Dragon's Tale, the city of Darkrise

It is already midday, or rather midnight I should say, on the Everfree district, perhaps one of the most heartwarming district in Darkrise.

As the narrator of what is about to unfold I have to tell the sad story about this particular district more closely and from the third person perspective, for it will be the landmark in future Spike’s events.

As we walk in this district, we see no dragon here, in our history most of the Nobel dragon families have been massacred, however most of the times, a few manages to escape, the horrors and lessons they learn are passed down from generation to generation so that the next generation may learn and adapt and survive.

With that bearing in mind our story starts not in Darkrise with our current heroes running in life not knowing where it is heading, except for Cyril who apparently know everything, but a thousand years ago, when the first dragon rebellion sparked in a place called the Everfree forest. The Everfree dragon lineage is known for its strong connection with nature and the good will of the forest, so they made their home deep in the oldest forest of Equestria. However because of their central location in our little world, when the rebellion started, it started in their home, each and every being that possessed the slightest magical entropy was soon dispatched to the guillotine.

Out of that horror tale, there is a story of a heroic sacrifice, a mother pleaded to the gods that they take her unhatched child to safety and she will forfeit her own to do so, however like too many prayers that night none of that has been found to be true. And the Everfree bloodline vanished from existence; as for the other survivors, well that is what this particular district is made of.

Now as our story left off, Spike was in turmoil, he had just learned the secret of the family that accepted him, of a father that abandoned all hopes at the loss of his wife, at an eldest who ran away, at a sibling who tried to kill one of his own to save another of his own, and finally at a dragon who possess powers so vast that only the moon itself can stop.

However, the one that escorted him gave him an offer, one he certainly cannot refuse, a day to settle his mind and to meet Darkrisers then to decide whether to stay or to leave.

Spike had already made up his mind on leaving, he just didn’t want to tell it yet; he felt that he imposed long enough on his fellow saviors, but he knows little of this city’s people and customs. So he made a plan of action to learn as much as he can about what this city is and what it means.

“This is it.” Says doctor Dominic, pointing at one of the houses in the district, a house like all others stuck between two houses with a lamp post in front of it, nothing special to it. He knocks on the door only to have a sweet mare open the door, “Welcome” she says.

“Greetings Miss Ford,” replied the doctor, “your husband told me you have a sick colt I should check upon.”

Reluctantly Miss Ford allowed them in, Spike took notice, it confirmed his suspicion that not everyone is willing to have him heal their sick and injured.

Once inside the doctor went straight to the child’s room, the poor frail soul was lying sick in bed wheezing and coughing, too tired to even greet.  The doctor took his fever, checked his pulse, peered into his throat and listened to his lungs; he then used his magic to place a seal, then prepared a poultice for the little soul to heal. By the time he was done the colt could sit up straight and talk and laugh as loud as he can.

When the doctor bid farewell, Miss Ford came to him with an apologetic look on her face, “I am sorry Doctor,” she said, “but I don’t have anything to pay you.”

With a loud laugh he replied: “you needn’t to worry, your husband already took care of it all.” Then turned his back and walked away.

Spike got curious, he did not see mister Ford give him anything, “What was that all about?” he inquired.

“Mister Anvil Ford is a gambler he wasted all their money for the week to come, she couldn’t afford a doctor so the condition of their son got worse, Adonis knew about that and told me to come check on him. I was planning on coming regardless of whether mister Anvil asked me to.”

“But you didn’t write his name on the checklist.”

“Some names are kept in the heart rather on a piece of paper.”

“So you healed him regardless of whether they pay you or not.”

“It is my obligation as a doctor to aid anyone that needs my help, it is also my dragon code to help those who are in need no matter what the cost.”

Spike was impressed by their first visit, though it didn’t change his mind.

Next on the list were the rounds at the hospital, so Dominic came upon a fairy hovering overhead “would you mind opening the doctor’s door please?”

“Do you have the key?” asked the fairy.

And from his bag a key was produced, it shimmered in the moon light, so the fairy opened a rift, a small magical light that seem wedged into the side of the ford's residence door, Dominic inserts the key into the rift and turns it.

“Wait, isn’t that the house of the Fords?”

“Well I guess we have to open and find out.” He replied in a sarcastic tone.

However the door that opened outward a minute ago, now is opening inward more light came out, “Well aren’t you coming in?”

Reluctantly Spike took the first step only to find himself at a hospital reception. “So cool.”

“You like it huh?”

“How did you do that?”

“I didn’t do anything, the fairies however do a lot more than their fair share around here.”

“The fairies?”

“Yes, they nearly do everything around here, from maintenance, to building, to nearly anything; they do so by becoming tools that aid us in our own duties.”

“Wow.”

“Wow indeed.”

“No I mean, wow.” Spike points out to one particular fairy that was bigger than others, and now Spike realized what he saw yesterday, these Fairies look like golden changelings.

“Oh, that is the fairy king.” Dominic noted, “He also runs this hospital.”

“They look like changelings to me.” Remarked Spike.

“That is because they are changelings.”

If a question mark can be drawn on someone’s face that would be Spike’s expression right now.

“Allow me to elaborate, Fairies, like changelings feed on the love and light that exist in people toward each other, and just like changelings they can change their shape, only there is a catch, unlike changelings who are parasitic, and change their shape to someone you love and steal the love you bear for them, Fairies change their shape to magical tools that we use every day, they do so to feed on the power of love and attachment we have for the people and places we love.”

“But why is the fairy king here at the hospital?”

“Hospitals are a place of raw emotions, there are more sincere tears here than you might find anyplace else in the world, it is a wondrous place filled with all sort of memories and emotions that literally saturate the air. You can say this is as much a battery for this city as the temple of the moon is.”

“I don’t know I just really hate hospitals.”

“That is because you get reminded of being sick, anyway we have to find nurse Moon, she should have what rounds I have for today.”

At the reception a bat pony came to greet them, “You’re late again lord Dom, hope you are ready for your rounds today?”

“Sure?” replied Dominic in an awkward tone.

“Lord? I thought you were a doctor.” Asked spike, noticing the odd way everyone keeps staring at him, and how people are showing a lot of respect toward Dominic either with a curt nod reaching to a bow sometimes as he passes them by.

“Why hello there, and who might you be?” Spike turned his gaze upward to see the nurse looking down on him, her fur was the color of midnight sky, while her mane displayed greyish and bluish lines, her eyes appeared slit under the bright light, but what caught spike’s attention the most was her smile, warm, caring, generous, for some odd reasons it stirred something inside of him, something familiar, "Rarity," he whispered

“Rarity? That is an odd name for a boy dragon.” She replied with her cheerful demeanor.

“No, his name is Spike, and he agreed to be my assistant for today.” Dominic jumped in at the conversation, however the nurse gave him an inquisitive look.

“I just check the lists.” Spike immediately showed her the lists he is carrying with him.

“Oh that is adorable, shouldn’t he be at school though? Instead of following you around, and why is he following YOU around in the first place?”

“Slow down nurse moon, Spike is the dragon that Cyril and Reina found in the woods, since he is from Equestria, we don’t know if he has magical blood inside him or not, so we decided that he stays with us, he is on this trip to decide whether he wants to stay with us or not.”

Nurse moon heal looked between Dominic and Spike for the long while, then she said: “You are one lucky fellow, aren’t you.”

“Huh!” Spike exclaimed, for the most while he only thought that others will be afraid that a dragon tried to kill his own family, but he did not expect that reply.

“Well I’d hate to interrupt but,” intruded Dominic, “don’t we have our rounds to do today?”

“Yes the rounds,” nurse moon heal went behind her desk then came back with yet another list. “First we have a visit to visit the elderly home, that will take nearly all the time we have, afterward we have to go to the barracks, there seem to have been an accident a couple of days ago and they want us to check on the injured, and finally the orphanage in the Everfree district.”

“Sounds like a busy day.”

“It is, and the fairy king wants you to check on Star Shine, her father Star hoof has been camping all night in the hospital waiting for someone to help him.”

For some reason that made Dominic very uncomfortable, Spike took notice as he leafed through the orders of the Fairy king.

“We’ll start at the orphanage, I’d rather go there before Cyril finish school and decides to visits his sick students.”

“Alright then, portal number one o five.” Nurse Moon Heal showed them the way, Spike also took notice of the fairy that was trailing after her.