Empress Dragon

by Mystic Sunrise

Amber

Amber wasn't sure why she had to be up so darn early. But it must've been important enough for Cosmos to get the whole group up for it. Or at least she hoped it was anyway. She was still growing into what it meant to be an Exarch, as were Diamond, Ivy, Ocean Breeze, and Moon Petal. They at least had the advantage of age.

Amber didn't. For crying out loud, she was eight! She was at the age when she hadn't really thought of what she had wanted to do with her life when she grew up before this. It was not like she hated it though. Far from it. She had meant it when she had said that big ol' meanie pants Tirek would have to go through her to get to Cosmos.

But at night she still wondered what Cosmos had seen in all of them when she had chosen them as her Exarchs and what it meant for them all and their future. In fact, they didn't even know what to call Cosmos now. Unicorn, Pegasus, and earth pony all rolled into one was about all they had figured out so far. Cosmos herself called her new form an alicorn, but that seemed odd as that was also what a unicorn's horn was called.

Megan was as confused as they were, and maybe even more so for she was still getting used to all that she had seen since Firefly had brought her to Equus. Which was a lot to take in for anyone new to be fair? During the struggle with Tirek, she had been so focused on helping her new friends that she really hadn't had time to think about the world she had been brought to and everything in it, but now that she had, a complication had arisen.

Cosmos had already explained her vision for Equus. One where all races were free and without fear, one where none would be shunned for being different.

Of course, Amber and the girls were on board from the start. Even if they hadn't been tied to her like they were they still would have for it sounded like an ideal worth fighting for. Several other ponies and other beings had also joined in.

But Megan wasn't fully sold on the idea. "It is a nice idea, Cosmos." She had said when she had heard of it and confronted her about it. "But what is stopping you from becoming no better than Tirek, or even worse?"

And that had caused quite a stir for no one could help but wonder the same. No one knew how much power she had. In fact, no one even knew what she could do at all. Not even her Exarchs knew.

"I have seen good people become monsters once they have power. I don't know if the same holds true for ponies or not, and I really don't want to know either."

Cosmos had only smiled enigmatically before replying. "I would like to think I am better than those stains on mankind Megan. I admit I am not perfect, and I have screwed up plenty of times."

Everyone had shared a look. They could all feel something was bothering her, but no one knew how to ask about it. "What happened?" Moon Petal had finally asked.

Cosmos closed her eyes as her tears fell. "I have done things I am not proud of. Things that I wish I could go back and do over again. But I can't."

Amber had been the first to rush over and give her a hug. The rest of the girls soon followed. Not even Megan could stop herself from joining in. Whatever else she thought of the idea, she could not stand seeing someone in pain.

Cosmos had just sniffed. "Thank you."

---

And now Amber was letting her mind wander. She really needed to work on that. "So why are we out here again?" She asked.

Cosmos only smiled. "It's time to show you girls some of what it means to be an Exarch. You already know some of it, but not everything."

"And we're starting off with Amber why?" Ocean asked, the filly in question glaring at her.

"Because I'm curious as to what might happen with someone so young," Cosmos replied. "This is the first time I've had someone so young be tied to me like this."

That made Amber feel ten feet tall. She liked being the first of something, whatever that meant. She also made a note to ask her about the rest later. "So what do I do?"

Cosmos smiled wider. "Just concentrate on a feeling of change. It will do the rest." She explained as she stepped back.

The girls shared a confused look. None of them had any idea what that meant, but Amber shrugged and closed her eyes, concentrating on that feeling of change.

For a moment nothing happened and she worried if she was doing it wrong. But then she felt her body begin to change and grow rather rapidly.

Diamond, Ivy, Ocean, and Moon Petal looked on in open mouth shock at what was happening. It didn't make sense, and yet it did at the same time.

Amber finally felt the changes stop with a lurch, one that sent her head rocking back and forth. "Ow." She grumbled as her mane fell into her eyes.

Cosmos snickered. "Watch that first step. It's a doozy!" But why did she sound so far away? "You can look now, Amber. Your new friend wants to meet you."

Amber blew the hair out of her eyes and looked around. She was high in the air, which was odd since her wings were still folded at her side. And then she noticed the green snout sticking out in front of her. Confused she looked down and felt her mouth drop in shock at what she saw.

A decent-sized green dragon was right below her. Her eyes were closed but even as she watched they opened and looked up at her. They were the same blue color as her own. There was love in them, the kind shared between two lovers, and to her surprise, Amber found that she felt the same way for her as well.

And then it hit her. Her filly head was emerging from the dragon's body. Feeling it out, she could feel that she had full control of it as well. That would take getting used to.

She watched as Cosmos flew up to where they were eye to eye. She was smiling, proud of what she was looking at. "So how does it feel the first time?" She asked.

Amber shook her head, or as much as she could. "This is so weird. But it feels so natural. You mean we can all do this?"

Cosmos chuckled. "Pretty much. We have different colors of dragon between us and different breath weapons but yes. we all share this." She clapped her hooves excitedly. "And there's a form we can all do together. But let's hold off on that for a while. It's way too early for it."

Amber snorted, and a green-colored gas came out of her filly and dragon's nostrils. She blinked in confusion and then in disgust at the smell. "That's new, and what's that smell?"

Cosmos was worried, for she knew what the smell was. "That was your breath weapon. You both can use it. That smell is gas and a very dangerous kind at that."

"How dangerous?" Diamond asked, trying not to gag at the smell.

She shook her head, memories from other worlds coming to her mind. "Enough of it can kill a lot of ponies and other creatures. Ask Megan. She can tell you how deadly it can be."

Amber shut her mouth in horror, for she could already feel it building up in her throat. "How do I stop it?" She asked. She wanted no part of that and what it could mean.

Cosmos shook her head. "You can't stop the build-up, but you can learn how to control it. That will come with time." She floated closer and her face softened. "Let's try something less dangerous for now."

Amber was lost. "Like what?" A statement her dragon seemed to share, however, that made sense.

Cosmos smirked. "Walking. You can't do much else if you can't walk. Just, do it like you normally do. Except now you're doing it for two, not one."

Amber shared a look with her dragon but nodded all the same. Closing her eyes, she tried taking a step like she always did when she was on the ground.

For a moment nothing happened, but then she felt a leg take a step forward, soon followed by the other three.

The girls had to quickly jump out of the way as the dragon began walking around the clearing. "Can she even see us up there?" Ivy asked, as Amber seemingly became more comfortable doing this.

"I don't think so. Not if she's seeing out of one head, not two." Ocean replied. "Hey Amber, watch you're going. You're gonna step on us down here!"

Amber smiled sheepishly. "Sorry! I can't see where I'm going up here." And she really couldn't. How was the supposed to work if she couldn't see past the end of her snout?

At that moment, not paying attention to where her feet were going, she suddenly tripped over her two front legs and did an immediate face plant into the ground below, one that shook everything in sight and sent many animals running for cover.

Amber groaned from somewhere beneath her dragon's head. "Ow. That wasn't very graceful."

Cosmos chuckled as she landed next to her. "We'll work on that too."

---

Cosmos chuckled as Amber blushed. "She spent so much time face-planting that I'm surprised the craters aren't still there."

Amber shot her a hurt look. "Oh like you were any better the first time."

Cosmos rolled her eyes. "Point. And then there was when we joined into our combined form." Both she and Amber shuddered. "That was a trainwreck the first time."

Crystal was lost. "How's that?"

Cosmos looked sheepish. "You try getting six minds in one body to work together at the same time, and coordinated too when we each controlled a different part of that body. We spent most of that time just trying to stand up."

Amber and her dragon giggled. "And the rest of that trying not to trip over our own four feet and face plant. Usually at the same time. Megan, Danny, and Molly found it hilarious though."

Cosmos shot her a hurt look. "Not helping Amber."

Crystal and Blaze couldn't help but giggle at the thought.

Cosmos could only sigh as she felt the rest of the girls arrive in their own unique way. "But enough of that for now. Time to get this show on the road."

---

As Amber worked to pick herself up from her faceplant, Blister couldn't help but wince at the look on Amber's face.

That fall hadn't hurt too much, but it was the pain of seeing her Exarch with a hurt look on her face that hurt her as much as the fall had hurt her. But what could she do? Her ability to do much was limited by the fact that Amber controlled their whole body.

Not that Blister was against any of it of course. She had been dreaming of this day her whole life. It had been a surprise to find she had been joined with a filly.

But that just made it more fun. As Cosmos had said, Amber was the first filly Exarch she had ever had. It made Blister giddy to be the one to share that honor. What worried her though was the off chance they gassed someone. She knew how to control her breath weapon and how not to use it by accident.

Amber on the other hoof... Cosmos and the rest of the girls could take it. Few others she knew of could though.

Blister was excited to teach her filly all that it meant to be like this. She only hoped that nothing would happen to change Amber's mind about this form.

---

Amber meanwhile could hear her dragon's thoughts as loud as her own. While it was an odd experience, she couldn't help but feel she was right.

If she couldn't learn how to control this form, then what was the point in having or using it? Everypony else would and she'd be left out. She didn't want that as she felt tears begin to gather. Her dragon looked up at her with concern before giving Cosmos a pleading look.

Cosmos got the message and flew over and wrapped a hoof around Amber's head. "Amber don't cry. It's alright."

Amber sniffed. "No, it's not. If I can't even walk, then what's the point of this?" Her head slumped. "I might as well not even use it."

Cosmos smiled as she lifted her head. "Amber, never say that. No one gets this right the first time. I can't how many times I've done the same."

Amber gave her a pleading look. "Then what am I supposed to do? I mean, I doubt we all get the same when you guys do this."

Cosmos shook her head. "You're right. We'll all be different in many ways from each other. We might not be able to fully help." She paused and smiled.

Amber was about to ask why, when a new voice spoke up from below the two of them. "You can always ask me."

She blinked. Where did that come from?

"Down here."

Cosmos chuckled as Amber's mouth dropped in shock as she looked down at her dragon, who was smiling widely up at her.

"You can talk?" Amber asked.

Her mate pouted. "Of course I can talk. It's something all dragons can do. We just don't unless we want to and only to a few at that."

Cosmos giggled. "I like her already."

Amber shot her a flat look. "Who's side are you on? How can she help me? I'm kind of in the driver's seat here remember?"

Cosmos smiled. "That's something the two of you must figure out on your own. I can't help you with it. None of us can."

Amber snorted. "Gee thanks."

Author's Note:

Redid this chapter. Not much has changed from the old version of it. Just a little bit added here and there. Not much though, and nothing that changes what goes on. I moved the chapter here to line up with the chapters for Diamond, Ivy, Ocean Breeze, and Moon Petal, who will be coming next. In that order as well.

Comments

[Starlight Nova]

Shouldn't you wait until Long Live The Empress is complete before you start this one?

[Mystic Sunrise]

10634166
If you had read the description, you know this isn't a sequel. But a mid story arc. I just marked it as a sequel since the site doesn't make the difference.