Steam The Unknown

Chapters

Press Start
Power up
Blizzaga
First Boss
Red Hearts
ZERG RUSH!

Press Start

Steam the Unknown

by Cavedragon

Edited by: JTHENOOB

Chapter one: Press Start

I know what your thinking, why is a dragon like me falling to his death? Well, that's a very long story, and what a story it is. heh, I guess I have to start my story from the very beginning, and the beginning of my story takes place in San Francisco.

. . .

I just moved into my apartment with my roommate JJ . It was a two bedroom two bath apartment, with a good view of a Walmart parking lot. The rent was ok and there was free Wi-fi, so I couldn't complain.

My alarm clock was buzzing when I awoke to the morning light through the windows of my room. It sucks to be a twenty-one year old guy that has to get up in the morning for work. I groaned as I tryed to slap the snooze button, typically my hand shoved the clock off my dresser. My eye snapped open when the annoying plastic box collided with the wooden floor. A yawn escaped from my mouth as I rolled out of my bed and stretched. The sound of cars coming and going echoed in my room. I went into my bathroom and did my usual routine. Out of the shower, I ex-amend myself in the mirror. I was about 5"9', wire frame, and looked to be about a standard cute gamer, but it didn't bother me much. Fresh from the shower and shaved, I dragged myself to the kitchen.

I stumbled over some packed boxes in the small hallway. With some swearing under my breath, I made my way into the kitchen. The sounds of a cartoon show hummed from the living room as I popped a breakfast hotpocket into the microwave. I looked around the corner of the kitchen into the living room to see what was on.

My roommate was watching My Little Ponies: Friendship is Magic. It was a pretty good cartoon but it wasn't my cup of joe. It was a rerun of the episode of a Blue unicorn that call's herself The Great and Powerful Trixie. I watch the show from time to time with JJ when nothing else is on. When the microwave dinged, I took my steaming hotpocket out of the microwave, sat down on the couch, and watched the end of the episode.

"Hey Nick, wouldn't it be awesome to actually go to Equestreia?" he asked. Oh, my name is Nick by the way. I guess I should have told you my name first, but with me falling to my death and everything. But anyway, I just shook my head before answering,"I wouldn't think so." I said, checking my phone for the time. "I have to head in to work man, see ya latter" I got up from the couch. "ya, see ya", he said as he turned his attention back to the T.V, I closed the door. I headed down the the parking lot to check on my car. It was only a steel gray 90 Honda Acord, but it was mine. I made sure all the doors were locked and my stereo was still in it before walking to work.

My work was at the local Mall at Gamestop. It wasn't too bad to work there. The mall was within walking distance of my apartment and I get 12% off of everything in the store. It also was a good way to stay in the loop of what's new and what's a good game. Since I'm a heavy gamer, that's a really good thing.

Nothing was really interesting that day. It was a slow day, boss was being an ass same old same old. Finally I got off work. It was getting late and some of the stores where closed. So I stopped by the food court and got something to eat. I placed my food on a table and sat by myself. I could see the whole food court from where I was sitting. I saw couples on dates and friends having a great time having a night out on the town. It made me wonder what it felt like to be with people that care about me. I gave out a simple sigh and shrugged it off as I began to eat. At the time I didn't really understand what it was like to have friends. Sure I had JJ but that really didn't count much. I could count him as something like a friend I guess, but we didn't hang much. I just shook my head,' naa enough of that, time to get back to my apartment',I thought finishing my meal and headed for the door. The sun was barely going down.

. . .

It was when I was walking home that I saw her. She was about around my age, 5'8 ", with beautiful curves, long black hair, slight tan, deep blue t-shirt that looked like a Hot topic special, dark blue jeans, and black Skullcandy headphones. She was walking the cross walk when the light went green. Her attention was on her 3DS, when a truck was barealing down the street with her in its sights.This isn't good, "Hey Lady!" I yelled after her. She didn't seem to hear me. That's when my feet grew a mind of their own, I found myself sprinting after her. My mind racing, heart pounding and my breath was short. Danm I was out of shape. The truck was moments away from hitting her. Everything went into slow-mo. With a midair tackle and my momentum, I knocked her to the other side out of the street, the truck nearly missed my shoes, I could feel the huge mobile metal monster blow pass the souls of my shoes.

God, I needed to go to the gym more after this, I couldn't catch my breath. I was doing my best to work air back into my lungs when I looked down at her. She had night blue eyes that shimmered in the right light. She was giving me an awkward look as I laid on top of her. "Why arst thou on top of me?" she asked in confusion with a blush. I didn't know why she was talking like that at the time. I shook off the question, probably a local L.A.R.Per that lived around town.

I climbed off her, and helped her to her feet as I explained, " Well, I don't know if your headphones where too loud or what, but you were about to be road pizza so I pushed you out of the way, thus the awkward situation." whoops forgot to breath, I bent over trying to get air. She looked surprised to see her 3DS crushed in the street where the truck had ran it over. " Oh, right... thank you." she looked at me bent over and blushed a little for a split second. " Umm " I said awkwardly trying to find words to say. If you haven't noticed, I'm not very good at talking with girls especially ones that looked as nice as her, being winded didn't help either. "My name is Linda, would you like to get some coffee or something." she said finally breaking the awkward silence. "Umm, sure... I wouldn't mind going for a drink.. but I don't drink coffee but I wouldn't mind getting something to drink with you... oh yeah my name is Nick by the way ". I said, righting myself feeling embarrassed. She smiled and took my hand. If I wasn't blushing then, I was definatley when her hand touched mine.

We talked at the coffee house for what seemed like hours. We talked about games we like and what games that we can't wait to come out. We also talked about how awesome Halloween is and different pranks we pulled. It was getting really dark out when she asked me to come over to her place. That was a first for me. Not many people invite you to their house. It's when she took my hand softly in hers when I smiled and agreed. Well, since the main thing we talked about were games, and she was playing a 3DS when I saved her. So what the hay, most Gamers are very honest and friendly .............. right?

On the way there, I did my best not to stare at her, but it was very hard to look away from that kind of beauty. I mean its not every day you meet a very pretty girl that loves video games. Also, I didn't know it at the time or reason why but some how she just looked even more beautiful at night. 'Is she blushing at me? Oh god she is.' I gulped and looked away. 'Please don't let her see me blushing.' "Are you blushing?" she asked with a giggle, 'ugh I'm pathetic.'

When we where at her apartment, she offered to play Call of duty black ops. I smiled, " Sure one of my favorites". Before she put it in, I made a new profile on her system, she giggled at what I named it. I smiled," What? Got something wrong with Cavedragon92"? She smiled, "No, I just think it suits you. You seem like a dragon". My chest sweld a bit by her comment. I do collect Dragons, and they are my favorite animal. So, I guess she was right. I deflated a little when she giggled at my reaction "albeit a cute one". Whats that supposed to mean?

The game started well, we protected each others backs from the zombies attacks and generally camped for the most part. She was awesome at killing zombies. After what felt like hours, we finally got killed and decided to play virus to see who's skills were better.

The game was getting tense when I got brave enough to ask her."Would you like to.. umm go out on a date sometime....just food and maybe a movie"? She giggled, "Wouldn't that make your other friends jealous? You dating a girl like me"? She got a head shot on me when I gave a sigh. "To be honest Linda, I don't have that many friends. Almost none at all actually". I got a nice shot on her when she took a pause. "So, you don't know what it means to have friends or friendship?" her voice sounded sad when she spoke. I just gave her a shrug, and kept playing. That's when the weird started. "Since thou have saveth my life, I shall show thee friendship as I have found it". I guess she was back in her L.A.R.P character. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her still playing with one hand, and brought her index and middle finger to her forehead. That's when her fingers started to glow. She tried to touch my face but I dogged her hand," HEY, no cheating!" I thought she was trying to block my vision. Unfortunately, when I looked at her to see why she was trying to catch my attention. I caught a hard sucker punch to the left side of my face. Last thing I felt was my face hitting her hard apartment floor.

. . .

I thought I might have died from a broken neck or something, because I saw a white light at the end of a tunnel. Harry Dressden was right, this is such a cliche. However, I didn't expect that it would be coming at me so fast. Before I knew it, I was in the sky with soft clouds around me. They where softer then I imagined. I thought I was in heaven for few a short moments, until the clouds parted. I saw the ground awaiting for my impact with the trees, solid earth and maybe sharp rocks," HO, SHIT!" this isn't good for anyone, especially for me. The only thing I could think of is just close my eyes and waited for the sudden splat of the end. That's not what it felt like.

My body first hit tree branches being tossed me back and forth along my every part of my body. I ended my descent by perfectly landing on my back with a hard thud. It was not to hard,But it wasn't landing on a huge pillow made of marshmallow either. My eyes slowly opened to the sunlight through the trees. Birds where chirping, a genital breeze blew through the branches and flowers gave the seraunding area a sweet scent.

I didn't know where I was. I knew I wasn't in San Fran anymore, it was too ...quiet. Wow, looking back on it now, I just realize when you don't know something was there, until its gone. I gingerly sat up from all my limbs acing at once. My body felt like I was beaten with a Baseball bat repeatedly by the mob. "God, what hell was that all about?", I asked to no one inpaticular. I looked up at the sky, trying to see the tunnel I fell out of, or something. All I could see was a hole in the clouds where I fell, 'That doesn't seem ....normal.'

I closed my eyes and shook my head. I reached up and tried to rub my throbbing skull, but it didn't feel like my face. I felt scaly skin, and a long snout. That's when I took a good look at my hands, which didn't look like my hands. It was a dark blue dragon claw. I flexed my hands, now claws, open and closed. All I could think of was, 'is this real?'

Doing my best to crawl over to a small stream to get a good look at my face. What I saw in the water I couldn't comprehend. A dragon that looked simaler to the D&D red dragon with midnight blue scales instead of red and with a touch of anime on top. My eyes where slightly bigger, and they where a sapphire blue. I couldn't believe this, I tested to see if it was really me by opening and closing my mouth, but no matter how many times I open and closed my mouth, the jaw of the dragon followed me. So, I felt with my... claws going from the tip of my snout to the tips of my black horns. They where well perportioned for my body size. Even so, my image copied me as I moved my claws. I sat there holding my horns, "This is all a dream", I nodded to myself, "ya, just a dream. This is just one of my cool dreams when I'm a dragon. But its time to wake up". Feeling hysteria coming on, I reached down filling my claws with water and splashing my face. When I opened my eyes, I was still by the stream and not in my bed. I splashed my self again, and again I was still by the stream in some forest. I don't know how many times I splashed water in my face. I think I nearly drowned. None the less, it was not a dream.

I sat there looking at my self for the longest time, watching the water drip off my face, before I felt a gerggling in my throat. When I opened my mouth to speak, a small burp of black smoke with dark blue sparkles leapt out. From the smoke came a jet black scroll with a crescent moon and star stamp to keep it closed. " What the", I said with confusion. I might be a dragon fanatic but that's not normal for most dragons. I carefully pick up the scroll and opened it, this was disappointing. The paper was blank. " Whats the point of this? " I turned it over in my claws. " There's nothing on it'.

I wouldn't say that.

I paused when white words appeared on the page. "umm, ok. Who or what are you?" I asked trying to keep my head from the strange and the weird.

My apologies,I should have been more honest with you Nick. My real name is Princes Luna of Equestria.

Another awkward pause,"Wait a minute, your Princess Luna? As in one of the legendary princess sisters of Equestrea, The alicorn sister that raises the moon, The symbol of Nightmare night, and the former Nightmaremoon that was defeated by the mane six of My Little Ponies : Friendship is Magic". Wow, I didn't know I watched that much of that show, but how things are going now, I think I'm going to need all I know to help me through this predicament. There was a long pause before she answered.

That is...very impressive. You are correct on all you say. I am the Luna of that you speak of, and it is also true that the magical world of Equestria is a T.V show in your world.

I took another pause,"There are so many questions but the most important one is what in the BLUE F@#$ am I doing here?" it didn't take much time for her to answer back.

I brought you here to show you the meaning of friendship. Even you said that you didn't know what the meaning of friendship was , so I brought you here......and check your language.

I didn't know to either be confused or furious, " umm ok...." taking a few breaths and counting to ten to do everything from getting angry, "Now how do I get home?", I asked trying to keep myself calm. With my best effort I am doing everything to keep from loosing my temper. The long pause she took didn't help my nerves. " Anything wrong?" I asked, wondering what was going on on Luna's end. " Can you get me home?"

he he... It took a lot of energy to get you here. You see, I had to create a solar eclipse to get you here. However, I kinda couldn't get you here in Canterlot where I am because of the drain of energy it took to bring you here. So I'm sorry to say that you are off near the Northern Fourtys, and I don't have the power to bring you to me now.

I didn't have words to say on how I felt. I was far from home, my only chance to get home is out of energy , and I'm in the middle of a forest off near the Northern Fourtys. Isn't my life great? Well, I can't do anything about it but I guess I have to make the best of it. "Ok, I'm guessing you need to rest from all the effort to bring me here. So, the only way to get to you is if I walk myself." She took a minute to reply.

Yes, that would be the more logical way of doing things. I wish I could help you further.... But what I can tell you are some guide lines to keep you out of trouble.

I shrugged, what other choice did I have? "Ok so, what is it that I need to know?" I asked feeling a bit better about this hole thing. It didn't take her long to reply back.

Ok, first of all you have to have a dragon name. This is so that no one gets suspicious about you here. Human names here are not very common.

I thought for a few moments, going over some of the good dragon names from books I read. Most of them just seemed too violent for this world and some too babyish for me. "Well, I always wanted to be called Thermite." I asked hopeful. I mean not many dragons are named that here..........right?

Well, its a bit long, so the locals will be shortening it to Thermy. So, I would sujust you picking a different name. Something short, sweet, and means something to you. It helps you remember.

I had to chuckle at the nickname that would have been my name. So, I gave it more thought about my new name. Well, like most gamers, not much mattered to me but videogames, and girls hence my predicament, and the main place I got videogames like most gamers was from Steam. I grind at that," hehe Steam."

That's perfect, your Steam the dragon. A very appropriate Dragon name.

I felt a little worm, but other then that I felt normal. " So, witch way do I go to get to you?", I asked interestedly. I have no since of duration, especially in another deamenion. She took a small pause before answering.

Well, I don't know really. My best guess is to find the nearest road and follow it to a town and ask for directions. Besides that, I do not now. I need to rest now. I will be in touch from time to time so you don't feel alone out there. Oh Steam, Please keep cursing to a minimum. The locals wont understand much of it. Oh, to help you get by, just think of this adventure as a videogame.

Oh, and Steam...I hope you can keep our date. ;P

With that last eatery, the scroll disappeared in a puff of black smoke. So there I was, in the middle of the forest with no real detection of as where I'm going, and what did she mean treat this adventure like a videogame? Eh, I'll figure it out latter. I stood up on two still shaky legs and figured out how to walk on them. I know bigger dragons like my body is, can walk on two legs in this stance. I got my balance and started heading in one direction. On ward into the mystery.

. . .

I walked through the forest for what seemed like hours. The flowers where lovely, and smell was even better. There where plants and bushes that I recognized, some I didn't. However, I didn't care, the colors and aromas where spitaculer. That is until I heard the sounds of roaring and sword play. Kinda sounded like I was in a movie. I walked toward the the commotion to see what was going on. What I saw I couldn't believe.

There was one tan brown unicorn wearing what looked like a black fedora fighting off five... What looked like a cross between a lion, a bat, and a scorpion. I think the show called them a Manticore or something. Anyway, the unicorn was doing very well against the creatures. His weapon of choice was a light rapier in a tan aura which I was guessing was his magic. I slowly approached on to the road where the fight was taking place.

The tan unicorn wielded the sword over his head and jab the point in the last Manticores nose. When the beast grabbed at its nose, he bucked it hard in the face to send the ugly thing rolling. He yelled and swung his sword at the scard Manticore, " YA RUN YOU LITTLE KITTY CATS, RUN AWAY WITH YOU'RE TAIL INBETWIXT YE LEGS"! He was awesome, that is until he turned his sword on me. The point was between my eyes. "Friend or foe?" he asked in a lower and deadly voice. Never thought a unicorn from a kids T.V. show would be so violent. "umm," I had to come up with something or hes going to run the nice little point into my brain. "I'm not here to kill you if that's what your wondering." I gave a small I'm innocent smile. He smiled and sheathed his sword,"Oh, that's good to know. Oh by the by, have you seen a little blue unicorn and a earth pony and pegasi run by here"? I just shook my head no. He looked down and shook his head with a sigh of exasperation, "ahhh, that little unicorn is always trying to prove herself and its going to get herself killed." He began to walk down the road. I followed next to him. He seemed to know where he is going.

He looked at me, "Why are you following me dragon?" he asked in a tired voice. I looked right back at him, "I'm kinda lost and you look like you know where your going. My name is Steam by the way." it just came out of my mouth without thinking. I couldn't say my human name now? He just shook his head and looked back towards the road, "So Steam, what is a short dragon like you doing out in a dark forest like this"? I didn't know how to answer his question. Ok, I was a little peved about him calling me short, but that's was because my horns was barely taller then his hat. "I just woke up here and I couldn't remember anything but only my name." What? That is all I could think of. He just shrugged," That's a new one. My name is Sharp Edge by the way." he began to smile when a loud roar shook the surrounding trees. "What in Tartars was that?" I said feeling my pupils shrinking. Edge's eyes slightly widen in horror , "she wouldn't." he said before running off the path back into the forest. I ran as fast I could to keep up with him. "I don't think its good to run off into the forest when Its about to get dark". It was getting very dark. I shuttered thinking of what horrors await when the sun goes down in the forest.

. . .

It was pich black when Edge and myself got to where the sound originated from. We hid in the bushes as we saw the spectral before us.

There was a very pissed off looking blue unicorn with a mane that was so light blue it could be white, with a torn purple stared cap was fighting what looked like the most colossal bear I have ever saw in my life, but this wasn't any normal bear you would see in the woods. This bear was dark purple with stars all over it in many constellations with a large bright blue star on top of its head. I mean this little unicorn was only half a toe claw big and shes staring it down with her blue magic whipping the colossal beast. She was doing good, every swipe of the purple bears claw, she threw up a blue bearer to protect herself. She did look exhausted from the over exertion, but she look hellbent to beat this monster.

I just stared at what was happening in front of me. Edge quietly slid his sword out of it sheath. I looked over at him, "surely your not seriously going to fight that thing"? "I am serious and don't call me Shirley," he said with a deadpanned expression as he leaped over the bushes and cried out "Lets do this LEROY MMM JENKINS!" he yelled charging in his sword tight in his magic. I blinked, "Oh my god he just ran in".

The purple bear yelled when he stabbed it's foot. He dodged the claw that swooped at him. He was very fast with his light rapier, but not fast enough to dodge a second paw knocking him for a loop and bouncing him off trees. The unicorn ran over and held up a shield over her fallen comrade. The purple bear continued its clawing at the unicorn shield, doing everything to get inside for its next meal. However, I can see she was out of gass and losing power.

I didn't think, I just acted. Without hesitation, I ran over and caught the bears paw just in time when the blue unicorns shield broke. Oh god, I never knew I had muscles there. I knew this bear was stronger than me, but I was doing my best not to let them be crushed. My arms where slowly giving way, my entire body was shaking from the pain of holding the humungous paw of this monster. "I didn't sign up for this..." I said to myself through gritted teeth. "I want to go home." one of my knees buckled under me as the weight of the paw coming down on me got harder to hold up. " I want pavement, I want my roman, I want my hot pockets, I want my mountain dew" I slowly pulled my leg out from under me and started to push back on the paw getting some leeway. "I want my cr@%%* car, I want my sh!&% A$$ apartment... but most of all" I felt like I was getting pissed at it all, and I did want all that back including, " MY MOTHER F yayING VIDEOGAMES!"

With that scream, I threw the paw of the purple bear off me. It seemed confused for a split second when my vision went black, and I jumped with a powerful uppercut to the bears face. The purple bear went rolling over trees. Toppling huge trees and creating large gouges in the earth in its path. It got up and roared the same roar that shook the ground. I didn't care how intimidating purple bear was, I was passed pissed off. I roared so loud that it rivaled the bear's. The purple bear rushed me taking that as a challenge. Jaws open showing missing bloody teeth, eyes targeted on me as the cause of its pain. Without thinking, I took a deep breath and let out a jet black flame with white flicks from my mouth. When my flame hit the purple bear, it didn't blow around it like normal flames. It was like the flames itself was alive. The black flame rapped around the large beast quickly, like it was trying to smother the purple bear in its burning embrace. The bear howled in pain and agony as the flame was nearing Its face. The colossal beast fled from the area with some of the flames trying to follow its most needed friend.

I stood there panting hevaly, steam flicked off my body where I stood. The black left my eyes, and I was dog tired. The blue unicorn limped up to me panting, " Why did you save me?" she said between pants. I looked at her feeling very light headed," I did what?" my body leaned forward, and the last thing I remember before I blacked out was my face becoming acquainted with the ground once again.

( Author's Note: This was my first Fanfic. So, please be gentle. I want to give thanks to JTHENOOB for editing. Oh, I can't draw that well so fan art would be helpful.)

Power up

Steam the Unknown

by Cavedragon

Edited by: JTHENOOB

Chapter two: Power up

God, why my face? My head was pounding in my skull, and my body was sore. I think I might have had too much to drink again and I had crazy nightmare. That is till the sounds of crackling wood greated my ears. I opened my eyes to campfire, a small tent, and a tan unicorn with a sword and a black hat black leather duster lying next to him. I groaned it wasn’t a dream. I looked over at the unicorn to see if he was ok. Edge was sleeping on the other side of the fire peacefully. He had bandages wrapped around his middle, but he wasn't to wosre for the where.

I couldn't do more then roll over on to my side, damn I was hurting. I was surprised that I was able to move at all. Looking at the fire, I thought about what happened to me a while ago. I mean, the power was incredible but scary at the same time, but the question remained. Where did it come from? The more I thought about it, the more I couldn't rap my head around it. Well I guess that’s what happens when you try to figure out magic.

A rustling in the bushes cought my attention. I looked up from the fire to see the little blue unicorn came back with some wood in her magic. I could see her better in the fire light. Her cap was in taters, her mane and tail was dark blue with two light blue stripse. I could see her cutie-mark was a star wand with a whisp of blue magic with sparkles. I bet I could guess who I saved last night.

She saw that I was awake; she put the wood into a pile near the fire, and came over to me. “I see that you’re awake Dragon." she said adjusting her hat. It was a dirty blue mages hat, with worn stars. It seemed to have been stepped on at one point in its life. I slowly sat up holding my throbbing head. “Ya, I'm awake... My name is Steam by that way." She smiled as if this was an opening for something," Well Steam" She jumped up and posed like she practiced this before flinging her dingy cap out behind her. With a mystical voice, she began to speak, " I AM THE-“. ” Great and powerful Tixie" I finished for her intro for her. I said it without thinking, and I did think it to be kind of ironic since it was her episode I last saw from my world. She stopped, slack-jawed, some weak firework magic going off behind her. “How did you know that?" she asked a bit deflated by me interrupting her big intro. She dropped to her rump stunned. I shrugged, “I hear things here and there I guess." I rubbed my claw between my horns feeling a dull ache. She just took some pride from that. “Oh I see, my reputation precedes me, even to the more remote regions". “Reputation? That’s not saying much.” Edge snorted rolling over.

Edge grumbled from the pain in his side, and slowly sat up, wincing from possibly a broken rip or two. Tixie looked at him eyes narrowed, " You impudent merc, how dare you slander my stature?" He glared back at her, “Well, considering the fact that I just fought, five Manticores, and a Ursa Major for only SEVENTY-FIVE BITS to protect a stuck up mare who ran off and left me to DIE I'm not impressed"! I can understand where he was coming from, but this was starting to get out of hand, “umm..." I began to say but was interrupted by Tixie. “You should be honored to be serving the Great and Power Tixie." Her voice tense but under control despite her anger. “Uhh, can we just...” I tried to speak again but was cut off again. “Honored? Don't make me laugh. You hired me and those two other slobs to protect you from things in the forest because you can't. Not go on suicide missions." He said not breaking eye contact with Trixie, his voice low and threatening. She didn't back down," I hired you buffoons to protect me so I can practice in the forest without being disturbed". He laughed, thick with sarcasm," HAHA... Oh, that’s rich, I know you weren't out there to practice, you were out there to prove that you where better then Twilight Sparkle. We all know that". “N-no I was not. Why would you think of such a thing?" she said taken aback," I would have won that fight with that beast if you two didn't interfere with my corageous battle.", she was doing her best to look confident, but Edge looked right through it. “Oh, sure you had it. You just don't want to admit that Twilight is more powerful then you". Come on don’t attack her like that.

Trixie was starting to look nervous, " wha..." she managed to get out before, Edge interrupted her, " I mean you can't it let go. She upstages you once, saved ponyville, and you can't let go of that loss. You rattle on and on about your acomplishments, and your different scams to try and upstage her. Your a pathetic arogant ass ". Ok,this was getting way out of hand. “Will you two..." I was cut off by Edge doing a very lousy Trixie impersonation by putting a hoof over his forehead in a terrible dramatic pose. “Oh, I'm the Great and Power Trixie, and I am obsessed with Twilight sparkle. One day I'll best her, even though I don't stand a snowpony chance in tartarus because all I know is how to brag and do cheap magic tricks." uhh-oh, that did it. Trixies eyes swelled with tears, then without a word, she ran off into the dark forest.

I staired at him, thinking of the right words without him stab me in the face. Edge he finally looked at me after a while," What"? he said holding his hooves up. I picked my words carefully," Well, aren't you a prince charming." I said, my lips dripped with sarcasm. Ok, so I was being blunt about it, he kind of deserved it right? He narrowed his eyes at me," What's that’s sapost to mean"? Ok, I was a bit scared that him might stab me, but I still I glared back, " I can understand that you are upset about her almost getting you killed, but that doesn’t give you the grounds to completely destroy her the way you did". No matter how menacing he looked, I was going to stick up for her. Even at the cost of his sword in a place that it was not built for. “You heard the whole thing, do you think what she did was right"? He said relaxing a bit but still looking very searus. “Not in the slightest, but if you lost everything like she did in the way she did, would you being doing anything to get back what you lost?" I asked, doing my best to hit the real subject hard. Edge just sat there thinking in intently on my words. I sat there patiently for his answer trying to slow my heart.

After a minute or two that felt like hours, He sighed and looked at me with some gilt in his eyes, " I guess your right Steam." he said looking down. I could see he was feeling very guilty about what he did and a wash of relief came over me. I got to my feet slowly, and walked over you. I gave him a nudge for him to look at me," Well, it's not too late to say you’re sorry, and besides, we need to get her before she finds another Ursa Major." I said trying to inject some humor into the conversation. He gave me a small smile," Ya, she still owes me twenty-five bits." He said getting to his hooves. He picked up his hat and light rapier. It wasn't long before we headed after trixie.

. . .

Edge lights the tip of his horn with a small ball of light that lit up the area about as bright as a torch. It wasn’t long before he found Trixies trail, and who could have missed it? It was overuse that she was upset from the trampled bushes, and tossed aside stones. As we walked along the trail, we began to talk some to pass the time, mostly about him. From what he told me, Sharp Edge was in the plot bucking business and in his words," Business is good". He explained, he was one of the finest swordsponies in Eqestria. He hasn't met a pony yet that could best him with a blade, well except his master.

We were talking about the time he was playing a prank on his master with a huge balloon filled with water and soap, is when I was blind sighted with a pillow that felt like it was shot out of a high power air cannon. The force knocked me over with a face full of pillow. I could hear Edge laughing hard before he asked the expected question," are you ok"? When I finally sat up and pulled the pillow off is when a wad of spaghetti, splattered over Edges face. I grinned and did my best not laugh looking at the red goo and hanging noodles. “Where the buck did this come from?” he licked the sauce off his lips, “strawberry "? He looked at me grinning at him, “What are you grinning at"? I held the pillow over my head and yelled,” ALL HAIL THE FLYING SPAGETTI MONSTER!” I don’t know why I said that but I just thought it was funny. Edge opened his mouth for a retort but a small scream from ahead got our attention. It sounded like Trixie was in series trouble.

We ran ahead to see what was going on. The goings on was ahh...was something. It was a good sized shrine that was dimly lit torches. The shrine was for the most part mix matched work of a building. The colors was faded, but was in variety of them. There was just the same statute in different poses, all around it. However, the ones that weren't too smashed looked like the craftsmen lost some pieces and desisted to replace them with other parts that were in a grab bag. They where so random I couldn’t really tell what it was. They all resembald what looked like a eastern dragon body, a head of a goat, one ice spiked for a horn, a thin dragon horn for the other, a single snaggle tooth, a lions paw for one leg, and a eagle claw for the other. It was a strange creature, but not as much so as what was grading the shrine.

The guards were a red, a yellow, a green, and an orange gummy bears. They were about pony size. I had to admit, that had to be a lot of sugar walking around. They even moved around in the shrine in a camping formation, it was kind of funny. However, they had army helmets made of gummy to match their color and armed with what looked to be comical sized rocket launchers. The red had the spaghetti launcher, the yellow had the pillow air cannon, the orange shot an orange sticky liquid, and green one was shooting a scatter blast of caramel apples. They looked like they mean business.

We spotted Trixie hiding behind a large cracked statue. She looked ok except a good portion of her coat was soaked with the orange goo. She was trapped and under fire from the gummy bears. She tried to hold a shield up to try and get out, but for some reason the spaghetti and orange slim, past right through it and splattering her like Edge. She was defiantly in trouble.

We crouched down to think of a way to help her. “So, do you know what’s going on down there?" I asked Edge. He edged over to look at it again for a few seconds. “It looks like she got herself into a Discord shrine." He said shaking his head and crouching again. I blinked confused," A what?" I asked. He looked at me, " you know Discord right"? I held up my claw and made a sorda jester. He continued to explain," Well, it was said that, when he barely came into power. He made these shrines. Some are just to poke fun at ponies, and just like practical jokes, but some say that they had some sort of secret of Discord.", he shrugged when he said that," But no one has ever proved that. All anypony has found from these shrines was... Well this." he motioned a hoof to the strange sight over his shoulder. Well, that makes some sort of since, even for the God of Chose. “So, we know what it is. Now, how do we go about getting Trixie without getting smothered by a pillow, or spaghetti, or impaled by a caramel apple?" I asked him. He scratched his chin with a hoof, " Well, there’s more of them then use so I think we need to do a surprise attack." he said thinking. Ok, try to think of this as a videogame, so lets think of this as black ops" That’s a good Idea. I think you need to be the distraction because you are faster than I am and you doge easier then I can. I'll sneak around and surprise them with a back attack. When I get their attention, get to Trixie and make sure she’s ok, then both of you attack them when they have full attention on me." I said to him drawing crud drawing of the plan in the dirt with my claw. He grinned," That sounds like a great plan. I’m ready to do this thing." he said starting to get up. I pulled him back down," just be careful, you still look terrible and I don't want to have to carry you out of here because you busted more bones". He just gave me a smirk," no problemo" He jumped up and ran around the statues yelling out taunts and insults. That unicorn was crazy.

It took me a while to sneak around the back of the shrine. It wasn’t much easier with a tail. I had to maneuver around bushes, climb over broken statues, and not get seen by the commando Gummy bears. I didn’t think it would that difficult to maneuver on my belly with a tail attached. None the less, I brought the pillow that hit me in the face earlier. You can't be over prepared for these kinds of things. I poked my head over a stone slab that was knocked over behind the gummy bears. Edge was going a great job; they didn't seem to notice me. " Ok," I whispered to myself," Time to give you guys the most unpleasant pillow fight of your lives.” my claws motioned on the pillow like I was cocking a gun, and for some reason it actually made the noises of a shotgun loading the first round into the barrel. The red one heard me, turned around quick, and armed at me. I throw the pillow at the red's launcher, making his shot go wild, making a spaghetti mess on the opposite wall. This was a perfect opportunity. I rushed him and tor his head off with my claws. That’s funny; doesn’t everyone eat the head of a gummy bear first? I just think of it as ironic is all. Anyway, with that pause, the Orange, splattered the left side of my face with...Orange sherbet? I was dazed long enough to get hit with five caramel apples. One especially, hit a very sensitive place of my dragon anatomy. I went to the ground and rolled behind a of some sort of stone pedestal and clutched myself. I may have thick skin, and scales but it still hurts like hell when you take a hit by a high speed apple to the joystick and two buttons.

"Oooo...not those", I whimpered hearing more caramel apples thumped agents the stone pedestal, “Edge, a little assistance.... Please..." I said as loud as I could muster without reviling that my voice went up a few octaves. I heard a courageous yell up from behind me. I leaned around the pedestal slightly to see Sharpe Edge holding the red gummy bear's head, squared on his sword. He took a large bit out the head and charged. He dodged the spaghetti but a pillow hit him hard in the rips. Yes it was a pillow, but from point blank range from a launcher that could send it a hundred meters, he could have died. I hope he doesn’t after this. He yelped in pain and went down in a tumble. A whistling of a firework flew through the air. The rocket hit the yellow gummy bear, and then exploded. The yellow gummy bear breasted into a bunch of glittering sparkles. I got up to see that the Orange bear pointing its launcher nearly touching Sharp Edge’s head. I don't care who you are, that’s way too much sugar in one douse. I ran for bear growling. With a quick grab and tug, I ripped the Orange bears head off and bit its torso off to make sure it was dead. It didn't taste that bad, but I still throw the head over my shoulder. I looked down at Edge, he was still breathing. “That’s good” I said to myself with some relief, “now, time to deal with the last one”. When I turned around, I was staring down the barrel of the Green gummy bear’s launcher. This is going to hurt. The green one was about to fire when I saw blue ora prying a large stone brick above the Green bear. It made a loud squishing thud when the brick came loose and made contacted with greens head.

When I brain finally clicked to what was going on. I was kind of blank from nearly getting shot in the face with caramel apples. I shook my head, and walked over to Edge to see if he was ok. He was still breathing but he looked like he was in a lot of pain. I skipped the stupid question of are you ok to the more pressing matter," Edge do you think you can get up?" I asked him. "No, I’m just twitching on the ground in pain because its a new dance craze" he said through clinched teeth. Yep, he’s alive. I looked over to Trixie when she was inspecting the brick the squished the green gummy bear, " Trixie, can you please help him?"I said with some worry in my voice. She looked up at me from the squished gummy bear and glared at me," Why should I? He does nothing but my mock me. He doesn’t deserve my help.” She said anger still burning in her eyes. “Look, it was wrong of me to yell at you like that. I was upset and in pain, I'm so sorry for everything I said." Edge said with tears of pain leaked from his eye, on the verge of crying in agony, “please help me, it’s getting harder to breath". She was stunned for a bit before she walked up to him," do you really mean that? Including the bad impression of me", she asked him still glaring at him. He did his best to nod to her; his breath was getting very shallow. She looked sceptical as she gazed down at him. None the less, she lit up her horn with a light blue glow. The blue glow conceited with his rib-cage, there were some loud popping and abetment to his raps, and he could breath normally again. "I did what I could but you still need to go to a healer." she said finishing up. I helped him to his hooves, he was limping a little more but he was doing better.

I looked around the shine letting them talk and say their sorries. It looked bigger on the inside then the outside. The decor was set up to be a home base for the gummy bears but it also served as some sort of holding chamber or something of the like. I looked at the pedestal that I was hiding behind," I wonder why where they protecting this place so visuals?" I asked myself looking on top of it. There seem to be a small square block on top of it. The block was covered with blue, red, yellow, green, orange, and white squares. I picked it up in my claws, “They were protecting an f yay ing rubrics-cube?" I asked no one in particular, and it was getting a little annoying with my foul language was being changed when it leaves my lips. What was up with that? It was then; in my thinking process is when I heard something move. All of us looked over at the body of the red gummy bear, with the orange’s head to replace its own. It held up a launcher from one of his fallen friends. We couldn't do anything about it shooting out a pillar which started to make the hole shrine start coming down on top of us. The duel color gummy was crushed under one of the falling rubble of the shrine. I knew I only had moments to push the two ponies out when a lot of the roof started coming down. I Picked up Edge the best i could and shoved Trixie. Larges chucks where coming down quickly when we neared the opening. I closed my eyes and gave a hard jump with Trixie in front of me. With a large whoosh of air, the shrine was no more.

I stood up in the dust cloud coughing," is everyone still alive?" I asked out into the dark. “Trixei is here", she coughed to my left. “I’m not dead" Edge said to my right. Trixie and Edge lit their horns so we could see each other, and we looked terrible. “I think we need to head back to camp and try to get some sleep.", I said panting. We all agreed and started making our way back to the camp.
. . .

When we got back to came, the fire was only glowing embers. I helped Edge back to his spot as Trixie started the fire going again. As the campfire lit up the surrounding area, we all could see the sticky, dusty coding that covered us. I was looking at the cube from the shrine when sat down hard, but jumped up again when I let out a small yelp when I sat on my tail wrong. I held my tail as I gingerly sat down again. I looked at my tail. I was weird really looking at it now. Before, I didn't really notice it, but now I think of it, It just feels strange.

My stomach growled in protest for food. I guess the gummy bear wasn’t enough. Trixie looked at me," I'm guessing you’re hungry". I gave her a nod, “I could eat". She pulled up her saddlebags over to her and started looking through them, “I don't have much in the way of dragon food, but I do have this.” she pulled out a large red crystal that was slightly glowing its color" I founded in a pile of teeth where the Ursa Major was standing." she said before holding it out to me," you can eat this, I don't want to want to own anything that was in the beasts mouth or you look at me like a meal". I took the crystal and wiped it off not knowing where it’s been. I know that diamond dogs and dragons eat gems, so I guess this could work. I put the crystal in my mouth and bit down. My fangs broke that crystal Iike rock candy; in fact it tasted like rock candy. The flavor was wild cherry with the distinct popping in my mouth of pop rocks. I swallowed and felt better, even tingly. “umm Steam,” Edge began to speak," Why are you all growly?" he asked with wide eyes, even Trixie was staring at me with disbelief on her face. I looked at myself, and sure enough I was glowing red for a few seconds then the glow dissipated. “Umm," I stumbled with the surprise," what was that about?” I asked but only silence answered me.

Trixie looked at me closely before answering my question, “I have no idea...” she walked about over to her saddlebags and dug through them until she pulled out a book. A couple of page flips latter, and a few strange curses, she found what she was looking for, " Celestia’s big fat rump..I should have kept that crystal". “Why?" Edge and I asked simultaneously. “Well, what I can say is that was not any normal crystal. It was a Power Crystal." she said with her noise still in the book. I didn't say anything, Edge looked confused, “What the hay is a Power Crystal?" Edge asked in his confusion. His facile expression was priceless. Trixie just rolled her eyes. “It says here, that a Power Crystal is a crystal that gave off its own uneic magic source. It is so rare, there is no recorded of how many are in existence or If any do exist. It also says that the only one ever found was by a diamond dog named Gimpaly. He found it when he was digging to deep in his hole and nearly hit tartars." she said reading. I held back a smile when she read about the diamond dog. “So, Steam must have gotten some kind of new power when he ate it?" Edge asked. Trixie closed the book and placed it back in her saddlebags. “seem so, I could have use it but I had to give it up for lizard food." she snorted indignantly.
“He isn't any Lizard, he’s a dragon, and this dragon saved your plot form being a stain on an Ursa Major's paw.” Edge snapped. Trixie was about to speak before I burped up the same black scroll earlier today, the only thing different was the stamp was only a single white star. We all stared at the scroll for a few minutes before I picked it up and opened it.

Pyro Breath

“Pyro breath? What is that sapost to mean?" Edge said very confused. I shrugged, then I got a sniffle, “ahhh AH CHOO" I sneezed, sending a jet of an inferno dark blue flame straight across the camp, nearly missing the two unicorns and tent. I clamped my mouth shut with my claws, only steam came out my noise. Trixie was in saucer eyed fear as Edge just looked in awe. “That.... was ....AWSOME!" He cheered doing a hoof pump. “I do have to admit... that was very impressive." Trixie said still with the priceless look. I smiled and shrugged, taking my claws off my snout, “thanks I guess, but I dont remeber it being that big." I said fibbing a bit. She looked at the scorch marks on her tent," the Power Crystal must have strengthened your fire." she said, testing to see if the fabric of her tent was still good. I shrugged looking back over at Edge. He was limping over and picked up the multi colored cube in his magic.

“Whats this thingy?" he asked looking it over. I looked at him," Oh, that's what was in Discords shrine. I think it’s a puzzle cube" I said to him. “oh, how do you open it do you think?" he asked looking at it intently trying to open it with his eyes. “well, I guess you try and twist it to mach up the colors" I said holding up my claw making the mosions to how to function a rubrics-cube. “Ho...” he said turning the cube in various combinations.

I watched him in his frustration, fiddling with the cub for a few minutes. When Trixie was done making sure her tent survived, she sat near him and watched him as well, she was getting very annoyed after a few minutes of him trying to mach up clolors on a cube. “Let me see that," she grabbed the cube with her magic and started to twist it around and around. “I bet I could figure it out. I have the knowhow to figure out any Discord Puzzle" she said eyes focused on the cub as It buzzed around and around in her magic. “You’re messing it up, I almost had it" Edge said watching her progress. Every second passes by, his annoyance increased. He took the cube away from here,” here let me show you how its done” he said twisting it around in his magic. I started to feel very... itchy. It must been the sticky substance that was mixing with the dirty, was getting into my scales.

"Umm, you two try and figure that it out will I go clean up." I said getting up when Trixie and Edge was having a magic tug-of-war with the colored cube. I picked up with the scroll and started walking a little way into the forest to a little stream near the camp. I could hear those muffled arguments of the two fighting about which way the cube should turn. I opened the scroll, "Infamous two really?" I said to the scroll knowing Luna can hear me.

:P Maybe. Just thought it would make it easier on you if I helped you along a bit, by making your adventure a bit like a videogame.

I sighed and shook my head, “Well, I almost died if you didn't know." I said to the scroll, feeling a bit frustrated, "I was going to die by a giant paw of a Purple bear”. She took a pause; I guess she was choosing her word carefully.

But you didn’t your still in one piece...aren't you?

“Yes I am, thanks to this... this power that came over me.” I said, before realizing that I was talking to one of the most powerful beings in this demotion. “Wait a minute. What was that about? I mean, you’re the one that brought me here, what did you do to me?" I ask Luna hopefully. I took her a few seconds before answering.

When I brought you here, I gave you a body of a basic dragon. It had the basic states of being fire proof, some improved strength, scales for some defense, and claws for digging through nearly anything, razer sharpe teeth, and hard skull to your dragon brains from becoming pudding from all of the hits you been taking. However, your new body didn't have much power. So, I gave you a rage power if you will. It worked beautifully, but it had some side-effects.

I took a pause at that," Side-effects, what kind of Side-effects?" I asked hoping nothing weird happens to my new anatomy. She took a bit to reply back to me.

I'm not going to lie Steam. When you used that the Dragon Rage to fend off the Ursa Major, it nearly killed you.

I was frozen for a few beats," what?" I felt the blood run from my head and puddle in my feet. It seems that she was hesitant to reply.

I'm sorry Steam; I meant for it to be charged over time. However, when you activated your Dragon Rage by being near death, it had no energy stored in you. So, it drew off your natural anger that was apart of your life force. Which, was a great success but the drain of your lifeforce nearly killed you. I didn’t mean for it to react that way. The worst part, is that it is now connected with your lifeforce permently.

“So... you gave me a power that could KILL ME!?" I said feeling a bit upset. Ok, I was feeling very upset. I felt steam leak out my nosie as I felt my temper rising. She was hasty to reply.

I didn't mean for this to happen Steam. I never would have given it to you if I known that would have happened. I would never get somepony killed, exspetally one that saved my life. To be honist Steam...I kind of like you.

Ok, that caught me off guard. It felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped over me, then heat warmed my face face. If dragons could blush I think I was. “Umm... Thanks...um anyway, do you know anything about Power Crystals?" I asked trying to hide my embarrassment. I swear I heard a giggle before she reply.

All I know of Power Crystals is that they are few and far. I have noticed you have found a fire breathing Power Crystal. That’s why I sent the scroll to give you a clue of what you got. I will be sending more clues to you when you find more. I wont spoil anythingels for you ,but I can assure you that there are more. I can't talk much longer. My sister is getting a bit upset at me not working.

WelI, that was some good info, I may have a chance if i find more Power Crystals, but I had a weird question that I had to ask. "Luna, before you go I have a question. Is there any other humans from my demotion that got brought here besides me?" I don’t know why I asked that to here. I guess I just wanted to know if I was alone in this world or not. Either way, it took her a few minutes to answer.

Well, there have been rumors of others being brought here for versus reasons, but i can not say. However, to my understanding anypony with enough power can do that for anyone. If you’re very lucky you may find another human in a new body here but its unlikely since they are usealy seprested. I really must be going. Just be safe little dragon. ;P

I just grind when the scroll vanished in a pool of black smoke with blue sparkles. I didn’t like the little part but I just wrote it off as a joke. I did my best to clean the dirt and dryed sticky goo off my scales before I heard the arguing get louder. “Well, better go separate the kids before they kill each other." I said with a chuckle before making my way back to camp. I wonder what is in the little cube.

Footnote:
Power up: Pyro Breath, light fires with a simple sigh. You can now breathe fire at will. Useing Pyro breath will drain stamina.

(Anthers note: Thank you for comments guys, please keep them coming. No trolls would be nice. And thanks for ablest reading my story for those just browsing)

Blizzaga

Steam the Unknown
by Cavedragon
edited by: JTHENOOB

Chapter 3: Blizzaga

It was a spectacle to see when I got back to camp. Trixie was red in the face with anger, and growling like a animal. She had her fronts hooves around Edges's throat, trying to strangle the life out of him, with Edge, turning an interesting shade of blue, but still holding the rubic's-cube out of Trixie's reach, in his magic still turning the colors around on the cube. I let out a sigh as I pulled them apart," Ok, thats enough you two." I said holding Trixie back with one claw, as Edge started catching his breath dropping the cube. I picked up the cube and kept it away from Trixie. I held Trixie untill she calmed down.

She let out a huff, and sat down pouting," It was a stupid cube anyway". I just shook my head looking at it. The colors on the cube weren't that badly messed up. I looked over at Edge one more time to make sure he was at least breathing normaly. He laid there beathing deep, slow breaths. His face was regaining its normal color, that was good enough for me. I turned back to the the cube.

I began to turn it a bit, watching the colors slowly lining up. It took me a little more than twenty turns but I got it to mach up. " hey I got it." I said holding it up so both could see my triumph. " what?" both said cralwing over to me. Once they finally looked over my sholder, they couldn't believe it." how did you do that" Edge said in awe. "That can't be right" Trixie said with some disbealif in her eyers," let me see it. " She said tearing it from my claws. Once her magic touched the cube, it started folding itself up. " What the hay?!" Trixie said suprised, dropping the cube. It started to unnaturally fold itself up into what looked like old yellow paper. " That not strange at all" Edge commented over my sholder.

I picked up the folded paper and unfoled it. It looked like a map of some kind. The paper was yellowed with age, but the colors looked to have been painted on yesterday. The painting had trees and mountains that decorated most of the paper. A rainbow colored compus was painted in the upper right hand corrner of the paper to indicate north. On the left side of the map had a large mountain with a castle hanging off the side of it. A red dot marked on the right side of the paper oposite side of the castle. I guess that was a ' you are here ' marker. Thin lines spiterwebed all over the map, Those could be roads. I was going crosseyed trying to follow the roads. It looks in good shape. “Does anyone know where it leads to?" Edge said beside me, intrested in the map in my claws. " I don't know." I said looking at it. At the bottom, writting apeared as if some invisible hand started to write out the words in Equestrian. I had no idea how to read Equestrian. Sure there was some resemblence to english, but I really couldn't make it out. " umm, Trixie can you read this?" I asked her. She took it in her magic and put in front of her, " gladly" she said flattening it out and clearing her throat.

Her eyes scaned over the paper for a few minutes before I had to say somthing to brake the tension. " what is it? whats dose it say?" I said looking at it. " Its strange, It's hard to-"." It's a map left by Discord." Edge cut her off looking over her sholder. She glaired at him before going back to her reading," That's correct, but this map leads to what is called, The book of Discord." she said without look up form the old map. " The what? Whats that?" I asked feeling confused. "Well, I dont know exactly. It just says, this is a map to the book of discord." She looked a bit confused. " Well, I never heard of it before, but It sounds like an EPIC adventure to go on to me" Edge said grining so wide, his face was in danger of folding in half.

I couldn't make much of this map. All I knew about Discord was, he was a fun loving villian on a cartoon show. I never heard he had a book of some sort. " Well, what do you think Steam?" Edge proded me a bit. " I dont know, it seems fun to me" I said giving a sheepish grin. I was lost. I became more lost as the words where erased and replaced with new writing. " umm, Trixie?" I said my confusion rising. It took her a bit to read over it, before saying," Its a riddle of some sort". " Thats Discord for ya." Edge said shaking his head with a chuckle. " What dose it say?" I asked with intrest. Trixie read over it once more mouthing out the words before speaking, " The first page that you seek, Is beond the peak. Where its cold, yet delicious, in a place that hatred grows Vile and Vicious". Once she finnished the riddle, the compass spun around and ponited towards some mountains in the distance.

" Well, that was convenient." I said still mildly confused. "Yeah, I've seen magical maps that light up an area, but I never seen one that gives you a heading point." Edge said in awe of the magic map. " Well, we have a heading tomorrow so lets get some sleep." I said, before looking at them both “on second thought, I think you two need to clean before going to bed. You both still look sticky". They took a few moments to notice how their fur was matted and sticking out at odd angles from the sugary substance. "AHAHAHAHAHA we look ridiculous." Edge fell on the ground rolling with mirth. Trixie let out disgusted sigh, “I feel dirty and need a bath badly.” She said with loathing. “Theres a stream over there,” I thumbed behind me. “ thats where i went to wash all the dirt and crud off”. Trixie quickly trotted passed me and I heard splashing in the distance. Edge just shook his head, “Mares huh”? I shrugged, “what can you do”? He smilled and shook his head as he hobbled over to where Trixie was in the water.

I picked up the map, folded it up. I picked out a spot near the dieing campfire. I layed on my back looking up at the night sky. I should be getting as much sleep as I can, beacuse from all my excitment tonight it should almost be morning. However, I didnt see the sun rising yet so, I could get some sleep. My eyes fell on the stars twinkling in the sky. I smiled remebering.

Before i moved to the city, I lived in a place that if there was a middle of nowhere, I lived in it. The black rock was a calm peacful place for the most part. The air was clean and the land scape was hot and dry, yet beautiful in its rugged, western charm. But that wasnt the reason why I missed it. When I was thirteen through to eighteen, I enjoyed the stargazing. I could literaly step out of my house, look up into the sky and look at the stars. When I moved to the city, the stars where lost in the light of the majestic city.

I let out a sigh, looking up at the sky. “At least the stars are somewhat the same.” I said to myself. My train of thought ws intrupted by the chattering of teeth. I looked over to see Trixie looking more bluer than I thought possible. “So, how did it go?” I asked with a grin. She' glared at me, “s-s-shut up, s-scale b-rainss”, she said through chattering teeth. She climbed into her tent. The tent started shacking some when she was inside.

Edge came back a minute later dripping with water and a smile on his face, “She fell into the deeper part of the stream and froze her tail off”. I shook my head, “How did she get there I wonder?” I asked. He just grined. I shook my head again. “So are we really going to do this? Just randomly go where a map is pointing without any knowledge to where it points.” , I lift an eyebrow in my confusion.“Yeah, why not” Edge and Trixie said at the same time. They flinched at this and I was pretty sure Trixie was glaring in Edge's general direction. “Well my reasoning is if it has to do with Discord than it should be fun” he said with a smirk. “Also there's bound to be more foe's to be vanquished, damsels to be rescued, and treasure to be had than I could count” he said with a big dreamy grin.

“Well my motivations a much more grand than your's cavestalion” Trixie replied hautily from her tent. This brought Sharp Edge out of his dream land and elicited a scowl in Trixies general vicinity. “Oh really, whats your angle then MISS PRISS?” he said. A ruffle came from the tent “I'm glad you asked, if Discord is in fact involved there could be a way to gain power from this book of Discord and I wish to obtain and use it if possible”. We both sat there dumbfounded for a second of two. I rubed my face “Weeeeeell that is a pretty good idea actually Sharp how come you didn't come up with that one”, Sharp Edge glared at me “shut up”. A quiet chuckle could be heard from the tent and that was the end of that. The chuckle was a little unsettling.

“We might have a big day tomorrow.” I said rolling over. I heard Edge laydown oposite me on the other side of the fire. “Yeah, tomorrow Adventure, Glory, Bits, and Mares await. Great weather is ahead of us my friend.” he said before he noded off thanks to his injuries. My eyes slowly closed and I surrendered to the embrace of a warm nights rest.

. . .

“ BETTER WEATHER MY ASS!” I yelled holding myself in the blizzard. We had gotten up early that morning. Edge said it would be a good idea to take the road. That was untill we walked into a teeth chattering, ball freezing, blizzard half way up the hill. Edge held his hat tight on his head with his magic against the wind. Trixie was holding the map out in frount of her. The map was flapping in the wind, threatening to be torn to pieces.

“ WHAT DOES THE MAP SAY?” I asked, yelling through the gusts to Trixie. “ WE'RE NEARLY THERE, I THINK W-” she was cut off when suddenly the frozen rocks beneth her hoof colapsed out from under her. We could hear her scream all the way down. Edge looked at me “YOU THINK SHES OK?” he asked. I hope she was ok but the loud popping and cracking of the snow and ice, told me one thing. “ AVALANCHE!” I yelled pointing up at the peek near us, even through the snow we could see the hole side start to come down. Egdes eyes went wide, “ WE GOTTA JUMP. MEET YOU AT THE BOTTEM!” He said with a smile before he jumped down where Trixie fell. I took a few moments to think, “ well, nothing ventured” I said backing up to get some speed for the jump,” nothing GAINED!” I ran and jumped just when I felt the snow wooshed at my tail. “SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITT!” I yelled most of the way down.

It was the fastest , coldest rollercoster ride I have ever had the displeasure of being on. I shifted my body to dodge some trees, but when I felt my ass leave the ground... Well, I've been sleding enough to know when your not sitting on the sled anymore, your in trouble. I hit the ground with a hard thud and bounced sending me sprawling. I know I was half sliding, half bouncing down the hill, with every bonce. My body let out a squeking sound like a dog toy rolling down the stairs. “ stupid*squeaky* anying*sqeaky*cartoon* squeaky* PISICS!*squeaky*” Every once and awhile, I would feel the avalanch give me a hard push down the hill. I was spinning around in the air so much, I couldn't tell what was up or down. I gotta tell ya, everytime I bounced, it hurt worst then the last. It was not very fun at all.

Everything went black when I finally stopped landing on my head in the snow. I layed there face down in the snow, for a good long five minutes, waiting for the world to stop spinning and my skull stoped throbbing. When my senses where about normal, I pulled my head out of the snow and swallowed what was in my mouth. “Vanilla ice cream?” I said confused, but sore. I shook my head and pulled myself up to all fours. “ SHARP EDGE, TRIXIE, IS ANYPONY ALIVE?” I yelled out into the now soft snow fall. I heard muffled noises to my left and a blue tail sticking out to my right. I uncoverd Edge and pulled him out. Then gave Trixies tail a hard tug to pull her out. She had her four hoofs around her chattering like crazy. We where all shivering. I placed her down next to a shivering Edge without his hat, “ ok just stay there I have an Idea.” I said doing my best not to chatter. I backed up a bit, took a deep breath and let go a large flame thrower of blue fire. It heated up everything within a twenty foot radeus. The fire melted the snow, which revealed Edges hat near by. He picked it up in his magic and squeazed it on his head.

Besides feeling a bit light headed, I made it warmer for a few minutes. We all stopped shivering enough to talk. Edge was the first to talk, “well, that was fun.”, he said with a small smile. “ I didnt think so” Trixie said with he four hoofs around her middle still shivering, Edge rolled his eyes “I was being sarcastic”. There was no map, “What happend to the map?” I asked looking around. “I don't know, I couldn't help but scream when I fell down the icy slide of terror.” she said glaring at me. I let out a Depressing sigh. This was disapointing. Without a map, we where as good as lost. I thought we had lost it, that is until a yellow, wet, something went splat on my face. I pulled it off to see if it was what I hoped it was. I smiled, reconizing the yellow paper in my claws. It was the map.

It was a bit sticky but It was still good. The arrow of the compuse spun for a bit then stopped pointing at a rotting town sign. I walked over and wipped off some of the snow to see where we where. The lettering on the sign seemed to be branded into the wood to spell out ' Wellcome to Northern Fourtys'. I looked past the sign to see what looked like an old boom town in a western movie. Except that the roofs of the buildings where covered in snow, and the road through it was hard black ice.

I folded the map, placed it in Trixies saddlebags and helped Egde to his hooves. Trixie was straightening her hat, since some how it still remained on her head during the fall, and only managed to make it slightly crooked. I don't really ponder the physics in this world. Its cartoon Physics after all.

We walked up to the town, It seemed it was mid-day so there where some ponies out in the streets, but most stayed mainly on the wooden steps, sweeping or scooping their part of the wooden walkway. The color of the buildings was fadded from weathering, but judging by the fadded pinks and vibrant blues, it seemed like this place was a very festive place in its hay day.

The ponies gave me dark glares as we walked by. I shrank away wanting to be invisible. I guess dragons aren't really liked in theses parts. I did my best not to attract attetion to myself, and be inconspicous. We found a old clinic in town. The sign was faded like the rest of the town but there was a distinct shape of a heart with a syringe being poked into it. On the heart read 'Needle's Clinic'. “well, this seems like a very inviting clinic.”, Edge snorted with sarcasam.

We walked through the door of the clinic despite Edges comment. Inside seemed a bit warmer but not by much. There was a cream fured, pink maned unicorn mare sitting behind the desk, filing her hoofs with a very large nail file. A door was behind her, i guess thats the doctors room. This was a bit of a cliche, but we walked up to her anyway.

I aproched the desk“Umm exsquse me”? “We don't do dragons here, best find somewhere's else to fix whatever is broken”. the mare said not looking up from her hoof. That was rude, “no not me, my friend here has some broken ribs and he needs a doctor or a healer or something”. I said doing my best to be polite. She looked at Sharp Edge and rolled her eyes. She sighed pulling out paperwork, and placing it on her desk. “you'll have to fill these out before the Dr. Needles can see you”. She pushed the pappers and a pin to Edge, and went back to filing her hoof

Sharp Edge ground his teeth before taking the papers in his magic, “this sucks, i bucking hate papperwork”. He took the pappers and pin to a chair and started filling them out. I walked up to him and looked at all the questions he had to fill out. “Well, it seems like everything is set up here. Me and Trixie will try and find a place to stay and some food ok?” I said giving him a pat on the back turning to leave. He sighed dejectedly“ok, just dont forget about me” he said before I closed the door.

. . .

There wasnt much in the way of food in this town. The best we could do without being turned away or being acused of stealing, we fould in a cute ice cream shop. I know it seems stupid to eat ice cream in a cold ass climate but it was all we could find.

It was a cute little shop, with the roof lookig like a scoop of vinilla, and the door was a waffle cone design. When we entered the shop, it had three two pony tables, and a large glass case that had.... well alot of different kinds of icecream behind it and just as many condiments.

I looked around seeing no one there. “Hello?” I called out. I noticed that there was a press button bell on the glass counter. I pressed it once and a little unicorn filly sprinted out from the back room and stood infront of me with a big grin. She came about up to my knee, she had a light brown coat with a pink, dark brown, and white striped mane and tail. She took a deep breath, “I'm Double Scoop, and Welcome to the Northern Fourtys, the home of Equestrias best magical Ice cream. We grow over Fouty flavors such as” she pointed to a large menu over her before continuing, “ Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry, Pumpkin, Butterscoch, Cookiedough, Chocolet Chip, Cookies and Cream, Mint, Berry Blast, Berry Blast Mint, Applepie, Birthday Cake, Cakedough, Crunchy Crystal, Hay munch, Rootbeer...”. After that I kinda lost track of what she was saying. There were a lot of freaking ice cream flavors here. She took another breath after she finished one side of the menu, “Now if you want to combine a few of the choices are: Nightmare Night suprise, Lunas Delight..”. “ WHOA WHOA WHOA, take it easy kid you might black out before you finish.” I said stopping her before she could continue. She took a few breaths before saying another word, “sorry about that” she scratched her head with a hoof, “I kinda got carried away again”. “I would say so,” I looked over at a Trixie, pratically staring in awe at the many flavors. “ I guess you need a few minutes to think, Umm, I think I'll have the Curnchy Crystal”. I said trying to make my mind up over so many different flavors.

Dubble Scoop was quick with scooping up the ice cream and placed it in a cone, “would you like to have any condiments”? I looked over so many differnt kinds, “umm, none its fine tha-”. The cone was in my claw before I could say thanks. “ think nothing of it, anything you want yet?” she asked Trixie. Trixie was still pondering over the seletion of Ice cream. I took an unconcious lick, my eyes went wide beacuse my mind was just blown. The flavor was incredibale, it was more then just a sugar high, it was... it was... magical. “ wooow...”. Dubble Scoop just grined as she scooped up two cones of Rose bloom.

We walked over to the ice cream theamed cashregister, “that will be,” Scoop hit a few buttens on the regester with her magic. The register dinged and a number 15 popped up as a cherry. “ fifteen bits please”. Scoop said with a kind smile. I looked at Trixie, she looked back at me, “ What ?”. “ umm, do you have fifteen bits”, I was a bit conserned. Scoop just smile,” dont worry aout it. Its on the house”. She opened and closed the regester. I smiled,” thanks Scoop, that was nice of you to let us have these. Isnt that right Trixie?”. She was gone when I looked back over at her, figures.

I thanked Duble Scoop and headed back to Needle's Clinic to see if Edge was out of the clinic. It would make some sense that he would be in and out in a cartoon..right?

When I aproached the door, I heard arguing. When I opened the door , it was like walking in on a skit of loonytoons. “I'm not paying that much,” Edge said glaring, “ Twenty five bits”! “Look, i dont care how cute you are, the price is set at fifty bits.” The acountant mare said glaring back. “ twenty-five”. “fifty”. ” twenty-five”. “fifty”. “Twenty-five”. “fifty”. “twenty-five”. “fifty”. “fifty” .” Twenty-five”. “fifty “ . “TWENTY-FIVE, and thats FINAL!” the acountant yelled her face turning red. Edge backed up and placed the twently-five bit on the table, “ok, ok I give, twenty-five bits” he said backing away, he pulled me outside and closed the door before we heard, “wait a minute?”! Sharp Edge snickered as we walked away. “ your mean sometimes you know that” I said with a smile shaking my head. He just merely shrugged, “well, what can you do? I am what I am”. I can respect that.
. . .

It wasn't long to find Trixie. Edge and I found her in the only inn in town and she was arguing with the bar tender. “WHAT! What do you mean a hundred and fifty bits a night? “ she snarled. The bar tender was a very large earth pony, with burgundy red fur and black mane. He was polishing a glass when trixie was harasing him. He didn't say much but I had the feeling he could kick my ass. “Thats right” he said in a deep vocie. “this is an out rage! I am The Great And Powerful Trixie! I demand a room!” she said her face twising with rage. “dont like it “, he picked up another glass and started polishing it, “ tough”.

Trixie huffed over to a table by herself muttering under her breath. “we better go talk to her before she gets us into truble” I said, but Edge wasnt listening to me. He was staring over at a table that sat three.. umm I think they where diamond dogs playing cards with bits on the table. It reminded me of that one picture of dogs playing poker. They where much bigger than the ones in the painting, espescially the one in the middle. Sitting, he was a hole head an a half taller than me. He had the features of a English mastiff. He wore, a thick metal helm over his head, a chest plate that coverd most of his chest, and a great sword that was two and a half of me long, hanging in its scabard on his back.

I kinda shuddered at just the size of this guy. Sharp Edge on the other hand, had a huge grin on his face. “ you go talk to her, and I'll go get us some money for our rooms” he said trotting over to the table that sat the threes dimond dogs and there bits and cards. He talked with them a bit and he sat down. I headed over to Trixie.

Trixie had her front hooves on the table with her head sitting on them. I walked over and took the other seat across from her. “Hey is there anything wrong?” I asked trying to be sincere, “no everything is ok, its just this oaf of a pony will not let me have a room” she stuck her tongue out at me. “well, if you have the money for the room, then why fight about it?” I asked but then stupidly realized something as she gave me a sheepish grin. “You dont have any bits do you?” she sighed but answered, “ I spent all my bits and burritos on the merecnarries.” she looked down, ”I dont have any bits left.” she looked sad, i could see tears forming, oh no. I had an idea on how to cheer her up. I placed a claw on her back and gave her a little pat. “Look I know you gave up everything for a shot at glory, and it failed misserably. Sure everything seems gray now but you cant really give up. I mean the biggest failure is to stop trying, am I right”. She looked up at me finaly. She wiped a tear away, “thanks Steam” she gave me a little smile. I gave her a friendly smile, “anytime.”

There was a loud crash of a table being flipped over, that made everyone look for the comotion. That English mastiff diamond dog looked very pissed, “ tan pony say he never bluff!” he barked at Sharp Edge. Edge just smiled and picked up all the bitsand gems that were previously on the table and put then in his money bag “I said, I hardly bluff and I never cheat”. The diamond dog started to to reach for his giant claymore when a carrot peeler nailed him in the side of the head. It stuck in his helmet and a small trickle of blood inched down his forehead. The diamond dog's eyes went wide for a few seconds before pulling out the peeler from his helmet. “Oger!”, the bartender looked very pissed, and thats when I saw his cutey mark. It was a carrot with a peeler stuck in it. He held up another peeler and pointed to a sgin that read,'No fighting or blood on my floor'.

Oger just growled, “fine, Oger and pony have duel to get money and shinys back”. he said before huffing out of the bar. Edge just grinned and followed. Everyone, including myself was outside to see this go down. They both stood out in the street, drawing there weapons. I couldn't beleve this was going on. I mean Oger was three times Sharp Edge's size. This wasnt going to end well at all.

The stood in the middle of the street about ten feet apart Oger with sword in hand and Sharp Edges in his magic aura floating next to him. They stared at each other for a few minutes “So did you ask me out here for a date, or a fight you big, dumb, dull clawed, sorry excuse for a Diamon-” Edge tryed to taunt but Oger rushed him. It caught Edge by suprise, or it would have if he hadn't been screaming the entire ten feet to him and telegraphing his attack. He went for a horizontal slash for Edges neck, but he nimbly ducked it by a mile and a half. Oger tried to recover but Edge was already in motion he whirled around Oger and snaped him on the ass with the flat of the rapier.

Oger jumped with a startled yelp and grabed for his ass droping his Great sword. The crowd couldn't help but gigle at that and I'll admit it was pretty dang funny. Except when Oger glared in our direction then we shut up real fast. “Come on lad you have to do better than that if you want this fight to last more than a few seconds” he said with a good hearted grin as if his life weren't on the line. “This just warm up tan pony” oger said with anger smoldering on his breath. “Oh so your saying you can fight better than a pup thats good to hear” he said. Oger sword in hand this time paced toward Edge. “Good so your learning, thats good means after all is said and done we can look back on this as a learning experience and laugh” he said same stupid grin. This time there was no warning for the attack, it was quick precise, and lightning fast a diagonal cut for his front left leg. Edge was just quicker, and dodged it by and inch were the blade sunk ittself into the ground.

Sharp Edge then stepped on it and smacked Oger on both sides of his face, again with the flat of the blade. “Come on, I'm not even trying yet, stop trying to hit me and hit me” he said while Oger was yanking at his sword stuck in the ground but having trouble with the unicorns weight on it. Then he switched tactics and threw a punch at Edge wich he didn't see coming at all and took it to the face sending him flying backwards about a foot. Edge was stunned for a second wich was all Oger needed to get the sword out of the ground, cover the distance to him, than drag the sword above his head and ready the final blow.

It's over I thought my friend I just made is going to die and there's nothing I can do about it, I thought to myself, but before the final blow could be struck, there was a flurry of snow as Oger brought the sword down that blinded everyone for a second. There was a loud thunk of sword hitting stone and ............ Edge was gone, not like dead but gone nowere to be seen.

Oger looked around for a second a very confused look on his face “PONY!! come out and fight with honor”. “Oh like you just did with that sucker punch” the voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. Oger looked mad now turning left and right looking for Sharp Edge “All's fair in fight pony now come out and stop being coward”. He turned whole body to look behind him. Thats when we found him, he was standing on his hind legs imitating Ogers stance and facial exspression lightly pressed against him unseen. He made a “shhhh” motion with one hoof, and Oger turned back to face the crowd.

We all started laughing our tails off. We couldn't help it, this was just to looney toons to be real. Oger looked confused at us, then angry “what so funny ponys”. Which just made us all laugh harder. Oger turned around again and Edge stepped away from him sword still held in his magic aura. “Hi there” he said with all the cheer you tell a friend despite the buise now resting on his cheek bone and muzzle. Oger turned with a swing but Edge dodged back away from it “You wanna know” Oger took another swing and Edge dodged back again. “What my master” he continued as if not in a life threatening matter “would always do” another swing nimbly dodged “when I tried playing dirty” another swing “he would do what I'm doing now” another swing “and end with AAAAAAA!”

Oger went for an over head swing but Sharp Edge wasn't in front of him any more, the hilt and handle of his sword was. He was bending the blade back by puling on it with his hooves. “NUTSHOT!!!!”. Then he let it go and it caught Oger right in the pam tree and coconuts. With a loud CRACK, all Stallions, mares, and one dragon cringed in pain “BECAUSE THATS GOTA HURT!!!” came Edges voice . Oger grabed himself and went to the ground sword sticking in the ground behind him. Edge walked over to the cringing diamond dog and started poking him in the armor with the end of his sword “give up yet” poke “give up yet” poke “give u-” “yes I give pony, I give you can keep bits and shiny” he said with a wimper.

A few minutes, the croud disperst and the three of us stood over top of him. He started to come around when he started to shiver “ Oger want remach” he said through gritted teeth. Edge shrugged,” I dont think your able to fight me again. How about I get you some icecream”. Oger carfaly got to his feet,” ok, tan pony get Oger cream ice. then, remach later” he retreved his sword and all of us walked back to Double Scoop's shop.

Trixie, Oger and Sharp Edge walked into the shop. All three of use made an order for icecream with Edge buying all of us a round form the small fortune he had won. I guess I eat one licks too many of icecream, beacuse I heard loud snapping and the floorbords broke beneath me. It was seconds before I fell.

Foot note:

Achievement gained: Bobsledder: slide down one hundered feet on a icey hill on ether your back, belly or face.

Perk gained: Frost nipped, cant feel my toes. You now have 3% resistence to ice damage.

(Atheros note: Sorry its taking so long guys. Please leave comments, good, bad or funny. I would like to have feed back of any of the sort. Oh, i may be inviting some Ocs to my story. If you like to have your character in this story, just let me know.)

First Boss

Chapter 4: Boss fight

By Cavedragon

Edited by JTHENOOB

I was screaming like an idiot, flailing my arms and legs trying to grab something. That is, until I heard Trixie yelling at me, “STEAM! YOU STUPID SCAILBRAIN, YOUR.ARE.ON.YOUR.BACK!” I finally opened my eyes to see that I was on my back, looking up at everyone, including Double Scoop, looking down at me through the hole I made. Sharp Edge wasn’t to be seen, but by the laughter I could tell were he was. I just grinned from my embarrassment, and slowly sat up to see that I was in the basement of the ice-cream shop. It seemed that I landed in the storage area for the ice-cream. Large tubs filled to the brim with creamy goodness, surrounded me. I was sitting in the pathway where you would move the tubs with a hand-cart. I looked up at everyone starring down at me. I looked at the stone floor and patted it,” Oh, he he, I’m in the basement. Its funny, cuz I thought I was a gon-”, the stone under neath me decided to pick that time to collapse cutting me off. This wasn’t good.

I watched in slow-mo, as the faces of my companions started to fade away. My eyes closed and I enjoyed the fall before I bounced again after only a few feet. I was midair again for a few seconds before I bounced off the top of my head. I grabbed my head, and eyes clenching tight in mid-bounce. “ AH, my head”. I flew through the air like a rag-doll, and my eyes went wide as I landed in the way that make guys cringe. God, I hate the splits. I clutched at my wedding tackle as I sprang back up into the air. “ My nuts”, my voice was a bit higher then I liked it. It had to be a cruel joke after that, because the pattern repeated down what seemed like endless stairs. Now if anyone saw me and had a camera, it would go kinda like this. “My head” crunch, “ my nuts” squeaky “My head” crunch “my nuts” squeaky “My head” crunch “my nuts” squeaky “my head” crunch “my nuts” squeaky “my head” , that’s when I finally stopped at the bottom when my groin made final contact with a pole. I slowly slid down it tenderly to the floor. I lay there a bit to recover from all of it. Why god, why are you so mean to me.

I slowly got up on to all fours trying to get balance from my traumatic adventure. I looked around a bit, only to find that the only thing in the underground room was some kind of red box more then a few feet away from me. The creepy thing was that it was giving off a dark red glow which was the only light source in the corridor. I gingerly crawled up to it to see what was so special about this lonely creepy box that I deserved an ode to the nut shot.

The box was a chest that was a deep ruby red, with thick leather straps. It sat on a pedestal that was about three feet tall, and it was covered with carvings. I put my claws on the top of the box and pulled myself back to my normal standing position. I felt heat coming off the chest. Huh, weird, anyway. “hey guys” my voice was higher then normal when I spoke, “you got to come down here and see this”. It took a bit of time for them to lower a ladder so Edge and Ogre could come down to see it.

Edge grinned when he saw the chest, “wow this is a great find.” he looked around the chest for a few moments. “ I don't see a key hole, how do you think it opens?” I shrugged,” I don't know, I just found it.” I still cringed thinking on how I got down here. Ogre eyed it a bit “this look like it made long ago by diamond dogs”, he said leaning over to get a better look. Me and Edge looked at him, “how do you know that?” Edge asked incredulously. Ogre pointed a furry finger to a circular crest that had a diamond shape in the middle with a bone going through it, “this mean it made by diamond dog elder.” . Edge whistled his astonishment, “that's hard to come by theses days.” . With both hoofs he felt over the box, trying to find a secret button or something of the like, “how do you get this thing open?” he asked in his frustration.

“There only one way to open elder chest.” Ogre said, unsheathing his sword. He stepped back about fifty feet or so and held his great sword with both paws. The blade was parallel with the floor, and held out in front of his chest. He had said a few things that sounded like some kind of blessing from the elders or something. Anyway, with that said, he started running in a flat out sprint yelling like a mad man..er dog. With a loud clang of metal meeting metal, making most of the tip of the large blade wedge open the lid. Ogre rebounded from the impact sending him ass over teakettle to the right of the chest, with him ending in a thud when his head connected with the wall.

Edge and I just stared, mouths agape in the madness of it all. I was the first to move. I walked over to Ogre and poked him. “ hey.. Ogre, are you dead?” I asked. “no, but head hurts” he said slowly getting up on all fours. “well whatever you did, it worked,” Edge said testing the sword with two hoofs pushing down, “you cracked open the chest”. A small beam of red light peeked out of the chest. I walked over to give Edge a han- claw with opening it. I griped the handle of the large sword and put my weight into it. The lid of the chest didn't budge but neither did the sword. Ogre sat up and rubbed his head and looked at us, “Quickfang told Ogre that it would work but Ogre didn't believe Quickfang.” he looked at us strangely as Edge proceeded to jump up and down on it with all four hoofs on the sword. “what is tan pony doing?”. Edge on the third hop, slipped and fell flat on his ass, “ouch, isn't it obvious, we are trying to open this chest.” Edge said rubbing his rump.

Ogre gave a amusing smile, “is that it? Opening little box”. Ogre placed one paw on the handle and the other on the chest with a loud grunt followed by metal grinding, the red chest snapped open. Ogre was the first to look over into it, “this it?”. We all looked in to find a paper that seemed to be ripped out of a ancient book, the creepy thing was, it was glowing a hellish red. Ogre reached in and pulled it out pinched in his claws. “ Ogre, bonked Ogres head for bum wipe?” he growled glaring at the now dimming parchment. In a huff, he threw it to the floor.

Before anyone could say anything to calm Ogre down, Trixie yelled down to us, “GET YOUR RUMPS UP HERE! WE HAVE TROUBLE!”. Ogre, and Sharp Edge ran back to the ladder to see what Trixie was talking about. I stopped enough to grab the paper that had dimmed down to a glimmer of the blazing glow it was.

My head popped above the main floor of the shop above the ladder, to see that everything was covered on a thick frost. “what happened up here” I asked, I was completely confused of how it could get so cold so fast. Ya I know it was balls cold before but this might make them fall off. The windows were covered in a thick coating of ice that I could barley see through. Double Scoop was the first to speak, “It must be Ice hoof” she said looking out of the window. “Ice who?” Edge asked looking a bit confused. “Ice Hoof helps the ice cream grow on the mountain by bringing the snow fall. My family wouldn’t have any business if anything happened to it.” she shrugged at the last part. There was a monstrous Growl or roar or... I don't know what it was but it didn't sound happy. “It seems that something has upset it and its now freezing our town solid. Somepony has to do something” she was breaking down in tears when Edge looked at the door with delight in his eyes.

“Well, let's go out there and say hi” Edge said getting up and unsheathing his sword. Ogre grinned, “I agree with tan pony” he said gripping his sword. I stood up with them, “wait a minute, you don't even know whats out there.” I quickly placed the page in Trixie's saddle bags so I wouldn't loose it. Edge stood in front of the door grinning, “then, let get some fresh air and say hi”, he said before putting one of his hooves to the iced over door. The sound of smashing ice and splintering wood shook the shop. Edge and Ogre were already out the door, I chased after them before the door behind me iced over again.

. . .

The town looked even worse than before. The whole town was frozen solid from the buildings to the ponies that where in the street. It was a ice covered nightmare. It was a bit scary and a lot creepy to see all of the inhabitants to be made into ice sculptures.

Edge pulled me to the ground behind a cart and put a hoof to his lips. He motioned his hoof up to show me something. When I looked up, I swore I thought my eyes were going to fall out of my head at how big this thing was. It shadowed over the town with blazing ice blue eyes in its skull. It had a body of a horse but its coat was completely white and mane a light blue. Its hole shape shifted with wind as it moved through the air. With a sudden cry, it turned the inn we where going to stay at into a wooden Popsicle.

I slowly looked back down at Edge, “w-what is that?” I asked my voice catching in my throat. Edge looked up at it then back at me, “that my scaly friend is a Wendigo. It feeds on hate and freezes everything in its path.” I looked up at it once more to see if I was imagining it or not. Nope, it was still there. “s-so how do you kill a w-Wendigo?” I was still focused on the living tundra of a creature. Edge was hesitant when he answered, “umm let me know if you figure it out”. We looked at each other and put our backs on the cart. “OK, let me get this straight, you can tell me what it is but you don't know how to kill it? That puts my mind at ease since we are in the open”. He looked at me, “hey, the only pony I know that fought against one of them and lived to tell about it, died hundreds of years ago, so if you feel like digging her up to ask, go right a head” he snarked at me. I sighed thinking, “well, I don't feel like doing that but if you can some how get a huge amount of fire maybe we could try and melt it or slow it -” . Edge gave me a shot to my arm, “Steam you glorious BA@#$%D, that's it” he said getting up looking around the corner. “H-Hey where are you going?!” I said rubbing my shoulder feeling worried. “ You gave me an idea,” he said bolting away yelling, “keep him busy, I have to go get something!” “Ya....keep him busy, well this is going to be as fun as a live grenade on dance floor.” I said to myself sarcastically before getting up.

I ran around the cart in the middle of the street. I was going to yell but a shout came from one of the roof tops. Oger sprang from a roof from the house on my left yelling at the Wendigo. He had his sword in a double over hand swing heading straight for its face. The Wendigo didn't look impressed......at all. It just blew a small cloud about his size and when Oger passed through the cloud, he was frozen solid in mid strike. He fell like an ice cube to the floor, but he hit a little harder then one. Oger was stuck holding his sword upside down, with his sword stuck in the ground. I felt bad for him with his lips were frozen in a weird grin.

This would be funny if was watching this on my flat screen right now. I hid behind a an old barber shop to give me some time to think what to do. I couldn't charge it, that’s kind of obvious. I could throw things at it, but it would be frozen solid before it would reach my target. Maybe if I could heat it up then throw it... worth a try.

. . .

I thought it would be a better idea to sneak around town so I wouldn’t get detected by the snowy, icy, horsey thing. However, a loud screech from the living blizzard, gave my feet the will to move on their own. I was sprinting down the middle of the street away from what was going to be my frost covered death.

From the loud shriek from above, and the large icicles falling from above, it was safe to say that it saw me.... what am I saying!? “ OH GOD ! OH GOD! OH DEAR GOD IM GOING TO DIIIE!!” I yelled as I was doing my best impression of a chicken with its head cut off trying to doge the icicles that were as big as me. I had some close calls, as I could feel the snow explode around me. My mind was racing, heart bounding, but I couldn't figure out what to do. A rather large chunk of ice landed behind me, sending a ton of snow, and me, into the air.

I held my claws out in front of me for the impact awaiting me. I smashed through ice and wood finally slamming into something hard. The wind was knocked out of me as I laid there on the floor. I didn't know if I broke something or just bruised. It's kinda hard to tell when the world was swirling. I slowly stood resting my claw on something hard and metallic. When my head stopped spinning and I could breath again, I found myself in an old blacksmith shop. It seemed like it was closed for years but the tools and small anvil were still there. Lucky me.

I tested the anvil that my claw was on by lifting it. It was small, about a fifty-five pound of solid metal I figured. I could easily lift it and maybe even toss it, but that would be a very long toss. Might have to draw it in close. I picked it up again before throwing the anvil through one of the ice covered walls to see if I can throw it at all and to make a crud exit, but none the less a way out. I picked up a drawstring bag of ball-bearings on the blacksmiths workbench, never know when small metal balls could come in handy. I pulled the draw string and rapped it around my wrist before heading out of the shop.

The Wendigo was still above in the sky. Its ice blue eyes scanned the town looking of its next victim to freeze where they stood. I dragged the anvil up a hill that was nearby. I really hoped this idea would work. I held the anvil in both of my claws, took a deep breath, and let out a controlled stream of blue flame on to it. I was almost out of breath when it became about white hot. The heat from the almost melted metal, steamed up the area where I was standing. It was so hot it began to slip through my fingers like wet putty. If I was human I would have turned into a over cooked turkey within seconds, but since I have a dragon body, I was fireproof. “gotta do this quick before it hardens.” I said looking back up at the frost demon in the sky. I gave a loud whistle to make sure I got its attention. When I think it was looking at me I yelled,” HEY, SNOWCONE! YOUR MAMA WAS AN ICETRAY!”. Yep I had its attention now. The living snow storm let out a enraged... well if a cloud could roar, that's what it would sound like.

Anyway, it was hurdling towards me with fury flickering in its eyes. Come at me bro, I felt the metal starting to cool down quickly. Now or never, I gave it the hardest granny shot I could from the weight. It made a nice arc through the air heading for the Wendigo's head, leaving a trail of steam after it. It dodged the left of the red anvil. The slagged looking anvil was within feet of its face. The metal chunk almost become frozen solid when it vanished into its mist. However, the right eye of the Wendigo was faded to a dim glow. It must have been damaged when the hot metal thou passed by its face. The Wendigo yowled in anger as it kept its course heading dead set towards me. This wasn’t good.

I began to sprint back down the side of the hill making sure I was going under neath the arctic monster. The Wendigo flipped a U turn, slamming into the hill side creating a large wave of snow to follow after me as well as the creatures face. I was in deep shit right then. I picked up my pace pushing myself faster down the hill. Like they say, “with the proper motivation, anything is possible”, and being chased by a avalanche, and a living one chase after me as well, I could practically do anything at this point.

When the snow caught up with me at the bottom of the hill, it suddenly hit me with enough force that it flung me into the air. I bounced off the ground and pin-balled a bit in the streets. I stood up slowly and shook off the snow that was on me. When I registered where I was, I was being picked up by an invisible hand that was cold as death. I saw the mist around me then I saw the remaining eye of the Wendigo. The large sphere of neon blue light, was half my size and seemed to be looking into my very soul. So I did what any smart person would do, I took a deep breath, and screamed like a little girl. When I let out a...umm my manly yelp, a jet of blue flame struck it in the face. With a loud scream from the Wendigo, I was tossed once again like a rag doll through the air into a wall of a building.

I slowly slid down the building as the Wendigo was screeching. Ice and snow the size of mini vans fell around me. I was hurting all over. I slowly stood up shaking. I have been a bouncy ball all day today, and I think I broke a bone or two. I had enough of this stupid soft serve. I looked up at it, did my best to hold up my arm, and gave it the finger wile blowing it a raspberry. The Wendigo charged at me with a silver wound on its face. I held the position as I felt the ice start to creep up my body.

The ice was nearing my face when I heard a familiar voice,” HEY STEAM! I'M BACK.....WITH A VENGEANCE! ”. I looked over to see Sharp Edge holding with his front hooves a very large black cartoon bomb over his head that oddly enough had a open mouth grin, with two eyes with the pupils going in two different directions. The fuse was lit and he had a wide grin on his face. “ YOU WILL NOT BELEVE HOW I GOT THIS! NOW STAND BACK! ” he said, leaning back ready to throw. In its blind rage, the Wendigo charged Edge. It was two slow, as he hurled the huge bomb and struck the the Wendigo square in the face. I blacked out at that part, I asked Edge later how big was the explosion he described it as, “There comes a time in a stallions life when he has done something so awesome that he can't top it and will find no more love for adventuring so he will have to hang up his sword settle down in a quiet town with a nice mare and have a few foals then grow old and die of boredom. Thankfully this is not one of those times for even though the awesomeness of that bomb and that Wendigo meeting leveled a part of the town I'm pretty sure I've got more in store. Also now I can say that I've taken on a MOTHER B#$KING WENDIGO AND CAME OUT ON TOP!! Oh that is right HAIL TO THE KING BABY WOO YEAH! ” Then he started rambling about fortune and mares and doing a small dance around the room it was pretty funny.

. . .

I awoke to a warm feeling around me. I slowly opened my eyes to see Double Scoop with her big anime eyes looking down at me. Trixie was moving her lit horn over top of me. I could feel her magic warming me. “Was I dead?”, I asked confused. “You where close, but the Great And Powerful Trixie has saved your life.” she said putting a hoof to her chest looking very proud of herself. Scoop looked at her crossly,” No you didn't, he was breathing way before you started heating him.” she said sounding a bit upset. Trixie just patted her on Scoops head, “silly filly, she is still traumatized from the attack from the Wendigo.” She backed away from from Trixe's hoof, “you were the one curled up in the fettle position sucking on a fudge pop and whispering to yourself, just ignore the scary monster and it will go away.” she said pointing a hoof at her. Trixie just chuckled and patted her head again, “ ah such a silly filly.” she said before walking off. Scoop just blow her a raspberry when Trixie was out of ear shot.

I slowly sat up rubbing my head and my sore joints. I think I got five pops out of stretching my back. Scoop giggled at that. I looked at her, “so what happened when I was out.”. She sat and smiled at me,” well, after Sharp Edge, exploded Ice hoof, and half the town, Snow mane showed up and cleaned up the mess her son made.” I froze for a moment, “ wait, that thing has a mother?”. Scoop nodded,” yep, she was the first to help us out here.” she looked over at a near by hill and pointed with her hoof,” You can see her now, look.”. I looked at the hill, it just seemed like a soft snow covered hill with the sun peaking over it... but it was strange though with the cloud so thick in the sky, “I can't see anything.” I said squinting. She giggled, “look again at the top of it.” . I then realized that the sun on top of the hill wasn't the sun. It was two very large glowing orbs of like that where close together. I fallowed the eyes to the face to the figure....damn, Snow Mane was the hole hill itself.

I sat there with my mouth agape for a few moment's till Scoop started laughing to pull me back out of my stunned phase. “yeah,” Scoop started to say, “shes the landscape, we retired her years ago, and had her son do that job, but ever since he came here , its been miserable.” she looked at me and smiled, “but you came along and help us.”. She hugged my side, “thank you.”. It almost brought a tear to my eye. I gave her a small hug back, “No problem Scoop, its the least I can do for you.” , I gave her a smile. “ I better find the others. “ I said letting her go. “ ya, I have to get back to my shop. We have a new flavor I have to name. Oh, your friends are in the inn, your tan friend is very ecstatic about him blowing up ice hoof.” she walked off to her shop and I headed to the inn.

It wasn't too far away and it was still intact from the fight. I headed in to find Sharp Edge standing on the table telling everyone in the room about how he took out the Wendigo with his bomb. He did have a somewhat interested crowed around him Oger was in the crowed, sulking but still listening. “After the mist cleared , there was nothing left of the bugger but chunks and pieces!” he noticed me when he just finished. “Hey! Steam come on over and pull up a seat, I'll buy you a drink. This dragon right here is one of the most awesome dragon's you will ever know. He went toe to toe with that Wendigo and bucked it silly!” he said nearly vibrating with energy. I shook my head and waved a claw, “Na, I'm good. I had enough excitement for one day Edge, I'm going to bed.” I was about to turn to the stairs when something hit me hard in the chest. I caught it before it hit the floor, it was a neon blue crystal about the size of my claw. Edge laughed a bit at my facial expression, “In that case take that, I found it in the remains of the Wendigo. Well, what was left of it.” he said with a chuckle at his own joke. I nodded to him and headed for the stairs.

I hobbled to our room, and let myself in. It was a small room with three beds in a row with three feet separating them. I took the farthest one to the right and sat down. I was feeling very hungry at the moment so I shoved as much of the crystal into my mouth and chomped down on it. It had a blueberry taste to it, but it also had that cool crisp taste of mint. Then as I crunched more, the feeling of pop rocks filled my mouth when I swallowed. The room glowed blue for a few moments, I guess I was glowing again. I think I'm getting use to it. A small gurgle later, then I burped up the jet black scroll from Luna. I picked it up and peeled it open to see what she said.

CRYO BREATH

“What kind of hint is that?” I ask the paper she sent me. Its been then a little more the twenty-four hours since the last time I talked to Luna.

Its the only one I can give on short notice. I can't talk for long, Tia has been making me busy lately. I want to know if you are all right Steam.

“I'm fine Luna, beside being a rag-doll all day, I'm just peachy. I hope your sister isn’t running you too ragged.” I said, feeling a bit creeped out yet a little happy that someone cared about me in this place.

Ya,its been a struggle. Doing paper work and secretly playing Dishonored at the same time is a bit difficult.

I got a little upset when she said that, “oh, come on, Dishonored came out already? Aah man, I was looking forward to that.” I was, It looked like an awesome game to play.

Well, knowing that, you may actually go a little faster to get over here so you can play the game in my room. ;)

The scroll vanished into a puff of black smoke, leaving me sitting there blushing. I couldn't really figure out what she meant by that. I shook my head of the cobwebs and laid down. I was about to close my eyes when the door banged open. Edge came in with a gallon of ice cream and a spoon in his magic. “ hey Steam are you awake?” he said between mouth fulls. “ if he wasn't he is now. “ I heard Trixie say entering the room and closing the door. “ I just wanted to know if he wanted to try the new flavor Scoop has in her shop.” he said with a half mouth full of ice cream. I rolled over to the other side facing away from them. “I don't feel like ice cream right now. Maybe later, OK?” I said starting to drift of. “ok more for me then.” he said. I don't know the flavor of the ice cream it was. The last thing I remember before I pasted out was Edge saying,” you know, it kinda tastes like..”. He was cut off with me drifting off to slumber land.

Foot note:

Power Up: Cryo breath, breath weapon: ice. Gives your breath and enemies a cooling sensation.

Achievement: Scalely slinky: bonce/roll down 200 steps.

Achievement Perk: Crash test dummy: you have been thrown into buildings, off stone, and flung like a rag doll enough your body is use to it by now. You now have 5% resistant to physical damage.

(Anthers note: hey everyone, sorry it took forever to finish this one. I have been moving around a lot so please forgive me. Please like, fav, and leave a comment. It really helps me keep going. There is an open invitation for another OC for my story. If anyone is interested, send me a message please. Thank you:)

Red Hearts

Chapter 5: Red Hearts

By Cavedragon

Edited by: JTHENOOB

We where going to head out early that morning, we wanted to leave Northern Fourties A.S.A.P. OK I wanted to leave sooner, I just didn't want anything dangerous or weird to happen that we had to deal with right then. When we left the Inn in the morning, we were greeted by a small mob of ponies. Hoof shakes and thanks abounded from all the towns folk even Double Scoop was there to say her thanks, she gave us each a personal half gallon of our favorite flavor of ice-cream. It was a bit overwhelming really to have some many like you for so little, I mean all I did was distract the Windigo until Edge blew it up with a huge, ginormous, Ba-bomb. I looked at my half gallon and was about to ask how we keep them cold, but I was interrupted by the front doors being kicked open by none other than Ogre the thick headed Diamond dog.

He looked good not being a Popsicle and all but what was notable about his attire was the large metal box on his back. "Um what's with the box?" I asked pointing at the box on his back. He grinned at us with excitement in his eyes. Taking it off with a audible thud, he began to explain. "This “little dragon” , is cold box, meant to keep food cold on long gurneys" he said with a grin. On closer inspection, it was the size of a fridge made completely out of cast iron. The handle of it was a long thick piece of dark wood that resembled the handle of an old 60's fridge. "How does it keep the food cold?". I asked testing the door, it wouldn't budge I yanked on it a couple more times didn't even shimmy. With an amused chuckle he grabbed the handle and flung it open, a wave of cold washed out and made me cough a bit when I took a breath. It had a few shelves and two doors inside. Imbedded in the back was a small glowing gem its glow a slight icy blue, “see little dragon, frost gem is in back of cold box which make box cold for years”.

" Wogw," Sharp edge said through a mouth full of ice-cream. "that could be useful", he said finally swallowing his mouth full and placed his half gallon, with the spoon in the cold box. "yes, It is not the greatest like moi but The Great and Powerful Trixie will use it for her pleasure." Trixie said putting her gallon in the cold box. I shrugged and added my ice-cream to theirs. “ I guess it would work to keep our food good for our trip.” I said, before I noticed that his underwear was rapped around a old sandwich. “ there's Oger's sandwich,” he said taking it out, and I started to gag when he started eating it. After that, we headed out with some food, a few supplies, and Edge's bit pouch a little heavier.

. . .

It finally started to get warmer once we started to get to the bottom of the mountain. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, the flowers were blooming giving the air a sweet smell and the sun was shining. It seemed to be the start of a good day. For the first time in this place, I was calm for once.

Sharp Edge took a deep breath and tilted his head up letting out a loud,” SOOOOOO BOOOOOORRRIIING!” he said on the exhale. I looked at him as we walked,” what's wrong with you?” I asked. He shook his head looking down, “ We been walking for hours, and there is nothing. There's no village's, no towns, no action for hours. There's nothing out here except mammy pamby flowers and disappointing trees.” he trotting beside me, looking like me in math class. I shrugged,” well, maybe we will find a town up here soon”. I looked back at Trixie,” hey, anything from the map yet?” I ask curiously. She glared at me over the map still a little sticky,” not yet! Trixie told you this five minutes ago. Nothing has cha-”. She stopped in mid sentience, “ wait, the words are back”. We all stopped and looked over her shoulder in interest. She began to read:

I applaud your achievement,
Now we are in agreement,
that you will find my book,
so, to the west you must look,
in a place founded by love and kindness,
even for the mindless,
now for the only question you should ask,
is what lies behind the mask.

Just like before, the words vanished and the compass on the map spun around and pointed down the road we where walking down. Edge's grin just got wider, he stood up on his hind legs, and pointed a hoof forward,” ALONS'Y!!” he yelled, starting to sprint down the road full tilt. Trixie, Oger, and I watched him in amazement from his sheer speed. It took a minute to snap out of it, to follow him. He was a fast little pony. Oger was huffing and puffing behind Trixie and me. He was complaining that Diamond dogs warriors we not good at cross country sprinting, but they where dangerous at short distances. I would have chuckled at that if I wasn't so winded. They slowed down to a brisk jog, but I kept my speed till I could see Edge.

Edge finally stopped at the top of a hill looking down. “ what's huff the matter pant?” I said trying to catch my breath. He sighed and pointed to a town in the distance. The town was fairly large, however, it's was all painted white, pink and red. A large clock tower with hearts on the hands of the clock telling everypony that it was five minutes to six for twenty miles. The clock face had a smiling pony face which was a little creepy to me. The eyes moved back and forth counting the seconds, adding more to my creep-ometer. I looked back at Edge, “so, what's this place?” I asked with my air easily going in and out of my lungs. He sighed and began to explain,” this is hearts and hooves town, or the town of hearts for short. Its, as you can see, hearts and hooves day all year round.”, he rolled his eyes just thinking about it, “ most ponies come here to get hitched or have a honeymoon . Romance is always in the air here.” he gagged a bit when he mentioned romance. “Not really a place for me, but I'll pace through and eat some free wedding cake every now and again.” he finished. Trixie and Oger showed up, Trixie popped Edge over the head with her magic, and Oger flopped down on his face with the heavy mid-evil fridge on top of him.

Edge yelped and rubbed his head with hoof, “ow what was that for”? She glared at him panting,” You..made..Trixie...all..SWEATY!” she put a lot of influence on sweaty. She was covered in sweat, the brim of her hat and some of her cape was getting soaked with sweat. She looked like she would keel over if not for the death glare she leveled at Sharp Edge. He just waved her off, “ Na, exercise is good for mares, keeps them slim and fit”, he joked, but Trixie was not laughing when she popped him again and sat on the fridge Oger was under. Oger let out a soft squeak when Trixie sat on top of it to pout.

Edge was still grinning, but I turned my attention to the town down below us. “ well, its getting dark, we wont be able to get down there today”. Edge sat down next to me looking down there with me. “ we could always run down there. We made it this far from spr- ouch” he was cut short from Trixie throwing a rock at his head. “ TRIXIE, it not running again today!!” she shouted making her point. “ OK,ok we wont run anymore, ow.” he said rubbing his head. He looked at me,” what are you laughing at chuckles”? I was grinning with a few small chuckle escaping my lips. “ nothing nothing,” I looked back to the hill,” anyway, if we had a cart or something, it would be faster”. I sighed and looked over at Edge grinning the Genus Sharp Edge grin again.” um any ideas?” I asked a little worried. He looked back at Trixie. Trixie starting to look worried too. “ I may have a few Ideas my scaly friend.”

. . .

“ this isn't a good idea!” I protested as I sat on an unconscious Oger, still strapped in to his cast iron frig. “ no worries, I have everything under control” he said carefully balancing the metal box over the only large cliff we could find that leads up to the city of hearts. Trixie was clinging to me for dear life, “ YOUR OUT OF YOUR MIND!!” she screamed like a little filly. Edge just shrugged,” don't worry”, he hopped up with us pulling out his sword to cut the ropes holding us from plummeting. “ there is a method to my madness!” he said with one swift slash, he cut the rope. We were off like a rocket on ludicrous speed. My eyes were watering from the wind, Oger's lips were flapping violently, Trixie was chocking me from how tight she was squeezing me, and Sharp Edge was cheering as we bounced, rattled, and jumped along our path down ward. Edge climbed to Oger's face, and using his head like a steering wheel, some how guided the box sled down the cliff face.

He swerved between trees with strange ease. My head let out loud long squeak as I could feel my eyes nearly popping out of my head from Trixie's increasing grip. Her grip got tighter every time we nearly hit a rock or a tree. That is, he did make a direct hit on a large tree. After that, everything went into slow-motion. The box snapped the tree in half with a resounding crunch, and Oger's straps gave way, sending us all flying. We serf Oger for a wile, till he fell away. Trixie and I slowly flew away from Sharp Edge, who was in full superman formation. “YYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!” I could hear him yell as he headed for the top of a tree.

We landed with a crash. Thank Celestia we landed in a berry bush. Trixie and I were a tangle of hoofs and legs, when I opened my eyes... well lets just say, in the position I was in, I saw something I wasn't meant to see. Trixie told me that if we ever spoke of this again, she would smother me in my sleep with a pillow and turn my face into her new toaster cosy . I didn't say anything and just nodded in agreement. I was blushing a very bright shade of red after wards.

It took us a moment to find where Edge was. We found him after he stood on top of the tree he was in and yelled out,” THAT..WAS...AWWWESOOOME!!” he did hoof pumps,” who wants to go again!”? We just glared up at him. He just held up his hoofs,” ok, ok I get it”. He step forward, there were snapping of branches, and he feel all the way down to the base of the tree within moments. I just shook my head, helping him up,” can you please do something crazy that doesn't involve you getting hurt.”, I dusted him off. He was still grinning, picking his hat up in his magic and plunking it on his head,” Na, what would be the fun in that?”, he asked still grinning wide. I smiled shaking my head at this crazy unicorn,” come on, we need to find a big diamond dog .”, I said patting him on the shoulder.

It wasn't too hard to find Oger. He was face down in a face plant crater that he made from the impact. Trixie was the first to speak,” is he dead or just sleeping?” she asked a little worried. Edge just blew a small raspberry,” it would take a lot more then that to put this dog down.” he said waving a hoof at him. I wasn't too sure. So, I approached him, slowly reached down to check for a pulse like you would normally. Well, normal for a human. I could feel his heart was still beating and he was breathing. I jumped a little to see Edge and Trixie on ether side of me, checking out what I was doing. “ well, is he ok?” Trixie asked looking more worried. I nodded, “ hes ok, just out cold”. Edge just smiled looking at her,” So, you do have a heart.” he said with his grin in place. Trixie just huffed and turned her nose up in the air, “ Trixie just wanted to know if he can still carry Trixie 's luggage”. Edge just rolled his eyes, “ riiiiight. Ok, how can we wake him up?”, he asked the grin back in play thinking up many crazy ways to wake him. “ roll him over”, I said looking through the saddle bags for one of our canteens of water.

With some shoving, and pushing, we were able to flip him on his back. I twisted off the cap from the canteen and poured water on to his face. He sputtered and flinched tossing me like a rag doll on to my back, but he was awake. He slowly sat up,” what happened to Oger ?”, he said rubbing his head,” and why Oger's head hurt”? We..well, Edge explained the hole thrilling ride down the cliff face, and he finished,” it was very awesome, but you do need a breath mint”. For spite to Sharp Edge's comment, Oger took a deep breath and breathed on him. Trixie and Edge held their breath with their hooves over their noises. “ gross , dog breath. Trixie is very disgusted by her help”. The smell didn't bother me much. Living with a lot of dogs growing up, I was kinda use to it.

Once that was over, we retrieved the iron cold box and headed into town. Light was still out so we could see all the cheesy colors of Valentine day or hearts and hooves day. The color scheme was a variety of pinks, reds and whites. Mainly Pepto pink. There were many stores from flower and card shops to wedding chapels and ring shops. Once we entered this romance city, you can literally taste the sweet love in the air, and I don't know if I was on something but I could swear that I saw butterflies with heart wings in the same colors of the town, leaving little hearts in its wake. Ponies all around us where all twiterpated. There was baby talk every where and not one pony thought it was corny, except us.

Edge gagged slightly, Trixie was admiring the dresses and hats, and Oger was looking at the food. I ushered them over to a coffee house/Inn. It had the same qualities of a coffee house, with tables for couples to sit around drinking coffee together. There was a cute red mare with a coffee mug with some red substance in it, behind the counter washing dishes. I rang the bell to get her attention. She turned around and gave use a soft and kind smile. “ yes , can I help you with anything sugar?” she said with an eyelash flutter. “ um” I stuttered, “we need rooms for all of us for the night”. Ya, im still not good on talking to girls, even in a different species. She smiled at us as we each got our own room. Then she put three coffee mugs with the red liquid in it. “ whats this?” Edge inspected it with a hoof. He gave it a courtesy sniff. “ smells like a sissy drink”. He said curling his nose a bit. She giggled at him, “ its called Loves First Blush. It's free with the room sweetie.” she cooed. Oger shrugged and slammed his hard and fast. It wasn't too hard for him to drink all of it in one gulp. He smacked his lips, “ not bad, Oger like, but Oger has to hide cold box so no pony steal.” he said heading out,” Oger will return”. He was gone and the coffee mare giggled again and started washing dishes again.

I looked at Edge and Trixie,” well, it seems ok”. “ ya, at least its not poisoned.” Edge said putting the mug up to his lips and started to sip it. Trixie started to drink hers too. I shrugged and drank mine. It had sweet pungent taste with a hint of a fruity flavor. “ hum , not bad.” I said looking at my empty mug. “ what do you think Edge?”, I asked looking over at him. He was staring at the coffee mare smiling a goofy smile. “ Edge, HEY Edge?!” I shook him. “ hum, what?” he said coming out of his daze. “ are you ok?” I asked wondering what was with the sudden mood change. “ ya I'm fine, I think I might ask the coffee mare out on a date.” he said with a smile. “ hu, umm ok, you can do that, I'm going to find the page so we can get out of here as soon as possible.” I said letting him sit there. That's when I noticed,Trixie was gone.

. . .

Even though I didn't know where Trixie was, I knew she would be ok. I mean its not like you could get mugged in a town that's all about love. I managed to get the map from Trixie's saddle bags once I dropped them off in her room.

I headed around town following the map's compass. I bumped in to a hard frame of a stallion. I backed up to apologize to him, but he spoke first. “ oh, I'm sorry, are you ok?” he said looking down at me. He was, like I said, a hard solid frame earth pony stallion with a pink mane and white fur. His cutie mark was a red and blue hearts over lapping each other. “ I'm fine thank you, but I think I ran into a you, sorry about that.” I said righting myself. He chuckled, “its fine”, he said with a smile,” I'm Puffin Pants, the mayor of hearts and hoofs town”. He patted me on my shoulder, “ let me give you a tour of my town my friendly dragon.” he said guiding me through the ponies. I smiled sheepishly,” ok, that would be.. um nice”. The only thing that came to my mind at the time was. Is he like Fancy Pants gay cousin or something. I'm no expert on that type of thing but to each his own.

He showed me around the town, stopping at various shops, giving me tips on the best type of flower to give your special somepony..er dragon, and telling me the history of the town and holiday. It apparently started in 1200 BL, during the fight of flaming seeds, that lasted for three months. A stallion was sending letters to the mare that he loved. From their love started a holiday that celebrated love. It was a little fascinating how in other dimensions dimensions history plays out that is different from my own.

We finally came to the center of town with the pony clock tower and a fountain, with a large stone heart on a pedestal in the middle of it. I glanced at the map and the arrow was pointing at the fountain. I thanked Puffin Pants for the tour for his town he told me if I had any question come and see him at his house. I did think that would never happen. I examined the fountain when he left. The base was cared with cults and fillies pegasi with bows and arrows, I was guessing that this was their version of a cupid. The pedestal was a roman style, with a well cared stone heart that was smooth. Water sprayed out the top of the pedestal. It was a very well done piece, but how was I sappost to get page that was inside of it?

I don't know how long I took trying to find a buttons or levers of some type. I pressed every carving, pulled on ever appendage I could find hanging off of it. Until I started hitting my head on it out of frustration. I finally hit my head a bit to hard, and the heart clicked open. My head hurt and I was tired. I climbed up to where the heart opened and I could see a pink chest inside, but it was open. I looked inside the chest to find a piece of parchment. I still having trouble reading their language. I folded up the paper in the map. And closed the heart. That's when I heard something strange, like and suffocating sucking sound.

I hopped down and noticed that the sun was coming up, but I sighed and fallowed the noise knowing it would get me into trouble again. I fallowed it to a back ally were and eary green glow was coming from there. I was going to regret this but I looked down the back ally way to see something that still gives me the creeps today. A brown pony was laying on their back with their mouth open and their eyes a neon green. There was a bug like pony with its back to me, standing over top of them with their mouth open and seemed to be inhaling this green mist coming from the brown pony. The disgusting thing was, the brown pony was slowly turning into a mummy before my eyes.

I was speechless, as I slowly backed up and ran away. Within moments I was at the door steps of Puffin Pants. I bang on the door three times before he answered yawning. “ little dragon friend? What brings you to my humble abode, so early in the morning”? I was panting a bit,” I need to talk to you, its an emergency!” I was slightly out of breath as I spoke. He looked a little concerned as he let me in to his house. He walked me up to this fourth floor of his house and pasted me a coffee that was pleasantly sweet when I took a sip and sat in front of him. “ So, since your calmed down, tell me what emergency are you talking about”? I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and I took my time on telling him what I saw moments before coming to his house. He sat in his chair taking it all in, and lisened intently to every word I said. He sighed slightly, “ would you like a crumpet with your coffee?”, he asked politely. I took a deep breath and nodded slightly a bit confused, but I thought he was being kind. As he turned away, I noticed something strange about his cutie mark, instead of having a red and blue hearts, it was pink and yellow. “ um, didn't you have a red and blue hearts?”, I ask getting a little nervous. He turned back with a sigh, holding a plate of small crumpets in his hooves. When he looked at me I notice a green sheen to his eyes.

That's when he spoke,” I guess I am found out.” his voice changed from soft and kind to hard and gravely. Green aura surrounded me and pined me to the wall. It was coming from his earth pony forehead. He sat and ate his crumpets as he explained,” I've been running this town for over thirty years with out any problems from the princesses or the queen. Now a little dragon comes to my town and already knows everything.” he said before sipping his coffee. He turned his chair, dragging me along in the wake. I smashed into everything on his shelves, from books to glasses that shattered against my scales. “ I don't know anything.”, I pleaded. He slammed me hard into the roof then into the floor dragging me along for the ride. I could feel my limbs acing from all the abuse. He made me look at him,” I think you know more then you think.”, he bounced me off the floor again then held me ageist the window. “ I know I cant kill you, since your hide and scales are too thick.”, he pulled me away from the window and held me suspended in mid-air for a few moments. “ but I do know, no matter how much armor you were, it wont save you from a broken neck.”, he smiled evilly before say, “ goodbye my little dragon friend”. With one are thrust, he smashed out the window and lunched me out of a four-story building.

I floated aloft for a moment thinking, why do I always falling to my possible death? Well, cant do anything about it now. I flipped over to see the ground coming in closer fast. I closed my eyes and I landed and slide to a stop. I felt a life but sticky. I pushed myself up and wiped frosting from my face and I seen what broke my fall. “ saved by wedding cake.”, I said looking down as the flatted remains of the cake. “ I must be at a wedding,”, I looked around and saw something I thought I would never see. It was Sharp Edge in a tux, with coffee mare in a dress and they where about to become married.

Foot note:

Achievement Awarded: High Flier: fly over 100 meters and live

Perks : broken heart anti-bodies: you are now immune to love poison and changeling's kiss

Author's Note

I'M BACK EVEYPONY! Sorry it took so long, my computer took a a swim and fried itself. It's fixed and i am continuing the story. please leave a like, a favorite and even a comment if you feel like it, It would be much appreciated. Thanks for waiting! XP

ZERG RUSH!

Chapter 6: ZERG RUSH!

Written by: Cavedragon

Eddied by:JTHENOOB

I would never have thought this would ever happen. Sharp Edge was always against marriage, or some romance, but now he's standing at the alter with a mare he just met the other day. I slowly stood up in the middle of the wedding cake, there was a loud snap, and the table collapsed out from under me. Edge hurried over to me. “Steam! My favorite dragon, you just made it to be my best dragon”. He had a very goofy grin on his face. I slowly got to my feet, “what? I thought you WERE NOT going to get MARRIED, well not now”. He patted me on my shoulder, “my dear friend Steam. When I saw this cute little thing here,” he pointed at the coffee mare, she giggled when he gave her a wink. “I know she was the one for this stallion of adventure”. The Preacher pony cleared his throat. With out another word, Edge headed back to the alter and snuggled noses with his new fling. The Preacher began to speak in the deepest preacher voice you could imagine , “Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today, to bear witness to these two souls be united in Holy matrimony”. I was a little creepy to see them not even blink as he continued to speak, “If there is anypony has any objections, please speak now or forever hold your piece”. My claw shot up, “I do!” I shouted out, making every pony gasp.

Everypony's eyes where on me. I could feel it in my gut that this was not good plan. The coffee mare glared at me as Edge stomped down the aisle to face me. “Steam, what in Celestia's bulbous, fat, balloon shaped, rainbow colored, cake loving ass are you DOING!?”,he shouted pushing his face into mine. “umm ahha, I c-can't let you do this...”, My voice getting smaller. “ WHY!?” his shouting starting to hurt my ears. “ah, because I know you. You would not get married this fast a-a-and uh” I stammered to find words. “Oh, so you want her huh?!” he said leaning into my face pushing my face. I fell back, “what?! N-no I..” but I was cut off by Sharp Edge,”That's settled then, we duel for her right here and now.” he glared down at me. So, I got to my feet and pushed back,”Ok, if its the only way to beat some sense into you, then fine!” I said nose to nose with him. Needless to say, the fight was short and pathetic on my part. It ended with my head back in the cake again. I was thankful he didn't stick my tail right up my...well you know. “yes , I am the victor!” he leaped up on to alter and rapped his hoofs around his prize, “give me some sugar baby” he said with a very long kiss. I pulled my head out of the cake to see some tongue action.

Hell, I was getting sick by the this, but I couldn't let him go though this. I didn't want one of my only friends in this crazy world to go into something that might turn him into a mummy pony. They began to say their own vows, so I had to do something quick. I saw an empty seat in the front row. “ I hope this works!”, I ran up to the front row, picked up the chair and flung it as hard as I could at edges head. It was a direct hit, knocking him off the alter and on the the grass beyond. I ran over to him and checked if he was all right. He was breathing and his eyes were closed. “Edge? Edge! Are you ok?” I shook him. He opened his eyes, they where rolling around in his head trying to focus on me. “Steam?” he said sitting up rubbing his head, getting his eyes straight. “where am I?” he patted his head, “and more impotently where is my HAT”! The coffee mare came over with his hat and sword. She smile as he took them in his magic, “thank you sweet heart” he said putting them on, “ So, what happened”? I put my claws together “ um... you see.. you almost got married.” I said as gently as I could. “ I almost WHAT?! To who!? Is she pretty!? I hope to Celestia that it wasn't like that one time I woke up in a crummy hotel in Detrot”. I pointed to the coffee mare. She smiled and waved at him. “Well, at lest your pretty.”, he looked over to a commotion behind the alter. “ you didn't tell me that there was a fight going on and I wasn't invited!” he stood up and got on top of the pedestal where the preacher pony had his book. He was trying to calm everypony down. That is, until Edge shoved him out of the way, climbed to the top of it, and jumped off spread eagle on top of a large fight going on. I sighed and shrugged. I should have known that there's always a fight when someone throws a chair.

The coffee mare pulled me down, “who are you?!” she asked me as we could hear sharp Edge lay the smack down on some poor ponies. I was kinda surprised that Edge didn't tell her who I was but I guess she wouldn't be able to get anything out of him when all he could speak was goo goo talk. “Well, I'm Steam, me and my friends where passing through, and got caught up in all this.” I was a little nervous talking to her since my unfortunate event not too long ago. “So, I'm guessing you found out, haven't you.” her voice changed to a more silky smooth tone as she spoke. “ umm I think so but can you tell me what is really going on here?” I asked a tad bit worried. She smiled a little wider then I thought ponies could smile, “don't worry Steam, I do not wish to hurt you”. “uuuuuuhhhh, ok” I was able to say. “The queen had this place only for a reserve of love that we would feed on if the hive was in trouble. That is, when drone #066 came to be the mayor of this town.”, she looked down slightly with a twinge of regret. I put a claw on her shoulder, “what happened?”. Sorry, I'm a softy for a sob story sometimes. I guess I'm just to kind hearted. She looked up at me when I touched her. “He has been making an army from the love that comes from this city. He has been taking his time for over thirty years to make his army. Doing everything to keep it low key so it doesn't raze any suspicion with the Princess or Queen Chrysalis. It's obvious that he wants to take over...well everything.” she looked down and away from me. I tilted my head slightly to look at her better “what's your name”? She looked at me, “ my name.. umm yes of course YQ#007 I'm a young Queen . But you can call me Crystal Clear” she said with a small smile. I smiled a little feeling more comfortable with her, “well, Crystal, we need to get out of here before the puffin drone see's the ruckus I just caused” I said taking her hoof and giving it a small tug. She nodded, “I think that would be a wise idea”. “but I have to find the rest of my friends.” I said scooting along with her on the ground. “ I saw your blue friend in the dress shop when I was getting mine”. My eyes razed an eye brow at her, “crazysaywhat”?

. . .

This was a first for me, I didn't think Trixie would be a slink kind of mare but there it is. She wore a light blue wedding gown, that was cut and sewn all for the soul purpose of it to flow behind her with every turn she made in the four mirrors. “nice gown” Crystal complemented. She smiled looking at us through a mirror, “ my smoopy woopy pie picked it out for me.” she said waving a hoof over to a small stallion in a suit that waved back.

I leaned down so only crystal could hear, “ I'm only guessing but did you put some kind of love spell or something in the drinks you gave us”? She nodded, “a very mild love poison, it was mandatory for some cases, like lonely ponies that came here. However, when Drone #066 took over, now its in every dink we serve.” she shrugged and looked down slightly. “sorry”, she apologized. I waved it off, “doesn't matter now, I just need to snap her out of it”. She shook her head, “the only way to fix love poison is to keep the two apart for one hour, but in this place when the swarm see that two ponies are in love, we make sure they are together for as long as possible”. I sigh but something came to me, “wait, blunt force trauma”, I said putting my claws together. “what?”, she asked but I moved behind Trixie without another word. “Hey Trixie, there's something on your face.” I said waiting for the proper moment. She looked in the mirror, “where?” I balled up my claw, leaned way back and asserted myself. I would have made Two face proud when my fist connected with the back of her head and Trixie went down like a sack of lead. She went down to her face, “Why did you do that?” Crystal had a hoof over her mouth. I shook out my claw, “Well,I just did what I did for Sharp Edge”. She looked confused as she stared at me. I sighed a bit, “look, you know when a pony hits their head hard. It kinda scrambles the brain pan”? She was having a hard time fallowing me but she slowly nodded. “Well, once they shake out the cobwebs, they feel like their thought has cleared even for a moment. Its kinda like a reset button.” I finished. She was still confused by my words but I think she got the gist of it.

There was a gasp behind us and her soon to be hubby, pushed me out of the way and started to stroke her face, “crumb cake, honey dish, snooggy wogums are you ok”? She slowly opened her eyes slowly after a few moments to look at him, “get off of me!”, she shouted shoving him off her , “The Great and Powerful Trixie does not like to be crowded, maybe after Trixie's show but not before”. She reaches up to adjust her hat but it wasn't there, “where is Trixe's hat?!” she demanded. I sighed, and explained as much as I could to Trixie. Her eyes went wide when I finished my story, “Trixie almost what?”, she looked at her self, and shrugged, “at lest he had great taste”, she spun in her dress, enjoying how it flowed with her. Me and Crystal face hoofed.

There was a a hiss from her newly ex-fiance as he flew out of the boutique. “we don't have much time. You and your friends are causing too much trouble for the changelings here.” Crystal said looking very worried. That's not good, “we need to find Oger, where is the diamond dog that I came in with?” I asked Crystal. She just shrugged. Trixie tapped her chin thinking,” I think I saw him walk into the woods, last time I saw him”. I smiled slightly, “well, that's a start, but we gotta hurry.”

Sneaking out of the Boutique was a little easier with Crystals help. She could tell us when squadrons where coming and where to hide with out them sensing us. It wasn't until now I had to ask, “why are you helping us”? She stopped to think about it for a few moments. “you where the only one that didn't turn into a mindless love sick dragon, like we usually get. I thought it would give me an opportunity to leave this crystal mother forsaken place”, she looked down sadly when she finished talking. I felt something else was more to the story but I didn't want to push it just yet. “thank you, but we need to keep going.”, I gave her a kind smile. She smiled back as we continued.

The streets where cleared except for groups of changeling's not looking like normal ponies. They look a lot more uglier in real life then on the show. However, I just think it was the bright red in their eyes instead of acid green. They also clicked and hissed like some kind of hell insects.

I tapped Crystal on her shoulder to get her to look at me. “what are they saying?” I asked, kind of guessing already what they where talking about. She stopped to listen for a few moments. “ The tan pony is causing trouble in the main court yard, they need more units to hold him down”. I smiled shaking my head. “ he has always been one of those ponies that are to stubborn to go down, and loves an impossible challenge.” She smiled and blushed slightly, well it looked like she was blushing, with a light blue in her cheeks. I shook my head slightly thinking, ya he's the stuff that's part of every mare's wet dream is made of.

We were clear once we got out of the city. It was nice to breath fresh air again, it was not as sickly sweet in the city. It took us nearly a half hour to at lest find his refrigerator still laying on top of the broken tree it smashed into yesterday. “where is he? Where is that big dope?” Trixie huffed. I looked around and threw my arms up, “I have no idea where he is. He could be half way to Canterlot by now for all I know”. “That be wonderful honey bumps” Oger's voice carried over to us. The three of use exchanged looks from Trixies surprise to Crystals confusion. I was the first to slowly walk over where we heard Oger.

The sight was strange, even for Oger's standers. He was laying on his belly with both paws rapped around a stump. He was snuggling it with his face against it, saying so many goo-goo names to it , I thought I was going to puke gumdrops. “I have to hear a lot of baby talk but hearing a large Diamond Dog tell a stump that it is its smoopy, woopy, dooopy, snoopy pie makes me disgusted”, Crystal made a face, sticking out her tongue. “well, lets see if I can wake him up.” I said picking up a good sized log. I walked up to Oger with log in my claws. I took a solid stance, taking a few careful practice swings at his head, I swung the log as far as I can back in my stance, then I gave him my best home run swing.

With a loud crash, the log exploded into splinters against his skull. The impact snapped his head back and to the left. He slowly flopped over on to his side releasing the stump. “ I think you killed him!” Crystal said with a hoof over her mouth. I dropped the nub of the stick I had left, and checked him quickly. He had a pulse, but his eyes were rolling in his head, “ moopy doopy” he said trying to focus on me. I slapped his face hard trying to straighten out his eyes, but it didn't work. So I continued to slap him. “ WHY!...WONT!... YOU!.. WAKE!...UP!.. WAKE UP” I said very pissed after I don't know how long of slapping. “ STEAM! MOVE!” I heard Trixie yell. I hopped off Oger's chest, just in time to see Trixie flatten Oger with his own fridge. “You killed him!” Crystal said with her two front hoofs over her mouth, her eyes very wide. Trixie just blew a raspberry, “Nah, hes not dead. Hes been through a lot worse then this”. Sadly I would have to agree with her on that one.

Oger's limbs were the only thing visible from under the fridge, but no sound came from the large diamond dog. Crystal and I glared at Trixie. “What?” she asked looking back at us. Groans came from the Diamond Dog. Oger shoved the huge metal box off of himself, and sat up rubbing his head. “uh, Oger head hurt.” he rubbed his head and looked up, “What happened to tan pony?” he asked looking at the three of us. I sighed and explained everything that had happened in the last few hours of the morning. He started to laugh when I told him about Sharp Edge getting married. Crystal shied away a bit when he laughed. I slugged him. “what Oger do”? I gestured to Crystal. It took him a few minutes for the kogs to work. “ ooooh” he said finally realizing who Edges intended bride to be was. “\ya, show some manners next time.” I said Gibs slapped the back of his head. He said something in his native tongue wile he stood up. “Now,” I clapped my claws together, “ we just need to get Edge and get the buck out of here”. Crystal shook her head slightly, “one could not simply walk in there unscathed, we would be swarmed within seconds.” she looked a little afraid when she spoke.

Oger grunted in amusement, “buggers don't scare Oger.” he beat his chest with one paw. Trixie tossed her cape, “yes Trixie will be able to withstand any amount of changeling's you throw at her.” I smiled and patted Crystal on the shoulder, “don't worry,” I smiled “come on, I'm a dragon. Whats the worst that could happen.”

. . .

“Why do I always say stuff like that!” I said holding the door closed, as small red eye changelings hissing and snarling tried to push it open. We found our way into the town, with some difficulty. Ok, we were spotted within moments and chased into a coffee & bagel shop. Oger was holding a table up to a window. The changelings broke the window behind it and were scratching at the table. Trixie was hiding behind the bagel bar and shot a random firework or two at any changelings that got past Oger. Crystal, hissed back at the changelings, and slung crystal blue spell bombs out her window. Edge on the other hand, ….... he was sitting reading a news paper, enjoying a bagel and coffee while he swung his sword in his magic, keeping over half the Zergs at bay. I stared at him, “We are in the middle of a ZERG RUSH, and you having COFFEE AND BAGLES! “ I yelled out of frustration, I could feel them starting to cut through the door. He sighed, and putting down his paper, said “fine, I'll help to the best of my abilities.”, he sipped his coffee “and it's tea not coffee.” Then he slammed the large shutters on the changelings, they let out a loud screech and all of them retreated. I gave a sigh of relief and let go of the door almost slumping to the floor.

“There, I chased them away” he said before slapping me on the back as he turned back to his paper, “quit being such a scale butt,” he flipped his paper open at me. Crystal shook her head, “no they are getting #066 to help them fight the intruders”. I sighed and slumped into a seat next to Edge. “Ok, so we are stuck in a bagel house and going to get Zerg rushed again, with puffin pants as back up”. She nodded, “that is just B.E.A.utiful.”, I looked at Crystal. “is there any Changeling repellent or some way to repel them away from this town”? She sat at the table across from me, tapping a hoof to her chin. “ I'm not sure, the only time I could think that any changeling was chased off was when the Queen and her army was blasted away by some kind of very strong love energy”. I hit my head on the table, “great, we are so bucked over a pole on this one”. Edge chuckled a bit from behind his paper. We all looked at him, even Trixie from behind the bagel bar. He looked back at us, “what?” he asked returning most of our glares. “What do you think is so funny, you tan hided suicidal psycho pony.”, Trixie scolded Sharp Edge. He rolled his eyes and put his paper on the table, showing a black and white picture of a heart gem. I looked at it, “so what is it”? “ look tasty” Oger licked his lips. Crystal gave him a shot to the back of his head, “that's not for eating!”, She shouted at him.

Edge chuckled, “she's right, and I figured out a way to get out of this alive.” he said flattening out the paper, “this is an ancient artifact called, The Lover's Necklaces”. Once flattened he read, “the Lover's Necklaces has been moved today, from Canterlot to the Hearts & Hoof museum for further studies of its mystical powers of making anypony fall in love with whom ever is wearing it.” he finished looking up at us. “so”, I started to ask, “how in the blue blazes will that help us?” I finished throwing my arms up. He smiled at me “simple, we break it”. “what?” Crystal asked incredulously. “Well, this thing should be full of powerful love magic, if we break it open then that power is released. Thus saving everypony in the city of hearts.” he finished crossing his hoofs and smiling, proud of himself.

I couldn't argue with him, I could hear the changelings buzzing wings outside of the building. “If that's all we got, we have to move now”. “ Ya lets go.” he finished his coffee … I mean tea and reached for his other half of his bagel. “wait, where's my bagel?” he said looking at the empty plate. I wiped my chin of crumbs, “um I don't know” I said after I picked my teeth with my tongue. Come on, it was a toasted cranberry bagel with fruit cream cheese. How could I pass that up?

The buzzing stopped and there was a knock at the door. Then I heard the gravely voice of the drone outside of it, “please come out my scaly friend, and no harm will come to you or your friends”. I motioned everyone to go to the back. “How do I know you aren't just blowing rainbows up my skirt?” I said as everypony and diamond dog slowly moved to the back, Edge was behind me. “I give you my word.” he said, I swear I could see that smile on the other side of that door. I stepped back a few steps. “No deal, I don't trust anypony with the name puffin pants”. Edge looked at the door and said, “Puffin Pants... Really, is that the best you got”? “Then I guess we have no choice but to break down the door. Good bye Mr dragon.” Once The drone finished, the door started to splinter. Oh shit! In an act of desperation. I gave my best breath weapon blast hoping to burn them but only ice came out. I moved my ice bean across the door, and windows before I ran out of breath. “well that works”, Edge said then patting my shoulder, “we need to move, its not going to hold them out forever”.

We made our way with the others to the back door. “ the changelings have us blocked off, we are doomed.” Trixie was shivering from fright, solid in place. When I touched her shoulder, she jumped looking back at me. “calm down, we will get out of here.” I gave her a small smile. I didn't think we where, but anything could happen. She gave a smile back and stopped shaking at least. “This taking to long”, Oger picked me up by my neck and he squished my belly. A large fireball burped out of my mouth blasting the door to pieces, sending Changelings flying through the air.

That's when we made our move. Oger held me like a rocket launcher under his arm. Every once and wile, he would give me a hard squeeze against my protests and I would burp up a fireball sending flames and changelings everywhere. Trust me, you would not believe ... how much this hurt. I finally wiggled free of Ogers grip when we got into the museum “don't ever do that again” I said through the pain and gasps for air. Oger just shrugged and moved deeper into the museum.

When I could breath again, I was able to look around. For the most part, it looked like a normal museum that you would find in a good sized city, except for the color scheme of reds, pinks and whites. There was a pink and white service desk in the middle of the lobby, signs point off to the different exhibits. Crystal barricaded our scorched entrance with two desks and a bookshelf.

“Ok”, I said my voice a little horse, ha get it horse “where is the necklace”? “It's in the historic section.” Edge said behind the desk. All I could see was his tail, then he came up for air with a museum map in his magic. I walked over and looked at it. It was really obvious where it was, when there was a colored picture of the heart necklace under the historic label. “Well, that's convenient.”, I said, my throat clearing up a bit. There was some loud buzzing outside the door. “We better hurry, they sound really upset.” Crystals said looking a bit worried. Edge and I nodded in agreement.

It wasn't long till we found the the exhibit we where looking for. The Lover's Necklace looked very beautiful. The whole thing was made out of white gold, and socketed with many well cut white gems to make wings to go around ones neck. The center piece was a large smooth, light blue heart gem. The necklace was encased in a glass box. “There necklace, what ponies waiting for”, Oger said drawing his great sword, and swinging it at the box. His sword rang like a bell when it connected. Oger stood still like a statue for a few seconds before dropping his sword. Crystal rolled her eyes, and looked at the sign below the box. “Its says for extra security Lover's Necklace is always kept in a diamond reinforced , crystal box.” she finish wile Oger had his paws under his armpits. “Changeling should have told Oger first” he said with a small growl. “Then how do we open it?” Trixie asked throwing her hooves in the air in exasperation. Crystal shrugged, “we can always blast it open.” Edge said thinking. Oger nodded and reached for me again. I slapped his paw away and glared at him. He held up his paws, “Ok, Ogers sorry for using little dragon as boom stick”. I looked back at Edge, “I know that's out of the question. How else are we going to get it out?” I asked standing next to Edge. He smiled wide at me, “I have an idea”. That didn't sound good for me.

He stomped his hoof on my clawed foot, I opened my mouth to let out a yowl of pain, only to have Edge slam my opened mouth into the box. My teeth sunk into it and he turned my head into a clockwise direction to make a hole. Once the hole was done, I pulled my head back and I spat out the pieces of the box I still had in my mouth. “you know, I hate it when you get ideas like that.” I said cleaning off my tongue. It instinctively tasted like blue berry, with a touch of coconut. I hate coconut, not the taste the consistency.

Edge started to pull it out, then we noticed that there where red changelings on the windows, on the roof, and at the exits, all were made of glass. They used their faces to break through the thick glass. “ooh horse apples” Crystal said looking up at the many changelings bashing their heads on the glass. The bashing was creating cracks that's spiderwebed across each pane. “ um hurry up Edge. How do we break it open”? I said as the window panes shattered above us, shards of glass fell down all around us. Edge and I jumped back away from large chunks of glass coming down. None of us was hurt, however, within seconds we were surrounded by bright red eyed changelings. Then Drone #066 landed with a solid thud in front of the empty box. He was about Big Mac size for a changeling, well muscled, his color was a deep red instead of the bright red like his army. He did have a horn, but instead of the swirly horn like normal changelings, it looked sharp and jagged. “Did you really think you could stop me with old magic from a cheesy necklace?” “w-well it seemed like a good idea at the time.”, I stuttered trying to keep my nerves under control since the top of my head comes to mid neck on him. He smiled polished onyx fangs at me, “ how pathetic, a rag tag group that contains, two unicorns, one of which was chased out by her kind”. Trixie moved forward trying to get past me. I held her back, “calm down”, I whispered to her. She nodded but she still glared at him. He continued with out a second thought, “a diamond dog that is far from home, a Changeling that should know better then to help outsiders, and a dragon that doesn't know when to keep his pointed nose out of other ponies business”.

Edge walked in font of me with a smile, “you insulted everypony but me. What am I not that important to your agenda?” he asked still holding the necklace. The Drone narrowed his red eyes at him, “no, your just a slight thorn in my side.”, he said with a smirk. Edge nearly walked up almost nose to nose to the drone as he stood on two hooves. “well, I always can do better than that”, he turned away slightly, “I can always turn from thorn in your side to pain in your ass”, he finished then suddenly swung the necklace hard up side Drone#066”s head throwing him off balance for a second. Edge quickly tossed the necklace to Trixie, then drew his sword. He was tossed by the drone to the side, anger in his eyes,” GIVE ME THAT NECKLACE!” he howled at us, then made a horrible screech. The Changelings sprung into attack formation.

Within moments, the changelings where on us like ugly on an ape. Oger started swing his sword keeping them off him the best he could, when they clung to him, he was beating off changelings with a free fist. Trixie ran around in circles keeping that necklace from the swarm, sending fireworks and small bolts of lighting that oddly enough left the changeling that it hit in stitches when struck. When #066 was on her tail, she tossed the necklace to Crystal. She garbed it wile the Drone slid into a display of a ruby encrusted Faberge hearts, smashing them to little pieces. He hissed in anger at Crystal, she hissed back as she took off. The changelings where on my ass, since I was standing there like an idiot. My body wasn't big enough to take on anything. All I had was my breath weapons. So, I breathed ice on the ground to sent them sprawling behind me. I clocked one in the head with a closed claw in font of me to make some room, and I began to run. I sent small puffs of fire to get the attention of most of them to keep them off my friends but there were too many of them to stop. Crystal tossed the necklace to me before there was a crude cage made of splinters of wood and red ooze, dropped around her. I caught the necklace and ran with it in my claws.

“Steam, up here!” I heard somepony yell to me. I looked up to see Edge riding on the back of a flying Changeling. He swung his sword over his head, “YEEEEE HAAA!” he howled as he flew over head. “ENOUGH!” yelled the drone, he summoned a hellish red lighting bolt and vaporized the the changeling he was riding on. Once the ash fell away, Edge tried flapping his hoofs before falling to the floor at the Drone's feet. “I have had enough of you making me look like a fool”. Edge just smiled, slowly getting to his hooves, “oh, you didn't need me for that Puffin Pants”, he gave a laugh at his name. In a spike of anger, the Drone grabbed a rock from another exhibit and smashed it into the side of Edge's head. Sending him flying into a wall. “Drain him and his friends, we'll make it look to be a robbery him and his friends cooked up for the Lover's Necklace”, he smirked. They had Edge pined along with, Oger and Trixie within seconds. My back was in a corner with the necklace in my claws. I knew I was fucked if I didn't do something soon.

Crystal hissed and snarled in her cage. The drone smiled, “and as for you YQ#007” his smiled widened “you will treat me with the same respect as your sister”. “ I will never be your queen you cur, slimy, white hatchling!” The drone just chuckled, “temper temper, that's no way a young queen should act.”, that's when he turned his attention to me. “and as for you, my little dragon friend”. I began to squeez the heart center piece of the necklace out of fear and hope it might break in my hand. The changelings parted for him as he approached me. “I'll leave you for last.”, he smiled before speaking in a grim voice and leaning his head down to my eye level, “I want you to watch your friends be drained of all their essence”. I looked over his shoulder to see everyone slipping away. It took thirty changelings to hold Oger down and drain him. He was still struggling slightly as green mist was being pulled from his body. Trixie was on her back and her eyes where rolled into the back of her head. Then I finally saw Sharp Edge, still struggling and trying to fight, was held down by eight changelings and I could tell he was dieing before my eyes. “Steam...” he was struggling to breath now “just ... run.” I could feel my face harden and a tear come to my eye as I looked back to Puffin Pants. His smiled sparked a fire inside of me, this smug asshole would not get away with this. I may have to do the worst case scenario. I don't know if this will kill me but I would do it to take down the bigest asshole of this world. “Now give it up, you can't win. Hand over that necklace and I'll kill you quickly”. I couldn't help but shrug and give him a smile, “no” I whispered “What was that?” he asked his face hardening.“Do you have a hearing problem? I said no you cocky son of a bitch no, but I will see you in hell” I said before shoving the entire necklace into my mouth. “ NO!” the drone quickly reached out with his dark red magic to take it from me, but it was too late. I bit down hard on the very sweet gem. My mouth snapped open, spewing pink flames at the drone. He held off the magic for a few seconds with his own magic but it wasn't enough. The recoil slammed me into the wall behind me. The stone started to crack around my back. From the shear force of the blast, the drone's horn snapped in half. He howled of pain as he was tossed ass over teakettle out of the roof and away.

The remaining changelings fled from the museum but my trip was far from over. My head squished deep into the wall before it broke. I went flying off like a rocket. My head slammed in to many of the roof tops, and sent my body rag dolling along with the ride. It slammed me hard into the ground and the flames wrapped around the stone heart that was in town square. I finally coughed up the last of the flames after the heart started to glow pink. I didn't care at the time, I was spitting up the the pieces of the necklace on the ground, then scooping up dirt into my mouth. “ SWEEEEET! TOOO SWEET!” I yell through the dirt I shoved into my mouth. Tears and muddy drool covered my face. I washed my mouth out with the water in the fountain. I wiped my tongue off then finally looked up at the heart that was now glowing a pink color above me. Instead of heart being stone, it was now a large pink gemstone that radiated a power of true happiness. I guess that's what real love feels like. I could see the few changelings that where not in the fight , flying off trying to get away from the energy. I lay on the ground before the fountain. Once again, I was sore all over. Ugh, I hate having my ass kicked so much in this world.

I felt terrible, my jaw hurt the most. I thought my lower jaw would break off. I held my jaw as I slowly got up and hobbled back over to the hole I made in the museum. It was dark now, but I found my way in and seen my friends still on the ground. I checked them all first to see if they where still alive. They all had a pulse, and they where breathing, though Edge and Oger Aren't doing to great but there stable that's all that mattered. Edge and Oger tried to swat me off, but was too weak to really do anything. Then I went over to the cage that Crystal was in. She was curled up on the bottom of it, and she wasn't her red fur self. I had to admit she was pretty even for a changeling. She was smooth instead of a rough scaly bug carapace like the creatures we where dealing with before. Her true color was a light baby blue for her natural color instead of red or green . “Don't look at me, I'm a hideous.” she said covering her face with non-hole hooves. That was a first. I did my best to cut through the wood bars with my claws. I leaned down to her, “come on, you don't look bad at all.” I said softly. She shook her head, “ I'm just a monster, I'm just an insect that needs to be crushed”. She had tears in her eyes big blue eyes, looking away from me. “come on, look at me, most ponies think I'm a monster, but I like who I am as I am “ I gave her a smile, “ trust me I do understand”. She looked up at me and gave me a smile, “your right, and I didn't know you had such pearly whites”. I looked at her confused. “ what”? I headed over to the closest mirror I could find and smiled in it. Sure enough, my teeth where a polished pearly white. I never seen my teeth so white before. It even made the squeaky sound when I rubbed my tongue across them. I don't think I ever had a smile this good, but I have to get back to my friends.

There was a shriek, I rushed back to where the shriek came from. Crystal brought Trixie around and Trixie, with fear filled eyes, was hugging the wall. “it's ok, it's ok, it's Crystal. This is what she really looks like.”. I said getting between Trixie and Crystal. “Really? Well, that's d-different.” she said unraveling herself from the wall. I helped Crystal bring Edge and Oger around. She used some kind of blue smelling salts to wake them. I was there to explain to them this was Crystal. “oh, well you still are pretty,” Edge said still a little out of it. She blushed her light blue in her cheeks and I just shook my head. “so is every other pony still alive?”, I asked. She nodded, “yes, I would imagine that the real ponies where in storage. I'll show you where we keep them.” she said leading us out slowly since most of us where having trouble walking.
. . ,

Crystal lead us to a large storage room under the post office. It took us a few hours to get everypony awake. They where fearful of Crystal but after I explained everything to them, they were a little more friendly, and had a few extra lumps. It was easier to get them out from under the love spell, thanks to Oger. We got them all out and got them rooms to stay in to sleep off the head aches.

“Lets go to the bar and celebrate. We beat the Changeling army!” Edge cheered walking off with Oger. I saw Crystal walking away from us. “nah, I'll see you later ok?” I said heading off to catch up with Crystal. “ no problamo I'll save you a bottle.” he whooped as he and Oger headed into the the bar. I caught up with Crystal when she was almost out of town. She had tears in her eyes when I looked into her face, “Hey, whats wrong?”, I asked her as I walked with her. She didn't look at me, “I miss my sister.”, she sat down hard, tears leaking down her face. My heart sunk for her, I sat next to her and I hugged her, “I'm sorry for your loss.” I held my tears back as I held her. She was surprised at first, then she gave me a weak hug back, “thank you... your a very kind dragon.”, she said perking up a bit. I let go after a wile, “so, what will you do?” She shrugged still looking down, “I don't know Steam. I could stay here and clean up the place, and be a real mayor for this town or I could go with you, and see what its like outside of my home”. I was confused, “what for? I think I get ponies into trouble”. She shrugged again, “sure but you always have a plan to get them out and your the only dragon that was kind to a creature like me”, she looked at me then looked away, “give me the rest of the night to think about it, ok? There's a lot on my mind I have to think through”. “Ok, but will you be ok by yourself out here?” she nodded looking at the stars. I gave her a smile and was about to leave. She looked a me for a second, “oh, Steam one last thing” she said. I walked up to her, “What?” I asked. She slugged me hard in my gut. Any lower and I would be sing soprano. “What was lat for?” I inhaled. She narrowed her eyes slightly, “That's for ruining my first wedding.” she said but she smiled at me looking back up at the stars. I hobbled away, taking my time to breath again.

Half way in town I felt that gurgling feeling again and burped up a jet black scroll. I smiled slightly and opened it. The words read:

That was a very sweet thing you did for that changeling. I'm very proud of you and maybe a little jealous.

I blushed a little at that, but smiled none the less, “checking up on me I see Princess Luna.”

Maybe I am, maybe I'm not or maybe I'm checking up on my favorite little dragon. I heard you where causing a ruckus in the city of hearts, and please just call me Luna

I smiled a little more, “well Luna, yes I got myself into another pickle and almost died again. So its another day in paradise really.” I said with some sarcasm with that last part.

Well, I'm thankful your still okay. You know I do worry about you. I mean I brought you here and I feel responsible for your well being.

I chuckled a little bit, “or is it that you have a crush on me and you are thankful that I'm alive so I may see you one day.” I said jokingly.

Oh, my little dragon, you wont know until you get here.

The scroll disappeared in a puff of smoke and blue sparkles, but I was still standing there with disbelief on my face for a few beats. I sighed and headed back to the Inn/Coffee shop. I passed the mini party going on between Edge, Oger and Trixie, and Crystal joined shortly after. Edge wanted me to stay but I waved him off. I was too tired, and too sore to party or do anything for that matter. I saw the map on the bed side table and wondered how it got there, I thought I lost it a while ago, but I was too tired to care at the moment. I put out the candle and flopped into bed. I was out like a drunk after happy hour. Unknowing what lay next in my journey.

Foot note:

Achievement Awarded: ZERG RUSH! : Survive a swarm of 200 Zerg changelings.

A Very Sweet Treat: Use your jaws to brake the Lover's Necklace.

Perks: Prince Charming's smile: you gain +3 to your charisma when you smile, and have 20% better chance talking to the opposite gender.

Author's Note

Thank you for reading. Please comments below, I want to know if you want to see more of Crystal. And remember to leave a like, favorite and maybe even a comment. i like to know if I'm doing a good job. Thank you again for reading.