//------------------------------// // The Trotan Dragon // Story: The Legend of Spike: Dragon Quest // by DiabloGuapo //------------------------------// Mayor Skinflint stood before Princess Celestia like a schoolfoal sent to the principal’s office. To complete the comparison, the Princess was sitting at the mayor’s own desk while he stood with his tail tucked before her in the center of the office. The sun was shining through the window behind the desk, causing Celestia’s white fur and ethereal mane to glow with a blinding brilliance. Some ponies believed the Celestia was a goddess amongst mares, and the lighting effect was certainly adding support to that belief for Skinflint. The portly gray Earth Pony had spent all morning explaining his side of the story to Princess Celestia, who silently scowled at him the entire time. At her side was the Kirin, Princess Amethyst. She too looked at the mayor with disdain. No matter what flimsy excuse he offered, it didn’t seem to appease the Diarch. “I was just acting in the town’s best interest,” he tried to explain. He swallowed nervously and wiped the sweat from his brow. He could swear it was getting hotter in the office by the second. “No, Mayor Skinflint, you weren’t,” Celestia finally spoke. “You were only acting in your own self interest. You in effect declared martial law and denied the rights of law abiding citizens with no evidence whatsoever. And you did it all with the hope of self aggrandizement.” “B-b-but… they’re dragons!” Skinflint pleaded. Amethyst snorted at this comment. “They attacked Equestria! They-” “Had nothing to do with the Dragon King’s invasion,” Celestia corrected and finished for him. She rose from the mayor’s chair and circled around the desk to tower over him. “Do you have any idea of the severity of your actions?” “N-no…” he stammered. “I have spent centuries trying to improve relations between ponykind and the dragons,” she told him. She wasn’t yelling at him, but she made sure he felt the weight of the situation. “Long has Dragon King Ryuo desired to avenge his defeat at the hooves of Princess Luna and myself, and I have labored to prove that we could live in peace. And now, because of ponies like you, all that I have worked for, all that has been sacrificed, has been undone in a matter of a few days.” There was a knock at the door and the Wonderbolts walked into the office. Thunderbolt, his uniform restored to him, stepped forward and reported, “We’ve searched the building and her apartment; no sign of Ms. Nightingale.” Celestia frowned at this disappointing information, but knew it only confirmed the mare’s involvement with the mysterious cult and the conspiracy to overthrow Equestria. Hopefully Luna would have better results with her search. “Thank you,” Celestia said to the uniformed Pegasi. “Now place the mayor under arrest.” “What?!” Skinflint shrieked. “Yes, Your Majesty,” Thunderbolt obeyed, smirking in satisfaction as he and his teammates moved in and placed restraints on Skinflint’s forelegs. “Skinflint, as Princess of Equestria, I hereby remove you from your office as Mayor of Fillydelphia and arrest you for your crimes against the citizens of Equestria, including wrongful imprisonment, assault, and battery,” Celestia proclaimed to the horror of the former mayor. “Wait! You can’t do this to me!” Skinflint protested as he was hauled out of the office. “I was framed!” Amethyst and Thunderbolt stood by Princess Celestia as they watched the stallion dragged off kicking and screaming out of city hall. Amethyst sighed in relief as justice had been served, but it was only a small victory. She could still see the look on Mina’s face from the previous night. Though Skinflint had been arrested, the innocent dragons were still with the Dragon King. She could only hope that her parents and friends could stop the Dragon King. My grandfather… she thought as she recalled what she and Thunderbolt overheard last night. Once Celestia had returned to Canterlot, Amethyst went to the Solar Princess and sought the truth. Though Celestia was disappointed that Amethyst and Thunderbolt had been eavesdropping, she confirmed that what they had heard was indeed true. Though she took the news better than her father, Amethyst was stilled shocked. “Amethyst, are you alright, my dear?” she heard Celestia ask her. “I’m just worried about my parents,” she answered honestly. “Do you think my father will be able to handle it? What if something goes wrong? What if the plan fails and they walk right into a trap?!” A white wing was draped across her shoulders as Celestia embraced her comfortingly, silencing her fears. “All we can do is to trust in them. I believe they can do it,” Celestia reassured her. Just then, Princess Luna walked into the office, joining Celestia, Amethyst, and Thunderbolt. The dark blue Alicorn looked tired, bags underneath her eyes. “I see that Mayor Skinflint has been dealt with. Has his Deputy Mayor been found?” “No, I’m afraid not,” Celestia told her sister. “And were you able to find Cider Barrel?” “I was not. I searched all over Manehattan for him and his fellow conspirators to no avail. For such a vocal organization, no one seems to know where they have gone. It is the same for other cities across Equestria, even here in Fillydelphia.” “So they’re gone. All of this has led to a dead end,” Thunderbolt said with disappointment. “Not quite so,” Luna announced while revealing a letter. “We’ve received a letter from Princess Cadance. King Rutherford has sent a messenger to the Crystal Empire saying that he is willing to take in refugees, but none have arrived in Yakyakistan as of yet. The messenger yak also said that he didn’t encounter any ponies on the road to the Crystal Empire.” “Then where did they go if not to Yakyakistan?” Celestia pondered aloud upon hearing this report. Turning to the map of Equestria on the office wall, she stepped towards to study the terrain of the lands north of Equestria. “There’s nothing else in that direction other than snow and mountains for as far as the eye can see. The cultists... The missing refugees… It can’t be a coincidence. The cult must be hiding in the Frozen North.” “My thoughts exactly. Prince Shining Armor and King Rutherford have already sent search parties into the Yaket Range to find the missing ponies. Maybe they will discover the cult’s headquarters as well.” “Thank you, Luna, for doing so much.” The Lunar Princess nodded in acknowledgement and then covered her mouth with a hoof as she yawned. “Return to Canterlot and get some rest. It’s nearly noon and you have been up all day and all night.” Luna smiled thankfully in appreciation and left the office in a flash of teleporting magic. “What now, Your Highness?” Thunderbolt asked Celestia. “You and Amethyst may return to Ponyville,” Celestia told him. “Thank you both for your help. Now, I must see to it that this evil is uprooted at its source.” ***** “You lost her?” a displeased Dragon King repeated, Mire the green dragon cowering before the Archwyrm. The cowed Mire placed the cursed necklace sans prisoner on the ground before the golden throne. “It was Prince Spike and his pony friends,” Mire explained, though Ryuo continued to glare down from atop of the dais. “They dropped a tree on my head, removed the necklace, and hid it in the jungle. By the time I found it, they were long gone.” “Not only did you let a dragon not even fraction of your age and a bunch of ponies outsmart you,” Dragon King Ryuo roared as he rose from his seat and struck the floor with his staff, “you also let you them best you in combat?! Prince Spike is not even half your size!” Ryuo sighed and sat back down, frustrated. “Though I supposed it ultimately does not matter. I suspect that Prince Spike will be defiant to the end. I might have to collect them myself. All this means is that due to your incompetence, I have to go out of my way to find them lest they perish along with the rest of their kind.” “But Master, I couldn’t help it! Prince Spike commanded me to stop and I was forced to obey!” Mire pleaded his case. This new revelation seemed to placate the Dragon King, his anger being replaced with intrigue. “Is that so? You may go.” Mire decided to take full advantage of his king’s change in attitude and left while he was no longer mad at him. Ryuo was left to reflect upon this information and what it meant. Prince Spike is more powerful than I previously thought. He has already discovered his power as a Royal Dragon and can impose his will on other dragons. Not only that, he can even resist my command. Pride swelling in his chest, Ryuo chuckled to himself. He is already on his way to becoming a worthy successor to my throne. As Mire departed, his red counterpart, Scorn, entered and announced, “Master, she is here.” “Good. Send her in.” Scorn left the throne room and a much smaller blue dragon with curved, white horns entered in his place. She was about the same size of Spike and held a claw-shaped scepter that was clutching a bloodstone, the symbol of a Dragon Lord. The young Dragon Lord flew up to the Dragon King’s throne and landed before him, bowing. “Dragon Lord Ember, you did not heed my call when I summoned you.” “That’s because I was getting ready to attend the New Year Festival in Fillydelphia. And then I find out that you went behind my back and invaded Equestria!” the dragoness defiantly talked back to Ryuo. “Equestria is my domain, and the ponies are my friends!” “Friends?” Ryuo mockingly asked. Dragons do not make friends, even among their own kind. “Yes, and it was a dragon raised by ponies who taught me the value of friendship. He proved to me that we could live in peace with them.” “So, you know Prince Spike,” Ryuo stated, amused by this. “Yes, he was my first friend ever,” Ember responded, wary of the Dragon King’s reaction. “He’s the reason why I’m a Dragon Lord. He won the Gauntlet of Fire, but stepped down and gave me the Bloodstone Scepter. I owe everything to him, and I won’t stand by as you attack his home!” “I do not need your approval to have my revenge upon the ponies,” Ryuo brushed off her protest. “Then what’s the point of having Dragon Lords if you don’t even consult with them before doing something like this, especially within their own domain?!” “Still your tongue, whelp! I am your king! If I command it, then you will obey!” Ryuo shouted, causing Ember to flinch from the intensity of his voice. “Sorry, Your Majesty,” Ember apologized reluctantly, scowling at the floor. “You think that you know the ponies, but you are still young and have yet to learn of the history between our two races.” Ryuo casted a glance towards the magical tree beside his throne, “Though you did not aid me in claiming the Tree of Harmony, I still have need of you.” “If it means hurting any of the ponies, then count me out,” Ember proclaimed, ignoring the possible repercussions. “I don’t know what they did to you, but they’ve been nothing but nice to me.” “You may reconsider that once you have learn what they have done. Come, follow me.” Though wary, Ember followed the Dragon King out of the throne room and down one of the many winding tunnels of Charlock Castle. “What if I told you that the ponies you claim to be your friends are not as pure and innocent as they claim to be?” “I would say that you’re full of it,” she quipped as she followed him through the labyrinthine passageways. “Doubt me if you will, but it is the truth. Years ago, my bride was killed in an avalanche caused ponies. Her only remaining egg was stolen by Celestia herself, your dear friend, Prince Spike.” “He’s your son?!” Ember exclaimed, surprised that her dear friend was the Dragon Prince. “Yes, and Celestia had concealed this fact from me for years. She and her precious subjects will pay for this deception,” Ryuo vowed. “I can’t believe this…” the blue dragoness said in a hushed tone. She had come to know the Royal Family of Equestria and become good friends with them. They all had hoped that the upcoming festival would strengthen relations between their two nations. Never would she suspect that the seemingly flawless Princess Celestia would be capable of such treachery. “There is more. I was informed that the ‘civilized’ dragons that dwelt there, your subjects, were being oppressed, imprisoned even,” he informed her. “I went to the city of Fillydelphia and saw it for myself. They were shackled and being kept in cages.” “I don’t believe you.” “Then believe your own eyes,” he said as sunlight shone through the end of the tunnel and the two walked out onto a cliff overlooking a strait. On the other side was the ruins of a castle. Dragon King Ryuo pointed to the opposite shore and said, “There is your proof. I have liberated them from their captivity and brought forth their true natures. You will find them there. If you will not join me in my just cause, then you can fulfill your duty as Dragon Lord and tend to the needs of the refugees.” Ember looked from the the ruins across the body of water and back to the Dragon King. “I’ll do it for them, not for you. I’m still against your plan to attack Equestria!” “Your objection has been noted but ultimately means nothing to me,” Ryuo dryly dismissed her. “All that does is reclaiming my son and having my revenge. I have given him an ultimatum to be here by tomorrow. If you happen to see him before then, be sure to direct him to me.” “Yes, my king,” she cynically stated before starting to fly off towards the castle across the way. “One last thing, Dragon Lord Ember,” he stopped her. “You may not support my decision, but do not try to stop me.” “I understand,” Ember stated. Though he didn’t flat out say it, she could see the threat in his red eyes. Even though his current form was smaller than she was, she knew of his true power. It would not be wise to cross him. “Good. You may go.” As Ryuo watched the young Dragon Lord fly way, he thought to himself, She is defiant, headstrong, and rebellious… He smirked. Very much like Prince Spike, and she already has a positive relationship with him. Perhaps when Princess Rarity inevitably passes, she may make a decent consort for him. ***** Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Rarity peered over the side of the basket of their hot air balloon at the volcanic islands of Dragon Country. A dense haze covered the land, the dark outlines of the patrolling dragons flying in the distance. Along in the basket was an oversized yellow dragon egg with light pink spots. “Wow, check out the view,” Pinkie Pie said as she admired the scenery. “Hey, Fluttershy. You’ve gotta see this.” “That’s okay. I’m fine in here,” a timid voice said from inside the yellow and pink egg. “Eh, suit yourself,” Pinkie shrugged and went back to sightseeing. “Quiet, Pinkie. We don’t want draw any attention to us,” Rarity urged her in a hush tone. “We’re trying to blend in.” “As much as a balloon dragon can blend in,” Applejack snidely remarked. “Ah still don’t know how we gotten this far into Dragon Country with no dragon noticin’ this thang.” Above the basket was a giant inflatable dragon. The green balloon dragon was something that Rarity had made for the upcoming Draconic New Year Festival but was scrapped for the more traditional dragon floats. Rarity was disappointed that the balloon wouldn’t be used for the festival and was quite proud of the work she did on it. It had marionette strings connected to the wings, allowing for them to be operated by a Pegasus flying overhead. The head had an opening allowing for another Pegasus to operate it from the inside. The Pegasus’ wings would stick out the sides of the head, appearing as ear frills, and there was an additional burner on the inside which the Pegasus could use to imitate a dragon’s fire breath. The rope holding the basket and the basket itself was modeled to look like the dragon’s legs and claws. “Give us some credit, we’ve fooled dragons before with worse,” Rainbow Dash spoke from her position above the balloon. She was tasked with the job of operating the wings while riding on top of the balloon in a fog generated by the Staff of Rain. To lower the risk of being spotted, they flew close to the water. “I assume you’re referring to the disguise I made back during the Dragon Migration, and I’ll remind you that it worked perfectly,” Rarity retorted, slightly offended by Rainbow Dash’s comment. “And I worked all night on our disguises. I’m absolutely certain we’ll get to the castle undetected.” The disguises the fashionista was speaking of were the egg costumes like the one Fluttershy was already wearing. Rarity had made an orange egg with yellow spots for Applejack, a pink egg with darker pink spots for Pinkie Pie, and a white egg with indigo spots for herself. Flying alongside the balloon was Spike. For his disguise, Rarity painted his purple scales red. Upon seeing him with the red and green color scheme, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie laughed and said that he looked like a Hearth's Warming ornament. Rarity rebuked them and claimed that the red was most becoming for Spike. “There it is,” Rarity announced, pointing to the distance. Through the fog, the large shadow of a towering volcano slowly materialized. For the others, this was the first time they had laid eyes on Charlock Island. Rarity, on the other hoof, already had the “privilege” of being a visitor to the foreboding mountain. On the peak of the volcano, the could see the outline of towers and battlements. “Is that Charlock Castle?” Applejack asked as she looked up at the distant volcano. “No, that’s the castle the Demon Sorcerer Zoma built,” Twilight revealed. “That’s Charlock Castle,” Rarity clarified, pointing to the entire mountain beneath the castle. Applejack whistled in amazement. “Hey, Rarity. I don’t suppose you remember the way in,” Rainbow Dash hopefully suggested. “Unfortunately, I do not,” she answered. “Besides, we won’t be able to use the front door. Look!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed. As they drew closer, they could see multiple flying figures circling the island. “Of course the Dragon King’s lair would be the most heavily guarded place in Dragon Country,” Rainbow Dash muttered. Then one of the larger figures swooped by close enough to the balloon that they could make out its blue scales. Rarity recognized the dragon as Cobalt, one of the Dragon King’s chief henchdragons. Thankfully, the blue dragon didn’t notice the Trotan Dragon. “Um, anypony else feel like this is a little too close for comfort?” Pinkie Pie asked, getting nervous at the close proximity of the sentry dragons. “You’re right. Rainbow Dash, steer us away. Hard to port,” Twilight Sparkle ordered. “On it,” the blue Pegasus said as she tugged at the strings controlling the wings, causing the balloon dragon to bank left. As they circled towards the north, Spike kept his eye on the dragons circling the island. Then he noticed that one of them broke off from the rest and started to head their way. “Heads up, everypony. Someone’s coming,” Spike alerted the others. “Costumes on!” Twilight urgently ordered from her position from inside the fake dragon’s head. Hearing this, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie put their egg costumes on. Once they were finished, they looked like a nest of eggs being carried by a mother dragon. When the approaching dragon came through the fog, they could see that it had red scales and an orange fringe running down its back. They recognized him immediately. “Garble. Of course,” Spike grumbled under his breath. The last time they had encountered the obnoxious red dragon was during their adventure on Krazoa Island where Spike bested him in combat. That was twenty years ago and both dragons had grown since then. When Spike first met Garble, he was still a child while Garble was considered a teenager. Now, the age gap wasn’t so drastic and the two were near the same size, though Garble still had a slight size advantage. However, Spike had received training from Aurum and had already beaten him before and could do it again. But if they started a fight now, every dragon would be aware of their presence, including Spike’s father. So Spike suppressed his feelings of contempt and watched cautiously as his old rival drew closer. “What’s going on here?” Garble asked as he flew in front of Spike and the balloon. Rainbow Dash hid behind the row floppy spines that ran down the inflatable dragon’s back. Twilight Sparkle sweated nervously, looking from the eye holes as the red dragon looked at the balloon suspiciously. “Don’t you know that we’re supposed to be patrolling the place? The runt will be here soon and maybe some of his namby-pamby pony pals.” “Um… Yeah… Well, you see, we just got here. We just had a clutch of eggs when we received the call and it took us some time flying them all the way here,” Twilight recited the prepared cover story in a fake dragon voice. Garble looked from Twilight’s hiding place down to the basket and scratched his chin as he studied the far too big eggs. “Those are your eggs?” he asked doubtfully. Everyone held their breath as they thought the jig was up. Then Garble laughed and said, “Wow, that must’ve hurt.” “Uh… Yeah, you’re telling me,” Twilight said while giving a fake laugh. “Wait, what’s that smell? It smells like… ponies,” Garble stated while sniffing the air, causing everyone to tense. “Are you part of that group of newcomers? Y'know, from that pony city?” “Yes…” Spike cautiously played along. “Huh, that explains it. No wonder why you look so wimpy,” Garble mocked, making fun of the funny looking balloon. Though offended from having her work criticized, Rarity held her tongue as Garble continue to laugh at them. Spike suddenly remembered the cryptic advice Discord offered him, When you’re sneaking around in the dragon lands, follow red to blue and you’ll find your way inside the castle. “We’re a little lost. Could you show us where are the others?” Spike asked. “Ugh, fine. This way,” Garble grumbled before flying to an island north of Charlock. “Darling, are you sure this is a good idea?” Rarity asked. “Remember what Amethyst said. These dragons went with the Dragon King.” “But they were coerced to,” Spike defended the Fillydelphians. “This is Mina we’re talking about. She’s our friend. She wouldn’t turn us in.” “I know she wouldn’t, but it wouldn’t be up to her. The Dragon King could have them all under his spell by now.” Spike regarded her well-founded concerns, but said, “Pinkie, Fluttershy, remember what Discord told us?” “Follow red to blue to find a way inside the castle?” Fluttershy recalled from inside her egg. “That’s right. He did say that,” Pinkie agreed. “I say we go for it.” “While Ah would normally take whatever Discord says with a grain of salt, Ah don’t think he’d be lyin’ about this,” Applejack added. “Okay, let’s follow him,” Twilight concluded. “If you say so,” Rainbow Dash hesitantly went along with them. “Hey, are ya coming or not?” an impatient Garble called from up ahead. “We’re coming! We’re coming!” Spike answered as he and the balloon hiding the ponies followed after him. Garble led them clockwise around Charlock Island to a ruined castle situated on the shore across the strait. Unlike the demon-built castle atop of Charlock, the remains of this castle curiously looked pony made. Before anyone could ask any questions, the water beneath them churned and bubble. Then a large eel-like creature came bursting out of the water and snapped at the balloon. Seeing the aquatic monster approaching, Rainbow Dash maneuvered the hot air balloon quickly out of the way. More eel monsters popped out of the water, they too wanting to take a bite out of the balloon. Some of the eels shot jets of water at the inflatable dragon and Spike, hoping to knock them out of the sky. The evasive maneuvers rocked the basket, sending the four eggs rolling about. “Teehee! Eggroll!” Pinkie Pie giggled as her pink egg tumbled around in the basket. The others, however, were less amused. Rarity fused about her mane while Fluttershy started to get motion sickness. While the costumed ponies bumped into each other, Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle tried to stabilized the balloon by pulling on the strings and using magic respectively. Though it risked losing their fog coverage, they pulled their ride higher away from the water and the creatures. As the rocking came to a stop, Applejack asked, “Everypony okay?” “I think I ruined Rarity’s costume…” Fluttershy queasily apologized. “Let’s do that again!” Pinkie cheered, her egg bouncing up and down. “Please, Pinkie Pie! Once was quite enough!” Rarity reprimanded. “Hush now. We don’t want Garble to hear us,” Twilight reminded them. Thankfully, the red dragon didn’t seem to notice. That was then they noticed a hissing noise that reminded them of a whoopee cushion. “Uh, what was that?” Applejack asked, horrified by the sound. “Uh-oh,” Rainbow Dash said as she looked back and saw that one of the creatures had managed to take a bite out of the balloon dragon’s tail, hot air leaking out. “Twilight, we’ve got a leak back here.” Garble noticed the noise and looked back to the balloon. Thinking quickly, Twilight said, “Uh… Must be something I ate. Phew!” Garble gave a disgusted looked and held his nose with a claw to block out the supposed smell. Though they had fooled him, the balloon was starting to deflate. Thankfully, the ruins weren’t too much farther. But Rainbow Dash noticed another problem and whispered to Spike, “Psst! Spike!” She then nodded to his back leg and side, and Spike looked to see that he had been splashed with water. The red paint had begun to run, exposing the purple scales beneath. Seeing this, Spike flew closer to the balloon to hide the spot from view. As the balloon continued to lose air, it grew hard to keep it aloft. By the time they were over the castle, it was barely floating. Down below, they could see the dragons from Fillydelphia camped out in the ruins. It was as Amethyst said, the civilized dragons were now fully sized just like the rest of the wild dragons. “Down there,” Garble pointed out. “Thank you,” Twilight said, struggling to operated the now floppy mouth of the balloon dragon. “Whatever.” To their relief, he left. Once he was out of sight, the fake dragon gave out and drifted to the ground. Crawling out of the folds of the deflated hot air balloon, the Elements of Harmony found themselves surrounded by a crowd of curious dragons. Seeing ponies arrive in a peculiar manner had them murmuring to each other, trying to make sense of what they were seeing. Once Fluttershy emerged from the collapsed balloon, she nearly collapsed herself from being surrounded by so many dragons. The other ponies were on edge, waiting anxiously to see if these dragons would expose them or attack. A burgundy dragon with pink hair stepped forward and looked curiously at the ponies before becoming very excited. “Oh my gosh! It’s the Elements of Harmony!” Hearing this, the other dragons also excitedly chattered and clambered around them to get a better look. This was a good sign as they were showing no hints of aggression. Spike then landed beside his friends and recognized the dragoness. “Mina?” he asked, amazed that she was now his size. “Spike?!” she happily gasped, excited to see her old friend and yet another celebrity. When he rubbed the paint off of his face to confirm his identity, she rushed to them and laughed as they embraced. “Oh, Mina. We’re so glad to see that you’re okay,” Rarity told her as they hugged. “We were so worried about you when we heard what happened.” “We’re okay… more or less,” Mina said with a hint of sadness, clearly upset about how she and the rest of her kind were unjustly dealt with. “What’s going on here?” a voice asked from behind the crowd of dragons. The crowd parted, revealing a blue dragon. “Dragon Lord Ember, look who it is!” Mina eagerly motioned to the new arrivals. “Prince Spike,” Ember whispered, amazed that he actually showed up. She then looked to the ponies and said, “You shouldn’t have come. It’s not safe here.” “We had to. We can’t let the Dragon King destroy our home,” Twilight said, the rest of her friends agreeing with her. Ember then approached Spike, whom she had not seen since his latest growth spurt. He was now as large as her and had become quite muscular, his boyish charm maturing into rugged good looks. A blush appeared on her face, Rarity noting the way Ember was looking at her husband. Though Ember was a friend, Rarity instinctively wrapped a possessive hoof around Spike’s fore leg. “What are you doing here, Ember? Don’t tell me you agree with the Dragon King,” Spike questioned. “I don’t, but as Dragon Lord of the dragons of Equestria, both free and ‘civilized’, I had a duty to my people.” Ember looked around and motioned to the dragon refugees and their camp. “After what I heard what happened in Equestria, I have to make sure they are cared for.” “Dragon Lord Ember, I swear to you. I swear to all of you as a Princess of Equestria that what happened in Fillydelphia was not approved or condoned by any of the Princesses,” Twilight Sparkle swore. Mina and the other dragons sadly frowned and despairingly stared at the ground. “We believe you, Princess,” Ember told Twilight, the other dragons agreeing with her. “Then why did you go with the Dragon King? I thought that you wanted to live in peace with ponies,” Twilight tried to reason with them. “Because he was right. Dragons will never be accepted by ponies,” Mina responded, her hopes and dreams crushed. “My dear, that simply isn’t true!” Rarity protested. “Look at me and Spike. We’re proof enough that we can live in harmony.” “Look around you,” Ember instructed them, pointing to the crumbling castle walls. “Do you know what this place is? This is the ruins of Tantegel Castle.” “Tantegel Castle…” Rarity recalled Ryuo mentioning it to her. “From the Kingdom of Alefgard?” “You know of it?” “No, but I have heard the name before.” “I have. I’ve read it in the book Midnight found,” Twilight announced, surprising no one. “After Erdrick and his allies defeated Zoma and Orochi, a pony settlement was established. It didn’t last long.” “Why?” Applejack asked. Twilight shuffled her hooves uncomfortably, causing the others to understand without having to say a word. “The Dragon King?” “The Dragon King,” Twilight confirmed. “The Alefgardians lived in peace here for a few generations but grew jealous of their dragon neighbors’ hoards. When a thief tried to steal from the Dragon King’s castle…” “He labeled all ponies guilty and drove them from his land, destroying this castle in the process,” Ember finished for the princess. “And that’s just one story. Ponies and dragons have hated each other for thousands of years.” “You’re the exception, not the rule. You haven’t seen what it’s like everywhere else,” Mina gloomily told Rarity. “Actually, I have. Trust me, I’ve been on the receiving end of discrimination from ponies that couldn’t accept Spike and me being together, and I’ll tell you that they’re the exception and not the rule,” Rarity tried to reassure her. “But… the Dragon King said…” Mina unsurely started to say. “Forget what he said. He was being tricked by somepony who wants to destroy all of Equestria! We’re here to set things right.” “And how are you going to do that?” Ember asked. “We need to speak to him,” Twilight explained, causing the dragons to gasp. “Are you crazy?! He’ll toast you on the spot!” Mina exclaimed. “The Dragon King is Spike’s father,” Twilight said to their bewilderment. “If anyone has a chance to talk some sense into him, it’s Spike.” “But what if that doesn’t work?” Mina asked. “Let us worry about that. All we need is a way inside the castle,” Spike explained. The other dragons looked to each other, none of them having an answer. They were strangers to the dragon lands themselves. Ember studied the ponies and Spike. She knew that there was some truth to what they have been saying. After all, they were the ones that taught her the meaning of friendship, which allowed her to be a fair and generous Dragon Lord. Her father, the retired Dragon Lord Torch, even praises her for what she has accomplished and says that she is an even greater leader than he was. “I know of a way,” Ember announced. “But it is forbidden for anyone except Dragon Royalty.” “I’m the Dragon Prince, and I command you to show us the way,” Spike told her cheekily. “As you wish, Your Highness,” Ember chuckled, bowing playfully. After all, Dragon King Ryuo did say to direct Spike to him if she saw him. Extending her wings, she prepared to take flight. “Keep low. Stick close to me.” They nodded with understanding. They had lost their disguises and only had the fog generated by the Staff of Rain to provide them cover. While Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy flew close to Ember, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie jumped onto Spike’s back. Before they all took off, Spike turned to Mina and the other dragons. They were looking up to them with hope. “Don’t worry. We’ll fix this, and you’ll all be able to go home,” Spike promised, and then flew after Ember towards the east. “Be safe,” Mina whispered as she watched their only hope fly to meet their destinies.