"I'm not kidding!" Rainbow Dash insisted before Twilight Sparkle from within the Golden Oaks Library. She was making wild gestures with her hooves as she described (and slightly exaggerated) the events that had happened to her less than an hour ago. "The red one used magic on me. Magic, Twilight! Since when do dragons use magic?" One of her hooves started pounding the table.
Twilight Sparkle had listened to her friend, her brow furrowed with worry. She never heard of any dragon being able to cast magic. Spike had been around her and she had never even see him try to attempt any even though he was constantly exposed to its use. The little dragon was bringing in a tray of tea, a worried expression on his little face. He had heard everything Dash had spent the last several minutes trying to sputter out in exhausted gasps. She had flown as fast as her wings could carry her, gulping down the glass of water Spike first rushed out to her as she tried to tell Twilight everything right away. After calming down and getting her breath back, she retold everything as best she could.
"I'm just glad you're all right," said the Alicorn. She was still getting used to being a princess. "They just let you go?" She was very surprised at hearing that and just as glad Rainbow Dash had gotten away with little more than a wounded pride.
Rainbow Dash nodded as if she could not believe it herself. "Yeah. The big one with the creepy red eye yelled at the little dragon and apologized to me." She shuddered as she remembered. "You never forget an eye like that, Twilight. Never. It was like he could see right into my soul and burn it with just one look."
Twilight laughed. "Now you're starting to sound like Pinkie!"
"Well, are you thinking of meeting them?" Spike asked Twilight curiously. "I wouldn't mind seeing them."
"Right," teased Dash, nudging him with an elbow. "You have great luck with other dragons. Remember?" She was referring to the adolescent dragons Spike had tried to impress a couple of years ago while trying to discover his heritage. He turned his back on them when they wanted him to destroy phoenix eggs. At least he learned who was his real family.
"It might be too dangerous for you, Spike," said Twilight gently.
Spike sighed and began setting out the teacups. "That's not fair," he grumbled.
"Well I am certainly not going anywhere without first asking Princess Celestia," said Twilight as she gave her assistant a playful tug on his tail with her magic. "Take a letter, Spike."
He produced quill and paper. She recounted Dash's story in a more abbreviated form, included her faith in her friend's story. Twilight included her own personal thoughts of not trusting the dragon. She gave the same descriptions Rainbow Dash had given (who kept trying to emphasize the red eye with a comical interpretation) of the dragons thinking they might be important. It might have possibly been put off until morning, but something in her friend's voice told her to take the initiative. She didn't want to admit it, but Twilight felt an ominous premonition. When she was done, she waited until Spike had crossed the last 't' and dotted the last 'i'. He rolled it up and looked at her expectantly. Twilight nodded with a smile. The little dragon tossed the letter in the air and huffed his green flame, burning it to ashes. The ashes then quickly dissolved into tiny sparkles of magic. Then it was off, to re-materialize before Princess Celestia.
Twilight Sparkle smiled at her little assistant. "Thanks, Spike," she said.
"Eh, it's my job," he said with a shrug.
Everyone sat down to tea, changing the subject as there was really nothing else to be done about it until Celestia had a chance to read the message. She might have even been asleep or encumbered with other issues concerning Equestria. Ruling had many responsibilities tied to it. Twilight Sparkle was learning and knew she had a very long way to go indeed if she hoped to even be half the princess her mentor was. The subject of the evening reverted to Applejack's upcoming birthday. Pinke Pie was the main planner behind the festivities, naturally. The plan was to throw a surprise party in her barn after having her spend the day with Twilight who was to keep her distracted while everything was set up.
"You're seriously going to take her to the spa?" Rainbow Dash chortled. "I thought that would be something Rarity would want to do for her!"
"Rarity is working on that new dress," Twilight explained as she slurped her tea. "She's been wanting to make something extra special for our favorite country filly. She won't even let me see what it is, but she promises it's going to be great."
Rainbow Dash was glad for the change of subject. "I'm looking forward to the party! I got AJ a really cool present."
"Oh?" asked Spike. "What did you get her?"
The chromatic maned mare grinned, "Only tickets for everyone to the next Wonderbolts show!" She leaned back, closed her eyes, and nodded at her own awesomeness. "Oh yeah. Wonderbolts!"
The lavender Alicorn was impressed. "That's actually a very nice gift, Rainbow."
"Eh, no big deal when you're as cool as me." She looked at Spike. "Did you get her anything?"
Spike winced. "Not yet."
"You've got a month. I'm sure you'll find something."
"Actually," Twilight spoke up with a smile. "Spike has this gem that's shaped like an apple he's been thinking of giving to her. Isn't that right, Spike?"
"You got it for me to give to her," he said sullenly. "It doesn't really count."
Twilight hooked him with a hoof and brought him in for a hug. "It's from both of us, you silly dragon!"
Just about then Spike began hacking as if he had a hairball. Princess Celestia was responding to the letter just sent moments ago. After a fit of coughing followed by a burp, Twilight's assistant spat up a complete scroll bearing the seal of Princess Celestia upon it.
Rainbow Dash started giggling. "That's always kind of gross when you do that, Spike," she said as Twilight picked up the letter with her magic.
"Part of the job, Rainbow Dash. Part of the job." Spike was used to it, even if it did seem a bit embarrassing.
Twilight's smile faded as she started reading the message. Out of habit, she read it out loud. "My dearest student. I do not want you going near him, my student. Please come to the palace immediately. I will explain everything I can. Make haste! Celestia."
"Whoa," exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she suddenly found herself on her hooves. "I don't think she's ever told us to stay away from somepony." Her face had gone unusually serious and a bit worried.
Twilight was speechless. No, there was no other time she could remember where the princess specifically told them not to face a danger. She read the letter a second time. Then a third, her eyes scanning as if searching for a hidden meaning behind it. Lowering the letter slowly, she turned first to Spike and then to Rainbow Dash. "We'll have to go and see what she has to say about this," she said as she waved the message.
"Do I have to go?" asked Spike. "I'm kind of getting tired and there's some cleaning up that needs to be done before I turn in."
She considered her assistant, then shook her head. "No, you don't have to come."
"But I have to," complained Rainbow Dash sourly. "I'm not exactly full of energy right now." She sighed and headed for the door. "C'mon, Twilight, let's get this over with. The sooner we see the princess, the sooner I can get to bed." A big yawn suddenly erupted, leaving her smiling sheepishly.
Twilight Sparkle trotted past Spike. "Don't wait up," she told him. "I don't know how long we'll be." She adjusted her wings as she caught up to Dash just as the rainbow maned filly stepped outside.
"I hope it's not as bad as Celestia's makes it out to be," he called softly after her.
She paused, holding the door open as she tossed a glance over her shoulder at him. "I hope so, too," she replied gamely. "Good night, Spike." Closing the door behind her, she nodded to the waiting Rainbow Dash. The two spread their wings and launched themselves into the night sky where the moon was just beginning to clear the mountains.
"How serious do you think this is?" Dash called out to her once they had ascended high enough for Twilight to not need as much attention to what was in front of her. She was still a bit shaky on her flying skills. Flying at night was a completely new creature to her. The pegasus realized this and flew a little ahead of the alicorn to act as a guide.
"What do you think?" Twilight yelled back through the wind. She flew as fast as she dared, her eyes not used to having a constant wind in her face when flying. She had considered flight goggles, but never had the time to grab them. Rainbow Dash laughed at her when she suggested she might start wearing them.
Her friend shouted, but the wind carried it away.
"What?"
"I said I think it's pretty bad if she's wanting us to see her in the middle of the night."
The one and only Princess of the Sun Celestia, co-ruler of Equestria and guardian of its ponies sat upon her throne, a look of contemplation upon her perfect yet worried face. She was an alicorn of pure white, her mane and tail holding the colors of the morning. Her cutie mark was of the golden sun upon her flanks. Twilight's note had troubled her greatly. She had thought him dead long ago. How many had fallen to this beast? If ever there was a personification of evil, Flamespyre was it. He might not have been as cunning as Discord, but there were other ways he schemed and manipulated. If he was awake after being gone for so long and made himself known, then for what purpose? She would have expected him to be a bit more subtle. Celestia also knew exactly why he would want to come to Ponyville. Specifically he would want to come to the place where a secret lay forgotten in the tunnels deep beneath Canterlot. They were the very tunnels Twilight Sparkle and Princess Cadence had been trapped the day Queen Chrysalis had attempted to take the castle.
The red dragon with him was a new one. A child? Since when did Flamespyre have offspring of any sort? This was more of a puzzle than something she considered a threat, but there was the possibility he was grooming an eventual successor. If this was indeed the case, then the note was more troublesome with the mention of magic. Dragons and magic were a lethal combination. The world had nearly perished because of them. Almost all the alicorns had been destroyed in the war. Even mother and father...
Celestia had been too young to remember. She and her sister Luna had spent most of the time within the protection of the family castle, the very place now a ruin in the Everfree forest. How long had it been? It had been easily over a thousand years since Celestia had been forced to banish Luna to the moon. So easy to lose track of the years. So many actions of the past were returning to haunt the present. Thus far, they had been resolved. Princess Luna was once again the loving sister she had once been before becoming Nightmare Moon. Twilight Sparkle and her friends had freed her from that manifestation of evil. The Mare Six had even brought Discord, the Lord of Chaos over to their side. The old trickster had not been seen as of late, but Celestia thought he could be depended on to some degree for help, though he was not to be trusted completely.
But Flamespyre? No, he was a living nightmare who sought power and control over everything. He would let the world burn to achieve a goal. His greed had gone beyond physical treasures. Gold and jewels meant nothing to him. He craved magic. It was his addiction and his madness. Nothing else mattered. Friends and family meant nothing to him. Loyalty only served him for so long as he found it useful. Kindness was a tool until Flamespyre felt it no longer gave him an advantage. Generosity served the dragon as a means to an end. Honesty only came when the dragon reveled in his enemy's defeat. Laughter came at the expense of others. However magic was his one true desire. It was not love. He would never understand such a thing.
One of the guards announced the arrival of Princess Twilight and Rainbow Dash. Celestia broke from her musings and smiled as the two approached. She was very glad to see them both and rose to greet them. As she trotted down, she noted how tired Rainbow Dash appeared. Twilight Sparkle appeared breathless but happy as always to see her mentor.
Rainbow Dash was very surprised when Princess Celestia came straight to her, a warm smile and concerned eyes focusing squarely upon her. "Please hold still, Rainbow Dash," said the Alicorn. "I need to see if he placed any magic upon you."
Confused, the Pegasus took a step back. "What? On me? What magic?"
"This is a harmless spell. I need to know if he planted something within your mind." Celestia's pearly white horn glowed. Rainbow Dash laid her ears back for a moment just as the horn touched her forehead, her expression one of curiosity now. She blinked as the tip lightly brushed her. Celestia pulled up, regarding the mare with a relieved smile. "He did use a little on you, but only to influence your thoughts. There is no mental control upon your mind."
"What are you talking about, princess?" asked Dash. She looked at Twilight who was also offering the same quizzical look at the white Alicorn.
"Flamespyre is a dangerous enemy, my little pony," Celestia sighed. "I've never seen him myself, but he is part of the reason there are so few Alicorns to this day, just as he is perhaps the only one of his kind left in all the world due to us." She began to walk towards the great doors of the throne room. "You are tired, Rainbow Dash. You are welcome to stay here the night if you wish. I would like to watch over you to make sure Flamespyre did not influence you, just in case."
"All right," sighed Dash. "He just had that creepy eye. I thought he was pretty cool."
"You should have run screaming for him. Did you not want to do that? Was that not your first instinct? Flamespyre is as twisted and scarred physically as he is from within." Celestia regarded Dash. "A normal instinct of any pony when they see him is to run and for good reason."
"I did want to run," admitted Rainbow Dash. Quickly she added, "Not that I was scared or anything."
"If you looked into his eye, he can hold you if even for a moment with but a glance." Celestia's ears flicked back and forth.
Twilight took a step towards her mentor, tilting her head curiously to one side. "What kind of dragon is this Flamespyre? Why do I get the feeling you are afraid of him?"
"Twilight!" gasped Rainbow Dash.
"Be still, my good friend," said Celestia with a smile. "Twlight, you are right in your feeling. But not because of what he is, but because of what he can do to those I care most about." She paused, furrowed in thought for a moment as she tried to recall something from her vast wellspring of knowledge. "As for what kind of dragon he is, there is not type per say in any of the books in the Royal Library, but he would be the equivalent of an Alicorn. No, this is a threat Luna and I should face, but since we were separated from the Elements of Harmony, I may have to rely upon you and your friends to help us with this, Twilight."
"Did you want me to go get the others?" Twilight asked, ready to leap into action. If there was a threat to her friends, to Ponyville, or to Equestria, she was more than willing to step up to the challenge. He friends would readily do the same.
"I've already taken the liberty of asking them to come tonight. We have much to do and so little time. If Flamespyre is giving a time frame for us to work with, I have no idea what to expect." Celestia narrowed her magenta eyes, her mane rippling as she tried to understand the meaning behind all of this. Why did he have to return? Stories of him had given her nightmares as a filly. It had been worse for Princess Luna. "I don't know what he plans for the present, but his goal is very clear."
"Indeed, sister," called out a formal yet familiar voice. Celestia turned to see her sister entering the throne room, a smaller Alicorn mare with a mane and tail like the starry night sky. They flowed upon magical energies, giving them the appearance of having a life of their own. Her coat was of deep sapphire blue, her cutie mark a crescent moon upon her darker flanks. Deep cyan eyes regarded everyone warmly. "The night does hold a foreboding. The skies themselves have started to tremble. The world holds its breath and wonders what is to come." There was a hardness to her, an edge masking her own fears.
"What of the dreams? Have you seen anything unusual about them?" Celestia asked as she greeted her sister with a warm nuzzle.
Luna accepted her sister's welcome with a shy smile before nodding to her friends Twilight and Rainbow Dash. She admitted to herself she needed to get to know the Pegasus with the rainbow mane and tail a bit more. "Nothing as of yet," she replied with a shake of her head. "I looked for the things you described, any taint on the minds of ponies that might indicate some sort of control over them. Nothing." She looked at the two other mares. "Greetings, my friends! It is good to see the both of you."
"Hi Princess Luna!" said Rainbow Dash.
Twilight smiled and nodded. "You look well, Princess."
Luna gave Celestia an arched eyebrow.
"She's fine. I've checked her." Celestia returned the gesture. "Rainbow Dash has complete control over her thoughts and actions. There is no need to be concerned for her safety."
Smiling with relief, Luna place a hoof on Dash's shoulder. "I am very glad to hear that. I would have not enjoyed taking action against a friend that might have harmed you."
"Don't tell me it might have been that bad!" exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she sucked in a deep breath, her eyes suddenly darting to each of the princesses.
"So why would this Flamespyre want to meet anypony?" ventured Twilight as she wanted to set focus her attention on this proposed meeting. "Could it be he just wants to see us?"
Celestia gave a little frown, "It's possible he wants to measure our strengths and probe for weaknesses. He understands it's a different world, but he's also not sure if he is remembered. If we go, he will be ready for us."
"Should we go?" asked Luna. She stepped in front of Twilight and regarded her niece-in-law with a practiced eye. "And if we do, whom will be tasked with receiving this creature?"
Twilight Sparkle opened her mouth to protest, stamping a hoof. "Now just wait-"
"If I may continue without interruption," said Luna firmly. "This is nothing against you, but none of us knows any more of Flamespyre than he does of us. There is a very good chance he does not know the Elements of Harmony are no longer a part of Celestia and myself, or if they even exist at all." She nudged the sputtering alicorn with the tip of her wing. "Nor am I going to suggest you not go."
"A show of force?" Celestia suggested, a bit surprised and pleased at her sister's thinking. "One of us plus the Mare Six?"
"Um," Rainbow Dash started, rearing up excitedly, "I remember that black dragon saying he didn't like pony royalty."
"He's expecting one to make an appearance," mused Celestia. She began pacing towards one of the stained glass windows depicting the victory of the Mane Six over Twilight Moon three years ago. "He's trying to draw us out. But why? To attack? That would be foalish of him."
"I'm going to go with my gut and agree with Twilight on this," blurted Rainbow Dash. "He's just as curious about ponies as I'm sure you are about him, princess!"
"A simple approach," remarked Luna.
"A dangerous one for anypony attending," added Celestia.
"There's going to be a fight, isn't there?" Twilight asked.
Rainbow Dash flattened her ears. "If he's a bad guy, I want to be there to bring him down!"
"Brashly spoken," chuckled Luna. "I like this one, sister."
Twilight was bugged by a question that popped from her mind and rolled from her tongue. "What if he's not there?"
"Pardon?" Celestia focused on her student. "Go on, Twilight."
"Well, the way I see it," Twilight began after clearing her voice nervously. "If I were in his hooves, I would try and be where I'm not going to be or use myself as a decoy while I use the red dragon to do the behind the scenes work." She tried smiling though her nerves, waiting for the reaction from both of her Alicorn peers.
"I find her words sound," said Luna as she broke into a rare grin.
"I agree." Celestia was impressed. It also made perfect sense. "Let's keep that in mind as a possibility for now. I think we should focus on Flamespyre's companion."
"He's an idiot," Rainbow Dash growled without hesitation. "Scarheart, I think was his name? I forget. Wasn't really that important."
"Oh, that's helpful," said Twilight rolling her eyes. "Tell them what he looked like, Dash."
Rainbow Dash blinked for a moment, looking a bit sheepish. rubbing the back of her head, she cleared her throat. "Right. Sorry! Well, he's probably three or four times bigger than you, Princess Celestia, so for a dragon he's not big. He's got red scales and his horns are tipped with black. I think he's a kid. Definitely a jerk. And he uses magic. Stupid pony holding magic." She sniffed as she gave it a thought and added, "Oh yeah, he seemed really excited to see me. Asked me all sorts of questions. Now that I think about it, it seems like he was big on flying. Come to think of it, he had some pretty cool moves for being as big as he was. I was mildly impressed. Other than that, he's a jerk. Plain and simple."
"Thanks, Dash," Twilight groaned. "Thanks a lot. You make a great witness."
"No problem, Twilight!"
Luna frowned. "I was expecting the younger dragon to be well,older. But a drake?"
"Totally acted like some kid getting yelled at by his dad when Flamespyre started yelling at him. It was awesome!" She thought of what she said and winced. "Erm, at least it was until I found out Flamespyre's an evil dragon bent on whatever he's bent on doing that's probably going to be evil."
The Princess of the Moon tried wrapping her mind around that, but gave up and deferred to Celestia, who was giggling. "That's perfect, Rainbow Dash. At least it gives us a little insight from your own unique perspective," said the Princess of the Sun. "And it's not difficult to follow."
"So are we going to do?" asked Twilight.
"We'll put the guard on alerts," replied Celestia. "We'll have to divide our strength. I'll have to notify Cadence and Shining Armor and let them know what's going on. If there's an attack here, you will be able to defend against it. Myself and the Mare Six will meet Flamespyre and his friend at the site designated the evening after next." Luna was not happy to hear she was going to be left behind, but considered the options. "We're not ready for a war, but let's at least prepare for one."
War. There was a word no one had expected to hear. It was a foreign word, only found in history books. Peace and prosperity reigned, with a few disagreements here and there flaring up. These were settled peaceably. The greatest threats had the perils of simply living, learning, and experiencing life. True, there were tragedies, but nothing on the scale to the prospect facing them now. With war came death. Always death. Always sorrow.
"Sister," Luna began worriedly. "Our ponies are not ready for this. War has been just a word in the history books. What you are proposing is-"
"Unthinkable, I know." Celestia sighed, her gaze settling on Rainbow Dash and then Twilight Sparkle. Rainbow Dash was trying to understand the concept. Twilight Sparkle bore an expression of confusion herself, knowing the discussion had turned into something dark and foreboding. "I will do everything I can to make sure it does not come to war. This I promise."