A Dragon in Shining Scales

Much later that night Sweetie Belle was still awake, excitement getting the best of her. After convincing Sülvahn she wouldn't leave him, she was finally allowed to leave the cave. She was sitting on a rock, well the mountain was a huge rock, this rock was one much smaller, about the size of her, more or less. The stars were very different from the stars in Equestria. These stars didn't seem to have the glow Luna's had, these were faint, and hard to see.

The moon wasn't different, which gave her some peace. Her and the rest of the CMC were good friends to Luna, and in return Luna ensured no  evil dreams would ruin their sleep. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath in. Luna, I'm alive. She thought deeply. I don't know if you can hear me or if anypony thinks I'm dead,  but if you can... I'm coming home.

Luna shot up from her bed, she felt the largest tug in her mind that she's ever felt since her return. "What was that?" The only thing that she could feel was a pain in her heart, and only a single word on her mind. "Who's coming home?"

Sweetie sighed after feeling nothing trying to speak to her. "I guess being a half a world away she can't hear me..."

"Who can't hear you Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie turned on her rock and saw Scorpan, but for some reason he looked a lot smaller.

"I....I was hoping Luna could hear my thoughts?" Sweetie answered, looking back towards the moon. The moon shined over the flat wasteland around the lone mountain. "She taught me this meditation that takes me into a dream-like state while also staying half-awake."

"A day dream." Scorpan said simply. "She just taught you how to control it. You seem good at it."

She shrugged with a simple chuckle. "Only a little. Luna teaches me things Princess Twilight doesn't know?"

"Princess Twilight?" He asked. "Who is that?"

"Right, you can't go to Equestria... Princess Twilight has only been a princess for a few years now. She's got a castle in Ponyville she calls the Tower of Friendship." Sweetie explained to him the events of Nightmare Moon's return, and the rediscovery of the Elements of Harmony by Twilight and her friends. Then she went on to how Twilight became a princess and what she did the first few months.

Scorpan sat cross legged next to Sweetie Belle, keeping his attention on her throughout the whole explanation. When she got to his brother, Tirek, he paid so much more. Then she told him of what the battle between Twilight and Tirek and how half of Ponyville Fields was incinerated and mountains had pony sized holes through some of the peaks. Next came the aftermath, but that was blaring clean-up details and a long parade.

"Sounds like you've had quite the excitement little one. I must admit, this new princess is strange, Twilight Sparkle is it?" Sweetie nodded. "Well, if she is an Alicorn now she must be immortal too, though I fear for the other elements."

Sweetie lowered her head in sadness. "For all everypony knows, I'm probably seen just as dead as they will be...." She looked at her hooves and gave a long sigh. "I still feel like I'm burning up, like I'm in the sun or something."

Scorpan noticed the gaze around her, it was green in color. "Is there a dragon where you live? One like Sülvahn?"

She nodded. "His name's Spike. He's my best friend! While I was casting a spell, he burped up something... Maybe from Celestia..."

"The fire connected with your horn..." He began to smile. "Which in turn triggered a Flash Magical Burst. You were trying to teleport yes?" A nod. "How far?"

"Fifty feet..."

"You ended up teleporting five thousand miles instead." He said almost with a chuckle. Then saw how sad Sweetie looked. "I can fix your horn Sweetie Belle."

"Y...you can?"

"I can, but if I do, I want you to use this magic for good and to help Sülvahn on your quest home. If he becomes that demon he represses it can get dangerous for you and everyone around you."

"I Pinkie Promise!" She smiled at him then did the exact motions she needed to do to finalize the super promise.

"I have no idea what is a Pinkie Promise is or what you did with your hooves." He chuckled softly. "However, I see that you aren't lying. That promise must mean something I may never understand." He closed his eyes, taking a deep, powerful breath in.

Sweetie Belle began to feel very cold around Scorpan. When she started to see that he was shrinking, her mind went to what happened to Tirek. She gasped in shock, finally realizing what Scorpan was doing. When he exhaled, Scorpan held his paws in a cup-like shape, and out came a ball of brown light. Now, instead of the massive Chemira, was one the size of Celestia.

He smiled down at the ball of swirling brown magic and sighed. "I've been longing for a creature to take this." Scorpan had started to cry, but a smile was on his face. "Now, I can. Here-" He held the magic towards her. "Touch it with your horn."

Sweetie did as she was told, and lowered her horn to the ball. It suddenly jumped into her and she yelped in surprise. She closed her eyes, trying to figure out what to make of the magic. It fought with her own magic, swirling around each other, creating a white light in the center.

"Let it meld with your magic." Scorpan directed her softly, keeping his voice low, allowing Sweetie to act on his words. "Your magic  will always fight it, but you must allow it. It is the only way."

There was something about this magic. It was very different from unicorn magic, no wonder it was fighting her own. She looked deeper, turned her magic and the new magic into ponies like Twilight had explained how magic worked.

Your magic is like...no, it IS you. Close your eyes and imagine your magic is a unicorn or a regular pony. Feel how it stands by itself. Unicorns stand upright, to allow fluid motion when a spell is in work. Pegasi stand ready for action, in a aggressive stance. Earth Ponies are the most relaxed. Their magic is how they are. How they move, stand, even sleep! Earth Pony magic is the most lax because it is innate magic that lives in the land they meld. She said. Think it like a smithy: The unicorns are the swords that direct the magic of the world, pegasi are the hammers that shape the weather, and the earth ponies are the anvils that support the hammer and sword.

As the images started to take shape, she saw hers butting heads with a...Pegasus? They were fighting for control and it looked like her's was losing. No! She shouted at them. Stop it now! The two had stopped fighting, and were looking at her with glowing white eyes in contrast with their green and brown bodies. Ponies are supposed to be in union! Not fighting like foals!

I was here first!

You call yourself a child of night!? HA! Let me lead us!

"Sweetie they will fight over control. Find a compromise between the magics."

Princess Twilight turned from her board covered in notes for Sweetie. The issue with magic is that it is like it has a mind of its own, but it needs direction. Unicorns are wise leaders, Pegasi are wise in combat, and Earth Ponies are wise farmers. When I took in the other princess's magic, it was an all out war until I gained control.

How'd you gain control?

Everypony has a common goal. The magics I held wanted to be returned, but I told them they couldn't until Tirek was defeated. Then they worked with me....and....hehehe.... Ponyville fields was destroyed.

Sweetie watched the two fight for another moment as she stewed in her own thoughts. New magic, what do you want? She asked it.

To return to my princess! It answered.

What about you my magic?

To get home!

She hummed in thought to herself. This was an easy solution. Both wanted to return to Equestria, but for different reasons. New magic? I want to go home too. I want to see Luna, my family, and my friends. So does my magic, so why can't you two stop fighting?

It paused for a moment, looking down in the void like world they were in. I....I see. Thank you for helping me see clarity. I will blend.

As will I. Ponies should work together. The more that is in our herd, the more powerful we are.

Sweetie watched as they knocked their hooves together, smiles on their faces. Then all she saw was a white void that nearly blinded her. All she saw that was different was a singular pony sitting calmly in the center. It was a green pony with brown mane and eyes of both swirling around like a pony who was dazed in the comic books she read with Spike. United, *we** are one.* It said to her, then she opened her eyes to see Scorpan smiling at her.

"You find peace?"

Sweetie nodded, feeling much better. When she looked up to her horn , it looked like it was a little longer. "My horn! It's so long!"

Scorpan had just noticed it. Sweetie was still for more than a half hour trying to find peace with her new magic. "Yes, it is longer isn't it? Is this normal?"

"I-...I don't know...." She said with much uncertainty littering her soft voice.

Scorpan rested his paw on her head. "You should sleep on it. It might help."

"...Y-yeah... Oooohhhkkkaaaaaaayyyyyyyyya...." She yawned loudly, then giggled. "I guess you're right. That took more out of me than I expected."

"Safe dreams." Scorpan said, lifting off and flying away to return from wherever he came.

Sweetie had realized Scorpan had forgotten something. "Wait! How do I heal Sülvahn?!"

Scorpan stopped, and turned with a large grin on his face. "Happy thoughts!" Was his reply before vanishing off into the night sky.

Sweetie Belle slumped over on her rock and sighed greatly. "What does that mean?"