//------------------------------//
// Freed! 
// Story: Dragon of Steel II 
// by SuperPinkBrony12 
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As Spike now had to deal with the sudden and unintentional discovery of his secret identity by Rarity, he had no way to know what was unfolding in lands far beyond Ponyville.

For you see, all the way back when Rainbow Dash had performed a sonic rainboom at the Best Young Flyers Competition, that rainbow colored shockwave's effects had rippled in the air far beyond the reaches of Cloudsdale. They had spread out and traveled to the farthest reaches of the world, beyond even the limits of Equestria itself. And as it so happened, one of the unintended (and unknown) effects of that shockwave was shattering a small, floating cube like device.

Contained within said object were three dragons who had been banished from the dragon lands about a hundred years ago, trapped forever in a prison in an alternate dimension where time and space were at a stand still. The dragons did not age a day, it was as if they had simply ceased to exist all together. But when the shockwave from the sonic rainboom reached the device in which they were trapped, it shattered it into tiny pieces and set the three dragons known as Grunt, Groan and Garble free!

The three teenage dragons only just thought to flap their wings to slow their descent before they would've impacted the ground (and likely broken several bones in their bodies if they were lucky).

Garble was the first one of the trio to come to his senses, shaking his head to clear the mental cobwebs. "We're free...?" He questioned as he slowly blinked his eyes, taking in his surroundings. He and his fellow teenage dragons appeared to be in some kind of field or clearing out in the middle of nowhere. The reality slowly set in. "...We're free! Finally, at very long last!" Then he raced over to Grunt and Groan, helping them to their knees. "Wake up, my brothers, we're free at last!"

Grunt yawned, brushing the dust off his scales. "Are you sure, Garble? How do we know this isn't a dream?"

Groan just snorted, a bit of smoke escaping his nostrils. "Oh, it's real, alright! I feel so stiff!" He unfolded his wings, wincing at how sore they felt. "How long has it been since we were banished?"

Garble could only scratch his head. "I don't know. It could've been mere days, or maybe months. But probably, it was years."

"So, where are we now?" Grunt inquired as his eyes scanned the horizon in every direction. "This doesn't seem to be the dragon lands. This doesn't look like the kingdom that tried to destroy us and our revolution!"

Groan sniffed the air, and gagged. "Ugh! It smells like... ponies!"

At that, a gasp escaped the red scaled teenage dragon's mouth! "Ponies?! I hate ponies! I hate all creatures who are inferior to us dragons! We are the strong, they are the weak! Yet they took advantage of those of us who would rather make peace than go to war," He kicked at the ground, stirring up some dirt in the process. "Well, wherever we are, it is time we made ourselves known. We'll show those... ponies that we dragons are not to be messed with. We'll show them how powerless they truly are. Then, all will bow to us!"





Yet before the dragons could make any move at all, they were made aware of the presence of another via a shocked gasp! Suddenly, who should appear before them but an earth pony mare of medium build and with an upturned snout? She had a pale, grayish-pink coat, and wore a blueish-green dress with a golden hem around her lower body. She also wore a noticeable golden necklace. Her eyes were a cold, strong opal in color that right now seemed to be filled with shock and wonder. And she sported a mane and tail that was styled into a loose series of curls, the mane and tail were colored two shades of magenta and a darker purplish-pink. Most telling of all, though, the mare sported some sort of mark on her flanks, a mark which depicted a diamond ring.

The earth pony hesitantly approached the creatures, either not knowing or not caring about who and what they were. "Oh my Celestia! What are you... you... creatures doing here?!"

"First of all, lady," Garble said with a hiss. "We're dragons," He immediately flew over to her, pressing his snout up against hers. "And you'll address as such if you know what's good for you!" He brandished his claws. "These claws ain't just for show, you know."

If the earth pony mare was at all intimidated, she didn't show it as she scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I'm ever so scared," Her voice was dripping with sarcasm and malice. "You think I'm some helpless damsel? I'll have you know, I attend self defense classes, and I'm not afraid to get dirty if it means putting thugs like you in your place. Many a would-be robber has foolishly thought they could frighten me into helplessness. But I don't scare easily!" She jumped back, rearing up on her back legs as she struck a fighting pose. "I suggest you brutes hit the road right now if you know what's good for you!"

But Garble just looked to Groan and Grunt, and laughed as the purple skinned dragon with yellow hair, and the white skinned dragon with light purple hair stood to either side of him. "Oh, so that's how it's gonna be, is it? You think we're here to shake you down for money? Like we're some common thieves?" Then he cruelly laughed as he narrowed his eyes. "Pony, you just made the worst mistake of your life! And soon, it will be your last!"

"I have a name, you know!" The earth pony mare snorted in reply. "It's Spoiled Rich. And I happen to be married to the wealthiest pony in all of Ponyville, maybe even all of Equestria. If you dare lay a claw on me, my husband will sue you for every last bit you have to your names, and then some. Trust me, my husband always listens to me. Nopony ever says no to me!"

Garble only laughed as he unfolded his wings. "Well then, Spoiled Rich, let's see just how tough you really are!" To his fellow dragons, he then instructed. "Show no mercy, boys! We'll make her last moments painful!"

"With pleasure!" Grunt and Groan said in unison.

Spoiled just narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth. "Bring it!" And so, a fight began!





Spoiled Rich was indeed very strong and very skilled. She held her own against the dragons more than might have been expected of her. She scored a few hits, knocking them back and knocking them down. But every time she did, they just got right back up and kept charging at her. All the while, Spoiled's dress began to be ripped and teared by the near misses from the trio of dragons and their sharp claws. To say nothing of their ability to fly and breath fire.

Eventually, the three teenage dragons encircled the mare, and with several swift kicks and swings of their tails, they brought her down and pinned her down. The earth pony never stood a chance.

Spoiled, bruised and battered, could only look into the eyes of her attackers and see the cold, cruel glares they shot back at her. She was forced to do something she absolutely hated to do: Beg. "P-please," She whimpered as she shook and shivered with fright. "I-I'm sorry. We... we can work something out!"

"Oh, did you hear that, boys?" Garble asked his fellow dragons. "She wants to work something out. She thinks she can bargain her way out of this!" And all three dragons began to cackle with fiendish glee.

Groan locked eyes with Spoiled, telling her in no uncertain terms. "We ain't interested in making a deal, lady. You started this fight, and now we're going to finish it. There is nothing you could possibly offer us. And once we're done with you, you'll serve as a warning to others."

Grunt began to rub his claws together. "Oh, I love it when they try to put up a fight! Makes their inevitable end all the sweeter to savor," Then he proposed. "Now, how shall we finish you off: Burn you to a crisp? Rip you to shreds? Or just give you a good, swift kick to the head to put your lights out for good?"

Resigning herself to her fate, the battered, belittled earth pony mare spat at the ground and tried to summon up courage. "Do your worst!" She managed to force out in as defiant a tone as she could muster.

A fiendish smile broke out across Garble's face. "With pleasure, lady," He brandished his claws and raised them high into the air. "Don't worry, this won't hurt a bit. It'll hurt a whole lot!"





Just as Spoiled Rich had shut her eyes, waiting for her untimely end to come, a high pitched voice suddenly cried out from the distance! "Mother!" Suddenly, who should come running up on the scene but a magenta coated earth pony filly? Her vibrant, cornflower blue eyes were filled with horror upon seeing the state her female parent was in!

Spoiled tried to speak up, only to find that the words wouldn't come out of her mouth. All she could do was whimper, her head falling to the ground as her body betrayed her.

Immediately, Garble got an idea. An awful idea. A truly wonderful, awful, terrible idea. "Oh, is this your kid?" He taunted Spoiled, before flying over to the frightened filly, stopping her dead in her tracks. "What's the matter, little lady? Is that mare begging and pleading pathetically for her life your mother?" His voice was full of sadistic intention and cruelty.

The filly neither knew nor cared what these creatures were, all she knew was that her mother was in danger. "You leave my mother alone!" She demanded and threw a hoof, trying to punch the red scaled creature hard in the stomach. But her hoof barely made an impact, it was like she had done nothing at all.

"That didn't even tickle," Garble grinned. "Let me show you what a real punch looks like!" And he swung his hands hard into the little earth pony, knocking her to the ground with one blow. "How's that?! Do you want more?!"

Defiantly, the filly roared. "Leave my mother alone you... you... you heartless monsters!"

Grunt laughed as Groan only taunted. "Flattery won't save you, young one."

Garble then grabbed the frightened filly, picking her up by the neck and pulling her close to him. "It's a real shame you had to stick your nose into this. Now you'll meet the same fate as your mother. Guess maybe she should've told you not to pick on those bigger than you."

The magenta coated filly screamed at the top of her lungs, but all she could do otherwise was kick her legs and flail about in helplessness! "Let me go, please! I don't wanna die!" Tears began flowing from her cornflower blue eyes.

Somehow, someway, hearing her daughter's cries was enough to summon up some courage in Spoiled. She managed to raise to her hooves, and then she croaked out. "Don't any of you dare hurt my little Diamond! Do whatever you want to me, but leave Diamond Tiara out of this! It's me you want, not her!"

"But Mother, I don't want you to die either!" Diamond Tiara protested, and with a whimper she looked at Garble. "Please, Mr... whatever your name is... let us go! We'll... we'll..." Suddenly, an idea came to her! "We'll owe you a favor. We can get you anything you want. Anything!"

Grunt snarled and shook his head. "Don't listen to 'em, Garble. We have them at our mercy! Let's put 'em down!"

But Garble threw up a claw. "Wait, I think maybe we can use this to our advantage. Having ponies do things for us only seems fair after all the times they took advantage of our kind," He locked eyes with his captive and said to her. "Alright, kid, here's the deal. We'll let you and your mother live, if... you promise to do our bidding. You'll help us conquer Equestria."

"Never!" Diamond roared in defiance!

The red scaled dragon just waved a claw. "Ah, ah, ah, you're in no position to be making demands. Either you agree to help us, or we'll kill you here and now! It's your choice. Do you want to live, or not?"

Spoiled managed to force out. "Please, whatever you want, we'll give it to you. Just let us go."

Garble smiled, dropping Diamond as he flew over to Spoiled. "Excellent! Looks like we have a deal!" Helping the mare to her hooves, he then smirked and said to her. "Now, here's what we want you to do." And just like that, he began to set a plan into motion. A plan that he hoped would help him and his fellow teenage dragons bring down Equestria, enabling them to conquer it for themselves.

And it was a plan that would've worked, if not for the intervention of a certain scaly hero years later.