The Princess and the Dragon
Princess Flurry Heart’s haycakes had grown cold already, sitting completely untouched on her plate. “I don’t care what you say,” she declared. “I’m going and you can’t stop me!”
Shining Armor gazed at his daughter with the look of an exhausted yet disappointed father. “And would you like to put that to the test, young lady?” he challenged.
Flurry Heart wordlessly shrank back from her father’s tired stare.
Princess Cadance shook her head. “I’m sorry, Flurry. I know you really want to do this, but you are a Princess and you have to play the part.”
“My part is a princess,” Flurry groused.
“I’m not talking about the play, and you know it,” Cadance chastised, clapping her hoof firmly on the table. “Now, we are done discussing this. You are going to Zebrica with me tonight.”
“But it’s opening night! I don’t have an understudy!” Flurry Heart wailed, flapping up to hover over the table.
“Well, if you hadn’t snuck out behind our backs, this wouldn’t be an issue,” Shining Armor replied tersely.
“Well, if you had asked me if I wanted to meet the stupid prince, it wouldn’t be an issue either!” Flurry retorted.
“I think you might be surprised,” her mother spoke softly. “Maybe you’ll like him.”
“The King has specifically requested your presence,” Shining added. “And that means you must go. This is the first chance we’ve had to reopen friendly relations with Zebrica in centuries.”
“Whatever,” Flurry Heart tossed her mane as she turned her back to her parents. “Since you want me to go meet my new husband-to-be, can I be excused? I need to pick out some nice clothes.”
Shining nodded and Flurry flew from the room. Anger stirred at the reminder that her mother wanted her to ‘meet the prince of Zebrica’. A zebra wasn’t the dragon prince she wanted.
“Who said anything about marriage?” Cadance asked her husband. Shining shrugged.
A plan formed in Flurry’s mind as she approached her room. Even if her mother was going to feign ignorance about the whole thing, Flurry knew her mother’s gambit. And she wasn’t about to be a pawn in her mother’s little game.
Flurry was still in a foul mood as she arrived at the venue. Her plan worked. She snuck out of the house without being caught, but that was of little consolation; she’d be catching Tartarus for her actions once her parents found out - assuming they hadn’t already.
Several other performers waved as she passed. Three even stopped to pay the proper respect due to a princess, but she paid them no mind; there was only one creature she wanted to talk to.
“Hey, Flurry!” Sweetie Belle chirped, stopping Flurry in her tracks.
Sweetie Belle was not the creature in question. In fact, she was the last pony Flurry wanted to talk to right now.
That half-wit unicorn once had everything Flurry had ever wanted. What had Spike ever seen in her, anyway?
“It’s Princess Flurry Heart to you,” Flurry growled. “Now, get out of my way. I have no business with a mare who ruins my uncle’s life.”
Sweetie took two steps back, her ears flattening. Flurry scoffed and trotted away from the stunned unicorn.
“You!” she yelled, spotting her target. The red dragon jumped in his seat and looked around in confusion. “Come with me!” she demanded.
Garble tilted his head. “Why should I take orders from you?”
“Just do it!” she demanded, heading toward one of the other rooms. To her satisfaction, Garble obediently followed.
Sweetie stared after her co-leads as they departed.
“What does Spike have to do with anything?” she wondered softly to herself.
Dazzleflash, the head of the wardrobe crew, approached with Sweetie’s costume draped over her wing.
“I’ve been meaning to ask, but why does it seem like she’s always at your throat?” Dazzleflash inquired as she threw the dress over Sweetie Belle’s back. “And what did she mean about her uncle? Do you two have a history?” She started securing the buttons around Sweetie’s neck.
“Her mama's good friends with my sister,” Sweetie answered, standing still so Dazzleflash could do her job. “I’ve known Flurry Heart since she was born, but she hasn’t always been like this.”
Dazzleflash nodded. “It must be nice to be so close to the princesses.”
“I guess,” Sweetie mumbled, lifting a hind hoof helpfully. “But yes, there is a history there. I once dated her uncle Spike.”
“Spike, the dragon?”
Sweetie nodded slightly. “Yes. We’re not together anymore, and things have been weird between Flurry and I ever since. It’s almost like she can't decide if she's mad that we broke up or jealous that we ever dated.”
Dazzle rolled her eyes, looping an undergarment around Sweetie’s raised leg. “Teenagers, right? Treat them like royalty and it all goes to their head.”
Sweetie Belle’s face scrunched up in confusion as she put her hoof down and raised the other. “She is royalty.”
Dazzleflash nodded. “Exactly. She’s always been the center of attention. Have you ever considered her point of view?”
“Huh?”
“She’s the Princess of the Crystal Empire,” Dazzleflash explained. “And there’s only one creature that the Crystal Ponies revere more than the royal family.”
“... Spike,” Sweetie answered. She grabbed the undergarment in her magic and pulled it securely around her lady parts. Her thoughts wandered to Spike as Dazzleflash began applying makeup.
When she and Spike broke up, it was a big scandal in the Crystal Empire, but it had been a year already. Why was Flurry lashing out now? Did Spike take his frustrations about the break-up and lash out at Flurry?
No, he didn’t seem like the type to do that. In fact, he didn’t seem to care at all when they broke up. That made it hard to imagine him caring enough to lash out at anypony. It just didn’t make sense.
“Sweetie?” Director Clapper Snap tore her out of her inward thoughts.
“Huh?”
“We’re about to start. Are you alright?
“Oh, er… yeah. I’m good to go.”
“Once upon a time,” a voice played over the magical amplifier, “in the faraway Kingdom of Wintercoast, ponies suffered under the tyrannical rule ofthe wicked Queen Obsidia, who ruled over the land with an iron hoof. There also was a Princess, her daughter, Crystal Song.
Sweetie moved to her place on the stage as the narrator began the introduction. After a moment, Flurry Heart trotted up by her side, clad in her own outfit and scowling the entire time. Though Sweetie Belle had many things she wanted to say to the young princess, she held her tongue - there was no time, and this certainly wasn’t the place for it.
“A young Dragon Prince from the neighboring Dragonlands, Prince Firebrand, often came to Wintercoast to bring more food for the oft-starving citizens. One day, Firebrand and Crystal Song met during his visit, and they grew to be fast friends. Obsidia did not approve of her friendship with Firebrand, forbidding Crystal Song from continuing to meet with him. Still, Crystal often met secretly with young Firebrand. As the years passed, their friendship blossomed into a young love.
“As they grew older, the princess was given more responsibilities and had less time to meet with her favorite dragon. She didn't want to give up on her friend, but the secrecy of it all had taken a toll on her. She decided to confront the Queen...”
The curtain raised. And with that, Sweetie Belle and Flurry Heart became the evil Queen Obsidia and her young daughter, Princess Crystal Song.
“Flurry Heart!” Cadance called angrily. “Where are you? Get your flank over here this instant!”
The entire ensemble backstage cringed. Clapper Snap ambled over to the irate parents.
“Princess Cadance! Prince Shining Armor!” he greeted them cheerfully. “Let me tell you, it has been a pleasure working with your daughter, and--”
“Hey, uh, are you the director?” Shining Armor interrupted.
“Why, yes, I am!” he replied cheerfully. He turned his gaze to Cadance. “To what do we owe the honor of your presence?”
“Yeah, about that,” Shining grumbled. “Sorry, Director, but we have to take Flurry Heart away for the evening.”
Clapper’s eyes went wide as his clipboard clattered to the ground. “B-b-but--” he stammered. “She’s the princess!”
“Yes, in every possible interpretation of the word,” Cadance replied. “But she is testing my patience right now, and I outrank her.”
Though he really wanted to argue with Princess Cadance, Clapper Snap realized quickly that no matter what came next, this wasn't going to end well for him. The production would be ruined.
“But... but, what am I supposed to do!?” he bemoaned. “There’s no one to replace her!”
“You really don’t have an understudy?” Cadance asked. “Hm. I thought she was just making excuses when she said you didn’t.”
“I wanted to get one, but she threatened me!” Clapper said defensively. “I couldn’t do anything about it!”
Shining Armor stiffened. “She threatened you? With what?”
“She… um… At the audition, she said that if she didn’t get the role that nopony else could.”
Cadance shared an angry look with her husband. “And you just went along with that?” she asked, with a sweetness in her tone that Shining Armor knew was masking a seething anger.
“Well, she claimed that you would revoke our charter if I didn’t, and that she would see to it personally.”
The various ponies began backing away from Cadance as the Princess seemed to be trembling in silent fury.
“Where is she now?” Shining demanded.
Clapper meekly pointed toward the stage. Flurry Heart’s scene had just ended as she stepped out from the audience’s view. Upon seeing her parents, she stiffened, and probably would have paled if it were possible with her coat.
“Hi... mom, “ she squeaked out softly. Her gaze drifted over to the angry face of her father. “Dad.”
“Yes, hello,” Cadance said tersely. “Now, say goodbye to the others. We’re leaving.”
“You can’t do this!” Flurry and Clapper said in unison. Clapper immediately covered his muzzle with his hooves, realizing who he’d just spoken out toward.
“We can, and we will,” Shining growled.
“But I have to play my part!”
“You weren’t even supposed to go to the audition!” Cadance snapped.
“And how was I supposed to get the part if I didn’t go to the audition?!” Flurry argued..
“You didn’t get the part with an audition!” Cadance growled, an imperious threat in her tone. “You extorted your role out of the director by invoking my name!”
Flurry Heart deflated instantly, suddenly feeling very small. She glanced at the director, then back at her parents. Her cover was blown. Anything she said about the play now would only make matters worse.
“We really don’t want to do this, Director,” Shining apologized, turning to the stricken pony. “But this is a matter so much bigger than a single performance. Our daughter was explicitly told she could not audition. I assure you, there will be plenty of financial compensation for this little stunt she’s pulled.”
“It’s not about the money,” Clapper whispered. “Our reputation will be ruined!”
“Then a publicity stunt will have to do,” Shining offered. “You can perform at the Crystal Castle itself in exchange for this…” he glared at his daughter. “... lapse of judgement.”
“And I assure you,” Cadance spat, “you will not be lacking for a reputation or audience there.”
Clapper slumped his shoulders in defeat. “So I have no choice in this matter, then?”
Shining shook his head apologetically. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid not.”
Clapper could only look on in despair as the three royals vanished in a burst of pink magic. Moments later, Flurry Heart’s gown reappeared, folded neatly on the floor, with all of its accoutrements sitting on top of it.
With a heavy sigh, Clapper looked around at the costume and makeup artists, performers, and stagehands around him, all of them in varied states of confusion, fear, anger, or defeat. There was a lot of talent in these ponies, and he wouldn’t have them dragged through the mud of failure if he could do something about it. Of course, he had absolutely no confidence that they could salvage the situation, but that didn’t mean it was impossible.
“Alright, listen up,” he commanded, straightening up. “We have a matter of a few minutes to salvage this play. Does anypony have any suggestions?”
All of the ponies remained where they were, each of them deep in thought. A couple of them suggested just being honest with the audience and cancelling the performance, and the group had largely come to an agreement on that approach when Dazzleflash suddenly brightened.
“I have an idea!”
It was Garble’s first live performance in a leading role - a well-known production from centuries ago titled The Princess and the Dragon. He had landed the role of ‘Firebrand’ after only one other creature had auditioned for it - a changeling who wasn’t very good at being threatening.
He lay prone before the fountain, clad in golden armor that made him feel slightly ridiculous. It wasn’t real, feeling quite light on his shoulders, but he was certain even real armor would have provided less protection than his scales would. The whole getup made him look and feel ridiculous.
Above him, pinning him down with a prop blade at his throat, was the evil Queen Obsidia, an attractive white unicorn mare with two-toned hair, garbed in black and purple silks and a golden crown upon her head. Though she was modestly dressed by pony standards, from the angle he was laying now, the silken dress revealed just enough to be titillating.
He tried not to stare at the two mounds of flesh that sat nestled between her hind legs. Dragons lacked those, but he couldn’t deny that they had a strange appeal. And the way her dress accentuated her shapely legs, well... they certainly had an allure all of their own. The silken strands of her mane and tail - so different from the hard scales of dragons. So soft. He had never dated before, regardless of species, but he was starting to understand why recently some dragons had begun ‘associating’ with ponies.
“I will never let you marry her!” Queen Obsidia projected, gloating with a cackling laughter that echoed out into the crowd.
Garble tried to ignore the audience. The theatre wasn’t the largest venue in Equestria, but it was far from small. Several hundred creatures filled the seats, with not a single empty seat in the hall.
For a dragon like him, the nervous excitement of the performance was unusual. Excitement was the norm in the dragon lands, but nervousness was quite foreign. He hadn’t had any problems during rehearsals, but now, when it really mattered, being the center of attention set him on edge. If he screwed up this time, he would probably never get another part. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears as his anxious heart threatened to burst from his chest.
Flurry Heart’s ultimatum hadn’t helped. She had asked him to ‘spice up’ their performance tonight, making some very specific and explicit demands. She had been growing progressively more flirty with him throughout their rehearsals, only made all the more awkward by his growing attraction to pony mares.
He wasn’t sure he would be able to follow through with her demands, but her threat of sinking his budding career was credible - she was the real-life flesh-and-blood Princess of the Crystal Empire. One word from her could devastate all of his future prospects.
None of that mattered, though, if he screwed up his performance on his own. He was not about to do that. He would play his part with all the gusto he could muster. Garble glared up at the arrogant queen with jealousy. Sweetie Belle was a theatre prodigy, playing her part with a perfection reserved for only the greatest of actresses. Garble channeled that jealousy into his own acting.
“Your Highness, why can’t I?” he shouted, grasping her hoof and shoving her away. “I am a Prince, am I not? Is that not all the law requires?” He stood to his feet.
“I’m sorry, Sweetie Belle.” The purple dragon turned away. “I think it’s best if we put this behind us.” He gazed up into the dark clouds above, steam hissing from his muzzle with each drop of rain upon his snout. “I know I already have,” he said toward the sky.
Sweetie Belle stood outside the theatre. Rain poured down around them as the dragon that had been her coltfriend only moments before turned and slowly walked away down the muddy street.
She had given herself completely to him.
She had thought he was the one she would spend her entire life with.
“Wait!” she cried.
She couldn’t bear to lose him now.
But he continued walking, standing proud as he went. He had just ripped her heart from her chest as if he didn't even care. Could it really be so easy for him? Was he just acting tough, or did she really mean so little to him?
She couldn’t know. She couldn’t tell.
But in her heart, she knew. She knew where he would go. To that other mare she’d seen him with that morning. Just as he had done the mares before her, his heart had wandered away to another. Was it his dragon’s greed that drove him to seek new relationships, time after time? Or was it something else? The complete lack of a father figure in his life, perhaps?
Maybe it wasn’t him; maybe it was her? But how? She had tried her hardest to make the relationship work. She had done everything right, or so she thought. She hadn’t even known anything was wrong between them, and yet…
He walked away.
Was she really just one more conquest? One more treasure in his horde of broken hearts?
Teardrops faded into the rain as they dropped from her cheeks. What do I do? she wondered. How can I move on without you?
Even as he disappeared into the distance, she longed to feel his breath upon her lips again. To feel his tongue intertwined with her own. To be held in his arms. And other things, besides.
And she hated herself for it. She should have known.
Dragons don’t love, Rarity had warned her bitterly. I’ve met my fair share of dragons, and I thought he was different, but he isn’t. All dragons do is take. They take, and take, and take.
But they don’t love.
She should have listened to her sister. But she hadn’t.
“The law requires love!” Queen Obsidia thundered. “You may have fooled my daughter, but I know the truth. You dragons are all the same: incapable of love! You don’t even love your own families, only seeking to use and abuse others to build up your own hoard!”
Sweetie Belle struggled mightily to keep herself from sobbing as she delivered her lines, desperately trying to channel her grief into faux anger. It had been a year already - why was her breakup with Spike suddenly getting to her now? Had Flurry Heart really gotten under her horn that badly?
“The Princess will never be yours. I will not give you the chance to take another pony’s heart!” she shouted.
Garble stood, momentarily awestruck at the sheer intensity of Sweetie Belle’s performance. It had never been like this in rehearsals. He shook himself out of it, getting back into character. “But I do love her, your Highness! You'll see! I will sweep your daughter off her hooves and we will be married, and live happily together! Forever!”
Tears welled up in Sweetie Belle’s eyes as ‘Firebrand’ threw an accusatory claw at her. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. She stomped her hoof against the stage.
“No, you will not! I shall not allow you the chance!” She drew herself up tall. “Begone! You are henceforth cast out from this place and my kingdom, never to return!” Sweetie Belle was starting to lose her calm and collected demeanor. Each of her own words cut straight to her heart, as if she were commanding Spike to depart from the home he had made there.
“Dragons can love!” Garble cried. “And I’ll prove it to you!”
“Then do it!” she screamed, momentarily slipping from her carefully crafted role. A spell erupted from her horn, encasing the dragon’s claws in a glowing, sickly green that quickly faded away. She teleported away with a loud pop.
Garble blinked twice, his ears ringing. She may have followed the script as written, but she had never put that much into her acting before. He stared at his claws, the harmless illusion always making him slightly uneasy. “What have you done?” Prince Firebrand wondered aloud. But Garble knew he wasn’t entirely acting.
Armed guards entered the stage, dragging him from the scene.
Electric Rose, the narrator for the production, passed him as he exited the stage. Warning bells went off inside his head.
This wasn’t right.
The narrator wasn’t supposed to be back on stage until the intermission. And this wasn’t a rehearsal - mistakes couldn’t be afforded here. What was going on?
Sweetie Belle gasped for air as she popped back into existence backstage. The director, Clapper Snap, was looking at her with his eyebrows raised in concern.
“Is everything okay?” he asked. “"That was... uh... intense."
“Yeah,” Sweetie mumbled, blinking away tears. “I’ll be fine. Just give me a minute.”
Clapper nodded. “Good. Good. I know the stress can get to all of us, and I hate to put more on your shoulders right now, but... we have a problem.”
Sweetie cocked her head to the side. “What kind of problem?”
“Well, Princess Flurry Heart insisted that there be no understudy for her role, and threatened to revoke our charter if I didn’t comply. But while you and Garble were on stage just now, her parents arrived and dragged her away.”
Sweetie Belle blinked in confusion. “Wait, you mean she isn’t here?!”.
Clapper shook his head. “I’ve sent Electric Rose to improvise the story so we can skip over her next couple scenes, but…” He heaved a heavy sigh. “Look, I know it sounds like I’m grasping at straws here, but you auditioned for Flurry’s part, and I was hoping perhaps you might have practiced her lines, too.”
Sweetie nodded sheepishly.
“And you do look a lot like her already. Dazzleflash came up with the idea, and she thinks she can complete the transformation. Then, hopefully we can pick up from the kissing scene. It’s the most iconic scene in the script, after all. We’d be the laughing stock of Equestria if we just gloss over it.”
Sweetie Belle turned the idea over in her head a few times. This performance was supposed to be her chance to make an impact - to finally make it into a bigger production that might catapult her career. And out on stage they were already improvising entire scenes to account for a missing performer - a major role, no less. In short, the production was already in danger of coming apart at the scenes… or was it seams? Perhaps the only way she might be able to salvage something out of it would be to play both leading mares as best she could.
“I’ll do my best,” she agreed, uncertain it would work, but not seeing any other choice.
“Great!” Clapper cheered. “I knew you were the best mare to ask. But hurry. Dazzleflash is already waiting for you in Wardrobe.”
“Hold up,” Hazelblossom hissed, stopping Garble as he tried to go backstage to prep for his next scene.
Garble tilted his head. “I have to-”
The normally stoic pegasus mare held up a wingtip to his lips, shushing him. “Keep your voice down.”
Garble nodded slightly, no less confused. “Alright, what’s going on?” he asked, lowering his voice. “Why is Electric Rose on stage?”
Hazelblossom glanced left and right and then cupped her wing to Garble’s ear.
“We’ve run into a really big problem,” she whispered, “The director is skipping to your scene with Platinum Shadow.”
Garble frowned, turning his attention back to the stage. Hazel hurried off to accomplish her own tasks, leaving him without answers.
“-- and Queen Obsidia believed the Dragon Prince would try to steal her daughter away. She was right - The Dragon Prince tried to elope with Princess Crystal Song that very night! But as he took her hoof to escape, the curse the Queen had placed upon his claws sank into her flesh, and she became afflicted with an eternal slumber! Believing her to be dead, the Prince fled into the wilds of the Dragonlands.”
Clearly Hazelblossom hadn’t been joking. That was one scene down. If they were skipping that much, a lot of scenes were about to be gutted.
“Crystal Song slumbered on. The Queen took the Princess and laid her to rest in her bedchambers, ordering her guards that no creature was to enter without explicit permission. Then she sent an announcement out to all of the neighboring kingdoms. Princess Crystal Song, beloved Princess of the Wintercoast Kingdom, had been cursed by an evil dragon! A curse that could only be broken by true love’s kiss! At the Queen’s behest, every pony prince of the neighboring kingdoms was ushered into her bedchamber to plant one kiss after another upon her lips, yet still she slept.”
Garble imagined what it must be like for those ponies whose roles had just been axed from the play with the removal of those scenes. Bit parts, sure, but they likely had families out in the audience who were looking forward to seeing them on stage. A growing anger began stirring in his chest. He was going to have words with the director when this was over.
“As time passed, the Queen began to grieve. She had acted in anger, believing that a mother’s love would be able to break the spell, yet her love wasn’t enough. She knew she was responsible for the curse on her own child, yet she still blamed the Dragon Prince for forcing her hand. Her citizens suffered as she took out her frustrations upon them.”
It occurred to Garble that he should have asked what went wrong backstage, but it was too late now. The next scene was coming up.
“Prince Firebrand never did forget his love. Then, after several years had passed, one of Queen Obsidia’s advisors, Platinum Shadow, ventured out into the Dragonlands in search of the Prince, hoping to end his Queen’s tormented guilt.”
Electric Rose stepped away from the podium on the corner of the stage and strode towards him, her narration complete. “I did my best,” she offered apologetically as she passed him. “Knock ‘em dead.”
Garble took a moment to adjust his costume and clear his head.
Firebrand stepped back onto the stage.
Even though she was a pegasus, when it came to costuming, Dazzleflash could work magic as well as any unicorn. Sweetie Belle couldn’t believe how real her wings looked. She could even extend them slightly by manipulating a tiny string with her telekinesis. They wouldn’t let her fly, obviously, but the effect was convincing.
“Hold still!” Dazzleflash commanded, running a comb through Sweetie Belle’s curled mane. “Just a little bit more and you’ll be the stunning image of the Princess!”
Though she really wanted to keep playing with her new wings, Sweetie Belle forced herself to keep her eyes forward as Dazzleflash put the finishing touches on her mane.
“And... there!”
Sweetie looked at herself in the mirror. If she had Flurry’s striking blue eyes, Sweetie would have been convinced. It was impeccable, no doubt assisted by their similar coloring - a dusting of red in her coat and a quick streak of arctic blue in her mane had done most of the work bridging the gap between their natural colors.
Dazzleflash presented the gown for Sweetie Belle - one that had been custom tailored by her sister, Rarity, for Flurry Heart’s frame. It was a gorgeous dress with soft, translucent blues and greens layered upon one another, all tied together with lilac ribbons. The large golden clasp in the front held a fire ruby. Sweetie quickly slipped it on and found it was a little tight about the hips, but otherwise comfortable. She turned in front of the mirror to admire herself from several angles. It was gorgeous.
“Alright, Sweetie.” Clapper said, standing in the doorway. “We need to get you settled on that bed before the next scene starts.”
The silent castle ramparts stood alone on the darkened stage. The backdrop for the scene consisted of a moonless, starry night made out of diamonds that sparkled brightly as various stage lights reflected off of them. The resultant dazzling effect wowed the audience, but it only messed with Garble’s vision as he and ‘Platinum Shadow’ swooped down to land.
“The Princess is kept in that tower,” Platinum said with a stage whisper, pointing stage right. “The door remains unlocked, but guarded. There is no way you could possibly get in without being seen.”
“That’s why I brought backup,” Firebrand replied.
“What do you mean,” Platinum replied, concerned.
Firebrand smiled broadly. “Ponies of Wintercoast! I have heard your cries and your lamentations!” he proclaimed. “And I have come here as your savior! You will be set free from the shackles of tyranny, and I will return to you your Princess, Crystal Song. When the day dawns again, your kingdom will rise anew!”
The roar of dragons could be heard as several changelings-turned-dragon flew onto the scene.
The curtain lowered. Garble shook his head a few times trying to blink away the dazzling lights.
Sweetie Belle sat on a wide bed as the next scene was set. A shrubbery transformed into a changeling, scurried across the stage, and reformed itself into a lamp. The impact changelings had made on Equestrian theatre was incredible: Though larger set pieces were still built by hoof, many smaller set details like rocks and chairs were often changelings. It allowed for more detailed sets without the need to store dozens or even hundreds of small objects, and entire scene changes could be done in a matter of moments instead of taking minutes.
The bed itself was modelled off of Princess Twilight’s own bed - a four poster bed draped with expensive-looking embroidered fabrics over a thick magifoam mattress and bedding made of pure silk. The actual materials were artificial, of course - there was no sense in replicating Twilight’s bed that closely - but the end result was a bed that was quite grandiose by normal standards, even if it was modest by Princess standards. Typical theatre-going ponies wouldn’t know the difference.
Sweetie laid back and closed her eyes as the finishing touches were put on the set, running the script through her head one last time.
Firebrand and the dragons would lay siege to the castle, and then Firebrand would burst into the room and be stricken by her beauty. Then, he would approach her, and…
The sound of a dragon’s heavy feet thumping against the stage interrupted her thoughts. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel his presence as he approached. He would lean down and kiss her now, right?
“Crystal Song?” Firebrand whispered. “My love?” As he drew nearer to Sweetie Belle, the sulfur on his breath wafted over her face. That familiar smell, once so acrid and unpleasant, now only brought back bittersweet memories.
The way he would dance with her, and then lean in for a kiss, the smell of his sulfurous breath bringing her heart to a swell. The way he would bring her breakfast in bed and leave her with a parting kiss as he went off to work. The way he would kiss her hello as he returned each day, and then again to say goodnight.
Every time they kissed, that smell - wonderful and terrible at the same time - came with it. At that smell alone, Sweetie parted her lips in anticipation, knowing Spike would passionately place his lips upon hers.
“Please.”
The word escaped her lips in a silent plea to her lover.
As he approached the bed that Princess Crystal Song sprawled across, Flurry Heart’s voice echoed in Garble’s mind.
You listen to me, Garble, and you listen good. When the time comes for the kiss, I want you to give me a real kiss. With tongue.
The little fireball Princess had dragged him off just prior to the production to make her demands. She seemed angry and flustered as she blurted her curt instructions to him.
Why would I do that? he had asked.
Because if you don’t, I’ll get your name blacklisted from the theatre. My mother is the ruler of the Crystal Empire, so don’t you go thinking I won’t!
This was the biggest moment in the production, and making this scene as memorable as possible would be the difference between gaining fame and fading into obscurity. He had finally found acceptance among these equine strangers here in the theatre. If he screwed this scene up, he wouldn’t be able to face them again.
He paused at the side of the bed. If he kissed her the way she wanted, she would likely gag on his breath. If he didn’t, she might make a scene and ruin the performance anyway. And she clearly was used to getting her way.
Quite like a dragon, Garble mused to himself.
But he couldn’t just stand there all day. The show would not wait.
“Crystal Song? My love?” Garble whispered. He leaned in closer to Crystal Song and paused momentarily. Did she really want an open-mouthed kiss from a dragon? That was another reason that interspecies relations with dragons were less than ideal.
But her soft lips parted ever so slightly as he leaned in, like she fully prepared to accept his kiss. He hesitated for the briefest of moments.
Her lips moved ever so softly - a breathy please, nearly inaudible escaped her lips.
Garble made up his mind and moved forward, pressing his draconic lips to hers. Much to his surprise, she invited him to explore her maw with his tongue without hesitation.
Sweetie Belle savored the kiss as Spike leaned forward, his tongue dipping into her mouth. Her own tongue darted forward, tracing along the sharp blade-like edges of his teeth. Those terrifying teeth could end her life with nary a thought when they were this close. She stifled her body’s shivering desire, exhilarated with the taboo of it.
His long, serpentine tongue darted about within her mouth, teasing along the back of her tongue before wrapping her own tongue in that bizarre instinctive tongue-hug he had always given her, wrestling it away from his teeth - a once-alien sensation, now so incredibly intimate. A chill ran down Sweetie Belle’s spine, unable to stop the shiver this time. She opened her eyes as her body shuddered.
Red scales -- Garble was right in front of her. His beady yellow eyes were covered with thin scales, his eyes closed. She wasn’t just daydreaming -- a dragon was kissing her! With tongue! And it wasn’t Spike!
Her tongue fought to withdraw, but Garble’s stronger and more dexterous tongue held hers in place as he continued to press his lips against hers. Her mind raced. She knew she couldn’t ruin the moment, or this production would be even more disastrous than it already was.
She inhaled deeply through her nose, drawing in more of the sulfuric haze. If Garble wanted to make a scene out of this kiss, then she would do her best to oblige. After all, there wasn’t a pony alive more experienced at kissing dragons than she was. Her eyes fluttered closed again as she forced herself up into his muzzle, lips, tongue and jaw working in tandem to kiss Garble as passionately as she could.
After a moment, Garble pulled away, lifting her up with one arm to help her sit up and releasing the serpentine grip he’d kept on her.
Sweetie Belle gasped breathlessly as their lips parted. That kiss had been so much more intense than any she had shared with Spike. The sulfuric smell faded as he stood and stepped back. The script called for her to stand up as well, but she was so shaken she wasn’t sure she could.
“Firebrand?” she rasped, gazing about the stage in somewhat genuine confusion. “What happened to me?”
“I am so glad to see you awake,” Firebrand whispered. “But we cannot sit around here waiting. I’ll explain once we get out of here.”
“Go? Where are we going?” Sweetie Belle replied, carefully standing up from the bed onto wobbly hooves. The cue was already passed, but as long as she kept the dialogue proper it wouldn’t be an issue. Why had he kissed her like that?!
“Away from your mother,” Firebrand replied. “Now hurry, her guards will be here any minute.”
And why had she liked it so much?!
All four of Sweetie Belle’s knees were like jello as she stumbled after him. It wasn’t part of the stage directions, but it sold the scene even better.
Sweetie was hyperventilating backstage, desperately gasping for air. She couldn’t stop thinking about Spike, but every time she thought she had put him behind her, she would see Garble and that kiss… that kiss came flooding back to her. Her heart threatened to burst from her chest each time. And she wasn’t convinced it was Spike that was bothering her anymore.
Dazzleflash was trying to talk to her, but Sweetie Belle wasn’t focused on the mare’s words. Realizing that somepony was trying to communicate with her, she tried very hard to ignore the raging battle going on inside her head and heart.
“I... I’m sorry, I spaced out,” she confessed.
“I said ‘are you okay?’” Dazzle repeated, still focused on some task mere inches from Sweetie’s face. “You’re freaking out. I know there’s a lot of pressure on you right now, but there’s only a few scenes left. Can you make it?”
Sweetie Belle glanced at her back; at the long black dress that made up Obsidia’s outfit. Dazzle grabbed Sweetie’s chin and forced her head forward again, still trying getting the color out of her mane. Sweetie took a few moments to get her breathing under control.
“I’m… fine,” she finally answered. She wasn’t even convincing herself, but Dazzleflash nodded anyway. “I can do it!” she cheered. The fake self-confidence didn’t help as much as she’d hoped.
A smile curled on Dazzle’s lips. “Atta girl.” She dusted the back of Sweetie’s head with a wing. “Now go knock ‘em dead.”
Sweetie paused, looking quizzically back at Dazzleflash. “Knock ‘em dead?”
“Yeah, y’know, like ‘go get ‘em’, or… just…”
“I know what it means,” Sweetie Belle said with a soft smile. “But ‘knock ‘em dead’ is a silly thing to say to someone who is supposed to die in their next scene.”
Dazzleflash smiled wide. “Right. Well, knock yourself out, then.”
Sweetie Belle giggled, heading to her place for her next entrance. The short, silly little exchange with Dazzle had really helped her nerves. She idly wondered if Dazzle hadn’t done it on purpose.
She paused at the edge of the stage, listening again as the narrator skipped over a short scene that was axed so Sweetie had time to change.
“-and with Princess Crystal Song safely hidden away, Firebrand turned toward the courtyard where he knew the Queen would be waiting for him.”
Garble stopped to take a deep breath as he waited at the edge of the stage. That kiss had really shaken him. Flurry Heart’s kiss had been so much more intense than he’d anticipated, and a weird feeling bounced around in his chest. Was he crushing on her now? Is this what the ponies called ‘having twittermites in your stomach’?
The narrator finished and Garble stepped onto the stage. Obsidia stood at the other end of the ‘courtyard’, her head held high and glaring down her nose at him.
“I’ve come to put an end to your tyranny!” he shouted. “Your people will no longer suffer under your rule!”
“I’ve bested you before, worm,” Obsidia snarled. “I shall not hesitate to do it again!”
“Do not be so overconfident,” he replied menacingly. “It will be your downfall.” Garble charged across the stage, intently watching Obsidia’s horn. It began glowing green as he approached.
He whipped up his prop sword to tap Obsidia’s horn. It ceased glowing. “You think this whole kingdom exists just for your benefit?!”, he roared. “Your silly little magic shall not fool me again!”
Sweetie Belle grimaced as the prop made contact with her horn a second time. The light taps on her horn were intended to look ferocious, and even though Garble was holding back so as not to hurt her, they still stung the sensitive organ.
“It is my kingdom, and I will rule it how I see fit!” she retorted, shoving the dragon away. Her horn glowed again. Firebrand lunged forward, once again tapping her horn. That one actually hurt. Sweetie Belle winced in pain.
“What have you ever done to deserve your rule?!” he shouted at her, swinging his blade again, this time knocking her to the floor. Sweetie collapsed, cushioning herself with a quick flash of magic as she raised a hoof to defend herself.
“Wait, have mercy!” she cried in faux terror.
“What mercy have you ever shown to others?” he growled. “None. And you deserve none. By morning Crystal Song will rule her kingdom, and I shall rule by her side.”
“I would rather die!” Sweetie Belle declared.
He leaned over her prone form, seemingly closer and more intimate then their rehearsals. “Then you shall be run through,” he growled, “impaled on my sword before the night is out.”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes went wide and her breath came in short gasps. Oh Luna, why was this turning her on so much - this was Garble, for crying out loud, not Spike! And yet ...
The sulfur of his panting breath wafted over her and she had to stop herself from instinctively leaning in to kiss him. Why couldn’t she control herself?!
Firebrand thrust the blade into the small gap between her leg and her chest - appearing to the audience as if he had struck her in the heart. It was strangely… passionate. Intense. Far more intense than it had ever been before.
Sweetie Belle cried out with Obsidia’s dying gasps, but couldn’t help but think it sounded… far more erotic than she had intended. She fell limp against the floor. Firebrand stood triumphantly over her.
“I am sorry, Obsidia. But you brought your fate upon yourself.”
“We only have about a minute,” Dazzleflash barked to her assistant. “Hurry up and get that wedding dress over here.”
Sweetie Belle stood stock still, lost in thought and only lifting her hooves as needed while the two ponies quickly stripped her bare and then dressed her up in a fanciful white wedding dress adorned with alternating rubies and pearls. As soon as the dress was done, Dazzleflash went back to work on her mane and tail again, ensuring that the colors were just right.
She couldn’t possibly be infatuated with Garble, could she? It was just a play, wasn’t it?
Her transformation was completed in only a matter of moments. She glanced back at the gown. It was absolutely gorgeous. Dazzleflash was quicker than Sweetie Belle could have ever thought possible, and she didn’t even have the advantage of being a unicorn. Rarity would definitely have been jealous.
… Jealous. Was she jealous of Garble and Flurry’s apparent friendship? And if they’d been kissing like this, was it really just friendship?
Sweetie Belle trotted back toward the stage, waiting behind the designated set piece, still lost in thought while the narrator continued setting the scene.
“--and, no longer subject to Queen Obsidia’s rule, Princess Crystal Song had become the new Queen of Wintercoast, free to change the laws and do as she wished. Her first order of business was to revoke Prince Firebrand’s exile, allowing him to once again return to her side. Shortly afterward, their wedding was set, and members of both kingdoms flocked to attend the ceremony.”
That was her cue. Sweetie Belle stepped out from behind the stone pillar, turning to face Garble for their vows. Sweetie had to admit the drake was quite handsome as he stood tall and proud in his tuxedo. She trotted to the center of the stage, where a small pulpit was raised up. One of the bit players stood at the stand, a book of laws held in his telekinesis.
The official rapidly blabbered his way through a speech about love and dedication, truncated short for the sake of the audience’s entertainment. Sweetie couldn’t stop staring at Garble, running her eyes up and down his body.
“Do you, Prince Firebrand, take Queen Crystal Song to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Garble grasped her hoof, raising it to his chest. A gentle warmth radiated into her hoof as it made contact. “For as long as the fire burns in my breast, so will my love for her never die,” he responded. “I do.”
“...And do you, Queen Crystal Song, take Prince Firebrand to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
Sweetie Belle couldn’t stop the stinging tears from forming in her eyes. “As the waves crash against the ocean's shores, so will my love never cease,” she responded in kind. “I do.” Her voice choked slightly on her words as she finished.
Firebrand leaned forward, his lips approaching hers. Sweetie Belle swallowed nervously. Their kiss before hadn’t been intentional. At least, not on her part. But now she had to kiss him.
Because the script demanded it, she desperately tried to rationalize. She leaned in. They met, her soft lips pressing against his firm scales.
Was it really because of the script?
Her lips parted as she leaned firmly into him, her tongue once again searching out those sharp, jagged teeth.
Or was it because she wanted it?
His tongue slowly sought hers, caressing every inch of her mouth as she explored his own. He wrapped her tongue up in his own once again.
Applause started somewhere in the crowd - a light clopping of hooves against the ground. Sweetie Belle hooked a hoof behind Garble and pulled him in, kissing him passionately. The applause grew - what just a moment before was a few isolated hoof taps now growing into a stampeding wall of noise.
She stood, pressing into Garble, and he continued to kiss her back with the same fierceness and passion.
For those few moments, time seemed to have stopped.
But the show, as they say, must go on.
He pulled away.
Her tears fell.
The curtain call ended. Sweetie Belle hurried off stage, flustered. Why did she feel so… bothered around him? Was it the excitement of how he had ‘slain’ her? Or was it really just the kiss? And why had he done that, anyway? She didn’t know. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know, yet she sought answers all the same.
And there he was, working with Hazel to get his silly costume off.
“Hey,” she called. He paid her no attention. “Hey, Garble?” she clarified.
The dragon glanced up.
“Would you…”
Would you... what? Would you take me to dinner? Would you kiss me again like you did on the stage? Would you ravish me? All three questions danced through her mind, plucking away at the strings of her sanity. Why did she want him to do anything of the sort? Was she really going to just throw herself at some dragon she’d only met a scant few weeks prior? And what would Rarity think?
She deflated. “Would you… meet me out back in a few minutes? Please?”
For his part, Garble said nothing, nodding hesitantly as he watched her scamper away. Only one thought ran through his mind: The Princess looks strangely sexy in that dress.
Garble pushed the back door open and stepped out the gloomy alley, dark clouds and the setting sun allowing very little light. The Princess had seemed upset when she called him out here. Why did he keep following that little brat’s orders? Did the theatre really mean so much to him, or was it something else?
The door swung closed beside him. Sweetie Belle was leaning against the wall just beyond it, her back turned. She wore a pretty dress that preserved her modesty, and her tail swished back and forth in seeming agitation.
“So, you’re here, too?” he asked aloud. I thought the Princess wanted to talk privately? he thought to himself.
At the sound of his voice, the unicorn visibly tensed up, before slowly turning to face him.
“Are you daft?” she replied, a strange expression on her face.
“Uh, to be honest, I don’t know.” He pressed his primary claws together sheepishly. “Because I don’t know what that word means.”
Sweetie Belle let loose a light chuckle and then shook her head and let out a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry, Garble. I don’t know why I called you out here. I guess I just...” she trailed off.
Garble tilted his head in confusion. “But I came out here because the Princess wanted to…” He trailed off when he noticed Sweetie Belle scowling.
“Was it Flurry Heart?” Sweetie Belle growled, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Or was it Crystal Song?”
Garble scratched his chin for a moment. “I guess if you want to be picky, she was still in costume.”
Sweetie Belle’s ears flattened. “Garble, Flurry Heart isn’t even here. She hasn’t been here for a while now.”
“That’s not possible. She was just on stage with me moments ago.”
“That was me, Garble. I played Crystal Song after Flurry Heart was-”
“Did something happen to Flurry Heart?!” he blurted, his mind racing. Had she gotten ill after his kiss? The sulfur could do that, right? But then she’d kissed him back at the wedding scene, so...
Sweetie Belle slumped against the wall. This conversation was not going the way she expected it to. “Flurry is fine. Her parents came and took her away after her first scene.” Her eyes went wide as the realization hit her. “How did you not notice?!”
Garble held up a claw, not hearing her last question as everything clicked. “Wait, you mean, when I kissed…” Sweetie Belle flushed a bright red as Garble worked out the implications in his head. “I kissed… you?”
Sweetie Belle nodded sheepishly. “Did you really think that Flurry Heart would be able to handle your breath without gagging? Or have the two of you been practicing that?”
Garble held up both hands in surrender. “No way, not at all. I would never kiss a namby-pamby pony princess if I could help it!”
“And yet you did. Or at least, you tried very hard to. Why?”
“I had to. The script called for it.”
Sweetie Belle’s eyes narrowed and she got up in Garble’s face. “Did the script call for such a… personal touch to it?”
Garble swallowed as the mare got up close and angrily pressed her snout against his. Her eyes were full of fire, mere inches from his face.
“Well… uh… no. I mean… she.... she threatened me.”
Sweetie Belle backed off, tilting her head inquisitively. “What do you mean she threatened you?”
“She told me that she wanted me to give her a ‘real’ kiss. And said that if I didn’t, she would have me blacklisted from the theatre.”
A look of disbelief crossed Sweetie Belle’s face. “You… you actually thought she had that authority?” She began laughing, unable to hold back her mirth.
If he had been capable of it, Garble would have blushed - but his cheeks were always red. “Why… why wouldn’t she? She’s a princess, isn’t she?”
Sweetie Belle wiped a tear from her eye. “Oh, my, that’s great. She blackmailed a dragon into kissing her!” Her laughter doubled.
Garble frowned. It didn’t seem that funny to him.
Sweetie Belle waved her hoof apologetically. “I’m sorry, it’s just …” She tried to stifle her laughter, taking a moment to regain her composure. “She’s been infatuated with dragons ever since she was little. Princess Twilight Sparkle is her aunt, with Spike being Twilight’s adoptive brother. Flurry Heart and Spike have always had a close relationship, but Flurry views him in a much more romantic light than is healthy for a filly her age.”
“So, you mean…she was using me? As a substitute for that little shrimp? I’m nothing like him!”
Sweetie nodded, her expression suddenly turning serious. “You’re right. You’re not, but…” She paused. “Is it okay?” She looked up at him with pleading eyes.
“Huh? Is what okay?”
“Being a…” Sweetie Belle paused, digging a hoof into the ground nervously. “...a replacement.”
“What do you mean?”
“For Spike,” she said quietly. “Look, I know… I know this is very forward of me. And kinda personal. Really personal, actually. But I have to say it.” She inhaled sharply. “I... loved Spike for years. And when we dated, it was incredible. He made me feel like a complete mare. But…”
”But…?”
“But he ditched me for another mare. It isn’t the first time he’s done it, either. His had relationships before me - the first, with Gabby Griffon, and the second, with my sister, Rarity - they both ended the same way. He left Gabby for Rarity. And he left Rarity for another mare, and later left that mare for me. I thought… I foolishly thought he loved me, but he didn’t. He was just pursuing things he wanted and didn’t have.” She slumped to the ground, tears welling up in her eyes. “It was so obvious. I should have seen it. but I didn’t.”
Garble silently watched over the distraught mare, unsure if he was going to say the right thing. Would it hurt her more? Or would it help?
“It’s a dragon’s nature to covet,” Garble finally explained. “We all have things we collect. I collect fossils. Others collect rocks or treasure. Some of us collect slaves.”
Sweetie blinked. “Slaves?”
Garble shrugged. “It is what it is. Remember, not all dragons are nice. I think I would know!” He laughed at his own stupid joke, and then frowned when Sweetie wasn’t laughing. “I used to be a complete jerk,” he explained. “One of the worst.”
Sweetie Belle knew nothing of Garble’s history. Her ears perked up. “You were? But you seem so nice now. What happened?”
“My sister happened.” His claw clamped shut as angry memories began to resurface. “I had an artistic hobby that the dragons around me laughed at. Dragons have a reputation for being tough and unfeeling, after all. So I hid my hobby - my passion - from the other dragons. I started bullying others along with them, and it helped me feel better about myself. Or so I thought.”
He unclenched his fist, meeting Sweetie Belle’s gaze. “But deep down inside, I knew I wasn’t happy. My sister brought a pony to the dragonlands, and the pony caught me performing when I thought I was alone. And she helped me feel comfortable expressing myself through my art.”
“That sounds like a good thing to me.”
“It was,” Garble agreed. “But the other dragons still mocked me for it. My sister encouraged me to come to Equestria. She said ponies would help me feel better about myself, because with ponies I could be myself.” He smiled at that, but it was a sad smile. “She was right. Ponies accepted me immediately. I could be who I wanted to be. And once I could be who I wanted to be, I didn’t have to be angry anymore. I finally felt like I could love the world around me, and that the world could love me back.” His smile brightened as he finished.
Sweetie Belle frowned, her ears drooping. “Then, is it true?” she asked in a whisper. Garble raised an eyebrow questioningly. Sweetie Belle closed her eyes before finishing her thought. “What Queen Obsidia says. Is it true?”
Garble thought about that for a moment - what did Queen Obsidia say? About… oh.
“Well, dragons are certainly capable of love,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I love my sister. My mother and father love each other as passionately as two creatures ever could. It’s true that we’re not always so good at expressing it in healthy ways, but we definitely can love. And we love to be loved in return.” He looked pointedly at Sweetie Belle. “Spike probably did love you. Maybe not for forever, but at first? He probably did. He’s a young dragon; by dragon standards, barely older than a child. We mature far slower than ponies do, and he probably doesn’t yet know what he’s truly looking for in a relationship.”
Sweetie Belle gazed into Garble’s eyes, searching for any sign of deception. She found none. “What about you?” she asked hesitantly. “What do you want out of a relationship?”
“I really don’t know,” he replied. “I used to want to settle down with another dragon, raise some hatchlings, and just… be a dragon and do dragon things. But…”
“But?” Sweetie prodded.
“But I don’t really want to raise more spoiled dragon children, and I don’t want to raise them in the dragon lands.” A sad smile crossed his lips. “I don’t want them to be like me.”
“Could you see yourself… with a pony?”
Garble glanced at her curiously. “I don’t know. I guess I might, if it was the right pony. Some ponies do have a sort of exotic... sexiness that I’ve had trouble pinning down.”
“What about me?”
He blushed and turned awkwardly to the side, worried that his body might start to respond. “Especially you,” he replied. “But ponies are generally not cut out for relationships with dragons,” he quickly added. “We can be pretty rough.”
“I know,” Sweetie Belle deadpanned. “I’ve dated one. And I liked it.”
“So you understand the problems,” he said, nodding. This was getting awkward, he decided. “So, uh, why did you ask me out here, anyway?”
“Garble?”
“Huh?”
Sweetie Belle leaned in and gave him a peck on the cheek. “You are daft.”
Garble softly rubbed his cheek where her lips had been. “I still don’t know what that means.”
Sweetie sighed. “Stallions never get the hint, either. Look, Garble… would you join me for dinner tonight?”
“Are you… are you asking me out?”
Sweetie glanced up at the sky. The dark clouds rumbled with a threat of rain. “Maybe,” she said. “But it is rather late, so maybe I’m asking you... in?” She ran a hoof along his jaw. “I know how to cook for a dragon. And you could stay the night at my place. We could practice that kiss again -- just in case Flurry Heart doesn’t come back.”
Garble thought back to the way Crystal Song had kissed him during the wedding ceremony - the incredibly intense, intimate kiss. That kiss had been… amazing. He wouldn’t mind it if she did that again. And that dress she was in…
He gazed at Sweetie Belle, running his eyes up and down her lithe body. That had been her the whole time. He wouldn’t mind being able to kiss her on the stage again.
“The wedding dress really does look good on you,” he replied. “I think I’d like that.”
Sweetie Belle leaned into him, beckoning him for another kiss. Their lips met, and then parted quickly. “We’ll have to work back up to that one. But if you think it looks good on me,” she whispered seductively into his ear, “wait until you see it off of me.”
Garble frowned. “I don’t get it.”
Author's Note
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