> Drake the Dragon
>  by Immortan Joe
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: The Death
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The wind howled loudly that night, the shrieking cries of the air tearing across the rocky landscape tore its way into the aching ears of a wounded beast shambling across the mountainous terrain. The creatures body writhed with agony as one of its massive wings laid across its side broken, a noticeable sword clearly lodged into its side. Beneath its scales bruises could be felt forming as the beast shambled up the side of a cliff and onto a plateau, its eyes occasionally glancing back to see if its pursuers were still on its tail. The faint glimmer of torches would give the creature it's fine answers.

They were near.

Landing on the surface of a smaller plateau, a large bulky griffon stood on its hind paws and gestured with a spear out to its flying comrades. “Talon, flank left! Aerial, to the right, the beast will surely try and fling itself off the mountain side!” The griffon warrior ordered, its companions nodding their heads in compliance before doing their tasks.

The creature on top of the plateau bellowed loudly along with the cascade of lightening and thunder which was soon followed by sheets of rain. Growling the creature stumbled across the plateau before collapsing meters before the edge, its legs too weak. Letting off a shrilled whine, its claws weakly dug into the surface as it tried to escape its hunters.

“Fiend!” Shouted one of the hunters. “It is useless to flee, accept your fate and judgement shall be swift!” The creature’s eyes shifted over to see a band of griffon hunters surrounding it.

“I shall never submit,” The creature snarled, voice deep though with a slight touch of femininity. “For I have done nothing to deserve such treatment!”

A griffon wielding a large axe scowled and stepped forward. “Tell that to the villagers below!” The griffon wound up its axe, the blade aiming down at the beast's eye. Feeling its end was near, the creature clenched its eyes shut.

“Halt!” Barked a soft but firm voice, causing the griffon with the axe to stop mid swing. All fell silent save for the pitter pattering of rain and the faint clicks of hooves on stone.

“Do not tell me you wish to spare this monster?” The griffon asked as the creature opened its eyes to see a hooded pony approaching them.

“You can go!” The pony said sternly. “You have done your job, the money is down in my cottage. Collect your dues and leave us be!” The griffon hunters blinked and shared looks amongst themselves, their confusion heavy in the air. A few moments past and the hunters nodded their heads and sheathed their weapons before taking to the skies, leaving the beast and the pony.

“Dragon––” The pony was silenced by the beast snarling, its teeth showing and eyes beaming with rage.

“You are the... contractor who sent those... hunters after me!” The dragon wheezed, its breath faint and body heavy.

The pony approached but stopped out of claws reach, flinging its head back the emerald eyes of a grey unicorn mare came into view. “To your misfortune, yes, I am the one who had ordered your demise.” The dragon snorted and weakly shook its head.

“And what...had a  change in heart?” It turned slowly to look at the mare who laughed out right in the beast’s face.

The unicorn giggled and snorted before bringing up a hoof to paw gently at her own face. She looked up at the dragon, a large ear to ear smile on her face. “Far from it my, dear, unfortunately even if I had changed my heart, you are far too battle damaged to recover from those wounds.” The dragon snarled and bared its teeth at the pony who continued to giggle as her horn flashed a bright green, a large silver box would suddenly appear before them. “Unfortunately your time here in the physical world is done, however, I do have another mean of keeping you around if you’d like to accept my offer?”

The dragon blinked, its face now baring confusion. “What is...that supposed to mean?” it asked softly its heart rate slowing as its time was drawing to a conclusion.

“I’m a soul keeper!” The pony beamed widely. “Well actually that’s one of my occupations but uh...well let's just put it this way. I’m a Reaper!”

“You want my soul?” The dragon whispered softly its eyes failing as it could no longer see anymore, its limb failing to respond as all life within was fading.

“Why yes! Either you can die and fade away out of existence seeing as those bigots at the Elysium gates and you dragons don’t fully obey the laws of magicality. Or! You can come with me and for eternity exist!” The pony reaper smiles widely and taps her hoof on the box, the dragon chuckled softly and bared its teeth.

“Te-tempting...” The dragon muttered, the pony smiled even wider and leaned towards the beast. “I think I’ll fly with my brothers and sisters...in Valhalla...” Like a deflating balloon the pony’s smile slowly cascaded down into a frown as the last beat from the dragon's heart echoed into eternity as the spark of its soul flashed from existence. Leaving nothing but a fresh carcass.

Flashing her horn, the pony reaper wrapped her magic around the large dragon corpse which practically spanned a little over the size of her own cottage, which was about 4 meters. Using her magic to cast a preservation spell the unicorn pouted as she had hoped to have obtained the dragon’s soul. The amount of bits she could have accumulated for such a valuable item that would have done wonders for her transposition and enchantments of not so other rare items. Yet alas, the stubborn beast did not adhere to her promises.

Which of course were totally lies.

Yet despite not gathering the damned thing’s soul, she did, however, get a pretty good prize in the end. Dragon skin and its scales do catch for a high bargain, she just had to figure out how to get the damned thing back to––

A massive eruption of incomprehensible sound, followed by a blinding bolt of lightening struck down from the heavens, striking the magic that hand encompassed the corpse of the beast startled the living shit out of reaper pony.

Throughout her shock and terror the pony shrieked when she heard a sharp cry of something else, an unexplainable, blood curdling scream of something that sounded as if it was being torn to bits by the hell fiends of Tartarus boiled the pony’s blood all the way to her core. It was if the screaming cries of thousands, if not millions of banshees echoed throughout all of Equestria. Around the pony the ground began to tremble along with the screams, it was as if the earth itself was quaking with agony.

Terrified beyond all belief, the reaper pony zapped her silver case from existence and dove behind a rock and watched as the dragons carcass jiggled and shook. Repeatedly blinding flashes of lightening struck the corpse repeatedly, the bombastic noise of thunder and banshee howls of wind practically drove the pony so mad that she had to cast a spell over her poor ears which only seemed to barely muffle the noise.

Strangely enough; seemingly just as quick as the carnage started, it halted. Shivering behind her cover, the reaper pony peeked her head up and out from behind her rock and gasped just as what looked to be tear in the middle of thin air; a sliced hole in the fabric of time. Inside said tear even the reaper pony couldn’t describe such unspeakable horrors she witnessed.

The sight of what beheld inside that very hole looked as if she was gazing into the pit of Tartarus itself, or worse. Despite the soul ripping scene she enduring, the pony found herself unable to tear her eyes away. Tears welling at the edges she could feel her very sanity slipping away, then she saw it. A figure, no an outline of a something falling out of that very tear which held the nightmares she’ll never be able to rid herself of.

Upon noticing the shape crumple to the ground, the tear zipped itself closed similar to a jacket before vanishing. The pony couldn’t tell how long she sat there, her mind swimming her very thoughts tried to comprehend what she’d witness. She knew she was sobbing, or laughing, she couldn’t remember. Perhaps she sang a song or two? Couldn’t recall.

What she does recall is that by the time she had regained composure, the sky was clear and the very moon was setting on the horizon. Taking a deep breath the pony nearly leapt from her skin when she heard the distinct sound of another pony moaning. Scrambling to her hooves the reaper pony gazed over to see the figure she had witnessed sometime earlier laying upon the ground.

The pony bit her lip and shifted before cautiously approaching this bizarre creature which laid before her. The sight and smell the thing was emitting atrocious and she was forced to cover her mouth with a filter spell. The horrendous thing which laid before her was some kind of...thing. She couldn’t describe it really, at least not in any distinct detail, because she had no idea what to relate it to. The closest she could get was some kind of...minotaur thing, yet from what she could see it was clearly nothing like it aside from its shape. She could theorize that whatever she was examining was some kind of armored beast, covered in some kind of glowing lights and also wore a window for a mask. Yet the glass upon its face was very reflective, she couldn’t see its face.

Upon further inspection, she was able to conclude that this creature was in fact living. Except...after running a few spell tests, she theorized it wouldn’t live for long. The reaper pony was able to conclude that this animal did in fact have a soul, a faint one at that. Something about it was rather peculiar though, unlike the others she had witnessed from various creatures and ponies alike; their souls were strong and bright. This one was very dim and weak.

The reaper shrieked when the creature suddenly jerked, its metallic armor clanging against the mountain stone. Its voice muffled and brutish, it grunted and thrashed. Scared, the pony started to move back but squealed when the beasts fingered hand lurched out violently and with surprising amount of strength, gripped her by the throat.

“Wh-where am I...W-when am I?!” The creature weakly forced out, its voice strangely understandable yet very heavily accented with a tone she had never heard before. The grip around her throat loosened as she used her magic to pry the fingers off, stepping back she felt her hooves slide through a puddle of her own urine, how embarrassing. 

“I-I don’t k-know what y-you’re talking about!” The reaper stammered out. “Wh-what are you?”

The creature gagged and squirmed, its windowed mask suddenly sliding open like a door, revealing a grizzled face of an ape like creature. Its eyes small and pained as its mouth bared its omnivorous looking teeth. Its voice clear as the creature shifted onto its side and groaned in pain  before suddenly throwing itself back on its back, body now spasming.

The pony could sense it. The creature was suffering through its final moments, she could feel its organs shutting down, its heart struggling to pump blood. Yet that dim soul she sensed earlier was starting to glow brighter, as if this creature was trying its damndest to hold on. Then it died.

Its body still and motionless, those small eyes gazing up at the starry sky, its face looking pained and sad. The pony’s eyes wide, cheeks stained with fresh tears, hooves standing in fresh urine. She had no idea what she had just witnessed, yet all she could feel was pitty. Which in all reality was something this pony never really felt, in all of that had made up this pony’s life she was pretty much one of most cynical and least caring. To which when compared to the rest of her species, she’s mostly paired with a minority.

Carefully, the reaper stepped towards the second corpse that had arrived at her hooves that very night. The strange being forced out of a hellish tear that had went against anything she had learned in the magical field and all of physics. Where had this thing come from? Is there more of its kind? What was this armor it was wearing? Why had it seemed so desperate to learn where or when it was? These were questions that had flown through the mare’s mind at light speed, questions that’ll most likely never go answered.

That is until she sensed it; something odd emanating from the corpse of the creature. The mare turned and her eyes widened when she gazed upon the one thing she had never thought to have ever witnessed. A faint, flickering soul.

Quickly summoning her silver case, the reaper opened it and rummaged about before taking out a small reflective, glass jar. Carefully, by using the spell she had learned from the forbidden arts of the soul, she plucked the soul from the corpse of the alien creature and eased it into her jar. Closing the lid and muttering a few words in an ancient tongue, the jar glowed a bright green before she stuck it back into the case.

Breathing softly the mare smiled happily before gazing back at the carcass of the reptilian giant. Her preservation spell still seeming to be active around the dead beast, she sighed softly as she glossed over its grey scales and dark blue spines. As she had said to it during its final moments, the beast had been heavily battle damaged.

Yet maybe this reaper could get a little more out of that pathetic reptile then just a couple thousand bits. The thoughts she was having seemed sinister, matter of fact they were just downright evil. Yet it was possible. What she was thinking wasn’t fiction, all she would need are a few key items. Items for the most part she already had. If she could patch up and repair most of that damage on the pitiful beast, just perhaps...

She could raise the dead.

> Chapter 2: The Revival
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had taken quite some time and a tedious amount of preparation, but it had been done. With everything in position, and the two bodies now well preserved and cleaned up. The reaper pony was now ready to start the transportation of a living soul to an already deceased form. From her countless studies, she had learned that in ancient history this spell was heavily forbidden and neglected by various cultures saved for the lost Zebrican tribes of old. It was seen as a crude form of immortality, and what the pony had learned from old scriptures, a terrible spell which could yield some unwary symptoms.

The details of such symptoms, she could not figure out.

The only thing this reaper pony cared about was mainly the information this soul possibly yielded. Aside from that she really had no purpose in caring for such a being. Its soul was weak, yet determined to live. It would not carry a high price on the soul market, nothing as close as a dragon’s one at that. However, if she was able to transport this creature's soul to the dragon’s deceased, patched up corpse. There was a chance that this being could hold vast knowledge of interdimensional space, or even magics she herself had never heard of.

If it doesn’t. She could at least pretend to feel good at the fact she saved the damned thing, and who knows, perhaps such a beast will be indebted to her? In the end everypony may win. So she hoped.

After she had carried all of her necessary tools to the top of the mountain where the bodies laid. The reaper began copying the ancient inscriptions inside her spell book, using a white chalk she marked the various hieroglyphics into the mountain stone around the two corpses. After doing so she lit blue candles at the edges of the diamond ritual she had marked, and finally, the part she hated the most, she took a knife and winced as she lightly cut her right foreleg and leaked her blood onto both corpses before smearing some on the jar containing the alien creatures soul and placing it between the two bodies.

Stepping towards the end of the ritual, the pony sat down and levitated her crudely written spell book in front of her face. Clearing her throat she began to chant a chant in a twisted and wicked tongue only familiar to those who had lived for millennia on end. As she chanted, the air grew thin, the moisture held within faded away as her coat hairs stood on end as a faint smell of roses became pungent. Continuing to speak in tongues a white light pierced the dark, night sky, as the ground around the ritual cracked and began to shake. The bloodied, reflective jar between the corpses lifted and began to ascend upwards before suddenly shattering into billions of shards. 

The soul of the bizarre animal twisted and released a horrific, shrieking howl which caused the chanting pony to jump with fright before falling back into rhythm. The glowing essence that was held with in the jar contorted and continued to scream as it was forcibly yanked towards the deceased reptile of a monster. Black strands ripped from the freshly killed lizard and wrapped themselves around the squirming, wailing soul which now grew brighter than the setting moon as it was dragged into the scaley carcass.

Suddenly the world would fall silent.

The light from the stars had gone out like a bedroom light, the thin air resided back to its normal stature and the smell of roses would drift away with the gentle, nightly breeze. The pony took a deep breath and summoned herself a bandage so she could wrap her self inflicted wound. Standing onto her hooves, she hesitantly approached the dragon’s body. From where she stood it looked as if it wasn’t breathing, but as she got closer, she noticed something extraordinary. Its  stomach was weakly rising and falling, and she could faintly, ever so faintly hear the sound of breathing.

Taking a deep breath she smiled as she used her magic to check on the beasts injuries caused from the hunt. The reaper had done her best to repair most of the damage inflicted by the griffons. Yes she had told the previous owner of this body that it was far too damaged to survive, however, that was only without proper medical attention. The pony could have easily rescued the creature yet she chose not to seeing that she thought she could bargain for its soul. But alas, that was not the case.

Instead she had chose to gamble over this alien of thing’s soul in hopes to gain knowledge of what that horrific hell gate was...the pony shivered and stepped back from the unconscious beast the thought of the horrors from that hellish gate sent shivers down her very spine. The pony took a breath and shook her head. She didn’t want to think about that. Not yet, not while she didn’t have any answers. As of now all she needed to do was make sure the dragon’s corpse remains functioning and that nothing happens to the alien’s original body. Perhaps it maybe possible she could heal the other corpse and possibly transport the soul back to its original form?

Yet the consequences of possibly doing such a thing are far too great. The various scriptures warned the reaper that soul transportation was a sketchy business. The pony bit her lip once more as she began to think that what she had done was a mistake? What if this beast she had just revived was not the one who had came through the tear? Once again she shook her head and cursed to herself.

Right now she needed to focus and wait, wait for the deceased to wake up.


:[-]:


The Space Marine had learned of countless depictions of Hell through his various conquests across the vast universe. From the Rings of Fire generated from the Terran Christian, to the Black Oily Oceans told from the Wil’combian tribes in the plains on the planet Demango. Though none of them compared to what he had witnessed after being cast through that tear in the fabric of time.

The black, misty void of hellish monstrosities and beings so hideous that even the brightest of minds would never be able to comprehend. So bombastically horrific that sanity of a single individual would snap at the sight of them. Creatures, if you could call them that, no man could even think about because just the thought alone would drive them crazy.

Having drifted for what felt like weeks, no centuries, he couldn’t remember how long he was drifting. His mind had been broken during that time of being shoved and tortured. All he could recall was screaming, singing, pleaing and most of all laughing. Yet it was no laugh of a man who had heard a funny joke, no. It was a terrified laugh of a man who had completely lost his complete and utter will to live. A laugh of a man that would combine with his wailing sobs of mercy, yet where he was mercy did not exist.

The nightmare he had traversed ended shortly after he had fallen through the other end of the tear and blacked out. His memories of ever seeing a pony or suffering a heart attack had faded along with most of his thoughts relating to the hellish hole he had undergone entirely. Not completely though, the fear of seeing anything resembling a crack or a dark space sends a terrible chill up his spine. Yet the reason why is unclear to him.

When he woke up some time later in the next afternoon, he found himself lying beside the edge of a cliff overlooking a rather beautiful valley. The space marine blinked in confusion as he gazed over the luscious landscape, further below he even noticed a small town. His confusion still rather undying he would soon be startled by the high pitched yawn coming from behind him. Shifting to look back the marine gasped and groaned due to his body aching due to the various bruises and injuries he had sustained from the previous night.

“Careful now, don’t move too much!” Came the voice of a young maiden.

“Wh-who’s there?” Said a voice of a much older sounding woman. The marine glanced around, looking for the voice of the girl he had heard along with the woman who had said something vaguely similar to what he asked. Was he not alone?

“You’re hurt, if you move too much, you’ll undo some of the bandages.” The younger woman said, suddenly the maringe felt someone tugging on the supposed bandages on him and he grimaces before looking down to see a grey and scaly body, a small four legged horse like creature dawned with a black hood was psionically tugging on the bandages wrapped across the reptilian body.

“Wh-what in God’s name...” The older woman’s voice muttered just as he did, his eyes watching as the creature tugged on the bandages, to which he could also feel said pulling.

“There you go, your bandages should be fastened well enough!” The small pony said before looking up into the marine’s eyes. 

“My...bandages?” The deep voice of the woman muttered, the marine’s eyes widening as the voice of the woman kept mimicking him.

Then it began to settle in.

The woman mimicking his voice was his own, the bandages on the scaly body he could feel was his. It was keenly obvious by this point that he was not in his own body, perhaps he had really gone mad? He did not feel as if he was crazy, yet due to crazy people know that about themselves?

“Wh-what am I?” The marine muttered, the sound of his own, new and feminine undertone chilling him to his very core.

The pony giggled and sat back on her haunches and gazed up at the marine’s eyes. “You’re a dragon!” Her voice sounding excited at the fact her ancient, illegal ritual was a complete success. 

The marine’s eyes widened, his head turning to look over the new found body. His breathing escalating his new and much larger lungs taking in vast quantities of air at an accelerated rate, his new and much larger heart beating hard. “Wh-what have you done to me?!” His new large, and beautiful blue eyes shrunken with fear.

The pony bit her lip and hopped onto her hooves. “C-calm down! I-It’s fine, you just had some complications th-that’s all!”

“Complications! Wh-what is the meaning of this?!” His feminine voice still unfamiliar to his new and much, much better ears.

The pony fell silent and took a breath. “Y-you came from...a portal, a tear really...” The pony shivered and shook her head, even the mentioning of the tear was difficult. “You had quite the tumble coming out of it, a-and...I had to save you!” She bit her lip. “Though in order to do that, I-I had to transport your soul to...a dragon's body, due to the fact that your normal body is going to need to go under some uh...” she fell silent. “Reconstruction.” She smiled widely up at the marine who looked at her unconvinced. “B-believe me when I say this, but I saved your life!” She began to approach him. “If I hadn’t been here you would be rotting right now!”

A moment of silence fell over the two and the dragon marine closed his eyes and took a breath, his breathing and heart rate slowing to a steady rate. “Forgive me...these countless years I have endured as made my tone harsh and thoughts irrational. I did not mean to come off as hostile.” The tone of the dragon’s voice caused the pony to stand back and blink.

“Well aren’t you a kind...being.” The pony smiled.

The marine gazed up at the pony, the dragon’s face a little stern but not beaming with fright or fury. “Let me start over by thanking you for saving me...however, I do ask you this: will I ever return to my original form?” Luckily the pony had prepared for such a question and straightens herself out.

“Y-yes! But uh...” The Dragon cocked its head and the pony blushed under her coat. “Not immediately, there’ll be some time to repair the damages that had been done,” her eyes shifted a bit as the dragon’s head lowered and breathed heavily. The marine was afraid of such answer, no things in life would ever come so easily. “Forgive me for being a little blunt but uh...what is your name?” The pony asked in a nervous tone.

The marine glanced at the pony. “My name?” he cocked his head to one side, his mind some reason spotty in a few areas as he tried to think back, a few moments past and he smiled and nodded his head head before gazing down. “My name is Sergeant Andrew Drake, yet from what I recall...everyone just called me Drake. Might ask yours?”

The pony smiled. “The name is Emerald,” she hummed as she sat back on her rear. “Also Drake sounds like a male’s name.” She giggled.

Drake blinked. “But I am a male.” The pony suddenly found this hysterical as she laughed and shook her head, confused Drake glanced back, his new found body did seem rather lean and curvy compared to what he had seen in times past or in info-discs.

“Not while you’re in that body, buddy,” The pony said between snorts and giggles. “You are one-hundred percent female!” Well that explained the voice he had been speaking in.

Drake blinked once again and recoiled his head back again before glaring at the pony. “You are telling me I am no longer male?” The pony nodded and Drake recoiled once more, eyes wide in shock. “This does not make any sense, what kind of sorcery is this? Why did you not place me in something that matches my chromosomes?” The pony named Emerald seemed to be having a riot with all of this.

“Oh by Celestia’s mane this is amazing!” Emerald sat up and beamed at Drake. “I’m sorry, Dr-Drake, but this is all what I had available to me!”

Drake let off a sigh and sunk back, telling himself that this should only be temporary. “How much longer should I wait till my original form is restored?” That question seemed to knock the other pony off her hooves.

“I-Uh-oh-ehhh....As of now uh...I d-don’t have a fool, diagnosis. So as of now....iiiits a little unknown.” She tapped her hooves together nervously and sat up, wincing a little when she noticed Drake’s glare.

“May I see my body?” Drake asked and the pony shot up and shook her head.

“N-no! You cannot do that, seeing your own corpse could have severe mental issues!” The pony said in a stern and serious tone. “I’ll let you know when the time is right, Drake,” she said before falling back and muttering how ‘Drake’ is a weird name.

The dragon leaned back and sighed. “I hope you are being honest with me,” he muttered softly and winced as he felt something move behind him, causing a little pain. Gazing back his eyes widened when he noticed his very own tail. Making a strange face he shook his head and sighed. “Make it happen,” he said to the pony below him who looked up nervously. “I do not have all the time in the world.” His new, sharp eyes glared down at the pony who by this point was practically eating her bottom lip

The pony stepped back, his eyes extremely intimidating. Nodding her head she said quietly. “Y-yeah, I’ll...try.” she sat back by a small campfire she had set up over night. “Just for now...try not to move. Dragons kinda...heal quickly, so it shouldn’t be long till you can move about.”

Drake nodded softly. “Very well.”

> Chapter 3: The Sigil
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The griffon stood above Drake, his eyes piercing through the holes in his helmet. “It is useless to flee, accept your fate and judgement shall be swift!”

Drake shifted and snarled. “I shall never submit, for I have done nothing to deserve such treatment!” He bared his teeth.

The griffon rolled its eyes as one of its companions approached, a massive double bladed axe held between its claws. “Tell that to the villagers below!” The griffon wound up the axe, before he could deliver the final blow, Drakes vision swayed as he clenched his eyes shut.

“Now isn’t this little one adorable,” Drake heard the familiar, feminine voice which he had ever so slowly been coming accustomed with. He found himself staring down at a sapphire in the claws of the dragon’s body he had now had within his possession.

Out of the corner of his eye Drake noticed something move, glancing over he saw a much larger and intimidating dragon crawl over to his side on all fours. “Looks rather tasty if you ask me,” the large, red beast chuckled.

The dragoness that Drake was observing through its point of view clenched her claws around the sapphire. “Maybe not this one, it’s too cute to eat,” the beast giggled softly and he felt it smile at the much larger one Drake could only assume was her mate.

The red hulk snorted, smoke shooting from its nostrils as it shook its head. “You’re an odd one, Cinder, I’ll tell you that.” The dragoness snickered once more and sat the sapphire aside.

“What?” The dragon, Cinder, sat back on what seemed to be a pile of jewels and treasures. “A dragon such as myself can’t find things to be cute? What about you, Scar, don’t you hold onto of your special gems?”

The red beast named Scar smiled at Cinder. “Nah, I mainly hold onto any weapons I find,” he crawled over and laid beside the dragoness, his large claws resting on her soft chest. “Y’know, the cool stuff.” He smiled and showed off his various rows of sharp teeth.

Cinder snorts and rolls into Scar’s arms, her wing draping over him. “Oh? So just the ‘cool’ stuff?” she smiled slyly.

“Yeah...for the most part––”


...


Drake’s eyes snapped open and he jolted as a large crack of thunder tore him from his sleep. His eyes lifting off the ground along with his head, movement feeling much slower in what he had recalled to be his new body. Gritting his new and razor sharp tooth, the space marine glanced back at his new form, his brain, which really wasn’t his brain, finding it hard to comprehend this new shape of his before jolting when he felt something touch his side.

“Whoa there, Nessie,” The small pony named Emerald said to the Marine as she shifted to look at something at the base of his long neck.

Drake subconsciously lets off a small, irritated growl. “What is that you are doing down there, little creature?” he asks as the pony rolls her eyes.

“I told you, Drake, my name is Emerald. Right now I’m just making a few checks here and there.” ” The pony pursed her lips softly and sat back, she had noticed a small symbol on the dragon’s neck, one she hadn’t noticed the other night. A black patch that resembled oozing paint that had dried. “And I believe I just saw something,” Emerald muttered softly as she reached out with a hoof and touched the dark marking.

“Grragh!” Drake’s entire body shifted, teeth baring as he felt a sharp pain shoot up his neck and down into his body. The dark spot shifted on his neck, a black ooze seeping gently out of the marking as if it was hole, yet it wasn’t. “What in the Chancellor’s name was that?” He growled.

The pony blinked as she gazed at the black marking, a dark feeling settling over her as she grimaced a bit as she watched the ooze go down the dragon’s scales. It was as if t was some kind of dark sigil, perhaps a branding of some sorts? It was clearly generated when she had performed the transporting spell, she would need to look more into this. This was something she had not expected, then again the warnings in the ancient scriptures hinted at some sort of possible symptoms and or side effects. Perhaps she should of heeded those warnings? Emerald shook her head, nothing bad has come of this marking so far, perhaps it may just be something similar to a birth defect?

“Well?” Drake snarled as he lowered his head to gaze down at the small pony who seemed to be thinking deeply. Emerald looked up at him and shook her head once more before smiling widely.

“Oh it's nothing, just a wound the dragon had suffered before I had transported you over to its body,” Emerald briefly explained. Drake’s expression flattened and he took a breath before raising his head once more.

“Tell me, Emerald, where haps have you stumbled upon this ‘dragon’s’ body?” Drake asked as he watched the pony stop above her saddlebag, Drake couldn’t see it but the pony’s face was a little surprised by the question.

A moment of silence past. “It was here before you––”

“Do not play me for a fool, Equine,” Drake said softly, yet his voice cut through Emerald like a razor blade. The pony gulped and turned to face Drake.

Hoping she was playing her cards correctly she stated softly. “I hired a mercenary warband to slay the beast due to it terrorizing my hometown,” she half lied, just then Drake tilted his head slightly in thought just as a brief image from his dream flashed before his eyes, the griffon with the axe.

“Tell that to the villagers below!”

“Oh?” Drake smiled softly. “Is that so? Well then, that was pretty bold of you to hire such men, it must’ve been a pretty hefty bargain.” Emerald hummed softly as a large weight lifted off of her back and she relaxed and nodded her head.

“Why yes it was, twenty five hundred bits really.” Emerald smiled. “Luckily I had been saving up while working as a nurse down at the general hospital.”

Drake titled his head once more as he slowly shifted to face the pony, the wounds on his body having not fully healed, yet surprisingly, compared to just earlier...had it been a day already? He couldn’t recall how long he slept, perhaps he should ask. “Say...how long was I out for?” He asked Emerald who had turned her back on Drake and was riffling through her saddlebag.

“Oh jeez,” Emerald muttered as she lifted her head out of the bag and thought for a moment. “Like three days at most, you dragons––I mean dragons in general can sleep for days on end, especially when injured. Their bodies are able to heal much faster when resting compared to most species. It's like an instinctual thing,” She explains before turning back to going through her bag, trying to find some medicine she had gotten from her day job. Smiling as she finally remembers which pocket she had stored the vial in she steps back and holds a small vial out in front of her with her magic. The liquid inside a purplish color, and rather fizzy looking.

Drake blinked, he had slept for three moons? Thinking on this for a moment, he took a breath, that would explain the rate of his wounds no longer hurting as much. A few moments of silence would pass as Drake gazed upwards at the clouds. “So you’re a nurse you say?” Drake asked looking back down at Emerald, the silence making him a little shifty.

“Yes I am, here drink this, it's a pain reliever for you dragons.” Emerald floats the vial of medicine up to Drake’s face, causing the dragoness to go cross eyed.

Drake made an unpleasant expression and glanced down at the unicorn. “Could you please not refer to me as a dragon? I do not feel right when referred to something I am not.”

Emerald scoffed. “What do you mean you are not a dragon? Look at yourself, you’re a big lizard with wings and teeth, heck, you have the reproductive organs of one too!” 

Drake curled his brow upwards at the mention of reproductive organs, reminding him that he wasn’t inside the body of a male beast either. “Yes, yes, I understand that...” he muttered softly, now taking notice of the femininity of his own voice as well again. “But I do not feel as if I am a dragon...if you get what I mean.”

Emerald rolled her eyes. “Yes. Just drink the medicine,” She ordered and wiggled the vial. “it's a pain reliever, you’ll feel much better!” Drake nodded his head and opened his mouth, his arms too weak to move. Emerald would tilt the vial after popping the cork and drizzle the medicine onto Drake’s tongue, who would barely taste it, he could hardly feel the medicine even making its way down his rather large throat.

Gulping Drake sighed softly and sunk back down, his neck and head resting on the stoney ground of the mountain. “So where would this village you reside in be located?” He asked.

“Base of the mountain,” Emerald said softly as he stuck the vial away in her bag. “You can actually see it from here.” He hummed as she closed up her bag and flung everything onto her back with her magic.

Drake looked over and indeed took notice of the rather small and colorful town down in the valley with a rather vast woods by its side and a river that cut through. There were even large farms along its edges as well, it looked rather quaint and peaceful. In the distance he could even see a rather odd looking train approaching the town. “It looks nice,” Drake muttered as he began to feel drowsy. “It reminds me of my old home, strangely enough.” he let off a rather deep yawn and subconsciously stretched his massive wings out wards a bit, the right one that had been broken, yet now bizarrely healed, only stretched a little bit.

Emerald nodded her head as she stamped out the embers of her small campfire she had set up. “It is a nice town,” she said softly, her mind still focused on the dark sigil on Drake’s neck. “So uh...you said you didn’t feel like a dragon?” She glanced at the very sleepy looking dragoness who nodded slightly. “What do you feel like?”

Drake yawned once more and began to curl up on himself. “I am human...” he mumbled softly.

The unicorn stood there silently and blinked, her head tilting, an interesting name for a species, she had thought. Wanting to pry further she sat back on her haunches, her thoughts setting the dark sigil aside for a few moments. “What was your home like?” she asked softly the sleepy dragoness stirring a little in thought.

“A beautiful place...” Drake muttered softly. “A peaceful world where the fields of red daedras bloomed yearly, and the pink tommy trees blossomed every month. I can remember the purple mountains towering in the distance, encompassing my family’s colony...” he yawned and smiled in memory.

“Did your home have a name?” Emerald asked softly, her eyes wide as she tried to picture what a daedra flower or a tommy tree looked like.

Drake hummed peacefully, his eyes heavy to the point he couldn’t open them. “Elysium,” he muttered before finally drifting off the medicine having taken fool effect.

Emerald blinked a bit and smiled. “Well then, that’s quite interesting.” The pony pushed herself back onto her hooves and glanced at the dark sigil that was also on the exact opposite end of Drake’s neck. “Time for studying.”

> Chapter 4: The Agreement
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Emerald let off an exasperated groan as she once again tossed another book upon the pile of all of the ancient scriptures she had picked up on throughout her life. Pony then let off a whine and slammed her face into the table before immediately shooting back and cupping her hooves around her nose. “Ouch!Ouch!Ouch!” The unicorn whimpered just as she cast a spell to dull the pain, pulling her hooves back she noticed blood and pouted. Summoning a box of tissues she stuffed both holes in her snout before getting up and pushing her study chair back.

Going over to the pile of books, Emerald used her magic to quickly sort and put away all of the scriptures. Stacking them on the shelves that lined her study, occasionally she would need to swap out her bloodied tissues hastily as to not stain her blue carpets with her own blood. The pony muttered frustratedly to herself, feeling stupid at the fact she had hurt herself. After sorting out all the books she stepped back and sighed as she rubbed the side of her head.

The black mark was still fresh on her mind, yet everything she had read had nothing held within their words. Her books had ranged from millennia to centuries of years old, yet there was nothing. Nothing relating to the black sigil she had witnessed on the sides of Drake’s neck.

“What could it mean?” Emerald muttered just as a knock came from her front door, the sound muffled by the many doors leading to her study. Snapping out of her stupor, the unicorn glanced at her door and blinked, confusion heavily placed on her before another knock caught her ear. She shook her head and shouted, “I’m coming!” before summoning a brush to fix her her neck length, navy blue mane. On her way to her front door after applying the three locks to her study and shielding it with an anti teleportation spell, she summoned her independence colored vest which she thought went nicely with her dark grey coat.

A third knock sounded off just as Emerald opened the door. “Yes?” She poked her head out, only to get her snout smacked by Ditzy Doo who was still in mid knock. “Yee--ouch!” Emerald lept back and cupped her still bleeding snouth with her hooves, tears appearing around the edges of her eyes.

“Oh I’m sorry, Miss Green!” Ditzy came up to the unicorn and sat in front of her, her face looking distraught despite her eyes looking off in different directions. “I didn’t know you were right there.” Emerald only whimpered in response, the silly pegasus simply shrugged before reaching into her saddlebag and pulling out a highly decorated envelope. “Anyways, I came to bring you this invitation!”  Emerald teleported a few tissues to herself, pulling a few out she swapped out the already bloodied ones and muttered a thank you as she took the invitation. Ditzy smiled and stood up before stepping back outside. “Again, I’m sorry for kicking you in the face, hopefully you’ll have a better da––” Emerald shut the door in the mare’s face before muttering a few curses to herself, magicking a pack of ice from thin air, she placed it on her nose and went into her rather tiny kitchen.

She would set the letter on the counter and get herself some water before finally opening it and reading its contents. Emerald would smile to herself when she noticed it was written by the town’s entertainer Pinkie Pie. Like everyone else she actually enjoyed the party mare’s shenanigans, as well as her parties. Which to Emerald’s amusement seemed to be what the invitation was expressing towards her. Emerald smiled at the crudely drawn images the Pink Mare had generated, showing off a dark colored stick pony with a dopey smile, surrounded by party balloons. The image made Emerald look like a goth pony, which bugged her a little but didn’t take it personally.

Why did everypony assume she was goth anyways?

Nevertheless, Emerald knew she would attend the party, said to be held in the Friendship castle sometime tomorrow evening. Perhaps she’d be able to speak to a few of her friends she hardly ever saw due to her constant studying...mayhaps that was why everypony assumed she was goth.

She hardly ever left her home or spoke to anyone.

Emerald blinked. “I should probably get out more,” the pony muttered, her voice sounding congested due to her blood flooded nostrils.


:[-]:


Drake would snap awake, his eyes darting back and forth after experiencing what he thought to be a nightmare. A nightmare he could not recall however, at least not in detail. All he could briefly remember was the feeling of being chased and then...being torn apart? He couldn’t quite make out the details as said. Taking a deep breath he could only tell himself now that the nightmare was over and that he could focus on what was going on now in the present.

Taking a moment to breathe and calm his nerves, he noticed the feeling that he was quite well rested, and all the soreness from the other day was gone. Shifting a bit Drake smiled as he gazed down and gasped at the sight of his scaly, lizard like body. Heart racing due to sudden panic, Drake closed his eyes and shook his head as to remind himself that this was real. He wasn’t...dare he say it, physically human. Not anymore.

“Calm yourself,” He told himself, only to cringe at the feminine tone, which also made him remember the fact that he technically wasn't a male anymore either. “This will take time to get used to,” The space marine said quietly to himself. Luckily the pony who had supposedly saved his life by transporting his soul to this vessel had also told him that it would only be temporary, so at least he had that to look forward to.

Yes, and after his ethereal self is transported back into his body, he could then focus back onto the task at hand. Finding out where he was, how he got there, how to get off the rock and return back to Empire space to continue the offensive. He nodded his head and smiled, surely the dominate species on this planet possess the capabilities for him to construct vessel or perhaps a gate that’ll allow him to return home. If they are able to control the arts of magic, nothing is impossible...right?

“Of course,” Drake muttered to himself and chuckled, which really sounded more like a cute giggle due to the feminine tone. “The small pony had made into this, of course she or something else can figure out how to take me home,” he said optimistically, and glanced around. “Speaking of the small creature...where had she gone?” Drake mumbled before shifting his legs, which to his amazement were not stiff or sore. 

Grunting the space marine, or dragon in this case, pushed himself up onto his four feet. Legs wobbling a little as he shifted his balance about, after a few minutes of this and he smiled once he found the perfect posture. “Okay Drake...lets try to walk.” Ever so slowly the dragon shifted his, or would be her? Drake stopped his movements as this was a thought that came to his mind, this would be something he’d have to face with from now on until he returns to his original form. He shook his head. “That is something I’ll think about later, or discuss with the pony,” he muttered and focused back on walking.

Carefully he moved his right foreleg forward before falling up with his back hind leg, taking a breath Drake focused on moving away from the cliff, because walking by it would extremely stupid of course. After wobbling and nearly falling two or three times, Drake smiled widely as he found himself falling into rhythm. That is until he reached a small drop off and slipped a bit, his left foreleg shot out after slipping on a ledge, and Drake’s large and lithe body lurched to the side.

“Nuuuuuh!” Drake heard the small pony, Emerald shriek and teleport out of the way just as Drake made contact with rock. Surprisingly, the fall didn’t hurt as much as he’d expected it to.

“S-sorry,” The dragon said as he shifted and rolled onto his belly. “I had not expected for you to be around when I started to practice walking.” He glanced around, wondering where the pony had gone. Looking to his right he saw that the mare was on a ledge which was eye level with him. She didn’t look too happy, not only that Drake took notice of the fact she wasn’t in a hooded cloak either and was actually able to see what she looked like. The small pony was actually kinda cute looking, small and also pretty thin and well rounded and most of all the unnecessary vest he had on was also kind of adorable.

Compared to most alien races the space marine had encountered, however, the pony was either nearly if not a little more adorable than the Gek Imperials. “What in the name of Luna are you doing moving about?” The pony frowned at Drake who simply rolled his eyes in return.

The dragon took a breath. “My limbs felt stiff so I thought a good jog would do me some good.” The pony didn’t seem to find the humor in his rather bland sentence and she sighed.

“Well your jog nearly just killed me!” The pony growled. 

“I was simply testing your instincts, and you passed.” Drake snorted and smiled, wasn’t often he let his rather bland humor free, then again half of the time he was always surrounded his commanding officers.

The pony gave the dragon marine a blank look before taking a deep breath. “I take it the medicine did you some good?” To which Drake replied with a simple nod.

“Indeed it has, small one, I am thankful for that,” Drake bowed his head and said sincerely. “I shall not lie, Emerald, for what you have done for me has made me forever greatful to you. For that not many would have possibly been able to assist me unlike you have.”

The pony blushed faintly and shifted a bit. “It wasn’t too hard, honestly, and uh...besides, it's uh...not like I coulda just left you to die.” She bit her lip and smiled sheepishly at Drake.

The marine lifted his head and smiled lightly at the pony. “Though I do not mean to rush you or anything, Emerald, but I had noticed recently that my true form seems to be missing. I am not asking to see it, but simply I wish to know where it is being kept. In case I may have to protect if it were to ever come into harm’s way.”

Emerald eyes widened and she blinked, she had known this question was coming, yet even though she had prepared...she ended up not being prepared. “Uh well...its in my cottage’s basement. That’s uh...where I do most of my work and stuff.” She once again smiled sheepishly and shifted from hoof to hoof. “I can assure you, Drake, your original form will be perfectly fine, the basement is nice an cold and I also cast a preservation spell on it. Also it's so deep in there that nopony would ever know it was there!” She smiled and nodded her head honestly.

Drake smiled and nodded once again. “Have you figured out how long it’ll be till I can return?” He asked, his tone  little eager. The pony straightened herself out and pursed her lips.

“Uh...not exactly...” Emerald took a breath. “I’ll be straight with you for a second,” she said as Drake’s features faltered. “Transposition isn’t something you can just do out of free will, like...think about it, you’re literally transporting your soul from one form to another. Which in reality is quite taxing, and not only that it's very dangerous. If anything were to happen to your soul between bodies, there’s no telling what could happen!” Emerald explained.

Drake frowned. “So you’re saying we’ll have to wait?” The pony nodded. “How long?” He asked with a low growl, the pony shifted from hoof to hoof her face looking rather nervous. “Do not tell me, Emerald, you do not know?”

The pony shook her head. “No. No. I have good a idea how long it’ll take.”

“Then tell me.” Drake’s piercing eyes caused the unicorn to shiver.

“At least a few months, perhaps a season.” The little pony stepped back, her head lowering as Drake shifted back up and onto his feet, towering over the mare.

“Is there no way to speed up the process?” Drake growled.

The pony whimpered as the dragon stepped towards her, his shadow looming over her. She gulped. “Uh...Y-yes, but if you really want all of your soul to remain and keep your sanity, I-I recommend we wait the required time!” She squeals as Drake’s front right foot came down beside her.

The marine lowered his face to the ponies, causing himself to go cross eyed just so their eyes can meet. “Make it happen,” he snarled and the pony nodded her head rapidly.

“Y-yeah! I will just...please––”

“Please what?” Drake growled.

“I need you to work with me here!” Emerald blurted out.

Drake blinked for a moment and pulled back. “Whatever do you mean?”  Emerald leaned forward and let off a breath, she had nearly urinated out of fear once again.

“I saved you,” She said looking up at Drake. “If it hadn’t been for me, we wouldn’t be here right now talking, and I told you that you’ll eventually return to your body.” Her face was stern as she spoke. “I don’t know why you’re in such a hurry, and honestly I don’t really care.” Which was really lie, she was in fact really interested. “The point is that you should understand when I say that this isn’t easy, stuff like this take time and in order for me to do this correctly, I would appreciate it if you’d just chill out and stop with these intimidation methods!”

Drake blinked and sat back for a moment. “Oh...”

“You said you were a sergeant right?” The pony asked. “Like you’re a soldier or something correct?” The dragon nodded.

“I’m a space marine,” he replied softly.

Emerald nodded her head and began to pace back and forth on the rock. “I take it that’s some kind of soldier so uh... I assume you were on some kind of quest?” Drake nodded. “But now you have a month to yourself! Think of it as some kind of mandatory leave or whatever it means when soldiers are laid off or something.” The pony smiled at the dragon who looked up at her.

The dragon blinked and gave her a blank look to which the pony sighed. “I understand what you’re saying,” Drake said and lowered his gaze as he breathed softly. “I apologize for my rudeness for that you are correct, I was indeed on a quest, yet...seeing how things ended up...I believe that perhaps...” Drake fell silent as he tried to think back for a moment.

Emerald looked at the dragon who seemed down in thought, she pursed her lips and began to think of something. Not wanting to pry the dragon’s thoughts and possibly anger or depress it she decided to just continue on rambling. “To be honest, that that you have a month to yourself in a dragon’s body...if you were any other stallion, they’d probably be having the time of their life!” She said enthusiastically, causing the marine to snap out of his dark thoughts.

“Eh?” The dragon looked up at her.

“Well think about it! Mentally you’re a male, in a female body!” The mare giggled and blushed softly under her fur, she winked at the disciplined space marine he simply frowned at her immaturity, but then snorted a few moments after and chuckled. “The possibilities are endless!” The pony smiled widely seeing her crude advice actually won a reaction out of the creature.

“Do not think, Emerald, I have not thought of that,” The dragon snickered softly. “Though seeing the situation I do not believe doing such...things, would be worthy of my time.” He smiled, his previous thoughts vanishing.

The pony giggled. “Well think about this, you’re in the body of a very large and fit beast! As long as you don’t go on crazy rampages or eat ponies, no one is going to mess with you! You could practically do anything! That’s like every foal’s dream come true!”

Drake simply chuckled softly. “I think for the time being I’ll simply keep to myself and or you, seeing that you know more about this planet then I do.” He relaxed slightly.

The pony blushed lightly once more, feeling a bit touched about that. “Alright,” she stretched herself out a bit. “Now that we cleared the air, will you trust me on the fact that I’ll get you back to normal?” Drake sat there for a brief second and close his eyes before nodding his head. “Are you...okay with the time span in which this will take?”

Once again there was a pause, taking a deep breath Drake let it out in a drawn out sigh. “I do not like the length in which this will take, but...I believe I will manage,” he said as he looked at the pony.

Emerald smiled. “Good, let’s shake on it!” She stuck out her tiny hoof towards the hulking dragon.

Drake blinked before chuckling softly, raising on of his legs out to the pony, he ever so carefully grasped her tiny hoof between his massive, razor sharp claws. “May this agreement between us be fulfilled to its fullest!” He said happily as he gently shook her hoof.

“Indeed!” Emerald said as Drake released her hoof. “Let's see if we can get you down from this mountain without killing you again.” Drake glared at the pony with large frown, flinching she giggled nervously. “What, was that too soon? Or dead on?”

“Let me clear the air on this...if you weren’t the only one who could help me, you would be dead right now.” Drake growled and the pony chuckled softly.

“Shut up, it was funny.”

“Not even in the slightest.”

> Chapter 5: The Forest
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The quest to get down the mountain had taken quite some time with Drake’s new feminine, dragon like form that walked on four legs. During the descend the space marine had only fallen twice, both drops ranging from various different heights. The first only being four meters, the second being nine, normally if he had been in his T-14 Power armor these falls would have been rather petty, yet even though his dragon body had hard protective scales to go with it. The shock of falling from such heights made it feel as if he had knocked his knees against a frame of a metal door aboard His Chancellor’s vessel.

Though upon reaching the bottom of the mountain, Drake flopped onto the somewhat flat and grassy surface. Drake groaned happily now that he was laying on a much softer surface. “Aww, yes...” The dragon muttered softly with his female voice, the same voice he kept telling himself he’ll never get used to.  “Oh how I had missed dirt so much!” he boasted outwards as he felt the urge to kiss the ground, his tail flicking subconsciously on its own.

The sound of a disgruntled pony stopped Drake from doing just so, turning his large head around he saw the little pony, Emerald, looking up at him. She seemed to be rather messy, and the cute little vest she had on seemed to have been torn in some areas. “Next time when I say slow down, I mean slow down,” Emerald said sternly. “We won’t be able to fix your issue if I’m the one who ends up dying.”

Drake chuckled softly. “Well I really wanted to see if I could fly with these wings,” he said as he shifted both wings before shivering, the feeling of moving something on his back felt rather abnormal.

“How about we just take small steps first before jumping to the final thing on our list?” Emerald suggested as she rolled her eyes, her horn would flash and suddenly the pony would disappear and reappear on his back. “Okay, Scaly,” The unicorn’s voice changed tone, now seemed more calm and serious, “I’m going to warn you.” Emerald shifted and carefully climbed up to his ear hole, “We’re about to traverse a small part of what is known as the Everfree Forest.” Drake nodded his head a little bit and Emerald kicked the side of his ear hole before hissing, “It's labeled as one of the most dangerous forests in all of Equestria.”

Equestria? Drake blinked at the name. Perhaps that was the name of the planet? He thought before gently nodding his head. “Alright, you point the way, and I’ll keep my guard up,” he said softly.

“I’m not done,” Emerald growled into his ear, her voice sounding rather cute and unintimidating. “The Everfree is a mystical and untamed wilderness, some say the forest itself is alive and will try and fool those the deeper they traverse.” He couldn’t take her soft and slightly squeaky voice serious at all, but he continued to listen. “So I’m going to tell you this, do not trust anything you see upon going in, focus on where I tell you to go and do not stray from the path,” She explained.

Drake nodded once more. “This shall not be the first time I have traversed through a forest filled with demons, little one. I have been trained to keep my eyes level and I shall do what you insist, now point the way,” The marine spoke professionally, voice unwavering.

Emerald tilted her head for a second before she smirked and sat back. “You almost sound like a honorable knight.” She giggled softly.

The marine snorted softly and smiled as he looked back at the pony with his large eye. “Perhaps because I am?”

The pony patted the dragon on the back of the head with her hooves. “Then onwards my, Knight, the path is directly ahead.” Drake chuckled and took a step forward, his balance a little wobbly at first but after a few steps he slowly began to develop a rhythm and delve deep into the dark and gnarly forest.


:[-]:


The sounds of calling birds echoed loudly through the dense underbrush, the rustling leaves of smaller, scampering animals could faintly be heard and seen. Not to far off ahead, bucks and does could be seen drinking from a stream, only to stop and spring their heads up upon hearing the sounds of the large, grey and blue dragon stomping its way through the tree line.

“Geh...you’re making too much noise, Beast!” Emerald kicked the back of Drake’s head, her hooves bouncing off his scales. “Try stepping over the logs!” The pony clung tightly and bounced as Drake hummed softly, taking his time and appreciating the scenery.

“And have us fall over?” Drake finally glanced back with his eyes and replied before stumbling a little and causing the small mare to shriek. The marine laughed as he would catch himself and continue on the path given. “If I was smaller I would,” He said to the pony as smashed a rabbit's home. “But it's so much easier now just to plow through everything.” Drake chuckled as his sheer weight snapped a large, fallen tree in half.

Emerald growled. “Geh...I just don’t want you drawing too much attention,” the mare said as she nervously glanced around, her eyes shifting past the trees.

“Little One––”

“Stop calling me that!” Emerald snapped. “I told you my name is, Emerald!” The small pony hopped up and down on Drake’s back. “I’ll turn you into a pumpkin if you call me that again!”

“Pumpkin?” Drake chuckled. “Is that the best you can do?” He asked as his paw smashed into the stream the deer had been drinking from, the cool water feeling very nice on his scales. He would stop for a moment.

The little pony growled. “I brought you back from the dead! Don’t think I can send you back!” She continued to hop angrily on his back, then stopped shortly after. “Why aren’t we moving?” she asks sternly.

Drake would remain silent, his right paw shifting in the stream of water. After a moment he carefully pulled his paw out of the water and hesitantly stepped back before lowering his head down to the stream.

“Oi! I’m talking to ya!” Emerald shouted down to Drake in a Baltimare accent, however, Drake would continue to ignore the pony as he takes a moment to get a small sip of water. Which was honestly something he hasn’t had the willing of trying in the cosmos knows how long. Emerald growls and starts beating on the base of Drake’s lengthy neck. “I demand you listen to me fiend!” At this point Drake lets off a deep growl which causes Emerald to stop.

“I request you give me a minute, Emerald,” Drake growled as he turned his head slightly to look at the pony. Emerald halted her actions and glared at the dragon before sighing and turning away. Drake took a breath and turned back to the water, leaning he took a drink.

Mood in the forest died dramatically as silenced fell over them. Animal’s having scampered off, birds having fled when the massive reptile strolled in for a drink. The faint wind and the rustling of leaves being pushed is all that could be heard aside from the loud gulps of Drake’s drinking. The wind shortly after picked up and breathe could be felt going over the marine’s scales, along with a faint voice which said, “I’m a Soul Keeper.” Drake stopped drinking and  perked his head up.

“Excuse me?” He looked up at the unicorn who then glanced back at him with a cocked eyebrow.

Emerald frowned when she saw Drake’s questioning look, “You done yet?”

Drake took a breath. “Yes I am,” he said disregarding what he had heard. Tis the wind, he thought, and nothing more. He ruffled his wings and straightened out his new body before staggering slightly as he tried to redevelop the walking rhythm he had learned not too long ago.

The whirling wind picked up once more as Drake and the small unicorn traveled through the forest. The wildlife scampering away as the sound of thunderous legs came crashing down upon the forest floor. The world trembling wherever Drake would step. Taking a breath as he strolled along the marine blinked as finally had time to think about the predicament he had found himself in, that is, until he had heard the voice again. “Either you can die...away out of existence seeing as those...the Elysium gates...dragons don’t...laws of magicality...”

Drake stopped, Emerald groaned and rolled over, “Ugh, what––”

“Silence!” Drake snapped at the pony and nearly made the mare leap off his back, eyes wide as she glared at the dragon. Drake craned his head towards the thick underbrush to their right, back towards the direction of the stream.

“Wh-what is it?” The pony mumbled, her horn coming to life as she prepared for something she didn’t notice but the dragon did.

“Unfortunately your time here in the physical world is done,” Drake heard the voice clearly now, it had to be Emerald’s, yet it sounded off. Much different then the pony who had revived him, instead of friendly and annoying, this voice was sinister and threatening. Drake sniffed the air, a foul smell now entering his nostrils and making him snarl and furrow his brow.

The marine had a good idea on what was happening, this had not been the first time he had experienced such trickery as this. “Th-that’s my voice,” Emerald muttered, her eyes widening in fear. “W-we need to go now! We have to run!”

Drake didn’t take his eyes off the underbrush to their right, though he could not see it, he knew very well they were being watched, and tested. “You’re being hunted,” the marine muttered under his breath.

The pony rolled her eyes. “Yes, I know that! It’s a mimic, and there’s no way we can––”

“Fifteen meters west of me, you have a clear opening, on my call you have approximately fifteen seconds to dash. Upon passing through, head to wherever you know is safe, I’ll cover and meet up with you.” Drake shifted his stance, he knew with this body he had no real way of keeping up in any kind of fight. With time he had inside his new form there just wasn’t any way, however, with his sheer size and strength, he could at least by the only Pony who can save him time to escape.

“Collect your dues and leave us be!” Emerald’s heart leapt into her throat upon hearing the shout from her right, whirling around, she saw a dark figure lunging at her along with the white, glistening fangs going straight for her throat.

“Go!” The dragon bellowed and the pony ignited her magic, blinking her right out of existence.

Despite the unfamiliar feeling and the discomfort of moving such a limb, Drake lurched the massive tail on his rear and smiled widely when he felt the hard scales collide with the side of the lunging Mimic. Sending the hyena looking creature into a nearby tree. In front from the direction of the stream, the lumbering space marine saw three more creatures, screeching and howling towards him, leaping at impossible heights and speeds towards him.

Stumbling on his dragon paws, Drake lunged out, and with his razor sharp teeth, caught one of the creatures in his maw and bit down on the foul beast. His mouth filling with black, puss like blood, obscuring his taste buds and making him wishing he just had a pulse rifle to shoot the damned thing. Growling and spitting the whimpering and bleeding creature on the ground, he didn’t spend any time debating on how it had survived such a bite before letting off a gasp when he felt something bite into his under belly.

Instinctively, Drake pushed back up onto his hind legs and glared down at the black, malformed hyena creature biting at his soft scales before swatting down at it with his claws. Knocking it off his body, Drake’s eyes widened when he felt himself losing balance before falling back and onto his side. Grunting as the earth shook and his body sank a good inch or so into the loose dirt.

The hyena monsters squealed with laughter and Drake gritted his teeth but quickly gasped when he noticed one of the predators gunning straight for his exposed eye. Adrenaline pumping through his massive body, he used his newfound strength to force himself quickly onto his feet just as the monster latched onto his snout, teeth and claws biting into his scales as it tried to climb towards his right eye. Drake snarled and whipped his head to the side, the demon losing its grip and flying towards the nearest tree.

Drake’s eyes narrowed as he watched the creature’s waist wrap around the tree upon impact, back twisting awkwardly before snapping audibly. Its heavy body shortly falling to the ground like the hunk meat it was. The third beast glared up at the dragon marine which swayed and stumbled, clearly having trouble keeping its balance. Firmly planting his feet into the ground Drake stared at the smaller creature which tucked its tail and ran as fast as it could away from him, leaving him to fall onto his belly and take a deep breath.

Beside him he saw the bleeding whimper beast he had mauled in a single bite, its body broken and shivering. Blinking curiously, he observed the creature as it bled to death on the grass and mud, taking a deep breath he lifted a single claw to the creature’s head and pressed down on it. A sharp wail which only last half a second sounded off as he pierced the demon’s skull. Killing it in seconds.

“Devils from another world,” Drake muttered under his breath as he wiped his bloodied claw on the dirt, “Even in this body, you are no match for the Chancellor's chosen.” The marine took a breath. “Alright, Emerald, it is safe to step out.” He turned his head to the back and saw the small unicorn stepping out.

“I can’t believe it...y-you defeated them so easily.” The unicorn zapped her horn and disappeared, only to reappear seconds later on Drake’s back. The dragon shrugged.

“In such a hulking body...those things stood not a chance against my strength and reflexes,” The marine carefully shifted back onto his paws. “It was weird and I had fallen during the battle, but this body is something that, within time, I’ll master.” He smiled but then also added as he glanced back at Emerald, the pony was frowning but then perked up when she noticed he was looking at her. “However, that shouldn’t be the case will it?”

The pony cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

Drake frowned and looked at her firmly. “I should have me body back by then yes?” He asked her and Emerald smiled, yet on the inside she was shaking her head.

“Oh yeah, of course you will.” The pony smiled and Drake nodded and turned away, Emerald’s smile immediately shifted into a frown and she glared at the Dragon as he started to carefully walk towards their destination. “Of course you will,” she muttered softly and with a faint of sarcasm on her voice.

Deeper into the forest the Dragon pushed on.

> Chapter 6: The Miracle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drake and Emerald had broken through the treeline some time in the mid afternoon, having for the most part gotten used to walking on four legs, Drake flopped onto the grass. The Unicorn, Emerald, on his back yelped and slid off before falling onto her hooves and turning to glare up at the large dragon. “Who said you could lay down?” She called up to him in her chirpy, unintimidating voice.

Drake scowled, before he had thought this spunky little horse was rather cute. But over the course of their trek through the forest, fighting mimics which led to him saving her life. Sorta casted a negative effect on her constant comments and pestering, thus making it very...grating on his nerves.

“I did,” The once former space marine said, “Five minute rest and then I’ll be back up.” His eyes glanced at the unicorn who looked at him with a frustrated expression. He sighed and closed his eyes. “Even the glorious of warriors require rest, Emerald.” His tail sub consciously wrapped around his frame and he rested his head on it as if it was a pillow. Thoughts trailing off back to the scuffle he had not too long ago in the forest, the mimics, their faded voices still fresh on his mind. Then Emerald’s comment about how those voices belonged to her and how the phrases they had used, “Either you can die...away out of existence seeing as those...the Elysium gates...dragons don’t...laws of magicality...” Was that really the little pony’s voice? Drake popped an eye open and looked to the unicorn who had trailed off and sat upon a small foothill, her back to him. Drake squinted as he looked at her. He could feel something in his chest. He sensed doubt creeping up on him. As he looked upon the unicorn who had supposedly saved him he couldn’t help but feel that something about that pony wasn’t right in the slightest.

Now that he thought about it, what could she have been doing up in those mountains? And that dream of the bounty hunters he had, those bird like xenos. Was that really a dream? Something wasn’t right, her story wasn’t making a ton of sense now that he truly had time to think about it. His body was gone, some where it had vanished. Had he passed away upon the mountain? How did she have access to a deceased dragons body? Where had she gotten the body?

Most of all. Why had she saved him? 

Draw saw Emerald climb back onto her hooves on the foothill, she then turned and looked back down at Drake, their eyes locking on each other for a second. Her steel, green eyes glaring down at him, almost as if she was looking down at him. In a figurative and literal way. “Unfortunately, your time in the physical world is done.” Was another phrase he recalled the mimics using, that one he had heard crystal clear. A phrase full of resentment and cynicism.

“I’m a Soul Reaper.”

Drake scowled as he carefully connected the dots, or so what he thought connected together. What he so far had was that this was a pony who obviously dabbled in the dark arts, a witch perhaps, and there are either two reasons he is alive right now. First off she could have saved him out of genuine kindness. Secondly, she could have done so for the fact that she could use him.

Now use him for what? He had no clue. Information, weaponry, or any other aspect. He had not a clue. Halting his thoughts for a second, Drake closed his eyes and took a breath, clearing his mind, he relaxed for a moment. Before he should act so rashly, he should probably get more information. Possibly weed it out of her, or do what he normally did best. Beat it out of her. Drake opened his eyes and shook his head with a quiet snort. Though...he shouldn’t do that, perhaps he could play along with what this thing had and try and weed out more intel. If it's true that she had his real body, it's possible she could be using it as some kind of hostage. Forcing him to play by her games or else be trapped in this draconian form for the rest of eternity...or however long dragon’s normally lived for on this planet.

Emerald flicked her head back, bangs going to the side, she began to descend the foothill. “You ready?” She asked him as she came to his feet. “My home is just over the hill.” Emerald flicked her head once more towards the direction they needed to go in and Drake nodded.

“Yes. I am ready.” The dragon shifted his body and carefully clambered back onto his paws just as the pony teleported onto his back. “Just keep heading straight,” she said, her voice very unenthusiastic. Drake nodded his head and began to clamber up the hill, which went along with one thing he wasn’t quite used to.

Elevation.

The few hills and what not he had traversed over in the forest were one of the most irritating bits during that small trek. However, this hill in particular wasn’t so bad. With the lack of trees, stones and shrubbery, he was able to scale over the hill just fine. Smiling at himself, Drake began to go down the hill, which of course was a little easier...that was until he started going too fast.

“What are you doing?!” Emerald gasped when she noticed that Drake was almost starting to gallop, his four legs moving faster and faster.

“T-trying not to trip!” Drake’s eyes widened when they finally leveled out, his front two paws snapping forward, his center of mass lurching outwards, which in turn sends him into a face plant. The little pony catapulted off his back, screaming as she goes flying towards a cottage not too far off.

Flying at nearly sixty kilometers an hour, Emerald had little to no time to teleport herself out of harm's way. Within three seconds, the pony had gone from Drake’s back, to colliding face first with the back of the cottage, face flattening against it with a sickening crunch. Leaving an nice indentation and cracks into the side of the building, Emerald’s body crumpled to the ground like a sack of sand.

Drake on the other hand shifted to his feet, paw rubbing his sore snout. “E-Emerald?” Drake glanced about before looking to the cottage, his eyes widening when he noticed the pony laying at the base of the wall, he quickly, well as quickly as someone new to walking on all fours could, pushed himself to his feet and walked over to the pony. Getting down beside her, Drake’s eyes widened as he noticed that she was completely still, reaching out with a paw he gently prodded the still pony with a claw. Then he noticed it, heart sinking as he pushed the pony onto her side, he saw her caved in and bloodied face. Her eyes widened with fear, yet lifeless at the same time.

He had killed her.

Drake normally wasn’t one to be prone to panic, or fear in general. No. Fear was one of the first things he, as a space marine, had beaten out of him back during his early years of joining the Chancellor’s Royal Navy. He had seen death thousands, if not million times over, hell he had witnessed planetary genocide from the window of his quarters as he watched the dreadnoughts bombard the Chancellor’s enemy’s home world.

But this was different. During his time in service, slaying those who opposed him and his team, or even seeing his comrades fall had an effect on Drake. Yet not like this, he needed this creature alive because she had been the only possible chance which would allow him to return to his comrade’s and his Chancellor’s fleet, yet due to his own stupidity and carefreeness. He had gotten this creature killed.

Closing his eyes, Drake took a deep breath. “Tis only...a minor setback.” He told himself quietly, a coping mechanism really. There had to be other creatures out there that’d be able to help him, others who can maybe transfer his soul to his original form.

“Stop...touching me...” Drake’s eyes suddenly snapped open upon hearing such a faint voice.

“By the gods!” Drake pulled back, shock tearing through him as he looked down upon the once deceased mare. The pony’s eyes once again filled with life, yet her face by all means was completely smashed to hell. “What miracle has bestowed upon you?” He asked eyes blinking rapidly. “Which god has smiled upon you or has forgiven me for my mistake?”

“Just...shut...your trap...take me home...I’ll...explain then...dummy,” Emerald said, her eyes closing as she fell unconscious. Drake blinked once more, utterly confused yet absolutely gleeful. 

Drake closed his eyes. “Chancellor Talos, thank you for your watchful eye. I promise you I shall not fail.” Carefully, Drake scooped the pony up into one paw, and very slowly continued to move in the direction Emerald had previously pointed him in.

A minute later, the door to the cottage opened, animals and birds spilling out the entrance a yellow unicorn stumbled out behind them. Still trembling after hearing that dreadful scream and loud smack against her home. Cautiously, the mare timidly moved to the rear of her home, looking to see what damage had been done, a massive indent and cracks could be seen on the rear, along with what looked to be...The pony eeped and covered her face with her wings, the faint specks of blood was stained against her wall. Biting her lip the pegasus stepped back but yelped when she felt herself slip and nearly lose balance. Looking down she noticed something odd, something she hadn’t noticed when coming out.

A large footprint of a mountain dragon.