//------------------------------//
// Take a break 
// Story: Around A World: Equus 
// by Dragon Shimmer 
//------------------------------//

Frostbite is coming back with his father to his cave kingdom. It is hard to believe when he has been defeated by a fire dragon and that dragon accidentally claims him, which makes other ice dragons suspect his ability. The dark blue dragon grits his teeth and runs into the training zone but his father stops him and asks him to go inside his room to calm him down.

Frost Ice is coming to the throne room, where a green dragon is breathing hard with two mountains of paper. 

Frost Ice puts his weapon down. "I failed. Our son was lost with a fire dragon, and our daughter is in Diana's paws."

"I know. I have seen her face." Leafy tries to stand up. "Her name is Sunset Shimmer."

"Sunset Shimmer... why does this name sound familiar?" Frost Ice rubs his chin. "I have to battle her to release my son? And you use the  'vision sharing' spell again. 

Leafy raises her claw. "If I didn't do that, we wouldn't know who could defeat him. From what I witnessed, she seems confused about her ability, yet her spell is powerful."

"Excuse me?"

"I mean she looks like the one who has never fought before." Leafy takes the paper. "Do you know what they want with our daughter?"

"No clue." Frost Ice sits down next to Leafy. "How can we get our daughter back?"

Leafy stands up and takes the map. The green dragon rubs her chin. "What is their goal? No one wants to kidnap someone and make them go inside the dungeon. And Icey doesn't know anything about that dungeon."

"Maybe a meatshield." Frost Ice folds his claws. "I notice that the weird creature with Icey has some bruises. Maybe they are fighting with each other."

"I doubt it." Leafy goes around the room. "If they want her as a meat shield, they will leave and Icey isn't there anymore. The weird creature you said before will go out without any bruises."

Frost Ice rubs his chin. "Three dungeons... two have been raided... hmmm...." 

"What do you have in mind?"

"Maybe I should go to the third one." Frost Ice stands up. "If they aim for the dungeon, the third one is their next target."

"But Crystal Empire ponies have captured that one. We have the deal, remember?" Leafy taps the table. "We can't go near the dungeon for five miles. 

Frost Ice grins. "But we can stop them before they can get that five miles, right?" Leafy slowly steps away from the blue dragon. Frost Ice slams the table. "Hey, it is not what you think."

"Oh right oh right, just teasing you." Leafy giggles. "You should go now. You only have about twenty-four hours."

Frost Ice prepares his soldiers to sit in there as he hopes that this could work to get back his daughter.

Lea




Twilight and Spike are resting in the bathroom. The purple duo is feeling so relaxed when finishing that dungeon. Twilight is going to sleep but a splash of water on her face makes her wake up immediately. Spike is diving in the bath, then he goes up and laughs at the purple alicorn.

"You're death this time." Twilight jumps on Spike and they start fighting each other. Cadance goes inside the bathroom and sees Twilight trying to attack Spike with some water balls. The pink alicorn coughs and the purple duo stops. Twilight smiles nervously. "Eh... what are you doing here?"

"Twilight, Spike, you two are not young anymore. Why do you two keep messing in the bathroom?"

"Come on Cadance, we are having fun here." Spike wraps his claw around Twilight. "Right, Twilight?"

Twilight nods. Cadance sighs, then smiles. "I can't stop you two. Anyway, I want to meet this Diana."

"Eh.. are you sure?" Twilight shudders. "I don't think you should meet her."

Candace pats her back. "What could go wrong with a friendly meeting?"

"Eh... Diana is... hmm... very rude." Spike rubs the backs of his head. "Why? Because she is more action than just talking."

"Don't be like that, Spike." Cadance giggles. "Don't talk like that when someone is not here."

"And that 'someone' hears every single word." 

Spike turns around and sees Diana walking to them from the hall. Cadance is feeling great pressure when just looking at the black cat. Spike is going to go inside to hide the black cat but Twilight steps in his tail to stop him.

Cadance takes a deep breath and smiles. "You must be Diana, right?"

"I am. Princess Cadance, right?" Diana turns away from the pink alicorn. "Sorry, I am not in the mood to talk here. Maybe next time."

"Then their rumor is right." Cadance points at the purple duo. "You are ruder than I expected."

Diana stops. "Because we don't have time here." Diana folds her paws. "What do you want to talk about?"

"I will show you another dungeon, but you have to follow me first." Cadance glares at the cat. "I don't know how Twilight and Spike get along with you."

Diana huffs. "And I don't know who your husband is."

Cadance leads the black cat to somewhere to talk with each other. 





Sunset is coming out to have dinner and watch the sky. Just opening the door, she sees a blue dragon lying on the ground while the human is sitting and watching the crystal castle. 

Sunset looks at the ice dragon on the ground. "Why are you lying here?"

"Don't .... ask." Icey turns away as she can't move even an inch. She whines. "Please help me. I am rooting on the floor here." Sunset helps the blue dragon to the chair. The blue dragon sighs in relief. "Ah, that's better."

"What happened?" Sunset puts the food down.  "Messing with Diana."

Matt waves his arm. "No. She was being split into two parts from below." Icey glares at him. Matt pats the blue dragon. "I am telling the truth."

"Too much." Icey feels her claw can move again. The blue dragon stretches her body. "Now where are we?"

"Above Crystal Empire." Matt sips some wine. "Don't worry about your father. The pony here has increased security."

Icey sighs. "I wish I can be stronger. I am feeling humiliated when being beaten by a cat."

"If that is a normal cat, you should, but not Diana's case." 

Matt stares at the orange dragon. Sunset is feeling something wrong about him. The human takes out the crystal shard. Sunset quickly teleports to the steering wheel and hides behind it. Icey taps her claw. "She scares at the... crystal shard, doesn't she?"

"It's obvious." Matt stands up and spins his wraise. "Help me to catch her, please. This orange dragon is a master of teleportation."

"Do it yourself." 

Icey turns away from the human. Matt jumps to the orange dragon but Sunset teleports to the under table immediately. Matt throws the crystal shard at her head. Sunset ducks and teleports inside the airship. 





Diana follows the pink alicorn to a room. Cadance asks the guards to make sure that no one listens to the conversation. Walking inside the room, she sees the white unicorn staring at her. 

Diana takes a seat and asks. "Why are you calling me here?"

Shining Armor slams the table. "What do you want my little sister? I see she isn't scared of any danger anymore. 

Diana turns to Cadance. "I hope you don't marry a blind unicorn, Cadance." Cadance and Shining Armor grasp as Diana turns back to the white unicorn. "Your eyes are made for decorating or something? Twilight and her friends literally stopped the changeling invasion. Of course, she doesn't scare the danger."

Shining retorts. "But that time, she had your human friends help her."

Diana tilts her head. "And?"

Shining Armor taps his hoof on the table. "Ughh... anyway, I want to make her come back to herself."

"Go ahead and persuade her." Diana gives him a smirk. "She joins me in free will anyway."

Shining Armor glares at the black cat, then stomps away from the room. Diana spins the pencil and asks. "Can we have some food and money, Cadance? We are out of those things."

"I can provide you." Cadance smiles. "I will be happy when I can support some of the resources for Twilight."

"You didn't stop her from going into danger?"

"I can't." Cadance pats Diana's head. "Someone brainwash her so much, right?" Diana turns away from the pink alicorn. The pink alicorn rubs her cheek. "Then I have one condition, you have to sleep with me tonight."

"Ughh fine." Diana taps her paws on the table. "But is it okay when leaving your husband like this? He is worrying about Twilight too much."

"Hmm..." Cadance takes the map. "Can you go with Shining Armor in the last dungeon?"

"Sure, why not?" 

"Thank you. Now good night, I will wait inside my room."

Diana rolls her eyes and flies back to the airship to organize it. Tomorrow will be a painful day for her.