A Draconic Meeting

by Mystic Sunrise

Rebirth

Pearl flew hard, as hard as her wings could take her through this dark empty void. Behind her, she could hear Twilight calling out to her. But the horns she was heading to blared so loud, that Twilight’s voice was barely a whisper. She wanted to head to the sound of the horns. Not caring what they would do to her. But regardless of how hard she flew, the landscape never changed. Darkness was all around her.

A heavy wind blew across her shoulders. Lifting a foreleg up to block it from her eyes, Pearl saw a shadow take shape. In its eyes were two flaring spheres of emerald flame.

“..Pearl.” Twilight’s voice grew louder as she stared into those eyes.

“Pearl…” her whole body trembled. As she looked at this shadow, the fear she felt before Kiyoko flooded her mind as it spoke in Twilight’s voice. As the creature spoke the horns deafened as flames surrounded her.

“Pearl!” a heavy shaking on her shoulder broke her sleep. Looking up Pearl saw her looking into the sapphire eyes of a white fox. Its two tails swished back and forth as its tiny paws shook her shoulder. “Wake up.”

“Wha…” Sitting up, Pearl looked at her surroundings. The draconic decor was replaced by a far eastern one. Blinking, she looked down at the small fox. “Who… who are you? Where am I?”

Pearl watched the small ten-year-old fox sigh before looking over its shoulder. “Daddy!! Auntie Pearl’s having memory problems again,” the young female fox called out.

Looking at the door she saw a familiar set of eyes come into view as a fox of impossible size came through. She had thought Kiyoko was huge. This fox was larger, twelve hooves high at least. Nine tails swished behind him as he strode closer. She knew this fox. The baby fat on his body was replaced with lean powerful muscle, his angler form made for speed and agility. His large paws made virtually no sound as he came closer.

Pearl bit down on her lower lip as she leaned back as the fox reached out and touched her cheek with a paw finger.

“Well that’s good, your fever broke.”

Pearl’s eyes widened as Kohaku spoke. Who knew that annoying pain would grow to be this heartthrob in front of her?

“Kohaku… is that you?” Kohaku smiled and nodded slowly. “How…” Pearl soon found herself silenced by his paw on her lips.

“What’s the last thing you remember?” Kohaku’s face took on a serious tone as he sat down before her.

“I… I was with Twilight in the palace of the Dragon Mother. I remember these horns. Calling out to me.” Her head swiftly turned as she heard Kohaku sigh deeply

“I was afraid of that.” Scratching his neck with his front right paw he sat up straight. “I’m not sure how to tell you this Pearl, but that was a thousand years ago.”

Pearl felt herself growing dizzy, her body swaying only to be held tight by Kohaku’s strong paws.

“Easy there… don’t worry, you’ll be okay. This will pass, and you’ll remember everything again. I promise. After all, it did the last few times.”

“A thousand years? How am I..” Pearl took a step off the sofa and looked down. She blinked at seeing herself so high off the ground. Lifting her leg up she placed it on her forehead and felt her heartbeat grow faster at what she felt. Pushing Kohaku aside, Pearl dashed to the closest mirror. She stood as tall as Celestia. Her hair flowed like flames and protruding was a scaled horn. “I’m a. I’m a…”

“An alicorn.” A familiar feminine voice came from behind her. “Seriously Kohaku, should you really be teasing her.” Pearl twisted around and saw a mare she never expected, Flurry Heart who was currently rolling her eyes at Kohaku. On Flurry’s neck was a crescent-shaped scar. She watched as her friend walked up and kissed Kohaku on the cheek.

“I was just getting around to it.” Kohaku chuckled as Flurry shook her head.

“I’m going now. Mother’s waiting on me. And you know how she can be when we miss dad's birthday. Enjoy you two, we’ll be back for dinner.”

“Have fun, love. Give Cadence my love and say a prayer in my place.” Kohaku nuzzled his mate before he ushered Pearl down a hall. “I know you have a lot of questions.”

“A few.” Chuckling, she felt herself growing familiar with the surroundings. Until she came across an iron door where horns blared. Her eyes growing hazy, she reached out to the door with a hoof only for it to be caught by Kohaku’s touch.

“There’s nothing for you beyond that door. Follow me and I'll answer your questions.” Pearl blinked as Kohaku came back into her vision and nodded. Over the length of several hours, Kohaku explained the events that happened after her visit.

Pearl munched on her meal as Kohaku explained the events of a thousand years. How because of her work with dragons and relations with them, she became a Dragon Princess. How so many of their loved ones were now gone.

“How many times have you done this? Telling me about my past, I mean.” Pearl sighed as little Pearl, the young girl fox who had woken her up, was sleeping soundly with that white head on her lap. Not unlike how she and Kohaku did with Twilight. “And another thing… you married Flurry Heart? What happened to Sweetie Belle?”

“To answer your first question. Twice a year for five hundred years. Ever since your first ‘attack,’” Kohaku sighed, pinching his nose bridge. Pearl blinked as she noticed a scar under that crossed his nose. “As for Sweetie Belle, well we just grew apart. She ended up with this nice stallion named Button. Nice guy. I still say a prayer for them on their birthdays. We did keep up a good friendship.”

Pearl nodded as she felt the little white fox nuzzle up against her again. Pearl just wrapped her wing around the girl.

“You mentioned that Twilight is no longer here. What happened?” Pearl watched as Kohaku winched and avoided her look. “When did it happen?” She watched those amber eyes look into hers.

“Five hundred years ago.” Reaching out he gripped her shoulders as she swayed again. “Pearl. It wasn’t your fault, nobody could have stopped it. She died protecting you like she would have for both of us at the drop of a hat. I know it still hurts Pearl. But put it from your mind.”

Looking down at her little namesake, who was purring tenderly, she smiled. What he said was true, dying for her was very like Twilight. Her hoof lightly brushed along the small kit’s soft fur.

“Look, finish your dinner. I promise things will get better. They always do.” Kohaku smiled as she slowly started to eat.

With each bite, Pearl felt more like herself. Looking up at Kohaku she heard a soft whisper of her name and the horn which died to nothing more than wind against the wall. A smile crossed her lips. She finished her dumplings and stir fry and looked up at her friend. “You’re right. I do feel better.”

Kohaku smiled hearing her friend say that. Emerald flames danced in his eyes as he looked at her.

---

Pearl groaned as she lay under a large cherry tree. Little Pearl slept next to her, the girl having just her sixteenth birthday. She loved her little namesake. Who knew Kohaku could make such beautiful children? Having met all ten of them. Teasing him about remaking his clan again. The two shared a huge laugh. But this girl was her favorite.

Getting up Pearl waved hello to a few mares from a neighboring village. It had taken her a while but she no longer freaked at seeing such monstrous mares. Especially the one with so many eyes over her body. Shaking her head the Alicorn strode down the garden. Coming to the garden house she saw an iron door she could have sworn was on the second floor of the manor.

Behind it, horns blared loud. Reaching out she touched the handle as she felt her mind grow hazy. Memories of her childhood flooded her mind. Memories she thought she had forgotten. The sound of the horns grew louder and louder.

“Pearl... Pearl please wake up!” Twilight’s voice echoed in the void as she stepped forward. Blinking she found herself back as the small Pegasus she was.

“Wha… what the buck is going on?!” Pearl shouted as she felt a touch on her shoulder. Standing there on all fours was the Kohaku she knew. “What the buck is going on Kohaku? What did you do to me?”

Kohaku chuckled and shook his head. Pearl noticed as he moved his body seemed almost ethereal. Green flames flickered from his fur. “This wasn’t my idea, Pearl. It’s your dream after all.”

Blinking she smirked “A dream? Is that the best you got? Why go through all this?”

“You tell me, you’re the one who summoned me. Or did you forget about that?” Kohaku said, pushing his finger against the silver pendant Kohaku had given her prior to leaving Ponyville.

“This?” Pearl lifted the pendant with both hooves and looked at it. Inside, foxfire flickered as it rotated in a circle. “What does this…” Pearl blinked. “Are you?”

“Foxfire? Yeah. Remember he said it lights the darkness and can be used for attack and defense. Well, you summoned me for defense.”

“Okay, I can buy that. But I don’t remember doing so, and why would I summon anything that looked like Kohaku?” Blinking, she watched as Kohaku shifted into the adult form she saw in the dream. Instantly she was reminded of the shadow at Nightmare Night. This was the body form it took.

“Can you imagine any creature more suited to protect you? He is your closest friend after all. And hasn’t he always come through for you?” His rear paw scratching his shoulder, Dream Kohaku purred. “And Kitsunes never use foxfire consciously. It’s instinctual. Driven by fight or flight.”

“Point taken. So what now?” Pearl sighed.

“I’ve protected you as best as I can. The horns won’t bother you for now. But I can’t hold them back forever. They will return. And you only have two more uses of that pendant. So use it wisely. “

Pearl opened her mouth to speak again when a light erupted in her eyes. Blinding her. When she could see again she saw Twilight standing over her.

“Oh thank heavens. You’ve been moaning and talking to yourself for hours now. It’s morning. We have breakfast, more of that fruit they served us.” Twilight let out a soft sigh with a hoof on her chest.

Pearl blinked, trying to get her brain in order as she sat up. Looking up, she almost expected her horn to be there, but her forehead was empty. But she could almost feel it, like a ghost or a memory. "I had the weirdest dream. I woke up a thousand years in the future. Kohaku was all grown up. I have to admit, he did look rather attractive. And get this. He was married to Flurry Heart! They had ten kids together, one was even named after me. I think he wanted to recreate his clan."

Twilight chuckled. "I would not put it past him. I can see him hooking up with an Alicorn. I’m not sure I would have picked Flurry. Of course, I’m probably biased being the girl’s aunt and all. However, who else would understand him than an Alicorn? We do share similar lifespans." She paused as she saw the haunted look in her student's eyes. "Pearl. What is it? You can't be upset by something like this, can you?"

Pearl shook her head, sniffing. This only fueled Twilight's worries as she lifted the Pegasus's head. "Pearl. What happened? What happened to me? This is what this is about, isn't it?"

Pearl nodded, her head falling. "You'd been dead for five hundred years. You died protecting me. I still remember the thing that did it. Don't ask me about it."

Twilight's ears fell. She knew that being an alicorn did not make her invincible. Did not make any of them invincible. "Put it from your mind, my student. It was just a dream. Nothing more."

Pearl shot her a look as she grabbed one of the fruits and took a bite. "That's just it. I don't think it was. It felt too real. Like I was seeing the future somehow. My future."

Twilight’s brows rose. “How were you alive in fact? Kohaku will not make you his mate. No matter how much he likes you, he will not do that to you. Only an alicorn could live that long.”

Pearl smiled sheepishly, earning an annoyed glare from the unicorn. “Pearl…” Twilight started in a warning tone.

Pearl threw her hooves up in exasperation. “Okay, fine. I was an alicorn. Horn and flowing mane and all!” She tapped her forehead, exactly where a horn would be in fact, and she touched the spot in a way that showed she knew exactly where and where not to touch, as she saw Twilight's perplexed look. “Yeah, I know it sounds stupid. But I can still feel it even now.”

Twilight was dumbfounded. While she loved the filly like a daughter, to do this to her was too much for the princess. “How? Only another alicorn can do that, or a Higher Power.”

Pearl stopped for a moment, finishing off another fruit, as Twilight did the same. How was she an alicorn? She didn’t remember. She remembered everything else. But not this. “I don’t know actually. I remember everything else. But I don’t remember that. Why? Kinda hard to forget that I’d think. I lived that life for six years.”

Twilight scratched her chin. That was true. She could never forget that day, and while it hadn’t been nearly as happy as her own, Cadence remembered hers perfectly. Celestia, Luna, and Flurry Heart had been born alicorns, so they had never known anything else.

Before she could ask more, one of the smaller drakes from the day before returned. "The queen demands you both meet her at once," he grumbled, making it clear that he was to be their guide.

Pearl rolled her eyes as she and Twilight finished their breakfast. "Couldn't she have sent someone less of a grump?" She grumbled as the pair followed the drake out into the tunnels.

Twilight could only giggle helplessly.

---

As before, the duo found themselves in the same room as the day before. Twilight would normally have been over the moon to be in a place very few had ever been in before. But not today, as she watched with mounting concern as Pearl stuffed her hooves in her ears.

"I swear I'm going to kill someone at this rate," the Pegasus grumbled, as Tiamat gave her a confused look. "Why, oh why did I have to get the attention of the Brass Citadel?"

Twilight blinked. What did that mean? Tiamat's eyes, however, widened in shock. "Then it is worse than I believed," the Red head said with concern.

Twilight gave her a look. "What do you mean? Pearl has been saying many strange things recently, and I'm getting more and more worried about her."

The queen, however, only looked closely at Pearl. "Tell me, young one. Do you remember the crystal you saw on Nightmare Night?"

Pearl nodded, biting back a groan. "Kinda hard to forget that stupid. It felt good to smash it."

The queen chuckled while Twilight rolled her eyes. "Indeed. But there is more to it. When you destroyed it, a small sliver of it went into you. Not enough to cause any physical harm, but it opened you to something else to grab hold of your soul. Something your world is not ready for."

Twilight shifted through all she knew. "I know only one thing where something called the Brass Citadel is a thing. In a game called Age of Sigmar in the Human World."

Pearl blinked. "Oh yeah. I was actually going to do that before I found Gunpla. Thanks to my human counterpart of all people. But Khorne isn't real. None of the Chaos Gods are. Are they?"

Tiamat nodded gravely. "They are indeed very real, Pearl Rose. With each passing day, you are being drawn to worship of the Lord of Battle. Your rampage against your friends that night was the first step. No matter that Kohaku may have deserved what you did to him."

Pearl's ears fell in despair as Twilight pulled her close. While she wasn't as much into Warhammer as she was other things, she knew enough to know what this meant. "Then what am I supposed to do?" She pushed at the locket she wore. "I'm almost out of Foxfire, and it's the only thing that seems to work."

Twilight eyed the locket closely. So that's what this was. Another thing she and her student would be discussing once they returned to Ponyville. "What can we do then? I have no magic, and it would take too long to get back to Equestria."

The White head nodded. "You will never make that far before the last of the Foxfire is used up. By then it will be too late. And by the time you reached Ponyville, your best friend would have no choice but to do the unthinkable." Looking at the shocked faces of Twilight and Pearl Tiamat sighed. "And yes, he is more than capable of going through with it, even if it would break his heart." She smiled as she held up a claw to Pearl's forehead. "But there is another way. One that benefits all. Even the whelp.

Pearl watched the claw with a worried look. She could see the faint motes of magic beginning to gather around it and wondered what exactly she was talking about.

Twilight saw it as well and felt her ears fall in shock. She had felt this magic once before. A day she would never forget. "Tiamat, please. Think of what you are doing."

Her Black head only smirked. "I am, Princess Twilight. Perhaps you should have thought of it sooner."

Before Pearl could ask what they were talking about, the claw touched her forehead. Immediately, her world exploded in a burst of power, as unimaginably powerful magic flowed into her.

Twilight shielded her eyes as Pearl was engulfed in a sphere of light. In the center, she could just make out Pearl. In shock, she watched as her Nightmare Night costume appeared around the filly, before merging itself into her body. But there were other changes as well, and Twilight felt a headache coming on.

After a moment, the light faded and Pearl fell to the floor with a thump. "Ow. Did someone get the tag on that rocket that hit me? I'm gonna pulverize it," she grumbled, rubbing her forehead. But stopped as she felt it connect to something familiar. Looking up, her mouth dropped in surprise.

A horn. She had a horn. Alternating colors of red, blue, green, black, and white at the tip. Just like her dream. She could feel the unimaginably vast amount of magic she now had, and something else as well, but she could not be sure what it was. "I'm a... I'm..."

Twilight nodded, unable to believe it herself. But she could feel it as well. "You're an alicorn, Pearl. Just like I am."

And there it was, Pearl thought with a groan as she sank to the floor as she looked up at Tiamat. "But why? Why me?"

"Why not? Not only have you earned it, but it stops those you love from mourning you for all time," the Green head replied with a smile. "And it will put you beyond the reach of the Blood God as well."

Pearl blinked. Now that she thought about it, the feeling was gone. Nothing was trying to force its way into her. Before she could say more, however, a crown appeared above her head, before settling comfortably on her brow, its five dragon heads curling protectively around her.

The Chromatic Dragon smiled widely. "I crown you Pearl Rose as Dragon Princess of Equus, and Inheritor of the Dragon Soul. Use it well."

Nopony said anything for a moment, both trying to take it all in. Pearl finally snickered. "Oh, man. Kohaku's gonna have a field day with this. Ponyville is gonna freak out when we get home."

Twilight could only roll her eyes as Tiamat chuckled as well.

Author's Note:

So This was what Pearl was hurtling towards one day seeing. Because Discord is such a massive waste of what Chaos should be. Even at his worst.

Comments

[NicLove]

Only another alicorn can do that, or a Higher Power.”

How do you want to explain Light Heart ?

p.s. So... could Pearl turn... the C.M.C.'s into alicorns ?