//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: Tragic 
// Story: The Legacy of the Rider III: Misconception 
// by MrAwesome343 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 1: Tragic


Jay whipped his green and blue streaked hair out of his face. "Why do I have to go?" he asked a green haired man in blue armor.
"Because you are going to take my place at some point. You need to see how I am to keep order," he replied.
"But I don't want to, can't we practice swords again?" Jay persisted.
"Not now Jay."
A cyan pegasus had flown down to them. "Hey Taro," she greeted, her rainbow mane settling from the abrupt stop. "Hi Jay."
"Hi," Jay said innocently. Jay was the 10 year-old son of Rainbow Dash and Taro, the adult who was with him. Not their biological son, because, you know, that's not possible. Much time has passed and Taro's human world and Equestria had managed to live together in harmony, under rule of Taro, Thatch, Luna, and Celestia. Taro was on his way to the court. A fight had broken out between two ponies who just couldn't find peace.
Taro, Jay, and Rainbow Dash entered the court room to find the two ponies arguing back and forth. "I get the land passed the east end of the road!" argued a tan stallion with a brown mane and a Cutie mark in the shape of wheat.
"No you don't, you get it from the south side, I get the east!" shouted the other. He had a caramel color with a blonde mane and a scythe for a Cutie mark. They both needed the land for farming.
"Enough, both of you!" Taro shouted.
"But I'm right!" shouted the one with the wheat.
"No you're not!" shouted the other.
"He said enough," Rainbow Dash intervened.
"What do you need the land for?" Taro asked.
"Farming!" they said in unison.
"Why can't one of you take the southern field and the other take the east?"
"The eastern field is more fertile than the southern," replied Scythe.
"I don't know why I'm wasting my time on petty fights like this. Alright, we'll flip a coin." Taro scratched a line on one side of a bit. "Scratch you get east, no scratch, you do."
Taro tossed the coin into the air, causing it to flip numerously. He caught it in the air and showed it to Rainbow Dash. "Scratch."
Wheat jumped around and cheered. "There, now we can get back to what we were doing before," Taro said, leading Rainbow and Jay outside.
"Can we practice swords again?" Jay asked on the way out.
"You know you have to fight with Rissa, right?" Rainbow Dash asked. Rissa was Jarden's nine year-old daughter.
"Aww, but Dad's better at it than her!" Jay complained.
"Rainbow Dash is right, Jay. Fight Rissa and only Rissa for the time being. I don't want to hurt you and I sure don't want Jarden to hurt you. Kid goes for blood when he fights."
"What was that about me?" Jarden asked walking up to them, his sword dangling at his hip. It wasn't the same as Kveykva, Taro's sword, but it was still a really good one. Twilight had made it for him. A bright red, shining like the scales of Chalmen, his beautiful red dragon.
"Aye, Jarden! How are you today?" Taro greeted.
"I'm doin' pretty well, Master. Just spoke with Pinkie Pie about Rissa's birthday celebration in two weeks." Jarden turned to Jay. "And don't go tellin' her, squirt, it's a surprise party."
"Where is she anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"She's at home, helping Lyzia with Chalmen. She took quite a beating from that group of manticores. Thatch still out?"
"Yep, he'll be back with Isron tomorrow."
"Did you scry them lately?"
"Two days ago. They looked as if they were just finishing up." Thatch and Isron were in Manehattan. A group of thieves had been located, but Taro was too busy to go with Thatch.
"Excellent, what do you say we go for a fly when they come back?"
"Sounds good."
"Hello everyone," Twilight said, walking up to them.
"Hi Twilight," they all replied.
"How's the egg doing?" Taro asked. They had managed to find another egg.
"As good as it can be. Thatch back yet?"
"He should be back by tomorrow."
"Good, I wish to speak to him more. His knowledge is so vast." Twilight looked down at Jay. "And how are you, Jay?"
"Good," he replied shyly.
"How are you, Rainbow Dash?" Twilight asked. She had been trying to become closer friends again. Two years after Taro decided to stay in Equestria, there was a party in Canterlot that Celestia invited them all to. Hoops was making fun of Rainbow Dash again and Taro told him off. Twilight saw the whole thing and spoke to Taro in private, telling him of how strong, brave, and perfect he was. She got caught in the moment and kissed Taro. Rainbow Dash, of course, had to see only that part. After Taro explained to her that it was Twilight who kissed him and not the other way around, she had been pretty sour toward Twilight.
"I'm good, Twilight," was all she had to say.
"So, is Spike being a real dragon or one of your dragons?" Jarden asked.
"He's not too different from Thatch, actually. Thatch would be proud."
Everyone finished talking and Rainbow Dash, Taro, and Jay entered their homes. Taro and Rainbow Dash had moved their house to the ground after they decided to adopt Jay into their family. "Can I go practice with Rissa now?" Jay asked.
"Go ahead, but be careful," Taro replied.
Jay left and Taro untied his armor. He removed each small peace of protection and set it on a counter beside him. "I'm going to have to teach him some day, you know."
"I know, but I don't want him getting hurt," Rainbow Dash replied.
"He needs to be trained. He has to take over for me at some point. We don't even know when that point is. I can be killed on any of my missions."
"You're still strong enough. He can't learn everything as easy as you did. You told me that your uncle and father were members of the Rider Line that led to you. You got your moves and skills through your genes. Jay isn't our real son."
Taro sighed as he put down the last piece of armor. "I know, but he still has to learn some skills."



Jay and Rissa were in the back yard, playing another one of their fantasy games. The setting had been moved to a plain. Jay and Rissa had been walking for days. They caught sight of what appears to be a town.
"There, Rissa!" Jay shouted. They ran toward the town to find it in ruins. A woman was lying on the ground. She was hurt.
Rissa bent down to her. "Are you alright?"
"They destroyed it! The whole town!" she replied.
"Who?" Jay asked.
The woman looked up. "The Dark Souls."
"Don't worry!" Jay shouted, standing. "We shall defeat them and save the town!"
"But you're just a couple of kids."
Jay drew his sword. "I happen to be Jay, son of Taro, the greatest Dragon Rider, and Rainbow Dash, the greatest flier in Equestria and Earth!" Jay knew he was adopted, in fact, he was six when he was adopted, but he liked to think of himself as their actual son. Taro and Rainbow Dash decided on Jay after he was defending a little girl from some bullies. Bullies who were older than him.
"And I am Rissa, son of Jarden, student of Taro!"
Hope appeared to have returned to the woman's eyes.



Taro gazed out the window at the two kids. They were waving sticks around and fighting each other. He smiled.
"They're great kids," Rainbow Dash complemented.
Taro nodded in agreement.
TARO! MEET ME IN PONYVILLE SQUARE NOW!
Taro jumped. Rainbow Dash could see the shock in his face. "What is it?"
Taro grabbed his sword. "Thatch is in trouble! He's almost back! Grab the kids and go to Town Square!"
Taro ran for about a second before he took flight. He bat his wings to reach the square in time. He looked up and saw Thatch getting ready to land.
What's wrong? Taro asked, concerned.
Isron, he's hurt! Thatch replied.
Rainbow Dash and the kids ran up next to Taro. Thatch put his wing down to reveal Isron. His arm had been half cut off at the shoulder and bleeding tremendously. Rainbow Dash retaliated. That wasn't even half of it. He saw a huge gash in his side and a spear wound going almost completely through him.
"Get a doctor, Rainbow Dash!" Taro cried. "Isron, are you alright? Can you here me?"
Isron stirred. "Taro, is that you?" he asked weakly.
"Yes, what happened?" Taro asked.
"Thatch, explain."
We were getting ready to leave when a group of monsters attacked us. We don't even know what they were. They were powerful, though. Took us by surprise. I took minimal damage, but Isron... well.
A human doctor arrived shortly with a stretcher.  "Isron? Is that you?" she asked.
"Yes," he replied weakly.
"How did this happen to you?"
"Mission. Thieves in Manehattan. We got ambushed on our way back."
The doctor put Isron on the stretcher and the doctor carried him away.
"Did Isron know that doctor?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"Probably not," Taro replied, watching as the stretcher was carried away.
"Then why did she know his name?"
"Well Isron's famous, so there's one reason."
"What's gonna happen to Isron?" Jay asked.
"I don't know. He's a tough man, but he's never been this hurt. I just hope he'll be alright," Taro replied.
Jarden came running up, a grin on his face. "Thatch, you're back! ...Where's Isron?"
"He's in the hospital now. They got ambushed by some kind of creatures."
"We should see Twilight about it," Rainbow Dash suggested.
"Good idea."
They all walked over to Twilight's house. She actually had a house now, not the town's public library, although with all of the books she had in there, it practically was a library.
"Thatch, give Twilight your memories of the fight," Taro instructed.
Twilight saw Isron take a blow to the knee. The creatures that did it were green like Taro's hair. They were tall and large and had either clubs or swords.
"I don't know what those are," Twilight admitted. "I've never seen anything like them."
"Don't you have any books on medieval creatures or something?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"I do, but I've never seen anything like those in that book," Twilight said ashamed.
"Alright, Twilight, do your research on it, Rainbow Dash, keep Jay and Rissa safe. Thatch, Jarden, Chalmen, and I are going back to see if we can find any more. We'll meet at the town square in 10," Taro instructed.
Thatch pulled his head out from the window. Are you sure you want to do this? I even got hurt.
We have no choice. It's my job to keep everyone safe. How safe would you feel if there were unknown creatures roaming around killing people and ponies for no reason?
How do we know they don't have a reason?
Good question. Let's go hunt them down to find out.
Thatch argued himself into a circle.
Taro had his blue armor on and Kveykva in his hand. He was about to leave when Rainbow Dash stopped him. "Don't go, Taro."
"I have to. I want to keep you safe and if those things are running around, you aren't safe. We don't know what they are, who they are, or where they are."
"But what about you? I want to keep you safe. Every mission, big or small, I worry about you. You can't just run right into battle like you do."
"Well if I'm not at the head of the army, who will lead them?"
"Anyone, someone. I don't care, just as long as I know you're safe."
Taro grabbed Rainbow Dash and kissed her. "I'm never safe. This is who I am. I have to do this. You knew that when we married. You have no idea how badly I want to back down and stay with you. But I have a duty, and I have to fulfill it. I promise, I'll come back."
Rainbow Dash put her hooves around his neck and kissed. They fell to the ground and continued to kiss.
"Get a room, Taro," Jarden said, entering the house.
Taro looked up. "What about a house? Speaking of which, what are you doing in mine? We're meeting at the town square."
Jarden stood, looking into space. "Oh yeah." He left.
"Well then, looks like it's almost time to go." Taro stood.
"But how will I know if you're alright?" Rainbow Dash asked.
Taro put his right hand on her wing. The one that held a golden ring on it. It started to glow and shine like the sun. Shortly after, he removed his hand. "I have enchanted your ring. When I am in danger of my life, it will glow. If I get out of that situation, it will pulse and fade. This is the best I can do." Taro tied Kveykva to his belt and left.


A small crowd gathered in the town square. They loved to see the dragons take flight. Humans and ponies alike stared in awe as the team readied for lift off.
"Are you sure you have everything?" Taro asked Jarden.
"Of course I do," he replied, tying the second saddle bag to Chalmen.
Taro tied his last saddle bag of medicinal herbs to Thatch. "Really, because I know you?"
"I've got everything," Jarden replied, mounting his dragon.
Taro mounted Thatch. "Alright then." Taro turned ahead. "Take flight."
The two dragons leapt with powerful legs and beat their wings. The crowd had been slightly blown back at the force of the wind. Even still, the whole of the crowd cheered as they flew off. They were on their way.