Brrrrrinnggg Brrrrrinnnngg Brrriiiiiiii— Star slammed a hoof on his alarm clock to shut it off.
“One of these days I’m going to chuck it out the window,” he mumbled. Slouching out of bed, he didn’t bother to grab his glasses as he made his way to the bathroom. He stood by the stall and turned the water on and waited until it was hot before he entered it.
Almost instantly, he perked up and even managed to smile a little. Some ponies had coffee, some ponies had sugar, but for Star, a nice hot shower was what got him up in the morning. It took away his fatigue, loosened up any kinks sleep had brought on, got his mane wet so that it licked the nape of his neck...
Wait, my mane isn’t that... Star turned around and got a look at her mane. “Celestia damnit, not again!” She hastily turned upward and allowed some water to clog her nose. One sneeze later and Star was back to normal. He grabbed his shampoo and proceeded to lather his now short mane with it. Ugh, I need to stop sneezing in my sleep.
~~~
A quick breakfast of oats and tea later, Star was off on his daily commute to Canterlot for work. On occasion, he’d fly over for the exercise, but then again, it was Monday. Sitting on the train, he unfurl his copy of the newspaper and scanned the pages for any interesting stories.
Hmm, plans for an eclipse? That sounds interesting, Star mused to himself as he read through the article. We never did get those before Princess Luna returned. He hastily finished the article and moved onto the next one. He smiled a little when he saw a picture of a familiar purple dragon, albeit a bit bigger than Star last remembered Spike being. Hmm, didn’t think Spike would be going on that migration thing again... practically announced it on the loudspeakers that the dragons there were jerks.
Star placed a hoof to his chin and examined the article about the annual dragon migration a little closer. No mention of Neighponese dragons attending it. Star re-read the article. Actually, there isn’t anything about the actual migration except for what Spike said about it. Don’t we at least have estimates on the dragons flying over the country? The paper yielded no results.
Star got up and made his way to the snack car. The train did have good chai tea after all. Giant fire breathing reptilians are flying over Equestria and we don’t even know how many, Star mulled as he entered the snack car. Luckily, a satisfying drink took his mind off dragons and back to work. Hope it’s not just paperwork today.
~~~
Star grabbed his saddlebags and made his way off the train. However, his descent off was interrupted by a rather ecstatic unicorn. “Good morning Star!” Dream beamed. “Have a good weekend?”
“Aside from a few allergies, yes,” Star replied. “I’m assuming you had a good one as well given how bouncy you are?” Seriously, you’re giving Pinkie a run for her money.
“Oh, well my weekend was normal, but I’m really pumped up for is at work!”
Star’s jaw dropped. “Um, Dream, every day after work, you always complain about filing, or your office, or the political forecast, or the potted plants looking a little dry. That’s all doubled on a Monday.” Star’s ears drooped. “Please tell me I didn’t fall into an alternate dimension?”
“I think you’ve had one too many magical mishaps,” Dream joked. Star turned a little red. “Okay, well, I went into to work a little early so I could snag a few complimentary donuts before Early Bird got to them. Seriously, every day with him! Anyway, the boss was there too, said he was glad I was in early ‘cause we had a big day ahead of us,” she said with a wide smile.
“Why are you happy about that?” Star moped. “Last time Iron Wing said we had big day, he sent us to Royal Guard Boot Camp to ‘teach us field expertise.’” Star made air quotes with his wings to emphasize the point. “I recall sleeping for half a day and not being able to move after that and I recall you nearly drowning in mud.”
“Don’t be such a spoilsport,” Dream teased. “Besides, Wing already told me what’s going on.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
“And ruin the surprise?” Dream pulled back in mock repulsion. “Oh no, you’ll see when we get there. I told Wing you’d love it!”
If this involves Changelings, I’m going to kill her. Star shuddered a little before joining Dream on the short trot over to the office.
~~~
“Alright everypony,” Iron Wing said in his normal growl. “Today we’re starting a big job, handed down by the Princesses themselves!” Everypony in the office, Star and Dream included, murmured about this announcement. They were effectively silenced by Iron Wing yelling, “Attention!”
“Now, if you’re done with your pointless babble, I’ve got business to show you,” Wing continued. He quickly lifted the paper sheet behind him to reveal another sheet which had a dragon breathing fire directly at the camera. “First off, I never want to be the unlucky foal that took this picture. Second, if you hadn’t guessed already, this is a dragon! Now, what do we know about dragons?”
After a few moments of silence, somepony said, “They lay eggs.”
“Good! Kindergarten is actually still useful for something,” Wing replied. “Anypony else?”
“They’ve got a lifespan anywhere between eight hundred and a thousand years.”
“Great! First grade can keep its funding too!” said Wing. “Lets see if second grade stays too!”
“The migration is coming up,” Star said nervously.
“Well would you look at that,” Wing enthusiastically stated. “Somepony here actually deserves a diploma!” Wing flipped to another sheet to show a congregation of dragons filling the sky. “As Gazer here pointed out, we’ve got the annual migration coming up. You know what we’ve done with it? Jack!”
“Here comes the monologue,” Dream joked.
And there goes my hearing for the rest of the week, Star thought.
“Well, the Princesses decided to do something about it! Equestria almighty, are you going to enjoy this! In an attempt to better understand dragon culture, we’re going to be sending some teams to the migration this year. Congratulations! You all just went from ambassadors to spies!” Wing took a deep breath and relished in the moment. “Reminds me of Staliongrad.”
“Um, sir,” came a voice from the back of the crowd. Star recognized the nasalness of it as Early Bird’s. “I thought relations with dragons, at least regarding the migration, were rough?”
“They are!” Wing said with an almost giddy smile. “That’s what makes this a big job. You’re gonna have to observe the migration up close and not get caught while doing it.”
“Sir, no offense, but a bunch of ponies kinda stand out in a dragon migration,” Early Bird replied.
Wing’s smile changed into a wicked grin. “Who said anything about ponies going?” Confusion spread like a wave through the crowd. Dream chuckled a little. Wing tapped on a suitcase next to him, which opened up and displayed four medallions crafted out of some sort of crystal-like rock.
Star’s left ear twitched a little. “Why does those things feel... familiar?”
“How can it feel familiar?” Dream asked. “You haven’t even touched it. Although...” Dream glanced over at the medallions with a mischievous grin. “Something does seem up with them.”
“If you two are done making dinner plans, maybe I can tell you what they are,” Wing growled. Dream and Star both shut up. “Guess you have some unicorn ancestry in you Gazer.” He trotted over to the suitcase and gingerly picked up one of the medallions with a wing. “These little babies are loaded up with enough magic take down an Ursa Major!”
“So they’re defenses against dragon attacks?” somepony asked.
“Did I say it was Q and A time?” Wing yelled. “Anypony with enough of a brain can defend themselves from dragons. Getting close to them is a whole ‘nother story.” Wing’s eyes settled on Dream. “Weaver! Front and center!”
“Yes sir!” Dream ecstatically replied. She marched forward towards Wing. When she was within reach of his wings, he shot the one holding the medallion over to her and slammed the medallion onto her neck. He then instantly pulled on a pair of sunglasses. There was a flash of light and, for a second, Star thought he’d been transported into an oven. The heat disappeared as fast as it came though. When Star’s vision returned, he noticed that he, along with anypony else in the front of the crowd, was slightly singed.
Some slight burns were nothing compared to what Star saw next though. Standing in front of the crowd was Wing, a little singed as well, and a pink dragon with long green and yellow spines that was about the height of a full grown pony. “Happy birthday firebreather! You just turned one!” Wing practically screamed.
“Whoa, was not expecting that,” said the dragon with a familiar playful voice. She raised one of her arms and flexed its claw. “Huh, that’s kinda neat.” She looked back up at Wing. “Can we just not do the burning thing again?”
“Deal with it!” Wing replied. “You got flames inside you now anyway!” He then turned over to the crowd. By now, most of their mouths had punched through the floor and into the first floor lobby. “Knew I should have brought my camera. Anyway, as you can see, the Princesses have been nice enough to cook up some party costumes for us. Things will last today and through the migration. We’ve got spots to fill, so who wants to go?”
Nopony instantly raised their hooves or wings.
“Did I mention those who stay are getting the mountains of paperwork we have to handle to get this job off the ground?”
Almost everyponies’ hooves shot up. Star’s, on on the contrary, stayed down. I think I have enough transformation hijinks for a lifetime. He watched Swift Breeze and Morning Glory go up for medallions. This time he closed his eyes before the flash came. When he opened them, his colleagues had been replaced by two adolescent dragons. He also noticed that Breeze had wings while Glory didn’t.
Still... He glanced over at Dream, who was currently running a claw over her opposite arm and gawking at her scales. That’s some pretty weird magic. Wonder if she was joking about the burning. Wait, do dragons even feel heat? Guh, we need better tex—
“Oof!” Dream fell and scratched one of her claws all the way down Star’s left leg.
“Ow!” Star recoiled back and examined his leg, noting that Dream’s claws had broken his skin in a few spots. “Darn it Dream! What’d ya do that for?”
“Oh!” Dream frowned and nervously wrapped her claws around her tail. “Sorry, I just wanted to try walking over... guess I have to practice with using two legs.” She shook one leg around playfully. “I’m still really sorry about cutting you though.”
Star sighed. “I guess it’s not too bad, I just need get it bandaged up.” He gingerly set his leg down and looked over Dream. “Well, this is definitely a surprise. Walking aside, how’s the spell working out?”
Dream twisted her head and glanced at her tail. “Kinda weird having such a fat tail, like you’ve got an extra leg. Hmm, speaking of spells, I wonder if I can do magic.” Dream closed her eyes and concentrated. “Huh, it sorta feels like when I use magic only... uh-oh.”
Star raised an eyebrow. “Dream what’s...” Dream clasped a hand over her mouth and her cheeks inflated. Star rapidly turned to Wing, who was holding the last medallion and walking over to them. “Sir, I think...” Star stopped and his eyes went wide. Dream’s current posture reminded him of what Spike looked like when he was about to send a le— “Oh crap!” Star’s wings flared out and he leaped into the air just as a jet of flame shot out from Dream’s mouth and incinerated the spot where Star had been standing.
Unfortunately, Star leapt a little too high and banged right into ceiling. He fell to the ground with a loud thud. “Oops,” Dream whimpered.
~~~
Star blearily opened one eye. Ugh, I hate mondays. He slowly stood up and nearly fell down again. Luckily, a pair of claws held him up.
“Woah,” Dream said. “Careful, you hit your head pretty hard... sorry.”
“Well, I’m definitely calling in a sick day now.” Star raised a hoof and rubbed his head with it. Only instead of massaging his head, he scratched it. “Huh? Dream, why are scratching my head? ”
“Um, anyway Star,” Dream said nervously. “This morning, remember how I said I told the boss that’d you’d love this job... welllll, the medallions also help get rid of any immediate injuries.” She looked down at the floor. “Plus, he was gonna smack one on you anyway!”
“Dream what are you talking abou...” Star noticed that Dream was holding him up with both her claws. Slowly, he brought his hoof down and was met with brown scaly claw. That claw, along with his other one, began to throttle Dream.
“You idiot! I have enough body problems as it is! I don’t need scales on the list as wel—” Star froze and noticed the tone of his voice. His pupils turned into tiny dots and he slowly focussed back on the dragon he was holding. “Dream, what type of dragon am I?”
“A winged one.” Dream nervously answered. She wasn’t looking directly at Star.
“What gender of dragon am I?” Star growled.
“Um... well...” Dream squirmed a little. “I guess it’s not a good time to mention you sneezed twice while you were out and stayed the same?”
“Sorry about this mess Gazer!” Wing’s strong hoof smacked into his back. “Was gonna surprise you and get a laugh, but then tables turned on me! Last medallion must have been junky!”
“Well how do I get rid of it?” Star asked desperately as she clawed at her silver chest.
“As I said,” Wing sighed, “spell lasts today until the end of the migration. You got those frilly scales for until Friday! Tell ya what, you pull this job off and I give you a promotion and a tell you about the time I was in Amesterdanehill. I’ll even buy you a drink!”
The brown and silver dragon just grumbled, “Frickin’ Mondays.”