My Little Pony & Ben 10: Cosmic Crisis

“So you're saying that he first appeared in front of all of you transformed into some kind of giant dragon?" Spike asked, greatly surprised and terrified at the same time, mounted on top of Applejack’s back. The little baby dragon had lost all the action due to falling asleep during the trip, and Twilight had left him in care of Celestia's guards before entering the Throne room.

"Well, I wouldn't necessarily call it a dragon" a dubious Rarity answered, while trying to keep her pace to Applejack, who, thanks to the strong and toned muscles in her legs, was able to move with an impressive speed, passing from a hallway to another in a matter of seconds and barely sweating. "It was a lizard about the size of a skyscraper, but it did not possess wings on its back like I am aware adult dragons do. Actually, now that I think about it, it didn't even have incendiary breath! ".

"But how do you know that...?" Spike made a brief pause to hang on to Applejack. The farmer pony was trotting with such a pace that he almost fell off from her. Even he knew that hitting the freshly waxed floor at that speed could be lethal. "How do you know that he couldn't spit fire?"

"Because if he could" Applejack replied with a heavy breathing. Spike was able to observe that the element of honesty was finally beginning to run out. "He surely would've turned us into some roasted apples".

“I still don't get it” Spike said, scratching his head with his right forepaw in confusion. “If he's already under custody, why do we have to make a magic force field that surrounds the castle?”

“Ah ain't sure, sugarcube” Applejack said, keeping up the speed. “Princess Luna told us all that humans are so clever and dangerous they can easily break free from almost any place, so we can’t let him escape from the castle if it is true!”

“Ugh! How many more rooms do we have to pass through before reaching the royal dungeon, Applejack?” Rarity suddenly asked, with her mane disheveled and her fur full of sweat. Unlike Applejack’s, her hooves were not made to resist a punishment of that kind, and she was starting to get annoyed. “I highly doubt I can run much longer! I haven't even brought my couch!”

“We're almost there, Rares” the orange mare replied, trotting as fast as she could while ignoring the white unicorn’s protests. Her green, emerald eyes finally spotted a greyish door that did not quite match with the rest of the castle’s architecture. A bat-winged pegasus from Luna’s royal guard who was protecting the entrance with suspicion hurried to open it when he saw the two mares and the dragon going directly to his position. Celestia, who was also there, turned around to receive them. “Aha! There it is!”

After stopping on her tracks abruptly, Applejack hurried to kneel before her majesty. Spike took the chance and let himself fall to the floor, while Rarity fainted like a lady in a Shakespearean play.

“Ground! Sweet, beautiful ground at last!” The purple dragon exclaimed, kissing the floor nonstop.

“First Rarity, and now Spike too? Why does everypony around me over exaggerate everythin'?” Applejack said to herself, letting out a sigh of frustration.

“I'm glad you’ve all managed to come here so fast, Applejack” Celestia said with a warm, honest smile. “I suppose my sister and the others are busy creating the magic field”.

“Yer right, Princess” the farm pony replied, while rising up from the floor. “Pinkie Pie insisted on guardin' the main doors so nopony could interrupt us, 'n Fluttershy decided to stay with her. So, where's that human now exactly?”

“He's down there right now, inside of one of our special cells. I’ve let both Twilight and Rainbow Dash alone so they can interrogate him. I'm sure he'll spill the beans very soon” the big white alicorn replied, pointing out the already open entrance with her left fore hoof and a sharp tone. Her attitude had changed as fast as a dragon ready to protect its treasure.

Applejack raised an eyebrow and squinted her eyes. She could tell something was not right with the princess. Both Twilight and her still remembered that cold glare she had on her face when she saw the human for the first time a few hours ago. Granted, Princess Luna was not the most social pony there was and she could sometimes discuss or announce things with a very solemn, archaic tone-After all, being trapped one thousand years on the moon makes you lose how the world around you evolves-. But this behavior coming from Celestia was rather unusual, if not suspicious. Even though they’d barely interacted all those years despite becoming an Element of Harmony, she was aware of how kind and honest Celestia could be. According to the tales Granny Smith used to tell her and Big Macintosh when they were both foals during those precious summer nights, the Apple family had had a strong and beautiful relationship with her for centuries ever since they arrived to the future land of Ponyville, and they all had described her as polite, pure and noble. Either they had discovered an unknown facet of her personality or Celestia knew something she didn’t want them to know. And if that was the case, she was not doing a very good job trying to hide it, and this was an observation coming from a terrible liar. However, it was neither the place nor the time to make judgements, let alone childish accusations.

“I don't mean to sound like I'm criticizing your royal decisions, princess” Rarity said, finally getting up from the floor. Applejack still couldn’t understand how her friend always had the ability to express herself every time she was having one of her, as she and the others used to call them, “drama queen moments”. “But, don't you think it is a little, uh, what is the nicest way to say it….foolish to put Rainbow Dash to interrogate the prisoner?”

“I am very aware of Rainbow Dash's occasional ruthless attitude, Rarity” Celestia slowly replied, changing neither her posture nor the tone in her voice. “But I'm also certain that Twilight will stop her from doing something inappropriate. After all, that’s why I chose the two of them to lead the interrogatory after all. I've always saw them as two complete opposites”.

“Oh! You mean you're relying on the old Good Pony Bad Pony routine?” Spike asked with curiosity.

“That is correct, Spike” Celestia affirmed. The same smile she had received Applejack and Rarity with returned once she turned to talk to the little dragon. Both the unicorn and the farm pony noticed this sudden change and exchanged a quick glance between them. “I know it's not the most orthodox method, but I know Twilight will be able to pull it off. I believe in her”.

“Maybe we should go down there and see if they need any assistance” Rarity suggested, looking at the terrifying darkness that surrounded the opened dungeon’s entrance. “It might make things easier for them”.

“Are ya sure about that, Rarity?” Applejack asked, scratching her head with her left hoof. “'Cause Ah don't really see how we could be useful”.

“Applejack!” Rarity shouted, genuinely amazed. “How can you ask me such a thing? Of course I am sure! After all, it is our moral obligation to help our friends in need, especially in such a confusing situation as this! It doesn't matter if we are not sure if Twilight and Rainbow Dash are alright without us or not. We must see it for ourselves!”

Applejack blushed and lowered her head embarrassed. Even she couldn’t believe what she had said. An uncomfortable silence surrounded the room for a couple of seconds.

“Yer right!” she finally affirmed, raising her head with determination while adjusting her stetson. “Princess, we’re goin' in there right now!”

“Very well” the princess nodded, stepping away from the door, letting the way clear for the two ponies. “Remember that I will enter immediately if things get out of hoof down there. And whatever you do, do not believe a word that human says. Their species are experts when it comes to lying and manipulation”.

The farm pony and the unicorn exchanged a quick glance once more and then nodded.

“Alright!” Spike exclaimed, raising his fist like a knight ready to save her princess. Rarity giggled, slightly impressed. “Human, here we go!”

“Oh, I'm sorry, Spikey-Wikey” Rarity said, stopping the little dragon on his track with her right hoof. “But I think it will be better for you to stay here with the princess until we’ve dealt with that ruffian. Just in case something happens, as you will understand”.

“What?” Spike asked, frustrated. “But I want to go! I’ve never seen a human before! This isn’t fair! And besides, Twilight needs his number one assistant!”

“I would hear Rarity of I were you, Spike” Celestia said with a frown. “We still don't know how dangerous this human can be, and the last thing I want to think about is losing you at his hands”.

“But, but I…” The purple dragon protested, turning to Applejack, searching for support. “Applejack, please! Back me up, will you?

“Spike, this ain't up for debate” Applejack stated sharply. “Yer staying' here, where it is safe for ya. Period. We don’t want ya to get hurt”.

“Fine” Spike sighed in defeat with a mix of emotions. He felt betrayed and excluded, yet he could still understand their concern. He saw as Rarity and Applejack entered into the chamber and disappearing in the darkness while going down the grey, concrete stairs.

“Good luck” Celestia managed to say. There were no signs of happiness or rage in the alicorn goddess's face now. Instead, just one emotion remained.

Fear.