The sun slowly began to set behind the massive volcanic mountains that indicated the border between Equestria and the Dragon Badlands, the climate becoming increasingly more colder by the minute. As the winds that blew softly across the forests below began to dissipate, a sudden gust of wind brushed over the dense treetops, immediately followed by a flash of pink and white.

"S-slow down, Fizz! We don't wanna- WOAH!"

You just barely manage to dodge a couple of loose treebranches containing a nest of Phoenix birds. They duck their heads and look on as you and Fizzle speed off.

"We don't wanna fly straight into the camp!" You yell, clinging onto the albino dragon for dear life.

Your words finally get into his head and he looks visibly worried while trying to find a suitable place to land. Once he does, he slows down significantly, diving down at a much careful speed.

Once he lands, you unwrap your arms around him and slowly get off, taking a moment to regain yourself and fixing up your hair.

"Sorry A-Anon..." Fizzle says shyly and guiltfully, hugging you softly as he gently nuzzles you, "I just didn't want us to arrive before anything happened..."

You sigh and hug him back, still feeling a bit woozy, "I know Fizzy. I just... didn't expect you to be that fast."

Fizzle visibly blushes and smiles, looking to the side and clicking his claws together. You can't help but smile more at his cute display. After realizing that hiking back nonstop would still take a day or two at best, you decided to ask Fizzle if he could fly you both to base camp as fast as possible.

And for how small, fragile and nimble he was, he sure was fast.

Well, fast is a probable understatement. Any faster and you probably would've passed out, honestly.

Regardless, you were both just a couple yards away from the entrance to base camp. From where you entered with Sentinel in your arms, and left with renewed vigor and a thirst for justice.

And now you're returning with nothing but the clothes on your back and a pink effeminate dragon that you've called your own.

Not that bad for your first tour in the most dangerous border in Equestria.

"So... how... how are you gonna convince them that I'm not just another brutish dragon...?" Fizzle asks you nervously, taking glances towards the guarded entrance of base camp, then back towards you.

You think for a moment before sighing and looking up at Fizzle with an honest, stern look on your face.

"...I guess I'll just convince them one way or another."

With that, you and a slightly confused Fizzle begin to walk down the makeshift dirt path, the nervousness between both of you evident, but you're able to hide it much better than he can. As you both continue on down the path, you both become more visible to the guards at the gate. One of them immediately notices you both and aims his crossbow, quickly followed by the second guard.

"-cause I don't think she'll offer anypony more firewatch towe... what the... hey! Halt! By the order of The Royal Sis..."

The first guard's sentence dies before he can finish as the two come into clear view of the two guards.

"Uh... Anon? Is that you...?" The second guard asks nervously, but still keeping his crossbow aimed at Fizzle, who looks as if he would fly away at the first sign of trouble.

"Yeah, it's me and yes, I'm with a dragon."

"Look, I can explain it all if you can get Strikewing over here. I got some top priority information for him that'll either make or break this entire operation."

The second guard lowered his crossbow slightly and looked over at the first guard, unsure of what to really do.

"...Well? Go get Strikewing over here!" The first guard demanded.

"Uh... y-yes sir!" The second guard quickly saluted, took one quick nervous glance at Fizzle, then ran off towards the command tent.

The first guard then turned back to you and Fizzle, still dumbfounded as to why you'd bring a dragon to the base camp of the Royal Guards.

"Y... you haven't turned traitor or anything... have you, Anon?" He asks nervously. You quickly shake your head.

"Wh- no! I just... look, just let me explain to Strikewing and you'll know, alright?"

The guard simply stayed quiet as he took glances at the dragon meekly hiding behind you, avoiding his glances. He notices that you're whispering something to the dragon, which visibly calms him down just a little bit, only for the fear to come back when he sets his eyes on Strikewing and to your surprise, Shining Armor, escorted by eight other Royal Guards.

"If Strikewing won't be understanding... then I'm sure Shining will."

"Hopefully."

As he makes eye contact with you, you notice a couple of Pegasi guards having covertly taken position on top of some clouds several yards above you and Fizzle, their scoped crossbows at the ready.

Strikewing raises his wing, the escort stopping as Shining Armor begins to speak to you, "Anonymous... I will let you explain yourself as to why you brought a dragon here of all things."

"I really hope your explanation is good one, Anon." Strikewing adds, his face stoic but his eyes show clear worry.

You nod and exhale softly, beginning to speak to the guards before you, "Before anything else happens... I just want you all to know that this is the dragon that saved me. His name is Fizzle. Usually, Sentinel would be here to back me up, but... my word is probably the best you'll get."

"...You did give a vague description of the dragon during our debriefing. Pink and white, correct?" Strikewing asks. You nod and step aside a little for the guards to look at Fizzle, even though he tries to stay right behind you, where he feels safe.

"Okay then, Anonymous... but why exactly did you bring him here? I want a better explanation than that."

"Because... look, long story short, we eavesdropped on a trio of dragons earlier today. In fact, two of those three were the dragons that attacked me and Sentinel. As they were looking for us in a cave, they talked about sabotaging the train station and the railway."

"The reason I brought Fizzle here is because I don't want to leave him alone out in the forest with those two dragons... especially with them around."

Strikewing sighs and walks forward to you and Fizzle. The other guards begin to follow, but Shining stops them.

He continues until he comes face to face with the two of you, looking up at you, then at Fizzle, who, although still hiding behind you, waves and smiles very timidly at Strikewing.

After a full minute or so, he looks up and speaks to you, "Anon... in any other circumstance, I'd have you and your friend here apprehended the moment you appeared in the front gates."

"...but you haven't given me a reason to doubt you yet. Hence why I'm still standing and not being ambushed."

You nod, both of you still staring at each other until he speaks up again, "Do you know where these dragons are?"

"Kind of, sir. They shouldn't even be a mile away from where the station is by now, if they actually are planning on going with their plans."

Strikewing nods, then turns around and faces the other guards, "You heard the man! I want a squadron of Pegasi patrolling the western and northern railways now!"

"The rest of you will follow me. We're going to be patrolling the forests just outside the station. Have all Unicorns enhance your bolts to incapacitate! We're out here looking for dragons, not a war."

Strikewing then turns to you, "You're coming with us, since you have a, albeit rough, idea of where they'll be."

"Yes sir. But uh... what about Fizzle?"

"He'll stay here, in a secured area until we return."

"Don't worry, Commander. Me and my guards will see to that." Shining says, walking up to the three of you.

Fizzle looks at you with worry, his arms tightening around your waist. You turn around and smile softly, gazing into his eyes.

"Don't worry. Nothing bad will happen to you. I promise I'll be back as soon as we're done, okay?"

Your reassurance seems to do the trick, as he slowly unwraps his arms from around you and leans in for a much needed kiss. You happily do so, holding it for longer than usual before you both break the kiss and smile.

You hear someone clear their throat and you both turn around. You see the looks of pure shock on most guards. Others are blushing madly, like Shining Armor, while others are trying their best to hold in their laughter. Strikewing however, still looks as stoic as ever.

"R-right... Follow me if you will dra- uh, Fizzle." Shining orders, composing himself as Fizzle follows, covering his blushing face with his wings as some guards stare.

Strikewing however, is seemingly unfazed, "Well? Let's get a move on!" He orders, snapping the others back from wherever their minds were. You and your small contigent of Guards begin to follow you and Strikewing to the dragons' possible location.

Three Pegasi fly over you and Strikewing as they provide your patrol air support, the flashlights on their vests beaming down on the forest floor and through the bushes. You and Strikewing have been silent as you've searched all around in a grid pattern.

You've since then reloaddd your shotgun back to your normal non lethal stun shells, at the request of Strikewing. He himself was armed with a crossbow with shock bolts, vigorously searching for any traces of the dragons, before moving on to the next sector. As he does, he finally breaks the silence between the two of you.

"So... You've got the hots for that dragon back there? The one that saved you?"

You nod, brushing away some very loose branches with your shotgun barrel, "Yea- yes sir. I knowhow ironic it is and all... but I don't know. Guess we just clicked, or whatever."

Strikewing chuckles a little bit, "I've heard of stranger love stories. But you do realize that he cannot come to Equestria... right?"

"I know that, sir."

"Not only that, but you're still pending for a dishonorable discharge of worse."

"I know."

You both continue to search for a few minutes in awkward silence, before Strikewing sighs and looks up at you.

"I hope that you know that I don't take any pleasure in saying that. If it were up to me, I wouldn't care beyond the citizenship thing. But it isn't up to me. You know what you signed up for. And what you're supposed to do."

You stay silent for a moment, before nodding and moving forward, "I realize all that, and I appreciate that your mindset is in line with mine, sir. But... surely there's got to be something that can be done? Anything?"

Strikewing thinks to himself as he moves closer to you, then speaks in a more quieter tone, "The most I can do for you Anon, is to convince Shining Armor to let you hear your side of this story. If your dragon lover hasn't already."

"I'm not guaranteeing anything, but I'm sure he'd be willing to listen to you. At the very least."

You smile at this, and think of Fizzle possible talking to Shining and maybe giving a better perspective on all of this.

If he isn't dying of nervousness due to talking to someone of such high authority, that is.

"...Thanks for the assurance at least, sir."

Strikewing just smiles and nods, as you both begin to move closer to regroup with the nearest group of Guards.

As you both do, you hear a Pegasi yell suddenly a couple yards away.

"What the... hey... h-hey! I found them! I think I found the- AAAH!"

As you and the others look at the direction the Pegasi is at, you're almost blinded by the brightness of the bright orange flames coming from the tree branches.

"Everyone move! Don't let those damn dragons escape!"

You quickly run towards the dragon's location, seeing the dragon you know as Garble dropping down from the tree branches and onto the ground, next to the knocked out pegasus that found him. Two other dragons follow suit.

Garble notices you running towards him and his eyes widen, before he growls loudly and prepares to charge at you.

"Now!" Strikewing yells, as three Unicorns come up from beside him and fire magical bolts at the dragon trio.

Two of the bolts directly hit the two other dragons, causing them to spasm and quickly collapse to the floor with unintelligible yells. Garble looks left and right as his two pack members collapse beside him.

The final bolt impacts his leg, causing him to roar loudly and stumble, clutching it in pain. You take this opportunity to quickly rush over to him.

As the distance between the two of you closes, you adjust your shotgun and hold it by the barrel and stock, before slamming it right onto the side of Garble's face, smacking his head with massive blunt force as his head snaps to the side and he collapses to the floor, unconscious.

You quickly reach to your side for a pair of zip ties to use as temporary restraints. As you do this, several other guards go over to you and quickly begin doing the same to the other dragons.

As you finish up tying Garble's legs and claws together, you look behind you and see Strikewing looking at you, then back down at the three dragons.

"Guess we have a lot to discuss when we get back."

After a relatively short hike back to base, you finally set the unconscious dragon down on a wooden platform, stretching and rolling your shoulders as you as you sigh.

The guards at the entrance of the base mutter to each other as they stare at the unconscious dragons, then back at you. You can just barely make out what they're saying.

"Shit... I guess he wasn't lying after all."

"I don't know if I'm comfortable with the idea of three dragons in our base..."

"I'm just glad Anon didn't turn out to be a traitor or something."

"Do you think we should've known better...?"

"Fuck if I know."

You stop eavesdropping on their conversation when you see Strikewing motioning you over to him, Shining Armor and Fizzle, who looks no worse for wear, to your immense relief.

Fizzle looks over your shoulder towards Garble and the two other dragons, making him look uneasy, but once he sets his eyes back to you, he visibly relaxes and smiles at you.

You do the same, but to your surprise, he winks at you before looking down at both Shining and Strikewing.

"Well, Anon. You've proven yourself here once more. And while you are in a... unique legal position right now, you've more than earned the opportunity to give your si-"

Before Strikewing can continue, Shining raises his hoof to pause him, "No need, Strikewing. I've heard quite enough from both sides."

He then looks up at you, staring right into your eyes with a neutral look as he continues, "We will discuss this further inside the command tent. But before we do, what is the biggest question on your mind right now?"

You sigh and look over at Fizzle, who smiles softly at you, then you look back down at Shining.

"What are the requirements for Equestrian citizenship for dragons?"

Shining continues to stare at you with a neutral look, as the tension and nervousness in your body grows, but you don't dare show it.

After what seemed like an eternity, you see Shining slowly form a small smile.

"Fizzle, Anon, follow me if you will."

Author's Note

And so it concludes. As much as it pains me to say this, here is the last chapter. It has been a hell of a run. The first fully-fledged story I've done on this site in two years and I've got to say, I'm proud of myself. I can't thank you all enough for sticking around and reading it all the way through. Without you guys, I wouldn't have ever gotten the motivation to finish this story. So, from the bottom of my (and Fizzle's) heart, thank you.

Psst! Don't forget the epilogue.