//------------------------------// // Chapter 13 // Story: A New Dragon in Ponyville // by Vedues //------------------------------// Something soft and warm was pressed up against Cliff. He nuzzled into it, purring gently. Quiet laughter reached his ears. He purred more loudly. The laughter grew as well, and he felt a pair of hooves tighten around him for a moment. Consciousness was slowly returning to Cliff Runner, but he didn't really want to wake up. It had been far too long since he last slept next to somedragon, and he just wanted to enjoy the warmth and companionship a little longer. He pulled the other dragon even closer, enjoying the feel of her soft fur against his scales. ...Wait, fur? Hooves? He opened his eyes to a sea of pink hair, with bits of a yellow coat visible through the tangled mass. Oh, no. Cliff shut his eyes again. Please tell me I didn't actually have a complete breakdown in front of Twilight's closest friends. His memory informed him that he had. The young dragon felt his cheeks go red. “Cliff?” Fluttershy whispered. Fluttershy. She stayed with me. The details of their conversation flashed through his mind, and he blushed even more. Did I really admit to having feelings for a pony? The affection and infatuation in his heart told him that he had done that as well. Cliff paused over the unfamiliar feelings. Getting rid of them would be fairly easy, but as long as he could remember Fluttershy being there for him when he needed her, the emotions would return, like flames over a live coal. What do I do? Cliff didn't know, and that scared him. What do I want to do? He wanted to stay with her, and that scared him even more. Why couldn't she be a wyrm like me? Cliff paused, suddenly feeling ashamed of himself. Am I really that superficial? He knew that having a relationship with a pony would be difficult, but denying his feelings now because of that just felt... wrong. Especially after Fluttershy had admitted to having feelings for him in return. The young dragon couldn't imagine why. Not after all the stupid things he had done. “Cliff?” Fluttershy repeated. “Yes?” he whispered back. “Are you okay? You were shaking.” “Sorry. I was just thinking.” “Oh... um, are your emotions back to normal?” Cliff paused, and then reached for the Stillness. It came easily, but he felt strangely uncomfortable about it. He used to be a little proud of his ability to handle his emotions. Now, he was a bit ashamed as he realized how dependent he had become on it. He let his emotions return almost immediately. “Yes, I'm... I'm fine.” “That's good.” Fluttershy pulled back from him just slightly. “I, uh, I'm sorry if I said anything last night that makes you uncomfortable now that you can... think clearly again.” It suddenly occurred to Cliff that Discord might have affected Fluttershy in more ways than one. Maybe the feelings she had admitted to last night were just another of his pranks. He swallowed. “I... I still like hugging you, but I'd understand if you don't feel the same.” The young dragon wouldn't have thought it possible, but he swore he could hear her cheeks turning red. “N-no, I like it too.” She tentatively leaned into him once more. “Um, is this okay?” His right arm was completely numb after Fluttershy slept on it all night, but he squeezed her gently with his left. “Yes, I, it's really nice.” He took a moment to enjoy her gentle warmth, the silkiness of her fur, and the sound of her breathing. “Fluttershy, uh, what do we do now?” “I guess, we should keep spending time together?” “I'd like that.” Cliff yawned, inhaling some of her mane in the process. He coughed as the long hairs tickled his throat. “Are you okay?” Fluttershy tried to jump to her hooves, but with parts of her mane and tail still trapped under the young dragon, she only got about halfway up before being pulled back down with a surprised, and slightly pained, “aah!” Cliff tried to jump up as well to help her, but then he put weight on his numb arm and wound up collapsing right next to the yellow mare. “Sorry,” he whispered sheepishly, pulling a few strands of pink hair out of his mouth. She looked at him for a moment, and then started to giggle. He couldn't help but join in, and soon the two of them were laughing helplessly together. It felt good, amazing, actually, to just laugh after the stress of the past few days. His arm felt like it was being attacked by fire ants, but he hardly even noticed it. “Sorry,” Cliff repeated once they had both had a chance to calm down. “It's okay.” Fluttershy smiled timidly. Now that they were separate, Cliff got his first good look at her since waking up. Her mane was a tangled mess, probably thanks to him burying his face in it all night, and lines of salt-encrusted fur on her cheeks showed that she had been crying. His own tears had left a salty patch on her chest. In spite of it all though, she looked happy, and, well, cute. A bit of worry crept into her expression. “Uh, do you think Twilight and the others are still worried about us?” “Maybe.” Cliff looked at the room around them. It was similar to Celestia's booth, but slightly smaller and with no food table. They were laying in the center of the room on a brown rug so thick that he almost mistook it for a mattress. There were a few chairs surrounding them, and a window and a fireplace, but little else of interest. He frowned, noticing something odd. It was still dark outside, but it felt like he had gotten a full night's sleep. “Do you know what time it is?” Fluttershy pulled herself into a sitting position. “The clock says it's past nine. Oh my, they must have left us here all night! I hope the Mayor isn't upset!” “I hope so too.” Cliff gingerly put some weight on his arm. “Let's go check on the others.” She nodded and moved to the door. “Cliff?” “Yes?” She blushed a little. “Thank you.” He didn't have time to ask what she was thanking him for, because she hurried through the door and down the hall to the booth Celestia had been using the previous night. Surprisingly, all three princesses were still there, sleeping peacefully in a pile on the floor. The table of snacks had been overturned, scattering food everywhere. “Should we wake them?” Cliff asked, approaching the trio. “I suppose.” Fluttershy looked around. “What do you think happened?” Cliff was relieved to find that the three alicorns were unhurt and breathing normally. “Who knows?” He leaned closer to the purple one. “Twilight?” … “Twilight?” … He turned to Fluttershy with a helpless shrug. “Ideas?” She approached her sleeping friend. “Twilight? I hope you don't mind, but, um, could you wake up?” She shook the purple alicorn gently. “Hnnn?” Twilight's eyes cracked open. She clenched them shut almost immediately. “Nng, my head...” “Oh, do you have a headache? I'm sorry. I can fly back to my cottage and bring you some medicine, if you want.” Twilight grimaced as she massaged her temples. “Just... coffee, is fine.” “Actually,” Cliff moved forward, “here.” He let healing magic flow into her. She sighed appreciatively. “Thanks.” Her eyes shot open. “Wait, Fluttershy? Cliff?” She climbed to her hooves and hugged the pegasus. “Are you two okay?” “Yes.” Fluttershy hugged her back. “What happened to you?” “I don't know.” Twilight rubbed her forehead with a hoof. “The last thing I remember is betting Cadance that I could climb the wall using just my lips.” She grimaced. “Was there something in that apple juice?” “Of course not,” Discord's voice echoed throughout the room. “Spiking the punch is so old fashioned. That's why I spiked the air.” “You what?!” Twilight shouted, rousing Cadance and Celestia. “Yes, it was a rather powerful dose as well.” “There were children here!” Twilight said. “Oh relax,” the ghostly voice continued. “I kept all of them safe. We stayed up late playing twister together. Now I hope you adults enjoy those hangovers!” “Discord!” Twilight glared at the room around them. “N-not so loud...” Cadance groaned, holding her head. “If you wouldn't mind.” Celestia managed to keep her composure, but it was obvious she wasn't feeling much better. “Oh,” Twilight blushed, “sorry. Cliff, would you mind healing Celestia while I take care of Cadance?” “Not at all.” It was strange how he felt a little regretful stepping away from Fluttershy to help the Sun Princess. Cliff wondered if that was normal for two creatures in a... he hesitated to call it a relationship. “Thank you, Cliff Runner.” Celestia smiled as the dragon magic washed through her. “I feel much better now.” “Yes,” Cadance said. “Thank you both.” “Now, Discord,” Fluttershy addressed the room around them. “Why don't you come out an apologize to Cliff?” Discord appeared in a flash of light. “Apologize? Me? Why would I need to do that?” Three alicorns and a dragon gave him flat stares. “What?” “I know you didn't mean to,” Fluttershy continued, “but your prank really upset him.” “Oh, there was no need for him to worry. I took away his ability to transform. He couldn't have gone berserk if he'd tried. Besides, because of me, he spent the whole night wrapped in your loving embrace.” Discord held up a picture of them kissing. Passionately. “I think he should be thanking me.” Fluttershy turned bright red. Twilight rounded on Cliff with a look that could kill, while he sputtered that nothing had happened. Cadance just looked shocked. “Excuse me,” Celestia drew all their attention, “but your prank was rather thoughtless, Discord, regardless of how things turned out.” “Thoughtless?” Discord clapped both hands over his chest. “I'm not the one who's late raising the sun, causing an Equestria-wide panic.” Celestia looked out the windows for the first time. Anger flashed across her face as her horn began to glow. Seconds later, the sun returned to its proper place, illuminating the inside of town hall. Collapsed ponies were everywhere, groaning and wincing at the sudden light. “There, much better.” Discord applauded. “Five thousand searing migraines created in an instant.” “Oh dear,” Fluttershy whispered, snapping out of her embarrassment. “Can't you help them, Discord?” “Well of course I can,” Discord patted her on the head, “but I won't. Not unless Cliff Runner there thanks me, and Princess Celestia apologizes for calling me thoughtless.” His eyes widened in an exaggerated pout. “Doesn't she know that words can hurt?” Cliff said, “Thank you,” immediately. Anything to get the draconequus to leave. “You shouldn't have to apologize, Cliff.” Fluttershy flew up to pat Discord's cheek. “And Discord, you know that helping others is important.” He sighed. “Fine. I'll be nice and forgive them.” He stuck out his tongue at Celestia and Cliff before snapping his fingers. Out in the main room, groans of pain turned into sighs of relief. “But I'm not cleaning up the spilled flowers.” He folded his arms. Celestia sighed. “Very well, thank you for your help.” Fluttershy echoed the sentiment with an approving smile and a pat on the head. “Yes, well I you'll excuse me, I'm going to see if there is any leftover cotton candy.” Discord snapped his fingers and disappeared in a flash of light. As soon as he was gone, Twilight approached Cliff with a look that was decidedly less than friendly. “Now, what exactly did you do to my friend?” She held up Discord's picture. Cliff found himself backing into the wall. “Nothing, we just slept together.” He had an entire second to realize that that meant something different to ponies. “You WHAT?!?!” Twilight yelled, her horn starting to glow. “I don't care if Discord was affecting your mind! I can't believe that you would take advantage of Fluttershy like that!” “Easy, Twilight.” Cadance gently pulled the other princess back. “We should let him explain himself.” In spite of that, she still gave him an accusing glare. Twilight calmed down, which is to say that she went from murderous to only furious. “Fine. After that, Celestia can banish him to the moon.” Princess Celestia arched her eyebrow at that, but remained silent. “Nothing happened between us,” Cliff said immediately. Twilight's eyes narrowed. “It's true.” “Uh, Twilight?” Fluttershy said in a voice barely above a whisper. Her face was bright red as every eye turned her way. “All we did was fall asleep. That's what Cliff meant to say.” Cliff let out a deep breath. “Yes, exactly.” Twilight gave him a suspicious glance. “Are you sure nothing happened, Fluttershy? You shouldn't try to protect him if he took advantage of you.” She nodded. “Dragons share a nest all the time. There's nothing... uh, dirty, about it.” The alicorns all turned back to Cliff. “It's true. You can ask Rainbow Dash.” Twilight's expression softened a little. “Okay, but that still doesn't explain this.” Her magic held up the picture again. Cliff's annoyance at her accusations was starting to outweigh his fears. “Fluttershy, would you like to tell Twilight the truth? I get the feeling she wouldn't believe it coming from me.” He couldn't resist throwing in at least one barb. The purple alicorn winced at his words, and her expression fell even more as Fluttershy explained that the picture was fake. Cliff felt a bit of smug satisfaction at that, until Fluttershy turned to him, disappointment in her eyes. “I know you're upset, Cliff, but you shouldn't be mean to Twilight like that when she's just worried about me.” That stung, mostly because it was true. “...I'm sorry, Fluttershy, and to you too, Twilight.” Fluttershy's smile let him know all was forgiven. “I'm sorry too, Cliff.” Twilight blushed. “It looks like I assumed the worst of you again.” He scratched his cheek uncomfortably. “Well, this isn't the first time that the phrase, 'sleeping together' has caused me problems.” Twilight chuckled a bit. “Was that when you explained it to Fluttershy?” “No, actually. It was when Rainbow Dash was visiting my coven.” Cliff blushed a little at the memory. “I'll let her give you the details.” Celestia cleared her throat, bringing the group's attention back to her. “I hope that the two of you will keep your tempers the next time something like this happens. Cadance and Fluttershy won't always be around to help.” Both dragon and alicorn winced. “I don't want to dwell on past mistakes, but you two are going to serve as the primary link between ponies and dragons. You must be prepared to overcome not only your own difficulties, but those of every pony and dragon in your care.” She arose. “Still, I remain confident that you will be able to manage.” Cliff bowed. “Thank you, Celestia.” Twilight gave her mentor a hug. “Thank you. I'm sorry.” “That's quite alright.” Celestia returned the gesture. “Now you'll have to excuse me. The castle staff must be terribly worried about Luna and I, and I think it's past time that we got Cadance back to her husband.” They followed the Sun Princess down to the main room and a sea of confused ponies. With a light display of magic, Celestia projected her voice so that it could be heard clearly at even the farthest ends of the room. Somehow, it remained warm and gentle. “Please be calm, my dear ponies. It seems that Discord has pulled a few pranks on us. In spite of that, I think we owe Pinkie Pie a round of applause for throwing this marvelous party.” The ponies in the room all stomped their hooves in agreement. Celestia waited for the noise to die down before continuing. “Unfortunately, it is time that Princess Luna and I departed. Thank you very much for joining us as we celebrated Cliff Runner's bravery and Spike becoming an adult. These two dragons stand as a testament to the virtues of their race, and I hope that we will all get a chance to befriend other dragons in the near future.” Another round of applause greeted Celestia's speech. It faded as the ponies began to make their way to the exit. “Where is that cur!” A sky-blue earth pony mare shouted as she worked her way against the crowd towards the stage. Her mane and tail were a few shades lighter than her coat, and her turquoise eyes were extremely angry. She climbed up next to Celestia and glared at the empty air. “Discord, what did thou do to me?!” “Well if memory serves, I gave you a flower.” Discord appeared with a grin. “You can hardly blame me if the flower did something you object to.” “Sister?” Celestia gasped. “Luna, is that you?” “Indeed it is, sister.” Luna glared as Discord again. “This cur dropped numerous poison joke flowers around the room after making us all intoxicated last night.” “Yes I did, but Celestia and I,” he pinched the Sun Princess's cheek, “already discussed the matter, and agreed that I shouldn't have to concern myself with dropped flowers.” Cliff noticed Big Mac, (the alicorn?!) approaching through the crowd. In addition to a horn and massive wings, the farm pony's mane and tail shimmered ethereally with images of... apple trees? “You never mentioned they were poison joke flowers!” Twilight objected. “I didn't think I needed to.” Discord's eyes rolled so fast that they became a blur in his head. “Honestly Twilight, I thought you were supposed to be the smart one. Do you need me to explain why two plus two equals four as well?” “Discord,” Fluttershy admonished, “wouldn't you be happier doing the nice thing and fixing the flowers' pranks?” “Well I'd like to, dear Fluttershy.” He leaned back against Celestia. “But a deal's a deal. Anyway, I'm feeling rather worn out from a long night of partying and I simply must get home to enjoy some rest. Ta-ta!” He disappeared in another burst of light. “Do you think he's actually gone?” Cliff asked. “I'm not sure it matters,” Cadance replied. “All we can do is try to clean up this mess- Is that stallion an alicorn?” She pointed to Big Mac. Twilight followed her gaze and ran to the farm pony. “Big McIntosh, what happened?” He pointed to Princess Luna. “Flowers switched us.” Even more worrisome to Cliff was the fact that Big Mac wasn't alone. A line was forming behind him, and all the ponies in it looked either confused or upset by something. “Twilight!” A blue wyrm with rainbow patterned spikes burst out of the crowd. “Ya gotta help me! Discord gave me some poison joke last night, and, and,” she grabbed onto the purple alicorn, “I woke up without my wings!” “Rainbow Dash?!” Twilight gasped. “I- of course I'll help you. Just let me run home and grab the cure.” Fluttershy rushed to her newly draconic friend and threw a comforting hoof around her. “Please hurry, if you would,” Celestia said. With a nod, Twilight teleported away. “So...” Cliff said as he approached Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. “What's poison joke?” “Oh, its-” “It's a weird blue flower,” Rainbow interrupted. “If you touch it, then it plays some sort of prank on you the next morning.” She looked down at her claws. “Ugh, this would be cool if I still had my wings!” “Don't worry.” Fluttershy gave her friend a gentle squeeze. “I'm sure Twilight will get you back to normal right away.” Nodding his agreement, Cliff walked around Rainbow Dash. She certainly looked like a wyrm, a rather attractive one at that, he registered distantly, but did that mean that she actually was one? “Can you breathe fire?” “Uh, maybe?” She shrugged. “I haven't tried.” “Cliff!” Spike's called. He looked up to see his younger brother approaching with Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. Cliff barely had time to form a response before Spike caught him in a tight hug, followed quickly by Pinkie and Applejack. Rarity rushed to Fluttershy instead. “Good ta see ya up an' about, Cliff.” “Yay, you're smiling again!” “They told me what happened. Are you alright?” “I'm fine.” Cliff assured them all. “I'm glad you're back to normal too, Applejack.” “Actually,” the farm pony replied, “all of us are.” “The rest of Discord's pranks were actually really fun,” Pinkie said. “I spent the whole night trying to figure out what mine was, but it turned out that my prank was that he said he was going to prank me, but then he didn't.” She giggled. “Not being pranked as a prank. Can you believe that?” “I, for one, found his antics to be rather disagreeable,” Rarity commented, breaking off from hugging Fluttershy. “She couldn't talk,” Spike explained. “Precisely! Can you imagine anything more shameful than being surrounded by Canterlot nobility and yet being unable to so much as reply when they spoke to me?” “Not ta mention havin' Spike glued to ya all night.” Applejack laughed. Cliff arched an eyebrow at his brother. “I thought you were going to be more controlled around Rarity,” he whispered. “No, I was literally stuck to her,” Spike whispered back. “My left palm couldn't break contact.” “Oh.” He wasn't exactly sure how his younger brother must have felt about that. “Sorry?” Spike rolled his eyes. “I'll tell you about it later. Anyway, what happened with you and Fluttershy?” A flash of magic announced Twilight's return. “Sorry for the delay.” She approached Celestia and Luna, levitating a jar with her. “If we pour this into a bath it should cure everypony.” “I'll tell you about it later,” Cliff said. -_-_-_-_-_- A few minutes later, they stood in front of a massive, bubble-filled tub in the local sauna. Cliff wondered what they used it for. “Okay,” Twilight told them. “It's ready now. Everypony affected by poison joke should hop in.” Over a dozen ponies, and one former pony, did so. One by one they emerged, cured of their various afflictions, with three notable exceptions. As soon as Rainbow Dash, Princess Luna, and Big Mac touched the water there was a loud buzzing sound and a floating card appeared in front of each of them. Princess Luna read the card and had to visibly restain herself from attacking somepony. “I swear by the night I will have revenge on Discord for this affront!” Rainbow Dash looked ready to faint. “H-he's kidding, right?” Predictably, Big Mac was the most calm. He just sighed. “What is it?” Celestia asked. Her calm persona was noticeably strained as she took the card from Luna. “Oh dear.” Cliff leaned over to look at Rainbow's. Sorry, try again in one week. A smiling depiction of Discord's face sat beneath the words. Once they had sent off all the cured ponies, Twilight and her friends went to speak with the other Princesses. Cliff was surprised when they asked him to join them. He hadn't known what poison joke was until earlier that morning. How exactly did they expect him to contribute? Celestia began by magically examining Luna, Rainbow, and Big Mac. She sighed. “It seems we have no choice but to wait.” “But who will watch over the night in my absence?” Luna objected. “If it's only for a week, I should be able to manage,” Celestia told her. “Though I admit my nights were never as beautiful as yours.” Luna grumbled. “Very well, and what am I to do in the meantime?” “I suppose you can take the opportunity to enjoy a short vacation. You have been very busy since your return.” “What about me?” Rainbow Dash cut in. “What am I supposed to do without my wings?” “Wait for them to return, I would imagine,” Luna said. “I have lost not only wings, but also my horn. Further, Equestria has lost its guardian of the night. Compared to that, losing a weather manager seems of little importance.” “Luna,” her sister gently chided. “You shouldn't take your frustrations out on Rainbow Dash. Her fears are as reasonable as your own.” As the Lunar Princess grudgingly apologized, Cliff's attention went to the yellow pegasus at his side. If it weren't for the tear stains still visible on her coat, he would have trouble believing that last night had actually happened. Developing romantic feelings for a pony was strange enough. Having those feelings reciprocated seemed so unlikely as to be impossible... and yet, here they were. A surge of nervousness went through the young dragon. What exactly are the social conventions for two ponies that are... whatever the heck we are? Fluttershy had smiled when he sat next to her, which was a good sign, but should he have sat close enough that they were touching? Put an arm around her, perhaps? Was he crazy for even worrying about these things? The logical part of his brain decided that they seemed compatible, based on what little he knew of her. They both enjoyed peace and quiet, neither liked crowds, and they both felt a need to care for smaller creatures. True, he didn't share her interest in knitting, but she didn't share his interest in exercise. There was nothing wrong with having different hobbies. Another issue that came to mind was their physical attraction, or lack thereof. Cliff had gotten used to manes during his time in Ponyville, and thought that Fluttershy's looked good on her, but pony tails were still rather strange. They weren't a continuation of the main body like dragon tails. Rather, they seemed tacked on like an extra limb. He had to wonder if his own tail looked equally strange to Fluttershy. Cuddling against her fur had been pleasant, but had she found his scales uncomfortable? Were his sharp teeth and serpentine tongue as odd to the yellow mare as her flat teeth and rounded tongue were to him? He didn't even know what to make of her wings. In the end though, it really came down to one question: did he find her physically attractive? Fluttershy caught him looking at her. She blushed and smiled before looking away. Yes, he most certainly did. Spike, Twilight, and Rarity saw the exchange as well. Spike, who was sitting on Cliff's other side, smiled approvingly. Twilight gave them a worried look. Rarity's was more of a glare. Cliff blushed and decided to focus on the meeting from then on. Fire Eyes is never going to let me hear the end of it when she hears about this. At length it was determined that Luna would return with her sister to Canterlot, taking with them another jar of Twilight's cure. Rainbow Dash's cloud home was inaccessible to her now that she wasn't a pegasus, prompting Applejack to take her in for the week. Finally, Big Mac would keep being Big Mac. The large stallion apparently didn't see the need for any fuss over his change. With everything decided, Celestia, Luna, and Cadance said their goodbyes before the Sun Princess teleported them all back to Canterlot. “This was a great party, everypony!” Pinkie pulled them all into a group hug. “I've gotta go help with the cleanup, but thanks so much for coming!” She waved once before darting off. “I suppose I should be leaving as well,” Rarity said. “I'm already late opening the boutique. Fluttershy, I'll see you at the spa after lunch?” The pegasus nodded. “Yes, uh, if that's still okay?” “Of course it is, darling.” Rarity gave her a hug before departing. “An' we'd better get back ta the farm,” Applejack said. “Come on, Rainbow. Big Mac an' I can show ya yer room.” “Actually,” Cliff said, “could I speak with you first, Rainbow?” She nodded. “Sure, what is it?” Cliff turned to his brother. “Could you go back to the palace and start on breakfast for Twilight and Fluttershy? I'll be there in a minute.” “Yeah, no problem,” Spike replied, leaving with Twilight and a surprisingly nervous Fluttershy. Once they were alone, Cliff turned to the former pegasus. “Not to freak you out, but I really need to know if you can breathe fire.” “Uh, okay.” Rainbow shrugged. “Why is that so important?” Cliff gave her an appraising look before he answered. “It would mean you have the inherent magic of a dragon. If that's the case, you're in danger of going berserk.” “What, you mean like growing huge and all?” He nodded. Rainbow Dash paled a little. “Uh, just how likely is that to happen?” “It probably won't.” Cliff blushed. “I've been using a technique to calm my emotions for so long that I didn't know how to function without it last night. You, on the other claw, should be fine as long as you don't get distracted by material possessions.” “... and if I do?” she asked. “Tell me straight, Cliff, how bad would it be?” If she hadn't been his friend, he wouldn't have answered. “Outside the slim chance we could snap you out of it, the best case scenario would have you run off into the wilderness to set up a hoard and hibernate until the week runs out, then we'll change you back.” “And the worst case?” she prompted. “... You attack Ponyville and we have to... stop you, to save the lives of others.” Cliff couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes. “I'm sorry.” “Stop... yeah.” Rainbow swallowed hard. “Does that happen a lot?” He nodded gravely. “Berserk dragons are attracted to material possessions, which usually means populated areas.” “O-Okay.” She took a deep breath. “So I just avoid being greedy for a week, and everything will be fine?” “More or less,” Cliff agreed, “but we still don't know if that will even be necessary.” “Right, so... fire?” “Fire.” He moved closer to her. “This will hurt a bit. Just tell me when you're ready.” Rainbow looked at him dubiously. “I guess now?” Cliff thrust his palm into her stomach, just below the ribs. He was immediately engulfed by rainbow patterned flames. She dropped to the ground, coughing. “Ow,” she said weakly. “Sorry.” Cliff sat beside her. “It was the only way to be sure.” He quickly scanned the room to make sure nothing had been set ablaze. “Pay ya back... later.” It took a few moments before she could breath normally again. “It looks like I really am a dragon now. That's bad, isn't it?” “It could be worse.” Cliff patted her on the back. “Like I said, just avoid anything that makes you greedy and you'll be fine.” He did his best to look optimistic. “In a strange way, it's a good thing that you can't get back to your house.” “Yeah,” Rainbow scratched the back of her neck, “I guess I can see that. Anyway, is it just me, or was that rainbow fire just now?” “It was.” Cliff smiled. “It was actually pretty cool. I've never seen that before.” “Sweet.” She rose to her feet. “It looks like I'm awesome no matter what form I'm in.” “I won't argue with that.” Rainbow Dash rubbed her stomach one last time before they moved to the door. “Hey, remember when I said I could beat you at a fire breathing contest?” She grinned. “How does a week from today sound?” Cliff chuckled. “You're on, but first, you should know some of the basics...” By the time they reached the palace, Rainbow knew the fundamentals of breathing fire. More importantly, she knew how to avoid it. Applejack wouldn't thank either of them if Rainbow accidentally torched Sweet Apple Acres. Cliff bid her farewell and went inside. Spike was working on a simple breakfast of oats and fruit for the two mares, who were chatting at the table. “Hey, Cliff,” Spike called. “Welcome back.” “Thanks.” He smiled at Fluttershy before going to help his brother. She'll want small signs of affection like that... right? “What did you want to talk to Rainbow Dash about?” Twilight asked. He started slicing a cantaloupe. “Since she's going to be a dragon for a week, I thought I should warn her about avoiding greed and give her a few tips on breathing fire.” Cliff forced his voice to remain casual. After what had happened with Fluttershy, he really didn't want Twilight to know that he had effectively threatened to kill Rainbow Dash. Not that I could beat her on my own anyway. They accepted his story without question and went back to their own conversation. “So what exactly happened with Rarity?” Cliff whispered to his brother. “Well I asked her to dance, and she said yes,” Spike whispered back. “When it ended, though, we noticed that I couldn't let go of her side, and she couldn't talk.” He couldn't even imagine being in a situation like that. “What did you do?” “I've spent enough time with Rarity that I can read her face pretty well. So I agreed to translate for her, and she agreed to trade off hours on the ceiling and floor.” Cliff nodded. “Seems fair.” “Thanks. By the way, we got a bunch of nobles to pledge funding for a local coven of dragons, assuming the Mayor approves.” “Good job. I'll have to thank Rarity for it as well,” the older dragon said. He hadn't expected anything like that out of the white unicorn. “I know it was important, but it was also way boring,” Spike admitted. “They were all so eager to please 'the Princess's pet dragon' that they would have agreed to anything I asked. Fancypants was the only one with a brain in his head.” Cliff chuckled. “I take it you enjoyed the floor more than the ceiling?” “Actually, Rainbow Dash came and found us before we ever got there. When she told us what Discord did to you, we ran to find the others and make sure that everypony was okay.” “Sorry.” “Don't worry. I had more fun talking with our friends than I would have had dancing.” Spike looked at his palm. “Come to think of it, I don't think I could have done much dancing with my hand stuck to Rarity like that.” Cliff had to keep himself from laughing at the mental image that Spike had just created. “Anyway, we hadn't been talking for too long when Discord made the air alcoholic. I can't remember much after that.” The younger dragon jabbed Cliff lightly. “Now what happened with you and Fluttershy?” He summarized the events as well as he could. Spike had clearly heard the beginning of it from the others, but the second half of it caught him completely off guard. “So are you dating now? I mean, I saw you at the spa, but I thought you were just flirting a little.” “I... don't know if we're dating or not,” Cliff replied. He didn't know enough about pony courtship to even venture a guess. The meal was ready by then and so Spike limited his response to an encouraging smile as they set the table. Twilight devoured her meal as quickly as she could. “Sorry I can't stay longer,” she told them. “My meeting with the Mayor is in a few minutes.” A sneaky grin crossed her face. “Say, Cliff, why don't you come with me?” Something about that smile made Cliff nervous. “Sorry, I promised Fluttershy that I'd help with her chores this morning.” Fluttershy blushed and shrank down. “Oh, uh, it's okay. You can go. I don't mind.” Twilight looked back and forth between the two of them. “Sorry, Fluttershy, but I really need to talk to Cliff about some things.” With an apologetic smile, she added, “I promise I won't keep him for very long.” “Okay,” Fluttershy said. She turned to Cliff, “I'll be at my cottage, if you still want to come by when you're done.” He nodded, feeling more than a little worried about whatever Twilight had planned. “I'll get there as soon as I can.” -_-_-_-_-_- Meeting with the Mayor proved to be less dangerous and more frustrating. Cliff sat around a table with over a dozen ponies as they took turns going over problems and suggesting changes to city policies. It might have been more interesting if he actually knew what they were talking about most of the time, but his knowledge of pony economics was weak at best. Zoning issues made no sense to him, and he had no idea what a curfew was. After a lifetime of being expected to help wherever he was needed, Cliff couldn't help but feel a little useless. Judging by the faces around the table, these were serious issues. When it was finally Twilight's turn to speak, she explained the basic ideas and goals of the Cultural Exchange Program and added that the dragons would all be expected to earn their keep in town. “Where would they live?” a light brown stallion asked. “That abandoned house near Sweet Apple Acres should work,” Twilight answered. “It only needs a few repairs.” “And what makes you think,” a pink mare spoke up, “that life in Ponyville would be improved at all by having a group of dragons here?” Twilight held up a flashcard. “I'm glad you asked. There are at least eight different ways that sharing Ponyville with dragons will be beneficial to us. First, dragons are meticulous record keepers. They would doubtless be able to aid our town historian. Also, thanks to their extremely long lifespans, they would be able to provide eyewitness accounts of important Ponyville events for many centuries to come. “Second, dragon magic can heal injuries in a way that is vastly superior to our best modern treatments. If even one dragon decided to work at the hospital, the overall health of our town could improve dramatically...” Not that Cliff Runner minded listening to Twilight list off the virtues of his race, but he really wished the meeting would end already. Whatever she had dragged him along for, it obviously didn't have to do with any of this. He was fairly certain it had more to do with Fluttershy than anything. Perhaps he was already breaking some social convention with the pegasus and Twilight just wanted to set him straight. The more he thought about it, the more Cliff started to worry. Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Twilight had all seemed concerned at the prospect of him having feelings for their friend. Am I doing something wrong? Who am I kidding? Of course I am. He tried to think of what, and came up blank. Cliff was already offering to help with her chores. Ponies wouldn't expect anything else during early courtship... right? Then again, Spike had mentioned several times how much he wanted to take Rarity on a date. What is a date anyway? From the way Spike talked about them, they seemed to be pretty important to pony courtship. They even called courtship 'dating.' Are they upset because I haven't asked Fluttershy on a date yet? Maybe I should do that when I see her. Cliff paused. No, too dangerous until I know what they are. Knowing my luck, it'll be a euphemism for something that will get me slapped. His worries calmed down somewhat when the Mayor approved Twilight's plan. New dragons would be welcome in Ponyville, but it would be up to the alicorn and Cliff to find employment for them. True to form, Twilight said that she had already spoken with numerous business owners, and had secured nineteen offers of employment for any new dragons. Cliff's full-time job would be to help these dragons integrate into pony society, and to advise Twilight in all things dragon related, so that she could help the rest of the town adapt to their new residents. After everything had been finalized, the meeting was adjourned. Cliff fought down his rising anxiety as he and Twilight walked back to the palace in silence. Once inside, he turned to her expectantly. “Well, what did you need to tell me?” She sighed. “We should go downstairs.” So she doesn't want Spike to overhear. He followed her to the basement. That can't mean anything good. “I don't want to sound like I'm accusing you,” Twilight began, “but do you have feelings for Fluttershy?” “Yes, sort of. I'm a bit infatuated with her. Is that a bad thing?” “Well no, it's not a bad thing, but,” Twilight took a seat, “I just worry about her.” Cliff settled down across from the alicorn. “Am I doing something wrong?” “No, nothing like that. It's just, Fluttershy has always had trouble speaking her mind, and I can't help but worry that she'll push herself to do things she isn't comfortable with because she thinks that you want them.” He reflected on that for a moment. “I can see your point. What can I do to stop that?” Twilight smiled gratefully. “Just make sure she knows that her opinions are important to you.” Cliff nodded. “I hope you don't mind my asking, but is that why all of you seem so nervous about the possibility of us liking each other?” “Well, Fluttershy is kind of like a little sister to us all. We can't help but feel a bit protective of her, especially when we heard that you, uh,” Twilight shifted uncomfortably, “slept next to each other. I know that doesn't mean the same thing to dragons,” she added quickly, “but it's still kind of strange to think about.” “I understand your concern, but I think you might be reading too much into this. As of right now, we've both said that we enjoy hugging the other, and decided to continue spending time together. That's it.” “Oh.” Twilight blushed. “I thought- never mind. Anyway, you know you can always come to me if you have any questions, right?” “I know.” He rose. “I should head out now if I want to help Spike with his chores after I get back.” Twilight rose with him. “Okay... Cliff?” “Yes?” “You may not believe this, but I'm happy for the two of you.”