My Little Pony: An Unexpected Return

"Mayor Mare? Why is everything so dark in here?" Spike asked, looking around nervously.

"Apparently, he heals better this way," the mayor replied. "Our medics tried patching him up on the operating table, but his skin began blistering underneath the light, causing him to roar in pain. Eventually, the medics just turned the lights off and left him to heal in dark - and it's working for him just fine."

"And when you say, 'roar in pain'..." Rainbow Dash started.

"Yes. Quite literally roared. Scared the horseshoes off of them."

The two alicorns looked at each other in shock. "What kind of shadow pony roars? Sombra doesn't do that!" Twilight stated in suspension.

Starlight looked at Celestia, and noticed that the Princess's eyes were dilated in fear.

"Princess Celestia? Are you alright?"

"Yes, yes... quite fine," Celestia practically gasped out. "W-We should probably move forward."

Celestia continued forward shakily, with Twilight, Starlight, and mayor Mare close behind. Spike would have followed as well, had Rainbow Dash not stepped on his tail.

"Rainbow Dash, what gives?" Turning, he was surprised to see her shaking as well.

"Spike..." She said, her pupils beginning to dilate in fear. 'I think we're being followed."

"Followed? Are you sure?"

"Positive. Can't you hear the-"

Suddenly, the two heard a low growl coming from somewhere in the room.

"Sp-Sp-Spike? If you were that hungry, you could have asked R-Rarity for more gems," Dash said, starting to cower in fear.

"Th-That's not me, I sw-swear!" Spike cried, also shaking. "I-I had a double serving for breakfast today!"

"So who..."

Simultaneously, they both looked up to see fierce aqua-green reptilian eyes staring at them. As they stared in wonder, their eyes were immediately filled with fear as the creature pounced onto them at the speed of light.

...

"When do you think they're going to come back?" Applejack asked, leaning against a tree with her hat tipped over her eyes.

Rarity looked at the building and shivered. "Oh, I do hope they are alright..."

Wait... can you guys hear that?" Fluttershy asked, raising her ear towards the building.

"Ooh, they're coming BA-ack!" Pinkie Pie cried in joy.

As the sound grew louder, the group of friends realized the sound were actually screams, and soon Rainbow Dash and Spike came flying through the door, scratched, burnt, and ultimately traumatized.

"Spikey-Wikey!" Rarity cried, running toward the young dragon. Holding him up, she looked at his bruised face. "Are you alright? Please say something!"

The only response she received was a groan and a cough of smoke from her friend.

Applejack and Flash helped Rainbow onto her hooves. 'What happened in there, sugarcube?" Applejack asked in a concerning tone.

"Uh..." Suddenly, the Pegasus gasped in horror. "Oh, my gosh! We gotta warn them!"

Rainbow tried to run back into the building, but on her first step she collapsed, crying out in pain.

Immediately, everypony gathered around her. Flash looked at her wounds and sighed wearily.

"It's pretty bad, but it should heal in time," he said worryingly. "For now, however, you can't walk - or fly - without some sort of support."

As the ponies helped her up again, a shadow flew over them, and soon Princess Luna landed in front of them.

"Is everypony alright?" The Lunar Princess asked, looking them over. "The Royal Guard told me that you all were here, and - " She stopped, seeing Rainbow and Spike injured. "what happened?"

"There's a new pony in town, and Mayor Mare wanted us to see him," Applejack began to explain.

"And, well, by the looks of it, this happened." Fluttershy summed up, shivering.

"He was so...so... scary!" Rainbow Dash cried. "He looked like a pony, but he had fangs... and dragon eyes... and his horn... it was-" She stopped. "Actually his horn was pretty cool..."

Spike coughed again, then opened his eyes wearily. "That's not all," he groaned. "He looked like a pony, but with the features Rainbow Dash, he also had a dragonish scent on him. Either he came from the Dragon Lands, or..."

"Wait," Flash raised an eyebrow. "Are you suggesting he's half dragon?"

"Well, that would explain his... er... features."

"But that's ridiculous, right?" Rarity asked, looking somewhat shaken by the news.

"I don't know, Rarity," Fluttershy countered. "A lot of weird stuff has happened today. It would be no surprise if this was true as well."

"Either way, I totally call throwing him a welcoming party!"

"PINKIE!" Everyone cried, glaring at her.

"What?" The pink mare asked innocently.

As the friends began to argue why they shouldn't give him a welcoming party, Luna looked at the medic center in curiosity. A pony that could be half-dragon? Only one pony she knew matched that description perfectly; However, she hasn't seen him since she was released from her banishment. Could it be...

"Princess Luna? Where ya goin'?" Applejack asked as she saw the princess approach the door.

"I think I know who he is," Luna replied firmly. "I'm going in."

Luna ran in, only second later for the group to hear a loud roar of rage and bursts of energy being shot from inside.

"They need help!" Pinkie cried.

"Come on, y'all! Let's go help our friends out!"