A Dragon in Shining Scales

Sweetie didn't remember when she had fallen asleep, but she awoke in what she thought was a dream. She was back in her room, watching Rarity walk around in circles for whatever reason.

"Sweetie Belle..." Rarity said sadly, picking up a small unicorn plush. She brought it close and broke down into tears. "I'm so sorry we had that fight....I'm...I never meant to make you so angry with me... I'm so sorry Sweetie..."

"R..Rarity?" Fluttershy had made her expedited silent entrance into her room. "Please Rarity, come down stairs. We need to start dinner before the girls arrive."

Rarity sniffed in Fluttershy's hold. "Y-...yes you are right..." She held the plush close. "But I'm taking this."

"That's quite alright." Fluttershy said with a soft smile. "Now come, the girls are waiting."

Rarity in toe, Fluttershy walked out of the room. Sweetie was wondering if her thoughts were true. It was unsettling for her, to see Rarity to look so broken. Her mane was in a disarray, her coat looked unkempt, her eyes had heavy bags under them and the mascara her sister loved so much had stained two long lines under them. The sight made herself sad, and when she tried to wake up, she found that she couldn't.

"Luna?"

"No, not Luna." A voice said calmly.

"Who are you?" She asked the voice. "You sound like Luna."

The voice made a huff. "But I am not this Luna. Not only one goddess controls the moon, or the water."

Sweetie's eyes opened more. "The Water Goddess?"

"I prefer River Spirit, but yes, I control all water on this world. I am one of the life lines their world relies on." There was a distant sigh as the scene changed.

Rarity was sitting at a table with a long tube going into her right foreleg and a greenish fluid was flowing into it. Next to the machine that was pumping the fluid into her was Fluttershy, watching the meter closely. Twilight and along with the rest of their friends looked very distressed. Twilight mostly because she looked very similar. Sweetie knew well that there wasn't a thing she could do, it was a dream. However, this didn't stop her from feeling sad.

"I can't believe it..." Scootaloo's voice said sadly. "There's no way she can be dead." The scene rotated to Scootaloo and Apple Bloom talking behind the door.

Apple Bloom looked very weak, she could hardly stand alone. It had looked like she was extremely exhausted. "Well believe it!" She snapped. "It's all Celestia's fault!"

"How could you say that?!" Scootaloo shouted, pushing her friend on her back. Apple Bloom tried to move, but she was too tired. "While you work on your stupid farm, I'm looking for Sweetie Belle! We were friends! How could you-?!"

"BECAUSE!" Apple Bloom shouted tiredly. "Princess Twilight had said it herself! Spike's fire amplified her spell! The heat of the teleport and his fire caused to to reach the surface temperature of the sun!"

Scootaloo snorted, turning away from Apple Bloom. "I don't think we should be friends...not if you won't believe..."

"Then fine..." Apple Bloom had begun to cry. "I'm not look'n away from the truth."

Sweetie looked up and away from the scene. "I don't want to see this anymore..." She said.

"Why not? Do you not wish to see the truth?" A watery figure fell from the ceiling, and turned into a horse. It had still retained a watery look, still all very blue and see-through. "Water bends light, but not the truth. You still see the fish and the fish still see you. That is the truth. What you see now happens within three weeks from now."

"I don't get it though! Why are you talking to me!? Why not tell them I'm alive?!"

"Because all but your companion Scootaloo believes you are dead when in fact, you are alive." She waved her hoof and Sweetie Belle found them both in a large body of water. "Sound travels through air better than water. I cannot speak unless one is dreaming of truth, or hope. Spirits like me are unable to speak to the physical world unless one is in true distress."

"So, why can't you talk to my sister?"

"Because she thinks you are dead. She knows nothing of true magic like Twilight, but even she is blind from true magic."

"What's true magic?"

"True magic is unable to be defined. One cannot express it's meta-physical abilities or refine it. Your Solar and Lunar Diarchs are able to use it, but unable to define it because they themselves do not know they use it." Within the water, the spirit walked over to Sweetie Belle and put her hoof under her chin. "Because I see you and you see I, I shall help you."

"How?"

"Within Entropy Fields there is another Spirit. You alone will be able to see him. Along the path through the Valleys there will be two that split off. There, you will follow the flowers of truth. Eat one."

"What then? How will they help me? Is it to help me get home?"

"No they will help you learn your future, but he will tell you where to find the Spirit of Flame, but be weary. The Spirit of Flame is passionate and hard to convince, and requires a sacrifice." The water had started to drain. "You are waking. I will not speak to you again. Good bye, Holy Belle."

Sweetie saw a wave of water crash over her, and made her jump awake. She was sweating, but saw that she was still in their air. Sülvahn turned his head, noticing Sweetie's sudden movement. He smiled at her, then looked on ahead.

"We're ten minutes out." He said, voice sounding a little tired. "You slept for a long time."

Sweetie rubbed her eyes. When they had left the sun was in the eight'o clock position, now it looked like it was a little after five in post meridiem. "How long was I out?"

Sülvahn waved his hand a little. "Nine hours, eh, give or take. We'll fine out when we reach Haven City."

"What happened to Spargas?" Sweetie asked, stretching her hooves with a long yawn. "I thought you were going to fly until we got there."

"I would like to buy you a proper seat on my back." He said. "Your magic is affecting me in the strangest of ways."

Dragons, like Scorpan had said, were creatures of Sin. If her 'holy' magic was affecting him, it might not have been in a good way. So she nodded in understanding even though Sülvahn couldn't see it.

Already Sweetie could see the city from the altitude they were at, and ten minutes didn't seem so long, not as long as two or three months of flying and training. The city seemed to be made of sandstone and scrap wood, but that was all she was able to see. Sülvahn might have been able to see the city much better with his eyes being able to see miles away.

Haven, it sounded like a city from a game she played with Button Mash one time. It was called Jake and Dexter, or something like that. She remembered the fun she had with him, and beating the Colossal at the end of the game. She started to smile. He was her friend, Button and her hung out from time to time when she wasn't studying. Twilight had made it a point to have time set aside for herself to not let the stress of constant studying get to her. Sweetie knew well where that would've gone, or Ponyville would have had another mass panic over a doll...

Sweetie shook that negative thought from her head. No, that wouldn't help her at all get back to Equestria. To prove that Scootaloo was right! She held onto hope that no pony had else had. Scootaloo was one of those ponies, always hoping. Scootaloo always hoped one day she would fly, and she was right, now she was hoping she was alive.

Sülvahn's Aktis shifted to her, and he turned his head. "You are upset?"

"A little, but I'm alright."

They began to hum. "You can tell me."

Sweetie's head started to feel like something was pulling her to speak, but she shook her head. "Maybe later."

They stopped, and he sped up a little. "That is fine, but do not dwell on it. If you think you need to tell me what upsets you, you may. You have my word."

Sweetie Belle knew well that a dragon's word was set in stone. Spike, even though he didn't know much about himself, knew at least he had to follow what he promised. It was like it was carved into their heads, even newborns like Spike seemed to understand at least this. "Okay... I'll think about it."

Sülvahn turned his head to smile at her. "That is all I ask, friend." He started his decline now that the city seemed to be below them. Sweetie didn't realize how long she was trapped in her own thoughts until now. Those ten minutes and his speed up seemed to make time fly much more quickly. The pauses in their talks didn't change this.

"I must warn you Sweetie Belle." Sülvahn said in a serious tone. "There are horses here much like you, in size I mean. They do not like each other and often get into massive fights. Stay by my side, do not follow anything other than me. Do I make myself clear?"

"Okay, I understand." Sweetie said, holding herself down tighter with her magic.

And as they landed, the city was clear now to Sweetie Belle. She saw everything it had to offer, which wasn't much at all. Sandstone and logs of wood set the frames and walls for every building. Then, things got too real for Sweetie Belle. What Jakli had said was right. There were ponies all over the town with stubs on their backs and heads. She gasped in horror and teared up.

"Why...?" She said in a shaky breath. "Why would Celestia do this?"

"Most of them were born here Sweetie Belle." Sülvahn explained. "They do not know of Celestia, do not tell them of her. Their ancestors were most likely traitors." Probably to Nightmare Moon... Sweetie thought. "Some do not speak basic, some do. Be careful and you will be safe."

Sweetie wasn't liking the sound of it. "Is this place the worst to be at? Why couldn't you just fly to Spargas? I could have just held on with my hooves."

Sülvahn sighed. "Becuase Sweetie Belle... I perfer that you would sit on something more suited for you. I am sure my scales aren't as soft as your mane."

Sweetie caught the complement how she saw it. "Aw...thanks. You big softy."

Sülvahn snorted and shook his head. "I am not soft. I am simply looking after you." He turned down an ally, he was starting to gather unwanted attention. He could sense movement following him, it wasn't just a couple citizens, more like dozens. It wasn't like he was traveling in the night, it was day, Sweetie Belle was white, she was in danger. "Sweetie Belle. I want you to get under my belly. NOW!"

Sweetie Belle rushed to comply with his direct order, only asking why when she was there. "What's wrong?"

"You are in danger. There are sixteen coming from the east, ten west, seventeen south, twenty north." His Altis started to vibrate faster, Sweetie's ears had begun to pick up on the vibrations. They were quick yet low, like he was using more of an advanced form of echo location bats or dolphins used to see. He used his wings to cover the exposed sides while moving his tail to protect from behind.

That's when they appeared in mass. Dozens of horses, ponies, Diamond Dogs, and what looked like Cat versions of Diamond Dogs. They jumped from the roofs, crawled out of buildings, and some did over exaggerated parkour. Sülvahn made a sound out of a hum that almost made it look like he was in panic. It was strange, but he seemed to brave it off by firing a harmless bolt of fire on the floor.

"Back off!" He shouted angrly. "She is not yours!"

A 'Diamond Cat' jumped ahead of the burned spot. "We know what she is! I we all smelled her!"

"And she is mine! Back! OFF!" He barked, spitting a fire ball right in front of the 'Diamond Cat'. She hissed her frustration. "I wonder how many you can take Dragon.."

More were coming, Sülvahn kept sensing more and more of them coming. His vision shook a little, everything had started to get a little red. He had to act quickly. "A-all of you!" This wasn't good at all. His voice had started to shake, that much was clear. Haven wasn't a large city, population maxed out a close to five hundred.

Then, there was this one portion of the group. He narrowed in on it. Five hundred feet north, north-east was a group fighting each other. He didn't see, but the smell of blood was clear.

"I have business to take care of. Leave, and I will not kill you all." Sülvahn had managed to get a hold on himself, keeping his mind on protecting Sweetie Belle and dealing with the issue. "BEGONE!" His wings charged up. "Sweetie Belle, cover your ears!"

She didn't have enough time to react. In a single flap there was a wave of red destruction. It completely obliterated everything around them, and knocked everyone else back. With this, Sülvahn made his move, grabbing Sweetie with one hand and jumping over the still recovering enemies.

He zoomed around a corner. "Sweetie Belle, are you alright?" He asked her as he ran on his other free legs. Some of the citizens were giving chase while others let him be, fearing they would die if they had tried anymore.

Sweetie couldn't answer. Her ears were rining, and her head was pounding. The sudden sound had popped her ear drums, and a little blood was seeping. The blast wasn't enough to make her deft but it still hurt like a bitch. She had to do something in order to speak to him.

"My ears..." Her voice was very muffled, barely hearing it, but she didn't care. She could hear, that's all that mattered.

Sülvahn grunted in anger, he moved too quick and he knew it. The only thing was thinking about was her safety, but he didn't think about the finer details. Yes she moved quick, but not as quick as he. He jumped over a cart of cabbages remembering a horse throwing a bit of coal in front of his cave the next day. He loved diamonds, hated coal. He knew well by the smell of them both that they were the same thing, but also different. So placing a piece of coal in front of his cave made him think he had a diamond waiting for him.

Only two hundred more feet, and more had stopped the chase and were well out of his sense range. He started to slow down, he was clear, for now. There was still that Ketath following him though. He had her sent and she had his.  It was only a matter of time before she caught up to him. He continued onward however, ignoring the stalking Ketath.

As he turned the corner he saw a group of Ketath looking over a dead Diamond Dog. Blood was everywhere. On the walls, some in the water fountain, and on some windows.

"He should have remembered...."

"Remember what Ketath?" Sülvahn said in a low growl.

"Oh bug off!" She shouted. When she turned her head, he saw that she was crying, and the other Ketath were trying to calm her down. "I'm not going to lie about killing him! He killed my children!" She collapsed onto her knees. "And I'm too old..."

"No you aren't..." One had said. "You still have another season. You can Lefal, you can.."

Sülvahn approched her, putting Sweetie Belle back on his back, but held up by his tail. "What happened. Tell me everything."

"I told him that if he looked at my kittens again, he would regret it. Then he picked one up and threw it into the fire next to him." She sobbed. "I watched her burn! I charged at him, but he jumped out of the way, and threw the rest in!"

Sülvahn put his hand on the Ketath. "I am sorry Ketath. Perhaps something, logical can be used to solve this feud without violence. Perhaps a full separation?"

The other Ketath nodded in agreement, Lefal watched them. "O-okay..."

It didn't take long before all of them jumped out of view. Their quick and nimble frames giving them the ability to get out of sight like they were quicker than light. Sülvahn sat down and moved Sweetie Belle right in front of him. He carefully brushed her mane with a single claw.

"Are you okay Sweetie Belle?" Sweetie noticed she could hear again. She looked up at him and with a light nod she gave him her answer. "I'm sorry I hurt you." He said sadly. "It was never my intention to."

"It's okay." She said in a weak voice, still unsure about her hearing. "I'm alive right?"

She was right, yet, she wasn't. She was weak again, he smelt it. Sülvahn blew a little spark into her face, and looked around. "I will keep you safe little one." He stood up in time for the Ketath following him to jump in his way.

"Not this time dragon." She sneered as a black aura started to form around her. "Our new master wishes to have you alive or dead when he sees you."

"Who is your master?!"

"That is none of your business dragon! All I was given was to kill you now di-!" Sweetie Belle had panicked and used her magic. Surely if Twilight was watching her, she would have gotten a two hour long scolding. Sülvahn was in trouble, so she used a little magic to blast the Ketath back into a wall across the courtyard.

"Run..." Sweetie said softly.

Sülvahn didn't need to be told twice. Sweetie's life force was failing. The crystal didn't do enough. It was only a matter of time...NO! Sülvahn thought with rage surging him forward. You will not! He only knew one place to go to get a more purer crystal to heal her.

"Sülvahn... I don't feel so well..." Sweetie said softly in a whisper. "What's wrong with me...?"

Sülvahn stopped and looked down at her. "Sweetie Belle. I want you to listen to me. Do. Not. Die. Don't close your eyes."

Sweetie smiled weakly. "Alright, I'll watch you save me then..." She looked on waiting for him to move.

Sülvahn jumped into a sprint, running on all fours. He didn't care anymore, everything around him that was in his way was destroyed into dust or burned to the ground. He had a job, he wasn't going to fail this time or ever. Knowing he wasn't far now, he sprinted faster and crashed through the double wooden doors.

"WOAH!" A horse screamed, getting out of the way from the blast. When she looked from the counter, she saw Sülvahn panting heavily. "Sülvahn? Any reason wh-?" Sülvahn grabbed Sweetie Belle and pushed her into the horse's face.

"She is weak! Hurry!" He threw some gold onto the counter.

"I've never healed her kind before....but I'll try."

He looked down at Sweetie Belle and stroked her mane softly. "You will be okay Sweetie Belle..." Sülvahn said softly. "Can you get Max to aid you?"

"He's in Spargas getting supplies. He won't return until tomorrow. But I can do just as good." She began to pull all sorts of minerals and crystals. A couple candles and a stick of white chalk later they were in a very empty room in the basement.

Sülvahn sat in the corner eyeing Sweetie Belle with concern. The horse was drawing a pentagram with the chalk, a few candles on each point. The air was damp, making the light flicker dimly. He wasn't aware what was going to happen next, it... scared him. She was his only hope of getting food for the rest of his life. No longer he had to relay on shipments from traders or the Diamond Dogs hitting their next cashe of gems.

Another thought came forth in his expansive mind. Sweetie Belle had called him her friend. For dragons, allies were rare, few and far in between because greed consumed most of them. He hadn't thought about gaining a...friend[/i. Allies weren't worth the trouble in finding them, but it seemed that Sweetie had found him by some rare chance.

Sweetie Belle was like a gem or jewel to him. She was rare in the Wastelands, and it was known that unicorn blood had powers. It was no wonder why the Ketath was so eager to go after her. But the shadow aura was around that one. Telling him he was needed... He had put Sweetie Belle in a spot he wasn't thinking about before, but now that he was, he wasn't sure about going on.

"How long will this take Lokist?"

Lokist sighed, looking up from her books. "I've never done a unicorn before. This is new, and I'm searching for another mean to heal her. There are two strange energies surrounding her. The only thing I can think of is to find a way to stabilize it with my own..."

"Will it take it away?"

"Not all of it...Only a small fraction will be needed. They are stable for now, but that might have to do with being around you."

"She has her own and Scorpan's magic Lokist."

"Let me work please." She said in a deadpan voice. She looked back down in her books, and a light pink aura surrounded her hooves. She walked over to Sweetie Belle. "She's weak. She shouldn't be using her magic yet.* Her hooves moved over her body. "There's a connection to her life force and her magic. Her magic must be trying to heal her, but her life is weak. No magic for at least two more  weeks. Her horn also shows scars. If it was broken or fractured, there is a good chance it was leaking most of her magic."*

The more Lokist spoke, the more Sülvahn wanted urge her to hurry. "Will she be alright?"

Lokist looked up at Sülvahn. "She's fine now.." She smiled and stepped away. "My father would be proud, I'm sure. I just healed a unicorn and saved her future."

"How are you sure?"

"Because big guy, she's not ready to die, and she has you to protect her. With my help, she'll get back to wherever she came from."

Sülvahn breathed a sigh of relief. "That is good to hear...Thank you Lokist."

"If you came here for something, I can keep an eye on her. Still some things I'd like to look at."

He thought for a moment, then nodded. "Keep her down here. There is some trouble outside I don't want her a part of."**

Lokist bowed low. "I will protect her with my life"

"You must know she speaks basic."

She smiled. "That's fine. I do too."

Sülvahn pushed the large doors above him open. He was glad they had installed those doors for him. They must have been tired of him blowing holes in the floor, didn't blame them, but Sülvahn always wanted to keep an eye on the weak. Wanted to make sure they got well right.

And on he went, to find a proper seat for Sweetie Belle. Perhaps, the smith had one already...