//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Cultural Exchange // Story: Dawn of a New Age // by GTthe4th //------------------------------// (Warfang Temple, Guardian’s Terrace) The moment the Ponies’ hooves touched the balcony attached to the Temple’s main tower, it was as if a switch had flipped on in their minds. Gone was the silent awe in Pinkie’s face, replaced by shrieking squeals of joy so immense Starlight was almost sure the party mare would faint from exertion. Fluttershy flapped her wings to get some height in her hop, and leaned over the railing, looking down at the moonlit city below, marvelling at the size and scope of it all. Rainbow was snapping photos left and right, a huge grin on her face as she zoomed through the air. She tried to hide her giddiness as best as she could, but the rainbow Pegasus was never good at hiding emotion of any kind, much less excitement. Starlight simply looked around her in wonder. The balcony wasn’t small in the slightest, and seemed to dwarf them. It was beautifully-designed, with tall, domed gazebos; ornate pavilions; fountains and carefully-positioned aqueducts; hanging gardens and pergolas; and even multiple levels, each more extravagant than the last. The floor beneath her was marble mixed with quartz and polished granite, and several overhanging platforms made it look like the entire balcony was floating as if by magic. And yet, it was never too opulent or ostentatious, balancing perfectly between architectural beauty and peaceful serenity. It reminded her of the upper levels of Canterlot, in a way, without all the stuffy nobles. Taking in all the beauty around her, she walked over to the edge of the balcony next to Fluttershy and watched as the Dragons did one last flyby past the Temple before landing next to them. They weren’t even tired, judging by energetic they all seemed still. “Nice view, eh?” Blades chirped, standing next to her. “It’s so b-big...” Fluttershy whispered, shrinking back from the railing. “Like Canterlot.” “Actually, it used to be a lot bigger,” Flashwing supplied. “But Malefor happened and, well, you know the rest. That was before even our time, though, back when Cynder...” She trailed off, glancing at the Dragoness in question, who frowned. Blackout coughed. “Right, well, we ought to--” Pinkie slammed into Starlight out of nowhere and sent her rolling across the balcony (thankfully away from the railing), coming to a stop in the midst of the assembled Dragons, a gleeful smile on her face. “Starlight, you won’t believe this! They’ve got this huuuuge blue crystal floating inside the tower! And it’s got a bunch of spinny ring things going around it with a whole bunch of blue spheres! Maud would love this place, it’s the coolest thing EVER!!” “Yeah, that would be the city’s shield crystal,” Flashwing said, lifting her wings proudly. “When I’m not working with the Rangers, I’m usually it’s caretaker. Unfortunately it was damaged during the siege, so we weren’t able to hold back Malefor’s forces using it, but when it’s fixed...” She shook her head and smirked. “You Ponies will be in for quite the light show.” Starlight gently pushed Pinkie off of her and stood back up. “This is all so incredible...” “You’re telling me!” Rainbow cried, landing near her and lifting up her camera. “I think I’ve got like fifty shots already of this place and I haven’t even seen the whole city yet! Rarity’s gonna be so jealous!” “Careful Rainbow, you might end up becoming an egghead at this rate,” Starlight quipped. “Screw that, this place is awesome!” Cynder snickered. “Man, if only we were able to have this reaction when we first got here, huh guys?” “What are you talking about, I had it and then some,” Sparx huffed, crossing his arms. “Ah, so you weren’t hiding under my wing half the time, it was the other yellow Dragonfly named Sporx,” Spyro laughed. “There was fire everywhere, what was I supposed to do, burn?” Sparx protested, pointing at his wings. “These are delicate, man, like gossamer in sunlight.” Rainbow suddenly burst out laughing, much to the confusion of those around her. Fluttershy shook her head in disapproval. “Oh, I’m soooo glad my suffering brings joy to a buncha candy horses from another world,” Sparx muttered. “Ahem, as I was saying,” Blackout grumbled. “We should get the Guardians ASAP. Spyro, Cynder, Sparx, you three stay here with the Ponies, we’ll bring them here.” Spyro saluted with a wing. “We’ll be waiting.” Blackout nodded and gestured to his team with a claw, and they all shot up into the sky and disappeared behind the tower. Spyro and Cynder waited a moment before turning to the mares. “Well, while we wait, are there any ques--” “YES!” Starlight cried, pulling out a notebook from her saddlebags and summoning a quill with magic. She stared at him with eager eyes. “Like you wouldn’t believe!” “...tions,” Spyro finished lamely. “Right, um, okay, fire away.” Starlight raised a hoof and opened her mouth, only for Pinkie to stick her entire hoof into it. “Starlight, not right now,” she said, her tail and mane shaking and her left eye twitching uncontrollably. “We’re about to get company, three of them, and they’re BIG. And very happy.” Starlight spat Pinkie’s hoof out with a grunt of disappointment. “Is this what it feels like to be Twilight?” she wondered aloud, her ears wilting as she glanced at her empty notebook. Sure enough, a few moments later, the Rangers returned, three enormous Dragons hot on their heels. None of them cared about grace, only speed as they blazed through the air with wordless, jubilant shouts and cheering emerging from their throats. The Rangers landed on the balcony and moved aside, just as the three large Dragons practically stumbled into their landings in front of Spyro and Cynder. “Spyro, Spyro, Spyro, my dear lad, you’re alive!” Cyril exclaimed. “And Cynder, too!” Volteer added, smiling at her. “I knew the two of you could never be broken, defeated, beaten, or downed! It’s truly astonishing, wonderful, exciting, brilliant, and, erm, um...oh to heck with it, praise the Ancestors and their Ancestors you’re alright!” Terrador, unlike his companions, composed himself and merely bowed his head to Spyro and Cynder in reverence. “Tonight is a glorious night indeed, to have you both return to us unharmed and well. There are no words or actions that we can do to properly show our gratitude to you for saving us, but know that it is with all of my heart and mind that I say ‘thank you’. We are truly blessed to have such heroes among us.” All three Guardians swept their wings back and bowed low towards them. The Rangers followed their example, beaming smiles on their faces. “I...um...” Spyro started, unsure of how to react to seeing any Dragons bowing to him, much less the Guardians. “He accepts your praise and demands your allegiance!” Sparx bellowed, flying up next to Spyro and raising a finger. “I really don’t,” Spyro muttered, while Cynder smirked and nudged him in the side. Cyril looked around in the air, and frowned. “Um, pardon me, my dear boy, but where is Ignitus? Is he not with you?” Spyro’s face fell, and Cynder lost her smile. Even Sparx seemed to wilt slightly under the curious gazes of the Guardians, and he landed on Spyro’s head. Terrador’s eyes narrowed as he read their expressions. “He’s fallen, hasn’t he? He is no longer with us?” Spyro nodded slowly. The Guardians bowed their heads in solemn acceptance, and Starlight could tell that all their hearts were heavy. Ignitus must have been not just a companion and friend to them, but also a brother. “This is dark news for an otherwise good night,” Cyril murmured. “How did he die?” “In the Belt of Fire,” Cynder answered quietly. “The flames were too strong, and despite his best efforts, he couldn’t hold it back for long. He...sacrificed himself so that he could send us through without harm.” Terrador’s throat rumbled and he nodded. “That sounds like him, alright...” he murmured. “When he was young he always said that if his time came he would want it to be meaningful. I suppose he got his wish.” He looked down at Spyro and lifted up his head with a claw. “In his last few years of his life, nothing meant more to him than you.” He then glanced at Cynder. “Both of you. He loved you as if you were both his own, and if he were with us, I daresay he would weep out of pride and joy. Your lives and safety were always his top priority, even when you were lost to us for three years.” “A truer brother and friend there never was,” Volteer said, his tone oddly muted and feeble. For a moment, his old age began to show, and some of the color in his bright yellow scales seemed to fade. “On this, my friend, we can agree,” Cyril agreed. His expression remained as stoic as ever, but Starlight could see in his eyes that the elderly Guardian was distraught on the inside. “He was the greatest among us, and we shall mourn him,” Terrador declared, looking at each assembled Dragon in turn. “The whole world shall mourn him, and honor his memory. And we shall start by rebuilding not just our city, but also our lives. It’s what he would’ve wanted.” A moment of silence was held, as each Dragon closed their eyes and bowed their heads in prayer to their Ancestors to watch over Ignitus’s spirit, and to watch over them all. The Ponies watched them with sad gazes, and Pinkie’s mane deflated. Fluttershy hid her tears behind her long mane, but Rainbow could tell when her closest friend was heartbroken. She reached over and hugged her close. Starlight swallowed and stepped forward, putting a hoof on Spyro’s shoulder in comfort. “I’m sorry...” she whispered. “I know what it’s like to lose someone close to you.” Spyro looked at her with misty eyes and nodded gratefully. The Guardians’ eyes opened and their gazes all fell on Starlight. Sadness was replaced with curiosity and wonder, and Terrador leaned forward. “Spyro, who is this?” He then noticed the other mares and added, “And them?” Spyro let himself smile slightly as he stepped aside, letting the mares enter the circle of Dragons. “These are some new friends of ours: Starlight Glimmer, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy. They’re Ponies from Ponyville, the town Cynder and I stumbled into earlier this morning.” The Ponies all waved and smiled at the Guardians (except for Fluttershy, who hid behind Rainbow slightly as she looked up at the huge Dragons before her). Spyro then pointed to the Guardians in turn. “Girls, this is Terrador, the Guardian of Earth; Cyril, the Guardian of Ice; and Volteer, the Guardian of Electricity. They’re essentially Warfang’s leaders, as well as the leaders of the Dragon race as a whole.” Volteer scooted forward and looked down at the Ponies with a grin. “Now this is quite a development. Equine, quadrupedal with somewhat bipedal capabilities, judging by the limb size; horns, wings...fascinating!” Sparx leaned down to Starlight and whispered, “He’s like your Twilight, only big, old, and with a mouth that can overclock your ears.” “I heard that, Sparx!” Volteer cackled. Sparx gulped and hid behind Spyro’s horns. Starlight stepped forward and offered a hoof to Terrador. “Hello there! We come in peace from the nation of Equestria. We’ve heard of your city appearing in this neck of the woods, so to speak, so we’ve been sent by our leaders and the Dragon Lord to the north to--” “We’re here to make friends with you guys!” Pinkie interrupted, bouncing up and grinning form ear to ear. “We have so much in common, and all you guys are so sad, and we Ponies know just how to make everyone all happy and smiling again, and now that all the baddies are gone now, so all that’s left to do is smile, smile, smile and party like there’s no tomorrow!” “Goodness, she said that in one breath,” Cyril remarked, raising an eyebrow. Terrador nodded. “There will be time for that, I suppose. In any case, on behalf of the Guardians and the city of Warfang, I welcome you to our home, and offer you a claw in friendship, peace, and understanding. It has been a long few years for us all, and I think that a few new friends will be a refreshing change of pace.” “Yes indeed, Terrador,” Volteer agreed. “And might I just say how truly remarkable friends they will turn out to be. So small, yet so adorable, well-spoken, and kind. I already have no doubt they will be of great help to us in the future.” “I’m not adorable, I’m awesome,” Rainbow corrected, hovering up in the air and crossing her forelegs over her chest. “Buuut, since we’re still getting to know each other, I guess I’ll let it slide this time. I’m Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in Equestria, Wonderbolt, friend to royalty, and coolest weather manager in Ponyville.” “And braggart extraordinaire, it seems,” Cyril muttered. “As if you’re any better, ha!” Volteer laughed, slapping Cyril’s back with a wing. Cyril rolled his eyes. “Gentlemen, please,” Terrador said. “It’s late, and we now have guests over. The least we can do is be cordial and offer them a place to sleep for the night.” Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing for a moment to look up at the stars. “Oh yeah, it is night. I actually forgot there for a second. Do you think Luna would be mad? Or worse, sad? I don’t want her to think I forgot about her beautiful night sky, even though I did!” “You’re fine, Pinkie, relax,” Starlight said. Terrador let out a snort. “You Ponies are certainly strange, although I’m glad my initial misgivings have been proven false. Please, come inside the Temple. it’s not exactly as lavish or as clean as it should be, since we’re in the middle of rebuilding, but I’m sure there have been a few guest rooms cleaned out of wreckage and dust where you can rest for the night.” “Our first night in an alien city,” Starlight murmured, almost doing a little tap dance of her own as the Dragons began to walk inside the tower. “This is so exciting!” “I don’t know about you guys, but I’m not falling asleep tonight,” Rainbow declared as she floated past them on her back. “There’s so much cool stuff to see around here, I don’t even know where to begin.” “I can start with the bed,” Fluttershy said with a gracious smile to their new hosts. “And you, young Dragons,” said Cyril, pointing to Spyro and Cynder. “can start explaining where you’ve been and what you’ve seen of the world outside. I believe Miss Starlight here mentioned something about a ‘Dragon Lord’?” “Yes, we’re dying for some news around here, and I imagine you’ve seen quite a bit already,” Volteer added with a nod. “Oh, you could say that,” Cynder snickered as she walked. “For example, did you know that purple is a very common color for Dragons here?” The bizarre exclamation of bewilderment, astonishment, and pure delight that Volteer let loose from his throat would be the talk of the Temple staff for weeks after that announcement. (The next morning...) A sharp tapping sound woke Starlight from her sleep, and she sat up in the oversized bed she lay on, eyes straining against the golden sunlight that bathed the room. She lifted up a hoof to shield her eyes and squinted at the door, stretching her other hooves and arching her back in a large yawn. Then she remembered where she was. Memories of last night’s journey flooded back into her mind, and she blinked away the last of her sleep and looked around the room. It was rather sparse and stony, and what few pieces of furniture that lay about were definitely not designed with Ponies in mind. It was also very large, so large in fact that in order to get onto the bed she had to climb on top of a trunk. The room was clearly designed for a Draconic resident from Warfang, maybe even one the size of the Guardians. Another tap at the door made her attention turn towards it. Now that she looked closer, it seemed that the door actually had a second, much smaller one built at the bottom. “Who is it?” she called. “Just the maid, ma’am,” a posh female voice answered, oddly enough with a slight Trottingham accent. “Are you decent?” “Um...sure, I guess?” Starlight replied, throwing off the blanket and carefully stepping down from the bed. “Permission to enter then, ma’am?” “Yes, please,” Starlight answered, pausing in the middle of the room. The smaller door at the bottom opened, revealing one of the strangest creatures Starlight had ever seen. She was a bipedal, somewhat elderly Mole, wearing a scarlet gown and white bonnet, and holding a feather duster, broom, and dustpan in her small paws. In stark contrast to her outfit, she also wore a small backpack on her back, in which a retracted ladder lay secured. A kind smile adorned her face as she entered, and her tiny, black eyes past the thick glasses on her snout blinked at Starlight. “Good morning, ma’am. How was your sleep?” “Fine, thanks...” Starlight murmured as the maid walked past her nonchalantly. She shook her head. “Excuse me, I don’t believe we’ve met.” “We certainly haven’t, ma’am,” the maid replied, letting the backpack slip off her shoulders as she pulled out the ladder and extended it until it was long enough to reach the top of the dresser. “Um, then, if you don’t mind me asking, who are you?” “Jessica, ma’am. I’m a Mole, and one of the Temple staffers,” the Mole replied, quickly scampering up the ladder, feather duster in hand. “A Mole?” Starlight wondered aloud, watching her. “Yes ma’am,” Jessica replied, beginning to dust the dresser. “Warfang may be a Dragon city, but we Moles have lived here since it was first built. We’ve been friends and allies of the Dragons since...well...a long time, anyway. Nobody really remembers when it started, it just happened.” “Interesting...” Starlight whispered, questions already swimming through her mind. Before she could ask one, a muted growl erupted from her belly, and she blushed. The maid grinned. “The Guardians and your friends are waiting for you in the dining hall, ma’am. Down the hall to the staircase on the right, all the way to the ground floor. Turn left, four doors down on the left. Can’t miss it, it’s where all the laughter from that pink friend of yours is coming from.” Starlight nodded, and looked over to where she had put her saddlebags by the door the night before, pulling them towards her and securing them on her back with magic. The maid raised an eyebrow but otherwise didn’t react with anything other than mild interest. “Thank you, Jessica,” Starlight said, smiling wand waving at her. “Not to worry, ma’am. You have a good breakfast, now.” “I will, thanks!” Starlight turned towards the door and stepped through it into the large corridor beyond. It was just as stony and sparse as her room, although the arched ceiling had a few pointed yellow crystals emerging from the ceiling, glowing softly with light. It seemed that while Warfang didn’t have thaum-electric lighting, they had found alternate methods. Following the directions Jessica gave her, Starlight slowly made her way down, looking around in silent awe. She passed several other Moles as she went, most of them pausing briefly to either stare or nod her way. Some of them wore leather armor and carried sheathed swords and spears, while others wore simple robes or gowns, talking amongst themselves in silent yet excited whispers. Starlight wondered if the whispers were about her and her friends, or Spyro and Cynder. As for the Temple itself, it had seen better days, judging by the damaged walls, and yet it retained much of its former glory, and much that was lost was in the process of being restored. Dozens of masons and construction workers could be seen moving in and out of rooms, clearing out old debris or looking at blueprints and arguing over what went where. Starlight wisely went around them, letting them work undisturbed as she made her way to the dining hall. Finally, she reached the ground floor, and when she did her jaw dropped. In front of her lay an enormous, multi-leveled atrium, undoubtedly the heart of the Temple. Moles and Dragons of all sizes and colors all roamed about, most of them working on repairing various portions of the atrium. Gardens and fountains lay within the center in perfectly symmetrical patterns, and eight Dragon statues stood guard over the entire room, each with a golden plaque at their base. The high, domed ceiling only had a single hole within it, marring the otherwise brilliantly ornate painting at the top. Starlight didn’t know how long it must have taken the artist to make such a marvelous work of art, but at that moment she didn’t care, and simply sat down on the final step of the staircase, overwhelmed with emotion and reverence. These Dragons and Moles...they had built this place, over how many years she didn’t know, but they had built it nonetheless. As allies, and as friends. The stone under her hoof nor longer felt cold. Instead, she could feel the centuries of history that lay within, as well as the hopes, dreams, and souls of those who built it. This wasn’t just a Temple, it was a monument to the friendship the Dragons and Moles shared, just like the city. So much beauty, so much history, so much love. And Malefor, the Dark Master, had wanted to destroy it. She looked up to the ceiling, scowling at the hole and the spidery cracks that spread away from it. How could anyone want to destroy something like this? “It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” Starlight looked away from the ceiling and saw Flashwing standing to her left, her wings tucked to her side. “I...I don’t have the words...” Starlight whispered. “Why would anyone want to destroy something so wonderful, and so historic?” Flashwing looked up at the hole, then back at Starlight. “Some people want to watch the world burn. It’s a sad fact of life, but it’s life nonetheless. Rebuilding the world is just another part of the cycle.” “But to tear down a place like this, where so many spent so long to build it and pour their heart and soul into--” “I wasn’t talking about the Temple, you know,” Flashwing interrupted, shaking her head. Starlight glanced at her. “Then what?” “Buildings don’t last forever,” said Flashwing. “Cities can be rebuilt, monuments restored, and art redrawn. But ultimately, they’re just a place to walk inside and sit down in.” When Starlight didn’t say anything, the Dragoness looked down over the crowd of Moles and Dragons, and smiled sadly. “Warfang used to be a lot bigger, you know. It used to span hundreds of miles in all directions, but slowly, it shrank over time, until this is all that remains. Malefor wanted to erase all that made us who we are, our heritage, our history, our lives, our world.” She then looked back at the Unicorn mare. “And yet, throughout it all, across thousands of years, despite all odds, the Moles and Dragons never lost sight of what truly mattered. It was the secret to our success, to our open defiance against our fate. We knew long ago that the works of our Ancestors would mean nothing if we didn’t keep one thing intact, the one thing that Malefor hated most of all: our unity, and our friendship.” Starlight felt a tear well up in her eye as she watched the crowds with Flashwing. “And now, despite being in another world, despite having lost our own, that unity remains as strong as ever. So, we rebuild again, knowing that as long as that unity survives, we will survive, and thus so do the works of our Ancestors, like this Temple. We would die for each other, cross the sky for each other, hold each other up, and guide each other back home.” The Dragoness tapped her claw against the stone, and Starlight felt the stone shift and move around her, until a small, crystalline lily rose sprouted from one of the cracks and grew until it blossomed. Flashwing snapped it off its stem and held it in the light, letting a rainbow of colors shine through. “And it’s beautiful.” Starlight nodded, her tear sliding down her cheek as she smiled. “We’re not so different, I think.” Flashwing dipped her head. “No we aren’t, deep down. And that’s why the Guardians wanted you here. When we told them about you, your friends, and what we had seen, they recognized something in you Ponies that we have always had: a love for life, and a love for each other. I have no doubt that a friendship between our people is within our future.” Starlight giggled. “You know, for a member of an elite force of Dragons, you’re rather philosophical and well-spoken.” Flashwing shrugged. “When you sit in front of the shield crystal and meditate all day, you tend to realize a few things. Just don’t tell Blades, he’d never let me live it down, and I have a reputation to keep.” She turned away from the atrium and nodded towards a walkway to their left. “Come on, I’m starving, and I can smell breakfast from here. Smoked ham for us, some fruit salad for you guys.” “Fruit salad sounds good right now,” Starlight said as the two of them continued towards the dining hall. “Yeah, after Spyro told us about how you Ponies were mostly vegetarian, barring fish for the Pegasi, the Guardians got to work immediately. They don’t want to offend.” “It’s hard to offend Ponies. Trust me, I tried that a lot when I was a foal,” Starlight laughed. Flashwing smirked and opened up the door to the dining hall. “Ah, a rebel. ‘We’re not so different’, indeed.” The two of them entered the dining hall, and were immediately greeted by the sounds of giggling from a very cheerful and giddy Pinkie Pie, who was telling the Guardians the story of how she and Rainbow Dash visited Griffonstone and helped the Griffons there. Volteer, while chowing down on a large ham with one claw, was writing down notes on the Griffons with the other, all the while grilling Pinkie for details while Terrador watched and listened with amusement. Cyril, on the other hand, was currently trading barbs with Rainbow Dash, calling her an “uncouth, loudmouthed blatherskite”, while Rainbow Dash fired back with “eccentric, bumbling old-timer”. Both of them were secretly enjoying each other’s company immensely, judging by the scowling mouths but friendly, smiling eyes. Seated next to Pinkie was Fluttershy, who was quietly chatting with Echo once more, with Blackout and Blades listening in. Spotlight and Sprocket were nowhere to be seen. The Water Dragoness was still tight-lipped as usual, but seemed to be in a less sour mood than before. She was smiling at least, which was an improvement. Rounding out the group were Spyro and Cynder, who sat quietly next to Terrador, listening to Pinkie’s story with rapt interest. They had never heard of Griffons before, so hearing tales of them was fascinating for both young Dragons. Sparx, meanwhile, was sleeping on Spyro’s head. Terrador looked up and saw Starlight and Flashwing enter, and raised a wing towards them. “Good morning, Miss Starlight, Lieutenant Flashwing. Please, sit.” “Thank you, Mister Terrador,” Starlight replied, taking a seat next to Blades, with Flashwing joining her. “And please, call me Starlight.” “Only if you’ll drop that ‘mister’ rubbish,” the giant Earth Dragon laughed, a twinkle in his eye. “In all my years, I’ve never been known as ‘mister’ anything, and I’m not about to start now.” “Deal,” Starlight giggled as she reached over and filled her plate with several pieces of fruit. She said her good mornings to the rest of the gathered Dragons and Ponies, and then asked, “Does anyone know where Spotlight and Sprocket are?” “Young Sprocket is in my laboratory,” Volteer replied, momentarily looking up from his notes. “I believe he said something about learning more about how the city moved from one planet to the next, and he believed his notes on your Unicorn magic could be of use in this endeavor.” “Yeah, and Spotlight said she was going to go outside and ‘catch some rays’,” Rainbow finished. “Thing is, she looked kinda gloomy this morning when she said it.” “She’s a Light Dragon,” Blackout supplied, setting aside his plate. “One of the only few left, I’d imagine, if not the very last. Light Dragons require daily sunbathing in order to function properly, or else they feel drained both in energy and in mana.” “Huh, so like Twilight with coffee, makes sense,” Rainbow quipped. “She’s...the last of her kind?” Fluttershy squeaked. “How awful!” Blackout sighed. “She’s accepted it, although it was hard for her. I’d appreciate it if you’d not bring it up in front of her, it’s a tough subject for her.” “Aww, don’t you worry, Blackout!” Pinkie exclaimed, a warm smile forming on her face. “We’ll make sure that Spotty’s never gonna feel lonely, ever.” “She doesn’t feel lonely, not with me and the rest of the Rangers by her side,” Blackout replied, dipping his head towards Pinkie. “But thank you anyway for your concern.” Blades leaned back and stretched his wings with a grunt. “Eh, enough of this mopey stuff. What’s happening today?” “After we’re done here, we should focus on how to reveal to the city’s population that we’re in another world, rather than a changed one,” Terrador replied. “I’m sure it will be quite a shock to them.” Starlight nodded. “It makes sense. The sooner the better, I’d say.” “Agreed,” Cyril said. “Besides, the Temple staff wouldn’t be able to keep your presence here a secret for much longer. Eventually one of their motor-mouths will talk a little too fast.” He glanced at Volteer. Volteer stared back at him wordlessly. “Yeah, that, and we can introduce ourselves since we’re here,” Starlight added. “The shock of them finding out they’re in a new world might make them worry, so having us come and present ourselves as friends before our delegation arrives would hopefully allay some of those fears and reassure them that we mean no harm.” “A positive and thoughtful gesture, albeit somewhat naive,” Terrador sighed. “Many people within Warfang have been fighting almost their entire lives, Starlight. Even if you were to approach them as friends, they would only see you as strangers. Friendship, like that between the Dragons and the Moles, takes time and trust before it can grow.” “True, but trust goes both ways,” Starlight countered with a grin. “And one of us has to start trusting the other first, so it might as well be us. One of my best friends is the literal Princess of Friendship, Terrador, and she’s taught me and many others quite a lot about the subject of making them. One of those lessons was that in order to meet a friend, you have to be willing to offer yourself AS a friend.” “Then she is a wise Pony, although still naive,” Terrador conceded, his lips curling up just slightly. “I would very much like to meet her one day.” “Oh, I’m sure you will,” Fluttershy spoke up. “Once she’s done helping Thorax, even Rainbow Dash wouldn’t be able to keep up with her on her way here.” Rainbow snorted, shrugged, and nodded. “She’s like you, Volteer,” Cynder said with a smirk. “Only even more bookish and not as old.” Rainbow bumped a hoof with her claw. Volteer faked getting stabbed in the heart. “Oooh, that cuts me to the quick, young lady. Nevertheless, I concur with Terrador. If she’s just as learned and friendly as the rest of you Ponies, then meeting her would be in my best interest.” The doors to the dining hall opened once more, and a Mole guard stepped inside, saluting to the Guardians and scampering over to the table as fast as his short legs could carry him. “Guardians, as requested, the projection crystal has been made ready in the courtyard. We had to use up one of our mana batteries to check, but it seems the others within the city are still linked to the Temple’s.” Volteer sighed in relief. “That is wondrous, marvelous, magnificent news. I was hoping the network hadn’t been broken by Malefor’s influence, and it seems my hypothesis was correct.” “’Tis a shame about the mana battery, though,” Cyril bemoaned. “We are in short supply of those. I suppose we’ll have to resort to conventional messaging methods throughout the city when Flashwing isn’t around.” Starlight put a hoof to her chin in thought, while Rainbow asked, “What makes her so special?” Flashwing lifted up her gem-studded wings with a prideful grin. “As flawless and perfect as they make me look, these crystals aren’t just for show. Ever since I was born, I’ve had an affinity for crystals, whether it be controlling them or speaking with them. As an Earth Dragon, they respond better to me than any other form of Earth.” “I’ve theorized it’s because of the Ice Dragon blood in her veins,” Cyril said, smirking smugly. “Once again ice proves its superiority.” “Oh, here they go again...” Sparx muttered, slowly waking up and blinking bleary eyes at everyone. “Ice melts until it’s harmless, Earth remains as strong as it always was,” Terrador retorted. Spyro raised an eyebrow. “Ach, I can’t stand listening to such horrid misunderstandings of science! You’re both wrong,” Volteer jeered proudly. “Earth can give way to fire and detonation, ice can melt or become gaseous and harmless, but electricity...electricity cannot be tamed, only harnessed. It can breathe life into objects, but kill others. It is volatile and powerful, and even the slightest amount can eviscerate a living being. It’s only amplified by the water that ice turns into, and--” “And Earth stops it right in its tracks through ground resistance,” Terrador laughed, his voice rumbling through the room. Flashwing and Blades snickered with him. “But that...I, erm, um...hmmm...damn it all, he’s right...” Volteer sputtered. “We could help you,” Starlight suddenly said. The three quarrelling Guardians turned towards her. “Pardon me?” Cyril asked. “You say you don’t have many of these ‘mana batteries’ left,” Starlight answered. “If they’re anything like what I’m thinking about, we can probably offer you our first trade opportunity. We’ll have to test it first, but we have thaumatic batteries that may act very similar to your mana batteries with the right tweaks, and they’re very commonplace and cheap to produce.” Terrador hummed. “Intriguing. Thank you for telling us, although to save time, perhaps such talks should be saved for when your delegation arrives.” He rose up from his seat. “Now, is everyone finished here? There is much work to be done, and a city that needs an explanation for what has happened.” “I’m game,” Rainbow said, and Fluttershy nodded with her as she hopped off her seat. “So am I,” Starlight added, and then looked at Pinkie. “What about you, Pinkie?” “Well, it depends...” Pinkie murmured. She then zipped over to Terrador and pressed her face into his, one of her eyes staring directly into one of his. “Do you have any more of these mango-slash-guava-slash-pineapple thingamajigs? They taste like liquid gold and make me feel like I’m floating on a cloud in the Elysium Fields. They’re super sweet, super soft, super juicy, and super-duper amazing!” “You mean the kytros?” Volteer asked, pointing to a purplish fruit with red stripes and blue leaves on the table. Pinkie nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, those! Just think of the pies, cakes, puddings, cupcakes, salads, and jellies I could make with just a slice of those babies, much less an entire basket of them! I’ll take five acres of trees or bushes right now!” Terrador chuckled and plucked her off his face. “Much like Spotlight, this one,” he said. “Very well, Miss Pinkie, we can negotiate later. For now, we must go and let the population know of your arrival.” He nodded to the Mole guard, who had remained standing, silently waiting. “Let everyone in the courtyard know that we’re on our way.” “Yes, sir!” The guard saluted once more and scurried away. The rest of the Dragons and Ponies scooted away from the table and arose, following the Guardians to another door while the Temple staff cleared the table of dishes and leftovers. Terrador opened the second door and motioned with a claw to the corridor beyond. “Shall we make history, my friends?” Starlight smiled and gave him a single nod, and then stepped through the door. (Warfang, Commercial District) There were several things in life that never stopped for anything, whether it be the mundaneness or struggles of life or the imminent destruction of the world. One of those things was the economy and the incessant need for trading with others. Warfang’s market was no exception to this rule, and even though the city was under an air of apprehension of the future, life went on. People still needed their food and comforts of life, after all. It had only taken a single day since Warfang’s inexplicable escape from destruction for the merchants to return to their booths and start selling again, and only an hour for the news to travel throughout the city that life was going to go on as normal. Since then, the Commercial District had once again become the busiest section of the city, mostly for the Moles and Cheetahs, although the occasional Dragon could be seen wandering about. Most of the market centered around a wide, open area with a large, ornate fountain in the center, recently-repaired. At the top of the fountain hovered a large blue sphere, opaque for the moment, but the merchants and their customers knew better. This was one of the five projection crystals in the city, one in each of the four major districts of the city and one for the Temple, each designed to act as a public messaging service for the Guardians. Each one was looked at with reverence by those who passed underneath them, for they had been instrumental in the siege of Warfang, both for troop communication and for keeping up morale. And today, unbeknownst to the people of the city, they were going to be used for another purpose, one that would change their lives forever. The blue sphere suddenly glowed and turned transparent, and all those standing near it froze and looked up, their jaws dropping. All the merchants set aside their wares and left their booths to get a closer look, while the crowds of customers gathered around the crystal to listen to the latest message. In the Housing District, children stopped playing to watch alongside their parents. In the Military District, any and all off-duty guards stood at attention, ready for anything. And in the Academic District, mages, physicians, and scholars of all sorts lifted their heads from their books and scrolls to listen. The face of the Earth Guardian Terrador appeared in every projection crystal, and instead of his usually gruff expression, he was smiling. ”Citizens of Warfang, good morning,” his voice boomed. ”Today is a momentous day for us all.” ”We have good news, sad news, monumental news, and fantastic news!” Volteer added. ”All in that order!” ”Yes indeed, so when we say that we want you all to listen, we want you ALL to listen,” said Cyril. ”To start things off,” Terrador continued. ”We have news regarding Warfang’s reconstruction. The Museum of the Arts has been reported to be nearing complete restoration, as are the Waterway Gardens in the Housing District. Most of the museum’s artifacts and exhibitions are still intact, thank the Ancestors, and it should reopen within a few days.” The hearty cheering coming from the Housing District could be heard even in the other three. Volteer took over from there. ”And now with the minor things out of the way, let’s get onto the real interesting news that I’m sure you’re waiting for. Last night, a group of our most elite warriors returned from a top secret mission, and they returned quite successfully. Ladies and gentlemen, we can now confirm that Spyro and Cynder, the two heroes who risked everything to save this city and our world from destruction at the hands of Malefor, have returned to us safe, sound, and well.” (Warfang, Inner Temple Sanctum) Inside the deepest portions of the Temple, hidden safely away from the rest of the world until they felt safe to emerge, the host of Dragonflies that huddled together to listen to the Guardian’s announcement gasped as Spyro and Cynder’s names were spoken. All of them turned to two Dragonflies in particular, one blue male and one green female, as they hovered in the air, stunned at this revelation. The female covered her mouth with her hands and tears glistened in her eyes, while the male’s jaw dropped and his arms hung limp. They slowly turned their heads to each other, and Nina whispered, “Our son...he’s alive...” Flash embraced his wife, and they both let their tears flow. (Warfang, Temple Courtyard) In the courtyard, in front of a small host of Moles, Dragons, and Cheetahs, the Guardians, the Rangers, Spyro, Cynder, and Sparx all gathered around the projection crystal (with Flashwing’s claws glowing), each of them knowing what was coming next. None of them wanted to break the sad news, but as the new leader of the Guardians, it was Terrador’s duty to do so. Starlight, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy stood in the shadows away from the small crowd and their prying eyes, watching and listening to the Guardians’ speech. Terrador smile fell and he put his wings over Spyro and Cynder on either side of him before continuing, “Unfortunately, while we are ecstatic about the return of two of our world’s greatest heroes, it comes with a dark and terrible price. Ignitus, leader of the Guardians and of the Dragon race, Grandmaster of the Temple, Guardian of Fire, and our honored friend...has fallen. While he, Spyro, and Cynder went off to face Malefor in the very heart of the Burned Lands, they came face-to-face with the Belt of Fire, a protective barrier that Malefor hid behind like a coward. Ignitus sacrificed his life and used the last of his strength to send Spyro and Cynder over the Belt of Fire, so that they could do what we could not and defeat the traitor once and for all.” Spyro shivered slightly, and Terrador’s wing tucked him closer. He shed no tears, for they had already been shed, but it never got any easier. As he closed his eyes, he could still see Ignitus’s smiling face beaming down at him. He could still hear that gentle, fatherly tone as Ignitus was teaching him how to do his first Fire Fury. He shed no tears, but his mind wept anyway. “He...he will be mourned...” Terrador went on, his voice cracking slightly. “Forever. Because of his sacrifices, we still stand here today. He was a brother to us all, and it would do well for us to remember that, and to tell our children and our children’s children of the life of Ignitus. His legacy shall be our rebirth into a nation united under one banner, as was his lifelong dream. Warfang will stand for a hundred thousand years, as a testament to his dream and his honor as a hero. The greatest of us all.” “So say we all,” Cyril declared. “So say we all,” Terrador and Volteer echoed. “So say we all!” the Rangers shouted. (Warfang, Military District) The heads of hundreds of Moles, Cheetahs, and Dragons bowed in silence, in memory of their leader. One Cheetah, cloaked in red with a leather jerkin with a bow slung across his back, raised a mug of ale and announced, “To Ignitus, the finest mentor and Dragon there ever was.” Behind him, the battle-scarred and weary General Mason of the Moles raised his own mug. “I’ll drink to that, Hunter. To Ignitus.” Every Mole followed suit and raised their own mugs or glasses in a toast, and every Dragon whispered a prayer to their Ancestors for Ignitus’s spirit. The Cheetahs shifted on their feet, nervously looking to their chieftain, who sat next to the cloaked Cheetah, Hunter. They knew about their chieftain’s old misgivings, and his reluctance to even sit at the same table where Dragons gathered around. Chief Prowlus glared back at them, as if reading their minds. Without a word, he stood up, raised his own mug, and smacked it against Hunter’s. With a small glance and a nod towards Hunter, he shouted, “To the old, magnificent bastard of a Dragon that saved us all, and may every last one of us be damn proud to have fought alongside him!” The Cheetahs roared their approval. (Warfang, Temple Courtyard) The group held a moment’s silence as they remembered their old friend, and the crowd that surrounded them did the same. For a full, blissful minute, no one said a word, and the only sounds that were heard were the chirping of birds, the whistling of wing against the Temple walls, and quiet breathing. Then they raised their heads, and Terrador cleared his throat to continue, “We thank you all for taking this moment to honor Ignitus’s memory alongside us. His body may no longer be with us, but his spirit and soul resides within each and every one of us. His dreams are his legacy, and we shall strive to make those dreams a reality. With that in mind, we have more news to share, and it may shock many of you, but please bear with us. Cyril, if you please?” “Yes, of course, old chap,” Cyril said, stepping up. “Citizens of Warfang, Spyro and Cynder’s return did not just herald a new day for us all, it also heralded the dawn of a new, uncertain age. I’m sure you’ve all noticed the...changes that have taken place around us. Mountains where there should be none, lakes where there should be rivers, forests where there should only be grass, and an entire ocean missing. Dragons of the Earth Element may have even noticed that their abilities feel stranger, and that the Earth feels foreign, for lack of a better term. “This is not the doing of the Purple Dragon, or at least, not entirely. Spyro never intended to change the world so drastically when he and Cynder saved it. Instead, something else has happened. Citizens of Warfang...welcome to your new home, for better or for worse, because we are no longer in our own world. We have been transported to another.” Cyril paused for a moment and craned his head to listen as the shouts of confusion and alarm erupted from the crowd around them, as well as from the city far below. He then coughed and continued, “Yes, yes, I understand, you are all very shocked and puzzled over this development. Believe me, we are as well. But before you rage against the heavens, look around you. Go on, take a good look. You stand among friends, and in a city that has survived the end of the world. Our races continue to flourish, and we have been given a fresh start. This world may be new and unknown, but that is no reason to fear it. Our world was new and unknown when we took our first steps there as well, and we thrived. So we shall thrive on this one as well.” “If I may, Cyril?” Volteer spoke up, a giddy grin on his face. “I would like to tell them the last part.” Cyril raised a wing towards him. “Of course.” Volteer stepped forward, his grin widening. “Now, I know what you may all be pondering, my friends. How can this possibly, conceivably be? How can we be in such a befuddling predicament such as this, stranded on an unknown planetary object so unlike our own? You may even be asking for evidence to this claim beyond that which is observable through the window. To that, I offer you undeniable proof, evidence, validation, confirmation, and hard data that will make even the doubters among you scoff at those doubts. Ladies, if you would please present yourselves to the masses?” “Masses?” Fluttershy murmured to herself. Pinkie put a hoof on her shoulder and smiled. “Don’t worry, Fluttershy, we’re right here next to you. Just remember you’re speaking to big floating ball, and the ball is speaking to tens of thousands of people in the city. No pressure at all!” “Not helping, Pinkie...” Starlight said through gritted teeth as she grinned. Together, the four Ponies stepped out into the light (with Rainbow lightly pushing Fluttershy with a wing), and the crowd gaped at the sight. Fluttershy wilted under the attention, but Rainbow was there to keep her in track. Pinkie happily bounced alongside her friends, humming and smiling and not caring in the slightest who saw her. Rainbow was just soaking up all the attention as if she was on parade, giving a smirk and cocky salute with a wing to the crowd. Starlight simply walked ahead with a confident, determined expression. Come on, Starlight, you can do this...breathe. In...out...in...out. Don’t buck it up. Just stand in front of the big crystal ball and say-- She raised a hoof as she stared into the projection crystal and called out, “Hi new friends, welcome to Equus!” (Warfang, Military District) Upon seeing Starlight’s grinning face in the projection crystal, Prowlus immediately spat out a large portion of his drink, which splashed against an unfortunate Mole’s face. The Mole yelped in surprise, falling backwards into a friend’s waiting arms. Prowlus’s jaw dropped as he and the rest of the district’s inhabitants stared at the Pony in the crystal, and Hunter... The normally stoic and serious Hunter fell to the floor, clutching his sides and howling with shrill laughter. Prowlus had to resist the urge to give him a sharp kick to the head. Behind him, General Mason of the Moles snorted and gave a bemused smirk at the behavior of the Cheetahs. He looked at Starlight’s face once more as she continued to speak, and wondered to himself if he had truly seen everything at this point. (Warfang, Temple Courtyard) After seeing Terrador gesture for her to keep going, Starlight said, “My name is Starlight Glimmer, a Unicorn Pony from Ponyville. Some of my friends and I came here ahead of our leaders so that we could help establish a good relationship between our respective races. I’m sure you’re all feeling very confused, so just please bear with us.” She looked over to the other three mares behind her and motioned them to get closer. “Why don’t you introduce yourselves, girls?” Rainbow, naturally, was the first one to go for it. Puffing out her chest proudly, she strode up to the crystal and spread her wings wide. “Hey guys! The name’s Rainbow Dash, a Pegasus Pony, the fastest flyer in all of Equestria, and Wonderbolt supreme! Please...hold your applause.” Sparx snickered off to the side, while Cyril shook his head and muttered under his breath. Pinkie came next, bouncing into frame with a huge smile. “And I’m Pinkie Pie, Ponyville’s party-planner and smile-giver! I came here because I couldn’t wait to meet sooooo many new friends! All of you look so cool, and your kytros are deeeelish! I can’t wait to throw you all a ‘Welcome-To-Equus-and-Thank-You-For-Becoming-Our-Friends’ party! It’ll be THE best party of your lives!” With that, all three mares turned to the fourth, and Fluttershy shrank back. “Do...d-do I have to?” she whispered. “Well, no, you don’t,” said Starlight. “Nopony’s forcing you, Fluttershy.” “Right,” Rainbow said, smiling. “We’ll back whatever decision you make.” Pinkie nodded. Fluttershy gulped and looked between them and the crystal. Then she looked at all the Dragons around her, watching her intently. So many Dragons...so many new faces, so many eyes! Why did she even come here? She wasn’t a diplomat, she was just a veterinarian and animal lover. She wasn’t a people Pony. She knew she couldn’t handle this, but she came anyway. She came anyway...because she wasn’t what other Ponies thought of her. She wasn’t scared. She wasn’t a coward. Her friends were here by her side, and she was brave. She looked once more at the crystal, squeezed her eyes shut, and took a trembling step forward. Then another. After a few more steps, she was in front of the crystal, and she was quaking like a leaf in a storm, but she was still standing. She opened her bright blue eyes and whispered at the crystal, “H-h-hello, um, everyone...m-my name is Fluttershy, and, um...I’m happy to be here. Can we be friends?” All across the city of Warfang, thirteen Moles, six Dragons, and five Cheetahs promptly keeled over from insulin shock at the mere sight of the bashful Pegasus, including, to the surprise of all those gathered near him, Chief Prowlus (who had inexplicably let out a barely-audible, high-pitched squeal of delight upon seeing her). Hunter, who had only just recovered from his previous laughter, was once more sent to the ground, kicking his feet in the air and crying from the wheezing guffaws emerging from his throat. He was never going to let his old chieftain live this one down. (Warfang, Temple Courtyard) As Fluttershy stepped back (with Rainbow and Pinkie hugging her with proud smiles on their faces), Starlight stepped up once more and said, “Those were the friends of mine that I mentioned. We’re all so glad to meet you, and after meeting Spyro and Cynder and hearing their story about your struggle against evil, I want to assure you that you have friends here in this world. We Ponies believe in the six virtues of Harmony: Loyalty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, Honesty, and Magic. From what I’ve seen of the Dragons and Moles, you believe in the same virtues, especially Loyalty. “I don’t know what the future has in store for all of us, but we share much in common, so if we join hooves...er, hands in friendship, I think we can all accomplish a lot together, and build a future where we can all live in Harmony and peace. The evil you fought is gone. Isn’t it time you stepped back into the light? I’m sure that the Dragons to the north will agree with me.” Upon dropping that tidbit of information, the Dragons in the crowd around her brought their undivided attention towards her, staring at her with wide eyes and hopeful looks. Starlight nodded once and grinned. “Yes, you heard me right. There are Dragons on Equus. You have brothers and sisters here, if not by blood, and they are very eager to meet with you. Dragon Lord Ember will be sending her own delegation alongside ours, and with any luck, you’ll be meeting them soon. You are no longer alone. You won’t ever be alone again.” With that, Starlight stepped back, letting Terrador take her place. He looked down at her with a grateful smile and his voice boomed over the projection crystal, “As you can see, despite their small stature, these Ponies have larger hearts than most. I believe I can speak for most of us when I say that we are very grateful for their generous offer of friendship, and for welcoming us to their world. I believe Ignitus would not have turned them away, and so we, the Guardians, won’t either. We will await their delegation and welcome them to our city with open arms and wings, and we shall do our best to ensure a great and honorable future for our children and their children’s children. May the Ancestors watch over you on this day, Warfang, and may they honor us with their guidance in our lives. That is all.” (Eastern Lair, cliff overlooking Warfang) Ember stepped out the cave she had temporarily borrowed from another Dragon (it was Garble, and she had kicked him out in exchange for three fire rubies), stretching one arm out as she yawned while holding a mug of gem coffee in the other. Her face sagged, and her eyes twitched in the morning light as she held up a claw to shield them. She hadn’t had a good sleep last night, especially after receiving a message back from Celestia, delivered by teleportation. The Pony delegation, led by Celestia and her nephew Blueblood, would be arriving any minute, and she wasn’t exactly in the best of moods today for politics. Still, duty called, and so she had assembled her best diplomats and guards the night before to accompany them. Probably all asleep, too... Ember thought with a mutter of displeasure under her breath. Lazy bums. Smolder, Garble’s younger sister (and Ember’s temporary roommate), was already awake, and was staring out over Halflinger Grove when she heard Ember approach. She smirked at the Dragon Lord. “Morning, sleepyhead.” “You shush...” Ember muttered, sipping at her coffee. “What time is it?” “Almost ten o’clock, I’d say,” Smolder replied as she munched on a bowl of sapphires in front of her. “Rough night?” Ember sat down on a boulder and sighed, sipping her coffee once more and leaning back. She closed her eyes. “Yeeeeep, you could say that...” “I keep telling Garble to remove that stupid quartz chunk from his bed, but noooo, it’s ‘for his back’, he says,” the younger Dragon said with a roll of her eyes. “Oh, so that’s what that was?” Ember wondered aloud. “I thought it was his leftovers from last week’s dinner, so I threw it out.” She shook her head and smirked. “Nah, that wasn’t it, though. I’m just...really not looking forward to today.” Abandoning her breakfast, Smolder hopped off her rock and put a hand on Ember’s arm. “You’ll do fine, Ember. You’re the Dragon Lord, you’ve got this. And if you don’t, you could always give the Bloodstone Scepter back to that purple kid, he seemed to have a good head on his shoulders.” “Yeah, one that most Dragons would’ve loved to chomp off the first chance they got,” Ember remarked. “Thanks for the pep talk, kid, but that doesn’t make this day any better. Ugh, politics...let me tell you something, being a Dragon Lord isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I’ve only ruled for just under a year and I can’t wrap my head around how my dad handled the job for over a thousand.” Smolder shrugged. “Probably one of the reasons why he didn’t want you to compete for the job.” Ember snorted. “Are you saying I don’t have the patience for this sort of thing?” “You said it, not me.” Ember reached over and patted Smolder’s head. “Well now, look at Little Miss Snark over here. Say, do you have any of those sapphires left, I could use a pick-me-up.” The two of them soon relaxed and began sharing the bowl of sapphires as they watched the city below them. All was quiet on the southern front today, as usual. Smolder said she had heard some muffled echoes of voices over the air earlier around eight-thirty or nine o’clock, but that she couldn’t make out the words. Whatever it was, it had made the warriors on the walls excited for a moment, and then quiet again. Still, nothing really changed besides that. Eventually, after a few more quiet minutes, the tell-tale sounds of wing beats drew Ember’s attention above her, where a short, stubby white Dragon armored in steel plate hovered. He seemed to be an older Dragon, judging by the faded color of his scales, but he was hale and alert all the same, as well as probably one of the few Dragons still alive that remembered how Dragons used to be: honorable and mighty. “Dragon Lord Ember, chariots spotted flying in from the west,” he reported in a grungy voice. Ember smirked and raised her half-empty coffee mug towards him. “Cheers, Zolmer. Let them pass, they’re friends.” The messenger, Zolmer, chuckled. “There was a time when Dragons and Ponies could never be friends, and when the very word wasn’t even in our vocabulary.” “Times change, old-timer,” Ember replied, draining the last of her mug and taking three more sapphires for later. She then ducked back inside the cave for a moment, and then returned bearing the Bloodstone Scepter. She bumped fists with Smolder and winked. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, kid, and for the snack. I’ll see ya ‘round.” Smolder waved back at her and snickered. “Good luck, Ember! Knock ‘em dead!” Ember grinned and flapped her wings until she was airborne, following Zolmer up the cliff until they reached the summit, where a small host of armored Dragons lay waiting for her. Some of them were still waking up while most were watching the approaching chariots warily. Ember stole a glance towards the west and crossed her arms. She counted eight chariots in total, each pulled by two Pegasi, although one seemed like it was being pulled by two Thestrals instead. Each chariot had several Ponies in it, almost all of them guards save for two. Princess Celestia and the ever well-dressed Blueblood, riding the largest chariot of the group. Ember smirked, even as the chariots landed and their passengers dismounted. From the Thestral-driven chariot stepped another, scarlet-furred and silver-maned rather than the usual black or grey, and having a much sturdier build and more gruff-faced countenance than his companions. She liked this guy already. Celestia, Blueblood, and the red Thestral approached the Dragon delegation alone, letting the rest of their guards get some rest from flying. When they were close enough, Celestia dipped her head towards Ember, and Blueblood and the Thestral both stopped, watching her with piercing gazes. “Dragon Lord Ember, it’s a pleasure to meet yet again,” Celestia spoke, her voice gentle on the wind. Ember nodded. “You too, Celestia. Sorry if I had to interrupt anything important, but this couldn’t wait.” “Oh believe me, I wouldn’t have waited either if I were you,” Celestia reassured her with a wave of her hoof. She then motioned to her nephew and the Thestral officer with a wing. “This is my nephew, Prince Blueblood, Duke of Canterlot and my chief diplomat. And this is Captain Stargazer, captain of the Lunar Guard.” “It’s an honor, Dragon Lord Ember,” Blueblood said, bowing his head with a warm smile. Captain Stargazer saluted with a hoof, and bared his fangs in a sly smirk. “Good day, Dragon Lord. My Lady sends her greetings, and wishes that she could join us, but she has sent me in her stead while she rules Canterlot in her sister’s absence.” Ember nodded to both of them. “Good to see you both. Now that some people with actual brains have arrived, we might actually get some progress done around here.” She motioned over to the city with a claw. “Especially with them.” Celestia, Blueblood, and Stargazer all turned and gazed at the city with curious eyes (although Stargazer’s were colder). Blueblood reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small spyglass, extending it and looking through it at the city below. “My word...” he spoke after a moment in awe. “That is an impressive display, albeit somewhat lessened by the ruined aspect of some of the buildings. Still, they seem to be rebuilding, so I’ll give them that.” Stargazer rolled his eyes. “Can’t you indulge in your hobby some other time, sir?” he muttered. “Oh, let me be, captain,” Blueblood chortled, collapsing the spyglass and storing it in his coat once more. “No sketching today, just a cursory glance.” Ember raised an eyebrow, and Celestia giggled. “Gentlecolts, we should get underway,” the Princess said after a moment. “I’m sure Starlight and her friends are waiting for us.” “Your student’s down there?” Ember asked. Celestia shook her head. “No, Twilight is away on business, according to her last letter. She sent her own student, Starlight Glimmer, in her stead.” Ember scratched the top of her head. “Yeesh, you Ponies sure like similar names. Twilight, Starlight, Stargazer...what is it with you guys and the night sky?” “I believe it was some Ponies’ means of honoring my sister,” Celestia replied, looking at the Dragon Lord with a straight face. “They started it four hundred years ago, as a belated apology.” Despite her calm expression, Ember could see in Celestia’s eyes that she had stumbled upon a painful memory, so she dropped the subject and turned her focus back to the city. “Well, ahem, my delegation’s ready. Is yours?” Blueblood nodded and glanced at his aunt. “Yes, I do believe the good stallions have had enough time to rest their wings. Shall we, Princess?” He held out a hoof to her, a twinkle in his eye. Celestia smiled and grasped his hoof with one of her own, walking by his side as he led her back to the chariots. “Yes, I think we’ve held this off long enough,” she answered. Ember faced her Dragons and raised the Bloodstone Scepter, bellowing, “You heard the Princess, get off your fat, lazy behinds and MOVE! In the air, now!” Even before the first Pony chariot could make it off the ground, the Dragons were already airborne and ready for anything, the fear of their Dragon Lord fresh in their minds. For the Ponies, it was a little excessive, but for Dragons, it was a Tuesday with Ember. (Warfang, outer walls, tree line) Mouser wasn’t a large Earth Pony, but what he lacked in size he made up for in stealth and hearing. It was both a blessing and a curse for him, because while it meant he couldn’t be a Hussar like he had always dreamed, he could still do important work for them. The curse part usually came into play with whatever mission he was assigned, however. Most of the times it was easy or relatively harmless but annoying, but sometimes, he would be given a mission where all he wanted to do was throttle somepony. This was one of those times, and the “somepony” in this case was himself, given that he had made the dumb decision to accept this mission in the first place. He crouched low to the ground, his green and brown-spotted fur hiding well in the underbrush as he peered over a bush at the walls of the Dragon city, a pen and notepad in his hooves. He had heard the entire speech given by these “Guardians”, and had transcribed almost all of it word for word, to be analyzed later by the big wigs in Trotsylvania. Then came the moment when a Pony started speaking, and he nearly dropped his pen in shock. Luckily, he got over it and did his job, writing down all the words she said, as well as those that came from her friends. It was exactly as Captain Rippler had predicted: the Equestrian Ponies were now in contact with these new Dragons, and soon, the rest of the world would follow, starting with the Dragons of the Eastern Lair. Things were moving quickly, and so, Mouser had to be quicker. After writing down the last few words of the speech and taking one last glance over the walls to make sure he hadn’t been spotted, he set aside his notepad and lifted up his two front hooves to his mouth, and made a shrill, warbling chirp that sounded like a mix between a blue jay and a crow. A similar call answered him a few moments later, and he grinned. His fellow spotter was still around. He backed further into the forest and walked a few dozen meters to the west, where a muted grey Pegasus mare in a leather jerkin lay waiting behind a mossy boulder. He handed the filled-out notepad to the Pegasus. “Take this to Captain Rippler in Trotsylvania, and for Faust’s sake, don’t drop it on the way there. It’s a treasure trove of information.” “What should I tell him when I get there?” she asked, stuffing the notepad into her saddlebags. “Tell him that Equestria’s made their move, and that he needs to get his sorry butt over here now, or the Colonies might have a major problem on hoof.”