Chapter 30 - Daddy
Shackles and Friendship
Chapter 30 - Daddy
Edited by Hollyhock
Pre-read by Hollyhock
"Not that ah'm complaining or nothin’," started Applejack as I took another shiny red apple from the sack. "But are you sure ya wanna buy all these apples?" The yellow earth pony looked both unsure yet pleased as I took a bite with a look of pure satisfaction. Instead of answering I simply placed an arm behind my head, leaned back against the tree, and gave her the largest tooth bearing smile I could muster. "Gosh, I don't rightly reckon anypony falli'n for my apples quite like you."
She gave me a pat in the shoulders with a bit too much strength and nearly toppled me sideways. I didn't complain though, I just sat there under by the tree enjoying the cool shade with my third apple in hand. Next to me was a sack, roughly the size of a grocery bag filled to the brim with perfect, bright red apples. I looked away from Applejack and turned my attention back to the town, the hill I was currently on had quite the view of Ponyville. It would have been the perfect sight if it weren't for the giant zeppelin thing that landed in the clearing near the town center.
From what I could see at this distance the only form of propulsion that thing used was a pair of large fins on the side that worked like those folded hand fans. It looked like they tried to duplicate a ship's functionality but for air travel, which was obvious seeing as they simply tied a whole boat right onto a giant balloon. I wasn't sure if it was on purpose, a coincidence, or just myself but the design of the thing looked like a giant flying whale with a big grin carrying a fishing boat.
(AN: Something like this)
"You reckon there's trouble in town?" asked Applejack in a worried tone. Her question made me recount the events earlier today, particularly what Twilight said.
"I'm not letting somepony just take you away..." Calm as I might have appeared her words kept bugging me ever since I left the boutique, and now this thing appeared. A large number of ponies had disembarked from the ship earlier today, though I couldn't exactly tell how many. From the way they reflected light it would have been a safe assumption that most, if not all, wore something metallic. The only ponies I knew that wore armor were the royal guards from the castle.
'You think they came for us? Maybe that exploding letter was a bit too much.'
'I doubt it, otherwise they'd have arrived a long time ago. No this is something else. But according to Twilight I seem to be involved somehow.'
"Rodney?" Turning to Applejack I realized that she had been waiting for me to answer.
"No idea," I lied in a casual tone. I wasn't exactly sure why I did but it came out anyways, maybe I was somewhat intimidated by the whole situation. Didn't seem to work though seeing as she looked at me suspiciously almost immediately.
"Yeh sure 'bout that?" I let out a sigh.
"There's.....a chance that I might be involved somehow. But I swear I didn't do anything wrong!" I quickly added. "I'm just as clueless as you are." I wasn't exactly a lie, more like a half truth. Before she could raise another question I got up in my feet and grabbed the sack of apples in one hand.
"C'mon, I need to check up on Sweetie Belle and make sure she's ok. I did take her with me without Rarity’s permission." I lifted the bag over my shoulders and took another bite of the apple. "You can finally introduce me to the rest of your family."
Without waiting for an answer I began to make my way down the hill and back towards the large farmhouse some distance away. I could almost feel Applejack glare at me from behind, but fortunately she dismissed the issue and moved to catch up. It might not have been a good idea to delay the inevitable, I had to go back eventually. But in the off chance that whatever was going on has nothing to do with me, I prefered to let it work itself out in peace and just keep my distance.
‘Who knows maybe it'll just blow over in a bit.’
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[Meanwhile.....]
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"So....you're not here to take him away?" Twilight asked in a suspicious tone.
"No ma'am," answered Shine Bright surprised at the strange question. "Princess Celestia ordered me to monitor the human and that’s it." From what Twilight could see it seemed her reaction and answer was genuine.
"You see Twilight," spoke the ivory unicorn who stood nearby, "nothing to worry about dear."
"But the letter....," Twilight started now unsure but before she could continue the sound of heavy breathing came from behind her. Following the sound, all three ponies turned their attention to the source to see a purple baby dragon with green scales running up to them on two tiny legs with a scroll in his right claw.
"Twilight! Wait!" he shouted between strained huffs. He ran up to stop right in front of all three ponies and held the scroll up to Twilight. "She's....she's not here to take him away," he spoke completely out of breath. "You didn't...let me finish." Spike took a few more moments to catch his breath before unfurling the scroll.
"As I was saying before you ran off:”
“In light of recent incidents involving Rodney, I have sent Shine Bright to take him off your hooves."
Spike was ready this time so before Twilight could cut in he quickly continued reading.
"I understand that with your commitment to your studies, monitoring him might be too much even for you. I hope that her assistance will lessen the burden and make things easier for you.”
"Oh....eh haha. Eeeeh....oops." With her mistake clearly pointed out Twilight began to blush slightly with an embarrassed smile.
"Wait, there's more." Spike's eyes ran through the scroll as he read on ahead. "Yada yada yada...oh! Looks like she's staying with us." Spike looked up from the scroll to the new pony in front of him before walking up and held his claw out for a greeting. "The name's Spike! Twilight's number one assistant!" Shine Bright, who had remained silent for awhile accepted the greeting with a smile.
"Shine Bright, I eh, used to be a maid in the castle," she replied nervously.
"Now I remember you!" Twilight suddenly shouted. "You're that maid that spoke with Rodney before our departure. Sorry for not recognizing you earlier." She held a hoof out for a greeting, "Twilight Sparkle, though I suppose you know that already." Shine Bright took her hoof with a smile before turning her attention to the ivory unicorn.
"Rarity, a pleasure dear. Now I do apologize for leaving so soon after we've just met but I really must leave," Rarity turned to Twilight, "somepony made a dreadful mess back home."
"I'm so sorry Rarity," said Twilight with her ears flat on her head. "I-I didn't mean-"
"It's quite alright dear, I've been thinking of redecorating the store anyways." Rarity let out a light chuckle. "And now I have somepony to do most of the work for me!" With that she trotted away towards her boutique with her characteristic elegant sway before disappearing around the corner.
"Wait, if you're not here to take him away..." Twilight turned her attention past Shine Bright to the many royal soldiers going about their business. "What are you doing with so many guards?" She spotted a few pegasi busy unloading what looked like supplies off the ship which most likely meant they were here to stay.
“I was hoping you could tell me.” Shine Bright followed Twilight’s gaze. “I tried asking but as usual they didn't say anything. In fact they didn’t do much during the trip.”
“Miss Sparkle?” came a sudden gruff voice. All three ponies and dragon turned around to see one of Luna’s night guard approach them from behind accompanied by Mayor Mare. From the looks of it she was definitely not enjoying this sudden development in her peaceful town.
'This can't be good.'
"Yes?" she replied with hesitantly.
"If you would come with us ma'am, there is something I need to discuss with you and the mayor."
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[In the Everfree...]
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In times past darkness had been a common fear to many in Equestria. Nowadays few feared it the same way with many ponies taking leisurely night strolls to enjoy the cool night air or to view the stars in the sky. This was all possible because of the safety offered by civilization with its sheltering walls and community, however most still felt safer in the light of Celestia’s sun.
But not in the Everfree.
For the Everfree was one of the few places within the tamed lands of Equestria that remained wild and free. Where the rules of the jungle still held strong and true. Even as the sun pierced through the the thick canopy of the forest, it did little to diminish the level of danger. To Inquest, the sunlight offered little comfort for if anything else it created a false sense of security.
True, it revealed roots, rocks and many other small dangers in the forest floor, but it also stole the fear away. Fear kept one vigilant, alert, and alive. The sting of a Manticore's tail, the stare of a Cockatrice, and the bite of a Timberwolf remained just as deadly both in the day and in the night.
Inquest counted himself lucky that the journey had remained uneventful thus far, though that could easily change in a fraction of a second. He kept up his vigilance and strained his senses, both physical and magical, for any signs of danger as he continued to trot through the thick forest in complete silence.
Nothing could be heard from him even as he stepped on dry leaves or withered branches. There was a light glow emanating from all four of his hooves, a spell to muffle his hoofsteps that he invented many years ago out of necessity when he and Crea had to flee from three packs of Diamond Dogs. Who it was that angered the alpha of all three packs was still up to debate between the two of them.
Spells to create shields, darken the shadows, change the color of his coat like a chameleon, or to point out which direction was north were just a few of the spells that were available to Inquest. Some he created in preparations prior to heading out for an expedition, but most were weaved in the field out of sheer desperation of circumstance.Though he would never openly admit it, and as impressive as his spells were, in his mind none of them compared to having Crea by his side. For no spells could replace a companion who would willingly throw themselves into danger for his sake.
As a race of predators, gryphons had earned their reputation as a violent species making even the most feeble of their warriors a threat to any pony. As large and buffed as the gryphon was, many had assumed Crea to be the muscle of the duo. However, any who had taken part in an adventure with her quickly discovered that her true value was hinted at in the translation of her gryphon name:
Whistwind; the silent wind.
The old pony knew this all too well and despite appearing to be completely alone, Inquest continued to traverse through the forest with calm. He was confident that the gryphon’s sharp claws would come to his aid from any branch, brush, or even straight out of the sky with extreme accuracy and effectiveness, and if she should choose to do so; lethality. As effective as she was in dangerous situations, he valued her scouting ability to avoid danger more than anything else.
However, there was something these two prized above spells and claws, it was their synergy. It was without a doubt their greatest weapon, that extra awareness that allowed them to share and communicate their intent with a single glance as if reading each other’s mind. To know where to move, to strike and act in perfect harmony.
Even a small broken piece of branch laying in Inquest’s path was a clear message from Crea. The way it was severed cleanly off the tree and twisted to a curve, it’s broken end pointing to the left while the other pointed towards a tightly packed group of trees. Inquest could almost hear her words in his mind;
‘Careful. Danger on the right. Stay silent. Move left.’ The message was just as clear to him as if it were written on parchment.
Following his partner’s advice, Inquest strengthened the spell on his hooves before diverting to the left. He strained his eyes and kept rotating his ears about as he made his way through the trees for any signs of danger. Before long he heard a low growl from his right. Peering from behind the cover of some trees Inquest spotted a large manticore grooming itself in a small clearing. The thick patch of trees kept the manticore hidden from view. It would have been too late to sneak away by the time he noticed the danger.
This level of synchronization was what truly made these two unlikely companions a force to be reckoned with.
So with a combination of subtlety and Crea’s guidance the two were able to avoid most of the dangerous creatures in the forest. Though it took them far more time than Inquest first predicted with all the detours they took along the way. It wasn’t much of a surprise then when he spotted Crea’s tail dangling from a tree a few meters ahead.
“Here,” the gryphon spoke softly before she threw something small wrapped in light brown paper. With his magic he easily caught and began unwrapping the object which revealed a sizable chunk of bread loaded with bits of fruit and berries.
“Thanks,” he replied just as his stomach began to grumble. “Hmm, didn’t realize how famished I was,” was all he said before he seated himself under the tree and began eating with fervor.
“Easy there love, you’ll choke if you keep eating like that.”
“Lay off me Crea....and stop calling me that,” he complained irritably between mouthfuls. “You’re not eating?”
“Already did.” Crea took out what remained of a large sausage for Inquest to see. It was one of her recipes, dried sausage with bits of onions and various vegetables packed together. Not lacking in taste, it also offered a high amount of needed nutrients and protein that could last them days if properly rationed. “Want a slice?”
“Sure.” With a sharp claw Crea cute a small piece and dropped it down. She observed curiously at Inquest as he started to eat the sausage and bread together.
“In all my life you’re the only pony I know that eats meat,” she commented which Inquest replied with a casual shrug. Though in truth he too would never have thought of eating the stuff were it not out of desperation. Being lost, out of supply, and forced to consume one of Crea’s kill counts as desperate. Of course he would never openly admit to, or consume such things in public, but he did acquire a taste for it.
“It’s not harmful to ponies,” he continued before taking another bite, “as long as it’s cooked then its just another source of protie-ukh!” Crea let out a chuckle as Inquest fell into a coughing fit before grabbing her large water container and delivering it down with her tail.
“I told you.” Inquest merely groaned in irritation before levitating the container back up to her. “I’ve been meaning to ask, how did you know about the dragon? I don’t suppose you know this particular dragon?” she asked, secretly hoping the answer was ‘yes’.
“Never met him,” and just like that her hopes were crushed. “As to how I know about him, well a giant flying lizard with a mass to flatten a several houses and packing enough fire to burn down a whole city tends to attract some attention.”
“You let dragons live so close?”
“Equestria’s relationship with the dragons is strictly a ‘leave each other alone’ policy, which is the only choice there is.” he added jokingly. “But to answer your question, dragons that choose to live in other parts of the world tend to be the gentler sort.” Inquest could almost feel the disbelief from the gryphon. “I’m serious, why else would they willingly live so far away? So they moved elsewhere for some peace and quiet. That or they can’t handle the competition back home.” He gave a shrug. “Whatever the case we keep a close eye on every single one that lives in Equestria and each gave their word not to harm any of the citizens to the Princesses. Even a dragon would think twice before fighting a pair of alicorns, especially when one controls the sun and the other the moon.”
“And you’ve never had any trouble from them?” she asked still not quite believing it.
“We do but it’s nothing serious. I believe the last incident involved a dragon that snores during its century long hibernation.” Inquest waved a hoof. “Didn’t know much about it, at the time I was far too busy with my flying carpet project.”
“You actually went through with that?” she asked with a light laugh. “Well at least you followed my advice and didn’t go with a broom.”
“It’s a suitable mode of transportation and everypony already has one!” he defended.
“Sometime I wonder if you really are a genius, or just plain crazy.”
“Crazy is only a matter of perspective.” Crea looked down at him thoughtfully while Inquest looked up with a grin.
“Yup, definitely crazy.” She let out a sigh. “Mother always said I’d fall for the weirdos.” Inquest ignored that comment and got up to all four.
“We should get moving,” he said while gazing at the sky. “We have about two hours before we start losing daylight. Let’s-” Inquest turned to look up at the gryphon but found himself alone once again.
He shook his head before departing from the tree back towards the general direction of the cliff side. All the while he began to recall every memory he had involving dragons in preparation for the encounter. Size, strength, and a fire that could melt steel, these were the dragon's greatest assets. In his mind Inquest listed spells of ice and water, of fireproof shields and anything else that could aid them should things go awry. Inquest knew from experience however, that no amount of preparation was ever enough when a dragon is involved.
Unlike before, it took far less time to traverse before, seeing as almost every living creature kept their distance from this particular area. Which was a wise decision considering what lived nearby. Without anymore detours or roundabouts it only took Inquest roughly an hour to finally spot the first of many signs of fire. Blackened carcass of trees stood tall like dark withered tendrils which quickly multiplied the further he trotted on. Eventually he spotted a small clearing just past the few trees in front of him along with a giant looming cave at the base of the cliff.
"I really don't like this idea," came a familiar voice from behind.
"Neither do I," he answered truthfully without looking back. He was all too familiar with Crea's habit to appear seemingly out of nowhere in his blind spot. "But it's better than scouring the entire forest without knowing what to look for."
"I beg to differ, that idea has us alive at the end," she argued. Ignoring the comment, Inquest started to scan the surrounding area for any potential danger before venturing further. "It's clear, I checked."
"Let' not keep him waiting then." He moved past the trees and into the clearing leaving behind the still hesitant gryphon. There was a battle between her survival instincts with her desire to protect the pony, but in the end her loyalty and love won out as she started to follow suit.
Most dragons living within the boundaries of Equestria were quite tolerant of visitors, by tolerant meaning they wouldn’t burn ponies on the spot, however it was important that said visitors ALWAYS made their presence known. Dragons were notoriously protective of their hoard and it was vital that they did not assume that those who entered their lair are after it. Unless they desired a painful demise.
Knowing this Inquest quickly terminated the spell around his hooves as he entered the cave with Crea right behind him. The moment he took a step on the hard stone surface, the sound of his step echoed down through the dark tunnel like a doorbell causing both gryphon and pony to freeze in place. They waited as the echo started to die down when suddenly there was a sudden gust of wind that almost blew Inquest's mane off his scalp.
"He knows we're here," said Inquest in a whisper. "Seeing as he didn't incinerate us, I suppose that meant we're invited in."
"Oh yeah, that makes me feel alot safer," she replied sarcastically.
They both made their way further in and slowly the darkness began to intensify until Inquest was forced to cast an illumination spell. The sound of hoofsteps and talons scraping the ground echoed about which really made Crea feel uneasy although she could easily handle herself in a fight. Not that she looked forward to tangling with a full grown dragon, Crea preferred a subtler approach to a problem. But tunnels and enclosed spaces like a cave made that entirely impossible, she could try hiding in the dark but then the dragon could easily flush her out with fire. In other words, she was entirely out of her element.
Without warning the tunnel abruptly broadened into a large cavern. Nothing was visible but darkness beyond Inquest's light. Knowing they were not alone he slowly intensified the brightness just enough to cover the whole cavern. The space inside was massive, enough for several homes to fit snugly with room for a garden. The only indication of the ceiling were tips of numerous stalactites hanging from above. What caught both their attention however were the giant mounds of gems piled up on one side of the cavern, each glinting beautifully to reflect the light from Inquest’s horn.
'Ok there's the hoard,' thought Crea. 'But where's-'
“Well well, what have we here?” came a booming voice. Both Inquest and Crea fell into defensive position on reflex. Inquest added more magic into the spell and soon enough they could make out the shape of the dragon as the light began to bathe him.
Hundreds of times the size of a pony, the dragon had green scales covering most of his body with a lighter shade covering the underbelly. The leathery wings, claws, and spikes protruding from it’s back were also of a lighter green. What attracted their attention the most were his fangs, rows and rows of sharp white fangs that could easily rip a manticore to shreds in a single bite.
Despite how frightening the dragon was, both Inquest and Crea could only gawk open mouthed at what they saw. The dragon, in all it’s terrifying splendor, was standing upright on his hind legs with an entire tree in his claws ripped out from its roots. He held the tree upside down with both claws and from the looks of it, was using the branches and leaves to sweep the cavern floor.
“I do apologize for the mess,” he began with the same booming voice yet in an oddly civilized tone. “I’m afraid I’ve let things go a bit too much, rarely do I play host to any visitors.” He turned walked a bit to the right and placed his makeshift broom to lean on the wall before turning his attention back to the two. “Well then, I suppose introductions are in order.”
His large, slit, yellow eyes focused on the two and each of them had to fight an instinctive urge to make a run for the exit despite the dragon’s unusual behaviour. Still, this was not the first time they had spoken to a dragon before and they had agreed long ago who would take charge in such situations. After a deep breath to calm himself, Inquest took a few steps forward.
“My name is Inquest, the current ‘Professor’ of Equestria’s Research Department and advisor to the Royal Court.” Despite the situation Crea noticed the slight hint of pride in Inquest’s tone. “My companion,” he continued with a hoof pointed to Crea, “is Crea Whistwind, an agent of the Gryphon Confederation on loan on behalf of Princess Celestia’s request.” That was a lie of course, though Crea certainly did a few missions on the for her government, she was never technically under their employment and certainly not an ‘agent’. But she had enough sense to keep her beak shut and trust that the pony knew what he was doing. The dragon stared at the two for a moment before he placed a claw on his chest and gave them a slight bow.
“I am Falnor, a pleasure,” greeted the dragon with a slight bow. Inquest couldn’t help but stare curiously at the dragon, he had expected to do a lot of groveling and praising to get the dragon’s cooperation. Yet here he was having a perfectly civilized conversation with a dragon who had just bowed to him! A dragon’s pride is legendary and even if it was just for a greeting, for one to bow to anything other than a fellow dragon was unheard of.
‘Was he afflicted with poison joke perhaps?’ he thought. He dismissed that unlikely notion remembering that dragons have a natural resistance to such things. Even if he had rolled around in an entire field of poison jokes, it still wouldn’t be enough. But as strange as things were it was all working out for the best, so why bother questioning it.
“Now why, pray tell, would two such outstanding individuals traverse through the dangers of the Everfree to pay me a visit?”
“Answers to questions and nothing more.” Falnor scratched his chin in thought before giving a nod and bade Inquest to continue. “Since you reside in the Everfree, you must aware of what happened several weeks ago.” Falnor let out a sigh which sent small spouts of flame to erupt from his nostrils making Crea clutch the ground harder with her talons.
“You speak of the event that took place in a clearing not far from here. Yes I am aware, nasty business that was.”
“I’m sure it was. But did you happen to notice anything unusual in the days that followed? Strange creatures or signs that appeared in the forest?” Falnor turned away from the two to stare absently of to the distance, though from the look in his large eyes he certainly had something in his mind.
“The Kindling.” Inquest’s ears perked up at attention.
“What was that?” The question went by unnoticed to the dragon as he continued to stare off into the distance in deep thought.
All the while Crea kept to herself in silence yet something about the situation troubled her. Of course being in the presence of a full grown dragon, even a well behaved one, counted as troubling. But her instincts kept poking at her ceaselessly ever since Inquest began to converse with the dragon. While trying to remain inconspicuous Crea kept glancing about the cavern hoping to spot if anything was amiss while committing the environment to memory. It finally came to her when she glanced at the pile of gems and how it appeared to have been shoved to the side.
‘Why is it all piled up there?’ she thought. Dragons always kept their hoard at close proximity and even would sleep on it often. Before she could think on it further her attention shifted back to Falnor who had finally snapped out of his contemplation.
“Sorry about that, I have a bad habit of losing myself in thought.” Falnor let out a deep chuckle causing small flickers of flame to escape from his nostril. “It comes with age unfortunately. But back to your question, yes I do know of such a creature. I believe it currently resides in a nearby town, what was it called? Honeyville? Pockeyville?”
“Ponyville,” corrected Inquest disappointedly, “we are aware of that one. But have you noticed anything else? Anything at all that stood out?”
“Can’t say I have,” the dragon answered with a shrug. “Things have been normal. So far at least.”
“You’re positive? Nothing that seemed strange or odd at all?” Inquest scolded himself as he noted the dragon’s sudden irritated expression.
“Of course I am!” he shouted in a thundering voice that shook the entire cavern. Inquest and Crea warily took several steps back. “Forgive my sudden outburst, but yes, I am quite positive. It’s just been my daughter and I going about our business. Nothing out of the ordinary has happened since the incident.”
“I see.” Inquest gave Crea a look that signalled it was high time they left. “I apologize for the disturbance then, your assistance is greatly appreciated. We thank you on behalf of...” Inquest’s voice trailed off as something struck his mind. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to pry but....you have a daughter?” According to the report he had read prior to the trip, this dragon resided in the Everfree alone.
“Yes I do,” he answered with a large smile baring his fangs. “Such a dear she is, my pride and joy. Though she’s currently asleep at the moment, luckily it seems that my little outburst didn’t wake her. She can throw quite a tantrum if disturbed.”
“What are you doing!?” asked Crea in a whisper. “Let’s just get out of here!”
“Something’s not right,” he whispered back before turning his attention to the dragon. “How long have you and your daughter lived in the Everfree?”
“Since the beginning, ever since we decided to move here together.” Inquest tapped his chin as he went through the file in his mind. He remembered it clearly stated that the dragon came to live here alone several decades ago.
“According to our records you came to live in the Everfree alone, somepony must have made a mistake,” Inquest lied as a plan formed in his head. “If you would be so kind as to give us your daughter’s name, that way I can personally update the records and fix this promptly when I return.”
“Of course, her name is....is....I.......” Falnor scratched his chin in thought but all that came out were more stutterings and incoherent mumblings. “It’s...it’s in the tip of my tongue!” he shouted in frustration. “Her name! Her name it’s.....I know her name!” Both pony and gryphon began to move away from the dragon who now bore a pained expression.
“Daddy?” came a gentle voice. The dragon froze. The look of pain and frustration on his face suddenly shifted to a pleasant smile. His long neck curved as he turned to look at something behind him. Inquest tried to amplify his light hoping to catch a glimpse of this so called daughter but to no avail, the dragon’s massive body kept blocking his view.
“Oh, did I wake you?” he asked in a gentle voice. “I’m so sorry, go back to sleep dear.”
“Who are they?” asked the voice sounding alarmed. “What are they doing here?”
“Worry not my dear, they came only came to ask some questions. In fact it seems there was a mistake in the records. It says that I live here alone, isn’t that just silly?” A shiver ran down Crea’s back as her instincts suddenly screamed at her.
“We’re outta here!” she whispered before lifting the pony onto her shoulders and making a bolt for the exit.
“I don’t like them daddy. Kill them for me.”
“Of course dear, anything for you.” Despite the early warning from her instincts and using her wings to propel herself, she still couldn’t reach the tunnel in time before a large spiked tail fell in front of her. Turning around she dropped Inquest on the floor as the dragon loomed over them. “I do apologize about this,” he spoke casually, “but you know what children are like. They’ll never stop nagging unless you give them what they want.” He lifted a claw and was ready to strike. “Now hold still and this will all be over quickly.”
Just as the living guillotine was about to fall there was a bright flash from Inquest’s horn as he overcharged his illumination spell. With a roar Falnor reeled back from the light as he tried to cover his eyes with both claws. With the dragon temporarily blinded, Crea took the air while Inquest galloped away in another direction.
“Keep him busy!” Inquest shouted as he tried to formulate some kind of plan.
Crea let out a piercing battlecry like that of an eagle which reverberated in the cavern before flying straight at the dragon. With him still blinded, Crea easily struck Falnor’s sensitive snout with her talons causing him to grunt in pain. He retaliated by swinging his large claws randomly through the air hoping to make contact, but it was all in vain as they barely came close to her. All that changed when Falnor’s vision began to clear up, and his strikes slowly got closer and closer. It didn’t take long before Crea had to focus entirely on dodging each strike and was nearly caught mid air when Falnor suddenly lunged forward with wide open jaws.
“I can’t keep this up!” she screamed just as another claw brazed her underbelly drawing blood. The combination of limited flying space and Falnor’s great size left Crea at a severe disadvantage.
In most battles Inquest and Crea would each play the role that suited them best; Crea with her speed and agility would distract enemies when they were either in groups or large in size and direct attention away from Inquest who would end the fight with a spell or ten. Inquest’s large pool of magic and wide array of offensive spells was usually enough to handle most confrontations. Sadly a dragon was an exception to this strategy. A single powerfully charged spell using his entire reservoir of magic would certainly cause great harm to a dragon, but it wouldn’t be enough to put it down. Escape was the only option here, problem was.....
‘How in blazes do I move that tail!?’ He could easily teleport to the other side or even right outside if he wanted to, but the complexity of a teleport spell increased exponentially with the mass and the number of passengers. He needed both of them to remain still and time to properly cast the spell, which unfortunately in this situation meant suicide.
“Inquest!!” Crea pleaded a second time just before diving under another swipe. Noticing that Crea was quickly running out of stamina, Inquest began to gather a large amount of magic until his horn glowed in three layers of color from white to grey.
“Cover your ears!” Obeying her partner, Crea immediately covered both ears just as Inquest let loose a bolt of white hot lightning at the dragon’s center of mass. Falnor let out a great roar of pain as he staggered back a step with both claws covering a large black spot in his green hide. To their misfortune the spikes on the end of Falnor’s tail that had struck the ground earlier acted as an anchor which helped him retain his balance.
The thunderous sound that came with the spell, amplified by the cavern, shook Crea to her core causing a momentary numbness to her body that made her fall several feet before she could regain control. But thanks to the brief light from the spell Crea was able to catch a glimpse of what appeared to be a miniature, dark scaled dragon behind Falnor but she couldn’t be sure. It looked deformed and unproportioned, yet it also seemed faded and obscure like it was there but at the same time it wasn’t. What disturbed her the most was how it smiled innocently at her. She didn’t have time to think about it any further as Falnor was quickly recovering from that surprise attack. She flew down for a quick respite beside Inquest, her wings dragging on the floor completely exhausted.
“What now?” she asked with laboured breath. “I can’t keep flying around him forever.”
“I’m surprised you lasted so long,” he joked, “your flying skills haven’t dulled a bit.”
“Yeah well, luckily he didn’t breathe fire. Doubt I would have lasted so long.”
“That is lucky,” Inquest mumbled curiously. “Ah, of course!” Before Crea could question the pony, Inquest quickly galloped back towards the tunnel and stood in front of Falnor’s tail.
“What’s wrong Falnor!?” Inquest shouted in a smug tone. “Having a hard time with just one pony and gryphon!? You dragons are nothing more than oversized lizards that take up way too much space!” The dragon turned his attention to Inquest with a large scowl.
“Now that’s just uncalled for! There’s no need for name calling!”
“What’s so great about dragons anyway!? I bet my heating gem does a lot better job than your so called fire breath! Probably can’t even light a candle!!”
“What are you doing!?” Crea shouted in disbelief as she moved to stand between him and the dragon, hoping to draw its attention away again.
“ENOUGH!!!” Falnor reared back it’s head as he sucked in a great amount of air into his lungs. There was a sudden ominous glow emanating from the dragon’s chest and Inquest could already feel the intense heat radiating from it. Just as Inquest had predicted, Falnor also removed his tail away from the line of fire. Dragon’s did have an affinity with fire and their scales offered some protection from it, but not enough to protect them from the heat of their own breath.
“You’re not suggesting we try out running his breath are you!?” shouted the gryphon. “We’ll never make it!”
“Of course not! Just stay close to me!” Inquest’s horn glowed brightly once more and a white membrane like bubble started to envelop both Crea and himself.
Both pony and gryphon were then lifted up a few feet off the ground as the spell finally took hold. Crea had seen Inquest’s bubble shield spell before, but in most cases they had a white translucent layer that allowed one to see through. This time however Inquest kept adding layer after layer of protection until Crea could see nothing but white all around her. She felt the temperature of the air inside dropping to near freezing, likely to prevent the heat from cooking them alive.
Crea readied herself for the inevitable. A second later the dragon let out a roar that rivaled the thunder from Inquest’s lighting. Her whole body jerked sideways as the shield around her shook violently about, the once cold air inside quickly became unbearably hot. What terrified her the most was the sound of fire constantly roaring outside of the bubble. Reminding her that just between her and the bubble was a raging inferno that could turn them to ash in mere seconds. There was a brief moment of silence before Crea felt the shield break through what sounded like trees that splintering apart around them. Then they collided with something hard that nearly broke the shield apart as a huge crack suddenly appeared between her and Inquest. The kept tumbling a bit further before finally everything went still and silent.
Crea heard Inquest let out a heavy sigh before the spell around them evaporated into nothing. With a groan Inquest started to tilt sideways but luckily Crea was already by his side and caught him just as he succumbed to exhaustion. Only then did Crea take notice of the scene around her, it was like a giant cannon had been fired against the forest. The tunnel acted as a barrel with them as the ammunition. Everything in their path had been completely obliterated, trees thicker than her were blown apart like toothpicks and the few that remained standing had their branches ripped off by the sheer force of the blast. What was most impressive were the various broken pieces of rocks strewn about the place. Looking at what remained it was likely that they had collided with a nearby boulder large enough to have easily been considered a small hill. Crea slowly turned her attention back down on the unconscious pony with a look of wide-eyed wonder. This was not the first time she had been struck speechless by Inquest’s raw power and concentration.
She finally snapped out of it and realized that they were still in danger. They might have escaped the dragon but they were still in the Everfree. What’s more it was now night time with the moon still early in its ascent, the more dangerous predators mostly came out at night at night. Mostly. Hopefully the majority of the forest’s inhabitants had fled from the disturbance which would offer them some time to rest, but none of that mattered right now. She had to find a place for them to rest and hide from the dragon lest he decides to give chase. Crea quickly took out several dark green leaves from one of her pockets and crushed them before applying the paste over her wound. She picked up Inquest’s unconscious body and slung him over her shoulders and ran towards the forest into the night.
“That didn’t turn out as I expected,” grumbled Falnor. “Though I have to admit, that was an impressive feat for a pony.”
“They’re still alive?” asked the voice in a eerily sweet tone.
“I’m afraid so my dear, sorry I couldn’t kill them like you wanted.” Falnor gave his daughter a gentle nudge with his snout.
“Where are they now?”
“Most likely somewhere in the forest still, though I would wager they’re headed towards Ponyville.” Falnor noticed her confused expression. “It’s a town nearby, just outside the forest. The same place where the Kindling is I believe.”
“Kindling?”
“It’s nothing dear, some odd creature that popped out of nowhere some time ago. You remember right?”
“Ah, that thing. Yes I remember.” Giving his wound a slight rub, Falnor made his way to pick up his makeshift broom and began cleaning the cavern once again. Just they way his daughter asked him to.
“Daddy, I want you to destroy that town,”
“That might not be a good idea, we did promise not to harm any of the inhabitants. One or two is easy enough to hide but an entire town will attract far too much attention.”
“But daddy, those two will tell on you.”
“I suppose they would,” he said with a sigh, “though there’s nothing we can do about it now. We’ll just apologize to the Sisters and say it was all just one big misunderstanding. I’m sure they’ll understand.”
“No daddy, they won’t. They’ll be very angry.”
Falnor froze as an image suddenly popped into his mind, he saw both alicorns screaming at him.
“They’re going to send us away.”
In his mind Falnor saw the Sisters destroy his cave.
“And they’ll send soldiers to take me away.”
Hundreds of ponies clad in golden armor charged at him with as they carried his daughter away.
“They're going to hurt me daddy.”
Suddenly every soldier turned their weapons and spells to his daughter.
“NOOOOO!! THEY WILL ALL DIE!!!” Falnor roared with enough force to rattle the entire cavern causing bits and pieces of stalactite to rain down on him. He quickly made his way through the tunnel and immediately took to the skies. With grim determination he veered toward the direction of the small town not too far off in the distance.
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Dude, i was JUST thinking about how awesome an update for this would be, cudose to you mon.
1995552 For a moment I thought: "Holy crap did someone finished reading it already!?
"
…Okay, I don't know what kind of devil spawn the daughter is, but I REALLY want to snap her neck, if only to shut her up.
I don't think she's really his daughter anyways.
I loathe that kinda manipulative, bitchy character, so if your goal was to make us hate her, you're doing a very good job!
I wonder if Rodney's power crystal will come into play…like a shield battery…or a laser beam.
Ah, and great chapter too. Worth the wait.
1995572 Dam you read fast. That took me weeks to write, slow down and enjoy it a bit mate.
And I'm glad you like it.
what platform are you developing it on(the android app)? native java?
1995580
Never underestimate the speed of an asian!
I know what it's like to write with so little time on your hands. Studies and work are time-killers.
1995592 Native Java, using Eclipse and JDK. I'm just messing about right now and getting used to Android's code. Still haven't decided on which engine to use, probably AndEngine or Cocos2dx
The girl reminds me of Alma from the game fear.
I'm sensing some bad vibes coming from Daughter. Like evil mind fucker vibes.
Sha of Anger definitely possesses him
Such a great chapter!
Well that escalated quickly. I mean that really got out of hand fast.
1995572
I think reactions like these to characters, where the reader has an emotional response to what they do really means that the character is doing its job. I actually like this character a lot reminds me of the creepy little girl that that one psychic mutant projects into Xavier's mind in that one X-men movie, the one that ask's him to find all the humans using cerebro, remember?
1996119
I told you, you guys really should read Z's blogs more.
you're not going to start killing ponies now are you?
1996186
Nice pic!
1995831
It's not the cuffs he naturally absorbs magic with his body, that's what made all the magic leak away from equestria in the first place.
(They're going to hurt me daddy.)
Teeny tiny little grammar accident.
For some odd reason I imagine the dragon's "daughter" with a voice of a 'little sister'...
Would that even be remotely appropriate?
Good chapter though.
This 'daughter' isn't real. Falnor is insane and suffering from delusions, creating another voice when turned away from the ponies.
[edit]
Nevermind, re-read.
MOAR!
Good job with the chapter. I wonder when our friend "the kindling" will get mixed up in this
1996535 gameinformer.com/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Components-ImageFileViewer/CommunityServer-Components-UserFiles-00-00-64-00-14-Attached+Files/1055.MLP.jpg_2D00_610x0.jpg
i bet on a 10-12 Jear old Ex ritch Girl, that sloly develops a God-Komplex ^^
And when does Rodney realize that he has an spell on him that causes Hadex when he got magic in his body?
I'll reiterate my desire for more Rodney, but I understand perfectly well that this will be vital to the plot, or at least this story arc, so I won't really complain. All the best!
I assumed that the second being that came to Equestria would have come from the same place as Rodney, but the Daughter doesn't seem to be from "Normal Earth."
1995658 Bloody hell, you're reading my mind!
t.qkme.me/3phqpq.jpg
Its a good chapter overall, except where the creepy kid is concerned. I took an immediate dislike of it. She's way too obviously evil, and that's really boring as far as characters go. She also shows her "hand" real quick (mindrape a dragon, calls for murder, obviously a OP abomination of sort).
Id hoped "it" would have been more subtle about itself. More clever. More personality too, playing a mindgame rather than seemingly calling to begin a overt powergame.
1995599
Java is best programming language.
Good chapter, mate.
1996618 So is this a Flutters only table, or all the mane 6 accepted here?
1996204 Thank you.
And why the fuck am I not getting notifications for comment replies....again!!!
1998138
Could make comment on my stiff wood and Derpy's plot, but will not.
1997864 Far as I know, anything goes.
1998528 ......... Do I have to reply to all your comments?
1995658 Add sweet innocent smile and you got a good picture of her. I'm talking about young Alma of course.
1995684 Villains tend to do that.
1995698 Yeah I quit after Frozen Throne, work work work.
1996119 Thank you,
1996120 I hope I got a "Wait, what?" moment out of you
1996203 Should I spoil this?
1996340 That would be a very accurate portrayal, though without the weird special effects. And thank you for the correction.
1996395 Was it that confusing to read the first time?
1996532 And you shall have it!
.......eventually. 
1996585 Ma~ybe
1996618 Oh damn! Here we go again.
1996654 I'm tempted to make you write the next chapter, just to troll on my editors.
And as for the second question: SOON!!
1997001 Sorry if I confused you, the "event" that brought Rodney here also brought something else but from somewhere else entirely. Rodney is in fact from normal earth, or an alternate reality where MLP show was never created. So no bronies, and no knowledge of Equestria. Hope that clears things up a bit.
1997386 It's a real shame that moments like that only occur around Comic Con. The world would be an interesting place to live otherwise.
1997456 I actually thought of that the first time, even got around to creating a whole "political agenda" type scenario. But I pulled that one back seeing as it would take a tremendously long time for the arc to finish. Don't judge her just yet, after all this is her debut.
1999683 shure i write the fake just give me a few details per PM ^^
Kids....yeesh.
cool shit
1999683
@Zaibatsu@Hadschott
O Rly? Troll me you say?
1996340
cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/25963992.jpg
1996585
When he does, ponies and dragons alike will learn that when one good magic-wielding human goes to war...
Nothing can outmatch them.
Did you get the idea for the fire-riding spherical shield from The Dresden Files?
Crazy dragons, always destroying stuff.
That Aliens reference. I love you.
2001509
OMG OMG OMG U noticed! Yay 1 point for me!
1999683 smile or not, still creepy ang if i had it me power wise, i would smite her on the spot.
1999683 To be fair, seeing as how late I am to join the party, I'm not expecting any as I'm sure other have brought up whatever points I may come up with. I just can't be arsed to look through all the comments!!
Question: if a Dragon´s breath is magical, doesn´t that mean Rodney it´s immune (leaving aside smoke soffocation)?
Holy fuck!!! Inquest in one helluva powerful unicorn!!! I bet he is second only to Twilight!!!
and just what in the hell is the thing that's got a dragon wrapped around it's little finger??? If it even has one!!!
2002946
That was the entire point of my post.
Oh christ... Nd android game...... You see that thing my OC is snapping in half in my avatar? That is an android device.
Do you want to know why my OC is snapping an android device in half?
Because i. Fucking. Hate. Android.
Why I prefer russian literature... They don't need a big bad gay to make an awesome story...
2006163 I hate to be the one to start a debate, but may I ask why?