The Hobbit: Third-Age Generation

by PlymouthFury58

Chapter Twelve: Inside Information

Chapter Twelve: Inside Information

Truth be told, everyone at present felt a twinge of anxiety at Thorin's words; the most of which came of course from Bilbo. Apart from him, Pipp came next, and then came Sunny.

"Well, I," he stammered. "I guess this...this is it, then. Time for me to...be the burglar."

Bilbo was more than nervous out of his wits, in fact absolutely terrified at the prospect that laid ahead for him, yet Thorin did not drop his grin of confidence, which did help, if only a little.

"I'll go with you, Bilbo," Pipp spoke up.

"No," Thorin immediately replied. "This is a job for only for our burglar."

"Then only for a short bit."

"Aye, I'll go to," Balin said.

Bilbo nodded, shaking his entire body up and down at the accompaniment, to which Thorin reluctantly agreed to, seeing that their burglar was going to need all the support he could get.

Balin and Pipp accompanied Bilbo down the corridor that led directly into the heart of Erebor.

"You want me to find a jewel?" he asked.

"A large white jewel, yes," Balin answered.

"That's it? Only, I imagine there's quite a few down there."

Pipp chuckled. "You should have seen it, Bilbo. There's literally nothing else like it."

"She's right, lad. There is only one Arkenstone. You'll know it when you see it."

"Alright."

Bilbo paused. "Wait, how do you know about the Arkenstone?"

"Well, I suppose one of us should've told you earlier: when we entered the book, some narrator gave us a guided tour of Erebor when Smaug arrived, which included the Arkenstone."

Bilbo gave her a look that was more incredulous than satisfied. "Fair enough."

"In truth, lad, I do not know what you will find down there," Balin said. "You needn't go if you don't want to, there's no dishonor in turning back."

Bilbo replied immediately. "No, Balin, I promised I would do this, and I think I must try."

Balin looked to the hobbit, and chuckled with appreciation. Truth be told, though he doubted his capabilities, there were no such thoughts after coming so far.

"It never ceases to amaze me."

"What's that?"

"The courage of hobbits. Go now with as much luck as you can muster."

Pipp smiled to her friend as she turned back with Balin, who then stopped and turned back to Bilbo.

"Oh, and Bilbo...if there is, in fact, a live dragon down there..." Balin paused, very much unsure about his response. "Don't waken it."

Once Pipp was sure Bilbo was out of earshot, and not close enough to the rest of the company, she rolled her eyes to Balin.

"Very helpful, Balin," she said.

Neither said anything again until they became reacquainted with the others.

"Where is he?" Thorin asked.

Balin hesitated his response, only Pipp spoke up before him. "He's in."

The company turned their faces to all show signs of nothing but worry. The sun had risen from the dawn, unfortunately masked behind the gloomiest of overcasts, and not even a breeze dared come near the mountainside.

They all sat in fearful silence, anxious to even comprehend what Bilbo must have been experiencing down in the depths of Erebor. Pipp was the most fearful for Bilbo's safety, though she was a distant away from the rest, and while Izzy was teaching Bifur to knit, Sunny came up behind her.

"He'll be alright," she soothed. It was a bit of a lie, and Pipp could see it.

"I'm not doubting his abilities," Pipp replied, leaning her head to hoof. "And you shouldn't either."

Sunny was taken slightly aback, the chuckled nervously. "I'm not doubting him either, Pipp-"

"Oh, come off it, Sunny."

"What?" Pipp immediately stood and trotted a distance between them. "What did I do?"

Pipp did not respond.

"Pipp, I don't get it! What did I do?!"

"You gave up, okay?!"

The others were now listening and watching the heating argument, say for Izzy, who kept her attention to her knitting, and Thorin, who was looking out into the distance deep in his own contemplation.

"But, I apologized, right?" Sunny whimpered. "I didn't."

Anvil the most could see that its mistress was deeply distressed, but what was it to do? Or the others? Izzy could not follow the chain of the conversation, or perhaps did not want to, and the dwarves were unsure if their perspective on the matter was necessary.

If anything, Sunny was feeling more hurt that her friend was upset with her, and she could not blame her for it; only herself.

Pipp looked back to Sunny when she did not say anything else, frustrated. "Got something to say?"

Sunny thought long and hard into herself, avoiding eye contact with everyone who was now focusing on the pair's standoff. Only Thorin did not turn, and Izzy remained respectfully silent, albeit reluctantly. She stuttered, looked to Izzy, then swallowed before speaking.

"Pipp, please understand me when I say that-"

She was interrupted by a great vibration; a loud crash that came from within the mountain itself. They all stood immediately to attention.

"Was tha' an earthquake?" Dori panicked.

"It sounded more like an explosion," Izzy blatantly suggested without care.

"That, my friends," Balin remorsefully turned to them. "...was a dragon."

Oh, my, so Smaug is still inside, Sunny grieved, only to herself. And so is Bilbo.

She immediately galloped right to the entrance, only for Pipp to bar the way with Anvil and spreaded wings.

"Get out of my way," Sunny stated, the fearful wavering evident.

"Now just wait a minute, Sunny," Pipp said.

"I said, get out of my way!"

"You don't know what you're talking about!"

"Bilbo's in trouble! Why don't you see that?!"

Pipp stammered her words, before sizing whatever was left. It was like talking back to herself, which she feared the most.

"All I see, is a pony who does not take time to think about the actions she is going to take, and who does not trust the abilities of her friends, so leave Bilbo alone."

"That's rich coming from the pegasus who has no problem swooning over my childhood friend," Sunny snapped. "What is he to you: a handsome face, or a soft pillow?"

"Sunny...stop it," Pipp mumbled.

"Or better yet, your grand prize! You be-it-end-all moment for your emptiness of a living!"

"Please...stop it."

She was crying, all could see it, even Sunny. Except she was either enjoying the power-trip power stripping of the popstar princess, or was blissfully ignorant of her true feelings to care for her position.

"Just can't stand it when somepony else is on top of you, is it?" Sunny sneered smugly.

"ENOUGH!"

All eyes snapped to where an enraged Izzy firmly stood, huffing out her chest and hissing through her teeth. Bombur stood frozen in shock while Bifur and the other dwarves were worried about this new development. Thorin still remained undisturbed.

Once Izzy regained herself, she sighed as she hung her head down, eyes closed and watering. Then, she opened them, without raising.

"Why must friends fight?" she whimpered. "It hurts."

The dwarves still remained unfixed from their positions, though they listened in to the cracks forming right before them; Thorin especially, and yet he felt his perspective was unnecessary for their pony companions. Pipp did not raise her head to look at anyone, and just slumped down sobbing against the doorway, much to Ori's sadness who sat beside her, humming a lullaby.

Sunny however was looking to Izzy, she was the last mare she wanted to be upset, and over such a misunderstanding.

"Izzy," she chuckled. "What are you talking abou-"

"You're not Sunny Starscout," Izzy cried. "You're not my friend."

Sunny stared dumbfounded. "Do you even understand what you are saying?"

"I am saying that YOU don't understand what you are saying: first you apologize with Pipp and Bilbo, and the next minute you are outright hostile to them; at least to Pipp because she is up here while Bilbo is down there."

"I fully understand that Bilbo is down there," Sunny snapped. "Down there keeping the prize all to himself, while leaving the rest of us to sit and wait for nothing to happen until that damned dragon finds and kills us! WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THAT?!"

The panic was swarming all throughout her body, confused that Izzy of all ponies could not understand and side with her argument. Dwalin stood, arms resting on his standing weapon beside Gloin, who pocketed his little notebook; both were sharing the same look of fear. Nori fiddled with a small silver coin as Dori stood restlessly between his brothers, Ori no longer having the will to continue his soft lullaby.

Izzy slowly backed from Sunny, anger growing to rage on her face, saddened beyond belief and close to sobbing. Bombur gave her the biggest and most comforting hug he could, while Bifur, fear fully in his eyes stood the furthest he could from Sunny but not from Bombur and Izzy.

Sunny whipped around, and still Thorin had not turned his head. Not even Balin dared cross her in this state, for he understood and grieved for her condition.

Then he turned to Thorin. "We've waited to long, Thorin," he said quickly.

"What do you propose to do about it?" Thorin replied with venom in his words.

Balin hesitated in his response. "Well, for one you wanted Bilbo to find the Arkenstone, not slay the dragon himself. And now that we've angered the beast he won't rest until the intruders are destroyed, namely us."

It seemed that every one of the company had suddenly become overrun with the perpetual fear of Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities; Sunny and Thorin had their minds on the dragon, but the thought was not of fear.

Pipp was breathing heavily on her own, trying to push out and away the negative thoughts and emotions; she had a hard time unthinking about Sunny's spiteful words. It was only with the soft notes of Ori did the negativity dampen.

"Feeling be'er?" he asked, handing his handkerchief.

Pipp took it and blew her nose clear. "Yeah, yeah I think so."

She then stood to address the others. "What do we do now?"

"We are to wait until the burglar returns," Thorin replied without any thought. "In the meantime, my lady, you are to freshen up and be prepare."

Back in the tunnel, a bright orange glow emerged from the deep end of it, catching the growing fear-ridden attentions of the company.

"Wha' abou' Bilbo?" Ori asked, wide-eyed in terror.

"Give him more time," Thorin bluntly responded.

"Time for what? To be killed?" Balin interjected.

"You're afraid."

Balin paused in his momentum, fear growing in his eyes, but to Thorin.

"Yes, I am afraid," he said. "Afraid for you. A sickness lies upon that treasure hoard, a sickness which drove your grandfather mad."

"I am not my grandfather," Thorin replied immediately.

"You're not yourself. The Thorin I know would not hesitate to go in there-"

"I will not risk this quest for the life of one...burglar."

He said the word "burglar" with stinging venom, which took Balin and the rest by fearful surprise. They had all become fond of Bilbo, and to hear their own leader speak of him in such a condescending tone, and that he has treated their most valued member and friend; it was heartbreaking to their ears, the ponies especially.

"Bilbo," Balin spoke with fearful disgust. "His name is Bilbo."

Whatever Thorin began contemplating following Balin's words, it was put on hold after a yelp came from Pipp. He looked back in time to see the end of her tail disappear into the secret entrance, and Pipp just ready to bolt after her.

"Pipp," he stopped her. "Wait."

"How can I? My friends are down there, with the dragon!" she cried.

Thorin looked away from his knight, his mind swimming with every possible question that the present situation aroused and yet no answer came to. Everyone was fearfully worried, nothing else came to top it.

Weaponless and only wearing her Laketown cloak, Sunny rushed down the tunnel in a blind... it was either a fear or anger, she had not time to think. Bilbo was alone facing the great and evil dragon of Erebor, he was foolish to do so in the first place. It was bad enough that he got himself lost in the Goblin-tunnels, not to mention facing against the spiders and sneaking around on his own in the Woodland Realm.

That Bilbo Baggins is impossible, Sunny thought. I cannot believe that hobbits are such unfathomable, sneaky, stubborn little...

The moment she reached the tunnel's end she stopped dead in her gallop, fully taken in by the splendor of the sight down below: waves upon distant waves of shining gold coins, ingots, rubies, emeralds, sapphires, diamonds, chased goblets, and everything else in between.

It was all beautiful, like out of a dream, but all so real. So...precious.

Sunny took her sweetest time descending the staircase, not once did her gaze shift away from the splendorous sight, it was too glorious to be distracted. The ambience was noticeable however far from her mind to be a concern, for if Smaug was there why was he not immediately apparent? Perhaps he was off in some distant corner sleeping, and Bilbo had run off.

Either way, once her hooves touched the sea of gold, it became the feeling of liking something so grandeur it was hard to let go.

"It's all so beautiful," she murmured to herself.

Her eyes were wide with wonderment. It was such a beautiful sight, the highest point ever of her life life. Thorin had his mind set in the right place to take this place back, and if Bilbo had been more reasonable with his task, then perhaps things would be less hostile between the others outside. And besides, what is there to fear about a dragon if he is not at home?

As if by magic, or pure bad luck, a great shake shook the ocean of gold. It was like the earthquake Dori was anxious about, only except Balin refuted it as...oh, no.

She stood, stiff and paralyzed with fear at the sight towering before her.

A great giant dark-red scaled monster had come stomping around a corner at the sound of another intruder: his size of wingspan was enough to just match the vast cavern, his great big feet stomped to the beat of a drumming earthquake, his claws were larger than enough to crush her entirely, his tail like a long serpent, and his snout great enough to swallow six ponies whole...and the eyes.

He stood, fangs barring down at the little pony, very much confused at its appearance. It was definitely female, though her features were much more similar to that of elves, wizards, dwarves, and...

He put off the thought, for he was now more intrigued for who and what the new intruder was.

Once she made contact with the yellow eyes, she could not find herself to look away, as if a spell casted from them had binded her in their gaze.

Smaug the Terrible strutted over to Sunny Starscout, cocking his head on his long neck, and then he spoke.

"Well," he hissed. "This IS interesting. Today has been quite eventful for me."

His voice was cold, terrible, and filled with malice, but little Sunny was locked into his gaze.

"You are interesting," the dragon continued. "I have seen and eaten many ponies in my lifespan, but none so queer as yourself. Who are you, and why have you come to this place?"

Unfortunately for Sunny, she was horribly uneducated with dragon-lore. Her father and herself had discovered rumors about dragons from the olden days of Equestria, but they were just that: rumors. And should those rumors have been deemed true or plausible, none of them would have compared to the might and malice of Smaug.

"I-I am Sunny Starscout," she stammered, quaking. "And I have come from a faraway land."

Smaug raised an brow while yet again cocking his head. He looked like he was lost in thought for a moment. "You have answered my first question, Sunny Starscout, but you have yet to answer as to what and you are brought here under MY Mountain."

Whatever she was thinking to reply with was dashed in an instant, for the sight of a distant shining gem caught her eye. Smaug saw and recognized the look immediately from his younger days.

"I, was drawn here merely to see if the legends of your treasure hoard were as true as the old tales were told to me, and now I can see that the actual experience rivals the thought."

"I am flattered that you think so highly of my treasure, but you have placed your wants and desires in the wrong place, my dear," Smaug's voice boomed.

Sunny chuckled, almost rhetorically. "Trust me, I have no intention of stealing anything from you."

"No indeed, for that is what your little Thief in the shadows is meant for."

"T-thief? What thief?"

"Don't play riddles with me, my little pony. I know of your Barrel-rider, who sent him down here, who is waiting up top for him to return, what he desires, and is seeking for."

Smaug was stamping his great claws that smashed into the gold as he moved closer to Sunny, who seized herself and ducked down a slope. She slid and tumbled down the gold, hitting her head onto a golden goblet. Right as she regained herself, one of his eyes was fixated right to her level, like it was looking for something or things.

Her heart was pounding fiercely in her chest, as her stagnant breathing was becoming lost.

"What is it you truly desire, because it is clear to me that it is not the gold," he slithered.

"I-I-I," she stuttered. Her meekness was very much amusing to the great dragon, perhaps he could take it to the next level.

"You cannot deny what the heart desires," he hissed. "For example: I myself would like nothing better than to see the great Oakenshield atop his throne, watching his armies be squandered and decimated before him, while letting his most prized possession consume his mind, corrupt his heart, and drive him mad!"

What was he saying? Could the Arkenstone do such a thing? Was it possible?

Smaug had always enjoyed toying his prey with his words, especially to those who were weak-minded. He had heard tales of Glaurung the Great, and his feats against the Children of Hurin, but he never dared mimic such feats, for he had always forged his own.

"Now, your turn, my little pony."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Sunny nervously chuckled. "I have nothing to hide!"

"Oh, I don't think so, my little pony. Tell me, how much do you know of dragons?"

"O-only f-from what I was told."

"Told by your father, or Oakenshield?"

He was gleeful that his words caught something from her, but he held it back. Not just yet, only a little further.

"How-how do you know of my dad?"

"You cannot deny what the heart desires, neither what the mind remembers. The dragons were forged from the darkness, and it is the darkness I love the most, for it is where I can only dwell in peace. Doubtless, your father made it his life's work to discover the ancients of your world, but he was a fool all around to believe that such remnants exist."

"I mean, there are rumors that dragons used to exist in Equestria-"

"Equestria?" Smaug boomed with delight. He had finally cracked something, and he smirked that little Sunny caught his catch. "Of course! I should have seen it right away!"

Sunny became shrewd. "What do YOU know of Equestria?"

"Not so much," the dragon replied. "Only that it is a dying land on its final breaths. The three tribes have been separated for such a long time, but you bringing them back together won't save your home from ripping itself apart once again."

"You know what caused the three pony tribes to separate?"

To her surprise, the great serpent of the north laughed. It was an evil belly-laugh, and it made her quiver.

"It was quite simple: one tribe wanted all the treasures for themselves, as did the others for the very same treasures. They fought each other in a bloodbath for complete possession, the likes of which that hasn't been seen before. Many died, over such a trivial...and unnecessary conflict, but that is the price of having such illustrious treasures."

Smaug had struck the correct nerve in Sunny, and he enjoyed the sight of it. Questioning herself: what is he talking about? Is that true? Is he lying?

"In many ways, I said the same thing to your little burglar," he continued, bursting with boastful pride, "that the quest will fail. But he would not listen, so I had to make him listen."

"Bilbo," Sunny gasped, all thoughts of all things shiny wiped clean. "What have you done to him?"

"Aha!" Smaug hissed. "So that is his name. He was wise to conceal it from me, the clever little thief, which says a lot about you."

Smirking with triumph, he brought his closer and closer to Sunny's muzzle, backing her shaking self right into a nearby pillar.

"What, what, what...do you mean?"

"Only that you are a weak-minded fool; a fool to put your trust in Thorin Oakenshield and your little burglar. You care for him, I can see that, but do you think he cares for you? You are truly mistaken, my little pony," he hissed. "He carries something on him, something that has taken his priorities over yourself and the others, something that is...precious."

She did not like the way his voice slithered at that word. How could Bilbo simply abandon her like that? To just her and the others into the wind for...just, what?

"And what of your little friends, hmm? Don't pretend you came alone, I know the smell and taste of pony full well. What do they truly think of you, if they only knew what you truly think of them. Have you told them your little secret yet?"

Sunny began silently whimpering at his words. Now she was physically unable to break her gaze with the giant yellow eyes.

"No? Well then, perhaps I should let leave, unharmed at that. If only to have them watch you come out, realize what they truly mean to you, as nothing more than merely tools. Which one of them do you desire the most, then?"

Her mind immediately flashed to the very day she met Izzy Moonbow, how her hilarious smile was quick to win her over, that fateful day. How she was quick to accept the others with open hooves, how she was the only one of them who never once lost faith in anything, how...caring she was, no matter what. Her feelings were true, and she was too afraid to even contemplate such thoughts.

"You are quite honestly the most queer pony I have ever met," Smaug cocked his head again. "You have strength, but it does not come from you. What can you possibly offer to your special somepony? Love? It is but a menial gift compared to my vast wealth under the Mountain, and I will not part with a single piece. Not one piece of eight."

The great eyes brightened at his statement, making his little prey quiver in tearing fear all the more by the passing second.

"But, I suppose this has gone on long enough. You are an intruder to MY kingdom, and therefore must be punished as such."

Smaug stepped back, raising his neck right above the fixated but shaking Sunny. He kept his wings close in, for he had no need to stretch out his pride over such a small and insignificant little threat.

He reeled back his neck, letting his belly be filled with the right amount of heat, and not letting his eyes lose concentration of little Sunny, he let loose a wave of flame right from out of his throat. His aim was precise, not letting too much accidentally disfigure even the smallest piece, and he need not worry for the stone of the pillar was built to withstand the strongest disaster.

When he felt satisfied at his work, the flames ceased, but the sight they revealed was not what he intended. In place of a smoked carcass was a shield, unharmed as was its user: yet another female Equestrian pony, pink-feathered instead of furred, with a less-than kept purple mane, and finally she had fine feathered wings attached right to her torso. Behind her was little Sunny, also unharmed from the flames.

"WHO ARE YOU, WHO WOULD DARE COME BETWEEN ME AND MY PREY?!" Smaug roared in fury.

"She is no prey to you, Smaug the Terrible!" Pipp stood, eyes fierce and in equal rage, but at the dragon.

He was taken aback at her words. She was more fierce than the other pony, though her words were even less polite than the little burglar. In all his years he never expected such ferocity from such a fare figure.

"You have such ferocious words, for a pretty maiden," he coyly hissed.

"You have no right to treat my friends in such behavior! Not while their under my protection, Smaug the Tyrannical!" Pipp immediately shot back.

"You use your manners in such a way that is more truthful than your little Thief in the Shadows."

If he had expected his new prey to falter so easily, he was mistaken.

"Truly, you are mistaken to doubt the skills of my friends, Smaug the Ferocious!"

"You have such a confidence that I have not seen since my younger days, my pretty little maiden," Smaug hissed. "But you are unwise to tempt me. You should have left your so-called friend behind, if only to save yourself as well as the others."

"She IS my friend, Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities, and I will protect her whatever the cost!"

"I see you have such a stronger will than your 'friend', and if your bond of friendship is true then tell me: what do you know of her little secret?"

Now is was Pipp's turn to cock her head in confusion. "Why, whatever do you mean?"

"I am flattered by the formalities, but they will not prevent your coming demise. But I see that she lacks the courage that you, my pretty little maiden, possess. But, perhaps considering that your 'friend' is unwilling to disclose it for her, then maybe I will do it for her."

Smaug obtained an evil glint in his eye, but Pipp remained undaunted by his being.

"She is embarrassed about something about herself: that she prefers the company of mares to stallions," he hissed with glee.

True at his words this time, as he hoped, Pipp became caught in the implanted thought, while Sunny was beginning to cry.

"She is also self-conscious about she how hurt her special one, how she broke her heart, and drove her away."

Smaug certainly has a way with words, Pipp thought. If only he could use them for bettering his misdeeds. She took in every word he said, although she did not believe an ounce of it.

"This is dragon-talk!" she shouted. "All you talk of is lies!"

"You cannot hide what the heart desires! If you doubt yourself, then why don't you ask?"

"If you pride yourself, Smaug the Malicious, then why don't you return what was stolen? Those dwarves have no home, and have been burdened with the hideous memory for far too long. There's plenty enough gold to go around!"

"So, you admit you have come with the dwarves!" Smaug roared immediately, before backtracking his words. "It IS the gold that has drawn you here, then. It is a gorgeous sight to behold, is it not?"

"You would say that, wouldn't you, Smaug the Great Greedy Guts?"

Smaug roared again in fury. Not only did his new prey have a more stronger mind than either little Sunny or the burglar, but also quite the irritating cheek. And she also had the audacity to dare say that the gold was not his to keep!

"I will no longer tolerate such cheek! And how dare you say that this gold was stolen! THIS IS MY KINGDOM! I AM KING UNDER THE MOUNTAIN!"

His prey still lingered before him, and only the shielded one hindered her gaze from his eyes; very wise of her, perhaps she was not only a pretty maiden after all. But wait...she has not moved, and she is not fearful, so that can only mean...

"Very well, then," he mused. "I have guessed your riddle at last: you are in league with the dwarves of Oakenshield, and they are in league with those fishermen of Laketown. Your burglar was cunning to conceal that bit of information from me, but your friend wears the unmistakable cloak of Laketown. Your riddling burglar was wise to riddle me, but not even he could conceal it either. I will take great pleasure in punishing those miserable lake-tubbing men, oh, yes I will."

Now, finally at last, she was fearful in his presence. All it took as the threat of decimating many innocents, and possibly those she cared for. It was in her eyes, nothing in the eyes of his prey is missed by his own.

"But, I believe this diversion has gone on long enough. You are both trespassing in my domain, disrupting the natural order and balance of this land. I keep the armies at bay, for what is the use of warring for gold when they have none in their possession?"

Pipp back beside Sunny was the great Worm stood himself right up again, and this time there was clear visible intention of not letting up in his firepower.

"So, tell me, my little ponies, what do you feel...about dragon-fire?!"

Pipp had only ample time to react, for the moment she saw his belly glow bright she immediately hoisted Sunny right high above the flames. The vastness of the treasure provided no light, it only came from the dragon-fire, which felt warmer than casual flames, even at great. distant She then maneuvered up past some columns, determined to put some temporary distance ahead of the dragon, only stopping at a top corner of one of the most distant columns.

"Oh, boy," she panted. "Not only does he have a way with words, his fiery temper is enough to match an explosion."

"Pipp..." Sunny whimpered. The moment her eyes lost contact with Smaug's, she would not stop crying tears.

"You're safe now, that's all that matters."

"He-he said, said...some...somethings. Some...dreadful...things!"

"Don't think about what he said. Balin warned me of dragon-talk: it was meant to get into your mind, and drag you down to nothing."

"I...I'm...I'm a fool. An idiot! What was I thinking?!"

"I'll admit, you rushing off in search of Bilbo on your own was a stupid move-"

"No, not that. I mean, it was stupid, but...but he was right."

Pipp was taken aback. "What do you mean? Don't tell me he got to you!"

Sunny responded with more amplified cries, to which Pipp wrapped a comforting wing around her friend.

"YOU CANNOT HIDE FROM ME!" Smaug roared in the distance. "I SMELL YOUR BREATH AND FEEL YOUR AIR!"

"Sunny," Pipp softly pleaded. "I'm your friend, you can trust me. I want to help you."

Sunny continued a period of sniveling sobs, with Pipp waiting patiently, even with the coming threat of old Smaug, until at last she spoke.

"I wasn't thinking about Bilbo when I ran in. I can't explain it, but all I could think of was the treasure. It was so shiny and gorgeous the very moment I looked upon them, but the moment those...eyes...those dreadful eyes...they looked into my very soul."

"You're safe now. I promise I'll get you out of here."

"Pipp...please. Tell Izzy...that I love her."

"You can tell her herself, and that's a promise."

A very tender moment between such good friends was interrupted by the sickening stomps of the Great Serpent of the North. He always had good reasoning to boast, for his hearing was enough to rival even the most adept of elf. Not waiting another heart-beating moment, Pipp spread her wings and hoisted up holding tightly to Sunny's torso. She flew like it was her last standing moment, not looking back, and fixated his pegasus-eyes to the exit.

She was swift, but not swift enough like her sister, for Smaug quickly tracked her wingbeats and found her just two meters away from escaping to safety. Not on his watch should such insolate intruders to escape with such ease. His stomach lighted, and he breathed more of his dreaded dragon-fire a great distance to them; not enough to envelop, but enough catch and swiftly envelop only her tender right-side wing!

The dwarves and Izzy waited anxiously for their return, as well as Bilbo's should he have found the Arkenstone; Thorin getting evermore antsy for there arrival. So, imagine to their surprise and horror when Sunny and Pipp came corkscrewing right into their cave; Sunny unharmed physically, but Pipp's wing burning bright!

"By my beard!" Dwalin cried in shock.

"Put it out, you fools! Quickly!" Thorin ordered.

Sunny remained shriveled up and quivering in guilted fear in the corner, while the others panicked, desperately trying to keep orderly. Izzy rushed forward, dampening the flames, despite how scorching they were, until Bifur quickly pulled her back to safety; and all the while Pipp was clenching her teeth, and writhing in pain.

Right as Ori rushed out of the secret entrance end of the tunnel, Bombur hastily took out and began hastily undoing the cap of his canteen.

"No! Bombur, not that-!" Balin cried.

Too late; Bombur held the canteen right over the dragon-flames while a sizable amount of water poured and sizzled the burning injury. Instead of dousing, while it did, the plain water did indeed sizzle poor Pipp's wing like a roast mutton.

"AAAHH!" she cried in pain.

Luckily, Pipp's cry made Bombur jump enough to drop his canteen, right as Ori returned holding the Laketown cloak Pipp left behind. He wasted no time beating it against the flames, and despite her writhing and painful yelps, the flames were finally beaten back.

However, when Ori slowly removed the cloak from the beaten flames, it revealed a horrid and sickening sight to all: instead of prim and properly fabulously pink feathers for flight, all that was left from the dragon-fire of Smaug was a charred and blackened roasted wing, right down dangerously exposing burnt muscles and bones. Luckily, Ori was in time to halt the flames from spreading any further, even though it did not help matters.

"How bad is it?" Thorin asked.

"Very," Ori fearfully replied.

"Out of the way, Ori," Gloin hastily said. "Hold her up and steady."

Ori immediately obeyed.

"No, her whole body."

He nodded before correcting himself.

"Is she dying?" Sunny bawled. "What have I done?!"

"She's not dying while I'm around." Gloin hastily took out a fresh soft padding and roller gauze. "Thank Durin that my brother always insists I carry provisions such as these wherever I go. Lift the cloak, be careful not to drop dirt on the injured area."

Ori carefully lifted away the cloak, exposing the injury to the stinging elements. Pipp winced again, this time a little loudly.

"I'm sorry, my dear. This is for your own good."

Keeping one hand on the soft padding, he used his free hand to take out an unused handkerchief and stuffed it firmly into Pipp's mouth. Though it was without consent, she was grateful. Once that was finished, Gloin wasted no time in wrapping the gauze over the charred wing, up and around her torso, but under her unharmed wing, before coming up from her underbelly.

"How much longer will it take?" Thorin asked.

"I'm going to need another gauze," Gloin replied. "Izzy, can your magic reach into my pocket? It's the one where I just took out the other gauze."

"You mean this thing?" Izzy asked, holding the gauze beside him with her unicorn magic.

"Yes, that's it. Thank you."

It was just the right amount of the gauze to finished the binding, complete with a small pin. Once finished, Ori held her tender while fastening the cloak over her casted injury.

"Are you alrigh'?" he asked.

She quietly nodded.

While all of this was occurring, Sunny was bawling her eyes out. Thorin looked on her scene with great pity, his face of mind shared with the others, say for Pipp who was still in shock. It was a saddening sight, there was no doubt about it.

Izzy was the most sad for her friend. The sickness had washed over her, she could see it, and now she needed a friend more than ever. She strutted over to Sunny, who did not felt neither saw her presence. She did, once Izzy wrapped a hoof, to which Sunny responded with a great hug.

"What have I done?!" she cried.

Izzy could not muster the words to say anything. Instead, she muzzled Sunny for comfort, though the tears were slow to dry. Poor Sunny could only hold three seconds in her gaze with Izzy's eyes, before she cried into her neck.

"You don't deserve me," she whimpered.

"You're my friend. My best friend, Sunny," Izzy softly comforted, stroking her mane with great care. "I would give anything to deserve you."

Izzy then smiled and lightly chuckled. Once again, Sunny was left in the dark about Izzy's true feelings for her. It stung, but at least she was safe.

Pipp silently mumbled somthing, catching Ori's attention.

"Did you say something?" he asked, helping her to stand, before removing Gloin's now saliva caked handkerchief.

"My Lady, are you well now?" Thorin asked.

"Yes, yes I am," Pipp replied, noddig her head in respect. She then looked to the general area of her injury. "Will it fully heal?"

"I cannot say, for none among us are gifted with elven magic."

Thorin's voice was becoming rife with spitting venom, especially at the mention of elves, though he still took great care for his knight's well-being.

Pipp, however, looked about the company, wide-eyed in realized terror. "Where's Bilbo?!"

"Again 'e's not 'ere?" Dori gasped.

"If he's not here," Dwalin surmised. "Then he can only be..."

He stopped his words, for right as he did so Thorin rushed out of the cave, leaving the others behind. Pipp looked at the very spot from whence he dashed, panic-stricken. Making sure Anvil was strapped rightly, she began leaving behind Thorin.

"What do you think you are doing?" Balin stopped her.

Without turning, she replied: "I'm going to help them."

"You're going back in there?!" Sunny gasped. "After what happened to you?!"

"'Tis but a scratch."

"A scratch?! Your wing's burned off!"

"It doesn't matter. We must help them!"

"You don't understand! We...I, cannot go back in there! Not while the dragon is still present and accounted for."

The silence was unnerving, but Pipp could not be dissuaded. Anvil could sense that it's mistress was in distress, but herself and neither for herself. What could she do? She knew exactly, there was no way Anvil could doubt that.

"They are our friends, and friends help each other. Through thick and thin."

The dwarves were stubborn enough to put aside their fears for the dragon, and Izzy promised to keep beside Sunny all the way. It was enough to convince to begrudgingly accept, however the dreaded eyes could linger about in her mind however they pleased, making her feel more dreading about the whole adventure by the minute.

Suddenly, the great stomps of the dragon came evermore closer, and without warning Pipp lead the charge of the company out from the secret passage, followed by the strongest of the dwarves, Izzy beside Bombur, and Sunny behind Izzy.

Though the ponies were more than glad to be reunited with Bilbo and Thorin, it had to be when Smaug was staring them all down in absolute fury. A fury he had not known since his younger days.

"YOU WILL BURN!" he roared.

Right as he roared, he began bellowing fire right in their direction. The company quickly ran down the staircase, before hopping and sliding down a hillside of the treasure, with Balin leading them down another tunnel.

"Come on, Bilbo!" Dori shouted.

Right as Sunny followed Dori into the tunnel, Smaug began breathing his fire in any direction it so desired to creep behind. Once Sunny reached the end part, the opening revealed a dusted and untouched small dining room, before Thorin came barreling in with his coat on fire. He immediately threw it off and doused it on the ground.

"Come on," he ordered, before leading them away and down a passage.

Sunny stood frozen a moment, fixated on the charred coat. She could not stop reminiscing about the dreadful moments of the dragon-fire encapsulating Pipp's wing.

"Sunny, we got to go!" Bilbo called, breaking her trance, especially at the distant roaring of old Smaug.

Who knows how long they were running down and through the passages of Erebor, for none of them had the patience to keep time, and none dared say anything, lest the dragon was drawn to their presence. Thorin kept their lead, and they all followed behind in his tracks, trusting beyond hope that his sense of direction had not failed these past decades.

Once they reached the end of their tunnel, Thorin held his hand signal all stop.

"Shh, shh," he whispered.

"Quiet," Dori hissed.

The tunnel end opened to a long stone-made bridge over an echoing and deepening chasm that shown below to the very depths of Erebor. Thorin looked all around and everywhere he could, but he could not find and motion within sight or earshot of Smaug.

"We've given him the slip," Dori whispered again.

"No, he's too cunning for that," Dwalin mused

"Then, where is he?" Sunny whimpered.

"Perhaps he's bathing in his own fire," Izzy innocently shrugged.

"So, where to now?" Bilbo asked to Thorin

"The western guardroom," he replied. "There may be a way out."

"It's too high. There's no chance that way," Balin rebuffed.

"It's our only chance. We have to try."

"I'm with Thorin," Pipp voiced, to which he smiled.

He then led them on a tip-toeing path down the bridge, with the ponies taking the most quiet steps of their lifetimes. The cavern was filled and decorated with buildings of all shapes and sizes carved into and left behind in the walls, as well as many a bridge and viaduct. All was quiet, eerily so. Not one of them had there eyes in one place, the dragon was as cunning as his boasting; a formidable foe to all of them.

Suddenly, a small coin dropped from overhead right at Bilbo's feet. The others turned to him, who frantically checks if any other coins were stuck in his coat folds. Then another fell from above, and all went silent again. The great underbelly was passing slowly and methodically right above them, glittering with the coins and gems that stuck to him after years of sleeping onto them. Sunny strained a glance at Smaug, until Pipp darted her gaze from him entirely.

She then noticed something out of place, if only for a glance: there was a small hollow patch on the left breast, where a single scale was missing.

They stood aching still, and once Smaug was sure beyond there position, Thorin motioned to the others to continue. There was no sign of the dragon the rest of the way, and as Pipp checked, he was also well out of earshot. Hopes were high among them as Thorin led them past the bridge and down a hallway.

"Stay close," he called to them.

Once he did, they had reached the western guardroom, however to mood immediately turned from hopeful to terribly shocked. The ponies and Bilbo were most taken aback in shock, while the dwarves were filled with sadness. It was indeed the western guardroom, except it had been caved in with large immovable stones, and filled to every end in charred and cobwebbed corpses of the ancient dwarves of Erebor; or the ones that were left behind, that is.

"Oh, my goodness," Pipp gaped.

"It's a horrible sight," Sunny whimpered.

"That's it, then," Dwalin sighed in defeat once again. "There's no way out."

"What a way to go," Pipp choked. "I'm so sorry, Thorin."

"You need not be," he mumbled in mourning. Everyone shared his mindset, even the ponies, who despite not being informal with the kingdom in its heyday, that slight little tour at their journey's beginning gave them the right idea to understand the grief their dwarf companions were experiencing. For Sunny, it was like the very day she found of her father's passing; she desperately did not want to again remember that day.

"The last of our kin," Balin spoke up. "They must have come here, hoping beyond hope. We could try to reach the Mines. We might last a few days."

"What will be there to find?" Pipp spoke up, very skeptical. "Most likely nothing but nasty, dirty, wet holes full of worms and oozy smells, and nothing to either eat nor drink."

"No," Thorin firmly said. "I will not die like this. Cowering, clawing for breath."

"What do we do, then?"

"We make for the forges."

"He'll see us, sure as death," Dwalin butted in.

"Not if we split up."

Neither Sunny nor Bilbo liked the idea, and neither did Balin.

"Thorin," he said, concerning. "We'll never make it."

"Some of us might. Lead him to the forges. We kill the dragon. If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together."

"So," Bilbo squeaked. "Who goes with who?"

"I'll go with Bifur," Gloin said. "And Izzy can come with us, if she wishes."

"Sure thing!" she jumped, making Sunny feel more sick in the stomach by the moment.

"I'll go with Dori," Ori said.

"And I'll go with Ori," Bombur added.

"Nori, you're coming with me," Dwalin, with no objections.

"I suppose I will as well, if only to make things even," Pipp added.

Balin and Bilbo of course were to go with Thorin, and seeing no other possible way, so was Sunny.

"Good luck," she said. "All of you."

Once each group split off in their direction, Thorin's group ran right back over the main bridge, right as Smaug emerged from hiding behind some distant rocks, booming his voice all throughout the cavern.

"Flee, flee! Run for your lives! There is nowhere to hide."

They all froze in his presence, Sunny trying her best to look away from his gaze, and Thorin holding his sword (not Orchrist) in defense.

"Behind you!" Dori yelled.

Smaug turned his neck away to see Dori's group on a distant bridge looking up towards him, giving Thorin's group ample time to escape across and down the passage.

"Come on!" Dori yelled again as Smaug lunged right towards them.

"Hey you! Here!" Dwalin cried out.

Smaug then turned up to see Dwalin's group right across.

"Not so skilled at catching mice, aren't you?" Pipp mocked.

Smaug then jumped right them, right as they escaped down the nearest tunnel.

Gloin's group soon caught his attention as they were running across yet another distant bridge. Smaug roared in fury as he leapt onto the bridge as they disappeared into the mining tunnels, to which he then burst forth his fire to follow them. Gloin, Bifur, and Izzy kept just ahead of the flames, though that did not stop the ground beneath them from glowing in rapid growing heat.

"Hot, hot, hot, hot!" Izzy cried.

"Come on! Just ahead!" Gloin cried as well.

What was just ahead were troughs that were used for loading stone into large sturdy buckets hanging to an overhead conveyer belt system. Gloin tumbled into his, while Bifur and Izzy slid without fuss into theirs. It would be a long time before they reunited with the others.

Thorin's group meanwhile were running along down a widened hallway, with Thorin dead in the lead, Bilbo on his heels, and Sunny right behind Balin. Suddenly, Balin ducked into the nearest tunnel.

"This way! It's this way! Come on!" he shouted.

Without stopping Sunny immediately ducked into the tunnel right past the old dwarf.

"Thorin!" she heard Bilbo call.

Suddenly, right at that moment a loud stomping followed by snarling was heard at the very end of the hallway, and the sounds made Sunny's fur stand right on end.

"Follow Balin!" Thorin called to Bilbo.

"Thorin!"

"Bilbo, let's go!" Sunny cried from inside the tunnel.

Balin had just enough time to drag Bilbo into the tunnel right as Smaug's fire erupted right past them.

"THORIN!" Sunny screamed.

"He'll be alright! Come on, follow me!" Balin cried.

Dwalin's group were running right behind Smaug, led only by the guidance of Pipp's adept sense of hearing, they were in time to see Thorin duck down a mining pit with Smaug close behind him.

"Oh, crap!" Pipp shouted.

"Seriously?" Nori responded.

"What?"

"Oh, never mind it."

They ran like there was no tomorrow, because there might have been, Pipp right at the lead with Dwalin just behind her. She skidded to a halt right at the edge of the pit and looked down in horror to see Smaug chasing after a descending Thorin.

"Thorin!" Dwalin cried.

"Hit the winch!" she cried as well.

With one swift blow from Dwalin's ax, the mechanized pulley system abruptly halted, right before a descending bucket began sending Thorin right back up and passed Smaug's neck. Pipp could only helplessly watch as the dragon firmly gripped onto the end of the chain, halting Thorin's escape right in its tracks. To her horror, Smaug then began to drag the chain and the pulley mechanism seamlessly from its hold, breaking it with ease as Thorin simply dropped right onto the tip of the dragon's muzzle. Smaug then opened his jaws wide, and the dreaded glow began to manifest into rising heat.

"Thorin, no!" she cried.

Right at that moment, Thorin quickly jumps to a nearby hanging chair attached to yet another chain winch and mechanical pulley. Smaug snapped his jaws shut right as the first pulley came crashing right onto his face.

Acting fast, Nori came up from behind and stroke the machine with his shovel, and the fast spinning gears hastily hoisted Thorin up to safety right as another wall of flames erupted from where Smaug struggled to clamber back up from.

Pipp was quick to catch his grip. "Hold on, Thorin," she said. "I got you!"

"Thanks," he replied. "Now, go! Go!"

Nori and Pipp did not waste any time whatsoever in escaping from the dragon in Thorin's stead, and they did not stop until they reached a gargantuan room blocked off by an almost mountain-size barred gate. The gaps were just large enough to fit anyone as lean as a dwarf or pony. Inside however, were three giant-sized furnaces, each standing above their own fuel sources, and just behind them were equally huge dwarven-warrior statues standing beside humongous waterwheels; they had laid dormant for decades, as the gold ores were still waiting to be melted from the furnace heat.

"Pipp!" Sunny cried.

"We need to hurry!" Pipp gasped in reply. "He's right behind us!"

"The plan's not going to work. These furnaces are stone cold," Dwalin fumed.

"He's right," Balin added. "There's no fire hot enough to set them ablaze."

"You know, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but..." Pipp shrugged in a teasing manner, right as the sounds of the clambering dragon were heard before being seen as he hoisted his body right from the depths of the pit.

"You've got the idea," Thorin smirked, before he rushed to the edge of the bars and began calling to Smaug. "I did not look to see so easily outwitted!"

Smaug raised his head, greatly enraged at the taunting.

"Look at that!" Pipp added. "The Greatest Dragon of all Time: defeated by a pack of camping dwarves, there little burglar, and their baggage ponies!"

"Don't encourage him, Pipp," Sunny cautioned.

"I don't know," she continued, undaunted. "I just figured that the Fiery Serpent of the North would have much more dexterity to match a king, rather than a jester!"

"You've grown slow and fat in your dotage," Thorin spat literal venom in his words, as Smaug looked to his adversaries with glowing fury. The inconceivable audacity!

"Slug."

Alright, is that how you want to play? Fire with fire?! Smaug snarled as he advanced quickly to their position, his belly glowing hot yellow and orange.

Thorin quickly turned to the others. "Take cover," he said. "Go!"

The others did not object to the notion, nor dared think of something better in mind. They all at once ran to each their own barred pillar, just wide enough for the ponies on hindlegs, right as Smaug's fire erupted around them. It did not touch either to cause considerable harm, but all the while until it stopped the heat was immeasurable.

"IT'S TOO HOT!" Sunny screamed.

Their efforts were not without waste, for right as the flames of Smaug died, the flames of the dwarven furnaces erupted up in their very own glowing lights of orange, yellow, and a hint of blue. Smaug stood back in angry confusion, if only for a moment, before he began pounding his head against the metal gates. The company immediately moved from the gates from just the simple lighting glows.

"That metal's strong, but it's not going to hold for long," Pipp worried.

"You're right," Thorin said. "Bombur! Get those bellows going. Go!"

"Alright," Bombur replied. He rushed himself right to the nearest furnace, and grabbing onto the chain, his immense weight pulled him down to the very tip of the bellow; pushing it down before it bounced him back up, bellowing bright blue flames with each blow.

Smaug then battered again, further warping the latticework inward.

"Bilbo!" Thorin called to the hobbit. "On my mark, up there, pull that lever! Sunny, go with him!"

On his words, Sunny and Bilbo rushed away from the heating furnaces and angry dragon, hastily climbing a flight of stairs which led to a curved wooden lever sticking out at a ledge right above all else in the chamber.

"Pipp, stay with me. Balin, can you still mix a flash-flame?"

"Aye, it'll only take a jiffy. Come on!" Balin called to the remaining dwarves, while Dwalin looked to see the metal framework near ready to give way.

"We don't have a jiffy."

One last charge was all Smaug needed to fully rip through and cast down the framework with a great bellowing crash.

"Oh, if only I had my phone with me," Pipp nervously mumbled. "I could give quite the blinding lightshow to his eyes."

Balin and the others were in a nearby storage room grabbing, pouring, and mixing various powered elements into bowls, vials, and then bowls and vials again.

"Where's the sulfur?" he asked at one point.

"Are you sure you know what your doing?" Dori asked in response.

Ignoring him, Balin and the others continued their chemical mixing.

Smaug meanwhile had spotted little Bilbo and Sunny at the lever platform just in the distance. Sunny took the greatest strength that was left in her to look past and away from his dreadful eyes, though it did not stop the great dragon from walking in great strides right over to them.

Then he stopped, for he noticed Thorin and Pipp off to the side, staring up at him. To them he snarled in rage, glowing up his belly once again.

"Now!" Thorin called.

Bilbo was quick to act: leaping to grab the lever, it took his entire weight to pull it down. And, right as Smaug lunged for the two nearest and below him, his belly glowing right up to inside his throat, great jets of water spewed from the empty holes above-they were modeled into the mouths of the stone warriors-crashing onto the dragon, painfully dousing his gathered flames. The force was strong enough to knock the giant lizard off his balance and onto the base of the nearest furnace, to which he responded by furiously flapping himself up and away from the scene. The ponies thought the scene was hilarious, even while the rushing waters slowed themselves to reactivating the great waterwheels of old.

The waterwheels in turn activated the many old mechanisms, one of which being the overhead conveyer belt that hung above carting the large buckets of stone.

"What's happening?" Izzy asked obliviously.

"The waterwheels have been reactivated," Gloin replied, albeit ominously. "We're heading right into the furnace room."

Bombur meanwhile continued to press at the bellows burning the fire blue, while Pipp and Thorin stood still in amazement.

"Whatever your planning, Thorin," Pipp said, very unsure. "I don't know if it'll work."

"It will work. It must," Thorin replied, firmly.

In the distance where he fell, the great Smaug emerged himself from behind a furnace, the rage that festered for the dwarves of Erebor put on full display; not only for them, but also the Equestrian ponies. Pipp stood beside Thorin, frozen in fear, for the eyes had caught her gaze as they slowly but swiftly began crawling right towards the pair. The spell was quickly broken, when Balin and the others began heaving and throwing bottles of flash-flames right to the dragon's head, but he remained undaunted.

Suddenly, from overhead, Gloin heaved his ax to slice the conveyer of buckets right below his own, sending them to crash right onto old Smaug with a crash and a smash as he fell again, while Izzy noticed something else below them.

"Is that melted gold?" she asked.

"Aye," Gloin replied, his eyes wide with realization.

Smaug meanwhile was burning with mounting rage, ever waiting until the proper amount of flames were cooked inside him. The other dwarves were now reunited with Thorin, while Bilbo and Sunny were up above, the latter growing unsure of their position.

"Now what?" Pipp cried.

"Quickly, while he's distracted, pull that chain!" Thorin responded.

Not thinking twice on his words, she grabbed and heaved on the heavy chain, which opened the small trapdoors from the furnaces, and out poured their own little rivers of melted gold, which all poured into troughs that ran past and under the great Smaug, still thrashing about. Without warning, his great neck swung up and severed the conveyer holding Gloin, Bifur, and Izzy.

"HOLD ON!" Gloin screamed.

Bifur did just that, holding Izzy tightly in safety as their buckets fell a great height and crashed to the ground. Miraculously, their buckets landed right past the dragon, sideways and up, which left its occupants unharmed.

"That was lucky!" Izzy exclaimed, regaining herself.

"Izzy! Everyone! Come on!" Pipp shouted.

Immediately they all began running off and away, with Thorin in the lead as Pipp closely followed his suit.

"Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings!" he called to them.

Up above, while Smaug was still thrashing about one of the buckets came loose and went flying up to where Bilbo and Sunny still remained.

"Bilbo, duck!" she cried, right as it missed them greatly, but not without clipping a huge chunk of the wall.

Pipp kept close to Thorin as he began running and weaving under and past Smaug's still thrashing limbs. He kept close to the running golden river in the trough, just barely missing when the tail swung out and smashed against the base of the mound below Bilbo and Sunny. Thorin then threw the wheelbarrow into the trough of running gold, before hopping into it like a makeshift rowboat; Pipp also leapt into it, clinging for dear life to Thorin's back, letting the current guide their final destination.

Eventually, all troughs converged on a single point that led right under the mound between the waterwheels, right as it finally collapsed, sending Bilbo and Sunny into a unharmed tumble of a landing. Right then, Smaug became aware of their position, locking eyes with the both of them once again.

"Keep going, Bilbo! Run!" Thorin shouted from inside the trough tunnel.

"Get out of there, Sunny!" Pipp also shouted.

The trough finally led them out of the tunnel, right to an end where the molten gold dropped down below. Still clinging hard to Thorin, Pipp swallowed hard as he leapt high from the wheelbarrow and grabbed greatly to the closest chain. She then watched in bewilderment as the molten gold dropped down through a hole and into a giant mold of stone.

Bilbo and Sunny ran for their dearest lives like they had not before, right to the very edge of the furnace room before sliding down a steep slope, as Smaug jumped up and crashed through even more structures that crumbled like they were mere sand castles. Sunny ran with eyes stinging, not daring to look back lest the great eyes were waiting to spellbind her once again. She opened to laugh once she felt like the dragon was a good distance behind them, right as she and Bilbo entered into the largest hall yet, with dust-filled tapestries.

Suddenly, Smaug came crashing in from above. The stones missed their heads, but that did not count for the banners that were dragged down from their holders, covering the both of them.

Then, Smaug spoke once again, roaring in unbridled fury:

"YOU THINK YOU COULD DECIEVE ME, BILBO THE BARREL-RIDER?!"

Bilbo froze underneath the cloth, while Sunny cowered, not daring to even look at the hobbit.

"YOU SHOULD COUNT YOUR FRIENDS MORE CAREFULLY! THE ORANGE PONY TOLD ME EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW!"

He then stopped yelling at the top of his lungs, before he spoke again, this time to himself.

"You have come from Laketown. There is-is some sort of scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable cup-trading Lakemen. Those sniveling cowards with their longbows and black arrows!"

Not only did he sound angry but also...fearful? The black arrows, of course!

"Perhaps it is time to pay them a visit!"

"Oh, no!" Bilbo gasped. They are still down there! Zipp, Hitch, Fili, Kili, Oin, and Bofur! Not to mention Bard, his family, and all those other innocents!

Mustering whatever courage as left of his Tookish side, Bilbo emerged to make his final stand.

"This isn't their fault! Wait!" he shouted. "You cannot go to Laketown!"

Sunny quickly ran behind Bilbo for cover, while Smaug stopped in his tracks and turned down to face the little burglar once again.

"You care about them, do you?" he hissed. "Good. Then you can watch them die! And then you can sit back and wallow helplessly as I ravage the distant lands of those miserable ponies! Mark my words, you shall all pay dearly for this intrusion!"

No, he would not! Yes he would! Not Equestria!

"HERE! YOU WITLESS WORM!"

Smaug turned to see Thorin and Pipp standing atop the stone structure at eh hall's end, brave and firm.

"YOUR TYRANNY ENDS TONIGHT!"

"YOU!" Smaug hissed in anger.

"I am taking back what you stole," Thorin remained, undaunted.

The dragon began stalking his slow way towards them, letting his anger and rage boil ever so slowly, if only to make their demise all the more painful.

"You would take nothing from me, Dwarf! I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror in the hearts of men. I am King under the Mountain!"

"The king shall come unto his own!" Pipp hissed in response.

"This is not your kingdom," Thorin added. "These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge!"

Smaug growled, Thorin yelled something in Khuzdul while pulling the rope in is hands, and the dwarves and Izzy who were hiding behind the stone mold followed his word and tore down the chains while the ancient braces around the stone all gave way. Pipp held dearly again to Thorin, all the while Smaug stood back in confusion, and finally the stone revealed what was hidden: a dwarvish warrior, a brand new statue for the hall, and made in shining gold fresh from the furnaces. It worked; Smaug was completely transfixed with its splendid sight, the greed in his eyes distracting from the others who stood back in awe.

Suddenly, on of its eyes warps, then its entire head, and finally the entire body gives way under itself as it pours over and out. Smaug, who was slow to move, was completely covered in the molten gold, sending to him crash down onto the ground, thrashing and roaring in rage while the molten gold fully encapsulates him. It all stopped, once the gold covered the entire ground level of the hall, and Smaug along with it.

Pipp smiled a great one that she had never before. "It's over!" she exclaimed. "We've done it!"

Suddenly, the great dragon leaps from the pool of gold, roaring and raging while he himself is caked in molten gold.

"AHHH!" he roared. "REVENGE?! REVENGE! I'LL SHOW YOU REVENGE!"

Thorin dropped to the ground, and Pipp behind him, full of fearful shock. She could not say anything, and neither of the other dwarves or ponies could. Bilbo and Sunny watched as Smaug crashed through the main gate of the Mountain, before soaring up and spinning about letting the gold shimmer away in clouds of glitter. Then, he immediately turned his direction and sights to the distant Laketown.

"I am fire!" he roared into the night. "I am...DEATH!"

The two friends watched in horror as the great serpent soared up and away from the sanctity of Erebor, down and above casting his larger than life shadow over the fear-stricken town of men, and their friends.

"What have we done?" Bilbo gasped.

"What can we do?" Sunny gasped.

"I'm sorry; nothing."

Comments

[Striker31]

The intro was very familiar for it like I saw a fanfic about but instead of team S.H.I.P.Z is the Mane 6 and Starlight.It almost exact same.

🤔 Hmmmm

[Lucasnike123]

Next chapter?

[Darth_krayt]

You mean nine pieces of eight

[OpalWarren]

Here the film fiction stories really enjoyable thanks for the amazing work here. Glad to read the different updated stories here these are pretty enjoyable. Thanks for your work on https://australianwritings.net/dissertation-help/ please continue to bring always such recommending stuff online that would be supportive.

[Lucasnike123]

Music for the end of the chapter 12:

[PlymouthFury58]

11187917
Thank You

[Lucasnike123]

Next chapter?

[Lucasnike123]

Next chapter?!

[PlymouthFury58]

11291581
I'm having a hard time finding motivation, and (to be blunt) you're impatience isn't helping matters
I mean not to be mean, just stating my mind

[Lucasnike123]

11291651
Don't worry and I'm sorry.

But if you want motivation, watch the third movie to get inspired

[Dragoknight92]

11291651
Hello, how's it going? Love the story that you had. Hope you got your motivation to make more chapters of it soon.

[Lucasnike123]

Next chapter?

[Dragoknight92]

11612079
I know right? It's taking too long while he's on hyatus.