//------------------------------// // What a Drag // Story: My Little Pony: Return of the Primal Fear // by Lizardsareradical //------------------------------// Chapter 10: What a total Drag The next morning, on the island of Phobos, inside the Volcano of Hysteria, Blubayou was teaching Trixie how to open the large golden door that lead to the entrance of the of the base. The two ponies were in front of the colored glyphs. "Alrighty Trix! All you have to do is press red, yellow, green, red, purple, blue." Blu quickly instructed the magician patting her on the back. The unicorn shivered as she felt his slimy skin. Trixie moved towards the glyphs and pressed each and every one of them correctly. The golden doors slowly opened up, splitting the red moon moon picture in half. "Trixie didn't think that was any problem at all!" Trixie said indifferently as she turned to the amphibipony. "You got it on your first time too right?" Blubayou just looked away ashamed. It took him thirty tries to completely memorize the code, and even then it slipped his mind once in a while. As the doors slowly opened, both ponies can see Anvillain walking towards them, towering over both of them. Screameater was lying on his back on top of him, enjoying the ride. "Good morning." The dark alicorn said to Trixie as he jumped off of the artificial pony's back. He then walked towards the two. "Morning Master Screameater." Blu eagerly told his master with a salute. Screameater just used a tendril to slap him upside the head. "I was talking to the lovely lady." Screameater grumbled to the blue pony, spraying a purple smog from his mouth into his servant's face. Blubayou eyes shot wide open and he began to creep away from his master like a scared puppy, closing his eyes and whimpering. The fallen one just snorted and turned to the unicorn in a good mood. "Don't worry about my sniveling servant. He's fine." He then petted the amphibipony with a tendril. "I just got him to see my face split apart four ways, revealing fifty long, slimy tongues that each had a lamprey like mouth." He then smirked. "I've been more creative." Trixie didn't see any of that when he looked at him. But she got herself to say. "Trixie...is curious about how you did that." Screameater just looked back to Blubayou and spewed out more purple smog at him. Blu paused for a moment, but when he looked at his hooves, he started flailing about screaming "FIRE SPIDERS!" as he started running in circles. He then turned back to the magician. "You see? My fog makes them see things not there. I have also looked into his mind long ago, finding his deepest fears. But I don't necessarily need it, the smog's just for a single pony's mind. Different ponies see different things. Some might see scorpions; some might see dragons, others their grandmothers..." He then stared into Trixie's purple eyes. "And sometimes, things not from this world and too twisted for words." He then let out an otherworldly chuckle. The blue mare felt a chill up her spine as he chuckled, but she managed to keep her composure. Unlike Blu, who was still hollering about fire spiders while rolling on the ground, managed to keep her composure. She then got the courage to ask. "Do have a job for me or something?" Screameater nodded his head and used a tendril to bring her closer to him. He then began to speak like a true gentlecolt. "I do have a job for you Ms. Great and Powerful. I need the second part of my ritual. Do you know any dragons that are easy to teleport here?" He then began to mutter to himself. "And are easier to absorb than my son?" Trixie thought it over for a bit. She then remembered that purple and green baby dragon that accompanied that Twilight Sparkle mare from Ponyville. She then smiled spoke up to the alicorn. "There was this baby dragon back in Ponyville." Trixie admitted to him, praying that would be enough. "That would be perfect!" Screameater told her in a postive manner as he put both forehooves on her shoulders. He then tsk tsked. "But a baby dragon. Now that's cold." He then whispered into Trixie's ear. "I like that." He then coughed to himself, looking away. "But anyways, here's a Mara to replace the dragon." He then used his magic to create an Earth Mara, which looked just like the one Trixie replaced with Blueblood, except without a horn. "Now can you be a dear and shape this Mara into this "baby dragon" you speak of." Screameater politely asked the unicorn magician with a smug grin. Trixie just nodded and used the Necklace of Alteration to transform the Mara into a small, purple and green male dragon. The Mara took a minute to admire its new form, checking out its claws, fangs, tail and most of all, its green fiery breath. "Speak Mara!" Screameater sharply ordered the creature. The creature checked its vocal chords and then spoke up. "Yes master." Trixie nodded, remembered that was exactly how the dragon sounded. She then looked at her master with confidence. "His name is Spike." The magician told the fallen alicorn sure of herself. He just analyzed every bit of the transformation before whiplashing his tail. "How about you and "Spike" go and find ourselves a certain baby dragon?" Screameater smugly suggested the two. He then gestured them to leave. Trixie bowed down and teleported herself and the Spike/Mara to Ponyville. Screameater then took a look at the still flailing Blubayou. He just rolled his eyes and undid the illusion. Blubayou just stopped confused, looked around and got up as if nothing happened. "Where's Trix Screameater?" Blu asked looking around. He couldn't see any evidence of her around. Screameater just facehoofed. "She's out to get the next ritual. She'll…" "Can I come too?" Blubayou unwisely interrupted his master. "Please? Please? Please?" Screameater just facehoofed again. He then muttered. "Fine. Next ritual is a pegasus filly who has yet to find her destiny. You, Trixie, and Anvillain will be on that in a few hours." He then flew up to Anvillain's face. "I just have to work on my shining silver stallion's aura vision." The alicorn then scoffed. "And before you ask Blu! It's to detect beings worthy of the ritual! And before you ask again, I have it too!" Blubayou completely ignored his adoptive father's annoyed expression and hollered in excitement as he hopped off the walls. "OH GEE! OH MY! Finally! After all these years, I get to find a ritual!" He then rushed over to kiss his master's feet. "Thank ya so much! I cross my heart, I won't let ya down!" He then used his tongue to make an X motion on his chest. Screameater just sighed and shook his head. He then used his magic to fling the amphibipony into the base. He then got back on his golem's back. "Mush amazing Anvillain! Mush!" The fallen alicorn told the construct as he rode on his back. "To the amazing archives for your…uhhh?" He pondered for words, but then just shrugged. "Amazing aura vision!" He then used his magic to close the golden doors. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Later in Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle woke up and got out of bed. To her dismay, the memory of her and Coocoodrill's argument over what was best for Spike was still fresh in her mind. She decided that after some breakfast, she would go and apologize to Coocoo. She also hoped for an apology back, since in her opinion, they both acted wrong. And when she thought about, she never sent Princess Celestia a letter about how to deal with such a problem. This then made her think about Spike, the reason for this dispute in the first place. She looked up at his basket bed and saw that he was completely covered. "Spike?" Twilight called as she approached the basket. "Can you please get up?" No answer. Twilight began to have a feeling that he was mad at her for last night. "Come on Spike. Get up." She was starting to get worried. "I know you're probably mad at me, but I'm going to make it up to you." She then forced a smile. "After breakfast we can go to Rarity's. Wouldn't that be fun?" Still no answer. Twilight was beginning to get teary, her closest friend she's ever had. But when she thought about it, she was the closest thing he had to a mother also. To make the whole situation worse though, she began remember moments when she wasn't very fair to him. The first that went into her mind was that she made him stay when she had her first "true" birthday. In hindsight, that was borderline unforgivable. Would any friend, nevertheless any mother do that? But as she was wallowing in her own shame, she noticed a little blue under Spike's blanket. She poked the bed, and there was still no response. She then lifted the blanket with her magic, begging to herself that this wasn't what it appeared to be. But her hopes were shattered. All that was in the basket was a bunch of books to make it look like he was under the covers. On one of the books was a letter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Coocoodrill woke up with a loud yawn, admiring his new underground home. His whole house was disorganized. Comics were on the floor, the rug was dirty, he had no clothes in his closet, and the shelves and drawers were crammed with random items. He even had a whole room for food, which was nice and cool to preserve his food. "Ah! I wonder what that weather's like today." Coocoo said to himself as he got out of his cot. So he walked up the staircase to the front entrance. He opened the door and walked out. It was a nice day outside. Nice and sunny, but with just enough clouds for shade. The green unicorn took a breath of fresh air and was about to find a place to eat. "COOCOODRILL!" The stallion turned around still in his blissful mood. "Why hello there. Needed…" He then saw that it was Twilight galloping up to him. He frowned and looked away. "Oh. It's you." Coocoo said in a nonchalant tone, not even looking at the purple mare. Twilight just let out a mellow sigh and then spoke up. "Look! I know we didn't treat each other very well last night, but we have a crisis on our hands!" Coocoodrill just rolled his multicolored eyes, agitated. He then turned and walked towards her. "Is this about Screamy? Cause it better not be!" He looked at her with his one big, purple eye pupil. The unicorn mare just used her magic to shove the letter into Coocoodrill's mouth. He spat it out and began to read out loud. "Dear Twilight Sparkle, I heard the whole argument last night and I think what you did was completely…inequeetable? Iequisable?" Coocoodrill showed Twilight the word. "What's this word?" Twilight just groaned. "Inequitable." Coocoodrill just pointed a hoof at her. "HA! Knew I was right! IN YO FACE!" Twilight was beginning to get irritated with his behavior. He really takes this "not friend" thing seriously. She then spoke out loud to him. "Just…finish reading." Coocoo did as her was told. "But that also doesn't mean Coocoodrill's opinion is also…Justifibble? Joustifeeabell?" "Justifiable!" Twilight snapped. She then covered her mouth, realizing how rude she was. "Sorry." Coocoodrill began to frown. He then began to read with more concern. "He may be more fun than you, but he just babies me around. So that makes me stuck between two ponies who never let me do anything myself. I'm my own dragon. And until you two start treating me like one, I'm not coming back. Which means you'll just have to find another way to contact the Princess." Twilight gasped. "P.S: I've looked into "guy time" and it's stated that you don't invited friends that are girls or mention anything about crushes. Next time, get it right." Coocoodrill's jaw dropped. He then turned to Twilight horrified. "There's rules for "guy time"?" Twilight just sympathetically patted him on the back. "Yes there is Coocoo. Yes there is." She then got serious. "But the big picture here is that Spike's out there alone and we need to find him and apologize to him." The distraught stallion just sighed. "Definitely. This is both our fault. Well maybe mostly yours." "HEY!" "I'll stand by my statement. You were the one who started the argument." "Yeah! But you dropped him off so late last night!" Coocoo just gently pushed her way with a hoof. "Alright, alright. Point taken." He then looked down at the ground. He then muttered a lowly "Sorry". Twilight could see tears well up in his eyes. When she thought about the situation at hand, she also got to the verge of tears. She put an understanding hoof to his chin and brought his head up to her face. She asked with all the kindness she can muster. "Look. We both said terrible things last night and we are equally the cause of this. But if we just sulk around, we'll never get him back." She then took a long breath. "I'm sorry too." Coocoodrill held back some tears. "Do you really mean that?" Twilight only nodded in agreement. She then hugged her friend that exact same way he held her two nights before. He was at first surprised, but was quick to hug back. "I forgive you." Twilight softly said during the embrace. "I forgive ya too." Coocoodrill told her, switching his normal voice for a cheery southern drawl. "But one thing." "What's that?" Coocoo went back to his average Fillydelphian accent. "Can we never, ever, ever be a couple? Cause no offense that would be awkward." Twilight would have been offended if any other stallion said that, but with Coocoodrill, that was a sigh of relief. If they ever dated, she didn't what she'd do to him if he got out of line. "Of course not." Twilight reassured him, feeling much better now. She then let go of the embrace and put a forehoof up to him, hoping he would shake it. "Friends?" Coocoodrill didn't even have to think. He quickly grabbed her hoof and shook it. "Friends." He then pointed towards Ponyville. "I'm not the best with common sense. But I'm going to guess Spike's town. Perhaps we should make a search party though?" Twilight thought about making a search party for a bit, but went against it. This was a matter between her, Coocoodrill and Spike. She just shook her head. "Alrighty then!" The green unicorn said back to his joyous mood as he started walking. "Lead the way!" Twilight and Coocoodrill then started to trot to town, hoping to find Spike soon. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, Spike was grumbling under his breath as he walked around town. What both "guardians" said to one another last night was still fresh in his mind. It made him angry just thinking about it. "They think I can't take care of myself. I can handle myself just fine." Spike angrily muttered under his breath as he kicked up some dirt. "Just because I'm a "baby dragon" doesn't mean I have to be treated like any normal foal. Why can't they see that?" "Having problems aren't we?" Spike heard the voice coming from the narrow alleyway and moved closer to the voice. "Who's there?" Spike wearily asked. He slowly went into the alley. Suddenly, Trixie stopped her invisibility spell and moved closer to him. Spike was so startled, he fell over. "Tis I! The great and powerful Trixie." The unicorn answered the dragon. Spike just rolled his eyes. "What cheap magic tricks do you have in your hat now?" He told her annoyed. Trixie just smiled and took off her hat, putting her hoof inside it. "YOU!" She revealed Mara copy of Spike from inside her hat, placing it onto the ground. Before Spike could scream in terror, Trixie used her magic to teleport him and herself away. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spike found himself on the edge of a cliff, horrifying him. He looked down, and at the bottom of the cliff was molten hot magma. Spike slowly moved away from the edge, but bumped into something. He looked behind him and saw a Trixie looking down at him. "Screameater! He's here!" Trixie called out. Spike didn't like the sound of this. He saw an obsidian door and ran past Trixie, hoping to escape. But as he ran past a throne of sorts, he heard a suave voice. "Now don't run little one. That just makes it harder for yourself." The dragon then felt a tentacle grab his leg, dangling him upside down in the air. When he got a good look at the voice, he saw a male alicorn no bigger than Trixie with bat wings and pure orange eyes. Spike knew exactly who he was. "Screameater." The dark alicorn sinisterly chuckled. "Bingo kiddo." The last thing Spike saw was multiple tentacles bringing him into Screameater's belly. The last thing he felt was being absorbed into his body. The only thing he could think of was. "Twilight help me!"