My Son, My Soldier, My Hero

by That_Random_Pony

Drawbacks

Draco yawned lightly as he felt his mother's warm touch depart from him. Her routine hadn't changed. Slip on her royal regalia, brush her coat and mane, and ready herself for another day of boring duties.

"Mama…" He chuckled with a shake of his head as he sat up. "Mom, I'm going back to Ponyville for a while."

Celestia turned to him. "But you've just come home," she said. "Aren't you staying?"

"I am, and I'm coming back," he assured her. "But… Ember got hurt and she's unconscious in a hospital in Ponyville. I just wanna make sure she gets back alright.

Celestia nodded softly. "Alright. I'll have a train take you and the Elements," Celestia smiled. "Just hurry back, okay?"

"Can Moon come, too?" Draco asked.

Celestia laughed and nuzzled him. "That's up to him, Draco," she smiled. "I'll see you later."

Draco kissed her cheek and smiled. "See ya, Ma."

He pulled on a shirt and set of pants that Celestia had asked to be made during the night, then his socks and a pair of shoes to go with them. Nothing too fancy, even if the collared shirt did have gems lining the borders and his shoulders. He made a mental note to go see a seamstress or place an order in a dress shop. Moon's scent took him to the Canterlot Gardens, where the lunar wolf was taking a drink in the lake. Draco's own smell alerted him, and he turned with a smile.

"Good morning, cousin," Moon chuckled. "Is there something you need?"

"I'm going to see Ember," Draco said. "Do you want to come?"

Moon nodded immediately. "She'll need us to explain everything, after all," he pointed out. "The last thing we need is a panicking dragon princess."

Draco lightly punched his shoulder, laughing softly. "She won't go crazy or anything," Draco said with a roll of his eyes. "Let's just get the girls."

"Yes. Did you know Fluttershy cared for several wolves in her time as an animal caretaker?" Moon questioned. "She seems very frail, yet she can be very helpful. I'd like to know the methods she uses to keep the animals healthy."

Draco raised a brow with a smirk. "Ohh, I see," he snickered. "Is that all you wanna know?"

Moon growled lightly and smacked his head into Draco's thigh. "Stop." He could see the blush, even in his dark grey coat.

They met with the girls in the dining hall, Draco meeting Rainbow's gaze for a second before he turned to the group. "Good morning, Draco," Twilight nodded.

"Morning, D!" Pinkie giggled.

Applejack nodded with a tip of her stetson and Fluttershy smiled. "Oh my word!" Rarity squeed. "Is that an original Le Knit design?! Oh the days that must have been spent making this!" She tugged at his shirt roughly, forcing him to kneel so she could get a better look.

"It's kinda uncomfortable, but it's all I have so far," he stated. "So there's a train leaving to Ponyville. First class."

"Is it waiting for us?" Twilight asked, walking towards him.

"Yup. Come on." Draco spoke with Twilight and some of the others as they walked outside, some of the nobles and lower class ponies waving and saying thanks to the girls.

Others gave a brief 'welcome back' to the prince, who was occupied with Twilight and Applejack. He glanced over to Rainbow every now and again, an unsure smile appearing on her as she looked back. Fluttershy and his cousin were at the very back, chatting idly as they followed the group. The train ride was about the same, only that each of them had a room to themselves. Draco sat in the lounge car that had a large couch and an equally big window to show the quickly passing scenery. His ear twitched and his head turned as the door clicked open. Twilight walked in and smiled as she trotted over.

"I thought I'd find you here," she giggled.

"What makes you say that?" Draco laughed. "This isn't exactly the castle."

"I know," Twilight smirked. "But you always did like going someplace quiet and apart from everywhere else."

He shook his head and nudged her playfully, she in turn pushing him harder. "Alright, Ms. Calculating," he smiled. "Something on your mind?"

Twilight nodded and sat down next to him. "I-I was… wondering how everything was… y'know… in the Dragon Kingdom."

Draco's smile dimmed but he did his best to keep happy. "It was… life-changing," he sighed. A smirk crept over his features as his last memories of her came to mind. "Know what I found out?"

"What?"

"Dragons are warm-blooded." She raised an eyebrow and tilted her head questioningly. "The last time I saw you, I was crying because I didn't want to leave you guys, and you told me that I could learn more about dragons than any other pony. First thing I learned? Dragons are warm-blooded."

Twilight's questiong glance turned to remembrance, and she giggled. "Seriously?" she laughed softly.

He nudged her and leaned back against the cushions. "Just thought I'd let you know that some hundred books need updating," Draco chuckled. "So… aside from Nightmare Moon, what's been happening?"

"Well, I excelled in several of Canterlots schools for gifted unicorns," she proudly stated. "Won a few science fairs and even proved a few scientific theories wrong. But… you've been fighting a war, right?"

Draco nodded slowly as he sat up and stared out the window. "It only took a couple of weeks… plus the three days it took me to walk all the way here." Screams echoed through his mind as the rumbling of the train against the tracks boomed through his ears.

Noticing his dampened mood, Twilight put a hoof on his shoulder. He didn't face her, and instead closed his eyes. "It must have been-"

"Awful." He wiped his eyes quickly before a single tear could fall. "I was so stupid and naïve… I acted without thinking and I cost so many fighters their lives. General Blaze, Inferno, Charred, Flicker, Blunt all dead because I ordered them when I didn't know what to do!"

His anger flared and he punched the train once again, denting the metal with the help of It. Twilight gasped at the bent metal in the shape of his fist, and rubbed his back soothingly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"Twilight… please… don't be," he sniffled. "You and my Mom are the last ones who should be sorry. I shouldn't've brought all that back up… it's just… just forge-"

Twilight hugged him softly, quieting him down as he returned the gesture. Her fur parted against his fingers and her mane pushed into his face. The smell of lavender pervaded his sensitive nose, as if her color represented the flower itself. Twilight in turn could feel the hardened muscle against her cheek and part of her chest. The dragons were strong, and it came as no surprise he had built himself up. But it was impressive nonetheless. Even though he was diamond hard, his soft skin contrasted the feeling, and it brought a sort of comfort being in his arms. Draco felt another small stirring, awfully akin to the one he felt with Rainbow.

Twilight seperated reluctantly and gave him a reassuring smile. "It's in the past. Maybe I could come with you to the Dragon Kingdom. To bring Ember back, I mean," she stammered, a small patch of rose on each cheek.

Draco nodded, thinking back to Ember. She died in his arms… but he brought her back. Was this… monster more than that? A monster wouldn't save a life. It showed its true nature against the griffons, but it gave Ember life and strength. It layed dormant at the moment, but he wanted to talk with It as soon as possible. Twilight leaned against him for the rest of the ride, nodding off a couple of times with Draco's arm around her. He fiddled with her pillow-soft purple fur, listening to the faint sounds of her heartbeat every now and then. She looked so peaceful against him, and just feeling her beside him made him that much more comfortable.

When the train came to a stop, Draco woke her up quietly and helped her out. They met with the other group of mares, Rainbow eyeing them suspisciously and following behind them. They went straight to the Ponyville hospital, and upon stepping in there was a raucous of commotion. Draco hurried to Ember's room with the mares in tow, and when they reached the room he had to push past the doctors. Ember was struggling against the nurses and doctors who were trying to hold her down while a unicorn doctor was trying to aim a needle carefully.

"STOP!"

He pushed the doctors aside, crushed the sedative between his fingers and palm then hoisted the unicorn into the air by the throat, pinning him against the wall. Moon snarled at the other ponies, forcing them to back away.

"Who told you to do this?!" Draco growled, a flash of black passing over his eyes.

"The dragoness was out of, agh, control!" he gasped. Draco dropped him onto the floor, ignoring the shocked mares and going over to Ember, who was snarling at everything around her.

"Ember, are-"

"Stay back!" Ember shouted, baring her fangs and opening her claws for attack. "You and that wolf freak!"

Moon gasped and looked to Draco. "Ember, it's us!" he exclaimed. "Draco and Moon! Come on, we're-"

Ember's tail lashed out, tripping Moon then slamming into Draco's face. She leaped atop of him, readying to breathe fire onto her. Rainbow tackled her off, snorting angrily.

"Keep your tail to yourself!" Rainbow shouted. Ember growled and headbutted the mare, tossing her onto the bed in a hazed heap.

Twilight manipulated the straps of the bed and tied them around Ember's wrists and ankles. Ember struggled against the leather grips, then set them ablaze and freed herself. Flames spilled out from the sides of her maw as she readied to set them ablaze, but two powerful arms pulled her into a masterlock and clamped her mouth shut. Draco pushed her against the wall as her tail and wings flailed along with her head.

"Ember! Ember! It's me!" Draco shouted, pleading she was just in shock. "Calm down! Ember!"

"Get off of me!" She growled, trying to break out of the grapple. "Where is my father?! Where am I?!"

Moon realized it, and he knew Draco knew as well. "King Draco's at the central mountains," Draco said softly. "You weren't doing well and I brought you to the hospital. Ember… please, don't you remember?"

The creature's soft and sincere voice made her calm down slightly. It sounded as if it knew her from somewhere. "Who are you?"

"Draco. Ember, it's me, Draco," he whispered, witholding his tears again. "Me and Moon are your friends, remember?"

"Prove it," Ember growled.

Draco bit his lip and release her, stepping back as the dam broke. "You lost your mother when she fell sick and never got better," he whispered. "Your father was the only dragon you had as a family. He was so busy for the first year he never paid attention to you. He sent you to Canterlot so you could make friends and learn while the dragons focused on rebuilding their home."

"And no matter how much you deny it, you've always enjoyed flute symphonies," Moon added.

Ember's expression changed and her body relaxed into a normal standing position. "How did you know about my mother?" Ember questioned.

Draco stepped forward and shook his head, refusing to believe it. "You told me when we were fourteen."

The dragoness stood back, glancing to the group of ponies, the mares and an angry Rainbow, then Moon. "What happened?"

Author's Note:

Sorry for the missed updates, working on main fic here! Anyway, like, fav, comment, and have an awesome day or night! Peaces!

Comments

[Solowing32]

Gotta love dem flute symphonies, am I right guys?

[JT]

3404380

Fuck yeah. Hell yes.

[Mylittlebronyhood]

Well that went well!

[rikusorasephiroth]

...Could've gone worse.
A LOT worse.

[Pony Knight]

the main fic that this one is bassed off of is just as good if not better then this one.

Now I just need to finsh reading all the chapters that are available

[midnightshadow1]

what a chapter

[UnderCoverismyname]

Luv it

[GordonFreebrony]

Called it! It's still bullshit, but I called it!

[That_Random_Pony]

6403305 I don't want to get into the whole process (and spoilers) so all I'll say is he couldn't bring her back 100%. So I went with her memory lacking *laughs sinisterly*