//------------------------------// // Arrival // Story: Forever and For Always // by ShaD-23 //------------------------------// Things in Equestria were not going well lately. There were numerous sightings of dragons as of late all across the land, each of them more hostile than usual. Their wings whipped drastic whirlwinds through towns and dragons scuffling for land would fight with one another, setting fire to the fields. Something was very wrong in deed. ===== Princess Cadence watched Canterlot through the window of the tower she once had to herself long ago, her horn glistening as it poked through her vibrant purple, and yellow mane, casting a powerful spell about the kingdom. Celestia and Luna, the two alicorn princesses who ruled over Equestria, had summoned her and her husband, the unicorn Shining Armor, back to Canterlot to protect it from the ferocious dragons. While she kept a shielding spell around the grand city, Shining Armor scoured the land for information on the dragons raids. He had been gone for several days and she was quite worried. Suddenly, a sharp knock at her door shook her from her thoughts. Hurrying to the door, she was certain Shining Armor had returned, but opening the door, she was greeted with another face. Twilight Sparkle, the newly appointed alicorn princess, smiled weakly at Cadence, her long, navy-colored mane drifting in the breeze. Cadence smiled slightly and welcomed her silently in, the echoing of their clopping hooves the only sound. Normally, they would do their little dance they came up with when the alicorn was young and watched over Twilight when she was a tiny unicorn foal, but they were both clearly too worried to dance. "I finally decided to come." Twilight said. "I figured you could use some company." Cadence only shook her head. "I told you not to come, Twilight." she said, trotting to the window, a dragon flying by in the far distance. "Ponyville needs you, y'know?" Twilight only came up beside her and nuzzled her old friend. "I'm worried about him, too, Cadence... I am." Both of them sniffled and smiled. After a moment more of silence, Cadence beckoned Twilight to follow her out the door. It was a cool day in Canterlot. The Grand Galloping Gala was only in a few days. Everypony was working so hard to prepare for the festivities. Celestia considered canceling the Gala this year, but Luna insisted they still throw the party. It was he only thing the pony folk had to look forward to. Walking through the adorned halls, the two alicorns watched as the guards and maids rushed to and fro. "Did any of your Ponyville friends come?" Cadence suddenly asked. Twilight nodded. "Rainbow Dash and Rarity both came." she said. "Everyone else said they'd hold down the fort at Ponyville." Nodding, Cadence and Twilight came to the grand hall where they found four ponies talking quietly. The unicorn Rarity, with her white coat and violet mane, chatted excited with the regal Princess Celestia about the upcoming Grand Galloping Gala, her shiny silver mane drifting slightly. Rainbow Dash, a blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane, boasted about how she would defend Canterlot from any dragons, Princess Luna unimpressed by her ego, giving her sparkling blue mane a small whip. The four looked up just in time to see the two young princesses enter the grand hall. "It's good to see you again, Princess Cadence." Rarity said quickly, giving a deep bow. "I was just tellin' the princesses how I was keepin' Twilight safe, Princess." Rainbow Dash said quickly, looking quite smug. Just as Twilight opened her mouth to respond, a twisting whip of fire appeared before Celestia, a small scroll appearing before her. Everyone narrowed their eyes. Spike, Twilight's baby dragon assistant, was clearly the one who had sent the message. She decided to leave him in Ponyville with Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy so they could write for help if anything happened while they were away. Powering her horn, Twilight took the scroll and opened it, everyone waiting quietly as Twilight read the note in shock. "What does it say, Twilight?" Celestia asked quietly, nopony blinking as they waited. As she finished the letter, Twilight began to shake. "M-my brother came to Ponyville..." "Is Shining Armor alright, Twilight?" Cadence asked nervously. Twilight nodded. "The message said he got a little burned, but he's okay," she explained, Cadence's heart skipping a beat. "... and... and he found out why the dragons are all over Equestria." Rarity gasped as Rainbow Dash narrowed her eyes. "What did he say, Twilight?" Celestia asked, narrowing her eyes as well. Gulping, Twilight levitated the scroll for Celestia and Luna to see, their eye growing wide. "The Great Roost has sealed." Twilight said, everypony gasping. The Great Roost was a gargantuan volcano dragons flocked to all year round (especially during the great dragon migration). "But... but we were just there, barely a few months ago!" Rainbow Dash shouted in disbelief. "It was completely active! How does a volcano that big just harden overnight!?" "Something is not right." Celestia said sharply. "Something powerful must have caused it to seal." Luna only glowered to herself. Twilight could see she was thinking hard. "Sister, should I go inspect the volcano?" Luna asked solemnly. Celestia looked pensive for a moment. Just as she opened her mouth to speak, however, there came a loud crash that shook the kingdom. Cadence instantly buckled to her knees as a gigantic red dragon began to thrash against her barrier. Twilight knew it to be the dragon she and her Ponyville friends coaxed into leaving the peaks near their town. "I know that dragon!" Rarity hollered, a look of terror on her face. "I thought dragons slept for 100 years!" Rainbow Dash spat, Cadence straining as the dragon continued to besiege the barrier surrounding the palace. Twilight instantly spread her lavender wings and soared through the window for the giant beast, everypony calling for her to come back. Leaving the safety of the barrier, Twilight looked into the dragon's eyes. "Why are you attacking our kingdom!?" Twilight called, avoiding a burst of smoke from the dragon's mouth. "We thought you went to sleep for the next 100 years! How did you wake up!?" Twilight continued, zipping through the dragon's sweeping claws and wings. She had spent much time practicing flying since she returned to Ponyville. Suddenly, she noticed something odd. A faint blue glow shone in his eyes. Zooming for the dragon, avoiding his snapping jaws, Twilight clung to his head and cast a restorative spell on him (the same spell she used to restore her friends' memories when Discord attacked Ponyville nearly a year ago). Almost instantly, the dragon grew limp, drifting through the air shaking his giant head. "What... what was I doing?" the dragon said aloud. Looking at Twilight, he came to perch outside of Canterlot. "You're that pony from before." he said. Twilight nodded. "What just happened?" "You were attacking Canterlot." she explained. "I think you were under some kind of control." The dragon only shook his head. "I was awoken from my slumber... by other dragons." he explained "Everywhere I went to sleep, I would find other dragons fighting over land and treasure... then one day I felt so sleepy I just dropped into the middle of a field and fell asleep... the next thing I knew, I was here." Twilight was perplexed. What magic was powerful enough to control a dragon? She bid him farewell, then flew back to the palace, Rainbow Dash cheering for her as she touched down into the hall. Rarity smiled and nodded to her friend, but the three princesses gave Twilight a stern look. "The was very reckless, Twilight." Celestia began. "You should be more careful. That was a full grown dragon." Twilight bowed her head. She knew Celestia was right. She was being reckless. Thinking about it now, however, that really didn't seem like something she would do. Twilight had become more reckless and too more risks since her first quest to the Crystal Empire. "That having been said," Luna announced "you saved Canterlot from destruction. We are very grateful to you, Twilight." Twilight beamed as Luna said this, Cadence giving a slight smile as well. "It's getting late." Celestia said, turning to leave. "Shinning Armor said he would be in Canterlot early tomorrow morning in his message. I need to write a request for him to bring the Elements of Harmony with him." she said, Twilight and her two friends turning to her as she said this. "If something... or somepony... is manipulating dragons to attack pony folk, I think we may need them." ===== "That dragon was under some kinda control?" "That's a scary thought." "Princess Celestia must have some good eyes if she was able to see that." Twilight walked with Cadence, Rainbow Dash and Rarity through the halls, the princess insisting on showing them to their rooms. "So, something's controlling the dragons?" Rainbow Dash asked. Twilight shook her head. "I think it was only him that was being controlled." Twilight said as she hurried up behind Cadence. "But I'm worried... What could possibly control something like a dragon?" Trotting on, they were lead into a grand room filled with beautiful works of art. "These are so amazing!" Rarity squealed, looking over all the pieces. Portraits, sculptures and so much more filled the room. Twilight didn't think she had ever been in this room. "These are some of the finest treasures Canterlot has seen over the eons." Cadence explained. "That's Starswirl the Bearded's actual quill." she said as they passed a fragile looking display. "Over there is a sculpture of Zerus, Princess Luna's pupil who disappeared during the first siege on the Crystal Empire more than 1000 years ago." she went on as they passed a shining silver sculpture of a little unicorn colt. "That is a replica of the Harbinger's Blade, the sword Starswirl forged to fight the Alicorn Amulet." Rainbow Dash marveled at the display as they passed it. Just as Cadence came to a beautiful tapestry of Nightmare Moon's palace, Twilight got a nagging thought in her head. "Where is the Alicorn Amulet, Cadence?" Twilight asked. Cadence didn't respond. Figuring it better not to ask, Twilight remained silent as Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked about the many relics. Finally, coming to the dormitories, Celestia's voice rang out loud over the castle, "Princess Cadence! Princess Twilight Sparkle! Come to the main hall immediately!" The two barely looked at each other before they took off running, Rainbow Dash and Rarity hurrying behind them. What did the princess need? Rushing up the steps, they came face to face with Celestia and Luna, both of whom looked most serious. "The guards say someone has requested an audience with us immediately... he said he can fend off the dragons." Luna explained. Celestia silently strutted to the main gate and opened it to find a cloaked stranger waiting for them, Rainbow Dash and Rarity only just catching up to see. At first, Twilight thought the stranger was a minotaur, but she was wrong. He had the lower body of a stallion, but the upper portion looked like a muscular, red minotaur. He head a long, full mane and beard of shaggy brown hair and long, twisting goat horns growing out from his head. His eyes shone bright golden and small fangs poked from out of his mouth. "Greetings." he said politely, giving a deep bow to the princesses. "I am General Tirek. I have traveled a long distance and I believe I can save Equestria from the rampaging dragons."