After some more time walking, you eventually get to a shack near a river.
“Hey, wait a second, I think dad talked about a donkey with a raft business that helped Spike when he went to the dragon lands,” you speak up.
“It is a quick way to get through without wandering through dense forest,” Grandbuggy says.
“Hmm, if there is no road, then I suppose that’s it then,” the merchant says and you turn to him.
Kichi’s Comment
“What do you mean?” you ask.
“There’s no sense in me trying to pull this wagon around that river, too much time and effort,” he answers as he unhitches himself. “So I suppose it’s time for me to bid you farewell for now.”
“Huh? You’re leaving already?” asks Grandbuggy.
“That’s right stranger. Now that I’ve dragged ya as far as I could, it’s time for me to get back to business and set up shop elsewhere.”
“Ahh, that sucks. I was getting used to having a travel trailer,” Greta whines.
“Heh heh heh,” the merchant chuckles. “Always a sound investment in my opinion. Now,” he claps his hooves together before he holds them out to you expectedly. “If you don't mind returning me the weapons, I can be on my way."
"Wait, you want us to return these amazing weapons? Why?" asks Ahuizotl.
“Well one, you never paid me for them and they fetch quite the penny, and two they are far too powerful for you lot,” he explains. “Back at the exchange was an emergency situation, but now that the crisis is over, would you kindly return them?”
"And what if we don't want to return them?" asks Greta as she holds her weapon close to her chest.
The merchant’s eyes glow red at that as he stares you all down.
"Then, I will curse you all,” he threatens before looking at Grandbuggy. “If you thought you had bad luck before, wait until you get hit with my speciality. Bits will disappear, equipment will be lost in the laundry, your enemies will manage to find you in your worst moments one after the other...Should I continue?"
Ello Calebero’s Comment
“Well, I mean, that kind of has already happened to me my whole life,” you point out remembering how Dad has won and lost several fortunes, your inventory roster keeps changing and your enemies always seem to find you.
"Also, you'll never be able to see a movie, show, or play a videogame without spoilers ever again…”
Your eyes widen at that declaration as you turn to the others.
“Give them up! Give them up right the buck now!”
“Yeah, good call,” Greta nods as she tosses over hers.
“Indeed,” Ahuizotl follows suit.
“I do hate spoilers,” Grandbuggy agrees. “Which is funny considering I traveled with the Doctor.”
“I mean, is it really that big a deal?” Garble asks and you glare at him with immense fury.
“Do it now scaly or I’ll descale you!” you threaten.
“OK, Fine! Jeeze!” he relents.
Kichi’s Comment
Puzzling Frost’s Comment
After everyone has reluctantly given their weapons to him, the Merchant’s eyes stop glowing and he even seems to smile through his mask.
"Good doing business with ya," he says before he walks over to a tree with a piece of chalk and starts drawing a door on it.
“Well, thanks for all your help and for looking after me when I was out,” you thank as he finishes his drawing and sets a blue flamed torch at the base of the true.
“You’re welcome Little One. I’m sure I’ll see you again in the future. If you do, stop by and see what I’ve added to my collection,” he says as he suddenly opens the chalk door inwards and light comes out of the tree.
“What the…” you blather as he re-hitches himself to the cart and starts walking into the doorway. He stops for a moment though and looks back at you.
“It’s been fun traveling with you all. I hope to do it again sometime. Oh and one more thing I forgot to mention, that staff you purchased has a little something extra to it. I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” he says with a wink before he completely walks all the way in with his cart and closes the door behind him. As it closes, the chalk outline fades away and the torch goes out.
You look to Grandbuggy for an explanation.
“You got me kiddo,” he shrugs. “I may be old, but I don’t know everything.”
“It’s like he glitched through reality itself,” Greta mutters.
“I say we just chalk it up to arcane forces outside of our control,” Ahuizotl suggests.
“So weird pony magic mumbo jumbo, got it,” Garble nods.
“…Yeah sure, why the buck not,” you shrug as you look at your Power Pole. “Hmm, I wonder what the secret is?”
“Well no use crying over otherworldly milk, let’s get going to that raft house before our faceless stalker catches up,” Grandbuggy urges.
You look back down the trail and see Slendermane slowly but surely making his way towards you.
“He’s determined, I’ll give him that,” Greta says as you all start walking towards the shack.
“So quick question, why do we even need the raft? We can all fly can’t we?” Garble asks.
“I can’t,” Ahuizotl says and you all look to him.
“Huh…I guess you are the only one Ahz,” Grandbuggy notes.
“So can’t we just carry him or something?” asks Garble.
“Heh, good luck with that. I ain’t carry this heavy jackass all the way down this river,” Grandbuggy chuckles.
“Me neither!” you agree.
“Same,” Greta nods.
“I don’t weigh that much…” Ahuizotl mutters sadly.
“Well alright then, but you’re paying,” Garble says as he points to the chalkboard by the front door which reads 150 Bits Per Trip
Ahuizotl sighs at that. “I sure hope that’s not per person.”
Grandbuggy takes the initiative and knocks on the door. After a few seconds, the door opens, but instead of a donkey like you were expecting…
“Yes, how can I help you?” asks a Pink Mare in overalls and a floppy hat.
“Hey! I thought we left you behind at Rainbow Falls!” Garble accuses pointing a claw at the Pinkie clone.
“Rainbow Falls…? Oh, did you see Mary? I ain’t seen her in a good long while,” the clone says.
“What are you twins or something?” asks Garble.
“Something like that,” you interject.
“What she said,” the clone says with a smile. “Name’s Pickle Barrel, how can I help you?”
“Uh, we’d like to go to the dragon lands please,” Ahuizotl says.
“Hmm, well I hope you got the coin for it,” she says with a smile.
Some Time Later
We now find you all on a raft as Pickle Barrel rows you all down the river.
“Ha! Suck It No Face!” Grandbuggy taunts Slendermane as he is forced to walk along the riverbanks and losing distance.
You roll your eyes at this before looking to the Pinkie Clone.
“So, didn’t a donkey used to work here?”
“Oh yeah he did, but Cranky decided to retire completely after I…or rather a part of me helped him find his true love again…” Pickle says a bit sadly.
“Oh hey, I remember that guy. He’s got a fancy wig,” you say in remembrance. “I always thought he was too grumpy to like, but if he helped Spike out he can’t be too bad.”
“So, to cut her off before she starts gushing about him again, let’s plan out what we’re gonna do when we start seeing dragons,” Greta says quickly over you and you give her the stink eye.
“I don’t gush about him!”
You are promptly ignored though as Grandbuggy nods to Greta.
“Well first of all, we’re not going to start any fights. There’s a lot more easier ways to commit suicide than fighting off a group of dragons.”
“Daddy turned out alright,” you point out.
“Yeah, but that was a bunch of piss ants and one grown up. I’m talking a horde of grown ups.”
“Oh…” you trail off imagining a swarm of kaiju.
“So yeah, we go in, play all nice like, and when we get to Torch, I’ll remind him of the good times, and I’ll ask him for what we need.”
“And he’ll just give it to us right?” asks Ahuizotl.
“Pfft, Tartarus no. The old bastard will want to gamble again for sure. I’ll give Torchy this, he’s never changed when it comes to his vices,” Grandbuggy smirks.
Changer T. Emerald’s Comment
“Oh, can I play too?” you ask. “Sombra taught me how to always win at poker.” Grandbuggy gives you a stern look at that.
“Did she just say Sombra?” asks Pickle Barrel, but she is ignored.
“What that jerkoff taught you was how to cheat Shade, and the last thing you want to do is cheat a dragon. Not even that cigar thieving Gallant True would be that dumb.”
“Oh ok, can I still play though?”
“Nah, this is gonna be for the grownups Shade, there’s no room for little kids,” he tells you.
“…Really?!” you huff angrily. “There’s no room? If you don’t remember I’m the one who pulled the most weight in the last town!”
“Don’t get snippy with me missy,” he scolds. “And trust me, the last thing I need is you attacking the dragon lord.”
“Who says I’m going to attack him?! I’m not crazy like daddy!” you growl and your shards glow faintly.
“No gambling kid, and that’s final,” Grandbuggy puts his hoof down.
“Oh fine!” you grunt and turn away from him crossing your arms as you pout.
Ello Calebero’s Comment
“Quick, maybe you could relent a bit?” you hear Ahuizotl whisper.
“No can do,” Grandbuggy reaffirms. “The card games with Torch can get out of hand and intense and I don’t need her blowing up with that thing in her chest.”
You’re just using that as an excuse, just like Daddy always had excuses for keeping me in the bag, you think bitterly.
“I mean, you and Catbird can either join or watch at your own leisure, but just be warned, some sportsmanlike violence may occur.”
“Quit calling me that,” Greta scolds. “And how bad are we talking?”
“Well, let’s just say the last time I played, friendly relations between the kirins and the dragons became a thing of the past, and Hippogriffs could still fly.”
“The heck are kirins and hippogriffs?” Greta asks.
“My point exactly,” Grandbuggy nods without explaining.
And while Greta groans at this vagueness, you continue to grumble.
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
Mmhmm, excuses and vague answers, just like my whole life. You snort and look out at the passing riverbanks. Daddy wants to keep me in the bag forever, Mommy doesn’t want me to dreamwalk too much, noling wants to explain “Adult Stuff” to me. I can handle Adult Stuff, I’m not a baby! I’m a big filly! I’m strong as buck too!
You grit your teeth and the gem shards glow again.
They just want me to be a filly forever! Sure I don’t have a cutie mark, but I’ll get one eventually! I know I’m only four, but I’m just like Applebloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo! You huff again as your body tingles with faint green flame.
Noling wants to explain that to me either! Why am I so much different? Why was I never a baby like the Cake Twins? Will I ever get answers when Mommy gets a body? Will anything ever really change? Will everyone always hate us?
“Uh, are you alright?” asks Pickle Barrel and you look at her.
“Yeah I’m fine,” you grunt. “What’s it to you?”
“It’s just…um…” she gestures towards the water and you look at it.
“What? What am I suppo-“ your eyes widen as you see your reflection.
Your mane is black and is a different style, with part of it covering one of your eyes. Speaking of your eyes, there is black mascara looking smudges around them and to top it all off, you appear to have a nose piercing.
“Ah! What the buck?!” you say startled as with a green flame, your face and hair return to normal.
“Huh? What is it kid?” asks Greta from the other side of the raft. You look back at her and realize that none of the others aside from Pickle Barrel saw your little transformation.
“Uh, n-nothing. Just saw a fish jump,” you lie.
She shrugs and turns back to Grandbuggy’s discussion and you look back at the clone.
“Why did I look like that?”
“I was just about to ask you the same thing,” she responds.
“I don’t know, but I looked like that weird vampire looking teenager that likes to hang around the bowling alley,” you shudder. “She always speaks in a bored voice and rolls her eyes a lot.”
“Oh, so a typical emo teen?” she asks.
“I guess? Though I wonder what brought that on…?”
“Maybe you’re just feeling sad. You know what will cheer you right up?”
“What?”
Ello Calebero’s Comment
“CHURROS!” she declares as pulls four of them from nowhere.
“Oh heck ya!” you cheer, your grumpy mood melting a bit and your shards to dim.
And as the others ponder the impossibility of hot and fresh churros appearing out of nowhere, you continue down the river.
Some More Time Later
“Alright, you all be safe now you hear? Dragons can be pretty dangerous,” Pickle Barrel warns as she waves goodbye.
“You’re danged right we are,” Garble boasts.
“Oh…Well, I kind of meant real dragons…” she says awkwardly.
“I Am A Real Dragon!” he whines in outrage.
“Uhhh…well bye now, I’ll see you if you get back.”
“Don’t you mean when?” asks Greta.
“…Sure.”
And while Greta and Ahuizotl exchange uncertain glances, you wave goodbye.
“We’ll be back, don’t worry,” you assure before you all start walking through a forest path towards the base of the volcano.
After a few miles, Garble turns you all.
“OK, so the volcano leads to the rest of the range which is near the coast, which is where Dragon Lord Torch will be.”
“Yeah Yeah, I know the dang layout kid,” Grandbuggy rolls his eyes. “It may have been about 300 years since I was last here, but I know the route.”
Garble just gawks at that.
“How old are you?”
“Heh, that’s the mystery ain’t it?” he says smugly as you all keep walking on.
You all then start scaling the side of the mountain, and as you near the top the temperature increases and you hear several voices.
Alright, entering a new place in three, two, o-HOLY CRAP!
Cresting the ridge, you spy a buck ton of dragons, and you mean a BUCK TON.
They come in all shapes in sizes and colors. There are some just snoozing on the blackened rocks, some are flying around, and still others are actually swimming in lava. You’ve only met a handful of dragons, but they are all shrimps in comparison to many of them.
“Hmm, it seems they still haven’t adopted basic culture yet,” Ahuizotl observes.
“I know right? Even we have huts,” Greta agrees.
“Well, they’re a fair sight better than changeling homes. A giant cocoon in the middle of the desert does not a good view make,” Grandbuggy informs as he adjusts his bowler.
“Well…I guess we should just keep walking then?” you suggest as you look the gigantic firebreathing lizards.
“Yeah alright, follow me,” Garble nods as he leads you down a path.
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
As you and the Outcasts continue to walk through the Dragon Lands, you get all kinds of looks from the surrounding dragons. Most of them are those 'looks like a couple of idiots are going to do something stupid' looks your Daddy gets whenever he...well acts like Daddy. You’re used to them though so shrug them off.
What you can't shrug off are the occasional looks of fear, awe, and hesitation you get from some of the younger looking dragons. You haven't done a Daddy (yet) so you don't get what's up with all those kind of stares.
"Geeze, you'd think they've never seen a diverse group of creatures walking together before,” you say aloud as a dragon about Spike’s size ducks down behind a rock. Your Grandbuggy lets out a chuckle at your observation before he says,
"Well sweetie, that's probably because they haven't seen us before. Most young dragons don't leave the Dragon Lands till they come of age and go out to claim their own hoard. This is probably the first time any of them have seen a living creature that doesn't have scales on them, much less feathers, fur and chitin."
"It’s true, with how bothersome you ponies can be, our parents don't usually let us leave unless it’s to one of our hang-out spots in the mountains. Course that hasn't stopped me from sneaking out to mess with some ponies with my buddies," Garble adds in as he chuckles cruelly at what was probably some past 'prank' he pulled.
"And now look at you, forced to follow around some filly half your age because she kicked your flank,” you say in deadpan. “Real impressive what that sneakiness did for ya buddy."
Grable stutters out a bunch of gibberish at your comeback before settling on just grumbling angrily while glaring at you. You just return a smug look of your own, while pointedly ignoring a tiny voice in your head saying to go further with your teasing.
"Hey, speaking of scaly over there, you think we’re gonna run into his Pops while we're here? I don't think I wanna stick around if he gets pissed we dragged his son all the way here,” Greta asks the group a bit as her eyes continue to scan the creatures.
Garble scratches the back of his head nervously at that.
"I doubt we will since he lives on the other side of the mountains. Besides even if we do he'd be more pissed at me than you guys for showing up before my exile was finished. So unless you guys start seeing fiery death in the sky we should be fine...hopefully."
While the prospect of running into Smaug does scare you slightly (and a smaller part of you to get excited at the prospect of fighting a fully grown dragon) you simply blow off Garble's worries.
"Garble, trust me when I say your pissed off dad is the least of my concerns. If my Daddy finds out I got this stupid Amulet on me..." A brief image of your Dad in his Cloak blowing up a mountain while cursing Lady Luck with a whole slew of insults even you wouldn't dare say flashes in your mind before you shake your head and continue, "Well let's just property value will be dropping around here by a lot."
Garble, who has actually seen your dad when truly pissed off, can't help but shiver in fear at that.
"On second thought, yeah my dad is probably the smallest problem we'd have if your dad showed up. I still get phantom pain when I see a drill..."
While the others, aside from Grandbuggy, look at the young drake in confusion you just sigh in sympathy before saying,
"Well the chances of running into either of our dads is pretty slim, especially mine. So we should be all go-"
"GARBLE!"
"-od oh Gorramit!"
Puzzling Frost’s Comment
You stare up as a large shadow descends from the clouds. With a loud boom you look as Smaug lands and glares at your group, or rather the dragon currently cowering behind you.
“GARBLE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! YOUR EXILE ISN’T OVER YET!” He roars glaring daggers at him, seemingly ignoring you and your little group. You’d normally be intimidated by this but after the giant op plant monster, you feel rather annoyed than scared. And unknown to you, your shards glow at this annoyance. Your Grandbuggy would’ve taken notice of this if he wasn’t currently struggling to hold up your other two companions as they cling onto him in fear.
“EXPLAIN YOURSELF SON! AND YOU BETTER HAVE A DARN GOOD REASON FOR BEING HERE!” Smaug growls.
“Well, uh… you see...” Garble stutters under his breath.
“Oh come on, stallion up, it’s just your dad,” you scold him.
“Yeah, as if it’s that easy,” he grumbles.
“It is. I’ve beaten up my dad more than once,” you point out.
“You have?” he says wide eyed and you roll your eyes as your annoyance grows.
“Garble! Answer Your Father!” the giant roars and the teen cowers again.
Seeing as how he’s wussing out and getting nowhwere, you spread your wings and hover above the group, getting near hs snout.
“Hi! Big Red Dragon, Excuse Me?” you say staring into his eyes.
“Hmm?” Smaug notices your flapping form and stares at you for a moment. “Who are you again pony?”
“Yeah hi, this is the first time you and I are officially meeting, but I’m Nightshade, daughter of The Hooded Offender? You know, the guy who drilled you and took some of your hoard?” His eyes widen immediately at that and he looks down at your group right at Grandbuggy?
“Offender…? How did you get so old?” he says fearfully, his voice no longer booming.
“Guess again buddy,” Grandbuggy chuckles as he puffs out some smoke.
“Yeah no, that’s my Grandbuggy, he’s my Daddy’s grandpa,” you explain.
“Oh…OK,” he says still looking left and right. “He’s not here is he? I really don’t want to go another round of his insanity.”
“Nah, he’s off in another dimension or something with my Mommy,” you say as you flap back down to your group.. The dragon just tilts his head in confusion before shaking it off.
“Right, but that still doesn’t explain why you and my son are here along with a chicken and a large weasel.”
“Hey!” Ahuizotl scoffs.
“What did you just call me?” Greta growls, but both are ignored as the dragon looks right back at his offspring with a glare.
“Especially when his banishment isn’t over,” he sighs.
“Oh yeah, he said I’m like his lifelong rival or something and by his dragon code he has to beat me, and he thinks the best way to do that is to follow me wherever I go to find my weakness,” you say rolling your eyes. Smaug ponders this for a moment before sighing.
“Fine, I’ll allow him to enter this one time, but only to honor the code.” Garble sighs at this but his father continues. “HOWEVER, he has to go see his sister while he’s here.”
“What?! Come on Dad, anything but that!” Garble pleads on his knees.
“Smolder misses you young drake, so you go visit with my little princess!” he orders causing Garble to groan in defeat.
“Hey, you didn’t tell me you had a little sister,” you accuse the dragon.
“Why would I? Mentioning her wouldn’t help me defeat you,” he points out.
“Well I don’t know, maybe I would have gone easier on you if I realized you had a sibling that would miss you if you were gone!” you snarl.
“You would have?” he says taken aback.
“Well not now,” you huff.
“Great thanks,” he monotones. “But yeah, what do you mean by ‘if I were gone’? You haven’t tried to kill me have you?”
“Not actively, but from what I heard about the hippie camp, I messed you up pretty badly.”
“From what you heard? You don’t even remember?!” he says exasperated and you shrug.
“The hippie smell made me forget a lot of that night.”
“Wait, what’s this about Hippies?” Smaug says as his eyes hone in on his son.
“NOTHING! I wasn’t smoking anything I wasn’t supposed to!” he says rapidly causing the older dragon to raise a brow. By now a whole group of dragons young and old are watching this scene unfold with rapt attention, which causes Grandbuggy to cough into his hoof.
“Not that I don’t want to talk about your son’s experimental phases, but do you two just want a moment? The rest of us got a schedule to keep.”
Smaug turns his attention to the old bug with interest.
“And what business do you have here Grandsire of the Offender?” he asks.
“Oh not much, we’re just here to see Dragon Lord Torch about personal matters,” Grandbuggy states.
“YOU have business with the Dragon Lord?” he sputters which causes many more dragons to turn their heads to your conversation.
“Heck yeah I do, though business is kind of a strong word. I prefer catching up with a drinking buddy that owes me one.” Hearing that, Smaug squints his eyes and lowers his head to get a better look at Grandbuggy. After a few seconds, his eyes widen in recognition.
“Wait, you’re the one who beat Torch at the 777th annual dragon drinking contest!” Smaug says in amazement.
Gasps erupt from many of the older dragons in the crowd and Grandbuggy smiles smugly. Garble turns around with his mouth agape.
“That was you?!” Grandbuggy chuckles and puffs out his chest.
“The one and only!” He says proudly.
“That’s…that’s not possible,” Garble says as he looks back at his dad. “How can he be the Drunken Disaster? You said that happened when YOU were young?” Grandbuggy slumps at that nickname, as does the cigar in his mouth.
“I don’t know Garble, but it is him, I’d never forget that scent, or that hat,” Smaug says.
“Yeah that’s him alright,” says another large dragon.
“For sure!” says a large female.
“The Drunken Disaster has returned! Everyone, put tarps over your treasure!” cries out another one and many of the dragons disperse.
You look at Grandbuggy with a giggle, “The Drunken Disaster?”
He lets out a sigh, “Yeah…yeah that’s what they called me after the last time.”
“What did you do?” asks Ahuizotl as he chuckles.
“Yeah, oh great disaster artist?” Greta teases.
“Ha ha ha, laugh it up ya ingrates,” he shakes his head. “Let’s see you all try to hold your wits together after drinking ten mountains worth of ancient dragon booze in under thirty minutes! And what happened afterwards I will not go into because there’s a child present."
“Oh Come On!”
“Nope, and that’s final,” he says in determination.
“So, have you come to play yet another game of chance with Torch?” asks Smaug.
“Yeah, that’s about the gist of it,” Grandbuggy nods.
“Ah, well, carry on then,” he steps aside and raises his arm to allow you all to pass.
“But seriously, no urinating on the gold again,” he instructs.
“Oh shut yer yap!” Grandbuggy grunts as you, Greta and Ahuizotl start laughing again.
As you all start walking again, Smaug cuts Garble off.
“Ah Ah Ah Mister, you and I are going to visit your sister, and you are going to tell me what you’ve accomplished so far in Exile.”
“Aaaaahhh, but I don’t want to hang around the twerp! She’s so annoying!” Garble whines as you leave him behind.
“Hmmph, he should be more grateful. If I had a little sister or brother, I would always appreciate them,” you announce as he is flown off by his dad.
“Heh, who knows, maybe that’s in your future kid. Once your ma gets a body she and your pops will probably get to testing it immediately,” Grandbuggy chuckles and you look at him confused.
“Huh? How does mom getting a body lead to that?” you ask and Grandbuggy’s face stiffens.
“…Magic mostly,” he coughs awkwardly before Greta jumps in.
“Uh yeah, don’t put too much stock in brothers and sisters kid. They can get real annoying real fast. Take my sister Gabby for instance, she never shuts her dang beak, Ugh!”
“Hmmph, so says you ya video game nerd,” you insult.
“Oi!” she responds.
Pretty soon, you all enter the heart of the Dragon Lands proper and see the coast far in the distance.
“Dang it Ahuizotl, why can’t you learn to fly already?” you grumble as you see the long path over sharp obsidian rocks.
“With what wings?!” he exclaims.
MEANWHILE
Flash Sentry gasps as his mecha suit dives into the trees at the edge of the river.
“Ugh, I need to remind Armor to add a cooling system into this thing. It feels like an oven in here,” he sighs as he splashes some water on his mech. After a few moments of sizzling, he looks forward as his HUD appears before him.
“OK, the trail of dark magical energy is still heading this way,” he says as his suit picks up fading signatures on the path. He then pulls up a map and after cross referencing it, he bites his lip in worry.
“If this path continues, I’ll be heading into the dragon lands...” he thinks aloud, wondering if he should head back now, or continue while the path is fairly fresh.
“If this is her, then why would Nightmare Moon go to the dragon lands? Is she making an alliance with them? Oh that would not be a good combo,” he shivers at the implications.
“Better go into stealth mode. I’d rather I find out proof before trying to get more troops into a dangerous situation. Also who knows, maybe the dragons will rough her up and I can save the Changeling’s body while she’s weak.”
Nodding at his plan, he pushes a button on his gauntlet and almost instantly, the color fades as he camouflages into the background.
“By Celestia, these things are cool,” he says giddily as he once more flies above the trees, following the river. From his position, he spots some movement some distance ahead.
“Ah, there’s that guy in the suit that makes things all staticy when I try to look at him properly,” Flash says as he sees the slowly walking individual. “Are you following the trail too?”
And as Flash keeps the strange stallion in his sites, a couple miles behind him a blue unicorn in a tree watches him with a pair of binoculars.
“Wow, these new binoculars can track anything! That guy’s lit up like a parade,” he chuckles as he can see both the heat and magical output of the mech. He then points his binocs lower and sees the same particle trail that Flash saw.
“Hmm, strange. It is dark magic, but it seems more powerful than what’s on file for the Offender. Has Nightmare Moon grown stronger, or is this something else? And why’s there a red tint to it as well?” he ponders for a moment before putting his tool away.
“If Sentry keeps following this path, he’ll end up in the Dragon Lands chasing whatever this is…Ah screw it, I came this far, might as well see what that source is. Plus, if Sentry gets eaten by the dragons, well, that’s just more valuable scrap to recover.”
The unicorn then hops from his tree, deploying two green claws from his hoof gauntlet which he digs into the bark, slowing his descent. Landing without a noise on the forest floor, he follows after the camouflaged mech, leaving a trail of ice in his hoof prints.
“Well, on with the show,” he sighs.
Zapper frost’s Comment
After what feels like forever walking over the blackened stones, you come across a cave that’s entrance is as big a skyscraper. Ahuizotl lets out an impressed whistle, and Greta just gawks.
“That’s a big hole,” you say elegantly.
“That it is honey, that it is,” Grandbuggy nods before becoming slightly serious. “Now remember what I said Shade.”
“Yeah yeah, no gambling or whatever and go hang out with the Dragon Lord’s daughter,” you huff and cross your arms. “Just putting me at the kid’s table like usual. I bet she’s boring and all full of herself to boot.”
“Heh, well screw you too then,” comes an amused yet stern voice from within the cave. You all turn your heads to the source and see a female blue dragon teen about the size of Garble, with curled horns, lazily flying out of the darkness.
“And who said I wanted to hang out with a bratty little pony?” she quips crossing her arms as she eyes you curiously.
“…Not me, that’s for sure,” you grumble as you get a pretty good read on her. Teenager is practically highlighted above her head.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
There will be many ghost stories(literally) and tales of glories that they have had during their journeys
and there will be skateboarding because... why not
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also completely unrelated but I recently discovered this song and thought it sounded awesome
"great, now I have to play dragonsitter..." Complain the blue dragon.
"It's not like I wanted to be here... But they think i'm a foal, at this rate it will not surprise if they put me in a diaper thinking is 'the best for me' or that 'I'm too young to understand' or some stupid thing" Say Nightshade
"Yeah, I know, those old geezers thinking that they need to 'protect us from everything'" Comment the Blue dragon
"How many times do I need to show that I can defend myself? I helped daddy take a group of mean minotaurs, we fought a village of zombies together, a temple full of ghosts, and even Garble, not like that last thing is too much of a achievement" Moan Nightshade
"Yeah, even her sister can defeat her and she is a hatchling, of course I give her a couple of lessons and she began to call me big sister, but well, is normal, he is not the brightest dragon around, not that there is too much to choose, it seems like my generation males is not very good, many adults lost hope in them. Not like we have it better with how they think many of us are too 'fragile'..." Commented the Blue Dragons
""Adults"" Groaned Nightshade and the Blue dragon at the same time, only to look at each other and laugh.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Ember" Say Ember presenting herself offering her claw
"Nightshade" Giving her hoof and they shake it each other
"Sometimes I wonder if all parents and adults are stupid" Say Ember
"Well, I'm not sure... I mean, there is a meanie bully Diamond Tiara in my school and her parents do nothing... Then there are my friends, the parents of one died when she was a foal, the parents of the others are almost never in home leaving her with her big sister that is always overworked and the third... uh... now that I think, I don't know anything about the parents of Scootaloo... Not that I think about it, she always seemed to evade the topic" Began to think Nightshade
"Uhh, right... If you don't mind me asking... How do you have wings and horn? If I'm not wrong only the royalty of ponies have them and there is only three, the sun princess, the moon princess and the love princess..." Comment Ember
"Four, there is a new princess that got wings recently, as for myself, I'm not royalty nor I even want, the only good one is cousin Cadence" Say Nightshade
"So... What are you doing here and why did they throw at me?" Ask Ember.
"Well, Grandbuggy and the other adults did not want me in their game, thinking I could cheat them, and even when I say that I was not going to cheat them, they told me that I was too young" Commented Nightshade
"Really? Cheating and counter-cheating is almost half of the fun, what is wrong without a couple of dirty movements?" Say Ember
"I know! But try to tell that to Grandbuggy, he could not admit it" Moan Nightshade
"You know what? I have a idea" Say Ember smiling to Nightshade, making Garble that was there in silence shiver as he knew that smile very well
"What idea?" Ask Nightshade
"If the adults will not let us play in their game, we will play our own game, with how many stupid dragons think that ponies are dumb and I just a fragile female, we will be the richest on the dragon lands" Smiled Ember, only for Nightshade to smile
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I sincerely did not watch the last season, but with how many think of Smolder as a clone of Scootaloo, I decided to make her admire Ember just like RD, and put the old Scootaorphan cameo and at the same time make a evil duo with Nightshade and Ember
Yes, maybe Ember is a little OOC but this is before she and Spike meet each other, if Spike can make Ember believe in friendship, Nightshade that have almost as high experience in fooling other that Cozy Glow could do the same, and is not fooling if they have a common enemy, is friendship.
Now im just imagining nightshade and ember just sitting at one of those tiny plastic kiddy tables having a tea party
Lets go treasure hunting
Yeah
After a bunch of pissed off dragons kick ya out
You find a sword in a hole
So what game are the old guys are going to play, black jack, texas hold'em, that all I got.
war poker oldmaid uno
I’m thinking of something but I had a different idea for what, game Torch and Grandbuggy will play. After all Torch wouldn’t give up a shard of the Bloodstone scepter over a simple game of poker.
I think they'd play something like this.
On with the show!
“Ahem..hello! Princess, I’ve come to meet your father. I’m sure he’s told you of me.” Grandbuggy said taking a step forward. The blue dragoness huffed at her title and sighed.
“Yeah, yeah. I heard of your arrival from the other dragons. My dad’s in the cave waiting for you.” She grumbled rolling her eyes. Grandbuggy smiled and nodded. He turned to you with a sheepish expression.
“Now Nightshade I know you’re not keen on not partaking in this, but it be better for all of us if you stayed out here. I don’t want you caught in the middle if this meeting goes south.” Grandbuggy says leaning down to look you in the eyes.
“But Grandbuggy I’ll be fine. I took down that giant plant monster! I can handle myself.” You say annoyed.
“I know you can dear. I’m not saying you can’t but this is something we can’t risk. Remember this is for your mommy remember? Here you can make friends with the princess over there. Having her be on our side would really help things.” He says to you with pleading eyes. You sigh in reluctance but you nod your head. He smirks and pulls you in for a hug. After which he enters the cave followed by Ahuizotl and Greta.
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With Grandbuggy
Further in the cave several cave carvings were sketched into the walls. Depicting former Dragon Lords, and some history of the dragons. Ahuizotl and Greta had to hold their breaths as they past a carving of a familiar changeling partaking in a drinking contest with a large dragon. Grandbuggy grumbled as they entered the central chamber. Several dragons stood ready as guards for their lord. There sat upon a mountains worth of gold and jewels laid the largest dragon the three had ever seen. Twice the size of Smaug with scales three times more tough looking. Large black armor wrapped around the dragons chest. It’s wings closed to the side, as they were so massive they wouldn’t fit in the cave. Two curved white horns, one decorated with a large gold ring, sat along the side of the dragons head, both of which could easily pierce an airship. A crown of large red crystals sat upon its head. Claws as large as three hay carts and a jaw that large enough to swallow ten manticores. In it’s right claw was held the Bloodstone Scepter, though it was more like a toothpick for the giant dragon. It’s jaw opened as it revealed it several large and sharp teeth, strong enough to rip apart diamonds. It’s voice echoed as it spoke.
“WHO DARES ENTER THE CHAMBER OF TORCH, THE UNDAUNTED, THE MOUNTAIN BREAKER, 13TH LORD OF THE DRAGONS?!” Torch roared. Greta and Ahuizotl gulped as they clung to each other. Grandbuggy grumbled as he picked at his hurt ears.
“Still as loud as ever eh Torchie?” Grandbuggy jokes. The dragon guards growled at this, but ceased as torch raised a claw. He opened his eyes, the orange iris glowing like fire surrounding black slits that narrowed as Torch lowered his head to the groups level.
“You’ve gotten old.” Torch said looking at Grandbuggy.
“You got fat.” Grandbuggy said looking right back. The guards looked to each other nervously while Greta and Ahuizotl felt their souls leave their bodies in fear. Torch smiled as he let out a hardy laugh.
“HA HA HA HA ha ah. Oh it’s good to see you again old friend.” Torch said lifting a fist.
“You too you big lug.” Grandbuggy said lifting his hoof to bump the fist. The guards jaws dropped at the exchange while Ahuizotl and Greta fell to floor with a thump.
That's all, I leave it to you all to add on if you want
So first off, sorry for taking so long to comment. Got distracted by DMC 5 hehehehe…
Anyway, first off since we've established that Smolder is Garble's sister I feel like we should have her interact with Nightshade in someway. Like 'you're the one who kicked my brothers ass? ...Awesome!' or something, heck make her into a Hodded Offender fangirl too, but she's all secretive of it. Not because he's a wanted criminal who is supposedly the vessel for Nightmare Moon, but because she doesn't want to be caught liking some 'weak and futile' bug.
{Sorry for no dialogue for this, but I've yet to watch the season that introduces the Student Seven and I don't know Smolder's character...at all}
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I feel like we should have Greta come out of the main Dragon center and just see a pile of gold between the two girls, Like:
"Man...I figured dragons playing card games would be intense but man! I almost...feel...like...fried...chicken?"
Greta slowly trailed off as she exited the main dragon center where Grandbuggy was playing (and kicking the ass of) the Dragon Lord. The reason behind Greta's confused silence was not due to the numerous crying teenage dragons surrounding the cave entrance. Nor was it due to the fact that several fully grown adult dragons were hanging off to the side in misery while condoling each other as if some major loss was had happen.
No...what got Greta to trail off in confused silence was the mountain, and I mean quiet literally a mountain, of gold and other assorted treasures that stood in the center of the room. To add onto the shock was that the gold was between Nightshade and the dragon princess, both of which looked far to smug and happy for their ages at the sight of the broken (finical wise) surrounding them.
"Oh hey Greta! Care to play a game?"
As Nightshade held up a deck of cards with a mischievous glint in her eyes as the dragon princess exhaled flames with a just as mischievous look, Greta could only gulp in fear before mumbling out,
"Ya know, I miss the Crimson Vengeance and the killer animatronics..."
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"Now Fix, need I have to remind you of Da Rulzs?"
Grandbuggy simply rolls his eyes at the question before saying, while doing impressive card shuffling tricks,
"Oh please Troch, you think I've forgotten the sacred rules of the gamble at my age. I've been playing for far too many years to forget them!"
"Fix-"
"Why, I dare say I invented the rules of the gamble! Tarturus help me, I remember being there when those rules came to be! Don't let those history books fool ya, those ponies were mean as buck when it came to their card games. I got a new hole in me cause one feller decided he didn't like loosing at his own game!"
"Fix!"
"Course, it was Blackjack Kid, so I guess he would be a bit pissed off for some random changeling kicking his ass at his namesake, but that's no good reason to stab a changeling ya know?"
"FIX!"
Grandbuggy's head leans back slightly at the force of the shout, but not before he had to plug his nose at the smell at the dragon lords breath.
"Geeze Torch, lay off the Amber and Arsenopyrite! Your breath smells worse then a Diamond Dog's tunnel during a heatwave!"
While most of the other residents in the hall stare at Grandbuggy like he just signed his own death warrant, Torch just gives a mighty deep chuckle before saying,
"Yes yes of course Fix, not if you could stop gloating and maybe pick up all those cards you've managed to scatter all over the place during your 'humble' bragging?"
Yes, apparently Grandbuggy as skilled as he is, is terrible at shuffling cards. The entire time he was bragging, he was just throwing the cards around and spreading them. Of course, being Bugze's Grandfather, he shared his trait of focusing entirely on one thing and ignored everything else.
However, even the mighty Grandbuggy knows to be humiliated when he messes up as he scratches the back of his head sheepishly.
"Heh heh heh...sorry Torch."
Torch just chuckles good-naturedly before saying,
"It's no problem Fix, now lets get to playing. After we play, I know a few ladies who are awfully anxious to see you. Emerald and Cinder in particular have been trying to get in ever since you arrived."
To this Grandbuggy just chuckled nervously while sweating as he said,
"Heh heh...you don't say huh?"
{Wanted to add in some fun with Grandbuggy's flirting problem since he was here before and dragons live for thousands of years, but couldn't think of anything besides the above joke}
Now we go back over to Ember and Nightshade, before they start their sca-I mean game with the other dragons. The two are hitting it off as both have similar grievances with their fathers, though while both try to act like they care less about their fathers opinions anyone with eyes could see the love and adoration they have for them.
Speaking of fathers, the two eventually get into a debate over who can beat whose dad. Of course like any case of this talk, the achievements of both father's are brought up, and needless to say Ember can't help but be a bit skeptical of some of Bugze's achievements.
I mean a single changeling (with some dark magic back up) freeing the Changeling Hivemind and reducing their queen to a bumbling mess of obsession? Highly doubtful. {Huh...this joke is more meta then I thought it would be when ya think about it}
{Also will add in some actual dialogue when I can think of some, unless anyone wants to add in their own two cents}
And finally, I do believe Nightshade getting a tad bit (read: highly) possessive of Spike when Ember seems interesting in the drake when Nightshade brings him up is needed. Nothing too loco like a certain pink haired anime character, but more like a clingy girlfriend kind of jealous.
In fact having Ember point that out and Nightshade acting all tsundere over it would be absolutely hilarious!
Oh, and if the girls get caught cheating I think having Nightshade try to talk her way out, only to cut to her flying through the doors to where Grandbuggy is and landing on the card table sending said cards flying as she nervously greats the old bug would be pretty funny as well.
Hope this comment helped! Also feel free to add onto my fellow commenters!
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After your comment of Nightshade falling in the table, I imagine her taking her part of the gold discreetly in her inventory and when she land, a comment maybe from Torch.
"Oh, you must have a good hand to dare to bet your great-granddaughter " Comment Torch as he look at it.
"Guh... I did not bet her, she landed by herself" Shout Grandbuggy as he try to take her out of the table only to be stopped by Torch
"Sorry pal, you know the rules, after a bet is in the table, you can't take it out" Torch smile showing his teeth at Grandbuggy
"Damn it, you know I did not bet her, but if you are going to play like that, then equal my bet... Or are you a chicken?" Ask Grandbuggy
"Guh, no one call me a chicken..." Groan Torch as he began to inhale
"EMBER! COME HERE RIGHT NOW" Torch throw a shout that put Grandbuggy and Nightshade deaf for a couple of seconds.
After Ember approach the table, Torch take her and put her in the table
"Here, I equal your bet" Torch say proudly
"Grampa/Grandbuggy!" Shout Nightshade and Ember at the same time from the table, while somedragons groan about not being able to equal their bet.
"Winner take them all" Say Grandbuggy and Torch ignoring their granddaughters
"Wait until Mom discover it" Say Nightshade and Ember also at the same time
Special announcement! I’m going to my high school graduation today!!! Yay!
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Congratulations [Coming from someone that did not manage to pass all secondary school :( ]
You get insulted by a random dragon, and proceed to almost kill the poor sod with a butter knife
According to the latest episode Garble is a poet. Who also plays bongos, except he’s shy about it. So he only recites poetry around his sister Smolder (Ha called it!) who calls him by his nickname Gar Gar. Maybe we can pop that in somewhere.
9639038
Is Selena going to be mad that Quick Fix bet Nightshade from the human world?
9647588
Do you want to bet? We can guess that she will be very angry
On with the show!
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As you and Ember looked for a dragon to scam, you stopped when you heard the sound of…
“Huh? Bongos?” You say. You poke Ember and motion her over to the source of the sound. You two follow the sound for a few minutes till you come across an orange dragoness snapping her claws to sound of the bongos. You turned your head and gasped as you saw Garble playing the bongos, in a weird outfit. Before you could process this you heard him speak.
“Fire, Dragon, Wig, and Wagon. Feeling like I be sagging.” Garble spoke.
“Oh yeah I dig.” The dragoness spoke smiling.
“Traveling from place to place. Looking up to the stars all over space. On this journey I must go, to end my banishment that disrupts my flow. Defeat my rival in the ultimate battle, in order to ensure my pride’s survival. To return home where I belong, and be with sister that is what I long for.” He said never stopping his beat with his bongos.
“Aww, I love you too Gar Gar.” Smolder says with a laugh. Garble looked to his sister with a smile.
“I know you little squirt.” He said giving his sister a playful jab.
“Gar Gar?!” You shout in astonishment. The two dragons jump at your yell and turn to look to you and Ember.
“Gah Nightshade!” Garble exclaims. His eyes widen when he realized he still in his outfit. He pulls it off and tosses it behind the rock and looks up at you angrily.
“What are you doing here sneaking around? Aren’t you supposed to be with your Grandpa with the Dragon Lord.” He says annoyed.
“Yeah well, Grandbuggy wouldn’t let me join in on the game he and Mr. Torch are playing. So me and Ember decided we’d have a little game of our own.” You said smirking.
“Wait Ember?” The two look over to the blue dragoness giggling at the site of siblings. The two widen their eyes. Garble quickly stood up and bowed.
“Princess Ember it’s an honor to have you here!” Garble said while bowing. Ember groaned in annoyance. Smolder decided to jab Garble in the side.
“Dude she doesn’t like that kinda stuff.” Smolder said shaking her head. Garble stood up and sighed. You standing there confused titled your head and asked.
“Uh wait you know Ember?” You ask the orange dragoness. She looks to you with a raised eyebrow.
“Yeah, are Dad’s do business together. And it’s not hard to pick up that she doesn’t like the whole respect the princess treatment.” The dragoness says. “Also what’s a pony doing all the way out in the Dragon Lands?” She asked confused. Garble sighed as he grabbed his bongos.
“Ugh Smolder this the pony I told you about. My rival?” Garble says gesturing to you.
“Wait Gar Gar’s rival? The daughter of the changeling who beat up dad?” Smolder says looking at you with surprise.
“Smolder! Don’t say my nickname in public!” Garble groaned. Smolder ignored him and walked up to you.
“So you and your dad are the reason why my brother had to leave in the first place?” She said staring down at you. You gulped as she glared at you. You readied yourself for anything.
“You have my thanks kid.” Except for that.Smolder laughed as she patted you on the back.
“Smolder! You said you missed me!” Garble said sounding a little hurt.
“Oh no it's not like that bro. I didn’t want you to be banished or anything. But I’m glad someone finally got through that thick skull of yours to stop being a jerk all the time.” Smolder pointed out turning toward Garble.
“Besides I’d been waiting to see the person who kicked dad’s butt. Or in this case someone related to them. You two got all the fun with fighting them.” Smolder laughed much to Garble’s displeasure. You simply stood there even more confused than ever.
Add onto this if you want! ;)