Return of the Kezzerdrix.

by inum76

Chapter one: What dreams may come.

Chapter one: What dreams may come.

Alone in the dark Dazzle searched for where she was. The little white unicorn worked as hard as she could to light up her horn and give definition to her surroundings. As hard as she concentrated with struggling efforts could not push back the dank darkness.

She felt cold. A chill ran up her spine. Not so much from the cool air, but due to a faintly whispered voice heard in the distance. The sound seemed to come from all around like an echo. She did not dare respond. This dream was happening again. Though she struggled to ignore what she knew was about to happen, the faint voice got more near to her.

Now feeling increasingly unnerved, Dazzle wished to leave this place, to flee the event to come. The lost unicorn knew not where to run. She could not see beyond her nose.

The echoed voice in the air was familiar. Faint hollow cries, the same forlorn sound the cave creature gave a few days back. The cave creature that her and her two friends found.

That thing with teeth snapping and claws scraping was coming for her now in her dreams. She had nowhere to go. No matter what, her magic could not dispel the dark. It was not within her power. It never was, so early in this dream. Not till it was near. It was the way this type of dream seemed to go.

She waited for her stalker to come. She could hear its steps, which made her shudder. She could hear its breath. It moved about in the dark where it could not be seen. The once faint shrill cries were replaced by heavy breathing once it got close.

Dazzle's heart raced. It hurt with each violent throbbing palpitation like it wanted to leap right out of her chest. The breathing of this thing was so close to her now, it was almost on top of her. Her stomach churned, and she felt ill.

The frightened little unicorn could now feel this thing's body heat in the cold darkness. Feel and smell its sickening breath right against her back. The smell of it made her retch. The feel made her spine slip. Her body trembled all the more. She knew it is now right behind her!

Dazzle quickly turned around and took a step back to back away from it. On reflex, she succeeded to light up her horn so she could see once more. The darkness cast away into the distances.

Looking about for it, Dazzle found herself in a big open cave alone. Much like the ones she had explored with Plunk and Trooper. She veered her eyes to the right and gazed at the space of rock walls with a full assortment of minerals and shiny stones that sparkled slightly from the little light she is emitting.

Taking a glance to the left, she saw it right beside her! What she saw was the exaggeratedly long teeth on a large looking desert hare, with big paws full of long claws. All reaching out for her.

Grabbing hold of her, it moved its head down just below her jaw line across the back of her neck. With teeth grazing her neck, they pressed down electing a quickening of her senses, making them come alive. At this moment her muscles tensed up.

The sharp prickling was penetrating her skin all over her body as claws and teeth beard down. She found herself completely unable to move, frozen in place with fright. She woke up in stark terror, screaming as she spasmed which caused her to be flailing in her bed.

Plunk woke up in the bed across the other side of the room. Rushing to Dazzle's side she attempted to snap her roommate out of her current night terror she seemed to be having. "Dazzle! It's OK! You are safe now. It was just another bad dream. Dazzle!"

Dazzle partly came too and in desperation pulled Plunk close and hugged her tight. She was trying to use her as an anchor to keep herself in reality and away from her own bad dream.

Crying on Plunk's shoulder, the now relieved but still shaken white unicorn with bright yellow mane, sobbed out. "It was that dream again! The same one I have had since we found that cave in the ground. Four days ago. It just keeps coming back. I hate this. I don't understand why I keep having this dream over and over. I wish it would stop." Dazzle cried harder after while fearing of having it for another night.

Plunk was holding onto Dazzle while rubbing her friend's back. She did her best to help her calm. "It's still that bad, isn't it?"

Dazzle feeling herself became aware it would be hard to explain. Even though, she had tried before. She attempted to again, after pulling back a little. "If only you could see it. I don't know if what I saw in my dream is indeed what the others found in that cave, but what I see looks real enough.

"I never had such nightmares before. Not even after any lessons at school of what is known to live in the Everfree. I think it has a lot to do with what I felt on that day we found it. What I felt was so horrible. I felt I was going to lose you to some terrible fate. I felt you were going to die in pain, with no one to help you. That part I didn't tell you then. But I am willing to now. I am sorry I didn't tell you before. I just couldn't.

The thing is I didn't know how you were going to die, only that it was going to be real horrible. It was only after Twilight told us of that thing, did I make any connection with what it was that might have happened to you. And that it was that thing that might have killed you. Or from what I felt, that it had, and in a bad way."

Plunks eyes went wide at hearing this. "So that is why you went so insistent on not leaving my side, or not letting me just go off on my own that day. I knew you had been hiding something. You never were that insistent before.

"Sure, you have threatened to hold me back when you felt I was about to do something you didn't like. But not like that day. You usually were more playful about it, but that last time you looked so scared. It made me wonder why you seemed so freaked out, and serious.

"As with Trooper, in the short time I have been here, I never seen you like that. Now I know why."

Dazzle gave a nod. "Yes, and at the time I didn't know how to deal with such a feeling or explain it to you, not without sounding foolish and unnecessarily paranoid. I could not stand the thought of you running or flying off just to prove me wrong. I couldn't handle that. Not with what I felt."

Plunk hugged Dazzle closer again. "I do scare you with some of the things I do, don't I? Even more that day because of it. I am sorry Dazzle. I don't mean to scare you so much. Some days I just got to fly. Wild and free. It's just what I am."

Dazzle noded to her friend. "I understand, you are a pegasus, one from Cloudsdale. And I also find you are a little tougher than I thought you could be. Of that, I had to be understanding.

I know better now, that it is just a part of you to be daring, and challenge yourself, even in dangerous ways.

Many of the pegasus that were born here in Ponyville mostly fly for a purpose, or fun. Not so forceful as you or even Rainbow Dash. It is as you said; it's a part of you. It is scary for me to see sometimes, just the same. I am getting use to it."

Plunk put a hoof on Dazzle's shoulder. "You have seen me change some though. While being with you and trooper, in time, I did not feel as much of a need to go all out, as I had before.

"No more need to prove myself to others or make myself be the best anymore. All I wish to do now is fly. You and trooper helped me feel just being myself is enough, much like the other pegasus in Ponyville.

"After living here, I don't feel the need to try and be some great anything. I just want to live here in Ponyville and be a weather pony. Besides, with Rainbow Dash around, it would be hard to prove one's self the best flyer in this town. She is the best. The best I know of."

Dazzle gave a slight chuckle after hearing that, then went serious again. "There is what Twilight told us as well, that was bothering me. In my sleep, I can't shake that haunting nightmare of a memory of what we were told was down there. It comes together in my dreams.

"This time, it felt as if it was really going to get me. I always wake up shortly after seeing it. It was so real to me. It grabbed me and started to hurt me this time. I can still feel the touch of it's teeth on my neck, and it's claws digging into me." Dazzle started shivering on the spot as she told Plunk of this.

Both girls looked over as Mrs. Flower Wall, Dazzle's mom turned on the lights and walked into the room. A dark blue earth pony with a solid yellow mane and a daisy for a cutie mark, looking like quite a contrast of two colors she makes work on her.

She approaches the two girls with much concern. She put her attention on Dazzle when she got to them. "Are you doing OK honey? It was that same bad dream again?"

Sitting down near the foot of the bed, Flower brought her little one close. "I wish I knew what I could do for my little warm glow bug."

Dazzle felt a tad embarrassed by being called that in front of her new friend, but chose not care. She loved her mom, even her given pet names her mom used.

She leaned into her mom's chest, enjoying ever more the offered hug. "I will be OK mom. I just wish I could stop having this dream. It was bad this time though. More real than last time and far more scarey. I think I will be fine with Plunk hear though. It was just a dream anyway. Mmmm... I hope." Flower could see Dazzle looked around deep in thought after speaking.

Flower leaned down to put a kiss on the top of her precious loved one's head. "Are you sure you are OK? Oh, I just don't like seeing you have to go through this night after night. It breaks my heart to hear you wake up like that, and to see you in such a state.

"Perhaps we can go see someone about this. I don't like you to keep having these nightmares. It's not healthy. It worries me sick to think what this might do to you in time.

"You now sound as if you feel it might become real. I know you have started to have a few premonitions of late. Or something like that. These premonitions of yours worries me as well. We must see who can help you stop having this bad dream. We'll look for someone today. How does that sound?"

Dazzle felt pleased with this as she grinned to her mother. "That sounds great mom. But I think I would like to go see Twilight Sparkle. She was there, remember?

Dazzle went back to looking deep in thought again. "Yes, that last one did feel quite real. And yes, I also fear it might happen. This is why I wish to see Twilight. I don't know, but I think she could help.

"I found out last time I got to talk to her that she is from Canterlot. And after what I saw her do and what I have heard others say about her. I don't think she is just some librarian that happened to move in. I get the feeling that she is so much more than she appears to be. And might even wish to help, if we ask her."

Flower smiled to her little one before her. "If that is what you wish. We can go see her first thing then. It couldn't hurt just to ask."
Dazzle smiled again herself. "Thank you, mom. I am sorry for waking you up again. You can go back to sleep. Plunk and I will be fine together for now."

Flower looked down at Dazzle with a whimsical questioning stair. "I am not to sure who the mother is around here, with the way you sometimes talk. I swear you make me feel inadequate to handle you. Are you sure there is not someone else locked away in there? Like some older pony might have taken possession of you?"

Dazzle gave a light push against her mother while feeling that her mother was getting cheeky with her. "Mooooom!" These antics are typical between the two of them. Laughing and joking together about any silly thing they could think of.

Flower gave a giggle as Dazzle pushed her. With a quick change of mood to something a little more upbeat, Flower got up and tousled both girls mains. "It's OK sweetie. I don't mind coming to help you whenever you're in need of me. Even if it's just a bad dream. I am always here for you. Just let me know if you need anything." She turned and left the room giving her daughter and friend a quick smile before closing the door and leaving the area to go back to bed.

Plunk turning to look at Dazzle, "I see where you get your personality from. Your mom's cheerfulness even during a situation as this is infectious. When I first seen you, I thought you might have been related to Pinkie Pie. Not anymore. You are definitely your mom's daughter."

Dazzle grinned widely at Plunk's statement, loving to hear someone say she is like her own mother.

With her dream almost momentarily forgotten, she looked down while thinking, then looking back up to her friend. "Would you like to do something? I am not much in the mood for sleep right now. It is near morning anyways. Mom will likely be up again and making breakfast in about 2 hours. We could find something to do till then."

The little light brown pegasus was wide awake. The startling wake-up, her bad dream plagued roommate gave her, made sure of it. Plunk stood in thought next to the bed. "It's still dark out. Can we turn out the lights so I can see you do one of your light tricks?"

Dazzle smiled broadly again. Sounding like her usual cheerful self, "OK. I got a new one to show you. I have gotten real good at this!"

The excited pegasus flew to the light switch then back to her friend's bedside. Hopping onto the bed where Flower once sat. Waiting patiently for her talented unicorn friend to start.

With some concentration and closed eyes, the little white unicorn's horn lit up with magic. A feeling of calm, warm, joy at being by her friend's side filled her heart. She let this feeling expand within her until it felt like she could make it radiate outwards.

She controlled this feeling as it felt like a part of her own inner joy was where it could be seen. A small ball of light about 3 inches around formed in front of them both. Dazzle opened her eyes to look at it. "You have seen what I am going to do next before, but wait till you see what I do with it after that!"

Plunk was shifting in her seat as she waited excitedly for Dazzle to continue.

Pouring a little more concentration and magic into her horn, with her own building excitement, Dazzle made the little ball of light dance about. Shortly it broke up into a small spray of colors like a tiny fireworks burst in her room.

What she did next Plunk had not yet seen. Instead of fading, ten of the little specks held its place. Then grew in size while each color was turning back into white, as big and bright as the first she made. After, she made all ten of them dance around in all directions throughout the room.

The two girls faces were glowing. Both from the light, and from the smiles on their faces due to the show Dazzle put on with the balls of light.

Plunk gave a big "WOW! Can you make them all burst as well?"

Without her face being able to get any wider as she beamed, she gave a, "Yep!"

Each, one at a time randomly burst into a bright spectacle of rainbow sparkles. Just as before, instead of fading, some of the little-colored specks held in place, then grew into more white orbs.

Now near fifty of them. So many and so bright it looked like daylight lit the room. Dazzle had them all moving around all at once creating a dance of light spinning around the room.

"No! Way!" Was all Plunk could think to say.

Dazzle said with some excitement of her own, "Oh, I am not done yet."

Dazzle burst many of the orbs of light, near thirty of them on the outside of the mass, bringing the number down to around twenty white orbs. This time, letting those she burst to fade away.

She took the last twenty of them and moved them together, as the room got darker due to the loss of light. Next she moved and shifted the mass of light around until it formed a shape. It was of a water drop shape.

It turned color to a shade of blue, just like Plunk's cutie mark. Plunk could not stop smiling.

Dazzle made the water drop wiggle in place while trying to be silly with it.

For Plunk, watching her friend play with light has never been such a show. She knew Dazzle had been practicing. She did not know she was able to do anything like this yet.

Dazzle exclaimed with showmanship, "And now for this!" As Dazzle moved the lit blue mass around again. This time forming the light into the shape of a daisy. "See, now I can create simple projections my mind thinks of." Stating that, as she fills the light with color to fully match the look of her own mom's cutie mark.

Plunk asked curiously. "Anything your mind thinks of? That's so neat."

Dazzle looked serious for a moment. "I think so. But not with great clarity, not yet. A cutie mark is one thing. Projecting a full visual memory of like a building, is another."

With some thought about it, and a willingness for a chance to practice on something new, even with her friend waching, she turned her attention back to the glowing cutie mark she made. "I could give something more than this a try. I just need to think real hard about something."

The color on the glowing cutie mark faded back to white, as the light moved about again. It started to form into a new shape, at first looking like a pony facing to the left of them.

Then on its own it stood up on it's hind legs and looked at them. The girls were both as silent as this moving mass that shifted to face them. Dazzles eyes widened as she had no idea on how it was now moving on its own.

The only sound was of the magic Dazzle was trying to control, and the breathing of the two little fillies watching. To Dazzle, it now had a mind of its own, and she could control what was going on or stop it, even by trying to turn off her magic.

It grew taller and more slender. It fully turned to face them. It looked as if it was watching them now, as it changed. The shoulders of it became broader. The face stretched out along with the ears. The hooves formed into paws. Both girl's mouths was agape while just staring.

Plunk continued to stare for a bit. With her body now trembling. Whispering with a quiver in her voice, "What's going on? Are you doing this? Make it stop." She glanced over to Dazzle. Plunk saw the little unicorn's eyes were full of tears while shaking as well.

With a bit of a shutter, Dazzle tried to find her voice to answer Plunk. "I- I can't stop it!" The tearful unicorn choked out as she started to sob.

Dazzle found herself unable to pull her gaze from this shifting form. She knew what it was. She felt it came for her. Right out of her dreams. She felt as scared and helpless as she did in the dark of her nightmares. Now it was here. It was real.

Plunk looked back at the moving and forming light. Though it was no longer just light. It was a full form of some monstrous looking white rabbit. Forged from the darkest depths of Dazzle's nightmares that have haunted her dreams.

Its jaws wide open, showing the long dagger-like teeth, it reached with long claws out for them both. To Dazzle it moved just as it did in her last few dreams. The two of them screamed as it lunged for them.

Dazzles mind was ripped out of concentration by the big spine-chilling spectacle. She could not hold on to the spell any longer. The threatening and all too real vision disappeared right before getting to them. The two shivering and frightened fillies grabbed for each other unable to let go of one another.

Flower rushed into the room after hearing both girls scream. She turned on the light to find tearful terror planted on both of the youngster's faces, while shaking and holding each other.

Both just looking at the center of the room as if something was there to be seen. Though Flower didn't see anything else in the room with them.

~~~~~~

Down in the cave, the Kezzerdrix brooded. He has been digging for the past three days. It was now nearing the start of the fourth day, and he still had to dig.

He cursed to himself mentally about the small purple unicorn that trapped him in here. A pony! Of all the things he had fought with, he was defeated by a pony. But not like any pony he had ever saw before.

The ones he knew of where the wild ponies, and the ones owned by man, as well as a few others like dwarves. This thing that came down was not like any of them. Its color was unusual to him. And it had a horn.

To his knowledge there were no pony unicorns in existence. And this one showed to be powerful, for such a little unicorn.

Not to say he didn't have his share of any new magically created aberrations to deal with. But why such a magic pony? He asked himself. A moment later he felt it didn't matter.

What did matter to him was getting out, and finding that unicorn. He wished to rend the flesh off that purple pony, and feast on its freshly carved meat torn from the pony's bones.

Oh, how he longed to sink his teeth into some big mound of flesh to curve his growing hunger.

Having little to eat for the past few days but scraps, he was hungry enough to eat near anything alive. A miniscule amount of tiny morsels he found in the form of mice, moles, lizards, beetles, grubs, other bugs, and whatever little tidbits he could find crawling around he could grab on passing.

Such small meager pickings was not enough for him. With having to support a strong body of dense muscle, all while depleting energy to dig. Small scraps of food did not go far. Not when he had to take time to hunt for it. That took energy as well.

There was also little water to be found. Drippings of condensation that formed on the walls and dripped off the stalactites. Little water made in the morning dew dripped down for him. Some of it created small puddles he could drink from.

The high unusable crack made of hard stone in the ceiling that gave most of the creature's light to see with, also dripped small amounts of water in the morning. To which he was gathering some from at the moment while thinking.

Thinking back to the swamp where he came. Food was plenty there. He hated to be removed to do something else's bidding. He was now longing for his swamp. He was longing for good food. He was longing for a mate. He was longing to get out and feed off that purple unicorn pony's carcass while he was still here.

This cave was not like the one he lived in at his swamp. Parts of it looked natural. Most other parts looked carved. The stones in the upper main room, if one could call it that, had what looked like old unkempt stonework tables.

The glittering stones in the walls were naturally set, but seemed left there on purpose. The place looked like it was a mining cave. Though no one seemed there now.

It was abandoned for some reason. At first he thought it might have been a Dwarf cave. But much too crude to have been made by them.

There was claw marks on the walls as well, aside from his own. One of the passageways leads to lower areas. A mass of passages with a few rooms.

Next he thought it might have belonged to Goblins. There were a few discarded tools like shovels and a few broken-down carts. There was also a few tattered bits of clothing. Only vests were found.

Whatever did live here seemed to like dogs. The smell of dogs still lingered everywhere, mostly down below. Not much light reaches the lower floors, so hunting in the dark for meager pickings, was hard. His sense of smell helped him the most.

For him, getting out was a must.

Digging, he needed to get back to digging he thought.

Again, pushing broken up earth he clawed free down into the newly formed cave tunnel to make room for more space, just so he room to continue digging. There was a collapse of dirt in the area he was last digging. A speck of light could be seen. His long and tedious efforts paid off. Finally he saw a way out.

Scraping away at the new exit he made, the dirt gave away freely now. The Kezzerdrix pushed himself out the small hole. Crawling to his feet, he shook the dirt off still clinging to his body.

Having a look around, he saw a flat field of bushes and a scattering of trees. The sun's light was just creeping up over the crescent horizon filling the land slowly. To one side was seen some dense woods, the woods he explored on his first day here. On the other was a hill. The rest of the land seemed to follow along to either side of the woods and off around the hill.

He knew the woods. After appearing in the cave, he had a look around in the cave. He found the way out quickly.

At first glance, the woods looked like a place to go to find food, and whatever else he could.
He was was right and he was wrong. There as food there, but the woods also held a feel of foreboding darkness and doom much like his home swamp. But it was not his swamp.

While looking he found things, not of his land. He saw this place was a death trap if not careful. The things that lived in it seemed to be the wood's own efforts to devour whatever came into it.

The plants themselves seemed to come alive. Some of it in the form of wolves, while some vines moved to ensnare whatever came too close. This was not a place to be he felt, if he did not have to. He could live in it, but not today. Today he was in it just to explore.

There was the other things lurking in there he saw. Some he had seen before, others he had not. All seemed to be out to get whatever it could. Much like himself. If food was to be found, one might die while trying to look for it. Some food was found but not easy. He felt if he stayed for too long, even he could end up on the menu for something else.

On that first day, he had gone back into the cave before dark and stayed the night. Upon waking, he had a fit. None of this seemed right to him. Where was the one that called him here he wondered. A full day of searching in the woods and a full night of resting and waiting. There was no reason for him to be here. None he could find.

In frustration, he called out hoping someone or something he had missed while searching the cave before might hear him. He scratched at the walls. Anger was filling his mind. He screamed out at his confusing situation. He did this for some time.

Then he heard the footsteps of others coming. He wondered if the others that lived here were back? It sounded like a lot of them, but small. He would play with them. Maybe it was some that heard him and decided to have a look.

He felt he would give them something to see. He continued his screaming rant but not as he was. More slow. And fewer times. Whatever was coming was following the sound of his voice. He went into one hallway away from the main room to wait and hide.

The others that were coming made there way into the main room. He turned to look at them. Ponies! What luck he thought. Four ponies just walked right down to him. Odd looking, but ponies just the same. Food to his eyes.

He reasoned if he could corral them away from the exit, they would feed him for a few days.

Two things were very odd about them. They barely looked like any ponies he had seen. Each had a different color as well. Some of them bright colors. This did not matter. Food of a different color was still food.

However more to his surprise, the ponies had screamed at seeing him. They did not behave like wild or domesticated ponies at all. One of them even talked.

One stated, "What the hay is that thing!" While another saying, "Lets high-tail it out of here!"

The ponies quickly moved back to the entrance with purpose. Talking or not, he would not have them getting away. He rushed the last one moving out. A purple pony.

He had not noticed that she had a horn till the horn lit up. As he got near to her, she turned on him quickly, and gave him a blast of energy that sent him back into the main room.

The purple pony unicorn, as he now saw her to be, looked at him from a distance as he got up.

The pony quickly turned again to follow the others out. He ran after her. To his favor, he was winded and not able to move with speed at all. For as he made it to the last turn that lead up, he saw the unicorn standing at the entrance and her horn glowing much brighter than before.

He knew what might be coming, so he moves out of the way.

A moment after, the ground shook as a wave of light blasted the entrance shut. Had he been able to move faster while chasing them, he might have been in the blast range. He might have been killed by the blast, or completely buried under dirt unable to move. A chance he might have been killed by it either way.

Today he is out again and needed to have another look around.

There was a fence placed along the top of the distant hill. This likely meant villagers lived nearby. He knew the fence was not there before.

He pondered for a bit. Perhaps the one that summoned it was up there. If he or she was, why? Why was he not with his summoner while being given orders?

Killing his summoner would be pleasing to him. Once killed the summon spell would fade, and he would be returned home to the swamp.

Once free of the cave, he had wondered if he would really wish to return to the swamp so soon. The land here was nice and dry. Easy to move on.

If food was plentiful, it might not be so bad to stay for a bit, he thought.

There was another reason for wanting to return other than food. He was a young and virile buck in his prime, taken from his home. The call to mate was strong within him at the moment. Now he is denied a mate as well as his home.

For now he was not feeling very strong. The digging with lack of enough food drained him. He was a withered fragile imitation of himself. His body was fighting to stay alive; it was eating away at his very needed strength. He needed food.

Hunger was gnawing at his stomach. He was in no shape to run into some villagers. So the hill was not an option at the moment. He did not like these woods, so going back in to have a look again may not be any better of an idea for the moment, that is in his current state.

He settled on heading into the rising sun. Being out in the open was not a good option anymore than the other two, but as it was, he would be able to see where he was going a little better.

Staying close to the border of the woods gave him an escape if he needed somewhere to go if spotted by something he may need to get away from. Tangling with something formidable in his state was something he wanted to avoid. The woods would only be a last resort if he felt he needed to use it.

~~~~~~

Back in Ponyville.

Trooper sat up in bed. He woke up early at the glimmer of first light creeping into his room. He was so excited. Starting today, his father was going to make him a new suit of armor, and he was going to help.

It was great having his father as a blacksmith in town. His father made him some really neat things.

It was his father's passion for working metal into usable forms. Like most earth ponies, his father has a gift for nurturing things.

Kindled Flame's talent was nurturing and controlling fire. He used that talent to give him the heat he needed to smelt metal and forge what he wanted.

It was a craft few had mastered. If not done right the metal would not be hot enough, and too hard of a hit could crack the piece. With that, one might have to start over. Controlled rhythmic, and precise hits on a well-heated part is key.

As well, if not heated right and not hit in the proper way a part might not mold properly.

Heated for too long, and made too hot, the metal might sag or even burn. This, too could ruin the part being worked. These were things even Trooper was learning from his father's years of experience.

Smelting was something Kindle would only do if he felt he had the free time. In the past years now that he made a good amount of bits, he would buy performed slag-reduced wrought iron or bar iron from iron blooms.

Kindle even has a collection of further refined steel, and pig iron billets, and sheets, purchased from the Mainhattan blast furnace factories.

Each metal has to be handled differently. Be it gold, silver, copper, iron, tin, or refined steel. If careful, some of the metals he has could be formed without heating it.

Plenty of tools, pots, pans, stoves, and parts in Ponyville is made with metal working by him. Mostly tools and nails.

Kindle was one of the few around that did this kind of job, he had much business. Much of it here in Ponyville a mostly farming community. There was much need for metal working here. Tools often grew dull and needed some sharpening, reworking, or needed replacing completely.

Trooper outgrew his first set of armor that his father made for him. It had been adjusted as he grew, as much as it could. His father made it so it could be adjusted a lot as he grew in size, and would do so quickly.

Now it was time for a new one. Heavier and stronger.

Trooper did not have the same interest in metalworking as his father, but this time was special. Trooper felt good to be a part of making it this time. He knew he might not always get the chance to.

Trooper dreamed of being a castle guard, but mostly a hired guard escort like Dazzle's father Lance.

He felt the life of a castle guard might be boring but important. The life of an escort traveling on the road was not as prestigious, but much more exciting, and still very important to those that may have need of him. Lance had told him of this.

He looked up to Lance and hoped to be much like him some day. Though Trooper was not entirely sure why he felt this way.

Thinking of this, his thoughts turned towards Dazzle for a moment. He thought she was most likely the reason. He just felt the need to be able to protect her and others. A determined need to protect the ones he loved some day, was the reason he felt for him getting his shield cutie mark.

Though he also wondered, as Dazzle's power grew, would she have no more need of him? He didn't like to think about that. She would always want him around, he just had to believe it. He knew her for too long not to.

But as of the past few weeks Dazzle had been spending more time with Plunk, rather than with him. And this made him worry.

Kindled Flame, was proud of his son's chosen profession. It was dangerous, but respectable. This profession gave Kindle some concern. Though he loved to indulge in his boy's dreams.

He would make his son the finest armor and weapons of choice he could make when the time came.

For now, this new armor was for training and feeling the weight while moving around. This armor would be heavier than necessary. That would make proper combat armor feel lighter while in extended use, and let him move more freely in it. This new armor would be made of thick iron.

A full battle suit he one day wished to give to his son, would be of the best grade steel he could get for armor. Saving for it would be a must.

Saving for him was easy. He made a good amount of bits. He also spent little of it. Living the quiet simple life was the way he wanted to live. He was rather wealthy but never flaunted it.

The old armor Trooper grew out of was just for show, and something to play in. Trooper felt he needed something more now.

Dazzle's father Lance was willing to train him a little, with Kindle's blessings. This was going to be more than just play, for he was still young, and was not near ready for full on combat and defense training. It would be a good start just the same.

Lance would be back soon. Possibly in two days. A letter Flower received told of Lance coming home. The new armor would not be fully ready by then. Trooper hoped Lance would be able to stay long enough to get a look at it once finished before he had to go again. If he had to go again right away.

Trooper loved to hear stories Lance had to tell. He would often visit over at Lance's home to mostly see him when he was around, and to see Dazzle when he was not.

The two families knew each other well. Dazzle and Trooper was introduced very young at birth. They played together all the time. All while they had once lived together in the same home to start. Now they were inseparable, even while living apart in two separate homes.

Any idea of something as old fashioned like betrothal was unnecessary to the two families, and next to never done anymore except by the most wealthy and royals.

Both families felt that the two would little ones would always be together, to never know loneliness. The families would just let it happen without pushing them to be together or interfering.

The two families hoped that the two little ones would build lasting love between them on their own, as each of the four adults felt the little ones should. And everyone approved.

As Dazzle and Trooper got a little older, they had felt they knew what was going on, and they liked it. They never let on to the adults that they knew what both their parents had planned for them, they just went with it as a simple matter of life, just as their parents did.

Even after Troopers family moved to a new home, the two never truly parted but, did live apart.

He now lived in a new home right next to where Kindle worked. This move happened just over three years ago.

Trooper thought further on when Dazzle and him first met Plunk. Plunk had dropped in on their lives quite literally, two months ago. The day she surprised both with a big splash at the pond and got all three of them quite wet. Life between Dazzle and Trooper has never been the same since.

Trooper took some more time to remember it. The Trooper and Dazzle headed out for some fun together. It was a bright sunny day, and both felt it a good day to head out to the pond.

After taking a walk around the perimeter while talking, they got their surprise visit.

Plunk came down fast and at such an angle she skimmed the top of the water enough to create a small wave of mist and splash of water. The wave splashed over the two walking, taking them completely by surprise.

When the two looked over to see who did this to them, they saw a small light brown pegasus with a light blue mane. One of about their age.

She sat in the shallow trying to look innocent. This did not last long. Punk's innocent face changed to one that burst out laughing.

Upon seeing this, Dazzle's face went from one of a surprise look to one bubbling with a fit of giggling. Then to all out laughing with this new unknown pegasus.
Shortly Dazzle hopped into the water and while splashing she headed over to this newcomer quickly.

Plunk, as they later found out is her name, gave a little, "Uh, oh." Then took off into the air, trying to dodge the incoming bundle of giggling and laughing that bounded in her direction.

Dazzle moved in such a way that suggested to Plunk a possible tackle into the water by her.

Dazzle reached the spot where Plunk was sitting and saw her flying up and around. Not to be outdone, Dazzle lit up her horn. Now it was time for Plunk to get her surprise, and see just what Dazzle could do.

While not too far up from the water Plunk found her wings fold into her sides unable to move them. Plunk gave a short scream of, "Help!" as she fell into the center of the pond.

Plunk bobbed back to the top with a fit of sputtering and splashing. She headed for shore all while not sure what happened. Dazzle and Trooper greeted Plunk when she got out.

Trooper could not help but laugh himself when Dazzle explained what she did to Plunk just then. The look on Plunk told Trooper this must have been the first-time anyone has ever done something like that to her.

It seemed to Trooper that Plunk had not met unicorns all that often either while growing up in Cloudsdale. And definitely not one like Dazzle. There were few like Dazzle that even Trooper knew of.

He smiled some as he thought on how much has changed. He never thought he would be away from Dazzle for so long, but she had someone that was there for her, and he was feeling partly appreciative of Plunk for this.

Whatever he might have thought of Plunk in the past, she is now proving to be the kind of pony Dazzle told him Plunk could be.

Still, it brought back that question. How much more will things change, and will Dazzle still have a need of him with Plunk around?

He knew he was getting to be like his mother in some ways. To worry too much, for one.

As things changed all the more, he asked himself, would life with Dazzle and their two families all be as good as it has been, or will something come and take it all away?

He worried that Plunk might do this at first. He knew his mother thought about such things at times, and that kind of thinking had gotten to him as well. He just felt the need to protect what he has. His developed life's passion for defending what he cares about the most.

Today was a new day for him, and he did not feel like moping. Dazzle had shown him to enjoy life and take it one day at a time. Living can be fun if one makes it so.

He he felt he is going to do that today. This thought was what made him smile more to himself, as he sat in bed.

Comments

[Blackguard]

You should know by now that deleting comments is a sure fire way of attracting negative attention. I'm not going to bother to leave any kind of real comments here because you'll probably just delete them.

I'm sure Braumeister would agree.

And by the way, thumbs down.

[Togashi]

I didn't get this last time and I don't get it now.

That said, I hope the profile pic is indeed the author because that would be awesome.

[inum76]

5794951
I feel I must apologize to you. I was not upset with you at all. I don't hold it over people to get me, or my stories.
If you did have any questions (other than, let's say "where Is the whimsy?" ) seeing that you did not get it. I might have some answers for you. That is unless your statement was rhetorical to be funny or to make a point, and you where not looking for any.
I will say this, this is only the first chapter so far. The last story did have much missing from it. Some things should be answered in this one. And some to be answered in the last story, that I am working on now.
I can't promises that any found or given answers will have you like the story any however. That is, if you where one that did not like it so far. Seeing that you did not get the story, I will assume you did not.