. "But let us not think about the troubles with nobility, for now, that can come later. This book mostly consists of old biographies from the earlier longma's but it also contains some more advanced magical spells exclusive to your kind."
Twilight beamed at that, leaning forward a bit to see what kind of annotations there were in the book. Spitfire too got mighty curious, spells were for unicorns of course but ever since sending that message the previous day she'd warmed up to the idea of being able to do more 'active' magic.
"But first, let us fix that message spell so Spitfire here can send messages to other ponies than me," Celestia chuckled. "Twilight, did you take the matrix you taught Spitfire?"
"It's the exact same one Spike uses, I thought she'd have trouble with it but she did it literally in a single try," Twilight replied with a slight grumble, making Celestia chuckle.
"Do I hear a little envy there, my student?" Celestia smirked as she levitated a chalkboard over and reconstructed the matrix as Twilight had done the previous day.
"N-No! Of course not!" Twilight stuttered in response, amusing both Spitfire and Princess Celestia. "Maybe just a little..." she grumbled after.
Shaking her head, Princess Celestia showed the matrix she'd drawn. "This is the pattern you learned, correct?"
"Exactly the one," Spitfire confirmed as she looked over the pattern once again and matched it to the one she knew.
"Good. Now I cannot explain the exact workings of the entirety of the matrix in a single day." The princess wiped out a section of the message matrix and started drawing an expanded section to it. "But I can show you the true message spell, not the smaller condensed version Spike uses to send messages to me." The Princess kept on drawing, the matrix expanding to well over double it's previous size.
"That's... uhm, quite the thing to remember," Spitfire said with widened eyes, what was in front of her now was way more complex than the initial matrix. Twilight was silently making notes and copying the drawing the older Princess had made.
"Of course, it is not a simple thing that can only send a message to one recipient. Though it's not nearly as complicated as the three-dimensional matrixes needed for advanced fire magic like teleportation."
"TELEPORTATION?!" Both Spitfire and Twilight exclaimed simultaneously.
"Well, yes. Dragons are old beings, their magics have been developed for millennia. Just because the current generations of them have no interest in the arcane arts does not mean they were not able to do magnificent things in ages past," Celestia told them with a glint in her eyes from old memories returning. "Now, Spitfire, do you think you can replicate this?"
"This... might take me a few tries," The captain admitted as she studied the pattern, trying to divide it up into portions and correlate them with flight moves as she'd done the first time as well. Twilight went over to the book and skimmed its magic section, trying to take in as much of it as possible while Spitfire attempted to do the spell.
"Can spike do these as well?" Twilight asked with a lowered voice to avoid disturbing Spitfire while she looked at the various pages.
"Given enough time," Celestia replied in an equally hushed tone. "Though, I do not think with as much ease as the Captain here. I think she might have just found the true talent her cutie mark provides her with."
The two alicorns watched the dragon hybrid staring at the patterns with a studious intensity, Twilight could see herself in how serious Spitfire was in trying to memorise the matrix. Thinking she had it memorized, Spitfire grasped for one of the parchments and lit it aflame. The first try ended in failure, the parchment simply disintegrating as the fire licked across it. The second was better as although the paper shred itself into confetti before disintegrating, it did create smoke similar to the first message. Letting out a curse, Spitfire grabbed a third Parchment and sighed. "Third time's the charm, right?"
"That's the saying but no pressure if you need more attempts," Celestia smiled. Spitfire took a deep breath, summoning her fire and reconstructing the matrix and willing the message away. Fire engulfed the empty parchment and turned it into smoke.
"Yes!" Spitfire cheered, less than a second later a yelp and the clatter of metal came from deeper in the study, grabbing the attention of the three ponies at the table. "Was that Rainbow Dash?"
"I think that it was," Celestia answered, trying to hold back a laugh as she stood up and walked towards where the surprised yelp had come from. They found Rainbow fully suited up in Commander Hurricane's battle armour holding an empty piece of parchment while Scootaloo was holding an oversized shield for her and a spear. "I see you two have found the armour then." The white Princess said with barely contained mirth.
"Rainbow!" Twilight exclaimed as she saw her friend dressed in the ancient artefacts.
"W-We can explain!" Rainbow immediately said, blushing heavily.
"Y-Yeah!" Scootaloo agreed, her face equally as red as Rainbow's.
"You see, Scootallo and I were wondering-"
"-If Rainbow could fit in the armour-"
"-So at first we only took the helmet-"
"-But that wouldn't answer the question if the armour really fit!" Scootaloo finished with an innocent smile. Spitfire just watched on in unbelief.
"Calm down Twilight, I've enchanted these artefacts personally to preserve them. If Rainbow and Scootaloo had the ability to break them I wouldn't have sent them off to go look for them," Celestia snickered at the sight.
"You expected them to try and wear it?" Spitfire asked, a little shocked.
"I've seen enough of Twilight's friendship reports and met her on enough occasions to know it was at least a possibility she'd try..." the princess hid her smile behind a hoof. "...And it isn't like it is the first time she's had it on."
"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked, looking less like a kitten that was just caught doing something it wasn't supposed to.
Twilight suddenly had a flash of remembrance. "The Hearts Warming play! You gave us the real artefacts?!"
"Well, your acting was so very good at the rehearsal that I decided to make the play just a little more realistic. It was one of the most true to life re-enactments I saw in a long time," Celestia snickered.
"So the crown you gave to Rarity?" Rainbow asked, now very curious.
"The real one, yes," the Princess confirmed.
"Rarity is so going to freak when she finds that out," Rainbow laughed, joining in with the Princess.
"Do inform me of her reaction if you will."
"Something along the lines of 'Oh my' followed by fainting on her couch," Rainbow laughed, getting Scootaloo to laugh as well. Twilight still was trying to wrap her head around the fact they had played in the play with the actual artefacts. "Anyway, I'm going to guess Spits got that message spell thing down in record time?" Rainbow held up the empty scroll.
"Give me a couple more times and I'll probably have it down to a T," Spitfire smirked confidently.
"I'm sure you would, Captain, but there are some pressing things that we need to discuss considering the Wonderbolts." Celestia had stopped laughing and became more serious. "Rainbow, if you would return that armour to its proper place and join me and Spitfire?"
"Of course, Princess," Dash responded, starting to get out of the metal suit with the help of Twilight and Scootaloo.
"What is this about?" Spitfire asked as she followed Celestia back to the main table of the study.
"Has lieutenant Soarin not informed you yet?" the princess asked. Spitfire's mind immediately went to the unopened letter from Soarin, grabbing it from her saddlebags and opening it up. Quickly skimming the contents she looked back at Celestia.
"The nobility is trying to take away the 'Bolts' funding?" she said incredulously.
"Remember how I said some of my ponies would fall to low points sometimes?" Celestia sighed. "This is one of those times."
"Can we do anything to stop it?" Spitfire grumbled, her fangs fully on display. Rainbow joined them at the table.
"Yes. My support will have already stopped some from daring to vote in favour of this proposal," Celestia explained, "The few nobles that are pegasi will obviously object, the unicorns are the majority in favour, so the true wildcards will be the earthponies."
"So how do we convince them?" Spitfire questioned, leaning in.
"Reassurance you're the right pony for the job will go very far," Celestia told her them. "There's a hearing in the house of lords and ladies in an hour, I can get you in there but I have no right to speak or vote in that chamber unless directly asked."
"So Spitfire will be on her own?" Rainbow asked, wrapping a wing around her marefriend.
"I am afraid so. I cannot let you enter either, I can make sure Blueblood allows the Captain in but no more than that."
"We'll handle it Rainbow, I'm not going to just let them take the Wonderbolts down." Spitfire smiled at Rainbow, giving her a quick kiss on the lips. "So Princess, mind if I get dressed for the occasion?"
"Of course not, I will head to Blueblood to get this arranged very swiftly. I expect you to be ready at the entrance of the chamber in forty-five minutes."
Spitfire gave her a salute with her wing. "Yes, ma'am."
Spitfire straightened her uniform, a last check before waiting at the entrance to the chamber. Since Rainbow couldn't join, she had taken Scootaloo into the city to take both their minds of what was happening with Spitfire.
"Captain Spitfire?" she turned around at hearing her name being called, Blueblood strode towards her with his head held high. "Auntie has informed me of her plan, if you would follow me I shall point you to your seat." Spitfire didn't speak up further, she'd heard about the prince's reputation, and on occasion witnessed it, but none of that seemed to bleed through now.
I wonder if this is what he's really like...
Blueblood stopped for a moment at the closed door, straightening his bowtie. "There's a chair to the right after entering, go sit there and just wait to be announced." The moment his hoof touched the door Spitfire could feel his demeanour change, tossing his hair back with an annoyed look on his face he made a beeline straight to his seat in the chamber. Spitfire took place at the seat she was pointed to. The chamber was already filled to the brim with lords and ladies from various places around Equestria. Some whispered to each other as the noticed Spitfire, others were a bit louder.
"What's the meaning of this, Blueblood? That you are late we are used to but taking visitors?" A fatter grey unicorn asked, Spitfire felt like she'd seen this pony before but couldn't place where. "She is not of a noble house, she has no place in this chamber!"
"Oh calm down, I just found her in the palace, Lord Bristle," Blueblood responded, sounding positively bored. "I thought that since we're talking about her anyway I might as well invite her along. That's a motion of course, lord speaker."
"We are not talking about her, we are discussing funding for this wasteful guard branch."
"Tomato, Tomato," Blueblood said, rolling his eyes.
"A motion to allow Captain Spitfire in this chamber has been filed," the speaker called out, cutting the argument short.
"Seconded." Spitfire could see various pegasi in the room had stood up to second the motion but were beaten by another unicorn to the punch, Fleur de Lis if Spitfire remembered correctly.
"Motion to allow Captain Spitfire to speak tabled. All aye's raise hooves." The pegasi all raised their hooves in unison, as did most of the earthponies, but the unicorns only had a few ayes. The same procedure was repeated with the nay's, though there were considerably less of those. It at least seemed there was a willingness to hear her out. "Motion has passed. Captain spitfire, you are allowed to stay. Please take a seat at the stand."
A separate seat was placed in the middle of the room where Spitfire took place. She could see the disapproval and approval clearly on some of the lords and ladies' faces, though others were hard to place. She locked eyes with Fleur de Lis for a fraction of a second who gave her a small nod.
"Now, to the subject tabled for discussion," The speaker announced, levitating a parchment in front of him. "Tabled is the budgetary motion to strip the Guard's special aeronautical team, better known as the Wonderbolts, of funding. Lord Bristle, as this is your motion you have the floor."
“Thank you, honourable lord speaker,” Lord Bristle said, standing up to take the attention of the room. “As the honourable Lord Speaker just announced, today I present to the lords and ladies of this house a motion to withdraw funding from the flight team known to us as the Wonderbolts. This is an action this body should have taken a generation ago against this wasteful part of the Guard.”
Spitfire mentally went over the revenue numbers in her head from the previous season, very positive ones to be correct. Whatever this stallion had seen she did not know but she was pretty sure that he was talking out of his plot-hole. Zoning back in, Spitfire caught the tail end of his plea.
“I, therefore, propose relieving this frivolous unit of its funding and disbanding it, integrating its members into the proper guard or relieving them of duty.”
“I would like to hear Captain Spitfire's mind on the subject, Lord Speaker.” one of the pegasi, seemingly the oldest of the ones in the room, asked as he stood up.
“Captain Spitfire, what is your opinion on this proposal?” the speaker asked, turning to look at Spitfire.
The dragon hybrid took a deep breath and stood up. “I wish to make it known Lord Bristle does not have the most recent revenue numbers but-”
“Are you accusing me of lying, captain?” Lord Bristle interrupted.
I know this pony, I just can't remember from where!
“Order! It is not your turn to talk, Lord Bristle!” The speaker pointedly said, smacking his hoof on his desk. "Proceed, captain."
“Perhaps you just have the wrong numbers, lord, but I want to focus on the part where you called my unit frivolous. I would like to point towards our activities outside of flight demonstrations where we act as a rapid response unit to be the first on the scene in emergencies to provide aid and relief to any local guard and police forces or help with weather emergencies."
"Like how the guard here in Canterlot had to intervene in Ponyville?" another unicorn interjected sarcastically, making Spitfire smirk as this lady probably hadn't seen the article in the Baltimare Sun yet describing her involvement in that.
"Exactly. After senior air pony Dash and myself got control of that rogue Everfree storm the guard arrived to take over general management. We are rapid response after all, we can't be bogged down in places if we are to keep that task," Spitfire answered, she could practically hear Lord Bristle's teeth gnashing as he shot a glare at the fellow unicorn.
"I think I've heard enough. I'm not sure what you are trying to achieve here Lord Bristle but trying to cripple a functional part of the guard is low even for you," the elder pegasus said, giving the unicorn a glare. "One would almost think this was personal."
Something then suddenly snapped into place in Spitfire's mind, knowing where she knew this pony from. "You're Crescent's friend after I..."
"After you showed him your vile colours, yes," Lord Bristle growled.
"My vile colours?!" Spitfire's fangs slid out to their full length and a low guttural growl came from her chest. The chamber exploded into talk and shouts from various places
"I WILL HAVE ORDER IN THIS CHAMBER!" the speaker roared, pounding his hoof on the desk. It was probably for the best that he did so as Spitfire was on the verge of jumping the unicorn as he did.
"Lord Speaker, I put forward a motion to dismiss this ridiculous proposal," the older pegasus said as the shouts died down a bit.
"Seconded," came a call from the earthpony side.
"Motion for dismissal has been filed, all ayes raise their hooves." Spitfire took quick stock of all the votes. She could see the earthponies overwhelmingly support the dismissal, even some of the unicorns that had voted nay on her being present voted with the dismissal of the proposal. After finishing the procedure Spitfire was escorted out of the chamber, not that she protested about it as she was pretty sure if she'd had to stay with Lord Bristle in the chamber she'd have lit him on fire.
I... need to get someplace quiet where I can think.