//------------------------------// // Day of the Dragon // Story: Applejack Through the Ages // by Paradise Oasis //------------------------------// The dragons soared down upon Hoofkaido, zooming from one end of the sky to the other, and breathing fire on every structure in sight. Every now and then they would dive down into the streets, grabbing a pony and soaring back into the sky. Several landed on many of the pagoda towers, snarling angrily at the poor hemin ponies below. The entire citadel was a scene of chaos and disorder, as ponies scarrted in every direct to escape the terrible, terrible threat. "Archers, to arms! Our glorious Hoofkaido is under attack!" The princess yelled, flying out onto the drum tower, and trying to rally her soldiers. "ready your bows, and strike swiftly in the name of justice!" The unicorn troops pulled themselves together, forming lines on the walls, and unleashing a torrent of arrows upon the circling stratadons. The rain of sharp and piercing points sank deeps into the dragons' flesh, causing most of them to drop the equines they were carrying. A few of them were even struck out of the sky, causing all of the remaining dragons to take to the skies, and flee the confines of the city. "Gem-hime, the unicorn yokujin drove away the foul beasts!" Floater declared, flying up to the tower where her princess stood. "We were also able to recover most of the abducted ponies Tirac's minions tried to abduct. I think we may have lost only three or four, at most." "Even that is too many of my subjects lost, Froater-chan. I want you to round up as soon as possible." The princess noted, flying down from the drum tower. "I cannot believe the stratdons were bold enough to directly attack the city this time." "We'll send a platoon of Samurai out to deal with them, my princess. The dark lord shall pay for his folly in blood." The other mare replied, flying down to join Glittering Gemstone. "I also fear for Sugar Apple and my brother, for they have not been seen since before the attack. My brother is strong enough to fight those monsters off, but I still fear the worst..." ... Midnight Castle... a shadowy and sinister structure on the Blackstone coast, it was a place avoided by most sane and reasonable ponies. The large impenetrable fortress of rock and stone was covered by terrifying sculptures of gargoyles and dragons- ones that greatly resembled the stratadons who now approached the ominous keep. Landing on the castle's roof, the dragons deposited their four captives before a dozen waiting lizard guards. Pointing their spears at the frightened Pegasus, several of the imposing lizard-men slipped shackles and manacles onto their new prisoners. Sugar Apple and Tall Tale found themselves being dragged down into the castle below. "Sugar-chan, what's going on?" Tall asked in a panic, trying to pull on the chains that bound him. "What are they going to do to us?" "I dunno, Tall! But try to say calm!" Sugar Apple called back, letting the lizard- man guard pull her along. "We'll figure a way out of this mess, I promise!" The four equines were dragged down into the throne room, where a strange winged... ape-man, Sugar Apple guessed?... looked them over as the lizard guards brought them in. Checking their teeth, looking at the feathers of their wings; Sugar Apple felt like she was being inspected like a piece of meat. The winged ape man was interrupted by a little purple dragon who came running into the room. "Hey, Scorpan! How's the inspection of the new recruits goin'?" The baby dragon declared enthusiastically. "Can I help you look em over? Huh, Scorpan, can I?" Spike... Sugar again reorganized the name of an old friend. But just like with the small purple whyrm in Ponyville she had met as the red Applejack, this little fellow had to have been another baby dragon with the same name. The resemblance was uncanny, though... "Not now, Spike! We don't have time for that!" Scorpan snapped, looking over at his young companion in annoyance. "The dark lord expects these new slaves to be ready for transformation, before he returns from-" "-I have already return from my journey, Scorpan." A dark and malignant voice hissed, as the sound of four heavy hooves trotted into the room. "And I am most displeased with how few new subjects your stratadons have brought to me this day." Large black horns, an upper body covered in dark fur and red skin... Sugar Apple had never seen him in person before, but she had heard the horror stories from the few ponies lucky enough to have seen him, and lived. In an age gone by, Sugar Apple and her friends had faced an impostor Tirac who stole pony's magic and cutie marks. But the fake's malevolence had been nothing compared to the evil that radiated from this monster. Destroyer of Equestria, slayer of sun and moon (at least indirectly), murderer of thousands of ponies over the centuries. The centaur was perhaps the most evil foe Sugar Apple had ever come across, and merely being in his presence turned Sugar Apple's stomach sick. "So these pathetic weaklings are the best you can come up with, Scorpan? I should be used to your failures by now." The demonic creature spat, his voice dripping like battery acid. "Well, these weak and pathetic equines will have to do." The large centaur pulled a small bag from around his neck, one that sounded just like a beating heart. Opening the small sack, a large black band of energy burst forth, wrapping around the four chained ponies, and enveloping them entirely. As the shadowy blackness rushed forward to embrace her, Sugar heard the evil centaur's powerful laugh. "Behold, little ponies! The power of darkness!" "Oh no! What's happening?" "Something's wrong! I don't feel right!" "Sugar Apple, help me!" Sugar felt the evil seeping into her coat, twisting and warping a pony's body in ways it was never meant to be twisted. She felt her coat begin to grow scales, and her teeth begin to grow fangs. New thoughts began to flood into her brain- devour gems, build a hoard, destroy! And as the poor mare's body began to grow larger, she and the other transformed ponies began to see the world from a more draconic point of view...