"HEIL DRACO!!!"
BANG!
Shinning Armor woke up and sat up in bed with wide eyes as the bang echoed within his mind. He looked around the dark room, his heart pounding from the vision he received. He could hear his wife mutter something softly as she slightly shifted in the bed, the mattress letting out a few creaks.
The bed had to be one of the softest, plushest, comfiest beds in all of Equestria. Only the Princesses had better beds than this.
It was such a shame that he couldn't enjoy it.
With a sigh, Shinning Armor buried his face in his two front hooves. This had been going on every night for two weeks. This same dream had continued to haunt him for seven nights. He hadn't told anypony, especially not Cadence. He just couldn't allow her to worry, let alone now about this horrible reoccurring nightmare.
He'd be walking through a dark corridor, completely alone. And then, a dark figure, with a shape he couldn't make out, would make that ghastly salute, scream that ghastly line, and then whip out a flaming magic wand, firing a blast straight into his heart.
Shinning Armor didn't fear death. He was Captain of the Guard, and would gladly lead his troops into Tartarus, even if it met sacrificing himself. But being assasinated out of nowhere, with no chance to fight back, would be just shameful and unacceptable. Escpecially to a piece of trash from. . .that land.
Shinning Armor clenched his teeth. Draco. The cruel dictator of the Dragon Kingdoms. He hated that dragon more than anything. Even more than Queen Chrysalis. That evil dragon would stop at nothing to bring the entire world underneath his psychotic Draconic Reich.
The unicorn's head shot up. Shinning Armor's mouth opened and his eyes grew wide again. Suddenly, it all clicked into place. These dreams. . .they were warnings. . .warnings of a spy- no. . .an assassin.
"The dragons are just as intelligent as the Changelings, perhaps even more so," Shinning Armor said to the Princess of the Sun the next day. "Chrysalis needed to take out something that could give the strategic advantage. . .me."
Celestia nodded as she stood in the throne room, "Indeed. You are Captain of the Guard."
Shinning Armor nodded back, "Yes. If they could get a spy in Equestria to kill me, that would give them the advantage. And that is what these dreams. . ." Shinning Armor shook his head, "No. . .these visions are trying to tell me."
Celestia gained a thoughtful look, "Hmmm, but surely it would be easy to spot young dragons sneaking around."
Shinning Armor closed his eyes and said gravely, "Your majesty. . . I believe it will not be a dragon, but a traitorous citizen of Equestria who plans to do the evil deed."
The Cutie Mark Crusaders left the school, chatting about what they had learned about the dragon kingdom.
"Wow, that dragon land sounds terrible!" Sweetie Belle said with a shudder.
"Well, ah blame that evil Draco guy! He's psycho!" Applebloom said.
Suddenly, Diamond Tiara walked by rolling her eyes. "Huh! boy are you three ignorant! That guy's a genius!"
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom gasped like Pinkie Pie as Scootaloo thrusted her face in Tiara's face.
"WHAT?!?! That guy's a monster! He kills every dragon who doesn't agree with him or isn't pure enough!" Scootaloo shouted in shock and anger.
Diamond Tiara pushed Scootaloo back and said, "Exactly! That's how he gets the best of the best to work for him. He weeds out the weak and inferior so only the best, purest, and strongest to strengthen his empire. And all the dragon citizens will obey him out of fear! It's perfect!"
Sweetie Belle held out her hoof as if to push Diamond Tiara away in disgust. "Ugh! You're even worse than I thought, Tiara! You're bad!"
Tiara rolled her eyes, "Ugh! Whatever! I gotta get home. Me and dad are making a trip to Canterlot," Diamond Tiara's eyes twinkled as she gleefully said, "Hopefully I'll get to meet Shinning Armor. . ."
Applebloom smirked, "Ha! We got to be flower girls for his wedding! We met him, Princess Cadence, Princess Celestia-."
"Yeah, yeah, smell you later Blank Flanks," Diamond Tiara said, suddenly becoming uninterested, and walked off.
Sweetie Belle shuddered, "Uh, girls, I got a bad feeling about. . .something. . ."
"So, your brother's going to make a speech tomorrow? What's it going to be about?" Rarity asked as returned a book to one of the Library's selves.
Twilight shrugged, "I don't know. Celestia just told me in a letter that I should be there."
Spike walked into the room, huffing and puffing. "The books - are fixed - Twilight - sorry for knocking - them over."
"It's okay Spike. You were just distracting about the whole Draco thing, right?"
Spike nodded, "Yeah. All this time that jerk's been doing stuff, and I only learned about it two weeks ago."
"And you kept muttering in your sleep too," Twilight reminded.
Spike began wringing his hands nervously, "Well. . . yeah. . .but that's nothing. . ."
"PONIES OF PONYVILLE!! LISTEN UP!!"
The three friends ran outside to see the source of the loud, bombastic voice.
"That's right! Iron Will has returned! And Iron Will has come to introduce his new program! Prepare to BE THE DRAGON!!" The minotaur roared as he stood in the middle of Ponyville, flanked by two goats.
Rarity huffed, "'Be the dragon' eh? Well, all the tabloids cite his new, 'Draconic Living Program' as evidence that this monster is a Draconic Reich sympathizer!"
Twilight shook her head, "Now Rarity, I don't think he'd ever agree to the evil of that dictator Draco. He's probably to ignorant to even now about Draco."
"Be ready, my friends, cause Iron Will be making his appearance in Canterlot tomorrow! Remember, be bold! Be strong! BE THE DRAGON!!"
That night, the two Princesses sat next to each other, looking at the Moon while having a little discussion.
"So, the Captain of the Guard fears that he shall be murdered?" the Princess of the Moon asked.
Celestia nodded.
The two were silent for a moment, until Luna spoke up again.
"Is it not merely propaganda?"
Celestia turned to Luna with a confused look on her face.
Luna continued, "How do we know Draco is a bad as they say? Perhaps a kingdom of dragons requires certain violent methods?"
Celestia gained a nervious look, "Luna, don't talk like that. If somepony heard you say that, and spread it, it would be a scandal. What you are saying is practically heresy!"
"Okay, okay! Relax dear sister!" Luna said quickly.
Celestia nodded and turned to stare at the stars.
After a minute or two of quiet, Luna spoke up again.
"What's so wrong about sticking your front appendage out! I did it multiple times when I visited Ponyville for Nightmare Night!"
"Really. . ." Celestia said slowly, almost suspiciously, as she turned slowly to stare at Luna.
Luna visibly became uncomfortable under her big sister's gaze.
After a tense moment that felt much longer than it actually was, Celestia spoke. . .
"Good night, Luna. . ."
. . .and walked off to her bed chamber.
Shinning Armor couldn't help but feel nervous as the time to make his speech came that morning, especially after another vivid nightmare had plagued him last night. He turned to look behind him, and there were Luna; Celestia; and, of course, his beautiful wife Cadence.
Cadence smiled and said, "You'll be amazing my love. I know you will."
The stallion smiled, and marched out to the balcony with new found pride and confidence. Below him stood the entire population of Canterlot, as well as visitors from other cities and many news reporters ready with camera and note pads.
Shinning Armor took a deep breath, and he began his speech.
"Citizens of Equestria, you currently live in a free, open society where you may freely do whatever you feel would benefit society in a positive way. You may freely express yourself. You may freely exercise your special talent. You may all live in Harmony. However, you must all realize that you are, in fact, lucky to have all of this. You are privileged. The Princesses that rule Equestria do not do so with an iron hoof. No, they do all they can to keep this land free, open, and beautiful. They do their best to keep everypony happy, healthy, safe, and content. They wish to keep terror out of this land.
However, there are some who wish to keep terror in their land, and spread. I am speaking of some one some of you may have heard of. I speak of Draco, dictator of what he calls the Draconic Reich. This monster rules with a reign of terror, a reign he wishes to never stop, and engulf the whole world. He kills those who don't obey him, but also those who are different from him. This monster desires to keep the dragon race 'pure' by killing those he deems unfit to live. This barbaric, unforgivable way of ruling must be condemned and stopped at all costs! Friends and fellow citizens, let us all keep love and harmony in our hearts, so that the Draconic Reich may never seep into our magnificent, free kingdom!"
The cheers roared throughout all of Canterlot. However, one cheer soared above all others.
"YEAH!! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! WE WON'T LET NO DRAGON TEAR THIS LAND DOWN!! EQUESTRIA!! YEAH!!"
Shinning Armor was surprised to see the huge minotaur at first, but then he just smiled in appreciation for the support of more than just ponies. He looked around, stopping to study the faces of the crowd. He noticed a little filly standing next to a brown stallion (presumably her father). The filly with the tiara on her head looked right up at the Captain of the Guard with and adorable smile and big eyes filled with genuine and sincere adoration.
Shinning Armor smiled broadly as walked back into the room. As he did so, Luna whispered to Celestia, "Sorry sister, I hath so much foolishness last night. . ."
Celestia smiled sheepishly and whispered back, "Think nothing of it, sister. And I am sorry for giving my version of Fluttershy's Stare."
Luna blinked and whispered back, "Hmm? What is this 'Stare' thou speakest of?"
"Sh!"
"Sorry. . ."
Shinning Armor received a kiss from his beloved wife.
"I'm so proud of you!" Princess Cadence cooed.
"And so am I!" Twilight said as she walked forward with Spike in her wake.
"Twily! Good to see ya!" Shinning Armor said happily as she hugged her little sister.
"That - speech - was -awesome!" Spike said in amazement.
Shinning Armor smiled as he stuck a hoof out to shake with Spike, "Thank you. You know, dragons like you show that there's hope for dragon-pony relations if Draco can be taken out of the equation.
Spike smiled, and he held his right claw out to shake as well as he said, "Yeah, sure. Ya know, when I first found out about Draco, I had a certain vision. . ."
Shinning Armor blinked. Spike's been having visions too? Could this dragon have the answer to who the mysterious assassin will be?
The stallion's hoof was just about to reach the dragon's claw, when Spike suddenly swung his right arm up high at an angle. Shinning Armor's eyes quickly went towards Spike's left hand, which now suddenly held a flaming magic wand. . .
With fire in his eyes and a face filled with fury, Spike roared:
"HEIL DRACO!!!"
BANG!
THE END?
