"No." Pinkie's voice was strained as she scrambled out of the boat and onto the pier. "Nononononononooooo!" she started running through the smoke, flames licking at her armor. The lightning and fire descending from the sky never ceasing its assault on the various structures in the port. Wookie watched her draw her weapon as she disappeared into the smoke.
"Are you fucking insane?" his voice came quietly, and the question wasn't really directed towards anyone. He had no choice but the draw the Arca Raptora and follow his hunting partner. His eyes scanned over the destruction that had occurred in the mere hours since they'd left. The liaison's counter had been reduced to smoldering ashes, and he had to shake his head to chase off the thoughts that Twilight had suffered a fate similar to her workplace. "Pinkie?" Wookie shouted over the roaring fire. "Pinkie?!" he had broken through the smoke, and found his partner, weapon drawn, standing before the most terrifying creature he'd ever laid eyes on. Its wingspan was massive and seemed to be magnified by the shadows cast by the flames. The monsters scales were strikingly black, raised into points at certain intervals. The eyes of the monster bore down on those beneath it, burning away at the soul. Wookie had assumed it was a wyvern, until its front legs came down to lower itself from the top of the roof of what had once been Applejack's store. The creature was a full blooded dragon. Lightning seemed to crackle over over the top of its scales. It was approaching Pinkie slowly, its wings flapping gently as it moved, before it curled them in close to its body. Wookie snapped out of his stupor, and drew an arrow, loosing it at the dragon. A strong gust of wind tossed the arrow helplessly to the ground, and he had begun to draw another. A bolt of lightning streaked from the sky, striking Wookie's weapon. He let it go as the lightning obliterated the weapon, shattering it into tiny pieces. The blast knocked him off his feet, and he stared, bewildered, at the monster that had easily destroyed the weapon he'd used to slay so many monsters.
Pinkie stood, defiant, in front of the dragon. Her weapon was clutched tightly in her right hand as the monster bore down on her. She couldn't tell if she was shaking from fear, or the wind pressure that seemed to resonate from this approaching threat. Her left hand flew to the Switch Axe's hilt and she charged in, weapon raised. Pinkie felt the weapon knocked away from her hands. She watched it clatter across the ground helplessly. Her eyes turned on the dragon, glaring up at the beast.
"Why?" Pinkie's voice was cracked, her eyes filling with tears. "Why?! What do you want from me?! Was that first time not enough for you?!" she ran forward, clenching her fists and took a swing at the monster. Her fist thudded dully against the ebony scales of the dragon.
"Pinkamena..." she heard the voice in her head, but a quick look back at Wookie confirmed that she wasn't imagining it. She dropped her hand uselessly to her side, backing up slowly. "I'm disappointed that you seem to have forgotten our first meeting."
"Forgot? Forgot?!" Pinkie screamed, the tears finally running down her cheeks. "How could I forget that?! You ruined my career, destroyed my home, killed most of my friends and family, and now you've done it again!!!"
"I am here because our story is just beginning, Pinkamena." the dragon raised its head high, and Pinkie could feel the condescending glow in the creature's eyes. "We have been doing this dance for far too long. It is time for you t-"
"We have heard enough from you!" a woman's voice boomed over the area. All three present in the port faced the source. Wookie, who had been stuck in a stunned silence, jumped and turned around. He was the closest to the source of the voice, and the sight of the two women approaching three of them made him freeze in place. The one closest to them, clearly the one who had spoken, was donned in glistening navy blue armor. Her hair was the color of the midnight sky, and it almost seemed to sparkle. Her blue eyes were filled with fury. A black tiara sat atop her head, a blue gem inset in the center. She drew a Longsword from her back, sharp spikes extending up out of the hand guard. The air pressure from the motion of her drawing her weapon put out nearby flames. The Hidden Blade was crafted of some kind of onyx. "Thou shalt leave this place at once, or thou shalt feel the wrath of the night!"
"Volume, dear sister." the other woman spoke. In stark contrast with her sister, her armor appeared to be made of the finest ivory, though she wore a tiara as well. Hers was crafted from gold, with a purple gemstone inlaid. Her left arm was adorned with a sparkling shield shaped like the sun. A sword that matched the weapon was slung across her back. Her lavender eyes bore into the dragon before them, swimming with fury. "You have come to the wrong neighborhood, Alatreon. Tell me, why you have come here."
"Ladies. So nice of you to show up. Just like the last time I had a run in with this girl. No, wait. That's not how it happened." Alatreon's voice rang with a condescending tone. "Where were you that last time? Or even, the time before that?" Pinkie stared at the two women, and she realized who they were. Many Hunters referred to them as the 'Princesses', but Pinkie knew that they were co-Guildmasters, Celestia and Luna. Luna had more recently been reinstated into her position, after a disagreement over how the Guild should function. Seeing the two of them, surrounded by smoke and fire, did make them considerably more intimidating.
"Silence!" Luna's voice boomed once more as she charged in. Her speed was impressive, despite the her armor and weapon. Pinkie had to jump out of the woman's way to avoid colliding with her. Alatreon backed away as Luna's sword split the air, a vacuum forming in the blade's wake. The dragon let out a snarl, and then a wail of pain. Celestia had gotten around behind him and stabbed the monster in the side. Her weapon pierced the dragon's scales easily. The monster spun around, lightning and fire spiraling around him. He let out a roar and clouds of flame descended from the sky. The sisters took no notice. Luna's blade struck into Alatreon's front leg, causing the beast to stumble.
"Persistent little insects." he hissed, crushing the ground beneath his feet and taking to the sky. He flapped his wings twice, raising himself high above them. They all watched him ascend. "You are at my mercy this day. I will not let you live the next time we see each other."
"Return to the ground and face me, coward!" Luna pointed the Hidden Blade at the flying monster, and it glowered down at them for a moment before taking off, taking the clouds and the fury with it. The sun beamed down on the four people. It was warm and truly revealed the damage that had been done to the port. Not a single structure stood anymore. Luna slammed her sword into the ground, snarling. Her voice descended to normal volumes. "Why will he not leave us be, sister?" Celestia didn't answer. Her eyes had moved towards Pinkie and Wookie. The pair of novice Hunters shied away from her glare. She sheathed her sword as she approached them. Wookie got slowly to his feet, his weapon still lay in splinters around him. Luna pulled her weapon out of the ground, sliding it into its sheath and crossing her arms, stepping up behind Celestia.
"Where...Where is everyone?" Pinkie spoke first, terrified. The sisters seemed to be glaring at her. She could feel their gaze, and she broke into a cold sweat. However, she did not back down. Part of her wished she still had her axe. She didn't want to believe that they would attack her, but with the way her day had gone, she wouldn't have been surprised if they had.
"They were evacuated before Alatreon got here. Twilight Sparkle rallied them and got them safely to another place. You, though, are an enigma, Miss Pie." Celestia spoke. Her voice was cold and calculating. "We knew of your history with the dragon before you ever came into the Guild. He had taken an interest in you long ago. What I want to know, is why? And why he seems to destroy everything in his pathway to you."
"I don't know, ma'am." Pinkie became very interested in the ground. "I don't remember ever meeting him before he attacked my home." her voice was small, and Wookie just stared at the three of them, at a complete loss for words. He'd never heard a monster speak before, and now, whoever Alatreon was, he really had been stalking Pinkie. Luna scoffed.
"You expect us to believe that?" Luna's voice was as cold as her sister's. "We vouched for you so you could become a Hunter." she approached Pinkie. "And you have let us down. You have brought destruction to one of our hubs and put everyone in danger. Tell us why we should not strip you of your license immediately."
"Calm down, Luna." Celestia put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "She's not lying. But she is dangerous." Celestia narrowed her eyes, looking back and forth between Wookie and Pinkie slowly.
"What should we do, sister?" Luna asked, her gaze turning on her sister. Celestia remained silent for a long time before she opened her mouth to speak. Her voice was calm, but her words cut Pinkie and Wookie to the core.
"As of right now, you two will be under suspension. We will send you back to the Hunter's Academy during your suspension. You will be stripped of your weapons and armor, and you will not be permitted to hunt until my sister and I fully understand the scope of things involving Alatreon." the novice Hunters were frozen in place, unable to speak.