Chapter 19. How to train your Princess.

I smiled as Luna flew down from her hiding spot, causing the entire mercenary group to point their swords at me. I got up as the Captain began to release the prisoners, fearing the wrath of the Goddess of the Moon. I stood up just as the Captain was about to confront me with his Warhammer and grabbed the flat case on my back and opened it, revealing my scythe Lupus for all to see.

I spun the six-foot long scythe with a four-foot long blade around me in a show of skill and strength. The Captain and his compatriots backed off for a moment and decided to surround me as Luna walked up to meet me. I gave them a toothy grin as I prepped my Tome to add them all to the HiveMind while I watched as Raven hid behind a group of rocks.

I waited as Luna walked up to me with the now free Elements of Harmony at her side, ready to take me on, but what they don't know was my trump card, if I should choose to use it, but for now. I should try and convince Luna to join me rather than add her to the HiveMind by force. I need as many brainwashed followers as I could get.

"Ah~ Luna, what a pleasant surprise!" I cheered as she broke the circle of sword and spear-wielding ponies with very smug looking ponies with her. She gave me a huff of fear-filled anger in response.

"Care to explain why you had the Element bearers in a cage, dragon?" she hissed, pretending that she wasn't afraid of me. I smiled as I put away by scythe for the time being knowing that Discord said she was hunting me. For what reason, I could only guess, but if I should make a mention that Discord said she was looking for someone, I should gain the advantage.

"Why, because I need them of course! They are part of my very important plan of epic proportions. That and Discord said you were looking for someone," I smirked as I placed a hand on Nix and watched Luna squirm as she thought about the words I said. While she was temporarily distracted, I turned on my Hive spell, entrapping everypony but the six and Luna with ease.

'Now I don't have to worry about backstabbers and for them to be bombs,' I thought.

"And what, pray tell, is this plan of yours?" she asked in an indifferent tone.

"Why it's simply really! I plan on finding the lost city of the ancients. The city where Human turned Griffin used to reside," everyone froze in awe and horror. Luna stared at me with new found curiosity as Twilight's mouth dropped open, mumbling, 'human,' over and over again. The ponies around me who don't know that I have them in my control dropped their weapons in bewilderment. Even Raven popped her head out to look and stare at me in pure bafflement.

"T-That's impossible! How can you know of the creators of Equus!?" Luna demanded.

'Creators of Equus? That's new. I know that Twilight went to a world of humans, but why would Luna think of something different? Another question for later.'

"Why, because I can read their language. Ya know what the Twelve Elder Scrolls were written in," I said snapping my fingers while pulling out the one about Mark Borne talking about her birthday, and read it out loud, causing Luna's eyes widen in heartfelt shock. Once I was done reading it, I put it back in my hammerspace just as Luna began to cry about a memory long ago.

'Okay, phase two, recapture the Elements and see if she will join by force or by herself.'

"Guards, recapture the prisoners. I will deal with Luna," I ordered while Luna was stuck in her flashback. The 'mercs did what I told them to do, causing the bearers to flip out and try to escape, but they were quickly knocked out and re-tied. As they were thrown back into the cage with Ruby, Luna finally broke out of her daze to stare at me like she was conflicted about something. I gave her a devious smile and sat down on my rock again.

"So Luna here is the deal. You come with me quietly and I will tell you about your real past. Or I drag you by force and trust me when I say it. You don't want the force," I said. She shook herself from her daze and wiped away a stray tear and glared at me with new found hate.

"How dare you speak of uncle Mark you filthy dragon!" she shouted at me. I just raised a brow and kept a neutral expression.

"I dare speak because my goal is to save his legacy and last I checked. You were part of his legacy. So I will ask you once again. Come quietly or else."

She gritted her teeth in irritation and considered my offer from what her face was saying, but I know from my first answer that I gave her, Discord had told her something. I need to get her on board the Solstice train with her knowledge of King Mark. If she still has strong feelings for him, then there was a chance that her memories weren't touched other than the time she was turned into Nightmare Moon. I should keep a safe distance, I don't know what a moody Luna with fear coursing through her veins would do.

"Fine, I will come with you quietly, only if you can answer this one question," she said almost growling.

"Very well, what is it?" I said as I gripped the pommel of Nix.

"Are you the one that Discord said you could help me with my past and what are your real plans with the Elements?"

I smiled in victory but kept an open eye out for anything that could be a problem. "That was two questions but I'll bite. The first one is a 'yes,' and as for the second one. I can't tell you until we are at our destination as we will be in danger once Celestia returns from her trip from within the Mirror," I replied.

Luna stared at me in confusion before she sighed knowing that with everything around her would cause her sister to act harshly towards me. She lowered her guard and looked at the caged ponies with guilt as I put away my two special blades back in the hammerspace to give Luna some comfort around me. Her wings slumped and sat beside me as the 'mercs settled down from their initial panic while Raven came back out from hiding and sat close to me as well. Luna gave her a dirty look and made a comment about her being a necromancer, but left her alone. I yawned and got ready for the tomorrow's events.

Luna and the others watched in curiosity as I flew high into the sky over the valley just as Luna raised the sun for her sister. Happy with the sleep I got and not waking up in a cage made by Luna made me quite happy that she held true to her word, but the Elements weren't too happy. Once the ponies woke up back in the cage, they were absolutely heartbroken and angry that Luna was on my side for the time being.

Once they realized that there was no convincing the Princess to save them, I smiled as the light in their eyes died in acceptance that not even the Princess of the Moon was going to save them. With that, all said and done, and with everypony ready to go after a warm breakfast. The 'mercs cleaned up camp as I got my ship.

I yawned as I prepped to pull out an entire ship out of my ass. The ponies, Griffins, and Luna watched in curiosity as to what I was doing. I smiled as I felt my dragon fire welled up in my chest as I got ready to burp out my ship. Once I was ready as the sun was passed the summits of the nearby mountains. I sent out a giant ball of fire that filled the entire valley in black flame as I burped out the ship. I held onto the spell until the ship was out and once it was, I cut off the spell and saw the crowd's jaws were on the ground to a sight that shouldn't be possible.

Hovering in the valley was The Winters Aria in all her glory. I flew down to her as she hovered quietly over the valley and entered the Bridge. I walked up to the main console and turned her on and flew her closer to the side of the mountain where the camp was and dropped the stern loading platform and flew back to them. I stood in front of Luna as she and the others stared at the ship and ordered the 'mercs to load up while I carried the dazed Princess onto the ship, ready to leave the country.