Chapter 31 - Leave them to die
Shackles and Friendship
Chapter 31 - Leave them to die
Edited by Hollyhock
Pre-read by Hollyhock
"I'm sorry but, could you please repeat that sir....?" The night guard shot another glance to the door behind him to make sure no pony was prying into the conversation. It was mostly to set his mind at ease, as two guards stood outside the town hall doors and he was confident they'd keep their conversation private.
"Lieutenant Steadfast," replied the pegasus night guard, "and it is as I said Miss Mayor, we believe there may be something in the Everfree that may pose a danger to the town. My soldiers and I were deployed under royal orders to stand guard in Ponyville and if need be defend it until such time as that threat is neutralized."
"Hold on," interrupted Twilight, "it's true that the Everfree is dangerous, but it's very rare for any creature to wander into town. Unless of course somepony purposely provoked them." Twilight's mind wandered to the Ursa incident and the two colts that foolishly brought it to town. "What makes this situation any different?"
"I assure you Miss Sparkle-"
"Please, just Twilight."
"Miss Twilight, I was directed to divulge all information regarding this mission to both Miss Mayor and yourself. For obvious reasons. It must be made clear however, that nothing leaves this room lest it incite panic amongst the townsfolk." The lieutenant paused for a moment to let his words sink in. "Regarding the situation, I was ordered to protect the town from any danger until given new directives by The Professor."
"The Professor?" asked Twilight surprised. "You mean Professor Inquest!?" Twilight couldn't help but smile at the mention of The Professor. He was the first unicorn in over one hundred and fifty years to take on the mantle of Professor, and the foremost expert on magic in Equestria. Her admiration for the old pony was second only to Princess Celestia herself. She had also read about many of his past exploits, and knew first hand exactly how talented, skilled, and powerful he was from the rare occasions when he had been willing to teach her something in person. His involvement however indicated that the situation was beyond ‘serious’, likely even dangerous. "Why is The Professor involved?"
"As I mentioned earlier, our mission is to protect the town until the danger is neutralized. The Professor will be the one to determine that, his mission is to hopefully resolve the problem before it poses a threat." Steadfast looked out the window to see the sun start to set in the distance. "I’m sorry, but that is all the information I was given. In fact much of this mission is unknown. Our orders were simply to keep the residents of this town safe from any and all danger." He turned his attention to the mayor. "I believe there are living quarters reserved for royal guards in town, is that correct?"
"Ah yes, there are. They’re not far from here, though the building itself hasn't been used in a long time."
"Don't worry, as long as its structurally sound then we'll be fine." He took a step sideways and gestured with a wing for the mayor to lead the way. "Miss Twilight," he turned and gave a salute to Twilight, before following the mayor out the door leaving her alone in the office.
'Might as well go home and make sure Spike helped Shine Bright properly settle in,' thought Twilight as she too made for the door.
======[Several hours later.....]======
"Sorry again about dropping by unannounced," I hollered towards the kitchen.
"Oh it's no bother," Fluttershy replied in her ever so gentle voice
"Are you sure you don't need any help back there?"
"You could help me with the vegetables. Uhm....that is, if you want to." I chuckled before leaning forward on the table to look staring intently at Sweetie Belle's eyes.
"Don't. Break. Anything."
"Hey!" She glared at me angrily with a such an adorable pout that would have made weaker men d'aww. With a light laugh I headed towards the kitchen to see Fluttershy mixing what looked liked salad. In one wing she held a large wooden bowl while the other held a long spoon, unlike unicorns it seemed pegasi and earth ponies had to go about their daily lives the normal way. At least as far as "normal" goes in this world.
"So where do you-" Before I could get another word out, I spotted a large carrot hurtling right at me from somewhere above. It bounced off my forehead with a loud thud before I manage to catch it in my hand.
"Angel! That was very rude!" Standing on top of a cabinet was a familiar white bunny bearing his teeth down at me. He was wearing a red bandanna around his head and two black strips of what looked like war paint under his eyes. "I'm so sorry Rodney!" the pegasus apologized desperately. "I'm not sure what's gotten into him."
"It's alright, he'll warm up to me eventually." I looked back up just in time to see him lob another carrot which I effortlessly stopped in mid air with a levitation spell. That didn't seem to deter him however, in fact he seemed more motivated and started throwing carrot after carrot with abandon. After about ten seconds of this he finally ran out of ammo and out of breath, at which point I had about a dozen carrots floating in front of me pointing right at my face.
"Uhm...Rodney, could you...." Turning to her I noticed her staring at the burning carrots fearfully taking a step back. Realizing that my display of magic was frightening the timid pony, I quickly cut them off causing all the carrots to hit the floor with drum like thuds.
"Sorry about that," I apologized before picking up the carrots. "I didn’t mean to frighten you Fluttershy."
"It's ok, I mean, I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. It's just...well I..." I smiled as she fumbled trying to find a way to express her fear without accidentally insulting me.
"Don't worry I get what you mean," I assured her as I picked up the last carrot. "I know that there are still some ponies in town that are intimidated by me, especially since I’ve got these on all the time." I twisted my wrist around making the chains jingle loudly. Hearing that last bit however seemed to trigger a concerned reaction.
"Oh....ok. They're not, that is.... You're not-"
"No, nobody’s giving me any trouble. So far they seem to just stay away from me. Which might be for the best. Eventually they'll get used to seeing stuff burn blue around me," I joked to ease her worries. "Really I'm fine Flutters."
"Ok then, if you say so." She turned her attention back to preparing dinner as I piled the carrots up on a nearby table.
"So what do you need help with?"
"Huh? Oh, umm, could you cut those up please?" Using her wing she pointed towards some vegetables gathered next to what looked like a cutting board with an attached cutter to the side. Similar to the ones you often find in offices for cutting paper. "That is, if you don't mind of course."
"Wouldn't have asked if I did." I carefully made my way past her to stand in front of the cutting board.
"I didn't know you could use magic like that," Fluttershy started. Likely hoping to get a conversation going. "I mean I know you can, but I didn't realize you were so good with it. The way you were able to catch all those carrots was really impressive."
"Really?"
"Well, I'm not a unicorn so can't say for sure. But I hear it's very tricky to hold multiple spells together like that."
"Huh...." Now that I think about it, that was quite impressive. I could have easily created a single levitation field in front of me and it would have done the job just fine, albeit less efficiently, yet I caught every projectile individually with such speed and ease that I didn’t even realize it.
'I suppose that means I’m getting used to magic?' Granted, a levitation spell wasn't something considered difficult or complex, hell it was the first thing Twilight taught be back in the castle. But even so, back then I had to focus and give some effort of concentration for it to work on a single target. But now....
'Isn't that normal? Do something enough times and eventually it becomes easier.'
'Probably.' Of course I'm not anywhere near the level of expertise and control that Twilight has, or with Rarity's uncanny precision. Still, I felt a satisfying feeling of accomplishment about it.
"Rodney?"
"Hmm?" Fluttershy was glancing at the uncut vegetables. "Oh sorry, kinda lost myself there." I grabbed a cucumber and started dicing it. "I hope you don't mind me bringing Sweetie Belle along. I was planning on taking her back before I visited but I didn't want to go back to town just yet."
"On no it's ok, she's such a sweet little filly. But why didn’t you go back? If you don't mind me asking."
"You didn't see the balloon-ship thing?" Her ears jerked upright.
"Oh you mean the air-boat? I forgot about that, I was too busy taking care of Mr. Quackalot all day. Do you know anything?"
"Nope, I was at Sweet Apple Acres when they arrived. I did see what looked like guards from the castle get dropped off. Sweets and I took a roundabout route to get here." I turned to look at Fluttershy with a raised brow. "Uh....Mr. Quackalot?"
"One of the ducks living here."
"......You named him Quackalot?"
"Isn't it adorable? He has such a wonderful voice."
(AN:Because why not?)
"There's also Elizabeak, Humfurry, Hummingway, Mr.Beaverton Beaverteeth, Mrs.Bearveton-"
The thundering noise sounded like a jumbo jet was flying inches above me, forcing me to shield my ears with both hands. The entire room vibrated about violently causing dishes, pots, and other kitchenware to rain down on us. As abruptly as it began the deafening noise disappeared leaving my ears ringing along with some disorientation.
"Dafuq was that!?" I looked around at the myriad of broken glass and ruined food only to see myself alone in the kitchen. "Fluttershy?"
I felt something land on my head before Angel dropped to the floor and bounced away towards what looked like an large overturned wash basin. I didn't know how it was possible but Angel somehow managed to kick the basin with enough force to flip it over revealing a shivering yellow bundle of feathers and fur. Both her front hooves and wings were covering her face and she was curled so perfectly round that it made her look like a giant hamster.
"Fluttershy?" I called again in a more soothing tone. "You ok there?" I tried reaching out to calm her down but my touch only made her whimper and curl up even tighter. Angel jumped in front of me with both paws stretched out to the side and shook his head. I figured he was trying to tell me to just leave her alone and give her some time to recuperate from the shock.
"Oh crap, Sweetie Belle!" I rushed towards the living room breaking fallen glass and plates with every step. "Sweets you ok!?" I shouted out before turning the corner only to see her seat empty. Everything in the room was in a similar state of disarray as the kitchen, with books and most of the smaller objects littering the floor.
"Sweetie Belle!" I rapidly started searching the corners, cabinets and every other place she could potentially fit into, but to no avail. I was about to head to the second floor only to stop mid stride when I noticed the front door ajar. Panic started to set in as I ran out and skidded to a halt just outside the front door with my head swinging from side to side trying to find any sign of the little pony.
Something caught my attention in the night sky, at first I thought it was just some kind of large bird of sorts. But after a closer look I realized that I had gauged the distance incorrectly, slowly I realized exactly how massive it really was. Wide eyed and a slack-jawed I stared at the impossible creature as it circled above Ponyville like a vulture.
"Oh Jesus....." It didn't matter that I was stuck in a world of talking ponies, that I actually live and work for one, or that I was throwing fireballs and weaving magic spells using computer language. In spite of all the things I’d seen, done, learned, or heard about I still couldn't believe what I was seeing.
A dragon.
A full grown, six-appendaged, straight out of a fairy tale, green dragon was flying high in the sky. It was difficult to judge the exact size in the night but from what I could see it was definitely gigantic. It could have easily towered above a six story building and had a mass at least equal to a large fishing boat, possibly even a whaler ship. With its wings spread out wide, the dragon could span out and cover four or five basketball fields, it was the first flying creature that looked like it could actually fly without the aid of magic.
My mind was completely baffled as I stared at the scene, lost to the moment, trying to process the ridiculous sight. Should I be ecstatic that one of the greatest and oldest element of fantasy was alive and real right before my eyes? Or crap my pants knowing there was a larger than life, flying, fire-breathing lizard that could swallow me whole like a bite-sized snack? I just stared in disbelief until I heard the faint cries and shouts of panic from off in the distance. Prying my gaze away from the dragon I was able to make out the town’s residents galloping through the streets in a panic, knocking off stalls and even lamp posts. Likely they would try to get back home or to some kind of shelter, though I wasn’t not sure how much that would help when the dragon could easily destroy any of the buildings in town using its weight alone.
'Are we not looking for someone?'
"Ah dammit!" Realizing the severity of the situation I resumed my search for Sweetie Belle, but even as I circled around the cottage I couldn't see any sign of her whereabouts. My heart was thumping like a jackhammer and I could feel the blood pulsing in my ears. I returned to the front door to look back inside, hoping that somehow she was still inside the cottage somewhere and that I had simply missed her. It was then that a troubling thought came to mind.
'What if she was headed back to town?'
'Why would she?’
'Rarity.'
'Are you sure? She's probably still hiding somewhere inside.'
"And what if she left!? There's time to catch up to her if I leave now!" I shouted both mentally and physically. I took a step inside the cottage and yelled as loud as I could, "Sweetie Belle! Are you in here!?" I waited and hoped to hear her reply but there was only silence. “Dammit! Fluttershy, stay here in case Sweetie Belle comes back!”
A moment later I could hear her soft frightened voice from inside the kitchen, “O-ok.” With that I turned and started running down the dirt road leading to town.
Soon as I crossed the small bridge I picked up a small rock nearby to act as a lantern before casting the maglev spell on my feet. With some quick thinking I launched myself with the propulsion spell and continued casting it in between strides giving me small bursts of acceleration. I ignored the cold bite of the night wind blowing on my face as I blazed down the road, leaving small licks of azure flame behind me.
======[Ponyville....]======
"What was that?" asked Shine Bright as she looked outside the window. She was in the middle of helping Spike prepare dinner when they heard the loud rumbling in the distance.
"I'm not sure," answered Twilight as she too looked out from a different window while Spike stood on her back wearing an apron with pink frills and a large red heart in the middle. "It almost sounds like-Oh those two had better not wake another Ursa!" She quickly trotted towards the front door before levitating the young dragon off of her. "Spike stay here with Shine Bright while I check things out ok."
"Can't I go with?"
"Now Spike it's rude to leave a guest alone, I need you to keep her company."
"That's quite alright Miss Sparkle, he doesn't have to do that," spoke the light-brown mare making Spike smile.
"See? She's ok with it."
"Fine," Twilight conceded with a sigh, allowing Spike to jump on her back again. "And please, it's just Twilight," she spoke to Shine, "we're not in the castle anymore and you're not my maid." Twilight turned and galloped out the front door leaving Shine Bright alone in the library.
As Twilight made her way through town she noted numerous ponies mill about outside in small groups, with a few staring at the sky trying to find the source of the disturbance earlier. Usually in situations like these all Twilight had to do was follow the crowd, but seeing as most of the ponies were just as confused as she was that wasn't an option.
"Everypony run for your lives!!" screamed a stallion.
Then again sometimes you just had to be patient.
"What was that about?" asked Spike confused.
"Hey wait a minute!" Twilight was about to question the pony but he ignored her completely and kept galloping on with a frightened look in his eyes.They heard another roar go off in the distance a moment later, and then out of nowhere came a surge of ponies galloping towards her all screaming and shouting.
"Everypony run!!"
"The horror! The horror!"
"We're all gonna die!!!" Panic spread like wildfire and in seconds every pony was galloping in every direction forcing Twilight to duck and dodge to avoid getting trampled. Many had taken shelter inside their homes while others simply went for anything close by that would offer protection. One stallion even dove right into a nearby well.
"Uhh...Twilight."
"Not now Spike I need to-"
"Twilight look!!" Without warning Spike wrapped his claws around her neck and pulled her head back, forcing her to look upward.
"Spike! Stop it I can-oh Celestia..." Twilight's mane fell flat on her head while her eyes widened with a look of disbelief and confusion. "Why is a dra-"
"EVERYPONY REMAIN CALM!!" Twilight's ears bent over her head reflexively trying to block out the loud booming voice. It reminded her of Princess Luna's Royal Canterlot Voice. "HEAD TO YOUR HOMES AND REMAIN INDOORS!!" Twilight looked upwards towards the source of the voice and saw a pegasus night guard standing on the roof of a nearby house. Flanking him was a lithe day guard - likely a mare - whose horn was glowing brightly.
"Spike go back to the library."
"What!? No way Twilight I'm staying with you!"
"No you're not! It's too dangerous!"
"Then what about you?! I'm not going any-"
"Go back now!!" she suddenly yelled silencing the baby dragon. She turned to look at him before speaking in a soft and pleading voice that was heard above the screams and chaos from all around, "Please."
Spike looked at her eyes with a blank stare for a moment before hopping to the ground and started running of towards the library without uttering a word. Twilight stared at her adopted sibling with a worried expression before turning her attention back to the guard on the rooftop. Her horn glowed as she gathered the needed amount of magic before disappearing in a flash of purple light only to reappear a second later on the rooftop.
"Lieutenant Steadfast?" she called noticing the slight different design of his armor, indicating rank.
"MISS TWI-," he cut off as Twilight's mane blew back from his magnified voice leaving her ears ringing. He gave the unicorn guard a look before the glow of her horn dimmed and disappeared. "Sorry about that. Now what are you doing here? Please return to your home and remain inside until we get the situation under control!"
"Is this what you we meant earlier?! Did you know a dragon was coming!?"
"We do not know if this is an attack! No dragon has ever broken the treaty!" he shouted running out of patience. "Now if you could please-"
"Lieutenant!!" shouted the mare guard alarmingly as she stared upwards with wide eyed fear. Both Twilight and the lieutenant quickly followed her gaze before taking on a similar expression. High above the green dragon was now hovering in place and glowering down, there was a yellowish glow emanating from the its belly while small licks of flame erupted from its mouth.
======[A few minutes before....]======
"Let me go!" screamed the filly as she bucked and flailed her hooves about while floating a foot off the ground next to me.
"Like hell I will!" I shouted back angrily. "Dammit what were you thinking running off like that!?" Sweetie Belle kept kicking and screaming frantically trying to break away from my levitation spell, forcing me to exert more magic for a stronger hold.
Despite her small body and short legs Sweetie Belle managed to cover a surprisingly long distance before I finally caught up. We were just outside the town's perimeter, the outermost building was only a minute or two away and I could still hear the screams and shouts from the town louder than ever. The dragon was also much closer now, but thankfully it hadn’t done anything so far. Unfortunately my estimate of the creature's size wasn't too far off, with its large wings it would only take one or two flaps and a few seconds for it to fly over us.
"Look, I know you're worried about your sister but running off like that was just plain stupid! What would Rarity say if she found out!?" Sweetie Belle started to calm a bit at that. "The best thing you can do for her is to stay safe. You saw the ship in town right? All those guards? I'm sure they'll take care of things."
That was a lie of course, or rather I wasn’t entirely confident they had the necessary numbers to do anything against it. I would imagine it would take a small army to take down a dragon and that’s just taking its size into consideration. Whether or not it could breathe fire has yet to be determined. As much as I would like to help, there was simply nothing I could do in this situation. I wasn’t a fighter of any sort and the only offensive spell I had wasn’t even a real spell. Fireballs were the only thing I could make at the moment, the idea of using fire to fight a dragon was just plain stupid.
But all that didn't really matter, or at least it was not what concerned me the most. Truth be told I was just freaked out, plain and simple. If I weren't so concerned for the filly I would be busy trying to put as much distance between myself and the dragon as possible. The only rational thing I could think to do was to stay out of harms way and keep those around me safe, which meant getting Sweetie Belle back to Fluttershy's place.
'For once I actually don't have to talk you out of something stupid. We might die of old age after all.'
“C’mon, let’s get out of here.” I was just about to carry the filly and take her back to the cottage when the screams from town suddenly intensified.
I immediately looked back up just in time to see the dragon suddenly extending it’s head forward with its jaws wide open, revealing multiple rows of serrated white teeth before fire started flooding out. As if a gate to hell itself the inferno kept spewing forth from its maw like a waterfall bellowing down towards the center of town. My first urge was to turn and run as fast as I could before the fire could reach me, and I probably would have if Sweetie Belle hadn’t suddenly latched herself around my leg. Before I knew it I was kneeling on the ground, eyes shut tight while I held Sweetie Belle next to my belly and used my own body to shield her from the fire.
“I guess you really are related to the Captain,” spoke the lieutenant in a hushed yet impressed tone as he gazed up at the translucent purple dome. What was most impressive was the speed in which the purple mare was able to cast such a grand spell in a fraction of second. It spread far and wide covering the entire town from edge to edge like a giant bubble, much like the one Captain Shining Armor made during the changeling crisis. The fire continued to rage outside covering the dome and bathing the town in fiery orange light, the sky looked like it was completely lit afire.
“Unfortunately it’s not the same spell ,” replied Twilight with a strain in her voice, “it’s not as strong and I’m....not sure how long I can hold it.” Minute sparks of magic leaked from the tip of her horn while it shined brightly in different shades of purple. A small trail of purple light - like a thread- rose from the tip of her horn all the way up till it reached the dome, constantly feeding it with magic in order to keep it from collapsing.
“Give us as much time as you can!” shouted the lieutenant as he turned to the other guard. “Sergeant! Get back to the squad and order all the unicorns to spread themselves evenly around the town! Take charge and oversee to the town’s defense. Earth ponies are on civilian duty! Quell the panic, gather the civilians, and get them ready in case we need to evacuate! Tell every pegasi to rendezvous with me here!” The unicorn guard gave a salute before disappearing in a flash of golden light. Steadfast took a deep breath to collect himself as he looked to fiery sky which had thankfully started to ebb away revealing the night.
“Ah dammit!!” I shouted angrily while pacing back and forth in front of the purple wall. If the color was anything to go by I was willing to bet every bit I own that Twilight was behind all this, she was pretty much the only unicorn in town that had enough magic and skill to create something like that.
It’s not that I was ungrateful or anything, unfortunately the same spell that had saved the town was now preventing me from leaving. But it wasn’t like that was an option anymore, the fire had spread over the dome and scorched the surrounding area. Many trees were still burning and patches of the earth were black. Plus I could ‘feel’ that the dome was made entirely out of magic and it was the only thing protecting the town from that dragon. If I so much as touched it....
“Fuck!!” I turned to Sweetie Belle. “You didn’t hear that.” She was looking at me with fresh tears in her eyes from crying uncontrollably out of fear while hugging my leg earlier, it took some soothing to calm her down and get her to let go.
“So...what do we do now?” she asked nervously.
I looked back up at the dragon that luckily had decided to continue flying in circles after its initial attack failed. I had half-expected it to drop down on the dome and start bashing at it. I could roughly guess how powerful Twilight was after powering up that arcane gem, but even she would be hard pressed maintaining something like that against a raging dragon. Even if I had three times the amount of magic that I could hold, there was no way that I could make anything close to what Twilight had created. Maybe a shield around myself, but the entire town?
“We can’t stay out in the open like this, is there an emergency shelter or bunker in town?” I asked with high hopes.
“Applejack’s the only one I know that has a cellar, but it’s at her farm.”
‘Bronze’s bar is close by, maybe he has basement or a storage room to keep his supply somewhere.’
‘Oh sure! Let’s go hide in a room filled with flammable liquid while the town’s under attack by a FIRE BREATHING DRAGON!!’
“Yeah I guess that was a stupid idea...,” I mumbled irritably.
“What?”
“Nothing.” I let out a sigh. “Our best chance is to head for the safest part of town.” Looking back at the ceiling of the dome I noticed what looked like a small trail of light rising to the dome from somewhere in the distance. It would stand to reason that would be where Twilight was, and what else could be safer than being next to a unicorn as powerful as her. Unfortunately I’d used up most of my magic trying to catch up with Sweetie Belle and I couldn’t waste anymore in case of an emergency. I turned my back to Sweetie Belle and crouched as low as I could.
“Grab on Sweets. We’re gonna go find Twilight, I’m sure she’ll know what to do. Climb up and wrap your hoof around my neck.” I felt her hoof on my back and in a few moments she was riding piggyback on me. I held the chains in my hands giving her something to sit on for support before running down the street straight towards where I assumed Twilight would be.
“So what’s the plan?” asked Twilight as she let out a long sigh of relief. The strain of the spell had dramatically diminished now that the shield was no longer under assault. The intensity of light shining from her horn had diminished along with the trail of light, unlike before she merely had to feed a minimal amount of magic in order to keep the spell alive. This would give her some time to recuperate and collect herself, at least until the next attack.
“Should we evacuate everypony?” she asked again. “We could use the train to take everypo-” suddenly one of Twilight’s hind legs gave out causing her to suddenly lurch and tilt dangerously to the side. Thankfully Steadfast was quick enough to intercept and use his own body to hold Twilight from tumbling over.
“First we need you back on the ground ma’am.” Twilight felt his hooves hook under her and lift her off the roof before being carefully lowered to the street below.
“Sorry, that took more out of me than I expected.” She took a deep breath with a worried look. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to keep the shield alive for long.”
“Don’t worry, the sergeant has that covered.” Before Twilight could question what he meant she noticed a golden trail of light rising from the distance much like her’s.
She caught sight of another light rising alongside far off to her left and another somewhere near the edge of the town to the right, although these ones were dark blue. There were more behind her and from all around town, most of them golden, but there were a few dark blues here and there. They froze at different elevations before a membrane like shell started to spread from their tips across the sky,mimicking Twilight’s spell. The golden and dark blue color clashed and mixed creating a oil-like appearance, slowly thickening like a gelatinous substance.
“Compliments of the Professor,” explained Steadfast with mild admiration. “The Captain’s shield was remarkably effective, unfortunately only a few very rare unicorns have the required magic to cast and maintain a spell of such magnitude. The Professor created a variation that would work from multiple casters, each pooling their magic together. As such it’s stronger compared to the single caster version, even stronger than the Captain’s.” He turned to look at the purple unicorn still gazing upwards with wide eyed amazement. “You can turn yours off now.”
“Oh, right.” As Twilight cut of her flow of magic the glow around her horn disappeared, the light from the tip suddenly cut off before the purple dome started to evaporate seconds later. “But what about the dragon? We can’t just wait it out.” Even with the combined magical might of trained unicorn guards, Twilight knew it would only buy them time.
“That’s exactly what need to do.” Twilight gave a confused look. “This town is located right under Canterlot’s shadow. Did you think an attack, by a dragon no less, this close to Equestria’s seat of power wouldn’t go unnoticed?” Twilight’s eyes widened slightly in realization. “Unfortunately it’ll take time for reinforcement to mobilize and longer to arrive. Which is why I’ll lead a team to distract the dragon and buy us as much time as possible.”
“What!? That’s crazy!! There has to be-”
“I’m afraid we don’t have time to strategize ma’am,” he interrupted, “we have to act now before it attacks again.” As Twilight was about to argue there came the sound of wingbeats from above as a dozen or so royal pegasi guards landed in formation nearby. “Your quick thinking has saved many lives today including those of my squad, and for that I am truly grateful. Now it’s our turn to do our duty, please leave it to us Miss Sparkle.” With that he turned, spread his wings and with a leap flew off to the sky followed by all the pegasi guards.
“Lieutenant!” Twilight shouted as she watched them shrink into the distance. She stood there frozen in place not quite sure what to do.
“Twilight!!”
“Twilight!!” My call caught the mare’s attention as I continued to to run towards her. I stopped just in front of her panting for breath with Sweetie Belle still on my back, likely trying not to hurl her stomach contents all over me.
“Rodney? Sweetie Belle?” she asked glancing from me to the filly with a confused look. Her expression suddenly shifted to anger and disbelief. “What were you thinking bringing her here!? Where’s Rarity?”
“Back from Fluttershy’s....your spell trapped me.....don’t know where Rarity is,” I replied between heavy breathing.
“Why didn’t you take her home!?”
“I didn’t know what to do!!” I shouted out of frustration. “I thought we’d be safe with you!” The whole ridiculous situation and everything that had happened tonight was just too much for me to keep under control. “What the hell is going on!? Why is a dragon trying to kill us?!”
“Rodney,” whimpered Sweetie Belle. Her hooves tightened around my neck nervously and I realized that my shouting was unnerving her.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-”
"GRAAAAAAAH!!!"
I fell to my knees and threw my hands to cover my ears with gritted teeth trying my best to block out the roar. I felt Sweetie Belle’s hooves release my neck as she tried to cover her ears as well, causing her to slip sideways and fall to the ground. As soon as the noise ebbed away I got back to my feet and looked to the sky.
“What are they doing?” I asked as the group of guards that had taken off before flew right through the dome and were on their way to engage the dragon.
I held my breath as they closed the distance before dispersing just as the dragon swung it’s spiked tail at them. Whether it was luck, skill, or both; it didn't seem like any of the guards were hit, otherwise I would’ve seen someone hurtling towards the ground. Armored or not, getting hit by something of that magnitude and momentum - even without the spikes - could easily kill someone from the impact alone.
“They’re buying us time until reinforcements arrive from Canterlot.” They continued to fly around the beast like flies, which pretty much surmised their difference in size, constantly poking and prodding with blasts of magic.
“They can use magic like that?”
“Gems socketed into their armor infused with magic and spells,” she explained.
“Doesn’t look like they’re doing much. I think they’re just pissing it off.” The dragon’s fervor and frustration was evidently increasing over time as the attacks came faster and more vicious. It was actually quite impressive how it managed to constantly be on the offensive yet remain airborne. Despite its effort the pegasi proved too agile and swift with their significantly smaller size, constantly and nimbly dodging every attack flawlessly.
“ENOUGH!!” roared the dragon causing the windows around to shake.
“It can talk!?” I had assumed the dragon to be some kind of wild animal incapable of speech. Though Spike did claim he was a dragon, I never considered the two to be of the same species. Who would have believed that someone like Spike, little tiny Spike, would eventually grow up to a behemoth like that. Still, I didn’t really care about that at the moment and Twilight didn’t bother answering.
Even from this distance and the murkiness of the dome I was able to see the dragon’s chest suddenly glow while fire started escaping from its jaw. It was plain to see what was coming and I had expected the pegasi to disperse away from the dragon in a mad rush to escape the inferno. Instead they regrouped like flocks of birds and started flying high into the sky gaining altitude with every second. I then realized that even under threat of being burned alive they still choose to place the safety of the town above their own, because now the dragon had to aim upwards away from the town in order to hit any of them.
But what came out of the dragon’s open jaw, no one expected.
It was fire for certain and for a second I thought those pegasi would get away scot free now that they were so far away. But as the fire continue to pour out I noticed it didn’t spread like it did before, in fact the way it moved and morphed about made it look alive. It shrunk and focused before breaking apart to two, then four, and continuing to multiply until it looked a meteor shower in the sky. At first it seemed like these things were simply flying straight but as soon as the pegasi started to break away the ‘fireballs’ followed suit.
At this point the pegasi were too far off from me to see, I could just barely make out their shadows but from the way these fireballs erratically flew about in the sky it was clear how desperate the ponies were trying to escape. It was like the stars were dancing above tracing light behind them as if someone was trying to paint the night sky. A few fired off a spell or two at the oncoming missiles causing them to explode like fireworks. But try as they might they were considerably outnumbered and soon enough explosions started to decorate the sky, a few were unfortunate enough to be struck multiple times. Every hit lit up the sky giving a glimpse of the fierce chase and revealing more freefalling ponies. Some tried to give chase in order save their comrades but they were quickly struck down from behind.
Before long I was able to make out the shadowy figures of ponies falling from the sky in the distance all trailing smoke. If the fireballs hadn’t killed them the fall surely would. Unfortunately their attempt to distract the dragon away from the town had had backfired, now they were too far away for anyone to help in time.
“Rodney?” Looking down I saw Sweetie Belle staring at me, expecting that I could somehow save them.
“I-I don’t.....They’re too far away I can’t...” I turned and looked at Twilight with the same hopeful look. Yet before she could respond there came a sudden booming explosion that echoed across the sky resonating above all the clamour.
At first I thought the sound of the explosion came from the dragon, but then I realize it had originated from somewhere far behind me. Before I could even turn my head around I heard the sound of rushing wind followed by a flash of cyan blazing through the sky above the dome leaving behind a rainbow contrail.
“Dash?” It was hard to tell with what little I saw, yet at the same time the rainbow streak was an obvious tell. I’m pretty sure magic was somehow involved, unless Twilight forgot to mention that pegasi also crapped rainbows.
With impossible speed the pegasus flew towards the falling guards right past the dragon before it could even react. I had expected she would attempt to catch the guards one by one, instead she dove down to a low altitude and started flying circles at high speed creating a halo of rainbow light. Despite how far she was I felt the wind around me stir and I could slowly feel it start to pick up speed and start to blow in her direction. I could make out what looked like a small sized tornado slowly growing in the center of the rainbow ring. High above I noticed clouds of various sizes from all around were being pulled in by the wind to gather and spin around the miniature twister.
“She’s making a bedding!” shouted Twilight. Before I could ask her what she meant, Rainbow Dash suddenly swerved off and flew away and without her maintaining the twister it immediately collapse upon itself sucking all the gathered clouds together. It then burst outwards like a smoke bomb creating a gigantic nimbus cloud just in time to catch the falling guards.
“HA!” I yelled ecstatically remembering what made pegasi so special. With magic they had near perfect control over the weather, allowing them to even walk freely on top of clouds. The cyan pegasus had simply created an entire island to catch all the guards in the span of a few seconds. The idea was simple by design but to actually pull it off all by herself....
“Go Rainbow Dash!” cheered Sweetie Belle. We watched as more guards fell into the cloud while Rainbow flew from one to another, likely making sure they wouldn’t fall on top of each other. “Isn’t she amazing?”
Before I could answer entire town shuddered as the earth suddenly shifted below us followed by a deep, loud gonging sound as if someone had struck a giant church bell. The townsfolk that had settled down were thrown into panic once again, screams and shouts suddenly intensifying from all around. I felt Sweetie Belle jump on my right leg, hugging it again to calm herself.
“What now!?” I shouted before gazing skywards only to see the dragon gone. “Where the hell did it-” another quake forced me to spread my legs for balance. I looked up and saw something ripple across the dome. Turning to where the source of the ripple originated I saw a giant green claw rise over the rooftops that then slammed down on the dome shaking the ground and creating yet another wavelet.
‘Looks like its taking a more direct approach.’ The dragon had landed on the eastern side of town, most of the buildings and houses were in the way but I could still make out some of its upper body.
“Can the shield hold it back?” I asked nervously. Considering the dragon’s sheer size and power, a single strike could easily take down any of the structures in town. Each strike sent shockwaves over the dome causing it to dim momentarily.
“Not for long.” As if to prove her point one of the golden lights connected to the dome suddenly cut off following another assault. I figured it meant the unicorn that the light was attached to had ran out of juice and simply couldn’t give anymore.
“Dammit! Is this backup even coming?!” Like the rest of the ponies in town I was starting to panic now that danger seemed eminent.
“I-I don’t know! But the chance of somepony in Canterlot becoming aware of the situation is extremely high, it’s almost impossible not to!” Twilight was trying her best to remain calm but it was evident that she too was starting to losing it.
“Is there some sort of evacuation plan?!” The earth shook again before one of the dark blue lights far to my left cut off.
“The lieutenant said something about getting everypony ready for evacuation but....” Several ripples reverberated across the dome as the dragon suddenly started bashing on the dome in quick succession causing three lights to disappear.
“Well come on then!!” I yelled.
“But there’s no way we can out-gallop a dragon! What if the dragon decided to chase us down!?” Twilight fell to the ground with her hooves rubbing both sides of her head trying desperately to think up some kind of plan. “If only Princess Celestia was here! She’d know what to do.”
‘Well I think she’s done. Might as well pack it up and leave.’
‘What are you-’
‘Much as I hate to say it, there’s really nothing else we can do now is there? We can just leave. Take our chances and make a run for it.’
‘Leave them to die!?’
‘What else is there to do?! There’s no possible way we can protect every one of these ponies!’ Looking up, I counted only six lights still remained connected to the dome. ‘Likely everyone will try and make a run for Canterlot, that’ll be our chance to hide out somewhere on the outskirts of town.’
‘Using them as bait?!’
‘Oh for crying out-YES! They’ll die! The dragon will fly over and rain fire down on every single one of them! But we get to live!! We have just enough magic left to reach the edge of town in time before the dome fails.’
Another ripple, another light disappeared.
‘We can take-’
‘No, we can’t. We don’t have enough magic to carry those two along. Look, just turn around...’
I hesitated for what felt like minutes with a tight chest, in truth the idea was extremely tempting. Eventually I turned to the right and looked down a street leading to a direct path to the edge of town. I heard the screams intensify in the distance and another light went out.
‘Now just take a step.’
I placed my left feet in front of me.
‘And another.’
I leaned forward and tried to bring my right leg to follow, but something heavy was keeping it tied down.
“Rodney?” Looking down I saw Sweetie Belle gazing up at me, still hugging me with those small hooves of hers. Her eyes was glistening with tears and a small strand of snot oozed from her nose to my pants. But it was her expression that caught me off guard, she still had hope that we would make it. But it wasn’t hope that Twilight would suddenly come up with a brilliant plan to save the day, or whether the Princesses would arrive just in time to rid the dragon.
It was at me.
Even after seeing the dragon turn the sky into fire and witnessing a group of trained guards get taken down, she still believed that I - out of everyone - would somehow keep her safe from harm.
‘What are you waiting fo-’
“Shut up.”
‘We have no time for-’
“Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!!” I bent over with my eyes closed, arms pressing against the side of my head as I screamed atop my lungs. Before either pony could question my sanity I crouched down and pulled the filly from my leg causing her to yelp out in surprise. Her surprise instantly changed to confusion when I pulled her into a tight hug.
“Thank you.” It was all I said before quickly making my way towards Twilight and carefully placing the filly on her back.
“Rodney?” asked Twilight suspiciously, the same way she would often do when she thought I was about to do something stupid.
And I was.
“No time to talk.” I looked up to the dome just in time to see two more connections cut off simultaneously. “I’ll be needing some.”
“What are you tal-woah....” Twilight’s legs suddenly wobbled a bit as I siphoned a considerable amount of magic from her. Despite everything she did there was still plenty of magic left in her to fill me up to the point where I started to feel the headaches again.
“You two go find somewhere to hide.” I looked to Sweetie Belle who was standing on her rear hooves while she leaned over Twilight’s head. She was staring at me with a confused and worried expression, I guess she must’ve noticed that something was about to happen.
The earth shifted again as another ripple traveled through the dome creating several large cracks that cut through the dome like broken glass, it looked as if the sky itself was about to shatter. Amazingly enough the two remaining unicorns stubbornly held on, constantly feeding the dome with everything they had. Although the cracks on the dome slowly started to seal again, it was evident that it was at the brink of collapsing.
“I guess that’s it then.” I gave the two a smile before both my feet lit up with blue flames, lifting me up several inches above the ground. I turned and launched myself away from the two, picking up speed by using small burst of the propulsion spell like I did before.
“Rodney wait!!” Twilight yelled. “What are you planning to do!?”
“I have no freakin idea!!!” I could feel my heart beating hard against my chest, hear the blood pulsing in my ears while adrenaline flooded my veins. I was constantly being bombarded with doubts and urges to turn around, I ignored these by focusing entirely on advancing. Moving one foot in front of the other, my eyes locked forward, I never gave myself a moment to think or I would eventually hesitate and double back.
All the while the beast continued to grow in size as I closed in.
=====================================================================================
(AN: Nothing to do with the story, but a lot of the effects gives a good visual idea of what happened. Mainly homing fireballs and dome-shield after 2:50. Credits to Birivalos for showing it to me.)
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Woops, forgot to give the chapter tittle there for a second.
nice
Please for the love of everything update it soon i got to know what happens, i mean i was left hanging to dry from the end of this.
I wonder if he could steal magic from the dragon. I mean, it'd have to be pretty magical to be that size AND breath fire.
i love it make moar
All we need is some epic music. Will this do?
SO. AWESOME!~
Just sayin.
But I cant wait for the next update!
I'm surprised Rodney hasn't yet thought of compressing a part of his magic until it condenses into a super-dense mote, and then focusing entirely on accelerating it towards a target - a thaumatokinetic bullet, so to speak.
(if that's even possible, that is)
2202065
I hope you realise that 'First' comments can land you in a bit of trouble on this site.
2202277
Hijack all it's magic, and it collapses like ponies do, i bet. Which means he's perfectly equipped to deal with it.
He'd just need to be putting out magic at the same time so he isn't tormented, though.
Zaibatsu, if you don't include a reference from Skyrim, i'll never forgive you.
By the looks of things, that dragon is going to be driven off or killed by the next chapter.
Please, please be careful not to make Rodney come across as OP.
I know that you're probably aware of this, but I'm just making sure.
.....
spelling mistakes lol
.
2202397
I was somewhat thinking the same, but with an arrow the width of an atom, vibrating to allow piercing, and a secondary spell coating that would absorb magic and detonate violently inside the behemoth, shredding it's vitals. Magic is awesome in the regard that this is entirely possible.
Maybe it just wants the gem?
2202548 That sounds way too much like a compound spell that would require a level of control that even Celestia doesn't have. Way to think OP, holmes.
2202277
Not to mention Dragonfire is probably magical, so Rodney is not only immune, but can recharge batteries from it.
And The Star of Rodney can cover the physical protection.
And he is a friggin´ human, for goodnes sake! May I need to mention how creative we are finding new ways to blow out thing?
2202325
not bad but i think this requires more hard core rock
or maybe an oldie but a goodie
2202777
They are good too, but not quite a fit. The first one is too upbeat for the situation, and the second just screams sports, not battle.
Now that I think about it, couldn't he charge gems and "detonate" them from a distance, with the quality of the gem defining its output; grenade, c4.....nuke...far as blunt power goes.
2202567
No, he wants to kill Rodney.
But, the gem have been on my mind through the entire read, something that powerful could probably apply the chunky salsa rule to a dragon.
Why you give us so many cliffhangers? My brain just blew up from tension
2202793
Hm. Tough call. You're probably right but after those songs, I'm drawing a blank...
Always good to see dragons actually be intimidating it happens so rarely in mlp fanfics
Also GO RODNEY
Well this was awesome, I don't wanna have to wait for another chapter~ But I must and I will, such is the life of a fanfic reader. What's Rodney gonna do here I wonder, try and siphon all of the dragons magic? Better get him an aspirin, he's in for a headache.
Whelp... next chapter is gonna be awesome, there's no denying that.
And since it's going to be awhile for the next chapter I get to have fun trying to predict what will happen!
Lets see... he can't just absorb the dragons magic or else he'll turn into a magical time bomb, unless of course he uses that magic right when he gets it and the only safe way to do that is to put it into one of those mega gems that can hold a vast amount of magic. However those are rare and I doubt he has time to find one right now. So he still has to avoid the dragons breath or else he might/will lose control.
But he can still use his gem shield thing (forgot the name if there was one) to block its breath. That's cool and all but that shield will do nothing for him if he gets hit physically, yes it will save him a from the blunt of the hit and let him avoid a few (crap ton) broken bones but he is still the *itch of Sir Isaac Newton. If Rodney gets hit by that tail he'd be sent sailing right to the other side of Ponyville or through the closet building.
So how can he avoid getting hit? That answer to that is actually fairly easy. His magnet spell is gonna be his greatest asset in this fight, with it he can increase his speed and jump height (not 100% sure if hes learned to reverse it so he get back to the ground quickly yet). So in short, he needs to be evasive if he wants to live.
So now that I've covered his defenses lets go over what he can do to hit back.
Not all that much to be honest. All he really has is his "Fire ball" which is pure magic, so I'm guessing if he puts a fair amount of magic into it he can do a bit of damage.
Now I know I was saying that absorbing the dragons magic was bad, however it's unavoidable. He just needs to be careful, but he can still absorb it. If he can to that then he will have a unlimited amount of magic throughout the fight.
And finally his second best asset for this fight... being a human or in a different word his ingenuity. I can easily see Rodney turning the dragons own power against him. Remember those carrots near the start of this chapter? Well turn those carrots into the dragons fiery meteors of death and BAM dragon's gonna get hurt. Also it's actually easy to see this happening (and I'm sure the Author already had this in mind). For starters it was hinted at in this chapter because of the carrots, showing that he can manipulate a fair number of objects. Also turning this back at the dragon is easy enough and it wouldn't take all that much magic, if any. All he has to do is make a connection to the fare balls (easy through trying to levitating them), then he would need to convert the dragons magic into his own, which is super easy for him to do, then throw them back at the dragon.
I could go on but... I just realized how much of a tangent I just went on... I was that bored
Why did he not use the crystal as a power source and his magic to control it? He would be much more powerful and he would not get the headaches.
he's going to latch onto the dragon and suck out it's magic isn't he?
When do you plan to finish the next chapter because waiting long is nerve wrecking. (no offence).
I like this plot and I hope to see some epic magic from him.
keep it up and on to the next one!
2202508
op I mean its time to man up!
He can be a little
So glad to see you are still updating this fic!
I see where this is going
images.nonexiste.net/popular/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Dovahkiin.jpeg
2202397 I can't help but think of a slightly more... Gruesome version of the Twilight minigun from the royal wedding.
Anyways, great chapter Zai, the anticipation for the subsequent one will surely kill me.
holy fuck man, what a irritating cliffhanger
will you update sooner? please?
What I would do in Rodney's shoes: Absorb as much magic as I safely could from Twilight (check), steal the Star of Rodney (I don't remember if it's still in Ponyville), and try to cast the maglev spell on a nice, sharp Everfree Pine tree so that all of the magic from Twilight and the Star is released in a single pulse right at the Dragon, like a Railgun. Of course, that would take time to think about and set up, and it looks like Rodney's winging it.
Whatever happens is going to be awesome.
right as he runs in to fight this starts to play
inb4 Iron Giant ending.
Rodney absorbs all of the dragon's magic and explodes. The end!
2204431
niga i think this is just begging (sorry for calling you niga), there are so many things that could ha pend, cestia or twi could remove the limiter rodney has, he could use a shit load of gems to make the ultimate bad ass shit lording defense, he could use the big ass shield in the bar, i don{tknow but i just think this cant be the end since there is still the other psyco girl that controls peoples minds i think the final figth will be against her, then rodney will stand victorius and marry twiligth.
Well, our species is damn good at killing mythical beasts. Time to show that dragon to fear the ape that walks upright.
Dude remember, when in doubt, kamekameha.
Go DBZ on that bioatcht.
2202065 I warned you....
2202234 I'll try to upload faster.
2202277 It is, I didn't really give much info and delve into it but dragon's are extremely powerful. Like to keep it old school-ish.
2202281 Never said I wouldn't.
2202325 Has a bit too much "light-hearted" tune in my opinion, if there was a darker version maybe.
2202371 you wont have to wait a month for it, I promise.
2202397 I think Rodney's abilities are enough as it is, I don't want to add anything else or it'll make him far too OP. It's not written in stone yet so maybe down the road I might do a few tweaks here and there. But as for gradual progress, really it's all about magic from this point. I want proper growth for him, learning new things, using them in new ways and of course; making mistakes. He'll certainly end up creating some powerful spells, but it's always through progress and all that. Maybe a bit of luck too.
2202465 Is that a compliment?
2202476 Yeah I was a bit worried 'bout it too.
2202489 Oh I'll make some reference alright. Not quite sure if it'll come from Skyrim though, it's been done SO MANY TIMES!
2202508 Yes, I've always been mindful of that. Nearly fell into that trap earlier when I started this fic. Even if I do decide to make him a tad bit OP, I want it to be earned through his life. He'll be powerful without a doubt, but for me it's all about the progress too. Go look at my reply to 2202397.
2202532 Fixed and thank you.
2202548 Not sure about the shredding entrails part, might be too gorish for some. But certainly magic is pretty liberal in use, depends on one's skill, knowledge and imagination.
2202567 It will have it's own part to play but not the focus, only Rodney and Twilight (and Spike maybe) knows about it.
2202569 I might be spoiling Rodney's potential here if I'm not careful so let me just say this: There's a reason why I made him a programmer, aside from feeding my own ego.
2202593
gamereplays.org/community/uploads/post-71856-1318868265.jpg
2202632 I'll delve deeper in the coming chapters but the dragon's fire is actual fire, and since it's not solid the Star won't really help since it's design to block by shielding itself and intercepting incoming missiles. It does have it's use so you'll certainly see it in action soon.
2202864 I've thought about that idea for some time now, certainly feasible to do.
2202886 So many? Really? I've been trying to NOT make any. The only reason this one is here is that I haven't updated the story in over a month. I will admit, making all you wait in anticipation gives an odd feeling of power and satisfaction. Maybe it why a lot of people do it?
2203059 OMG!! I should have added that vid to give the readers some visual idea of the chapter. The homing fireballs were perfect and the shield from the old man was awesome, especially when he tried to fix it. Thanks a lot for that.
2203195 You have no idea how freakin close some of your ideas were.
2203232 Because there never was any need to, till now magic was simply something to work and mess around with. This is the first time Rodney's ever been in a real life threatening moment with something that will intentionally want to kill him. You idea has been on my mind for a long time so don't sweat it, they'll be more gem implementation and uses in the future. Did I just spoil things?
2203296 Not sure if new magic will be involved, more around a new and different use of what he already has.
2203391 Never said I was on hiatus, I've just been really busy with life. Sorry about the long wait.
2203549 Do you really think I'm that predictable?
2203859 I hope not, I still need you for something later on. Nothing big, but it's best to ask from the creator of the cover art.
2203924 NEVER!!! I will leave you all in cliffhanger limbo!
2204042 Why do people want Skyrim references so much? It's been done so many times. There will be references though, quite a few of them involving video games and general pop culture.
2204056 So close yet so far.
2204256 I am in search of a music or two that will fit to the next chapter, no idea yet.
2204431 Reminds me of the first ending I thought up.
2205308 Glad you're enjoying the fic.
Why does everyone love to predict the future!? I'll tell ya, some of the ideas you guys post are scary close to what I had in mind. Now I gotta change and be more creative to please everyone!
Oh, and watch this to get some visual idea of what the fireballs and shield look like.
2205377 I only suggested that spell because it's a simple concept that's well within his intelligence level to think up.
And... too late. You've already spoiled it: Rod's control mechanics are mathematically precise, unlike the methods of other ponies, that have to allow a margin of error, even if small, which allow the human to create and cast extremely tight-knit enchantments and wards that no pony without such a rigorous control method can imitate. Not even a very seasoned magic user like Celestia.
(Feel free to hide or delete this comment if it's a spoiler)
2205416 I would say....half right.
2205377
But but... Human vs Dragon! Skyrim fits perfectly, even if he just uses it as intimidation!
"I am the Dovahkin. I have killed hundreds of dragons in a virtual world. I do not take kindly to innocent villages being attacked. I'd destroy you right now, but I'm feeling abnormally generous today. Leave now, and your life will be spared. Persist in facing me, and I will destroy you, and then hunt down your family seven generations down the line."
2205439 Still better than completely wrong
2202325
how is this fighting music at all, its all like boop boop beep and shit
this is fight music
this is fight music
this is fight music
I don't mean to hate but really... come on
Oh this is gonna be grandiose.
Can't wait for what happens next.
Don't worry Rodney, EVERYTHING can burn, it's just a question of raising the heat enough! Time to suck off some Dragon Magic! Show him the strength of the human spirit! the power of an apex predator!
All I want is for him to go god mode at least once before the end of the fic. So long as this happens less than a half dozen times depending on the final length we're good. Doctor Manhattan/Akira style.
I've got a headcannon theme for Inquest...