Anarchy, Mayhem, and The Elements of Ferocity

by Arkolo

Rating: teen
Tags: Adventure
Length: 27176

Dragons, ponies, and draconequi... oh my! I suppose you can throw some goblins and changlings in there too.

A band of dragon mercenaries pursues a goblin warlord into a world- jumping portal, bringing them to Equistria. The goblin uses the resulting mess and scattering of the portal-jump to hide and rebuild his strength, gaining some unlikely allies in this new world,… changelings?
Meanwhile the dragon mercenaries are thrown throughout Equistria upon their landing. Not all of the war-experienced dragons interact well with the talking equines they stumble into. All of them are still determined to put down the goblin that dragged them there in the first place.
Two Draconequi seek to take advantage of the confusion, trying seize the title "Spirit of Chaos & Disharmony" for themselves, in an attempt to over throw the "reformed" discord.

Note - Sex tag there because it is mentioned, nothing too graphic.

And since i can't figure out how to upload friggin cover art heres a link… Sorry for not directly gracing your eyes, =P.
http://s1368.photobucket.com/user/arkolo/media/005_zpswlnujonh.jpg.html?sort=3&o=25

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2015-03-21 23:23:47 UTC

Chapter 1 "Pleasant introductions"

Elements of ferocity

Ch.1 “Pleasant introductions”

It was a normal, totally average day of winter in Ponyville. Snow covered the ground, and smoke lazily rose from several chimneys, the inhabitants inside were warm and happy next to their pleasant hearths.

A few town members were out and about on business, but their numbers were minimal. The main park of Ponyville had a few families out enjoying the snow, building snow ponies and bucking snowballs.

At Sweet Apple Acres---

Applejack thought the day was going to be another normal one as well. The animals had been moved into the barn, sheltering them from the cold. She had gotten up early and made sure they were fed, and the cows milked.

Now she was in the kitchen, baking the signature family pies. She paused a few times to steal a look outside, checking that her sister and friends were doing fine. When she saw the fillies playing happily in the snow, she went back to managing the oven.

“Cutie mark crusaders snow-fort builders!!!” came the unified shout of Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo. The three of them had started on the largest snow fort they had ever built, using shovels and buckets to eagerly accomplish their goal.

“Let’s make it as big as a wagon!” piped up Apple Bloom.

“Let’s make it as big as the club house” squeaked Sweetie Belle

“Let’s make it as big as ---“ Scootaloo was interrupted by an enormously loud thunder crack. All three fillies jumped in fright and ran over to the porch shivering.

The loud thunder crack startled Applejack, just as she was pulling the pie out of the oven. The sudden jerk in her movement flipped the pie over onto the floor. She let out a frustrated sigh, but then cheerily turned to another pie sharing space in the oven.

“Good thing I always make extras.” She went down to remove the second pie, and another thunder CRACK erupted even louder, sounding like it was right outside of the house. The floor was hungry for another pie.

Stomping angrily Applejack turned toward the door.

“What the hay is goin’ on? I never remember there being thundering during the middle of winter!” as she opened the door the three fillies bolted inside, causing Applejack to spin around on the spot. Her eyes swirled in her head for a moment before focusing again.

“Yall see a thunder cloud out there? Maybe Rainbow Dash is trying to pull some kinda prank.”

“No, there ain’t a cloud in the sky sis.” Apple Blood reported shivering violently.

“We did a see green light right over Ponyville though. It spread out into a bunch of little streams like a fire work.” Sweetie belle rattled.

“But it is way louder than any we’ve heard.” Scootaloo noted, speaking with the most calm of the three shaking fillies.

“Let me take a look.” Applejack turned around toward the door. She opened it peering cautiously outside. There was nothing immediately in the front yard that gained her attention, so she stepped out onto the porch and looked towards Ponyville.

To her surprise there were brilliant streaks of beaming green light in the sky. They scattered in every direction, each of the trail of light was led by a pulsating red point. A few of the points went straight down into Ponyville itself. Two of the red lights got brighter and brighter, heading right towards Sweet Apple Acres.

The orange earth pony shivered from the cold, but also in nervousness, what was with the strange light display? Was there some kind of event she forgot about? Or some kind of freaky accident? Her thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched whizzing sound.

One of the red lights slammed into the snow right in front of her porch. She jumped back from it, but then curiously moved close for a look. Wiping away some of the snow piled around it with a hoof she saw that it appeared to be some kind of burnt metal, with eerie  glowing red writing on it. The thought crossed her mind that she didn’t want to touch it, when suddenly she was blinded by a burst of light.

Raising a fore-leg to shield her face from the sudden visual bombardment, she fell hoof over heels backward into the snow. The light dimmed a bit and she tried to sneak a peek.

The light coalesced into a figure, a very tall figure, it was about ten times the height of a pony. It had massive wings, and a long tail that ended with four very large spikes. Along with it’s four clawed feet, the figure, which Applejack could very easily tell now was a DRAGON, opened its toothy maw to shout.

“Damn goblin! Where in Ohnera is this?” it bellowed furiously.

The dragon, white as the snow, turned its head about quickly taking the details of it’s surroundings. A large frill flared up angrily around the top of its head, five lengthy spines supported the leathery skin in between.

It was only a moment before giant dragon eyes turned around noticing the house, then Applejack lying there in the snow. It eyed her up and down, and then looked back up to the house, then back down at her.

Slowly the dragon reached out a paw and plucked the Stetson hat from her head, shook the snow off of it, and offered it back to her. Nervously looking from the dragon to her hat she reached out a hoof grab it.

Once she had the hat in her grip the dragon seized her in one of its paws. She let out a frightened whinny and tried to kick. The large white beast sat down on its haunches and lifted Applejack towards its face.

She had a front row seat for the details. It’s eyes were a fiery mix of red and gold. As well as a large lightning pattern mark that started on the sides of his snout, then trailed over his eyes and down the length of his alabaster body.

“Where am I?” it was a deep male voice, it was kept level, but Applejack could tell there was a great deal of restrained anger behind the words.

“Uh, you’re on the outskirts of ponyville.”

“Ponyville? What’s that next to?”

“Well, there’s Canterlot to the north, and the Everfree forest to the south, and ---“

“Stop there. What’s the country or empire or whatever that’s large and nearby?”

“Well all these lands are part of Equistria.” Applejack gestured with a hoof broadly around everywhere.”

The dragon patted her snow covered pelt clean before setting her down, then put the same paw over his eyes and grimacing. A slight growl escaped the open corners of his mouth.

“Uh, Mr. dragon I’m sorry if somethin’ is bothering ya, but why are you here, and what’s that?” She gestured at the piece of metal embedded in the slow. The strange markings were no longer glowing, and were a much duller shade of red. The dragon removed the paw rubbing his eyes and lazily looked down. Seeing the object the little pony was pointing to his eyes widened.

Snow coated claws snatched the piece a metal between two pointed tips.

“I’m Lethalus by the way, thank you for pointing this out. It was not my intention to be here…” He lifted the shard of metal and slid it behind one of the large metal bracers he was wearing on his forelegs. Applejack just noticed this, and also that there appeared to be large cables wrapped tightly around the bracers as well, and more strange marks somewhat resembling the burnt metal shard.

Another flash of light erupted in the middle of the orchard, causing Applejack and Lethalus to snap their attention to it. The light was dark grey, and quickly formed another giant figure; it was slightly shorter than the dragon but much broader. It was a large bipedal figure with arms that hung down to the ground in length.

This new creature had a broad face resembling a frog, and large bat-like ears stood erect on its gnarly head. It’s hide was rough and leathery gray. It wore a simply loin cloth, and a large metal linked belt. Glowing marks adorned the belt, and there were several spots in its flesh that had glowing marks as well.

Large green eyes spotted the dragon. It bellowed in a voice even deeper than the dragon’s.

“Lethalus, it looks like nothing stands between us now!”

“huh, a friend of yours?” Applejack let out a nervous chuckle, looking up towards the dragon. She started to slowly back away towards the house.

“Damn your master, you filthy trogre. What was it they called you again? Foot wipe?

“So clever… But you will know that it is Torag that slays you.”

“Please, I don’t care what you think, all of your kind if far too slow for my dance of death.” Lethalus growled in irritation and started to glow along his lightning marks. Electrical energy cackled through the air in visible arcs and the white dragon opened its maw.

The trogre lifted an arm, pointed it at Lethalus and tapped a glowing mark. Lightning blasted out of the dragon’s maw straight at Torag only to be absorbed into the runic mark. The air itself shook with the thunder and heavy wind whipped everything nearby. There were screams from the fillies in the house and Applejack quickly ran inside, shutting the door.

“A lightning ward doesn’t impress me.” The dragon snorted in irritation.

“This should.” A malevolent grin passed over Torag’s broad mouth, revealing jagged, uneven teeth. A clawed finger came down and tapped another mark. This time lightning appeared again, but it was being pulled from the dragon’s chest and into the runic mark. Everything was quiet except for the dragon’s roars. Even the thunder seemed to be sucked into the white glowing mark.

When it was done the mark exploded fizzing out the excess energy and burning the flesh on Torag’s arm. The trogre paid it no mind as his half trollish flesh sealed up the wound quickly. Lethalus fell to the ground in a violent spasm.

“Sorry what was that about dancing?” The brutish creature laughed mockingly as he lumbered forward, pulling out a one-handed ax.

With a loud inhale Lethalus stopped his shaking, and stood unsteadily back on his feet.

“That was a surprise.” He admitted in a raspy wheeze. Torag merely smirked as he raised his ax and charged forward. The dragon lurched forward as well, though sluggishly and the giant easily caught the move.

Slapping dragon’s head to the side Torag brought his ax down. Before hitting it’s intended target, Lethalus’s neck, the dragon’s tail whipped around and slammed the trogre’s arm, diverting the ax’s course right into his scaly thigh.

The dragon roared in agonized fury. Blood spurted across the white snow in a wide area. Some of it even managed to splatter over the house.

Applejacks eyes snapped to the window pane in shock. She was huddled under the kitchen table, closely clasping onto three terrified fillies. The abrupt slosh of liquid had caught their attention. As the four pairs of terrified eyes looked up at the now red transparent windows Scootaloo wet herself,  Sweetie Belle vomited, and Applebloom screamed.

Rather than succumbing to the pain, the dragon reignited some vigor into his movement. Lethalus tapped the bracers on his forelegs together and brought dormant energy stored there to life. Faster than the blink of an eye, the lightning dragon’s paws were raking and stabbing the trogre.

Torag found his eyes assaulted and cut half a dozen times before he stumbled backward. Bellowing his own discontent at the sudden blinding pain. The dragon’s attack didn’t cease, and the grey giant replied with a powerful uppercut at the dragon’s torso. The cringe worthy crunch of ribs cracking stopped the dragon’s flurry of strikes.

Taking advantage of the momentary pause Torag grasped the dragon’s forelegs and drove him backwards. Lethalus danced around on one hind leg trying to keep balance while the trogre was shoving him. He couldn’t keep the balance when he was shoved over backward right onto Applejack’s house.

Several tons of scaly dragon and gnarled trogre careened through the wooden structure. Glass shattered, wood boards splintered, and supporting beams and frames cracked apart. The home was cleanly smashed from one end to the other, leveling out its two stories.

Only one wall was left standing next to the tripped up giants and the wreckage.

The dragon growled and kicked the trogre off with his uninjured hind leg. Torag quickly righted himself onto his short stumpy legs, before raising both of his arms for a massive over head smash. Spikes on Lethalus’s tail impaled one of the trogre’s eyes before the attack could be completed, making his foe back off.

The dragon took advantage of this moment by leaping on Torag and savagely biting his arm where it met his shoulder. Lethalus’s head whipped back and forth impossibly fast for a creature his size. Flesh was freed from bone, and with another snap of his jaws the dragon severed Torag’s arm off.

With another quick maneuver Lethalus released the cables on his bracers. The banded metal cords were wrapped around the trogres overly thick neck, and Lethalus jumped behind his foe, pulling the cords tight.

Torag gurgled against the strangulation, and in futility attempted to grab the dragon with his one remaining arm.

“NOW, you’re gonna tell me where your paragon forsaken master took us!!!”

“GguuGugugajhklkdf!!!”

“I CAN’T UNDERSTAND YOUR MUMBLING, TRY HARDER!”

Lethalus basically screamed at the trogre’s back, a horrible ear splitting air crack of a screech. What remains of glass there were from the house shattered into even finer pieces.

Desperately Torag spun in circles to reach the dragon at his back. Lethalus bounced around on one hind leg keeping pace, and tightening the cables grip. In a tricky juke the trogre faked spinning one way before rapidly changing direction. The shift was onto Lethalus’s weaker leg causing him to falter. Torag’s remaining arm slammed into the dragon knocking him down.

The cables had cut into Torag’s neck and he fished them out, removing them with relief he gasped a much needed breath. His green eyes, healing and blood shot, angrily turned on the fallen Lethalus. He curled his clawed fingers into a fist and punched into Lethalus’s ribs, cracking them on the other side.

The dragon’s leg’s sprung up defensively, even as he coughed large sploshes of blood.

“I’ll have to finish you… HACK, cough, another day.”

In one last contemptuous act Torag grabbed Lethalus’s neck, lifted him off the ground then threw him bodily back at the house. Torag fell down immediately afterward, and wheezed for air. He tapped the large rune in the center of his chest, and disappeared in a gray flash of light.

A Moment Before ---

Wood and splinters of the house the house fell around them, and the ground shook and bounced in terrible quakes. The three fillies and mare clung to each other in a death grip, the young ones screaming in terrified sobs the whole time.

Everything was dark in the middle of the debris. The thunderous noises finally ceased for a moment. Some more of the debris shifted and light poured through an opening. The kitchen table had amazingly held up despite the heavy debris flung everywhere.

“Yall alright?” Applejack said trying to maintain calm

“I think so.” Each of the fillies coughed out in turn.

“Now I think it best if we try to get the Hay out of here.”

Applejack released her hold on the fillies to venture out from underneath the table. She pushed toward the light shining through the pile of her broken home. She quickly burrowed an opening out of the clutter; peeking her head out, she didn’t see an immediate threat. She wondered where the two huge monsters could have disappeared to so quickly, but she was more desperate to find a safer spot for the fillies and herself. Had Applejack looked completely around she would have seen the two giants lying right behind them.

“C’mon it’s clear from what I can see.” She didn’t have to wait for the fillies to quickly follow behind her.

“Quite mark crusader, disaster survivors?” sweetie belle tried weakly joking, while wiping some leftover vomit from her face. Nopony responded, and she lowered her head. Her friends we’re still too shocked to really speak.

None of them made it further than a few steps before a giant, beaten dragon was thrown right on top of them.

MEAN WHILE IN PONYVILLE ---

The sudden thunderous booms caused many of the inhabitants of ponyville to duck for cover, those not too frightened by the noise peered out of their windows and were surprised by the bright green lights trailing through the sky in all directions, each trail being led by a red pulse.

Several of the pulses landed straight down in the midst of ponyville while others sailed into the far off distance. The red pulses cooled into metal shards when they crashed into the snow, landed on a few roofs and broke through a few windows.

Some ponies looked at the fallen shards curiously; others backed away from them in fright. None had to wait long for a reaction.

Most of the shards sputtered with a violent green light, which proceeded to solidifying into disgusting little bipedal forms. They hunkered over in poor posture, and had rather frog-like faces full of jagged teeth, with batty ears adorning their heads. They wore rags and stunk of gunk. All of them were equipped with short blades.

At sugar cube corner ---

“GEEEEEAAAHHHHH”

a small ragged creature screamed as it angrily stabbed the large cake infront of it with a greasy knife. The cake didn’t fight back, and the small creature stared at it stupidly. The bright and frilly colors  in the room offended it’s sensibilities and it proceeded to run around the Kitchen stabbing anything that looked too colorful, which was many things.

“Heya what’s goi…”

Pinkie Pie popped her head through the kitchen door. She stopped when she saw the small dark green creature running madly through kitchen stabbing everything colorful with a crude knife. She stopped speaking when the crazy creature snapped its eyes onto her. One eye stared at her directly, the other wandered off, rather reminiscent of a chameleon looking at two things at once. It was a rather demented look.

“Pink speak! Goblin fight the pink! GEEAAAHH!!!”

It charged towards at Pinkie, who retreated from the door closing it. The goblin kicked the door back open and jumped forward, in fighting stance with it’s knife raised.

An explosion of confetti and streamers blasted the vile creature backwards. Sending it soaring back into the kitchen where it slammed into the wall, dropped it’s knife, and lost its consciousness.

Pinkie peered back through the kitchen door, keeping her party cannon in front of her in precaution. The creature was twitching, face planted on the floor.

“geah…”

“I don’t think you know how to party, nopie dopie.”

At Carousel Boutique ---

Rarity had jumped when two of her windows had shattered and a few small scorched objects had skidded over the floor.  Spilling her tea over the morning paper she had been reading. She angrily threw the paper down on the table, releasing it from her magical aura.

“What ruffians are throwing stones at my Boutique!?”

she moved towards the front door, but before she reached it she was blinded by a few flashes of green light. Three gnarly creatures stood erect, as tall as rarity herself, and each of them held a knife. One eye out of each pair looked at Rarity.

The standstill was audible silence. The white unicorn held her mouth open in surprise. The strange creatures rotated which eye was looking are her, and which one was exploring the room they were in. Nervously she tried to take a step back as quietly as she could. At the soft sound of one hoof tap, all of the goblins eyes settled on her. They all raised their knives threateningly.

“Should we eat it?” one goblin smacked its slimy lips, and sticking out a long broad tongue.

“Yes, Griggers is hungry.” Another goblin said excitedly.

“No, find it’s leaders, then we can eat all of them!!!”  A third said.

“Hmm, naw, I want it’s hair, it looks soft.” The first goblin said eyes twitching madly. They started advancing slowly, raising their knives a little higher. Rarity screamed and galloped up to the second level of her boutique. The goblins ran after her cackling excitedly.

When she reached the second level she slammed the door behind her, panting heavily and leaned her back against it. The door rattled as the goblins bashed against it. Rarity nearly jumped out of her pelt when a knife blade poked right through the door next to her head. With another terrified shout she jumped up from the door. She grabbed furniture in the room with her magic and threw it against the door. The slamming against the door suddenly stopped when there was a very loud

“Meow”

“Geah! A cat.” One of goblins shouted in surprise. Angry cat noises and frightened goblin complaints emanated from the other side of the door.

“Opal…I'm coming!” Rarities pupils shrank even further and she yanked the furniture away from the door in her magic. She burst the door open while her horn glowed bright blue, a furious snarl painted on her muzzle. To her surprise the goblins rolled back down the stairs curled into fetal position. Once at the bottom of the stairs they quickly scampered for an escape.

“Demon! Run away RUN AWAY!!!” more windows were broken as the goblins dived out of them. Opal gave a ferocious hiss before sitting down, and candidly licked a paw. Rarity’s mouth was hanging open again. The open windows let a gusty draft of winter air blow through the boutique. The white unicorn shivered at the frigid draft.

Grabbing some of thick durable fabric and some pins, she moved over to the windows and sealed them shut.

“Well… Opal, I’ll just have to let the others know some kind of horrid monsters are running about ponyville. I’ve never quite seen their like, but what Barbarians!”

She magiked over some of her winter wear, a long frilly coat, and some equally frilly knee high boots.

At Bulk Biceps’s house ---

Loud rock music blasted in Bulk’s home gym.

Pump it! Pump it! Pump it MOOOAAARRRRR!

“YEAAAHHH!!!” the white Pegasus shouted as blood vessels strained in his eyes, neck, muscles, everywhere muscles. He pushed his front hooves up, lifting a bar bell with 500 pounds on it for his 100th rep. Sweat drenched the bench and he set the bar down. With a content sigh he sat up and reached for a large protein drink he had on the floor. The bottle’s label read “Haey Protein.”

Just had he held the shake up to his mouth a metal shard came whizzing through the window, breaking it, and slammed into the freshly mixed and eagerly awaited shake, knocking it from Bulk’s grip. Pinkish white slush splashed out all over bulk and the floor.

“NAAWWW!” the white Pegasus shouted in frustration and looked back towards the window. Flashes of grey light redirected his attention. Right behind him were half a dozen gross little creatures.

“Horse Ogre?” one of the figures voiced as it looked up at the large stallion.

“Fight it!!!” the rest of them screamed, pulling out crude blades.

“Biceps need their protein, and you guys spilled all of mine.” Bulk picked up a 30 pound dumbbell in one hoof, and tapped it menacingly in the other hoof. Pink slush dripped menacingly from his menacing grimace.

Pump it! Pump it! Pump it MOOOAAARRRRR!

Six goblins were tightly wound into a ball of flailing limbs, and found themselves involuntarily exiting the home gym through a window too small to fit them all at once. With a mighty buck, and a loud yeah! Six Goblins were forced out the window frame they were stuck in, soared through the air, and were embedded in the neighboring building like darts on a board. All of them groaned in disoriented muffled grunts.

An empty shake cup was thrown out after them, nailing one squarely on the backside, causing the goblin to fidget it’s two dangling legs.

Geah…

At Twilight’s magical tree castle… thing. ---

Spike sat reading a power ponies comic, issue #13 specifically.

“Tree of harmony can give everyone their magic back, and make this big ol’ castle, but no giving me my comics back, stupid Tirek.” Spike flipped another page irritably. It was the only comic book left he could find in the castle, the rest had apparently been blown away with the old library.

Spike wasn’t so sure he liked this new castle. It was way too spacey and frequently had drafts. Let alone it was a pain to keep the place warm in winter. There were at least a dozen different fire places. The kitchen was far away from the main reading room, which was far away from the bedroom, which was far away from the front door. He didn’t want to think about the new stair cases, Sombra would be proud. His stubby little legs got sore just thinking of how much more walking and climbing he had to do.

“At least this is my favorite issue” he sighed, and leaned back into the couch he was lying on. A single scorched metal shard landed in the reading room, causing Spike to jump.

“Woah, this issue didn’t come with any magic portals!” He threw the comic across the room and jumped behind the couch. Light flashed in the room and spike huddled down, placing his arms over his head. The light disappeared and it was quiet for a moment.

Creepy sniffing slinked around the room, and spike got up to peep over the couch. When he saw a dark figure standing there he quickly ducked back down, and started to shake.

“What the? Am I in the comic anyway? Wait this still looks like the reading room…” Spike was interrupted as a gunky, smelly, bipedal figure jumped over the couch and stared him in the face.

“What are you? What are you eh?” it poked him in the chest with a slimy claw tipped finger.

“Uh, a dragon?” spiked shrugged helpfully. The gray-green monster’s purple-blue eyes widened, and it’s yellow-orange teeth were revealed in a hiss that sounded blackish-pink.

“DRAGON! Kill it! Kill it while it’s small!”

The goblin proceeded to stab the small dragon 37 times in the chest, with a grey-darker grey knife. Spike’s yells were quickly cut off as his lungs were punctured, and turned into gurgles. Blood pooled all over the floor and flowed constantly. The goblin pulled it’s knife back and looked down satisfied with it’s job. The small dragon twitched as life started to leave from his eyes.

“You don’t eat goblins while you’re small, do you eh. aHAHAHAHAhahaha.” After the goblin finished laughing it licked it’s bloody knife clean.

“Spike? What’s going on? I heard yelling.” a purple alicorn walked casually into the room. She stopped mid stride when she saw the scene before her. One of her eye’s twitched violently and her mouth dropped half way open in horror. Her number one assistant was lying on the floor, covered in blood with a blood splattered figure holding a knife looming over him.

An agonized wail of shock and rage escape the Twilight’s mouth. The Goblin simply sneered and turned it’s knife towards her.

“Little pony next eh?”

The goblin didn’t take a step before being grabbed in a purple magical aura and flung across the room.

Several bones cracked as it slammed into the crystal wall, before the creature could even orient where it was, the goblin was thrown across the room repeatedly, bashing into the walls. Then the monster was bounced up and down against the ceiling and floor a few times, and sent sailing out the window of the castle for good measure.

A broken, rag-doll of a goblin crashed into the frigid snow, over 5 stories down from said window.

“Spike! Spike!...can y-you h-hear me?”

Twilight’s words stammered as she grabbed the little mess of a dragon in her fore-hooves. Healing magic ineffectually started to work and Spike’s fatal wounds. The purple glow from Twilight’s horn grew brighter as she tried to apply more power to the spell, but she knew her healing knowledge couldn't undo this kind of damage.

“Spike, no, no, NONONO… no”

Tears and sobs broke freely. Spike’s eyes had gone dark and he was no longer breathing. Twilight’s purple coat was now coated in blood where she had been hugging her assistant’s body. She didn’t care, her mind was going numb, and she still couldn’t quite grasp the situation.  What was that demon from Tartarus doing here? Why was she not here to help earlier? Why would anyone want to hurt little spike?

In the middle of her intense sobs another object fell through the window and was followed by an intense burst of green light. Twilight shielded her eyes with a blood crusted hoof, while the other still firmly clasped spike. The light died down and her hoof came down.

There in the center of the room stood a large green dragon, though quite different than any dragon Twilight had ever seen. Long reedy leaves hung from the top of the dragon’s head, and followed down to the tail, creating an impressive body-length mane of flexible reeds. It’s wings looked liked broad leaves stacked on top of each other. The strange dragon stood about Six ponies high, almost reaching the tall ceiling of the reading room. It drew in a deep breath through its nose and surveyed the room with critical orange eyes.

“This doesn’t smell like anywhere in Ohnera.” The green dragon’s voice was distinctly female, and displeased. There was a small ruffling in one of the large satchels the dragon had strapped to it.

“Wait what? Where does dad go for work?” a smaller muffled female voice came from a satchel. The larger dragon’s eyes shot open wide, then she opened the guilty satchel and grabbed the scruff of a smaller dragon’s neck. The smaller dragon was placed on the floor, and was stared at critically by the larger one. The small dragon was about Twilight’s size.

“Dazzle!” was all the larger dragon said while staring with angry eyes.

“I just wanted to see a goblin, or two…Sorry Raf.” Dazzle slumped lowering her long neck below her shoulders.

Twilight hiccuped unintentionally, and hurriedly put a bloodied hoof over her mouth and looked over at the dragons in fear. What was going on in her home today? That monster, and now DRAGONS in the house?!

“It appears the goblin mess has already landed here.” The larger dragon looked down at twilight with a passive expression. Then strangely, the one called “Raf” shrunk down, and stopped around the size of a pony. The large Satchels she had just been carrying where now left to her sides on the floor.

Sauntering over slowly, Raf settled down just outside just outside of spike pool of blood. The dragon shook her long leafy mane, whipping about the long reeds in an elegant manner. A strange calm came over Twilight, she couldn't explain why, but after the strange dragon had done that shaking motion she felt… calm. The throbbing shock of spike’s situation wasn't causing the stabbing pains it had a moment ago.

“Are you feeling better?"

Twilight nodded her head slowly

“Now I’ll need you to remain calm, could I see… um”  Raf indicated towards the body Twilight held firmly in her hooves.

“Spike” she managed to hoarsely cough out. The shrunken dragon nodded and continued to gesture for him.

“His situation is quite recoverable, if you just let me see him.”

“He’s… He’s…”

“Dead.”

The way the dragon casually said it caused a fresh stab of pain to Twilight, she didn’t want to admit it yet, but she couldn’t deny it either. Spike had stopped bleeding and breathing a little while ago.

“Now, it looks like all of this happened just a few moments ago. If you brought me his body in two or three weeks, then I would be saying I couldn’t help you.  But this is fresh enough I can bring him back.”

“Wha, what? But that’s… that’s Necromancy?” The alicorn suddenly became very uneasy near this dragon, and subconsciously gripped Spike even harder, causing a small squirt to come from Spike’s hole ridden chest.

“Ha! By the Paragons, no, no I do not practice necromancy. I do not animate corpses and skeletons, or summon spirits. I mend wounds and restart hearts. A fully functioning body invites it’s own soul back.”

Raf got back onto her feet and walked through Spike’s blood towards Twilight. Once she stood right next to them she reached out with a paw and ran it over spikes head, ruffling the green spines.

“Dazzle, come and watch this. If the goblins inflicted any simple wounds locally you will get to practice your healing on that. You’ll be ready for something like this in a few years.” Raf lowered her snout to spikes head and took a sniff.  Twilight didn’t draw back; a small hope had ignited within her, could it be possible to heal someone already forgone? She had only heard of it as a practice of necromancy, but then again she had never heard of such a dragon, or anyone with such particular claims before.

The smaller dragon jumped onto the couch and looked down at all of them, though she was not so small in comparison now that Raf was shrunken. Dazzle also had a leafy mane, though the leaves were short, and were a wide range of autumn colors, and her scaly skin was bright white. Her body also had a more rounded, and smooth childish shape, compared to Raf’s long and elegant curves.

Raf proceeded to breathe a clear haze slowly over spike, focusing particularly on the wounded areas. To Twilight’s astonishment the wounds completely sealed. The green dragon then reached for Spike and gently removed him from the Alicorn’s fore-legs, who didn’t refuse the motion.

Finding a clean spot on the floor Raf placed the small purple dragon on his side, then put a paw on the lower side of his rib cage, and started to push back and forth. It took a few moments, but Spike started to cough. Big wet coughs came from little lavender reptile, and plenty of blood emptied from his saturated lungs.

A cough? Wait, that’s a good sign! Corpses don’t cough! Twilight stood up in her excited thoughts, the situation really was salvageable. She quickly trotted over and looked down eagerly at Spike.

After a particularly loud and messy cough he took in a deep, much needed breath. He released the air in a contented sigh. As his eyes opened half way they were very blood shot. Looking up at the closest figure to him, he saw Raf. He sniffed deeply, and a dopey smile broke across his little snout.

“This dream is definitely better, it smells nice, and even has a pretty dragon in it.” Giggling stupidly, spike reached up and twirled his paws into Raf’s long leafy mane. The small dragon hugged onto her neck before she lifted away.

“Back to your satisfaction?” Raf turned questioningly towards Twilight. She grabbed Spike in a paw and pulled him off her neck, setting back him down on the floor. A small frown crept onto Spike’s face and he reached out trying to grasp back on with his little claws.

“Spike?!” the lavender Alicorn moved forward slowly and trembling a little. She slowly ran a hoof down his back. This still seemed quite surreal to her as well.

“Twi? You’re here too? Can you help me up there, it smells… so… Geeewwwddd” the dopey smile returned to his snout.

“Spike this isn’t a dream.”

“Of course it is. I died in the other one, and this one has nice dragoness in it, there are no other dragons in ponyville silly.”

“A-HEM.” Raf’s loud and forced cough caught everyone’s attention. She looked back towards Twilight.

“Now in exchange for helping your friend I would like you to answer some questions.”

“Um, what do you need to know. This is also the library as well as my home.”

“I need to know the Location. The little one said this is ponyville?”

“Yes this is Ponyville, right in the middle of Equistria, though I take it you’re not from Equistria, you don’t exactly look like the other dragons I’ve seen. I didn’t know there were any dragons with healing magic.”

“I’m a forest dragon, it’s comes naturally to my kind. Otherwise I’ve never heard of an equistria before… That runic portal must have led to another world entirely.” Raf sat down on her haunches, muttering the last part to herself, and slowly stroked her chin with a claw.

Something pulled on her tail and she looked back. Spike had grabbed onto her tail, and was sniffing the large flower that was on the end of it. It was a large red flower with broad petals and white spots speckling onto it.

“Ha, see dragons don’t have flowers on their tails, especially ones that smell so… geeewwwddd.” Raf lifted her tail up, with Spike dangling on it, and shook him off onto the couch.

“Fondle Dazzle why don’t you.” Raf grunted in irritation. Dazzle eagerly took the opportunity to get a closer look at spike. She looked down on him, since she was the size of a full grown pony, and spike was little colt size.

While Twilight and Raf continued exchanging questions Dazzle grabbed spike in her paws, picking him up and looking at him from several different angles. She grabbed a leg lifting him up and started poking him in different places. The little purple dragon chuckled a little.

“Hey that tickles.”

“What kind of dragon are you? Where are your wings? Are you an earth dragon?”

“Wha-wha-what? This is a weird dream? Another cute dragon?”

“This isn’t a dream, but it is weird.”

Spike had enough of these dream dragons and twilight telling him this wasn’t a dream, and he was going to prove it right now. He lifted a finger to his mouth and bit down. Yep, the pain was definitely there, this wasn’t a dream. Spike stiffened up and froze, that meant this was real, there were other dragons in the room, and that awful, horrible nightmare…

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!” spike screamed loudly, he saw the blood on the floor, still all over him, the taste of it in his mouth. He heaved, and puked his breakfast over on the carpet.

“eeww.” Dazzle wrinkled her snout and placed a paw over it, releasing spike and allowing him to empty his stomach on the floor.

“Spike what’s wrong?” Twilight came over worried.

“T-the nightmare, it was real. Where did that monster go? It… it… but I’m here, I’m.. I’m. How?”

“I took care of the monster, then Raf here healed you. Apparently they both came from the same place. And no, they didn’t come from your comic book.” Twilight rubbed a hoof gently over spike’s back, and tenderly smiled at him, concern still weighing heavily on her brow. Spike turned back to look at where Raf was standing, she looked at him rather passively. Spikes cheeks turned a rather bright shade of pink.

“Uh, sorry for getting all over you like that.”

“The blood hadn’t flowed all way the back to your head quite yet.” Raf grunted, sounding rather indifferent. She grew back to her regular size, towering over everyone else in the library. She moved over towards the window, easily able to look out of it despite the high placement in the wall. The broken parts of glass were noted in her gaze.

She brought her tail around, lifting the flower on the end of it up to her snout. She shook it about for a few moments, and bright yellow spores filled the air. Raf’s cheeks puffed up and she blew the spores out through the broken window.

“All goblins within a horizon’s length should be taken care of.” She said without enthusiasm, and without looking back at any of them. She shrunk back down to pony size a moment later. Twilight’s eyes widened.

“What did you just do?”

“I released an airborne toxin, specifically lethal to goblins.”

“You’re sure it won’t hurt anypony else?”

“By my 755 years I’m sure…”

“oh…”

A loud thunder crack reverberated from some ways away, quickly followed by several more in rapid succession. Raf’s eye opened wide in recognition, it was quite a familiar sound.

“Was that another runic boom?” Twilight asked nervously.

“No, that’s sounds like my boss.”

“What?! Your boss makes, thunder?”spike coughed

“Daddy!” dazzle hopped off the couch and bounded around excitedly, flapping her white petal wings.

At Canterlot ---

Thankfully today was not a day Celestia was holding court. She instead relaxed deeply into the royal bathtub. With all its royal shampoo’s creating a royal sized carpet of bubbles over the surface of the steaming water. Celestia’s wet mane hung down straight, lacking it usual surreal flow, and all her regalia was hung off on a stand.

Her snout kept just above the bubbly line, and her eyes were closed soaking in the peace of the moment. The previous day’s blizzard had made it impractical to be outside, and subsequently the day of court was canceled, so none of her subjects would be putting themselves out in danger. Or pestering her over petty causes, she snorted and hummed to herself in humor.

Unfortunately the peaceful meditation in the bathtub was interrupted. A small object broke through the large stained glass over the tub, leaving a small hole. It landed in the far side of the tub. The large white alicorn opened her eyes, mildly surprised, and irritated. A glow of light illuminated the bathtub for a moment.

A large pair of red eyes and batty ears peaked out from amongst the bubbles, and peered right up at Celestia. The great white alicorn made a rather un-royal shriek of surprise, before kicking the little creep out of the tub.

It landed flatly on it’s head, groaning a high pitched gurgle, and remained still on the floor. Celestia stood up from the tub and grabbed a towel in her yellow magic. She stared harshly at the figure on the floor. This was certainly not an amusing way to get her attention. A bestial roar from outside interrupted any other thoughts she about to voice.

Dozens of shadowy silhouettes passed Celestia’s window. They were followed an enormous shadow that blocked out all light. Then bright light flashed by several windows and a wave of heat wafted through the small opening in the broken window. There were shrieks by several small creatures and the giant shadow disappeared in pursuit.

Hastily, Celestia grabbed her Regalia in her magic and put it on. In a moment she dried herself off in a wafting heat spell, and charged towards the nearest exit.

“Dragon!”

Came a chorus of shouts from the royal guard. Celestia joined their ranks in a moment. Snow bedecked the castle all about, but everpony’s eyes were locked towards the sky.

“Princess, we had no warning of its coming, the pegasi are making defensive maneuvers to lead it away from the city.” The local captain came up to the princess’s side.

“I’ll take care of this captain. If a dragon has the gall to show up in front of my castle I will answer to it.” Her expression took a stoic turn and her body glowed in bright yellow aura. She took to the air, looking for this invading dragon.

Abrupt screeching and roars guided her search. Flying rapidly over the city of canterlot was a large swarm of bat-like froggish creatures, rather like the one she had just kicked out of her tub. Pursuing the swarm was a dragon. It’s wings spanned the length of dozens of pegasi, who were struggling to pursue it, and failing to grab the dragon’s attention.

What was more jarring was how fast this dragon sailed through the air, and the agility with which it turned. It passed through the smaller swarm of monsters several times, snapping it’s jaws and raking it’s claws through them. Then in a spiraling dive it let loose a whirlwind of fire.

The Swarming cloud of creatures changed into a barrage of burning bodies pelting the buildings below. The falling forms excited another swarm of creatures that had been hiding amongst the houses below, and they took to the air.

Before the dragon could swoop down into this new swarm the princess raised her royal canterlot voice.

“Stop dragon! Our treaty forbids your presence here!” her voice boomed through the air, catching attention around for several city blocks. The brown beast turned it’s head about to look at her. It hovered still in the air while she caught up.

When she came close she could see the brown hide was splashed with a bright lava patterns flowing the length of its body. Grey stripes overlapped its hide in measured lengths. The dragon kept it’s yellow eyes fixed on her, confusion besmirched it’s face. It took a few moments to look at its surroundings and the confusion deepened.

Slowly it glided down to an open city square and landed softly on the snow covered stone. Celestia landed on opposite. Her face was full of flustered anger.

“On what grounds did you come to start a war in my city?”

“You’re a Pegasus? How’d you learn to shout like that?” The dragon snorted even more confused.

“I can do a lot more than shout, now explain yourself!”

“I was just burning up garlins, like I’m being paid to do…”

“Garlins?”

“The swarms of creatures you’re letting escape.” The dragon gestured back towards a shrinking black cloud in the distance.

“If I don’t get them now, there’s going to be a lot more of them later.” The confusion turned to worry as the dragon looked after them. Celetia’s eyes followed briefly, but she was more upset at the dragon’s presence.

“Are you not aware of the treaty between Equistria and the dragon council? It specifically states tha-“

“Nope, never heard of an Equistria either. Not sure where the runic portal ended up dumping me either. Say you haven’t seen any other dragons nearby have you?”

“No, but-“

“Damn, hopefully Lethalus and the others are somewhat close by.”

“Others? How many?”

“Well, there were six of us caught in the explosion made by that trogre. Lethalus is our leader, who’s a lighting dragon, then Raflaesa a forest dragon. Also there’s Gravelle, Heathice, and Trickle, which are earth, ice and sea dragons respectively. And then there’s me, Vrepen, the only fire dragon of the group. By the way, what should I call you? Are you some kind of royalty, because that’s a neat little crown.” Vrepen’s snout danced upward in a slight grin.

“I am Princess Celestia. I must ask what the intent of your… group is?” She made a grand sweeping gesture with a hoof, ending with it pointing right at the brown fire dragon.

“We’re the Storm strike mercenaries. Fight, get paid, I’m sure you know. Fighting the Goblin Mushgrom was our primary business, before well, here. Speaking of business, you’re the princess here, where’s the King or Queen or the actual one in charge.”

“The highest rank here is princess, but I have no need for mercenary assistance.” The last word felt rather distasteful in her mouth. She hadn’t needed to resort to that option, even in the most dire of circumstances.

As dangerous as this dragon appeared, he also seemed genuine about his confusion and misplacement. He also talked about a barrage of things she had no idea about, she just needed to be sure about a few things. It was just then she noticed there was some infant wailing in the background, from fright no undoubtedly.

“First I will have to ask you to step outside of the city, and not go flying throughout the country-side. Your presence and it’s violent display has terrified a good number of my ponies. Also I wish you to remain close by while I contact the dragon councils, to make sure your explanation is genuine.”

“You sure? I mean those garlins are going to be a pain in YOUR arse, if they’re not taken care of now. I mean I won’t complain if you want us to help you later, for a price ofcourse.” Vrepen shrugged indifferently. A slight grin crept further his snout as the pony princess appeared to consider his words.

“Just remain on the mountainside near the castle for now; I will speak with my contacts.”

“I’ll respect that princess, but if Lethalus shows up I’m following his order.”

“I may very well like to speak with you leader, if he comes.”

“Mind if I clean up the mess before I find a roost?”

“Hm?”

“Oh, just the garlin bodies.” Vrepen proceeded to pick up one of the nearby burnt corpses on the ground, one of the winged goblin creatures. After seizing it he placed it in his mouth and crunched it down. Smacking his scaly lips and cleaning them with a long tongue as he scouted for more. Celestia winced at the action, closing her eyes and trying to hide her disgust. She dealt with griffons and the like eating meat before, but it had been a while since she lasted witnessed a visitor shoveling fresh corpses into his mouth.

“Mmm, crispy…” a pleased hum came from the dragon, who was roughly 4 times Celestia’s prestigious height.

“If you would, please refrain from eating them while within the city.”

At the Crystal Empire ---

The crystal empire was a nice little spot of bubbly paradise in the midst of an otherwise terrifyingly barren tundra. In the middle of winter especially, as the snow created a 20 foot wall surrounding the empire to its green grassy borders, creating a magnificently large bowl effect.

The awe-inspiring aurora lights complimented the sunset sky, and princess Cadance let out a blissful sigh. She was standing near the edge of the balcony her hooves crossed and shining armor standing next to her, his hooves also crossed. They leaned into and just remained silent. It had been another long day of managing their still new empire. Reintegrating the crystal ponies into Equistria had proved a relatively smooth transition. The was no end to the list of things to do, the returning empire brought with it many sought after goods, and archaic knowledge that several other nations found a deep interest in.

But it was here looking at the pastel brilliance of the sky with shining that helped her unwind a little.

A sudden flash of amber light in the distance edge of the empire’s horizons caught the happy couple’s attention for a moment. It flared brilliantly for a moment, arousing nothing too suspicious. When the light had ended there was a roar that was felt more than it was heard. A great echoing rumble shook the landscape.

Crystal chandiliers within grand structures rattled and chimed with the vibration. The populous suddenly grew very uneasy, several ponies shouts of surprise could be heard rippling through the evening crowds. The roar was the relatively calm part though.

Violent tremors shook the ground, rattling all the structures for miles around, causing loose crystal and stone to fall from roofs or tip over in gardens. Statues and other elegantly thin structures wobbled and cracked, but no building fell over, thankfully.

Cadance and shining were shaken all the way up on their high balcony in the midst of the grand crystal palace. Both of them backed away from the edge, Cadance’s wings flared and Shining’s horn lit up.

“Sombra couldn’t be to more trouble could he?” Shining voiced, rather rhetorically. Neither of them could make out Smoky black clouds or crystals anywhere.

“Whatever it is the source is over there, I’ll fly over.” Cadance put golden shoes on the balcony, wings still flared.

“I’ll be right with you dear.”

Cadance dove over the balcony and soared quickly towards where the amber light had been. Shining armor winked out with his magic, keeping pace with his wife in quick jumps.

Several ponies had run out of their homes to keep away from any shaking structure, as another tremor shook the empire. Seeing all of the distress around her made her anxiety go up, but she kept her calm and focused exterior. Many of the panicking ponies saw their princess flying confidently towards whatever the problem was and calmed down. The persistently chaotic ponies were being kept organized by some cool headed guards.

The pink Alicorn looked out where the two welcoming red pillars shout have stood. One had been up rooted and was clasped in a gigantic paw. The banner crystals that had hung between the pillars were scattered on the roadside.

Looking up from the pillar-in-paw Cadance beheld the rest of the colossal frame. A dragon of a slightly differently looking sort was seated on it haunches and took a large bite out of the crystal pillar. The grinding of the mineral in its maw was deafening, and she was half tempted to put her hooves over her ears.

The figure, nearly 20 times the height of a pony didn’t seem to notice, or care about their approach. The draconic figure was a golden shade of brown, and covered in large carapace scales, giving the behemoth a heavily armored appearance. 5 pairs of long straight horns shot back from its head, and 5 pairs of large curved spikes occupied where wings shout have been. The spikes and horns where flexible, shifting with the dragon’s motions.

Flying right in font of the grand creature’s face caught its attention, Cadance was now only a few hoof lengths away from its snout. The purple eyes, which were as large as cadence, it looked at her mildly irritated. It lifted a paw to wipe at the air, trying brush her away.

The pink alicorn did not take kindly to the gesture and raised her voice.

“What are you doing her dragon?! You’ve needlessly frightened my ponies.”  At her words the dragons eyes narrow, the irritation intensified. The cacophonous sound of crystal pillar being chewed ceased and some rubble fell from the dragon’s partially open maw. The falling stones sizzled and melted from a powerful acid in the dragon’s mouth. The rest of the pillar was swallowed before the enormous dragon spoke.

“I needlessly frighten many all the time, now shoo, I’m hungry.” It waved a paw in her general direction, causing a great deal of air turbulence and nearly destabilizing Cadance’s flight. The pink princess was now quite irate herself. It was the middle of her peaceful evening and this inconsiderate beast had to come and disturb thousands, let along defacing the welcoming sculpture. Just another Rude dragon thinking it could get it’s way because of its size.

One or two other dragon’s had come to the crystal empire before, with watering mouths, looking at her citizen’s homes like giant ginger bread houses. She had promptly seen them off, granted this dragon was the largest yet, but none have proved too much against her alicorn magic yet.

“Leave now, or I’ll force you to.” She stated threateningly. The dragon’s expression was un-amused. It went back to chewing on another crystal pillar, not looking at the flying pony anymore. She gawked at the beast’s clear disrespect. It quickly fueled her decision to fire off a warning shot. A brilliant blast of white and pink energy landed close by one of the dragon’s feet, close enough to brush it’s scales. The colossal dragon didn’t even respond.

Cadance would otherwise not have bothered with the creature, all it may have wanted to do was eat, but that was part of her empire! And it was frightening her ponies! And she couldn’t set an example as a simple pushover, otherwise the entire empire might be eaten by these gem loving dragons.

The next blast of bright energy was right at the dragon’s nose. She had upted the volume of energy as well, she wanted to be sure of a response. Wrinkling it’s snout like it stung the dragon closed it’s eyes and withdrew from the pillar it was chewing on. Cadance smirked, thinking her deterrent was working.  The deep bellowing growl almost made her reconsider her actions.

The dragon’s mouth opened wide revealing a long row of sharp, serrated, crushing teeth. A concussive blast, or roar, shook the ground and air. Cadance was blown backwards from the gale of wind exiting from the giant maw.

The citizens of the crystal empire panicked again.

Before the crystal princess crashed into the ground she was caught in a magical blue aura. Shining armor strode over his wind struck wife. Her mane and tail were blown out of their usual curls, and the tiara was missing from her head. Instinctually he went to check if his wife was ok, but a giant dark clod sailing through the air at them cause him to quickly throw up a shield, dropping Cadance.

A clump or earth the size of a shed broke apart on the bright blue shield. Shining looked up at the angered colossus, fear striking him briefly before his guard training steeled his nerves. He ran. Blue aura pulled cadence in tow. Her eyes swirled in her head for a moment, eventually straightening.

The stars in her vision cleared and the temporary deafness she experienced cleared up. When she noticed the blue aura pulling her, and saw the dragon still where it was she struggled out of her husband’s magic and broke free.

“Shining! We can’t let that beast run all over the empire!”

“I can’t let it run all over you! It nearly clobbered us with a block of dirt.” As if on queue another glob dirt, the size of a house, barreled towards them. Shining quickly threw up another shield, dumping a lot of magic in it, gritting his teeth in the effort.

The couple disappeared under the brown mass, buried alive from an outside perspective. The amber dragon snorted, content with the removal of its annoyance. As the dragon lowered it’s head for another bite of crystal a spherical wave of energy erupted from the dirt clod, blowing it apart and revealing a hovering cadence and shining armor.

The princess of the empire was now glaring furiously at the frustrated monster. It would try to kill them on such a whim! She shot magic at the armored behemoth, not holding anything back. The bright pulsing beam of energy collided right with it’s chest. The force of the energy made a reverberating concussion on impact, blasting air and loose earth everywhere around violently. As the flash dimmed Cadance could see the colossal dragon standing it’s ground, a paw over it’s eyes. It’s chest did have large blackened scorch marks over the carapace.

It’s feet slammed the ground, causing a visual ripple in the earth. Violet eyes shout open with a glare at their location.

“Does the little mage really want to test it’s mettle against an Earth dragon!!!” it lunged towards their location in a terrifying, earth shaking gallop.  Shining raised another shield, cringing in anticipation of the oncoming impact. Fear had started to grace Cadances face as well; she had only made it mad. Suddenly she felt regret for complaining about boring days to twilight.

Before the mountain of a dragon crashed on top of them a pillar of stone sprung straight from the ground slamming into the earth dragon’s neck and slowing it down, but not altogether stopping it’s momentum. Roaring again the colossal beast slammed the pillar away with a paw.

Two more massive shapes appeared on either side poor temepered earth dragon. One was a dark violet with a bright red belly, the other was white with a blue feathery crest.

“Keep a leash on your mate Heathice.” The violet dragon muttered angrily. This new figure was equal in size to colossal earth dragon, but covered in bright transparent fins instead of carapace plates.

“Grav, what’s wrong?” the third dragon was the shortest, but the stockiest of the three.

“This little Pegasus mage thinks she can just blast me with her little fire cracker magic.” Grav muttered before casting a furious glance over at the finned violet drake. The dark purple dragon’s fins bristled.

“Even if I hadn’t seen you be overly aggressive a hundred and fifty seven times, I wouldn’t trust you with a neighborly interaction.”

“Shut it Trickle! Go find a lake and be the recluse that you are. I can have a good time without irritating company.” Grav sneered.

“Gravelle!” Heathice said exasperated. The shorter white dragon put a paw on top of Grav’s. The earth dragon softened a little at the touch, but still growled.

“Yes Heathice, go cuddle with her in the snow or something, while I fix the damage.” Trickle rolled his eyes before turning towards the alicorn and unicorn. Cadance and Shining’s eyes had nervously followed one giant dragon to the other, ready bolt if all three decided to attack.

“Now I hope it would be within your being to forgive Gravelle, she is a bit… brutish. But I understand if you are in no mood to. My name is Trickle, and all of us are part of Storm strike, a mercenary band. May I have the pleasure of making your acquaintance?” He bowed, lowering snout to the ground and placing a webbed paw over his chest.

“Princess Mi Amor Cadenza of the Crystal empire, and this is my husband, Prince Shining Armor.”

At the Badlands---

Misery, clingy and determined misery echoed through a once active hive. Where there was once an active hum of buzzing, there was now relative silence. Ever since the banishing wave of magical energy purged equistria of its changeling invaders, an intense guard of sentinels had patrolled the borders of the badlands, equipped with spells to readily identify changelings, and possessed a generally suspicious disposition. No changeling infiltrators passed them.

Over the months and few years that followed the hive diminished in size. Unable to tap into their largest food source, the ponies of equistria, they couldn’t maintain the standing army the hive once comprised of. They died off.

Decades of work and preparations had gone into that invasion. All of it was for naught.

Chrysalis laid somberly on her throne, rather than sitting upright and regal, she was slumped and staring at the ground, tired bags hanging under her eyes, and looking withered within her own carapace. Even her blue mane and tail had paled into a faded white color, and her normally black skin was grey.

She had overcome what she thought had been the greatest challenge, and bested Celestia herself in a duel of magical might, what other force was greater?

Apparently some insufferable weakened little alicorn, who had been able to harness love magic in a way even the changeling queen hadn’t. It was quite a displeasing twist of irony.

There was only one thing keeping the 10 changelings left alive, some unfortunate explorer who had sneaked past the sentinels, curious to explore what was in the forbidden badlands. Otherwise the Sentinels had done a very good job, keeping changelings in, and other ponies out.

Said explorer was a dark brown unicorn stallion with a lighter brown mane, a large question mark branded on either side of his flanks. He hung upside down in the throne room, suspended in a transparent green cocoon.

Another changeling, also quite ragged and withered sat under the cocoon, drawing what little emotional energy could be taken. It had been some weeks and their victim was nearly dry, and he was the last in their clutches. A slight whimper escaped the little changling’s fanged mouth, there wasn’t enough left to satisfy anyling’s starved appetite.

Chrysalis’s eyes lifted at the sound of nearby whimper. Lethargically she tilted her head towards the little drone, grimacing as she did so. The smaller changelings whimper turned into a hissing cry as it fell to the ground, and covered it’s face with holed hooves.

“Why, why are they doing this to us?”

“They can’t trust us. It’s in our nature to control, and they won’t risk us gaining any strength.” Chrysalis wheezed out the reply, drawing a few long breaths between words. The frown on her faced deepened as she continued.

“Celestia naively believes we’ll find some other way to survive out here. She has seen fit to let us starve to our extinction…” Chrysalis couldn’t even summon they energy to growl anymore. She laid her head down sideways, eyes to dry to cry any tears, and lowered her lids. It would only be another day or two, then they would all be dead.

Angrily whizzing through the air, a scorched piece of metal sliced at the stem suspending the last cocoon. The small drone sitting nearby hissed at it fluttered in retreat, avoiding the falling cocoon. It hit the floor splitting open and splashing green sticky gunk everywhere. The brown unicorn lying it the middle of the mess breathed faintly, in a coma-like daze.

The sudden action roused Chrysalis from the ground. She stood shakily on her long thin legs, and stared angrily towards the throne room entrance, a tall organic archway with faint sunlight bleeding through. After a flash of green light, her attention was redirected much closer by.

A figure, tall as the queen, looked around the chamber with stern pink eyes. It was a bipedal figure, clothed with a dazzling array of white and black feathers and a large leathery breastplate. Huge batty ears twisted about on it’s head, coated in dark green skin. A small pair of horns crowned it’s head.

Chrysalis and this new creature stared off for a moment. The queen’s brow furrowed in confusion, and she readied herself for a fight, horn glowing green. It was more of a bluff really, she didn’t have the energy to do anything but feed, but if this was the end, she would die on her hooves.

“What, is Celestia not satisfied with us starving and decided to finish us off with some crude monster?” She hissed. The creature raised an eye brow and folded it’s arms.

Angry shouting came from the throne room entrance, and two more changelings were kicked into the room. They were quickly followed by a pair of pegasi wearing grey steel armor, the garb of sentinels. They had evidently followed the trail of magic left by the soaring artifact.

“Summoning demons now changeling?” One of the sentinals spat, holding a spear threateningly towards the new creature. It blinked it’s pink eyes, then raised a clawed hand. A dozen ghostly blades flew out from the figure’s feathered garb, soaring right through the two pegasi.

No blood spilled the ground as the levitating blades passed into and out of their victims. The angry shouts ceased and the sentinels fell to the ground, lifeless. The tall feathered form wrinkled it’s short nose and scratched it’s chin as the ethereal blades disappeared. It rounded back to the changeling queen who stood resolute, but surprise betrayed her features.

“Who are you? What are you?” she wheezed. The green creature traced it’s jaw-line with a claw humming thoughtfully.

“I’ll ask the questions. You appear unable to make demands anyway. Who did I just kill?” It pointed back towards the two lifeless pegasi.

“You slew Princess Celestia’s sentinels, or the soldiers who were forcing my hive to starve to death.”

“Do not look at me as savior, that will depend on your usefulness.”

“What tool would you make of a dozen starved changelings, not that I’d be willing to serve you.”

“Changelings? You have a different form in this world... I could have use for infiltrating soldiers and assassins. What forms can you take?”

Chrysalis simply laughed. She fell back into her thrown, laughing as hard as her weakened lungs could manage. The melancholic laughter died after a few moments, and the queen recomposed herself.

“If we had energy, we can assume just about any form around our size. But all of us have gone too long without a proper meal. There were hundreds of us, before Celestia drove us to where we are now.”

“What would you be willing to do to avenge yourself on this Celestia?”

“I HAVE  NOTHING LEFT!!!” Chrysalis all but screamed. The pink eyed creature smiled at her reaction, showing many sharp teeth. It pulled out a metal plate with glowing marks on it, tapping the flat glowing surface several times in different locations. More light flashed and many small figures appeared.

The new creatures resembled the tall one, save their simpler appearance and smaller size. They stared up at the pink eyed figure grinning and growling. The changeling queen could sense a powerful irrational loyalty coming from these creatures, directed straight towards the tall figure in their midst.

“What do you need for energy?”

“Love…”

“Really?”

“Yes, I drain it from ponies usually. You just broke our last one.” She pointed at the brown unicorn, who had stopped breathing.

“Ha, well, drain what you can from these goblins, I want some demonstration of your ability.”

Chrysalis would have been severely annoyed being ordered like that, if she wasn’t so weak at the moment, and offered a chance to feed. The tall figure pushed a small goblin towards the queen. The creature turned from it’s leader to face the queen, a grin full of teeth still on it’s froggy face. The changeling queen lowered her head, touching her horn to the top of the goblin’s skull and fed. Feeding on the emotional energy caused Chrysalis to sigh with relief. The emotions within the little body were feisty and fierce, the loyalty burned so strongly it seemed it would never end. It would do anything for it’s leader, a motivation as strong as love.

Many long minutes passed. The little Goblin’s skin faded from green to a pale gray, it’s grin dropped flat and it’s eyes glazed over. Chrysalis’s form freshened up, withered limbs regained some mass, filling out the rattling and overly large carapace. The Goblin dropped, eyes criss-crossing, and The changeling queen let out a loud gasp. Panting slightly and enjoying the fresh surged of energy her partially rejuvenated body emanated.

“Another, tell another to come over here.” She eagerly commanded. The pink eyed figure blinked, looking her over up and down. The faded mane and tail regained color, deepening from white to blue, and the grey carapace darkened closer to black. The tall goblin obliged by pushing over another short one to the ravenous queen.

Four comatose goblins later Chrysalis stood tall, feeling strong again. Though not quite as effective as strong love from ponies, feeding on the small creatures did its job.

“Are you ready yet?” The pink eyed goblin asked, rather bored.

Chrysalis responded by looking straight into it’s half lidded eyes and flared up in green flames. A matching tall goblin stood on chrysalis’s throne, grinning malevolently. The original pink eyed figure raised it’s brow and clapped slowly.

“Now, can you show me what this Celestia looks like?”

Green flames flared again and a tall white alicorn stood looking at the feather drabbed goblin. A rather sinister expression the real Celestia wouldn’t hold was plastered on the alabaster features.

“What do you plan on doing now? Celestia is the most powerful being in this land, she moves the sun through the sky everyday, has lived for over a millennia, and has an entire nation at her back.” The voiced that echoed through the throne room mimicked Celestia’s perfectly. The pink eyed figure laughed.

“Moves the sun? Well, what did you do to earn her ire?”

Changeling Celestia gestured towards the comatose goblins, confident smile turning sour.

“I had her defeated. I collected enough love energy I could overwhelm even the sun princess. Every stallion, mare, and foal would have been under my control. A perfect day… Until her niece used a love spell of such power it threw my hive out here. I did not anticipate such power from that pink alicorn, but I will not underestimate it again.”  Half way through the explanation Chrysalis had changed into Cadance’s form, then to her original changeling form. She pounded one hoof into the other vehemently while sitting her haunches on the throne.

“You defeated the single most powerful being in the lands… hmm, impressive claims. You may call me Mushgrom. Should the day come when you wish to betray me, don’t. If anything you would be free to do as you wish. The fungus-born are merely my tools, and they will be yours, should you help me acquire these lands, but kill me, and they will be your end. You can taste the loyalty, can you not?”

“Yes I can taste it, Mushgrom, but what assurance do I have that you’ll let me roam free once you’re in power.”

“I am already in power, unless you wish to test my abilities right now?”

Chrysalis’s horned glowed, thinking about it. She had no idea what those ghostly blades were, or if she was even able to defend against them, and though she was recovering, she still wasn’t near what she would call powerful, she had no army to back her either. There were at least two dozen more of the little goblins in the room, all twitching as if eager to jump on something.

“Why do you want more power?” She turned questioningly on Mushgrom. The pink eyed goblin blinked slowly, then smirked.

“Do you want it simply to feed, Changeling? What would you do with a nation of subjected ponies.”

“It’s Queen Chrysalis, and yes I would want to feed, but I asked you first.”

“Queen huh, I suppose I could compromise and give an answer. Ever since I acquired my status as horned goblin I’ve wanted power. No so much for myself, no, I’ve seen horned goblin’s in the past and where that leads. But Goblins have always been the underling in my world, even for all my true-born brothers and sisters.

We’ve never been respected for the might we can hold. I simply see it as a matter of time before I will prove goblins can conquer, and rule. Rather than just being the fodder for every other nations amusement. In fact, that is why I’m in this new world right now, to place goblins at it’s social hierarchy, after our own order. Simple acknowledgement is what I want. Every other race has always called us monsters, and put us under their boot. I can see why, most of my race is stupid and irrational fungus-born. I will be the first to make a society of true-born goblins.”

Chrysalis wrinkled her snout. She found she could actually relate to some of what he said, but other parts were still confusing. She lifted a hoof and pointed it at the tall goblin.

“What do mean by fungus-born and true-born?”

“Fungus-born… True-born…” Mushgrom first indicated one of the smaller goblins, then himself.

“But I need to know your plans, what do want besides feeding?” The tall goblin kept his eyes half lidded, as if keeping his interest in reserve. Chrysalis shifted uneasily in her throne, her dreams and plans had slowly wasted away with the hive, hope for a better tomorrow had died down. But now, she could work on re-igniting old ambitions, her mind started to race as she thought.

“Killing Celestia, and her niece would be a start… I have dreamed of a day when I could control of all ponidom. For my changelings roam free, and do as they wish, free from starvation, free from the fear of being discovered. To do more than just survive. I want to buck those ponies out of their comfortable lives and make them feel as I have for the last century! I merely wanted to subjugate them, and they try to make us extinct in return!” The queen stood and stomped on the ground, cracking the earth around her thrown her hooves glowing in green aura. She snarled and bore her fangs, fluttering her wings and hovered above her throne, she looked up towards the ceiling in furious thought.

Mushgrom strode forward and kneeled down next to the throne, then gingerly patted it. Eventually Chrysalis broke out of her snarling and flew back down to her throne. The goblin extended a clawed hand towards her. She took a long moment before extending a hoof, which was clasped in the green hand. The tall goblin traced over one of the holes in her hoof with a claw curiously, then released it.

“Then let us rebuild this world for Changelings and Goblins. How long would it take you to regain your strength?”

“It would take generations to rebuild my lost hive, so many have died with the last few years…” Chrysalis closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, restraining herself from stomping about and screaming.

“That is unfortunate, but I can generate more fungus-born without much difficulty. I will have thousands more within a year.”

“Thousands?! How?”

“They grow out of the ground. Even ground of poor fertility like this could be used, I just need to keep them in the shade. They are called fungus-born for a reason. True-born like myself are much harder to come by. But when we dominate and stabilize this world, more true-born like me can be raised.”

“Meanwhile?”

“I get you fed, and you do what you can to gain strength. If you can get as powerful as you say, then you will be sculpted into a fine weapon over the next year. I hope your appetite hasn’t died down.”

“I will need to feed my swarm as well.”

“Call them in.”

Chrysalis’s horn glowed, and the ten remaining changelings gathered to the throne room, weak and ragged, they eyed the goblins warily.

“My queen?” one of the drones wheezed out weakly. Chrysalis turned to Mushgrom and nodded. The pink eyed goblin in turn raised a clawed hand, gesturing over the smaller members of his group.

“These are for your feeding, all of them.” The was a nervous shudder through the small group of changelings, some stepped forward excitedly, horns growing green. Chrysalis raised a hoof to stop them before any could actually start to feed.

“All of them? Don’t you need a least a few to, well, make more?” The tall goblin shoved a smaller one towards the group of hungry changelings, who’s horns appeared to salivate with magic, then proceeded to laugh. A high piercing laugh that caused a shiver down Chrysalis’s spine, she put a lower lip forward and nodded in mild approval.

“If you kill them they will produce a burst of spores, I will have more of them in mere days.” Mushgrom said flatly.

“Drain them to death?” a drone asked confused. In response Chrysalis stepped forward and proceeded to drain a goblin of emotional energies until it’s green skin turned chalk white. Without need for more confirmation the other ten changelings jumped onto the two dozen small goblins.

The group of grey skinned, white mane changelings turned  darker with color as the goblins fell. Soon the changelings were buzzing about on their wings excitedly. Several of them started chirping, others clicked happily.

The air filled with a hazy dust when the changelings had finished feeding. Mushgrom pulled the corpses into a corner of the chamber stacking them, and turned questioningly towards Chrysalis

“Unless there is another place you would like me to dispose of them?”

Chrysalis twirled a hoof through her vibrantly glossy blue mane. She giggled softly to herself, which echoed with a synthesized magical hum.

“There is one other thing that needs to be taken care of. The sentinels, they will grow suspicious when two of them don’t return.” The changeling queen looked towards the two dead pegasi.

“Can you change any of these corpses into changelings? Or I can just kill anymore sentinels that come.” Mushgrom offered, ruffling up his feathered garb as he shrugged.

“We wouldn’t want Celestia’s direct attention, not yet. I could use an illusion spell, now that I have the energy for it.” Mushgrom nodded to Chrysalis’s suggestion. The tall goblin grabbed a drone and walked over to the pegasi corpses. The drone struggled in surprise, but stopped after a moment, feeling a telepathic reassurance from the queen.

The drone’s horn was rammed repeatedly into the bodies of the two pegasi, making plenty of puncture wounds. Meanwhile Chrysalis scattered the goblin bodies over the room with her green telekinetic aura, and transformed the corpses into starved changeling bodies. One goblin was transformed into a withered looking Chrysalis and placed on the throne.

“We will retreat to the inner hive while the sentinels scout out this mess.” She waved a hoof while trotting through an organic hallway leading down into the heart of the hive. The ten changelings followed, closely trailed by Mushgrom.

When they had found a secluded chamber they entered it. Chrysalis sealed the entrance behind them shut with a stone wall. She turned towards one of the male drones.

“Shade, come here, it is time to rebuild the hive.”

“Yes, my queen.” The male drone dutifully followed his queen over to a bed of moss. She grabbed the small male and pulled him close, her eyes closed and she hummed cheerfully. Finally there was hope for the hive, and a means to make it strong again.

Mushgrom sat cross-legged on the ground, his back to the stone wall. He pulled out a small metal slate with glowing gold marks. Clawed fingers brushed about the marks in a practiced exercise. The marks shifted and reformed into images, shapes, and numeric marks, which twisted and moved under the horned goblin’s gestures.

An intense moan from across the chamber interrupted his chain of thought. He wrinkled his nose and looked up to see the queen heavily intertwined with one of the drones, Mushgrom merely snorted and turned back to the glowing slate. The horned goblin redoubled his efforts to ignore the intensifying moans of pleasure bouncing off the chamber walls.

At the Everfree forest ruins---

“Can you feel it Ham?”

“Yes Ana I can.”

“Oh it is exciting, I think it’s time.”

Two draconequi floated lazily through the corridors of the run down castle. One was distinctly a female draconequus with a slender snout and more delicate features. She had two lightning jagged horns in the midst of a wild blue mane. Her fore-limbs were that of a lizard and amphibian, while here hind legs were that of a gazelle and zebra. Her wings were a smoothly skinned Dactyl one, and feonix. A long wrinkled rat tail followed her slow movements through the air.

“Discord has held onto his lordship for far too long, and now we know without doubt he blatantly disrespects his own title. This new disturbance we feel may just be enough of an opportunity.” The male draconequus tapped the digits of his paws together, being those of a tiger and bear. Ram horns intimidatingly rested on his skull, jutting out from a white mane. His wings gently unfurled, those of a raven and swam. While his hind legs danced slowly, those of a spotted leopard and black panther. His tail ended like that of a fishy sea serpent.

“Let’s go pay that buttery little Pegasus a visit, we can catch his attention there.” Ana cackled in delight, she snapped the wet fingers of her amphibious hand and disappeared in a loud crack! Ham shook his head, before clapping his paws together.

“And you call me headstrong Ana…” he disappeared as well, leaving behind and angry storm cloud that shot little bolts of lightning. One of the little bolts arced, hitting a tapestry and setting it on fire.

The two draconequi floated near the edge of Fluttershy’s property, grazing along the edge of the Everfree forest. Even though the air was chilly and the ground was coated in snow neither of them where cold, the both wore snaky wool sweaters! Ana’s was checkered red and white, while Ham’s was a red-green plad pattern.

“Are you sure we’re strong enough to challenge for lordship yet?”

“Are you kidding Mayhem? His mind was left to rot for over a thousand years, while both of us had the opportunity to train and develop our own power. Discord has had nothing but a short time to stretch his limbs, while we are fresh, and finely practiced.”

“But he is still the spirit of Chaos and disharmony until his Lordship is revoked.”

“Ham, working with the princess’s of harmony hardly qualifies him anymore. He’s arrogant indeed if he thinks he can hold onto his title, while disgracing it.”

“Very well, let’s get on with this.”

The two of them floated on over to Fluttershy’s cottage, and knocked politely on the door. It took a minute, and Ana couldn’t contain her giggles before the door was answered. She and Ham had watched these elements of harmony from a distance, and she still found it hilarious this driveling little wimp had “reformed” Discord, Gods! It was pathetic.

“Just one moment I’ll be there.” Came the soft sound of fluttershy’s voice from the other side of the door. Ham stood there with his arm’s crossed and tapped a claw impatiently, while Ana held her hands behind her back, and lowered her face to pony level.

“Why are we knocking again? It’s rather unlike you Ana.”

“What? Is it unlike me to toy with every other pony?”

“I suppose not, but I’m just eager for the main event.”

“Suspense brother, suspense, savor it.” Ana smacked her lips, as if eating something delicious. The moment the door unhitched from it’s lock Ham pushed it open and barged on in. Lowering himself to fit the low hanging roof, and walked right past the stunned yellow Pegasus into the center of the room, eyeing it critically.

“Why hello, hello! You must be Fluttershy, we’re very pleased to meet you!” To shocked for words Fluttershy mumbled inaudibly at the two strange draconequi. Ana quickly stuck her amphibious hand down to buttery Pegasus’s hoof for a shake, grabbing it before she could even respond to the offer. The wet webbed hand made a slight squelch as it squeezed over the yellow fur, the nervous equine winced and trembled at the contact. Ana laughed loudly and obnoxiously, snorting in-between giggles.

“Oh, would you have preffered my lizard hand, for some reason ponies don’t seem to like my frog hand for some reason, I can’t fathom it really.” As Ana withdrew her slimy hand Fluttershy recoiled her hoof, she stared rather horrified at the snotty texture it left slathered on her fur.

“I uh… it’s ok.”

“HAhahahah, no it’s not, you’re disgusted. Is it too hard to be kind, and honest?” The toothy grin on Ana’s ponyish face was disconcertingly intense.

“No, I don’t mind really, if it makes you comfortable, but I think I’ll get a towel, if you don’t mind that is…”

“Oh I do mind, I would rather you do something else first.” Ana Drew herself up, towering over the Pegasus and staring down with narrowed eyes. It was at this moment Ham had noticed the “discord” lamp resting on a nightstand. With a clap of his hands he summoned a large wooden mallet, and promptly swatted the lamp. It flew across the room in pieces, leaving shards all over the floor.

“Sorry, just couldn’t stand the sight of it.” Ham rested the mallet on his shoulder and shrugged. Fluttershy had nervously jumped and started shaking all over. Angel bunny popped his head around the corner to inspect the sudden noise, the bunny was not pleased at the sight.

“What do you want? Do… do you two know discord?” The buttery Pegasus nervously coughed out. The two draconequi looked at each other, then Fluttershy, then back to each other, before laughing their guts out…figuratively, well mostly. They stopped after several long moment, wiping tears from their eyes.

“We want you to write him a letter, right now would be a good time.” Ana gave another one of her disconcerting smiles.

“Oh, ok…”

“Where do you address your letters to him anyway, that’s a detail I missed last time we were stalking you.”

“St- stalking!?”

“Stay focused, where do you send your letters.”

“He gave me a magical mail box, I just put them in there and they go to wherever he is.” Fluttershy pointed her slime covered hoof to a wacky mailbox that rested on the living room dresser. Ana Snapped her fingers making a piece of parchment and ink bottle appear, then she reached over and plucked a swan feather out of Ham’s wing.

“Hey!”

“Oh Ham don’t complain we’re so close, and Fluttershy we won’t need you to write a letter now.” Ana dipped the swan feather into the ink bottle and scribbled a quick note on the parchment. She snapped her scaly fingers together, summoning a large tube of purple lipstick and applied it generously to her lips before kissing the bottom portion of the parchment. She looked at it critically, then nodded in approval of her own work.

“Now that I think about it I would like some proof we have Fluttershy here with us.” She turned slowly towards the trembling Pegasus, dastardly grin speared over her purple glossed lips. The female draconequus held up the tube of lipstick like a dagger as she grabbed the shy yellow pony. A squeak of fear erupted from the terrified Pegasus as her mouth was assaulted by the lavender gloss.

“Stop struggling you’re going to make a mess. Now pucker up!”

Fluttershy was on the very of tears as she froze, Ana’s green eye’s could be quite terrifying. The draconequus finished a moment later and put the parchment infront of the Pegasus.

“Now kiss it, as a signature. Males love it when they get kisses in their letters, isn’t that right Ham?”

“I don’t remember the last time I got a letter.”

“That’s not helping.” Ana frowned at her brother, and turned back to the little shivering mess infront of her. Fluttershy was biting her lowerlip tears still brimming in her eyes.

“Come on, it’s not going to bite you. I didn’t give it fangs or anything, but I could if you like that kind of thing.” Ana snorted and laughed, ending with a dorky little squeal. Ham folded his arms and rolled his eyes while letting out and exasperated sigh. Nothing happened for another moment, the three of them just stood there and Ana’s laughter died down. Ham unfurled his arms and jumped behind Fluttershy, grabbing the back of her head and forcing her face into the parchment.

“Ham! You’re going to get it all smeared!”

“I’m not going to fool around anymore, not until we gain lordship.”

“Fine, but it’s your turn to leave a signature.” Ana whipped the tube of lipstick over Ham’s mouth. Her brother responded by flaring his eyes and growling loudly, one clap later and Ana had her arms behind her back in a straight-jacket, she just laughed madly.

Ham clapped one more time, summoning a spring-loaded boxing glove, then crushed the summoned object into a magically shrunked state, and sealed it to the parchement. Neatly rolling the parchment up and sealing it with a wet-noodle he threw the note into Fluttershy’s magic indoor mailbox.

“How long should it take to get to him?” he grumbled at the little Pegasus. The yellow Pegasus was holding a wash-cloth and wiping it over her face, and slimy hoof. She sniffled a little before turning towards the ram horned draconequus.

“It usually get’s to him within the day. Wha-what are you planning to do to him?” Her eyes were now downcast as she sniffled pathetically.

“We only want to take back what that harmonized draconequus took from his kind. He’s hardly a lord of chaos now, and we want an official removal of his title.” Ham’s face contorted uncomfortably at the mention of harmony. Leaning back, he plopped down onto Fluttershy’s couch leaving room for others. Ana joined him on the couch, still wearing the straight-jacket and giggling. Ana’s long rat tail patted the open space left on the couch, and gestured with her head for yellow pony to join them. The Pegasus stood in place unsure.

“Is there anything I can get you two, tea maybe?”

“Refreshments sound fantastic, I’ll make an appetizer!” Ana struggled in her straight jacket for a moment, before freeing up enough space to snap her fingers. The wafting scent of hay fries permeated through the living room as a large platter appeared on the table. She leaned down and grabbed a bite of fries with her face in the platter, arms still tied up behind her back.

With some agitation Fluttershy got up and walked over to her kitchen, angel bunny was there frowning at her. The little rabbit shrugged and look at her with a “what gives” face.

“I don’t know angel, I just don’t know.” She filled a kettle with water and put it over the stove. When the tea was ready she brought out a tray with cups. When she re-entered the living room Ham was swirling a wine glass around and looking out the window, Ana still had her face in the hay fries, of which a good portion was now gone.

“Tea’s ready.”

“Oh good, I made these way too salty.” The draconequus stuck in the strait-jacket struggled against her binding and managed to tear it open. She snapped her fingers, getting rid of the torn restraining device and cleaning up her messy face. Ham took the tray from Fluttershy and placed it on the table next to the fries, he daintily took one of the cups and began to sip.

Ana grabbed the kettle and poured it down her throat, the yellow Pegasus shuddered at the hissing sound it made.

In a whirlwind the door flew open, causing Ana to spill the rest of the kettle all over herself. In the door way stood a rather glum-looking discord, who was dressed in snow gear, holding a pair of skis under one arm. Lifting the bright orange goggles from his eyes, the lord of chaos peered at the inhabitants of cottage. He had a black eye and looked very upset.

“If it isn’t two of my favorite sycophants, Anarchy and Mayhem, coming yet again to get your tails whipped?” Discord’s golden eyes narrowed in annoyance.

“Discord what’s going on? You have a black eye!?”  Fluttershy broke in

“Oh nothing my dear Fluttershy, I just knew these two back in my day, the black eye is from the courtesy of their letter. It appears their appetite for failure is as strong as ever.”

“It is you that will taste failure today.” Ham jumped up from the couch with a snarl.

“You’ve been working with harmony this last year! You deserve your title less now than ever before.” Ana voiced with great indignation, while wiping her tea soaked fur dry with a towel.

“Oh please, I pick up a few friends and all the sudden I’m no longer the spirit of chaos? I’m taking this somewhere else, please excuse us Fluttershy.” Discord snapped the fingers of his lion paw and the three draconequi disappeared, leaving behind a very disgruntled and confused Pegasus.

All of them reappeared on the top of high snowy mountains. Anarchy and Mayhem were unceremoniously dumped face first into a deep bank of snow, and discord floated in the air, reapplying the skis to his feet.

“I was just testing some fresh powder when you two decided so rudely to interrupt. What’s your problem with my friends? I still have plenty of room to be chaotic where I want.” Discord  held an ice pack over his black eye.

“Having friends is not the problem.” Anarchy pulled her head out of the snow and shook vigorously to get it out of her mane.

“You’ve given up actively disrupting harmony and order. The only rule should be chaos!” Mayhem’s eyes glared in a psychedelic prism of colors. Brother and sister draconqui were now levitating above snow, stances aggressive. The hum of magical energy reverberated through the air as both Anarchy’s and Mayhem’s eyes glowed.

“Do you two want to fight directly with their elements? You will loose. I learned that lesson in stone, twice.”

Mayhem and Anarchy laughed, it was amplified by their magic over the top of the mountain, causing an avalanche.

“We have plans for that. Did you not sense that explosion of new chaotic energy?” Brother and sister spoke in one eerily unified voice.

“I did indeed, but what does that have to do with anything?”

“We’ve harnessed it, and now we will claim your lordship, WE will be the spirits of chaos and disharmony.”

“Blah, blah, blah, granted, you two have had more potential than any of the other draconequi, but I’m still afraid neither of you are strong enough to claim lordship.”

“We’ve worked over these last thousand years, while you sat in a cell of you own skin.”

“So.”

“You never would have been willing to work with princess’s of harmony before, you have become weak. Your failure and foolish alliance with Tirek only reinforced our perception of your incompetence. You nearly lost the ruling magic of our race!!!”

“Well, any other words before I toss you off the mountain?”

“Give us the lordship willingly, and we won’t alter your friends.”

“Hmm, off the mountain with you.”

Discord closed his eyes and snapped his fingers, willing them to fly off into the distance. When he opened his eyes again he was disappointed that they were not. Brother and sister draconqui held frog hand and bear paw together, while pointing lizard and tiger claws right at discord.

A golden energy radiated from the two and they floated even higher in the air, until they were looking down on discord. The lord of chaos grunted and folded his arms.

“Fine, so you two are a little stronger than last time.”

Discord floated up higher in the air to be level with them, a golden aura appeared around him, which began to twist and warp, it slowly twisted into a blackish blue aura of color, intermingled with green and red arcs of energy. Discord snapped his eagle claws and shattered Anarchy’s and Mayhem’s concentration.

The two draconequi lost their aura of energy and looked rather stunned. With a flick of his wrist he sent the duo rolling down the mountain, each of them rolling into snow balls of increasing size.

“And don’t bother Fluttershy anymore… unless she invites you!” he shouted. He jumped down on the snow himself, skidding along on skis and enjoying what he was doing before.

Miles down the side of the mountain the giant snow boulders containing Mayhem and Anarchy exploded against some trees. They let out some defeated groans as they pulled themselves out of the snow, shivering violently. Their sweaters had disappeared when Discord threw them down the mountain.

“Damnit Ana! I knew it was too early.”

“Oh shut it Ham.”

Chapter 2 "Pleasant reciprocation"

Ch. 2

“Pleasant reciprocation”

At Sweet Apple Acres---

“grrrrruuu…”

Came the lame groan from a fallen lightning dragon. He tried to shift, and felt a sudden sting of agony on both sides of his ribcage. When Lethalus managed to lift his head up he coughed vigorously, further aggravating his tortured sides, and coughing up plenty of blood.

As the red liquid drooled from his half open mouth, his starry vision noticed a little rainbow speck hovering around. His eyes went cross and the giant dragon’s head crashed back down onto the ground, knocking down the last standing wall of Applejack’s home.

Rainbow Dash perspective---

The initial thunder crack and bright green lights had been enough to rouse Rainbow from her afternoon nap. When she saw flashes of Lightning and thunder coming right from Sweet Apple acres she figured something had to be wrong with the weather team. Maybe Thunder Lane or Cloud Chaser had been inattentive to some rogue clouds, it usually didn’t happen, but it could.

She was wearing a long rainbow pattern scarf, which billowed in the wind behind her neck. Rainbow wanted to finish checking out this mysterious weather quickly, flying in the cold was atleast 20% less awesome. The sight that greeted the blue Pegasus at sweet apple acres caused her heart to momentarily stop.

Trees were upturned and knocked over, giant tracks of dirt were displaced and messing up the road. Applejack’s house was flattened and a large white body, speckled with red, lay in the middle of it.

Rainbow had stopped flying forward and hovered where she was, jaw dropped. The only thing that roused her from her wide shock eyes was hearing another pony galloping and the road bellow her. She look down and saw Big Macintosh running to the farm, a wagon full of hay and wood planks still hitched up to his body. She flew down to the remains of the apple family home just behind the big red stallion.

“Big Mac, was Applejack home?”

“E, Eeyup...”

Big Macintosh kicked off his harness and ran right up to his broken home, Rainbow followed him biting her lower lip and starting to brim with tears. Both of them stopped when they saw the white-red splashed mass was rising and falling steadily.

Blue wings spread as Rainbow took to the air to get a better look at the massive mound of scaly meat. It didn’t take her long to see it was draconic in nature, when she realized that anger started to overtake the possible sadness and shock. Some big dumb dragon just fell on Applejack’s house, with Applejack possibly in it? How stupid!

“Hey buster! You gotta answer what happened pronto!”

She flew down and gave a swift kick right on the dragon’s snout. The dragon was obviously injured, badly, but she needed to know what happened to her friend. Big Macintosh was standing just as worriedly nearby, he had started moving away broken planks and beams, hoping he wouldn’t find family members there.

The dragon scrunched his snout at the blow and weakly opened his eyes. Brilliat red and crimson met dark pink. The angry glare and assertive words did little to intimidate Lethalus, but he tried to do what he could.

“Ribs broken… on both sides.”

He coughed and wheezed out. Speaking felt like breathing in daggers to his sides. In addition to the painful words, he tried to move. His first attempt to roll off of his back failed half way, and his back simply arced in agony from the sides.  Rainbow moved around was about to push on the dragon’s flank to encourage him the rest of the way.

“C’mon I need to know you didn’t fall on anypony!”

When she saw a massive gash in the dragon’s thigh, it looked fairly deep. The blood had already started to scab, and the freezing hold did part of the job solidifying it. So she simply flew to the otherside, with a much less injured looking leg, and gave a shove with her front hooves.

“Come over her Big mac, we need this guy off of your house.”

The red stallion dashed to Rainbow’s side and began to push as well. Their efforts to move the dragon were, rather unsuccessful. A very angry growl reverberated from the giant alabaster chest.

“Move back… or I’ll crush you when I get up.”

Came strained words from Lethalus. The growling intensified into a weak roar as he forced himself up. The large wings pushed up from the ground, like another pair of arms, the motion finished with the dragon sitting on his haunches. Once he was up right his breaths were short and painful.

Big Mac immediately scouted through the drebris the dragon had been laying on, and Rainbow flew infront of the giant snout pointing an accusing hoof at him.

“What the hay happened, you’re a little late for the dragon migration? And that was my friend’s house! Cough up answers buster.”

“Migration?... Look there…”

A claw on one of the dragon’s paws pointed towards the direction of another large object in the snow. Rainbow’s eyes went wide when she recognized it as a limb, with a big clawed hand attached to it. The Pegasus put a hoof to her mouth, she was feeling a little queezy from the sight, and the smell of blood all over the place was finally getting to her.

Poorly contained cries of anguish erupted from the midst of the debris, Rainbow’s attention snapped back to the broken house. Macintosh was laying down and holding onto something. She closed her eyes, the horror of it being true kept her from dashing over to weeping stallion. Biting her own lower-lip she slowly fluttered down to the wreckage, not wanting to see what she had to confirm for herself.

The sight was more than she had expected, and she gasped as tears started to flow. Three little fillies and the body of a mare were right next to Macintosh, all of them obviously crushed. She winced at the sight of the flattened bodies and froze where she was.

Suddenly getting answers wasn’t so important, Rainbow landed on the ground and curled into a ball. Her friend, friends sisters, and filly that looked up to her so much, dead… It came out of nowhere, she wasn’t prepared for this at all. Uncontrolled sobs broke out of her, and she didn’t care, the shock was so numbing.

A noticeable swoosh and shadow passed over her, and a flash of green. She looked incoherently at the new large incomer. It was little over half the size of the giant white dragon, and shared some similar body structure, another dragon?

Her mind was still felt too disoriented to really process what was happening at the moment. Her sobs went unabated for several more long moments, drenching a good portion of her scarf. An audible sigh was easily heard as the green mass approached the wounded dragon. Another moment and he was standing upright and experimentally hopped. The slight jump still shook the earth ever so slightly.

Both of the large figures turned towards the wreckage. Rainbow couldn’t tell exactly when the clarity hit her, but she suddenly felt more aware of her surroundings. A large shadow was cast over her and she looked up.

Another dragon, this one was green and had a long mane of reedy leaves, was looking directly down on her. Her dark pink eyes blinked and she remained quiet, just staring. The tears on her face and scarf had frozen over and she shivered at the chill.

“Feeling any better?”

Came a feminine voice from the green giant. It didn’t sound particularly sympathetic, more matter of fact-like. Now she just felt confusion, who was this green dragon? Why did She feel almost normal all the sudden, she was just in the middle of bawling her eyes out. Not one of her cooler moments, but one of her best friends had just died! Energy sprung up into the pegasus’s wings and she flew up to be eye level with this new dragon. As she did, the green dragon shrunk down to the size of a pony. It walked towards Bic Macintosh and her deceased friends.

Even more confused and frustrated she flew down to the green creature’s new level. She landed in between the green dragon and her friends.

“Just what do you think you’re doing!”

“Move out of the way…” The brilliant orange eyes stared into the dark pink ones.

“What did you do to me a second ago, you did something didn’t you!”

“Lethalus, I’m tired of being polite.”

The green dragon looked around and up at the large white one. Sighing tiredly, the alabaster drake softly stepped towards the broken house, and lowered his head to be level with Rainbow’s. His voice no longer carried any suppressed pain to it.

“Those are your friends?”

“The friends you fell on!”

She yelled, angry tears threatening to spill over again. She heaved up and down splaying her wings and puffing her barrel up in an intimidation display, she didn’t care if it worked or not. The hurt of the loss had started to seep into her again.

“Raflaesa can heal them, falling on them was accident.”

“Their dead numbskull… their dead. You can’t fix that!” Her aggressive display faltered and her gaze became down cast.

“Just watch, nothing can hurt at this point.”

Rainbow looked up into the red-gold eyes, trying to decipher them. From what she could tell of the dragon’s expression he seemed honest. She grit her teeth and stepped to the side, allowing the shrunken green dragon to pass her. Unfortunately Macintosh wasn’t so willing to let any dragon close.

The red stallion sprung to his hooves and aggressively stomped the ground between the approaching emerald dragon and his dead family, snorting and braying loudly.

“Get back, yur not gettin’ near ‘em.”

“Big Mac, they want to help.” Rainbow tried and failed to calm his nerves.

“Lethalus… Let me help the stupid horse.”

A large snowy paw seized the red earth pony and lifted him into the air, restraining any further movement. Macintosh kicked and brayed even more furiously, going mad in despair.

The green dragon first approached the flattened orange mare. The air distorted as if a heat wave brushed the area, but the Pegasus couldn’t feel any warmth coming from it. A few sickening cracks quickly caught rainbow’s attention. She stared in disbelief as she saw Applejack’s squashed form spring back into shape, as if she was a self-inflating balloon. The three Fillies quickly followed suit and sprung into a more natural shape.

Raflaesa sighed and sat her haunches down, she resumed her original large size. Applejack and the three fillies made loud sudden gasps, followed by violent coughing. Rainbow didn’t take a moment to jump over to her friend’s side.

“Applejack!”

“cough cough, just what they hay happened there? That you Dash?”

“Ya, it is, y-you’re ok?”

“Well, cough, I feel like I just had the wind knocked out of me, but otherwise ya, I feel alright.”

“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, I was so scared there for a bit, you were… you were dead.”

“I was what?!”

“That big dragon over there fell on you and the fillies, you were crushed flat.”

“Whu huh wha?”

Applejack looked over at the alabaster giant, then around at the wreckage of her house. She suddenly became very weak in the legs, and her eyes started to roll into the back of her head.

Bic Mac was released from Lethalus’s paw, who didn’t waste any time galloping to his sisters. He scooped both of them into a tight hug, closed his eyes and quietly restrained his sobs. It was enough to keep Applejack from fainting and she gave a concerned pat on the back to her brother. Applebloom hugged her siblings back, and looked teary eye around at their shattered home.

“The house…” She weakly mumbled.

“It’s alright Applebloom, we have each other. Remember, Apples stick together, no matter the weather.”

They all shivered as a breeze passed by. Small whisps of snow were already blowing through the wreckage creating small snow banks. Rainbow jumped over and joined the hug, nuzzling in on top of them. Sweetie belle and Scootaloo squeezed into the hug circle, nesting between the adults. Lethalus approached the bundle of ponies, tapping on one of his bracers.

“Can I take you lot somewhere warm nearby, I’m sorry my tussle ended with your house smashed. I wasn’t expecting that trogre to steal all my energy like he did. Otherwise I would have fought him somewhere else.”

Big Macintosh gave the drake a death glare.

“It’s alright, we have another barn we can stay in.” Applejack raised her head from the group.

“Unacceptable, I will take you somewhere nice.”

“No really, we can manage.”

“There’s some crystal castle thing in the middle of town. I left Dazzle there, yes dazzle is here… I’m sure the owner will let them stay there as a favor, I did revive her little gremlin after all.”

The tired voice of Raflaesa interrupted the conversation. The green dragon was laying on her back in the wreckage, paws crossed over her chest. Her tail swished lazily back and forth, and small yellow spores drifted from the red flower on the end.

“Dazzle’s here! Damn the paragon forsaken, Garshook Nar Vey, Mushgrom!!!”

Lethalus very vocally cursed against the winter chill. His wings flared and he curled a paw into a first, slamming it into the ground. The pony pile bounced from the ripple in the earth. With another exasperated sigh the dragon calmed down.

“Then let’s not waste time. I will take you to this castle. I will also compensate you for the damages my skirmish caused.”

Before any of the other ponies could get a word in Lethalus jumped forward , and seized the entire pile of ponies in his front paws. The fillies squealed in surprise, Applejack and Rainbow whinnied, and Macintosh grunted with wide eyes.

Enormous wings spread over the property, each one easily the surpassing the length of Applejacks destroyed home. With a beat and a gust of wind the dragon and ponies were lifted into the air. They were hundreds of feet from the ground in moments, and all of the wingless ponies grew very uneasy.

Looking to Ponyville Lethalus spotted the described castle in a moment and slowly glided towards it.

At the Badlands---

Mushrooms of all shapes and sizes littered the scope of the Changeling hive. It had taken little over a day for the strange fungi to coat the flooring throughout the various halls and chambers. By the second day fresh fungus-born goblins erupted from the ground. Many more than the original two dozen Mushgrom had summoned to his side.

New goblins that weren’t immediately handed over to the changelings for feeding were busily digging deeper into the earth, expanding the hives borders deeper, creating many new tunnels and chambers. Varieties of goblins broke out from the variety of mushrooms, some were small and fast, others large and strong. Some even had wings and ‘other’ strange appendages. What they all shared in common was vast numbers.

Chrysalis lay on her throne, with a large bloated belly. It had been one week and she was about to have a new brood of changelings. She had ordered the two remaining female drones to get busy repopulating the hive as well, but results from ‘drone’ level changelings would take longer than it did for the queen.

Feeding off the constant supply of goblin victims helped everything go more efficiently, last time she had worked on building her army it hadn’t developed quite this fast. The last brood she had before the invasion had taken two weeks to develop.

A humming bubbled up from her insides, and the slight tingle of hunger teased the edge of her appetite. She turned to the male drone standing dutifully beside her throne. Drone wasn’t the right word anymore; under the affections of the queen he had grown and developed into a larger, stronger variation. He was now a changeling guardian

“Shade, go fetch me snack.”

“Yes my queen.”

Shade hopped to all fours and bounded quickly out of the throne room. He had repeated action several times a day over the last five days. His new, larger, stronger body made the journey faster. Passing through several round hallways he made entrance to the largest chamber in the hive, and it was full of goblin activity.

Standing central and making silent gestures to the masses was Mushgrom. The pink eyed goblin ceased whatever gesture he was doing and turned to the approaching guardian.

“Again? You were here an hour ago.”

“The queen’s brood has developed faster than anticipated.”

“I suppose that is a compliment to my hospitality.”

Shade didn’t comment on the Goblin’s self appreciation, but waited straight faced for an answer. The horned goblin regarded the stalwart changeling for another moment. He gestured towards several goblins with a clawed hand and they followed. The rest of the horde of the occupying the chamber emptied into various tunnels chattering and shrieking at the goblins tended to do.

“She will have her meal, but I would speak with your queen, there is more I need to know of our potential enemies.”

Shade nodded silently leading the way back to the throne room. Mushgrom followed, with only 3 peons in tow. When they entered the throne room Chrysalis already had her horn ignited. The three goblins offered were drained in mere moments. The queen looked up to the tall horned goblin standing to the side, who was observing her. She was at first confused, then smirked.

“Not coming to offer yourself are you?”

“As much as I would… love, to entertain the idea I have more pressing matters.”

“Such as?”

“Knowing the more intimate details of our enemies. If I am to overthrow an established order, I need to know what I can exploit. Even though you were foiled, I imagine you picked up something useful.”

“Indeed, if you need world wise details then Shade here can inform you, he was one of my more proficient infiltrators, before we were cut off.”

“Really? I haven’t heard him say anything informal enough to show social suave?”

In response a flare of green fire ignited besides Mushgrom. A white Pegasus adorned in golden armor hovered next to the pink eye’d goblin, giving a threatening, stern glare. Hooves were raised aggressively as if to strike.

“By Celestia’s sun I will purge your filth from her majesties kingdom, may you rot in the dark hole of your infernal birth.”

Another flash of green fire and a blue, fat, short, unicorn stood before them. A long curly mustache accentuated the gluttonous features.  A mushroom was levitated and held out like a platter.

“My kind sir would you partake in today’s finest delicacies, courtesy of our majesties kitchens, wewe. If I may share a secret, the princess’s are quite partial to the cake, Celestia love’s the Prench vanilla and keeps quite a personal stash in her quarters, while Luna loves her raspberries more than any other treat. I should know, I get their personal requests all the time. wewe”

Another flash of fire and green earth pony with yellow mane stood before them.

“Hey dude, I’m just lookin’ to hang out with some buds, you don’t happen to know any chill peeps round here do ya?” The green pony elbowed Mushgrom in the side, who stepped back and gave an indignant glare.

“K bro, if ya don’t wanna be chill I get ya.”

Another flash of green fire, and a tall elegant mare with rosy red coat, and dark brown curly mane struck a pose infront of her audience.

“Or you just tell me what you want, love, I can develop a taste for anything, even if I’ve never tried something quite as dashing as you.”

The mare purred in seductive tones, and slowly licked her lips.

One more flash of fire and Shade was standing there, same stoic expression as ever.

“I can go on if you wish…”

The changeling guardian ignited his horn ready for more examples, but he was stopped by a gesture from Mushgrom’s hand.

“No, that was quite enough.”

“How would you know about social suave anyway? You don’t exactly seem the social type, let alone possessing the ability to pretend it.”

The queen snorted, shooting a glare at the stilted goblin. The goblin returned the queen’s glare with a snide grin.

“I’ve had plenty of prisoners, I know many ways to persuade. I’ll leave subtle details as your forte, what I’m looking for are more general things I can exploit. What do these ponies rely on that I can disrupt?”

“They rely on the unity of their three tribes to prosper. The pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies control the weather, magic, and food production respectively. Break apart that unity and they will be weak. Celestia is powerful, but I can overwhelm her if you keep up my food supply. The love bomb used by Cadence needs to be cut off before it can start, same with the elements of harmony.”

“What would I need to do to cut off this… Love bomb, and Elements of harmony?”

“Keep Cadance and Shining armor apart, same thing with the bearers of the elements.”

“Would killing any of them work?”

“Yes, perhaps. The elements can find new bearers, but that takes time.”

“Are there any other nations that would interfere should we take Equistria by force?”

“I’m not sure the griffon kingdoms would care, but the Prench and Saddle Arabians trade with Equistrians frequently. The dragon councils may also want to claw out a piece should a conflict arise.”

The horned goblin stroked his chin thoughtfully. The pleased grin remained there and he looked skyward. The changeling queen tilted her head trying to guess at what the goblin was thinking. She could easily read his emotions, her changeling senses made that easy. Excitement and confidence basically leaked out of his long bat-like ears, and poured from his eyes.

“There are some small details I’d like to go over before I leave.”

There was a quiet moment as Chrysalis waited for the goblin to go on. He didn’t, and She shifted uncomfortably as those neon pink orbs continued to stare.

“What details?!”

“Throw up whatever magical defenses you have.”

“What?”

Shifting her awkwardly swollen form into an upright position, her eyes grew wide as ethereal blades floated up from the goblins feather cloaked form. He pointed a menacing claw right at her, and the blades flew forward.

A green shield of energy was thrown between Chrysalis and the blades, though Chrysalis wasn’t the one that conjured it. The ghostly blades slid through the shield with no resistance, the shield promptly faltered and shattered. The guardian changeling buzzed angrily at his failed intervention.

Shade let out a furious hiss and jumped on the horned goblin, who lifted a clawed hand to blow the guardian backward in a burst of green light. The changeling hit the wall and fell down disoriented.

The transparent wisps of the weapons stopped just short of impaling the queen in several locations. She gulped before snarling at the goblin.

“What’s the meaning of this?!”

“I need to know what you’re capable of at a moment’s notice.”

Mushgrom’s expression remained calm, and his gaze was unwavering at the queen. Struggling slightly the queen stood up to peer into the pink iris’s, her swollen abdomen swayed quite a bit with the movement.

“I don’t specialize in direct shields and defenses.”

As she waddled forward the blades retreated from her and withdrew back to the goblin. Even as she approached the scaly creature he didn’t move, calm as ever. She lowered her glowing horn to touch the Goblins skull between his horns.

“But in aggressive domination!”

Both of their tall frames exerted physical strain, and their eyes glowed brightly. Chrysalis relentlessly assaulted the Goblin’s mind directly, attempting to subdue him to her will. For a moment, the goblin’s eyes dimmed from bright pink, to a shade of green. Then another moment later they re-ignited brighter pink than ever.

In eery union, the Queen and goblin spoke in magically enhanced voices at the same time

“Impressive control.”

The mental union broke, and both of them staggered back, panting vigorously. They both remained poorly composed for a little while, until the goblin broke the heavy breathing with a chuckle.

“I’ve broken thousands of prisoner’s minds in my day, but, you…”

“I didn’t expect y-… oh…”

Chrysalis’s eyes went wide as she gasped, and her pupils shrank to pin-pricks. Her large belly contracted tightly, and a wet plop hit the floor. The goblin raised his eye brows, amused. A new broodling was on the ground, It’s eyes were closed, but it’s mouth opened and let out a little chirp. It’s tiny wings buzzed ineffectively against it’s wet body.

The Queen shuddered and shivered, her body convulsed again, plop. A second broodling joined it’s fellow on the floor. Shade was just starting to stir out of his disoriented head, shaking his skull he looked up to observe the situation. The guardian saw the goblin no longer in an aggressive stance, spell blades withdrawn.

A distinctively high pitched chirp grabbed his attention, his blue eyes widened seeing the two broodlings on the floor, PLOP, make that three. The guardian jumped to his queen’s side, ready to assist. Mushgrom impatiently folded his arms and tapped a claw.

“How many are you going to dr-“

-gasp-

A fourth broodling hit the ground, and the queen let out a long relieved sigh. Her abdomen had already shrunken down substantially, and her pupils returned to their normal size. The queen turned about to look down at the new infantile changelings. She circled them once before setting herself down on the ground next to them. Then she pulled all four of the broodlings together in her fore-legs.

“It’s been a while, I’ve forgotten how good that feels.” She said to herself, more than anyone else in the throne room.

“So four in one week.” Mushgrom casually remarked.

“Yes, four in one week. Changelings aren’t as easy to make as your horde of mindless over-grown fungi.”

Her tone easily conveyed her offence at the Goblin’s calculated voice. The goblin raised a clawed hand in acknowledgement.

“I’m merely figuring, but if your ego must be stroked, each one of your changelings will be much more important than a dozen fungus-born. I just want to know if you’ll be able to keep up that pace all year?”

“I will, if I continue to feed freely. My female drones will also be producing, though they take much longer between broods than I, and only produce one or two at a time.”

“So we should have a few hundred changeling by the end of the year?”

The goblin smiled at that, his mind racing furiously as to how he could employ such valuable… allies. A claw scratched at his scaly chin again.

“They do take about two years to mature. So I will not be ready for any invasion for at least three. I had decades to prepare for my last army.”

“That’s fine, I won’t be quite ready within the year either. But I’m sure there’s plenty a changeling like Shade here could do with pack of goblins at his command, to disrupt Equistria’s functions while we wait.”

“You’re not afraid of being revealed?”

“Of revealing fungus-born? No, I’m not. In fact I’d rather they become aware of my goblins, and believe they are only capable of inane and stupid violence. Then I will be able to catch them off guard when I start to command the hordes. While we gain ‘real’ strength, your elite changelings can lead packs of goblins into sabotage. They will never see your changelings, and believe you are still extinct. It will be another grievous miscalculation for them.”

“I do want a kingdom of healthy ponies to rule after we take over…”

“As I said, we will rebuild the world to our liking, but we will have to sacrifice some resources to get there first.”

“Very well, but I am tired, leave me to my broodlings.”

“I should like to discuss these plans of sabotage soon, I’ll expect you to send Shade when you’re ready.”

With that Mushgrom turned and left the throne room. Shade continued to stand next to his queen, who had cuddled closely with her broodlings. The gentle chirps were interspersed with little yawns.

“Help me feed them Shade.”

Obliging without further command the changeling guardian lowered his head down with his horn glowing emerald green. Chrysalis and shade touched fore-heads to each of the infants imparting some of their stored emotion-food.

Chirping died down as the broodlings were calmed to sleep. The queen had her own eyes closed, but she lifted her head and spoke softly.

“Take them to the drones, then come back here.”

“Yes, my queen.”

The broodlings were levitated up in Shades magical grasp, and he trotted towards the chambers where the other changelings resided. The infants remained fast asleep for the short journey, and when he arrived he placed them on a bed of moss. The other drones looked up to Shade in question. He nodded to them clicking once, indicating the new broodlings. One of the drones moved next to the bed of moss to tend the new charge.

As Shade re-entered the throne room he saw a new pile of giant mushroom tops, with the queen lying across it like some giant squishy mattress. Chrysalis had her eyes closed and she was breathing at a steady and rhythmic pace.

He stepped onto one of the mushroom tops, it was especially spongy and springy. The overall texture was pretty dry too, he had expected something more… slimy.

“Come closer.”

The queen whisper smoothly, with a heavy edge of weariness. He obeyed, sitting down on his rump right next to Chrysalis’s restful form. She rolled over onto her back and pulled Shade down with a fore-leg.

“Are you sure you want to begin again so soon? My only concern is for you my queen.”

He poked at her belly, which was still quite puffy. She hummed, and when he poked again she giggled, kicking one hind leg weakly.

“Yes, go ahead, but don’t stop if I fall asleep. Nothing will stop the swarm from growing again as soon as poss…”

She put a holed hoof to her fanged mouth as she let out a long, drawn out yawn. She relaxed and said no more. Shade blinked, then proceeded to follow his instructions.

At Ponyville---

A grey unicorn mare strode to the center of Ponyville. She had a wild bright blue mane, and wore a red-white checkered sweater. The cutie-mark adorning her flanks was a golden crown, broken in two. She had her head held high, and smiled haughtily.

A white unicorn stallion , with matching white mane and tail, strode behind her, head lowered and scowling. He wore a red plad sweater. The mark on his flanks was a mess; the scattered objects on it would slowly shift from one moment to the other.

“Now the source of that spell was near here, I can sense it. But maybe it wasn’t ground level…”

As the grey mare kept trotting forward she had her horn ignited in blue aura, scanning all everywhere. After staring skyward for a while she found her hooves treading through a sticky puddle. Looking down she witnessed the yellow goo clinging to her legs like snot. She stopped and the stallion trailing behind bumped into her back side, knocking them both over into the pond and splashing the yellow goo all over. Un-perturbed by the gross and smelly substance the mare swished a hoof in it, then put it up to her muzzle, scrutinizing it with her eyes, and inspecting it with her magic.

“I don’t recongnize this substance Ham… That must mean we’re close!”

“yay…”

Ham on the other hoof was quite unenthused about being coated in the filthy yellow goo. A pink blur whizzed past both of them, blowing their manes sideways. The two unicorns looked at each other, as if to question, but both of them just shrugged. The pink blur whizzed right back infront of them, and solidified into the form of a pink earth pony.

“Are you two ok? You got all covered in that icky monster goo. You might wanna clean that off soon, otherwise you might get sick. I don’t know, but better safe than sorry right, right, right? But you two didn’t have to fight with any of those monsters did you? It was terrible, a lot of ponies got hurt, by those meani weani monsters, But then they all just started popping like party ballons and left behind all that nasty yellow stuff!”

The words were flying a mile a minute. And the two unicorns just blinked.

-GASP!!!-

“Who are you two I don’t think I’ve seen either of you around Ponyville before? This calls for a-“

“Party…”

“huwha?”

“Your reputation precedes you Pinkie Pie.”

“Oh golly wow, I mean I know everyone around Ponyville, so where are you two from?”

“Far away, but we’ve been discreet about our earlier visits to Ponyville. I’m Ana, and this is my brother Ham.”

“Happy to meet ya!”

Pinkie enthusiastically threw out a hoof and started shaking Ana’s and Ham’s. Pulling back a second later she realized this resulted in her pink hooves being soiled in yellow goo.

“O, icky. Ya you two probably want that goo off soon. If you need somewhere to clean up you can stop by sugar cude corner, I’ve got a bath tub there. It’s just down the street, but I need to go find some of my friends, I need to know there ok, Okie Dokie Lokie.”

She vigorously wiped her hooves in the snow, and bolted off.

Both of the unicorn’s watch the hyped up pink earth pony zip away. Ana stood up and shook her fur pelt like a dog, splattering more goo over Ham.

“Oops.” She snarked.

There was a minor explosion. The yellow puddle didn’t exist anymore, and the nearby area was cleared of snow. Ham stood up perfectly clean, while Anarchy was stuck to the wall of a nearby house all splayed out from the impact, and still covered in yellow goo.

“Oops…”

The white unicorn ignited his horn and flashed brilliant prismatic light. He was now a Pegasus, and started to fly high above central Ponyville. Sniffing the air he located the trace elements he was looking for. A pegusus mare was at his side shortly.

“Well, it happened right here. Those ‘monsters’ must have been part of the result. Exploding into yellow goo is certainly a chaotic after effect, unless something else triggered them to do that.”

“If only we got here when it happened, we could have harnessed so much more energy from it.”

Anarchy’s snoot drooped into a whimpering frown.

“Again, we tried too early Ana.”

“Discord already knew we were snooping about, he probably just let us continue to get a laugh. Do, do you think we’ll actually be able to take the lordship? Ever?”

“Ana, we must. I won’t stand for his hypocritical harmony association. You promised too, remember?”

“Ya, I suppose you’re right, and it’s not like we’ll run out of time.” Her frown turned into a weak smile.

A small bird fluttered around the two pegasi, it’s golden eyes peered at them, and it chirped. Mayhem noticed the little creature, then quickly disregarded it. The two flying ponies were near the epicenter of the earlier explosion. A faint green glow remained, and in the distance horizon faint streaks could still be made out. A sudden popping sound startled the two pegasi.

“Why the disguises this time? I thought you two were in open defiance.”

Anarchy and Mayhem veered around to see a draconequus stroking his short beard, floating next to them. With a snap of eagle claws the pony disguises disappeared and brother-sister draconequi caught themselves from dropping.

“I thought rolling down a mountain would give you two something to think about.”

“Uh, it did! How about a trade!”

Discord raised a very skeptical eyebrow. Nodding his head and closing his eyes, he gestured with his lion paw for the proposition to be heard. Anarchy scratched the back of her head, biting her lower lip and rapidly thinking of something to back up her words. She saw a grey Pegasus mare with blonde mane and tail flying underneath them, an idea had sprung.

“How about your very own Muffin cloud! All flavors included!”

Anarchy snapped her frog fingers and a rainbow colored appeared. She gave it a firm kick with her zebra hoof, causing showers of all kinds of muffins. A lightning bolt of rocky candy also fell out. A huge nervous smiled was glued to her face.

“Bonus! I know those cotton candy clouds can get old, eh?!”

Mayhem face palmed. Discord sprung up and gave a cheer.

“Muffin cloud! Ofcourse I’ll give you my lordship right now!”

“What? Really?”

“No.”

He grabbed the siblings by their long ears, and tugged them along. Both of them fussed and struggled to get out of the hold, but Discord was firm.

“Both of you idiots would end up frozen in stone or glued to some heavenly body the same day you receive lordship. I’m not one to play charity, so for the sake of chaos being allowed at all, go back to the isles.”

Throwing them forward a little, Discord pointed an eagle claw to some place in the distance, and glared at both of them angrily. Mayhem growled, and Anarchy slunk in dejection, but both of them slowly floated away from Ponyville, under the piercing gaze of the lord of chaos. Until a giant white dragon flew past them that is.

The sudden blast of turbulence threw the siblings spiraling down out of the air, crashing into another snow bank.

Meanwhile the muffin raining cloud drifted off. A certain grey Pegasus mare with a blonde mane sat on top of it. She dug her hoof into the cloud fishing around for a minute, then pulled out a large, moist, blueberry muffin. Squee!

At the Crystal Empire---

Cadence anxiously strode back and forth around the crystal palace. She looked back towards an ornate desk every few moments, seeing if a new letter was there. It had been several days since she sent a letter to her aunt Celestia, asking for advice on her current predicament.

The three strange dragons that were at the foot of her empire claimed to be lost, and not belong anywhere near or around Equistria, nor from any of the neighboring kingdoms. They also claimed they were looking for other lost members of their group. Cadance was quite surprised one of the dragon’s did have quite a diplomatic approach, since she had never dealt with one quite as… polite, spike being an exception.

She knew the letter would have reached Canterlot only a few minutes after she sent it. Celestia had given her that specially modified desk after all, with the ability to sent notes great distances almost instantly. But no reply had come yet, days later.

Shining had been out to the populace calming them down, and telling them the situation was being handled, but that didn’t stop Cadance from feeling the weight of her office. Most of her ponies were still terribly frightened, and there were hundreds of instances of property damage, and structural compromise. The crystalline crafts ponies were all occupied with more than they could handle.

Occasional tremors wouldn’t help still the mood either. Trickle and Heathice makes it clear they didn’t eat gems or crystal, and had no desire to. They said they were Sea, and ice dragons respectively, and they managed to convince Gravelle not to eat anymore crystal buildings. So the earth dragon dug down to look for a meal of metals and minerals. Digging the tunnel caused several small quakes, and upset more ponies.

Cadance sat down at her gift desk, and plopped her head down on it, sighing loudly. She hadn’t even asked if the other two dragons needed food, or what they ate.

-pop-

The crystal princess bolted upright excitement and anticipation. There infront of her was a neatly rolled parchment, sealed in Celestia’s stamp. Without waiting another moment she lifted the letter in a pink magical aura and tore it open.

My Dear Niece

I did not have time to send this letter earlier. I was

preoccupied with a troubling situation myself.

I do believe some more of those lost dragons appeared locally

down here. But more than just dragons came with them, some

other kind of creatures one of the dragon’s called goblins, which

are apparently quite hostile.

I contacted the dragon councils to see if these newcomers truly had

no association with them, apparently they do not.

The one explained to me they are part of some organization called storm strike.

I would tell you to send them towards canterlot, but I am hesitant

After your description of their initial aggression.

Their initial intent appears to be hunting down the aforementioned

Goblins, but I am concerned they may have ulterior motives.

Their appearance here is strange, and I have yet to know if they can

Go back to where they came from.

I’m discussing with Luna where they should stay, if their visit here is extended.

I will send another letter to you within a few days, with a decision.

Please send another letter if anything becomes unruly, I am

Slightly worried to leave you up there with limited support,

given your earlier description of their aggression.

Though I trust you to be capable of handling things yourself.

With love, your aunt

, Celestia.

Cadance grumbled at the letter. There was still no clear answer about what to do over the next few days. Giving up and resting her head back on the desk , she decided to stop worrying about it. As long as the ‘guest’ dragons did nothing bothersome, things could go on as normal, besides fixing all the expansive damages…

Loud distant shrieks broke the pink Alicorn’s restful contemplation. Her worry worn eyes narrowed and she lifted her head from the desk.

“What now…”

Growling to herself she walked over to the palace balcony. The sight made her eyes widen. What looked like most of the great dragon migration was flying towards the empire, many had already reached the edge and started descending. The pink Alicorn’s pupils nearly disappeared as they shrank, her snout scrunched and a little steam boiled over from her ears. It was a pinkish creamy confusion between fear and anger.

A massive figure descended in a howling gale, right off the side of the balcony. Instinctively Cadance charged her magic threateningly and let off a warning blast, which sailed close by the mass of dark violet. The gale ceased and a heavy thud announced the figure was no longer approaching.

“My apologies princess of the crystal empire, I did not mean to startle you, but I was in haste.”

The deep voice of Trickle calmed Cadance down. She looked up from his bright red chest to his purple face, a confusing mess of emotions etched in her features.

“These aren’t more dragons from your group are they? They look like equestrian dragons…”

“Most definitely not, I was going to ask you, but you seem to recognize them.  I take it they do not fall on your favorable side.”

“No, and I don’t know why so many are here, I’ve driven away a few before that wanted to make a meal of the empire’s crystals, but not so many.”

“Perhaps they were encouraged seeing a few dragons standing within your empire and not being driven away, I’m sorry if our presence led to any of this.”

“It’s not your fault, you said you were lost, but…”

  Cadence’s wings flared up and she put her hooves on the edge of the balcony, biting her lower lip she looked again towards the oncoming flight of dragons. Trickle twisted his long neck to look in the direction as-well. His long snout curled into a smile.

“You know princess, it has been my occupation to fight over the last millennia or so. I can call up Heathice and Gravelle, a horde of fiery drakes is something we’ve handled quite often.”

The Alicorn raised a questioning eyebrow, who get’s to fight hordes of drakes often? She shook her head, who was she to deny help at the moment.

“If you wouldn’t mind helping me…”

“But ofcourse, you rendering assistance in the search for my compatriots is fair compensation.”

Cadence decided to ignore Trickle’s strange mannerism for the moment. She leapt from the balcony towards the flight of dragons.

The crystal guard had rushed to the perimeter of the city, hurrying to prepare the emergency precautions. Crystal armored ponies lined a few defensive barricades, and Pegusi patrolled the air just outside of the city. Unicorn mages stood next to piles of sharp munitions.

Civilians rushed towards the palace, where the underground safety of the tunnels lay. An affair that was full of screaming, crying, panic, you know that whole shibang.

The oncoming horde of scaly monsters had wide eyes, and wider mouths, all salivating to take a bite out of that glittery barrage of glowing delight. A few other dragons were staying there, and hadn’t been forced out, so why not them. The came in a variety of shapes sizes and colors, ranging from the teenagers to large adults. The sheer mass of the flight blocked out the rising sun.

Several of the crystal guards quivered within their crystal armor, few of them had ever had to face a dragon, let alone hundreds of them… A sergeant tried to shout some words of encouragement.

“Come lads, pull yourselves together, we all know we decided to live on a giant pile of dragon food. Sombra may have been great at keepin’ ‘em scared off, but he didn’t treat us all the nice. We have the princess of love now! And the crystal heart!”

“What if some dragon eats that too? The heart banishes hate, not hunger!”

“Lad, you’re ruinin’ the moment”

Equistrian dragon roars and growls were now very close by, and the crystal rattling of crystal armor from crystal guard worsened. The ground shook violently, and something besides the crystal guard themselves rattled their crystal armor.

Erupting with a shower of dirt and rocks, the massive earth dragon Gravelle stood between the guard of the empire, and the approaching flight of dragons. Heathice swooped down in a mass of white and blue next to her, adding his frosty aura to their presence. The earth and ice dragons roared defiantly at the oncoming flight.

Many soldiers didn’t know whether to be frightened or encouraged, but they became still as crystal statues. Unnatural storm clouds billowed in the sky, and a crack of thunder drowned out all other noises for miles around. Un-earthly wind began to pick up and a howling gale tore through the air.

A trail of pink light signaled the arrival of Princess Cadence , who halted high in the air between her soldiers and the slowing opponents.

The horde of dragons slowed it’s approach, many of the smaller ones halted altogether, hiding behind larger adults. Several slack jaws closed, and the wide eyes narrowed, evaluating the changing scene infront of them. The Crystal empire had darkened under the growing billows of storm clouds. What looked like a giant city made of candy was quickly spoiling to them? And what was with these other dragons standing against them, were they not going to share? Well, dragons are suppose to be greedy right…

A humungous black dragon didn’t stop it’s advance, it was the largest of the whole flight by far. Long orange spines decorated it’s head and back, and it’s gaze was un-phased by the scene infront of it. She was a member of the dragon council, and she didn’t get intimidated. And the black dragon would have kept flying forward right into the empire itself, if a giant boulder didn’t crash right into one of her eyes.

The force it the impact knocked her large black head backwards, stalling her out mid flight. The temporary stall was enough to make her come crashing down, and with a mighty earth shaking rumble landed on all fours.

“Who threw that!”

She roared, letting out a gout of flames that seemed to absorb light rather than give it. After huffing for a moment she was answered, another large boulder crashed into her head again, knocking her back until she was upright on her hind legs. She covered both of her eyes with long black talons, the developing black eyes were well hidden by the black hide, but the blood shot white sclera wasn’t.

Lowering her paws aggressively the black dragon stared forward. It was that strange amber dragon, and it was holding another boulder in one paw. This time when another boulder flew, she dodged it. It kept going and nailed a lesser dragon in the chest, dropping it from the air.

“You would dare stand again Ebony Flight?”

She roared at the amber dragon. It responded by charging at her. Ebony raised up to her considerable height, towering over everything that wasn’t high in the air, and prepared to swat the charging amber dragon with a paw. She was atleast twice the size of that flightless wyrm.

The moment came and Ebony’s claws came down in a swipe that screeched through the air. When they impacted the amber dragon not much happened, smacking the earth dragon was like smacking a giant iron wall, it hurt her paw. Then the giant iron wall smacked her back.

Even though Ebony was twice the size of this other dragon, it felt like the smaller dragon weighed twice as much. The council member was sent somersaulting backwards from amber dragon’s headbutt to her chest.

Great deals of light consuming flames were pushed out of her lungs from that hit, and she lay on the ground struggling to get air back in her chest. Before Ebony could recover the earth dragon jumped on top of her, painfully stomping her gut, and pinned her down with a paw. The other paw was raised ready to strike down over her throat.

Fear momentarily flashed in Ebony’s burning orange eyes, she couldn’t remember the last time she felt it. Before the strike landed a magically enhanced voice interrupted.

“Wait, don’t kill her!”

It was Cadance. The pink Alicorn flew up close to two tussling dragons.

“Gravelle, you’ve beaten her alright. You’ll leave now Ebony, won’t you…”

The flying pony princess looked sternly at the dragon council member, and the earth dragon growled rolling her eyes at the command.

“Don’t tell me how to do my job, and I won’t tell you how to do yours, little highness.”

The angry amber dragon stomped on Ebony’s chest, driving her deeper into the ground, and causing her orange eyes to pop out a little.

“Grav, please respect our host.” A rather exasperated Heathice approached them.

“What’s she doing here anyway; she already proved she won’t do much in a fight.”

“Grav!”

“Fine, I’ll just go break something else!”

Gravelle jumped off of Ebony, turning her back to the black dragon. Both of the earth dragon’s hind legs were raised then kicked out at the fallen council member. The large dark mass was sent tumbling away, causing enormous earthy skids in the green grassy fields. Before Heathice or Cadence could issue any frustrated or reprimanding words she had dug her way deep underground.

The flight of dragons had watched the whole ordeal, many of them just stared dumbstruck, many others turned tail and flew away. Cadance took notice of the horde’s reaction. Seeing their largest member being knocked about, had knocked the courage right out of them. She turned to them with her magically amplified voice.

“The crystal empire is not on the menu, and never will be. All of you have seen what trying to take the empire will result in!”

The rest of the flight promptly turned tail and ran. Ebony Flight had rolled onto her belly, and was trying to crawl away, while she held one paw up to her gut. One wing looked bent out of shape, and several purple swellings appeared through the black hide. And orange eye glared back at the pink princess, before it was swollen shut. Bitterness was a fast growing seed there.

“The council will hear of your alliance.” She wheezed out between gasping breaths.

“Come again, and I won't hold back Gravelle next time!”

A solid snort escaped Cadance’s muzzle in the council member’s direction. The black dragon upgraded her crawl to a slow limp, going out of the green fields of the empire into the snow outside, leaving magical aura of pleasantness and perpetual summer.

All of that excitement and it wasn’t even lunch time. Cadence held her hooves up to her head, trying to slow an on oncoming headache of great magnitude. Slowly she started flying her way back to the palace, she would need to report this instance to Celestia, a member of the dragon council had made an overtly aggressive move against her empire. What was next?! Changelings? Discord wanting to make more trouble? Her bed sounded more and more inviting.

While the brooding Cadance flew back to the palace the soldiers below started to stand down, going back to regular duties. One particularly forward sergeant couldn’t help but rouse a cheer.

“Like I always said lads, you fight dragons with dragons!”

“Sarge, it’s fight fire with fire…”

“Like I always said lads.”

At Canterlot, well more like the mountain-side it’s attached to ---

Frigid snow was quite biting on the mountainside, not very conducive to the preferences of the Fire dragon carving out a cave there. It didn’t take long for Vrepen to pick up the Garlins he’d roasted earlier. What he didn’t eat was piled right at the end of a freshly dug cave.

The brown drake idly scratched on the dirt floor with a claw, marking various calculations and plans. The cave was fairly well lit; he had uprooted a tree nearby, and was methodically tearing off pieces for a fire in the center of the cave.

Princess Celestia certainly seemed to be taking her time, Vrepen had been left up on the mountain for two days with no further interaction. Was he being ignored? Boredom had driven him to figure just how much the garlins would multiply, given the amount of time they delayed reacting. Dozens had escaped, there would be hundreds more in a few weeks. These lands also looked quite peaceful, not a good sign for resisting goblin spawn.

Idle thoughts were interrupted by the sound of clopping hooves. A dark figure approached the cave entrance, definitely a pony of some kind. It wore a dark robe to obscure its frame, and Vrepen couldn’t recognize who it was, not that he would know anyway, he’d only met one pony.

The strange dark equine stopped right at the cave entrance, and seemed to be surveying the contents. Grabbing a garlin corpse, the fire dragon lazily started chewing it. That seemed to grab the robed figures attention, and their gazes met. Golden Irises stared into light blue.

After swallowing Vrepen was surprised the pony was still standing there, not even trembling. Most of the equines had been quite

unsettled by his appearance, if not terror-struck. Apparently dragons weren’t that common of a thing around here.

“Hello there, do you need help with something?”

The robed equine widened it’s eyes a little at his words, but remained quiet, and continued watching. After several more long moments of silence, Vrepen went back to making marks on the floor, no longer looking at the shady visitor.

There was an uncomfortable shift and a few more hoof steps. The dragon paused his marking and looked up without moving his head. The figure had taken a few steps closer to the fire, and sat down. More silence, except for the occasional cackle from the burning wood.

It was getting chillier than he liked, so he tore off another branch from the broken tree and placed it in the fire. He dug his paws into the midst of the charcoal, looking for the hottest spot. The dark figure shifted a little closer.

Vrepen kept his maw shut. Maybe this stranger was just looking for a warm spot to stay, he didn’t get the particular feeling they were afraid, but if all they needed was warmth the castle was just down the hill. Even though he was tempted to ask more questions he refrained. The stranger would have to talk first. To his surprise the silence ended a moment after he thought that.

“Where do you come from?”

“Ohn, though originally from Vulcania, I’ve moved around. I don’t imagine you would know either of those places though.”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Where do you come from?”

That drew out a long sigh from the cloaked figure. Vrepen scrunched his snout, the mirrored question apparently drew up a lot of memories.

“I’ll say from right here, though I too have traveled.”

“How long and how far?”

He smirked, making his own guess, how travel worn could a pony be?

“The names of the lands have changed since I began. But the furthest I’ve been was there.”

The cloaked figure raised a dark blue hoof, pointing to the sky. A large white moon beamed brilliantly there, surrounded by a musical whirl of stars. A suspicious brow was raised on the dragons head. Names of the lands have changed… so a wanderer across ages, and an indication towards the sky? The moon was indicated more specifically. The dragon puffed some smoke out of his nostrils.

“Quite a range.”

“There are a few who could share similar experiences.”

“Haha, ya, how many? Atleast from here, because living a few thousand years is a pretty common story where I’m from.”

“For dragons that is a common story.”

“So dragons around here live a long time too?”

“Some members of the dragon council claim to be near a thousand years of age.”

“They only live a thousand years?”

“It’s not known exactly, they don’t have the tendency to share information.”

“Well you can ask this fire dragon anything, I don’t really keep secrets. I may not be able to offer the same range of experiences as you millennial beings though.”

“What is your age, if a may ask.”

“35”

“35?”

“Is that so strange?”

“But, you’re so large… for 35, you don’t appear to be stricken by, greed…”

“Stricken by greed? Ha, what, you say that like it’s some kind of disease.”

“An acquaintance of mine nearly destroyed a village in his rampant greed growth.”

“Well, I only know one kind of dragon that can change their size rapidly, and it’s not because of greed. The dragons here sound, strange. Are all of their emotions so volatile?”

   “Just greed, as far as I know.”

The dragon pulled a paw out of the fire, and rubbed two claws together to wipe the ashes off. Then taking a singular claw started to pick his teeth of and leftover bits of Garlin. There was another moment of silence at the two just peacefully sat there, and looked out the cave to the night sky.

“So, my guess is that you didn’t just happen to stumble upon the foreign dragon’s cave.”

“I was curious.”

“Satisfied?”

“Not quite.”

“Hmm, then what else may I treat you to, I don’t think you would like garlin? Would you?”

Vrepen put on a sly grin as he grabbed one of the burnt bodies and dangled it by a leg. The cloaked figure gave a blank stare. The grin faltered as the moment dragged, was the pony thing actually considering that offer? Was it actually a pony? He was now more curious what resided under that hood.

“Maybe one side of me, at one point in time, would have taken that offer.”

A silver capped hoof was raised towards the hood of the cloaked figure. Slowly, tantalizingly, the hood was pulled back. Suddenly Vrepen didn’t know why he was expecting something other than a pony to be under that hood. It was a dark blue one, with a long unicorn horn resting on her forehead. An ethereal starry blue mane wafted about her body, with a wind that didn’t exist within the cave. A dark black crown rested between her ears.

“Sounds like it’d be fun to hear about this ‘one side’.”

A loud guttural laugh bounced off the narrow walls of the cave, and blasted out into the night. The dragon stopped his mirth and looked back down to the royally blue unicorn. She had the twinge of a smile on the corners of her mouth, but a serious edge to her eyes.

“Perhaps on another occasion. I do have other responsibilities to attend to this night.”

“Anything I could help with? Dirt walls haven’t been very entertaining company.”

“My sister asked you to remain here.”

“Your sister? Oh, that white Pegasus princess.”

“I respect her wishes and judgment.”

“You see, I’d like to too, but at the same time I’m feeling a little restless here.”

“I suppose I could inquire about your assistance in more remote areas. My night watch has been stretched thin; the incident that brought you here has apparently affected many places over Equistria.”

“Yea, about that. Your sister kind of dismissed my earlier warning about the goblins. The dozens that escaped that day will become hundreds by within a week; your ‘night watch’ will be seeing plenty of them. I don’t know what kind of enemies you already have, but these are one of the more serious problems where I come from.”

“Dozens becoming hundreds? How do they accomplish this?”

“They grow like weeds. Even if you kill all of them, spores come of off like dandruff, and grow just about anywhere. You have to destroy the underground pods, which can be hard to spot from normal mushrooms and other fungus.”

The dark blue unicorn was now standing on her hooves, concern furrowed her brow. She made motion to talk but stopped before any words could come out. Her chin rested on top of a silver sheathed hoof. The dark robe billowed back and revealed a pair of feathery blue wings, which flared out.

The unicorn… Pegasus… whatever kind of pony it was, Vrepen had forgotten if their type had been clarified, turned to walk out the cave. She looked back, right into his golden eyes.

“It was a pleasure to meet you Vrepen. I’ll return soon, your words are cause for concern.”

“What should I call you?”

“Princess Luna.”