//------------------------------// // RotDK Chapter 23: The Dragon's Game // Story: Rise of the Dragonking // by Scarheart //------------------------------// Twilight Sparkle could hear her squealing colt calling her name, ignoring Scarheart's mass as she shot past Silent Wing. The pale colt had landed, staring at the massive thing with a sense of curious wonder before Star Journey's shrieks and the horrible laughing snapped him from the wonderment. The frantic mother snapped her wings, a low moan of denial escaping her lips as she made for the door within the dark shadows beyond the slumbering beast. "Star!" she called out. "MOOOOMMMMEEEEEEEEE!" came the piteous wail. Silent Wing was on her tail, hurrying past her and trying to keep her from doing something rash. Her eyes flashed, glared at him and even snarled. "Get out of my way!" she almost screamed at him. The colt discovered she was very strong and very determined. "It's a trap," Silent Wing said harshly. "You can't go in there!" "Get the buck out of my way!" She cocked a hind leg and kicked the prince squarely in his royal jewels. "I know." Silent Wing doubled over in pain. To his credit, he followed after the lavender mare, hissing as nerve endings reminded how sensitive the groin was. He managed to grab her tail with his teeth. "Pwease don't go in der!" Tears were running down his cheeks. Twilight Sparkle dragged the colt bodily into the cavern, her horn flaring with her anger and illuminating like a small sun. It was hard to miss the pale dragon and the dark crystal burning with shadows within it smooth surface. The singular eye blazed upon the Alicorn. Silent Wing struggled to his hooves, releasing the mare as she was oblivious to his presence and his efforts to stymie her. Adjusting his wings, the tried to remain hidden, perhaps to offer some advantage. "Twilight Sparkle," called out the white dragon. "I bid you welcome in my father's presence." Her voice was hardly gentle nor hardly welcoming. The mocking tone suggested complete control. Golden eyes swirled with cruel intelligence, every bit as evil as the single red orb blazing with pure malice. In her claws was a squirming colt reaching for his mother with wet cheeks and imploring hooves. Star Journey's cries tore at his mother's heart, his terror making her lurch even as she tried to assess her situation. "Father," Draccara's eyes found Silent Wing. "The whelp has come, as you said he would." A voice resonated softly through the cavern, its origins undoubtedly originating from the crystal. It had already turned black. "Indeed. I have not laid eyes upon you in over five thousand years, child. Come forward, my son," spoke the voice of Flamespyre, almost gently, invitingly. "You have grown well. As intended. Small and compact. But a dragon after my design. Let me see you with my eye, boy." Silent Wing never twitched a muscle, but his shadow stretched, pulled, and moved him. In the blink of an eye, the young prince was before the crystal, Draccaria off to the side and grinning down, far larger than Scarheart easily, just as she was in the memory from long ago. He was frightened, but he put on a brave face. Twilight Sparkle joined him shortly in the same manner. They eye focused upon her. "No magic, young lady. I would hate to see something happen to your hefty little colt," the Shadowdragon spoke insultingly, spitting out the end of the sentence with contempt. "Negligence from a parent in regards to the appearance of their child speaks poorly of your abilities as a mother." Draccaria sneered at the Alicorn with a tsk. "Soft. Fat. Weak. You disappoint me, Twilight Sparkle. Such failure is unbecoming of a princess. Perhaps my daughter should simply put the colt out of his misery." Flamespyre seemed to sigh reluctantly. "He's a brat, too," noted Draccaria, shaking him urgently. Star Journey began to cry again, struggling and reaching for his mother. Twilight Sparkle screamed, "Leave him alone!" "One moment with my son, if you please," spoke the monster in the crystal. Draccaria slapped her tail on the uneven stone floor and the Alicorn suddenly found herself gagged and unable to move. "This won't take but a moment." "Five thousand years and you've only seen the light of day for fifteen of them. Such a disparity, my boy!" The eye flickered, seemingly amused. "You have so much of your mother in you. I miss her. I really, really do. But, one cannot make an omlette without breaking a few thousand eggs." "My mother?" Silent spoke finally as there was a silence broken only by the sobbing colt. Did he speak of Chrysalis? "No, not her, boy. Not that buggy little nag of a bitch. Such a pathetic excuse for a changeling queen. She should have been squished like one, but your real mother left a powerful influence upon you." Silent could not only feel the hate burning into him from that spiteful eye. He thought he could taste it. "I shall tell you a story, as all fathers should tell their sons when they are ready to hear them. Have a seat!" The colt was compelled to sit down, staring up into that horrible, terrible eye. Draccaria sniggered. Twilight Sparkle found herself doing the same thing, her rump planted to the ground against her will. She trembled with a fear she had never felt before. "You are supposed to be dead right now," said the voice in resigned acceptance. "But your biological mother put something in you that built up as she anticipated something like this would happen. Clever girl, I'll admit. She tasked me to no end in undoing all the things she did to undermine my work. Did you know that?" Silent found himself shaking his head mutely. "Silent Wing isn't even your real name. You didn't know that, either." There was a short bark of a laugh, almost jovial as the Shadowdragon continued with his story. "Still, it simply presented me with a means to reform! So much the easier. Oblivion just might come after all. Perhaps. If you are worthy enough, son of mine. Are you ready to witness the coming of a god?" "Father," interjected Draccaria politely. "There's time, child. There's time to impart a good story and then take my power and to offer the game. Don't you think?" His tone was mild now, even inviting. "Yes, Father," she replied, petting Star Journey's mane as if he were a cat. The white dragon even lightly scratched behind his ears, not wanting to hurt him. The chunky colt was suddenly confused, his little eyes going round as he maintained eye contact with his mother. "You see, your real mother wanted to name you Icarus. I simply wanted to call you Warblood. That is the name I wanted, but there is not enough murder in your heart for such a thing. So I never gave you a name, save for just the Time Wasting Whelp. You can thank your sister Draccaria here for that little name. I do have a name for you, but you've yet to earn it. You may get a chance yet, as I'll explain momentarily." "He is adorable, now that I've actually laid eyes upon him," she commented, still petting a now whimpering Star Journey. "More dragon in the snout, I should think. The pony in him stands out rather boldly, I think. There's enough changeling showing to make no mistake of that part of him." She stared at his two left legs. "I'll bet the girls love the scars." "You killed my mother, didn't you?" Silent asked, not sure how to react emotionally. There was a catch to his voice, but how could he mourn a mother he never knew? Chrysalis had been the only one he had ever had. "She may be dead. She may not. I don't know. It's been five thousand years." There was indifference at first, changing over to idle curiosity. "She was doing a rather decent job of it last I saw. Your sister made sure it was done." Draccaria's eyes twitched as she curled a lip. It was a neutral action, easily going either yes or no, perhaps aimed at Flamespyre or at her tiny brother sitting in her shadow. Very curious. Twilight Sparkle noticed it, filing it to memory. Flamespyre went on. "As for your current mother, Chrysalis, I will commend her for making you a very resilient little colt. I'm happy with how you turned out. Alas," there was a sigh of a final decision made. "She has served her purpose and you no longer need her. Her daughter, however, I would have a use for." "What do you mean?" the colt dared to ask. "I'm getting to that. But first. You have something I want." The colt suddenly felt his body go stiff, muscles contracting as his back arched and his neck spasmed. He was lifted off his front hooves, onto his rump. Wings fluttered in jerking motions as his mouth hung open, eyes wide as the shadow beneath him darkened. His back arched up and over until his chest faced towards the crystal. He was then bent backwards as tendrils of shadow reached up and laced around his slender form. Some pierced his skin, holding him fast. Blood trickled down them, spotting on the floor. He was lifted up until only his tail and the tip of his nerve-twitched wings brushed the rough stone floor. Twilight stared in horror at the grotesque contortions Silent Wing was undergoing. "Stop! Please you're hurting him!" But she could not speak. A powerful magic prevented her from doing no more than mouth the words. "Well of course I am!" spat Flamespyre. "Do you think extracting five thousand years of built up magic is easy? Hmm? I. Did. Not. Think. SO!" His voice twisted with sudden cruelty and Silent screamed in horrible and sudden agony. Tiny rivets of golden energy flowed from his body and into the shadow, growing more and more intense with each passing second in the amount coming from him, the rivets growing thicker, bolder in color. The pain intensified and the colt screamed, peeling his lips back and revealing his fangs. His wings flopped like those of a dying pigeon, feathers falling everywhere as his hooves pawed pitifully in the air, then thrashing wildly with every fresh spasm of new and unknown pain. More blood pooled beneath him. Twilight wept for him, unable to speak or call out. She could not bear to watch, trying to tear away her gaze. The Alicorn could not do it. She was not allowed. Draccaria made her watch, made Star Journey watch. The dragonling female hissed inwards little sharp breathes as she indulged in the pleasure of basking in such glorious pain. Just as changelings fed on love, so too did she breathe in her little brother's suffering. It was glorious! Even better was something else she sensed within her tiny brother. Something even more delicious. Helpless rage. Lovely. It could have gone on for minutes, perhaps hours. For Silent it was an eternity. He could feel power he never knew he had leave his body, untapped and unused departing. It was stripped from his blood, his flesh, even the marrow of his bones. Then, there was nothing but a sliver left of his life. Flamespyre released him, gently, as a father might handle his first born for the first time. It was a mockery of the doting father. As soon as his body was released by the shadow, the crystal began to vibrate, with thousands of little cracks dancing up and down every inch of its smooth multiple faces. It shattered and a black fog rolled about the floor of the vast cavern. "They are coming, Father!" Draccaria's eyes lifted to the ceiling with no concern at all. A massive black form all too familiar to Twilight Sparkle began to form, with the crimson eye of horrors flickering in the left socket of the massive horned head. Wings like an enveloping nightmare formed, beneath them the spectre of ebony death. Twlight remembered the dreams she had after Flamespyre's supposed defeat she had for over a year after. They all crashed down upon her in this living vision. She screamed soundlessly, unable to unleash everything. The horror that was Flamespyre, the Dragonking, the most powerful dragon ever to have existed formed his body, as sound and whole as he was the day he first emerged from his cave and met Celestia for the first time. The very earth quailed in his presence, fear rippling through the foundations of Canterlot and the spires of the fabled castle trembled. He had returned in dark glory, his rebirth setting in motion the pieces first set fifteen years ago. With his return, the world erupted in war upon a signal given by Draccaria to her brothers and sister who had waited for this very moment. The Majesty of Destruction, the Father of Chaos, the Maker of Discord had come. "Scarheart," Flamespyre spoke in his own voice from his own throat for the first time in fifteen years. "Awaken. Destroy. Avenge!" The very earth heaved under the command, followed by a vast roar in the opposing chamber beyond the tiny door no dragon could hope to pass through. Bits of stone and dust fell from the ceiling. The massive head of Flamespyre shook, the great jaws yawned. He stretched forward with his neck, turning his head so his one eye could glare down upon the broken form of his tiny offspring. Silent Wing could have easily been inhaled. A dark grin greeted the raggedly gasping form of his son, as if the game with him was far from finished. Star Journey, thankfully had fainted in the middle of the prince's screaming. "Ah, his heart still beats," hissed Flamespyre. "Good. Listen well, my son. I shall only tell you this once. Gather with you the Elements of Harmony and the Alicorn known as Luna. Go to the place where I first awakened fifteen years ago. From there, you will seek out my lair and find the clue needed to find where I am. Come to me, face me, and you will have a chance to gain a prize." Silent raised his head off the ground, his shaking legs forcing himself to his hooves. He failed, having almost no strength. "You shall have a chance to win back Twilight Sparkle, her fat son, and either your sister or your mother, whichever is brought to me first." "Atalanta. Chrysalis has been chosen to die. I was going to kill them both." Draccaria shrugged, playing with one of Star Journey's ears. "The daughter then. Bring her. Easier to handle than that unreasonable Chrysalis." "I agree father. I shall tell my minion of the change." "Do so. Let your minion suffer the consequences at her hands. I care not if she lives or dies. My disappointment will not be should she survive. It will add to the fun." She nodded, set down her captive in front of his mother. Twilight found she could move, yet still not speak. She gathered up her son and held him protectively to her chest. The white dragon shimmered, became a beautiful Unicorn and waved goodbye like friend who was going to miss Silent Wing terribly. She then teleported, her horn glowing golden for a split second before departing. The impish smile she left wearing was deceptively mild. Twilight Sparkle had never felt this helpless before. It was as if she was fighting Discord all over again, only the results were far deadlier now. Discord just wanted to have fun through his chaos. He never wanted to hurt anypony. "Comparing me to him is a bit insulting," Flamespyre said to her with a dry chuckle. "Do you know why he failed? He never took anything seriously. Not Celestia. Not Luna. Not the Elements of Harmony." The mare flinched, clutching her son protectively. He had read her mind! "I, on the other hand have been aware of everything even as I slept, sensing the changes in the world. Time meant nothing to me, but I could feel the shifting of magic, the battles that gave my mind something to ponder while I slept. I understand the limits, what thresholds your beloved Celestia will and will not cross. Five thousand years of boredom can make a dragon desire to take a bit of a chance, to give his prey a chance to give him sport. Why, if your little friends are clever enough, they might even defeat me." His voice stopped abruptly. Flamespyre laughed again, thinking the idea to be absurd in itself. "I crippled Celestia, Twilight Sparkle. The moment my tail broke her spine, I broke that aura of invincibility." She did wonder, fearing the answer. Silent Wing had an open eye focused on the dragon. He could not move, but his gaze was sharp and unwavering. The colt was also very angry, more so than he was afraid now. A massive claw caressed his cheek. "Indeed, any creature I do harm to cannot heal unless I allow it." Twlight flinched, thinking of how often she and her teacher and searched any book they could think of with possible ways to heal the Alicorn and restore her completely. Princess Celestia had herself assumed this might be the case, but allowed for Twilight to research possible cures. Had Celestia given up? The lavender mare had wondered. She had never thought about it. The princess had always seemed the same to her, accepting her current state as a part of her life. Suddenly there was a whisper in her ear. "Ah, but there is also another way. You may yet still discover how to restore your beloved princess from her half mare status." The mare recoiled from Flamespyre, terror stamped on her face. Distracted for a moment by a roar - it was Scarheart now engaged in what sounded to be a pitched battle with the castle's defenders - Flamespyre rose his head and tilted an ear towards the sound. To himself, he made a mental list out loud, "Distraction, check. Hostages, check. Group of adventurers?" That eye fixated on Silent Wing. "Maybe. I'll let you sort that out, though you already know who I want. Bring as many as you want past them." His mass began to dissipate, enveloping over Twilight Sparkle and her son Star Journey in an inky darkness sucking them into the floor. There was a pause, as if Silent Wing was being judged critically. "Oh, do get up off the floor, son. You're embarrassing me." He disappeared silently along with his captives, leaving Silent Wing to cry bitterly where he lay. Chrysalis was at the balcony outside her room along with Feidole and Frakas. They had come directly to her with the news a changeling may have possibly broken into the catacombs with Star Journey and what appeared to be Atalanta. This was most curious and alarming as the Queen checked her sleeping daughter to be sure. The exhausted queen listened to both of them carefully, fully alert and aware as the alarm once again sounded. "It's not me for a change," she mused unhappily, worried now as to what was happening. The Queen was not upset at the realization. She could clearly see something else was happening down below. Equestrian guards were everywhere, easily two dozen stationed on air alone as Chrysalis tried to see what the commotion was. "Please remain in your quarters, your Majesty!" pleaded the officer, a Pegasus who really hoped she was not up to something else. "As you wish," she sighed, waving him off. Chrysalis was worried and went over towards her bed to once again check on Atalanta. She froze midstep when she realized somepony else was sitting on the bed and next to her sleeping princess. It was a white Unicorn with a fiery mane braided in a single large loose braid hanging over her right shoulder. Gently she stroked Ata's mane with a serene yet intense expression. Before Chrysalis could speak, the mare put a hoof to her lips, lifted her chin to the changeling monarch and said, "Shh!" "Who are you?" growled the queen in a low and threatening voice. "Oh, you mean you can't tell right away?" The grin was shy, almost sad. She flinched, gasping a little. "Draccaria. So we meet at last." "Indeed. Impressive little display you put up against Loony." The Unicorn tossed her mane, offering a warning glance and hovering a hoof over the sleeping princess when Chrysalis took a step forward. "You might even entertain me if you were not exhausted." Captain Myzanum entered, saw Draccaria and froze, his eyes wide with shock. "Stay where you are!" Chrysalis hissed at him, frightened for her daughter and knowing she was in a very dangerous position. She could feel Feidole and Frakas behind her, unsure what to do but waiting for orders. Worried frowns etched on their faces, but there was a glimmer of hope as the captain was now with them. It was four on one. "Let's take this elsewhere," suggested Draccaria, her horn flaring with magic. Everything went white in a flash. Then they were in the Everfree forest. Rather, they hovered several hundred feet above it. The changelings all took wing instinctively, their insectoid wings buzzing in a thrumming drone. All attention was upon Draccaria who used a levitation spell to stay aloft. Her magic carried Atalanta, placing her in her hooves. The little princess shifted in the stranger's grasp, her dreams having her nestled safely in between the forelegs of her mother, her head against the warm and soft chest. The mare wore a wistful smile, the corner of her mouth twitching as her golden eyes glazed over slightly. She dropped into the branches below, her magic forming a shield and preventing leaves and sticks and twigs from scraping her perfect coat and tangling her lovely hair. Chrysalis and her changelings followed. The Queen's eyes burned with rage and fear. She was a bit less inclined for her appearance as she snarled her way to the bottom with sheer force. "It's not the Dread Wastes," admitted Draccaria with a soft sigh. She placed Atalanta on her back between her shoulders. Her mane assumed a life of its own and snaked around her little form, holding the filly securely in place. "But it will do as your grave, Chrysalis. Father is very put out with you. Given your weakened state, it would not be sporting to slaughter you." The Queen's eyes narrowed. "What have you in mind?" she asked, almost conversational. "You obviously have the advantage of numbers." As she spoke, dozens of eyes seemingly appeared in the shadows surrounding the group. "A simple test. You win if you survive." Draccaria giggled at her little joke. She lifted her head, swiveling an ear at Captain Myzanum. "Go forth, Judas and earn your silver." She grinned and her horn again flashed, leaving an echo of her passing in the darkness. "Captain?" Chrysalis stared at him, hurt and now starting to become enraged. That bucking traitor! How long? Feidole and Frakas took up position on either side, heads low to the ground and hooves splayed aggressively. The massive changeling could not speak, but set his jaw and bared his massive fangs. The captain narrowed his eyes, flickering between Silent Wing's two warriors guarding the Queen's flanks. "I couldn't be a happier idiot," said Frakas with an evil grin. "I guess I'm the only one with Stupid," giggled his brother insanely. "Only guarding the finest flank in the kingdom!" "Agreed!" "I so signed up for this!" Chrysalis was grateful to have Silent Wing's two idiots with her. "Finest flank, huh?" she managed to blurt, in the moment. Her blood was beginning to sing and she noticed a changeling scent in the air unknown to her. "We really don't think it's appropriate to say that around Silent. It's the gender thing." "Remind me to promote you two morons after we win this fight," the Queen said as dark forms emerged around them. "Rubies," she noted by the color of the changeling eyes starting to emerge. If it was lighter, she would have also made out their ruddy red carapaces. "What are they doing here in Equestria?" Frakas hopped around to face the opposite direction, counting heads mentally and already thinking of a strategy. "They're not from the Dread Wastes." Feidole turned with his back to his queen's right flank. "They're mountain fellahs. Didn't think they'd come out of the Forbidden Lands to play with us." "Hired thugs," snorted Chrysalis. "I had no idea Queen Rubanza would set them on another changeling. Big mistake. You two idiots watch my flanks." "With pleasure!" the two brothers said too quickly. "I mean fight." "With double the pleasure!" The twins called out in a sing-song. "Enough!" Captain Myzanum charged at his queen. "Strike you foals! Destroy them now!" His horn glowed with magic as he lashed out against Chrysalis with his spear. The red changelings followed suit and attacked. Feidole and Frakas started to have fun. Their years of training under Tseng Tzu had molded them into very fluid fighters, not needing weapons as they had been honed into living examples of weaponry. With blurred hooves and happy grins, any time they could get into a brawl was the time of their life. The only thing missing was their prince, but they were more than happy to substitute him with their beloved Queen. For one thing, she was a she. For another, she was still considered one of the most beautiful changeling mares in the world. Naturally the two boys were driven by their hormones to impress her. Already a small pile of bodies was beginning to pile at their hooves. "I got three!" sang Frakas. "Number two is down!" crowed Feidole. They both leapt over their queen's back, high-hoofing each other and coming down on opposite sides, a spinning back hoof from each sending a pair of Ruby changelings flinging off into the underbrush. Chrysalis meanwhile had her hooves full with Myzanum. She was tired, sore, and still depleted from her battle with Luna. Grimly she stood her ground and was even driving her former captain back, her eyes ablaze with anger and hurt. "I trusted you!" she screamed at him, not bothering to even try anything other than a solid right cross to his face. A fang chipped and spittle flew as his head snapped to the side. "I gave you my complete faith you would uphold your oath. Does honor mean nothing to you?" He did not answer, letting the blood trickle from the corner of his mouth. Instead, he continued to press his magic against her barrier, to drain what was left of her reserves. There were plenty of Queen Rubanza's minions to keep the twins occupied, though even the big changeling had no idea those two were that skilled. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to their training. How good was the prince, for that matter? Myzanum had heard of his little display last week. Pity he missed it. "I'm your opponent," Chrysalis snarled, hitting him again with the opposite hoof across the opposite cheek. "Don't you dare take me lightly!" "The past must eventually be taken lightly," he whispered, suddenly thrusting with his spear, now enchanted with his magic. It slid through her barrier and into the Queen's chest easily. Her magic failed her, exhaustion her doom. Chrysalis' eyes widened in shock and pain, her body stiffening. The former captain quickly withdrew his weapon and flung it aside, catching the changeling he had loved more than any other and gently lowering her to the ground. She stared up at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. Feidole and Frakas screamed, seeing their queen fall, but they were surrounded by dozens of Ruby changelings. They fought with renewed desperation. "W-w-why?" she whispered hoarsely, coughing up blood. "Because I loved you." he said simply, stroking a strand of her hair from those wonderous harlequin eyes. "But I lost my soul to a demon and I must serve her. I am sorry." He rose, glaring at the two changelings who had failed their queen. "The queen is defeated," he announced. "We are done here." Myzanum gave her one last haunted look, then vanished as he teleported. One by one the Ruby changelings fled, leaving a dozen of their fellows twitching on the blood stained ground. The twins were at their queen's side in an instant, their horrified faces upon the gaping wound in her chest. "Get help!" Feidole told his brother, pressing his hoof over her wound. To Chrysalis he begged, "Stay with us, my Queen!" His little horn flared with what little magic he could use in an attempt to staunch the blood flowing freely from the spear thrust. Frakas was gone, flying as hard and fast as he could towards the lights of Ponyville, the closest town he could see. Chrysalis coughed up more blood, a violet ichor. "I hereby relinquish the crown to my daughter, Crown Princess Ata-lan-t-t-ta." She fought hard to uphold tradition. "All o-o-of my memories are n-n-now hers!" Tears were streaming down her cheeks. "Feed on me, my queen!" Feidole refused to give up on her. "My love, my life for the Queen! Let me uphold my oath, I beg you! I failed you once, do not let me fail you again!" She stared at him, her eyes losing focus. Her mouth worked open and closed as she tried to speak. Taking the initiative, Feidole forced her mouth upon the base of his throat, using his own hooves to force her to bite into his flesh. "My love, my life!" he repeated, praying his actions were not too late. Feidole wept as the first rays of the sun kissed the two shuddering forms on the shattered forest floor through the canopy of the trees. "For the Queen!" Frakas flew as he had never flown before. He was screaming for help even as he came to the outskirts of what appeared to be an apple farm. Not bothering to assume some pony form, he spotted a group of ponies just outside the entrance of a barn shaped house. MacIntosh saw the desperate-looking changeling zoom in at his hooves, skidding to a halt and frantically begging for help. Behind him was his youngest sister and her niece and nephew wrestling with an older Pegasus stallion insisting he get off his bum leg and get back to work. The graying pale coat twitched on the husband of Applejack as he growled at his son and daughter to pay attention to the odd stranger babbling incoherently. "Seems to be a changeling, Mac," he said. "Eeyup." "Must be important if he's talking and not thinking." "Eeyup." Blazing Cruise sighed and hobbled over to the changeling. He wasn't a very big one and seemed to be a colt. "Stand at attention, son," he barked with authority. "If you want anypony to understand what in blue blazes you're spitting out, slow the buck down and shut the hay up. Think before you articulate, you damned foal!" "Eeyup," agreed Big MacIntosh. Without prompting, he shook the little dark creature to his senses. Frakas took in a deep breath and explained for the next few frantic minutes what had happened to Chrysalis. Not sure what to make of this information, Blazing Cruise observed to Big Mac, "I can't tell if that's good news or better news." The big red Earth pony gave the old warrior a flat look. "What would AJ do?" he asked. Her husband sighed. "Get the cart. I'll get the first aid kit. My own wife's not here and she still manages to put a guilt trip on me. Hot damn, I love that mare." He laughed, patting the startled changeling on the head. "All right, kid. We'll find this queen of yours." Big MacIntosh only grinned and went to do as he was told without saying a word. "Dragon! Big huuuuuge dragon!" Pinkie Pie yelled even before Scarheart had woken up. Every body part seemed to be triggering her Pinkie Sense. Or was it the other way around? "Okay, well, maybe not that big, but he's hungry! Or maybe not hungry, but still brainwashed and bent on destroying lots and lots of stuff. SOMEPONY FIND FLUTTERSHY AND HAVE HER STARE AT IT!" She bounced off happily in the direction where Scarheart was just now beginning to awaken, her eyes wide and set with goofy focus. Pinkie was excited and was even thinking of throwing a party for the dragon. Sure, he wasn't a pony, but he still needed one for waking up. It was only proper. But he had to behave and be a good dragon. As it so happened, she came across a certain wide-eyed little yellow Pegasus with a pink rose colored mane "Did you say d-dragon?" she squeaked fearfully at Pinkie. "Yep-yep!" chimed the pink party pony. "It's that one Rainbow Dash ko'd fifteen years ago. We'd better find the dragon before he finds Rainbow Dash. I get the feeling he's still mad at her for beating him and since it's only been fifteen years, it's going to feel like it was just a couple of minutes ago because the last thing he remembers is his pride being shredded by an iddy biddy awesome little rainbow mare!" She stopped, tapped a hoof on her chin thoughtfully and shrugged with a grin, "Well, I think that's about right." "Oh. My." Fluttershy went to find the dragon. "Don't you think we should warn Rainbow Dash?" she asked Pinkie fearfully. "I really don't want to see her get hurt and I really don't want to see the dragon get angry." Scarheart erupted from his tomb, a massive form of flying flesh and bone doing the bidding of his father without question and no real focus for his anger. As it so happened, the first pony his golden eyes fell upon was that of none other than Rainbow Dash and her colt, Lightning Dash. As stones of many sizes fell to the sway of gravity, the first beams of sunlight from the day rose and bathed Scarheart in orange. It made his eyes look like they were on fire. The two old foes stared at each other, one grinning, the other suffering from a hanging jaw. "Oh, buck me sideways," Rainbow Dash whimpered. "Nice to see you, too," grinned the red dragon. "Fly away, Dashie!" Rarity yelled up at her. "I don't think he wants to make nice!" "Ya think?" Rainbow yelled down at the Unicorn. She had to get the dragon away from Canterlot and pray one of the princesses noticed the overgrown and angry lizard chasing her. She did just that, but found her wings in the unfamiliar position of being frozen in place. "Not again!" "Oldies are the besties," said Scarheart with a grin. "I want to see if I throw you hard enough I can make my own rainboom." "Leave my mom alone, loser!" Lightning Dash was completely ignored by the dragon and had launched a flying kick at the dragon's snout. It was shades of the dragon incident with a younger Rainbow Dash and a similarly red dragon in a cave. Scarheart blinked, focused his eyes on the smaller and sapphire blue Pegasus. "Really? You must be her kid." The golden eyes flickered between the manes of mother and son. "Cute." "Unhand that pony, beast!" demanded a new voice. Luna, Princess of the Moon had indeed arrived. Fluttershy was next to her. It was not Luna who spoke with authority next. Rather, it was a certain Bearer of Kindness. "HOW DARE YOU TREAT MY FRIEND THAT WAY!" began the shy yellow pony. "You're dead meat," Rainbow Dash told the dragon with a wicked grin.