A little loopy.

by FaelaArts

L66.2 Operation FlyDaDragon

The huge opponent in front of Sweetie was fearsome in every sense of the word. Sharp teeth that would crush her in an instant. Thick scales that would resist every magic attack she had to offer. Sharp claws that could slice her in half. And a blazing ball of death that would erupt from his mouth.

The black dragon roared, flaring his wings, challenging her. Sweetie breathed in, and crouched. Glass blade at her side, she began to approach. Slowly, and then breaking out into a run, her voice exploded in her own cry of challenge. The dragon’s eyes approved, and time seem to pause for a moment as she sprinted for her opponent.

Sweetie dodged a claw swipe, backflipping over it and trying to cut her blade into the underside of the dragon’s palm. A drop of red blood splurted out from her shallow cut. Sweetie didn’t have time to dwell on it, teleporting out of the way of the second hand. A large mouth opened in front of her and she sent a torrent of water toward it, creating a shield of steam that obscured her from view.

Levitating herself, she flew high into the air, dodging something swiping toward her. Upside down, she used her tail to turn herself downward, and raised her head, casting her ice storm spell. A few spikes formed, splitting up and raining down on the dragon. Sweetie watched the steam blow away as he flapped his wings once.

Position given away, Sweetie teleported out of the way of the teeth, further into the sky. Gritting her teeth, she concentrated and fired another round of spikes. Then, releasing the magic holding her up, she dived toward the dragon. Using her magic to direct her fall, she dodged the hands and aimed for the dragon’s chest, slicing down it.

Glancing back as she spun, and landed, cushioned by her magic, she saw no mark upon the scales. What’s more, her glass shard had shattered into a million pieces. Sweetie glanced upward at the claw coming toward her, and teleported out of the way just as it slammed down. The second hand came for her, and she dodged, taking a quick moment to consider her options.

Unable to think of anything, she dived forward, avoiding the flame as she moved in close. This was a dangerous place to be, but it afforded her precious seconds to glance around for another blade. However, that time ticked up, and she teleported into the air, avoiding the body crushing down upon her. Looking up, she watched the dragon below her roar, and leap toward her. Seeing no escape below, she opted to teleport rapidly into the air.

Wings flaring, the dragon took into the sky, and Sweetie teleported out of the way as it came to hover. Looking around, Sweetie concentrated, making a platform under her with her magic. Sweetie needed to be able to stand, she couldn’t fight upside down. Only now was she realising the usefulness of flight.

Flame erupted toward her, and she called upon her ice spell to freeze it before it made it to her, filling the air with steam for but a moment. A wingbeat later, and she was staring down a dragon’s mouth. Stopping her magic, she fell down just as the dragon passed toward her, pulling a shield of ice around her as fire followed her.

Ground rapidly approaching, and dragon close behind, Sweetie’s mind caught the sparkle of the ice melting around her, and an idea struck. The dragon fire ceased, and claws reached out for her. Sweetie turned herself upside down, magic gaining a second glow around her horn as she formed a long shard of ice, sharpened as much as she could. Using her magic, she pushed herself backward slightly, and slowed her fall.

Dragon rushing past her, she swung the shard at the belly, watching it shatter against the scales once more. Gritting her teeth, she released the magic slowing her fall, staying in line with the dragon. Pulling on her magic, her eyes began to glow white, and a large, thin shard formed, icy white.

Sweetie swung just as the dragon flared his wings, slowing his fall. Sweetie pivoted, using her spell to completely negate gravity for a moment, and levitated herself right at the dragon. Crying out in desperation, she swung the shard. For a moment it seemed to shudder against the scales, and Sweetie gritted her teeth, teleporting away as it shattered in her magic.

The dragon landed, inspecting his chest. There was a small mark on it, the ice shard hadn’t been strong enough to do more than leave a mark. Sweetie gasped for breath, vision fading for a moment before she shook it back into focus. No! She couldn’t lose now! Just one more try! A spear, to pierce it this time. Slicing wasn’t going to do anything.

“I don’t know who you are, monster who is using me for his own ends,” she spoke quietly between gasps for air. The dragon was quickly coming toward her, victory shining in his eyes.

“But please, give me this one victory. Give me one fight I can win.” Sweetie closed her eyes for a moment, the dragon raising a claw to crush her. Magic collapsing on her forehead, Sweetie began to slightly hover in the air, time slowing down as the claw came toward her. Sweetie’s horn glowed brighter than ever before, and her eyes were pure white as she opened them.

The claw touched the magical aura surrounding her, and Sweetie vanished, exploding outward with energy as she appeared above the dragon. Looking up, he roared, flame erupting. Sweetie parted it using her magic, and called upon her ice magic once more. A long shiver began to form, the point so sharp she couldn’t even see it. Taking it in her magic, the glow faded from her, and she held herself still with levitation.

“ARRRGH!” Sweetie swung it with all her remaining magic energy, and it flew true, slamming into the dragon’s belly, piercing the scales and causing minor damage. The dragon roared in pain, pulling out the spear and melting it with flame. The wound began to bleed lightly. The dragon turned his attention toward Sweetie, and blinked.

Sweetie closed her eyes, and began to fall. As she was above the dragon at that time, such a fall would easily kill her. However, the dragon extended a paw, saving her swiftly. Folding his wings, he looked to the tiny form, and then to the wound he had received. It had been enough, in his opinion. This pony had shown greater strength than he had ever seen in his millennia of life.

The dragon gently placed Sweetie down, and turned to the other dragons, giving a nod. An awe struck the dragons, and they all stared at the tiny form. The tiny little pony that had managed to score a minor injury against the Dragon King. Not once, but twice. The teenagers looked to each other, thinking for once that maybe ponies weren’t as ‘namby pamby’ as they had once believed.

“Rest young one, you fought well.”

Author's Note:

Sorry for the wait.

Comments

[Fancy Fox]

Well... This is certainly an unexpected development
I hope for more

[Amethyst Blade]

A dragon king....that take some "ULTIMATE POWER!" <= Old Spice's voice...

[Treforce]

No numbers in the author's Note this time.
Proven that it aint a chapter countdown, but a loop countdown.

[Gial Ackbar]

"she swing the shard" Swung, not swing, I think.

[Votederpycausemufins]

well, they didn't all turn to dust
"SHE'S NOT DEAD YET!"

[the other sans]

What 5740328 said.

Hmm... Too bad Sweetie couldn't give the Dragon the cold shoulder but she managed to stay cool under pressure to get her point across. She's a slippery one she is.

To be honest, now I'm just waiting for the right moment to say another much funnier joke like the last time I said Velestia was a giant heater. My mind is now constantly trying to translate into puns man.

[Maxes Altho]

5740302 img.hsmagazine.net/2012/07/doublesunpower.jpg

[crooked]

Sweetie Belle, DefeatDaDragon, but no FlyDaDragon.

[Moowell]

I'm kinda curious about what happens with the dragons if Sweetie doesn't make it out. Since Rarity has never commented on a sudden size change despite her extra year of physical and magical development, I'm assuming she doesn't age while in the loop. So what happens after a hundred or so years of loops? Will Equestria see a sudden generation gap of dragons? Will they die out after a few thousand? If what the king said is true, then they're essentially barren as a species now. Even if the eggs shield the babies, babies themselves have no immunity to looping. After the first unprotected loop, they'd either become 'unhatched' and never escape their eggs, or go back to their fetal state without the egg's protection. Even if they reappeared as eggs inside their mothers, eventually the mothers are going to die.

Just some food for thought.

[LGHeart]

5740445
The dragons might actually be able go through the loops, the last chapter did imply that to some degree. Remember king dragon said they knew about the loops and that their scales can be used to prevent magic from effecting them. Sweetie mostly used magic to protect herself and make weapons. meaning everything else was physical damage of some type or another in this fight. This leaves the possibility that the dragons can loop with her and most will even remember this moment. So even if sweetie did die, the possibility that she died was eliminated by the fact she hasn't been ported to her room, the dragons probably wouldn't turn to dust in anyway. Either way Sweetie appears to be alive and will likely be riding a dragon next chapter! Oh I can't wait to see what ponyville's reaction will be to that. Especially Rarity's and Twilight's reactions, those should be great. Wait I want Sweetie to have the dragon wait until next loop to have her ride him, that way no pony will have even the slightest idea what the heck happened! beautiful!

[Leonzilla]

5740791 as long as teen dragons are affected by the loops we know that even if the loops were to extend for so long that all creatures not affected by it would die. Dragons would not be extinguished as the Teens would eventually grow and reproduce after the loops is finished.

~Leonzilla

[honeyhoneyhoney]

Yay!!!! :)

[Twilight Writer]

5741537 Hm, your profile pic doesn't seem as excited.

[cheesegal]

I really want a loop where Sweetie loops with a dragon

[DJPurple3]

This was amazing! Utterly! Nice job, there!

5742615 That's an idea and a half! I want to see that too!

[Anon 3]

I'm not going to lie, I had this song stuck in my head throughout the fight.

[The Brony Spartan]

Sweetie Belle, Sweetie Belle, naal ok zin los vahriin,
wah dein vokul, mahfaeraak ahst vaal,
ahrk fin norok paal graan, fod nust hon zindro zaan,
Sweetie Belle, fah hin, kogaan mu draal.

[Mocha Star]

Whoop!
There it is!

[BronyCrystal]

that was one hall of a battle!!!