I touched down at Fluttershy's house with Sweetie Belle hanging on to me like a petrified cat. She thens quickly unwraps her forehooves from around my neck and starts kissing the ground. I laugh in throat a bit at the display. "Sorry, about that Sweetie, I didn't go too fast did I?" I ask with a chuckle causing her to shoot a cute glare my way.
"You went fast enough!" she yells stomping a hoof in the ground.
"Alright, alright, I said I was sorry." I say putting my talons up in the air.
I opened the door to Fluttershy's cottage with Sweetie following in pursuit. Right when we walked in though I instantly ran into Angel with his arms crossed and thumping his foot on the ground. 'If I didn't know better, I would say Angel is related to Thumper from Bambi.' I thought as I attempted to give Angel a fist bump only for him to smack it out the way.
"What's wrong little dude?" I ask tilting my head in confusion.
Angel then pointed to the right, I followed where he was pointing at and found that the kitchen was literally trashed from my escape attempt earlier. "Oh yeah, almost forgot about that." I apologize to the white bunny rubbing the back of my head in embarrassment, "I'll clean that when I get back, but i got to grab something first and go back to Flutters and the rest okay?" Angel just simply rolled his eyes and hopped off. 'Sometimes that bunny be living in thug life.' I thought as I made my way over to the couch.
"What are you looking for?" asked Sweetie Belle.
"This." I simply say as I pulled out the red crystal I came here with, from under the couch, making her look at it in wonder.
"What do you need that for?"
"I was going to ask Celestia if she could put this in a safe place."
"Why?"
"Don't know actually, just got that feeling ya' know?"I say as I look down at my reflection on the crystal(Which I instantly regretted) and saw Dark Spyro banging from the inside of the crystal, even though it was mute I could tell he was screaming some 'not so nice' words.'So that's whats this crystal for! It's some kind of prison for my evil self.'
"James? Are you alright?" asked Sweetie with a worried expression on her face. I didn't even notice that I was staring at the crystal for a couple of minutes.
"Oh! Sorry, I was lost in thought for a second, come on the others are probably waiting for us." Sweetie nods in agreement as we walked out the cottage with the crystal tucked under my wing. Deciding not to fly again because Sweetie being a little shaken up from our flight earlier we decided to walk back(By 'we' I mean me as she rode my back). That's when I saw pony at Fluttershy's mailbox,(obviously one of the mailmen or is it mail ponies? I don't know.) she was a grey mare with a blond mane and tail, with bubbles as her cutie mark. Her back was facing us so I didn't know what her face looked like though.
"Hey Sweetie? Who's that?" I ask.
"That's the mailmare Derpy! She delivers the mail in Ponyville." she answers.
"Really now?", I say with a sarcastic chuckle, "I'm going to say hi." With that said me and Sweetie walked up to the mailmare known as Derpy.
"Hey, excuse me miss." I say gaining the mares attention. I was instantly caught off guard as the mare turned around and whacked me with the package she had in her mouth. I goaned in pain as I put my talon on my now throbbing cheek.
"Oh, sorry about that, I didn't hurt you did I?" Derpy asked.
"No, no, no, I'm fine it's just-OH SHIT!!!!" I scream as I was surprised at how the mare's eyes were positioned.(Hey guys, for starters James was just surprised not scared, for those who think that I was making fun of Derpy, WHICH I'M NOT!!!)
"What?"
"Oh...um....I thought I saw a bee." 'Dumbass!'
"I see what you mean, I hate those things, my name is Derpy by the way!" Derpy said in a cheerful voice holding out her hoof which I gladly shook.
"Hi Derpy I'm James, so you deliver the mail here?"
"Yep! The best there is! One pony even told me to leave town and deliver it in Canterlot!" 'Awww, i see what's going on.'
"That's pretty impressive. Wait? Weren't you at the meeting today?"
"Oh no, I had to deliver these packages so I didn't have any time." I let out a mental sigh in relief at that.
"That's too bad, you have some pretty eyes by the way."
"Really?!" Derpy asks in shock "You're not creeped out or making fun of them?"
"Why would I be? I think they're pretty cool the way they are, plus I don't judge people on how they look." I could see a faint blush on her cheeks, I got to admit though this mare was pretty cute though. She is just so innocent and cheerful you know, that's when I noticed her cutie mark was an image as bubbles.
"Hey Derpy you like bubbles right?" I ask.
"Oh yes I do! There like my second most favoritest things in the world!" she exclaims jumping up and down.
"Then you're going to love this." with that said I opened my mouth and let out a stream of bubbles, Derpy and Sweetie Belle watched in awe as I did this and started to pop the bubbles giggling from joy.
"WOW!!!! THIS IS AMAZING!!!!" screamed Derpy popping every bubble she could find. After all the bubbles were popped she gave me an unexpected hug I blushed a little from the sudden contact."Thank you for the bubbles" she said with a smile."Oh I have something for you!" she then reached around in one of the bags she had strapped on her back and pulled out...
"Oh my GOD!!!!!! Is that a banana nut muffin!!!!" I scream snatching the muffin from her grasp and gobbling it down(Don't judge me. Those kind of muffins are the shit!). Until I noticed something, "Hey Derpy?"
"Yes?"
"You know I'm a dragon, right?"
"Yep!"
"And you know not that much about me, right?"
"Yep!"
"Then why are you being so nice to me? When I first came here the ponies looked like they were about to soil themselves."
"Because I like you silly!" I blushed a little at this, "I gotta go drop off the rest of these packages, so if you want you can visit me at my house."
"That sounds great Derpy, I'll see ya' later then."
"Okay bye!!" she cheers before flying off towards Ponyville. I watched her go and couldn't help but smile at the mare as she left, I totally forgot the Sweetie Belle was on my back as she gave one of my horns a playful tug and started to sing a song that made me blush in embarrassment.
"James and derpy sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!!!!
First comes love,
Then comes marr-"
"Okay, you little rascal," I interrupt while shaking lightly like a dog making her giggle, "let's get back to others."
After about thirty minutes we made it back into town and surprisingly the ponies that we walked by actually greeted us with a smile or a wave. I was expecting them to give it a couple of days, but not for an hour. Putting the thought behind I noticed that we were approaching the others who waved me and Sweetie Belle over to them. I noticed that a stallion I didn't know was with them. He was a unicorn with blue irises and blue rimmed glasses. His mane and tail are a slightly blond, with a turquoise coat and a sword getting hit by lightning as a cutie mark.
"Hiya Jamesy!! Where did you go?" asked Pinkie clearly excited of my return.
"I had to go back to Fluttershy's for something, and who's this?" I asked motioning to the unicorn stallion that was with them.
"James this is Jack Hunt, he is part of my royal guard and Luna's night guard. He is a combat unicorn and is good with swords and can enchant his weapons and armor with his lightning magic." explained Celestia.
"Well, it's nice to meet you soldier Hunt." I say giving a playful salute.
"Oh, so we have a funny guy?" started Jack Hunt, "I like him already, tell me about yourself dragon?"
"Well, for starters the name's James and I'm a dragon that can use elemental magic." this caused Jack's eyes to widen.
"Really?! A dragon doing magic?! How is that possible?! What elements do you use?"
"Well, I can control and breathe fire, ice, earth, water, air, lightning, bubbles- oh and I can also transform into more powerful forms and stop time, but I have to get stronger to unlock those last two."
"Wow that's pretty impressive I've had my share of lightning based magic, it's real shocking is it." he says with a grin, I had to take a moment at what I just heard. That was one of the worst puns I heard in my life.
"Yeah...uh...shocking."
"Why doesn't anyone like my jokes, but me? Not even my wife and daughter likes my jokes."
"You have a family?"
"Sure do I love them with all my heart, and will destroy anyone who tries to hurts them!!." his expression was serious for a second as his eyes flashed a blood red. Hey guys remind me not to piss this guy off, "Do you have a love life dra- I mean James?"
"No, I'm single, but it's fine."
"But does it get lonely once in a while?"
"Yeah, but I don't think I'm ready for a relationship."
"Well you already have six beautiful mares to choose from, plus their the Elements of Harmony no less!" I blush at the compliment as he gives out a chuckle.
"Well, all I'm saying is that you better get one quick before the storm comes." Now I was confused.
"What do you mean?"
"You'll see."
Before the conversation could go further Celestia stepped in with a serious expression on her face but could tell that her face was recovering from a blush. I also noticed the six mares faces still red as tomatoes as well. "Excuse me to interrupt your conversation James, but what were you getting at Fluttershy's house?"
"Oh yeah!" I reached under my wing a pulled out the red crystal, "I was wondering if you could keep this in a safe place and make sure it never cracks or breaks." Celestia's eyes hardened a bit, and I knew that look. I knew she had to deal with these kinds of things before and that she had to have some magical place to put them.
"Why is that?"
"Let's just say their is something inside their that shouldn't come out." I say as Celestia nodded in understanding.
"Don't worry James I'll have my guards watch it twenty-four seven four it's protection." she said in a stern voice, "But I'm afraid me and Jack Hunt must return to the castle for our duties. Oh, and James ,the mayor, The Elements of Harmony and I have arranged you a home to in Ponyville already stocked with furniture and food."
"Wow...uh..thanks. That's pretty generous of you." I thanked.
"You are very welcome, James."
"Don't forget what I said!" yelled Jack Hunt as Celestia rolled her eyes and the two disappearing in a flash of light.
I glanced at the mane six who all averted their gaze from me, probably still embarrassed from me and Jack's conversation. Fluttershy was hiding behind her mane, Applejack was covering her face with her stetson hat, Rainbow was looking down pawing the ground, Rarity was closing her eyes looking away, Twilight was rubbing her foreleg looking down, and Pinkie....I don't know what the hell Pinkie was doing. I then glanced at the crusaders who were giggling at the six mares reaction.
Twilight was the first to have the courage to talk,"Ahem...W-well, James we'll show your home so you can get settled in."
"If ya' don't mind Twilight me and Applebloom are gonna have ta' head home, Celestia starting to make the sunset." said Applejack.
"Come on Sweetie Belle, we should get going as well I have a order I have to fill in by tomorrow afternoon." added Rarity.
"I'll take you home Scoots, I guess I'll see you guys tomorrow."
"I have to get ready for James' welcome to Ponyville party." exclaimed Pinkie.
"And I have to go check on the animals and make sure their okay, since I've been gone most of the day...um...James if you want...you could stay one more night at my place." whispered Fluttershy.
"That's ok, Flutters. I think I'll be fine."
"Oh,okay." with that said the five mares and three fillies said their farewells and to Twilight and I and we went our separate ways for the evening.
Twilight walked James through the town until we came up to a wooden building. It was a decent looking cream colored house, with a nice roof covered in hay, chimney, blue door, windows, with decorated orange seams covering the house.
"Wow, wasn't expecting a house like this." James said in amazement.
"Well, you can thank Rarity for that she was the one who picked it." said Twilight.
"I'm gonna have to."
"Follow me I'll show you around inside." James followed Twilight inside the house and it seemed pretty cozy, it had a kitchen, living room, dining room, basement, stairs, two bathrooms(one upstairs, one downstairs), two bedrooms(One master, one guest room),hallway closet, and the attic. James and twilight then walked out the front door and stood in front of the house.
"So, how do you like it?" asked Twilight.
"This is perfect! All I really have to do is find a job, but other than that I like it." answered James.
"Great! You know if you want...I was wondering if you could help me out tomorrow?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"Just re-shelving some books in the library."
"Seems legit, hey thanks for everything you and the girls done for me."
Twilight blushed, "Oh don't, I didn't think I did anything."
James then put a talon on her shoulder making her shiver from the touch, "Come one Fluttershy gave me a place to stay for the time being, and eventhough I attacked you girls. You still helped me out by giving me a place to stay."
"It's quite alright James, I'm sure you would have done the same thing."
"I guess you're right, that's what friends are for" said James putting his claw on his chin, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Yep, just meet me by the castle."
"Alright, I guess this is goodbye then?"
"Yep."
"Bye."
"Bye"
"..."
"..."
"Twilight?"
"Yes?"
"You can leave now."
"Oh right sorry." with that said Twilight with a blush and quickly walked away from James toward her castle while the purple dragon, who shrugged his shoulders, and let out a sigh of relief and went back in his house ready to crash on his bed. Twilight was walking down the road with conflicting thoughts in her head. 'What got me so worked up around him?' she thought, 'He is interesting I'll give him that. A dragon that can control the elements let alone the time control and changing into stronger forms. Ugh!! I'll just deal with this in the morning.'
Meanwhile two small dragon shaped figures observed the whole conversation from high in the clouds. One was thin with green scales and metallic armor covering his face, wings, and the tip of his tail. While the other had a feminine look to her with small grey horns dark purple scales, spiked bracelets around her wrists and ankles, and a spiked collar.
Cynder and Drobot watched as the purple alicorn left the house. "Are you sure that's him?" she asked.
Drobot nodded, "My scanners, detect that he is the one. Should we retrieve him now?"
"No, not yet. The ponies have been nice to him so far."
"And when they turn on him?"
"Thats when we make our move."
"We should report our findings to Ignitus back in Thedas."
"Indeed." with that said the two small dragons flew off disappearing into the clouds.
There stood the red crystal inside an enchanted glass case beside the thrones of Princess Celestia and Luna for safe keeping and guarded the night guard. The crystal then started to glow an eerie red, and started to vibrate in it's container, startling the two bat ponies as they both raised their spears at the glass container.
The crystal stopped vibrating.
Then it stopped glowing.
Everything was still once again, the bat ponies lowered their spears, and went back at attention. While the red crystal stood still in it's enchanted glass case...........
With a small crack on it's surface.