//------------------------------//
// Bathed In The Dragon's Flame 
// Story: To Touch the Sun 
// by RoyalBardofCanterlot 
//------------------------------//

Twilight stood at the train station, looking over her checklist which she held in her magic. Her five faithful friends stood in a semi-circle around her. Twilight's saddle bags were full. She didn't have a brother in the guard an an ex-general for a father for nothing. "Ever prepared" had been a motto drilled into her from childhood on innumerable camping trips. In addition to a warm jacket, socks, and bits she had a horn blade. Shining Armor had shown her how to use it long ago and she still practiced with it. It was certainly strong enough to slice through dragon flesh. 

Their first stop was Canterlot to get some fire-proof armor. The magic words "mission from the princess" and the royal seal Luna had been so kind to leave her with would ensure that the armor would be free. Spike was excluded from this mission as Twilight had judged it to dangerous for him to go along. Spike had grumbled, but Twilight was practically his mother. She worried. That's just what she did. She scanned the checklist one more time. "So, everyone's packed warmly? Everyone's packed enough bits, just in case? Fluttershy, you brought along your first aid kit?"

There was a collective eye roll and a groan from Dash. "Yes!"

Applejack laid a hoof on her shoulder. "Sugarcube, I know you're nervous about this. We all are. And I know it's important to you. But we've been over the list five times. We're ready."

A train whistle rang out, piercing the air. Twilight sighed and nuzzled the farmer who nuzzled her in turn. "I know, Applejack. I know. But this is dangerous and maybe a little crazy. Maybe a lot crazy. I just...I want to be prepared."

Dash leapt up into the air. "I'm prepared! We're all prepared! Let's go already!"

Fluttershy shuffled a hoof. "I do hope we don't have to do anything violent."

Twilight placed the checklist in her saddlebag. "I hope not. Hopefully, the dragon won't be there or be willing to negotiate with us. If worse comes to worse we aim to stun not maim or kill."

There were nods of agreement. Twilight went up to the ticket counter and purchased six tickets from the young unicorn colt working there. Then they trotted onto the train and found their compartment. It was roomy and spacious, lined with a red velvet carpet which Rarity gushed over. Twilight sat and looked out the window. Rarity and Applejack sat together and began discussing how their businesses were going. Fluttershy noticed some errant feathers on Dash's wings and, almost in the manner of a scolding mother, ushered her over. Dash sat down next to her and Fluttershy began preening her wing.

Pinkie hopped over and sat next to her, staring out the window. The train took off and the colorful buildings of Ponyville receded behind them, replaced by rolling, grassy fields and soft, sloping hills. An expanse of grasslands went past them in a rushing blur of green and blue, open sky. Pinkie began humming a tune. Twilight glanced from her to Dash who had begun to preen Fluttershy, gently twisting out a broken feather from her left wing. When Twilight had first seen them preening she had mistaken them for lovers. "Say, Pinkie?"

"Hm?" Pinkie turned to her. "What's up Twilight?"

Twilight looked out the window. Rows of green and fruitful hills, some covered in forests of oak and holly, rose up on either side of the train. "What's it like, being in a relationship? I've had a few, but I don't think I've ever been in one where I was really in love, not like with you and Dash. Like, does it bother you how close she and Fluttershy are?" She winced as she realized how that question could be interpreted as rudeness. Her natural curiosity often had that effect.

Pinkie chewed on some of her pink, curly mane and then spat it out. "It used to. But then Dash explained that she and Fluttershy are blood sisters. And preening is just something Pegasii have to do and like to do with their family."

The green hills gave way to jagged, grey mountains that rose up to scrape the clear, blue sky. Pinkie stared out at them. "I've preened Dash before. For them, it's more intimate than...anything. Even sex. Something you do only with a loved one. She let's me do it with her so it must mean she really loves me." She paused. "Love is weird. I love my mama and papa and sisters and my clan and my friends and I love Dashie in a super-special way." She touched her chest and dreamily smiled. "She makes me happy in here. Even happier than chocolate cake-eep!" She squealed as the pegasus in question walked up and slapped her rear. "Glad to hear I make you happy. It's what I try to do, Pinks."

She placed a possessive wing over Pinkie's back, drawing her into an embrace. Pinkie pressed her lips to Dash's in an enthusiastic kiss. Dash responded in kind, kissing back. Twilight smiled at the happy couple. She wondered if she and Celestia would ever be able to enjoy that sort of relationship. She suddenly wondered if Celestia's lips tasted like mint.

She wanted to share her love with Celestia, to make her as happy as Pinkie and Dash made each other. The train made its way along a dusty, narrow path. Mountains rose up on either side. A few windswept trees trees hung on, growing from the crevices. Canterlot was a city built on a mountain and it was a wonder to behold.

The first thing that caught the eye were the alabaster spires, trimmed with gold, that rose up from the city. The heart banners, symbols of the love that bound the tribes of the Empire of Equestria, fluttered from the towers of the palace. When the sky was cloudless and the sun shone down in its full glory the entire city shone. 

Today was one of those days. The train entered the city. The royal banner of the Two Sisters fluttered in the breeze, lifting every patriot's heart. This was Twilight's hometown and even she was sometimes awed at the beauty of it. The train stopped at the station. Twilight and the Element Bearers walked from the train and into the city.

Multicolored flowers hung from baskets and window boxes, sending a pleasant scent through the streets of the city. Twilight led them through the pristine, well-maintained streets to the shopping district. A humble, wooden building with a thatched roof declared "Iron Blade's Armory." Twilight opened the wooden door and her friends followed her.

The shop was filled with spears, swords, shields that took up an entire wall and suits of armor. Some of the weaponry was tribe specific. One section of the store had horn blades, another wing blades and a third section had specially weighted horse shoes to increase an earth pony's natural strength. Dash flew over to the wing-blades and began to examine them.

A few guards and civilians were shopping, browsing among the weaponry. One waved to Twilight. Twilight waved back, recognizing him from her time at the castle. The owner of the store, a burly, grey, Unicorn stallion strode up to her and saluted. "Twilight Sparkle? I'm former Colonel Iron Blade. Her Highness, Princess Luna, told me you would be here. Your suits of armor have been prepared."

Twilight saluted back and called her wandering friends over. Iron Blade led the way to the back of the store. Six suits of armor were waiting for them, covering six ponyquins. Iron Blade showed them how to put on the suits of armor. The armor was lightweight, made of silver silk which was known for its many magical properties. Most significantly it was known for its ability to resist dragon fire.  Rarity had to pull her mane back into a ponytail in order to make the helmet fit. She had enough mane ties for everypony and now knew why Twilight had requested she bring some. 

She struck a pose, watching herself in the mirror. "This silver is rather flattering. Guard chic. I could make it work."

Iron Blade playfully slapped her on the withers. "You could market it to some young stallions I know."

She rubbed her chin. "Hmm..."

Like Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie had been forced to tie their manes back in order to make the helmets fit. The helmets included visors since they were potentially going up against a dragon. Dash had bought the wing blades and attached them to the side of her wings. She slashed the air a few times, acclimating to the feeling of them.

Twilight glanced at her as she went through the movements of a wing kata. "I didn't know you could use wing blades."

Dash gave a vicious forward slash. "I've mastered literally every Pegasus fighting form. Well, except one."

Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Which one?"

"Crescent knives. Fluttershy has though."

Fluttershy frantically shook her head. "You know full well I've vowed to never pick up another weapon, Dash! Not after what I did to those poor bullies...I just thank Poseidon I used a wooden training blade."

Dash shrugged. "Ah, they were fine. Eventually. Anyway, all Pegasii are taught how to fight."

Twilight retrieved her horn blade. She moved around in her armor, performing a drill her brother had taught her. She swung her horn in a wide arc, getting used to being in the armor. She stepped back and charged, then did two quick slashes against the air. "Feels good."

Once she felt comfortable she thanked Iron Blade and left the shop with her friends. There was time before the next train. Twilight led them through the streets of Canterlot and through the throngs of well-dressed, elite Unicorns that dominated the great city. The narrow street she trotted on alongside her friends led into a courtyard and a row of businesses, mostly restaurants.

The rich smells of roasting hay and fresh cut dandelions rose in the air. It practically made Twilight's mouth water. A series of white chairs and tables were seated in a stone pavilion. Daisies decorated the tables. They took their seats around a table. A waiter came out and handed them menus.

Dash perused it and quickly decided on a fried hay sandwich. Rarity shuddered at the thought Canterlot would serve such commoner fare then ordered the fresh daisy sandwich. 

Applejack chuckled. "We all know you want the greasy hay fries."

Rarity harumphed. "I am a lady. A lady on a diet."

Twilight looked up from her menu. "Actually, cheat days on a diet are good for you."

Rarity's ears perked up. "Really?"

Applejack patted her shoulder. "Go on, Rares. Get the hay fries. You know you want to."

"You little orange temptress."

Nonetheless, she ordered the hayfries and enjoyed them immensely. Twilight pulled out a map from her saddlebag. "So, after this we go to the Crystal Empire." She looked up at the sky. It was nearly past noon. "I figure we'll stay the night and then we can head out in the morning."
...
It was afternoon by the time they reached the Crystal Empire. Beyond the Empire were the Great Northern Wastes, the seemingly endless plains of frost, ice and snow. Luckily for them it was summer so the Wastes would not be quite as cold. In winter, it would be unbearable. Ponies were built for cold weather, but that would challenge even the heartiest member of their race. The central (and only surviving) city of the Empire was quickly coming into view as the train sped through the barren, snow tipped mountains.

Twilight looked out the window. The city, once the jewel of a vast Empire that spread throughout the city-states of the North, was laid out in the pattern of a snowflake, growing in increasingly complex patterns as it spread out from the center. The city was built out of multicolored crystals which glimmered and sparkled in pastel shades.

Princess Cadence was waiting for them as they disembarked. Twilight pranced over to her. "Cadence!" They crouched down and went through the moves of their greeting dance, bouncing their rumps together. 

"Sunshine, sunshine! Ladybugs awake! Clap your hooves and do a little shake!"

They collapsed into giggles and embraced each other. Cadence broke away though she kept a hoof on Twilight's shoulder. "I'm a little miffed at you, Ladybug. Going on a romantic quest and not telling me, the Princess of Love, a thing about it? What do you have to say for yourself, Young Filly?"

Twilight blushed. "Well, you had a library reorganized and you didn't tell me a thing about it."

"I thought you'd be too busy though I suppose I should have told you. I will next time."

"Next time I need romantic advice I'll tell you."

They hugged again. "So, how did you know I was here?"

"Auntie Luna. She wanted to know if their was a quick way into and out of the cave network."

"Is there?"

"Not sure. The guards haven't returned yet. Why don't you wait until they do? Enjoy yourselves. The shopping district has been restored to its pre-Sombra state. Sort of proud of that one."

"First I want to get to a hotel and take off this armor."

Cadence scoffed. "Not gonna happen. No little sister of mine is paying to stay in a hotel when my palace has empty guest rooms."
...
Twilight stretched out on the bed, reading a book of Crystalish history as she drew the pink blankets around her. After travelling through the shopping district and browsing at the stores they had decided to return to the palace. Rarity was still shopping. The last she had seen of her fellow unicorn she had been gushing over a store full of dresses embedded with crystals. Twilight smiled. At least Rarity would get some new ideas out of this trip.

Her room in the palace was airy and spacious. The crystal walls sparkled and glinted in soft shades of orange and pink as the sun bounced off of them. As the sun set it would get cold. Even now the temperature was getting cool. It would be chilly at night. Twilight had planned on staying overnight at the Empire which is why she had brought along pajamas and socks.  

There was a knock on the door and Cadence entered. Twilight put down the book and hopped off the bed. "Have you heard back from the guards?"

Cadence frowned. "Yes. They brought back a map from a brief survey of the caverns." She handed it to Twilight who took it in her magical aura and examined it. 

Twilight looked up. "I see the exit."

"There's a dragon back there too. My guards barely escaped with their lives."

Twilight floated the map over to the night stand. "Good thing I brought armor and a horn blade along."

"I know you're prepared. But I didn't even realize a dragon was living in there. The last survey of the area was a month ago. It must have moved in recently. It's an old one too."

Twilight bit her lip. "So it'll be more aggressive." The dragon that the Element Bearers had convinced to move out of Ponyville had been fairly young (from the perspective of creatures that could live for millennia.) The young ones were a bit more malleable. The older they got, the more wealth and power they amassed, the more aggressive they got.

"Are you still sure you want to do this?"

"Yes." Her voice did not waver as she looked in Cadence's eyes. "I'm doing this for Celestia. Because I love her and I want to show her that."

Cadence ran a hoof through her mane. "I'm sure she knows that already. I remember all the things your brother did to win my heart-even after already winning it with that goofy grin of his. He got into fights for me." She chuckled and shook her head. "I still love him for that. But seeing him hurt hurt me."

Shining Armor strode into the room. "I think what my wife is trying to say is don't be stupid like me."

Twilight glanced from her sister-in-law to her brother. "Judging from you two, I think the method has been proven effective by empirical testing."

It took the two a moment to decipher what she'd just said and a mischievous smirk from Twilight before the two burst into giggles. 

Shining Armor wrapped a hoof around his wife who wrapped a hoof around him. "Okay, Twily. I get it, trust me. I remember when me and Cadence were just starting out. You still remember how to do a shield spell?" 

"Yes. I've been practicing it."

"Cast it."

Twilight lit up her horn and a bubble of shimmering, lavender energy surrounded her. It was clearly based off of her brother's spell. Shining carefully examined it, giving it a few jabs with his horn. He winced at the contact, the pulsating energy stinging him every time he got close to it. "You modified the spell somewhat. The rebound will make it uncomfortable for anything to get to close. Well done. Now, this spell imitates dragon fire. Same strength, but it won't burn if the shield breaks. We use it as practice. Ready?"

Twilight nodded. Shining lit up his horn and a wave of fire burst from his horn. It struck Twily's shield. The force knocked Twilight away a few inches, but the shield held. The false flames wreathed around the shield before dissipating entirely. The glow around Twilight's horn faded as she let down the shield.

Shining patted her head. "Damn, Twily. I'm impressed."

"I've been practicing that one since the wedding."

"I think you're more than prepared."

"I also have dragon proof armor. But if the armor cracks, I have the shield."

"Ever prepared, I see. Why don't you come down for supper?"
...
Twilight woke up just before the sun began to rise. It was still dark. She shook off the blankets, shivering at the chill in the air. She rubbed her hooves together, enjoying the warm feeling of the socks. Her flannel pajamas had been enough to ward off the wintry weather that descended on the Empire at night, even in the middle of summer.

She stood, stretching out her tired muscles and walked over to the window. The sky was beginning to lighten. The morning star cast its light down upon the sleeping city. Dawn was fast approaching. She closed her eyes and breathed as she went through her morning meditation. She felt the early morning magic wrap around her, the swirling lines of power and energy that connected all things as the Cosmos shifted.

The sun was distant, a warm and powerful presence. All was still. Soon, Twilight's beloved mentor would raise up the sun. The sweet song of a bird rang out. The melody was joined by a symphony of the bird's feathered kin, the melody filling the streets. Twilight focused on the singing, letting the sound calm her mind. 

She was going to do it. She was really going to do it. She trotted on the cold, crystal floor and opened the door. Perhaps it was the curse that came with being the Sun Princess's student that she always woke up at dawn, unless of course she was too busy studying to go to bed at a decent hour. Now that she thought about it, this was her first time waking up early since moving to Ponyville and beginning her study of friendship and anything else that caught her attention.

They had headed off to bed around nine after finishing an exquisite supper of roast alfalfa. Twilight had wanted to get an early start, but she wasn't sure when everypony else had gone to bed. Dash was a notorious late-riser, but Pinkie should wake up early enough to wake her up.

The halls were empty except for two guards posted at the end of the hall. One appeared to be about to fall asleep, but received a sharp jab that woke him up. They nodded to Twilight as she strode down the hall. A few servants were out, cleaning and hurrying to their various tasks. Twilight smiled to them. She was walking without any definite plan. 

"Shoot, Twi. You an early riser too?"

Twilight turned and smiled at Applejack who stood at the entrance to the pool. Pinkie Pie strode up beside her fellow Earth Pony, stretching and yawning. 

"I'm the student of the Sun Princess, comes with the territory."

Applejack chuckled. "Me and Pinkie were raised on farms. Sun's up and so are we."

Pinkie stretched. "My big sister wakes up even earlier. I don't know if she sleeps." Her eyes widened. "I've never actually seen her sleep."

"The chef should be up." Twilight motioned for them to follow her. "Come on. We can get an early breakfast."

Pinkie bounced alongside them as Applejack and Twilight strolled towards the kitchen. Like Twilight had predicted the chef, a heavy set blue crystal stallion was busy setting up the kitchen and was happy to make some breakfast for the three. Attracted by the smell of roasting oats and buttery pancakes, the other Element Bearers trickled into the kitchen.

Twilight wiped at her mouth as she leaned back in her seat. The others sat in a circle around her, the remains of breakfast scattered on the table. "Everypony ready for this?"

There was no hesitation. Each pony nodded. 

Twilight. "Great. Let's suit up and move out."
...
A train had been prepared for them, the rails leading deep into the heart of the frozen north. The rails had been built over the now defunct Friendship Roads that had once connected all the provinces of the long fallen Caribou Empire. Beneath the Antler Banner the Caribou had once unified the entirety of the North before meeting their match in the form of the Crystal Empire. 

The Friendship Roads and the many elaborate, golden temples that rose up along the road were the only remains of that ancient, fallen glory. The rails were lined with barren mountains. It was summer, but up here the ground was still covered in ice and frost. There was no snow, but the frozen mountains glistened in the sunlight.

The train ascended the mountain passes, curling further and further into the Great Northern Wastes. Even the sky looked frozen, like a dome of sapphire ice. Twilight shivered. Her friends were bunched together. Metal, even silver silk, got cold in temperature like this. That's why she'd brought a jacket and told the others to do so. The armor fit right over the jacket. The cold seeped into their armor. Back at the Empire the weather was temperate, pleasant even. Here, one could not escape the chill in the air. They were huddled up together, instinctively seeking defense from the cold in the warmth and safety of the herd. 

The cold was made worse by the fact that they had already shed their winter coats and their summer coats was of no help this far north. The mountains grew higher and higher. The peaks became more jagged and rugged as they went along. Twilight held up the map in her magic, her and her friends examining it.  "We'll need to go into the caverns. There's a side entrance. We can get to the hoard from there. Luna told the guards what the necklace looks like. It's shaped into the Princess's cutie mark. The dragon has it kept in a case, probably where the former Northern Lord kept it. The dragon leaves the cave to hunt every noon, if his behavior is consistent with most adult dragons."

Fluttershy peaked out from behind Dash. "It normally takes a dragon thirty minutes to locate prey. They carry their prey back to their caves to...you know."

Twilight glanced out the window. They were coming closer. "Right. Lots of variables going on here. The way we've planned it, we should be able to get to the cave by noon." She glanced at the clock mounted on the wall. "It's eleven now. We'll be there soon. We should be able to locate the necklace."

"Ain't good at that fancy mathematics, but that's an awful lot of shoulds."

Twilight bit her lips. "Yeah, Applejack. Yeah, it is."

The high peaks and barren, rocky valleys swept past them as the train curled around narrow paths, kicking up frost and dust in its wake. With a sudden lurch it stopped. Twilight gave the map one more look over before looking up. "And girls? Thanks for coming with me."

Dash gave her a hearty slap on the withers. "We're your friends, Sugarcube. There's no way we'd let you do this by yourself."

Twilight nuzzled her and received a nuzzle from her in turn before she put the map back in her saddlebag and they trotted off the train. They trudged across the frosty plain. Dash and even Fluttershy took to the sky to avoid the uncomfortably cold ground. Before them was a vast expanse of white with only a few shoots of grass poking out from the blanket of snow.

The warmth of the sun rarely reached this place. Rising up before them was a wide, yawning, stone mouth of a large cave. It rose up before them, an arch of brown rock leading down to an infinite darkness. Twilight looked back. None of her friends wavered as they walked forward into the darkness with her.

Twilight and Rarity lit up their horns, violet and blue light piercing the inky blackness of the cavern. Twilight led them into a long tunnel. Somewhere in the distance a river trickled away into the abyss. The rush of waters beneath the earth was the only sound that could be heard as they trekked further into the cave. They came to a tunnel where several tunnels branched off. 

Twilight consulted the map, whispered a quick prayer to Epona, and led the others through a tunnel. The tunnel widened the farther they went along. The light from her and Rarity's horn illuminated inscription, sharp lines cut into the rock. They were in the Draconic alphabet which hadn't changed much in three-thousand years. 

The inscriptions were warnings, threats of a slow and painful death for any who dared trespass upon the domain of the Dragon Lord. For once in her life, she decided not to read something. She kept walking, her eyes forward. Something flashed in the illumination of her magic. At the very end of the tunnel there was a wide clearing. She heard Rarity gasp beside her and then she gasped herself. 

There were piles and piles of gold, sapphire, rubies, amethysts, diamonds and pearls nearly stacked all the way to the ceiling and completely filling the cavern. Rarity leapt forward, being barely restrained by Applejack chomping down on her tail. Applejack spat out the appendage. "We gotta be careful, Rares!"

Twilight stepped forward. The others timidly followed. There was no dragon to be found only the piles and piles of jewels and coins that filled the cavern. She searched the darkness, looking for the reason she had come. There, in a glass case, was a magnificent amethyst the deep, rich purple of crushed amethyst. It had been cut into the shape of a stylized sun, leaving no doubt as to who its true owner was. Twilight took several hesitant steps towards it. 

That's when she heard something very large step into the cavern. The ground shook and the piles of jewels scattered. Twilight and the Element Bearers whirled around. 

The dragon was large, taking up the cavern. It swished its tail, bared its fangs. "What are you doing here?"

The ponies took several steps backwards, reminded suddenly of their place in the natural order. They were prey and this was a predator. Twilight breathed, steeled herself. The dragon scraped scraped one tree-sized claw across the floor. "What are you doing here?" It repeated in a voice like stones rubbing together.

Twilight prepared a spell just in case things went wrong. "You are in possession of stolen property."

He narrowed his eyes into slits. "I have stolen nothing." Its scales were red as blood. Twilight could see them as the dragon moved further into the cavern. He towered over the ponies. 

"N-no of course not. B-but, this necklace is the rightful property of-"

The wave of fire cut her off. She quickly activated a shield spell, but the force of the dragon's flames still sent her sprawling backwards into the hard wall. She heard a crunch as she slammed into the solid rock and a crack split open in her horn. Agonizing pain shot down her skull. The others were also sent flying backwards. The waves of flame may have been repelled by their armor, but the sheer force still sent them into the wall.

Dash was the first to recover while Twilight attempted to get her bearings. The Pegasus shot into air and rocketed towards the dragon, slashing wildly into its side. The dragon roared in outrage and shot out a burst of fire. Dash deftly dodged the flames and sent another slash into the dragon's neck. 

The dragon lashed at the Pegasus with its tail and struck her in the stomach. Dash gasped as she was sent hurtling through the air. Rarity caught her in her magic, gently laying her down. Dash got to her feet just as the dragon shot out another burst of flames. Impervious to the blazing heat, Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie charged the beast. Rarity slashed at it while Applejack and Pinkie head butted into its ribs.

With one massive swipe of its claw it sent all three spinning through the air. Twilight caught all three of them, then cursed as pain coursed through her head and through her entire body. She charged the dragon, thrusting her horn blade where two of its ribs met and then teleported out of range of its claw. 

She focused and a shield of lavender energy shot up. The dragon powerlessly slashed at the shield and roared. Fluttershy, not a combatant by nature or training, hopped out from where she had taken cover. She hurriedly cantered over to Twilight. "Oh my, your horn."

The crack was clearly visible. Blood wreathed around the horn. Twilight stumbled.  "It'll be fine."

Fluttershy took out some ointment from her saddle bag and rubbed Twilight's horn with it. "It'll soothe away the pain and make it easier for you to cast."

A crack appeared in the shield as the dragon crashed his tail against it. Twilight turned her attention to Rarity as her fellow Unicorn groaned. She was slightly limping. "You okay, Rarity?"

Rarity looked up at her, her face a mask of pain. "I think I broke my leg where the dragon struck it, Darling."

Twilight lit up her horn. Fluttershy laid a hoof on her shoulder. "Twilight, I wouldn't recommend casting right now. Wait a minute or two."

Twilight moved out from under Fluttershy's hoof. "I'll be fine."

She went to Rarity, a healing spell prepared, and touched her horn to Rarity's leg. Cooling waves of lavender energy coursed through Rarity's leg and body as Twilight's magic stitched the bones of her leg back together. After a few seconds, the pain had vanished. Rarity took an experimental leap. "Oh, thank you, Darling!" Rarity pranced in place and hugged Twilight. Twilight hugged back.

Unfortunately, the healing magic Twilight used took magic away from the shield. The dragon body-slammed through it, the shield dissipating. 

"Get out of here, I'll hold it off! Twilight, we've come this far, get that necklace!" Dash shot into the air.

Twilight felt a surge of guilt as she watched Dash slice her wing blades up against the dragon, purple blood spraying everywhere. I...I dragged them into this...and they could die...dear Gods what have I DONE?!

Twilight rushed to the case, lifted it open and grabbed hold of the necklace, wrapping it around her neck. Dash led the dragon further into the cavern, unblocking the exit. The other Element Bearers rushed towards the exit. Twilight turned around. "Dash come on!"

Dash shot away and out of the cavern. The dragon stormed after them, but they were smaller and quicker. Together they ran back towards where they had come, desperately trying to reach the exit. The dragon charged them, taking to the air and shooting out waves of fire. The fire propelled them forward and sent them flying into a pile, dropping finally onto the frozen ground of the Wastes.

The dragon burst from the cave.

"Everyone put a hoof one me! I'll teleport us out of here!"

The others put their hooves on Twilight. Her horn lit up as she teleported. Then she fell into the abyss and everything went dark. 
...
Celestia sat on her throne, looking over a bill that had been pushed through Parliament. It was a rather dull, ordinance to increase the speed limit of carriages by five miles an hour. Celestia shrugged as she wondered about giving royal assent to it. She hadn't realized the speed limit was a problem. 

Luna peered over her shoulder. "What about the speed of those, what are they called, trains?"

"What about trains?"

Suddenly, a unicorn guard rushed inside. Celestia and Luna looked up. The guard stopped and panted. Hanging in his aura was a necklace. Celestia's eyes widened. Millennia was not long enough to dull her memory of the last gift of her mother. Slowly, deliberately, she walked towards the guard and took the necklace into her trembling hooves. Tears filled her eyes as she recalled her mother placing it around her neck. A sudden fit of sentiment seized her and she held the necklace to her chest, as if hugging her mother. "Mama..." She whispered. 

Then she turned her attention to the guard. "Guard, what is the meaning of this? How do you have this necklace?"

The guard looked up. "Your Highness, the Element Bearers retrieved that necklace from a dragon's cave. Apparently, Twilight Sparkle wished to give it to you."

Luna grinned and trotted over to her sister. "It's as beautiful as I remember it being. I still have the sapphire necklace she gave me."

A wide smile broke out across Celestia's face as she wrapped the necklace around her neck. "It is beautiful." Then, the smile became a frown. "If Twilight got this, she would wish to give it to me in person. Where is she?"

A sudden chill overcame Luna as she realized she may have made a mistake. 

"Lady Sparkle is in the hospital, recovering from magical fatigue."

Luna brought a hoof to her lips. "N-no! I never meant for that to happen!"

Celestia whirled around to face her. "Never meant for WHAT to happen, Sister?"

Luna stepped back. Celestia stared her down. "I..I told Twilight about the necklace." Tears welled over and spilled down the Night Princess's muzzle. "I...Oh Gods Above and Below I never meant to KILL her!"

She prostrated herself, slamming her head on the floor and starting to weep. "I'm so sorry!"

"For Gods' sake Luna, you're a princess, act like it!" Celestia snapped. "Stand up! The guard says she's recovering! Magical fatigue is no longer the killer it once was. Now, if you excuse me, I need to go see my student!"

She turned and ran from the room. She only had one thought in mind-get to Twilight and make sure she was receiving the best medical care possible.