Our Stories: Else World Talesby SciWriterChaptersTrixie: The Mare of the ShowVinyl Scratch: I Love my FamilyTrixie: Her HeroDragon Army Part 2: Inevitability, You Always Choose a SideDragon Army Part 3: Fight!Dragon Army Part 1: Fall of the Dragon LandsTrixie: The Mare of the ShowLuna and Trixie met in the royal bedroom of the Princess of the Night. Luna sat down on her bed, Trixie sitting on the floor, looking giddy. “We cannot do this for thee often,” Luna said. “Trixie knows... Trixie still wants to try...” said Trixie. Luna lit up her horn, a blue haze coming off it and hitting Trixie in the head. The blue unicorn fell over, instantly unconscious. Luna then closed her eyes and a beam of light fired from her horn to Trixie's head. (***) Luna and Trixie were now standing in a hallway full of doors. The hall appeared to continue on forever, both behind and in front of them. Trixie danced happily. “Let's see Twilight beat this!” she said. “Trixie is in the dream-scape!” She looked back and forth a few times. “So... which door, which door?” “Come child, we'll get to him,” she moved forward, her mane flowing behind her. She smiled watching the excitement of the magician turned bard. Trixie gave a quick practice tune as they went alone, “I'll tell you a tale of reason and woe, in all of the world you reap what you sow...” “Thee really do not have to warm up thy voice, tis the dream world, thy lungs are not really there. Thy body here is just a projection,” Luna explained. Trixie cleared her throat. “Trixie knows, just like Trixie talking about herself in third person, force of habit,” Luna smiled and chuckled. “We wouldn't know anything about a force of habit.” Luna stopped at a door, lit up her horn and it opened. The two ponies walked into the room behind the door. Inside there was a room with a large carpet over a hardwood floor and a fire place. A small reddish brown colt sat in front of the fire. When he looked in their direction he got up and ran to Luna and jumped up, hugging her immediately. Luna held him for a while and then let go, the colt immediately then jumped to hug Trixie. Trixie closed her eyes and embraced him. She pulled away and set him down. “This is one of the reasons Trixie changed her career. A story teller can be so much more personal than just a performer.” The colt looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Hmm... you thought Trixie was still a magician right?” he nodded. “That's how Trixie became famous, when there was a confrontation between her and Twilight years ago. But the official stories got derailed more and more from the truth as time passed. Trixie can sing for you the tale of what really happened, would you like that?” The colt nodded enthusiastically. Trixie waved for him to go a small distance away and he obeyed. Luna stood a few feet away as well. Trixie closed her eyes. Part of the room started to change. Around Trixie the floor disappeared as well as the walls around her, the area for a moment going black and blank. Then under her blue wooden boards appeared and a red curtain appeared behind her. She smiled, opening her eyes. Trixie began to sing and perform. Her dance was a few simple steps, swaying side to side, spinning and tapping her hooves to a subtle beat that she spoke along with. Her singing was more speaking in rhythm with a few words of a melodious tune spread here and there. “Trixie, the mare of the show, her story begins as a child back at ten. She loved the art of deceiving the eye, making things that are not, appear that they are. A love for real magic was always there, but more a fascination with how to make it appear.” Trixie slammed her hooves down on the stage, fireworks erupting around her as she swished her hair around her head. The head of a manticore, made of smoke, appeared behind her and roared, shaking the entire dream room. “As Trixie grew, three years went by, her cutie mark appeared and she found the love of her town as she could make them see magic, magic that even powerful unicorns could not make. For a few bits, an earth pony could see a whole house float on command, or see the whole stage disappear and reappear behind him-” The stage under Trixie, and Trixie herself, disappeared and suddenly appeared behind the colt, Trixie continuing to perform as if nothing had happened as her audience followed her. “Trixie fell in love with her show, becoming the mare for the show, the mare of the show, and for a time, so did the world love the show. Creatures made of light danced on the stage,” a bear made of lights started to dance next to Trixie, moving like a ballerina, spinning and twirling, even wearing a goofy tootoo. “and projections of light and reflections of mirrors made any illusion possible. The children laughed and their parents ooed and awed. But as the world moved on, she did not, not seeing that things had changed, and she too needed to change. In a town far away, a real magic user had come, ponies were seeing real magic, magic was not a show, and so, they began to shun the show.” “Over time, Trixie's illusion that she still had an audience fell apart. Fewer and fewer ponies came to her show, and her tricks became less and less to look upon. Eventually even she conceded, to herself, in the dark, the show... was a side show. She became angry at this Twilight pony, destroying her show. She packed her bags and journeyed across the land, looking for a new following, but she was laughed at, told to get off the stage, told that when magic is real, who needs a show? Sad and resentful, she traveled to the home of Twilight to perform there, to show that this pony's magic was not enough to out show her shows. Who was this Twilight? Did she not know? Trixie was the mare of the show, how dare she be showed up!” The room rumbled as Trixie's voice started to sound otherworldly. The effect stopped suddenly on the next verse however. “Twilight and her friends booed and hissed, insulting the mare of the show, Trixie trying to show herself better than them all. She looked good, but she knew in her heart, no one was buying her act. She couldn't even look better than those who looked down on her. Trixie hung her head in shame when she left the stage that day.” “In this sad state, two colts found the mare of the show. They praised her and told her they loved her. They wanted to know her story- so she made up several. She told them lies, lies of how she defeated a bear, a dragon and a mythical beast of tremendous size. She got so wrapped up in their applause, she never thought if her lies had gone further than her show before. She was someone's hero again.” The image of two colts, one tall and gangling the other short and stubby, appeared as projections, dancing beside Trixie. “The mare of the show looked down on the two colts, treated them like idiots, waved off the applause they gave her, the applause she had so longed for, she still treated them like slime. Like they owed her... like she didn't owe them.” On the stage Trixie hung her head. “Perhaps then it was fate, a misplaced action of those two colts, got their idol in deep trouble. They lead a monster to town for her to fight, thinking to show their hero to the world... Trixie was exposed for the fraud she was, all her illusions were useless in front of a real beast, and in front of all the ponies who had mocked and heckled her... was it really more than she deserved?” the images of the colts disappeared. “Trixie, the mare of the show, fell from grace, her show had died, no longer did she wish to perform, just as well, as she soon found no one wanted to see her show. Ponies believed she had attacked an innocent town for her own pride. The mare of the show seethed with rage,” red smoke welled up around the mare on the stage. “She swore to have revenge on the ponies who wronged her, not realizing the one guilty of the most wrong was her. She returned to the town of Twilight with a powerful amulet which granted her real magic. No more did she have her show, she was a tool of revenge alone, no longer the mare of the show. When Trixie found that amulet, that was the day, the very minute, the moment the mare of the show died.” A necklace appeared around Trixie's neck, glowing red with the image the head and wings of an alicorn. Then her eyes glowed as well. “Trixie attacked the town of Twilight for real this time,” images of six ponies, one pink, another blue, another purple, orange, yellow and white appeared, all of them falling to the ground, the projections slowly fading before Trixie's form on the stage as she glared down at them, eyes still glowing. Again Trixie hung her head. “While Trixie was there, the colts met her again, they bowed to her and begged to hear more stories. She told them her stories in exchange to treat them like slaves...” Trixie started to cry. She waved off Luna as she was about to come up to the stage. “For the good of all, Trixie was defeated, humiliated again, deceived into giving up her amulet, the real magic of Twilight then triumphing. Trixie had now been shamed twice, this time, the fault hers and hers alone.” the stage went dark. The stage stayed dark for almost a full minute. Then a light showed on Trixie's face. “Trixie ran from the town, filled with anger again, she had said she was sorry, but in her heart she had yet to change. Two foals found her, crying into the dirt. She looked up to see they were the same colts as before, the ones she had abused.” The images of the two colts appeared again, this time however, they looked exhausted. “She yelled at them, calling them names, names they should have called her. Stupid, selfish, incompetent, slow, unable to learn- and yet, they still wanted to hear more stories from her. Finally, Trixie fell on her knees to the two ponies she had hurt most, the two who had stood by her, her friends, whose names she had never even bothered to learn. She begged their forgiveness. They did not even acknowledge she had done wrong.” Beside Trixie, the images of the colts changed, holding their heads high. “Trixie continued to tell them stories, new stories, stories of herself for a time, but after a time, she made them about the other ponies she had hurt, turning her enemies into their heroes. As this time passed for her, she started to use her lights to make the stories come to life, her smoke to make things appear and disappear and her wires to make their toys comes to life and play with each other before the delighted colts. Trixie's joy started to return, the mare of the show was reborn!” Toys made of light shot off the stage, toy dinosaurs riding on trains, a cow pony running alongside one of the trains even two pony toys that looked like the colts on stage appeared planting a toy flag on a toy moon. “In the cheers and laughs of those two colts, Trixie found her passion again. She wasn't a pony of anger, she was the mare of the show, if the show changed, so would she. She left her friends in tears, but swore not to give up on the show again.” The two projections of the colts both bowed and faded from view. “Trixie on that day, swore to change. She would never again look down on her fans, she would always believe in the power of the show, she would show the love she had been shown. She would tell stories around the Equestria, and as she traveled, so would the stories those colts loved travel. And so the mare of the show lives on. Once, the Great and Powerful Trixie, now she is the Great and Musical, but always, she is the mare, the mare of the show.” Author's Note A question on one of my other stories, finally gave me the kick to start this series. A series of stories from my pony universe that never seemed to fit anywhere else. It doesn't seem I'm getting many places by continuing to push forward, so I'm going back. BTW, happy birthday BestinDworld. Vinyl Scratch: I Love my Family“You can't catch me!” He shouted, taking off running. I watched my five year old brother, Fire Scratch, tear away from me. I grinned and shot after him. I caught up to him in only a few seconds and took him to the ground, rolling to keep from landing on him. I was two years older, so of course I was stronger... much stronger... so much I was able to hold him down... kinda, for about five seconds at time before he could rip me off him and we would be in the grass wrestling again. I tried my horn a few times, but the worst I could do with it was slightly tickle him. A few times I did use it to tickle him this fight and finally he threw me off and rolled away. He grinned, his horn sparking. I grinned too, activating my horn as well. Sparks flew off and we both fired beam spells at each other that were actually visible, half the time, if you squinted. Our magics slammed against each other. I could hold mine for about half a second more then him- I think... maybe. I was about to win... no I can't explain what winning would mean, if I have to explain... when dad grabbed us both and used him magic to toss us into the forelegs of mom, knocking her over. We all laughed. It was the last day of dad's vacation, I was gonna miss him, a lot. We sat down to eat, mom indulging my brother a little and letting him listen to his favorite mix tape with head phones while we ate. I never understood why he liked that tape so much, just the same ten songs over and over, but he loved them. I remembered one night when the tape recorder tried to “eat” his tape. He was scared he would lose his tape and started crying. Dad was out and mom didn't know how to fix the recorder. Hearing him crying, I went straight into action. That darn player had messed up several times on my favorite story tapes and over the last few months I had learned what dad did. I got out dad's tools, mom saying I shouldn't, but we both knew neither of us could put up with Fire's crying for too long. She caved. In a few seconds I had the film of the tape set free and I reset it. Hearing his beloved music again, Fire smiled and calmed down, running over and hugging me tightly. I loved my brother, and when dad was away, I was basically his substitute protector, dad had told me so. But today of course, dad was here, so I could relax watching him a little. Finally a carriage rolled up. I looked up, seeing Celestia's sun was going down. “Nooo!” I whined. I looked over at my daddy. “When we get home, can we stay up late? Please, please, please?” “Well I mean wh-” but mom, the traitor, gave him a look. He sighed. “No... no, no. You have school tomorrow. “But I don't get to see you that much.” “Hey, now that's not entirely true, what about Sunday's?” he asked. I looked down. “I hate waiting.” He pulled me over with his magic and wrapped me in a hug, “So do I my little fix it girl, so do I.” “Hey, you aren't gonna say you miss me?” Mom asked. “What about when you're at school?” “I see you all the time!” I said back. “Can't wait to see that wrench cutie mark when you get it Vinyl,” dad said. “It's probably going to be flowers Bolt. I'm teaching her to garden way more than you teach her to fix things,” mom said. He gave her a cocky grin. “We'll just see about that.” “Indeed we will,” she said, pulling Fire up to her side. He rested his head on her side. She sighed. “They're being so cute right now, I hate to go.” Dad opened the door to the carriage and levitated me into the back. “Well you're the one who doesn't wanna stay up late,” dad replied. “That's not fair!” mom snapped back. He levitated up Fire as well. “C'mon, we can snuggle, you and me,” dad said. She sighed, “It's not the same.” “Should I be jealous?” dad asked, depositing Fire next to me. “No... I like it we he falls asleep like that, it's cute,” she said. Dad cocked his head and mom got up, them both cleaning up the picnic blanket. (***) Fire was fast asleep on my side, his tape ending a long time ago, me reading my copy of Sherlock Hooves. Dad had to help me with the big words, but really, I loved learning to be a detective- maybe that would be my side job, after I was done fixing houses for the day. I looked up, mom had fallen asleep on dad's shoulder too. He smiled at me. I went back to my book. I looked- Blackness met my eyes and I felt myself thrown into the air. I slammed into the ground, hearing an awful crunching sound and feeling pain through my right shoulder. I screamed, pulling myself up on the dirt road. It hurt so bad... I needed mommy, she would make it better. I pulled myself up, crying loudly. I looked around. Where was everyone? Were was dad, where was mom? Where was Fire? I looked for our carriage, I must have fallen out somehow. I looked over at a train that was loudly passing... I screamed. I ran towards the train, the remains of the carriage, now covered in blood. One of the earth ponies that had been pulling it ran over and grabbed me before I could reach the scene. “MOM! DAD!” I screamed. “I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I don't... I don't know how, we got distracted, I... I'm so sorry...” The stallion held me close. I kept screaming. “You shouldn't see them... I'm sorry, they're gone...” “Fire!” I shouted. “My little brother- I have to protect him, he needs me, where is he, where's Fire...” the stallion set me down and shook his head. “Where's Fire?” I could barely see straight through my tears. Maybe I hadn't seen him. “Look... I... don't know what to... I grabbed a few things as we went through the bodies, something to give the survivors...” he sighed. “Not sure what I was thinking.” He gave me dad's Sherlock book, covered in dirt, but it was alright, mom's necklace and... I fearfully took my brother's tape recorder, the wire for the head set torn in two. There were small amounts of blood on all of the items. I fell down on my side and just cried. I just heard the stallion, apologizing over and over. (***) I woke up in a strange bed, in a strange room. Three years went by. Three years, six homes, all temporary. I got older and older. Fire's tape got worn down from over use, I lost mom's necklace- or rather THEY did, my stupid foster parents, so eager to move me to the next home. Dad's book was left at a bank and my den mother wouldn't let me go back to get it... who knows where it is now. It was hell. I wanted out, to be adopted, to have a new mom and dad... no one could ever be as good as my real family, but anything was better than this. Still, it wasn't looking good on that front. At first, a number of mares and a few stallions looked in my direction when they came to look at children to potentially adopt. But they always took my younger “brothers and sisters”. You'd think, maybe there was a silver lining right? How many friends did I make? The younger children would be adopted in almost not time flat, so I couldn't mentor someone like my brother. The older children, I tried to make friend with at first... after being moved the third time, I just gave up. School was awkward, to say the least. Several times, three times in one year once, I had to start again in a new classroom with new classmates, a new teacher and class work I had never seen before. A few times I tried talking to the other fillies, crushed on a colt or two but... what was the point? I never stayed in one place long enough to make a friend. Soon I just started eating by myself, reading the continuing adventures of Sherlock during recess. I was given a new book, after I lost dad's... and after each time the new one was stolen by a bully trying to make me cry- “it's just a book!” they taunted. I gave up coming out of my room when new parents came to adopt. I was ten, no one would take me, and I knew it. They all wanted toddlers and babies, this was my life now and I knew it. (***) A new set of ponies was coming today, a pair of earth ponies and their daughter. There were like... I think four earth pony kids in this home, and one was two. My den mother... I don't remember what her name was, doubt she even knew mine... anyway she told me to come out. “Act cute,” she said. Whatever, why bother? I would be asking for not only an older adoption, but an interracial adoption, that's like one in ten million. No one wants a child of a different race. Sounded like a good time to catch up with the only friend I really had. Sherlock. My homework was done, so we could hang out. I looked around my room. Where was it? Where was my book? I looked under my pillow, in my dresser, under my roommate's pillow- where was it? I walked out of my room. There it was- with a group of toddlers. I went and grabbed it away from one of the brats, him screaming and crying about it, but what did I care? He would get another toy in a few seconds anyway. I opened the book to start reading as I left. The pages were warped, like someone had drenched the book. I had no idea what happened. I had no idea who took it, what they did, why... I didn't know... it was destroyed. Life sucked okay? It just sucked. I slumped my head down, looking at my book, seven books removed from dad's copy... I couldn't even keep my books... I found a corner and sat with my back to it, crying over my book. A three year old colt came over to me, he held out his sandwich to me, like he thought it would help. I just screamed at him until he ran away crying himself. I then went back to crying. The den mother came over to scold me for being a brat, but I screamed at her louder and louder, just screaming “NO!” over and over. I didn't even hear what she was saying, just shouted until she gave up with her feathers ruffled and stomped away. I curled up over my book and just sobbed. Finally I felt someone sit beside me. “Hey... what's wrong?” I looked at her. It was an earth pony I didn't know. She had black hair and a light gray coat. It wasn't hard to figure out who she was. “The buck do you care?!” I demanded. “Cold Dawn is right over there,” I said, pointing at a blue earth pony colt who was about two years old. “I know he's the one you guys want so just take him and go, don't bother me.” This wasn't the first time a child or adult visiting from the outside had tried to be nice to me, but who cared? She was just going to be gone in a few minutes anyway and I would never see her again. She didn't go away though. I pointed and she raised her hoof, like she was going to come towards me instead. “NO! Just go!” I shouted. She moved towards me and I got up, my face inches from hers, “LEAVE ME ALONE!” There, now she was crying too... well she had a few tears anyway. I levitated my ruined book by my side and walked away. I heard her shouting for her mom behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut, remembering what it was like to have someone to call that. I opened the door to my room and went into my room. I opened the book. Maybe there were some readable pages left. I had practically memorized half the stories by now, it was just something to do. I would whine till I got a new one soon. My ears perked up as I heard a light tapping on the door. “I'm not coming out.” I stated matter-o-factly. “No one wants me anyway. Go away.” A few seconds went by as I kept looking through my book. The tapping started again. “I said NO!” I shouted. The tapping started again. I grunted and got up, throwing open the door, getting ready to let out another series of screams when my face was across not from my stupid den mother but... that filly again. She still had tears running down her face as she looked at me, holding up a file with the name “Vinyl Scratch” on it. “But we do want you, you're the one we came for.” I stopped dead in my tracks. “Am I not... can I be your sister?” I looked up, two gray earth ponies on either side of her, a mother and father. I just stood frozen in place. I couldn't move, watching as her father took the file. “But... she... we can't...” her father pushed her from behind. “You don't know what it's like Octavia, just go give her a hug,” her dad said. She walked up to me hesitantly, then grabbed me and embraced me. It must have taken me a full ten seconds to finally hug her back. I cried so hard. Author's Note Hope this story gets seen, as I'm pretty happy with this chapter. Part of me is wondering if "our stories" should all be separate short stories, but you get more readers if it's a set. Hope everyone enjoys. I tried to swallow my desire to give Vinyl a happy ending soon as possible, even though yea... foster care, wonderful system ain't it? My understanding is that even in the US, if a child grows out of the system without being adopted, it's basically a 70% chance they'll go into poverty and the US government does little but makes things harder. I know not everyone can adopt, I'm hardly in a position to do it myself... eat at Wendy's I guess. If you like this, share it around! Trixie: Her HeroTimes had changed... Trixie had changed. From magician to bard, but always the mare of the show. But to say that Trixie completely changed her ways... there are those who say she did good... she... she doesn't know. Trixie remembered that her best audience members had always been children, so, needing a pick me up, she deliberately sought to perform for them. Celestia suggested to perform at orphanages across the country, because few ponies focused on those children. Trixie agreed to do so for a time, and thus she came to the Melony Foals orphanage. At the door she was met by a pink mare with a snow white mane. Behind her, Trixie saw her audience members gathering, several foals cheering her name, especially one yellow pegasus filly who flew around the room, wings beating hard. The filly cheered loudly, zipping around and suddenly dived down and grabbed up a small blue earth pony colt. The colt was startled, but seemed okay with being taken for a ride. Trixie chuckled to herself, watching the antics of the pegasus filly, as well as her goofy appearance. The girl had a strange back mane, that flopped around, looking somewhat like a lightning bolt, and then her front mane was sparse only having a small comb over for styling. Her face had freckles on only one side. The... rather patient colt that she was flying with, was a simple looking kid. Cyan coat with a navy blue mane and tail, both in a rather normal style. He did have yellow highlights which stood out a little. Melony looked over her shoulder at the filly, then back at Trixie, chuckling too. “Well someone is happy to see you... um...” Trixie floated a bag from her cart to herself. Trixie reached inside and pulled out two small dolls, one in the image of Rainbow Dash, the other Apple Jack, two ponies who had not been very nice to her in the past, but who, nonetheless, played a role in her reformation. Besides, kids tended to love Rainbow's mane. She held them up and waved them specifically at the flying filly, who squeaked and shot over to her. Trixie used her magic to levitate the toys right to the filly. The filly quickly put down her friend and looked at the toys. Trixie then suddenly felt a pull on her magic from somewhere... it must have been a unicorn... but the toys were meant for the pegasus, for making her laugh. She tried to tug the toys back, but they just kept being pulled harder and harder, until Trixie grunted and just took the toys back. “Trixie is sorry dear,” she said as the filly looked at her with big disappointed eyes. “Whoever was trying to take those, that was not nice, not at all,” Trixie scolded. “Trixie intends on having gifts for everyone, don't be greedy!” The filly stared at Trixie, mouth gaping open. “I- Trixie... Trixie will give them to you later, don't worry.” But instead of looking reassured, the filly simply dropped to the floor, stopping her humorous flight. Melony shook her head and waved at Trixie. “Don't worry about her, her mood changes like lightning- that's her name after all. Lightning Strike.” “Trixie thinks that's a cute name,” Trixie said. “However she-” “I'll take care of her... where will you be setting up?” she continued. “Outside of course, Trixie's performance uses fireworks and smoke, hardly good for indoor entertainment.” “Well the children have been waiting a long time to see you, why don't you set up and I'll take care of Lightning.” Trixie looked over at the small yellow filly, who looked ready to cry. Melony stepped out of the way and the other children streamed out of the small foster home, about eight in all. Trixie noticed that the blue colt from earlier didn't follow, he stayed inside with his friend. Trixie turned to go back to her cart with her enthusiastic crowd as the door closed behind her. But Trixie hesitated. She walked over to the closed door as the children crowded around her wagon with eagerness in their eyes, a few asking if they could help set up. She waved at them to stop as she listened. She heard the mare on the other side. “Dusk, go on now, you've been looking forward to this show just like the others-” “NO!” came a young male voice Trixie easily guessed the owner of. “Honestly I'll never understand the two of you, Lightning, come on I eh... fine, follow if you must Dusk.” Trixie heard them walking away. Trixie didn't know why, but something just didn't seem right. She quietly turned the door knob with her magic and slowly opened the door to see the three leaving the main room. Trixie followed far behind as they went into a small alcove. The mare opened a small closet and gestured to Lightning, who slowly walked inside. “Look, if you're good and quiet this time, I'll tell Trixie you got sick and just give you the dolls she offered, I'm sure she'll let me have them.” She closed the door on the filly, the blue colt sitting on the outside with one of his hooves resting on the door. Melony walked away and straight into Trixie. “What... what did she do wrong?” Trixie asked, trying to reach for any good explanation for what she was seeing. “I... I... you weren't supposed to see that,” Melony replied. “Trixie gathered...” Trixie started to glare. Melony grunted. “Look, judge me all you want. I keep ten children in my home, stretching every dollar to make this work so I don't have to let even one of them go. I have managed to keep all of them together for years at great personal expense.” She pointed at the closet, “I have no idea what to do with that one. She has telekinetic powers. It freaks out other ponies. Let me guess, even you are surprised right?” “So that's why she was so upset. No one was taking the dolls-” “Except your intended recipient.” She sighed looking back. “Sorry. You even finding out about this is all my fault, I should have put her away before you even came to the door.” “Because she has some weird ability?” Trixie said. “Trixie should consider putting you away!” She was about to speak up again but Trixie didn't let her. “You let her back out this instant!” The pink mare looked back, then tried to move past Trixie, but Trixie stood tall, glaring down at her. Finally the mare walked back, opened the door and immediately a small yellow filly shot out of the closet and hugged Trixie tightly. Trixie hugged Lightning back and set the foal on the ground. “Here,” Trixie said, giving the filly the two dolls again. “Take good care of them.” she said. The colt and filly ran out of the hallway to be with the other children. “So, what are you going to do?” asked Melony. “Trixie is going to continue the show, it's what everyone is waiting for.” Trixie turned around, not wanting to dain to give the mare another look. “I mean after that.” “Trixie... is not sure.” Trixie admitted. “If you report me, I won't stop you,” Melony looked down. “But say what you will, what makes you better than me exactly?” “Plenty,” Trixie snarled. “Fine, report me then, have all of these children removed from my custody, so that they will be tossed from home to home every few months for the rest of their lives, all for your sense of justice.” Trixie gritted her teeth. “Do you have any idea what it's like for them? I treat even her well enough, but if you honestly believe being tossed around like a piece of trash no one wants, is a better future for even Lightning, do what you want.” Melony walked away. Trixie sat down in place as Melony walked away. Perhaps if Trixie really was ignorant, perhaps she would have done the right thing. However Trixie had known a number of orphans near her home and she understood the truth of the words Melony spoke all to well. Trixie then made a decision she would regret for a long time to come. She did her show and moved on. Trixie does not know how to say how sorry she is. She has met that filly again, now adopted by a good family. Lightning remembers Trixie fondly and still has the gifts Trixie gave her... she thought they were purchased, but the bits she gave Trixie weren't enough, Trixie gave them to her out of guilt. Lightning had the entire collection of dolls of Twilight and her friends. Each time Trixie hears that girl praise her, her heart sinks. Lightning thinks of Trixie as her hero... Trixie knows she stopped short of actually being one. Author's Note So here's a chapter I'm not sure about, but this series is kinda an outlet for creativity, not necessarily a popularity push. I'm worried the Trixie lovers are going to absolutely HATE this story if they didn't like the first one. Trixie isn't exactly a hero in this, though yes, it's why Lightning ends up caring so much about her and the toys she gave her. I also expect controversy over the subject of what exactly would the right thing to do be here. So ya know what? I invite that controversy. I will admit that I myself think Trixie did the wrong thing by not reporting what happened, but she brings up and interesting conundrum. Trixie didn't not report because she didn't care, she didn't because she cared too much. When doing "the right thing" causes harm to those you're trying to help, how do you justify it? Indeed, have you yourself ever felt like doing right would hurt more than help, and when that happened, what did you do? Are you proud yourself? Dragon Army Part 2: Inevitability, You Always Choose a SideA dragon landed in the court of Celestia, as arranged. She looked him in the eyes, which, was less of a challenge than expected... save for his sunglasses. “Are you... are you a teenager?” Celestia asked. “Technically? Yes,” he said, pointing a finger and her and making a “clicking” noise. “My people figured it would be easier for you to talk to someone around your size.” “I... I guess.” She looked at her notes as a table was levitated between them. They both sat down. “On to the subject at hoof-” the dragon chuckled. “What's so funny?” “Oh nothing, we say at “hand”.” Celestia held up her hoof and looked at it. “Hm... I suppose that makes sense.” She put her hoof back down. “You are looking for aid... I'm not sure what Equestria could offer.” “Well... land is one thing.” the dragon spun his index fingers around each other. “We don't have much of that as it is.” “Not so much to live on, but to eat. You see, when we come down to eat from your fields, your people kinda... ya know... freak out.” “Yes, they think you're trying to eat them.” “Elll,” the dragon said with distaste. “Not sure what that would taste like, but no thanks.” “You're just intimidating by nature.” “Not like we can help that. We're not born pretty like you. We would like our own land back but... I mean if you know a way to do that.” “I... no, I have no idea,” Celestia looked down. “What is facing your people anywa-” she shook her head. “Truth is, my people would like to stay out of this. We fear you as an enemy, so we do not want to aide you, however you haven't technically done anything to us, so attacking is right out.” “Exactly dude... we haven't done anything... is it just cause we're scary?” “Just one of you could kill hundreds of us... you're not really going to tell me something that size wouldn't scare you. Besides, there have been deaths between us.” “Yea, hundreds of years ago when we fought for land but... most of us don't even remember how that went down.” “Some of the dragons that fought in those wars are still alive.” “So you'll hold it against all of us?” “No, I'm just staying out of it,” She looked him in the eyes, seeing the colors of his irises. “I'm doing the only thing I don't have to question, just staying out. Whatever happens, simply won't be my fault. I'm not sorry, I don't even know you, your situation or anything that's happening. We're staying out of it.” Celestia walked away. (***) She was beautiful. Riser was a jade dragon, small compared to other female dragons, but to Torkuda, it only made her more gorgeous. Upon reaching the smokey mountains, his eyes were instantly drawn to her. The other male dragons flew around the mountain hoping to impress the females, but Torkuda had an idea- one that was probably terrible but it's what he did. He swooped down to Riser and grabbed her around her barrel and took off with her. “I- what- what are you doing!?” “Well, how I see it, you can watch, or you can join in.” “You're supposed to impress me!” Riser was actually a different race, Grodath. They were slow fliers and rather obese looking. They weren't generally coveted as mates, but Torkuda wanted her for reasons even he could not explain. “I can drop you off, and we can fight it out, your choice, or ya know... you could find out what it's actually like to fly faster than sound. Again, up to you.” Riser sighed. “Well, I can watch a bunch of guys fly around who don't want me anyway even if one does impress me or- floor it.” Torkuda pushed his wings forward and threw them back, pulling her close and shooting through the air like a spinning bullet. The air around exploded into a huge shock wave as they ripped through it. This was not really impressive for a helgath, they were the fastest of dragons and possessed a good deal of strength. The fastest was around mach three, Torkuda did well to go mach two. There were rumors of faster creatures out there, like certain ponies, but the dragons had never confirmed such information. Still, the pair touched down around the bad lands, Riser breathing in and out, holding her stomach. “Sweet Dragon Lord that... whoa boy... how do you guys even... holly...” “So, I can return you, and-” “Hot stuff,” she grabbed him around the stomach and pulled him in. “Do it again.” Honestly Torkuda only did what he did because he never saw the point in the mating ritual and just wanted to get it over with. He was either going to end up with the girl he wanted, or be rejected. He figured he would just get it over with... maybe he wanted to be rejected. Riser turned out to be a rather crazy catch herself though. Most of their dates became about her trying to find a way which she could show him up. She could easily spit fire for longer, but, according to her, that was nothing to a sonic boom. Thus came the challenges. Who took longer to puke after over eating and flying at super sonic? (Riser.) Who could scare more small animals? (Torkuda.) Who could hold their breath under lava longer? (Riser.) Who could survive the worst crash without bleeding? (Torkuda.) Torkuda really had never been one to push the limits, until he met this girl. Now, he started pushing himself like crazy, but not to impress her, so much as to beat her. She was all he thought about, day and night, always how to get her to tap out or gasp in amazement, and every so often, he had to do the same. Their marriage was inevitable. And so from that, the eggs were inevitable too. What else was inevitable? Was it inevitable when he came home to find the mouth of his cave covered in blood? Was it inevitable that a creature from a powerful species that still knew nothing of true combat, lost utterly to the centipede demon that killed his wife? Torkuda grabbed the only surviving egg and tore away with it, flying over the sound barrier, wanting to save something of his family, just one thing. When he landed, it was indeed inevitable that the egg had burst. And so, it was inevitable, that he wept bitterly. (***) Day Rise ran across the field to her friends as they waved to her. She was happy to see the hoof ball equipment, her favorite sport! She never heard her parents screaming at her. She never noticed her friends suddenly looking up. She never had a chance to notice before a shadow came over her and a huge claw grabbed her, carrying her into the clouds. She screamed loud as she could, looking up at the massive green monster that had grabbed her. The dragon landed, the earth cracking beneath his weight. He set her down and slammed his tail in front of her, roaring with such power Day dropped to the ground, covering her ears as the earth shook around her. Day was so scared she curled up into a ball and started shaking, ears only perking up as she heard the voices of her parents running towards her. She got up, as the massive tail raised up, eyes filling with tears as she pushed herself to run to them. The tail came down, the earth shattering. Day screamed again. The filly blinked as the tail raised again, noticing her parents were still alive, but frozen in place out of fear. She felt the same fear, looking up at the dragon. Spears flew over head. In an instant, Day Rise looked around herself and saw all around the spears of the earth ponies who had fought off the monster. Day's mother hugged her close, her father looking around asking the critical questions. “What... why... where did he go?” (***) A huge shadow fell over Ponyville. Star Gazer ran and grabbed her foal, tossing him into the house through a window. She fell to the ground as the earth shook and a nearby statue erupted in flames. Several more explosions erupted around the town, a roar echoing out, the mare hitting the ground in terror. Massive feet crashed into the ground, the mare's eyes filling with tears as she screamed. Another mare shot past the earth pony, the new pegasus opening her wings and shooting into the air, joined by several others in the air. Star watched as the pegasi flew around the dragon's head, fire balls shooting out, only singeing their wings as they were far too difficult for the dragon to hit. Star looked out from the scene, watching as several unicorns started to gather in a loose circle around the dragon, their horns warming up. Suddenly the pegasi shot away from the dragon, as the sky started to fill with magic explosions. Star suddenly felt herself grabbed around the barrel as a pegasi stallion tore out of the small city. “My son!” she shouted. But looking to her side, Burst was being flown next to her. The mare carrying her colt let her hold him and flew away. In minutes, Star saw pegasi flying hundreds of her neighbors out from the battle. She watched the fight from outside. The explosions around the dragon started to become more and more powerful until- the dragon shot into the air and flew away at an astonishing speed, tearing threw the roofs of several homes on his way out, not stopping for anything. He just left. (***) “You are not individuals here!” shouted the Sargent. “You were selected for your talents, but you will use them as you are told, not however you want. You may think you know better than me, and heck, maybe you do, but you will still obey my orders. If you don't, you may be arrested.” The privates continued to stand at attention listening to him. “Who here can tell me why you all must work under my orders like that? Why working as individuals won't work?” He did not wait for someone to raise a hoof and instead just pointed at a random pony, having to read his name tag, “Tell me... Forward Light, why?” “As um... written in the text of... I um...” “There is no “I” here private. What's more I don't give a damn about your reference, you think I want you to site a source? Stick out your chest and answer me!” “Because even a terrible idea has a better chance of success if we work together, sir! The best ideas will fall flat if we don't work together!..- Sir!” He walked back and forth. “Yes, yes that is the reason. But I sense some of you didn't think of that. So everyone will be pushing until I am satisfied you will remember. You will say, “Together we are strong, alone we are weak!”.” (***) Sargent Rays walked home. Some of the things he taught didn't always sit well with him. He held individuality sacred in truth, but he couldn't deny the necessity of working as a unit. To keep freedom, some had to sacrifice it... how could you justify that? Like defending life, by giving up your own. A massive dragon landed in front of the sergeant, holding his daughter. The filly screamed out to him. The creature spoke. “You are going to explain some things to me.” he said. Sargent Rays hated the ideas, that didn't mean he didn't understand them. (***) “It's been almost four months. It's the same dragon every time,” said the soldier. Celestia looked over the simulated map he projected. “He attacks all over, but he never seems to kill, or even stay to fight. Oh I'll grant you, we have no way of knowing if he's trying not to kill, or just has no reason to, but he sure wants our attention.” “And he gets it,” Celestia said. “Our knowledge of dragons is limited, but best we can tell, this creature is fast enough to compete with some of our best fliers.” “The Wonderbolts?” Celestia asked in surprise. “I have no way of knowing, but he hasn't shown speeds like that. Still, I doubt a small unit like theirs could challenge a full grown dragon on their best days.” the unicorn gritted his teeth. “Your majesty, I must implore you again, we need to send ponies into the dragon lands for research of some kind. We don't even have rudimentary understanding of their capabilities. Just one of them can fly circles around us.” Celestia shook her head back. “Too dangerous, especially as the creatures are becoming hostile. If war is necessary, we'll... we'll...” she paused. “I-We could probably beat him,” she said, walking around the map, “But he won't fight...” she dragged her front hooves on the palace floor grunting. “What does he want?” “Our best guess? He wants to learn something from his attacks.” He projected an image of the dragon over the map. “This is the one right?” “Of course.” “I know this dragon.” she said. “We fought- in a manner.” “He challenged you?” “No, we had a scuffle, but he wasn't a match. He didn't seem dangerous back then.” “Well he's definitely dangerous now.” “He was a coward before, you're telling me he's deliberately provoking attacks just to learn from them?” “His personality is no concern of mine. My question is, to learn what? He even kidnapped a drill sergeant... seems rather random...” Celestia looked down at the map again. “How many attacks have there been?” “Seven in all.” “How was he repelled?” “Mostly group tactics, diversion and heavy assault variety normally, but a few times we didn't have time to organize that.” “Could he have seen commanding officers?” “We're not at war with dragons, we don't make any effort to hide them. In any case, officers normally aren't called out to skirmishes like that. Highest ranks at these attacks were sergeants.” “And how high a rank was the drill instructor?” “First class.” “Probably the highest ranks he's seen...” She scanned the map over and over. “Captain, if you had no idea how to create an army, how would you go about learning, if you didn't think you could just ask?” “I suppose I would try to sneak a peak at other armies and learn by watching... course if I were five stories tall, sneaking wouldn't be a strong suite of mine I imagine, so I would just- oh crap.” “Do we have any indication of where that dragon will strike next?!” Celestia said, eyes wide. “He um... if I had to guess, he's been attacking in a loose pattern, once in each city, we've been sending forces to Baltimare-” Celestia spread her wings and flew up, shooting out of the room in a blink. (***) A shadow fell over the city, ponies scattering below, screams echoing out. Pegasi flew out, some scattering, other grabbing their friends or family and pulling them out. Celestia soared down, her own shadow paling in comparison, but still, the screams started to quiet as she became visible to the ponies below. She floated down, her horn glowing with such power the dragon had to shade his eyes. The massive dragon flapped his wings and flew near her. “Once again, you terrify my people,” Celestia said, her voice magically amplified, using the “Royal Canterlot Voice”. The glass on the buildings below started to shake. The dragon shouted back, glass shook and ponies scattered, his voice far overpowering her's. “And you are content to do nothing, while my people die!” “You have attacked us without provocation.” she kept up her voice spell. “You have indifference to us. I am not attacking, I am simply using you. So how does it feel to have someone have your own attitude towards you?” “I am sorry for what is happening to your people...” she lowered her voice so only he could hear. “I know what you are doing... as I'm sure you are aware, I cannot allow you to continue.” The dragon snapped open his jaw, a bout of flames slamming into the royal sister, throwing her off balance. Celestia screamed as he soared in a near somersault and tore away from her. Celestia shook her head to recover, the flames barely enough to singe her fur. She flew after him. (***) Celestia had thought to simply catch the dragon in her magic... what she intended to do from there, she wasn't sure. Did she really mean to kill him? How else could she stop his plan? He no doubt meant to create an army. However, the faster Celestia flew, the faster the dragon flew. Soon enough, a shock wave went off from both of them, as they broke the sound barrier. If just one was this fast, and no doubt how strong he was, the very idea of dragons having an army... she had to stop him. The boarder of Equestria was coming up quickly. As they did, specks of red started to form in the distance. Celestia's eyes grew wide. The princess quickly banked as hundreds of fire balls ripped through the air, streaming past her. She engaged a force field and was hit several time. Celestia slowed down, watching as her sun was completely blotted out from view. A mass of dragons flew in front of her, all glaring at her, many of them bearing their teeth. The dragon she had been chasing flew to her. “Might I make and suggestion?” he asked. “You seem to like to like staying out of things. I won't question your reasons for doing so. Simply, I will suggest, you keep to that philosophy. That is, if you would like any of your kind to survive.” “I... there... maybe we could talk...” “Too late.” “I...” Celestia hung her head. “What is it you're facing... I didn't ask before... I... maybe if I had known...” “You didn't ask. You didn't help. Now, leave.” Celestia hung her head. She turned and flew away. Author's Note Guess this is a lesson not often discussed anymore, probably because we just want to shout "racist" and be done with it, or shout back "SJW"! A lesson about the price of just staying out of something is rare. True, not every hill is the one you want to die on, but you know, if something seems like it's inevitable you'll have to address it at some point, at least stay informed. And I guess I should address the people wanting to say I endorse "rape culture" or some other such bilge because the romance between Torkuda and Riser isn't based on a freaking signed in triplicate consent form. Yes, Torkuda swept her off her feet, as many men and women wish would happen to them, its a fantasy, get over it. Would I recommend doing that in real life? No, but then again, since it's not particularly "wrong", as long as someone can still take no for an answer... well you might get a black eye being that aggressive, and it's definitely your fault if you do, but no, I don't condemn being no-violently aggressive in romance. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I don't recommend it because people have rights to their own bodies, but it's hardly an issue that keeps me up at night. If a girl forces her way to kiss a guy, or if a guy grabs a girl off her feet onto the dance floor, sometimes folks break the rules and have fun, so what? Dragon Army Part 3: Fight!Earth pony sergeant Rays walked down the ranks of dragons, some towering over him, five or even ten times his size. He walked without a hint of fear. He looked up to a high cliff, seeing his wife and daughter. His wife spread her wings and carried their daughter down to him. “We're really going along with them willingly?” she asked. Rays nodded. “Imagine if the monsters they described ever reach Equestria. I fear what just one could do, let alone five. But even then, dragons and ponies have not always gotten along, but that's no reason to do nothing while they face destruction. I disapprove of what Torkuda did, but I understand.” Torkuda landed at the end of the ranks, the earth shaking for Rays and his family. His daughter hid behind his back leg. The dragon lowered his head, Rays' wife visibly gulping, noticing how just one of the dragon's eyes was bigger than her entire body. Rays looked straight into the dragon's eyes. “Are we ready?” “Well the grodath's are saying they could use a little more sleep-” “Are. We. Ready?” “Yes.” “Yes what?” the earth pony demanded. “Yes sir.” “Good. Get back to the helgath's, you're leading the charge.” “I'm not the fastest sir...” “Good, then you won't leave everyone in the dust, fly in alone and die for nothing. They respect you and your courage. You are to lead them.” “I don't feel I am worthy-” “I don't care how you feel, you're the one who got all this going, while the rest of them just watched their nation crumble, I would be an idiot to want someone else in charge.” “I don't know that I am ready sir. Or that I'm up to this.” Rays sighed. “Alright, let's have this out. We've all trained for four months and I trained you especially to lead. You personally took it upon yourself to learn the ways of the Equestrian military. How you feel doesn't matter. Your peers respect you. Really, look at me Torkuda. You think I can instill fear in any of your brothers or sisters? The reason they put up with my training is you.” Torkuda looked down at the ground. “One last time, I am truly sorry about how we met.” “You wanna make it up to make it up to me? Make it so my daughter never has to lay eyes on an outer demon. Take those monsters out.” Rays then looked down himself. “I am sorry about our princess' behavior towards you. Remember me and my family and respect our border, I beg of you.” “As long as I live, believe me, every dragon lord will remember that it was a pony who made taking back our land even possible.” “If I clarify something for you, can you clarify something for me?” The dragon nodded. “You are a leader, not only because they respect you, but mostly because, so do I.” “Thank you.” “Do not thank for what you have earned. Thank for what you have not.” “In that case,” Torkuda zeroed in on Rays' daughter, “Thank you for not screaming in my face.” “Uh huh,” the girl barely squeaked out. “And my question, you guys determine dragon lord by a test of strength right?” Torkuda nodded to this. “So... why exactly aren't you the dragon lord?” Torkuda gave a chuckle. “I am no where near the strongest of my kind.” “Well you're certainly a go getter.” “Considering what I had to lose before I did what needed to be done, am I?” Torkuda asked. “When you do the right thing, the point isn't what finally motivated you, the point is, that you did it.” Torkuda still looked down. “Doubt you can argue philosophy with me. After this, we're still going to see about you dragons learning to read.” Rays backed up. “Before you go, lets get the boys and girls a little morale eh?” He looked behind himself. “Honey um... cover your ears.” Rays pulled back his head and screamed as loud as he could. Torkuda lifted his head, roaring into the sky, the dragon ranks around them following suite. (***) Even in Canterlot, the collective roar could be heard. Celestia looked towards the border of her nation, hooves trembling. One of her guards walked over to her. “Your majesty?” he asked. “Guard... c-can every mistake be undone?” “Maybe?” “How?” her ears were down as she continued to look at the far horizon. “They're not coming for us right?” “I have no idea what they're doing. I hope for the best.” she closed her eyes. “To arms.” (***) The massive snake demon slithered forward, fire spewing from his mouth, the earth cracking under his weight. The forests were ahead of him, nothing but desert behind him. A small catsul dragon watched him, peeking out from behind a large rock. The scout was red with a large chest and a fin over her head. She swallowed, seeing one of the heads of the snake turning in her general direction, but not seeming to look at her. This head had a frill like a cobra, with large feathers that extended back from its head. The other head, not near her, she still knew the appearance of very well. Shaped like that of a rattle snake, it was surrounded by ten long tentacles, which she had seen tear full sized Grodath's in half, dragons several times her size. She couldn't believe the idiotic thing she was about to do. “This better work... I hope it does...” She threw back her head and fired a blue fire ball into the air, the projectile exploding several hundred feet in the air. Both snake heads snapped to look in her direction, the catsul freezing in terror. Suddenly her ears felt like they would explode from the explosion of sound, the snake also apparently suffering as hundreds of helgaths broke the sound barrier above them. The snake shook its head to recover it's hearing as- thousands of balls of fire slammed into its body and all around it. The snake heads howled in pain, the creature being knocked back, rolling on the ground. The creature snapped its head to look at the creatures as they seemed to be fleeing. The monstrous snake could barely hear and bled from several wounds, but it still bared its teeth- several of those teeth no doubt being knocked out as hundreds of huge rocks slammed into it, forcing it to fall back in the opposite direction. The catsul kept watching, barely able to move after the shock from the sound barrier bursting not far from her. The furious snake turned its head to her as she was snatched up by another helgath and flown away. As he flew by, the large green dragon shot up a large ball of red flames, that exploded over head. The strike force returned and repeated their attack. The attack was repeated again and again, ten times, the snake demon bleeding from several wounds, barely moving as it watched the dragons flying over head. Torkuda looked down at the snake. He growled. “It's still moving. Five more times.” The catsul looked down at the snake, slowly recovering in Torkuda's grasp. “No... no kill like over kill... this is for my mom.” The snake wailed, it's expression of pain, met by fire and stone. (***) Two demons moved forward, the massive ape with a mouth on its stomach, and the centipede. A green helgath flew around them. “So, can you creatures speak?” he shouted. The centipede and ape turned. The centipede spoke up. “Not my brother but... oh my goodness, it's you. The father who smashed his own egg running from me in terror.” the centipede somehow laughed, its mandibles moving in a way that seemed random to the dragon. “It was the most pathetic thing I've ever seen... so, it's not like I nor my brother could ever catch one of your species, why try to talk to us?” “Honestly? Just wanted to see if you were really stupid enough to fall for this.” Six Mardooks crashed down on either side of the centipede. These new dragons were each twice the size of Torkuda with horns that protruded from the sides of their head and down under their lower jaws. As a unit they grabbed both sides of the centipede and forced it suddenly into the mouth of it's “brother”. Five more then landed on the ape creature's back, forcing it to slam it's jaw shut. The demon looked at Torkuda as its blood leaked out. Torkuda smiled at him. “Something to think about while you two are having trouble moving, did you know scrong dragons cannot fly, take a very long time to grow up, and their flames aren't particularly destructive. But they can teleport objects with their fire. Now, normally, they would be lucky to transport something like you two, but we found something out. Enough of them working together, can actually teleport a solid object to different locations in different pieces. Isn't that interesting?” The centipede looked behind itself. Torkuda could swear he heard it scream as twenty large purple dragons ran up to it and it's brother. Torkuda flew back and watched at a distance. “Not as many pieces as my heart broke into when you slaughtered my family... but close.” (***) Solar Rays watched the dragons as they high fived and slammed their chests into each other. She understood little of what they were doing, but she still smiled watching, even as the earth shook under her. They all looked so happy. She jumped as a huge hand slammed down next to her. The hand quickly retracted. “HEY!” shouted a loud voice behind her. “Watch the kid or I'll tear that hand off!” She looked back to see Firestar, a bright red Grodath. “I didn't mean to hurt her, just didn't see her.” “Then keep your eyes open soldier!” Firestar lowered his hand to Solar which she quickly crawled onto. “You seem to be getting used to us. Not afraid anymore?” “Why should I be afraid?” she asked. “You guys won't hurt me.” She pulled a small stuffed dragon out of her saddle bags and hugged it to herself. “Would like it if you were all my size, but it's okay.” Firestar looked at the small white filly. She had a purple mane and a yellow highlight. She looked different from her dark blue father with his light gray mane. “You can't even fly, but you're not afraid. I have to admire that.” “Thanks.” She looked up, a shadow falling over the group. “What kind of dragon is that?- What are you doing-wait what-” Firestar gently closed his hand around her. He didn't crush her, but she couldn't see anything. She felt like an insect, but still did her best to remember, Firestar was a friend. “Quiet... that's not a dragon.” Solar was deposited behind Firestar, near the mouth of a cave. She looked past him a saw a dragon like creature towering over all the other dragons. She saw blood under his claws at the bodies of three dragons under him. “Sargon! Fullbring! Farshot!” She screamed. Firestar's tail suddenly came down and snapped under her hooves and tossed her back into the cave. She rolled with the impact. “Run!” Firestar shouted. Solar froze in fear, looking at something that was somehow even bigger than her new friends. The thing roared as the dragon shot into the air, it's roar so loud she couldn't hear her own scream over it. (***) Several Mardooks grabbed the legs of the monster and threw it off the cliff, but the creature was able to grab to of them with it's tail as it fell. It smashed the two into the ground beneath itself as it landed in the ravine below. Hundreds of fire balls fired down at the creature, but it leaped into the air and shot up before the bulk of them impacted. “Get in formation, get in formation!” Rays shouted, running towards his soldiers. Massive balls of rock and stone started to come down from the monster in the air, shredding through his soldiers. “Fire together, you can't hurt him as individuals. TOGETHER!” Rays felt himself tossed, feeling like a rag doll as he flew through the air and slammed into the hard rock around him. He tried to get up, but his hip screamed in pain as he tried. He looked over, at a nearby cave, hearing screaming. “No...” A red food crashed down next to him. “Firestar... get her out of here, please...” “If I flee with her, I'll be shot down, you know that.” “Then... then... Solar...” “She'll never get away in that cave...” the father looked up at the monster, terror in his eyes. “We'll do our best.” A green foot landed on the other side of Rays. “We have no advantages over this one...” Torkuda said. “You know it, if we formed up, we would just make a bigger target.” “It's the only chance you would have of destroying him.” “Not the only chance,” Torkuda spread his wings and threw them down, taking off, the wind from that single beat of his wings slamming into Rays and almost forcing him unconscious. Rays watched as the dragon's form went straight up into the air, so far it up looked like a dot in just seconds. The dot moved right and seemed to move away, faster and faster. Rays rolled onto his side. “What are you doing Tork? The fight is the other way... you can't just run away...” his eyes grew. “No...” the dot changed direction and started coming straight back. It came faster and faster, Torkuda's form getting big faster than Rays even thought it could. He watched as a huge shock wave went out from the dragon's form. The dragon spun in the air, pulling in it's wings, continuing to go faster and faster. The red monster banked just in time, crashing into the ground below. From the way the creature was moving, Rays could tell, despite every advantage the monster had, THAT terrified even it. The dragon and the earth pony both watched as Torkuda flew around the monster, zipping around him at incredible speeds. The red monster flew into the air, turning it's head as Torkuda flew straight out from him. Torkuda banked and shot back, the monster opening it's mouth and firing out a mass of fire and stone. An explosion occurred several hundred feet out from the monster. Rays closed his eyes, hanging his head. “I-” A bright red light shot out from the explosion, tearing out and forcing Rays to close his eyes. “Is that... is that...” Firestar said above him. Rays opened his eyes, and then widened them. “Is that what?- How is he alive?” Rays asked. He looked at Torkuda flying in the air. “He was just chosen... there's an ancient legend that the dragons of old created five elements to protect the realm... we never knew what from but... we don't even have militaries anymore, how could that have been true?” “You mean other races have elements too?” Rays asked. “Other races?” Firestar asked back. A red beam shot out from Torkuda's mouth, ripping forward and tearing straight through the red monster like it's flesh was made of paper. The monster's body fell to the ground, a huge portion of it split like a large knife had tried to cut it in half. The green dragon turned and flew back to sergeant Ray's, landing near him. Ray's felt the soft fur of his daughter as Solar pushed against his back, trying to help him back up. “Daddy... daddy please be okay.” He reached over and petted her mane. “Daddy is okay.” He hugged his daughter to him. “Just need a little operation on my hip maybe kiddo,” He looked up at the green dragon, a large gold chain with what looked like a locket hanging from it around his neck. “Cool trinket. So... that's four out of five then...” The earth shook, the landing dragons turning to look as a massive black raven landed near the red monster. The raven gave out a sound like a laugh. It's mouth didn't move as it's eyes glowed with the words that came from it. “The day is yours. I would be a fool to challenge you all now.” the raven looked down at the monster. “But know this, there will not be peace. There are more of us, and more than us. How will you stop them?” Torkuda raised his hand, a finger in the air. “If you'll excuse me, I just have one question... actually two.” The raven looked at him and cocked its head. “First off, whose going to tells these horrors you speak of to come? Also- is every demon stupid enough to let you talk to them in the middle of a fight?” Torkuda threw his arm forward, point straight at the raven, hundreds of fire balls shooting at the creature at once, slamming into it and throwing it off it's feet. “To the air.” The dragons shot up into the sky, several carrying large stones. (***) The shadows of several dragons passed over the palace, Celestia sending power to her horn, magic lances appearing next to her. She walked through the palace gardens. “If there were a way I could apologize for what I've done...” she said to herself, only hoping they could hear her. A pegasi mare landed in front of her, carrying a young filly. “You can,” said the pegasus. “Just apologize to us. After all, my family and I, we're dragons now.” “You're ponies,” Celestia said. “No,” the mare said back. She put her foal down. “WE'RE DRAGONS!” Shouted the filly. A massive dragon landed behind her, this one larger than any Celestia had ever seen. “Meet the dragon Lord.” the filly declared gleefully. Celestia bowed down. The foal put her hooves over her ears as the dragon let out a powerful roar, shaking the palace. Author's Note Let's not hide it, this chapter is all about having fun. This is a story that has hints of a moral message that are worth discussing, but in the end it's all an excuse to make big monsters fight. And really, isn't that the best moral of them all? Dragon Army Part 1: Fall of the Dragon Lands400 years ago... Massive bat wings beat, wind sweeping across the land as the creature shot over the dragon lands. Torkuda looked up from his jungle home, the young green helgath dragon not... sure what he was seeing. It looked like a dragon, but it was much larger than any fellow species the young one had ever seen. He opened his wings and jumped through the over head trees and into the air. He soared after the creature, noticing as many other young dragons were flying out as well. Torkuda pulled his wings forward and then shot them back, tearing through the air like a missile, his mind so desperate to know, what was this thing? The creature was red and scaly, having four legs and a wing span nearly double its size. From the side and behind, it actually looked a lot like a fellow helgath. However, if the creature were to stand on the earth, it might have been twenty stories tall- Torkuda himself was barely three. Torkuda spun and unraveled his wings as he pulled ahead of the creature. He slowed down and looked back. The massive new dragon- no this was definitely not a dragon. All down it's spine there were massive jagged horns... more like large spiked rocks on it's back sticking out at odd angles. On it's head it had eight horns, two on top, twisting out like those of an antelope, six others were on the right and left of it's mouth, like the horns of a bull. It had six eyes that glowed purple. Finally its long mouth did look enough like that of a helgath however. What was this? Several dragons were now flying ahead of the creature. The creature turned its head to look over at one of the other dragons and opened it's mouth. A ball of flames and rocks shot out and slammed into the other young dragon, shredding it in the air. Torkuda's eyes widened, seeing one of his friends disintegrated in one shot. He dived down as the other young dragons fired off in all directions. The monster twisted in the air, its tail, which had a large stone like – thing- on the end, snapping too and fro, ripping through several young dragons. Torkuda landed in the trees... how could a creature like that get this far into the dragon lands? This place had always been safe. He had come to help the older dragons watch the younglings. Thousands of baby dragons were in these woods! His eyes filled with fear, watching the creature turn in the air, mouth open, fire ushering out of its mouth, flames ripping through the trees. Torkuda's ears started to ring with the screams as infant and child dragons, too young to have their fire resistant scales, burned alive. He let out a scream of his own and tore away. (***) That was only the first. There were five creatures, one, a twenty story long giant centipede, two, a ten story nine eyed crow, three, a fifteen story long snake with ahead on both ends of its body, four, a ten story tall ape like creature, with a mouth on its stomach. The fifth was the dragon like creature that attacked the nursery. The dragons came to know them as the “outer demons”. No one could talk to them and they seemed barely phased by fire. There had never been anything in all the world large enough to feed on dragons and if anything ever threatened them, most simply moved up to full size and blew fire, their enemy running away. The other races mostly avoided dragons. These things were not like the other creatures in the world. On occasion they would eat dragons, but mostly they seemed to just want to destroy and kill, wiping out all life. They destroyed forests and jungles, the five creatures moving on the massive dragon lands and slowly destroying everything alive. They were taking their time, but nothing seemed to grow in their wake. Over the course of fifty years, Torkuda and many dragons being forced to retreat to the border of the neighboring Equestria. (***) Torkuda had grown into a massive bull dragon, five stories tall with an eighty foot wing span. The rocks of this country were good to live on, even if they didn't taste as good as those found in fertile soil. The lands near Equestria were often barren, as opposed to the land in Equestria, but venturing into their territory usually proved fatal, as the equines believed dragons ate meat and on sight they would attack in mass and kill them. There were those who tried to go back home, but only a few returned, terror in their eyes. Dragons knew the basic layout of Equestria, but avoided it and especially it's capital. There was a difficulty however. Dragons had a natural yearning to migrate in order to mate, why, none seemed to know, dragons normally didn't keep good records of their history. Still some were starting to suspect it had something to do with the monsters now attacking. They had always migrated over their own lands, but now, they had to migrate over Equestria if they were to follow instinct. The Dragon Lord declared a simple solution. They migrate as a unit and simply not stop. The ponies would only attack one at a time, if they attacked at all, so only a few would be killed. Dragon Lord Devon walked over a huge stone over hang, looking over the land of Equestria, his shadow cast over the dragons below. He let out a roar and thousands of dragons shot into the air, the sun fading from sight on the ground as their shadows began to bath the land of the equines in darkness. In only minutes, Torkuda heard screaming and looked down, seeing the pony creatures running in terror. What were they thinking was going on? Were they experiencing the same fear he faced fifty years ago? Their screams sounded a lot like his. But they weren't being attacked. Torkuda and his group continued on, ponies simply scattering, none seeming to dare to approach or talk to them. The shadow of the group started to approach Ponyville, Torkuda starting to grow numb to the screams. He hated the sound, but this was what had to happen it seemed. He closed his eyes to tune them out and- felt himself yanked to the right and then pulled straight to the ground. He slammed head first into the earth and slammed onto his back. He rolled several times on the grass... it had been years since he had felt an actual field... and then pulled up to his feet, hearing a voice. “What is the meaning of this?!” he looked over at the voice, seeing a large white pony. Large for a pony anyway, the mare would still would barely have been large enough for him to have trouble swallowing it in one bite. She was dressed in armor, had a horn and large bird like wings. “You dragons have always kept to your own lands, but over the last several months more and more of you have... and now- you are TERRIFYING MY PEOPLE!” She finally screamed at him. “What do you want?!” Torkuda stepped back from the pony and shook his head. He stood up to his full size and opened his mouth, spewing flames at the pony, thinking to make her fly away. However she didn't run, her horn glowed, the flames shooting back into his own face and his head was thrown to the ground, forcing him to bite his own cheek. The dragon got up, spitting out a small amount of blood. Torkuda looked at the red substance, understanding it was his own. He held his head down, looking at the white pony. “I will ask again creature, what is it you want?!” he shook his head and lept into the air, wings spread and- slammed into the ground on his back. The shadows of his brothers and sisters continued to go over head, screams echoing out all around. “You WILL answer me,” the mare said. “Why?” the dragon finally answered. “Why what? I am the one asking questions here.” “Why do you fight me alone?” He pulled up to his full size again. “You seem to have magic that could harm me, but how certain are you would would really win a fight?” Torkuda did his best to look angry. “I... I could, I have no idea,” the mare admitted. “We are... migrating. Your people have nothing to fear. Just let me go.” He backed away a few more times. “Why are you afraid?” she asked. “Because you can hurt me, of course I'm afraid, why aren't you?” he demanded back. “Who says I'm not? You dragons are covering my entire kingdom in shadow.” Torkuda looked up, twisting his lips. “Weeeeell... it is a moving shadow, don't act like we're blotting out the sun or anything.” “But why are you migrating through here?” “We're afraid.” “Of what? What could cause such massive creatures to flee?” “We don't fight, don't you pay attention?” Torkuda asked. “The things that are after us are bigger than us, everything else just flees on our approach. We are simply surviving as we always have.” She looked at him, her head tilted. “You... you aren't fearsome monsters... you dragons are just... I don't understand. You have to fight.” “How do you fight something bigger than yourself?” “I... we do it all the time. We just organize our military and-” But she stopped, appearing to almost choke to make herself stop. She shook he head and waved her hoof at the sky. “Very well, if you creatures are not a threat, I will let you proceed. I'll do my best to tell the others not to be afraid on your approach.” She looked at him again. “Do you have names?” “Of course. Mine is Torkuda.” “Torkuda... if your kind are not warriors, I would keep it that way... but if what's coming is enough to- Torkuda there may be a way to stop those things... never mind just go.” Torkuda looked at her curiously, but then felt himself thrown into the air. He quickly opened his wings, catching his breath at the force. He realized the shadow of his kind was far away. He was alone in the pony world. He beat his wings and shot off after his group. (***) Celestia watched after the dragon. She spoke, as if he could hear him. “Whatever is coming...” she shook her head. “It's just your problem...” She closed her eyes. “I feel pity for you, but I cannot allow that to cloud my judgment. To fight your own war, you would need your own army. If there were, it would sweep over our land like a tidal wave...” Even speaking her thoughts aloud did not quite the doubts she was feeling about letting Torkuda go. She looked around nervously. “I mean... besides, if something hunts dragons, why would it even be interested in ponies?” Author's Note This story is going to try to explain a good deal about the dragon lands and their culture as it continues. Not sure just yet how many parts there will be, but still, I hope it's not too many to lose the whole "anthology" concept I was going for. In any case, something to discuss. Here Celestia is not seen making a decision that seems "good" is she? It's easy to see why though, she might want to help the dragons out of basi sympathy, but a dragon army could devastate her country.
Trixie: The Mare of the ShowLuna and Trixie met in the royal bedroom of the Princess of the Night. Luna sat down on her bed, Trixie sitting on the floor, looking giddy. “We cannot do this for thee often,” Luna said. “Trixie knows... Trixie still wants to try...” said Trixie. Luna lit up her horn, a blue haze coming off it and hitting Trixie in the head. The blue unicorn fell over, instantly unconscious. Luna then closed her eyes and a beam of light fired from her horn to Trixie's head. (***) Luna and Trixie were now standing in a hallway full of doors. The hall appeared to continue on forever, both behind and in front of them. Trixie danced happily. “Let's see Twilight beat this!” she said. “Trixie is in the dream-scape!” She looked back and forth a few times. “So... which door, which door?” “Come child, we'll get to him,” she moved forward, her mane flowing behind her. She smiled watching the excitement of the magician turned bard. Trixie gave a quick practice tune as they went alone, “I'll tell you a tale of reason and woe, in all of the world you reap what you sow...” “Thee really do not have to warm up thy voice, tis the dream world, thy lungs are not really there. Thy body here is just a projection,” Luna explained. Trixie cleared her throat. “Trixie knows, just like Trixie talking about herself in third person, force of habit,” Luna smiled and chuckled. “We wouldn't know anything about a force of habit.” Luna stopped at a door, lit up her horn and it opened. The two ponies walked into the room behind the door. Inside there was a room with a large carpet over a hardwood floor and a fire place. A small reddish brown colt sat in front of the fire. When he looked in their direction he got up and ran to Luna and jumped up, hugging her immediately. Luna held him for a while and then let go, the colt immediately then jumped to hug Trixie. Trixie closed her eyes and embraced him. She pulled away and set him down. “This is one of the reasons Trixie changed her career. A story teller can be so much more personal than just a performer.” The colt looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Hmm... you thought Trixie was still a magician right?” he nodded. “That's how Trixie became famous, when there was a confrontation between her and Twilight years ago. But the official stories got derailed more and more from the truth as time passed. Trixie can sing for you the tale of what really happened, would you like that?” The colt nodded enthusiastically. Trixie waved for him to go a small distance away and he obeyed. Luna stood a few feet away as well. Trixie closed her eyes. Part of the room started to change. Around Trixie the floor disappeared as well as the walls around her, the area for a moment going black and blank. Then under her blue wooden boards appeared and a red curtain appeared behind her. She smiled, opening her eyes. Trixie began to sing and perform. Her dance was a few simple steps, swaying side to side, spinning and tapping her hooves to a subtle beat that she spoke along with. Her singing was more speaking in rhythm with a few words of a melodious tune spread here and there. “Trixie, the mare of the show, her story begins as a child back at ten. She loved the art of deceiving the eye, making things that are not, appear that they are. A love for real magic was always there, but more a fascination with how to make it appear.” Trixie slammed her hooves down on the stage, fireworks erupting around her as she swished her hair around her head. The head of a manticore, made of smoke, appeared behind her and roared, shaking the entire dream room. “As Trixie grew, three years went by, her cutie mark appeared and she found the love of her town as she could make them see magic, magic that even powerful unicorns could not make. For a few bits, an earth pony could see a whole house float on command, or see the whole stage disappear and reappear behind him-” The stage under Trixie, and Trixie herself, disappeared and suddenly appeared behind the colt, Trixie continuing to perform as if nothing had happened as her audience followed her. “Trixie fell in love with her show, becoming the mare for the show, the mare of the show, and for a time, so did the world love the show. Creatures made of light danced on the stage,” a bear made of lights started to dance next to Trixie, moving like a ballerina, spinning and twirling, even wearing a goofy tootoo. “and projections of light and reflections of mirrors made any illusion possible. The children laughed and their parents ooed and awed. But as the world moved on, she did not, not seeing that things had changed, and she too needed to change. In a town far away, a real magic user had come, ponies were seeing real magic, magic was not a show, and so, they began to shun the show.” “Over time, Trixie's illusion that she still had an audience fell apart. Fewer and fewer ponies came to her show, and her tricks became less and less to look upon. Eventually even she conceded, to herself, in the dark, the show... was a side show. She became angry at this Twilight pony, destroying her show. She packed her bags and journeyed across the land, looking for a new following, but she was laughed at, told to get off the stage, told that when magic is real, who needs a show? Sad and resentful, she traveled to the home of Twilight to perform there, to show that this pony's magic was not enough to out show her shows. Who was this Twilight? Did she not know? Trixie was the mare of the show, how dare she be showed up!” The room rumbled as Trixie's voice started to sound otherworldly. The effect stopped suddenly on the next verse however. “Twilight and her friends booed and hissed, insulting the mare of the show, Trixie trying to show herself better than them all. She looked good, but she knew in her heart, no one was buying her act. She couldn't even look better than those who looked down on her. Trixie hung her head in shame when she left the stage that day.” “In this sad state, two colts found the mare of the show. They praised her and told her they loved her. They wanted to know her story- so she made up several. She told them lies, lies of how she defeated a bear, a dragon and a mythical beast of tremendous size. She got so wrapped up in their applause, she never thought if her lies had gone further than her show before. She was someone's hero again.” The image of two colts, one tall and gangling the other short and stubby, appeared as projections, dancing beside Trixie. “The mare of the show looked down on the two colts, treated them like idiots, waved off the applause they gave her, the applause she had so longed for, she still treated them like slime. Like they owed her... like she didn't owe them.” On the stage Trixie hung her head. “Perhaps then it was fate, a misplaced action of those two colts, got their idol in deep trouble. They lead a monster to town for her to fight, thinking to show their hero to the world... Trixie was exposed for the fraud she was, all her illusions were useless in front of a real beast, and in front of all the ponies who had mocked and heckled her... was it really more than she deserved?” the images of the colts disappeared. “Trixie, the mare of the show, fell from grace, her show had died, no longer did she wish to perform, just as well, as she soon found no one wanted to see her show. Ponies believed she had attacked an innocent town for her own pride. The mare of the show seethed with rage,” red smoke welled up around the mare on the stage. “She swore to have revenge on the ponies who wronged her, not realizing the one guilty of the most wrong was her. She returned to the town of Twilight with a powerful amulet which granted her real magic. No more did she have her show, she was a tool of revenge alone, no longer the mare of the show. When Trixie found that amulet, that was the day, the very minute, the moment the mare of the show died.” A necklace appeared around Trixie's neck, glowing red with the image the head and wings of an alicorn. Then her eyes glowed as well. “Trixie attacked the town of Twilight for real this time,” images of six ponies, one pink, another blue, another purple, orange, yellow and white appeared, all of them falling to the ground, the projections slowly fading before Trixie's form on the stage as she glared down at them, eyes still glowing. Again Trixie hung her head. “While Trixie was there, the colts met her again, they bowed to her and begged to hear more stories. She told them her stories in exchange to treat them like slaves...” Trixie started to cry. She waved off Luna as she was about to come up to the stage. “For the good of all, Trixie was defeated, humiliated again, deceived into giving up her amulet, the real magic of Twilight then triumphing. Trixie had now been shamed twice, this time, the fault hers and hers alone.” the stage went dark. The stage stayed dark for almost a full minute. Then a light showed on Trixie's face. “Trixie ran from the town, filled with anger again, she had said she was sorry, but in her heart she had yet to change. Two foals found her, crying into the dirt. She looked up to see they were the same colts as before, the ones she had abused.” The images of the two colts appeared again, this time however, they looked exhausted. “She yelled at them, calling them names, names they should have called her. Stupid, selfish, incompetent, slow, unable to learn- and yet, they still wanted to hear more stories from her. Finally, Trixie fell on her knees to the two ponies she had hurt most, the two who had stood by her, her friends, whose names she had never even bothered to learn. She begged their forgiveness. They did not even acknowledge she had done wrong.” Beside Trixie, the images of the colts changed, holding their heads high. “Trixie continued to tell them stories, new stories, stories of herself for a time, but after a time, she made them about the other ponies she had hurt, turning her enemies into their heroes. As this time passed for her, she started to use her lights to make the stories come to life, her smoke to make things appear and disappear and her wires to make their toys comes to life and play with each other before the delighted colts. Trixie's joy started to return, the mare of the show was reborn!” Toys made of light shot off the stage, toy dinosaurs riding on trains, a cow pony running alongside one of the trains even two pony toys that looked like the colts on stage appeared planting a toy flag on a toy moon. “In the cheers and laughs of those two colts, Trixie found her passion again. She wasn't a pony of anger, she was the mare of the show, if the show changed, so would she. She left her friends in tears, but swore not to give up on the show again.” The two projections of the colts both bowed and faded from view. “Trixie on that day, swore to change. She would never again look down on her fans, she would always believe in the power of the show, she would show the love she had been shown. She would tell stories around the Equestria, and as she traveled, so would the stories those colts loved travel. And so the mare of the show lives on. Once, the Great and Powerful Trixie, now she is the Great and Musical, but always, she is the mare, the mare of the show.” Author's Note A question on one of my other stories, finally gave me the kick to start this series. A series of stories from my pony universe that never seemed to fit anywhere else. It doesn't seem I'm getting many places by continuing to push forward, so I'm going back. BTW, happy birthday BestinDworld.
Vinyl Scratch: I Love my Family“You can't catch me!” He shouted, taking off running. I watched my five year old brother, Fire Scratch, tear away from me. I grinned and shot after him. I caught up to him in only a few seconds and took him to the ground, rolling to keep from landing on him. I was two years older, so of course I was stronger... much stronger... so much I was able to hold him down... kinda, for about five seconds at time before he could rip me off him and we would be in the grass wrestling again. I tried my horn a few times, but the worst I could do with it was slightly tickle him. A few times I did use it to tickle him this fight and finally he threw me off and rolled away. He grinned, his horn sparking. I grinned too, activating my horn as well. Sparks flew off and we both fired beam spells at each other that were actually visible, half the time, if you squinted. Our magics slammed against each other. I could hold mine for about half a second more then him- I think... maybe. I was about to win... no I can't explain what winning would mean, if I have to explain... when dad grabbed us both and used him magic to toss us into the forelegs of mom, knocking her over. We all laughed. It was the last day of dad's vacation, I was gonna miss him, a lot. We sat down to eat, mom indulging my brother a little and letting him listen to his favorite mix tape with head phones while we ate. I never understood why he liked that tape so much, just the same ten songs over and over, but he loved them. I remembered one night when the tape recorder tried to “eat” his tape. He was scared he would lose his tape and started crying. Dad was out and mom didn't know how to fix the recorder. Hearing him crying, I went straight into action. That darn player had messed up several times on my favorite story tapes and over the last few months I had learned what dad did. I got out dad's tools, mom saying I shouldn't, but we both knew neither of us could put up with Fire's crying for too long. She caved. In a few seconds I had the film of the tape set free and I reset it. Hearing his beloved music again, Fire smiled and calmed down, running over and hugging me tightly. I loved my brother, and when dad was away, I was basically his substitute protector, dad had told me so. But today of course, dad was here, so I could relax watching him a little. Finally a carriage rolled up. I looked up, seeing Celestia's sun was going down. “Nooo!” I whined. I looked over at my daddy. “When we get home, can we stay up late? Please, please, please?” “Well I mean wh-” but mom, the traitor, gave him a look. He sighed. “No... no, no. You have school tomorrow. “But I don't get to see you that much.” “Hey, now that's not entirely true, what about Sunday's?” he asked. I looked down. “I hate waiting.” He pulled me over with his magic and wrapped me in a hug, “So do I my little fix it girl, so do I.” “Hey, you aren't gonna say you miss me?” Mom asked. “What about when you're at school?” “I see you all the time!” I said back. “Can't wait to see that wrench cutie mark when you get it Vinyl,” dad said. “It's probably going to be flowers Bolt. I'm teaching her to garden way more than you teach her to fix things,” mom said. He gave her a cocky grin. “We'll just see about that.” “Indeed we will,” she said, pulling Fire up to her side. He rested his head on her side. She sighed. “They're being so cute right now, I hate to go.” Dad opened the door to the carriage and levitated me into the back. “Well you're the one who doesn't wanna stay up late,” dad replied. “That's not fair!” mom snapped back. He levitated up Fire as well. “C'mon, we can snuggle, you and me,” dad said. She sighed, “It's not the same.” “Should I be jealous?” dad asked, depositing Fire next to me. “No... I like it we he falls asleep like that, it's cute,” she said. Dad cocked his head and mom got up, them both cleaning up the picnic blanket. (***) Fire was fast asleep on my side, his tape ending a long time ago, me reading my copy of Sherlock Hooves. Dad had to help me with the big words, but really, I loved learning to be a detective- maybe that would be my side job, after I was done fixing houses for the day. I looked up, mom had fallen asleep on dad's shoulder too. He smiled at me. I went back to my book. I looked- Blackness met my eyes and I felt myself thrown into the air. I slammed into the ground, hearing an awful crunching sound and feeling pain through my right shoulder. I screamed, pulling myself up on the dirt road. It hurt so bad... I needed mommy, she would make it better. I pulled myself up, crying loudly. I looked around. Where was everyone? Were was dad, where was mom? Where was Fire? I looked for our carriage, I must have fallen out somehow. I looked over at a train that was loudly passing... I screamed. I ran towards the train, the remains of the carriage, now covered in blood. One of the earth ponies that had been pulling it ran over and grabbed me before I could reach the scene. “MOM! DAD!” I screamed. “I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I don't... I don't know how, we got distracted, I... I'm so sorry...” The stallion held me close. I kept screaming. “You shouldn't see them... I'm sorry, they're gone...” “Fire!” I shouted. “My little brother- I have to protect him, he needs me, where is he, where's Fire...” the stallion set me down and shook his head. “Where's Fire?” I could barely see straight through my tears. Maybe I hadn't seen him. “Look... I... don't know what to... I grabbed a few things as we went through the bodies, something to give the survivors...” he sighed. “Not sure what I was thinking.” He gave me dad's Sherlock book, covered in dirt, but it was alright, mom's necklace and... I fearfully took my brother's tape recorder, the wire for the head set torn in two. There were small amounts of blood on all of the items. I fell down on my side and just cried. I just heard the stallion, apologizing over and over. (***) I woke up in a strange bed, in a strange room. Three years went by. Three years, six homes, all temporary. I got older and older. Fire's tape got worn down from over use, I lost mom's necklace- or rather THEY did, my stupid foster parents, so eager to move me to the next home. Dad's book was left at a bank and my den mother wouldn't let me go back to get it... who knows where it is now. It was hell. I wanted out, to be adopted, to have a new mom and dad... no one could ever be as good as my real family, but anything was better than this. Still, it wasn't looking good on that front. At first, a number of mares and a few stallions looked in my direction when they came to look at children to potentially adopt. But they always took my younger “brothers and sisters”. You'd think, maybe there was a silver lining right? How many friends did I make? The younger children would be adopted in almost not time flat, so I couldn't mentor someone like my brother. The older children, I tried to make friend with at first... after being moved the third time, I just gave up. School was awkward, to say the least. Several times, three times in one year once, I had to start again in a new classroom with new classmates, a new teacher and class work I had never seen before. A few times I tried talking to the other fillies, crushed on a colt or two but... what was the point? I never stayed in one place long enough to make a friend. Soon I just started eating by myself, reading the continuing adventures of Sherlock during recess. I was given a new book, after I lost dad's... and after each time the new one was stolen by a bully trying to make me cry- “it's just a book!” they taunted. I gave up coming out of my room when new parents came to adopt. I was ten, no one would take me, and I knew it. They all wanted toddlers and babies, this was my life now and I knew it. (***) A new set of ponies was coming today, a pair of earth ponies and their daughter. There were like... I think four earth pony kids in this home, and one was two. My den mother... I don't remember what her name was, doubt she even knew mine... anyway she told me to come out. “Act cute,” she said. Whatever, why bother? I would be asking for not only an older adoption, but an interracial adoption, that's like one in ten million. No one wants a child of a different race. Sounded like a good time to catch up with the only friend I really had. Sherlock. My homework was done, so we could hang out. I looked around my room. Where was it? Where was my book? I looked under my pillow, in my dresser, under my roommate's pillow- where was it? I walked out of my room. There it was- with a group of toddlers. I went and grabbed it away from one of the brats, him screaming and crying about it, but what did I care? He would get another toy in a few seconds anyway. I opened the book to start reading as I left. The pages were warped, like someone had drenched the book. I had no idea what happened. I had no idea who took it, what they did, why... I didn't know... it was destroyed. Life sucked okay? It just sucked. I slumped my head down, looking at my book, seven books removed from dad's copy... I couldn't even keep my books... I found a corner and sat with my back to it, crying over my book. A three year old colt came over to me, he held out his sandwich to me, like he thought it would help. I just screamed at him until he ran away crying himself. I then went back to crying. The den mother came over to scold me for being a brat, but I screamed at her louder and louder, just screaming “NO!” over and over. I didn't even hear what she was saying, just shouted until she gave up with her feathers ruffled and stomped away. I curled up over my book and just sobbed. Finally I felt someone sit beside me. “Hey... what's wrong?” I looked at her. It was an earth pony I didn't know. She had black hair and a light gray coat. It wasn't hard to figure out who she was. “The buck do you care?!” I demanded. “Cold Dawn is right over there,” I said, pointing at a blue earth pony colt who was about two years old. “I know he's the one you guys want so just take him and go, don't bother me.” This wasn't the first time a child or adult visiting from the outside had tried to be nice to me, but who cared? She was just going to be gone in a few minutes anyway and I would never see her again. She didn't go away though. I pointed and she raised her hoof, like she was going to come towards me instead. “NO! Just go!” I shouted. She moved towards me and I got up, my face inches from hers, “LEAVE ME ALONE!” There, now she was crying too... well she had a few tears anyway. I levitated my ruined book by my side and walked away. I heard her shouting for her mom behind me. I squeezed my eyes shut, remembering what it was like to have someone to call that. I opened the door to my room and went into my room. I opened the book. Maybe there were some readable pages left. I had practically memorized half the stories by now, it was just something to do. I would whine till I got a new one soon. My ears perked up as I heard a light tapping on the door. “I'm not coming out.” I stated matter-o-factly. “No one wants me anyway. Go away.” A few seconds went by as I kept looking through my book. The tapping started again. “I said NO!” I shouted. The tapping started again. I grunted and got up, throwing open the door, getting ready to let out another series of screams when my face was across not from my stupid den mother but... that filly again. She still had tears running down her face as she looked at me, holding up a file with the name “Vinyl Scratch” on it. “But we do want you, you're the one we came for.” I stopped dead in my tracks. “Am I not... can I be your sister?” I looked up, two gray earth ponies on either side of her, a mother and father. I just stood frozen in place. I couldn't move, watching as her father took the file. “But... she... we can't...” her father pushed her from behind. “You don't know what it's like Octavia, just go give her a hug,” her dad said. She walked up to me hesitantly, then grabbed me and embraced me. It must have taken me a full ten seconds to finally hug her back. I cried so hard. Author's Note Hope this story gets seen, as I'm pretty happy with this chapter. Part of me is wondering if "our stories" should all be separate short stories, but you get more readers if it's a set. Hope everyone enjoys. I tried to swallow my desire to give Vinyl a happy ending soon as possible, even though yea... foster care, wonderful system ain't it? My understanding is that even in the US, if a child grows out of the system without being adopted, it's basically a 70% chance they'll go into poverty and the US government does little but makes things harder. I know not everyone can adopt, I'm hardly in a position to do it myself... eat at Wendy's I guess. If you like this, share it around!
Trixie: Her HeroTimes had changed... Trixie had changed. From magician to bard, but always the mare of the show. But to say that Trixie completely changed her ways... there are those who say she did good... she... she doesn't know. Trixie remembered that her best audience members had always been children, so, needing a pick me up, she deliberately sought to perform for them. Celestia suggested to perform at orphanages across the country, because few ponies focused on those children. Trixie agreed to do so for a time, and thus she came to the Melony Foals orphanage. At the door she was met by a pink mare with a snow white mane. Behind her, Trixie saw her audience members gathering, several foals cheering her name, especially one yellow pegasus filly who flew around the room, wings beating hard. The filly cheered loudly, zipping around and suddenly dived down and grabbed up a small blue earth pony colt. The colt was startled, but seemed okay with being taken for a ride. Trixie chuckled to herself, watching the antics of the pegasus filly, as well as her goofy appearance. The girl had a strange back mane, that flopped around, looking somewhat like a lightning bolt, and then her front mane was sparse only having a small comb over for styling. Her face had freckles on only one side. The... rather patient colt that she was flying with, was a simple looking kid. Cyan coat with a navy blue mane and tail, both in a rather normal style. He did have yellow highlights which stood out a little. Melony looked over her shoulder at the filly, then back at Trixie, chuckling too. “Well someone is happy to see you... um...” Trixie floated a bag from her cart to herself. Trixie reached inside and pulled out two small dolls, one in the image of Rainbow Dash, the other Apple Jack, two ponies who had not been very nice to her in the past, but who, nonetheless, played a role in her reformation. Besides, kids tended to love Rainbow's mane. She held them up and waved them specifically at the flying filly, who squeaked and shot over to her. Trixie used her magic to levitate the toys right to the filly. The filly quickly put down her friend and looked at the toys. Trixie then suddenly felt a pull on her magic from somewhere... it must have been a unicorn... but the toys were meant for the pegasus, for making her laugh. She tried to tug the toys back, but they just kept being pulled harder and harder, until Trixie grunted and just took the toys back. “Trixie is sorry dear,” she said as the filly looked at her with big disappointed eyes. “Whoever was trying to take those, that was not nice, not at all,” Trixie scolded. “Trixie intends on having gifts for everyone, don't be greedy!” The filly stared at Trixie, mouth gaping open. “I- Trixie... Trixie will give them to you later, don't worry.” But instead of looking reassured, the filly simply dropped to the floor, stopping her humorous flight. Melony shook her head and waved at Trixie. “Don't worry about her, her mood changes like lightning- that's her name after all. Lightning Strike.” “Trixie thinks that's a cute name,” Trixie said. “However she-” “I'll take care of her... where will you be setting up?” she continued. “Outside of course, Trixie's performance uses fireworks and smoke, hardly good for indoor entertainment.” “Well the children have been waiting a long time to see you, why don't you set up and I'll take care of Lightning.” Trixie looked over at the small yellow filly, who looked ready to cry. Melony stepped out of the way and the other children streamed out of the small foster home, about eight in all. Trixie noticed that the blue colt from earlier didn't follow, he stayed inside with his friend. Trixie turned to go back to her cart with her enthusiastic crowd as the door closed behind her. But Trixie hesitated. She walked over to the closed door as the children crowded around her wagon with eagerness in their eyes, a few asking if they could help set up. She waved at them to stop as she listened. She heard the mare on the other side. “Dusk, go on now, you've been looking forward to this show just like the others-” “NO!” came a young male voice Trixie easily guessed the owner of. “Honestly I'll never understand the two of you, Lightning, come on I eh... fine, follow if you must Dusk.” Trixie heard them walking away. Trixie didn't know why, but something just didn't seem right. She quietly turned the door knob with her magic and slowly opened the door to see the three leaving the main room. Trixie followed far behind as they went into a small alcove. The mare opened a small closet and gestured to Lightning, who slowly walked inside. “Look, if you're good and quiet this time, I'll tell Trixie you got sick and just give you the dolls she offered, I'm sure she'll let me have them.” She closed the door on the filly, the blue colt sitting on the outside with one of his hooves resting on the door. Melony walked away and straight into Trixie. “What... what did she do wrong?” Trixie asked, trying to reach for any good explanation for what she was seeing. “I... I... you weren't supposed to see that,” Melony replied. “Trixie gathered...” Trixie started to glare. Melony grunted. “Look, judge me all you want. I keep ten children in my home, stretching every dollar to make this work so I don't have to let even one of them go. I have managed to keep all of them together for years at great personal expense.” She pointed at the closet, “I have no idea what to do with that one. She has telekinetic powers. It freaks out other ponies. Let me guess, even you are surprised right?” “So that's why she was so upset. No one was taking the dolls-” “Except your intended recipient.” She sighed looking back. “Sorry. You even finding out about this is all my fault, I should have put her away before you even came to the door.” “Because she has some weird ability?” Trixie said. “Trixie should consider putting you away!” She was about to speak up again but Trixie didn't let her. “You let her back out this instant!” The pink mare looked back, then tried to move past Trixie, but Trixie stood tall, glaring down at her. Finally the mare walked back, opened the door and immediately a small yellow filly shot out of the closet and hugged Trixie tightly. Trixie hugged Lightning back and set the foal on the ground. “Here,” Trixie said, giving the filly the two dolls again. “Take good care of them.” she said. The colt and filly ran out of the hallway to be with the other children. “So, what are you going to do?” asked Melony. “Trixie is going to continue the show, it's what everyone is waiting for.” Trixie turned around, not wanting to dain to give the mare another look. “I mean after that.” “Trixie... is not sure.” Trixie admitted. “If you report me, I won't stop you,” Melony looked down. “But say what you will, what makes you better than me exactly?” “Plenty,” Trixie snarled. “Fine, report me then, have all of these children removed from my custody, so that they will be tossed from home to home every few months for the rest of their lives, all for your sense of justice.” Trixie gritted her teeth. “Do you have any idea what it's like for them? I treat even her well enough, but if you honestly believe being tossed around like a piece of trash no one wants, is a better future for even Lightning, do what you want.” Melony walked away. Trixie sat down in place as Melony walked away. Perhaps if Trixie really was ignorant, perhaps she would have done the right thing. However Trixie had known a number of orphans near her home and she understood the truth of the words Melony spoke all to well. Trixie then made a decision she would regret for a long time to come. She did her show and moved on. Trixie does not know how to say how sorry she is. She has met that filly again, now adopted by a good family. Lightning remembers Trixie fondly and still has the gifts Trixie gave her... she thought they were purchased, but the bits she gave Trixie weren't enough, Trixie gave them to her out of guilt. Lightning had the entire collection of dolls of Twilight and her friends. Each time Trixie hears that girl praise her, her heart sinks. Lightning thinks of Trixie as her hero... Trixie knows she stopped short of actually being one. Author's Note So here's a chapter I'm not sure about, but this series is kinda an outlet for creativity, not necessarily a popularity push. I'm worried the Trixie lovers are going to absolutely HATE this story if they didn't like the first one. Trixie isn't exactly a hero in this, though yes, it's why Lightning ends up caring so much about her and the toys she gave her. I also expect controversy over the subject of what exactly would the right thing to do be here. So ya know what? I invite that controversy. I will admit that I myself think Trixie did the wrong thing by not reporting what happened, but she brings up and interesting conundrum. Trixie didn't not report because she didn't care, she didn't because she cared too much. When doing "the right thing" causes harm to those you're trying to help, how do you justify it? Indeed, have you yourself ever felt like doing right would hurt more than help, and when that happened, what did you do? Are you proud yourself?
Dragon Army Part 2: Inevitability, You Always Choose a SideA dragon landed in the court of Celestia, as arranged. She looked him in the eyes, which, was less of a challenge than expected... save for his sunglasses. “Are you... are you a teenager?” Celestia asked. “Technically? Yes,” he said, pointing a finger and her and making a “clicking” noise. “My people figured it would be easier for you to talk to someone around your size.” “I... I guess.” She looked at her notes as a table was levitated between them. They both sat down. “On to the subject at hoof-” the dragon chuckled. “What's so funny?” “Oh nothing, we say at “hand”.” Celestia held up her hoof and looked at it. “Hm... I suppose that makes sense.” She put her hoof back down. “You are looking for aid... I'm not sure what Equestria could offer.” “Well... land is one thing.” the dragon spun his index fingers around each other. “We don't have much of that as it is.” “Not so much to live on, but to eat. You see, when we come down to eat from your fields, your people kinda... ya know... freak out.” “Yes, they think you're trying to eat them.” “Elll,” the dragon said with distaste. “Not sure what that would taste like, but no thanks.” “You're just intimidating by nature.” “Not like we can help that. We're not born pretty like you. We would like our own land back but... I mean if you know a way to do that.” “I... no, I have no idea,” Celestia looked down. “What is facing your people anywa-” she shook her head. “Truth is, my people would like to stay out of this. We fear you as an enemy, so we do not want to aide you, however you haven't technically done anything to us, so attacking is right out.” “Exactly dude... we haven't done anything... is it just cause we're scary?” “Just one of you could kill hundreds of us... you're not really going to tell me something that size wouldn't scare you. Besides, there have been deaths between us.” “Yea, hundreds of years ago when we fought for land but... most of us don't even remember how that went down.” “Some of the dragons that fought in those wars are still alive.” “So you'll hold it against all of us?” “No, I'm just staying out of it,” She looked him in the eyes, seeing the colors of his irises. “I'm doing the only thing I don't have to question, just staying out. Whatever happens, simply won't be my fault. I'm not sorry, I don't even know you, your situation or anything that's happening. We're staying out of it.” Celestia walked away. (***) She was beautiful. Riser was a jade dragon, small compared to other female dragons, but to Torkuda, it only made her more gorgeous. Upon reaching the smokey mountains, his eyes were instantly drawn to her. The other male dragons flew around the mountain hoping to impress the females, but Torkuda had an idea- one that was probably terrible but it's what he did. He swooped down to Riser and grabbed her around her barrel and took off with her. “I- what- what are you doing!?” “Well, how I see it, you can watch, or you can join in.” “You're supposed to impress me!” Riser was actually a different race, Grodath. They were slow fliers and rather obese looking. They weren't generally coveted as mates, but Torkuda wanted her for reasons even he could not explain. “I can drop you off, and we can fight it out, your choice, or ya know... you could find out what it's actually like to fly faster than sound. Again, up to you.” Riser sighed. “Well, I can watch a bunch of guys fly around who don't want me anyway even if one does impress me or- floor it.” Torkuda pushed his wings forward and threw them back, pulling her close and shooting through the air like a spinning bullet. The air around exploded into a huge shock wave as they ripped through it. This was not really impressive for a helgath, they were the fastest of dragons and possessed a good deal of strength. The fastest was around mach three, Torkuda did well to go mach two. There were rumors of faster creatures out there, like certain ponies, but the dragons had never confirmed such information. Still, the pair touched down around the bad lands, Riser breathing in and out, holding her stomach. “Sweet Dragon Lord that... whoa boy... how do you guys even... holly...” “So, I can return you, and-” “Hot stuff,” she grabbed him around the stomach and pulled him in. “Do it again.” Honestly Torkuda only did what he did because he never saw the point in the mating ritual and just wanted to get it over with. He was either going to end up with the girl he wanted, or be rejected. He figured he would just get it over with... maybe he wanted to be rejected. Riser turned out to be a rather crazy catch herself though. Most of their dates became about her trying to find a way which she could show him up. She could easily spit fire for longer, but, according to her, that was nothing to a sonic boom. Thus came the challenges. Who took longer to puke after over eating and flying at super sonic? (Riser.) Who could scare more small animals? (Torkuda.) Who could hold their breath under lava longer? (Riser.) Who could survive the worst crash without bleeding? (Torkuda.) Torkuda really had never been one to push the limits, until he met this girl. Now, he started pushing himself like crazy, but not to impress her, so much as to beat her. She was all he thought about, day and night, always how to get her to tap out or gasp in amazement, and every so often, he had to do the same. Their marriage was inevitable. And so from that, the eggs were inevitable too. What else was inevitable? Was it inevitable when he came home to find the mouth of his cave covered in blood? Was it inevitable that a creature from a powerful species that still knew nothing of true combat, lost utterly to the centipede demon that killed his wife? Torkuda grabbed the only surviving egg and tore away with it, flying over the sound barrier, wanting to save something of his family, just one thing. When he landed, it was indeed inevitable that the egg had burst. And so, it was inevitable, that he wept bitterly. (***) Day Rise ran across the field to her friends as they waved to her. She was happy to see the hoof ball equipment, her favorite sport! She never heard her parents screaming at her. She never noticed her friends suddenly looking up. She never had a chance to notice before a shadow came over her and a huge claw grabbed her, carrying her into the clouds. She screamed loud as she could, looking up at the massive green monster that had grabbed her. The dragon landed, the earth cracking beneath his weight. He set her down and slammed his tail in front of her, roaring with such power Day dropped to the ground, covering her ears as the earth shook around her. Day was so scared she curled up into a ball and started shaking, ears only perking up as she heard the voices of her parents running towards her. She got up, as the massive tail raised up, eyes filling with tears as she pushed herself to run to them. The tail came down, the earth shattering. Day screamed again. The filly blinked as the tail raised again, noticing her parents were still alive, but frozen in place out of fear. She felt the same fear, looking up at the dragon. Spears flew over head. In an instant, Day Rise looked around herself and saw all around the spears of the earth ponies who had fought off the monster. Day's mother hugged her close, her father looking around asking the critical questions. “What... why... where did he go?” (***) A huge shadow fell over Ponyville. Star Gazer ran and grabbed her foal, tossing him into the house through a window. She fell to the ground as the earth shook and a nearby statue erupted in flames. Several more explosions erupted around the town, a roar echoing out, the mare hitting the ground in terror. Massive feet crashed into the ground, the mare's eyes filling with tears as she screamed. Another mare shot past the earth pony, the new pegasus opening her wings and shooting into the air, joined by several others in the air. Star watched as the pegasi flew around the dragon's head, fire balls shooting out, only singeing their wings as they were far too difficult for the dragon to hit. Star looked out from the scene, watching as several unicorns started to gather in a loose circle around the dragon, their horns warming up. Suddenly the pegasi shot away from the dragon, as the sky started to fill with magic explosions. Star suddenly felt herself grabbed around the barrel as a pegasi stallion tore out of the small city. “My son!” she shouted. But looking to her side, Burst was being flown next to her. The mare carrying her colt let her hold him and flew away. In minutes, Star saw pegasi flying hundreds of her neighbors out from the battle. She watched the fight from outside. The explosions around the dragon started to become more and more powerful until- the dragon shot into the air and flew away at an astonishing speed, tearing threw the roofs of several homes on his way out, not stopping for anything. He just left. (***) “You are not individuals here!” shouted the Sargent. “You were selected for your talents, but you will use them as you are told, not however you want. You may think you know better than me, and heck, maybe you do, but you will still obey my orders. If you don't, you may be arrested.” The privates continued to stand at attention listening to him. “Who here can tell me why you all must work under my orders like that? Why working as individuals won't work?” He did not wait for someone to raise a hoof and instead just pointed at a random pony, having to read his name tag, “Tell me... Forward Light, why?” “As um... written in the text of... I um...” “There is no “I” here private. What's more I don't give a damn about your reference, you think I want you to site a source? Stick out your chest and answer me!” “Because even a terrible idea has a better chance of success if we work together, sir! The best ideas will fall flat if we don't work together!..- Sir!” He walked back and forth. “Yes, yes that is the reason. But I sense some of you didn't think of that. So everyone will be pushing until I am satisfied you will remember. You will say, “Together we are strong, alone we are weak!”.” (***) Sargent Rays walked home. Some of the things he taught didn't always sit well with him. He held individuality sacred in truth, but he couldn't deny the necessity of working as a unit. To keep freedom, some had to sacrifice it... how could you justify that? Like defending life, by giving up your own. A massive dragon landed in front of the sergeant, holding his daughter. The filly screamed out to him. The creature spoke. “You are going to explain some things to me.” he said. Sargent Rays hated the ideas, that didn't mean he didn't understand them. (***) “It's been almost four months. It's the same dragon every time,” said the soldier. Celestia looked over the simulated map he projected. “He attacks all over, but he never seems to kill, or even stay to fight. Oh I'll grant you, we have no way of knowing if he's trying not to kill, or just has no reason to, but he sure wants our attention.” “And he gets it,” Celestia said. “Our knowledge of dragons is limited, but best we can tell, this creature is fast enough to compete with some of our best fliers.” “The Wonderbolts?” Celestia asked in surprise. “I have no way of knowing, but he hasn't shown speeds like that. Still, I doubt a small unit like theirs could challenge a full grown dragon on their best days.” the unicorn gritted his teeth. “Your majesty, I must implore you again, we need to send ponies into the dragon lands for research of some kind. We don't even have rudimentary understanding of their capabilities. Just one of them can fly circles around us.” Celestia shook her head back. “Too dangerous, especially as the creatures are becoming hostile. If war is necessary, we'll... we'll...” she paused. “I-We could probably beat him,” she said, walking around the map, “But he won't fight...” she dragged her front hooves on the palace floor grunting. “What does he want?” “Our best guess? He wants to learn something from his attacks.” He projected an image of the dragon over the map. “This is the one right?” “Of course.” “I know this dragon.” she said. “We fought- in a manner.” “He challenged you?” “No, we had a scuffle, but he wasn't a match. He didn't seem dangerous back then.” “Well he's definitely dangerous now.” “He was a coward before, you're telling me he's deliberately provoking attacks just to learn from them?” “His personality is no concern of mine. My question is, to learn what? He even kidnapped a drill sergeant... seems rather random...” Celestia looked down at the map again. “How many attacks have there been?” “Seven in all.” “How was he repelled?” “Mostly group tactics, diversion and heavy assault variety normally, but a few times we didn't have time to organize that.” “Could he have seen commanding officers?” “We're not at war with dragons, we don't make any effort to hide them. In any case, officers normally aren't called out to skirmishes like that. Highest ranks at these attacks were sergeants.” “And how high a rank was the drill instructor?” “First class.” “Probably the highest ranks he's seen...” She scanned the map over and over. “Captain, if you had no idea how to create an army, how would you go about learning, if you didn't think you could just ask?” “I suppose I would try to sneak a peak at other armies and learn by watching... course if I were five stories tall, sneaking wouldn't be a strong suite of mine I imagine, so I would just- oh crap.” “Do we have any indication of where that dragon will strike next?!” Celestia said, eyes wide. “He um... if I had to guess, he's been attacking in a loose pattern, once in each city, we've been sending forces to Baltimare-” Celestia spread her wings and flew up, shooting out of the room in a blink. (***) A shadow fell over the city, ponies scattering below, screams echoing out. Pegasi flew out, some scattering, other grabbing their friends or family and pulling them out. Celestia soared down, her own shadow paling in comparison, but still, the screams started to quiet as she became visible to the ponies below. She floated down, her horn glowing with such power the dragon had to shade his eyes. The massive dragon flapped his wings and flew near her. “Once again, you terrify my people,” Celestia said, her voice magically amplified, using the “Royal Canterlot Voice”. The glass on the buildings below started to shake. The dragon shouted back, glass shook and ponies scattered, his voice far overpowering her's. “And you are content to do nothing, while my people die!” “You have attacked us without provocation.” she kept up her voice spell. “You have indifference to us. I am not attacking, I am simply using you. So how does it feel to have someone have your own attitude towards you?” “I am sorry for what is happening to your people...” she lowered her voice so only he could hear. “I know what you are doing... as I'm sure you are aware, I cannot allow you to continue.” The dragon snapped open his jaw, a bout of flames slamming into the royal sister, throwing her off balance. Celestia screamed as he soared in a near somersault and tore away from her. Celestia shook her head to recover, the flames barely enough to singe her fur. She flew after him. (***) Celestia had thought to simply catch the dragon in her magic... what she intended to do from there, she wasn't sure. Did she really mean to kill him? How else could she stop his plan? He no doubt meant to create an army. However, the faster Celestia flew, the faster the dragon flew. Soon enough, a shock wave went off from both of them, as they broke the sound barrier. If just one was this fast, and no doubt how strong he was, the very idea of dragons having an army... she had to stop him. The boarder of Equestria was coming up quickly. As they did, specks of red started to form in the distance. Celestia's eyes grew wide. The princess quickly banked as hundreds of fire balls ripped through the air, streaming past her. She engaged a force field and was hit several time. Celestia slowed down, watching as her sun was completely blotted out from view. A mass of dragons flew in front of her, all glaring at her, many of them bearing their teeth. The dragon she had been chasing flew to her. “Might I make and suggestion?” he asked. “You seem to like to like staying out of things. I won't question your reasons for doing so. Simply, I will suggest, you keep to that philosophy. That is, if you would like any of your kind to survive.” “I... there... maybe we could talk...” “Too late.” “I...” Celestia hung her head. “What is it you're facing... I didn't ask before... I... maybe if I had known...” “You didn't ask. You didn't help. Now, leave.” Celestia hung her head. She turned and flew away. Author's Note Guess this is a lesson not often discussed anymore, probably because we just want to shout "racist" and be done with it, or shout back "SJW"! A lesson about the price of just staying out of something is rare. True, not every hill is the one you want to die on, but you know, if something seems like it's inevitable you'll have to address it at some point, at least stay informed. And I guess I should address the people wanting to say I endorse "rape culture" or some other such bilge because the romance between Torkuda and Riser isn't based on a freaking signed in triplicate consent form. Yes, Torkuda swept her off her feet, as many men and women wish would happen to them, its a fantasy, get over it. Would I recommend doing that in real life? No, but then again, since it's not particularly "wrong", as long as someone can still take no for an answer... well you might get a black eye being that aggressive, and it's definitely your fault if you do, but no, I don't condemn being no-violently aggressive in romance. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I don't recommend it because people have rights to their own bodies, but it's hardly an issue that keeps me up at night. If a girl forces her way to kiss a guy, or if a guy grabs a girl off her feet onto the dance floor, sometimes folks break the rules and have fun, so what?
Dragon Army Part 3: Fight!Earth pony sergeant Rays walked down the ranks of dragons, some towering over him, five or even ten times his size. He walked without a hint of fear. He looked up to a high cliff, seeing his wife and daughter. His wife spread her wings and carried their daughter down to him. “We're really going along with them willingly?” she asked. Rays nodded. “Imagine if the monsters they described ever reach Equestria. I fear what just one could do, let alone five. But even then, dragons and ponies have not always gotten along, but that's no reason to do nothing while they face destruction. I disapprove of what Torkuda did, but I understand.” Torkuda landed at the end of the ranks, the earth shaking for Rays and his family. His daughter hid behind his back leg. The dragon lowered his head, Rays' wife visibly gulping, noticing how just one of the dragon's eyes was bigger than her entire body. Rays looked straight into the dragon's eyes. “Are we ready?” “Well the grodath's are saying they could use a little more sleep-” “Are. We. Ready?” “Yes.” “Yes what?” the earth pony demanded. “Yes sir.” “Good. Get back to the helgath's, you're leading the charge.” “I'm not the fastest sir...” “Good, then you won't leave everyone in the dust, fly in alone and die for nothing. They respect you and your courage. You are to lead them.” “I don't feel I am worthy-” “I don't care how you feel, you're the one who got all this going, while the rest of them just watched their nation crumble, I would be an idiot to want someone else in charge.” “I don't know that I am ready sir. Or that I'm up to this.” Rays sighed. “Alright, let's have this out. We've all trained for four months and I trained you especially to lead. You personally took it upon yourself to learn the ways of the Equestrian military. How you feel doesn't matter. Your peers respect you. Really, look at me Torkuda. You think I can instill fear in any of your brothers or sisters? The reason they put up with my training is you.” Torkuda looked down at the ground. “One last time, I am truly sorry about how we met.” “You wanna make it up to make it up to me? Make it so my daughter never has to lay eyes on an outer demon. Take those monsters out.” Rays then looked down himself. “I am sorry about our princess' behavior towards you. Remember me and my family and respect our border, I beg of you.” “As long as I live, believe me, every dragon lord will remember that it was a pony who made taking back our land even possible.” “If I clarify something for you, can you clarify something for me?” The dragon nodded. “You are a leader, not only because they respect you, but mostly because, so do I.” “Thank you.” “Do not thank for what you have earned. Thank for what you have not.” “In that case,” Torkuda zeroed in on Rays' daughter, “Thank you for not screaming in my face.” “Uh huh,” the girl barely squeaked out. “And my question, you guys determine dragon lord by a test of strength right?” Torkuda nodded to this. “So... why exactly aren't you the dragon lord?” Torkuda gave a chuckle. “I am no where near the strongest of my kind.” “Well you're certainly a go getter.” “Considering what I had to lose before I did what needed to be done, am I?” Torkuda asked. “When you do the right thing, the point isn't what finally motivated you, the point is, that you did it.” Torkuda still looked down. “Doubt you can argue philosophy with me. After this, we're still going to see about you dragons learning to read.” Rays backed up. “Before you go, lets get the boys and girls a little morale eh?” He looked behind himself. “Honey um... cover your ears.” Rays pulled back his head and screamed as loud as he could. Torkuda lifted his head, roaring into the sky, the dragon ranks around them following suite. (***) Even in Canterlot, the collective roar could be heard. Celestia looked towards the border of her nation, hooves trembling. One of her guards walked over to her. “Your majesty?” he asked. “Guard... c-can every mistake be undone?” “Maybe?” “How?” her ears were down as she continued to look at the far horizon. “They're not coming for us right?” “I have no idea what they're doing. I hope for the best.” she closed her eyes. “To arms.” (***) The massive snake demon slithered forward, fire spewing from his mouth, the earth cracking under his weight. The forests were ahead of him, nothing but desert behind him. A small catsul dragon watched him, peeking out from behind a large rock. The scout was red with a large chest and a fin over her head. She swallowed, seeing one of the heads of the snake turning in her general direction, but not seeming to look at her. This head had a frill like a cobra, with large feathers that extended back from its head. The other head, not near her, she still knew the appearance of very well. Shaped like that of a rattle snake, it was surrounded by ten long tentacles, which she had seen tear full sized Grodath's in half, dragons several times her size. She couldn't believe the idiotic thing she was about to do. “This better work... I hope it does...” She threw back her head and fired a blue fire ball into the air, the projectile exploding several hundred feet in the air. Both snake heads snapped to look in her direction, the catsul freezing in terror. Suddenly her ears felt like they would explode from the explosion of sound, the snake also apparently suffering as hundreds of helgaths broke the sound barrier above them. The snake shook its head to recover it's hearing as- thousands of balls of fire slammed into its body and all around it. The snake heads howled in pain, the creature being knocked back, rolling on the ground. The creature snapped its head to look at the creatures as they seemed to be fleeing. The monstrous snake could barely hear and bled from several wounds, but it still bared its teeth- several of those teeth no doubt being knocked out as hundreds of huge rocks slammed into it, forcing it to fall back in the opposite direction. The catsul kept watching, barely able to move after the shock from the sound barrier bursting not far from her. The furious snake turned its head to her as she was snatched up by another helgath and flown away. As he flew by, the large green dragon shot up a large ball of red flames, that exploded over head. The strike force returned and repeated their attack. The attack was repeated again and again, ten times, the snake demon bleeding from several wounds, barely moving as it watched the dragons flying over head. Torkuda looked down at the snake. He growled. “It's still moving. Five more times.” The catsul looked down at the snake, slowly recovering in Torkuda's grasp. “No... no kill like over kill... this is for my mom.” The snake wailed, it's expression of pain, met by fire and stone. (***) Two demons moved forward, the massive ape with a mouth on its stomach, and the centipede. A green helgath flew around them. “So, can you creatures speak?” he shouted. The centipede and ape turned. The centipede spoke up. “Not my brother but... oh my goodness, it's you. The father who smashed his own egg running from me in terror.” the centipede somehow laughed, its mandibles moving in a way that seemed random to the dragon. “It was the most pathetic thing I've ever seen... so, it's not like I nor my brother could ever catch one of your species, why try to talk to us?” “Honestly? Just wanted to see if you were really stupid enough to fall for this.” Six Mardooks crashed down on either side of the centipede. These new dragons were each twice the size of Torkuda with horns that protruded from the sides of their head and down under their lower jaws. As a unit they grabbed both sides of the centipede and forced it suddenly into the mouth of it's “brother”. Five more then landed on the ape creature's back, forcing it to slam it's jaw shut. The demon looked at Torkuda as its blood leaked out. Torkuda smiled at him. “Something to think about while you two are having trouble moving, did you know scrong dragons cannot fly, take a very long time to grow up, and their flames aren't particularly destructive. But they can teleport objects with their fire. Now, normally, they would be lucky to transport something like you two, but we found something out. Enough of them working together, can actually teleport a solid object to different locations in different pieces. Isn't that interesting?” The centipede looked behind itself. Torkuda could swear he heard it scream as twenty large purple dragons ran up to it and it's brother. Torkuda flew back and watched at a distance. “Not as many pieces as my heart broke into when you slaughtered my family... but close.” (***) Solar Rays watched the dragons as they high fived and slammed their chests into each other. She understood little of what they were doing, but she still smiled watching, even as the earth shook under her. They all looked so happy. She jumped as a huge hand slammed down next to her. The hand quickly retracted. “HEY!” shouted a loud voice behind her. “Watch the kid or I'll tear that hand off!” She looked back to see Firestar, a bright red Grodath. “I didn't mean to hurt her, just didn't see her.” “Then keep your eyes open soldier!” Firestar lowered his hand to Solar which she quickly crawled onto. “You seem to be getting used to us. Not afraid anymore?” “Why should I be afraid?” she asked. “You guys won't hurt me.” She pulled a small stuffed dragon out of her saddle bags and hugged it to herself. “Would like it if you were all my size, but it's okay.” Firestar looked at the small white filly. She had a purple mane and a yellow highlight. She looked different from her dark blue father with his light gray mane. “You can't even fly, but you're not afraid. I have to admire that.” “Thanks.” She looked up, a shadow falling over the group. “What kind of dragon is that?- What are you doing-wait what-” Firestar gently closed his hand around her. He didn't crush her, but she couldn't see anything. She felt like an insect, but still did her best to remember, Firestar was a friend. “Quiet... that's not a dragon.” Solar was deposited behind Firestar, near the mouth of a cave. She looked past him a saw a dragon like creature towering over all the other dragons. She saw blood under his claws at the bodies of three dragons under him. “Sargon! Fullbring! Farshot!” She screamed. Firestar's tail suddenly came down and snapped under her hooves and tossed her back into the cave. She rolled with the impact. “Run!” Firestar shouted. Solar froze in fear, looking at something that was somehow even bigger than her new friends. The thing roared as the dragon shot into the air, it's roar so loud she couldn't hear her own scream over it. (***) Several Mardooks grabbed the legs of the monster and threw it off the cliff, but the creature was able to grab to of them with it's tail as it fell. It smashed the two into the ground beneath itself as it landed in the ravine below. Hundreds of fire balls fired down at the creature, but it leaped into the air and shot up before the bulk of them impacted. “Get in formation, get in formation!” Rays shouted, running towards his soldiers. Massive balls of rock and stone started to come down from the monster in the air, shredding through his soldiers. “Fire together, you can't hurt him as individuals. TOGETHER!” Rays felt himself tossed, feeling like a rag doll as he flew through the air and slammed into the hard rock around him. He tried to get up, but his hip screamed in pain as he tried. He looked over, at a nearby cave, hearing screaming. “No...” A red food crashed down next to him. “Firestar... get her out of here, please...” “If I flee with her, I'll be shot down, you know that.” “Then... then... Solar...” “She'll never get away in that cave...” the father looked up at the monster, terror in his eyes. “We'll do our best.” A green foot landed on the other side of Rays. “We have no advantages over this one...” Torkuda said. “You know it, if we formed up, we would just make a bigger target.” “It's the only chance you would have of destroying him.” “Not the only chance,” Torkuda spread his wings and threw them down, taking off, the wind from that single beat of his wings slamming into Rays and almost forcing him unconscious. Rays watched as the dragon's form went straight up into the air, so far it up looked like a dot in just seconds. The dot moved right and seemed to move away, faster and faster. Rays rolled onto his side. “What are you doing Tork? The fight is the other way... you can't just run away...” his eyes grew. “No...” the dot changed direction and started coming straight back. It came faster and faster, Torkuda's form getting big faster than Rays even thought it could. He watched as a huge shock wave went out from the dragon's form. The dragon spun in the air, pulling in it's wings, continuing to go faster and faster. The red monster banked just in time, crashing into the ground below. From the way the creature was moving, Rays could tell, despite every advantage the monster had, THAT terrified even it. The dragon and the earth pony both watched as Torkuda flew around the monster, zipping around him at incredible speeds. The red monster flew into the air, turning it's head as Torkuda flew straight out from him. Torkuda banked and shot back, the monster opening it's mouth and firing out a mass of fire and stone. An explosion occurred several hundred feet out from the monster. Rays closed his eyes, hanging his head. “I-” A bright red light shot out from the explosion, tearing out and forcing Rays to close his eyes. “Is that... is that...” Firestar said above him. Rays opened his eyes, and then widened them. “Is that what?- How is he alive?” Rays asked. He looked at Torkuda flying in the air. “He was just chosen... there's an ancient legend that the dragons of old created five elements to protect the realm... we never knew what from but... we don't even have militaries anymore, how could that have been true?” “You mean other races have elements too?” Rays asked. “Other races?” Firestar asked back. A red beam shot out from Torkuda's mouth, ripping forward and tearing straight through the red monster like it's flesh was made of paper. The monster's body fell to the ground, a huge portion of it split like a large knife had tried to cut it in half. The green dragon turned and flew back to sergeant Ray's, landing near him. Ray's felt the soft fur of his daughter as Solar pushed against his back, trying to help him back up. “Daddy... daddy please be okay.” He reached over and petted her mane. “Daddy is okay.” He hugged his daughter to him. “Just need a little operation on my hip maybe kiddo,” He looked up at the green dragon, a large gold chain with what looked like a locket hanging from it around his neck. “Cool trinket. So... that's four out of five then...” The earth shook, the landing dragons turning to look as a massive black raven landed near the red monster. The raven gave out a sound like a laugh. It's mouth didn't move as it's eyes glowed with the words that came from it. “The day is yours. I would be a fool to challenge you all now.” the raven looked down at the monster. “But know this, there will not be peace. There are more of us, and more than us. How will you stop them?” Torkuda raised his hand, a finger in the air. “If you'll excuse me, I just have one question... actually two.” The raven looked at him and cocked its head. “First off, whose going to tells these horrors you speak of to come? Also- is every demon stupid enough to let you talk to them in the middle of a fight?” Torkuda threw his arm forward, point straight at the raven, hundreds of fire balls shooting at the creature at once, slamming into it and throwing it off it's feet. “To the air.” The dragons shot up into the sky, several carrying large stones. (***) The shadows of several dragons passed over the palace, Celestia sending power to her horn, magic lances appearing next to her. She walked through the palace gardens. “If there were a way I could apologize for what I've done...” she said to herself, only hoping they could hear her. A pegasi mare landed in front of her, carrying a young filly. “You can,” said the pegasus. “Just apologize to us. After all, my family and I, we're dragons now.” “You're ponies,” Celestia said. “No,” the mare said back. She put her foal down. “WE'RE DRAGONS!” Shouted the filly. A massive dragon landed behind her, this one larger than any Celestia had ever seen. “Meet the dragon Lord.” the filly declared gleefully. Celestia bowed down. The foal put her hooves over her ears as the dragon let out a powerful roar, shaking the palace. Author's Note Let's not hide it, this chapter is all about having fun. This is a story that has hints of a moral message that are worth discussing, but in the end it's all an excuse to make big monsters fight. And really, isn't that the best moral of them all?
Dragon Army Part 1: Fall of the Dragon Lands400 years ago... Massive bat wings beat, wind sweeping across the land as the creature shot over the dragon lands. Torkuda looked up from his jungle home, the young green helgath dragon not... sure what he was seeing. It looked like a dragon, but it was much larger than any fellow species the young one had ever seen. He opened his wings and jumped through the over head trees and into the air. He soared after the creature, noticing as many other young dragons were flying out as well. Torkuda pulled his wings forward and then shot them back, tearing through the air like a missile, his mind so desperate to know, what was this thing? The creature was red and scaly, having four legs and a wing span nearly double its size. From the side and behind, it actually looked a lot like a fellow helgath. However, if the creature were to stand on the earth, it might have been twenty stories tall- Torkuda himself was barely three. Torkuda spun and unraveled his wings as he pulled ahead of the creature. He slowed down and looked back. The massive new dragon- no this was definitely not a dragon. All down it's spine there were massive jagged horns... more like large spiked rocks on it's back sticking out at odd angles. On it's head it had eight horns, two on top, twisting out like those of an antelope, six others were on the right and left of it's mouth, like the horns of a bull. It had six eyes that glowed purple. Finally its long mouth did look enough like that of a helgath however. What was this? Several dragons were now flying ahead of the creature. The creature turned its head to look over at one of the other dragons and opened it's mouth. A ball of flames and rocks shot out and slammed into the other young dragon, shredding it in the air. Torkuda's eyes widened, seeing one of his friends disintegrated in one shot. He dived down as the other young dragons fired off in all directions. The monster twisted in the air, its tail, which had a large stone like – thing- on the end, snapping too and fro, ripping through several young dragons. Torkuda landed in the trees... how could a creature like that get this far into the dragon lands? This place had always been safe. He had come to help the older dragons watch the younglings. Thousands of baby dragons were in these woods! His eyes filled with fear, watching the creature turn in the air, mouth open, fire ushering out of its mouth, flames ripping through the trees. Torkuda's ears started to ring with the screams as infant and child dragons, too young to have their fire resistant scales, burned alive. He let out a scream of his own and tore away. (***) That was only the first. There were five creatures, one, a twenty story long giant centipede, two, a ten story nine eyed crow, three, a fifteen story long snake with ahead on both ends of its body, four, a ten story tall ape like creature, with a mouth on its stomach. The fifth was the dragon like creature that attacked the nursery. The dragons came to know them as the “outer demons”. No one could talk to them and they seemed barely phased by fire. There had never been anything in all the world large enough to feed on dragons and if anything ever threatened them, most simply moved up to full size and blew fire, their enemy running away. The other races mostly avoided dragons. These things were not like the other creatures in the world. On occasion they would eat dragons, but mostly they seemed to just want to destroy and kill, wiping out all life. They destroyed forests and jungles, the five creatures moving on the massive dragon lands and slowly destroying everything alive. They were taking their time, but nothing seemed to grow in their wake. Over the course of fifty years, Torkuda and many dragons being forced to retreat to the border of the neighboring Equestria. (***) Torkuda had grown into a massive bull dragon, five stories tall with an eighty foot wing span. The rocks of this country were good to live on, even if they didn't taste as good as those found in fertile soil. The lands near Equestria were often barren, as opposed to the land in Equestria, but venturing into their territory usually proved fatal, as the equines believed dragons ate meat and on sight they would attack in mass and kill them. There were those who tried to go back home, but only a few returned, terror in their eyes. Dragons knew the basic layout of Equestria, but avoided it and especially it's capital. There was a difficulty however. Dragons had a natural yearning to migrate in order to mate, why, none seemed to know, dragons normally didn't keep good records of their history. Still some were starting to suspect it had something to do with the monsters now attacking. They had always migrated over their own lands, but now, they had to migrate over Equestria if they were to follow instinct. The Dragon Lord declared a simple solution. They migrate as a unit and simply not stop. The ponies would only attack one at a time, if they attacked at all, so only a few would be killed. Dragon Lord Devon walked over a huge stone over hang, looking over the land of Equestria, his shadow cast over the dragons below. He let out a roar and thousands of dragons shot into the air, the sun fading from sight on the ground as their shadows began to bath the land of the equines in darkness. In only minutes, Torkuda heard screaming and looked down, seeing the pony creatures running in terror. What were they thinking was going on? Were they experiencing the same fear he faced fifty years ago? Their screams sounded a lot like his. But they weren't being attacked. Torkuda and his group continued on, ponies simply scattering, none seeming to dare to approach or talk to them. The shadow of the group started to approach Ponyville, Torkuda starting to grow numb to the screams. He hated the sound, but this was what had to happen it seemed. He closed his eyes to tune them out and- felt himself yanked to the right and then pulled straight to the ground. He slammed head first into the earth and slammed onto his back. He rolled several times on the grass... it had been years since he had felt an actual field... and then pulled up to his feet, hearing a voice. “What is the meaning of this?!” he looked over at the voice, seeing a large white pony. Large for a pony anyway, the mare would still would barely have been large enough for him to have trouble swallowing it in one bite. She was dressed in armor, had a horn and large bird like wings. “You dragons have always kept to your own lands, but over the last several months more and more of you have... and now- you are TERRIFYING MY PEOPLE!” She finally screamed at him. “What do you want?!” Torkuda stepped back from the pony and shook his head. He stood up to his full size and opened his mouth, spewing flames at the pony, thinking to make her fly away. However she didn't run, her horn glowed, the flames shooting back into his own face and his head was thrown to the ground, forcing him to bite his own cheek. The dragon got up, spitting out a small amount of blood. Torkuda looked at the red substance, understanding it was his own. He held his head down, looking at the white pony. “I will ask again creature, what is it you want?!” he shook his head and lept into the air, wings spread and- slammed into the ground on his back. The shadows of his brothers and sisters continued to go over head, screams echoing out all around. “You WILL answer me,” the mare said. “Why?” the dragon finally answered. “Why what? I am the one asking questions here.” “Why do you fight me alone?” He pulled up to his full size again. “You seem to have magic that could harm me, but how certain are you would would really win a fight?” Torkuda did his best to look angry. “I... I could, I have no idea,” the mare admitted. “We are... migrating. Your people have nothing to fear. Just let me go.” He backed away a few more times. “Why are you afraid?” she asked. “Because you can hurt me, of course I'm afraid, why aren't you?” he demanded back. “Who says I'm not? You dragons are covering my entire kingdom in shadow.” Torkuda looked up, twisting his lips. “Weeeeell... it is a moving shadow, don't act like we're blotting out the sun or anything.” “But why are you migrating through here?” “We're afraid.” “Of what? What could cause such massive creatures to flee?” “We don't fight, don't you pay attention?” Torkuda asked. “The things that are after us are bigger than us, everything else just flees on our approach. We are simply surviving as we always have.” She looked at him, her head tilted. “You... you aren't fearsome monsters... you dragons are just... I don't understand. You have to fight.” “How do you fight something bigger than yourself?” “I... we do it all the time. We just organize our military and-” But she stopped, appearing to almost choke to make herself stop. She shook he head and waved her hoof at the sky. “Very well, if you creatures are not a threat, I will let you proceed. I'll do my best to tell the others not to be afraid on your approach.” She looked at him again. “Do you have names?” “Of course. Mine is Torkuda.” “Torkuda... if your kind are not warriors, I would keep it that way... but if what's coming is enough to- Torkuda there may be a way to stop those things... never mind just go.” Torkuda looked at her curiously, but then felt himself thrown into the air. He quickly opened his wings, catching his breath at the force. He realized the shadow of his kind was far away. He was alone in the pony world. He beat his wings and shot off after his group. (***) Celestia watched after the dragon. She spoke, as if he could hear him. “Whatever is coming...” she shook her head. “It's just your problem...” She closed her eyes. “I feel pity for you, but I cannot allow that to cloud my judgment. To fight your own war, you would need your own army. If there were, it would sweep over our land like a tidal wave...” Even speaking her thoughts aloud did not quite the doubts she was feeling about letting Torkuda go. She looked around nervously. “I mean... besides, if something hunts dragons, why would it even be interested in ponies?” Author's Note This story is going to try to explain a good deal about the dragon lands and their culture as it continues. Not sure just yet how many parts there will be, but still, I hope it's not too many to lose the whole "anthology" concept I was going for. In any case, something to discuss. Here Celestia is not seen making a decision that seems "good" is she? It's easy to see why though, she might want to help the dragons out of basi sympathy, but a dragon army could devastate her country.
