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1) Awoken... ✔2,024 words
2) ...And Ready to Eat! ✔2,409 words
3) Questions, So Many Questions! ✔3,055 words
4) Screaming With New Friends ✔4,112 words
5) Is That A Bird? Is That An Airship? No, It’s… An Alicorn?2,480 words
6) Little Black Bird3,160 words
7) Dragon Toothed and Dragon Tailed2,518 words
8) Mortal King3,550 words

7) Dragon Toothed and Dragon Tailed

A Claw, A Paw, A Magic Feather

Present Time
One Day Later

It wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be. Meaning that it was worse than she could have possibly imagined. With nearly every single question, he answered back with another question, was incredibly vague, faked ignorance or confusion, and basically just blatantly deflected each question that he didn’t like with more diverges that somehow worked.

She has to admit, Craig was tough to crack and unbelievably clever, very tough, tougher than a will of a minotaur in fact. But she was even tougher than him! And she can prove it.

”My Lord, you mentioned Aidenn? That’s a place, right?”

”What doth thee bethink?”

Stone squirmed. ”Uhm.”

They laid upon the vibrant green grass, of which belonged to the ample fields that possessed the land occupied by the ponies. They weren't that far off from Hoofington, next to Wagongong and it’s railroads. They enjoyed a few beverages and foods from the local café Stone said is called Hot Hoof. Craig felt significantly more comfortable away from the ponies currently, he told them he couldn't handle the stares. It made sense, she supposed.

However, if she wants things to be easier she’ll need the King to actually act normally.

”Argh. Alright. My Lord?”

He took a sip of a tall cup of cold water that Stone bought for Craig from the café, and still with that Celestia-damned smirk still plastered on his face. ”Hmm?”

”We need you to speak normally, since ponies might be like Stone and not understand you half the time.” A part of her felt regret for sounding so annoyed.

Sharp’s nose scrunched, clearly offended. ”Hey!”

The King finally cracked! Ha! The only downside however, is that now she’s drenched is water.

”We apologizeth, youngling. But, what? We has't to doth what? The way We speaketh shouldst beest n'rmal!”

River shivered. ’Ugh. Gross.’ She thought. She felt a little better as Sharp hoofed her a handkerchief.

”Well, maybe for you. But for quite literally everypony else, T’is not. There. Do you understand?” River wiped her face with the cloth.

”Woah. Brutal.”

He sighed. ”Thou art v'ry condescending.”

River snorted rather unladylike. ”Look who’s talking.”

He blinked. ”…Us?”

She sighed. ”You need a disguise or something. You also need to speak Modern Ponish so you don’t stand out. Oh, and that means that Sharp and I have to stop calling you by your title.”

The King was quiet for a long few minutes. Craig was defeated. He heard the truth in her words and knows that she has a very good point. To disguise? What would he change to? The problem isn’t that he can’t do such a thing, he easily can, however he has no suitable form to use. He can also learn this ”Modern Ponish” very quickly, since during his rule, it was really only the Royal Family and it’s connections to other nations, it’s nobles and servants that kept up appearances. Lucky for him, since if his subjects didn’t start converting into something similar to Moder Ponish before he left to slumber, he wouldn’t have understood a thing.

Though a bit odd, Craig supposed that about two decades was enough to completely convert into speaking Modern. Though it was a bit different.

”Ah… Very well. If, if… We’ll doth it so mine subjects don’t stareth at Us in such a mann'r.”

She rejoiced! ”Perfect! Thank you for understanding, my Lord, erm, Craig.”

Craig sighed. He’ll need to rebuild his pride after this if he doesn’t get used to it.

Stone perked up. ”Wait, does this mean he won’t look like an Alicorn?”

River smiled, relieved. ”That’s right.” She took a bite of her sandwich in a shameless victory. ”Which means,” Her eyes shined as she turned back to Craig, ”studying!”

Stone groaned. ”I have to participate too, don’t I.”

She snorted. ”Why did you even ask?”

Hmm. Acting like a mortal shouldn’t be too hard, could it? He was one once, after all. Craig smiled. ”Well. We doth liketh studying. Howev'r, yond wouldst taketh too longeth, We wanteth to seeth mine young daught'rs.”

Sharp Stone flopped down. ”I don’t— What?” The drink in his cloven hoof nearly spilled. It has been a terrible day for him so far. He had to avoid so many questions at the café about His Majesty. The ’rumors’ had gone around like a wildfire, and all the ponies were staring at him. He noticed, even though they tried not to be. He discovered today that ponies aren't that subtle. At all.

River had to keep down a laugh. The Princesses? Young? ”Heh. Well you can go to Canterlot with ponies wondering why you speak ’Royal’, as you called it. Then you’ll have ponies asking you if you’re royal, then boom! Your cover is blown.” It was a lie, obviously. She’s pretty sure the average pony has no idea what Old Ponish sounds like.

Craig’s eye widened as disbelief abruptly appeared on his face. ”We’ll beest blown? Oh leif!”

Oh right. Ponies were very literate back then. No double meanings either. ”No, no. It’s metaphorical. You won’t, uh, blow up if you’re found out. But you will have a hard time.”

Craig growled. ”What art these phrases thee sayeth? We und'rstand not. Oth'r w'rds has't meaning anon?”

”Look! Do you want help or not?”

Craig huffed at how rude she was acting. ”We nev'r did need help. We simply did want mine kin to meeteth mine new companion.” He pointed his shaggy right hoof at Stone, who wasn’t listening to the conversation at that moment. He’s watching a large flock of black birds racing in the sky, it was going to pass over them.

”You mean to tell me that you would have been able to handle a world you don’t understand?”

”W-what? We used to ruleth it!”

”Well that doesn’t matter now! Quite a lot time has passed since then, and a lot has changed.” She shouted at him at his own foolishness. ”So. Let’s start reading some books so that you can understand.” She placed a cloven hoof on her chin. ”Oh, and some history books as well.”

Craig stomped his hoof in anger. ”It shall taketh far too longeth! We shalt simply collecteth the knowledge, it only doth take a moment.” He knocked Stone on his head with a hoof.

”Hey!” Sharp screeched, swiftly placing a hoof on his cranium. ”What? Ow.” He gawked at the King’s horn, which was pointing at Stone’s forehead. ”Uh… Yeah?”

Craig put on a very warm smile in an instant. ”May We has't thy consent to gain the knowledge of thy lexicon?”

Stone grinned awkwardly. ”Uh, s-sure! But, what’s a lexic—?” In a flash, Craig’s horn twinkled in lustrous magic.

”Very good! Stayeth still, mine companion, this might sting.”

River’s eyes widened. In that moment, a single thought slapped her face harshly. ”Wait! Stone, you idiot! Stop— Gah!” Her retinas suddenly burned in pain as a harsh light flashed unforgivingly into her vulnerable eyes.

A dirty-ish blond shaped igloo of radiant golden light expanded outwards from the trio, swallowing all objects it passed through as it inflated. The world around was seemingly unaffected. The wind unmoving. The world darkened milliseconds after, the clouds in the sky like bright stars as they gleemed from the intense light. Bigger and bigger the orb of magic grew, nearly reaching Hoofington, the town they so hurriedly tried to avoid. It then flickered at the end of it’s brief existence.

It lasted exactly four seconds in time.

The air is heavy with static, almost weighing down the three frozen figures in the middle of it all. And as promised, it only took a moment.

Breathing heavily, Craig’s body nearly tipped over, caught unawares by his weak legs. His head ached as it overflowed with intrusive information. Questionable knowledge blurred his preexisting understanding of the world. Gradually, the ache dulled and he slowly looked up…

… Right into the squinting eyes of an enraged Kirin.

”What were you thinking!” River screamed. She was about to slap some sense into him. Hard. ”Didn’t you think things through?! Look at what you’ve done!” She jabbed a cloven hoof to the male Kirin limp on the ground next to them.

Stone clearly laid unconscious. However, the only thing Craig noticed was Sharp’s drink spilled upon the grass. He blinked calmly.

”Oh, yeah. That’s pretty bad— Wha—?” The words died on his tongue.

Craig’s eyes swiftly enlarged. River’s body stiffened in shock. Stone suddenly awoke, his sights shifting to peer at the towering Alicorn above him. ”… Dude. What did you do?”

Craig’s wings shifted uncomfortaby. ”Uhm. I… learned how to speak Modern Ponish from you?”

”Wait— What?” Stone abruptly asked, flabbergasted.

”What?” The King parroted, equally as confused.

Sharp Stone gasped dramatically. ”Wait! You’re speaking normally!”

”… So I am.” Craig laughed. ”Fascinating! It worked!” He started to move his jaw around, testing out the new way of speaking. ”Dude. Duuuude. Doooodaaaaa… Oh! I know what chad means now. Hehe.”

River hadn’t moved a muscle. ”Y-you… What—?”

…

”You mean I brought all these books for nothing?!”

Stone laughed. ”Yeah.”

The late afternoon sunlight shined through the window and fluttered out her motionless silk curtains. Her flowing hair cast a shadow upon her messy desk as open envelopes were cast aside. As she read letter after letter, her tears nearly stained one of them.

After an unmarked period of time, the doors to her chamber clicked and silently opened inward, her back facing away from the slowly entering invader. She hardly paid any mind as her form shook; She was enveloped in a mist of joyful tears. Finally, she can now live peacefully knowing that… that, they’ve all—

”They’ve forgiven you. Every single one.” The doors clicked closed and her sister’s hoofsteps gradually fell silent, stopping right beside her.

A shaky chuckle left her trembling lips. ”It feels… so fulfilling.”

Encircling her sister with a comforting wing, Celestia gave her younger sister a loving smile. A genuine expression instead of her daily practiced complexion.

”A few of them actually appeared before me when you were out.” She revealed.

Luna paused to look up from a letter between her hooves. ”Really?”

The older sibling nodded matter-of-factly. ”What were you doing?” Celestia asked slowly.

”I had some… alone time.” Luna felt her sister’s wing tighten slightly.

”You know you can tell me anything, sister.” The Solar Princess stated. It wasn’t up for debate.

”Yes, I know.”

…

”Do you want to talk about it—?”

Two knocks spewed from the door, prompting the siblings to turn their heads. The knocks reverberated around the walls of Luna’s chambers.

Odd. Her brows scrunched together in confusion; Her room was noise-canceling.

”Strange.” Her older sister commented. She folded her wing back into a resting position. ”Your room doesn’t echo, right?”

”No, it does not.”

”Come in.” Celestia’s voice was raised to address the one waiting behind the door.

The doors opened with a noticeable click, and there poked in a chimera’s head with two miss-matched horns.

”Do I smell happiness? In this room?” He chuckled. ”I thought I'd never see the day!” The Lord of Chaos posed dramatically after fully entering the room.

”Discord.” Celestia calmly greeted. ”Is there something you need?”

Luna huffed heavily. ”Yes. What do you want?” She asked, lightly aggravated.

He stood on his two miss-matched legs, deflated slightly. ”Oh. Did I interrupt something?” He kneeled. ”I apologize.” By the way he said it, it was difficult to make out if he was sincere or not. Discord looked up. ”That’s what friends do, right? Hey, I knocked first!”

The sisters blinked simultaneously, realizing then that Discord did indeed knock.

”You… did.” A smile slowly appeared on Celestia’s lips.

”Miraculously.” The Lunar Princess mumbled angrily. Her sister nudged her side with her large wing.

”I’m proud of you, Discord. Your use of mannerisms is improving.” She smiled at him.

Discord’s eyes widened as the fur on his cheeks turned bright red. He swiftly whipped out a paper fan from behind him to cool from the praise. It had a cheery blossom design on it’s front as he waved it to and fro.

”My, Celestia. I thank you, dear. I’ve been working very hard, it’s about time somepony noticed.”

Celestia’s cheeks flushed a soft pink. Luna only huffed.

Discord put down the paper fan. ”Luna dear, don’t ruin your mood. It smelled so wonderful!” He almost rudely pointed his claw at the annoyed Mood Maiden. ”You know, I like you better happier.”

Discord winked. Luna’s cheeks flushed this time.

”What do you want?” She yelped, slapping Discord’s claw away.

He hissed for a moment, shaking his claw around. ”Ouch… Er, right, well.” He cleared his throat, motioning a balled hurting claw toward his brown-fured neck. ”Well, I caught wind of some… ah, few strange magics that’s going about.” Leaning back, —er, on the air— he crossed his miss-matched arms in a huff. He looked away, as if recalling a memory. ”And not the friendly kind, I can guarantee you.”

A glance was shared between the sisters.

”What do you mean?” Luna inquired.

Celestia blinked flatly. ”A few strange magics? Discord, there are many magical auras our top scientists are still studying, of course there are strange magics. Some of them ought to be a little dangerous.”

”No, no!” He waved his paw. ”I know that, but that isn’t what I meant at all! Two new ones, out and about! All willy-nilly! That isn’t right.”

Celestia placed a hoof on her chin. ”…How odd. You’re right, that isn’t…”

”Really, sister?” Luna deadpanned. ”Are you seriously believing him?” She glared at Discord, who looked hurt. ”Why would we believe you? How can you know that there are exactly two?”

”Sister, please!”

He snorted indignantly, positioning his paw and claw on— his lower torso? Uh— his waist. ”Well, I apologize for warning you. I suppose you want your subjects to turn into foals.”

Luna’s eyes widened. ”You wouldn’t—!”

”I wouldn’t,” His claw jabbed his chest. ”but rather one of those strange magics.”

She huffed. ”You jest.”

Discord simply crossed his arms and looked at Luna, bored and completely serious.

”Er… Discord?” He looked to Celestia. ”How do you know that this magic can turn ponies into foals?”

”Sister!” Luna seethed. ”How is that believable in any way?”

Ignoring her, Discord continued. ”I’m not sure if it’s the same one, but I do remember experiencing it once before quite a long time ago. If it’s even the same one that is. It wasn’t pretty.”

”What about the other?” She asked.

Discord nearly paled. ”It’s just… erm, incredibly strong.”

The Mood Maiden’s brow crept upwards. ”How powerful?” Celestia’s ears perked up.

He rubbed his neck for one moment, pausing hesitantly. ”The three of us combined might have the possibility to rival it. Er, maybe. That kind of powerful.”

The room was silent. The only thing that dared make a noise was the alarm clock that sat idle on Luna’s nightstand, tick after tick.

…

Celestia sighed.

”Buck.”

Discord chuckled. ”Me too, sis.”

Author's Note:

New revolutions! The Lord of Chaos arrives to play in a dangerous game. He seems to know more than what he’s letting on, however.

Oh my gosh! Finally! I'm so excited to finally be using images! I've been wanting to for quite a long while now, and I've done it! I'm pretty proud of myself if you haven't realized.