Feeling the Rhythm

by DougtheLoremaster

Chapter 2

Princess Celestia gave a warm smile to a young hatchling sitting on the lap of a foreign dignitary, as she twirled a large straight stick; completely engulfed in flame. Hoof-over-hoof, she expertly spun the large stick before her. She wore a special skirt that was clearly woven from the stalks of Birds of Paradise, the sacred flower to the dignitary's kind.

The little dragon watched in silence, completely mesmerized as Celestia suddenly went wild, her twirling picking up speed as she passed it over her head, to the sides of her body; with only one hoof, and even tossing it up and catching it behind her back.

In the ears of all present, the sound of drums could be heard surrounding them, as Celestia performed the sacred ritualistic dance of the Dignitary’s kind, in celebration of the young dragon's birthday; the young heiress enthralled by the flawless display.

In the middle of the room, a hidden firepit had been painfully constructed and as Celestia deftly wove her way around the room, flames erupted which she dodged with practiced grace. Finally, as the drums reached their climax, Celestia ended the ritual in the exact same position she began, with her hooves at her midsection, and the fiery stick extinguishing on its own.

Instantly a message written in flames seared the air before her, and in the dignitary’s native language, proclaimed ‘Happy Birthday, your majesty.’ All around the room, the Royal Guard, mares, and stallions, standing at attention behind the dignitaries broke into whoops and cheers, as the little queen-to-be clapped her claws excitedly, her scaly tail swaying side to side.

Looking down, the dignitary, a Broodmother, asked the overjoyed heiress.

“Did you enjoy that, my little Ember?”

Looking up, the awe was written on her scaled features.

“That was amazing, I’ve never seen a Non-Dragon survive performing that dance and to think without a single scratch or burn as well. Truly a wonder to behold. I shall inform my mate, Dragonlord Torch that we shall accept the treatise with your Ponies. I am quite pleased with our treatment during our stay in your lands. You have my word, no more hunting Ponies, we shall pursue different prey from now on.”

---

As the hours of the day drew to an end, a drained Celestia slumped into her throne; mentally exhausted from the negotiations between various countries and nationalities. Many of them hadn’t even spoken Ponish but utilizing her mastery over Dancing, Celestia had been able to break the barriers between them, readily.

Glancing to the side, Celestia stared momentarily at the large purple egg resting on a bed of hot coals. Given to her by the Broodmate of Dragonlord Torch, it possessed a curious bevy of green spots.

---

“This egg is dormant.”

“Dormant?”

“I suppose it’s akin to a stillborn of your kind. Only this egg is empty.”

“It’ll never hatch?”

“No, but consider it a nice centerpiece, a gift from me to you.”

---

Dragon culture was notorious for being one in which only the strongest survived, the weak, the sick, the lame, they were left by the wayside. And having done extensive research before the meeting, Celestia graciously accept the olive branch; knowing she was being given no choice in the matter if there was to be a peaceful resolution to the Dragons hunting her Ponies. This was no gift, but a test of her desire to retain Diplomatic relations between Ponies and Dragons. A grim reminder of how sometimes, things just don’t work out; an almost foreshadow of what’s to come and…I’m thinking about this way too much. She probably just wanted to get rid of it and called it a gift. Hm?

Her ears perked up as she heard two pairs of hoofs on the throne room carpet, turning Celestia witnessed Luna being followed by a very sheepish-looking Twilight. Celestia gave a small smile as Luna nudged Twilight forward, and the frightened Unicorn approached her.

“Oh, Twilight-”

The young Unicorn swiftly interrupted her.

“I know what you are going to say, Aunt Celestia. That I shouldn’t overdo it, but I can’t help it! When the music plays it just makes me want to move my hooves.”

Celestia exchanged a knowing look with her sister. Both Celestia and Luna knew all too well how that felt. And the very dangers that compulsory behavior could cause. On one hoof, she was overjoyed to have such an enthusiastic student, but on the other, that student wasn’t an Alicorn; her energy wasn’t infinite, and performing such strenuous maneuvers took a toll on the body each time. Without rest, well-

“Twilight, I am so glad you enjoy the magic of dancing to such an extent, but you must stay aware of how easy it is to overextend your body-”

Once more she was interrupted by Twilight.

“But I don’t feel it until after I finish!”

Celestia nodded

“And that is exactly my point. You won’t feel the drain until the music ends. You must stay aware at all times of how much you can handle.”

“But how can I get better without practice?”

“Listen to me, I know how dedicated you are to the craft, and practice does make perfect, but never lose sight of why you dance in the first place. Dancing isn’t about perfection, it’s about becoming one with the Harmony. As long as you let the rhythm guide your hooves Twilight, your steps will never falter. Tell me, Twilight, what would you do if one day neither of us were here to assist you?”

The words struck Twilight like a thunderbolt; surely an event like that would never happen. Startled, she squeaked out in fear.

“But that won’t happen right?”

Celestia wrapped her wings around her startled student in a warm embrace, gently nuzzling her to calm down the impressionable Unicorn. Celestia whispered softly.

“There’s no need to worry, it was just a question, that’s all.”

Once more exchanging a knowing glance with her sister, Celestia slowly unfolded her wings from around Twilight and said simply.

“I need you to sit there, while I discuss something with Luna. Please don’t move.”

Twilight watched as Celestia went off to the side, where she and Luna held a whispered conversation, of which Twilight couldn’t make out. Staying still just wasn’t in her nature and so, she grew antsy and started looking around the room, when her gaze fell upon the purple egg.

Getting up, she slowly approached the intriguing sight; having never seen a dragon’s egg before. Glancing at the two Princesses, Twilight saw them in some kind of debate over something, but still, she couldn’t really make out more than a single word: Ponyville.

Her attention went back to the egg as a strange melody began to emanate from it. It was an upbeat rhythm guitar, accompanied by the plucked strings of a bass and an electronic synth.

Twilight got excited as she heard it, it was a piece of new music and one she had never known, but it had a catchy beat; causing her hooves to tap along to the beat, the music’s energy infusing within her.

A pair of soft-soled tap shoes appeared on her hind hooves as she stood up, a pants suit of a navy blue hue and a dark blue vertical pinstripe pattern appeared upon her body. Sliding a hoof in a semi-circle, Twilight was rewarded by the sound of a soft, scuffing noise. She grinned. it was a dance she had never seen or been taught and yet, as the music played, she felt her hooves slide along to the rhythm.

And as she swayed to the beat, Twilight noticed the glowing outline of a mare appear, mirroring her movements, and she laughed as the Harmony held out her hoof. Twilight graciously placed her own on top. Twilight watched as the mare placed one hind-hoof behind the other and slowly lean forward, pausing in a half bow. Twilight followed suit and once both were in the same position, the music picked up.

Swinging their hooves out in a semi-circle, sliding it along the floor, both ended the motion with the heel of their tap shoes clicking onto the stone floor. In a synchronized movement both slid the front hind hoof behind them and kicked out with the other, flailing out their forehooves in a circular motion slowly turning to face each other.

The synchronization turned into a mirrored dance, where both performed the same rapid kicks and clicks, but used the opposite limb than their other. Lost in the rhythm of the music, Twilight was overjoyed performing this strange dance, she didn’t notice the egg had begun to crack.

A small hairline fracture slowly crept its way along the surface of the shell of the dragon’s egg. And as the dancing continued, that tiny crack slowly widened; causing the music inside to grow even louder and louder, still.

Celestia and Luna stood off to the side, deep in their conversation.

“We could send her to Ponyville to help her recapture the magic. You know, the place where dancing began.”

“I don’t know…”

“Lulu, I’m sure you’ve seen the signs; she has lost the true meaning behind dancing, she’s far too obsessed with perfection. How long do you think the Harmony will dance with her if she can’t remember why she started dancing in the first place?”

“Are those five even still dancing? It’s been nearly fifty years since we danced alongside them, Tia.”

“No, the time has moved on, and so have they. Though I hear their children have continued in their horseshoes. Wouldn’t it be nice for her to find some partners like her?”

“But she’s never been outside the castle walls. Would it be wise?”

“We can’t always be the lead, Lu. She’s at that age where she should lead, not just follow along to the beat.”

“When you put it that way…Hey, do you hear music?”

Turning their heads towards the source, both sisters watched in amazement as the dance came to a climax and as the last notes played, Twilight clicked back onto her heels before tensing her muscles and springing upwards in a backflip. The Princesses watched dumbfounded as she seemed to land flat on nothing, floating in mid-air, that is, until the faintest glimmer of a glowing mare effortlessly holding her up with one hoof caught their eyes.

Twilight was panting heavily as she was slowly lowered down onto the ground once more as the egg in front of her exploded in a blast of egg fragments and a small reptile tumbled out.

Luna and Celestia stared open-mouthed at the creature in surprise. It was a small bipedal reptile, with several large and many smaller green spikes lining its spine all the way to its tail. Its scales were a rich purple and it possessed green eyes. It looked around at its surroundings as it slowly stood up. Luna whispered to her sister.

“Tia, what is that?”

“I don’t know. That was a dragon egg, but it wasn’t supposed to hatch. And it looks like it’s already developed past its hatchling stage. Never seen a dragon, like that, though.”

The little wingless dragon seemed to have finally noticed Twilight as she gently poked a hoof at it in curiosity.

“Hey, stop that!”

Celestia blinked.

“It can talk?”

The dragon in annoyance, and a rather angsty childish voice, retorted.

“It has a name you know. Spike. And of course, I can talk!”

Both Luna and Celestia turned to look, wordless, at the overjoyed Twilight as she grabbed the protesting dragonling in a hug.

“You are so adorable!”

“Let me go!”

Neither had an idea how she had managed it, but Twilight had created this ‘Spike’. And something told them this was just the tip of what was to come.