Dragon King? Ha! I'm a Prince of Ponies!

??? PoV

I watched as the two fillies raced through the fields, moon high in the sky. I was unnoticed by the dreamer, and in this kind of dream that's an impressive feat in and of itself. Bring in the facts the dream had an avatar of me, not to mention the identity of the dreamer, and it was only a matter of time until I was noticed. Of course, being noticed is exactly what I was hoping for. That would mean my time in stone was almost over.

That's when I felt it. That cursed tug! That pull that always forces me to play along to my role in the dream! It's not fair. Why does Discord get free, and I'm still trapped! It's not fair! Luna tried to bring something that would kill all life and what she gets is a time-out she's not even conscious for!? It's not fair! IT'S NOT FAIR!

The Bearers and Celestia were walking through the Hall of Remembrance, the one with all the glass murals. The celebration of Discord's defeat had ended an hour ago, and now Celestia was telling the Bearers the history behind many of the windows, save for the obvious ones. One window caught Twilight's attention most of all when they reached it, however.

"Princess," she called. Celestia turned her head to look at Twilight, ready to tell her whatever piece of history she was curious about. "What's this one?" Twilight asked, pointing towards the window that had caught her attention.

Celestia looked at the indicated window, and upon seeing it, her face fell. "Bahamut," she said in a pained tone, gathering the attention of the other Bearers.

The window held a robed, bipedal figure outlined in stone, it's face hidden by a hood. Behind it was the profile of some kind of monster, it's eyes a fierce, if slightly dulled, blue; also outlined in stone. On either side of it were the Princesses, except instead of victorious, they looked... Mournful.

"Huh?" went Rainbow, her brows knit in confusion at the window.

"His third name was Bahamut," Celestia said, appearing as if she were looking at a lost friend.

"Third?" Twilight asked, confused as to why someone would wish to be called by multiple names.

Celestia nodded. "He told most everyone to call him by Bahamut. His second name, he told to those who he trusted, and very few were trusted to the point he'd tell it to them. As for his first, he told it to only those closest to him. Funnily enough, Luna was among those few. I only ever learnt the third and second." After a moment, she turned to the pegasi among them. "You carry the elements he wielded alongside us, you know," she said, faint smile on her face as she looked specifically at the two pegasi. While Fluttershy... Well, shied away from the attention suddenly on her, Rainbow looked at the figure on the mural in hidden wonder. At that, Celestia chuckled. "He always did like the pegasi over the other races. Said they understood true comadrie.

After a moment of silence, Celestia wiped away some tears, and Rainbow asked the question they all were wondering. "Sooo... What happened to him?"

Instead of Celestia, it was a new voice that spoke the answer. "He sacrificed himself in despair."

They turned and found behind them: "Princess Luna!" Most of them bowed.

"Just Luna, please," she said, instead turning her attention to the mural. "What did you tell them?" She asked.

"Only the Elements Bahamut wielded," answered Celestia.

Luna nodded. After another moment, she turned and started walking away. "Come. The time for the moonrise has come. If you wish to hear his story,  then We can tell you after."

After looking at each other, the Bearers came to silent agreement that they would hear the story, if simply to understand the mural.

After the moon had taken it's rightful place in the sky, the Bearers were gathered around a single lit candle with the Princesses on the other side like story-tellers.

"To understand his reasons, you must first understand his past," Luna said, eyes passing over each of the Bearers. Then, in a way they couldn't see it, she smiled. "But, to begin, i believe it would be only right to tell you. He was not of our world."

The reactions were immediate, most along the lines of shock. After they were calmed, and had gotten a majority of the surprise out of their systems, Luna continued.

"He hailed from a world where his kind were the only sentient race, and unlike here and now, it was not as privileged. In fact, he was a victim of parental abuse."

Once more, the reactions were noticeable, and immediate. The questions that Twilight would typically be forming came to a screeching halt. Fluttershy had a look of abject terror on her face at the mere mention of abuse. Rarity and Applejack held looks of shock that such a thing was even possible. But the most noticeable of them all was the Element of Loyalty.

"WHAT!?" She shouted, garnering the attention of the other Bearers. She was standing in an aggressive stance. Her pupils were dilated from the rage that had noticeably entered her. Her teeth were gritted, breathing slowly in an unsuccessful attempt to calm herself. And her wings were spread in a universal sign of aggression amongst creatures of the sky. Which made the fact that her next words were just barely audible worrying to hear. "Who?"

Luna shook her head, realizing the error of mentioning such a thing amongst the Bearer of Loyalty. Celestia, meanwhile, took up the reins. "It took him more then three hundred years to tell us. Even longer to go into detail. Needless to say, that is a story he kept close to his heart."

"But... Why would somepony keep something like that a secret? Wouldn't it be better to tell someone?" Twilight asked, unable to comprehend the logic.

Luna shook her head in an admittance of ignorance to the subject. "We can only guess it was his way of keeping strong. To not be like the ones who wronged him."

There was silence in the room, none willing to speak. The Bearers could only wonder as to what kind of horrors Bahamut could have suffered to keep the knowledge hidden away...

Then, it happened. A large beam of light reached into the sky, blinding many in the city below who dared to look at it. Accompanying it was a loud hum that would commonly be associated with a group of powerful mages. Then, it shifted to a deafening boom, making many put their hooves to their ears if they were able. Then, the light faded away, leaving in it's wake many panicking ponies... and yet, a few that were, strangely, calm.

In the room the Bearers and Princesses resided in, however, the reactions to the beam were varied. Twilight looked at where it had been in wonder, questioning where such a beautiful light could come from. Rarity looked at it in awe, feeling rejuvenated from the brilliantness of the light. Applejack's expression was unclear to the others, but it was clear the light had filled her with a hope even she did not realize she was lacking. Pinkie looked at it in, strangely enough, silent contemplation, her exact thoughts, like always, unreadable. Rainbow looked at it with hope in her eyes and, even stranger then Pinkie, Fluttershy had her eyes closed, gently bowing her head as if giving an unheard prayer. As for the Princesses...

They looked at it in realization. A mixture of emotions swirled within them. Excitement, regret, but most of all: Hope.

Before anyone could do or say anything, a young boy's voice spoke. "I hope you all enjoyed it, took me a millennium to figure out how to do that right," it said. Turning around, the ponies saw a light-skinned, blue eyed and black haired boy in a robe, soft smile adorning his face, barely the same size as Luna. "Now then, you should all get some Sleep." As he said this, the ponies suddenly fell to the ground, snoring softly. All but four.

The four conscious ponies looked from the new being to the four that were asleep and back. "Now," he said with a smile still adorning his face, "Let's talk."

Bahamut POV

I took in the looks of shock on the Princesses faces and, after a moment of silence, burst out laughing.

"What the..." Went the rainbow pony, one of the few conscious ponies. As the laughing settled, i took in the (presumably) new Bearers, and found myself approving of what I could tell. It seemed that the Elements each chose a Bearer for each of them, unlike last time where the Elements paired together in Tia, Lulu, and myself.

I could just barely tell which ones were wielding my own elements after the past milinea caused most of my energy to fade from Loyalty and Kindness. It seemed those two Elements belonged to the two other ponies that were still conscious. The one who seemed to inherit Loyalty was a tomboyish looking pegasus mare with a light blue coat and rainbow, windswept mane and tail. Her emblem was a cloud discharging a red, yellow, and blue lightning bolt. She had magenta eyes and definitely looked like she was willing to fight, and judging by her stance and positioning, she was ready to fight for the ones on the ground and the Bearer of Kindness.

Speaking of the Bearer of Kindness, she was a butter yellow pegasus mare that had a mane done in a style one could easily hide behind, much like Luna did back in the old days. Her mane and tail were pink, and her emblem was a trio of butterflies. Fitting for Kindness. Couldn't quite see the eyes but I think they were a green color.

I couldn't quite tell what the others' Element's were, but could definitely guess on the possibilities.

As I finished my inspection, I turned to the Princesses, wide smile still on my face and laughter threatening to break out once again. "What, did you think I'd go into a battle like that and NOT have an escape plan up my sleeve?"

"But... How?" Celestia said, exasperated.

"Come now, Tia!" I said, opening my arms in a hugging pose. "Surely you know me better after, what, 800 years? Give 'er take."

"But... Then... Why..." Celestia kept going, till Luna stepped forward, who was much less tongue tied than Celestia.

Luna's face was twisted in admittedly rightful anger. Then, she let me have it. "You bastard! We believe you to be lost for the past thousand years all because you waited all this time for a 'grand escape'!? Do you have any idea how distraught we were you blasted, imbecilic brother of ours!?"

There was silence in the room for a moment, the other three looking at myself and Luna. After a few more moments passed, I stepped forward and took Luna into a hug. "I'm sorry, Lulu, but you know that i had my reasons. I promise, I'll never do that again..." After a moment passed, i turned my head to Tia, still holding Lulu in my arms. "Tell you what, Tia. I'll tell you my first name in private. In the mean time..." This is the point where i let go of Luna, wiping away the tears that she had shed.

"But-" Celestia began, only to have me continue talking.

"By the way," I said, turning and bowing to the conscious ponies, "I am Veru Bahamut, eternal guardian of the innocent, surrogate brother to the Princesses."

"Wait, what!?" Rainbow pony went. "Your a prince?!"

I smiled. "In a sense, but i try not to go bragging about it," i said.

"And just what would you define as bragging?" Luna asked, brow raised.

I shrugged at the question. "Going to an out of the way town and shouting it to the skies. What else?"

"I'll have you know i was simply going by tradition!" She said, raising her head high despite the burning blush on her face.

"Anyway, " i said, turning to the Bearers. "Now that you know my name, might I have the honor of knowing your's?"

"I'm... Umm... Rainbow Dash," said the rainbow pony. "And this is Fluttershy," she said, pointing to her conscious friend.

I looked between the two, keeping my expression neutral. Than, I smiled. "Well, I certainly approve," I said with a wink that Tia couldn't see. "Now then; Sleep..." After I cast the spell a second time, only Luna and myself were awake.

"Why'd you not put them to sleep initially?" Luna asked.

"Because," I said, "it didn't work initially."

She looked at me in confusion, knowing that has never been the case outside of battles. "Why wouldn't it work?"

I shrugged. "I have a few theories. Might have to do with how they inherited my elements. Heck, it might be that they were still a bit energetic. Never the less, that is an unimportant issue for the time being." My face broke back out into a smile as I turned to Luna. "So, how's Little Miss Cadenza been?"

Luna smiled back. "She's not so little any more. In fact, the local captain has even stolen her heart..."

"Really..." I said, smiling at how i'll be able to tease Cadence and finally be able to play the older male roll. "You'll have to tell me about him."

And so, we spent the night talking about lost times, catching up with each other. But throughout the entire conversation, that feeling of despair hung over my heart. If I was out...

Then how long do we have?

??? PoV

All I could see was white. That's all I've ever seen outside of dreams. So much white...

He was there. I didn't notice it at the time, but he was there. He's always there. Than he left... Escaped. And I'm finally on my way to freedom as well. I could see the details of the white... The snow...

And now, i stand here, looking upon my creation through the ice. If i were capable...

I smiled.