//------------------------------// // The Adventure Begins // Story: A Dragon's Destiny // by Riddleja //------------------------------// At last, the winds died down. And the group fell to the ground, only to be protected by magic at the last minute. ”Phew,” said Twilight. “That was close.” “Where in tarnation are we?” asked Applejack. They looked around. Everything seemed very different. The weather felt warm and dry, and the landscape looked like a desert canyon with lava filled pools. “This must be the land of the dragons,” commented Spike. He had only been here at least once when he met up with those teen-aged dragons on a journey of self discovery. Fluttershy gulped and hid her face with her mane. “D-d-dragons?” she squeaked. “Oh I hope we don’t run into any of them. Especially if they’re hungry for ponies!” ”Relax Fluttershy,” said Rainbow Dash. “If we do come across any dragons that want to snack on us, we’ll be ready for them!” “Girls, girls,” interrupted Rarity. “Shouldn't we be more focused on finding a way back home?” ”I agree with Rarity,” said Twilight. “We’d better find a way back home before something dangerous happens.” “Just one problem,” put in Spike. “Where IS home?” None of them knew. “Well,” said Applejack, “looks like we’ll have to walk.” ”But why can’t we just use our magic to get home?” asked Trixie. “It would make a lot more sense.” ”What fun would that be?” said Pinkie Pie. So the gang had to make a long, dull, walk through the land of dragons. It didn't help that Pinkie Pie kept saying “Are we there yet?” every five seconds. “Can’t we find shelter?” whined Rarity. “I’m getting sweaty!” “We’re all tired,” said Applejack. “But we still have no idea where home is!” ”Can’t we ask for directions?” asked Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie, what are the odds that if we ask a dragon for directions to Ponyville that we don’t get eaten alive?” asked Twilight. “Good point,” said Pinkie Pie sheepishly. “Well I say we should fine a Rocket Car!” said Rainbow Dash. “That way we’d get home AND be about 500% cooler at the same time! That would be awesome!” “The Great and Powerful Trixie agrees with that plan!” proclaimed Trixie. “Just one problem with that,” put in Applejack. “How in tarnation are we even supposed to FIND a Rocket Car to get home?” “Where’s your sense of imagination?” asked Rainbow Dash. Suddenly, Spike noticed something. ”Uh girls,” he said, “the sword is glowing.” And it was. The sword was glowing a bright green. Suddenly it flew out of Spike’s clutches and into the woods. “After it!” cried Spike. They chased after the sword as fast as they could. Deeper and deeper they went into the forest. The twisted trees seemed to come closer and closer to them as if to grab them. This scared Fluttershy the most. ”Let’s just go back”, she squeaked. “We can’t without my sword!” called Spike. ”It must be guiding us somewhere”, agreed Twilight. Eventually, the chase ended. The sword was right in front of them, hovering in place. “That’s odd”, said Applejack. “It’s just floating there. Not doing anything else.” Spike reached out and grabbed the sword. Then he noticed something. “Look where it lead us”, he said. The sword had lead the gang to the entrance of a mysterious looking cave. At the opening on both sides were identical dragon statues. The entrance to the cave was blocked by two stone slabs which were frozen in a thick wall of ice. “Maybe we can find a way home in there”, said Rainbow Dash. “But how do we get in?” asked Rarity. “The entrance is blocked." “I’m gonna try to use a flame spell on the ice”, said Twilight. “Stand back.” Twilight steadied herself and prepared to cast the spell. Suddenly a fiery blaze shot out of her horn towards the wall of ice. After seconds, the flames disappeared. But to everyone’s surprise, the ice didn't melt. “That’s odd”, said Twilight. I've never seen ice not melt from fire.” “Let me try”, said Applejack, walking up to the wall. “I’ll buck that ice to cubes.” Applejack reared her back hooves as best as she could, and kicked with all her might! But the ice wouldn't budge. “This is the most stubborn wall of ice I've ever seen,” commented Applejack. “Let me try this”, said Rainbow Dash. She flew about 50 feet into the air, dove down, and aimed herself to kick the wall as hard as she could. But instead, she was bounced off of the ice and crashed into a nearby tree. “Are you alright Rainbow Dash?” asked Fluttershy, who was worried about her friend. The cyan Pegasus got out of the tree and shook the dizziness off. “That was nothing”, commented Rainbow Dash. “I've survived worse.” “I have an idea!” Pinkie Pie bounced in front of the wall with a determined look on her face. She rolled up her non-existent sleeves and threw her hooves into the air. “Open Sesame!” she cried, shoving her hooves to the wall. But nothing happened. “Well I’m out of ideas.” “The Great and Powerful Trixie does not believe in giving up like this”, declared Trixie. Then she turned towards the others. “Twilight, Rarity, I say that all 3 of us shall combine our might into the Flame spell again.” “I’m afraid I’m not familiar with that type of spell”, said Rarity. “I usually use my magic for fashion.” “Very well”, said Trixie. “Twilight, we shall have to do it ourselves.” The two unicorns faced the wall, charged up their magic, and fired the flame spells as best as they could. ”Is it working?” asked Twilight. “Keep going!” grunted Trixie. “I think it’s working!” At last, they grew tired and stopped. But to their bewilderment, the ice still didn’t melt. “Oh, bother!” pouted Trixie. “How are we going to get in now?” asked Fluttershy. During all of this, the hooded stallion had been watching them. “I hope you know what to do, Spike”, he said quietly. While the mares were trying to figure a way to melt the ice, Spike had been paying close attention to the statues. On both Pedestals was a hole large enough to fit a small gem inside. ”I wonder”, he pondered. Spike reached into a bag he had brought with before the winds had carried him and the 7 mares to the land of Dragons. Rarity noticed this. “What are you doing, Spikey-Wikey?” she asked. “I’m seeing if I've got some gems”, Spike answered. “Spike, this is no time for a snack”, said Twilight. “This is a time to find out how to open this cave.” ”Who said anything about a snack?” Spike showed them the two holes. “If I can find two gems that look the same, maybe we can get in. Aha!” At last he pulled out two small sapphire gems. He was feeling tempted to eating them, but he knew that eating them would prevent them from opening the cave. Spike then handed one of the gems to Rarity. “Here. Now go to the other statue”, he told her. “Then when I put my gem in the hole on this one, you put yours in the other hole.” So Rarity went over to the second statue. As soon as Spike inserted his gem, Rarity inserted hers. At first nothing seemed to happen. Suddenly… “Look!” cried Fluttershy. “The statues’ eyes glowed!” And she was right. The eyes of the statues glowed a bright red once the gems had been inserted. Then they began to slowly rotate. “They’re moving!” cried Trixie. As soon as the statues were facing the ice wall, they stopped. Then their mouths slid open and fire blasted out from them! “Hit the deck!” shouted Rainbow Dash. They all took cover as the fires were blasted towards the wall of ice. When the flames died down, the ice had been completely melted. And the doors slid open. “It worked!” cried Spike. “The ice has melted and the doors have opened!” “Great work Spike!” said Twilight. “A very impressive maneuver”, complimented Trixie. “Hoo Doggy!” said Applejack. “That there was some quick thinking, Spike!” “That was so awesome!” said Rainbow Dash, as she gave Spike a noogie. “This calls for an ‘I just helped my friends melt ice and open a cave door’ party!” cried Pinkie Pie. “Yay!” said Fluttershy in her usual quiet self. “Isn't he just the most magnificent little dragon we have?” gushed Rarity as she nuzzled Spike. This caused him to blush. “Ah shucks”, he said. “It was nothing, really.” “Let’s go inside!” said Pinkie Pie. So the group bravely headed inside the cave. “This seems like the beginning of a super amazing adventure movie”, commented Rainbow Dash. “Would be cooler if Daring Do was here too to help us out. That would be…” “Let me guess,” interrupted Rarity. “It would be awesome?” “How’d you know what I was gonna say?” asked Rainbow Dash. “Just a hunch”, piped in Pinkie Pie. As they did, the hooded stallion watched them and grinned. “Good work Spike”, he said, “You were very quick to find the solution to the puzzle. But I’m afraid that things will not be this easy from here on out. Stay strong and never give up.” And with that, he followed after them, making sure he was not too close.