(Apple Family Farm, Morning)
The King of Monsters was not a happy camper. He was bed ridden in a foreign land where nothing made any scene. He puffed some smoke in irritation. To top it all off he was now in debated to his hostess. The events of last night were becoming clearer, and clearer. He remembered picking a fight with the rude three headed creature and the inseuing battle. Despite his decreased size he was certain he could handle himself...but something was off.
He examines his newly acquired, golden accessories with disdain. Feeling a strange aura around the trinkets.
"These damn bracelets are behind it. I just know it!" he growled to himself. Curiously he tried nibbling the gold off, to no avail. It was like the gold and his flesh had become inseparable.
The orange pony had in fact saved him. That admission burned him to his core. He tried not to show it in front of her but deep down he resented the fact Applejack saved his life. The memory confounded him his memory would not abide letting anyone interfere with his duel...and yet when Applejack fought...he almost didn't mind.
Yet, there was his current perdiciment. He couldn't think of a least dignifying position for a creature of his stature to be in. Immobile, and wrapped in bandages Godzilla again cursed his luck. He had half a mind to just bare the pain and leave to spare himself further embarrassment, but he did promise to stay for breakfast.
Making up his mind The King of Monsters resolved to repay the pony as quickly as possible and immediately return to his home as fast as possible, and put this whole arrangement behind him.
Suddenly he sensed a presence by the door way, turning his head he saw a red stallion with a strong family resemblance to Applejack. The stallion glared at him, like he was silently judging Godzilla. Annoyed at being watched in his rather weakened state he addressed the pony.
"What is it equine?" he state rather gruffly. The stallion walked up to him and looked him over once more before responding.
"Mah sister saved you. Did you know that?" the stallion asked in a deep voice.
"Yes im aware of that much" Godzilla responded.
"Good. Then you also know she worked the entire night to bring your scaly self into our home and nurse you back to health right?" the stallion continued with clear resentment in his voice.
Godzilla paused and analyzed the pony. He recognized the look of a creature being forced to do something it would rather not do, and somehow it had to do with him. Somehow Godzilla, without meaning to, had irritated this pony. The message was clear, his presence wasn't tolerated here.
"Yes im aware of what Ms. Applejack has done for me..." Godzilla began before he was interrupted.
"Then know this. If you hurt my sister, my family in anyway I'll make you wish she hadn't saved you" the red stallion said with some venom.
Dumbstruck the former Kaiju King merely nodded. The red stallions deminor lighted up a bit after that.
"Good now that we have an understanding...breakfast will be ready in about 10 minutes."
_______
Ditsy Do and Trixie had gotten tickets aboard the Friendship Express and were now tracking the supposed creature they had summoned the previous night. Trixie sported a cloak to hide her rather malnourished figure and avoid bringing unwanted glares, and Ditsy looked relatively no worse for wear, except for a couple bags under her eyes from a lack of sleep. This whole endeavor was rather draining on the two mares.
When they first got on the train they weren't exactly sure where they were heading. Their only point of reference seemed to be Trixie's connection with the creature. As they rode though their destination became abundantly clear, Trixie felt a strong pull...toward Ponyville. If given the chance the blue unicorn would prefer never to set hoof in that forsaken town ever again, but that's where her scenes told her the creature was and so that's where they would have to go.
Ditsy on the other hand was rather pleased by this turn of events. She was planing to rerun home to Ponyville anyways. However as she began to ponder the idea she also grew anxious. They were following the trail of some kind of dangerous creature, a creature they had summoned, and it was in her hometown?
Ponyville had been through it's fair share of turmoil, especially in recent memory surely everything would end out okay in the end right?
She was worrying too much she needed to get her mind of things just for a bit, just to clam her nerves. She looked at the blue show-mare, with pity in her eyes. Ditsy knew how much she must be dreading going back to Ponyville.
The first time Trixie had wheeled up to Ponyville she came as an entertainer, and the second time Trixie came as a conqueror. On neither occasion had she exactly left the town on the greatest terms.
Ditsy remembered encountering Trixie shortly after Twilight Sparkle had removed the Alicorn amulet from her. She seemed...defeated. She didn't have nearly as much of the same over-saturated personality as when she first arrived. She just seemed like a sadpony. Immediately any animosity Ditsy may have felt toward the unicorn for her past actions dissolved, here was a pony who needed her help, after-all lifting others spirits was her very special talent after all.
She had introduced herself shortly afterward. They got to talking and found that they had more in common then they thought. Trixie confided in Ditsy that all she really wanted to do was show other ponies her talent, and entertain them. The grey wall-eyed Pegasus could relate, she was known throughout Ponyville for being somewhat of a clutz, but all she wanted was to help other ponies. After a while Trixie had off handedly suggested that Ditsy could become her assistant. Trixie had suggested it as a joke amongst friends but Ditsy Do took the offer to heart.
At first it was hard starting out for both parties. Ditsy often had to juggle her normal job as Ponyville's mail-mare with making Trixie's practice performances, but Ditsy was a determined pony and often used her spare time to make it to Trixie's practice sessions. At first her clumsiness had gotten in the way of a good practice performance, but Ditsy never gave up, and Trixie never gave up on her. Sure Trixie could be a bit blunt and have a bit of a perfectionist streak, but she was always very patient. Trixie was a unicorn with a plan, and had a great sense for the theatrical. She knew exactly how to maximize the time they did find to practice. She knew what acts would get the biggest reactions from her audience.
Eventually, the two had perfected their act known as The Great and Powerful Trixie with her amazing Assistant Bright Eyes, with the latter being Ditsy Hooves stage name. As it turns out the shows had actually done better than ever before. Bright Eyes added a certain "reliability" to Trixie's shows, and she quickly became a fan favorite.
For a while that's how it went a mailmare during the day and "Bright Eyes" during her spare time. The applause and admiration of the audience left the grey pugusus with an imminence sense of pride and satisfaction. It was all because Trixie gave Ditsy a chance, she was a great stage coach and Ditsy would even say a good friend.
Then Twilight Sparkle became an Alicorn. Now, Ditsy had nothing against the newest member of the Alicorn race, in fact she was happy for Twilight. She had worked hard studying in that musty old Library, and saving Ponyville; she deserved an award. However as time went on from that moment forward Trixie began to act...strange.
Practice sessions were longer, and Trixie was more critical and precise, almost demanding. Ditsy could take it though, she was a tough pegusus and Trixie was still her friend. So maybe that would have been the end of it, except it wasn't. For as strict as Trixie was with Ditsy she was twice as hard on herself. She was constantly trying to incorporate larger and more elaborate spells, with that summoning spell just being the latest in a long list attempted spells to "improve" the show.
Ditsy didn't like what all this was doing to her friend but she never said anything. She always thought this was just a "phase" Trixie needed to go through, after she realized that her talent was in putting a good show and not magical prowess, then everything would go back to normal. So like a "good" assistant Ditsy helped Trixie in her ever growing collection of spells.
All of this accumulating to the incident last night. At first she just thought it was Trixie being her normal passionate self, but it was different this time. When she suggested flat out stealing from the Canterlot Archives Ditsy was astonished, this was a whole other level, even for Trixie. Ditsy Do sincerely hoped that this would be the confidence booster her friend needed, perhaps she believed it too much. Everything about the Summoning Spell felt...wrong. Ditsy thought that perhaps that it was due to a lack of knowledge on the issue, but then the summoning went wrong and Trixie was suffering for it.
In a way Ditsy felt just as responsible as Trixie. Maybe she could have talked the unicorn out of the summoning? Who knew. What she did know was that her friend needed her right now and even if she wasn't the smartest apple in the barrel she would help as best she could.
____
(Twilight's Castle, Morning)
Twilight was not a happy camper. For some inexplicable reason she just couldn't sleep last night, which was weird. She had followed her bed time regime right down to the letter. She just didn't know what went wrong. She had made a cup of hot coco, tucked her number 1 assistant in bed, read the last chapter of Applied Arcane Arts Volume II, but for some reason couldn't fall asleep. She felt a dull pain along her horn throughout her spine, no matter how much she fluffed the pillow, or shuffled around she...just...couldn't...get comfortable.
Then there was a knocking on the door. Twilight stuffed her head into her pillow as if it were a warden against the unwelcome sound, "Maybe if I ignore it it'll go away?" she dared to hope.
No sooner did the words exit her lips did the knocking continue but this time slightly more urgent, and thus she reluctantly opened her door with magic. In walked a small purple dragon with green scales, he took one look at the sleep deprived Alicorn and immediately felt a twinge of sympathy.
"Yikes! Rough night huh Twilight?" Spike asked concerned. The Alicorn merely mumbled incoherently in response but nodded.
"I see...well I'll whip up a big breakfast for you downstairs....sorry I had to wake you but Applejack needs your help with something." Spike said frowning slightly.
Instantly, the thought of her friend in any sort of delemia shook Twilight out of any sort of fatigue "Is she alright?"
"Yea as far as I can tell. But she came in saying she really needed to talk with you as soon as possible. So I rushed up here and well you know the rest."
Her mind calmed that her friend was at least okay she trotted over and hugged Spike "Thanks for delivering the message Number 1 Assistant" she said lightly booping him on the head.
"It's what I do" Spike said striking a confidant pose.
Twilight giggled lightly then continued, "Tell Applejack I'll be down in a jiffy. I just need a minute okay?"
Spike nodded and headed down the stairs to let Applejack know her friend would join her soon and set about making breakfast.
Applejack frowned slightly but understood, she had probably just woken Twilight up, she would need a second. Yet, this left time for Applejack to inquiry Spike about something on her mind.
"Say Spike I don't mean to be rude or nothing but...do you mind if I ask you a couple questions...about dragons?"
Spike raised an eyebrow, but smiled "hehe truth be told I don't know all that much...but i'll be glad to help in anyway I can" he said while gathering kitchen utensils.
"Eyuup that's Spike alright. A helper to the end." Applejack thought with a smile. She thought about the quitter back home and even now looking at Spike in person couldn't help but feel that there was a strong resemblance, with perhaps one or two differences.
"Do you know if any Dragons live underwater?"
Spike pondered this for a moment "I don't think so. Personally I'm no good at water, kinda hard to swim with heavy scales. Plus theirs obviously the fact water and fire don't mix to well..."
"Hmm makes sense I reckon." Then she remembered the strange golden bracelets the creature had. Maybe Spike knew something about that?
"About your...err I mean Dragon's hoarding habits. Would a Dragon ever wear their treasure, like a necklace or a bracelet?"
Spike stopped stirring the pancake mix to ponder this. Like ponies he didn't really have to wear clothes all that much, unless their was a special occasion. Then a thought of a certain elegant, fashionista crossed his mind. If the mare who holds his heart were to bequeath him with an accessory he knew he would accept it on the spot.
"Well...maybe if the item were really, really important to the dragon I guess" Spike said trying to hide his blush. Applejack thought about this for a minute and it seemed just as logical as any other answer.
____
(Somewhere of the Coast of Equestria)
"You know Sargent I was really hoping for a more exciting assignment than well...gee I don't know patrolling some no-account little town in the middle of nowhere!"
Sargent Fleet Foot sighed the new guy had been assigned here two months ago and he still wouldn't shut up about being assigned to the "boonies" as he called it. The greenies name was Tick Tock, and like his name suggested the kid just couldn't stay still. He was always fidgeting with something, his uniform, his spear any thing the youngling could get his hooves on. Now that was annoying enough but the stallion just wouldn't shut his trap about how "important" his family was and how he deserved to be stationed at a station of more "importance". Fleet Foot had sought to enlighten the youngling many times over at to the strategic importance of this location.
For you see this was a harbor and port for Equestria, those stationed here were tasked with keeping the peace among the traders of course but to also keep an eye on foreign presence. True Equestria hadn't been in a full out war in sometime but that didn't mean Equestria wasn't diligent. Sargent Fleet Foot actually felt rather privileged to be stationed here, it's a shame the kid didn't see it that way.
"I mean I should be off serving the princesses, fighting Diamond Dog raiders, wooing mares you now what I mean?" Tick Tock complained.
"Kid your a member of the Royal Guard, a respected soldier who's first duty is to Equestia's safety, not you own personal glory. If the higher up's think you're more useful here they must have their reasons."
"Yea but I should be out on the front lines! Making a name for myself! Not here is some backwards little harbor town" Tick Tock groaned slamming his hoof down in frustration.
The Sargent merely huffed "the kid will never learn" he thought to himself. Just then his ears perked up. He thought he heard something over in town. Ignoring Tick Tock he rushed to the ledge of the tower to get a better look. Smoke...lots of it.
"Oh by Celestia this is not good..." Sargent Fleet Food muttered to himself.
"Hey Sargent are you even listening to..." Tick Tock begin before growing silent. By now even Tick Tock's own obliviousness couldn't overlook the sight before them.
The sight before them was pure chaos, Ponies, Gryphons, and Zebra's all running from the dock in sheer terror; as gulf of flame was quickly enveloping the town.
"We...we got to warn somepony!" Tick Tock yelled bolting down the tower.
"No wait!" Sargent Fleet Foot tried to warn but it was too late the youngster was out of earshot. Tick Tock barged through the tower with a bang and rushed to the scene.
"Finally some excitement...some deadly excitement but beggars can't be choosers!" Tick Tock thought to himself. He was already imagining the medals he would get for bravely risking his own life to save the civilians and put out the fire.
It wasn't until he neared the sight that he began to notice something odd. The fire's seemed to be all spreadout almost as if they didn't originate from one place. The populace also weren't heading out of town, as was the obvious course of action, indeed it almost seemed as if they were retreating into the town? Yet, that made no scene what would posses them to do that?
Just then a looming shadow briefly crossed the sun and for a few brief seconds Equestria was plunged into darkness. It suddenly all made sense. The populace wasn't running out of town because they were afraid they'd be spotted, and the fires were spread out because they had been ignited separately.
Tick Tock had about only a couple seconds to realize this, but before he could so much as flinch a gulf of flame erupted from the shadow straight towards him.