Rise Of the Dragon Queen

by Mystic Sunrise

Red Orb

Pearl had no idea how long she had been away from at this point. She knew her parents must be worried sick about her and wondered why she had left home and where she had gone.

At this point, she was wondering why she had left home herself. But the feeling that had driven her to do so was still there. In fact, it had been growing stronger for the last few days. Whatever it was, Pearl knew she must be getting close to it now.

She had been traveling northwest the whole time. The last signs of civilization had been three days ago, and that had barely been more than a few small houses and a general store in the middle of nowhere.

Pearl's bags were filled with enough food to last her until she returned to the small town. How she'd pay for it was another story, but she figured she could work off her debt if she had to. The mare at the store had been nice enough to give it for free.

But Pearl never took anything for free. Her parents had always taught her that if someone did something like that for you, no matter what it was, it was always fair to repay them in some way for their generosity.

But that could wait as she came to a halt and looked at the volcano before her. It was active judging by the smoke rising from the crater. Nopony had said anything about an active volcano around here. Why? Somepony must've seen it or the smoke by now.

Then again maybe not. She was now deep in the Unicorn Range. Nopony had ever come this way, no mines were active or ever had been, and there had never seemed a reason to come this far was how the townsponies had explained. No one seemed to know why though.

But Pearl knew one thing for sure. Her journey was nearly at an end. Whatever was calling her was in that volcano. Now she just had to make a plan to get to it, and not die in the process.

Easier said than done she thought with a gulp.

***

After this, Pearl decided as she peeked over the crater's rim, she was never complaining about the heat ever again. Like never ever. It was almost too much for her this close. Her Pegasus heritage helped somewhat, but it was still more than she had ever known.

Luckily the magma was far enough down that she didn't have to worry about it catching her if she flew down, but now what?

Pearl looked around through the heat haze. Nothing at all stood out from where she was, so why was she out here? There was nothing here? There had never been anything here.

She sniffed as she settled herself on the rim. This was dumb. Why had she ever thought this was a good idea? There was nothing out here. Especially not for her age, and especially not for her.

"I just want to go home," she whispered as she felt her tears fall. She didn't care. She was ten, she was all alone in a strange place, and she just wanted to go home, she wanted her family.

She stretched her wings as she turned and prepared to leave. Her parents were going to furious with her when she got home. She'd be lucky if she wasn't grounded for the rest of eternity as punishment, but at this point, Pearl didn't care. She would just be happy to be home again.

Just as she was ready to take flight though, a gleam caught her eyes further down the crater. As she turned to look closer at it, she could see a cave opening in the wall. Caves had always been something Pearl enjoyed, and this one looked opened recently, and that had her excited.

Figuring it wouldn't hurt to at least look at it, she flew down to the cave mouth. Aside from the heat, it wasn't too difficult and she was soon in the cave mouth.

Walking in, the heat dropped somewhat. A relief to be sure, and Pearl was glad for any at this point, but her main focus was what was on the floor before her.

A red orb, just small enough to fit in her hooves, lay surrounded by shattered pieces of rock. Up close, she could see that it was finely crafted. But that didn't make any sense. It was obviously crafted by somepony, but why leave it out here? Why hide it at all?

Pearl shook her head as she reached out to touch the orb. It was cool to the touch and was rather pleasant to feel now that she thought about it. But now what?

Something was telling her to take it, that it was hers by all rights. Pearl wanted to, but how? She had no room in her bags to hold it, and she didn't have anything to make a necklace to hold it with.

As if sensing her thoughts, the orb began to glow and float toward her. Before she could react, a frame began to wrap around the sphere. A moment later the glow faded. Now the orb sat between two intertwined dragons, their snouts touching at the top.

Pearl thought it was beautiful as the necklace floated to her and secured itself tightly but comfortably around her neck. It didn't feel like much either as she played with it a moment. It really did feel like hers now, whatever that meant as she giggled.

"I guess that means you want to come with me?" She asked the orb. The dragon's eyes seemed to glow, as if in confirmation. She giggled. The orb's red color stood out brightly next to her pearl white coat. It was just a few shades of red darker than her mane color as well now that she thought about it.

Before she could do more, however, Pearl felt her flank glow a moment. Looking back, she grinned widely at what she saw. A red dragon now lay in repose on her flanks, her eyes closed.

"My cutie mark," she squeed as she jumped in the air in joy. "Yes! Best day ever!"

She giggled all the way out of the cave and back out into the crater. "Wait till mom and dad see it. They're going to be so happy," she gushed proudly as she soon turned her flight out of here and back toward civilization.

Unseen behind her, the volcano began to calm down, the smoke no longer rising from the crater.

Author's Note:

Yes. Yes, I did just give the Red Orb, the most powerful orb, and Tiamat's main head, to a filly no older than the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Why? Because why not?

Also, it should begin to be obvious now what role Twilight and the new girls have to play in what's to come for Equus. They're not out to stop Tiamat's rising.

They are Tiamat. Each one of them is one of her heads. Pearl is the main Red head of course. The rest will be filled out in the next few chapters.

What it means for Equestria and Equus when they finally merge into their final form will become clear when the time comes. I do have a plan for it.

Edit: Here's a pic of Pearl just having found the Red Orb. Done by Dizzyspot over on Deviantart.

Comments

[Ratmandango]

Well, it IS surprising that Twilight isn't the main head.

[Mystic Sunrise]

9936589
Back when I first started working on this, I did think of making Twilight the main head and Pearl would be the White Head instead.

But that was unoriginal I felt. So I went this way.

[Edguy0009]

Red orb at the top of a mountain (volcanic in this case). Where else is this sort of thing done?

[Mystic Sunrise]

We have official art for Pearl now. derpicdn.net/img/view/2019/11/12/2193712__safe_artist-colon-morion87_oc_oc-colon-pearl+rose_pegasus_pony_solo.png

[LEGION55]

Pearl is the main Red head of course. The rest will be filled out in the next few chapters. And that kill's it for me.

[Mystic Sunrise]

9965178
Is that good or bad? Cause I don't get it.

[dragonus85]

9965187
Maybe because you spoiled your own story a bit? I donno I thought it funny myself.