> The Time I was Reincarnated as a Dragon
>  by The saiyan brony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Introduction 3.0
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As my two best friends and I walked out of the movie theater after watching the 3rd How to Train Your Dragon movie, we took the time to stretch out our legs from sitting for two whole hours. "Mm, that was worth coming to the midnight premiere. Right, guys?"
 
"Yeah, totally. The animation was on point, as always. It's pretty much on par with the original." My friend Jack added; he's a real movie lover.
 
"I loved all the comedic moments, like when Toothless was trying to impress the Light Fury. Oh man, I thought I was gonna lose it!" Ian said; his main criteria for movies is that they had to be funny.
 
While I did enjoy the movie myself, there was one thing that did bum me out. "It just sucks that this was the last of the How to Train Your Dragon movies." We all hung our heads in silence as another series comes to an end.
 
"Well, that's enough grieving. After all, all good things must come to an end eventually, right?" Ian broke the silence abruptly, thinking he was funny, but in all honesty, it wasn't. 
 
"Yeah, well, I'm just sad to see that a movie franchise about dragons has to come to an end." The moment I said that, both Ian and Jack groaned. "What?"
 
Ian was the first to talk. "Dude, you are way too obsessed with dragons. Like seriously, if it's not you talking about wanting to be a cryptozoologist, it's that."
 
"Yeah, man. You're practically into those things. Why don't you try thinking of something else, like finding yourself a girlfriend?" And as always, Jack had to bring that up.
 
I wasn't entirely sure why I am obsessed about dragons myself. All I know is that they’re super cool and badass. For me, they were fascinating creatures that I loved to read and learn about. Anytime dragons were involved, whether it in books, movies, or games, it had my attention. 
 
Then, in 2010, came the movie ‘How to Train Your Dragon.’ When I went to see it with my parents, it blew me away.  After that first movie, I was hooked. I watched the sequel, the TV series, and the special. Now, though, I had just finished watching what was without a doubt the last movie, and an end to the series. I felt a little bummed out that there won't be any more of these, but the way it ended left me satisfied.
 
As Jake, Ian and I were making our way towards the parking lot, I noticed one of my shoelaces had untied itself and knelt to take care of it.
 
"Oh, how delightful that motion picture was." A voice said, coming from my left.
I looked over at the person who spoke, and my eyes went wide. I stared at two incredibly beautiful women; one was taller than the other, but they were both easily 6ft at most. The tallest of the two had multi-colored hair, consisting of light pink, blue and green. She wore a white dress that easily accentuated her figure. The second woman had midnight blue hair that seemed to sparkle like the night sky, probably because of some kind of glitter she added before going out. She wore a dark purple dress with blue highlights and it showed of her beautiful figure just like the other woman. 
 
I felt a hand clasp my shoulder, causing me to flinch, only to see it was Ian. "Dude, those two look way too old for you. They look like they're in their late twenties while you’re only eighteen."
 
"Plus, they are way out of your league, man." Said Jack as he decided to throw in his two cents as well.
 
While I'm well aware of how true they are, that doesn't mean I can’t admire them. I've seen people who dye their hair, and it always looked ridiculous. With these two, however, it almost looked natural and fit them perfectly. But what I can't help but notice is that their hair billows as if the wind was gently caring it, yet there was no wind to speak of.
 
"I agree, dear sister, tis truly a remarkable spectacle. If only the beasts of our world were as easy to deal with." The midnight-haired woman spoke.
 
The taller one let out a small giggle. "Yes, Equestria would be a much safer place if that were the case, Lulu."
 
'Equestria? Never heard of that place before. Maybe they’re foreigners visiting from out of the country. That would explain their out-of-place appearances.' I shrugged it off, seeing as it was none of our business and that we were rude for eavesdropping. 
 
"So, Johann, are you sure you don't want a ride home? It's no problem, dude." Jack offered as he stood by his car.
 
While I did appreciate Jack's offer, I wasn't one for wasting others time. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Besides, your house is in the opposite direction from mine. Plus I still have a bus pass that I need to put to good use." Both Ian and Jack shrugged as they got in the car and drove off. 
 
I honestly felt dumb for being eighteen, not having a car and needing to take a bus home. I shrugged it off and made my way to the nearest bus stop. 
 
I took a seat on the bench while waiting for the bus come. I noticed the two ladies from before making their way across the street about a block away. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they failed to notice the crosswalk sign hadn't said to walk yet. I wasn't gonna say anything since it was 1 AM, and the streets were practically empty. At least, that's what I thought. When I turned to look to my right, I went wide-eyed as I saw a red pickup truck being chased down the road by a few cop cars, no doubt a police chase.
 
The worst part was that, for some damned reason, the police cars weren't using their sirens during the pursuit of the runaway truck. But something was off; I noticed that the police lights were on, but weren't emitting any noise; not even the truck was making a sound. If I hadn't turned my head to look at them, I would have never known they were there to begin with. 
 
None of them showed any signs of slowing down as they barreled their way down the street. When I turned back to the women in the middle of the street, I could see that they haven't yet noticed any of this while the vehicles were heading straight for them. Without giving it a second thought, I quickly ran over to them, screaming to get their attention.  
 
"Hey! Look out!!" I shouted at them, or at least I thought I did. While I could feel my lips mouth the words, no sound escaped them. There wasn’t even any sound to my footsteps. It's as if something erased all the sound around us. What's worse, when I looked over my shoulder, I could see that the cars were still coming down the road, still as silent as a sleepy suburban neighborhood. I had no other choice but to sprint up and get to them before the cars do. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to run faster than ever before.
 
I was only a good few feet away from them, trying to call out once again, hoping to make a sound to warn them. But once again, I wasn’t able to make a sound, and my lungs were screaming for oxygen. I couldn't hear the oncoming cars, but I knew that had to be near them by now. At this point, I knew that I wasn't gonna be able to warn them before it’s too late. 
 
In my head, the logical thing to do was get myself to safety and hope that those two would see the cars coming and get out of the way in time. But in my heart, I knew what I had to do. 
 
Once I was close enough to the two, I used all of my momentum to quickly shove them forward, causing them to fall on the sidewalk and out of danger. The one with dark blue hair quickly turned around with a glare in her eyes.  "Who dost thou think yo-" Her expression changed to shock shortly afterward.
 
I could see out of the corner of my eye the set of headlights, and for a moment, the world went into slow motion. I watched as the hood of the truck slowly collided with my side and into my right arm, causing my entire forearm to shatter and skin to ripple uselessly against the impact. It was as if someone pressed the play button and sped up again. My body bounced across the pavement, skidding across the rough surface hard enough to burn off bits of my flesh from the friction. Let it be luck or fortune that the police cars managed to avoid my prone body and passed by without hitting me a second time. For a single second, I saw the two girls horrified faces from the position my head landed on the ground before I felt my own conscious leave me.
Pain. That was the first thing I felt as I slowly pried eyes open. I tasted a coppery flavor in my mouth. Blood…My blood. It hurt to breathe, as if knives were using my chest as a pincushion. No doubt I had several broken ribs, a guaranteed punctured lung for sure. And all I could hear was a long, high-pitched whistle. My vision was blurry, fading in and out of focus, darkness encompassing my peripherals. For a small moment, my vision was focused long enough for me to barely see the two women kneeling in front of me before my vision faded out once more. When it came back, it was only for a second, but it almost looked like they had changed their appearance, almost as if they were equine-shaped. 
 
I couldn't think too much on this, the pain in my body was too much for me to bear. Soon, it became harder to breathe, and my body was growing colder. 'Am I going to die?' Pretty soon, the pain started to numb out as my body felt numb. 
 
I felt something press against my body for a moment, as though someone had reached out to me. I tried to open my eyes once more, but they felt like lead and wouldn’t respond. All I could see were misshapen colorful blobs through lidded eyes. 
 
I couldn't hear or feel anything except the numbness slowly spreading through my body. My vision started to go black as I seemed to be reaching the end of my life. And at that moment, I uttered one final wish. "To have one more chance at life." And just like that, the world faded to black. 
> I'm a Dragon!? (Edited)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 1


Darkness. That's all I could see when I opened my eyes; nothing but an empty void with no sign of light anywhere. I couldn’t hear anything either. My body wasn't responding to my commands at all, so all I can do is stare into the inky blackness that was what I presumed to be the afterlife. 'Is this what happens after we die?' 

Just as dread was about to creep its way into my heart from the fear that this was going to be the end, a small glimmer of light pierced the darkness. The light slowly started to get brighter and appeared to be moving closer. My arm started to move outwards, trying to reach said light. In response, the light started to glow even brighter, and I could start to feel a gentle warmth coming from it.

Soon, the once depressing darkness fled to the shadows from whence it came. The light became so bright, I had to shield my eyes as it began to envelope my body. 





The first thing I noticed was the sound of birds chirping, then a gentle  breeze on my face. When I slowly opened my eyes, I quickly shut them as some sunlight made direct contact with my pupils. I waited for a few moments before slowly opening my eyes, allowing my vision to adjust. I looked up to survey my surroundings and saw nothing but trees and other plant life. 'A forest?'  

I looked all around and concluded that I was indeed in a forest of some kind. 'How did I get here? The last time I checked, the city wasn't anywhere near a forest.' The sound of the forest ambiance was so peaceful and relaxing; one could even say heavenly…wait. 

'Is this heaven?' The idea didn't seem too far fetched considering before; I woke up after I got hit by a truck and was bleeding to death. And I did see a bright light not mere moments ago. 'Well that's unfortunate, but hey, better than fire and brimstone, along with the screams of agony.' 

When I tried to move, however, something felt off. For some reason, my hand felt a bit different, come to think of it, my whole body felt different. I felt slightly heavier and it felt like something was on both my back and rear. When I raised my hand expecting to see a normal human appendage, I was shocked to see that it wasn't so. Where I once had a normal human arm was now a large thick black stumpy arm with scales. And where I had nimble fingers, were now small rounded claws. 'What the heck happened to me!?'

I looked around for anything that could show my reflection. When I saw a small puddle ahead, I tried to walk over to it, "tried" being the key word since when I attempted to walk forward, I ended up tripping. Even without knowing what I look like, I could tell that my limbs have drastically changed. It feels like they shrunk and felt stumpy. What's more, something on my back and rear end keeps throwing off my sense of balance.

When I finally managed to fumble my way over to the puddle, I prayed to whatever deity that was listening that this was all a bad dream. I slowly leaned my head over the puddle, but where a reflection of a once average looking human would be was instead replaced with a black scaly dragon head. In the reflection, I saw my eyes dilate before they rolled into my head as I passed out. 




(Elsewhere)

"Now, are you sure you don't mind taking care of them critters while we're away, sugarcube?" Applejack and her kin had packed their belongings as they prepare to attend this year's Apple Family reunion in Appleloosa, which left them leaving the responsibility of taking care of their farm animals to Ponyville's resident animal lover.

"You have nothing to worry about Applejack. I'll make sure they will be happy and cared for," Fluttershy reassured the overworked earth pony. "You just go and have fun with your family and leave the worrying to me." The task was simple enough; the animals needed to feed and checked on from time to time. Applejack and her family were only going to be gone for three days at most.

"Well, it was mighty kind of ya to help on such short notice. Now, I've already fed and checked on the critters, so you don't have to worry about them today." 

"Oh, well that's good to know, I was planning on heading into the Whitetail Woods to catch some fish for Harry." Before Fluttershy could leave, she felt a tap on her withers.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea, Flutters? Don't you think you should have some pony go with ya, like Rainbow?" Applejack voiced her concern. 

"Oh don't worry Applejack, I'll be careful. Besides, there are no dangerous creatures in the Whitetail Woods." And with that, Fluttershy trotted over to her cottage to pick up the necessary equipment to catch some fish.




(Johann POV)

When I opened my eyes again after being unconscious for who knows how long, I moved my arm in front of my face, hoping that it would be normal. Needless to say, when I saw that it was the same as before, I felt all hope go out the window. I flexed my new claws to see if I would be able to pick things up. The way they moved seemed right, but the question now is if I could pick anything up. But I would have to save that little experiment for a later time. For now, I need to find out where I am and to do that I need to learn how to move in this body properly.

I saw the puddle again and decided to take another look at myself; this time, I most likely won't faint. When I moved to look at the puddle to see my reflection, I made sure to take the time to study my appearance. To my shock, I didn't just see just any dragon, I saw a dragon I just recently saw what I think was not too long ago: black scales, green cat-like eyes. 'I'm a Night Fury?' 

Thanks to my long neck, I was able to crane my neck to look behind me to get a better look. I could see my new appendages being two black leathery wings, and a long tail with two fins at the end. While I will admit I'm excited, I'm also terrified that I somehow turned into a Night Fury. 

Even though I could see my new limbs, I wasn't able to move them, which was frustrating, seeing as my wings were dragging along the ground when I tried to walk. Speaking of walking, I found that task incredibly tedious, too. Being formerly human, I’m used to walking on two limbs, not four, but I managed to adjust thanks to my time wrestling when I was in high school. Our coach would make us do bear crawls, which is where one would run on our hands and feet.  The trick is to move my back legs like I would my front; when I take a step with my front right leg, I would follow it up with taking a step with the left hind leg. It took a bit of effort to get used to, but I managed to walk decently. With no idea where I am, I decided to move in one direction in hopes that I will find civilization and possibly some help. 

From time to time, I would occasionally stumble after messing up my pattern, or any time my tail would get snagged on a bush, which was often. 'Gah! How I'm I supposed to walk with this thing getting caught every few feet!?' 

Just as I mentioned this, my tail got caught in yet another bush, only this time my tail was wedged between two branches, making it difficult to pull it out. I had to claw at the ground as I pulled myself forward. I was worried if I wasn't careful, I could end up damaging my tail, crippling me like Toothless was.

With a loud snap from one of the branches, I freed my tail, but due to the force of my tugging, I lost my footing and was sent rolling forward. 

Once I had stopped, I sat in an upright position on my haunches. I felt a bit dizzy at first and quickly shook my head. Before I could get back on all fours, I heard a sharp gasp from my left and swiveled my head to see who it came from. Needless to say, what I saw might be the second strangest thing today, the first being me as a dragon.

Standing there in a path through the forest was a small pony, but that wasn't the strange part. First, and most noticeably, was its fur and mane. The fur was a bright and vibrant yellow, while its mane was light pink. The second was the wings I saw at its sides, barely hidden by a pair of buckets strapped to a saddle on its back. 

My first thought was that I must have hit my head at some point while I was rolling. My second thought was why is there a pastel-colored pegasus, a creature of mythology, out here in the forest.

When I noticed the saddle on its back, I looked around for its rider, who I believed was the one that made the gasping noise. But when I saw no one, I turned my attention back to the yellow pony, which caused it to start shaking. 'Oh right. I'm a dragon, a carnivore, and that's a pegasus, which I presume is an herbivore.'

I leaned forward until my front legs touched the ground, my sudden movement caused the odd colored equine to flinch and step back a bit. I stopped myself from making any movement so I wouldn't scare it off. With any luck, the rider will return soon and possibly be able to lead me to possible civilization. However, it seems that the pony in front of me might die of a heart attack. She was practically shaking like a leaf.

'I need to find a way to calm it down, or else I’ll scare it off.' In my head, the only thing I could come up with was to make a gesture that shows I'm friendly.

After giving it some thought, a simple smile and wave would probably work. 'No matter where you are or come from, those actions are universal for peace, right?' I raised my right hand-er paw while giving it a nice big smile. 

I'd had hoped that would have been enough to calm the poor thing down. However, I regret to say that my efforts have made the situation worse. It shook harder in terror, and it almost looked like the color from its body was draining. 'Crap! Now wh-'

"D-dragon." 

I heard a voice again, but what surprises me is where it's coming. 'D-did that pony just t-talk?' 

"DRAGON!!!!!" The pegasus screamed.

'HOLY SHIT IT TALKED!!!!' The sudden scream caused a scream of my own to leave my lips, however instead of a human scream, what came out was a frightened roar.

This caused the pony to scream once more, and in turn, I screamed again. This continued for who knows how long until we were both screaming at the same time. Not wanting to stay any longer, I quickly bolted in the opposite direction from the crazy screaming pony.

'What the hell man! Why could that thing talk like a human?! Dying and being reborn as a dragon is one thing I have to cope with, but I draw the line at talking ponies!' My fear may seem illogical, but who knows what else it could do? For all I know, it may have some kind of deadly ability that could kill me. That was a risk I had no intention of taking.  

I took a moment to glance over my shoulder to see if it was following me, but the moment I did, I felt the ground disappear underneath me. I fell down a cliff, hitting my head against the wall, knocked unconscious again before I even reached the bottom. 




(2 hours later at Fluttershy's cottage) 

The home of the renowned animal caretaker had been boarded up the windows with wooden boards and barricaded the door with her own furniture. Fluttershy was upstairs hiding under her bed in fear of the beast she had encountered in the Whitetail Woods. She contemplated why a dragon would be there. 

"It doesn't make sense. I know that the dragon migration had passed a month ago, but I would have thought that they would no longer be around." Fluttershy spoke to herself, trying to rationalize her encounter. 

The dragon migration had occurred only a month ago. Some dragons choose random locations to roost before continuing the journey. After Twilight, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash returned with Spike from the Dragonlands, she insisted that Fluttershy, as well as the rest of the citizens of Ponyville, avoid going anywhere near both the Everfree Forest and the Whitetail Woods in case any straggling dragons were still near.

"Why of all places did a dragon have to be in the Whitetail Woods? Why not the Everfree Forest instead?" She asked no one in particular.

For Fluttershy, the Whitetail Woods were a haven for her to collect necessary items to help her animal friends. Medicinal herbs for when anyone was sick, nuts and berries for the animals who would prepare for winter. But her main reason for going today was to procure fish for her bear friend Harry. It was the only place closeby that had a steady fish supply in case any of her carnivorous animal friends needed proper protein. 

"And now a big, scary dragon is in there." She wept as she played the events of the encounter in her mind.



(Flashback Fluttershy's perspective) 

Fluttershy was walking down the path she regularly took to reach the cove where a pond full of fish would be. But as she was walking down said path she heard a commotion in the bushes, thinking that it was an animal just passing by. However, much to her dismay, what jumped out of the bushes, standing on its hind legs and easily towering over her was a black dragon. 

Fluttershy couldn't help but let out a gasp in shock, which caught the dragon's attention to focus on her, causing her body to lock up on fear.

For a while all Fluttershy could do was stare helplessly at the sudden appearance of this creature. She noticed how it was looking at her, examining her body, no doubt deciding whether or not it would attack. Next, it looked around, most likely seeing if she was alone and would have an easy meal. Fluttershy couldn't will herself to flee as she was being measured up by this ferocious beast.

Once it had checked for any pony else, it lowered itself on all fours, ready to chase her if she ran. Fluttershy flinched, taking a step back, hoping to keep some distance from it. For a while, it made no movement as it stared at her until all of a sudden, it raised one of its clawed arms and bared its sharp teeth, preparing to attack. 

Fluttershy felt faint as her life flashed before her eyes, and in that moment, she could only say one word. "D-dragon." The dragon looked confused for a moment before she screamed the same word. "DRAGON!!!"

As if in response to her shriek of terror, the inky black dragon let out a demonic roar, no doubt it's battle cry before attacking her. All Fluttershy could do was scream again, which was returned by yet another battle cry.

As she let out one final scream thinking it would be her last, the dragon let out a roar at the same time. But then, something bizarre happened; instead of lunging forward to end the pegasus, it turned away from her and started to run away. At the time, Fluttershy didn't question why and instead turned and ran down the path back to her home. 

Once she had made it to her cottage, she quickly battened down the windows blocked the door, and ran up stairs to hide under her bed.




(End of flashback)

After recalling the events that transpired, Fluttershy found her mind bringing up new questions, one she couldn't think of while scared out of her mind. But now that she was home, safe and sound with no signs that the dragon had followed her home, that question pushed itself to the forefront of her mind. "Why did it run away?"
> The Cove
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3 edited by Codex92 


Once again, I find myself waking up from unconsciousness. 'This can't be good for my health.'  Looking up, I could see that a good portion of the day has already gone by, the once blue sky turning to a shade of orange. 'How long was I out for? It's nearly sunset.'

As took the time to take a look around, I noticed the change in my surroundings. Where I was once running through a forest, I now find myself in some kind of cove. At least that's what I think it's called. In the center is a large pond with a waterfall, all of which is in a deep crater of land. 'This place looks just like the cove from the first How to Train Your Dragon movies, except smaller with not a lot of ground.'

To make matters worse, the walls that make up this cove are incredibly high for me to climb out of. There is a tree along the wall that had a root growing down, which might be my chance of escape. Just as I was about to make my way over to it, I found myself tripping over my feet again, causing me to fall face first into the ground. 'Dammit! This shit again!? I was running away just fine earlier!!'

Pulling my face out of the dirt, I couldn't help but feel frustrated at my current predicament. ‘If I'm going to get out of this cove, I need to know how to move around in this body.' I looked around and found a perfect spot to practice. 'While getting stuck down here may have been bad luck, it could also prove to be a safe place for me to spend the night and practice.'

As I walked over to the spot, I can't help but notice how my wings keep dragging against the ground. 'Okay. On second thought, the first thing I need to do is figure out how to manage these damn wings. If I try to walk around with these the way they are, I'm just gonna trip even more.'

Getting into a sitting position, I use my arms to push out my wings so they were spread out. 'Okay. Now then, how to make these things work? I can feel them whenever they drag across the ground, so at least I know they work.'  I had taken a few classes in zoology, so I was confident that I would figure it out, no sweat. 





(Apple Family Farm)

Fluttershy returned to the farm to give the animals their night time feedings before the sun had completely set across the horizon. However, her mind was elsewhere while she worked. "That dragon was much smaller than the one me and the girls had to ask to leave the mountain a while back." 

Fluttershy would constantly think about how the dragon fled from her. Ordinarily, she would want nothing to do with such a creature, except for Spike of course. As she continued to play the encounter in her mind over and over again, she realized that the dragon might have been scared. 'Spike is almost as big as a pony, but he's still a baby dragon. So what if that dragon isn't that much older?'

After she had finished feeding all the animals and putting them back into their pens, Fluttershy trotted back to her cottage. A small wave of guilt took over as she looked in the direction of the woods where she saw the dragon. Walking inside once she reached her home, the yellow mare walked up the stairs into her bedroom. Angel, her pet bunny, was curled up in his basket near the side of her bed, fast asleep. Slipping under the covers, Fluttershy looks out the window one last time as Luna's moon rises into the sky, signaling the end of another day. She tucked herself in, tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable. But with a sense of worry and a tinge of guilt, she had one thought on her mind. 'I wonder if it's okay.'




(Johann POV) 

'.......I hate today.' For the past three hours, I've tried everything and anything to get my wings to work. All my efforts got me was moving them slightly in a way like I had arms on back. I could flex the tips and slightly raise them just enough so they don't drag on the ground. But I had no more control than that. On the plus side, now that I'm not tripping over my wings, I've managed to learn how to properly walk and run while in this form, which is going to be helpful in the future. 

 
Turning my head upwards, my eyes widen as I stared into the heavens above, gazing at the majesty that were the stars and moon. Never before had I seen stars so clearly as I do now, as though I was looking through a telescope. The stars twinkled so beautifully in the night sky;  it took my breath away and brought tears of joy to my eyes. The moon was a perfect crescent shape as it bathed the land in its beautiful light. 

Up until now, I had only focused on nothing but the negatives of this day: the idea that I may never see my friends and family again, or that I was alone in an unfamiliar place trapped in the body that many would meet with fear. But when I gaze up at these stars, it's as if some kind of magic is chasing away those sad emotions, and giving me a sense of reassurance that things will get better. Where despair and fear once clutched my heart, were now being chased away by a sense of hope.

With my mind put at ease for the time being, I laid down in a patch of grass, taking the time to think of the positive rather than the negative. 'Well, I'm alive, that's a start. I now have the body of a dragon, so that's pretty cool right? And not just any dragon; a Night Fury! Maybe this isn't all bad. I'm sure that tomorrow will be the start of a better day.'

I moved over to the pond to take a few sips of water before bed. Thankfully, the water tasted fairly clean. When I returned to the patch of grass, a thought came to mind. 'You know, I've always seen cats and dogs do this before. Heck, even Toothless. I wonder if it actually works.' I slowly spun around in a circle, padding the ground beneath me before laying down. 'Wow, this somehow feels better.' Laying my head down onto my arms, I slowly closed my eyes and let my mind drift off to sleep.




(The next morning)

As the early morning sun peeked over the mountain, bringing with it a new day, the tentative animal lover made her rounds as she fed the farm animals their breakfast. Fluttershy had decided to wake up extra early this morning in order to both feed the animals and to prepare for what she had planned today.

In the dead of night, the pegasus couldn't sleep as her heart was plagued with fear. However it wasn’t about her; it was about the dragon. She was afraid that the dragon was hurt and alone in the forest, with no family or friends. Such an idea caused the mare to feel sympathy for it. So, she decided that in the morning, she would go into the woods, and try to find it to see if it's well.

"Alright, everyone, you just enjoy your breakfast, and I'll be back to check on you later ...I hope." Before she left the barn, Fluttershy considered the idea that perhaps the dragon would possibly be hungry. Maybe if she brought it something to eat, it won't make a meal out of her. After picking out a few apples and leaving the proper amount of bits in the barn for the Apple family, Fluttershy headed back to her cottage to prepare for her little expedition.





I find myself waking up inside the cove, only this time, it's a bit more pleasant. I could hear the sounds of the early morning birds chirping, the sound of the roaring waterfall-

GROOOOOWL

And the sound of my stomach demanding food. Sitting up to stretch while letting out a long yawn, I quickly noticed something strange. Opening and closing my mouth, I quickly realized that I had no teeth! 'What the hell happened to my teeth!? They were there when I went to be-'  In a split second, I feel my teeth pushing out of my gums and locking in place. The sensation sent a shiver down my spine. Using my tongue to double check, I was relieved to feel that my teeth where back. 'Right. Night Fury, retractable teeth. Eh heh.' 

With the sudden realization that I could retract my teeth, I started to wonder if I could do that on command? I started with relaxing my jaws first, quickly felt my teeth retract. When I clicked my jaws, they just as quickly popped back out. 'Oh. So that's how he does it. Cool.'

GROOOOOWL!!!!!

Once again, my stomach makes its presence known as it calls out to be fed. I hadn't eaten since the popcorn from the movies the night I died. Getting up, I started to look around the cove for anything edible. Fortunately, during my days as a kid when I was part of the scouts, I was taught a few survival skills, such a what wild plants are edible and which to avoid. Sadly, there doesn't seem to be any certain plants around for consumption. 'Oh whatever great deity that's out there, please, I'm in desperate need of food. I beg for any kind of help.'

 I silently prayed, putting my front paws together with my eyes closed, hoping for a sign. I nearly gave up hope until the sound of splashing came from my left. Jumping out of the water before diving back in were some fish. 'Well ...hallelujah.'

With the light from the sun shining down in the cove, I could now see the deeper in water much more clearly. Swimming around near the top were a few fish; big fish at that. I looked around for a good spot for me to stand in the water. Thankfully, there was a big rock that I could stand on that was near the center of the pond. Hopping onto it while also making sure my tail stayed on the ground, I overlooked the fish as they swam around. 'Okay, how should I do this?' I tapped my chin with one my claws, thinking of a way to get them out of the water without falling in, since I wasn't confident that I would be able to swim without practice. 

As I continued to tap my chin, I finally got an idea as I looked at my claws. They seemed long enough to dig into a fish. All I had to do was swipe a fish out of the water. I leaned over the water with one arm raised, poised for the strike. 'Alright. Time to put all those months playing fruit ninja to good use.'

For the next ten minutes, I watched as fish after fish swam near my rock, each time getting closer into my strike zone. With every inch that they get closer, my claws would twitch, until one fish breached the water surface. With as strong as a swing I could manage, my claws cut across the water’s edge as it smacks into the fish, sending it flying out of the water and onto shore. 'HELL YA!! FIRST TRY!!' I cheered in my head as I jump back onto the shore.

As I walked over to my prize, I noticed that the fish was still flopping around. Then, something came to mind that I hadn't accounted for. 'How am I gonna eat it?' I'd never once had to kill my food before; much like any city kid, I would eat store bought food that was already dead. But now, in front of me, is a still living animal. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel guilty, but I knew what had to be done. 'Now the only problem is how do I actually eat it?'

The image of Toothless eating the fish raw and whole flashed in my mind, causing me to gag a bit. Then I quickly remembered something that I had glanced over. 'I'm a dragon, duh. I can breath fire. I mean, how hard could it be?' I wasn't sure on the dragon mechanics for breathing fire, but in the movies, all they do is take long, deep breaths. So, taking in as much air as possible, I filled my lungs till they couldn't take anymore and held it for a few seconds before letting out a roar of fire! At least, that's what I wished had happened. Instead, all that came out was hot air, which was a start, but not enough to cook my meal.

The fish continued to flop around, gasping for air. I felt so much guilt that I decided to put it out of its misery.  Lowering my head down, I took the fish into my mouth head first, ready to bite down and end it all when….

CHOMP!!!!!

"Raaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!!" I roared as the fish bit down on the tip of my tongue, causing me immense pain!! I flailed around, shaking my head side to side to try to get the fish off my tongue. The little bastard held on like it was in a rodeo until it finally let go and fell back into the water. 'I HATE FISH!!!!!!'


I scraped my tongue against my hand, trying to soothe the pain from being bitten back by my breakfast. With fish being off the menu for a while, I knew that I needed to get out of this cove and find an alternative food source. Stretching out my wings again, I was determined to try and fly out of here. 




(Fluttershy's cottage 3rd POV) 

Fluttershy packed her saddlebags with the apples she bought from the farm, and plenty of gemstones in case the dragon was really hungry. With a few more items, such as a compass to help guide her, she was now set and ready. Making sure to lock her house, the brave mare set forth to the Whitetail Woods. "Celestia give me strength."






Within ten minutes, Fluttershy had reached the spot on the path where she last saw the dragon. After recalling which direction she saw the dragon run, she trotted her way through the trees and bushes, looking for any clues that would get her on its trail. 

While walking around, checking for any broken branches that would mark something had rushed through, Fluttershy stepped on something smooth and cold. Lifting her hoof up, she saw what looked like a round black dot. Carefully leaning down and using her wing tips to pick up the little black dot, Fluttershy brought it closer for inspection. After turning it over in her wing tips, she concluded that it was indeed a dragon scale, which meant she was on the right trail.

Keeping her head low to the ground, she continued to walk, keeping a keen eye out for anymore scales. Eventually, she managed to find a small trail of them, all of which were leading in the direction of the cove where she fishes. 

"ROOAAAHHHHHH!!!" A high pitched roar, followed by a loud thudding sound, caused the yellow pegasus to duck down with her wings hiding her head. For a few moments, the sound of continued with the same pattern, a roar that was followed by a heavy thud. Mustering up what courage she had, Fluttershy kept low to the ground and crawled her way forward until she saw the edge of the cove ahead. 

As she peered over the edge, she instantly saw the dragon down below. It had started to charge forward in the direction of one of the cliff walls that made up the cove. Once it was close enough, it spread out its wings, flapping them irregularly as it jumped onto the wall. It let out a roar of anger and it tried to cling to the wall with its claws before slamming back on the ground with a thud. 


For the next few minutes, Fluttershy watched as the dragon continued with this routine, but with every attempt, she noticed it would come up shorter than the last time. Within fifteen minutes, it collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily while clutching its stomach. At this, Fluttershy couldn't help but feel pity for the dragon as it made attempt after attempt to escape.  

The dragon slowly rose up, hobbling it's way over to the pond. She watched it hop onto a rock that was closer to the pound's center. It hovered its head over the water’s surface, jaws wide open as its eyes darted around. In one swift movement, it dunked its head into the water, splashing around before pulling back up. Instead of a fish in its jaws, the dragon pulled out with a piece of bark instead. Realizing that what it had in its mouth was not food, the dragon angrily spat out the bark. 

'The poor thing is hungry.' Fluttershy deduced as she watched the dragon walk over to a corner of the cove with its head hung low. Stopping at a patch of grass, the dragon let its body drop down to lay down. It twisted and turned before finally settling down to relax. Once its eyes had closed, Fluttershy waited a good amount of time to allow it to fall into a deeper sleep.


She was sure that ten minutes had passed, watching the dragon's chest rise and fall as it slept. With the dragon now asleep, Fluttershy quietly walked towards the edge of the cove and spread her wings out. Leaning forward she leapt off the edge, silently gliding down to the ground below. As she neared the ground, she gave a quick flap, immediately slowing down her decent until her hooves touched the ground. Carefully, and quietly, she removed her saddle bags and placed them on the ground. 

She glanced at the dragon to see if it had stirred. Thankfully, it was still fast asleep, the only movement being its legs that would occasionally twitch. Watching her step, the timid mare slowly sneaked her way closer, making sure to keep an eye on the dragon as she approached. Because there isn't much information about dragons, even after Twilight went to the Dragonlands, there was no way for Fluttershy to know what conditions the dragon was in. Was it in good health? Was it full grown? All these questions, she didn't know. Her best course of action was to try and make theoretical deductions based on what she knew about birds and lizards. 

Soon, she was only a few inches away from the scalie creature. She carefully circled around to see if its wings had taken any damage from all those falls from earlier. 'Hmm. Nothing seems broken or bent awkwardly.' Next, she raises a hoof to ever so gently touch it skin. 'Oh my. So warm, but thankfully not too dry.'

With its wings and body checked out, all that was left was the head. Steeling her nerves, she tiphoofed her way to the front of the dragon’s head. She couldn't help but notice how peaceful it looked in it's sleep. 'Kinda cute now that it's not showing its teeth.' 

Craning her neck over the dragon's head, she looked for any indication that it had suffered any kind of head trauma. As she tried to get a better look, Fluttershy soon started to lose her balance, and before she could use her wings to keep her from falling over, the damage had already been done. Landing with a thud, Fluttershy slowly lifted her head up to look back at the dragon. Much to her horror, its eyes were now wide open, its gaze fixated on her.
> An Unexpected Friendship
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3 edited by Codex92 

After making futile attempts to get out of this cove and find some food that wouldn't fight back, each attempt was met with the same results. I would try and use my wings to get up high enough to get close to the top and try to climb out. But with each try, I would come up short and fall down to the ground below with a hard thud. Eventually, I started to get tired after what felt like hours of exerting myself. So, I decided that I should let my body rest a bit and try again later. 

Not even ten minutes into my little nap, I felt something fall around the edge of my nose and front legs. When I opened my eyes, I was shocked at what had disturbed my slumber. With the same yellow fur and pink mane, it was the pony from yesterday. 

For a good while, I just stared at the pony's cyan colored eyes, unable to move from the shock of its sudden appearance.  Now, I'd be lying if I didn't say that, in the back of my mind, I wasn't currently screaming, 'Oh shit! Bright colored pastel pony IN MY FACE! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!' But at the same time, I was trying to formulate a reason for it being here and in such close proximity.

I didn't bother to think on it too hard due to the pony now suddenly moving. Its movements were slow and silent, all the while not breaking eye contact with me and vise versa. Once it was no longer on top of me, it started to carefully back away. I didn't move a muscle in fear that I may scare it away. With it now a good two feet away from me, I thought that I would be able to move. But I chose to just raise my head up to stare at my surprise visitor. 

For yet another few minutes of complete silence, the colorful pony and I stared at each other. For a while, I wasn't sure what to do, then I noticed that the pony started to fidget around. Its actions almost felt human; even the expression it made feel so. 'Now that I think about it, this pony doesn't seem dangerous at all, especially considering that I'm a dragon now.' 

I was so deep in thought that I hadn't noticed the pony was moving over to the far end of the cove. When I craned my neck to the side, I could see that it was moving toward a pair of saddlebags. Getting into a sitting position in case I need to move out of danger, I carefully watch the pony as it goes through the bag. When it turned around to look at me, its body slightly flinched, no doubt from my sudden change in position. Facing me again, I noticed that it had something in its mouth. It looked like a cloth bag, like a handkerchief with the corners tied together. I could tell that something was inside from the clattering sound it made when she flinched. 

To my surprise, the pony slowly made its way closer to me, all while maintaining eye contact. Part of me wanted to take a few steps back in case it was a trap, but the other was telling me to stay still and see what it does next. So, not wanting to risk it, I remained where I sat.

Once the pony was about a foot away from me, it lowered the bag onto the ground and stretched its wings out. I was completely surprised by how big they looked now that they weren't folded to its side. And even more surprising was how it used its feathers to carefully undo the knot that held the bag together. Just when I thought there was nothing else that could catch me off guard, the moment the pony undid the knot, my eyes nearly bulged out when I saw what was in the bag. Inside was a cluster of gemstones of different colors and sizes. I was left speechless….well, not that I could talk at all, but still, I was left slacked-jawed. 

I looked at the gems, then back to the pony in front of me rather curiously with a tilt of my head. The pony looked at me, then down to the gems, and gently nudged them with her muzzle. 'Does it want me to do something with them?' Walking over to the gems, I noticed that there were a large variety of them: amethysts, rubies, sapphires, rose quartz, and for some reason, a pearl. 

Looking up, I still felt confused about what I should do with them. Just when I was gonna look through them again, the silence between us was broken. "Y-you can eat them, you k-know." It….she spoke softly. From that sentence alone, I had my questions answered. I knew now that the pony was female, and that it brought me these gems to eat. Only one thing puzzles me: why would I eat gemstones? 

I carefully took one of the gems into my claws and carefully examined it. 'Maybe it’s actually rock candy. Well, something is better than nothing, I guess.' Raising the gem to my mouth, I carefully bit the edge, only for my teeth to scrape against the rock hard surface, making a noise similar to nails on a chalkboard. The feeling that followed made my body shudder.

Not wanting to seem rude, I placed the gem down and gently pushed it away. When I saw that the pony was staring at me, I gave her a toothless smile, which got a sharp gasp from her. Before I knew it, she had instantly closed the gap between us and pried my mouth open. "Oh my gosh! Your teeth there gone!!!" 

My brain was still trying to register how she moved so fast, or how she went from jumping out of her skin if I had moved an inch to holding my mouth open and  looking inside. I had to pull away for a second, using my arm to gently push her back. She must've realized the situation she put herself in, letting out another gasp as she jumped back, looking frazzled. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to invade your personal space. B-but when I saw that you teeth were gone, I thought I had made a mistake." I couldn't help but feel touched by her concerns, and for something she was completely terrified of before.

I opened my mouth and clicked my jaws, forcing my teeth to pop out. Her experience was shocked, but one of wonder and excitement rather than fear. "Oh my. You can retract your teeth?" I nodded as I did so and made then pop out again. "So, I guess you don't eat gems then?" I shook my head. "Then d-do you…." Her voice started to crack a little as she tried to finish her sentence. 'E-eat p-ponies?"

I quickly shook my head in response. Even in my world, eating equine meat is highly unlikely…..'Although, I am pretty sure that food at McDonalds might have tried to sneak that in once.'

Knowing that she won't be on my menu, the pony let out a sigh of relief. "Oh good. Well, I have something else that you might eat." When the pony trotted over to her saddle bag, I took another look through the pile of gemstones. They were rather beautiful, and would be worth a lot of money on Earth. As I sorted through the pile, one particular gemstone caught my attention; a large emerald. This gem in particular caught my eye due to the fact that emeralds are my birthstone. 

Once again, I was so lost in thought that I didn't notice the pony walk up next to me. "Do you like that emerald?" Her sudden appearance caused me to fumble the gem in my claws before catching it, placing it back down with the other gems. Her response to my antics was a rather adorable giggle. "You can keep it if you want." I glanced down at the gem once more, then back to her. "It's okay. You can have it." 

Taking her word, I push the emerald off to the side to store away later. Then a familiar sound could be heard by my dragon ears, the sound of fruit being emptied out. My head quickly snapped to where the sound came from, and I could feel my eyes water for joy at what I saw. With its round and shiny exterior, to the vibrant red skin that signals ripeness and taste, there, on the ground, were over a dozen apples. 

"I thought you might be able to eat some fruit, so I bought some apples from my friend's farm," the yellow mare stated, but I wasn't paying much attention as my eyes were fixated on what was my favorite fruit of all. She must have seen how anxious I was as she giggled again. "You don't need to wait for me. Go ahead and eat up."

I couldn't even try to hold back my hunger as I lunged my head forward and took three apples in at once, and in that moment, I was in total bliss. The sweet juices of the apples that gush out with every bite to the satisfying crunching noise they make with every chew. 'Oh my God. These have to be the best apples in existence!'

After swallowing what I had in my mouth, I quickly moved in to take another three or four. While I was savoring the delicious fruit that could possibly rival those of the Garden of Eden, I heard a small grumble noise. When I looked up toward the pony, I could easily see a noticeable blush. 'Huh. I didn't know ponies could blush…..then again, I didn't know they could be cartoon-like with wings and talk.'


The grumbling noise came again and the pony started to fidget. "Um s-sorry. I guess I must have missed breakfast in my rush to get here." I honestly felt a bit guilty just then, but thankfully, I hadn't inhaled all the apples. So, carefully, I leaned down and nudged three apples toward her. "Oh no, please don't worry about me. I'm fi-" Another much louder rumble came from her stomach this time. I wasn't sure whether or not I was doing it, but I think I gave her a quirked brow look. 

Seeing that she lost this argument, she took my offer, picked up one the apples in her hooves and bit into it. 'Did she just pick up that apple…..with no fingers? Just her hoof?……..HOW!?'


For a while, we both ate in complete silence with only the sound of the forest around us to be heard. That is, until she decided to start making small talk. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Fluttershy. It's nice to meet you." She held out her hoof to me with a smile on her face. I wasn't sure what to do now; do I shake or fist bump her hoof? Throwing caution to the wind, I move my arm out and placed the edge of her hoof at the center of my palm, gently raising it up and down. For the third time she giggled, which is still cute. "So, what's your name?"

And just like that, I was stumped. Without my voice to convey my words, I wasn't sure how I was going to communicate with the pon-er, I mean, Fluttershy. For a few moments, I tried to think of a solution that could help, and then I realized that I may not be able to speak like a human, but I can still write like one.

Sticking out one my claws, I carefully wrote my name in the dirt and tapped it to get Fluttershy to read it. When she looked over to see what it said, I was confident that she would know my name now…...however. "Um, I'm sorry, but I can't understand your writing, Mr. Dragon."

'What!?' I glanced back at what I wrote and saw that it was perfectly legible. 'She obviously speaks English, so why can't she understand what I wrote?' It then occurred to me that while they speak English, it's possible their written language could be something completely different. In other words, 'I am totally SOL.'

The worst part is that, unfortunately, due to my name being from a foreign country, trying to draw something that would give her an idea on my name seemed unlikely. So with that, I had to create a new identity, which means a new name to go by until I can figure a way to tell her my real name. The only question now was what should I call myself. 

Fluttershy most likely could tell I was having trouble, and thought it would be best to help. "If you can't remember your name, I can give you a temporary one until you can tell me." I didn't have much of a choice and went along with her plan. "Hmmm, let's see." She stood up and circled around me, trying to figure out a name. "How about Scales?" I shook my head; it was too lazy of a name. "Hmmm. How about Blackey?" Again, I shook my head. "Oh! I got it! How about Noir? Its Prench for black." I gave that one some thought, and considered if that was a name I could remember. While it would have been an excellent name, I just wasn't feeling it and shook my head. "Oh. I'm sorry, but that's all I can think of right now." Hanging her head in shame, Fluttershy started to draw little circles in the dirt. 

'Nah, geez. I've gone and hurt her feelings.' If I wasn't feeling guilty before, I do now. 'I need a name that I can easily remember. Something that I can respond to like I would with my old name.' When I looked back down at Fluttershy, I noticed that her drawing in the dirt looked less like a circle and more like a tooth. '...Wait a minute. That's it!'

Quickly, I carefully drew an image of a tooth in the dirt. I hoped that if there were written languages that didn't make sense, symbols and images would be perfect. When I finished drawing a perfect image of a single tooth, I made a gentle grunt to get her attention. "Hmm? What is it?" I pointed to the drawing on the ground. She stared at it for a few moments. "A tooth? Does this have to do with your name?" I happily nodded before drawing a circle around the tooth and putting a line through it. "No tooth? Is that your name?" I shook my head and pointed to my mouth as I made my teeth sink back in and pointed to my gums. "......tooth….less?" I quickly tapped my nose to tell her she got it. "Your name is Toothless?"  While it's not my true name, it is fitting considering I'm a Night Fury. Plus, it was a name that didn't seem threatening. 

"Well, um, Toothless, I was wondering if you wanted help learning how to fly." She quickly peaked my interest, getting my full attention. "Well, I often help baby birds learn how to fly, so a dragon shouldn't be too difficult to teach...I think." I was so overjoyed that I started to jump up and down, ready to learn how to finally get out of this cove. "Okay, okay. Calm down and we can get started." 

====================================


For the next couple of hours, Fluttershy taught me the basics of flying. I learned how to properly control my wings better than before. She also managed to help me figure out how to use my tail since it was a crucial part to me being able to fly. While I was practicing, she had to leave for a while, mentioning something about her friend and a barn or something. 

While she was away, I kept on practicing my take offs, which went as well as you think. When I was focused on keeping my wings in sync, I accidentally crashed into a wall and fell into the pond. When I surfaced I had managed to catch a fish, only it was on my head. I tried to grab it so I could have a snack, but when I grabbed it by the head so it couldn't bite me like the last one, I failed to take in to account for the tail. Just as I was about to put it into my mouth, it started to slap me repeatedly across the face until I let go. 'I FUCKING HATE FISH!!!!!'

When Fluttershy came back, she did so with more of those heavenly apples, but this time, both saddle bags were filled. And so for a while, we spent time talking to each other…..well more like she did all the talking and I did all the listening. I learned that I was no longer on Earth, but in a country called Equestria, which is ruled by two princesses. One of them was named Celestia, and the other was her younger sister, Luna. Fluttershy also told me about her friends, whose names sounded like names from a children's cartoon, how they all met, and faced against Nightmare Moon, who was actually Princess Luna who turned into an evil villain and was banished to the moon for a thousand years.

As we continue our one sided conversation, the sun was slowly setting, which meant that my new friend had to head home. "Well, I need to get going, but I promise to come back tomorrow morning after I finish taking care of the farm animals. And I'll bring more apples, too." I wasn't aware of it, but my tail was happily wagging. 

Grabbing her saddlebags, Fluttershy trotted over to one of the walls, ready to take flight. Before taking off, she looked back to me. "Will you be okay by yourself?" It honestly made me feel good that someone cared. I nodded in response. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow, Toothless." 

And with that, she took off and was gone. Once again, I was on my own, but this time, I didn't feel as lonely. As I started to walk over to my patch of grass to nap on, I saw the emerald that Fluttershy gave me on the ground. 'Better put this someplace safe. Wouldn't want to lose it.' 

Taking the gem into my mouth, I carried it over to a corner in the cove and dug a little hole, dropping it in and quickly covering it up. With my gem hidden away, I walked to my grass patch and turned in place before laying down for another night of sleep. 'I wonder what wonders await me tomorrow?'


===================================
(Canterlot Castle) 

Celestia lowered the sun, signaling the end of the day and important meetings to attend until tomorrow. With her job taken care of, Celestia made her way to the throne room. When she would pass any of her guardsponies, they would all bow to her. Reaching the throne room, the guards opened the doors to allow her in, quickly closing it behind her as she walked through.


The sound of her hoofsteps could be heard inside the now empty room. Once at her throne, she sat herself down on the cushion and allowed the events of the day to fill her mind. But soon, the regal composure started to crack as her eyes soon watered and she started to sniffle. Finally, the floodgates had burst as she lowered her head into her hooves, crying. For the last two days, when no pony was around, the princess would weep uncontrollably. 

This hadn't gone unnoticed as a dark blue alicorn entered the room to comfort her crying sister. "Tia, art thou alright?" Luna asked, sitting beside her sister. 

Wiping away the tears clouding her vision, she leaned into her sister's withers. "I just don't know where we went wrong. I was sure we cast the spell right."

"Sister, the spell requires immense concentration and time, both of which we did not have," she explained, hugging her sister with her right wing. "What's done is done. We have more pressing matters to deal with."

Celestia pulled away, looking rather annoyed by what her sister just said. "Luna, a boy died because we had neglected to pay attention to our surroundings. And you act as though you don't even care."

"I do care, sister. Since my return from the moon, I had never seen such an unselfish sacrifice, especially for one who hadn't known us to begin with." Luna eyes slowly watered as the memory played in her mind. "And I feel much more guilty than you sister. Before his final moments, I had intended to scold him for laying his hands on us." She wiped the lone tear that ran along her cheek. "But we can't let his sacrifice be in vain. Someone tried to assassinate us, and who ever they are, there is no doubt they were from Equestria."

Trying to regain her composure, Celestia sat up straight. "How do you know this, Luna? Was it not the act of some reckless driver?" Using her magic Luna summoned up a newspaper, levitating it in her blue aura up to her sister. "’Phantom car takes a life,’" Celestia read aloud the headline on the front page. "Luna, did you go back without me?"

Luna nodded, pulling the newspaper back. "I did. But fear not, sister, I was careful to make sure I was not followed and took on a different appearance." Glancing down at the article, Luna started to read. "According to this, the law enforcement were in pursuit of a runaway truck that had smashed into another vehicle and were in pursuit of it. It briefly mentions how it had nearly hit us, but does mention the one who gave his life for us." 

Luna could see the tears welling up Celestia's eyes. "After the truck hit the boy, it started to lose speed enough that the police could stop it. But when they moved to bring the reckless driver in, they were shocked to see that no one was driving said vehicle." Rolling up the newspaper and tucking it under her wing, Luna made her way to the exit. "I believe that someone from Equestria has an intention of making their presence known. We should prepare for when they do so."

Before her sister could leave, Celestia asked one last question. "D-did they say what the poor boy's name was?" 

Luna stopped in her tracks for a few brief moments before turning to look at her sister. "Johann. The boy's name was Johann." Lighting her magic, Luna disappeared from the room.

Celestia walked toward a window and looked out into the night sky, eyes still filled with tears. "Please, Johann, know that your sacrifice will not be in vain...Please forgive me."
> Tooth and claws part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was early in the morning as three small fillies walked along the path that lead into the Whitetail Woods, each carrying saddle bags. Leading the group was an orange pegasus with a magenta mane. "Come on, girls! Pick up the pace!"

"Uhhh...Why did we wake up so early? It's Saturday. I wanted to sleep in." Wined a unicorn with white fur and two-colored mane of light pink and purple.

"Ahh, come on, Sweetie Belle. Ain't nothin’ wrong with early mornin’ walks." Chimed an earth pony with yellow fur, red mane and a bow on top.

"That's easy for you to say, Apple Bloom. You always wake up early to work on your farm." Sweetie Belle pointed out as they traveled deeper into the woods. "So, why are we here again, Scootaloo?"

"I told you already; we’re gonna try and get our cutie marks in exploring, or maybe even discover a new species of creatures like my parents!" Scootaloo chirped, growing more excited as she picked up the pace.

Apple Bloom hurried up and walked beside the pegasus filly. "Ah’ve been meaning to ask, but where are ya folks, Scoots?" This caught Sweetie Belle's attention as she trotted up to their friend’s other side.

"They travel to different parts of the world discovering new creatures and plants to help better Equestria." Scootaloo proudly puffed out her chest as they continued onward. As the trio made their way deeper into the forest, the sound of rushing water could be heard coming from up ahead. "Hey, you girls hear that? Sounds like there’s a waterfall nearby."

Following the sound, the fillies find themselves at the edge of a waterfall pouring into a pond within a large cove. "Wow. Look at this place. It’s beautiful." Sweetie Belle said as she marveled at the cove.

"Ah’ll say. I ain't ever seen anything like it." Apple Bloom added, but when she noticed that only two of them only responded, she quickly glanced around to see why. "Hey, where did Scootaloo go?"

The two looked around until they saw their pegasus friend lowering herself down with some rope. "Well, what are you two waiting for? Let's check it out!" 

After the trio managed to safely make it to the bottom of the cove, they each split up, searching different spots of the cove. Apple Bloom looked along the roots of the trees, while Sweetie Belle looked near the water's edge, admiring the clearness of the water and how you can see toward the bottom. Scootaloo was turning over every stone she could find in an attempt to discover anything new.

For a moment, there didn't seem to be anything that could have piqued her interest, until….
"Whoa! Girls check this out!" The other two turned to look at their friend as she held up a black scale in her mouth. "It's some kind of scale, and there’s more this way." She spat out the scale as she followed a trail of them, which stopped near a large boulder that sat in a patch of grass

Stopping in front of the boulder, she turned to face her companions "I'm positive that some unknown creature lives around here, and if we find it and bring it back, we could get our cutie marks in finding creatures!" She said with glee as she twirled around in place. "….. hey, what's wrong?" Scootaloo asked, noticing her friends clinging together, shaking. Both fillies extended their hooves, making a pointing motion to look back. When Scootaloo turned around, she immediately went stiff. Standing taller than her and her friends, combined with black leathery wings, feline like eyes staring at her, and a jaw filled with sharp teeth, was a dragon. 

Apple Bloom and Sweetie could only watch as the dragon moved closer to their pegasus friend. Scootaloo, who remained completely frozen in place, watched as the dragon's clawed hands and black wings moved closer and closer toward her. Until finally, once they were close enough, it snatched her from her spot as she let out a blood curdling scream. 
> Tooth and claws part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh no! I'm late, I'm late!!" Fluttershy repeated as she ran down the path that took her from her cottage all the way to the Apple family farm. Usually, the yellow mare would have set her alarm to wake her up most days to do some errands around her home or out in town. But due to her encounter with the black dragon she named Toothless the night before, she had been so preoccupied with writing down notes that she had forgotten to set her alarm.

The barn was in her sights and she quickly picked up the pace. Just as she was about to open the barn door to procure the animals’ food, the doors opened, and a familiar orange earth pony walked out carrying bags of feed on her back, along with her brother and grandmother working out in the field.  "Applejack? What are all of you doing back so early?"

"Oh! Hey there, Fluttershy. We came back early because of a little fiasco during the reunion. Cousin Braeburn nearly done burnt down his barn. Ah tell ya, if that pony ain't careful, he'll end up breaking a leg one of these days." Tipping her stetson and giving her friend a quick nod, she continued to move on to feed the animals. "By the way, did we have some customers while we were away?"

"Hmm? What makes you say that?" She asked, feeling a few beads of sweat running down her forehead. 

"Well, when Ah got back, Ah noticed a few apples were missing, but at the same time, the container that Ah had emptied before we left had some bits in it."

Fluttershy’s eyes darted side to side as she tried to carefully word her next choice of words. "Well...um, you see, while you were away, I….uh, found a new critter while walking through the woods." She stammered, trying to be very careful. "And he looked so hungry, so I came here and bought some of your apples."

Applejack nodded but then tilted her head. "Ya bought that many apples in just two days?"

"O-oh, well….he really loved the apples….He scarfed them down like they were the best apples he's ever eaten. " Fluttershy made sure to word everything perfectly; she knew that Applejack could sniff out a lie, but if she told the truth while leaving out certain details, then she would be fine. 

Applejack blushed as she rubbed the back of her head. "Seems like that critter knows a good apple when he tasted one." As the two walked over to the pig pen, Applejack nudged Fluttershy. "Ya know, if ya want, Ah could give ya a discount, since you're mah friend and all. "

"Oh, I could never ask you to do that, Applejack. You don't need to give me any special treatments."

"Now don't you worry about it. Besides, this year’s harvest has been the best we had so far." Putting a few apples in a set of saddlebags, Applejack handed them to her companion. 

Not wanting to be rude, Fluttershy happily accepted her friend’s offer and started to fish around her purse for the proper bits she owes. While doing so, she noticed that she saw only three of four apple family members currently present. "Where's Apple Bloom?"

"Hmm? Oh, she and her friends went off to go try and earn their cutie marks again this morning. They wanted to go to the Everfree Forest to try and explore, but Ah wasn't gonna let 'em do that, so Ah told them to go to the Whitetail Woods instead." The sound of coins hitting the floor caught Applejack's attention as she turned to look at her friend. "Um, sugarcube? Are ya alright? You’re lookin’ a might pale." 

Applejack wasn't exaggerating as the pegasus’s face looked almost pale white, her body shaking uncontrollably. This only lasted a minute as Fluttershy quickly pulled some bits out of her bag, slamming them down on a crate nearby, and bolted off. "Hey, Fluttershy, ya gave me too much!!"

"KEEP THE CHANGE!!!" She shouted without turning back.

====================================

Fluttershy ran as fast as her hooves could carry her along the path down the Whitetail Woods. She prayed to Celestia that the CMC didn't go too far in and accidentally stumble upon the cove where Toothless was.

"Oh please, oh please anywhere but th-"

"Run! The dragon is gonna get us!" Called out a southern accent, which caused Fluttershy to stop dead in her tracks.

A higher pitch voice soon followed. "Oh no! It's got Scootaloo!!!!" 

"GAHHH!!! HELP!!! IT'S EATING ME ALIVE!!!!!!" A third and raspy voice wailed out.

Hearing the third voice, Fluttershy knew she was too late and quickly took flight to try and save the fillies while she still can. Cutting through the trees and quickly landing in the cove, she ran in hope to save Scootaloo before it was too late. "Wait!! Toothless, please!!  Don't eat her! I brought you some app….les?" Her fears were put aside, leaving her baffled as she took in the sight before her. 

On her back, Scootaloo was giggling uncontrollably while Toothless was licking her belly and giving it a raspberry, the other two fillies covering their muzzles as they watched and giggled. Fluttershy's presence didn't go unnoticed as all four them looked over at her after her outburst. The three fillies seemed nervous, Toothless, his tongue out while it dripped saliva, tilted his head at his friend’s abrupt appearance.  

Feeling rather awkward, the yellow pegasus shuffled around. "Um…..what's, uh, happening?"

"Hey, Fluttershy! Meet our new friend!!" Scootaloo called out while hugging Toothless’s head.

"’Friend’? You mean he's not trying to eat you?" Fluttershy was both relieved and confused at the same time "B-but how?"

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle came up to her while Scootaloo continued to play fight by batting away Toothless’s paw. "So, it went like this..."

====================================(Flashback) 

Both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom held each other close, looking away as their friend had gotten snatched up by the dragon. They heard her blood curdling scream before going completely silent. The two fillies huddled together, knowing they would be next on the dragon's menu. For a few moments, they heard nothing but the sound of the forest around them, but then they heard giggling, followed by a low purring noise.

"H-hey s-stop! That t-tickles!" Scootaloo laughed out as the purring noise got louder.

Both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom dared to turn and see what part of getting eaten would make her laugh, only to go slack-jawed at what they saw. Sitting on its hind legs and tail swishing side to side, the dragon wasn't eating their friend; it was cuddling her. His arms held her close to its head while it nuzzled her cheeks with it's own, giving her an occasional lick.

"Hahaha! I can't take it!" Scootaloo laughed as the dragon hugged her like a stuffed teddy bear. "You guys! Help me!!" She called out, reaching her hoof out to her friends. 

The dragon stopped for a second and turned to see what the little filly was pointing to, noticing the other two ponies. Its pupils grew larger as it stared at the two. "Uh oh." The two said in unison. 

The dragon stood on its back legs and started to waddle over to the two while still holding Scootaloo. Before the Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle had the chance to run away, the dragon gently scooped them and began cuddling and nuzzling them like their friend. "Uh oh! Now he's got us too!!" Sweetie Belle squeaked as the dragon gave her lick on the cheek. 

"He sure is a friendly feller, ain't he?" Apple Bloom stated as she started to pet the dragons cheek, causing it to turn its head to nuzzle her nose.

The black dragon leaned back until it rolled onto its back with the three fillies held against his chest as he rocked side to side. "Hehe, he sure is a funny dragon. Even funnier then Spike." Scootaloo laughed as she booped the dragon’s nose, causing it to scrunch its nose.

The dragon eventually let go of the little ponies, the trio sliding down its side before rolling onto its belly. "So, what's your name, Mr. Dragon?" Apple Bloom asked, trying to make small talk. But when the dragon let out an inaudible response, the three cocked their heads. "What's the matter? Can't ya speak?"

 The dragon shook his head, getting a gasp from the three fillies. "Oh, you poor thing. That's terrible." Sweetie Belle moved over to the dragon and pat its head, feeling sorry for the poor creature. 

"So what are you doing in here, Mr. Dragon? Shouldn't you be in the Dragonlands or something?" Scootaloo asked. 

The dragon took a couple steps back, stretched out its wings, and started to flap them. The fillies watch as it got off the ground by only a few inches before its wings started to lose synchronization, ultimately causing it to fall to the ground. The trio let out a collective gasp, rushing over to see if their new friend wasn’t hurt. Thankfully, the dragon easily got back up on all fours, shaking off any dirt that might have stuck onto his skin. But while it wasn't physically injured, its confidence was another story, laying down and slumping its head onto its arms.

Scootaloo was the first to approach, gently petting the dragon's head. "Yeah, I know that feeling. Every foal my age can fly except for me. I even get made fun of, but I won't let it get me down, because I know I will fly someday. And so will you. "Leaning down, she nuzzles her head atop the dragon's to help cheer him up, to which he responded with a low purr.

"Hey, why don't we play a game to help cheer you up?" Sweetie Belle suggested, getting everyone's attention. 

"A game? What’cha had in mind, Sweetie Belle?" Apple Bloom asked as the group gathered around.

"Let's play tag! One, two, three not it!!" She yelled

"Not it!!" Came Apple Bloom. 

"Not it!!!" And with Scootaloo being the third, that ultimately left the dragon to be it. He gave the girls an expressionless stare, knowing he couldn't speak. "What? It's not our fault you can't talk." Scootaloo booped the dragon's nose once more as she started to run. "Try and catch us, Mr. Dragon!!"

====================================
(End of flashback) 

"And that’s when you came rushin’ in a little while after, Fluttershy." Apple Bloom explained to Fluttershy. 

For a while, Fluttershy felt both embarrassed and ashamed of herself. She felt silly for coming in, ready to throw down with Toothless thinking he was trying to eat the girls. And shame that she would easily think of the worst of her new friend. Even though she had only known him for a day, Fluttershy could tell that Toothless was a different kind of dragon. 

Before she could mentally scold herself further, Fluttershy felt a gentle nudge on her side, snapping her out of her daze. Toothless was gently nuzzling her to get her attention, then pointed to the saddle bags. "Oh! Right. You must be hungry." Removing the saddlebags from her back, Fluttershy placed them on the ground, letting the apples to slip out.

Unlike before, when he dove right in to eat the apples, Toothless  pushed a few apples toward the three fillies, offering them some. "Sweet! I was getting hungry, and we forgot to pack a lunch." Scootaloo happily cheered as she picked up the apple and took a bite.

While everyone was eating, Fluttershy noticed some odd behavior from Toothless. Unlike yesterday when he scooped up the fruit in his mouth and ate hungrily, this time, it was different. She watched as the dragon tried to pick up an apple with his paw, with little to no success. He flexed his paw awkwardly to pick up the apple, gripping it for a few seconds before it slipped free. What Fluttershy found strange about the whole thing was his behavior; the way Toothless was trying to pick up the apple didn't seem to work, and it frustrated him as if he had done it before. Another thought that came to her was why would he want to do so when he could eat like how he did before.

Toothless gave up trying to pick up the apples with his paws, resorting to scooping them up in his mouth, and where he was once annoyed earlier from his failed attempt, he was now purring with joy as his tail swishes from side to side. Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at the sudden change in his mood. 'He might be an odd dragon, but he sure is cute when he's happy.'


===================================

A few hours had passed, and in that time, Fluttershy and the Crusaders enjoyed the day spending time with their new friend, Toothless. During that time, the fillies played games like tag and hide and seek. Fluttershy at one point had to go back to her cottage to feed her animal friends, then went into Ponyville tell Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash that the girls were safe and she was watching over them.

The fillies would tell the dragon about their quest to earn their cutie marks, something the dragon was unfamiliar with. Toothless was given a bit more of Equestria’s history and culture from the three fillies’ lecture, some bits that Fluttershy had yet to mention the day before.  

By now, the sun was slowly setting across the mountain range. 'Looks like it's getting pretty late. Better take the girls home.' 

Fluttershy stood up and stretched out her joints. "Alright, girls, time to go~" When Fluttershy turned to address the girls, she found herself speechless for the second time today. Laying down in a position no different from a cat was Toothless, but what was probably the most adorable sight was Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nuzzled against his chest, his tail fin draped over them like a blanket. As for Scootaloo, she was curled up between Toothless's front paws, crossed over each other, his head gently resting over her back. All four of them were happily sleeping together, with the sound of Toothless' breathing the only sound in the huddled group. Fluttershy couldn't help but smile at the gentleness her new friend was displaying.  

It pained Fluttershy to disturb such a heartwarming moment, but if the girls didn't return home soon, their sisters would get worried and come looking for them. Something occurred to her after thinking of her friends’ concerns. 'What would they do if they met Toothless?' Ordinarily, her friends were open to the idea of making new ones, but that was with other ponies. After the incident with the dragon migration and how Twilight told her friends about how rude and mean the teenage dragons were, she was afraid that they may still hold those fears against them. 

While she wasn't fond of the idea of keeping secrets from her friends, she also had to protect her new friend as well. With that said, she has to convince the Crusaders to keep her friend a secret. The only question was how.  

At that moment, Toothless let out a long yawn, which managed to wake the girls from their sleep.  "Mmm. Man, that was the best nap I've had in awhile." Scootaloo yawned as she stretched. 

"Ah'll say. Ah never knew a dragon could be so comfy to sleep against," Apple Bloom, who also yawned, said, shaking off some leaves that fell in her mane. 

"I wonder if Spike is that comfy to- Eep!!" Sweetie Belle quickly covered her muzzle with her hooves.

"Hehe! Looks like somepony gots a crush on Spike." Scootaloo teased while nudging her friend, making her cheeks burn bright red.

"Aww! Sweetie Belle has a crush." Apple awed, only making her friend's face light up red like the apples on her family’s farm.

"Cut it out, you guys! It's not like that!" She turned to Toothless, who at first was quiet until he gave her a toothless smile and let out grunts that sounded like laughter. "Toothless, what are you laughing at!!?"

"Girls, can I talk to you for a moment, please." Fluttershy called out, getting the three fillies’ attention as they walked over to her. "Listen, girls, I need you to keep Toothless a secret from the others for me."

"How come, Fluttershy?" Scootaloo asked. 

"Yeah, he seems like he would be fun to hang out with." Apple Bloom added. 

"And he's super cute, like a big cat. Not like Rarity's cat, Opal." All three fillies shivered.

"Well, I'm worried they might not react well to him, especially what happened in the Dragonlands. They might run Toothless out of town, or worse, call the guards to come take him away." This greatly concerned the fillies, not wanting to lose their new friend. "So, can you girls please keep him a secret, just until I can find a way to tell others about him?"

The three looked to one another, taking a moment to think before nodding simultaneously. "Cross our hearts, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes." They said, making the hoof motions for a Pinkie promise.

Fluttershy’s worries quickly faded as the fillies made the well-known and unbreakable promise everypony in Ponyville who knows Pinkie Pie made. "Alright. Let's go home before it gets dark."

"Bye Toothless!! We’ll see you tomorrow!!" Scootaloo called out as they waved to him goodbye, which he returned in kind. With that, all four ponies made their way back home, the Cutie Mark Crusaders eager to come back tomorrow to play with their new friend. 
> Tooth and claws part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot ) 

Built into the side of a mountain was the capital of Equestria: Canterlot, the city of nobility and houses the kingdom’s castle, ruled by two powerful alicorn princesses. However, unbeknownst to the citizens, the princesses were away on an important matter requiring their presence. Of course, they did not leave without appointing somepony to watch over the country in their absence. With fur white as snow and neo blue mane was the captain of the royal guard: Shining Armor. 

The captain walked along the marble halls, going about his rounds as per usual for his day, when the sound of doors slamming open and the sound of hooves filled the halls. “CAPTAIN!!!" Shouted a guardspony.

Quickly turning to address the guard, Shining Armor was quickly surprised at what he saw. The guard's armor was dented and had claw marks scratched along the metal gear. The pegasus stallion was faring no better: his white fur was stained with both dried mud and blood, his right ear had been cut, and his legs had the same claw marks that were on his armor, but not deep enough to be fatal. "What happened to you?" Shining asked, moving in to help set the pegasus guard down to sit.

"It’s awful, captain! My entire squad’s gone!" Shining watched as the stallion shook with fear. "We were out patrolling our usual route, when out of nowhere, a manticore attacked us." He coughed heavily. 

"A manticore did this? How? Your squad should have been able to handle anything like a manticore easily." Shining used his magic to help the guard move to a room, sitting him down in a nearby chair. 

"That just it captain, it wasn't just any manticore. This one was far different than what we've seen before. It was twice the size of a normal one, and looked like it crawled out of the darkest pits of Tartarus. It killed my team with little effort and I barely got away." The stallion was shaking in his armor, tears flowing down his cheeks at the loss of his brothers in arms. 

"Where did you see it last?"

"Just before I got away, it ran into the Everfree Forest, heading north." Finally succumbing to the wounds inflicted upon him, the guard fell unconscious, collapsing onto the floor. 

Shining Armor made his way out of the room and called the nearest guard to take the wounded soldier to the infirmary, then made his way to the armory. "Stardust!!" He called out.

A unicorn stallion with grey fur and white mane quickly approached, giving a salute. "Yes, captain! What do you need?"

"Prepare the elite guard. We need head out to Ponyville, pronto." Shining commanded as he used his magic to levitate his helmet onto his head.

"Sir, what's this all about?"

"A manticore unlike anything we've seen before wiped out a squad of guards and is making its way north of the Everfree Forest." Still using his magic, the captain picked up a spear next.

"Captain Shining Armor, I must advise you to stay here." This caused Shining’s attention to snap toward Stardust. "You are the one left in charge while Princess Celestia is away, trying to introduce Princess Luna to the foreign dignitaries of Saddle Arabia to increase her likeability. If you were to leave and something far worse comes up, the guards would be left without a leader."

Taking into consideration his first lieutenant’s advice, Shining Armor grimaced, dreading being forced to stay behind. "But my sister lives in Ponyville! She could be in danger!" He argued.

"With all due respect, she and her friends were able to best Nightmare Moon and Discord. I believe she and her companions can handle themselves until the elite guard make it there." Stardust retorted. "And need I remind you of your engagement that’s soon to take place?"

Seeing that he wasn't going to win this argument, Shining Armor removed his helmet and tossed it on the ground with a frustrated grunt. "How long until the elite guard can make it to Ponyville?"

"If we leave now by private train, we should be able to make it within two hours, at best ." Stardust moved over to grab his helmet, taking one last look at his captain. "Everything will be alright, sir. I'm sure of it." 

Stardust shut the door behind him, leaving Shining alone. "Please be safe, Twily." He uttered, looking out the nearby window in the direction of the town his sister was currently living in. 




(Johann POV) 

This week has been something else for me. First, I end up dying after saving two complete strangers. Then I get reincarnated as a Night Fury and end up stuck in a cove unable to fly. But there is a bit of good that came out of this. For one, I met Fluttershy and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, who were the most adorable creatures yet. I may be a guy, but even I have my own kryptonite, and cute animals were one of them. 

Thanks to Fluttershy, I was saved from starving to death, and having her try and teach me how to fly helped, but even after a week, I'm still grounded. I wasn't sure why I couldn't fly yet; I followed Fluttershy's instructions to the letter, I ate plenty of food, and I'm still unable to get more than a few feet off the ground. Fluttershy thinks that I need some kind of trigger to kick in my flight instinct, like how birds jump off a ledge to fly. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I don't plan on doing that, even if got out of this cove. 

Speaking of instincts, over the past week, I've noticed that I've started to react to some new ones. The first was one night when I was really hungry, but not for fruit, but meat. It was getting to the point where I almost found myself at the edge of the pond. Without even thinking, I  quickly dove in and caught three fish in my mouth, and unlike the two from before, I did actually eat them without any problems. It wasn't as bad as I thought; kinda like sushi, except with more blood and bones. Another thing that I noticed one day was while the girls came down to hang out, Sweetie Belle had brought some makeup along for some odd reason. While she was applying said makeup, she had a little pocket mirror that she was using. Some sunlight reflected off the reflected surface, make a little light shine on the ground. I didn't know why, but my body reacted on it's own by pouncing on the little light. It didn't help when Scootaloo took the mirror and started to move the light’s reflection around. It felt like I was compelled to chase after it, no matter how much I tried not to. 

I fear that, with my new body, they might have come with new instincts that could end up overwriting my old ones. 'Will I eventually lose my humanity and end up a former shell of what I once was?' I tried to shake those thoughts out of my head, fearing that I might be overthinking it. Though the idea did scare me still, could I really end up losing myself to this body?

As I inhaled through my nose, trying to calm myself down, I immediately picked up on an odd scent, my senses heightened as a dragon. I wasn't sure how to describe this smell entirely, but it almost smelled like...iron? 'That makes no sense. Why am I smelling iron? Besides metal, the only thing that could give off that smell is…..blood...' 

When took another whiff to try and confirm my suspicion, I noticed the scent was getting weaker. In my mind, the only logical reason for this, if whatever was making the smell, was moving. 'So either someone is bleeding, or something is covered in blood.' The very idea sent chills down my spine. 'Fluttershy, I hope you and the girls are okay.'




(Ponyville)

After finishing up her morning errands, Fluttershy decided that she would visit Toothless later. She figured that today would be the day she would introduce him to her friends. The decision came to mind yesterday while Toothless was playing with the CMC. When the girls weren't looking, Fluttershy saw that Toothless would occasionally look up the walls that confined him to the cove. Sometimes, he would try to climb up the walls, hoping to finally leave, only to come up short every time. Fluttershy knew that if she wanted to get him out, she was going to need her friends to help. And that meant having to tell them about Toothless. 

Making her way to the treebrary, Fluttershy would smile and wave at ponies she passed along the way. She was nearly at her destination when..

"Hey Fluttershy!!!" Looking up, she saw a familiar cyan mare with a rainbow mane and tail flying down to her. Rainbow Dash, one of Fluttershy's many friends, landed right in front of her. "Where have you been all week?"

Feeling a bit nervous, Fluttershy tried to remain calm. "Oh, hi, R-Rainbow Dash. How have you been?"

"I’ve "been" wondering where one of my best friends has run off to all week." She took a few steps closer toward the yellow mare. "I haven't seen much of you over the past week, and anytime I do, you’re going to AJ's place and going off into the Whitetail Woods. What have you been up to in there, anyway?"

Though she tried desperately not to, Fluttershy was sweating up a storm, fidgeting in place as she was being interrogated by one of her closest friends. She knew Dash meant well, but she wasn't sure she could tell her that she has been spending most of her time with a dragon she found. She knew that Dash would blow it out of proportion and might end up trying to attack Toothless. 

Seeing that she'll have to tell her something, she thought it was best to do what she did with Applejack. "I've been taking care of a critter who's having a hard time flying." She saw Dash’s expression soften a bit. "And I've been feeding it apples from Applejack's farm to help it get its strength back. Now, if you'll please excuse me, Rainbow Dash, I need to go talk to Twilight."

Giving a curt bow, she walked around the rainbow pegasus and into the treebrary. "Hello? Twilight, are you here?"

"Hey, Fluttershy." Fluttershy looked to the left to see a purple dragon with green spikes, running down from the top of his head to his barbed tail. "What brings you here?" The dragon asked while sweeping the floor.

"Oh, hello, Spike. Do you know if Twilight is here? I need to talk to her about something important. " 

"Oh yeah. She's on the balcony. I'll go get her for you." Resting the broom on the nearest wall, Spike ran up the stairs to the balcony. 

Fluttershy only needed to wait a minute as her friend, Twilight Sparkle, came walking down the stairs. "Hi, Fluttershy. What's so important that you needed to tell me?" The lavender unicorn asked.

"Hello, Twilight. I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"Oh, nothing too important. Just a bit of reading. And cataloguing some notes on different topics." She waved it off with a dismissive hoove.

"Sounds interesting." Fluttershy added, trying to sound impressed. " Um, can I ask you a hypothetical question?"

At this, Twilight's eyes began to sparkle. "Sure! I love making theories, especially in experiments involving magic, or science, or seeing how durable a dragon's scales are to magic."

"Well, speaking of dragons. If a pony were to say, oh I don't know, find a crippled dragon in the woods and couldn't fly, and need the help of her friends, what should she do?"

"...Uhh...well, I guess that depends on...how big this dragon is?" Twilight asked with a tone of concern. 

Fluttershy could easily hear the uncertainty in her friend's voice, and began to worry if she'll slip up in keeping her secret. "Let's say about the size of a pony.... hypothetically."

"...Then we just leave it alone!" Twilight abrupt shout caused her friend to jump back. 

"W-what? Why? Shouldn’t we try to help it if it can't fly?" Fluttershy hesitantly asked, feeling her hope for her friends’ help starting to fade.

"It'll probably help itself to a free lunch, and it would still be stuck...in wherever it's trapped." 

"But what if the pony knew it was friendly and wouldn't harm a soul?" She continued with her questions, trying to sway Twilight’s decision.

"So far, our only friendly dragon is Spike, and he was raised by Princess Celestia, some of her aides, and me and my family. All the dragons from the migration Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and I witnessed, especially those teenage dragons, were pretty cruel and reckless, and this hypothetical dragon you’re making up would be just like them."

Just as Fluttershy was going to give another compelling argument, the sound of ponies screaming came from outside. As the main defenders of Ponyville, both Fluttershy and Twilight quickly made their way out of the library. Ponies screaming in fear and running away in absolute terror was the first thing the two mares saw.  

Using her magic, Twilight grabbed one of the fleeing ponies. "Hey, what's going on!?" 

"There's a manticore that just came running out of the Everfree, and it's tearing up everything sight!!" Twilight released the pony, who quickly bolted for safety. 

"RRRRAAAAAAAARREEEEHHHHHHH!!!" A loud and blood curdling roar filled the air, making everyone tremble, sending chills down their spines. 

Fluttershy quickly ducked behind Twilight. "W-Was that r-really a m-manticore just now?" She asked in absolute fear as every muscle in her body was shaking, Twilight being just as scared as her.

"I-I'm not sure, b-but we need to go make sure everypony is safe." Quickly rushing past the fleeing ponies, both mares made their way toward the Everfree Forest. 

The crowd of ponies dwindled as they got closer, the sound of the beast could be heard getting louder and deeper. Each roar made the two mares flinch as wave after wave of chills ran down their backs. When they turned the corner of one building, they saw the manticore that had been causing such a ruckus. But unlike the ones they've seen before, this one was incredibly different. It was far more deadlier than any normal manticore: poison dripping off its scorpion stinger, wings sharper and slightly tattered, but still capable of flight, sharp claws that could cut through stone, and fangs that can tear the throat of a cragodile in one chomp.

"Hey, furbrain! Up here!!!" Rainbow Dash called out, diving down and kicking the manticore’s head. The beast swiped at her with its paw, but the cyan mare flapped her wings, pushing up and away before it could strike her. "Catch me if you can, slowpoke!!" Dash shouted, waving her flank in front of the monster as she taunted it. Letting out a roar in rage, the manticore gave chase after the prismatic mare. This allowed Twilight and Fluttershy to round up any remaining stragglers and get them to safety. 

Rainbow Dash slowed her speed as she flew, tempting the manticore to try and catch her, and any time it got too close, she would speed up ahead of it, narrowly dodging its claws. "Ha!! Is that all you got!?" Dash stepped up her game as she bobbed and weaved around buildings and trees, hoping to disorient the manticore and confuse it. When Dash quickly glanced back, expecting to see it close on her tail, she flared out her wings, stopping her momentum as she saw the monster was no longer chasing her. "Hey, where did it go!?" She quickly glanced around, expecting it to pounce at any moment, but there was no sign of it.


"Alright, everypony, quickly head to town hall and barricade yourselves inside!!" Twilight ordered, making sure to keep an eye out for the manticore. As the ponies rushed inside, Fluttershy hovered in the air, trying to spot anypony in need of help.

"TWILIGHT!!" As Twilight tried to count the ponies as they came in, she noticed a moderate cerise coat running toward her.

"Ms.Cheerilee? What's the problem?" Twilight asked, trying to calm the school teacher, who panting heavily. 

Cheerilee gasped for air as she frantically pointed back to the town. "It's the Crusaders! I can't find them! Please tell me they came running in here!?" She asked, frantically pushing past Twilight to see if the three fillies were inside.

"I-I’m not sure. Everypony’s crowded inside. I can't even tell." Twilight tried to crane her neck upwards, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Crusaders. 

"I'll go check the school house!!" Fluttershy quickly took off in the direction that led toward the school. She hovered above the school, turning in place to try and find the girls.

"Somepony help us!!" Came a cry from the playground. When she touched down near the playground, she could see Apple bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo hiding in a pair of bushes that were up against the schoolhouse. "Fluttershy, help! Scootaloo's leg is hurt!!" Sweetie Belle cried out.

Fluttershy rushed over and saw that Scootaloo had a large bruise on her front hoof. "How did this happen?"

"We were trying to get out of the school when she got shoved onto the floor. We stayed behind to help her." Sweetie Belle explained.

"Before we could get her inside, that big ol’ manticore was passing by chasing after Rainbow Dash." Apple Bloom moved to her injured friend’s side to help her stand.

"Well, don't worry. I'll help you girls get to safety, just…..girls?" Fluttershy noticed the girls’ expressions became terrified, their bodies shuddering. Before she could ask what's wrong, a low growl quickly caused her body to freeze. When Fluttershy looked over her shoulder, she immediately saw the manticore stalking it's way from a group of trees, and straight toward them.





(Johann POV) 

I frantically clawed my way up against the stone wall, trying to pull myself. Not mere moments ago, I heard the sound of what I believed to be the ponies in the nearby town, followed by a blood curdling roar that made my body quiver in fear. But I had to cast those fears aside, because I know that Fluttershy and the girls could be in danger. 

Each attempt to climb up the stone wall ended the same, coming a few inches short even after flapping my wings at the peak of my jump. I quickly turned to the tree root that I saw my first night, thinking that I could use it to climb my way out. I ran in front of the root and positioned myself so that I would land squarely on said root. Getting a running start, I quickly jumped once I was close enough, then flapped my wings hard to give myself a bit more height. When I was close enough, I dug my front claws into the dangling root. With my claws firmly planted into the root, I slowly tried to pull myself out. I had to make every moment slow and steady so I don’t sn-

CRACK!!!!

The root broke off from the tree and I fell, hitting the ground with a thud. 'DAMMIT, NO!!!' I tossed the broken root aside. I tried jumping up and clasping toward the remaining roots, only to come up short again. 'GOD DAMN!!' I slammed my paw into the ground in frustration. I dropped to the ground, fearing that I may have already been too late. 

I tried to calm my breathing as I scanned the cove for any way to get out. But I frantically turned in place, finding no other way for me to get out. With no other environmental option, I quickly spread my wings out and tried again to fly. I pushed off the ground, furiously flapping my leathery wings and tail to lift myself into the air and to freedom. My wings actually seemed to respond to my commands as I was slowly getting close to the edge of the stone walls. I reached my front paws out, ready to grip the edge and run off to help my friends. Just as I was nearly going to touch the cliff, I started losing altitude. 'No no no no!!' My body slammed into the stone wall, forcing me to fall to the ground with a heavy thud.

The pain slowly started to fade from my impact, but I made no attempt to get back up. I knew that it was useless; no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't fly. Tears slowly started to flow out of my eyes, having given up all hope. 'I'm sorry girls. I just ca-"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" The sound of female screams quickly pulled me out of my despair and self-loathing. I recognized those screams, coming from Fluttershy and the Crusaders.

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!" The demonic roar soon followed afterwards. It was then that I knew that Fluttershy and the girls were in danger. I could feel something welling up inside my chest, a burning sensation that slowly made my mind feel hazy. My dragon instincts slowly began to take control, any semblance of my humanity disappearing as it took over my body and mind.






The sound of wood splintering filled the air, Fluttershy quickly tossing the three fillies onto her back and dodging the manticore as it charged after them, letting out another roar. When the manticore crashed into the school house, Fluttershy quickly fled toward Town Hall in to get the four of them to safety. She could hear the manticore roar again as it pulled itself out of the schoolhouse and started to chase after them.

She ran as fast as her hooves could carry her, using her wings to hold the fillies tightly on her back. Town hall was within sight and the final stretch to safety was close at hoof. Fluttershy was filled with relief knowing that the girls would be safe, but that joy faded when she noticed a large shadow cast over her. The manticore leapt over her, landing in front of her, blocking her path. 

"Fluttershy!!"

"Apple Bloom!!"

"Sweetie Belle!!"

"Scootaloo!!"

The ponies inside called out to their friends and family before the doors slammed shut to prevent the manticore from entering. Fluttershy froze in place as the beast turned toward her and started to slowly prowl toward them. The fillies started to whimper and cry as they watched the beast getting closer. Without warning, the manticore quickly charged, jumping up and diving toward them.

Fluttershy could only watch as the world slowed down around her, the manticore slowly running toward her and the fillies. Its razor sharp fangs bared, its claws poised to shred her. Summing up the last of her strength, she shielded the filles with her body, prepared to sacrifice herself for their safety. The world continued to move slowly until a high-pitched whistle filled the air, a black mass then slamming into the manticore midair, sending it flying away. Time resumed as the manticore's body slammed into a cart filled with leafy vegetables. "MY CABBAGES!!!" a pony called from inside town hall.


Fluttershy looked to see what it was that saved her, only to be shocked by who it was. Wings fully spread out and teeth bared, it's black scales glistening in the sun's light was the dragon she had been watching over; Toothless. But to Fluttershy, something was off about him. His normal, kind demeanor was replaced with a darker, more aggressive one. His pupils were thin slits and his back was arched upward like a cat ready to fight.

The manticore shook off the pieces of wood and vegetables that stuck to its body, then turned to the newcomer with a snarl. Toothless stepped forward, returning the beast’s threat with a snarl of his own while still arching his back and spreading his wings out to intimidate the manticore. The effect seemed to work as the manticore took a few steps back, but its sights were set on the ponies behind the dragon, quickly trying to run around Toothless to get to them. The dragon jumped in front of the manticore, roaring and snarling while flaring its wings as it tried to get close, snapping his jaws at the beast to make it back off. 

Fluttershy quickly took this opportunity to gather the girls and ran into the nearest building, quickly slamming the door behind her. She pushed the fillies deeper into the house before turning toward one of the windows, unable to her friend against such a terrifying beast. "Please, Toothless, be careful."

(Warning to those with weaker tolerance the following will continue moments of intense violence and gore. Skip ahead to avoid this.)

With its prey gone, the manticore slammed its paws into the ground in rage, turning its attention to the small dragon. The two predators circled around each other, growling, baring their fangs.  The manticore bolted toward the dragon, its tail poised to strike before shooting forward, aiming at the dragon's side. Toothless quickly jumped to the left, narrowly dodging the poison stinger. Pushing off his back legs, he moved in and clamped his jaws around one of the manticore's arms, sinking its fangs deep into its skin, drawing blood. The beast howled in pain and started to flail its arm to remove the dragon. Raising it's free paw, it swatted Toothless’s head, scratching the side if the dragon's neck, forcing him to let go and back away. 

Toothless rubbed it neck to alleviate the pain, the sharp claws scratching deep enough to cause the wound to bleed. Taking a running stance, Toothless quickly charged straight for the manticore. Seeing the dragon charging toward it, the manticore pulled back its tail, preparing to make another strike once again. As the dragon got closer, with a flex of its tail, the manticore thrust its tail forward, aiming at the dragon's head this time. At the last second, Toothless arched his head to the left, dodging the poisonous tail once more, but before the manticore could retract it back, he grabbed it in his jaws. The manticore bellowed, trying to pull its tail free from Toothless's jaws, but with each pull, the dragon sunk its teeth in deeper into its tail’s exoskeleton. 

Toothless started to whip his head from side to side, tugging at the tail, breaking more of its hard shell apart, which caused blood to gush out and splatter on the dragon’s face. With a strong and powerful tug, the stinger was ripped off, spurting out blood and green venom. The ferocious feline howled in pain, pulling what remained of its tail and clutching its now stumpy tail. Spitting out the stinger, Toothless let out a blood curdling roar, trying to force the manticore to back down and leave. But the monster had no intention of leaving, now wanting revenge. Digging its claws into the dirt, it quickly kicked dirt into the air, temporarily blinding the dragon. 

Before Toothless had a chance to back away, the manticore came running through the dust cloud and rammed its horn into his chest. The smaller horns that were between the larger ones priced the dragons chest. "Rrrraaaaahhhhh!!" Toothless let out a pained roar as the manticore shoved his body against a nearby house, forcing its large horn to pin him to the wall while the smaller one sank deeper in his chest. 

Toothless flailed around, trying to snap his jaws on anything to force the manticore off him. As the beast continued to force the dragon harder against the building, the sound of bones cracking could be heard from his body, causing him to roar in pain. 

Toothless looked around for anything that could help remove him from his predicament. Looking around, he saw the severed stinger next to his tail. Quickly flexing his tail, Toothless grabbed it and jammed it into the manticore's side. The manticore howled, backing away, pulling it horns out of the dragons chest. Not bothering to waste time, Toothless pounced on top of the manticore's back and dug his claws in his back, ripping apart flesh as he dragged his arms down. When the manticore tried to buck of the black dragon off it's back, the dragon would bite down on its muscles, holding on tight as he continued clawing away at its back.

Roaring in defiance, the beast charged toward the nearest house, ready to slam it's back against it along with the dragon. Right at the moment of impact, however, Toothless sprung off, letting the manticore crash into the building alone. Before the manticore could regain his bearings, the dragon charged in and clamped its jaws around its throat, violently tugging away at it. The manticore could feel its oxygen depleting, frantically trying to push the dragon away, but each swipe of its paws made the dragon pull back, causing his teeth to tear away the flesh on its neck. Pulling its claw back, the lion-like beast swiped at the dragon’s back, dragging its claws against its scales, sinking into its skin.

Toothless couldn't bear the pain and released his grip, pushing off and drew a lot of blood. A wave of rage flowed through the manticore, giving into those powerful emotions as it charged forward, lunging toward the dragon and dug its claws onto its chest. Toothless roared in pain as the manticore's claws dragged against his flesh like a burning blade. When the manticore moved in to bite his neck, Toothless ducked to the right and bit down on its ear, ripping the appendage off, making the beast jump off and clutch at where its ear once was.

The battle continued on for what felt like hours, each beast turning the tides, drenching the ground around them in blood and torn flesh. Among the two, it was the manticore who had received far greater damage. Toothless was much faster and agile, his armor-like scales protecting him from the manticore’s claws and fangs.

As it bled from its wounds, the manticore could barely move, let alone fight. It could see that the dragon had plenty of fight left in it, and if it continued, it would lose and most likely die. With no other choice left, it spread it wings and began to take flight, hoping to escape. But just as it was about to fly over the houses, something tackled it from above, and it felt a searing pain in its left wing. Looking back, its pupils shrank when it saw the dragon latched onto its wing, his jaws digging into the membrane of its wing. Desperately, the manticore flailed around in the air to shake the dragon off, but its struggles made the dragon's teeth tear apart its wing. 

Releasing the torn wing, Toothless darted his head forward, his jaws chomping down on where the manticore's wings met it's back. With one powerful pull, Toothless ripped one of its wings out of its socket, bone and all. The manticore let out a cry of pain as its body started to lose altitude. Kicking it hard and spreading his wings, Toothless hovered midair and watched as the beast’s body crashed onto the ground below, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. 

The sound of painful cries and howls filled the air as the dust slowly settled. The once mighty and ferocious manticore was reduced to a whining beast. From the crash, one of its horns snapped off and blood gushed from its now stubby wing. Before it could crawl back to the safety of the Everfree Forest, a low snarl quickly grabbed its attention. Looking back, it watched in fear as the dragon slowly stalked toward it, fangs dripping with its blood from its wing, claws digging into the dirt with every step. But what terrified the manticore the most were the dragon's eyes; the eyes of a predator ready to make the kill.

With a swift lunge, Toothless latched his jaws onto the manticore's neck, making it cry out in agony. The dragon jerked his head side to side, ripping apart the flesh of the manticore's neck and cutting of its oxygen. Soon, the manticore's eyes slowly dimmed as the spark of life faded, its jugular vein pierced as it was painfully choked to death. Placing his paws on the manticore's shoulder, the black dragon pulled with tremendous strength until the head of the beast was ripped off its shoulders, along with a small portion of its spinal cord. The feline’s decapitated head hung from the jaws of the dragon before being tossed aside. Climbing on top of the corpse of his enemy, Toothless flared his wings out and unleashed a blood curdling roar in triumph.

(End of gore) 


When the echoing roar faded and left nothing but silence, Fluttershy slowly peeked her head out the door to look around. To her horror, she saw Toothless standing atop the manticore's body, its head completely ripped off and resting several meters away from its corpse. She watched as her friend panted heavily, blood trickling out from the fresh wounds that covered most of his body, but what frightened her the most were his eyes. Unlike his usual wide pupils that made him seem docile and friendly, they were now slits that made him seem primal and bloodthirsty.

Even though she was terrified, Fluttershy wouldn't allow it to keep her away from him as she slowly crept out and walked toward him. As she got closer, she could still see him panting heavily, his eyes distant as if in a trance. When one of her hooves accidentally kicked a piece of debris, the sound made Toothless quickly turn his head in her direction, snarling menacingly, making the pegasus jump back. However, as Toothless looked at Fluttershy, his breathing became steadier and his eyes slowly changed back to normal. For a moment, the two locked eyes until Toothless looked down, jolting in shock as it saw the corpse it was standing on. Jumping off and backing away while retracting his teeth, the dragon's expression showed pure terror and fear. When he turned to look at Fluttershy again, tears began welling in his eyes, slowly rolling down his cheeks. 

It didn't take much for Fluttershy to understand that her lovable dragon friend was just as horrified as she was, feeling a tremendous amount of guilt and sorrow. He let out a series of whimpers and a low rumble that sounded upsetting, filled with grief.  When Fluttershy tried to step toward her friend, he would immediately back away, hiding his face behind one of his wings. 

"It's okay, Toothless." She softly called out as she continued to move closer. "You didn't do anything wrong. You were only trying to protect us."  When he finally stopped moving, he kept his face hidden from her. "Please, Toothless, look at me."

While reluctant, he slowly lowered his wing to look at her, the two only a foot away from each other. Fluttershy reached her hoof out to him, confident that he wouldn't dream of attacking her.  For a few moments, the young drake stared at his friend’s hoof. Seeing she wasn't afraid of him, slowly, he began to lean his head closer.

Fluttershy patiently watched as her friend slowly came close. But just as her hoof was about to touch his snout, a bolt of magic struck him in the side, causing him to fall to the ground, writhing in pain while letting out a pain filled cry.

Before she tried to seek help from her friends, two stallions clad in armor quickly blocked her path. "Stay back, miss!! This dragon is under arrest and is to be taken to the Canterlot dungeon!!"

Soon, more armored ponies arrived on the scene, using lassos to quickly tie up the dragon’s limbs. "Hit it with another concussion spell!!" One of the guards ordered. One of the unicorns charged up his magic, shooting the spell at Toothless’s chest, causing him to roar in pain and thrash around. "Somepony get a muzzle on that thing and prepare the cage for transport!!" 

One of the unicorn guards came running in with a large leather strap, using his magic to wrap it around Toothless’s mouth, keeping it bound shut.

"Stop!!! You're hurting him!!!" Fluttershy cried out as she tried to get closer, only to have the guard keep her back. 

"Ma'am, please keep your distance. This dragon is a dangerous monster that must be taken away. It is by the order of the princesses." He ordered.

"Toothless isn't dangerous!!" She cried out, still struggling to get to her friend.

"It killed that manticore. Of course it’s dangerous. Now back away, or else I'll have to arrest you for interfering with the princesses’ orders!!" The guard shouted before shoving her back, causing her to trip and fall.

When Toothless witnesses this, he started to let out muffled roars, trying to break free from the ropes that confined him. "Will one of you idiots hurry up and knock this stupid lizard out!?! Or do I have to do everything myself!?" He barked as he charged his horn with a dark orange aura, his horn blasting the spell, which hit squarely on the dragon’s head. 

Toothless let out one last bellow of pain before falling to the ground unconscious with a heavy thud. "Now get that stupid dragon into the cage and onto the wagon so we can get out of here!!"

Fluttershy could only watch as the guards lifted the now unconscious dragon into a cage, then quickly loaded him onto a wagon pulled by two earth ponies. The lead guard charged his horn, and in a flash, they disappeared.

Before Fluttershy could give chase, her friends immediately came running out of town hall to embrace her. "Oh my Celestia, are you alright, Fluttershy!?" Twilight asked while holding her friend close while the rest went to go gather the Cutie Mark Crusaders.

"I'm fine, Twilight, but we need to go Canterlot!!" Fluttershy pleaded, trying to push past her friend to make her way to the capital and to her dragon companion. 

Before she got any further, her body was enveloped in purple aura. "Are you crazy, Fluttershy!? Didn't you see what that monster did!?" She asked while setting Fluttershy in front of her, trying to talk some sense into her friend.

"He's not a monster! He was only trying to protect us, and he's my friend!!!" Fluttershy's friends gasped in shock. Fluttershy, the most timid mare in Ponyville, was friends with a dragon. "And if it wasn't for him, that manticore would have killed me and the Crusaders!"

"That's right! Toothless is our friend, too!!" Scootaloo shouted as she pushed her way to stand beside Fluttershy. 

"He's the most sweetest dragon around!!" Sweetie Belle added before quickly blushing. "Besides Spike of course."

Apple Bloom quickly joined the others to help defend their friend. "We’ve been playing games with him for the last week, and he's never tried to hurt us." 

Everypony was completely baffled except for Twilight, who quickly made a connection. "Fluttershy, that hypothetical question you were asking me earlier, it was just hypothetical, wasn’t it?"

The yellow pegasus shook her head. "No, Twilight, it wasn't. I was trying to convince you to try and help me get Toothless out of the cove because he couldn't fly. But now we need to help him by convincing the princesses he isn’t dangerous."

Twilight was so confused, so many things happening that was too much for her to comprehend. But one thing she was sure of was that Fluttershy wouldn't lie when it came to the safety of her friends. "Okay, let's head back to the library and write a letter to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna explaining the situation. I'll need you to tell them what happened since you know more about that dragon then the rest of us."

Fluttershy nodded as she and her friends walked over to the library. "And for the record, that ‘dragon's’ name is Toothless."





Once inside the library, Fluttershy and Twilight got to work writing a letter to the princesses explaining the circumstances. Fluttershy made sure to include as much information as possible, including the dragon’s name and a rough sketch of what he looked like. After the letter was written and double checked by Spike, he rolled the parchment up and set it ablaze with his emerald fire breath, magically sending it to its destination. 

"How long do you think it would take for them to respond Twilight? I don't want Toothless to spend too long in the castle dungeon." Fluttershy asked while pacing around, eager to receive a response.

"I'm not sure. I remember Celestia telling me that she was going to be out of the country for a few days, so we may not hear from her fo-"

Twilight was immediately cut off by a blinding flash of light. When it dimmed down, the ponies saw both Celestia and Luna, both of which looked like they were on an urgent mission. "Where is Fluttershy!?" Celestia shouted.

Everypony quickly pointed toward the yellow mare, who was standing beside Twilight. Wasting no time, Celestia quickly made her way over to the mare while holding the letter they had sent not long ago with her magic. "Fluttershy, is everything in this letter one hundred percent true?"

Fluttershy nearly shrieked where she stood as the princess was mere inches away from her. "Y-yes, Your Majesty."

"Please listen carefully, Fluttershy. It is important that you answer this question. At what point did you meet this dragon?" Luna asked, stepping forward and stood beside her sister. 

It took Fluttershy a moment to calm herself down as she felt like she was being interrogated, and by the princesses of Equestria, no less. "I-it was about a week ago."

Celestia’s magic hold on the letter disappeared, letting the piece of paper fall to the ground. She then turned to her sister, who gave a knowing nod. When she looked back at Fluttershy, she took a few deep breaths.  "Fluttershy, I must ask a favor of you." 

"Y-yes, princess?" She timidly answered. 

"I'm going to perform a spell that will allow us to look through your memories, but only ones that involve the dragon. But, in order to do so, I will require your consent."

While a bit surprised by the fact the princesses had such a spell, Fluttershy only had one question. "Will it help prove his innocence?"

Luna stepped forward. "Dear Fluttershy, if our hunch is correct about this dragon, it may do more than that."

Fluttershy was hesitant at first, but if allowing the princesses to look through her memories will help prove her friend's innocence, then she was more than willing to go through with it. "Ok, Your Majesties. I trust you." She lowered her head down, allowing the princesses to perform the spell.

Both Celestia and Luna moved their heads down until their horns touched the top of Fluttershy's head. Soon, a soft white glow emitted from the tips of their horns, watching the memories that Fluttershy had of Toothless through their own minds.  As they sorted through each individual memory, one in particular caught Celestia’s attention. The memory in question was when Toothless started to write some words that Fluttershy couldn't read, but Celestia and Luna could. When they saw what was written, both mares quickly stepped back after releasing a shocked gasp.

"Princesses, are you alright!?" Twilight shouted as she moved in to confront her teacher and her sister. 

"L-luna. That name?" Celestia started as tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Yes, sister, it is the same name that belonged to him." Luna, who remained stoic, couldn't help but shed tears as well.

"Then the spell worked. He's alive. He’s here in Equestria!!" Celestia cried happily while wiping away her tears of joy. 

"Princess Celestia, who are you talking about? Who is this ‘he’ you're talking about?" Twilight asked, she and the rest of her friends feeling left out.

But before Celestia could answer, a knock on the door quickly caught the attention of the ponies. The door opened, revealing a unicorn stallion with grey fur and white mane clad in golden armor came walking in. "There's no time to explain! I need you ponies to quickly evacuate the premises….." When the stallion caught a glimpse of the two alicorns in the room, he immediately went slack jaw. "P-princesses!?" He quickly bowed his head, crouching down to his knees.

"Rise, my little pony. What is it that you were trying to speak of that was so urgent?" Luna asked.

The stallion quickly rose. "I came to warn the inhabitants that a deadly manticore is on its way here."

"But the manticore has already been defeated. Your group came and took a dragon into custody, did you not?" Celestia asked seeming rather confused. 

But the stallion seem even more so as he cocked his head back. "Dragon? Your Majesties, I'm afraid you’re mistaken. We had just barely arrived not a moment ago, and we didn’t receive any information about a dragon. Just the rampaging manticore."

The room went dead silent, which only lasted a few seconds before Fluttershy quickly zipped up to the stallion. "What do you mean you didn't know anything about the dragon!? A group of guards came here saying that Toothless was to be arrested!"

The stallion started to shake in fear as the mare before him stared into his eyes, almost into his very soul. "P-please, calm down miss! I'm telling you the truth! I’m part of the elite guard, and were the only squad sent to this town. There shouldn't have been anypony else."


"But, if those guards weren't sent by the princesses, then that means..." Fluttershy didn't need to finish her sentence, falling to her knees as this shocking revelation hit them. "Toothless has been kidnapped."





(Johann POV) 

Every fiber of my being was in tremendous pain. My head felt dizzy, my vision was blurry, though my hearing was still fine.

"Can you believe how easy capturing this thing was?" An unfamiliar voice spoke.

"Tell me about. It was a bit close when that stupid mare tried to get us to stop. But all the boss had to do to get those small-town bumpkins to back off was to mention the princesses. What a bunch of gullible idiots. Hahaha." A second voice spoke out, and another voice I wasn't familiar with.

"A shame we lost that manticore though. That thing could have fetched us a pretty bit. But, hey, we got our hooves on the next best thing." A sudden slam at the cage I was in made my ears ring, causing me to flinch. "So, boss, how much do you think we'll get for this dragon at the arena?"

When I tried to focus my vision, the first thing I saw was the stallion who had pushed Fluttershy and knocked me unconscious, lying on his back in front of my cage. "Not sure, boys, but I do know that it has to be enough that we’ll live the good life for awhile. After all, this thing killed the manticore that salughtered those dumb royal guards, who's armor we used to play the part quite well."

When the wagon came up on a bump, my body momentarily rose up before falling back down, forcing a groan of pain out of me. "Well, looks like sleeping beauty woke up." When I looked forward again, I saw the stallion grinning evilly at me. "Now don't start getting any funny ideas, dragon. You're our next meal ticket." He charged his horn with the same orange aura as before. "Now just relax and go back to sleep. You're gonna need your strength for where you're going."

Before he fired his concussive spell, only one thought came to mind 'Fluttershy, hel-' My mind went blank as the spell made contact, my head slamming on the cage floor as everything went black.


The End.



Of act 1
> The Arena
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Castle)


In the castle's throne room, Celestia paced back and forth from one side of the room to the other. It had been a week since she had found out about the abduction of the reincarnated human who had saved her and Luna. After finding out that the guards who had taken Toothless were fake, Celestia asked that Twilight and her friends tell her as much detail about the fake guards, from their mane and coat colors, races, and cutie marks. Once she had received enough information about their appearances, she gave the descriptions to Shining Armor to search through the files they had for anypony that matched it, specifically any who had worked for the crown.

For the next week, she had patiently waited for any news in regard to the bandits that kidnapped the boy who risked his life, yet again, to protect the innocent. 

During that time, she would often receive letters from Fluttershy and the CMC asking for any updates on their missing friend. While some nobles would consider these constant letters to be a nuisance, Celestia didn't. This showed how much Johann, or in this case Toothless, meant to them. She knew of Fluttershy's fear, but when she scanned her memories, she was proud of the pegasus for abandoning her fears to help him when he needed it. 

"Has there been any news regarding our missing friend?" Luna asked as she walked through the double doors and into the throne room.

"I'm afraid nothing has come up yet. What about you, Luna? Have you managed to track him through the dreamscape?"

Since the day they found out about the dragon’s abduction, Luna had been hard at work trying to navigate through the dream realm in hope to find his dream to contact him. However, try as she may, there was no trail. She feared that either the bandits had considered this and placed an enchantment on the dragon, or that the dragon’s body prevented her from finding him. 

"No, sister, there is no sign of him. I fear that our only chance is that some information about the unicorn who captured him will come to light."

As if in response to her comment, the doors to the throne room swung wide open as Shining Armor quickly trotted over to the princesses. "Your Majesties, I know who it was who took the dragon!!" Stopping a few inches away from the sisters, Shining placed a file down in front of them. "He was a former member of the royal guard. His name is Venandi."

"I remember him." Celestia added, using her magic to open the file to allow the three to see its contents. "He used to assist me by transporting creatures that I deemed too dangerous to roam Equestria; creatures whom I would have sent to Tartarus."

"You mean like the bugbear, or Tirek?" Luna asked getting a nod from her sister. 

"While you were ...away, I needed somepony to help me capture any dangerous beasts and have them taken there. Venandi was a capable stallion who knew how to capture and ensnare all manners of dangerous monsters."

"Then what happened?" Shining asked. "Why is he no longer a member of the guard?"

Looking back down at the file, Celestia shuffled the papers around until a photo of the stallion was shown. "It's because I found out that, instead of transporting the creatures straight to Tartarus, he went and sold them for money." A brief pause claimed the room. "After I discovered what he was doing, I had planned for him to be arrested for his actions that could have harmed Equestria, but it seemed that somepony had informed him and he fled the castle."

"Well, at least we have our first lead. I shall go speak with my lunar guard to inform them of this stallion." Luna gave a quick nod to her sister and captain of the guard before lighting her horn and disappearing from sight.

"Well, Shining Armor, I believe it's time we do our par-" Suddenly, the door slammed open once more, a grey pegasus stallion running up to the two with a scroll in hoof. He quickly bowed before handing the letter to Shining Armor and leaving as fast as he came. While a bit dazed by the whole ordeal, Celestia watched Shining Armor open the scroll and read through it.
"What is it Shining Armor? Is something wrong?"

He did not respond immediately, reading the letter over again to make sure what was written was correct. "It's a threat warning; for an attack on Canterlot."

"What?! From who?" Celestia stepped forward, looking over his shoulder to read the letter.

"It doesn't say. All it says is that we should expect a large scale attack on the capital at anytime." Handing the letter to the princess, Shining Armor made his way to the doors. "I need to go alert the guards and put us on high alert."

"Double the guards and have everypony on high alert. And Shining Armor." Shining stopped just before stepping out. "I know that your wedding with my niece will be soon. I want you to be safe and protect her."


He gave a salute and bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty, and I'll even use my shield spell as an extra layer of defense." With that, he exited the throne room with the doors closing behind him.

With Celestia now alone the throne room, she walked over to the nearest window, looking out toward the horizon. With this new threat on the capital, Celestia will have to let Luna's guard try and search for leads on the location of the stolen dragon. "Please, wait a little longer, Johann. I promise I won't rest until we find you."

====================================

(Johann POV) 

The sound of the cage rattling on the bumpy road was something I had grown used over these past few days. 

Ever since the day I was taken from Ponyville, I had been forced to unconsciousness by the leader's spell, who I learned was named Venandi. I learned it during the few times I was wasn't knocked out, which was when they would feed me. 

Every time I woke up, I would see the landscape changing. We had gone from lush green grass fields to barren wastelands. Yesterday, I remembered that we were on a mountain pass, even overhearing one of the hunters mentioning a place called "the arena". I knew something terrible was going to happen to me.

After what felt like hours of traveling, the wagon coming to a halt caught my attention. I quickly closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. "Alright, boys, before we sell our precious cargo, let's make sure he's nice and fed." Venandi ordered.

Since the day they took me from my friends, they've fed me a small amount of food and water, probably to keep me in a weakened state so I wouldn’t try to escape. They would only feed me three slabs of meat, which were about the size of dinner plates. To a normal person, that's a lot, but given my body’s change in metabolism, it was barely filling. I would get a fairly large bowl of water, just enough so I wouldn't die of dehydration. But it seemed today was different; one of the lackeys tossed in ten slabs of meat and two bowls of water. "Eat up, dragon. You're gonna need your strength for what comes next." Before he left, he pulled out a tarp that was big enough to cover the cage, preventing me from seeing outside my cage.

I wasn't sure why they had done this just now, but there's no point in trying to find out. For now, my attention was brought back to the large portion of food I was given. At first, I wasn't sure about eating raw meat. I wasn't even sure what kind it was. But when I remembered how I ate raw fish and suffered no symptoms of food poisoning, I had quickly made peace with that fear. After a good amount of time eating this meat, I realized it was beef. How ponies got beef was something I tried hard not to think of. I made quick work of the meat since it was a joy to have enough food so I didn't feel starved, and once I was done with that, I quickly slurped up the bowls of water. 

After some time had passed, the wagon began to move again, which meant we were continuing on our journey to the arena. Due to the tarp over my cage, all I could do was listen for any hints on what's happening. At first, I heard the usual sounds of the wheels of the wagon turning, the sound of dirt crunching under the bandits’ hooves as they walked. But eventually, I heard what sounded like muffled voices in the distance, followed by feral creature roars and cries. As we continued moving, the sounds got louder and louder. There were voices, though it was hard to understand from the sound of what I imagined to be construction, possibly ponies or whatever creatures that was out there at work.

I heard a voice call out that I could hear a bit clearly. "Well, well, if it isn't my favorite hunter!!" The voice was rather gruff and deep. "Back with something worth buying to put in my arena, I hope."

"Steel Horn, how have you been?" Venandi called out in a cheerful tone, which made me feel a bit concerned. "And when do I ever bring something that isn't worth being put into your amazing arena?"

"Well, there was that time you brought me a sick yeti that didn't last long enough to step foot in the ring." Steal Horn began. "And that time with the siren that didn't have a voice."

"Okay, okay. So I brought a few duds by mistake, but this time, I've got something you've never had before." The sound of hoofsteps came over to my cage, then, without warning, the tarp was quickly pulled off, letting light through the metal bars. It caught me off guard, temporarily blinded as I squinted my eyes.

After I blinked a few times to regain my vision, the cage jolted as something slammed against the cage."A dragon!? You caught a dragon!?" Steal Horn's shouted, his voice ringing in my ears. 

Once my eyes had adjusted to the change in lighting, I saw what Steel Horn looked like. He had black fur, standing about as tall as an average size human. And much like his name implies, his horns had a steel coating on them, similar to how a person would get a gold tooth.


Venandi stepped around to stand next to Steel Horn. "Yep. We bagged this one after it had a brutal fight with a manticore. Not only did he fight such a beast on his own, but he won. Ripped its head off its shoulders." A part of me went cold as I vaguely remembered that fight. At the time, it was like a terrible nightmare, one that would constantly replay in my mind. 

"Very interesting, but he looks a bit on the docile side." Steel Horn added while grabbing a nearby stick, poking me through the cage. I had hoped that if I didn't act savage, he probably wouldn't want to take me.

However, it seemed that Venandi had anticipated this. "Sure, he looks docile now, but if put him in a situation that requires him to be otherwise…." He glanced around the area. With the tarp no longer obscuring my line of sight, I quickly noticed that we were near a large structure. It looked like a Roman coliseum from the front. "Hey, why don't you have him fight a couple of those?" He pointed in the direction of a cage that was three times larger than my own. Inside was a couple of wolves, but when I stared long enough, I noticed that they weren't any normal wolves. Their eyes glowed a menacing green and their bodies were made of dead tree branches. 

"Timberwolves, huh?" Steal Horn asked while placing a hand to his chin as he gave the idea some thought. "Hmmm. Sure, why not? If this dragon is as fierce as you claim it to be, then we can talk about payment."

Without warning, the wagon started to move again, heading toward the coliseum-like building, the front gates rising up to allow us in. As we moved deeper inside, I took notice of the inside the halls made of stone with torches placed in sconces for lighting. Then, something strange caught my attention as the wagon began to angle downwards, rolling down a slope leading deeper down in the structure. We entered a room that looked like a dungeon from a medieval castle, with cages spread all across the room with creatures either snarling or roaring at each other. 

"Set the cage over there and we'll have him put into the ring." Steal Horn ordered while pointing to a gate that led to a passageway made of metal bars, similar to what the Romans would put a lion into before setting them loose in the ring. 

Venandi's goons lifted my cage and moved it so that it was in front of the metal entrance. It almost reminded me of how, in the Jurassic Park movie, the worker tried to get the raptor into its pen, but unlike that reptile, I had no intention of moving forward. When both the gate to my cage and entrance to the arena opened, I made no effort to move. Unfortunately for me, my captors anticipated this and started to stab my sides with spears. While my scales did provide a good amount of protection, I knew that if I didn't go forward, they would try harder and eventually do some real damage. 

With no other choice, I ran forward into the holding pin until another gate opened in front of me, allowing me to continue onwards. Entering the main arena of the coliseum, overlooked by the mountain glowing an ominous red from the sun's light seeping through the thick clouds, the earth of the battlefield was stained with blood and entrails of fallen creatures in gruesome death matches. The stands and balconies had banners hanging from the edges, colored red with a horn above three claw marks, the pedestals sporting menacing-looking demon faces and skulls. There were several other iron gates surrounding the walls of the coliseum's arena, no doubt where other monstrous animals would come out, adding to the several ones that would already be maiming each other to catch the dominant one off guard with a surprise attack.

I noticed the dome of the coliseum was wide open, which means I could fly out of here! I knew that I wasn't at full strength just yet, but maybe I had enough to get me a good distance away. Taking a running start, I spread my wings and took flight. It was still a bit hard to fly, but after what happened in Ponyville, I managed to get the basics down. I was nearly high enough that I would be able to see beyond the building when, all of a sudden, my body felt as though it was being electrocuted. I started spasming for a few moments before finally falling to the ground with a heavy thud.


The world around me spun uncontrollably as I tried to regain my bearings the sound of laughter echoing in the crowdless stands. "Nice try, dragon, but it isn't that easy." Steel Horn voiced mockingly. "There's a spell that will electrocute any create that tries to fly out of here. I'm a bit surprised you're still kicking after that." It took me a while to realize that his voice was being amplified by some sort of speaker system.

As I rolled onto my legs, I heard the sound of one of the gates opening. When I turned to face it, I saw three of those wooden wolves charging out. "Alright, dragon, these are your opponents: Timberwolves. They’re straight from Equestria’s most dangerous forest, and unless you want this to be your last day alive, I suggest you put on a good fight." Steel Horn announced. 

The Timberwolves started to circle around me, snarling and barking. With no other option left, I got into a defensive stance, trying my best to intimidate the wolves. While my attention was focused on the two in front, the third wolf had jumped onto my back and tried to claw away at me. Before it could do any serious damage, I tucked my wings in and quickly rolled over, knocking it off my back. Using the same momentum to roll the timberwolf of my back, I rolled onto my feet, standing back up with a snarl before twisting my body, lifting my tail over the rolled over wolf. Slamming my appendage down with a loud crash, I sent its body flying, breaking it into little pieces. For a moment, I felt proud of myself for actually beating one of them, but that pride waned until I saw that its body parts starting to glow and float back together, repairing itself. The other two wolves joined by its side as they moved in close, causing me to take a few steps back.

The wolf in the middle let out a loud howl, causing the other two to charge toward me. I summoned up whatever nerves I could muster as I watched the two wooden wolves get closer. Gripping the ground and readying my tail, I waited until both of them were within my strike stone. Just as they got close enough, both wolves simultaneously jumped and lunged at me. Seeing the perfect opportunity presented to me, I jumped a few inches out of their way while swinging my tail as hard as I could, smashing my tail into them, sending their broken pieces flying. But unlike the first wolf, when I saw their parts hit the floor, I immediately ran in and started to smash and crush the pieces under my claws, thinking if the branches were too broken, then they couldn't reform the same way.

After snapping a few twigs, I turned my attention to the remaining wolf, confident that I could win. However, instead of seeing a cowering wolf like I had expected, it didn't seemed fazed at. With another loud and ghostly howl, the broken and scattered remains of his fallen comrades bean levitating from the ground. Instead of reforming into their previous forms, they instead started to circle around the remaining wolf. The pieces began to spin around it, orbiting faster and faster as bits of dirt and dust started to kick up, preventing me from seeing what was going on. 

After a few more seconds, the veil of dust started to die down, but just as I was about to see what had happened, something slammed into me, sending my body flying back a few yards. As my body tumbled across the ground, I tried to regain my balance to stand up. When I looked forward, I was utterly shocked; where there once was the timberwolf who was almost around my height stood a much larger version of itself. Now standing three feet taller than myself and with a much bulkier build was a giant timberwolf. Before I could barely rise to my feet, the timberwolf darted forward, swiping me with its wooden claw, digging into my skin and sent me flying once more. 


My body collided with the ground once more, knocking the wind out of me and temporarily rendering me motionless. As my senses slowly came back to me, all I could see was the timberwolf slowly stalking its way toward me. In my mind, a large part of myself hoped that this was all just a crazy dream, that that truck didn't actually kill me, and I'm in the hospital in a coma, where I would wake up from this nightmare any second now.

The timberwolf pounced, slamming one of its paws on my chest. Looking down at me with its fangs bared, raising its free paw back to deal the final blow. At that moment, my life flashed before my eyes, from my childhood to my time with Fluttershy and the girls. It was then that my mind lingered on the girls and the sadness I saw in their eyes when I was taken. 'No! I will not die here!! I will survive, and I will find my way back to them!' 

A whole new sensation started to build up in my chest before moving up my throat. Without even thinking, I spat out a plasma blast that hit the timberwolf's paw before its claws slammed down on my throat. The fire blast destroyed its limb, setting it ablaze and forcing the wolf off me. Quickly, I jumped back to my feet and roared at the beast. 'I'm not a human anymore! I am a dragon, and as such, I refuse to die to the likes of  you!!' Taking a large breath of air, I felt the sensation once more and unleashed another plasma blast on the wooden wolf. The attack slammed into its chest, causing it to howl in pain as its body slowly caught on fire. The flames spread across its flammable body, rolling around on the ground in a vain attempt to put itself out. But this is where I would end this fight. Taking one last deep breath in and focusing on my target, I unleashed another plasma blast, hitting it square on its head, causing it to explode into pieces. 

All that remained of the once fierce creature were bits of its burning body across the field. All was quiet until the sound of a single pair of hands clapping broke the silence. "Absolutely amazing!!! What a show!!!" Steel Horn cheered from the main spectator’s box. "He's perfect!! He will be the crown jewel of my arena and bring in all the bits!!! Take him down below!!" Before I had noticed, a group of ponies started lassoing my limbs, forcing me down and sliding a muzzle over my mouth to keep me from firing off any more attacks.

===================================
(The stands 3rd person)

Steel Horn happily rubbed his palms together as he watched the fierce dragon being pulled back down below. For him, this dragon would be the cash cow he had been looking for, and would soon be able to abandon this pathetic means of income.

"Eh hem." Steel Horn was brought out of his greedy plans for the future by the hunter he had to pay. "Well, seeing as this one isn't a dud and could be…. how did you put it?" Venandi thought out loud with a smug grin on his muzzle. "Oh, that's right. The soon to be crown jewel of your arena. I'd say that such a creature has to be worth a large amount of bits." He added with no effort to hide the greed in his voice.

Steel Horn made a mistake showing too much enthusiasm than he normally would, and now, because of it, he would have to pay the hunter a large sum of money. Prior to their first encounter, Steel Horn would try and find a way to take what he wanted without giving anything in return, but Venandi was a crafty little pony. When the hunter had brought him an orthros, which was a rare find, but wanted a high price for it than he would have paid for, Steel Horn threatened to take what he wanted and have them killed. Much to Steel Horn’s annoyance, the little pony was much more cunning than he had anticipated. Venandi said that he left one of his cronies behind, and if he and the rest of his lackeys didn't come out by a certain time, the location and activities of the arena will be revealed to the princesses.

Venandi was both his favorite proprietor of creatures and his least favorite business associate. "Yeah, you’re right. How does two thousand bits sound?"

"Make it four thousand and you got yourself a deal." He quickly replied with a smug grin, holding out his hoof to seal the deal. Begrudgingly, Steel Horn took the pony’s hoof in his hand and shook it in agreement to his demands. 

The group made their way toward the exit, passing by the assortment of caged creatures as they walked by. "So, how long until this batch of creatures gets sent out to the boss?" Venandi asked with a triumphant tone, catching a glimpse of Steel Horn's henchmen loading up the wagon with bags of his payment. 

"That’s none of your concern. We have six months to ship out whatever survives that long." The minotaur answered, annoyed by the smug tone in the pony's voice. 

"That short, huh? Not sure how you plan to make a profit with the dragon in that much time."

"Don't you worry about it. As far as the boss knows, we haven't gotten it." Steel Horn was well aware that the hunter knew more about his business then he was leading on. "And I would like to keep it that way." Snapping his fingers, some of his workers tossed in a few more bags of bits. "An extra thousand should be enough to keep that secret, yes?"

Veandi looked left and right, acting confused. "Secret? What secret? I have no idea what you’re talking about." He shrugged with a grin and made his way to the wagon with his biggest score yet.

====================================
(Holding area third person)

Four stallions were pulling on thick ropes that were wrapped around Toothless’s body as they tried to put him into a large cage. Because most of his strength was spent trying to escape and battling the Timberwolves, the dragon offered little difficulty. The cage itself was twice the size of the dragon, with thick metal bars that were spaced barely enough for a medium sized dog to crawl through. Once he was in the cage, one of the stallions quickly shut the cage door and put a large lock on it. The dragon fought to remove the muzzle that was latched onto his mouth, but yielded no results.

"Well, looks like my new favorite monster has some energy left in him." Steel Horn announced as he walked into the holding area, making his way toward his prize. Once he was close enough, he rested his hands against the bars, looking down at the young dragon. "You are going to make me a lot of money, little guy. Everyone will come far and wide to see you fight and bet on your matches." 

The dragon only snarled at the minotaur, charging forward, slamming against the cage. "Whoa!! That what I like to see!!" Steel Horn quickly slid his hand through the bars, grabbing Toothless by one of his ears and pulled hard, slamming his head against the cage bars. "Listen carefully, dragon. I can see that you understand what I'm saying, which means your smart enough to know a good deal when you hear one." The minotaur tightened his grip, causing Toothless to whine in pain. "If you make me a lot of money, I will make your time here a bit more bearable. Got it?"  

The dragon merely leered at the minotaur with an immense hatred and rage. Steel Horn smiled, letting go of his ear and snapped his fingers, catching the attention of four stallions. "Get that muzzle off and feed it. I can't have our soon to be champion malnourished." He ordered as he left the room.

The four stallions looked to each other, sweating bullets as they turned their attention to the cage that held the dragon, who was glaring at them with unfathomable rage. "You do it." One of the workers said, pushing another one closer to the cage.

The stallion scrambled to move back. "Like tartarus, I will!!" He pointed to an earth pony worker. "Why don't you do it!? You’re the strongest!"

The earth stallion backed away just a quick. "Yeah, strongest, not dumbest!!"

As the three argued who would try and do the job, the fourth worker, who was a pegasus, looked around until he spotted what he was looking for. "Hey, you scaredy filles!!" He called out, getting their attention. "Let's make her do it." He gestured behind him with his hoof, getting the other three to lean to one side to see what he had pointed to.

In tattered rags that looked like a potato sack was a griffin. She had white feathers that were smudged with dirt and mud. The features at the top of her head and wings had light violet highlights, her lower half resembled that of a white lion. She was carrying a bucket filled with meat, carefully tossing them into the cages with the carnivorous creatures, and would quickly back away when they lunged forward, trying to claw at her. 

The four stallions looked to each and grinned evilly. "Hey, bird brain!" The largest of the four called out, getting her attention. "Come here!"

Slowly and hesitantly, the griffin walked over toward them, unable to see the cage behind them. She stood almost as tall as Fluttershy, meaning she was fairly young, perhaps in late teens. "W-what do you need?" She asked nervously. 

"The boss told us that you need to go in there, remove its muzzle, and feed it." The pegasus stallion lied, pointing to the cage with the dragon, who had it's back turned away from them at the time.

The griffin’s eyes shrank to pinpricks as she tried to back away, only to bump into the earth pony, who prevented her from escaping. "No way! It'll kill me!!" She shrieked in fear, trying to move away, only to have the others push her toward the door.

"Yeah, we know, but that's a sacrifice we are willing to make." The pegasus stallion said in a mockingly sad tone. 

Before she could protest further, the cage was unlocked, and the door swung open. Her body was tossed inside along with the bucket of meat. She tried to tried to get out, but was too late, watching the workers lock the cage and started to walk away laughing. "Please don't leave me! I don't want to die!!" She screamed as she reaching out for help. 

The griffin was on the verge of tears before the sound of movement behind her caused her to freeze. Her heart raced as she slowly turned around to see a pair of green cat-like eyes staring at her. Fear took hold of her body, falling to the ground in a fetal position, waiting for her untimely demise. For a few moments, she prepared herself for the pain and suffering that will come when the dragon claws would dig into her flesh. But as time passed, she felt nothing; there was no pain or any indication that the beast was near her. She slowly opened her eyes to see that the dragon was now on the far end of the cage. It was still looking at her, but made no movement near her.

She stared at the dragon for a while, taking in its features, and everytime, her eyes would move back to stare at its emerald green eyes. She tilted her head to the side, becoming surprised when it mimicked her, and when she tilted back up, the dragon did the same. "Um….hello." she spoke softly, still sounding scared. 

At first, the dragon did nothing for a few moments until it slowly bowed its head. The griffin felt somewhat calmer by this notion and slowly started to move forward. "Um...are you gonna eat me?" She asked, feeling terrified that it will nod again, but much to her relief, it shook its head. While she wasn't sure if she could trust this dragon or not, something compelled her to ask her next question. "D-do you want me to get the muzzle off you?" 


When the dragon nodded its head, the griffin cautiously moved in closer, keeping her eyes on the dragon’s muzzled mouth. Once she was close enough, she carefully raised her talons to remove the leather strap that bound its mouth shut. In her mind, she was mentally slapping herself for doing this, thinking that the moment the muzzle was off, it would tear into her. 

When her talons undid the last strap, the muzzle slid off, falling to the ground with a loud thud. The dragon began to open and close its jaw, moving the lower jaw from side to side. The griffin was shocked to see that it had no teeth, but when it opened its maw and flexed its muscles, a set of teeth quickly popped out and retracted just as fast. 

While she was still wary of this dragon, the griffin felt somewhat at ease. Unlike the other creatures she had to feed that would mindlessly attack anything that came close to their cage. But this dragon, a species that was known to be hostile and aggressive towards other creatures, wasn't like that. She would watch as it patted the ground beneath it before twirling around, then sat down and looked at her. 'Huh. Kinda like a cat.' She thought to herself. 

Turning around, the griffin grabbed the bucket of meat and placed a piece on the ground in front of the dragon. "Eat up. Around here, you'll need all your strength that you can get." She said in a depressed tone. "I've been a slave her for over eight years now, and I've seen a plenty of the fights that happen around here. If you don't keep your strength up, your next fight could be your last." 

Without even thinking she moved her hand to pet the top of the dragon’s head. Her eyes widen and she quickly pulled away her hand. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to touch you!!" She shouted, curling up while expecting the dragon to snap at her for touching it. Again, she waited for the painful end of her life to happen any second. But soon, she noticed something was gently nuzzling her side, and heard a low purring sound. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the dragon was surprisingly docile and affectionate. "Wow. You sure are friendly for a dragon." She smiled as she moved her hand back to pet the dragon’s head, causing it to purr louder. 

The sound of a low rumble made Toothless’s ears perk up, causing him to look around to see where it had originated from. When he looked over to the griffin, he could see that her cheeks had turn a light shade of pink. "S-sorry. I haven't eaten in a while." Toothless moved his head over to the piece of meat that the griffin had set down for him, gently nudging it to her. She seemed surprised by the kind gesture, but pushed the meat back to him. "No no, please. Don't worry about me. You need to eat or else you won't be strong enough for when you have to fight again. Besides, I actually prefer my meat cooked." 

Toothless looked down at the meat for a second, craning his head down and opening his mouth. However, much to the griffin's surprise, instead of eating the meat, the dragon had instead started to breath a low flame on it, cooking one side before flipping it over and doing the same until the meat was cooked evenly. And much like before, the dragon nudged the piece of now cooked meat over to her. The smell invaded her nose, causing her stomach to rumble again. "Thank you." Not bothering to refuse the dragon’s offer, the griffin carefully picked up the meat and started to eat.

Toothless moved his head over to the bucket to fish out some more meat, and as he did so, he took in the griffin's appearance. He saw that she seemed to have been starved for a long time, her rib cage was almost visible, and the way she happily gorged herself on the cooked meat proved his suspicions. Grabbing a few chunks of meat for himself and swallowing them down whole, he grabbed the remaining slabs of meat and placed them in front of his new friend, cooking them with his flames.

As he prepared another batch of food for his friend, the voices of the guards from before could be heard drawing near. "I bet you anything that griffin is nothing but bones." 

"I’d say she's nothing more than a torn up corpse. Probably didn't even get the muzzle off before she died." One of the other stallions added.

"Who cares how she ended up? All I know, she’s as good a de-" The third voiced stopped short as all four of the pony guards stopped dead in their tracks as the looked into the cage. Not only was the griffin was still alive, but that the dragon wasn't trying to kill her. "What the actual buck!?" The pegasus stallion shouted as he trotted over to the cage. "Hey, you stupid dragon, you’re supposed to eat your dinner, not cook for it!!"  

The griffin was afraid the stallions would come in and punish her, that is until she felt a leathery wing gently shield her and the sound of a low snarl could be heard. She glanced up to see the dragon glowering at them while baring its teeth, its eyes were slits and seemed completely different from before. Even with how terrifying it may look now, she felt safe.

When the stallions opened the cage and moved in, holding up some spears, the dragon leapt in front of the griffin and let out a menacing roar. The ponies slowly backed away, fearing for their lives.

"What in Tartarus is going on here!?" Steel Horn shouted as he marched torward the earth pony stallion, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him up, displaying his strength. "Why is she in that cage!?" He asked while pointing to the griffin, who was standing behind the dragon. "I paid a lot of bits for that griffin, and if she dies, the rest of you are as good as dead."

While the minotaur was busy chewing out his lackeys, the griffin moved in close to the dragon's ear. "Hey, listen, I know this is asking a lot, but if this works, we both win." That was all she said before turning her attention to the five outside. "Hey!!" She shouted getting their full attention. "You better start treating us with some more respect or else!!"

Steel Horn dropped the earth pony as he faced the gutsy griffin. "Oh, is that so?" He asked, stepping closer toward the cage with his chest out in an intimidating stance. "And what makes you think you can start giving me orders?"

For a second the griffin hesitated before stepping forward. "Because I'm the one who can help tame your new dragon." 

There was a brief silence before Steel Horn began to snicker, then eventually became a hearty laugh. "Oh yeah! Like I'm gonna believe that! Hahaha!!!" As he laughed, the four stallions started to laugh as well, trying to please their boss.

Snapping her tail, the griffin turned to the dragon. "Sit, boy!!" For a brief moment, Toothless was completely confused, but quickly remembered what the griffin had asked of him. Quickly he sat down on his back legs, causing the laughter to stop. "Roll over!!" Tucking his wings against his body, Toothless laid on the ground and rolled from left to right. The griffin turned to see the shocked expressions on her audience. "Come, dragon!!" She ordered, holding out her hand with her palm out. And as commanded, the dragon got up and moved to place his head under her talons.

"You think that makes you the boss now!!" Steel Horn quickly stepped into the cage, shoving the griffin aside. "I can just as ea-" The dragon quickly snapped its jaws at the minotaur’s hand, who had managed to back away just before the dragon's teeth could sink into his wrist. 

"Careful, because the next time you try and touch him, he might end up eating that hand of yours." The griffin spoke in a matter of fact tone as she moved to the dragon's side, gently patting his head to calm it down. "Here’s the deal, Steel. You make sure that both me and my new friend here live the good life while we're here, and I'll make sure that this dragon makes you all the money you want with no hassle." 

The minotaur was completely livid as she stared at the once former slave who managed to tame his soon-to-be champion. When he glanced down at the dragon, he could have sworn he saw a smile creep onto its lips. 'Guess I was right about it being smart.' Though it pained him to admit, his previous statement proved true as the dragon had a better offer presented to him. "Fine, you got yourself deal. But you two better remember who's in charge around here." 


As the minotaur turned to leave, the sound of the griffin clearing her throat caught his attention. "We're gonna need better accommodations than this cage." She added in a teasing tone. "You wouldn't want your superstar to be weak and tired for his next fight, right?"


Steel was grinding his teeth together before snapping his fingers at the four stallions. "You four, get those two a room where they can't escape from." He demanded as he stomped his way out of the holding area. 

===================================

(Toothless POV)

After a good ten minutes, both me and my new friend were escorted through the coliseum to a large room that wasn't too far from the holding area. The door to the room was made out of metal and stood about six feet tall. Inside was a room with stone walls with a little opening in the corner of the room for some air and some luminescent crystal for light. It kinda looked like a medieval dungeon, except on the far right was a large bed with pillows and a blanket, and to the left was a very large wooden bathtub filled with water. Once the two of us were inside, the door behind us slammed shut and a large click echoed, which I had guessed was them locking the door. 

"Hey, I'm sorry for barking orders at you like that." The griffin, whose name I've yet to learn, spoke. "But I've seen how that jerk works, and it was the only thing I could think of." She looked down sadly. "I must have looked like I was just using you to make my life better, huh?"

While I will admit her plan caught me off guard and was a spur of the moment kind of idea, it did get us these better accommodations. Since I lacked the ability to speak, I moved over to her and gently nuzzled her head, letting out a low purr to show her that I wasn't mad.

She seemed to understand what I was trying to tell her as she let out a soft chuckle. "Heh. You’re a really affectionate dragon, aren't you?" She asked while cupping my cheeks  and gently squishing them together. "And you're really cute." I responded by flicking my tongue out making a 'blep' noise. "Awww, you're too cute!!" She leaned in and nuzzled her cheeks against my nose. I wasn't sure if I was blushing or not, but it sure felt like it. "Oh! I just realized I never told you my name yet, did I?" I shook my head. "Well, my name is Glenda, it's nice to meet you...What's your name?"


And just like what happened with Fluttershy, I had to go through a whole charade of movements to try and tell her my name. But unlike Fluttershy, Glenda couldn't get what I was trying to tell her. "Yeah, I'm not sure what you're trying to say. Hmmm…? I'm just gonna call you Noir; it's Prench for black." 


'Wow, just like Fluttershy.' So, reluctantly, I accepted my second new name with a nod.

"Great. Now, if you'll excuse me." Before I knew it, Glenda removed her ragged clothes and tossed them in the air as she jumped into the tub of water. And to my surprise, the cloth landed directly on my face. For a few moments, I tried to remove the garment from my head, but unfortunately, the piece of clothing wouldn't come off. I tried shaking my head from side to side, or using my paws to pull it off, but each attempt ended up in failure. If I had to describe what I may look like doing all this, I'd say I would look like a cat trying to get a paper bag off it's head. 

"Hahaha! Need help there, Noir?" Glenda laughed, followed by the rags being pulled off my head. When they came off, I got a glance at the now clean griffin. Her feathers and fur were as white as snow, and I could see that she had eyes that were as blue as sapphires. She made her way out of the tub and shook off all the water on her body, then made her way to the bed. She patted a spot next to her. "Come on. We should get some rest. Odds are Steel Horn is gonna try and find you a fight as soon as possible."

The idea of rest quickly reminded me of how tired I really was, especially after my fight. So I carefully climbed up onto the bed and performed my usual routine before laying down, reflecting on all the events that had transpired these last couple of hours. 'I swear, I'll find a way out of here.'



> Escape part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Fluttershy's cottage)

"Goodbye, Rainbow Dash. I'll see you and Tank at your first pony pet playdate." Fluttershy called out as she watched her friend, Rainbow Dash, go home with her new pet tortoise, Tank. "Oh, and I hope your wing gets better soon."

Closing the door behind her, Fluttershy stretched her legs after having an eventful day. "Angel, I'm home." She called out as she walked over to her couch. Shortly after, a small white bunny came scurrying into the living room. "Hello, Angel. Sorry to keep you waiting, but we finally picked out the perfect pet for Rainbow Dash." The little bunny shrugged its shoulders and hopped onto the couch, pointing a paw at its mouth and followed by rubbing its stomach. "Oh, I'm sorry. I almost forgot to make your dinner." Jumping off the couch, Fluttershy made her way toward the kitchen with her pet on her back. 

After preparing Angel bunny's meal, the animal lover decided to get some last minute cleaning done around the house before bed. Grabbing a feather duster, she started to dust off all the shelves in the living room first. But as she was nearing one of the shelves, a gentle breeze flowed through an open window, knocking a few pieces of paper to fall to the ground. 

"Oh dear." Placing the feather duster down, Fluttershy moved to close the window and pick up the pieces of paper off the floor. As she did, one of them halted her actions. On one side of the paper was a picture of her stolen friend, Toothless. 

She and the rest of her friends had made hundreds of posters that they spread all across town and other cities throughout Equestria. They searched high and low for any clues that would help turn the location of the dragon. But after so much time, Fluttershy's friends had given up and suggested that she do the same. However, a part of her tells her that she shouldn’t give up and that she should continue to hope that Toothless will be found and brought back. 

Looking out the window, Fluttershy stared up at the sky as the sun set and the moon slowly rose in the sky. "Oh, Toothless, I hope you’re okay."

===================================
(The Arena) 

The moon had reached its peak as its light shined down on the large structure now filled with chattering creatures of all kinds. 

"Mares and gentlecolts, creatures of all ages!!! Welcome to the Arena!!!" The crowd erupted in cheers with stompings of hooves and other limbs on the floor. "We have one Tartarus of a show for you tonight, folks!!" From atop his podium, Steel Horn pointed to a set of gates to the far left. "Our first monster of the night hails from the frozen mountains of Yakyakistan!" The gate slowly rises as the sound of heavy breathing and snarls could be heard. "A beast who will feast upon any poor creature that mistakenly enters its territory! Here’s the Yeti!!" The gates finally opened, a large six foot beast with white fur and burning red eyes prowling out from its entrance. It snarled and howled as it ran around the arena.

The crowd cheered and hollered as they watched in enjoyment as the beast below ran around mindlessly. The lights that illuminated the arena cut off, leaving only the moon to provide light. "And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for." A single spotlight shines on a set of metal gates, smoke slowly starting to billow out. "With scales as black as its heart, and fangs that rip the very soul from its unfortunate victims, comes a beast that will surely haunt your dreams."

"Rrrrraaaaaaahhhhhhhh!!!" A loud, ear-piercing roar echoed throughout the stadium, causing most of the patrons to cover their ears.

Soon, the sound of drums filled the air as the gates slowly rose, the smoke grew thicker and the roars even louder."From the darkest, most foulest, deepest pits of Tartarus, I present to you, your champion of the arena, Nightmare!!"



        
Faster than the gates could open, a dark mass zoomed out from the cloud of smoke and started to fly around the arena in an ebony blur. Everyone tried to catch a glimpse of the speeding black object flying around the arena, blowing powerful gusts of wind into the stands as it flew past them. The yeti bellow snarled as it tried to follow the movements of its opponent, only to miss it when it turned its head. 

The lights around the arena turned back on, allowing the audience to spot the fast moving creature as it landed a few feet in front of the yeti. The creature that both the audience and yeti bore witness to was a black dragon that stood a foot taller than the average pony. All fell silent in the arena as the two beasts stared at each other. The dragon flared its wings out, lifting its head up high before unleashing another ear-piercing roar, forcing the audience to cover their ears again. The yeti, however, was not amused, staring down the much smaller creature that had tried to intimidate it like it was the dominant species.

The yeti charged forward, swiping its claws at the small creature, only to miss as its target jumped back. The dragon lunged forward, snapping its jaws onto the yeti's arm as it passed, forcing a painful howl to come from it. The yeti flailed its arm around, trying to toss of the black reptile off. The dragon's fangs only dug deeper into its flesh, causing blood to gush out and stain its white fur. Seeing that its efforts weren’t working, the snow beast took in a deep breath before blowing out frost shards, aiming at the dragon's side and piercing its hide, forcing its jaw to release the yeti's arm. 

With another deep breath, the yeti unleashed another barrage of ice shards at the dragon. The dragon flapped its wings, sending its body into the air, narrowly dodging the attack. Using its advantage in the air, the Night Fury flew around the arena, picking up speed as it circled the yeti, who tried to keep an eye on its opponent. 

The crowd cheered at the spectacle before them as they watch the two beasts fight for supremacy in the ring. The crowd’s cheering hadn't gone unnoticed as the yeti turned to the audience, unleashing a flurry of ice shards at them. Those being aimed at screamed before an invisible barrier blocked the attack. "To those new to our lovely establishment, we like keeping your safety in mind. The arena is equipped with a barrier that prevents anything from within the ring to escape and/or harm its audience." Steel Horn announced on the intercom, reassuring his paying customers.

When the yeti's attention had turned to crowd, the dragon dove in, firing off two plasma blasts, each one slamming against the yeti’s upper body and knocked it over. Taking advantage of the situation, the swift-flying beast swooped down, slamming both his arms onto the yeti's abdomen repeatedly. The force of his attacks created loud shock waves that could easily be heard from the stands above. With every impact, the snow beast’s body twitched, eventually coughing up blood and vile. Seeing that his opponent was all but finished, the ebony dragon pushed off, landing a foot in front of his opponent. Flaring his wings once more, he unleashed another ear piercing roar that managed to even shake the air around them in an attempt to prove its dominance over the battle.

But much like before, the yeti's stubborn nature didn't permit it to yield to its foe and took up a standing position once more. Digging its front claws into the ground and bracing it back legs, the yeti took a deeper breath, causing a bright white light to form in the back of its throat. Before the yeti could unleash its attack, the Night Fury fired off a plasma blast into its opponents mouth, which went straight through his throat and blew a hole in its neck. With its remaining strength, it looked toward its opponent, seeing it give a small bow before unleashing one fine blast. The yeti's head was blasted clean off, its body falling to the ground with a loud thud and blood spurting out, signaling the end of the fight. 

The air was silent as the spectators all sat there, mouths gaping at the brutality. For a few short moments, it remained this way until Steel Horn broke the silence. "The winner!!! Nightmare!!!" The crowd started to cheer and whistle, some jumping for joy as they won the bet between the two beasts while others tossed their tickets in frustration at their loss.

A group of armored stallions came rushing into the arena and surrounded the dragon, each of them brandishing spears as they tried to force the dragon back inside. One of the stallions stabbed the dragon in the side, a mistake he would soon come to regret. Quickly turning in place to face the stallion, the dragon pounced forward, knocking him on his side. Before the stallion could get up, he found his neck being grabbed. Looking up, he stared in fear as the dragon loomed over him, its cold, slitted eyes staring down at him with its jaws wide open. He could see down the back of its throat and how a dim light began to grow brighter from inside. The crowd started to panic as they watch the pony's life about to end with a gruesome fate.


The stallion screamed and tried frantically to push the dragon’s paw off his neck and escape. His efforts were in vain as the leathery arm didn't budge an inch. He could only watch as the dragon craned its head up, the light in its mouth growing brighter and bits if flames building up, ready to unleash its plasma blast a point blank range. 

SNAP!!!

A loud snapping sound quickly stopped the dragon's attack and brought its attention to turn in the direction of the sound. Standing at one of the gates was griffon with white feathers and fur, the tips of her feathers with light violet highlights. Her chest was covered in a leather vest with black scales similar to the dragon’s. In her left talon, she held a whip, snapping the tip on the ground once more. 

"Mares and gentle stallions, as I said before, safety is our first concern here at the battle arena! I present to you the dragon tamer!!" Steel Horn announced as the griffon moved closer keeping the dragon's attention on her. "This fearless griffon is the only one capable of controlling our ferocious champion!!" The crowd muttered to one another as they watched with bated breath. 

The griffon snapped her whip again as she moved forward toward the savage beast. The dragon moved it's paw off the stallion as it turned its attention toward the griffon, snarling loudly. Two of the other armored stallions rushed past the dragon, quickly dragging their almost mauled comrade away before the beast changed its mind.

Snarling, the dragon stalked its way toward the griffon. The crowd watched in awe as the griffon wasn’t backing away, but instead strolled up to the beast. Flaring its wings, the dragon roared at the griffon before charging forward. 

With another flick of her whip, the griffon landed the tip on the top of the dragon's snout, getting it to abruptly stop its charge just as it was two feet away from her. The dragon rubbed its nose with its forearm, trying to relieve the stinging sensation from the whip, and as it did so, the griffin female slowly moved forward with her talon extend toward it. The crowd let out a collective gasp and sat on the edge of their seats as they watched. 

The black dragon stopped, taking notice of the female's approach and snarled at the outstretched limb. Despite this, her taloned hand hadn't faltered in its movements, gently placing her hand on the dragon’s nose. For a few brief moments, nothing happened, everyone in the stands stunned silent as they witnessed such an insane thing to do to a deadly beast like a dragon.

The dragon stared at the avian/feline hybrid for a few brief moments before slowly laying down on the ground and lowering its head. The tamer patted the top of the dragon's head before quickly pointed toward the open gate. And without any hesitation, the dragon quickly ran toward the gate to the holding area from the silent command.

The griffin turned her attention toward the crowd, giving them a small bow. As she turned to walk back to the holding area, the crowd abruptly cheered and whistled as she left.

"The dragon tamer, mares and gentle stallions!!" Steel Horn shouted as the crowd continued to cheer. "Now, before you leave, please note that we will be making our announcement for the last battle of the season in a few hours!"

====================================
(The holding area)

The guards all backed away slowly as the Night Fury walked past them, making its way to chamber where it and its tamer resigned. But after what happened with their comrade not mere moments ago, the ponies couldn't help but quiver as the dragon passed them. 

One stallion quickly backed away when he thought the beast was getting to close, but due to his inability to watch where he was stepping, he failed to see the metal flagon on ground.  His back left hoof stepped around the edge, causing it to slip off and tripping the stallion, making him land on the ground with a thud and made his armor clatter. This did not go unnoticed as the dragon turned his attention to the fallen stallion, its cold, reptilian eyes staring at the downed pony. The stallion began to violently shake with fear as the dragon started to slowly prowl toward him. He wanted to scream for help from his comrades, but felt his throat dry up, making him unable to even speak. The other stallions could only watch in fear as they watched all that was transpiring.

Before the beast could jump at his next victim, the end of a whip snapped at its cheek. Like before, the dragon turned its attention on the griffin, who was holding the black leather whip as she made her way in. "Hey, don't eat the help! You'll give yourself indigestion!!" She shouted, snapping the whip near its feet, forcing it back. "Back to the room with you!!" 

Snarling, the dragon turned and moved to the large metal door that led to its chambers. The ponies stationed by said door quickly opened it and hid behind it as the dragon walked in before slamming it shut.

The sound of clapping echoing off the walls could be heard. "Wonderful work, as always." Steel horn praised as he walked in and approached the dragon tamer. "And we made huge profits from not only the admission fees, but from how many of our customers bet on the fight." The minotaur let out a hearty laugh and he slapped his knee. "I'm raking in more bits then my idiot cousin, Iron Will, with his stupid scams." He turned to one of the goat workers. "What was it he’s currently doing? Self-confidence seminars?" The goat merely shrugged. "Ah, who cares? Point is, thanks to our champion, we'll be richer than all the nobles in the capital!" 

"Yeah yeah. whoop-de-frikin-do." Glenda spoke in a deadpan tone while twirling her talon in the air, pretending to be enthusiastic. "So, about tomorrow's fight. Obviously, it's gonna be Nightmare who will be fighting, but who’s his opponent gonna be?"

"Ah, patience, my little money bird." Steel horn spoke in a patronizing manner as he lightly patted the griffin's head, who quickly smacked it away. "You'll have to wait until I make the announcement in a little bit."

She rolled her eyes and started to walk toward the large metal doors the dragon had gone into. "Whatever. Just remember that if I don't get the proper information on his next opponent, then your champion might be as good as dead." She opened the door, but before she walked inside, she turned and shot the minotaur a glare. "Don't ever touch me again unless you plan on losing a hand." She threatened before slamming the door shut.

After the griffon shut the door behind her, a low growl could be heard coming from behind. Turning around, she saw the dragon in a crouching position, teeth bared with its slitted eyes focused on her. "OH, WHAT!? YOU WANT A PIECE OF ME!?" She shouted, getting a loud roar in response. "WELL, BRING IT!!" She quickly glanced down behind her at the floor of the door to see some shadows from the other side move away quickly, accompanied by the sound of fading hoof steps. Turning back to the dragon, she smiled. "Okay, they're gone."

The dragon had its mouth opened ready to roar once more before closing it mouth and allowing its eyes to return to normal. Noir put his front paws out to stretch, letting out a long yawn as he did. After his stretch, he gave his paw a lick and rubbed the top of his head.

"I swear, I think you act more like a cat then a terrifying dragon." She chuckled as she walked over to the bed, removing her leather vest. "Well, we put on one heck of a show out there. Me more specifically." She chuckled. As she had gotten the vest off, she felt something small hit her on the back of her head. "Hey!" She turned to see her companion looking rather annoyed before turning his head with a pout. "What?" She didn't receive an immediate response, only when her friend tapped on his nose and pointed to the whip on the floor did she understand what he was moping about. "Oh, what's the matter? Did the big bad dragon not like getting flicked on the nose?" She teased in a playful tone, which only got her friend to grunt and turn away. "Aww what? Did the mean old whip hurt your wittle feewings? Do you want an apology, is that why your pouting?" She continued to tease the dragon by talking to him like a baby. In return, the dragon opened and closed his mouth, pretending to talk while letting out some grumbled noise with a less than amused look on his face.

"Well, how about this!?" Jumping at him, Glenda tried wrapping her arms around Noir’s neck, only barely latching on. She tried to push him as she playfully tackled him, the dragon unphased with a deadpan stare. "Ooh, you feel that!? Do you feel my heart-felt remorse?" 

Noir just stood up on his hind legs with Glenda still hanging by his neck as he walked over to the edge of the bed. "Hey, what are yo~EEP!!" the griffon squeaked as her question was cut off, the dragon falling forward onto the bed with him laying on top of her. It wasn’t enough to crush her beneath his weight, but just enough to pin her down. Glenda tried to push the overgrown reptile off her, but only managed to poke her head out. "Hey! No fair!! That’s cheating!!" Noir simply let out a grumble-like laugh as he watched his companion try her best to push him off.

Glenda did her best to push the dragon off her, but he wasn't budging an inch. Before long, she stopped trying to push him off as a wicked idea popped into her head, one that will surely get the dragon off and also get a bit of revenge. "Mmm. Oh, Noir, I never knew you'd be so forceful about this." She spoke in a dreamy voice. This quickly gets the dragon's attention as he looks down. "If I had known you were planning on mounting me, I would have tried to look better, especially since you'll be my first." She fluttered her eyes before turning her head. "Even though I'm not of proper age yet by one year, I trust you’ll be gentle." She leaned in and gave the dragon a peck on the cheek.

In a matter of seconds, Noir’s wings flared up and he jumped as high as he could to get off the griffon. Unfortunately, he went too high and slammed into the ceiling. Before his body could fall back down, the griffin rolled off the bed and watched him land on the bed with a loud thump.


===================================
(Johann POV)

Before I could even raise my head, the sound of my roommate laughing uncontrollably fills my ears. "Bwahahaha! Oh my gosh, Noir, your face!!" For five months, two weeks, and six days, I've been bunked with this chick, and I'll never get used to her teasing. But I'm not complaining.

Ever since day one, she and I have been working together to both survive and make living in this hellhole slightly bearable. In that time, I've battled countless creatures in the ring, some new and others I've faced on more than one occasion, and from each of those fights, I’ve only gotten stronger. I've learned how to use every inch of my body as though I've had it all my life. I've learned how to fly within small confined spaces and how to use my plasma blast more efficiently. But it's not my skills alone that have grown; my body has done the same as well. Where I once stood as tall as a full grown pony, now I'm a foot taller. 

Glenda, who was still laughing her beak off, hopped onto the bed, laying next to me."Geez, Noir, no matter how many times I tease you, you always have the same reaction! It’s so priceless! Hahah!!" She punched me in the shoulder, which thanks to my scales and stronger muscles, didn't feel like anything more than a light pat. "By the way, excellent performance with those guards. I almost believed that you were actually gonna kill them." 

While I could have done so, I needed to make sure that Steel Horn and his cronies still believed that Glenda was my tamer, the reason why she “willingly” kept working for him. After all the things he and this place has put her through, she wasn’t going to take it after a while more. Another development that had occurred during my time with Glenda was how she ended up in this place. 

In order to understand her story and how she got here, I first had to learn of her kind: the griffons. In ancient times, griffins were known for their greed, even rivaling a dragon’s greed, hoarding all their treasures and fighting amongst each other for more. Until one day, a king named Grover found a mysterious golden artifact called the Idol of Boreas. Legend has it that the idol was forged from the dust of golden sunsets that had been blown across the mountains by the north winds. Possessing the idol filled the griffons’ hearts with pride, it said that one great treasure was the cause that made Griffinstone the most majestic kingdom in all the lands. And from one king to the next, the idol was passed down over the ages, right up to the last king, King Guto. Griffonstone's idol was the envy of all other species, giving them a sense of identity and pride. That’s when a horrible monster, called the Arimaspi, came to steal the griffins’ prized treasure. And though King Guto tried his best to fend against the Arimaspi from stealing the idol, the monster was too powerful, managed to grab the idol, and flee the castle. King Guto and his soldiers charged after the Arimaspi, cutting it off over a stone bridge. However,  a bolt of lightning shot down from the heavens above, striking the bridge, causing both the Arimaspi and the golden idol to fall into the Abysmal Abyss. And with the loss of their precious idol, so too did the griffins’ pride.

To some, this was just a mere history lesson, but for Glenda, it was family history. As it turns out, she is a descendant of King Guto. I wondered why a princess of all creatures would be in this place, but after King Guto lost the idol, along with Griffinstone's pride, the royal family were looked down upon ever since, treated like outcasts. So, for most of her childhood, Glenda and her parents would have to live on the farthest parts of what remained of the once proud kingdom. Yet despite all this, Glenda's father never lost hope in the pride they once had, but he knew that words alone wouldn't sway the other griffins as they were now. So he had set a goal for himself: to find the lost Idol of Boreas and take the throne back so that he could help lead the griffons back to their prosperous ways. He had researched where the idol had fallen, even how one would need to climb down the abyss safely. He had planned everything down to the last detail. But what the poor griffin hadn't planned was an illness that had left him bedridden. For weeks, he laid in bed fighting a losing battle. And when he knew that his time in this world would soon be at an end, he had asked Glenda to try and carry out his dream, to bring the griffins back together and restore their kingdom’s pride. Those were his last words before he passed away, leaving Glenda without a father, and her mother a widow.

While Glenda was heartbroken about the loss of her father, she was determined to carry out her father's dying wish. But that wasn’t going to happen when the loss of her father was the final straw that broke the griffon’s mother. Years of living in the slums and barely scraping by had taken its toll on her, and with the death of her husband, she had lost all reasoning. She took Glenda far away from her home and brought her here, selling her for a large amount of money. Glenda was mortified that her mother had succumbed to the griffins’ greed to play where she would sell her own daughter for bits. And for eight years, she has been enslaved in this horrible place, working like a dog and feed the dangerous creatures that have tried to end her life.

But since our meeting, I've managed to help her make time much more bearable. Which I can't say the same when she constantly teases me. In my past life as a human, I never had a girlfriend, which meant that I wasn't used to such attention. It all started during our second week when I had accidentally brushed my paw against her wing. Apparently, creatures like griffins and pegasi who have feathered wings are incredibly sensitive, so they can pick up on air pressure or temperature change to help their flying. However, they're also considered erogenous zones during more intimate moments. When I had accidentally brushed her wings, which got me a half moan, half squawking noise, I jumped back in surprise. She then told me how wings work and could see my discomfort, like when a parent gives their kid "the talk" for the first time. What's more, I found out that wings kinda worked in another embarrassing way. If a winged creature feels flustered or even aroused, their wings flair out in what's called a “wing boner", and unlike an erection, where you had a chance to prevent it, wing boners are instant with a loud "POMF" noise.  

Ever since she found out how easily flustered I could get, Glenda hasn't let up anytime we were alone. "Geez, Noir, we need to get you laid once we get out of here." She teased while elbowing my side, making me grumble and look away. 

While I was sulking, I felt her place her hand on my shoulder. "Speaking of getting out, are you ready for tomorrow?" Unlike before, her tone had shifted to a serious one. I turned to her to see that she wasn't joking around. "Tomorrow is the day we've been waiting for, and it will be our only chance to get out of here. That means doing whatever it takes to get out of here, right?" 

I nodded, jumping off the bed and moved to the bathtub, pushing it aside. I used one my claws to flip one of the bricks that lined the ground, revealing a hole. Glenda stepped down from the bed and walked over to me, sticking her arm in and grabbed something. She pulled out a blade; the tip of a spear to be precise. After one of my fights, much like today, some guards thought they could try and get me to do what they wanted. I gripped the tip of one of their spears and snapped it off, then faked that I had swallowed it. It took a lot of work not to stab the inside of my mouth at the time, but now Glenda has a weapon. 

"Okay, Noir, remember our plan for tomorrow. One slip-up and we’re both as good as dead." I watched her slip the blade into a secret pocket in her vest. "And listen, I get you dont like killing the other creatures, but tomorrow, you need to get out when the moment is right. That means that for tomorrow's match, you can't hesitate, because every second counts."

I understood what she wants, but it's easier said than done. Much like my fight with the yeti, I would always try and get whatever creature I was fighting a chance to back down and stop. While they did try to kill me, it's only because of the fact that they are forced to. In truth, they are just wild animals following their instincts, that's why before I have to end them, I pay my respects with one last bow. But given that tomorrow is of great importance, I don't think I can afford to be that careless.

"Attention! Attention!" A voice called out over the intercom. "Tomorrow's match will be announced in a few short moments."

"That's my cue to go scout out your next, and hopefully last opponent." Glenda patted my shoulders before making her way to the door. Before she could open it, she turned to me. "Hey, if this doesn't work out, I want you to know that you made these last few months worth living through." 

When the door closed, I took the time to reflect on tomorrow's events, and prayed to whatever God was out there that all would go well.


==================================
(3rd person POV) 

Glenda walked out of the room and quickly made her way to one of the gates to see what creature Steel Horn will have fight her friend. Much like the other creatures Noir faced, Glenda made sure to know what monster he would fight against, even give him tips on what's the best way to fight said monster. A good example was when Noir was going to face off against a cockatrice, a creature whose gaze can turn anyone to stone. Thanks to her advice on fighting with his eyes closed, Noir managed to kill the beast while only receiving minor cuts and scrapes.

"MARES AND GENTLE STALLIONS, ARE YOU READY FOR TOMORROW'S MATCH!?" Steel Horn shouted over the intercom. getting those who stayed behind for the announcement to cheer wildly. "Well, you won't be disappointed that you stayed behind! So, as all of you know, this year’s season will be coming to an end tomorrow." The crowd let out a series of "awwws" and "boos" at this. "I know, and believe me, it pains me to do so. To think you will all have to wait four months till the next season pains me. BUT! That's why tomorrow's match will be extra special! Because it will feature our reigning champion: Nightmare!!" The crowd started to cheer once more, stomping the ground with their hooves making the whole building shake a bit. "Whoa!! Are you all that excited for the fight, or just happy to see me!? Hah!!"

"Just bucking hurry up and get on with the announcement, you bovine idiot," Glenda grumbled bitterly.

"Well, I think you've all waited long enough! The creature that will fight our champion is a rare monster that was only recently purchased, and I’ve kept it under wraps until the end of the season!" This managed to catch Glenda off guard. She would always keep tabs on what new creatures showed up in case she needed to construct a fight plan for her dragon comrade. "This is one of the most terrifying creatures found in the Everfree Forest, but why tell you when I can show you!?"

The arena began to rumble and shake, catching everyone by surprise. The center of the battlefield started to split apart, revealing a secret underground chamber. Next came the sound of large metal gear clanking together as it slowly spun, the sound of chains rattling filled the air. From the hole in the middle of the ring, a terrifying roar could be heard calling out, but what was odd was that it sounded like multiple roars coming from more than one beast. Within several minutes, the top of an incredibly large cage could be seen rising from the hole. The crowd let out loud gasps and screams as the could now see what was inside the cage. Three long, massive heads attached to one body roared in anger, slamming against the bars while breathing out torrents of flames. "Welcome the Hydra!!!" Steel Horn introduced, getting the crowd to quickly change from screams of fear to those of excitement.


"Oh my Celestia." Were the only words Glenda could utter as she stared at the furious beast, dreading the multi-headed beast could truly end her friend’s life.
> Nightmares
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Dream realm 3rd person)

A vast, endless void where little orbs of light are floating in the air. But the orbs are not just mere balls of light; they are the dreams of all the creatures of Equestria. And patrolling this vast realm was the princess of the night herself, Luna. 

Walking through the dreamscape, Luna monitored the dreams of her subjects for any nightmares that would trouble them. Since her return, Luna has had much to learn. Not just in the ways of modern day society with their way of speaking and mannerisms, but of the ponies themselves. Since she had been banished for the last one thousand years, all the ponies that she and her sister once knew had long since passed. The few friends she had around the castle that were brave enough to treat her and Celestia as equals were gone centuries ago. 

And since her return, she finds herself making some headway in reconnecting with her subjects. A prime example was when she had visited the residents of Ponyville during Nightmares Night, though most of her visit had ponies screaming and running away from her, thinking that Nightmare Moon had returned. But thanks to her sister's loyal student, Twilight Sparkle, she was able to get in their good graces and have a wonderful Nightmare Night. 

Sadly, that is where the good times would end for a good while. Celestia would try to introduce her to the rest of her subjects in the hopes to reconnect with them, too. But even with her sister's reassurance, most, if not all the ponies still feared her, and would quickly turn tail and run away. And those who didn't were the greedy nobles who tried to get in her good graces to hopefully boost their status or their business. 

"Even in a thousand years, some things will never change." She spoke bitterly to no one as she continued her walk through the dreamscape.








One night when Luna had came back from another meeting with her subjects, which ended with them screaming and running away yet again, Luna had locked herself in her room crying that she will never be accepted. Then her sister came to comfort her, saying that it will take time. But this wasn't the only reason she came to see her; Celestia had much different plans in mind. She told Luna that she had a secret that no pony in the whole castle knew about, not even her most trusted guards. Luna was intrigued. She knew from experience how mischievous her sister could really be behind closed doors, a prime example was her foalhood when they lived in the old castle.

She placed a spell on the door, preventing anyone from entering. Then she lit her horn once more and a small portal opened in front of them. Before Luna could question it, she was pushed through.  

The next thing Luna knew was that her body had changed and she was flailing around trying to regain her balance, failing horribly as she fell flat on her face. The next thing she heard was her sister laughing hysterically. When she turned around to yell and ask what she had done, she went silent when she saw her. Rather than the alicorn she knew for years, she instead saw a strange bipedal creature. It had her sister's mane color and eyes, but other than that, she was unrecognizable. 

Celestia explained to her that she had taken the form of a species of bipedal creatures called humans, and that she turned into one, too. Luna was perplexed by her new form and struggled to better control it. But with help from her sister and a few pointers, she was up on her feet. 

Once Luna was able to properly move around, her sister continued to explain the situation at hoof. She learned that they were in another world, one vastly different from their own, where magic is nonexistent. Luna had a hard time believing that such a thing was possible and the only pony who could possibly even know of such a spell would be their old mentor, Starswirl the Bearded. Celestia knew this already and had stumbled upon one of his old spell books during her sister's absence. Luna learned that while this world was devoid of magic, only referenced in fantasy, the beings of this world made up for it with their advancement in technology and science. 

And it was with their technology that Celestia brought her sister to this world. 

As her sister guided her to their destination, Luna took the time to marvel at all the things she saw as they walked. On the roads were metal chariots that moved without anypony to pull them and moved faster than any pony she's seen. And the tall buildings with practically millions of light that reminded her of the night sky. There was so much to take in all at once, her mind couldn't process the sights she saw.

Eventually, the two arrived at their destination, which was a wide, tall building with the words "Cinema Theater" written in bold shining lights.

Luna had asked her sister why she brought her here when they could go to a theater back home. She knew that her sister was a huge fan of plays and live performances, but she didn't think that she would bring her to one in another world.

Celestia only giggled at her sister's confusion and told her to watch and wait. Luna hated when her sister acted like she knew everything, and even more so when she did. As they approached what looked like a counter surrounded by glass, Luna noticed her sister pulling out a square that opened up to reveal some green paper. According to her sister, this was one of the forms of currency used here. Luna found it odd that they used paper and not gold bits. The human in the box greeted them as they approached and asked what they would like to see, to which her sister answered, "Yes, two tickets to the ‘How to Train your Dragon’ movie." The attendant smiled and took the money Celestia handed over, and in return, received two small blue tickets no bigger than their palm.

As Celestia was about to walk into the large building, Luna quickly pulled her aside. "Sister, what theater is it that you brought me to that could teach you to train a dragon to be one’s pet? You don't plan on trying to take over the Dragonlands, do you? I know they can be a bit brutish, but that's no reason to~" Luna stopped as she noticed that her sister's cheeks were puffed up with a smile while holding her stomach. "What is so funny, sister!?"

Celestia couldn't hold it back anymore as she doubled over laughing, using one arm on the wall to hold herself up. "I'm sorry, Lulu, but you're just too much! Hahaha!!" After a good amount of time, Celestia stood back up, wiping the tears out of her eyes. "Believe me, sister, I have no intention of conquering the dragons." She placed a hand on her sister's shoulder and guided her inside. "Trust me, Lulu. What you're about to experience might help brighten your spirit. Just keep an open mind and enjoy yourself."

Though she could tell her sister was being sincere, Luna was not one to just relax on the spot, and it didn't help that her sister used her nickname when they were growing up. It usually meant she had a surprise, a prank, or sometimes both. 

As they entered the building, Luna marveled at the large lobby that occasionally echoed the sounds around her, of which there were. Some of the sounds almost resembled that of the sound of battle, which made her flinch and her newly acquired fist to raise and clench up. But her sister quickly pushed them down, assuring her that it was nothing but noise and that there was no battle. 

Celestia directed her attention to a few picture frames that hung on the wall, but something was very different about these pictures. The images were moving? Luna was baffled as she approached the moving pictures as she watched them move in their frames. Each of the pictures moved and produced their own sound before going black, and the images changed to whole new ones. "Sister, you told me this world's magic was nonexistent and only spoke of it in myth and legend." She then pointed her finger to one of the motion pictures that was showing a man dressed in a metal suit of red and gold flying through the air. "But how do you explain this? Surely this is some spell that lets one peer into other worlds?"

Her sister only giggled at her sister's innocence. "This is no spell, Lulu. What you're seeing is one of the many products of this world’s technology. This is called a television and the images that are playing on it is a movie, which is short for motion pictures." Celestia would then give her sister a crash course in how movies work and what purpose they serve.

Luna found out that humans would often dream of a life that most in Equestria would consider a normal day. Humans would use these motion pictures to create a visible story for others to immerse themselves in for entertainment. There were motion pictures of many genres: fiction, romance, horror, and even some that were based on real life events in their history. And they all had one common purpose, to provide entertainment to the humans.

Soon, Luna and her sister made their way into a large room with rows of seats that elevate higher for each row so others may see the wall with a white canvas. The two walked up the stairs that led them to the middle row, facing dead center of the screen.

After a few more minutes, the screen was lit up with moving images and sound, which had briefly startled Luna. "Oh relax, Lulu. You’re acting like a foal." Luna could only puff out her cheeks in annoyance as she folded her arms and faced the screen. "Oh, and one more thing; while watching, it is customary to maintain silence as to not to disturb the other patrons."

After the trailers had ended, the room darkened even more than it was already and the narrator's voice could be heard.

While watching the movie, Luna’s mind went through a flurry of emotions and thoughts. When the movie started, she had thought very little for the humans, who seemed to possess no special abilities that would grant them victory against a creature as ferocious as a dragon. That opinion quickly changed when she saw one of the humans, whose name was Stoick the Vast, a name befitting his image, took a dragon head on to save his offspring, a puny human by comparison to the others. She had to admit, for creatures that only existed in fiction in this world, they managed to capture the perfect interpretation of what a dragon was like. She had to admit she held a small fondness when she heard of the dragon called the Night Fury, a dragon she only caught a glimpse when the character known as Hiccup spotted the beast in the dead of night. 

As the movie continued, Luna was beginning to feel a bit more invested in these fictional characters, more specifically in Hiccup. The way he wanted to prove himself worthy of being called a viking and to earn the attention of his tribe, Luna could sympathize with him, knowing a similar want when she had desired admiration from her subjects for her nights. 

The movie continued with a series of events that had Luna rather assumed, such as the lead character sparing the dragon's life, and would later try to help it fly after having its tail fin taken along with befriending it. She even found herself unable to hold her laughter back from certain scenes, like when the dragon, who was named Toothless, rolled around in the tall grass similar to a feline, or how he would chase a light reflection from Hiccup’s hammer. She especially enjoyed when Hiccup and Toothless gave the female lead, Astrid, a ride into the sky, and it would transition from day to night, where Luna could see the beauty of their world’s night sky.

Eventually, the film was nearing its climax, and Luna found herself on the edge of her seat as she watched the battle between Toothless and Hiccup against the large dragon that was about the size of the dragon lord back in Equestria. She held her breath as she watched Toothless dive down to try and rescue Hiccup from the explosion of flames. She cheered when she saw he was alive, and cried when she saw that he lost his leg, much like Toothless and his tail fin. And when the credits rolled, she stood up, clapping her hands screaming, "Marvelous! Bravo, bravo!!", which managed to get a few of the other patrons attention, but they quickly followed suit.

As they exited the theater, Celestia couldn't help but smile as she listened to her sister go on about how amazing the film was and regaling her the events as if she hadn't seen it just now. What's more, she was happy to see her sister's earlier sadness fade away and forgotten. She would then tell her sister the spell that could bring them back and forth through this world and their own. Luna questioned if they could still cast magic in these forms since humans couldn't use any kind of magic. Luckily, Celestia explained that their humans forms could perform magic. If they had been earth ponies or pegasi when they came through the portal, they would have been trapped in this world until somepony else “discovered” this spell.

And so, Luna and her sister had a new hobby they could do together to unwind and relax. On rare occasions, Luna would come alone to enjoy more of this world’s entertaining movies. The ones she found most enjoyable were movies that involved creatures known as Kaiju. The name meant “large monster of epic proportion”, some even dwarfing the largest creatures in Equestria, and were shown to often be the enemy of man. One movie, though she couldn't remember its name, involved humans in giant metal suits fighting Kaijus. She remembered that two humans would pilot the suit to fight the monster, but that was about as much as she could remember due to it lacking those kinds of battles and was more about human drama than monster fights.

But there was one movie about a certain Kaiju that left an impression on Luna, one that was claimed to be king of the monsters. While that movie didn't have as many moments with it, she still found it entertaining. 

Luna and Celestia also made a promise to watch the sequels of the How to Train your Dragon movies together, and never alone. The second sequel was just as amazing as the first, and Luna cried a bit when poor Hiccup lost his father after reuniting with his long-lost mother. It made Luna miss the days of their mother and father, who have long since passed. 

And then came the third movie, which to her surprise was equally great, if not better. It explained a few questions that she and Celestia would theorize about when they had free time. And the ending left them both sad and happy at the same time.

When they left the theater to go to the nearest park to teleport back to Equestria, it was close to one in the morning in that world. That was due to Celestia wanting to attend the midnight premiere of the movie. As they walked, out of the corner of Luna's eye, she had spotted a group of males walking nearby. She paid them no mind since it wasn't really any of her business to snoop.

The roads were completely empty at the time, some cars leaving the parking lot, but other than that, it was quiet. So quiet that she and her sister failed to notice when all the sound around had disappeared, leaving their voices alone to be heard.

Out of nowhere, she and her sister were shoved forward to the ground. When she turned around, she saw one of the human males from earlier; he had jet black hair and dark brown eyes. His arms were held out from the push and breathing heavily. 

Luna was about to give him a tongue lashing the likes this world has never seen. But that thought was quickly snuffed out when, out of the corner of her eye, one of this world’s metal vehicles slammed into his body where she and her sister were just standing.  She watched in horror as his body was sent flying across the pavement. The truck that had hit him sped onward, law enforcement hot on its trail while leaving the poor boy on the ground unattended. Before she knew it, her sister quickly ran over to the boy, dropping her human form for her original form. This was something Celestia had told Luna before never to do, because while their magical strength was superior, the beings of this world weren't ready to accept alicorns and their existence. But she didn't hesitate to do so as she ran over to the young male and use her magic to heal their savior. Like her sister, Luna had ran over, also assuming her alicorn from, and tried to aid her sister. Only when she got close enough, she could see tears welling up in Celestia's eyes. Luna could see that some of the boys limbs were dislocated and most certainly broken, a large amount of blood had spilled from his body, and his breathing was coming in short, ragged breaths. She could see tears flowing down his cheeks, whether it was from fear or pain made no difference to Luna; she wanted to help save this young man who risked his life for them. 


====================================


Luna was quickly snapped out of her memories when her magic flared up, signaling that somepony was undergoing a nightmare. Luna focused her magic to quickly track down the pony who was in need of her aid. She flew through the realm of sleep, flying past many dream orbs until she came to the one that was having the nightmare. She peered into the orb to see a stallion in armor, running away from something while screaming. She didn't recognize the individual. Perhaps a member of the royal guard? Though she didn't recognize him, he needed help regardless.

Lightning her horn, she phased into the dream, her vision obscured by white until it slowly started to return to focus. When she could see once more, she found herself in some form of arena with rows of seats and a spectator box in the middle. Her hooves shifted around in some sand that littered the ground, along with traces of blood and bones as well. 

"Ahhhh! Run! It's gonna kill me!!" Luna turned to see the stallion run past her. He looked as pale as a ghost with utter terror on his muzzle. She turned to follow him, but was quickly surprised to see that the scenery had quickly changed. Where what once stood a large, confined arena now made way to an open beach in the dead of night. The waves crashed against the sandy beach and against the nearby rocks along it. But while many could find beauty in this site, Luna could only sense an eerie, foreboding sense in the air. 

The sound of clanking metal from her right caught her attention as she saw the armored stallion quaking in fear, no doubt from her sudden appearance and of her former evil form. She approached the stallion. "Fear not, my subject, for I am here to aid you, not cause you harm." She spoke softly, trying not to use the Royal Canterlot voice. 

"I-it's not you I'm afraid of." He pointed a hoof behind her. "It's that I'm terrified of!!"


Luna turned to see what it was that had this pony so spooked, and as she turned, to her horror,  she saw what it was. Standing on a pillar of rock with the waves crashing against it stood a large black dragon. Its razor sharp teeth bared, cold soulless eyes peering down at them as it snarled while its claws sunk into the pillar it stood on. Its wings flared out in a menacing stance with the moon shining its light behind it. Standing there was a Night Fury. 

The dragon roared as it spread its wings and took flight, heading straight for the stallion. Snapping out of her daze, Luna quickly casted a barrier around the stallion just before the dragon could reach him. The dragon's body slammed into the barrier, causing it to roar in frustration as it tried to claw its way through to get to its prey. When the dragon's efforts were failing, it turned to face Luna and snarled as it stalked it's way toward her. 

Luna was motionless as she stared at the beast, tears flowing down her cheeks. But it wasn't out of fear; they were tears of joy. 'He's alive, and here in Equestria.' She knew all too well the dragon that stood before her, and had no doubt that it was the human that had saved her and Celestia. She wasn't sure why he took this form, but that had mattered little to her, for now she could find him and bring him back to Canterlot. 

She didn’t have a chance to speak as the dragon roared and darted forward to attack her. Luna pushed off to her left to just narrowly dodge the attack, causing the dragon to tumble and roll on the sand before it quickly got back on its feet. "Please, stop this now! I'm not your enemy! I want to help you!!" 

The dragon crouched low as it slowly circled around the alicorn, its jaws open, poised and ready to attack. 'Why won't he listen to me? Surely his new form hasn't corrupted his mind…...has it?' Once more, the dragon darted forward, only this time in a zigzag motion. Once it was close enough, it unleashed a blast of fire, hitting the princess square in the chest, forcing her body  across the beach. 

Shaking off the blow Luna tried to brace herself for the next attack and jumped to her hooves, however she could see the dragon it had vanished from site. She quickly scanned all around her trying to find him. The sound of a high pitched whistle was Luna's warning before the grounds around her were lit up by incoming fire balls. She turned her attention to the sky and spotted the dragon diving down claws held out like a bird of prey about to catch its victim. "Please Johann you have to listen to me!!" 

The dragon speed never wavered as it slammed into the princess forcing her onto her side its jaws quickly coming down ready to make the kill. Luna's magic flared once more thrusting the dragon from atop her and into a nearby rock. The dragon roared in pain and frustration as it slowly began to stand once more, its blank soulless eyes fixated on the princess. Flames erupted from its mouth as it set the ground a blaze with its breath. Flaring out its wings it launched itself into the air and dove toward the moon princess once more.

In this moment, Luna had finally composed herself as her horn glowed and she closed her eyes as her magic fired. "Enough!!!" She shouted as the world around her came to a complete halt. When she opened her eyes, she saw that the dragon was only an inch away from and that everything around her has ceases to move, from the once crashing waves, to the cowering stallion that was inside the barrier she had created. 


Luna looked back to the dragon, its mouth filled with flames and its eyes blank. She lifted a hoof to gently caress its cheek, but the moment her hoof came into contact the dragon's body disintegrated in dust and fell to the ground below. She gazed down to pile of dust that once was the ferocious beast "I should have known, you were the nightmare that the stallion had feared, and not the boy who had saved me and my sister." A few tears slide down from the princess cheeks and onto the pile of dust.

Using her wing to wipe away her tears Luna turned her attention back to the stallion who was frozen in place. She knew that while the beast she had fought was a figment of this stallion's fear, she also knew that in order for a fear to be created somepony must have seen or heard of what it was they fear in the waking world. And the form she had just fought was to accurate to be coincidental. She approached the stallion and concentrated her magic into her horn. While normally she would ask the pony in question if she could read their minds and memories this situation need to be done quickly before the stallion could awake and break the connection. She removed the barrier and gently rested her horn atop of the stallions and watched as the memories of the pony flow into  her mind. 

A storm of emotion could be found within her as she watched the events of six months unravel before her. Disgust, sorrow, hatred and sadness to name a few, but amongst them was relief and fear. Relief in she knew the location in where the Johann was located, and fear as she knew the terror she will face the coming day. 

Breaking the connection Luna quickly opened her eyes now in the world of waking and quickly trotted out of her room and down the halls paying no mind to the ponies she passed. Without warning she burst through a set of golden doors with a sun emblem on them. "TIA!!!"

The princess of the sun was startled so much at she jolted up and fell off the edge of the bed with her covers. She quickly stood up trying to remove the covers. "Luna this better not be another one of your pranks!!" She tore apart her blanket with her nostrils flared as she turns to her sister, but her anger quickly subsided when she saw the tears flowing down her sister cheeks. "Luna, what's wrong?"

Her sister did not answer but quickly trotted to her and wrapped her hooves around her. "I've found him. And he's in danger."
> Preview
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifteen minutes. That was how much time I had left until my big match. I was currently sitting on the bed trying to collect my thoughts on how I was going to face up against the hydra. Despite the upcoming battle, I was surprisingly calm. My partner on the other hand…

"A bucking hydra!!! Of all the monsters in Equestria to bring out, a hydra is bad to be the final fight of the season!!!" Glenda shouted as she paced around the room. She's done this for well over an hour and has practically created a groove in the ground. Due to my opponent being something we hadn't even considered a factor, our plan of escape was now on the line, as well as our freedom. 

From what Glenda as told me, three-headed hydras are rare because their biology is vastly different from those with more heads. For starters, if you cut their heads off, they don't grow two more in its place, which is another key difference. According to Glenda, the fewer the heads a hydra has, the smarter it is since it's not trying to manage more heads, and that the middle head is usually the alpha. Another key difference is that no three-headed hydras are exactly alike, each one having a unique ability. An example was that one hydra could breathe fire, while another could breathe ice. So it's a mystery until you face one, and that can sometimes end with your life. 

"This is bad! This is very bad! Our plan is hitched on you stalling the fight long enough for our plan to work, but with something as ferocious and dangerous as a hydra, you'll be lucky to last two minutes!!" Glenda screamed as she continues to pace back and forth, her speed increasing each time she turned. "And how in bucking Tarterus are you so calm right now?!"

I was currently sitting on the bed with my eyes closed, breathing in and out as calmly as possible. She thinks that I'm relaxed when, in reality, I'm just as terrified as she is. My heart is practically racing from the battle to come. I was afraid, worried, and somehow, excited. But as of this moment, I was focusing on the fight ahead, planning my moves, and remembering all that I learned here. While I do despise this place to hell and back, I did pick up on battle skills and flying in tight spaces, which could give me the upper hand against the much larger beast. 

I wished that I could tell her all this, but once again, my lack of speaking prevents me from doing such, so all I could do was walk up to her and gently nuzzle my forehead against her own.

I could hear her sigh as she wrapped her arms around my neck and nuzzle into me. "I'm sorry, Noir. I know you're trying your best to stay calm, and me panicking isn't making any this better. I'm just scared that we might fail and I’ll end up losing you and be alone again." She looked up to me with tears slowly welling up in her eyes. I did the only thing I could do; I leaned in and gave her cheeks a few licks, causing her to laugh a bit and cheer up. "Eww, gross Noir!! You know I hate it when you do that." She pushed away, still chuckling as she wiped her face. "You're right. I don't have time to cry or worry. I need to be ready and focused for when it's time for our escape."


After giving her a reassuring nod, the door to our chamber opened up, three armored guards walking in with some rope and chains. I could also see a large cage that was sitting on top of a wagon waiting outside the door . As per usual, I had to play the role of savage beast and crouched down growling at them, causing them to step back. "Tell the dragon to enter the cage. We have orders from Steel Horn that requires it for a special entrance."

While I was still growling at the guards, I felt something snap at my side. When I turned my head, I saw Glenda had the whip in her talons and watched as she swung it to hit my head. "Into the cage with you, vile beast! We don't have all day!" 

Making sure that my head was turned away from the guards, I gave her a wink and started to walk toward the cage. As I passed the guards, who were trying their best not to shake with fear as I got near them, I found it irresistible not to have a little fun. When one of the guards accidentally stepped forward, something I could tell he didn't want to do, I quickly crouched down and arched my back, snarling at them and made the one stallion faint while the other two held onto each other. Another snap of Glenda’s whip told me that I was having too much fun and needed to hurry up and get into the cage. Begrudgingly, I walked into the cage and waited for one of the guards to grow a pair and get close to me to shut the door to my cage.

It took a minute or two before one of them finally nutted up and ran over to quickly slam my cage door shut. After that, they wheeled me off down the hall and toward the waiting area. 
> Escape part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fifteen minutes. That was how much time I had left until my big match. I was currently sitting on the bed trying to collect my thoughts on how I was going to face up against the hydra. Despite the upcoming battle, I was surprisingly calm. My partner on the other hand…

"A bucking hydra!!! Of all the monsters in Equestria to bring out, a hydra is bad to be the final fight of the season!!!" Glenda shouted as she paced around the room. She's done this for well over an hour and has practically created a groove in the ground. Due to my opponent being something we hadn't even considered a factor, our plan of escape was now on the line, as well as our freedom. 

From what Glenda as told me, three-headed hydras are rare because their biology is vastly different from those with more heads. For starters, if you cut their heads off, they don't grow two more in its place, which is another key difference. According to Glenda, the fewer the heads a hydra has, the smarter it is since it's not trying to manage more heads, and that the middle head is usually the alpha. Another key difference is that no three-headed hydras are exactly alike, each one having a unique ability. An example was that one hydra could breathe fire, while another could breathe ice. So it's a mystery until you face one, and that can sometimes end with your life. 

"This is bad! This is very bad! Our plan is hitched on you stalling the fight long enough for our plan to work, but with something as ferocious and dangerous as a hydra, you'll be lucky to last two minutes!!" Glenda screamed as she continues to pace back and forth, her speed increasing each time she turned. "And how in bucking Tarterus are you so calm right now?!"

I was currently sitting on the bed with my eyes closed, breathing in and out as calmly as possible. She thinks that I'm relaxed when, in reality, I'm just as terrified as she is. My heart is practically racing from the battle to come. I was afraid, worried, and somehow, excited. But as of this moment, I was focusing on the fight ahead, planning my moves, and remembering all that I learned here. While I do despise this place to hell and back, I did pick up on battle skills and flying in tight spaces, which could give me the upper hand against the much larger beast. 

I wished that I could tell her all this, but once again, my lack of speaking prevents me from doing such, so all I could do was walk up to her and gently nuzzle my forehead against her own.

I could hear her sigh as she wrapped her arms around my neck and nuzzle into me. "I'm sorry, Noir. I know you're trying your best to stay calm, and me panicking isn't making any this better. I'm just scared that we might fail and I’ll end up losing you and be alone again." She looked up to me with tears slowly welling up in her eyes. I did the only thing I could do; I leaned in and gave her cheeks a few licks, causing her to laugh a bit and cheer up. "Eww, gross Noir!! You know I hate it when you do that." She pushed away, still chuckling as she wiped her face. "You're right. I don't have time to cry or worry. I need to be ready and focused for when it's time for our escape."


After giving her a reassuring nod, the door to our chamber opened up, three armored guards walking in with some rope and chains. I could also see a large cage that was sitting on top of a wagon waiting outside the door . As per usual, I had to play the role of savage beast and crouched down growling at them, causing them to step back. "Tell the dragon to enter the cage. We have orders from Steel Horn that requires it for a special entrance."

While I was still growling at the guards, I felt something snap at my side. When I turned my head, I saw Glenda had the whip in her talons and watched as she swung it to hit my head. "Into the cage with you, vile beast! We don't have all day!" 

Making sure that my head was turned away from the guards, I gave her a wink and started to walk toward the cage. As I passed the guards, who were trying their best not to shake with fear as I got near them, I found it irresistible not to have a little fun. When one of the guards accidentally stepped forward, something I could tell he didn't want to do, I quickly crouched down and arched my back, snarling at them and made the one stallion faint while the other two held onto each other. Another snap of Glenda’s whip told me that I was having too much fun and needed to hurry up and get into the cage. Begrudgingly, I walked into the cage and waited for one of the guards to grow a pair and get close to me to shut the door to my cage.

It took a minute or two before one of them finally nutted up and ran over to quickly slam my cage door shut. After that, they wheeled me off down the hall and toward the waiting area. 

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(Arena 3rd person) 

As the crowd of spectators moved to take their seats, one of the workers that manned the sound system turned on the microphone inside the main spectator box. "Mares and gentlecolts!!! Welcome the finale fight of the season!!!" Steal Horn announced over the intercom, getting all the spectators in the audience to cheer and stomp their feet. "Today is unfortunately the last day of the season for this year!" Once more, the crowd’s cheers almost vibrated in the air around them as they screamed at the top of their lungs. "And now, it is time to reveal our combatants for this afternoon battle! But first, a little bit of intro music!" He turned around, pulling out a case of records and filed through them before pulling out one labeled "King". Setting it on the record player, he lowered the needle to play the appropriate song.



As the music played, the crowd started to stomp and clap to the rhythm of the song. Soon, the gates to the far left opened with smoke hissing out. When the gate fully opened, armored ponies in rows of two trotted out, carrying black banners with a green reptile in the center. As they moved forward, they stomped the poles of the ground in synch with the ground stomps and claps. As they moved, four earth ponies wheeled out a large cage holding the reigning champion, Nightmare. The crowd roared with cheers as they watched the dragon enter the ring with all the armored ponies twirling around the banners. Once the cage was in the center of the arena, the ponies quickly filed out as the door to the dragon’s cage opened, allowing it to jump out and unleash a mighty roar while flaring its wings, getting the crowd to cheer back in response to its battle cry.


"And now, for our champion's opponent!!!" Steel Horn shouted. "From the darkest depths of the Everfree Forest comes the most fearsome of creatures, whose very presence commands both fear and respect!!" 

The ground beneath the stadium rumbles as the center slowly begins to open, causing the dragon to jump back a great distance. As the floor opened completely, a set of monstrous roars could be heard coming from the pit, followed by a torrent of flames, which made those in the audience who were closer to ground level to shield their eyes from the sudden brightness and intensity of the flames’ heat. The demonic roars began to grow louder as the sound of heavy gears clanking and chains rattling filled the stadium. The blast of flames became increasingly frequent between the roars of what sounded serpentine hisses. "Presenting the most feared monster know to ponies: The hydra!!!"

The crowd went dead silent as they saw the first head of the creature slither out from the hole, followed by another, and then a third. As the heads slithered around the stadium, taking in their surroundings, snarling and slamming their heads into the invisible barrier that was currently protecting the cowering audience, the rest of its large reptile-like body was lifted up until its entire form stood in the center of the arena. 

As the beast’s heads scanned the arena, the middle head caught a glimpse of the black dragon. It let out an ear-piercing screech, which prompted the other two heads to snap their attention at the small dragon. The hydra's body slowly adjusted itself as it turned to face its fellow occupant in the arena, all while its heads remained in the same place as they glared and hissed at the dragon, who had taken up a defensive stance. The hydra stood easily twenty feet taller than the ebony dragon, with each neck being nearly as long as they slowly circled their heads around, getting a better look at the dragon who was moving in a circle around the multi-headed creature.  

Without warning, the middle head unleashed a blaze of scorching flames at the small dragon, forcing it to flaps it wings with tremendous force, sending it back. The moment its feet touched back on the ground, one of the hydra's heads quickly launched forward. With a flick of its tail and using the momentum of its jump, the dragon managed to perform a backflip, moving it out of harm's way. When it landed once more, it quickly fired a plasma blast in the direction of the middle head, only to be quickly blocked by the right head, the force of the blast easily severing the head. The severed head fell to the ground with a tremendous thud, blood gushing out from the flailing neck as it spewed blood all across the arena floor. The crowd had gone deathly silent as they watched the scene before them. Even Noir was left utterly baffled; not by the fact he managed to cut a head off, but that one head blocked the blast for the other. To what purpose would it have done such a thing when the end result is the same?

He didn’t think further on this as the stumpy neck started to gurgle and slosh around before, in less than a second, a new head had emerged, but only a single head. This threw not only all the creatures in the audience for a loop, but also Noir.


 In his previous life, Noir, or Johann back in his world, knew a good deal about cryptozoology, a study that focused on creatures of fiction and lore. One of which was that when you cut off a hydra's head, two more would grow back in its place. And yet, here and now, only one head grew back, with little to no change in its characteristics aside from its scales being slightly shinier, similar to when a snake sheds its skin.

The newly reformed head flexed its neck, bending and twisting before directing its attention back at the dragon once more. All three heads took in a large breath of air before unleashing a torrent of flames upon the dragon, who hasn't had enough time to react as he was engulfed in the flames. The crowd gasped in shock as they watched the former champion quickly set ablaze by the three headed monstrosity. Once the hydra had expelled all the air in its lungs, the flames sputtered to embers from its mouths. The ground in which the dragon stood was burning, the fire dancing across the scorched earth. But in a single heartbeat, the flames parted ways as a single plasma blast shot forth, landing squarely on the left head, exploding upon impact and sending chunks of its brain matter to splatter against the invisible barrier, causing those who saw it up close to squeal in terror. 

As the recently beheaded appendage grew back as rapidly as the one from before, the fires parted ways once more as the dragon within took flight, seeming completely unharmed by the hydra's flames. The dragon was even surprised himself as he circles around the three-headed beast, looking for an opening to attack. 

With Noir’s advantage of being able to fly within tight space and faster speed, he was easily able to circle around behind the lumbering hydra and fired off another blast aimed directly at the center head. However, much like the last time, the right head moved in, taking the blow once more and being blown apart. Unlike before, the hydra’s remaining heads didn't intend to wait for the third to regrow as its tail swung around, smacking the dragon out of the air and into the walls.

By the time Noir could get back onto his feet, the third head had regrown similar to before with its scales glistening. The hydra quickly charged forward, heads low to the ground ready to attack the dragon. In response, Noir fired multiple shots of plasma at the charging beast. And once again, the right head intercepted the blast, but unlike before, its scales withstood the attack without being blown apart. One of the heads dashed forward and began to coil around the dragon’s body like a snake, tossing the dragon across the stadium and smashing him into the wall.

"Looks like our champion has just discovered this hydra's special abilities!!!!" Steel Horn shouted as the crowd watched the battle unfold. "When this hydra's head is severed, the portion that regrows comes back with thicker, stronger scales, and it seems that the right head has grown scales strong enough to withstand Nightmare's attack!!!" All those in the stands started to roar with cheers and chants as they watched what was to be the most epic battle yet.

Noir slowly rose back to his legs shakily as the previous collision with the stone wall left a large amount of damage on his body. He glanced back at the hydra as it slowly stalked its way toward him. 'Glenda, please hurry. I don't know how long I can keep this up.'

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(Meanwhile Glenda Pov)

I was nervously pacing around the room as I felt the ground rumble beneath my talons. It has been five minutes since they took Noir to the arena and I can easily hear the battle from down here through the thick walls. The roars of the hydra were loud enough to travel down the halls of the lower levels. "Where is he?! That old pervert should've been here by no-" 

As if on cue, the lock on the door clicked, and in walked a rather elderly goat. "Sorry to keep you waiting, pretty bird, but I was watching the fight. It looks like your dragon is in over his head." The goat cackled a bit, resulting him in a coughing fit.

This perverted leach is Capra. Once when I was here for my first month, there was a night when I managed to escape my cell and far out of the arena, but I was spotted while taking off, and since I wasn't that great at flying, they easily caught me and brought me back.
And for the last eight years, this perverted goat has tried to have his way with me any time he had to clip my flight feathers, not even caring if I wasn’t of proper age, the sick bastard. But now, this will be both mine and Noir’s tickets out of here. Over the last three years before I met Noir, I had been timing the growth of my feathers and clipping them myself before he could, throwing off the time when the are fully grown until this day.

"So, cute stuff, you ready for me to get my hooves on you and pick those pretty feathers? Maybe have some fun while we are at it?" He asked while wiggling his brow and chuckling. Any other time, I would have gagged and threatened to end him, but this time, I'm gonna use his perverted mind against him. 

"You know what? I would love that, handsome." I found mild amusement when I saw his jaw drop. "I've never noticed it before, but now that I'm older and more mature, I think I’m starting to find you incredibly attractive." I added a bit to the charm by fluttering my eyelashes.

Much to both my disgust and joy, he was fumbling over himself as he tried to process what has just happened. Eventually, he stood up with smug smirk as she stepped aside. "Well then, let’s not dilly dally. The sooner we pluck those feathers, the sooner we can get to the real fun."

As I walked past him, I leaned in close to his ear and whispered in a lustful tone. "I'm looking forward to it, handsome." I watched as he shivered in arousal as we left.

In the arena there is a special room to treat some of the ponies, goats, and other griffins here. It's also where this old goat works when removing my flight feathers. As we walked down the corridors, I took note of the amount of guards walking around, and much to my delight, I see that this part of the plan is working.

Eventually, we make it into the room where there is a large metal table in the center. As per usual, I would need to climb onto it and stretch out my wings. This time, I decided to assume a more seductive position as I layed on my side with half lidded eyes, focused on Capra, who was easily losing his nerves under my seductive gaze. I was fortunate to have practiced my new skills of seduction on Noir, who didn't know that most of those times, I was flirting with him to improve this skill.

After a good three minutes of having to watch this bumbling pervert fondle my wings as he clipped my feathers, we finally finished up. And as predicted, he walked over to me with his usual creepy gaze. "So, my little sexy kitty bird, are you ready to finally be a real griffin?"

The urge to vomit everything in my stomach was incredibly overwhelming, but I had to choke it all back as I got off the table and walked over to him, making sure to get close to him. "But of course, stud. But first, I need to remove this vest for the fun to begin." I moved my talons back to unclip the knot that held my vest up and quickly catch it with my arm as I held it to my chest. "Before we begin, there’s something I've wanted to tell you, but never had the right moment to say it."

"And what would that be?" He asked with a wide grin, completely enthralled by my charm.

I motioned with my talon for him to come close, which he did without hesitation. Once he was merely an inch away, I leaned into his ear, and said what I've always wanted to say to him since the day we met. "Burn in Tartarus, you filthy old goat." Before he had a chance to register what I had said, I quickly pulled out the tip of the spear from my hidden pouch within my vest and slit his throat. I watched as he grabbed his now bleeding neck as it gushed out blood. His eyes stared at me for a few seconds before rolling back into his head, falling to the ground while drenched in his own blood. 

After searching his body for anything useful, I made my way out of the room to look around for what we need to get out of here. Just as I was on my way out, there were few guards around. This was thanks to both the match going on, since it was the final match of the season with some watching the fight, while the rest were busy loading up the surviving creatures from this season into cages to be shipped off to who knows where. 

I was careful not to get ahead of myself as I snuck my way around. There were two crucial things I needed to achieve in order for me and Noir to escape. When I turned the corner of one hall, I had to quickly pull back as I saw a guard heading my way. Taking out the makeshift dagger, I waited for the stallion to pass me and quickly jumped onto his back, moving one of my talons to cover his muzzle before stabbing him in the neck with the blade. His muffled screams died down as the blood trickled down his chest and the last breath came out through his nostrils. Once I was certain he was completely dead, I dragged his body over to a nearby haystack they kept for most of the monsters’ bedding. I quickly searched him and found a set of keys that probably unlocked the cages. I tossed his body into the haystack and covered him up, kicked the dirt around where his blood was spilled, then continued down the halls. 

Eventually, I had entered the main holding area where all the creatures were kept for transport. Luckily for me, there were only two unicorns in charge as they loaded up the beasts, who were placed unconscious for shipping. 

I ducked down low as I stalked my way toward the first unicorn stallion, reading some kind of list that was probably the manifest of all the creatures, while the second was busy loading a cage that held a sleeping manticore. I got behind the stallion with the paper, grabbed him, and pulled him back, delivering three stabs to his head. Dropping his body, I sprinted over to the last stallion. He had turned just as I had pulled the blade up, but he was too late to stop me as I brought the dagger down through the eye of his helmet and into his skull. 

I watched as his body fall to the ground with a clank as he drew his last dying breath. The handle of the blade had been covered in his blood, making it troublesome to hold onto, so I had to toss it aside and look for another weapon later. The saddest thing about all this was I felt no sympathy for him and the others I killed. Both me and Noir had agreed that in order for us to escape, we needed to do whatever it takes, even killing the guards. The likes of whom I cared little for as they made my life here a living nightmare. 

With the deed done, I made my way over to the cages and proceeded to unlock each one of them as quietly as possible, leaving the doors open. With the first phase of our plan down, it was time to take care of the second. I had spent the last four years getting the layout of this building when I tried to escape, and there was always one area that I never explored. It was always the direction that Steel Horn would often come and go from, but was highly guarded. I prayed to whatever deity that was listening as I made my over to the unexplored area.

As I rounded the corner, I was overjoyed to see that none of the usual guards were standing there. Without wasting time, I quickly made my way down the hall and noticed that this particular area was a bit fancier, with red carpet that lined the floor and doors made of the finest wood. While walking, I saw a set of stairs leading up, which I am willing to bet is what leads to the main viewing booth that Steel Horn watches all the matches from. And just beyond those stairs was a door that reads, in big bold red letters: 

Authorized Personnel Only!!

'This has to be it. There's no other place it could be.'  Pulling out the keys that I got earlier, I tried each one on the lock on the door to see if any of them was the one I needed. Key after key, each one wasn't the right one, and I was soon down to one last key. 'Oh please, oh please!! Be the right one!!' I close my eyes, inserted the key, and gave it a twist. My heart was overjoyed as I heard the click, unlocking the door.

Opening the door, I was now in a room with what looked like a pedestal with a glowing stone on top. The stone itself was almost egg shaped with some weird marking across it that was giving off a red glow. "A rune stone?" These types of stones are incredibly rare, even forbidden in most parts of Equestria. They were said to have incredibly powerful magic in them, some that could rival one hundred unicorns. 

Looking at the stone, the red glow was traveling down from the pedestal and into the ground. I followed the red lines of light until they moved toward one wall with a window that was in the direction of the…...arena. "This is what's making the barrier!" Now it made sense how Steel Horn could make such an incredibly strong barrier when there were fewer than ten unicorns here, minus the two I killed. "If I destroy this, then nothing will be keeping anything from flying out." I tried to pull the rune out from the pedestal, but it wasn't budging at all, like it was glued onto the thing.

After a few more failed attempts, I pulled back to think of some other way to break this stupid thing. While I was thinking, I could feel the ground shake again and hear the crowd chanting, followed by the roars of the hydra. "If I don't hurry, Noir may not last long." In frustration, I scratched the rune, trying to think of a way to break it. To my surprise, my talons left a small scratch in the stone. Not a deep one to stop the magic, but a scratch, nonetheless . And then it hit me; if I can't pull the rune off the pedestal to break it, then I'll just break it while it's on the pedestal!! 

'Just hold out a little longer, Noir. I'll get us out of here in no time.' I ran out of the room to find a blunt object to use to break the rune, all the while hoping my friend is okay.

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(Toothless POV)



I crashed into the circular wall for the umpteenth time, my body falling down into the dirt. 'I am not okay!!'

For what felt like half an hour, this three-headed bastard has been kicking my ass up and down the battlefield!! At first, it wasn't so bad when I found out that my scales were flame resistant, but after realizing that this thing's heads come back with stronger scales the more you blow them apart was a pain. That’s unfortunate because my plasma blasts are my only means of defense since it has me outmatched and, technically, outnumbered. My speed and maneuverability does me little against an opening with multiple heads, having slight to no blind spots.

And what's more, my body is starting to ache and harder to move. Most of my battles were never this hard and long, combined with an opponent who’s probably as intelligent as myself, that is a recipe for pain with a hint of possible death. I needed something that could turn the tides back in my favor. Anything at all. 

Without warning, the tail of the beast slammed into my side, sending me flying until I had hit the invisible barrier again. The moment I landed on the ground, the hydra unleashed another roar of flames, which prompted me to quickly shield myself with my wings. But the moment the flames ceased,  I was once again at the receiving end of the beast’s tail, sending me soaring across the arena and slamming back into the wall. 'This shit is getting really old!!'

The crowd around us was eating it all up as they cheered and chanted while watching me get my scaly tail knocked around. It's a miracle that I'm not dead yet. I'm kind of grateful that this body is so durable, otherwise this fight would have been over ages ago. 'Glenda, what the hell is taking you so long!?!'

The hydra let out a menacing roar as it stomped its massive feet, stalking its way toward me, no doubt ready to end this fight. As I watched the hydra make its way closer, its heads lowered to the ground with hissing mouths opened wide. I noticed something particularly odd; when either the left or right head slithered a bit further than the middle, it would snap at them, getting them to move back. And like a bolt of lightning, it hit me; the middle head is the one in charge! It all makes sense now. Before, when I had aimed my first attack on it, the right head defended the middle head intentionally, and the same thing happened when I had circled around behind it.

But that doesn't help much considering that if I were to use my plasma blast on it, the other heads while just…...take the hit. 'That's it!!'

Before I could test my theory, I needed to get some distance. Crouching down,  I waited until the hydra got close enough to within striking distance.  When two of the three heads snapped their heads forward, I took off and flew straight up until I was only barely within an inch from the barrier. As I reached the peak of the maximum height, I unleashed a small barrage of plasma blast, as weak as I could make them. As predicted, both the left and right heads moved to quickly cover the middle, which was exactly what I needed. Diving down, I glanced at the left head's neck and confirmed what Steel Horn had said earlier about the hydra's scales. Only the parts that had regrown were made stronger, but anything below that was the same as when the fight had started. Taking this opportunity, I fired a full blast plasma breath at the base of the neck. Upon impact, the shot went clean through, snapping the left head off and falling to the ground. Without a second thought I fired three more shots in the exact same spot. 

Before I could see the end result, the hydra twirled its body around to swing its tail at me. Thankfully, I had seen it coming and ducked down low, narrowly dodging it. The two heads hissed at me as they moved closer, but then suddenly stopped. They both turned their attention to where they had expected the left head to finally grow back, but had a startled expression when they saw it hadn't wasn’t. Instead, they saw a singed stump that looked like something was trying to push out.

And just like that, the tides had turned, for I had discovered its weakness.  Panicking, the middle head tried to move in to tear away the burnt flesh to free the other, but before that head could get that close, I fired off another shot, smacking him straight in the cheek. What was more surprising was that, unlike my previous attacks on the other two heads, this time the impact causes the entire body stagger back. 'So it's not just the head in charge, it's the main head of the whole body.'

Not wanting to waste my opportunity, I fired at the right head’s neck, easily severing it and, like the one before, I shot three consecutive shots at the base where it had broken off, cauterizing it shut. Finally, fully recovered, the middle head could see that now it was the only head that remained of the three, and almost seemed terrified. I watched as it darted its head to try and remove the skin again, but I wasn't gonna give it a chance. I fired another lower blast, knocking it back again, and I wasn't planning on stopping. Blast after blast, I fired one after another, knock it back as I advanced forward. 'How do you like me now, you bastard!?' 

"Amazing!! In a turn of events, Nightmare has turned the tables against his opponent!! That's our champion for you! He's not only dangerous, but as sharp as a whip!!" The audience was screaming in delight and disapproval as some were losing their bets.

I didn't give a damn who was winning or losing their bets. All I was focused on was owning this bastard. With each blast, I sent the hydra back, forcing its body to follow along until he was up against the invisible barrier. Now every time my shots connected with its head, it smacked repeatedly into the barrier. Hard. I continued this for a good while until his head finally stopped moving and fell forward onto the ground. 

'Did I knock it out?' Carefully, I walked over to the unconscious hydra. I couldn't see its body moving, nor could I hear it breathing. 'Maybe all those blows to the head was too muc-' Without warning, the head lunged forward like a cobra snapping at its prey, jaws wide and fangs bared. With no where else to go, I was left with one option and advanced forward, quickly shoving my legs on its lower jaw while my arms held up the upper jaw. 

I could feel it raising its head off the ground and swinging it from side to side, trying to throw me off and deal the final blow. I was stuck staring down it's esophagus as it flailed its head around, making it extremely difficult for me to stay put. When it realized that shaking me off wasn't going to work, I noticed it extending its neck upward so that it was completely straight. I hadn't any clue why until I could see a small light glowing from deep within its throat. It was about to unleash fire at me. At a distance, it wouldn't hurt, but at point blank range, it would have more force and do quite a bit of damage despite my heat resistant scales. It was in this moment everything felt like it was moving in slow motion, no doubt my brain trying to buy me time to think of something to react. In a moment of clarity, the scene of Toothless’ fight against the Red Death flashed in my mind. 

Taking my biggest inhale that I could, I built up the fire in my gut before blasting it straight down the hydra's throat, causing an explosion at the base of its neck where the gas was about to be ignited. The explosion destroyed the neck, causing the body part to fall off its body. I pushed off and used my wings to glide down, watching the beast’s head fall to the ground.

 As my feet touched the ground, I saw the middle stump was moving around, about to pop out a new head. I quickly fired four consecutive plasma shots at the base, burning it closed. For a moment, the legs flailed around as it slowly suffocated to death. Within minutes, the legs and tail creased to move and slumped to the ground, lifeless. 

Everything in the entire arena was completely silent. Not a sound could be heard except for the rhythmic pounding in my chest as my heart’s threatening to burst. The silence didn't last long as the sound of a single set of hooves started to slowly clap, picking up in speed, and soon accompanied by more hooves until the entire arena was in an uproar of cheers and applause. 

"THE WINNER: NIGHTMARE!!!" Steel Horn's voice boomed over the speakers as the crowds cheered, but I was far from happy because Glenda hadn't sh-. Before I could finish my thought, there was a bright flash above and a low humming noise. In the next instance, the once invisible barrier became visible and started to crack like broken glass. "What in Tartarus? Who's messing with the rune stone?!!" I could hear a panicked tone coming from the minotaur as the barrier shattered, falling to the ground in shards before disappearing as it hit the ground. The moment the barrier was gone, I could a cool breeze flowing into the arena, allowing me to smell fresh air for the first time since I got here. "What do you mean all the beasts are loose!?" Everyone in the entire stadium went dead silent. "What!?...The microphone is on…...Uh oh."

"We’re all gonna die!!!" One stallion shouted, which was quickly followed by the other spectators to scream and frantically stampeded toward the nearest doors, pushing and shoving each other out of the way as they tried to escape. 

Without a doubt in my mind, I already knew who was behind this. Glenda. I turned my attention to the main vendor booth that the Minotaur was watching from, but noticed that he wasn't there. And Glenda hasn't come out yet like we planned. 'Something must've happened, or she needs help.' Summoning whatever strength had left, I fired one more plasma blast at one of the gates, busting it open and quickly running in.

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(Glenda POV) 

It took me what felt like forever, but I finally managed to destroy that stupid rune stone. And for the icing on the cake, all the creatures started waking up after they smelled the blood from the two stallions. Now they were roaming around, and some were actually clever enough to bust down the doors that led to the main hall, where I could hear the sound of the snobby rich flankholes screaming in terror. All that was left was to find Noir, get out through air, and we are finally home free.

I had to carefully and quietly make my way to the arena as I saw one of the manticores gorging itself on the unicorn stallion body, easily tearing through his armor like wet paper. I almost felt bad…that manticore is gonna have an upset stomach later.

As I made my way to the arena, I had to duck and hide as a small group a timberwolves ran past me, chasing down an earth pony stallion. Once they were gone, I sprinted in the direction of the arena where Noir should be waiting. I couldn't hear anymore of the hydra's roar, making me wonder if he had actually won. Just as I was about to reach down to the corridor that lead to battlefield, a muscular arm grabbed me by the throat, picking me up and tossing me into a nearby wall. "You little bitch!!" I knew that voice and looked up in horror as Steel Horn was holding his battle ax, stomping over to me. "You broke my rune stone and set free my cargo, didn't you!?!?!?" He raised his ax up and was about to bring it down on me, but I was quick enough to roll out of the way and get back on my feet, backing away slowly. "I knew you were trouble the moment you tried to escape all those years ago, which was why I had your damn feathers clipped!! But this is the last straw!!'

He jumped forward, swinging his ax horizontally, leaving me no other option but to duck down. Big mistake as he quickly kicked me, sending me falling onto my back. Before I could get back up, he jumped on top of me, grabbing my throat as he pinned me down with his free hand while he raised his ax with the other. "This is where we bid farewell. Maybe I can use your corpse to lure back some of the creatures you set free."

I was completely helpless as I watched him pull his arm back, ready to bring down his ax. Because his hand was gripping my throat, I wasn't able to breathe or call for help. Steel Horn's hand started to move down, his ax ready to end my life. In this very moment, I only had but one regret. That I never told Noir- "RRRRAAAAGGGGHHHHH!!!!" 

The ear piercing roar filled the hall, and the next thing I knew, Steel Horn's ax was blasted apart and his body was knocked away by a black tail. With the Minotaur's hand off my throat, I was able to take a big gulp of air and coughed as I inhaled too fast. "Shit!!" When I heard Steel curse, I turned onto my belly and saw that Noir was slowly creeping his way toward the minotaur, who was on his flank trying to back away until he found himself pressed against a wall. "Easy!! Easy boy!!" He spoke out as he was cornered by Noir, who was snarling and growling with his teeth bared. "Hey, hey, don't forget what I've done for you and your friend there. I bought you from that low life scum, Venandi, remember that!?" I couldn't believe it. He was actually begging for his life by saying he did us a favor? "If it wasn't for me, you and your friend would  have died! I fed you, made you famous!!" And to my surprise, he raised his hand out like I would do when me and Noir were in the ring together. "W-we’re on the same side, you and me. T-Tell you what, I'll make you and your little friend there my partners. We could make so much money, and live the good life from now on." And to my horror, Noir stopped growling and wasn't showing his fangs, letting out a low purr. Steel Horn started to move his hand closer to Noir’s snout. "I'm on your side." 

And for a moment Noir just stood there, not moving away or growling. Was he actually going to accept? In my heart, I was afraid that Steel Horn had actually gotten to him. But faster than I could blink, Noir opened his jaw and snapped them down on the Minotaur's hand and arm. "Aaaaahhhhh!!" He screamed as Noir dug his teeth deeper into his arm, jerking his head side to side until the arm ripped off, causing blood to gush out of Steel Horn's bicep. Noir tilted his head back, and in one fluid motion, gulped down the severed arm. I was nearly about to puke as I watch him lick his lips, then turned his attention back on the cowering minotaur, who was screaming in agony as blood poured out where his arm once was.

"Noir, stop!!!" He halted his advancement and turned to look back at me with his slitted eyes.  "He's not worth killing. We don't have time to waste on him." He turned back and looked at him as he tried to crawl away, whimpering like a frightened foal. "Please, Noir, forget him, and let's get out of here while we still can." I know this isn't him. He wasn't this savage. He had a sense of understanding. When he turned back to me with his eyes back to normal, I felt my fears fade away. He made his way over to me and helped me back onto my feet. "Let’s get the Tartarus out of here." As me and Noir made our way to the field, I could hear Steel Horn screaming something, but paid it no mind as we were literally on the verge of freedom. 

As we finally got out into the arena, we both stopped dead in our tracks at what we saw waiting for us. Eating a few pony corpses from the spectator stands, if their torn and shredded clothes on the ground was anything to go by, were the small group of Timberwolves, two manticores, and one yeti. They must have heard the screams from the ponies in the stands and came in here, and with the barrier down, it was an all-you-can-eat buffet for them, and yet oddly enough none of them went after the hydra's body or severed heads.Our presence hadn't gone unnoticed as one of the manticores roared at us, prompting the other predators’ attention. All of them turned away from their kills and started to move toward us. 

I was about ready to hop on Noir's back and tell him to fly us out of here, but instead, he stepped forward and flared out his wings, unleashing a roar louder than I've heard him make. He continued roaring at the approaching predators, who didn't seem affected by his display of dominance. I was about to tell him to forget it when I noticed something going on with his back, more specifically his spikes. Before I could say anything, he moved his wings down, snapping me out of my thoughts. When I looked to see why he stopped, I was left bewildered as all the predators had stopped advancing and were now bowing down to Noir. My beak hung open as I watched all the creatures, who would have been tearing into us, submit to Noir. He gave a few more roars, but these weren't as menacing nor as loud as the one from before. I wasn't sure if he had just given them orders, but they started to disperse, the yeti and the timberwolves running out through one of the gates while the two manticores took flight and left now that the barrier was gone.

I didn't have a second to give what just happened any thought as Noir ducked his head underneath me, pushing me onto his back and took off faster than I was used to. I had to be careful as I tried not to dig my talons into his scales, gripping onto him for dear life. "I should have grabbed a saddle!!!"



As he climbed higher and higher into the air, I was squeezing myself onto him, eyes tightly closed. When I felt his body level out and the wind brushing against my face, I dared to open my eyes, and for the first time in who knows how long, all my troubles faded into oblivion as I stared at what must have been the most beautiful thing I've seen my whole life. We were gliding practically over the clouds, which made it look like a sea of white fluff. The cool breeze on my feathers and the warm sunlight, combined with the blue stratosphere, it was a beautiful sight to behold. I was so happy and entranced by it all that I failed to notice the vest I was wearing came undone and fell off, nor did I care since I didn't need it anymore.

When I looked down, I couldn't help but start laughing as I saw him hanging his tongue out, letting it flop in the air as his feet looked like they were paddling through water. Carefully, I leaned down to give his cheek a light pat. "Hey, bud, I know you're loving it up here and all, but we need to move back below the clouds if we’re going to find out where to go." He gave a low grunt, but nodded in agreement before slowly tilted his wings down, making us descend.

I had to close my eyes as the cloud vapors obscured my vision for a moment. Once we were below the clouds, I scanned the area around us. "There!!" I screamed, pointing ahead. Beyond a set of mountains, I was able to see the shambles of what remained of Griffonstone. Though it's not the most elegant place in Equestria, it was better than nothing. "Noir, do you see that, over beyond the mountains? That's Griffonstone! That's where we need to go!"

He looked back to give me nod, but I noticed his eyes began to trail elsewhere. Without warning, he turned his head forward and started to flap his wings harder and faster, picking up speed. "NOIR, WHAT’S THE RUSH!?" When I turned back to see what startled him, I quickly took notice of three armored pegasi flying after us. They had to be from the arena, and they were chasing after us to bring us back. Each of them held a spear as they picked up their own pace to try and match Noir. At the rate we were going, they catch up to us in no time. I was sure that Noir could handle them no problem, but with me on his back, it was a whole other story, and with my feathers still clipped, I wasn't any use. There was one thing I could do, but I wasn't sure if my partner was up for something like this. "Noir, listen, we're not gonna outfly them for long, especially in the condition your body is after that fight. But I have an idea on how we can escape, but you're gonna have to trust me, okay?"  

He looked back at me for a moment, staring into my eyes before giving me a nod. I look around the mountain’s base until I spotted what I was looking for. "There! See that cave entrance!?" I pointed to a large cave opening that was at the base of the mountain. "That cave is actually a series of tunnels that we can take to get to Griffonstone! It’ll be tricky to navigate, but it's either that or being caught."

Without any hesitation, Noir tucked in his wings and started to dive down, picking up incredible speed. It was almost impossible for me to hold on as I had to squeeze my own wings close to my body so they didn’t accidentally spread out. Looking back, I could see that we had put a good amount of distance between us and the pegasi, but we weren't in the clear yet.

Once we had gotten low enough, Noir extended his wings to slow down our speed. But as he did, I could sense that something was wrong, and before long, it hit me. "Noir, quickly shut your wings again!!" But it was too late as a strong updraft blew from the mountain, throwing off his balance and causing us to spiral out of control in a nosedive. 

Everything was spinning rapidly and I ended up losing my grip on Noir. Without my flight feathers, there was no hope of my surviving the fall. I was gonna die after finally escaping that horrible place.  But just as I was about to accept my fate for the second time today, I felt something wrap around my body and my vision went completely dark.

Now all I could do was listen as the sound of wind whistling filled my ears. It went on for a good while before I felt an incredibly powerful impact, followed by a roar of pain. After the impact, it felt like I was rolling, then came to a stop after a few seconds. The darkness parted as whatever was wrapped around me let go. When I got up, I saw that they were Noir's wings, and he cushioned my fall while taking the hard landing. "Noir!!" I rushed over to his head and saw that his eyes were barely staying open. "Hey, come on now, bud! Don't you dare pass out on me now!!” Frantically, I looked around, hoping to figure out our bearings. And to my joy, not three feet away, I saw the entrance to the cave. "Noir, look! The cave! It’s right there! If we hurry, we can make it!!

My words must have sparked his consciousness as he raised his head to stare at the entrance. Slowly, he tried to get up, but when he tried to use one of his wings to push up, he jolted and let out a pained roar. When I took a look to see what was wrong, I saw that his wings were bent in an awkward position. His wings were broken. I turned my attention back to the skies, trying to search out the pegasi, spotting them quickly approaching us. They would be on us within a couple minutes. "Come on, bud, we need to get out of here now!!

He was able to slowly get up, but due to the crash, his body wobbled a bit. Helping him move, I started to push us in the direction of the cave. He gave off a few pained grunts, but he was doing his best to move as fast as possible as he limped forward. Eventually, we just made it inside, but the sound of wings beating could be heard from outside. Sure enough, when I turned around, I could see the stallions landing a good six feet away from the entrance and they began to charge us on foot.

I was panicking as I tried to think of something, anything to stop them. While I was frantically looking around, I glanced at the top of the cave's entrance. It was a gambit, but it was either that or go back to the arena. "Noir, I need you to fire one of your plasma blasts at the top of the cave entrance!" He gave me a rather confused stare, looked down further in the cave, then back to me, shaking his head. "Look, we don't have time to argue! Trust me, I know what I'm doing! These caves have other exits that we can get out of, but if you don't hurry, they'll catch us again!"

The pegasi were just about to reach the entrance. Noir lifted his head and took a deep breath, then fired a powerful blast at the ceiling above the entrance. The blast knocked down quite a bit of the ceiling, several large boulders covering up the entrance and submerging us in complete darkness.
> In the Hall of the Mountain Dogs
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3rd person POV) 


As the sun reached its peak, a small army of over one hundred guards circled the perimeter of the Arena. All of which were led by the princesses themselves, along with the captain of the royal guard. "Captain Shining Armor, are you guards in position?" Celestia asked while keeping her eyes ever vigilant on the horrid place that was keeping their target prisoner. 

Shining Armor, who was dressed his full purple and yellow armor, gave a salute to the princess. "Almost, Your Highness. They are in getting into position as we speak and will be waiting for your command when they are ready."

Luna, who as been quiet the whole time, fidgeting around as she dug her hooves into the dirt, ready to charge. "Sister, we must hurry. We have already spent too much time getting here when you and I could have just teleported here, blasted our way in, and saved him." Her voice was filled with anxiety and worry. She was was donned in her old armor of black and purple, something she hadn't worn in so long before the founding of Canterlot during the wars she and her sister took part in.

"Luna, we needed to be prepared for this. If we went in alone, there could have been a higher risk of putting his life in danger. Besides, I want to bring those who have put that poor boy in such a horrible place and end this barbaric operation." Celestia made little to no effort to hide the disdain in her voice.

Luna was rather surprised to see her sister’s attitude in such a way. Since her return, her sister has always given off a motherly tone and a smile that made one feel like they could do no wrong in her presence. But now, Luna was seeing a side of Celestia that she hadn't seen in a thousand years. "But, sister, isn't this within a foul, forsaken place within the Griffon's territory? I wish not to be at odds against the griffon kingdom." Luna asked while taking a moment to readjust her armor.

"I'm afraid that a great deal has happened since your banishment, dear sister. The last king had lost the idol that they had cherished so greatly. And not long after, the kingdom fell into ruins . Nowadays, the griffins do very little that doesn't line their pockets with bits. And their military forces have all but disappeared. If we were to be caught, I could simply give them a bag of bits, and they would look the other way. It's sad, really. A once noble kingdom devastated, all because of a piece of metal."

In the distance, a red ball of light could be seen soaring into the sky and exploding like a firework. "That's the signal, Your Highness!!" Shining Armor shouted.

"Luna!!" Celestia gave her sister the queue, who nodded her head and fired her own signal, which was a dark blue. Both the princesses and the guards charged forward toward the forsaken stadium.

Lighting up their horns, the princesses move ahead of the group and fired their magic at the large gate, blasting them to pieces. They rushed into the building and searched the corridors for any sign of the dragon.

But as the princesses looked around, they started to notice that there wasn't any form of security to face them, nor any creature for that matter. Their charge was slowed down to a trot as they took note of the condition inside. Blood, as well as the limbs of a few creatures, some of which were ponies, were scattered across the ground with tracks of large predators. "By Faust’s name, what has happened here?" Luna asked, covering her muzzle as the smell of ammonia invaded her nostrils.

"It would appear that the creatures imprisoned here must have escaped and wreaked havoc upon those who were unfortunate enough to be in this area." Celestia deduced as she scanned the floor. Though she had made it seem like she was unfazed by all this blood and carnage, deep down, this only made her fear grow that much greater. 

"Your Highnesses!" One of the guard ponies called out, running toward them. "There’s something you need to see!!"

Celestia, Luna, and Shining Armor followed the stallion, leading them down a set of corridors to a large set of doors that looked like they had been blasted open. The moment they passed through the doors, they let out a collective gasp. In the stands were pools of blood with the remains of pony and griffon carcasses. But what they found most terrifying was laying across the battlefield. In total, there must have been at least six severed hydra heads, but upon further inspection, there was no body.

"Luna, you said that the information you extracted from that stallion told you that Johann would be facing off against a hydra, correct?" Celestia asked, a hint of fear in her voice as she looked around. There were a few black scales scattered across the ground that were next to indents in the ground, like something had been forcefully slammed down to make them. 

"Yes, sister, I did, but the details of the battle were not given." Luna's voice was soon betraying her as her emotions were getting the better of her. Every horrifying thought on what could have happened to the dragon flooded her mind. "I told you we should've just came by ourselves! We could have been here in an instant, rescue him, and then come back to clean up the filthy heathens after we knew he was safe!!"

"Luna, calm down. We don't know if he-'

Celestia tried her best to calm her sister down, but Luna quickly got in her face, tears flowing down her cheeks. "What, died!? Look around, Tia! The hydra's heads are here, but not its body! And there’s no trace of it anywhere! We were too late, sister! The battle has already happened, and the outcome is plain for all to see!!" Her screams died down as she slumped down sobbing.

Just when Celestia was about to comfort and reassure her sister, a troop of her guards came running in with something covered in a cloth tarp on one of stallion's back. "Your Highnesses, we just got back from checking the outer perimeters. While we were searching, we found tracks left by what we believed to be a wagon. The tracks were fresh, most likely a few hours old." The guard ignited his horn with his magic and lifted the object wrapped in the tarp off his back, presenting it to the princesses. "When we followed the tracks, we found this on the ground. We believed it must have fallen out."

When the stallion uncovered the tarp, Celestia’s pupils shrank to the horror she saw. Covered in stains of blood was a vest, but the vest was made completely out of black dragon scales. And the blood seemed fairly fresh, some of the scales bearing claw marks across them. Tears started to build up in Celestia's eyes as she held the vest closer to her chest. Luna looked up and saw the vest, gasping in shock as her sister held it closer to her body, hugging it as though he was in her hooves.

“W-We...We were too late,” Celestia uttered, choking back a sob. “We...should have...Luna, I-”

Luna couldn’t utter a word, too choked up to speak. Instead, she held her sister, clutching the vest of dragon scales along with Celestia as she cried. Celestia couldn’t hold back her sobs and wept with Luna, embracing her sister as they mourned. They were too late, and the boy who gave his life twice had met his end for good.


====================================

(4 hours earlier that day. Glenda POV) 


I could hear the pegasi cursing and swearing up a storm when the cave entrance collapsed, and the entire place was pitch black. 

"Well…...I did not think this through." I was kinda hoping that Noir would have just blasted enough to block their path, not bring the whole thing down. "Well, um, I can't see anything, and I don't know what to do now. How about you, Noir? Got any bright ideas?" Almost immediately, the darkness was chased away by a light to my right. Looking down, I saw Noir with his mouth wide open and a light shining from his throat. It was like when he would prepare to fire off his plasma blast. "Well…that's a very bright idea. Since when could you have done that?" He merely shrugged, which was quickly followed by a roar of pain and crouching down, clutching his shoulder. 

 "Noir!" I quickly moved to his side and helped keep him up. When I looked to see what he was clutching, I saw his broken wing. I was so caught up in the moment of escaping the guards that I had forgotten his injuries from the fall. "Noir, listen, I'm gonna take a look, but this will hurt a bit, okay?" He looked a bit worried, but he gave me a nod. I proceeded to take a look at his wing. I started slow by gently feeling around the base of his wings and worked my way down. It wasn't until I got to the middle that he let out another roar of pain, squirming around to tell me to stop. I quickly let go and tried to calm him down by rubbing his head. "It's okay, bud. I'm not gonna touch anymore."

This wasn't good. His wing is broken, and if we don't get it treated soon, it may never recover. I looked down the tunnel and couldn't see much beyond three feet of Noir's light. "Your wing is badly damaged. We need to find someone who can help you." I did my best to help him onto his feet without touching his bad wing. "I need you to try and lock your wing to your side. I can help lift the broken side, but you'll need to raise your joint, okay?"

He looked to his wings, a bit worried about the pain he is most definitely going to experience. He turned his head away and nodded. "Okay, we are gonna do this on the count of three." I move into position, ready to grip the broken end of his wing to help lift. "Okay, here we go. 1…2…3!!!" The moment he raised the part of his wing, I did the same with the broken half and help set it to his side. He let out a roar that was so loud it stung my ears due to the echo inside the cae. Once his wing was locked in place, I moved to rub the inside of my ears to try and alleviate the pain. "Okay, Noir, do you think you can walk?" He was breathing in deeply while his claws dug into the ground. It took a few minutes before he was standing back up and ready to move forward. 

With Noir in front, we slowly made our way deeper through the cave. From what I heard from the guards back when I spent my first few years in that living nightmare, there were a set of tunnels that were in the mountains that were next to Griffonstone they went through. So, all we had to do was go in a straight line, and we should be out within half the day…at least that's what I hoped for.

Every once in a while, we had to stop to let Noir catch his breath so that he could continue to use his light to see where we’re going. We also had to make sure that he wasn't pushing his body to hard; he not only just fought one of Equestria’s most fearsome creatures, but took the brunt of a fall to protect me. I felt so guilty about putting him through this. If I hadn't stopped him from killing Steel Horn, then he wouldn't have sent his goons after us. 

After another few minutes of walking, we came to our first, and I'm willing to bet, not our last bit of trouble; a fork in the path. There were three different tunnels to take: left, right, and center. No one mentioned more than one pathway, but then again, maybe I wasn't sure if I heard the whole story at the time. "Buck, now what do we do?" I know Noir can't talk, but asking anyway wouldn't hurt.

Suddenly, without warning, Noir fired three shots, one in each tunnel for no reason, the sudden rapid fire startling me. "What the heck!! You almost gave me a hea-" I was cut off when he placed one of his claws over my beak, closing his eyes. Before I could protest, I heard a loud whistling noise and a blue light coming out of the right tunnel. 

Noir started to nudge me toward the tunnel, but I had some questions. "Whoa, hang on. What the heck was that!?" I asked, forgetting that he couldn't speak. He started to draw something in the dirt. Once he finished, he showed me a little doodle of a bat with curved lines coming out of its mouth. Echolocation. "You can use echolocation like a bat?" He held out his chest as he nodded with pride. "Well, I'll be damned. You’re just full of surprises, aren't you?" He gave off his normal chuckle-like grunts as we went down through the right tunnel. With a skill like this, we were bound to get out faster. Oh, how wrong I was.

==================================

Three hours. That's how long we spent traveling down these tunnels. Each time, there would be a forked path that would either have three or several other choices to choose from. What's worse was that some of the tunnels weren't just straight lines; some winded around and curved in different directions while other rose up or sloped down. And I also noticed that Noir's fire was starting to get dimmer the longer he tried to keep it on and when he has to check each tunnel to see which one to take. At the rate we were going, Noir was gonna run out of strength to provide light and get his wing treated. 

As we came up to yet another fork in the road, Noir fires of another blast into one of the tunnels. Shortly after he does, he jumps in front of me and begins snarling, arching his back. Before I asked what was wrong, I could hear the echoing sound of footsteps coming from the tunnel he had just checked. Since I had no weapons, the best I could do was grab a nearby rock and prepare for a possible fight. 

As the steps got closer, I noticed a small light was moving closer from within the tunnel. Noir maintained his ground as the light was almost within his own. Eventually, a cloaked figure holding out a metal lantern stepped into the light, adding his own to the cave. Though I couldn’t see their face, the figure’s head looked at Noir, then to me. "A dragon and a griffon? Hmmm, that's an unusual pairing."

 The figure moved its arm up to its head to remove the hood, and I was rather shocked by what I saw. It was a diamond dog. Now by no means are diamond dogs a rare species. They can be commonly found near any area's with gem caves. They were known to be a bit clueless and kind of ugly with barely any distinguishing features, but this was a different creature altogether. He had a round face with ears pointing up, looking like a Shiba Inu. He was around the standard height for a diamond dog at around five feet tall, except, unlike most, he wasn't hunched over. "A diamond dog?"

I noticed how his nose crinkled a bit and he held out his paw. "Please, I would prefer it if you didn't call me that. I'd much prefer the name gem canine, or you can call me by name. I'm Hachi. It's a pleasure to meet you both." 

While I was still a bit nervous about this Hachi character, mainly due to the fact that his kind would tend to be aggressive, Noir was already calming down and relaxed his posture. "Anyway, the reason I’m here is because I was on patrol and heard a great deal of noise that sounded like explosions. I wasn't expecting to run into you two." Hachi glances at me for a moment. "If you don't mind me asking, what has brought you two this far into the mountains? Griffonstone is on the other side of the mountain, and you're kind doesn't usually take the tunnels." He moved his attention over to Noir. "And I've yet to see a dragon come this far from the Dragonlands."

Seeing that I had no choice and Noir couldn't speak on his behalf, I decided to step forward. "The reason isn't a pleasant one. We were forced to come into these tunnels because we were being chased to be captured again." 

I gave Hachi the short version of both our stories of the arena and how we managed to escape. By the time I finished, Hachi was resting his chin in one of his paws as he hummed in thought. We both waited as the gem canine leaned up against a wall, deep in thought.  After another minute, he pushed off the wall. "I sense that all you have told me is true. And if you are capable of keeping a secret, I may know a place where you can take your friend, get his wing treated, and rest before going to Griffonstone."

Both Noir and I looked at each other, rather surprised that this complete stranger was willing to help us just for keeping a secret. I was already suspicious and my instincts demanded that I know why. "So, you are willing to help us if we keep a secret? What's the secret?"

Hachi folded his arms across his chest as he looked at us both. "The location of where I plan to take you."

Again, I had to further inquire."And if we don't agree?"

There was a brief silence before he looked at us with a cold stare. "You'll never leave this mountain alive." This got a simultaneous gulp from both of us. "So, I believe that keeping such a secret is worth the help, wouldn't you two agree?" We both immediately nodded our heads. "Excellent. Now that we are in agreement, let's head off." Picking up his lantern, Hachi lead us down the tunnel he came from and we followed.

For a good ten minutes, we walked down different tunnels that our guide went down almost at random. Eventually, we come up to a dead end, but Hachi didn't bother stopping as he continued toward the wall. "Uh, Hachi, that's a dead end."

He looked over his shoulder and smiled at us both while reaching into his robes. "To some, it may seem like a dead end, but to those who know the truth, it's just a faster way home." He pulled his paw out of his robe, holding out a blue gem to the wall, which started to glow. The wall began to shake before slowly sliding to the side, revealing a path beyond. "Come, you two, we’re going for a ride." 

Hachi walked in and we followed behind him, entering a dark room. A loud click was heard, the darkness was illuminated by several lights, revealing what was inside. In the middle of the room was a fairly large mine cart on some tracks, along with a red lever beside the cart. "Alright, you two, hop inside." 

"You want us to ride in that thing?" I asked, rather confused why such a thing would be in here, or why he wanted us to ride in it. He just smiled and nodded as he hopped into the mine cart, moving to the side closest to the lever. I wasn't sure if I was okay with this idea, but Noir was already climbing into the metal carrier in the back. "Guess I've got no choice."

I hauled myself into the metal cart and sat in between Noir and Hachi. The canine turned to us and cleared his throat. "Before we continue, I must instil you both with some words of warning." He took a moment to pause, causing the two of us to lean in, curious of what may be crucial information. "Please keep your paws, claws, talons, wings, and tails inside the vehicle at all times." He said in an upbeat tone, making Noir and I fall forward for worried over nothing. "Now then, enjoy the ride." Did he say ride? 




Before I could ask, Hachi gripped the lever and pulled it back, causing the cart to let out a small screech as the wheels turned. Soon, the cart was moving forward into darkness with the only light from Hachi's lantern, which he soon blew out. The next thing I noticed was the feeling of the cart leaning downwards and the cart was picking up speed. Eventually, the speed increased as cold wind started to brush past our faces, and the angle of the cart was like it was dropping down a slope. I was screaming my head off as it felt like we're falling, and I could even hear Noir letting out a screeching roar as we kept moving down. I could see a light in the distance that quickly approached before finally we had to close our her eyes from the sudden brightness.  When we opened our eyes, I was completely speechless. We entered a massive, hollowed out portion of the mountain, where other carts on metal tracks intertwined near one another. In the distance, I could also see what looked like a city built into some part of the mountains.

 The cart we were in started to level out for a moment before making a quick left turn, then dipping up and down as we moved. Without warning, it dropped down another steep hill before going in a few loops, turning my screams of fear into those of pure joy and excitement. "Whoo hoo!!!!"

After the brief amount of fun, we headed straight for the city, but along the way, we could see other gem canines mining the nearby gems and crystals off in the distance, some of which looked like different dog breeds. As we picked up speed, I noticed that Hachi was sticking his head out of the side of the cart with his tongue out, panting happily. I giggled a bit as I nudged Noir. "Hehe, hey, Noir are you seeing th…pft hahahahaha!!" When I looked up, I saw that Noir was doing the same thing on the other side of the cart, his eyes closed and a big goofy smile like when we were flying.

We soon reached what looked like a docking station where other metal carts would stop to let out their passengers and the contents within them. Once it was our turn to get out, we immediately got the attention of all those who were near, but the stares we got weren't those of fear, hate, or suspicion, but those of curiosity and wonder. 

"Come now. We can introduce you to everyone after we get your friend's wing treated." Hachi walked ahead of us and we followed close behind. "We'll need to take him to the hospital to get a dog scan on his wing."

Wait, did he say “dog scan”? "Don't you mean a cat scan?"

He looked back with a smug grin. "I know what I said. Heh." He chuckled a bit as he led us out of the station and into an open square. There were many different breeds of gem canines walking down the streets. I noticed that all the upright canines wore clothing of some sort, mostly covering up the lower and upper bodies. The only time I had seen any creatures wear clothing were the rich nobles who would attend the arena fights. Some glanced in our direction as we passed by, and to my surprise, they would wave to us and say hello in a friendly tone. We had been so used to the cruel cutthroat life of the arena that receiving such warm hellos made my heart swell with joy. I wasn't sure if Noir was feeling the same way, but he would always return their waves with his own.

Eventually, we find ourselves walking in the direction of a white building that was at least eight stories high with a big red cross on the top, the sign out front reading “Saint Bernard's Hospital”. There were dogs in light blue or light pink coats walking around the waiting area, tending to some of the patients that were here. Though none of them seem to be in any critical condition; some were just coughing and sneezing while others mentioned something about their checkups.

Hachi had gone to the front desk and talked to the receptionists, then came back. "Okay, we are in luck. The best doctor I know is in today and she doesn't have any appointments. It is rather odd, but no point worrying about it."

"So who is this doctor you seem so highly sure of? Do you think she can help Noir, given that he's a dragon and not a gem canine?"

"Believe me, even though she's never treated a dragon, I have no doubt that Nana will be able to help treat a broken wing." Wait, Nana? 

Right on cue, a set of double doors slammed wide up, getting both me and Noir to jump up in surprise as a large saint bernard gem canine came charging over to us. "HACHI!!" She quickly moved in and lifted our guide up in a large bear hug, causing him to let out a small whine. "Oh, I've missed you! How have you been my friend!?" The doctor, who I presumed to be Nana, asked as she continued to squeeze the poor fellow, whose face was turning a light shade of blue.

I moved over to tap on the doctor's shoulder, getting her attention. "Um, Miss Nana."

"Oh please, dear, just call me Nana. I'm not fond of formalities." She said in a sweet, motherly tone." 

"Well, um, Nana, I'm no doctor, but I'm pretty sure when someone's face goes that shade of blue, it usually means they can’t breath." I point to the unfortunate canine, his face now almost a dark blue boarding on purple. 

Nana looked down at Hachi, whose paw was rapidly tapping on her arm, hoping to taste fresh air before suffocating to death. "Oh, Hachi! I'm so sorry!!" She squeaked as she let the poor fellow out of her death hug.

He gasped we he fell to his knees, panting heavily as he tried to catch his breath. "Its…okay…Nana." He gave her a shaky thumbs up as he slowly got back to his feet. "I actually came by to bring you a patient who needs your help." 

She turned to me, which sent a shiver down my spine. "Are you the one who needs help, sweetie?" She asked while glancing me up and down.

"Oh! N-No, that would be my friend, Noir! He's-" When I stretched out my arm to tap on him, I found myself grabbing nothing but air. I turned my head and saw that he was nowhere in sight. "Noir?"

We all looked around until Hachi tapped my shoulder, chuckling as he pointed over to a set of seats. Under said seats was Noir, shaking a little with only his tail out and exposed. "Hey, Noir, you know your tail is still sticking out?" Immediately, his arm reached out and quickly pulled his tail under.

"Please don't worry, my friend. Despite the surprise bear hug, Nana is the most gentle doctor anyone could ask for. She'll be able to treat you wing in no time at all." Hachi reassured to Noir, getting him to poke his head out.  

Nana walked over and slowly knelt down to Noir, moving her paw to gently stroke the top of his head. "Don't worry, sweetie. I may not know your story, but I'll treat you like I would my own, and that's promise." Noir let out a low purr as he carefully crawled out from his hiding place. "That's it. Now, you come with me and we'll get that wing all patched up." 

She led Noir down the hall through a set of double doors, leaving just me and Hachi. "So, Hachi, what should we do while we wait for Noir's wing to get fixed?" 

Hachi stroked his chin as he hummed in thought. "Hows about I take you to an inn for you and your friend to spend the night in?" 

"Sounds good to me. Got any place in mind?" 

==================================

As we walked down the many streets of the city, which has no name, Hachi gave me a history lesson of his kind and the origin of the diamond dogs. According to him, the diamond dogs that most of Equestria are all too familiar with are a subspecies of gem canines. Many years ago, the gem canines who made their homes deep within mountains had some difficulties with some of their kind wanting to hoard gems to satisfy their greed, believing that having more gems meant they were superior. As a result, some of them would cause trouble or even harm other gem canines for the precious stones. The leaders of the gem canines, Sirius, had enough of their petty and greedy ways, casting them out from the pack to never return.  Those who were cast out were no longer permitted to call themselves gem canines again. Those who were exiled started referring themselves after the strongest gems, diamond, and chose the word dog over canines. But without proper schooling or moral compasses, they devolved into brutish beasts who will do anything to get their greedy paws on precious gemstones.

We had arrived at our destination, the building was called “The Dalmatians Inn: 101 Rooms of Luxury”. The building itself was about eight stories tall, colored white with black spots like a Dalmatian’s fur coat. Walking inside, the carpet was red and soft beneath my talons, which gave them a comforting warmth with each step I took. The walls had light blue paint with white painted clouds along them. 

It was such a nice atmosphere that I felt completely relaxed and content...at least for a moment. "We have guest!!" A high pitched voice called out, and before I knew it, I was swarmed by an ocean of white with black splotches, causing me to fall back. I was on my back giggling up a storm as puppy gem canines were licking my face and playfully nibbling me. 

"Kids, stop! I told you to stop doing that to our guests!!" An older male voice called, causing the puppies to quickly disperse while still giggling. "I am so sorry. My kids are still in obedience school and get excited when they meet a guest." When I opened my eyes after wiping off the puppy slobber, I saw an older Dalmatian with brown slacks, a light tan shirt, and a red vest. "Begging your pardon, miss. They are just pups and don't know better." He extends his paw to me.

I gladly take it and was helped back up. "Its okay, they weren't any trouble at all. In fact, it was kinda fun, hehe. I'm Glenda, and you are?"

"Oh, now where are my manners?" He placed his right paw over his heart and bowed. "The name is Pongo, and I along with my wife are the owners of this lovely inn." 

"Pongo, my friend here along with one other need some rooms for the night. Could you possibly give them a room?" Hachi asked.

"But of course! We'd be happy to give them a room. And where might the second guest be?" Pongo asked, looking around for the second guest. 

"I'm afraid he is currently seeking medical treatment from Nana." Pongo seemed rather surprised by this. "Don't worry, I'll tell you about it later. For now, I plan to continue giving Glenda here a tour of the city."

"Very well. I will be here when your friends are ready to check in." Pongo walked back to the front desk, which had the same black-splotched pattern of the Dalmations’ coats.

As we were walking out, a thought popped in my head. "Hey, Hachi, if you guys live here, then why would your people need an inn?"

"Hmm? Oh, that's simple. I mentioned earlier that this mountain isn't the original home of the gem canines, correct?" I nod. "Well you see, there are many hidden gem canine cities across Equestria. Sometimes, gem canines come from different cities to visit one another, sharing their wares, items they discovered, or even the locations of a mountain where they could build another city in. And of course they need a place to stay, hence the inn."

'Huh. That makes sense.' But one other question came to mind. "So how come you guys want to stay hidden from the rest of Equestria? You all don't seem like you would give the other races any reason to worry about you."

Hachi didn't answer immediately. He stayed quiet for a good while as we walked. I was afraid that I may have overstepped my boundaries. "The truth is that we had forgotten the reason. It's just a rule we were given in the beginning, and, not including the diamond dogs, we have all kept this rule. The only exceptions are those who travel throughout Equestria to learn anything we have yet to learn ourselves."

The rest of our tour went on a bit more quietly as we took in the sights and sounds of the city, saying hello to all those we passed. "So tell me, Glenda, why Griffonstone?"

"Huh?"

"You told me how you and your companion were planning to head to Griffonstone, but as the kingdom is now, I would have chosen someplace where creatures are much more friendly. Like a pony town."

I hadn't told Hachi about my true lineage and how I'm technically a royal, but given what we have been through so far, I feel like I could trust him. "I heading to Griffonstone to find the lost Idol of Boreas to restore the griffon's pride and lead the kingdom back to its original glory. It is my obligation as a member of the royal line."

I didn't get a startled or surprised look from Hachi as I told the truth of my lineage. Instead, he smiled and patted my back. "Well, if you succeed in finding it, then I'm sure you'll make a great queen. But there is one thing I have to ask?" I nodded for him to continue. "Well, it's about your friend. What does he plan to do once you both make it Griffonstone?"

Like a runaway train, my mind was bombarded with questions that I never gave any thought to. We were so busy trying to escape the arena that I hadn't considered what Noir would do if I found the idol. 'I guess he would go back to his pony friends.' 

Hachi must have figured out how I was feeling as I felt his paw gently stroke my back to help soothe my nerves. "If I may offer some bit of wisdom. From what you told me, he has someone he needs to see again. Even though he may leave for a while, it doesn't mean he won't come back. He seems like the kind of dragon who stays loyal to his friends, and after everything you two have been through, I have no doubt in my mind that he considers you one of his closest friends. So when the time comes, don't think of it as goodbye, but rather farewell till next time."

Hachi's words helped lift a stone that had been weighing heavily on my heart, and I was able to sigh in relief. "Thanks, Hachi, that helps a lot."

"You're very welcome, my friend." The sound of a large bell could be heard, ringing and echoing throughout the city. "Six bells. I think Nana must have finished patching up your friend by now. Let's go see if he's ready, shall we?" And we were off to the hospital.


===================================

We were in the waiting area as one of the nurses told us that Noir will be out in a little bit. We both wait until we heard the sound of some double doors opening. Noir was walking next to Nana with his damaged wing in a sling, the wing also wrapped up in bandages as well.

"Well, I've done all I could, but thankfully the wing wasn't too badly broken. I'm no expert when it comes to dragon biology, but his wing should heal up within three to four months. I made sure to apply our special healing remedy to help speed his recovery along. Oh, that reminds me." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a tan-colored jar. "This is the remedy I just mentioned. Apply this to the broken wing once a day and he should heal in no time." 

She placed the jar in a paper bag that she got from the front desk and handed it over to me. "Umm, thank you, but I don't know if we can pay for it."

"Oh no, dear! We don't plan to charge you for it. This is on us. You are visitors here and have Hachi as your guide. You won’t need to worry about expenses." Nana reassured us.

This was honestly something I never thought I would experience. My kind had always been spiteful towards one another and those around us. I felt tears start to well up in my eyes from these acts of kindness. 

Grrrroooowwnnn!!!

A loud rumble broke me out of my thoughts. I turn to see where it was coming from, only to see Noir slightly blushing while looking away. "Sounds like someone is getting hungry." I lightly elbow his shoulder, getting him to grumble. 

Hachi clapped his paws."If you two are hungry, I know a place where you two can get some good food before you go rest at the inn."

==================================

We walked down what Hachi called the restaurant district. Here, there were restaurants that served a large variety of food, some of which I've never seen or heard of. But as we pass each building, my senses were invaded by tons of delicious smells, making my mouth water each time I inhaled. 

"Alright, you two, here is the place." We come up to a red stone building with an awning that was striped with red, white and green. "This is Tony's, one of my favorite places in the city for a bite to eat. I know the owner and the chef. They'll take real good care of you two. Just wait here while I go make some reservations." He walked inside, leaving us to wait outside. And not even a moment later, he comes out with a smile. "Good news! I managed to get you two into the VIP section. Come on in."

The moment we stepped inside, my mouth started flooding saliva like a waterfall from the delicious aroma from the food being cooked in the kitchen. I could hear Noir's stomach rumble again and saw that his eyes were darting all over the place, his tongue sticking out. We follow Hachi as he led us into a room that was much more spacious than the other.  There were about eight tables in all, only one of them being used by a couple. One looked like a cocker spaniel, her fur was light brown while her floppy ears were a darker shade of brown. The second, who I think is her husband, looked like a terrier mix, his fur a light gray.

"I already told Tony you’re here. I need to get going, but I'll come pick you two up and help you leave the mountain. You remember where the inn is, Glenda?" I nodded as we had passed it on the way here. "Fantastic. Untill then." 

We took our seats on each side of the round table, which had a red and white table cloth, a single candle, and a basket of bread sticks. After a good three minutes, a gem canine who looked like a bracco came to our table. He was slightly portly with fur that was black with brown highlights and had a mustache that was thick at the base but thinned out as moved upwards. "Welcome to my-a bistro, I am-a Tony. And any friend of-a Hachi’s is a friend of mine-a."

"Hey-a, Tony, are-a Hachi's guests-a here yet?" Another bracco came out from where I presume was the kitchen. This one was skinnier than Tony and had a bushier mustache. “Well, what do you know-a? It's a griffon and a dragon. How are-a you doing today-a, good sir?" He greeted Noir.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but Noir can't talk."

 "Oh. Well, don't-a worry. I'll go fetch-a something I know he will-a like." He walked back into the kitchen. 

"That is-a my chef, Joe. He's-a the best cook a canine could-a ask for." Tony explained as he looked over at me, then pulled out two red menus and placed them in front of us.

I glanced over the menu and found myself dumbfounded. I didn't know what any of the dishes were. Some were written in a language I didn't recognize. I glanced over at Noir and noticed he doesn't seem stumped as I was. "Um, I'll let Noir make the decision."

"Very well. So, what will-a be your pleasure today? A-la carte? Dinner?" Tony asked Noir. He looked over the menu for a good minute before glancing over at the other table, where the two other patrons were sitting. He pointed at their food, which got a big smile out of Tony. "Aha. Okay."

Joe came walking in with a plate of gems. "Tony, here are-a some gems for-a the dragon."

"Ah, yes. Gems...Gems!?" Tony screamed out, knocking the plate out of Joe's paws. "What's-a matter with you, Joe?! Tonight, our guests get-a the best in-a the house! And Noir says he wants-a two large orders of-a spaghetti, heavy on-a the meat-a balls."

"Tony, the dragon don't talk-a." Joe's shrugging his shoulders. 

"He's-a talking to me!!"

"Okay, he's-a talking to you! You the boss! Mamma mia," Joe muttered as ran into the kitchen.

A few moments later, he comes back out with two large plates that have some kind of yellow strings that were like worms, only thinner, with some kind of red substance on top and six large balls of meat on each plate. "Here you two go, two house-a specials. Enjoy."

The two left, leaving us to our meal. I had poked the yellow strings with my fork, giving it a few sniffs. I looked over at Noir, who was savoring the aroma from his own plate before leaning down, scooping some of his food into his mouth, and began chewing it. He had a large smile on his face and was purring with delight. I could even see his tail wagging side to side on the floor. Not wanting to let my food get cold, I twirled my fork into the long yellow things, making sure to get the red stuff on it too. I was rather nervous when I brought it to my mouth, but fortune favors the bold as they say. I shoved it into my mouth, and on my first bite, my mind was completely blown away. The stringy things tastes of wheat and the red sauce was just like that of a tomato, but a bit saltier. "This is so good!!" We both started to dig into our food and had the best meals we've ever had in who knows how long.

==================================


After we had finished our incredibly delicious meal, we walked to the inn that we’re staying in. As I led Noir there, I couldn't help thinking about what Hachi said. About after what Noir would do once we had reached Griffonstone and hopefully found the lost idol. I already knew that he would want to go back to where he was taken from. Part of me wishes he would stay in Griffonstone with me, but another knows that he needs to make his own choice. I was happy to have a friend like him over these last six months, and without him, I may have stayed in that horrible arena for the rest of my life.

After a while, we had reached the inn and I was still deep in thought about what Noir was planning on doing. I was so distracted in my thoughts that I had failed to notice that he walked ahead of me to the doors. At first, I felt like I had forgotten something important. And then…

"We have another guest!!!!" I hear shrieks from inside the building, followed by the sound of Noir shrieking in terror. 

'Oh crud, I forgot about the puppies!!" I ran inside to see Noir was literally being dogpiled by fifteen puppies, all of which where playfully bouncing on top of him or licking his face. I cupped my talon over my beak as I tried my hardest to keep in my laughter. When I saw one the puppies tugging on his ear, causing him to make a  funny face, I immediately lost it. "Bwahahaha! Hey, Noir, what's wrong? Are you seeing spots or something?!"

And then I heard Pongo. "Oh, not again!!" As he came in trying to get his children off Noir, he had managed to get back on his feet, giving me a playful smack with his tail for not helping him sooner.

We both went to ours rooms laughing after I told him the same thing happened to me when I came in here while he was being treated. The rooms we were assigned were surprisingly luxurious. I wasn't sure about Noir's room, but mine had a king-sized bed with velvet covers and pillows that were almost as fluffy as clouds. 

When I laid down in the first decent bed in eight years and six months, I was barely able to keep my eyes open. I decided not to fight it and let sleep take over, but not before thinking about the lovely day Noir and I had. 'At least I'll always have these memories to look back on.' Finally giving in, I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

===================================
(Fluttershy cottage 3rd POV) 

It was nearly sunset as Fluttershy had just finished up her chores for the day. She hummed a cheerful tune as she was about to prepare herself and her animal companions their dinner for the night. A few knocks at the door caused her to stop and look over at her clock. "Hmm? They're late this time." 
She trotted over to the door and opened it. Outside, not to her surprise, were the same three fillies who have been checking in on her for the last six months: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. "Hello girls. You're here later than usual."

She stepped aside, allowing all three in. "Sorry about that, Fluttershy, but we had to stay behind in class today and clean up the mess we made." Apple Bloom explained as she and her friends took a seat on the couch. 

"Yeah, we would have been here sooner if SOMEPONY hadn't decided to drown our project in glitter." Scootaloo said sarcastically as she turned her attention to the unicorn filly next to her.

Sweetie Belle was blushing madly. "Hey, I thought it could've make it look prettier. How was I supposed to know the lid wasn't on right?" The unicorn filly asked, her cheeks blushing.

"Anyway, we came by to see if there is any news from the princesses on Toothless yet?" Scootaloo asked, getting to the point of their visit. 

Over the course of the last six months, the CMC would come down to ask Fluttershy for any updates, or would offer their help to find their dragon companion. Sadly, the most Fluttershy could ask of them was to hand out fliers to ponies at the train station to hopefully spread the word. "I'm sorry, girls, but I haven't heard anything yet. There isn't much more we can do right now."

"Aww, come on! There’s gotta be something we could do?" Apple Bloom wined. 

"Yeah, maybe we could make more flyers and go across Equestria to pass them out." Sweetie Belle suggested, getting the girls to nod in agreement. 

"Now, girls, I know you miss him too, but we have to be patient until the princ-" A few knocks at the door interrupted Fluttershy. "Who could that be?" Besides the CMC, she hadn't been expecting any other visitors today. As she opened the door, she found herself frozen in place. Standing outside her door was none other than Princess Celestia and Princess Luna. "Y-your h-highnesses? W-what are-?" 

Luna raises her hoof up to silence the stuttering mare. "Kindness, we must ask that we speak in private." She glanced over at the three fillies sitting on the couch behind her. 

"O-oh, okay." Fluttershy turned to the girls. "I'm sorry girls, but I think it's best that you go home."

"What!? No wa-" Scootaloo was quickly cut off as the other two fillies covered her mouth with their hooves. 

"We understand, Fluttershy." Sweetie Belle said.

"Yeah, we understand. We’ll get going." Apple Bloom nudged the pegasus, who got the picture, and left the cottage willingly

Once the fillies were out of the cottage, Celestia stepped forward. "Fluttershy, we have news that you will want to hear, but I believe it's in your best interest that you have a seat." 

"O-Okay." She moved over to the couch and sat down. "Is something the matter, princesses? You both seem like something’s on your mind."

The two sisters looked to one another before solemnly nodding to each other. "Fluttershy, last night, while roaming the dreamscape, Luna stumbled across a stallion who had the information on Toothless’s location." Fluttershy's face visibly lit up as a smile crept on her face, but when she saw that neither of the princesses were smiling with her, it faded. "Luna had found out that he was being held near the griffon kingdom, where he along with other creatures were forced to fight for the entertainment and profit of others." The pegasus let out a gasp as her hooves moved to cover her mouth. "And Luna had also found out that he was to battle a hydra today. We decided to mobilize a small battalion to go and rescue him, but…" Celestia’s eyes started to well up with tears as she turned her head away, unable to face the mare before her.

Luna brushed her wing against her sister’s back, continuing for her. "When we had reached the stadium in which he was being kept, we had found it completely deserted, along with evidence of the battle between the two had already taken place." Luna could see that Fluttershy was on the verge of breaking into tears as well, dreading what was going to be unfortunate news. "The heads of the hydra were found across the battlefield, but the body was nowhere to be found. Neither was Toothless’ body. All except…" Summoning her magic into her horn, Luna brought out the vest made from dragon scales. Fluttershy was visibly shocked and horrified as she saw it. "W-we found this in the area near the stadium, along with some wagon tracks." 

She floated the vest over to the pegasus, who stretched out her shaking hooves as she took the vest and held it close to her chest, letting out a whimpering sob. Celestia, along with her sister, walked over to crying mare and carefully embraced her in hug. "I-I’m so s-sorry, Fluttershy. It's all my fault. I-if we had just done what Luna asked, h-he may still be with us."

Eventually all three mares broke down into tears as they huddled against the vest. They were unaware of the three fillies who had been eavesdropping, who were also bawling their eyes out as they heard the news of their friend’s demise. 

===================================


(Elsewhere) 



"This just isn't my day..." Steel Horn's voice spoke while he was engulfed in pitch black darkness. 

Suddenly, a lone spotlight illuminates the minotaur in a single beam of light. "Well, well, well. Steel Horn, how very nice to see you again." A cold, dark voice spoke from within the darkness, instantly recognizable to the minotaur. 

"Err, yes...Yes it is. How've you been faring, boss? Me? I uhh...lost an arm?" He asked rather nervously.

"I can see that. Now, pray tell, how did you manage to lose that arm of yours?" The voice asked, still shrouded in the shadows.

"Well, heheh...That's...kind of a funny story, actually. Wrangling dangerous creatures can be quite a deadly job, and putting them in a fight is...much more so..." 

"Mmm...I see." The sound of shuffling papers could be heard. "It's a pity that your creatures managed to escape under your nose. Tell me how this came to be?" The voice asked in a rather annoyed tone.

"...I...don't think you'll believe me, even though it's true..."

"Try me."

"Well, we had our finals for the season, and things were doing real well with our finalist monsters. But that crazy griffon slave I kept around somehow managed to not only escape again, and succeeded, but she also freed the caged beasts we were about to transfer for the next season, broke into the room carrying the barrier rune meant to protect the audience and staff if the monsters tried to attack us, and she even managed to kill some of the guards! Even that old goat who had a hardon for her, though I saw that coming a mile away. Old pervert..."

"I'm hearing a lot of excuses and no actual answers. But if I am to understand this properly, you got cocky and lost all the creatures you were meant to send to me for my experiments." The voice sneered before clearing its throat. "Including the dragon and hydra."

"U-Uhh, w-what dragon and hydra? A-Aren't those kind of...rare finds to even bring to an arena? Heh. And, even if anyone could find one, it'd be a death sentence just to try and catch one and tame!"

"To catch it was far too easy for me. And from what I heard, that griffon slave you mentioned earlier managed to tame it rather quickly." A second voice called out from the darkness,  before a second spotlight shines down on a stallion Steel Horn was all to familiar with: Venandi.

Steel Horn’s face twisted into an enraged scowl as he glared at the stallion. "V-Venandi!? Y-You-!? H-How much did you-!?"

"Silence!!" The first voice boomed loudly, silencing the minotaur. "I knew your kind couldn't be trusted to keep their word, so I sent Venandi to keep tabs on you and bring you creatures for you little games. It just goes to show that my old teacher Neigh Say was right; you can't trust any creature other than a pony." 

"B-But you don't understand! I was going to give you the dragon or the hydra if any of them survived!" He stammered knowing he was caught.

"Oh really? Venandi, let me see the manifest." The stallion walked out of the spotlight and over to where the first voice was. The sound of paper being passed was all that could be heard. "Neither a dragon nor a hydra is written on here. So tell me, why is that?"

Steel Horn let out an audible gulp."...W-Well, l-like I said. That last match was...pretty intense, and both beasts were...really powerful, so they could have dealt a deadly blow to the other and suffered from the serious injuries they took...It wasn't a pure guarantee they would have both lived?"

"And did it not occur to you, in that feeble bull-headed mind of yours, to take extra precautions to double security on that which kept you and those who watch the match safe? Do you know how long it took me to make that rune stone!?" The voice grew angry.

"It wasn't my fault! Somehow that little griffon bitch managed to come up with this escape plan, and that dragon's a lot smarter than I thought! That monster was the one who bit off my arm and swallowed it whole after I tried to trick him into trusting me!"

"Well, I'd say I feel rather bad...that dragon may get indigestion.” He paused for a few moments. "And you know what I just realized? You had just lied to me about having the dragon and the hydra."

"...B-But..." The minotaur stammered, feeling a sense of dread wash over him

"Oh, Steel Horn, I thought we had a pretty good deal. I thought that I had finally found a creature worthy of my trust. But it would seem that I have put my faith in the wrong hooves."

"H-Hey, you know you can trust me! I've served you for years, and I wouldn't so much as think of going behind your back! I-I just made one little mistake keeping that brat and I swear nothing like this will happen again!" He tried to reason as he could tell that things weren't in his favor.

The room was silent for a few moments before the sound of hoofs clopping echoed the room. "You know what Steel Horn? You are right. You have been working for me for years, and you're also correct in that you won't fail me again."

Steel Horn let out a breath of relief and whipped his brow."Oh, thank you, boss."

Soon, another set of spotlights turn on, all focused on a massive, headless body that was merely three feet away from the minotaur, and he was held in a rather deep pit. "Tell me something: do you know what that is?"

"...Uhh...the hydra that powerful dragon killed?"

"That's correct." Without warning, three bolts of magic sliced off the scorched skin that covered the bases of the severed necks. Nothing came out, giving the one armed minotaur a sense of relief that it's already dead. "Tell me something, Steel Horn, what do you think a spell with the name ‘resurrection’ does?"

"...It...brings the dead back to life?...Why?" He asked, rather nervous in regards to the question.

"Because I have your last assignment." Another bolt of magic was fired from the darkness, only this time, aimed at the center of the body’s chest. Soon, the arms and legs began to twitch and visible movements could be seen around the necks. Then the three heads of the hydra sprang out, roaring to life as they were free. "To feed my new test subject."

"W-What!? No, wait! You said you would give me another chance!"

"That I am. I'm giving you the chance to put your life to good use and feed the hydra with it. It needs its strength after being brought back, and I'm sure it would just love bovine meat."

"No, please! I swear! I wasn't gonna betray you! I would never even think of backstabbing you!"

"And you never will. Good bye, Steel Horn. You will be missed."

Three tall dark shadows loomed over the minotaur as he felt something wet and warm fall on his shoulders. He shakily turned his head up to see the three heads looking down at him, each one drooling. "P-please, n-no, m-mercy." The heads darted forward, the middle grabbing onto his midsection with its jaws barely piercing his flesh, lifting him off the ground. "Ahhhh! No no no!!" He screamed and squirmed in the beast’s jaws, kicking his legs. A moment later, there was a sickening crunching sound and massive pain on his lower body. He looked down to see that the left head had bitten off his legs, leaving his intestines to slide out. "Oh gods no!!" Before he could continue to wail, the right head darted in and bit off his head, silencing him as the third head swallowed it down its throat. 

"…Very graphic. Oh well. Now that the trash is dealt with, what shall you have me do now, boss?" Venandi asked the figure in the shadows.

"For the time being, continue to bring me test subjects. After last year’s failed attempt at killing those pathetic princesses, I need something to test my latest experiments on." The voice spoke in an irritated tone.

"I take it your plan to kill them at their weakest didn't pan out as you had planned, sir?"

"It would have worked had it not been for that foolish human, who should have minded his own business. I had it all planned out. From the silencing spell to having the instrument of their demise ready to strike them down when they were defenseless. But it was all derailed because one, damn, overgrown, hairless monkey had to play hero!!" A loud crashing sound could be heard, along with hoofs stomping. "But it is no matter. My latest creation shall soon be ready to unleash on the capital, where it will rain fire from the skies!"

"And how long will that be, sir?" Venandi asked rather curious. 

"In three months time. And when that time comes, all those damn royals who turned their back on me will know my wrath!!" The voice cackled. 

"And you plan to keep end of our deal?" Veandi asked, causing his boss to cease his laughter. 

"But of course, my friend. Unlike that piece of garbage, Steel Horn, I have every intention of keeping my word to my own kind. Yes, once we have taken Canterlot and all of Equestria, you shall live the life you so rightfully deserve."

The hunter smiled, pleased with his answer, then made his way toward exit. "Well then, I'd better get back to work if I want to help make our dream a reality."
 
"A brilliant idea. Don't worry, I shall inform you when the time comes for the fireworks. Until then, happy hunting."
> Kingdoms part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Toothless POV)

My eyes slowly fluttered open as I woke up from another dreamless sleep. From the moment I arrived in this world, I've yet to have a single dream, nor any nightmares. While the no nightmares part was nice, not being able to have dreams made me feel hollow. The moment I close my eyes and fall asleep, I'm in an empty void for what feels like seconds before waking up to a new day. I was always well rested physically, but mentally, I was indifferent.

A knock at the door interrupted my thoughts. I got off the bed and made my way to the door to open it. Thankfully, the door had a handle-like doorknob rather than a round one, which made opening the door that much easier for me. When I opened the door, I found a gem canine standing outside. She was another dalmatian breed much like Pongo, but her features were more slim where as Pongo's were more squared. She wore a light blue dress shirt with a dark blue skirt. "Good morning, Mr. Noir. Hachi sent me to let you know that he, along with Ms.Glenda, are in the lobby waiting for you." I nodded and followed her as she led me to the elevator.

Once we had gotten to the bottom floor, I could see Hachi and Pongo chatting while Glenda was sitting on a couch, waiting for me with a smirk that didn't bode well with me. But before I could take no more than three steps out of the elevator, I was quickly bum rushed  and tackled to the ground by fifteen spotted puppies. All of which were either teething on my tail or ears or just giving my face a tongue bath while they bounced up and down on top of me. And I'm not sure if it is because they could see that one of my wings is damaged or not, but none of the puppies ever came close to my broken wing. Not that I'm complaining, of course. 

When the mother and father managed to get their pups off of me, I could see Glenda snickering uncontrollably. 'She knew about the puppies…Traitor.'  I glared at the griffon as Pongo and his wife got their puppies off me, apologizing once again for their actions. I shrugged and gave one of the puppies a playful nuzzle to show there weren't any hard feelings.

"Alright, you two. Time to go." Hachi called out as he was walking out the door. Glenda and I said our goodbyes (well, more like I waved goodbye) as we left the inn.

We were making our way to a different railway station than the one we used to get here. Along the way, we went through the restaurant district and saw Tony and Joe as they were setting up their restaurant. They called out with hellos and good lucks as we waved to them. It's been so long since I had interacted with other nice creatures besides Glenda that it feels like a breath of fresh air.

After a good deal of walking and exchanging pleasantries, we had made it to one of the stations where some of the mining cars waited. As we got into our cart, I noticed that Hachi had a side bag on him. I wasn't sure why he had it since he didn't have one while giving us our tour yesterday, but I paid it no mind. Once we were nice and settled, Hachi nodded to one of the workers, who pulled a lever to get our cart moving down some tracks. And much like before, we were moving incredibly fast to where the wind blew heavily on our faces, giving that rollercoaster vibe.

We traveled through different tunnels, seeing glowing gemstones, and little waterfalls that came from above. It was a very calm and relaxing ride in my opinion, and made me feel pretty happy. But we had arrived at our destination after a good ten minutes. We stopped in a cave similar to the one we were in when we had our first ride yesterday. Like before, he pulled out a stone from his cloak and brought it up to the wall, which opened up a door. As it opened, rays of sunlight shined in through an opening at the far end of the cave. "I'm afraid this is where we must part ways, my friends." Hachi stopped at the exit. "If you continue north from here, you should reach Griffonstone within the afternoon."

Both Glenda and I looked at each other, rather disappointed. "Is this really goodbye? If it weren't for you and the others, I don't know what would have happened to us."

Hachi gave his chin a scratch as he thought to himself before giving us an answer with a smile. "Don't think of it as goodbye, but so long till next time. I'm sure our paths are bound to cross again." He reached into his pack and pulled out a large brown sack that made a jingling sound. "Until then, take this. You're gonna need it when you get to Griffonstone."

He tossed the brown sack over to Glenda, who fumbled it in her talons before getting a good hold on it. She undid the knot that kept it shut and looked inside. Her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she looked up at the gem canine. "We can't take this. This is a lot of bits." I looked over to get a better look at the contents of the bag and saw a large amount of gold coins.

Hachi waves it off. "There’s no point arguing. You're gonna need those to get the proper gear and equipment to search for the idol. Consider it as a gift from a friend." He said with a warm smile. Both Glenda and I moved in and gave him a hug, one he was happy to return.

We made our way out of the cave and turned around to wave so long to our friend. He returned the pleasantries and walked back into the caves back to his home. Speaking of home, I turned to see that, off in the distance, was what I had guessed to be Griffonstone. 



Sitting at the top of a split mountain, Griffonstone seems to be built on an old tree centuries old, the branches bare of leaves and replaced with homes on the branches or around the tree.

"Well, there it is." Glenda spoke up. When I looked at her, she sounded choked up. "My home." A few tears trailed down her check, dripping down to the dirt. Sensing that she needed some comfort, I leaned my head down to gently nuzzle the top of her head, which she returned. "Thanks, Noir. I'll be okay, I promise." She gave my back a few pats and started to walk ahead of me. "Come on. We’ve got a long way to go."


==================================

Four hours…Four hours of walking and climbing up a damn mountain!! I never realized that without my wings, walking this much in this body could be so tiring. And to make matters more annoying, Glenda decided about halfway up the mountain to ride piggyback!! So not only was I walking for myself, but for her as well. "Come on, Noir, we're almost there!" She is lucky I'm too damn tired to be angry right now.

Thankfully, we, and of course I mean me, had reached the summit and the entrance to the griffon kingdom. Glenda hopped off and stretched her limbs. "Mmm. Boy, that sure was one heck of a climb, right, Noir?" I was laying on my belly, panting and breathing heavily as I finally got the chance to catch my breath. If I had an extra digit, I'd be giving her the bird, pun intended.  

After a few more minutes of catching my breath, I stood back up and followed Glenda as she led us. The moment we walked through the golden archway, we immediately saw the state that this kingdom was in. The ground was littered with pieces of scattered paper, broken branches, and hay, which smelled of mildew and feces. Then there were the houses, all of which either had holes in the walls or roofs, or looked as though they were about to fall over by even the gentlest breeze. And amongst this pitiful kingdom were griffons of different shapes and colors. Some were nesting on top of the rickety houses while others walked along the street. However, whenever we see two griffons get too close to each other, they would squawk and screech at each other before walking away. 'Well...this place is, ahh…charming.' 

We started to walk in towards the center of town, where we caught a glimpse of the castle, or at least what remains of it. Much like the other buildings around here, it has plenty of holes and was on the verge of collapsing, and there was mold and fungus growing out of the corners. A throne could be seen at the top of some stairs that overlooked a stump, which Glenda explained to be where the golden idol once stood.

"If I remember correctly from the stories, the idol should be somewhere inside the Abysmal Abyss. With any luck, there might be a chance that the idol could still be down there. But as for how far down, I'm not sure." She said hopefully. 

As we walked to where we could purchase some climbing gear, I found myself colliding with someone, causing them to fall over. "Hey, watch where you're going, dweeb!!" I saw that it was a griffon with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle, pretty much exactly how they are typically described back in my old world, except the tip of her feathers were a light faded purple. The griffon I had bumped into got back on all fours and stomped her way to me until her head was pushing against my own as she glared daggers at me. "What's a filthy dragon doing here anyway?" I wasn't too keen on her attitude and realized she was in the mood for a fight. I pushed back, snarling as I bared my teeth.

But before we could have ourselves an old school street brawl, Glenda moved in and pushed us apart. "Cut it out, you two!" She gave me the usual glare that I knew meant it was time to back down, then she glanced at the griffon. "Look, I'm sorry that my friend bumped into you, but that’s no-"

"Friend?" The rude griffon cut in. "Griffins don't do friends." She scoffed as she took a step back. "Only lame ponies are into that friendship crap."

Glenda was visually pissed as she moved up to the griffon, standing straight up, which actually put her a head taller than the other griffin, who took a step back. "Well I do, and if you’ve got a problem with that, then you can take it up with me." She said through gritted teeth, getting the other griffon to back up further. 

The griffin was slightly surprised to have someone stand up to her, but her look of surprise turned to a small grin. "Well, I'll give you credit for having enough backbone to stand up to me." She stepped forward with less attitude and held out her talons in a fist to Glenda. "Name’s Gilda."

It was Glenda's turn to be slightly surprised, but it only lasted a few seconds as she tapped her own fist against Gilda's. "I'm Glenda, and this guy behind me is Noir." Gilda looked to me, to which I tilted my head up in a "sup" gesture, which she returned with her own. 

"Well, as much as I want to stay and chat with you dweebs, I got to get back to my cart. Those scones won't make themselves." She waved and headed off.

"Well, she was…um, normal actually, given the other griffons act the same around here." 

'If that's what normal looks like around here, I hate to see what weird would look like.' 

"Incoming!!" Without any other warning, something collided with my body, sending me and the object tumbling and rolling on the ground. I found myself laying on my back with something, or someone, on top of my chest. "Ughhh. My head." The creature on top of me groaned, sounding female. "Are you okay?" She asked, which actually caught my attention. I looked up to see a griffon on top of me. She has cyanish gray feathers and fur from her head to her body, the area beneath her chin white, while the feathers on her wings were a heavily darker shade of cyan-gray. "You're not hurt are you?" She asked while leaning in closer.

I gave a small nod, to which she let out a sigh of relief before sliding off my chest. What's more, she helped lift me back on to my feet. "I'm really sorry for crashing into you like that, Mr. Dragon. I wasn't paying attention while I was delivering the mail." I glanced at her side, and sure enough, she had this brown mail bag with a picture of an envelope with wings on it. "And I guess I was going too fast to pull up before crashing into you." She lowered her head down in a rather sad expression. Considering she had already apologized and actually seemed sincere about it, I simply leaned in and gave her head a brief nuzzle. She looked up, giving her a smile and waved the whole thing off. This got a small giggle out of her as she backed up. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you. My name is -"

"Gabby?" Glenda interrupted, getting both our attention. Glenda has this look of both shock and awe as she moved in closer to the griffon. "Is it really you?"

The griffon stared at Glenda, squinting her eyes before they shot open and charged toward her, wrapping her in a hug. They let out chirps and squawks as they bounce up and down, and while it’s really cute, their screams are so high-pitched that I had to cover my ears. "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! It's you! It's really you!!" Glenda squealed.

"I thought you were gone forever!!" Gabby chirped, tears streaming down her cheeks as she held onto Glenda. "When I didn't see you or your mom around, I thought you had left Griffonstone. What happened?"

Glenda looked a bit upset, but went and told Gabby everything from why she disappeared and why her mom was most likely not around anymore. She told her the time she spent in the arena as slave, all the way up to when we met, and then this moment. Gabby's eyes were filled with tears as she heard the stories of her long lost friend and all the hardships she had to endure. All she could offer was her heartfelt apologies for what she and I had gone through and wanted her to know that if we need anything that we could count on her.

So for the next ten minutes, Gabby and Glenda took some time catching up and talking about what has happened in Griffonstone since Glenda was taken away. Gabby informed her that nothing major changed aside from newborns and how the shops remained the same, much like the griffons, unfortunately. After that, we, and by we, I mean Glenda, told Gabby our plan for this kingdom, and asked where the nearest supply store was. Gabby pointed us in the direction we needed to go, wishing us the best of luck and took off to fulfill her mail route. 

We walked over to the supply store to purchase the necessary equipment needed to head down to the Abysmal Abyss. While the store was practically falling apart, they did have the bare necessities that we needed, and we bought all the rope they had, along with a head lamp. The griffon who manned the store couldn't say a single sentence without mentioning bits. She offered to be our guide to the abyss for the right price, but we happily declined since Glenda knew the way. Bullet dodged. That griffon seemed like the kind who would leave you hanging off the edge and wouldn't offer you any help unless you had bits.

===================================

After a good amount of walking, we had reached the mouth of the Abysmal Abyss, and could feel the strong winds blowing out. I peaked my head over the side to see down this crack in the ground, leading only to pitch-black darkness the further I looked down. 

"Alright, bud. So, somewhere down there is the idol, and flying isn't an option. We'll need to rappel down by rope. Now obviously, I'm the one who’s gonna go down, so I need you to-" I stretched out my good wing, stopping her from moving further. I shook my head and patted my chest, telling her that I was gonna be the one to go down. "What!? No! You are not going down there. You have a broken wing, remember?" 

While she did have a valid point, and if it were any other creature, she would have won this argument. However, I'm not just some other creature. I placed my paw on one of the nearby boulders and flexed my claws, which dug deep into the rock. I looked at her and removed my claws, showing her how deep they had penetrated into the stone. She seemed hesitant as she held her chin in deep thought before looking at me, knowing full well that I was the best choice.  "Okay, fine. You win. But if we’re gonna send you down, we need to get you ready."

First, she made sure to tie my bad wing down to my body so that the winds wouldn't cause it to flare out and injure me further. Next, she tied some ropes around my waist and around my tail. And finally, she had tied the end of her rope around a tree to make pulling me back up much easier.  "Alright, bud, we're all set when you are. We only have enough rope to go down a hundred feet down." I gave a brief nod before making my way toward the edge.

Stealing my nerves and hoping my plan actually works, I lower my arm as far down as I could reach and dig my claws into the wall, doing the exact same with my other front claws. I looked at Glenda to see if she was ready with the rope, which she nodded as she gripped the rope tightly. With that, I slowly and carefully moved my arms down further until my right back leg could dig its claws into the wall. To my relief, it was successful, and I did the same with my other hind leg. I made sure to take each step slow and with caution as I climbed down face first, and thanks to the rope attached to my lower body, I didn't have to worry about it falling forward, which allowed me to climb down with ease.

I wasn't sure how deep I had gone since I dared not to look up and risk losing my grip on the rock wall, but I made sure to keep track of my surroundings. On occasion, the wind from the abyss would howl with powerful winds that almost pushed me off the wall. The deeper I went down, the more the winds that howled against me sounded like the moans of those who were unfortunate to fall down into this unforgiving chasm. But as I heard the last howl, something seemed off about it; the sound was like a low, ghostly wail. Where some would panic and run, I knew better. Sounds like that can often be made when winds pass through something hollow. So deciding to investigate this sound, I carefully followed it till it got louder and louder. Eventually, after passing one large rock, I saw what it was that was making the sounds. Sitting on a ledge was the remains of a skull from some large goat-like beast. 'Wait, isn't that the same thing that took the idol all those years ago? If so, then that would mean...' And as if on cue, something glinting in the darkness caught my eyes. I looked over to the opposite side of the wall and saw it. There, laying on its side, was a golden idol that looked like a wing and talon with a crystal orb in the center; the Idol of Boreas. I was completely stunned that I hadn't heard the sound or the rope attached to my tail was slowly snapping. 

Unfortunately, Glenda took this moment to start pulling at the rope, trying to bring me up. 'No no no!! I almost got!!' I screamed internally, knowing that I can't tell her what I found without words. I tried to pull myself closer to the idol, reaching out my claws to grab the thing. But just as the tip of my claw touched the idol, the rope snapped, sending my body crashing into the edge, which crumbled and sent both me and the idol falling.


===================================
(Third person POV)

Glenda's body fell back as the other end of the rope snapped,  the sound of Noir's scream filled the air before dying down. "No! Noir!!" She screamed as she quickly ran to the edge, looking around to try and find her friend. "NOIR!!" She called out one last time, waiting for any sign of her friend. But there was nothing. Not a sound except for the howling wind. She slowly crumbled to her knees and couldn't hold back the tears, knowing that no creature could survive that fall.

Another powerful howl came from the Abyss as if to taunt her as it had swallowed her beloved friend. But amongst the wind's howling was the sound of something flapping. Glenda perked her head up in time to see something black shoot up into the air. Her eyes widened as she saw Noir barely hovering above her, his good wing and tail flared out. His tail was moved over to where his bad wing was acting as a way to compensate for his broken appendage. She watched as he tilted his body forward, causing his body to move out of the winds coming out of the Abyss, making him fall to the ground with a light thud. 

Glenda ran up to the dragon, who had his arms out and ready for a hug. However, the griffon jumped up and punched the top of the dragon’s head, causing him to yelp as he held his head. "What the buck is wrong with you!? Why did you pull away when I was trying to pull you up!?" She screeched. But after a moment, she felt the tears well up and moved in to hug her companion. "I thought you were actually gone." She weeped as her friend brought his arm to hold her close. 

They stayed this way for a good while before Glenda pulled away, wiping her tears away and catching her breath. She looked at what had remained of the rope, seeing that it was less than what they had started with. "I don't know what we’re gonna do now. This was all the rope that store had, and I doubt we'll find any more or even enough to go deeper down." 

As she held her head low, knowing that she had failed her father's wishes, Glenda could hear her dragon companion sniffling and looked up to see his lips quivering. "H-hey, Noir, come on. Don't cry." As she raised her paw to pat his side, her dragon friend started gulping in air quickly before letting out dry heaves over and over with his eyes rolled back. "Eww! Noir, what are you-!?" Before she could finish, the dragon lurched forward and something wet and slimy came out of its mouth. "Gah! Noir that's nas-!" Her words caught in her throat as she looked once more at the object that was spewed out. It was something made out of gold with a crystal orb in the center. "N-noir…is that?"

Leaning down, Glenda carefully picked up the Idol of Boreas out of the puddle of bile and slobber. "It's the idol!!" She squawked in complete shock. She set the soaked idol down and wiped her talons on a leaf that was on the ground nearby. "You actually found the idol." She said as tears once again started to flow, but these were tears of joy. "You found it!!" She shouted with joy as she moved in to hug her dragon comrade, now able to fulfill her father's quest. 


====================================
(Toothless POV)

After we had cleaned the idol of my slobber, something that Glenda wouldn't stop complaining how gross it was, we made our way to town and got ahold of Gabby and told her the good news. It took us a couple of minutes to reign in her excitement, but once she was calm, we told her to try and round up as many griffons to where the old castle was. We told her to say that someone was giving out bags of bits to any griffon who came. Needless to say, when they did show up to see it was a lie, we had a lot of angry griffons. 

We practically had all of Griffonstone waiting out front. Glenda, who was at the top next to the throne, tried to get their attention. "Everyone, please settle down! I promise you that this will be worth your time!!"

"Oh yeah!? What gives you the right to tell us what to do, huh?!" One griffon shouted from within the crowd. 

"Yeah, who do you think you are?!" Another called out.

Taking a few deep breaths, Glenda closed her eyes to prepare her speech. "I am Glenda, I am the descendant of Griffonstone’s last ruler, King Guto."

"Oh, you mean the failure of a king who let the Arimaspi steal our precious idol!?" A griffon who was old and looked like he had the head of a buzzard with a red fez. "The same king who lost the griffon's pride!? Why would any of us ever listen to you and your pet dragon!?" I turned to look at Glenda, who had taken a deep breath before pulling out the idol from her pack and holding it up so all could see. The effects were immediate as all the griffons let out a collective gasp and looked in awe. The elderly griffon stepped forward and quickly rubbed his eyes. "Is that the...the..?"

"Idol of Boreas? Yes, it is." The crowd started to murmur in surprise as they all looked to the idol. "I, along with my friend, went to the Abysmal Abyss and retrieved it. Now I stand before you as your new queen of Griffonstone." She said with pride in her voice with a stoic expression. 

Every griffon slowly bowed their heads to both their idol and the new ruler of the kingdom. But this wasn't where it would end.  "My fellow griffons, we have all fallen into ruin, but it's not because we lost our idol. It is because we let a hunk of gold be our symbol of pride."

This of course got somewhat a negative response from the elderly griffon. "How dare you refer, the Idol of Boreas as just a hunk of metal!? It was the pride of Griffonstone all those years ago, and will now be its pride once more!" Many of the other griffons had nodded their heads in agreement with the old timer.

But Glenda wasn't gonna let this slide. "We never needed this idol to have pride. We are already a species full of it. We are described as noble and majestic creatures that know how to fight, hunt, and conquer!!"

"How dare you call yourself a griffon if you can't pay proper respects to that which had made our kind so well respected!" The griffon elder retorted, getting others to agree with him again.

It seemed like they could turn against us at any second, but I had faith in my friend. "I never needed this idol to tell me that I'm proud to be a griffon, or how much pride I had. And neither do any of you!" This managed to get the crowd to quiet down just a bit. "Yes, the idol was the envy of all other creatures, and that made us feel proud that we held such an artifact. But it shouldn't have defined us and our identities."

"We are a race that is a force to be reckoned with, a respected race, and we are just as fierce as the dragons. But now, all Equestria sees us as are nothing but money-grubbing creatures who can’t do the simplest task without thinking about bits, and that our integrity can be bought and abused if some creatures waves a coin in front of our beaks. Is that how you all want to be seen as?!" This caused a large number of the Griffins to shout out "No!" while the others lowered their heads in shame at the reality of what others see them as.

"Then help me make the griffon kingdom a place of pride and honor like it was before. Help me make this kingdom be known throughout all of Equestria as a noble country."

"So what? You want us to change our ways at the drop of a hat?" Gilda called out from the crowd.

"I'm not ordering you all to give up your ways, for I know that will take time and dedication." All of the griffins nodded in agreement without hesitation. "But I do want you all to take pride in the fact that you are griffons, and to embrace your skills to help make this kingdom better than what we let it get to today." Some of the griffons in the crowd were actually starting to get excited, even puffing out the chest with a sense of pride. 

"We will be great once more, but it will not be because of some shiny piece of metal. We are the ones who will make it great on our own!!" Glenda screamed at the top of her lungs with a smile on her face

"YEEEAAAHHHHHH!!!!" The griffons cheered. 

And this was the beginning of the reconstruction of Griffonstone, and the reign of it's new ruler, Queen Glenda.
> Kingdom part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3rd person POV) 

It was early dawn as the sun slowly rose over the horizon. The air was cold with a light mist that covered the green foliage, making little dew drops of water at the tip of each blade of grass. Very few ponies were up during this early morning, but one pony in particular was out and about as she performed her morning routine, all while humming a pleasant tune. Fluttershy was going about her morning like she would any other. She would prepare breakfast for the many creatures that call home in her cozy little cottage. She let out a long yawn as the events of the night prior had still left her exhausted.

The previous night, she, along with her friends, had paid a visit to the old castle of the two sisters, where they had experienced a plethora of shenanigans and heart pounding frights, but toward the end, they looked back on it, laughing at how silly they had acted. It was there that Twilight had discovered an old  journal that belonged to the princesses during their years spent back when the castle was new and they were but little fillies.

Looking back on it, Fluttershy couldn't help but giggle at how silly everypony had acted during that night, and how she was frantically panicking for the wellbeing of her pet bunny, Angel, who was happily lounging about with Twilight eating a bowl of carrots at the time.

A knock on the door had pulled Fluttershy from her walk down the events of last night. She was rather perplexed as to who could be knocking this early in the morning. She made her way to the door and raised a hoof to turn the knob, seeing that it was her dear friend Twilight on the other side. "Twilight? What brings you here so early? Oh, not that I'm not happy to see you this morning, I mean. Please, won’t you come in?"

Twilight gave a small bow as she trotted inside from the cold morning air and into the warmth of Fluttershy's cottage. "Thanks, Fluttershy. I'm actually here because I received a letter from Princess Celestia after I had Spike send her a letter telling her and Luna how we found their old journal, and offered to return it to them."

"Oh. Well, that's nice. Are you planning on making a trip to Canterlot today then?"

Twilight nodded as she pulled out a letter out from her saddlebag. "I was, but the princess wanted me to give you this before I left. They said it's something you might want to know about." She passed the letter over to the pegasus mare with her magic and watched as she took it in her wing and proceeded to open it. Twilight watched as her friend's eyes scanned the letter, confused when she saw her eyes begin to tear up and her ears slowly fold down. "Fluttershy, what's wrong?"

Fluttershy held the letter close to her chest as she took in a few deep breaths. "It's about Toothless. They finally finished the statue for his memorial." She let out a few sniffles as she wiped her eyes with her feathers.

Twilight walked closer to Fluttershy, draping her wing over her friend for comfort. "Oh, Fluttershy. I'm so sorry."

It had been three months since Fluttershy, her friends, and even the Crusaders learned the horrible news that the dragon who had risked his life to save them from the manticore had passed. This act of sacrifice did not go unnoticed as both princesses declared that they would host a memorial in his name after they had a sculptor create a statue in his memory so that no pony would forget him. Now the statue was finally finished, and the time for his memorial was close at hoof.

"They said that it will be held later this evening, and that I can invite my friends." Fluttershy said while trying her best not to weep.

Twilight hated to see her friend this sad, especially over the loss of someone who she cared for. "If you want, I can try and invite the girls to come along. The next train for Canterlot doesn't arrive for another three hours. I'm sure they would want to be there to support you and the princesses through this."

Fluttershy was having a hard time deciding what to say. Yes, she wanted more than anything for her friends to be by her side as she attended the memorial of the dragon who gave his life for her and the Crusaders, but she didn't want to burden them either. "D-do you think they w-would mind?"

Twilight gave her friend a warm smile as she leaned in to hug her. "I'm sure they wouldn't want you to be alone on this day, and that they would be honored to attend for the one who risked everything to save you and the fillies."

A few more drops of tears slid down Fluttershy's cheeks as she hugged Twilight back. "I would love for them to come with me." Her voice cracked as she allowed her tears to flow while she sniffled and sobbed. 

The Princess of Friendship gently patted her grieving friend's back as she cried into her withers. "There, there, Fluttershy." She tried her best to try and sooth her friend as she sobbed.

Fluttershy was able to finally stop herself from crying as she wiped her eyes of her tears. "Th-ank you, T-Twilight. I'm so grateful to have a friend as kind as you."

"Of course, Fluttershy. That's what friends are for." She gave the pegasus mare one more hug before slowly making her way to the door. "I'm gonna go let the others know what's going on. You should take care of whatever chores you need to finish before we leave."

The yellow mare simply nodded as she watched her friend exit out the door and used her magic to close it behind her. Fluttershy just stood in place for what felt like an eternity before she decided to make her way upstairs to her bedroom. Opening the door to her room, she trotted over to her bed and moved her hoof under her pillow, slowly pulling out the vest that Luna and Celestia had brought her when they told her the news. The vest that was made from Toothless’ scales was all she had left to remember her now departed friend. She smiled a bit when she looked back on how they first met, and how silly they both reacted when they both screamed and ran away from each other. She giggled when she thought back to when he and the Crusaders played together in the cove. Her smile disappeared when she remembered how terrifyingly hard he fought to protect her and the girls from the rogue manticore. And finally, she started to weep when Celestia and Luna brought her the very vest she was holding onto when they told her that he had died in some arena that was used for sport.

She squeezed the vest tight to her chest as though Toothless was right there in her hooves. "I'm so s-sorry, Toothless. I'm so sorry." She cried as she laid in bed, nuzzling the vest as she hugged it.

================================

(Noir POV five hours later that day)


A set of three loud knocks roused me from my dreamless slumber, prompting me to sit up and stretch out my limbs and wings. I let out a quick roar, and in came a griffon guard. "Sir Noir, Her Majesty has requested your presence in the throne room." I give him a small nod, which he took as his cue to head off. I let out a long roar-like yawn and licked the back of my paw to rub my eyes clean of any eye crust. I hop off the bed, make my way out of the room, and down the newly refurbished hallway.

Three months. That's how much time had passed since Glenda had brought the idol back to Griffonstone and her new reign over the kingdom. We've made good headway since then. For starters, we found out that a good amount of the griffons were actually skilled artisans. Some were incredibly skilled in blacksmithing, construction, tailoring, and teaching. It was quite the surprise to both Glenda and I, considering before when none of the griffons showed any interest in anything that wasn't gold, but I believe that we can thank the idol for that.

My theory is that the return of the idol must have lifted the veil of greed and hatred that once loomed over the griffons. And with that veil gone, the griffons were able to see how far they had truly fallen and learned the error of their ways. This may be why the griffons were so quick to listen to Glenda and accept her as the new ruler. Of course, that's not to say that there weren't a few griffons who weren't so eager to change their ways, but they weren't opposed to the idea of change.

Whatever the case may be, things have been improving at a steady pace. Our first order of business was the restoration of the city itself. We had started by cleaning up the main streets and rebuilding the houses for the citizens. Afterwards, we had begun reconstruction of the castle to its former glory. Thankfully, the old thing wasn't in terrible shape despite being unkempt for many years. By that point, Griffonstone actually looked presentable, and it wasn't as filthy as when Glenda and I first arrived.

The next part we needed to work on was a form of law enforcement and protection for the kingdom. We both had agreed that the need for a new guard was needed. The first reason was to help keep the griffon citizens from squabbling amongst each other or letting it escalate toward violence. The second and most important reason was due to the dragons who would occasionally invade the griffon kingdom’s territory.

On a continent south of Griffonstone lies the home of said creatures: The Dragon Lands. On multiple occasions, young, adolescent dragons, who were more like teenagers, would fly into the griffon's territory to hunt and occasionally cause a bit of havoc to any creatures they came across. It goes to show that even in another world, teenagers tend to be troublesome.

So in order to combat these invaders, I helped form a guard of the strongest, fastest, and wisest griffons I could find…The pickings were slim, unfortunately. Some had potential, but where some had great strength, they also had many flaws. So we had to form an academy to train new recruits and built barracks for them to stay in so they could be close to the castle for training. I, of course, helped train them in combat drills, seeing that their many foes were gonna be dragons. I made sure not to pull my punches with them, with their only handicap was that I wasn't able to fly due to my wing still being broken at the time. Although I still gave them a run for their bits, and they had learned to show me respect as their instructor.

Glenda has also been improving over these last few months. At first, her leadership skills were a bit shaky with her doubting herself and making a few mistakes. But after a while, she started to get the hang of things and connected with her subjects, helping them to the best of her abilities. She had a natural talent for being a leader, no doubt due to her lineage as royalty.

But back to the present. I made my way down the halls, nodding to some of the guards I passed as they patrolled the halls, which they happily returned in kind. Some even took a moment to salute me with their wings.

As I rounded a corner, a peculiar scent caught my attention, halting my movements. I raise my nose to the air, sniffing quickly to better locate the scent. 'So, she had sent more of her creations to invade the castle. Well, much like the others, I shall dispose of them like the rest.' Crouching down low, I slowly stalked my way through the halls as I followed the scent of the intruders.

I rounded another corner and spotted my quarry. There were three in total, gathered together in the middle of the hall. 'Alright, trespassers, say your prayers. Now you’re dealing with the Noirinator.' I think in my best Arnold Schwarzenegger impression. Despite my warnings, the three did not move an inch. 'You leave me no choice but to TERMINATE YOU!!' I lunged forward, quickly sinking my teeth into the intruders, causing a red liquid to spread across my lips as I devoured them with no mercy.

The sound of talons slowly clapping catches my attention as I look over to the creator of the intruders. "Well, it didn't take you long to find the scones, did it, dweeb?" Gilda smirked as she walked toward me, holding a glass of milk out for me.

I happily took the glass with both paws and brought it up to my lips. I let out a low purr as the refreshing milk slides down my throat, along with the strawberry filling from the baked goods. Gilda had been offered a position as one of the royal bakers here in the castle. Back then, however, her scones weren't as good as the delicious morsels I'm enjoying now. Before, her scones, if you wanted to call them that, looked like dried clay that had leaves and twigs sticking out of them, and were practically as hard as a rock. If Gordon Ramsay had taken a bite out of one of those, he would have said something like. "Are you stupid?! A stray cat would walk away from this garbage!!"

But thankfully, she was quick to learn her mistakes after getting some advice from another griffon, who was apparently a well known chef. I didn't catch his name, but I remember he had a French accent. Thanks to his teachings, she was able to make better baked goods, and her specialty are these delicious scones. Recently, she has been experimenting with fruit fillings, like blueberries, banana, and just recently, strawberries. Although there was that time she filled one with hot chilli peppers; my mouth was practically spewing fire as I rolled around the ground in agony that day. And despite my ability to breath fire, I still can't handle spiced foods. It sucks that something like that transitioned from my previous life.

Once I had finished savoring my breakfast, I handed back the plate and glass to Gilda, then gave her a bow of appreciation. She of course just nodded and went back to her kitchen to cook some more. Since she became a baker here, her mood slightly improved from aggressive to playfully aggressive, although on some rare occasions, I catch her spacing out with this sad look on her face, like something was missing or she felt regretful about something. I didn't want to bother her about it, making sure to give her the space she needed.

So I was back on my stroll to the throne room. I wasn't rushing since Glenda hadn't immedietly requested my presence. If I had to guess, she probably wanted to discuss what our next course of action would be before we made our presence known throughout Equestria.

According to some griffins who had recently returned home from traveling across the country, not many knew that Griffonstone was in shambles. A vast majority of the populace believed that Griffonstone was still a great and noble country, they just never knew that it had fallen into ruins many years ago. But that was most likely due to no creature ever visiting the kingdom. Glenda wants to make sure that Griffonstone should look presentable before trying to connect with the other creatures of Equestria.

Now, this wasn't so she could invade any of the other kingdoms or anything like that; she wanted to better cement her ties with the other races in order to someday rely on them should something come up that Griffonstone can't handle, while also doing the same for the other races should they need help.

Another reason she is most likely calling me is to have another sparring match with the guards to better improve their combat against dragons. This became more frequent of a request now that my broken wing was back in shape, thus I was able to give the guards the experience they'll need when fighting flying dragons.

My wing has actually healed well over two weeks ago, mostly thanks to Nana's special ointment. That stuff really helped with the healing process. However, even though I was able to fly again and I knew where Ponyville was, the town in which Fluttershy and the Crusaders lived in, I hadn't made any attempts to return to them. It wasn't like I was being forced to stay in Griffonstone or had any obligations to stay, but I had made a promise to myself that I would stay and help Glenda out as much as possible until I knew that she would be able to look out for herself. But even then, I wasn't sure if I could leave that easy. While Fluttershy and the Crusaders were my first ever friends here, I knew Glenda longer and went through a lot with her. We had comforted each other during the rough patches spent during our days in the arena, and shared laughs on the rare occasions when we could find joy. To have to say goodbye to her would be as hard, if not more so, than when I was separated from Fluttershy and the CMC. 

But Glenda knew that I wanted to go back and visit them, to show them that I was okay. When we spent our first week in the arena together, she told me about how she ended up there and I did the same with how I met Fluttershy and the Crusaders. Well, I actually showed her through pictures I drew in the dirt, rather poorly now that I look back on it. I made sure to leave out the part where I had been reincarnated as a dragon. I wasn't really sure how she would have reacted to that.

I think another reason I want to go back to Fluttershy was to repay her for all the kindness she had shown me during my time in the cove. I really missed those days.

"I'm gonna laugh my beak off if you end up running into a wall while zoning out there, boss." Once more, I was brought out of my thoughts. This was starting to feel like a running gag nowadays. I turned to the owner of the voice who hadn't ruined my deep thinking, only to smile as I saw a familiar griffon guard standing in front of me. "You on your way to the throne room? Is the queen gonna have you put us through the ringer again?" Gallus asked while adjusting his helmet.

Gallus is one of my favorite guards. I had met him well over two months ago while I was looking around the kingdom to see how things were progressing. On that day, I accidentally bumped into him. Back then, the griffons were still grouchy and sometimes rude when someone would bump into them, but Gallus was kinda different. He didn't snap at me, nor gave me much attitude. He just shrugged it off like it was no big deal, or like it was not worth his time caring about. At the time, I found it rather strange, yet also refreshing, and for some reason, I wanted to see if he'd join the new guard. So I tried to follow him to try and have a word with him...well, more like try to convey what I wanted through body language. But after a while, I found out that he didn't have a home, or even a family for that matter; he was all alone in this kingdom.

So I offered him a place here at the palace as a guard, gave him a place to stay, and now the guard and everyone in the castle are like his family. "Glenda wanted me to make sure you didn't keep her waiting while you pig out on Gilda's scones." I rolled my eyes at how predictable I was to Glenda. "Come on, she probably wants you to give me and the others another combat course." I grinned as I raised one of my wings to ruffle the feathers on his head, getting an annoyed squawk out of him as he batted away my wing. Gallus was probably one of few griffons in this castle who I can mess around with like a friend. Gallus was rather different than most of the griffons; where most griffons had feathers that were either, black, white, dull greys, and browns, Gallus had bright blue feathers.

Eventually, we both made it into the throne room. It was fairly large with stained glass windows that made up most of the room. And because the castle was built into the one of the many large branches of the great tree, a vast majority of the infrastructure was made of wood. And at the top of a set of wooden stairs was Glenda, who was currently filling out some paperwork. And from the looks of it, she was deep in thought that she didn't notice either me or Gallus as we entered the room. Which was fine by me, because I get to have a little fun. I nudged Gallus, holding up a claw to shush him, which he nodded to me with a grin, most likely knowing what I was about to do.

This isn't the first time she was so beak-deep in her work that she failed to notice when I came into the room, even when she was expecting me to show up. So I like to give her a good old scare for the lolz. Crouching down low, I sneakily stalked my way to the base of the wooden throne, and slowly but quietly climbed along the side of it. My claws gently dig into the wood as I creep my way up, not making a single sound as I do. Soon, I was right next to her, and was about to scare her when she suddenly turned around and got in my face."Boooo!" 

I let out a roar-like scream as I lost my grip, inevitably falling down to the ground with a loud thud that echoed across the room. The next thing I could hear were two laughs; one being from Glenda, who was currently rolling on her side trying not to fall off the throne, and Gallus, who was on his back holding his gut. 'Traitor!!'

"Ahh hahah! You should have seen your face, Noir!! It was priceless! Hahahaha!!!" Glenda said between laughs while I was still on my back, pissed that they had actually pulled one over me. However, my anger  was quickly extinguished as I started laughing myself. If you can't laugh at yourself over the little things, then you have a poor sense of humor. I rolled back onto my feet and saw that Glenda was already hovering down to land on my back. Once I felt her feet touch down onto my back, she plopped her body down, laying atop of me and giving me a hug. "Good morning, Noir." She giggled as she scratched under my chin, getting a low purr out of me.

It's been a long journey since our escape from the hellhole that was the arena, but life has finally managed to slow down so that we can relax and have some time of peace. "So, I was thinking that you and Gallus, as well as the other guards, go out and do some hunting. I heard that the kitchen is gonna need some more supplies soon, and the armory was running out of leather for armor. Think you can handle that?"

Because Glenda wanted to keep the secret about Griffinstone's restoration a secret, we have been hunting and foraging for food and supplies around the nearby forests and mountains. And this of course will often lead to us encountering dragons trying to sneak in on griffon territory, so they send me and the guards to help pick ingredients and hunt for meat.

I gave her a nod, which she happily thanked me for with some scratches behind my ear, causing my tongue to loll out. Gallus was currently snickering behind his wing as he watched, which I promptly retaliated with a smack to the rear with my tail, getting him to yelp.

The double doors to the throne room opened, and in walked a familiar elderly griffon wearing a fez. It was Grandpa Gruff, who I later found out that he wasn't actually anyone's grandpa. Weird. He was carrying in his talons the golden idol. Since we had brought it back, we wanted to get it nice and clean like how it once was before it had been lost in the Abyss. Glenda figured that Gruff was the best pick for the job, and boy was she right. The moment she told him that he was to be made the official caretaker of the idol, the old bird nearly shed tears of pure joy and vowed that he would polish and guard it with his very life. And so he did; he would spend hours upon hours each day, carefully cleaning and polishing the idol till it was practically glowing. Glenda also made him the official historian and placed him in charge of gathering what few books remained of the library till it could be rebuilt, so that Griffinstone's history wouldn't be lost again. "Greetings, Your Majesty. I've brought the idol, clean as a whistle." He moved to the large stump that was in the center of the throne room, carefully setting it down and bowed his head.

"Thank you, Grandpa Gruff, and your dedication to cleaning the idol. How goes the gathering of the books from the old library?" Glenda asked in a kind and regal tone.

Gruff lowered his head a bit in shame. "Not well, Your Majesty. Few of the books are within good condition, and some have been destroyed over the many years of neglect. It honestly pains me that I hadn't considered keeping those books of our history safe. Despite my constant raving about our pride in the past, I'm a poor excuse of an historian."

Glenda climbed off my back and walked over to the old timer, resting one of her wings on his back to comfort him. "It's alright, Gruff. Things were different back then, and I honestly doubt any griffon blames you for something they could have easily kept maintained as well. Besides, we can simply focus on the history we are making at this moment, so that future generations will have better insight into their history." This managed to get a pleasant smile out of the old bird as he bowed his head, then left to continue his work.

'Man, Glenda really is an amazing leader. She was born for this, and I'm sure with her around, Griffonstone is bound to get better soon.' As I was lost in thought about how great a ruler Glenda was becoming, the doors to the throne room slammed open once more with two guards running in at full speed, practically out of breath.

"Your Majesty, urgent news from the outpost flock!!" The first guard spoke as he quickly remembered his training and bowed to the queen before continuing. "They spotted a titan class dragon that had passed over the northern mountains a few hours ago!"

"Is it on its way here?" Glenda asked while trying her best to hide the alarm in her voice. 

The second guard stepped forward, pulling out a large map from under his wing and layed it across the floor for us. "No, Your Majesty. According to the scouts, the direction it was heading was not here, but to the pony capital of Canterlot."

This made my heart skip a beat and my blood run cold. "Are you sure about that?" Glenda asked, trying to verify the situation.

The first guard managed to catch his breath to continue. "Yes, Your Majesty. The scouts had tailed the dragon until it had left our territory, and saw the direction it was heading was on a direct path with the pony capital. After that, they started to relay the message along the outposts until we were left to deliver the message, Your Grace."

My heart was now racing as I thought of what could happen if that titan class dragon attacked. Titan class dragons are the largest of all the dragons and can cause total devastation wherever they may go. The current dragon lord himself is one.

Glenda could probably see the fear in my eyes as I was having a small panic attack. "You have to go and warn them." She placed her talon on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. "You have to fly after that dragon and hopefully fly past him fast enough to warn the ponies. You're the fast flyer here, and you might be able to warn them in time and save them if you leave right this second." I know her words hold some truth, but this meant that I would have to leave her. Was she really ready to lead this country while I'm gone?

She raised her talons to pat my cheek as she tried to sooth my nerves. "We're not strong enough to lend a hand out there, nor do we have enough guards to make a difference even if we wanted to help. So you have to leave and try to save the ponies before it's too late." Even though she was telling me this, I could still see the sadness growing in her eyes. "Just promise me that you won't forget us and come back to visit. Okay, Noir?" She asked as tears slowly started to form in her eyes.

It tore me apart to see her this sad, even though she is trying her hardest to put on a brave face. Leaning in, I gave her head one last nuzzle while pulling her in for a hug, which she returned as she wrapped her wings around me. "Please be safe out there, Noir. I will await the day you return to Griffonstone. And until that day..." Before I knew it, she leaned in and gave me a small kiss on the lips. The sensation made my heart skip another beat as I could feel a warmth enveloping my whole body. Before I could fall too deep into my thoughts, Glenda was already pushing me towards an open window. "Go on. Hurry and go warn them before it's too late!!"

I quickly shook my head as I started to move on my own toward the window, getting a running start, flared out my wings, and took off into the sky as fast as I could. I glanced back over my shoulder to watch as Glenda, Gallus, and the two guards waving goodbyes. My focus was on Glenda as she held a hand to her chest and tears flowed down her cheeks while she tried to keep up a front by smiling.

I gave her one last wave goodbye before turning forward and climbing higher into the clouds above to try and catch a ride on the tailwinds. 'Please let me get there in time!!' I roared as I picked up my pace, praying that I'm not too late.
> Kingdom part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3rd person POV)

The gentle rocking of the train car, along with the low chugging sound of the engine, was all that Fluttershy was paying attention to as she gazed out the window, watching the scenery pass on by. It had been two hours since she and her friends boarded the train in order to attend the memorial of her departed friend; a memorial that the princesses themselves were going to host. She never did find out what connection they had with Toothless, just that they knew who he was prior.

Sitting a few booths behind her were her companions, all of which decided to tag along for their friend's sake. They sat in those booths due to them sensing that she was in need of her space. Even Pinkie Pie, one who would do anything to cheer her friends up when they are sad, gave the pegasus her space out of sympathy. "Poor Fluttershy, she's really sad. And that makes me sad." Pinkie's mane and tail slowly deflated, hanging and drooping down as she looked at her friend.

"It truly is a depressing sight to see such a dear friend in such a state." Rarity sighed as she watched her childhood friend lean against the glass, occasionally letting out a small sigh. "I can fully understand where she's coming from. If I were to lose a dear friend as she did, I don't think I would fare any better."

"That dragon must've meant a lot to poor ol’ ‘shy. The way Apple Bloom spoke of that feller, you would think he was one of Fluttershy's critters." Applejack lowered her hat down to her barrel as she stroked it. "Ah know what it's like to lose someone you care for."

The group fell silent for a few brief moments before Twilight stood up. "I think we should comfort her. Nopony should be alone in times like this." Without hesitation, the rest nodded and began to make their way to sit alongside their friend. "Fluttershy. May we sit with you?" Twilight asked, trying her best to comfort the animal lover.

Fluttershy's ears, which were folded down, perked up along with her head. "O-oh, of course you all can." She used her hoofs to wipe away her tears as she tried to compose herself. "I-I'm sorry girls, I don't mean to worry you."

"Think nothing of it darling." Rarity said, using her magic to pull a handkerchief out from one of the many bags she had brought with her aboard the train, and floated it over to her weeping friend, who happily accepted it to wipe her eyes. "We all know that you are trying your best to be strong."

"I-I just miss him so m-much." She started to weep again as memories of the dragon flooded back into her mind. "H-he was such a nice dragon, and now he's gone." For a while, she wept uncontrollably while the memories kept rushing forward, however some managed to bring a few light chuckles out. "W-when we first met, we were both scared of each other."

The girls saw this as an opportunity to try their best to help their friend adjust to her loss. "You know, Fluttershy, I don't think you told us anything about how you two had met. Maybe you could tell us about this dragon you made friends with." Twilight suggested, getting the rest of the girls to nod and agree with her. Fluttershy tried her best to wipe away the tears so that she could tell the story of her encounter with her departed friend.

For a good while, she told them everything she remembers of the times she had spent with the dragon. From the moment she first laid eyes on him when she went to the Whitetail Woods to pick up some fish, which ended with both of them screaming and running away from each other. This made her friends chuckle a bit. Next, she told them how she summoned the courage to head back into the woods to try and find the mysterious dragon. How he had been trapped in a deep cove where he tried to escape, but failed each time, and how he wasn't able to fly out.

This of course peaked Rainbow Dash's attention. "Wait, he couldn't fly out? I thought I saw him with wings when he came to town to save you and the Crusaders. So why didn't he fly out back then?"

"I'm not sure either, Dash. When I went down to check on him while he was sleeping, I didn't see anything wrong with his wings. They weren't broken or damaged in any way. But when I watched him try and take off, it almost seemed like he wasn't used to having wings at all."

She continued regaling her times with Toothless. One moment was how she came to the cove one day to find that the Crusaders had accidently stumbled upon him. This of course managed to garner a few worried looks from Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash, but their worries were quickly put to rest when Fluttershy explained that they weren't in any danger and had befriended him. "Heh heh. I remember after a long day of playing, I found all four of them taking a nap with the girls resting on him, like a mother cat with her litter of kittens."

Time passed on as Fluttershy told her friends all of the things she remembered of Toothless. She told Applejack that he especially loved the apples she would bring him and how he always looked so happy when eating them. This of course filled the apple farmer with a sense of pride. "Well, he sure knew a good apple when he saw one. Heh heh."

She told them of his incredibly playful nature and how much fun they had playing together. "Aww, I wished I could have played with him. I could have brought him some cupcakes from Sugarcube Corner. I bet he would have loved them." Pinkie Pie added.

Eventually, the train started to come to a halt as the engine let out a loud hiss, the train pulling into the station. Twilight and her friends grabbed their luggage as they walked over to the exit. When the mares exited the car, they found a group of royal guards waiting for them. The guards bowed down to the Princess of Friendship as the lead guard stepped forward. "Your Majesty, the princesses have been awaiting your arrival. They have arranged private carriages to escort you to the palace."

Twilight gave a graceful bow. "Thank you, my friends and I are very grateful." The guards moved to collect the mares’ luggage. Twilight took note of the ones Rarity had brought, and how the guards were struggling to lift a purple chest with golden trims. "Rarity, was it really necessary for you to bring that much luggage with you? We are only going to be here for a few hours."

Rarity let out a small gasp as she held her hoof to her chest. "Why Twilight, I would think you would have known me by now! True, we may be here for only a few hours, but a few hours in Canterlot could have a lasting impact for years to come! I must be at my finest for every second here, and I can't afford to be seen in the same outfit for more than one hour." The fashionista declared, getting a few of her friends, especially Rainbow Dash and Applejack, to roll their eyes. "Besides, I'm sure these strong, dashing stallions are more than capable of lifting such trivial luggage?" She asked, looking over to the guards in question while fluttering her eyes at them. The guards cheeks flushed, doing their absolute best to show no signs of struggling as they lifted the heavy chest and loaded it onto the chariot.

"I’m sure glad Spike ain't here." Applejack whispered over to Dash. "Thankfully, he's watching Apple Bloom and her friends back on the farm."

"They did seem bummed out that they couldn’t join us. They cared for Toothless as much as I do." Fluttershy added, beginning to tear up as she remembered earlier this morning, when the girls had to tell their sisters they couldn't attend the memorial. But she did find it odd how toward the end of the conversation, they seemed to change their minds rather quickly before leaving in a hurry. "But something like this shouldn't be attended by fillies."

The rest of the group nodded their heads in agreement as they boarded the chariots. As they got settled in for the ride, Twilight caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. "Um, Rainbow Dash, was Canterlot scheduled for a thunderstorm today?"

Rainbow stuck her head out of one of the chariot's windows to look over at what her friend was talking about. She stared at the dark clouds that were moving across the sky. "Hmmm. It's probably from the Everfree Forest. The captain of the weather patrol has been talking about how some keep coming from there, and unfortunately, we can't control them." She shrugged as she slid back inside. "Besides, they look like plain old nimbostratus to me, so chillax, girls."

"Wow, Dash, I didn't think I would ever hear you use such a big word as nimbostratus." Twilight teased, getting the rest of the girls to giggle and caused Dash to puff out her cheeks.

"Hey, I can say smart egghead stuff too, you know!" She slumped into her seat with her front hooves folded over her barrel, getting more laughs out of her friends.

===================================

(Toothless POV)

The wind whipped past my face as I rode the tailwinds, flying the fastest that I had ever gone in my life as a dragon. I would beat my wings as fast as possible to increase my speed, rushing to reach my goal. Thankfully, I knew the direction that would lead me to the pony capital courtesy of the months spent in Griffonstone. I wasn't sure how many miles I had covered, but I did manage to cross the sea, and was now flying over the continent of the ponies.

Despite my incredible speed, I still hadn't caught up to the titan class dragon that should have only been a few hours ahead of me. 'Something that big shouldn't be hard to miss! Where the hell is it?!'

As I flew high in the skies, I would see cities pass under me, and I could even see train tracks. Oddly enough, the cities looked a little like the ones from home, with skyscrapers, lots of lights to light them up in the night, and the busy traffic in the streets. I knew I was getting close to the capital, yet I was still nowhere near close enough to seeing the dragon that shouldn't be hard to miss.

I could spot the large mountain in the distant horizon, but I couldn't see the castle that was supposed to be where the capital was. I had to adjust my flight pattern and bank left so I could ride the closest tailwind to move faster.

After another half hour, I managed to see the castle and made a mad dash toward it, hoping I wasn't too late. Even from here, I didn't see the alleged giant dragon. 'Did I somehow pass it? Or maybe it wasn't heading to Canterlot and it took a different route?'

As I contemplated the possibility, I took notice of a large forest that I was flying over. Its presence alone sent a chill down my spine, as if this was the most dangerous forest in Equestria. But what I found rather surprising was the town near it. 'Wait, why does it look so familiar to me?' I slowed down my pace and hovered in mid air for a few moments. From the straw roofs and lush green grass, to a building that looked like it was built into a tree. In the nearby distance, I could see a farm that looked like they were filled with apples. And not too far from the forest that had given me that chill earlier was a small stream that had a small bridge over it, which led to a cottage. Once more, the feeling like this town was familiar to me kept plaguing my mind. As I hovered over a different part of the forest that seemed less menacing, I spotted something that made my heart skip a beat. With a small waterfall that leads into a small pond was the very cove where I had stayed my first week in Equestria. 'Then that means…' I glanced over at the town once more, the dots finally connecting. 'This is where Fluttershy and the Crusaders live. I'm back.'

For what had been nine whole months being away, it all felt like an eternity for me. Nine months. That's how much time had passed since I was taken away from the first friends I made here after being reincarnated from my death.

Every fiber of my being wanted me to go down there and try to find the girls to tell them I was back, that I am alive and safe. But another part of me was screaming that I had a mission to accomplish, and that I could come back later if I hurried.

I stared longingly at the peaceful town as I hovered in the air before I eventually snapped myself out of my trance, turning my sights back to the castle. 'I'm sorry, Fluttershy, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, but I will have to postpone our reunion.'

With a powerful flap of my wings, I was accelerating back on course to the castle. Something, however, caught my attention. There was an incredibly large thunderstorm moving toward the capital. It was almost over the whole mountain, and nearly as big as a….Oh dear god. The revelation struck my mind like a bolt of lightning, quickly putting more effort into my speed to hopefully make it in time.

====================================

(3rd person POV)

After several minutes, Fluttershy and her friends arrived at the castle gates, then getting escorted inside while their luggage was carried to their assigned rooms. The two earth pony stallion guards lumbered through the halls as they carried the large purple chest with the gold trimmings to the room in which Rarity would be staying.  "Hhhrrrgggfff! By Celestia’s name, this chest is incredibly heavy! Why do mares feel the need to pack so much?" The first guard asked, trying his best to keep his steps in line with his partner's.

"I don't know, and I don't care! Let's just hurry and drop this thing off so we can get back to our post." The second guard grunted as he did his best as well to keep up the pacing. Eventually, they had reached the room in which Rarity would be staying. They quickly opened the door and moved as fast as they could to the edge of her bed, plopping the chest onto the ground, which let out a small "oof", catching the second guard’s attention. "Did you hear that?"

"What?" The first guard asked while slouching against the chest, fanning himself as he panted from exhaustion.

"I could have sworn I heard the chest make an "oof" sound just now." He glanced back at the chest, eyeing it suspiciously.

"It was probably me, actually. I guess I was holding my breath when we were setting it down. Maybe it sounded like that." He rose back onto his hooves. "Look, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's head down to the mess hall to grab some lunch." The second guard's stomach let out a low rumble as he sheepishly nodded in agreement.

When both guards had left the room, signalled by the sound of the door shutting, the small latch at the front of the chest was enveloped in a light green aura and slowly lifted up. With a satisfying click, the top of the chest burst open as three fillies gasped for air, their heads popping out from under the piles of clothes that were inside. "Finally! I wasn't sure how much longer I was gonna last in here!" Scootaloo shouted as she scrambled out of the chest and bolted to the room's bathroom.

"Ah told ya not to drink that big gulp of soda before we came here, Scoots!" Apple Bloom called out, then hopped out of the chest and stretched her limbs, letting out a few pops. "Ahh. Much better."

"We are so dead when we get back home." Sweetie groaned as she popped her head out the chest next, with one of Rarity's stockings covering her muzzle. Her cheeks flushed a bit as she pulled it off. "Especially when they find out that we gave Spike that sleeping potion."

The sound of a toilet flushing came from the bathroom, followed by the sound of the sink running before being turned off. "Phew. What a relief. I thought I was gonna burst if we hadn't gotten out a second later." Scootaloo sighed as she came trotting out. "By the way, Apple Bloom, where did you get that sleeping potion?"

"From Zecora. Big Mac has been having trouble sleepin’ and would sometimes sleepwalk. So we had Zecora make a few when he had a hard time gettin’ some rest." She saw that her friends were giving her a rather concerning look. "Don't worry. I made sure to adjust the amount for Spike. He'll be asleep for a few more hours. Besides, ah wouldn't have to if Applejack and the rest of girls would have let us come."

"Yeah, Toothless was as much as our friend as Fluttershy was...Why do I feel like this was said already?" Scootaloo pondered as she scratched the top of her mane.

"We better hurry if we want to make it in time for the memorial." Sweetie Belle moved back into the chest and pulled out a few wilted flowers. "Oh no, the flowers. They're ruined." Her head hung low as she stared at the damaged flora.

"It's okay, Sweetie Belle. It's the thought that counts." Scootaloo reassured her friend by lightly patting her on the back.

"Come on, girls, we need to get a move on before anypony spots us." Apple Bloom ordered.

She opened the door and looked around outside before motioning for the other two to follow. As the three sneaked their way through the halls, barely hiding in time to avoid the guards on patrol, a thought occurred to Scootaloo. "Uh, where exactly are we going? They never told us where they were gonna have the memorial, did they?"

"Don't worry, ah already know where to go. They said they were gonna have a statue made for him, and ah know only one place where statues go: the castle garden." Apple Bloom explained.

"Good thinking, Apple Bloom." Sweetie Belle squeaked, causing her friends to quickly put a hoof over her muzzle as they didn't want to be discovered by the guards. "Sorry. " She whispered. And so, the three fillies continued onward to reach the castle gardens.

===================================

The sun had reached its peak as it shined its light down on the ponies in mourning as they stood around the royal gardens. Celestia and Luna were standing next to a large object that had a tan tarp covering it, while Twilight and her friends sat around Fluttershy, the first of them to start shedding tears.

Celestia stepped forward as she cleared her throat. "Today, we gather here in order to pay our respects to a dragon who had risked his life for those standing here." She took a few moments to fight back the tears that were beginning to well up her eyes. "I, as well as Luna, already knew of this individual’s bravery and valor when he came to our aid one day whilst we were away. He risked his life to protect us when we had little idea that our lives were in danger."

Luna moved forward next, maintaining a stoic expression. "When we had first met him, I had the mind to talk his ear off when he pushed me and Celestia. But then I saw that he did so in order to move us out of harm's way. After our lives were saved, we had little time to familiarize ourselves with him before he departed. We- I never had the chance to say how sorry I was when he risked his life for us." Luna’s stoicism slowly began to falter as images of the human’s death played over and over in her mind, causing tears to trickle down her cheeks.

Celestia leaned in closer to her sister and wrapped a wing around her. "On that fateful night, we made a promise that when we would see him again, we would make his life here in Equestria one filled with joy and happiness. Instead, we lost track of him, and couldn't show our eternal gratitude for what he did for us that night." She held back no longer as the tears flowed from her own eyes.

The mares could only watch in helpless sadness as their rulers shed tears of sorrow and grief, something they never pictured them ever doing. Celestia wiped away the tears from her eyes as she made an effort to continue. "And it was an incredible shock to us both the day we had received the letter from Twilight describing the dragon that had risked his life to fend off a ravenous manticore. We were filled with hope that we may have the chance to show our gratitude to our savior."

Luna did her best to hold back the tears as well as she too wanted to continue. "But it was to our great dismay when we learned that the valiant dragon was once more taken away, and what's worse, it was under the disguise of our own guards. For many moons, we spent time trying to find and rescue him. Even I spent countless hours in the dream realm trying to seek him out, but to no avail."

"And when Luna had finally managed to discover the clue we needed to find him, we- I failed to take immediate action. In my cautiousness to minimize the casualties of our own, I could have easily made my way inside and pulled him out of that Tartarus forsaken place like Luna had suggested. And because of my inability to act quicker, the noble dragon who risked his life for us had perished." There was a brief moment of silence, with the only sound was Fluttershy's sobbing to be heard. "To commemorate his acts of valor and selflessness, we had our finest sculptors create this statue in both his memory and honor." Using their magic, both princesses pulled the tarp off to reveal what was underneath. The statue showed the very dragon for the memorial.



The ponies looked at the almost life-like statue in awe as every little detail of him was sculpted exactly like him. Fluttershy looked to the statue with equal, if not more awe. It was as if her departed friend was standing right before her. Her hooves moved on their own as she stepped closer toward the statue. Once close enough, she raised a hoof to gingerly pet the statue's nose, the fond memories starting to flood through her mind again. "I'm so sorry, Toothless." She whispered as she rested her head against the statue’s chest.

The moment of silence was quickly shattered when the sound of screams could be heard in the distance, which was followed by a thunderous roar. "What in Faust's name!?" Luna yelled. "Guards, what is the meaning of this?!"

Two royal guards came running into the garden with fear plastered all over their faces. "Your Highnesses, we are under attack by a colossal dragon!"

"How is that possible? Our lookouts should have spotted something that large." Celestia inquired.

"It was using the thunderstorm from the Everfree as cover! we hadn't seen it until it was too late."

The princesses, along with Elements of Harmony, quickly rushed out to further investigate the matter personally. As they ran to gain sight of the dragon, they could hear the screams of the citizens getting louder, and the smell of fire and smoke filled the air. Once out the front of the castle, they bore witness to the very creature that was attacking their home. Even from a distance, they could easily see the dragon that was wreaking havoc among the ponies. It stood on four powerful legs with two large wings sprouting from its back. With dark green scales and two curved horns on its head, the colossal dragon roared as he unleashed a burst of flames from its mouth and into the streets, where some unfortunate ponies were standing. The wails of pain filled the air before slowly dying down as their bodies were burnt to cinders.



This sight alone enraged the moon princess as she flared her wings and took flight toward the evil creature. Rage filled her heart, the sound of her sister's warning to stop went unheard as she charged her horn with her magic. When she was within striking distance, she pulled her head back before thrusting it forward, unleashing a blast of magic energy at the enormous dragon. The blast, however, merely bounced off the dragon's scaley hide. Luna was so shocked by how her strongest spell had little to no effect on the dragon that she failed to see its tail coming in to swipe at her. Her body was quickly enveloped by a yellow aura and was pulled away just in time to narrowly dodge the leathery tail.

"Luna, are you alright?" Celestia asked as she set her sister down alongside her. "What were you thinking charging in headfirst!?" She berated her sister after she nearly got herself badly injured. Luna wasn't responding. Her eyes were still wide as the memory of her spell bouncing off the dragon's scales played over and over in her head. "LUNA!"

Celestia snapped, finally able to get through to her sister in order to get her to snap out of her daze. "Our spells had no effect...Sister, magic doesn't work on it!"

"What? Are you sure, Luna?" She asked while turning her gaze to the dragon that marched through the city streets, unleashing another blast of fire on the nearby buildings. Quickly stepping forward, Celestia charged her horn till it was covered in a thick yellow aura before taking aim as she unleashed an incredibly bright beam of magic.

The massive beam of magic hit squarely at the back of the dragon's head, causing it to lurch forward from the force of the blast. When the blast subsided, the ponies were left in absolute terror as the strongest attack they had ever seen did little damage to the titan class dragon.

The massive dragon turned its attention toward the two princesses, then started to chuckle menacingly. "Was that supposed to be a magical attack or a cool autumn breeze?" He asked in a deep, low voice as he turned his body to face the rulers of Equestria. "So, you are the feeble princesses that Torch wouldn't even consider waging war against? How pitiful. Your attack did little more than tickle me."

The titan size dragon took a deep inhale before unleashing his fire breath upon the two princesses. Snapping out of their daze, they quickly used their magic to summon a barrier around them and the Elements to deflect the flames. "Twilight, I need you and the others to try and evacuate the citizens as fast you can!" Celestia shouted as she and her sister struggled to hold up their barriers.

"B-but Celestia, what about you and Luna?"

"We will keep this brute distracted whilst you and the Elements get everypony to safety!" Luna shouted as she tried to push back. "This dragon is unlike anything we have ever seen. We shall buy you the time you need!"

"Once the flames come to a halt, you and the others get moving!" Celestia screamed as her magic was beginning to falter.

Twilight was both worried and conflicted by her old teacher's request. She was concerned how they could fight a dragon who was immune to magic. But given the situation, what choice did she have but to do as she was told? She glanced over to her friends, who were ready and prepared to make a break for it. "Okay, we understand. Just please be careful."

Soon, the flames started to dwindle until they had finally ceased. "Now!" Celestia and Luna quickly took flight and moved high into the air. Using their magic, they took hold of fallen debris and threw it at the colossal dragon, which managed to do some actual damage. "Luna, throw whatever you can at him so we can keep his attention on us!" Luna nodded her head as she enveloped some large pieces of a broken building and threw it directly at the dragon's head, getting a roar of anger as it gave chase after the two princesses while they led him away.

"Alright girls, we need to work fast and get as many ponies away and out of the city as we can." Twilight surveyed the area around them to see what needed to be done. "Applejack, Pinkie Pie, you two will look around here for any ponies who might have been trapped under the rubble and get them out. Get the guards to help you out, too. Rarity, you and Fluttershy will get those inside the castle out and lead them away from the fight. Dash and I will fly ahead and try to evacuate everypony who isn’t aware of the situation. You ready?"

"Ready!" The others spoke in unison as they saluted the Princess of Friendship.

"Alright then. Let's get a move on!" She clapped her hooves together, getting them to split up and go to their assigned task.

====================================

(Meanwhile in the castle)

"Whoa! What the hay was that?!" Apple Bloom shouted as the ground shook, causing most of the hallway to rattle.

"I don't know, but something is going on outside. We should go see what it is." Scootaloo said as she started to sprint to the nearest exit.

"Wait, Scootaloo, we shouldn't be going outside! It could be dangerous!" Sweetie Belle called out after the orange filly as she ran down the hall. "Come on, we need to go after her!" She and Apple Bloom quickly sprinted after her.

As Scootaloo rounded the next corner, she bumped into something white and fell back. Shortly after, the other two Crusaders came around the corner and found Rarity standing in front of Scootaloo. "What in the world are you three doing here?!" The fashion mare shouted in both shock and anger.

"We just wanted to come see the memorial, too!" Sweetie Belle quickly answered as the ground shook once more. "But what's going on out there, Rarity?"

Rarity facehoofed and dragged said hoof down her face before letting out an annoyed grunt. "I'm sorry, girls, but I don't have time to explain. Fluttershy, please come quickly!" Not a moment sooner, the yellow pegasus mare came running down the hall and gave a quick gasp as she saw that the Crusaders were here. "Darling, we can give them a stern talking to once this all over, but for now, I need you to get them out of here. I'll warn the rest of the staff."

And with that, she ran down the hall to alert the rest of the ponies in the castle. Fluttershy looked at the fillies, who were currently giving rather sheepish smiles. "I'm very disappointed in you three, but we can't stay here. Now follow me before it's too late." She spoke in a stern tone as she trotted down the hall with the fillies in tow.

As the ponies reached the nearest exit, they saw that the world outside was much worse than it was before. Buildings were set ablaze, clouds of smoke filling the air around them. The once blue sky was now pitch black from the smoke, with the only other color being the red tint from the flames all around.

"W-what happened here?" Sweetie Belle asked while holding her hooves to her mouth from the sheer horror that they were seeing. The smell of burning flesh and ash drifting in the air was too much for the fillies.

"We can't stay here! We need to get you three to the train station fast!" Carefully, Fluttershy picked the fillies up by the back of their necks, setting them down on her back as she started to sprint in the direction of the train station.

As they rushed through the burning city, the sound of the dragon's roar could be heard. The filles clinged onto Fluttershy for dear life as the monstrous roar made them cower in fear. As she ran down along the street, a building was suddenly pushed over, blocking Fluttershy’s path, forcing her to quickly turn and run in a different direction to reach the station. The ground shook violently as another building collapsed in the mare’s path, forcing her to skid to a halt to avoid the crumbling debris from falling on top of her.

As she quickly turned around, her heart sank as she saw the colossal dragon looking in her and the girls’ direction. Her whole body froze as his eyes were fixated on her and the fillies on her back. He started to claw his way through the buildings in an attempt to get to her, slamming and shoving buildings out of this path to pursue her.

Fluttershy quickly turned tail and ran away, looking for a street she could turn on to lose track of the dragon. But that wouldn't be the case as her pathways were blocked off by either walls of flames or destroyed buildings. As she twisted her body to try and find another route, her hoof snagged on some broken rubble, making her lose her balance and tumbled over, causing the files on her back to fall off.

"Well well well, what have we here?" Came the low and deep voice of the colossal dragon. "Four pathetic, worthless ponies, all together for me to kill." He was now standing only a few feet away from the ponies, but to him, it was close enough. The Crusaders huddled together as they wept tears of fright while staring up at the massive beast. "Ooh, don't you worry little ones. I promise this will all be over quickly, and I'll do you the favor of not incinerating you." He took a few more steps forward. "No, I will make it quick and painful."



The towering dragon raised his claws into the air, preparing to snuff out the life of the ponies that cowered beneath him. Fluttershy quickly wrapped her wings around the fillies as she prepared for the beast’s razor sharp claws to come down, closing her eyes and awaiting the end. The world around her then seemed to slow down as they faced their inevitable demise. But when a familiar high pitched whistling filled the air, Fluttershy's eyes snapped open. She looked back up to see the dragon's claw about to come down, then saw a brief flash of blue in the darkened clouds above. A sudden explosion at the side of the colossal dragon's head, knocking it to the side with its body following suit, causing him to unleash a roar of pain. His massive body slammed into a group of buildings that easily gave way under him.

Fluttershy and the fillies, who were still under her wings, feverishly looked around the sky for what had saved them from the claws of death, and a spark of hope in their hearts on who it could have been. But the ground shook tremendously as the colossal dragon rose back up, slamming its claw into the ground. "Who dares strike the future dragon lord!?!" He bellowed as he turned his attention to the skies above.

A familiar ear-piercing roar came from the skies, followed by three blue flashes of light. Before the gigantic dragon had time to register what was coming, three high speed fireballs collided with his skull, sending him staggering back. Before the colossal dragon could regain his balance, three more blue fireballs struck him on the head, forcing his body down with another roar.

From the clouds above, a small black object came soaring down until landing in front of the four ponies. The girls looked in shock and awe as the creature flared out its wings and unleashed a mighty roar towards the fallen dragon. Fluttershy and the Cutie Mark Crusaders’ eyes went wide as there, in front of them, was the dragon who they believed to be dead and long since passed: Toothless.

"How dare you strike me, you inferior retch!?" The colossal dragon bellowed slamming his claws into the ground and regained his posture. "You would defend these pathetic ponies and betray your own kind?!" The larger dragon roared. In response, Toothless roared back in defiance. "Then you can die along with these pathetic creatures!" The dragon raised his claws up once more. Toothless responded with four plasma blasts aimed squarely at the larger dragon's snout, exploding on contact, forcing the dragon's head back and tumbling backwards.

Toothless spread his wings and took flight, firing another plasma blast against the colossal dragon’s cheek while he was still against the ground, getting him to roar in frustration. The colossal dragon slowly lumbered back onto his feet, then gave chase after the smaller dragon. He unleashed a torrent of flames aimed at the other dragon, only for the smaller and much more nimble dragon to dodge and move out of the way. The two dragons flew high into the sky far above the buildings and out of sight of the ponies below. Only the sounds of distant roars could be heard.

Before Fluttershy could call out to her long lost friend, she, along with the fillies, had found themselves enveloped in a magical aura and teleported to the one of the rooftops of a building. When Fluttershy looked around, she and the Crusaders were immediately hugged by their friends and loved ones. "Oh thank Celestia you and the girls are safe!" Twilight spoke, relieved that her friend was safe. "Come on, we need to get to safety! Celestia and Luna told us to evacuate and to let them handle the dragon!" However, Fluttershy pulled away, quickly running to the edge of the building, frantically searching the skies. "Fluttershy, didn't you hear me!? We need to leave! That dragon is too dangerous for us to deal with!"

From above, both the princesses of the sun and moon made their descent down to ponies on the rooftop. "Twilight, I told you to get you and your friends to safety and help evacuate! Why are you still here!?"

"I'm sorry, princess! I was trying, but I had to rescue Fluttershy and the Crusaders! But now, Fluttershy isn't even listening to me!" Twilight gestures over to the yellow mare, who was currently trembling at the edge of the roof.

Celestia approached the mare, seeing her tremble and heard her letting out small sniffles. "Fluttershy, I understand how terrified you must be, but you and the others must get to safety. This dragon is too dangerous for even Luna and myself to handle." She placed her hoof on the mare's withers.

"H-he’s a-alive." She spoke barely below a whisper.

"What?" Celestia asked, barely able to hear the pegasus and moved closer.

Fluttershy turned to the princess with tears of joy as she pointed up to the sky where the colossal dragon was flying. "T-toothless. He's alive."

These words alone got both the princesses’ attention as they quickly turned their eyes toward skies above. When they squinted their eyes, they could barely make out something smaller moving at a faster pace than the large dragon. As they kept their focus on the black speck, their hearts briefly skipped a beat, and for a moment, they had stopped flapping their wings, causing them to slowly fall before they quickly regained control. "I-it…" Celestia's eyes began to tear up as she moved her hooves to cover her muzzle.

"It's him." Luna finished as tears flowed down her cheeks. "He's alive!"

====================================

(Toothless POV)

My wings were beating a million miles a second as I tried to keep my distance from the larger dragon, who was currently right behind me. Even though I'm smaller and faster, his larger wings allowed him to move greater distances with each flap. I'm barely managing to keep him a few feet behind me. Whenever he would unleash a burst of flames, I would perform a barrel roll, just barely keeping my body from touching the flames as I moved in a helix around him.

'Dammit! At this rate, I can't turn around to go on the offensive! If he keeps on my tail like this, I'm a goner for sure! I need a way to shake him off my tail. But how?" The sound of the dragon behind me inhaling broke me from thoughts as he pulled air into his lungs, almost pulling me in. I was nearly inches away from his jaws before he exhaled a burst of flames. I quickly dove down to avoid the blast, nearly getting singed. 'Damn, he sure takes in a lot of air. I guess being that big means he needs more oxygen to…that's it!'

I looked up to the skies above, found a patch that was unblocked by the clouds, and started to climb upwards. The roars of the larger dragon behind me filled my ears, causing them to ring. "Is that all you can do, whelp?! Run?!" He shouted as he fired again, forcing me to bank right, but I continued my climb into the skies above. "You are by far the most pitiful excuse for a dragon I've ever seen! So small and weak! Were those cheap shots the only thing your tiny body could muster to do me any damage!?"

'That's right, asshole, keep talking. Waste your breath.' I started to force my wings to flap harder, but also made sure to take in as much oxygen into my own lungs for my plan to work.

As we continued higher up, I could hear the colossal panting and breathing heavily. Glancing back, I could see that his wings were slowing down and he was taking large gulps of air as we moved higher up.

Once he had stopped moving closer, I turned my body and stretched out my wings, holding me in the air for a bit. I folded my arms and gave him a playful smirk. He glared at me as my cocky attitude was pissing him off. "You little bastard! Don't you dare look down at me! It will be the last mistake you made!" I watched as he tried to take in another inhale of air to prepare his next attack, but as he tried, he found himself coughing and holding onto his chest. "What’s...happening!?" He gasped between words.

'The bigger they are, the more oxygen they need to keep their lungs sustained.' Thanks to my ability to hold my breath for long periods of time, I'm able to go this high up without feeling the same effects as my opponent. Granted, this means I can't fire my own attacks, but this wasn't my intention.

After another minute of heavy coughing and gasping for air, the colossal dragon's wings stopped moving, causing his body to start plummeting down to the earth below. Tucking in my wings, I dove down after him. As we continued on our descent, I was already taking in the oxygen needed to prepare for my counterattack while the colossal dragon was still trying to get enough to circulate through his body.

Taking a deep breath, I fired off three plasma blasts aimed at the dragon's back, getting a painful roar out of him. Flapping my wings, I moved along his side and fired another set at his chest, forcing him to double over as he clenched where I struck. Looking ahead, I could see that the ground was quickly approaching. But before I could get another round of plasma blasts ready, the larger dragon flared out his wings, which smacked into me and sent me spinning out of control. I had to flare out my own wings to regain my balance. By the time I did so, the colossal dragon’s jaws were upon me. I barely managed to dodge them by doing a barrel roll to move out of the way. I could hear the loud snapping sound that his jaws made when they came together.

Once again, I was trying to outfly this monstrous beast as he turned his sights on me. "I will make you rue the day that you were ever conceived, you insolent runt!" The larger dragon's voice boomed through the air.

I had to once again find a way to gain some distance between me and him. I looked over to the thunder clouds that were above Canterlot. 'If it worked in the movie, then I don't see why it wouldn't work now. Time to disappear!'

Using my tail fin, I made a hard left and made my way to the dark clouds with the colossal dragon not too far behind me. "Is running away all you can do, coward!?" He bellowed as he followed me into the darkened sky. "Where are you, coward!? Come out and face me like a true dragon!"

From within the clouds I used as camouflage, I circled the larger dragon like a shark preparing to strike his prey. Whenever his back was turned, I unleashed multiple bursts of fireballs. By the time he turned around to unleash his own flames, I'm already behind him and firing off another round. This went on for a good while with my blasts causing flashes in the clouds. As I was preparing another round of plasma aimed at the back of his head, a crack of lightning shot in front of me, forcing me to back up and pull away.

"I will not be bested by something as insignificant as you!" He roared as he started to unleash his flames while flailing around, sending fire in all directions.

'As if I didn't already see that coming.' Quickly, I dove back down till I was under the clouds. As I flew down from the clouds, I glanced to the ground below and saw that Fluttershy, along with what I presumed to be her friends, were still here on one of the nearby roofs. 'What the hell are they still doing here?! They need to-' Suddenly, while distracted, the dragon’s palm came swooping down from my blind side and colliding with my body, sending me hurtling down to the ground. My body crashed into some of the nearby buildings before slamming into the ground, sending me into unconsciousness.

====================================

(3rd person POV)

Fluttershy, her friends, and the princesses watched in horror as the colossal dragon smacked the small black dragon's body down to the ground like an insect. The small dragon's body now laid almost lifelessly on the ground below. Fluttershy and the Crusaders were driven to the point of tears as they watched their friend lay there on the ground. As for Luna and Celestia, they were frozen in horror and despair as they had watched the human-turned-dragon, who had laid his life down for them, lie helplessly on the ground below them.

Just when things seemed to be at their worst, the colossal dragon came swooping down till its massive body slammed into the ground as it landed, causing the earth to shake. "How pitiful. One strike and you're already down for the count?" The dragon snorted smoke from his nostrils. "This is to be suspected, given your pathetic size. Maybe if you were half my size, you would have stood a better chance. I will admit that you did put up a semi-decent fight, but it mattered little, seeing that only the bigger and stronger creature is victorious here." He taunted, moved his claw down, and flicked the dragon's body with his pinkie, sending said dragon skipping across the pavement and crashing into a nearby wagon. "I mean, really, why would you throw your life away like this?" He glanced over to where the princesses and the small group of ponies were at on the nearby rooftop watching the events unfold. "For them? Why waste your life defending such a weak species? Without their magic, they are nothing but easy prey."

He turned his body to face the ponies in question, then slowly started to move toward them, making the ponies back away. But before he could take another step, he felt something weak smack into his cheek. Turning his head, he saw that the little dragon was barely back on its feet as small traces of smoke spilled from its mouth. "Was that your attempt at an attack?" The larger dragon laughed maniacally. "That could barely be considered a tap on the shoulder! Bwahahaha!!!!"

The small black dragon shakily tried to stand its ground, unleashing another blast, this one not nearly as fast as its previous one. The colossal dragon simply blew the blast away as it got closer. "You really think you can continue to fight me, whelp?" The dragon turned to face the smaller dragon, moving toward it while making the ground shudder with each step. "Very well. I believe it's time I put you in your place and show you how much you are out of your league."

Charging forward, the colossal dragon closed the distance between himself and his weaker opponent, and swiped the dragon into the air before bringing its other claws down to slam the body back down into the ground, kicking up dust and debris. The small dragon bellowed in pain as his body was smashed into the ground. "That's right, whelp! Let me hear you scream in pain as you come to the reality of your pathetic life!" He laughed as he used one of his pinkie claws to press down on the smaller dragon’s body.

"We must help him, sister!" Luna shouted furiously as she spread her wings, ready to take flight and aid the dragon in battle, only for her body to be held back by her sister's aura. "What is the meaning of this!?" She asked, both angry and confused.

Celestia, whose eyes never looked up to meet her sister's, shook her head. "We can't. We must evacuate and regroup." She said in a low tone.

"Arest thou mad!?" Luna screamed, slipping into speaking in the old tongue. "The child who sacrificed his life to save our own has returned, only to once again do the same, and you wish we should flee and let him suffer?!" She asked, marching toward her sister.

When Celestia had finally looked up to her sister, Luna was taken aback. Her sister, who in the time of her return had been well versed in hiding her emotions, was currently tearing up, biting her lip while trying her best to not sob. "I don't want to leave him, but magic has no effect on that beast. Not even our own. And now he's laying down his life to distract it so we may escape." A steady stream of tears flowed down her cheeks as the sound of the young dragon’s roars of pain could be heard from where they stood. "If I could, I would drop the sun in order to save his life, but that isn't an option. We must leave and fetch the Elements of Harmony before it's too late."  Luna, while stubborn, begrudgingly knew she was right. And as much as it pains her very soul, she would have to turn her back on the very being who risked his life twice for them. "Luna I’m-"

Celestia was cut off as something flew past them at high speed and crashed into one of the nearby buildings, getting everypony's attention. When they looked over to see what was tossed, their hearts sank as Toothless slowly slid off the wall and fell to the ground below, once again laying almost lifeless.

"Well, it seems that the little dragon has finally croaked." The larger dragon boasted as he slowly marched toward the ponies. "A shame, really. If he didn't go and throw his life away, I would have let him take part in my conquest of Equestria." The clouds above started to roar with thunder and lightning crackled across the skies, soon followed by the steady fall of rain. "It seems that even the gods pity this poor fool by shedding their tears upon the land." He chuckled as he turned his sights on the ponies. "A fitting setting for the death for Equestria's princesses and its heroes." The colossal dragon slowly opened his mouth as he prepared to unleash a devastating burst of flame, but a sudden blast struck him in the left eye. He roared, cutting off the flames from his mouth.

The ponies turned to see the black dragon was standing once more, but just barely. "I…w-won’t…let...you…hurt…my friends!" He spoke in a barely audible roar-like hiss, almost reptilian sounding. He turned his head to the heavens above and unleashed an ear-piercing roar, the spines on his body slowly glowing bright shades of blue.

As if in response to the dragon's roar, the clouds above flashed, followed by a boom as a bolt of lightning struck the dragon in the back. The bolt of lightning danced across his body as his spine glowed like a neon light. He opened his mouth wide, a bright light starting to form in his mouth with sparks of electricity sputtering out. The massive dragon dared not wait for what the small dragon was planning as he lunged forward, claws high, ready to end this battle. But just as he was about to bring down his claws, the smaller dragon fired a high velocity plasma blast that spiraled with electricity, striking the colossal dragon in the chest with such incredible force that it sent him flying backwards, sending him crashing on his side.

After the colossal dragon's body fell to the ground, there was a moment of silence, the only sound was sizzling as the rain slowly put out the fires. "Did he do it? Is the fight over?" Twilight asked as she leaned over the edge of the roof to look down at the colossal dragon's body.

The ponies stared at the dragon, smoke steaming from his chest before it suddenly moved, letting out a low growl. "Did you really think that would be enough to end me!?" He spoke in a menacingly deep tone as he slammed his hands into the ground, then slowly started to rise. "I'll give you the satisfaction of telling you that stung, but still not enough to kill me!" As he rose, the ponies could see a fleshy scar where the blast had struck, the wound already cauterized from the impact. "Now you shall die by the flames of a true dragon!"

The ponies could only watch helplessly as the massive dragon charged up his flame breath, building it up from his chest all the way up his neck. Toothless did not move, all his strength had been spent, and he stared up at the larger dragon, awaiting his demise.

The colossal dragon thrust his head forward as a huge torrent of flames spewed out of his mouth toward the Night Fury. "TOOTHLESS!" Fluttershy cried out, watching the flames speed toward her friend. However, as she cried out, the flames suddenly stopped, as well as everything else around the ponies. "W-what?"

"Well, isn't this a fine how do you do?" A voice echoed all around the ponies. "All this tremendous chaos, and I wasn't even given an invitation?" Suddenly, in a flash of light, the spirit of chaos and disharmony appeared. "I mean really, you think after being reformed and being called a friend, I’d-" Discord’s rant was cut short when Fluttershy suddenly ran up to him, holding him close in her hooves. "Uh...Well, this is slightly better."

"Please." She said in a muffled voice as she held him. "Please save Toothless. I'm begging you, Discord." She looked up to the chaotic deity, unable to hold back her tears. "Please don't let him die."

The draconequus simply stared into his friend's eyes and could see the visible pain she had endured as she watched the smaller dragon being thrashed around. "Hmmm. Well, I'm afraid I can't do much. While it's true I can easily dispense of that oversized iguana, that wouldn't be causing any sort of disorder or chaos." He said sternly, which made the yellow pegasus weep even more. Discord couldn't bear to see the only pony who had given him a true chance at friendship cry. He felt rather uncomfortable with this sense of guilt.

A small light bulb popped above his head and began to flicker on, but went dead the next second. Discord raised his talon hand up to the light bulb, giving it a few flicks before it turned back on. "I have an idea!" He said in a proud tone as he held out his lion paw and snapped his fingers, making a telephone booth pop up. "Excuse me while I make a call." With another snap of his fingers, he changed into a long tan trench coat, fedora, and sunglasses. He started to press the buttons on the dial, held the phone to his ear, and waited. "Hmm...Come on, pick up you son of a- Konnichiwa! Hey, ToHo, it's me, Discord." He said in a whisper while looking around suspiciously. "Yes, I'd like to call in that favor you owe me…You know for what. So don't you dare try and cheat me…Yes, I want to borrow the likeness of one of your kaiju…Hmmm. What about the one you bought just to have him killed off in Finale Wars? I'm sure you can spare that version…Ah huh. Yes…Sure, I'll film the fight…Then we have a deal?" He waited before a smile grew across his lips." Good! It's been a pleasure doing business with you." He snapped his fingers and made the items disappear. "Alrighty, so I can help your friend by giving him the power he needs, but I can't guarantee that he'll win."

With a snap of his fingers, he disappeared and reappeared in front of the downed dragon. "Hmm. That's odd. Something about this dragon seems familiar." With another snap of his fingers, Discord summoned a magnifying glass and took a closer look at the dragon, the glass making his eye look enormous as he inspected him. "Now this is a surprise. A human who's been reincarnated into our world." He tossed the magnifying glass away, leaving his eye still enlarged. With a shake of his head, his eye returned to normal. "Never thought I'd see the day where Celestia would use such a forbidden spell. Kinda makes me jealous she hasn't used one on me yet. Oh well." Cracking his knuckles, Discord gave his fingers one more snap, causing a bright, blinding flash of light, and soon after, time resumed.

As the flow of time was restored, the colossal dragon's fire breath was released as it set aflame the very spot the black dragon was standing. "No, Toothless!" Fluttershy called out once more as she watched the flames engulfing the streets below. She turned to the amalgamation of different creatures, who was currently holding up a camera. "I thought you said you would he-!"

She was cut short as Discord brought his finger to her lips, made a motion for them to be quiet, and pointed back to the streets. The ponies turned their attention back to the streets, where the colossal dragon was walking over to the spot where the small dragon had been engulfed by his flames. The area was covered in steam due to the rain and the dragon's fiery breath. "You see!? You never stood a chance against me, you pathetic, minuscule dra-!" His gloating was cut short as a large scaly fist shot from the steam, clocking the colossal dragon's jaw, and sent him staggering back. From the mist came a roar that was much louder and deeper than any one the Night Fury had ever unleashed. 

Out of the mist came a creature as tall as the colossal dragon: black scales with a gray underbelly, blue spines running down its hunched back to its long tail, standing on two legs with sharp white claws on its hands and feet. The new dragon stepped forward as it unleashed another roar.



The ponies’ mouths dropped to the floor as they saw the new dragon punch the colossal dragon and made its presence known with its roar. "Is...that Toothless?" Fluttershy asked as she gazed at the large kaiju. The kaiju's left eye looked in her direction, both the pegasus and kaiju staring at each other. Fluttershy never looked away or even blink as she watched it gently nod its head. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, but not tears of horror or sadness; these were tears of joy.


The kaiju roared as he charged toward the colossal dragon who was still in a daze by the sudden shift in the battle. Toothless quickly grabbed the left horn of the colossal dragon holding him still,  as he used his free arm to slam his fist  into the muzzle of his opponent repeatedly. The colossal dragon roared out in pain before slashing his claws against the kaiju's chest forcing his grip to loosen enough for him to pull away.

"I don't know how you got so big, but it doesn't matter! I am still the superior dragon in this fight! I will not lose to the likes of you!" Lowering his head, the colossal dragon charged forward with his horns aimed at the kaiju's chest. Toothless quickly grabbed hold of both horns in an attempt to prevent himself from being stabbed. He dug his claws into the ground as the colossal dragon continued with his charge, forcing his body back.

The two titans were moving dangerously close to the edge of the city where a large drop of the mountain awaited them. Toothless saw that he was quickly approaching the edge and tried to dig the claws of his feet deeper into the ground, but it wasn't enough to stop the colossal dragon, who was pushing with all four limbs while he was only using two. "You may have gotten bigger, but I see that you no longer have your wings!" The colossal dragon laughed as he doubled his efforts. "Have a nice fall, whelp!"

With one great heave, the colossal dragon gave one more powerful push, shoving the kaiju off the edge. However, before Toothless could fall completely off the edge, he grabbed hold of the dragon's arm and pulled him down along with him. "You fool! I can fly! You're just wasting your time!" The colossal dragon roared as the two freefalled to the world below. Before he could spread out his wings, the kaiju snaked his arm around his neck, putting him into a head lock while his legs wrapped around his waist. "Gah! Get off of me, you bastard!" He roared as he tried to claw the kaiju's body off him, but his oxygen supply was slowly depleting as the kaiju’s muscular arms squeezed tighter.

The ground was fast approaching as the two plummeted from the sky. The colossal dragon tried to flare his wings, but they couldn’t support the weight of them both. He began to panic, trying to dig his claws into the kaiju's side, hoping to throw him off in time to pull up. Eventually, the two slammed into the ground below with a loud slam that rocked the entire world.

Everyone watched from above as they saw a large cloud of dust that kicked up from the impact. "Is he gonna be alright!?" Twilight asked as she looked.

"Oh, he will. That form can take a hit, so that fall should be nothing to him. Now shush and let them fight." Discord said nonchalantly. He noticed that Pinkie was currently munching on some popcorn from a paper bag. "Could I get some?" Pinkie didn't take her eyes off the fight as she reached into her mane and pulled out another bag, passing it off to him. "Ooh! Thanks!" He munched on some of the popcorn with one hand while the other was filming the battle.

As the smoke cleared, the two titans stood back up, then began to size each other up as they circled one another. Toothless snarled and did a few mock jumps to fake out his opponent. "So now that you're bigger, you think you have a chance, eh?" The horned dragon asked as he made his own mock lunges, but never got the kaiju to even flinch. "Well you don't! I've killed other dragons my size, and you will be no different, nor the last!" Charging forward with his head low, the colossal dragon aimed his horns in another attempt to impale his opponent.

Toothless, however, didn't move. He stood his ground, crouched down, and waited. "You think you can take me head on again!? We'll just see how that works this time!" Her roared as he doubled his speed, making a mad dash for the kaiju.


Just as the horns were about to impale his body, Toothless quickly pushed off the ground, jumping over his opponent while he watched his opponent run right under him. The colossal dragon's head crashed into the side of the mountain, causing his horns to get stuck in the rockface. "You son of ahhhhhh!" He screamed as he felt the elbow of the kaiju slam down his head, forcing it down with his horns still planted firmly in the mountain, which caused them to snap off when his head sunk lower. "Raaahhhhh!!!!!! You will pay for that!"

The colossal dragon lunged forward with both sets of claws aimed at the kaiju. Toothless dashed forward and raised his own claws to intertwine them with the colossal dragon's. The two titans were in a deadlock, their claws gripped together as they tried to push the other back.

Toothless was the quick thinker as he forced his wrists to turn his opponent’s outwards. Once the colossal dragon's arms were turned out, he pulled his arms to his sides, forcing the colossal dragon's balance and stagger forward. Toothless then slammed his head into his opponent's skull hard. "Gahh!!! Bastard!"

The dragon roared as he extended his wings and began to flap them, raising both him and the kaiju slightly into the air. This was enough for the colossal dragon to get Toothless’ feet off the ground and for him to swing his body away to crash into some boulders. He quickly dove toward the fallen kaiju, but just as he was going to dig his claws into his opponent’s back, the kaiju twisted its body and quickly swung his arm around, his fist clutching a large boulder, slamming it into the colossal dragon's face.

Getting back on his feet, Toothless swung his other arm, which also held another large boulder, and slammed it into the dragon's jaw before bringing both arms to smash both sides of the colossal dragon's face. When the colossal dragon roared in pain, Toothless quickly shoved one of the boulders into his mouth, then clenched his fist to deliver a hard uppercut, sending the dragon flying back.

Toothless roared in triumph to taunt the dragon to get back up, a response that was met with the colossal dragon's tail slamming into the kaiju's side. Lifting himself up, the colossal dragon crunched the boulder in his mouth to pieces. He turned to face his opponent and roared as he pounced, opening his maw to sink his jaws into the kaiju's neck.

Toothless let out a painful scream, feeling the dragon's teeth sinking into his flesh. He began to flail his arms, scratching his claws against the dragon's chest, leaving deep cuts that oozed out blood.

The sudden burning sensation of his flesh being cut was enough to get the dragon to release his jaws as he bellowed in pain. With his neck free, Toothless quickly spun his body around, building momentum to slam his tail into the colossal dragon's head. The impact from the kaiju's tail sent the colossal dragon flying back into the mountains with a powerful crash. This caused a small rockslide, sending chunks of rocks to come crumbling down on him.

Seizing the opportunity, Toothless quickly jumped onto the dragon's back, causing him to roar from the sudden pressure weighing him down. Grabbing both the colossal dragon's wings by the base, Toothless started to violently pull on them.

"Ahhhhh!!! Let go of my wings, you bastard!" The dragon screamed as he tried to shake off the kaiju pulling on his wings. The sound of bones shattering and flesh being ripped apart filled the air before the kaiju gave one last hard pull, ripping the dragon's wings clean off. The colossal dragon howled and writhed on the ground in agonizing pain, the sensation of his own blood gushing out from his torn out wings could be felt trickling down his body. He shakily glanced over at the kaiju, who was holding his wings in his hands before tossing them aside. "I've had enough! Let’s settle this like true dragons!"

The colossal dragon widened his stance and took in a large gulp of air, preparing one last fire blast. Toothless's back spines started to light up one by one in a wave before his eyes flashed. The two titans unleashed their fire breaths simultaneously, the colossal dragon’s red flams clashing with the kaiju’s green flames. Both of the fiery attacks were equally matched as neither side was giving an inch.

From above, the ponies and Discord watched with bated breath. But when they saw the colossal dragon's breath pushing Toothless's flames back, they began to panic. "Oh no. He's losing. Come on, big guy! Fight harder!" Dash shouted.

"Isn't there anything we can do to help? I don't want us to just stand here and watch as our only hope loses." Twilight asked Celestia and Luna, who just stared in horror as they couldn't do anything more than what they have done.

Fluttershy moved to the edge and took in a deep breath before shouting. "TOOTHLESS, YOU CAN DO IT! I BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!"

The kaiju's eyes started to shine, his spines glowing brighter from hearing his friend. He began to take a few steps forward, which caused his flames to push the colossal dragon's back. Step by step, the kaiju's flames pushed back his opponent’s until Toothless was within range. He jumped to the side, breaking the fiery duel. Before his opponent had a chance to realize what happened, Toothless circled around and jumped on the dragon's back. He brought his claws to the dragon's throat and started to sink them deep in his scales, making the colossal dragon roar in pain. He tried to flail his body to shake off the kaiju, but the beast wrapped his legs around the dragon’s chest and dug his claws deeper.

Blood started gushing out from the colossal dragon's neck and mouth. "H-how could I l-lose?" Was all he could say before the kaiju’s claws violently ripped out his throat. The dragon's body swayed as blood gushed from his neck before eventually falling to the ground dead.

The kaiju leaned its head down to sniff at his opponent's body, confirming that he was indeed dead. He raised his head to the sky and let out a blast of green fire as a sign of victory. However, his joy was cut short as he fell to the ground, exhausted from the battle. His body then began to shrink and morph back to its original form.

Fluttershy was the first to quickly dive down toward him, faster then her friends had ever seen her move. "Please be alive, please be alive!!" She repeated as she rushed over to his body. Her hooves touched the ground and she immediately sprinted the rest of the way to the black dragon's body. She stared at him looking for any signs of movement. When she didn't see any, she lowered her head down, placed her right ear against his chest, and waited.

The rest of the ponies and Discord arrived soon after, watching the yellow mare as she held her head close to the Night Fury's body. They waited patiently as Fluttershy kept her head on his chest and started to worry. Then, when they saw her withers begin to shake, they feared the worst.

Twilight slowly walked forward, ready to comfort her friend for her loss yet again. "Fluttershy, I-I’m so sorry. I can't express how- Fluttershy?"

When she came around to comfort her friend, she saw that the pegasus was smiling as she cried. "He's still alive. He's okay." She said while pointing to his chest, where Twilight could see it steadily rising and falling. "He's alive, everypony!!" Fluttershy shouted with pure joy as she hugged the dragon's head against her chest and nuzzled him.
> Peace
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Johann POV)

It seems like being knocked unconscious or waking up after an epic battle against some mythical creature seems to be a constant in my new life as a dragon. My old human life was never this exciting. The closest thing to excitement I had back then was that time I went paintballing with my friends for my seventeenth birthday. Geez, was that painful. I was currently laying on my side with my eyes still closed, and I’d rather not open them due to the incredibly painful headache I have. My senses are barely coming back to me, but I could definitely feel that I'm laying on something warm and soft, which either means I'm dead and in heaven, or I'm sleeping on a bed. I'm hoping for the latter.

I tried to open my eyes, but they were almost sealed shut by eye crusts. After blinking a few more times, I was barely able to see that I was indeed laying on a bed. The bed I was currently laying on looked like a four poster bed with light purple curtains, and the room was painted in a light blue.

The next sense that came back to me was my hearing. The sounds of birds chirping around the open window was rather peaceful and almost lulled me back to sleep. But just as I was about to close my eyes and fall back into blissful slumber, a sound that was rather close to me caught my attention. It sounded like someone was lightly snoring, rather quietly, if I may add. Now that I was aware of the light snoring, I also noticed that something, or someone, was currently pressed against my side.

Tilting my head down, I saw a ball of pink and yellow, along with some feathered wings. When I arched my head to get a better look, I saw that it was Fluttershy. She was curled up in a ball like a cat with her tail wrapped around her body. In all honesty, I was pretty sure if I wasn't already dead from the fight, then I was gonna be from this super cute moment. She had her hooves wrapped around one of my arms, which was kinda odd how I didn't notice that before. I tried to pull it away to slip out, but she quickly pulled it back and hugged it close to her body, saying in a whisper, "Don't leave me." I wasn't sure if she was awake or not, but I had no intention of leaving her. I brought my free arm around to gently caress her head and carefully pull her into my chest. She immediately nuzzled against it and let out a happy sigh. I leaned in and gave her head a nuzzle, then lightly licked her cheek.

She slowly began to open her eyes, blinking a couple of times before her focus was on me. When she saw that I was awake, she let out a loud gasp and hugged me tightly. "You're awake!" She tightened her grip on me, almost a bit too tight as I was having a hard time breathing and was tapping her. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She lets go and I could finally breathe properly again. "Oh, Toothless, I'm so happy you're alright. I've missed you so much." She continued to nuzzle her head into my chest.

The sensation of her soft fur against my scales made me feel at ease, much like when we spent our first week together. Taking a deep breath, I tried to focus my thoughts. "I...m-missed...y-y-you...too." I spoke in a voice that would shift from deep to a reptilian hiss.

Fluttershy leaned back and looked at me with wide eyes. "Toothless, did you just speak? I mean, I know you did back in the city, but I thought I was hearing things. The girls heard something too, but I thought they were hearing things too. Not that I would accuse them of lying. I know they wouldn't do that, especially Applejack." I just watched as she started to ramble and go on a tangent; it was rather cute, honestly.

I gently placed a claw to her lips, getting a small "eep!" out of her and cut off her rambling. I took another deep breath and tried once more. "I-I...c-can...barely...t-talk." I coughed out the last words, taking another deep breath. "B-but...I’m…g-g-glad…you...a-are...safe." Talking was rather hard now; it feels like with each word I speak, I'm trying to talk underwater with no air in my lungs, which burns and my chest feels heavy. But it doesn't matter. I finally can use my words...well, most of them, that is.

Fluttershy seemed to understand right away as she gently rubbed her hoof against my arm. "Oh, then please don't. At least not too hard. I'm sure the princesses will...Oh my! The princesses! They wanted me to let them know when you woke up!" She tried to scamper off the bed, only for her hooves to get caught on some of the blankets and tumble off. I was gonna see if she was okay when she stood back up with a small blush on her cheeks. "Heh heh. Uh, I’ll be back. You stay here, please." And with that, she was out the door, leaving me alone in the room.

I moved my body up to get into a sitting position, taking in more of the room's decor. It was incredibly spacious and filled with luxurious furniture; it almost looked like the master suite of a fancy hotel. For a moment, I almost didn't believe this was real, that I was just dreaming and will eventually wake up.

But it was all real, from the soft bed and blankets to the warm sunshine that was coming through the window. And what's more, I was back with Fluttershy. She was safe and so was everyon-er, everypony; her friends, the Crusaders, and the princesses. '...Wait a second. Did Fluttershy say that the princesses wanted to see me?!"

==================================

As I walked down the marble hallway, escorted by two earth pony guards with golden armor with a sun emblem on their chest plates, I started to think of what I was going to do once I faced the princesses. I mean, these were real deal royals. Actual princesses! Not the kind you see at theme parks, either. As we walked along one corridor, I saw some stained glass windows with pictures on them. The first one I saw depicted six mares, two from each race shining some kind of light on a pony that had dark purple fur who had both wings and a horn; I believe they called them alicorns. The second showed the same mare against a creature that looked like a mismatch of different animals, although something about that thing seemed awfully familiar. What I did see that looked familiar was that in both of the glass murals was that one pony looked exactly like Fluttershy. 'Could that be her and the friends she told me about back during my first week in Equestria?'

I wasn't able to think much on this as we were now approaching a large set of double doors, which were guarded by two unicorn guards. Something I found rather odd was that some of the guards here almost looked exactly alike. They were sometimes white with blue manes, or grey with silver manes. I chalked it up to being magic, since that's about eighty-five percent of the answer in this world.

The two unicorn guards nodded to the ones who were escorting me, signaling them to move on. Once the two earth pony stallions were gone, one of the unicorn guards opened the door slightly, stepping half way through. He announced my arrival and nodded as he looked over at me. "The princesses will see you now, sir." I let out an audible gulp as my heart was racing with nervousness. I wasn't sure what I was gonna do, and I was nearly frozen with fear.

Then I felt something nudge my shoulder. I looked to my left to see the other guards. He gave me a smile that seemed to calm me down. "Relax. The princesses are the nicest ponies you'll ever meet. So don't panic, okay?" I gave a small nod as his words of encouragement actually did help. I took a calming breath and nodded to let them know I was ready.

The two unicorns lit their horns and the double doors began to open. Once the doors were fully open, I slowly started to walk inside with a bit more confidence. As I walked through, the doors behind me shut with a loud echo that reverberated off the walls.

Ahead, I could see Fluttershy along with five other mares standing to the side, looking at me. And in the far center of the room stood two other ponies, both of which were alicorns. One who had a very bright white coat, with an ethereal mane that was shades of pink, light green, purple, and light blue. She wore a golden crown and necklace that had purple gems in the center of them, and she wore golden horse shoes. The second had a dark blue coat, and much like the first alicorn, her mane blew in an ethereal wind, except her mane was a shade of light blue with a little white dots that sparkled, almost resembling the night sky, which I found rather beautiful. She had a black crown and a necklace with a crescent moon on it, and her shoes were light blue. Oddly enough, something about these two remind me of something I've seen before, but it must've been ages ago since I can't accurately remember why.

While I was trying to remember where I had seen the two alicorns from, I failed to notice that they were walking toward me. By the time I snapped out of my daze, both the princesses were standing in front of me. Since I first came here nine months ago, I had grown a considerable amount. So much so that I was a head taller than the average pony, but these two alicorns were much taller than that. The princess with the starry mane was about the same height as myself, but her sister was taller than me, so I had to tilt my head back to look up at her.

For a while, the two just stood there right in front of me, staring at me silently. It wasn't like they were glaring at me; it was a mutual, indifferent kind of stare. I was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable, like when a child is being stared down by their parents after doing something wrong. I had mentally prepared myself for whatever they planned to do next, whether it be some kind of scolding for causing damage to the city during my fight with the colossal dragon, or maybe a few kind words for my help. What happened next, however, was something no amount of mental preparation could have prepared me for.

Their stare of indifference quickly melted away as their eyes began to tear up and their lips curled into happy smiles. Before I had time to register, both princesses quickly closed the gap between us as they each wrapped a hoof and wing around me, pulling me into a warm embrace. I was left stunned as both princesses held me close and were sobbing uncontrollably while they nuzzled their heads against my neck. I was completely baffled, and when I looked over to look at Fluttershy and friends, they too were in shock as their jaws were practically hitting the floor and their eyes were the size of dinner plates.

I just stood there, completely shocked as the two princesses continued to nuzzle against me while they held me close and sobbed happily. "Oh, thank Faust you are safe." The alicorn with the multicolored hair said while she hugged me a little tighter.

"Tis truly a miracle that you are safe and well. And now thou art here with us after so long of searching." The night-looking alicorn cried as she too started to tighten her grip on me.

Once again, much like with Fluttershy, I was having an incredibly hard time breathing, and the two alicorns didn't seem to notice me constantly tapping on them, trying to tell them I wasn't breathing. But thankfully, Fluttershy could see that I was in a bit of a pinch and walked over to us. "Umm…Princess Luna, Princess Celestia...I don't think he can breathe."

Both the princesses quickly glanced at me and could see that my cheeks were turning a light shade of blue, then just as quickly let go, allowing me to breathe properly. "We're so sorry, Johann. We didn't mean to do that." I was going to wave it off when something she said struck a chord. She called me Johann...as in my real name. I looked at her rather confused and shocked at the same time. She, as well as her sister, looked at me with warm, motherly smiles. "Yes, you heard me correctly. I said your name; your true name."

I just stared at her and her sister, completely baffled. Somehow, these two knew my name. I only ever told Fluttershy my true name, and that was when I wrote it down and she didn't understand my writing. 'So how do these two know it then?'

"Why are thou so quiet?" Luna, as Fluttershy called her, which matched her appearance, asked me with a tilt of her head. "Thou aren't required to hold thine tongue around us. Speak freely."

I was gonna try and make another attempt to try and speak, but thankfully, Fluttershy quickly came to my rescue once again. "Umm, Your Highnesses, he...well, can't talk properly. And I think it hurts for him to try and talk, too."  The two princesses looked at me, rather perplexed by the notion that I wasn't able to speak properly. If anything, they were probably surprised since they might remember me talking back from my epic battle. I guess it would make sense since they probably thought I was out of breath when I spoke that one time.

The mare with the white coat, who I'm certain is Celestia, looked to her sister for a moment with a raised brow. Luna's cheeks were slightly turning red as she let out a small, nervous chuckle. "It would seem that we have made an error during our part of the spell." I wasn't exactly sure what she meant by that, but it wasn't like I could ask. Well, I could, but it hurts to try. Luna looked at me and smiled as I could see her horn glow with a blue aura. "Fear not, for we shall amend this mistake."

I was expecting her to touch her horn to my neck in order for her spell to work, so I closed my eyes and mentally prepared myself for her to do her thing. What I wasn't expecting, and no amount of mental preparation could prepare myself for, was when I felt something warm and soft pressing against my lips, sending a shockwave of energy through my whole body. When I opened my eyes, I saw that princess Luna had her lips pressed firmly against my own.

I couldn't see it, but I was sure that my face was blushing bright crimson as I stood there while I was being kissed by a princess. The shockwave sensation continued to flow through my body, making my wings flare out and sparks of electricity dance across my body. After what felt like an eternity, Luna pulled back with a small blush on her cheeks and gave a small giggle, no doubt from the shocked look on my face, and it wasn't the only one either. I could see that Celestia, Fluttershy, and her friends all had the exact same expression. Mouth hung wide, eyes completely wide open, and light blushes. "Thou should find it much easier to speak now."

"Aabauebabaddicaeb." Was all that came out of my mouth as my brain had been completely blown away and mind.exe was undergoing system reboot.

Luna tilted her head, somewhat confused as to why the spell hadn't worked. "Strange. We are certain that we used the proper spell to restore one's voice. Perhaps we need to try again."

Just as she was about to lean in to give me another kiss, her sister thankfully stopped her. "Um, Luna, the spell did indeed work, although there is something you should know." She pulled her sister close so she could whisper something in her ear. After about a minute, I watched Luna's eyes shrink down to pinpricks and her cheeks burning red. When Celestia pulled away, Luna just stood there as stunned as I was. She would glance at me for only a second before looking away with a deeper blush. "Yes, well, that spell is currently obsolete. The enhanced version requires, ahem, less physical contact." Celestia was trying her hardest to not giggle at her sister's expense.

It took me a minute or two to try and regain my train of thought. I tried to calm down my heart, which was beating at a thousand miles per hour. With a few calming breaths, I tried one more time to speak. I had to think long and hard on the words I would say as my first coherent sentence. "Rubber baby buggy bumpers, rubber baby buggy bumpers." I smiled as I was able to speak again. "It worked! I have my voice back! And it doesn't hurt to talk either!" I glanced over to Fluttershy, who was practically beaming with joy for me.

'For a moment, I had almost forgotten what my voice sounded like. Heck, I had nearly forgotten my original name!' That's when I remembered how Celestia called me by my real name. "Not that I'm not grateful for getting my voice back, but I think I have some questions that you could help answer."

"Of course, but before we do, I believe introductions are in order." Celestia suggested, to which I nodded in agreement. "As you may know, my name is Princess Celestia." She gestures to the alicorn with the midnight mane. "And with me is my sister, Luna. We are the rulers of Equestria." Luna’s cheeks were still flushed from before as she gave me a quick wave.

Next, Fluttershy and the five other mares came walking up to us. The first to step forward was another alicorn; she had a light purple coat and a violet mane with a hot pink streak going down the middle. "Hi there. My name is Twilight Sparkle: the Princess of Friendship." She extended a hoof to me, to which I took in my paw and gave it a light handshake. "But you can call me Twilight. I'm not too into being called a princess."

"It's very nice to meet you, Twilight." I politely bowed my head to her to show my respect.

Next was an earth pony mare with an orange coat and blonde mane. She wore a stetson cowboy hat on her head. "Howdy there. The name’s Applejack. I help my family run our apple farm back in Ponyville."

"Wait, is that the same farm that makes those delicious apples that Fluttershy used to bring me?" She chuckled and nodded, crossing one of her front hooves in front of her other with a prideful smile. "Oh man, those were by far the best apples I've ever eaten I'm my whole life!"

She blushed a bit and brought her hat down to her chest. "Well, that's mighty kind of you to say. Fluttershy told me how much you liked our apples, and should you find yourself craving our goods again, feel free to swing by the farm. I'd be happy to give ya a discount."

"Oh, I couldn't ask that of you. I'd be happy to pay full price for any apple products." I insisted. I wasn't the kind of guy to take advantage of someone's generosity.

"No, I want you to. After all, you saved my sister not once, but twice." I could see that she had some tears building up in her eyes. "If it weren't for you, I would have lost my sister, Apple Bloom." Some of her tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked over and wrapped her hooves around me, giving me my third bone-crushing hug of the day. "You have no idea how thankful I am."

"I think I'm getting the idea." I wheezed as she continued to squeeze my body tighter, forcing more air out of my lungs.

"Applejack, darling, I do believe our friend here is in need of air." A unicorn mare with an ivory white coat and curly purple mane interjected. This thankfully got Applejack to notice my face turning a light shade of blue, quickly letting go and blushing sheepishly. "But I can understand how you feel. I couldn't imagine my life without my dear Sweetie Belle." The unicorn mare used her magic to help lift me back up to my haunches. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir. My name is Rarity. I run the boutique in Ponyville, and I'm the older sister to Sweetie Belle. I, too, am grateful for all you have done for Sweetie Belle and her friends. If it weren't for you, I could have lost her twice." She used her magic to levitate a handkerchief to her eyes and lightly dabbed them. "Should you ever find yourself in need of some top quality garments, you are more than welcome to my shop. Your first order will be free."

I couldn't help but smile for her generous offer, and I was going to thank her for the kind gesture when my vision was completely obscured by a pair of light blue eyes. "Hi there! My name is Pinkie Pie, and I wanted to say thank you for saving all our friends! So, do you like cakes!? Oh, how about parties!? Or better yet, how about cake parties!? ‘Cause I can make all kinds of nummy cakes, like blueberry cake, strawberry cake, chocolate cake, vanilla cake!"

I just stood there speechless as this pink pony rambled on and on for what felt like minutes, all without taking a single breath, mind you. I was beginning to get worried until a cyan pegasus with a prismatic mane came over and placed her hoof on Pinkie's muzzle. "Okay, Pinkie Pie, he gets it. You know how to make a lot of cakes." Pinkie seemed to catch herself and smiled, and I swear I thought I heard a squeaking noise.

"Anyway, guess it's time for me to make my introduction. The name is Rainbow Dash, fastest flyer in all of Equestria, and soon to be Wonderbolt." She whipped her mane back as she held her hoof out to me.

Naturally, I could tell what kind of character she was and gave her a fist/hoof bump. "Nice to meet ya. I look forward to seeing if you really are the fastest flyers in Equestria. I don't mean to boast, but I can fly rather fast myself. Maybe we could have a race some time."

Dash flicked her mane back and gave me a rather cocky smirk. "Psh! You're on! And hey, I'll do you a favor and give you a ten second head start, just so you have a slight chance."

I rolled my eyes at her antics, then turned my attention to my first real friend I made here in Equestria, Fluttershy. "And I already know who you are, especially since I owe a lot to you."

She gave me a rather shy blush as she hid half her face behind her mane. "I didn't do much. I'm just happy I could help you."

"Didn't do much? Fluttershy, if you hadn't decided to try and help me out when you did, I probably would have died again."

No sooner did those last two words escape my lips did all six mares’ eyes bug out. "AGAIN!?" They screamed in unison.

"...oh, right. I guess I should probably explain a few things before I ask questions, huh?" They nodded their heads rather quickly as they gathered around me. "Okay, so the thing is, the form you see me in now wasn't the one I was born into. Before I had met Fluttershy my first week here in Equestria, I actually looked a lot different and didn't actually exist in this world." I took a moment to gauge their individual reactions. While most of them looked shocked or sad, Twilight seemed to be the only one who seemed fascinated. She even had a notepad and quill ready. "You see, I was actually something known as a human."

"What's a hoo-man?" Twilight asked while writing down everything I had said.

"It's pronounced human, and to answer your question, Ms.Twilight, humans are a race of bipedal species that descended from apes. Some of a more religious belief will say otherwise, but I'm sticking to the more scientific description for now." She nodded for me to continue. "Anyway, I used to be one of these humans back in my world called Earth. My world isn't anything like this one. There isn't anything like magic or mythical creatures such as unicorns, pegasi, dragons, or other creatures that are found here in Equestria; they only exist in folklore and mythology."

They all let out a surprised gasp, though I'm pretty sure I saw Rarity hold her hoof over her head and fainted. "There isn't any magic in your world?" Twilight asked in disbelief. "Then how do you go about controlling the weather or survive against deadly creatures?"

"We can't control the weather in our world. If we did, then there would be less death from natural disasters." Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight seemed to find this rather shocking from the expressions on their faces. "And as for how we survived without magic, we made up for it with technological advancements." 

"Fascinating! A world devoid of magic, but filled with all sorts of advanced technological discoveries! Think of all the things we could learn from such a place! I mean, if we somehow managed to merge that with our magic, we could…" Twilight turned to see her friends looking at her with what I could guess be the "Really?" look. Twilight's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink as she rubbed the back of her head with one of her hooves. "Uh, right. Maybe now is not the time to talk about that." She cleared her throat and put on a more serious face. "So, um, I hope this doesn't sound rude, but what did you mean when you said ‘died again’?"

All eyes were back on me as the ponies waited for me to answer. I let out a small sigh as I have to remember such a horrible memory. "Well, back in my previous life, I was killed." All the mares, minus the two princesses, gasped in shock. "One night after I finished watching a movie with my friends, I was waiting for my bus to take me home. While I was waiting for the bus, I saw these two women crossing the street. At first, I didn't pay much attention until I heard some car tires screeching down the street. They were chasing this runaway car that was going way too fast."

Pinkie held out her hoof and waved it around. I pointed to her to let her ask her questions. "What's a car?"

"Um…think of them as metal carriages that could move at high speeds." The mares nodded their heads as I continued. "Well, the truck was speeding down the same street I was waiting for my bus on. I thought maybe the police sirens would be loud enough to warn anyone in the area of the danger, but to my shock, there wasn't any sound at all. Then I remembered the two women walking across the street and saw they weren’t on the other side yet. I tried to call out to warn them, but for some reason, my voice never came out." The girls were hanging on every word as I spoke. "I realized that they were in danger when I saw the truck was making a beeline for them. So I got up and ran to them, hoping that I could warn them in time.

"I managed to get close enough to shove them onto the other side of the curb to safety, but I wasn't so fortunate. Before I knew it, the truck ran into me and sent me flying across the street." The room fell silent as all the mares held their front hooves to their mouths, tears beginning to well up in their eyes. "I remember the incredible pain I felt as my body was sent flying across the pavement. I remember the pain and agony as I layed on the ground, barely able to breath. I vaguely remember the two women running up to me as my vision blurred, and in that moment, I knew I was gonna die. I had one wish, and it was to have a second chance at life. After that, I felt myself fade into black and passed on."

Looking up, I saw that everypony was crying. Even the princesses, who seemed the most stoic, were sobbing. Fluttershy rushed in and held me in a warm, gentle hug as she gently rubbed her hoof up and down my side to comfort me. I wrapped my wing around her and nuzzled her head. "Hey, it's okay, Fluttershy. I'm alright. I promise." I took a deep breath to try and keep myself calm. "In all honesty, in the back of my mind, I knew that I would be risking my life if I decided to help them. And yet, I never hesitated to save them. Even now, I still have no regrets…Well, I guess my only regret was having those two women see me die in front of them. I wish I could have told them how sorry I was for having to shove them out of the way." No sooner did I finish my sentence did Celestia and Luna move in to join Fluttershy in hugging me. "Uh…not that I don't appreciate it, but why the sudden hug, you two?"

"Because we forgive you. And if anything, we are the ones who should be apologizing to you." Celestia answered, making me tilt my head, rather confused by what she meant. "I believe it would be better if we showed you, but only if you can trust us."

I looked at her and Luna, both having worried experiences on their faces. While I had no idea what she meant by that, I did of course trust her and Luna. I gave them a nod and watched as they both ignited their horns with their magic and slowly lowered them to rest on my head. I closed my eyes and waited for whatever was going to happen. Soon, I saw something rather surprising: the movie theater that I went to see the movie I mentioned. It felt like I was seeing everything from someone else's point of view.

In the next moment, I saw the person who I was watching the memory from turn their head and saw the familiar face of a woman with midnight blue hair with white sparkles that made it look like the night sky. Then the memory started to fast forward and I was able to catch a glimpse of the third “How to Train your Dragon” movie.

Then, when the memory finally slowed down, the perspective of the person I was watching from had changed. Now I saw the familiar face of the woman with the multi-colored hair consisting of light pink, blue, and green. I watched as she, along with whom I'm guessing was the woman with the midnight hair, walked out of the theater and began crossing the street.

I continued to watch the two walk across to get to the other side, only to be abruptly shoved forward. The person I was watching this all happen from quickly turned, and what I saw next shocked me; it was me. I saw myself standing with my hands pushed out. But in the next moment, I saw the very truck that had ended my life ram into me. Everything got shaky as the person turned their attention on the truck that hit me and watched as it turned a corner with some police cars chasing after it.

Next, I saw my body laying about a couple feet away, and I wasn't moving. The person who I was watching from started to run toward me. As she approached me, I was able to see the condition I was in. Blood was flowing out of my mouth while some of my joints were either twisted in the wrong way or had skid marks from the concrete. My eyes had this glazed look to them as they barely stayed open. I then saw something rather unexpected; a white hoof came over to my cheeks and gently caressed it.

Soon, the vision started to fade away, and I then saw two crying alicorns staring at me. I didn't have to be a genius to understand what I just saw. "It was...you two who I saved that night?"

"Yes, Johann, we were the ones who you sacrificed your life for. I'm sorry that you died saving us." Celestia sobbed. "You truly are the definition of a hero with a heart of gold. And if it wasn't for your selfless act, neither I nor my sister would be standing here at this very moment. So, from the bottom of our hearts, thank you."

And to everyone's surprise, both princesses bowed their heads to me. I was speechless. Never did I imagine that I would be thanked by royalty, and that the two girls I saved that day were the princesses of Equestria.

"Please, we wish for thine forgiveness." Luna asked, which again caught me off guard.

"Why are you asking for my forgiveness, Luna? You didn't do anything wro-"

"BUT WE DID!" She shouted in a voice that was much louder than I've heard her speak. "IF IT WEREN'T FOR OUR CARELESSNESS, THEN PERHAPS YOU WOULDN'T HAVE TO DIE!" Tears started to fall from her cheeks as I I saw her withers shaking. "If we had just...been more aware of our surroundings that night, then...m-maybe we could have avoided the vehicle, and you wouldn't have to go and sacrifice your life for us." I could only watch as she fell to the ground weeping and sobbing her heart out. Celestia wasn't looking any better as she didn't even look at me, but I could see a steady stream of tears sliding down her cheeks, too.

'I never would have thought they were carrying this kind of guilt all this time.' I couldn't help but feel a small pang of guilt in my chest. 'I can't change what happened in the past, but I can make it up to them by making the future better from here on out.'

I walked over to Luna and carefully lifted her to her haunches. Before she could ask what I was doing, I quickly wrapped my wings around her and Celestia, pulling them both in for a hug. "You two have nothing to be sorry for. There was never a second where I had ever even considered blaming you two. I'm the one who should be sorry for putting you two through all this." They were resisting at first, but slowly, they wrapped their hooves around me. "So I'll make you two a deal: if you two can forgive me, then I say we should be good. Does this sound fair?"

They pulled back and looked at me for a moment, then to each other and smiled. "I believe this should be a reasonable request, don't you think, Tia? "Luna asked.

"I do believe so, Lulu. Perhaps we can settle this with a way to show our thanks." Celestia leaned over to her sister to whisper something in her ear. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I noticed a faint blush on Luna's cheeks, then she gave a sheepish smile and nodded. "Remember, just on the cheek, okay?"

Before I had a chance to ask what they were talking about, they quickly leaned in and pressed their lips on either side of my cheeks. The sudden warmth of their smooth, soft lips was more than I could handle as my wings suddenly flared out. Fluttershy and her friend's faces went completely red while my own was a deep shade of scarlet, and my mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water. Celestia and Luna were giggling up a fit as they saw our reaction. 'These mares are gonna be the death of me…again.'

====================================
(Meanwhile somewhere unknown, 3rd POV)

Inside a room, a lone figure sat upon a chair with the faintest bit of light coming from a fireplace for him to read the book in his hooves. Three knocks broke the silence, causing him to shut his book. "Enter." He called out to whoever was interrupting his reading. The door slowly creaked open as a unicorn stallion with light brown fur and a jet black mane walked into the room. "Ah, Venandi. So nice to see you. Do come in." The stallion slowly entered the room and shut the door behind him. "I assume you're here to tell me what my latest experiment has done to Canterlot, yes?" The stallion in the shadows asked, sounding rather pleased.

Venandi, who couldn't help but feel rather nervous, pulled out a piece of paper from his satchel. "Umm…well, here’s the thing, boss. The colossal dragon we unleashed...well, he...kinda, uh..."

"Died, correct?" The stallion finished for the unicorn, who looked shocked that his boss already knew. "Before you ask me how I know, let's just say I have an informant in high places who told me this morning."

"You seem to be taking this rather well, sir. I mean, you did spend a considerable amount of time on that dragon. I would have thought you'd be a bit more...well..."

"Livid? Oh, believe me when I say that I am beyond that. I spent a good amount of time making that lumbering buffoon’ scales impervious to magic. All while hearing him constantly ranting about how he'll do me the favor of sparing my life when he conquered Equestria, or how he'll make that dragonlord, Torch, pay." The stallion in the shadows grunted as he dragged his hoof down his face.

"About that, sir. I don't mean to question your plans, but was it really wise to make the dragon magic proof? If he had succeeded, wouldn't he have just turned on you when he believed you couldn't help anymore?" Venandi questioned.

"Tsk. As if I would make that dragon magic proof. No, my dear Venandi, I didn't make him magic proof; only his scales. I'm not so blind with rage and vengeance as to make him a possible threat to my plan. Once he outlived his usefulness, I would use my magic to clench his heart and squeeze it till it popped." He demonstrated this by pulling an apple from a fruit basket, then used his magic to crush the fruit in his magical grasp.

The insides splattered onto the floor, getting a nervous gulp from Venandi as he stood there awkwardly. "Ahem. Yes. I see that you are a step ahead in the game as always, sir."

"Clearly not if my creation died before he could do his job properly." There was a deep inhale before the stallion in the shadows spoke again. "However, I do suppose he did achieve one goal that I had intended for him to do."

Venandi watched as the stallion stood from his chair and walked over to the fireplace. He couldn't see the stallion's face, only the silhouette of his body that danced in the light of the crackling fire. "And what would that be, sir?"

"He showed the princesses that someone outside their precious kingdom is a threat to their humble way of life. And that they will have to watch their back and never let down their guard." From the table where the apple was plucked from, two wine glasses and a bottle of vintage wine floated in the air. "And I think that this is something worth drinking too." Venandi watched as the bottle was uncorked and poured the wine into the two glasses, one of them floating toward him. "Wouldn't you agree?"

Not wanting to disagree with his employer, the hunter took the glass in his own magic and held it up. "To a future where you shall rule."

"To a future where we shall get what we deserve." The stallion added as he lightly tapped his glass to Venandi’s.

===================================

(Back at the castle, Johann POV)

So, I had to quickly leave the throne room after getting kissed by both Celestia and Luna. I looked around and found a bathroom to take a nice, long, cold shower to help settle my embarrassing wing boner. I still remember how Rainbow Dash was rolling on her side as she laughed hysterically at my expense.

When I finally got back, it seems she and other mares got the giggles out of their system. "Okay, now that we have finished laughing at me and gone over how I got here, I think it's time we answer a few of my own questions."

Celestia was trying her best not to giggle as she cleared her throat. "Yes, well, I do believe you've earned it. And I promise to answer any that you have that are within my power."

"Okay. First, let's start from the beginning. How did you and Luna end up in my world?" This question shifted all eyes onto the princesses.

"I figured that you would ask this. And the answer is simple. Long ago, our teacher, Starswirl the Bearded, was working with another well known unicorn, Clover the Clever. They had been working on a spell that was said to open gates to alternate realities. The spell turned out to be a success as Starswirl himself used the spell to cast away some villains who had been causing trouble for everypony. One day during Luna's banishment, I had stumbled upon the spell." I noticed that Luna slowly lowered her head, most likely a bad memory. But Celestia was quick to wrap her wing around her sister to cheer her up. "And I was rather curious to see what the spell could do. To my surprise, it took me to a world with no magic to speak of, and was full of bipedal creatures known as humans.

"I fortunately still had my magic, so I used it to create a form that would allow me to blend in with the populus. I found your world incredibly fascinating, especially your form of entertainment. I remember when I first discovered what you call movie theaters. They had such a large variety of films that Equestria could only dream of." She had a rather funny smile on her face with a faint blush on her cheeks. "Although, I do remember that one night I had wandered into a particular kind of theater that...well, let's just say it showed me the methods in how your species...reproduces."

At first, I had no clue what she meant, but as I stared at her, I was noticing how her face grew a deeper shade of red. 'Wait...no…noooooo!! Oh my god!!' All of a sudden, I was down on the ground laughing my tail off as I rolled on my sides. "H-hey C-celestia, tell me something! Were there three giant X's on the building you went into?!" When her face went completely red, I lost it. I was laughing so hard that my sides were aching. "Bwahahaha!! What, did you stick around for the acting?!"

"I didn't know it was that kind of theater!!" Celestia shouted while using her wings to cover her face.

"Princess Celestia, what are you two talking about?" Twilight asked rather curiously since she had never seen her mentor this flustered before in her life.

Celestia only poked her muzzle out from her wings. "I'll tell you when you're a little older, Twilight."

"Then perhaps you can tell me what it is that you are speaking of?" Luna asked while nudging her sister's side.

"I'll tell you when you're older, Lulu." Celestia repeated to her sister as she did with her student.

"But we are almost of the same age!" Luna pointed out as she folded her front hooves across her chest.

"Believe me, Luna, you may be of the proper age, but not of mind." She looked over at me while I wore a smug grin, watching her squirm under the pressure. "Please ask another question. Anything to change the topic," she begged.

I rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay okay. My next question is how exactly did you bring me here? And why in this form?" I asked while looking myself over.

The blush on Celestia's cheeks started to fade as she sat up properly. "To answer your first question, we used a spell that is known as the spell of reincarnation. As you can tell from the name, it allows one to be reincarnated with their memories and soul’s the same as they were in their previous life. However, this spell is considered forbidden." She let out a small sigh as she took notice of her student's look of interest. "This is a spell I would never use under any circumstances, but…" She looked at me with a rather sad expression. "I couldn't let you die after you risked your life to save me and my sister."

I honestly felt kind of touched. They could have just let me die and went on their merry way, but instead, they choose to use a forbidden spell to keep me alive. "I don't know what to say, except thank you."

She, as well as Luna, smiled warmly. "And as for your second." Celestia continued. "The spell of reincarnation was unfortunately used improperly. You see, the spell, when needed to be used, should be done so when the individual’s life force is slowly about to leave the body. A perfect example would be somepony dying of old age or of an illness, however, in your case, the circumstances were different. Your life force, or your soul to be more accurate, was quickly fading away."

“What does time have to do with how the spell is used, though? I would imagine that so long as you got to the person who was dying in time, you could use the spell regardless?" I asked, not quite too sure what the problem was.

"Time is everything. You see, when using the spell, a new body to house the soul isn't just created just like that. A lot of thought and detail must go into the process. What type of body will the soul enter? What will the new body look like? What kind of attributes will it possess? All these and more must be considered when using the spell, and more importantly, where the body will end up after it's done." That part explains a whole lot now. "Because of the short, limited time we had in your condition, I split the tasks of the spell with Luna. I would focus on giving you the right type of affinity for magic and your life span, as well as making sure that your new body would be a bit more durable so you couldn't be easily hurt." She glanced over at Luna, who's eyes were shifting side to side, not making eye contact. "The task of the form of your new body's design went to Luna." She simply blushed and tried to act casually. "For the spell to work, they would need to focus on the form in their mind. So do tell, Luna, why exactly is Johann's new body in the form of a Night Fury?" Everyone in the room looked to the lunar princess, who was currently whistling a tune as she made sure not to make any eye contact with any of us. "Luna."

"Well…when sister told us that we must focus on the new body's appearance in our mind, we couldn't help but picture the form of the dragon from the motion picture that we had just finished watching." She admitted with a small blush on her cheeks.

Things had gotten uncontrollably quiet for a good while. No one was making a sound. That is, until I started to lightly chuckle, which eventually became a full blown, hearty laughter. "Pft hahah hahahah!!!"

"Johann, why are you laughing?" Luna asked rather confusedly, as well as everyone else in the room.

'Bwahh eh hehe…c-cuz it's funny!!" I managed to breath out between laughs. "I mean really, of all the dragons that she could have chosen from haha…she goes with the most popular one of them all! Haha!!" I couldn't hold myself up any longer as I fell over again, clutching my sides as I laughed hysterically. "C-could you imagine if she decided her favorite dragon could have been a Terrible Terror?"

My laugh seemed to carry over to both Celestia and Luna as the idea of me being one of the second smallest dragons in the franchise, was indeed a funny thought. "Could you imagine if he had been made into a Zippleback, dear sister!?" Luna guffawed.

Celestia, who held her hoof to her muzzle, giggled as well. "That would have been an interesting possibility. Would he be able to talk to himself, or develop a split personality?" The three of us started to laugh even harder as we imagined myself with more than one head.

When I glanced over to Fluttershy, she and her friends seemed to be rather lost since they had no idea what we were talking about. I tried to sit up and compose myself. "It's an inside joke. You girls wouldn't get it." They all just nodded since they didn't want to seem rude.

After the princesses and I had gotten the laughter out of our systems, we decided to get to know one another. Of course, even before then, I already knew who some of them were thanks to Fluttershy during my first week here in Equestria. Each of them was exactly as she described them, especially the one known as Pinkie. At first, when Fluttershy told me about her, I thought she was exaggerating just a tad. But to my surprise, she wasn't, and Pinkie was just as zany, fun-loving, and hilarious as Fluttershy said.

"Well, now that introductions are out of the way." Celestia spoke up, getting everyone's attention. "I believe it's time for us to discuss the matter to which we have summoned you here, Johann." I tried to get into a sitting position that made me look a bit formal. "Three times. Three times you have done great deeds for Equestria and those who live in it. First, you risked your life to save both me and my sister. The second was when you came to the defense of Fluttershy and the Cutie Mark Crusaders against that ferocious manticore. And then, there was your most recent and, by far, bravest deed, when you came to Canterlot and fought for our safety against the colossal dragon that rampaged through the city. These acts of heroism and valor shall not go unrewarded." I was going to say that a reward wouldn't be necessary, but Celestia quickly put her hoof out to stop me. "And these rewards are not optional." She said with a smirk, as though she knew exactly what I was gonna say.

“First, we would like to make you an official citizen of Equestria." Luna spoke up, getting my attention. "And not only will you be an official citizen; you will receive the title of Duke as well."

While I was incredibly shocked by this announcement. The mares in the room all gasp loudly, getting me to quickly glance around. "W-what?"

"Darling, being made a Duke...well, it's the second highest title one could receive. They are just one step down from prince and princess." Rarity explained while fanning herself.

"W-wait, so being a Duke is a big deal?" Fluttershy and her friends nodded rather quickly. "Are you sure about this?" I asked the two princesses. "I mean, is this really necessary? I'm deeply honored, but I didn't do all those things for recognition. I did so because it was right and because I didn't want anyone to get hurt."

Both Celestia and Luna smiled down at me, making me feel a bit confused. "And that's exactly why." Celestia added.

"Thine actions were done because you are a noble soul who puts the needs of others before thine self. Such valor is the reason we saw it fit to bestow upon you the title of Duke."

"But if you think that Duke isn't enough, then we could promote you to Prince instead." The mares around me gasped again, but twice as loud. "If you choose to do so, you will be considered an adopted member to our family, and have practically equal power and say in certain matters as myself, Luna or Twilight."

I was completely shocked. The chance to be promoted to a Prince was the dream of some men who wanted to live the easy life. "I-I don't know what to say…" I could feel everyone’s eyes on me as they awaited my choice. "I'll take being a Duke."

This surprised everyone, leaving some utterly baffled. Everyone except the princesses. "And pray tell, why would you choose the title of Duke over Prince?" Celestia asked with a rather curious smile.

"Well, if I’m being honest, I would love to be a prince, but…"

"But?" Luna gently motioned for me to continue with her hoof.

"I feel like it's a title that I haven't really earned yet. And maybe someday, if the day should come that I truly earned it, then I will happily accept it." I gave a polite bow. "But I don't think that day is today."

The room was awkwardly silent as my decision was slowly settling in for everyone. And the silence was broken by both Celestia and Luna laughing. "Pft hahaha!! Didn't I tell you that he would say that, Luna?"

Luna was currently wiping the tears out of her eyes. "Indeed, sister, he truly is of noble heart."

It goes without saying that myself and the others were confused. Thankfully, Twilight would be the one to try and find out what was going on. "Princesses, I'm sorry, but I don't understand. Why are you two laughing?"

Celestia brought her mild laughter to a small giggle as she tried to compose herself. "It's quite simple, really. Luna and I had guessed that if we gave Johann the option to either be a prince or another level of royalty, he would choose the lower level rather than being crowned a prince. And much to our satisfaction, he did just that, proving that he lacks the greed that most creatures have an abundance of."

"So...this was a test?" I asked, rather confused.

"Yes, Johann, this was a test to see if you would turn down the title of prince, showing us that you are someone of noble heart rather than personal greed." Celestia awesered with a warm smile.

I let go of a breath that I didn't realize I was holding onto. "Geez. Give a guy a heart attack, why don't ya?"

"We're sorry for deceiving you, but we just had to make sure." Luna stood up from her throne along with Celestia. "So, from this day forward, thou shall have the title of Duke and will be known as Duke Johann."

Once we had gotten my title out of the way, it was onto the next reward that Celestia was about to announce. "Now, as a new Duke, you will receive a stipend."

I raised my paw up, to which she nodded so I may ask my question. "Yeah. I know I've heard that word before, but can you tell me what a stipend is?"

"A stipend is an amount of money you shall receive every month. And before you ask, no, it's not optional." Celestia cut me off just as I was about to open my mouth. "Now then, the amount of bits you'll receive can be increased on how well you work as a Duke, but as of now, you shall receive five thousand bits."

I felt my jaw drop and my teeth retract when she said the amount. "F-F-Five t-thousand bits???"

"Yes. I can assume that should be an adequate amount, correct?" I slowly nodded my head, barely able to handle all these gifts I was getting. And Celestia wasn't done just yet. "And now to your last reward. You are going to be in need of a home, so we will have our finest architects build your new home. The question now is where you would like to set down your roots."

'Well, shoot, that's a good question. Where do I want to stay?' As I tried to think long and hard about where I would consider staying, I looked over at Fluttershy. She seemed to look the most interested in my decision. It was then that I remembered that during my time spent in the arena and back in Griffonstone, there was one thing that I wanted more than anything, and that was to be back with her and the CMC. It was because of them that I fought and worked so hard while I was away.

Looking back to Celestia and Luna with a smile, I had made my decision. "Your Highnesses, I would like for my home to be near Ponyville."

"Oh? And if you don't mind me asking, why there?" Celestia asked with a pleasant smile.

Looking back to Fluttershy, I make my way over to her and smile. "Because I want to be close to the mare who saved my life." Fluttershy's eyes went wide as I stood next to her and smiled down at her. "I know that you two brought me back to life, but if it wasn't for this mare here, I would have died a second time. It's thanks to her kindness, bravery, and help to get me used to my new body that I was able to survive and continue to live out my new life." I noticed a slight blush on Fluttershy's cheeks as she looked away with a small smile.

"I see." Celestia and Luna both rose. "Then so shall it be. It will take some time before your new home will be built and finished, which means you'll still need a place to stay until construction has finished. You're more than welcome to stay here in the castle if you like."

I was going to accept when Fluttershy spoke up first. "Um, excuse me, Your Highnesses." Both sisters looked to Fluttershy, making her flinch and take a few steps back. "W-well. if h-he wants to, Tooth-er, I mean, Johann could stay with me at my cottage. I mean. if that's okay?" Everyone seemed to be caught off guard. I was guessing that she didn't make these particular offers before.

"Are you sure, Fluttershy? It could take a good while before his home will be ready." Celestia mentioned, but she did so with a smile.

Fluttershy fidgeted in place for a bit before looking back up to the princesses. "I'm sure. After all, I house so many different animals. I'm sure he wouldn't take up much space."

"Very well, it shall be done. We shall keep you informed on the progress of the construction. But for now, you should all prepare yourselves for the trip back home." Luna looked toward me and smiled. "But Johann, me and my sister wish to speak with you for a few more moments, if possible."

Fluttershy hesitantly moved close to me, but I gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I'll catch up with you and the others. I promise." She nodded and left to go with the others to pack up for the trip back to Ponyville. Once I saw that the doors were closed, I turned to Celestia and Luna. "So, what was it you two wanted to talk about?"

"Nothing too serious, I assure you." Celestia answered as she and her sister made their way over to me. "You see, Johann, as you may or may not know, you had died before Luna and I could properly finish casting the spell of reincarnation." I nod for her to continue. "Well, it seems that aside from you not being able to speak, there are more mistakes that we need to correct."

"This isn't gonna hurt or anything, right?"I asked nervously since I've had my fair share of pain these last couple of months.

Celestia giggled behind her hoof. "No, not at all. When I was working on your magic affinity, I had planned for it to be made for a pony. However…" She glanced over at Luna, who was looking away whistling to herself. "Due to my sister choosing your current form, that magic isn't currently being used. An example would be your inability to pick up objects like that apple back when you were in the cove."

"Oh yeah. I've been meaning to ask about that. How in the world do you ponies pick up and hold things in your hooves? I can understand if unicorns could pick things up with their magic, but an earth pony or pegasus shouldn't be able to hold stuff without digits." This was a question that had been kept in the back of my mind, and I've wanted to know how it was done.

Celestia gave a light chuckle. "To put it in simple terms, all ponies of Equestria have magic, just in different ways. A unicorn is capable of lifting objects and casting spells. Earth ponies are more attuned to the earth and are incredibly strong. Pegasi are able to control the weather and walk on the clouds. But as to how they can hold items, it's because the pony can manipulate their magic in their body to hold onto items. The magic acts similar to how a magnet attracts metal."

"Huh...well, I guess that makes some sense." Truthfully, I'm still confused, but it would be better for me to smile and nod.

"One other thing I would like to do is give you one other ability. Seeing as you will be staying with Fluttershy and living in Ponyville, I believe it would be of aid to you."

"Really? What is it?"

"The ability to change your size."

Now, I'm not gonna lie and say that I'm completely pure of heart, and I will occasionally make some crude humor. This is gonna be one of those moments. "C-Celestia!" I said while moving my front paws to cover around my crotch, earning me confused expressions on both princesses.  "How could you suggest such a thing?! A guy's you-know-what is his pride, and just ‘cuz it's not the size you want or prefer it to be doesn't mean you can try and change it to meet your satisfaction!"

It took her a moment, but when Celestia understood what I was implying, her ivory white cheeks quickly turned scarlet and her mouth opened and closed like a fish out water. "N-no! That's not what I meant!"

I looked up while moving my forearm to cover my eyes. "Oh, how far you have fallen. How much time did you spend in that perverted theater? Your once pure mind has been corrupted." I peek out to see her face start to get even redder while Luna is looking back and forth between the two of us, looking confused as hell. 

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!" She screamed and puffed out her cheeks in a cute frown, but soon tried to take deep breaths. "I am referring to the size of your body."

"Heh, sure you were. But all kidding aside, are you saying I would be able to grow bigger then I am now?"

"No. You will be able to change your height to around the size of an average adult pony and to your current height. It's not much, but I believe it should still be helpful."

I really didn't need to give it much thought since it would make my new life here in Equestria a heck of a lot better. "Okay, Celestia, I think I'm okay with this, so go ahead."She and Luna nodded, then walked over to me as they charged their horns and placed them on my head. 'Here’s to my new life in Equestria.'
> Reunion
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Outside the throne room 3rd POV)

After gathering their belongings and giving them to a group of guards, who generously offered to take them to the station for them, Fluttershy and the rest of her friends waited patiently outside the throne room for their dragon friend to come out to join them. Fluttershy paced back and forth from one side of the hallway to the next.

“Fluttershy, you must relax, darling. I’m sure that your friend will be out eventually. There’s no need to fret.” Rarity spoke softly, trying to sooth Fluttershy’s worries. “Besides, he’s in the care of the princesses. He couldn’t be in more capable hooves than their own.”

Fluttershy took a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. “You’re right, Rarity. I’m just worried for Johann’s health. He barely woke up after being asleep for so long after that fight with the colossal dragon. I just hope they aren’t doing anything too strenuous.” She looked to the double doors, hoping she wouldn’t have to wait long.

“Ah think yer friend is gonna be alright, Fluttershy.” Everypony looked to Applejack as she walked over to Fluttershy and gently patted her withers. “That feller seems to be tough enough to handle anything any creature can dish out. Like when he kept on fightin’ that dragon, even after takin’ so many hits. If Ah didn’t know he was a dragon, Ah’d mistake him for an earth pony.”

“Pft! As if, AJ.” Rainbow Dash scoffed as she flew down to the other side of Fluttershy. “Didn’t you see the way he flew circles around that overgrown iguana? He’s more like a Pegasus! Plus, he did that trick with a lightning bolt that made him twenty percent cooler than most Pegasi!” She flapped her wings, lifting her body into the air while puffing out her chest with pride. “But he’s nowhere near as cool as me. Hay, I could fly circles around that drake with one wing tied behind my back.”

“I see that modesty will never be in short demand with her around.” That comment got most of the mares to snicker as the rainbow-maned Pegasus looked to whoever it was that tried to knock the wind out of her sails. When everypony looked behind them, they saw that the dragon of the hour had stepped out from the throne room. “Hope I didn’t keep your girls waiting long. The princesses and I had to iron out a few more details, but now we should be good to go.”

Fluttershy looked at Johann for a few moments before realizing something about the dragon was off. “Did you get smaller?” The rest of her friends looked over the dragon and saw that their friend was right. Before, he stood almost on equal height with Princess Celestia, but now he was around the same height as the rest of the ponies.

“Heh, so you noticed.” Johann spun around in place, showing the mares that their observations were correct. “The princesses believed that having me around this height would make living with ponies a little easier. Thankfully, I can return to my normal height at will if I needed to.” Johann walked past the group and looked back when he saw they weren’t moving. “You girls coming? We’re gonna miss our train if we don’t get a move on.” That had snapped the mares out of their daze and quickly followed behind the dragon.

Soon, the group had made their way out of the castle and down the streets of Canterlot, where Johann could see that a good number of ponies wearing hard hats and reflective vests were cleaning away rubble. He saw that some buildings had been burned down or were crumbling down, and to his dismay, he saw a family weeping as they stood at the remains of their broken homes. This brought his chipper mood down and felt some semblance of guilt. He wasn’t sure if he had caused any of the damage to this home or any other homes that got destroyed during the fight. He walked over to the family and tried to speak with them. They seemed hesitant at first, but after a moment, they began to talk to the dragon. The family consisted of earth ponies, two parents and three fillies. Fluttershy and her friends watched as he spoke with the ponies, who seemed saddened as they looked to the crumbling building. Johann looked around until he spotted a pegasus guard flying overhead. He flagged down the armored pony, who immediately flew down to the dragon. Word of his promotion to Duke must have quickly spread as the pegasus guard bowed for a moment, then spoke to the dragon. For a good minute, the dragon spoke with the guard and gestured to the destroyed building. This conversation ended when Johann said something that made the family of earth ponies’ eyes go wide. The stallion pulled out a piece of paper and quill from his saddlebag and wrote something down on it. He gave the dragon one more bow, to which Johann returned, before flying off to the castle. The parents looked to the dragon with shocked expressions while the fillies jumped onto him, nuzzling and hugging him with looks of joy on their faces.

This continued for only a few more minutes until the parents helped get their children off and bowed to the drake with warm smiles, then waved goodbye as they, too, made their way to the castle. Johann came back with a pleased smile as he cocked his head to the side. “Sorry for the delay. We’ll continue on our way to the train station now.” He smiled as he started walking ahead of the confused mares, who had to run alongside him to catch up.

“What was all that about there, partner?” Applejack asked as she moved up along the dragon’s left side.

“Well, I went over to ask what had happened. At first, they didn’t seem to want to talk to anyone, but when I pressed further, they told me that their home that they had just bought was destroyed during the attack. They then told me that due to not having any relatives in Equestria, they had no place to go. I asked if they had any bits saved up that they could use to rebuild or even rent a hotel, but they had spent almost all their bits on that house, and any they had left was to help feed them.”

“The poor dears.” Rarity said as her ears folded down a bit.

“My thoughts exactly. So that’s when I called out to a passing guard. He came down and bowed, telling me that he already knew who I was. I guess Celestia and Luna had already informed their guards about the new Duke even before I had accepted. Anyway, I asked him if he knew anything about the destroyed home possibly getting repaired anytime soon. Unfortunately, most of the homes that had been destroyed belonged to nobles who could afford to have their homes rebuilt. All other fundings was being spent on reconstruction of more important buildings like schools and large businesses. So I decided to step up in my role as a Duke and had the guard write a letter to the princesses to give four thousands of bits from my stipend to the family to rebuild their home.”

The mares all let out a gasp of surprise. “Are you sure about that, Johann?” Twilight asked, stepping forward. “That is a lot of bits to just give away. You’ll only be left with a thousand bits to get you through the month now.”

Johann’s cheeks puffed out as he tried not to laugh. “Well, when you put it that way, maybe I should have given them four thousand five hundred.” He chuckled a bit at the mares stunned expressions. “Look, I’m sure that I can survive on a thousand bits until next month, but that family lost their home with nowhere else to go, and I couldn't just walk by knowing I had the chance to do something about it. That’s just not the kind of guy that I am.” He continued on ahead toward the station.

Rainbow Dash hovered down to Rarity and whispered in her ear. “Better watch out there, Rares. Looks like he’s aiming to replace you as the Element of Generosity.” The cyan pegasus teased.

“Pft. Darling, he can have it. Anyone who would give away that many bits without so much as batting an eyelash deserves it.” She, as well as the rest of the mares, smiled as they watched the dragon walk in front of them.

========================================================================

The mares and dragon were now riding on the train back to Ponyville. Johann had taken the seat closest to the window so he could stare out at the scenery as the train moved along the tracks. The rest of the mares sat around him, with Fluttershy and Rarity sitting next to him while the rest of the girls sat opposite from him. For a while, the ride was quiet as the mares watched the dragon stare off stare off into the horizon. Nopony wanted to ruin the peace. Even Pinkie Pie was being rather quiet, but Twilight could see that she was drawing up some blueprints for something special.

“Sooo…where have you been all this time?” Dash asked, breaking the silence and receiving a slap to the back of her head courtesy of Applejack, who was glaring daggers at her. “What? Everypony was thinking it too.”

“That don’t matter, Dash. It’s rude to ask somethin’ like that out of the blue.” Applejack said while still glaring at the blue mare, who was rubbing the back of her head. She looked at Johann sympathetically. “Ah’m mighty sorry for that. She can be pretty dense.” Dash had shot the earth pony a glare before folding her front hooves over her barrel and looked away.

Johann chuckled a bit and waved it off. “It’s fine. I had seen that question coming a mile away, and I can tell you, but there are parts of this story that must remain a secret due to promises being made to certain individuals that shall remain nameless. If you girls are okay with those terms, I can tell you what I’ve been up to these past nine months.” The mares looked to one another for a few moments, then nodded in agreement to his terms. “Okay. Now, I should warn you that most of my time away was filled with terror and cruel events, so don’t say I didn’t warn you girls.”

For the next hour, Johann regaled the mares with the first of many days he spent in the arena fighting against all manners of horrifying creatures that he was pitted against, from day one against a pack of Timberwolves, to his fight against the ice-breathing yeti. Each story had their own effect on the mares. For Fluttershy and Rarity, they were shocked and appalled that any creature would run such a horrible business, and felt sad for Johann having to go through such trials for the amusement of others. Twilight wrote every word down to chronicle the dragon’s journey, stating that it would be a good idea for him to keep a record of such things for future reference should a similar place ever surface. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack hung on every word as he told them each of the fierce battles he took part in, like the battle with the deadly hydra. For the parts about his griffin friend, he would always refer to her as “she” or “her” to keep her identity a secret till the day he can reveal her by name. He had to skim over the part where he was healed by a civilization of Gem Canines, since that was also a promise he intended to keep. To keep the identity of the griffon kingdom a secret, he would refer to it as “her hometown” to easily keep the location a secret. From there, he would tell the mares how the hometown of his friend needed help bringing it back to a better state of living. Then he told the mares how one of the townsfolk spotted the colossal dragon heading for Canterlot, then having to say goodbye to his friend to come to their rescue, leaving out the part where he received a kiss for reasons he wished not to talk about. “And that pretty much sums up all that has happened to me over the last nine months.”

The car had been silent for a good while until the sound of sniffling could be heard coming from Johann’s side, and he felt a pair of hooves hugging him. Fluttershy had tears streaming down her cheeks as she held the dragon in her hug. “I’m s-so sorry.” She wept as she nuzzled him carefully as to not get him wet from her tears. “If I had just stopped those horrible stallions from stealing you away like they did, then maybe you wouldn’t have gone through any of that.” Everypony lowered their heads, believing they, too, were at fault for stopping Fluttershy from pursuing the criminals that stole the dragon away.

Johann saw that the ponies were taking this out of proportion and tried to defuse the situation before it could get any worse. He moved one wing out to gently wrap around Fluttershy and bring her in for a hug while resting his head on her own. “Shhh, it’s okay, Fluttershy. There’s nothing for you to be sorry about. Not one second did I ever blame you or your friends for what had happened.” He gently stroked her back with his wing to comfort her as her weeping began to slow down. “It’s all in the past, and I’m here now with all of you. So let’s just be happy that it’s all over.” Fluttershy, as well as the other mares, began to slowly cheer up from the dragon’s quick forgiveness. Johann smiled back at them and looked around the cart. “Hey, now that I think about it, what happened to the CMC? I’m pretty sure they were with you girls when I came to Canterlot, right?”

“Oh, they were here while you were unconscious. They were sent back home since they still had school to attend, though they were reluctant to do so.” Twilight said. “Honestly, they were just as happy as Fluttershy and the princesses to know you were alive.”

“Hmmm…” The dragon hummed as he moved one of his paws to his chin to show he was thinking. “So, what you’re saying is that they don’t know I’ve woken up just yet, right?” This slightly confused most of the mares, who looked to each other and shrugged before looking to the dragon and nodding. “One last question. If class is out by the time we get to town, where would I be able to find them?”

“Ah would reckon they’d be over at their clubhouse. It’s in the middle of mah family’s orchard. Why do ya ask?” Applejack asked, only to receive a small grin from the dragon.

========================================================================

(CMC’s clubhouse 3rd POV)

“It just ain’t fair.” Apple Boom whined as she paced back and forth from one end of the clubhouse to the other. She and the rest of the Crusaders had just gotten back from school and were now holding one of their usual Crusader meetings. “They could have let us stay for one more day. What’s one day of missing school gonna do?”

“Yeah. And he is just as much our friend as Fluttershy is.” Scootaloo added, getting the other two fillies to nod in agreement. “I mean, I know he’s a tough dragon and all, but you girls saw all those bruises and cuts he had, right?”

The other two Crusaders lowered their heads at the memory of their long-lost friend being so badly hurt when they watched him being carried into the medical ward. They could remember seeing more than twelve unicorn doctors working hard to help heal the dragon’s wounds. It had even gotten to the point where the princesses had to step in with their own magic. It was only after three hours did they receive the good news that he was going to be alright, and all he needed was a few days rest. That was around the time the Crusaders were taken home so they wouldn’t miss any school as this was more of a top priority for the fillies.

“I’m just happy that Toothless is going to be okay.” Sweetie Belle sighed with relief, knowing that all was going to be well. “Hey, I know something to get our minds off worrying about him.” The little unicorn filly was about to reach for a basket that she had left in the corner of the room when a knock came from the door. “Huh?”

“Package delivery for the rambunctious Cutie Mark Crusaders.” An unfamiliar voice called out, followed by another set of knocks.

“Apple Bloom, were you expecting a delivery today or something?” Scootaloo asked while she and Sweetie Belle made their way toward the door of the clubhouse.

“No. Were any of you gals expectin’ somethin’?” The other two fillies shook their heads as Scootaloo opened the door to reveal a large wooden crate. “Whoa! It’s huge!” The girls moved out of the clubhouse to walk behind the box to push it in. “Wow, it sure is heavy.”  

Scootaloo looked around the box, trying to find something. “Hey, there’s no letter or sticker that says who it’s from.” She moved back alongside the other two crusaders. “Any of you girls got any idea what it could be?”

The fillies hummed in thought while tapping their front hooves onto their chins. “OH! Maybe somepony sent us something that could help us figure out how to get our cutie marks.” Sweetie Belle squeaked out with joy, causing her tail to swish back and forth.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. “It’s gonna take a miracle to help get our cutie marks.”

Suddenly, the lid to the box burst open as dark smoke spilled out of the box and filled up the room. “Did I hear someone asked for a miracle!?” A blue light shines from within the black smoke, revealing the shadow of some large creature with massive wings. “Let me hear you say AAAH!!!” The three fillies let out a high-pitched squeal. “That’s close enough.” The shadow figures.

“It’s a ghost!!” The Crusaders screamed in unison as more smoke filled the room and the blue light shined brighter.

“Get ready, Cutie Mark Crusaders, for your draconic salvation is at hoof! For I have been sent here to bring you news!” The shadowy figure spoke while moving closer to the scared fillies.

“W-Who are you?” Sweetie Belle asked while shaking like a leaf.

“Who am I? Who am I?!” The figure asked while pressing its arms to its chest. “I am the Guardian of lost souls. I am the powerful, the mighty,-” From the smoke, the shadowy figure made it’s identity known. “-the indestructible Johann!” The Night Fury announced as the smoke cleared and his arms were held out, leaving the Crusaders slack-jawed. “Oh ha ha, I’m pretty hot, huh?”

Before the dragon had a chance to bask in the joy of the fillies shocked expressions, he was immediately tackled to the ground by said fillies as they all laid on top of him, hugging the dragon’s chest and nuzzling him. “You’re here! You’re really here!” Scootaloo sobbed as she held onto the dragon’s cheek.

“I’m so happy yer alive and safe!” Apple Bloom cried with joy as she hugged one of his front arms, nuzzling the black dragon.

Sweetie Belle, who was currently hugging the dragon’s chest, soon noticed something that the others didn’t. “Toothless, did you just talk?”

The other Crusaders quickly stopped what they were doing to look to the dragon with shocked expressions. The dragon gave a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of his head. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag.” He slowly sat up, getting the girls to hop off and stare up at him. “So, as you girls can both see and hear, I am both okay and indeed talking. To make a long story short, the princesses used a spell that allows me to speak, and my true name is actually Johann.”

For the next few minutes, the dragon told the same story he told Fluttershy and her friends. However, he made sure to tone down the gorier details as to not to frighten the little fillies. Each word that escaped his mouth had the fillies on the edge of their metaphorical seats. This was more so for Scootaloo, whose little wings buzzed with excitement. His story ends with him waking up earlier that day and having his meeting with the princesses. With his retelling of his story for the second time today, the little ponies started to cheer for joy at both the happy ending to his story and the return of their friend.

“This is so awesome!” Scootaloo cheered as she spun around in place. “You are probably the second coolest creature in Ponyville!” Johann cocked his head back, rather surprised to be considered second on this list. “Sorry, buddy, you may kick flank, but the number one coolest creature in both Ponyville and Equestria is none other than Rainbow Dash!!” The little pegasus filly cheered while bouncing up and down around the room. One look from the other Crusaders, who had rolled their eyes, told Johann that this wasn’t the first time she boasted about Rainbow Dash.

“Anyway...” Apple Bloom said, trying to change the subject before Scootaloo could start going on about her idol. “We are really happy to have you back. And your timing couldn’t have been better!”

“Oh? And why is that?” Johann asked, his curiosity a little peaked by what the little apple farmer meant.

“Well, tomorrow, our class is gonna be havin’ a show and tell. And, well..” The cream-colored filly shuffled her hooves as she and the other two Crusaders looked to the dragon with pleading eyes that nearly melted the poor dragon’s heart. “Would you pwease be our show and tell project?” The three fillies, in unison started, to make their bottom lips quiver while somehow making their already large, adorable eyes even bigger.

In all his time in Equestria, Johann has faced all manners of dangerous creatures, some that he dared never see again for as long as he lived. But he would rather face them all ten times over than to disappoint the little fillies before him now. “Aggh! Okay, okay, enough with the eyes, please!!” He cried out while clenching his chest. “I’ll be there! Just please stop with the cuteness! You’re going to give me type two diabetes at this rate!” The little fillies cheered, easily defeating the dragon with their most powerful weapon. Johann groaned as he flopped on the ground, looking rather displeased with the sudden turn of events. “I should probably talk to Celestia and Luna about weaponizing these fillies’ cuteness.” He chuckled at the idea as an image of the princesses staring down a charging army, only for them to stopp dead in their tracks when the Crusaders are summoned, giving those puppy dog eyes. He can just see the army collapsing to the ground, clenching their hearts as they scream, “The cuteness! It burns!”

“Johann?” The dragon was snapped out of his daydream when he felt his arm getting tapped. Looking down, he saw the Crusaders were looking up to him. “You okay? We had been talking to you, but you weren’t responding.”

He chuckled nervously. “Yeah, I’m good. I was just thinking about a new set of weapons that the princesses may want to consider to help defend Equestria.” The dragon joked, leaving the fillies confused by his vague answer. Before they could ask what he meant, there was a low rumbling sound, which startled the fillies. Johann’s cheeks flushed a bit as he held his stomach. “Sorry about that. I haven’t eaten breakfast yet.”

“Oh! I can take care of that!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she ran to the corner of the room, where there was a wicker basket with a checkered cloth over it. “I made some lunch for us to eat after class!” She smiled, gripping the handle in her mouth, and trotted over to the others, her tail swishing side to side happily.

“Aww, well that is sweet of you, right, girls?” Johann asked. The other two Crusaders, however, did not seem to share his enthusiasm. In fact, they almost had a look of dread on their faces, and they looked paler than a moment ago. “You two okay?”

The two fillies snapped back to reality and were beginning to sweat bullets. “Uh…er..um?” Scootaloo stammered, her eyes nervously darting side to side.

Apple Bloom moved a hoof to cover her friend’s mouth. “It’s just, me and Scoots ate some apples on the way here from school, so we ain’t hungry. Eheh.” She looked over to the pegasus filly with a serious look. “Right?” Scootaloo quickly nodded.

Johann looked at the two fillies rather curiously before a thought occurred. ‘Wait a second. This isn’t that overused trope where the adorable character turns out to be a bad cook? Right?’

“Here you go!” Johann was snapped out of his thoughts as Sweetie Belle placed a bowl in front of him. “It’s my specialty: toast and waffle soup.” She said with a happy smile.

Johann leaned down to take a look of the contents of the bowl, only to see a bubbling greyish-brown liquid inside. ‘WHY, TROPE, WHY?!’ The dragon screamed in his mind as he stared down at the bubbling goop. Then he heard a small gurgling noise coming from his left. Looking down, he saw that it was coming from Scootaloo and Apple Bloom, who had their heads facing the other way. ‘Not hungry, my ass! They knew she was a bad cook and left me to die!’ Johann looked back to Sweetie Belle, who was smiling up at him, waiting for him to eat. He glanced over at the other two, still not daring to face him. ‘You traitors! Look at me! Look me in the eyes before I die!!’ Knowing full well that if he didn’t eat the meal, it would most certainly hurt Sweetie Belle’s feeling. So, with a heavy heart, he gripped both sides of the bowl in his claws and lifted it up to mouth. In one swift motion, Johann opened his mouth wide, and poured the bubbling concoction down his throat. Once the last drop had been completely drained from the bowl, Johann set the bowl down and looked to Sweetie Belle with a warm smile. “T-thanks for the meal.”

Sweetie Belle was incredibly happy as her tail sped up as it wagged happily. “You like it!? Really!?” She asked with a hopeful smile on her cheeks, to which the dragon nodded hesitantly, causing the little filly to jump for joy. “No pony has ever liked my cooking, but I guess maybe since you’re a dragon, it’s different.” She rubbed her chin as her face brightened up. “Oh! I have some more food I made back home! I’ll go get them so you can try them!” And with that, the unicorn filly rushed out of the clubhouse to retrieve more of her cooking from her home.

Inside the clubhouse, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at the dragon, feeling rather concerned as he just stood there, not moving an inch. “J-Johann, are ya alright?” The farm filly asked as she tapped his side. But the moment she tapped him, he fell to his side, stiff as a board with his eyes rolled back and foaming at the mouth.

Scootaloo grabbed a white handkerchief and draped it over the dragon’s face. Placing her hooves together, she and Apple Bloom bowed their heads. “Rest in peace, mighty dragon. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain.”
> Bonds Beyond Time
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Canterlot Throne Room 3rd Pov)

 

Within the massive throne room, Princess Celestia was hard at work going over legal forms, papers that required her seal of approval, as well as the usual letters from the nobles who would try to brownnose their way into the royal treasury. She let out an annoyed sigh as she looked up at a nearby clock. It had been four hours since Twilight and her friends escorted Johann to Ponyville. Deep down, she had wanted to converse with the human-turned-dragon for a little longer than they had before. Of course, she was thankful that he didn’t, less she feared that he would make more innuendos that could cause her even greater embarrassment. It was funny how everypony in the room had managed to keep a straight face when he did, but given her years of experience, she could easily see the tells that each of Twilight and her friends had. The tell that gave them away most were the blushes on their muzzles, those being Applejack, who hid her face behind her hat, or Rarity, whose blush was easily seen on her white fur. Then there was Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. Their tell was slightly more subtle, but easy to spot if you know what to look for. She had seen each of their wings slightly twitch for a few seconds while averting their eyes. And then there was Pinkie Pie…well, she actually gave no response whatsoever. She either had an incredible poker face or she was actually that innocent. But as for the others. “Seems my little ponies aren’t as innocent as I had once thought.” The solar princess joked as she continued with her work.

But worst of all was her sister. Faust above, her sister made it impossible for her not to blush like a tomato, and to add insult to injury, she knew exactly what he was doing. The moment that Johann had left the throne room, her sister placed a soundproof barrier around them as she proceeded to laugh her horn off. She had confessed she knew exactly what the dragon had meant and the lewd jokes he was making. She found even greater amusement by putting her on the spot while acting all innocent. “I’m gonna get you back for that later, Lulu.” Celestia mumbled under breath with a playful scowl.

But even she knew it was all in good fun, and even now, Celestia found herself cracking a smile at it all. She let out another sigh, only this one was not of stress or sadness, but her doing so as she remembered the past. Her thoughts wandered back to the days in the old castle where the two of them would play pranks on each other and occasionally on the castle staff. “Those were much simpler times.” She spoke in a dreamier tone as more memories played through her mind, some of which would get her to giggle aloud.

Of course, this would eventually bring her to the part of her memories where she banished her sister to the moon, leaving her with an overwhelming sense of regret and sadness. Many nights, she would walk into her sister’s old bedroom and lay on the bed, hugging the pillows that still had her scent, whimpering and crying into them as she begged for forgiveness. From there, nothing was the same. With her sister gone, she had to bear the burden of raising both the sun and the moon, as well as the wellbeing of her citizens. It wasn’t long after her sister’s banishment that Celestia had decided to move the capital out of the Everfree Forest to someplace safer. Though on some occasions, she wonders if that was the real reason she did it, or was it her excuse to move away from her past. To this day, she isn’t entirely sure herself.

Cut to a few hundred years later as she was now sitting atop her throne in the capital that was now named Canterlot. Due to the fact that alicorns aged differently than most creatures, it meant that she had to watch as some of her closest and dearest friends passed away from old age, a pain she would have to bear all her life. And yet, this wasn’t the worst of it all, for as time continued onward, her once proud nobles slowly began to change as well. At one point, they were proud and caring individuals who would perform many kind and generous acts for their fellow ponies, but some generations later, things had changed. They were no longer the kind and generous ponies who would humble themselves amongst others. Instead, all they do now is flaunt their wealth in those less fortunate in their faces or try to one up another. Some did so to prove their worth to her, going on about how they were most suited to be with her, when in reality, all they wanted was the power and wealth that came with being a royal. For them, it was about having more power and prestige then the other. Celestia would wonder where she had gone wrong. Could it be that she was too motherly with them and occasionally gave them what they wanted so they could be happy? No matter how much she asked herself this question, she knew that nothing would change. Another thing she found most troublesome is how most ponies acted around her outside of the nobles, all of which either treated in such high regard that she was placed on a pedestal of perfection that made it impossible for her to be herself, and looked to her with fear that her wrath would be brought upon them. The most common fear they had of her was that if they so much as breathed incorrectly in her direction, she would banish them to the moon; a fear that continued on ever since her sister’s banishment, which is where this fear stemmed from.

For centuries, she had to put up this facade that she was perfect in every sense of the word, and would have to walk around knowing she could never truly be herself, or at least without gaining the attention of the press, who would blow it out of proportion. “Ugh. The one time I decided to eat a cake in public, and it ended up in the newspaper in Ponyville!” She groaned aloud, grateful that no pony could hear her.

But things started to change for the better within the last couple of years: she found an incredible and loyal student, her sister was brought back to her, and said student became a wonderful princess. Then there was something most recent; that being the return of a hero who risked his life to save Luna and herself. She smiled as she thought back to the days she would visit the human world. There, for the first time in centuries, she could let her mane down and be herself. Well, sort of, given the expectations she had to take on taking the appearance of a human female. While it did take her some time to adjust to walking on two legs, she found it to be all the more fun in such a challenge. At first, there was a slight snag when she realized that she didn’t have the proper currency needed for that world, but thankfully, after visiting a nearby pawn shop, her problem was solved. She could still remember the look of surprise on the shopkeeper’s face when she emptied a small bag of bits onto the counter. She watched as he shakily emptied the register and gave her everything inside. She found out that gold was much more valuable in that world then her own. From there, she went to town, enjoying everything the world had to offer. She visited the local bakery and bought herself an array of baked goods, all of which she ate with no sense of guilt or having to worry about the paparazzi taking pictures of her. She did get the occasional onlooker, but they didn’t bother her.

Next, she would look up their world’s version of entertainment. She saw things from night clubs and sports bars, to amusement parks and arcades. The human world was filled with such technological advancements that Equestria could only dream of. But what she enjoyed most of all were the movie theaters, despite the incident with the adult theater. Celestia's cheeks quickly flushed red as she remembered the look on the usher’s face when she entered the theater. “Looking back on it now, I can understand why he looked that way.”

At first, the movie seemed decent with normal human actors and a plain story. She was also unimpressed with the humans’ acting, like they weren’t really into it. That however changed the moment she watched as two of the humans entered a bedroom, where things quickly changed. If she had her wings at that moment, she would be willing to bet that they would have flared out. She was so deep in shock that she could only sit there in that empty theater as she watched the man mount the women and heard her moans of lust. “I had no idea that humans could bend that way.” She muttered under her breath. She didn’t stay long enough for the first sex scene to end as she bolted out of the building, made her way back to her home, and took an ice-cold shower.

With that embarrassing moment pushed away into the furthest part of her mind, Celestia skipped to a more recent memory that took place today. The first being how Johann had passed her test on being greedy enough to take the title of prince. Granted, he deserved it if he should have asked for it, but she could tell that he wasn’t that kind of…Her thoughts came to a halt as a new one popped up. “Should I refer to him as a man or dragon now?” She asked no pony in particular. She shrugged and decided on calling him a dragon. He wasn’t that kind of dragon. Which is why, after the battle with the colossal dragon, she announced his title as duke to her subjects.

The second memory happened before Luna had departed to her chambers. One of her guards came in, saying that Johann gave nearly all of his stipend to help a family down on their luck. “Barely a duke for an afternoon, and already he’s doing good deeds for those less fortunate.” She smiled as she and Luna were touched with how easily he parted with that money to help the poor family. It was so touching that she and Luna agreed to add an additional three thousand bits to help with the family’s efforts of the reconstruction of their home. Celestia let out a small sigh as she shook her head lightly. “Now if the other nobles could be the same way.”

Before she could continue her trip down memory lane, the sound of the throne room doors opening caught her attention. It was one of her guards, and he had the same stoic look that almost all her guard had. He was a unicorn stallion with silver fur and a charcoal black mane. He gave a bow of his head before looking up at the solar princess. “Your Highness, he’s on approach and will arrive at the base of the mountain soon.” He answered with a sense of fear in his voice.

Taking a look at the position of the sun from one of the windows, Celestia saw that it was indeed that time and rose from her throne. “Thank you, my loyal guard. I shall be off to greet him.” As she walked past her guard, she could see a look of concern on his face. “Something the matter?” She asked calmly, watching as he shuffled his hoof across the carpet. “If you have something to say, then you shouldn’t worry about speaking your mind, Silver Spear.”

Silver Spear let out a sigh, feeling a bit more at ease with the princess’s consent. “Are you sure you wish to be alone with him? He is dangerous, and our city has already dealt with one of his kind this week.” He turned to face the solar monarch. “We would feel better if we were there with you. I know we wouldn’t be able to put up much of a fight, but we would rather die protecting you then to stand idly by as yo-“

His sentence was cut short as the princess placed her hoof gently to his lips. Sliver blushed as he looked to his princess, who had a motherly look on her face. “I’m grateful for your concern, Sliver, but I can assure you that it isn’t needed at this moment.” She pulled her hoof away from his muzzle and watched as he visibly seemed more at ease. Celestia smirked as she made her way toward the doors. “Besides, should he get out of hoof, I can just drop the sun on top of him.” She had a merry skip in her trot as she made her way to the door.

Silver Spear had his own smirk as he quickly picked up his pace to catch up with the solar princess. “Or you could drop the royal plot on him instead. It would prove to be just as devastating.”

His comment hadn’t gone unheard as Celestia had stopped dead in her tracks with a deep blush on her cheeks. “Excuse you.” She growled at the guard, who turned to face the princess with a smug smirk on his muzzle. “And just what do you mean by my plot being just as devastating?” She asked with a fake smile as her left brow twitched a bit, waiting for his response.

Sliver raised his right hoof to his face, inspecting it as though it was more important than the current conversation he was having. “Oh, nothing really.” He spoke in a calm tone. “It’s just if you keep eating all the cake that you do, well, we all know where that goes.” He gave Celestia a playful smirk. “Let’s just say, at the rate you’re going, Princess Luna is going to have two moons she will need to orbit around Equestria.” He admitted with the same smug smile.

A small vein could be easily seen on the solar monarch’s forehead as she glared daggers at the guard. “Funny, you didn’t seem to care about my plot size the other night.” She growled as her horn began to glow.

Silver Spear waved his hoof at the princess’s retaliation without a care in the world. “Oh, don’t get me wrong. I would never complain about its size. I’m just worried that, should it get any bigger, it will have its own gravitational pull,” he joked, noticing the princess was sporting a very bright blush as her horn glowed even brighter. “I should probably start running right about now, huh?” he asked with a nervous smile.

She lowered her head, aiming her horn at the solar guard captain with a wicked smile. “I’m giving you a one minute headstart.”

The stallion gulped as he began to sweat bullets. “Thank you. I’m going to need it. You’re very fast.” With those words, the stallion quickly scrambled toward the double doors, stumbling over his own hooves as he ran.

When the doors closed, Celestia stood alone in the throne room for a few seconds, staring at them silently. She gave her backside a quick glance, summoning a measuring tape and carefully wrapping it around her flank. She checked her measurements and frowned as she had actually gained a size. She sent the measuring tape away as she looked back to the doors and fired up her horn. “Five…four…three…two…one.” Her horn glowed brightly as she disappeared from the throne room, leaving it completely empty. Within a few seconds, the sound of a stallion letting out a high-pitch squeal could be heard within the castle halls.





After teaching her cheeky guard a playful, yet also painful lesson, Celestia made her way to the bottom of the mountain where the final battle between Johann and the colossal dragon took place. At the base of the mountain, the body of the colossal dragon had been preserved with magic while covered with a tarp so the citizens didn’t have to see it’s mangled body. “It still baffles me how his scales could repel our magic.” She said aloud as she waited for her guest to appear.

She didn’t wait long as a large shadow blocked out the sun for a few moments and a massive gust of wind blew from above. Using her wings to block out the sun’s light, she looked up to the massive dragon hovering down till his massive body touched down to the earth below. He stood as tall as the colossal dragon that had attacked the city not too long ago. His scales were a grayish arctic blue, his wing’s membrane and the tip of his tail being a sunset orange. Two large curved horns extended from his head to below his jaws, almost like elephant tusks. However, unlike the previous dragon, he wore a black chest plate, around one of his horns was a golden ring, and atop of his head was a crown that looked to be made of the highest quality rubies. The massive dragon glared down at the pony princess, letting a snort of smoke escape his nostrils as he slowly lowered his massive skull down so it was only but a few feet away from Celestia. “Princess Celestia,” he spoke in a low voice.

The solar princess showed no fear as she took three steps closer toward the towering behemoth. “Dragon Lord Torch.” She said in a calm tone as she stared back at the dragon, making eye contact with him. “I see that you are doing well, though you look like you could cut down on the gems with how big your stomach has gotten,” she said in a smug tone.

The dragon lord let out a scoff as he looked down at the solar monarch. “As if you’re one to talk, especially with how large you plot has gotten since I last saw you.” The dragon lord smirked as he saw the princess glare up at him. “For a moment as I was flying down, I had thought that the lunar princess had misplaced her moon here.” He could see her face getting red with rage as she scowled up at him. “I guess you still haven’t gotten over your cake addiction.” Silence fell between the two as they both glared at one another. The tension in the air was incredibly thick, as if a war would break out between the two races.

But at the drop of a pin, the tension disappeared as the alicorn and dragon’s cheeks puffed out as they burst into laughter. The dragon lord sat down on the ground, leaning down to rest on his arms to get closer to the princess. “It’s been a while, Celly. I hope the years have been kind to you.”

She smiled up at the dragon as she moved closer to sit next to him. “They have been, and especially so over these past few years. I got my sister back, the reformation of Discord, my niece getting married, and my faithful student becoming a princess.” She smiled as she remembered how proud she was on that day and looked forward to what she will become in the future. “But enough about me. How have the years been treating you, Torchy?”

The dragon lord let out a small chuckle as he shook his head lightly. “Haven’t been called that in a millennia. Not since the days I was your number one assistant.” The dragon lord looked to the sky as his expression became stoic. “Those were much simpler times. I almost miss those days.” He let out a sigh as he turned his attention back to his old friend. “These days, I must do my best to keep my kind in line and from attacking you ponies and any other races. That isn’t enough to keep the older dragons from thinking of me as a weak king. Couple that with me being a father and having to raise a child all on my own.”

Celestia could see the somber look on Torch’s face as his head lowered slightly. She stood up and walked closer to the colossal dragon, placing her hoof against his arm to comfort him “I heard about that. I’m so sorry for your loss. I would have been there for you, but...”

“I know. The image I have to keep wouldn’t allow you to attend.” Torch leaned down to lightly nuzzle the pony princess with his nose. “It’s difficult to raise my daughter, especially since she was still an egg when her mother died. She would rarely ask me about what she was like when she was alive.” The dragon lord allowed his mind to wonder before a thought came to him. “Speaking of eggs, did the one I gave you ever hatch?”

Celestia smiled as she nodded her head. “Actually, it did, it was because of my student that the egg hatched. His name is Spike, and funny enough, he reminds me a lot of you when you were his age.” Celestia smiled as she remembered how she would see Twilight and Spike acting like she and Torch would when they were both young. “Although, Spike is a bit more grown up than one would give him credit for. I believe a possible reason is due to him having to spend so much time with Twilight, he is a bit of a scholar.”

Torch chuckled a bit as he could imagine the dragon now. “It’s amusing how things could turn out. I spent almost half a year trying to hatch that egg. At one point I feared that it would never hatch.”

“Speaking of which, where did you get Spike’s egg? I never did ask you how you came into possession of it.” Celestia could see that her dragon companion had become depressed once more. Quickly seeing her mistake, she tried to apologize. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

Torch shook his head. “It’s alright, I’ve come to terms with it already. The egg belonged to a friend of my wife; she was there for me when I had lost her. A day came when after giving birth, she fell ill, and there was no chance of her recovering, unfortunately. She had asked me to save her egg and for me to do all I could to make sure it would hatch, grow up strong, and be loved.” Torch sighed as he thought back to the look in her eyes as she thanked him before taking her last breath. “I hope she is satisfied with my decision.”

Celestia flapped her wings to help her rise up to the dragon lord’s face as she leaned in and hugged his snout. “I’m sure she is smiling down from up above as her son lives a life where he is both well taken care of and loved. You kept your promise and then some.”

The dragon let out a sigh as her words were reassuring and put him at ease. “You always know what to say to make me feel better, Celly.” He pulled back, watching as she touched back down onto the ground. His smile shifted back to a stoic look as he cleared his throat. “Now, as much as I would love to keep reminiscing on the past, we must tend to the present. What was it that you needed of me to leave my kingdom and come to the capital?”

Seeing that it was time to get to business, Celestia stood up. “Well, my friend, the reason I had called you out here is due to recent events. Not too long ago, a dragon as large as yourself had attacked Canterlot unprovoked.” Celestia could see the look of shock and confusion on the dragon lord’s face, raising a hoof as he was about to speak. “I’m well aware that he wasn’t sent on your orders. I had summoned you here in hopes that you could identify him. As well as answer a few questions.” The solar princess looked to the large tarp that covered the carcass of the dead dragon. “He was incredibly powerful, and what’s more, his body seemed to be immune to mine and Luna’s magic.” Celestia had expected to get some form of a response from Torch, but she could see that he was preoccupied examining the dragon corpse. “Is something the matter? Do you know this dragon?”

Nodding his head, Torch examined the body more thoroughly. “I do, and at the same time, I don’t.” He walked around the body, taking in every little detail he could before he looked back to the princess. “This dragon’s name was Mantle. He along with another dragon had challenged me for my title as Dragon Lord. They felt that we as dragons should take over the kingdoms of any creature weaker than ourselves, which they claim was everyone. They called me weak for not leading our kind to greatness and took me on in combat. The battle between us shook the very earth under our claws, however, I had no intention of losing, and fought with all my might and claimed victory. I had banished both dragons from the dragon lands to never return less they wish for me to end their lives.” Torch continued to inspect the body with a look of concern. “But something is very wrong here. He looks different, and is larger than he was when we had fought each other. And that was nearly a year ago. But even in that time, his body shouldn’t have grown this much, and even though he is dead, I could tell his physical strength was vastly stronger than before.” Torch looked over to Celestia. “And you mentioned him being magic proof?”

The solar monarch nodded. “Despite both mine and Luna’s best efforts, our magic had no effect on him. Physical objects that were enveloped our magic could hurt him, but as far as using our magic to will him away, we didn’t fare well.” Celestia’s horn glowed as she summoned a scroll. “What’s more, we had a similar incident with another creature; a manticore that attacked a small town. At the time, no magic had been used against it, but once it had been slain, my student had taken the body down below into her lab for further investigation until I could come to take it. When we brought it to the castle, we noticed its characteristics were vastly different from any other manticore we had ever seen before.” She continued to read over the reports as she opened the scroll. “Upon further testing and dissection, we saw that this change in its physical appearance was forced, and that some parts of its body were immune to magic.” She looked back to her draconic friend, who almost seemed mortified by this information. “Before you arrived, I had my best scientists run some tests on this dragon, and the results were the same. The only difference was the level of immunity to magic was vastly greater.”

Torch had already come to the same conclusion as his old friend. “Are you saying that these two were mutated?” When the sun princess nodded her head, Torch felt almost sick as some foul creature could commit such an atrocity against nature. “Have you any ideas on who would do such a thing?” He grimaced when she shook her head.

For a while, neither the dragon lord nor the solar princess said a word as they let what they discussed sink in. Torch let out a heavy sigh as he only had more fuel to feed to the string of news. “I wasn’t sure when to tell you, but this seems as good a time as any.” Celestia looked up to her friend. “My reign as dragon lord for me is soon coming to an end. After my battle with Mantle and the other dragon, I became very aware that I was losing my edge. The Ruby Scepter requires a young and strong dragon to wield, something I may no longer be able to do much longer.” Celestia could see the look of shame on her dragon companion’s face. “I will be summoning the younger generation of dragons to compete for the scepter. I know my daughter will compete with every intention to win, but I will act as though she has no right, to which I hope will drive her to win even more so. That dragon your student has as an assistant may also end up being summoned, but fear not. I have no intention of making him compete.”

Celestia looked visibly more relaxed by this news. “Thank you, Torch. I feel a bit more at ease if he didn’t. I know Spike is old enough to make his own decisions, but I’m afraid he most likely wouldn’t fare well against the older dragons.”

Torch nodded his head and looked to the sky to see that a good amount of time had passed. “I wish I could stay longer, but my absence from the dragon lands shouldn’t be long, less the younglings do something reckless, like stealing the lava from the hatching grounds. Although I doubt any dragon would be that stupid.” As he unfurled his wings, Torch looked back to his friend. “Two things before I go. Please, the next time you decide to send me a letter, use your own magic instead of how we used to send messages. I was nearly caught by a teenage dragon when I burped up your letter. I had to convince him that it was actually a form of greeting.”

Celestia couldn’t help but giggle at the expense of her old assistant. “I make no promises, my dear friend. And what was the other thing you wanted to know?”

Torch looked to the corpse of the dragon. “If what you said about him was true, about him being immune to magic, how is it he came to be so mangled? I don’t doubt you have your moments, but this kind of carnage doesn’t seem like yours or Luna’s style.”

Celestia smiled as she turned her view in the direction of a certain town, where a certain dragon was now calling home. “A noble warrior who has shown his valor on more than one occasion. He fought with such intensity and resilience that I doubt anything this world has to throw at him could best him.”





With his claws gripping the side of a porcelain toilet, Johann violently vomited. He groaned as he had been like this ever since he woke up from being knocked unconscious after eating Sweetie Belle’s cooking. “Rrahhhhhh! Ahhhh! Give me another hydra to fight, or seven colossal dragons at once!” He let out another groan as he spilled his guts into the bowl, Fluttershy gently rubbing his back with some water at hoof. “I’d rather take those on than this!!!”
> Show, Don't Tell
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(3rd POV School house)

 

In the quaint schoolhouse of Ponyville, we tune in on the CMC, as well as their fellow classmates, as today was a special day: show and tell. On most occasions, the students would usually look forward to this special day that only occurs once a month. However, that wasn’t the case at the moment as one filly in particular was taking an exceeding amount of time with her show and tell project. A filly who made it her mission to flaunt her family’s wealth and privileges in the faces of her fellow students. “While me and my family were on our very expensive trip to Saddle Arabia this spring break, my daddy bought me this very expensive and absolutely beautiful gem-encrusted gold necklace.” Diamond Tiara, a filly with light pink fur, a pale purple mane with a white stripe down the middle, and a diamond-encrusted tiara worn on her head, held up a golden necklace that had a variety of bright, polished gems on it for her peers to gaze upon. However, both her fellow students and even the teacher of the schoolhouse, Ms. Cheerilee, weren’t impressed with her show and tell. The only pony who seemed to show any interest was her friend, Silver Spoon, a filly with gray fur and light silver gray mane tied in a single braid.

“Ugh, this is taking forever.” Scootaloo grumbled under her voice as they listened to Diamond Tiara continue on with her story.

“Ah know. No pony here gives a darn what she brings. And she makes sure to take the longest time when she knows we’ll be up right after her.” Apple Bloom whispered back while the little filly went on about how expensive the necklace cost to make.

“Psh, let her rant all she wants, girls, because when it’s our turn, her necklace will look like a golden key chain.” Sweetie Belle smirked as she glanced out the window, awaiting the arrival of their show and tell. “By the way, did you girls tell him when show and tell starts?”

Both Scootaloo and Apple Bloom flinched before looking to one another with worried expressions. Apple Bloom let out an audible gulp as she gave a forced, toothy smile to her fellow crusader. “Ah sure did. I told em after you had left the clubhouse to go get more food.”

Sweetie Bell sighed before looking back to the front of the class. “That’s good. I was hoping to tell him when I got back with more food, but you girls said he had to go over to Fluttershy’s for an important meeting. But if he knows when to come over, I’m sure he’ll get here any second.”

When Sweetie’s attention was focused back on Diamond Tiara’s ongoing story about how her father went and hired the best gold polishers in the kingdom, Scootaloo leaned over to the apple-farming filly. “Did you really tell him? Because the last time I saw him, both your sister and brother were hauling his unconscious body to Fluttershy’s cottage.” The little pegasus whispered so as to not inform Sweetie Belle.

Apple Bloom sighed as she shook her head. “No, but I asked my sister to tell Fluttershy when show and tell started so she could pass it to him when he woke up. Ah even went over earlier before school started to see how he was doin.”

“Really? Did you see if he was okay?” Scootaloo asked while she and Apple Bloom quickly looked to the front of the class when their teacher glanced their way before turning her attention to Diamond Tiara, who was now talking about how each gem was polished by only the silk cloths in all of Canterlot.

Apple Bloom shook her head again as she slumped in her seat with a heavy sigh. “No. When Ah went over to check and see if he was alright, Fluttershy answered the door and told me he was busy.” The little filly moved her hooves to her face as she spoke. “Ah could hear him throwing up in the bathroom all the way from the front door.” That bit of information made the orange filly cringe as she could only imagine the pain their friend was in.

“And that concludes my project for this month’s show and tell.” Diamond Tiara said in an upbeat tone as she placed the golden necklace away in a case. She gave a bow, expecting the applause of her fellow students. Except the only pony who was feeding her ego was her only friend, Silver Spoon, who would adjusted her glasses as she clapped her hooves.

Ms. Cheerilee, who had let out a sigh of relief that Diamond Tiara had finally finished her extremely long show and tell, gently nudged the little filly back to her seat. “Yes, and we are all happy that you shared that ummm…fascinating tale with us, Diamond Tiara.” She spoke in a forced tone as she watched the little filly trot over to her desk.

As she made her way over to her desk, which was right next to her best and only friend, she took a moment to slow her pace as she was passing the CMC. “I’d say try and beat that, blank flanks, but we all know you could never in a thousand moons.” She whispered with a smug smirk as she continued on to her seat.

Scootaloo was about to chase after the spoiled filly to give her a piece of her mind when she was quickly held back by her two friends. “Easy there, Scoots. Ah know she’s a royal pain, but she aint worth it.” Apple Bloom said while trying to ease her friend’s nerves.

“Besides, we have something, or should I say someone, that is way cooler than some dumb old necklace. And I’m sure he will be here any minute, so let’s just hold up class before he gets here.” Sweetie Belle added as she made her way to the front of the class, unaware of the look of fear in her fellow crusaders’ eyes.

“Alright class, settle down. We have one last show and tell to do for the day, and then you will all be free to go home.” Ms. Cheerilee called out as she looked over to the Cutie Mark Crusaders. “Girls, your show and tell?”

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked at each other with worried grimaces and were about to tell their teacher that they may not have anything to show or tell about. However, before they could, Sweetie Belle cleared her throat. “Fillies and gentlecolts…and whatever Diamond Tiara is.” The students started to giggle to themselves as Diamond glared at the crusaders. “Our show and tell is something much cooler than a hunk of metal, and won’t take a thousand moons to talk about.” She glanced over to Diamond Tiara with a smug look on her face. The filly in question folded her front hooves over her barrel as the other students and even their teacher snickered into their hooves. “Today, we will introduce to you all our newest member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders.”

The class let out a collection of “oohs” and “awes” at the mention of somepony new. But Diamond Tiara wasn’t so easily impressed as she let out a chuckle. “So what? You girls added another blank flank pony to your sad little team?” She said in a mocking tone as her little sidekick Silver Spoon giggled.

Sweetie Belle didn’t let this affect her, however, as she maintained a cool composure. “Actually, for your information, Diamond Tiara, he’s not a pony. In fact, he’s a dragon. And not just any dragon, but the same dragon who helped save Canterlot from the colossal dragon attack, and who was given the rank of duke.” She said in a proud tone, causing the class to gasp and talk amongst themselves.

Even Diamond Tiara was shocked by this news, but she stood up out of her seat and made her way to the trio of files. “You three are lying. There is no way someone as import as the hero of Canterlot, who also happens to be a duke, is a member of your stupid, rinky dinky club.”

“Diamond Tiara!” Ms. Cheerilee called out, getting the filly to be quiet. “You have no right to talk like that to anypony, and you’ve had your turn to speak. Now go to your desk, or I will be giving your father a call after class.” The spoiled filly glared at her teacher before turning around and stomping her hooves back to her seat. With the little outburst taken care of, Ms. Cheerilee looked at her students and smiled. “Continue, girls.”

“Thank you.” Sweetie gave a curt nod to her teacher, shooting a smug smile over to Diamond Tiara before continuing her presentation. “Matter of fact, we knew him way before he became a duke since he was a friend of ours. And today, he said he would come here for our show and tell.”

“Oh yeah? Then where is he, huh?” Diamond asked while looking around the room. “Because last I just checked, there is no dragon here. It’s one thing that you blank flanks are friends with Princess Twilight, but now a duke? Pft. As if.”

Ms. Cheerilee was about to reprimand the spoiled filly, when all of a sudden. “RRRRRRAAAAAAAARRRHHHH!!” A loud, thunderous roar silenced everypony in the school, making them all nervous except for three fillies, who quickly bolted to the door to run outside.

“Girls, wait! Come back inside!” Ms. Cheerilee called out to the three fillies, only for the rest of her class to quickly follow them outside to see what made that roar.

All the foals filed out of the school before turning their attention to the skies above. Flying at fast speeds through the air, cutting clouds with its black leathery wings. The fillies and colts all watched in pure amazement as the black creature performed a variety of tricks and spins while in the air. And just when they couldn’t imagine the display of superior flying was at its peak, the creature fired bright blue balls of fire into the air that exploded like fireworks. The foals clapped their hooves and cheered as they watched the creature flying down. Their cheers went silent as it suddenly started to dive bomb its way toward them. “Everypony, watch out!” Called out a little filly as they quickly ran back into the schoolhouse, all except the CMC, who stood their ground. The three little fillies stood there watching as the black creature flew straight for them.

Just as the creature was only a few feet from colliding with the girls, it spread out its massive wings, halting its descent and creating a strong gust of wind. The girls smiled up as they watched their newest member of the Cutie Mark Crusaders land before them at his full height. The black dragon slowly walked over to the three fillies, noticing the other students peeking from the doors and windows of the schoolhouse. “Sorry if I’m late, girls, but I had a hard time deciding how I was gonna make a cool enough entrance for your show and tell.” He moved his paw to gently rub the heads of each filly, getting a playful giggle from each of them. “But I think I managed something pretty good for you, right?” He asked with a playful smirk.

“I’ll say!!” Sweetie Belle squeaked as she moved in to hug the dragon. “I’m just glad you made it on time. Come on! I want to introduce you to the class!” She playfully tugged his arm toward the schoolhouse.

“Heh, sure thing, Sweetie. But if you don’t mind, I need a minute to talk with Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. Why don’t you go get the class hyped up for me, kay?” The little unicorn filly smiled and nodded her head before trotting back into the building. Meanwhile Johann stretched his wings out to gently rest them on two fillies’ shoulders. “Girls, I’m only gonna say this once, so make sure you listen carefully.” Using his wings to pull them both closer, he dropped his voice to a low, deep whisper. “If you two ever betray me again with Sweetie Belle’s cooking like yesterday, I promise to make sure you both eat twice as much as I did that day. Do you understand?” He glanced down at the two fillies as they rapidly nodded their heads in fear. “Good. I’m glad we’ve come to an understanding. Now, let’s head inside, shall we?”





And so, for the next fifteen minutes, the CMC went on to introduce their newest member to their club. They talked about their first encounter with each other up to the incident with the rampaging manticore. Many of the young ponies talked about how terrifying it was when the beast came into town, and that they had heard the roar of another creature, and only now found out that it had been Johann. Many of the foals thanked him for his help and protection, while others were left in awe by his skills as a fighter. Johann made sure to keep the parts where he was in both the arena and Griffonstone out, and went all to tell the young ones about his battle against the colossal dragon while also making sure to leave out any gory details for their young minds’ sake. Afterward, he told them about how he woke up in the castle and was honored with the title of duke.

Soon, the school bell rang, signaling the end of school. The foals cheered as they left, but not before saying their goodbyes to the CMC and their special guest. “Hey, Johann.” Scootaloo nudged Johann, who turned his head to give her his attention. “So, how did you get better? Apple Bloom told me she swung by Fluttershy’s to see if you were okay.” She asked in a low whisper to not get Sweetie Belle’s attention as she talked with some of her fellow students, who decided to stay and chat for a while.

“Well, if you must know, Fluttershy had gone to see a friend of hers. Zecora, I believe it was?” He asked out loud while rubbing his chin. “She brought me a potion made by her that managed to help me feel better.”

“Oh! We know her. She’s been teaching Apple Bloom how to make potions on the weekends.” The little filly smiled as her little wings buzzed with excitement. “Hey, maybe later, we can go over and introduce you to her and thank her.”

Johann placed a paw under his chin and gently scratched it with his claws before shrugging them. “Eh, sure. Why not? I’d like to thank the mare who saved me from yelling at the toilet all day.”

Just as the two were about to gather the other members of the CMC, both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon came walking up to them. “Oh my Celestia! It’s really you!” Diamond Tiara gasped as she and her friend got closer. “The hero of Equestria. I can’t believe it!” She and Silver Spoon quickly shoved Scootaloo aside before continuing. “My daddy has heard all about you, and you saved the princesses and Canterlot. I’m Diamond Tiara, by the way.” She quickly wrapped a hoof around one of his arms and slowly guided him away. Scootaloo tried to intervene, but Silver Spoon quickly blocked her, making sure to block her every time she tried to get around her. “You know, my daddy is the owner of Barnyard Bargains, and if you’re looking to make a name for yourself, you could try and talk to him about making some business deals.” She glanced back and smirked as she saw the rest of the crusaders gather with Silver doing her best to block them. “And you know, being a duke and all means you could help invite him to social gatherings in Canterlot, which means the more business he gets, the more bits you could earn.”

“Wow, that is an interesting offer, Ms. Diamond Tiara. Tell you what, I need to go pick up my business cards, and then we can head over to make it a done deal. What do you say?” Johann asked.

The spoiled filly clapped her hooves together with joy. “Sure! I’ll wait here while you go get them.” With that, Johann stretched out his wings and took off into the air, just missing the CMC as they had finally managed to get past Silver Spoon. “You’re too late, blank flanks. I already got what I want, and soon, me and my family will be twice as rich.”

“What are ya plannin’, Diamond Tiara?” Apple Bloom asked as she and her friends stood side by side.

The spoiled filly scoffed while turning her nose to the sky. “Just getting ahead in life, unlike you losers. With your dragon friend wrapped around my daddy’s hoof, we will gain more recognition and double our family’s business.” Silver Spoon happily trotted alongside her friend. “And with his name under daddy’s belt, we will double our riches, making us two times better than you pathetic losers.”

“So you’re just using him to get what you want?” Sweetie Belle growled, her friends needing to hold her back as she tried to get at the rotten filly.

“Jealous? You should be. You three are so dumb not to take advantage of having a noble of his rank. Much like you did with Princess Twilight.” The girls were about to retaliate before stopping dead in their tracks. “I don’t know how you three get so lucky to hang around ponies who are better than you, but now it’s my turn to hog all the good fortune. But what can you expect from me? I mean, I have my cutie mark and riches. All I need now are some wings and a horn, and I will be exactly what I’m meant to be: real princess.” The spoiled filly was going to continue her little rant until she noticed that her audience were fighting a fit of giggles. “What’s so funny, you dumb blank flanks?” The girls suddenly burst into laughter, rolling on the ground while clutching their sides. “Stop laughing! I’m trying to tell you how much better I am then you!”

The girls only continued to laugh as they started to point behind Diamond Tiara. The little filly and her friend turned around to see that Johann was right behind them. But what was really making the girls laugh was how he made funny poses and gestures while he mimicked Diamond Tiara as she talked. He opened and closed his mouth when she spoke while moving his head side to, all while making funny faces. “What are you doing?!” Diamond Tiara yelled as her face started to flush red.

Johann had stopped his mocking to give the rotten filly a shit eating grin. “Who, me? Oh, I was just doing my interpretation of a spoiled brat monologuing like she’s some big, nasty, super genius.” He scoffed, making the same face she had made a moment ago, causing the crusaders to laugh harder.

Diamond Tiara was flustered as she found it hard to talk back. “But what about my offer?”

“Yeah, thanks, but no thanks. If how you act is any indication of how your father raises his kids, then I want no part in any businesses he’s running.” Johann said while walking past the two fillies to stand by the crusaders. “These three are who I know I can really trust. Because, like you said, they would never use my title to benefit themselves.”

“You would seriously choose to hang out with a bunch of dumb blank flanks!?” Diamond Tiara screamed, getting the attention of ponies who were passing by. “Are you that stupid to pass up a chance to make lots of bits over three fillies who don’t know their purpose in life yet?!”

Johann stepped forward until he was standing over Diamond Tiara, whose ears folded down as the dragon towered over her. He lowered his head down until he was mere inches away from her face as he glared at her, making her shake in place. He stared at her for what felt like an eternity before his lips curled into a smile. “Yep, that’s just about right. But hey, here’s something for your troubles.” He opened his mouth before letting his tongue slide out and slowly drag across Diamond Tiara’s face, covering it with his wet, slimy drool.

When he had finished, Diamond Tiara let out a shriek as she tried to rub the dragon’s saliva off her face, with little to no success. “Ughhh! I got licked by a dragon!! I have dragon germs!! Get some hot water! Get some disinfectant! Get some iodine!!” The little filly screeched as she ran away with her friend hot on her tail.

The Cutie Mark Crusaders, as well as anyone who saw, started to laugh while Johann stuck his tongue out.
> Putting your claw down.
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Johann POV)

I was awakened from my peaceful slumber when I felt a warm ray of sunlight on my face. I slowly blinked my eyes open as I moved my head away from it. I stretch out my front paws and let out a long yawn as I raise my back up to stretch it. The action itself was similar to how a cat would, something I often do nowadays, almost like on instinct. I found it funny since I always pegged Toothless from the movies to be similar to a cat in some ways. And much like a cat, I unintentionally would lick the back of my paw before rubbing it against my eyes to clean off any eye crust. I’ve learned to deal with it, amongst the few other things my dragon nature compels me to do. Once I had cleaned my eyes of any crust, I blinked my eyes again to clear my vision.

I was laying on the floor in the living room of Fluttershy’s cottage. Before, she had offered me her own bed, saying she could sleep on the couch while we waited for my new home to be built, but I couldn’t let her do such a thing and insisted that I’d take the living room instead. She of course protested, but ultimately, I won the argument (If you could call her talking softly and with please and thank you an argument.) and took the living room until my home was built, and has been so since I arrived here in Ponyville two weeks ago.

In that time, I had managed to get acquainted with practically everypony here, mostly thanks to one of Fluttershy’s friends, Pinkie pie’s parties. Which was funny because back on Earth I wasn’t one for attending parties and whenever I did, I had a tendency to stick to the background. But Pinkie’s party was rather enjoyable and fun, and helped me get to know everyone in town, well expect for Diamond Tiara and her family. I still laugh when the girls came to me the three days after show and tell, when they told me that when they saw Diamond Tiara in class it was with a bag over her head. Yeah, I probably should have told her that Night Fury saliva doesn’t wash out, or at least not without a good amount of soap and really hot water.

Another fun thing that happened at Pinkie’s party was when she introduced me to her pet baby alligator Gummy. “Ahh yes I remember it like it was yesterday.”





(Pinkie’s party three night’s after show and tell.)

I had just finished dancing a pony version of the electric slide and was making way over to the refreshments table. I saw a mare with mulberry fur drinking a good amount of fruit punch. But before I could get to the table, I got pulled to the side by the party mare. “Hey there, Johann! Are you enjoying the party!?” She asked while pressing her face against my own, almost to the point where our eyeballs were about to touch.

In any other circumstance, I would have found this amount of contact and proximity unnerving or unwanted, yet with this mare, it didn't seem to have either of those effects. In fact, it was kinda nice, for some odd reason. “Actually, I am, Pinkie Pie. This is probably one of the best parties I’ve ever been to in my whole life.”

That of course made her squeal with glee as she fell backwards, only to bounce back up and down like a rubber ball, something I found completely odd, but everypony said I’ll get used to her wacky shenanigans…eventually. “Oh, I’m so happy to hear that, Johnny!” She calls me Johnny for some reason. I'm not sure why, but it wasn’t enough to bother me, so I never took the time to correct her. “Oh, I almost forgot!” She quickly shoved her hoof into her puffy mane and started to pull out a series of random objects, such as an anvil, some balloons that were already inflated (Don’t ask me how.), some party streamers, a cupcake, which she ate on the spot, making me shiver as she did so. Until finally. “AH HA!” She pulled her hoof out, holding, to my surprise, a baby alligator. “Here you are! Johnny, meet Gummy, Gummy, meet Johnny!”

The little alligator, whose eyes were looking in different directions, stood there in the (palm?) of Pinkie’s hoof, unmoving while blinking his eyes separately. I was standing there as the little gator stared at me with one eye, and since I didn’t want to be rude, I gave a polite smile and waved. “Uh…hi there…um, Gummy.” He just stood there staring at me. It was kinda weird since he did nothing, but then again, what did I expect from a baby alligator aside from him putting on a top hat and start singing “Hello! My Baby”. I tried to keep the conversation going, hoping to lighten the mood. “So Pinkie, why’d you call him Gummy? Does he like gum or something?”

Pinkie giggled for a bit before telling me why he was called that. “Hehe, no, silly. I call him Gummy because he doesn’t have any teeth. See?” Gently using her hoof, she opened the little gator’s mouth, and true to her words, he didn’t have any teeth whatsoever. “He’s just like you.”

I was going to ask what she meant by that when I remembered that I had my teeth retracted. I made sure that I kept my teeth retracted anytime I was near a pony. I had started doing this during my first week when I hung out with Fluttershy and the CMC. This was mostly to not scare the girls when we played back at the cove, but also so I wouldn’t bite my tongue on accident, something that happened more often since becoming a Night Fury. ‘Huh…I wonder if the real Toothless had this kind of issue before?’ I didn’t bother to think about that any further since I wasn’t going to get an answer anytime soon. “Umm, Pinkie, I’m not actually toothless. I can retract my teeth. See?”

I opened my mouth and flexed my jaws till my teeth sprang out of my gums, surprising Pinkie. “Whoa!” She jumped a bit in surprise. Then, little Gummy jumped down from her hoof and crawled over to me. His little tail wagged before he gave me a smile, and to my own surprise, he sprung out his own teeth out of his gums just like me. This got a major shock out of Pinkie Pie, who fell backwards and passed out. 





(present day)

“Boy, that sure was a fun night.” I chuckled as I stood up and took the time to stretch out each limb individually, including my wings. Once I had fully woken up, I made my way toward the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Much to my surprise, I see that Fluttershy was already awake and going about her morning routine. “Good morning, Fluttershy.”

She turned around to look at me with a warm, cheerful smile. “Good morning, Johann. Did you sleep well?” She asked while pouring what I guessed was pancake mix onto a skillet.

“Yep. Thanks to Princess Luna, my sleeping has become much more refreshing.” After the night I came back from the school’s show and tell, I had yet another dreamless sleep. This hadn’t gone unnoticed as the following morning, Princess Luna paid us a visit. She told me that she had wanted to talk some more with me and thought she could pay me a visit through my dreams to do so. But much to her surprise, despite knowing where I was and that should have made finding my dreams all that much easier, she still couldn’t find me. I told her that ever since I woke up in this world, I haven’t had a single dream or nightmare. I would fall asleep, only to wake up to it being morning again. This had baffled her for a time before she realized the problem. Much like with my voice and my connection to my own magic, I wasn’t given the ability to dream. I found that hard to believe, but I also took into consideration that the life I live now would have also been considered unbelievable too.

She offered to fix this with a spell. And I of course couldn’t help but tease her by asking if this would require another kiss. Her dark blue cheeks burned a dark purple as she became flabbergasted, and I asked her that a date should at least happen before. As I guessed, Luna wasn’t as pure as she had pretended to be when I had teased Celestia about changing my size. I realized I was getting ahead of myself and told her I was only joking. She calmed down and told me the spell wouldn’t require any lip contact whatsoever.

And with a glow of her horn, she placed it on my forehead, and gave me the ability to dream once more. I knew it worked when night came along and I had gone to bed. I remember I had dreamt I was in my favorite movie, “Jurassic Park”. I would have this dream on rare occasions and even wake up in fright whenever one of the dinosaurs got me, but this time was somehow different. Instead, I was in my dragon form, fought back against the dinosaurs, and won. That’s when Princess Luna showed up and told me that this time, I was more in control of my dreams, which made fighting back so much easier. After that, we spent some time together chatting, and I would talk about the movie my dream was based on. She offered to make this a regular thing if I was up for it, and I of course said yes.

“Johann.” I was snapped back to reality when Fluttershy gently tapped my shoulder with her hoof. “Are you okay? You were staring off into space.”

I nodded my head, making her sigh in relief. “Yeah, sorry. I was just taking a trip down memory lane. So, what are you gonna do today, Fluttershy?” I asked while taking a seat close to the table in the kitchen.

She hummed to herself as she served me and herself a stack of pancakes. I’ve come to learn that Fluttershy is one busy mare. Before I was kidnapped and taken to the Arena, Fluttershy would tell me about her day-to-day activities and what she does for a living. At first, she made it sound so easy, but when I spent my first day here in her cottage (That didn’t involve me spilling my guts out in her bathroom toilet.), I saw that her work was far from simple. When she told me she “cared” for animals, I thought it was something along the lines of feeding them, giving them water, keeping them clean, and making sure they were healthy. You know, normal animal caretaker stuff. But boy, was I wrong.

When she takes care of animals, it takes on a whole different kind of meaning. For starters, she can understand what the animals are actually saying to her. I thought that this was natural because, technically, she was an animal too, being a pony and all, but that turned out not to be the case at all. The reason she can understand her animal friends stems for the meaning behind her cutie mark and her talent. Because of this talent of hers, she became an animal caretaker, and would help any animal in need of her aid.

And boy did they need aid around here. The animals of this world are nearly as sentient as me and the ponies. Like this one time, Fluttershy got a visit from a mongoose and a snake, who were apparently having an argument about which tree was best for napping under. I had nearly done a double-take when Fluttershy told me that, because I thought the main issue would have been the fact that a snake and mongoose were natural enemies. But no, the problem was the location for the best naps. Oh, and the weirdness doesn’t stop there, ladies and gentlemen. This one time, we held an intervention…for a squirrel and a mole. Yeah, you heard me right; an intervention for a squirrel and a mole.

Apparently, the two thought they were a pair of secret agents who fought crime and villainy wherever they may roam. Turns out these two found an old comic book that had similar animals with the same roles. It took us hours to convince them that it was just a comic book, but this only made them feel slightly depressed until Fluttershy came up with an idea. She told them they could keep playing the role by helping her make sure that none of the animals fought with each other, acting as mediators and telling her if there was any trouble. The two were happy again, solving that weird problem.

Then there was this one time after I had gotten back from town. I came to find a bear in Fluttershy’s house. I had thought it was a wild animal trying to find a quick snack and might hurt Fluttershy, so I took action and wrestled with it. We were practically at each other’s throats until Fluttershy came home and broke us up just as were about to do some serious damage to each other. She went on to explain that the bear’s name was Harry, and that she had known him ever since she found him alone in the Whitetail Woods as a cub. I felt so embarrassed by my rash behavior that I apologized to the bear, telling him I thought he was there to hurt Fluttershy. With a quick translation from Fluttershy, she told me that Harry was also sorry because he thought the same thing about me. Apologies were made and me and Harry actually became good friends.

So yeah, her life and work are tougher than I thought, which is why I made sure to offer as much help as I can when she needs it. She tapped her chin as she tried to think about her schedule for today. While I was eating some of the pancakes she made, Fluttershy let out a loud gasp as she dashes for one of the cabinets and searched around inside.  “Oh no, oh my.” She made her way to another cabinet and did the same before looking distraught. “We’re out of cherries.”

“Umm…oh no?” Fluttershy seemed worried, but I wasn’t really sure why a couple of cherries would be the reason why. She tends to worry about the simplest things, like possible outcomes that seem unlikely to ever happen, so I was kinda used to it by now. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Oh yes it is. Without a cherry, I can’t make Angel Bunny’s lunch later.” And there it is. If there is one source of stress in her life that is always a constant, it’s that little ball of fluff and terror.

I got to meet the little devil after the party Pinkie Pie threw for me. Now, I’m not saying the little guy doesn’t have his moments where he is useful, like helping Fluttershy out along with me. But he’s no saint either. He’s basically a spoiled brat who likes to make everyone miserable if he’s not happy. Then I remembered something. This whole conversation reminds me of a certain story she told me. “Wait, I thought something like this already happened, and you learned to take care of this kind of problem.”

She blushed a little and gave me a sheepish smile while rubbing the back of her head. “Well, you’re right. I’m actually surprised you remember me telling you that story from way back when.” I gave her a courteous nod for her to continue. “Something like this did happen, but I did learn to put my hoof down.” Why do I feel like she just made a reference to something? “But that doesn’t mean I would stop making his favorite food. He knows that if I don’t have everything he demands, then he has to learn to deal with it. Though, if I can, I usually try not to disappoint.”

One of the nice things about Fluttershy is her compassion to think of others, even at her own expense; a friend I’m lucky enough to have. “Well, if that’s the case, why don’t we hurry and finish breakfast and head down to the market to go buy some for the little guy?”

She gave me a bright, cheerier smile before taking her seat to eat her own breakfast. “Sounds like a plan to me.”





After breakfast, we grabbed our packs and bits and made our way down to the market. Along the way, I saw familiar faces and waved to them as we walked on. At first, the ponies around here were nervous whenever I walked by, but thanks to Pinkie, they started to get used to me and became a lot less tense when I walked through town. Fluttershy would tell me that Ponyville is a very nice place once you live here long enough, even though it does get its fair share of problems from time to time.

Pretty soon, we manage to make it to the local market. The market was split up into two sections. On one side, you had the regulars who are ponies who live here in Ponyville, and on the other side, you have traveling merchants who usually stop by the town once or twice a week. Normally, Fluttershy would check the market first for her grocery shopping because they tend to sell the freshest food, and if they didn’t have what she needed, she would swing by a place called Barnyard Bargains. I’m sure I heard that name somewhere before, but for the life of me, I couldn’t remember from where. I shrug it off and look around to see if any of the vendors are selling cherries. I glanced around until I spotted a stand that had pictures of cherries on them. Something I noticed about Equestria is they like to use images to depict their price and products. “Hey, Fluttershy, there’s a cherry stand right over there.”

She turned around with a smile. “Really, where?” I pointed to the stand and watched as her eyes followed the direction my paw was pointing to. However, where I expected her to be happy, and even elated, she frowned and looked away. “Oh. Um…maybe I’ll go buy some from Barnyard Bargains. I’m sure Angel won’t care too much.”

I may not have known Fluttershy for long, but I could easily tell something about that stand was troubling her. I then remembered the story she told me way back when. She had tried to get all the ingredients for a special salad for Angel Bunny, but she was missing a cherry and went down to the market to buy one. Then she mentioned this rude stallion…hold up.

I turned to look back at the stand to see who the vendor was. It was a pegasus stallion with light brown fur, blonde mane, and sported a five o’clock shadow. He wore a blue cap, a red bow tie, and a white apron. Something told me that this guy is the same one who called Fluttershy a doormat, but without her to confirm if he is or not, I decided it would be best to keep my cool. Seeing as how Fluttershy doesn’t want to approach the stand, I took it upon myself to get the cherry myself.

I strolled over to the stand where the stallion was currently counting his bits. Once I was in front of the stand, I sat down and looked around his stall for a sign to tell me how much his produce was. As I mentioned, they would use signs here to tell how much their wares cost, but for this particular stall, that wasn’t the case. I cleared my throat to get his attention. “How much for one cherry?” I wanted to see if this was the same stallion from Fluttershy’s story, so I only ordered the one cherry rather than a few.

He glanced at me for a moment, scanning my body with his eyes before resting a hoof on the counter. “How much you got?” He asked with a gruff voice, dodging my question entirely.

“Enough to buy one cherry, I’m sure.” I made sure to answer while also being vague.

“You sure? These are some high-quality cherries I’m sellin here, picked from the best orchard in Equestria, you know.” Yet again, he wasn’t giving me a price.

“I’m sure they are, but I’m only interested in buying the one cherry, so if you can tell me how much for just the one, I’d happily pay it and be on my merry way.” I tried to force a smile and maintain my cool. I was never a fan of people (or ponies in this case) who would try to swindle some of their hard-earned money.

He shrugged his shoulders while looking back at his hoof. “Eight bits. Take it or leave it, bub.”

I was about to argue the absurd price he was charging for a single cherry when Fluttershy came trotting over beside me. “Johann, is everything okay? You’ve been here for a while.”

I was about to suggest we leave and go with her original plan when the smug stallion chuckled. “Well, if it isn’t the doormat. Hey, you want to try and buy my goods again? I’ll give you a discount and only charge you nine bits this time.”

I wasn’t sure if it was visible in my dragon form, but if it was, I’m sure a blood vein would be popping out from my forehead. This lowlife had the audacity to not only charge a higher price in front of me, but to also insult my friend? ‘Oh, there will be blood, my fucked friend.’ Moving a wing out to gently nudge her along, I started to escort Fluttershy away from the stand. “Come along, Fluttershy. Let's drop you off at Barnyard Bargains while I attend to some business.”

“What are you going to do, Johann?” She asked, sounding nervous.

“Oh, don’t worry about me. I’m just going to take care of something really quick.”





After I walked Fluttershy to the store, I decided to conduct a test. I paid two ponies, one mare and one stallion, to purchase some cherries from that very same vendor. I wanted to get an accurate estimation and asked them to buy five cherries each. The results were different, but each one was higher than the total value of a single cherry. The mare had to pay forty bits for five cherries, while the stallion paid forty-five bits. I had to make sure my assumption was on the mark and paid two more ponies to run the same test, and though the numbers were different, the results were the same. The stallion at the counter was overcharging ponies for a single cherry.

With my test concluded, I made my way straight to city hall to get down to business. It was actually here where we held the party that Pinkie threw for me, and where I met a mare that I knew could help me out. Once I was inside, I knocked on the door with the word “Mayor” written on it. I didn’t have to wait long as the door opened, and I was met with the mare I wanted to see. With light tan fur and silver white mane, it was the mayor of this town, Mayor Mare. “Oh, Duke Johann, what a surprise to see you today. To what do I owe the honor?”

I chuckled and waved my paw. “Oh, come on now. I told you back at the party that you don’t need to be so formal with me. Just call me Johann.”

She giggled and stepped aside to let me into her office. “Alright then. In that case, you can just call me Mayor.” I took a seat next to her desk and waited for her to take her own seat behind it. “So I assume you came here for something, yes?”

I nodded before clearing my throat. “Mayor, am I right to assume that anypony who isn’t a resident of Ponyville must first file a form with you before they can start selling their wares in the market?”

She nodded, confirming my assumption. “Yes, you are correct, Johann. Anypony who isn’t from Ponyville must submit a request form. This is mostly due for safety to prevent unruly characters from selling anything illegal or anything could harm the residents of our town. Why do you ask?”

“I have reason to believe that a certain vendor is possibly scamming the fine ponyfolk of this town out of their hard earned bits.” Mayor gasped in surprise as I continued. “But in order to prove this to be fact, I’ll need to check with his supplier. I assume, on the form, it asks for them to list that, right?”

She nodded, but seemed a bit pensive. “It does, but this is sensitive information you wish for me to disclose with you.” I forgot that this is technically confidential information, and that I would probably need to speak to someone with a higher authority to get this taken care of. “But seeing as you are a duke, you have the authority to see it if you so demand.”

“Wait, I can?” She nodded her head, leaving me a bit baffled. I honestly didn’t think that my new title would allow me access to this kind of information. Then again, I never got around to asking what my position’s perks were. I should probably make a mental note to ask Twilight about that. But I didn’t want to make it seem like I was forcing her to give up the information because of my rank. “Mayor, if this is information you’re not comfortable giving to me, I can file for a proper investigation. I don’t want to make it seem like I’m abusing my title as duke. In fact, when I came here to ask for your help, my rank and title had never crossed my mind.”

Yet again, she seemed surprised, but that soon faded away as she gave me a smile, stood up from her desk, and walked over to the door. “Johann, I can safely say that I can trust you. I’ve met with plenty of nobles while working this position, and each one of them always seemed snooty and entitled, like all of Equestria revolved around them. Heck, we have one such pony here in town who isn’t even a noble who acts like that. Two if you count her daughter.” She opened the door and gestured for me to follow her. “But you aren’t like them one bit. So I’d be happy to help with your investigation.”

We soon made our way to the other end of the building, where we entered a room with filing cabinets. She moved to one set and opened one of the drawers. “Now then, which vendor is it you’re looking for?” I told her that it was the cherry vendor and she got to work looking for the folder I needed. “Ah, here it is.”

She pulled it out and passed it over to me. I opened it, and sure enough, I saw a photo of the stallion in question. “Hmm, so his name is Tightwad. How fitting.” I read over the file for more information until I found what I was looking for. I found both the name of his supplier and how much he usually makes while selling here in Ponyville, and something about the numbers don’t add up. “It says here he gets his cherries from somepony named Cherry Jubilee, and that she runs an orchard out in someplace called Dodge Junction. Where is that?” Mayor Mare took me back to her office, where she pulled a map of Equestria out for me. On the map, it looked to be about southwest of Ponyville, and wouldn’t take too long to fly over there. “Alright, that’s all I needed to know. Thanks, Mayor.”

“Anytime, Johann. And if you are correct and you are onto something, I should consider making you the town sheriff.” She teased as she patted my side before I left her office. I hoped it was just her teasing.

“Heh maybe, but only if I get one of those stars that says ‘Sheriff’ on it and a cowboy hat.” With that, I took off to find Fluttershy to let her know I’ll be making a trip.





It only took me a minute to find Fluttershy and tell her where I was going. She tried to convince me that I shouldn’t go through all this trouble over some cherries. I told her it was more than about the cherries; it was about how she was treated and how this guy could be running something shady. But it was mostly because he called her a doormat, and I wasn’t allowed to burn his stand down.

I had been flying for at least half an hour before I reached my destination. And I got to say, I wasn’t that impressed with what I found. Now, I’m not trying to shame or make fun of this place, but I expected it to be bigger. Dodge Junction is a small town, if you can call it that. It looked like something out of an old western movie. There weren’t that many buildings near some train tracks, but other than that, nothing that really stood out much. I could see a few trees and a barn in the distance, believing that would be my best place to start looking.

I glided over to where I saw the barn with a silo near it, and as I got closer, I could see a sign with a pair of cherries, even some on the silo. However, as I was making my descent toward the farm, two things caught my attention. First, I didn’t see anypony around the farm, or the trees filled with cherries. Second, on the outer rim of the farm, I noticed that there were some trees that looked to have been knocked down, and the ground looked like it had been violently dug up. Soon, my feet touched the ground, and I made my way to the barn, seeing if anypony was there. I peeked my head inside and saw nopony around. “Hello? Is anypony here?”

The whole place seemed deserted as I looked around and walked inside. Then, from my right, I heard a rattling sound and turned to see a barrel shaking. I carefully made my way over to the barrel and moved my paw over to lift off the lid. “Uh, hello?”

“Eeeeppp!!” A voiced squeaked out from the barrel before a pair of cream-colored hooves reached up and grabbed the lid back. “Go away! I’m already dealing with one monster today! Ah don’t need another!” A voice with a slight southern accent screamed.

‘Well, that was hurtful.’ While I was slightly offended by being called a monster, I quickly realized she said “another monster”, meaning that she was having troubles already. I gently knocked on the lid before speaking. “Um, excuse me, miss, but I’m not here to cause you any harm. I actually came here to find somepony by the name of Cherry Jubilee.”

The mare slowly poked her head out so that only her lime eyes were visible. “Who’s askin’?”

I took a step back and gave a polite bow. “Hi, my name is Johann, and I came all this way from Ponyville.”

She poked the rest of her head out, allowing me to see her two-tone cherry mane that was tied up in a bun/ponytail. She had a cutie mark (the normal kind, not the magical one) under her left eye. “Ponyville? Ah don’t suppose you know Applejack, do ya?”

I gave a quick nod and smiled without showing my teeth. “I am, as well as her friends. I’m actually staying with one of them. Her name is Fluttershy.”

The mare seemed relieved as she let out a sigh. “Oh, thank Celestia. For a second there, Ah thought Ah was going to have to deal with a dragon on top of my other problem.” She froze for a second before giving me a sheepish smile. “Um, no offense.”

I kept smiling before waving a paw. “None taken, I get that a lot. But that does raise a question. What did you mean earlier by ‘another monster’? Is there something around here that’s causing you trouble?”

She sighed again as she slumped back into the barrel, looking rather sad. “Ah’m afraid so, darlin’. See, around yesterday morning, a horrible creature started attacking the orchard and drove everypony away. Oh, but where are my manners?” She seemed to pep up a bit as she stuck out one of her hooves to me. “Ah’m Cherry Jubilee, and Ah run this here cherry orchard, hence why I stayed.”

I was actually surprised to find out there this was the pony I was looking for. “You’re Cherry Jubilee?” I asked as I gently shook her hoof with my paw.

She nodded happily before letting go of my paw. “That I am, hon. Now, what was it you needed little ol’ me for?”

I was going to talk to her about why I came here, but my morals wouldn’t let me when I know that there is a bigger problem at hand that needs taking care of. “Never mind that, it can wait. More importantly, how can I help you?” She seemed a bit surprised by my question as she tilted her head to the side. “If there’s some creature giving you trouble, then I’d like to help you get rid of it.”

Her eyes widened. “Well, Ah guess chivalry isn’t dead as Ah had thought.” She smiled before tilting the barrel over till she could jump out of it. With her whole body now out of the barrel, I could see her cutie mark was a pair of cherries, just like on the sign and silo outside. “Now, while Ah appreciate your offer to help, Ah’m afraid there isn’t much anypony can do. Ah already sent one of my workers to head for Canterlot this morning, and Celestia only knows if and when help will arrive.” She stepped over to the door and peeked outside. “And if help does arrive today, it may be too late. That darn Tatzlwurm has been ravaging mah orchard. Pretty soon, there ain’t gonna be an orchard to save. Ah’ll go out of business and have to fire my workers.” She hung her head down as some tears trickled down her muzzle.

That was where I drew the line. A jackass stallion is one thing to deal with today, but this was a literal monster causing some pony harm. “Ms. Jubilee.” She turned to me as I made my way to the door and slowly flared my wings, preparing for takeoff. “I’ll deal with your worm problem.” I turned to look at her and smiled. “After all, what kind of duke would I be if I ignored the tears of a pony in need?” I took a bounding step outside before pushing off the ground and flapped my wings, pushing me into the air.





I circled around a patch of the cherry orchard where a good amount of trees had been knocked down. Some of the foliage at the top had been stripped bare, and I could see some massive holes in the ground. “Jesus, those things are huge.” The size of the holes were maybe ten feet in diameter, meaning whatever this Tatzlwurm might be, it’s big. “Now, how to draw it out?” As I circled around in the air trying to think of a way to draw this beast out of hiding, I had an idea. ‘If this thing is like an actual worm, then maybe it can be lured out like one. There’s two ways I think will draw it out, but I lack any electricity to try the first idea, so I guess we’ll go with the second one.’  I flapped my wings harder raising myself higher away from the ground. “Worms often respond to vibrations, so maybe this one might just do the very same thing.” I took a deep breath before firing low powered fireballs onto the ground at a rapid pace. With any luck, the creature may either mistake it for rain or a pony that is passing by. I made sure to concentrate the blast near the hole that looked like it was recently dug, and that my blasts aren’t strong enough to startle it away.

Though I couldn’t feel it, I could see some of the rocks and trees start to shake, and the ground started to break apart till a massive worm-like monster sprung out. Its head was a light shade of pink with red frills along its face. Its body, from what I could see, was covered in purple scales. “So this is a Tatzlwurm? Doesn’t seem all that intimidating.” It turned its head toward me and unleashed an ear-piercing roar. As its jaw opened, it was like a mother trucking graboid with three tentacle-like appendages wiggling out of its mouth. “I stand corrected. Geez, where’s Burt Gummer when you need him?”

I flared out my wings to maintain a gliding position as I began my analysis of the creature. Clearly, since it’s a creature that is subterranean, its body is going to be tough enough to handle incredible pressure. Simple plasma wouldn’t be as effective. The fire itself may damage it, but it can easily put it out by burrowing down into the ground. 

While I was trying to analyze the beast, it quickly dove back into the ground and out of sight. I had thought I had lost its interest and was about to fire another set of plasma blasts when the thing’s head shot out of the ground, along with the rest of its body. Like a shark jumping out of the water to catch its prey, the Tatzlwurm launched itself toward me, jaws opened wide. I was nearly caught in its jaws before I quickly banked right, narrowly missing me. But one of its tentacles latched onto my leg and started to pull my body down with it as it fell down to the ground. I had to quickly tuck in my wings as I turned my body so I could face the massive worm. I looked to the tentacle wrapped around my leg and took careful aim before firing a plasma blast at full power, easily cutting through it and causing the monster to screech out in pain. Once I was free from its grasp, I flared out my wings as fast I could to halt my descent, and not a moment too soon as I pulled up just as I was mere inches from hitting the ground. The Tatzlwurm’s body slammed into the ground and I quickly seized my opportunity to start unleashing a barrage of plasma blasts on its body. The worm roared in pain before whipping its body around, slamming its tail into my body and sent me flying. I was stunned for a few moments before I was able to snap back to my senses, quickly stretching out my wings like parachutes. I was forced to land on the ground as I tried to regain my bearings, only to see my opponent was nowhere to be seen. I quickly turned my head around to see if I could spot him before feeling the earth beneath my claws start to shake. “Shit!” I quickly jumped to my side and rolled on the ground just as the Tatzlwurm sprung out from the ground.

I fired another plasma blast aimed at its head as I tried to pick myself up. However, it had tilted its head to the side, dodging my attack before lunging at me like a cobra. I jumped back as far as my legs could send me, nearly avoiding its jaws. It was clear that its hide was incredibly tough and that my attacks don’t have nearly as much of an effect on it like I wanted it to. It reminds me of my battle with the hydra. “Wait a second, that’s it!”

With a plan set in mind, I flapped my wings and put some distance between me and the massive worm creature. Once I had moved out of its strike zone, I started to slam my tail on the ground and let out a thunderous roar. “Come on, you ugly son of bitch! I’m right here!!” I called out in an attempt into goading it into my plan.

The monster let out a hiss before diving its head into the ground and out of sight, just like I was hoping it would do. I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the ground beneath my feet. The beast attacks similar to a shark when hunting its prey. It will circle around its target before launching its body from below. I made sure to stay very still as I could feel the slightest vibrations. Soon, the ground started to shake much more violently, signaling the beast’s attack, but I remained still as the jaws of the beast popped underneath me. Its tentacle-like appendages wrapped around my limbs as it left my body into the air. “Gotcha!!” Without wasting a second, I took a deep breath and unleashed my most powerful plasma blast down its esophagus. The monster roared in pain, but I had no intention of letting up my attack as I fired blast after blast till smoke was billowing out of its mouth.

The Tatzlwurm flailed its head, roaring in pain as it tried to throw me out of its mouth as I kept firing inside it. I kept my claws dug into its jaws and wasn’t going anywhere. After a few more shots, I charged up my last attack and fired a concentrated plasma blast at the roof of its mouth and watched as it punched a hole through its skull, feeling its blood ooze down onto my body and the Tatzelwurm’s body collapsed onto the ground. I jumped out just before it could hit the ground. The once formidable beast now lays dying on the ground before me as its blood stains the ground around its head. I shook off the blood that had spilled onto me, then took off back in the direction of the barn.





As I touched down and started to walk over to the barn to let Ms. Jubilee know that her pest problem was taken care of, I saw that there were a few solar guards already speaking with her. As I got closer, I could hear some of their conversation. “Ma’am, are you sure that he said he was a duke?” One stallion asked.

Ms. Jubilee nodded her head, looking a bit worried. “Yes, he did. He told me his name was Johann, and that he came from Ponyville. I was shocked when he-” Her eyes glanced in my direction and she quickly pointed her hoof to me. “There he is right there!”

The solar guards turned to look at who Cherry Jubilee was pointing to, and when they saw me, their eyes and jaws widened. “Good afternoon, gentlecolts. I assume there isn’t a problem here, is there?”

They quickly responded by bowing their heads down before lifting them up and giving me a salute. “No sir, there is no problem, sir.” They all said in a unison greeting.

“Whoa, at ease, fellas. No need to be so formal with me. Just Johann will do.” It was kind of embarrassing to be addressed like I was some kind of big shot, but it did feel kinda cool, too. “Now then, I take it you guys are here about the Tatzlwurm?”

The guards nodded their heads in unison as one pony guard stepped forward. “Yes, sir. We had just received word from one of Ms. Jubilee’s workers and made our way here as fast as we could. We are about to set out to try and hunt it down.”

I held out my paw and shook my head to stop them. “There won’t be a need for that. I already took care of the problem.”

The pony guards looked to each other a bit confused before the guard that had stepped forward spoke again. “Sir, what do you mean ‘already taken care of’? Do you mean to say that you slayed the beast already?”

I couldn’t help but smirk as I nodded my head, getting looks of utter shock from all the ponies present. “You’ll find its body out past the orchard. I’m not sure if you guys know who could come pick up the remains and relocate them off this orchard, but I’d appreciate it if you did.” The guards all gave me a salute before taking off in the direction I gave them of the creature’s body. I turned back to look at Ms. Jubilee, who quickly bowed her head and even got on her knees, shaking a bit. “Whoa, hey, what’s wrong?” I asked, a bit surprised by her sudden quivering.

“Ah am so sorry. Ah had no idea you were the same dragon who saved Canterlot and was given the title of duke. Please forgive me.” She was practically shaking like a leaf. “And Ah am so sorry for getting you involved with my problems. Ah really had no idea who you were.”

“Ms. Jubilee, it’s alright. I promise I’m not mad at you.” She peaked one of her eyes out to look at me and I gave her a warm smile. “I originally came here because I needed some help with a little investigation I’m running right now. But when you told me how you were in need of help, I acted of my own free will to do so. There is no reason for you to be apologizing to me.”

She seemed to have calmed down as her shaking had ceased and she slowly got back up. “Are you sure?” She asked, still sounding nervous, and I just responded with a nod. She let out a sigh of relief while holding a hoof to her chest. “Thank Celestia. And thank you so much for taking care of that Tatzlwurm worm for me. How can Ah ever I repay you?”

“Well, remember how I mentioned I was running an investigation?” She nodded. “Well, it’s about a certain vendor that is currently selling your cherries in Ponyville. He is selling single cherries for over eight bits.”

“He’s what?!” She shouted, looking both shocked and upset. “Why in Equestria would he be doing such a thing? We don’t charge that much for cherries around here.” I went into detail about how I met the stallion and how he had previous history with Fluttershy. I also told her of the test I ran to see if he was pulling the same stunt with other ponies. Lastly, I told her about the amount of bits he had registered that he made back in Ponyville. Needless to say, she was very pissed and stormed off toward a house that was a few feet away from the barn, which I was surprised I hadn’t noticed before. We went into the house, where she led me to a room that had filing cabinets, much like back at town hall in Ponyville. She searched through the files till she found Tightwad’s folder and opened it up to show the profits he had registered that he made. It was exactly like what I saw back in Ponyville. “Why, that no good...!” Ms. Jubilee looked absolutely furious. She took a moment to take a calming breath before looking back to me. “Hon, do you think you’d be kind enough to give a mare a lift to Ponyville? Ah’d like to have a word with Mr. Tightwad, and maybe we should bring some of those guards with us, too.”

Clearly understanding what she had planned, I nodded my head and went off to grab two of the pony guards before we made our way back to Ponyville.





It took us around an hour to get back to Ponyville, mainly due to the fact I was carrying a passenger and the two pegasus guards that I had asked to tag along weren’t as fast as I would have liked them to be. I was honestly worried that we were going to miss our chance to catch the swindling vendor. But luck was on our side when we had reached the market. He was still where I last saw him. I told the two guards to get into position as Ms. Jubilee and I approached the stand, both of which gave me a nod and hovered in the air to wait.

We both approached from the side with her right behind me. I wanted her to listen in before making herself known. As I moved into the stallion’s view, he gave me a smug look. “Well, look who’s back. What, you decided to change your mind and buy my merch?” He sounded so pleased with himself, I could barely keep myself from cracking a smirk.

“No, I just came here to ask why you would charge so much for just one cherry. I mean, they can’t be that good to be worth that much. Does your supplier even know how much your charging?” I asked, sounding confident and a bit threatening to see how he would respond.

Surprisingly, he didn’t seem fazed at all and even scoffed at my tone. “Psh, like I’ll ever tell you who my supplier is. And even if I did, that dumb broad won’t ever find out.”

“Is that so?” Ms. Jubilee stepped into view, and I could see Tightwad’s fur slowly turn pale. “Good afternoon, Mr. Tightwad. Ah’m glad to see that you’re well.” Despite the pleasantries, Ms. Jubilee was glaring daggers at the stallion behind the counter.

Tightwad was sweating bullets as he nervously adjusted the bow around his neck. “M-Ms. Jubilee, h-how nice to see you again. You’re looking extra b-beautiful today. Did you get a new haircut?” He asked, trying his best to remain calm, and failing at that.

“Cut the chit chat, Tightwad. Ah’m not here to make idle conversation with you.” She pulled out the file she brought from her office out of her satchel, then slammed it onto the table, making the stallion jump a bit. “Would you care to tell me why you are charging ponies so much for a single cherry? And while you’re at it, maybe you can explain why your profits are around the same as every other vendor I do business with?”

The walls were closing in on Tightwad as he nervously looked back and forth between me and Ms. Jubilee. Finally, I had enough with his stalling and decided to cut to the chase. “I’ll tell you why, Ms. Jubilee. You see, Mr. Tightwad here raises the prices for cherries so that he can make the regular expected amount in profit to send back to you. Then, after selling only a few cherries, he goes and sells the rest for the same amount of bits, but keeps it for himself instead.” I leaned my head over the counter, getting right in his face while glaring down at him. He shook in place before finally running for the back of his stand and making a break for it. But sadly for him, he didn’t get far as the two guards I brought were quick to catch him and pin him down before cuffing him. “Excellent work, guys. Do me a favor and take this guy back to Canterlot and let the princesses know of his crime.”

“Yes, Duke Johann, we will do so at once.” They both saluted to me as they spoke in unison. And the look on Tightwad’s face as he realized who he was dealing with was absolutely priceless. I wished I had a camera to film it all.

The guards escorted the stallion away, leaving Ms. Jubilee and me alone. “Ah am really sorry about him, darlin’. Had Ah known he was doing such a thing, Ah would have turned him in myself.” I could tell that she was both upset and ashamed of the way one of her former employees acted. But she took a deep breath and sighed before looking back to me with a smile. “Tell you what, from now on, any cherries you get from either my orchard or vendors are free of charge.”

It was a generous offer, to say the least, but a part of me felt like that may have been too generous of an offer. “Ms. Jubilee, that is really generous of you, but I don’t thi-”

I was quickly cut off as she gently placed her hoof on my lips to stop me. “No, Ah don’t want to hear it. It’s the least Ah can do to show my thanks for not only revealing that no good scammer Tightwad, but for also saving my orchard from that Tatzlwurm. And Ah’m not taking no for an answer, hon.” She said with a confident smile. With my hands tied and no other option available, I relented and accepted her offer.

“Good. Oh, and just one more gift from me to you.” I was about to protest, her giving me anything else as a lifetime of free cherries was more than enough. But I didn’t get to voice my opinion as Cherry Jubilee quickly moved in and pressed her lips against my own, holding that position for over a minute before finally pulling back, leaving me utterly bewildered and blushing like a cherry. She giggled before shooting me a playful wink. “Heh, that was a little bit for me as it was for you, hon.” She slowly walked past me and intentionally made sure her tail stroked my chin as she moved on. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Ah’m gonna go pay my friends here in Ponyville a visit before heading back home. Ta ta, Johann. Don’t be a stranger now, you hear?”

For what felt like hours, I stood in place without so much as flinching a muscle, my wings now fully extended and my face still burning red. The wind blew against my outstretched wings and slowly knocked me over as I flopped on the ground like a stiff, wooden plank. And as I laid there on the ground, contemplating what had just happened, only four words left my lips. “Da fuck was that?”
> Jokes on me part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Fluttershy’s Cottage 3rd POV)

Laying on top of the couch within the cozy cabin, Johann slept soundly on his back. His leg twitched occasionally as he snored with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Truly, he was in a state of peace and tranquility. “EEEEEEEEEHHHH!!!”

Johann’s body jolted as the sound of a high-pitched squeal had snapped him from his blissful slumber and caused his body to fall off the couch, landing on his face. As the pain from his fall subsided, he quickly raised his head and looked around. “Fluttershy!?” He scanned the room rapidly until he spotted the yellow mare standing at the door whilst holding a letter within her hooves.

Said mare turned and let out a gasp as she quickly flew over to the downed dragon and gently rubbed his head with her hoof. “Oh my. I’m so sorry, Johann. I didn’t mean to startle you awake.” She made sure that he hadn’t suffered any injuries from his fall while continuing to rub his head.

Gently moving her hoof away, Johann slowly sat up. “I’m fine, Fluttershy, really. But why did you scream like that? Are you hurt? Or did something startle you?” In his time spent with the animal lover, he learned it doesn’t take much to spook her.  He remembered one instance where a single leaf had fallen from a tree and ever so gently landed on her back. She reacted with a high pitch squeal and fell onto her back like an opossum playing dead. Such adorableness nearly gave the dragon a heart attack.

Her sudden bashful tone suddenly faded as a smile that could only be described as pure joy replaced it. “Oh, I’m so happy you asked!” She pulled out the letter that she was holding at the door and passed it over to the dragon. “The Equestrian Society for the Preservation of Rare Creatures have given me permission to observe the rarest, tiniest, most adorable creatures in all of the Equestria: the Breezies!!”

Seeing that this was of great importance to his friend, Johann smiled and passed back the letter to his friend. “Wow, Fluttershy, that’s amazing news.”

“Oh, it’s not just fantastic! It just might be the best news ever!” She stopped for a moment, her cheeks turning a light shade of pink as she turned back to the dragon. “Well, aside from when I found out that you were alive.”

The black dragon chuckled before moving in and giving his caretaker a sudden hug, causing her to let out a squeak of surprise. “Heh, that’s nice of you to say, Flutters, and I really appreciate it.”

“F-Flutters?” She stuttered as her cheeks shifted from pink to red.

“Yeah, I thought it would be a cute nickname to use. Do you not like it?” he asked, mostly to make sure she wasn’t opposed to it.

“Oh! No, it’s fine. I just wasn’t expecting it at all.” She smiled to reassure him that all was well. “Does this mean I should come up with one for you then?” she asked while curiously considering the idea.

Johann tilted his head to the side as he hummed to himself. “I mean, if you want, you can, but my name doesn’t really leave much room to give it one. If you shorten it, you would get John, which isn’t my name and would be confusing.”

This was indeed a challenge for the butter-yellow mare as she usually never took part in giving somepony a nickname. “Hmm. Let me think about it.” As she tried to come up with a nickname that was both easy to remember and that would show their sign of friendship, one name came to mind. “I know. How about Noir? It was one of the names that I was gonna give you when we first talked…Johann, is something wrong?”

Johann, while sporting a warm smile, had a distant gaze in his eyes that made it seem as though he was reminiscing upon a time once long ago. It was only when he felt a hoof on his chest that he snapped himself out of his daze and saw that his friend had a worried expression on her face. “I-I’m sorry, Fluttershy, I didn’t mean to ignore you. I just got lost in thought is all.”

“Are you sure? If you don’t like that nickname, then I can choose another one,” she said hesitantly, sensing that something was on her companion’s mind.

Nodding his head, Johann smiled to ease her mind. “I’m sure, Fluttershy. That nickname would actually be fitting since I’m well accustomed to it.” He could see the confused look on her face, and he knew that she didn’t understand why, given she only mentioned the name once prior to the current conversation. She had no idea that he went by that name for the better part of a year alongside his other friend. Not wanting to talk about the past, Johann was quick to try and change the subject. “So, this letter is big news, right? Maybe you should go tell your friends. If you have to go somewhere, then I’m sure you’ll need to pack for this trip, right?”

Fluttershy’s eyes widened as a point was made. “Oh my gosh, you’re right, Noir! I need to go tell my friends and find somepony to watch over my animals while I’m away! And I have to pack some saddles before it’s too late!”

The pegasus mare quickly made her way to the door before being stopped by Johann’s paw. “Hey, if you want, I can watch over them. After all, since you’re letting me stay here, it’s the least I can do for you.”

“Really? You’d do that for me, Johann? I hope it’s not too much of a bother for you”

He waved it off with a smile. “You kidding? It will be a breeze. Besides, I help you whenever you need it before, so it’s not like I don’t know what to do.”

Before he could get an answer, he was suddenly hugged by the mare, who nuzzled her muzzle into her chest. “Thank you thank you!!” she chirped as she looked up at him. “That would mean so much to me!”

Not wanting to be rude, Johann returned the hug and smiled as they held each other for a few moments. “So, did you want me to come with you to let your friends know the good news?” Out of the corner of his eye, Johann could have sworn he had seen something move by the window, but when he turned his eyes to look at it, he saw nothing.

Gently pulling away from the hug, Fluttershy looked up at her friend. “Um, not that I don’t appreciate the offer, but aren’t supposed to be taking Apple Bloom over to Zecora’s today?”

She was indeed correct, as it was only yesterday that he made a promise to the little filly.

(The day before. Johann POV)

One would think after spending a certain amount of time here in Equestria, you’d be used to anything new, right? Nope, because just when you think nothing would surprise you, something far crazier shows up.

Case in point. It was just a normal day here in Fluttershy’s cottage, the occasional animal swinging by either looking for food, love, or help. Honestly, I’ve seen more wild animals here in Fluttershy’s home than I did on Earth and my time in the Arena combined. But as I have probably mentioned before, the creatures here are unlike the ones from back home. Predators and prey alike all gathered under one roof with little to no conflict, each one displaying a level of sentience that, if they could speak, they’d be no different from the other creatures that can speak in Equestria. But this was the norm for her place, and much like a hand grenade being thrown in, shit went past ten on the crazy meter. All of a sudden, a smoke bomb went off in the house, and I found myself temporarily blinded and felt some rope being wrapped around my legs and wings. Almost like a reflex, I tried to fight against my bindings and roared in defiance, ready to fend off my attackers. However, what had attacked me was well-versed in the art of military combat. When I had snapped one rope with my jaw, my mouth was quickly tied shut and felt the ground beneath my feet slip from me as I was suddenly hanging upside down. The smoke was slowly subsiding, and I turned to look at my four attackers, much to my surprise and shock at who they were. They had cold blue eyes that had the stare of a seasoned veteran of war. Their black and white feathers glistened in the sunlight. Their beaks…Ah, who am I kidding? They were freaking penguins, for crying out loud!

Yep, you heard me. Penguins. I was hogtied by four little penguins. If I had any pride at that time, it was surely gone by now from all of this. It took a few minutes before Fluttershy came rushing in to defuse the whole situation and tried to keep me from having penguin rotisserie for dinner that night. As per usual, she went and introduced the black and white menaces. First was the tallest of the bunch, who seemed to be the “smartest” of the four. How do I know this? Dude had a pencil and notepad and was writing down three-dimensional algebra.

The next one scared me the most of the four. For starters, he had this crazed look in his eyes like he was itching for destruction. He had a scar on the side of his beak, and get this, he can regurgitate practically anything, and I mean anything. You want a can opener? He had it. Want a bone saw? He had it. Need a stick of dynamite? Motherfucker had twenty of them, lit and ready to use!! If I hadn’t cut the fuses when I did, there would have been a massive crater where Fluttershy’s house is right now, yet she brushes it off like he was only playing.

Then there’s the third penguin. I despise this one especially since he seems to be the leader of this little flock. He has this look to him like he’s always coming up with some kind of plan, always wearing this cocky smirk. I know Fluttershy said they are just “helpless” penguins, but I highly doubt it. And this one knows it, too.

Then there’s the last one…Well, honestly, I don’t dislike this one as much since he’s not only the smallest, but by far the nicest. Whilst Fluttershy was trying to cut me down and the other three penguins were busy high-fiving each other, this one walked up to me with a friendly smile, pulled out a big fat salmon from who knows where, and held it out for me. Now, I’m no expert like Fluttershy, but I had a feeling this was his way of a peace offering. Given the circumstances, I wasn’t too sure about it, but another part of me could tell he was trying to be nice, so I accepted the fish, and found it really delicious.

Once I was free, I decided that I needed to get some air and stretch my wings out for a while and took to the skies to do my daily flight exercises. But in all honesty, it’s mostly me enjoying the feeling of actually being able to fly. Ever since I was a little kid, I always wanted to fly like a bird, to be free and go where I wanted through the air. Up till now, I wasn’t able to revel in this feeling because I was either too busy fighting against creatures for the sick entertainment of the wealthy or using said gift to help rebuild a kingdom. But now, I was free to do as I please and had some much needed me time.

Although, there are times when I miss being human and being back on Earth. I miss my family, my friends, and some of the technology Earth had. But I knew that life had unfortunately come to an abrupt end, and I had a new life to live in a whole new world.

About ten or fifteen minutes into flying, I was starting to come up on the Apple family’s orchard, and every other time I see it, I’m always left in awe at the sheer size of it all. Apple trees as far as the eye could see. What’s even more mind boggling is how many work on this entire farm: four ponies total. I was shocked to find that these four ponies were in charge of not only cultivating these lands, but harvesting all these apple trees, too. I was told that Earth ponies were well versed in tilling the land to suit their needs, but this was an absolute marvel to me nonetheless.

While gliding over the farm, I noticed that somepony was flagging me down, and upon further inspection, I could see that it was Apple Bloom trying to get my attention. Not wanting to be rude and with nothing better to do, I slowly glided my way down toward the ground. “Hey there, Apple Bloom. How’s it going?” I asked as I tucked my wings in after touching down on the ground.

“Howdy, Johann!” She smiled before rushing over and giving me a hug, one I was happy to return. “Ah’m glad ya flew by the farm. Mah sister Applejack wanted to talk to ya.”

I was somewhat surprised by this since I rarely ever spoke with the apple farmer. Not that I didn’t enjoy her company the few times we had met, but it was mostly due to her incredibly busy work schedule. That mare puts the words “work horse” to shame. Fluttershy told me that she is in charge of the whole apple family business here in Ponyville, and she takes her job seriously…Very seriously, almost to the point where it might affect her own wellbeing.

“Well then, how about you show me where she’s at and I’ll talk to her.” Apple Bloom nodded her head and began to lead me deeper into the farm.

We walked and talked for a good couple of minutes before I heard a couple of loud thwacks in the distance. Sure enough, near a group of trees was the mare herself, working as hard as ever. But she wasn’t the only one there. Closeby was a stallion with fur as red as the apples he farms and an orange mane: Big Macintosh, or Big Mac for short. It’s honestly a good thing that McDonalds don’t exist here, otherwise someone was gonna sue for that name. I had met the guy once or twice before, and honestly felt at ease around him. Despite his large, almost bulky stature, he’s a calm, quiet stallion, and one of few words. The guy usually says two things, either “Eeyup” or “Eenope”. That’s it, but surprisingly, it wasn’t annoying.

My presence hadn’t gone unnoticed as Applejack had spotted us and waved her hoof after wiping her brow of sweat. “Evening, Johann. Glad y’all could swing on by,” she greeted me as she and her brother made their way over to meet us halfway.

“And a good evening to you as well, Applejack.” I looked over her brother and gave a smile and nod. “Big Mac.” He returned the gesture with a calm, cool smile. I turned my attention back to Applejack as I continued. “Apple Bloom said you wanted to talk to me?”

She nodded. “Sure do. Come on, let’s talk while we head to the barn.” I did so and walked alongside them as we made our way back to their barn. “So, Ah’ve been meaning to ask ya for a favor, partner. Tomorrow, me and Big Mac have to go make some deliveries out of town for a bit, and little Apple Bloom here wanted to visit her friend Zecora before she leaves to visit Zebrica for a traditional ceremony the day after tomorrow. The thing is that she lives in the Everfree Forest, and Ah don’t want mah little sister wandering in there all alone.”

Apple Bloom puffed out her cheeks in a pout. “Ah can look out for myself, Applejack. Ah wish ya stopped babying me all the time.”

“Now, sugarcube, ya know better than to go into that forest all by your lonesome. Just because you did it once or twice without bumping into something doesn’t mean it can’t happen.” It was clear that Applejack wasn’t going to budge on the matter, so Apple Bloom sighed in defeat. “Now, this is why Ah wanted to talk to ya, Johann. After seeing how you handled yourself with that big ol’ dragon from Canterlot, Ah reckon y’all could handle anything that lives in that forest. But Ah wouldn’t ask ya to put your life in danger. Ain’t nothin’ in there that is as bad as that beast. Just a few Timberwolves and the like.”

Ah, so it’s an escort for her sister that she needed. “Well, Applejack, if that’s all you really need, then I’d be happy to help.” I could see Apple Bloom bouncing up and down on her hooves as she heard the good news. “Now, did you want me to take her there and bring her back?”

She shook her head. “Nah, no need. Zecora will probably bring her back for us anyway.” I nodded once more. It was a simple request. Just take Apple Bloom to her friend and head back. Easy as that. “Now, Ah wouldn’t ask a favor of ya without paying ya for your time. How does twenty bits sound?”

I quickly shook my head. “Now hold on there, Applejack. I wasn’t planning on charging you anything. Both you and Apple Bloom are my friends, and I wouldn’t dream of asking for anything in return for helping out another friend.”

“Well, that's mighty kind of ya to say, Johann, but Ah insist on paying ya for your time,” she said the last part through gritted teeth. This was another thing I was told about Applejack: her incredible stubbornness. Many tales were told about this side of her. One such story was how she refused help from her friends when she needed to harvest the entire family orchard while her brother was out with a bad back. She did so until she was at the point of collapsing from exhaustion.

Of course, I was no pushover myself and refused to take a friend’s money when doing them a favor. “And I insist that it won’t be necessary, because we are both friends, and friends don’t charge other friends for something as simple as taking their little sister to a friend’s house. Did I say the word ‘friend’ enough for you to get the message there?”

“Now lookie here, partner.” Applejack moved in closer to me. “Ah know we are friends, and friends do things for others without expecting nothin’, but this is more of a gift than payment. So it would be rude on yer part to not accept the gift.”

Oh, she had me there. And with that, the tables had turned on me. But if that’s the way she’s gonna play it, then I’ll happily indulge in her little game. “Alright, Applejack, you’re right. It would be rude of me to reject your offer, so I’ll take the twenty bits.” She had a smile on her face like she had won, and she was going to voice her victory before I moved a claw to her lips to stop her. “With that being said, I’d like to buy twenty bits worth of apples from your farm, if you please.”

The look on her face was absolutely priceless. Her eyes widened for a moment as if to register what just happened before turning into a glare. “Why, you sneaky, no good!” Her face turned a shade of red that nearly matched her brother’s fur. “Ah saw what you did there, and that’s cheatin’!”

I faked a gasp of shock while holding a paw to my chest. “Me, cheating? Why, I never.” It took all my willpower not to crack a smile as she fumed while looking at me. “You wound me with such an accusation, dear Applejack. I decided to take you up on your token of friendship as you insisted upon. How I choose to spend the bits my good friend gave me is my own decision.” I dropped the act and leaned in close with a confident smile on my face. “Check. And. Mate.” I gave her a polite boop on the nose.

For the next five minutes or so, she and I had a heated debate going back and forth on me being given more bits then twenty, to which I just repeated my actions. But I knew that any way you shake a stick at it, she was giving up something regardless, and I was just stalling for time till I could think of something to accept instead. And that’s when it happened. Mid-rant, my nose picked up a smell that smelled heavenly to the point where it was almost mouthwatering. It smelled of cinnamon and apples, and I found myself unable to resist its call. My nose led me to the Apple family’s house, where an elderly pony was setting some pies out on a picnic table.

“Well, howdy there, big fella. You must be the dragon Apple Bloom told me about.” The elderly mare smiled. She had pale, lime-green fur, a white mane tied up in a bun, and wore a checkered scarf. My best guess was this was Applejack’s grandmother, Granny Smith. She motioned for me to come closer along with the apple siblings as she set a pie on a wooden cutting board. “Y’all are just in time for some fresh baked apple pie.”

Once again, my nostrils flared up to take in the sweet scent. The smell of baked apples and cinnamon was so unbelievably good that my lips were curling into a smile all on their own and my legs began to move me toward the picnic table. Soon enough, we all had taken our seats and Granny Smith began cutting the pie into five even slices before she started passing them out, beginning with me. She then pulled a set of glasses from under the table that I must have missed since my attention prior was on the pie. Once we each had a glass set in front of us, she pulled out a pitcher of an amber colored liquid and began pouring it into our cups. “Now, y’all be careful, dearie. That there pie is fresh out of the oven, so don’t go burning yer tongue now, ya hear?”

Despite her warning, I slowly leaned my head down to take a bite of the baked good. During my time in Griffonstone, I learned that my mouth could handle biting into something that would have burned a normal human’s mouth. A pie straight out of the oven wasn’t going to do me any harm. The closer my mouth got, the more I found myself resisting the urge to just dive right in. I could literally feel my mouth salivating in anticipation at the thought of the taste. Before I knew it, my jaw was slowly closing down on a chunk of the pie’s end. Carefully, I tilted my head back up and began to hew on the piece in my mouth. And that’s when it happened.



There were no words in any written language that could describe the taste that has graced my mouth in this very moment. The texture of the apples were perfectly baked and had a nice crisp crunch, yet were still firm enough to break apart with little effort. The filling along with the apples taste like the perfect balance of cinnamon and brown sugar. The crust wasn’t dry or flaky, which made this delicious baked good all the more enjoyable. This pie was so captivating that I failed to notice the smiling and giggling ponies who were watching my reaction. When I did notice, my cheeks flushed red, and I tried my best to recompose myself and salvage what dignity I hadn’t lost. I cleared my throat before looking over to Granny Smith. “This pie is absolutely delicious, Ms. Granny Smith.”

She waved her hoof while chuckling. “Anypony could see that there.” The Apple siblings were having a hard time holding back their laughs. “And just call me Granny. No need to be so formal with me, sonny.” I give a nod while still blushing a bit.

I noticed that Applejack seemed to perk up like she just had an idea. She leaned over to Granny and started whispering in her ear. I could see the elderly mare smiling and nodding her head in approval. “Hey, Johann, I have a new offer to show my thanks for takin’ Apple Bloom to Zecora’s.” I raised one of my brows, wondering what she could be planning now. “How does this sound, partner? As a sign of thanks for taking mah sister to Zecora’s, Granny here will bake a pie for you.” My eyes nearly bulged out of my skull as I almost started to drool again, and my tail started to swish from side to side without me even realizing it. She chuckled and smiled. “I’ll take that as a yes. So, we got a deal, partner?” she asked while holding out her hoof.

I didn’t hesitate to take it and shook it, sealing the deal.





(Present Day Johann POV)

“You’re right Fluttershy, I had nearly forgot.” I made my way to the door to go and pick-up Apple Bloom to make good on my word, before I left I looked over to her. “But I should be back in time to help you pack before you leave.”

She smiled and waved me off with her hoof. “Don’t worry about me Johann,you just go and make sure Apple Bloom gets to Zecora’s safely, it’s no big deal so don’t worry if you can’t see me off okay?” I gave her a nod before opening the door and taking off for Sweet Apple Acres.





Since Applejack’s farm wasn’t too far away from Fluttershy’s cottage, I managed to make it there in record time making up for the lost time spent. When I got their Apple Bloom was already waiting by the fence that sat on the edge of the orchard. Evidently her family’s farm was along the border to the Everfree Forest. I was told about this forest and how it was the most dangerous place in all of Equestria, when I asked why they said that it housed a large assortment of wild and ferocious creatures, all of which I’ve fought before back at the Arena. But what terrifies the ponies the most was that everything in the forest didn’t require the aid of the ponies. At first this didn’t make sense to me since from the way they described it, it almost sounded like how thing worked back on earth, but then I figured that these ponies were so used to being in control of everything from the weather to the crops they grow, that something like the Everfree is an enigma to them. And yet this Zecora that I’m taking Apple Bloom to see lives there with little problems. I’ll admit she has definitely piqued my curiosity.

With a few more flaps I glide down to meet the little apple farming filly and escort her into the forest. As we made our way inside I could definitely feel a change in the vibe around us. Their air while still breathable had this foreboding feeling to it that would send the faint of heart fleeing in terror. Yet as we walked I could see that Apple Bloom seemed to remain calm, even during the occasional branch snapping that even caused me to flinch. I guess since she sometimes comes through here on her own she is used to the creepy forest, a very admirable sense of bravery in my opinion. During our walk I did catch glimpses of some of the creatures said to live here. I saw a small group of Timberwolves and two manticores, one male and one female. Rather than try and pick a fight or try to harm the little filly was escorting they did something rather…odd. Whenever I locked eyes with them thinking they were gonna attack or try something they instead bowed their heads and moved on.  This was surprising to me as this had only ever happened once before, and that was back at the Arena when me and Glenda were trying to escape. I had chalked it up to the other creatures knowing how strong I was and knew better to fight a losing battle, yet these creatures within this forest have never seen me but do the same. I didn’t bother over thinking it since this meant that getting Apple Bloom to her friend’s places would be that much easier for me.

When we finally reached our destination, we stood before a large tree that was made into a home. It reminded me of Twilight’s tree house/library, or as she would call it a treebary. However, where her home looked like a place to buy or rent books, this one had a slightly more witch doctor vibe to it. Along some of the outstretched branches were bottles of different shapes and color, and there were tribal masks hanging around including one above the door. Now some may find such a sight within this forest creepy or even frightening, I actually thought it looked cool. Mostly due to the fact that Apple Bloom already stated that Zecora was really kind and friendly, with this I knew I didn’t have to fear it.

Apple Bloom headed for the front door and waved me goodbye before taking my leave. I saw her enter the little hut as a zebra mare allowed her in. She looked over to me and waved her hoof and I did so in kind. As I was walking away I thought I heard her say the same something, but I was too far away and thought she was talking in rhymes so I couldn’t quite get what she said. I shrugged it off since I was heading back to town and could handle myself if anything wanted to try and start something with me. Along the way back I caught a glimpse of something that I hadn’t seen on the way through here, I found that my curiosity had gotten the best of me and walked over to investigate what it was I was seeing. Past some trees I found a large field of some of the most fascinating flowers I’ve ever seen here in Equestria. They were a deep shade of blue and looked like they were all in full bloom. Now some may not find something like this especially interesting, but since back on earth I lived in the city I could only ever see something likes this on tv or in pictures. Truly this new world I live in is filled with many wondrous and beautiful scenery. I leaned my head down to take in the flower’s scent and found them to be partially odd, not bad in any way but kind of funny smelling. The smell tickled my nose until I finally sneezed sending some of the flowers flying, some of which landed on me. A quick shake of my body and I was able to get them off. “Bless me.” After a while I had my fill of the view and decided to head back to the cottage to make good on my promise to Fluttershy and feed her animal friends.





When I got back to the cottage I saw that Fluttershy was nowhere to be seen, instead I found a note on the couch. After reading the note I saw that Fluttershy had already packed her saddles with the stuff she needed and told her friends the good news and got on the next train to leave Ponyville. I did feel a bit guilty for not seeing her off but I’m sure she didn’t mind since she knew what I was doing today. So, with nothing else to do I decided to get an early start on the chores that Fluttershy would normally do. It didn’t take long since it looked like she had already done half of the work, most likely before she had left. So with nothing to do until later on I decided that I could afford to take this time for a little nap. I shifted my size to a normal pony and hopped onto the couch, doing my usual spinning in place to soften the spot I was going to sleep on. Now that I was all nice and cozy I could my eyes starting to get heavy and my mind slowing down before slowly drifting to sleep.
> Joke's on me part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Johann POV)

I could feel a bright and gentle warmth on my face stirring me from my nap. I stretched my paws out in front of me and stretched my limbs while curling my back up. I let out a low yawn before smacking my lips and opening my eyes. The sun was still out, and when I turned to the clock to see the time, I could see that only four hours had gone by, making it roughly one o’clock. I was about to get started on the evening chores when I noticed something odd. I turned to look back to the clock on top of the fireplace, which looked higher up than usual. That wasn’t the only thing that was off. For some reason, everything in the cottage looked bigger: the birdhouse that hung from the ceiling, the couch I was laying on. I hopped off the couch to look around and noticed that something was off with me. I couldn’t feel my wings and tail felt lighter for some reason. I looked back to see if something was wrong, and boy was there something wrong. “My wings are gone!!” And they were gone, but that wasn’t the only thing that was different. Instead of having smooth black scales, I had short black fur, and my tail was thinner and fluffy. I looked down at my paws and saw that, instead of them being dragon paws, they were cat paws. “I’m a fucking cat!?”

My mind was racing for an answer on how this could have happened. I remember before I fell asleep that I was a dragon, that much I was positive on. So the only question now was how the heck did this happen, and is there a way to undo it?

While I was having my mini panic attack, I felt a tapping on my shoulder and turned to look to whoever it could have been. Much to my surprise, it was a familiar face, however this face was now on nearly the same scale as myself; it was Angel Bunny. “Oi, look buddy, some of us are trying to get some sleep around here, so do you think you can keep it down?”

I had so many questions running through my head before I tried to snap myself back to reality. “Angel, is that really you?” I asked in disbelief.

He cocked his head to the side, looking rather perplexed. “That’s my name, but how did you know? I don’t recognize you.” He started to hop around me as he took in my form.

“It's me, Johann, the dragon. You know, the one that has been living with Fluttershy for the last couple of weeks?”

It took him a moment before his eyes widened in surprise. “Holy cow! Johann? Is that really you?” He asked in surprise. I nodded my head, happy that he knew who I was. “What in the world happened to you?! Weren’t you a dragon earlier?”

I nodded and sighed as I looked at my new cat paws. “I was, but the next thing I know, I wake up, and suddenly I’m a freaking cat!” I sat on my haunches, taking in my form and tried my best not to panic. “I sure hope I didn’t die again and got reincarnated as a cat.” I looked to Angel, who had a look of confusion on his face before I waved my paw. “Long story.”

He shrugged his shoulders before thumping his foot on the ground while crossing his arms over his chest to think. “Hmm. Okay, tell me what you did before you went to sleep earlier today.” I thought back to the events that had transpired before I took my nap and told him everything I did, which wasn’t much as all I did was pick up Apple Bloom, drop her off at Zecora’s, and then came back here to finish the morning chores before going to sleep. Once I had finished my rundown of my day, Angel paced around the room before his ears perked up. “Wait, did you say you went to Zecora’s?” I nodded my head. “Okay, quick question. On the way there or back, did you happen to touch a blue flower?”

I do remember running into such flowers on the way back. “Yeah, actually. I found a whole bed of blue flowers. They seemed pretty. Why do you ask?”

“Did you touch any of them?” he asked, sounding a bit worried, and when I nodded my head, he facepalmed and groaned. “Those were Poison Joke flowers!”

My eyes widened and I was starting to freak out when he said the word “poison”. “P-Poison?! Are you saying I’m gonna die…again?!” I could feel my heart starting to race as the idea of dying a second time was starting to settle into my mind.

However, before I could go into a full-blown panic attack, Angel slapped me across the face with his paw. It didn’t hurt, but it did get me to stop freaking out. “Get ahold of yourself. You’re not gonna die. Despite the word ‘poison’ being in the name, it’s not lethal. That’s where the whole joke part comes in. All it does is pull pranks on you. Usually it changes something about you, and in this case, it turns you from a dragon into a cat.” This definitely eased my worries; I had just gotten used to having a dragon body now. “There is a cure, but I don’t know what it is. Fluttershy would know since something like this happened to her and her friends.”

This was something new. I don’t recall Fluttershy telling me about this. “She has? You mean the same thing happened to her?” Now that I was thinking about it, I tried to imagine Fluttershy as a little cat. I couldn’t help but smile as I can imagine her as a cute little kitten with yellow fur and pink paws. She would look so cute.

“Nah, Poison Joke has its own unique effect on everypony. For example, when it got to Fluttershy, her voice got so deep, she sounded like a stallion.” It took all my willpower to not burst into laughter. Now I had an idea why Fluttershy kept this a secret. I’d be lying if I said I wouldn’t feel the same way if I sounded like a girl.

“So, are you sure you don’t know the cure? Maybe there is somepony I could go talk to who may know.” Before he could answer, the door to the cottage suddenly slammed open. This caused me and Angel to jolt up as we turned to see who it was that just barged in.

“Hey, sis!!” Standing in the doorway was a pegasus stallion with a light puke green coat and blonde mane tied up in a messy bun. “Yo sis, where you at?” the stallion called out as he entered the house while carrying in what looked to be luggage.

“Two questions. One: did that guy call Fluttershy ‘sis’? And two: why do I have the growing urge to strangle him?” I wasn’t joking either when I asked Angel Bunny. Something about this guy made both my skin crawl and my blood boil all in the span of thirty seconds.

Letting out a disappointed sigh while dragging his paw down his face, Angel glared at the stallion. “That’s because he’s Fluttershy’s brother, Zephyr Breeze. And trust me when I say you’re not the only one who gets like that when first meeting this guy.” Both me and Angel jumped out of the way when the guy passed through us and dropped his stuff on the floor. “He’s a total loser who acts like he can do whatever he likes. Goes to college to work on manes or some shit, I don’t know.”

“Well, if his own mane is to go by anything, I’d say he is most definitely failing.” I couldn’t help but glare at this guy, and I don’t usually hate someone for no reason. But this guy just screams “I’m a douche” the moment he walked in through the door. “So why is he here, then? Is he on break or something?”

Angel could only shrug. “Don’t know, and I don’t care. Listen, he’s gonna be nothing but trouble if we don’t get him out of here ASAP.” Angel pretended like he was rolling up some imaginary sleeves as he started to march toward Zephyr.

“Whoa, hang on.” I pulled the little rabbit back by his tail before he did something he was gonna regret. “I’m not sure how bad this guy is, but he’s still Fluttershy’s brother. We can’t just go attacking him for no good reason.” I let go of his tail and tried to calm him down. “Look, why don’t I go try and talk to him and see why he’s here? I’m sure it’s for a good reason.”

“Psh, I’d love to see you try. I’m gonna go make some popcorn while I watch this trainwreck.” Angel hopped away, leaving me to deal with Fluttershy’s brother myself.

I followed Zephyr as he made his way to the kitchen. He walked over to the fridge and started rummaging through it. When I reached the kitchen table, I hopped onto the top and cleared my throat. “Pardon me. Sorry, but could you explain to me why you are here?” Zephyr raised his head and looked over to me. “Now, I don’t mean to sound rude, but Fluttershy didn’t mention you coming over, and while I’m not in my usual dragon form, I’m still in charge of watching over this house.”

“Daw, who’s a pretty kitty?” He cooed as he got closer.

“Excuse you?” I asked while cocking my head back. “Look, buddy, I’m not sure why you’re here, but let’s get something straight here. Fluttershy left me in charge of her house. Meaning you have to listen to me and-“

“Who’s a cute, fuzzy-wuzzy hairball?” I got cut off as he started to rub my head harder than I would have liked. Actually, I would have preferred he didn’t touch me in general. It was now that I realized that he couldn’t understand me, which meant my day just got a whole lot more complicated. “Why don’t you be a good little hairball and go catch a mouse or somethin’?” Without warning, I was pushed off the table and fell to the ground, landing on my face. “Huh, weird. I thought cats always land on their feet.”

Picking myself off the ground, I rubbed my now sore nose with my paw. “Oh yeah, you sure showed him who the boss around here is.” I turned my head to see Angel munching away on a bowl of popcorn.

“This is only a minor setback,” I groaned as I continued to rub my sore nose. “It looks like we are stuck with him for the time being.” I sighed before picking myself off the ground and dusting myself off. “We’ll just have to ignore him till either he leaves or till Fluttershy gets back. Until then, I still have to do the chores that Fluttershy entrusted to me while she’s away.”

“And how do you plan to do that now that you are a quarter of the size you used to be?”

I shrugged and gave his question some thought. I hadn’t accounted for my changing size and species today, and there was a long list of things I had to take care of today and future days till Fluttershy returns home. “I’m not sure, but I’ll have to make it work either way. How hard could it be?”





It was very fucking hard, apparently. For the last two hours, I’ve been working nonstop trying to get all these damn chores done, only to have Zephyr go around and messing everything up!

First, I tried to put food in the bird feeders, only the bag that had said food was five times my actual size. I had to find a cup with a handle to grip with my mouth to get a cup of bird food, and then climb to pour it into the feeder. However, Zephyr knocked off the bird feeders that hung from the sealing as he danced around while blasting some music.

Then there was me having to help clean out the litter box for the ferrets, which stank to high heaven! I had to grip the pooper scooper in my mouth and try to dig and pour the contents into a plastic bag I had set next to the box. You can probably guess where I’m going with this. Just as I was almost done with the task, my body is bumped into the very bag filled with shit thanks to fucking Zephyr as he started to arrange the furniture for no damn reason. I never smelled so bad in my life before, and it didn’t help that through all this, Angel Bunny was watching and laughing at my expense.

I barely managed to get all the chores for the day done before climbing onto the sofa to get some sleep. The next day wasn’t any better as I tried to do all the chores of a full day, and Zephyr didn’t make it any easier. I was starting to get what Angel was talking about.

I was now just relaxing on the kitchen counter, trying to catch my breath after feeding all the animals their breakfast. “Dear lord,” I gasped as I lay on my back. “Please, Fluttershy, hurry home. Your brother is gonna make me go insane.” If it wasn’t for the fact that he was Fluttershy’s brother, I would have seriously hurt this dumb ass. He’s currently upstairs taking a shower, which is giving me some much-needed time away from him.

As I lay on my back trying to enjoy my break, there came a knock on the back door. The door was in the kitchen, which was technically two doors in a way. The door was made to open two ways, either the top or bottom, which I’m guessing is so Fluttershy could open the bottom part to let some of the smaller animals out. I hopped onto the counter closest to the door and used my paw to open the upper half of the door. When the door opened, I was greeted by a familiar face. “Uh, hello there.” It was Applejack. She had a few patches of her fur covered in some kind of white powder. “Howdy, little fella. Is Fluttershy home?” Seeing as I couldn’t really talk, something I never thought I’d go through again, I just shook my head. “Well, that’s odd.” She probably didn’t get the memo about Fluttershy leaving to go watch the Breezies since she was away. “Then what about Johann? Ya know, her dragon friend?”

‘Oh believe me, he’s around.’ I shook my head since there was no way to tell her it was actually me.

“Well, that’s a shame.” She opened the rest of the door and let herself in, which I didn’t mind, seeing as it is Applejack. But as she walked inside, I noticed that she had something on her back. It was a pie on top of an oven mitt with the top covered in aluminum foil. The scent of freshly baked apples filled my nostrils, causing me to smile ear to ear and even purr. And then it hit me: that is the pie she was gonna give me for taking Apple Bloom to Zecora’s. She moved over to the table and slid the pie off her back onto the table perfectly. “I’ll just leave this here until he gets back. I would try to find him myself, but I got a letter from my cousin askin’ me and my kin to go over for his and his new marefriend, Little Strongheart’s, three year anniversary.” I gave a meow, since that’s pretty much all I can do at this point. Just before Applejack could close the door, she peeked her head in. “Now don’t you or your little critters go eating that pie. It’s my way of saying thanks to Johann.” She winked and left, shutting the door behind her.

The smell of the pie filled the room, and I jumped from the counter over to the table in a single jump. “Oh, sweet mama.” I could feel my mouth start to water as I stared at the pie. The last day and a half have been a pain, but it’s all worth it now. And I was actually starting to thank that flower for turning me into a cat, because now, with my smaller size, this pie is almost as big as my whole body. And it was all for me. I intend to leave some for Fluttershy, but right now, nothing was going to ruin this moment for me.

“Ooh, pie.” I looked up and could see Zephyr walking in with a towel on his head. He was moving closer to the table and reached out his hoof. “Don’t mind if I do.” That was the last straw. I hissed at him and swiped his hoof away with my paw. “Ouch!” I moved myself in front of my pie and continued to hiss at him, raising my back up and glaring at him. “Hey, what’s the deal, cat?” He tried to push me away, but I swatted his hoof. “Oh, you wanna be like that? Fine, two can play at that game.”

He left the room, and before I knew it, he came back with a cat carrier and set it on the table. I had little time to react as he quickly picked me up, shoved me in the carrier, and shut the door behind me. “Heh! Brain the size of a marble.” The carrier was too small for me to turn my body, meaning I was stuck facing the inside wall. “I’ll be taking this pie now. Mmm, apple.” I could hear the sound of his hoofsteps leaving the room.

It was in that moment that all the anger, frustration, and hate that I had accommodated for the past year began to boil over, making me see red. I gasped in as much air as possible. “THIS…..MEANS…..WAR!!!” My caged rattled as I screamed at the top of my cat lungs.








(1 hour later 3rd pov)



“Mmm mmm that pie sure was delicious.” Zephyr gloated as he trotted into the kitchen with the empty pie tin in his wing. “Hey cat how about I let you lick off the crumbs to show there isn’t any hard feelings?” The pegasus stallion gloated as he dropped the pan in front of the carrier, however he didn’t receive any response from the black feline. “Aww what’s the matter, still “feeline” bad for me taking your pie?” He continued to gloat but again not a sound came. “Cat?” He turned to the carrier and could see that the cat’s tail was sticking out and that the feline was laying on its back unmoving. “Oh Celestia. Nonono!” Quickly removing opening the cage door Zephyr pulled the cat out laying him on the table. Much to his horror when he saw that the cat’s paws were stiff as board. “Kitty kitty?” He gently rocked the cat but got no reaction as the body remained rigid. “Oh Fluttershy is gonna kill me.” It dawned on him that he had just killed one of Fluttershy’s animals, and a cold chill ran down his spine. “Okay what do I do, what do I do?!” Unbeknownst to panicking stallion one of the cat’s eyes peeked open and tried his best to suppress his grin. “Uh bury it.” As he turned to look for something to help hide his dirty deed Johann quickly got up, jumped of the table and ran into the other room. “Garbage bags, freezer. What the?” When Zephyr finally turned around, he saw that the “dead” cat was nowhere to be seen. “Oh I’m so gonna kill that cat!”

He quickly ran into the living room where he could see some of the other animals roaming about. “Alright you little furball where are you?” He crouched down low trying to see if the cat had hid under any of the furniture. Meanwhile up in the bedroom both Johann and Angel were preparing to set their plan in motion.





(30 minutes back Johann Pov)



“Damn fucking cage!” I grunted as I tried to use my back paws to kick the door open. If it wasn’t for my unbridled rage I would have given up thirty minutes ago. My growing need for revenge was the only thing that was keeping me from accepting defeat. “When I get out of here I’m gonna bring that idiot down a peg!!”

“Is that so?” a familiar voice asked and from one of the holes in the side of the carrier I could see Angel Bunny. “Tell you what pal, I’d be willing to help get you out of there and get your revenge.”

I knew this bunny too well to know he isn’t the sweet and friendly bunny he pretends to be. “What do you want Angel?”

I could see him smirking as he leaned against the cage. “Just a mountain of carrots when you finally turn back to normal.”

I was honestly expecting something far worse than that, but that made this deal all the easier for me. “Angle if you help get me out and humiliate that mother fucker, I’ll give you two mountains of carrots.”

“Deal!” He poked his paw into the cage and motioned for me to move my head closer. “Okay here’s the plan, first you're gonna play dead till he comes and pulls you out, and then we will…” He whispered the rest of the plan to me, and I could feel my lips curl into an evil grin that stretched from ear to ear.  Oh yeah things are coming together.







(Present time 3rd pov)



“Where are you cat?” Zephyr called out as he returned to the kitchen trying to find the feline so he may put him back in the carrier. After no luck he moved back to the living room where he had left his bathrobe after his shower. Then in the corner of his eye he saw something, a black tail peeking just from behind a set of curtains. “There you are, you mangy fur ball.” He whispered as he got down low and began to stalk his way towards the exposed tail.

Slowly bit by bit he got closer to his target until his hoof was right above the tail. “Gotcha!!” He slammed his hoof down and yanked on the tail. However instead of pulling out a cat, all that came out was a fake tail with a string tied to the end of it. “What the?” He saw the string and tugged on it. Then suddenly he felt a warm liquid splash onto his flank and yelped, jumping back. “What the!?” He quickly looked up and saw a large bucket above his head and an odd pale yellow liquid dripping from the suspended container. A single drop landed on his forearm and his eyes went wide in shock as his fur started to fall off. “What the hey is going on!?”

As if the universe wanted to answer his question a light orange bottle rolled from under the curtain. On the label it read. “Veterinary approved fur remover” The moment he read the label Zephyr Breeze face went pale and he suddenly felt a cool breeze against his lower half. “Oh sweet Celestia no.” He slowly began to turn his head back fearing what he believed the liquid that was poured on him from the bucket. The moment his eyes met his flank he let out a girlish scream. His rear backside was completely exposed, and I mean EVERYTHING was exposed. 

In an attempt to save his pride, he quickly ran to the coach and grabbed the bathrobe and tried to hide his shame in the hopes that nopony would enter and see his exposed bottom. He heard a creaking sound and snapped his attention to the source where he saw the door had opened. “Oh no.” He realized that the cat could have wandered outside and could get lost, if such a thing were to happen he would never hear the end from his sister. He quickly ran out the door to try and spot the dervish feline, only for the moment he stepped outdoor it shut on him and he heard a *Click* sound. He tried to turn the handle only to find it was locked. “Oh no….well I’ll just go around back.” Little did he know that the end of his bathrobe was caught in the door, and just as Zephyr took a step away from the door. 



*Riiiippp!!!*

“Oh No.” Just as he realized what had happened a group of pegasus mares were flying by and let out a collected scream. Seeing the situation, he was in Zephyr trying to play it off and act cool. “Hey ladies like what you see?”

“Somepony call the cops!! There is a pervert streaking in front of Fluttershy’s house!!!” One mare called out as Zephyr took this as his queue to get out of there.

Opening the mail slot in the door Johann could be seen with a smirk on his face. “It’s a little earlier for a full moon Nyahahhahahh!!” He closed the mail slot and returned to his time of peace.







(3 days later Johann Pov.)

When Fluttershy finale returned home from her trip she was shocked to see me in my cat form. But that quickly changed to her squealing with joy as she picked me up and cradled me in her arms, saying how cute and adorable I was. And I would be a lair if I said I didn’t enjoy the compliments, and the head pats, or the scratches behind the ears, or the bellyru-OK!! Getting off topic here. After she got over my new form she flew over to Ponyville Spa to pick up the antidote for the Poison Joke. Apparently after the last time it happened the spa kept the Antidote in stock just in case of an emergency. 

One bath later and I was finally back to normal. “Thanks again Flutters. If I had to go one more day as a cat, I was gonna lose it.”

She smiled and took a seat on the couch patting the empty space next to her. “It was no trouble Noir.” I couldn’t help but smile as she used the nickname she chose to use for me. “I’m so sorry I never warned you about that stuff before.” She apologized softly. “I can’t imagine not being able to do or talk much while trapped in another body.”

I hopped onto the couch in my pony size form and yawned. “Trust me, I don’t recommend it. But enough about me. How was your trip?”

I spent the next hour listening to Fluttershy as she gushed about the cute creatures she got to see. But then there came a knock at the door cutting her off. “Now who could that be this late?” Fluttershy wondered as she got off the coach and walked over to the door and opened it. When she did I could see a familiar grey fur mare with blonde mane and eyes, she was wearing a mailmare suit. “Derpy? What brings you here?”

Said mare ducked her head into her mailbag until she came up with an orange letter in her mouth. “Fwo ouh.” She said with the letter still in her mouth. Fluttershy took the letter in her wing and Derpy took off, only a minute later we could hear a crashing sound. “Whoops my bad.”

After closing the door Fluttershy opened the letter and began to read it, her eyes scanned the page before I saw the widen in surprise. “Something wrong Flutters?” I asked now curious to see if everything was okay.

“I just got a letter from the Ponyville Police Station. They have my brother Zephyr Breeze there for….” She took another glance at the letter before cocking her head back in surprise. “Streaking in public?”

I smiled as I leaned back into my seat and got comfortable before uttering six words. “Brain the size of a marble.”
> Return Part 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Now that we covered the basics of theoretical magic physics, we can now move on to magic on a subatomic level,” Twilight eagerly said as she started to draw a new diagram on her chalkboard. All the while, I was sitting on a wooden stool debating if I should pretend to die or learn how to sleep with my eyes open.

‘How did I end up in this mess?.....Oh wait, now I remember.’ To understand how I got here, we need to rewind the clock to about two and half months ago.





It was a few days after being turned into a cat, turning back to normal, and Fluttershy bailing out her brother. When he tried to blame me, or more specially cat me, for him being sent to jail, I gave Fluttershy the full story, from the moment I woke up as a cat due to the effects of poison joke, to how Zephyr Breeze barged in and took over the place. And how the motherfucker ate my pie that Applejack made for me and locked me away. Needless to say, she was surprisingly pissed off, she gave her brother an earful, and made him pay Applejack to make me three more pies. Revenge never tasted so good.

But back to how I got into this mess. Fluttershy and her friends were having a picnic and decided to invite me along. Not wanting to be rude, I accepted and tagged along. It was really fun too. We ate good food, played some games, and had a good time. Although I sometimes caught glimpses of Rainbow Dash glaring at me. I wasn’t sure if she was mad or if it was something else, so I decided to ignore it and pay it no mind. This is around when things would change for me.

While we were all playing a game of charades, Spike offered me some “snacks” that he brought along. I wasn’t paying attention as I was trying to guess what Pinkie Pie was trying to mime out. That mare sure can move her body in ways I never knew a pony could. I reached into the bowl, and without even thinking, put the “snack” into my mouth to bite down on it. The moment I bit down, a shock of pain shot through my mouth, causing me to spit out the hard object. Turns out Spike was holding a bowl of gemstones. I rolled on the ground, clutching my jaw as the pain surged through my mouth. Thankfully, Twilight had a spell to help numb the pain till it disappeared. I wanted to yell at Spike for his bad joke, but then I remembered that the dragons of this world liked to eat gemstones. So my anger quickly disappeared and I was left to clutch my jaw, rubbing it till the pain finally went away.

When the pain was gone and I could talk without hurting myself, Twilight asked what had happened. We talked and I brought it to the group’s attention that the dragons from the “How to Train Your Dragon” universe didn’t eat gemstones. Or, at least not the Night Fury. This got Twilight excited as she sent a letter to the princesses telling them of this new development, and no sooner did she send the letter did she get one back shortly after. The princesses had wanted me to come back to Canterlot for something important. To make a long story short, they called me back to see if they could use their combined magic to alter my body one last time, so that my biology would be that of both the Night Fury and like the dragons here in Equestria.

The spell was a success, and I could now do things that the dragons of this world could do. Celestia and Luna warned me about certain things, like if I ever got greedy, it could corrupt me. But that was a warning for young dragons who didn’t know better, and while I’m not sure how old I am in dragon years, I know mentally I have the mind of an adult.

However, now that I possessed some new and unique abilities, Celestia thought it was time for me to finally undergo my teachings with Twilight and learn all I can about magic and this world. I honestly didn’t mind the idea. I mean, you would think learning about a world filled with magic and mythical creatures would be like reading a fantasy book, like The Hobbit, or Harry Potter, right?





Wrong. So very, very wrong.

Somehow, some way, Twilight has managed to suck the fun out of what could have been a magical learning experience and turned it into a college lecture. It was taking all of my willpower to not pass out and fall asleep on the stool. Bless her heart for trying to help me learn about magic, but for the love of what deity exists in this world, make it stop!

We covered subjects such as Equestrian history, politics, economy, and a whole variety of topics I’m not sure I’ll remember after today. The only reason we are going over these subjects was mainly due to the fact that, as a Duke, I’d eventually need to use some of this knowledge to better myself for Equestria.

We did manage to go over some fun topics, such as whether or not I have my own kind of magic. The reason being is when I had summoned that lighting bolt against the colossal dragon. I had guessed that only happened because of the fact that I’m a Night Fury, and in the third movie, Toothless did the same. But the princesses said that while Toothless did call the bolt of lighting in that one scene, he never used it to fire it as a weapon. That ended up with me having a bunch of questions I had yet to ask myself. Could I turn invisible in a storm like Toothless? Do I really have my own unique magic I could use, and what could it be?

“Noir?” I was snapped out of my daydreaming when I heard Twilight call out. “Are you okay?”

“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Sorry. Just lost in thought over all this amazing material we are covering,” I lied, trying to avoid her figuring out that I was too bored to pay attention.

She smiled as she set down the chalk in her magic. “I know. Sometimes I get so caught up in a lecture that I tune out everything else around me. But how about we take a break? I think Spike is making some tea and cookies for us. We can continue after we have some. Does that sound good to you, Noir?”

“Yes, that would be nice.” It was kinda weird being called Noir again, but at the same time, it also felt natural.

It’s funny how my nickname spread around to the rest of Ponyville. One day while Fluttershy, her friends, and I were all hanging out at Sugarcube Corner, we were all sitting together when Fluttershy wanted to be “bold”, as she put it, and called me by my nickname in front of her friends. One thing led to another, and suddenly, everyone started to call me by my nickname. I think it has to do with how this world’s names sound unique and match the ponies’ talents or features. Johann was considered an odd and strange name to these ponies, but Noir sounded more natural to them and even stuck better. So I decided to stick with it and didn’t bother to correct anyone. I even told the princesses, and they decided to inform the guard as well as other important figures. I guess I should have picked Noir as my new name when I was given the choice by then. Oh well. Live and learn, as they say.

A moment later, both Spike and Twilight came back into the room. Twilight held some glasses and a pitcher of milk in her magic while Spike was holding a plate of cookies in each hand and balancing one on the edge of his tail. I gotta say that Spike is a dragon of many talents. When you think he couldn’t surprise you, BAM!! He does something else. I reached out my paws and took the two plates in his hands and set them down on a nearby table. He was going to reach back for the third plate when his cheeks suddenly puffed up and he looked like he was going to vomit. I wasn’t sure what to do other than grab a little trash bin that was next to the chalkboard and bring it over to him. But just as I brought it close, he let out a loud burp of green flames. The flames danced in the air for a moment before turning, to my surprise, into a scroll that was wrapped with a red ribbon and stamped with a gold seal.

Before I could ask what it was, Twilight picked it up in her magic and read the scroll’s cover. “It’s from the princesses.” She read to see who it was for when her eyes widened. “It’s addressed to you, Noir.”

“Me?” That caught me by surprise.

Twilight nodded. “Yes. Did you want me to read it for you?” I was still learning to read this world’s language, and I was getting pretty good when it came to smaller, more common words. But given that this was a letter from the princesses, I didn’t want to risk misreading it. She broke the seal and unrolled the scroll as she began to read it. Both Spike and I watched as Twilight’s eyes shifted from side to side before she looked back up at me. “The princesses wish for you to come to the castle to discuss important matters, of which relates to you being a duke. I guess it must be official business.”

This is honestly the first time since the title was given to me that the princesses had actually called upon me to speak in person. Whatever they need from me, it no doubt has to be important matters. “I guess I should head out then. Hey, Twi, think you can let Fluttershy know for me? I would tell her right now, but I think she is still over in Cloudsdale visiting her parents.”

She smiled and nodded. “Sure thing. When she gets back, I’ll be sure to tell her what’s going on. You better get going. It’s best not to keep the princesses waiting long.”

With no reason to disagree, I turned to face the door, only to see Spike standing in front of me with what looked like a box wrapped in a cloth. “Here, I wrapped some cookies up for you to take and share with the princesses.” Twilight used her magic to summon up a satchel that Rarity had custom made for me and placed the box inside.

I couldn’t help but smile as I slipped on the satchel and moved a paw to rub the top of his head, getting a chuckle out of him. “Thanks, little bro. I really appreciate it. And I’m sure Celestia and Luna will enjoy them too.” He playful batted away my paw, taking that as my cue to head out. “I’ll see you guys later.” They waved as I walked out the door and stretched my wings to take off.





After about a good thirty minutes of flying, I was finally over the vast city of Canterlot. Over these last few months, I would regularly visit the city, mostly to visit Celestia and Luna. Other times was to make a good impression amongst some of the members of nobility, some of which had their noses turned so high that if they just stretched back far enough, they could brownnose themselves. But that’s not to say there aren’t some good nobles. Two of which are a stallion by the name of Fancy Pants, who despite his name, never wore any pants. The second was his wife Fleur de Lis. She is a well-known model throughout Equestria. But despite being some of the wealthiest and well-known ponies amongst the nobles, they were really down to earth. They seemed like genuine nice peo-er ponies. I had a good time talking with them both, and they offered to help me make good connections in the event I should have need of them.

But back to today, I couldn’t help wondering what it was that the princesses needed me to come down for. As mentioned before, this is the first time they had taken the time to summon me to the castle. Could this be something that requires my status as a duke to come into play, or was I overthinking it?

As I touched down at the front of the castle, the guards stationed at the gate smiled as they pushed open the doors and bowed. “Good evening, fellas. Hey, Copper Compass, how are the wife and kids doing?”

The stallion on the right beamed with joy as he removed his helmet. “They are doing good; Atlas Star really appreciated those tickets you got us to the planetarium for his birthday.” He placed his helmet down as he gave me a hoof bump.

I had met him a few months back. In fact, he was one of the guards who I talked to when I helped that one family fund for a new home. I met him again three weeks later when I was visiting Celestia and Luna. One thing led to another and he brought me to his home to meet his family. A lovely mare by the name of Star Map, and their colt, Atlas Star. He was kind of excited when he saw me, seeing as I was the first dragon he had ever seen, or at least the first friendly dragon. I found out that his birthday was approaching, but his parents couldn’t do anything for his birthday. The reason being they gave their money to a family member who needed it to help rebuild parts of their home from the attack on Canterlot. But little Atlas didn’t mind since it was his idea to give up the money to help them. I couldn’t help but be amazed by the selfless act by this little colt that I asked him what he had wanted for his birthday.

He had mentioned wanting to go to a planetarium that had the state-of-the-art telescope and models in all of Equestria. Without giving it much thought, I told them that I’d pay for the trip. The look of shock on their faces still makes me laugh to this day, especially when little Atlas tackle-hugged me, saying thank you over a million times. From then on, I became a good friend of the family and would visit sometimes.

I turned to the stallion on the left. “And Feather Wind, when are you gonna nut up and ask that barista out? You know it’s not polite to keep a mare waiting.”

Said stallion’s face burned a bright red as he slugged me in the shoulder, looking embarrassed. “I told you guys I will ask her out when the time is right.”

Both me and Copper chuckled as Feather Wind pouted and turned his head away. “Come on dude, you know we are just teasing.” I draped a wing around the pouty stallion and pulled him closer. “Look man, all you gotta do is show some confidence. Mares love a confident stallion, and I’d bet my wings she’s just waiting for the day when you ask her out.”

Feather blushed even harder as he tried to look away. I met him through Copper Compass when I came to visit one day. We were hanging out when Feather Wind insisted we take a coffee break at a Café, which I found odd since we had passed three before we got to the one he had us go into. It was only when we got inside did Copper and I find out why he was so intent on going inside. At the counter was a mare with a light mocha fur and golden blonde mane. I’ve honestly yet to find mares attractive like most stallions have, but I could confidently say that the mare at the counter was beautiful.

I took a glance at Feather Wind and could see literal hearts in his eyes as he was making goo goo eyes at the mare at the counter. But the moment she turned to look in our direction, he snapped out of it and hid behind us.

Right away, I knew what was up. I had been in this same position before myself once. We entered the café and ordered some beverages as if nothing was happening. The mare at the counter was named Mocha Swirl. She greeted us warmly and even smiled when she saw Feather Wind trying to casually hide behind me. I shrunk to the size of a normal pony so the mare could see him easier. He turned into a dribbling mess and bolted out of the café, leaving me and Copper to enjoy our drinks.

I decided to check on something and asked Mocha if she liked him. Without hesitation, she says she did and was waiting for him to ask her out since she knew that he liked her. So being the bro that I was, I’ve tried to pep talk the poor guy into asking her out. And every time, he would wuss out or give some half-baked excuse. I wasn’t planning on giving up, at least not without one last trick up my sleeve…well, if I had sleeves.



I gave Copper a nod, which returned as I set my final trick in motion. “Well, about that,” I said in a worried tone, which got Feather Wind’s attention. “See, just the other day, Copper and I paid a visit to that café to get a drink. But when we got there, we saw that some stallion was already talking to her.” His eyes went wide as he was getting an idea on what was going to come next. “She was smiling a lot and even laughed a few times. Right, Copper?”

Copper, who adopted a fake sad look, nodded. “Yes sir. The guy even pulled out a bouquet of roses for her. She looked really happy. And I think I heard something about him swinging by tomorrow to see her again.” 

Feather’s face started to pale as he gulped nervously. “Y-you don’t think h-he’s gonna ask her out, do ya?”

Copper and I both shrugged. “Maybe. She is a beautiful mare after all. She might say yes if he does.”

“How do you know?” he asked, sounding a bit more panicked.

Time to play the final card. “Well, she is single. That stallion looks like he could charm her with his looks, and it’s not like she has any other options to choose from. She’ll most likely say yes and give him a chance, and if all goes well, she’ll end up being his marefriend.”

That was the final push as poor Feather Wind’s eyes rolled back and he passed out. It was an underhanded move, but one that could very possibly happen if something doesn’t change. Copper had a bucket of water on hoof, dumping it on the knocked-out stallion, who jumped to his hooves and spat water out. “What am I gonna do!?” he shouted in a panicked tone. “My shift doesn’t end for another seven hours, and the café will be closed by then!”

This was the perfect time to put my title to good use again. I gave Copper a nudge, which he took as his cue to pull a letter I had Spike write for just this occasion and had Copper hold onto for me.. “Okay, here is what you’re gonna do.” I passed him the letter that had my seal (it was a stamp of a night fury, custom made by the princesses) stamped on it. “I was meant to deliver this to the café for an important matter, but I haven’t had the time to deliver it. As a duke, I shall assign this task to you.” I gave him a playful wink as I slipped the envelope into a satchel that Copper placed on Feather’s shoulder. “Can I trust you to deliver it?”

Feather Wind puffed his chest out and gave me a salute. “You can count on me, sir!” Afterwards, he spread his wings and took off in the direction of the café like a bullet.

“So, what was that important letter you had him deliver?” Copper nudged my shoulder with a smug look. “I can tell it has nothing to do with anything as important as a duke would need to be concerned with.”

I smirked back as I turned to head into the castle. “A love confession written to seem like Feather Wind wrote it, and two reservations to one of Canterlot’s finest restaurants with any expenses paid by yours truly.”

I could hear Copper start to chuckle as I made my way to the front door. “Boy, I wish I could see the look on his face when he delivers that letter,” he called out before returning to his post.

“Me too.” I agreed as I entered the castle.





As I walked down the corridors of the castle, I nodded and said my hello to the castle staff, all of which were returned in kind.

The staff had gotten to know me fairly well due to not only aiding the battle against the colossal dragon, but by how I treat them better than any other nobles they would have to deal with. This makes me a welcomed guest whenever I’m in the castle, which makes me feel a bit more at ease when inside the castle of the princesses who run this kingdom.

But this of course pissed off the other nobles whenever I do end up coming to Canterlot. Due to my rank, I’m actually a step above them. Not only that, but this title gives me the opportunity to try and court the princesses. As far as I know, there are no other ponies in Equestria with the same rank and title as myself. Before, it was a matter of trying to impress the princesses with their wealth or social standings. The nobles were playing a game to see who could achieve enough wealth and power to be worthy of gaining one of the princess's attention, but with me now thrown into the mix, I have my own issues.

Some nobles see me as an obstacle in their way of living the royal life. Others see me as a stepping stone to get closer to their goal, meaning whenever I’m in town, some noble will either A: try and intimidate me to visit the princesses less, or B: bribe me to try and get in good with the princesses. None of whichever works, but it’s fun to see them squirm like leeches.

In all honesty, they are wasting their time. I have no interest in pursuing the princesses, and I can say for sure they are not interested in me at all. I know this to be a fact for Celestia; on one of my visits to the castle, I got lost and ended up walking in on her as she and a unicorn stallion were locking lips in her royal bed chambers. I never thought Celestia’s whole face could flush red; she was redder than Big Mac’s fur.

Despite how I said the royals were pining for the chance with the princesses, it never occurred to me that the princesses would be the ones seeking out relationships with those who weren’t nobles. I should have guessed since I’ve seen enough Disney movies where a royal would fall in love with someone who isn’t.

It was funny how she and the guard known as Silver Spear tried to explain to me they were only practicing CPR. Yeah, I don’t think CPR required Celestia to straddle the stallion while sucking on his lips and moaning into them.

Naturally, I promised to keep this a secret. I never had any intentions of telling anyone anyway, but we all still had a laugh about it.

At the time, the guards treated her as though one false move would have them banished to the moon to a point that the whole stoic attitude they wore was but a means to not offend her or make any mistakes. Apparently, Celestia was having an off day and she felt rather lonely, and due to her position, there were very few she could consider a friend.

That is, until one guard decided to do what no other guard would be foolish or brave enough to do, and that was talk to a princess as though she was a normal mare. This shocked Celestia, but it also gave her hope; hope that she could have a friend. But that friendship blossomed into something much more over the years. To the public, Silver Spear was a good guard that Princess Celestia could rely on, but behind closed doors or where nopony could see, they were so much more. This is a secret that she only recently told Luna when she saw a certain dream of Celestia’s, so only she and I know of Celestia’s secret.

Speaking of Luna. As for our own relationship, that’s a different story altogether.

It all started about a month after being back in Ponyville. I was having a nightmare of my days back in the arena, and she came to put a stop to it. It surprised me that Luna has the power to travel within the realm of dreams and the many things that can be done within said realm.

When she told me that I was now in full control of my dreamscape, thanks to her being there, I was able to take the form of my human self. It felt weird to have fingers and no wings or tail, but it was a welcomed feeling. But that was only the tip of the iceberg. Within the dream realm, one can alter the very void to anything one’s imagination could come up with. I could revisit memories and places, I could be anything I wish, and it all felt so real.

It was during these times when Luna had time to spare that she would visit me, and we would talk like normal ponies would. This was a breath of fresh air for her since, much like her sister, she too has the same problems, if not worse when it comes to finding true friends. Luna is more out of touch with the world due to her one thousand year banishment.

To compare the two princesses would be like so. Celestia would give off a motherly sort of tone, in which one would feel at ease with her around and try to gain her attention from others, yet at the same time, like a mother, they fear to disappoint her.  Now with Luna, it’s hard to explain. Back in the day, the princesses were very formal and spoke like those from medieval times, which unfortunately didn’t hold up after a thousand years. But she is somehow more approachable than Celestia; she was more like an older sister. She wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and tell you the straight truth, unlike her sister, who wouldn’t dream of hurting anypony’s feelings.

With all that said, Luna found the night where she could explore my dreams to be the most fun, according to her. When in my dreams, we do certain things, such as visiting fond memories, or visiting places that I had experienced during my past life. We would travel to cities I had been to on vacation, watch movies that I had seen so many times that I knew them all by heart.

But there was one memory that I regretted showing her that I can never take back. A memory in which that changed my life forever.

 

While sifting through my memories, Luna had stopped me when she saw my past self, acting very excited. It took me a moment to realize just which memory we were seeing, but when I did recognize it, I felt nostalgic. It was the memory of when Kingdom Hearts 3 had finally come out, and I had just gotten back from GameStop at around midnight to pick up my copy. Around this time, she had asked me what video games were, for she had seen them plenty of times in both my dreams and movies from my world. One thing led to another, and soon, Luna was learning and playing video games inside my dreams.

This was my greatest mistake.

Luna had become hooked on video games, and she was going crazy over them. Somehow, some way, she found a way to bring the following to Equestria: an Xbox one, a PS4, a 3DS, and a Switch, along with a mountain of video games for them. And if that wasn’t enough, she found a way to get Wi-Fi that connected to my world. Her gamer tag is MoonButt69. She had no idea what the number 69 meant and that it was a suggestion from Celestia, saying all the cool fillies used that number. It took every ounce of willpower for me to not die laughing when Luna eventually found out what the number actually meant, and she chased Celestia all across Equestria for an entire day.

All that being said, there isn’t anything romantic going on between me and the princesses, and I highly doubt that anything of such nature would even be a possibility. 

Soon, I reached the large double doors that led to the throne room. The two solar unicorn guards nodded their heads in a semi bow before using their magic to open the door. “Duke Johann is here, Your Majesties,” the guard on the left announced as I walked in before the doors suddenly slammed behind me.

Before I could ask what was going on, I noticed something…odd.

For starters, both princesses were laying on a large, round cushion in the middle of the room. Second, both princesses are wearing socks: light blue for Luna and pink for Celestia. To people back home, that doesn’t have much meaning, but here in Equestria, where ponies wore very little or no clothing at all, it has a much more…significant meaning. To make it simple, they can sometimes be the equivalent to lingerie. And this brings me to the third and final odd thing I’m noticing…they are giving me bedroom eyes………

‘Oh, I have a very bad feeling about this.’
> Return Part 2
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

As I stood frozen in place from shock at what I was seeing, both Celestia and Luna slowly stood up from the large cushion and began sauntering over to me. “Well, dear sister, it seems our honored guest has finally arrived.” Celestia spoke in a rather lustful tone, words that somehow sent a shiver up my spine.

“Indeed, sister, and not a moment sooner. I was beginning to get restless.” Luna was giving her rump a bit more sway than really needed. “Now with you here, Noir, we can finally take care of our heat cycle.”

‘Oh shit…Heat cycle?’

One thing I learned during one of Twilight’s lectures was that here in Equestria, there are these moments known as heat cycles. These are when mares become more fertile for reproducing, but at the same time, it makes them more active in searching for a mate to help ease them. To put it simply, the girls here get horny as fuck, and will do anything to get fucked.

Now, this doesn’t happen often. Sometimes during the spring, but other times, it’s random for most mares. They will know when their heat cycle is coming and either prepare by isolating themselves from any males or purchase potions that will prevent them from getting pregnant.

Another thing I learned is that, depending on the race of each mare, there can be different factors. With pegasi, they have more endurance and can last for long periods of time. For earth ponies, well…you’re probably going to need a new bed. And if you aren’t an earth pony yourself, a new pelvis. Lastly, there are the unicorns. Due to their magical prowess, they can do almost anything in bed. The stallion went limp before she could finish? Boom! Viagra spell!

Now to my own dilemma.

As I learned, Alicorns encompass the best parts and attributes from all three of the pony races. And as of right now, I’m locked in a room with two of them…and both of them were in heat…I am both literally and most definitely fucked.

Before I knew it, both mares had somehow made their way to either side of me and were incredibly close. My heart was pounding against my ribcage as they closed their eyes and leaned in. I closed my eyes without thinking, and I could feel their breaths as they got closer, hot, labored breaths on my cheeks before feeling them tickle my ears. I mentally braced myself before they spoke in unison. “Gotcha.”

When I opened my eyes, it was to see the two princesses on the ground rolling on their sides laughing at me. It only now dawned on me that I had just been pranked. My cheeks burned with both anger and embarrassment for allowing myself to fall for such a joke.

Celestia pointed at me with one hoof while clutching her stomach with the other. “Oh sweet Faust, the look on your face!” She rolled on her side as she laughed harder at my expense.

“We were sure if thou would be capable of being flustered, but this is one time that we are happy to be wrong!” Luna was slapping her hoof on the ground as she laughed her lungs out.

As much as I wanted to be mad at them, I couldn’t keep myself from smiling before eventually laughing along with them. The more I thought about it, the harder I laughed until I was on the ground clutching my sides with them. “You two are terrible, you know that?” We made our way toward the large cushion where all three of us sat. Both Celestia and Luna were still giggling like little schoolgirls. “So, which one of you came up with the idea?”

Without hesitation, Luna quickly pointed to her sister, who gasped in shock at her sister’s betrayal. “Luna, how could you? We promised we wouldn’t tell if he asked.” She pouted as she crossed her hooves over her barrel.

“So what if I did, sister?” Luna looked at her sister with a smug smile. “What art thou going to do? Banish me to the moon again, or sit on me with your moon-sized plot?”

‘Shots fired!’ I burst out laughing as Celestia pulled off one of her socks with her magic, rolled it into a ball, and threw it at Luna’s face. This then made the moon princess copy her sister and began tossing her own socks. I ducked for cover, waiting for them to stop, which took about five minutes before both princesses were laying on their backs, panting. There was a brief pause, which I took as my chance to get a word in again. “You know, if Silver found out what you pulled with me, Celestia, he might get the wrong idea and get jealous.”

Both princesses looked at each other before breaking out into a fit of giggles, which had me confused since I didn’t think what I said was that funny. “My dear friend, Noir, you should know that prank we had just pulled on you wasn’t the first time we’ve done it,” Celestia added.

It took me a minute before I got what she had meant. “You pulled this stunt on him, too?” She smiled evilly. “Well then, what happened to him?”

“He is currently in the hospital wing recovering from blood loss on account of his nosebleed.” Luna chuckled, along with her sister.

‘The poor stallion. He never stood a chance.” I bowed my head in a moment of silence for the wet dreams that stallion is bound to have tonight.

Once the giggles had finally run their course, we were able to talk more casually. “All joking aside, I doubt he would have any qualms, considering it’s natural,” Celestia said, which had me confused, something she could visibly see. “Didn’t you learn about herds yet?”

I shook my head. “No, but if they’re anything like the ones found in the wild, then that means that it’s a group of ponies, right?”

She had a rather perplexed look before she continued. “Well, yes and no. Yes, that’s what it is at first glance, but not the whole purpose. A herd is when a stallion or mare will have more than one partner at a time. This is what we refer to as a herd,” Celestia explained.

“To put it simply, here in Equestria, it is natural for somepony to have more than one lover. Of course, this isn’t a simple thing. When a new member is to be added, all members or a majority of members in the current herd must agree for the newcomer to join,” Luna jumped in. “One cannot simply sleep with whomever they want without informing their herd should they be in one. Such acts are considered unfaithful.”

This was a surprise to me. Where I come from, it would be considered cheating if a guy dated more than one girl at a time, unless it’s an open relationship. But the concept isn’t foreign either, since in some countries, it’s natural to have multiple partners. I’m not surprised I’ve yet to learn about this stuff since it probably wouldn’t be covered in Twilight’s lectures.

Now that I had that question answered, it was time for me to find out why I was really here. “So, was there any reason you two had summoned me? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t just so you two could tease me, right?”

Luna and Celestia looked at one another and nodded their heads. Celestia’s horn glowed, and then there was a pop sound as a scroll appeared right in front of me. “We received a letter this morning. It’s from a foreign dignitary.” She floated the scroll over to me. “It’s from the Queen of Griffonstone.” My eyes quickly looked at the scroll as my heart began to race. “Upon reading it, your name was mentioned, asking if you were well. Noir, is there something you wish to tell us?” Celestia asked in a stern, yet curious tone.

‘Well, it was bound to happen,’ I thought to myself before taking a deep breath and mentally preparing myself.





I spent the next twenty minutes giving the princesses a recap of what had happened to me when I had been kidnaped from Ponyville after the fight with the manticore. Now, I had told them this story before, only this time, I gave the full story about who my “friend” was that I spent my time with before coming back to Canterlot. I told them everything leading up to the kiss goodbye.

When I had finished my story, both princesses were in a bit of shock, and it might have been my imagination, but I could have sword Luna’s cheeks were a shade darker than usual. They let my story sink in for a moment before Celestia became the first to speak. “If she is your friend, then why haven’t you sent her a letter or gone to visit her? In her letter, she was concerned that you might have died.”

In the scroll, there was a part where Glenda asked specifically about me, and whether or not I had reached the princesses in time when the colossal dragon had attacked. She mentioned that she was worried something could have happened to me, making me feel guiltier than I already was.

I had to come clean, and if I was being honest with myself, I knew that I could trust Luna and Celestia with my secret. “The reason I hadn’t gone back is…I was afraid to.”

These words hung for a moment before Luna chimed in. “What is there to be afraid of? She is your friend, is she not?”

Before I could try and think of how to explain why myself, I felt a hoof gently rest itself on my shoulder. I looked up to see Celestia sitting closer to me. “It’s because you’re afraid that she wants to be more than friends, isn’t it?” It was like she had just read my mind. “You’re afraid that the kiss she gave you might change the relationship that you have with her, and that if you’re not careful, your friendship could be at risk.”

My mouth was gaping as Celestia read me like a book. Either she could read minds, or she understands my situation more than I know. With nothing really needed to be explained, I nodded my head. “You hit the nail on the head. I wasn’t sure what I should do if she asked about it, so I kept my distance until I could think of what to say or do. There hasn’t been a single day that hasn’t gone by where I wasn’t thinking of what to do.” No matter what I tried to think of, there were times that I imagined the worst outcome where she would be mad at me.

“Tell me something, Noir.” I looked up at Celestia as she spoke. “In terms of attractiveness, are the females of our world appealing to you?”

That question was out of left field, but I wasn’t hesitant with my response. “Yes. I can easily say that I find myself attracted to the females of this world.”

It seems like Celestia was the one to be surprised. “Well, I was expecting you to be a bit unsure, or at the very least flustered. I would think you would need more time before you would even consider our kind attractive.”

I shrugged. “Yeah I’m not sure about it myself entirely, but I think it might have to be this body of mine. At some points, its instinct would kick in whenever I needed it most. It’s possible that, without knowing, I was slowly adapting.” It might also have to do with the time I spent with Glenda, and all the times she would tease me.

Nodding with approval, Celestia continued on. “Well, with that settled, I only have one question left. How do you feel about Glenda? Can you see yourself being in that kind of a relationship with her?” This question echoed in my mind for a moment. This question has been something I had asked myself before, but anytime I did ask it, I would try and think of something else. “Please, just consider this when you go see her. For all you know, she could be going through the same level of concern as you. From what you told me, that kiss could have been a spur of the moment thing. She may even be trying to figure out how to address you when you return.”

I hadn’t ever considered that Glenda could be going through the same problem as me. Is this why it took her this long to ask about me? Because she is just as worried as me?

The silence in the room was soon broken when Luna cleared her throat. “While I don’t wish to come off as rude or insensitive, there is still the matter of her invitation.”

 

That’s right, the true meaning behind the letter.

Aside from asking about my wellbeing, the reason Glenda sent a scroll to the princesses was because she is hosting an event. Griffonstone is now fully restored and she wanted to try and invite the leaders of each country that is willing to come visit and partake in a party hosted by the griffons. This was a means to let the other nations know that Griffonstone is as impressive as they had last heard of it, and possibly establish trades.

 “So, do you two intend to go to the party?” I asked as I looked over the scroll.

“Hmm. We would, but I believe I have a better idea.” Celestia smiled. “We are allowed to send a proxy in our stead, so long as they are of noble stature.” Immediately, I knew what she meant and wanted to protest, but she quickly raised a hoof to keep me from speaking. “This would be a good way to put your title as duke to good use. Not only that, it would give you a chance to speak with her. I know you are worried, but if you just continue to avoid her, you may end up doing more harm than good.”

Even though I wanted to argue, I couldn’t find the words to do so. She’s right, and if I don’t do something, I’m just fueling the fire. “Alright, I see your point. I’ll leave first thing this afternoon. I’m going to go let Fluttershy and the others know.”

Both princesses nodded their approval. “We have faith in you, Noir. As our proxy, you not only represent us, but our country as a whole. Do keep that in mind.”

“Geez, no pressure or anything,” I joked before saying my goodbye and leaving the castle to head home to pack. I could only hope that this ends well and that something good will come out of all this.
> Return Part 3
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With every flap of my wings, I find myself getting closer and closer to my destination. After heading back to Ponyville to pack and let Fluttershy know where I would be, I took off for the griffon empire. I had departed well over an hour ago, with a newly custom-made saddle attached to my back. Before, when I rushed over from Griffonstone to Canterlot, it had only taken me around two hours, but that was when I was flying at top speed. Right now, I’m on a leisurely flight, mostly to give myself some time on what I would say to Glenda. I know she must be worried, but at the same time, I’m sure she must be angry with me for taking so long to say anything to her. Of course, she has every right to be, she must have been worried sick. Meanwhile, I was acting like I didn’t have a care in the world.

I kept wondering what I would say to her. “Should I just apologize and tell her that I didn’t mean to worry her? Or should I see if she’s even mad?” I was so lost in thought that I failed to notice my wings had begun to pick up the pace and I was now flying over some mountains. My body seems to be able to navigate without me being fully aware, as though I have a built-in compass that is guiding me on where I need to go.

There is still much about my body that I’m still learning about and getting used to. I may have watched the movies and shows for How to Train your Dragon, but that doesn’t really compare to having the literal physical body of an actual Night Fury. Almost all my senses have been enhanced compared to my human body. Before, my eyesight was so bad, I needed contact lenses, and though I wasn’t a couch potato, my stamina and endurance are astronomical. Then there is my sense of smell. Before, I could smell a pizza and guess what toppings were on it, and maybe where it was. Now, I can tell exactly what ingredients were used and follow the trail of the scent with pinpoint accuracy. “And speaking of sense of smell.”

My nostrils flared as I caught a familiar scent: wet fur and feathers. Immediately, I turned my attention upwards. While I couldn’t see anything but clouds, the scent was definitely coming from straight above me. Smiling, I gave my tail a hard flick downwards, pulled my arms and legs into my body as I darted for one cloud. I let out a roar before speeding through the cloud and watched as three bodies quickly shot out before I could hit it.

There were three griffons in total, and all of them looked fairly young. One had the body of a lion, but the head of a golden yellow and black finch. Another had a panther body, but the head of a blue jay. And the last one had the body of a tiger, but had the head of a pink Galah bird.

Before I could analyze these griffons further, the one with the yellow feathers dove straight down toward me, wings pulled in and talons poised to strike. “You’re mine, dragon!”

While this young griffon was moving at a rather fast speed, the distance between us was far enough for me to prepare my next move. Just as his talons would soon graze my scales, I quickly folded in my right wing and gave my left wing a hard flap as I rolled right under him, pushed my feet out, and kicked him in the underbelly, causing him to wince as he grabbed his belly.

No sooner had I unflared my wing, the other two griffons dove down on me, their bodies not making a sound before striking. I felt one grab onto my tail while the other was latched onto my back, trying to hold my wings down. Due to this, I wasn’t able to keep my body in the air, and we began to plummet downwards. “We got you now,” the pink griffon said as she made sure my tail fins were closed.

“Surrender or die, those are your options!” the dark blue griffon shouted as his claws and talons dug into my back, holding onto my wings tightly with all his might. Soon, we could see a group of hills closing in on us as we continued to fall.

If any other creature was in my shoes-er, not that I had shoes, they would panic and try to bargain with the enemy. But I wasn’t like any other creature. “Well, if those are my only options, then I chose death.” With a flex of my wings, I wrapped the blue griffon around him, pinning him against my back. And with a flick of my tail, I wrapped it around one of the pink griffon’s legs. “But if I’m gonna die, then I’ll be taking you two with me into the afterlife!”

“Are you insane?!” the pink griffon squawked as she tried to pull away, but not making any effort with my tail firmly wrapped around one leg. “Just surrender and leave our territory and no creature has to die!”

“What she said!” the blue griffon called out as he tried to scratch and claw his way out of my wings’ grip. “You dragons need to stop hunting in our territory! We’re only protecting it, so just give up and fly away!”

“See, I would do that, but you guys made the mistake of grabbing onto me and giving me those two options.” The ground was quickly approaching. It was only a matter of minutes before we crashed into the ground. “The way I see it, you should never threaten another life if you are not ready to give your own.”

Soon, our bodies were casting a shadow over the ground, meaning within seconds, we would make a very messy touchdown. “Okay! Okay! We’re sorry! Please let us go and we can talk this out!” the griffon with the Galah head screamed in panic as she could see the ground closing in.

Both griffons braced for impact and their death before I released my grip on them and carefully grabbed them by the scruffs of their necks, flared my wings out like makeshift parachutes, and immediately stopped our freefall mere inches from the ground. With a gentle flick of my paws, I carefully tossed the two griffons onto the ground, watching as they tumbled and rolled before jumping onto their paws, ready to fight. “Wow, not two seconds after letting you go, and already set to fight?” I folded my wings in and touched down onto the ground.

Both griffons looked like they were getting ready to pounce, but I could only smile as I heard feathers ruffling loudly from behind me, followed by a yell. “I got you this time, dragon!” Taking a quick sidestep, I watched as the griffon with the yellow feathers zoomed past me and crashed into his teammates, the trio rolling down the hill together in a bundle of fur and feather.

“Gah! You idiot! Why in Tartarus would you give away your position?!…Again?!”

“Ouch! Hey, it’s not my fault he had super-fast reflexes!”

“You dummy, if you had just kept your big beak shut, you might have had him!”

I listened to the three of them squabble for a bit before lunging forward, knocking them all onto their backs and pinned them down with my paws. All three of them stared up at me in horror as I opened my mouth as I prepared to unleash a plasma blast on them. I watched them all shake with fright before stopping and chuckling. “You three really need to work on your teamwork if you ever plan to take on any creature like me.” I turn my head upwards to a lone cloud. “Isn’t that right, Gallus?”

We all watched as the cloud slowly lowered down to us before a griffon with light blue fur and feathers came flying out wearing some light armor. “So, how long did you know I was here?” he asked casually as he landed next to me, and I got off the griffon trio.

“From the start. Along with the smell of wet fur and feathers, I caught a subtle hint of metal too. When I saw none of these youngsters wearing any, I figured you were hiding somewhere watching them.”

“Hang on!” the yellow finch griffon called out. “Captain Gallus, you know this dragon?!”

Gallus, who had a smug look on his face, draped a wing over my back as he nudged me with his elbow. “This dragon here is none other than the queen’s best friend and savior of Griffonstone, Noir.”

Immediately, their collective beaks dropped as they stared at me in awe. “Nice to meet you guys. Sorry for not introducing myself sooner, but I wanted to see what kind of students Gallus has taken under his wing.”

“Noir, meet squad seven. They are fairly new, so you can see why their teamwork still needs some improvement.” Gallus gestured to the three young griffons. “I’ll have them as royal guards in no time, but for now.” Gallus moved away from me and moved to stand in front of the squad. “Squad seven, report back to the capital. And I want you guys to do twelve of our usual drills, on the double.” They all groaned and whined before taking off, leaving me and Gallus alone.

“So, are they new? I don’t remember seeing any of them before I left the last time,” I asked curiously

“Actually, yes they are.” Both of us began to walk along the hills as we talked. “See, once we could announce that Griffonstone was back up and running, word spread to the other small towns and villages in the griffon kingdom. Soon, new griffons came to see the idol and wanted to enlist in the royal guard.”

“I see. But why were there only three of them? You called them squad seven, which I imagine means there are other squads?”

He nodded his head. “Yep. The griffons who had flocked over to the capital were still stuck in the old ways of thinking. Some of them didn’t take to changing their attitudes as quickly as we did when you and the queen brought the idol back. Same goes for those who wanted to join the guard. So we came up with the idea to start them off in squads of three, so they can get used to working together rather on their own.”

“Seems like this squad still has a long way to go,” I joked as I watched Gallus groan. “So, um…how has, well, you-know-who been doing?” I asked, feeling guilty.

Gallus looked at me with a confused look, before he started to laugh. “Oh, that? Hey, don’t worry about that. I promise you have nothing to worry about.” He gave my back a few pats as he spread his wings and began to take off. I joined him as we took to the sky. “After you left, Glenda was in a right tiff, she was. But not because she was mad at you; she was upset with herself.”

I listened with great intent as Gallus filled me in during our flight. Apparently, Glenda was afraid that she had ruined our friendship and talked to Gallus since he was a good friend of both of us. For a good while, she wondered if what she did was either her feelings or just something in the heat of the moment. She had been locked in her room freaking out and going crazy till she finally calmed down and took some time to relax and get her thoughts together. She came to the conclusion that I needed some space. “So finally, she figured enough time had passed that she could try and reach out,” Gallus finished. I honestly felt a weight lifted off my chest and had a bit more confidence that things might be okay now. “Hey look, we’re here.”

Looking up, I could see the magnificent city that is Griffonstone, and how it looked even better than when I had left it. The roads were paved with bright white cobblestone, the houses were clean and fully built, and the castle looked bigger and a shining example of what a castle should look like. “Welcome back to Griffonstone.”
> Return Part 4
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Touching down near the outskirts of the kingdom, Gallus and myself slowly make our way to a large stone wall. This wall circles around the entire kingdom. It wasn’t here when I had left, but I knew of the plans to construct it. The griffons manning the giant wooden gates opened the doors without hesitation, part in due to not just Gallus, but because they easily recognized who I was. As I walked through the gates, all the griffons bowed their heads or saluted me, and I returned with a small head bow.

Once through the gates, I was able to get a proper look at the kingdom and its improvements. As mentioned, the streets were paved with cobblestone. It wasn’t too rough on one’s feet, but not smooth enough that they could be slipped on. The sound of griffons going about their days filled the air along with the flapping of wings. Where the cobblestone didn’t cover, the ground grew grass and flowers, giving a very pleasant aroma as opposed to the smell of excrement and dirty straw that once littered the ground. Not only did the grass and flowers make things smell better, but they also added color to this one dull place. Before, the buildings and ground were mute colors that could make one depressed just by looking at it. Now, however, there was a feeling of joy. I could see some griffons resting under the shade of trees while they made themselves comfortable on the soft and lush grass.

It wasn’t just the ground that had new color, but the buildings and trees around us. The buildings, which once looked like they would fall apart if you even sneezed on them, were built sturdier and were painted with brighter colors, thus improving the mood greatly. Speaking of buildings, I noticed that there were also new ones, like shops and eateries. In one shop, they sold books, paper, and other items for writing. In another, I could see other goods, such as toys, tools, or other items one would buy. There were maybe two to three new places to eat, one looked to be a cafe while another was a family restaurant. This once depressing and almost godforsaken kingdom has now flourished into a place many would travel far and wide to see.

However, as I walked, I noticed that almost all who saw me bowed down to me. There were the few who looked to the other griffons with confused looks as to what was going on. I saw one griffon sit up to whisper into the ear of one of the few griffons who didn’t bow. Whatever she had said made the other griffon jump and quickly bow down. I wasn’t sure why this was the case, but I had a feeling it had to do with what Gallus told me about the new griffons flocking to the kingdom.

“I wasn’t aware there were other griffon settlements aside from Griffonstone,” I said to Gallus after greeting a pair of griffons out for a walk with their younglings.

“Yeah, but there aren’t that many, really. Those who lived in Griffonstone were those who had generations of family members who lived here before them, but they were just too stubborn to move. There’s only a small talonfull of towns throughout the kingdom. Some only have four to seven families living in them in total,” Gallus explained as we turned the corner to head to the castle.

As we walked, a thought occurred to me. “Hey, how come you haven’t freaked out that I’m able to talk? When I left, I was mute. I would have figured I would get some kind of startled response.”

Gallus shook his head, chuckling a bit. “Oh, I did, when you were with the trainees while I was still hiding in my cloud. When I heard you talk, my beak nearly fell off.” Right, I probably couldn’t see that since I was dealing with those kids. “Speaking of which, how did that happen?”

I gave Gallus cliff notes on what happened after I took off. I told him about the fight with the colossal dragon and how I got my voice back. I left out the part on how I was reincarnated and why I couldn’t speak before.

Soon, we reached the castle walls. There was a squad of four armored griffons protecting the entrance. Said squad quickly approached us and brandished their spears at me. “Halt! What reason do you have to be here, dragon?!” one of the guards demanded.

Gallus looked like he was ready to say something when a fifth griffon swooped down and smacked the armored griffons on the back of their heads with the blunt end of his own spear. “You idiots!” he squawked furiously as the other griffons held their heads, wincing in pain, their helmets doing little to protect them from the newcomer’s wrath. Said newcomer was none other than Godbrand, the general of the army.

Godbrand was built slightly differently than most griffons. He stood around a foot taller and his body was bulkier than most. He had the common body of a lion, but the head of a harpy eagle. Whenever he was angry, which was almost always, the feathers on the top of his head would stand out, making him look even more intimidating than he already was. He had a scar that stretched over his left eye down to the edge of his beak, but thankfully wasn’t blind in it. He was built to be a warrior.

“How dare you raise your blades to one of the saviors of Griffonstone?!” he shouted, making the four guards flinch.

‘Saviors of Griffonstone? Is he referring to me and Glenda?’ I wondered as the guards started to look at me again.

“You fools, I told you more than ten times to  memorize the tapestry of the great dragon, Noir.” Godbrand extended one of his wings toward me. “This is Sir Noir, ally and best friend to our queen.” Godbrand then kneeled as he bowed to me.

The look of shock and horror on the guards faces as they now realized who I am was indescribable. They all trembled with fear before getting down on the ground as they repeatedly bowed their heads. “We beg for your forgiveness, Sir Noir!”

Godbrand looked like he was ready to lay into them, but I quickly stopped him when I raised my paw. “If I may, Godbrand, allow me to speak to them before you give them one of your famous lectures.”

Now it was Godbrand who was in shock as he heard me speak. His beak opened and closed a few times before he could form words. “I-er, yes, please, Sir Noir.” He bowed and stepped aside as I walked in front of the four cowering guards.

“Raise your heads,” I ordered, and they quickly obeyed. “I take it you four now know who I am?” I asked in a serious tone, watching as they furiously nodded their heads. “As of this moment, I am the acting ambassador to the ponies. If I hadn’t had prior history with this kingdom and its ruler, I could have taken your action as a delectation of war.” I could hear them all gulp audibly. “If I’m not mistaken, there is to be a gathering of other leaders, which I imagine would also extend to the dragons. They wouldn’t hesitate to take your actions as offensive and fly back to inform their ruler. They wouldn’t hesitate to go to war with us, all because you four didn’t take the time to think before you acted.” They flinched once more as my tone became more aggressive.

“I stand before you well within the middle of Griffonstone, well past the first wall where other guards are stationed. If I was an intruder, I would have already been surrounded by other guards, yet here I stand in no such situation. This meant I was allowed in, meaning you had no reason to think of me as an intruder.” My words dug into them, the look of guilt becoming even more obvious. “The only reason you acted this way was because I am a dragon, a critical mistake.” Their heads lowered in shame as I continued ripping into them. “As guards, your job is not only to protect this kingdom and its citizens, but to protect its image as well. I want you all to reflect on these words the next time you decide to raise your spears.”

With my piece made, myself, Gallus, and Godbrand made our way to the castle. “I’m deeply sorry for how they acted, Sir Noir. I promise to beat a lesson into them they will never forget, I assure you.” Godbrand and I were good friends, but it wasn’t always like this.

When we first met, it was two weeks after Glenda and I brought the Idol of Boreas back, and restored order to the kingdom. At the time, we were trying to find those we could count on to help lead certain parts of the kingdom, such as finances, stock and inventory, and of course, someone to help lead and train our fledgling army. Enter Godbrand. Before we began to rebuild the kingdom, Griffonstone had a small, if not shabby, defense force led by Godbrand. I say shabby because they would only get involved unless there was a major threat to the kingdom that the citizens couldn’t handle on their own. Glenda believed he was the most qualified to help build and organize a better guard than they already had. However, Godbrand himself didn’t seem to think so. He believes he and his small squad were enough to handle any threat that came their way. He even went as far as to boast that he could best me in battle on his own. Thus, leading to a one-on-one duel between the two of us, and only when one yielded was the battle over. The battle lasted over an hour, with me as the victor and Godbrand now respecting me. It was during that battle when he got that scar. It was an accident. I never wanted that to happen to him, but rather than hating me or wanting to inflict the same upon myself, Godbrand said he would use it as a reminder of my strength and the lesson he learned about not being so arrogant.

“So, pray tell, when did you start to talk, Sir Noir?” Godbrand asked as we walked down the halls of the castle.

“To make a long story short, after the battle with the colossal dragon, the princesses restored my voice,” I answered, not wanting to have to retell the whole story I already told Gallus. “Is Glenda in the throne room?”

Gallus nodded. “Yep! She’s working on some paperwork right now. We recently had a few non-griffon merchants wanting to do business here in the capital, but she wanted to review them before letting any strangers in.” I was glad to see that Glenda was managing things like this while I was gone. If what I’ve seen so far is anything to go on, she was born to lead this kingdom, and technically, she was, heh.

So we came to a set of large wooden doors, the guards stationed there bowed and slowly opened the doors. Gallus and Godbrand bowed as they decided to stay outside, giving me some one on one time with Glenda.

When I walked in, the doors behind me closed, and I looked up at the throne where Glenda was beak deep in her work. “I don’t have much time to spare, so please state your business and I’ll do my best to help,” She said almost mechanically, like this was a common thing to her, all while not looking up.

I grinned as I had a fun idea planned out. Carefully adjusting my voice to mimic an old man’s voice, I spoke. “Mmm, well, Your Highness, it’s about those darn youngsters of squad seven.”

Glenda growled, and I could see her lowering her head. “What did they do this time?”

Apparently, this wasn’t something uncommon as well, which will make this all the more fun. “Well, Your Majesty, they set fire to my lawn and smashed a hole through my darn roof!” It was becoming harder to not only speak like an old man, but to keep the act going without laughing.

Another groan from Glenda. “That’s the fourth time this week! Look, sir, I promise to deal with the damage they did to your home, but for the time being, I can’t do anything about squad seven at the moment.”

“Well, that hardly seems fair! And another thing! They were talking all kinds of trash,” I added for just a little fun.

She sighed and shook her head. “Sir, the damage to your house is one thing, but whatever they said to offend you is nothing but mere words. I’m sure you can ignore it, right?”

‘And now for the setup.’ Grinning, I adjusted my voice to maintain the old man persona. “Actually, they were trash talking about you. They said that your ass was getting so big, the pony princess of the night was gonna have another moon to move around.”

The floodgates burst as Glenda’s wings sprang up and she quickly stood on her back paws. “THEY SAID WHAT!?” Her voice boomed within the throne room, making some of the windows rattle. She hadn’t bothered to look down as she went into a rant. “How dare they?! I knew squad seven had their difficulties, but this a new low! I have been dieting the last month now and haven’t had so much as a nibble of any of Gilda’s delicious scones, and they dare say my ass is fat?!” Her movements became more animated as she ranted on. “Oh ho, just wait till I get my talons on those twerps! They are so gonna ge-!”

Finally, she looked down to where I was standing. Immediately, her eyes began to twinkle, and a smile spread across her beak. Tears began to well up before she leapt off her throne to fly to me. “Noir! You’re here!”

I was about to get ready to give her a hug when I noticed she wasn’t slowing down. I had little time to react before she collided with me, sending us both rolling over on the ground. We only stopped when I landed on my back, with her resting against my chest. She nuzzled her head into my chest and wrapped her wings around me. I smiled and moved my arms to hug her back. I could feel her shaking a bit and saw she was crying tears of joy before looking up at me with a smile. “I’m so glad you’re okay, and that you’re here. I was worried sick about you.” I smiled and leaned in to gently nuzzle her to help her calm down while still hugging her.

We stayed like this for a good while before she pulled her head up and started to look around for a moment with a puzzled look on her face. She did so for a little while before looking down at me. “Hey, Noir, did you happen to see some old timer just now? I was talking to one before I decided to tackle-hug you just now.”

I could only grin before finally letting the secret out. “Mmm, well, I can’t say that I have. Did you try checking behind your moon-size butt?” I spoke with my old man impression.

Glenda's eyes widened and her head almost made a creaking sound as she slowly turned to look at me, her beak wide open. “N-Noir?…Did you just talk?”

I smiled and decided to do my best Bugs Bunny impression next. “Eh, what’s up, Glenda?”

Her beak nearly unhinged before she shouted. “YOU CAN TALK!?
> Return part 5
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was sitting in the vast and large throne room, watching as Glenda’s beak opened and closed as she tried to wrap her head around me being able to talk. However, no words were coming out as she flapped her beak like a fish out of water. I won’t lie, her expression is hilarious, and had she been anyone else, I would have been concerned for her wellbeing. But this is Glenda, so I know she’ll be fine.

“How in Tartarus can you talk now!?” she finally squawked out, now looking even more surprised.

Like I had done before with those who have asked me this same question today, I gave her short cliff notes of the events leading up to this very moment. But the only difference between now and the last few times I told my story, I had decided to tell Glenda everything, including who I was and how I came to be in this world.

Once she had finally gotten over the initial shock of me talking, she gave me a rather skeptical look, like she thought I was making fun of her for saying I came from another world and died to get here. But when she saw that my serious look was genuine, her face paled. She acted like she had killed the family pet and was in tears. She told me how sorry she was that any of that had happened to me. She even began to cry when she also realized that I had pretty much lost everything; friends, family, and my home. I held her close, wrapping a wing around her as she cried as I comforted her. It was kinda weird. Even though I was the one who died and lost everything, I never felt this bad. When I woke up in this world, I never went through this stage of grief. But now, here Glenda was doing it for me. I felt bad that I made her cry, but I had no idea she’d get this emotional.

After I helped calm her down and told her I had no regrets on what I did, she began to relax and compose herself. Once she was no longer grieving, she suddenly switched to full blown curiosity. Before I knew it, I was being bombarded with questions left and right. Anything and everything on her mind was asked, from what my kind looked like, to what we ate, and so much more. I could have easily tried to calm her down so she wouldn’t ask so many questions, but I felt like I had put her through a lot already and she deserved to ask whatever she wanted.

She had finally taken the time to really calm down after I had done a poor reenactment of the fight with Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi on the lava planet. I wasn’t much of an actor, so sue me. “Wow. Your world sounds so cool Noi-er, I mean, Johann. Actually, I was gonna ask, but what do you prefer to be called now?” Glenda asked, curious on how to address me now.

I glanced down at my paw, trying to remember back when it was a human hand. I wiggled my claws like digits, picturing my fingers were still there. But in the blink of an eye, they were back to being the claws I had now. “You know, despite it originally being a nickname, I think going by the name Noir is the best course for my new life. I will always have the memories of when I was human, but that former life will have to remain in the past. That way, I can live this new life to its fullest.”

As I stared at my paw, I watched as a taloned hand moved in to gently rest on it. Looking up, I could see Glenda smiling warmly at me. “I think both your names are nice, but if you want me to call you Noir, I have no problem with that.” I felt one of her digits gently rubbing the pad of my paws as a means to comfort me.

For a moment, we stared at each other with honest smiles, but the moment we realized what we were doing, both our faces began to flush red and we quickly separated our hands and turned away. “Uhh, I uhh…” I blurted out, still frazzled a bit.

“Heh, yeah, totally,” Glenda responded clearly; she wasn’t able to think of anything to say either.

I knew this would come up eventually, but it didn’t make it any easier to handle. Still, I can’t just pretend like nothing didn’t happen. “So, Gallus told me what happened after I left.” I saw her body stiffen and her eyes slowly looking over to me, a deep blush spreading across her face. “I know you felt some sort of regret for what you did and have been worried that I would be mad or even stop being your friend.” I made sure that I gave her the most genuine smile I could as I moved one of my wings to rest on her shoulders. “I promise that isn’t the case. I’m still your friend, and I wouldn’t dream of ditching you like that.”

A brief silence filled the room as my words had taken their time to finally settle within her mind. And when they did, I watched as Glenda’s eyes began to water and she started to sob. Before I knew it, she lunged forward, wrapping her arms around my chest and began to cry tears of joy. I moved my paws to wrap around her back as I felt her crying into my chest, nuzzling me as she did. I stayed there, letting her get it all out of her system, caressing her back as she cried and cried.

After she had gotten a good majority of her crying out of the way, I figured I might as well be somewhat blunt. “So be honest with me. What do you feel towards me?”

She looked up, almost scared, but when she saw that I had a calm look on my face, she calmed herself down. She didn’t look me in the eyes as she rested her head on my chest. “I-I think I love you, Noir.” Despite knowing that could have been an answer she would give, it didn’t stop my heart from skipping a beat. “I’m not sure when it happened exactly, but I think it was back when we had that dinner in the diamond dog kingdom.” The memory of that night began to flood my mind. The light, the food, and the atmosphere did give off a romantic vibe that, at the time, I had failed to notice. “When we were finally able to really relax without worrying about being attacked or chased, I thought about the relationship we had.” I could feel the grip around my waist tightening as she sobbed a bit. “And then you helped me fulfill my father’s dying wish. If it hadn’t been for you showing up on that fateful day at the arena, I’m sure I would have died there.”

She sobbed harder, and I could feel her body quivering as she buried her face in my chest. Looking back to everything that led to this moment, I could understand where she was coming from. I moved my paws and wings to hold her gently as I lowered my head to nuzzle her own. For the longest time, we stayed there, just embracing one another. The guilt in my heart only grew. I had left her to deal with all these fears and emotions on her own. ‘No more. I won’t let her feel this way again.’ Those words echoed in my mind as I held her close.

When she had finally stopped crying, I made sure to wipe away her tears and stroked her back. “N-noir, can I ask you something?” I craned my neck back so she could look at me more directly. “I-I love you…I wanted to say that for a long time now.” Though her face was covered with feathers, I could easily see a blush forming on her cheeks. “Even if you can’t reciprocate my feelings, I just wanted to have the chance to tell you at least once.”

I could feel my heart now beating harder in my chest, so loud that I could hear it in my ears. Here was Glenda, pouring her heart out to me. My mind raced with thoughts and ideas, some that made my heart flutter while others made it feel cold and shriveled. “E-Even if you can’t love me back, will you still be my friend, Noir?” she asked with hope gleaming in her eyes, along with more tears.

If I could kick myself, I would do so in a heartbeat. It’s because of me she is this scared and afraid to speak out her feelings, feelings she held back that were hurting her. I gently moved my paw to stroke her head. “Glenda, I’ll be honest with you.” I could feel her tensing up as she listened. “It’s not that I can’t love you back. It’s just going to take me some time to open up, that's all.”

There was a new look now on her face, one that looked both hopeful and confused. “W-What do you mean? D-Do you need more time to think about it?”

I shook my head and we separated for a moment. “No, that's not what I mean. Truth be told, I like you a lot. Back when we were both stuck in the arena, anytime you teased me, I couldn’t help but think how sexy and cute you were.” Her cheeks turned to a darker shade of red as she no doubt recalled those moments. “So here’s the thing. You remember how I mentioned being from another world, right?” She nodded her head and I continued. “Well, back in my old world, the idea of seeking a relationship with a creature that wasn’t of my own species was considered a sin.”

Her blush faded suddenly, and she looked heartbroken. “S-So you’re saying, because I’m a griffin and you’re a dragon, we can’t be together?” There was a noticeable crack in her voice as tears began to well up again.

Waving my paws quickly, I was able to calm her down. “N-No, I didn’t mean it like that! Here, let me explain.”

From there, I told her a little more about my world and how things were vastly different compared to here in Equestria. I told her about how there were many different kinds of religions, and that one thing most had in common was the unity between a human and an animal in a lover’s way was considered one of many great sins. At first, she didn’t understand the problem all too well, until I told her that humans were the only species on Earth to have the ability to talk and have cognitive thoughts. This had finally been the key to make the idea click in her mind.

Here in Equestria, there are also animals who are the same way. One example that we both knew of was about how in Equestria, there are two kinds of deer. Those who can speak and do things, such as run businesses, form communities and shops, while the other kind are nowhere near as intelligent or as complex to do the same.

When this analogy was made, Glenda started to cheer back up and the glimmer of hope came back in full force within her eyes. “So what you’re saying is, you just need to get used to loving some creature who isn’t another hoo-man, right?”

“It’s human, Glenda, not hoo-man, but yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” I moved a wing to pull her in as I hugged her and could feel her humming as she nuzzled into me. “I’ll be frank, this whole world is still so new to me. There are things that I’m still learning about. Not to mention I’m still getting used to being a dragon.” My paws would caress her back, getting me some soft purrs out of her. “But little by little, the old ways of thinking from my world are fading. So all I’m asking is for just a little patience, and soon, I’ll be more than ready to pressure a relationship with you.” Leaning down, I gave her a soft kiss to the forehead and smiled as I looked down at her.

I almost started to laugh as I saw her feathers start to puff up, her cheeks burned a deep shade of crimson. “Y-You mean it? You just need time?”

Though neither of us wanted to, we let go of one another as we continued our talk. “I do. Actually, it’s thanks to you that I’m getting used to the idea.” Glenda had a puzzled look on her face. “Remember how back at the arena, you liked to tease me?” Faster than you can say “Bob’s your uncle,” the realization dawned on her. “When you first tried it, I wasn’t all that affected. Though as time progressed, I saw you as more than just a friend. Your charm started to work on me.”

Steam was now billowing out of her ears as she no doubt was thinking back on all the times she got flirty. Oh, and there were a lot of times, so it took her a bit of time to go through them all in her head. She looked down as her cheeks were burning with absolute embarrassment. It was so cute seeing her incredibly flustered. “So, where do we go from here? I-I mean, you’re staying for the summit, but what happens afterwards?”

I scratched my chin a bit as I hadn’t considered this. Hell, up to this point, I was afraid something bad was gonna happen, but now that everything’s out in the open, we don’t need to tread like we’re on thin ice. “Well, I’m expected back in Ponyville anytime soon. I don’t think spending a little time here would hurt.” I smiled as I looked back at Glenda. “That is, if you’ll have me?”

“I do!.....Wait, no, that’s not what I meant!” Before she could say anything, I was on my back laughing my scales off. I caught a glimpse of her puffing up like a fluffy marshmallow, which only made me laugh harder as she pouted. “On second thought, I don’t want you at the summit. You can go back home now.” She turned away and sat on her back paws while crossing her arms over her chest.

I found her attempts to be mad adorable, getting back up onto my feet to walk over to her. “Aw, come on, Glenda, don’t be like that. You know I’m just having fun is all.” Craning my head down, I nuzzled my cheek against hers and let out a soft purr.

Try as she might, she was unable to resist the powers of nuzzles. “Alright, you big softy. I forgive you.” She leaned her head into mine, and we stayed like that for a good moment. I’m not sure if it was love or not, but the feeling of us this close to one another brought a warmth to my body that no fire could ever make. “But yeah, you’re more than welcome to stay here in the castle. Your room has been kept clean in case you decide to visit.”

Separating, we both sat up straight to finish our chat. “That sounds great to me. When exactly is the summit going to start?”

“Tomorrow night. We’re still making preparations as we speak, hence the mountain of paperwork I have to work on.” She gestured back to the throne, along with the large pile of scrolls and parchment, some of which had fallen to the floor from her abrupt take off. “So yeah, I’m not gonna have any free time till later tonight. But hey, there are tons of new things around here now. We got new shops, plenty of food stalls, and maybe you could swing by the barracks to say hello to the guards you helped train. I’m sure they’ll be happy and surprised to see you, especially when you start talking.” She grinned and giggled as she could no doubt imagine their reactions, provided that Gallus hadn’t said anything yet.

“You know, that actually sounds like a fun idea. I’m tempted to go learn more about this squad seven.” Glenda rolled her eyes and scoffed. “They’re that bad, huh?”

She shook her head and sighed. “No, it’s not that they’re bad. It’s just they’re a real talon full.” I watched as she pinched the bridge between her beak as she let out an even heavier sigh. “Each one has his or her own issues, but they mean well. One is Tartarus bent on becoming the next captain of the guard, while one is too stubborn to ask for others’ help and doesn’t do too well in group efforts, and the last one is too lovestruck with her teammate to focus on her own training.” I gently patted her back, seeing that these kids were really giving her a run for her bits. “But when all is said and done, they can come together when it matters most.” She started to walk back to her throne to no doubt continue her work, when she stopped to look back. Not at me, but at her own flank. “Did they really say my ass was too big? I have been trying to lose weight, you know.”

I couldn’t help but smirk as I made my way to the doors, letting her get to work in peace. “Nah, they didn’t say anything like that, I promise.” As I stepped through the door, I made sure that my head was the last thing to go through it. “However, and this is just my personal opinion, I think a girl with a bit of junk in the trunk is kinda hot.” I quickly slammed the door behind me before running to the front gates before anything else could happen, almost running into a server on the way out.





(3rd POV: Inside the throne room, after Noir left.)

Glenda was stuck in place as the last words Noir said echoed in her mind. Her heart thumping and her cheeks burning again, an effect that her crush has on her. As she stayed glued to the spot like a statue, the door opened, and a server came walking in, holding a quill and notepad. “Your Highness, it’s almost time for lunch. Will you be having your usual salad and fish?”

Glenda’s head quickly turned to look at the servant, causing him to jump a little. “Fuck the health food. Go down to Gilda’s bakery and tell her I want a baker’s dozen of every scone flavor she has on the menu.”

The server looked bewildered and felt as though the queen was having a moment of weakness. “B-But Your Majesty, what about the diet?” he asked nervously.

“FUCK THE DIET!!! SCONES!!! NOOOOOOW!!!” She screeched at the top of her lungs, scaring the poor servant as he darted out of the throne room, and ran as fast as his legs could take him to Gilda’s bakery with the mother of all orders.
> Memories From The Past
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Not soon after leaving the throne room with a hard blush on my face for what I said, I watched one of the castle’s staff bolt right past me as though someone lit a fire under his tail. I didn’t give it much thought since I was still mentally facepalming for what I told Glenda. It just slipped out of my mouth when I wasn’t even thinking. Part of me had hoped I didn’t say anything stupid. I said that to make her feel less worried about dieting for appearance. “Ugh, I hope that doesn’t come back to bite me in the ass,” I groaned before making my way out of the castle.

As per usual, the guards I would pass bowed, and I returned the gesture, something I’m sure I’ll be doing a lot in the future to come. When I had a chance to think about something other than the dumb stunt I pulled in the throne room, I tried to consider what to do. Up till now, all I could think about when coming here was how I should talk to Glenda about the past, but with that now taken care of, I was now wondering what else I could do to pass the time now?

There were plenty of new shops to go exploring, not to mention new eateries that sprang up, including Gilda’s new bakery. There was also the guard barracks that Glenda mentioned too. I could always pay them a visit and see what they’ve been up to. “I’m sure Godbrand has been doing a good job training the new recruits that come along.”

While strolling through the capital, I decided to talk with some griffins that I knew before I left. The reason being that some of the newer residents, while they weren’t as mean as when I met the first before bringing back the idol, they still weren’t as trusting to a dragon like myself. And I couldn’t really blame them given their history and current events to come.

During our first week in Griffonstone, I would remember helping the hunters on outings, and running into teen dragons on occasions. Even before Glenda and I showed up, this was something of a problem. The three kingdoms closest to Griffonstone on the map were Saddle Arabia, the Dragon Lands, and Zebrica. Griffonstone had very little territory compared to these three kingdoms, which didn’t help when it came to hunting for meat. The very few places that had a nearby meat source within Griffonstone’s borders often meant that myself and a squad of griffins led by Godbrand would fly to Zebrica to hunt along the grassy plains. Saddle Arabia was closer, however, a majority of its lands were made of sand and didn’t have much in the way of big game. As for why this was a problem regarding dragons, it would have to do with them trespassing onto griffin territory to nab the game we hunt and depend on.

We knew that the dragons could sustain themselves on more than meat; like how griffins can eat baked goods, the dragons could eat gemstones. But we knew that they actively trespass into the griffin territory for shits and giggles. On many occasions, we had battles with them when on hunting trips. This would often happen while we were hunting in the lands of Zebrica. This country was almost no different to Africa back on earth, the only difference being that it was only the Zebra’s who were sentient and could talk. The land had many animals that you would see on a safari there: lions, hyenas, antelope, and oxen. The only animals the zebra’s cared for were actually the oxen since they helped with pulling supplies and caravans across the grassy plains, or tilling the land for which they grow their grain.

In fact, it was on one of these hunts that we of the griffin kingdom managed to score some brownie points with the rules of Zebrica. It was around the time my wing had finally healed, I remember it as though it were yesterday.





(Back when Noir couldn’t speak) (Noir POV)

It was a blazing hot day as Godbrand, a squadron of griffins, and myself flew over the sea of grass in Zebrica. Due to the game near Griffonstone becoming scarce, we were forced to take drastic measures. Glenda wanted to help provide more food for Griffonstone, believing if the citizens had full bellies, they would be easier to deal with and aid in the reconstruction of the capital. However, we didn’t foresee the lack of prey in the kingdom, which did force our claws into hunting elsewhere to obtain a source of meat.

Godbrand had informed me on how they would usually get meat if none could be found in the kingdom. There were two ways of going about it. The first would be that they would need to cross to the pony nation to deal goods with them. They knew that some ponies raised livestock that they could purchase for bits. However, due to their past attitude and their reluctance to use their bits, this was a rare occasion, and they weren’t happy when doing it.

The second option would be to go beyond the border and hunt in one of the neighboring kingdoms. The one they would go to for a guaranteed good hunt was Zebrica, partly due to the zebras being more tolerant of outsiders so long as they aren’t affected along with their cattle.

We were on the hunt for only a few different kinds of animals: antelope, hippos, warthogs, even some predatory animals like hyenas and lions. I was somewhat offput by the idea of a griffin eating a lion since some were technically part lion, but logic was thrown out the window with a bomb strapped to its chest when I entered a world of magic and fiction.

We had eventually stopped near a watering hole to not only get something to drink, but also to wait and see if anything would come on by for a drink, too. The watering hole was so small that not even a crocodile would be able to hide in it. After getting what we needed, we set off to go back on the hunt.

While flying, I caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head to see what it was, I saw what looked like a small flock of large birds circling an area. I had thought it was just some vultures circling a new kill, but after my eyes adjusted, I quickly realized that it wasn’t birds, but dragons.

Stopping the squad with a roar, I got Godbrand’s attention, and he too saw what I was looking at. “Damn, it seems that we aren’t the only ones on the hunt. To Tartarus with those damn dragons…” He shut his beak quickly before looking at me with an apologetic look. “No offense, sir.” I rolled my eyes and waved it off before turning my sights back on the dragons. I noticed something was off. The way the dragons kept diving down, only to quickly pull out seemed odd, especially since they were doing this repeatedly with the occasional breath of fire. “Seems they are attacking something. Perhaps it would be best for us to move on. If they are already preoccupied with their own prey, then we..”

I raised my paw and motioned with my claw to my lips to silence those around me. It took a moment to isolate the sound of wings flapping before I could focus my attention on the sound coming from up ahead. After a few seconds, I could hear yells and pleas for help coming from where the dragons were flying over. There was someone being attacked, and I highly doubt it was the dragons calling for backup. Turning to Godbrand, I moved my paws and claws to make a variety of gestures.

Over the few days I spent with Godbrand and his squad, I decided I needed some form of communication for at least something as important as combat. With Godbrand’s help, we were able to establish our own version of ASL. I made a few gestures that told him to prepare the squad as we were going to go help and fight the dragons.

Godbrand naturally had his reservations on the idea as he was still getting over that threshold of a mindset that no one but him mattered, but much to my approval, he nodded his head and looked back to the other griffins. “Alright you lot, we’re going into battle! You know the routine!” The others shouted in acknowledgment and began to climb up into the air. Godbrand looked to me, nodding before following the others as he got into position and left me to do my part.

With our plan set into motion, I sped off toward the fight. With every wingbeat, I closed the distance between myself and the group of dragons, and once close enough, I immediately groaned and rolled my eyes. There were four dragons in total, all of which I knew to be around their teens. How do I know? Because I would run in with these little fuckers almost on a daily basis.

It was Garble and his little gang of dragon buddies. Garble was a red scaled dragon with orange spikes and a yellow underbelly (fitting for him really). His little gang consisted of three other dragons, whose names I barely care to remember if at all when I can help it. There was a chubby brown dragon whose wings I have no idea could keep his body more than one inch off the ground, let alone fly. A dragon with all white scales and pink spikes and eyes, which I had figured he was an albino at one point. And finally, a tall and skinny dragon with purple scales and spikes, and with some crazy surprise blond hair that covered his eyes. Seriously, get a haircut, hippy!

These little fuckers were the bane of my time in Griffonstone, as they made it their career to piss me the hell off. They had the brain mentality of college frat boys, and the testosterone of a drunk man at a bar fight. So many times, they would come into the griffin kingdom to stir up trouble, from ruining hunts to trying to steal from the citizens of their bits and gemstones. But the moment my wing had made enough of a recovery to get me airborne again, I made it my personal business to teach some lessons into these little shits. And it looked like class was in session.

I could see that Garble and his motley crew of dragons were harassing a group of zebras, a very well decorated group if I might add. The wagons were actually their version of a carriage, and they had a lot of well-groomed oxen pulling their fancy carriage. The zebras who were out and trying to knock down the pesky dragons with arrows had fairly decent armor. It wasn’t like the kind my squad had, which was full plate mail, but rather chainmail under leather armor. This would mean that they could move much more swiftly without being weighed down by armor plates, but it wouldn’t do much against dragon claws and fire. On second glance, I saw a large number of the zebras surrounding one of the carriages, thrusting their spears near any dragon that dared to get close. It was clear someone of great importance was still inside and that this little caravan was more than what it seemed.

This didn’t matter to me as I was still planning to step in, even more so knowing Garble was here. When I was close enough, I locked eyes on Garble as he was getting ready to dive in. I let out a powerful roar, which quickly garnered the attention of everyone present, especially Garble. “Not you!” he shouted before lowering my head and tackled him out of the air, flinging him to the ground before turning my sights back on the other three dragons.

“It’s that griffin loving traitor!” the portly brown dragon shouted.

And like clockwork, all three dragons set their sights on me and started making a beeline toward me. In any other circumstances, I would be somewhat concerned about taking on three opponents at once, however, that wasn’t the case here. As I mentioned before, we would constantly have a run in with these morons, but despite this, these grade A idiots lack pattern recognition as the squad of griffins dove down, bearing their talons on the clueless dragons.

This was a maneuver I remember picking up back in high school during dodgeball sessions. If you have two balls (Stop typing, you dirty minded fucks, I see you moving to the comment sections), and your enemy is focused on you, you toss one ball up into the air, getting the enemy momentary focus on the chance to catch the ball, then throwing the second while they’re distracted and landing a hit. This was similar to that: one member of the group tackles the leader of the second group, getting all their attention while the rest of the squad lines up high above to dive down and slam into the enemy while distracted. And because these dumb butts can’t seem to muster up the braincells needed to remember this tactic that we’ve use constantly on them, we continue to use it whenever our paths cross.

Each of the dragons were tackled out of the sky by one or two griffin guards. Once knocked to the ground, the zebra soldiers joined in on the fight against the dragons. Thankfully, they seem to grasp that the griffins were helping them, so they didn’t make any moves against them while directing their attacks at the dragons.

I jumped back onto my feet as Garble shoved me off and glared at me with equal parts hate and annoyance. “Ugh, what’s your deal?! Why is a dragon defending a bunch of striped ponies?! Got tired of just fighting for the griffins, so you gotta help them now, too?!” Garble snarled as we circled around one another. Garble always felt the need to rant at me, this little, whiny dragon wasn’t used to being on the receiving end of a beat down.

Even if I could talk, I never considered him worth any of my time to respond back to. Instead, I fired off a few plasma blasts at his feet. Naturally, some may wonder why I don’t just off this little twat now and never have to worry about dealing with him ever again. It’s because I’m not a freaking monster, that’s why.

Yes, despite the many beasts and monsters I killed in the arena, I couldn’t bring myself to kill this loudmouth dragon. Why? For a few reasons. Firstly, he’s young and dumb. I doubt he can even grasp the gravity of his actions as of now. Second, if I do kill him, there’s no guarantee that his parents or other relatives wouldn’t come seeking revenge and start a full-blown war.

The impact of my blasts upon the ground sent rocks and dirt flying into the dragon’s face, causing him to shield his face and cough from the dust cloud. That’s when I would run in, twirl my body around, and slap him hard in the face with my tail, or as I would prefer to call it, a dragon bitch slap. ‘Cause let’s face it, that’s exactly what I’m slapping. Said slap was strong enough to send Garble flying into a nearby dead tree, which snapped upon impact and landed on him. With his body now pinned under a tree, two of my squad  mates moved in, their spears pointed at him while he struggled to get the tree off him. “Ughh! You fucking bastard!” he shouted as I made my way toward him, getting the two griffins to step aside. I glared at him while he was forced to look up at me. I gave him a snarl of my own that told him I wasn’t playing any games. Garble was stupid, but he knew better when he was outmatched. “Ugh, Fine, we’ll leave. This place is too infested with striped ponies anyway.” That was the best I was gonna get from him, so with another plasma blast, I shot the part of the tree that had him pinned and shattered it.

Getting to his feet, Garble took off into the air and called out for his goons to follow. All of which were badly bruised, both with their bodies and their pride. Garble shot me one last look and flipped me the bird, to which I responded with a small plasma blast to his butt, getting him to yelp in a high-pitched tone before darting away back to the Dragon Lands.

However, no sooner after Garble and his lackeys left, the zebra soldiers turned their attention toward me, spears in hoofs directed at yours truly. Now, understandably, I should be angry that those I choose to help are now trying to turn me into a dragon skewer, yet that wasn’t how I felt. I knew they were apprehensive about me, given I, too, was a dragon, and after what Garble and the others did, they were well within their rights to be wary of me.

Thankfully, Godbrand swooped down, putting himself between me and the zebras. “Hold your spears! This dragon is the one who came to aid you! Show some respect!” Godbrand didn’t bother hiding his own rage as the other griffins soon came to stand between me and the zebras as well. It was kind of heartwarming to see them quickly defend me, but now there was a standoff between us and the zebras, and I didn’t want there to be any bad blood between us.

I was going to try and get Godbrand to calm down, when someone else intervened. “What is the meaning of this!?” a female voice shouted, which got everyone’s attention, the zebras’ especially. The zebras who had their spears pointed at us quickly shifted into a neutral stance, making a gap within their ranks. Walking between said gap was a zebra mare, who stood a few inches taller than the other zebras. She wore golden rings around her neck, her right foreleg, and the dock of her tail. However, that wasn’t what made this zebra mare stand out amongst her peers; what made her stand out was her coat color. A normal zebra would have the usual black and white strips, but she didn’t. True, she had the white stripes, but instead of having black stripes, they were blonde. And that wasn’t all. She had a long, flowing mane and tail that were a golden blond, and eyes were silver.



She was, in my opinion, stunning. I wasn’t sure what it was about her, but her presence alone seemed to put all around at ease, including myself and the griffins who not a moment ago seemed riled up for a fight. As she walked down the gap made by the other zebras, who bowed their heads as she passed them, it finally clicked for me. The large number of armed soldiers, the fancy carriage, and the air of someone with dignity and grace of royalty. She didn’t look like royalty; she WAS royalty.

I nudged Godbrand and motioned for us to bow out of respect. I half expected him to give me some grief on it, but rather, he and the others did so as if Glenda was standing before them. We all bowed and listened to the sound of her hoofsteps getting closer before they stopped. “Please, raise your heads.” Her voice was smooth and calming as we all looked up to see her standing before us with a gentle smile.

There was something odd going on. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling, but it’s as if a calming wave has washed over me. One could associate this feeling with love, but that wasn’t it at all. There wasn’t any sense of want or lust being aimed at this zebra mare. I glanced to see that Godbrand, as well as the other griffins, were also in a state of calm, the same for the zebras, both of which looked like they were ready to go at each other’s throats not two seconds ago. Yet here we all stand; calm and peaceful, as though nothing has happened. Something was amiss, but whether it was good or bad is left to be seen.

She was now standing before me and smiled before giving her head a little bow. “I want to thank you and your friends for coming to our aid.” When she bowed, the zebras behind seemed a bit put off, even some giving gasps of surprise. This didn’t go unnoticed as she turned to look at one of the zebras who stood at the front of the others. “Captain, to what reason would you raise your weapons to those who came to our aid?”

The captain of the zebras seemed a bit put off and shuffled in place. “Ma’am, you don’t understand. They are a group of griffins, and what’s more, they are being led by a dragon, the same kind of creature who attacked us. Don’t you understand?”

I couldn’t help but feel a little offended, yet I could understand his worries. We are predatory creatures, and it’s only natural that he feels that way not shortly after being attacked by a group of dragons. But this didn’t seem to faze the zebra mare. “I’m aware, captain, but if I’m not mistaken, this dragon along with his griffin allies came to our rescue, something they weren’t obligated to do. They could have easily left us alone to fend for ourselves and let who knows what would happen.” I caught a glimpse of Godbrand looking a bit guilty, considering he was against us helping to begin with. “Besides, I saw how this dragon stood against those who attacked us, despite them being of the same race. And even after you so rudely pointed your weapons at him, he made no actions to try and retaliate.” Now it was the zebra captain’s turn to look guilty. “I believe we not only owe them our thanks, but our sincere apology, wouldn’t you agree, captain?”

There was an awkward silence for a good while before the captain walked closer to us and bowed his head, even bending his front legs to lower his head further. “I am deeply sorry for my rude behavior. We owe you a great debt of gratitude for helping us, and we couldn’t be anymore grateful.”

For a while, no one said anything, so I moved in and gently patted his withers, letting out a comforting purr to show there was no hard feeling. He raised his head and seemed more at ease. “So then, might we have the names of our saviors?” The griffins and Godbrand introduced themselves no problem, but when it came to my turn, I, as per usual, couldn’t say a word. The female zebra seemed almost hurt by this. “Are you upset with us? Was our apology not enough?” She definitely sounded hurt.

I was about to freak out, trying to think of a way to clear things up when Godbrand stepped in. “My apologies, ma’am. Please do not worry. Sir Noir here would have introduced himself if he could, but I’m afraid he lacks the ability to do so.” The zebra mare looked confused, the other zebras sharing her reaction. “You see, Sir Noir lacks the ability to speak.”

The mare looked shocked, and even looked at me with pity and sadness. “Truly, for what reason has he been denied this ability?”

Both Godbrand and I shrugged our shoulders. “We honestly don’t know ourselves. Not even Sir Noir understands it himself. But we’ve seen him try to speak, but all that comes out is inaudible sounds.” It made no sense to me at all. I know how to talk. All you need to do is breathe in and out while moving your lips, but despite how easy I make it sound, I could never do it.

From here, Godbrand went on to explain who we were and our reason for being in this nation. I was a little worried when he mentioned we are out hunting, but the zebra mare didn’t seem worried or put off by this. “Well, if you are here to do some hunting, I could help by telling you the best places to do so, and to catch fish, too. It’s the least we can do to show our thanks.”

We bowed our heads in gratitude, before Godbrand spoke. “Many thanks miss…um…I’m sorry, I don’t believe we ever caught your name, ma’am.”

Said mare seemed just as surprised as she must have realized that she never did introduce herself. “My apologies.” She gave another bow of her head before looking up to us. “My name is Zaya. Princess Zaya of Zebrica.”

All our jaws dropped at the same time as we heard this startling bit of information. And I was right to assume that she was royalty, but I never would have guessed she was a princess.





(Back in the present)

Looking back on that day, I never did figure out what about Zaya that made everyone there calm down. When we got back to Glenda, Godbrand went and told her the whole story. Glenda was just as surprised as us when we told her we had saved a princess from the neighboring kingdom.

“I wonder if she’ll try and get one of the royals from Zebrica to come to the summit? I only know of maybe a few dignitaries who might attend,” I thought aloud as I walked.

This brought me back to the worried concerns I heard around the town. One of the invited dignitaries was the ruler over the dragons, the dragon lord. Many of the griffins were skeptical about inviting the ruler of the species that often gave us the most grief. Many believe that he would be no different than the dragons who constantly ruined our hunts and made it their mission to trespass in our lands.

I couldn’t say whether or not their fears were justified or not. I know nothing about this dragon lord, and if he’ll even show up. And if he did, what’s to stop him from causing trouble, or even ruining the summit? These were questions I didn’t really want to think about at a time like this. I had a feeling that Godbrand was having the same ideas as he is no doubt going to have all the guards in the kingdom on high alert.  “Maybe I should go and see Godbrand first. Just to see if he has any ideas or information on this dragon lord who might be attending the summit.” I took one look around my surroundings to get an idea where I was before making my way to the guard house where Godbrand would be. “Here’s hoping he only has good things to say.”
> Sneak Peak
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

During my first week working alongside Godbrand, I learned many things about the most common threat to the Griffonstone kingdom, dragons. Both species are fiercely territorial and are also carnivorous, meaning fights over hunting ground is impossible to avoid. With so many battles the griffons took the time to make note of their enemies, chronologize all they could about dragons, from the types to their size and so on. Ironically it sounded like the book of dragons from the How to Train your Dragon movie. However, the book wasn’t nearly as detailed, hell it was no bigger than a smaller pamphlet.

The information is fairly basic due to dragons having the same qualities as any other. There were baby dragons like Spike, who despite their young age could perform great feats with their fire, as well as having the ability to soak up magic just as quickly as to help them grow. Then there were teenage dragons, these particular dragons had greater fire control and could fly faster than a large adult dragon, but due to their less than mature attitude they tend to get into more fights than they really should, often biting off more than they can chew.

Next, are the adult dragons. These are dragons who spend most of their days collecting treasures in order to attract mates so they can reproduce. In a way they are similar to penguins when they build their nest. And being more mature than a teenage dragon they are less likely to get into unnecessary conflicts, the only exception being when they raid places that may have bits and other valuables they want.

One would think that the adult stage would be the pinnacle of a dragon’s growth, but there is one last stage that only a rare few dragons may achieve, the colossal class. This class is the only one that dragons with superior genes can reach. Dragons have naturally long-life spans, some stop growing once they attain adulthood, but for those who can go beyond is a new story. Colossal dragons have an even longer life expectancy and grow stronger with age. Due to their longevity, they are considered the wisest and most experienced when it comes to combat, because of this very few dragons would dare to invoke one's wrath or be foolish enough to pick a fight with them. Only the might of another colossal dragon could ever be a match for one, the battle between two titans causes the very earth beneath their feet to rumble.

Of course, the current dragon lord is a colossal class, and will be attending the summit……lord help us now.

As I made my way towards the barracks, I tried to think of a way to have Godbrand tell the soldiers to not say or do anything that could lead to the dragon lord’s wrath. I know the griffons have a bitter attitude to any dragon that’s not myself, which is what worries me the most in all things. My main concern was talking to him about an evacuation plan should the dragon lord become aggressive. This may seem rude on my part for assuming he would, but given that it would take only one blast of fire from him to set Griffonstone ablaze, I’d rather minimize any casualties.

When I rounded the corner that would point me in the exact line of sight of the barracks, I found myself shocked. They were empty.

On even a slow day, the barracks should be busy, with recruits and soldiers training either around the building or in the air above it. Yet no such thing was happening as of this moment, not a griffon soldier to be seen. I glanced around to make sure I wasn’t missing something, but there was no commotion going on, I couldn’t even hear anything inside. “Are they running some kind of drill for the summit?”

“Hey Noir!” A familiar voice called from above, and when I looked up, I saw Gallus swooping down to land next to me. “What are you doing here all alone.”

“I came here to see about talking to Godbrand about the dragon lord.”

He shook his head and smiled. “They are preparing the area where the summit will be held.” That threw me for a loop. I had figured the summit was to be held over at the castle. Gallus must have noticed my confused look, as he gently bumped my shoulder. “Come on, I’ll show you what I meant.” With a jump and a flap, he was up in the air, and I quickly followed behind him.

The two of us flew a good distance away from the kingdom before dropping altitude. We flew slowly down the mountain until we came to an incredibly large opening near the base of the mountain.

If my memory serves me right, this clearing was here before. I remember there used to be thick clusters of trees that once stood where we were flying. Looking at it now, it was clear that the griffons had cleared the area away themselves, which in my opinion now made sense. The wood they used to help rebuild the kingdom had to come from somewhere, and what better places than just below the mountain?

As we got closer to the ground, I saw that the griffons had made an enormous pile of gems, all carefully piled up near the edge of the clearing alongside some tables that had white cloths covering them. If I had to take a guest, I would think they gathered all those gems for the dragon lord.

Soon we touched down on the ground, and watched as many griffons prepped the areas, setting up tables, awnings and chairs. The ground had been covered in marble tiles, the entire clearing was covered in them, making it less tacky than having a summit on the grass. There were also marble columns circling the clearing, with fine velvet cloths that draped between the tops. Green vines with wide leaves wrapped around the columns to add a bit of décor.

All in all, it was a well decorated area to hold a gathering of royals and diplomats. I was thoroughly impressed by the whole thing and knew that the griffons were prepared for whatever may come. Not to mention should the dragon lord become aggressive it wouldn’t be as easy for him to set the kingdom ablaze. While I was just assuming he would, I needed to make a mental note to not let myself jump to conclusions.

Now what really piqued my curiosity was the mountain of gemstones piled high near the clearing. Griffons don’t usually mine for gemstones, given that compared to bits they aren’t as valuable. I’m well aware that gemstones are abundant in this world, that still didn’t explain where they got them all. “Hey Gallus where you guys find all those gemstones? Is there a mine you guys found recently?”

At this the blue griffon shrugged. “I actually don’t know. See while preparing for the summit, the queen ordered us to follow her to a nearby mountain and when we got there, the mountain of gemstones was already there waiting for us.”

While I was surprised by this news, a thought occurred to me. Gallus said a nearby mountain, and that Glenda may have sought out the help of the gem canines for help. I’d have to ask her myself to be sure, but there was a good chance that was the case, since we both promised to keep their existence and whereabouts a secret.

At the very least I the dragon lord should be somewhat appeased by the mountain of gemstones. Looking it over I could probably guess that it would be maybe three, or if we’re lucky five whole mouthfuls for a colossal dragon. Since I fought one way back when, I can accurately say that my measurements are spot on.

 

As I was looking over the clearing and considering what we could add to make it more suitable for foreign leaders, I caught a glimpse of one griffon flying from the top of the mountain before he suddenly began to dive down. I was worried that he might have been injured, but once he got close enough to the ground, he flexed out his wings gliding over me before floating downwards in a spiral. “Sir Noir, important news!” He called out as he galloped towards me. “The ambassadors from Zebrica are, and her highness has requested your audience immediately.”
> Prep for the summit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

During my first week working alongside Godbrand, I learned many things about the most common threat to the Griffonstone kingdom, dragons. Both species are fiercely territorial and are also carnivorous, meaning fights over hunting ground is impossible to avoid. With so many battles the griffons took the time to make note of their enemies, chronologize all they could about dragons, from the types to their size and so on. Ironically it sounded like the book of dragons from the How to Train your Dragon movie. However, the book wasn’t nearly as detailed, hell it was no bigger than a smaller pamphlet.

The information is fairly basic due to dragons having the same qualities as any other. There were baby dragons like Spike, who despite their young age could perform great feats with their fire, as well as having the ability to soak up magic just as quickly as to help them grow. Then there were teenage dragons, these particular dragons had greater fire control and could fly faster than a large adult dragon, but due to their less than mature attitude they tend to get into more fights than they really should, often biting off more than they can chew.

Next, are the adult dragons. These are dragons who spend most of their days collecting treasures in order to attract mates so they can reproduce. In a way they are similar to penguins when they build their nest. And being more mature than a teenage dragon they are less likely to get into unnecessary conflicts, the only exception being when they raid places that may have bits and other valuables they want.

One would think that the adult stage would be the pinnacle of a dragon’s growth, but there is one last stage that only a rare few dragons may achieve, the colossal class. This class is the only one that dragons with superior genes can reach. Dragons have naturally long-life spans, some stop growing once they attain adulthood, but for those who can go beyond is a new story. Colossal dragons have an even longer life expectancy and grow stronger with age. Due to their longevity, they are considered the wisest and most experienced when it comes to combat, because of this very few dragons would dare to invoke one's wrath or be foolish enough to pick a fight with them. Only the might of another colossal dragon could ever be a match for one, the battle between two titans causes the very earth beneath their feet to rumble.

Of course, the current dragon lord is a colossal class, and will be attending the summit……lord help us now.

As I made my way towards the barracks, I tried to think of a way to have Godbrand tell the soldiers to not say or do anything that could lead to the dragon lord’s wrath. I know the griffons have a bitter attitude to any dragon that’s not myself, which is what worries me the most in all things. My main concern was talking to him about an evacuation plan should the dragon lord become aggressive. This may seem rude on my part for assuming he would, but given that it would take only one blast of fire from him to set Griffonstone ablaze, I’d rather minimize any casualties.

When I rounded the corner that would point me in the exact line of sight of the barracks, I found myself shocked. They were empty.

On even a slow day, the barracks should be busy, with recruits and soldiers training either around the building or in the air above it. Yet no such thing was happening as of this moment, not a griffon soldier to be seen. I glanced around to make sure I wasn’t missing something, but there was no commotion going on, I couldn’t even hear anything inside. “Are they running some kind of drill for the summit?”

“Hey Noir!” A familiar voice called from above, and when I looked up, I saw Gallus swooping down to land next to me. “What are you doing here all alone.”

“I came here to see about talking to Godbrand about the dragon lord.”

He shook his head and smiled. “They are preparing the area where the summit will be held.” That threw me for a loop. I had figured the summit was to be held over at the castle. Gallus must have noticed my confused look, as he gently bumped my shoulder. “Come on, I’ll show you what I meant.” With a jump and a flap, he was up in the air, and I quickly followed behind him.

The two of us flew a good distance away from the kingdom before dropping altitude. We flew slowly down the mountain until we came to an incredibly large opening near the base of the mountain.

If my memory serves me right, this clearing wasn’t here before. I remember there used to be thick clusters of trees that once stood where we were flying. Looking at it now, it was clear that the griffons had cleared the area away themselves, which in my opinion now made sense. The wood they used to help rebuild the kingdom had to come from somewhere, and what better places than just below the mountain?

As we got closer to the ground, I saw that the griffons had made an enormous pile of gems, all carefully piled up near the edge of the clearing alongside some tables that had white cloths covering them. If I had to take a guest, I would think they gathered all those gems for the dragon lord.

Soon we touched down on the ground, and watched as many griffons prepped the areas, setting up tables, awnings and chairs. The ground had been covered in marble tiles, the entire clearing was covered in them, making it less tacky than having a summit on the grass. There were also marble columns circling the clearing, with fine velvet cloths that draped between the tops. Green vines with wide leaves wrapped around the columns to add a bit of décor.

All in all, it was a well decorated area to hold a gathering of royals and diplomats. I was thoroughly impressed by the whole thing and knew that the griffons were prepared for whatever may come. Not to mention should the dragon lord become aggressive it wouldn’t be as easy for him to set the kingdom ablaze. While I was just assuming he would, I needed to make a mental note to not let myself jump to conclusions.

Now what really piqued my curiosity was the mountain of gemstones piled high near the clearing. Griffons don’t usually mine for gemstones, given that compared to bits they aren’t as valuable. I’m well aware that gemstones are abundant in this world, that still didn’t explain where they got them all. “Hey Gallus where you guys find all those gemstones? Is there a mine you guys found recently?”

At this the blue griffon shrugged. “I actually don’t know. See while preparing for the summit, the queen ordered us to follow her to a nearby mountain and when we got there, the mountain of gemstones was already there waiting for us.”

While I was surprised by this news, a thought occurred to me. Gallus said a nearby mountain, and that Glenda may have sought out the help of the gem canines for help. I’d have to ask her myself to be sure, but there was a good chance that was the case, since we both promised to keep their existence and whereabouts a secret.

At the very least I the dragon lord should be somewhat appeased by the mountain of gemstones. Looking it over I could probably guess that it would be maybe three, or if we’re lucky five whole mouthfuls for a colossal dragon. Since I fought one way back when, I can accurately say that my measurements are spot on.

 

As I was looking over the clearing and considering what we could add to make it more suitable for foreign leaders, I caught a glimpse of one griffon flying from the top of the mountain before he suddenly began to dive down. I was worried that he might have been injured, but once he got close enough to the ground, he flexed out his wings gliding over me before floating downwards in a spiral. “Sir Noir, important news!” He called out as he galloped towards me. “The ambassadors from Zebrica are here, and her highness has requested your audience immediately.”





Flying as fast as I could back to the castle, I caught a glimpse of the envoy coming up to the castle. At the castle entrance Glenda was already waiting along with four guard standing sentinel. Gliding downwards I took up a spot next to her and smiled. “I wasn’t expecting guests so soon. Did I miss something?”

Glenda, who had a rather pleased look on her face, smiled and shrugged. “I invited some of the foreign leaders to come visit early, and if they liked to stay in our guest rooms here in the castle.” When she turned her head to look at the envoy, I saw that she had some blue frosting on the side of her cheek. I couldn’t help but chuckle, to which she heard. “What?” she asked curiously.

“You got a bit of frosting on your cheek there.” I said playfully, which made her cheeks blush as she tried to wipe it off, only missing each time due to her being flustered. “Here allow me.” Without really thinking about it, I leaned in and gave her cheek a lick. Cleaning off the blue frosting. “Mmm Blueberry.” When I looked back at her I saw the blush on her cheeks had only spread, and the feathers on her body puffed up suddenly.

It took me a few moments to fully understand what I had done, causing myself to become flustered and blush as well. However, our moment of awkwardness was cut short when Gallus landed next to us. “If you two are done flirting, our guest is about to step out.”

The two of us quickly turned our attention back to the more important matter, thankful for distraction from what just happened. The envoy consisted of one decorated carriage, with what I imagine to be zebra bodyguards trotting alongside it, one positioned in each corner.

When the group entered past the castle walls, the carriage came to a stop, and the door soon opened shortly after. Stepping out of the carriage was an all too familiar face along with a sense of ease that washed over me, as well as those around me including Glenda. With a cream white coat accented by not only her golden stripes, but mane and tail were none other than princess Zaya.

Glenda nudged my shoulder and gave me a look as if to ask for confirmation, to which I nodded. When we had first met Zaya, Godbrand made sure to inform her about who we had met as well as the odd sensation we had felt when meeting her. Of course, without actually experiencing the feeling we felt that time, she didn’t quite understand what we were talking about. But now here in the present seeing her up close, I’m willing to bet she now understands what we were implying.

The zebra guards escorted the princess down the walkway to the castle, looking stern but like all those around us calm and collected. When Zaya had reached the stairs, her guards lined up shoulder to shoulder at the base of the stairs, while Zaya continued her way up. No doubt either a sense of trust in us, or that she had asked them to do so.

When she reached the top of the stairs, Glenda nodded to the guards who all stepped far back to give us space with the foreign princess. Both Glenda and I offered her a bow in respect to which she returned in kind. “It is both an honor and privilege to have you visit us here in Griffonstone.” Glenda said sweetly with a smile.

 

“And it truly is an honor for me to be the representative of Zebrica for your glorious summit Queen Glenda.” Zaya returned the kind tone with one of her own and bowed. “I am princess Zaya, first daughter of our sultan.” Her eyes soon looked at me and her smile widened. “And it is good to see the dragon who valiantly came to my rescue all those months ago and in good health I see.”

Glenda looked at me with a sly smirk knowing what would happen next. When I had first met Zaya I hadn’t received my voice back then, but here and now I could speak freely. Gently clearing my throat, I spoke. “The pleasure is all mine princess, and it is good to see that you are in good health as well.”

To no one's shock, Zaya was caught off guard and almost left dumbfounded as she heard my voice. “You can speak now?” I nodded while Glenda smiled and shook her head laughing slightly. The initial shock didn’t seem to last as sigh smiled and seemed to accept it rather quickly. “Well, I’m so glad to hear it, and if I may be so bold? You have a rather charming voice, almost like a true noble.”

“You should hear his old man's voice.” Glenda muttered under breath and quickly looked away when I turned to look at her.

“I do appreciate the compliment of your highness, and now that I can speak, I was hoping that I could have a word with you?” I asked gesturing a walk around the castle garden.

She seemed curious about my offer and nodded. She looked at her guards and gave them a gesture with her hoof, which earned her a nod from each zebra guard as they stood firmly in place. With that now taken care of, I guided our guest to the gardens while Glenda stayed behind.

As we walked through the garden looking at all the beautiful flowers and ivory statues, I noticed Zaya looking up at me from the side of her eye. “So, is this the part where you ask about my unique talent?”

I was caught by surprise, but never let it show on my face. I should have guessed I wouldn’t be the only one to wonder about that unique feeling I felt before. After a moment of composing myself, I spoke. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at all curious. From the way you already knew what I was going to ask, I can only assume that I’m not the first who is curious about the wave of calm you bring.”

Zaya smirked playfully as she walked ahead of me, letting her soft long tail brush under my chin as she passed. “Yes, you are correct in that deduction, but many who question my power have yet to understand its true strength. And only my father knows how it works, and told me to keep it a secret.” She stopped a good three feet ahead of me before turning around. “Although I do have this fun little game I like to play when someone asks to know about it.”

Peaked by curiosity I sat down. “And pray tell, how does this game go? And what do I get should I win?” I asked now ready to play.

Still smiling, Zaya too sat in place. “The game is simple really. You take a guess on how my power works, and what triggers it. Should you figure the answer out in one try, you win. And as for what you get for winning, you shall get the honor of being the first to win and to know how it works.”

Now this sounded like a fun game, although I was worried about something. “Let’s say I play. What happens should I lose?”

She shook her head. “Oh nothing, I’m not the kind of zebra who would ask for something in return simply for guessing.” She added with a shrug of her shoulders.

‘A game where I have all to gain but nothing to lose? Seems way too tempting to pass up.’ I thought to myself as I already knew what her power does and how it is triggered. “The answer is fairly simple really. It causes those who see you to be at ease, and is triggered by sight.”

Zaya had a look of amused surprise by my quick guess, and now looked equally curious. “And pray tell, how did you come to that conclusion?”

I thought back to everything that involved Zaya, and decided to explain how I know her power. “Well, I thought about it hard enough and figured it had to be a sight thing. I know this to be true based on our first meeting. Until I physically saw you, I hadn’t felt the wave of calm wash over me. Which ultimately means in order for your power to work, you must be seen.”

The zebra mare kept her expression neutral as she moved a hoof to scratch under her chin. “Hmm well couldn’t my power be a case of pheromone, or perhaps I have the power to enchant any males I so desire?” She asked.

I figured she was trying to throw me off my guess, giving me other logical reasons for her unique ability, but I wasn’t going to be swayed so easily. “Nice try, but neither of those are correct. See I know it doesn’t have to do with pheromones, because when you were in a carriage both times we met, I wasn’t influenced, and I have a great sense of smell even if someone is in a carriage, I’ll pick up their scent.” I smiled as she nodded in approval. “And as for the power to seduce only males, I know that to be false as well, since even Glenda was put under your influence.”

With no way to debunk my reasons, Zaya gave a clop of her hooves in approval. “Very good Sir Noir, honestly you are the only one who's actually fully understood my gift.” She smirked as she glanced away. “Or at least most of it, there is still one factor you don’t know about it.”

I smirked back as I spoke again. “You mean the fact that it’s not guaranteed to work on everyone?” Finally, Zaya looked back at me in utter shock at what I said. “Yeah, I figured it out based on past events. You see your power only works on those willing to consider a calm intent, but it fails on those who are set for conflict, am I right?”

Her lips opened and closed for a moment as she was still stunned by my quick analysis. “Alright now you have me curious, how did you know about my gift’s one weakness?”

Now brimming with pride, I was all too eager to explain how I knew. “I got my answer based on your carriage.”

That threw her for an even bigger loop as she now looked baffled. “My carriage? How could that tell you about my weakness?”

“Because your carriage has blinds over it. If your unique power is triggered by sight alone, then why would it have blind and curtains covering you from being seen by anyone? The answer is because not everyone is affected by your gift. I imagine those with cruel or malicious intent cannot be swayed by your gift making it useless. And since you are royalty, you need to stay hidden, less those who’d want to use you as leverage against your father could easily capture you.”

When I finished my Sherlock Holmes moment, I looked at Zaya who suddenly started to laugh with one hoof pressed against her belly. “Never in all my years did I think someone would not only figure out the cause of my gift, but also know its weakness!”

She kept laughing for a good minute before finally calming down and relaxing, whipping tears from her eyes. “My word please forgive me, I’m honestly happy that someone was able to truly figure out my gift. Most just make random guests, some of which are good guesses, but none truly understand.” She then gave me another grin. “Now that you know how my gift works, what do you plan to do with that knowledge?”

“Why, I plan to use it for both our benefits.” I stated calmly as she now sat close to me and gestured for me to continue. “You see the dragon lord may very well be attending our little summit.”

Her eyes widened. “The dragon lord? If that is true, how would his arrival be a benefit? I don’t think I need to inform you that the dragons for the dragon land have been nothing but hostile to my county as well as this one. So I fail to see how you can be so sure my gift is going to be of use, surely you understand most dragons are cruel and ruthless beasts…..no offense.” She said shyly in her last statement.

I held a paw up and gave it a good wave. “None taken, and while you are somewhat right about most dragons, that only applies mostly to the teenage dragons who usually do all the harassing to both our countries. However, the dragon lord is a different story altogether. He may be abrasive at best, but he also has the collective wisdom from the ages to know how to govern his dominion well enough to possibly build alliances.  And if he is coming here that means he is willing to consider the idea, meaning your gift should affect him enough to keep him calm.”

Zaya took my words into consideration as she stood up and paced back and forth around the garden, humming to herself. This went on for a good five minutes before she made her choice. “If there is a chance that it could work, I am very interested, too many of our crops are burned by delinquent dragon teens, so having the chance to put a stop to that is best for my country.” Turning around she held out her hoof for me to shake. “I am willing to help with your plan, on the condition that should negotiation go south you won’t hold it against us for taking care of our own safety first.”

I couldn’t blame her for keeping her country in mind when it came to safety, nor wanting to help us for their own benefits, seeing as I’m doing the same myself. Gently taking her hoof in my paw I gave it a firm shake. “It’s a deal. With any luck we both may end up coming out of this with a brighter future.”

With our talk over we made our way to return back to Glenda and the others. That’s when Zaya threw one hell of a curve ball. “So are you and Queen Glenda mates?”

The question itself threw me so off balance that I actually fell flat on my face from shock. I heard her giggle as I pulled my face out of the dirt with a look of bafflement. “W-what gave you that idea?” I asked too flustered not to stutter.

She giggled cutely as she walked past me with a sway of her flank. “I saw the way you licked her cheek on our way in, and how you two became quite flustered. I’m curious, do dragons take on multiple mates, like we zebras do?”

That question also had me stunned, to the point it took me a few moments to register it. “W-why do you ask?” I didn’t even bother to try and deny that me and Glenda weren’t a thing, because of this random question.

She looked back at me with what I guess to be a flirty smile as she let her tail brush under my chin for the second time today. “Because I can tell you have the potential to become a mighty ruler, and if you were to wed into nobility of two countries, it would only benefit my own country to have a ruler as cunning and powerful as you.”

With a wink and another wiggle of her flank Zaya trotted away with a pep in her step, leaving me too stunned and dazed to really think or say anything. The only thing I could truly say was this. “These girls are gonna be the death of me.”
> Summit Pt 1
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tonight was the night, after much anticipation and preparation the summit was about to begin. Glenda and I were nervous beyond belief. This summit would determine so much, and the weight of that knowledge was almost too much to bear. Even with Zaya agreeing to help smooth things over with the dragon lord, it would only work if he felt like cooperating with us. The worst-case scenario would be that I would have to fight him if he decided to be hostile.

Then there was Zaya herself and her “playfulness” as me and Glenda would call it. We had well over a day to spend with her, and boy what a day that was. She had this sixth sense for knowing that there was something romantic going on between me and Glenda, and she didn’t hesitate to tease us about it.

At first it was just little playful jabs like how long we’d been together? How did we meet? Have we kissed before? Just slightly mild teasing that got me and Glenda to blush and fumble our words from time to time. However, the real curve ball came when we were all eating together in the dining hall.





(The day before)

My eyes fluttered open as my internal clock told me it was time to wake up. I had gotten used to waking up in the early hours of the day ever since I came to this world. Without the distractions of TV, video games or the internet there was no reason for me to stay up for an unreasonable hour. The rare time I ever got to enjoy the luxuries of home was whenever Luna invited me over to play games and watch shows together with the help of her magical portal.

In my past life I’d never wake up as early as 6 AM, and would call anyone who did, a psychopath. Yet here I lay in my comfortable king-size bed, slowly waking up getting ready to greet the day and to perform my duties. However, as I let my mind wake up, I noticed a feathered appendage draped over my body.

Craning my neck, I saw the wing belonged to Glenda, who was currently snuggled into my body with a happy smile on her face. The night before after making sure that Zaya and her zebra companions were tended to and given their own rooms, me and Glenda spent time going over the planning for the summit. We planned up till Glenda felt too exhausted to keep her eyes open. I had to carry her on my back and invited her to sleep in my room since it was closer and there would be plenty of room on my bed. She sleepily agreed and I carried her to my room.

When we got to my room, I had set her on one side of the bed, while I took the other end and fell asleep shortly after. But I guessed between then and now she had moved over to cuddle up with me while she slept. I felt my cheeks start to burn as the gravity of the situation started to sink in. My heart was racing, and I wasn’t sure what to do.

But the longer I watched her sleeping so peacefully and content next to me, the more I knew that I was in love. I know that we both expressed how we both felt for one another after our reunion, but to think I’d find love in a new world still had me baffled. The barrier in my mind about her being a different creature and that I was no longer human, was all but nonexistent.

Without hesitating I leaned down to nuzzle my nose into her cheek, and got a happy purr from her in return. Soon her eyes began to open as she let out a cute yawn. “Morning sleeping beauty.” I said in a warm tone.

She grumbled as she moved to nuzzle her head into my chest, and covered her head with her wing. “Mmnnoooo I don’t want to wake up, give me five more minutes.” She groaned in a winning plead.

I had a feeling she wasn’t awake enough to fully grasp where she was right now, or who she was talking to right now. Which gave me a rather playful idea, as I moved to nuzzle my muzzle into her neck and snort some air from my nostril onto her feathers. This got her to giggle, and her talon paw moved to playfully bat my head away.

She turned onto her back as she tried to move away, which exposed her belly to me. That’s when I darted my head in and began to blow raspberries on her belly. She burst out into a fit of laughter as her legs and arm kicked around, her wings fully extending. “HAHAH S-STOP!!”

I didn’t and kept blowing raspberries onto her belly, moving my head to her belly even when she tried to turn away. Eventually her arms moved to wrap around my head, pinning my head to her feathery chest as she woke up. “Gotcha!”

When she saw it was me and she was fully awake her face went bright red, her feathers puffed up like any griffon would when put into an embarrassing situation. There was a brief pause before her expression softened. She leaned her head in and nuzzled her face against my own, which is the griffin equivalent to a kiss. The idea of kissing with lips from my world didn’t apply at this moment, but the feeling you get when you share a kiss with someone you like is universal.

We stayed cuddled together like that for a few moments until we both decided to get out of bed, to greet the day and prepare for the summit. We had the prep work taken care of, we had the food, the decoration and the setting down, now all we must do is wait and see what will come of it all.

Both Glenda and I walked out of my room, and made our way to the dining hall, each eager to get something in our bellies. Glenda was craving Gilda’s chocolate filled scones, and as for me I was in the mood for some waffles with some blueberry syrup, my mouth was watering just thinking about it all.

Walking through a large double door, we entered the dining hall greeted by the scent of delicious food being cooked, and the chatting and murmurs of the citizens who had gotten there before us. Unlike your typical royal dining hall, any of the citizens were allowed to come and sit to have a meal.

The castle wasn’t just some fancy house for the ruling monarch to live in exclusively, rather it was a place open to the public to come and go as they pleased. Barring a few wings of the castle meant for official or royal duties.

When this was first announced, many found the idea rather odd and potentially dangerous. However, Glenda explained that she wanted to break down the walls between nobility and commoners, stating that at the end of it all we are the same.

Which is also why she made it that the food served in the dining hall was for anyone who needed it, and it wouldn’t cost them anything. But this rule only applied to those less fortunate, because despite the rising progress of Griffonstone, we still had those without homes, and others without families.

During the time before Glenda returned with the idol, Griffonstone had many issues, not just emotional wise. Because of the lack of trust or desire to spend their bits, this meant many fell to sickness and others to diseases. Not only this but with the poor conditions of housing, it would only take one nasty bump to topple a house over.

But now that Glenda was in charge everyone was hard at work building new homes for those without one, and the ones without families were either grouped together with fellow stragglers, or give the chance to join the royal arm to have a job that pays, and to have a place to sleep. This was a slow process, but it was an effective one.

The dining hall was set up like a school cafeteria in which griffins would get their food from the side of the room, and then long and short tables lined up in rows for others to sit on long benches. Taking our seats at a table near a trio of griffons, Glenda and I ordered our food and waited patiently till it arrived.

While I was waiting, I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see who it was. However, there was no one there. Then I felt another tap, this time on the opposite side, and again after turning I didn’t see anyone. When I felt the third tap and could see Glenda suppressing a giggle, I already knew what was going on.

I pretended to turn my head one way, and with a quick twist of my body, looked to the other side to catch a smirking Zaya. “I was wondering when you’d catch on.” She said in a cheeky tone, trotting around to sit next to Glenda who was sitting opposite me at the table. “I must say, I’m grateful that you have meal options for those who aren’t of the carnivorous nature.” Zaya had ordered a stack of pancakes, and as I learned when our breakfast arrived. “We had brought our own food, but mind you not out of disrespect.” She looked at Glenda with a polite bow of her head.

Glenda nodded, taking now offense. “Understandable, and no offense taken. We don’t necessarily need to eat meat to survive, but it does play a part in our diet. But regardless we made sure to have food prepared for any species who will be attending the summit.”

This seemed to pique Zaya’s interest. “I’ve been meaning to ask, I’m well aware that you’ve invited the dragon lord to the summit, but who else is likely to show?”

Glenda looked at me and I nodded my head. “Well, we sent an invitation to a prince in Saddle Arabia, but they sent a letter saying they can’t attend due to some circumstances. Noir here is a representative for the ponies, and as you stated the dragon lord was invited. There is one more potential guest who may be there. And of course, there are you, the zebras.”

When Glenda mentioned the “Potential” Guest, I was somewhat puzzled. Who was it that she had invited that I didn’t know about?

Zaya nodded her head and smiled. “Well regardless of who comes, you’ll be happy to know that I’ve already decided that we the zebras will happily enter a treaty with the griffons.” Both Glenda and I were happily surprised and felt like having Zaya as an alley was a big enough win as is.

However, Zaya’s friendly smile turns to one ready to push some buttons. “Since we are all friends now, I’ve been meaning to ask you two something.” Glenda and I looked at each other curious about her question. “Well, I wanted to know. Are you two lovers?”

I nearly choked on a piece of waffle I was eating, and Glenda had spit out the juice she was sipping on. We were coughing hard while Zaya was giggling. “So, is that a, yes?”

“W-what gave you that idea?” Glenda stuttered, wiping her beak of the spilled juice with a napkin. “Also don’t you think that’s a rather bold question to ask in public.”

Our reaction had indeed garnered some attention from those sitting around us, which made trying to answer the question rather difficult without looking suspicious. After a minute we slowly calmed down, whether out of our own choice or Zaya’s unique gift. “Seriously couldn’t you have phrased that better, or better yet not ask us into such a personal question?”

Zaya, still smiling, shrugged her shoulders, and didn’t see the least bit guilty for it. “Well, I thought it was common knowledge, given that you both went to the same bedroom last night, and when I was leaving my room this morning, I saw you both come out at the same time.” She now had her hooves on the table to prop up her head while giving us a shit eating grin.

At this point both of us were flabbergasted and couldn’t muster the words to try and defend ourselves. This made the zebra mare burst out laughing which didn’t help keep those around us from looking our way. “My my, the queen and a dragon, how scandalous. I wonder what the child would look like?” She said innocently while looking teasingly at Glenda.

At this point Glenda’s face turned crimson and she fainted at the last statement, flopping onto the ground, leaving Zaya a giggling mess, and me feeling like this was just the start of it all.

 





(Present Time)

Since that morning Zaya made it her mission to tease me and Glenda whenever she had the chance, asking heaps of inappropriate questions.  Each time Glenda would turn a different shade of red before bolting away. There were also times when she would flirt with me.

Each time she did so as if it didn’t embrace her to ask such things. “I wonder, do dragons have better stamina than zebras?” Or “Do you have a knot at your base?” I felt my heart racing and had to fly away just to get away, hearing her giggling and laughing on the ground.

It got so bad that in order to avoid her lewd question Glenda and I would have to fly up to a spot where Zaya couldn’t reach us. To make matters worse, her questions often lingered in both our heads making some situation, each time we looked at each other and blushed before looking away. Despite all this, however we never once thought ill of Zaya, deep down we knew she was just being playful. However, that doesn’t mean we were gonna let her get away with this for long, oh there will be payback just not now.

Now though, we needed to focus on the summit. We were all down at the bottom of the mountain where we had set up the summit. So far it was only Zaya, Glenda and me as far as representatives go. Members of the griffin guard as well as some of Zaya’s guard were also here along with the staff. We thought it would be too awkward just for the delegates to be in attendance. This was also in case the dragon lord decided to bring any guests himself, though many of us were hoping that wouldn’t be the case, since we only had so many gemstones available, and that should a fight break out we wouldn’t need to worry about fire being thrown around.

Either out of respect or to represent her country properly, Zaya reframed from her teasing and lewd questions. She instead adopted an attitude befitting a member of royalty, and made polite small talk. Though both me and Glenda could see her smirking from time to time at us, making us both shiver wondering what was going on in her head.

The gathering had gone on for an hour now, and I was starting to get worried. We already had one guest cancel their appearance due to their own matters in their country, the one leader we had prepared for either the best- or worst-case scenario hasn't been seen yet. Then there was the one guest that Glenda hadn’t considered telling me about who would also be attending, who I still don’t know who that might be. The only thing we could take away from this whole gathering was that Zaya already gave her seal of approval to enter an alliance with us.

Suddenly without warning.


*GONG*

*DING*

*GONG*

*DING*

*GONG*

The bell that we used to alert us of a dragon arrival went off. Everyone including myself was now on high alert as we already knew who this warning was for.

The bell sequence was made so we would know where to look. Three gongs and two dings meant that we needed to look South-West. Turning my attention to the sky. My eyes scanned the clear sky for the dragon. Due to it being at night it was hard to see anything, even with the moon’s light. However, I noticed there was movement when some of the stars were blocked from view by a massive shadow.

Soon the sound of massive wings flapping could be heard along with a faint guest of wind. As the figure drew closer the lights began to reach the owner of the sound, before it landed a small distance away from the gathering. The ground shook for a moment, and there I could see him.

Towering over the ivory pillars looking down at us, was none other than the dragon lord. And upon further inspection I saw that he wasn’t alone.